falling into the hands of a thiefe should be required of the thiefe to give a peece of mony for the redeeming of his life verily hee not only may but also ought if hee be able to performe that which the thiefe requireth And if this be lawfully performed unto a thiefe it is lawfully also performed unto him by an oath Likewise it is lawfull also to promise by an oath silence unto the thiefe and such an oath made for the keeping of silence promised unto the thiefe both may and ought to be kept Object That which is hurtfull to the Common-wealth is not to be promised or if it have been promised not to be kept Such silence promised unto the thiefe is hurtfull to the Common-wealth Therefore it is not to be promised or if it have been promised it is not to be kept Ans 1. That which is hurtfull to the Common-wealth is not to be promised that is if wee may doe it without hazzard and danger of our life And further if at that instant when a man is in such danger of his life he be not rather to provide for his own safety than to reveale such a thing 2. It is rather profitable than hurtfull to the Common-wealth to promise silence unto the thief and to keep promise For he which hath promised silence by an oath to the thiefe is by this meanes saved Moreover if he should not promise by oath silence unto the thiefe threatning him death he should thereby neither profit the Common-wealth nor himselfe Wherefore to promise silence by an oath unto the thiefe and to keep it seeing it is a lesser evill then that a Citizen should be slain is of the two rather to be chosen ON THE 38. SABBATH Quest 103. What doth God command in the fourth Commandement Answ First that the Ministery of the Gospel and the Schools of learning should be maintained a Titus 1 5. 1 Tim. 4.13 14.15 16. 2 Tim 2.2 3.15 1 Cor. 9.12 13 14 and that I both at other times and especially on Holy-dayes should frequent studiously divine assemblies b Psal 40.10 11. 68.26 Acts 2.42 46. heare the Word of God diligently c 1 Tim 4 13. 1 Cor. 14.29 use the Sacraments d 1 Corinth 11.33 joyn my praiers with the common praiers of the assembly e 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 8. 1 Corinth 14.16 and bestow something according to my ability on the poore f 1 Cor. 16.2 And further that all my life time I be free from misdeeds and evill actions yielding unto the Lord that he may be his holy Spirit work in mee his work and so I may begin in this life that everlasting Sabbath g Esay 66.3 The Explication The parts of the fourth Commandement THe parts of this fourth Commandement are in number two A Commandement A Commandement A reason thereof A reason of the Commandement The Commandment is Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day and In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke The parts of the Commandement are also two The first is morall and perpetuall namely That the Sabbath be sanctified that is that some certaine time be allotted to the Ministery of the Church The Commandement twofold or to the publike service of God The other part is ceremoniall and temporary namely 1. Morall and perpetuall That that time be the seventh day That the former part is morall and perpetuall 2. Ceremoniall and temporary is cleerly proved by the end and perpetuall causes of the Commandement The end of the Commandement is The publike service of God in the Church Or The first part of the Commandement is morall and perpetuall the perpetuall preservation and use of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery For God willeth that at all times there be some publike Ministery of the Church and assembly of the faithfull 1. The end of it in which the true doctrine concerning himself may daily resound 2. The causer of it and that for these causes 1. That himselfe may be publikely served in the world 2. That the religion and faith of the Elect may be stirred up and cherished by publike exercises 3. That men may mutually edifie one another in the faith which they professe and provoke one another to piety and godlinesse 4. That consent in the doctrine of the Church and worship of God may be continued 5. That the Church may be apparent in the world and may be discerned from other companies of men Now whereas these causes pertaine not to any definite or certaine time but to all ages and estates of the Church and the world it followeth hereon that God will have the Ministery of the Church perpetually maintained and the use thereof often frequented and therefore that the morall part of this Commandement bindeth all men from the begining of the world unto the end to keep some Sabbath that is to allot some time to Sermons Prayers and the Administration of the Sacraments That the latter part is ceremoniall That the latter part is ceremonial and temporary and not perpetuall it is evident because the Sabbath of the seventh day was in the promulgation and publishing of the law ordained by God for the observation of the Leviticall Ceremonies and given unto the Jewes for a Sacrament that is for a type of the sanctifying of the Church by the Messias to come Fzek. 10 12. according as it is said Keep yee my Sabbath for it is a signe between mee and you in your generations that yee may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you Moreover I gave them also my Sabbaths to be a signe between mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them Wherefore the Sabbath also of the seventh day was together with the rest of the ceremonies and types fulfilled and abrogated by the coming of the Messias And thus much briefly of the Commandement The reason of the Commandement is For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth The reason of the commandement c. It is drawne from the example of God who rested on the seventh day from his worke of Creation after six dayes labour ended Wherefore properly it pertaineth to the circumstance of the seventh day or to the ceremoniall part of the Commandement concerning the seventh day Howbeit the imitating of that rest whereunto God inviteth us is not only ceremoniall and belonging to the Jewes but morall also and spirituall signified by the ceremoniall and extending it selfe to all men But that the Commandement with the reason thereunto adjoyned may more fully be understood wee will in briefe expound the words of both and afterwards summarily handle and unfold the Common-places hitherto belonging namely the Common-places concerning the Sabbath the Ministery of the Church and touching Ceremonies Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day A briefe explication of the words of the commandement Numb 15.35 What the Sabbath is
why the ceremoniall law belongeth not unto us are especially these 1. One part of this law of sanctifying the Sabbath is ceremoniall Col. 2.16 2. Paul saith Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day 3. The Apostles themselves did change the Sabbath of the seventh day 4. From the end or purpose of the law It was a type of things that were to be fulfilled by Christ namely of sanctification and every type must give place to the thing thereby signified Likewise it was a severing or distinguishing the Jewes from other Nations but this severing and distinction was taken away by Christ Object 3. The Lord saith of the Sabbath day Exod. 31.27 It is a signe between me and the children of Israel for ever and an everlasting covenant Therefore the Sabbath of the seventh day is never to be abolished Ans 1. The ceremoniall Sabbath was perpetuall untill Christs coming who is the end of ceremonies 2. The Sabbath is eternall as concerning the thing signified which is a ceasing from sins and a rest in God for in this sense are all the types of the old Testament eternall even the kingdome of David also which yet was overthrown before the coming of the Messias Object 4. Wee grant the Mosaicall ceremonies to be changeable yet it followeth not thereof Look the question concerning the abrogating of the Law Ob. 1. Pag. 2. that the lawes which were made before Moses time are changeable in the number whereof also is the keeping of the Sabbath day Answ The ceremonies which were ordained of God before Moses are also changeable because they were types of the benefits of the Messias to come and therefore are by his coming abolished as circumcision which was given unto Abraham as also the sacrifices which were prescribed unto our first Parents Object 5. The lawes which were given of God before the fall are not types of the benefits of the Messias and binde all mankinde for ever for then was not given as yet the promise of the Messias and there was one and the same condition of all mankind But the Sabbath of the seventh day was ordained by God as soon as the creation of the world was finished before the fall of mankinde Therefore it is universall and perpetuall Ans The Major proposition is true concerning the morall law the notions whereof were imprinted in mans mind at the first creation but it is not true as touching the ceremony or observing of the seventh day as which after the fall was made a type of the benefits of the Messias in the Mosaicall law and therefore in like manner as other ceremonies which were either then or before instituted it became subject to mutation and change by the coming of the Messias For God would not have the shadowes of things to continue or remain the things themselves being once come and exhibited Wherefore albeit wee grant that the exercises of divine worship were to have been kept on the seventh day according to the commandement and prescript of the Decalogue as well if men had never sinned as now after they sinned yet notwithstanding seeing God hath enrolled this ceremony amongst the shadowes of the Messias to come he hath by this new law enacted by Moses made it changeable together with other ceremonies Object 6. The cause of the law being perpetuall doth make the law it selfe also perpetuall The memory and celebration of the creation and the meditation on the workes of God is a perpetuall cause of the Sabbath Therefore the Sabbath is perpetuall yea even after Christs coming Ans A law is made perpetuall or unchangeable by reason of an unchangeable cause that is if that cause it and doe necessarily or perpetually require this law as an effect or meane but not if at other times that end may be better come unto by other meanes or if the Law-giver may as well obtaine the same end by another law In like manner seeing also this law of sanctifying the Sabbath of the seventh day being repealed and abolished we may neverthelesse godlily and holily by other meanes meditate on Gods workes it followeth not that this law of the ceremoniall Sabbath is perpetuall although the memory and celebration of Gods creation and works ought to be perpetuall and therefore hath the Church by common consent according to Christian liberty well changed this ceremony of observing the seventh day being taken away by Christ and hath substituted in the place of the seventh day the first day of the week yet so that there is observed no difference of daies which is utterly forbidden in the Church seeing one day is not holier than another The Anabaptists also against the observation of the first day of the week Objecti against the observing of Sunday or the Lords day Col. 2.16 Galat. 4.10 Rom. 14.6 or the Lords day oppose those sayings of Scripture which forbid the putting of difference between daies and daies in the new Testament Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day Yee observe daies and months and times and yeares Hee that observeth the day observeth it to the Lord and he that observeth not the day observeth it not to the Lord. Therefore say they the observation of the first day of the week or the Lords day is no lesse in these places reproved than the solemnizing of the Sabbath Ans We answer to the Antecedent that a putting difference between dayes and dayes is indeed forbidden amongst Christians but not simply or wholly but on this wise namely if it be done with an opinion of ceremonious worship or necessity Now the first day of the week or the Lords day is not so observed by the Church For there is a double difference between the Christian observing of the Lords day and the Jewish observing of the Sabbath or seventh day A double difference between the Christian observing of the Lords day and the Jewish observing of the Sabbath For 1. It was not lawfull for the Jewes to change the Sabbath or to omit it as being a part of ceremoniall worship and this they might not doe by reason of the expresse commandement of God to the contrary But the Christian Church retaining still her liberty allotteth the first day unto the Ministery without adjoyning any opinion of necessity or worship 2. The old ceremoniall Sabbath was in the old Testament a type of things to be fulfilled by Christ but in the new Testament that signification ceaseth and there is had regard only of order and comelinesse without which there could be either no Ministery or at least wise no well ordered Ministery in the Church 3. The causes for which the Sabbath day was instituted THe finall causes or ends for which the Sabbath day was instituted are these For publike service and worship of God in the Church The publike service and worship of God in the Church exercise of prayers confession and obedience in which consisteth the study of the knowledge of
is proclaim and declare him to be no member of the Church Therefore To account one for a publican is not only to think in mind but also to pronounce him an aliant from the Church and to excommunicate him Objections against the example of the Apostles excommunicating alledged 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 8.5 2 Thess 3. 1 Tim. 1. c. THey who at this day disallow the Discipline of the Church elude the example of S. Paul two wayes Some simply deny that the Apostle speaketh of Excommunication when he saith He that hath thus done let him be delivered unto Sathan For say they to deliver unto Sathan is not to excommunicate but by some miraculous punishment through Sathans means to cut off or at least curse and banne him and deliver him to Sathan to be tortured yet so that hee continue a member of the Church notwithstanding Others grant that Paul speaketh of Excommunication but they deny that the example pertaineth to us because now there are Christian Magistrates maintainers of discipline of which Magistrates the Church was destitute in the Apostles time Ans But against the former of these make the Apostles words To deliver up to Sathan To put from the Church is to excommunicate 1 Cor. 5.2 Put away from your selves that wicked man and With such a one eat not These cannot be understood of a miraculous punishment by death such as Ananias and Sapphira suffered but they signifie the ordinary authority and judgement of the Church 1. Because he saith Put ye away and reprehendeth them because they have not yet abandoned him And Yee are puffed up and have not rather sorrowed that he which hath done this deed might be put from among you Now all these had not the gift which Peter had Therefore hee should wrongfully reprove them for not shewing some miracle 2. Because he requireth the consent of the Church When ye are gathered together 1 Cor. 5.4 and my spirit But there was no need of such a concourse or an assembly for manifestation of a miracle 3. Because hee will that the incestuous person be delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh 1 Cor. 5.5 that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus that is he will have him so dealt withall that notwithstanding he might live and repent that his flesh might be tamed with true contrition that the old man might be mortified and the new man quickned Wherefore the Apostle would not that he should be slain 4. He speaketh of the separating and exiling him from the Church when he saith Purge out the old leaven Company not together with fornicators With such a one eat not All these speeches intimate a separation not any mortall punishment 5. The conference of places of Scripture teacheth that they who either in word or in life deny the Christian faith are not to be reputed Christians Ambrose saith that this incestuous person when his offence was once known was to be banished from the company of the brotherhood that is from the Church Now they who are cast out of the Church are worthily said to be delivered up to Sathan because they are conversant and resident in his kingdome as long as they repent not Three causes why Paul commanded the incestuous person to be excommunicated They who maintaine the later opinion alledge a false cause when they say that Paul therefore would have the incestuous person excommunicated because then there was no Christian Magistrate For Paul rendreth farre different reasons hereof which continue in force unto this day 1. The Commandement of Christ When yee are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is by that authority and warrant of Christ Tell it unto the Church Let him be unto thee as an Heathen or a Publican 2. That the excommunicated person might repent and be saved Let him be delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus 3. Lest others should be tainted and infected with the same fore Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe For Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us that we should live with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth and become a new sprinkling and cast out the old leaven of maliciousnesse and wickednesse or at least if we cannot cast it all out yet that we professe not the toleration thereof These are the causes why Paul commanded that the incestuous person should be excommunicated out of the Church but we no where reade that the Church did therefore excommunicate wicked persons because it wanted a Christian Magistrate For the duties of the Church and of the Magistrate alwayes were and yet remaine distinct It is certaine then that the Apostle speaketh of Excommunication when he saith Deliver him unto Sathan Put away the wicked man from among you and that he treateth of the ordinary power of the Church against malefactors whether any miracle then betide or no. Object 1. Nathan excommunicated not David an adulterer Therefore Paul excommunicated not the incestuous person Answ David repented after the first warning therefore he ought not to be excommunicated Paul also speaketh with condition of repentance Put him away to wit if he repent not or hath not already repented on which repentance he commandeth that he be received againe This condition we must necessarily understand because that Christ would that certaine degrees of admonition should first be practised and God at any time receiveth the penitent into favour The Theefe on the Crosse is not excommunicated but upon his repentance received of Christ Mat. 18.28 If thy brother shall sin against thee untill seventy times seven times thou shalt forgive him Wherefore not offenders but obstinate persons of which sort David was none are to be excommunicated Object 2. Christ excommunicated none Therefore Paul did it not neither ought the Church to excommunicate any Ans The consequence is not good to argue from the deniall of the fact to the deniall of the right and lawfulnesse of the fact The argument is no better than this Christ baptised none Therefore Paul might not and the Church may not baptise any For Christ indeed baptised none but he commanded his Apostles to baptise all Nations So likewise he excommunicated none but he commanded the Church to excommunicate the rebellious and obstinate Mat. 18.17 5.24 Acts 8.36 Let him be unto thee as an Heathen Leave thy gift at the Altar c. Philip said to the Eunuch Thou maist be baptised if thou beleevest with all thine heart Therefore he had not baptised him if he had not beleeved Object 3 Paul saith Ye have not * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrowed that he which hath done this deed 1 Cor. 5.25 might be put from among you Therefore they should have prayed that God would miraculously take him away by the Devill Answ Yee
are not able to merit or deserve any thing But there cometh good rather unto our selves by good works For the good works which we doe are a conformity with God and therefore are Gods gift by which gift and benefit we are bound unto God but not God unto us Wherefore it is no lesse absurd to say that we merit salvation at Gods hands by good works than if one should say Thou hast given mee an hundred florens therefore thou oughtest also to give mee a thousand florens Howbeit God enjoyneth us good works and promiseth free recompence to them that doe them as a father promiseth rewards unto his sons ON THE 34. SABBATH Quest 92. Which is the law of God Ans God spake all these words a Exod. 20.1 Deut. 5.6 1. I am the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of Egypt out of the house of bondage thou shalt have no other gods in my sight 2. Thou shalt make to thee no graven Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee and shew mercy unto thousands of them that love mee and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain 4. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day six daies shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no maner of works thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattell and thy stranger that is within thy gate For in six daies the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt doe no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steale 9. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house nor his wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his The Explication Now followeth the doctrine of the Law which is the Canon and Rule of good works The chief questions concerning the Law are 1. What the law is in generall 2. What are the parts of Gods law 3. How far the law is and is not abrogated by Christ. 4. In what the morall law differeth from the Gospell 5. How the Decalogue is divided 6. What is the true meaning of the Decalogue and of every commandement thereof 7. How far forth the law may be kept of the regenerate 8. What is the use of the law THe first foure of these questions pertaine to this 92. Question of Catechisme the fifth to the 93. Question the sixth to the 94. and to the rest which follow untill the 114. Question the seventh to the 114. Question the eighth to the 115. Question of the Catechisme 1. What the law is in generall THe Latine word Lex which signifieth the law is derived from Lego which signifieth to reade and publish or from Lego which signifieth to choose With the former derivation agreeth the Hebrew word with the latter the Greek word For in the Greek the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cometh from a word that signifieth to divide and distribute and therefore the Law is so called because it distributeth unto every one proper charges and functions In Hebrew the Law is called Thorah that is doctrine because Lawes are published unto all that every one may learn them And hereof is it that the ignorance or not knowing the Law doth not excuse nay rather they who are ignorant of those Laws which belong unto them doe even in that very respect sin because they are ignorant The Law in generall is a sentence or decree commanding things that are honest binding creatures endued with reason unto obedience with a promise of reward and commination or threatning of punishment It is a sentence commanding things that are honest otherwise it is no Law It bindeth creatures endued with reason for the Law was not made for them who are not bound to obedience With a promise of reward The Law freely promiseth blessings unto those who performe obedience because no obedience can be meritorious before God Object But the Gospell also promiseth freely good things and blessings Therefore the Law differeth not from the Gospel Ans The Law promiseth freely after one manner and the Gospel after another The Law promiseth freely with a condition of our obedience But the Gospel promiseth freely without the workes of the Law with a condition of faith not with a condition of our obedience Wherefore the Gospel doth not promise blessings freely without all condition but without such a condition as wherewith the Law promiseth blessings unto us And with a commination or threatning of punishment otherwise the Law were a vaine and empty sound and should effect nothing Plato saith A Law is a right forme of government directed to the best end by fit meanes proposing punishments to transgressors and rewards to the obedient Oftentimes by the word Law the course and order of Nature appointed by God is improperly signified So we say The Law that is the order of Nature requireth that fruit spring of a tree But more improperly doth S. Paul call originall sin the law of sin because as a law it constraineth us to sin 2. What are the parts of the Law LAwes are some divine and some humane Humane lawes are they which being established by men doe bind certain men unto certain externall actions whereof there is no divine commandement or prohibition expresly with a promise of reward and commination or threatning of punishments corporall and temporall These humane lawes are either Civill or Ecclesiasticall Civill lawes are such as are made by Magistrates or some whole body and corporation concerning a certain order of actions to be observed in civill government in bargaines and contracts in judgements and punishments c. Ecclesiasticall or Ceremoniall lawes are those which are made by the consent of the Church concerning some certain order of actions to be observed in the Ministery of the Church which are the limitations of circumstances serving for the Law of God Divine lawes that is the lawes of God partly belong unto Angels and partly unto men and partly unto certain speciall men And these doe not only bind unto externall actions but require further internall or inward qualities actions and motions neither propose they corporall and
and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before mee saith the Lord. The externall or ceremoniall Sabbath is a certain time ordained and in stituted by God in the Church dedicated to a ceasing from works and labours and given to the Ministery of Gods Word and to the administration of the Sacraments or to the externall publike worship of God This ceremoniall Sabbath was necessary in the Old Testament to be the seventh day and that on that day as also on other holy dayes the Leviticall ceremonies should be observed This ceremoniall Sabbath is a thing indifferent in the N. Testament This externall Sabbath is also of two sorts Immediate and Mediate Immediate is that which was immediatly instituted by God himselfe and prescribed to the Church of the Old Testament and this was diversly taken in the Old Testament Divers Sabbaths in the Old Testament The Sabbath of daies The Sabbath of dayes was every seventh day of the weeke which was in a more particular sense called the Sabbath both in respect of Gods rest from the Creation of the world and in respect of that rest which was commanded the people of God to be kept on that day Hence the whole seven dayes or the whole weeke was with the Hebrewes called by the name of the chiefe day the Sabbath or Sabbaths Now in the end of the Sabbath Mat. 28.1 when the first day of the Sabbath that is of the week began to dawne Likewise Levit. 23.15 the Sabbaths of daies were other festivall dayes as the feast of the Passeover Whitsontide Tabernacles Trumpets c. because in these feasts the people were to rest as on the seventh day The Sabbath of months The Sabbath of months was the new Moones The Sabbath of yeeres The Sabbath of yeares was every seventh yeere Lâ—v. 25.4 26 35. Levit. 25.8 wherein the Jewes were commanded to intermit the tillage of their fields And hereof also the whole seven yeeres were by a Synecdoche called Sabbaths Thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of yeeres unto thee even seven times seven yeeres The mediate externall Sabbath is that which God doth mediately constitute by his Church in the New Testament such as is the first day of the week to wit Sunday or rather the Lords day which the Christian Church ever since the Apostles time observeth instead of the seventh or Sabbath day in respect of Christs resurrection witnesse that of John I was ravished in spirit on the Lords day Revel 1.10 More briefly thus The ceremoniall Sabbath is twofold one of the old Testament another of the new The old Sabbath was tied to the seventh day and the keeping of it was necessary and was the precise worship of God The new Sabbath dependeth on the arbitrement or appointment of the Church which for certaine causes maketh choice of the first day and that first day is to be observed for orders sake but without any opinion of necessity as if that and no other were to be observed by the Church of which difference more shall be spoken in the Question next ensuing A Table of the distinction of the Sabbath The Sabbath that is to say the ceasing or rest from working is 1. Internall morall and spirituall as the rest from sinne 2. Externall and Ceremoniall instituted by God 1. Immediately in the old Testament as the Sabbath of 1. Dayes which were the 1. Seventh day 2. Feast-dayes of the Passeover Whitsunday c. 2. Months as the new Moones 3. Yeâ—res as every seventh yeare 2. Mediately by the Church in the new Testament as the Lords day 2. How the Sabbath belongeth unto us Christians THe Sabbath of the seventh day was even from the beginning of the world designed by God to signifie that men should after the example of God himself rest from their labours and especially from sinnes and afterwards in Moses law this Commandement was againe repeated and then with all was the ceremony of ceasing from labour on the seventh day ordained to be a Sacrament that is a signe and token of that sanctifying whereby God signifieth himselfe to be the Sanctifier of his Church that is to pardon her all her sinnes and offences to receive her to favour to endue and rule her with his holy Spirit for the beginning of new and everlasting life in her in this life which afterwards should be accomplished and perfected for and by the Messias promised to the Fathers And this is the reason why the Ceremoniall Sabbath of the seventh day is now abolished namely because it was typicall admonishing the people of their own duty towards God of Gods benefits towards them which was to be performed by Christ for which selfe same cause also all the other Sacraments and Sacrifices and ceremonies made before and after the Law were abolished by the coming of Christ by whom that was fulfilled that they signified But although the Ceremoniall Sabbath is abrogated and disannulled in the new Testament yet the Morall Sabbath continueth still and belongeth unto us and doth still remain which is that some time is to be allotted for the Ministery of the Church For as heretofore in the Jewish Church so now in the Christian Church we must ever have some day wherein the Word of God may be taught in the Church and the Sacraments administred But neverthelesse we are not restrained or tied to have either Saturday or Wednesday or any other certaine day For the Apostolike Church to distinguish it selfe from the Jewish Synagogue according to the liberty where-with shee is enfranchised by Christ instead of the seventh day hath on good reason made choice of the first day namely because on that day was Christs resurrection whereby the spirituall and internall Sabbath is begun in us Briefly the Sabbath doth not belong to us Ceremonially in speciall and particular albeit it doth belong to us and so to all men and ever continueth both morally and ceremonially in generall that is wee must have some day wherein the Church may be instructed and the Sacraments administred but wee are not tied to any certaine day Object against the abrogating of the Ceremoniall Sabbath The Jews against the abrogation of the Ceremoniall Sabbath thus urge Ob. 1. The Decalogue is a perpetuall law The commandement of the Sabbath is a part of the Decalogue therefore it is a perpetuall law and not to be abolished Ans The Decalogue is a perpetuall law as it is a Morall law But the Additions or circumstances and limitations of the Morall precepts annexed by way of signification were to be kept untill the coming of the Messias Object 2. The commandements of the Decalogue belong unto all This is a commandement of the Decalogue therefore it belongeth unto all Answ The commandements of the Decalogue which are morall belong unto all But this commandement is in part ceremoniall and so as it is ceremoniall it belongeth not to us albeit the generall belong unto us The reasons
God of good works and thankfulnesse God will and therefore doth hee especially ordaine the Sabbath that hee be worshipped and invocated of us in this life not only privately but also by the publike voice of the Church For maintenance of the Ministery of the Church What Church Ministery is The maintenance and preservation of the Ministery of the Church which is an office and function instituted by God to teach and instruct the Church concerning God and his will out of the Word of God delivered by the Prophets and Apostles and to administer the Sacraments according to Gods holy institution This is not the least end for which the Sabbath was ordained For this ordinance and publike preaching of the doctrine being joyned with prayer and thankesgiving and with the use of holy rites is a publike exercise stirring up and cherishing faith and repentance To be a type of of the everlasting spirituall Sabbath Ezek. 20.12 It was instituted that it might be in the old Testament a type signifying the spirituall and everlasting Sabbath Moreover I gave them also my Sabbaths to be a signe between mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them To be a memoriall of Gods creation preservation of all things It was instituted for a circumstance of the seventh day that namely the seventh day might advertise men of the creation of the world of the ordering and managing of things to be done and of that meditation which they are to use in considering Gods works which hee in six dayes created and accomplished For exercise of the works of charity That on that day the workes of charity bountifulnesse and liberality should be exercised For rest of man and beast For the bodily rest both of men and beasts but of beasts in respect of man For example of man unto man in honouring God Psalme 22.22 That men should provoke one another by their example to godlinesse and to the praising and honouring of God I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee To be a note of the Church That the Church may be seen and heard among men and be discerned from the other blasphemous and idolatrous multitude of men and that they may joyne themselves thereto who are as yet separated from it So was in the old Testament also the Sabbath a marke distinguishing the people of Israel from all other Nations 4. How the Sabbath is sanctified or kept holy and how it is broken or profaned or what are the works commanded and forbidden on the Sabbath THe sanctifying or holy use of the Sabbath or of the time ordained for the Ministery of the Church is when such holy workes as God hath commanded to be then performed are exercised thereon Contrariwise The profanation of it is when either holy workes are omitted or profane workes done such as hinder the Ministery or are contrary to those works which belong unto the sanctifying of the Sabbath Now the works whereby the Sabbath is sanctified and the contrary unto them whereby the Sabbath is profaned are principally these 1. Rightly and truly to teach and instruct the Church concerning God and his will I. Vertue The teaching which is here commanded is of another kind from that which was mentioned in the third Commandement For there it belongeth to every private person to teach here the function of teaching is enjoyned as proper unto certaine persons and that unto such persons as being furnished from above with necessary gifts are lawfully called by the Church unto this function and unto them it is enjoyned in this Commandement that they faithfully propound and deliver sound doctrine to all men both in publike assemblies and in private instruction according to each mans necessity and occasion and this they are to doe for publike edification of all and the salvation of each man Hither appertaine those sayings of Scripture Levit. 10.11 Acts 13.15 17.2 17. 2 Tim. 4.2 The contrary vices Unto the delivering and teaching of the doctrine is opposed 1. The omitting or neglect of the duty of teaching whether privately or publikely whereof God by the Prophet complaineth Esay 56.10 Ezek. 34.3 All her watch men are dumbe dogs Woe to the Shepheards that feed themselves 2. A corrupting or maiming of the doctrine or a fitting of it to the opinions affections lusts or private commodities of the Ministers Magistrates and others Wee are not as many 2 Cor. 2.17 which make merchandize of the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ 2. Rightly to administer the Sacraments according to Gods divine institution II. Vertue This likewise must be performed by the Ministers of the Church lawfully called to discharge this function And as the doctrine so also this administration of the Sacraments is not tyed to certain daies but it sufficeth if the administration be publike and be done by the Ministers who beare a publike person and represent in the Ministery the person of God himselfe talking with men So Circumcision was administred on any day which fell out to be the eighth from the infants nativity So Baptisme also may be administred at any time But the administration of the Sacraments ought chiefly to be exercised on the Sabbath day Acts 8.38 10.4 8. 1 Cor. 11.20 33 Acts 2.42 Numb 28.9 When yee come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords body Wherefore my brethren when yee come together to eate tarry one for another They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Therefore besides dayly sacrifice there are certaine sacrifices appointed which were to be performed on the Sabbath and on festivall daies Furthermore this administration must be in publike assemblies For so Christ also instituted his Supper as which amongst other ends must be also a bond of Church assemblies to be administred in the assembly of the Church be it great or be it small Drinke yee all of this Mat. 26.27 Unto the right administration also of the Sacraments belongeth the excluding and debarring of those whom God hath commanded to be excluded from them Like as it was not lawfull for those that were aliens from the countrey and religion of the Jewes neither for any of the uncircumcised Exod. 12.45 to eate of the Paschall Lambe 1 Cor. 10. 11. So neither ought the Church to admit unto the Lords Supper those that are not baptised or those that are baptised but yet are aliens in their doctrine and manners from Christianity Unto the right and due administration of the Sacraments is opposed an omitting in the Church or neglect of exhortation to the receiving of the Sacraments The contrary vices as also a corrupt and unlawfull administration of the Sacraments when somewhat is either taken from or added to the Ceremonies
to sanctifie the Sabbath in shewing our obedience which we yeeld unto the doctrine Hither appertaineth the Sermon of Christ concerning the Sabbath wherein he declareth against the Jews Whether it be lawfull to do no good on the Sabbath day And whereas God will have his Sabbath to be kept all our life time yet will he have examples and testimonies thereof to be shewed especially on the externall or ceremoniall Sabbath day that is at those times which are allotted to the teaching and learning of Gods word For if at that time any man shew not his desire of obeying God when Gods doctrine soundeth in his eares and when God willeth us surceasing and omitting all other cares to meditate on godlinesse and amendment of life he giveth a token that he will far lesse doe it at another time Therefore hath it beene alwaies the custome of the Church to bestow almes on the Sabbath day and to performe the works of charity towards those that are in want nehem 8.10 Send part unto them for whom none is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord. The contrary vices To the bestowing of almes is repugnant 1. A neglect or contempt of the poore and of the workes of charity towards them as when we doe not according to our power succour the poore that stand in need of our help 2. Ostentation and vaine-glory in giving our almes Mat. 6.2 which Christ condemneth 7. The honour of the Ministery of the Church VII Vertue or our obedience towards the whole Ministery in life and manners and this is the Morall Sabbath Five parts of the honour of the Ministery Now that obedience towards the Ministery comprehendeth many things Reverence Reverence that is an acknowledging of Gods order and will in the ordaining and maintaining of the Ministery and in the gathering of his Church by it that is a declaration both in words and deeds of this our acknowledgement and judgement of the Ministery 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so thinke of us as of the Ministers of Christ and the disposers of the secrets of God 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Embassadours for Christ as if God did beseech you through us Love Love whereby we gladly frequent divine assemblies and heare and learne the doctrine of the Church and wish well unto the faithfull Ministers of the Church not onely in respect of that duty of charity which we owe but also of the Ministery which they discharge How amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth Psal 84.1 2. yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me We will goe into the house of the Lord. Obedience Heb. 13.17 Obedience in those things which are belonging unto the Ministery Obey them that have the over-sight of you Hither belong the works of love towards God and our neighbour even the whole life of a Christian which is that spirituall or morall Sabbath For to hold and celebrate that spirituall Sabbath is in the direction and ordering of our life to obey the voice of God speaking by the Ministery of the Church For God will therefore have the true doctrine to be learned of us that we may obey it James 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne selves Thankfulnesse Thankefulnesse that is such duties as tend to the preservation and maintenance of the Ministery Ministers and Schooles For if God will have Ministers to be in his Church he will also that every one according to his ability help forward and further the maintenance of the Ministery and Schooles of learning and doe his endeavour that the Ministers Teachers and Schoole-masters be honestly provided for For without the study and learning of Arts and Sciences neither can men be made fit to teach nor the purity and sincerity of doctrine be upheld and maintained against Hereticks Hither appertaine Moses Laws of the first-borne of first-fruits of tithes and such like offerings which were allotted to the Priests and Levites by way of stipend whereby they might sustaine their owne life and their houshold that so they might wholly be imployed in the Ministery And albeit the circumstances of these Laws are abolished yet the generall remaineth for ever because God will have his Ministery to be maintained to the end of the world Deut. 12.19 1 Cor 9.7 Gal. 6.6 1 Tim 5.17 Mat. 10.14 Beware that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke Lenity Lenity and moderation in bearing with such infirmities of the Ministers as do not enormously or manifestly corrupt or hinder the Ministery 1 Tim. 5.19 and hurt the Church by offence Against an Elder receive none accusation but under two or three witnesses To the honour of the Ministery of the Church is opposed the contempt of the Ministery as when either the Ministery of the Church is abolished or committed to men unworthy or unable or is denied to be the meanes and instrument which God will use for the gathering of his Church likewise when the Ministers are reproached when their doctrine is heard and not obeyed in the ordering of our life when the works of charity are neglected when necessary maintenance is not allowed the Ministers when the defence and protection of them and other duties of thankfulnesse are not performed towards them when the maintenance of Schooles and Studies and learning is neglected when the tolerable defects of the Ministers are not borne with and when for such the Ministery suffereth reproach and contumely In like manner also it is against the use of the whole Ministery not onely when some one privately neglecteth or omitteth the use of the Ministery but also when one by his commandement and perswasion or example or by some other hinderance calleth away his children family or any other from the use of the Ministery OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL MINISTERIE WHereas the publique externall worship of God and consequently the Ministery it selfe of the Church and the use and honour thereof is in this Commandement authorised as appeareth by that which hath beene already handled the doctrine concerning the Ministery of the Church is here to be examined The chiefe questions thereof are 1. What the Ministery of the Church is 2. For what end and purpose it was instituted 3. What are the degrees of Ministers 4. What are the duties and functions of Ministers 5. Vnto whom the Ministery is to be committed 1. What the Ministery of the Church is THe Ministery of the Church is a function by God ordained of teaching Gods word and administring his Sacraments according to his divine ordinance The parts then of the Ministery of the Church are two 1. To preach Gods word 2. Rightly to
shall be glorified in the second coming of our Lord. Revel 22.20 Even so come Lord Jesus 11. Why we are to desire that the kingdome of God come WE ought to desire that the kingdome of God both that which is here begun and that which is else-where to be perfected come 1. For the glory of God or in respect of the first petition because that we may sanctifie and hallow his Name it is required that he rule us by his word and spirit For except God erect in us this his kingdome and deliver us out of the kingdome of the Devill we shall never hallow and sanctifie his Name but rather shall defile and pollute it 2. Because God will give his kingdome onely to those that aske it like as he giveth the holy Ghost unto them only that ask him Out of these premisses we plainly perceive what it is which we ask him in this petition Here therefore we desire that God will by his Son The summe of this petition our Mediatour sent from the very beginning into the world 1. Preserve the Ministery which he hath ordained 2. Gather his Church by the Ministery of his word and the working of the holy Ghost 3. Rule his Church gathered and us the members thereof with his holy Spirit who may conforme us unto him soften our hearts regenerate our wils 4. Defend us and his whole Church against our enemies and tyrants 5. Cast away his and our enemies into eternall paines wherewith he may punish them for ever 6. And at length deliver his Church from all evils and glorifie it in the world to come with life everlasting Object That which cometh neither sooner nor later for our prayers is in vaine desired of us and therefore we are not to desire it But the kingdome of God that is the delivery of the Church from all evils and miseries shall come neither sooner nor later for our prayers then God hath decreed it Therefore we are not to desire the delivery of the Church Answ The Major is false For so then might we conclude or reason of all Gods benefits that they are not to be desired seeing they all remain in the counsell and purpose of God Repl. 1. But God hath promised other benefits with this condition that we must aske and desire them Answ So also shall full delivery from all evils befall them only in that day who in their afflictions and crosse wish for and desire that delivery and pray that this delivery may come speedily according to the decree of God Revel 22.20 and that no one elect may be excluded Repl. 2. But we must not desire that God would hasten the delivery of his Church because that would be with losse of many of the elect who are not as yet borne Answ When we desire that God would hasten the delivery of his Church we desire also that whosoever of the elect are as yet remaining may be all speedily gathered not one of them being excluded and this we crave Why we desire the speedy comming of Christs Kingdome 1. That the Church may speedily be delivered that all the godly may rest from their labours 2. That there may be a swift end of wickednesse and impieties and the enemies may be cast into everlasting pains 3. That the glory of God may soone be manifested in this perfect delivery of the Church and finall abjection of the enemies thereof This delivery therefore of us and of the whole Church we must crave of the Lord with daily prayers if so we will our selves at the length be delivered with the Church But they which desire not the Lords coming to them he also shall not come Seeing then we must desire that his kingdome may come and therefore must withall desire our full delivery hereby it is evident how impious a thing it is to be afraid of the judgement of God and the last day of doome because such as do this shew themselves not to be godly neither to desire the full deliverance and glorifying Object But terrible will the day of judgement be Therefore we are not to desire it Answ It will be terrible but to the wicked only For unto the godly it is said Lift up your heads Luke 21.28 Therefore God will have them to rejoyce and to wish for the approaching of that day For what thou rejoycest in that also thou wishest Come Lord Jesus Revel 22.17 ON THE 49. SABBATH Quest 124. What is the third petition Answ Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven that is Grant that we and all men renouncing and forsaking our owne will a Mit. 16.24 Tit. 2.11 12. may readily and without any grudging obey thy will which onely is holy b Luke 22.24 Ephes 5.10 Rom. 12.2 and that so every of us may faithfully and cheerfully performe that duty and charge which thou hast committed unto us c 1 Cor. 7.24 even as the blessed Angels do in heaven d Psal 103 20 21. The Explication HEre we are to consider 1. What the will of God is 2. What we here desire and how this petition differeth from the second 3. Why this petition is necessary 4. Why that clause is inserted As it is in Heaven 1. What Gods will is THe Will of God signifieth in Scripture Psal 103.21 1 Thes 4.3 1. The Commandment of God Ye his servants that do his will This is the will of God even your sanctification 2. It signifieth the events or rather Gods decree concerning future events in which that his decree is daily revealed Mat. 25.30 Esay 46.10 Rom. 9.19 Not as I will but as thou wilt My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoever I will Who hath resisted his will 2. What we here desire and how this petition differeth from the second THy will be done that is Cause and grant that we men may do not our will but thy will which only is just and holy and that we may obey thee We desire then A deniall of our selves which consisteth of two parts The deniall of our selves which is two-fold 1. That we may be ready to renounce all our own affections which are dis-agreeing from the law of God A right and ready execution of our duty Our duty is twofold 2. That we may be ready also to undergo our crosse and to ascribe and submit our selves willingly unto God in all things We therefore desire that God will give us his grace whereby we may be able to deny our own corrupt will and forgo all things which are repugnant to the will of God We desire a right and ready execution of our duty that every man in his vocation may cheerfully serve God and execute his will as well in common as generall duties and in his proper and speciall duty Common Our common duty is that which is required not of us only but of all Christians also and compriseth vertues necessary for all the
can receive a good or evill specification according to the naturall mans will 70. Or that it is a speciall influx but onely suasive the efficacy of which is in mans will against these Scriptures God giveth to will and to do And No man can come to me Phil. 2.13 John 6.44 except the Father draw him 71. Another impious falshood That they whom God predestinated to glory were by their fore-seene merits predestinated or after and for their fore-seene merits against these Scriptures Before the children had done good or evill Rom. 9.11 Ephes 1.4 5. He elected us before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and without blame He elected us according to the purpose of his will unto the praise of the glory of his grace 72. Which Pelagian dreame is not to be called predestination but post-destination 73. Another impious falshood that they can absolutely fulfill Gods Law against this Scripture In many things we offend all And Jam. 3.2 Rom. 8.3 What was impossible to the Law 74. Yea that they can do more then by the Law they should do against this Scripture When you have done all you can say We are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 we have done what we ought to do 75. Yea that they can be free from all sin in this life if they will against this Scripture Surely there is none just upon earth Eccles 7.21 who doth good and sinneth not 76. Of this the Pelagians of old did brag Mat. 6.12 Luke 11.4 therefore were bid blot out of the Lords Prayer these words Forgive us our sins that is to make an officious lye or to mock God 77. And another impious falshood That by good works they merit life eternall of condignity Rom. 6.23 against this Scripture Life eternall is the gift of God 78. Another falshood That by reason of their good works they can be confident in the day of Gods judgements Psal 130.3 against this Scripture Lord if thou observe our sinnes who can indure it 79. Another blasphemy That by their merits they make God indebted to them that if he do not give them life eternall he must be unjust who forsooth may be sued for such an injurie against these Scriptures Rom. 2.13 11.35 9.20 We are debtors Who gave to him first and it shall be restored to him What art thou that answerest God 80. And it is no lesse blasphemous that Christ alone is not our Mediatour but the Saints Canonized by the Pope make Intercession for us 1 Tim. 2.5 as mediatours in heaven against this Scripture There is one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Jesus 81. Such as this that They who depart in the faith go into Purgatory fire to suffer for their veniall sins against the Gospell Blessed are they from henceforth who die in the Lord. Rev. 14.13 John 2.24 He that beleeveth in me hath life eternal neither doth he come into judgement but passeth from death to life 82. Another hypocriticall falshood is That the Sacraments instituted by God are not signes of grace confirming faith but vessels containing and confirming grace by the work wrought against this Scripture Rom. 4.11 Abraham received the signe of Circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith 83. And this also of the seven Sacraments of the New Testament unknowne in the Gospell and in the primitive Church 84. And this also of forbidden meats which in the New Testament the Apostle calleth the doctrine of Devils 85. And this doctrine which prohibits Bishops to marry against this Scripture 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 Let a Bishop be the husband of one wife 86. And this blasphemous falshood That the Priests by the five words of consecration do transubstantiate in the Masse the Host into the very body of Christ daily sanctifying it to God the Father and destroying it for the sins of them that live on the earth or that are dead in heaven and Purgatory Rom. 6.9 Heb. 10.13 against these Scriptures Christ dieth no more By one oblation he hath consummated all 87. And who is able to rehearse their other falshoods impieties and blasphemies concerning the Cup of which sacrilegiously they have robbed the people of Contritions Confessions Satisfactions Indulgences Jubilees Holy-dayes Fastings c 88. Therefore Popery by maintaining so many false impious blasphemous doctrines hath fallen from the faith and hath overthrowne salvation both to it selfe and friends 89. Which apostacy from the Faith the Spirit hath plainly fore-told 1 Tim. 4.2 3. That in the latter times some shall fall from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking falshoods forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath made to be received with thanksgiving 1 Thes 2.3 90. The Apostle also foretold that this apostacy should be the signe of revealing the Man of sin and son of perdition that is Antichrist 91. This is that great earth-quake by which Christ the Son of righteousnesse was made black as a sack-cloth the Moone that is the Church was turned into blood the Stars that is the Bishops fell from heaven to earth the firmament of the Scripture being foulded up departed in the second vision of the Revelation 92. This pestilent fume whilst the fifth Trumpet blew openly flying out of the bottomlesse pit by Antichrists meanes that apostaticall Star the black inchantments of Papall decretals and of Schoole Divinity by which Christ the Son of righteousnesse and the heire of heavenly doctrine was obscured and the innumerable vermine of Clericall and Monasticall Locusts eating up the greene pasture of the Church and tormenting men were brought into the Christian world in the third vision of the Revelation 93. These are the great blasphemies but yet not all to which the Beast that came out of the sea opened his mouth And this is the Dragon-language of that earthly Beast making shew of the Lambs two hornes in the fourth vision of the Revelation 94. These are the darknesses with which his kingdome was obscured when the fifth Violl was powred out upon the Beasts throne c. in the fifth vision of the Revelation 95. We have the apostacy of Popery from the Faith fore-told long agoe by the Angel to John and the revolution of an age being accomplished it is revealed againe by the renewed light of the Gospell 96. Which was the most urgent cause why our Parents forsooke Popery and this is the cause why we do the same and so it is concluded 97. That a Church apostatising from faith it to be deserted and forsaken for 2 Cor. 6.14 15. What union is there betweene light and darkenesse 98. Popery is that Church that is fallen from the faith as is said 99. Therefore Popery is to be deserted and avoided II. The horrible Idolatry of Popery 100. God onely is to be religiously worshipped 101. For Religion by Lactantius his definition is the bond of piety by
which they never learned He can make the earth fruitfull and bring forth fruit without the help of husbandmen He can sustain the nature of man without food as Moses and Christ forty dayes Therefore it s not a necessary labour that is undertaken or any cause of the thing we hope and expect whiles Schollars ply their bookes and studies Teachers goe to their schooles Husbandmen to their ploughes entring their shares harrowes and engines into the ground and each man spends his life time to maintaine life You see upon what rockes of blinde madnesse the Divell doth split unhappy men which having neither learned the grounds of Piety or the more excellent Arts nor list to take the paines of learning them are forward notwithstanding to seeme what they least of all be and dare exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and bring the eternall wisdome under their censure And they have as little wit as modesty when as for their opinion they alledge the example of them that were converted by miracle as Paul or those indued with extraordinary gifts as the Apostles at the Pentecost or the multitude of them that heard the Gospel and did not beleeve or the Scriptures which speake of the office of the holy Ghost We know and acknowledge that by the blessing of God God can without the labour of teaching or learning convert those that he will And this to be the end of miracles The end of miracles that it may appeare that the order whereby God is effectuall in nature is made and freely preserved by him We so certainly know that conversion is the gift of God alone as that by how much it is a greater and more wonderfull worke to restore lost man to salvation than to make him not having any being by so much the more were it impudency and madnes Conversion greater than Creation to attribute this conversion more than that creation to the efficacy of mans voice But withall we know this too for a certain that it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleeve Why it pleaseth God so to do there is no necessity he should give us an account yet he lets us understand some reasons of that his counsell but he propounds not the same reasons to the godly and godlesse To the godlesse he gives this reason Reasons why God converts by mans ministry 1. In regard of godlesse 2. In regard of godly Because by this meanes hee would before the whole Church and their consciences also being witnesse more manifest his justice in condemning the malice of those that oppugne the word revealed But other kinde of reasons take place in our consideration namely such as make for our instruction and consolation viz. Whereas the voice of the ministry and all our thoughts of God are darksome through which we now see God and his will the Lord admonisheth us of the greatnesse of our fall whereby it cometh to passe that wee no longer now injoy the very sight of God but he speaketh to us at a distance and as by an Interpreter and so exciting us that we aspire to that celestiall Schoole in which we shall immediately see God who shall be all in all Besides the Lord would not have the searching meditation and profession of the doctrine concerning him and his will even in this life to lye secret onely in the mindes of men but would have it audibly to sound and to be set forth in the assemblies And therefore tyed us with all possible necessity unto this doctrine promising thereby to recover us againe to salvation And so when God would make men to be co-workers with him in the most excellent divine work giving us to his only begotten Sonne for that purpose how could he have more manifested his great esteem of our miserable nature We averre therefore that the reading hearing knowing of this doctrine is a necessary meanes of our conversion Necessary not in regard of God but in regard of us not as if God could not any other way convert as a Carpenter cannot build an house without his tooles but because God will not convert any other wav It is true it is true indeed that true faith is nones but Gods gift and worke alone but such a gift and worke as the holy Spirit workes in us by hearing of the Word 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase To the same effect also Paul calleth the Gospel by him preached the power of God to salvation Rom 1.16 Ephes 4.11 the Apostle saith He hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry and the edification of the body of Christ Can a more glorious speech be uttered touching the office of teaching Let us not therefore take upon us to be wiser than God neither let us so much regard the pride contumacy and mischiefe of those that contemne the voice of the Gospel as thereby the lesse to love and respect the fruit and efficacy of the divine ordination in the meanes of mercy Nor let the sluggishnesse and obstinacy of some Schoolemen prove impediments of all good proceedings and goodnes who perswade others that instruction study and doctrines to get or increase vertue are unnecessary things but rather with obedient thankfull mindes let us injoy that sweetest consolation whereby we are assured that neither our endeavours are unpleasing to God nor undertaken in vaine according to that Eccles 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for after many daies thou shalt finde it And 1 Cor. 15.58 Your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Matthew 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I am in the midst of them Unlesse these promises were known to be certain amidst so great outrages of Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and miseries of mankinde of which its too truly spoken The most are naught the best teacher or the greatest lover of the common good should be in the unhappiest condition hardly sitting fast in his own place For mine owne part I feele my selfe to be so affected that mee thinkes my sorrow permits me not to stand in this Pulpit but shuts up my speech within my bowels and jawes but that I know for certain that in this our assembly there are whose hearts entertaine the tâ—e and saving doctrine are inflamed with the holy Spirit in a due manner knowing calling upon God being lively temples of him shall hereafter praise him in the celestial Quire We speak not this to that end as if we did expect equal knowledge understanding or the same gifts of the holy Spirit in all men For the Apostle commands us Rom. 12.3 To think soberly of our selves according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith But all them that will be saved must of necessity hold the same foundation that is that
they know and beleeve what a one Christ is and what he hath done for each of them as it is said Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And Iohn 3.36 He that beleeveth in the Son hath eternall life By these and the like sayings we perceive that to be a truth which Dionysius which is falsly named the Areopagite but is thought rather to be a Corinthian ascribes to Bartholomew the Apostle That the Gospel is brief and large The Gospel it a briefe largenesse Briefe It s brevity is apparently more curt than the Law of Moses ought to be and is fixed in the minds and hearts of men and therfore is the summe of the Gospel so oft delivered and repeated in the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles and comprised in the Creed But much lesse can ever the wisdome of the Gospel be exhausted than that of the Law But forasmuch as its certain Large that in this mortall life that which is eternall is but begun 2 Cor. 5 2 3 4. For we shall be cloathed upon with that if so be we are not found naked This is the nature of true conversion A true godly man growes in godlinesse that it suffers not those that are converted unto God to stay in their race but kindles in them a perpetuall study and desire of further profiting Therefore is it commanded 2 Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And Eph. 2.19 20 21. it is said Yo are no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. And Marke 9.24 The man prayed Lord I beleeve help mine unbeliefe And Luke 17.5 The Disciples cried Lord increase our faith Saints then are commanded and commended and are petitioners to be such as goe forward Therefore they are not of the number of them that have no minde of proceeding onward Comforts and promises for a tender heart and wounded conscience Yet let none be out of heart because they finding in themselves lesse life and vigour and acknowledging their weaknesse and corruptions doe with a true sorrow of minde bewail the same For thus saith the everlasting Father concerning his Son Esay 42.3 A bruised reed shall he not breake and the smoaking flax shall he not quench Againe the Son saith of the Father Mat. 18.14 It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish And the Son saith of himself Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Wheresoever piety is not dissembled it is and is cherished of God and together with it Beneficia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the everlasting and unchangeable benefits of the Gospel are tyed with the indissoluble bond of divine truth For unlesse the certainty of our faith and salvation did depend upon the alone free mercy of God whereby he receiveth all that beleeve and not upon the degrees of our renovation there would be no stability at all in our comfort Hence therefore may be drawn three things which may be as grounds to judge of a Christian 1. The laying hold of the foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. the criticall markes to discerne a true godly man 2. An earnest endeavour of increasing which two include each godly man within the general promise of eternal salvation and 3. Acomfort that notwithstanding our inequality of gifts and degrees to some others we shall not perish which consolation is to be opposed against the cogitation of our owne unworthinesse These three as inseparables hath Saint Paul comprised in those words 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Now if any one build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stuble every ones worke shall be made manifest for the day shall declare c. but hee himselfe shall be saved so as by fire By that therefore which hitherto hath been said it 's apparent that both the Lords injunction and our own salvation doe exhort and bind all men and among these the youth being to wit a great part and also the Nursery of the Church to learne as soone as by age they are capable the grounds of Christian Religion Therefore doth this most earnestly and seriously admonish them to whom the charge of nurturing the younger in yeares doth belong to be carefull of this their dutie 3. Motive the preservation and propagation of the Gospel For we that are teachers and learners ought to have a diligent and earnest care of godlines not only for our own sakes but for their sakes also that are ours and our succeeding posterity For we finde by experience how easily in processe of time an oblivion and manifold depravation of that doctrine creeps in the summe whereof is not concisely and perspicuously couched together and known repeated inculcated and divulged abroad Besides we know Horat. Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa di◠that of what liquor a new vessell is first seasoned with be it good or bad it longest savours There is none in his right minde but will confesse seeing the evill that we learn doth so constantly stick by us that when the youth is not instructed in and inured to religion it doth threaten the leaving to the ensuing times an age of monsters contemning God and all religion and that being we are hardly by the greatest endeavours and longest care made pliable to that which is good the ground-work of the most difficult businesse should be laid in the first age 4. Motive the weake capacity of youth the more ignorant Catecheticall instruction therefore is necessary not only for the preservation of the purity and soundness of religion to us and our posterity but also for the capacities of younger age to whom we have shewed this doctrine must be taught For if it be said of the teaching youth the other arts Quicquid praecipies esto brevis ut cito dicta Percipiant animi dociles teneantque fideles Short precepts shalt thou give which being briefly told Apt wits may soon conceive and faithfull long may hold how much more in this heavenly wisdome which is a stranger to humane wit should we seek out for and apply our selves to breifness and plainness especially seeing divine testimony approves our experience in this as Heb. 5.13 Every one that useth milk is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe but strong meat is of those that are of full age And therefore when Saint Paul speaketh of his manner of
teaching 1 Cor. 3.2 thus he saith I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to beare it nor yet now are ye able 5. Motive that alwaies in the Church there hath bin such a summe of doctrine for ye are yet carnall From the first beginning of the Church there hath bin extant in it some such ground of doctrine well known publikely and for it's briefnesse and plainnesse easie to be understood reserved for posterity As together with the increase of mankind God himself proceeded on with his own mouth to deliver more summary doctrines either of the law as he began in these words If thou doest well Gen. 4.7 shalt thou not be accepted Or of the Gospel as at first in these words The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Likewise after both the promise and the Decalogue was repeated to Abraham At last the Creeds and such summary doctrines as were dispersed here and there in the writings of the Apostles were fitted into a meet form of Confession to be divine informations for all degrees of age And indeed this our accustomed manner of instructing which we call Catechisme hath bin anciently used both in the Jewish and in the Apostolicall Church as doth appeare by the Apostle Paul Rom. 2.18 where he calleth the Jewes those that from their tender yeares had bin instructed or catechised out of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word or catechised in the word communicate to him that instructeth or catechiseth in all good things So Luke 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast bin instructed or câ—â—â—â—hised Because these testimonies are to be preferred before all other I dâ—edâ—u recite the example of the Church that was in the ensuing times next after the Apostles being a thing publikly known by histories I rather adde this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the now present Church surviving hath till now kept this forme of instruction brought into the world with so long continuance 6. Motive the dangers and heresies of the last times not by mans device but by the divine providence then in this doting old age of the world wherin the Church doth daily more and more languish thicker darknes day by day over-cloudeth it we had need for to sharpen all our diligence of preserving and propagating this doctrine rather than any whit to grow remisse For this is the age of which our Saviour speaketh Mat. 24.23 Then if any man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there beleeve it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch as if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. And largely doth Saint Paul speak of this matter 1 Tim. 4. and 2 Tim. 3. These predictions of the calamities of these last times were written not only for our consolation and confirmation but also for exhortation of us to arme our selves to watch against and prevent errours for so our Saviour begins that his prophecie Take heed that no man deceive you We thinke it necessary therefore that not only they that come into the place of teaching Mat. 24.3 but also all that love their owne salvation should have fixed in their hearts the sound positions concerning every part of christian religion and on the other side to the utmost that every man is able to be well fenced against the contrary errors and that all they to whom the office of instructing and governing is committed should with great care teach or cause to be taught those that are committed to their charge unless they as curats negligent unfaithfull in their duty had rather answer for their perdition And indeed the desire of your parents in this respect is to be commended that they will have the summe of godlines to be propounded to and inculcated into you not only at home and in the Church but also in the schools For they well perceived what great ignorance ensued and how great an hint opportunity was given to the Divel of detaining men in that ignorance when once the primitive custome of the Church of hearing and teaching the Catechists was lost and in the room thereof succeeded that silly and foolish dumb shew of Popish confirmation And they now see that the same things or worse than these are now to be feared unlesse God out of his singular mercy looke upon us than the which danger as scarce any thing can bring greater heavines to all godly persons so contrariwise it 's not easie to finde out any thing that may be more desirable and pleasant unto all pious Parents than if they can certainly promise themselves that their children and nephewes shall a while live after them in the same light of divine truth which now is lighted up amongst us Wherefore if we are not without naturall affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.31 and cruell against those which love us more than themselves let us endeavour to our power that by our negligence we do not destroy their hope nor crosse their prayers But that together with them we may shew our selves thankfull unto God who collecting to himself a perpetual Church out of the dregs of this world hath by the bringing back againe of the sunne of heavenly doctrine so dispelled the dirs ass of the kingdom of Antichrist that any man that will not wilfully in â—his eyes and eares and oppose the known truth may behold and diserne them stripped naked of those divel-deceits which were those faire outsides of which they vauntingly bragged 7 Motive the benefit if we do the punishment if we doe not study this doctrine If we doe these things the Sonne of God will conserve and augment those gifts that he hath bestowed upon us according to his promise To him that hath i. to him that desireth to goe on forward shall be given If we doe contrariwise then will follow upon us that which is threatned in the contrary sentence following from him that hath not shall be taken that which he hath Mat. 25.29 And indeed how the Lord will not endure the contempt of the Gospel revealed both the divine word of God and the continuall history of the world doth proclaim Isa 5.24 Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts despised the word of the holy One of Israel therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them And Amos 5.11 He threatens Behold the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread not a thirst for water but of hearing the word of God And they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they shall runne
with wisedome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect The ground therefore and summe of doctrine is not obscure except it be unto the reprobates who contemne the truth or stubbornly reject it as the Apostle saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that aâ—e lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine unto them All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit hee hath left off to understand and to doe good I give thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise men and men of understanding and hast opened them unto babes Now if they reply againe 2 Instance Divine matters are obscure unto all men 1 Cor. 2.14 Answ Not of themselves but through our naturall blindnesse which in the regenerate is cleared by Gods spirit Luke 8.10 2 Cor. 3.15 that divine matters are hard and obscure to all men as it is said The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned they should have called to mind 1. That this ignorance and hardnesse riseth not of the obscurity of the Scripture but of the blindnesse of mans minde 2. That the obscurity sith in very deed it is not in the Scripture but seemeth to be the fault of our nature doth not alwaies remain in those who are regenerate but is removed from them by the illumination of the holy Spirit according to those sayings It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God but to others in parables that when they see they should not see and when they heare they should not understand Vntill this day when Moses is read the vaile is laid over their hearts Neverthelesse when their hearts shall be turned unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away From this very place may wee easily refute that which they object That wee our selves 3 Instance The Scripture a long time not knowne Answer in that we say the Scripture hath not been understood for these many ages in the Popish Church doe confesse the obscurity of it For the ignorance which hath bin from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end in the adversaries of the truth is not to be imputed to the obscurity of the Scriptures but their owne perversenesse who have not a desire to know and imbrace the truth as Paul saith Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11. therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they shall beleeve lies Whereas therefore it appeareth that the ground and summe of doctrine is not obscure 4 Instance Many places obscure Answer yet wee confesse that some places of Scripture are more dark and difficult than others But 1. They are such that although they were not understood yet the ground may both stand and be understood 2. The interpretation of these places dependeth not on the authority of men but the exposition of them is to be sought by conference of other places of Scripture more clear 3. If we cannot finde it yet lest we should affirme any uncertaine thing concerning divine matters our conscience not satisfying us in it we must suspend our judgment untill God shall open unto us some certaine meaning and in the mean season we are to hold those with thankfull mindes in which God hath left no place of doubting for us But when we answer thus unto our adversaries they rise againe upon us out of those things which we grant them For because we confesse that some places of Scripture are harder to be understood then others 5 Instance because of the dulnesse and slownesse of mans minde in learning divine matters Of the necessity of interpretation Acts 8.13 neither those things which are most cleare are understood of the people as the Eunuch of Queen Candaces doth complain and that the Ministry it selfe was therefore ordained of God in the Church for that it seemed good unto the holy Ghost to add for our instruction an exposition of the Scripture which is done by the voice of the Church To be short because our selves in writing and teaching doe expound the Scripture and do exhort all men to the reading and hearing the exposition thereof out of these they conclude that besides the reading of the Scripture the interpretation of the Church is necessary and that therefore what the Church doth pronounce of the meaning of the Scripture that is without controversie to be received Answ 1. It is necessary as a helpe and instrument not as if it were impossible to know the truth without it But wee confesse 1. That the interpretation of Scripture is necessary in the Church not for that without this to come to the knowledge of heavenly doctrine is simply impossible whereas both God is able when it pleaseth him to instruct his even without the Scripture it self much more then without the exposition of his Ministers and the godly learn many things out of Scripture without interpreters and of the contrary side except the eies of our minds be opened by the grace of his holy Spirit heavenly doctrine seemeth alwaies alike obscure unto us whether it be expounded by the word of the Scripture or of the Church but for that it pleased God to appoint this ordinary way of instructing us and himself hath commanded the maintainance and use of his Ministry in the Church that it should be an instrument which the holy Ghost might most freely use for our salvation 2. Although interpretation of Scripture be necessary Answ 2. Though interpreting be necessary yet so that it must not be a depraving of Scripture yet this is so farre from granting any license to the Ministers to bring new ordinances into the Church that nothing doth more tie them to this doctrine alone comprehended in the Scripture then this very function of expounding the Scripture For to interpret another mans words is not to faigne at our pleasure a meaning either divers from them or repugnant unto them but to render the same meaning and sentence either in moe words or in more plaine words or at least in such as may be more fit for their capacity whom we teach and withall when there is need to shew that this is the minde of the author which we affirme to be Now such an interpretation of Scripture is made by this meanes 3 Points to be observed in interpreting Scripture 1. That the phrase be considered and the proper sense of the words found out 2. That the order and coherence of the parts of the doctrine contained in the text of the Scripture be declared
but not contrariwise all that is contingent is free 2. What difference there is of the free-will which is in God and that which is in reasonable creatures Angels and men Two things common to God and creatures in their will TWo things there are common to God and reasonable creatures as touching the liberty of Will 1. That God and reasonable creatures do things upon deliberation and advice that is they chuse or refuse whatsoever objects with an understanding going before the action and a will accompanying the action of chusing or refusing 2. They chuse or refuse any thing of their proper and inward motion without constraint that is the Will being fit in it owne nature to will the contrary of that which it willeth or to suspend the action it intendeth of it owne accord inclineth to the one part Psal 104.24 115.3 Gen. 3.6 Isa 1.19 Mat. 23.37 Difference of liberty in God and his creatures But the differences also of this liberty in God and in the creatures are three 1. In the Understanding In the Vnderstanding because God understandeth and knoweth all things of himself perfectly and from all eternity without any ignorance or errour of judgment but the creatures know neither of themselves neither all things neither the same at all times but they understand of God his will and works so much and at such time how much and when it pleaseth God to reveale unto them And therefore many things they are ignorant of and erre in many The testimonies of this difference are Mat. 24.36 Dan. 2.21 Isa 40.13 Heb. 4 13. Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaven but my Father only He giveth wisdome unto the wise and understanding to those that understand Who hath instructed the Spirit of the Lord Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight John 1.9 He lightneth every man that cometh into the world In the Will In the Will The will of God is governed by no other nor dependeth of any other cause but of it selfe But the wils of Angels and men are so the causes of their actions that neverthelesse they are carried by the secret counsel of God and his providence to the chusing or refusing of any object that either immediatly by God or mediately by instruments some good some bad which it seemeth good unto God to use so that it is impossible for them to do any thing beside the eternall decree and counsell of God And therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be absolutely his own at his owne will and in his own power whereby the Greek Divines expresse Free-will agreeth more properly unto God who perfectly and simply is his owne and at his owne will But of the creatures more rightly is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is voluntary and free which word the Apostle useth to Philemon Ver. 14. Hebr. 10.26 1 Pet. 5.2 The testimonies and arguments of this difference are laid down in the doctrine of Providence And that God indeed is the first cause of his counsels these and the like sayings of Scripture doe testifie Psal 115.3 Dan. 4.32 He hath done what soever he would Who according to his will worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth But that the wils and counsels of the creatures depend on Gods beck and permission these and the like speeches doe prove Gen. 24.7 Exod. 3.16 Acts 2.23 3.18 4.27 28. The Lord shall send his Angel before thee c. Goe and gather the Elders of Israel together c. Him being delivered by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God ye have slaine But God hath fulfilled these things Herod and Pontius Pilate gathered themselves together to doe whatsoever thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done I know Jer. 10.23 that the way of a man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord Therefore the wils of Angels and men Pro. 21.1 and all other second causes as they were created of God their first supreme and soveraigne cause so are they ruled of him but the will of God is ruled by no one of his creatures because as God hath no efficient cause without and besides himselfe so neither hath hee any moving or inclining cause otherwise hee were not God that is the supreme and soveraigne cause of all his workes and the creatures should be invested in Gods room The wils of the creatures are râ—led by God not inforced Moreover God ruleth and bendeth the wils of his creatures and doth not draw or enforce them that is by objects represented to the mind hee effectually moveth affecteth and allureth the Will to will that which then the mind judgeth good and refuse that which seemeth evill In the will and understanding In the Vnderstanding and Will both together because God as hee unchangeably knoweth all things so also he hath determined from everlasting and will unchangeabâ—y all things which are done as they are good and permitteth them as they are sins Now as the creatures notions and judgements of things so also their wils are changeable so that they will that which before they would not and will not that which before they would For seeing that all the counsels of God are most good most just and most wise he never disliketh correcteth or changeth them as oftentimes men do when as they do perceive themselves to have determined any thing unadvisedly before Hither appertain those sayings God is not as man Num. 23.19 that hee should lye I am the Lord and change not Object Mal. 3.6 The unchangeablenesse of Gods purpose taketh not away the liberty of his will Hee that cannot change his counsell and purpose hath not free-will but God cannot change his counsell and purpose which he hath once appointed Therefore his will is not free First we deny the Major For not he which doth not change his purpose which he hath once appointed hath no liberty of will but he which could not purpose any other thing being let by some external cause But the liberty of God consisteth not in the change of his will or purpose but in this that God will all things whatsoever he will altogether with his will and of himself and could have had otherwise decreed or not decreed all things which he decreed from everlasting of the creation preservation and government of things according to these sayings With men this is impossible Mat. 19.26 Luk. 18.27 but with God all things are possible These and the like sayings shew that God hath so appointed from everlasting with himselfe the creation of things and the gathering and saving of his Church not as if he could not have not done this or not have appointed it otherwise but because so it seemed good to him
confirmeth the faithful to yeeld obedience Lastly they cite all other sayings which seem to place conversion and good works in the will of men I have applied my heart to fulfill thy statutes Psal 119. He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe 1 John 5.18 These and the like sayings attribute the work of God unto men 1. Because they are not only the object but the instrument also of Gods working Two causes why the workes of God are attributed to men which the holy Spirit exerciseth in them 2. Because they are such an instrument which being renewed and moved by the holy Spirit doth also it self work together and move it selfe For there is not one effect ascribed unto the holy Ghost and another to mans will but the same to both unto the holy Ghost as the principall cause unto mans will as a secondary and instrumentall cause The third degree of liberty in man regenerated The third degree of liberty belongeth to man in this life as hee is regenerated but yet not glorified or in whom regeneration is begun but not accomplished or perfected In this state the Will useth her liberty not only to work evill as in the second degree but partly to do ill and partly to do well And this is to be understood two waies 1. That some workes of the regenerate are good and pleasing to God which are done of them according to Gods commandement but some evill and displeasing to God which they doe contrary to the commandement of God which is manifest by the infinite fallings of holy men 2. That even those good works which the converted doe in this life albeit they please God by reason of Christs satisfaction imputed unto them yet are they not perfectly good that is agreeable to Gods Law but unperfect and stained with many sinnes and therefore they cannot if they be beheld without Christ stand in judgement and escape damnation The cause of the renewing and beginning of this liberty in man to good is the Spirit working by the Will The cause for which the Will beginneth to work well is this Because by the singular grace or benefit of the holy Spirit mans nature is renewed by the Word of God there is kindled in the mind a new light and knowledge of God in the heart new affections in the will new inclinations agreeing with the Law of God and the will is forcibly and effectually moved to doe according to these notions and inclinations and so it recovereth both the power of willing that which God approveth and the use of that power and beginneth to be conformed and agreeable to God and to obey him Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thine heart Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Act. 16.14 The Lord opened the heart of Lidia that shee should attend to those things which were spoken of Paul 1 Cor. 3.17 Why the Will in the regenerate useth liberty not only to good but to evill also Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The causes for which the will useth her liberty not only to the chusing of good but of evill also are in number two 1. For that in this life the renewing of our nature is not perfect neither as concerning the knowledge of God neither as concerning our inclination to obey God and therefore in the best men while they live here remaine still many and great sinnes both Originall and others 2. For that the regenerate be not alwaies ruled by the holy Spirit but are sometimes forsaken of God either for to try or to chastise and humble them but yet are re-called to repentance that they perish not Of the first cause it is said Rom. 7.18 I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I find no means to performe that which is good Mar. 9.24 I beleeve Lord but help thou my unbeliefe Of the second cause it is said Psal 51.11 Take not thy holy Spirit from me O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies and hardened our heart from thy feare Returne for thy servants sake The Lord our God be with us Isa 63.17 1 Kin. 8.57 that he forsake us not neither leave us Therefore the regenerate man in this life doth alwaies go either forward or backward neither continueth in the same state Hence are deduced these two conclusions 1. As man corrupted before he be regenerated cannot begin new obedience pleasing and acceptable unto God so he that is regenerated in this life although he begin to obey God that is hath some inclination and purpose to obey God according to all his commandements and that unfeigned though yet weak and struggling with evill inclinations affections and desires and therefore there shine in his life and manners a desire of piety towards God and his neighbour yet can he not yeeld whole and perfect obedience to God because neither his knowledge nor his love to God is so great and so sincere as the Law of God requireth and therefore is not such righteousnesse as may stand before God according to that saying Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall none that liveth be justified 2. They who are converted can no farther retaine good inclinations neither thoughts and affections and a good purpose to persevere and goe forward therein then as the holy Spirit worketh and preserveth these in them For if hee guide and rule them they judge and do aright but if he forsake them they are blind they wander slip and fall away yet so that they perish not but repent and are saved if so be they were ever truly converted 1 Cor. 4.7 Phil. 1.6 2.13 What hast thou that thou hast not received If thou hast received it why rejoycest thou as if thou hadst not received it I am perswaded that he who hath begun this good work in you will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed John 15.5 even of his good pleasure Without me you can doe nothing Who shall also confirme you to the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 and 10.13 God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able but will even give the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation This doctrine
intercession Answ There is an ambiguity both in the word Prayer and in the word Intercession God will that one pray and make intercession for another but this they must doe not standing on the worthinesse of their own intercession and merits but on the worthinesse of the intercession and merits of the only Mediatour Christ Christ maketh intercession for us because he prayeth willeth and obtaineth and effectuateth it himself that for his own sacrifice and prayers we may be received of God the Father into favour and be reformed according to his Image Christ therefore maketh intercession for us by the vigour and vertue of his owne proper worthinesse and merits for his owne worthinesse hee is heard and obtaineth what hee desireth After this sort doe not the Saints make intercession one for another Wherefore seeing the Papists feigne that the Saints doe by their owne merits and prayers obtaine for others grace and certaine good things at Gods hands they manifestly derogate from the glory of Christ and deny him to be the only Saviour ON THE 12. SABBATH Quest 31. Why is he called Christ that is Annointed Answ Because he was ordained of the Father and annointed of the holy Ghost a Psal 45.8 Heb. 1.9 Esay 61.1 Luke 4.18 the chiefe Prophet and Doctor b Deut. 8.15 Acts 3.22 7.37 Esay 55.4 who hath opened unto us the secret counsell and all the will of his Father concerning our Redemption c John 1.18 15.15 and the high Priest d Psal 110.4 who with that one only sacrifice of his body hath redeemed us e Heb. 9.12 14 28. 10.12 14. and doth continually make intercession to his Father for us f Rom. 5.9 10. 8.34 Heb. 9.24 1 Joh. 2.1 and a King who ruleth us by his word and spirit and defendeth and maintaineth that salvation which he hath purchased for us g Psal 2.6 Zach. 9.9 Matth. 21.5 28.18 Luk. 1 33. Joh. 10.28 Revel 10. 12. 16. The Explication What is signified by the name of Christ THe name of Jesus doth rather summarily than expresly note the office of the Mediatour and is as it were a proper name designing rather a certain person But the word Messias or Christ or Annointed is properly an Epitheton of the office which being adjoyned to the former doth more significantly declare the proper and certaine office of the Mediatour For it expresseth metonymically the three parts thereof namely to be a Prophet a Priest and a King For these three were wont to be annointed and so to be designed to these functions Object But it may be that Christ was annointed but to one of these functions only Ans Hee is called in the Scripture a Prophet a King and a Priest And further Christ was signified by annointed persons whereof those three sorts were in the Old Testament And hence it cometh to passe that these two names Jesus Christ are often joyned For it is not enough to beleeve that there is a Saviour and that he is exhibited but wee must further also certainly be perswaded that this Jesus born of the Virgin Mary is that Saviour and Christ promised in the Old Testament Furthermore concerning the office of the Mediatour as it is designed by his name Christ which signifieth Annointed foure things especially offer themselves to be considered 1. What the Vnction or Annointing of Christ is or in what sense he is called Annointed 2. What is Christs Propheticall function 3. What his Priesthood 4. What his Kingdome 1. What Christs Vnction or Annointing is ANnointing in the Old Testament was a Ceremony whereby according to Gods ordinance Prophets Priests and Kings were annointed either with some speciall or common oyle that it might stand for a testimony to those who were rightly annointed that they were called of God to the administring of one of these functions and that they should be furnished from God with gifts necessary for the performing of that whereunto they were called For annointing signified 1. The calling and ordaining of any to the office either of a Prophet or of a Priest or of a King 2. It signified the promise and bestowing of gifts necessary thereto For to whom God committed any office and whom he caused to be annointed to these also he subministred the gifts of the holy Ghost necessary for the discharging of it as knowledge wisedome strength fortitude industry authority and such others 3. It signifieth the fragrantnesse or sweet savour of the labours imployed in that vocation that is it was a testimony that the labours were gratefull and acceptable to God and that hee would prosper such labours as the Annointed should with a true faith and cheerfully undergo in executing the function committed unto them of God We are unto God the sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved 2 Cor. 2.15 â— Cor. 15 5â— The analogie or proportion between the signe and the thing signified Your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Further the out ward annointing did as a signe represent the inward that is the gifts of the holy Ghost as the things signified by reason of a correspondent Analogy and proportion For as oyle maketh the dry parts being annointed therewith lively agill and able or fit to do their duty and besides to send forth a sweet savour So the holy Ghost furnishing them with necessary gifts which are ordained to a function giveth them strength and power whereby they being of themselves unfit to doe any good are made fit and able to work and accomplish things gratefull unto God that is the holy Ghost causeth them to dispatch readily and with dexterity the parts of that duty which is injoyned them and to doe things acceptable to God and availeable for the preservation of the Church Now the anncinting of Jesus Christ is 1. The ordaining of the Son of God to the office of the chiefe Propher Priest and King of the Church 2. The speciall communicating of the gifts of the holy Ghost necessary for his office 3. Gods approbation and prospering of this office The Lord would breake him Esay 53.10 and make him subject to infirmities when he shall make his soule an offering for sinne be shall see his seed and shall prolong his daies and the will of the Lord shall prosper in hid hand Hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities Therefore will I give him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyle Jesus then the Son of God and Mary Two causes why Jesus was also called Christ that is Annointed is called Messias or Christ or Annointed 1. Because hee was appointed of his Father from everlasting the Mediatour that is the chiefe Prophet Priest and King of the Church This is confirmed by this reason Hee that is to be a Prophet a Priest and a King
and is called Annointed hee is in respect of those three called Annointed But the Mediatour which was called Messias or Annointed was to be the chiefe Prophet Priest and King of the Church Therefore hee is in respect of those three called Annointed or Christ Againe the same is shewed by many places of Scripture Joh. 7.28 6.38 I came not of my selfe c. I came down from heaven not to doe mine own will Heb. 5.5 but his will which hath sent me Christ took not to himselfe this honour to be made the High Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Son this day begate I thee c. The Lord swore Psal 11.4 Heb. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 1 Cor. 1.30 thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Jesus Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for ever The Lambe slain from the beginning of the world Christ is made of God unto us wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption So he is often called the Angel of the covenant sent of old unto the Church 2. He is called Annointed in respect of the gifts of the holy Ghost which were poured on him thick abundantly and most perfectly that is all the gifts and graces whatsoever are in all the blessed Angels and Men and those in the most excellent and high degree that he might be sufficient for the restoring ruling preserving of his Church and for administring of the government of the whole world and for the directing thereof to the safety and salvation of his Church God giveth him not the spirit by measure Wherefore God John 3.34 Heb. 2.9 Esay 61.1 thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee Therefore hath the Lord annointed mee The annointing therefore is of the whole person yet with this difference That it is so applied to both natures as it signifieth the ordaining of them to the Mediatourship For he is Mediatour according to both natures who was alwaies present with his Church Christ is annointed in respect of his humanity not of his Godhead in respect whereof he is annointer even before the flesh was born But as his annointing designeth the communicating of the gifts of the holy Ghost so his humane nature only is meant to be annointed For his Godhead because it is alwaies in it selfe goodnesse most perfect and passing measure is not annointed but annointeth and filleth with gifts and graces both his owne humanity which his Godhead doth personally inhabit as also the Elect and chosen Wherefore one and the same Christ in respect of his divers natures is both annointed and annointer as raiser and raised For the Father annointeth with the holy Ghost but by the Lord So that Irenaeus saith pretily Lib. 3. cap. 20. That by the name of annointing was comprised and understood the three persons of the Godhead The annointer the Father the annointed the Son and the annointing which is the holy Ghost Ob. But it is nowhere read Christ annointed spiritually that Christ was annointed Ans Christ was not annointed typically ceremonially or sacramentally but really and spiritually that is hee received the thing it self which was prefigured and signified by the ceremoniall annointing which was the holy Ghost as it is said Wherefore God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes Psal 45.8 Heb. 1.9 Esay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me Therefore hath the Lord annointed me As therefore it was meet that Christ should be a Prophet a priest and a King not typicall but the very signified and true that is the great and high Prophet Priest and King so it was necessary that he should be annointed not with typicall oyle but with the signified and true oyle which was the holy Ghost For such as the office was such should the annointing be But the office was not typicall but the very thing it selfe Therefore such also shold the annointing be Hence we learne and understand these two things 1. That Christ hath his name not from the ceremoniall annointing Christ hath his name not from the ceremoniall annointing but from the thing thereby signified but from the thing it selfe which was thereby signified because hee is that chiefe and high Prophet Priest and King whom as types the Prophets Priests and Kings of the Old Testament which were wont to be annointed with externall oyle did represent The name therefore of the signe or type that is annointed is transferred to the thing it selfe even to the High Priest Prophet and King Jesus 2. That there is a great difference betweene this Jesus Annnointed and the Annointed of the Old Testament Three differences between Christ annointed and the annointed of the Old Testament For 1. They were onely certaine types and shadowes of this only chiefe and true Christ that is of this King Prophet and Priest Wherefore necessary was it that they should yeeld and give place to him being once exhibited For the thing it selfe being come and exhibited the types cease 2. The annointing that is the communicating of the gifts of the holy Ghost in the typicall Annointed was imperfect and weake But in Jesus Christ it is perfect and exceeding great For in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead personally so that hee is both the Annointed Colos 2.9 and Annointer 3. Hee onely hath received all the gifts of the holy Ghost and those many waies more excellent than they are found in all the Angels and Men because he had them in the highest both number and degree Of his fulnesse have all we received John 1.16 1 Cor. 12.11 Ephes 4.7 But the Annointed of the Old Testament received neither all the gifts neither in the highest degree but divided and according to the measure of the gift of Christ some more some fewer and some greater gifts than some much lesse were they able by their own power and vertue to work the same in others Object God cannot be annointed Christ is God Therefore hee could not be annointed no not with the prefigured or signified oyle Answ In some respect wee grant this whole reason Why God cannot be said to be annointed For Christ as touching his Godhead cannot be annointed with the gifts of the holy Ghost 1. Because not one jot of the gifts of the holy Ghost can be added to the Godhead because of the exceeding perfection thereof 2. Because the holy Ghost by whom the annointing is immediately administred is the proper spirit of Christ no lesse proceeding from him than from the Father Wherefore he as he is God hath not any thing from the holy Ghost neither doth he receive him which is already his owne from any other but giveth him unto others whom it pleaseth him As also no man can give thee thy spirit which is in thee because that which thou already hast cannot be given unto thee Repl. According
Why God would have us certaine of the last judgement 11. Why he would not have us certain of the time 12. Why God deferreth that judgement 13. Whether it is to be wished for 1. Whether there shall be any judgement THis Question is necessary For the Scripture also hath fore-told that there shall come in the later times mockers who shall account this Article for a fable Where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers dyed 2 Pet. 3.4 all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation The last judgement cannot indeed be demonstrated out of Philosophy but neither is there any thing in Philosophy against it But the whole certainty thereof is grounded on divine Prophecies The certainty of the last judgement is not to be sought in Philosophy but in Divinity or on the Doctrine of the Church For although the Philosopher perhaps would say somewhat as seeing a little through a mist as That it should goe well with the good and ill with the evill and That it is not likely that man was born to this misery yet by reason that man hath lost the knowledge of the righteousnesse goodnesse and truth of God wee cannot know out of Philosophy that any judgement shall be much lesse with what circumstances it shall be The arguments which Philosophy yieldeth are forcible indeed in themselves but are not made knowne but in Divinity and therefore the arguments themselves are only made forcible and of strength in Divinity Wherefore wee will draw reasons and proofes out of Divinity or the Doctrine of the Gospel by which it may appeare that there is a last judgement Six proofes of the last judgement The first proofe is drawne from expresse and plaine testimonies of sacred Scriptures As out of the Prophecy of Daniel As I beheld in visions by night behold Dan. 7.13 one like the Sonne of Man came in the clouds of heaven and approached unto the Ancient of dayes and they brought him before him And hee gave him dominion and honour and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall never be taken away and his kingdome shall never be destroyed And againe a little before The Ancient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as snow and the haire of his head like the pure wooll Vers 9 10. his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire A fiery flame issued and came forth before him thousands ministred unto him and ten thousands stood before him the judgement was set and the books opened The beast was slaine and his body destroyed and given to the burning fire Likewise out of the prophecy of Enoch alledged by the Apostle Jude Jude 14 15. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against all men Moreover out of the sermons of Christ especially in Mat. 24.25 Likewise out of the sermons of the Apostles Acts 19 31. 1 Thess 4.16 He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that hee hath raised him from the dead The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Arch angel and with the trumpet of God It is appointed unto men that they shall once die Heb. 9.27 and after that cometh the judgement And I saw a great white throne Rev. 20.11 12. and one sate on it c. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their workes Neither is the certainty of the last Judgement apparent only by these and the like plaine testimonies of Scripture but is deduced also out of other places by good consequence and hence are made those forcible arguments which the Philosophers saw but by a glimpse The second proof is drawn from the end whereunto mankinde was created God necessarily obtaineth his end but to this end did he create mankinde that man should be the image of God and the everlasting temple of God wherein he should be worshipped to whom he would communicate himselfe perfect wisedome righteousnesse and goodnesse and would impart his blessednesse which whereas it is now performed unto us and seeing it cannot be that God should create so most excellent a creature to perpetuall misery wee necessarily inferre that there shall be a change For God will obtaine his end and will not suffer the temple of the holy Ghost to be utterly consumed of rottennesse This blessednesse is a part of Gods image according to which man was made but this the Divel hath destroyed therefore God shall restore it who is mightier than the Divel And although the end for which man was created is hindered divers waies in this life yet God will at some time obtain it Wherefore it is not only as the Philosphers reason likely and probable that man was not made for these miseries but it is also most certain that the most excellent of all creatures was made to a better end Wherefore there must needs be at length a change By this argument is confirmed the happinesse of our bodies according to that of Saint Paul Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 which is in you The third proof is taken from the justice goodnesse and truth of God which requireth that it may goe full well with the good and with the evill full ill Philosophy knoweth not that God is so just good and true that hee will have the righteous to enjoy full and perfect blessednesse But this cometh not to passe in this life nay rather it goeth well with the wicked and evill in this life Therefore there must remaine another life wherein this shall be The holy Scripture useth this argument as in S. Paul 2 Thess 1.4 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure and likewise Lazarus paines Luke 16.25 now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented The fourth is taken from Gods decree whereby he ordained and purposed with himselfe from everlasting to raise the dead Wherefore God being unchangeable will not cancell and revoke this his decree A register and copy thereof we reade in Ezekiel and presidents or examples we have Enoch Chap. 3. â— Elias and Christ The fifth is taken from Gods omnipotency whereby he is able to effectuate and accomplish things contrary to reason This argument Christ useth against the Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Ye erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God The sixth is taken from the glory of God sith God created man
beleeved the Gospel promise that he would beleeve the Church more then the Gospel if the Church determine or propound any thing which is either contrary to the Gospel or can be proved by no testimony of Scripture This doubtlesse Augustine never meant Nay elswhere he denounceth Anathema and biddeth a curse to come to them who declare any thing besides that that we have received in the writings of the Law and Gospel And in the selfe-same place he witnesseth That he because he beleeveth the Gospel cannot beleeve Manichaeus for that he readeth nothing in the Gospel of Manichaeus Apostleship Therefore traditions or ordinances of the Church bring us unto the Scripture and tie us to that voice which soundeth in the Scripture The Papists wrangling about Traditions But here it must be observed how honestly and fairly the Papists deale For wheresoever they meet with the word Tradition that by and by they wrest to their traditions which cannot be proved out of the Word of God as when Paul saith I delivered unto you that which I received Straight-wayes they cry out Heare you traditions I hear but read on there in the words following Paul himself by writing declaring what those traditions are I delivered unto you how that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scripture And that he was buried and that he arose the third day according to the Scripture Here you heare Pauls traditions to be double things written For first they were taken out of the Scripture of the Old Testament Secondly they were committed to writing by Saint Paul himselfe So Paul saith of the Lords Supper I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11.23 But this traditions after the Evangelists himself also hath set downe in writing 2 Thes 3.16 The Jesuites cite the saying of Paul Withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh inordinately and not after the traditions which yee received of us But a little after in the same Chapter he describeth what tradition he meaneth as it is manifest to him that looketh on the place And yet will they thence prove that many things are to be beleeved which cannot be proved by any testimony of Scripture The like impudency they shew in another testimony taken our of Luke Acts 16.4 They delivered them the decrees to keep ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem Ibid. 15.23 When a little before he witnesseth that those decrees were set downe in letters written by the Apostles How the Church may be said not to erre That opinion or saying of the Papists The Church doth not erre is true after this sort 1. The whole doth not erre though some members thereof doe erre 2. It doth not erre universally although in some points of doctrine it may 3. It erreth not in the foundation 5. In what the Church differeth from the Common-weale Seven differences betweene the Church and Common-weale THe Church differeth from the Common-weale 1. Because Common-weales are distinct and Kingdomes of the world are in divers places and times The Church is alwayes one and the same at all times and with all men 2. The Kingdoms and States of the world have many heads or one chiefe Head and many other inferiour heads besides and that on earth The Church hath but one and that in heaven 3. The Common-wealth is governed by certaine Lawes made for the maintenance of outward peace and tranquillity The Church is ruled by the holy Ghost and the Word of God 4. The Common-wealth or civill State requireth outward obedience onely The Church requireth both as well inward obedience as outward 5. In civill States and Common-wealths there is power and liberty to make new Lawes positive by the authority of the Magistrate the violating of which Lawes bindeth mens consciences and deserveth corporal punishments The Church is tied to the Word of God to which it is not lawfull to adde ought or to detract ought from it 6. The civill State hath corporall power wherewith it is armed against the obstinate and disobedient for he may and ought by force to curb these and to punish them by the sword The Church punisheth by denouncing Gods wrath out of the Word of God 7. In the Church are alwayes some elect and holy but not alwayes in the Common-wealth 6. Whence ariseth the difference of the Church from the rest of mankinde Three sorts of men in the world THere are three sorts of men very much different one from another For 1. Some men are even in profession estranged and alients from the Church as who deny faith and repentance and therefore are open enemies of God and the Church 2. Others are called but not effectually which are Hypocrites who professe indeed the faith but without any true conversion unto God 3. Others are called effectually which are the elect who are but a little portion according to that of Christ Many are called Mat. 20.16 Election putteth the difference between the Church and others but few are chosen Now the difference being known let us in a word see what is the cause of this difference 1. The efficient cause of this difference is the Election of God willing to gather unto himselfe a Church in earth 2. The Sonne of God is the mediate executor of this his will and purpose the holy Ghost the immediate Acts 14.16 Rom. 9.18 John 6.37 Rom. 8.19 30. 3. The word of God is the instrumentall cause In times past God suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their owne wayes God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the Image of his Sonne and whom he predestinate them also he called c. By these words we are taught that the promise of grace is generall in respect of the Elect or Beleevers God verily would have all to be saved and that 1. In respect that he loveth the salvation of all But the Elect onely have attained to that salvation 2. In respect that he inviteth all to salvation But the rest have beene hardened Rom. 11.7 7. Whether any one may be saved out of the Church NO man can be saved out of the Church None saved out of the Church John 13.5 Because without the Church there is no Saviour therefore no salvation also Without me you can doe nothing 2. Because whomsoever God hath chosen and elected to the end which is eternall life them he hath chosen to the meanes which is the inward and outward calling The elect therefore though they be not at all times members of the visible Church yet they are all made such before they die Object Therefore election is not free Answ It is free because God chose freely both to the end and to the meanes But after he hath once destined and ordained men to meanes he never
by the Passeover and other Sacrifices as also by the Sabbath which all were commanded by God that the godly might celebrate and worship God and shew themselves gratefull unto him and might withall take the signes and tokens of those benefits of God which they received by the Messias So Baptisme is a confession of Christianity and a sign whereby Christ testifieth that we are washed by his bloud The Supper of the Lord is a thanksgiving for the death of Christ and an advertisement that we are quickned and revived by his death and are made his members and shall remain and continue with him for ever OF BAPTISME ON THE 26. SABBATH Quest 69. How art thou admonished and assured in Baptisme that thou art partaker of the onely sacrifice of Christ Ans Because Christ commanded the outward washing of water a Mat. 21.19 adjoyning this promise thereunto b Ibid. Mar. 16.16 Acts 2 38. John 1.33 Mat. 3.11 Rom. 6.3 4. that I am no lesse assuredly washed by his bloud and spirit from the uncleannesse of my soule that is from all my sins that I am washed outwardly with water c 1 Pe 3.21 Mar 1.4 Luke 3.3 whereby all the filthinesse of the body useth to be purged The Explication The principall Questions touching Baptisme are 1. What Baptisme is 2. What are the ends of Baptisme or for what it was instituted 3. What is the sense and meaning of the words of the institution thereof 4. The lawfull and right use of Baptisme 5. What are the formes and kinds of speaking of Baptisme 6. Who are to be baptized 7. In place whereof Baptisme succeeded 8. How Baptisme agreeth with Circumcision THe two former of these questions touching Baptisme are handled under the 69. and 70. questions of the Catechisme the third and fourth under the 71. the fifth under the 72. the sixth under the 73. the seventh and eighth under the Common place of Circumcision which followeth immediatly after those questions of Catechisme aforenamed 1. What Baptisme is THe word Baptisme signfieth a dipping in water or sprinkling with water Those of the East Church were dipped their whole body in the water Those of the North in coâ—der countries are only sprinkled with water This circumstance is of no moment or weight For washing may be either by dipping or sprinkling and Baptisme is a washing The Catechisme definition is Baptisme is an outward washing with water commanded by Christ adjoyning this promise thereunto that we being baptized are no lesse assuredly washed by his bloud and spirit from the uncleannesse of our soules that is from all our sinnes then we are washed outwardly with water It may be also fitly defined on this wise Baptisme is a ceremony instituted by Christ in the New Testament whereby we are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to signifie that we are received into favour for the bloud of Christ shed for us and are regenerated by his spirit and also to bind us that hereafter we endeavour in our actions and death truly to testifie newnesse of life Or It is a Sacrament of the New testament ordained and authorised by Christ whereby is sealed unto the faithfull being baptized with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost remission of all their sinnes the gift of the holy Ghost and a planting of them into Christs body which is his Church whereby they also professe that they receive these blessings from God and will ever hereafter live unto him Or yet more briefly Baptisme is an externall washing instituted by the Son of God with the pronouncing of these words I baptize thee in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be a testimony that he who is so washed or dipped is reconciled through Christ by faith and is sanctified by the spirit unto eternall life We are said to be received into favour for the bloud of Christ shed for us to wit on the Crosse that is for Christs whole humiliation applied unto us by faith The Scriptures confirme this definition Mat. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that is testifying by the signe of Baptisme that they are received into favour of God the Father through the Son and are sanctified by his Spirit Marke 1.4 Marke 16.16 John did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the baptisme of amendment of life for remission of sins He which beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Wherefore Baptisme comprehendeth Three things comprehended in baptisme 1. The signe which is water and the whole ceremony as the sprinkling of water or the dipping into and againe returning out of the water 2. The things themselves signified by the ceremonies which are the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ the mortification of the old man the quickning of the new man into a certaine hope of the resurrection to come by Christ 3. The commandement and promise of Christ whence the signe hath authority and power of confirming Baptisme not a bare signe only Object 1. Baptisme is said to be an externall washing of water Therefore Baptisme is a bare signe onely Ans 1. This is a fallacy of division dividing things which are to be joyned because when we say that Baptisme is an externall signe we joyn with the signe the thing that is signified Ans 2. There is no particle added in our definition which excludeth the thing And Baptisme is in its owne nature without the promise adjoyned a bare signe and to the unbeleeving who receive not the promise by faith it is indeed an externall washing only with water but the promise cometh thereto The differences betweene Baptisme and the washings of the Old Testament and is joyned with this signe when it is used aright Object 2. There were washings also in the Old Testament Baptisme therefore is no Sacrament proper to the New Testament Ans There is a great dissimilitude and difference between the washings under the Law and our Baptisme 1. The washings in the old Testament were not a signe of the entrance and receiving into the Church as our Baptisme is 2. They were instituted to wash away a ceremoniall uncleannesse as when a man had defiled himselfe by touching a dead carkasse or any such uncleane thing his ceremoniall uncleannesse was to be purged with a ceremoniall washing our Baptisme is ordained to wash away a morall uncleannesse that is sinne And hence it is that Baptisme is called in Scripture alaver or washing to wit in respect of that washing of the morall uncleannesse that is in respect of that inward or spirituall washing whereby we are washed or cleansed from our sins 3. They signifie a washing by Christ which was to come our Baptisme sealeth that washing which is by Christ already exhibited in the flesh 4. They did bind the Jewes only Baptisme extendeth and belongeth to
Teach all nations that is make all nations my disciples and then he willeth them to be baptised Wherefore all they and they alone are to be baptised according to the commandement of Christ unto whom the covenant doth belong namely such as are and so ought to be accounted members of the visible Church whether they be of understanding professing faith and amendment of life or infants born in the womb of the Church for all the children of the faithfull are in the covenant and Church of God except they exclude themselves Or All that are the scholers oâ— Châ—â—â—â— are to be baptised All they are to be baptised who are to be accounted for the disciples and scholers of Christ but for the disciples of Christ are to be accounted all those of understanding who professe faith and repentance neither they only but their infants also which are born in the Church that is in the school of Christ which also teacheth and instructeth them by his holy Spirit according to their capacity or as the condition of their age will bear Out of this generall position thus concluded we may easily determine of this speciall Whether infants are to be baptised For if they be disciples of Christ and part of the Church they are to be baptised But such they are Therefore they ought to be baptised The Major is the flat prescript of Christ The Minor is most evident out of the form of the covenant and other places Baptism of infants confirmed by four arguments The reasons alledged in the Catechism for the baptism of infants are four 1. All that belong to the covenant and Church of God are to be baptised The infants of Christians as well as the aged belong to the covenant and Church of God Therefore the infants of Christians are to be baptised as well as the aged The Major is proved because the whole Church is to be baptised according to Christs commandement Go and teach all nations baptising them Mat. 28.19 and according to that of S. Paul By one Spirit are all baptised into one baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 The Minor is cleer out of the form of the covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17.7 and out of Christs commandement Suffer little children to come unto mee Matth. 19.14 for of such is the kingdome of God 2. Unto whom belongeth the benefit of remission of sins and regeneration they may not be forbidden baptisme But unto the infants of the Church belongeth the benefit of remission of sins and regeneration that is remission of sins by the bloud of Christ and the holy Ghost the worker of faith is promised to infants as well as to the aged Therefore the infants of Christians ought to be baptised The Major is confirmed out of those words of Peter Amend your lives Acts 2.38 39. and be baptised every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ For the promise is made unto you and to your children Again Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised 10.47 who have received the holy Ghost as well as wee This is also proved by manifest reason For unto whom the things signified belong unto them also doth the signe belong except some condition in the manner of using it hinder or except there be some expresse circumstance of the institution hindering and letting the use of the rite and ceremonie as in ancient times the women were excluded and debarred circumcision in regard of their sex and at this day the shewing forth of the Lords death and the proving of themselves which infants cannot perform excludeth them from the Sacrament of the Supper The Minor is apparent out of the form of the covenant I will be thy God Gen. 17.7 Matth. 19.14 and the God of thy seed and out of the promise Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdome of God and out of these sayings To you Act. 2.39 3.25 1 Cor. 17.14 Rom. 11.16 and to your children is the promise made Yee are the children of the Prophets and of the covenant which God hath made unto our fathers Your children are holy If the root be holy the branches also are holy So also John Baptist was sanctified in the womb If a man diligently weigh these testimonies of Scripture he shall perceive doubtlesse not only that it is lawfull but also that this Sacrament of baptism must and ought to be given to infants because the infants are holy The promise is made unto them theirs is the kingdome of God And God saith also that he is their God who certainly is not the God of the wicked Moreover there is no condition or circumstance in the infants hindering the use of Baptism Can any man then forbid water that those should be baptised who are partakers of the same benefits with the whole Church 3. A Sacrament which is instituted of God to this end that it may be a solemn receiving into the Church and a severing or signe of distinguishing the whole Church from all other sects must be communicated to all ages whereunto the covenant and receiving into the Church and distinction from infidels agreeth But baptism is such a Sacrament Therefore it must needs be administred to all ages and by consequent hereof to infants also The consequence is good being drawn from the proper finall cause to the effect For to whomsoever the finall cause agreeth to them the effect is rightly and necessarily attributed 4. Circumcision in the old Testament belonged both to aged and to infants Baptisme in the new Testament succeedeth circumcision and indeed so succeedeth as it hath the same use which circumcision had in the old Testament Col. 2.11 Ye are circumcised in Christ with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ in that ye are buried with him through Baptism in whom ye are also raised up together Therefore baptism is our circumcision that is a Sacrament whereby the same things are confirmed and conferred and that unto as many now in the new Testament which were confirmed and conferred and to as many as they were confirmed and conferred in the old Testament by circumcision Wherefore the Anabaptists denying baptism to infants born in the Church not only spoil them of their right but also obscure the grace of God who will that the seed of the faithfull should from their birth-day yea and from their mothers womb be reckoned for members of the Church yea further they derogate manifestly from the grace offered in the new covenant and scantle it lesse then the grace of the old covenant seeing they deny that baptism is now extended unto those infants to whom circumcision was extended they weaken the comfort of the Church and faithfull parents they cancell the solemn bond whereby God will have the seed of his people from their first infancy bound
hath this force and power to testifie and seal by the commandement of God through the promise of grace adjoined by Christ unto this rite rightly used For Christ baptiseth us by the hand of his Ministers as he speaketh unto us by the mouth of his Ministers 4. Wherefore there is in baptism a double water an externall visible water which is elementary and an internall invisible celestiall which is the bloud and spirit of Christ So also there is a double washing an externall visible and signifying washing namely the sprinkling or powring of water which is corporall that is is perceived by the parts and senses of the body and an internall invisible and signified washing namely remission of sins for the bloud of Christ shed for us and our regeneration by the holy Ghost and our ingraffing into his body which is spirituall that is is perceived and received by faith and the spirit Lastly there is also a double administer of baptisme an externall of the externall baptisme which is the Minister of the Church baptising us by his hand and water an internall of the internall baptisme which is Christ himselfe baptising us by his bloud and spirit 5. Neither is the water changed into the bloud or spirit of Christ neither is the bloud of Christ present in the water or in the same place with the water Neither are their bodies who are baptised washed therewith visibly neither is the holy Ghost by his substance or vertue more in this water then else-where but in the right use of baptisme he worketh in the hearts of them who are baptised and spiritually sprinkleth and washeth them with the bloud of Christ and hee useth this externall symbole or signe as an instrument and as a visible word or promise to stay and stir up the faith of them who are baptised 6. When as then baptisme is said to be the washing of the new birth to save us or to wash away our sins it is meant that the externall baptism is a signe of the internall that is of regeneration or our new birth of salvation and spirituall washing and this internall baptisme is said to be joyned with that externall baptisme in the right use and administration thereof 7. But notwithstanding so is sin in baptism abolished that we are delivered from being obnoxious to the wrath of God and from the condemnation of eternall punishment and further newnesse of life is begun in us by the holy Ghost but yet the remnants of sin remain in us untill the end of this life 8. Now all they and they alone receive baptism to the right use who are renewed or renewing and are baptised to those ends whereto baptisme was by Christ instituted 9. The Church doth rightly administer baptism to all them and to them alone whom she ought to repute in the number of the regenerate or members of Christ 10. Seeing also the infants of Christians are of the Church into which Christ will have all those received and inrolled by baptism who belong unto him and therefore baptism was substituted in the place of circumcision whereby as well unto the infants as unto the elder sort which did belong unto the seed of Abraham justification regeneration and receiving into the Church was sealed and therefore no man can forbid water that they should not be baptised who have received the holy Ghost purifying their hearts those infants then must necessarily also be baptised who either are born in the Church or come together with their parents to it 11. As the promise of the Gospel so baptism being received unworthily that is before conversion is ratified and profitable unto salvation to them that are penitent and the use thereof which was before amisse and unlawfull is now become unto them right and lawfull 12. Neither doth the wickednesse of the Minister make baptism void or of no effect and force unto them so that it be ministred into the promise and faith of Christ and therefore also the true Church doth not baptise them who have been baptised of hereticks but only must inform and instruct them with true doctrine concerning Christ and baptisme 13. And as the convenant once made with God is also afterwards after sins committed perpetually firme and of force to the repentant so also baptisme being once received confirmeth and assureth the repentant all their life time of remission of sins and therefore neither ought it to be re-iterated neither to be deferred untill the end of our life as if it so only cleansed men from sins if no sins be committed after it is once received 14. Neither yet are all those who are baptised with water whether they be of understanding or infants partakers of the grace of Christ for the everlasting election of God and his calling unto the kingdom of Christ is free 15. Neither are all who are not baptised excluded from the grace of Christ for not the want but the contempt of the baptisme shutteth men out of the convenant of God made with the faithfull and their children 16. And seeing the administration of the Sacraments is a part of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery they who are not called unto this and especially women may not take upon them the power and authority to baptise 17. Rites which are patched by men to baptisme as hallowing of the water tapers exorcisms chrisme salt crosses spettle and such like are worthily reputed in the Church as a corruption of the Sacrament OF THE LORDS SUPPER ON THE 28. SABBATH Quest 75. How art thou in the Lords Supper admonished and warranted that thou art partaker of that onely sacrifice of Christ offered on the crosse and of his benefits Ans Because Christ hath commanded me and all the faithfull to eat of this bread broken and to drink of the cup distributed in remembrance of him with this promise adjoyned a Mat. 16.27 28. Mark 14.22 23.24 Luke 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 11.23 24 25. 12.13 First that his body was as certainly broken and offered for me on the crosse and his bloud shed for me as I behold with mine eyes the bread of the Lord broken unto me and the cup communicated to me and further that my soul is no lesse assuredly fed to everlasting life with his body which was crucified for us and his bloud which was shed for us then I receive and taste by the mouth of my body the bread and wine the signs of the body and bloud of our Lord received at the hand of the Minister The Explication The chiefe Questions concerning the Lords Supper are 1. What the Supper of the Lord is 2. What are the ends thereof or wherefore it was instituted 3. What it differeth from Baptisme 4. What is the sense and meaning of the words of the institution 5. What is the difference between the Lords Supper and the Papists Masse and why the Masse is to be abolished 6. What is the right use of the Supper 7. What the wicked receive
in the Supper 8. Who are to come to the Supper 9. Who are to be admitted to the Supper The three former of these belong to the 75. and 76. Questions of the Catechism the fourth to the 77 78 79. the fifth to the 80. the sixth seventh eighth and ninth to the 81. and under them they shall be placed and handled 1. What the Supper of the Lord is The names given to this Sacrament and the reason of the names FIrst we will see by what names the Supper of the Lord is called then we will in few words define what it is This action or ceremony or rite instituted by Christ a little before his death is called The Lords Supper It is called 1. The Lords Supper from the first institution of it that is in respect of the originall or first beginning of this rite or in respect of the time wherein this ceremony was instituted which circumstance of time the Church for her liberty in case of this quality hath changed For it was a matter of casualty that this ceremony was instituted of Christ rather in the evening at supper time then in the morning or at noon day to wit because of the eating of the Paschal Lamb which by the law was to be celebrated in the evening and was afterwards to be abolished by this new Sacrament It is called of S. Paul 2. The Lords Table The Table of the Lord. It is likewise called Synaxis that is a covenant 3. A covenant of assembly in respect of the assembly and convent of the Church because some either few or many must assemble and meet together in celebrating of the Supper for in the first celebration the disciples were present to them it was said Take this and divide it among you Wherefore it must needs be that there was some number there which also appeareth by the Apostle repeating the first institution where in the end he addeth 1 Cor. 11.20 35. When ye come together to eat tarry one for another And further that moe ought to come together to celebrate the Supper this end of the Supper doth evidently enough shew in that it was instituted to be a token and even a bond of love For wee that are many 1 Cor. 10.17 are one bread and one body It is called also the Eucharist 4. The Eucharist because it is a rite and ceremony of thanksgiving Last of all 5. A Sacrifice it is called also a Sacrifice not propitiatory or meritorious as the Papists dream but gratulatory because it is the commemoration of Christs propitiatory sacrifice And at length it was also called Missa from the offering or from the dismissing of the rest who might not communicate after the Sermon which went before the celebration was finished We retain the name left in Scripture and call it The Lords Supper Now let us come to define the Lords Supper The definition of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a ceremony or Sacrament instituted and appointed of Christ unto the faithfull for a memoriall of him whereby Christ doth certainly promise and seal unto me and all the faithfull first That his body was offered and broken on the crosse for mee and his bloud shed for me as truly as I see with mine eyes the bread of the Lord to be broken unto me and his cup distributed And moreover That hee doth as certainly with his body crucified and his bloud shed feed and nourish my soul unto everlasting life as my body is fed with the bread and the cup the Lord received from the hand of the minister which are offered to me as certain seals of the body and bloud of Christ It may be also more briefly defined on this wise The Lords Supper is a distributing and receiving of bread and wine commanded of Christ unto the faithfull that by these signes he might testifie that hee hath delivered and yeelded his body unto death and hath shed his bloud for them and doth give them those things to eate and drink that they might be unto them the meat and dâ—ink of eternall life and that thereby also hee might testifie that hee would dwell in them nourish and quicken them for ever And again That of the other side he might by the same signes binde them to mutuall dilection and love seeing Christ spareth not to give his body and bloud for us This is confirmed not only by Christ in the Evangelists but also by Paul who expresly saith The cup of the blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ Moreover The signe and things signified in the Lords Supper the signes in the Sacrament are bread and wine bread broken and eaten wine distributed and taken The things signified are 1. The breaking of the bodâ— and the shedaing of the bloud of Christ 2. Our union and conjunction with Christ by faith so that wee draw life everlasting from him and are made partakers as of Christ himselfe so also of all his benefits as the branches are made partakers of the life of the vine Wee are advertised of this our union and communion with Christ 1. By the proportion which the signes have with the things 2. By the promise which is adjoyned And the proportion doth chiefly propose and shew two things unto us 1. The sacrifice of Christ 2. Our communion with Christ because the bread is not only broken but is also given us to eat Breaking of the bread a part of the ceremony Now the breaking of the bread is a part of the ceremony because unto it a part of the thing signified doth answer namely the breaking of Christs body of which signification of this signe Paul doth testifie when he saith 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you Here receiving and eating is part of the ceremony whereunto doth answer the thing signified to wit the eating of Christs body Now this divine and spirituall thing namely the breaking and communicating of Christs body is signified and confirmed by this ceremony which is the breaking and receiving of bread for two causes 1. Because Christ commandeth these rites unto which we ought to give no lesse credit then if Christ himself did speak with us 2. Because he annexeth a promise that they who observe these rites with a true faith must be assured and certain that they have communion with Christ. Wine is added that wee should know the perfection and accomplishment of our salvation to be in his sacrifice and that there was nothing which could be further desired The wine is severed from the bread to signifie the violence of his death because the bloud was sundered from his body 2. What are the ends of the Lords Supper THe ends for which the Lords Supper was instituted are Confirmation of our faith That it might be a confirmation of our faith that is a most certain testification of our communion and union with Christ
covenant not to the impeachment of the Church or them that communicate with them but of themselves for they procure unto themselves damnation Neverthelesse it is the duty of the Church to observe diligently what manner of men it admitteth and the Minister of the Church is there excused where excommunication is not authorised yet so that hee give not willingly the Sacrament to the abusers thereof but be instant in warning and reproving them and wish them to take heed of and avoid their abuses For Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse But the sin shall lie on others even on them who commit the abuse and on them who wink with both their eyes thereat OF THE PASSEOVER SEeing it is aforesaid that the Lords Supper succeeded the Passeover it shall not be impertinent to declare here in brief the doctrine of the Passeover The Questions concerning the Passeover are these 1. What it was 2. What were the ends and uses thereof 3. What are the allegories or resemblances of the rites of the Paschall lamb 4. Whether it be now abrogated and what succeeded in place thereof 1. What the Passeover was THe Passeover was a solemn eating of a Lamb enjoyned the Israelites by God that this ceremony being yeerly performed throughout every house might be a memoriall unto them of their deliverance out of Egypt but should especially signifie unto the faithfull their sparituall freedome from sin and death by Christ which was to be sacrificed or slain on the crosse and to be eaten by faith Or It was a Sacrament of the ancient Church which by Gods commandemeâ—t was to be celebrated with the yeerly slaying and eating in every family of the Jewes a lambe of a yeer old to be a remembrance unto hem of the benefits of their delivery out of Egypt and a seale of the promise of grace touching remission of sins for the sacrifice of the Messias Pascha the Greek word cometh from the Hebrew Pesach a Passeover derived of Pasach which signifieth To passe over This Sacrament and whole solemnity had his name from the passing over of the Angel who seeing the bloud of the Lamb on the Israelites upper door-posts passed over and spared their first-born when he slew all the first-born of the Egyptians The history of the institution of the Passeover is extant Exod. 12. God commanded that the killing of the Lamb should be executed with certain and divers ceremonies The rites and ceremonies of the passeover For A lamb of a yeer old a male without blemish was to be separated from the flocke the tenth day of the first moneth called Nisan or Abib according to the number of the families for every houshold a lamb and was to be slain four dayes after that is the fourteenth day at even and the posts and lintels or upper cheeks of the doors of their houses were to be sprinkled with his bloud then was hee to be rosted and eaten whole and in haste with unleavened bread and sowre herbs and they that did eat it stood with their loins girt their shooes on their feet and their staves in their hands Exod. 12 11 23. Of this ceremony saith God It is the Lords Passeover The bloud shall be a token for you upon the houses where ye are that when I see the bloud I may passe over you This feast God would have to be yeerly that is once every yeer seven whole dayes celebrated with great solemnity Exod. 12.14 15. And this day shall be unto you as a remembrance and ye shall keep it an holy feast unto the Lord throughout your generations yee shall keep it an holy ordinance for ever Seven dayes shall yee eat unleavened bread c. Look Exod. 23.15 Levit. 15.5 Deut. 16.1 2. What the ends and uses of the Passeover were FIve ends of the institution of the passeover are specified Exod. 12. To be a confirmation of the promise of the Angels passeover and of the saving of the Israelites first-born That the bloud of the lamb sprinkled on the posts might be a signe of the Angel-which should passe over the Israelites and save their first-born as it is said ver 13. And the bloud shall be a token for you upon the houses where you are that when I see the bloud I may passe over you This end after the first performance of the rite and execution of the passeover ceased forthwith although the analogie thereof remain for ever For God both heretofore spared and now spareth the faithfull for Christs bloud shed that is for it remitteth their sins as in the second end is declared To be a type of Christ That it might be a figure of the Messias his sacrifice to come or a sign of the deliverance to be performed by Christ and of Gods grace towards his Church this was the principall end of the yeerly passeover Exod. 12.45 John 19.36 This is thus proved It is said Ye shall not break a bone thereof This figure John saith was then fulfilled when Christs bones were not broken on the crosse therefore the lamb was a type of Christ and of his sacrifice Againe Christ our passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Therefore the paschall lamb signified Christ and the sacrificing thereof represented the sacrificing of Christ Besides the Church understood the significations of other sacrifices that they were types of the sacrifices of the Messias for the Fathers of the old Church were not so brutish as to hope for remission of sins by the bloud of buls much more therefore did they by faith behold the Messias and his sacrifice in the Paschall lamb Finally John calleth Christ The Lamb of God Revel 13.8 and the Lamb which was slain from the beginning of the world to wit because he was prefigured by that lamb which was slain to be the passeover For a remembrance of their delivery out of Egypt Exod. 12.15 Deut 16.3 To be a memoriall of the first passeover and of the delivery out of Egypt For God would that the memory of so great a benefit should be preserved among his people lest their posterity should wexe unthankfull Seven dayes shalt thou eat unleavened bread even the bread of tribulation for thou camest out of the land of Egypt in haste that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest out of the land of Egypt all the dayes of thy life To be an occasion of publick concourse to praise God for this benefit Exod. 12.16 That it might be a bond of publick assemblies and maintenance of ecclesiasticall Ministery In the first day shall be an holy assembly To distinguish Israel from other people Exod. 12.43 48. That it might be a Sacrament whereby to distinguish Gods people from other nations No stranger shall eat thereof But if a stranger dwell with thee and will observe the passeover of the Lord let him circumcise all the males that belong unto him and then let
an oblation as if hee offered swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an Idoll Jerem. 6.20 In the sixth of Jeremy he sharply reproveth those who being defiled with their abominations yet durst appeare in his Temple Ezekiel the 20. he threatneth that he will not answer Ezck. 20.31 when he is asked by them who goe after other gods and then present themselves in Gods Temple when they are polluted In the same Chapter he saith verse 24. that they profane his Sabbaths and pollute his Sanctuary who when they have gone a whoring after Idols appeare in his Temple Amos the fifth Amos 5.21 hee rejecteth the sacrifices and worship of transgressors I hate and abhorre your feast-dayes and will not smell in your solemne assemblies Haggai the second he prohibiteth the uncleane in soule once to touch holy things where he speaketh of morall and ceremoniall uncleanenesse Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord. In the New Testament John admitteth them only to baptisem who confessed their sins and repented Bring forth fruits worthy amendement of life Leave thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way Mat. 3.6 first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Therefore whosoever reconcileth not first himself unto his brother hee is to be debarred the Sacraments For Christ will that all submit themselves first unto God according to all his commandements before they approach to any Sacrament For by the name of Altar here are understood any Sacraments whatsoever Amend your lives Acts 2.38 8.37 1 Cor. 10.20 21. 11.27 and be baptised every one of you If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou mayest be baptised Therefore if thou beleevest not thou mayest not The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to divels and not unto God Yee cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of Divels Whosoever eateth unworthily is guilty of the Lords body But the wicked eating without faith and repentance eate unworthily Therefore they are guilty We ought not to partake in other mens sins and we ought not to wink at any mans destruction therefore wee may not admit the wicked to the Sacrament lest they eat unto themselves damnation 2. In respect of Christ and his Apostles speciall commandement If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between him and thee alone Mat. 18.15 16 17 18. if hee heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother But if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it unto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Verily I say unto you Whatsoever yee bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven But Christ will not that his Sacraments which he instituted for the faithfull alone be made common with Pagans and Publicans And lest this Mandate might be understood of some private and speciall judgement it is expresly added Whatsoever yee shall bind c. which words cannot be otherwise understood but of the publike power of the Keys I verily as absent in body but present in spirit 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. have determined already as though I were present that hee that hath done this thing when ye are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that such one I say by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ be delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Ibid. ver 11 13. that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus And againe With such a one eate not Put away therefore from your selves that wicked man For what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Thes 3.6 14. or what part hath the Beleever with the Infidels We command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh inordinately and not after the instruction which yee received of us If any man obey not our sayings note him by a letter and have no company with him that hee may be ashamed 2 John ver 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds 3. The power of the Keyes is necessary in respect of Gods glory For God is reproached and despited if without difference wicked blasphemers goe in the number of his Children and his Kingdom and the divels be confounded 4. Lest the Sacraments be profaned and that given the wicked in the Supper which is denied them in the Word 5. That the purity of Gods doctrine and worship be preserved 6. For the safety of the Church which shall be punished if she wittingly and willingly profane Christs Sacraments or suffer them to be profaned 7. For the safety of the sinners that they being often admonished and put to shame may returne to repentance 8. For avoiding of offence in the Church that others weaklings be not corrupted by evill example 4.1 Cor. 5.6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 9. For avoiding of offence among those that are without lest they who are not as yet members of the Church come not to it 10. That the name of God might not be blasphemed and evill spoken of by others and his Covenant despited and reproached 11. That from the sinners themselves punishment may be averted because the wicked approaching unto the Lords Table eate their owne damnation Wherefore that this may not come to passe the Church is bound to provide that such approach not thither 12. They who deny the faith and doctrine of Christ are to be excluded from the Church and from the use of the Sacraments For the Faithfull or Christians are not to be confounded or mingled with those who are not members of the Church or with those who are professed ungodly persons blasphemers revolters to Arrianisme Mahumetanisme and the like But they that deny and refuse to repent deny the faith and doctrine They professe that they know God but by workes they deny him And he that denieth the faith Tims 1.16 is worse than Infidels Therefore they who persist in their wickednes and deny to repent are to be shut out of the Church neither are they to be admitted to the use of the Sacraments 13. And here hath place that saying of Christ Give not that which is holy to dogges Wherefore neither to the Sacraments are dogges to be admitted namely those which persist in their wickednesse and make a mocke of Gods Word For if Christ speaketh this of his audible Word to wit the Word preached which yet was instituted
hath commanded If hee will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it unto the Church Now if a man transgress publikely by offending of the whole Church he must also publikely be corrected by the Church according as his trespasse is If neither yet he will repent being admonished and chastised by the Church whether it be he that committed a private trespasse or he that committed a publick offence at length excommunication must be inflicted by the Church as the extreme and last remedy to correct men obstinate and impenitent even as also Christ himself commandeth in these words next following the place before alledged If he refuse to heare the Church also let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican In these words Christ expresly commandeth all whosoever being after this sort admonished by the Church will not repent to be by the common consent of the Church excommunicated untill they repent This then is the lawfull course of reclaiming such as goe aside and refractary persons in Christs Church if the degrees prescribed be observed in the execution The degrees prescribed are foure 1. A brotherly private admonition 2. An admonition by many 3. An admonition by the Church 4. The publike deceee and sentence of the Church The first and second degree take place in private offences the third in notorious and grievous publike crimes or scandals the fourth in a case of contumacy in which only the Church proceedeth to excommunication reputing the obstinate party for an Heathen and Publican that is for an aliant and stranger from the Church and Kingdom of God untill he repent Wherefore necessarily before excommunication first goeth a knowledge of some slip or errour and a knowledge of obstinacy or stubbornesse If then any man become a Papist or an Arrian or a Davidian or an Apostata in any other kind he must not be reputed a member of the Church though himselfe professe that hee is and desire to continue therein unlesse he abjure and detest his errour and live according to the doctrine of the Gospel The reason is because God will have his Church separated from all other Sects and limbes of the Divell but they who reverse their oath made in Baptisme are limbes of the Divell Therefore they are to be exiled the Church yea though they professe themselves Christians For in deeds they deny what they professe in words and therefore it is evident that they lye and dissemble seeing faith and a Christian life cannot be dis-joyned and they who separate them mocke God and his Church Now an Apostata is not such an one as sometimes Who is an Apostata or oftentimes offendeth in life and doctrine and repenteth againe but such an one as who being apparently convicted of open errours and out-rages refuseth to desist from them Howbeit if any professe repentance and make outward shew thereof though inwardly he be an hypocrite the Church is bound to admit such an one untill he bewray himself For the Church may not judge of things secret and hidden 3. What are the ends of the Ecclesiasticall discipline and what abuses are therein to be avoided CHrist hath given to his Church the power of Excommunication not for the destruction of the sinner which is to be excommunicated but for his edification and salvation Wherefore the end of this discipline is not to establish the soveraignty and tyranny of the Ministers The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them Luke 22.25 but ye shall not be so The Ministers themselves must most of all be subject to this discipline and with this bridle they are specially contained within the bounds of their vocation because the Keyes belong not to Ministers alone but to the whole Church Much lesse is this the end of Ecclesiasticall discipline that wretched sinners should be vexed oppressed The ends and uses of Excommunication and driven to desperation these are the slanders of the enemies of this discipline but the true ends are those which the Apostle delivereth and sheweth 1. That the rebellious by this means disgraced and terrified may bethinke themselves and repent Let such a man be delivered unto Sathan 1 Cor. 5.5 for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 2. Lest other Christians by the example and conversation of wicked ones should be corrupted For one scabbed sheep unlesse he be cured or excluded may infect the whole flock and a litle leaven leaveneth the whole lump Your rejoycing is not good 1 Cor. 5.6 know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 3. That others may be put in feare of offending Them that sin rebuke openly that the rest may feare 1 Tim. 1.20 4. That the Church be not defaced with scandals and to avoid the profanation of the Sacraments and Gods anger consequent thereon Purge out therefore the old leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 that yee may be a new lump as yee are unleavened For Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us These then are the ends and uses of Ecclesiasticall discipline or excommunication The abuses that are to be avoided in Excommunication are 1. That the degrees of admonition be not neglected The abuses of it and that we begin not preposterously from the last but from the first First therefore let private admonition take place and let him be gently and courteously admonished which hath offended and let the admonition be a detecting and reproofe of his errour out of Gods Word and an exhortation to amendment 2. Let it be done in such sort as it ought that is according to Gods Word with signification of our brotherly love and desire of succouring them that erre and that to their salvation For God will not execute anothers sentence but his owne Therefore our offending brother must not presently be reckoned for an enemy or aliant from the Church but be admonished as a brother according to that of the Apostle Yet count him not as an enemy 2 Thes 3.15 but admonish him as a brother 3. Let it be done on just weighty and necessary causes and not on wrong doubtfull and causes of no importance Wee may not proceed on every suspicion to Excommunication but upon urgent necessity as Physicians who come not to lancing untill meere necessity inforce them Now this necessity is then when errours against the foundation of faith and open out rages are obstinately maintained and the whole congregation or some parties thereof are indangered 4. The cause must with circumspection be weighed by all the Elders the decision and judgement approved of the whole Church it may not be managed by any severall mans private authority or swayed by the Minister alone For this power is not appropriated by Christ to some few or to the Ministers onely howsoever the execution be devolved by the Church to a few or to the Minister alone but to the whole Church If hee will not vouchsafe to heare them and others
tell it unto the Church Mat. 18.17 Luke 22.25 26. The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them but ye shall not be so Wherefore the consent and decree of the Church is to be expected 1. Because of Gods expresse commandement to this purpose 2. That no man be injured 3. That the processe may be better authorised 4. That the Ministery of the Church grow not unto an Oligarchy or a Papisticall soveraignity of some few persons 5. That the condemnation of the rebellious may be the more just The last abuse to be prevented by Excommunication is 5. That we kindle no schismes not give occasion of scandall and offence in the Church whilst good men see many at variance between themselves that grievous evils follow one another on the head and that the Church is divided These evils if the Ministers see or feare they may not proceed but warne and exhort both privately and publikely If they profit nothing hereby they are held excused Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 for they shall be filled Others shall give an account of their obstinacy 5. How the power of the Keyes committed to the Church differeth from the Civill power THe differences are many and manifest 1. Ecclesiasticall discipline is executed by the Church the civill power by the Judge or Magistrate 2. In the civill state judgement is exercised according to civill and positive lawes in the Church judgement proceedeth according to Gods Lawes and Word 3. The power of the Keyes committed unto the Church dependeth on Gods Word and the Church exerciseth her authority by the Word when it denounceth the anger and wrath of God against Infidels and unrepentant persons and punisheth the obstinate with the Word only yet so as that this punishment pierceth even unto their consciences the civill power is armed with the Sword and punisheth the obstinate with corporall punishments only 4. The judgement of the Church hath degrees of admonition and if repentance interpose it selfe it proceedeth not to punishment the civill judgement and the Magistrate proceeds to punishment though the offender repent 5. The end and purpose of the Church is that hee which hath offended should repent and be saved for ever the end and purpose of the Magistrate is that the offender be punished and so peace and externall order and discipline be maintained in the Common-wealth 6. As the Church proceedeth against refractary and obstinate persons only so it is bound to reverse and retract her judgement and punishment if there come repentance but the Magistrate when he hath once punished is not bound to recall his judgment and punishment neither is hee able sometimes to revoke and repeale it The Thiefe repenteth on the Crosse and is received of Christ into Paradise neverthelesse the Magistrate goeth on to execute this penalty adjudged unto him and putteth him out of the Common-wealth So oftentimes the discipline of the Church hath place where there is no place for civill judgement as when the Church casteth out of her congregation the impenitent and accounteth them no more for her members whom notwithstanding the civill Magistrate tolerateth And contrariwise the civill government oft-times exileth those whom the Church receiveth as when the Magistrate punisheth Adulterers Robbers Theeves and doth no more reckon them for members of the Common-wealth whether they repent or continue obstinate whom yet the Church if they repent abandoneth not but receiveth Wherefore the difference of the Ecclesiasticall and civill power is apparent and manifest There remaine objections of the Adversaries of Ecclesiasticall Discipline whereunto wee will in few words make answer Object 1. The charge and office of the Keyes is no where commanded Therefore it is not to be ordained in the Church and by consequent no man ought to be excluded from the Sacrament Ans The Antecedenc is false because frequently in Scripture manifest testimonies of this charge and commission are extant Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven Here in plain words is expressed the power of the keyes committed to all ministers of the word Moreover what this office or charge of the keyes committed to the Church is and how the Church must discharge this charge and function Christ likewise plainly advertiseth and declareth If he will not vouchsafe to hear them tell it to the Church Mat. 18.17 1â— and if he refuse to hear the Church also let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven These things given thus in precept by Christ Paul also doth in the thing it selfe confirm 1 Cor. 5.1 5. 11.20 Let such a one be delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus When yee come together into one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper 2 Thes 3.14 If any man obey not your savings note him by a letter and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Sathan 1 Tim. 1.20 that they may learn not to blaspheme In the Prophets also are manifest testimonies in which this is apparent to have been commanded by God Isa 1.11 What have I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of bullocks nor of lambs nor of goats Isa 66.3 Hee that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheep as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blond he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them Jerem. 7.22 when I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices Psal 30.16 Unto the wicked said God What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth Wherefore Christ also saith Matth. 5.24 Leave there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift There are other places also of Scripture besides these where it is commanded that all professed wicked persons be excluded from the Church and the use of the sacraments as wheresoever is reprehended the unlawfull use of the sacraments Likewise wheresoever the Ministers are commanded to receive only such for members of the Church as professe faith and repentance Rep. God indeed forbiddeth the ungodly to come unto the Sacraments but he willeth not that the Church should forbid them Ans What God forbiddeth to have done in the Church
the worship to be thus done unto him Wil-worship is false worship And To worship God truly is so to worship him as himselfe hath manifested in his word that he will be worshipped Contrariwise in this second Commandement is forbidden all will-worship that is all false worship namely not onely that creatures or Images be not reputed or worshipped for God but also that we resemble not him the very true God by any Image or shape neither worship him by Images and at Images or with any other kinde of worship which himselfe hath not commanded For when he condemneth the chiefe or grossest and most evident kind of false worships namely the worshipping of God at or by Images it is manifest that he forbiddeth also the other kinds of false worships seeing this is the head and fountaine of all the rest For he forbiddeth the most grosse kind of Idolatry not thereby to exclude others and acquit them from this inhibition but because this is the fountaine of all the rest Wherefore all worships whatsoever are instituted by men not by God and in which the same cause of prohibiting or forbidding appeareth are forbidden by the forbidding of this the grossest kind of the rest Therefore whatsoever things hinder Gods true worship they are all contrary to this Commandement Twofold Idolatry 1. Idolatry which is a false or superstitious worship of God Idolatry as we have heretofore shewed is of two sorts 1. When a false god is worshipped that is when in place of the true God or besides him honour or worship is given to some either imaginary or existent thing which is agreeing unto the true God onely This kinde of Idolatry is especially forbidden in the first Commandement and further also in some part in the third Commandement 2. When men erre in the kinde of worship that is when worship or honour is imagined to be done to the true God by some such worke which himselfe hath not commanded This kind is properly condemned in this second Commandement and is called will-worship Who are superstitious Esay 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Col. 2.8.16.22 23. or superstition adding mens inventions to Gods Commandements They are said to be superstitious whosoever adde humane inventions to the Commandements of God This superstition or wil-worship is condemned every where in Scripture In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Let no man condemne you in meat and drink c. Which all perish with the using and are after the commandements and doctrines of men Which things have indeed a shew of wisdome in voluntary religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the body neither have they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh Hence we answer this objection Object Idolatry is forbidden in the first Commandement and in this second also therefore they both make but one Answ One kind of Idolatry is forbidden in the first Commandement to wit when another god is worshipped another in the second namely when the true God is worshipped otherwise then he ought Repl. Yea but still in both there is Idolatry committed and a strange god worshipped Ans There is indeed an Idol in both alwaies but not alwaies in the intent and profession of men Therefore whosoever offend against the second Commandement offend against the first because they who worship God otherwise then he will be worshipped imagine God to be another or otherwise affected and qualified then he is Therefore they worship not God but the invention of their owne braine which they perswade themselves to be so affected Hypocrisie Hypocrisie which is a pretending or feigning true godlinesse and worship of God doing the externall works commanded by God whether Morall or Ceremoniall without true faith and conversion This vice is depainted and described in these words by the Prophet Esaias This people come neere unto me with their mouth Esay 29.13 14. and honour me with their lips but have removed their hearts farre from me and their feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will againe doe a marvellous worke in this people Profanenesse Profanenesse which is a voluntary letting goe or contempt of all religion and of the whole worship of God both internall and externall or else of some part of divine worship This profanenesse is repugnant not onely to this Commandement but also to the whole worship of God in the first and second Table For defence of superstition some alledge Object 1. That such places and sayings as are brought against will-worship speake onely of Mosaicall and Jewish ceremonies and of the wicked and ungodly commandements of men but not of such precepts of men as are authorised by the Church Bishops and such as command nothing contrary to Gods word Answ That this is false which is replyed some demonstrances which are added unto certaine places declare which also reject those humane Laws and ordinances that command any thing in regard of divine worship which is not commanded by God although the same be a thing in his owne kinde not wicked nor forbidden of God So Christ rejecteth the Jews tradition of washing of hands Mat. 15.11 because they had an opinion of worshipping God thereby whereof he saith That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which cometh out of the mouth that defileth the man Hither also may that be referred which Christ speaketh Mat. 23.25 Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make cleane the outer side of the Cup and of the Platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse Now that these and the like things are lawfull setting aside an opinion of superstition in them the Apostle in sundry places doth shew He that observeth the day observeth it to the Lord Rom. 14.16 and he that observeth not the day observeth it not to the Lord. He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord and giveth God thanks Againe Whatsoever is sold in the shambles eate ye and aske no question for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 For the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Wherefore they are not simply so condemned but only so farre as they are prescribed for divine worship that is if they be so prescribed as that by the performance of them God is honoured and dishonoured by the omission of them In the same respect is single life also condemned especially seeing the same is not a thing indifferent but to those onely who have the gift of continency according as it is said of Christ He that is able to receive this Mat. 19.12 let him receive it For all men as in the same place Christ saith cannot receive this thing save
observation of them necessary except the omitting of them breed offence So it is no worship of God but a thing indifferent and not binding mens consciences to use this or that forme of prayer to pray standing or kneeling to pray at this or that time at this or that houre in this or that place to reade or interpret this or that Text of Scripture to eat or not to eat flesh c. Neither hath the Church only this right and power to constitute or abrogate or alter by her own authority these ordinances as she judgeth it to be most expedient for her common edification but the consciences also of particular men retain this liberty so that they may either omit these or do otherwise without any offence against God if there arise no scandall or offence thereby amongst men that is if they do it neither of contempt or neglect of the Ministery nor of wantonnesse or ambition or of a desire of contention and novelty nor with the offending of weak ones The reason is because then lawes are rightly observed when they are observed according to the mind and purpose of the Law-giver But the Church ought to will that such ordinances and statutes as are made concerning things indifferent be observed not in respect of our owne authority or commandement but only for the maintenance of order and comelinesse and for the avoiding of scandals and offences Wherefore as long as comelinesse or order is not violated neither offence given it leaveth every mans conscience free to himself For not in respect of the Churches or Ministers commandement but in respect of the just causes of commanding things indifferent are necessary sometimes to be done or â—o be omitted and the conscience is hurt not by the neglect of any humane commandement as in Civill matters but by the neglect of the causes for which they are commanded Hither belongeth the precept of S. Paul If any of them which beleeve not call you unto a feast 1 Cor. 10.27 and ifâ—e will go whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake But if any man say unto you This is sacrificed unto Idols eate it not because of him that shewed it and for the conscience for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is and the conscience I say not thine but of that other for why should my liberty be condemned of another mans conscience For if I through Gods benefit be partaker why am I evill spoken of Acts 15. for that wherefore I give thanks Likewise the decree of the Councell of the Apostles 1 Cor. 11. of things sacrificed to Idols of bloud and that which was strangled Likewise the precept given concerning women to be covered Likewise the Lords day substituted by the Church in place of the Sabbath for the exercise of the Ministery c. Object If the Edicts of Magistrates binde mens consciences why then do not the traditions of the Church binde them also A difference between Civill and Ecclesiasticall Laws Answ There is a difference in these examples God gave this power and authority of making Civill Laws unto the Magistrate and hath strengthned it with this band in that he threatneth and denounceth his anger against them which breake these Laws but unto the Church and to his Ministers he hath not given any such authority but yet notwithstanding he would have these Laws and constitutions to be observed which the Ministers and the Church of their own authority command not for any necessity that there is of obeying these Laws commanded by the Church but according to the rule of charity that is for a desire of avoiding offence Mat. 20.25 This answer is delivered in these places of Scripture Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles have dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your servant Not as if yee were lords over Gods heritage but that yee may be ensamples to the slock 1 Pet. 5.3 Coâ—os 2.16 Gal. 5.1 Two causes of this difference Let no man condemne you in meate you in meate and drink or in respect of an Holy-day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Neither are the causes obscure or hard to come by for which God made this difference namely 1. That there might be an evident difference between the Civill Magistrate unto whom it belongeth to beare rule over his subjects and to constraine by corporall force such as obey not and the Ministers of the Church unto whom no such rule and power is granted but unto them is committed the charge and office of teaching and instructing men concerning the will of God 2. Because of the breach of Ecclesiasticall Laws if it be done without giving offence the first Table of the Decalogue for which they are to serve is not broken but by the breach of Civil Laws albeit no offence be given thereby the second Table is broken inasmuch as either some thing is taken from the Common-wealth Repâ— or some occasion is given of injuring it Neither is this reply of force That unto the greater and worthier office greater obedience is due and therefore the constitutions of the Ministers of the Church are no lesse necessary to be kept then the Laws of the Civill Magistrates Answ For unto the worthier greater obedience is due in those things which are properly belonging unto his office Now the proper office of the Civill Magistrate is to make Laws which are for the commandement it selfe to be observed but the proper office of the Ministery of the Church is to sound forth Gods Commandements and the proper office of the Church is to ordaine ceremoniall decrees which must be kept not for the commandement of man but for avoiding of offences 4. Humane ordinances 4. Wicked ordinances of men Acts 5.29 Mat. 15.3 which are repugnant unto the ordinances of God These God forbiddeth us to obey whether the Civill Magistrate command them or the Church or the Ministers of the Church We ought rather to obey God then men Why transgresse you the Commandement of God by your tradition Object Answ Having now considered these foure kinds of ordinances delivered by men it is easie to make answer unto that first objection God commandeth us to obey the commandements of men He doth so 1. Such as be good that is not repugnant unto the word 2. Such as he himselfe hath commanded by men that worship may be given him 3. Civill ordinances which depend on the authority of men not obeying them for divine worship but for conscience sake 4. Ecclesiasticall or ceremoniall ordinances obeying them but not respecting therein any divine worship or conscience neither of which they import but only the avoiding of offence Object 2. What things the Church commandeth by the
the end of the Commandement which is the preservation of the uncorrupt and sincere worship of God By the nature of God Esay 40.12 18 25. By the nature of God For God is incorporeall and inâ—iniâ—e and therefore it is impossible that he should be expressed and represented under a bodily and finite Image without impeachment and diminishing of his divine Majesty according to these sayings Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heaven with the spanne c. To whom will yee then liken God or what similitude will ye set up unto him To whom will ye liken me that I should be like him saith the Holy One Rom. 1.23 They turned the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beasts and of creeping things By Gods inhibition of them Deut. 4.15 16 17 18. By Gods inhibition of them Take therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no Image in the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire That ye corrupt not your selves and make you agraven Image or representation of any figure whether it be the likenesse of male or female the likenesse of any beast that is on the earth c. By the cause of the inhibition By the cause of this inhibition because forsooth these Images not onely profit not men at all but farther hurt them very much For they are unto them an occasion and cause of Idolatry and so of punishment In a word God may not be represented because he neither will have it done neither can we do it neither profueth it us any thing to doe it It is a very memorable president which Plutarch recordeth of Numa in his life Plutarch in these words Numa forbade the Romanes the use of any Image of any god which Image had the forme or likenesse of beast or man So that in those former times there was in Rome no image of God either painted or graven and it was from the beginning 170. yeeres that they had built Temples and Chappels unto the gods of Rome and yet there was neither picture nor Image of God within them For they tooke it at the first for a sacriledge to represent heavenly things by earthly formes seeing we cannot possibly any way attaine to the knowledge of God Lib 4. cap. 3. Ortho. bid but in minde and understanding Damascene writeth that To endeavour to represent God is a fond and wicked thing although the very same Author else-where doth not obscurely defend the worship of Images in the seventh Councell held by Constantine and his son Leo which Councell amongst other worthy Decrees ratified that Christ should not be painted nor carved no not according to his humane nature because nothing but his humane nature could be expressed by Art and they who make such Images seem to re-establish the errour of Nestorius and Eutyches 2. The Images of creatures Secondly the Images and figures of creatures which are set up in Churches in Streets and else-where either for the worship of God or to some perilous and inconvenient ornament are unlawfull Thou shalt not bow downe to them 1 John 5.21 Babes flye Idols But such Images of creatures may be lawfull as are made and set up without Churches without any perill or shew of Idolatry superstition or scandall only for a politick or Civill use to wit historicall or for record of history and symbolicall or for evidence of some mysticall matter and for honest or comely ornament of which kinde of Images were those Lions in Salomons Throne and Caesars image in coine or money c. Object 1. Thou shalt make no graven Image Therefore God forbiddeth the Art of graving Ans God indeed forbiddeth the abuse and that is 1. If we would grave an Image of God 2. If we binde and tye the worship of God unto Images Object 2. The holy Scripture attributing the parts of mans body unto God doth signifie thereby his nature and property Therefore it is lawfull also to signifie the nature and property of God by Images Answ There is a dissimilitude between these Metaphors or translations of words and between Images because unto them is annexed an opposition of them in the word of God which hindreth and stoppeth all errours and Gods worship is not tied to those words But Images have no where any declaration of their necessary or convenient use and men easily fasten worship and adoration on them Wherefore God himselfe used those Metaphors of himselfe by an anthropopathy that is applying himselfe to speak unto men after the manner of men thereby to help our infirmity and farther also permitted that we speaking of him should use the same Metaphors but he never either himselfe represented himselfe in pictures and images or willed us to use them for representation of him but strictly and precisely forbad them Object 3. God of old presented himselfe to be seen in mans shape Therefore we may also follow in like signes and semblances Ans God indeed moved by certaine reasons thereunto did so but he hath forbidden us to follow it The reason of the prohibition is manifest For it is lawfull for God to manifest himselfe what way soever he will but it is not lawfull for any creature to represent God by any signe which himselfe hath not commanded there is therefore a dissimilitude or difference in the instances And those visible shapes had God present with them to command promise and heare them unto whom he manifested himselfe which cannot be said of such images as imitate those shapes without flat Idolatry and therefore the Saints did well in adoring God at them or in them as being after a speciall manner there present which to doe in these is impious and idolatrous because it is done through the boldnesse and vanity of man without any commandement or promise from God Lastly those visible shapes continued so long as it pleased the Lord to use them for to manifest and shew himselfe and therefore could they not be drawn to Idolatry But images and pictures which men make to represent the manifestations of God were neither ordained to manifest God not to represent or resemble those ancient manifestations of God and therefore are they an object and an occasian of Idolatry A Table for the distinction of Images Of Images some are Naturall as any kind of Meteors and other such naturall resemblances Artificiall of which some are Engraven Cast Painted These are distinguished by their severall matter object and end and are Images of God which are simply condemned in this commandement and every where else in Scripture and that because they impaire the Majesty of God and make of God an Idol Creatures and are Lawfull such as stand without Churches and occasion no feare of Idolatry but are onely for civill use or comely ornament Unlawfull such as are set up in Churches to worship God
withall or for some dangerous kind of ornament 2. Whether all worshipping at Images be forbidden and may not in any sort be defended TO this question we make answer out of the second part of the commandement which simply forbiddeth us to impart divine honor and worship to Images and pictures not onely that which is given thereby or referred to creatures but also which is referred to the true God Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them Object 1. We worship not the Images say the Papists but God of whom those are signes and tokens according to those versicles of the second Nicene Councel That which the Image sheweth is God the Image it selfe is not God Look on the Image but worship in thine heart that which thou beholdest therein and according to those of Thomas Whensoever thou passest by the Image of Christ see thou doe obeisance yet worship not the Image but worship that which the Image representeth Answ 1. We deny that Images are signes of God because God cannot be truely signified by them seeing he is immense and though he could yet he ought not because he hath expressely forbidden them and because it is not in the power of any creature to ordaine or establish any signes whereby to signifie God but onely in the will and pleasure of God Answ 2. In this argument our adversaries tender and alledge unto us a false and needlesse cause For not onely the worshipping of Images is the cause and forme of Idolatry but even the very worship of God also which is given to Images or other creatures besides or contrary to his word 1 Kings 12.28 Exod. 32.5 as the story of Aarons and Jeroboams calves doth sufficiently declare For though these men said Behold O Israel thy gods which brought thee up c. To morrow shall be the holy day of the Lord yet God both detested and severely punished those worships as horrible and abominable Idolatry Wherefore howsoever Idolaters pretend the name and honour of God yet in Idols not God but the Devill is worshipped according as Paul testifieth of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 10.12 These things which the Gentiles sacrifice to Idols they sacrifice c. though even they also in their worshippings pretended the name and honour of God Object 2. The honour which is given unto the signe is the honour of the thing signified Images are a signe of God Therefore the honour which is given unto Images is also given unto God Answ We againe deny the Minor or distinguish of the Major thus The honour of the signe is also the honour of the thing signified namely when the signe is a true signe that is ordained by him who hath authority to ordaine it and when also that honour is given to the signe which the right and lawfull author of it will have done to the signe For not the will of him that honoureth but of him that is honoured is the rule which must prescribe the due honour Now whereas God hath forbidden both these namely that Images should be erected to him and that himselfe should be honoured at Images erected to him or to any creatures he is not honoured but contumeliously wronged and reproached when any honour done to images is fastned on him Repl. Whatsoever contumely is done to the signe that redoundeth on God although the signe be not instituted by his commandement Therefore the honour also that is given to the signe redoundeth on God although that honour be not commanded to be given to the signe Answ This reason doth not follow because then are contrary things rightly attributed to contraries when the contrariety of the attributes dependeth of that according to which the subject is opposed and not of some other thing So we grant that contumely against God followeth indeed the contumely against the signe albeit the signe were not instituted by God but not simply in respect of the signe it selfe unto which that contumely was done but in respect of his corrupt and bad will who by shewing contumely against the sinne which is thought to represent God purposeth himselfe and is minded to despite with contumely and reproach God himselfe For to the shewing of despite and contumely against God it sufficeth if there be any intent or purpose of departing from his commandement But if through a desire that we have to avoide Idolatry we detest Images and other false reputed signes of God by this contumely done to the signes we rather promote further and advance Gods glory But the honour of God doth not follow the honour of the signe except both the honour and the signe be ordained by God because it is not the intent and purpose of honouring God that sufficeth to the doing of honour unto God but the manner also which himselfe hath prescribed whereby to be honoured is required and must be observed Object 3. It is lawfull to honour the Images of noble renowned and well-deserving men Therefore much more is it lawfull to honour the Images of blessed Angels and Saints Ans 1. To the Antecedent we answer That honour of monuments is lawfull which is a gratefull and honourable memory of those whose monuments they are and also that which is applyed to the use which themselves would justly have it and not to the worship of them or to the worship of God by their monuments yea and the defacing and utter razing of those monuments if necessity require such a change so it be done without any will or desire of despighting or dishonouring them whose monuments they are is also lawfull But by no meanes may we attribute divine honour unto them such as that is which these Papists yeeld unto their Idols whether they cloak it with the name of adoration and worship or veneration and service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The images or monuments of notable men must be such as have not been drawne into Idolatry for if so we are not to honour them but to suppresse them altogether after the example of the brasen Serpent which Ezekias brake in peeces 2 Kings 18.4 Num. 11.8 9. when it was abused to Iolatry though in former times it were kept as a monument of Gods goodnesse shewed in the wildernesse in healing by the aspect or beholding of it them that were bitten with the fiery Serpents Quest 98. But may not Images be tolerated in Churches which may serve for the use of the common people Answ No. For it is not seemly that we should be wiser then God who will have his Church to be taught with the lively preaching of his word a Rom. 1.17 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Tim. 3.16 17. and not with dumb images b Jer. 10.8 c. Hab. 2.18 19. The Explication THis is their demand who grant that indeed the picture and images of God and Saints are not to be adored but maintaine that they are to be retained in Christian Churches as the books of lay-men and for other causes also so
an oath or keepeth not a lawfull oath For To forsweare is either to sweare that which is false as that thou art not guilty of murder when thou hast slaughtered a man or not to performe a thing lawfully sworne An idolatrous oath An idolatrous oath which is taken by another besides the true God An oath of an unlawfull thing An oath made of an unlawfull thing as was Herods to performe whatsoever Herodias daughter should aske A rash oath A rash oath made of lightnesse that is without any necessity or on great cause And hereof speake those places which forbid swearing Mat. 5. 23. and James 5. But the doctrine concerning Oathes is more largely amplified in the two questions next ensuing in the Catechisme ON THE 43. SABBATH Quest 101. May a man sweare also religiously and lawfully by the name of God Answ He may when as either the Magistrate exacteth it or otherwise necessity requireth by this meanes the faith and truth of any man or thing to be ratified and established whereby both the glory of God may be advanced and the safety of others procured For this kind of swearing is ordered by Gods word a Deut. 16.13 10.20 Esay 48.1 Heb. 6.16 and therefore was well used of the Fathers both in the Old and New Testament b Gen. 21.24 31.53 Josh 9.15 1. Sam. 24.22 2. Sam. 3.35 1. King 1.29 Ro. 1.9 9.1 2 Cor. 1.23 Quest 102. Is it lawfull to sweare by Saints or other creatures Answ No. For a lawfull oath is an invocation of God whereby we desire that he as the onely searcher of hearts beare witnesse unto the truth and punish the swearer if he wittingly sweare falsly a 1 Cor. 1.23 Rom. 9.1 But this honour agreeth to no creature b Mat. 5.34 35 36. James 5.12 The Explication In these two questions the doctrine touching swearing is expounded and set downe at large OF AN OATH OR SWEARING The chiefe questions concerning an oath or swearing are 1. What an oath is 2. By whom we are to sweare 3. Whether a Christian may sweare 4. Of what things we must sweare 5. Whether all oathes are to be kept The three last appertaine to the declaration of the 101. Question of the Catechisme the two former belong to the declaration and unfolding of the 102. Question 1. What an oath is AN oath is oftentimes understood and taken in Scripture for the whole worship of God The word Oath signifieth 1. Gods whole worship Deut. 10.10 Esa 19.18 45.23 65.16 Jerem. 12.16 as it is said of the worship of God in the Old Testament Thou shalt sweare by his name In that day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt speake the language of Canaan and shall sweare by the Lord of Hoasts Every knee shall bow unto me and every tongue shall sweare by me And of the worship of God in the New Testament He that shall blesse in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the true God and he that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true God If they will learne the waies of my people to sweare by my Name then shall they be built in the middest of my people The reason is because by whom we sweare 2. An especiall invocating of God to give witnesse to the truth and punish the wiâ—full faâ—se swearer 2 Cor. 1.23 the same we professe to account for God But properly an oath is an Invocating on God whereby is desired that God who is the viewer of the hearts would give testimony unto the truth and punish him that sweareth if wittingly he deceive So doth the Catechisme define it and the definition is desumed or borrowed from that forme of swearing which the Apostle useth I call God for a record unto my soule that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinthus It is said in the definition that God would give testimony namely by saving and doing good to him that sweareth if he sweare aright but by punishing and destroying him if he wittingly deceive For an Oath was ordained by God that it might be the bond of truth between men and a testimony or record that God is the Author and defender of the truth 2. By whom we must sweare WEe must sweare by the name of the onely true God Five causes why we must sweare by God alone Gods Commandement Deut. 10.20 Because God hath commanded us to sweare by him onely as he alone is to be feared and worshipped Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God thou shalt serve him and thou shalt cleave unto him and shalt sweare by his name Gods prohibition of swearing by any other besides himselfe God expresly forbiddeth that we sweare by any other name Ye shall make no mention of the name of other gods Because an Oath is a kind of invocation which invocation is due to God only God will have invocation to be used to himselfe onely and he condemneth such as in their oathes joyne the creatures with God Now an Oath is a kinde of invocation of God as appeareth out of the definition thereof Because God only is the viewer of hearts An Oath doth give and ascribe unto him by whom we sweare the inspection and viewing of hearts infinite wisdome and knowledge of all things presence in all places c. And indeed infinite wisdome and the searching of hearts is required in him by whom we sweare because in oathes we treat not of manifest matters or whereof there is good evidence but of hidden and uncertaine difficulties and in which he onely can judge whether men deceive who is the beholder of hearts But God alone is the searcher of hearts omniscient and every where present Hence issueth a proofe that Christ is true God and that we are to sweare by him John 2.24 25. 1 Cor. 2.10 Because he knoweth all men and hath no need that any should testifie of man for he knoweth what is in man So also is it said of the holy Ghost The spirit searcheth all things Because God alone is omnipotent and executor of punishment By whom we sweare unto him we give and ascribe the execution of punishment and unto him we attribute omnipotency as whereby he must maintaine the truth and punish him that lyeth But God alone is omnipotent and executor of punishment Mat. 10.28 Feare ye not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Men cannot be revengers of perjury because such as sweare falsely escape the judgement of men seeing men are not the intelligencers of mens hearts to see whether they who sweare deceive or no or because perjured persons are sometimes mightier then that they may be drawne to punishment by men Hence followeth it that such oathes that are sworne by Saints or other creatures are Idolatrous and forbidden of God Object
provoke him to punish thee in that thou art a perjured person Hee that sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not shall never be moved Whosoever voweth a vow unto the Lord Psal 15.4 5. Numb 30.3 or sweareth an oath to binde himselfe by bond hee shall not breake his promise but shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth But oaths that are made of unlawfull things either by an errour or by ignorance or through infirmity or against the conscience it is sin to keep them And therefore such oathes are to be retracted and re-called by repenting and surceasing a wicked purpose not to be continued by persisting and practising it lest we adde thereby sins unto sins In the Lords eyes a vile person is contemned Psal 15.6 hee that sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not For hee that keepeth an oath made of unlawfull things heapeth sin upon sin both in that he sware amisse and so hath a will to sin and also in that hee endeavoureth to doe that which he sware amisse and so confirmeth that will of sinning by an oath according to the common rule Ill sworne and worse kept for what things God forbiddeth those things he will not have men either sworn or unsworn to performe and what he forbiddeth us to will or promise or swear so much the more doth he forbid us to doe the same how much the more grievous a thing it is to doe them than to will or promise them They therefore who keep that which they have ill sworne heap sin upon sin as did Herod putting John Baptist to death by pretence of keeping his oath And likewise such as keep Monasticall vowes whereby they have sworne Idolatry and impious single living Neither is this argument of any force An oath is necessary to be kept But they have sworâ— these things therefore they must needs keep them For the Major is true of a lawfull oath But an oath which is made of a thing forbidden by God is not to be kept because it is not a lawfull oath which also is amended and corrected by repenting thereof and by desisting from an evill purpose not by persisting therein or by performing it according as it is said Let him that stole steale no more and according to the example and doctrine of David Ephes 4.22 who sweareth that he will destroy Nabal together with his family saying So and more doe God unto the enemies of David for surely I will not leave of all that he hath 1 Sam. 25.22 by the dawning of the day any that pisseth against the wall But after hee had heard Abigail speake hee giveth thankes to God that the executing and fulfilling of his oath was hindered by her and confirmeth by a new oath that this is Gods blessing and benefit saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Vers 32 33 34. which sent thee this day to meet mee and blessed be thy counsels and blessed be thou which hast kept mee this day from coming to shed bloud and that mine hand hath not saved mee For indeed as the Lord God of Israel liveth who hath kept mee back from hurting thee c. Object 1. He that sweareth to doe a thing which is in his power to doe and yet doth it not maketh God witnesse of a lie But hee that sweareth to make a slaughter sweareth that which is in his power to doe Therefore hee which sweareth to slay and doth it not maketh God witnesse of a lie and God may not be made witnesse of a lie Therefore sworne slaughter must be executed Answ The Major is true if it be understood of a thing which both is in our power and is also lawfull but it is false if we understand it of any thing which being in our power is unlawfull He that sweareth indeed ought that is lawfull and is in his power and doth it not maketh God witnesse of a lie but if it be an evill thing which he sweareth the recalling thereof is better than the keeping For an unlawfull oath being broken maketh not God witnesse of a lie because the revoking of it is good as appeareth in the revoking of that oath which David had made to destroy Nabal with all his houshold Object 2. The oath of peace which was made to the Gibeonites Josh 9.15 was against the Commandement of God It is lawfull therefore to keep an oath made of things unlawfull Answ 1. We deny the Antecedent namely that that oath of peace was unlawfull and against the Commandement of God For they were not excluded from peace if any of those Nations which God had commanded to be destroyed did aske peace of the Israelites and did imbrace their religion Now the Gibeonites desired peace and are adjudged to serve the Tabernacle for wood-cleavers and drawers of water perpetually Therefore the peace which was promised them albeit it was obtained by fraud and guile yet was it not repugnant to Gods Commandement 2. In this Reason is a fallacy of alledging a false cause The Israelites doe not therefore keep this oath as that they were bound thereby because they sware it being deceived and thinking the Gibeonites to have bin of another countrey but 1. For avoiding of offence whereby the Name of God might be disgraced among the Heathen Two causes why the Israeâ—ites kept their oath made to the Gibeonites if the Jewes had not kept their oath 2. Because it was lawfull and just to save them which desired peace and imbraced their religion although no oath had been made at all Out of those things which have been spoken concerning the keeping of lawfull oathes answer is made unto this Question Whether oathes extorted from men against their wils are to be kept Extorted oathes are to be kept if they containe nothing in them that is unlawfull or if they have the fore alledged conditions although they be unprofitable and hurtfull to us But unto wicked oathes no man ought to be forced neither verily should wicked oathes be extorted by any tortures from us but wee must choose to die rather But if any wicked and impious oathes be made through feare or infirmity against our conscience those doe not binde and are to be re called because what is impious to be done that is impious to be sworne neither is one sin to be heaped on another Now extorted oathes that are not impious which are made of things lawfull and possible though hurtfull and hard are doubtlesse to be kept but if any impossibility afterwards happen they binde not at all If otherwise there happen no impossibility afterwards they are doubtlesse to be kept because thou art bound by Gods Law to choose the lesser evill If it be just to doe which thou through constraint hast promised it is just also for thee to promise by oath to doe it For what we may lawfully doe the same also wee may lawfully promise by an oath to doe As if a man
the mutuall duties of both parties commanded For when God commandeth the duty of inferiours towards superiours he doth also of the contrary command the duties of superiours towards inferiours and when he commandeth Parents to be honoured he will withall that both they be as Parents to us and also behave themselves as worthy of honour that is to doe the duty of Parents and seeing he prescribeth the duty of Parents it must needs be that he also injoyneth the duties of others who beare rule whereas they are comprehended under the name of Parents So also he commandeth the duties of children when he commandeth them to honour their Parents and therein also not onely the duties of children but of all inferiours also because he will that all superiours be honoured of the inferiours Hence we easily answer that objection Object God in this Commandement willeth only our Parents to be worshipped which is the duty of inferiours Therefore he commandeth nothing here to superiours Ans I deny the consequence of this reason and rather by retortion of the argument thus conclude Because he commandeth Parents to be honoured Therefore he prescribeth the duties of superiours For when he giveth the names to the superiours he giveth them also the thing it selfe or that from whence they have the name and if God will have them to be honoured he will also have them to doe those things that are worthy of honour And albeit sometimes wicked men beare rule and therefore are unworthy of honour yet the office is to be distinguished from the persons and whose vice we ought to detest their office we must honour because it is Gods ordinance Seeing then the superiours are to be honoured in respect of their office it is manifest that so far forth onely we must yeeld obedience to them as they passe not the bounds of their office The promise is That thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee This promise God annexed to this Commandement 1. That by so singular a benefit proposed as a reward he might the more invite us to the observing and keeping hereof 2. To signifie how greatly he esteemeth that obedience and how grievously he will punish those which doe against this obedience 3. To signifie how necessary this obedience is For this obedience towards Parents is a preparing and a motive cause to the whole obedience of the Laws which follow Saint Paul alledging this promise saith That this fifth Commandement is the first Commandement with promise that is Ephes 6.2 with speciall promise or of a certaine particular blessing which God promiseth to them that performe obedience And the blessing or benefit which he promiseth is long life Object The first Table hath also a promise adjoyned Therefore this Commandement is not the first with promise Ans This Commandement hath a speciall promise the first Table hath onely a generall Object But long life seemeth not to be any blessing or benefit by reason of the misery of this life Therefore it is a fruitlesse promise Ans This cometh but by an accident For long life is a blessing by it selfe though it be joyned with misery Repl. 1. A good thing joyned with great evils is rather to be wished away then wished for But long life is joyned with many evils Therefore that blessing by reason of the accidents seemeth rather worthy to be wished away from us then to be wished to come unto us Answ A good thing is to be wished away from us if it have accompanying it greater evils But God promiseth unto the godly together with long life a mitigation of calamities and a long fruition of Gods blessings even in this life Moreover the worship and celebrating of God in this life is so great a good that the calamities of this life ought not to enter the balance or stand in comparison with it Repl. 2. The wicked also and disobedient are long lived Therefore long life is not a benefit proper to the godly Answ 1. A generall rule is not overthrowne by the varying of a few examples For the disobedient for the most part perish after an evill manner and untimely The eye that mocketh his Father let the Ravens of the valley pick it out Prov. 30.17 Prov. 20.10 He that curseth his father or his mother his light shall be put out in obscure darkenesse Ans 2. Corporall benefits are bestowed on the godly for their safety and salvation and therefore are tokens and arguments to them of Gods good will towards them but on the wicked such are bestowed partly that they being thereby called and invited to repentance may become more excuselesse in Gods judgement partly that the godly and elect which are mingled among the wicked may enjoy these blessings Repl. 3. All godly and obedient children are not long lived yea many of them dye speedily Answ 1. Againe a generall rule is not overthrowne by the varying of a few examples For the greatest part of the godly are long lived 2. Promises of corporall blessings are understood with an exception of chastisement and of the Crosse 3. That crosseth not this promise because unto them their translating into a better life is a most ample and large recompence of long life Three parts of the obedience of this Commandement The parts of the obedience of this Commandement are three 1. The proper vertues of superiours 2. The proper vertues of inferiours 3. The vertues common to both The proper vertues and defects of superiours distinguished according to their duties and functions 1. THe duties and functions of Parents are Foure duties of Parents Mat. 7.9 1 Tim. 5.10 Ephes 6.4 Deut. 4.9 Prov. 13.1 Prov. 19.18 The opposite sins to those former duties of Parents 1. To cherish and nourish their children 2. To defend and protect them from injuries 3. To instruct or commit them to be instructed of others 4. To rule and governe them by domesticall discipline The same duties belong unto Tutors who succeed in the roome and place of Parents The sinnes therefore repugnant to the duties of Parents are 1. Not to provide and minister necessary sustenance unto the children or to bring them up in riot 2. Not to defend their children against injuries or not to accustome them to patience and gentlenesse or to offend in a foolish over-tender love for some small or no injuries done unto them 3. Not to instruct or take care that their children be instructed according to their owne and their childrens ability or to corrupt them by their evill instructions and examples 4. To bring them up in idlenesse and licentiousnesse of sinning not to chastise their children as necessity requireth or to be too fierce and cruell unto them beyond their duty or the degree of the fault committed Two duties of Schoole masters 2. The duties of Schoole-masters or Teachers 1. To teach and instruct their Schollers faithfully seeing they are in the place of Parents 2. To rule and governe
breadth move his body from the earth 6. To ascend to heaven is to put off infirmity to passe to a heavenly and immortall state to vanish to be united to God to sit at Gods right hand to be raised to high honours 7. That Christ in his Ascension hid himselfe in a cloud and Proteus-like turned himselfe into shapes or as they say he put on a cloudy hood as the Poets feigne of Venus Hom. Illiad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who when she delivered Paris hid him in a thick cloud So Jeremie Lament 3.44 Thou hast opposed to thy selfe a thick cloud that the speeth may not passe through 8. We will not omit these bitter scoffes of the Brentians that by Mathematicall computation Christ in regard of the bulke and violent motion of his body upward hath not as yet perhaps pierced the planeticall Spheres and arrived unto his Fathers house 9. That there he is walking up and downe or perhaps laid downe to rest ARTICLE IV. of Christs sitting at the right hand of God I. CHrists sitting at the right hand of God is not the ascension it selfe into heaven for they differ 1. In order of time for he first ascended before he sat downe at Gods right a hand 2. In their forme Ascension is a locall motion b upward Session is the glorious condition of the person c ascending 3. In their proximate ends Ascension was performed for the d Session but Session for the e Church 4. In duration Ascension was done but once as being a transient act but Session as an immanent act the Kingdome and glory of Christ indure for f ever Lastly in their subjects for Ascension belongs also to the g Saints but the Session at Gods right hand is the glory of the exalted Mediatour h alone Testimonies of Scripture a Mark 16.19 After that the Lord had spoken to them he was received up into heaven and sits at Gods right hand b Acts 1.9 Whilst his Disciples beheld he was lifted up c Heb. 8.1 We have such an High-Priest who is set downe at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens d Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and hath given him a name above all names that at the name of Jesus every knee should how 1 Pet. 3.22 Christ at the right hand of God is gone into heaven Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into heaven that he might appeare in the sight of God for us e Ephes 4.10 Christ hath ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things c. f Luke 1.33 Of his Kingdome there shall be no end 1 Cor. 15.25 He must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet g 1 Thes 4.17 We shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord. h Heb. 1.13 To which of the Angels said he at any time Sit at my right hand II. Neither is this sitting of Christ the Incarnation it selfe or the personall union of the flesh with the Word as some giddy heads contend because 1. In the Symbole in which is no tautologie these are distinguished 2. No where in Scripture is the humanity said to sit at the Word but to be assumed by the a Word 3. The union was made in the womb of the mother the sitting is in b heaven 4. The union was in the first minute of the conception but the sitting began after the e ascension 5. The union is simply immutable the sitting is in some sort mutable in respect of the externall forme of the Kingdome which as the Apostle d witnesseth when death is abolished shall be altogether immediate and without enemy for now Christ being in the midst of his enemies as a Rose among thornes reignes by divers media or governes by divers meanes but then he shall reigne without any medium or enemy because God shall be all e in all Testimonies of Scripture a Heb. 2.16 For he did not assume the Angels John 1.14 The Word was made flesh bc Luke 1.31 Thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son Ephes 1.20 God hath placed Christ at his right hand in heaven d 1 Cor. 15.25 He must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death e Rev. 21.23 Esay 60.19 The Sun shall no more be thy light by day nor shall the brightnesse of the Moone enlighten thee but the Lord shall be thy everlasting light III. But the full and absolute glory of Christ being exalted in his heavenly Priesthood and Kingdome is expressed by this phrase taken from humane affaires and applyed to divine because Kings do most honour those whom they place at their right hand for by the right hand of God who is a spirit we cannot understand any corporeall member or place neither doth the sitting at Gods right hand signifie the corporall situation of Christ for except we understand this spiritually Tom. 6. contra Scr. Arian saith Austine the Father will be upon the Sons left hand IV. And this glory is so proper to Christ the Mediatour that it belongs not to the Father nor to the Holy Ghost much lesse to any creature for it was not said to the Father nor to the Holy Ghost nor to any Angel Sit at my right hand Heb. 1.13 untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole But of the Son only it is said 1 Cor. 15.25 He must reigne untill c. Whence it followes that to sit at Gods right hand is not the same that Christs humane nature omnipotent omniscient omnipresent or lastly to be equall with God or to be God himselfe whether he hath obtained that dignity by the personall union or by his ascending into heaven or by other cause V. But albeit this glory of the Mediatour is to us ineffable while we are in this life yet if we carefully compare the Apostles three places by which he chiefely describes it we shall in some manner conceive it that it principally consisteth in these Testimonies of Scripture touching Christs sitting at Gods right hand Ephes 1.20 21 22 23. God raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Which is his body the fulnesse of him that silleth all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death Phil. 2.9 10. Therefore God hath highly
13.8 Jesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever 1 Cor. 8.6 We have one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him d 1 Cor. 10.4 All did eate the same spirituall food and all did drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptised into one body both Jews and Greeks and have beene all made to drink into one Spirit Ephes 1.4 5. He elected us in him before the foundation of the world was laid and hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will IV. The spirituall grace or the thing signified is with the signes received in the true use of the Sacrament which is when with true faith and conversion to God the Sacrament is a received for God so instituted the Sacraments that the signes ordained to confirme our faith should be received out of the hand of the Minister the promise annexed to the signes and spirituall grace it self promised should be received by faith from b God as the promise cannot be received but by faith Hence the Sacraments are not availeable to those that are without faith and conversion Testimonies of Scripture and of others a John 1.26 33. I baptise you with water but he standeth in the midst of you whom yee know not he it is who baptiseth with the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo hath watered but God gives the increase b Rom. 2.25 But if thou breakest the Law thy circumcision is become uncircumcision 1 Cor. 11.20 When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper Apol. August Confes Tit. De usu Sacram. Therefore as the promise is ineffectuall if it be not received by faith so the Ceremonie is unprofitable if faith be not added which truly assureth us that here remission of sins is proffered V. Here is the true use of Sacraments when the Sacramentall signes are received with true faith and a repentance and are directed to that end for which they were ordained by God Testimonies of Scripture and of others a Mark 16.16 He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved Rom. 2.25 Circumcision indeed availeth if thou fulfill the Law Apol. August Confes De Sacram. c. Therefore we teach that in the use of the Sacraments faith is required which may beleeve these promises and may receive the things promised which are there offered in the Sacrament and it is a most plaine and firme reason that the promise is uselesse if it be not received by faith Idem De usu Sacram. And such an use of the Sacrament is the worship of the New Testament when faith quickneth the affrighted soule Idem But that faith acknowledgeth mercy and this is the principall use of the Sacrament VI. By reason of the Sacramentall signification obsignation and exhibition of things by signes it comes to passe that oftentimes the signes do retaine the names of the things signified which phrase is called Sacramentall Testimonies of Scripture and of others Gen. 17.18 This is my Covenant Verse 11. This shall be the signe of the Covenant betweene me and you Exod. 12.11 This is the Lords Passeover 1 Cor. 11.24 25. This is my Body This Cup is the New Testament in my blood August Ad Bonifac. Epist 23. If Sacraments had not a certaine similitude of these things of which they are Sacraments they could not be Sacraments at all and by reason of this similitude many times they receive the names of the things themselves Idem Tom. 4. in Levit. quaest 57. The thing which signifieth is wont to be called by the name of that thing which it signifieth as it is written The seven sheaves are seven yeares VII We therefore reject these truly Sacramentarian errors which are partly Papisticall and partly Ubiquitarian as 1. That there is no need of the generall doctrine of Sacraments 2. That Sacraments are not fully but onely in some sort defined by the efficient and small cause or by their effects as the Apology of Exfurt teacheth 3. That they are not the Seales of the promises of grace nor do they confirme our faith as the Jesuits and Anabaptists contend 4. That they containe justifying grace in them as it were the pitchers or vessels thereof that they are the instruments of justification by conferring it 5. That by their force they conferre justifying grace by the work wrought as they say 6. That there is not the same spirituall grace in the Word and in all the Sacraments nor the same communion of Christ 7. That the old Sacraments were bare signes without the true exhibition of the things themselves in their true use 8. That the spirituall things signified no lesse then the signes signifying are carried in and dispensed by the hands of the Minister 8. That spirituall things are received by the wicked even without faith 9. That there are no phrases figurative and Sacramentall but all proper in the Sacraments 10. That there are seven or more Sacraments then the two of Baptism and the Lords Supper instituted by God ARTICLE IX Of Baptisme I. WE beleeve that Baptisme is the laver of water in the Word by which Christ cleanseth his Church regenerating and renewing it by the holy a Ghost that is to say that it is a Sacrament instituted by Christ in which God witnesseth to those that are baptised with water in the Name of the Father Son and holy b Ghost that he receiveth them into the Covenant of grace through Christ and that he reneweth and cleanseth them from sin by the holy Spirit through his bloud Testimonies of Scripture a Ephes 5.26 Even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for her that he might sanctifie her having cleansed her by the laver of water in the Word Tit. 3.5 By his mercy he hath saved us through the laver of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost b Mat. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Mark 16.16 He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved 1 Cor. 6.11 You are washed you are sanctified you are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are baptised into one body II. We say that it consisteth of the Element and the a Word according to that vulgar saying Adde to the Word the Element and it becomes a Sacrament as if it were a visible word and therefore it consisteth of a two-fold b washing the one external of water obvious to the sense the other internal of bloud and of the holy Ghost and of this the Word instructs us The externall signifying washing which is a signe is done by the Minister touching the body externally the internall which is the thing signified
which we are bound to God or by which God doth binde man to himself 102. By Cicero likewise Religion is that by which we are carefull by reverend Ceremonies to adore that supreme Nature which we call God 103. Religion differs from superstition saith Lactantius because Religion is a true worship superstition is a false one 104. Religion then given to creatures or to any thing besides God is false which the Scripture calls Superstition and Idolatry 105. For Idolatry is a fictitious or superstitious worship of God 106. Of which there are two principall kindes one is when a fictitious deitie is worshipped that is when instead of the true God or besides him religious worship due to God alone is exhibited either outwardly or inwardly to any thing that is existent or but fained 107. This is forbid in the first Commandement Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt have no other Gods but me 108. Such was the Gentiles Idolatry in their Religious worship of feigned gods inwardly by trusting in them outwardly by Ceremonies and erecting of Statues to them 109. Such Idolatry is covetousnesse with the Apostle when with inward confidence we worship money instead of God 110. The other Idolatry is errour in the kinde of worship when a worship is devised to be exhibited to God which either he hath not commanded or hath prohibited that is when we devise Statues and Ceremonies for him 111. This is forbid in the second Commandement Thou shalt make to thy selfe no graven Image c. Exod. 20.4 5. Deut. 12.30 31. 112. Which is expounded in Deuteronomy Do not seeke after the gods of the Gentiles saying As these Gentiles have worshipped their gods so will I. Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God for every thing that is abhomination to the Lord they did unto their gods which I hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 113. For what is properly will-worship in respect of the manner becomes Idolatry in respect of the object 114. For to worship God with a strange worship is to give him another will then he hath therefore it is to feigne another God or to worship an Idoll instead of God 115. Such Idolatry it is when God is painted and is fained to be worshipped in that picture 116. Such also is the worshipping of God by Statues and Images of creatures celestiall or terrestriall put up for the honour of God or of his Saints whether that worship be devised to be terminated or bounded within the Statues or Saints or to be emanent and transient to God 117. Against both these God speaketh Deuteronomy 4.15 16. thus Take heed to your selves for you saw no similitude in the day that the Lord spake to you in Mount Horeb lest you defile your soules and make to your selves any graven Image the similitude of any figure the Image of male or female c. 118. In the New Testament especially when God will be worshipped in spirit and truth wee are strictly commanded to flie from Idolatry and every kinde of superstition Beware of Idols Flee from Idolatry and every kinde of superstition 1 John 5.21 1 Cor. 10.7 Colos 2.8 Let no man seduce you with will-worship 119. All Idolaters are directly excluded from the kingdome of God Be not deceived neither whoremongers nor Idolaters shall inherit the kingdome of God Without are whoremongers Idolaters and witches 120. But Popery for now a thousand yeares is altogether made up of filthy superstitions and by impure Idolatry is every day more and more profaned 121. Who is able to reckon up the infinite vaine and impious superstitions to which daily men give themselves in Popery with great devotion to pacifie Gods anger to merit pardon for sins to redeeme sinnes and the paines of hell and purgatory devised to in rich the Priests Such are Prayers and watchings for the dead their yeerely septimes and trentals the treasure and suffrages of the Church for Purgatory pilgrimages to the Images of Saints to holy places to the bones and reliques of Saints their fraternities religious dedications of Churches and Altars their exorcismes consecrations of Images and graves the baptising of Bells using of God-fathers to that purpose the choise of meats their quarterly and Lent fasts their religious and consecrated cloathes canonicall houres devoute processions perambulations bacchanals consecrations of Priests anointing of the sâ—ck exorcising of Chrismes and Fonts clipping and shaving their hooded coats surplesses and quirerobes candlesticks consecrated waxe tapers lampes glasse viols torches tippets banners censers drums wafer coffers little bels holy waters with their exorcisings hallowed salt hallowed wafers exorcised herbs to chase away devils ringing of bels against thunder little Images of Saints wrapped up in clouts the Letanies of Saints confessions satisfactions rosaries consecrated palme branches Asses crowned with palmes kisses and adorations of the Crosse the Crosse laid up in the grave their Mattins at the Sepulchre their solemne tumults their wooden busling noise in the night the ridiculous ascending of an Idol instead of Christ upon the cieling of the Church their flinging downe of fire and water their carrying about of the consecrated host the innumerable Saints holy-dayes to be kept under paine of mortall sin indulgences washings of feet and of Altars the waxen Images of the Crosse their Agni Dei and innumerable such like toyes full of superstition Magick and Idolatry 122. Which the ambitious Bishops chiefly the Popes to please the people have borrowed from Gentilisme and that they might seeme to have the more divinity have transferred them from Judaisme to the Christian Religion all which our Saviour Mat. 15.9 Esay 29.13 14. in one word hath overthrowne saying In vaine do they worship me teaching for doctrines mens traditions 123. So much the more horrible is the Romish Idolatry in that it placeth in Temples Images and fictitious Statues to the most holy Trinity the most incomprehensible and invisible God which Images they worship with wax candles Incense geniculations groanings and vowes as religiously as they do God himselfe 124. That they hang up and againe crucifie Christ our Saviour now gloriously reigning in heaven and set up his Image of wood or stone in all their Churches and corners of their streets and high wayes to be worshipped devoutly by the faithfull under paine of death to the great scandall and mockery of Infidels 125. That they worship as devoutly the wood of the Crosse as Christ himselfe 126. That they account as sacred and venerable the signe of the Crosse in the forehead or in the aire or upon any thing as it is expressed by the finger against the power of the Devill and good for hallowing of themselves 127. That under the species of the Host they really offer sacrifice destroy that is kill and crucifie Christ being alive and glorious every day in the Host more wickedly then the souldiers did when they crucified him in his humility 128. That it exhibits the Host of bread being elevated in the Masse to be
and 21.6 and 22.13 The holy Ghost likewise is uncreated because in the beginning of the creation as the Creatour he moved upon the superficies of the waters Gen. 1.2 He adorned or made the heavens Job 36.13 He made and he put life in Job Job 33.4 c. He is also immense because he dwells in us Rom. 8.9 1 Corinth 3.16 2 Tim. 1.14 Hence Didymus saith well Didym lib. 1. de Spiritu sancto If the holy Ghost were one of the creatures he should have a substance circumscribed as all things that are made although they are not circumscribed For seeing the holy Ghost is in many he hath not a circumscribed substance Likewise eternall because he was in the beginning of things Gen. 1.2 and because God was never without his Spirit 9. And yet not three As the divine Essence is not multiplied with the persons because there is one common to three so the right faith forbids us to multiply Gods essentiall attributes with the persons because they are one and the same common to three As the Catholick faith then forbids us to beleeve with the Tritheits three Gods but worshippeth one God in Trinity so it forbids us to say three uncreated three immense three eternall but one uncreated one immense and one eternall it professeth to be in the Trinity ARTICLE V. 10. Likewise the Father is almighty the Son almighty and the holy Ghost almighty 11. And yet there are not three Almighties but one Almighty even so the Father is God the Son is God and the holy Ghost is God and yet not three Gods but one God So the Father is Lord the Son Lord and the holy Ghost Lord and yet not three Lords but one Lord. The Declaration 10 LIkewise almighty Here is further declared the coequality and consubstantiality of the divine persons out of the unity of the divine attributes and of the divinity it selfe because as the Father so the Son and so the holy Ghost is Almighty and God and Lord. Of the Father no man doubts The Son is also omnipotent because whatsoever the Father hath the Son hath also and therefore omnipotency Joh. 16.15 And he is called expresly God almighty Rev. 1.8 and 4.8 He is also God and the true God 1 John 5.20 God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Where the Name of God doth surely signifie the Divine subsistence and not the attribute onely of that subsistence against two most impudent sayings of Socinus That the simple Name of God when it is given to Christ doth no where signifie his subsistence and that it is no where found in the Scripture where the Name of God being the subject is necessarily referred to Christ The first of these is refelled by divers places of Scripture especially these Rom. 9.5 Of whom Christ is after the flesh who is above all God blessed for ever 1 John 5.20 We are in that true one in his Son Jesus Christ He is the true God and life eternall The latter is false both by these and other places Acts 20.28 God hath purchased the Church by his owne blood 1 Tim. 3.16 God was made manifest in the flesh He is also Lord. Luke 2.11 To you is borne this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. The holy Ghost is also omnipotent Because all graces and divine operations one and the same Spirit doth worke distributing them apart to every one as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 Likewise he is that God and Lord who spake of old by the Prophet Isaiah Acts 28.25 And by the mouth of David Acts 1.25 In whose Name we are baptised Mat. 28.19 And who is a witnesse in heaven with the Father and Sonne 1 John 5.7 The Hereticks cavill that they finde it not literally written that the holy Ghost is God which is too frivolous a subterfuge Where is it literally written the Father is God the Son is God What faithfull man will require so many letters written when the thing it selfe is written Is it not plainely written 1 John 5.7 The holy Spirit beares record in heaven And presently after The witnesse of God is greater Acts 5.3 Thou hast lyed to the holy Ghost Then by and by Thou hast lyed to God 1 Cor. 3.36 You are the temple of God and the holy Spirit dwels in you And shortly after c. 6.19 You are the temple of the holy Ghost He is also Lord because we are as well baptised in the Name of the holy Ghost that is into his worship service and obedience as in the Name of the Father and of the Son Mat. 28.19 and the Apostles call upon God who spake by the mouth of David Why did the Gentiles rage that is they call upon the holy Ghost thus Lord thou art that God who made the heaven and earth seas and all things in them Acts 4.24 11. And yet not three See Numb 8. 12. And yet not three But one Lord to wit Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Is not then the Father Lord nor the holy Ghost Lord The Catholick faith doth thus reconcile this that onely the Father is Lord the Son and holy Ghost by the dominion of the deity common to the three Persons which consisteth in the creation and government of all things and from which dominion the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.6 excludes not the Father and holy Ghost but false gods and all creatures But Jesus Christ is the one and onely Lord by the dominion of mediation which is not common to the three Persons but proper to Christ which consisteth in the Propheticall Priestly and Kingly office of the Mediatour and from which the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.6 excludes not so much the Father and holy Ghost as the fictitious mediatours of Pagans Jews and Antichristians ARTICLE VI. 13. For as we are compelled by the Christian verity to confesse severally each person to be God and Lord so we are forbid by the Catholick faith to say there be three Gods or three Lords The Declaration 13. FOr as This Article gives a reason of the Antithesis of the fourth and fifth Article which reason was declared before out of Scripture in which alone the Christian truth and Catholick religion is grounded both in respect of the equalitie of each person as also in regard of the consubstantialitie of the same in the Trinitie therefore the Christian veritie compells us to confesse each person to be God and Lord because the Scriptures which affirme the same cannot faile as it was Number 9. And the Catholick faith forbids us to say there are three Gods or Lords because the Scriptures which affirme one God and one Lord cannot faile as is said Numb 3. and 11. ARTICLE VII 14. The Father 15. is made of none 16. nor created 17. nor begotten 18. the Sonne is from the Father alone 19. not made 20. nor created 21. but begotten the holy Ghost 22. is from the Father and the Son 23. neither made nor created 24. nor begotten 25. but proceeding There is then one Father not three
Booke entituled The inhumanation of the Word of God other Greeks commonly call this The Incarnation which word is made out of the sayings of Scripture in which the Incarnation of the Son of God is chiefly grounded John 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifested in the flesh Heb. 2.14 Because children are partakers of flesh and blood the Son of God himselfe was made partaker of the same and ver 16. He tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the flesh is of God To this purpose are the Angels words to the Virgin Mary Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the vertue of the most High shall over-shadow thee therefore that holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God And that of the Apostle Gal. 4.4 God sent his Son made of a woman out of which is understood that this Incarnation is the miraculous assumption of humane flesh or nature by the operation of the holy Ghost in the Virgins womb being performed by the Son of God into the unity of his personality 3. Beleeve faithfully In the Greek it is firmely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last Article it is faithfully and firmely of which the first respects the sincerity of this faith purified from errour deniall and heresie whatsoever concerning this mystery the latter requires an assurance and confidence of salvation in the Son of God incarnate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being opposite to doubt and conjecturall opinion ARTICLE II. Of the Creed the X. This then 4. is the right Faith 5. that wee beleeve and confesse that 6. our Lord Jesus Christ 7. the Son of God is 8. God and man The Declaration 4. RIght faith The right faith concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God is briefly set out in two heads The first is of the very mysterie of the Incarnation or of the person of the Son of God incarnate The later is concerning his office or the mysterie of our redemption which was performed and to be performed by him in the flesh It is equally necessary to salvation to beleeve both and the first for the later The faith of which except it be held entire and untainted as the Gospel declares it to beleeve Christ to be God and man which the divels also beleeve and tremble will help nothing to salvation 5. That we may beleeve We must beleeve and confesse because with the heart we beleeve unto righteousnesse and with the mouth we confesse to salvation 6. Our Lord. So the Angell calls him the same day he was borne Luke 2.11 There is borne to us this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And the New Testament in very many places chiefly 1 Cor. 8.6 We haue one Lord Jesus Christ. And he will be so called of us John 13.13 You call mee Lord and you say well for so I am Hence in the Creed we beleeve in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Septuagint every-where expresse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord by Gods proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is worth the observing because it affords an ample argument of the true Deitie of our Lord Jesus Christ For if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the same that Jehovah surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord is God Jehovah The Son of God then is our Lord by a two-fold dominion one of his Deitie common to him with the Father and holy Ghost which is his absolute power over all things the other is of mediation proper to himselfe by which as he is the Mediatour between God and men he alone is at the right hand of God appointed head of the Church over all things Ephes 1.22 7. He is the Son of God Not a son by the grace of creation as the Angels are Gods Sons Job 1.6 nor a son by the grace of adoption as those that are predestinate are adopted to be sons by Jesus Christ Ephes 1.5 but the proper Son of God Rom. 8.32 The onely begotten of the Father John 1.14 Begotten before all created things from eternitie Prov. 8.23 25. Whose going forth from the beginning from the dayes of eternitie Mich. 5.4 By whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made John 1.3 8. God and man Not God alone for so he were not truly Christ that is anointed for God alone is the anointer not the anointed Nor man alone for so he were not truly Jesus that is a Saviour for man alone is not the Saviour but the saved but God and man one and the same Son consisting of two natures the divine and the humane in the unitie of the hypostasis Furthermore why the Son of God the second person of the blessed Trinitie rather then any of the other persons to wit the Father or the holy Ghost united humane flesh to himselfe although that humane reason should stand amazed Christian faith should humbly adore and not search this mysterie some reasons notwithstanding are unfolded by Divines not improbable to wit that it was fit that he who was the Son of God begotten of the Father before the world should likewise be the Son of man borne in time of the substance of his mother First lest by the Incarnation the denomination of the divine persons should be changed or a confusion introduced which had hapned if either the Father or the holy Ghost or all together by the dispensation of the flesh had challenged to themselves the name of Son Secondly the benefit of the Incarnation was by God ordained and bestowed upon men for this end that wee might become the sons of God for it was meet that we should be made Gods adopted sons by him who is Gods naturall Son Thirdly it was most convenient that he who had obtained a middle place among the creatures should be repaired by the middle person of the Trinitie that there might be a decent correspondencie between the middle and middle Now man hath a middle place among the creatures having obtained to be under the spirituall and above the corporeall creatures it was then fit that man should be repaired by the middle person of the Trinitie Lastly there is nothing more decent than that decayed nature should be restored by him by whom it was created because all things were made by him John 1.3 therefore man was to be repaired and restored to his former dignitie by the Son of God ARTICLE III. Of the Creed the XI 9. He is God 10. of the substance of his Father 11. begotten before the world and man 12. of the substance of his mother 13. Borne in the world 14. Perfect God 15. Perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting 16. Equall to the Father according to his Divinitie 17. inferiour to the Father according to his humanitie The Declaration 9. HEe is God It is as evident that the proper and onely begotten Son of God is God
of the bloud death and passive obedience c. be understood of Christs whole humiliation according to the fourth and fifth Positions 4. For a better reconciliation let this also be added That under the humiliation is comprehended his voluntary subjection to the Law and consequently his active obedience as they call it so that this also in some respect comes under the notion of merit to wit so far as it is considered to be a voluntary servitude undertaken and performed for us by the Son of God For this obedience may be considered two waies 1. As it is a conformity with the Law and so it is the personall justice of the Mediatour 2. As the servitude of the Law to which for our sakes Christ made himselfe obnoxious and so it belongs to merit For although Christ as man was bound to obey the Law yet as just holy and the Son of God yea even according to his humanity hee was not obliged to many duties of the first and second Table to which neverthelesse he did spontaneously subject himselfe and so he was made a servant to the whole Law for us that hee might redeem us from the servitude coaction and damnation of the Law So it was a voluntary servitude that he would be circumcised that hee would observe the Sabbaths and Feasts that he was subject to his parents and payed tribute to Cesar and served his neighbour c. being Lord of the circumcision of the Sabbath of patents of Cesar of his neighbour c. Of this servitude of the Law that of the Apostle is to be understood Galat. 4. God sent his Son made of a woman made under the Law c. and so the complaint of excluding active obedience from merit will be of lesse force This way of reconciliation perhaps will not satisfie the scrupulous yet it will not be displeasing to them who desire these differences of opinions may be buried or else surely they will think more of some meanes of peace and will shew better In the interim I am satisfied with these By what we have said Chap. 3. it will now appear which was our third Quere how this doctrine is to be handled in popular Sermons whether positively and refutatively it will be fit to dispute of it before the people For my part I think it is not fitting for what else can be expected of such a disceptation but that the more ignorant sort will stagger in their faith and will presently think that the doctrine of faith hitherto taught in our Churches hath been very slippery and uncertain which notwithstanding caused us first of all to renounce Popery And the Church can be edified in faith and consolation without such opposition by which not our Adversaries but our brethren should be touched and wrung their minds distracted into dangerous divisions and contentions and scandals should be encreased by our fault Surely the Romanists willingly with both hands would lay hold upon this opportunity to traduce us to wit that we cannot agree in that which we make the maine point of the Gospel When Luther began with others to reforme the doctrine of Justification Popery received a deadly wound What shall we goe about to heale againe this wound of the Beast And doe wee not think what an account we are to make unto God for the delight wee take in strife and altercation But you 'l say There is danger lest errour in stead of truth should prevaile in the Church Truly there is none if so be these things be retained and diligently taught which are in our Confession In other points let moderation and candor be used Let our brethren be heard with calmnesse and let their opinions be compared one with another and with Gods word Lastly seek not a knot in a bulrush The fourth head remaines concerning the Catechisme Chap. 4. and Palatinate Directorie Whether it be sit to omit or put out any thing in them Here I know not whether I should rather admire or grieve at the precipitate temerity of some who think they may lawfully judge and censure sacred and profane things as they list choose and reject what they please this humour is not to be endured If their wisdome be greater then other mens they should doe well to new-mould their own Catechisme and Directorie Or if they have perceived any errour in that of the Palatinate they should in a brotherly way admonish those who have the care of this and who will be ready to give them an account Sure this pretended zeale seems neither to have much conscience nor knowledge in it For with what conscience can they passe by their owne Catechismes and make changings in ours Shall private men put out that which publickly belongs to many Churches If they have knowledge sufficient that is if they understand well the meaning of the Catechisme in every passage and will be ingenuous as they ought to be in ambiguous matters they will find they have no reason to doe thus because all things agree sufficiently if so be that which is doubtfull be explained by that which is cleerer and what is briefly set downe be enlarged as if fitting But you will say that in the Catechisme nothing should be ambiguous or doubtfull I confesse indeed neither had any such thing crept into our Catechisme if it were now to be written since the moving of these scruples But the passages of our Catechisme which be more manifest and at large are these Quest 12. and 14. there is taught That no other way of deliverance and of reconciliation with God could be found then that either the sinner himself or else a Mediatour for the sinner should by condigne punishment satisfie divine justice therefore the punishment of the Mediatour for us is our satisfaction and that thing by and for which we are justified and reconciled to God for in the Apostle these two are all one Rom. 5.9 10. Quest 15.16 there is taught That it was needfull for the Mediatour to be true God and true man and perfectly just that hee might be able to pay the ransome for us which we sinners could not pay therefore the justice of the person is distinguished from the ransome as the cause from the effect so that the actuall and formall justice of the Mediatour belongs to the justice of the person as the cause sine qua non Quest 21. is taught That for this ransome of Christs remission of sins eternall justice and life are bestowed upon all beleevers therefore the Catechisme doth not so divide remission of sins and justice as if that were given because of the ransome and this because of Christ active justice Quest 37. it is taught That Christ by his Passion as by the onely propitiatory Sacrifice hath obtained for us the favour of God justice and life and that this his suffering extends through the whole course of his life that he lived here on earth albeit the chiefe act of his suffering was in the
end of his life therefore againe the merit of justice and of life is not ascribed to active but to passive obedience and with all the Passion Synecdochically is understood of the whole humiliation Quest 40. it is again taught That by no other meanes could satisfaction be made to divine truth and justice for our sins then by the death of the Son of God therefore it is confirmed again that the death of the Son of God is our satisfaction that is to say that thing for and by which we are justified Quest 45. the Catechisme saith That Christ therefore rose that he might make us partakers of his justice which he purchased for us by his death Therefore the death of Christ hath obtained justice for us and by imputation thereof we are accounted not onely not unjust but just also Quest 56. teacheth That God for the satisfaction of Christ which is his punishment and death hath forgot all our sins even originall too and hath bestowed freely upon us the righteousnesse of Christ Therefore it confirmes againe That his death is not onely the merit of the remission of all our sins even of originall too but also of justification and that it is not needfull that originall sin should be covered with the holinesse of his humanity lest it appeare in the sight of God Finally Quest 66.67.70.72.74.67.80 it is often repeated that we have remission of sins justice and life eternall for the onely sacrifice bloud and death of Christ Therefore in all these there is neither taught nor can be imagined such a partition of merit as if by the imputation of Christs death we did onely obtaine remission of sins and as some lately phrase it onely privative benefits but by the imputation of actuall obedience we obtaine justice and positive benefits The Catechisme ascribes all together to Christs death as the Scripture also doth John 3. He gave his onely begotten Son to wit to death that whosoever beleeveth to wit that the Son was given and died for him may not perish but have life eternall c. But you will say Quest 60.61 That imputative justice is expresly divided into three to wit perfect satisfaction justice and sanctity which it saith are imputed to us And Quest 36. it saith That the Mediatour by his innocency and perfect sanctity hath covered our sins in which we are conceived that they may not appeare in the sight of God As for the first either we must confesse that these fight against the former which charity and Christian candor will not allow or the partition must be denied and a convenient interpretation and a reconciliation of them must be found Without wronging other mens judgements I will tell my minde here and how I am wont to excuse the Catechisme I say then that the Catechisme joynes these three together but doth not as we said divide them expresly as three it joynes I say these three not as if it divided imputative justice into these three as into divers parts as if the imputed satisfaction did make us not unjust the justice just the sanctity holy for it taught the contrary before but either because the Compilers of the Catechisme did retain this phrase out of Mr. Beza's Confession whose it is properly knowne to be not fearing there would be cavilling about it they themselves in the meane while neither intending nor observing any partition or because they would more emphatically note by these phrases as Synonymous the whole course of his obedience and humiliation till death for Christs humiliation and death is our satisfaction because by it satisfaction is made to divine justice for us It is also justice because it is the fulfilling of the Law by suffering It is lastly holinesse John 17. because it is a holy Sacrifice of which it is said Father I sanctifie my selfe for them And By one oblation he hath consecrated all who are justified This I conjecture because in the first edition of the Fundamentals of the Lords Supper A piece of a Speech concerning that Question To whom properly doe the benefits of Christs sufferings and death belong And How Christ is said to die for all IN The famous University of HEIDELBERGE declaimed by JOSUA ZEVELIUS of Colen the day before Easter An. 1590. D. DAVID PARY being Author SIRS I Thinke I have spoken sufficiently of the history and benefits of our Lords Resurrection it now remaines that what we had reserved for the last place be now explained to wit to whom these benefits belong Therefore that we may direct our course by the Cynosure or by the Pole-Star of holy Writ we affirme that according to the same Scripture these precious fruits do belong to all the Elect and to them alone but as for the incredulous and impious so long as they remaine such we exclude them from these benefits For all the beleevers and they onely taste the sweetnesse of these fruits to wit of free justification before God of vivification from the death of sin and of the body and at last they all and they alone feel the sweetness of immortality and glory because they alone apply to themselves these fruits John 3. 5. Rom. 6.4 5.1 1. Pet. 1.3 Acts 15.9 1 Thes 4.14 They are those who heare the word of Christ who receive it with a good and an honest heart who beleeve it and have life eternall and shall not come into condemnation these are justified by faith are reconciled to God and have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ These being regenerated by the holy Ghost are raised unto a new life with Christ whose hearts are purified by faith These at last are they who sleeping in Jesus shall be raised by God from the dead whom God will bring with him that they may for ever enjoy the glory of eternall life As for the wicked and such as want justifying faith 1 Cor. 10.5 Heb. 11.6 Gal. 4.30 John 3.18 36. Rom. 8.9 Mat. 7.22 Mat. 21.41 why should they partake so much happinesse who please not God and Without faith 't is impossible to please God Who belong not to Christ who are not heires neither have right to or in that life how can Christ or his benefits belong to them They are rather by the voice of the Gospell debarred from these treasures and are judged to eternall death and malediction He that beleeveth not is judged already and the wrath of God remaineth on him And Who haâ—h not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Which place of the Apostle I suppose is thus meant For if Insidels belong not to Christ they are none of Christs We conclude strongly from the correlative that Christ and his benefits belong not to the wicked and as they are not Christs so neither is Christ theirs And how I pray should Christ belong to them whom he will in the last judgement pronounce before all the world to be strangers from himselfe from his benefits from his Kingdome who he will testifie were
question in their Conference they plainly take it away yet nor without buskin-phrases but such as bring in the same inconveniencies which before they did so that either they betray themselves to be equivocating disturbers or entangle themselves with contradictions which thus appeare In the appendix or addition they say But whether they who by true faith are inserted into Jesus Christ and therefore partakers of his quickning Spirit may not forsake the beginning of their being in Christ fall away from faith lose grace is to be more exactly considered out of Scripture before they can teach it with confidence that is they doubt whether it be true But if before they speak the truth they cannot doubt of this For if they who by true faith are inserted into Christ have sufficient strength to obtaine the victory over sin Satan c. and Christ in all tentations is present with them and reacheth out his hand that they cannot be seduced or taken out of Christs hand by any cunning or strength of Satan how I pray can it be doubted but that such by reason of the helps given to them by Christ and by reason of his assistance and of his confirming and aiding of them in all tentations but chiefly of defection can never forsake the beginning of their being in Christ can never fall away from faith and can never be robbed of their grace In questioning then that which before they asserted and that indeed most truly doe not they fight against themselves They except that their assertion is not categoricall but conditionall that Christ by his Spirit is present with them that hee stretcheth out his hand to them and confirmes them that are inserted into him by true faith if so be they are ready for the fight and beg his help nor be wanting in performance of their duty c. But that this condition is not placed or performed by many and that therefore no conflict followes But I pray what kind of God doe they feigne here whom secretly they exclude What kind of Christ What kind of Spirit To wit such an one who indeed furnisheth those who by true faith are engraffed into Christ with the meanes of resistible grace but doth not fit them for the combate in their tentations suffers them so to snort that they seek not for his help that they are wanting in the performance of their dutie but Gods promises and asseverations doe teach far otherwise for albeit the condition of the combate of prayers and vigilancie which they require be altogether necessary for perseverance yet that this is not so much proposed by the faithfull which is all these men would have as effected by the Spirit of God in the faithfull is cleere by these and such like testimonies Deut. 30.6 Jer. 32.40 De bono persev c. 2. Ezech. 36.27 Isa 59.21 The Lord thy God shall circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed that thou maist love the Lord thy God with all thine heart I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Which words Austin citing for the good of perseverance thus explaines So great shall my feare be which I will put in their hearts that they shall adhere to me continually I will put my Spirit in the midst of you and I will make that you shall walke in my precepts and keep my judgements and doe them This shall be my covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thee shall not depart from thy mouth I will poure upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zach. 13.10 1 Cor. 1.8 Phil. 1.6 1 Pet. 1.5 the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look on mee whom they have pierced c. God will strengthen you even to the end He that hath begun in you a good worke will perfect it untill the day of the Lord Jesus who by the power of God are kept by faith to salvation c. Either these are vaine promises which God forbid or the assumption is false that the condition is not proposed or performed by many who are not engraffed into Christ by true faith Cavilling to the contrary will not availe That these promises are not absolute but to be understood with a condition to be performed by the faithfull that being strictly understood they exclude the least offences of the Saints that a condition is commanded not promised c. which are vaine shifts For the promises speak plainly concerning the very condition of faith prayers perseverance in the faithfull to be wrought by the holy Ghost Nor will it follow that the working of perseverance is not promised because it is commanded and required of the faithfull For it is commanded also that they feare God that they walke in the commandements of God c. and yet God promiseth I will put my feare c. I will make them to walk in my precepts Now this is commanded not because they can but because they should do what is required and De grat lib. arb c. 16. For this cause saith Austin God commands some things which we cannot doe that we may know what to beg of him Hearing then the command they aske for that which is commanded saying with Austin Give me what thou commandest and command what thou wilt De dâ—no persev c. 20. Which words of mine saith he Pelagius at Rome could not endure when they were rehearsed by a certaine brother a fellow Bishop of mine in his presence and in an angry way contradicting him he had almost fallen foule with him that did repeat them The orthodox men at this day are in the like condition with them and yet these promises do not exclude the faillings of the Saints whether their sinnes be great or small but they lift up those that are fallen from their fall for these promises are sometimes also directed to just men that fall Psal 37.24 Psal 89.34 If the righteous fall he shall not be bruised because the Lord supporteth him If his sons shall forsake my Law c. I will visit with the rod their transgressions but my mercy I will not take from him If then this Article in the three former members is true and certaine as it is most true and certaine it cannot by the condition inserted be excused from this manifest conflict and contradiction of the adversative addition thus All ingraffed into Christ by true faith and therefore partakers of his quickning Spirit are so confirmed by Christ that by no deceit of Satan or by any force can they be seduced or taken out of Christs hand this is true and certaine and All ingraffed into Christ by true faith are so confirmed that they cannot be seduced nor taken from Christ this is not true and certaine but doubtfull and uncertaine and more exactly to be weighed according to Scripture This conflict againe is a manifest argument of an
is the most proper effect of predestination so that without perseverance predestination cannot be fulfilled 4. Because Christ prayed Coll. p. 344. and doth pray for the perseverance not of Peter alone but of all who were to beleeve by the Apostles preaching but the Father alwayes heares the Son Luke 22.32 Joh. 17.20 John 11.42 c. 5. Because they that are ingraffed into Christ by true faith Coll. p. 344. pray incessantly for their owne perseverance but whatsoever they aske of God by faith they obtaine it And this was Austines second Argument for the good of perseverance 6. Because they that are ingraffed by faith into Christ truly Coll. p. 345. are by the power of God faithfully preserved in faith persevering to the end Coll. p. 345. 1 Pet. 1.5 7. Because they that are by true faith ingraffed into Christ have their salvation sealed in their hearts by the earnest of the holy Ghost and consequently their faith and perseverance are sealed too Coll. p. 346. 2 Cor. 1.21 Ephes 1.13 c. 8. Because true beleevers are like a tree that doth not wither the wise man that built upon the rock the seed cast into the good ground c. according to Scripture Coll. p. 346. 9. Because true beleevers are distinguished from temporary back-sliders by reason the faith of those is rooted in their hearts but the faith of these hath no roote 10. Because the Scripture expresly confirmes Coll. p. 347. that the true beleevers can or shall never utterly fall away Rom. 6.2 8 9 10 11. 1 Joh 3.9 1 Joh. 5.4 Against these points all that with much verbosity are handled by the Novelists in the Conference from page 414. to page 459. come to this one point of the condition required in the faithfull which exception wee have already shewed both to be weake and also to be overthrowne by the promises themselves now all are reduced to this one solid and unanswerable demonstration from the position of sufficient causes to the position of the effect thus To whom God hath promised to give certainly perseverance in faith and who are kept by the power of God in faith to the end and for whose perseverance Christ hath prayed and doth pray and who pray themselves incessantly for the same and whose perseverance is grounded in Gods eternall predestination their perseverance in true faith unto the end is not doubtfull but sure according to the Scripture All ingraffed into Christ by true faith are such to whom God hath promised to give perseverance Jer. 32.40 Psal 25.1 c. and who by the power of God are preserved by faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 and for whose perseverance Christ did and doth pray John 17.20 Rom. 8.34 and who daylie in the Lords Prayer call upon God for the same whose perseverance at length is founded in Gods eternall predestination Mat. 24.24 Rom. 8.30 Ephes 1.11 14. 1 Thes 2.13 14. c. Therefore the perseverance of all those who are inserted by true faith into Christ is not doubtfull but certaine according to Scripture No lesse firme a demonstration doth the proximate cause yeeld which begets true faith alwayes remaining in the Elect out of two sayings in Scripture joyned together 1 Pet. 1.23 You are renewed not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which abideth foe ever And 1 John 3.9 He that is borne of God sinneth not because the seed of God remaineth in him nor can he sin because he is borne of God Hence we reason thus They who are borne of the immortall seed of Gods word and in whom this immortall seed notwithstanding their infirmities doth remaine in them also faith abides nor doth it finally faile and consequently perseverance which is faith it selfe not failing but remaining and persevering the reason of this is the individuall knitting of the cause and the effect because the immortall seed of Gods word remaineth not in whom it doth remaine but by faith All that are ingraffed into Christ by true faith are borne againe of the immortall seed of Gods word as Peter the Apostle witnesseth and in them abideth this immortall seed not withstanding their infirmities witnesse John the Apostle In all then that are by true faith ingraffed into Christ faith remaines neither doth it ever utterly faile and consequently perseverance c. What need many words If the perseverance of the Saints be doubtfull then is it not given certainly by God to all them that aske it daylie praying with all their heart Hallowed by thy Name thy Kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Leade us not into tentation Cyp. de Orat. Aug. de bono persev c. 2.3.6 but deliver us from evill c. In which Petitions Cyprian and Austine learnedly and religiously teach that perseverance is begged of God then 2. this promise of God besides others will be vaine Heare O house of Jacob who have beene carried by me from the wombe even to your old age I am with you and till you be hairy I will carry you Isaiah 46.3 Phil. 1.6 I have made I will beare I will also carry and will deliver 3. In vaine will the Apostles most hearty perswasion confidence and promise be I am perswaded that he who hath begun a good worke in you will perfect it Rom. 8.33 1 Cor. 1.8 untill the day of Jesus Christ For I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus God will confirme you to the end unblamable untill the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 4. In vaine will be the prayer and confidence of the Saints praying with David O God forsake me not in mine old age and when my head groweth gray Thou hast shewed me many and great afflictions but thou hast returned and quickned me 5. Justifying faith will be in vain or the assurance of the remission of sins for the time present for he that doubteth of Gods promise for the time to come feignes that he beleeves the promise of the time present Isai 46.3 Isai 43.25 for these are conjoyned I did beare you I will beare you till your old age I I am he who blot out thine iniquities c. and will not remember thy sins any more 6. In vaine finally is the faith of eternall life and salvation because he that doubts of his perseverance in faith without which life eternall is not obtained how can he be confident of life eternall for he that doubts if he shall live till the morrow how can he be assured he shall live eternally so instead of faith a fallacious opinion shall take place in mens consciences hesitation doubting feare anxiety undermining and overthrowing all Christian comfort and confidence will domineere These are the fruits which the deniall of perseverance will bring forth all which are false impious blasphemous against which the perseverance of the Saints stands as a strong
protecting of wedlocke among men Whatsoever therefore maketh for the preserving of chastity and for the protecting of wedlocke is commanded in the Law and the contrary is withall forbidden The vertues of this Commandement 1. Chastity The vertues of the seventh Commandement are in number three Chastity Shamefastnesse Temperancy I Chastity Chastity is a vertue preserving cleannesse of minde and body agreeing with the will of God and avoiding all lusts forbidden by God all unlawfull companying and inordinate copulation and all the desires occasions effects and suspicions either in single life or in wedlocke Chastity hath his first originall from a Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to adorne because it is an ornament not onely of the whole man but also of all the rest of the vertues Wherefore that name was given by speciall regard and preheminence to this vertue because it is one of those principall vertues that make the image of God God is chaste and will be called on by such as are of a chaste minde Twofold chastity and suffereth chaste prayers to take effect with him Now there is a double chastity 1. Of single life one of single life another of marriage Chastity of single life is a vertue avoiding all lusts 2. Of marriage remaining in a sole estate without marriage Chastity of marriage is to observe in marriage the order instituted by the wonderfull counsell of God The causes of chastity are Foure causes 1 Thes 4.3 4. 1. The Commandement of God This is the will of God even your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. The preservation of Gods image 3. A study and desire to avoide the defacing of Gods image and the conjunction that is betweene God and the Church Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 6.15 18. Flee fornication Know ye not that your bodies are the numbers of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid The contrary vices 4. Rewards and punishments The extremities of chastity are counterfeit chastity uncleane single life whore-hunting keeping of concubines incest adultery and all wanton and unwieldy wicked lusts their causes occasions and effects all unlawfull conjunctions all corrupted desires that violate and hurt the conscience also in marriage Three kinds of lusts Now all sorts of lusts may be referred unto three severall kinds Of the first kinde are those which are contrary to nature and from the Devill namely such as are even against this our corrupt nature not onely because they corrupt it and bereave it of that conformity with God but also because this our corrupt nature abhorreth them Of this kinde are those which are recited by the Apostle Rom. 1. as confounding of kinds and sexes likewise the unnaturall abusage of woman-kinde These haynous sins and horrible trespasses are to be punished by the Magistrate with extraordinary punishments Incest hath for a great part a repugnancy with this our nature albeit there were examples of incest in our first Parents because those were done of necessity and by dispensation from God himselfe Therefore this was an exception from the generall rule Of the second kinde are those which proceed from this our corrupt nature as fornications amongst those that are free from marriage adulteries betweene persons that are both married companying of married persons with others that are unmarried If a married person have company with another married person Double adultery it is a double adultery for he violateth both his owne wedlocke and the others If a married man have to doe with an unmarried woman Simple adultery Simple fornication it is simple adultery Simple fornication is of those that are unmarried Magistrates are by duty bound severely to punish incests and adulteries For they are much more haynous then thefts and robberies God appointeth death for adulteries Now although God did not ordaine that simple fornication also be punished with death yet when he saith after Let there not be a whore amongst you he signifieth that it is to be punished in his kinde There are other things also which are committed of this our corrupt nature with an evill conscience as lust and evill desires unto which we yeeld or wherewith we are delighted neither endeavour to avoide them Such vicious and lewd desires and the like although they be not punished in the Civill court yet are they joyned with an evill conscience and are punished of God Of the third kinde are corrupt inclinations unto which yet good men doe not yeeld but withstand them and take away from them all occasions and their conscience is not troubled because God is invocated and called upon and the grace of resistance is desired and there is remaining in their hearts a testimony of the remission of their sins And for a remedy for these sins after the fall was marriage appointed Therefore against those inclinations it is to be said It is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7.9 But yet S. Paul neverthelesse by those words doth not allow such marriages as are untimely hurtfull to the Common-wealth entred into before a lawfull age or unhonest that is against good orders and manners II Shamefastness Shamefastnesse is a vertue abhorring all filthinesse joyned with a shame griefe and sadnesse either for some former uncleannesse or for feare of falling into any hereafter and having a purpose and desire to flye not onely uncleannesse it selfe but also the occasion and tokens and signes of uncleannesse Shamefastnesse is required unto chastity as a furtherance and cause of chastity and also an effect consequent and signe thereof The extremities or vices contrary to shamefastnesse are The contrary vices 1. Shamelesnesse or impudency which maketh light of uncleannesse 2. A rude and uplandish bashfulnesse or an uncivill and perverse bashfulnesse when a man is ashamed of that whereof he ought not to be ashamed as of a thing which is good and honest and requireth not any bashfulnesse to be shewed therein 3. Obscenity and scurrility or ribaldry III Temperancy Temperancy is a vertue observing the meane agreeable to nature honesty mediocrity and order of persons places and times according to the law and rule of nature in things concerning the body as meate and drink and in the desire of them Temperancy is required unto chastity as a cause without which we cannot be chaste and is the mother and nurse of all other vertues Take heed to your selves Luke 21.34 lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Ephes 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse Walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in
strife and envying Rom. 13.13 14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it The extremities of temperancy are 1. Intemperancy in meate The contrary vices and quaffing of the drink gluttony drunkennesse even to the overture of our stomack and head-reeling 2. Luxury which is too much prodigality and needlesse superfluity in meate apparrell houshold-stuffe c. 3. Hurtfull temperancy or too great abstinency and hypocriticall not agreeable to nature such as is the abstinency of Eremites Likewise superstitious fasts OF MARRIAGE WHereas Marriage is authorised in this Commandement we are to consider of it 1. What Marriage is 2. What are the causes of the institution of Marriage 3. What Marriages are lawfull 4. Whether it be a thing indifferent 5. What are the duties of married persons 6. What things are contrary to Marriage 1. What Marriage is MArriage is a lawfull and indissoluble conjunction of one man and one woman instituted by God for the propagation and increase of mankinde that we might know him to be chaste and to detest all lust and that he will gather unto himselfe out of mankinde thus lawfully multiplied an everlasting Church whereof he may be knowne and worshipped aright Lastly that it might be a society and fellowship betweene man and wife of labours cares and prayer 2. What are the causes of the institution of Marriage THe author of Marriage is God himselfe For marriage is no invention of man but instituted by God in Paradise before the fall of man Now the causes for which marriage was instituted are as we may learne out of the definition of marriage 1. The meanes of multiplying mankinde 2. The gathering of the Church 3. The image and resemblance of the conjunction betweene God and the Church 4. That loose and wandring lusts might be avoided 5. That there might be a society and fellowship of labours and prayer That fellowship is more neere and strait and therefore sendeth out more ardent and earnest prayers because we doe more ardently and earnestly help them by our prayers unto whom we are joyned in labour and affection As the Parents pray more earnestly for the children then the children for their Parents because as the Proverb goeth Love doth descend not ascend 3. What Marriages are lawfull Eight conditions of lawfull marriage THat Marriage may be a lawfull conjunction these things are thereto required 1. That Matrimony be contracted betweene persons fit to be joyned 2. That is be contracted by the consent of both parties 3. That there be adjoyned also the consent of others whose consent is required by Law as namely Parents or those who are in the place of Parents 4. That there be no errour committed in the persons 5. That in the contract honest conditions decency and a lawfull course or processe be observed 6. That Matrimony be contracted betweene two persons onely Gen. 2.24 Mat. 19.5 They two shall be one flesh The Fathers indeed of the Old Testament had many wives but wee are to judge according to laws and not according to examples 7. That it be contracted in the Lord that is betweene the faithfull and with the invocation or calling on of God 8. That it be not contracted betweene persons in such degrees of kindred as are forbidden of God and honest Laws Kindred is either consanguinity or affinity though some take kindred and consanguinity for one and the same thing Consanguinity Consanguinity is betweene persons springing from one and the same stocke Affinity and neerly allied in bloud Affinity is alliance rising by marriage between the kinsfolks of man and wife A stocke The stock is the person from whom the rest are derived A line Now kinsfolks are distinguished by line and degree A line is an order of kinsfolkes A degree descending or comming of one stocke A degree is a distance betweene kinsfolks on the fathers or mothers side from the first stocke Concerning those degrees this common rule is to be observed How many persons there are from the stocke so many degrees there are By Gods Law the second degree and by laudible politick Laws of men the third degree is forbidden The division of a line in kindred 1. Ascendents 2. Descendents 3. Collaterals Collaterals are 1. Equall 2. Unequall That the degrees prohibited Levit 1. are prohibited likewise by nature it selfe proved by foure reasons The line is either of Ascendents or Descendents or Collaterals The Ascendents are all the Ancestors and Progenitors The Descendents are all the Progeny The Collaterals are they that are not borne one of another but come all from the same two parents The line of Collaterals is either Equall or Vnequâ—ll It is Equall when there is equall distance from the common stock Vnequall when the distance is unequall The prohibitions of degrees of consanguinity from marriage are expressed and set downe by God Levit. 18. And that they are Morall and Naturall it is proved 1. Because the Gentiles are said through breach of those degrees to have committed abomination and to have beene cast out for them But the Gentiles had not the Ceremoniall or Civill Law of Moses 2. Because for breach of these Laws that is for loose lusts and incestuous marriages God punished the world with a deluge 3. From the end because the end that is the prohibition of incest in reverence of blood was made universall perpetuall and morall 1 Cor. 5. 4. Paul most sharply reprehendeth and commandeth the incestuous person to be excommunicated which had married his fathers wife and John the Baptist saith to Herod Mat. 6.18 It is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife 4. Whether it be a thing indifferent Marriage granted to some free untu otherstand for others necessary MArriage is licenced by God to all persons that are fit for it It is a thing Indifferent that is neither prescribed nor forbidden of God but left free to them who have the gift of continency But whosoever are not indued with this gift of continency unto all them marriage is not a thing indifferent but commanded unto them as necessary from God himselfe that they marry in the Lord. 1 Cony 1 2 8 9. It were good for a man not to touch a woman Neverthelesse to avoid fornication let every man have his wife I say unto the unmarried and unto the widowes it is good for them to abide even as I doe But if they cannot abstaine let them marry for it is better to marry then to burne But a just and convenient time is to be observed in first and second marriages and we may not give passage to the flames of loose lusts but as much as lyeth in us coole and allay and quite quench them by prayer and by all diligent endeavour and as we are not to runne on herein untill touch of conscience so neither are we to proceed so farre as to the