said that this commandement is spoken as well of the vnwritten as of the written word I answer that Moses speaketh of the written word onely for these very words are a certaine preface which he set before a long commentarie made of the written lawe for this end to make the people more attentiue and obedient Testimonie II. Isai 8.20 To the lawe and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Prophet teacheth what must be done in cases of difficultie Men must not rūne to the wizard or southsayer but to the lawe and testimonie and here he commends the written word as sufficient to resolue all doubts and scruples in conscience whatsoeuer Testimonie III. Ioh. 20.31 Those things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and in beleeuing might haue euerlasting life Here is set downe the full ende of the gospell and of the whole written word which is to bring men to faith cōsequently to saluatiō therfore the whole scripture alone is sufficient to this end without traditiōs If it be said that this place must bee vnderstood of Christs miracles onely I answer that miracles without the doctrine of Christ knowledge of his sufferings can bring no man to life euerlasting and therefore the place must bee vnderstood of the doctrine of Christ and not of his miracles alone as Paul teacheth Gal. 1.8 If wee or an angell from heauen preach vnto you any thing beside that which we haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught 1. Tim. 1.3 Testimonie IV. 2. Tim. 3.16,17 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good work In these wordes be contained two arguments to prooue the sufficiencie of Scripture without vnwritten verities The first that which is profitable to these foure vses namely to teach all necessarie trueth to confute all errours to correct faults in manners and to instruct in righteousnes that is to informe al men in all good duties that is sufficient to saluation But Scripture serueth for all these vses and therefore it is sufficient and vnwritten traditions are superfluous The second that which can make the man of God that is Prophets and Apostles and the ministers of the word perfect in all the duties of their callings that same word is sufficient to make all other men perfect in all good workes But Gods word is able to make the man of God perfect Therefore it is sufficient to prescribe the true and perfect way to eternall life without the helpe of vnwritten traditions V. The iudgement of the Church Tertul. saith Take from heretickes the opinions which they maintaine with the heathen that they may defend their questions by Scripture alone and they cannot stand Againe We neede no curiositie after Christ Iesus nor inquisition after the gospel When we beleeue it wee desire to beleeue nothing beside for this we first beleeue that there is nothing more which wee may beleeue Hierome on Math. 23. writing of an opinion that Iohn Baptist was killed because he foretold the comming of Christ saith thus This because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued In which wordes there is a conclusion with a minor and the maior is to bee supplyed by the rules of logicke thus That which hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued but this opinion is for therefore Behold a notable argument against all vnwritten traditions Augustine booke 2. cap. 9. de doct Christ. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture are found all those points which containe faith and manners of liuing well Vincentius Lirinen saith the Canon of the Scripture is perfect and fully sufficient to it selfe for all things Beside these testimonies other reasons there bee that serue to prooue this point I. The practise of Christ and his Apostles who for the confirmamatiō of the doctrine which they taught vsed alwaies the testimony of Scripture neither can it be prooued that they euer confirmed any doctrine by tradition Act. 26.22 I continue vnto this day witnessing both to smal and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come And by this we are giuen to vnderstand that we must alwaies haue recourse to the written word as beeing sufficient to instruct vs in matters of saluation II. If the beleeuing of vnwritten traditions were necessarie to saluation then we must as well beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as well as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall traditions are not els where to be found but in their bookes And we may not beleeue their sayings as the word of God because they often erre beeing subiect to errour and for this cause their authoritie when they speake of traditions may be suspected and we may not alwaies beleeue them vpon their word Obiections for Traditions First they alleadge 2. Thess. 2.15 where the Apostle biddes that Church keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by word or letter Hence they gather that beside the written word there be vnwritten traditions that are indeede necessarie to be kept and obeyed Ans. It is very likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul writ to any Church though in order it haue not the first place and therfore at that time when this Epistle was penned it might well fall out that some things needfull to saluation were deliuered by word of mouth not being as yet written by any Apostle Yet the same things were afterward set downe in writing either in the second epistle or in the epistles of Paul Obiect II. That Scripture is Scripture is a point to be beleeued but that is a tradition vnwritten and therefore one tradition there is not written that we are to beleeue Ans. That the bookes of the old and new Testament are Scripture it is to be gathered and beleeued not vpon bare tradition but from the very bookes themselues on this manner Let a man that is indued with the spirit of discerning read the seuerall bookes withall let him consider the professed author thereof which is God himselfe and the matter therein contained which is a most diuine and absolute truth full of pietie the manner and forme of speach which is full of maiestie in the simplicitie of words the ende whereat they wholly aime which is the honour and glorie of God alone c. he shall be resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe Yea and by this meanes he may discerne any part of Scripture from the writings of mē whatsoeuer Thus thē scripture prooues it selfe to be scripture yet
He is able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Secondly according to his Deitie partly by applying the merit of his death partly by making request by his holy Spirit in the hearts of the Elect with sighes vnspeakable 1. Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father to the sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 8. â—6 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed We are not therefore to imagine or surmise that Christ prostrateth himselfe vpon his knees before his Fathers throne for vs neither is it necessarie seeing his very presence before his father hath in it the force of an humble petition The end of Christs intercession is that such as are iustified by his merits should by this meanes continue in the state of grace Now Christs intercession preserueth the elect in couering their continuall slipps infirmities and imperfect actions by an especiall and continuall application of his merits That by this meanes mans person may remaine iust and mans works acceptable to God 1. Ioh. 2.2 Hee is a reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house and holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Reuel 8.3,4 And another Angell came and stood before the altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which is before the throne and tâ—â— smoke of the odors with the prayers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand Thus farre concerning Christs priesthood nowe follow his Propheticall and Regall offices His Propheticall office is that whereby he immediately from his Father renealeth his word and all the meanes of saluation comprised in the same Ioh. 1.18 The Son which is in the bosome of his father he hath declared vnto you Ioh. 8.26 Those things which I heare of my father I speake to the world Deut. 18.18 I will raise them vp a Prophet c. The word was first reuealed partly by visions by dreames by speech partly by the instinct and motion of the holy ghost Heb. 1.1 At sundry times in diuers manners God spake in old time to our Fathers the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne 2. Pet. 1.21 Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy ghost The like is done ordinarily onely by the preaching of the word where the holy ghost doth inwardly illuminate the vnderstanding Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures v. 21.15 I I will giue you a month and wisdome where against all your aduersaries shall not bee able to speake nor resist Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended on the things that Paul spake For this cause Christ is called the Doctor Lawegiuer and Counsellour of his Church Matth. 23.10 Be ye not called Dâ—ctors for one is your Doctor Iesus Christ. Iam. 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy Esa. 9.6 He shall call his name Counsellour c. Yea he is the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 The Angell of the couenant Malac. 3.1 And the Mediatour of the new couenant Heb. 9.15 Therefore the soueraigne authoritie of expouÌ„ding the Scripture only belongs to Christ and the Church hath onely the ministerie of iudgement and interpretation committed vnto her Christs Regall office is that whereby he distributeth his gifts and disposeth all things for the benefit of the elect Psal. 2. and 110.31.2 The Lord said vnto my Lord sit tâ—ou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole The execution of Christs Regall office comprehendeth his exaltation Christs exaltation is that by which he after his humiliation was by little and little exalted to glorie and that in sundrie respects according to both his natures The exaltation of his diuine nature is an apparant declaration of his diuine properties in his humane nature without the least alteration thereof Rom. 1. 4. Declared mightily to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Act. 2.36 God hath made him both lord Christ whome ye haue crucified The exaltation of his humanitie is the putting off from him his seruile coÌ„dition and all infirmities and the putting on of such habituall gifts which albeit they are created and finite yet they haue so great and so marueilous perfection as possibly can be ascribed to any creature The gifts of his minde are wisdome knowledge ioy and other vnspeakeable vertues of his bodie immortalitie strength agilitie brightnesse Philip. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Math. 17.2 He was traÌ„sfigured before them his face did shine as the sunne and his cloathes were as white as the light Heb. 1.9 God euen thy God hath annointed the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellows Eph. 1.20.22 Christs bodie although it be thus glorified yet is it still of a solide substaÌ„ce compassed about visible palpable and shall perpetually remaine in some certaine place Luk. 24.39 Behold my hands and my feete it is euen I touch me and see a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye se me haue There be three degrees of Christs exaltation I. His resurrection wherein by his diuine power he subdued death and raised vp himselfe to eternall life 2. Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified concerning his infirmitie yet liueth he through the power of God Matth. 28.6 Hee is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord was laid The ende of Christs resurrection was to shewe that his satisfaction by his passion and death was fully absolute For one onely sinne would haue detaiâ—ed the Mediatour vnder the dominion of death though he had fully satisfied for all the rest 1. Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is in vaine yee are yet in your sinnes Rom. 4.25 Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification II. His ascension into heauen which is a true locall and visible translation of Christs humane nature from earth into the highest heauen of the blessed by the vertue power of his Deitie Act. 1.9 When he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went beholde two men stood by theÌ„ in white apparell which also said Ye men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen
Creede beeing a summary collection of things to bee beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of God for the helping of memory and vnderstanding of men I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the Church For in these two points consisteth the whole summe thereof Lastly I say that it is gathered forth of the scripture to make a difference between it and and other writings and to shew the authoritie of it which I will further declare on this manner There bee two kinde of writings in which the doctrine of the Church is handled and they are either diuine or Ecclesiasticall Diuine are the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles And these are not onely the pure word of God but also the scripture of God because not onely the matter of them but the whole disposition thereof with the style and the phrase was set downe by the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine that is absolute and soueraigne and they are of sufficient credit in and by themselues needing not the testimonie of any creature not subiect to the censure either of men or Angels binding the consciences of all men at all times and beeing the only foundation of faith and the rule and canon of all trueth Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures These may be called the word or trueth of God so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man and therefore they are in such sort the word of God as that also they are the word of men And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne but subordinate to the former and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men councels but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall particular or proper Generall are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed ouer the whole worlde and among the rest the Creede of the Apostles made either by the Apostles themselues or by their hearers and disciples apostolicall men deliuered to the Church and conueied from hand to hand to our times Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches Proper writings are the bookes and confessions of priuate men Nowe betweene these we must make difference For the Generall Creede of the Apostles other vniuersall Creeds in this case not excepted though it be of lesse authoritie then scripture yet hath it more authoritie then the particular priuate writings of Churches and men For it hath beene receiued and approoued by vniuersall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages and so were neuer these in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholike Church and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed should vpon some occasion be changed a particular Church of any country can not do it without Catholike consent of the whole Churche yet particular writings and confessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholike Church Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith among all Churches to trie doctrines interpretations of scriptures by not because it is a rule of it selfe for that the scripture is alone but because it borroweth his authoritie froÌ„ scripture with which it agreeth And this honour no other writings of men can haue Here some may demand the number of Creedes Ans. I say but one Creede as there is but one faith and if it be alleadged that wee haue many Creedes as besides this of the Apostles the Nicene Creede and Athanasius Creed c. I answer the seuerall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seueral faiths and religions but one and the same and this called the Apostles creede is most ancient and principall all the rest are not newe Creedes in substance but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it that men might better auoid the heresies of their times Further it may be demanded in what forme this Creede was penned Ans. In the forme of an answere to a question The reason is this In the Primitiue Church when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ and was to be baptised this question was asked him What beleeuest thouâ— then he answered according to the forme of the Creede I beleeue in God c. And this maner of questioning was vsed euen from the time of the Apostles When the Eunuch was conuerted by Philip he said What doth let me to be baptised Philip said If thou doest beleeue with all thine heart thou maist Then he answered I beleede that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God By this it appeares that although all men for the most part amongst vs can say this Creede yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first vse of it for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is saide for a prayer beeing indeede no prayer and when it is vsed so men make it no better then a charme Before we come to handle the particular points of the Creede it is very requiâ—ite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature properties and kindes of faith the confession and ground whereof is set forth in the Creede Faith therefore is a gift of God whereby we giue assent or credence to Gods word For there is a necessarie relation betweene faith and Gods word The common propertie of faith is noted by the author of the Hebrewes when he saith Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the demonstration of things that are not seene For all this may be vnderstood not onely of iustifying faith but also of temporarie faith and the faith of miracles Where faith is said to be a ground the meaning is that though there are many things promised by God which men doe not presently enioy but onely hope for because as yet they are not yet faith doth after a sort giue subsisting or beeing vnto them Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration c. that is by beleeuing a man doth make a thing as it were visible beeing otherwise inuisible and absent Faith is of two sorts either common faith or the faith of the Elect as Paul saith he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect which also is called faith without hypocrisie The common faith is that which both elect and reprobate haue and it is threefold The first is historicall faith which is when a man doth beleeue the outward letter and historie of the word It hath two parts knowledge of Gods word and an
when he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth Ans. The promise is directed to the Apostles who with their Apostolicall authoritie had this priuiledge granted them that in the teaching and penning of the gospel they should not erre and therefore in the councell at Ierusalem they conclude thus It seemes good vnto vs and to the holy Ghost And if the promise be further extended to all the Church it must be vnderstood with a limitation that God will giue his spirit vnto the meâ—bers thereof to lead them into all truth so farre forth as shall be needfull for their saluation The second question is wherein stands the dignitie and excellencie of the Church Ans. It stands in subiection and obedience vnto the will and word of his spouse and head Christ Iesus And hence it followes that the Church is not to chalenge vnto her selfe authoritie ouer the Scriptures but onely a ministerie or ministeriall seruice whereby shee is appointed of God to preserue and keepe to publish and preach them and to giue testimonie of them And for this cause it is called the pillar and ground of truth The church of Rome not content with this saith further that the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture because say they we can not know Scripture to be Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But indeede they speake an vntruth For the testimonie of men that are subiect to errour can not be greater and of more force with vs then the testimonie of God who can not erre Againe the Church hath her beginning from the word for there can not be a Church without faith there is no faith without the word there is no word out of the Scriptures and therefore the Church in respect of vs depends on the Scripture and not the Scripture on the Church And as the lawyer which hath no further power but to expound the law is vnder the law so the Church which hath authoritie onely to publish and expound the Scriptures can not authorize them vnto vs but must submit her selfe vnto them And whereas it is alleadged that faith comes by hearing and this hearing is in respect of the voice of the Church and that therefore faith comes by the voice of the Church the answer is that the place must be vnderstood not of that generall faith whereby we are resolued that Scripture is Scripture but of iustifying faith whereby we attaine vnto saluation And faith comes by hearing the voice of the Church not as it is the Churches voice but as it is a ministerie or meanes to publish the word of God which is both the cause and obiect of our beleeuing Now on the contrarie we must hold that as the carpenter knowes his rule to be straight not by any other rule applied vnto it but by it selfe for casting his eye vpon it he presently discernes whether it be straight or no so we know and are resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe though the Church say nothing so be it we haue the spirit of discerning when we read heare and consider the Scripture And yet the testimonie of the Church is not to be despised for though it breede not a a perswasion in vs of the certenty of the Scripture yet is it a very good inducement thereto The militant Church hath many parts For as the Ocean sea which is but one is deuided into parts according to the regions and countries against which it lieth as into the English Spanish Italian sea c. so the Church dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth is deuided into other particular churches according as the countries are seuerall in which it is seated as into the Church of England and Ireland the Church of France the Church of Germanie c. Againâ— particulaâ— Churches are in a twofold estate sometime lie hid in persecution wanting the publike preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments and sometimes againe they are visible carrying before the eyes of the world an open profession of the name of Christ as the moone is sometime eclipsed and sometime shineth in the full In the first estate was the Church of Israel in the daies of Eliah when he wished to die because the people had forsaken the couenant of the Lord broken downe his altars slaine his Prophets with the sword and he was left alone and they sought to take his life also Behold a lamentable estate when so worthie a Prophet could not finde an other beside himselfe that feared God yet marke what the Lord saith vnto him I haue left seuen thousand in Israel euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euery mouth that hath not kissed him Againe it is said That Israel had beene a long season without the true God without priest to teach and without the law Neither must this trouble any that God should so farre forth forsake his Church for when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile he then gathereth his Elect by extraordinarie meanes as when the children of Israel wandered in the wildernes wanting both circumcision and the Passeouer he made a supplie by Manna and by the pillar of a cloud Hence we haue direction to answer the Papists who demand of vs where our Church was three-score yeares agoe before the daies of Luther we say that then for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouerspread the whole face of the earth and that our Church then was not visible to the world but lay hid vnder the chaffe of Poperie And the truth of this the Records of all ages manifest The second estate of the Church is when it flourisheth and is visible not that the faith and secret election of men can be seene for no man can discerne these things but by outward signes but because it is apparant in respect of the outward assemblies gathered to the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments for the praise and glorie of God and their mutuall edification And the visible Church may be thus described It is a mixt companie of men professing the faith assembled together by the preaching of the word First of all I call it a mixt companie because in it there be true beleeuers and hypocrites Elect and Reprobate good and badde The Church is the Lords field in which the enemie soweth his tares it is the corne flore in which lieth wheate and chaffe it is a band of men in which beside those that be of valour and courage there be white liuered souldiours And it is called a Church of the better part namely the Elect whereof it consisteth though they be in nuÌ„ber fewe As for the vngodly though they be in the Church yet they are no more parts of it indeede then the superfluous humours in the vaines are parts of the bodie But to proceede
then if there be such care to keepe touch with men much more should we haue care to keepe couenant with God The ninth point Of Images Our consent Conclus I. We acknowledge the ciuill vse of images as freely and truly as the Church of Rome doth By ciuill vse I vnderstand that vse which is made of them in the common societies of men out of the appointed places of the solemne worship of God And this to be lawfull it appeareth because the arts of painting and grauing are the ordinance of God and to be skilfull in them is the gift of God as the example of Bezaleel and Aholiab declare Exod 35. â—0 This vse of Images may be in sundrie things I. In the adorning setting forth of buildings thus Salomon beautified his throne with the image of lyons And the Lord commanded his temple to be adorned with the images of palme trees of pomegranates of bulls cherubes and such like II. It serues for the distinction of coynes according to the practise of Emperours and Princes of all nations When Christ was asked Math. 22. whether it was lawfull to giue tribute to Cesar or no he called for a pennie and said Whose image or superscription is this they saide Cesars he then saide Giue to Cesar the things that are Cesars not condemning but approouing the stampe or image vpon his coyne And though the Iewes were forbidden to make images in way of representation or worship of the true God yet the Sycle of the sanctuarie which they vsed specially after the time of Moses was stamped with the image of the Almond tree and the potte of Manna III. Images serue to keepe in memorie friendes deceased whome we reuerence And it is like that hence came one occasion of the images that are now in vse in the Romane Church For in the daies after the Apostles men vsed priuately to keep the pictures of their friends departed and this practise after crept into the open congregation and at last superstition getting head images began to be worshipped Conclus II. We hold the historicall vse of images to be good and lawfull and that is to represent to the eye the actes of histories whether they be humane or diuine and thus we thinke the histories of the Bible may be painted in priuate places Conclus III. In one case it is lawfull to make an image to testifie the presence or the effects of the maiestie of God namely when God himselfe giues any speciall commandement so to doe In this case Moses made and erected a brasen serpent to be a type signe or image to represent Christ crucified Ioh. 3.14 And the Cherubes ouer the mercieseat serued to represent the maiestie of God to whome the Angels are subiect And in the second commandement it is not simply saide Thou shalt not make a grauen image but with limitation Thou shalt not make to thy selfe that is on thine owne head vpon thine owne will and pleasure Conclus IIII. The right images of the new Testament which we holde and acknowledge are the doctrine and preaching of the Gospell and all things that by the word of God pertaines thereto Gal. 3. Who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome Iesus Christ was before described in your sight and among you crucified Hence it followes that the preaching of the word is as a most excellent picture in which Christ with his benefits are liuely represented vnto vs. And we dissent not from Origen contra Cels. lib. 8. who saith We haue no images framed by any base workeman but by such as are brought forth and framed by the word of God namely patternes of vertue and frames resembling Christians He meanes that Christians themselues are the images of Christians The difference Our dissent from them touching images standes in three points I. The Church of Rome holds it lawfull for them to make images to resemble God though not in respect of his diuine nature yet in respect of some properties and actions We on the contrarie hold it vnlawfull for vs to make any image any way to represent the true God or to make an image of any thing in way of religion to worship God much lesse the creature thereby For the second commandement saith plainely Exod. 20.4 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image or the likenes of any thing in heauen c. The Papists say the commandement is meant of the images of false gods But will they nill they it must be vnderstood of the images of the true Iehouah and it forbids vs to resemble God either in his nature properties or workes or to vse any resemblance of him for any sacred vse as to helpe the memorie when we are about to worship God Thus much the holy Ghost who is the best expounder of himselfe teacheth most plainely Deut. 4.15,16 Thou sawest no image at all either of false or true God and therefore thou shalt not make any likenes of any thing And againe the Prophet Esai chap. 40.18 reproouing idolaters asketh to whome they will liken God or what â—â—militude will they set vpon him and v. 21. Know ye nothing haue you not heard hath it not bin told you from the beginning As if he should say haue ye forgotten the second commandement that God gaue vnto your fathers And thus he flatly reprooues all them that resemble the true God in images But they say further that by images in the second commandement are meant idols that is say they such things as men worship for gods Answâ— If it were so we should confound the first and second commandements For the first Thou shalt haue no other gods before my face forbids all false gods which man wickedly frames vnto himselfe by giuing his heart and principall affections thereof to them and therefore idols also are here forbidden when they are esteemed as Gods And the distinction they make that an Image is the representation of true things an Idol of things supposed is false Tertullian saith that euery forme of representation is to be tearmed an Idol And Isidore saith that the heathen vsed the names of image and idol indifferently in one and the same signification And Saint Steuen in his apologie Act. 7.4 â— calls the golden calfe an Idol Hierome saith that idols are images of dead men Auncient Diuines accord with all this which I haue said Lactantius saith â—nst lib. 2. cap. 19. Where images are for religions sake there is no religion The Councill of Eliberaâ— can 36. decreed that nothing should be painted on the walls of Churches which is adored of the people Origen We suffer not any to worship Iesus at altars images and temples because it is written Thou shalt haue none other Gods And Epiphanius faith It is against the authoritie of the Scriptures to see the image of Christ or of any Saints hanging in the Church In the seauenth Councill of Constantinople these words of Epiphanius are cited against
his merits is a kind of apprehension And thus we see the kinds of implicite or infolded faith This doctrine is to be learned for two causes first of all it serues to rectifie the consciences of weake ones that they be not deceiued touching their estate For if we thinke that no faith can saue but a full perswaâ—ion such as the faith of Abraham was many truly bearing the name of Christ must be put out of the role of the children of God We are therefore to know that there is a growth in grace as in nature and there be differences and degrees of true faith and the least of them all is this Infolded faith This in effect is the doctrine of M. Caluin that when we begin by faith to know somewhat haue a desire to learne more this may be tearmed an vnexpressed faith Secondly this point of doctrine serues to rectifie and in part to expound sundrie Catechismes in that they seeme to propound faith vnto men at so high a reach as few can attaine vnto it defining it to be a certen and full perswasion of Gods loue and fauour in Christ whereas though euery faith be for his nature a certen perswasion yet onely the strong faith is the full perswasion Therefore faith is not onely in generall tearmes to be defined but also the degrees and measures thereof are to be expounded that weake ones to their comfort may be truly informed of their estate And though we teach there is a kinde of implicite faith which is the beginning of true and liuely faith yet none must hereupon take an occasion to content themselues therewith but labour to increase and goe on from faith to faith and so indeede will euery one doe that hath any beginnings of true faith be they neuer so little And he which thinks he hath a desire to beleeue and contents himselfe therewith hath indeede no true desire to beleeue The difference The pillars of the Romish Church laies downe this ground that faith in his owne nature is not a knowledge of things to be beleeued but a reuerent assent vnto them whether they be knowne or vnknowne Hereupon they build that if a man know some necessarie points of religion as the doctrine of the Godhead of the Trinitie of Christs incarnation and of our redemption c. it is needelesse to know the rest by a particular or distinct knowledge and it sufficeth to giue his consent to the Church and to beleeue as the pastours beleeue Behold a ruinous building vpon a rotten foundation for faith containes a knowledge of things to be beleeued and knowledge is of the nature of faith nothing is beleeued that is not knowne Isai 53.11 The knowledge of my righteous seruant shall iustifie many and Ioh. 17.2 This is eternall life to know the eternall God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. In these places by knowledge is meant faith grounded vpon knowledge whereby we know and are assured that Christ and his benefits belong vnto vs. Secondly this kind of assent is the mother of ignorance For when men shall be taught that for sundrie points of religion they may beleeue as the Church beleeues that the studie of the Scriptures is not to be required of them yea that to their good they may be barred the reading of them so be it they know some principall things contained in the articles of faith that common beleeuers are not bound expressely to beleeue all the articles of the Apostles Creede that it sufficeth them to beleeue the articles by an implicite faith by beleeuing as the Church beleeueth fewe or none will haue care to profit in knowledge And yet Gods commaundement is that we should grow in knowledge and that his word should dwell plenteously in vs Col. 3.16 Againe the Papists say that the deuotion of the ignorant is often seruice better accepted then that which is done vpoÌ„ knowledge Such say they as pray in latin pray with as great consolation of spirit with as little tediousnes with as great deuotion and affection and oftentimes more then the other and alwaies more then any scismaticke or hereticke in his owne language To conclude they teach that some articles of faith are beleeued generally of the whole Church onely by a simple or implicite faith which afterward by the Authoritie of a generall Counsell are propounded to be beleeued of the Church by expresse faith Roffensis against Luther giues an example of this when he confesseth that Purgatorie was litle known at the first but was made knowne partly by Scripture and partly by reuelation in processe of time This implicite faith touching articles of religion we reiect holding that all things concerning faith and manners necessarie to saluation are plainely expressed in Scripture and accordingly to be beleeued The 17. point Of Purgatorie Our consent We hold a Christian Purgatorie according as the word of God hath set downe the same vnto vs. And first of all by this Purgatorie we vnderstand the afflictions of Gods children here on earth Ier. 3. The people afflicted say thou hast sent a fire into our bones Psal. 65.12 We haue gone through water and fire Malach. 3.3 The children of Levi must be purified in a purging fire of affliction 1. Pet. 1.7 Afflictions are called the fiâ—rie triall whereby men are clensed from their corruptions as golde from the drosse by the fire Secondly the blood of Christ is a purgatorie of our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.7 Christs blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes Heb. 9.14 It purgeth our consciences from dead workes And Christ baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with fire because our inward washing is by the blood of Christ and the holy Ghost is as fire to consume and abolish the inward corruption of nature To this effect saith Origen Without doubt we shall feele the vnquenchable fire vnles we shall now intreat the Lord to send downe from heauen a purgatorie fire vnto vs whereby worldly desires may he vtterly consumed in our mindes August Suppose the mercie of God is thy purgatorie The difference or dissent We differ from the Papists touching purgatorie in two things And first of all for the place They hold it to be a part of hell into which an entrance is made onely after this life we for our parts denie it as hauing no waraant in the word of God which mentioneth onely two places for men after this life heauen and hell with the two-fold condition thereof ioy and torment Luk. 16.25 26. Ioh. 3.36 Apoc. 22.14 15. and 21.7,8 Matth. 8.11 Nay we finde the contrarie Reu. 14.13 they that die in the Lord are saide to rest from their lâ—bours which can not be true if any of them goe to purgatorie And to cut off all cauills it is further said their workes that is the reward of their workes follow them euen at the heeles as an Acoluth or seruant doth his master Augustine saith well After this life there remaines no