divine authority of credit sufficient in and of themselves to be beleeved without the testimony or approbation of any man or men If the Scriptures be the Word of God then who dares deny their authority refuse what they command or do what they forbid But the Scriptures are the Word of God For First The pen-men that wrote them were called and sent of God they were assisted of God confirming their doctrine with mighty signs and wonders beyond any humane power or skill and they were inspired of God teaching and writing though themselves simple and unlearned most high and divine mysteries above the reach of any natural wit and such as the very Angels of Heaven desired to look into Secondly The doctrine or matter that is written is 1. Heavenly and divine about heavenly and divine things 2. It is most certain and true all things that were foretold most certainly came to pass and though they were written in several places ages and times by several persons of several arguments yet all the books of holy Scripture from the beginning to the end do most sweetly accord or agree together as the dictates of one and the same Spirit of truth Thirdly The effects of this heavenly doctrine are divine and wonderful as never any writings in the world did produce the like For though it be contrary to humane reason and most cross to our natural lusts and affections yet it works and wins so upon men both powerfully and sweetly that it wooes and weans men not only from the world but also from themselves It discerns the thoughts comforts the heart enlightens the mind convinceth the conscience and makes such a change in the whole man that it makes him a new man transforming and conforming him to the image of God in true holiness all most sure arguments of a divine Spirit Fourthly It hath made a thorough conquest of the whole world by the endeavors of very weak and silly men bringing mighty Nations in obedience unto Christ maugre all opposition that could be made against it a plain demonstration that it is the Word of God and not of man and it hath continued and been preserved even to admiration though a world of counsels have been taken and attempts made to destroy it Fifthly The testimony of the Church in its due place is to be esteemed as not a little moving the consent and confession of Christians in all ages but especially the sufferings of holy Martyrs in defence of the same Sixthly The testimony of the Holy Ghost to our hearts and consciences puts all out of doubt this doth not only perswade but most certainly assure us that the Scriptures are the Word of God it imprints a firm belief of it in our hearts called the sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 Lastly The holy Scriptures give testimony of themselves 2 Tim. 3.16 All the Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And the Prophets always delivered their message with Thus saith the Lord The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Scriptures then are of supream and soveraign authority above the Church and greater then the Church by so much as the authority of God is greater then the authority of men The Scriptures for the matter or substance were before the Church even that immortal seed whereof the Chuâ—ch sprang and grew and is still the ground whereon it stands the pillar whereby it is supported Ephes 2.20 The pillar and ground of the Church is the Scripture Irenaeus l. 3. cont Haer. c. 11. The authority of him that spake it is sufficient to confirm it Theodor. in Ezek. c. 34. The Scripture is to be judg in all matters of concroversie Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Acts 17.11 The men of Berea searched dayly the Scriptures whether those things were so as Paul spake Secondly The Old Testament is not abrogated or grown unprofitable but together with the New is still necessary for our instruction 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture the Old Testament as well as the New is profitable for instruction Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith our Saviour i. the Old Testament for then there was no other Our Saviour spake many things out of the Old Testament to confirm the doctrine of the New therefore it is of as great authority Object But the Law and the Prophets were until John since that time the Kingdom of God is preached Luk. 16.16 Sol. They were until John and then not abrogated but swallowed up of a greater light the Old Testament is the same Gospel that is in the New the same Spirit same Christ Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 Yesterday under the Law to day under the Gospel and the same still The Old and New Testament give mutual light and testimony one to another the one foretelling those things that the other testifies are really and truly come to pass Thirdly The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are perfect and sufficient of themselves without any other help or supply to instruct us in the means of salvation We are forbidden to add to or diminish any thing from it Deut. 12.32 Rev. 22.18 19. And if a part were so perfect that it needed no addition how much more the whole Psa 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Joh. 20.31 These things were written that beleeving we might have life everlasting and what can be desired more 2 Tim. 3.15.17 The Scriptures make us wise unto salvation they make the man of God perfect This perfection of the Scripture excludes tradition For what shall be added to that which is perfect or what supply needs to that which is sufficient of it self Tradition is either written or unwritten 2 Thes 2.15 Written Tradition is the Scripture it self Unwritten Tradition if it be agreeable to the Scripture is included in the same and so to be received as the Scripture it self if it be against or contrary to the Scripture it is to be rejected as the fruit of some lying spirit and not the Spirit of God for as much as that Spirit of truth cannot contradict the written Word whereof himself was the Author Fourthly In all necessary points of faith the Scriptures are plain and easie enough to be understood so that the simple and unlearned may and ought to read them Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a lamp or candle and the Law is light Psa 19.7 8. The testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple the Commandment of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the eyes Psa 119. Thy Word is a lanthorn unto my feet and a light unto my paths And if it be a light it must needs enlighten others and cannot be hid but only to them that are lost not that the Scriptures themselves are hidden dark and obscure but
Serpent through all his turnings and windings from the primitive times to this present to observe the subtile ways and methods he hath used to note by what steps and degrees he hath from time to time insinuated himself into the very bosom of the Church spreading this deadly poyson over all its Members and every point of Doctrine so that the true Religion at this day lays gasping and labouring for life is a work too great for so small a volum The first Instrument he found fit for this purpose was Simon Magus of whom we read Acts 8. how he bewitched the people of Samaria This Sorcerer is the Father of all Hereticks and his Heresie the cursed womb from whence sprang that numerous brood that now covers the face of the earth and hath raised the devil a mighty Kingdom At this day it is divided though not against it self in two main provinces the Mahumetan in the East in the West the Antichristian of the one the Turk is Viceroy of the other the Pope is Vicar Vnder these two Generalissimoes all those enemies of Christ are listed both the enemies of his Person and the enemies of his Office among whom though there be a seeming difference yet indeed there is a secret league like Sampsons Foxes their heads look contrary ways yet they are all Foxes and joyned together by the tails These are the Foxes that spoyl the Lords Vineyard and do more hurt by secret fraud then the wild Boar by open force Baalam a false Prophet did the Israelites more hurt then the Amorites with all their Armies And that Heretick Arrius did the Christian Church more hurt then the Savage Emperours did with all their Legions No marvell then we are so often warned in holy Scripture to beware of these Seducers and false teachers because they creep in unawares Jude 4. They bring in their Heresies privily and insinuate themselves with fained words 1 Pet. 2.1 3. They have a form of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 And with their fair outsides get within us surprise and lead us captive And therefore we had need be very wary and never more need then now for Seducers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 4. They compass Sea and Land they fill Town and Country and not only creep into houses but up into high places so bold they are grown Now as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these resist the truth men of corrupt minds of no judgment concerning the Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 But that they proceed no further here are discovered their Errours that being seen they may be shun'd and avoided And though here be not discovered all which is almost impossible yet here are if I mistake not the principal whereunto the rest are but accessory The end of this small work is to furnish the weaker sort with general answers out of Gods own Word to the Arguments of the Adversaries and with plain Reasons if not sufficient to defeat the enemy yet enough I hope to defend themselves that they may be provided for them whensoever they be encountred by them lest being unprepared at unawares they be led away with the Errour of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 These are the first fruits of a larger harvest if it be accepted being but a handful taken out of a heap Imprimatur James Cranford March 28. 1648. AN ANTIDOTE Against HERESIE CHAP. I. Of the holy Scriptures THe holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the very Word of God Truth written by holy men as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and contain all things that are necessary to be known or beleeved to eternal salvation being sufficient of themselves to instruct the Church or people of God thereunto By holy Scripture we understand only those books that were anciently accounted and are now received by the Church of England for Canonical Adversaries and Errours Errours that oppose this truth are many but may all be reduced to these three heads 1. Are those that enlarge the Canon of holy Scripture adding many things to it that are not of it 2. Are those that diminish the same denying some parts and taking some books from it 3. There be those that refuse and reâ—ect the whole debasing and despising the Authority of the holy Scriptures and esteeming no better of them then of humane writings 1. Of this latter sort were anciently Simon Magus Montanus and such deceivers and they are followed at this day by the Anabaptists who call the written Word a dead letter and ground their new doctrines upon revelations dreams and visions whereunto they give such credit that at Sangal a Town of Switzerland one of them cut of his brothers head pretending a revelation or command from heaven so to do Sleidan Comment l. 6. By this art Mahomet brought his damnable religion in credit with the world for having the falling sickness he pretended it was a trance wherein he received revelations frâ—m heaven and by the same art Muncer Becold Cnipperdolling and other false Prophets of the Anabaptists in Germany seduced a world of poor miserable people to their own destruction The Papists say the Scriptures are of no more credit and authority then meer Fables without the Testimony and approbation of the Church and take them quite away from the reading of Lay-people as dangerous and hurtful and have burnt not only the books of Scripture but bodies of men too for having them in a known tongue such bitter enemies they are to the Word of God 2. There be others that deny not the whole but diminish only the Canon of holy Scripture refusing some parts and rejecting some books 1. The whole New-Testament as the Jews do Or 2. all the Old Testament as the new Libertines do who affirm it is abrogated the Socinians who say it is unnecessary and may well be spared 3. And there be others that enlarge the Canon of holy Scripture adding many things to it that are not of it so the Papists do not only traditions or unwritten verities as they call them but fabulous legends also and written lyes upon a pretence of want and defect in the Scriptures as not containing all truths necessary to salvation nor sufficient to instruct us thereunto without a supply of Apochryphal books traditions and divers humane inventions Antidote The Scriptures are the only touchstone to try and discern Truth from Error by and are called a Testament because they are testis mentis the witness of Gods most holy will against all adversaries then and their errours we affirm First that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the very Word of God of sufficient authority and credit without the Church or any humane testimony to establish any point of doctrine and decide any controversie of Religion For such as the authority of the author of any writing is such is the authority of the writing it self but God is the Author of holy Scripture therefore the Scriptures are of
be saved then he hath nothing to glory of but the riches of Gods mercy and he that is damned hath nothing to complain of but the merit of his own sin Object Some call this a licentious doctrine and say it ought not to be publisht because it overthrows all endeavours unto holiness and makes men loose in their lives or drives them to despair Sol. The preaching of Gods grace for the comfort of the godly must not be silenced because the ungodly turn it into wantoness But this doctrine may comfort and confirm many it can stumble none none can presume neither need any to despair that will but consider that God hath ordained the means as well as the end Some are ordained unto life eternal but without holiness we shall never see God Heb. 12.14 This cannot make us slothful or careless but more diligent and studious of good works that by such evidences we may make our calling and election sure sure unto our own consciences which before was sure enough in Gods eternal Counsel Some be ordained to destruction but yet none shall be damned but for sin this cannot make any careless but more careful to fly sin and be studious of good works which are not the cause but yet the way to salvation which God hath prepared for us to walk in Ephes 2.10 And so long as God affords the means of salvation offering Christ dayly unto us in his Word and Sacraments no man that waits upon the means hath any cause to despair But doest thou find the signs of election in thy self praise God for them Doest thou not find them in another pray to God for him Doest thou find them in thy self be thankful Doest thou not find them in another yet be charitable and hope still that God who cals at all hours may have an hour yet for thy neighbor as he had for thee Shun all curiosity and let these be the uses you make of this doctrine CHAP. XII Of Vocation Truth AND whom he did predestinate them he also called not only outwardly by the preaching of his holy Word but inwardly also and effectually by the operation of his holy Spirit powerfully working with the Word and winning their hearts to cleave uâ—to him inseparably to salvation Errours This is the second link of that golden chain of salvation that divers Adversaries both of former and latter times have laboured to break asunder They are of three sorts 1. Those that condemn the outward Ministry of the Word as vain and unprofitable So the Anabaptists Gaspar Swenckfeldius and his followers who affirm That men are called and faith is given not by means of the Word but by illumination and immediate working of the Spirit and being wholly intent upon Speculations and Revelations they imagine that God doth reveal his Will unto them in dreams and visions By this device many lewd impostours have risen and abused the world with their lies as Mahomet and Muncer did and in the primitive times Simon Magus Cerinthus Montanus with their harlots who under the name of visions and dreams did broach and vent their own monstrous dotages The grossest Errours that are now in Popery as Purgatory c. were first founded and confirmed by visions and dreams and by the same means the Father of lyes and spirit of Errour hath prevailed so far in the Church as we see at this day such strange and monstrous ways men presently fall into when once they depart from the light of Gods known Word 2. A second sort there be that do not indeed condemn the outward Ministry of the Word but yet esteem very meanly of preaching and expounding the same thinking and affirming That bare reading the Scriptures to the people is sufficient for edifying them unto salvation and that much or frequent preaching is not only not necessary but hurtful This opinion was if it be not still very currant with many both Ministers and other people and was mightily confirmed in their minds not by the connivence only but also ill example and practise of the Bishops themselves who as if preaching were no part of their office or derogatory to their high dignity did most of them most shamefully cast it quite off though indeed it would have been their greatest glory and therefore now God hath justly covered them with shame for it and poured contempt upon them 3. The last and worst sort are those enemies of grace and patrons of freewil the Pelagians Papists Arminians c. who to maintain the pride of nature deny the power of grace and to make good their former doctrine of freewil have brought these seconds into the field Viz. 1. That the grace of Vocation is nothing else but a moral swasion or probable inclination of the will which the outward preaching of the Word mâ—y effect denying the powerful operation of the Spirit inwardly working upon the same 2. That sufficient grace to beleeve and be converted is offered and given to all in the Gospeâ— preached and that with a serious intention in God to save all but the Reason why one receiveth grace another receiveth it not one believeth and is converted another is not is only in mans freewil in whose power it is to receive and obey or refuse and resist the offers and operations of grace 3. That grace when it is gotten may be utterly lost again faith quite cut off and the like The outward voyce or preaching of the Word is not of force or efficacy sufficient to beget faith in a man Antidote and turn him unto God without the inward working teaching and calling of the Holy Ghost But yet for all that since the word hath been committed to writing the written Word and preaching thereof is the only outward and ordinary means ordained of God to beget faith in us and bring us to the knowledg and obedience of Jesus Christ Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Acts 10.44 The Holy Ghost fell upon them that heard the Word And this was the Scripture or written Word Luke 4.16 Our Saviour himself took the book of Esaias and preacht the Scripture Acts 8.35 Philip preacht the Scripture to the Eunuch Acts 17.2 Paul reasoned out of the Scriptures It is evident that all Churches both Jewish and Christian used always to preach and hear the Scriptures for their edification Nehem. 8.9 Acts 15.26 13.15 It is given Timothy as a commendation that he knew the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.15 And it is called the Word of Grace Rom. 10.8 The Word of Faith Act. 20.32 because it is a means to convey both unto us In times past indeed God was pleased to make his Will known unto his Servants the Prophets and by them to the people divers ways and after divers manners as by Dreams Visions Oracles Vrim and Thummim But in these last days he hath spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1.1 who coming from the bosom of his Father hath revealed all
AN ANTIDOTE Against HERESY OR A Preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Arminians c. and their pestilent Errours Shewing the Authors of those Errours their grounds and reasons the time when and occasion how they did arise with general Answers to their Arguments taken out of holy Scripture and the Ancient Fathers Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy By RICHARD ALLEN M. A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke Colledge in Oxford Pro. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not London Printed by John Macock and are to be sold by Nathaniel Brooks at the sign of the Angel in Cornhil TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace be multiplyed Right Honorable DIfferences in the Church have always caused differences in the Commonwealth and differences in the Commonwelth do commonly widen those differences in the Church Differences in Religion did cause these unhappy and unnatural Wars and these Wars have not ended but encreased them For notwithstanding the Solemn League and Covenant to extirpate all Popery Heresie Schism c. and in pursuance thereof your late pious Ordinance to stop their farther growth besides the excellent labours of many learned men yet Heresies are encreased above number like the unruly waters the more they are stopt the more they rage and swell And indeed Heresie Prophaness Barbarism and Atheism it self have always and in all places followed war as close as famine or pestilence do times of war and confusion being as fit times for the envious man to sow his tares in as times of peace sleep or security And now for composing these differences The Italians in a proverbial speech use to say that Hard to Hard never makes good stone-wall Meaning that in any difference there must be some yeelding or else there can never be any firm uniting In matters of Religion I have vâ—ntured to do something my calling thereunto engaging me with extream longings to see peace and truth settled amongst us These poor labors I humbly present unto your Honors hoping your Honors will take in good part what is intended to a good end though perhaps it may come much short of it and accept the work though small seeing the smallest stone will help to repair the greatest breach Your Honors humbly devoted RICHARD ALLEN monster that neither of the Swords yet could tame or cut off But when I heard the most horrid Blasphemies and saw the monstrous Heresies that every day new-sprang up to the high dishonor and displeasure of Almighty God the reproach of his truth saddening the hearts and dejecting the minds of his people the enemy in mean space riding in triumph and treading down all before him Setting aside all doubts and fears at last I finisht and publisht this small book partly inclined thereunto to yeeld some account of my late unpleasing leisure but chiefly for discharge of my duty and a double engagement that lay upon me 1. As a Christian being all bound as the Apostle exhorts us Jude 3. To contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints 2. As a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we are bound more specially to defend and not to give place to false teachers No not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue Gal. 2.5 Besides the solemn Covenant to extirpate all Heresie Schism and Prophaness and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine And now right worshipful I present you with it such as it is being engaged also thereunto by the many favors and kindnesses I have received of you whereof be pleased to tak this as an acknowledgment I hope it may prove some help to discover the manifold sleights and impostures of false Prophets and Deceivers that are entered into the world that privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And many follow their pernicious ways but my prayers are always for you that yee may ever escape their snares Your Worships much obliged Nephew Richard Allen. A TABLE OF THE HEADS OR CHAPTERS Chap. I. OF the holy Scripture Page 1. Chap. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Page 14. Chap. III. Of the Creation Page 26. Chap. IV. Of Providence Page 29. Chap. V. Of the Fall of Man and Original Sin Page 35. Chap. VI. Of Freewil Page 40. Chap. VII Of the Person of Christ Page 44 Chap. VIII Of the Office of Christ Page 48 Chap. IX Of the Death of Christ Page 50 Chap. X. Of the Resurrection of Christ Page 54 Chap. XI Of Predestination Page 56 Chap. XII Of Vocation Page 64 Chap. XIII Of Justification Page 73 Chap. XIV Of Sanctification Page 78 Chap. XV. Of the Moral Law Page 84 Chap. XVI Of Good Works Page 87 Chap. XVII Of Death and Burial Page 90 Chap. XVIII Of the Resurrection of the flesh Page 94 Chap. XIX Of Glorification in Heaven Page 96 Chap. XX. Of Hell Page 98 Chap. XXI Of Purgatory Page 99 Chap. XXII Of Images Page 102 Chap. XXIII Of the Church Page 106 Chap. XXIV Of the Sacraments Page 115 Chap. XXV Of Baptism Page 119 Chap. XXVI Of the Lords Supper Page 126 Chap. XXVII Of Reformation Page 134 Chap. XXVIII Of Toleration Page 143 The Preface GOD never wrought miracle to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it For the Invisible things of him even his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by the works of the Creation Rom. 1.20 And indeed never any people was heard of so barbarous but did acknowledg a God and though otherwise rude and voyd of all civility yet did profess and practise some Religion The very nature of man it self so far abhors direct Atheism that the Heathen made them Gods of wood and stone rather then have none at all and gave Divine Honours not to men only like themselves but even to base and vile creatures rather then be without a Religion The Devil then not able to root up this perswasion of a Deity so deeply and strongly fastened in the hearts of all men by nature from Atheism he turned to Heathenism from denying to multiplying the heavenly Deity and with a multitude of false Gods abused the world almost 4000. years But When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son a light to lighten the Gentiles who with the beams of his glorious truth so scattered this universal fog of Paganism that those lying vanities were shortly discovered mens consciences convinced of their former gross ignorance and turned from dead Idols to serve the living God And now this old Serpent is put to a new shift which the Father of lies was not long to seek of but driven from Heathenism betakes himself to Heresie for the worship of false Gods setting up false worships of the true God wherein he multiplied so exceedingly that now there are as many false worships as before were false Gods To trace this crookeâ—
the god of this world hath blinded Their eyes c. 2 Cor. 4.3 The end of the Scriptures is the instruction of the Church Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written were written for our learning and one necessary mean to attain this end is the perspicuity and plainness of the Scripture for if it were dark or doubtful how should it instruct us In vain is it called a Light if it be dark in it self and to no purpose are we sent to learn it if it be so to us The Scriptures are an instrument to beget Faith Joh. 20.31 Rom. 10.17 And the first step or degree of faith is knowledg which the Scriptures could not beget if they were dark difficult or obscure Object But S. Peter says there are many things in S. Pauls Epistles hard to be understood which unlearned men wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Sol. If any thing be hard in one place either it is such as the ignorance thereof will not hazard our salvation or else it is explained and made easie in another place And by unlearned men the Apostle understand not men wanting humane learning as the liberal arts and sciences c. but men unlearned in the Scriptures themselves such as most times the learned and wise men of the world are For it is known that men otherwise unlearned simple aâ—d ignorant coming in humility the fear of God and love of truth using prayer reading comparing of Scriptures c. have attained unto a sufficient measure of saving knowledg For the Scriptures discover themselves by their own proper light one place expounding and opening the meaning of another August de Doct. Christ .l 2. c. 2.9.24 all things are seen by the light but light by it self Lastly Those books that we commonly call Apocrypha are not of divine authority because they were not written by the Prophets or men divinely inspired as the other Scriptures were that are therefore called the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 12.26 Our Saviour divides all Canonical Scripture into Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.29 But none of those books were written by Moses or any of the Prophets nor dictated by the Spirit of God but savour of a prophane and lying spirit as containing matter and stories both vain foolish and fabulous very often contradicting themselves and also the known Word of God as in the books of Tobit and the Maccabees the Stories of Bell and the Dragon are specially to be found The Jews received none of those books in their Canon neither by any of the primitive Christians or ancient Fathers were accounted for Canonical and what account the learned Papists themselves make of them may appear by Arias Montanus who in the front of his Bible hath these words There be added in this Edition the books written in Greek which the Catholick Church following the Canon of the Hebrew reckoneth amongst the Apocrypha CHAP. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Truth THere is but one living and true God everlasting and in the unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Errours This one point of Christian Religion is the very basis or foundation of all the rest and if this be shaken the rest must needs totter and fall to the ground and therefore the devil hath raised up such furious adversaries to oppugn it with strange and monstrous blasphemies as of old did Simon Magus Cerinthus Ebion Manes a Persian a man according to his name furious and mad and such like at this day the adversaries to this doctrine of the Trinity are all the enemies of Christ and his divinity as the unbeleeving Jews all Mahometans Turks Moors and such miscreants among Christians only such as have suckt their principles from the schools of those Infidels They stand marshalled all in two Regiments 1. The first is of those that deny all distinction of persons in the Godhead making the Father Son and Holy Ghost but several names only of one and the same person in regard of some distinct actions or offices This Heresie was commonly ascribed to Sabellius but Noetus a disciple of Montanus hatcht it and Simon Magus layd the egg long before at this day it is revived by one M. Erbury a late Chaplain of the Army who taught That there is but one person in the Godhead and when we read of the Father Son and Holy Ghost we must not take them for so many distinct persons but only as so many appearances of God unto men And truly if M. Erbury had been that Sorcerers own disciple he could not have devised a doctrine more like his as it is recorded by St. Augustin lib. de Haeres ad Quodvultdeum cap. 1. There be others that admit a distinction of these 3 persons but deny the equality of them That the Son and Holy Ghost are not God equal with the Father of one substance and eternity with the Father This was the Heresie of Arius whose chief undertaking was against the Son of God and his eternal generation and of Macedonius who denyed the Godhead of the holy Ghost They are both revived at this day among us that of Macedonius by one M. Biddle who not questioning the Godhead of the Son a point as he professeth wherein he is not yet so well resolved denies only the Godhead of the holy Ghost granting no more but that he is an excellent creature and chief of all the ministring spirits One M. Best not fearing that fearful judgment that befel Arius who burst asunder in the midst like Judas the traitor that his bowels gushed out hath notwithstanding revived his Heresie and in these times of general and desperate Apostacy hath found many favorors and followers Now the fountain of all these impure waters was Simon Magus an impious sorcerer and the conduit that conveyed them to our times almost was Mahomet an impudent impostour For about the year 630. or as others please 670. that vile and lewd Arabian began his cursed book called the Alcoran and therein amongst a multitude of other impure follies impious fables and lyes he raked also together coÌ„mended to his barbarous followers all those Heresies and Blasphemies against the Trinity Out of this filthy puddle Michael Servertus a Spaniard a man better read in Mahomets cursed Law then in the holy Gospel of Jesus Christ suckt his Heresie about the year 1530. for denying the eternal Son of God he was burnt at Geneva and out of his ashes arose that monster Socinus But to pass by particular persons the first Country that made defection from this truth was Transylvania a Country bordering upon the Turks from whom they received this point of their Religion for to gratifie or comply with those barbarous neighbours they abjured their Faith in the holy Trinity about the year 1593. denying the Son and holy Ghost the contagion of this pest is now spread into most places of Christendom The devil hath devised
There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not as is evident by the confessions and examples of holy men of God Noah Gen. 9.21 Abraham Gen. 20.2 Lot Gen. 19.33 David 2 Sam. 11. Paul Rom. 7. and Peter denyed his Master Christ Mat. 26. The Perfectists themselves have enough in themselves to convince them of their folly as pride envy malice c. being subject to sickness death c. which are the wages of sin and therefore they are not without sin Object Our Saviour exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5 Sol. There is a pattern proposed unto us to imitate and follow not to match equal or overtake which cannot be As noteth the quality not equality Object 1 John 3. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not Sol. The same Apostle says If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves We sin then i. sins of infirmity and we do not sin i. we do not fall back into the service and dominion of sin finally or totally There is a perfection 1. Of degrees and stands opposed to imperfection 2. Of parts and stands opposed to hypocrisy This latter we may have i. be sincere and upright not the former i. be free from all sin defect or imperfection Many men in Scripture are called righteous just perfect not because they were without all vice but because they had many vertues Hieronym For otherwise Noah was drunk David committed Adultery c. Thirdly The righteousness whereby we are justified is inherent in Christ for us that whereby we are sanctified is inherent in our selves from Christ that is in us only by imputation this also by infusion and real Communication by that we are freed from the guilt by this from the pollution of sin that is done al at once this by degrees 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the grace that is in thee 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you c. the Righteousness then of Sanctification is subjectively in us Fourthly Our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification Rom. 8.1 1 John 3.10 14. Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Lastly God doth see sin in his dearest Saints as in the example of David who also confesseth the same was punisht and prayed for pardon 2 Sam. 12.10 Psalm 51. If God did not see sin in him how did he send Nathan to reprove him for it why did he punish him for it Our Saviour teaches us to pray for pardon of sins Mat. 6.12 The Apostle 1 John 1. to confess our sins And Mat. 28. Peter wept bitterly for his sin We ought to sorrow for sin and renew our souls dayly by repentance CHAP. XV. Of the Moral Law Truth CHrist hath delivered us from the rigour and curse of the Law not from all obedience unto it but that it still remains a rule of life unto us Errours Antinomians or Adversaries to this truth because it is said We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 And that the Law is not made for the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 hold That the Moral Law ought to be cast quite out of the Church that we be no more troubled or our Consciences terrified with the preaching thereof but that we be gently exhorted by the preaching of the Grace of Christ That the Law and Christ are two contrary things whereof one cannot abide the other That it is of no use to a Beleever no rule for him to walk or examine his life by Antidote Christ is the end of the Law finis perficiens not interficiens August A consummating not consuming end not destroying but fulfilling the same So our Saviour himself says Mat. 5.17 19. I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but fulfil Whosoever therefore shall break the least of these Commandments and teach men so c. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voyd the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping the Commandments of God We are not under the Law but under Grace not under the Law as a Tyrant but now as a Father being freed from the curse and rigour of it not obedience unto it which we yeeld now not of compulsion or fear but love with all cheerfulness and willingness our hearts being enclined and disposed thereunto by the work of Gods Spirit 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and so the Law unto the Regenerate becomes as it were Gospel even a Law of liberty The Use of the Law is two-fold 1. Civil to punish and restrain sin 2. Spiritual to reveal it Luther in Galat. In the first regard it is not given to the righteous because good men are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 The most proper and principal Use of the Law is to reveal sin and so the Law is light not to discover grace and life this is the office of the Gospel but to discover sin and death therein as in a glass we may see our own blindness c. For our natures are so corrupt that we should not know they were corrupt but by the Law Rom. 7.7 The Law then serves to humble us and drive us unto Christ to make us know sin and so know our selves and so renounce our selves and fly unto Christ And so the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. And Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeves Rom. 10. because the end of the Law is perfect Righteousness which we cannot attain of our selves but by Christ who hath fulfilled the same for us And when the Law hath brought us unto Christ it goeth no farther the coactive power of it ceaseth but not the directive it is still a guide and rule of life unto us which we follow not to seek Righteousness to our selves but to testify our thankfulness unto God we endeavour to keep the Law not to justify our selves but to glorify God and edify our neighbour by our good example And therefore we are still exhorted to do the works of the Law though we shall not be justified by the same CHAP. XVI Of good works ALthough we are justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemptioâ— that is in Jesus Christ. Rom. 3. Truth yet we ought still to maintain good works 1. Out of thankfulness unto God for so great a benefit and to glorify his name 2. To assure our selves of the truth of our faith by the fruits thereof 3. To edify win and provoke others also by our good example Adversaries are 1. The Papists Errours who think good works are meritorious and so overvalue them 2 The Libertines that undervalve them and think they are repugnant and contrary unto faith that understand our liberty that
we have in Christ carnally thinking that now we are freed from all care of good works and may follow what course we please Antidote That we ought to follow good works for the Reasons before named is evident by those places of Scripture Ephes 2.10 We are created unto good works that God hath prepared for us that we should walk in them Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might purifie unto himself a people zealous of good works 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 We shall be judged at the last day according to our works therefore look to your works So 1 Pet. 2.12 2 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.5 Heb. 10.24 2 Cor. 9.2.3 And our best works have not that worthiness in them to deserve at Gods hand 1. Because they are imperfect Isai 64.6 They are a debt that we owe unto God Luke 17.10 When you have done all you can or are commanded to do say you are unprofitable servants for we do but our duty we must do them to serve not deserve 3. If they were perfect yet they are Gods not ours Phil. 2.13 He worketh in us both the will and the deed Joh. 15. Without me ye can do nothing 4. If we ascribe merit to our works we make the death and merits of Christ either unnecessary or insufficient Object But eternal life is called a reward Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 et 22.12 Sol. There is a reward of debt and a reward of grace it is the Apostles own distinction Rom. 4.4 Heaven and eternal life is a reward of grace not of debt God hath made himself a debter to us not by receiving any thing from us but by promising all things to us August in Psalm 132.2 It is said we shall be rewarded not for but according to our works the merit of works is plainly set aside and when God doth crown our works he doth but crown his own gifts August Enarr in Psalm 102.3 The Apostle calls the reward of sin wages because it is of due debt but eternal life he calls a gift because it is not of debt but grace Rom. 6.23 4. The Kingdom of Heaven is called not the wages of servants but the inheritance of Saints or those whom God hath chosen for his children 5. The good man of the house i. Christ Mat. 20. payed at night all his labourers equal wages to shew that they received a gift of grace not a reward of works CHAP. XVII Of Death and Burial Truth THere is no man living that shal not see death for our life is but a race that will come to an end and when we have finisht our course here our body shall turn to dust in the earth and our soul return to God that gave it Errours Enemies to this truth were 1. The old Hereticks called Nazarens affirming That the soul of man and the soul of a beast were both of a like nature and substance from whence sprang up those Hereticks in Arabia the stony called therefore Arabici who affirmed That the soul of man dyes with the body even as the soul of a bruit beast doth 2. Others affirmed That the soul did not dye but sleep in the grave untill the day of Judgment Both these Errours are revived at this day by those that affirm The whole man is mortal And books are written of the mortality of the soul Pope John the 23. was of this opinion That the soul should not see God till the day of Judgment 3. Familists say They ought not to bury the dead because it is said let the dead bury the dead 4. And those are greatly to be blamed that despise Christian buriall and though not guilty of Heresie yet of inhumanity that expose their dead friends undecently or irreverently 5. The Papists account burial of the dead a meritorious work borrowing their authority from the book of Tobit The Reason why the Arabians were so easily taken with this Errour of the souls mortality was because they were Antidote and are at this day a very lewd dissolute and theevish people and this doctrine doth fit such peoples turn very well and the same may be the Reason it is received by many at this day happy were it for them if the soul dye or if it but sleep till the day of Judgment it cannot but be a little refreshing to the thoughts of wicked men that seeing their life so uncertain yet they shall not go presently into torment But Eccles 3.19 20. is to be understood of the state of the body after death for of the soul it is said v. 21. That the soul of man goes upward and the soul of a beast goes downward towards the earth Eccl. 12.7 The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return to God that gave it Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise That answer of our Saviour to the Sadducees Mat 22.32 puts the Adversary to silence for God is not the God of the dead but of the living Lastly The exceeding joys and hopes of good men and the fears and terrours of wicked men at their departures are sufficient Arguments that the soul sleeps not but goes presently to a place of joy or sorrow whereof the soul hath some secret inklings instinct or divine assurance and whereunto those hopes and fears seem to invite or usher it Secondly After the departure of the soul the body ought to be carryed to the grave and layed up in decent burial if not out of any regard to the party deceased yet out of reverence to the common nature of mankind or of pure shame of that frailty weakness and deformity that our selves are subject to The holy Patriarks and all Gods people of old were very careful of their Sepulchers or burying places as you may read and the Jews used many Ceremonies of comliness at their burials not out of any superstition but in a godly consideration of the Resurrection in the hope whereof those Ceremonies did seem to confirm them and as that doctrine grew clearer so these Ceremonies grew fewer as Tabitha her body was only washed Acts 9.37 And therefore we condemn those numerous superstitious and impious Ceremonies used by the Papists at their burials but yet still we should consider that the dead bodies of our godly and Christian friends are precious things and were the Members of Christ Temples of the Holy Ghost and shall at the last day be raised again and made like unto Christs glorious body in hope whereof in mean space we should lay them up with decency and reverence It is no matter to the dead but 1. It is an honor done to the common nature of mankind 2. A comfort to surviving friends 3. Many ways useful to all that are present CHAP. XVIII Of the Resurrection Truth ALthough our bodies when we are dead shall be turned to dust and ashes yet at the last day they shall be raised again