Lo saith he how from those which he would haue esteemed the lesser he ascendeth to those whom he would haue esteemed the greater Answ 1. The mans wit went a grazing when he wrote this For if he so conclude from the order then Paul must be inferiour to Apollos when Paul was an Apostle and a Planter but Apollos no Apostle and onely a waterer 1. Cor. 3. 6. 2. In Mat. 10. 2. he would haue Peter the chiefe because hee was named first now here the chiefe because hee is named in a third place Saint Paul Gal. 2. 9. puts him in the second place betweene two and will not they hold him the chiefe for this too Doth not vertue consist in the midst for put him in the first place as in Mat. 10. in the third place as in 1. Cor. 3. 4 22. or in the second as in Gal. 2. 9. its with them a profound Reason to make him alwayes the chiefe for he may take what place he listeth Deepe Diuinitie and an inuincible Reason Though Saint Paul in Gal. 2. takes himselfe to be nothing inferiour to him or to other which seemed to bee Pillars and was inferiour to none of the great Apostles 1. Cor. 11. 5. 12. 11. vpon this Text Chrysostome shewes that S. Paul compared himselfe with the Apostles euen with Peter and the rest Luk. 22. 31. And the Lord said Simon c. When thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Answ This place proueth not any Headship ouer the Apostles First hee is called Simon by his common name and not Peter which our Aduersaries stand vpon and make their chiefe argument Secondly this place is to forewarne him of his fearfull temptation and so of his fall thereby the vtter peril wherof he should escape not by himselfe or his owne power and grace but by Christs mediation What is this to haue a Headship Thirdly it teacheth him a duty when hee should be conuerted and be recouered from vnder the fall that hee should confirme others If by confirming the Gagger will hence conclude the practice and exercise of greatnesse ouer the Apostles then Saint Paul and Barnabas had this greatnesse too For they did confirme others Act. 14. 21. and Paul and Silas Act. 15. 41. 1. Thes 3. 2. yea it is a common Duty of euery Pastor Is euery one that confirmeth made thereby a Superiour in Rule and Gouernment Then a Priest confirming his Soueraigne is his Superiour And by this Saint Paul was Peters Superiour for he brought Peter backe from his by-path both by reproofe and publike teaching of the truth and so confirmed him who for feare did before goe astray Gal. 2. 11 17. Fourthly the Lord Iesus if they will here vnderstand the Apostles calleth them Simons Brethren and so giueth them equalitie Lastly where are the Gaggers expresse words for Peters Headship out of this place Is it in strengthening A poore strength to support such a Babylonish Tower Luk. 22. 26. He that is greatest among you let him be yonger and he that is Chiefe as he that doth serue Answ 1. The words in the beginning of this verse are against Chiefety for it is said It shall not be so with you when they were at strife for Superioritie Secondly the meaning of the Greatest and Chiefe on which the Gagger doth fasten his teeth doth not imply as hee pretendeth any Chiefety among them but Christ speaketh according to their aspiring minds not of them as any of them were but as some of them desired to be as is cleare by the speech and Petition of the Mother of Zebedees children Mat. 20. 20 27. Thirdly the occasion and the very scope of the place is against all Superioritie in the Apostles Fourthly it cannot be shewed that any of them all did either claime or practise any superioritie or taught in their writings any such thing Fiftly they did striue verse 24. for superioritie which of them should seeme the greater As yet therefore there was no such greatnesse settled among them 6. If any such thing had beene or had beene intended by Christ to be conferred vpon Peter he had vpon this iust occasion to haue decided the Controuersie as surely he would haue done in Peters behalfe in a matter of so great consequence as our Aduersaries make it as he did in the behalfe of Moses and Aaron to appease the contention against them Num. 16. 17. 10. But Christ telleth them all that no such thing should be among them in this text and giueth the rest authoritie to pull downe the spirit of him that would seeke to be Chiefe to make him as a Seruant as is euident in the words of the text Therefore here is nothing for any authoritie in Peter Nor indeed in any other Scripture XIX Proposition That S. Peter was Head of the Church THough the former Position ouerthrowne sufficiently confuteth this for if Peter be not Superiour ouer the Apostles who were the principall members of the Church he cannot be the Head of the Church yet seeing this Headship ouer the Church is so stiffely stood in I thought good to handle it also distinctly from the rest for more euidence of the truth to common Christians Confuted by their owne Bible I. By appropriation it giueth the title of Head of the Church onely to Christ Ephes 1. 22. 4. 15. 5. 23. Col. 1. 18. And no where doth it make a man the Head of the Church neither Peter nor any other either expressely or by any necessarie consequent II. It calleth the Church the bodie of Christ 1. Cor. 12. 27. Ephes 4. 12. 6. 23. No where is it called the body of S. Peter III. It telleth vs that Saint Peter himselfe giueth to Christ Headship Principalitie and Chieftie and to none other for he calleth him the Prince of Pastors 1. Pet. 5. 4. the Pastor and Bishop of our soules 1. Pet. 2. 25. as he is also called the high Priest of our confession Heb. 3. 1. IV. The Apostles did not know or acknowledge any such Primacy or Headship in Peter For first they sent Peter and Iohn to Samaria Act. 8. 14. which they neither would nor could haue done had he been their Gouernour and Head indeed Secondly Iames in the Councell at Ierusalem tooke no notice of Peters supremacy for Iames did then call him Simon his name before he was an Apostle without any title of preeminencie Acts 15. 14. Hee also said I iudge which word Peter there vsed not vers 19. to whose sentence and iudgement Peter and all the Apostles and Ancients did subscribe vers 22. Thirdly none of the other Apostles then did acknowledge any Headship in Peter for the Decree of the Councell went out vnder the conioynt authoritie of all without speciall mentioning of Peter Act. 15. 23. and 16. 4. Fourthly Saint Paul knew of no such Chieftie in Peter for first when he doth mention any word tending to set out any greatnesse in the Apostles hee applyeth it not singularly as to
praying to Angels answered 187. Saints pag. 189. Scriptures obiected 1. That Angels pray in particular for vs. p. 129. answered 2. That Saints departed know what is here done on earth p. 194. 3. That the Saints departed doe pray for vs particularly p. 179. 4. That we may pray to haue our petitions granted in fauour merits of the Saints departed p. 201. 26. That Confession commonly called Auricular or Sacramentall is of necessity p. 203. 27. That there is a place commonly called Purgatory into which soules after the dissolution of the body doe goe wherein as in a prison such as here haue not satisfied by temporall paine due for sinnes do make satisfaction in suffering hellish torment it is vncertaine how long p. 211. 28. That good workes do merit and are the cause of our saluation p. 231. Of free will and the strength thereof p. 245. 29. That mans will hath a naturall power in it selfe co-working with Gods grace in the very first instant act of a sinners Conuersion to which actiuity of the will such conuersion in part is to be attributed p. 247. 30. That some sinnes are in their owne nature veniall and doe not deserue eternall punishment p. 259. Of keeping Gods Commandements p. 269. 31. That a regenerate man by assistance of Gods grace is able to keepe all and euery Commandement of God in euery part at all times in thought word and deede perfectly as God in his Law requireth of him p. 270. Scriptures obiected for works of supererogation answered p. 279. Of Iustification by Faith only p. 284. 32. That a man is not iustified before God by faith onely p. 286. 33. That no true beleeuer particularly can in this life be certaine of his saluation without a miracle or extraordinary reuelation p. 293. That the faith of the Elect once had cannot be vtterly lost p. 310. Places of Scripture obiected that Iustifying faith once had may be lost a true beleeuer finally perish And therefore no certaine assurance of saluation The same places answered p. 317. CERTAINE POSITIONS CONCERNING THE RVLE OF FAITH as a Preface before the handling of the ensuing questions betweene vs and our Aduersaries the Papists I. Position There is one and but one onely rule of our Christian faith THis euen their owne Bible of Doway and Rhemes teacheth it doth not make mention of rules but speakes euer singularly as of one rule Rom. 12. 6. Gal. 6. 16. and of the same rule Phil. 3. 16. Seeing also that there is but one God one Lord one Spirit one body or Church one Faith one Hope one Baptisme Ephes 4. 4 5. 1. Cor. 12. 4 5 6. how can there be more then one Rule The ancient Fathers speake of no more then one as afterwards shall be shewed And reason may tell vs that a competent rule can be but only one to that whereof it is a rule the same also an entire and perfect rule and not partiall or a rule onely in part For if the rule be not one but two for one and the same thing then they must either agree and so are they but one entire or else they differ if so in any thing then cannot they be both rules for one and the same thing For then res regulata the thing ruled must differ from it selfe in being framed to the difference of the rules betweene themselues now the rules disagreeing what can accord them or what can they agreeingly measure when they are themselues at odds If any one say that the one may be a rule to the other then there should be a rule of a rule and so run in infinitum whereof there is no certain knowledge and so no sure rule for any thing If it be granted as needs it must that a rule is onely one and that there cannot be either two rules for one thing or a rule of a rule yet perhaps it will be said that one and the same rule may haue two parts whereof neither part is a perfit rule of it selfe but both together make a full rule But this cannot be For if it bee a rule in part then is it imperfect and needs a supply but an imperfit rule there is not be it neuer so short For suppose an inch or an halfe inch rule yet is it as true as full and as perfit a rule as truly measuring that to which it is laid as the rule of an ell long though it cannot measure so much at once Therefore say the learned that a rule is a â—avâ—â—us Theo pâ—â—lact in Phil. cap. 3. Phocius apud Occumâ—n in ◠〈◊〉 3. measure which doth not deceiue which admitteth neither of addition or detraction neither of putting to nor taking from For put any thing saith another to a rule or take from it the rule is corrupted and is denied indeed to be a rule As for the parts of the same rule if any such were these parts must agree in euery thing and if they doe so then is either part the other fully and so the one of them sufficient and the other superfluous or if they agree not how can they be one rule for the same thing which of them can giue the euen measure Neither of them indeede by reason of their disagreement The deuice therefore of a rule in part is absurd and vnreasonable A piece of a rule is not a rule and a rule if it be at all a rule must be one and the same euer infallible in it selfe which if the ignorant doe handle vntowardly the fault is in the men and not in the measure II. Position This one Rule of our faith is onely Gods Word 1. FOr by the Word of God commeth faith Rom. 10. 14. in that respect it is called the Word of faith which the Apostles preached Rom. 10. 8. Now without the Word of God no faith no pleasing of God Heb. 11. 6. and so no true Religion therefore must it needs be the ground and rule thereof and â—i 3. ca. 10. de Verbo Dei Bellarmine saith that the Word of God is the first foundation of our faith 2. We are commanded of God to doe as he commandeth Deut. 5. 32 33. and 12. 32. Numb 15. 39 40. Ezech. 20. 19. Iosh 1. 7. Prou. 4. 2. and that we may know how strictly we are tyed to this Word wee are charged not to adde to it Deut. 12. 32. and 28. 14. nor to take from it Deut. 4. 2. Iosh 1. 7 Reuel 22. 18. lest that God reprooue vs and we be found liers Prou. 3. 6. neither are we to turne aside from it either to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5. 32. and when at any time we are in danger of turning aside this must bee our director to preserue vs from erring Isai 30. 31. 3. God from heauen hath said of Iesus Christ his Sonne This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Matth. 17 5. binding vs to his Word which is
the Word of his Father Ioh. 8. 26. Lastly it is very euident that this Word of God hath alwaies from the very beginning of the Church been her warrant and guide in all her faith in God and seruice to God First Before the flood as appeareth first by the commendation of Abels sacrifice by faith offered Heb. 11. Now faith presupposeth a Word of God Rom. 10. 17. Secondly by Gods accepting of his sacrifice which hee so did offer as being performed according to his will Thirdly by the prayses of their obedience to be as God commanded Gen. 6. 9 22. and 7. 5. Secondly After the flood till Moses for God smelt a sweete sacrifice when Noah sacrificed Gen. 8. 21. which he would not haue done had not Noah been warranted by him so to sacrifice to him First by this Word of God was Abraham Isaac and Iacob guided as the History sheweth if we consider these places where God is said to speake vnto them giuing them precepts Gen. 12. 1. and 13. 17. and 15. 1. and 17. 9 10. and 31. 3. and 35. 1. Secondly making them promises Gen. 12 2 3 4 7. and 13. 15 16. and 15. 5 13 18. Thirdly their going to enquire of God Gen. 25. 2. Exod. 18. 15. Fourthly Gods commending their obedience in keeping his way charge commandements statutes and lawes Gen. 18. 19. and 26. 5. Thirdly When Moses was appointed by God to guide the people they were exhorted to hearken to Gods voyce and to his commandements Exod. 15. 26. they iournyed towards Canaan according to the commandement of the Lord Exod. 17. 1. And concerning Moses this is said of him that according to all the Lord commanded so did he Exod. 40. 16. He spake that which was commanded him Exod. 34. 34. Deut. 4. 5 14. and according to all that the Lord had giuen him in commandement Deut. 1. 3. and made them know the Statutes of God and his Lawes Exod. 18. 16. The Tabernacle was for the parts the matter manner and end in all and euery thing exactly done onely according to Gods Word and the patterne shewed him from God Exod. 25. 9 40. nothing left to Moses deuice Exod. 26. 30. and 27. 8. So was the Temple built afterwards by Gods commandement and direction onely 1. Chr. 28. 11 12 19. 1. King 6. 38. 2. Chron. 3. 3. The Prophets taught onely the Word of the Lord Ezech. 3. 4. for they say Thus saith the Lord Heare the Word of the Lord when they executed their Ministery and they spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 20. Nehemiah 9. 30. Heb. 1. 1. Fourthly When Christ came he spake not of himselfe Ioh. 12. 49. not his owne words Ioh. 40. 10. and 17. 8. neither was his doctrine his owne Ioh. 7. 16. and 14. 24. he did nothing of himselfe Ioh. 8. 28. and 5. 19. but hee taught the words of his Father Ioh. 17. 8. his Doctrine and Word was his that sent him Ioh. 7. 16. and 14. 24. what he had heard and seene with the Father that did hee speake Ioh. 8. 26. 38. of whom hee receiued a commandement what he should say and speak Ioh. 12. 49. And before his Ascension chusing his Apostles he gaue them a commandement and charge to teach whatsoeuer he commanded them Matth. 28. 20. and gaue them the words which his Father gaue vnto him Ioh. 17. 8. Fifthly After he was ascended according as he had promised Ioh. 14. 26. hee sent downe vpon his Apostles the holy Ghost Act. 2. which Spirit of God spake not of himselfe but whatsoeuer he heard that he spake Ioh. 16. 13. By this holy Spirit the Spirit of the Father spake the Apostles Mat. 10. 20. Mark 13. 1. which guided them into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. teaching and remembring them of all things whatsoeuer Christ had said vnto them Ioh. 14. 26. So that what the holy Ghost taught them was the Word of Christ and Christs Word was the Word of the Father thus strictly was the Word of God obserued Sixthly The holy Apostles obserued this Rule in whom and by whom the holy Ghost did speake Mark 13. 11. whose direction they did follow Act. 15. 28. and gaue themselues to the Ministery of the Word Acts 6. 4. preaching the Word of the Lord Act. 8. 25. and 15. 35 36. and 16. 32. what they did teach was the Word of God Acts 18. 11. and 19. 10 20. the counsell of God Act. 20. 27. the Gospell of God Rom. 1. 1. the commandements of the Lord 1. Cor. 14. 37. deliuering what they had receiued from the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. and 15. 3. And lastly That which the Church and the Saints and beleeuers heard was the Word of the Lord Acts 13. 44. this they receiued as Gods Word 1. Thes 2. 13. and glorified the same Act. 13. 40. Thus was Gods Word from the beginning before the Law vnder the Law in Christs time and all the Apostles dayes the Churches instruction and direction and must be so vnto the worlds end Therefore it is the onely infallible rule of our faith by which we must euer be directed and guided III. Position This Word of God is now no where to be found but in the holy Scriptures THe truth of this will appeare if we consider how God did cause all those things which were necessary to be beleeued and practised of the Church to bee afterwards written which before had been deliuered by word of mouth 1. Before the Law till Moses the Church was guided by Gods Word vnwritten this we acknowledge and the Papists seeke to make aduantage thereof for an vnwritten Word still but their arguing hence is vaine because that all that same Word vnwritten in all necessarie points of the worship and seruice of God was afterwards written by Moses so as that vnwritten Word became to be the written Word The proofe of this is manifest For Moses first wrote the same Historically in the bookes of Genesis and Exodus vnto the giuing of the Law vpon Mount Sinai Exod. 20. which Law God himselfe wrote Exod. 31. 18. Afterwards Moses wrote the same by way of precept which other of the Prophets after him explained and enlarged as they were mooued by the holy Ghost For the better clearing of this point see the same more fully in the particulars Before the Law they were taught by the vnwritten Word To sanctifie the Sabbath day Gen. 2. 2. The very same after the giuing of the Law by the written Word So in Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 13. Leuit. 23. 32. To build an Altar to the Lord Gen. 8. 20. and 13. 18. So in Exod. 27. 1. and 20. 24. Deut. 27. 5. To offer sacrifice Gen. 4. 3 4. and 8. 20. So in Numb 28. 2 3. To make a distinction of beasts and other creatures cleane and vncleane and to offer onely of the cleane to God So in Leu. 11. 2 13 31 47. and 20. 25. and 22. 20 25. Genes 7. 8.
prepared and he shall find them cleare and easie to be vnderstood in all necessarie points of faith as experience giueth witnesse and euerie true Christian can testifie Lastly if the Scriptures bee obscure then much more the writings of men and if Scriptures bee hard to be vnderstood then much more mens writings For man when he hath written is not at hand to instruct his Reader but is either absent far off or perhaps dead so that hee cannot enforme the Reader of his mind but God is euer the liuing God and both can and doth enforme by his holy Spirit such as in reading his bookes doe reade deuoutly and beg of God humbly his gracious direction Mans knowledge is but in part he cannot certainely foresee all his Readers what they shall be how they will vnderstand him but Gods knowledge is as himselfe infinite and he foreknoweth all that shall reade his booke and thereafter frameth his Word as is best for their profit To conclude therefore let our Aduersaries impute to the Scriptures what they will let them if they will be still so wickedly blasphemous call them a dumb Iudge inkie diuinitie a leaden rule what else the very same and more also may be spoken of mens writings vpon the forenamed reasons what way soeuer they doe weaken the credit of the Scriptures by the very same doe they much more take away credit from mens writings And therefore let them lay all writings aside Popes decrees and Decretals Canons of Councels the writings of Fathers of Schoolemen of Doctors of Priests and Iesuites and other pettie Writers Pamphlets whatsoeuer if the Scriptures be neglected Act. 8. 30. Philip said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Answ 1. Here is a Lay-man well exercised and had his liberty without dispensation for money to reade the Scriptures vers 28. which was neuer denyed to any of the Iewish or Christian Church till the times of this Romish Antichrist 2. This place is spoken of a Proselyte a Noucie in Religion one that dwelt not amongst Gods people to heare the Law and Prophets daily read and expounded as they were in Iudea Act. 15. 21. and 13. 15. Will it follow therefore that what was obscure to him was and is yet obscure to others liuing in the bosome of the Church It will perhaps follow among Papists who haue Scriptures read in an vnknowne tongue and are prohibited to haue them translated and freely to be read of all but not else-where 3. This is but one place and that Propheticall too What will they hence conclude One place that Propheticall was not vnderstood of one man a young beginner and that at the first Ergo all the holy Scriptures are obscure to all the people and that for euer In Romish Diuinity a goodly conclusion 4. He vnderstood it after by Philips guiding and beleeued in Christ vers 36. 37. We acknowledge the people to need a guide but let them reade freely as the Eunuch here and where they doubt let them aske their Teachers or let Teachers like Philip goe to them and direct them in reading but take not Bibles from them and burne both them and it as furious Firebrands haue done without all example of any good men from the worlds beginning Luk. 24. 25 27. O Fooles and slow of heart c. Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded vnto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Answ 1. Christ reproueth not simply their ignorance of Scripture but rather their slownesse of heart to beleeue and apply all that the Prophets had spoken 2. Expounding argueth not obscuritie in the Scriptures but want of vnderstanding in the men and yet not that altogether but in some degree or measure 3. The things were not euery thing in the Scripture but that which concerned Christ himselfe touching his suffering and rising againe to glory which being then vnperformed and future were the more obscure euen to the Disciples themselues before their illumination Christs words therefore are proper to those persons and to that time till he had better informed them and not to be applyed to this time when all those things are plainely taught vs by the publication of the Gospell and doctrine of those Apostles and Disciples who therefore receiued miraculous illuminatiō by the spirit that they might preach and write clearely to vs euen to all people of those things Reuel 5. 4. And he to wit Iohn wept much because no man was in Heauen or in Earth found worthy to open the booke and to reade the booke neither to looke thereon Ans 1. This may bee meant metaphorically of some other booke of Gods Counsels and Decrees and if of the Bible yet not of the whole Bible but of the booke of the Reuelation except the Papists will haue Iohn at this time one that neuer had been worthy to open or to reade or to looke into Gods Word What none neither in Heauen nor earth Neuer a Prophet Neuer an Apostle to haue hitherto opened the Bible How then was Moses and the Prophets read vnto the people before Iohn was in Pathmos 2. This speakes not of the obscuritie of the booke but of the vnworthinesse of any saue Iesus Christ to vnloose the seales and to open it vers 9. 3. This is but of one booke and that before it was vnsealed and opened will it therefore follow that all the rest of the books are hard to be vnderstood being all open and none prohibited by God to reade them 2. Pet. 1. 20. No prophecie of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation Ans 1. Who wil deny this or which of vs holdeth the contrary 2. Here is nothing for the Scriptures obscurity but rather this proueth their plainenes for it speakes of their interpretation accounting holy mens speaking in the Scriptures as they were moued by the holy Ghost to be an interpretation and that not a priuate but a publike interpretation not made of their owne wil or of mans wil but of the will of God as his Spirit led them Mat. 13. 11 36. To you is giuen to know the mysteries c. Expound to vs the Parable c. Answ 1. This place may bee brought as well against the Word vnwritten as written for Christ wrote not but spake the Parable which they desired to haue expounded what will become then of their vnwritten word if that be obscure too Hee that alleaged this against the plainenesse of the written Word much forgot himselfe and his vnwritten word 2. Vnderstanding this of the written Word nothing can be more against themselues for here it is said that it is the gift giuen to the Church to vnderstand the Mysteries of the kingdom of God 3. They desired Christ to expound the parable What then Ergo the Scripture is obscure A grosse conclusion for it was Christs not written but as then his vnwritten Word and a Parable which they vnderstood not
whom these words were spoken should teach and the people heare from them should be taken as Christ speaking in them but with condition as they should teach what he charged them to teach For the Apostles had their lesson giuen them to teach whatsoeuer Christ commanded them Mat. 28. 20. And these seuenty were taught what to doe and say Luk. 10. 3 12. which they obseruing Christ was heard in them So the meaning is Hee that heareth you deliuering my message and teaching what I command heareth me as if I were there in very person and he that shall despise you so discharging your duty despiseth mee and him that sent mee euen God himselfe as also Saint Paul speaketh 1. Thes 4. 8. For albeit the Apostles had an vnâ—rring Spirit assisting them in the Ministery Mat. 10. 20. Mar. 13. 11. Iohn 16. 13. of whom these words may bee taken absolutely yet of all other succeeding they are to be vnderstood with the former limitation Else why are we allowed yea charged not to beleeue euery spirit but to trie the spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. to trie all things 1. Thes 5 And why are the Bereans who not knowing Pauls Apostolicall function but taking him as a Teacher as other were commended as Bellarmine confesseth l. 1. de Verbo Dei for searching the Scriptures and left as an example for vs to follow Act. 17. 11. if the Teacher were to be credited in euery thing he should speake Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth shall be bound in heauen c. Answ This is to be done by the Keyes which Christ gaue him as the words before going shew I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen then followeth whatsoeuer thou shalt binde c. to wit by these keyes of Christ Not then by his owne power and will as himselfe pleaseth but as those keyes doe helpe him to open and shut to bind and loose by and with the authority of these keyes must hee proceede and not otherwise Now let vs see what these keyes be by which hee openeth and shutteth byndeth and looseth forgiueth and retaineth sins These Keyes are these two Christs Word and Christs Spirit Mat 18. 18. Ioh. 20. 23. which I thus proue 1. For that in this Text is a promise of giuing the keyes I will giue the keyes c. Now seeing that here they are not giuen but promised let vs see what Christ gaue to Peter and other the Apostles and we shall finde that he gaue them two things his Word which hee calleth the words of his Father and the Word of reconciliation which he put in them and they receiued Ioh. 17. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 19. and his Spirit Ioh. 20. 22. which they also receiued when he said Receiue ye the holy Ghost breathing on them These are the two things which we finde that he gaue them therefore they are either the keyes or inseparable companions of the keyes 2. Christ in Ioh. 20. 21. saith As my Father hath sent me so I also send you so in Chap. 17. 18. But with these two did his Father send him with his Word Ioh. 7. 16. and 8. 26 28 38. and with his Spirit Luk. 4. 18. Mat. 3. 16. Esay 11. 2. and 42. 1. and 61. 1 2. Therefore these two are the keyes Keyes are by Bellarmines interpretation here taken for great authoritie and power as in Esay 22. 22. in Eliakim shadowing the great power and authoritie in Christ Reuel 3. 7. exercised in his Church But what greater power and authority then his Word and Spirit can there be in Christ his Church whatsoeuer it be it is comprehended in these two Therefore these be the keyes 4. He speakes of keyes as of moe then one linked together so that they are giuen as inseparable and so these two be For the Spirit teacheth the Word of Christ Ioh. 16. 13. and 14. 26. and the Word is with the Spirit Esay 59. 21. these two keyes are tyed together and giuen by Christ 5. The keyes promised here are the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen In this spirituall Kingdome by these to beare rule by these to bind and loose in earth is so verily and as surely done in heauen For what in this Kingdome here can beare Rule but his Word and his Spirit What truly can bind and loose in heauen but these We may be assured that what the Word and Spirit of God bindeth they are bound indeed and what these loose remit and forgiue they are loosed remitted and forgiuen of God in heauen of no other keyes can we be so assured hereof These then are the keyes here promised to Peter and were giuen to all the Apostles and to the true Church of God This place therefore helpeth nothing our Aduersaries who boast of an vnerring spirit leading the Pope and his Prelates into all truth if they bragge of this key let them shew vs the other the Word of God and the same written now in the Scriptures or else their boasting is in vaine and their binding and loosing of no force Deut. 17. 8. If there arise a matter c. Answ This place is for vs and against them for here iudgement must be giuen not as men thinke out of their own braine but saith the text according to their owne translation Thou See also Ezec. 44. 24. shalt doe whatsoeuer they that are Presidents of the place which our Lord shall choose shall say and teach thee according to his Law now that Law was written 2. Chro. 17. 9. This is it then we desire that the truth of iudgement may be from the written Word of God which this place approueth yet though they produce it and vrge it so often neuerthelesse it speakes not of the necessary points of faith but of controuersies in matters of another nature as the eighth verse plainely sheweth Hag. 2. 12. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Aske the Priests the Law Answ This place is also for vs and against themselues for what were the Priests to be asked what their owne opinion and iudgement No but they were to bee asked the Law that is the Law written and according to which they did answere in vers 13. 4. We teach that Pastors are to bee heard speaking to vs out of the Word written and accordingly as it teacheth them to speake wee must obey with all reuerence 2. Chro. 19. 8 18. Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehosaphat set of the Leuites c. Answ It is one with that in Deut. 17. 8. and here contrary to the Popish practice the Priests and Leuites were subiect to Iehosaphat the King who had an inspection ouer them and gaue them a charge so 2. Chron. 17. 7 8. 2. Thes 2 15. Stand fast and hold the tradition c. This place is answered fully and at large before in handling the former question Mal. 2. 7. For the lips of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and the Law shall they require of his mouth Answ 1.
Mal. 2. 11. In the second of Machabees we may reade of horrible corruptions in the high Priests Iason got the office by money brought his Country-men to the Heathen rites the Priests were not occupied about the offices of the Altar but the Temple and Sacrifices were neglected 2. Machab. 4. 7 11 14. And when our Sauiour was come he found many sects false Teachers corrupting the truth Matth. 6. and 16. 6 12. and 23. 16 22. was by the outward pretending domineering Church then in Councell condemned and put to death To conclude of the chiefe Rulers in this Church the saying of Steuen that they were stiffe-necked and vncircumcised in heart and eares alwaies resisting the holy Ghost Act. 7. Who can reade these things and thinke yet that the Church cannot erre if withall they would consider how this Church of Israel had the most excellent meanes for direction and confirmation I. They had the written Word and ordinary Teachers the Priests and Leuites daily instructing them Deut. 33. 10. Acts 15. 21. II. They had extraordinary teaching 1. By God himselfe from Heauen Exod. 20. By Vrim and Thummim by Vision and Dreames 2. By Prophets Moses Samuel Eliah Elisha and very many moe 3. By Kings endued with a Propheticall Spirit as Dauid and Salomon 4. At length by Iesus Christ himselfe personally 5. By the twelue Apostles Mat. 10. 6. By the 70. disciples Luk. 10. 1. Neuer such nor so many in any Church since God had a Church III. They had Miracles and wonders in bringing them out of Egypt in the fearefull giuing of the Law in carrying them thorow the Woldernesse in planting them in Canaan and in strange Miracles wrought in Eliah and Elisha's time and in some of the Kings of Iudah Christ confirmed his doctrine and so did the Apostles and Disciples their teaching by Miracles Luk. 10. 17. No Church vnder the Heauen had euer the like IV. They had great mercies and vnheard of deliuerances from their Enemies from Pharaoh and his Host drowned in the Red Sea from the Amalekites discomfited by Moses prayer from the innumerable multitude of Enemies the Kings of Canaan of Midian Philistims Syrians Assyrians from the Host of Sennacherib nine score thousand slaine by an Angell in one night Kings thirtie two besides Benhadad with an infinite Hoste defeated by onely 7000. and odde Ionathan and his Armour-bearer did terrifie an whole Campe Gideon and three hundred men made an innumerable multitude to she away and with a few other of Ephraim did slay of them in one day one hundred and twenty thousand Asa vanquished the Army of the Ethiopians ten hundred thousand besides three hundred Charets Iehosaphat gathered the spoile of his enemies three Kings comming with their Hosts against him whom God set one against another to destroy vtterly one another for his safetie and enriching What shall I speake of Hostes flying for feare without any pursuing of them For other blessings and mercies they are not to be numbred V. They had strange and most terrible punishments vpon them to keep them in the feare of God to make them to know him and to walke in his waies fire from Heauen deuouring vp some the earth swallowing vp quicke other-some the giuing of them often into the hands of Heathen Kings to oppresse them that they might turne from Idolatry yea at length sent them all into captiuitie for 70. yeeres Thus we see for Teachers for Wonders and Miracles for Mercies and Iudgements none euer to be compared to them Papists may fame Legends to parallel these but these are truths hauing witnesse from Gods Word it selfe And yet this Church erred and as Esay saith chap. 48 4 8. was stubborne had a neck as an Iron sinew and her forehead as brasse and was a transgressour from the wombe If the Papists make little account of these reasons as nothing to keepe a Church from erring yet is it much more then their Romish Church can say for her selfe Let them say what they can for the Churches not erring and we will see whether this Church of Israel cannot say the same also Will they pleade 1. A Couenant Israel had so Deut. 29. 10 15. 2 Or a Couenant written in the heart So was it then Ier. 31. 33. Esay 5. 7. 3. Or a Couenant with their Priests So had the Priests then Ier. 33. 20. 4. Or that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and the people learne of them and they teach the people So the verie same might Israel alledge Mal. 2 7. Deut. 33. 10. Neh. 8. 7 8 9. Leui. 10. 11. Ezech. 44 23. yea and did boast of Ier. 18. 18. 5. Or succession of persons from time to time in the same Chaire or Seate This could she plead to the full from Aaron the first appointed immediatly by God himselfe with his office place seruice ornaments and maintenance his next successor to be also named by God himselfe Num. 20. 28. 6. Or the Continuance of this Couenant to vphold succession This had it in plaine words and therefore was for euer the Priest-hood appointed to him and his seed Num. 25. 12 13. 7. Or the presence of God with them So could and did Israel Mâ—ch 3. 11. 8. Or the name of the Church So they Ier. 7. 4. 9. Or that it is called holy the Ground and Pillar of truth So was Ierusalem the holy Citie Esay 48. 2. the Citie of truth the sanctified Mount Zach. 8. 3. 10. Or that the Word did go out from them to conuert other Nations So could they as they were taught by Esay Chap. 2. 3. of making Proselytes could the Pharises boast Mat. 23. 11. Or the Spirit to be in them to keepe their Teachers from erring Who could thus speake as Israel might Nehe. 9. 20. Esay 6. 3 11. Zach. 7. 12. as Peter witnesseth 2. Pet. 1. 21. 12. Or that they are called the Church and are come from the Apostles Church at Ierusalem So they by Stephen Act 7. 38. also saith Isaiah Esay 48. 1. Heare ye ô House of Iacob which art called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iudah So could the Scribes and Pharises boast of their Originall Ioh. 8. 33. 13. Or that they are Catholicks and the world spred ouer with them And could not the Iewish Church say so Of their Religion were some of euerie Nation vnder heauen Act. 2. 5 9 10 11. they were dispersed in all the Persian Monarchy Esteâ— 3. 8. Chap. 1. there were many Proselytes made such was the Eunuch of Ethiopia and to make them they trauailed Sea and Land Mat. 23. 14. Or that they haue euer had the holy Scriptures in their custodie So to the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. 15. Or yâ— the Church now hath many excellent promises What more then Israel had to be their God they to him a peculiar treasure aboue all people a kingdome of Priests an holy Nation Exod. 19. 5 6. to
Nationall or Prouinciall or Diocesan Synod much lesse a generall Councell but Church-officers or Gouernours in a particular Congregation to iudge of priuate offences as is cleare from the text verses 15 16 17 18 19. II. Will they say that the number of two or three assembled is of an vnerring spirit Is this such a Councell as on which men may rest assured that the iudgement thereof is infallible Neuer any yet durst affirme so much And yet this text speakes but of two or three gathered together III. Here is not a word of not erring nor of infallibilitie in doctrine but of Christ his presence with them But from this it followes not that they cannot erre For the Apostle saith We 1. Cor. 13. 9 10. know in part But with those which the Apostle comprehendeth vnder the word Wee was Christ present And if they knew but in part perfection of knowledge not being to be attained vnto here as the Apostle there teacheth seeing imperfect knowledge may erre it is euident that they might erre though Christ be present with them for he is with his Saints but he doth not perfectly sanctifie them his Spouse hath imperfections in this life neither doth hee perfectly illuminate them but they haue their mistakes Christ was with his before his death yet had they errors and before his Ascension yet he found them ignorant of his spirituall Kingdome Luk. 24. Act. 1. And after his Ascension and comming of the holy Ghost euen Peter was mistaken Act. 10. and other of the Church Act. 11. as before is proued IV. What is this text to proue Popish Councels not to erre For this Scripture speakes of such as are gathered in Christs name whereas those Councels are gathered in the Popes name Christ promiseth to bee with those that are gathered in his name but will it necessarily follow that hee will therefore bee with those that are gathered in the Popes name This stands in neede of proofe especially seeing the Pope is proued to be Antichrist with whom we may be sure Christ will keepe no company Ioh. 6. 13. The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth Answ I. This is a promise vnto the Apostles whose prerogatiue in their Ministery was not to erre because they were the chiefe builders and planters of Christian Religion All other Ministers are but watereâ— II. It is one thing for a Guide to leade aright another for those that should follow to follow aright It therefore will not be necessarily concluded that because a perfect Guide leadeth the way such as come after cannot or doe not goe out of the way For they may not strictly follow the Guide but now and then may slip out of the way through want of eie-sight or dimnesse of sight or through carelesnesse looking some other way not minding the Guide 3. How can our Aduersaries proue that this promise is made to their Popish Councels which are ruled and * See the History of the Councell of Trent and Brocard on Reuel 17. who was at that Councell guided by their Popes and not by Gods Spirit Acts 15 25 28. This Councell erred not Ans 1. This was a Councell gathered of all the 12. Apostles of the Elders at Ierusalem and of the whole Church 2. This had the guiding of the holy Ghost as the text witnesseth 3. This laid the Scriptures for their ground vers 15. and the manifest euidence of the worke of the holy Ghost vers 8 which they tooke for direction in their decrees 4. Here was free libertie of disputation without interruption one attentiuely hearing another without by-respect that the truth might take place What is this to Popish Councels Are there any Apostles Admit they freely the whole Church Are they guided by the holy Ghost and by the verity of holy Scriptures Is libertie there granted to euery one to speake freely If they cannot proue these this text serues not their turne Other Scriptures are obiected as Mat. 16. 18. Luk. 10. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 15. All which are fully answered before As for the place in Heb. 13. 17. it is to be vnderstood not simply but that Teachers are to be obeyed as farre-forth as they doe teach the truth and command what God prescribeth XVI Proposition Whether the Church of Rome be the Catholike Church Confuted by their owne Bible I. IT is so farre from making it the Catholike Church as it no where doth giue it the name of a Church as it doth Corinth chap. 1. Gal. chap. 1. Ephesus Reu. 2. 1. Acts 20. 28. 1. Tim. 3. 15. and so other Churches But no where is this title giuen to Rome Note it well II. It telleth vs that the Faith of Saints at Rome was renowned in the whole World Rom. 1. 8. but not that their Church was spred into all the World Neither saith it that the Faith so commended came out from thence into the World or that it was any other then that which was then in all the World For Rom 1. 5 12 their Bible telleth vs that not from Rome but from Ierusalem it came both to Rome and into other places of the World Ierusalem was the Mother and Head Church and not Rome And of those in Rome it saith Among whom ye are called Rom. 1. 6. so were they not the Vniuersall Church but one particular among the rest which together made vp the whole Church III. Their Bible telleth vs that the Church at Ierusalem was planted by Christ and by his twelue Apostles with whom were the 70. Disciples such Teachers as no other Church euer had at once The Church of Antioch Corinth Ephesus and other moe were planted by the Apostles as we learne from their owne Bible But who first taught at Rome it shewes vs not not Peter I am sure IIII. Their Bible doth at least equall other Churches with it if not preferre them before it 1. In giuing the name of Church to other and not to it for there is mention of Saints at Rome but not of the Church at Rome The title they had not giuen to them 2. It plainely telleth vs that other Churches were first planted by the Apostles but mentioneth not the planting of it by any of them 3. In highly praising of other Churches as the Corinthians for being enriched with all vtterance and all knowledge for comming behind in no gift 1. Cor. 1. 5 7. and for being partakers of the sufferings of Christ 2. Cor. 1. 7. So the Ephesians which Church he calleth the Church of the liuing God the Pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. and the beleeuers there to be fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone in whom they wer builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2. 19 20 22. If our Romanists had any such testimony how would they boast Great commendations are giuen to
a Noune appellatiue and the other a proper name 3. The present alteration of the speech from Peters person to some other thing will not admit him to be the Rocke For it is not said as it in plainenesse of speech should be if indeed the Rocke had been Peter Thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church but Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke c. Where the Pronoune this hath Relation to some other thing then to Peter euen to his confession that Iesus was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God vpon which Rocke Christ would build his Church For no where the Scriptures thus vary in a Relatiue if the intendment of the speech be to one and the same person neither doe any thus vse to speake nor may wee thinke that Iesus Christ would haue thus doubtfully spoken if he had purposed to haue had Peter held to be the Rocke III. The words following I will build my Church remoueth Peter from being the Rocke First Church here is to be vnderstood the whole Church militant and Triumphant How can Peter be the Rocke on which it is built Could he be the Rocke of the Church Triumphant when he was here militant Or can he be the Rocke now of the Militant and he a Saint in Heauen Triumphant Or how the Rocke of both then and now as hee that is the Rocke must be For on the Rocke is the Church built not a part of it but the whole and not for a time but euen for euer For will all or any part of the Church once built vpon the Rocke bee remoued off from the Rocke Or will the Rocke cease to bee the bearer vp of the Church Then either is Peter now the Rocke or he neuer was the Rocke at all But how can he now be whose bodie is turned to dust Can his Soule be the Rocke As for a Rocke by succession it is but a fantasie Christ speakes of an euerlasting sustaining Rocke and but of one Rocke and not of one Rocke after another dying and decaying Secondly the Church and this Rocke are two things for Christ saith he will build his Church vpon this Rocke Now Peter was one in and of the Church here a principall member militant and now a Saint triumphant He must therefore bee one built with the Church vpon the Rocke he cannot therefore himselfe be the Rocke for so himselfe should be built vpon himselfe Thirdly Christ speakes of his Church and saith my Church Had he no Church but that which was built vpon Peter Had not he at this very time when he spake these words a Church Was Zachary and Elizabeth Iohn Baptist Ioseph and Mary Simeon and Annah the other Apostles the 70. Disciples and many others following him not of his Church If they were were they built on Peter Did they know Peter to be the Rock Or were they of the Church not built as yet vpon the Rock For as yet Peter was not the Rocke by Bellarmines confession Fourthly Christ here made himselfe a Builder I will build saith he my Church He built while he did liue by his Word and Spirit But did his Word and Spirit gather any to Peter Did his Word and Spirit build his followers vpon Peter Christ built his Church by his Apostles for they are said to build and Paul speaketh of himselfe as of a wise Master-builder 1. Cor. 3. 10. But vpon what did they build Euen vpon Christ alone 1. Cor. 3. 11. Ephes 2. 20. in whom all the building is knit together verse 21. They built not vpon Peter nor he on himselfe but vpon Christ 1. Pet. 2. 4 5 6. Did any of the Apostles preach Peter Paul saith he preached not men but God Gal. 1. 10. Or did Peter preach himselfe to be the Rocke If he was the Rocke why did they not preach him If they did not who can beleeue it Fiftly if Peter now was made the Rock and Head as Aquinas Turrecremata and many other Papists auerre though Bellarmine saith it was but here promised how came this Rocke by and by after in Mathew to be called Satan Mat. 16. 23 Is it like that Christ would call the Rock on which he will so firmely build his Church Satan Lastly if it were granted that Christ built his Church on Peter yet is it not spoken exclusiuely as on him alone secluding the rest of the Apostles for elsewhere he conioynes them with him Ioh. 23. 23. Ephes 20. 20. Reu. 21. 14. Mat. 28. 19. IV. These words and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it will ouerthrow Peters being the Rocke For this Rock beareth vp so powerfully the Church that Hell gates shall not preuaile against it Whence followeth that this Rocke must needs be stronger then Satans power and policies But what power can that be but the power of Christ and of God For who but God can resist Hell gates Therefore from all the words of this Text it is cleare that Peter cannot by it bee the Head of the Church nor the Rocke on which it is built and yet this place is one of the chiefest for his Headship The words in the next verse 19. I will giue thee the Keyes are answered before Ioh. 21. 15 17. Iesus said to Simon Peter Simon sonne of Ionas louest thou me more then these Feed my Lambes Answ 1. Here are no expresse words of Headship neither can any such thing be concluded out of this place by any well framed argument and yet this is the very principall place which they alledge to vphold it Secondly Christ here calleth him not Peter for that name is vttered by the Euangelist but onely Simon the sonne of Ionas as thereby preuenting the conceit of Headship which our Aduersaries dreame of from the name of Peter Which our Sauiour here mentioneth not nor the name Cephas because of his fearfull deniall of him so lately as now therefore vnworthy of that name Thirdly he is here questioned concerning his loue which he so much boasted of before Christs taking and soone after seemed to haue lost by forswearing Christ And three times hee is asked to remember him of his three times deniall of Christ it being now also the third time of Christs appearing to them verse 14. Also the question is with a comparison Louest thou me more then these What if hee meant it of the 153. great Fishes with the Ship Nets and other things therein for he leaped into the Sea hearing of Christ and cast off all respect to the ship and Fishes verse 7. till Christ willed them to bring of the fishes ver 10. 11. And therefore might Christ demand thereupon this question neither is any thing in the Text against this For Christ was by the fishes and the question was after dinner But conceiue it of the rest of the Apostles as it is commonly vnderstood for Peter had preferred his owne loue before all of them before Mat. 26. 33. Luk. 22. 23. Which here Christ by
the buriall of In ours Chap. 4. 17. the iust man but doe not eate and drinke thereof with sinners Answ 1. This booke is Apocryphal and therefore of no such credit as to end a Controuersie Secondly here is not one word of Purgatory Thirdly nor any mention of prayers for the dead by which they inferre though vnsoundly Purgatorie Fourthly this Feast was for the comfort of the liuing sorrowing for the dead as is cleere out of Ier. 16. 7. and not for any thing touching the soules departed Fiftly the name of Iust man is against the conceit of being in Purgatorie for the iust shall goe into life euerlasting Mat. 25. 46. The soules of the iust are in the hand of God and torment shall not touch them saith the booke of Wisedome chap. 3. 1. Esai 4. 4. The Lord shall cleanse the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall wash the bloud of Ierusalem out of the midst thereof in the spirit of iudgement and spirit of heate First these words are wholly Metaphoricall and not properly spoken to be taken after the letter Secondly he speakes here not of veniall sinnes lyable to Purgatorie but of mortall sinnes set out vnder filth and bloud Thirdly this cleansing was to be in the midst of Ierusalem was Purgatorie in it Esai 9. 18. For impietieis kindled as a fire it shall deuoure Bryer and Thorne Answ 1. This speaketh not of Purgatorie but of impietie and the nature thereof But the Gagger did well to take impietie for Purgatorie for it is an impious conceit and Purgatorie can as truely purge sinne as impietie it selfe and both alike Secondly here is not a speaking of fire but onely by way of similitude kindled as a fire and not properly meant of any materiall fire Thirdly they say Purgatorie fire is but a purging and not a deuouring fire but here the Prophet speakes of deuouring Fourthly Purgatorie fire deuoures not Bryers and Thornes and if they expound these of sinnes then are they not veniall for bryers and thornes are the curse on the earth and therefore if they set out sinnes they must note out cursed sinnes Fiftly the Prophet speaketh of Gods wrath which he would powre out against the people then aliue in those dayes for their wickednesse as the words before from verse 13. and after this text verse 19. doe euidently shew Thus Ierome Haymo and other take to be the meaning Math. 3. 11. Hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Answ A man would iudge the Gagger a very Goose in citing this for Purgatorie but that Bellarmine produced it before him I answer First if fire be here Purgatory then Christ baptized with the holy Ghost and with Purgatorie Did he so Secondly let them allegorize how they will the absurdities arising are so great as no reasonable iudgement will rest thereupon For almost euery thing in the text ouerthrowes this feigned Purgatorie prison I. Agree This being done preuents going to this prison of Purgatorie For he is cast in for not agreeing But all the godly who onely are subiect to goe into Purgatory and not the wicked haue made their agreement with God by Christ who hath satisfied for them procured for them remission of sinnes and made an atonement to God for them Rom. 5. 10 11. Therefore by this text none that are in Christ goe into this prison and so none at all for the Reprobate goe to Hell This Purgatorie prison is therefore a babish Bugbeare a place for no body II. With thine Aduersarie This is diuersly expounded but take it which way they will it serues not for Purgatorie First some make him the Deuill But with this Aduersary we may not agree but must euer c. Iam. 4. 7. And what hath the Deuill to doe with Purgatorie Secondly some say he is God If so First he is agreed with as before is shewed so as by him wee cannot be cast into Purgatorie iustly Secondly who is the Magistrate to whom God leadeth vs Luk. 12. 58 Is any aboue God that he needs to seeke iustice at the hands of another Cannot hee right himselfe Thirdly but where reade we that God is called an Aduersarie to his children We reade the Deuill to be our Aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. and the man of sinne the Romish Antichrist 2. Thes 2. 4. but where is God so called Fourthly if hee be in casting of his into Purgatorie for their veniall sinnes then are veniall sinnes iniurious to God which they deny but if they were not God would be their Aduersarie for such sinnes not being reconciled till they had made him satisfaction Thirdly some make this Aduersarie the Law but if the law be he then veniall sinnes are the breach of the law and so become mortall For the law curseth euery one that obeyeth not all things therein Deut. 27. Neither doth the law send them to Purgatorie but as accursed to Hell Yet can it not thus doe with such as be in Christ for hee was made vnder the Law to redeeme vs from the curse thereof Gal. 4. 3 4. III. Quickly whilest thou art in the way with him The way here is either good or bad Not bad for how can God whom Bellarmine makes this Aduersarie walke with him that hee is an Aduersarie to in an ill way If a good way how is it that he and the offending partie should continue at odds and he be his Aduersarie in a good way IV. Lest at any time to wit in this life being in the way the Aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge Who may this Iudge be Betweene God and vs there is no Vmpire or Dayes-man Iob 9. 33. Christ indeed is Iudge but first hee sits not yet to iudge but at the last Day as yet hee sits to make intercession for his people to God to reconcile God to them Secondly when Christ is Iudge he shall reward all the godly he deliuers them not to the Gaoler as the Iudge here doth And thirdly this Aduersarie deliuers the offender to this Iudge to bee punished but God the Father drawes such as he will saue to Christ Christ therefore is not this Iudge And who he may be else let the Gagger tell vs for other Iudge of men before God there is none after this life V. And the Iudge deliuer thee to the Gaoler or Officer In this Allegorie the Iudge is last except they will say it is conscience But will God deliuer his seruants ouer to the worme of conscience at their death This were to send them not to Purgatorie but to Hell where this worme dyeth not And if the Iudge be Conscience I pray them tell vs who then is the Officer subiect to Conscience If they say The Officer is the Deuill or some one of his wicked angels who can beleeue it For will either God or Christ permit Deuils to carry soules to Purgatorie Or is it some good Angell Good Angels carrie soules into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. and not into Purgatorie
cont Pelag. cap. 25. God doth not onely helpe vs to be able to worke but worketh in vs to will and to worke and in cap. 17. he saith that God without vs doth worke in vs to will and in Epist. 107. It is God who by his secret calling worketh the minde of man to giue consent Prosper de vocat Gent. cap. 6. The turning of the heart vnto God is of God alledging the place of Ieremie 24. 7. Fulgent ad Monimum lib. 1. Both our good will and also our good workes are of God And againe this Father saith We in no wise suffer nay according to wholesome Doctrine we forbid whether in our faith or in our workes to challenge to our selues any thing as our owne S. Bernard de gra lib. arb The creating of vs to freedome of will is wrought without vs. The Arausicane Councill 2. cap. 4. determineth that if any doe maintaine that God expecteth our will that wee may be purged from sinne and doth not confesse that by the infusion and operation of the holy Ghost it is also wrought in vs to be willing to bee purged hee resists the Apostles Doctrine who saith that it is of God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Bishop Vsher lately handling this point citeth Austin and Fulgentius Prosper Ierome and others to whose learned Tract I referre the Reader Gainesaid by their owne men Bayus de vit imp cap. 8. Free-will without Gods helpe is of power to doe nothing but sinne The Master of the Sentences lib. 2. D. 25. saith that Free-will before Grace repaire it is pressed and ouercome with concupiscence and hath weakenesse in euill but no grace in good and therefore may sinne and cannot but sinne euen damnably Cornelius Mus Concion tom 1. pag. 252. Our strength is not sufficient to bring vs backe from death wee cannot be conuerted and saued by our owne power The exciting grace which disposeth thee to thy conuersion God workes in thee without thee God so weth it in vs without vs. Alphonsus aduers haeres lib. 7. verbo gratia Our will when by Gods helpe it hath begunne to doe any good it cannot without the same speciall helpe prosecute the good begun nor perseuere in it Greg. Ariminensis 2. D. 26. pag. 95. without this speciall aide it can doe nothing Sec Bishop Vsher in his last booke citing Gelasius with a Synod of 70. Bishops at Rome the French Bishops in the second Councill at Orange Bradwardin the Archbishop of Canterbury Scriptures obiected answered 1. Cor. 7. 37. Hath power ouer his owne will c. Answ 1. This is nothing to the question in hand which is of free-will and power thereof in the first act of a sinners conuersion Secondly we grant that in such a case as this to wit to marry his Virgin or not to marry her man hath free-will that is power and right Ioh. 1. 11 12. Hee came in to his owne but his owne receiued him not but as many as receiued him c. Answ 1. In the former part is mans inabilitie to entertaine Christ they receiued him not they would not We grant mans free will to euill till God change it Secondly in the latter part it is said Many receiued him But it is not said By the power of their owne will Wee acknowledge that by Gods preuenting grace men may receiue Christ which here is to be vnderstood for they that receiued him did it by faith and are said to beleeue in him but the Apostle saith Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. and not in mans power Thirdly the very next verse following in this Chapter verse 13. cuts the nerues of the power of free-will in our new-birth For saith the text We are borne of God not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man Deut. 30. 19. I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life Answ This and all other exhortations and commandements as Ios 24. 14 15. Deut. 10. 12. and 11. 16 18. Ephes 4. 22. Phil. 2. 12. and in many other places in Moses Psalmes Prophets and in the New Testament doe not conclude in man any naturall power of his owne will to chuse or refuse to obey or not to obey of his owne free will as our Aduersaries doe imagine no more then they can conclude the lame man in Act. 2. 2. so borne to bee able to rise and walke because Peter said to him Rise vp and walke verse 6. First because in none of the exhortations dehortations and commandements there is any mention of the power by which man comes to be able to performe that which hee is exhorted vnto Therefore the power is to bee gathered out of other Scriptures which is the power of Gods grace and not the power of mans freewill as all the Scriptures before alledged doe fully proue Secondly for that all those places doe no more but shew what duties man oweth to God but not what hee can doe of himselfe A Creditor demanding paiment of his Debter and exhorting him to pay doth not therefore imply necessarily that he is able to pay for he may perhaps for all that be altogether vnable to pay as wee may reade Matth. 18. 25. So these places shew what we owe and what God requireth but not that therefore we are able to pay what hee commandeth for all the Scriptures afore alledged deny it Thirdly all these commandements and exhortations are spoken to those in the Church which consists of a mixed company both of vnregenerate which are either abiects or elect of God till they be called as also of regenerate persons Now to the first sort God thus speakes shewing them what they could haue done for God commandeth nothing that hath beene is and shall bee euer impossible to man and what yet they ought to doe vpon perill of damnation but not what either they now can doe or shall hereafter be euer able to doe of themselues being dead in sinne and void of grace and God not bound to giue it them To the second sort the elect not yet borne a new by the Spirit God thus speakes to shew not onely what they could haue done once what now they ought to doe but also what by Gods preuenting grace they may bee able and shall doe For God vseth such meanes to conuert them vnto him at that time the day of their visitation being come inwardly by his Spirit and worketh their will to that which hee outwardly by word commandeth and exhorteth vnto Act. 2. 38 41. As Peters exhortation to the lame man by which God conueighed strength and power into the man to make him able to walke Act. 3. 6 7. This appeareth liuely in Ezek. 37. 7 10. To the third sort the already Regenerate who haue by Gods preuenting grace free will God thus speaketh as to them that can doe what he commandeth and exhorteth vnto He vseth threats to keepe them in
awe dehortations to keepe them from sinne admonitions to make them take heed exhortations to set them forward promises to encourage them that so by his euer-assisting grace accompanying them they may be raised when they are fallen be increased that they decay not and kept on in continuance to the end that they neuer fall away Thus may we see that these commandements dehortations and exhortations are not in vaine though mans own will be not lifted vp thereby as Papists dreame Fourthly and lastly Moses and the Prophets vnder the Law speake legally to men so as if they neuer had fallen but had kept their perfection not regarding their now inabilitie after the fall and therefore from such legall charges and commands wee cannot conclude mans power to performe As for Euangelicall commandements they are assisted by Gods Spirit to worke in the elect grace of obedience in Christ in and through whom they are made able to doe all things as the Apostle speaketh What then are these commandements to proue the power of mans free-will Euen nothing at all whether they be taken legally or Euangelically Luk. 13. 34. O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. how often would I haue gathered thy children c. and yee would not Ans This place speakes of free-will vnto euill to wit the wills refusing of the meanes of Saluation in killing the Prophets and stoning them that were sent of God for their saluation And this miserable free will we acknowledge which Christ complaineth of Luk. 10. 42. Marie hath chosen the better part Answ 1. It s not denied that we haue a free will to come to heare 2. But to heare as she did and to make so blessed choice to entertaine Christs Word into her heart whilest her sister was entertaining Christ at the table was of Gods speciall diuine grace working in her the will and the deed Act. 5. 4. Being sold was it not in thy power Answ 1. This proueth not the question of the power of will in the first act of commission Secondly this speaketh of free libertie and power which a man hath of his owne goods to giue or not to giue which power wee acknowledge a man hath Thirdly this is of an ill act with-holding part of that from the Church which hee seemed wholly to bestow vpon it which was hypocrisie And to such euils we grant man to haue free-will Philemon verse 14. That thy benefit should not bee as it were of necessitie but willingly Answ This speakes not of the question in things spirituall but of Pauls desire to haue kept Onesimus with him in Philemons stead to haue ministred to him in prison if hee had knowne Philemons minde and willingnesse therein Absurd quotations and nothing to the point controuerted For who denyeth will in man to lend or not to lend his seruant to another 1. Cor. 9. 1. Am I not free Answ Nothing to the question He speaketh of freedome A briefe answer to the Scriptures only cited by the Gagger which other Apostles vsed verse 4 5. So 2. Cor. 9. 7. of giuing reliefe to the poore Saints Numb 30. 14. speakes of the Husbands power ouer the wife in her cause of vowing Nothing to the question Iosh 14. 13. is of Iosua giuing Caleb Hebron for Inheritance If the Gagger had cited the words as he onely quoted the places his folly would haue exposed him to laughter 2. Sam. 24. 12. I offer thee three things choose thee one of them This is meant of iudgements What is this to the power of inward conuersion 1. King 3. 5. God willeth Solomon to aske of him What God puts into our hearts to doe that can wee doe And Salomon was one endued already with diuine grace But we speake in the question of the first act of conuersion of which these places speake not one word Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements This is but suppositiuely set downe not affirming the power of the will Againe it is spoken legally to a proudly conceited young man who iustified himselfe but vntruely as the euent shewed in the verses following Iosh 24. 15. is answered before in answer to Deut. 30. 19. But yet also note farther the former part of the verse is of euill propounded as the seruing of other gods which mans will is apt to The latter part speakes of Iosua who was already a holy Prince and so is not to the question 2. Sam. 12. no verse is quoted Prou. 11. 24. speakes of one that scattereth and with-holdeth more then is meet This is of morall actions the one part of liberalitie the other of niggardlinesse in which wee acknowledge free-will Esai 1. 19 20. If thou bee willing and obedient c. but if ye refuse and rebell c. The latter words are spoken of that which mans will is free enough to doe the former speakes of being willing by a supposition as God spake to Cain If thou doest well which Gen. 4. 7. yet was farre from him And we acknowledge free-will to good things when God makes man willing Reuel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him c. Answ 1. These words are Metaphorically spoken and so not to be taken after the letter and therefore cannot be a sound proofe in a controuerted point Secondly mans act is set downe but onely suppositiuely and so affirmeth nothing of him simply Thirdly it is said that man heareth and openeth yet the question is By what power whether by his owne or by Gods preuenting grace which here is not expressed but in other places it is For it is ascribed to the Lord that openeth the eare Esai 50. 5. Iob 33. 16. Hee openeth the heart Act. 16. 14. yea He it is that openeth the doore of faith Act. 14. 37. the doore of vtterance Col. 4. 3. and the doore of the passage of the Gospell 2. Cor. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 16. 9. Fourthly Christs knocking first by the Word is the meanes hee vseth to conuey the grace of his Spirit into our hearts to make vs to open to him So by Pauls Ministerie he knocked at the doore of Lydia's heart and he by his Spirit then opened the same as the text sheweth very plainely Act. 16. 14. So Christ by his owne preaching knocked and in knocking opened the doore of vnderstanding to his Disciples Luk. 24. 45. To conclude this point of free-will herein that men bee not deceiued by the Aduersaries deceitfull Allegations of Scripture let them diligently obserue the question which is of the power of free-will in matters spirituall in the first act of conuersion which is by Gods Word wholly ascribed vnto God himselfe Neither can our Aduersaries bring any Scripture to proue that it is in the power of mans will to prepare it selfe thereto For all the places they alledge are either to prooue freedome of will in nature humane morall sinfull actions and in outward
so demeane my 〈◊〉 as my life may not scandalize my profession and so be iudged as one worthy to be reiected Thus vnderstood it is not alledged to purpose Secondly but grant the word to be vnderstood of a reprobate yet is it nothing against the assurance of saluation for S. Paul speaking thus of himselfe was most certain that he was no Reprobate 2. Cor. 13. 6. but one sure of his saluation Rom. 8. 38 39. 2. Tim. 1. 12. 4. 8. Gal. 5. 20. as is also cleere out of the 26. verse going before this obiected place I therefore so runne not as vncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the ayre Therefore speaking so assuredly of saluation in the former verse he cannot be vnderstood here as making doubt thereof for so should he be made to speake contraries But the Apostle sheweth that with his faith of the promises of assurance of saluation he did ioyne the meanes the more to further and the more to strengthen his said assurance For he knew and taught and so doe we that the vse of the meanes to saluation weakeneth not the assurance but rather confirmeth it and therefore doe wee that truely beleeue vse such meanes carefully and constantly Thirdly this place will not afford any good reason against the assurance of saluation S. Paul was sure of his saluation and hee vsed such lawfull meanes as might further him in the way and that he might not be a Castaway hee opposed his corruptions not liuing carnally secure nor vainely presumptuous nor did he neglect to doe what he ought to doe Will it hence therfore follow that he doubted of his saluation He professed as you see before the contrarie Faith in the vse of the meanes loseth not but gets assurance and groweth more consident Rom. 11. 20. Thou standest by faith bee not high-minded but feare c. Answ 1. If this place spoken to the Church of Rome will afford the conclusion that wee cannot be certaine of saluation but that they which now stand may fall away how commeth it to passe that Papists so bragge of the infallibilitie of their Churches not falling Secondly feare here is opposed to high-mindednesse and carnall securitie and not to the assurance of saluation Thirdly the Apostle taketh not hereby away the assurance of saluation but prescribeth the meanes of securing vs therein that we fall not away For the true feare of God and humilitie of Spirit will greatly awe vs and keepe vs from departing from God Ier. 32. 40. Fourthly the Apostle here speaketh to them as to a mixt company and as they were outwardly professors of the faith of Christ and not as the Elect of God and all true and sincere beleeuers of which the question is For these cannot finally fall away but the other may so be vncertaine of their saluation Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling Answ This place may be and is against the vaine securitie of saluation but not against true and sound assurance thereof For first the Apostle assureth them of saluation by saying your saluation making it theirs already Secondly he vttereth nothing that might cause doubting but onely exhorteth them to doe that which they ought to doe for the better assurance of their saluation that is to worke it out with feare and trembling thus warning them hereby to take heed of vaine presumption and carelesse securitie and not to cause them to liue in doubt of their saluation Thirdly we must know that there is a two-fold feare The one a seruile distrusting discouraging distracting legall feare begotten by the spirit of bondage and is opposite to sauing faith and spirituall comfort from which feare euery where the godly are dehorted Esa 35. 4. 41. 10. 43. 1. 54. 4 14. Luk. 12. 32. This feare Christ redeemeth vs from Luk. 1. 74. Heb. 2. 15. the Spirit of God freeth vs from Rom. 8. 15. 2. Tim. 1. 7. and perfect loue casts it out 1. Ioh. 4. 18. The other is a filiall feare carefull and louing a feare of awefull reuerence begotten by the Spirit of adoption euer attending as a handmaid on sauing faith To this the faithfull are exhorted Luk. 12. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 17. Reuel 14. 7. And this feare may be with reioycing as in Psal 2. 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce vnto him with trembling To which words in that Psalm the Apostle here alludeth And he that alwayes thus feareth is pronounced blessed Prou. 28. 14. And of this feare speaketh the Apostle in this place to the Philippians which feare doth not hinder but furthereth mans assurance of saluation keeping him from departing from God as before is noted out of Ier. 32. 40. and from presuming vpon their owne strength and to rest vpon God and in him to be strong Ephes 6. 10. as in the next verse Phil. 2. 13. is euident See for this Austins exposition lib. de gra lib. arb cap. 9. Prosper apud Ambros Epist 84. Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is he that feareth alway Answ This filiall feare that maketh a man blessed and keepeth him with God from falling away affordeth no reason for a true beleeuer to doubt of his saluation Eccles 9. 1. No man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before them Answ It is true that by beholding outward things how all things come alike to all we cannot know loue or hatred for of these outward things Salomon speaketh Neuerthelesse though we cannot know by sight yet may we discerne by faith and inward graces by Gods Spirit and fruit thereof that God loueth vs. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure c. Answ This Scripture is against our Aduersaries and for vs for it teacheth that a man may come to assurance of saluation by this diligence Prou. 20. 9. Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne Ans 1. It is true that either he can make himself pure clean by his own power neither that he is pure by any inherent righteousnesse neither that hee is made perfectly pure in this life by Gods Spirit whereby he is in a measure not wholy sanctified Secondly yet a true Beleeuer can say that faith purgeth the heart Act. 15. 9. that by the bloud of Christ he is cleansed from all his sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that he is sanctified Heb. 10. 10. and also by the Spirit 1. Pet. 1. 2. Thirdly thus being sanctified he is sure that he hath the Spirit of Christ Ioh. 14. 17. and that he is iustified Rom. 8. 1 9. and then is he certain that he shall be glorified Rom. 8. 30 33. Fourthly and although this sanctification be not perfect in this life yet this hindereth not our saith to assure vs of saluation because faith taketh hold of the truth of Gods promises made to euery true beleeuer in Christ who is our Wisdome our Iustification our Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor.