be proved to be not sincere by the strength of Reason as to deny Tribute to Caesar and yet see the superscription to wipe the outside and let the inside be filthy to behold the mote in my brothers eye and not consider the beam in my own eye to be uncovered in the presence of my Master and not to shew the same reverence in the presence of my God I could adde more but I shall be too long on this point only this must not be omitted That Religion without Reason may carry us into a Frenzy I would this Land of ours did not shew you the truth of what I deliver The Spirit of God is no frantick Spirit but the Spirit of love and a sound mind 2 Tim. i. 7. The Apostle asks his disorderly Corinthians what they mean Will not they say that you are mad 1 Cor. xiv 21. The Apostle would not have us be of a crackt Religion If then the Light of Nature implanted in us be such a Light which we must have recourse to when the case serves if that must also with the holy Scriptures have some share in proving all things then we are something toward a settlement we have what will keep us sober at least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks Rom. xii 3. We shall put up no hideous impudent pretences that shall dare to thwart this Light we shall not be wild or brutish with the untamed Heifers or the wild Ass that snuffes in the Wilderness we shall not be like the populous Fish of the Sea that have no Ruler we shall not preach down Crowns and Scepters the Ordinance of God and Nature and set that new Magistrate the People above them On pretence of Freedom we shall not bring in Confusion and invade other mens Estates on the Plea of Saintship we shall not from the example of Jael Phineas and the Canaanite preach hideous Massacres of all the Loyal Party to such numerous Congregations which are able to do the feat we shall not with those Fanaticks in Jeremy vii 10. believe that we can possibly be redeemed even to commit such abominations we shall have none strip themselves of Shame and Garments and display themselves Naked through our once civil Streets none will desie the civilities of a salute we shall not study to do things quite contrary to humanity only because all mankind that were in their wits had done so before we shall not forget we are men because we are fellow creatures we shall save our natures if we do not save our souls And so much for the first particular Prove all things which concern Conscience by the Rule of holy Scripture but at no hand excluding the Light of Reason or Nature Our second particular treats of the proof in matters of Faith Faith strictly so called in which sense not every point of Spiritual Knowledge is an Article of Faith i. e. necessary to salvation the Scriptures are the Rule of both Faith and Spiritual Knowledge but so as their interpretation keep a fair correspondence with the Rule of Faith the Creed the publick confession of Christ from the first minute of Christianity made in the Church by all the Candidates of the holy Baptism as you hear by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Person I believe c. Which confession is brought down to after Ages not in Tables of Stone saith Saint Hierome but in the hearts of them that believe unto righteousness and in the mouths of those that have made confession to salvation For to this very practice doth the Apostle there referre Rom. x. The greatest searchers into the annals of the Church Voss de Symb. confess that the Apostles Creed as now it stands was in use above twelve hundred years ago viz. before four hundred years after Christ Let us take their grant and let us ask them in the Name of Christ Was the Apostles Creed then thought an Innovation such inferences giddy people are apt to make But if we look into the Scriptures there we shall find that Catechism into the Faith of Christ and Confession of the same is elder then the very name of Christian Acts xi 26 as it must be because nothing else could give them that name Elder by some years then the writings of the New Testament Saint Lukes Theophilus was catechis'd into Christian Religion before the Evangelist wrote his Gospel S. Luke i. 4 The Creed and the summe of Christianity differ secundum magis minus a straiter and a larger compass the Creed believes the Son of God the summe of Christianity saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one substance with the Father This believes the Resurrection of the Body that explaines it self a Shining and Glorious Body they differ not in substance but as the Bud and the Rose in Explication only Now the summe of Christianity is the Immediate Rule of Faith the Scriptures being the Rule quatenus They contain in them this great Pawn and Pledg the grand Depositum of our Religion This Depositum was left with the Church and also committed to writing Left with the Church thence the Apostle exhorts in in several places to hold it fast So 2 Tim. i. 13 Hold fast the Form of sound words in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Observe first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Form of sound words a Draught a Breviate so Ptolomy calls his Maps of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Form and a Rule Thus is our LORD's Prayer a Form of sound words and a Rule viz. of Prayer the Decalogue a Form of sound words and a Rule of Life Observe 2ly a Form of sound words or rather sound Articles and Propositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for single words are not capable of soundness or of the contrary Thirdly the Contents of this Form the Credenda and Agenda as all Creeds rightly understood do contain Matters of Faith and Matters of Practise witness that Article of Remission of sins Gloriously and Catholickly explained by I believe one Baptisme to Remission of sins Now these Credenda and Agenda the Apostle calls Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Next that this Form must be held fast that 's some signe it was of no unreasonable extent it must be grassed first before it can be held fast such as doth not overlade the Memorie as the Apostle seems to speak 1 Cor. xv 2 where he is explicating the Articles of the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Construe it how you please it makes for us Now to tell us that at first Voss de 36. Symb. dep 3. p. 14 it was enough for the Baptized to profess Belief in the Lord Jesus or the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Act. ii ch viii 12 c. is contrary to those very Scriptures and Reason For he that believeth in the Lord Jesus doth not believe in those two words only but in all those Great Things concerning him All that he
he that bids us not believe every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God or no 1 John iv 1 Now how must that be done even by the Articles of our Creed by the Rules of the Catholick Faith say the Contents of that Chapter You shall hear him Hereby know ye the Spirit of God That 's good How Every Spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God vers 2. and every Spirit that confesseth not is not of God He gives his Criterium from an Article of the Creed against the Hereticks of that Time which oppugned it for so the words following import This is that Spirit of Antichrist vers 3. that even now already is in the World He doth not 't is true give One Catholick Rule to try all Heresies by for how many Hereticks were there that were so cunning afterward as to confess the Incarnation as Saint Austin observes on that place but he giveth one pro tempore sufficient at that time and from the Creed he fetcheth it But the holy Apostle Peter speaks of all the Creed For when he had seasonably admonish'd us that some do abuse and wrest the holy Scriptures he gives us an account who they are viz. the unlearned and the unstable which can be none else but those that have not sufficiently learned and are not strongly confirmed in the fundamental Lessons of Christianity 2 Pet. iii. 16 The Scripture then is the un-erring Rule of Faith but so that its interpretation must have regard to the Rule and symbole of our Faith the reasons are the same as before because they sweetly agree the one is contai'nd in the other the one is suppos'd by the other as we said of the Law of Nature They are mutual helps one to the other The Scriptures were given that our Faith might not be interlop'd and the Creed was given that the Scripture might not be wrested Neither can be spared by the faithful So here 's no clashing the Decalogue is the Rule but not to shut out the Pentateuch The five Books of Moses are the Rule but not to exclude the Ten Commandments Nothing must exclude its own Quintessence And is not this necessary No question God saw it very necessary and the advantages are undeniably these First The Creed is one compact abridgement of fundamentals which in the Scripture lie as in the Myne here and there respersed Secondly It is plain and easie but the Scriptures have many things hard to be understood So said Saint Peter when yet the Book of the Revelation was not written Hence the old Hereticks few or none denied the Scriptures but the Creed many disowned After all this are we not nearer to Vnity now Yes For if this Rule were believed to be a Rule and Form preserved to us from the beginning we should none of us dream of new Lights and stand amazed at every puffe of doctrine from this or that or the other illuminate We should not reckon salvation by any Name but Jesus nor by that neither unless rightly understood We should not divide Christ into Parishes piece-meal making so many Catechisms as Congregations and Christianities as Pulpits We should none of us dare to scruple the very Godhead of our Blessed Lord and the Worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founded in it we should not out-face the Church of God in her main mysterie whereby she is distinguished from the Jewish Synagogue or the Turkish Mosque We should not dare to contract this great salvation and deny the universality of Christs merits We shall not abuse the grace of God either to presume on a profane or to be secure in an indifferent life We should regard and respect the known wayes of Christ Baptism c. not dreaming of an invisible Spirit to twitch us to Heaven by the hair of the head There is none of us would make it an Article much less place all our saving Faith in an infallible absolute assurance of our well-doing We should rather tremble at the brightness of Him that is to come judge Quick and Dead and tremble again at our sacrilegious breaches of our Vow in Baptism and our indevout repentances therefore We should not imagine no necessity of holiness toward eternal remission of sins we should not be afraid of good Works Thing nor Name We should talk less of the Spirit and live more by it We should look upon Christianity as a kind of pure Angelical life the exertion of the Spirit of God received in Baptism We should believe a Church be such men in understanding as to know our Mother and so natural as to reverence her We should not make such a vast Hiatns in Church-History as to reckon none from the Apostles to our dayes for if we reckon any we could not place Reformation in a wilful departure from it in every thing where humour prompts us to do that easie thing of wresting Scripture And to see that I would be impartial neither should we out of a pretended esteem of this Apostolick Form content our selves with a scanty measure of the knowledge of Christ Seeing there is Duty and Knowledge and to believe in Christ rightly understood is a World of both And thus much for proving of matters of Faith Now for Ceremony and Order the endless Dispute in this Island How shall we prove this what Rule have we for these Here as no where else do I look that my authority should be acoepted How can it when the Churches is denied a very demonstration from so private a person shall not pass Yet I deem these things cannot be banished out of the Church My reason is all Beauty lies in Order all Decency in Ceremony With Order there is Beauty even in the Furrowes of the Field and without it there is none in the Beds of a Garden Irrational is the despoiling of Order hence such care taken least the Swine break into the Garden God by the very Creation is a God of Order Gen. i. And behold all was very good altogether as well as each particular Besides his Title of Lord of Hosts shews as much Every one that knows what belongs to an Army knows without Order 't is nothing Yea and Nature her self is not without her Ceremonies the Leaves of the Trees and the Flowers of the Field Solomon in all his Ceremony could not out-strip them and so decent are these that without them the Trees look bald and the Earth withers into desert So in Animals the House-Cock hath his Spur and Crest the Ensigns of Chivalry the rest of the Birds have their Habits and Liveries the Turkies neck is fac'd with Scarlet and the Lapwing hath his Cap of Maintenance Yet nearer The hair of our Face and Beard is but a Ceremony viz. a mark of distinction and decency and these instances that I have given are so much to the purpose that 't is known they have the Fate of Ceremonies to wit to be thought superfluous as the
Παντα Δοχιμαςετε A SERMON Treating of the Tryall of all Things by the HOLY SCRIPTURES The confest Rule of FAITH and PRACTICE SHEWING The Deplorable ABUSE of that Rule With an Attempt touching the Examen of CEREMONIES Delivered in St. Paul's Cathedral November 8. being the xxi Sunday after Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 ad Tim. v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 ad Corinth viii 2. By J. G. LONDON Printed by J. R. for Humphrey Robinson at the Sign of the Three Pidgeons in St. Paul's Church-yard 1664. Imprimatur Nov. 30. 1663. Tho. Grigg Rev. in Christo P. D. Humfr. Episc Lond à Sacr. Domest To the Right Reverend Father in GOD Humphry by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of London our honoured Diocesan MY LORD WHat is the state and condition of this Land and how lamented by serious men your Lordship knows full well If I appear an unworthy means of contributing some Charisma toward the setling or healing of my Country I should reach the highest of my ambition Your Lordship perceives that all could not be said which was requisite in the abstract of an hour The greatest argument that staves off some good minded people is the pretence of dissolute life which if perfectly true were an inconsequence seeing 't is exprest by our Lord that the Rabbies which say and do not as long as they sit in Moses's Chair ought to be heard Howbeit we hope we can exhibite not a few who shall set an example to them in all true piety of conversation provided that affectation of sanctity and turbulency carry not away the name My Lord Either they are Deceivers or we and because 't is so I thought I could not acquit my self better then by publishing the Churches principles to all the World whereby She will discover yea and anathematize the contrary Heresie All that I have asserted is our Reason our Faith and our Order that men may be in some way of using their Bibles toward Truth and Edification Spiritual Growth in Duty and Charity not toward Offences and Divisions which by me by the Grace of God shall not come in to the Church 'T is good to have a care of the Woe through whom The Apostle that bids us hold fast what is good in the Text bids us hold fast our Creed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Discipline Apostolick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this I reckon was not casual It is a prodigious thing when the unlearned and unstable cannot endure to hear that the Scripture may be wrested when they are the only men that do it and that Lord open their eyes to their own damnation 'T is a brave thing this self-conceit being illuminate in our own eyes true knowledge is ready to puffe up false knowledge puffeth up more Let Truth arise and let Error vanish from our Cities Let the unity of the Spirit find a Dwelling amongst us that would be spiritual Vpon the prudent pursuance of which we shall pray for the Governors of the Church and amongst them for your Lordship as your Lordships most humbly devoted J. GOAD 1 THESS V. XXI Prove all things Hold fast that which is good AS in the early Spring you cannot but observe walking in a Forrest the pleasant evidences of the season by a Primrose here and another there and not far off a knot crowding together so in the Book of God you may observe here a Lesson and there a second and anon a whole Posie of flowers as in this very chapter grow at your feet and breath themselves forth in their several expirations But as in this allusion it oft times happens there is some difficulty in gathering the flower growing perhaps within the empalement of a thorny hedge or prickly bush so we do begin to discern some difficulty also some thorn or scruple which may threaten us with a raze or a wound unless we are more cautious in gathering The difficulty arises from the state of Religion which should be one unquestion'd unmov'd profession but when we see a Nation have so lost themselves as in a Forrest indeed every one in a several path luring perhaps one to another but not knowing how to come together nor how to get out when I shall see the lowest members of Christs Body learn of Korah so far as to take upon them to mutine against their Superiours to define contrary to their Governours to devise Governments and to pronounce Babylon and Anathema to all that dissent and these men have their eyes as well as others for would we pull out the eyes of these men said Korah And this so far that our very Civil Peace is endangered every hour with designes of blood and confusion but that our eyes are upon God who we hope notwithstanding our provocations of another nature God knows then what is supposed will vouchsafe to preserve us When all this which ought to be bemoan'd by every one that understands Reason or Religion all this I say shall be thought to be the genuine Issue of the Apostles Precept in our Text and the pretext shall be What have they done but only in Conscience to God and love to their own souls Proved all things Proved the Doctrines of the Great Ones Proved the Government and Proved all the rabble of their Ceremonies and they have evidently found the contrary to be good What is left but that we also should prove with them and so come over to them or else clear up that mis-understanding of this Apostolick exhortation which hath occasioned and will justifie this dis-union And this is our designe at this time through Gods much implored assistance to shew that these words are the Remedy and Antidote rightly understood not any cause or occasion of distemper That if we prove and examine all things after the Apostles way we shall come to settlement and unity finde the wayes of Truth and Peace and Righteousness we should all light upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text and hold it fast as the Apostle exhorts us to do to which yet he would not exhort us but that he supposes it not impossible to finde it The words in the verse will not take up much time for a critical enquiry into their meaning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth indeed here signifie what is there rendred Prove i. e. Try and Examine and consequently censure and judge according to their difference as in that known parallel 1 John IV. 1. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God or no Only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be restrained to a peculiar state of things Not all things in Philosophy or the Mathematiques the Conclusions Problems Experiments for these are exotique to the Christian though they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too in their kind But all that respect the spiritual concern all Doctrines and Principles that belong to Faith and good Manners that 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be found the
hath any way done and said to the Redemption of the world his immaculate Conception his Passion Resurrection Mission of the Spirit and the end of all the blessed Remission of our sins And thus we have a Little Creed at least And 't is evident that the very Institution of Christ points at a larger Form when he hath appointed all Baptized Persons to profess Belief in the Father Son and Holy Ghost S. Matth. xxviii Belief in their Names too which in the First Person cannot signifie less then God the Father Almighty Creator of the World and that 's all the Apostles Creed expresses and the Third Person the Holy Ghost cannot imply less then the Lord and Giver of Spiritual Life as the Nicene Creed hath it which yet the Apostles Creed spares to express It must not be denied but that the Antient Confessions of the Church of God in several places did not agree to every title or syllable the East and Western Church had several Forms as to this matter nay that of Aquileia in the same Italy differ'd saith Ruffinus from that at Rome But let it be considered that there was no Confession recited in publick but was in order to Baptisme yea and what presupposed a Larger Catechisme of the Novice into the Mysteries and Duties of Religion and then where will be the variety or will it not be fupplied out of the Principles premised to a perfect Agreement To illustrate this bating the Descent into Hell as the Romane Creed did and the Communion of Saints with Aquileia of which we cannot discourse here what is there in the Creed but is witnessed to have been there and naturally must be from the beginning For could any Confession leave out the Article of Remission of sin What and be a Confession in order to Baptisme Did any omit the Article of the Resurrection Nay 'T is confest none did and good reason too for without this Article our Religion were a Fable 1 Cor. xv 14 or the Incarnation of Jesus or his Death or coming to Judgment could any Confession or Catechisme leave these out Nay further Is it not natural for a new Convert in the day of his Addition to the Church to profess Sancta Ecclesia the Holy Church that was then descending into the Laver of Baptism the Sacrament of Initiation into that Church therefore Holy because none but the washed and the sanctified did enter Or was the word Catholique Church a new Addition as is pretended toward the prevention of Horesie this is but suspected by those that it may be consider not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Peters and S. James's Epistles But as to the thing it is evident they believed in the Apostolique and what is Apostolique throughout the World but Catholique What then if the Apostles Creed as it is call'd were not a Form agreed by them totidem syllabis yet the Effect and substance was agreed among them before ever they departed from Jerusalem to go preach to every Creature Do not the Church Monuments tell us so much See Ruffinus in Symbol S. Ambros ep 81. Hieron ep ad Pamach quoted by Vossius disp 1. sect 13. Nay you that will take the paines of a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem may be shewn the very place where the Fame says they made this Agreement See Mr Sandys and Mr Morisons Relations But why trifle we Did the Apostles trow ye preach Christ at Jerusalem And what is preaching of Christ but preaching such Articles concerning him his Dying for our sins Resurrection and Repentance unto Remission of sins Must we prove this out of Scripture Nothing more easie See Act. viii 5 cum 12. xxviii 31 1 Cor. i. 23 xv 12 Eph. vv 19 20. 1 Cor. iii. 2 Gal. iii. 1 Did not they then going abroad preach the same Christ and the same Gospel i. the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bodie of Articles How is it called Eph. xv 5 One Faith indivisa in se divisa à quolibet alio What is meant by the Vnitie of that spirit which preacht Christ farr and near Eph. iv 3 And how is heed taken least they should preach 2 Cor. xi 4 several Jesuses any Form of Doctrine that should be dissonant from the Truth as a false scheme of the Grace of God Hence that of 1 Pet. v. 12 the true Grace of God wherein ye stand Did they preach the Name of Christ not the Thing Did they preach him any how or only did they protest but One saving way as the Truth is in Jesus Eph. iv 21 not introducing any false Article for then 't is a danger Christ may profit nothing Gal. v. 2 Nor omitting any true one especially that Great Article of REPENTANCE involved in Remishon of sins for the Apostle hopes whatever some may teach that His Charge will not learn Christ SO so falsely c. Eph. iv 19 What need we look for further presumtions when as Christs Institution is extant to his Apostles going to teach all Nations and to Baptize them Catechize them first into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost This only is enough to evidence it What is the issue then The summe of our Religion is a Rule then is the Creed also a Rule of Faith The first appears from several places of the Scripture You have obeyed from the heart that Form of Doctrine Rom. vi 17 That Form is the Rule of their Faith and Obedience A Rule I say of Faith for if any man shall teach contrary to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgress that Rule he must be marked for one that causes Divisions and Herefies in the Church Rom. xvi 17 Yea if an Angel from heaven shal dare to do it he shall have his anathema as the Hereticks have Gal. i. Hence 't is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rule as I could make it out Gal. vi 16 The second appears from the illustrious Testimony of the Primitive uncorrupted Church in which solemnly and deliberately the Creed is noted as (a) Tertul. de Trin. Regula Fidei there being no other summe of Christianity extant but that And that you may see Tertullian lookt upon it as the Rule you shall finde him (b) advers Marcion l. 4. trying the Spirits and the Doctrines and the false Prophets yea and their false Gospels too by it To this purpose he formally repeats it to the Heretick as universally accepted from the beginning Marcion forsooth did believe a several God in the Old Testament and in the New and had a false Gospel coyn'd under the name of S. Luke This Antient Writer (c) Prax. contr P. de Virg. veland repels both because the Creed began I believe in One God c. And this was within lesse then (d) ab initio Evangelii decucurrisse advers Prax. 100 years after S. John the Evangelist And had not Saint John the Evangelist taught him and us this very Method of Examen who is