Systeme of Diuinitie and may serue for a Catechisme of Christianitie WHat is Christian Religion It is that worship and seruice which euery good godly man ought by vertue of bond and obligation to tender vnto God himselfe Wherein is chalked out vnto vs the way as wel of liuing heere honestly as liuing hereafter happily as Augustine saith in his booke of true Religion the first Chapter The onely course of liuing well and happily consists in true Religion whereby we know the onely true God and worship him in holy purenesse For by religion the soule of man which before by sin was separate from God being now reconciled is againe tied and re-vnited to God from whence Religion hath its very name For when we re-lige as it were that is oblige and binde ouer againe our soules vnto God then we empty our selues of all superstitious worship contrary to Gods seruice So saith Lactant. lib. 4. ca. 28. l. 6. c. 1. We are by the tye of Religion bound and obliged vnto God whereupon it is called re-ligion not as Cicero wil haue it of relection but of religation in as much as God doth heereby binde vs ouer to his seruice whom it is our part to serue as our Lord and to obey as our Father For in very deed this is the dutie of man wherein the sum of all and the summitie of a blessed life doth consist This is the very first step in wisdome to know what it is for God truely to be a Father vnto vs and him with all sanctitie to worship and reuere obeying his will and wholy deuoting our selues to his seruice Which be then the principall parts wherin Christian Religion or the speciall actions wherein the worship of God standeth There be three of them 1. The meditation of the word of God and consequently of faith in Christ our Sauiour which is especially comprehended in the word of God to whom wee must referre all in our meditation 2. The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ. 3. Inuocation of Gods holy name ioyned with the loue of God and our neighbour Of the formost and last part of Christian religion we haue spoken elsewhere and at another time at this opportunity it is our purpose only to treat of the middle or second Branch of Christian Religion or the seruice of God and therin touching the vse of the principall Sacrament of the new Testament namely the Lords Supper which is called commonly the holy Communion as also the Eucharist that is a most eminent sacrifice of thanksgiuing to Christ our Sauiour Wherein consisteth the true vse and due preparation to the holy Communion In two things to wit in Knowledge and Deuotion Of what sort is that knowledge which appertaineth to our commendable preparation vnto and our lawfull vsing of the holy Communion It is of two sorts Generall and Particular Of how many kindes is our generall knowledge Of two either it is Primary and independant or Secondary and arising from the former How many parts hath the former kind It consists of a double doctrine the one of God the other of Gods Word What is God God is a spirituall essence 1. before all most perfect eternall 2. infinite 3. almighty of incomprehensible wisedom goodnesse 4. mercy 5. Iustice subsisting in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost What are we to consider in God Two things the Essence and Person What and of what sort is the Essence of God It is most simple and onely one so that God in regard of his Essence is simply one as the Scripture witnesseth Deuter. 6. vers 4. Heare oh Israel the Lord our God is one God 1. Tim. 2. v. 5. One God and one Mediatour What is the Person It is the maner of being in God whereby Gods Essence is made relatiue and respectiue which relation notwithstanding neither multiplieth the Essence nor diuides it into parts which may in some sort appeare by the degrees of light and heat For in the Sunnes light there are certaine degrees as morning or twilight and noon-light or perfect sunne-shine And yet for all those degrees the light is the same So in heate luke-warm and scalding hote though they make two degrees yet they make vp but one numericall caliditie which in a higher degree is in boyling water now before being in the same water inclining to feruent heat in a lower degree So then that we may apply this instance to our present purpose in some resemblance the Persons of the Deitie or these diuers maners of Gods being do not multiply the diuine essēce no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light do multiply the light or heat so that I speak right whē I say there are mo persons in the diuine essence but it cannot bee vttered without blasphemy to say there are in God more Natures or mo Gods thē one How many persons are there Three the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost which is prooued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matt. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name so by the authoritie and appoyntment of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Iohn 15.26 When that Comforter shall come whom I will send to you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth who proceedeth from the Father hee will testifie of me where they are all three plainly named The Father from whome the holy Spirit is sent the Sonne who sendeth and the holy Ghost who is sent 1. Ioh. 5.7 There bee three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in essence or nature How prooue you that these three Persons be that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because he that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent he frō whō is distinguished frō him that is sent Now Io. c. 15. plainly saith that Christ is hee that sendeth the Holy Ghost him that is sent and the Father from whom the Sonne sendeth the holy Ghost Whence I doe necessarily infer that these three manners of being in God are distinct which being graunted I shall easily prooue this three-fold manner of being or these three Persons in the diuine Essence to be that true God For first as touching the Father the very aduersaries themselues yeeld that he is truely God And touching the Sonne we haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Of whom namely the Israelites are the fathers of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh who is God aboue all blessed for euer If aboue all therfore aboue those who by reason of their excellent guifts are called Gods That the holy Spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely prooue Acts 5.3 Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lye against the holy Ghost And presently he addeth v. 4 Thou hast not lyed
the Monasteries how many sleights and inuentions doe the Monkes finde out to deceiue the common people and make them beleeue that they worke miracles I haue heard the causes of Iustification tell mee also what is the fruit of Iustification It is that peace of conscience by which a man is made sure of the grace and fauour of God and of eternall life which must especially bee noted against that detestable errour of the Papists who in their Trent Councell Session 6. boldly affirme that a man cannot heereof bee certaine in this life but ought alwaies to doubt of it and they adde that there can bee no greater sinne before God then that a miserable sinner should assure himselfe of Gods fauour yea and further they adde that whosoeuer shall hold that opinion ought to bee accursed To this their abominable errour wee oppose most plaine places of holy writ Rom. 8. vers 15. Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but that spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father which spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God This is a very horrible impiety that we will not receiue the testimonie of the Spirit but doubt of the truth and certaintie thereof 1. Iohn 5. He that belieueth in the Sonne of God hath the Testimonie in himselfe And surely if God would haue had vs to haue doubted he would neuer haue sworne that hee would bee compassionate vnto vs. But now hee hath sworne thus much very euidently Ezech. 18. As I liue saith the Lord that is as truly as I am and liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he liue Also Iohn 5. Verely verely I say vnto you whosoeuer belieueth in the Sonne hath eternall life And Woe be to thee then saith Saint Austine if thou belieue not God when he sweares to thee But the Papists obiect They that are weak are subiect to falling and they cannot be sure of the grace of God Answ. Who so are weake they may easily fall I limit the proposition thus vnlesse there bee one that is mightier who vpholdeth them Now God it is that holds vs vp and that helpeth our infirmities And therefore certaine we may bee of the forgiuenes of sins of the grace of God not by our owne nature indeed which is weake but by the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost making vs strong according to those sayings of holy Writ Psal. 37. vers 24. Though the righteous fall he shall not bee cast off because the Lord putteth vnder his hand Iohn 10.38 I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any one take them out of my hand my Father which hath giuen mee them is greater then all that is he can supply their wants readily and vphold them mightily Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Againe they obiect that place 1. Cor. 10. Hee that standeth let him take heed that hee fall not I answere That the Apostle there speaketh of hypocrites which doe perswade themselues falsly that they stand further he speakes also of the weakenesse of men touching which we cannot be enough admonished to the end that we may think saluation not to lye in our owne strength but in the grace of GOD onely They vrge also that place Eccles. 9. A man knoweth not whether he is worthy loue or hatred Whereto I answere First that this is a fallacie not being limmited wee ought then thus to limet it A man knoweth not of himselfe but hee may knowe it God reuealing it vnto him and the holy Spirit witnessing it Secondly a man knoweth not by those humane causes and by the euent of Fortune and the chances and changes of these outward things And therein the Text it selfe is a mouth to expound it selfe for there it is said that a man by externall changes such as are riches pouerty health sickenesse honour contempt that a man cannot by these things nor any other externall estate iudge and certainely know whether hee bee in the fauour of God or be hated by him And therefore that there argument is not sound which argue thus as many doe I am rich Ergo. I am the sonne of God or I am poore Ergo. God doth hate mee This iudgement then whether wee bee in the fauour of GOD or not we must take from Gods Word Sithence therefore it is certaine that a faithfull soule may bee assured of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and may bee made partaker of the peace of Conscience as it said Romans 5. verse 1. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace thence another thing doth necessarily follow to witt That a man when hee is once receiued into the fauour of GOD and hath obtaitained remission of his sinnes that hee I say cannot fall away from the grace of GOD nor loose his Faith nor bee obnoxious vnto eternall damnation For because wee ought not to doubt of the grace of GOD therefore neither can wee fall away from the Grace of God for if wee could fall away from it then wee might doubt of it but wee being once receiued into the grace and fauour of God that wee cannot altogether loose that grace of God the Scripture witnesseth Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus if no condemnation then perpetuall fauour and if no condemnation then also no time is there wherein they may slide from the grace of God and fall into condemnation for by no condemnation is excluded both all the kinds thereof and all occasions of falling thereinto Hitherto appertaineth that place which before we haue cited Ioh. 10 My sheepe none shall take out of my hand which is all one as if hee had said My sheepe shall neuer be taken out of my hand which must bee diligently noted against the Papists who affirme that a man after that he is taken into the fauour of God may fall againe out of his fauour euen as if hee had neuer been in fauour but may haue of a mercifull God an vncompassionate and irreconciliable God euen as when one falles out of the fauour of the King in stead of a gentle and kind master hee hath now an angry and cruell King But here they obiect that place in the 51. Psalme where Dauid after that horrible sinne of his was committed prayeth Restore vnto me the ioy of my saluation therefore say they he had lost the fauour of God I answere that the Papists doe not halfe well enough looke into the text for it is not said Restore vnto me my spirit which I had lost but he saith restore my ioy my comfort againe to me Therefore that text makes against themselues for if Dauid had lost that grace and spirit of God then
wee professe any other Religion then that which they bequeath'd vnto vs and which we wil liue and dye in too We our forefathers customs still obay Doe as they did and follovv their blind vvay Not striuing busily our vvits to approue By searching doubts but rather shevv our loue By louing euen their errours that are gone Or reuerendly belieuing they had none True it is like enough you will doe so whatsoeuer be said to the contrary For as the wise King saith of a foole Bray a foole in a morter and hee will neuer be the wiser The holy Spirit hath branded those people with black who practiz'd that long since which you plead for now So those nations feared the Lord and serued their images too So did their children and their childrens children as did their fathers so doe they vnto this day It was but a Pagans argument to Theodosius the Emperour Seruanda est tot saeculis fides nostra sequendi sunt maiores nostri qui secuti sunt foeliciter suos And the Emperors Letter to the States of Germany assembled at Wormes against Luther sounds and runnes in the same tenour Our predecessours were obedient to the Romish Church and therefore wee cannot without great infamy and staine of honour degenerate from the examples of our elders but will maintaine the ancient Faith and giue ayd to the See of Rome But here first of al we desire no better Aduocate for our selues then Gratian I will set downe his owne words Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas duertendum quod Dominus dicit ego sum via veritas Non dixit ego sum consuetudo sed veritas Et certe vt beati Cypriani vtamur sententia quaelibet consuetudo quantumuis vetusta quantumuis vulgata veritati omnino est postponenda vsus qui veritati contrarius est abolendus Secondly M. Caluins note on the fourth of Iohns Euangell and the 20. Verse is here worth the noting Verae pietatis desertoribus solenne est vt patrocinium sibi ex Patrum exemplis quaerant It 's a very ordinary thing with Sectaries and Apostates from religion to vrge for their doings their Fathers examples Oh ye Apostaticall generation which doe as much as in you lies to resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers haue done so will you do too But your tame-blind obedience vvell befits Such earth-bred doâ—eish dull and sluggish vvits But ayerie Spirits acquainted vvith the light VVill not be led by custome from the right No loue no friends no predecessors shall Peruert their iudgements they examine all Your Fathers haue stepp'd awry in some points of doctrine and you hauing once entred their by-paths will needs runne into the desert of errour your Fathers liuing in the stinking ayre of Popery could not choose but be tainted with some infection of Heresie What then Dare you say they died in their pollution Did God reueale vnto you the time the houre of their conuersion Do you not know that God might haue his secret working performed vpon them euen at the very last gaspe Doe you not acknowledge that God can saue such as are not pertinacious in their Heresies euen Inter pontem fontem When there is no sensible hope When there is no sensible hope When their soule is at the pits brinke hee can call it backe againe that the pit shall not shut its mouth vpon it I haue often greatly wondred saith M. D. Luther how that in all the time of that tyrannizing Sect of the sonne of perdition for so many hundreths of yeres together the Church should subsist in the midst of such great darknesse and in the throng of so many errours Afterward I conceiued that there were certaine called of God by the Word of his Gospel and Baptisme who walked in the simplicitie and humilitie of their heart thinking the Monkes only and such as were anointed of Bishops to bee holy men and religious but themselues to bee profane and irreligious and in no wise to bee compared with the other Whereupon finding themselues emptie of all good workes and merits which they might oppose to the displeasure and rigour of Gods iustice they clung close to the passion and death of Christ and so in that simplicitie were saued Neither was this the case of simple ones onely but euen of their deepe Doctors their holy Hermites there sanctified Monkes of whom I may truely say That howsoeuer they liu'd among them yet were they not of them Which assertion though it might haue beene doubted of all their life time their habits and cooles and manner of liuing colouring it out to the world that they were Papists yet the point of death approaching put the matter out of question when for all their regularities and obseruances as Monkish as euer for all their comport and carriage as superstitious as euer for all their meanes and maner of liuing as Popish as euer could bee deuised they will bee found to haue dyed true Protestants casting from them all trust and relyance on their owne works and putting their whole trust and affiance in the mercies of God through Christ Iesus Such was that good Hermit Agatho good in name and in truth good Such was that blessed Saint Bernard the best Monke that euer was Both which on their Death beds to haue renounced themselues vtterly and to haue had recourse onely vnto Christ you may reade in that worthy Author afore cited And I thinke verily saith Luther that Ierome and Gregory and many other Fathers and Hermites were after the same manner saued and the ground of this his thus reasoning is for that wee are not to doubt but that euen in the Old Testament many of the Kings of Israel and other Idolaters likewise were saued for because it pleased God euen in the houre of death to turne their hearts causing them to cast away all their vaine confidence they put in their Idols and to apprehend that promise of God as concerning that seed of Abraham which was to come to wit Christ in whom all the nations of the world should bee blessed Hence proceed our charitable censures of such of your Fathers who liuing in the darkenesse of superstitionâ— could not so well see the way to heauen and to reformation in their life time as their meek hearts could haue wished But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too heady in the pursuit of errour and too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so bee saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene pares culpa shall be also
pares paena Be partakers of their sinnes you shall certainely be sharers in their punishment O then ye generation of those vipers bee forewarned of the heauy vengeance to come Doe not with the deafe Adder alwayes stoppe your eares to all godly and Christian admonitions but take theÌ„ at length to hart and say not with your selues Wee haue had ranke Papists to our Fathers wee haue had such as haue derided mocked your Orthodoxe Religion for our patterns and presidents for I dare boldly affirme in the wordes of our Sauiour that vnlesse yee repent and be conuerted you shall likewise perish Be not like them in Saint Austine Verum est quod dicitiâ— to professe all true that we say Non est quod respondeatur and that you haue nothing to say against it Sed durum est nobis traditionem Parentum relinquere but it seemeth a hard thing vnto vs to forsake the faith and tradition of our Fathers For consider it well in your hearts why should your Fathers examples mislead you into errour O vvhat a senselesse part is this in you Your Fathers faults and errors to allovv And not much rather to reforme your ovvne By shunning the defect vvhich they haue shovven Shall the vaine conceit of your Fathers worth weigh downe Gods holy Word Will you conferre nay preferre man to God If the Fathers of your bodies lead you one way and Father of Spirits bid you go another haue you not learn'd to obey God rather then men Will you not grant that which reason hath alwayes held for certaine and grounded truth Viuendum est legibus non exemplis Goe to then thinke not to shrowd your doings with your Fathers exemplarie dealings For as it is well vttered by the Heathen Oratour Impudens est Oratio dicere sic sactum est But let the bright and cleare Law of God shine in your hearts let it dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome heare the Word of God from others read it by your selues pray to God for a right vnderstanding of it marke it well ponder it in your heart and examine all your tenents and courses by it and then the Lord opening your eyes to see your own mis-doings and your Fathers mis-leadings you will confesse your Fathers follies wherein you haue liued and professe to leaue them with all speedie reformation in new obedience vnto God holy Will and Commandements And this I pray God that of his infinite goodnesse hee will grant vnto you that so by the conuersion of your soules his holy Name may be glorified his Angels gladded his faithfull confirmed your hearts comforted and the borders of Christs Church enlarged and that for the merits of Christ Iesus his onely true naturall Sonne our alone all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer Amen An Apologetique to the Christian Reader for the work in and about the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc omne principium huc refer exitum Of all thy studies and intentions see That God the Alpha and Omega be DAveniam Scriptis remembring that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit vvithall The Spirit that is the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God are bestovved vpon vs not to be wrapt vp in a Napkin and hid in the earth but for manifestation Whereupon the ancient Greekes well expressed man and light by one common name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch shewes in the confutation of that common Mott. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what our Sauiour spake with a primarie direction to his Apostles Vos estis lux mundi Yee are the lights of the world may in a secondary application be affirmed of euery Christian or else Saint Paul would not say Among whom ye shine as lights in the world Now least any one should exempt himselfe therefore euery one is put in the Text. For as there are none furnish'd with all gifts so there are none but they haue some gift and the doner will looke for his owne with aduantage As euery man therefore hath receiued the giâ—t so let him minister thereof to others for the good of others Looke not euery one on your owne things but euery one on the things of other A good lesson for this incroaching and monopolizing world wherein euery man is for himselfe as the prouerb saith and as the Apostle complaineth Euery man seeketh his owne things and none the things of Christ Iesus But what saith the Scripture Non prohibet Euangelium nisi cupiditatem non precipit nisi charitatem The Gospell saith Austin doth not prohibite any thing more then incroaching couetousnesse it inioynes nothing so much as dilating charitie It is a poore center of a mans action Himselfe It is right earth as a great Scholler speaketh Wherfore let vs attend then to the Apostles rule who wills that euery one should seeke anothers vvealth and hee prescribes vs no other rule then that he himselfe walked in Non quaero quid mihi vtile sed quid multis I seeke not mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued By him that desires thy profit and proficiency in knowledge and godlines T.V. The Attestation of a friend touching this Booke inserted in a Letter to the Translatour In your Translation you haue laboured that they that will read may haue delight and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might haue ease that all into whose hands it commeth might haue profit 2. Mac. 2.25 Adam Airay S. S. Theol. Bac. M. D. Esquire To his good Friend T. V. WHat Thou do'st teach by others heretofore Hath likewise bin But yet by no man more To the true life That by thy godly care Thou and thine Authour equally doe share Thou praisest him Translating but if he Vnderstood English he would more praise thee Thou to our Nation ha'st his Doctrine showne Which to our vulgar else had not beene knowne As much by this thou get'st as ere he wanne England praise Vicars Dantsk her Keckerman Mich. Drayton Errata In the Preface reade Rob. Grosth Page 45. in the margin for Syst Tâ— reade Syst. Log. p. 50. offices r. p. 60. in the margin r. afflictiones p. 72. in the margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. for not certainly r. no certainty p. 85. r. doctrine p. 86. r. other are bare proprieties p. 87. r. accident p. 95. for hearts r. sects p. 96. for Matthias Iohn r. Matth. Illyric p 121. in the last line r. as before p. 123. for Christ r. Chrysostome p. 126. for Heb. 7. r. Heb. 12. p. 142. in the margin r. 139. p. 153. r. peruersly There are also other mistakings in figures vvhich you may bee pleased to mend of your selues A GODLY AND DEuout Treatise teaching with what due preparation wee ought to come to the holy Communion which is indeed an Abbridgement of the
vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1. Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence we may thus reason whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo. The Maior is euident the Minor is expressely in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple essence voyd of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the text vers 10. where it is said As the reasonable soule is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may that testimony 1. Cor. 3.16 be referred Know yee not that ye are the Temple of God and that the holy Spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words do expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know ye not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1. Cor. 12.4 5 6. There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11 All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth all those gifts Another argument out of the same text may be this He that is endued with a will he cannot be a bare vertue or accidēt but is a substāce subsisting by it self but the holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstādeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth he must be a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set down in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell me now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those things which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that authority it hath in prouing thirdly by reason of the matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherein it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of mankind and people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which he reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to mankind after the birth of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authoritie it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which do you call the Canonicall Books Those which are of vndoubted authoritie in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the square and rule of our faith for Canonical is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a rule or square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sorts either of the old or of the new Testament VVhich bookes of the old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is deuided into foure rancks the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Ioshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Books of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Iob the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Books of the new Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scriptures of the new Testament is diuided into the history of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of Iohn Which are called Apocryphall or not Canonicall Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith consequently which are not the rule and square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apochriphall Books Among the Books of the old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisdome which falsely is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth books of Esdras all the bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these bookes are to bee found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the bookes of the old Testament to be written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there be many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thing out of these bookes against vs we must answer that those bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gosspell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what wee ought to belieue and consequently wherein we haue the remission of our sinnes promised vs by faith in Christ. I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God I pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly do so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shal alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall bookes only and not at all for
that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Againe Vnto him not that worketh but that belieueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is counted for righteousnesse Luk. 8 Mark 6. saith Christ onely belieue which is all one as if he had said By faith alone thou shalt obtaine euerlasting life So then although these words bee not manifestly extant By faith alone we are iustified yet the sense is manifestly put downe and other words therevnto equiualent are contained in the Scripture for whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Certainely it is all one as if he said Wee conclude that a man is iustified only by faith for a man must needs be iustified either by faith or by workes a third way none can be able to shew Paul plainely saith to the Galath We know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ. Not By those righteous deeds which wee haue done but by his owne mercy he hath saued vs through the Lauer of regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit Therfore it remaineth that we say that faith alone doth iustifie a man And that no man is iustified by workes and so consequently that our works doe not merit for vs forgiuenesse of sinnes I prooue it by euident testimonies of holy Writ I. Tit. 3.5 Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast Secondly Philip. 3.9 Rom. 3.24 II. We are iustified before we do any works as S. Paul expressely witnesseth of Abraham that before hee had done any good work he was iustified before God Rom. 4.2 where he saith If Abraham had been iustified by workes he had wherein to boast but not with God To him that worketh the wages is not giuen vpon fauour but debt but he that worketh not but belieueth only in him who iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto him for righteousnes III. Arg. is taken from the proprietie of our works Our works are debts therfore by them can we deserue nothing Antec is confirmed by Luk. 17. When you haue done all that you can do c. 2. Good works are not ours but Gods now by that which is anothers and not our owne wee can merit nothing Antecedent is proued Phil 2.13 God it is who worketh good in you and perfects it Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which hee hath prepared that we should walke in them Thirdly our good workes are not perfect therefore wee can merit nothing by them for three things there bee required of him that will merit first that hee hath that by which he will merit of his owne secondly that it be no debt thirdly that that bee perfect which three conditions our good workes haue not as it is said Esay 6. All our righteousnesse is like vnto a menstruous cloath And Philip. 3.8 Paul calleth his workes dung I vnderstand what iustifying faith is now tell mee the cause thereof whereby it is begotten in vs The principall cause whereby sauing faith is ingendred is the holy Spirit the instrumentall cause or meanes is either ordinarie or extraordinarie What is the ordinarie meaner whereby the holy Spirit worketh faith in vs It is twofold namely the Word of God and the Sacraments The Word of God you haue already touched now tell mee what is a Sacrament It is a holy signe instituted of God whereby God maketh the belieuers sure of his fauour the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and other benefits likewise by Christ his passion and death to be bestowed vpon them Of what sorts are the Sacraments Of two sorts Sacraments of the old and new Testament How many Sacraments were there in the old Testament Two to wit Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe How many Sacraments be there in the new Testament Two onely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord What is Baptisme It is a Sacrament of the new Testament whereby sprinkling of the water in the name of Father Sonne and holy Ghost being made we are initiated grafted into the church and whereby there is sealed vnto the faithfull forgiuenesse of sinnes by the bloud of Christ and regeneration vnto life eternall See more in my Syst. of Diuin pag. 451. and in the Comment on Vrsins Catechisme pag. 429. according to the last Edition What is the Lords Supper This wee shall handle afterward in the opening of our particular knowledge wherewith wee must furnish our selues in regard that the knowledge hereof comes nearest vnto our lawfull and seemely preparing of our selues to the Lords Supper Here onely would be noted that eâ—rour of the Papists who haue made seuen Sacraments of the new Testament to wit Baptisme Confirmation Pennance the Eucharist Extreeme Vnction Orders and Matrimony But that number of Sacraments is neither vpholden by any testimonie of holy Writ neither is it propped by the authoritie of any of the ancient Fathers but it is a new deuise hatched not aboue 200 yeares agoe in the time of Lombard the Master of the Sentences Besides euery Sacrament should haue a signe and thing signified but Pennance Orders Matrimony haue no signes at all Further yet euery Sacrament hath annexed promise of grace and appertaines to all belieuers in the Church and to conclude it is more then manifest that all Sacraments ought to be instituted by Christ euery of which markes of a Sacrament cannot bee auerred and truly attributed vnto those fiue Sacraments the Papists faine no to none saue Baptisme and the Lords Supper What is the extraordinarie meanes of Faith Miracles which are extraordinarie signes wherby God after a wonderfull manner wrought and confirmed faith in the time of the Primitiue Church And here must be obserued a double error of the Papists First in that they are of opinion that now there is neede of miracles whereas this is onely the vse of Miracles namely to confirme doctrine at the beginning and first setting a broach of it and therefore must cease after the doctrine bee sufficiently confirmed Second errour is in that they thinke that miracles is a marke of the true Church when as euen very Hypocrites oftentimes haue done miracles yea and can doe them Marke 13. v. 22. Luke 21. where it is plainly told vs that toward the ende of the World there shall arise false Prophets which shall worke miracles But 2. Thess. 2. v. 9. is a notable place against the Papists that doe so brag of their miracles The comming of Antichrist is in the power of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders whence it may appeare that before the end of the World to doe many miracles is a marke of Antichrist and the Apostle cals those miracles lying wonders time and long experience testifieth so much for in