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
it what a disgracefull thing had it been and vnworthy a Bishop to forsake his brother and his owne companion Bellarm. saith that Peter was at that time gone abroad to visit the Churches But we answer that it was not meete that he should go away then when hee should haue assisted his brother but should rather haue put off the visitation vnto some other time which hee would haue done doubtlesse if he had been at Rome Againe I say that Bellarm coines that answer of his because he neither backs it with any place of Scripture nor of any Historian but speaketh it out of his owne braine III. This may be concluded by the circumstance of time for they say that Peter was 25 yeares at Rome and 7 yeares at Antiocheia which he make 32 yeares and yet they say that Peter was crucified at Rome vnder Nero and that hee came to Rome the 2 of Claudius the Emperour Now Claudius raigned but 13 yeares and Nero 13 so that both their Regiments lasted but 26 yeares how then could Peter come the 2 of Claudius and continue 27 yeares Bishop of Rome and yet be crucified vnder Nero. IV. We say that Eusebius and Hierome who are of that opinion do not agree with themselues yea and Hierome especially manifestly contradicts himself For when as hee in one place had said that Peter was crucified vnder Nero afterward expounding those words of Christ Matt. 23. Luke 11 Behold I send vnto you Prophets c. Flatly affirmes that Peter was crucified by the Iewes at Ierusalem When the Ancients therefore are opposite vnto themselues hereby it may appeare that they knew not certainely in this point and consequently how much we are to detest the impudency of the Popes which set downe for certainty that Peter was Bishop of Rome The fifth errour is that they inferre the Pope of Rome to be Peters successour for first there is no sure ground to euince that Peter was euer at Rome how then could the Pope of Rome succeede Peter Secondly if wee grant this to the Papists out of pitty that Peter was at Rome yet it doth not follow that the Pope of Rome was Peters successour for the Turke also hath his seate at Constantinople notwithstanding it doth not follow that the Turke is the lawfull Emperour of the East or of Greece the Emperours before hauing their lawfull residency and abode at Constantinople for the place makes not the succession lawfull but two things there bee which make lawfull succession first the power giuen of God secondly the imitation of the Predecessors in life and manners As Cyprian saith in a certaine place and after him Ambrose and Hierome True succession is succession in doctrine and hee cannot bee said lawfully to hold the Chaire of Peter who holdeth not the doctrine of Peter But neither of these the Pope of Rome hath first whence will hee proue that God hath giuen him that power to sit at Rome as the Monarch of the Church surely he cannot bring so much as one letter out of the Scripture of God to proue this nay Christ enioyned the contrary to his Disciples to wit that one of them should not desire to bee aboue another 2. The true succession which is in doctrine the Pope of Rome hath not for if the Decrees of the Pope and the Epistles of Peter be compared together there will appeare as great difference betwixt them as betwixt light and darknes yea we are about to proue by and by that the Pope of Rome is the Ringleader of idolaters so farre is he off from being Peters successor in doctrine Which bee the Members of the Church They be all the faithfull which do belieue in Christ vnto eternall life for they all are vnited to Christ euen as the members of our body vnto their head They are vnited I say by the holy Spirit who produceth such like motions in them as are in the humane nature of Christ assumed that is he maketh that the faithful become partakers of the Sacerdotall Propheticall and Regall power which is in Christ. About which matter Peter epist. 2. c. 2. v. 9. speaketh most sweetly You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a people whom God hath chosen as peculiar to himselfe that the virtues of him might be manifest who hath called you out of darknes into his admirable light See concerning this most comfortable doctrine to wit the vnion of the members with Christ the Head in the Syst. of Diuinitie pag. 376. What sorts be the members of Christ They be of two sorts the Ministers of the Word and the hearers Here the Papists challenge vs that wee haue no lawfull Ministers in the Church and by consequence that there be no lawfull sheepe because say they where there are no lawfull and true Pastors and Shepheards there can be there no lawful or true sheepe But wee deny the Antecedent where they say that in our Churches there bee no lawfull Pastors because he is a right Pastor who rightly and lawfully executes his charge which is don by the pure preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments But say they from whom had your Luther and Caluin their callings We answere That we depend not on Caluin and Luther but of the Prophets themselues and the Apostles As for Luther and Caluin they were neither Prophets nor Apostles but if they would know what kind of calling Caluins and Luther his was we answere It was ordinarie for Luther by the publike authoritie of the Vniuersitie at Witenberg was created Doctor of Diuinity and so was hee called to teach by an ordinary vocation Yea but the Vniuersity at Witenberg it was Papisticall Answere True it was so at that time yet it called Luther to the sincere preaching of the Gospell For the Papists themselues say not that when Luther was called by them to teach that he was called to teach heresies but to teach the Truth Therefore when afterwards he taught the truth he taught it being ordinarily called thereunto although he taught it not according to the Popes mind and his Bishops Yea but hee taught errouâ—s of Papistrie before I answer that that fault of Luther made not his vocation voyd the same we say of Zwinglius Caluin and others which were created by Bishops where notwithstanding it must bee considered that vnto that ordinarie calling there was somewhat extraordinary adioined to wit in that God set forth and adorned those first Ministers of the dostrine of the Gospel with a singular vertue to discouer the terrible abominations of Poperie for the rest of our Ministers which haue and yet doe teach in the Reformed Church they were called ordinarily by them who haue authoritie and as yet to this day are so called Now I much desire to heare of the proprieties of the Church first tel me what kinds be the proprieties of the Church of They bee of two kinds some of them doe notifie and point out
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
had he lost that his saluation but he speakes otherwise he saith onely restore comfort vnto me for a true belieuer when that he falleth into sinnes the holy spirit for all that remaineth in him yet it doth not cherish his conscience but it groweth sad and heauy and so ceaseth to bee glad and merry before times he vsed to be he doth therfore desire of God that hee would take away this sadnesse and heauinesse of heart from him and that hee would restore vnto him a ioyfull and gladsome spirit I haue heard as touching the fruit of Iustification what is that you told me was necessarily conioyned and annexed thereunto Because the iust man falls seuen timeseuen in a day therefore to Iustification there must alwaies bee adioyned Repentance True repentance of what parts doth it consist Of two parts one of them as it were contrary vnto the the other to wit griefe or sorrow for sinnes committed and the offending or displeasing of God and then comfort and confidence of the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is to be had by and for the merits of Christ. See the 467. page of my Syst. of Diuinity and in the comment vpon Vrsins Catechisme page 640. Here note a double error of the Papists whereof the first is That vnto true repentance there is required Confession to a Priest To which error we oppose our iudgements First because such a Confession is no where commanded of God Secondly because there is no one example for it of any Saint throughout the whole booke of God no example I say but which teacheth vs to make confession of our sinnes only to God So doth Dauid Psalm 51. Against thee onely haue I sinned O Lord. And the Publicane Luke 18. Standing in thâ— Temple confessed his sinnes onely to God and thence went away iustified Whereupon saith Chryst. Confesse thy sinnes to God for to doe this to man it is not safe for thee for that men may either discouer them or vpbrayd thee with them The other Popish error is that Repentance which they call Pennance is satisfactory as if wee by our repentance did satisfie for our sinnes vnto which detestable errour those places of the holy Bible are to be opposed by which we haue before made cleare that the passion of Christ doth sufficiently satisfie for all our sinnes You haue already sufficiently instructed me about Redemption now take the paines I pray you to instruct me about sanctification Sanctification Regenaration and new Obedience or conuersion vnto God are all one in signification And it is nothing els saue the changing of our depraued or corrupt nature into better and then a setled resolution to auoyd sinne hereafter and to frame our liues to some newe course which may bee pleasing vnto God and beseeming our profession of Faith and Religion which regeneration in this life certainely cannot bee perfect but onely inchoate and alwaies conioyned with a combating and a reluctance against sinne or of the flesh and the spirit As the Apostle very largely setts it downe Rom. 7. Galat. 5. The good saith he that I would I doe not But in that other life we shal perfectly be regenerated sanctified and reformed vnto the Image of God yet for all this Gods will it is our regeneration should bee begun in this life and that good workes bee done by vs as our Sauiour commandeth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men c. 2. Peter 1.16 Labour to make your vocation and election sure by good workes that is Labour to giue vnto your selues a sure and to others an euident testimonie that you haue true Faith from whence doe spring and arise good workes for Faith without workes is dead and indeed is no Faith 1. Thess. 4. This is the will of God euen your Sanctification Rom. 6.12 Make your members hencefoorth weapons of righteousnesse And most dreadfull is that speach Heb. 13. Without holinesse none shall see God Wherefore if it be demanded whether good workes are necessary vnto Saluation I answer That if wee take Saluation for our first entry thereunto namely Remission of sinnes and iustification then good workes are not necessary because it is most necessarily required that first our sinnes be forgiuen vs before wee can doe any good works pleasing vnto God good workes therefore are of no force to procure remission of sinnes which we doe obtaine onely by Faith contrary to the Papists tenent but if the word be not taken for the remission of sins but for life eternall which hereafter we shal be possessed of there is neede then of good works as a meane and way but not as any meritorious cause of saluation for then indeede shall we bee cloathed vpon if we be not found naked that is in that other life we shall be fully renewed conformed if that we begin that reformation and sanctification in this life And this is that which the Apostle speaketh Heb. 7.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which none shall see the Lord. How many parts are there of our Sanctification Two Good workes and Prayer For in these two standeth our whole Regeneration and conuersion namely to doe good workes and dayly to call vpon God by Prayer What are good Workes or what things are required vnto Works which are good or pleasing vnto God Three things be requisit to good workes First that they spring from a true Faith For Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 Without Fath it is impossible to please God c. Secondly that they bee commanded by God for what works soeuer are enioyned by men and not by God those are not good works Ezech. 9.19 You must walke in my Commandements and not in the Commandements of your Fathers Matth. 18.9 They worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts Thirdly that our good works bee alwaies referred to the glory of God and not vnto vaine glory hypocrisie 1. Cor. 11.31 Doe all vnto the glory of God Mat. 5.16 That men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in heauen Hereby may easily be discerned what is to bee thought of the most of the Papists workes wherewith they thinke that they worshippe GOD such as are their Watchings and Pilgrimages to holy places and adoring of Churches with Shrines and Images for such workes are no good workes First because they are not done out of Faith but out of a most pestilent opinion of meriting and satisfying for sinnes Secondly because they are not commanded by God but inuented and appointed by Popes and Bishops against the expresse commandement of God as that of Fasting and abstaining from Flesh on Friday which manner of Fasting and difference of meate is expressely against the Word of God Matt. 15. That which entreth into the mouth doth not defile the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man 1. Tim. 4. The Apostle expressly and plainely nameth the Forbidding of certaine meates
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
scripture should be profitable But the Scripture is sufficient to those things Ergo. Thirdly that which maketh a man perfect and furnished to euery good worke that same must needs be perfect but the Scripture doth so Ergo. The Maior is therefore true because there is no effect which is more perfect then its cause or because a perfect effect presupposeth the cause to be perfect and nothing can giue that to another which it hath not it selfe if the Scripture therefore make men perfect then it must also be perfect VVhat is the third proprietie of the holy Scripture That in the Articles of faith which are necessary to saluatiō it be plaine easie and perspicuous easie I say and perspicuous first in respect of them to whom it ought to bee a light for their saluation according vnto that 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to thē which perish whence it necessarily followes that the Gospell is not hid but cleare and open to those which do not perish as Peter saith 2. Pet. 1.19 You doe well in that you attend to the word of the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Psal. 19.15 The word of God is cleare Psal. 119. The word of God is a light to our feete and steppes Secondly the Scripture is easie as it is an instrument which it hath deriued to it from the principal guide the holy Spirit who is that true teacher and interpreter of the Scripture Ioh 14.26 The aduocate which is the holy Ghost he shall teach you althings 1. Ioh. 2 27. That anointing that is the holy spirit teacheth vs of all things Also Ioh. 16.13 VVhen that Spirit of truth shall come he shall leade you in all truth Lastly it is easie if that in the handling of it wee vse conuenient meanes and expound one place by another according to the rules of good and lawfull exposition which you may reade in the 201 page of my Systeme of Diuinitie If then any shall demand who hath the authoritie to interpret the Scripture if the Pope of Rome bee hee I answere that euery one is the best interpreter of his owne words whereas therefore the Scripture is the Word of God of the holy Ghost and not of the Pope of Rome therefore the holy Spirit hath the authoritie to interpret as that true aduocate and teacher of verity But why then doth the Bishop of Rome chalenge to himselfe this authority to interpret the Scriptures I answer because hee knowes well enough how bad his cause is and therefore dares not submit his Tenents to the Word of God or the Scripture if it be rightly vnderstood and therfore will he wrest and stretch the Scriptures at his owne pleasure Touching which point I would haue you note the words of a certaine Apostate from the faith Caspar Schoppius Papist who is now at Rome with the Pope he in that Epistle he wrote touching his defection from vs vnto the Papists about sixe yeares agoe set out at Ingolstadium in the 24 page saith thus The summe of all controuersies betwixt the Catholikes the Lutherans consists in these two things That besides the holy Scripture the Traditions of the Apostles of the Church are necessary to be belieued And that the holy Scriptures themselues neither can nor ought to be interpreted of any with authoritie saue of the Catholike Romane Church In which two Doctrines if one be once perswaded and setled he will easily yeeld and adioine himselfe to the Church of Rome in the rest of the chiefe points of faith For if I were to dispute with the Heretikes about any article of faith it must needes be that there be somewhat set downe in the Bible touching my opinion or that there be nothing at all to be found for it If there be nothing in the Bible for me presently then I say that it was wont so to be obserued by tradition from the Apostles in the Church of Rome But if there be somewhat contained in the Bible touching mine opinion and the Heretike will interprete it another way then might serue my turne then presently I oppose to him the Church of Rome that it hath so interpreted it so that euery Dispute ought to be reduced to these two heads Thus farre he And truly this is it that the Pope of Rome labours for that he may wrest the Scripture as seemeth him good and then it is as if any offering to fight with another and the weapon should be a sword he would fight vpon this condition that he may be suffered to weild his aduersaries sword as he will And so it is likewise as if any would haue a suit in Law tryed before the Iudge according to the lawes but vpon this conditiō that it may be lawfull for him to interpret the law on his owne side iust so the Pope doth for he saith I will dispute with you out of the Scripture but so that it may be lawfull for me to interpret the Scripture on mine owne behalfe I would haue this also noted that if the Papists demand who is the Iudge in the controuersies of faith Wee answer that the chiefe and highest Iudge of controuersies of faith is he who is the Author both of faith and of the Scripture to wit the holy Ghost According to that of Ioh. 16. When the comforter shall come he shal reprooue he will iudge the world of sin And then only the Scripture to be the Law and Sentence of this iudge according whereunto iudgement must be giuen concerning controuersies of faith as it doth most manifestly appeare by Iohn 5.45 There is one who accuseth you euen Moses i. e. the writings of Moses which giue iudgement against you and yet more manifestly Iohn 18. vers 48. He that reiecteth and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him This word c. It is not true therefore which the Pope of Rome saith that he is the chiefe Iudge and decider of controuersies for he is not fit to be a iudge who is accused and found guiltie of deprauing and falsifying the word of God I haue heard you sufficiently about the former sort of knowledge of Christian Religion or touching the principles of Diuinitie to wit God and Gods word Now I desire to be instructed in the second kinde of knowledge arising from the former that is touching the parts of this heauenly Doctrine which doth spring from the Doctrine which is of God and of the holy Scriptures You tell me right and I perceiue you well vnderstand the method and progresse which ought to be obserued in vnderstanding the doctrine of Religion and therefore now will I instruct you touching the parts of Diuinitie or Christian Religion How many parts hath this secondarie or deriued knowledge Two whereof the former is of the end it selfe the latter is of the meanes that leade vs to that end What is the end of Diuinitie Saluation or life euerlasting How many
humane nature But vnto Christ many things are so attributed Ergo. The minor is proued by that Iohn 8. v. 19. Verely Verely I say vnto you Before Abraham was I am This can by no meanes be vnderstood of the humane nature because Christs Natiuity was two thousand yeares after Abraham That trifling exposition which the Samosateuian Heretikes giue of this place before Abraham was to wit the father of the faithfull I am is altogether vnsound and not sounding with the text neither with the scope and intention of Christ in this place For he was to answer to the obiection of the Iewes who had said in the verse going before Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham Now what an answer should this haue beene if he had said Before Abraham was the father of the faithfull I am for that should haue beene as ridiculous an answer as if when one should say to me thou art not yet forty yeares old and hast thou seene Sigismund king of Polonia and I should answer Before my sonne shall get a sonne and be a father I am would not all laugh at such an answer giuen to that question and that Christ is Man it needes no prouing because all grant it Why is not the sole humane nature of Christ called a Person as well as euery one of vs be called persons Although the humane nature of Christ consisteth of a soule and a body euen as we doe notwithstanding it can not subsist a part by it selfe without adioyning it to the diuine nature whereas we can subsist euery one by himselfe seuerally otherwise he is like vnto vs in other things sinne only excepted as the Scripture witnesseth Heb. 2. v. 14. Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood euen Christ also was made partakers of them And v. 16. He tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham whereupon hee ought to bee made like vnto all his brethren in substance namely according to his soule and body Which may be obserued against the Vbiquitaries who conceit there was another kind of humane substance in Christ then such as we haue namely such a one as can be in one and the selfe-same instant of time euery where in all places both in heauen and earth and so they confound the diuine and humane nature one with the other I haue heard what be the parts of Christs Person now shew me what is the vnion of those two parts in Christs Person It is that indissoluble knot wherby the humane nature is so surely tied vnto the diuine and the diuine nature so linked to the humane that of them two is made but one Person and that those natures for euer cannot be dis-ioyned the one from the other What are we to consider in this vnion Two things to wit The cause of the vnion of the two natures in Christ and then the proprieties of this vnion What is the cause of the vnion of these two natures in Christ The conception of the humane nature in the Virgin Maries wombe wrought by the Holy Ghost and then the Natiuitie and Incarnation whereby after that most straite coniunction of the humane nature with the diuine in the Virgin Maries wombe the man Christ was borne and brought forth into this light See Syst. Theolog pag. 323. How many proprieties hath this vnion Three First that it is exceeding fast and sure Secondly that it can not possible be dissolued Thirdly that by reason thereof those things that agree only to the one nature are notwithstanding attributed to the whole Person because of either of those two natures See Syst. Theolog pag. 320. I haue heard as touching the Person of Christ now it remaines that I be instructed in the office of Christ and first of all that you tell mee how the office of Christ is called generally It is in generall termed the office of a Mediatour What is a Mediatour Generally a Mediatour importeth such an one as doth reconcile the party offending to the party offended which reconciliation consisteth in these three things 1 The Mediatour must take intercession for him that hath grieued the partie offended 2. He must satisfie the partie offended for the iniurie and wrong done 3. He must promise and likewise prouide that the offender shall not offend any more And therefore when we say Christ is a Mediatour it is as if we say that Christ is that Person that hath appeased God whom Mankinde by their sinnes had most grieuously offended and who hath giuen satisfaction to the iustice of God by his Passion and Death who prayeth for sinners and applyeth his merit vnto them by faith who regenerateth them by his holy Spirit that they may begin in this life to hate sinne and to be warie that they offend God no more Of how many sorts is the office of Christ our Mediatour Of three sorts Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall in regard wherof our Sauiour is called Christ i. e. anointed and appointed vnto this triple office because in the Old Testament by Gods own command there were anointed Prophets Priests and Kings Which is the Propheticall office of Christ and in what doth it consist It consists in two things 1. In the Office of teaching And 2. in the Efficacie of his teaching for Christ is called a Prophet 1. Because hee hath reuealed God and Gods will vnto Angels and vnto men For God could no otherwise be knowne then by the Sonne according vnto that The Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. 2. Because hee hath appointed and preserued in his Church the Ministery of the Gospel and bestoweth on his Church able Teachers and Ministers fitting and furnishing them with gifts necessarie for teaching Ephes. 4. v. 3. Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets other to be Apostles and Teachers 3. Because he is powerfull by the Ministerie of the Word and inclineth the hearts of such men as are elect to beleeue and obey the Gospell Luk. 24. v. 25. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Act. 16. v 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend vnto those things which were spoken by Paul Which is the Priestly Office of Christ and wherein doth it consist It consists in three things 1. In the purging of our sinnes 2 In the vertue and applying of that purgation 3. In his Intercession for vs for as the Priest in the Old Testament had two Officers the one to make attonement for sinne and the other to pray for the people So likewise the Priestly Office of Christ heerein consisteth 1. That he should offer himselfe as a Sacrifice to his eternall Father for our sinnes 2. That he should make intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father What are there to be considered in the first part of Christs Priestly Office to wit in the satisfaction for our sinnes There be two namely the causes
of Christ were not of it selfe sufficient but needed some additament to fil it vp but there by a Synecdoche the passions of Christ he calleth all such as the members of Christ were to suffer as if he said I must also endure those afflictions which Christ shall feele in his members as he expresly annexeth I fulfill the remnant of Christs passion in the flesh for the body of Christ which is his Church that he might plainely shew that hee spake not of that passion which Christ suffered for our sinnes but of the crosses and afflictions which the Church must sustaine in this world which church by a metaphorical kind of speaking is the body of Christ. And this which wee haue spoken about the sufficiency of the passion of Christ wee must note againe against the Papists who teach and say that expiation and purging of sin is partly by good workes which shall be confuted in the doctrine of iustification partly by the Masse which shal likewise be confuted in the point of and concerning the Lords Supper and partly by Purgatory which they say is a fire in which the soules of men after this life are tormented with temporall paines and are purged from sinnes and from which the soules of such as are aliue by fauour and by prayers may be deliuered as the Councell of Trent saith in the fifth Session Against which obserue these reasons First in the sacred Volume there is no one testimony of Purgatory no not so much as one example of any one that was in that Purgatorie fire Ergo it is a nice inuention of their own braine They vrge a place 1. Co. 8. vers 13. where it is said that by the fire shall be made manifest and proued euery mans worke of what sort it is But they apply this to Purgatory very foolishly for the Apostle speaketh as touching the edification of the Church and saith that the time shall come when it shal be tried and examined how much euery one hath profited in edifying the Church by the word of God and the holy Spirit which two he calleth fire by a metaphor He addeth further Vers. 15. He shall be saued but euen as it were by the fire where abiding still in the metaphor and similitude hee saith that not all those who haue not edified aright shall straightway bee damned for euer but that they shall suffer a tryall in their own conscience because they haue not so faithfully discharged their office as they should Secondly obserue two manifest sayings of the holy Writ wherein you shall find but two places only that must bee in the next world pointed out vnto you the one for the blessed the other for those who are eternally damned Mark the last Ioh 5. Verely verely I say vnto you who so heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent mee shall not come into iudgement and by consequence not into Purgatorie which is a part of Iudgement but shall passe from death to life Reuel 4 vers 14. Blessed are they henceforth which die in the Lord. Henceforth that is frō the very moment wherein they die There is also a plaine place Luke 23.43 where Christ saith to the thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice whereas he if any needed this Purgatorie fire I haue heard sufficiently as concerning the first part of Christs Priestly office namely the purging away of our sinnes tell me what is the second part of the Priestly Office of Christ It is that effectuall application whereby Christ doth all sufficiently and powerfully apply that his purging performed by him vnto the faithfull so that by it they may obtaine remission of sinnes reconciliation and peace What is the third part of this Office of Christ. It is his intercession for vs. What doe you meane by intercession I doe not meane any prayer or sute whereby Christ would get vnto vs againe the fauour of God as one man is said to interceed for an other that he may procure him somwhat but I vnderstād first that perpetuall value force of the Sacrifice of Christ namely in that Christ presenteth his passion which he suffered for vs vnto the eternall Father Secondly the Fathers consent resting in this Passion of Christ contented and agreeing that this Passion of Christ shall bee of force for vs for euer Which is the third office of Christ His Regall office for Christ is not only a Prophet and a Priest vnto vs but he is also a King In what points consisteth the Regall Office of Christ In foure First in that he gouerneth the Church by his Spirit and by his Word and doth not onely shew vnto vs by his Word what we ought to doe but by the worke of the Spirit in vs enableth vs to doe them Secondly in that hee defendeth vs against our enemies Satan sinne and death that they haue no power to hinder our saluation Thirdly in that hee beautifieth his Church with excellent gifts and appointeth the Ministerie of his Word making men obedient vnto this his owne ordinance Fourthly In that at the end of the world hee shall appeare to be iudge of all men and shall condemne the wicked to eternall punishments but shal make the godly to shine with eternal glorie I doe already conceiue the Office of Christ what it is and of how diuers sorts it is now I would haue you tell me what the obiect is about which Christ exercises this his Office It is the Church How many waies is Church taken Two waies in a large or in a more strict signification What is the Church taken in the large acception It is the multitude or company of all such men as haue the word of God preached vnto them in which company there be many hypocrites which doe not belieue truly and therefore are damned for euer What is the Church as it is strictly taken It is that number and company of men which are elect of Christ by faith vnto eternall life And this company is wont to be parted into two rankes the one Militant the other Triumphant That company of the elect and godly is called the Militant Church which remaineth yet on earth but the Triumphant is that company of the faithfull that is already in Heauen And so the rule of the Fathers is to be vnderstood He shal neuer be a member of the Church Triumphant that hath not been a member of the Church Militant But whereas the Church is diuided into the visible and inuisible Church that is no true diuision to speake properly but onely a distinction of diuers respects in the church For the church is said to be visible in respect of the men themselues which are in the Church and may be seene and inuisible in respect of the internall graces to wit of faith and other gifts of the holy Spirit which are not so obuious to the senses Which must be noted against the Papists who would haue
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
not in any glasse behold and know the gronings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth and indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the 2. of Kings Chap. 22. witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious and holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euils which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57. The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares he may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the land for wretched impiety Eccl. 9. The dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot be mediators And indeed we haue no need of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more mercifull then any Saint and more desirous that we should liue then any Saint can be Now that we do vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10. The Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is adoration is due to God Against which distinction you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Onely this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues break downe their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those things which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God he giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Marie in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4. The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Ierusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matth. 6. Christ bids goe into our chamber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2. The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and images let that place bee well obserued Esay 24. My glory will I not giue vnto another nor mine honour vnto the grauen images But we say the Papists doe not worship images and we know that it is said in the second commandement Thou shalt not how downe thy selfe vnto them c. To this what shall we answere but that they say one thing and doe another for we haue already prooued that they fall downe and worship the crosse Behold the signe of the Crosse come and let vs worship it Againe it is impossible that ones whole affection should bee bent and settled on an image and yet that hee should not direct some deuotion vnto the Image as one of the Ancients hath well said It cannot possible be that the affection should be withdrawne from that where on our whole sense is fixed and fastned Therefore Lactunirus saith that there can bee no true worship performed where it is done with respect vnto images Thirdly we say that both these are equally forbidden of God namely the worshipping of the image it selfe and the worshipping of God at or before an image For this you haue a plaine place Leuit. 26. 1. You shall make you none idols nor grauen image neither reare you vp any pillar neither shall you set vp any stone or image within your land to worship before it for I am Iehouah the Lord your God But images say they are Lay-mens Bibles and therefore they may bee borne with as certaine historicall documents for the good of lay people whereto I answere first that it is no little blasphemy to affirme that images are Bibles that is the Word of God for the authoritie of Gods Word and of the Bible is the greatest that may bee and it is vnspeakable But who dare say that the authoritie of images is as diuine and eternall as that of God himself Secondly Images cannot be Lay-peoples Bibles because the Bible containes the true doctrine of God but Images are deceitfull and lying Teachers teaching lyes as it is manifestly written by Ier. 10. and by Habb 2.18 19. Further wee ought not to be wiser then God who hath instituted that his Church should be taught not by dumbe Pictures and Images but by the liuely preaching of his Word and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments And these things be spoken also as touching the adoration of Reliques for the worshipping of them is confuted by those very same places of Scripture by which the worshipping of Images hath been ouerthrowne You haue led mee by the hand through all Diuinitie and so haue holpen mee to some generall knowledge whereby I may insome sort be prepared vnto the holy Supper of our Lord now it remaines that you furnish me with some particular knowledge about the same Supper of the Lord whereunto I desire to prepare myselfe You say well indeed and I will doe it very willingly so be that before all you note that the word Sacrament is no where extant in holy Scripture but there are diuers words aequiualâ—nt vnto it as Romans 4. the word Signe or Seale where Paul calleth Circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith A Sacrament then is a holy signe or seale annexed to the word of God as vnto tables and letters wherein God promiseth vnto vs his fauour and the forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death and suffering of our mediatour Iesus Christ. Now signes be of three sorts Some there bee which are onely Significatiue and noting out somewhat as the Meare-stone signifieth the fields which it parts to be diuers Some are Memoratiue representing vs the memory of somewhat and exciting our affection and will thankefully to thinke on it