which these two parties should be agreed it is clear that their debates will never be decided since it hath its birth from that same thing which this method wants to determine it For if in their common principle there should be found any such decision of their controversies they would not enter into contest about it for example the Methodists will not let any one make use of any one thing in Scripture to prove that the Pope is not the head of Church if there be not some passage which saith expresly that the Pope is not the head of the Church Who sees not that t is to flie the decision of the controversie and desire the continuation of it for ever for to demand of me to determine it is a condition according to all the appearance of reason impossible to be done it being not credible that the adversaries who acknowledge with me the Divinity and truth of the Scriptures should bare me down that the Pope is the head of the Church though it denies it formally and in so many words If we desire then to end our differences we must absolutely renounce this Method and proceed that very way which they so unjustly condemn by proving all our conclusions by the principles so well known to both parties and those are by the grace of God the oracle of the old and new Testament determining doubtful things by certain clearing the obscure by evident and perswading those things which they reject as false by the connexion and dependance which they have one with another that they confess them true This is the true Method which one ought to follow in all disputes and which indeed all masters of all Sciences have followed those of Philosophy Civil-law Physick and others St. Augustin defended it a long time against the calumnies of the Donatists who because he took it upon himself to dispute against them accused him of being a Logician †Aug. contr Crecon l. 1. c. 13. and under this pretence shunned him as a dangerous man He shewed at large that the Lord * The same chapt and 14 17 18. Aug. tom 6. l. ◠cont Circon Gramat c. 15. G. and his Apostles made use of this Method and were Logicians if this is to be a Logician to reason and from a clear thing to prove a thing that is obscure and willing to propose to us a Pattern of a wise Disputant see how he describes him First he endeavours saith he not to be cheated himself for want of discerning truth from falshood and this he cannot obtain without the help of God Then being willing to unfould for the instruction of others that which he hath in himself he first considers what it is they already know for certain to the end that from thence he might conduct them to the things they know not or would not believe shewing them these follow from those which they hold either by reasoning or faith so that by the truths which they consent to they may be constrained to confess and approve those which they had denied and by this means the truth which seemed false to them at first would be discerned from the false being found conformable to the truths which they knew before Hitherto St. Austin who could not more clearly Authorise the procedure which these new Disputants now condemn with so much injustice and passion CHAP. VII That the procedure of the methodists is the same which the Arians and other Heretiques held formerly against the antient Fathers ANd though it be a thing most unworthy those praises which they give ordinaryly to antiquity to expose a novelty to the view of the world and that on the other side t is not much honour to be thought to be esteemed the father of an invention so impertinent and so contrary as well to the practice of the Lord of his Apostles and of the holy fathers as to the common sence and reason of men nevertheless to take from them in this place all subject of vain glory I will farther advertise the readers that those of our adversaries which at this day make use of this method are not the first authors of it For I find at the bottom of it that t is an old and superannuated wrangling of the Arians and other antient heretiques who to flie the searching and decision of the truth demanded of the Catholiques of their times in the same manner formal passages where the consubstantiality of the son and other points may be expressly read this we learn by the books of the fathers In St. Athanasius the question being concerning the word consubstantial used by the Council of Nice to express the truth of the eternal divinity of the Son say the Arians is not writ And in a dialogue printed among his works though in my opinion t is none of his leave these Sylogisms say they and give us a Demonstration by writing that the Son is the true God a Atha Ep. de Synod-Arim Seleue. T. p. 911 Part. ultim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Dialog cont Arim. p. 126. In St. Austin the Count Pascentius an Arian by Religion pressed likewise this only Doctor with whom he had the presumption to enter into Conference to shew him the word consubstantial in the Scripture not suffering him to draw it from thence by reasonings b Ep. 174.178 Aug. St. Augustine having else where proved the Divinity of the Holy Ghost by these places of the Apostle which say that we are his temple so that if he were not God he would have no Temple Maximinus an Arian Bishop against whom he disputed answered that the truth is not concluded by arguments but proved by certain testimonies c Id con Mixim l. 1 6 fol. 444. G. and in a dialogue published under the name of S. Vigil but in my judgment t is certainly Pope Gelaz's the Arian who is brought in there disputes exactly as our Methodists do now He would have one shew him the word Consubstantial expresly and properly so writ and that it be proved not by any reasonings but by the naked and pure propriety of the words Let them read it to me saith he so properly laid down or let them depart from their Confession d Dial. inter Atha Sabell Arian inter Cassand opera p. 475. Eutichus the head of another Heresie who confounded the two natures of the Lord disputed in the same manner demanding in what Scripture t is set down that Jesus Christ hath two Natures e In Act. cont chalced p. 115. A. so that one ought not to wonder if Scholarius hath long since observed that many Heretiques made use of this praetext viz. desire that they would shew them all things expressly by the Scripture f Scholar orat Henet 3. concil flor p. 590 E. CHAP. VIII That the Fathers have rejected this pretended method as impertinent and that by their examples we can retort them upon our Adversaries WHat do the Holy Fathers
Pâ—â—asch 2. p. 96 A. B and 98. B. and 102. D. and Paschal 3 p. 109 c. 110 B. Bibl. PP T. 3. and for the Hereticks in General Chrysost Hom. 87. in Mat. 7 9. D. and Hom. 59. lat 58. in John p. 298. A. Hierom. com 2. in Mich. p. 378. F. and comm in Agg. p. 506. F. Gregro Mvg. Moral in Job l. 18 c. 14. but nevertheless so let it be since they will have it so Shall their fond imagination wrong truth and that under the pretence of thinking to see that in the Scripture which is not there I cannot assure my self of having found there all that which is there divers men have all reasoned in Mathematicks and drawn from the principles of that Sience some conclusions which are not really there But shall it be denied me under the pretence of this to hold this consequence for good and assuredly veritable that the whole is greater then the part that a triangle is bigger then the basis and the Body of a man bigger then his finger but where is the man how stupid soever he be who notwithstanding the paralogisms of Brison and all the other doth not presently see that this arguing is most true and necessary so there are Authors found in natural Philosophy Astrology and Phisick who have discoursed ill phancying to find something in the principles of these Siences which is not there Would not this be not ony injustice but Sottishness or madness to endeavour to peswade us under this pretence that we cannot receive any of the consequences drawn from these principles as certain and necessary nor assure our selves that if a horse sees hears and runs he is then an animal or if a stone hath nothing of sence then it is no animal now we are exactly upon these terms in respect to the Scripture Many have a mind to draw from it by discourse things which it speaks nothing of Gen. 1.16 and the Roman doctors more then all the others who in the two Luminaries which it placeth in the heavens have pretended to find out the power of their Pope to be above the Emperour and his spiritual monarchies in the Faith and qualifications which it attributes to S. Peter and his power to interdict States to depose Princes among animals Act. 10.13 which it represents to us to have been signified to the Apostle in a vision 'T is by the same Logick that they conclude their purgatory from the parable which saith thou shalt not go out till thou hast Mat. 5.2 paid the last farthing and their Sacrifice from the words of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.24 Matt. 26.26 do this and their transubstantiation from the other this is my Body But if their consequences are false and even absurd doth it follow that I cannot assure my self that the Scripture teacheth us that Jesus Christ hath a Body and a soul since it saith that he is a man that it teacheth that he is the God of Israel since it saith he founded the earth in the beginning and that the heavens are the works of his hands and that he was tempted by Israel in the wilderness certainly neither sense nor reason ever offended without some reasons These are saculties naturally right and every one capable of their functions but sometimes they meet with perticular causes which hinders them from acting so For as to sense who knows not that its errors comes either from the indisposition of the Organs from the Scituation of the object or from the quality of the medium which is between them as for example 't is the bilis with which the tongue of a sick man is moistned which makes it taste all meats bitter and to those who have Jaundies 't is also the spreading of that humour which dieth all objects yellow but t is the too great distance from the sun which makes it appear to us much less then it is and which blunts the Angles of a Tower which we see a far off figuring it to us round when it is really square and which makes the two sides of the end of a long Gallery seem to be very neer each other in fine 't is the diversity of the medium through which we see which makes an oare appear to us in the water as if it were bent and crooked when it is really streight except in these and the like cases the eye alwaies to doth its duty faithfully and the other senses likewise do theirs so that it being most easie to know for a truth whether the functions of our senses are so well disposed or not 't is an insupportable error to conclude that we are not able to assure our selves of any one of their reports under pretence that it happens to deceive them when they fail of any one of the conditions necessary to perform their function well Now 't is the same in reason If she concludes wrong 't is certainly because she takes that for a true thing which is not so or that for clear and certain which is obscure and doubtful As when our adversaries conclude from that which the Lord said to St. Peter thou art Peter that their Pope is by right the Monarch of the Christian Church they conclude falsly because they take that for an evident truth in Scripture which doth not so much as appear there viz first that our Lord in these words promiseth the Monarchy of his Church to St. Peter and Secondly that their Pope is the successor of St. Peter in this quality But if these two things which they take for truth were truth then that which they conclude from them must necessarily be so too and he to must be out of his senses who denies the consequences of them And this necessary connexion of propositions with their conclusions is a work not of the mind and reasoning of man but of the will of God as S. Austin expresly remarkes The truth of consequences says he and connexions which propositions have one with another hath not been instituted but considered and remarked by men to be able either to learn or teach it for it is perpetual and divinely established in the reason of the things themselves for as he who counts the degrees of time doth not make them himself and he who shewes the scituation of places the nature of animals of plants or of Stones doth not shew the things instituted by men and he who shews us the stars and their motions shews us nothing made and established by any man in like manner he who saith when the consequence is false 't is not possible but the thing from whence it follows should be false also speaks most truly and doth not make the thing to be so but only demonstrates that it is so †Aug. T. 3. l. 2. de doctr clic c. 32. From whence it comes that he observes elsewhere that no man in disputeing is reduced to a false conclusion unless he has first granted something false from whence this conclusion
LA FOY fondée sur les Saintes Escritures FAITH Grounded upon the Holy Scriptures Against the NEW METHODISTS by JOHN DAILLE Printed in French at Paris anno 1634. And now Englished by M. M. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.18 LONDON Printed for Benj. Tooke at the sign of the Ship in S. Pauls Church-yard 1675. AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER ALthough the French translation of the Holy Bible made by the Doctors of Louvain can by no means be comparable to the neatness clearness and faithfulness of that which is read among us yet to fit my self to the gust of our Adversaries I have drawn from their Translations and not from ours the most part of the places of Scripture which I make use of in this little book namely in the second and third parts to the end they might not wrangle with us about words as many of them doe and perticularly these new Methodists against whom I have composed this Treatise Onely let me inform you that in three or four passages which are nothing to our controversie I have taken the liberty to correct that in the Greek and Latine texts which these Gentlemen had too evidently turned false by in advertency as I am willing to believe and ignorance and not by malice As for example in the second part Chap. 4.3 pag. 124. I produce the first verse of the Gospel of S. John in these words the word was God and not as these Doctors have expounded it God was the word whereof the two construction which these words are capable of Deus erat verbum they chuse to follow that which is less to purpose and which besides the consusion which it brings to the contexture of the Apostles thoughts does manifestly overturn the words of the Greek text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot of necessity be the predicate but the subject of the propâ—sition as those who have any knowledge in the Laws and use of the Greek tongue know well enough So in the Epistle to Titus see how they translate the words of S. Tit. 2.13 Paul expectantes beatam spem adventum gloriae magni Dei Servatoris nostri Jesu Christi expecting say they the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ separating this God whose advent we expect from our Saviour Jesus Christ as if the Apostle should say we expect the coming of God and we expect also the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ an interpretation neither pertinent nor advantagious to the Church for first the Greek text cannot bear it which binds and ties up all these words great and our Saviour in the same bundle by means of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle put into their heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obliging us necessarily to take them not as names of two persons one of which is called God and the other Jesus Christ but as two different qualities attributed to one onely and the same Jesus Christ which is altogether the same with the great God and the Saviour whose advent we expect but this same interpretation is also prejudicial for it takes away from the Catholicks a clear and invincible proof of the divinity of Jesus Christ for if you follow it suppose that Jesus Christ be our Saviour which the Samotosateniens and Arrians confess yet still he is not our God and this is that which they struggle for principally No body then can blame me for leaving the Louvain version in this place to follow the Greek Text in translating this passage Part 2. Chap. 4.3 pag. 124. where I produce against the hereticks expecting the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ That which I have changed part 2. Chap. 8. 1. pag. 106. in the second chapter of the first of S. Peter is less important Love the brotherhood instead of which our adversaries Bible saith Love brotherhood leaving out the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the Greek So in the first of S. Luke I read and therefore that which is born of thee holy shall be called the Son of God Part 2. Chap 4. Sect. 7. pag. 92. therefore the holy one that shall be born of thee as they of Louvain have translated it contrary to the Faith of the Greeks who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latine which saith likewise quod nascetur ex te Sanctum not qui nascetur ex te Sanctus As for the small change of words in the 2 Cor. chap. 5. verse 8. where we say we have a good will rather to be out of the body and to be with the Lord instead of that which is in the Louvain bible I have a good will better to be out of the body we have done this only to sweeten the manner of speaking avoir bonne volonte meiux estre is rough and unknown in our language and the Greek and Latine texts do no way oblige us to interpret it so These are if my memory doth not cheat me all the passages in which I have varied from the Louvain version in divers other places I bear with its faults because they do no great prejudice to the justice and truth of my cause although there are some of them which testifie in these Doctors a passion unworthy of the quality which they take of interpreting the Word of God as among others when in Pet. 1.5 3. alledged part 2. ch 8. 5. pag. 109. they read having dominion of the Clergy of the People of God instead of the plainness of the Greek and Latine having dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Cleris over the heritage being licensed to add the words and people of God and to hide by this means the sence which the Apostle gives in the word Clergy imployed to signifie the Christian people which is contrary to the use and pretence of those of Rome FAITH Grounded upon the Holy Scriptures Part I. CHAP. I. The Preface of the whole Work SOme years since certain Doctors started up who to render our Religion odious published that it could not be proved by the Scriptures which nevertheless according to us is the only thing capable to ground our Faith upon Their invention was found so plausible that many of our adversaries have reduced all their dialectiques to it thinking that to defeat us there needs no more but to demand some express and formal passages upon every Article of our Confession of Faith and whosoever can press that demand home he is the man that must overcome us This easie way of arguing hath increased Disputants among them and instead as at first of shunning conferences concerning Religion and not permitting any but Priests to discourse it now all sorts of people hunt after it even to the
should furnish them with texts in which the second sort of Articles are contained where for example it is said expresly that there is no fire of Purgatory and that the Pope of Rome is not the head nor spouse of the universal Church and to say for want of this the holy Scriptures as we have it is not perfect is an impertinence fit onely to dazle the eyes of children for the Perfection of the Scriptures according to our supposition consists in that it teacheth all things that ought to be done and believed for salvation as the perfection of a book consists in containing all the Truths necessary to the science of which it treats Will you say that the bookes which Aristotle hath left us of Philosophy are imperfect because they do not expresly reject that which the Masters of the sciences have since his time opened or that the treatises of the antient writers upon eloquence are imperfect because they did not expresly contradict these new lights which the phantasie of our moderns boast of having discovered Error is an infinite thing for which the sciences cannot nor ought not to have a good esteem T is enough for their perfection to have shewed all the truth of the things of which they treat otherwise there would never be any thing perfect in this matter For upon this account the Mussilman will reproach our Scripiure because it hath not expresly anathematized his Mahomet Mareion and the Manicheans the David Georgists and all the other impostors will impute to it as an imperfection not to have made an inventory of all their follies What need was there that it should black its paper with their names and dotages so many ages before their birth 'T is sufficient to keep me from it that she hath said nothing of them The surest and shortest means to keep the right way amongst so many confuted ones is to dispise all that which the Scripture does not recommend and not to disdain to examine what she doth not disdain to teach us It speaks to me of God and of his Christ what he hath done for me and what he requireth of me It instructs and fills my soul with that wisdome which is necessary to Salvation It is enough for me to be saved I am contented with knowing so much As for what the Pope dogmatizes besides this let him shew it me in the Scripture and I will believe it as I do the rest but if it be not to be found there who can imagine but I must be ignorant of it and cannot believe it without danger faith coming by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 of which the Scripture is the first the most clear most certain and in my judgment the only infallible Doctrine CHAP. IV An answer to what our adversaries alledge that they are in possession of them BUt these new disputants make another stop here to oblige us to their pretended method saying that they have had them in possession many ages since thinking that sufficient for them without being obliged to produce any other titles or Doctrins of their Religion that it belongs to us who contest with them to make their wrongs appear by clear and inviolable proofs It is a word which they alwaies have in their mouths and which they believe cannot be answered But in truth we can say nothing more vain nor less pertinent for if this possession as they call it might be alledged in the case the Apostles of Christ would have wronged the Heathens about their Religion seeing they possessed it far long before the Jesuits would do wrong to the Chineses if they should endeavour to drive from their hearts the idolatry and worshiping of Pagods which they have possessed time out of minde truth and vertue should leave in mankind the error and vice which they found established there for fear of violating unjustly the right of their long possession The old man will have little to maintain himself against the new and philosophy ought not to yield to the Gospel upon this account we also ought to return under their yoak as that of our first and most ancient Masters But God forbid that a little word ill understood should ever make so enormous a prejudice to the right of God of his Christ and of his truth we confess clearly that where there is a question made about lands or houses or any one thing which is and which is seen in nature the possession may be alledged and that it belongs to him who turns out the possessor to shew that he held it unjustly and to make it appear by good titles that the things belongs to him in our contest with the Doctors of Rome there is nothing like this they press us to believe with them the Purgatory the Mass and other articles We desire them to shew us the truth of them of which we can yet see but little Instead of satisfying so just a request they alledge that they have them in possession and so consequently are not obliged to prove any of them certainly if they think to make the world believe things mearly upon their saying them without demonstrating the truth of them they propound to us a position evidently unjust and tyrannical For a man cannot believe before he knowes the thing to be veritable and he cannot without denying his nature yield an intire faith to that which is to him either sall or doubtful Those who will perswade him to any thing are necessarily obliged by the right of nature to demonstrate to him that it is true either by sense or reason and if the thing be above sense and reason let it be done by divine revelations it remains then that these gentlemen renounce this possession which they alledge to us since t is so contrary to the rights of our nature and that they make it their endeavour to demonstrate to us that which they desire to perswade us to They are in possession to demand belief of things doubtful and incertain and as for me I am in possession to believe nothing but those things the truth is of which they make appear to me My possession is evidently more antlent then theirs 'T is but reason then that they yield to my right and not that I submit to their usurpation Moreover in civil causes where this maxim hath place the possessor is sued and pressed to forsake that which he holds Here quite contrary there are pretended possessors which contend with us and press us to enter into possession with them for they would havee us believe what they believe and 't is this belief which they call their possession who sees not not then that Fundamentally 't is they properly who have begun this action with us and who ought by onsequence to shew us by good and lawful Doctrin that we have right to enter into this possession to which they call us we are ready to yield to them if they can make us see that that which
so many words the worshipping the Devil nor the second the casting himself down from the top of the Temple For in S. Matthew he alledgeth the law Mat. 15.4 honour thy Father and Mother and the ordinance he that curseth Father or Mother shall die the death against the traditions of the Scribes and Pharesies who hold that a child who is obliged by an oath or a rash vow not to give any assistance to its Father and Mother would not sin in refusing them the honour which is due to them And nevertheless neither of these two passages do formally and in so many words express what they would conclude from them To the Saduces who questioned him about the resurrection of the dead he produced that which God said in the Scriptures Mat. 22.32 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the Saduces remained confused and all the multitude admired the force and strength of this proofe Our methodists laugh at it and demand a formal passage and say that the consequences are faulty The Apostles follow faithfully the tracts of their Master they prove the truth of the gospel against the Jews not by formal passages of the old Testament but by consequences and reasoning which they drew from it In this manner holy Peter shewed the sending and comming of Christ to the world by the words of Moses Act. 3.22 Deut. 18.15 Act. 2.27.29 30 31. Ps 16 10. Rom. 4. Ps 32 1 2. Gen. 15.6 a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like to me his resurrection by that of the Psalms thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption so St. Paul concludes that a man is not justified by the law but by grace in those words of the Prophet blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven Rom. 9.8 and from that which is written that Abraham believed and t was imputed to him for righteousness Thus he proves in his epistles to the Romans and Galatians Gala. 4.28 that 't is by faith and not by workes that we are justified and by the word of the Lord to Abraham Gen. 21 12. Rom. 9.15.16 Ex. 33.19 in Isaac shall thy seed be called and that the calling of beleivers is not of him that willleth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy from that which God sayed to Moses I will be gracito whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy In the same manner he shewes the rejection of the Jews by these words of the Scripture Rom. 9.23.33 Hos 2 23. Rom. 14.10 11. Esai 45.25 behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and the calling of the Gentiles by this I will call them my people which were not my people and the last judgment by these other as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me What shall I say of his Epistle to the Hebrews all interwoven with proofs of his nature as when he sheweth the excellency of Christ above the Angels by the words of David Heb. 1.5 Psal 2.7 Heb. 5.7 tot thou art my son this day have I begotten thee his eternal preisthood by the History of Melchisedeck in Genesis the advantage of his alliance above the ancients by the oath set down in Psalms 21.10 the Lord hath sworn and well not repert of it Heb. 7.21 I must wholy transcribe the Epistles of this divine man if I would deny here all the examples where he furnisheth us with these sorts of proofs for he disputes every where thus and draws from the holy Scriptures by the force of reasoning thousands of conclusions which cannot be read there expressly And if one cannot prove by the Scriptures except it speaks in so many words as the new method pretends how did the same Apostle dispute by the Scripture against the Jews of Thessalonica that it behoveth that Christ must suffer Act. 17.2.3 Act. 18.28 and that he should rise from the dead and that this Jesus viz. he who was crucified in Judea was the Christ and how did the Apostles demonstrate the same proposition by the same Scriptures certainly this proposition that Jesus is the Christ is found couched in these terms in no places of the old testament as every one confesseth How comes it then that Paul and the Apostles shewed it by this ancient Scripture it is be cause they shewed divers things in the Scripture from whence it necessarily followed for they gathered together all the marks of Christ contained in the books of the old Testament from whence they formed this proposition he who has such and such qualities who is born at such a time and in such a place who doth suffers and teaches such and such things is the Christ this being once so put they consequently apply to their Jesus all the marks and qualities of the Messias proveing by clear and irrefragable witneses that he had exactly in him all that the prophets had attributed to the Messias from whence the conclusion follows of it self that Jesus is then the Messias this is that which S. Luke calls to declare propose in the book of the Acts Acts. 17.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 useing two words most proper for this subject the first of which signifies to open the second to put one thing neer another to tell us that the Apostles prove these conclusions by the Scriptures first in making the prophecies appear clear and shewing the true sence of them and then in examining them with the events and comparing the figures with the things and the shadow with the body from whence the light of the truths of the Gospel shine forth of themselves Since the Lord and his Apostles used this way we must acknowledg that a proposition is lawfully and valuably proved by the Scriptures when one showeth that it evidently follows from the things which are contained in it although it be not there it self expressly except one were so desperate as to accuse the Soveraign Wisdome and his most faithful and intimate Ministers of having imployed vain and frivilous Sophisms instead of good and sollid deemonstrations But besides their examples they have authorized this way of proof by their command For our Lord according to the exposition of the most parts of the antient and modern Interpreters commanded the Jews in the fifth of St. Joh. 5.39 John to search the Scriptures Why should he command that we should search for other things then those which are directly expressed there all the circumstances of the passage shew that he wisheth them to learn who is truly the Christ But this cannot be drawn from antient Scriptures but only by consequences It follows then that the Lord expects that we should learn not only that which it tells us directly but also that which may be concluded from it by good and valid consequences Mat. 22.29 31 32. And in Matt. 22. disputing
is that saith the Orthodox the sense and intention of the Scripture which hath moved them to use that word which is not writ or have they said it of their own Authority it is saith the Macedonian the sence of the Scripture which hath moved them to it Now answered the Orhodox this is also the sence and intention of the Scripture which teacheth that the Spirit being uncreated and subsistant of God inlivening and sanctifying is a divine Spirit Thus far Theodoret who knew not how to maintain more clearly that one could ground the articles of our Faith upon the consequences of Scripture and not upon words onely But this same Authour in two pieces which Photius warants us to be his although by some error they have printed them also amongst the works of St. Athanasius shews us that the Spirit of our Methodists reigned at his time in certain Hereticks whom he names not Pho. biblioth cod 46. P. 31 but who in my judgment were the Eutichians He saith that they would have every one receive the words of the Scripture simply without considering the things which they signifie under pretence that they surpass the understanding of all men b Theod. tract 16. secund Phot. T. 2. Op. Athan p. 308. that they be constrained to hear some words of the Gospel those which they think favourable to them but they will not suffer them to understand and interpret them religiously that one hear the words but not search the truth and convenient sence of them that they call Faith and inconsiderate not belief which without any examen imbraceth to its own ruin things not established by any demonstration e Id. tract 23. p. 325. d. that they command to believe without reason a Ibid. to believe simply that which is said without considering what is convenient and what is not so b Ibid Tit. tract 23. without examining whither the thing be possible useful seemly agreeable to God or convenient to nature whither it agreeth with the truth whether it hath any connexion with the design of the Author whether it doth not contradict the mystery whether it be not agreeable to Godliness c Ibid. D. that they would have c Ibid. their words believed without permiting any one to examine their Doctrine for fear they should be convinced d p 326. A. Are not these the same fancies with our Methodists who receive nothing but formal words who reject all expositions evidences and reasonings but now Theodoreâ— Dispates sharply against these men accusing them of overthrowing by this means all humane affairs and of making men irrationale e p. 903. of changing them into bruit beasts making them take their nature and habitudes of making all the intentions of the Prophets and Apostles unuseful who according to this reckoning of theirs beat our ears in vain with the sound of their words the hearers not carrying away any fruit from them nor profit in the Treasury of their hearts f Ibid. D. that their procedure confounds every thing and that he who follows this Method knows not how to make those things agree which seem to clash nor answer those who desire to ask him as we are all obliged to do to them a Ibid. 3. which he verifieth at large by the induction of divers passages of eternity and of the temporal birth of Christ which seems contrary b p. 310. D. so they expose the Scriptures to the mockery of the Infidels c p. 326.327.328 and for these and such like reasons he declares at the beginning of one of these Treatises that this invention is the worst of all the Doctrines which the Devils have introduced among men d 327. D. and give us a rule quite contrary wishing that in the interpretation of the Scriptures in stead of being tied to the words made naked by their sense they should seriously consider what belongs to God what is convenient for our purpose that which the truth carries that which agreeth with the Law that which hath a just correspondence with nature the Purity and the Liveliness of Faith the firmness of Hope the sincerity of Charity that which doth no wrong to Esteem that which is above Envy that which is worthy of Grace e Ibid. p. 325. A. and that he ought not to believe without reason nor speak without Faith Let them take the pains to read these two Treatises through for they are very short and most excellent Athanasius whom the Author of the Dialogue published under the Name of S. Vigil made to Dispute against the Arians follow exactly the precedure of Gregory and Theodoret against the Macedonians For he constrained the Arians to confess that one may prove by the Scriptures many things which are not expressed there alledging to him the words which the Arians held although they were not expressed in the Scripture as when they said against the Sabellians that the Father is impassible and against the Ennomians that the Son is like the Father and against Fotinus that the Son is the Light of the Light shew me said he to him where it is written Purely Nakedly Properly and in so many words that the Father is impassible or not begotten that the Son is God of God Light of Light or like the Father It is not enough that you say that the reason of Faith requireth it piety teacheth it the inference or consequence from the Scriptures obligeth me to the profession of this Name I desire that you would not alledge these things to me since you will not suffer me to alledge them for the proof of the word consubstantial Behold at this juncture of time the volume of Divine Books in my Hand read there the Names of the Words above said in so many syllables and in the same sences either shew us where it is written that the Son is like the Father or confess that he is unlike him there is no way for you to draw your selves out of this evil path being wraped up in your own objections 't is not in your power to unty the knots of this Proposition Give me leave then to prove the consubstantiality that is to say the belief of the one Substance of God by consequences where if you will not agree with me you must also renounce those things which you confess your self since you find them no where directly set down in any place in the Scriptures a Dialog in t Sabel Photar Athan. liter opera Cassandri p. 475. med then beating him with his own weapons he pressed him to bring him some passage which speaks formally the belief of the Arians viz. that there is three Substances in the Trinity Here saith he the arguments serve for nothing where one concludes the truth by the consequence of reason they demand proper and express passages read to us three Substances expresly so laid down in the Scripture do not come hither to argue that if the Father
but those things which as well the Prophets as Moses had foretold that they would come to pass that it behooveth that the Christ should suffer †Acts 26.22 23. and finally how could he in another place assure the * 1 Cor. 15 34. Corinthians that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried and that he rose again the third Day according to the Scriptures since it is evident that none of these propositions is literally and expresly so written in any of the Books of the Old Testament but only are gathered from thence by consequence Now if that which is drawn from the Scriptures by good consequence is really in the Scriptures why do you reject it since you confess with me that there is nothing in the Scripture but what is Holy True and Divine conclusions of Truth are not formally in their principles but one cannot deny them to be there in Vertue and Power so that admitting of a principle one admits also all things that can be inferred from it by that very act as for instance he who saith that we have four gospels saith also that we have two and two of them these numbers being evidently contained in that which he hath expressed And the Scripture saying that Jesus Christ is a man saith also by those very words that he hath a soul and body the two parts of the nature of mans 'T is very true that a man may sometimes lay down things the consequences of which he will not allow of but this proceeds from the weakness of his understanding which doth not see all the Lawful consequences which may be drawn from them God whose Wisdom is infinite never affirms any thing without Knowing all the consequences which can be drawn from it so that we need not fear that he will go back from his word or deny any Doctrine to be his that can reasonably be concluded out of his word Since then that all things that can be lawfully inferred from the Holy Scripture are unavoidably true and Divine it is clear that one doth sufficiently prove the truth and holiness of a Creed when he shews that it follows from the positions expressed in the Holy Scripture without any need as formerly the Arians and now the new Methodists pretend to shew it in so many words This is the first principle which Scholarius a Greek indeed but of the side of the Latins laid down at the beginning of his Dispute against those of his own nation concerning the procession of the Holy Ghost first a Scholar orat Henet 3. part Act. Conc. Flor. p. 580. then we must not exspect saith he to find all the proofs expresly and in so many words in the Scripture for this is an excuse which many Hereticks used to save themselves but if there be any thing that may be deduced from what is said in the Scriptures we must Also receive it with the same honour as the Scriptures it self Cardinal Bellarmin who alone hath more desert and reputation in the Roman party then all the Authors and defenders of this new Method have put them all together acknowledgeth this same truth That which one inferreth evidently from the Scriptures saith he is evidently true the Scriptures presupposing it b Bellar. l. 4. de Ec. c. 3. Melchior Canus c Can. loc Theol. l. b. c. 8. Bishop of the Canaries Vega d Veg. l. 9. dê justificat c. 39. Gabril Vasques e Vasques Tom. 1 in Thom. dispute 5.6 3. and disput 12. art 8.6 ◠Alfons Salmeron f Salmer T. 1 prolegum de Canc. 91. all very famous amongst our adversaries make the same judgment of it and the last especially speaks thus of it We ought to hold for Doctrins of Divine Authority and worthy to be received by Faith not only the things which are expresly contained in the Scriptures but those also which are inferred from them by an necessary and evident consequence Certainly 't is enough for us to prove to our adversaries the truth of our beliefs either that we read them in the Scripture or that we infer them from thence since they agree with us that 't is a book Divinely inspired CHAP. X. That this pretended Method takes away certitude from all humane Knowledge and plungeth Religion the Sciences and all the life of men into a horrible confusion But these men demand of us here how we can assure our selves that the consequences which we draw from the Scripture are good and lawful for say they reason is sometimes abused concluding from a principle that which cannot truely be inferred from it Arians and Eutichians who demand formal Passages of the Chatholicks did not they pretend to conclude their false and pernicious opinions from divers places of Scripture where notwithstanding they were not Nestorius Palagius and before them all Origen were deceived in the same manner and there is not perhaps any Heresie which hath not endeavoured to ground it self upon the Scripture by false and abusive discourse Reason then being faulty how can we be assured of the truth of the things which by its means we have discovered in the Scripture for since it is often deceived who can tell us that it is not so now I do not think it strange that an Atheist should make this objection to us since his impiety obliges him to confound all knowledge in an infinite and remedisess incertitude But that men who make profession of the Christian Religion and whose interest t is to preserve Faith Assurance and Credulity in the world should propose to us a discourse which rums all these things from top to bottome in my opinion 't is either an impudence or an extream passion For consider I beseech you how far this fine discourse goeth reason say they is faulty therefore we cannot be assured of the conclusion which it draws from the Scripture But if this consequence be good what assurance can we have First what will become of this so much bragged of certainty of the Catholick Faith which they have alwaies in their mouths it will be accounted to them no other then a meer in discretion For whether they will or no 't is our understanding which receives the things of Faith which considers them and is lead to believe them by the reasons of truth which it seeth in them If our understanding by mistakes and abuses sometimes makes its aprehensions and conclusions uncertain our faith must necessarily be so too The consent of the people the ancient and uninterrupted successions of the Bishop of Rome the Majesty and brightness of the power Beauty Order and pomp of the ministers the light of the divine protection and such like considerations may perswade you that Rome is truely the Church of Jesus Christ but I say how can you be sure of it since this reason to whose report you give credit is false and if it may be faulty in other things why not in this and
Age Soberly Justly and Religiously expecting the happy Hope and advent of the Glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ 10. That this Holiness of life is necessary for the having a part in the Kingdome of Christ Matthew 5.20 John 3.2 I say unto you that if your Righteousness doth not surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Rom. 8.13 If you live according to the flesh you shall dy but if by the Spirit you mortifie the deeds of the flesh you shall live 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know you not that the unjust shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Eph. 5. Heb. 12.14 Gal. 6.7 8. do not abuse your selves neither Whoremongers nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor les bougrees abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor evil speakers nor ravisseurs Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God CHAP. VIII Of the Vnion of the Faithful Of the means necessary to preserve it as of the order of the Ministry of the Gospel and the Discipline 1. That we must perticularly love the Faithful JOhn 13.34 35. I give you a new commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you to the end that you love one another by this all shall know that you be my disciples if you have love one to another John 15.12 13. 1 John 3.2 4.12 1 Pet. 3 8. Heb. 13.3 Mat. 18.6 10. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you None hath greater love then this viz. when any one lays down his soul for his friends Gal. 6.12 Whilst we have time let us do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith 1 Peter 2.17 Bear honor to all love the brotherhood 2. That the Faithful ought to meet together to pray to God and to mind other exercises of Religion Heb. 10.24 25. Let us take care of one another to incite us to charity and good works not forsaking our assembling as some have used to do but admonishing one another This appears by the examples of the first Christians in the times of the Apostles when you gather your selves together saith St. Paul to the Corinthians you hold not the form of eating the Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.20 And by the promise which the Lord made us Matt. 18.20 Where there be two or three gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them 3. That there ought to be Pastors and Overseers in the Church of the Faithful Rom. 12.6 7 8. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or ministery let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness 1 Cor. 12.27 28. Now ye are the Body of Christ and membres de membre members in perticular Eph. 4.11 And God hath set some of them in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Doctors after that vertues then gifts of healing helps governments diversities of tongues interpretations of them Tit. 1.5 I have left thee in Crete to the end that thou shouldest correct the things which remain and that thou shouldest constitute Priests or elders through the Towns as I have ordered thee You have the History of the institution of the Deacons and the distinction of the Ministers serving the word from those who serve the table and Almes in the 6 Chap. of the Acts. 4. What ought to be the Morals of Pastors and other Ministers 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3. and so on Tit. 1.7 8 9. This word is certain if any one hath an affection to be a Bishop he desireth an excellent work But a Bishop must be irreprehensible the Husband of one woman onely Sober prudent modest chast willingly receiving strangers apt to teach not given to wine no striker but benigne no quarreller not covetous but governing his house honestly having his children subject in all chastity c. Not a new convert for fear he being puffed up with pride should fall into the condemnation of the devil he must also have a good testimony from them who are without least he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil Likwise the Deacons must be grave not double in words not given to much wine nor covetous of dishonest gain holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience and let these first be proved then let them serve being irreprehensible c. 5. What the Charge of Pastors is 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Act 20.28 1 Cor. 4 1 2 1 Tim 5.20 2 Cor. 1.23 and 13.8 5.1 2 3. I beseech the esders which are amongst you I who am an elder with you and a witness of the sufferings of Christ who am also a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is committed to you having care over it not by constraint but willingly according to God not for dishonest gain but of a ready mind not as having Lord-ship over the people and clergy of God but so that you be examples to the flock by good will 2 Cor. 4.5 We do not preach our selves but Jesus Christ our Lord and that we are your servants for Jesus 2 Tim. 2.2 that which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses do thou commit to faithful men who shall be sufficient to teach others also and verse the 14 remember these things protesting before God c. Study to render thy self approved to God to open without confusion and handling rightly the words of truth 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all patience and doctrine 6. The dignity of the charge of Pastors and Supervisors 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 and dispensors of the secrets of God 1 Tim. 3.1 This word is certain if any one hath a mind to be a Bishop he desireth a good work 7. That the Faithful ought to honour their Pastors obey and nourish them Matt. 18.17 If thy brother disdains to hear the Church let him be to thee as a Pagan and Publican Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me saith the Lord speaking to his Disciples and he that rejects you rejects me Heb. 13.17 Obey them who rule over you and submit to them for they watch for your souls as they who ought to give an account of them that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that will not become profitable to you 1 Tim. 5.17 The Priests or elders as the Louvain version renders this word Sect 5 in the passage of St. Peter 1 Ep. Ch. 5.1 who rule well let them be reputed worthy of double honor principally they who labour
Christ to good works which God hath prepared to the end we might walk in them Secondly I confess that St. James writes James 2 21. that Abraham was justified by his works when he offered up his Son Isaac upon the Altar But 't is clear that he understands not by this word that Abraham did receive from God the pardon of his sins by the merit of this his work since the Scripture saith as St. Paul reports it that before the birth of Isaac Gen. 15.6 Rom. â— 23 the faith of Abraham was imputed to him for righteousness St. James disputes in this place not of the manner or condition by which man is absolved from his sin before God but of the quality of the faith by which he is received into Grace viz. that it is efficacious in good works and not barren and unfruitful as that of which the Hypocrites boast And to prove it he alledges amongst other reasons the example of Abraham who indeed was absolved and received into Grace by faith but 't was by a lively faith and effectual in good works as he is justified by the admirable obedience which he rendred to God in offering his only Son to him in Sacrifice Then was clearly accomplished the Scripture which giveth him the praise of having believed in God it appears then that what is said of him is most true James 2.22 Abraham believed in God and it was imputed to him for righteousness His saith was finished or accomplished saith the Apostle that is to say 2 Cor. 12.9 it shewed its perfection and accomplishment by works in the same manner as St. Paul saith That the strength of the Lord is made perfect or accomplished in weakness that is to say that it sheweth his valour and perfection in our infirmities and afflictions 1 Tim. 3.16 This is that then which St. James means when he saith that Abraham was justified by works that is to say he proved and demonstrated by his works that which was real as when St. Paul saith That the Lord Jesus was justified in Spirit that is that he proved and demonstrated by his great and admirable works that he is true God blessed for ever And it is in the same sense that we ought to understand that which St. James concludes Vers 24. You see then that a man is justified by works and not only by faith that is to say the man sheweth and proveth what he is not only in believing but also in well-doing if we confess voluntarily that we do detest from our hearts this phantasm of faith which vaunts of believing without producing any good fruit and confess that it is unuseful it is exactly that which Saint James lays down at the beginning Vers 4. as the subject of all his designe What will it profit him if any one sayeth that he hath faith and hath not works faith or rather this faith can it save him CHAP. VIII That the Holy Scriptures doth not teach us that works merit eternal life 1. THat if the good works of the faithful merit not the remission of their sins much less can they merit eternal life To prove it is so they heap up divers places of the Scripture which shew that God will give eternal life to those who have lived holily as the following and other-like places Rom. 1.6 7.10 God shall render to every one according to his works viz. to those who with patience and well doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life But to those who are given to contentions and agree not to the truth but give themselves to iniquity shall be indignation and wrath Whosoever shall give to drink a Cup of eold water only to one of these little ones in the name of a Disciple Mat. 10.42 verily I say unto you that he shall not lose his reward Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father possess the Kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and you gave me to eat I was thirsty and you gave me to drink I was a stranger and you took me in c. But neither these passages nor any like to them * As Mat. 5.12 16.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Heb. 6.10 10 25. 1.26 2 Tim. 4.8 Apoc. 21.7 22 12. Prov. 11.10 Esa 3.10 which are found in many places in the Holy Scriptures can prove that is in Question viz. that the dignity and the excellencie of the works of the faithful are such as are worth eternal life and that there is a certain proportion and equality between them and the Glory to come which precisely requireth that it should be given to them for reward God being there obliged even by the justice of the same thing and consequently cannot fail of it without violating the Justice which is between him and man This is that which the merit of works signifie which we denie and our Adversaries maintain Bell. de Justif l. 5. c. 17 18. All that one can lawfully infer from these passages is that God hath promised to give eternal life to those who live well and holily that one day he will accomplish perfectly this his promise on this condition eternal life is a consequent an acknowledgment and a reward of holiness and good works which the faithful who labour and persevere in their vocation may and ought to expect from God But who doubts of any of these truths all that we say is that we must expect this reward only from the Grace of God who hath promised and will give it because he is most good and not for the value and excellencie of our works which how good soever they be are but our duty with which we acquit our selves to God incapable by consequence of meriting any thing it being clear that he who doeth that which he ought and to whom he is obliged acquits himself only and doth not merit Secondly They alledge that the Lord speaking of the happy Luke 20.35 saith That they who shall be made worthy to obtain that life and the resurrection from the dead Rev. 3.4 and elsewhere that the faithful of Sardis should walk with him in white clothing because they are worthy of it and that St. Paul saith speaking of the Thessalonians that they were afflicted to be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God 2 Thes 1.5 But I answer that this word worthy signifieth the disposition and convenience of a thing and not its merit As when St. John exhorts the Jews to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Mat. 3.8 that is to say convenient for the repentance which it answereth and not which it merits for this would be ridicule it is then in this scuse that the truly faithful who live holily and persevere constantly in piety are worthy of the Kingdom and white Vestments of the Lord that is to say
they have the qualities and conditions which are convenient for them since it is to them who are such 2 Thes 1.6 7. that God promiseth these things in his Grace Thirdly Moreover they say that this retribution of God is a work of his Justice 't is a just thing before God saith the Apostle That he giveth affliction to those who afflict you Heb. 6.10 and to you who are afflicted deliverance with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with the Angels of his power and elsewhere God is not unjust to forget your work and charity which you have shewed towards his Name in as much as you have ministred to the Saints and do minister 2 Tim. 4.8 Psal 112.9 2 Cor. 9.9 Mat. 6.1 Dan. 4.24 9.16 Ezech. 18.19 21. in the Version of the 70. Deut. 24.3 Eccles 44.10 and again in another place The Crown of Justice is kept for me which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but also to all those who love his coming But I say first that this word Justice according to the phrase of the Hebrew Language signifieth very often benignity and liberality and just likewise benign and gracious as in the 112 Psalm alledged by St. Paul He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor his righteousness endureth for ever from whence it comes that Alms which is an act of gratuity and beneficence is called Justice in the 6th of St. Matthew In this sense who seeth not that retribution of life eternal to the faithful is truly an act of the Divine Justice that is to say of his Grace and benignity that 't is an Alms which he giveth us Secondly I say that it is just that God should give life eternal to those who have believed and obeyed not that they have merited but because hehath promlsed it As 't is also a justice to keep ones word in accomplishing that which one hath promised Nohem 9. although one hath promised it but upon meer gratuity without being obliged to it by the merits of him to whom one promiseth it In fine in comparing the cause and case of the faithful with that of the wicked who afflict them the one having manifestly the right on their side and the other the wrong it is yet in this respect for the Justice of God to maintain the one and condemn and punish the other But this is not to say that considering throughly the persons and works of the faithful in themselves and without this comparison there is nothing in them which to speak properly merits the Heavenly Glory with which the Father will one day Crown them gratis according to the saying of the Apostle Rom. 6.23 that life eternal by Jesus Christ our Lord is a Grace of God But there is no need to insist much upon this Article since that amongst our Adversaries themselves there are found great and celebrated Authors who openly reject this Doctrine being far from pretending that it is in the Scriptures some disputing that the good works of the faithful are not meritorious by reason of the works themselves but only by reason of the Promise and Divine acceptance as Scotus and Vaga Others that supposing the Promise of God yet they are not such that the hire is due to them by Justice See Bellar. of Justif l. 5. c 16. but only by the liberality of God as Durandus so Cardinal Bellarmin reports it CHAP. IX That praying to Saints departed is not taught in the Scriptures 1. LEt us now consider of praying to the Saints departed for which there is found neither Command nor Example in all the Writings of the Old and New Testaments and they alledge for its foundation nothing but passages very far fetched as for example that wch Jacob said being upon his death-bed Let my name be called upon these Children Gen. 48.16 that is upon Ephraim and Manasseh which is not a Command to invoke him after his death but a declaration by which he adopts them willing that they might be called by his name as if they had been his proper Children as all the Learned party of our Adversaries confess Nic. d'Lyra Pintus Eman. Sa Pagnin Arias Montauus and 't is the same manner of speaking which is found in Esai in the fourth Chapter where he brings in women which say to a man Isai 4.1 only let thy name be called upon us Secondly But say they the faithful under the Old Testament make mention of the Saints departed in the prayers which they put up to God Have remembrance of Abraham Exod. 32.13 Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou hast sworn by thy self saying I will multiply your seed as the Stars in Heaven We do not deny that it was permitted them to produce to the Lord the Promises which he made to their Fathers as it is lawful for us to put him in minde of that which he hath done for us in Jesus Christ of which these first were the figures But the question is whether we may and ought to address these prayers to deceased Saints which cannot be drawn from this allegation by any good reason Thirdly Moreover Mat. 22.30 they discourse thus Our Lord teacheth us that the Saints departed are as the Angels of God in Heaven Gen. 48.15 now Jacob invoked an Angel It is then permitted us to invoke the Saints A feeble a pitiful reasoning For first the Lord speaks of the state of Saints after the Resurrection and the Question is of the condition they are in now before the Resurrection Secondly The Lord compares them to Angels not generally and in respect of all the conditions of their beings for upon this account they must conclude they will have no bodies after the Resurrection since the Angels have none but only in respect of these things viz that they will not marry Maldon upon this passage as St. Jerom and after him the Jesuit Maldonat remarks in the Resurrection saith the Lord they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage but shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven And as to the Angel which Jacob invoked who knows not that 't is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Gen. 48. 15 16. the eternal Son of God The God saith he before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac have walked the God who fed me from my youth to this day Cyril Alex Thesaur l. 3. the Angel who hath defended me from evil bless these Children St. Cyril of Alexandria hath so amply defended this truth against the Arians who would as our Adversaries at this time bend these words to a created Angel which we have no need to insist upon any longer to clear Fourthly They argue again thus We pray the faithful living here below with us to pray to God for us as St. Paul commanded the Romans Rom. 15.30 Coll. 4.3.1 Eph. 6.9 1 Thes 5.25 2 Thes 3.1 1.