Hearts and affections with Peace that when he shall return to make inquisition for blood transgression and sin we may by him and that league and Covenant of Peace concluded with thee in him be delivered from wrath to come and for him receive forgivenesse of sins and Inheritance among them who are sanctified by Faith in him O let us not have our portion with unbeleevers nor our part with the disobedient for then we shall certainly perish but think upon us O Lord for good that we may be saved with that remnant who have their Robes washed and whitned in the blood of the Lambe who have separated themselves from the children of Belial and Table of Devills and keep themselves unspotted from the World and so both they and we may be presented in our Bodies our Soules and Spirits holy blamelesse and undefiled at the comming of our Lord. Holy God keep as from the contagion of sin and sinners preserve us in thy truth and love in the Vnity and Communion of thy one true holy Catholique Church that having the Seale of Gods Servants in our Forcheads we may cry and sing eternally Salvation to our God who fitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe Amen The CONCLUSION Heb. 11. from the 32. verse to the end of the Chapter And what shall I say more for the time would faile me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Iephthah of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousnes obtained promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons c. THe Apostle now coms to a Conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a preâ—â—â—on cutting short his Discourse and cursorily casting up the residue of the Faithfull which were to be inserted in this Catalogue even all the Succession of Beleevers who lived from the time of the Judges ruling under God in Israel till that present Age wherein he Wrote to these Hebrews nominating onely some shortly touching their works and patience intimating onely and hinting at others by their acts and sufferings by which we may guesse and conjecture at their Names and Persons And having thus compleated his Designe and Canon he gives a full Testimoniall and Certificate of approbation in the two last Verses both of these thus in the close either expressed or alluded to and of those foregoing whom he had honoured with a larger Narrative and more distinctly and aithfully insisted on and more amply commended I shall therefore here leave my former Method in the respective Observance of the Apostle and summarily and briefly run over these subsequent Examples and Presidents of Faith as they lye here in their severall order contracted and so follow his Abridgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the words following in course And what shall I more say If these Hebrews be of tractable and teachable Spirits enough is said already to establish and strengthen them in the holy Faith and what needs more then enough sufficient is said what is more is ex abundantia The time would faile me c. An Hyperbolicall expreson importing thus much So numerous is the company of the Faithfull Ancients and so many their Faithfull Actions in the holy Registery that a full enumeration of them and what is Recorded of and concerning them would exceed the bulk of an Epistolar Exhortation and Remonstrance and rise into a large and exact History These here mentioned will serve strongly to make good the Induction and thereby prove the Position Faith is the substance of things hoped the evidence of things not seen c. and therefore it is unnecessary altogether to enlarge further and therefore also take them more succinctly and compendiously Thus your Painters being to deliniate a Croude or a Thronged Multitude doe not take them whole and in full but draws them out by the Pole and presents you nothing but the tops and crowns of their Heads amassing their bulks altogether Gideon whose faithfull expedition is Recorded Judges 6. and 7. whose stratagem with the number of three hundred men struck a Panick fear into the numerous Mideanitish Army that they Fled and killed each other Baracks Prowesse and Faith was manifested That with a small inconsiderable Body he durst encounter and did totally Rout the vast and well-provided Army of Sisera King Iabins Captain Generall Iudges 4. and 5. Samson follows whose Faith was greater then his admired and renowned strength admired it was because it lay in those excrescences of his Body his Heires which in other Men are of the least use and most weaknesse Renowned it was to a Proverb and deservedly for without any offensive or defensive Weapons by his bare Arme of Flesh he tore in pieces a Lyon like a Kid Iudges 14.5.6 when his Hands were bound he brake the Cords like scorched Flax and being loosed with the law-bone of an Asse flew a thousand Men Iudges 15.14 c. when he was Beseiged and immured by the Philistines he carried away the Gates of the City with the two Posts Barr and all Iudges 16.3 and by leaning upon the two middle Pillart of the House the whole Fabrick dissolved Iudges 16.30 Iephthah is the last mentioned of the Iudges though he was before Samson as Barack was before Gideon who notwithstanding was first here nominated You may finde the History of his Resolution and Noble Attempts against the Ammonites in the defence of Israel Iudges 11. I shall referre you to the Text and leave them after a not very impertinent Digression and two Practicall Observations The Digression aimes at a Fact of Samsons and Iephtha's and depends on these following Quaeries 1. Whether Samson in that his last mentioned Enterprize was not Felo de se guilty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of selfe-murder which not onely the Rule of Faith but reason it selfe condemns as sinfull and unnaturall Arist lib. 5. Eth. cap. 11 But to wave some mens conjectures Saint Augustines Answer seems to me most cleare who accounts this inter beroica an extraordinary act proceeding from an extraordinary motion of Gods Spirit in no wise or case imitable For saith he lib. 1. de Civitate Dei cap. 21. Spiritus latenter hoc jusserat he had a secret or private Order for it And more fully cap. 26. of that Book Non humanitas deceptus sed divinitus jussus nec arrans sed obediens It was not a crime but duty in him And he adds this reason Cum Deus jubet seque jubere sine ullis ambagibus intimat quis obedientiam in crimen vocet quis obsequium pietatis accuset If God command and clearly intimates his command this supersedes the guilt and absolves it from disobedience 2. Concerning Iephtha's Vow Whether it in it selfe were rash Whether he executed this rash Vow and in the Execution thereof did sin against the Law of God This in Saint Augustines judgement is Magna ad dijudicandum difficilima Quaestio Tom. 4. quaest sup Iud. lib. 7. cap. 49. a great
Confessions and Registers Catechismes and Testimonies of their fore-fathers Faith and their own to the Councell of Nice upon diligent search and inquiry found it contrary to the generall belelfe of the whole Chuch since the first Plantation He who would take the pains for further satisfaction herein let him consult St. Austin lib. 7. de Baptis cont Den. c. 53. Nobis tutum est in c. l. 2. c. 4. Quomodo potait c. 2. In respect of Place for if the Doctrine have not received a good report from all Places it is not qualified for a Catholique inasmuch as the same Faith which was delivered and received in one Place in any Apostolike Plantation was likewise found in all other Plantations it being one and the same Faith which all the Apostles taught all the World over the same in Germany Britaine France which was in Spaine Affricke and Egypt the middle World and in Asia and the whole Orient or East of the World even as the same Sun shines through them all And to this Tertullian gives his Testimony at large lib. de Praefeript advers Haeret. cap. 20. Statim igitur Apostoli c. Presently therefore the Apostles having testified the Faith first in Judea according to their Commission they took their Journey over the World and promulgated the same Doctrine of the Faith to the Nations c. whereunto accords fully his follower Saint Cyprian lib. de Vnitate Eccl. Ecclesia Domini luce perfusa c. The Church having received light from her Lord diffused and spread abroad his beames farr and wide Vnum tamen lumen est and yet it is the same light which is in every Church thus diffused And the same Tertullian seconds this also in his following Chapter Si haec ita sint c. making this deduction if these things be thus then it is plain Every Doctrine which agrees with the Apostolicall Churches as the Roman Ephesian Antiochian Alexandrian Hierosolymitan the Mothers in respect of the Daughter Churches Metropoles originals whence the Faith sprung forth and issued is to be adjudged true as holding that which the Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God Reliquam vere omnem Doctrinam de mendacio prajudicandum c. and that all other Doctrine is under the prejudice of being false which is contrary to the truth of the Churches of the Apostles of Christ of God And so again in the 36. and 37. Chapters of the same Book where he proves they are onely the true Charches of Christ who follow the Faith of those Mother Apostolicall Churches 3. In respect of Time not as if the true Faith had in all Ages been Universally received for then Haeresie had never prevailed and got the upper hand for Arrianisme did so in Constantine his time and the Goths and Vandals Arrian Princes Ruled in the West and Anastasius the Emperour of the East was an Eutychian Heretike but that this or that was received in the first or purest and though in after ages by one or more it was opposed and oppressed yet even then there were such who by having recourse to the first Ages have discovered these guilty of novelty and have constantly asserted proved and vindicated the ancient Doctrines and Christianly suffered for them and so by little and little the Church at last recovered and gained the possession of her former Doctrines That then which by diligent search is to be found in the Monuments and Testimonies of the first Age for that is truely so called Antiquity hath this qualification but that which is of latter date falls short of it that is a new Faith which commenced since the Faith was once delivered to the Saints and so that Church which hath not the consent of Primitive Antiquity is in respect of those Doctrines wherein she varieth from it and doth stand convicted of Heresie and Schisme because it is not part of the Depositum Quod tibi creditum non quod à te inventum Vin. Lyr. cap. 27. For no man or Society of men ought to commend any thing as a point of Faith to Posterity which cannot be evidenced from Antiquity derived from the Apostles times a proficiency or growth in Faith there ought to be so it be in eodem genere in the same kinds issuing from the same root but all addition of after inventions are the notes of Heresie and Schisme And having thus far proceeded let us see what Doctrines or Observations or some of them may deserve or can challenge this Testimony of these all or all the Christian Churches so that we may conclude this to be the Faith and usage of the Universall Church of Christ and for the credenda alwayes supposing the sacred Scriptures which is the most certain and safe Rule both for Credenda and Agenda points of Faith and practise as having obtained the highest report from these all nothing so universally attested and approved as they it will be hard to prove or produce an universall Testimony for any Doctrine or Point of Faith besides those which are contained in the Creed nay indeed impossible inasmuch as this hath the repute of an abridgement or full Epitome of all Fundamentall Truths necessary to be known or beleeved by all Christians to salvation composed by the Apostles themselves for the preservation of the unity of the Faith nothing but this hath Primitive Antiquity and full consent of all called generally Regula fidei una sola immobilis irreformabilis the one onely immoveable and unreformable Rule of Faith that all might have a short summe of those things which are of meer beleife and are dispersedly contained in the Scripture So Valentia himselfe 1. 2. Dist 1. qu. 2. p. 4. in fin and so probably conceived to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.13 That forme breviate or summary of wholesome words or sound Doctrine that depositum or trust Timothy received 1 Tim. 6.20 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Faith Tit. 1.4 Pufillis magnisque communis Aug. Ep. 57. ad Dard. See Davenant in lib. De pace inter Evangelices procuranda pag. 9.10 c. Et in adhortatione cap. 7. throughout And for the agenda these either immediately relate to the worship of God or the Discipline and Government of his Church And supposing the Scriptures as the standing Law both for matters of Faith and Practise Use which is the best Interpreter of the Law is the best Directory for our Practise and when the Texts of holy Scripture are in these eases interpreted by the perpetuall practise of the Church according to the premised considerations then the Interpretation is the more authentique and worthy beleise and the proofes grounded thereupon more cogent and convincing according to that determination of the Nicone Councill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let ancient customes stand in strength of this kind is the observation of the Lords day Whereupon it is Observed by that Noble and Learned
French Protestant Du. Pless lib. 1. de Missa cap. 3. That the Apostles retained the pure worship and service of God used in the Synagogue of the Jews as far as they contradicted not the Dispensation under Christ and so though they changed the Sacrifices and the Sabbath Christ being the substance shadowed by them and the Lords Day being appointed to succeed this yet the service it selfe in other particulars did continue and this appears to be the practise of the Jews for we find their Confession saith he Mat. 3.6 Mar. 1.5 Acts 13.38 their Lessons Acts 15.21 Acts 13.14 Luke 4.18 Their Psalmes and Hymnes Eph. 5. Col. 3. Their Sermons and other such holy Offices Et primi Christiani huie Officis se accommedarunt id lib. 1. Demiss cap. 4. the first Christians confirmed hereunto c. So also the Observation of the Anniversary Festivalls of the Church of Baptizing Infants and after their Confirmation The admission of separated Persons to the Calling of the Ministery by imposition of Hands The different Offices of those so called and separated by the known Titles of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and this according to the received Doctrine of the Universall Church for 1500. Years without any considerable opposition in Church censures and that these were such practises of the Universall Church these all who have gone before us in the Profession of that holy Discipline of out Lord Jesus hath been abundantly proved out of their Testimonies and Records And from these premised Grounds we may take an estimate what Church or Churches holds the truest and most perfect correspondence with the Catholicke Certainly they who glory most in that Attribute and Title have the least Reason and Right both because they have not the good report of these all nor the Testimony of the Universall Church for their Doctrines which they maintain and also because the Universall Church hath defined against their Innovations both in Faith and Practise Witnesse the Decree of the Councill of Ephesus the third of those foure which are generally received for undoubted Generall Councills which runs thus Nemini licere c. It should not be lawfull for any to Produce Write or Compose any Beleise beside that which was establisht by the Fathers at Nice and that c. Can. 7 And so Conc. Floren. Sess 10 Now they who would Engrosse and Monopolize this Title have changed the Apostolicall Creed by making a new one which holds no Analogy with the old Apostles Creed all which their superadditions are extrinsecall to that Rule of Faith and so no parts of the Christian Religion And this New Creed which they made is ratified by Bulla Pii 4. super forma juramenti professionis fidei thus mixing the Tares of their own inventions and policies with the Wheat of Gods Word and corrupting the masse or lump of holy Faith by the leven of the new additions And their practise is as grosse and un-Christian in dividing the Apostolicall Communion by Excommunicating full three parts of the holy Catholicke Apostolike Church That Church which holds the one Catholike Faith holy and undefiled holds the truest conformity with the Catholike which the Roman Church at present doth not because she hath defiled the Old Faith with New Doctrines for which she neither hath the consent of Antiquity nor of the Universall Church of this Age and those Churches which either in part or in whole admit not the Apostles Creed or oppose any truth therein contained or any of the Explications thereof by the foure first Generall Conncells are justly adjudged Hereticall and so is the opposing any practise which is truely and genuinely Apostolicall and so received by the Universall Church in all Ages hereticall and a voluntary separation from the Communion of that Church which requires nothing for matter of Faith but the Apostolicall Creeds according to the Decree of the Councell of Ephesus and nothing in point of practise but the observations of the Catholike Church since the Apostles Ages the known Worship and Service of God in the use of Liturgies Prayer the Word and Sacraments the standing Government in the distinct and severall Orders and Officers thereof and the exercise of Ecclesiastique Discipline is directly Schismaticall as tending to the breach of the Catholique Communion dividing that body into two opposite parts which should be whole one and entire so that according to the sore going Grounds which are confessed by the Roman party and so will be evidence and proofe against them the English Reformed Church cannot be guilty of Heresie because She holds the Apostolicall Creed without addition or diminution The Romish Synagogue or Court is truely and properly Hereticall and Schismaticall too inasmuch as she hath Composed a New Creed and so made an addition to the standing Rule of Faith and hath obtruded the beleife thereof to all other Christians under pain of damnation And again the Reformed English Church cannot be guilty of Schisme because she holds Communion with the whole Church in all her ancient Apostolicall Catholike usages and customes and disclaims all which are not so as to her practise but condemns not nor censures any other particular Church further then by Apologizing and defending her selfe to be truely Apostolicall and if herein she be wanting to her selfe yet she can produce the Testimony and good report for her Apostolicalnesse of the best Reformed Churches and indeed the Universall Church of this Age. But I have extended this digression further then I intended or may be adjudged by others convenient and pertinent But sure I am not so far as the weight and importance of the subject doth deserve for in such subjects there should not be à nonnulla desiderantur somewhat more expected and yet here much more might be added A good report and a good name is better then precious oyntment and nothing entitles a particular person to that but his own Faith he is too flat and Stoicall nay Cynicall who cares not what others report concerning him especially if those others be in number of these all men of good report and fame It is true a good man will not be offended at a rayling cursing Shimei an evill man reporting false evill things yet a good man will endeavour to keep his credit with good men as well as a good Conscience to himselfe For ordinarily as Tacitus observes and it was well observed by an ingenious Person that it is pitty St. Augustine said it not Contemptu famae contemnuntur virtutes they that neglect the good opinion of others neglect those vertues which should produce and beget that good opinion Therefore St. Hierome protests to abhorr that Paratum de trivia that vulgar dunghill language I care not what all the world sayes so long as my own Conscience checkes me not for we unlesse we will be debaucht must study not onely to be but to appear also vertuous Let your light saith our Saviour Mat. 5.16 so shine before men and we must follow
life they begun not till they had well-nigh finished their course when the negotiations and transactions of State was a burden when the multiplicity of businesses had tyred them or the variety of pleasures surfetted or spent them But Moses was now in his prime most able both to undertake and under-goe weighty employments as after he did and to receive what content any worldly delight could afford at his best both to endure hardnesse and enjoy softnesse 4. From this Observation let us learn this Instruction to be wise in time to employ our choysest opportunities our best strength and vigor of body and spirit for the purchase and possession of the Eternall Inheritance God will have the prime of our years devoted to his service while we have marrow in our bones and life in our senses and clearnesse in our spirits Mal. 1.8 If ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not evill offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts and then also to encrease in knowledge and spirituall understanding not to be children carried away with every wind of Doctrine or with the togish garish vanities of the world but to be men approving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.18 the things that are excellent that we embrace not Nubem pro Junone a vain empty shadow of comfort for reall solid substantiall happinesses gaudy fantastick appearances like Caligula's Banquet to please the Eye not to satisfie Nature in stead of the Heavenly Reward that so we may fix our desires there where true joyes are to be found being skilfull in the word of righteousnesse that we endeavour to be as Moses was of full age that is perfect such as by reason of use have our senses exercised to discern both good and evill Heb. 5.13.14 For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the Word of Righteousnesse for he is a Babe But strong meat belongeth unto them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill For this commended and approved his Faith that he did this when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great in years and discretion great in knowledge and learning great in temper and moderation great in fame and favour at Court and therefore it was an act of great Faith to refuse to be called the Son of Pharâ—ohs Daughter 5. He refused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or denied and he refused not in complement and civility to gain the reputation of being modest humble and moderate an Art which self-seeking ambitious spirits have learned and exercised seeming to decline that which they most passionately fancy and labor for and by under-hand and secret contrivances most greedily prosecute neither in cunning and policy that he might be more earnestly follicited to accept what he had plotted and gaped for another Art which ambition also hath found out to deceive the World neither was it an humour of discontent or desire of change accompanied with an overgrown troublesome Zeale for then this act had been either designe or pretence an handsome piece either of hypocrifie or civility But he refused as upon serious and sober consideration so in truth and singlenesse of Heart a direct proper work of self-deniall and so a clear evidence of his Faith True piety and contempt of this World is not a bare naked pretence set forth in a demure look or holy language but an effectuall mortification of all Worldly motions contrary to justice and charity a not daring to venture on any unlicensed artifice a serious fixed endeavour of exact walking not to value any transitory thing at an higher rate then the Rule of Faith and Law of Christ hath set upon them that they be currant to us not upon the old vulgar account of interest or self-preservation to purchase or preserve an Estate with an evill Conscience but upon the new reformed account of love to God and our Neighbour Indeed men may usurpe and assume the Title and Appellative of Saints to themselves and yet be so far from observing the self-denying Ordinance of Christ Mat. 16.24 that they strictly lay hold on every advantage which shall fall in their way and if none be tendered they will cast about all wayes to find one and upon any discovery chase and follow the wayes of unrighteousnesse with all passion and eagernesse by all indirect and unlawfull wayes some of these pretenders following the way of Cain some of Balaam some of Corah some of Achan some of Gehazi some of Ahab some of Judas c. whereas indeed there is no surer Title to Heaven then contempt of the World no better assurance that we are in the Faith then our overcomming the World 1 John 2.15.16.17 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the World And the World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever And 1 John 5.4 For whatsoever is born of God overcommeth the World and this is the Victory that evercommeth the World even our Faith No stronger proof that we are true Israelites indeed then that we forsake Egypt and come out of Babylon that we are Disciples then that we deny our selves the advancement of our interests the satisfaction of our passions and take up our crosse unite our selves to the body of Beleevers and persevere in their Communion in despight of all temptations and follow Christ as a Law-giver in his Precepts and a Leader by his example both for obedience unto and patience under his Fathers will 6. For a season the pleasures of sin are short the punishment is long Sin may be sweet for a while but it is sharp for ever And who would hazard a lasting pain for a little pleasure or be tickled either into a Disease or unto Death An optares malam scabiem quod scalpendi sit altqua voluptas Eras Epic. It were madnesse to be in love with a Leprosie or Itch for the pleasure of scratching to lose everlasting pleasures and the fulnesse of joy for a transitory delight nay a meer out-side formall delight without all inward content and satisfaction for the whole World and every thing in it is but a Scheeme a shadow an appearance an empty nothing in two Apostles judgements 1 Cor. 7.31 And they that use this World as not abusing it for the fashion of this Word passeth away 1 John 2.17 And the world passeth away and the lust there but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 7. Of Christ Moses then was a Christian and then God had a People God had alwayes a Church and