Chap. 3. vers 16.17 saith Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all Wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever yee do in word or deede do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him words Mr. Montague worthy of serious consideration The Apostle sayes not let the Word of God be received into your Families and be sure you have it among your Bookes that you may now and then reade it but saith he let it dwell in you let it be in your hearts and reside there and let it dwell richly in your hearts not in a poore and beggerly manner content not your selves only with the knowledge of some parts of it and storyes of it but be furnished with the full knowledge of all the holy Scriptures that like the good Scribe you may be ever able and ready to bring out of the old and new Treasury that is out of all the old and new Testament the sweete and comfortable promises and gracious instructions by which you may alwayes be able in all conditions to support and comfort your selves and teach and instruct others and let it be your rule and direction for the ordering of your thoughts words and actions that whatsoever you do in word or deede you may doe all in the name of the Lord Jesus all according to his will that you may with rejoycing call upon his name for his speciall assistance and blessing upon what you either do or goe about which you with boldnesse and assurance of being heard may doe if you do that which is good and according to his will and word and therefore be sure you do nothing neither secretly nor openly that you have not a warrant for out of Gods Word and in the doing of the which you may never be ashamed though all the World did see you which you shall never be if you follow the direction of the Word of God and continually set the rule of his Law before your eyes and have it written in your heart which will ever teach you that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives Lu. 1. vers 74.75 These are the imployments of Christians holinesse and righteousnesse before him in Gods presence not for a time but all the dayes of our lives universall and constant obedience to be holy in all manner of conversation is required of Christians by the Law of God 1 Pet. 1. and that yee may be alwayes thus imployed and taken up and teach and admonish others concerning their duty and speake the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. vers 11. Let the Word of God saith he dwell in you richly let it alwayes cohabit with you and reside in your soule that you may live by faith and die with comfort and therefore doe nothing contrary unto this blessed Word and grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom you are sealed unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. vers 30. Mr. Montague I shall now intreate you a little to consider with your selfe and examine how the Church of Rome obeyes these-precepts and commands of God and of the great Prophet and of the blessed Apostle and whether or no by her disobedience and Rebellion shee deservedly hath not lost the Title of a true Church which by S. Paul first of Tim. 3. is called the ground and Pillar of truth in that every true Church putteth not the Candle and light of the Word under a Bushell but setteth it up and holdeth it forth maintaines and defendeth it and offereth it to the view and hearing of every one But doth the Church of Rome this Mr. Montague Nay doth shee not take the Word of God the everlasting Gospell out of the hands of the people and deprive them of that Key of knowledge and punish the reading of it with severest cruelty and the but having of it in their houses in the vulgar Tongue with the Inquisition and death Christ our Prophet sayth Search the Scriptures S. Paul the Teacher of the Gentiles sayth Let the Word of God dwell in you richly c. And the Church of Rome prohibiteth the reading of the Scripture and is so farre from letting the Word of God dwell in the hearts of the people that shee will not permit them to have it in their houses How then is she I pray you the ground and pillar of Truth when shee is the mother of error and confusion for our Saviour in the 22 of Matthew sayth Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures That Church then that taketh away the Scriptures from the People is no true Church but an erroneous and false Church Consider I pray what I say and suffer not your selfe to be deluded But I will go on a little farther to shew the wickednesse and sacrilegious dealing of the Church of Rome in this point and how farre shee is gone from both the precepts of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all the holy Apostles and from the example and practice of all the Primitive Christians whose examples in all well-doing wee are bound to follow Christ in Luke 11. vers 28. sayth Blessed are they which heare the Word of God and keepe it If they be blessed that heare the Word of God and keepe it then they also are no lesse blessed that reade the Word of God and keepe it So saith S. John Revel 1. chap. 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophecy and keepe those things that are written therein for the time is at hand If our Saviour Christ and his blessed Apostles were upon the earth men and women would desire to heare their Sermons What a wickednesse and sacriledge thâ—n is it in the Church of Rome to hinder the people of blessednesse and to keepe them from happinesse and life eternall when they will not let them read the Sermons Christ and his Apostles preached unto the people What will they be able to answer to the righteous Judge of the whole World at the last day for their unrighteous and unâ—ust dealing in robbing the poore people of the Word of Life S. Peter saith 2 Epiâ—t chap. 1. vers 19. Wee have a more sure Word of prophesy to which you dâ—e well to take heed as to a light in a darke place Here S. Peter prayses and commends those that reade the holy prophets and his pretended successor the Pope hee blames those that reade the Gospell and punisheth with fire and faggot those that have either Law or Gospell in their houses What thinke you Mr. Montague of this businesse Tell mee ingenuously the next time I see you what you thinke of your father the Pope whether hee be not as honest a Genleman as ever went over a house Now I pray looke upon the practice
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND A true Church PROVED In a Disputation held by JOHN BASTWICK Doctor in Physick AGAINST Mr. WALTER MONTAGUE in the TOWER Buy the truth and sell it not also wisdom instruction and understanding Prov. 23. v. 23. Where there is no vision the people perish but he that keepeth the Law happy is he Prov. 29. v. 16. Published by Authority LONDON Printed for A. Crooke and I. Rothwell and are to be sold at their shops in Pauls Church-yard 1645. To the Reader Christian Reader IF thou desire to know the occasion of the ensuing discourse betweene mee and Master Montague of whom I may say this although he be an enemy that hee is both generosus doctus adversarius thou shalt not onely be fully satisfied of the necessity of the publishing of it but mayst also finde the true Church by the essentiall and undeceivable notes of the same the which wheresoever they appeare doe abundantly prove and delucidate it to be a true Church Now when they are to be found in the Church of England as in all the reformed Churches it may truely be concluded of them all that they are true Churches from the which there is no just ground and cause of separation As for the Church of England I may ever affirme this as I have in the following Treatise evinced that since the Apostles times the Gospell and the saving truths thereof have never been more purely preached and more chearfully received imbraced and believed and the Sacraments more duely administred and the Name of God more truly invocated and called upon then now in the Church of England that all those that live in it owe their conversion to the Ministery of the same so that with all good reason wee may infer that that Church that teacheth the knowledge of the onely true God and whom hee hath sent Jesus Christ John 17. and is able to build them up in their most holy faith is a true Church and where salvation may be found And therefore not onely those of the Church of Rome that do calumniate her and all the reformed Churches for hereticall are in a great errour and blame-worthy but more especially those that had the worke of regeneration wrought in their hearts by her ministery and owe their conversion to her and yet doe asperse her with odious tearmes absolutely denying her to be a true Church all such I say are likewise to be reproved and have for this their temerity a great deale to answer for before God and all good men for by these their expressions they doe not onely proclaime their owne unthankefulnesse unto Almighty God but their undutifulnesse and ingratitude unto their mother and their uncharitablenesse towards their brethren whom they account of as a company of Insidels denying communion with them in holy things though every way as good and as holy as themselves by all which their proceedings they doe not onely cast filth in all their faces and expose themselves to the ludibree of the world and bring an odium upon the whole Church but are a cause of division and schisme in the seamlesse garment of Christ and give a great scandall to the enemies of the Gospell and to all such as love the truth in sincerity without faction contrary to the Apostles rule who exhorts all Christians to take heed that they give no offence to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God But that all men may see I charge none falsly nor wrong them not in any thing I shall here recite some expressions of their principall leaders and teachers for to enumerate them all would be an endlesse worke as I had them from their owne mouthes in the presence of others and as I finde them in their printed bookes By word of mouth they say That the Church of England is an arrant Whore and Strumpet and that she that was once a Whore can never be presented unto Christ as a chaste Spouse then the which what could be more contumeliosly disgracefully and untruly spoken especially when it is uttered by such as had the worke of grace and conversion wrought in their hearts by the ministery of the Church if they have any grace or were ever truely converted though now they have disobediently deserted and forsaken her In print thus they declare themselves concerning the Church of England and all believers and their fellow brethren in it That the Church of England is a true whorish mother and that they that are of her are base begotten and bastardly children and that she neither is nor never was truely married joyned or united unto Jesus Christ in that espousall band which his true Churches are and ought to be but is one of Antichrists Nationall whorish Churches and Cities spoken of Revel 16.19 c. That the Church of England is false and Antichristian and as shee is a false and Antichristian Church shee can never make true Officers and Ministers of Jesus Christ and absolutely deny that conversion and confirmation and building up in the waies of God are wrought by the Ministery of the Church of England for how say they can they build them up in that which they themselves are ignorant of and enemies unto For as Jannes and Jambres with stood Moses so doe these men also resist the truth being men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth c. This is their Dialect and further they assert That as they have taken paines by the Word of God and demonstrable arguments grounded thereupon to prove the Church of England Antichristian so they promise to all the world that they will in the strength of the Lord of Hosts for ever seperate from Cuurch Ministery and worship of England and all and every one of them as Antichristian and false And conclude that all the Ministers of the Church of England are not true Ministers of Christ but false and Antichristian Ministers and that our Religion neither is the true Religion nor that it leads men the true way to salvation and they affirme that they groundedly and absolutely deny that either the Church of England is or ever was a true Church And from many such premises as these they exhort all good people that are in the bosome of the Church of England as they love their owne inward peace and spirituall joy to withdraw their spirituall obedience and subjection from her Others of them esteem no better of their brethren then of Insidels Vnbelievers and Heathens and proclaime them in their writings published by authority to be men who deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over his Churches men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing to wit Christs Kingly Office men visibly out of the Covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very Sacraments and Seales of grace with all Church-communion may and
as for your most excellent education as also in regard of the opportunities you have had at home and abroad of attaining to erudition you ever being in the society of learned men and in the Schooles of wisdome and knowledge in the which you were never accounted a trewant who alwaies so improved your time as you have made as good a progresse in all learning as any of your yeeres And in this notion I consider you and shall ever allow you the full waight of your prayses earnestly intreating you that you would imploy that talent of understanding and learning that God had bestowed upon you to the advancement of his Glory and Kingdome and that you would not make use of it to the wronging of your owne soule and the dammage of others And especially I intreat you that in this bright Sun-shine of the Gospell and truth you would open your eyes and not love darknesse more than light And now I come to prove my minor the truth of which I thus assert That Church which is built upon the foundation of Peter that Church teacheth the way the truth and the life against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile c. But the Church of England is built upon the foundation of Peter Ergo the Church of England teacheth the way the truth and the life against which the gates of hell can never prevaile and is a true Church the house of God the ground and pillar of truth where salvation may be found You answered that the Church of England was not built upon the foundation of Peter and therefore denied the minor Which by Gods assistance in the sequell I shall sufficiently prove But as then I desired favour that I might for the benefit of the standers by and that the ensuing discourse might the better be understood by all interpret the termes of my Syllogisme First what I meant by the foundation of Peter Secondly what I understood by building upon that foundation and which but in part you then gave me liberty to expresse So I shall now by your good liking take leave more fully to set it down because as I said before it doth much conduce to the more cleare understanding of the following disputation By the foundation of Peter I understand Jesus Christ And it is evident there is no other foundation of Peter nor of the true Church As we may see in the 16. of Matth. ver 13 14. in that parly which was betweene Christ and his Apostles where our Saviour asking his Disciples what men said of him and they replying answered that some said he was John Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets Then said Jesus but whom say yee that I am And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven And I say unto thee upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Here Peter in the name of all the Disciples acknowledgeth Jesus Christ to be the foundation of the Church The same he doth John the 6. vers 69. where againe in the name of all the Apostles he saith We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God And in the verse before he said Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life There was no other rock known to Peter and the blessed Apostles no other foundation no other to flie to for life eternall but Jesus Christ But in the 4 of the Acts vers 11. in that glorious Sermon of his Peter in his own name thus speakes concerning Christ This is the stone which was set at naught by you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved No other foundation therefore of the Church but Christ And in his first Epistle the second Chapter the fourth and fift verses he thus speakes To whom comming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious yee also as living stones are built up a spirituall house c. No other foundation for all Christians to be built upon but Christ according to that of Paul in the first of Cor. chap. 3. ver 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ the eternall Son of the eternall Father The same is confirmed in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians vers 19 20. Now therefore ye are no more strangers but fellow Citizens c. and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone So that the foundation of all the Prophets and Apostles and all that ever were saved was Jesus Christ who is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. vers 8. the onely Saviour of his people and the foundation of his Church and the onely way and the truth and the life as he declareth himselfe in the 14 of John and therefore in his name onely is salvation preached amongst the Gentiles and to all Nations And this I thought fit to say concerning my meaning of the foundation of Peter Now I will signifie what I understand by the terme of building and to be built upon the foundation of Peter This is a metaphoricall expression taken from Architects and in Gods dialect it is nothing else but to believe in Jesus Christ For as in building the stones polished are by cement and morter joyned to the foundation so all believers those lively stones are built upon Jesus Christ that living stone by faith which joynes them to their head and foundation Christ Jesus and that onely as Peter himselfe interprets it in his first Epistle chap. 2. vers 6. Wherefore it is contained in the holy Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious and he that believes on him shall not be confounded Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious So that to be built upon the rock Christ Jesus by Peters own interpretation is to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation which we cannot doe in any creature without blasphemy The same doctrine is preached by Paul in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the Colossians vers 5 6 7. For though I be absent in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walke ye in him rooted and built upon him and established in the faith c. Here to be rooted and built up in Christ is to believe in Jesus Christ and by his alone merits to hope for salvation who was
made for us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. ver 3â— and who was made sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 and therefore to be built upon the foundation of Peter is to believe in Jesus Christ and in him onely for salvation for there is no other name whereby we may be saved And that this is the true meaning of that metaphoricall expression may be evidenced by innumerable testimonies in holy Scripture but for the present these shall serve the following discourse will afford us more But this I thought fit to set downe because the termes of my syllogisme being cleared the ensuing discourse will be more intelligible And I now come to prove my minor which was that the Church of England was built upon the foundation of Peter Which you denied but by me is thus proved That Church which acknowledgeth Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the eternall living God and believeth onely in him for salvation renouncing all merit wil-worship humane inventions in Gods service which continues stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and in the which Church the Gospell of Jesus Christ is purely preached repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ and where the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God That Church is built upon the foundation of Peter and teacheth the way the truth and the life and is the pillar and ground of truth But the Church of England acknowledgeth Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the eternall living God and believes onely in him for salvation renouncing all merit wil-worship humane inventions in Gods service and continues stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets in which Church the Gospell of Jesus Christ is purely preached repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ and where the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God Ergo the Church of England is built upon the foundation of Peter and teacheth the way the truth and the life against which the gates of hell can never prevaile and is a true Church the ground and pillar of truth To this syllogisme you first shewed your dislike in regard of the length of it though in very deed considering the waightinesse of the businesse in hand it being about the way to salvation and concerning the true Church which shewes the path to Heaven there cannot too much almost be said Secondly you affirmed that there was not any one portion of those many parts of it as you exprest your selfe that you could not except against And whereas I spake of merit and will-worship you affirmed if you should stand upon the doctrine of merit the application of it would demand a weeke but in fine you denied the minor asserting that we did not believe in Jesus Christ as we should and ought to believe that the Sacraments were not truely and rightly administred in the Church of England and then put me upon the proofe of my minor Which I shall by Gods gracious assistance evidently evince and make good with every part and portion of it notwithstanding whatsoever you denied then or shall hereafter be able to gainsay Using therefore the same liberty I did formerly I will first explaine and then confirme the severall parts of my syllogisme and shew not onely the necessity but the truth of every one of them and with so much the more care and diligence they being indeed the infallible notes and characters of a true Church and as I may rightly say the everlasting markes of the same never deceiving so that wheresoever they be found they are so many evidences and charters to confirme the Church to be a true Church where they are yea any one of them much more all together will abundantly testifie that Church to be the house of God the Church of the living God the ground and pillar of truth And that all these notes and marks are in the Church of England I shall Master Montague by Gods assistance as I said before elucidately prove so that all your evasions captions and exceptions with all your denials will speedily appeare to be groundlesse and of no validity for the enervating much lesse overthrowing of so solid and grounded a truth The parts therefore of my minor are these First That the Church of England doth acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the living God Secondly that it doth believe in this Jesus Christ as it ought to believe in that it doth renounce all merit will-worship and humane inventions in Gods service Which is the qualification and very effigies of true and saving faith and which is requisite in any Church to make it a true Church and without all which indeed it cannot be a true Church Thirdly That it continueth stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Fourthly and lastly that the Gospell is purely preached in the Church of England repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and that the Sacraments are rightly there administred And that there is the true invocation of God in the Church of England These are the parts of my syllogisme which in order I will explaine and confirme and shew the verity of every one of them in the Church of England And although I should say no more after that yet it would suffice to shew the vanity of your exceptions and negation and confirme the full truth of my whole syllogisme Now to begin with the first viz. That the Church of England doth acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the eternall living God which is easily evinced in whatsoever signification the word acknowledge be taken Which manner of expression I rather made choice of than of any other as conceiving it subject to lesse exceptions among intelligible and ingenuous men For to acknowledge any thing is more than a bare knowledge it being a recognition the thing being not unknown to him before but now calling it to memory or it being brought to his hearing or sight upon deliberation with certainty he doth avouch his knowledge of it As when a man is charged with a Letter or any other thing and it be presented to his view and it be demanded of him whether he knowes the Letter or the thing presented to him or no or whether he will owne it He answers I acknowledge it that is he declares to all men and confesseth it to be his owne here is a knowledge with approbation So that take the word in whatsoever sense it is commonly used either for approving allowing confessing avouching owning in all this diversitie of expressions or if there be any other the Church of England doth acknowledge Jesus Christ of whom it hath often heard in the holy Word of God that he was the beloved Sonne of God in whom the Lord was well pleased and
death as if he had been an actor and had flung stones at him with the rest saying When thy holy martyr Stephen was slaine I stood by and assented unto it And in Jeremy 5. ver 30 31. A wonderfull and horrible thing saith the Prophet is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie fasly and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so c. Here the people assenting and allowing of these evils made themselves equally guilty and liable to the same punishment And therefore it is a very dangerous thing to have any familiarity with notorious wicked men or to meddle with such especially as are given to change and therefore by Solomon expresly forbidden and that in regard of the danger that necessarily followeth upon it which is sudden calamity and ruine to them both to both actors and abettors or consenters And all this ruine and calamity came both upon Jeroboam that made a change in Religion and in that government against this command and all that joyned with him and assented to him as the story of the Kings and Chronicles doe sufficiently declare and by that teach us to take heed we make no change or alteration in religion and Gods matters lest we partake of the same plague knowing that all those things were written for our example upon whom the ends of the world are come And therefore Mr. Montague that Church that renounceth all will-worship humane inventions in Gods service in so doing manifests her obedience to the Commandements of God and heares his voyce by which she declares herselfe to be a true Church and founded upon the foundation of Peter all which the Church of England doth and is by Gods grace resolved to doe and never to admit of any humane inventions in Gods worship and service being so often taught to the contrary both by precept and by example Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2. vers 18. in condemning and rejecting the worship and adoration of Angels and all will-worship contents himselfe and thinks it sufficient to say that it was a humane invention to teach all Christians for ever to banish out of their religion whatsoever men devise or invent of their owne braines and innovate in Gods worship under what pretence of humility and devotion soever it be His words are these Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seene vainly puft of by his flesh and in the 20. verse Wherefore saith he if yee be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are yee subject to Ordinances after the Commandments and Doctrine of men Here he rejects and renounces all will-worship and serving of God by humane traditions not only in regard of the danger of it because it separated them from their Head Christ Jesus vers 19. but because it was an humane invention and blames the Colossians for suffering and subjecting themselves to them And in his Epistle to Titus chap. the 1. v. 13.14 Wherefore saith the Apostle rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith Not giving heede to Jewish fables and commandements of men which turne from the truth Here is a generall prohibition to all Christians not to give heed to the Commandements and traditions of men in Religion with a Reason of the same annexed to the prohibition for such Commandements saith the Apostle turne men from the truth and lead them into by-wayes and corrupt and adulterate Religion and overthrow the Church which should be the ground and pillar of truth and so rob it of happinesse and of injoying the Head which is Christ Jesus And the truth of this Doctrine of St. Paul is confirmed by innumerable presidents in all ages for humane inventions corrupt Gods service As yee may see in 32 of Exodus when they set up the Calfe and built an Altar before it and proclaimed a feast unto it and were very merry and highly pleased themselves in their own inventions But heare what the Lord saith to Moses vers the 7. Go get thee downe for thy people which thou broughtest out of the Land of Aegypt have corrupted themselves they have turned aside quickly out of the way c. Here innovation in Religion and humane inventions corrupted the people and turned them aside quickly out of the way to Heaven The same is evident in Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat who caused all Israel to sinne and the ten Tribes to fall from God who followed him in his changing of Religion contrary unto the precept of Solomon in the place above specified for setting up his Calves at Dan and Bethel as it is to be seene at large in the first of the Kings the 12. and ordaining a feast unto them and setting up an Altar and sacrificing on it and changing both the time and place of Gods Worship and making Priests of the meane people which were not of the sonnes of Laevi and causing the people to goe up before them This sayes the Lord became a sinne unto them so that the Lord in many places sayes they sacrificed unto Divells and therfore by these their inventions and by this their will-worship they so provoked the Lord as they brought suddaine calamity and ruin upon themselves which the Lord by Solomon had foretold them and the Lord cast them off and gave them into captivity and delivered them over to their enemies hand and gave them a bill of divorce to teach all people to feare and tremble how by their owne inventions and will-worship they provoke the Lord lest he cast them off as he did the Israelites Here we may bring in also the Tribe of Iuda and all Ierusalem who by their inventions and imitating of Israel and other idolatrous Nations corrupted all their wayes and adulterated their Religion and provoked the Lord to wrath who gave them likewise for their idolatry and will-worship and their other abominations that ever follow the profaning of Religion into captivity and exposed the whole Kingdomes to desolation But the example of the Samaritans is not to be passed by who boasted much of antiquity and their Father Iacob though there was but little kindred between them and lesse affienity in the true Religion yet there are many things spoke of them worthy to be taken notice of for it is said in the second of the Kings the 17. that they were taught how they should feare the Lord and they feared the Lord c. and they observed Moses his Rites Ceremonies and Discipline and they looked for the Messiah to come as wee see in Iohn the 4. and they had great agreement and harmony in many Articles and points of Religion with the Iewes the only then true worshipers of God so that to the outward appearance they differed but little yet by their own inventions superstitions idolatry and traditions they had so corrupted the
the invocation of Saints and Angels and by this meanes robbed Christ and God of their honour and set up a false worship and persecute all those that Preach the Gospell and hinder men from the faith it necessarily followeth that the Church of Rome is not the true Church the ground and pillar of Truth but the foundation of all error and abomination and by that meanes have made themselves liable to the curse S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Galatians denounceth against all such as Preach otherwise than hee hath taught and that curse also he pronounces against Bar-Jesus the Sorcerer in the 13 of the Act. who withstood Paul and Barnabas seeking to turne away the Deputy from the faith vers 9. To whom Paul filled with the Holy Ghost said O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the wayes of the Lord So that you see Mr. Montague by Pauls owne words those that hinder the Preaching of the Gospell pervert the wayes of God and for so doing are by the holy Apostle proclaimed children of the Devill and enemies of all Righteousnesse And in the first of Thess ch 2. Heare what the Apostle there speakes of the Jewes and consider diligently whether that which he there declareth doth not belong unto the Church of Rome his words are these vers 23. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sinnes alwayes for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Those that persecute the true Ministers of the Gospell and all true believers under the name of Hereticks and Schismaticks and hinder and forbid the peaching of the Gospel they neither please God and are contrary to all men and fill up their sinnes alwayes for the wrath of God is come upon them to the uttermost and therefore they are not the Church of God but enemies to him and contrary to all men and all this the Church of Rome dayly practiseth but the Church of England when it doth not pervert the wayes of the Lord and hinders not nor forbids the Preaching of the Gospell but sincerely and purely preacheth it that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and prompteth and furthereth the preaching of it all it can possibly and rightly administreth the sacraments and in the which there is the true invocation of God it is manifest that it is a true Church the ground and pillar of Truth and where salvation may be had And thus much Mr. Montague I thought fit to speake of all the severall parts of that Syllogisme which you excepted against and I am most assured that whosoever shall seriously weigh the things handled in it will thinke nothing superfluous in all I have sayd and with all will find every parcell of it so confirmed and corroborated as it will give him good satisfaction and illucidate that every Branch of that argument is true But because Mr. Montague after your exception you denyed the whole minor in a bulke all together I will now make that good also in the grosse And that the order of our disputation may the better be observed which by reason of this large discourse hath beene something obscured and interrupted I will briefly repeate the sum of the argument and what you denied in it and so goe on The argument was this That Church that teacheth the Way the Truth and the Life against which the gates of Hell can never prevaile is a true Church the ground and pillar of Truth But the Church of England teacheth the Way the Truth and the Life Ergo. Here you deny the Minor which I thus prove That Church which is built upon the foundation of Peter teacheth the Way the Truth and the Life c. But the Church of England is built upon the foundation of Peter Ergo. Here also you denyed the Minor which I thus proved That Church which acknowledgeth Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the Eternall living God and believeth onely in Him for salvation renouncing all merit will-worship bumane inventions in Gods Service and continues stedfastly in the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and in the which the Gospell is purely Preached repentance towards God faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God that Church is built upon the foundation of Peter and teaches the Way the Truth and the Life and is a true Church the ground and pillar of Truth But the Church of England doth acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of the Eternall living God and believes onely on Him for salvation renouncing all Merits Will-worship Humane inventions in Gods Service and continues stedfastly in the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and in the which the Gospell is purely Preached Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which also there is the true invocation of God Ergo It is built upon the foundation of Peter c. This Minor you also peremptorely denied which I then proved wil now by Gods assistance make good and answer to all your evasions in order and then prove the Scripture to containe all things necessary to salvation and to be the only rule of our faith and manners That Church which acknowledgeth both the natures of Iesus Christ and all his Offices and so believes in him as he is qualified and made knowne in the Gospell renouncing all merits and will-worship and relies onely upon Christ for salvation and observes all the other requisites specified in my Minor that Church is built upon the foundation of Peter and believes as it ought to believe But the Church of England doth acknowledge both the natures of Jesus Christ and all his Offices and so believes in him as he is qualified and made knowne in the Gospell renouncing all Merits Will-worship and relies onely upon Christ for salvation and observes all the other requisites specified in my Minor Ergo The Church of England is built upon the foundation of Peter and believes as it ought to believe and is a true Church the ground and pillar of Truth c. They Mr. Montague that were standers by admired you should deny such apparent truths as you then did in your answers to my former Syllogismes the verity of the which as they said was so evident and well known to very children But they much more wondred to heare your expressions in this your last answer to my last Syllogisme And to speake the truth Master Montague and no way to wrong you your answer was not onely very confused but exceedingly erroneous in all respects to speake no more I say it was confused not onely
as in him so for his sake and merits with all that shall believe in him And in this notion they acknowledge him as he is revealed in the holy Scriptures and set forth to be the Saviour of his people from their sinnes Matth. 1. vers â—1 to be that Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world John 1. vers 29. Amongst many examples for the more full illustration of the whole matter these few following may suffice as that in the story of Joseph Genesis 37 where the messengers brought Josephs coat to Jacob his father vers 32.33 See now say they whether it be thy sonnes coate or no. Thâ—n he knew it to be the very coat and said it is my sonnes coate He knew it very well before but here he avoucheth his knowledge of it that is he did acknowledge it with certainty Another example we have of Thomas John 20. vers 25 26 27 28 29. who when the Disciples told him that Christ was risen and that they had seen the Lord be said unto them Except I see his hands and the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and put my hand into his side I will not believe it And eight daies after his Disciples were againe within and Thomas with them then came Jesus and stood in the middest and said Peace be unto you After said he to Thomas put thy finger here and see my hands c. and be not faithlesse but faithfull Then Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou beleivest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed Thomas knew well that Christ was wounded but when he saw the wounds then he acknowledged as well his owne infidelity as that Christ was his Lord and his God and in expresse words avoucheth his knowledge with certainty Here the story of the Samaritans John 4. may have place who believed before they saw Christ by the womans relation of him that he was the Messiah but they believed much more after they had both seen and heard him and did publikely acknowledge him to be the Christ the Saviour of the World vers 41. This Christ doth the Church of England though they have neither heard nor seen him believe in and know yea with certainty and approbation acknowledge him to be their Lord and their God and the Saviour of the world and therefore by Christs owne mouth are proclaimed blessed and need feare no mans curses Yea the Church of England doth both know and acknowledge this Christ in as ample a manner as humane frailty can attaine to and publish and preach salvation onely in his name according to the holy Scriptures and will to the last drop of their blood acknowledge him to be their Lord and onely redeemer in the which they are most assured to find comfort in life and death and by the power of whose might to be more than conquerours through him that loved them Rom. 7. vers 37. and are sure of life eternall which Christ himselfe hath promised to them that know him John 17. ver 3. This is life eternall saith he that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ According to the Prophesie of Isaiah Chap. 53. ver 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall be are their iniquities That Church therefore in the which the knowledge of the onely true God and of Jesus Christ is diligently fully and sincerely taught unto the people and where Christ is received and acknowledged by them to be the eternall Sonne of God and the redeemer of the world that Church is a true Church and is built upon the foundation of Peter and believes as it ought to believe But in the Church of England the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ is knowne acknowledged taught and published in as ample a manner as is above specified as all men can witnesse Ergo it is a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter c. And thus much Master Montague shall serve to have spoken of the first part of my syllogisme the truth of all which you cannot deny without wronging your own judgement and the truth it selfe Now I come to the second part viz That the Church of England doth believe in Jesus Christ as it ought to believe which you denied in that it doth renounce all selfe-merit in the worke of redemption and all will-worship and humane inventions in Gods service which is the qualification and very effigies of true and saving faith and which is requisite in any Church to make it a true Church and without which it cannot indeed be a true Church which will evidently appeare when I have described what is meant by beleeving in Jesus Christ and renouncing all selfe-merit in the matter of salvation and all wil-worship humane inventions in Gods service But now to begin with believing To believe in Jesus Christ is nothing else but to owne and embrace him as he is revealed to us in the holy Word of God for the alone onely and perfect Saviour and to place their whole affiance confidence and trust in him onely for salvation and to rely upon him as their onely Redeemer and perfect Saviour and that with a certaine and solid perswasion and invincible assurance according to that of Saint Peter John 6. ver 68. 69. Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Here was a certaine and unmoveable assurance in the Apostles which did evidence the truth of their faith Such was Abrahams faith Rom. 4. ver 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Who against hope believed in hope c. and being not weake in faith c. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who raised up Jesus from the dead Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification In this place we may take notice of the Patriarch Abrahams faith whose example was set down for our imitation that as he believed and gave glory to God by his faith so should we Now consider I pray the variety of the holy Apostles expression in setting downe Abrahams faith Who saith he against hope believed in hope He was not weake in the faith He staggered not at the promise through unbeliefe but was strong in the faith and fully perswaded Here are very glorious praises of Abrahams faith and indeed the praise of the faith of the Saints of old was this that
condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse We see nothing of merit in all the Saints Here I might bring in the prayers of all the Patriarchs of all the Prophets of all the Apostles and Saints of old of the which the holy Scripture is full and in all of them they confesse their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people and ever deprecate Gods judgements never pretending or presuming of their owne worth or merits or challenging favour for them from God but prostrating and humbly denying themselves yea in plaine words and expresse termes they proclaime themselves and all men even the most regenerate wicked and abominable and disavow their owne righteousnesse confessing that it is an uncleane thing and looke for mercy at Gods hand onely through Jesus Christ their righteousnesse But let us heare the testimonies now that both the Prophets and Apostles gave of themselves and of all the family of the faithfull and what Christ himselfe taught us who knew best what was in man after regeneration In the first of Kings and the 8. Solomon saith there There is no man that sinneth not And in Eccles 7. ver 20. he saith There is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not And Prov. 20. ver 9. Who can say I have made my heart cleane from my sinne Not the most righteous man and most holy Heare what Job also witnesseth concerning th businesse Job 9. ver 2 3. How shall a man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand And of all the sinnes that come against us there is not the least that deserves not eternall damnation being committed against an eternall Majesty How farre then in Jobs esteeme are men from compleat and perfect righteousnesse Yea how farre then are they from meriting and in chap. 15. v. 14 15 16. What is man saith Job that he should be cleane and he that is borne of woman that he should be righteous behold he hath no trust in his Saints yea the Heavens are not cleare in his sight how much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water From all these places and many more it may well be concluded that the very regenerate have sinne still remaining in them and through the corruption of their nature that ever abides and continues in them are inclined alwaies to that which is evill and are unapt to all that is good and can never attaine to compleat and perfect righteousnesse but have continuall need with David to pray Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight no flesh shall be justified Psalm 143. ver 2. There are two sorts of justification or righteousnesse the one before men and that is manifested by our workes and the other is before God and that cannot by any works of ours be attained to as by a cloud of witnesses might be proved See therefore what David saith againe Psal 130. ver 3. If thou O Lord shouldst marke iniquity O Lord who should stand but there is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayst be feared Here is no presumption of merit but confidence of mercy Therefore the Prophet Isaiah chap. 64. ver 6. in the name of all the faithfull and regenerate disavowes all merits and disclaimes all their owne righteousnesse in these words But we saith he are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy rags and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away The Prophet doth not say here that all our unrighteousnesse but all our righteousnesse teaching all men thereby that the eyes of the Lord behold faults failings and blemishes in the very best most perfect and holiest actions and in the which we most earnestly desire to please God And this is the doctrine the holy Prophet teaches all men to humble them the more and to bring them to a loathing and abominating of themselves and to manifest unto them that there is no perfection or absolute righteousnesse in the Saints themselves and in the most holy men such as may justifie them before God but that there is alwaies matter of humiliation and of self-denyall in them for as long as they are but in the race and as long as they remaine in the flesh they cannot doe the good they would So saith St. Paul Gal. 5. vers 7. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would This inward combat continues as long as we live and that in all the Saints and therefore they can never attain unto perfection in this life and therefore can never merit Yea the holy Apostles continually acknowledge it confessing their owne sinfulnesse and failings teaching all the faithfull to doe the same So St. John the beloved Disciple in his first Epistle chap. 1. vers 8. If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us St. James also chap. 3. ver 2. saith In many things we sinne all Here he excepts no mortall man all have their sinnes and have need of self-deniall Paul also that elect vessell grones under the burden of sin and with griefe and sorrow acknowledges his continuall combate with the remainders of his corruption Rom. 7. ver 22 23 24. I delight saith he in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thanke God through Jesus Christ my Lord c. Paul had learned this lesson of self-denyall acknowledging his sinnes and making his recourse unto Christ for pardon and deliverance from it knowing there was no other name under Heaven to be saved by and so he becomes Christs Disciple as all other sinners if they will be saved must doe and that we are sinners and can never in this world attaine unto an absolute perfection and to a full and intire keeping and fulfilling of the Law the places I have now quoted and the severall witnesses of all the Saints and the very prayer our Saviour himselfe hath taught us doe sufficiently testifie where we are instructed daily to say forgive us our sinnes Luke 11. ver 4. Now where there is no offence there is no need of pardon but all the Saints as long as they live have need of pardon therefore as long as they live they are sinfull and have need of self-denyall and of true humility and a meane esteeme of themselves and a renouncing of all their owne righteousnesse if they will be Christs disciples and if they expect salvation by him for they must have it upon his owne conditions for he will be saviour to none
body and the induring of the dolours pangs and sorrowes of the second death in respect of his soule the first of which doth consist in his perfect fulfilling of the law for us The truth of which doth evidently appeare For after the fall of our first parents all man-kind stood bound in a double debt we had violated and broken the law and therefore were all tyed and bound first to make satisfaction for that Secondly as we are creatures we were still bound to keepe and fulfill the whole Law even to the rigour of it and to doe whatsoever that commanded of the which double debt when we were not able to pay the least portion being now become bankrupts of that primordiall and originall righteousnesse and wholly corrupted we must necessarily have recourse and flie to our surety and mediator who hath discharged both those debts for us The first he payd for us being dead in our sinnes and trespasses when he was made a curse for us and so redeemed us from the curse and malediction of the law though not from the obedience of it Gal. 3. ver 13. Rom. 3. ver 24 25. and in 2 Cor. 5. ver 21. The last he performed by his perfect obedience to the whole law so that in Jesus Christ we fulfill the law The second thing to be here considered for the better understanding of this businesse of so great concernment is seeing that the obedience of Jesus Christ is the matter of our justification and that is without us and none of ours how that comes to be made ours which being once declared the truth then will be perspicuous That the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ therefore may be made ours it must first be given to us of God Secondly we must receive and imbrace this righteousnesse Now God gives us this righteousnesse when he gives Christ unto us for with Christ this righteousnesse is bestowed upon us and it is then made ours when God out of his infinite mercy accounts it and judgeth it ours and it is made ours onely by imputation as it is evident and manifest by these reasons First as Christ was made sinne for us so we are made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ver 21. and in 1 Cor. 1. v. 30. Now Christ was made sinne for us onely by imputation therefore the inherent righteousnesse of Jesus Christ is made ours onely by imputation Secondly as the disobedience of Adam was made ours so the obedience of Christ the second Adam is made ours as it is largely discoursed by the Apostle Rom. 5. ver 17.18 but the offence and disobedience of Adam was made ours by imputation therefore after the same manner Christs obedience is made ours Secondly that Christs obedience may be made ours we must receive it and apply it to our selves and put it on which is onely done by faith the hand of the soule for the receiving of those things which are given us of God Whereby the way Mr. Montague I desire you to take notice that a sinner is not justified for the dignity of faith but as it is an instrument by which the obedience of Christ is applied to the soule And now I come to the third thing viz. What works and deeds are excluded from justification And for answer I affirme all the works of the ceremoniall and morall law and all the workes of nature and grace which is thus proved Rom. 3. ver 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sinne Here all deeds of the law both ceremoniall and morall are excluded from justification and that by an excellent and unanswerable argument of the Apostle That which discovers the knowledge of sinne and accuses us for it that cannot justifie us before God And for farther proofe of it in the 28 verse the place I first cited is plain Therfore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works or deeds of the law And Gal. 2. ver 15 16. We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the law for by the workes of the law shall no flesh be justified Here by the workes of the law we cannot understand the workes that men doe in the state of nature and corruption and before regeneration seeing the Apostle writes unto the Church of the Galatians that had received the Gospell of Jesus Christ and were believers the Apostle also includes him himselfe amongst them saying We also c. and in the 21. verse I doe not saith he frustrate the grace of God for if righteousnesse came by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine So that if men can be justified by the Law it followeth that they have no need of salvation by Jesus Christ but they have need of Jesus Christ therefore all the workes of the Law are excluded from justification even in the regenerate But for more full proof chap. 3. ver 10. For as many as are under the workes of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to doe them Deut. 27.26 Here by the Law is understood the whole Law of God for it comprehends all that is written in the booke of the Law as in expresse words the Apostle shewes but principally the morall Law as is evident by that passage cited by the Apostle out of the Law so that it is cleere and apparent that all those that pretend or presume to be justified by the workes of the Law are under this fearefull malediction and curse and in the 11. verse by an invincible reason he confirmeth the former truth in these words But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by faith Hab. 2. Rom. 1. The argument of the Apostle is this That by which we have life justifies us before God but by faith we have life ergo by faith alone we are justified before God And in the 12. verse And the Law saith the Apostle is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Here it doth appeare there are two waies of attaining eternall life or two waies of justification the one by the exact accomplishing keeping and fulfilling of the whole Law which no mortall man hath yet ever done Christ excepted the other by faith imbracing the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Who was delivered for our offences and raised up for our justification Rom. 4. ver 25. and in the 13. verse Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us c. and in chap. 5. ver 4.
is of all Christians It was the praise of all the Christians of the Primitive Church that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2. ver 42. and that they searched the Scriptures as the Bereans And Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 2. vers 19 20. for their comfort tels them that they were not strangers and forainers but Citizens with the Saints and of the hâ—ushold of God and confirmes it unto them with a strong reason that they were the people of God and a true Church because saith he Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner Stone So that to continue constantly in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is an irresistible argument and proofe of a true Church and that it is built upon the foundation of Peter Which when the Church of England continueth in swarving in nothing from that rule but alwaies hearing the voice of Christ it is manifest they are his sheep and are of God for so saith Christ John 8. ver 7. He that is of God heareth Gods Words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God speaking there to the unbelieving Jewes And chap. 10. My sheepe saith he he are my voice ver 27. And in Chap. 18. ver 17. Every one saith Christ that is of the truth heareth my voice And St. John in his first Epistle chap. 4. ver 6. saith We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth us not Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error In these words St. John confirmeth that his own doctrine and the doctrine of all the Apostles was the assured Word of God and that they that were of God did heare it and that they that did not heare it that is obey it were not of God and that by this doctrine alone all men might distinguish truth from errour they that heare this doctrine are of the truth they that heare it not are led by the spirit of errour and are in darknesse Now then Mr. Montague when the Church of England in all things heareth the voyce of Christ and cleaveth onely to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles the Church of Rome is not grounded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but upon their vain traditions doctrines of men and will not suffer the Word of God to be read amongst the people nor permit the voice of Christ to be heard amongst them this necessarily followes from thence that the Church of England is a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and the Church of Rome is a false Church and founded upon errour and delusion And therefore Mr. Montague if you desire salvation come out of that confused Babylon into the bosome of the Church of England that teacheth the way the truth and the life and you will finde rest unto your soule And this shall satisfie to have spoken of this third part of my proposition Now I come to the fourth part viz. that in the Church of England the Gospell is purely preached repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sacraments rightly administred and in which there is the true invocation of God Another infallible and never deceiving note of a true Church which were it single and alone were sufficient to evince to the whole world that the Church of England is a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and therefore believes as it ought to believe By the pure preaching of the Gospell and right administration of the Sacraments and the true invocation of God I understand when all things are done in the ministry and preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments and invocation of the name of God and prayer according to Christs institution and according to the commission delivered unto the Apostles without addition of any thing or diminution but observing all things according unto the rule prescribed in all punctuall manner by such as God hath fitted for wisdome learning and all divine knowledge for that holy imployment and who doe accordingly in all uprightnesse sincerity and godly simplicity following the example of Paul 2 Cor. 2. vers 17. We saith he are not as many which make merchandise of the Word of God but of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ The Apostles did nothing in the ministry craftily or coveteously or lesse sincerely than they ought as more fully is expressed in chap. 4. ver 2. where he saith We have cast from us the cloake of shame and walke not in crafrinesse neither handle we the Word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth we approve our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God The Apostles preached the Gospell without subtilty and deceipt seeking no lurking-holes to cover their shamelesse dealing they preached not with excellency of words as Paul in 1 Cor. 2. declares or of wisdome in shewing the testimony of God which was the Gospell neither was their word and preaching in the inticing speach of mans wisdome but in plaine evidence of the Spirit and of power and not for self-ends After this example of the blessed Apostle is the Gospell preached by the Ministers of the Church of England who dispense the Ordinances according to their Commission neither adding nor detracting from it in any thing but withall care sedulity and watchfulnesse without base ends and self-respects attend upon the Ministry in their particular places and as they are made Watchmen unto their flockes by God himselfe so they receive the word from his mouth and give warning to the people Ezek. 3. ver 17. and they swerve not from the rule which will the better appeare if we examine the Commission the Lord Jesus gave to the Apostles Matth. 28. ver 19. Goe therefore saith Christ and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway untill the end of the world Their commission was limited that they should speake nothing but what Christ commanded them nothing of their owne heads and braines and keeping themselves within their limits they were ever sure of Gods presence and assistance who had promised them and all their successours in so doing to be with them to the end of the world they were bound therefore to teach nothing but Gods commands and that the holy Apostles observed and commanded all men though an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than they had taught them not to heare them under a fearefull curse Galat. 1. Now when the Church of England diligently keepes it selfe to the Commission given by Christ unto his Apostles and preaches the Gospell in all purity without any mixture of their owne
received them from the Lord as baptisme in pure water without mixtures and the Lords Supper in both elements in Bread and Wine with the very words of institution according to Christs appointment and command And withall continually instructs and teaches the people the end for which they were ordained and the right use of them with the true nature and meaning of those mysteries as that they are outward and visible signes wherewith the Lord sealeth and confirmeth to our consciences the sweet promises of his good will and pleasure towards us for the sustaining and supporting of the feeblenesse and weakenesse of our faith and by the which we againe on our owne behalfes doe testifie our piety duty and love towards him as well before him and the blessed Angels as before men and declare unto the people that they are testimonies of Gods favour and good will towards us confirmed by outward signes and are visible forms of invisible grace And the Ministers of the Church of England also prepare the people by wholsome instructions what duties are required at their hands and what requisits are necessarily expected for the making of them capable and worthy partakers of these holy Ordinances and so to communicate in them as they may thereby bring glory to God and edification to others receive the comfort of the right celebrating the holy Sacraments in their own particular all which things I say when the Church of England conscientiously performeth according unto the rule prescribed in the holy Word and the example of Christ and the holy Apostles it is manifest that the Church of England declareth it selfe to be a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and believeth as it ought to believe Againe when the Church of England teacheth the people to put up all their prayers and supplications to God onely in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ by the assistance of the holy Spirit with an assured faith of being heard according to Christs direction saying When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Matth. 6. ver 6. 9. and Matth. 21. ver 22. Whatsoever ye shall aske in prayer if ye believe ye shall receive it And John 15. ver 7. and 1 John 5. ver 14. and John 14. vers 13 14. Whatsoever ye aske in my name I will doe it And John 16. ver 23. I say unto you whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you And John 14. ver 6. I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth unto the Father but by me This way of praying unto God doth the Church of England teach unto the people and instruct them to whom in all calamities to make their addresses according to the doctrine of holy Scripture and that is to God alone Psal 50. Call upon me in the time of trouble c. And St. Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy ch 2. exhorting all Christians to make prayers and supplications with thanksgiving for all men for Kings and such as are in authority and giving the reason of it because saith the Apostle God will that all men shall be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth that is to say all sorts of men without any difference of nation kind age or order And then he gives them a direction in whose name they shall put up their supplications that they may be accepted and that is in the name of Jesus Christ No man commeth unto the father but by Christ And therefore the Apostle as he did impose upon all Christians that duty of praying for all sorts of men Kings Emperours and Rulers so in that very place vers 5. he bids them put up their prayers in the sole name of Jesus Christ for saith he there is but one God to whom we must pray and there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus in whose name we must put up all our prayers supplications and thanksgivings For as there is but one God of all Nations Kings Princes and Potentates so there is but one Mediator of all Nations Kings Princes and Potentates who onely hath given a ransome for them and whose blood speaketh better things than the blood of Abel for Abels cals for revenge but Christs blood cals for mercy and atonement and that continually for he is a perfect Mediator both for satisfaction and intercession and hath not resigned that office of intercession and mediatorship to either Saints or Angels and therefore it is great impiety and horrid sacriledge and blasphemy in any to rob Christ of his honour and glory and to ascribe it to the creatures especially when in expresse words the Apostle in the Rom. 8. ver 34. affirmes that Christ being at the right hand of God maketh requests for us And Saint John in his first Epistle chap. 2. v. 1 2. saith My little children these things write I unto you that you sinne not and if any man sinne we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the just and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Here Christ is assigned by Saint John to be the Mediator of all sorts of men of all ages and in all places and in that he nominates Jesus Christ to be the Mediator he excludes all other advocates for reconciliation and intercession go inseparably together to give us to understand that he onely is our advocate who is our high Priest The same doctrine the authour to the Hebrews teaches all Christians in Chap. 5. v. 23 24 25. And they truely were many Priests c. by reason of death but this man because he continueth ever hath an everlasting Priesthood Wherefore also he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth and maketh intercession for them From all which places we see that the Priestly Office hath them ediation and intercession so annexed unto it that the one cannot be severed or taken from the other without detestable sacriledge and blasphemy and therefore it must needs be a greater impiety in all such as give the glory of the mediation and intercession to Saints and Angels when notwithstanding in expresse words the Apostle in his Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2. v. 18. hath not onely condemned it as detestable but shewes likewise the reason of it that it is pernicious and destructive to the soules of men and separates them from their head Christ Jesus his words are these Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels c. and not holding the head Here we see the reward of such mens impiety for as they rob Christ of his honour and thrust him from his mediatorship so they by this are thrust out of Heaven not holding the head And in John 10. ver 9. Christ saith I am the doore by me if any man enter in
he shall be saved c. in the which words there are two things observable the first that Christ onely is the doore of Heaven no entrance but by him according to that of Saint Peter Acts 4. ver 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given no other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved The second thing out of these words observable is this that they that enter in by this doore shall be saved and by no other meanes for John 14. ver 6. Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me In which words Christ doth not onely teach us that he is the way but asserts that there is no other way to come unto God but by him if we will be saved therefore whatsoever waies to salvation either men doe devise and invent or the devill suggests to abuse the world God hath appointed no other way to Heaven and to be saved by but Jesus Christ alone he onely is the Mediator both of Jewes and Gentiles Ephes 2. vers 18. For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father And in chap. 3. v. 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him what neede then have men of any other Mediator seeing that the Son Jesus Christ makes the Father propitious and favorable unto us and seeing that entring in by the doore we attaine unto salvation which is the end of our hope 1 Pet. 1. When Christ ascended into Heaven he promised his Apostles to send them his holy Spirit the Comforter which should lead them into all truth and solace them and helpe them in all their tribulations and S Paul in the 8 of the Rom. v. 26. saith Likewise also the Spirit helpes our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Now let us take notice how the Spirit of God teacheth all men to pray who knoweth best what is the Will of God Yee have not saith the Apostle verse 15. received the Spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee have received the Spirit of adoption whereby yee cry Abba Father that is with earnestnesse to cry Father Father Those then that call upon Saints and Angels have not as yet received the spirit of adoption who teacheth them alwayes to direct their Prayers unto God and to cry Father Father but the Spirit of error and delusion And in Gal. 4. v. 6. Because yee are Sonnes saith the Apostle God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father From the which words as from the former it is easy to conclude that they that teach men to call upon Saints and Angels are not guided and moved by the Spirit of God and Christ for all the Prayers that the Spirit of God and Christ frame in our hearts are addressed and directed unto God alone Withall we may observe in both the places cited that the Spirit teacheth us not onely to say but makes us cry Abba Father thereby instructing us to cast away all vaine feares and to come unto God with confidence and all assurance according to that in the. Heb. 4. v. 15 16. For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Here againe we are directed to come unto God only and to our Mediator when we approach to the Throne of grace neither can we addresse ourselves to any other better than unto Christ in regard that he best knowes our necessities before whom there is not any creature that is not manifest and in whose sight with whom we have to doe all things are naked and open neither is there any that has more compassion and is more touched with a feeling of our infirmities than hee who was in all points tempted like as we neither is there any that has more ability and all-sufficiency to succour help or save us than Christ who has all power in Heaven and Earth given him for the good of his people and reliefe of his Church And in regard likewise that all our Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are spirituall Sacrifices and all Sacrifices ought only to be offered to God alone and that in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ As Judges 13. v. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou must offer it to God alone Psal 50. v. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee here we see that all Thanksgivings and prayses must be given to him onely to whom wee put up our Prayers and according to this rule have all the holy Prophets Apostles and all the Saints powred out their Prayers and Praises to God alone in the name of Jesus Christ and have directed others so to do as Eph. 5. v. 20. Giving thankes alwayes for all things unto God even the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and saith Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. v. 5. Yee also as lively stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-Hood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And therefore they will not be acceptable except they be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ And Heb. 13. v. 15. Let us therefore by him offer the sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruit of the lips giving thanks to his name So that if we wil follow the direction of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and be taught by God as all believers are Iohn 6. v. 45. then all our prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are to be put up to God alone in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and by the assistance of the holy Spirit And this is the Doctrine that all true Christians are bound to persevere and continue in to the last drop of their bloud and if an Angell from Heaven should teach us any other doctrine as invocation of Saints and Angels he is to be accursed Gal. 1. v. 8. The Apostle in that place alluding unto that which is spoken in the first of the Kings chap. 13. where the Prophet sent by the Lord to cry against the Altar of Ieroboam was commanded not to eate bread or drinke water nor to returne the same way and so he answered the King inviting him to goe to his house that if he would give him halfe his house that he would not go with him and gave him a
and sufficiently to salvation whether or no it would then satisfie you and perswade you that the Church of England was built upon the foundation of Peter and was a true Church And if my memory faile not you told me that then the worke was done Whereupon I thus argued That Church that declares preaches and teaches unto the people all that Jesus Christ both taught did and suffered for the salvation of mankind after he had taken humane nature upon him as he was our King Priest and Prophet which is all that we are to believe for the speculative part and declares likewise and preaches plainly and distinctly whatsoever concernes the peoples dutie of love and obedience to God againe for his infinite love to mankind and instructs them in like manner of their duty of love and charity one towards another all which belongs unto the practicall part of religion that Church teacheth all things both for theory and practice necessary for salvation and building them upon the foundation of Peter But the Church of England doth all this ergo Here Mr. Montague you denied my minor then many of the Gentlemen that were standers by Sir Francis Wortly Sir John Gothericke Sir Wil. Morton Sir Edw. Bishop and others whose names I know not demanded of you seeing you denied my minor that you would declare and specifie wherein the Church of England failed either in the speculative or practicall part of Divinity and wherein she was silent in any thing that was necessary to salvation either for theory or practice And you were not then able as they can all witnesse to shew any particular where the Church of England failed in her duty or concealed any thing from the people either for speculation or practice Notwithstanding Master Montague you yet persisted in the deniall of my minor and put me upon my proofe Wherupon I thus argued That Church that teaches the whole counsell of God the knowledge of the onely true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ which is life eternall John 17. and testifies unto the people repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20. v. 21. and instructs them in all things how to believe aright and how to obey aright that Church teacheth all things for theory and practice that are requisite for the making of a true Church and for the building of it upon the foundation of Peter But the Church of England teacheth all these things ergo You againe denied my minor whereupon the Gentlemen as before desired you to instance in any particular where the Church of England was defective or failed in declaring the full counsell of God or in preaching the knowledge of God or of faith and obedience to the people And however Mr. Montague you were not able in any particular to make it appeare where the Church of England was deficient yet you continued in deniall of my minor and urged me to prove it when neverthelesse the truth of it is so evident as very children are able to discerne it All men know that faith and obedience is the whole duty of man Jehosaphat was well instructed in this doctrine and taught it to all his people 2 Chron. chap. 20. v. 20. where he saith Heare ye me O Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his holy Prophets so shall ye prosper And whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded Esay 28.16 Rom. 9. vers 33. Faith and obedience was the theame of all the Sermons of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of Christ himselfe as the whole Scriptures witnesse Esay 1. v. 19. the Prophet saith If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebell you shall be destroyed with the Sword all which proofes cleere the truth of my argument But to satisfie your then desire I prove my minor thus That Church that teaches the people their whole duty both towards God and one towards another and instructs them both what they should doe and what they should leave undone by the observing of the which they may live happily here and come to life eternall hereafter that Church teacheth the whole counsell of God all for theory and practice that is necessary for the making of it a true Church and the building of it up upon the foundation of Peter But the Church of England doth all this Ergo. And for proofe of my minor I cited that of Paul in his Epistle to Titus chap. 2. v. 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and holily in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Many places more may be cited to confirme the truth of my argument as Eccles 12. vers 13 14. where Solomon saith Let us heare the conclusion of the whole matter feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man So in like manner in 1 Sam. 12. ver 13 14 15. God forbid saith he that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Onely feare the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you But if you still doe wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King The truth of my minor is so cleare that there is not a man in whom there is but one eye of reason but can easily perceive and discerne it for the Church of England teacheth and publisheth the whole Law and the whole Gospell and all that is contained in the whole written Word of God both in the old and new Testament and therefore all the counsell of God and all both for theory and practice and whatsoever is necessary for the building of men up upon the foundation of Peter and proving it selfe a true Church But when you were by argument thus urged you at last after many windings and turnings betooke your selfe to the common refuge of all those of your profession to wit to an unwritten word your traditions and affirmed that the Scriptures contained not all things that were to be learned and practised by the people and that the people ought to be as well acquainted with that as with the written Word whereupon Sir John Gotherick a learned Gentleman to assert and maintaine the alsufficiency of the Scripture without the addition of mens traditions cited that of St. Paul to Timothy the second Epistle chap. 3. v. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction c. The
I said before not onely injurious and hurtfull to the soules of men but full of blasphemy and derogatory to the honour of Christ our great and onely Prophet For what I pray Mr. Montague can be spoke more impiously of the holy Scripturs then to affirm they were accidentally written and not of set purpose and by the command of God and to the end that they should be the rule of faith when in the holy Scripture it is evidently cleare that they were written by divine providence for this very end and purpose that by them we should order both our faith lives and manners And what can be spoke more contumeliously against the holy Word of God then to accuse it of obscurity and darknesse when the Holy Ghost affirmeth the contrary and to take it out of the hands of the people and forbid them to read it when notwithstanding Christ commandeth it in expresse words Truely Master Montague these are most blasphemous assertions and such as you of the Church of Rome must earnestly and seriously repent of if ever you will finde favour at Gods hands and the very naming of these your erronious opinions were enough for any man to abhorre them But that you your selfe and all men may see the wickednesse of them I shal before I passe on to the other matters in hand briefly prove that the Scriptures were not accidentally written but of set purpose and by Gods appointment and that they are not obscure and darke in things pertaining to salvation and that they ought to be read by all the people and that they ought to examine all doctrines by them as they be recorded And then I will prove the al-sufficiency of the holy Scripture and that it is the rule which all men unto the end of the World are tied to for the regulating of their faith and manners which is my taske and then I will conclude But first as I said I will prove that the holy Scriptures were not accidentally written but of set purpose and by speciall command and that they are not obscure and darke in matters concerning salvation and that they are to be read to the people And first that they were not accidentally written I thus evince Those bookes that were written by Divine inspiration and by the counsaile of God for the salvation of mankind and for the benefit of the Church of God in all ages and for this very end that men might learne and know the mind and will of God fully and cleerly and have the certaine truth of the things they had heard that they might be preserved and kept from all errors and upheld and comforted in every condition they were not accidentally and occasionally written and out of the peculiar mation and pleasure of the Penmen thereof and by the will of man but by the Spirit of God But the holy Scriptures were written by Divine inspiration and by the counsell of God for the very ends specified Ergo they were not accidentally and occasionally written and out of the peculiar motion and pleasure of the Pen-men thereof and by the will of man but by the Spirit of God And for proofe of all these particulars the holy Scripture it selfe is clearly on our side 2 Tim chap. 3. v. 16. The whole Scripture saith the Apostle is given by divine inspiration or inspiration of God Now Mr. Montague Gods inspiration is Gods dictate and command as all that know any thing in Divinity can tell you if yee be ignorant and it is as much as to say they were written by Gods own appointment for what God inspires men to do that he appoints and commands them to doe so that it was not arbitrary in them to do it or not to do it but they were inspired to it and put upon that imployment to write the holy Scriptures and therefore the holy Scriptures through the whole Bible are called the Voice of God and the mouth of the Lord and the lively Oracles which were uttered and spoke by God himselfe first and afterwards delivered in writing unto the people by Moses and the other Prophets and holy Pen-men according to Gods command Acts 7. v. 38. and therefore the Scriptures were not accidentally written and by the peculiar motion and pleasure of men as the Church of Rome most blasphemously affirmeth S. Peter also is cleere in this point his words are these in his second Epistle chap. 1. vers 19 20 21. Wee have saith he a more sure word of prophecy whereunto yee do well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Take notice first Mr. Montague of the occasion of these words and then consider the expressions duly and you will easily from thence conclude that the Scripture was not accidentally written and by the will of man but by command from God himselfe and of set purpose and that the written word is the rule wee are to be guided by and more sure then the Tradition of the very Apostles themselves although they were both eye and eare witnesses of that they spake and told unto the people For the Apostle Peter in this Epistle confirmes all those Christians that hee writes unto of the truth and certainty of the things that hee declared unto them saying that the holy Apostles had not followed cunningly devised fables when they made knowne unto them the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty for hee received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a Voice unto him from the excellent glory This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from Heaven wee heard when wee were with him in the holy mount Here wee see the Apostle Peter with Iames and John as it is in Mat. 17. were both Eye and Eare witnesses of Christs transfiguration and glory and heard the voyce and the people by tradition and the relation of the Apostles that had seene those things admired and believed them and yet the Apostle Peter in this very place signifieth unto them that the written Word of God the holy Scriptures the written Prophecies of the old Testament were a more sure Word than any Tradition yea even of the Apostles themselves though they were both eare and eye witnesses of that they related and preached unto others and commends the people that they did take heed unto the written Word as a light that shineth in a darke place no obscure things then Mr. Montague and he giveth them a reason why the Prophecies of the Scripture were a more sure Word than any traditions of men because saith he we know that the Scriptures are not of any private interpretation or from the peculiar or
he speaking to all the people And if we run through all the new Testament Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes are the grounds of all their doctrines and thither they send the people upon whom the ends of the World are come and tie us alwayes to the Scriptures of the old Testament and the writings of the Apostles under the new with this expresse command that we should cleave onely to them and not to be wise above that which is written which sheweth the absolute perfection both of the old and new Testament and that they neede no Traditions of men for the making of them a compleat rule And so now I returne againe to the new Testament and will from thence produce some more arguments for the proving of the Al-sufficiency of the holy Scriptures in themselves and then conclude that point And for the better proceeding in my discourse I will goe on with the place of S. Paul in the 2 Epist to Timothy chap. 3. vers 15.16 where I began All Scripture saith he is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes from the which words I thus argue That which has all things in it sufficient for the begetting of Faith and Repentance and for the guiding ordering and regulating of our obedience and manners and for the supporting of us in every condition that containes all things in it necessary to salvation But the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament have all things in them sufficient for the begetting of Faith and Repentance and for the guiding ordering and regulating of our obedience and manners and for the supporting of us in every condition Ergo the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament containe all things in them necessary to salvation For the Major Mr. Montague there is no man that either can or will deny it for the Minor it hath sufficiently by all the former discourse bin proved yet for the further confirmation of it the very enumeration of the benefits that redound unto us by the holy Scriptures set downe by the Apostle in these words that they are profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes do abundantly prove it for that which teacheth the truth convinceth error corrects vice frames us to all virtue and comforts us in every condition and is able to make the very man of God accomplished and throughly furnished to all good workes must needs containe all things in it necessary to salvation but the holy Scriptures doth all this as is apparent from this very place and that in Rom. 15. vers 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that were through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Ergo the holy Scriptures containe all things in them necessary to salvation And by consequence have no neede of any humane Traditions for the making of them a compleat rule But for further illustration of this truth I will produce some other Testaimonies of the holy Scriptures of the new Testament Luk. 1. vers 1.2 3 4. For as much saith S. Luke as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word it seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed Here Mr. Montague before I come to frame my argument out of these words I shall desire you well to consider and to take notice of S. Lukes Testimony which is this that before hee wrote his Gospell many had set forth in order a declaration of those things which were most surely believed among them and such men as were eye-witnesses of the things they related and Ministers of the Word and therefore men without exception and even these men had orderly declared and delivered in writing all things of which they were eye-witnesses So that by this it is manifest that a great part of the Scriptures of the new Testament were already pend when S. Luke wrote his Gospell which was long before Paul wrote his second Epistle to Timothy as all that are any thing verst in the holy Scriptures in the history of those times do very well know contrary unto your assertion Mr. Montague that the holy Scriptures and Doctrines of the new testament were not then pend but only delivered viva voce and received by Tradition when Paul wrote to Timothy And now I come to my argument which out of the words of S. Luke I thus frame Those writings that comprehend in them a perfect declaration of all things that were most surely believed conterning Christs doings preachings and sufferings and have in them a certaine and orderly narration of them all from the very first and that set downe by them that had a perfect understanding of them from the beginning as being Eye-witnesses of them and Ministers of the Word and were also pend to this very end that the truth and certainty of those things wherein they had been instructed and taught might be knowne to all future ages that all men might be kept from error and be established and confirmed for ever in the truth they containe all things in them necessary to salvation But the Scriptures of the new Testament comprehend in them a perfect declaration of all things that were most surely believed concerning Christs both doings preachings and sufferings the knowledge and believing of the which is sufficient to salvation and have in them a certaine and orderly narration of them all from the very first and that set downe by them that had a perfect understanding of them from the beginning as being Eye-witnesses of them and Ministers of the Word and were also pend to this very end that the Truth and certainty of those things wherein they had bin instructed and taught might be known to all future Ages that all men might be kept from error and be established and confirmed forever in the Truth Ergo the holy Scriptures containe all things in them necessary to salvation For the Major Mr. Montague I presume you will not deny it and for the Minor it is apparent from S. Lukes own words and therfore these two consectaries do from thence necessarily follow the first that the holy Scriptures have no neede of any humane Traditions for the making of them a compleate rule the second is that the Scripture is the certaine rule all Christians are tied unto to the end of the World and that they are the onely meanes to informe us of the truth
to walke in for the attaining unto eternall happinesse they are the rule that all men are to be guided by and therefore he proclaimeth him blessed that delighteth in the Law of the Lord and doth meditate in it night and day Psal 1. Solomon likewise in Prov. 3. v. 1 2 3. and in Prov. 6. v. 20 21 22 23. and in many other places sendeth his sonne and all the people to the Law of the Lord for the rule of their lives and manners saying My sonne keepe thy fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy mother Bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them about thy necke when thou goest it shall lead thee and when thou sleepest it shall keepe thee and when thou awakest it shall talke with thee For the Commandement is a Lampe and the Law is light and reproofes of instruction are the way of life And in Eccles 12. v. 13. Let us heare saith he the conclusion of the whole matter Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man By all which places it appeareth that the holy Prophets made the written Word of God and that onely the rule of their lives and manners and commanded all people to have ever recourse unto that and that onely for the square to order their lives by And the Prophet Isaiah in the 8. v. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony saith he if they spake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them There was no other rule Mr. Montague knowen to the Prophets for the directing of the people how to serve God and to which they were tied but the Law and Testimonies the written Word and if under the Law they were ever to have recourse unto the Scripture and nothing in matter of faith was to be received which was not contained in the Scripture it was then a perfect rule and the onely rule by which they were to be guided and much more now Mr. Montague ought we to content our selves with the Word of God and to make that the onely rule of our faith and manners and of all our doctrines when the doctrine of the Gospell also written by the Apostles and Evangelists is joyned unto the Law the which hath also fully explained the meaning of all those hidden mysteries and shadowes and brought us into the cleare sunshine of all truths and hath indeed taught us the way the truth and the life The Prophet Jeremiah also in the 6 chap. vers 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old pathes where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest unto your soules Here the Prophet sends them to the Law and the Testimony that old way and tells them the benefit that will accrue unto them by following his counsell viz. That by it they shall finde rest unto their soules And the Prophet Malachi 4. vers 4. Remember yee saith he the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Jsrael with the statutes and judgments The Law of Moses and the Prophets was the rule Mr. Montague that all Israel was tied unto as that which was an absolute and perfect rule of direction from which they were bound not to swarve and which had no neede of any Traditions for the compleating of it much more now is it a perfect rule when the Gospell is annexed to it and therefore all Christians ought to make the old and new Testament the sole rule of their faith and manners and by all these precepts they are commanded and many more to cleave onely unto it But now Master Montague let us see what precepts and directions wee finde layd downe unto us in the New Testament that by the mouth of both these Witnesses the Truth of God may yet more fully be confirmed In Matthew 17. vers 51. And behold a voyce out of the clouds which said This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare you him And Acts 3. vers 22 23. For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you of your brethren like unto mee him shall ye heare in all things whatsoever hee shall say unto you and it shall come to passe that every soule that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people Here are two things Mr. Montague observable first a command viz. that we should heare Christ that Prophet the Lord our God should raise up Secondly the danger that would insue if we heard him not viz. destruction for that is pronounced against those that do not heare him Now let us take notice how he teacheth us John 5. vers 39. Search the Scriptures saith he Here our great Prophet Mr. Montague sendeth us onely to the Scriptures he makes them the onely rule which wee are to follow And in Luke 16. in the person of Abraham hee sendeth all men to Moses and the Prophets vers 29. they have Moses and the Prophets saith he let them heare them This Mr. Montague was the old way to salvation where men might finde rest for their soules Moses and the Prophets and thither doth Christ the onely Prophet of his Church send all men to the holy Scriptures and to the Doctrines contained in them as the absolute and compleat rule that all the Christians are for ever tied to and out of the Scriptures and them onely did Christ confirme all his preaching as is evident out of Luke 24. and many other places averring that the people erred not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22. The Apostles likewise in all their Sermons and Writings did the same and inoyned all Christians to cleave unto the holy Scriptures and to make them onely the rule of their faith and manners as by the places following do most cleerly appeare Paul in the 16 of the Rom. v. 17.18 Now I beseech you brethren saith he marke them which cause division and offences contrary unto the doctrine yee have received and avoyd them for they that are such serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Here the holy Apostle ties the Romans unto the doctrine they had received and which he writ unto them and forbids them to have any communication with any members of that Church that should teach contrary unto that Doctrine they had received for they that are such saith he serve not our Lord Jesus Christ All therefore Mr. Montague that teach any Doctrine contrary unto the written word swarve from the truth and are not by the Apostles command to be communicated with and therefore the written Word must be the onely rule of our direction And in the 4 of the 1 of Cor. vers 6. Hee commands them not to be wise above that that is written tying them ever to the doctrine that is set down in the written Word and in that
written Word for our rule when the Apostle pronounceth all such doctrines either to be the doctrines of devils or at least to lead and turn us from the truth which we ought to preferre before our lives And in Chap. 3. ver 10. A man saith he that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject You know Master Montague that he is counted an heretick among you that continues obstinate and perseveres in his owne opinions against the doctrines of the Church of Rome and their vaine traditions and humane inventions but in Gods Dialect they are accounted orthodox and they onely in the holy Scriptures are counted heretickes that persevere and continue in their owne unsound opinions contrary to the faith once delivered unto the Saints and to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ such onely by S. Paul are proclaimed hereticks with a command unto all Ministers and people after the first and second admonition to reject and to cast them out of the Church as people with whom godly men and the true Disciples of Christ ought to have no fellowship or commerce and therefore Master Montague the doctrine of the holy Apostles as it is set downe in Scriptures is the rule we are tied to for the discerning betweene true and false doctrine and that we are for ever to have before our eyes for the square we must regulate our faith and manners by And in Heb. 13. ver 8 9. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever saith the Apostle Be not carried about with strange doctrines c. here the Apostle forbids all men to listen unto the vaine Traditions of men and to be carried about with any strange doctrines such as are not grounded upon the written Word and conformable to the rule of our faith set downe in it and gives a reason why they should be stable and unmoveable in that doctrine for saith he Christ which is the object of our faith doth not change his nature nor quality in his Person Office and Doctrine and therefore it beseemes you likewise to be solid firme and stable and invariable in your faith in him and that you should not be carried about with strange doctrines or give heed unto the Traditions of men which turne you from the truth and in this you ought alwaies to follow the rule prescribed in the Word and to set before your eyes the example of your godly teachers which have the government over you who have preached unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation vers 7. and how they continuing faithfull to the end are now dead in the Lord. If you therefore desire to be eternally blessed as they are imitate and follow them in their faith for they were not carried about with strange doctrines but as they taught you the Word of God and not the traditions and commandements of men so cleave you also to that written Word and be not carried about with strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace c. As if he should have said all the traditions of men doe not establish the heart with grace for the heart is then onely established with grace when the soule and conscience of a believer reposeth it selfe in the true apprehension and feeling of the mercy favour and love of God in Christ Jesus apprehended by faith and in the assurance of his eternall good will when by faith they lay hold on the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and finde the worke of their spirituall regeneration wrought in their soules which brings forth the fruit of holinesse in all manner of conversation and this onely establisheth the heart with grace and in this consisteth the true worship of God all which the traditions and commandements of men are so farre from teaching as they turne us from them placing religion in outward performances and in observing of mens traditions as worshiping of Images Crucifixes and observing of daies and abstaining from meats c. All which turne us from that spirituall worship of God which God both commandeth and delighteth in For God is a Spirit and they that will worship him according to his Will must worship him in spirit and truth John 4. ver 24. His Will therefore Mr. Montague must be the rule we ought ever to adhere and cleave to if we would not be carried about with strange doctrines and if we desire to have our hearts established with grace I might enlarge my selfe exceedingly in this point and runne through both the Epistles of Peter and the first Epistle of Saint John but I will conclude with that of Saint John in his second Epistle vers 9 10. Whosoever transgresseth saith Saint John and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds Here Mr. Montague for a conclusion of this point take notice that we are for ever tied to the doctrine of Christ which he the great and onely Prophet of his Church taught us and which we finde writ in the holy Scripture whom we are bound to heare in all things and from the which doctrine we may not swarve nor so much as bid God speed to any that shall teach otherwise unlesse we will partake with them in their evill and so make our selves lyable to the curse and punishment due unto our disobedience in so doing Gal. 1. vers 8. which the Church of England both out of conscience of her duty to the command of her great Prophet Christ Jesus and out of an awfull reverence of his glorious name and out of feare also of that curse that is denounced against all such as transgresse his holy Commandements and are carried about with strange doctrines and abide not in the doctrine of Christ doth with all obedience submit her selfe unto and continually cleaves unto the holy Word of God revealed in his written Word and makes that onely the rule of her faith and manners and by that proveth her selfe to be built upon the foundation of Peter and to teach the way the truth and the life and to honour Jesus Christ and to believe in him aright and as she ought to doe when she owneth him to be her onely King her sole Priest and alone Prophet and followeth the guidance of his Spirit and approaches unto God in his name and mediation and is directed by his Word and heares his voice in all things by all which I say she manifesteth to the whole world that she is a true Church against which the gates of hell can never prevaile and the pillar and ground of truth On the other side it must necessarily follow that the Church of Rome is not
set down all the things distinctly plainly and orderly that there may be no difficulty in reading of them the third thing observable is the reason why they were written and not left to Tradition because saith the Evangelist thou maist know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast beene instructed So that the Lord declares by these words that the Pen-men of the holy Scripture did not write accidentally and upon any slight occasion and of their own wills and peculiar motion but that they were moved unto it by God himselfe and that all Scripture was given by Gods inspiration and command and for this end that they may know the certainty of the things wherein they have beene instructed which otherwise they could not have knowne by reason of the great variety and difference that would have beene in them if they had beene delivered by Tradition for every one would have added and detracted as had seemed best unto him unto the story as we see it dayly in all matters and occurrences out of a mans owne sight and beholding with what variety these things many times are related so that no man can tell the truth of them till the eye-witnesses or standers by give the true relation of them by writing to the World which men ordinarily use to believe especially if these men be of credit and reputation that pen them So for the very same end that the certainty of these things might bee knowne that Christ both taught did and suffered for the Redemption of mankind and for the good of the Church to the end of the World the Lord moved holy men to both speake and write what was spoke and written in the old and new Testament for the learning of his people and the teaching of them Patience Comfort Hope Faith and all other graces and that they might indeed have the certainty of his will and pleasure what to cleave and stick to and from which they may not be moved though they should be taught otherwise by an Angell from Heaven Gal. 1. vers 8. And this I say was the end of the writing of the holy Word of God and that by Gods inspiration dictate and command and not accidentally as the Church of Rome blasphemously affirmeth for the enervating of the authority of the holy Scriptures and indeed for the overthrowing of the honour and dignity of our great Prophet Christ Jesus who otherwise should not be as faithful as Moses in the house of God if he had not commanded all things to be writ that he would have taught to his people which is blasphemy to thinke And thus much shall suffice to have spoke for proofe of my first argument that the holy Scriptures were written by Divine inspiration and Gods command and of set purpose and not accidentally and by the Will of men My second Argument is this That which was written for the safety of the people and for the preserving of them in the true Religion that was not accidentally written or by the will of man but by Gods appointment and of set purpose and for the good of all the Church but the holy Scriptures were written for the safety of the people and for the preserving of them in the true Religion Ergo they were not accidentally written or by the will of man but by Gods appointment and of set purpose For proofe of this heare what Paul saith Phil. 3. vers 1. Finally my Brethren saith he rejoyce in the Lord. To write the same things to you to mee indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe Beware of doggs beware of evill workers c. He had preached unto them and taught them the Truth formerly and given them also caveats to take heede of and beware of doggs and of evill workers that is of false Teachers but he did not thinke that sufficent for their safety and for the preserving of them in the Truth unlesse he did set downe in writing the sum of what he had taught and send it unto them with a command also that they should walke and order their faith and manners their lives and conversations according to that they were instructed in by him both in word and example vers 16. Saying let us walke by the same rule I then gave you and now in writing send unto you and see yee swarve not from it and from our example for it is safe for you so to do and by that you shall be preserved from the errors of false Teachers But take notice I pray of the Apostles expression he doth not say only that it was for their safety that he wrote unto them but that it was for their safety that he wrote the same things hee had taught them before to shew unto all men their weakenesse how soon they are ready to forget the things that are taught them of God and how frayle they are and ready to be seduced from the true Religion if they had not the Scripture to guide and direct them and if the Christians in the Apostles time had need of the written word for their safety and that they might be preserved from the errors of the times and they were then tyed to be ruled and governed by them how much more neede have we of the holy Scriptures now when wee have not the holy Apostles amongst us and with how much care and diligence ought we constantly to reade and cleave unto the holy Scriptures seeing that they were by Gods appointment and inspiration and not accidentally written for this very purpose that they might be a rule of direction to us for the preserving of us in the true Religion S. Peter likewise in his second Epistle chap. 1. confirmeth the same truth in these words vers 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though yee know them and be established in the present truth 13. Yea I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance vers 15. Moreover I will indeavour that yee may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance In these words we may take notice of these particulars first that those S. Peter wrote unto were not ignorant people but knowing and understanding people and such as were grounded and established in the Truth the second particular that S. Peter neverthelesse thought it meete to stirre them up and put them in remembrance whiles he lived and that they might also be able after his decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance and that the Scriptures might be the everlasting rule to all sorts and degrees of people yea the most learned and knowing men and the most established in the Truth have need of the Scriptures for their still direction and that not for a time but alwayes and this was the end for which the holy Scriptures were pend and that by Gods own appointment who inspired the holy Prophets and Apostles
and all the other Pen-men of the Sacred writ and dictated unto them what they should write and all for the establishing of the people more and more in the Truth and that they might not be carried about with every winde of Doctrine Eph. 4. v. 14. And therefore it doth of necessity follow that the Word of God was not accidentally written or by the will of man but by Gods appointment and by his holy Spirit and of set purpose And this shall suffice to have spoken of my second Argument My third Argument is this That of which there was a necessity of writing for the common salvation and for the encouragement of all Christians earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints that was not penned accidentally and occasionally by the peculiar motion and will of man but by the inspiration and moving of the Holy Ghost and of set purpose But the sacred Scriptures were written of necessity for the common salvation and for the animating and encouragement of all Christians earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Ergo they were not accidentally and occasionally penned and by the peculiar instigation of man but by the inspiration and moving of the Holy Ghost and of set purpose And for proofe of this see what Saint Jude saith ver 3. Beloved saith he when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints And Saint John in his first Epistle chap. 2. v. 21. I have not written saith he unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it c. and in the 14 15 16. vers Let that therefore abide in you saith he which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning remaine in you ye shall also continue in the Sonne and in the Father And that is the promise that he hath promised even eternall life These things have I writ unto you concerning them that seduce you Here the Apostle Saint John writes unto knowing and understanding Christians and sets before their eyes the examples of some that were fallen away and gone from them to the end to make them more watchfull and diligent in taking heed unto themselves that they be not led away by the errour of the world but saith he they were not of us for then they would have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not of us And withall he forewarnes them of false Teachers and gives them rules of direction in writing and directs them to all sorts of people fathers young men and very little children to the end they should all read them and have them continually by them and observe them diligently if they would be preserved from all errours according to that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. vers 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and that they might not fall away from the truth he exhorts them in the place above cited to abide in the truth which they had heard from the beginning that was in the faith once delivered unto the Saints and for their comfort he assureth them if that truth they have heard from the beginning shall remaine in them they shall also continue in the Sonne and in the Father that is they shall have eternall life and not onely be freed here from all the errours of the times and of Antichrist but be everlastingly blessed as the expresse words declare and therefore he tieth them all to the written Word which was of purpose penned by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and by the appointment of God and his peculiar motion and not accidentally and by the will of man and for this very end that they might not by vaine Traditions and erroneous opinions of any Antichrists be seduced and fall away as others had done And thus much shall serve to have spoke for the confirmation of my third Argument The fourth and last followeth That which God himselfe writ with his owne hand and that which was penned by speciall command from himselfe for the salvation and edification of the whole Church that was not accidentally and occasionally written and by the peculiar motion of the Pen-men or by the will of man but by the speciall appointment of God and by the inspiration of his holy Spirit and of set purpose but the holy Scriptures were all of them either written by God himselfe and with his owne hand or by his speciall command and appointment and by the inspiration of his holy Spirit and of set purpose for the salvation and edification of the whole Church Ergo they were not accidentally or occasionally written and by the peculiar motion of the Pen-men or by the will of man For proofe of all which let us see what the holy Scripture saith of these things Exod. 31. ver 18. Thus when the Lord had made an end of communing with Moses upon Mount Sinai he gave him two Tables of the Testimony Tables of Stone written with the finger of God And chap. 32. v. 16. Deut. 9. v. 10. The Lord had spoke all these words out of the Mount and there fully declared his will unto them with thunderings and lightnings as is at large described in Exod. 20. yet such was his infinite mercy and love to his people and so gracious he was towards them and so desirous that they might not forget this Law and by that fall into errour and faile in their duty of thankfulnesse and obedience to him in their duty of love and charity towards their brethren as he recorded it and writ it with his owne hand that they might have a more venerable esteeme of it and that not in Paper or Parchment but in more durable materials in two Tables of Stone distinctly and orderly set downe to teach them that it was a perpetuall Law ever binding and to continue to the end of the world And when the Tables were by Moses out of zeale broke the Lord againe of his unspeakeable goodnesse commanded others to be made and he wrote on the Tables according unto the first writing the ten Commandements c. Deut. 10. v. 1 2 3 4. Now that which was written by God himselfe for the salvation of his people and for the preserving of them from all errour that was writ of set purpose and not accidentally and occasionally and by the peculiar motion of man as all men that have not abjured their reason will easily perceive But that is not all Mr. Montague that is to be taken notice of here but we are to consider likewise that what the Lord writ in the two Tables was sufficient to the salvation of his people if we had had no more written so that none could have complained that God