Confessions and Registers Catechismes and Testimonies of their fore-fathers Faith and their own to the Councell of Nice upon diligent search and inquiry found it contrary to the generall belelfe of the whole Chuch since the first Plantation He who would take the pains for further satisfaction herein let him consult St. Austin lib. 7. de Baptis cont Den. c. 53. Nobis tutum est in c. l. 2. c. 4. Quomodo potait c. 2. In respect of Place for if the Doctrine have not received a good report from all Places it is not qualified for a Catholique inasmuch as the same Faith which was delivered and received in one Place in any Apostolike Plantation was likewise found in all other Plantations it being one and the same Faith which all the Apostles taught all the World over the same in Germany Britaine France which was in Spaine Affricke and Egypt the middle World and in Asia and the whole Orient or East of the World even as the same Sun shines through them all And to this Tertullian gives his Testimony at large lib. de Praefeript advers Haeret. cap. 20. Statim igitur Apostoli c. Presently therefore the Apostles having testified the Faith first in Judea according to their Commission they took their Journey over the World and promulgated the same Doctrine of the Faith to the Nations c. whereunto accords fully his follower Saint Cyprian lib. de Vnitate Eccl. Ecclesia Domini luce perfusa c. The Church having received light from her Lord diffused and spread abroad his beames farr and wide Vnum tamen lumen est and yet it is the same light which is in every Church thus diffused And the same Tertullian seconds this also in his following Chapter Si haec ita sint c. making this deduction if these things be thus then it is plain Every Doctrine which agrees with the Apostolicall Churches as the Roman Ephesian Antiochian Alexandrian Hierosolymitan the Mothers in respect of the Daughter Churches Metropoles originals whence the Faith sprung forth and issued is to be adjudged true as holding that which the Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God Reliquam vere omnem Doctrinam de mendacio prajudicandum c. and that all other Doctrine is under the prejudice of being false which is contrary to the truth of the Churches of the Apostles of Christ of God And so again in the 36. and 37. Chapters of the same Book where he proves they are onely the true Charches of Christ who follow the Faith of those Mother Apostolicall Churches 3. In respect of Time not as if the true Faith had in all Ages been Universally received for then Haeresie had never prevailed and got the upper hand for Arrianisme did so in Constantine his time and the Goths and Vandals Arrian Princes Ruled in the West and Anastasius the Emperour of the East was an Eutychian Heretike but that this or that was received in the first or purest and though in after ages by one or more it was opposed and oppressed yet even then there were such who by having recourse to the first Ages have discovered these guilty of novelty and have constantly asserted proved and vindicated the ancient Doctrines and Christianly suffered for them and so by little and little the Church at last recovered and gained the possession of her former Doctrines That then which by diligent search is to be found in the Monuments and Testimonies of the first Age for that is truely so called Antiquity hath this qualification but that which is of latter date falls short of it that is a new Faith which commenced since the Faith was once delivered to the Saints and so that Church which hath not the consent of Primitive Antiquity is in respect of those Doctrines wherein she varieth from it and doth stand convicted of Heresie and Schisme because it is not part of the Depositum Quod tibi creditum non quod à te inventum Vin. Lyr. cap. 27. For no man or Society of men ought to commend any thing as a point of Faith to Posterity which cannot be evidenced from Antiquity derived from the Apostles times a proficiency or growth in Faith there ought to be so it be in eodem genere in the same kinds issuing from the same root but all addition of after inventions are the notes of Heresie and Schisme And having thus far proceeded let us see what Doctrines or Observations or some of them may deserve or can challenge this Testimony of these all or all the Christian Churches so that we may conclude this to be the Faith and usage of the Universall Church of Christ and for the credenda alwayes supposing the sacred Scriptures which is the most certain and safe Rule both for Credenda and Agenda points of Faith and practise as having obtained the highest report from these all nothing so universally attested and approved as they it will be hard to prove or produce an universall Testimony for any Doctrine or Point of Faith besides those which are contained in the Creed nay indeed impossible inasmuch as this hath the repute of an abridgement or full Epitome of all Fundamentall Truths necessary to be known or beleeved by all Christians to salvation composed by the Apostles themselves for the preservation of the unity of the Faith nothing but this hath Primitive Antiquity and full consent of all called generally Regula fidei una sola immobilis irreformabilis the one onely immoveable and unreformable Rule of Faith that all might have a short summe of those things which are of meer beleife and are dispersedly contained in the Scripture So Valentia himselfe 1. 2. Dist 1. qu. 2. p. 4. in fin and so probably conceived to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.13 That forme breviate or summary of wholesome words or sound Doctrine that depositum or trust Timothy received 1 Tim. 6.20 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Faith Tit. 1.4 Pufillis magnisque communis Aug. Ep. 57. ad Dard. See Davenant in lib. De pace inter Evangelices procuranda pag. 9.10 c. Et in adhortatione cap. 7. throughout And for the agenda these either immediately relate to the worship of God or the Discipline and Government of his Church And supposing the Scriptures as the standing Law both for matters of Faith and Practise Use which is the best Interpreter of the Law is the best Directory for our Practise and when the Texts of holy Scripture are in these eases interpreted by the perpetuall practise of the Church according to the premised considerations then the Interpretation is the more authentique and worthy beleise and the proofes grounded thereupon more cogent and convincing according to that determination of the Nicone Councill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let ancient customes stand in strength of this kind is the observation of the Lords day Whereupon it is Observed by that Noble and Learned
an Enthusiasme or immediate Revelation but such motives and inducements as were before recited which amounted onely to strong and high probabilities yet sufficient enough in an humble modest heart to produce Faith a certainty of adhaerence though not of evidence and this sufficient to produce acts and operations of Faith to provoke to the obedience of Faith A bruised Reed God will not break nor quench a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 if we have but Faith so much as a graine for a little Faith if sound is true Faith of mustard seed let the motives be what they will if this encline and promote obedience the least degree thereof is well pleasing to God he will accept without being furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Armour of infallibilities and demonstration Nathaniels Faith had neither Enthusiasme nor demonstration but a Topick or Argument a paribus backed by an humane testimony or report John 1.48 and Christ approved this his Faith and rewarded it with an higher concession of grace ver 30.51 and so Christ accepted Thomas his Faith though enduced by senfible experiments John 20 28. whatsoever the instrument or beginning or motive of beleife be if that work by love and work in us a care and desire to find the truth humility in following and constancy in professing it this shall be our reasonable service of God The third Part the Prayer O Eternall Lord God in whom to beleeve is Eternall life give to us thy grace which may suppresse every motion of infidelity that there be not in us an evill heart of unbeleife and however we be not able to manage the shield of Faith yet perfect thou thy strength in our weaknesse making it mighty through thy power working in us to pull down strong holds cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowlege of God O holy Jesus the Eternall Word of the Father we beleeve thou hast the Words of Eternall Life Lord help thou our unbeleife and increase our Faith bring into captivity every thought to thine obedience that thy servants and followers may submit to thee our Lord and Master resigning our Vnderstandings to the Truth our Wills to the Goodnesse our Affections to the holinesse of thy Precepts and by Hope depending for satisfaction on thy precious promises O Immortall and all-glorious Spirit sanctifie unto us all those means and methods which are the preparatives and Introductions of Faith that they may be Instrumentall to Principle us in wholesome Doctrine to beget in us a love of the truth and obedience to thy Laws unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and advance us to further degrees of Knowledge and spirituall Wisedom to the spirit of obsignation the confidence of hope and the assurance of thine eternall love and favour O holy blessed and glorious Trinity to whom belongeth the Kingdom the Power and the Glory throughout all Ages World without end Amen MOSES his Choice Heb. 11.24.25.26 By Faith Moses when he was come to Years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. MOses in his Infancy and Minority being saved and preserved by a miraculous mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his Minority and riper Years preferred educated and advanced in Pharaohs Court when he had arrived at full maturity and strength of dayes he bethinks himself how to exercise his Princely perfections and accomplishments supposing God had been so good and gracious to him for some great and honourable ends and purposes of mercy and beleeving no better way to imploy those powers then in the service of God the interest and concerments of his Church and People and further conceiving God therefore had delivered him that he might be the Cheif and Principall Instrument of his glory in the Preservation of his Fathers House and the redemption of his Brethren according to the Flesh For By Faith c. The first Part. Q. But why should Moses desert and relinquish Pharaohs Court in which he was so Honourably Educated and Entertained Or why should he deny for so the Vulgar renders it the appellation and title of the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter who by her tender care and liberall bounty had obliged him Was it not both grosse ingratitude and great incivility thus to sleight her and her high respect Could he not at once be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter and be indeed the Child and Servant of God a Courtier and a Christian Did not Joseph the holy Patriarch before him live both magnificently and religiously in the same Egypt and enjoyed the dignities and wealth thereof And long after this was not Devout Esther Queen to Ahasuerus Daniel and his Associates Nobles to Nebuchadnezzar A. Doubtlesse had not Pharaoh and his Court been implacable and mercilesse Tyrants violent Persecutors of and incorrigible irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God Moses might still have resided in that Court and without any violence to his Religion possessed whatsoever Egypt afforded but in this juncture of time the case was otherwise to be stated then it was when Joseph Esther and Daniel had charge and command under Infidell Princes for these had liberty and opportunities to exercise their Religion to improve and manage their Royall Priviledges and immunities to the behoofe and advantage of their civill and sacred relations whereas Moses must either in a base and unworthy complyance joyn with the Egyptians to vex them whom God had wounded or in a dull sleepy security and Epicurean softnesse neglect the remembrance and afflictions of Joseph and stifle and choke that publike Spirit which God had endowed and enobled him withall for eminent and illustrious atcheivements for besides what is above mentioned Moses had sufficient Authority and Commission to enterprize and undertake the Deliverance of his Hebrew Brethren from the Egyptian Bondage a Command Call and Order from God the Lord of Lords the onely Supreme and so as Pharaohs cruelty did lessen Moses his Obligation of gratitude for he being a Publique Spirit and no pure self-lover every indignity and injury to his Brethren was so to him so Gods command did quite supersede all Obligations to Pharaoh his Daughter or Court both because they were but the Instruments of Gods providence who of Enemies made them Friends and Benefactors and so the highest Obligation was to the principall efficient God and also because a command from God to whom proud Pharaoh was but a mean Subject the Supreme of all doth null and voyd all Orders and Obedience to the Inferiour for though Religion doth not take away or disanull the tyes of Nature and Civility but rather enforce and perfect them yet where their Ruler and Offices are counter-checked by an expresse command or prohibition from God there it is Religion and Duty to wave them and observe the expresse The result then is this That if it come to this passe and point that our temporall preferments and possessions our naturall or civill
on the Crosse to his justice should be as available to them as to us and the merits of Christs death as imputable to them as to us And upon that account God accepted these all as his Redeemed ones Even as an honest Creditor will release his Debtor when a faithfull Solvent Surety or undertaker makes satisfaction or gives security to content and according to desire and demand And as Jesus Christ was yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. so the vertue of his death is Eternall both à parte ante and à parte post is from and to all Eternity But besides all this premised we have expresse Evidence for our Plea and Cause for the precedent Verses of this Chapter where it is set down in plain Language that some of these all had passed from Earth to Heaven and particularly instanced in Enoch and Elijah and it s said of Abraham that he looked for a City and that sure was a free Priviledged Place conspicuous eminent and glorious not a close dark hole or Prison and of the Patriarkes that they aymed at Patriam Caelestem an Heavenly Country and that jam tum illis paratum even then prepared for them Heb. 11.10.16 And hereupon Haymo thus concludes Nunc verò quiescunt in animae in heatudine Regui Caelestis ineffabili laetitia perfruontes It seems this conceit of the present Romaniscs was not at that time a Catholike truth or else he was mistaken The second is that of some of the Ancient Fathers who referr this common perfection to be received solely to the day of the Resurrection supposing That no Soules enter into Heaven or enjoyes the beatificall Vision till the day of the generall Resurrection But although the souls be extinguished at the time of their separation from the Body yet they did lye in seeret receptacles in a profound or deep sleep untill the Resurrection doing nothing suffering nothing in the mean time but onely the delay of their Glory For so some of them conceive That Heaven shall not be opened till the day of Judgement unlesse to a few priviledged persons And of this opinion was Irenous Iust Martyr Tertull. August Ambrose Iohn 22. and the Greeke Church still maintains it The Text upon which they ground this perswasion is Apoc. 6.9.10.11 I saw under the Altar the soules of them that wore slain for the Word of God c. Indeed there are severall Expositions of this place Some making it Allegoricall Others Figurative c. Whatsoever the true meaning is Certainly the Text strongly proves the Immortality of the humane Soules by their subsistence after separated But whether their Conclusion let others judge Indeed some later Divines have moderated the supposition Neither with the Romanists dooming their soules to inferior Vaults if not infernall Nor placing in severall resting receptacles yet withall allowing them no residence in Heaven the Throne of Gods Glory But they pretend they are carried into Abrahams bosome or which is all one with them to Paradise thus distinguishing Paradise from Heaven which distinction they attempt to prove from these following places of holy Scripture First from Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise From which words they thus argue how concludingly let others examine That Paradise must needs import a Place or Seate of blessednesse because it is promised as a mercifull reward and favour and this reward the enjoyment of the society of Iesus yet Heaven it cannot be because that Kingdom of blisse was not opened till Christ made the first entry and took Possession thereof at his Ascension when he was solemnly inaugurated intoch is Kingly Office And so they Expound Christs descent into Hell to signifie a state of separation or common receptable of Spirits so that with them both are Seats of Glory but the one far excelling the other And this they in the second place strengthen from 2 Cor. 12. supposing Saint Paul had two Revelations One When he was caught up into the third Heaven The other When into Paradise which say they was the place from whence Laezarus his soule was called back But that the chief and highest degree of blisse is reserved for the last day they infer from Mat. 13.43 and 25.34 2 Tim. 4.8 But the now common received opinion which is all I adde by way of censure is That all the soules of the saints departed goe straightwayes to Heaven upon their separation To this purpose compare Heb. 10.19 with Heb. 12.22.23.24 which words seem to have this sense The spirits of the just could not be perfect unlesse they were in Heaven enjoying the society of God Christ and the Angels and by enjoyment of these their being in Heaven is concluded So 2 Cor. 5.1 If our Earthly Tabernacle c. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have immediately thereupon a building of God c. as soon as the Tabernacle is dissolved Otherwise the Apostle would not have said we have but we hope or expect and to expect is but in reference to a reversion to have supposes Possession For here we hope for Heaven we have it not and here we desire we may have For so it follows ver 2. In this we groane c. Yet we would not have desired to be uncloathed ver 4. but upon this account and assurance That as soon as we were uncloathed we would be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life And further yet We are willing to be absent from the Body that we might be present with the Lord ver 8. of the same Chapter Hence St. Paul saith Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ And St. Stephen when he dyed thus Prayed Lord Iesus receive my spirit Acts 7.59 and he Prayed so because he beleeved for this was a Prayer of Faith Iesus would receive his Spirit But super totam materiam we shall anon find as hath been proved and shall be further that waving the supposition upon which this second judgement is given it yet comes neer the mark and the truth if it be not the truth it selfe And therefore we passe to the third The third is that which is commonly asserted by most of the Writers of the Reformed Churches who apprehend this promise to relate to Christs Incarnation and with these the words are thus Paraphrased they obtained not the promises that is The promised Messas had not in their times assumed the humane nature and become flesh So Beza Non obtinuerunt they obtained not that is Eminus viderunt Christum they looked for Christ to come they saw him as Abraham afar off So Major Non sunt consecuti promissionem viz. promissum semen mulieris the promised Seed of the Woman And so Calvin Iunius Piscator and certainly their judgement herein is true the dispensation under Christ more glorious then that under the Law and greater perfections received and better provision made by Christs comming then was before insomuch that our Saviour affirmeth
THE CATALOGVE OF THE Hebrevv Saints Canonized by St. Paul Heb. 11th Further Explained and Applied Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets c. James 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets for an Example Ambr. l. 1. Off. c. 25. Exempla majorum proponimus quae neque obscuritatem afferunt ad intelligeadum neque ad tractandum versutias Sit igitur nobis vita majorum disciplinae speculum non calliditatis commentarium imitandi reverentis non disputandi aâ—â—â—â—ia Idem Orat. de side Resurrect Vivant Patriarchae c. Vivemus nos si gesta moresque majorum voluerimus imitari Miremur eorum praemia imitemur obsequia praedicemus gratiam Newcastle Printed by S. B. 1659. MOSES his Minority Heb. 11.23 By Faith Moses when he was Borne was hid three Moneths of his Parents because they saw he was a proper Child and they not afraid of the Kings Commandement JOsephs Death Concluded the former Part and the Saered Story of those most holy Men which the Spirit of God hath Recorded and Commended to Posterity for the space of 2368. Years for so many are computed from the Birth of the World till Josephs Death And this Second Part begins with Moses his Birth and a Narrative of the signall Providences which not long after occurred For By Faith Moses c. The first Part. As Moses his Preservation from the Tyranny of the Egyptian Edict and Inquisition Exod. 1.15 was a most eminent work of the Divine-all-ruling Providence so was it a most heroicall and Religious Act of his both affectionate and holy Parents For though Nature not assisted by any other guide will sufficiently enstruct Parents both to desire and endeavour and is therefore often found to be very ingenious to contrive wayes for the preservation of their Issue Yet Religion both sharpens those desires which threatned and apprehended hazards might either dull or divert and also seconds and backs those endeavours which might be stopped and stayed with an infidell perswasion and an unbeleeving beleife of an impossible event Nature is full of jealousies and fears and so apt to make men doubtfull and remisse Religion is made up of hope and ingenuity and renders Men clear confident and resigned For Faith in emminent dangers both superadds resolution to the scrupulous and faint wishings and wouldings of false and fearfull and also diligence and constancy to the recoyling and revolting indeavours of the same trayterous and declining nature Nature will not hold out unlesse Religion command in cheife terrors and threats in the losse of life or estate will lay her off and cow her unlesse the auxiliaries of grace be called in for assistance and when both these concur in this subordination the effect is not onely a work of Nature but an act also of Faith And this seems to be the case betwixt Moses and his Parents here affection and humanity told them they should endeavour his preservation and the way for that was by his concealement Religion goes higher and commanded them thus to doe and also assured them that what they did thus in obedience to her dictates should prosper and succeed according to their affectionate desires and inclinations Nature set forth the enterprize Faith kept it a foot Nature saith This I would doe Faith saith Goe on and prosper Nature is right set and never sayles when she is subject to the counsels and commands of Grace 2. But Faith not well grounded is either a fancy and delusion or rashnesse and presumption and therefore it was not sufficient to denominate this their concealement an act of Faith because the concealers were perswaded and therefore presumed that it would take and prove according to their expectation for a strong persuasion may be a strong and strange delusion a fantasticke Faith is but the beleeving a lye 2 Thes 2.11 unlesse also they had sufficient Motives and Arguments to bottome and found that perswasion and confidence 3. Now that Moses his Parents had such supports and grounds for their concealement we have these following enducements and considerations to evidence to us and secure our Faith that what they did was done as the Apostle here declares by Faith Look then upon this contrivance with the Eye of Faith and you will finde by searching into the rule of Faith that it was a commanded work and designe of Faith For 1. Consider it in thesi that must needs be looked on as an effect and production of Faith which hath an expresse revelation from Heaven for its foundation and Gods truth and goodnesse for its warranty and security Now Moses his Parents knew the Propheticall praedictions of dying Israel and Joseph the former recorded Gen. 48.21 the latter Gen. 50.25 and both of them relating to the Hebrews Deliverance the accomplishment whereof they fully beleeved and apprehended as approaching and drawing nigh 2. Consider it in hypothesi that the set time was come for the Hebrews Deliverance and that Moses should be preserved that he might be the Deliverer of his Brethren they had high and cogent Arguments to engage their beleife For the former They knew that Pharaohs rage was neer the height and his tyranny almost at the full and that God would declare his Power in restraining and suppressing Pharaohs Exod. 9.16.17 that it was Gods usuall Method to leade captivity captive to confound the policies of Tyrants when they seem to them most prudent and to subdue their power when they appeare most potent to themselves and most terrible to his persecuted people and withall That God was a fure and present refuge in due time of trouble Psal 9.9.10 and Psal 46. And for their confirmation besides these contemplative they had experimentall grounds For de facto God through the Religious temper of the Hebrew Midwives and the motions of compassion and common humanity in some neighbouring Egyptians had preserved many Hebrew Infants from that barbarous Massacre which Pharaoh had projected and by his cruel Edicts ordered and therefore it was very obvious for Moses his Parents from those received axiomes and attested experiments of Gods goodnesse to draw conclusions of mercy towards themselves and their tender Infant and particularly to apply them to themselves in his behalfe For the latter That Moses should be preserved for his Brethrens Deliverance besides what was contained and folded up in the generall Propositions of holy Faith Moses his Parents though we have no expresse speciall Revelation in that Record that they had had some more distinct and clear Declaration from God which St. Steven Acts 7.20 seems to report when he tells us that Moses was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar reades Gratus Deo Tremel Dilectus Deo and the Genevah enclines to this and then this expression is Argumentatively full to our purpose Thus God at Moses his Birth did represent to his Parents and they accordingly did apprehend in him somewhat extraordinary for which he would deliver and preserve him then God manifested he should be his
is alwayes Victorious whether he Conquer by Prowesse or by Patience If Faith teach not his Hand to fight yet it will teach his Body to suffer it either acts wonderfully or endures nobly And there is as much gallantry nay truely more because greater magnanimity in cheerfull undergoing of hardnesse then involuntary undertaking For undertakers and very forward ones too many times faint and flag and give over whereas a sufferer shews his resolution and clears all suspition of falshood or inconstancy to his undertaking Indeed a true Beleever is the same in every contingency and state of affaire and is equally resolved and disposed both for prosperity and adversity and when most afflicted his Faith is most glorious for then it appears in those eminent Graces of humility meeknesse resignation c. which otherwise perhaps had been obscured And so it is of very faithfullnesse that God suffereth the faithfull to suffer even that the tryall of their Faith might be much more precious then Gold though tryed with fire 1 Peter 1.7 The Devill and the World opposeth to them the Passengers Argument to Christ on the Crosse If thou be the Son of God come downe from the Crosse c. Mat. 27.40 And is it not a notable reply to answer with Christ in Prayer by Faith Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me yet not my will but thine be done It was a weaknesse in Gideon to argue thus with the Angel If the Lord be with us why then it all this befallen 〈◊〉 Judges 6.13 A strange reasoning to a considering man to conclude God doth net love because the World hates this certainly is an infirmity in Faith and David acknowledgeth so much though withall he acknowledgeth himselfe to have been overtaken with it and so continued until he neut into the House of God and diligently enquired after the wayes of Gods Providence and there he found though the depth of his judgements are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out what was obvious and legible That no successe or prosperity of the wicked hath power enough to make them happy or entitle them to Gods favour no adversity or crosse emergent can make without any sullen Stoicisme a godly man miscrable Psal 73. Because and his Reasons are strong the wicked man in his best estate hath no hold hat what will fayle him when be most needs and need he must but the Godly hath a strong hold which as long as he is godly will be a Sanctuary and Protection to him his dependance and hope in God who never fayleth them who trust in him Saint Paul gives us an experiment of this truth That God loves when he chasteneth for we are saith he 2 Cor. 4.8.9 perplexed that may very well be and frequently it is so because of impendent or incumbent sadnesses and disasters but not in dispaire for we live by Faith and our hope is an anker of the soule both sure and stedfast Persecuted we may be we must be Ye shall have tribulation saith Christ Iohn 16.33 Shall suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 forsaken ye cannot be For what can separate us from the love of God in Christ Romans 8.39 Cast downe humbled 2 little but not destroyed not cast off or rejected and this condition is so farr from being miserable that it is honourable and comfortable The former is expressed in the 10.11.14 Verses The latter in the 16.17.18 Verses Nay an Ancient goes yet higher Quanto quis severius patitur tazto melius coronabitur the greater their crosses the more glorious shall be their crownes the more their crosses the more their crownes And agreeably to this the Schoolemen have assigned and assured to the Martyrs the largest share and measure in the accidentalls of Eternall blisse what is over and above the essentialls belonging to them Aquinas Suppl per 3. qu. 96. art 12. How true this supposition is that there are such accidentalls of beatitude and that they are belonging to Martyrs I define not yet I beleeve this to be among the Piè Credenda But this I am sure of is an infallible Divine Truth That whether God chastise his Children with Rods as he doth every Son or cherish them with externall additions whether they be in adversity or prosperity he is equally a Father to them in both estates and equally a Father of mercies Hebr. 12.5 c. to them And as in all so chiefly in these dispensations he hath ends and purposes of Infinite Wisedome and Goodnesse and God is pleased by these unpleasant Providences to manifest his own glorious Attributes and his servant eminent Graces So they prove excellent Methods to set forth Gods glory and set forward mans salvation for hereby God makes known his infinite Power and Wisedome by bringing light out of darknesse good out of evill extracting Cordialls and Restoratives out of Poyson curing desperate distempers by corrections his infinite goodnesse suffering the Bush to burne but not to wast and consume the Body to smart but the Soule to joy the Body to be weak but the Spirit strong in the Lord and in the power of his might sustaining their infirmities and supporting in their greatest sadnesses even to a Miracle Vt intelligeritis neminem esse qui ant sine ratione velit poename subire aeut tormenta siue Deo possit sustinere saith Minutius Faelix Oct. None would suffer those torments Christians did unlesse they had good grounds for it neither indeed could any suffer them unlesse he had a good God an Almighty Father to hold him up and succour him And yet as the same Ancient Quod corporis vitia sentimus patimur non est poenae militia est Their sufferings are not truely punishments they are exercises and conquests over the World the malice of men and corruptions and rebellions of lust and nature But besides this The patient submission and resignation of Gods servants under the Crosse discovering Graces which otherwise would be concealed and unknown Had not Job contested with and baffled the Devills policy and pretences by his dependance on God in the greatest miseries the Devill could invent or inflict his Faith and fincerity had been either under suspition or under a Cloud his constancy and adhaerence to God in those great conflicts and tryalls both cleared and experimented his innocency for in such exigents the case is cleared That God is beleeved loved and obeyed in and for himselfe without any mereinary servile respects Christ is followed for his Doctrine not his Loaves The innocent sufferer that endures for Gods sake all the evills of the World cannot be suspected to drive a secular designe it is evident he seeks for Heaven and the enduring substance in that continuing City Times of suffering times of tryall then we are Christs probationers whether we be fit to be admitted into the society and number of his Disciples then Christs Souldiers and whether we be fit to be listed into the Roll and taken into their
objects and led by customes that reasonable men should be in their duty rationall or from the assurance of reward and how dull men are to apprehend and beleeve future good things and to live by hope every one saying Let me have it in my hand and so make sure work is frequently experimented and so this very consideration is an abatement to the power of Precept But Examples makes all these respects and obligations good for if the command run thus Doe this not because it is commanded but because this is the practise of the wisest and the best or the most honourable they have done so before you and been very successefull in their doings what is thus exemplified and experimented is readily and faithfully observed and most confidently which is the quickning and forwarding of action expected Examples and experiments of this kind are many and frequent and indeed ' it s the chiefe end of all Historicall Relations and the Writing of the Lives of the Jewish Christian and Gentile Worthies For Mollissime suadetur exemplis though Examples be not argumentative cogent proofs to profound judgements and strict disputants yet to most men they are most effectuall because more fit to perswade And therefore Aristotle lib. 8. Top. cap. 2. thus resolves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Argument is more pressing proose an Example more obliging an Argument drawes the understanding an Example leads and faciliùs dueimur quam trahimur the affections that indeed more powerfull yet this more prevalent Themistocles saw Miltiades Trophces and this occular demonstration did prevaile with him for imitation above any either precept or reason but this one to follow so brave a President Achilles his same set Alexander on action and Alexanders Julius Casars and Casars honour hath made many thousand adventurers since And to come somwhat neerer and close to our holy Profession Hath not Christ upon this score set himself for an Example Hath not the Apostles proposed themselves subordinate Patternes under him and required us to look to the former times and take the Prophets Patriarkes c. for Presidents to us and our actions And hath not this very Apostle brought in and summed up a Cloud of Witnesses to confirme an infallible truth and to provoke imitation Nay Doth not the Christian Rule strictly require exemplary Piety in all Beleevers that they be not onely burning having Zeal in themselves but shining lights by their practise communicating and diffusing it to others give visible proofs of that hope is in them For thus runs the rule Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.16 And so 1 Peter 2.11.12 Dearely beleved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which war against the soule Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorisie God in the day of visitation And here we may see and admire the infinite love and goodnesse of God towards man that he for a supply and succour to our frailties and prejudices seconds all his Precepts with Promises and impowers these by Examples and Experiments that whereas as our God and Lord he might use onely his Word of command and strictly and upon the severest penalty exact conformity yet he is pleased to consider that we are but Flesh and therefore not to make use of his absolute and Soveraigne Power over us but as an Indulgent to win and gain us over to himself by such Arts and Methods as have the greatest influence with weak infirme men great Promises and good Examples Promises to encourage Examples to leade even to leade if we will not drive If Power prevaile not goodnesse may Nay God in this Instance hath not onely so far condescended to our infirmities as to prove the reasonablenesse of his dictates to us to convince our understandings but he hath ex abundanti afforded Promises to whet and excite our wills and Patternes to guide and conduct our affections And here also we may see and admire the rare composition of the Book of God the holy Scriptures which not onely declares unto us the Will of God but furnisheth us with Arguments ad hominem strong perswasives to confirme thereto it abounds with perswasives of all sorts So that we may justly take up Tertullians Devout Contemplation and expression Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum So we we adore the fulnesse of the Scriptures It s full of cleare Prophesies holy Praecepts gracious Promises glorious Examples It s full of Prophesies and they are full of truth these forewarne us to fly from evill to come Full of Praecepts and these full of Piety to exhort us to be fruitfull in good works Full of Promises and these full of mercy and sweetnesse to incline and move us to beleeve his Prophesies and obey his Precepts Full of rare Presidents and these full of Evidence to ascertain his Promises Prophesies to prepare Praecepts to command Promises to encourage and Examples to leade us the way to the way the truth and the life Prophesies shews us fully the infinite wisedome of our Lawgiver and that it is our wisedome to beleeve them and none else Praecepts declare his infinite Power and Soveraignty and that it is our duty to observe them Promises proposeth his infinite goodnesse in rewarding us for our duty and it is our Piety to hope for and depend on them our comfort that we have them and so good a God who will reward us far above our deserts Examples to evidence his infinite truth in performing his Word of Prophesie and Promise to them who performed their duty in obedience to his Praecepts and it is our glory and happinesse to partake of the benefit of these experiments by following exactly those good Examples Yet no Examples work so strongly and leave such deep and lasting impressions as the Examples of those whom nature teacheth us to love and honour to imitate and depend on our famous Progenitors from whom we have our extraction and discext and so as we esteem it an honour to be of a Noble Family either civilly or religionfly or both as the Jewes and these Hebrews took themselves to be and so their glory was We have Abraham to our Father and their Rule was Quod accidit Patribus siguum est Filiis so generally posterity strive to resemble their Parents in their qualifications and are ashamed to degenerate as if they had no affinity with them And hence it is that we take all disparagements of our ascendants so unkindly and every reproach of degeneration for the highest affront and indignity because we are so neerly concerned by a principle of selfe love in their honour and reputation Thus the Heathens as for example Priamus concludes from an unworthy Villany commiated by Pyrrhus that he was none of Achilles his Progeny At non ille satum qu◠it
and practises should combine and conspire unanimously to destroy themselves and deceive others both because we suppose them holy men and also men of admirable parts of great strength and clearnesse of understanding And as their holinesse preserved them from worldly designes and contrivances in their profession witnesse that high esteem they had thereof as even to suffer death for it so their wisedome and learning kept them from grosse oversights of misunderstanding and prejudice in these things they both professed and suffered which was the diseipline of the holy Jesus who could and would highly and honourably crowne their sufferings And hence it will undeniably follow these all Primitive Fathers and Christians which is a very wonderfull thing notwithstanding their severall tempers and inclinations their severall Ages and Successions their severall distances and Countries yet did agree for the space of fifteen hundred years constantly and unanimously in all those things which were revealed and recommended by our Saviour Christ as important and necessary to salvation for if they were ignorant of any Article necessary to salvation how could they be saved it follows I say by their such agreement and consent That this is an Article of the Christian Discipline in what they held and observed is a strong and solid proofe to all godly sober men That Tenet so held is a Catholique Tenet and that Observation so used is a Catholique Observation and to oppose or contradict either is Heresie and Schisme or which is all one an Hereticall or Schismaticall separation and departure from the true Christian Catholique Faith Adde to all this That the differences in Opinions and disagreements among themselves in many Points of Religion which are not de symbolo of necessary beleise but truths onely of an inferiour natute will to any indifferent unbiassed Persons take off and clearly acquit their consent and agreement in the maine Fundamentalls the Prims Fundamentalia from all suspition that it proceeded from some combination correspondence or mutuall intelligence and common cousultation and withall fully satisfie and convince that it proceeded out of a serious examination and consideration of the things themselves And then secondly as the concurrence of these all is a valid Testimony in necessary points so in these points and means of salvation the generall silence of the Ancients these all would be a very proper and unanswerable Argument to prove the nullity or falsenesse of it as this Doctrine was not known or beleeved in the parest and Primitive times therefore it is not an Article of Faith a Catholique verity but a Novelty or upstare Opinion As for Example If we find nothing either in whole or in part either in grosse or in retaile concerning the Monarchicall Authority of the Pope or the supream Authority of the present Roman Church or concerning Purgatory and Transubstantiation among the Writings of the Fathers and Records of the Antient Church we may safely conclude they are not such as they pretend them to be necessary such whereon our salvation dependeth for if they be such as they would have us beleeve it would be too great injustice to the Ancients to say They knew nothing of them or that knowing them they would not speak any word of them and discharge their trust And lastly it hence also follows That in those unhappy controversies which are continued in this Nationall Church it is not faire and ingenuous dealing in some of those Disputants to aver and avow the practise and perswasion of some reformed Churches in the last Contury or hundred when others put in their Plea from the consent and practise of the former fifteen Centuries For what is this but to oppose a part against the whole a part in one Centurie against it selfe and all other Churches for fifteen a few against all these But above all they are grossely absurd who to these all have none to oppose but themselves have no Authority but their power no reason but their fancy no Testimony but their own approbation and they themselves so inconsiderable in respect of these all that they are not so much as the Gleanings of a full Corne Feild in a large Campania to the whole Cropp And yet they deale subtilly too for they take a safe course that they shall never satisfie you nor you confute them For their Argument and Evidence is their Conscience and what that is you cannot they will not know And hence they are such Vagrants in their Faith you shall never know where to have them and so they may justly be excluded out of the Catalogue of these all and be in the pack of Saint Judes Bruites They speak evill of those things they know not and corrupt themselves in those things they know naturally Jude 10. And yet there is a third sort who though not so bad as these yet bad enough disparaging and decrying the testimonies of these all in the Christian Church fleighting and undervaluing their Authority and Writings and rejecting them as uselesse except the Apostles themselves and their Writings The vanity of this misprision will presently appear if we remember That the whole dispute is what is Apostolicall or not what they practised or not And then the result is obvious Those Persons who lived in or immediately after the Apostles times should know better their usage then we at this distance of time can guesse at they who searched into all Records to discover what was Apostolicall and were after carefull to keep them should know better then they who care for no Evidences Testimonies or Records and all this upon no other pretence but this That the mistery of iniquity then wrought and since notorious forgery hath been used to corrupt all Testimonies and Books the former of which is most unjust because even then though corruptions and Haeresies crept in yet were they zealously opposed and punctually confuted by the Writers of those Times The latter is partly false altogether impertinent For the same Objection might be used against the Canonicall Books of holy Scripture if in the instance it be admitted good and against all Records of Kingdoms and Common-wealths that from them it were impossible to find out what the former Laws and Customes have been for in all these there may equally be suspition of Fraud and Forgery as in the other kind And yet no wise man because the Discovery is somewhat intricate and perplext and the businesse a work of difficulty will therefore conclude it altogether uselesse and to no purpose Certainly they who labour for the finding out the truth by the search of Antiquity next after holy Scripture are more likely to discover it by that way then any other As they who would know our Laws and Customs are more probable to find them out by searching the Antient Records and Law Writers then by consulting present Authors unlesse we take all upon trust and at the second hand But now to prevent mistakes it may be worthy our enquiry to examine what
proofes are Catholique or not Or how we may know whether this Doctrine or Observation be truely Catholique such as these all have acknowledged and wherein this Universality consists And the rather because it is confessed both by the Romanists and Reformed That that Church which can evidence it to hold that Faith once delivered to the Saints without Haereticall Innovation or Schismaticall Violation is undoubtedly the true Church of God And it is further acknowledged by the Reformed De meliori notae of the best Ranke That the Title Catholique doth most properly and fitly expresse whether Christian or Christian Societies which hold the common Faith without particular divisions from the maine body of Christianity in opposition to all Heretikes and Schismaticks But since the Church is divided and rent by Heresie and Schisme To whom should this Title be rightly appropriated or who can be truely called Catholique but they who agree and joyne with these all Apostles Fathers Martyrs for what the Patriarkes and the rest were to the Hebrews the Apostles and their Successors are the same to us Beleevers the maine Body of Christians the Universall Church And for this we must have recourse to that approved Rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis lib. cont Haret cap. 3. Magnopere curandum est ut id teneamus quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditam est hoe est etenim vere propriè Catholicum We are to take care that we hold that which hath been beleeved by all in all places and at all times for that is truely Catholique which Rule in effect is no more but this that which should direct a Christian or Christian company in their examination of the Catholique Truth or Points of Faith is the consenting Testimony of the Universall Church truely such and that by this Rule is that which is Universall in all respects in respect of Persons Place and Time and even the strength of this Apostolicall Induction depends on these considerations all your beleeving Ancestors have acted and suffered at all times from Abel downwards to the present times and of all Places in Chaldea and Egypt as well as in Palestine And these respects we shall declare as followeth 1. The Testimony which is truely Universall must be so in respect of Persons not as if there were not in the Church such who diffented from the generally beleeved Truths But this consideration respects either the Universall of the livers of the first Ages bearing Testimony that such or such a Doctrine was from the Apostles Preachings delivered to all Churches by them Planted or their generall uniforme Testimony herein without any considerable dissenters producible for even such Testimony is worthy of beleife and hath been deemed and is sufficient for the rejection of any new Doctrine Bibl. Patr. Tom. 1. pag. 30. c. pag. 275. for as the generall consent and practise of all Nations to adore and set up a Deity as Divine Power some one or other hath been and is an Argument of force and efficacy against the Atheists which have appeared in any Age inasmuch as nothing besides the ingraffed Notion of a Deity or Divine Power could have inclined so many severall Nations of such severall tempers and dispositions of such contrary Principles in other cases of such severall Educations and civill Government to affect and practise that duty of Adoration or Worshipping some Deity even so the Unanimous consent of distinct Churches agreeing in any Point of Faith or that this was an Apostolicall depositum tradition derived from the Apostles and their followers is a pregnant Argument to any impartiall understanding man of great force against Heretikes and Hereticall dissenters who as Atheists desciverunt à natura have Apostated and fallen away from Nature and the Law of Nature and Nations So these desciverunt à veritate have forsaken the way of Truth the Doctrine of Christ and his Churches for their conviction and confutation and for the confirmation of all consenters and adhaerents to that universall agreement inasmuch as nothing besides the evidence of Truth delivered unto the Christian World by Christ and his Apostles could have kept so many severall Churches in the unity of the same Faith and in this case every particular Church is a competent and authenticke witnesse of every other Church and so of the Catholique Church her integrity and fidelity in servando depositum in carefull preserving the Truth committed to their speciall trust And to presse this more fully as it cannot be a prejudice to any Rule or Custome grounded on the Law of Nations because their have some dissenters though otherwise generally received allowed and practised so neither can it be any prejudice to any Rule or Observation grounded on the Law of Christ because some have opposed and contradicted though generally averred beleeved and conformed unto by all Christians And as it doth not follow this is not a Law of Nature viz. That there is a God and that God to be Worshipped or Nations because some have spoken against it and acted too so doth it not follow this is not the Discipline of Christ because some nominall Christians have adjudged otherwise this is not the common Faith because some stragler or wanderer hath either wilfully deserted it or unwarily fallen out of it this is not that delivered to the Saints because some who deliver themselves Saints and would be called so have not liked it or that it is not the Catholique Faith because some who have usurped and would engrosse the Title have so determined contrary to the generality of all Beleevers But then as the Civilians speak In re consensia emnium Genttum Lex Naturae putanda est The consent of all Nations is to be esteemed the Law of Nature And Quod naturalis ratis inter omnes homines constituit id apud omnes peraequè â—â—stoditur vocaturque jus Gentium That which naturall reason doth constitute among all men is observed by all alike and termed the Law of Nations not as though every individuall thus did constitute and consent for many have depraved Nature and transgresse naturall right so here the common consent of all Churches that this is Apostolicall Tradition or depositum though every single member doe not concurr But the Common Law or Custome of the World in which three circumstances are to be considered Antiquity Continuance and Generality and thus as Nature is immutable in abstracto but not in concreto it is not changed it is often transgressed so Faith is immutable in it selfe semper eadem but men often chop and change it that is violate it To give you an instance to cleare this the fuller yet Arrius sprung an Heresie had many adhaerents and those of great power and parts yet is that Doctrine which he broached justly adjudged contrary to the Catholique Faith professed in the Church of God inasmuch as the severall distinct Visible Churches of the Christian World by unanimous consent communicating and exhititing their severall