bee spoken of viz. The dignity of the Word which hath two parts the first the Authority of it the second the Sufficiencie of it because wee are to build on it and to rest upon it as the ground and rule of Faith and these are the two things which wee will handle at this time For the former of these Quest What is the authority of the written word Answ It is that by which it is authenticall and worthy of credit in it selfe being the divine and onely Canon and Rule for all things to bee beleeved and done That the Word of God hath this authority this verse which I have read doth prove So also Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them if questions be asked about the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies whatsoever others say reject it this hath authority of it selfe to this is added 2 Pet. 1.19 Wee have also a more sure Word to these I add Gal. 6.16 As many men as walk after this rule peace be on them this is the rule of all things Joh. 2.16 If any man bring any other Doctrine bid him not to thy house where the word sheweth that there is no other word of any authority but this Word thus the Word witnesseth of it selfe therefore it must be true John 10.35 the Word cannot be broken therefore it must bee of that authority worthy of credit in it selfe and being divine wee must beleeve it and it must bee the Rule and Canon by which all things must bee done And this is the proofe of the first point Quest What ground have you for this that the Scriptures are thus authenticall Ans There are these First because they are Gods word to whom it belongs to appoint every one a cannon and rule that must give them direction to all things to be beleeved and done Secondly Because God hath written them for this end that they might be such a rule that might be alwayes in the Church that men should not dare to swerve from it Thirdly Because this Word is the first divine truth of God himself To explane these first they are Gods word c. This is manifest of it self that it belongs to God to appoint a rule and a cannon we further confirme this thus Deut. 7.11 Keepe my commandements my statutes and my judgements why so because they are my statutes I command you the Word is a lanterne to my feet saith David Psal 119.105 Thou shalt keepe my statutes so that if we enquire into the ground what the reason of the authority of the Scripture is it is manifest it is authenticall because it is the word of God who should teach me saith Saint Ambrose the things that appertaine to heaven God and not man Who can better teach me concerning God then God All other Divine things had need of testimony saith Salvian but onely these things spoken by God need no more testimony while therefore it is God that hath wrote this and he onely hath Divine authority therefore this must needs be of Divine authority The second answer was thus much because that this was written by God to that end that the Church might alway have a rule from which it should not dare to swerve Deut. 5.32 Take heed to my statutes turne not to the right hand nor to the left and that Rom. 15.4 These things were written that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope therefore from hence it is manifest that they are written to be a rule Thirdly because that this is the first divine trueth of God himselfe therefore it hath this name Ephes 1.13 Iohn 17.17 thy Word is truth with an emphasis that there is no truth but this so Ephes 2.20 it is the foundation of the Church it is builded upon the Apostles and Prophets we say it is the first truth of God himselfe because it must be first beleeved before we can beleeve by a divine faith any thing that is revealed in it faith doth first spring out of it and is last of all resolved into it and so it is the first truth This is the principle of principles and though it be not beleeved yet it hath the same authority gold is gold though no man have it the Sunne in the first day it was created was to rule the day and measure time though there was neither man nor beast to take notice of it In the Gnomen of a diall the shadow of it shewes the houres of the day though men sleepe principles in all Arts are to be granted are not denied without grosse absurdities Here are our first principles that there is a God that God hath a Word that the Scripture is the Word of God these are and ought to be assented unto by whosoever would be called Christian the denying of any one of these is to open the gate to Atheisme and all prophanesse so then this is manifest that this Word of God is of Divine authority The first Use then teacheth us that then fals to the ground the Doctrine of Popery that tels us that the Scriptures have no authority but from the Church some have spoken very blasphemously of the Word of God one for all the President of the Councell of Trent saith that the Scriptures have no more authority then Esops Fables without authority from the Church of Rome and others say they have no more authority then any other prophane books others more moderate say they have no more authority in them then they receive from the Church the question is not what authority the Church doth give to the Scriptures but what authority they have in themselves the Church can but declare their authority the Scriptures have it in themselves I had not beleeved the Scripture saith Austin We never denied that the Church hath excellent Offices concerning the Scriptures as first it is to keep them and preserve them therefore the Church is compared to a publique Notary like to the Court of Rowles the Master of the Roles gives no authority to Records but keepes them Secondly the Church is to publish the Scriptures therefore she is compared to a crier and this is the fidelity of the crier to publish the speech of the Prince and the Churches duty is to publish the Law of God The third office it hath is to discern the true Scriptures from forgeries and apocryphall It cannot make that which is Apocrypha Canonicall but it hath a power in discerning which are Apocryphall which Canonicall as it is in a City the Magistrates receiving a letter as from the Prince out of their experience are able to discerne whether it be the Princes letter or not so they that are Gods Ministers can do nothing but discerne the Word they cannot give any authority to it we conclude the Scripture hath authority in it selfe Ephe. 2.20 It is the foundation of the Church then the
the father be granted of all to be God and a person why is the Son set apart by some but is proved to be God and a distinct person by excellent reasons First because the Son did descend and take the nature of man Secondly because he is of the same Essence with the Father Thirdly because he ever was and shall be the mediator of his Church To explane these a meer name a property or quality as heretiques say he is cannot descend Iohn 3.13 Who is he that ascended but he also that descended the second person did descend the humanity did not What did he when he was descended he tooke the nature of man Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh that is it took flesh to it for marke Heb. 2.14.16 Because that the children were partakers of flesh bloud therefore he did partake c. in the 16. verse He did not take the nature of Angels but he tooke the seed of Abraham therefore before he was made flesh he was a person even before he did descend the reason that he is a person distinct from the Father is because he is and ever was and shall be Mediator of the Church and the Angel of the Covenant even before he was made man we prove it as soone as man sinned God was offended and then man could not be saved without a Mediator therefore he was the mediator yet so still that before his incarnation he was a person 1 Cor. 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him where he calls us to remembrance that then Christ was in the wildernesse with them c. so that he was a mediator before his incarnation Iob 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever therefore mediator and then there is but one mediator and that is the man Christ he is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. and therefore he must needs be a person and thus I have in particular confirmed this concerning the Sonne Now for the holy Ghost he is also proved to be a person first because that he did often appear in a visible shape Secondly because there are effects attributed to him which cannot be attributed to any thing but to a person The first of these thus Mat. 3. at the baptising of Christ he descended upon him in the shape of a Dove and in the second of Acts He appeared in cloven tongues upon the Apostles and therefore is not a property or quality as heretiques teach Secondly because that to the holy Ghost there are given such effects such appellations which cannot be given to any but such a substance for there is given unto him to know secret things that are to come Secondly to determine controversies to give gifts to men to pray to be praied unto all actions of a petson and of a divine person First that he knowes secrets 1 Cor. 2 11. The spirit knows the secret things of God therefore he must needs be a person he did know and foresee things that should be how appears that 1 Tim. 3.2 The spirit speaketh evidently c. that is the holy Ghost foretells what shall be in the latter times Secondly he decrees and determines Acts 15.28 It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us therefore it followes that he is a person Thirdly gifts are attributed to him Gal. 5.22.23 The fruits of the spirit are joy peace long suffering gentlenesse c. 1 Cor. 12.8 By the same spirit to one is given the word of knowledge and these are disposed of according to his will and therefore no property nor quality but a person c. Againe he helps men to pray and praies for men Rom. 8. We cannot pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities he makes sighs and groanes 1 Cor. 13. The fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you he that makes praiers for us helps men to pray and is praied unto he cannot be a name and property c. as heretiques say but a person And so I have shewed you the holy Ghost is a person I remember one thing now which I should have given before a reason that I gave why the Sonne is a person is because that he was of the same nature with the Father because he is the Son a son begotten of his father not a created sonne but a begotten sonne Col. 1.15 The first begotten c. Pal. 2.7 Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee shewing an everlasting begetting as the Sonne is everlastingly begotten so the Father everlastingly begets so that the Sonne must be a person distinct from the Father in Divinity and also in Humanity he is the Sonne of God as God he is the Sonne of God begotten of his Father and so of the same nature with the Father and not a name but a person as man he is the sonne of God God the Sonne is joyned unto the humanity and therefore Christ saith I goe to my Father and your Father my Father by nature your Father by adoption therefore he must be a severall and distinct person Vse 1. This teacheth us to confute all Heretiques as the Sabellian who will have but one person in the Divinity and for divers respects called Father Son and holy Ghost having no severall being that the Sonne hath not the same Essence with the Father nor the holy Ghost the same Essence with them both but by this ground you are taught to abhor these and the like Heresie Vse 2. It teaches those that have heard this doctrine by faith to conceive three persons as they are delivered unto us this surpasses the reason of men and Angels therefore every man ought to labour to know this by faith and not to rely on sense and reason but on the word of God Saint Bernard saith I shall speake this boldly that which I doe not understand I beleeve that which I cannot conceive yet I beleeve never the lesse and so ought every one of us to labour to beleeve though we cannot tell how it should be there is great necessity of beleeving this truth no salvation can be except a man do hold this Trinity therefore every man ought to labour to beleeve he must walke by faith and not by sense it is unpossible that the shallow conceit of man should be able to finde these mysteries if God had not revealed them it were as possible to empty the Ocean with a spoon as to finde them out because they are matters of faith and not of sense hold fast that which God hath revealed no man may goe further then God hath revealed so far he must goe further is dangerous curuosity Deut. 22.29 Secret things belong to God but things revealed to us c. that which is manifest saith Saint Austin is ours because we cannot see that which is hid therefore labour to conceive so far as God hath revealed and yet notwithstanding if any man aske how it may appear that there are three in one
measured by both those truths and is not the measure of them And thus we see truth is but one because all flowes from one there is no truth in things which God implants not in them nor in the minds of men which the spirit of truth doth not lead into No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Saint Ambrose saith whatsoever truth is in any man is from God and all lies are from the divell he is the father of them when the Saints and holy men have lied it came from the Divell when wicked men speake truth as Cayphas speaking of the death of Christ it came from God Quest Why say you he knowes all things certainly without error Answ Because he is of infinite wisdome his wisdome is infinite as himselfe Psal 147.5 A finite wisdome may erre because it doth not know all things perfectly but infinite wisdome apprehends all things perfectly therefore it cannot erre Quest Why say you he speakes and workes truth without faining and dissimulation Answ Because he is the chiefest good into which no evill can fall God is the chiefest good then dissembling cannot befall God there can be no darknesse in him because he is light it selfe then no falshood fals into God because he is truth it selfe Moreover faining and dissembling is the corruption of the understanding this cannot fall into God The workes of Sathan when they are good works are dissembling as when he testifieth of Christ that he was the Sonne of God it was a lying speech because whatsoever he doeth he doeth it to deceive for if men will beleeve him in one thing he hopes they will in another and so all the works of Sathan are lying works but on the other side all the works of God are good and so certain and true without faining or dissimulation Quest Why doth he constantly performe whatsoever he hath spoken Answ Because he is faithfull and just to performe whatsoever he hath promised or threatned Promises he any thing he will performe it because he is true and this is verifyed by the holy Ghost Psal 90.12 Deut. 7.8 That thou mightest know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God that will keepe covenant and mercy Mercy makes him promise but truth makes him performe Promises Justice makes him threaten and truth makes him recompence his enemies to their face Thus Saint Augustin saith God hath made himselfe our Debter by promises and Bernard that man should pay that he promiseth because he makes himselfe a debter and if the Lord keepes his promises with those that are unworthy will he not much more keepe them with those he hath made worthy in his Sonne OF THE TRVETH OF GOD. CHAP. XIV PSAL. 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is YOU have heard the last day the description of the trueth of God both what it was and the confirmation of the severall parts of it and now we will lay downe some Uses Vse 1. The first If God be true in word and work this serves to awaken up secure men and to rouse them out of their naturall security These usually blesse themselves when they heare the judgements of God threatned against them and see them not presently executed I say they blesse themselves because God doth forbeare and is not a word and a blow therefore say they the Lord will neither doe good nor evill howsoever his Prophets the Ministers speake thus But let them know the Lord is true and while they thus speake or thinke of him they make him a lyer they beleeve not the truth and hereupon it is that they sit in the seat of the scornfull Psal 1.1 scorne and scoffe at those meanes which holy men use to escape judgement I meane prayer and fasting because they make God a lyer But these men shall know that the patience of God should lead them to repentance and therefore the Lord speakes because he would shew mercy he could execute as well as speak but they do abuse the patience of God to bring upon themselves greater damnation God is true and every man a lyer and their deceitfull hearts that have deceived them God shall awaken For most certainly true it is that God will make good his threatnings he will shew himselfe true in executing his judgements in his due time He hath his owne time for mercy and for judgement and he will punish them who carry it out the most stoutly for the Lord hath spoken against them and they shall feele it with a heavie hand And therefore though he doe delay let them not be secure judgement will be the more heavy when it comes The wise man in Eccles 11.9 speaking to the yong man saith Goe toyong man take thy pleasure goe on you young men and also ancient men but know for all this God shall bring you to judgement God is true he hath said it and shall he not doe it Psal 1.4 5. they then shall be as stubble before the winde therefore be awakened out of that blindenesse and security or else you shall know it to your cost Vse 2. Here is matter of comfort to every one that rests upon God by faith and constant obedience for that which he hath promised their faith shall never faile God is true it is builded upon God and his word and trueth that is the comfort of every one that beleeveth that he shall obtaine that which he hopes for Certainly God shall make it good according to his trueth therefore if any man finde weakenesse of faith if any man be troubled with doubting What is the comfort It is not our faith that makes the promise here but the promise makes our faith sure if God be true and perpetually true certainly God shall make it good and whosoever thou be that buildest upon God in that case he will performe it 1 Tim. 2.12 I know whom I have beleeved saith Saint Paul some expound this place thus As a man that hath a great debt to pay and relyes upon other men for the money and some cast doubts in his minde what if they should faile you the Apostle answers I know whom I have beleeved so that having tasted of the sweetnesse of God in his soule saith I know whom I have beleeved so ought every man to comfort himselfe upon God Rom. 4.13 that howsoever there be doubtings he may have joy the holy man Abraham was stedfast in beleeving because he knew he was able to performe what he had promised we neede not be weake in faith because he is true as Saint Austin speaking of the Promises saith they are thy Promises whom should we feare It is trueth that hath promised that cannot deceive neither can be deceived So that if a man beleeves here will be comfort Ier. 29.11 I know the thought I have toward thee of peace and not of evill but how will he doe it and when will he doe it God knowes how to doe it though we see no means how
blinde from which it is more averse then this of God and Christ God is great and we know him not saith Elihu this Well is deep and we have nothing of our owne to draw with There are manifest impressions of God stamped upon the creature The invisible thinges of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being understood by the thinges that are made even his eternall power and Godhead Not onely the Heavens and the firmament his glorious and magnificent workemanship declare his glory but the beasts the foules the earth the fishes the least the most contemptible of his creatures shew forth his handy worke yet the wisest of men by these know not God by these which is worse were taken off from God from seekeing him from serving him from seeking him while they imployed their understandings wholly in the search of the secrets of nature and spared no time to enquire after the God of nature from serving him whilest they doted upon and deified the creature worshipping the Sunne the Moone the Hoast of heaven nay foure footed beasts creeping things and plants and hearbs in stead of God But after that in the wisedome of God the world by wisedome knew not God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. cont Gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. ad gentes adm Quae Deus occulta eum voluit non sunt scrutanda quae autem manifesta fecit non sunt neganda ne in illis illicitè curiosi in istis damnabiliter inveniamur ingrati Prosp de vocat gentes it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve It hath pleased God to discover himselfe so far forth as we are able and it is needfull to salvation to know him in his holy word in this God may be found in this God must be sought This is that light in which by which we may behold gaze upon God within this we must contain our inquiry after him that we wax not vaine in our empty speculations and bee precipitated into errours as farre as this we must extend our inquiry after him lest wee bee found guilty of wilfull ignorance and convict of Atheisme He that desires to finde God must to the Law and to the Testimonies must search the Scriptures they testifie of him As the sunne discovers himselfe by his owne beames and the fire by his owne light so God reveales himselfe by his owne word a light more bright then the sunne in his glory discovering God and opening our blinde eies that we may see him Secondly he must seeke him as he will bee sought and that in these particulers First with diligence of endeavour consisting in the dailinesse and serious earnestnesse of inquiry this mystery is great mans capacity is slow it is constant labour that must raise up slow capacities to great mysteries Ioshua had a charge to meditate in the booke of the law day and night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Joh. hom 53. the Bereans had a commendation for doing it and the Eunuch a reward and we a promise if we doe it If thou incline thine eare to wisedome and apply thy heart to understanding if thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God This is that which our Saviour requires in his command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. hom 2. Search the Scriptures for what is it to search but carefully and diligently to inquire out something that is hidden the daily and serious reading and meditation of the w rd make the language of the holy Ghost familiar to us and the eye of the soule quicke sighted Secondly Qui vindemiam colligit vasa prius mundare consuevit quibus vinum infunditur Emunda oculos mentis ne qua festuca peccati ac em tui perstringat ingenii Ambr. Hex lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Chrys in Joh hom 1. with a washed and a pure conscience this is the Apostle Saint Iames his councell Lay aside all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse with him agrees S. Peter Lay aside all malice and all guile c. as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word No man will powre pretious liquors into uncleane vessels nor new wine into old bottles God will not infuse saving knowledge into sensuall hearts but the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will teach them his covenant they that desire to see God and know him as he is must prepare themselves with preparations befitting God for an unsanctified eye cannot see him as hee should be seen nor know him as he should be knowne Thirdly with a teachable and a tractable heart ready to entertaine that light which shineth into it and imbrace and submit unto that truth which God reveales concerning himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Psal 115. without consulting with flesh and blood This is a necessary condition foolish man that cannot perfectly comprehend the nature of the smallest of the basest creature is too ready to measure God by his bruitish understanding there is a generation that make reason which they tear me right the judge of faith and boggle at Concedamus cognitioneÌ„ sui Deo dictisque ejus pâ—â veneratione famulemur Idoneus enim sibi testis est qui nisi per se cognitus non est Hil. de Trin. lib. 1. or plainely deny those mysteries which reason cannot reach to and others that professe not so much to the world secretly harbour the same principle in their hearts manifest it in their disputes they that wil know God must lay aside carnall reasonings and bring with them faith to beleeve what God hath revealed concerning himself though they apprehend it not God knowes himself best and is a sufficient witnesse to himself no words can describe him Hoc mirabilis magis Dei virtus est quod intelligi ab homine magnitudo justitiae non potest ut quantum ad imbecillitatem humanam pertinet pene injustitie especiem magnitudo justitiae habere videatur no minde can conceive him as be is if they could he should not be infinite so not God In this saith Salvian is the excellencie of God more admirable because man cannot understand his justice say the same of all his attributes man cannot understand his wisedome power mercy c. but the greatnesse of his justice seemes to man to be in a manner injustice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Heb. hom 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Martyr cum Tryphone It should bee sufficient to perswade us to beleeve that God hath said it it is one part of that glory which we must yeeld to God and comfort that we must affoord to our selves to acknowledge that wee serve such a God as infinitely
if the stile doth not agree to this of the Prophets and Apostles they are to be rejected If wee will know all true authority wee must know it by the stile for howsoever a false Writer may take to him the name and frame of another man yet hee cannot take his stile for as every man hath his severall countenance and severall colour that though two bee never so like yet there are some things whereby they may bee discerned so the writings of other men may bee knowne from the Scriptures on which the holy Ghost hath set such a stile as is not to bee found in all or any the writings of all the world besides Reas 3. The third ground was the consent of Christ and the Apostles with the Prophets that went before them the latter Prophets consent with the former and the former agree with them therefore this must needs be from a divine direction For amongst men who have written of the same subject wee may finde often variance but these did never really contradict one another there is no discrepance in them to bee found there were some thousands of yeers between the first Prophets writings and the Apostles and some thousands of miles betweene the Prophets and Apostles that wrote at the same time yet all doe agree together the ground is this because Truth as God is ever constant to it selfe Therefore the Prophet Jeremy reproves Hanani Jer. 28. because hee did not consent to the Prophets that went before him and the Apostle pronounceth an anathema against himselfe or an Angel or whosoever should teach any other doctrine All which shewes that there is a marvellous consent in the Scriptures and therefore they must needs be written by God and not by men Quest What other internall Arguments are there in the mindes of men to prove the Scripture the Word of God Answ It is proved first by the Spirit of God who witnesseth the same in the hearts of the Elect Secondly by the power and efficacie of the Word and the working it hath in the hearts of men To explaine this First the Spirit of God witnesseth this in the hearts of the Elect God is the best witnesse of himselfe so is the Spirit the best witnesse of the Word which is not beleeved untill it be settled in the heart of man by the Spirit that wrote it for till then wee reject it Some apply that of the Prophet Isa 59.21 My Spirit that I have put upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth c. In this manner the Spirit and the Word must agree together and continually bear witnesse each to other whatsoever is suggested by the Spirit and agreeth not with the Word is to bee rejected whatsoever is expressed in the Word is not beleeved till witnessed by the Spirit I add to these Christs owne speech to the Jewes John 8.42 43. who bragged that God was their Father if God bee your father why doe you not beleeve my words for if God be your Father then you have the Spirit of God but it is apparant that you have the Spirit of God because you beleeve not my words and therefore God is not your Father John 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice that is they doe acknowledge that this is my voice Ver. 16. I have other sheep that are not of this fold them also I must bring in and they shall heare my voice and ver 3 4. the shepheard calleth his sheep by name and they follow him and a stranger will they not follow where he sheweth that the sons of God have the Spirit of God in them whereby they are able to discerne the writings of God from other writings the Spirit of God giving them a cleare understanding to see and a perswasion to beleeve the truth of them and such a perswasion as no man knowes out of himselfe but in himselfe It is true as wee said before That the majestie of the stile and the consent of the Writers are great arguments to prove the Scriptures Gods Word but yet they give a man no assurance but onely breed in him a kinde of reverence as Salvian saith But if a man bee once enlightened with the Spirit of God hee rests not on his owne judgement nor on the judgement of all the world because hee hath inward judgement in himselfe which is the Spirit And thus much for the first internall argument The second argument is taken from the mindes of men and from the power and efficacie that the Word hath in the hearts and consciences of all men It hath a power to convert them to God to terrifie and awaken them and also to comfort them in distresses to wound them and to make them whole which no other writing can doe therefore it cannot be humane but divine This is manifest Psalm 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule No Philosopher can convert the heart though hee may bring men to outward civilitie like unto this The Word gives wisdome to the simple and therefore is divine It was that which made S. Paul to know that hee was dead for before the Law came hee was alive but when the Law came he was dead This the Apostle Saint Peter presseth to the Gentiles Act. 2.27 28. by which hee wounded them and with the same Word hee healed them no other Word could ever bring them to despaire of their owne righteousnesse no other could sustaine them despairing this is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Finally it is powerfull in operation Heb. 4.11 it is mighty to make a man at variance with himselfe the father against his sonne the mother against the daughter nothing was ever able to doe this but the Word of God Quest What externall proofes are there Answ First the fulfilling of the Prophecies in the Scripture in the same manner and the same circumstances in the same time and in the same persons things many hundred yeers before foretold are so accomplished as foretold this therefore cannot bee but a divine prediction Isa 41.22 The Prophet speaks of the Idols Come and let them tell us what shall come to passe hereafter arguing that to doe so must bee a divine thing The Divell cannot foretell things to come hee may ghesse at them but hee hath alwaies his shifting holes but the holy Scripture hath set downe in plaine termes the time and the persons and other circustances as 1 Reg. 13.2 Isa 45.1 Gen. 15.13 c. therefore it must needs bee a divine wisdome that did indite and inspire them Secondly The second externall argument is the antiquity of these they are ancienter then any other writings whatsoever the Egyptians indeed brag That they had writings before Moses but it is nothing but bragging and untruth Thirdly The great opposition that hath beene made against them and their preservation It is true that Aristotle burnt the books of his Master Plato a great Philosopher that himselfe might bee the more observed
Church cannot giue authority unto it The second Use serves to admonish us to receive the Scriptures for themselves for their owne authority and not for any mans authority whatsoever not for any mans person nor upon the authority of the Church for if we doe so we cannot have true saving faith Every man ought to receive the Scripture for its owne authority not that any man should condemn the authority of the Church but he may not depend onely upon it no not upon Saint Paul himselfe but must search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no we ought not to receive the testimony of any Church in the world except it be grounded upon the Scripture we will use that which Aquinas saith of the woman of Samaria we may use the helpe of an enemy when she told them what things Christ did they beleeved but when they came to Christ himselfe they beleeved not for her saying but because they heard him themselves so we use the authority of the Church as a meanes to come to beleeve but when we beleeve let us not beleeve for the saying of the Church but for the Scriptures themselves Vse 3. This is to admonish every man when he hath received the Word to know it is the truth of God and therefore to labour to make it the Cannon of his faith for the authority it hath in it selfe we ought to examine our selves by this Word Hast thou done any thing that hath not this ground repent of it and for the time to come labour to make this the Cannon of thy life and the rule of thy obedience Art thou tempted by thy owne corruptions or by any other aske them Is there any such Word that will give leave if not thou must beleeve and hold to this for this is the Cannon by which thou oughtest to do all things Hierome complaines of some in his time who did wrest the Law to their owne wils and not their wils to the Law but we must be farre from this for whosoever walks after this rule Gal. 6. mercy and peace shall be to him but if he walke not after this rule he shall have judgement mercilesse Quest The next question is what is the sufficiencie of this Word Answ The answer is that it is that by which it is perfected concerning all things necessary to salvation that place which the Apostle hath 2 Tim. 3.17 doth prove this it is able to make the man of God wise unto salvation and therefore it is sufficient so Deut. 12.32 Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements thou shalt adde naught thereto nor take ought therefrom and therefore it must needs be perfect that to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken must needs be perfect also Psal 19.7 the Law of the Lord is perfect Revel 22. Whosoever shall adde unto this booke God shall adde unto them the plagues that are written in this booke Thus the Word testifies of it selfe and therefore seeing the Word is true it must needs be a perfect rule Quest What Reason doe you shew for further proofe of this Answ First because it was the written Will and testimony of God Secondly Because after the Lord had given the Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by any unwritten word Thirdly Because Christ and his Apostles never proved their Doctrine by any unwritten word To explane these First It is the written Will and testimony of God therefore we call these the old and new Testament a mans will after it is confirmed no estate will admit to be altred therefore if we may not alter mans will much lesse may we alter Gods Secondly It is sufficient because that after the Lord had given his Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by traditions before the giving of the Law the truth went from hand to hand but after that God had written the Law they never came to him but upon some especiall occasion as for the Blasphemer c. Bellarmine confesseth this that there are some Catholiques speake with great probability that the Jewes after God had written the Law had no traditions Austin saith in the old Testament the Gospell was hid but in the new Testament it was made more plaine If God would teach the Jewes by nothing but by the written Word when it was more obscure much lesse us who have it more cleare Thirdly Because whatsoever Christ and his Apostles taught they proved by the written Word thus saith a Prophet and thus saith the Psalmes nay certainly Christ opposed traditions when he found that their authority corrupted the Law Mat. 5. but I say unto you rejecting those traditions the true word of God is this therefore the conclusion is that the Scriptures are a perfect rule containing all things to be beleeved and done Vse 1. The first Use teacheth us that then must fall to the ground all unwritten traditions the ground of all which is said to be the insufficiency of the Scriptures but if the Scriptures be sufficient then traditions have nothing to leane upon but it is blasphemie to thinke that God would not perfect that Word he began and therefore traditions are nothing Oh! say they the Scriptures doe not containe all fundamentall points for faith To this I answer If they had said the Scriptures doe not containe all the fundamentall points of their faith I would willingly subscribe to it the word of God no where speakes of Saint Peters successours the word no where speakes of invocation of Saints prayer for the dead indulgences and pardons these things the Scripture doth not containe but these are all of them contrary to the foundation but we beleeve nothing as necessary to salvation besides the Scripture We doe not doubt but that the Saints kept many excellent speeches and sayings of Christ as that in the Acts as the Lord said it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive but if there be any such tradition that is not for substance to be found in the word that we reject because the Scriptures are sufficient for the conclusion we will end with a speech of St. Austin I seek in the Gospell if I finde it not there where shall I finde it so may I say if we find not traditions in the word where shall we find them Vse 2. This teacheth the Ministers of God that they must prove the Doctrine they teach unto the people where shall they have that light no where but from the word they must not follow the vision of any man but only the word wherein God hath comprized every thing that he will have his people taught as it was in the creation the light was at large before the Sunne was created but after that was created God inclosed all light in the Sun so some time the word of God was taught from hand to hand God informed some and they taught others but after that God had written the Scriptures all were to receive their light
it should come to passe let us leave to God his owne worke the effecting his gracious promises and be imployed in the worke that concernes our selves as Chrysostome saith when God promises feare not only doe that we ought to doe to draw such promises upon our selves for God never failes his Vse 3. The third use is to exhort to imitation every one that thinks himselfe Gods must be like God though he cannot bee perfectly like him yet he must have truth in every thing trueth in speech trueth in performance c. Pythagoras being asked what that was that makes a man most like the Gods when they speake truly saith he but Pythagoras was a lyer and all the gods of the nations were lyars yet they saw this trueth that that which made a man specially like to God was to speake truth every man ought to labour to speake truth All lies must be laid a side for he is the child of the divel that makes sporte of a lye There be officious lyes as to lye for a mans benefit yet as Saint Augustine answers Saint Hierome this makes a man that when he tells the trueth hee should not bee believed and this also makes them unlike to God So also there bee pernitious lyes which are worst of all as when men lye for the hurt of others this makes men most unlike God put away lying saith the Apostle and every man speake the trueth to his neighbour So every man ought to be constant and faithfull to performe whatsoever he promises Iam. 5.12 Let your yea be yea and looke that what you say that you performe Gods promises are yea and amen so every mans word must be certainely kept in things lawfull and holy Gods promises are all made in wisdome mans in infirmity this is that for which every man ought to labour even to performe what he promises We must be wary what we promise and carefull that we performe for it is lying to promise a thing and never meane to performe it yea it is an impious thing for he that is unfaithfull in the lesse is unfaithfull in the greater if not yet his faithfulnesse is not for love of the truth the refore men must consider what they promise as Act. 5.4 Saint Peter saith to Ananias Was it not thine owne but when hee promised it he put himselfe out of his owne power Quest But is a man alwaies bound to performe whatsoever he promises Ans The answer is yes except in these and the like cases First if a man can get him selfe free by him to whom he hath promised because he that bound him may free him and if he shall free him a man needs not performe his promise and yet stand free still Secondly a man may promise a thing he understands not to be unlawful yet afterwards comes to see that it was unlawfull then he is free not to keep it and yet remaines true As if a man should promise to conceale a secret prejudicall to the state and common wealth or an apprentice should promise to wast or give away his masters goods In these and such cases they were bound to be humble for and repent of the rashnesse of their promises and are not tied to the performance of them These and such like cases excepted promises are alwaies to be kept The conclusion is plaine dealing is a jewell for it will alwaies more honor a man and comfort him both living and dying then all that is got by deceiving by lying and dissembling by officious lyes or pernitious lyes But this is prophanely added that he that useth it will die a begger but I say he that useth it not shall die much worse then a beast for a beast hath not any understanding and therefore he shall never come to judgement but man hath understanding and therefore shall come to judgement even he that was afraid to die a begger shall come to judgement such deceitful men the holy one excludes out of heaven Psal 15. The next attribute is goodnesse and that belongs to the will of God of that goonesse of God we are to speake now and therefore to avoyde all distinction according to our order the question is this Quest What is the goodnes of God and of the divine Essence Ans The answer is It is a communicable attribute whereby it is absolute in and of it selfe good liberall and bountifull communicating good to the creature This being the description we must open the severall parts and first the answer saith that God is good liberall c. and this is true But yet to expresse the extention of that we have in hand I say further that he is goodnesse it selfe God is an accident and no accident is in God God is good and whatsoever is in God is good God is good and such a good as hath no evil annexed to it as that which is truly heate is not mixed with any cold and that which is essentially sweet is not mixed with any sowre so God is such as that whatsoever is in him is essentiall Thus we finde in Scripture as in Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe thou cruell man seeing the goodnesse of God c. Rom. 2.14 The bountifulnesse of God that is the godnesse of God so the Apostle speakes 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly I call it a communicable Attribute because this goodnesse is in some proportion in man though not as it is in God therefore we call it communicable not that there is goodnesse in man as it is in God but a goodnesse whereby we resemble the divine nature as the Apostle Peter saith The next thing that he is good in and of himselfe the ground of this is that which Christ speakes Mat. 19.17 Why callest thou me good there is none good but God There are good men but there are none eternally and essentially good but God There is a created goodnesse and there is an uncreated goodnesse and therefore we say he is good in and of himselfe and is good to the creatures and this the Learned call a relative goodnesse This goodnesse in the extension not essentially relative as it is in the three persons is here ment but a relative betweene the creature and God and this is the same Gen 1.13 And he looked upon all that he had made and behold it was very good so in many other things Psal 118.1 Praise ye the Lord because he is good and his mercy c. he is good shewing mercy that is his bountifulnesse continues for ever Psal 73.1 However God is good to Israel The goodnesse of God admits this division some is spirituall some temporall some generall and some particular Common goodnesse he shewes to all but his speciall he shewes but to some Psal 34.11 The Lord is a sunne and shield and he will give grace and glory what to every man no but to the pure in heart So Christ saith Mat. 7.10 If a sonne aske his father bread will he give him a stone If