to observe the unjustness of sectaries who impute easiness to Catholiques avouching that according to their Religion a bare confession of sinns to a Preist pacifies and appeases God whereas besides confession not to speak of its horridness a verseness to nature they hold as necessary all the other above mentioned Acts that if any one bee wanting their confessions become invalid and sacrilegious Above all their strangeness breakes out in their complaint of uneveness in their way as though it were such a matter to believe Christes merits who is the source and fountain of all worth or to have a confidence in God whose goodness trascends all that can be sinne and yet this is the very quintessence of their requisites to reconciliation with God albeit their sinnes should swell to drown in loudness the cryes of Sodome and Gomorrha CHAP. 13. Of the Spirit of Spiritists 1. THe spirit of God in God is as God every where I fill heaven and earth Jer. 23. So as in this sense none can be absent from his essence presence nor vertue But the question runs of the effects thereof which depending upon his will are confined within narrower limits This truth appears bright in St Iohn where he forbiddeth to give credit to every spirit Jo. 1.4 To deny that the spirit of God is active fruitfull in some were to fall into another extream and in effect to call Gods goodness mercy in question to know and discern who they be the onely way is to see their warrant and examine their works If their warrant prove that of Miracles and their workes good doubtless they have the favour of Gods spirit if otherwise they are at the best but pretence makers and ushers of innovation 2. This way must needes be true and sure because Christ and Saint Paul taught it and it stands with right reason for bare sayings without proof are sounds of want and emptiness and the capacity of every Agent being to produce effects like it self it is as impossible for the spirit of God that is all goodness to be the author of ill as for a reasonable creature to beget an unreasonable or heat to cause cold Whence it is plain that the spirit of Spiritists is a false imposture a meer figment and delusion in as much as it is destitute of Miracles and induceth to ill it perswading a disloyall defection from our Lords Prayer the Commandements and Church Bucer in Mat. 6. Calvin in Mat. 6. Luther de Moyse Zuinglius in explan art 16. Tindal in Fox his acts pa. 140. edit An. 1610. in the consonancy and dissonancy to which consist the goodness and badness of all Actions All actions being good or bad according as they are conform or difforme to Gods known will which is apparently manifested in the aforesaid Hereto adde that the spirit of Spiritists prompteth things contrary and imconsistent each with other Lutherans assert the reallity of Christs ' body Zuinglians maintain a bare figure Calvinists differ from both which cannot befall the spirit of God for so the spirit of truth might become the spirit of Errour and falshood 3. To say that God is no excepter of persons that his spirit being free may breath on whom he pleaseth is out of the matter in hand here being no dispute of Gods power what he may doe but of his will what he doth Their other ground for inspiration upon the assurance of Conscience St Paul and St Austin convinced long since of weakness and cozenage St Paul when for yielding to Conscience in persecuting the primitive Christians he acknowledged himself unworthy of the name of an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. St Austin when he sharpned his pen against Manichisme which before in obedience to Conscience he upheld and defended Conscience can have no greater certainty than the understanding that gave it being and the understanding experience teacheth to be so bad an aymer that in the search of truth it oftner misses than hits CHAP. 14. Of the Spiritists Rule of faith 1 THe Rule of faith may be considered in it self or in respect of us in it self it is Gods revealed truth in respect of us it is the same truth expressed to us Thus far Catholiques and Spiritists agree their difference is about the expression These holding that it is that of their private spirit joyned to that of Scripture onely Those that it is that of the Church Scripture bearing witness of her truth This latter is clear by what hath been already said in the third Chapter and will appear yet more by disproving the former Which for the first part that it is false and spurious Saint Peter gives evidence point-blank 2. Pet. 1. No interpretation of Scripture by private spirit Saint Paul speakes to the same effect where he wisheth 2. Cor. 10. to captivate the understanding to the obedience of faith And our Saviour confirms both testimonies obliging all under pain of damnation Mat. 18.17 to believe the Church If the Church be to sway every private spirit must stoop and obey for none can serve two Masters Luke 16. 2. For the second that it is deficient Scripture attesteth referring to the Church and reason makes it good For as much as the expression Faith requires ought to be as full and ample as the duty of Faith that is it must be able to informe the understanding in all it stands bound to give assent unto wherein the expression of Scripture alone is defective it not declaring sundry pointes Christians acknowledge themselves bound to believe To wit that those bookes of Scripture which are received for Canonicall are so indeed That some are Canonicall other some Apocryphall That they are determinately these or others That the Jewes Sabaoth is to be neglected and laid aside and the Sunday solemnized That the Creed is authenticke and truely the Apostles That it is lawfull to eate straâ—gled meates and blood But these men please themselves with onely talke of Scripture for were Scripture as they pretend the Rule of their beliefe though it containes divers truths yet those truths meeting and becoming one in Revelation they would all perfectly agree not onely Lutherans among themselves Calvinists among themselves but likewise Lutherans with Zuinglians and Calvinists with both it being the propertie of unity to unite and make one all that conforme to the same Whereas happening quite contrary it is a manifest signe that fancy under specious pretences of Scripture the Spirit is the great Idol they do homage to Lutherans to Luthers Zuinglians to Zuinglius and Calvinists to Calvin CHAP. 15. Of the Protestant Church Protestants cast a fairer shine than the Spiritists and certes were their Church as true as it is seeming they could not be justly taxed But all is not gold that glisters Satan is apt to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11. Falshood it self is not seldome seen in the habiliments of truth and therefore this Chapter pretends to lay open the many
3. By the first conformity Man comes to the knowledge of God as he is the Author and end of Grace by the second relies upon his mercy and goodnesse that in due time he will grant and give those good things which Christ hath taught us to ask in his prayer in the last he is taken with the beauty of his divine perfections and so in joyes him in a higher and more eminent manner Both Happinesses in this life are imperfect by reason of the glimmering light Man onely hath of God during the same they will be compleated and perfected in the next When Man after a willing complyance with Gods grace in this shall see him not as in a looking glasse 1 Cor. 13. but face to face as he is in himself CHAP. 4. Of the diversities of faiths hopes and charities 1 IT is demonstrable that there are divers sortes of Faiths Hopes and Charities as habituall and Actuall Divine Habituall and Actuall Humane for some believe hope for and love supernaturall things with the same if not more eagernesse and fervency than naturall which Actions suppose as effects their proper and proportioned causes supernatutall qualities naturall not being able in respect of their meaner extract on and dignity to give such noble births Those are called divine because infused by Gods extraordinary power these humane for that they are acquired by the strength of nature 2. The Habituall divine are the supernaturall qualities themselves The Actuall divine are acts of the will of understanding as raised and enabled to a higher pitch by those supernaturall qualities The Habituall humane are the acquired qualities themselves the Actuall humane are acts of the will and understanding as inclined and fitted for act on by those acquired qualities The Habituall and Actuall divine differ further from the Habituall and Actuall humane in their materiall and formall objects as also in the Means whereby those severall objects come to knowledge the materiall of Habituall and actuall divine being revealed Truths the formal Revelation the materiall of habituall and actuall humane unrevealed Truths the formall the light of Reason private reading or information The meanes of habituall and actuall Divine the Tradition of the Church of Habituall and actuall humane the light of Reason private reading or information 3. Now forasmuch as Christianity is a supernaturall building contrived and framed by the wisdome of God to last for ever of which Faith is the foundation Hope the walls and Charity the Roofe and perfection The conformities expressed in the precedent Chapter are to be understood of divine Faith Hope Charity and not of humane because all nature joyn'd gather'd in one is not able to make a Being above Nature And these are the vertues call'd Theological as having God immediatly for object the harmonious Sisters three in number but one in affection none desiring that which displeaseth other Greatness is their essentiall attribute yet Charity excells St. Paul 1 Cor. 13. compares them together extolls them all but in the close gives unto Charity the preheminence And not undeservedly for she is the enlivening soule of Faith and Hope and all the moral vertues both they and these being out of her company as dead bodies without life or motion as to heaven and Eternity CHAP. 5. Of the Churches power and infallibilitie in matters of Faith 1 SUpposing it for granted ' that Christs knowledge of Gods reaveled truth and his power to convey the same to beliefe raised his preaching teaching to the full height and perfection of a Rule of beliefe to the first Christians it cannot in reason be denied he having communicated his said knowledg and power to the Apostles in them to the succeeding Churches as appears by his own words All I have learnt of my father I have made known unto you Joh. 15. As my father sent me so I send you Joh. 20. but she may challeng a like interest and right in respect of after-Christians whence it followeth that all matters of Beliefe as well other points as scripture are to be taken upon her accompt and ciedit and that whatsoever comes upon any other score is to be reputed Apocryphall and no way appertaining to the Obligation of Beleife 2. St Paul declares this truth unto the Ephesians assuring them that they are builded upon no other foundation than the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2. likewise to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2. and Timothy 1 Tim 6. bidding them hold the traditions and keep the depositum and again if an Angell from heaven shall Evangelize any other than what I have Evangelized to you let him be accursed Gal. 7. The reason is cleare because the Rule of Beliefe is the Measure of beliefe beyond which there is not any conformity or obedience due from Beliefe 3. The usuall colour for believing more or lesse than the Church alloweth of grounded upon her pretended subjection to Errour is vain inasmuch as that very Christ that stored her with knowledge of Gods revealed truth and with power to convey the same hath also indowed her with inerrability whereby to convey it safely and without danger of miscarrying by arming her proof aginst all the enemies of truth against ignorance Mat. 13. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven against darknesse Mat. 6. you are the light of the world against Errour and falshood Joh. 14. I will send unto you the spirit of truth to remaine with you for ever Jsaah 62. thou shalt no more be called forsaken against Weaknesse 1. Tim. 3. she is the Pillar and ground of truth Mat. 16. Hell gates shall not prevaile against her To make which good and the worke sure Christ called his eternall father to his aid prayed him and was heard for his reverence Heb. 5. And to prevent and cut off all occasions of imagining that these favours bestowed on the Church were not to survive the Apostles for a continuance in the succeeding Church Christ adds Behold I am with you all dayes to the end of the world Mat. 28. soe as it must be said that either Christ was not of power to keep his Church from straying or that he wanted fidelity to make good his word 4. The certanity divine faith requires to build on is a further Evidence of the Churches infallibility for how is it possible Faith can be certain if the Church that is to ascertain it be uncertain and fallible look on the Churches composure and nature and her strength will appear yet more by reason she is framed and made up of men dispersed and spread over the world who by this meanes being of severall Nations different tempers and interests neither could nor can meet or conspire to Cheat themselves and posterity with a lie That men of themselves are apt to mistake and deceive is from the purpose So the evangelists might have fallen short of performing their taske But as God holding their hands and guiding their pennes his holy word
was truly and infallibly coucht on the sacred leaves of the Bible so assisting and strengthening his Church she becomes in all matters concerning faith powerfull and infallible God is not tyed to this or tother he is free to worke his wonders where when and to whom he pleaseth Neither is there any disproportion betwixt men thus assisted and infallibility it being not necessary for the production of a supernaturall effect that every part of the total cause be supernatural for it is visible to the eye that God frequently makes use of secondary causes in the production of supernaturall effects in that of faith Rom. 10. of hearing and preaching in that of Grace Mat. 18 19 of Elements and words in that of the blind man Jo. 6. of spittle and earth CHAP. 6. Of the possibilitie of keeping the Commandements 1 NOt onely that it is possible to keep the Commandements but also that divers have kept them is a truth so cleerly delivered both in the old and new Testament that there is cause to wonder any can make question thereof In the old Moses speaking of the Commandments sayes Deut. 30. They are not above but very near us in our Mouths in our hearts to doe them Noe Ezekias Josias Josaphat Asa Gen. 6. 4 Kings 18. 2 Paral. 30. 4 Kings 22. 1 Paral. 15 2 Paral. 20. Tob. 2. Iob 1.17 2 Kings 7. 3 Kings 9. Luke 2. Mat. 11.21 Luke 1. Joacham Tobias Job kept them In the New Christ is no lesse plain My yoke is sweet my burden light Simeon St John the Baptist Zacharias Elizabeth the B. Virgin kept them Gods conditional promises to David and his Posterity could be termed no better than Jeers unlesse the commandements were possible To what purpose so much perswasion in Books and Pulpits to live well if the Commandements be impossible is living well any other than keeping of the Commandements It is assuredly as rid culous as impious to tearm him a good liver that steales murthers and commits adultery c. The justness of lawes that inflict severe punishments vpon the breakers of the Commandements are not at all consistent with the impossibility of keeping them Necessity is a good and forcible excuse against the strongest charge The very light of Reason giveth testimonie to the Commandements possibility they being all grounded upon Reason and suited to her bent and inclination The wickedest man alive cannot say with truth that he breaketh any Commandment without some secret check of conscience 2. To alledge that God onely requires mans indeavour is repugnant to Christs express words which are not Mat. 19. If thou wilt come to heaven endeavour to keep but keep the Commandements Many a good endeavour as many a good purpose burns in Hell Heaven being the reward of doing not of endeavouring Besides it is equally unnaturall to endeavour impossibilityes and to desire things unknown Who could Choose but smile to see one leap and skip as ayming to soar fly in the Ayr knowing it to be possible onely for Birds that are fitted with wings and feathers for the purpose Indeed to point at any particular that doth keep the Commandements is hard no man knowing Eccles 9. whether he be worthy of love or hatred But that all in generall may keep them Christ himselfe assures it 2. Tim 2. Willing all to be saved God wills nothing impossible and he that wills the end wills the meanes 3. True it is neither Men nor Angells can love God as he is loveable that 's a perfection God onely is capable of nevertheless it is in the power both of Angells and Men to love God so far forth as the capacity of their condition reacheth which though it be a perfection of a lower degree yeâ— it is sufficient to denominate and render the subject it is in perfect And even this I confess is aâ— effect which Gods grace hathâ— chief hand in but that is no Baâ— for Man having his share to Grace and Nature are not inconsistent yea Grace supporteth nay bettereth Nature they may then joyn and endeavour together as two of unequall strength drawing a boat one draweth more but yet both draw The part Grace acts in the working of salvation is to enlighten the understanding move and enable the Will The part Man acts is to comply with Grace Cor. 6.1 to yield and consent to her good Motions Apocj 3.20 Wherefore salvation is the work not of Grace alone nor of man alone but of Grace and Man joyning hand and heart together St Austin Tom. 10. Serm. 15. de verb. Apost post med speakes truth He that made you without you will not justifie you without you CHAP. 7. Of Religion 1 SUch is the dread of Gods awfull Majesty imprinted in Man that the most bararous people deem it a duty to set apart some time to worship him in the light of reason teaching that a certain return of honour and veneration is due from the effect to its cause whereby to express subjection gratitude and thankfullness and albeit impiety wants not Proselites that rejecting the Deity refuse to do him homage their folly is to be imputed to lack of grace and not oâ— the said light as appeares by readiness observeable in them to suffer for their opinion If thâ— other world yield no Punisher nâ— Rewarder no Hell nor Heaven it is madness to fear and vain prodigality to give away life the chief good and best flower of natures garden 2. This naturall propension to praise and magnify God begets religious acts and Religious acts that great moral vertue called Religion but Religion in a more common acception consists in Beliefe not humane grounded upon Reason but divine relying on the Churches Authoritie and the assistance of the holy Ghost It is the doctrine of Christ delivered by himself in plain and express terms Mar. 16. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth goe ye therefore and preach the Gospell unto all nations hee that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be condemned Jo. 14. I will send unto you the holy Ghost who shall teach you all Truth Christ here speakes to the Apostles the Church giveth power to preach the Gospell to the Apostles the Church promiseth salvation to Believers of the Apostles the Church threatens damnation to unbelievers of the Apostles the Church lastly that there may be no pretence for disobedience he assureth to the Apostles the Church a peculiar assistance of the holy Ghost whose proper effect is to keep power from excess and failing 3. Not a word of or to Reason what colour then for attributing so much to Reason and so little to the Church as to deny Christ to have intrusted her with his Truth as if the Gospell were not Christs truth or Christs impowering the Church to preach the Gospell meant any other thing than to intrust her with his truth Had Reason the preheminence of Belief St Paul would not have subjected Reason unto Belief bidding all
poor illiterate men to perswade a Religion so contrary to flesh and blood as mortification of Wills Fasting Chastity c. Luther was a man of learning and parts who had onely to instil a doctrine acceptable and pleasing to the depravedness of nature to perform which needed not abilities other than naturall 3 A third shape is Protestants received their Mission from Catholick Bishops in Queen Elizabeths dayes and since ANSWER 1. If some did which is to be proved Nay the contrary seemes demonstrated by Doctor Champney it is evident the greater part did not and what a Church must that company make of which most are judged fit to preach the word of God and administer the Sacraments without authority But admit the calling of Protestant Bishops and Pastours were right in all of them it would not follow that the Protestant Church is true so long as she advanceth Protestanisme contrary to the meaning of the Catholique Bishops who never impowr'd any but in relation to the setting up and upholding of Catholique Religion 2. Furthermore Communion with the true Church being as necessary a requisite to the making up of a true Church as union of parts to the compleating of a naturall body what colour for truth in the Protestant Church that is at variance with the Catholique of whom she gloryeth to have her power and which she confesseth to be a true Church whereto adde that Protestants derivation from Catholiques is not proof for a personall succession of Bishops and Pastours agreeing in all points with Protestants which ought to be the scope and ayme of that derivation it being not required of Protestants to deduce a succession from Christ and his Apostles of men meerly sent but withall professing the doctrine maintained in the Church of England For although doctrine be no mark of the true Church as shall be shewn hereafter nevertheless it is her inseparable Mate insomuch that where true Doctrine is wanting there the true Church cannot be Christ having intrusted her with his truth and ordained her keeper and preserver thereof 3. It will be said such a succession may be shewn but mingled pale-male with Catholiques as corn with chaffe good fish with bad conformably to Scripture comparing the Church to a barn-floor where there is corn and chaffe together Math. 3. to a Net replenished with all sortes of fish Math. 13. Repl. This mixture must have been either of Protestant and Catholique doctrine in the same company of men making profession of both or in severall companies one professing one another the other It could not be the former because that would be a clear argument that the Church hath erred contrary to what was proved in the fift Chapter Besides the name of Protestant to this company would be very improper holding a Doctrine inconsistent with the Protestant Surely whosoever over and above the Protestant Doctine should profess the Arian or Nestorian would deem himself jeered and laughed at to hear himself styled by the name of Protestant Doctrine being in nature much like unto number the least addition or diminution altering its kind and grounding a new denomination Nor the latter in as much as there is no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and Idols no concord with Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. The Arke of God and Dagon may not stand together 1. Kings 5. It were a strange example if the Church unparaleld for love to her spouse that professeth so much to truth and strictly forbiddeth ill company as dangerous to her Children should receive into her company Lyers and Innovatours This would leave a stain upon her reputation make her sincerity be suspected her Doctrine contemned and despised But she who is all fair Cant. 6. Without spot or wrinkle Epes 5. is free from any such guilt Sectaries being as hideous and hatefull in her sight as their suggestions are full of poyson and destructive to soules 4. It will be said Protestant Bishops and Pastours were not so near mingled with Catholiques as either to believe or profess their Doctrine they onely concealed and covered their own for fear of the formidable rigour of Catholiques Repl. such Bishops and Pastours could neither be true nor make a saving Church Not true because the Mission of true Bishops and Pastours being founded upon persecution and suffering Loe I send you as sheep among Wolves Math. 10. Luke 11. it is proper for them to fear no colours Cruelty in her gastliest hue is not able to fright or daunt them from preaching the word of God and administring the Sacraments The Apostles gave testimony to this truth when commanded by higher powers to forbear mentioning Christ or his actions they bravely and with stoutness reported that they could not choose but declare What they had seen and heard yea even outraged and ill entreated for this behalf they went away glad and rejoycing to be thought worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus Acts. 5. All the glorious Martyrs and Confessours confirm the same by their profession of faith amidst the loathsome stenches of close Prisons and horrible torments of bloody persecutours 5. Nor make up a saving Church by reason profession of Faith is necessary to salvation Rom. 10. In heart it is believed to justice by mouth profession is made unto Salvation Mat. 10. He that denies me to men I will denie him before my father c. The Comparisons are meant of private men for matter of manners not of any mixture of true and false Doctrine Orthodoxall Heretical Bishops Pastours together 6. A fourth shape is in all ages since Christ and his Apostles there have been Protestant Bishops and Pastours but through the negligence of men and hard fate of times their names have miscarried and perish'd And as it is no argument many famous Romans and Graecians are not named therefore never were any such men so it is no less fals a sequell Protestant Bishops and Pastours are not mentioned all the way from Christ and the Apostles therefore they were sometimes wanting ANSWER 1. It is not the same of private men and of Bishops and Pastours These have Christs Warrant and assurance for a Continuance of visibility so have not those Math. 28. Bishops and Pastours are as Aqueduces and Limbecks through which the vivifying waters of Christs holy Doctrine are derived into our eares and distilled into our soules so are not private men should they be at any time clouded and in obscurity Christ would be worse than his word his Doctrine fall short and not come home to us 2. It will be said visibility is a badge private men wear as well as Bishops and Doctours therefore it cannot be inferred more of the one than of the other Repl. Visibility is not peculiar to Bishop and Pastours but necessity of visibility is private men in this way of visibility being onely contingently visible So that though this inference be not right they are visible men therefore they are Bishops and Rastours no more