warne us For I doe you to wit that this your heresie is no now thing but even as ancient as the Apostles time For the reason of Iohns writing of his Gospel was to prove the God-head of Christ against the Hereticks that denied it in His own time And truely I maruell that you who have received this heresie from the rotten bones of Arius should not provide for your safety as he did He denied the authority of S. Iohns writings to be authenticall And why because this earth-bred Giant which would pull Christ out of the throne of His Deitie should with his lightning be suddenly burnt Beleeve you the Scripture Is Iohns authority sufficient then the case is plaine We are in Him that is true in His Son Iesus Christ who is very God and eternall life 1. Ioh. 5.20 Can you now confer this Scripture with that place I have said yee are Gods and not be ashamed I and the Father are one The Iewes understood that He herein professed Himselfe to be very God and are you His enemy more then they Reade Ioh. 10. ver 30. 33. 34. and you may understand the meaning of both places The devills acknowledged Him to be God of Infinite power I know Thee who Thou art even that Holy One of God And will not you confesse as much as the devills But this is more then I thought to say onely you may see hereby that we speake no other thing then Christ Himselfe even in His enemies understanding said Now if you could see a little the folly of your own opinion that were inough to cause you to put on a better mind I will touch it as lightening doth touch the ground for if you be willing to be reformed there is no doubt but you may propound it to the learned Divines and be fully satisfied You say Christ is onely man but yet indued with the infinite Power of God Here first you doe injurie to the Highest to make the Power of God to be accidentall unto Him whereas hee is purus actus absolute perfection and without shadow of change His Being is most simple and pure not capeable of accidents Then His Being is such as no addition can be made thereto to make it more then it is therefore it is necessary that He be ever actually whatsoever he may be Besides His Being is Infinitely distant from Not-Being therefore His Power is inseparable Againe if there come any thing to God as an accident it must come unto Him from Himselfe or else from another not from another for He is impassible or such as caÌ„not suffer violence not from Himselfe for all such accidents doe proceed à potentià that is from the imbecillity or imperfection of the subject but His Being is most simple and infinitely perfect Againe all accidents do rise from the matier forme or composition of the subject In Him is neither matier forme nor coÌ„position Now al things we see in this world do consist ex actu potentià of perfection from God imperfection from theÌ„selues for of themselues they are non entia absolutely nothing Yea even the very Angels and the soule it selfe are partakers of this composition for nothing is purus actus but God alone therefore are they subject to accidents yet they which come neerest to perfection are most free from accidents as that which is meere perfection hath no accidents at all Know then that all the dignities of God are in him essentially one God For the Goodnesse of God His Power His Wisedome His Glory c. Being all infinite do of necessitie concurre in the nature of Infinitie Whence it followeth that whatsoever is in Him is essentially Himselfe therefore the power of God is not accidental or such as may be impâ—rted to a man The learned Hebrues according to this doe hold that Ensoph or Infinitie is not to be numbred among the other attributes of God because it is that abstract Vnity whereinto they all essentially concurre and from which they all essentially proceed and hence by the way take another strong argument to the former question for if God bee essentially a Father then the terme correlative a Sonne must be in the Godhead also and that essentially But now againe see another folly in your supposition The work of our Redemption is a work of infinite goodnesse mercie power wisedome and glory therefore it followeth that Christ the worker had infinite mercie power wisedome c. Now I demand had Christ this infinite goodnesse and power so given to Him of God that the Father Himselfe had in the meane time none This you dare not say for that were to say that God did cease to be God which cannot stand with His Eternity Now if God the Father had notwithstanding this absolute infinite power of Christ of which He spake All power is given unto Me both in heaven and in earth then it followeth that either there were two infinities of power or else that these two which had this infinite Power were all one Infinite The first is against the nature of Infinitie for that is absolutely infinite which so comprehendeth all things as that it leaveth nothing without it selfe and yet is not comprehended of any other Besides if you would say that the Father and the Sonne had each of them severall indiuisible infinite Powers it must follow that neither of their Powers were absolutely infinite because each of them had not the infinite Power of the other And besides that both these infinite Powers must be conjoyned with infinite weakenes because they must be mutually subjected to the infinite Power one of the other But both these things are impossible So you see that two Infinities can by no meanes stand together therefore it followeth that these two to wit the Father and the Son are in Being one and that of infinite Power and this is that which I strive for which as you see I have concluded by your own assertion The time would faile me to lay before your eyes the manifold untruths which would ensue of your position which favoureth neither of wit judgement nor learning And therefore I see how they which have once departed from the truth must of necessiity run into infinite absurdities Therefore looke back and be ashamed of such new-fangled toys as you do daily imagine which in truth do argue the great inconstancy and vanity of your mind withall such palpable blindnes of understanding as the darknes of Egypt For tel me without selfe-liking what sound judgement doth this argue to be driven about with every wind of doctrine a Protestant a Brownist an Anabaptist an Antichrist What bringing up what gift of learning and knowledge have you that you should presume to oppose your sentence against the faith doctrine of all the Christian Churches in the world Blush and learne with meeknes the truth of that Word which is able to save your soule You may see by your owne miserable experience what it is to forsake the Vnitie of Faith and the Communion of the Saints who imbrace the truth of Gods word and have manifest tokens that they are the true Church to wit The word of God truely taught and the Sacraments duely administred What if there want perfection The Church militant must ever confesse I am lovely yet black For it is impossible that any church should be without imperfection so long as the world standeth but at the end it shall be presented without spot or wrinkle Therefore remember from whence you are fallen and repent and doe the works of righteousnesse lest Christ whom you so despite come against you shortly The worke of Christianity is not in foolish questions and disputing about needles subtilties but in doing the works of truth and righteousnesse Pray and endevour your selfe thereto And till such time as God for His Christs sake vouchsafe to have mercy on you the enemy of His Son and give you grace to repent of this great wickednes I am neither your friend nor yet your foe ALEX. GIL FINIS
or Writings 1. First that wee through patience and comfort of these Scriptures might have firme and sure hope in God and His promises Rom. 15.4 2. Secondly that nothing through mans infirmity might be forgotten of all that which ought to be in continuall remembrance 3. Lest by the wickednesse of men and the subtilty of the devil inciting them thereto the holy Doctrine of God might be corrupted from the native and true meaning and so new Doctrines and new Religions brought in in stead of that Service which we owe onely to God and that according to His owne revealed Will and Word 4. No man knoweth the thoughts of a man but onely that spirit of a man which is within him much lesse can any know the things of God but onely the holy Spirit of God The things of God of which I speake are either such as concerne Himselfe or us Himselfe as that in His being He is a Spirit Eternall infinite in Wisedome c. In essence one in Persons three in His dispensation towards us that in the fulnesse of time the Eternall Sonne should dwell in the Tabernacle of our flesh that in our nature and for us He might make satisfaction for our sinne that we might be restored againe to the favour of God which wee had lost by our transgression and so have hope of the full enjoying of those benefits which come unto us thereby as the resurrection of our bodies and eternall life both in body and soule And because it was impossible for us to understand those things except God Himselfe had revealed them unto us therfore it was necessary that He should vouchsafe the certaine and immutable knowledge of them by His Holy Word 5. No Kingdome can bee ordered according to Iustice wherein the Lawes are not manifest and to bee knowne of every subject that will know them But Christ is that King that is to raigne in Iustice Esay 32.1 Therefore it was necessary that the lawes and ordinances of His Kingdome which peculiarly is His Church should be so published that every one both small and great might take knowledge of them 6. No punishment is due but for some offence and where no law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 So no reward is due but either in justice for some merit above dutie as the merit of Christ on our behalfe or else in mercie by promise for the carefull performance of that which is due But neither duty nor punishment nor merit nor mercie can either appeare or be such where no law is Therefore it was necessary that God by His Word should both shew what duty He did require of us and what punishment was due to the breakers of His law and what reward was due to the observers as the law declares And moreover because no man in this state of corruption by originall sinne is able to performe the law of God as he ought in perfect righteousnesse Therefore it was also necessary in this impossibilitie on our parts to make it knowne how wee might bee delivered from the punishment by the mediation of another as the Gospel shewes 7. And because so great a benefit as the deliverance of mankind from the thraldome of the devill was never to bee forgotten therefore it was necessary not onely that the Church should bee prepared unto the expectation thereof and dayly put in mind by such lively signes as the sacrifices were the true meaning of which they were taught by the Prophets but also when the time came that the promises should bee fulfilled that the Church should be throughly informed and confirmed in the trueth thereof by the powerfull doctrine and glorious miracles which were done both by the authour and finisher of our faith and by those who were eye-witnesses of all things which they testified to the world Therefore it was necessary that both before the comming of Christ the Church should be catechised unto Christ by the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets and after His comming bee fully instructed by the Apostles and Evangelists the Holy-Ghost evermore working in the hearts of the elect that the things which were taught should be beleeved § 3. Hath it indeede beene the practise of the devill by his principall agents the persecuters of the Church to deface the Holy Scripture and to put out their remembrance among men Histories affirme it Neither can the Father of lies hate any thing so much as the trueth nor the enemie of man-kind endeavour any thing so earnestly as to deface that by the knowledge whereof man may find the way to eternall life yet great was the trueth and prevailed Then by hereticks he would corrupt it but yet the trueth prevailed Then hee would keepe it from us in an unknowne tongue but yet the trueth appeared and every man may reade in his owne tongue the wonderfull workes of God English and Germanes and French and the rest yet the devill had one tricke more in his budget that seeing hee could neither deface nor corrupt nor conceale the bookes of Holy Scripture in a forraine tongue whose vulgar use is vanish't among men he would shuffle in other bookes among them that so we might not discerne the true Mother from the false And if any question grew about the Child traditions which wee must receive with equall affection of piety must decide it Strange Divinitie Did the Church deale thus of ancient time For you onely are wise you onely will be the people Shew the custome of the Church you claime to Fathers shew it from them Saint Athanasius in Synops. divides the bookes of the Old-Testament as wee into Canonicall and not Canonicall The Canonicall he accounts all as wee save Esther the not Canonicall he accounts the booke of Wisdome Esther Iudith and Tobit The books of the New-Testament all Canonicall hee numbers as wee the foure Gospels the Actes the seven Catholike Epistles fourteene of Saint Paul among which following Saint Peter Second Epistle 3.15 he puts that to the Hebrewes and the Revelation Epiphanius also Lib. de Mens pond accounts the Canonicall bookes as Athanasius but puts Esther among them he accounts Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus to be apocryphal Ierom. in Prol. Gal. accounts the Canonicall bookes of the Old-Testament as Epiphanius and as the manner of the Hebrewes was of old they count the books according to the number of the Hebrew letters 22. as the knops nuts or almonds on the golden candlestick were 22. for the Lamentations was one book with the prophesie of Ieremiah and the 12. small Prophets made but one Booke and as five of their bookes were double that is Iude and Ruth 2. of Samuel 2. of Kings and 2. of Chron. Ezra and Nehem. in one booke so are 5. of their letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the end of words are thus written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in Summe they speake of their bookes altogether the Law and the Prophets as Luk. 16.29 and 31. and 24.27 Actes
things before spoken matter forme composition body or accident can bee in God it followes necessarily Section 6. 6. That the Being of God is most simple and pure 1. WHich is further manifest by this That He is the first of beings and so must needs be simple And againe that which is simple must needs bee the first For that which is not the first of all beings must needs have dependance on another and so two things must be therein First somewhat from the cause whereby it is Secondly somewhat peculiar to it selfe whereby it differs from the cause But God is the first of all Beings because he is eternall and one as was proved cap. 2. 8. h Therefore his being is most simple and pure 2. If nothing can be in God but only his owne essence or being then purity it selfe or simplicity must needs bee his being which being because it is proved to be infinite it necessarily followes that his purity is also infinite beyond which no purity or simplicitie can be greater 3. Whatsoever is infinite and no way limitted must needs bee most simple or uncompounded and onely one The being of God is infinite Therefore most simple and pure 4. God is no compound as was proved therefore his being is most simple And because all our knowledge which wee have of all things being is only by the helpe of our senses taking them either directly or further of by comparison by composition or by negation whereby we judge of the properties or accidents which we finde in the things and not by the understanding of the most inward and true being thereof no not of our owne very soules whereby we live or that whereby wee are most guided our verie imagination we must confesse that this highest and first being of all being so utterly without all our senses must needs be as farre beyond all our words and all our understanding and must ever assure our selves that that cannot bee that infinite God which can come into our most finite understanding Neither that wee can assigne any name which may equall his being see Cusan de Deo abscondito And that we may end as we did begin let us returne by the waies wee came and we shall finde that all these names and beings which wee have given unto God yea even all together cannot equall him For if we call him the beginning of all things wee make him not an absolute Being but speake with relation to that which is began If wee say he is infinitie eternitie power wisdome and the rest of those dignities which we have viewed they are but so many particular essentiall attributes to one most perfect being yet when wee have said Most perfect Being we have not said right For He by his Infinity and Almightinâ—s is utterlie beyond both being not being for he hath power over not being to make it to be over being to make it not to be Neither can not being be even verie nothing but by him that commanded it to be nothing Such therefore is He Infinite beyond both being and not being If we say he is most perfect only we cannot understand his perfection to be any thing else than the union of his essentiall attributes If by unity though most simple and absolute without respect to number or magnitude we say he is One yet wee cannot truly say so but by his truth And although that which is first must needs bee one and nothing can be more simple than unity yet seeing we cannot thinke but that he which is the first of beings must needs bee the best of beings wee are enforced to returne from the Centre of his unitie into that infinite circle of his goodnesse his power his glory his wisdome his truth Therefore whether in the innermost center and first consideration of that most one and absolute simplicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher Plotinus Ennead 6. l. 8. cap. 11. saith we ought in silence to adore as the Psalmist speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silence is praise to thee Psal 65.2 or whether in the circumference wee dwell in the consideration of those tytles which He for our understanding hath bin pleased to fit unto himselfe because we would as the Areopagite speakes lib. de Div. nom cap. 13. understand and speake something of that unspeakeable excellencie let us ever endevour a further knowledge of him because wee know that the least knowledge that wee have of the most excellent being is more worth than the knowledge of all things beside And although the endevour be high and hard yet have wee so much the more encouragement by the helps or meanes of our knowledge and so much the greater hopes in respect of the reward The meanes common to every man are in sum either discursive or experimentall The discursive are two and in our power two are experimentall and above it but yet not hopelesse if wee endeavour The first of these discursive wayes whereby wee endevour to come to the knowledge of God is by denying unto Him all those things which are common and every where meeting our sences such are all things that have matier outward shape composition that are bodily subject to motion place time and other accidents And hitherto you must bring all those things which are spoken in the holy Scripture by way of Example and for our understanding onely as when God is said to have hands feet eyes jealousie anger and such like wherein wee must forsake that which is outward and sensible and inward in our selves because these titles are only to lift up our understanding by sensible and well known things to those that are truly and essentiall in him as by his hand is meant his power by his feet his continuall presence in every place by his eyes his wisdome by his jealousie and anger his justice against Sinners c. And thus by the helpe of our senses in things that are and in things that are not our understanding is furthered in the knowledge of God and that especially if in both these wayes of discourse that is denying things that agree not to God and affirming those honourable dignities that are due unto him we use the rule and guidance of the holy Scripture and the strength of our best understanding to approve those things that are excellent and to reprove that which stands not with his truth as I have already shewed in both kinds as well as I can The first of those wayes that are experimentall in the knowledge of God are those inbred thoughts and apprehensions of Him whereby every man will he nill he confesses in his heart that there is something greater than himselfe whereof hee stands in awe and dread which hee cannot chuse but acknowledge an avenger of all wickednesse and sinne And this the witnesse of God in every man his conscience within accusing or excusing him in the judgement of his own heart This Plotinus often Iamblichus De
the foundation of our faith and hope for if Christ our Saviour be not very God and very man the being of our Mediatour and the alsufficiencie of his merit is utterly vanished fourthlie it is one of the maine and principall differences between our most high Religion taught us by God himselfe and the false worship of Idolaters of the Iewes Turkes Arians and other hereticks which from time to time have turned the truth of God into a lye Fifthlie we follow herein the holy Martyrs and the Fathers in the primitive Church and those Councells which have from time to time maintained this truth against all heresies And although it cannot bee denied but that even among the Heathens some of their wisest both Poets and Philosophers knew this mysterie by heare-say as they had received it from the Hebrewes as you may reade in Thom. Aquin. in lib. 1. dist 3. q 2. and more at large in Struchus de peren Philos lib. 1. 2. and from them in Philip Mornay of the truenesse of Christian Religion Chap. 6. yet among the Hebrewes themselves except the Prophets and schooles of the Prophets this secret was not knowne or taught and that as it may seem lest the misunderstanding multitude might fall into the Idolatrie of many Gods therefore is this thing so taught in the holy text of the Old Testament that the wise onely might understand it for although the Prophets knew well enough that in the dayes of the king Messiah this mysterie should be knowne even to the Gentiles for of him it is written in the 40. Psalme vers 9.10 I will not refraine my lips O Lord thou knowest but I have declared thy truth and thy salvation I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from the great Congregation Yet because they knew they ministred those things of which they spake not to themselves nor to the people of their owne times but for us unto whom the treasuries of the riches of God in Christ were more fullie to bee opened therefore they taught according to the dispensation of the Holy Ghost who hath so from time to time opened the fountaines of knowledge unto his Church and hereafter will as the holy Church shall be able to receive it This glorious truth then being plainely discovered to us in the New Testament let us see with what diligence and faithfulnesse reason that servant of God doth wait on the authoritie of his Lord and how thereby a wee are summoned to hearken unto this truth for although reason could never have found it out yet being taught what the truth of God is herein it joyes to see the necessitie of that truth which it is bound to beleeve But because I have written somewhat to this Argument already which that you misse not I have caused to bee printed at the end of this booke I may be somewhat more briefe herein Onely the reasons I take up here together and adde such other supplies as seeme to be wanting in that treatise § 2. The word Father is taken either personally as it signifies the first Person of the blessed Trinitie with the relation to the Eternall Sonne or else it is spoken essentially of all the three Persons in the Godhead with respect of the creature which is created susteined and governed thereby Of this through his helpe we shall speake hereafter Chap. 13. but first of the first person of the holie Trinitie The Greeke Churches by the authoritie of the Apostle Heb. 1.3 for the severall distinctions of the Persons in the Godhead hold the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hypostasis which wee from the Latin call a Subsistence or severall substantiall being by it selfe But the Latin Church turned it Persona from an old word Persola because it meanes one onely being intire of it selfe for Solus is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whole in it selfe and entire with all the parts but yet is Persona a title of honour given unto men alone for they define it to be Rationalis naturae individua substantia that is an individeable substance of a reasonable nature and from thence it is translated to God and Angels A Person then of the holy Trinitie is an incommunicable subsistence in the Divine nature These words have their ground in the holy Scripture to which in this great Article of our faith wee must ever have recourse by reason of the many and strong heresies that have beene thereabout Trinitie Triunitie or a threefold being in one hath ground in that Text which is in Matthew 28.19 Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost But certaine it is that in our Baptisme wee bind our faith and allegiance unto Gâ—d alone So 1. Iohn 5.7 There are three that beare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are â— one thing or one being By subsistence understand a substantiall or essentiall being not comming to or being in the Deitie by chance It answers to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is different from substance nature being or the like teâ—mes that signifie any common or universall b ing for an Hypostasis meanes a peculiar being wherein the common nature is whollâ— and entyre as I said before and will say untill you understand mee For example the whole nature or being of man is understood in that word Man and so the Angelicall nature in that word Angell but Peter or Gabriel meane that particular person in which the common being is whole and entyre I meane so as that there is nothing essentiall in the being a man or Angell whereof Peter and Gabriel are not partakers essentially so wee understand the difference The being or essence of the Godhead is one individuall most simplie absolutelie and substantiallie one which infinite and undivideable being of the Godhead is yet neverthelesse in everie Person entyre and wholly so that nothing of the essentiall being of the Godhead is in one which is not in the other And therefore Iustin the Martyr and from him Damascen Dialect Cap. 66. and after them our sound Doctors of all sides agree that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a subsistence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that manner of being proprietie or reall relation which belongs to every one Person in the Holy Trinitie You may here not unfitly note the difference of these words Being Substance and Subsistence Being is that which is common to all things that are The word Substance properlie doth not so much import the verie inward being as that respect which it hath to the accidents that are therein Subsistence signifies that speciall manner of being which belongs to substances that are actually being If you will enquire further you may see what Thom. Aquin. hath writ hereto in Sent. lib. 1. Dist 23. qu. 4. or if you will the Introduct to log Sect. 4. Incommunicable that is peculiar proper or belonging to one alone so that one
Spirit of his mouth And in Hag. 2.5.6 From the beginning I was and now I am with you saith the 1. Lord of hostes the 2. word which covenanted with you when you came out of Aegypt my 3. Spirit shall dwell among you And if you desire moe proofes out of the old Testament you may reade Ficinus de Christ Relig. Cap. 31. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah that great and fearefull name of God Deut. 28.58 one name of his owne being containes the mysterie of the Trinity For in the forming of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hawah or hayah whence the name is derived Ie is the signe of that which is to come as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeheweh He shall be or He will be Ho of that which is as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being or He that is and wah of that which hath bin as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee hath beene and thus is the word opened Rev. 1.8 He which was in eternitie the fountaine and eternall Father of Him which shall be in eternity by the common band of all continuance that which is in eternity And this is Hee that was and is and is to come And in the new Testament besides the places cited before in the beginning of the chapter in Math. 3.16.17 and Luc. 3.21.22 you may heare the witnesse of the Father concerning the Sonne and see the Holy Ghost comming downe on Him in the likenesse of a dove And againe Ioh. 14. vers 16.17.1 I will pray the 2. Father and he will send you another Comforter even the 3. Spirit of truth And 2 Cor. 13.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holie Ghost bee with you all with many other texts not needfull here to bee cited because that when we come to speake of the other Persons of the Trinitie in the Articles following some of them must bee remembred And if the adversaries testimonie be ought worth you may take hereto the Aegyptian oracle of Serapis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First God and then the Word and Holy Ghost with them Of essence one in one accord And from hence it seemes had Merc. Trism that which hee teaches in Pormand of that Light which is God the Father the word which is the Sonne and that life which is the union of them both See the other arguments inductive in the Notes a andb. Notes a BY reason we are summon'd to hearken to this truth Pref. Tho. Aqu. in his questions on the master of the sentences lib. 1. Dist 2. q. 3. brings a couple of reasons to prove a plurality of Persons in the unity of the Godhead which in effect are these 1. with the greatest happinesse there must bee the greatest pleasure and content But in the Possession of that which is good there cannot be pleasure and content without company seeing the perfection of every good thing stands in the community of the use thereof But company is not without plurality The second reason is from the perfection of the divine love and all love ever wishes well to another But these reasons prove no more a Trinity than a society of Ten and fit better for an ordinary than the high mystery in question And therefore having look't well upon his reasons and seeing that they were very poore inductions he resolves it is no way necessary to put a distinction of Persons in the Deity for the force of reasons but onely for the justifying of our Faith and for the authority of the Holy Scriptures And in the third Dist qu. 4. whether it were possible for the old Philosophers which knew not the Scripture by the knowledge of the creature onely to come to the knowledge of the Trinity hee saith that by the view of the creature they might come to the knowledge of the divine power wisdome and goodnesse as the cause is manifest by the effect and conclude that there is one God even as Saint Paul proves Rom. 1. and againe Rom. 10.18 out of the 19. Psalme But that they could not thereby attaine the knowledge of the Trinity because the Creature was an insufficient meanes to bring them to the knowledge of that high mysterie So in the 4 booke of his Summe Contr. Gentiles Cap. 1. hee determines even so concerning the incarnation and the consequents thereof So likewise concerning the resurrection everlasting life and all our hopes that depend thereon Againe in his Summe of Theologie chap. 33. hee concludes that by naturall reason it is impossible to know God in the distinction of Persons and that for these reasons 1. First it takes away from the worthinesse of our Faith 2. Faith is of things not appearing and such as exceed reason as it is said Heb. 11.1 Thirdly Infidels laugh at that which is not fully proved and therefore saith hee it shall bee sufficient to defend that our faith holds nothing that is impossible But Doctor reason must yeeld that to bee impossible which it cannot make to appeare that it is possible And therefore that our faith bee not set at nought by misbeleevers as being of things impossible you tye us for defence thereof to further proofe which if it be full and sufficient your third reason is nothing worth The first reason is lesse worth in it selfe For that is the glory of a Christian faith and the triumph of it over all false worships that is so surely founded in the truth of God that the Gates of hell cannot prevaile against it Therefore to speake cleerely to this question I say the word naturall reason may either meane that reason whereof a man is capable by that light of understanding which is naturally through the gift of Christ in every man Ioh. 1.4.9 the holy Scripture hath opened this light most clearely and therefore is it called the light of Grace or else it may meane such reasons as are gathered from the causes effects and rules which are manifest onely in naturall things Now although the articles of our creede by way of Induction onely may be manifest by naturall reason thus understood as S. Augustine de Civit. Dei lib. 11. cap. 26. in this very question hath made it appeare yet by that first light of understanding which wee call naturall reason because it is in every man according to the possibility of nature they may bee understood and approved by other rules than such as have their grounds in naturall things For God is not the God of nature onely but much more the God of grace and mercy and to the knowledge of these principles and the conclusions gathered thereon wee are led by better guides than Aristotle ever knew that is the holy Scripture and the Spirit of Grace who leades us to the right meaning thereof Yet how farre even Naturall light hath gone in the discovery of the great Mysteries of Divinity even of the Trinity it selfe you may judge by this
to debarre the use of reason in the questions of faith and if that bodily presence of Christ in every place for which he labours so had any ground in the Scripture if it brought any hope or comfort to the conscience if the Primitive Church or the Councels or the ancient Fathers had ever taught it I thinke that by this time reason would have found how to make it more probable than it is but because it is no Article of our Creed it is not fit to trouble you any further hereabout d Therefore God doth bring forth eternally his Sonne Re. 4. The truth of this conclusion hath beene diversly gainsaid For some have utterly denyed the Trinitie of Persons in the Unitie of the Godhead others with this truth have blended their owne devices The hereticks which held that as there was but one being in the Deitie so there was but one Person called by divers names of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost were of divers families according to the names of the speciall maintainers of this opinion but best knowne by the name of Sabellius one of the most subtile defenders thereof about the yeere 260. which heresie after a long sleepe was againe awaked about the yeere 1110 by one Porretanus who affirmed that the Persons in the Godhead differ not save onely in the apprehensions of our minde not by any reall or true distinction The Iewes likewise among other reasons doe therefore disclaime the Christian Religion because they suppose that by the Trinitie of Persons is taught a pluralitie of Gods contrarie to that which is Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is one Lord. The Turkes also denie the Trinitie of Persons and hold it therefore impossible for God to have a Sonne because he never had a wife Now of those that held a Trinitie Simon that witch of whom you reade Actes 8. when the gall of his bitternesse had levened him thorowout gave out of himselfe that he in the person of the Father gave the Law to Moses in the dayes of Tiberius suffered in shew under the Person of the Sonne and afterward came downe on the Apostles in fierie tongues August de Haeres cap. 1. Hierarcha also from the words of the Niâ—en Creed that Christ was light of light affirmed that the three Persons were as three lights of which one tooke light of another and so he made the beings of the persons separate and apart whereas the Fathers in that Câ—uncell meant not any division or being apart but that the Sonne is of the substance of the Father without any lessening or abatement of the Fathers being as one light takes light of another without any loâ—e of light in the former The Metangismonites so called from their opinion taken from vessels that they might avoid the opinion of the separate being of the Persons held that they were as vessels contained one within another falselie supposing with the Anthropomorphites or Man-shapers that God was bodily and so conteined within a certaine space and againe misunderstanding that text of Scripture Iohn 14.11 where our Lord saith I am in the Father so that in the Divine nature they supposed some thing greater which was the Father and something lesse which was the Sonne and a third thing within them both which was the Holy Ghost But against that bodily being which they conceived you have reasons sufficient in the 9. Chapter The text of S. Iohn makes the matter more plaine for as it is impossible that two bodies should bee each one within another except by way of commixation so it quite overthrowes that foolish opinion because it is thrice there added that the Father is in the Sonne so that of necessitie there can bee but one being of them both For if the being of God be not most simple and pure as was shewed before Chap. 9. And if every being answers to the Originall then the essence of the Sonne must be most pure as the Father is so that if each of the Persons be in the other there can be no difference but onely in the manner of being onely See August de Civit. Dei lib. 11. Cap 10. Then concerning that third falshood which they supposed of a greater and lesser being it cannot possiblie stand with the nature of infinitie whether it be understood of extension or of vertue onely The Triformians likewise to crosse the errour of Sabellius affirmed three Persons and that the whole and entyre being of the Godhead was in all the three taken together yet not in every person wholly but so as one part of it was in the Father another part in the Sonne and a third part in the Holy Ghost By which falshood it would follow that the Godhead were in it selfe a divideâ—ble being and so a compound contrary to that which is concluded Chap. 9. The Tritheites are yet more mad then the former that it may appeare how boundlesse errour is They make the being of God not one and the samâ— as the Triformians did but affirme that there is a threefold nature and distinguish the Persons in their essence or absolute being in place also and other differences of particular substances as Peter James and Iohn and so make three Gods different and apart each from other The Tetratheites would seeme more subtile then all that had beene before them for they beside the three Persons of the Godhead supposed a fourth being which did communicate it selfe to all the three by which communication of divine nature everie one of those three became God By which sottish opinion it must follow that none of those three Persons could be either infinite or eternall if they receive their being from another if they be God by grace onely and communication of another being than their owne neither can their being be simple and one having one being of themselves and another imparted unto them But if that being which they call that fourth common being be that one most simple pure and eternall being which wee confesse to be God then it must follow necessarilie that in that being there bee three Pers ns as hath been declared in the Chapter before in every one of which the whole Godhead is all in all and all in everie one not by communication from another nor by participation onely but by the whole and proper possession of every Person essentially so that the Godhead is no other being than that which is in the three persons nor the three Persons any other thing than that manner of being which is in the Godhead eternally but they prove it thus Where are one and three trulie and really different there must needs bee foure But in the Deitie there is one being and three Persons really distinguished therefore foure severall beings I answer Where is one and three absolute beings there must needs be foure but in the Godhead there is one absolute being and three manners of being which are the Persons but the manner of being doth not make a number
to dwell in a creature that was finite and therefore I say hee thought that God should rather dwell in the being of the Angels and in their nature gather all things unto himself then dwelling in the tabernacle of the manly being in which hope seeing himselfe frustrate he became an unreconcileable enemy to mankinde whereas the holy Angels esteeming duely of the benefit and being well content with that meanes whereby God would bee seene of them 1. Tim. 3.16 expect with patience and desire the fulfilling of the number of the elect And thus our Lord hauing made mans peace through the bloud of his crosse hath reconciled all things both in heaven and earth unto God Col. 1.20 For certainely if the Angels be for man as it is said Heb. 1.14 then can they not possibly have the perfection of their blessednesse but by man Let us therefore with reverence and thankfulnesse come unto that great mysterie of our Religion That God was manifest in the flesh The incarnation of God is the dwelling of the Godhead in the manhood in one person wherein the being of the Godhead and manhood remaine together everlastingly without separation yet in cleere distinction of their severall beings and so without commixtion to cause a third being but that each continuing truly that which it is in it selfe the Godhead according to his eternall decree without any change of it selfe in time tooke to it selfe the manhood that by himselfe hee might reconcile all things to himselfe and bring them to that estate of happinesse and glorie to which they could never have come if God had not so manifested himselfe in the flesh The internall actions of the eternall Deity are all infinite eternall and necessary to be that which they are But whatsoever God doth worke without himselfe in the creature it is onely according to his owne holy pleasure and will But yet seeing his actions upon the creature are the expressions of those perfections which are in himselfe of goodnesse of wisdome of power of glorie c. and that to this end that the creature may bee blessed in him and by him according to that measure of happinesse which he of his goodnesse hath appointed thereto therefore those reasons which are drawne from the dignities of God are of no lesse force for the truth of God in the creature then they were for the manifestation of the truth in himselfe And therefore as by those dignities which by the authority of his word are due to him wee have approved that truth which the holy Scripture teacheth us to beleeve of him both concerning the unitie of his being and the Trinitie of the Persons so let us endeavour in the proofe of this great question And although the great masters in the schoole have given ouer these questions as utterly beyond all proofe or testimony of humane understanding See Thom. Aquin. praef in lib. 4. cont Gent. yet seeing this is that maine point in our most holy faith whereby it differs most from all infidelity and false worships seeing it is that one thing wherein the ground of all our future hope and comfort doth consist if ever the understanding of a Christian held it selfe bound to doe service unto his faith most of all it is bound to give attendance herein I may somtimes use the word of necessity in the conclusions following yet understand me not as if I laid any necessitie or constraint upon God to doe or to suffer but the necessitie that I meane is in the consequence of the reason when the conclusion doth follow necessarily upon the grounds that are laid downe before 1. For although happines be only in the enjoying of that which is good and the greater the good is the greater is the happines but if the good be not enjoyed and possessed it causes no happines at all yet an infinite good is no way to bee come unto or possessed by that which is finite except by the voluntarie motion and inclination of it selfe it doe apply and give it selfe unto that which is finite And because every good spreads it selfe acccording to the power of it selfe upon that which is capable of it the greatest goodnesse is ever with the greatest communication of it selfe therefâ—re the infinite goodnes doth also extend it selfe according to the possibilitie of the creature to be possessed and enioyed thereby which cannot be till it have applied it selfe to something in the creature of which the rest of the creatures being partakers may also thereby be partakers of the infinite goodnesse Now if God who onely is infinite goodnesse had dwelt in the being of the Angels though that had beene made knowne to man yet because man doth not communicate with the Angels in nature or by any merit or service towards them he had had no benefit thereby whereas the Angels by the appointment of their ministerie to mankinde in their continuall presence and succour and that helpe which the soule hath by them in the delivery thereof out of this prison of the body and in the conducting of it unto the Divine presence have in iustice a reward for their service sake and a kinde of interest in all that good whereof man by their ministerie is made partaker 2. Moreover when man had sinned the law of justice required that the satisfaction should be made in that nature that had sinned so that if the Mediatour had taken on him the nature of Angels the satisfaction therein had not beene avayleable for the sinne of man 3. Thirdly the whole creature hath interest in man and man in the whole creature so that God by taking on him the nature of man hath blessed therby the whole creature as you may understand by the answer which is made Cha. 17. to the 5 Object § 4. But if he had the nature of Angels neither man nor the other elementall creatures had had hope of any restoring See Rom. 8.19 c. to 23. 4. Lastly if the deliverance of man had beene made in the nature of Angels the restoring had beene as unsufficient so also man had lost of his dignitie and honour thereby for man before his sinne was bound and subjected to God alone but then had hee beene subjected and bound to the nature of Angels And although man by his sinne nay even our Lord himselfe by his suffering for sinne was made somewhat lower then the Angels yet being raised from the dead the manly nature is exalted far above all principalitie and power and might and every name that is named in this world or in the world which is to come Ephes 1.20.21 Whence it will follow necessarily that God would dwell in the nature of man not in the Angels as you may understand by these Scriptures Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same ver 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but hee tooke on him the seed of Abraham And for
of God and the Son of man and againe Ioh. 3.13 Hee that came downe from heaven is the Sonne of man and againe Ioh. 3.13 He that came downe from heaven is the Sonne of man which is in heaven For hee that ascended is even Hee that descended Eph. 4.9 Moreover it is said Heb. 9.14 That Christ by his eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot unto God But if the humanity of Christ be another person beside the deity then he offered not himselfe but that other person of the humanity by whose death our reconciliation was wrought and so not by his owne bloud but by the bloud of another person should hee have entred into the holy place So God should not have sent his owne Sonne into the world that the world by him might be saved contrary to that which is Heb. 9.12 Ioh. 2.16.17 But he that is mighty to save even Iehovah our king hath saved us Esay 23 22. and that not with forraine bloud but by his owne offering of himselfe hath he purchased for us eternall redemption This then being the great mystery of our salvation that God was manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 That God is one with us Matth. 1.23 That that holy thing which was borne of the virgin is the Sonne of God Luk. 1.35 it may appeare how detestable that heresie of Photinus and his predecessours was who made our Mediator the Sonne of man by nature and the Sonne of God by adoption only and how dangerous this consequence of Nestorius is who of that one Mediator betweene God and man 1 Tim 2.5 would make two persons If you desire to know the growth of this heresie and the other positions of the Nestorians you may reade M. Broerewoods enquiries chap. 19. § 9. Arius and his followers held that Christ was truly man so that be might truly be called the Sonne of the virgin Mary borne in time as concerning his manly body and the Sonne of God as being the first begotten of every creature and so the most excellent creature created by the will of God the Father before all times and ages but not coeternall with him because there was a continuance when he was not and therefore was hee not say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or coessentiall with the Father because hee was created of that which was not from which Errour these Arians were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This poysonous fountaine overflowed afterward into divers streames For the halfe Arians of whom Acatius was chiefe held that Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the like being with the Father by nature but others said that this likenesse was not in nature but only in will and powerfull working Whereupon Asterius is by some affirmed to have said that Christ was the vertue only or a creature indued with the power of God other heretickes againe as Aetius and his scholler Ennomius said that Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of another manner of being unlike to the Father both in nature and will and hence arose the errour of the Dulians who thought him onely the servant of God in the worke of the creature and so of the Bonosians who held him to bee the Sonne of God onely by adoption And although this Hydra might seeme to have beene nipt in the head by the writings of Athanasius and other learned men of former times and especially by the first Councell of Nice Anno 327. and other that followed afterward yet never was there any heresie in the primitive Church that went on with that violence and strength or that caused more trouble and persecution as being confirmed by divers Councels and set forward by the authority of sundry Emperours And for the continuance thereof it hath been such as that unto this day not onely among the Turkes but ever in the Church of Christ if at least they may bee said to bee of his Church who falsly denie unto him the truth and excellencie of his being some have beene found from time to time even since the clearer light of the truth hath shined that have maintained this heresie of Arius in whole or in part as Socinus Gittichius David the Hollander Servetus Neuserus and with us Legat Mannering and others In Polonia also and Transylvania they swarme as you may reade in Wents à Bud. pag. 229 c. But say you is it possible that an heresie so foule as this is taken to bee should continue so long and be upheld by Councels and maintained by Emperours and justified by learned men except there were both reason and authority of Scripture for it For as no man is wilfully ill but by the errour of his judgement betweene good and bad so no man doth erre wilfully but onely by mistaking of falshood for the truth Answer Saint Paul saith that there must be heresies and this I suppose should come to passe because men would not be content to learne the doctrine of Christ and his truth according to the simplicity of the truth as he had taught it in the holy Scriptures whereunto if men would take heed and trie the truth as they ought the things of God by the word of God matiers of Religiâ—n by the rule of Religion that is the holy Sâ—ripture alone so many heresies had not sprung up For mans understanding so long as it doth follow the true guide thereof the revealed truth of God it cannot deceive nor be deceived But if it will presume to be guide and make the truth of the Scriptures to follow it it is impossible not to stray and so by the just judgement of God men also grow hard and obstinate in their owne errours not onely to resist the truth but also to persecute it as these Arians did very grievously at severall times But see their reasons and their authorities 1. The Godhead is in the Father wholly or else hee cannot bee perfect God and if the Deitie be wholly in the Father then can it not be in the Sonne nor in the holy Ghost Answer The word wholly is equivocall or of doubtfull meaning for wholly may signifie as much as with all the parts but this cannot belong to that which is infinite or wholly may signifie onely and so the proposition is false or it may meane asmuch as perfectly and so the proposition is true but the consequence is false for the Deitie is wholly and perfectly in all the persons alike 2. He onely is the true God that is prayed unto by the Mediator But God the Father onely is so prayed unto therefore God the Father onely is the true God I answer If we worship the Godhead in the nature or being of God we worship one onely being in the three Persons But if we worship the persons we worship them in the vnitie of the Godhead that is acknowledging every person to be God And this is that Father that one God whom we pray unto by that one Mediator of God and man the
having bought them of God and payd their ransome brought out of all power of their strong enemie out of the shadow of death into the everlasting light of Paradise in all the libertie and ioy of the understanding to view the Wisedome of God in His most glorious workes as you may read further a little below Sect. 8. Numb 3. Sect. 7 Sect. 7. Now having shewed the different interpretations of this Article and as I thinke fully proved that the soule of Christ went not to heaven properly so called before His resurrection but that it was glorious and blessed among His Saints in happinesse and so in heaven formaliter as they speake It is fit that wee draw toward a conclusion which before wee can come unto it must first appeare what Abrahams bosome what Paradise is and where it was Then why the word of descending into hell is heere used with the solution of such doubts as fall in the way The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bosome sometime signifies a baye of the sea wherein harbour and safety is from waves and tempests and thus the word is used Act. 27.39 Thus Lazarus Luke 16. might be said to be in Abrahams bosome that is to have arived and cast anker in that safe and quiet haven of happinesse where Abraham the father of all the faithfull because he against hope beleeved in hope Rom. 4.18 was now in blisse or else it may signifie a bosome properly as it is used in Luke 6.38 and thus also Lazarus might bee said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in cheare and joy in Abrahams bosome as Saint Iohn Ioh. 13.23 lay leaning in the bosome of Iesus his uncle at supper as the manner of that countrey was sometime to eate their meate lying on the ground The word Paradise whether it be native greeke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is supposed to be plentifully watered or a Persian word as good Authors affirme and that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pardes used in Eccles 2.5 and Cant. 4.13 signifies a place of pleasure inclosed or a parke and so it is used in Xenophon Cyrop lib. 1. or a garden as the Greekes translated the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gan in Genes Chap. 2. and 3. or an orchard as in the texts of Solomon before And hither was our Lord first said to have come after His death because as Adam by his sin had lost his happy estate in the earthly paradise So Christ by His death did recover the hope of our returne into the heavenly For the gift is not as the offence Rom. 5.15 By these two words the blessed estate of the faithfull is signified though with some difference not of place but degree of happinesse as I shewed For although the children of the kingdome were all and at all times heires of the same hopes yet they that were in Abrahams bosome before Christ had not that fulnesse of joy which they had after their redemption was fully wrought and He not now in Abrahams bosome with them but Abraham and all his faithfull children with him in Paradise To the same sence concerning the state of happinesse is the Kingdome of Heaven used Luke 13.28 29. though that word expresse also the joyes after the resurrection And because it was ever thought even among naturall men as the Heathen Philosophers that the soule was immortall and that after death it was better to them that had lived well then to the wicked therefore were they perswaded that their soules went to a place of rest and happinesse which they called as they pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the house of Pluto by the common name and that of pleasure the Elysian fields of torment a place inclosed by Acheron a river without joy And sith the body went downe to the earth from whence it was and that they perswaded themselves that every creature might be abundantly happy in that region whereof it was an inhabitant as being the onely region that was fit for it therefore they thought that the place of the soules rest was not farre from the body and so went downe into the earth And because the ancient Church could not teach the heathen conuerted to God but by such words and language as they understood and differed not much in meaning from that which they themselues beleeued therefore were they content to use this manner of speech of descending to Hades the house of Pluto or hell which the vulgar had been taught by their guides the Philosophers and Poets In stead of all the rest see Plato in Phaedone and Virgil. Aeneidos lib. 6. yet they meant by this descent of Christ into hell no other thing but that His soule being separate from His body went into that place where the faithfull soules were then at rest and in assured hope of further joy But because our Church uses not the terme descending but teaches her owne children in their owne tongue to confesse that Christ went downe to hell Artic. 2. Let us not forsake the law of our mother Prouerb 6.20 but rather endeavour to know what this going downe to hell may meane And certainely it must needes bee thought a thing either of great obscurity or of little necessity wherein our Church as most other hath not held it fit to make any further declaration Therefore though I take liberty to enquire what the possible or most likely meaning of the words may be yet I presume not to affirme any thing but with submission to the Churches judgement when God shall vouchsafe further light thereto to determine according to the Scripture what is the certaine trueth in this or any other question of the like doubtfulnesse 1. To descend to goe or come downe is used diversly But that I may descend to every understanding I will make it of two kinds one of place and that is of three kinds The other of state or condition 1. Of place higher and lower as it is said Luke 9.37 They came downe from the hill and Act. 11.27 There came Prophets downe from Ierusalem to Antioch or from a place of more fame to a meaner as Act. 13.4 From Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they came downe to Seleucia Now if the earth and water made one flat surface which stretched from one side of heaven to the other as the old fancy was then could this descent of Christ meane no other going downe but under that surface And although some of the Fathers were no better Cosmographers then to thinke thus yet for the most part they were better thewed But because our faith suffers not to put any untrueth in nature therefore this going down must be refused 2. But if this globe of the earth bee hollow then this going downe may be meant as most of the Fathers tooke it into that hollownesse of the earth 1. And that the earth is hollow both reason and authority shew it Authority you have 4. Esdr 4.7 where
death unto life For he that judgeth himselfe and condemneth himselfe and brings no other plea unto Christ but that for mercy may be sure to find mercy in the time of need See 1 Cor. 11.31 Heb. 4.16 Now for the second question although it seeme more curious then profitable to aske where our Saviour was after the time of His resurrection during His absence from His Disciples yet I will answere what I thinke and leave you upon better consideration to give a better answere First therefore it is manifest by the Scripture that our Lord shewed Himselfe Eleven times after His resurrection if oftner yet is it not manifest by the text Of this number five manifestations of Himselfe were on the day of His resurrection 1. To Mary Magdalen alone Mar. 16.9 2. To her againe and the other Mary Mat. 28.9 3. To Simon Peter Luke 24.34 1. Cor. 15.5 4. To Cleopas and his friend Luke 24.15.35 5. To all the Apostles except Thomas Iohn 20.24 to which if you put that time when He ascended on the 40. day from mount Olivet the five appearances remaining for I speake not of those extraordinary manifestations of Himselfe after His ascension to Steven Actes 7.56 and to Paul Actes 9.17 and 1. Cor. 15.8 will bee most likely to have beene on those five Sundayes as wee call them which were betweene as it may well be gathered from Iohn 20.26 because the Lord would fully finish the ceremoniall use of the Iewish Sabbath and sanctifie the day of His resurrection for the remembrance of those benefits which wee receive thereby This use the Primitive Church made of it Iust. Mart. Apol. ad Anton. and further against our Traskits because they would prevent their errours who under the profession of Christianity did still retaine their Iudaisme whose folly to avoid in stead of the Iewish Sabbath they celebrated the day of Christs resurrection Ign ep ad Mag These times of shewing himselfe were 1. To the Disciples and Thomas with them Iohn 20.26 2. At the Sea of Tiberias Iohn 21.1.3 3. On a mountaine of Galilee appointed to them Mat. 28.16 4. To above 500. brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 5. To Iames. ver 7. And for the times of His absence from them because it is said in the text to the Ephesians cited above That He did therefore descend into the lower parts of the earth and ascend farre above all heavens that He might fill or fulfill all things which were written of Him not onely those which were necessary for our saluation as His Suffering Resurrection Ascension c. but also whatsoever belonged unto man to doe in that state betweene His resurrection and ascension as you may in part understand by that which hath been said Chapter 28. N. I thinke that in those 33. dayes He in His manly being did view this earth and the fulnesse thereof and especially visit and blesse those places where He did purpose that His Church and trueth should most of all flourish and continue Sect. 2 Sect. 2. Thus much for the questions by the way Now turne to that which is the maine To every degree of the abasement of our Redeemer there is a degree of exaltation and glory opposed So this of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven is set against that of His descent into hell and that by the authority of Saint Paul He that descended is even the same that ascended And although it may very well be thought that after His Passion finished on the Crosse by His death His going to hell was the beginning of His victory to take to Himselfe that power whereby He as the Sonne of man is to reigne over all the powers of death and hell Yet because His body during those three dayes is by most supposed to have been held under the power of death and that all the parts of His victory are to belong unto Him as Hee is Lord both of the quicke and dead that is in His intire humanity soule and body together therefore that descent is rather held by many as the lowest estate of His humiliation as you might read a little before Chap. 28. § 2. N. 3. But that our Lord after that He had by many and infallible signes and arguments by the space of fourty dayes given abundant proofe of His resurrection did ascend into heaven these reasons doe make it manifest 1. Vnto every body is a place due according to the qualities and properties of that body as in all natures here below it appeares that the place is both conseruative and also generative of those things which are peculiar thereto as the lower parts of the earth of the mineralls the surface of the vegetables the water of fishes c. And againe it is manifest that all things under the Moone are subject to corruption and change no beauty strength or excellency is such as is not fading no pleasure such but that in the very using it growes loathsome no bravery so costly but in three dayes wearing it waxes stale so that by the voice and consent of all men the Angels and blessed soules and all such beings as are free from corruption and in the state of glory are sent into heaven But it is manifest that our Lord by His resurrection and conquest of death purchased first to Himselfe and then to us a state of glory and immortality Romanes 6.9 Ephes 2.6 Therefore also that Hee ascended into heaven 2. The blessednesse of the creature is onely in this That it may behold the glory of God in whom alone is the excellency of all perfection And this glory is seene onely in the face of Iesus Christ the Mediator as was shewed Chapter 24. § 10. N. 5. unto which blessednesse onely the pure and blessed inhabitants of heaven as the holy Angels and soules of men are dignified And from hence it must follow that our Lord is ascended into heaven the place of Angels and happy soules For no man dwelling in his ruinous house of clay is able to behold that glory Exod. 30.20 3. Hell is the place of torments the earth of troubles changes and calamities therefore heaven is the place of happinesse or else no happinesse at all is to be found But that is impossible For so all things should be created to wretchednesse and misery onely which cannot stand with the loue of God to His creature and His infinite goodnesse And if any such place of happinesse be and He our Saviour not brought thereto then the greatest obedience performed to the Father for the manifestation of His glory should be without reward But this were unjust with God and therefore impossible And therefore it was necessary that our Lord after His resurrection should ascend into heaven 4. By the consent of Christians taught of God and of Heathens taught by nature heaven is the place of the greatest glory and happines as hell of sorrow and wretchednes For although the Heathen allotted a degree of eternall blisse to the
a forged one Cent. 3. cap. 10. They bring also reason for say they If the Divine and humâ—ne natures in Christ be united personally then it is necessary that where the one nature is there must also be the other But the two natures are so united Ergo. Answere The consequence of the proposition is not good where one of the natures is finite the other Infinite as Saint Augustine saith God and man are one Person and both together are one Christ every where as He is God but as He is man in heaven Ep'la ad Dardanum But this question is by many handled at large and if you desire further satisfaction See the Catechisme of Vrsinus a Booke I thinke common and the question is there briefly handled See Doctor Willet Synopsis Pap. Contr. 13. Part. 1. See also Bucan Inst Theol loc 48. quest 60. c. But in summe against these or any other heresies which may rise against the trueth of this Article take the authorities of the holy Scripture Psalm 24.7 c. Psal 47.5 and 68.18 The place and circumstances of His ascension are remembred Mark 16.18 Luke 24.50 Act. 1.9 Reade hereto Ephes 4.8 1 Tim. 3.16 Hebr. 4.14 and 9.24 And that the naturall property of Christs humane body being now glorified is not destroyed so that is may be every where as the God-head is take these authorities of the holy Scripture First it is said of Him after His resurrection Matth. Mark Luk. He is risen He is not here And Act. 1.10 While they looked up stedfastly as He went which must not be by disappearing but by leaving of one place and passage to another and againe vers 11. This IESVS which is taken from you into Heaven therefore not bodily with them still as He saith Iohn 16.7 It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away that Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send Him to you And therefore it is said Act. 3.21 That the Heavens must containe Him untill the time that all things bee restored And this is spoken of His body neither can it be true of His Deity and if His body be contained in heaven how can it become a piece of bread or in a piece of bread on earth You will say if Christ were last of all seene of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 how was Hee still contained in the heauens for His conversion was after the ascension I Answere Even as Saint Paul saw in a vision a man named Ananias comming unto Him whom otherwise he saw not till afterward Act. 9.12 and yet the sight by vision from God is a most certaine and true sight Or if it were so that He were indeed in His body taken up into the third heaven as he makes it questionable 2. Cor. 12.2 so might he see as he professeth of himselfe in your understanding CHAP. XXXI ⧠And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty THe great antiquitie of this Creed appearing to be even from the time of the Apostles brought some writers into an opinion that the twelue Apostles before their departure from Ierusalem to preach unto the Gentiles gave out this forme of confession of the faith to bee acknowledged of every Convert before they might bee baptized and appointed that all interpretation of Scripture should be made according to the rule of it as they will understand that text in Rom. 12.16 And some will yet bee more particular herein that every Apostle brought in that Article which he thought fit to be beleeved Yea and for a need they will tell you which Article every Apostle made and so have of necessitie limitted the Articles to the number of twelve But the Scripture admits no other rule of Interpretation than it selfe And so I confesse that the Creed may be a rule in as much as it hath the foundation in the Holy Scripture As Saint Augustine saith lib. 3. de Symb. ad Catech. Chapter 1. Deus in ecclesia regulam c. God would have one perpetuall rule to be in the Church which should be simple briefe and such as every one might easily understand according to which the godly might examine all doctrine and interpretation of the Scripture to receive that which is agreeable thereunto and to refuse that which is contrary And although for your satisfaction therein I have followed the fashion for the number of Articles as you may see yet it cannot be denied but that if you take every several conclusion for an Article there are in all 17. or 18 at least fifteene severall Articles of which this of our Lords sitting at the right hand of God will be one although in that number of 12. it goe as a part of the Article before Hee ascended into heaven But this is not a thing of any great importance And therefore let us rather looke to the certainty thereof for that is necessary for us to know and beleeve But it may be demanded why in the Creed such a Metaphor should be used as might endanger younglings and novices to thinke with the Anthropomorphites that the invisible God is like to man with hands and bodily parts To which wee may answere that the Christians I speake not of wilfull hereticks were not so ill instructed but that they knew right well how to discerne betweene Christ and a Vine Iohn 15. betweene a figurative and a proper speech And therefore the Fathers in the Church the Author or Authors of this Creed having a jealous care of the trueth of God doubted not to propose it in the words of God Himselfe Therefore seeing this part of Christs glory is so prophesied to bee fulfilled Psal 110. cited Heb. 1.13 The Lord said unto my Lord sit at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole it is so to be retained in the Article of our Creed And although it bee a borrowed speech yet seeing it is so taken into use by our Lord Himselfe and by the Pen-men of the New-Testament it is by all meanes most fit so to hold it For so our Lord speakes Matth. 26.64 and Luke 22.69 Hereafter shall you see the Sonne of man sit on the right hand of the Power of God So Col. 3.1 Christ sitteth above at the right hand of God So Hebr. 1.3 and 10.12 and 12.2 with many other Scriptures to the like purpose The word To sit signifies either to tarry or continue as in Luk. 22.49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit that is abide or stay in the Citie of Ierusalem or else it signifies to raigne as in Esay 16.5 The Throne shall be established and Hee shall sit upon it in trueth So the right hand of God signifies either power as Act. 2.33 Hee being by the right hand that is the power of God exalted or else it signifies happinesse and joy eternall as it is said Psal 16. and 11. verse At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And although some Interpreters make the meaning
of this Article that Christ as God hath equall glory and power with the Father yet all these Articles from the second to the eight shew what wee are to beleeve of our Mediatour concerning His man-hood And as our Saviour in the state of His humiliation was for the greater scorne and contempt crucified betweene the two malefactors one on the right hand the other on the left So in this glory of His opposed thereto He is set on the right hand of the Majestie on high the principalities and powers being subjected unto Him 1. Pet. 3.22 So then the meaning of this Article is not onely that Christ in our nature confide caro sits at the right hand of God in heaven but also as Hee speaketh Matth. 28.18 that All power is given unto Him both in Heauen and in earth Vnto Him I say is all power given to raigne and to order the state of the world not onely as the sonne of God which He did and doth eternally with the Father and the Holy-Ghost Pro. 18.15 but as He is the Son of man Iohn 5.27 as Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.28 He that was raised from the dead must reigne till Hee hath put all His enemies under His feete This glory of Christ is thus declared Ephe. 1.20 c. God having raised Him from the dead hath set Him at His right hand in the heavenly places farre above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feete and hath given Him to bee the head over all things unto his Church The manifestation therefore of this glory in the humanitie and the exercise of this power is in the discharge and execution of those offices and dignities which He hath received of the Father to bee the King the Priest and Prophet unto His Church He then as King doth order the affaires of the world sometime restraining the power of Tyrants and Persecutors of His trueth sometimes suffering their rage to grow on high yet arming the hearts of His seruants and subjects with courage and constancy against their fury that it may appeare that He raignes in the hearts of men and turneth them whithersoever He will Otherwhile againe giving Kings and Queenes to bee nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto His Church that trueth may flourish in the earth as Righteousnesse hath looked downe from Heaven And concerning His Priest-hood this is the summe that wee have such an High-Priest Who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie of heaven to appeare in the sight of God for us to offer up our Prayers to pleade our cause before the infinite Iustice and thereunto to present what Himselfe hath done and suffered in our behalfe Heb. 8.1 and 9.24 and of these two that is His Kingdome and His Priest-hood Saint Peter speaketh Actes 2.36 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this Iesus both Lord and Christ. The office of His prophesie is in this that as before His appearance in the flesh Hee by His Holy Spirit instructed the Prophets so after that when Hee ascended on high He gave gifts unto men some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephe. 4.11.12 And hereunto belong all those meanes which he hath made subservient hereunto by His Holy Spirit stirring up the hearts of Kings and Princes and other noble benefactors for the establishment and maintenance of Vniversities or Schooles of the Prophets But as the great rivers are nothing else but the gathering together of waters from many smaller fountaines and gilz so the particular Schooles founded by charitable and well-minded men such as the most vertuous Iohn Colet Deane of Paules and founder of that Schoole was are the perpetuall supplies without which the Vniversities could not be furnished either with Prophets or with Prophets sonnes And therefore for these also doth our Lord now sitting at the right hand of the Father by His Holy Spirit furnish men with the gift of tongues and their interpretation And therefore you my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing that an account must be made for whatsoever wee have received either of gifts or maintenance hereunto And although besides our endlesse paines wee endure the inconveniences of these ill and dissolute times the idlenesse and dulnesse of many untoward and grace-lesse children the folly of some more wicked and unthankfull parents though our imployment bee disesteemed yet seeing the hope of the time to come is in our paines let us for that duety which wee owe to Christ that love which wee beare to His Church and our Countrey endeavour the faithfull discharge of our trust and remember that our reward is laid up in heaven Now see the reasons of the conclusion 1. It is justice that the lowest degree of humility and abasement for obedience sake unto the will of God should bee rewarded with the greatest glory and honour that may be done unto the creature But it hath appeared heretofore that our Lord Christ for His obedience sake to the will of His Father became subject to poverty that we might be rich 2. Cor. 8.9 Hee endured stripes that we might bee healed 1. Pet. 2.24 That He suffered shame and death it selfe for our offence See hereto Chap. 27. Therefore Christ is set at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven This is the argument of Saint Paul himselfe Hebr. 12. vers 2. Christ for the joy that was set before Him endured the Crosse despised the shame and sate downe at the right hand of the throne of God This is that argument whereby our Lord strengthened Himselfe against death Iohn 13.32 If God be glorified in the Sonne of man God shall also glorifie Him in Himselfe 2. To the most noble and worthy person the most noble dignities and excellencies doe belong But the person of our Mediator according to His God-head hath equall glory and honour with the Father and the Holy-Ghost Therefore to Him it belongs also as man to sit at the right hand of the Father a because of His union with the God-head For although in His God-head He could not suffer nor die yet because His God-head was clouded in His humanity the whole Person was truely said to bee both humbled and exalted And as by that humiliation and offering of His body and blood Hee made a full satisfaction to the infinite justice for the sinne of His people So did Hee merit and purchase both to Himselfe and to His chosen all that honour and happinesse which either the one or the other can bee capeable of And therefore in His humanity to sit at the right hand of God 3. It is necessary that He sit at the right hand of power that is have the superexcellency of all power
February which shall be in the yeere of our Lord 1645. is very weake and contrary to those prophesies of Scripture which teach us to expect the conuersion of the Iewes And with them the fulnesse of the Gentiles and that Sabbatisme or restitution of the creature which is so often promised both in the old and in the new Testament as it may hereafter appeare more at large Yet as by the Spring wee know the approach of Summer so hath He given us certaine signes that wee may lift up our heads and know that our redemption is nigh at hand For as it is a manifest signe that the destruction of that Nation is nigh when every man is oppressed one by another when the Boy shall behave Himselfe proudly against the Ancient the base against the honourable Esay 3.5 yea and bee upheld therein O times Into what corruption of manners are wee fallen So when all charity is put only in the maintenance of idlenesse and begging Gangrels being otherwise dead and cold when the apostasie is fully revealed and the man of sinne detected which exalteth Himselfe above all that is called God Moreover when by the working of the false apostles of that apostasie there is a daylie falling from the faith 2. Thes chap. 2. When that ill servant hath said in his heart My Lord delayes his comming and hath begun and so continues to smite his fellow-servants Matth. 24.28 29. what wants but onely that the Tribes of Israel should be gathered to the Church that all the wicked should bee put away like drosse Psal 119. verse 119. For the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous Other signes you may reade in the Holy Text and consider of them But that signe of the Son of man spoken of Matth. 24.30 is doubtfull Some thinke it shall be a crosse some a great light Lactantius Lib. 7. Cap. 19. thinkes it shall bee a sword which shall fall from heaven like the ancyle Ovid. Fast lib. 3. But Sibyl orac lib. 2. saith it shall be a glorious Starre in the likenesse of a Crowne except by an Enallage of number shee meanes a Crowne of Starres as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime doth signifie a constellation Her Verses are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A shining Starre like to a Crowne most sheen In the bright heaven of all men shal be seen For many dayes Next after the signes of our Lords comming to Iudgement you may reade the manner of His comming as it is delivered in the Scripture so farre as our understanding can conceive to bee with power and glory Mat. 24.31 euen the glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 and all the holy Angels with Him Matt. 25.31 In flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1.8 § 3. But that we dwell not on these things which are either beyond our understanding as the enquiry of the time which is therefore hid that it may stint our curious search or else so plaine that wee need not doubt let us goe forward to those questions which seeme to offer some doubt unto us 1. And first if Christ our Lord shall judge the world in righteousnesse Psalm 9.8 how is it said Matth. 19.28 That the Apostles shall sit upon twelue Thrones and judge the twelue tribes of Israel And againe 1 Cor. 6.2 Doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and vers 3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels To which the answere is returned That the Apostles by their faith and doctrine shall take away all excuse from the Israelites and so judge and condemne them For this is their condemnation That they beleeved not in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 3.18 So the Saints in generall shall judge the wicked by their faith and repentance whose example the wicked would not follow that they might be saved Moreover seeing the faithfull are the members of that mysticall body of which Christ is the head they in Him are said to judge the world that is the unbeleevers And seeing all the enemies of Christ are to bee brought before the Throne of Christ and His Church in as much as Christ shall judge the world and the wicked Angels in trueth and righteousnesse all the faithful shal subscribe to the judgement as most holy and just and so are rightly said to judge the Angels And as the holy Angels shall then rejoyce with joy unspeakeable for that glory and mercy which God shall vouchsafe unto His Saints So the Saints likewise shall give glory and thankes to God for that encrease of glory and happinesse which He shall give unto the holy Angels as the reward of their continuall watch and guard which they have held about us all the time of our pilgrimage upon earth and at the houre of death helping the soule out of the prison of the body and conducting it unto the place of joy But it is said Iohn 16.11 That the Prince of this world is judged already how then shall we judge the Angels Answer The devill is judged already 1. In the decree of God 2. By the word of God he is declared to be reserued in chaines of darknesse and that hell fire is prepared for him and his angels 3. By his owne knowledge of his owne estate 4. Because his torment is in part begun But in judgement there be two things First the enquiry of the fact then the award of the reward Neither the deeds of the good or bad angels shall bee enquired into at the judgement a as some have thought but the reward shall bee assigned unto them both and acknowledged to be most just by the Church as I said before and this is our judgement of them Neither yet shall the sencelesse creatures be exempted from this judgment in as much as The elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes thereof shall burne 2. Pet. 3.10 that they may be freed from that corruption to which they are subject for the sinne of man For when man sinned the whole bodily creature which was made for man was thereby subjected to vanity not of it owne will or any inclination which was therein in respect of any weakenesse of state wherein it was created For all was exceeding good Gen. 1.31 but that the justice of God against sinne might be manifest is it subjected to the curse Gen. 3.18 19. yet under hope that when man is freed from his sinne the creature also shall be restored unto that libertie from corruption wherein it was created Rom. 8.20 c. as it is said Rev. 21.1 and 5. Behold I create all things new See 1. Pet. 3.13 2. Another doubt may bee concerning the forme of the sentence whereby it may seeme that the merit of workes is justified For so is the
Councell of Florence in the yeere 1439. grew more hot than they had beene before and that because the Greekes then present in that Councell in hope to draw them of the West into their helpe against the Turks did seemingly yeeld to that trueth which these Churches in the West doe holde in that point yet it appeares that in the time of Damascen about the yeere 750. it was their received opinion For thus he writes Orthod fidei lib. 1. Cap. 13. He is the Spirit of the Sonne not proceeding from Him but from the Father by Him For the Father onely is the cause Nay if you looke yet higher in that explanation which the Councell of Constantinople spoken of even now made of that Article of the Holy-Ghost in the Nicene Creed that clause and from the Sonne is left out so that this errour seemes not new but falshood is as ancient as the devills apostacie and no antiquitie can make it trueth And if you looke to the authorities of Scripture brought before to this point in the Chap. § 1. and consider well the reasons in Chapter 11. you shall see how rotten this opinion is and how justly the clause And from the Sonne was added by the Latine Churches as they declare it in that Councell of Florence spoken of before So that falshood which some write to Paulus of Samosata that the Holy-Ghost is not any divine subsistence but onely the working and grace of God in the hearts of men and that which they write of Servetus that it is onely a certaine vigor or strength whereby every thing created is mooved naturally at the sight of the same authorities and reasons will vanish as mist before the wind Those childish fantasies of the Elleasites or Sampseans of which you read in Epiphanius Haer. 30. and Haer. 53. would trouble your hearing Sect. 3 § 3. So the onely heresie which is yet remaining is that which concernes the propriety or working of the Holy-Ghost Concerning whom some affirmed that He was not given sufficiently to the Apostles and that therefore further revelations were necessary to be made by them that had greater measure of that gift The Cataphryges or disciples of Montanus and the Manichees must needs be chiefe herein For if they had held that the gifts of the Holy-Ghost had beene given to the Apostles sufficiently their fancies of their new Comforters to teach them more then was needfull had never beene hatcht And among these Tertullian was most too blame who having once detested the Montanists did afterward both follow their errour and defend it But if that Holy Spirit should leade the Apostles into all trueth yea and shew them the things to come as the promise was Iohn 16.13 What further sufficiencie would these Hereticks require They might say the Disciples were ignorant of many things after the Holy-Ghost was come upon them for Peter accounted the Gentiles uncleane Act. 10. Answere But they were not ignorant of any thing that was needfull for the Church to know as S. Paul saith Actes 20.27 That he had declared unto them all the Counsell of God so according to the dispensation of the times which God had appointed the Gentiles were taken into the fellowship of the Faith For though they were commanded to preach repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes to all Nations yet the preaching must begin at Ierusalem Luk. 24.47 from Esa 2.3 Therefore they preached not to the Gentiles till the time was come and then Philip was sent to preach to the Eunuch Actes 8.26 and 29. and Peter to Cornelius Actes 10. and Barnabas and Paul euery where but with this condition first to offer the word of reconciliation to the Iewes and after to the Gentiles because the Children must first be fed See Marke 7.27 and Actes 13.46 So concerning the declaration of things to come Agabus foretold the famine Actes 11.28 that the Church in time might provide for due reliefe So the prophecyes of Saint Paul 2. Thes 2. and 1. Tim. Chap. 4. of Peter 2. Epistle Chap. 2. and 3. and Iohn Rev. all are no lesse lights for the knowledge of the true Doctrine and Church of Christ in these dayes than the prophecyes of old were for the knowledge of Christ when He should come and the benefits which the faithfull should receive by Him unto the Church which was before His manifestation in the flesh And if the Providence of God bee upon all His creatures His speciall mercy and compassion upon His chosen so that Hee never leaues them destitute of that which He knowes to be fit for them can any but Pepuzians and such franticks thinke that God will bee carelesse of His Church for whose sake He gave His onely Sonne to die Or can any man be such an Infidell as to thinke that the instruction of the Holy-Ghost who is God blessed above all is not sufficient to guide the Church according to the rule of trueth the Holy Scripture in the right way to everlasting life Therefore follow that rule and pray for that guide and let the follies of these Enthousiasts for ever vanish The second supply Of that inestimable gift of God the holy Scripture which Hee by His holy Spirit hath given to the Church CHAP. XXXIIII THough for Adams sinne God did hide His face from man except when either in justice Hee did punish his sinne or in mercy declare the meanes and give assurance how he should be freed therefrom as it appeares in Adam Cain Abraham Moses and the Prophets untill the time came that the promise of the redemption was fulfilled Yet by His holy Word hath He so fully provided for the direction and comfort of His Church and every one of His children therein that there is nothing in the whole course of mans life whether in things that are to be done or left undone or in things that are to be beleeved or not to be beleeved in whatsoever it is fit for us to expect any direction or comfort from God immediately wherein He hath not most particularly declared His holy will It was a wonderfull grace and favour beyond all other men unto Moses that whensoever he went into the Tabernacle he might talke with God face to face as a man converses with his friend Is not the same grace vouchsafed to us who not onely in the Churches but even in our private chambers or in the open fields may talke with God and receive His answere in His word And lest any man may pretend ignorance or want of skill how to present himselfe unto God all manner of formes of thankes of of praise of prayers are set out in the Scripture and all summ'd up in that forme which our Lord hath taught us And that we may come boldly unto the Throne of Grace and be assured to find helpe in the time of need we shall in His Word not onely receive His owne Answer but likewise see by examples how holy and devout men have sped in the like cases Thus we
and comfort in God be firme and sure if they were not grounded upon His holy promises that never faile 2. And if no man know the things of God but onely the Spirit of God how could we beleeve that which is to be beleeved of Him or hoped for our selues as the Trinity of Persons the Incarnation of the Son the resurrection of the body c. but by the instruction of His holy Word 3. How could we have the true knowledge of sinne and the punishment thereof but by His Law whereby He hath taught us what duty we owe to Him to our neighbour and to our selues And if the holy Scripture doth thorowly instruct us in all things that we ought to doe or to beleeve is not the sufficiency and perfection thereof able to teach us how to be perfect in every good worke See 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 2. And if it might with due reverence unto God be supposed that the holy Scriptures have not sufficiently instructed us in every thing Yet who is he or what is that Church that may presume to adde to His word Proverb 30.6 Lest if they teach things that are not to be beleeved or command that which is not to be done our faith be found to be foolishnesse and our obedience become if not sinne yet without reward as the Prophet saith Esay 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand 3. As the man is so is his strength Iud 8.21 as his wisedome is such are his words And seeing it is evident by the Scripture which is given that it was the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to give instructions unto His Church and that it hath already been prooved that the Wisedome Chapter 5. and the Trueth of God as all His other dignities are infinite Chapter 7. if the instructions and directions of the Scriptures were not in every respect perfect and sufficient for the Church to that end for which they were written then the Wisedome or Goodnes of God should be defective in that which was necessary for His Church to know But that is impossible Therefore the Holy Scripture is sufficient 4. If God have not sufficiently and perfectly instructed us by His word what we ought to doe and to beleeve then can He not in Iustice punish those defects which shall be found in our Faith or obedience especially seeing we are not bound by any precept in His revealed will to hearken to any traditions with that reverence as to His word but rather are every where commanded to hearken to His word and that without any adding thereto or taking away therefrom Deut. 4.1 2. and 5.32 Esay 8.20 sends us to the Law and to the Testimony and if any one shall speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them So our Lord sends us to the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 Therefore the holy Scriptures are perfect and sufficient to teach all things that belong by way of divine revelation to faith and godlinesse All the Fathers runne this way and the most learned among the Schoolemen and later Papists as you may see them cited by Master G. Langford Enquiry after verity § 2. Of Traditions Obiect 1 Object 1 Against this doctrine of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures doubts are raised two wayes First from the necessity of Traditions Secondly for that it is supposed that some bookes of the holy Writ are lost For the first it is manifest even by the reasons that are brought for the sufficiency of the Scripture For if it were alwayes necessary that the service of God in His Church should be according to His owne commandement and direction it must follow necessarily either that the Scriptures should have beene given even from the beginning of the world for the Church of the redeemed began in Adam or else that the seruice of the Church was onely according to tradition The first is apparently false For Moses was the first inditer of any Scripture and that after the deliverance out of Egypt which was after the Creation of the world 2513 yeeres Therefore the second followes of necessity that Traditions were necessary Answer This is a wilfull mistaking of the question which being about the sufficiency of the Scriptures must needs be limited to the times since the Scripture was given But Moses was not the first inditer of the holy Scripture but God Himselfe who had first written His Law in mans heart did secondly write it in two Tables of stone with His owne hand in mount Sinai And thirdly againe when the Tables of the Covenant were broken this was the first of all that which we call holy Scripture After which time God taught Moses the Originall of the world the sinne and redemption of mankind the order of times and whatsoever was necessary for that people to know and to doe And although it bee most true that the faith and seruices of the Church before the law was onely according to tradition yet because those traditions were not kept as God had taught them God brought upon the world of the ungodly the Flood Yet even within foure hundred yeeres after the Flood by the craft of the devill and his new revelations the best among men became Idolaters as it is manifest in Iosh 24.2 And therefore God gave Ordinances and Lawes by Moses in writing to the obseruation of which the whole Church of Israel was bound without any addition thereto or taking away therefrom Deut. 12.32 Obiect 2 Object 2. But traditions may be necessary for the Church as well since the Scriptures were written as before as Saint Paul 2. Thess 2.15 exhorts them to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or by Epistle So the Councill at Trent Sess 4. Can. 1. commands them to be received as the holy Canonicall Scripture Answer The word Tradition there is doubtfull For either it may signifie at large any thing that is delivered either by word or by writing and that may be any fundamentall trueth according to the holy Scripture as Saint Paul meanes in that place as Saint Athanasius Epist ad Adelphium de Incarn Contr. Samos calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apostolicall Tradition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith delivered by tradition that God was manifest in the flesh or else it may signifie any canon or rule for the ordering of things indifferent in Ecclesiasticall policy wherein all things ought to be done in order And in these two sences traditions are to be held the first in obedience to God and His trueth as we receive the Apostles Creed and as you read in the Note on Chap. 33. § 2. N. 4. how Hosius speakes of the coessentiall Persons of the Trinity as a tradition from Christ to His Apostles and from them to us the second for peace and avoiding of divisions in the Church as to kneele at the holy Communion rather then to sit or to stand though none of all these
any booke which went under the name of Henoch if nothing in the booke were Henoch's beside this prophecie Saint Iudes citing doth not make the booke Canonicall Scripture no more than S. Pauls citing the heathen Poets or if S. Iude had it onely by tradition that Henoch had so prophecied how doth it make for the question For it is not said that all things are false which are delivered by tradition but that in the matiers of the faith and doctrine of the Church those traditions have no force or credit which are contrary to the truth of God revealed in His Word 5. But it is yeelded that though some part of Scripture be lost yet that which remains is sufficient and containes all things necessary Answere Our Lord saith Luk. 10.42 That one thing is necessary which in Iohn 17.3 he confesseth to bee this To know the Father the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent and according to the necessitie of this one thing the 3. Chapter of Gen. with the 53. of Esay and any one of the Gospels might seeme sufficient And in this sufficiencie onely wee dwell hither-unto But because S. Peter saith 1. Epistle 1.11 that the inquest of the Prophets was not onely concerning the saluation of the soule but likewise what times and what manner of times they should be wherein the sufferings of Christ should bee fulfilled and the glories which should follow thereupon and because both the sufferings of Christ and his glories are to be accomplished not onely in Himselfe but also in His Church as they were prefigured in all the types that were of Him in the Church under the Law and that God the Lord doth nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 when wee shall grow past milke and be able to digest stronger meat when wee shall understand how the Law and the Prophets are to be fulfilled to every jod and title contained in them Matth. 5.17.18 when wee shall be able to apply every text to the proper time and meaning according to the perfection of the uttermost understanding thereof then shall we see that the Law of the Lord is a perfect Law and His Statutes and judgements are sweeter then honey and the honey combe then shall the Church see and know that nothing in the whole body of the Holy Scripture is either superfluous or that any word letter or prick therein might bee missing Sect. 5 § 5. That the Scriptures are come unto us as they were at first delivered to the Church by the Prophets and Apostles that were the Pen-men thereof it may be manifest by those reasons which are brought for proofe of the former question 1. For if God who is praysed for His trueth in that Hee hath magnified His Word above all His Name Psal 138.2 hath not preserved His Scripture intyer from the corruption of man from the alteration addition or taking away that they might make what comfort or certaine instruction can wee have thereby What assurance of hope by those promises of which wee are not sure whether they be the promises of God or the imaginations of men Thus the end for which God of His goodns gave those Scriptures should be frustrate and man in that incertainty nothing furthered toward eternall life Thus the Church should fayle in the duty and faithfull performance of that trust which she owes unto God in preserving that treasure which was committed to her charge and safe keeping But these things are not to be granted And therefore the Scriptures are come unto us in that integrity or purity in which they were at first delivered to the Church they of the old Testament in the Hebrew tongue they of the new in Greeke 2. The constant consent of all the doctrines and promises contained in the Scriptures the efficacie and power of that Spirit which is manifest in the deliverie thereof are evident proofes that the Scripture is still in that purity in which God gave it unto the Church And although God in those Scriptures have vouchsafed to apply Himselfe to our understanding and as a nurse to lisp with her infant yet so much is the foolishnesse of God wiser than man and the weaknesse of God stronger than men 1. Cor. 1.25 as that it is still manifest in the whole body of the holy writ that nothing of humane drosse is mixt there-with but that His Word is still as before pure as silver that hath beene tryed seven times in the fire 3. This fire is that dampish smother-fire of heresies which the devill did kindle among his brands among whom though some rejected the authority of sundry bookes of Holy Scripture as Marcion and others some corrupted the sence thereof by Allegories and forraine interpretations as the Origenists See Augustin de Gen. ad literam others by wresting it from the native sence to the supportance of their owne heresies yet the Church which continued faithfull in the doctrine of God constantly with-stood all these attempts and ever maintained the sincerity as of the doctrine so of the Holy Scripture on which it was founded And because the Scripture is either of the old or of the new Testament it is fit to speake to each of them in particular 4. And first concerning the old Testament it is manifest that the Church of Israel whose hope was set on that Messiah that was to come had no cause to corrupt the text of the holy writ but according to the promises which they had in the Law and in the Prophets the expositors thereof so to hope that He should be such a deliverer and Saviour as was promised by which hope they were bound to preserue the Scripture in all integrity that they might see the full accomplishment thereof when He was come 5. Beside the Priests whose lips should preserue knowledge and at whose mouth they should seeke the Law Mal. 2.7 there was from Samuel unto the dayes of Ezra a perpetuall succession of Prophets who could not in any wayes have endured so great a corruption uncontrouled as that the Word of the Lord should be changed or depraved And although the Scriptures before the time of Ezra had beene corrupted yet he being a Prophet a Priest and a perfect scribe of the Law of the Lord and of the Statutes of Israel that had prepared his heart to teach the Law of God and His statutes and judgements Ezra 7. who changed the forme of their Chaldean or Samaritane letters for those which are now in use hee I say would have taken away all such corruptions or changes as had come to the Holy Scripture if it might bee imagined that any could come in the time of the Prophets that were before as far as the diversitie of Copies gave them light Of the Israelites care in writing the Scriptures and of the Masôreth 6. MOreover that exceeding care and diligence which the Scribes were to use in writing is sufficient proofe that the bookes of the
old Testament are come to us in that purity in which the Church received them which care how great it ought to bee you may see by that which their Doctors have recorded Henry Ainsworth Aduertisement n. 3. cites out of Rambam Sopher Torah Chap. 7. and 10. thus much If the booke of the Law doe want but one letter or have one letter too much if one letter touch another if the forme of any letter be corrupted if the word which is full be written defective or that full which is defective if the word of the margent be written in the line or that of the line in the margent the Booke is not allowable to bee read in the Synagogue neither hath it the holinesse of the Booke of the Law at all but is a booke on which Children may learne To this purpose you may take that which you read in Shickard Prodrom in Bechinah happerushim Disp 1. cited out of the booke Sopherim Chap. 1. Halach 1.4 5. by which you may see with what a superstitious care if any care could be too much they regarded the writing of the Booke of the Law wherein nothing might bee blotted nothing scrap't out neither might they write it in any Parchment or Velam but such as was of the skinnes of cleane beasts in Parchment on the fleshie side in Velam on that side which had the haire And if this ordinance were changed they read not in it And this was the manner Because the lines being written in length according to the bredth of the skinne as in an Indenture might bee troublous to finde they divide the skinne into certaine pages which in Iere. 30.23 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dlathoth which wee interpret leaves because they were like the leaves of a doore and may fitly bee termed pages neither was it lawfull to write it with a coale or with Inke wherein was either Gum or Coperas and all this say they by the Tradition of Moses on mount Sinai Then with what respect they used the Booke being written you may see in Oseh Torah Chap. 3. Halach 10. and in Anthony Margaritha a converted Iew in his booke of the Iewish faith and others They touch it not but with washed hands neither doe they take the rolle by the midst but by the margent and that onely with the right hand for which they bring Deut. 33.2 At His right hand was a fiery Law No man may lay it on His knees nor leane upon it when he reads nor read it as other writings c. lest the holy Bookes grow into contempt no man may sit upon the fourme or bed on which it lyes nor lay it towards the beds feet nor lay other bookes upon it and their reason for that the whole Law is holy and that every letter therein containes infinite wisdome and that God hath more care of the Letters and Syllables of the Law then of the starres of heaven And that this care was not onely of the bookes of the Law but likewise of all the holy Scripture of the old Testament indifferently you may know by that infinite diligence of the Masôrites who to the intent that the purity of all the holy Text might be preserued intier numbred in the whole Bible the Verses the Words the Letters and of them the common and the finall and what verse what word and letter was the midst of every booke and among the Letters they noted how many times every one was found in every booke if any one were bigger or lesse then the due proportion or higher then the rest or pointed extraordinarily what holem was with vau and what without it what hirick was written with jod and what not what space was more what lesse betweene the paragraphs when two words were to be read as one when one as two when the letters in the midst of a word should be transposed and that which was in the end of one word to be put to the beginning of another with many such obseruations which you may read in Shickard cited before De Masôreth pag. 45. c. So that no corruption or alteration could come into the text of the old Testament but by these rules of the Masôreth it might be easily detected Neither is this Masôreth wonderfull onely for the infinite diligence and paines that was used in the compiling thereof but also venerable for the Authors which by the authorities of the Hebrewes were Ezra and the Prophets of his time which were called the men of the great Synagogue or more truely the great men of the Synagogue Haggai Zachary Malachy Daniel Hananiah Misheel Azariah Nehemiah Mardoche Zorobabel and of the most wise and learned among the rest to the number of 120. For this could not be the worke of one man or of one age And although the succession of the Synagogue still continued in some sort yet by reason of the many warres and troubles after their returne from Babylon even untill the last ruine of their nation by Adrian about the yeere after the death of Christ one hundred this worke was often at a stand and not fully finished till about the yeere five hundred and tenne after the Incarnation Whereupon those Masôrites are by some unduely thought to bee the first Authors of that worke 6. Also the whole Art of the Kabalists in high esteeme among the Hebrewes above all others without this purity of the holy Text were either nothing worth or rather in it selfe nothing at all But the argument from hence to proove the purity of the Scripture among the common sort for whom I write would not be easie to be understood Therefore I referre them that are desirous to know further hereof to the author forenamed pag. 60. c. to Iohn Reuchlin and others that have written of that Art For by this which I have already said I thinke it is cleare to him that is not wilfully blind how farre it was from the Church of the Iewes to offer any sacriledge to the Booke of God who with such infinite paines and care have wall'd in that holy ground lest beasts should breake into it 7. 1. And for further proofe that the Hebrewes were the faithfull Library-keepers of that booke as Saint Augustine calls them you may take the testimony of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 3.15 where hee calls the Church the pillar and stay of Faith not that in an implicite and ignorant faith we should hold it sufficient to beleeve as the Church beleeves but because the Church had evermore truely and faithfully preserued and followed the trueth of God revealed in His Word as it had received it from Him at the first And if this be true of the Church in generall it must needs be most true of that most ancient and publike Church first chosen from all nations by whom the Name of the Lord should be called upon from whom the word of the Lord was to proceed to other nations Esay 2.3 whereas the Church of the Gentiles was then
it hath power to convert the soule that it is sure that it makes the simple wise Psal 19.7 And therefore are they not the messengers of Christ but rather the ministers of Satan who under any pretext of falling into heresie of hardnesse to be understood or the like with-hold the laytie from the reading of the Scriptures It is not denied but that many things therein are hard to be understood yet that one thing which is needfull Luk. 10.42 That mystery of the knowledge of Christ which was kept secret since the world began is now made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25.26 1. For seeing the instruction of God must be of all such things as are above our knowledge and yet of such things as are most necessary for us to know if nothing be more necessary for us to know than the meanes of our delivery from sinne and death by the merit of Christ it is necessary that one needfull thing be made manifest unto us by the Scriptures of God that every one may know and come freely to the fountaine of living Waters But what helps a fountaine that is sealed up Therfore it is necessary that our redemption by Christ be cleerely plainely and for every mans understanding taught in the holy Scriptures 2. Most of the arguments of § 2. are easily brought to prove that the Scriptures are easie to bee understood 1. For what comfort or hope could wee have by them if wee understood them not 2. How is our memory helpt by that we know not 3. How are wee confirmed in our most holy faith and religion by that wee understand not 4. How should wee understand those high mysteries so farre beyond our apprehension as the Trinitie of Persons in Vnitie of the Deitie c. but that the Holy Scriptures have made them easie unto us 5. How should wee know the danger and punishment of our sinne or the reward of our obedience if the Scripture did not fullie instruct us therein 6. You may also bring hither the reasons in § 4. I need not repeat them nor teach a child how from the sufficiencie of the Scripture he may proove their easinesse to be understood See there Object 1 Object 1. But doth not Saint Peter 2. Epistle 3.16 say that in Saint Pauls Epistles as in the other Scriptures there are some things hard to bee understood Answere Though some things be hard yet the fundamentall points of our Religion as the articles of our faith and the rules of a Christian life are plaine and easie to bee understood therein and these are the things by the knowledge and performance of which wee may hope to have everlasting life Object 2 Object 2. But it is not the word of the Scripture that the unlearned and unstable wrest the things which they understand not to their owne destruction Nay did not the Hereticks though many of them learned peruert the Scripture to the supportance of their damnable Heresies And were it not better that they had never read the Scriptures than that they should read them with so great danger both to themselues and to others as it hath appeared by the heresies that have beene sowne in the Church Answere If I seeme to give you a sullen answere yet reprove it not if it stand with the trueth It is said 1. Pet. 2.9 That Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence to the disobedient but to them that obey the trueth elect and precious But should Christ therefore not have come to redeeme His Elect because some shewed themselves unworthy of eternall life Therefore if the Gospel be uneasie or hid it is hid to them that are without whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not perceive the trueth Therefore as Christ redeemed the elect prayes for the elect not for the world but for them whom God had given him out of the world Iohn 17.9 So the benefits which are peculiar to the Church of which the true understanding of the Scripture is one belongs to them who with an honest and pure heart receive the word and bring forth fruit with patience But it is true that even to those many things are yet unknowne and some things doubtfull and this by the dispe sation of God 1. To avoid wearinesse in the reader 2. To stirre up our diligence and further inquest 3. That wee may aske wisedome of God and not trust to our owne understanding 4. That in the high and gâ—eat mysteries of God wee should hold our selues contented with that knowledge of them which God hath vouchsafed to give us in His word and such conclusions as doe necessarily follow thereupon But if the Scriptures be able indeed to give wisedome to the simple to make Children wise to saluation through faith in Christ if they give instruction in righteousnesse and make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished to every good worke 2. Tim. 3.16.17 then doubtlesse are they for every mans reading for the perfect and him that is throughly furnished for children and for the simple for all ages of men and women Ho every one that thirsteth come to tâ—e waters Come buy Wine and Milke without money or price Es 55. verse 1. Of the Scriptures Jnterpretation § 7. ANd if the Scripture be for every ones reading then certainely for euery ones interpretation privately to his owne understanding according to the measure of his capacity For the interpretation of any word or writing is nothing else but the declaration of the native and true meaning thereof whether it be literall and that either simple or figurative or mysticall and that either allegoricall morall or anagogicall But that ought not to bee taken for the true meaning of the Scripture which every one according to his private fantasie is able to wring out but that onely is the true and lawfull interpretation thereof which doth offer it selfe according to the meaning of the words with due consideration of the argument or purpose of the text which is gathered by that which goes before and that which followes after And this interpretation is especially to be hoped from them who having knowledge of the Hebrew and Greeke wherein the Scriptures were originally written have made it all their studie and delight truely to understand them for their owne soules health and the instruction of others But that wee bee not overswayed by any opinion which wee may have of their learning or mightinesse in the Scriptures let nothing be taken for a true interpretation of the Scripture which is dishonourable to God contrary to any Article of the faith or any of the ten Commandements or the petitions of the Lord prayer or any received doctrine which is plainely taught by other places of Scripture Secondly nothing which is contrary to common reason and understanding or repugnant to civill custome and good manners 3. No man knoweth the things of God but
a holy Catholike Church For it is impossible either that the promises of God should faile of their performance or that saith and other vertues should be without their reward For so the Spirit of grace which wrought these vertues in man should worke in vaine But this is impossible 5. This holy Catholike Church is declared in sundry places of the holy Scripture and in special according to all the causes thereof in the Epistle to the Ephes 4. chap. 1. from vers 2. to 15. And although Saint Paul in that place write to a particular Church yet is the Catholike Church no other than such as is there described no more then the Brittish or Spanish Seas are different from the great Ocean either in substance or qualities For there is but one body and one Spirit one Lord one faith one hope one baptisme one God and Father of all Ephe. 4.4 5 6. And as there is but one God so is there but one Mediator betweene God and man the Man Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 6. And this one Mediator is that one onely mysticall head of His mysticall body For there is no name given under heaven whereby wee must be saved but onely the name of Iesus Christ Act. 4.12 And as there is but one head so is there one onely body as it is said Cant. 6.9 My Dove my undefiled is but one and Iohn 10.16 There shall be one fold and one shepherd by which texts of the Holy Writ it is manifest that there is one holy Catholike hurch as wee doe beleeve § 3. And by this which hath beene said it may easily appeare what those differences are betweene this Catholike Church and other particular congregations whether in private houses or in Cities Countreys Kingdomes or Peoples which in Cant. 6. cited even now are signified by the Queenes Concubines and the innumerable Virgins which consent to the same points of faith and doctrine 1. The first and most common is this that in the Visible Churches Hypocrites and Atheists are found among the chosen and these are the tares among the wheate the bad fish among the good Matth. 13.48 But in this holy Catholike Church no vile or prophane person can bee as it is said Rev. 21.8 and 22.15 That without the holy Citie shall be doggs the fearfull and abominable the unbeleeving murderers whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and every one that loveth and maketh the lie 2. A second difference is in this that every particular Church is visible so that every member thereof may be fully informed of all things whatsoever is taught therein for trueth either concerning doctrine or discipline but the Catholike Church in the sence we here take it neither is nor ever was nor can bee visible but to the eye of faith alone as here we confesse in our Creed for faith is the proofe or argument of things not seene Hebr. 11.1 If then the Catholike Church be a thing to be seene then is it not to be beleeved if it be to be beleeved then must it needs be invisible 2. Beside this the universall or Catholike Church as Saint Paul describes it Ephes 13.15 is of the Saints in heaven as well as of them that are in earth yea and of them that are not yet borne as of either of these And although all the members of this Church during the time of their pilgrimage upon earth be visible or in a visible Church yet while they are here on earth we doe not beleeve them to be of that Catholike Church with that assurance of knowledge which a saving faith requires such a faith I meane as is due to an Article of our Creed but onely with that hope or credulity which Christian charity and their holy conuersation doth bind us to have of them 3. For as God only knoweth the heart so He only knoweth who are His and if He only know then cannot we and though we see them in a true particular Church yet doe we not thereby know that they are true members of the Catholike Church Object 1. If the true Church be not alwayes visible why doth our Lord send us to the Church Mat. 18.17 Answer That commandement of Christ shewes what is to bee done in particular visible Churches not in the invisible Catholike Church and this is to be obserued in such texts as are like to this which the Papists bring to proove the perpetuall visibility of the Catholike Church For if they could make that good they would hope thereby to proove the Church of Rome to be the Catholike Church But if the first were given the second would not follow For was there no Catholike Church before Romulus murthered his brother or where was the Catholike Church when Rome was yet the mother of all the abominations and filthinesse of the earth First in their worship of devills and after when their lives were answerable to their Religion as you reade in Saint Paul Rom. 1. and in their owne prophets Iuvenal Arbiter c. and againe since they have forsaken their faith once praised Rom. 1.8 and borne the former reward of their idolatry And if that Church be the Catholike Church out of which none can bee saved as they say what shall become of all those Christians in the whole world which detest the Church of Rome and all their idolatries and false doctrines as the Greekes and all that follow them the Nestorians Iacobites Ethiopians the reformed Churches in the West c. which for the number may seeme to be at the least five to one to the Papists notwithstanding their false pretended universality To the former differences betweene the Catholike Church and particular congregations you may adde a third that any particular Church may erre wholly both in manners and doctrine as I shewed in the Chap. before § 7. N. 2. but the Catholike Church cannot erre 4. Any particular Church may faile or cease to be but of the kingdome of Chriâ—t there shall be no end Therefore the Catholike Church cannot faile from whence it followeth 5. That the Catholike Church is of the greatest antiquity as having the beginning thereof in Adam and Eve for I enquire onely of the Church of the redeemed not of the Angels but particular Churches had their bâ—ginning afterward some at one time some at another as that of the Iewes in Abraham and his family that of the Ethiopians in the Eunuch c. 6. Concerning the succession of the Catholike Church there is none such â—s they account of Kings or Bishops in this or that See but becaâ—se Christs kingdome cannot faile therefore there is this succâ—ss â— That before these Saints that now live shall die others shall be borne that are the true members of the Church and thus is there still but one Catholike Church which unity containes all and every member thereof in one mysticall body whereof our Lord Christ is the Head Notes a I Withheld thee from sinning against Mee Against this and many such texts of