omitted but those which are sins by accident ought not to be omitted but to be reformed and performed after the manner and the end which God hath prescribed Externall discipline therefore is necessary even in the unregenerate 1. In respect of the commandement of God 2. For avoiding the grievousnesse of punishments which ensue upon the breach of discipline 3. For the preservation of the peace and society of mankind 4. For a way and entrance of conversion which is stopped by persevering and persisting in manifest offences If instance be given Hypocrisie is sin of it selfe and is to be avoided as Mat. 6. it is said Be not as Hypocrites but the discipline or outward behaviour of the wicked is hypocrisie Therefore it is sin of it selfe and they should omit it We answer to the Major The good actions of hypocrites are not to be omitted but their hypocrisie therein only to be eschewed by distinguishing the diversity of Hypocrisie There is a double Hypocrisie one is in workes not commanded of God done for ostentation sake or to deceive as those which Christ mentioneth Matth. 6. to make a Trumpet to be blowne before him when he giveth almes to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets to look sowerly and disfigure his face in fasting and all other superstitious and humane traditions which appertaine not to the edifying of the Church That these things are to be omitted and left undone there is no doubt as it is said In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men And therefore they are here expresly condemned and forbidden of Christ There is another hypocrisie in workes commanded of God but not done after that manner which God requireth These are not to be left undone but to be corrected and to be done without hypocrisie that is with true faith and godlinesse as in the same place Christ teacheth of almes prayer fasting not to be omitted of the godly but to be otherwise performed then they were of Hypocrites So also is there a great difference between the sins of regenerate men and unregenerate for as it hath been heretofore especially in the second distinction of sin said In all the regenerate there remain as yet many reliques of sin as 1. Originall sin 2. Many actuall sins as of ignorance omission and infirmity which neverthelesse they acknowledge and bewaile and strive and struggle with them and therefore lose not a good conscience nor endanger the remission of their sinnes 3. Some also sometimes fall into errours which fight with the foundation it selfe or into sins against their conscience for which they lose a good conscience and many gifts of the holy Ghost and should be condemned if they persevered in them unto the end but they perish not in them because they repent in this life In the mean time there resteth a three-fold difference The difference of the sins of the regenerate and the unregenerate Rom. 7.16 Luke 21.22 1 John 3.9 1 Pet. 1.23 Jos 4.2 3. Psal 37.24 whereby the regenerate differ in sinning from the wicked 1. Because the purpose of God is to keep the Elect for ever 2. In the regenerate when they offend there is assured and certaine repentance in the end 3. In these when they slip there remaineth some spark of true faith and repentance which is sometimes greater and mightier and so wrestleth against sin that they fall not into Reigning sin or errours repugnant to the foundation sometimes lesse and weaker and is for a time overcome of temptation but yet it prevaileth so far that they who are once truly turned unto God make not a finall Apostasie from him as appeareth in David Peter c. In the unregenerate when they sin none of these is found but the contrary altogether By this which hath been spoken it is manifest for what cause this difference of sinnes which are of themselves sins Two uses of the difference between sins which are of themselves sins and those which are made so by an accident and by an accident sins is necessary 1. Lest that a false perswasion of their own righteousness or merits should rest in mens minds 2. Lest with sinnes which are of themselves sinnes should be cast away also good things which come to be sins but by an accident and so should be increased and heaped up the sins and punishments of mankind 4. What are the causes of sin GOD is the cause of no sinne as is proved 1. By testimonies of Scipture God saw those things which he had made Gen. 1.31 Psal 5.4 and they were very good Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse c. 2. Because God is exactly and perfectly good and holy so that no effect of his is evill 3. Because he forbiddeth all sinne in his Law 4. He punisheth all sin most severely which he could not rightly do if he wrought or caused it 5. He himselfe destroyeth not his owne Image in man therefore he causeth not sinne which is the destruction of this Image The proper and onely efficient cause of sinne is the will of Divels and men The cause of sin is the will of Divels and men Wisd 2.24 John 8.44 whereby they freely fell from God and robbed and spoiled themselves of the Image of God Through envie of the Divell came death into the world But death is the punishment of sinne Ye are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father ye will do hee hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When hee speaketh a lye 1 John 3.8 then speaketh he of his owne for he is a lyar and the father thereof He that committeth sinne is of the Divell for the Divell sinneth from the beginning For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God Rom. 5.12 that he might loose the worke of the Divell By one man sin entred into the world An order in the causes of sin The Divell The Divell then was the cause of the first sinne or of the fall of our first Parents in Paradise provoking man to sinne Mans will and with the Divell mans will freely declining from God and yeelding obedience to the Divell The first sin That first fall of Adam is the efficient cause of Originall sin both in Adam and in his posterity By one mans disobedience many were made sinners and the precedent and as it were preparative cause of all actuall sins in posterity is originall sinne The sin that dwelleth in mee doth evill When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne The accidentary or casuall motives to sinne are those objects which solicite men to sinne Sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement Originall sin Rom. 7.17 James 1.5 Rom. 7.8 and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Actuall sins precedent are the causes of other actuall sins which follow whereas the Scripture lessoneth us
the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live For thou art not a God that loveth wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight God made man righteous Eccles 7.31 but they have sought many inventions Our unrighteousnesse commendeth the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.5 Rom. 5.12 Rom. 7.18 Sin ariseth from man himselfe By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin I know that in me there dwelleth no good thing Of this we conclude that God is not the author of sinne but that the originall of evill springeth from man himselfe by the instigation of the Divell yet so neverthelesse that wee say that the Divell being at the first corrupted did corrupt man but could have done nothing except man of his owne accord had consented to evill The cause of sin is to be sought in our first father through the Divels instigation and so by descent to be found in us Here are we to remember againe the fall of our father Adam God made Adam to his owne image and similitude that is he made him most good uncorrupt holy righteous and immortall he furnished him with most excellent gifts that nothing might be wanting unto him to all blessednesse in God Wherefore his Understanding was wholly divine his Will most free and most holy he had power of doing good and evill a law was given him of God which shewed him what hee should doe or what hee should not doe For the Lord said Gen. 2.17 Thou shalt not eat of the tree of knowledge both of good and evill God simply required of him Obedience and Faith and that the whole Adam should depend of him and that not constrained by necessity but should doe it freely Eccles 15.14 15. God made man from the beginning and left him in in the hand of his counsell saying If thou wilt thou shalt observe the commandements and testifie thy good will Therefore when the Serpent tempted man and counselled him to taste of the forbidden tree man was not ignorant that the counsell of the Serpent did not agree with the commandement of God Gen. 2.17 Yee shall not eat of the tree neither shall yee touch it lest ye die Wherefore it was in the hand of his counsell to ear or not to eat God declared unto him his will plainly charging him that he should not eat and adding the perill he did withdraw him from eating lest perhaps thou die Satan also as neither could he did not use any force but did probably move him unto it and at length did overcome him for when the will of the woman declined to the word of the Divell her mind departed from the word of God and rejecting a good law she committeth an evill work Afterwards she drew on her husband willingly following her to be partaker of her sinne That doth the Scripture inculcate in these words Gen. 3.6 So the woman seeing that the tree was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to get knowledge took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat Here have you the beginning of evill the Divell and that which moved the Will of man that is the false commendation of the Divell and even as a meere lye and the delectable shew and sightlinesse of the tree Wherefore Adam and Eve doe of their owne accord that which they doe being led with a hope of more excellent wisdome which the Seducer had lyingly promised them We conclude therefore that sinne hath his beginning not from God who forbideth evill but from the Divell and the free electron of man The beginning of sin from the Divell and the free election of man corrupted by his seducement which was corrupted by the Divels falshood And therefore the Divell and mans corrupted will obeying him are the most true cause of sinne This evill floweth from our first Parents unto all their posâ—erity so that sinne hath not else-whence his beginning then from our selves and our corrupt judgement and wicked will and the suggestion of Sathan For an evill root and that first corruption bringeth forth of it a rotten branch agreeable to the nature thereof which Sathan now also setteth forward and laboureth it as it were plants by his guiles and lies but in vaine doth hee labour except we yeeld our selves to be fashioned and dressed by him That is called Originall sinne which proceedeth from the first Originall that is was derived from the first Patents into all by propagation or generation for this sin we bring with us in our nature out of our mothers womb into this life I was borne in iniquitie Psal 51.5 and in sin hath my mother conceived mee And of the Divell Christ speaketh thus He hath been a murtherer from the beginning John 8.44 and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne For he is a lyar and the father thereof To this may be added this reason Sin the proper effect of a reasonable nature transgressing the Law That sin cannot be a proper and naturall effect of any cause but of that which hath power to doe against the Law but this no nature hath power to doe besides the nature of Angels and of men for God is a Law unto himselfe and cannot doe or intend any thing against his Law And other creatures whereas they are not endued with reason and therefore the Law not made for them they cannot commit sin because take away the Law and there is no place left for sin Wherefore it necessarily followeth that sin is such an effect as agreeth to those Angels alone who fell and to men If humane reason doe here object That God is the author and causer of punishment God the causer of sins as they are punishments but not as they are sins If therefore sins be the punishments of sins it followeth that God is the cause of sins We answer that there is a fallacy of the accident in the Minor For it cometh to passe by an accident that is by the fault of those who sin that when by the just judgement of God either themselves or others are punished by evill men they in the meane season God permitting that is not shewing them that hee would have those things to be done by them for to punish them which things yet hee hateth and which he will punish both in this life and the life to come do fulfill their desires swerving from the Law of God and estranging themselves more and more from God by sinning do purchase more grievous punishments unto themselves Or if we will distinguish the Major it is in effect the same For punishments come from God as author and causer of them as they are punishments but inasmuch as they are sins so they
sharp and bitter one thereby to recall him from making his expedition to war and to punish him for not obeying by delivering him to be seduced by the divell the false Prophets fore-told victory to flatter him the divell to destroy him and to die Why chastity is one of Gods properties Chaste There is made also mention of Chastity in the former description of God because amongst his especiall and most notable differences whereby he may be discerned from divels he will have truth to be and chastity for as God will be acknowledged to be true and will have truth loved of us that it may certainly appear that hee is and what he is and that men may think and speak the truth of him and through his knowledge be partakers of everlasting life so the divell attempteth to fill the world with lies that hee may both darken the glory of God and by forging lies of God destroy mankind Whereupon the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth John 8.44 but the divell a lyar and murtherer from the beginning and the father of lyes And as God both by reason of the exceeding purity of his nature Ephes 5.23 Ezek. 16. Hos 2. as also because hee will have the spousall love and conjunction of marriage to be the image of the unspeakable love and spirituall conjunction between him and the Church will therefore have it accounted sacred and holy amongst men and as in these respects hee is the lover and author of chastity and doth most severely detest and punish all uncleannesse both internall and externall which is repugnant to this order as the examples of the Sodomites of the tribe of Benjamin and others of all other ages and nations testifie So the divell both for his impurity and also because whatsoever God would have held most holy and venerable that for the hatred he beareth to God hee studieth most to deprave and most foulely to deform endeavoureth with obscenity and filthinesse horribly to pollute mankind and to withdraw them from God Therefore it is said This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thess 4.3 4. and that you should abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour Arguments of the mercy of God in preserving his creatures Mercifull The mercy or favour and inclinable will of God to preserve his creature and especially mankinde the Scripture proposeth unto us opened by these degrees 1. That hee taketh delight in the salvation of all but in the destruction of none As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live 2. That he deferreth mitigateth Ezek. 33. and taketh away punishments inviting all men by his long-suffering to repentance if not one way yet by the testimony of their conscience hereof hee is said to be slow to anger Exod. 35.6 3. That he debaseth himself to relieve our infirmity both by inward and outward supplies as by his Spirit word oathes sacraments and miracles 4. That hee imbraceth with singular love his chosen so that hee saveth and delivereth them for ever from sin and all evils and comforteth them also in afflictions Repl. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 Isa 49.15 Though a woman should forget her child yet will I not forget thee 5. That he chose rather to bring to passe this our delivery even by the incarnation and death of his only begotten Son then that all mankind should perish So God loved the world John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son 6. That he promiseth and performeth all these things of his own free goodnesse I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy Exod. 33.19 Isa 43.25 and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion I even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sins 7. That hee doth these things towards sinners who not onely were unworthy of them Rom. 5.10 but also who are his deadly enemies When wee were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son They also of the wiser sort which are out of the Church are compelled to attribute mercy unto God because they see him so mercifully to spare sinners â—am 3.22 whereupon Jeremie saith It is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not But because the perfectnesse of Gods justice and the privity of their own sins doth not permit them to conceive any firm perswasion of Gods mercy towards them neither know they ought concerning the salvation of men by the death of his Son therefore are they not able either constantly or wholly to agnise Gods mercy Object 1. Mercy is a kinde of griefe or sorrow Therefore there is sorrow and griefe in God Answ The names of affections when they are attributed unto God by an Anthropopathy they do not signifie any passion or change in God but an unspeakable either dislike or liking of the objects God therefore is said to be mercifull 1. Because he is against the destruction of his creature 2. Because he doth those things which mercifull men are wont to do Isa 1.24 Prov. 1.26 Object 2. God seemeth sometimes to rejoyce in revengement Ans He rejoyceth not in the revengement or punishment but in the executing of his own justice Isa 27.11 Object 3. It seemeth in some places of Scripture that Gods mercy doth not extend it selfe unto the wicked Ans This is to be understood of that degree of mercy wherewith he imbraceth his chosen And yet he spareth also the wicked neither rejoyceth at their destruction Object 4. But yet he saveth not all whereas hee is able to doe it Therefore he is not exceeding mercifull neither mercifull towards all Answ He doth not save all for most just cause for his mercy is so to be exercised that it hinder not the execution of his justice Object 5. He doth not take mercy on any or receive any into favour without the satisfaction of his Son Therefore hee doth it not freely Answ That which is concluded doth not follow because God of his free grace giveth this satisfaction it selfe and applyeth it unto us Now hee giveth a thing freely who giveth the price of a thing for which the thing it selfe is given In what the boundtifulnesse of God is seen Bountifull God is also called bountifull 1. Because hee createth and governeth all things 2. He is the only fountain of all good things 3. which befall to all creatures 4. Yea to the wicked 5. Of his goodnesse love and free mercy towards all creatures 6. But especially towards mankind which he hath made according to his image and for whose sake he hath created all other things 7. But in them also chiefly towards his Church to whom hee hath opened himself
duty Whereupon we pray Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven They are also called gods 5. Gods Psalm 8.5 Hebr. 2.7 What is meant by the names Gabriel Raphael and Michael Dan. 10.13 12.2 Jude 9. Rev. 12.7 because the nature and Majesty of God shineth in their strength vertues functions and marvellous works Which is also signified both by the name of Gabriel that is the strength of God and by the name of Raphael that is the medicine of God For the same cause also the name of Michael that is who is like God is given to the Son of God an Angel who is called the Arch-angel either because the Son of God is head of the Angels or because God doth according to that measure which seemeth best to him distribute his gifts to the Angels and shew forth his powerfull operation by them 2. Of evill spirits or Angels THey which now are evill spirits or Angels although they also were at their creation good and adorned by God with the same holinesse and righteousnesse and blessednesse wherewith the rest were yet notwithstanding by their owne will and that free and therefore by their owne fault they averted themselves from God and revolted from his love and from obedience due unto him so that they left the habitation of God and no longer continued their conformity with God but ever burn with an horrible hatred of God and men and that they may despight God force men to sin and by force and fleights attempt to cast all down headlong into destruction God spared not the Angels that had sinned 2 Pet. 2.4 but cast them downe into hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse Jude 6. to be kept unto damnation The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation hee hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father yee will doe John 8 4â— Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth When hee speaketh a lie then speaketh hee of his owne for hee is a liar and the father thereof 1 John 3.8 Hee that committeth sin is of the Divel for the Divell sinneth from the beginning John 13.25 Sathan entred into Judas Sathan filled Ananias his heart that hee should lie unto the holy Ghost Acts 5.8 Ephes 2.2 and keep away part of the price of the possession According to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 2 Thes 2.9 The divels appellations with their reasons 1. The wicked 1 Joh. 3.12 Ephes 6.16 It is said of Antichrist Whose coming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse among them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And therefore hee is called The wicked Cain which was of the wicked That yee may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And every where in the Scripture hee is called Satanas that is 2. Satanas 1 Chro. 21.1 the adversary of God and men And Sathan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel And hee is in like manner called Diabolus Divell because hee depraveth the word of God 3. Divell and is a slanderer of men as in Paradise 4. Serpent and Job 1. 2. And the Dragon that old serpent Revel 12. 20. because speaking by a serpent in Paradise hee seduced mankind through his subtiltie neither ceaseth hee to seduce them still The great Dragon that old Serpent called the Divell and Sathan was cast out which deceiveth all the world Again The accuser of our brethren 5. Accuser Rev. 12.10 6. Destroyer Rev. 5.11 7. The god and prince of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 Joh. 12.31 14.30 16.11 which accuseth them before our God day and night And hee is called Abaddon and Apollyon that is destroying Hee is also called The god of this world blinding the eyes of unbeleevers and the prince of the world both for his power and forcible working which hee sheweth on the wicked and for that tyrannie which hee exerciseth against the godly also by Gods permission as withall for that obsequie homage and obedience which is done him by the wicked even those who professe the worship of the true God Ephes 6. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Kings 22. 1 Cor. 10. John 8. The refutation of the Manichees who held two first causes By these places is made manifest the impiety of the Manichees who fained two causes or two gods co-eternall the one good whom they called the light and minde the other evill whom they termed the darknesse and matter the former whereof had created good natures the latter bad abusing those testimonies of Scripture where the Divell is called The god and prince of the world the father of the wicked authour of sin and death the power of darknesse and standing most of all on this argument That a good God should not make the cause of evill For neither hath the Divell any more power either over the godly or over the wicked or over other creatures for which hee is called The prince and god of the world then is granted him of God as appeareth by the first and second Chapters of the story of Job Matth. 31.22 and by the invasion of the swine Neither is the creation of the wicked but the corrupting and enforcing them to evill attributed to the Divell Neither is there any need lest God should be made authour of sinne to make another God of the Divell seeing the Scripture teacheth of Divels and men that both were created good and holy by God but the Divell revolting from God and seducing men corrupted both himself and men The evill spirits are unchangeably evill and damned And although of their own proper and free will they rush and bend themselves against God yet by the just judgment of God they are so forsaken and abjected of him that they are without all change or alteration unrecallably evill and subject to everlasting torments Wherefore Jude saith Jude ver 6. Mat. 15.41 that they are reserved by God in everlasting chains under darknesse And Christ Go ye cursed from me into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Divell and his angels For though doubtlesse these evill spirits were even from their fall dispoiled of the celestiall habitation and blessednesse yet notwithstanding both they and reprobate men shall be at the last judgment adjudged to more grievous punishment as contrariwise the felicity and glory of the godly shall then at length after the resurrection of their bodies be in all respects consummated and made perfect 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude ver 6. Matt. 8.29 Therefore these spirits are said to be reserved unto
to other men if indeed we neglect it we both make our Religion to be suspected shall undergo greater punishment for our negligence ignorance Neither would the Lord have the care keeping of the doctrine of Religion committed to us Scholars chiefly only for our own cause but others For the Learned themselves understanding the termes and method of the doctrine of Religion it is expected they should instruct and interpret unto others Seeing therefore Religion is to be taught in the Schooles as unto children to the end that it may be rightly taught Catechisme is necessary Neither indeed can this age learne unlesse brevity be used Nor can the parts of a discipline be dextrously and with due proportion of agreement between them be handled either by teachers or learners unlesse they first conceive in their mindes some short summ of the same For both these respects is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we read such oft repetitions in the holy Scriptures of brief summes of things As Repent and beleeve the Gospel He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved War you a good warfare keeping faith and a good conscience And seeing that it is said Colos 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome Explications must be added aggreeable to the speeches of the Prophets and the Apostles Neither is a Catechisme any thing else but a briefe explication of such speeches But because the little book called Melanchthons Examen is of that nature which I propound to you and the Authour hath comprised with great fidelity dexterity the heads of Christian Religion under an apt and perspicuous stile of words as also it is of no small consequence that a like form of Catechisme should be extant in sundry Churches stir up your selves to learn and conceive that these wretched papers of ours are swadling-bands wherein Christ will be found swadled up You see many are the things which doe commend these Swathels unto you and seriously exhort you to the imbracing of them by which I humbly beseech you to delight in them as the commandement of God your own salvation the duty we owe to posterity the example of the more reformed Church your condition of life your present age your desires and hope imminent dangers and the rewards and punishments to be expected from God But however our admonitions may be necessary yet of none effect we well know without the suggestions of the holy Spirit Therefore turning our selves unto God let us give thanks to him that his will was we should be born in this light of the Gospel and pray that wee may be taught and governed of him CERTAIN PREAMBLES on that Catechisme of Christian Religion which is delivered and taught in the Churches and Schooles throughout the Dominions of the County Palatine THe Preambles or preparatory Prefaces to this Catechisme are partly Generall concerning the whole Doctrine of the Church and partly Speciall concerning Catechisme alone The Generall Prefaces touching the Doctrine of the Church are seven 1 What and what manner of doctrine the doctrine of the Church is 2 What are the parts thereof and what the differences of each part 3 Wherein it differeth from the doctrine of other Sects and from Philosophie also and why these differences are to be retained 4 Whence it may appeare that it alone came from God 5 By what testimonies the certainty thereof is confirmed 6 For what cause no other doctrine besides is to be received in the Church 7 How manifold is the course of teaching and learning this doctrine 1 What and what manner of doctrine the doctrine of the Church is THE doctrine of the Church is the entire and uncorrupt doctrine of the Law and Gospel touching the true God The definition of the doctrine of the Church and his will workes and worship which doctrine is revealed by God himselfe comprised in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and confirmed by sundry miracles and divine testimonies by which the Holy-Ghost worketh powerfully in the hearts of Gods chosen and collecteth unto himselfe out of mankinde an everlasting Church in which he may be glorified both in this life and in the life to come This doctrine is the chiefe and speciall note of the true Church which God will have eminent in the world and severed from the rest of mankinde according unto these sayings of Scripture Fly Idols Come out from amongst them and separate your selves If there come any unto you and bring not THIS DOCTRINE 1 John 5.21 2 Cor. 6.17 2 John 10. Esay 52.11 Rev. 18.4 bid him not God speed Be yee holy touch no uncleane thing yee that beare the vessels of the Lord. Goe out of her my people that yee receive not of her plagues Now God will have this separation made 1. His glory For his owne glory For as hee will not have himselfe coupled with Idols and Divels So hee will have his truth severed from falshood and lyes 2. Reasons why God will have his Church distinguished from other Sects and his houshold separated from the enemies of the Church that is from the children of Sathan It were contumelious so to thinke of God as that he will have such children as persecute him 2 Cor 6.15 It were blasphemy to make God the author of impious doctrine and patron of the blasphemous For What concord hath Christ with Belial 2. The salvation of his Elect. The consolation and salvation of his Elect. For it is necessary that the Church be visibly beheld in this world that the Elect dispersed throughout all mankind may know to what society they are to joine themselves and being gathered unto the Church may lay hold on this sound comfort That they are of that company which is acceptable and pleasing unto God and hath the promises of everlasting life For God will that all which are to be saved be gathered unto the Church in this life because without the Church there is no salvation 3. Notes whereby the Church is distinguished from other Sects How the Church is knowne and what are her badges and markes whereby shee is distinguished from other Sects is at large discoursed of in the tract of the Church The notes are three 1. Purity of doctrine 2. The right use of the Sacraments 3. Obedience towards God in every point of doctrine whether of faith or of manners Object Yea but oftentimes great vices abound in the Church also Answ I confesse indeed many times great vices over-grow the whole body of the Church but they are not patronised or maintained as falleth out in other Sects nay the true Church is the first her selfe that reprehendeth and condemneth them before any other In the Church faults are committed but with present reproofe and speedy reformation As long as this remaineth so long remaineth the Church 2 What are the parts of the doctrine of the Church and what the differences of each part
estimation of others h 1 Pet. 4.8 The Explication THe drift or end of this Commandement is the ordinance and maintenance of the truth among men Neither is in this Commandement onely bearing false witnesse forbidden but all things which are of neere affinity therewith the generall whereof is lying Thou shalt not beare false witnesse of thy neighbour or against thy neighbour In this negative Commandement is comprehended an affirmative which is Beare therefore true witnesse of or for thy neighbour that is be true and desirous of learning and knowing the truth Wherefore the originall and generall head of those vertues which are here commanded is truth or truenesse in our speech opinion judgement covenants and in our doctrine For the name of Truth here is taken for the agreement or correspondence of our knowledge or speech with the thing whereof our speech is True wee terme the speech it selfe agreeing with the thing Contrariwise the generall head of such vices as are here condemned is false-hood in any of the fore-alledged premisses The vertues of this ninth Commandement together with their vices THe chiefe and principall vertue which is here commanded is Truth 1. Truth or truenesse is a vertue 1. Vertue Truth whereby wee love true opinions or speeches and seek after them and receive them and gladly professe and defend them according as both our dutie and persons places times and other circumstances require unto the glorie of God and the safety of our neighbour This end maketh that the divell cannot be said to be true although hee sometimes speake that which is true For he is true who speaketh and loveth the truth and doth affection it for the glory of God and the safety of his neighbour Of this vertue Aristotle briefly but learnedly disputeth in his Moralls and referreth truth in bargaines to justice Hee calleth him properly a true man who when it steedeth him nought at all yet is true in his speech and whole life and is habitually such an one Truth may also be defined on this wise What truth is Truth is a firme election in the Will whereby we constantly imbrace true sentences and opinions speake that which is true keep covenants and promises and avoid all deceitfull dissemblings both in speech and outward gesture True confâ—ssion is commanded both in this and in the third Commandement How confession of truth here differeth from that which is required in the third Commandement as oftentimes the same vertue is required to the obedience of diverse commandements But in the third Commandement true confession is required as it is the honour and worship of God immediately respecting God and here it is commanded as there is a will in us not to deceive our neighbour but to wish his safety and wel-fare Under the name of truth wee comprise liberty of speech which is a vertue whereby as much as the time place and necessity requireth wee professe the truth freely and boldly and are not with-drawne through the feare of dangers Unto Truth The contrary vices in the defect are repugnant Lying Lying unto which appertaine all guiles dissembling lies of courtesie slanders back-bitings evill speakings which kindes of lying are repugnant also unto fairenesse of manners and conditions Likewise Negligence in understanding the truth of things and searching true opinions and wilfull Ignorance which is a lâ—ing in the minde Vanity A Vaine man A Lyer Lying To lye Mentiri est adversus mentem ire Vanity or Levity which is a readinesse to lying Hee is vaine who lyeth much often and easily and that without any shame A Lyer is he who hath a desire to lye Lying is to speake otherwise or to signifie otherwise by outward gestures than thou thinkest and than the thing it selfe is For to lye is as much as to goe against thine owne knowledge All lying which doth expresly and plainely dissemble the truth is here condemned neither are officious lyes or lyes of courtesie excused Lyes of courtesie because evill is not to be done that good may come of it And well saith Lactantius In Epit. Wee must never lye because a lye either alwaies hurteth or deceiveth some man But a truth which is uttered by a figure is no lie Truâ—h uttered in a figure whether hee understand it or no with whom wee deale This is to be observed that wee be not rigorous in examining the actions of the Saints and also that wee excuse not those things which have no need to be excused Exod. 1.15 20 21. Officious lyes are commonly defended by the example of the Egyptian Mid-wives which lyed unto the King and were blessed of God But God blessed them not therefore because they lyed but because they feared God and slew not the Infants of the Israelites Object That which profiteth another and hurteth no man See August lib. de mend ad Consen is not sinne and therefore may be done A dutifull lye is of such qualitie Therefore it is no sin but may be made Answ The Minor is false because that which God forbiddeth alwaies harmeth and if it profit at all this is but by accident through the goodnesse of God Unto Truth in the excesse is repugnant The contrary vices 1. Untimely professing of the truth which is to cast pearles to swine and to give that which is holy unto dogs as Christ saith who by these words doth wholly forbid unnecessary and untimely professing of the truth For as the verse hath it in the Poet Hee that warneth out of time doth harme 2. Curiosity which is to search after things unnecessary or unpossible These things may suffice for this chiefe and principall vertue of the ninth Commandement The vertues which follow wait upon truth and they all are as it were of truths retinue II Vertue Fairnesse of mind Fairnesse of mind is a vertue which taketh well things well or doubtfully spoken or done and interpreteth them in the better part to wit as farre as there are any reasonable causes to induce thereto and doth not easily conceive suspicions neither sticketh upon suspicions though they be such as are just and have reasonable causes hee doth not ground thereon neither directeth his actions accordingly neither decreeth or determineth ought by them Or Fairnesse of minde is a neighbour-vertue unto truth allowing of others wils upon probable reason and hating all evil-mindednesse and drawing also some things that are doubtfull to the better part and hoping indeed that which is good but yet as touching mutable things thinking that the wils of men may change and that a man may erre concerning anothers will seeing the infoldings and secret places of mans minde are not beheld The extremes of this vertue in the defect are Slandering and Suspiciousnesse The contrary vices Slandering is not onely falsely to criminate and attach the innocent but also to interpret things indifferently spoken in the worser part What slandering is or also to enterlace and
That the Law and Gospel are the two onely parts of Christian doctrine proved by 4. reasons THE parts of the doctrine of the Church are two the Law and the Gospel in both which the summe of the whole Scriptures is contained The Law is tearmed the Decalogue and the Gospel is the doctrine touching Christ our Mediatour and the free remission of sinnes through faith This division of Church doctrine is clearly demonstrated to be sufficient by these evident arguments 1. All doctrine comprised in sacred writ concerneth either the nature of God or his will or his workes or sinne which is the proper worke of men and divels But of all these we are taught either in the Law or in the Gospel or in both Wherefore the Law and the Gospel are the chiefe generall heads which comprehend all the doctrine of the Scripture 2. Christ himselfe maketh this division of that doctrine which he commandeth to be preached in his name saying So it is written and so it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that in his name should be preached repentance and remission of sins Now the whole summe of all this is delivered in the Law and the Gospel 3. The writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe containe in them the old and new Testament or covenants between God and man Therefore it must needs be that in them is declared what God promiseth and what hee doth unto us to wit his favour remission of sinnes his holy Spirit righteousnesse and life everlasting as also what he requireth of us that is to say Faith and Obedience And these are the things which are taught in the Law and Gospel 4. Christ is the foundation and ground of the whole Scripture and the doctrine of the Law and Gospel is necessary to conduct us to the knowledge of Christ and of his benefits For the Law is our Schoolmaster unto Christ Gal. 3.24 constraining us to flee unto him and shewing us what that justice is which Christ hath recovered and restored unto us The Gospel of purpose amply treateth of the person of Christ his office and benefits Therefore all Scripture and heavenly doctrine is comprehended in the Law and the Gospel 3. Differences of the Law Gospel The maine differences of these two parts of Christian doctrine consist in three things In the matter it selfe In the subject or matter and kind of doctrine which they diliver because the Law is a doctrine prescribing unto men what is to be done and prohibiting whatsoever ought to be left undone whereas the Gospel is a preaching of free remission of sinnes by and through Christ In the manner of revealing In the manner of their revealing because the Law is knowne by nature the Gospel is revealed from above In their promises In their promises because the Law promiseth life with condition of perfect obedience the Gospel promiseth the same life on condition of our stedfast faith in Christ and the inchoation or beginning of new obedience unto God But hereof more shall be spoken hereafter in his due place 3 Wherein the doctrine of the Church differeth from the doctrine of other Sects and from Philosophy also and why these differences are to be retained THE differences betweene the doctrine of Gods Church and other Religions 4 Differences betweene Church-doctrine and other Religions are foure In their Authors GOD is the author of the doctrine of the Church from whom it was delivered by the ministry of the Prophets and Apostles other Sects are sprung from men and have been invented by men through the suggestion of Sathan In their testimonies of confirmation The doctrine of the Church alone hath divine testimonies firme and infallible such as quiet consciences and convince all other Sects of errour In teaching and not teaching aright the whole Law In the Church the entire and uncorrupt Law of GOD is perfectly retained and kept as for other Sects and Religions they maime and corrupt the Law of GOD. For they utterly reject the doctrine of the first Table concerning the true knowledge and worship of GOD either framing unto themselves another God besides that GOD who by his word and workes hath revealed himselfe unto his Church or seeking to know God but not by and in his Son or worshipping GOD otherwise than hee hath commanded in his word They are also altogether ignorant of the inward and spirituall obedience of the second Table That little good and truth which they have is a part of the commandements of the second Table concerning externall discipline and civill duties towards men In preaching not preaching aright the whole Gospel The Gospel of Christ is wholly taught and rightly understood in the Church onely other Sects are either cleane ignorant of it and despise it as the Ethnickes Philosophers Jewes and Turkes or they doe patch some little part of it out of the doctrine of the Apostles unto their owne errours of which part yet they neither know not perceive the use as the Arrians Papists Anabaptists and all other Heretickes of whom some maintaine errours concerning the person others concerning the office of our Mediatour These maine discords doe prove that the doctrine of the Church alone is zealously to be followed and kept and the Religion and doctrine of other Sects repugnant to the truth warily to be prevented and avoided according as it is said in Scripture BEWARE of false Prophets and FLY Idols The case holdeth not alike in Philosophy For true Philosophy howsoever it vary much from the doctrine of the Church yet it impugneth it not it is no lye as are the false doctrines of other Sects but it is absolute truth and as it were a certaine bright-shining ray of Gods divine wisdome fixed in mans understanding at the creation For it is a doctrine treating of God and his creatures The nature of Philosophy with the lawfull and fruitfull use thereof and other things good and profitable unto mankind compiled by wise and grave men through the light of Nature and grounded on principles in their own nature plaine and evident Whence it followeth that it is a thing not only lawfull but profitable also for Christans to imploy their labour and travell in the studies of Philosophy whereas contrariwise we may not busie our wits in the doctrine of other Sects but detest them all as untruths and lies coined by the Divel Notwithstanding between Philosophy the doctrine of the Church there is great difference especially consisting in these points 3 Differences between Philosophy and Church-doctrine In their grinciples They disagree in their principles For Philosophy in her principles is meerly naturall founded and built on things naturally knowne unto every man but the doctrine of the Church although it contain many things depending on nature yet the chiefest part thereof I meane the Gospel so far surpasseth the reach and capacity of nature
time after it and are Novices in respect thereof Whereas then undoubtedly the ancientest Religion is most true for men received the first Religion that ever was immediately from God it followeth that the doctrine of the Church alone is true and divine Miracles The miracles whereby God from the beginning of the world confirmed the truth of this doctrine such as the Divell is not able to imitate in deed nay not to resemble in shew I meane The raising of the dead the standing still or going backe of the Sun Luke 7. Josh 10.13 2 Kin. 20. Exod. 14. 2 Kin. 2. Gen. 18. the dividing of the sea and rivers the making of the barren fruitfull and such like which miracles whereas they are the workes of God alone wrought for the confirmation of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and God cannot give testimony unto a lye do powerfully evince that this doctrine is most true and proceedeth from God For albeit mention is made also of some miracles of the Heathen 1 Object Others also have miracles Ans It is not true and it is said of Antichrist and false prophets that they shall worke signes and great wonders so that the very elect themselves if it were possible should be seduced yet these neither in number not in greatnesse are equall unto the miracles of the Church and by the end for which they are done it may easily be discerned that they are not wrought by any divine power Wherefore there is a double difference especially by which true miracles are severed from false For first Those miracles which are vaunted of by the enemies of the Church are such as without changing course and order of nature They differ 1 In the substance may be done by the sleights and jugglings of men or Divels and seem therefore to others to be miracles because they perceive not the causes of them and the means wherby they are wrought Furthermore they have this as their chiefe end that they confirme Idols superstitions 2 In the ends manifest errours and mischiefes But the miracles with which God hath set forth his Church are workes either besides or contrary unto the course of nature and second causes and therefore not wrought but by the power of God The which that it might be the more manifest God hath wrought many miracles for the confirming of his truth whose very shew the divel is never able to imitate or resemble as the aforesaid miracles raising of the dead to stay or call backe the course of the Sunne to make fruitlesse and barren women fruit full But specially the miracles of God are distinguished by their ends from the divellish and feigned For they confirme nothing but that which is agreeing with those things which aforetime were revealed by God and that in respect of the glory of the true God of godlinesse and holinesse and the salvation of men And therefore it is said of the miracles of Antichrist 2 Thesâ—â— That his coming shall be by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse among them that perish c. Now 2 Object They are doubtfull if any be so bold as to call in question whether or no the miracles which are reported in the Scriptures were done so indeed he is out of all question of very great impudency Ans The Antecedent is false For hee may after the same manner give the lye to all both sacred and profane histories But let us first understand that as other parts of the holy story so especially the miracles are recited as things not wrought in a corner but done in the publike face of the Church and mankind In vaine should the Prophets and Apostles have endevoured to get credit unto their doctrine by miracles which men had never seen Furthermore the doctrine which they brought was strange unto the judgement of reason and contrary to the affections of men and therefore their miracles except they had been most manifest would never have found credit Also it cleerly appeareth both in the miracles themselves and in the doctrine which is confirmed by them that they who writ them sought not their own glory or other commodities of this life but only the glory of God and mens salvation To these arguments agreeth not only the testimony of the Church but the confession also of the very enemies of Christ who surely if by any meanes they could would have denied and suppressed even those things that were true and knowne much lesse would they have confirmed by their testimony ought that had been forged or obscure Oracles The Oracles and Prophecies of things to come verified by their events of which sort many are found in the books of either Testament whose heavenly fountaine and head-spring is evidently demonstrated in that it is the property of God alone to utter true Oracles Consent in the parts of doctrine The consent of each part of the doctrine of the Church For that doctrine which is contrary unto it selfe is neither true nor of God sith that truth consorteth with truth and God contradicteth not himselfe But the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles alone except all other Religions manifoldly jarre discord and mutinize within themselves even in their very foundation and chiefe points Wherefore the doctrine of the Church alone is true and divine Enemies confession Luke 4.41 The confession of very enemies Because the Divell himselfe is enforced to cry out Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God and other enemies are constrained to confesse that this our doctrine is true for whatsoever goodnesse and truth they have in their Religions the selfe-same hath our Religion and that more cleerly and soundly disciphered and they may easily be convicted to have stollen it from our Religion and intermingled it with their owne forgeries as indeed it is the custome of the Divell through Apish imitation of God to mingle some truth with his manifold falshoods that thereby he may the more cunningly and easily deceive men Whence it ariseth that these things which other Sects have agreeable with our doctrine cannot therefore be refelled because they have borrowed them of us but those things which are contrary to our doctrine are at the first on set overthrown because they are the inventions of men Sathan and wicked mens hatred thereof The hatred of Satan and his instruments exercised against this doctrine For certainly that doctrine is true and divine which all the wicked yea and Satan himselfe with joynt conspiracy despite and endevour to abolish For Truth hatcheth hatred and John 8.44 The Divell is a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth But Satan and the world oppugne not nor hate more eagerly any doctrine then the doctrine of the Church because forsooth it accuseth them more sharply and handleth them more rigorously it oftner calleth their cavils into tryall sifreth and discovereth their
with wisedome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect The ground therefore and summe of doctrine is not obscure except it be unto the reprobates who contemne the truth or stubbornly reject it as the Apostle saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that aâ—e lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine unto them All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit hee hath left off to understand and to doe good I give thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise men and men of understanding and hast opened them unto babes Now if they reply againe 2 Instance Divine matters are obscure unto all men 1 Cor. 2.14 Answ Not of themselves but through our naturall blindnesse which in the regenerate is cleared by Gods spirit Luke 8.10 2 Cor. 3.15 that divine matters are hard and obscure to all men as it is said The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned they should have called to mind 1. That this ignorance and hardnesse riseth not of the obscurity of the Scripture but of the blindnesse of mans minde 2. That the obscurity sith in very deed it is not in the Scripture but seemeth to be the fault of our nature doth not alwaies remain in those who are regenerate but is removed from them by the illumination of the holy Spirit according to those sayings It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God but to others in parables that when they see they should not see and when they heare they should not understand Vntill this day when Moses is read the vaile is laid over their hearts Neverthelesse when their hearts shall be turned unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away From this very place may wee easily refute that which they object That wee our selves 3 Instance The Scripture a long time not knowne Answer in that we say the Scripture hath not been understood for these many ages in the Popish Church doe confesse the obscurity of it For the ignorance which hath bin from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end in the adversaries of the truth is not to be imputed to the obscurity of the Scriptures but their owne perversenesse who have not a desire to know and imbrace the truth as Paul saith Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11. therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they shall beleeve lies Whereas therefore it appeareth that the ground and summe of doctrine is not obscure 4 Instance Many places obscure Answer yet wee confesse that some places of Scripture are more dark and difficult than others But 1. They are such that although they were not understood yet the ground may both stand and be understood 2. The interpretation of these places dependeth not on the authority of men but the exposition of them is to be sought by conference of other places of Scripture more clear 3. If we cannot finde it yet lest we should affirme any uncertaine thing concerning divine matters our conscience not satisfying us in it we must suspend our judgment untill God shall open unto us some certaine meaning and in the mean season we are to hold those with thankfull mindes in which God hath left no place of doubting for us But when we answer thus unto our adversaries they rise againe upon us out of those things which we grant them For because we confesse that some places of Scripture are harder to be understood then others 5 Instance because of the dulnesse and slownesse of mans minde in learning divine matters Of the necessity of interpretation Acts 8.13 neither those things which are most cleare are understood of the people as the Eunuch of Queen Candaces doth complain and that the Ministry it selfe was therefore ordained of God in the Church for that it seemed good unto the holy Ghost to add for our instruction an exposition of the Scripture which is done by the voice of the Church To be short because our selves in writing and teaching doe expound the Scripture and do exhort all men to the reading and hearing the exposition thereof out of these they conclude that besides the reading of the Scripture the interpretation of the Church is necessary and that therefore what the Church doth pronounce of the meaning of the Scripture that is without controversie to be received Answ 1. It is necessary as a helpe and instrument not as if it were impossible to know the truth without it But wee confesse 1. That the interpretation of Scripture is necessary in the Church not for that without this to come to the knowledge of heavenly doctrine is simply impossible whereas both God is able when it pleaseth him to instruct his even without the Scripture it self much more then without the exposition of his Ministers and the godly learn many things out of Scripture without interpreters and of the contrary side except the eies of our minds be opened by the grace of his holy Spirit heavenly doctrine seemeth alwaies alike obscure unto us whether it be expounded by the word of the Scripture or of the Church but for that it pleased God to appoint this ordinary way of instructing us and himself hath commanded the maintainance and use of his Ministry in the Church that it should be an instrument which the holy Ghost might most freely use for our salvation 2. Although interpretation of Scripture be necessary Answ 2. Though interpreting be necessary yet so that it must not be a depraving of Scripture yet this is so farre from granting any license to the Ministers to bring new ordinances into the Church that nothing doth more tie them to this doctrine alone comprehended in the Scripture then this very function of expounding the Scripture For to interpret another mans words is not to faigne at our pleasure a meaning either divers from them or repugnant unto them but to render the same meaning and sentence either in moe words or in more plaine words or at least in such as may be more fit for their capacity whom we teach and withall when there is need to shew that this is the minde of the author which we affirme to be Now such an interpretation of Scripture is made by this meanes 3 Points to be observed in interpreting Scripture 1. That the phrase be considered and the proper sense of the words found out 2. That the order and coherence of the parts of the doctrine contained in the text of the Scripture be declared
that God plagueth and scourgeth sin with sin and the sins which follow are the punishments of sins which went before Actuall sin Wherefore also God gave them up to their hearts lust unto uncleannesse they wrought filthinesse and received in themselves such recompence of their errour as was meet Objects of sin Rom. 24 27. 2 Thes 2.1 Therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies c. But whereas the wit of man to such a height of insolency it is grown is accustomed to frame the like arguments for the excusing of it selfe and shifting and posting it from it selfe unto God we must here enter some large discourse of the causes of sin and shake off mans frivolous pretences in his owne behalfe Destiny Some derive the originall cause of sin from the destiny of the Stars saying Foure pretended causes of sin I have sinned because I was borne under an unluckie Planet The Divell Others when they sin and are rebuked for their sinne they make answer Not I but the Divell was in fault that committed this deed Gods will Others leaving excuses directly cast the fault upon God saying God would have it so for if he would not I should not have sinned Gods permission Others When God say they might have hindered me and yet did not himselfe is the authour of my sin With these and the like pretences it is no new thing for men to sharpen their blasphemous tongues against God For our first Parents when they had sinned and were accused of their sin by God they translate and passe over the fault committed from themselves to others neither ingenuously confesse the truth Adam returneth the fault not so much upon his wife as upon God himselfe The woman saith he which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree Gen 3.12 13. and I did eate as if he should say Except thou hadst joyned her to me I had not sinned The woman simply imputeth the fault to the Divell saying The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate These are the false impious and detestable judgements concerning the originall of sinne whereby the majesty truth and justice of God is grievously offended For the nature of man is not the cause of sinne for God created it good and perfect according as it is said And God saw all things which he had made and lo they were very good Sin is an accessary quality which took possession of man after the fall and no substantiall property although after the fall it became naturall and is fitly so termed by Augustine because now we are all borne in sinne Ephes 2.3 and are by nature the children of wrath as well as others But this point would be more amplified and enlarged 1. They who make Destiny a cloak for sinne define Destiny to be a linked order through all eternity and a certaine perpetuall necessity of intents and workes according to the counsell of God or according to the evill Planets Now if you aske them Who made the Planets God say they Therefore these men lay their evill to Gods charge but such a destiny did not all the sounder Philosophers maintaine Destiny is not the cause of sin Lib. 2. cap. 6. much lesse Christians Saint Augustine against two Epistles of the Pelagians unto Boniface They saith he who hold destiny maintaine that not only actions and events but also our wils themselves depend on the position of the Planets at the time of every ones conception or nativity which they call constellations But the grace of God surpasseth not onely all the stars and all the heavens but also the Angels Let us conclude these things with the word of the Lord by his Prophet Jeremy pronouncing to this sense Jer. 10.2 3. Thus saith the Lord Learne not the way of the Heathen and be not affraid for the signes of heaven though the Heathen be affraid of such for the customes of the people are vaine Wherefore that the Astrologers call the Planet of Saturn unmercifull sharp and cruell and the Planet of Venus favourable and gentle it is the vanity of vanities for the stars have no force of doing good or ill and therefore the fault of sinners ought not to be imputed unto them 2. That the Divell is not the onely authour of sin who when as wee commit sin The Divell not the only author of sin should beare alone the blame of the sin and our selves be free from fault it is most of all declared in this that he is able to induce and entice a man to evill but not to compell him For God keepeth under the Divell by his power that he cannot doe what he will but only what and so much as God permitteth him Nay hee hath not so much as power over filthy Swine much lesse over the most noble Soules of men He hath indeed a subtilty great force in perswading but God is stronger who also never ceaseth himself to put good motions into mans mind neither permitteth he more to Sathan then he maketh profitable for man Which wee may see in that most holy man Job in the example of Paul and in his words 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able Wherefore they are vain men who unload the blame of their wickednesse on the Divels shoulders 3. It remaineth that we shew also that God is not the authour of sin God is no cause of sin God say these miscreants would have it so for if hee would not I should not have sinned Againe When he might have hindered me and yet did not himselfe is the author of my sin These are meere cavils and foisty Sophismes of the impious rout God might by his absolute power hinder evill but he will not corrupt his creature man being just and righteous Wherefore he dealeth with man after the order of man he proposeth lawes unto him he proposeth rewards and punishments he willeth him to imbrace good and flye evill To the doing of which thing neither denieth he his grace without which we can do nothing neither refuseth he our diligence and labour Here if a man cease and give over the sinne and negligence is ascribed to man not to God though he could have hindred it and did not because he ought not to hinder it lest he should trouble his appointed and settled order and destroy his owne work Wherefore God is not author of evill or sin Now in the processe of this our discourse wee will gather in one the testimonies of Scripture resolve certain doubts and discover the very fountain and originall of sin Many are the testimonies of Scripture which teach us that God is not the author of sin of which it shall suffice to propose only some few God made not death Wisd 1.13 Ezek. 13.11 Psal 5.4 5. neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living I desire not
come God neither willing them nor approving them nor causing but only permitting For to permit this kind of punishments which sinners by sinning inflict either upon themselves or others is nothing else then not to cause that evill men should do this which God would have done for punishment to the same end that they may obey this will of God So also we answer to that argument The privation or want of righteousnesse and divine wisdome God inflicteth as a punishment upon men but that privation is sin Therefore God is the causer of sin For this privation is not sin as by the just judgement of God it is inflicted but as it is of men themselves voluntarily brought upon them by their owne misdeeds and demerits and is admitted or received into the mind will and heart even as evill actions are not sins as they are governed by God but as they are done by man They say further Hee that mindeth the end mindeth also the meanes God mindeth the ends of sin that is punishment Punishment and the Manifestation of Gods glory justice are not the ends of sin because men are not by them moved to sin The proper ends of sin and the shewing of justice and wrath in punishment Wherefore hee mindeth sinne also by which those ends are come unto But the Minor is to be denied that Punishment and the Manifestation of the glory of God are the ends of sinne For the end is that which moveth the efficient cause to bring forth an effect but Punishment or the Manifestation of the glory of God do not move the sinners to sin These cannot therefore be said to be the ends of sin But those are the proper ends of sinne which the Divels and men respect in sinning that is the destruction of men the fulfilling of evill desires the oppression and reproach of God and his truth God respecteth those as ends not of mens sin but of his permission of their sin If they reply That men indeed have not those ends but that God respecteth them For that which God permitteth to shew his justice by punishing it the end which God proposeth thereof is the punishment of the sinners and his owne glory but he permitteth sin to punish it and to declare himselfe just by punishing it Therefore these are the ends of sin in respect of the purpose and intent of God We deny the Major for God suffering sinne to be committed respecteth as the end not of anothers work that is of the sinne of Divels or men but of his own work that is of his permission of sin the punishment of sin and the manifestation of his owne justice For sin is one thing and the permission of sin another Exod. 9.16 whereof is spoken For this cause have I appointed thee to shew my power in thee Prov. 16.4 and to declare my name throughout all the world The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked man for the day of evill God being willing to shew his truth Rom. 9.22 and to make his power knowne hath suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Wherefore punishment is not the end but the consequent or proper effect of sin and an accidentary effect thereof is the manifestation of the glory of God Rom. 3.7 as Paul sheweth For if the verity of God hath more abounded through my lie to his glory c. How God is said to will punishment which is the Consequent of sin and not sin it selfe which is the Antecedent If here againe they reply He that will the Consequent will also the Antecedent but God will these things which are the Consequents of sins that is Punishment and Execution of his justice Therefore he will also the Antecedent that is Sin it selfe without which these should not follow or be Consequents We deny the whole consequence of this reason For nothing followeth or can be concluded in reason when both the former propositions are meere particular For the Major of this reason is not universally true but only then holdeth it when as the Antecedent together with the Consequent agreeth with the nature of him which will the Consequent and not when only the Consequent agreeth and not the Antecedent For when it falleth thus out then is the Consequent by his will but the Antecedent is not by his will but only by permission For God is said to will those things which he liketh as agreeing with his nature and rightnesse but to permit those things which yet he disliketh abhorreth and condemneth but neverthelesse for just causes hindereth them not from being done And therefore it is said in the Scripture that he will and causeth life everlasting which is the Consequent and the conversion of men which is the Antecedent and goeth before and that he will not but only permitteth punishment as it is sin which followeth and is the Consequent of sins as is delivered in holy Scripture If againe they urge Rom. 9. Ephes 1. He that forbiddeth not sin when he may forbid it to be committed in him is some cause and fault of sinne but God permitteth it when he might forbid it Therefore there is some cause and fault of sin in him We deny the Consequent because the Major is not universally true For it is onely true of him who doth not perfectly hate sinne The reasons why God not forbidding sin is yet no cause of sin and therefore forbiddeth it not when hee may and who is bound to hinder sin that it be not committed But it is not true of God who with unspeakable anger accurseth and condemneth sin neither yet hindereth is from being committed because he is neither bound to do so neither doth he permit it without most good and just causes God doth not evill when he permitteth evill Rom. 3.8 If they object farther He that doth evill that good may come of it doth not well God when he permitteth evill for good ends doth evill that good may come of it Wherefore he doth against his justice and law and by a Consequent is bound to hinder evill Wee deny the Minor for God when he permitteth evill doth not evill but good For the permission of sin is one thing which is the good and just work of God and sin is another thing which is the evill and unjust work of the Divell or man sinning and transgressing the Law Lastly they say What God permitteth willingly that he will to be done but he willingly permitteth sin wherefore hee will sin to be committed and by a Consequent is the cause of sin God permitting sin doth not will sin to be done But the Major is to be denied God will the permission that is the privation of his spirit and grace but the sinne of his creature which concurreth with it he will not because he neither mindeth it nor approveth it They confirme their Major by this argument To permit is
are contrary to the law and they are contrary to the law of God and make sin as they are committed by man and are in him but as they are guided by God and inflicted they are not sin but a tryal of him that would sin or a punishment of him that had sinned Wherefore that is not of God but of man and the Devil which maketh sin Whether God would the fal of Adam and how Last of all they urge Seeing that God would the fall of Adam either as it was sin or as a punishment and could not will it as a punishment because no sin had gone before which should be therewith punished it seemeth to follow that God would that worke as it was sin But this consequence also is deceitfull because there is not a sufficient ennumeration in the Major For although the first sin was no punishment yet God would that action not as a sin and contrary to his will and nature but as in punishing and receiving againe mankinde into favour by his Son it was a way and occasion of exercising and manifesting his justice and mercy and an example of the weakenesse of al creatures yea of the most excellent if they be not by the singular goodnesse of the Creator preserved as it is declared God hath shut up all in unbeleefe that he might have mercy on all Rom. 11.32 And in the same place it is shewed concerning the blindnesse of the Jews That partly this obstinacy was come to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles were come in and that the Jewes are enemies of the Gospel for our sakes and that wee have obtained mercy through their unbeleefe That is that God would this their obstinacy not as it was a sin of the Jewes neither only as a punishment of other sinnes but also an occasion of translating the Gospel unto the Gentiles And it is said that God in the preaching of the Law respecteth this That al the world be culpable before him Rom. 3.19 Wherefore this also he respected and would in permitting of sin which if it had not come betweene The Law had not made the world culpable before God Object 1. Sathan was made of God And therefore the malice also of Sathan Answ God made indeed all the Angels God made Sathan good and Sathan made himselfe evill yea those who became Apostates and Devils but yet he created al the Angels at the beginning good But Sathan is said not to have stood stedfast in the truth Then before his fall he stood in the truth but after hee treacherously fell from his allegeance and sinned against God and therefore the crime of that evill sticketh in that run-away the Devill For since that time after he fell there is no truth in him no faith no integrity no feare of God no light no goodnesse 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devill c. for he is the first sinner and the fountaine of sinne Object 2. God made Adam Therefore he made sin Answ Sin is the corruption of nature created good of God but not any creature made of God in man Sin not made of God because it is no creature but the corruption of a creature God made man good who by Sathans perswasion corrupted willingly that goodnesse which he received of God so that now sin is mans and not a creature of God created in man Neither is the nature of man the cause of sin for God who created all things and the very nature of man created them all good Sin a natural property of man corrupted but not of man simply as hee was first created wherefore the very nature of man also was created good but sinne is an accidentall quality which befell unto man in his fall and after his fall being even from the beginning such as now it is but no substantiall property nor of the nature of man Now indeed whereas we are borne in sin sin is a naturall property of men Cont. Manich. c. 9. according to the judgement of Augustine But and if we say any man to be naturally evill we say so because of the originall of the old sin in which all our mortality now is borne Object 3. But the will and power which was in Adam was from God Therefore sin also is from God Ans God gave not man a will and power to work evill God gave not man a will and power to work evill but to do good For hee made a Law to forbid evill Wherefore Adam himself did ill bestow that will and power which he received of God in ill using of them The prodigall son received money of his father not that he should lash it out wastfully but that he might have so much as sufficed need Wherefore when himself did ill bestow his money and perished he perished through his owne default and not by his father though hee received the money of his father Therefore the fault is in the abuse He that giveth thee them leaveth the use of them unto thee If he be just he giveth them thee for to use and not to abuse When thou abusest them the fault is laid on thee who abusest them and not on him who gave them So God gave a will and power to Adam to do good not to work evill Object 4. God made man so as he might fall It was necessary that man should have free power either to stand or fall Rom. 9.20 Isa 45.9 neither did confirm and establish in him the goodnesse of his nature Wherefore he would have him to fall or sin Answ The Scripture beateth back this forwardnesse of men wickedly curious Who art thou which pleadest against God Woe be unto him that striveth with his Maker Except God had made man so as hee might fall there had been no praise of his work or vertue And what if it were necessary that man should be so made as he might fall For so did the very nature of God require God doth not grant his glory to any creature Adam was a man no God And as God is good so is he also just He doth good unto men but hee will have them to be obedient and thankfull unto him He bestoweth infinite goodnesse upon man therefore he should have been thankfull and obedient and subject unto him For he declareth by his law what hee would and what he would not Of the tree of knowledge of good and evill saith hee thou shalt not eat When thou eatest thou shalt die As if he should say Thou shalt regard me thou shalt cleave unto me obey me serve me neither shalt thou else-where seek for the rules of good and evill but of mee and so shalt thou shew thy selfe obedient unto me Repl. God fore-knew the fall of man which if he would he might have hindred but hee did not hinder it Therefore God was in the fault that Adam sinned Ans Unto this objection answer hath been made before neither
of God but onely chastised proved and exercised that so at length wee may be also perfect in our selves 2. When men consider that God doth not cause and bring to passe that no sin be committed when yet he might most easily do it but farther that he punisheth sins which went before with after sins and passeth at his pleasure things from one to another Exod. 12.35 36. as the Egyptians goods to the Israelites and yet these things to be forbidden us by his law it seemeth unto them that God will and doth some things contrary to his law But these things are contrary to his law and justice if they be done by men but if God doe them they are most just and most agreeable to his law for creatures are bound one to another one to provide for anothers safety whatsoever he can but God is bound to none 3. Some when they heare that God doth not give alike and equally to men who are all by nature equall that is the sons of wrath when as hee converteth and saveth some hardeneth and condemneth others they deem that by this reason accepting of persons is laid upon God But these men mark not that then it is unjust to give unequally to those who are equall when a due and deserved reward is payd and that God doth give his blessings unto men not of due but of his free bountifulnesse Repl. Those things which are done according to justice are done as due But that good should be done to those who are good the order of justice requireth Therefore good is done unto the good as due Answ All this is true if we talk of creatures but if of God not so because the Creatour is bound to none as the creatures are neither can the creatures deserve any thing of God as they may one of another Wherefore God punisheth of justice but doth good of grace and mercy according as it is said Luke 17.10 When yee have done all say Wee are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duty to do And if any man reply That not men only but God also is bound by order of justice to spare and to doe well to the good out of those words of Abraham Gen. 18.23 Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked It is to be observed that this bond is not of any desert or right that may make the Creatour to stand answerable to the creature but of Gods promise and truth for God did most freely and of his exceeding goodnesse when hee ought nothing to any bind himselfe by promises indented to doe good unto the godly and this goodnesse of God and faithfulnesse in keeping his promises is often called justice And therefore it is well said that it agreeth not with God to afflict any undeservedly not because he should injure any though he destroyed him not offending but because his mercy and bountifulnesse and truth doth admit this These things are necessary to be ascribed of us to the justice of God that the cogitation thereof may ascertain us of the punishment of the wicked and of the deliverance of the godly from their injuries after this life that so wee may patiently bear whatsoever hee will lay upon us Dan. 9.7 as it is said O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us open shame Six wayes whereby wee are taught the truth of God in Scripture True God teacheth us in the Scripture to know his truth after this manner 1. That his infinite wisdome suffereth none but most true and certain knowledge of all things to be in him There is no creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked unto his eyes with whom wee have to doe 2. that hee neither appointeth Heb. 4.13 nor willeth nor speaketh things repugnant and contradictory The Son of God 2 Cor. 1.19 Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us was not yea and nay but in him it was yea 3. That he faineth nothing nor deceiveth any man but this is in truth and indeed his will which hee openeth unto us Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every man a lyar 4. That he never changeth his minde My covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Psal 89.33 34. 5. That it certainly cometh to passe whatsoever God avoucheth shall come to passe which experience also witnesseth and many sayings of holy Scripture Matt. 24.35 as Heaven and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe away 6. That he is the lover author and preserver of the truth in the reasonable creatures and an enemy to all lyes dissembling and hypocrisie therefore the holy Ghost is called Joh. 14.17 15.26 16.13 Prov. 12.22 Matth 24 51. The Spirit of truth who should teach us all truth The lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord but they that deale truely are his delight Hee will give him his portion with hypocrites Seeing then the truth of God is to be considered out of his word and works albeit men by nature confesse that God is true yet are they ignorant wherein truth consisteth for it is said Thy word is truth John 17.17 Psal 89.5 Thy truth in the congregation of the saints Neither doth the conscience or the privie knowledge of any mans sins suffer him who knoweth not Christ the Mediatour to put any confidence in Gods promises for as it is said All the promises of God in him are yea 2 Cor. 1.20 and in him Amen unto the glory of God God dissembleth not when he saith hee will doe that which yet he doth not But if sometimes God fore-told that he would do those things which hee never decreed to doe hee did not therein dissemble for what hee threatned that hee meant with this condition should so come to passe except the conversion of men and prayers come between and what hee promised he meant with this condition if they repented and either persisted in godlinesse Luke 24.28 29. Ezek. 14.9 or needed not affliction and chastisement Wherefore hee would indeed have punished the Ninevites if they had persisted in their sins And Christ was indeed departing except his disciples had desired him to stay in the inne at Emaus As for that which God saith And if a Prophet be deceived and hath spoken a thing that He hath deceived him he signifieth not thereby that hee deceiveth by instilling lies into false Prophets How God is said to deceive a deceived Prophet but that they are by him in just judgment delivered and given to be seduced by the divell as God is said to have given a lying spirit into the mouthes of all the Prophets of Achab Repl. But yet God would that the false Prophet should tell a false tale Ans 1 King 22.22 Hee would but in divers respects and to a diverse end God fore-told victory to Achab by an Irony and that a
ground and foundation of Christian doctrine and to have a purpose to obey it but those must be repelled who will not desist either from their errours and blasphemies or from manifest sins against their conscience being admonished by the Church and convicted of errour 16. The Pope hath corruptly taken away the breaking of the bread from the rite of the Supper and bereaved the people of the use of the cup. Corruptly also hath he transformed the Supper of the Lord with adding so many ceremonies not delivered by the Apostles into a theatricall or pageant-like Masse that is into a Jewish superstition and stage-like rounds and conveyances But more wicked and idolatrous inventions are these That the Masse is a propitiatory sacrifice wherein Christ is offered by the Masse-priests for the quick and the dead and is by the force of consecration substantially present and abideth so long as those forms of bread and wine remain uncorrupted and further doth bestow the grace of God and other benefits upon them for whom he is offered of whom also he is eaten with the mouth of their body yea though they have no good inward motion in them and lastly is being treasured and laid up and carried about under those forms to be worshipped In respect of these foul monsters it is necessary that the Masse be quite and clean abolished out of the Christian Church In summe they are these 1. Transubstantiation 2. Bread-worship 3. Sacrifice 4. Maiming of Christs Supper THE APPENDIX OR ADDITION ADJOYNING unto the former Treatise of the Supper Certain principall arguments of the Consubstantiaries against the sincere doctrine of the Lords Supper and the Sacramentaries as they call them together with a refutation of them 1. THe errours of the Sacramentaries say they are that there are but bare signes and symboles only in the Supper Ans We teach that the things signified are together with the signes in the right use exhibited and communicated albeit not corporally but in such sort as is agreeable unto Sacraments 2. The Sacramentaries say that Christ is present only according to his power and efficacie Ans We teach that he is present and united with us by the holy Ghost albeit his body be far absent from us like as whole Christ also is present with his ministery though diversly according to the one nature 3. The Sacramentaries say they affirm that an imaginary figurative or spirituall body of Christ is present not his essentiall body Ans We never spake of an imaginary body but of the true flesh of Christ which is present with us although it remain in heaven Moreover we say that we receive the bread and body but both after a manner proper to each 4. The Sacramentaries say they affirm that the true body of Christ which hung on the crosse and his very bloud which was shed for us is distributed and is spiritually received of those only who are worthy receivers as for the unworthy they receive nothing besides the bare signes unto their condemnation Ans All this we grant as being agreeing to the word of God the nature of sacraments the analogie of faith and the communion of the faithfull Certaine arguments of the Consubstantiaries whereby they goe about to overthrow our doctrine of the Lords Supper together with the refutation of them 1. THe words of the institution are open and plain This is my body This is my bloud Ans They alledge these words against themselves for they say That the body of Christ is received really in under with the bread when Christ saith that the very bread is the body Wherefore they doe a double injury unto the Church First while they thrust upon the Church their own words for Christs Secondly while they imagine that the Church perceiveth not these speeches to be divers In the bread is my body and The bread is my body They accuse Christ also for a liar for they deny that the bread is his body but that his body is in the bread Let them look therefore unto it how they will answer Christ at the last judgment for this blasphemy and reproach The Papists also do more retain the very words of Christ But these retain not the words but follow the sense and meaning Wee must see therefore which part followeth it Ours shall be proved in the end Repl. Christ addeth an exposition of his mind Which is given for you and Which is shed for you Ans First this is a begging of that which is in question for they take as granted that the bread is properly called the body which yet lieth upon them to prove for it is a sacramentall manner of speaking Secondly we return their own reason upon them by inverting it thus The body of Christ properly so called was given for us But the bread was not given for us Therefore the bread is not the body properly so called Likewise as the bread is the body broken so the breaking of the bread is the breaking of the body But the breaking of the body is the crucifying thereof Therefore the bread broken is but sacramentally and by representation the body broken 2. They reason from the authour who said it and is true Ans This is also a begging of that which is in question They must prove that Christ said his body was in under with the bread And further a man may speak figuratively and yet speak perspicuously and plainly Repl. He is also omnipotent therefore he is able to be every-where and so in the bread Ans Albeit he were able to bring to passe that two flat repugnant things should be true together yet will hee not do it Again God is not able to work contradictories or things flat repugnant because he is true Now to will those things which are contradictory argueth a lyar Wherefore we deny not the truth and omnipotency of God but these mens lies nay rather we defend Gods truth affirming that God doth that which he spake But they oppugne it making contrary wils to be in God Repl. Christs body hath many prerogatives not agreeable to our bodies as that he was born of a Virgin walked on the sea was at one time and together in the grave in hell and in paradise and passed thorow the gates when they were fast shut Ans These examples are partly not matches and partly false For this may agree unto a creature to walk on the waters as it did to Peter to passe thorow the gates shut as it is agreeable to the nature of a spirit Again these examples are not matches nor of the same quality with that which is in question because these do not imply a contradiction For when he is said to be born of a Virgin he is not said withall not to be born of a Virgin But to be both finite and infinite as they will have Christs body who consubstantiate it with the bread these imply a contradiction Now it is false that they say that he passed thorow the gates shut
to acknowledge God to be such unto us as he is manifested or not to trust in God not to subject and submit our selves unto God in true humility and patience not to hope for all good things from him alone not to love and feare him The parts of this impiety are those vices contrary to these vertues whereof we purpose presently to intreat Before me or in my sight as if he should say Thou shalt have no other gods not onely in thy gesture and words in the eyes of men but neither shalt thou have strange gods in the closet of thy heart because nothing is close and hidden from my sight but lieth wholly open and is altogether manifest unto me the searcher of the hearts and reines The most ready and easie way of expounding each Commandement is to distribute the obedience of every Commandement into his vertues as parts adjoyning afterwards thoses vices which are opposite unto the same vertues The parts of the obedience of this first Commandement are seven vertues The Knowledge of God Faith Hope the Love of God the Feare of God Humility and Patience These vertues are commanded and their contrary vices are forbidden I Vertue The knowledge of God Rom. 10.14 John 17.3 The knowledge of God is so to judge of God as he hath manifested himselfe in his word and works and to be moved and stirred up by that knowledge to a confidence love feare and worship of the true God How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ The extremes repugnant to this vertue are many Ignorance of God and his will The ignorance or not knowing of the true God and his will which is not to know those things of God or to doubt of them which we ought to know by the benefit of our creation and by his manifestations This ignorance is either naturall Two-fold ignorance or ingendered in men which is of those things which we are ignorant of or cannot understand through the corruption of our nature or else it is a purposed or endeavoured ignorance which is of those things that our conscience telleth us must be enquired after neither yet doe wee enquire after them with an earnest desire namely with a desire of learning them and of obeying God Of both these ignorances it is said There is none that doth understand and seeke God Psal 14.2 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not c. Errours touching God 2. Errours conceived or false imaginations and opinions of him as when 1. Some imagine there is no God 2. Some feigne that there are moe gods as in ancient times the Heathen the Manichees c. 3. If they professe it not in words yet in deed they make gods while they ascribe those things to creatures which are proper to God onely as the Papists who make their prayers unto Angels and men departed For prayer and invocation attributeth unto him who is invocated infinite wisdome and power Wherefore Paul saith that they who pray to creatures Rom. 1.23 24. Turn the glory of the uncorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and of foure-footed beasts and of creeping things And Turne the truth of God into a lye and worship and serve the creature forsaking the Creator So neither will the Angell suffer John to worship him and addeth this reason I am thy fellow-servant Apoc. 19 10. and one of thy brethren which have the testimony of Jesus worship God 4. In like manner also they imagine false opinions of God who know God to be but one but know not the true God which hath revealed himselfe in the Gospel as the sounder Philosophers and Mahumets Sectaries 5. And so they also who professe that they know that one and true God but yet slide and fall from him and in place of him worship an Idol which they make unto themselves because they imagine this God to be some other kind of god then he hath revealed himselfe to be in his word as Jews Samosatenians Arrians Pneumatomachi c. John 5.23 1 John 2.24 He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father He that denyeth the Son hath not the Father Magick What Magick is Magick Sorcery and Witcheraft which is most repugnant and contrary to the knowledge of God For it is a league or covenant with the Devill the enemy of God with certaine words or ceremonies adjoyned that they doing or saying this or that shall receive things promised of the Devill and such things as are to be asked and received of God alone as that by his aid and assistance they shall know or worke things not necessary tending either to the fulfilling of their evill lusts or to ostentation or to the commodities of this life Magus as also Magia that is Magick is a Persian word signifying a Philosopher or a Teacher But men perceiving their owne ignorance sought for the Devils help Enchantments and so the names grew infamous Unto Magick belong enchantments which are the using of certaine words or ceremonies according to a covenant before entred with the Devill which being done and spoken the Devill should performe that which the enchanters request Now in these ceremonies and words which they use there is no efficacy or force but the Devill himselfe accomplisheth those things which he hath promised to this end that they may revolt from God to the Devill Leviâ— 20.6 Deut. â—1 10 11 12 â—3 14. and worship him in place of God Now as the Magician so they also are condemned by this Commandement whosoever use the help of Magicians Superstition Superstition which is to attribute such effects to certaine things or observations of gestures or words as depend not either on naturall or morall reason or on the word of God and either do not at all follow and fall out or are wrought by the Devils and other causes then those whereby they are thought to have beene done For though it be no covenant with the Devill yet it is Idolatry Under this vice of superstition are comprehended south saying Levit. 19.26 Esay 14 25. â—7 13 observations of dreames divinations signes and predictions or fore-telling of Wizzards all which are by expresse words condemned in Scripture Confidence in creatures All trust and confidence which is reposed in creatures For this is manifestly repugnant to the true knowledge of one God and to faith and hope For trust and confidence is an honour due unto God alone which whoso translateth unto creatures doth in very deed imagine moe gods Wherefore God in his word doth utterly condemne those Psal â—6 2. Jeâ— 17 â— Mat. â— 24. Epâ—es 5.5 who repose trust and confidence in things created as in men And also he condemneth those which put their trust in their owne workes and in riches
Christ sheweth that even then also the name of God is sworne by when heaven and earth is named because there is no part of the world no creature wherein God hath not engraven some worke of his glory And when men sweare by heaven and earth Why we are said to sweare by God when we sweare by creatures in the sight and hearing of the framer of them both the religion of the oath is not in the creatures by whom they sweare but God himselfe onely is called to record and for a witnesse by the citing of these symboles and badges of his glory Neither doth God stick in the words but respecteth the mind of him that sweareth neither doth the honour or dishonour of Gods name consist so much in the naked and bare letters and syllables as in the sentence and meaning of those signes and symboles like as Christ also teacheth the same in expresse words Matthew 23. Mat 23.16 17. c. which words are to be conferred with this place which now we have expounded The meaning of S. James in the place alledged out of his Epistle is also all one with the meaning of Christ already expressed Repl. But Christ saith Sweare not at all And James saith Nor by any other oath Therefore all oathes are forbidden amongst Christians Answ Here is a fallacy of Composition namely a mis-joyning of words in this clause or sentence which are not to be joyned together For that particle at all is referred to the diverse formes of rash swearing which the Pharisees averred to be lawfull not to the very word of swearing it selfe as if he should say Sweare not falsly or rashly at all to wit neither directly nor indirectly So saith S. James nor by any other oath to wit rash or false by naming of certaine kinds whereof he sheweth that all such like are forbidden Else should Christ himselfe offend against his owne commandement Mat. 5.37 whereas he here saith Let your communication be Yea Yea and Nay Nay and yet else-where oftentimes in his most grave and reverend speech and doctrine useth this asseveration Verily Verily I say unto you Likewise else should James condemne Paul who by an oath tooke God to witnesse unto his soule and the holy Ghost should contradict himselfe in condemning all manner of oathes by James and commending an oath by another Apostle as a ready remedy profitable and necessary for the preservation of humane society to determine and end all strifes and controversies from which in this frailty mans life cannot be free Repl. 2. The permission of oathes in Scripture and the examples of such as have taken them concerne publique oathes onely that is such as are given and taken in some publique behalfe Therefore at least private oathes such as passe betweene private men are wholly forbidden Esay 65.16 Jer. 4.2 Ans 1. We deny the Antecedent because this restraint is not only not found specified in these grants and examples in Scripture but farther also can have no places in either of them as the view and scanning of the places doth prove 2. There are manifest examples of a private oath as of Jacob and Laban Boos Abdias Abigail and David 3. The same is proved also by the end of an oath for the end thereof which is the confirming of faith and truth and the deciding of debates belongeth privately also to all Christians and therefore so doth an oath it self also whereby we confirme and establish faith and truth 4. Of what things we are to sweare or what oathes are lawfull and what oathes are unlawfull Lawfull oathes THose oathes onely are lawfull which disagree not with Gods word and which are taken of things true certainely knowne lawfull possible weighty necessary profitable and worthy of such and so great a confirmation that is such as require a confirmation by oath for the glory of God and safety of our neighbour Of these only must we sweare Unlawful oathes Vnlawfull oathes are such as are contrary to Gods word and are taken of things either false or uncertaine or unlawfull or impossible or light and frivolous Of such things we may not sweare For he that sweareth of things that are false maketh God witnesse of a lie He that sweareth of uncertaine things sweareth with an evill conscience and with a contempt of God when as he dareth to make God a witnesse of that thing which he knoweth not whether it be a truth or a lie and he that so sweareth it is all one to him whether he make God witnesse of a lie or of a truth and withall he desireth that either God will beare witnesse to a lie or if he will not be accounted the witnesse of a lie that then he will punish him that sweareth He that sweareth of unlawfull things maketh God both a favourer and an approver of that which he hath forbidden in his law and so he maketh God contrary to himselfe because he desireth God to punish him if he doe that which God commandeth or if he doe not that which God hath forbidden and furthermore either he hath a purpose to doe against Gods commandement or if he swear in earnest he alledgeth God for a witnesse of a lie He that sweareth of impossible things either is mad or mocketh and derideth God and Men seeing he cannot have an earnest purpose of performing that which he sweareth or sweareth hypocritically and so sweareth of a lie namely he sweareth that he will doe that which neither he will doe neither shall at all be done He that sweareth lightly sheweth no reverence that he hath of God and he that doth easily sweare doth easily also forsweare But the principall and chiefe cause of an oath ought to be 1. The glory of God Two principall causes to be respected in swearing 2. The safety and welfare as well private as publike of our neighbours Object Of uncertaine things we may not sweare Things to come such as those are which men promise to performe are uncertaine Therefore we must not sweare of things to come Ans We must not indeed sweare of the event as which is not at all in our power but of our owne present will of doing either now or hereafter that which is just and lawfull and of the present and future binding of our selves to it whereof every man may and ought to be certaine And so sware Abraham Isaac Abimelech David Jonathan Booz and others binding themselves to a future performance of certaine duties 5. Whether all oathes are to be kept OAthes conceived or made rightly of things lawfull true certaine weighty and possible are necessarily to be kept For if once thou hast acknowledged and testified thy selfe to be justly bound to keep thy promise and hast called God to record hereof when as afterwards thou wittingly and willingly breakest thine oath thou doest violate and breake a just bond and doest either accuse God the witnesse and maintainer of this bond of vanity and lightnesse or
God and trust in the goods of fortune is not content with such things as God giveth by lawfull meanes but desireth still more and more and laboureth to pull and hale unto it by right and wrong whatsoever it affecteth and giveth not where God will that we should give In the excesse Over-lashing Prodigality which giveth beyond reason and without need with a rejoycing in such excessive larges Of this vice it is said Sick art thou Arist Eth. lib. 4. cap. 1. V. Hospitality who takest delight in lavishing V Hospitality Hospitality which is one kinde of liberality namely liberality and bountifulnesse towards travellers and strangers especially towards those that are exiles for the profession of the Gospel entertaining them with all duties of hospitality and Christian charity or bountifulnesse towards strangers especially Christians who either suffer exile for Religion or are forced to travell for the confession of the truth The extremes are Inhospitality and Prodigality towards strangers The contrary vices so soaking and drawing dry as it were the fountaine of our bounty that wee have not sufficient necessaries for those who are under our owne charge VI Parsimony Parsimony which is a vertue eschewing and shunning riot and all unnecessary expences of gifts keeping those things which are his own and well gotten and profitably imploying them to his own use and theirs that belong unto him neither spending more than he seeth to be needfull The affinity between Liberality and Parsimony Liberality hath Parsimony accompanying it and they both are two means between the same extremes that is between Covetousnesse and Prodigality because Liberality without Parsimony degenerateth into Prodigality and Parsimony without Liberality degenerateth into Covetousnes and Basenesse And therefore he is not liberall who is not sparing neither is hee sparing who is not liberall Liberality enlargeth our giving according to ruled reason Parsimony restraineth the same according to ruled reason and spareth so much as is requisite for necessary uses So then these two vertues are exercised in the same matter and between the same extremes and therefore the same vices which are contrary to Liberality are repugnant also to Parsimony VII Frugality Frugality which is an oeconomicall or houshold vertue disposing of things well gotten honestly wisely and profitably for matters profitable and necessary or defraying charges upon such things ever as are necessary and fruitfull The difference between Parsimony and Frugality This vertue is of neer affinity with Parsimony Parsimony consisteth in giving moderately Frugality or Thriftinesse consisteth and dependeth on a right bestowing of that which is ours with discretion Both are placed under this Commandement because Prodigality or Over-lashing the contrary unto both is here forbidden The extremes are the same both of Frugality and of Parsimony to wit Prodigality and Covetousnesse or Niggardlinesse Certaine Objections against the former distinction of Rights and Possessions OBject 1. In the Apostles time all things were common Therefore now also all goods ought to be common Answ 1. There is a dissimilitude and a farre different reason in these examples For the community of goods was then both easie to be compassed and necessary to be contrived It was easie because they were few It was necessary because they were in danger lest if they sold them not they should be taken from them by force Now there is neither that easinesse nor necessity Wherefore the Apostles were induced upon good causes why they should then bring in community of goods which causes have long since ceased and now are not 2. They did it not being enforced thereto by any law but freely For their parting with their goods in common was voluntary none was compelled unto it And therefore Peter saith to Ananias Whiles it remained appertained it not to thee Acts 5.4 And after it was sold was it not in thine owne power 3. This custome was of force onely at that time for afterwards upon change of these causes this custome also ceased 4. This community of goods was not in all Churches because in Macedony and in Achaia collection was made of almes which were sent to Jerusalem Object 2. Naturall things are unchangeable Community of goods is naturall Therefore Community of goods is unchangeable and therefore is now also to be observed Answ Naturall things are unchangeable in respect of the Morall Law but not in respect of naturall profit and utility Object 3. Christ saith unto the young man If thou wilt be perfect sell all and give it to the poore Answ 1. The examples have a diverse reason Because this was a speciall calling of a Disciple belonging to an Apostle-ship 2. Christ would thereby signifie how far off hee was from the perfection of the law whereof he gloried 3. Hee saith not Give it in common or put it in the common treasurie but Give it to the poor Object 4. All things are Christs therefore all things are Christians Answ All things are Christians or ours as concerning the right to the thing but not as concerning the right in the thing All things are due unto us but we may not lay hands of any thing before the time Object 5. All things between freinds are common Answ All things between friends are common as touching the use of them and as touching the duties and parts of honesty and commodity or as touching necessary use being levelled by the rule of Reason For wee are to aske things of our friends which wee would have them aske of us But all things among friends are not common as concerning the possession and right because unto every one belongeth a distinct possession and right of his owne goods This possession of goods or distinction of rights is enacted as wee have said by this commandement because if we may not steale we must then possesse our owne and that for these causes 1. To maintaine our selves and ours honestly 2. To yield something for the maintenance of the Ministery 3. For the maintenance of the common-wealth 4. For the maintenance of our friends and reliefe of the poore according to our ability ON THE 43. SABBATH Quest 112. What doth the ninth Commandement exact Answ That I beare no false witnesse against any man a Prov. 19.5 9. and 2â— 28 neither falsifie any mans words b Psalm 15.3 and 50.19 20. neither back-bite or reproach any man c Rom. 1.29 30. nor condemn any man rashly or unheard d Mat. 7.1 Luke 6.37 but avoid and shun with all carefulnesse all kind of lies and deceit as the proper works of the divell e John 8.44 except I meane to stir up against mee the most grievous wrath of God f Prov. 12.22 and 13.5 And that in judgements and other affaires I follow the truth and freely and constantly professe the matter as it indeed is g 1 Cor. 13.6 Ephes 4.25 And moreover defend and encrease as much as in mee lieth the good name and
the Covenant then the children of Turks also that before Baptisme they are possessed by Satan who is by words and crossings to be cast out by the Exorcist and other such like passages Which doctrine truly is repugnant to the Gospell neither is it found in the Augustan Confession of which they so much bragge nor in the word of God and which by Mâ— Luther with great zeale hath beene refuted and rejected So thou mayest see Christian Reader to what we are come to But to what purpose is it to know the beginning of Controversies Let us rather endeavour how to be freed from them Let us beseech God that he will be pleased to helpe his afflicted Church to sanctifie her in the truth of his word to encline the Teachers and Ministers of his Gospell to moderation and to the love of Peace and concord and then these Errours will easily fall to the ground without any laborious refutation and Truth will succeed in their stead For Nothing is weaker then errour saith Chrysostome it is entangled with its owne wings Hom. 28. in â— Cor. 15. Hom. 4. de laudibus D. Pauli nor is there need of any other battery or assault And as the same Father saith Such is the condition of errour that of it selfe though none resist it will grow old and fall away On the contrary the state of truth is such that when it is opposed by many it is stirred up and increaseth Therefore it is no wonder that the unluckie tares grow up so fast in the Lords field but truth the daughter of time by Gods assistance will roote it up at last Neither is it needfull that Gods faithfull servants should weary themselves in refelling our Adversaries virulent Libels for this will tend no wayes to Peace the onely way to victory and concord is if with our infirmity with feare and trembling with modesty and forbearance with the evidence of the Spirit with the power of the word we defend the Truth which shall be my chiefe endeavour in the explication of these Aphorismes for at last the Spirit of Christ will be stronger then the spirit of Satan and the kingdome of Christ will be more powerfull then the kingdome of the Devill Judgement shall returne to righteousnesse and all they that are upright in heart shall follow it Psal 94.15 Tertullian against Valentin Truth is no wayes ashamed but onely to be hid In the Catecheticall Miscellanies are contained these ensuing Heads I. APhorismes containing the doctrine of the Reformed Churches and the chiefe heads of Christian Religion Page 689. II. The secular Theme concerning Popery Page 737 III. The Creed of blessed Athanasius with Parie's Notes Page 753 IV. The Creed of the Fathers of Antioch against Paulus Samosaâ—enus Page 767 V. A Question Whether God created all men in Adam for one end to wit upon condition of the Law observed Page 768 VI. Animadversions upon the Thesis of D. Aegidius Hunnius concerning the Hypostaticall Union Page 770 VII A reconciling of the Controversie concerning Christs active and passive righteousnesse Page 791 VIII A piece of a Speech concerning the fruit of Christs Death Page 807 IX An Introduction to the Controversie of the Eucharist Page 812 X. The Epitome of Arminianisme or the Examination of the five Articles of the Remonstrants in the Netherlands Page 817 APHORISMES OF THE ORTHODOXALL DOCTRINE of the Reformed CHURCHES ARTICLE I. Of the person of Christ I. WE beleeve and professe with our mouth and heart before God and men and by this confession we will be knowne from all Infidels and Hypocrites that Jesus Christ is a person truly God and man subsisting of two natures true and perfect the divine and humane personally a united And therefore true b God of the same substance with the c Father and coeternall according to his d divinity and true man e of the same substance with us in all f things borne of the Virgin Mary in time according to his g humanity the one h and the only begotten of i God and the Son of k man the one and onely Mediatour between God and l man not two but one Christ Testimonies of Scripture and of Creeds a Colos 2.9 In him dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Deity corporally 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh b John 1.14 And that Word was made flesh 1 John 15.20 This is that true God and life eternall c John 1.14 We beheld his glory as of the onely begotten Son come out from the Father Psal 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Prov. 8.24 When as yet there was no depths I was formed Mic. 5.2 His going out was from the beginning from everlasting ages d Phil 2.6 Who when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Heb. 1.3 He is the splendor of his Fathers glory the character of his person Col. 1.15.17 He is the image of the invisible God and the first borne of all creatures and he is before all things and all things subsist by him e Phil. 2.7 He emptied himselfe taking upon him the forme of a servant made like unto men and in shape was found as man Heb. 2.14 16. Because therefore children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also was made partaker of the same he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham he tooke f Rom. 1.3 And to his Son made of the seed of David according to the flesh Heb. 2.17 Whence he ought to be like his brethren in all things that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-Priest in the things concerning God to expiate the sins of the people g Gal. 4.4 After that the fulnesse of time came God sent out his Son made of a woman Mat. 1.23 Esay 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a Son Luke 2.7 Mary brought forth her first begotten Son h Rom. 8.32 Who spared not his own Son but gave him up for us all i John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son k Mat. 9.6 That you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins l 1 Tim. 2.5 One God and one Mediatour between God and men to wit the man Christ Jesus Acts 4.1 Nor is there salvation in any other nor is there any other name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved m Athanasius in Symbolo This is the right faith that we beleeve and confesse that our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God is God and man God of the substance of the Father begotten before all time and man of the substance of his Mother borne in time Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall to the Father in respect of his Divinity inferiour to the Father in respect of his humanity who though he be God and man yet is not two
be repugnant to wit The Word inhabiteth in the flesh and the Word is without the flesh which indeed are not repugnant by reason of the most simple immensity of the Word as is shewed The Argument of our Adversary directly concluding is this Where the Word is united to the flesh there it is not out of the flesh because the union is the inhabitation but the Word is every-where united to the flesh therefore it is no-where without the flesh But the Minor Proposition hath this ignoration of the Elenchus and trusts to a false definition for we will not yeeld him that the union is such an inhabitation as he fancies wherefore we deny the Major for wheresoever the Word is he inhabits all in the flesh and all without the narrownesse of the flesh filling heaven and earth with the immensity of his essence XXIV Especially because according to this opinion we must determine that the whole Word seeing he cannot be divided into parts in his whole personality and in the whole plenitude of the deity is in innumerable places without his humanity which were truly to draw in sunder through many places that most intrinsecall and altogether indistant union The Animadversion You sing over againe the same song To place the whole Word in his whole personality and in the whole fulnesse of the deity in innumerable places without his owne flesh is to distract in sunder the indistant union of the natures but to do this is a wicked thing therefore so must that We againe deny the Major for the union remaines indistant even when the whole Word without the narrownesse of the flesh fills all other things because by his most simple immensity neither all nor halfe of him seeing he is individed departs or is absent from his flesh neither is he pulled away or separated by any distance of place but he subsists so all within it that he is also all-present every-where without it whereas not another but the same and entire Word is within the flesh which is without it And this argument of pulling asunder the natures is very silly for it flowes from a false imagination that the Word existing without the flesh remaines not united to the flesh which is both most false and impossible for if it were any-where absent from its flesh it were not immense and if in any part onely it remained in the flesh it should be divided Therefore to feigne any distance betweene the natures is truly to feigne a Word having dimensions which our Adversary by cleering of himselfe sufficiently sheweth Some orthodox men untie this knot by distinguishing the personality and deity of the Word confessing that to be no-where out of his flesh seeing there is one personality of both but this they make all to exist within and without the flesh in that the essence of the Word is simply infinite But lest our Adversaries should cavill that so we do not make the personality equally infinite with the essence of the Word therefore we will wave this distinction We know that the personality and divinity of the Word differ not subjectively but onely in some respect when as then both are equally immense and most simple by the same reason it must necessarily follow that both subsist wholly in their flesh and wholly without the flesh and with the Father and holy Ghost fill heaven and earth XXV In the meane time out of our doctrine there doth not follow such a shutting up of the Word into the nature assumed as makes the person of the Word lose his infinity or become finite but from bence rather is inferred this perpetuall immanency inhabitation and incarnation we speake of which elevates the finite humanity into the infinite personality of the Son of God and consequently it makes that the Word is never absent from its flesh never distant from it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and never subsisteth without it but that without distance as Damascen saith it is united with it and remaineth with it above all locality of this created world ineffably and still present The Animadversion Here he perceives that out of his immanency or inhabitation necessarily followes the inclusion and finity of the Word therefore he denies the sequell but in vaine for thus he is convinced What is so immanent in the finite flesh that it existeth no-where without it that must necessarily be shut up within the dimensions of the flesh and be finite as the flesh is finite But the Word is thus immanent in the flesh it is therefore shut up within the finite dimensions of the flesh which is absurd The Major is most true our Adversaries Minor is absurd there followes then an absurd conclusion He saith that the perpetuall immanency followes out of his doctrine rather but this is to beg the matter in question to inferre an immanency out of an immanency He saith A prodigious speech that the immanency elevateth the finite humanity into the infinite personality of the Son of God If he understood this Teratologie of the union of the flesh with the infinite hypostasis of the flesh retaining the properties thereof no orthodox man would reject it but the stile of truth is plaine whereas that of a lye is intricate such as this is For he doth not meane this of the union as he saith but of an ubiquitary diffusion of the flesh with the Word which orthodox Divines simply deny for the flesh can no more cast off her finity and dimensions then she can her very nature no not in the union it selfe Now if remaining finite she is elevated into an infinity that is is made infinite then sure it must be both at once finite and infinite quantitative and without quantity flesh and no flesh and what is this but to fancy an Vtopian Chimera Againe he saith by meanes of this immanency the Word is never absent no-where distant from his flesh but indeed this is effected not by the immanency which he feignes but by his most simple immensity for by this it is that the Word is all the same in his flesh and every-where without all He saith that by the meanes of this immanency the Word never subsisteth without the flesh but inseparably is united to it But againe he ascribes a false effect to an untrue cause and admits ignorationem elenchi for the inhabitation of the Word in the flesh which he by an ambiguous terme will rather call an immanency is not his inclusion or confining within the flesh that is within the dimensions of the flesh neither do these two To be without the flesh and To remaine inseparably united to the flesh destroy one another as was shewed but now Yet if both be not true together concerning the Word neither can he be immense nor can he be God Lastly in that he saith the flesh united to the Word or the Word to the flesh remaineth so above all locality of this created world it is either a vaine Teratologie or a false opinion