his Fathers Will unto us that now we need no more any new Revelations and therefore as the Apostle says 2 Pet. 1.16 19 20. We do not follow devised fables for we have a more sure word of prophecy whereunto we take heed even a prophecy of the Scripture or written Word Secondly We read indeed in times of persecution that the very children did beget their own Fathers unto Christ by reading unto them a few plain Chapters out of the New Testament God giving a blessing thereunto when better means were not afforded yet it is evident that bare reading without preaching is not enough neither can we expect a blessing from God upon one without the other when he hath afforded the means and liberty of both The common practise of all both Jews and Christians confirms it who were not content with bare reading but Nehem. 8.9 they read in the Law and gave the sense causing the people to understand the reading Acts 13.15 After the reading they desire a Word of Exhortation And our blessed Saviour the great Doctor of his Church after he had read closed the book and then preacht Luke 4.16 For bare reading without preaching or expounding is as bad to most people as speaking in an unknown tongue which Saint Paul accounts madness 1 Cor. 14.23 Thirdly The grace of Vocation is External or Internal External in the outward preaching of the Gospel Internal in the 1. Illumination or enlightening of the mind with the knowledg of God 2. Renovation Regeneration and Conversion of the heart and will by changing turning and winning the same to cleave unto God by Faith We say then First That the outward calling without the inward is not sufficient to conversion the preacher cannot give Faith and repentance which are the Work of God John 6.29 and the Gift of God 2 Tim. 2.25 It is not moral swasion or force of Argument it is not the enticing words of mans wisdom can change or turn that stony heart that is in the midst of every one of us it is Gods Work Ezek. 36.26 called a Creation Psal 51.10 and therefore his peculiar work John 6.44 None can come to me except the Father draw him saith our Saviour It is not in the power of mans will being in bondage to Satan and the powers of darkness Col. 1.13 to return and come unto God but we are called and beleeve according to the exceeding greatness of his power and according to the working of his mighty power Eph. 1.18 And our Faith stands not in mans wisdom but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 Secondly This grace of inward Vocation and Regeneration is irresistible that a man cannot resist the operation of it because the purpose and power of God is in it John 6.37 All that the Father gave me shall come unto me Not that God offers any compulsion or violence to the will for then it were not will he draws us indeed but with cords of love most sweetly wooing us and yet so powerfully winning us after a manner unspeakable that we cannot resist because we cannot but yield our nature being changed by his grace and of unwilling made willing to obey Thirdly This inward calling is immutable because it is according to Gods purpose Rom. 8.28 and that is unchangeable Rom. 11.29 The Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance And so the Regenerate those that are effectually called can never fall wholly away again For Jer. 32.4 God makes an everlasting Covenant with them and puts his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him Fourthly This grace of inward Vocation is free otherwise it were not grace not gotten by any diligence and endeavour or given for any dignity or worthiness in the person called but freely according to Gods good pleasure so that the reason why one man receiveth grace another receiveth it not one beleeves another doth not one is converted another is not is not in man that willeth but in God that worketh and dispenseth his grace according to his own pleasure opening the heart of one and not of another John 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth c. Even so is every man that is born of the Spirit Lastly It is proper and peculiar to Gods Elect. Acts 13.48 and Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and none else Indeed many are called that are not chosen Mat. 22.14 but none effectually There is a calling of nature and a calling of grace many are called by the voyce of the creatures that never heard the Scriptures many are invited by the Word that are not won by the Spirit have their minds enlightened too and yet their hearts not opened or renewed Many are called outwardly that are not inwardly and effectually this is peculiar to Gods chosen who are called by his Spirit working in due season through grace they obey that calling are freely justified and at last most certainly glorified The Elect are still sure of salvation because the links of this golden chain are so strongly fastened one within another according to Gods unchangeable purpose and invincible power that they can never be broken and undone CHAP. XIII Of Justification AND whom he called Truth them he also Justified and we are Justified or accounted righteous in the sight of God not for any works or worthiness of our own but for the only merits of Jesus Christ and by faith in him our sins being imputed unto him and his Righteousness unto us Adversaries to this Doctrine are the Papists Errours with their brethren the Anabaptists The Anabaptists teach That we are not justified by faith alone but by the cross and affliction The Papists affirm 1. That we are not justified by faith only but by faith and works together and works in their account carry the greatest stroke 2. That we are justified by faith not as an Instrument but as a vertue meriting or deserving and so t is a part of that Righteousness whereby we are justified before God 3. That we are justified before God by a Righteousness that is inherent in us infused not imputed 4 Osiander imagined That we are substantially righteous in Christ as well in Essence as in quality and that the truly righteous do not apprehend Christ by faith but have him and his Righteousness essentially derived unto them so that in our Justification God conveying himself into us maketh us a part of himself So the Familists say That every one of their family is Christ godded with God and deified 5. Many Pharisaical Christians there be that think to be justified by civil and external Righteousness 6. And certain Libertines That taking no care of wel-doing think to be justified by faith alone or a solitary faith 7. A world of carnal people regard neither faith nor works and yet hope to be saved as well as the best This point of Justification Antidote is the greatest that is in Controversie between us and the Papists which they quite
AN ANTIDOTE Against HERESY OR A Preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Arminians c. and their pestilent Errours Shewing the Authors of those Errours their grounds and reasons the time when and occasion how they did arise with general Answers to their Arguments taken out of holy Scripture and the Ancient Fathers Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy By RICHARD ALLEN M. A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke Colledge in Oxford Pro. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not London Printed by John Macock and are to be sold by Nathaniel Brooks at the sign of the Angel in Cornhil TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace be multiplyed Right Honorable DIfferences in the Church have always caused differences in the Commonwealth and differences in the Commonwelth do commonly widen those differences in the Church Differences in Religion did cause these unhappy and unnatural Wars and these Wars have not ended but encreased them For notwithstanding the Solemn League and Covenant to extirpate all Popery Heresie Schism c. and in pursuance thereof your late pious Ordinance to stop their farther growth besides the excellent labours of many learned men yet Heresies are encreased above number like the unruly waters the more they are stopt the more they rage and swell And indeed Heresie Prophaness Barbarism and Atheism it self have always and in all places followed war as close as famine or pestilence do times of war and confusion being as fit times for the envious man to sow his tares in as times of peace sleep or security And now for composing these differences The Italians in a proverbial speech use to say that Hard to Hard never makes good stone-wall Meaning that in any difference there must be some yeelding or else there can never be any firm uniting In matters of Religion I have vâ—ntured to do something my calling thereunto engaging me with extream longings to see peace and truth settled amongst us These poor labors I humbly present unto your Honors hoping your Honors will take in good part what is intended to a good end though perhaps it may come much short of it and accept the work though small seeing the smallest stone will help to repair the greatest breach Your Honors humbly devoted RICHARD ALLEN monster that neither of the Swords yet could tame or cut off But when I heard the most horrid Blasphemies and saw the monstrous Heresies that every day new-sprang up to the high dishonor and displeasure of Almighty God the reproach of his truth saddening the hearts and dejecting the minds of his people the enemy in mean space riding in triumph and treading down all before him Setting aside all doubts and fears at last I finisht and publisht this small book partly inclined thereunto to yeeld some account of my late unpleasing leisure but chiefly for discharge of my duty and a double engagement that lay upon me 1. As a Christian being all bound as the Apostle exhorts us Jude 3. To contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints 2. As a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we are bound more specially to defend and not to give place to false teachers No not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue Gal. 2.5 Besides the solemn Covenant to extirpate all Heresie Schism and Prophaness and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine And now right worshipful I present you with it such as it is being engaged also thereunto by the many favors and kindnesses I have received of you whereof be pleased to tak this as an acknowledgment I hope it may prove some help to discover the manifold sleights and impostures of false Prophets and Deceivers that are entered into the world that privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And many follow their pernicious ways but my prayers are always for you that yee may ever escape their snares Your Worships much obliged Nephew Richard Allen. A TABLE OF THE HEADS OR CHAPTERS Chap. I. OF the holy Scripture Page 1. Chap. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Page 14. Chap. III. Of the Creation Page 26. Chap. IV. Of Providence Page 29. Chap. V. Of the Fall of Man and Original Sin Page 35. Chap. VI. Of Freewil Page 40. Chap. VII Of the Person of Christ Page 44 Chap. VIII Of the Office of Christ Page 48 Chap. IX Of the Death of Christ Page 50 Chap. X. Of the Resurrection of Christ Page 54 Chap. XI Of Predestination Page 56 Chap. XII Of Vocation Page 64 Chap. XIII Of Justification Page 73 Chap. XIV Of Sanctification Page 78 Chap. XV. Of the Moral Law Page 84 Chap. XVI Of Good Works Page 87 Chap. XVII Of Death and Burial Page 90 Chap. XVIII Of the Resurrection of the flesh Page 94 Chap. XIX Of Glorification in Heaven Page 96 Chap. XX. Of Hell Page 98 Chap. XXI Of Purgatory Page 99 Chap. XXII Of Images Page 102 Chap. XXIII Of the Church Page 106 Chap. XXIV Of the Sacraments Page 115 Chap. XXV Of Baptism Page 119 Chap. XXVI Of the Lords Supper Page 126 Chap. XXVII Of Reformation Page 134 Chap. XXVIII Of Toleration Page 143 The Preface GOD never wrought miracle to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it For the Invisible things of him even his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by the works of the Creation Rom. 1.20 And indeed never any people was heard of so barbarous but did acknowledg a God and though otherwise rude and voyd of all civility yet did profess and practise some Religion The very nature of man it self so far abhors direct Atheism that the Heathen made them Gods of wood and stone rather then have none at all and gave Divine Honours not to men only like themselves but even to base and vile creatures rather then be without a Religion The Devil then not able to root up this perswasion of a Deity so deeply and strongly fastened in the hearts of all men by nature from Atheism he turned to Heathenism from denying to multiplying the heavenly Deity and with a multitude of false Gods abused the world almost 4000. years But When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son a light to lighten the Gentiles who with the beams of his glorious truth so scattered this universal fog of Paganism that those lying vanities were shortly discovered mens consciences convinced of their former gross ignorance and turned from dead Idols to serve the living God And now this old Serpent is put to a new shift which the Father of lies was not long to seek of but driven from Heathenism betakes himself to Heresie for the worship of false Gods setting up false worships of the true God wherein he multiplied so exceedingly that now there are as many false worships as before were false Gods To trace this crookeâ—
is spiritual heavenly and divine The matter of the thing present the Apostle shews plainly 1 Cor. 10.16 But for the manner of presence we have no such evident demonstration To conclude the truth is present with the signs the Holy Spirit with the Sacrament feeding our souls with the truth of Christs body and blood but the invisible working of that Divine Spirit herein is unsearchable the natural man cannot perceive it because it is spiritual Let us firmly beleeve then what we cannot conceive and rest assured in this truth that we receive in the Sacrament the very body and blood of Christ by Faith though we cannot conceive it by sense or reason CHAP. XXVII Of Reformation Truth THere is no particular Church on earth and never was so priviledged but that it may and many have faln into dangerous Errours both of life and doctrine as the examples of all both former and latter times have witnessed so that there is no Church consisting of men that may err but may need Reformation even as a material building doth need often reparation And for as much as many horrible abuses and superstitions were lately brought through the deceitfulness of some into the Church of England to the great dishonor of Almighty God the decay of piety and imminent ruine of the true Protestant Religion therefore this present Reformation was extreamly necessary and is no Innovation but a Restauration only of our Church to its ancient purity of doctrine discipline and divine worship as it was established by the noble Princes K. Edward 6. and Q. Elizabeth of famous memories Although this truth be as clear as the light Errours as shall immediately be made appear and that this present Reformation hath cast out many gross abuses that contrary to the determinations of our Church have been lately put upon us yet there are divers adversaries that either out of malice or ignorance or both do still with all their might oppose it And so I shall reduce them all under three heads The first is of those that do it of pure malice as all lewd and dissolute persons who hate all reformation whatsoever that shal hedg up their extravagant ways and give a check or stop to their loose courses among these we may reckon some Papists and other Sectaries The second is of those that do it of meer ignorance as divers civil Protestants that think no Religion so ancient as that they were bred in and strangely mistaking Church-men for the Church take up most of their religion upon their credit The third sort do it of malice and ignorance both as divers fiery spirits that think there is no way to reform the Church unless they pull it to pieces as if there were no way to cure the head-ache but to knock a mans brains out There be also divers hypocrites that can drive on a reformation for their own ends and advantages and yet are as great enemies to the truth of it as any of the former Antidote I shall endeavor to satisfie the honest Protestant that is engaged against the reformation for want of better information and would soon perhaps imbrace the truth if he were not courted with so many lyes by deceivers that abound in the world The common complaint and cry is for the Religion that was in Queen Elizabeths time again And that we have not now the same Religion The Answer in brief is that we have the same Religion still not a new And that the true Protestant Religion which was then profest is now not altered but settled being restored to its pristine purity and purged from many abuses wherewith it was but lately corrupted As First Many Popish and Arminian tenents were taught and publickly maintained that are contrary to the doctrine of our Church at first established as will appear by comparing them with the 39. Articles and the book of Homilies the nine Articles of Lambeth and other learned writings of our former Bishops Secondly Many Crucifixes Images or Idols were set up in our most eminent Churches and most eminent places of them and that partly by connivence partly by command of men at that time of most eminent place and note whereby Superstition was nourished and Idolatry committed But now these Images are contrary 1. To the Word of God expresly forbidding them 2. To the judgment of the ancient Christians Fathers and Councels with great zeal condemning them And 3. of our own Church of England as in the book of Homilies and 39. Articles may be seen Thirdly The Communion Table was altered both in name and place from a Table to an Altar from the body of the Church to the head or upper end of the Chancel contrary to express order sâ—t down in the book of Common Prayer before the communion where it is said that the Table shall stand in the body of the Church or in the Chancel and the Priest shall stand at the north side which he cannot do if he stand close up to the wall And if it might be placed according to the discretion of the ordinary yet he must have more discretion then ordinary that will make the end of a table the side as one endeavored to do but that his Geometry failed him Fourthly The Bowing used to the Communion Table was a matter of worse consequence then was commonly imagined It is the attendant on Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation It serves to nourish those Errours still in mens minds ushers in many other Popish superstitions and is the occasion of gross Idolatry Fifthly The rails wainscot and traverse courtains before the Table as if it were the Sanctum sanctorum of the Jews or a Chappel intended for private Mass or as if none were holy enough to approach neer it but the Priest also the Tapers Copes Vestments and many other things lately used though they seemed but small matters to some yet they were not the less dangerous for being little for like little thieves they crept in at our Church windows to open doors to the great ones and if these had continued by this time they would have brought in the whole Mass of Popish Idolatry and those that plead for them are but the devils pimps that seduce the people and under the name of things indifferent would lead them a whoring after Idolls Hereunto we may add that horrible abuse of Excommunication the highest censure of the Church that in the Courts Christian was made a messenger to fetch in fees and men were cast out of the Church for not comming into the Court to say no more Lastly They err as much on the other hand and are to be condemned that scornfully or basely abuse the Church and places set apart for the use of Gods Ordinances which is seldom done but in open or secret contempt of the ordinances themselves Let them among other examples remember that of Julian unckle to the Apostate who in contempt pissed against the Communion Table his bowels rotting out he voyded
not his power it is Gods grace that makes us his servants not our own will More testimonies might be brought but whom these few will not suffice thousands more will never satisfie Cui pauca non sufficiunt plura non proderunt Concil Arausic cap. 25. Object But if it be so God may seem unjust to require that of us in his Law that we are not able to perform Sol. Not at all for in our first Creation God gave us sufficient abilities which we lost by our own voluntary fault according to that Eccles 7. God made man upright but they have found out many inventions It is not unreasonable then or unjust with God to require his own of us again though we have prodigally lost or mispent it Object If man hath no power in himself to do good to what end then are exhortations admonitions precepts promises or any preaching Sol. They are not in vain but the means ordained of God to soften our hearts and bend our wills to his Will St Paul saith God worketh in us both the will and the deed and yet ceaseth not to exhort us unto both Our Saviour invites us often to come unto him and yet faith No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 CHAP. VII Of Christ his Person Truth IN this miserable and forlorn plight the merciful God left us not to our selves hopeless and helpless but sent his Son to take our nature upon him that being perfect God and perfect man he might fully satisfie for our sins and redeem our souls from death and hell Errours The enemies of Christ are of two sorts 1. The enemies of his person 2. The enemies of his office Of the first sort were Simon Magus Cerinthus Marcion Samosatenus Arius Nestorius and such Monsters whereof some denyed his Divinity others his Humanity Some the purity of his conception others the truth of it some confounded the two Natures denying their distinction others denying their union divided the person of one making two some said he took tne body but not the soul of man others that he took an aetherial or spiritual not a true body and such like They are seconded at this day by the unbeleeving Jews Turks and all Mahometans Antitrinitarians New-Arians Anabaptists Familists Socinians particularly by Mr Paul Best and others who deny the Divinity of Christ affirming That he was but a meer man some fear not to say He was a sinful man some That he was God but not from everlasting the Son of God but not before his incarnation God by merit office or excellency of gifts not by nature and generation The Anabaptists say he brought his flesh with him from heaven and took it not of the Virgin The Familists turn the Incarnation of Christ into an Allegory holding That every one of their family is Christ and the taking in of their belief is the Incarnation Having discourse once with one of them he would not say Christ came or was come but is now come in the flesh Christ is now come in my flesh said he and now I speak Christ speaks to you So also Mr Erbury By flesh saith he is not meant the humane nut are but the coming of Christ is the manifestation of the Godhead in the flesh of Saints Antidote Against these hellish Blasphemies we oppose these heavenly Truths First That our Lord Jesus Christ is very God Isai 9.6 Vnto us a child is born c the Mighty God Rom. 9.5 of whom Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 1.4 Declared mightily to be the Son of God c. Secondly Christ is very man and had a true body taking flesh of the Virgin Mary therefore often called the son of man And 1 Tim. 2.5 The man Christ Jesus Isa 7.14 A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Mat. 1.20 She was found with child by the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.4 He was made of a woman 1 John 1.1 The Word of Life which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes and our hands have handled He had a true body then his humanity was obvious enough to all the senses If Christ be not God why do you adore him It is plain Idolatry to worship Christ if he be not God Cyril Alexand Cont. Eunom The second Nicene Councel Charged Nestorius with Idolatry because he affirmed Christ was a meer man yet adored him S. Paul condemns serving the creature Rom. 1.25 and yet professeth himself Servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.1 Therefore Christ is no meer creature or man Ambros lib. 1. de fide ad Gratian August c. 7. Arrians then Socinians Mr. Best and the rest that deny Christ to be God and yet grant that he ought to be adored what do they differ from Turks and Pagans that worship the creature Rom. 1.22.25 Professing themselves to be wise they become fools and change the Truth of God into a lye This then is Argument enough against the Arrians Socinians c. to prove the diety of Christ because according to their own divinity he ought to be served worshipped and adored The Heathen that knew God and yet glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 And the Arrians Socinians c. that glorifie Christ as God and yet acknowledg him not for God are a like vain in their imagination and their foolish heart is darkned CHAP. VIII Of Christ his Office Truth THe Office of Christ being God and man is to mediate between God and man and reconcile them together again God who is angry for sin and man who is guilty of sin This Office is three-fold For 1. as a Prophet he doth instruct his Church 2. As a Priest he makes satisfaction and intercession for it 3. As a King he gathers and governs it Adversaries are those that affirm 1. Errours That Christ is Mediator only in respect of his divine nature So Osiander 2. That he is Mediator in respect of his humane nature only So Stancarus And of this opinion are the Papists who most wickedly set up other Mediators also besides Christ even Saints and Angels whom they pray unto to intercede for them But the Papists are enemies to every part of his Office 1. To his Kingly Office in that they make the Pope head of the Church 2. To his Priestly Office in that they set up other Mediatours and Intercessours besides Christ and other satisfaction for sin besides that which he hath made 3. To his Prophetical Office in subjecting his holy Word to the Authority of the Church Judgment of the Pope a sinful man and equalizing traditions and humane inventions with the same Against these Errours we teach Antidote and are taught 1. That there is but one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 He maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 The Saints do not hear us or know our wants Isai 63.16
overthrow and therewith the whole Gospel burying Christ again that is risen for our Justification For if our works before or after Justification do merit grace and life by congruity or condignity then is Christ in vain and become of no effect To the Adversaries we say First 1. That we are justified without works by faith alone not that faith is or can be alone without good works in respect of its Essence but in the act of Justification it is alone as it is an Instrument of Justification Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Iob 15.15 What is man that he should be just or he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous Rom. 3.20 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 3.11 And that no man is justified by works is evident For the just shall live by faith Rom. 3.28 We conclude then that a man is justified by faith without works Good works indeed may justifie us before men as an evidence of our faith and of this S. Iames speaks Iames 2.24 Ye see then how by works a man is justified But before God we are justified only by the perfect Righteousness of Christ applyed unto us by the hand of faith wherein our own works have not the least finger Secondly we are justified by faith not as the cause but only as an Instrument of our Justification not as it is a vertue inherent in us but as it goes forth and apprehends and applies Christ unto us not by the merit of faith but by the merits of Christ applyed by faith and therefore it is said Rom. 3.22 The righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all that believe And v. 24. We are justified through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ And Phil. 3.9 The righteousness whereby we are justified before God is called the righteousness that is through the Faith of Christ and the Righteousness by faith and therefore when it is said we are justified by faith it notes the use or effect not the merit or dignity of faith For 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made unto us Righteousness And 2 Cor. 5.21 We are made the Righteousness of God in him Thirdly There is a glorifying Righteousness in the world to come In this world a sanctifying a justifying Righteousness that wherewith we shall be dothed in the world to come is both perfect and inherent that wherewith we are sanctified in this life is inherent but not perfect that wherewith we are justified is perfect but not inherent The Righteousness whereby we are justified before God is not inherent in us but in Christ in us not by inhesion but imputation the Righteousness of Christ whereby we are justified is not infused but imputed to us and accounted ours So Rom. 4.5 Abraham was iustified by a Righteousness imputed or accounted unto him 2 Cor. 5.21 We are made the Righteousness of God in him the Righteousness of God not ours in him not in us August Enchirid. cap. 41. Fourthly When we say we are justified by faith alone we do not mean a faith that is alone that is solitary without good works but a living faith and a working faith for a dead faith cannot justifie and a living faith cannot be idle but worketh by love Gal. 5.5 We are justified by faith alone without works not that works are separated from faith or can be but only excluded from the act of Justification The parts of our Justification are 1. The imputation of Christs righteousness 2. Forgiveness of our sins The inward moving cause is Gods mercy the outward is Christs merit The formal cause is the imputation of Christs righteousness the instrumental faith and faith without works whereby works are excluded not from the nature of Faith but from the act of Justification CHAP. XIV Of Sanctification Truth WHom he justified them he also glorified Our glorification which shall be finisht and compleated in the life to come is begun in this life partly in regard of our condition wherein we are made happy and partly in regard of our nature wherein we are made holy We are made holy in our nature by the grace of Sanctification which is the renewing of our whole nature though not wholy in this life according to the image of God in righteousness and true holiness Adversaries to this truth were 1. Errours Simon Magus and his disciples who gave libertie to all looseness and uncleanness saying That sin defiled the body but not the soul and they are followed by the Libertines of our age who scoff at all sanctitie or holiness of living And if you observe you shall find that holiness of life is had in great esteem and reverence among all sorts and sects among Papists and the very Turks themselves after their way only it is in disgrace among our common Protestants who usually despise and brand those with odious names who are any way strict and severe in their lives endevoring to live in the fear of God 2. Some Anabaptists as the Adamites and Familists say that they re perfect and pure from all sin and that there are men living as perfect and pure as Christ was So the Pelagians and Donatists of old of latter timeâ— a Sect called Fratricelli affirmed that a man might attain in this life to that perfection to be without sin and he that is so is freed from all subjection to mortal men and had no more need of prayer fasting or such exercisâ—s of piety Among these Perfectists we reckon also the Papists 3. There be others so contrary to the Papists who would have justifying righteousness inherent in us that these will have none at all affirming that Christ is the new creature and all graces are in Christ as in the subject none in us upon which follow many other strange doctrines Antidote Now we are justified by faith through the free grace of God we ought to follow after holiness with the more diligence 1. That we may glorifie Gods name who hath done so great things for us 1 Cor. 6.20 Mat. 5.16 1 Pet. 2.12 Because 2. it is the will of God 1 Thes 4.3 Because 3. it is the end of our election Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us that we should be holy 4. It is the end of our Redemption Luk. 1.74 He hath saved us that we should serve him 5. It is the end of our calling 1 Thes 4.7 God hath called us unto holiness and Heb. 12.14 Without holiness we shall never see God Secondly Though we ought to endeavour and follow after holiness yet we can never be perfect or without sin in this life 1 John 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us James 3.2 In many things we offend all 1 Kings 8.40 There is no man that sinneth not Prov. 20.9 Who can say I am pure from my sin Eccles 7.10
There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not as is evident by the confessions and examples of holy men of God Noah Gen. 9.21 Abraham Gen. 20.2 Lot Gen. 19.33 David 2 Sam. 11. Paul Rom. 7. and Peter denyed his Master Christ Mat. 26. The Perfectists themselves have enough in themselves to convince them of their folly as pride envy malice c. being subject to sickness death c. which are the wages of sin and therefore they are not without sin Object Our Saviour exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5 Sol. There is a pattern proposed unto us to imitate and follow not to match equal or overtake which cannot be As noteth the quality not equality Object 1 John 3. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not Sol. The same Apostle says If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves We sin then i. sins of infirmity and we do not sin i. we do not fall back into the service and dominion of sin finally or totally There is a perfection 1. Of degrees and stands opposed to imperfection 2. Of parts and stands opposed to hypocrisy This latter we may have i. be sincere and upright not the former i. be free from all sin defect or imperfection Many men in Scripture are called righteous just perfect not because they were without all vice but because they had many vertues Hieronym For otherwise Noah was drunk David committed Adultery c. Thirdly The righteousness whereby we are justified is inherent in Christ for us that whereby we are sanctified is inherent in our selves from Christ that is in us only by imputation this also by infusion and real Communication by that we are freed from the guilt by this from the pollution of sin that is done al at once this by degrees 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the grace that is in thee 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you c. the Righteousness then of Sanctification is subjectively in us Fourthly Our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification Rom. 8.1 1 John 3.10 14. Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Lastly God doth see sin in his dearest Saints as in the example of David who also confesseth the same was punisht and prayed for pardon 2 Sam. 12.10 Psalm 51. If God did not see sin in him how did he send Nathan to reprove him for it why did he punish him for it Our Saviour teaches us to pray for pardon of sins Mat. 6.12 The Apostle 1 John 1. to confess our sins And Mat. 28. Peter wept bitterly for his sin We ought to sorrow for sin and renew our souls dayly by repentance CHAP. XV. Of the Moral Law Truth CHrist hath delivered us from the rigour and curse of the Law not from all obedience unto it but that it still remains a rule of life unto us Errours Antinomians or Adversaries to this truth because it is said We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 And that the Law is not made for the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 hold That the Moral Law ought to be cast quite out of the Church that we be no more troubled or our Consciences terrified with the preaching thereof but that we be gently exhorted by the preaching of the Grace of Christ That the Law and Christ are two contrary things whereof one cannot abide the other That it is of no use to a Beleever no rule for him to walk or examine his life by Antidote Christ is the end of the Law finis perficiens not interficiens August A consummating not consuming end not destroying but fulfilling the same So our Saviour himself says Mat. 5.17 19. I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but fulfil Whosoever therefore shall break the least of these Commandments and teach men so c. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voyd the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping the Commandments of God We are not under the Law but under Grace not under the Law as a Tyrant but now as a Father being freed from the curse and rigour of it not obedience unto it which we yeeld now not of compulsion or fear but love with all cheerfulness and willingness our hearts being enclined and disposed thereunto by the work of Gods Spirit 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and so the Law unto the Regenerate becomes as it were Gospel even a Law of liberty The Use of the Law is two-fold 1. Civil to punish and restrain sin 2. Spiritual to reveal it Luther in Galat. In the first regard it is not given to the righteous because good men are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 The most proper and principal Use of the Law is to reveal sin and so the Law is light not to discover grace and life this is the office of the Gospel but to discover sin and death therein as in a glass we may see our own blindness c. For our natures are so corrupt that we should not know they were corrupt but by the Law Rom. 7.7 The Law then serves to humble us and drive us unto Christ to make us know sin and so know our selves and so renounce our selves and fly unto Christ And so the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. And Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeves Rom. 10. because the end of the Law is perfect Righteousness which we cannot attain of our selves but by Christ who hath fulfilled the same for us And when the Law hath brought us unto Christ it goeth no farther the coactive power of it ceaseth but not the directive it is still a guide and rule of life unto us which we follow not to seek Righteousness to our selves but to testify our thankfulness unto God we endeavour to keep the Law not to justify our selves but to glorify God and edify our neighbour by our good example And therefore we are still exhorted to do the works of the Law though we shall not be justified by the same CHAP. XVI Of good works ALthough we are justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemptioâ— that is in Jesus Christ. Rom. 3. Truth yet we ought still to maintain good works 1. Out of thankfulness unto God for so great a benefit and to glorify his name 2. To assure our selves of the truth of our faith by the fruits thereof 3. To edify win and provoke others also by our good example Adversaries are 1. The Papists Errours who think good works are meritorious and so overvalue them 2 The Libertines that undervalve them and think they are repugnant and contrary unto faith that understand our liberty that
Papists themselves could never yet agree about the place where the pains what or the time how long it shall last and that the infallible Doctour of the Porphyry Chair cannot resolve it nor will of his charity release them without money as they say he can for money we leave it as a heathenish and sottish invention and if there be no purgatory then pardons and prayers for the dead are of no use and howsoever the pardons of a sinful man or the man of sin cannot be of any value An Irish Gentleman and a Papist being upon a former agreement to pay a certain sum of money to a Priest for Masses said for delivering his fathers soul out of purgatory brought the money and laid it down But quoth he to the Priest be ye sure now that my fathers soul is clear out Yes I 'le warrant you quoth the Priest Nay then quoth the Gentleman by my troth I have even done a childs part if he be out let him take heed how he comes there again and so putting up his money gave the Priest the baffle Countermining one cheat with another If all Papists would serve their Priests so and Pope too it would prove the best Antidote against this Heresie For money is the fuel that feeds this fire if it be fire and not water as some learned Papists have doubted it is CHAP. XXII Of Images Truth THe worship of Images Reliques the Cross c. are not only vain unwarrantable and contrary to Gods Word but also heathenish and abominable Idolatry Errours The Papists not only erect and adore Images themselves but also accurse and condemn as Hereticks to the fire yea to hell fire all those that will not do the like 2. The Pseudo-Lutherans retain Images in their Churches esteeming them not onely as Ornaments but also as lay-mens books to edifie admonish and put them in mind of some heavenly things but yet allow them not to be worshipped doing herein like the Turks who in the sack of Constantinople seeing the Temple of Saint Sophia a goodly structure and the marble pillars enameled and filleted with the pictures of Saints were loth to deface such goodly pieces though Images are contrary to their Law and Religion but only put out their eyes Images were creeping in apace here in England and I saw once the assumption of our Lady wrought upon the Communion Table or Altar cloth as it was called in a Church held in Commendam by Bishop Goodman of Glocester which I note above all other because it is a fabulous legend that the Papists themselves scarce admit The old heathen Romans for a long time had no Images Antidote accounting it sacriledg to present heavenly things by earthly forms seeing we cannot possibly any way attain unto the knowledg of God but in mind and understanding Plut. in Vita Numae The Turks have none nor the Jews as contrary to Gods Law The ancient Christians would not suffer an Image so much as in the Church-porch so jealous they were of Idolatry stealing in The Papists think they quit themselves of Idolatry when they say they worship not the Image but the Saint or diety in the Image But the same excuse is made by Plutarch for the heathen Idolaters who were none of them so sottish to take the Images of wood and stone for Gods able to help them God forbad not only graven Images to be worshipt but also himself to be worshipt in the Image If we make an Image of the true God to worship then we fall either 1. into Idolatry by worshipping the Image or 2. Errour and Heresie by ascribing to God a bodily shape which he hath not Abulensis in Deut. cap. 4. The Images of Saints are not to be worshipt because the Saints themselves are not to be worshipt The worship of Angels is expresly forbidden Col. 2.18 and the Angels themselves forbid it Rev. 19.10 22.9 with this Reason because they are our brethren and fellow servants Much less the Sains whose greatest honor is to be but as the Angels Mat. And the liveliest picture of Christ is in the Scriptures there he is painted before our eyes Gal. 3.1 A man may look upon a Crucifix as long as he lives and never the wiser never the holier In the Bible you have a speaking picture of Christ in a distressed brother a living Crucifix in the holy Supper a more lively Image of his death passion then any painter can devise and shew us those holy Mysteries that a picture can never do Images though not worshipped yet are not useful but hurtful in the place of Gods Worship the picture of Christ is so far from putting us in mind of him that it draws our minds from him tying our imagination to a corporal object Few pray before an Image but they pray likewise unto it a secret belief stealing into their minds that when they look upon it they think it hears them August Enarrat in Psalm 113. And therefore another says it is Diabolicae deceptionis inventum one of the Divels Arch-cheats CHAP. XXIII Of the Church Truth THe Church is the body of Christ or the Church is the whole company of Gods Elect called and gathered by his holy Word and Spirit out of all mankinde from the beginning to the end of the world into one fellowship with Christ and communion one with another And although many are called and but few chosen many are joyned unto the Church that are not united unto Christ hold outward communion with the Saints that have no inward fellowship with the Son of God yet we are in charity to account all those for members of the true Church that are outwardly called and accordingly make profession of the true Faith until the Lord the searcher of all hearts who alone knoweth who are his do make the truth appear as he shall do at the great day of his appearing Errours Adversaries to this truth are 1. Those that say there is no true Church upon earth as the Seekers do 2. Those that would have the visible Church to be voyd of sin and sinners as the Anabaptists Familists Brownists and all Separatists 3. That will have the true Catholick Church to be a mixt company of good and bad together as the Papists do 4. The same Papists to the great contumely and reproach of Christ advance their Pope to be head of the Church 5. To uphold their Antichristian Synagogue among many other they maintain three special errours that are the very props and pillars of the same sc That the Church cannot err That the Church is alwayes visible That the Word and Sacraments are not proper marks of the true Church 6. The Anabaptists abuse the communion of Saints in the Church to bring in a community of goods in the civil state and make all things common The word Church Antidote Chyrch or Kirch we borrow of the Duch among whom it is commonly taken for Gotteshause Gods
house or the place of divine worship It seems to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by contraction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords or the Lords house the material temple is Gods house Joh. 2.16 Matth. 23.21 and so are the Saints too 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.22 But the word that properly signifies the congregation or assembly of the Saints and is so often in the New Testament translated Church is Ecclesia and this also is applied by S. Paul to the place of divine worship or meeting place 1 Cor. 11.18 22. The name of Church then is not so peculiar to the Saints but that it belongs also to the place of their publick meeting and therefore they are much to blame that make such a needless ado about the word in derision calling our Churches Steeplehouses c. But taking the word only for the assembly or company of the faithful we affirm First That there is and ever hath been a Church upon earth the Church continued from Adam in Abel Seth Enoch Noah and their families till Abraham In his posterity to Christ and then the walls of the Church were enlarged by pulling down the partition wall and calling in the Gentiles Matth. 28.19 Acts 2.47 Revel 2. 3. Churches were gathered and confirmed by the Apostles men set apart for the work of the Ministry Acts 11. 13. and those â—lso had authority given them to sepaâ—ate and ordain others also to the same work Tit. 1.5 and so to continue successively in all ages as it hath done to this day And now where the same Gospel is truly preached the same Sacraments duly administred Beleevers professing the same Faith and submitting to the same ordinances as at this day are in England Scotland c. there is a true Church of Christ as was in the Apostles times Secondly The true Catholick Church is the company of Gods Elect only whereof it is said that Christ gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 This is the Church of the first born who are written in heaven Heb. 12.22 The body of Christ Col. 1.18 The houshold of God Eph. 2.23 In which is no condemnation and out of which is no salvation and of this Church hypocrites or wicked men are not members for what fellowship hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.16 This Church is both invisible and invincible the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. Thirdly many are in the Church that are not of it outwardly called not inwardly from whence ariseth that distinction of the visible and invisible Church The invisible are the Elect only so called because their faith whereby and the body whereinto they are incorporate are both invisible The visible Church is the whole company of those that joyn in one outward league and profession The ground of this distinction is laid by our Saviour Mat. 20 16 and hereunto belongs that parable of the tares Mat. 13. whereby we are warned that although tares may grow i. wicked men or hypocrites may live in a visible Church yet not to condemn it or separate our selves as the manner of some is lest we forsake and condemn a company of Gods chosen but to esteem it for all that as a true Church for the better or more principal part i. the Elect that are in it even as S. Paul calls the Church of Corinth a Church of God though there were Hereticks Fornicators and incestuous persons among them Fourthly As the Church is the body of Christ so Christ is the head of the Church Col. 1.18 Eph. 5.23 And there can be none other because none else can give life sense and motion to that body and so the Pope cannot be head of the Church Not a temporal or secular head because the kingdom of Christ that is his Church is not of this world Not a spiritual head because he cannot give spiritual life and grace Nor a ministerial head because he cannot minister the Word and Sacraments to all Churches in the world neither doth it to his own pastoral charge and there can be no other reason why he should be called a ministerial head but for this ministry He cannot be the Lâ—eutenant General or Vicar of Christ for a Lieutenant supposeth the absence of him whose place he holdeth but Christ is always present with his Church himself and so there is no room for the Popes Vicarage Fifthly The Churches of Asia and Judea who are now faln and become no Churches are sufficient witnesses to this truth that no Church on earth is priviledged or freed from errour Not the Church of Rome specially being guided by such a head as the Pope is who being but a man may err that man of sin and cannot but err most of their Popes for many hundred of years have erred both in matter of Faith and manners their own Histories testifie that they have been Negromancers Conjuers Blasphemers Hereticks Athiests Adulterers Murderers incestuous persons c. They have done and do stiâ— deny Christ persecute his Church condemn his truth deride his Gospel tuâ— his holy ordinances into ridiculouâ— Mock-shews and therefore the Churcâ— of Rome can no longer juggle and hide her abominable errours under the pretended infallibility of such a miscreaâ—â— 2. Although Christ hath and ever had 〈◊〉 Church visible upon earth some companies of Beleevers making profession of the same common Faith yet it hatâ— and may come to pass that either through the infirmity of some that cannot discern it the malice of others that will not acknowledge it or througâ— persecution being driven into corners the Church may lie hidden as it did iâ— the days of Elias 1 King 19.10 thâ—â— it may not be visible to every eye 〈◊〉 the Papists ask then where was the truâ—â— Church before Luther and Calvin 〈◊〉 the Roman Church were not it We answer it was in the wilderness and yet in those darkest times of Popery it was not so over-shadowed but that the very flames of persecution did discover what and where it was plainly discerning the true sheep of Christ from those hellish wolves 3. The marks or notes of the true Church are the same whereby it was at first called and gathered sc the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments those 15. substituted in their place by the Romanists are uncertain and may most of them agree with a Synagogue of Satan as well as a Church of Christ as Antiquity Multitude Miracles c. For that old Serpent had a Synagogue from the beginning and the primitive Church was a true Church though not ancient Christs Church is a little flock and Antichrist come shal with lying wonders c. Sixthly The Church is a spiritual Commonwealth and the communion of Saints is spiritual not temporal in levelling the mounds of private possessions and laying all things common Object It is said Act. 4.32 they had all things in common Sol. It is answered Act. 5.4 whiles it remained was it not thine own and after
it was sold was it not in thine own power The community spoken of was only of things dedicated to the Churches treasury for relief of poor brethren there remaining still something to a man that was proper to himself and a liberty to retain what part he pleased as is plain For otherwise if all things were common to what purpose are we exhorted to liberality What need Paul work with his own hands or how could he be burthensom to any one if all things were common Lastly Though the Church be but one as there is but one Faith c. yet it is distinguished into Catholick or Universal and Particular The Catholick so called because it comprehends the faithful of all times and places the particular named according to the place where that part is seated The Roman Church then is unduly called Catholick because it is a particular Heretical Church neither universal nor orthodox Those are mistaken and to blame that call the Papists Catholicks because they profess not the Catholick faith or faith of the Catholick Church neither is their Religion the old Religion but new and upstart being a fardel of late humane inventions not at all to be found in any sacred Record CHAP. XXIV Of the Sacraments THe Sacraments are holy and visible signes and seals ordained of God Truth the more fully to declare and assure unto us the promise of the Gospel The Sacraments of the New Testament are only two Baptism and the Lords Supper Adversaries are 1. Errours Those Hereticks both old and new that deny all Sacraments saying they are of no use in the Church 2. The Anabaptists think there is no other use or end of the Sacraments but only to serve as badges of our Christian Profession 3. The Papists say the Sacraments confer grace by vertue of the work done And 4. That there are seven Sacraments of the New Testament and hold them accursed that say there are fewer or that they are not all truly and properly Sacraments ordained by Christ Antidote Although the name of Sacrament be not to be found in the Scriptures yet we find Mystery there a word of the same signification and the things themselves were ordained by Christ in the Scriptures Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them c. Luk. 22.19 20. He took bread c. and after supper took the cup c. saying Do this in remembrance of me And God hath ordained the Sacraments not to be bare signes but seals also and pledges to assure us of the promises made in his Word and so the Apostle Rom. 4.11 calls circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith Not as if the Sacrament gives strength to the promise as weak of it self but as a seal confirms and assures it to us Secondly Although the Sacraments do not confer grace yet they are a means to convey it unto us for being sensible elements that may be seen felt and tasted every sence is a pipe or conduit as it were to draw and convey from the outward element the thing thereby signified to the inward understanding Yet this is done not by vertue of the work done or by uttering certain words but by the vertue of Gods ordinance and power of the holy Ghost working with the same If the Sacraments did contain grace essentially within them as Medicine in a box then indeed it might follow that by the outward work done grace should be conferred but we see the contrary That invisible sanctification hath been without the visible signs and again the visible signes have been given without true sanctification Aug. in Levit. qu. 84. as we see in the examples of Cornelius the Centurion and Simon Magus And therefore also though the Sacraments cannot be despised or neglected being Gods ordinances without great impiety and unthankfulness towards him who by them hath so tenderly provided for our weakness yet they are not so absolutely necessary to salvation that without them it is impossible to be saved for God is above his ordinances and can save us without them It is not the want but contempt of the Sacraments that is dangerous and damnable Bernard Lastly There are but two Sacraments only of the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper we read of no more ordained by Christ who only hath power to ordain Sacraments and this was done in regard of our weakness that we should not be over-burthened Some few signes for many were delivered unto us and the same in doing most easie in understanding most holy in observing most pure as are Baptism and the Lords Supper August lib. de Doct. Christ c. 9. And therefore those five other Sacraments reckoned by the Church of Rome are not Sacraments of the New Testament neither have any Warrant in Gods Word For 1. Penance and Matrimony cannot be Sacraments of the New Testament because they were in being and as necessary both before and under the Law as now they are 2. The use of Matrimony belongs to Heathens as well as Christians 3. The Papists contradict themselves for they accurse those that shall say the Sacraments are not necessary to salvation Concil Trident. Sess 7. Can. 4. and yet debar their Priests from Matrimony which they account one of those Sacraments and so highly extol single life in all as if there were no other way to heaven for any They say the Sacraments confer grace and yet deny Matrimony to their Priests and so deprive them of that grace that Matrimony might confer upon them and so keep them honest CHAP. XXV Of Baptism BAptism is the Sacrament of admission or entrance into the Church Truth wherein by the outward washing or sprinkling of the body with water the inward cleansing of the soul from sin thorough the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ and washing of the Holy Ghost is signed and sealed unto us The Baptism of Infants is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ Adversaries 1. Errours Some explode Baptism quite out of the Church as some Hereticks of old and now adays do 2. Others allow it to folk of riper years but deny it to children as the Pelagians did and Anabaptists do and both upon the same ground some of them say it is an horrible abomination 3. Some esteem of Baptism as a thing indifferent 4. The Papists say it is absolutely necessary to salvation that children dying without it are not saved 5. Lastly the same Papists also abuse and adulterate this holy ordinance adding to the element of water salt spittle oyl c. using tapers exorcisms and other silly ceremonies in number as they reckon 22. and also prophane the same in applying it to things without reason and life as bells banners swords and daggers and that to bloody ends c. Antidote That Baptism was ordained commanded by our blessed Savior is expresly mentioned Mat. 29.19 whereunto is annexed a promise of salvation Mark 16.16 And
the god of this world hath blinded Their eyes c. 2 Cor. 4.3 The end of the Scriptures is the instruction of the Church Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written were written for our learning and one necessary mean to attain this end is the perspicuity and plainness of the Scripture for if it were dark or doubtful how should it instruct us In vain is it called a Light if it be dark in it self and to no purpose are we sent to learn it if it be so to us The Scriptures are an instrument to beget Faith Joh. 20.31 Rom. 10.17 And the first step or degree of faith is knowledg which the Scriptures could not beget if they were dark difficult or obscure Object But S. Peter says there are many things in S. Pauls Epistles hard to be understood which unlearned men wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Sol. If any thing be hard in one place either it is such as the ignorance thereof will not hazard our salvation or else it is explained and made easie in another place And by unlearned men the Apostle understand not men wanting humane learning as the liberal arts and sciences c. but men unlearned in the Scriptures themselves such as most times the learned and wise men of the world are For it is known that men otherwise unlearned simple aâ—d ignorant coming in humility the fear of God and love of truth using prayer reading comparing of Scriptures c. have attained unto a sufficient measure of saving knowledg For the Scriptures discover themselves by their own proper light one place expounding and opening the meaning of another August de Doct. Christ .l 2. c. 2.9.24 all things are seen by the light but light by it self Lastly Those books that we commonly call Apocrypha are not of divine authority because they were not written by the Prophets or men divinely inspired as the other Scriptures were that are therefore called the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 12.26 Our Saviour divides all Canonical Scripture into Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.29 But none of those books were written by Moses or any of the Prophets nor dictated by the Spirit of God but savour of a prophane and lying spirit as containing matter and stories both vain foolish and fabulous very often contradicting themselves and also the known Word of God as in the books of Tobit and the Maccabees the Stories of Bell and the Dragon are specially to be found The Jews received none of those books in their Canon neither by any of the primitive Christians or ancient Fathers were accounted for Canonical and what account the learned Papists themselves make of them may appear by Arias Montanus who in the front of his Bible hath these words There be added in this Edition the books written in Greek which the Catholick Church following the Canon of the Hebrew reckoneth amongst the Apocrypha CHAP. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Truth THere is but one living and true God everlasting and in the unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Errours This one point of Christian Religion is the very basis or foundation of all the rest and if this be shaken the rest must needs totter and fall to the ground and therefore the devil hath raised up such furious adversaries to oppugn it with strange and monstrous blasphemies as of old did Simon Magus Cerinthus Ebion Manes a Persian a man according to his name furious and mad and such like at this day the adversaries to this doctrine of the Trinity are all the enemies of Christ and his divinity as the unbeleeving Jews all Mahometans Turks Moors and such miscreants among Christians only such as have suckt their principles from the schools of those Infidels They stand marshalled all in two Regiments 1. The first is of those that deny all distinction of persons in the Godhead making the Father Son and Holy Ghost but several names only of one and the same person in regard of some distinct actions or offices This Heresie was commonly ascribed to Sabellius but Noetus a disciple of Montanus hatcht it and Simon Magus layd the egg long before at this day it is revived by one M. Erbury a late Chaplain of the Army who taught That there is but one person in the Godhead and when we read of the Father Son and Holy Ghost we must not take them for so many distinct persons but only as so many appearances of God unto men And truly if M. Erbury had been that Sorcerers own disciple he could not have devised a doctrine more like his as it is recorded by St. Augustin lib. de Haeres ad Quodvultdeum cap. 1. There be others that admit a distinction of these 3 persons but deny the equality of them That the Son and Holy Ghost are not God equal with the Father of one substance and eternity with the Father This was the Heresie of Arius whose chief undertaking was against the Son of God and his eternal generation and of Macedonius who denyed the Godhead of the holy Ghost They are both revived at this day among us that of Macedonius by one M. Biddle who not questioning the Godhead of the Son a point as he professeth wherein he is not yet so well resolved denies only the Godhead of the holy Ghost granting no more but that he is an excellent creature and chief of all the ministring spirits One M. Best not fearing that fearful judgment that befel Arius who burst asunder in the midst like Judas the traitor that his bowels gushed out hath notwithstanding revived his Heresie and in these times of general and desperate Apostacy hath found many favorors and followers Now the fountain of all these impure waters was Simon Magus an impious sorcerer and the conduit that conveyed them to our times almost was Mahomet an impudent impostour For about the year 630. or as others please 670. that vile and lewd Arabian began his cursed book called the Alcoran and therein amongst a multitude of other impure follies impious fables and lyes he raked also together coÌ„mended to his barbarous followers all those Heresies and Blasphemies against the Trinity Out of this filthy puddle Michael Servertus a Spaniard a man better read in Mahomets cursed Law then in the holy Gospel of Jesus Christ suckt his Heresie about the year 1530. for denying the eternal Son of God he was burnt at Geneva and out of his ashes arose that monster Socinus But to pass by particular persons the first Country that made defection from this truth was Transylvania a Country bordering upon the Turks from whom they received this point of their Religion for to gratifie or comply with those barbarous neighbours they abjured their Faith in the holy Trinity about the year 1593. denying the Son and holy Ghost the contagion of this pest is now spread into most places of Christendom The devil hath devised
and used many ways and manifold sleights to elude this sacred truth but all drive at this one end even to spoil if it were possible our Saviour Christ of his Divinity and so destroy at one blow the whole body of Christianity The Antidote we shall divide into three doses or propositions 1. That there are three persons in the eternal Godhead c. sc Father Son and holy Ghost 2. That the Son is God everlasting equal with the Father 3. That the holy Ghost is God everlasting equal with the Father and the Son 1. That there are three persons in the Godhead c. Gen. 1.26 And God said let us make man in Our Image Gen. 3.23 And the Lord God said behold the man is become as one of us Isa 6.8 And I heard the voyce of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us I plainly expressing the unity of essence and Vs the plurality of persons Gen. 19.24 And the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven Hosea 1.6 7. God said unto them I will save them by the Lord their God So Zech. 2.8 9. 3.2 Psa 2.7 the Lord said unto me thou art my son Gen. 1.2 The Spirit of God moved upon the waters Mat. 3.16 17. 28.19 The Father Son and Holy Ghost are plainly and distinctly named So 1 Ioh. 5.7 There are three that hear record in heaven the Father the Word that is the Son and the Holy Ghost We see how this sacred truth which at the beginning was more obscure in every age grew clearer and clearer like the morning light till it came to perfect day first a plurality of persons is intimated then a Trinity is expresly named and lastly a plain difference or distinction is made of divers persons one speaking of or to the other and both are called the Lord of hosts and Lord God So Iob. 8.17 18. The witness of two men is true I am one c. plainly making his Father and himself two Ioh. 5.32.37 There is another that beareth witness of me sc the Father and Ioh. 14.16 17. And he will send you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth Here the word another puts a manifest and plain difâ—erence between the Father Son and Holy Ghost so that there is another and â—nother i three distinct persons in the Godhead but not another and another â—hing for one single undivided essence is â—ommon to all three Joh. 15.26 The Comforter c. which cometh out from the Father Joh. 16.28 I came out from the Father Now by these emanations or comings out of the Son and Holy Ghost from the Father it is evident that they are distinct persons from the Father each of them having a true subsistence proper to himself And yet these three persons are but one essence three in one and one in three differing but not divided several but not sundered many and yet one all distinct for their persons all one for their nature substance or essence according to that 1 Joh. 5.7 and these three are one Object In this text we are to understand not an unity of essence but of consent or agreement as it is more plainly exprest v. 8. and these three agree in one Sol. In these two verses the Apostle opposeth the heavenly and earthly witness or the testimony of men and the testimony of God The earthly witness he calls the testimony of men in the plural number because they are three in number and though they agree in one yet they are not one but three different and distinct things The heavenly witness he calls the testimony of God in the singular number v. 9. knitting three in one because though they are three in number yet they are but one in nature three persons in one substance or essence and so three bear witness in heaven and yet all is the testimony but of one God Secondly The Son is God everlasting c. Isa Who shall declare his generation Joh. 1.14 18. 1 Joh. 4.9 The only begotten Son of the Father He is not a Son by grace either of Creation as the Angels or Adoption as the Saints are for then he were neither the only Son nor begotten To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my son Heb. 1.8 No for though they are all the sons of God by Creation yet this is the only Son by generation and God hath no other The Son of God then cannot be a creature as wicked Arrians affirm because he is begotten for if he were made created or adopted then he were not the begotten Son nor the only Son because by creation and adoption God hath more sons then one Now begetting is always of the nature and substance of the parents and so this Son is begotten of Gods own substance therefore also called his Own Son Rom. 8.32 And because God is a most single essence that cannot be divided or communicate it self by parts therefore he hath not a part as the sons of men have but the whole substance of his Father and so must needs be one God with the Father He must needs also be coequal of the same power and majesty and coeternal too everlasting as the Father himself is everlasting because being both but one substance or essence they were never nor could be one without the other He is called in Scripture expresly God as Isa 9.6 The mighty God Tit. 2.13 The great God 1 Joh. 5.20 The true God Rom. 9.5 God over all Psa 40.7 Heb. 1.8 to the Son he saith thy Throne O God endureth for ever Such works are ascribed to him as agree only to God 1. The work of Creation Ioh. 1.3 All things were made by him Of Preservation Heb. 1.3 All things are upheld by him Mat. 9.2 Forgiveth sins Ioh. 10.28 giveth eternal life which none but God oâ— do and Ioh. 5.19 whatsoever the Father doth that the Son doth likewise The essential attributes of God are given to him as 1. Omnipotency Rev. 1.8 Eternity Isai 9.6 Omniscience John 21.17 He is equal with the Father John 5.18 Phil. 2.6 Divine worship is given to him which is due only to God Psal 97.7 Worship him all ye Gods Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him Which were plain Idolatry if he were a creature and John 5.23 the same honor is due to the Son that is due to the Father The Apostles profess themselves the servants of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.1 2 Pet. 1. 1. Jude 1. Rev. 1.1 We are commanded to trust in him Isai 11.10 Rom. 15.12 To beleeve in him as we do in God John 14.1 and Psalm 2. â—2 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him But Jer. 17.5.7 it is Cursed are all they that trust in man and make flesh their arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord It is apparent then that the Son is God equal with the Father Thirdly The Holy Ghost is