not in any glasse behold and know the gronings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth and indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the 2. of Kings Chap. 22. witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious and holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euils which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57. The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares he may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the land for wretched impiety Eccl. 9. The dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot be mediators And indeed we haue no need of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more mercifull then any Saint and more desirous that we should liue then any Saint can be Now that we do vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10. The Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is adoration is due to God Against which distinction you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Onely this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues break downe their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those things which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God he giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Marie in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4. The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Ierusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matth. 6. Christ bids goe into our chamber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2. The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and images let that place bee well obserued Esay 24. My glory will I not giue vnto another nor mine honour vnto the grauen images But we say the Papists doe not worship images and we know that it is said in the second commandement Thou shalt not how downe thy selfe vnto them c. To this what shall we answere but that they say one thing and doe another for we haue already prooued that they fall downe and worship the crosse Behold the signe of the Crosse come and let vs worship it Againe it is impossible that ones whole affection should bee bent and settled on an image and yet that hee should not direct some deuotion vnto the Image as one of the Ancients hath well said It cannot possible be that the affection should be withdrawne from that where on our whole sense is fixed and fastned Therefore Lactunirus saith that there can bee no true worship performed where it is done with respect vnto images Thirdly we say that both these are equally forbidden of God namely the worshipping of the image it selfe and the worshipping of God at or before an image For this you haue a plaine place Leuit. 26. 1. You shall make you none idols nor grauen image neither reare you vp any pillar neither shall you set vp any stone or image within your land to worship before it for I am Iehouah the Lord your God But images say they are Lay-mens Bibles and therefore they may bee borne with as certaine historicall documents for the good of lay people whereto I answere first that it is no little blasphemy to affirme that images are Bibles that is the Word of God for the authoritie of Gods Word and of the Bible is the greatest that may bee and it is vnspeakable But who dare say that the authoritie of images is as diuine and eternall as that of God himself Secondly Images cannot be Lay-peoples Bibles because the Bible containes the true doctrine of God but Images are deceitfull and lying Teachers teaching lyes as it is manifestly written by Ier. 10. and by Habb 2.18 19. Further wee ought not to be wiser then God who hath instituted that his Church should be taught not by dumbe Pictures and Images but by the liuely preaching of his Word and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments And these things be spoken also as touching the adoration of Reliques for the worshipping of them is confuted by those very same places of Scripture by which the worshipping of Images hath been ouerthrowne You haue led mee by the hand through all Diuinitie and so haue holpen mee to some generall knowledge whereby I may insome sort be prepared vnto the holy Supper of our Lord now it remaines that you furnish me with some particular knowledge about the same Supper of the Lord whereunto I desire to prepare myselfe You say well indeed and I will doe it very willingly so be that before all you note that the word Sacrament is no where extant in holy Scripture but there are diuers words aequiualâ—nt vnto it as Romans 4. the word Signe or Seale where Paul calleth Circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith A Sacrament then is a holy signe or seale annexed to the word of God as vnto tables and letters wherein God promiseth vnto vs his fauour and the forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death and suffering of our mediatour Iesus Christ. Now signes be of three sorts Some there bee which are onely Significatiue and noting out somewhat as the Meare-stone signifieth the fields which it parts to be diuers Some are Memoratiue representing vs the memory of somewhat and exciting our affection and will thankefully to thinke on it
pares paena Be partakers of their sinnes you shall certainely be sharers in their punishment O then ye generation of those vipers bee forewarned of the heauy vengeance to come Doe not with the deafe Adder alwayes stoppe your eares to all godly and Christian admonitions but take theÌ„ at length to hart and say not with your selues Wee haue had ranke Papists to our Fathers wee haue had such as haue derided mocked your Orthodoxe Religion for our patterns and presidents for I dare boldly affirme in the wordes of our Sauiour that vnlesse yee repent and be conuerted you shall likewise perish Be not like them in Saint Austine Verum est quod dicitiâ— to professe all true that we say Non est quod respondeatur and that you haue nothing to say against it Sed durum est nobis traditionem Parentum relinquere but it seemeth a hard thing vnto vs to forsake the faith and tradition of our Fathers For consider it well in your hearts why should your Fathers examples mislead you into errour O vvhat a senselesse part is this in you Your Fathers faults and errors to allovv And not much rather to reforme your ovvne By shunning the defect vvhich they haue shovven Shall the vaine conceit of your Fathers worth weigh downe Gods holy Word Will you conferre nay preferre man to God If the Fathers of your bodies lead you one way and Father of Spirits bid you go another haue you not learn'd to obey God rather then men Will you not grant that which reason hath alwayes held for certaine and grounded truth Viuendum est legibus non exemplis Goe to then thinke not to shrowd your doings with your Fathers exemplarie dealings For as it is well vttered by the Heathen Oratour Impudens est Oratio dicere sic sactum est But let the bright and cleare Law of God shine in your hearts let it dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome heare the Word of God from others read it by your selues pray to God for a right vnderstanding of it marke it well ponder it in your heart and examine all your tenents and courses by it and then the Lord opening your eyes to see your own mis-doings and your Fathers mis-leadings you will confesse your Fathers follies wherein you haue liued and professe to leaue them with all speedie reformation in new obedience vnto God holy Will and Commandements And this I pray God that of his infinite goodnesse hee will grant vnto you that so by the conuersion of your soules his holy Name may be glorified his Angels gladded his faithfull confirmed your hearts comforted and the borders of Christs Church enlarged and that for the merits of Christ Iesus his onely true naturall Sonne our alone all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer Amen An Apologetique to the Christian Reader for the work in and about the Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc omne principium huc refer exitum Of all thy studies and intentions see That God the Alpha and Omega be DAveniam Scriptis remembring that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit vvithall The Spirit that is the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God are bestovved vpon vs not to be wrapt vp in a Napkin and hid in the earth but for manifestation Whereupon the ancient Greekes well expressed man and light by one common name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch shewes in the confutation of that common Mott. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what our Sauiour spake with a primarie direction to his Apostles Vos estis lux mundi Yee are the lights of the world may in a secondary application be affirmed of euery Christian or else Saint Paul would not say Among whom ye shine as lights in the world Now least any one should exempt himselfe therefore euery one is put in the Text. For as there are none furnish'd with all gifts so there are none but they haue some gift and the doner will looke for his owne with aduantage As euery man therefore hath receiued the giâ—t so let him minister thereof to others for the good of others Looke not euery one on your owne things but euery one on the things of other A good lesson for this incroaching and monopolizing world wherein euery man is for himselfe as the prouerb saith and as the Apostle complaineth Euery man seeketh his owne things and none the things of Christ Iesus But what saith the Scripture Non prohibet Euangelium nisi cupiditatem non precipit nisi charitatem The Gospell saith Austin doth not prohibite any thing more then incroaching couetousnesse it inioynes nothing so much as dilating charitie It is a poore center of a mans action Himselfe It is right earth as a great Scholler speaketh Wherfore let vs attend then to the Apostles rule who wills that euery one should seeke anothers vvealth and hee prescribes vs no other rule then that he himselfe walked in Non quaero quid mihi vtile sed quid multis I seeke not mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued By him that desires thy profit and proficiency in knowledge and godlines T.V. The Attestation of a friend touching this Booke inserted in a Letter to the Translatour In your Translation you haue laboured that they that will read may haue delight and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might haue ease that all into whose hands it commeth might haue profit 2. Mac. 2.25 Adam Airay S. S. Theol. Bac. M. D. Esquire To his good Friend T. V. WHat Thou do'st teach by others heretofore Hath likewise bin But yet by no man more To the true life That by thy godly care Thou and thine Authour equally doe share Thou praisest him Translating but if he Vnderstood English he would more praise thee Thou to our Nation ha'st his Doctrine showne Which to our vulgar else had not beene knowne As much by this thou get'st as ere he wanne England praise Vicars Dantsk her Keckerman Mich. Drayton Errata In the Preface reade Rob. Grosth Page 45. in the margin for Syst Tâ— reade Syst. Log. p. 50. offices r. p. 60. in the margin r. afflictiones p. 72. in the margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. for not certainly r. no certainty p. 85. r. doctrine p. 86. r. other are bare proprieties p. 87. r. accident p. 95. for hearts r. sects p. 96. for Matthias Iohn r. Matth. Illyric p 121. in the last line r. as before p. 123. for Christ r. Chrysostome p. 126. for Heb. 7. r. Heb. 12. p. 142. in the margin r. 139. p. 153. r. peruersly There are also other mistakings in figures vvhich you may bee pleased to mend of your selues A GODLY AND DEuout Treatise teaching with what due preparation wee ought to come to the holy Communion which is indeed an Abbridgement of the
Systeme of Diuinitie and may serue for a Catechisme of Christianitie WHat is Christian Religion It is that worship and seruice which euery good godly man ought by vertue of bond and obligation to tender vnto God himselfe Wherein is chalked out vnto vs the way as wel of liuing heere honestly as liuing hereafter happily as Augustine saith in his booke of true Religion the first Chapter The onely course of liuing well and happily consists in true Religion whereby we know the onely true God and worship him in holy purenesse For by religion the soule of man which before by sin was separate from God being now reconciled is againe tied and re-vnited to God from whence Religion hath its very name For when we re-lige as it were that is oblige and binde ouer againe our soules vnto God then we empty our selues of all superstitious worship contrary to Gods seruice So saith Lactant. lib. 4. ca. 28. l. 6. c. 1. We are by the tye of Religion bound and obliged vnto God whereupon it is called re-ligion not as Cicero wil haue it of relection but of religation in as much as God doth heereby binde vs ouer to his seruice whom it is our part to serue as our Lord and to obey as our Father For in very deed this is the dutie of man wherein the sum of all and the summitie of a blessed life doth consist This is the very first step in wisdome to know what it is for God truely to be a Father vnto vs and him with all sanctitie to worship and reuere obeying his will and wholy deuoting our selues to his seruice Which be then the principall parts wherin Christian Religion or the speciall actions wherein the worship of God standeth There be three of them 1. The meditation of the word of God and consequently of faith in Christ our Sauiour which is especially comprehended in the word of God to whom wee must referre all in our meditation 2. The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ. 3. Inuocation of Gods holy name ioyned with the loue of God and our neighbour Of the formost and last part of Christian religion we haue spoken elsewhere and at another time at this opportunity it is our purpose only to treat of the middle or second Branch of Christian Religion or the seruice of God and therin touching the vse of the principall Sacrament of the new Testament namely the Lords Supper which is called commonly the holy Communion as also the Eucharist that is a most eminent sacrifice of thanksgiuing to Christ our Sauiour Wherein consisteth the true vse and due preparation to the holy Communion In two things to wit in Knowledge and Deuotion Of what sort is that knowledge which appertaineth to our commendable preparation vnto and our lawfull vsing of the holy Communion It is of two sorts Generall and Particular Of how many kindes is our generall knowledge Of two either it is Primary and independant or Secondary and arising from the former How many parts hath the former kind It consists of a double doctrine the one of God the other of Gods Word What is God God is a spirituall essence 1. before all most perfect eternall 2. infinite 3. almighty of incomprehensible wisedom goodnesse 4. mercy 5. Iustice subsisting in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost What are we to consider in God Two things the Essence and Person What and of what sort is the Essence of God It is most simple and onely one so that God in regard of his Essence is simply one as the Scripture witnesseth Deuter. 6. vers 4. Heare oh Israel the Lord our God is one God 1. Tim. 2. v. 5. One God and one Mediatour What is the Person It is the maner of being in God whereby Gods Essence is made relatiue and respectiue which relation notwithstanding neither multiplieth the Essence nor diuides it into parts which may in some sort appeare by the degrees of light and heat For in the Sunnes light there are certaine degrees as morning or twilight and noon-light or perfect sunne-shine And yet for all those degrees the light is the same So in heate luke-warm and scalding hote though they make two degrees yet they make vp but one numericall caliditie which in a higher degree is in boyling water now before being in the same water inclining to feruent heat in a lower degree So then that we may apply this instance to our present purpose in some resemblance the Persons of the Deitie or these diuers maners of Gods being do not multiply the diuine essēce no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light do multiply the light or heat so that I speak right whē I say there are mo persons in the diuine essence but it cannot bee vttered without blasphemy to say there are in God more Natures or mo Gods thē one How many persons are there Three the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost which is prooued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matt. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name so by the authoritie and appoyntment of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Iohn 15.26 When that Comforter shall come whom I will send to you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth who proceedeth from the Father hee will testifie of me where they are all three plainly named The Father from whome the holy Spirit is sent the Sonne who sendeth and the holy Ghost who is sent 1. Ioh. 5.7 There bee three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in essence or nature How prooue you that these three Persons be that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because he that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent he frō whō is distinguished frō him that is sent Now Io. c. 15. plainly saith that Christ is hee that sendeth the Holy Ghost him that is sent and the Father from whom the Sonne sendeth the holy Ghost Whence I doe necessarily infer that these three manners of being in God are distinct which being graunted I shall easily prooue this three-fold manner of being or these three Persons in the diuine Essence to be that true God For first as touching the Father the very aduersaries themselues yeeld that he is truely God And touching the Sonne we haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Of whom namely the Israelites are the fathers of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh who is God aboue all blessed for euer If aboue all therfore aboue those who by reason of their excellent guifts are called Gods That the holy Spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely prooue Acts 5.3 Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lye against the holy Ghost And presently he addeth v. 4 Thou hast not lyed
the Monasteries how many sleights and inuentions doe the Monkes finde out to deceiue the common people and make them beleeue that they worke miracles I haue heard the causes of Iustification tell mee also what is the fruit of Iustification It is that peace of conscience by which a man is made sure of the grace and fauour of God and of eternall life which must especially bee noted against that detestable errour of the Papists who in their Trent Councell Session 6. boldly affirme that a man cannot heereof bee certaine in this life but ought alwaies to doubt of it and they adde that there can bee no greater sinne before God then that a miserable sinner should assure himselfe of Gods fauour yea and further they adde that whosoeuer shall hold that opinion ought to bee accursed To this their abominable errour wee oppose most plaine places of holy writ Rom. 8. vers 15. Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but that spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father which spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God This is a very horrible impiety that we will not receiue the testimonie of the Spirit but doubt of the truth and certaintie thereof 1. Iohn 5. He that belieueth in the Sonne of God hath the Testimonie in himselfe And surely if God would haue had vs to haue doubted he would neuer haue sworne that hee would bee compassionate vnto vs. But now hee hath sworne thus much very euidently Ezech. 18. As I liue saith the Lord that is as truly as I am and liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he liue Also Iohn 5. Verely verely I say vnto you whosoeuer belieueth in the Sonne hath eternall life And Woe be to thee then saith Saint Austine if thou belieue not God when he sweares to thee But the Papists obiect They that are weak are subiect to falling and they cannot be sure of the grace of God Answ. Who so are weake they may easily fall I limit the proposition thus vnlesse there bee one that is mightier who vpholdeth them Now God it is that holds vs vp and that helpeth our infirmities And therefore certaine we may bee of the forgiuenes of sins of the grace of God not by our owne nature indeed which is weake but by the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost making vs strong according to those sayings of holy Writ Psal. 37. vers 24. Though the righteous fall he shall not bee cast off because the Lord putteth vnder his hand Iohn 10.38 I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any one take them out of my hand my Father which hath giuen mee them is greater then all that is he can supply their wants readily and vphold them mightily Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Againe they obiect that place 1. Cor. 10. Hee that standeth let him take heed that hee fall not I answere That the Apostle there speaketh of hypocrites which doe perswade themselues falsly that they stand further he speakes also of the weakenesse of men touching which we cannot be enough admonished to the end that we may think saluation not to lye in our owne strength but in the grace of GOD onely They vrge also that place Eccles. 9. A man knoweth not whether he is worthy loue or hatred Whereto I answere First that this is a fallacie not being limmited wee ought then thus to limet it A man knoweth not of himselfe but hee may knowe it God reuealing it vnto him and the holy Spirit witnessing it Secondly a man knoweth not by those humane causes and by the euent of Fortune and the chances and changes of these outward things And therein the Text it selfe is a mouth to expound it selfe for there it is said that a man by externall changes such as are riches pouerty health sickenesse honour contempt that a man cannot by these things nor any other externall estate iudge and certainely know whether hee bee in the fauour of God or be hated by him And therefore that there argument is not sound which argue thus as many doe I am rich Ergo. I am the sonne of God or I am poore Ergo. God doth hate mee This iudgement then whether wee bee in the fauour of GOD or not we must take from Gods Word Sithence therefore it is certaine that a faithfull soule may bee assured of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and may bee made partaker of the peace of Conscience as it said Romans 5. verse 1. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace thence another thing doth necessarily follow to witt That a man when hee is once receiued into the fauour of GOD and hath obtaitained remission of his sinnes that hee I say cannot fall away from the grace of GOD nor loose his Faith nor bee obnoxious vnto eternall damnation For because wee ought not to doubt of the grace of GOD therefore neither can wee fall away from the Grace of God for if wee could fall away from it then wee might doubt of it but wee being once receiued into the grace and fauour of God that wee cannot altogether loose that grace of God the Scripture witnesseth Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus if no condemnation then perpetuall fauour and if no condemnation then also no time is there wherein they may slide from the grace of God and fall into condemnation for by no condemnation is excluded both all the kinds thereof and all occasions of falling thereinto Hitherto appertaineth that place which before we haue cited Ioh. 10 My sheepe none shall take out of my hand which is all one as if hee had said My sheepe shall neuer be taken out of my hand which must bee diligently noted against the Papists who affirme that a man after that he is taken into the fauour of God may fall againe out of his fauour euen as if hee had neuer been in fauour but may haue of a mercifull God an vncompassionate and irreconciliable God euen as when one falles out of the fauour of the King in stead of a gentle and kind master hee hath now an angry and cruell King But here they obiect that place in the 51. Psalme where Dauid after that horrible sinne of his was committed prayeth Restore vnto me the ioy of my saluation therefore say they he had lost the fauour of God I answere that the Papists doe not halfe well enough looke into the text for it is not said Restore vnto me my spirit which I had lost but he saith restore my ioy my comfort againe to me Therefore that text makes against themselues for if Dauid had lost that grace and spirit of God then