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A93702 Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht: containing a confutation of the three degrees of popery, viz. papacy, prelacy, and presbitery; answerable to the triple crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope, with his three fold hierarchies aforesaid. With a dispelling of all other dispersed clouds of errour, which doth interpose the clear sun-shine of the Gospel in our horrizon. Wherein the chiefe arguments each of them have, for the vindication of their erronious tenents are incerted, and refuted; with a description of such whem [sic] the true Church of Christ doth consist of: as also how, and by whom, they may be gathered, and governed, according to the will, and appointment of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the primative purity thereof. / By Iohn Spittlehouse, assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army, under the command of his Excellency, the Lord Generall Fairfax. Imprimated by Theod. Jennings, and entred in the Stationers Hall. Spittlehouse, John. 1649 (1649) Wing S5013; Thomason E586_2; ESTC R203633 304,213 396

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it were a large Volume of the Creation of God by his Word and that the same Word is his Son How then is it possible that men living in so shining a light as is now defused amongst us should espape the force wrath and vengeance of God for not imbrasing of the truth seeing that the other as it were through a mist did see a cleernesse of his brightnesse and that we whom he hath nourished in his owne bosome and comforted with the grapes of his owne vine-yard fed with the bread of his owne Flesh and bathed in the blood of his owne heart should refuse to give him that respect which was acknowledged by them Doubtlesse those whom I have named shall rise up in judgement against all the Arians Anti-trenitarians and what others who yet wilfully oppose the truth as it is in Jesus yea when the Scriptures doe so punctually declare Christ to be the Son of God as in these five respects which agree to no other but him As first in his Name for he is simply called God as Joh. 1. 1. Christ declared to be the Son of God in five respects the Word was God as also 1 Epist John 5. 20. where the Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ saith the same was very God 2. By his Nativity and Generation and so he is called the Son of God Rom. 1. 3. 3. By nature he is one with God as in Joh. 20. 30. I and the Father am one 4. In power as in Mat. 28. 18. all power is given me in heaven and earth 5. By his owne profession for he professed himselfe to be the Son of God and therefore th● Jewes went about to kill him because he said that God was his Father Joh. 5. 18. Which five places if there were no other expressions to make out the truth of it is sufficient to convince the worst of men and certainly such as refuse to subscribe to this truth may justly be termed worse then the Devill for he freely confessed that Jesus Christ was the Son of the most high God Mark 5. 7. and surely none will any longer persist in such blasphemies but such as dispaire of their salvation and therefore indeavoureth to intrap others in the same snare for if there be no God and Christ be an imposter what expectation of any good can be hoped from them CHAP. III. Antiscriptarists objections cited and answered SECT 1. THis Herisie hath been maintained of old by the Maniches who held that the Old Testament was contrary to the New and that in these respects 1. Object Because that in the Old Testament the Lord professeth enmity against the Cananites and chargeth the Israelites to kill and destroy them how then is this say they consonant and agreeable with the Gospel where Christ commandeth to love our enemies Mat. 5. 44. Ans 1. That discention and enmity was not in respect of the Persons but of the manners of the Gentiles the Israelites were not so much enemies unto them as they were enemies to the true religion of the Israelites in worshipping of God aright 2. The killing of the enemy did agree with that carnall people to whom the Law was given as a School-master Gal. 3. 24. Revenge may be taken of some people in charity 3. The Apostle when he delivered over the incestuous man unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh did sufficiently declare that revenge may be taken of some enemies in charity therefore there may be love in him that taketh revenge as we see in Fathers which correct their children whom they love and although Fathers kill not their children in correcting of them yet God that knoweth what is better for every one can correct with love not only by infirmity and sicknesse but also with temporall death as is evident in the Corinthians where the Apostle saith For this cause many are weake and sick amongst you and many sleep And that these corrections proceed of love he presently after sheweth as in these words But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 30. 32. 4. Neither did they doe this without divine Authority which sometimes ●s manifested in Scripture and sometimes concealed lest any should think it was permitted them to kill whom they would at their pleasure 5. Albeit that in the Old Testament it be permitted to kill The Old Testament not contrary to the New the enemies of God yet is there also examples of loving our enemies as in David who when Saul was offered into his hands he chose rather to spare him then kill him where then there was neither difficulty nor feare of killing the enemy it was love that helped him and therefore in that respect the Old Testament is not contrary to the New SECT 2. Object THat precept of honouring Parents is contrary to that in the New Testament where our Saviour being asked leave by one to goe and bury his Father answered Let the dead bury their dead Luk. 9. 60. Ans If herein the Old Testament and the New doe vary VVhen God is in computition Parents ought to be contemned and contradict one another then the New Testament therein will be contrary to it selfe for the Apostle urgeth this Commandement Eph. 6. 2. 2. It is manifest that honour in a certaine degree is to be reserved unto Parents yet in comparison of the love of God there is no doubt but that they ought to be contemned Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me SECT 3. Object IN the Old Testament the Lord is said to harden mens hearts which is an evill worke and therefore it proceedeth from a God that is a worker of evill Ans God is said to harden the heart without any touch of God hardneth the heart without any breach of sin sinne 2. It was not any violence from God that hardned Pharoahs heart but his owne impiety and obstinacy that hardned him like as the water is frozen untill the Sun shine upon it and then it resolveth but when the Sun is departed it is bound with cold againe now the Sun is not the cause of the freezing of the water Simile but the coldnesse of the water bindeth it selfe So properly God causeth not the heart to be hardned but by the absence of his grace it is hardened As one speaking in the Person of God to Pharaoh saith When my grace is drawne from thee then thy owne wickednesse shall harden thy heart the cause then must needs be ascribed to their owne wickednesse which deserveth to be hardned or it must be referred to the just judgements of God which are often hid but never unjust it sufficeth us to know and beleeve as the Apostle saith Rom. 9. 15. Is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid SECT 4. Object IN the Old Testament the Lord is said to dwell in houses made with hands Exod. 25. 8.
THe Sacrament then of the Body and blood of Christ is given The Body and blood of Christ only eaten and drunk by faith taken and eaten only after a spirituall manner by the mouth of faith and it is a token of love which Christians ought to have amongst themselves and for which it is called the Lords Table 1 Cor. 10. 11. the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 10. a communion of the body of Christ and they that partake thereof though they be many yet are but one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. Now the same faith shall save us which saved the Fathers before Christs Incarnation who did eate his body and drink his blood spiritually through faith and therefore as the Manna which came down from Heaven and the water which issued out of the Rock was the same to the Israelites as the bread and wine in the Sacrament is to us and in regard as many as did apprehend Christ in the Manna and water of the Rock are said to eate the same spirituall meat and to drink the same spirituall drink which we doe and albeit the figures are changed and altered yet faith abideth one and the same And thus the Fathers did eate Christ before the Manna and after the Manna was ceased Having shewed the manner of eating Christ in the Manna and seeing the like may be spoken of the Pascall Lambe which was not to be eaten raw Exod. 12. 9. that is carnally substantially and visibly with what face can these blockish people think to eate with their mouth and teeth the very body and bones of Christ And who may better be said to eate Christ raw then they which come not with a true and a lively faith but with such an erronious perswasion therefore as raw flesh is offensive to the stomack and such an one as eateth it may to said to eate his owne death so they that eate and drink in the Sacrament unworthily are said by the Apostle to eate and drink their owne damnation 1 Cor. 5. 7. SECT 10. By whom the Sacrament is truly eaten 3. AS none were admitted to eate of the Lambe of Consecration Exod. 29. 33. but such as were of Abrahams Family so none but those that are of Christs Family indeed and doe beleeve in him can be partakers of his body and blood for whosoever saith Christ eateth of my body and drinketh of my blood hath eternall life Joh. 6. 54. so then those men are grosly mistaken and deceived that think that the wicked and unbeleevers doe eate the very flesh and drink the very blood of Christ in the Sacrament for then it would follow upon our blessed Saviours words that they shall have eternall life Further as the Pascall Lambe was not to be eaten by uncircumcised persons or such as were strangers from the faith of Israel Exod. 12. 33. so neither are those Mysteries or Sacraments of Religion to be given to Infidels or profaine persons for our Saviour would not have us give holy things to doggs or cast pearls amongst swine Mat. 7. 2. This shall seeme to be spoken in confutation of the Papists detestable and damnable opinion of Transubstantiation as also that the Sacrament of the Altar giveth life Ex eperè operato by the thing done and being present at though there be never a good thought thereunto by him that is present and a receiver thereof as also that the true and naturall body of Jesus Christ is in with and under the Bread and Wine and may be eaten chewed and digested even of Turkes and Infidels as also that the same true and reall body of Jesus Christ may be devoured of Doggs Hoggs Cats Rats and so consequently these creatures receive and injoy by vertue of the same eternall life which is blasphemy in the highest degree SECT 11. Whether the corporall presence of Christ can be in more places then one at one time Obj. THe Papists verifie it may their reason is because Christs Man-hood say they is so annexed to his God-head as fire in Iron which cannot be separated and therefore must be in all places with the God-head Ans That assertion is false as may evidently appeare by The body of Christ not in two places at one time these Scriptures as Luk. 24. 6. when the woman sought Christ at the Sepulchre where the Angels told them that he was not there for he was risen but if his body had been in every place the Angel had lyed As also at the raising of Lazarus Christ saith to his Disciples I am glad for your sakes that I was not there Joh. 11. 15. and so Christ should not have spoken truly if that he had been there as he was Man Moreover Christ saith The poore you shall alwayes have with you but me you shall not have alwayes Joh 12. 8. Again it followeth not that every thing that is in God should be in every place as God is for the Scripture saith That in him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. and yet we are not in every place as he is God for so he is in all places but as he is man he sitteth at his Fathers right hand and if we should grant Christ to be in all places as he is Man we should take away the truth of his body for though his Man-hood be in God and God in his Man-hood yet is followeth not that it should be in all places as his Diety is for as touching his Manhood he was on earth not in heaven when he said No man ascendeth into heaven but he that descended from heaven Joh. 3. 13. And further to confirme this point Christ saith to his Disciples I ascend to my Father and yours my God and yours Joh. 20. 17. Again the being of one body in divers places or in two places at once is against nature and Scripture cannot allow of it One writing to his friend to resolve him touching that passage of Christ to the Thiefe on the Crosse where he saith This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Luk. 23. 43. whether our Saviour meant he should be with his Soule or his Body or his God-head in paradise to which question his friend returned this answer Touching Christs corporall Body that day it was in the Sepulchre and that was not in paradise although in a garden and as touching his Soule it was that day in Hel and none will say that paradise was there therefore that text saith he must needs he understood to be spoken of his God-head and therefore Christs Man-hood was neither that day in heaven or on earth but in the Sepulchre SECT 12. Of Christs preaching to the Spirits in prison Object IN that reply is confirmed that the wicked of the old world were not so condemned but that they might be redeemed from them by the descension of Christ who is said by Saint Peter to be quickned in the Spirit by the which he preached to the spirits in prison which
Prague in the Counsell of Constans where they condemned them to death For justifiing of which they alledge That it belongeth unto the Magistrate to punish Hereticks having them in their power which Counsell and Act I hope will shortly be returned upon themselves as a just revenge from God for that their cruelty and treachery there being many presidents in Scripture to evidence against such dealing as Abrahams Covenant by Oath with Abimelech Jacob with Laban Joshua with the Gibionites all which were strangers from the true Worship of God and yet they kept their Covenants and Oathes which these Popelings refused to better Christians then themselves CHAP. XVIII Treateth of their Equivocation and mentall reservations as also of a sort of Lyes which they terme Mendatia jocosi Lyes in merrement SECT 1. COusen German to this is their position lately taken up by those Jesuites is their Equivocation and mentall reservations by which they think it lawfull to dissemble with the Magistrate and to delude him with their ambiguous and equivocating answers as if they be asked Whether in such a place as beyond the Seas in France or Spaine at such a time when and where it is certaine they were they will answer that they were not understanding to themselves secretly to such an end purpose The falshood of those their deceitfull equivocations doth directly appeare 1. In thinking that if they hold the truth inwardly in their heart it were no matter if it were not alwayes in their mouthes but a right Christian is known by this He speaketh the truth in his boart Psal 15. 3. he having it both in his heart and mouth 2. By this device of theirs they invert the order and nature of things making falshood truth and truth falshood they turne affirmatives into negatives and contrariwise as if it were all one to say I was not in such a place with a mentall reservation as to say I was by which meanes they make truth the patron of a lye 3. If every man should take this licentious liberty there should be no truth amongst men nor certainty of any thing all testimonies given in Evidence all promises and contracts might justly be suspected lest some secret condition or reservation might be understood for who can trust him at any time that thinketh it is lawfull to lye and dissemble sometimes for whilst he applyeth himself when he lyeth aptly to the time he is to be held uncertain when he speaketh the truth 4. Whereof came this doubting and dissembling but of feare and a bad conscience what needed the Martyrs by a plaine confession of the truth to have adventured and lost their lives if they had held such a dissimulation and equivocating lawfull if it were lawfull to dissemble why did not they SECT 2. Object THey use this mentall reservation for the maintenance of the Popes Catholick Faith and for the discovering of Heresie Ans It were better that Heresie lay hid still then that the verity should be indangered but by that which they call Heresie we worship the God of our Fathers according to the direction of the Prophets and holy men of God and they the Hereticks themselves Obi. Our Saviour himself made use of such dealing as in Mark 5. 30. where he made himself as ignorant who touched his cloathes whereas he knew it well enough who touched them as that they were touched So Luke 24. 28. Christ made as though he would have gone further and yet did not Likewise Joh. 7. 8. he saith to his brethren Ye goe up unto this feast I will not yet goe up whereas indeed he did goe up meaning not with them Ans These instances are thus answered by a Father viz. that the first two instances are sigures of other things as in that Christ made himself ignorant who touched him therein the Gentiles were prefigured who were a people whom the Lord saith ●e knew not In the next Christ spake no untruth for indeed he went further even unto heaven But we are not here put to such a straight to sinde out a Mistery our Saviour in neither of those places dissembled for dissimulation is a hiding and clokeing of the truth but in both these places Christ intended by this meanes to bring the truth to light In the first to try out the faith of the Woman that touched him and in the other to make triall of the humanity and charity of his Disciples as he did the like to Philip Joh. 6. 6. to prove him and in the third our Saviour speaketh as he meant sor he said he would not goe up yet or now because his time was not come So Joh. 2. 4. though he would not shew a Miracle to turne water into wine at his Mothers bidding saying My houre is not yet come yet ere the feast was finished he did it They may as well say here that Christ did equivocate with his Mother by this then that hath been said it doth appeare what vaine shifts the Papists are driven unto and how in all their dealings they hate the light and as our Saviour saith will not come to it least their deeds should be reproved SECT 3. Christians ought both to beleeve with the heart and confesse with the mouth Obj. A Christian is only bound to speake the truth to his neighbour but they who are of another religion are not our neighbours Jehu feigned himself a worshipper of Ball. Ans The Apostle requireth both to beleeve with the heart and consesse with the tongue Rom. 10. 10. and Peter denied Christ only with his mouth and not with his heart and yet he was faine to wash away his sins with teares and though some truths may be hid from him that is not initiated into the Mistery of Religion yet false things are not to be uttered as for the example of Jehu he had not a right heart before God and therefore his example in every respect is not to be justified the example also is much unlike for Jehu did not seeke his owne gaine or propounded his owne safety but did it in a zeale to Gods glory whereas the other tendeth meerely to their owne safety and the dishonour of God spreading their Heresies by this meanes Neither for the matter did Jehu speake untruly for indeed he had a great Sacrifice for Ball when he sacrificed his Priests and in the rest he lyed not but used a kind of outward dissimulation which in Politick affaires where the rule of charity is not broken and Gods glory sought is not unlawfull SECT 4. Of their Mendatia jocosi or lyes in merrement Obj. THere is also another sort of lyes which are allowed by the Papists which they terme Mendatia Jocosi lyes in merrement and that they are tollerable tum ex necessitate both for necessity sake because they are made for delight and recreation which is necessary and nulli nocent for that they hurt no body Ans Though recreation and delight be necessary which we grant for as
aforesaid Ans Such as build with unhew●n stones daubing them with The H●p●cricy o●●h●●at● builders untempered M●rter and so cover them over with an Orthodoxall varnish by which Hipocriticall dealing they have exceedingly inriched themselves which craft doth cleerly appeare by the materials which are now found in their dismantled fabrickes of Papacy Prelacy and Presbitery there being few or none of them fit to rebuild the Temple of Christ Obj. True in the two former buildings you have named there hath been found much deceit and cous●●age whereby they have very much inriched themselves but the Presbiterian buildings is not taken to be such for the Parliament doth esteeme them builders as honest men and their buildings without deceit yea as such a building as they themselves intend to live under therefore the Presbiterian builders are none of that linniage with the two former Builders or buildings Ans As the Pope and his Hierarchy prevailed with Emperors the Prelates with Kings so have the Presbiterians lately with Parliaments to support their powers and justifie their Doctrines to be Jure Divino But the falsity of the two first I presume is manifest to all Gods people as for that of Presbitery it is one and the same with them in many degrees as I have shal prove and therefore seeing the Lord is pleased to discover the faultinesse and errours of it as of the other the Magistrate ought no more to countenance it then the other of Popery and Prelacy they certainly being the three materiall foundations of Presbitery ought to 〈◊〉 no more countenanc●d then Prelacy the Popes assumption of his Triple Crown viz. one for Papacy another for Prelacy and the other for Presbitery the three P P P s of pleasure profit and preferment by which the Dragon and the Beast hath subsisted and been supported that of Presbitery being the Dragons tayle SECT 5. Obj. Presbitery is a Government which all or most of the reformed Churches now enjoy and have done for many yeares and therefore without doubt it is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Ans Antiquity cannot make errour truth neither is it a sure Antiquity how a sure mark of the truth and how not marke of the true Church of Jesus Christ unlesse fetched from the Radex or the first root of it viz. from himselfe and his Apostles for if Antiquity any other waies should carry it the Papists would have it cleere both from Prelates Presbiterians and Independants Againe that Antiquity is no sure marke of the truth may be proved by severall instances viz. 1. In the time before the Law where we finde that Laban 〈◊〉 be●or●●h● L●● pretended Antiquity for his Gods Gen. 31. 53. whom his Father and Grand-father worshipped but Jacob sweareth by the feare of his Father Isaac he ●iseth no higher neither to Grand-father or Grand-fathers Father Terah Abrahams Father being an Idolater Joshua 14. 2. and it is likely that Abraham also had a touch of the same superstitious worship before his calling from his Fathers house for the Lord appearing unto Jacob in a Vision Gen. 4● 3. calleth himselfe The God of thy Father Jacob then could not at the furthest goe beyond Abraham for divers hundred yeares to fetch his faith though the most ancient Patriarkes Noah Sem Heber was not of the same faith and Religion Antiquity therefore is no sure marke unlesse as before for so indeed the truth is more ancient then error 2. Stephen under the Gospel could not prove his faith from Under ●●e Gosp●l the immediate discent of his Parents for of them saith he Yee have alwaies resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe ye● Act. 7. 53. he ascended up to Abraham Moses and the Prophets time and so must the Government of Christ be now fetched from its primative purity viz. from Chr●st and his Apostles and not from Prelacy or Presbitery they being the Reliques of Pop●ry as I have and shall prove Againe we are not to worship God any other way then he hath prescribed in the Word for as he is only to be ●or●●ipped ●o he is only to prescribe a rule how he wil be worshipped and therefore all will-worship as the Apostle 〈◊〉 i● ●●l ● ●3 is condemned seeing he wil not be Ma● 15. 8 9. worshipped according to the ph●n●●sie of men as our Saviour also ●●●●meth It can then be no warrant for us to be of the same Religion with our Fathers or Grand-fathers because all the worl● hath been blinded with Superstition and ignorance for divers hundreds of yeares and therefore we are to acsend up to the first Originall viz. to Christ and his Apostles Obj. Doubtlesse the Presbiterian Government is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ in regard it hath past so many refinings Ans I shall prove there is but one step betwixt it and Papacy But one step betwix● Presb●●ery and Papacy in grosse viz. Prelacy and therefore until it be purged also from its drosse we are not to joyne in League with it viz. until they conforme unto the rule prescribed in the Word SECT 6. Obj. IF the Government which ought to be established be not yet knowne what is become of all since the primative times ●●ring the Apostacy that have practised contrary to th● truth through ignorance and yet have thought they have sacrifi●●● their lives for it witnesse the many Martyrs that hath suffered fire and faggot for their judgements which since are de●me●●ro●ious Ans Ignorance is of two sorts viz. Simple ignorance and O● simple ignorance Wilfull ignorance simple ignorance is such as was in the Disciples of Ephesus that did not know whether there were any Holy Ghost or no Act. 19. 2. under which notion may be concluded all those whom the Lord is not pleased to reveale many of his secrets and yet practise according to that knowledge they have with a desire to improve their Talent and not to bury it M●n mig●● he sa●ed formerly by such means ●s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co●dem●● in a Napkin such people I say though they come farre short of the knowledge which others have may be saved thereby yea albeit under the least degree of Knowledge in Christianity if it be but as a graine of Mustard seed as wel as he that hath attained to the highest pitch of it for to whom little is given little will be required 2. Wilfull ignorance is such as the Psalmist speaketh of where O● 〈…〉 he saith The foole hath said in his heart that there is ●o God Psal 14. 1. such an one was Pharaoh who said I know no● the Lord Exod. 5. 2. and such are all Athists and wicked people which love darknesse rather then light such as ●●●e to be better reformed and reject apparant light being offered and under this stubbornesse of Spirit men may as wel be damned under the notion of Presbitery or Independenly as of Papacy and
c. I am whatsoever was is or is to come It is also reported of a Heathen that being asked what God was said Quod semper est neque principium habens neque finem That which alwayes is having neither beginning nor ending It is also reported that upon the Temple of Apollo were written Tues intimating that such things as are mutable and changeable may rather be said not to be then be There is also the name Jehovah given unto God which signifieth the same with Eheje being added as more usuall and better knowne and it betokeneth two things principally viz. The Eternity Of his name Jehovah and alwayes being of God and his cause of being to all other things as the efficient cause from whom the formall cause through whom and the finall cause for whom all things are 2. It betokeneth Gods power in his goodnesse and truth the first in being able the second in being gracious and willing and third in being constant to fulfill his promise Fourthly this name Jehovah is also incommunicable to all other El●him which signifieth God is sometimes given to Angels sometimes to Judges c. but Jehovah is peculiar unto God so that of all names that are given unto God none doth more fully expresse what God is then the name Jehovah CHAP. II. Treateth of the opinion of the Anti-trenitarians and the confutation thereof THe opinion of the Anti-trenitarians is either to deny the Divinity of Christ or that he is not equall with the Father and the Holy Ghost That there is a God I have proved and it cannot be denyed by any who beleeve the Scriptures or are Rationall Now that Christ is God is also sufficiently confirmed That Christ is God by the Apostle Paul Col. 2. 9. In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily As also the testimony of John Chap. 1. 1 2 3. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made In him was life and that life was the light of men c. with Col. 1. 16 17. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and earth visible or invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principallities or powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist as also Ioh. 5. 10. Phil. 2. 6. SECT 2. That the Holy Ghost is God THat the Holy Ghost is God is also proved by divers places of Scriptures as in Gen. 1. 2. where it is said that the Spirit of God moved upon the waters by which the creatures were fostered and formed as Job 26. 13. His Spirit hath garnished the heavens 2. Againe as God only created the world so likewise the renovation of the heart is only the work of God because it is a new creation as the Prophet termeth it Psal 51. 10. where he saith Create in me a new heart but this is also the work of the Spirit as it followes take not thy holy Spirit from me and againe in the 12. vers Hold me up with thy free Spirit intimating that without the aide and assistance of the blessed Spirit no divine work viz. as the creating of a new heart can be wrought or effected 3. It is Gods work to teach us his will and to bring us to eternall life but this is wrought by the Spirit as the Psalmist confesseth Psal 143. 10. in these words Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse in which place the Prophet confesseth that he could not doe the will of God without the assistance of the Spirit of God 4. The Holy Ghost is excellently proved to be God from that passage concerning Sampson where it is said The Spirit of the Lord came upon him Judg. 14. 5. but after his locks were polled it is also said that he knew not that the Lord was departed from him Judg. 16. 20. from whence we may gather that he that came upon him before was the same that departed from him then there called the Spirit of the Lord and so it is evident that the same that is called the Spirit of the Lord is also called the Lord. 5. It is also proved from Act. 5. where Peter reproving Annanias for his dissemulation saith Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the Land c. Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Where comparing the fourth verse with the third it is evident that the lye which Annanias made to the Holy Ghost was made unto God as also Mat. 12. 31 32. 6. Our Saviour also testifieth as much Joh. 14. 15 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter How the Holy Ghost dwelt with the Apostles and not in them even the Spirit of truth I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come unto you by which words it is evident that the Comforter he spake of was himselfe for saith he he dwelleth with you and shall be in you As if he had said as I have formerly declared my selfe the first Person in creating of you and now the second Person in redeeming of you so when I am ascended into Heaven I will then shew my selfe the third Person in sanctifying of you I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come unto you He did then acknowledge himselfe to be the Comforter which he would send them SECT 3. Of the Vnity of the Trinity HAving thus procured the Trinity of Persons in the next place I will treat of the Vnity of them which is sufficiently proved by one Text of Scripture 1 Joh. 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one It is also confirmed by our Saviours answer to Philip Joh. 14. 8. 10 11. where desiring to see the Father is answered by Christ in these words Have I been so long with you and yet hast thou not knowne me Philip he that Christ equall with the Father hath seene me hath seene the Father how sayest thou then shew me the Father beleeve me that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speake I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the workes beleeve me that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 17. 21. I and The Holy Ghost one with the Father my Father am one Joh. 10. 30. And that the Holy Ghost is one with the Father and the Son we have also the testimony of our Saviour John 16. 1● where he promising the Holy Ghost to his Disciples saith He shall glorifie me for he shall
receive of mine and shew it unto you All things that the Father hath are mine therefore I said unto you that he shall take of mine and shew it unto you with Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Object Our Saviour acknowledgeth the Father to be greater then he Joh. 14. 28. how then can he be equall with him Answ That was spoken in respect of his Humanity with his How the Father is said to be greater then the Son Diety for as he was God he was greater then as he was Man and therefore he saith that he speaketh not of himselfe Joh. 14. 10. but that he was equall with the Father may further appeare in the 14. vers where he saith If ye aske the Father any thing in my name I will doe it As if he should have said If ye aske any thing of my Diety in my name as I am Man as I am God I will grant it SECT 4. Object WHerein consisteth the union of the two Natures Answ In this blessed union the humane Nature of Christ assumed not the Divine but the Divine assumed and took unto Of the union of the two Natures it the humane nature for the Divine nature of Christ was a Person subsisting of it selfe from all beginnings In the union of the blessed Trinity the humane had no subsistence of it selfe before it was so assumed but as soone as it began to be it was assumed into the Person of the Son of God And so that human nature consisting of body and soule which Christ assumed became the particular body and soule of the Sonne of God And therefore the Apostle saith that God purchased his Church with his owne blood Act. 20. 28. Yet in the uniting of the two Natures of Christ we must take heed of two errors 1. That by uniting them we imagin not either of the two We are to avoyd two errors in the uniting of them Natures to be absorpt or abolished or that there is a confusion of Natures as in the commixion of Honey and Water neither of them retaining the same name or nature or that out of these two natures a third commeth forth compounded of them both as in the commixion of the Eliments 2. Neither is this Vnity to be too much extinuated or lessened as to thinke the Vnion to consist only in Assistance as the Angel stood by Peter Act. 12. or only in a certaine conjunction as when two divers Mettels are put together but they are so united as that the properties of both natures remaine and yet there is but one person subsisting of them both Like as the body and soule are united together and the fire and red hot Iron SECT 5. Of the communion of the Graces in the union of the two natures AS touching the communion of the Graces in the union of the two Natures 1. The Divine Nature received not any increase of Grace in regard it can have no imminution being it selfe most perfect and unchangeable but the Humanity was perfected by this union and received increase of gifts Joh. 16. 4. 2. The Graces communicated are either created or finite or Graces of two sorts finite and infinite uncreated and infinite The created and finite Graces as Wisdome Knowledge Holinesse and the rest are not in Christ as he is Man the essentiall Of finite Graces properties of his Diety but effects only thereof infused into Christs human Nature being finite and created as the Humanity it selfe was yet they are given to Christ without limitation and measure which in the Saints are limited and given by measure 3. These Graces were not all at once in the highest perfection appearing in Christ in the dayes of his flesh but they received increase by reason of the infirmity of the human nature which he assumed as it is said Luk. 2. 52. That Jesus increased in wisdome but after Christ was glorified then they shined in him in the greatest perfection SECT 6. Of infinite Graces BEsides these finite and created gifts there are others that are not finite neither can be referred to the first sort as the universall dominion over all Creatures the power of remitting of sins of judging the world adoration vivification inffnite glory c. For 1. These being particular to the Divine Nature yet by vertue of this union are even communicated to the man Christ Who is made Heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. Judge of the world Act. 17. 31. 10. 42. And whose flesh giveth life Joh. 6. 51. 2. These divine gifts are not formally or essentially in the human nature nor as the first gifts for this were to make the t●o natures equall and to confound their properties 3. It is more then a visible communicating for such as is the communion such is the union as the one is reall though not essentiall so is the other As in Iron made red hot with fire neither Simile hath the Iron lost his former qualities and yet it giveth light heat and burneth not by any essentiall Phisicall quality infused into it but by the reall union and conjunction of the fire and so the God-head shineth and worketh really in the human nature of Christ 4. The Divine Nature of Christ worketh not now by it selfe alone as before his Incarnation Sed cum ea par ●am but with it and by it exercising and shewing it selfe for the human nature of Christ quickneth and knoweth all things as omnipotent not formally and essentially by it selfe in its owne being as the God-head doth but in having the Divine Nature inseparably united unto it by vertue whereof it doth all those things even as the hot Iron burneth and heateth by the vertue of the fire which is in it 5. As before was shewed that the gifts and graces of the human nature of Christ did not appeare in their perfection all at once so this communion of these Divine properties did not wholly shew it selfe in the dayes of Christs flesh for though the God-head was united to his Humanity in the very first conception yet it did somewhat restraine the opperation thereof because of the worke of our redemption the Divine nature did rest in Christ that the Humane might dye 6. In that Christ is said after his Ascension to sit at his Fathers right hand it is neither in respect of his Divine nature which was never absent from thence nor yet as though his Human nature did not sit there before seeing in the very conception the Humane nature was united to the Divine but because then the power and kingdome of Christ was made manifest to all the world which before lay hid in him the Divine nature worketh by the Humane and the Humane by vertue thereof administreth all things And yet albeit betwixt the Divine and Human nature of How these Graces were really and personally
crafts-men the Cardinals Jesuits Abbots Monkes Fryers and the rest of that Hierarchy in vindication of their Goddess●-like Diana of Popery whom all Rome and the World worshipeth SEeing this massie logge of Popery lyeth yet so crosse in the way The Preface towards a full Reformation I will therefore bend my utmost power to remove it by hewing it in peeces with that Sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lambe being the very means appointed for that purpose Rev. 19. 21. and in prosecution thereof I will propound the weightiest of their Argument● which they use in the vindication of such their assertions and so return an answer to each of their objections whereby the most ignorant of them may apparently see to come forth of that dundion of darknesse and superstition in which they have been so long kept by slavish thraldome CHAP. IIII. Treateth of Idol-worship with the confutation thereof Question WHether do you conceive it to be a stubborn wilfulnesse or a grosse ignorance that causeth them to retain so many Errors and Heresies Answ I hold the cause to be the same in the Pope and the rest of his Hierarchy as was in the aforesaid Ephesians who because their Idol was of an ancient standing and withall beneficiall they therefore will set down their staffe with a desire that it might not be removed and like as L●t regarding more the firtility of the place then the corruption of the people contented himself to be in Sodeme so those Popelings I have named finding with Demetrious and ●●i●e and cove●o●snesse the chief supp●rters of Popery his fellow crafts-men much gaine to redound unto them by the use of it are exceeding loath to have their Diana dispised or brought to contempt but in that the Lay-people retain that Idolatrous worship is meerly out of ignorance and accustomed blindnesse the Idol of the Masse being to them as Diana was to the Ephesians or Bell to the Babilonians rather a cause of expence then any way beneficiall Quest Is there any hopes to reclaime them Answ I hope the Lord hath many Dionissiousses and Damarisses amongst them with whom the truth will prevaile yea that many of their Epicurian and Stoicall opinionists will thereby be drawn to the knowledge of the truth though in the attempt I shall seeme unto them as one setting forth a new doctrine Q. Can you tax them as Paul did the Athenians with an ignorant worshipping of an unknown God A. Yea and as justly as Paul did them witnesse their Idolatrous worshipping of stocks and stones SECT 2. Q. VVHat doe you terme Idolatry A. Idolatry is when any Divine worship either internall What Idolatry ●● or externall is given to any Image or Idol set to represent God of what kind or fashion soever it be Obj. There is a difference betwixt an Image and an Idol for an Idol is a representation of a thing that is not neither hath any being in the world as if one should make the Image of a mans body with the head of a dogge or a body with two faces being such a shape as the eye hath not seen but the minde imagined but an Image is of such a thing as may be seen in the world Ans The difference betwixt a graven Image and a similitude The difference betwixt an Image and a Similitude is this the graven Image is a picture proportioned and fashioned out of wood stone or metall and so carved or graven and a similitude is an Image painted in plain Tables therefore that distinction is vain Obj. Man is the Image of God but it is lawfull to make the Image of the Image of God ergo the Image of God Ans Man is made the Image of God in his Soul and not in his Body which Image the Apostle saith consisteth in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. and therefore that in man wherein he is like unto God is spirituall and invisible and therefore cannot by a visible Image be deciphered Obj. They doe not worship the Image but the thing represented by the Image Ans That was the Gentiles pretence in maintaining their Idolatry as also the Israelites in making their golden Calfe Psal 81. 11. 12 Rom. 1. 23 24 1 Sam. 7. 3 4 5 had relation unto God for they proclaimed an holy day Exod. 32. 5. yet their pretext excused them not God therefore forbiddeth Idolatry under any pretence whatsoever and if they doe not worship the Idol it selfe why doe they give divers kinds of worship unto Images as to the Image of Christ more and to the Image of Saints lesse Obj. The honour of the signe redoundeth to the thing signified Ans If the signe be pleasing to him that is signified but if it be such as he forbiddeth and condemneth it is rather a dishonour then an honour and so the adoring of Images is a dishonour to God Obj. The contumely and dishonour offered to the Image of God is a dishonour to God himself therefore the honour thereof redouneth unto God Ans If any man with a spightfull intention against Christ doe deface his Image or Picture it is contumelious against Christ because of the evill intention of the heart but if any doe it out of a zealous minde against Idolatry and Superstition it is no dishonour unto Christ in which zeal against Idolatry and Superstition Epiphanius is said to have rent a certain cloth in a Church which had on it the picture of Christ in which sence also Constantius and Theodotius destroyed Images in every place and therefore that Argument holdeth no better then the other SECT 3. Object IMages may be tollerated in Churches because they are an ornament unto it Ans 1. Churches as you terme them are for the living Images Deut. 16 22. Against Images in Churches of God and not for dead Images 2. The adorning of Churches must not be otherwise then God hath appointed and so to his dishonour nor to the offence of the members of Christ 3. As a man would not have his wife decked in Harlots apparell so is it not fit such places should borrow ornaments for Idolaters Obj. Moses caused Ch●rubins to be made over the Arke and a brazen Serpent to look upon and Solomon made Images of Oxen in the Temple for the brazen Laver to stand upon ergo it is lawfull to have Images in such places now Ans 1. These Images had Gods speciall command 2. They were not in the view of the people which were in the Temple or Tabernacle but there where the High Priest had only accesse neither were they set up aloft as Images are to be worshipped but only set forth the work of the Tabernacle and Temple 3. The brazen Serpent was used as a figure of Christ which figures doe now cease the body being come which is Christ Col. 2. 17. Obj. Images are Lay-mens Books that they which cannot read may learn by the History what was done Ans This was the very reason
ruleth his temporall Kingdome by a temporall power by the power of the Sword Rom. 13. 1 2 3 c. 5. That their Lawes are distinct wil also appeare Rom. 8. 5 6. c. where the Apostle saith that the Law of Jesus Christ is a Spirituall Law but we all know that the Law of the Civil Magistrate is a Politicall Law 6. That the obedience which is required of each of them are distinct obediences wil appeare by the words of our Saviour Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth yea it is such saith he whom the Father seeketh to worship him but we all know the other obedience is carnall or temporall Again the Subj●cts of these Kingdomes are of two distinct humours or affections as wil also appeare by these words of our Saviour Joh. 15. 19. If ye were of the world the world would love his owne but ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you And what thing is more apparant in this Nation then the deadly enmity betwixt the Subject of the temporall Kingdom of Caesar or the World and the Subject which belongeth to the Spirituall kingdom of Christ betwixt the subjects of the flesh and the Spirit SECT 8. Obj. HOw can the Kingdome of Christ be said to consist of men when they belong to the Kingdome of Caesar or the civill Magistrate Ans Men may be in the world and yet not of the world as our Christs Subjects in the world but not of the world Saviour affirmeth where he saith I am no more in the world but these are in the world viz. his Disciples and yet in the 16. ver he professeth that the said parties were not of the world the distinction then betwixt the Subjects of Christ and them of Caesar must be this that them of Christs Kingdome are in the world but not of the world as the other are Obj. One man cannot serve two Masters and therefore not both Christ and Caesar Ans Man is composed of two parts viz. a Soule and a Body Of the composition of man which Soule or Spirit is that which Christ accepteth of as his Subject and therefore it is distinguished from the externall part of man by these notions viz. The inward man the Spirituall man the hidden man c. And the other part of man viz. the visible part of man is termed The outward man the carnall man the sonne of man c. Now this inward man or Spirituall subject of Christ being obedient to the Spirituall governance of Christ as that of the outward man to the Politicall government of the How a man may be a subject to Christ and to Satan Civill Magistrate may be subject to both yea and give unto both their just rights yea I may safely say that he whose Spirit or inward man is Christs loyall subject wil also in his externall man be the like to the Civill Magistrate and so may as our Saviour commandeth Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods And contrariwise that outward man whose inward man is a subject to Satan the Prince of this world is the greatest enemy both to Christ and to the Civill Magistrate witnesse the Cavaliers of this Nation SECT 9. Obj. THey seemed to testifie their affections to the late King much more then the Parliaments Party Ans A seeming friend is no friend and such were they to him for-the love which they pretended to him was meerly for their owne ends why did the Papists in these last Warres fight Wherefore the Papists fought for K. Charls for King Charles who would have murthered Queen Elizabeth and King James was it not apparently manifest because he was for them and the other against them Again wherefore was it that the prophaine Sabbath-breakers of the Nation fought for him but because of his Booke of tollerations of such like stuffe as they most desired and contrariwise why was it that they fought against the Parliament but because they conceived they would curbe them for doing such things as they desired to have done yea I appeale to any conscientious man to judge that in case the King had been of the Parliaments Opinion and the Parliament of the Kings whether they would have fought for Parliament or King whether then they would have adored or Idolized him as then they did and by so doing is it not apparent that they procured his ruine Now these things formerly spoken of being granted it must Christ 〈…〉 m●●●ly Spirituall needs follow that the Kingdome of Christ consisteth meerly of Spirituall things and the Kingdome of Caesar or the Civill Magistrate of temporall things so that whatsoever is of a Spirituall cognizance belongeth to Christs Kingdome and Government and whatsoever is of a temporall or civill cognizance to the Civill Magistrate they are therefore as distinct as the Sun from the Moone that of a civill cognizance receiving its light from that of Christ as the Moone doth receive her light from the Sun yea each of them doth as meerly belong to the distinct persons of Christ and the Civill Magistrate as the Sun proper to rule the day and the Moone the night Seeing then that each Kingdome hath its distinct Governours Subjects Power and Law why should they intrench upon one anothers liberties especially for the inferiour to disturbe the superiour a King an Emperour and doubtlesse conceive how ill it would be taken for one King to invade another Kings Territories and so much and more cause hath Christ to be offended with the Civill Magistrate that will presume to interest himselfe in that which doth not concerne him especially when the Civill power whereof he is made an officer is given to him by Christ CHAP. III. Treateth of the Civill Magistrate in matters of Religion SECT 1. Object HAth not the civill Magistrate ought to doe in matters of Religion Caesars Governmen● meerly civill Ans The Civill Magistrate is only concerned in things of a civill Cognizance his duty in point of Religion is chiefly this viz To keep the Kingdome How farre he ought to act in point of religion of this world in such awe as that the Kingdome of Christ may not receive damage by it to keep wicked and debauched people in such obedience by the power of the Sword as that the power of the Word may have its free progresse in their Dominions so that the Saints or Church of Christ may live under their protection a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty yea to any rationall man the very name of his Office viz. Civill doth clearely demonstrate that his power consisteth meerely in Civill things Obj. Hath the civill Magistrate no power from God to compell the outward man to observe spirituall injunctions Ans The Magistrate ought not to force any man in respect of his opinion