not our priuate troubles and afflictions For these bee the conditions of an Aduocate or Mediatour first that our Mediatour bee nominated and commended vnto vs vpon good and sufficient warrant of Gods Word Secondly that that same intercessour be perfectly righteous and holy Thirdly that hee also know the groanings and afflictions of him for whom hee meanes to mediate none of all which agreeth vnto the Saints For the Saints are neither appointed vnto vs by God to be our intercessours neither haue we any command in holy Scripture that we are to make the Saints Mediatours for vs or to call on them Nay rather quite contrary precepts hereunto which wee haue before cited Againe wee finde not through the whole volume of of Gods booke any one example of any Saint that hath prayed vnto a Saint and entreated him to play the Mediatour for him Neither does the second condition agree to them for that they are not altogether pure before God that they may mediate for others but they themselues rather haue need of a Mediatour as it is said Iob 15.15 Yea in his Saints bee found vncleannesse Thirdly the Saints are ignorāt of our afflictiōs affections how can they therfore interceed for vs if they wot not what we aske for God alone challengeth this priuiledge to himselfe to be the searcher of the heart and the discouerer of the thoughts and groanings of men Yea but say the Papists the Saints as the friends of God haue all our groanings and prayers disclosed vnto them in the glasse of the Trinitie Note Si quando homines exorare oportet ianitorib prius occurrere oportet c. In Deo nihil tale ad quem confugies ad Abrahamum non te audiet Ille solus precandus exorandus qui scriptam in te damnationem delere potest incendium restinguere Chrysostom Whereto I answer first that if the Saints come to the knowledge of our groanings by God what need is there that first wee should call on the Saints and to what end is it to haue any such Mediators with God sithence he to whom they mediate knoweth better what is wanting to vs then the Mediators themselues For it should seeme to bee a preposterous course to vse any intercessour vnto a King if the King knew the party for whome the Mediatour would interceede Solent tamen pudorē passi miser◠vti excusatione per istos posse iri ad Deū sicut per comites peruenitur ad regē age nunquid tam demōs c. Vide Amb. in 1 ca. epist ad Rom. better then the Mediatour himselfe And how absurde should it be if the intercessour should say Tell me I pray you O my King what this felloW askes for whom I am to mediate Secondly I say that the Scripture hath broken that prospectiue glasse all to shiuers Esay 63.15.16 Heare from heauen thy holy dwelling place for thou art our Father Abraham heareth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs but thou art our Father thy name is from euerlasting Where it is plainely affirmed that Abraham and Israel which long agoe were dead and whose soules rested with God in the Heauens did not in any glasse behold and know the groanings 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 second of Kings Cha 22.20 witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euills which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57.1 The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares hee may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the Land for wretched impiety Ec. 9 4 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 bee Mediators And indeed wee haue no neede 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 merciful then any Saint and more desirous that wee should liue then any Saint can be Ideo ad regem per tribunos aut comites itur quia homo vtique est rex nescit quib debeat rempub credere Ad Deum autem quē vtique nihil latet c. Vid Am. vbi supra in 1. cap ad Rom. Now that we doe 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 10.34 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 Calu. Instit l. 1. cap. 12. §. 2. 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 Only this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues breake downe the pale of their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those thinges which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God hee giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Mary 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. 4.21.23 The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Jerusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matt. 6.6 Christ bids vs go into our chāber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2.8 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 42.8 My glory wil I not giue vnto another nor mine honor vnto the grauen Images Calv. Insti l. 1. c. 11. §. 9 But we
But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so be saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their Mat. 23.33 punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene Quos similis culpa coinquinat par quoque paenâ— constringer Gregor pares culpa shall be also pares pana Bee partakers of their sinnes you shall certainely be sharers in their punishment O then yee Mat. 3.7 generation of Vipers bee forewarned of the heauy vengeance to come Doe not with the deafe Adder alwaies stop your eares to all godly and Christian admonitions but take them at length to heart and say not with your selues Wee haue had ranke Papists to our Fathers we haue had such as haue derided and mocked your Orthodoxe Religion for our patternes and presidents for I dare boldly affirme in the words of our Sauiour that vnlesse yee repent and be conuerted you shall likewise perish Be not like them in Saint Austine Verum est quod dicitis to professe all true that wee say Non est quod respondeatur and that you haue nothing to say against it Aug. Vincent epist 48. Sed durum est nobis traditionem Paretum 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 what a senselesse part is this in you Mast Scots Phylomythologie p. 41. Your Fathers faults and errours to allow And not much rather to reforme your owne By shunning the defect which they haue showne Shall the vaine conceit of your Fathers worth Ezech 20.18.19.20 Quos Christus vocat secum in aternum mansuros pater forsaÌ„ reuocat secum in aeternuÌ„ arsuros vid Bern Epist 2. weigh downe Gods holy Word Will you conferre nay preferre man to God If the Fathers of your bodies leade you one way and Father of Spirits bid you goe another haue you not learn'd to obey God rather then men will you not grant that which reason hath alwaies held for certaine and grounded truth Demosth contra Aristocrat 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 Jmpudens est Oratio dicere sic factum est But let the bright and cleere Law of God shine in your hearts let it dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome here the Word of God from others Si non dedignentur legere malè mihi sit ita enim in tanta causa iurare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Petr. Mart. Loc. com c. 6. clasi 1. sect 14. reade it by your selues Ab eo speranda est intelligentia qui pulsantibus aperiet querentibus demonstrabit petentib non denegabit Hilar. in Ps 125. Multum domini de tua bonitate praesumo quoniam tu ipse docet petere quarere pulsare tu domine qui iubes petere fac accipere consulis quarere da inuenire doces pulsare aperi pulsanti confirma nie infirmum restaura nie perditum suscita mè mortuum c. August Meditat. cap. 39. sect 9. 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 owne 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 Gods holy will and Commandements And this I pray God that of his infinite goodnesse he will grant vnto you that so by the conuersion of your soules his holy Name may be glorified his Angels gladded his faithfull confirmed â— our hearts comforted and the borders of Christs Church enlarged and that for the merits of Chrst Iesus his onely true naturall Sonne our alone all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer Amen An Apologetique to tâ— Christian Reader for the worke in and about the Translation Gregor Nazian Monostich Horat. Carm. l. 3. od 6. Reu. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc omne principium liue reâ— exitum Of all thy studies and intentions seâ— That God the Alpha Omega be DA veniam Scriptis remembring that of the â—postle 1 Cor. 12.7 The maâ—festation of the Spirit is giâ— to euery man to profit withâ— The Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—â— is the gâ— and graces of the â—pirit of 〈◊〉 are bestowed vpon vs noâ— bee wrapt vp in a Napkin 〈◊〉 hid in the earth but for maâ—festation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon the aâ—ent Greekes well expressed 〈◊〉 and light by one common na◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch shews in the â—â—futation of that common M◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what our Sauiour spake with a primary 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 yee shine as lights in the world Now least any one should exempt himselfe therefore euery one is put in the â—ext 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as there are none furnished 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 gift 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 himsefe as the prouerbe saith and as the Apostle 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 and that all into whose hands it commeth might haue profit 2 Maâ— 2.25 Adam Airay S.S. Theol. Bat. 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 〈◊〉 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 thâ—â—e Thou to our Nation ha'st his Doctrine showne Which to our vulgar else had not â—eene knowne As much by this thou get'st as ere he wanâ—â— England praise Vicars Dâ—ntâ—k her Keâ—keâ—man Mich. Drayton 〈◊〉 â—postle complaineth Euery man seeketh his owne things none â—he things of
Lerinens Mâ—â—â— Dâ—â—â— tam non habit hoe illud quam non haec illa Bern. or these diuerse manners of Gods being doe not multiply the Diuine Essence no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light doe multiply the light or heatâ— so that I speake right when I say there are moe persons in the diuine Essence but it cannot be vttered without blaspheâ—y to say there are in God more Natures or more Gods then one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NazianzeÌ„ Qui nescis TrinitateÌ„ ito ad Iordanem Mat. 3. Aug. Syst Th p 46 vide etiaÌ„ p. 35. seqq Dicamus tres sed non ad praiudiciaÌ„ vnitatâ— dicamus vnâ—â— sed non ad confussionem Trinitatis Ber. v. Syst Theol p. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Na. Quomodò pluralitas in vnitate sit aut ipsa vnitas in pluralitate scrutari hoc temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vita vita aeterna est Bern. How many persons are there Three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which is proued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matth. 28 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the namâ— sc by the Authority and appointment of the Father thâ— Sonne and the Holy Ghost Iob. 15.26 When that Comforte shall come whom I will send tâ— you from the Father euen tâ— Spirit of Truth who proceedeth from the Father he well testifie of me where they are all three plainely named the Father from whom 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 proue you that these three persons bee that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because hee that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent and hee from whom is distinguished from him that is sent Now Iâ—â—c 15. plainely 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 inferre 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 Christus est Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tra AriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Apolinar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Eutych Syst Theol. pag. 52. seqq that he is truely God And touching the Sonne wee 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 therefore about those who by reason of their excellent gifts are called Gods That the holy spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely proue 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 vers 4. Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence wee may thus reâ—son whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the Holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo The Maior is euident the Minor is exprâ—sly in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the Holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple Essence void of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the Text v. 11. where it is said As the reasonable soul is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may tha testimony 1 Cor. 3.16 be referred â— August Enchirid. cap. â—6 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the holy spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words doe expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the Aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.4.5.6 There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11. All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the Holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the Text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth al those gifts Another argument out of the same text may bee this Hee that is endued with a will hee cannot be a bare vertue or accident but is a substance subsisting by it selfe but the Holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstandeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth hee must bee a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set downe in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will Fuit principium essendi DEVS sequiter cognoscendi principium VERBVM DEI non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum Christi Syst Th p. 167. Qui ScripturaÌ„ ignorat ChristuÌ„ ignorat Hieronym de Scriptura Zanch. Confess pag. 482. item in illud Pauli 2 Tim. 3.14 tom 8. p. 319 seqq I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell mee now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those thinges which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the Time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that Authority it hath in proouing thirdly by reason of the Matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherin it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The Old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of Man-kind people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which hee reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to Man-kind after the birth
men his holy Scripture euen as a Prince vseth a Cryer for the promulgation of his lawes vnto his Subiects And here take this similitude with you a man goeth to the Vniuersitie as vnto the very shop and store-house of Learning yet hereupon it followeth not that the truth of that learning we are taught there in the Vniuersitie doth depend on the authority of the Vniuersity Besides this must aâ—so be obserued that whatsoeuer the Papists say tovching the authority of her Church aboue the Scripture doth nothing at all profit them but that they manifestly beg the point in question whilest they thus argue The Church hath authority aboue the Scriptures The Pope of Rome is the Church Ergo. For suppose wee grant them their Maior which notwithstanding is false as wee haue manifestly proued yet they are neuer able to prooue their Minor as shall bee showne anone more distinctly VVhat is the second propriety of the word of God or the holy Scripture Syst Theol. pag. 176. That it bee intire perfect and sufficient to saluation which is prooued by that Ioâ— 20.30 Many other signâ— did Jesus which are not writteâ— in this Booke but these thinges are written that you may beleeue that Jesus is the Christ that Son of God that you beleeuing might haue life by his name Out of which place â— thus reason That which is sâ— written that by it wee may beleeue in Christ Iesus and sâ— obtaine eternall life that 〈◊〉 say is sufficient to life eternall But the Scripture is so written Ergo. Againe thence I thus argue The holy Scripture was written to this end that wee might beleeue in the Sonne of God and get eternall life Ergo. Whatsoeuer Word is not written profiteth or auaileth vs nothing to faith to eternall life which must diligently bee noted against the errour of the Papists which say there are two words of God Quod non legi vsurpare non debeo Amb. Non sum alioruÌ„ sermonum discipulus nisi coelestium Origen the one written the other vnwritten vpon which pretence they will needs obtrude vnto vs Traditions which they call Apostolicall the Decrees of the Popes and the custome of the Church Of which the Councell of Trent in the fourth Session thus speaketh Whosoeuer doth not with like affection of mind reuerence the Traditions of the Church as hee doth the holy Scriptures let him bee accursed But against those Traditions first note the sufficiency of the Scriptures Secondly this argument The Traditions of the Chuâ—ch either agree with the holy writ or they dissent from it If they be coâ—sonant to it then they say the selfe same thing thâ— Scripture saith and so theâ— are Scripture for that oughâ— not in all reason to be done bâ— mâ—â— which may bee performed by fewer Or they dissenâ— from the Scripture as all thâ— Traditions of the Popes as namely that Tradition wherby the Cup in the Lords Supper is prohibited to be administred vnto the lay people and such like And if they disagree with the Scripture they cannot fill vp the Scripture for that which is repugnant to any thing doth not fill vp but rather quite ouerthrow it Another testimony of the perfection of the holy Scripture is most manifest in the 2 Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct to instruct that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly instructed to euery good worke From whence wee may frame these arguments First the Scripture is a totum an intire thing Ergo it is perfect for a totum is that which wanteth no necessary parts Secondly that which sufficeth vs for doctrine Adoro plenitudinem ScripturaruÌ„ Tertul. for reproofe for correction and instruction that is full compleate for there is none that can shew any thing besides whereunto the Scripture should bee profitable But the Scripture is sufficient to those things Ergo. Thirdly that which maketh a man perfect and furnished to euery good worke that same must needs be perfect but thâ— Scripture doth so Ergo. The Maior is therefore true because there is no effect which is more perfect then its cause or because a perfect effect presupposeth the cause to be perfect and nothing can giue that to another which it hath not it selfe if the Scripture therefore make men perfect then it must also be perfect VVhat is the third propriety of the holy Scripture That in the Articles of faith Syst Theol. pag. 199. which are necessary to saluation it bee plaine easie and perspicuous easie I say and perspicuous first in respect of them to whom 〈◊〉 ought to bee a light for theâ— saluatioÌ„ according vnto thâ— 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them which perish whence it necessarily followes that the Gospell is not hid but cleare and open to those which doe not perish as Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.19 You doe well in that you attend to the word of the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Psal 19.7.8 The word of God is cleare Psal 119.105 The word of God is a light to our feete and steppes Secondly the Scripture is easie as it is an instrument which it hath deriued to it from the principall guide the holy Spirit who is that true teacher and interpreter of the Scripture Ioh. 14.26 The Aduocate which is the holy Ghost he shall teach you all things 1 Ioh. 2.27 That annointing that is the holy spirit teacheth vs of all things Also Ioh. 16.13 When that spirit of truth shall come he shall leade you in all truth Lastly it is easie if that in the handling of it wee vse conuenient meanes and expound one place by another according to the rules of good and lawfull exposition which you may reade in the 201. page of my Systeme of Diuinitie If then any shall demand Syst Theol. pag. 201. who hath the authority to interpret the Scripture if the Pope of Rome be he I answer that euery one is the best interpreter of his owne words whereas therefore the Scripture is the Word of God and of the holy Ghost and not of the Pope of Rome therefore the holy Spirit hath the authority to interpret as that true aduocate and teacher of verity But why then doth the Bishop of Rome chalenge to himselfe this authority to interpret the Scriptures I answer because he knowes well enough how bad his cause is and therefore dares not submit his Tenents to the Word of God or the Scripture if it be rightly vnderstood and therefore will he wrest and stretch the scriptures at his owne pleasure Touching which poynt I would haue you note the words of a certaine Apostate from the faith Casper Schoppius Papist who is now at Rome with the Pope hee in that Epistle he wrot touching his defection from vs vnto the Papists about sixe yeares agoe set out at Ingolstadium in the 24 page saith thus The
of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen-men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authority it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which doe you call the Canonicall Books Syst Theol. pag. 169. item p. 173. Hi constituūt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Those which are of vndoubted authority in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the Square and Rule of our faith for Canonicall is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a Rule or Square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sortes either of the Old or of the New Testament Which Books of the Old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is diuided into foure rancks Syst The. pag. 182. the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Joshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Bookes of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Job the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Bookes of the New Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the New Testament is diuided into the History of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of John Which are called Apocriphall or not Canonicall Syst Theol. pag. 190. Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith and consequently which are not the Rule and Square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apocryphall Bookes Among the Bookes of the Old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisedome which falsly is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth bookes of Esdras all the Bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these Bookes are to be found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the Bookes of the Old Testament to bee written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there bee many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thinge out of these Bookes against vs wee must answer that those Bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods Word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gospell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what we ought to beleeue and consequently wherein wee haue the remission of our sins promised vs by faith in Christ I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God J pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly doe so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shall alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall Bookes onely and not at all for the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture The first propriety is that it deriues all its authority from God alone Syst Theol. pag. 171. not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How proue you this I proue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authority from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo. It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that bee and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall finde 1 Ioh. 5.9 If wee receiue the witnes of men the testymonie of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authority of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Church Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1 Pet. 1.23 Wee are regenerated and borne anew by the word of God Iames 1.18 He hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 Which by their word shall beleeue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes 2.20 You are built vpon the foundation of the Profits and Apostles Obict The Papists obiect to vs that place 1 Tim. 3.15 Where the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer Answ that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid a dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture Syst Theol pag. 181. forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the piller and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to read No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his Subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of Truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scriptures vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of
earth the state of the Church was a most corrupt state so that beside Christ and his Apostles there were very few members of the true Church yea and before Christs birth a little Mary Ioseph Zachary and Elizabeth and a few more which lay so secret that there was no shew of them to any man made vp the true Church Such like vnto these was that estate of the Church those 600 yeares vnder the Papacie of which time there was expresse prediction before Reuel 12.6 that the time to wit should come that the Church should be obscure as it were hid in the wildernesse But therefore can any conclude that there was no Church No surely no more then it doth follow This man is hid therefore hee is not a man There were in that most thicke darkenesse of Poperie and vnder the Kingdome of that Antichrist of Rome Syst Theol. pag. 408. true members of the Church although by reason of that cruell tyranny of the Pope they lay hid neither was there so few of them as the Papists faine which at that very time vnder Popery had the pure doctrine and the Sacramēts but there were very many of them euen whole Countryes that were not defiled by the corrupt Doctrine of the Papists as the Albin genses and the Valdenses and they of Picardie who propagated the holy Truth in Bohemia and Polonia in spite of all the Popes resistance As also a hundred yeares before Luther Et si Papatus non sit ecclesia voluit tamen Deus in Papatu seruare ecclesiam Theod. Beza there were the Hussites Brethren of Bohemia who maintained the true Doctrine of the Gospell as those times would giue them leaue Yea and further in all and euery of those yeares there were by Gods working continually raised vp Witnesses and Teachers who openly and before all shewed their detestation of the Pope and Popish errours which Witnesses of the Truth euen in the time of Papacie they are all gathered together in a Book most worthie the perusing which wee ought alwaies to oppose to the Papists which hath for its Title Catalogus testium veritatis that is A Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth The third Note the Papists doe make vniuersality Obiect because forsooth the Church dispersed ouer all the world Syst Theol. pag. 404. ought to be Catholike I answer That the Papists here doe contradict themselues when they say the Church of God must be Catholicke and yet the Romish Church must bee that Church of God which is all one as if I should say the Church must be the vniuersall Dantiscan Church or the vniuersall Cracouiun Church or a particular vniuersall Church for to be the Romish Church and to bee a particular one is all one Againe wee answer that we do not denie that the Church ought to bee Catholike in that sense wherein the word is vsed in the Creed as afterwards it shall be made plaine And we say that our Church hath alwaies beene and now also is Catholike because that after the Apostles had gathered the Church out of all Nations there did alwaies from time to time remaine some reliques of the true Church in all Nations although those reliques were hid and obscured as that book Catalogus testium veritatis which we haue a little before cited doth testifie that in the very time of Poperie there was alwaies in Greece Italy Spaine Germany Bohemia Polonia some found that opposed and resisted the Pope But whereas the Iesuites obiect vnto vs that in America and in the East Indies there are no Protestant Preachers of the Gospell as yet but all Papists and especially Iesuites labouring the conuersion of the people I answer them first that the Pharisies also did runne about both by Sea and Land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their Religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Jndies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my Politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred and fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is he for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Caluin sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Joannes Lerius who committed that story to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Jndies which doe publikely preach the true doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countryes And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 24.14 The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnes to all Nations For GOD in in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those Nations some light of his Essence and his Truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more cleerely vnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel Obiect The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement Solut. I answer Vt est ecclesia Dei vna sic est Diaboli vna Babylō Aug. Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsitie is among the very Deuills and what greater agreement and consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and heare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuell being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers Sects yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Cōfessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Provinces For that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straight way quite dissolue the vnity which is betwixt the members of the true Church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the Popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputeth against other Papists alleageth