Solomon who were Prophets as well as Kings but also they Kings only and not Prophets as Asa Jehoshaphat Ezekiah and Iosiah and memorable to this purpose is the example of Artaxerxes though a heathen See what a decree he madâ— Ezr. 7. 25 26. And how Ezra blessed God for it v. 27. 28. 2. By providing Orthodox Ministers to teach the truth and by incouraging them that do it Thus Jehoshaphat sent Levites who taught in Judah and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them and went about thoroughout all the Cities of Judah and taught the people 2 Chron. 17. 8 9. And Ezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests the Levites that they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chron 31. 4. 3. By repressing such as pervert the truth and divulge errours The Magistrate is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 13. 4. Now if they do evill that hurt the body and prejudice the temporall estate how much more they that hurt the soul and prejudice the eternall estate 2. Ministers must do it and that 1. By preaching and teaching the truth with all diligence See Act. 20. 28 31. 2 Tim. 4. 1 5. Tit. 1. 10 11. with 2. 1. 2. By refelling such as oppose the truth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non loquintur diserta sed fortia Cypr. confuting their errours a Minister must not only be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. but also able to convince gain-sayers Tit. 1. 9. To this end he must preach not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Apollos was eloquent and that is good but withall he was mighty in the Scriptures Act 18. 24. And so he mightily convinced the Jews and that publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ v. 28. 3. Private Christians must doe it And 1. By praying for good and sound teachers they must pray that they may be sent Mat. 9. 38. And that they may do the work for which they are sent 2 Thes 3. 1. Col. 4. 3. Ephes 6. 19 20. 2. By affording them all incouragement that may be See 1 Thes 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17. 3. By giving no assistance shewing no countenance to false teachers but doing what they may to restrain them See 3 Iohn 10 11. Deut. 13. 6 9. 4. By instructing and admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. 5. By humbling themselves and mourning for the errours that are vented and for those that are seduced See Psalm 119. 158. 136. Vse Let us then according to our places and callings be mindfull of this duty and carefull to perform it to this end let us consider 1. That truth especially the truth of Religion the truth of the Gospell is a thing most precious and excellent Col. 1. 5. most worthy to be contended for with all earnestnesse and to be maintained with all care and diligence God is the God of truth Isa 65. 16. Christ hath stiled himself the truth John 14. 6. the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth John 16. 13. The Gospel is the word of truth Ephes 1. 13. If therefore we contend for other things which in comparison are vain and frivolous how much more should we contend for this which is of such worth of such excellency 2. That the Saints servants of God have ever shewed great zeal in this kind How zealous Paul was for the truth his Epistles every where shew See especially Gal. 1. 8 9 2. 5 11 12 13 14. 4 3. 1 3 4 11 19. 5. 7. 12. of S. John it is recorded by Eusebius and before him by Irenaeus that being in a bath and hearing that Cerinthus one who besides other hereticall opinions denied Christs divinity was come into the place he would stay no longer but departed with all speed saying to those that were with him Let us flie and be gone least the building fall upon us in which this enemy of the truth Cerinthus is So it is said of Polycarpus S. Iohns Disciple that meeting with Marcion another Arch-heretike and being asked by him if he knew him answered Yes I know thee to be the first born of the divell And such was the zeale of Hierome against heretikes and heresies that in his second Apology against Ruffinus he writes thus In this one thing I cannot In uno tibi consentire non possum ut parcam haereticis ut me Catholicum non probem Si ista est causa discordiae non possum tacere non possum yeeld unto thee that I should forbear heretikes and so not prove my self a sound and true believing Christian If this be the cause of our difference I cannot hold my peace I cannot do it 4. That wicked opinions are rather worse then wicked practises corrupt Doctrines more dangerous then corrupt manners Some do well observe that he who had the leprosie in his head is pronounced not simply unclean as others but utterly unclean Levit. 13. 44. Whence is collected that corruption in judgement is worse then corruption in practice And so it is the understanding is the eye and so the light of the soul and if the light be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6. 23. Sound doctrine is a means to reforme a corrupt conversation but corrupt doctrine is a means to marre a good conversation Evill communications corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Whosoever shall break one of the least Commandements and teach men so c. Mat. 5. 19. 4. Great need especially at this time to be earnest for the truth and to do what we may for defence of it For first when was it ever more opposed then now it is What heresie almost was ever broached which is not now taken up and maintained by one or other Scarce any truth in all the sphere of Christian Religion is so sacred as to remain inviolate 2. These wicked opinions that are among us cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of Hereupon Papists take occasion to traduce our Religion and prophane persons to despise all Religion 3. These are times wherein God expects and we pretend Reformation Therefore that now in these times should be such Sects and Heresies amongst us is the more hainous I said surely thou wilt feare me thou wilt receive correction c. but they rose up early and corrupted all their ways Zeph. 3. 7. Thou saidst I will not transgresse when on every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot Ier. 2. 20. 4. We have solemnly sworne unto God and covenanted with him to indeavour in our places and callings the preservation of the truth and the extirpation of heresie and whatsoever is concrary to sound Doctrine Let us remember that of David Psal 76. 11. Vow and perform unto the Lord your God And that of Solomon Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools Pay therefore that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldst not vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Some have shewed themselves very zealous against Superstition Popery Prelacy c. but concerning Sects and Heresies which swarm in the Land have been remisse enough Why is not one part of the Covenant regarded as well as another Zeale if it be not impartiall is not right howsoever we may please our selves in it and vaunt of it as Iehu did Come see my zeal 2 King 10. 16. But Jehu regarded not to walk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the soâ— of Nebat who made Israel to sin v. 31. Had his zeal been sincere it would have shewed it selfe as well against the Idolatrous Worship of thâ— Calves set up by Ieroboam as against that of Bâ—al set up by Ahab Let us consider these things and let the consideration of them incite us by prayer and humiliation and all good means as our places and callings require to indeavour that truth may be preserved and error suppressed that such as are yet in the truth may persist in it and such as are swerved from the truth may be reduced to it or at least may not seduce and draw others from it In a word let us do what in us lies that the land may be purged as from other pollutions and defilements so from these Sects and Heresies that are so rife in it that so the Lord may not as otherwise we must needs fear he will abhor us and depart from us but may still continue his gracious presence with us and rejoyce over us to do us good FINIS
THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH OR The prime and principall Points which a Christian is to know and believe Handled in sundry SERMONS upon Texts of Scripture selected and chosen for the purpose Wherein the Method of the CREED Commonly called The Apostles Creed is observed and the Articles thereof are confirmed explained and applied for the instructing of the ignorant and the establishing of all in the TRUTH BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Minister of the Word at York LONDON Printed by R. A. for RICHARD LOVVNDES at the Unicorn on Lud-gate Hill over against Bell-Savage 1649. To the Christian Reader WHat hereticall blasphemous and damnable opinions have of late years been vented and published amongst us in this Land is over-notorious and but too well knowne both at home and abroad For both the reformed * Their words are presently after cited Churches in forraigne parts have complained of it and also we our selves by publike order and appointment have professed * March 10. 1646. solemne humiliation for it Surely it is a very sad thing and much to be deplored that Protestants who have abandoned communion with the Romish Babylon because of those impious and Antichristian Doctrines that are maintained in it should fall themselves to imbrace opinions no lesse erroneous yea indeed more monstrous then those of the Papists Yea and that a Nation should even then be most grossely infected in this kind when it hath but newly in a most sacred manner promised and professed Reformation Divers years ago when things were nothing so bad in this respect as since they have been the Walachrian Churches in an Epistle sent to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster set forth the hainousnesse of the crime that we are guilty of and have not we great reason now to be sensible of it and affected with it Let your consciences judge say they how all kind of heresies can passe unpunished Judicent conscientiae vestra quomodo omne haercsium genus inâ—ltum permitti multifaria schismatum semina spargi profana errorum dogmata passiâ— in vulgâ—s proferri possint in illa civitaâ—e quae tam expresso sancto severâ— juramento sesc devinxit ad omnes errores haereses schismata è domâ— Dei ejicienda Ep. praefix Apollâ— manifold seeds of Schismes be sowne and prophane Doctrines of errors be commonly vented abroad in that City yea in that Nation which by so expresse sacred and severe an oath hath bound it selfe before God to cast out all errors heresies and schisms from the house of God The consideration of the growth and spreading of such pernicious errors moved me in the course of my Ministery to spend some time in handling the first principles of the Oracles of God as they are called Heb. 5. 12. the principall and fundamentall points of Religion according to the method and order of the Creed called the Apostles Creed wherein they are comprized This I conceived very requisite and needfull as a chief means if not to recover those that are infected yet to preserve others from infection For as one well observes a principall way of fortifying our Mr. Vines Serm. on the day of humiliation for the growth of errors heresies c. pag. 57. selves against the allurements and assaults of false Teachers is to be grounded in the principles of the Doctrines of Christ or else we shall easily be tumbled up and downe like loose stones that lie not fast in the building upon the foundation The Apostle himself doth shew that such as are children to wit in understanding either altogether ignorant of the Doctrine of Faith or not well grounded in it 1 Cor. 14. 20. are ready to be tossed to and fro and carried away with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive Ephes 4. 14. And that such are soon led captive who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth to wit a thorough and well-grounded knowledge of it 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. This knowledge is as wofull experience shewes much wanting in many And hence it is that errors and heresies have so prevailed amongst us whilest some through ignorance are circumvented seduced and drawne away and others though perhaps full of invectives against Sects yet have nothing to alledge in defence of truth or onely that which is to little purpose custome example and the like whereby it comes to passe that the Authors and abettors of error do the more triumph and such as are insnared by them are the most fastened unto them I grant indeed that it is not Christ in the head but Christ in the heart not a bare notionall knowledge of Christ but a spirituall knowledge of him that will serve the turne But yet neverthelesse Christ must be in the head or els he cannot be in the heart I speak in respect of such as are of years there must be a notionall knowledge of Christ or else there cannot be a spirituall knowledge of him As the Athenians were far wrong who thought to worship an unknowne God Acts 17. 23. so are they who think to believe in an unknown Christ That ye may know and believe said he Joh. 10. 38. first know and then believe It 's true as Austine saith not the quicknesse of understanding but the simplicity of believing doth make many safe Yet Caeteram turbam non intelligendi vivacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutos facit Aug. contra Epist Fundam cap. 4. Quaenam est ista quaeso simplicitas nescire quod credas Hieron adversus Luciferian that of Hierome is no lesse true What simplicity I praey you is this to believe you know not what Belfarmine himself though in the heat of contention and carried away with a spirit of contradiction he sticks not to say that Faith Fides meliùs definitur per ignorantiam quà m per notitiam Bel. de Justif lib. 1. cap. 7. §. Judicium autem Cognitio apprehensiva praeexigitur quidem ad fidem sed non est ipsa propriè fides Bel. de Justif lib. 1. cap. 16. §. Restat caput c. is better defined by ignorance then by knowledge yet afterwards being in a more calme temper he confesseth that an apprehensive knowledge is pre-required unto faith though it be not faith it self Therefore not to speak now of the impiety of the Church of Rome that seeks by all means that may be to nuzzle people in ignorance dealing with them as the Philistines dealt with Sampson who first put out Judg. 16. his eyes and made him blind and then made a slave of him and abused him at their pleasure Not to speak I say of this others there be who are worthy to be abhorred of all Christians in that they so flie unto the Mystery of the Gospell as that they quite abolish and annull the History of it they turne all that the Scripture doth record of Christ into a meer Allegory And some
good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire least ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likenesse if male or female the likenesse of any beast that is on the earth the likenesse of any winged fowle that flieth in the aire the likenesse of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likenesse of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth Deut. 4. 12. 15 16 17 18. and the Prophet Isaiah cries To whom will ye liken God or what likenesse will ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. in Numa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. compare unto him It is very observable that Plutach records of Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romans viz. that he forbad the Romans to use any Image of God having the forme of a man or of any other living creature and the same Author moreover testifies that for 170. years after Rome was built they had no Image of God neither painted nor carved Temples he saith they had but no image at all in them and he gives this reason for it that it is not lawfull to resemble better things to worse nor possible to apprehend God otherwise then by the conception of the mind and understanding How is Rome now professing it selfe Christian become much more superstitious and idolatrous in this particular then it was when it was Heathenish Vse 3. Here again we may see what it is in respect of which man is excellent in Gods account it is not in respect of any corporall thing any thing belonging to the body as beauty strength c. much lesse in respect of things more extrinsecall as riches honour c. but it is in respect of things spirituall things belonging to the soule as grace and holinesse Looke not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man beholdeth the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart thus spake the Lord to Samuel 1 Sam. 16. 7. when Samuel seeing the goodly personage of Eliab Davids eldest brother presumed that it was he whom God had sent him to annoynt King in the room of Saul So David saith that God neither delighteth in the strength of a horse nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man but the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 10 11. Favour is deceitfull saith Solomon and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31. 30. Thus beloved it is as our spirits are so doth God esteem of us He regardeth not the rich more then the poor saith Elihu Job 34. 19. No it 's not the rich but the righteous that God regardeth The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour saith Solomon Prov. 12. 26. although wicked men in respect of outward things be worth never so much yet with God they are of no account because as Prov. 10. 22. the Wiseman saith the heart of the wicked is little worth Therefore as we desire to be esteemed of God it behoves us to look and labour for spirituall things to furnish our soules and to adorne them with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit S. Paul requires that women adorn themselves in modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sobriety not with broydred haire or gold or pearls or costly array but which becometh women professing godlinesse with good works 1 Tim 2. 9 10. those outward and bodily ornaments are not simply forbidden but they are to be sleighted and neglected in comparison of the other So in like manner S. Peter Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparell but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. Vse 4. Finally we may hence learne what Worship and Service it is that God requires and will accept at our hands viz. that which is spirituall which proceeds not onely from the outward man the body but principally from the inward man the heart and spirit this is the more to be considered in that as was shewed before for this very end Christ thus describes the nature of God and sayes That God is a Spirit from thence to inferre that he will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth this being that Worship which is agreeable to his nature My Son give me thy heart saith God Prov. 23. 26. Whom I serve with my spirit saith the holy Apostle Rom. 1. 9. For we are the circumcision saith the same Apostle which worship God in the spirit Phil. 3. 3. God expresseth all the detestation that may be of those Services though such as himselfe prescribed which are meerly outward and formall not proceeding from a pure heart and holy affections see Esa 1. 10 11 12 13 14. he threatens severely to punish those that draw neer him with their mouth and honor him with their lips but remove their heart far from him Esa 29. 13 14. Christ told the Pharisees that though they justified themselves before men yet God knew their heart and that which was highly esteemed amongst men was abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. and Mat. 23. many a woe doth Christ denounce against them for their hypocrisie saying seven severall times Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and he bids his Disciples beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees which is hypocrisie Luk. 12. 1. Though the outward performance be very weak yet if the heart be rightly affected God accepts it and will passe by the imperfection The high places were not taken away Quin damus id superis de magna quod dare lance Non possit magai Mâ—ssalae lippa propago Compositum jus fasque animi Sanctosque recessus Mentis incoctum generoso pectus honesto Hoc cedo ut admoveam templis farâ—e litabo Pers Sat. 2. out of Israel neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect that is sincere upright all his days 2 Chron. 15. 17. Ezekiah knew this and therefore when many did eat the Passeover otherwise then they should have done he prayed for them saving The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. Thus our Saviour seeing his Disciples drowzie and not able to keep from sleeping when he had speciall reason to require their attendance yet knowing the sincerity of their hearts and affections towards him excused them saying The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Mat. 26.
the gods of the Nations See Esa 37. 16. are Idols saith the Psalmist Psal 96. 5. and the Apostle saith of them that they were without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. Is one Lord only one as Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men to die once that is once and no more So here one Lord that is one and no more but one there is no other LORD no other God truly and properly so called but he only The words thus opened the Doctrine which I observe from them to insist upon is this That Doct. there is but onely one God truely and properly so called There be that are called gods saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 8. 5. in that respect there be gods many and lords many as he there addeth But some are falsly called gods as Idols which are somtimes called gods in respect of that opinion a false opinion which Idolaters have of them With whomsoever thou findest thy gods c. said Jacob to Laban he called his Idols his gods not that he did account them gods but he spake only in respect of that account which Laban did make of them so Ezekiah in his prayer unto God Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid wast all the Nations and their Countries and have cast their gods into the fire he calls them their gods because they reckoned them as gods but so did not Ezekiah for he addes immediately for they were no gods but the worke of mens hands c Againe some are called gods improperly viz. because in a peculiar manner they resemble God in respect of some speciall dignity and eminency which they have over or above others Thus the Angells are called gods Thou madest him a little lower then the Angells Psal 8. 5. in the Originall it is Elohim that is gods And whereas it is said Psa 97. 7. Worship him all ye Gods it is thus cited Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angells of God worship him In this sense also Princes Judges and Magistrates are called gods I have said ye are gods Psal 82. 6. Thou shalt not revile the gods Exod. 22. 28. in the Margent it is the Judges that Magistrates are there meant is cleare by the later part of the Verse nor curse the Ruler of thy people so God speaking unto Moses concerning Aaron Thou shalt be unto him said he instead of God Exod. 4. 16. that is Moses should be superiour to him he should instruct and direct him and apppoint him what he should say and do so Exod. 7. 1. And the Lord said unto Moses see I have made thee a God to Pharoah that is Moses should exercise power and authority over Pharoah he should bring plagues upon him and remove them from him at his pleasure but truly and properly so called there is but one God The Apostle having said that there are many that are called gods he adds But unto us there is but one God 1 Cor. 6. 8. so 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God This is life eternall to know thee the only true God c. Joh. 17. 3. Thou even thou art Lord alone Neh. 9. 6. For who is God save the Lord 2 Sam. 22. 32. The Lord he is God there is none else besides him Deut. 4. 35. The Heathen Philosophers and Poets though they would not strive against the streame but gave way to the common error of the times yet knew and somtimes also acknowledged this truth Plato Plato Epist 13. ad Dionys writing to Dionysius told him that when he did write seriously he made mention of one God when he wrote otherwise then he mentioned Aristot Metaphys lib. 12. gods in the plurall So Aristotle proves the world to be governed by one only and brings in that of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is is not good that there should be many Rulers viz. supreme let there be one Ruler and one King And he saith That as a governour in Aristot de Mundo if that book be his a ship and a generall in an Army so is God in the world and that there is but one God though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. called by many names Thus also Phocylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. There is one God wise powerfull and blessed And Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In very deed there is but one God Many such sentences and sayings â—mò ipsum vulgus Ethnicorum uâ—um Deum confitetur Anima licet falsis diis exancillata cum tamen tesipiscit ut ex crapulá somno Deum nominat quod Deus dederit omnium vox est Judicem quoque contestantur illum Deus videt Deo commendo Deus mihi reddet O testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae Denique pronuntians haec non ad Capitolium sed ad coelum respicit Tert. Apol. Cum purant cum optant cum gratias agunt non Jovem aut Deos multos sed Deum nominant adeò ipsa veritas cogente naturâ etiam ab invitis pectoribus erumpit Lactan. l. 2. c. 1. are to be found in the writings of the Heathens and even the vulgar sort among them by their expressions which they somtimes used did shew themselves convinced of this truth that there is but only one God For as Tertullian observes they did use to say God sees I commend to God God will render unto me and the like And when they spake thus they did not he sayes look to the Capitol where they worshipped their false God Jupiter but to heaven where the true God hath his Throne and the like observation also hath Lactantius Reason also may demonstrate that there are no more gods then one For first Gods immensity and infinitenesse proves his Unity for if there were more Gods then one then either one should include another or not if one should include another then that which is included should not be infinite and so not God if one should not include another then neither should any of them be infinite For that which is infinite includes every thing but is it selfe included in nothing whence the Hebrews call God Makom that signifies place he containing all things but not contained himselfe in any thing Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi in 1 Reg. 8 27. cannot contain thee said Solomon unto God 1 King 8. 27. upon which place Kimchi a Jewish Rabbin glosseth thus Thou art the place of the world but the world is not thy place God containeth the world but the world doth not contain God 2. God hath in him all excellency whatsoever His Name only is excellent Psal 148. 13. therefore there can be but one God For if there were many Gods then one must differ from another and so one should want some excellency which another hath and consequently should not be God Ob. But the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God Ans True yet all but
her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Revel 18. 4. 2. Another note of the Church which the Papists 2. Succession assign is succession of Pastours and Teachers they can shevv such a succession and thence they conclude that they are the true Church But there is a twofold succession viz. personall and doctrinall a succession of persons and a succession of Doctrine the former vvithout the latter is as nothing The Priests that condemned Christ had a personall succession but vvanted doctrinall succession They could shew hovv their persons did succeed those that vvere before them and they others and so on untill they came to Aaron but they could not shevv the like succession of their doctrine so neither can the Papists shevv that they hold the same faith vvhich vvas delivered by the Apostles and therefore in vain do they vaunt of this that they can shevv a personall succession of their Popes from the times of the Apostles Bellarmine Bellarm. de Eccles l. 4. c. 8. confesseth that the argument drawn from succession doth not hold for the affirmative viz. that vvhere there is succession there is the true Church but only negatively that there is not the Church where succession is wanting So then by their own confession this argument makes little for them and as little doth it make against us For though our Divines have laboured not unprofitably to shew that successively in all ages there have been some or other who have asserted the truth which we maintain this is sufficient that we can make it appear that we hold the same faith which was once delivered to the Saints and have not Iude v. â— departed from the Church of Rome further then they have departed from this faith This the ancient Doctors thought sufficient and though sometimes they have alledged personall succession yet it was still with this supposition that it was accompanied with doctrinall succession otherwise they made no reckoning of it We must adhere unto those saith Iraeneus who keep the doctrine of Oportet adhaerere his qui Apostolorum doctrinam cu 〈…〉 diunt Iren. l. 4. c. 44. c. 43. he calls this principalem successionem Non habent Petri hariditatem qui fidem Petri non babent Ambros de pentt l. 1. c. 6. In eadem side conspirantâ—s non minus Apostolica depu 〈…〉 r pro consanguinitate doctrine Tertul. de Praescript c. 32. the Apostles This succession he calls the principall succession So Ambrose They do not succeed Peter saith he who have not the faith of Peter And Tertullian speaking of Churches planted since the Apostles times saith that they agreeing in the same faith are neverthelesse accounted to be Apostolicall for the consanguinity of Doctrine 3. They of the Church of Rome do also make 3. Amplitude amplitude and largenesse of extent a note to discern the Church by But this is no true note of the Church for errour and heresie may so prevail as to have more professors and abettors then the truth In the time of Ahab for one true Prophet Micaiah there were four hundred false Prophets 1 King 22. 6. c. And Eliah complained unto God saying The children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine altars and slain thy Prophets with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life also 1 King 19. 14. So in the time of our Saviour the history of the Gospell shews how few in comparison did embrace the truth when it vvas preached unto them He came unto his own and his own received him not Joh. 1. 11. So some few hundred years after Christ the Sect of the Arians grew so great Ingemuit orbis Arrianum se esse miratus est Hieron advers Luciferian that as Hierome expresseth it the world did groan and wonder to see it self become an Arrian And in after Ages what marvell if Antichrist did so inlarge his dominion S. John having foretold that so it should be All the world saith he wandred after the beast Revel 13. 3. And he tells us that the Angell interpreting unto him the mystery of the whore sitting upon many waters said thus The waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and Nations and tongues Revel 17. 15. 4. Our Romish adversaries amongst other 4. Union with and subjection to the Pope as Head of the Church See B. Mortons Book entituled the Grand Impostor 5. Miracles notes of the Church do much stand upon this that the members of the Church be united together under one head viz. the Pope But we have not so learned Christ we know and acknowledge him and him only to be the head of the Church So the Scripture plainly termeth him Ephes 5. 23. Col. 1. 18. But of any other head of the Church besides Christ we find nothing 5. Miracles also are made one note whereby the Church is to be discerned But though miracles were requisite in the first planting of the Church Mar. 16. 20. Yet now it is otherwise Yea the Scripture hath taught us to suspect those that shall pretend miracles shewing that this shall be the guise of false teachers and of Antichrist himself There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shal shew great signs and wonders c. Mat. 24. 24. Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders 2 Thes 2. 9. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles c. Revel 13. Ecclesiam suam demonstrent si possunt non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum non in conciliis Episcoporum suorum non in literis quorumlibet disputatorum non in signis prodigiis fallacibus quia etiam contra ista verbo Domini praeparati cauti redditi sumus sed in praescripto legis in praedictis Prophetarum in Psalmorum cantibus in ipsius Pastoris vocibuâ— â— in Evangelistarum praedicationibus laboribus hoc est in omnibus Canonicis sanctorum librorum authoritatibus Aug. de Unit. Eccles c. 16. 13 14. Excellent is that of of Austine concerning the Donatists Let them demonstrate their Church if they can not in the speeches and rumours of the Africans not in the Councells of their Bishops not in the writings of any disputers not in lying signs and wonders for against them we are prepared and made cautious by the Lords owne word but in the prescript of the Law in the Predictions of the Prophets in the songs of the Psalms in the words of the Shepherd himself in the preachings and labours of the Evangelists that is in all the Canonicall authorities of the holy books Ne dicar quia illa illa mirabilia fecit Donatus vel Pontius vel quilibet aâ—ius
as he calls them v. 1. mentioneth this as one of them the Resurrection of the dead And therefore also in the Creed wherein those principles of Christian doctrine are contained among other articles is that of the Resurrection of the body and mark of the body for there is also a Resurrection of the soul as hath been shewed * before but that is a metaphoricall Serm. â—0 in the beginning Resurrection The soul being since the fall of Adam naturally dead in sin is said to rise again when the life of grace is infused into it but the Resurrection of the dead spoken of in the Text is in respect of the body as appears by the words immediately following and of eternal iudgment For the Resurrection of the body is previous to the last judgement and accompanied with it The point then to be insisted on is this That the Resurrection of the body is a fundamentall Doct. point of Christian Religion It is necessary for all to know and believe that the bodies of the dead shall rise again This is a great mystery naturall reason cannot reach to the knowledge of it will not yeeld assent unto it When Paul preached at Athens the most famous Academie in the world for humane learning the Philosophers encountred him and some called him a babler and others said He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection Act. 17. 18. v. 32. it 's said again And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said we will hear thee again of this matter they would demur upon it and not be forward to believe it So Eusebius relates that the Heathens persecuting Euseb Hist l. 5. c. 1 Christians burnt their bodies to ashes and cast them into the river insulting over them and upbraiding them with their belief of the Resurrection saying Let us see now if they will rise again Yea among the Jews Gods peculiar people who had the Oracles of God committed unto them there was a sect of the Sadduces who denied the Resurrection of the dead Mat. 22. 23. The same day came to him the Sadduces which say that there is no Resurrection So Act. 23. 8. For the Sadduces say that there is no Resurrection Yea and also among Christians there have been some who have said that there is no Resurrection of the dead some such there were among the Corinthians as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 15. 12. And it seems that Hymeneus and Philetus were of this opinion for the Apostle speaking of them saith Who concerning the truth have erred saying That the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. In that they said The Resurrection is past already it seemeth that they would only have a Resurrection of the soul here but no Resurrection of the body hereafter But mark the denying of this article the Resurrection of the body is called by the Apostle an overthrowing of the faith Whatsoever we believe if we do not believe this that the dead shall rise again is all in vain and to no purpose as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 15. 12. c. Now the Resurrection of the dead is proved two waies as we see by those words of our Saviour to the Sadduces Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mat. 22. 29. 1. The power of God proves that the Resurrection is possible and may be Power belongeth unto God Psal 62. 12. Even such power as that he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can either ask or think Ephes 3. 20. And therefore as the Apostle said Why should it be thought a thing impossible that God should raise again the dead Act. 26. 8. In the very beginning of the Creed we professe that we believe God Deus non aâ—iâ lege credendus est quam ut omnia posse crâ—datur Tertul. de Resurr c. 11. to be almighty and that he is so the Scripture plainly and plentifully testifies and it hath been abundantly demonstrated * Serm. 3. before Now if God be Almighty he can do all things and if all things then this the raising up of the dead He that could make the body of the dust can Vtique idoneus est reficere qui fecit Quanto plus est fecisse quà m refecisse inâ—â—ium dedisse quà m reddidisse Eta restitutionem carnis faciliorem credas institutione Tertul. ibid. Potest utique eadem potentia quâ de nihilo cuncta fabricatus est reddere quae fueraut quia multo minus est restituere quod fuerit quà m facere quod non fuiâ— Hieron ad Pammach surely raise it up though it be turned into dust He that could make all things of nothing can undoubtedly raise up the body which though it be dead and have suffered never so many transmutations yet is it not turned into nothing 2. The Scriptures shew that the Resurrection is certain and shall be that as God can raise the dead so he will do it Job made no question of it For I know said he that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reines be consumed within me John 19. 25. 26 27. True it is the words there in the originall as in many other places of that book are so concise as that they render the sense obscure and are subject to divers expositions so that both the Jewish Commentatours Mercerus in loâ— and also some among Christians carry the sense another way but the most understand the words of the Resurrection neither do I see any other exposition that doth so well agree with them Daniel also spake of the Resurrection of the dead saying And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to perpetuall shame and contempt Dan. 12. 2. By awaking these out of the dust of the earth he means the rising again of the dead And whereas he saith that many shall it is not so to be taken as if all should not for many sometimes are opposed not unto al but only unto few So it 's said Rom. 5. 19. that by the disobedience of one man of Adam many were made sinners that is all but those all are many and so are they that shall awake out of the dust of the earth as all that sleep there shall So the Prophet Esay likewise doth sing the same ditty Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Isai 26. 19. And that parable in Ezekiel chap. 37. where by the raising