meanes of attaining this faith by which they may save their soules is the preaching and hearing of the Word and as this faith is attained to by hearing so it is dayly increased by the same as also by the right use and administration of the holy Sacraments and Prayers to all which duties they stir up the people with all sedulity and godly care And that they may the more deterre them from sinne and all manner of evill they do not onely declare unto them the horror of sinne and the present danger of it as that it is the cause of all miseries and calamities here but that it will also bring endlesse and eternall misery upon them hereafter and that they must all appeare at the last day before a dreadfull Judge there to give an accompt of whatsoever they have done in the body whether good or evill 2 Cor. chap. 5. vers 10. And that they should not deceive themselves for God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reape for hee that soweth unto the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth unto the spirit shall of the spirit reape life everlasting Gal. 6. v. 7 8. So that if we run through all the Theoricall part of Divinity you shall not finde the Church of England failing or defective in any point of beliefe speculative that is required and necessary for salvation when it teacheth every thing that Christ himselfe requires at mens hands that they should know to make them blessed Now all the knowledge that makes men blessed and that Christ injoynes them is the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ and self-deniall This is life eternall saith Christ Iohn 17. to know thee to be the only true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And Mat. 16. If any will be my Disciple let him deny himselfe and come after mee Now I say when the Church of England teacheth the people the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ and the knowledge of themselves it teacheth all things for beliefe speculative for all speculative Divinity is contained in these two poynts And this shall suffice to have spoke of the Theoricall part of Divinity wherein the Church of England doth her duty And now Mr. Montague I will as briefly as I can declare and prove that the Church of England fayleth nothing in teaching all things for Religion practicall for in that shee teacheth us our whole duty both towards God and towards our Neighbour what we should doe and what wee should not do in the whole course of our lives for the pleasing of God and avoyding of sin and misery she doth her duty also in the practicall part of Divinity perfectly and fully For as all speculative Divinity consists as I sayd before in the knowledge of God and of our selves so all practicall Religion consists in the performance of our duty towards God in giving him his due honour and such a worship and service as he requires of us in his Word and that is spirituall as wee see John 4. vers 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth And in performing all offices of love and charity to our Neighbour and carrying our selves unblamably in this present World Jam. 1. vers 27. Pure Religion and undefiled saith S. Iames before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the Widow in their affliction and to keepe themselves unspotted from the World and in observing and fulfilling that royall Law chap. 2. vers 8. in loving our Neighbour as our selves In these two points consists all practicall Religion which is nothing else but a framing of our whole lives according to the Law of God considering that we are not at our owne disposing nor at our owne liberty but consecrated and dedicated unto God and therefore wee must deny our selves and forsake our owne reason and resigne our selves up to be guided and governed by the Word and Spirit of the Lord in all things belonging unto his worship And that wee ought not to seeke after those things that are our owne but those things that are according to the Will of God and tend to the advancement of his glory and Kingdom and in this does our practicall Religion concerning God consist and our love and duty towards our Neighbour is contained in these two things in being kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another Rom. 12. v. 10. In doing nothing through strife and vaine-glory but in lowlinesse of mind each esteeming others better than themselves Phil. 2. vers 3. And then in imploying our selves to the uttermost of our abilities with all sincerity and truth of affection and unfained love to procure their good and emolument in all things And under these two heads the love of God and of our Neighbour is comprised all the practicall Divinity or Religion the Word of God makes knowne unto men and requires at our hand Which when the Church of England doth dayly publish unto the people and teacheth all things concerning them fully it is aboundantly evident to any unpartiall man that she teachteh all things both for Theory and practice necessary for salvation and for the proving of her selfe to to be a true Church the ground and pillar of truth and to be built upon the foundation of Peter And as this conclusion doth necessarily issue upon the premises for the proofe of the truth of the Church of England so on the contrary this likewise will of necessity follow that that Church that neither teacheth those things that belong unto the beliefe speculative nor to the Religion practicall cannot be a true Church And I am confident Mr. Montague that you your selfe upon deliberation will not deny it And then also any man may inferre that the Church of Rome cannot be a true Church nor the ground and pillar of Truth when shee neither teacheth the people the true knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ nor the knowledge of themselves nor makes knowne unto them the spirituall way of worshipping him which he requires nor teacheth them their love and duty towards God and towards their Neighbour which God commands but with far greater reason they may conclude that the Church of Rome is not a true Church if they consider also that the Church of Rome not onely neglecteth her duty in not teaching the people the true knowledge of God and of themselves but also in that shee taketh away the Key of knowledge from them snatching the Word of God out of their hands and hindering the pure preaching of both Law and Gospel by which men might be saved and setting up an idolatricall worship and bringing in a new service of their owne devising and in that also that the Church of Rome doth not teach the people love towards their Neighbours the true servants of God but hatred and animates them to persecute them with fire and faggot
written Word for our rule when the Apostle pronounceth all such doctrines either to be the doctrines of devils or at least to lead and turn us from the truth which we ought to preferre before our lives And in Chap. 3. ver 10. A man saith he that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject You know Master Montague that he is counted an heretick among you that continues obstinate and perseveres in his owne opinions against the doctrines of the Church of Rome and their vaine traditions and humane inventions but in Gods Dialect they are accounted orthodox and they onely in the holy Scriptures are counted heretickes that persevere and continue in their owne unsound opinions contrary to the faith once delivered unto the Saints and to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ such onely by S. Paul are proclaimed hereticks with a command unto all Ministers and people after the first and second admonition to reject and to cast them out of the Church as people with whom godly men and the true Disciples of Christ ought to have no fellowship or commerce and therefore Master Montague the doctrine of the holy Apostles as it is set downe in Scriptures is the rule we are tied to for the discerning betweene true and false doctrine and that we are for ever to have before our eyes for the square we must regulate our faith and manners by And in Heb. 13. ver 8 9. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever saith the Apostle Be not carried about with strange doctrines c. here the Apostle forbids all men to listen unto the vaine Traditions of men and to be carried about with any strange doctrines such as are not grounded upon the written Word and conformable to the rule of our faith set downe in it and gives a reason why they should be stable and unmoveable in that doctrine for saith he Christ which is the object of our faith doth not change his nature nor quality in his Person Office and Doctrine and therefore it beseemes you likewise to be solid firme and stable and invariable in your faith in him and that you should not be carried about with strange doctrines or give heed unto the Traditions of men which turne you from the truth and in this you ought alwaies to follow the rule prescribed in the Word and to set before your eyes the example of your godly teachers which have the government over you who have preached unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation vers 7. and how they continuing faithfull to the end are now dead in the Lord. If you therefore desire to be eternally blessed as they are imitate and follow them in their faith for they were not carried about with strange doctrines but as they taught you the Word of God and not the traditions and commandements of men so cleave you also to that written Word and be not carried about with strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace c. As if he should have said all the traditions of men doe not establish the heart with grace for the heart is then onely established with grace when the soule and conscience of a believer reposeth it selfe in the true apprehension and feeling of the mercy favour and love of God in Christ Jesus apprehended by faith and in the assurance of his eternall good will when by faith they lay hold on the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and finde the worke of their spirituall regeneration wrought in their soules which brings forth the fruit of holinesse in all manner of conversation and this onely establisheth the heart with grace and in this consisteth the true worship of God all which the traditions and commandements of men are so farre from teaching as they turne us from them placing religion in outward performances and in observing of mens traditions as worshiping of Images Crucifixes and observing of daies and abstaining from meats c. All which turne us from that spirituall worship of God which God both commandeth and delighteth in For God is a Spirit and they that will worship him according to his Will must worship him in spirit and truth John 4. ver 24. His Will therefore Mr. Montague must be the rule we ought ever to adhere and cleave to if we would not be carried about with strange doctrines and if we desire to have our hearts established with grace I might enlarge my selfe exceedingly in this point and runne through both the Epistles of Peter and the first Epistle of Saint John but I will conclude with that of Saint John in his second Epistle vers 9 10. Whosoever transgresseth saith Saint John and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds Here Mr. Montague for a conclusion of this point take notice that we are for ever tied to the doctrine of Christ which he the great and onely Prophet of his Church taught us and which we finde writ in the holy Scripture whom we are bound to heare in all things and from the which doctrine we may not swarve nor so much as bid God speed to any that shall teach otherwise unlesse we will partake with them in their evill and so make our selves lyable to the curse and punishment due unto our disobedience in so doing Gal. 1. vers 8. which the Church of England both out of conscience of her duty to the command of her great Prophet Christ Jesus and out of an awfull reverence of his glorious name and out of feare also of that curse that is denounced against all such as transgresse his holy Commandements and are carried about with strange doctrines and abide not in the doctrine of Christ doth with all obedience submit her selfe unto and continually cleaves unto the holy Word of God revealed in his written Word and makes that onely the rule of her faith and manners and by that proveth her selfe to be built upon the foundation of Peter and to teach the way the truth and the life and to honour Jesus Christ and to believe in him aright and as she ought to doe when she owneth him to be her onely King her sole Priest and alone Prophet and followeth the guidance of his Spirit and approaches unto God in his name and mediation and is directed by his Word and heares his voice in all things by all which I say she manifesteth to the whole world that she is a true Church against which the gates of hell can never prevaile and the pillar and ground of truth On the other side it must necessarily follow that the Church of Rome is not
force of which argument you had thought by a glosse and flourish to have evaded but all the cunning of man cannot doe it as in its due place will appeare But after you had once got your head into this fort and refuge you uttered many things very erroneous equalizing your traditions yea preferring them before the written Word accusing the Scripture of imperfection and denying them that due honour which is to be the rule of our faith and manners and the square by which we must order our lives affirming further more that they were accidentally written and not on purpose to be the rule of our doctrine and manners and that for the making of the Scripture a compleat and absolute rule the unwritten word received and entertained in all ages by tradition ought to be added to it which when the Church of England did not observe and admit of it did not believe as Christ ordained and as it ought to believe for the speculative and practicall parts of Divinity for to believe in Christ effectually and sufficiently to salvation as you said was not enough to believe both the natures of Jesus Christ and all his Offices but it consisted in this that we conforme our selves to a beliefe speculative and to a religion that is practicall for the Church was determined in these two points that is to say without the Church of England would imbrace and entertaine your traditions and believe your unwritten verities as they are commonly termed it could not be a true Church Hereupon I then undertooke to maintaine and prove first that the written Word in it selfe without any unwritten verities or traditions contained all things necessary to salvation Secondly that all Christians were tied to make that and that only the rule of their faith and manners which you said if I could prove you would be a Protestant and after some debate of these businesses and that Sir John Gotherick had said unto you magnifying your unwritten verities that if you could make it appeare that you had as good warrant for your traditions as we could shew for the Scriptures that then he would receive and imbrace them to whom you replyed that you could prove them by better authority than he could prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God But I perceiving at that time that you grew something weary and seeing withall for want of a moderator that things began something disorderly to be handled I told you that I would by writing reduce all those things that were then agitated and bring them into good order and set downe such other arguments as should sufficiently prove the Church of England to be a true Church and send you them all in writing which you not onely liked well of but earnestly also desired me so to doe and I promised likewise in the same writing evidently to prove that the Scriptures of the old and new Testament without any traditions contained all things in them necessary to salvation and that they are the onely rule and square which we are tied unto for the ordering of our faith lives and manners which is now my taske that in the following discourse I have taken upon me and I doubt not by Gods assistance but to make good and maintaine what I have undertaken But before I come to that that all men may see the Church of England faileth in nothing necessary to salvation either in respect of theory or practice although I have formerly proved it yet I thought fit briefly againe to runne over and to declare what she teaches for her beliefe speculative and her religion practicall that I may make use of some of your expressions and wherein she differs from the Church of Rome that the Church of Englands tenent being set downe on the one side and the errours and idolatry of the Church of Rome on the other all men may learne to love and imbrace the Church of England and to abhorre and abandon the Church of Rome that mother of abomination and that you Mr. Montague that have formerly undutifully deserted and forsaken her may with the Prodigall returne and yeild unto her your mother Christian and wonted duty and obedience Which I am confident will be more to your true comfort and honour than ever any thing done by you in all your life And now to begin I affirm for beliefe speculative and religion practicall it is orthodoxly and and clearely taught in the Church of England in all points and to begin with the speculative part Whatsoever I say is required of us to be knowne concerning God is perspicuously taught in the Church of England both in respect of the divine essence and nature of God as also of the persons in the blessed Trinity as likewise of their names and workes and of all their glorious attributes As that there is but one onely true God distinguished into the Father Sonne and holy Ghost the al-sufficient Jehovah Creator and governour of all things which onely living God the Church of England with an unanimous consent doth honour serve and worship in spirit and truth as he himselfe commands John 4. vers 24. and as he hath in all ages been worshipped by all the family of the faithfull that call upon his name in sincerity since the glorious ascension of Christ into Heaven and teaches the people so to worship him The Church of England doth fully likewise instruct the people in what a happy and blessed condition man was created being made after Gods owne Image and likenesse Genes 1. v. 27. and into what misery he afterwards plunged himselfe and all his posterity by reason of his transgression disobedience and infidelity in listning unto the suggestion of the diâ—â—ll as it is at large described in Genes chap. 3. And as it doth daily acquaint them with the nature of sinne the danger of it and the evill consequences that insue upon it as all manner of miseries here and eternall damnation hereafter if by timely repentance they breake not off the course of them which duty they daily exhort them unto In like manner it teacheth the people that next to the eternall love of God who in Christ Jesus made choice of them before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. v. 3 4 5. that they owe the whole worke of their redemption unto Jesus Christ alone who taking humane nature upon him was made sinne for us that knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. vers 21. So that if we consider the whole summe of our salvation and all the parts of it they are contained and comprehended in Christ to whom alone all the honour glory and praise of all our blessednesse both present and future is to be ascribed and not any parcell of it to be attributed to any creature in Heaven or earth So that if any desires to be saved and to be eternally blessed the Church of England instructs them there is no other meanes to
dictates unto us that if the holy Apostles in their writings give precepts unto all the Pastors and Teachers of the Church how they shall teach and instruct the people and prescribe unto them a rule which they are ever to follow and from which they may not swarve in their preaching and injoyne them withall to keepe that rule unblameable untill the second comming of the Lord Jesus Christ and in those instructions among other things in speciall charge them to take heed of all the Traditions and Precepts of men in Gods service and injoyne them also to reprove such as teach any other doctrine than that they have received from them and also command to shun and decline them that teach contrary to that doctrine I say as the Ministers of the Gospell have a rule set them by which they shall teach and from which they may not vary if they notwithstanding will goe beyond their commission and teach contrary yet the people are not to listen unto them or to heare them in so doing for they are bound and tied likewise by the same rule and written word to the contrary as by the places above specified is manifest and many more that follow But now Mr. Montague let us a little examine what Paul writeth to Timothy and Titus and in them to all Ministers and Teachers and what rules hee prescribeth unto them in their preaching and what rules after in the following Epistles and Writings of the Apostles are given to all Christians S. Paul in his 1 Epistle to Timothy before he comes to any particular instructions gives him a reason why he left him at Ephesus when he went into Macedonia and that was saith he vers 3.4 That thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine neither give heed to fables c. Here the Apostle ties all Ministers to the rule the Doctrine that they had received from him and the other Apostles And accounts all the Traditions of men fables and vanities as in the third Chapter he more fully declareth and in the 16 verse he saith Take heede unto thy selfe and unto thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this saith he thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee Here hee ties Timothy to the rule and tells him withall of the benefit that will redound unto him and others continuing in it and that is the salvation both of him and his hearers So that the swarving from it must needs be pernicious to both Teachers and Hearers And in the 5 chap. 21. J charge thee before God saith he and the Lord Jesus and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before an other And in chap. 6. vers 3. Jf saith hee any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesom words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse c. from such withdraw thy selfe Here againe he ties him to the rule to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ the doctrine taught by Christ as it is set down in the severall Gospells and commands Timothy to withdraw himselfe from all such as taught not according to that doctrine and in vers 13.14 I give thee charge saith hee in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Christ Iesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this Commandement without spot untill the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ Here is a rule given to the end of the World which all Teachers and Hearers are bound to observe and keepe The Ministers and preachers by it are to teach nothing contrary unto the wholesome words and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and what hee taught and the people they are not to receive or heare any thing contrary to that doctrine but both Ministers and people are commanded to shunne such and to withdraw themselves from them And in his second Epistle as if the Apostle could never sufficiently enough have taught all Ministers their duty in Chap. 1. vers 13. Hold fast saith he the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of mee in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Have a speciall care thou variest not from that way of teaching thou hast learned from mee the two principall heads of the which doctrine or the sum of which is faith and charity teach them the saving doctrine of faith therefore as I taught it according to the written Word ground all thy preaching concerning faith upon the Scripture not upon the vaine Traditions of men and humane authority but upon the written word So likewise when thou teachest them their duty of love both towards God and towards their Neighbours and one towards another instruct them in that according to the written Word and not after the Precepts and commandements of men and from this way of preaching swarve thou not but hold fast that forme of sound Words for so I taught thee And in Chap. 3. vers 14. Continue thou saith he in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them Here againe hee injoynes him to preseverance in that doctrine onely which he had taught him who was guided by the Spirit of God and confirmed all that hee taught out of the Scriptures and therefore there could be no doubt of the Truth of it and that he commands Timothy and all other Ministers to continue in their Teaching and not to vary from it or to give eare or heed unto the Traditions of men And in his Epistle to Titus chap. 1. vers 13.14 Wherefore saith he rebuke them sharply that they my be sound in the Faith Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandements of men which turne from the truth What Mr. Montague can be spoke more evident against all Traditions of men which teach that the worship of God consisteth in outward performances as in the observation of dayes and ceremonies and abstaining from Meats and Marriage all inventions of crafty men and which teach that wee must worship God according to the commandements of men when the Apostle in expresse words in Chap. 3. of the 1 of Timothy vers 12 3. affirmes that these are the doctrines of Devills and in this place commands Titus sharply roughly and plainely to reprove all such preachers as teach men by such performances to serve God or instruct them to worship him after the commandements and traditions of men and gives him a reason why Titus should sharply rebuke such teachers because saith he they that indoctrinate the people in this manner to serve God are so far from teaching the truth as they turn them from it and lead them into errours and by-waies to their eternall perdition Truely Mr. Montague if there were but this very Text in all the new Testament for our direction for the right serving of God it were enough for ever to deterre us from the traditions of men and to make us cleave close to the
whole worship of God that the Scripture denyes that they feared the Lord vers 34. because they did after their former manners and did not according to the Statutes and Ordinances and after the Law and Commandements which the Lord commanded to the children of Jacob whom he named Israel and therefore our Saviour Christ pronounces them void of salvation affirming they worshiped they knew not what and the Iewes knowing what they did worship that salvation was of the Iewes Ioh. 4. So that the truth of what I asserted is manifest that humane inventions in Gods service and wil-worship adulterates a true Church and overthrowes Religion for God will indure no mixtures Now Mr. Montague if one should in every particular compare the Church of Rome with either the children of Jsrael in all their idolatries or with the Church of Samaria in all her superstitious and fained inventions and fee what ruin and calamity came upon them by it and how by their idolatries they deprived themselves of Gods favour and of salvation we shall finde that the Church of Rome doth as far exceede either of them in idolatry superstition and all manner of profanenesse and wil-worship as a giant in greatnesse doth a pygme and therefore Mr. Montague if the Church of Rome doth not repent and renounce all her will-worship and her humane inventions as the Church of England hath done shee will partake of the same plagues that the people of Israel and Samaria did in this world and finally be deprived of life eternall and all those that do partake with her in her sinnes must partake with her in her plagues therefore Mr. Montague follow Christs counsell come out of Babylon lest you partake with her in her punishment if you will continue in her sinnes Imitate in this the Church of England who obeying the voyce of Christ her head and husband and comming out of Babylon and flying all Idolatry and will-worship proves her selfe to be a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and to be the pillar of truth and where salvation may be had And this might suffice to have spoke of wil-worship but in way of a corollary and for direction to all Christans what order to take or what meanes to use for the triall of all Doctrines Disciplines Service or Ceremonies I shall adde a word or two more and so conclude this point Our Saviour in the 11 of Mat. vers 30. gives unto men a Rule of direction which if they follow it will preserve them from all error and keepe them in the right way of serving of God The Baptisme of John was it from Heaven or of men Answer mee saith he inferring if it were of men that then it ought not to be entertained in Gods worship and that the Jewes knew very well In the same manner ought all Christians to examine and try every doctrine either of service ceremony or discipline whether it be of God or of men according to this Rule of Christ and that of Saint Paul in the first of the Thess chap. the 5. v. the 21. Try all things and keepe that which is good Now then Mr. Montague if we examine whose image and superscription every Ordinance beares and carries with it whether Cesars or Gods that is whether it be prescribed by human or Divine authority all the controversy then would speedily be ended for if it be of God and warranted by his Word then all ready obedience is to be yeilded unto it without reluctation when under that notion it is prescribed and ordered by the Magistrate But if it be a meere humane invention and hath no warrant from God our Father we ought to reject it So saith St. Paul the first of the Cor. chap. 7. v. 24. Brethren yee are bought with a price be not servants of men And in the first Chap. of the Epistle to the Gal. v. 8.9 But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you otherwise than that we have preached unto you let him be accursed As I said before so I say now againe if any man Preach unto you otherwise than that yee have received let him be accursed Here the Apostle doubles the curse upon all such as shall teach otherwise for Doctrine Service Discipline or Ceremonies than they were taught by him and the other Disciples And by his owne example in the verse following he teacheth us plainly that if we goe about to please men in receiving their Doctrines we cannot be the servants of God for we cannot serve two masters his words are these verse 10. For do I now perswade or preach mans doctrine or Gods or do I seeke to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ all therefore that intertaine and admit of humane inventions in Gods service and worship are proclaimed by the Apostle the servants of men and not of God A businesse of great concernment and worthy of due consideration And truly Mr. Montague if a man should run through all the new Doctrines for Service Discipline and Ceremonies in the Church of Rome and inquire whether they were from Heaven or of men we shall not in all Gods Word find any warrant for them for they are all the inventions of crafty men who imployed their wisdome and abilities of understanding to amuse the people with these outward performances and kept them from the glorious light of the Gospell that by this meanes having put out that shining and burning Candle of Truth they might better vent their Romish ware in the darke and lead the people into errors and by-wayes to the distraction and ruin of their poore soules for imposing upon them all their traditions and will-worship as the service of God and punishing the least neglect of their Ordinances with greater severity than the breach of all Gods Commandements it is manifest to all men that they are not onely the servants of men but lyable to the curse the Apostle here pronounces against all those that teach otherwise than they have received from him and make the poore people also subject to the same condemnation And therefore the Church of England in consideration of the great danger shee was in by reason of the prodigious idolatry and will-worship of the Church of Rome hath timely renounced all these inventions of men and serves God now in spirit and truth as all those that worship aright do John 4. and cleaves only to Jesus Christ and his teaching disavowing all humane inventions in Gods service and therefore is built upon the foundation of Peter and believes as it ought to believe And thus much I thought fit to speak concerning Will-worship And now I am come to the third part of my proposition viz. that the Church of England continueth stedfastly in the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets An infallible marke of a true Church By stedfastly continuing I understand such an adhering and cleaving to the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles
as they finde it in the written word of the old and new Testament as they make that and that only the Rule of their faith and obedience and no unwritten word or Traditions Councells or Fathers no farther than they are grounded upon the written word contained in the holy Bible And this the Church of England hath good warrant to do from Christs both precept and example and from both the Prophets and Apostles practice John the 5. v. the 39. Search the Scriptures saith Christ for in them yee thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testify of mee And v. 46.47 for had yee believed Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me but if yee believe not his writings how shall you believe my words Here our Saviour Christ ratifyes Moses his writings to be of Divine authority and equalizes them with if not prefers them before his owne words saying if yee believe not his writings how shall yee believe my words And in the sixteenth of Luke in the person of Abraham Christ sendeth all men that desire salvation to the writings of Moses saying v. 29 30 31. they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them if they would escape damnation and have eternall life And Dives sayd Nay Father Abraham but if one come unto them from the dead they will amend their lives and repent And he said unto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Here our Saviour tyes them precisely to the Scriptures and affirmes they are more prevalent to bring men unto Repentance and to save their soules than any miracles whatsoever and therefore that they are only to be cleaved unto by all the sonnes of Abraham And as he commanded all men to have recourse to Moses and the Prophets so all the time of his life and after his resurrection hee taught all his auditors out of the holy Scriptures Luke the 24. vers 27. and after that our Saviour Christ had upbrayded his Disciples for their unbeliefe He began saith the Evangelist at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded to them through all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe And vers 44. he said unto them These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Here our Saviour Christ instructs and teaches his Disciples onely out of the written Word and in them all Christians and sends them onely to the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmist and affirmes that they were the voice of God which the Lord spake and uttered by them All the Prophets likewise sent the people to the written word as Deut. 30. Isaiah 8. ver 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies saith the Prophet if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Lord by his Prophet sends all men to the written Word in which he declared his pleasure and will unto them and affirmes that they that speake not according to that Word they have no light in them that is they are in errour and darknesse according to that of our Saviour Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 22. ever sending them to the Scripture for knowledge And Malac. 4. the Lord there vers 4. Remember saith he the law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgements Here all the Church of the Jewes were sent unto the written Word and manded ever to remember that that was left by Gods appointment for the rule of their faith and obedience and to that onely they were stedfastly to cleave And Paul in Acts 24. vers 14. in his owne defence before Felix speakes thus This I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things in the Law and the Prophets The written word was the ground of his faith he continued stedfastly in the doctrine of the Prophets and taught all men so to doe proving and confirming his doctrine out of the holy Sciptures of the Prophets and convincing the Jewes out of them from morning to evening Acts 28. ver 23. And in Acts 26. ver 22. Witnessing saith the Apostle both to small and great saying no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Nothing but Scripture and the doctrine contained in them was the foundation of both the true Jewish and Christian Church And Apollos a man eloquent and mighty in the Scripture used the same way of teaching Acts 18. vers 28. who shewed by the Scriptures that Jesus was that Christ And Paul to the Thessalonians in the first Epistle chap. 5. vers 19 20. Quench not the spirit saith he despise not the Prophesies a thing worthy the noting after he had exhorted them to nourish in themselves the sparks of the Spirit of God kindled in them that they might not be deluded by any false spirit or conceive they had the Spirit when they had it not he ties them to the rule by which they should try the Spirits whether they be of God or not and that rule was the Prophesies of the old Testament and the studying of them As much as if he had said to the Thessalonians nourish daily within you all the graces of knowledge and wisdome the Spirit of God hath bestowed upon you and increase more and more in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus saying Quench not the Spirit and that you may the better increase in knowledge and abound in all gifts and graces and the truth and that ye may not be led away with any deceiving spirit and vaine delusion instead of true illumination after the manner of many enthusiasts who dreame of new inspirations new lights regulate your whole illumination and your spirit and knowledge according unto the written prophesies of the old Testament follow them and you cannot erre therefore saith he despise not the prophesies but by them try all things and keepe that which is good and agreeable to them and whatsoever is not agreeable to them is a meere delusion and not the true Spirit who is ever like it selfe and therefore he ties them to the prophesies of the old Testament as well as to the Scriptures of the new So Saint Peter in his second Epistle chap. 1. vers 19. We have also a more sure word of the Prophets saith he to the which ye doe well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts Here the holy Apostle Peter ties all Christians as well to the written Word of the old as to the Scriptures of the new This written Word was the foundation of the Church of the Jewes and
is of all Christians It was the praise of all the Christians of the Primitive Church that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2. ver 42. and that they searched the Scriptures as the Bereans And Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians chap. 2. vers 19 20. for their comfort tels them that they were not strangers and forainers but Citizens with the Saints and of the hâ—ushold of God and confirmes it unto them with a strong reason that they were the people of God and a true Church because saith he Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner Stone So that to continue constantly in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is an irresistible argument and proofe of a true Church and that it is built upon the foundation of Peter Which when the Church of England continueth in swarving in nothing from that rule but alwaies hearing the voice of Christ it is manifest they are his sheep and are of God for so saith Christ John 8. ver 7. He that is of God heareth Gods Words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God speaking there to the unbelieving Jewes And chap. 10. My sheepe saith he he are my voice ver 27. And in Chap. 18. ver 17. Every one saith Christ that is of the truth heareth my voice And St. John in his first Epistle chap. 4. ver 6. saith We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth us not Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error In these words St. John confirmeth that his own doctrine and the doctrine of all the Apostles was the assured Word of God and that they that were of God did heare it and that they that did not heare it that is obey it were not of God and that by this doctrine alone all men might distinguish truth from errour they that heare this doctrine are of the truth they that heare it not are led by the spirit of errour and are in darknesse Now then Mr. Montague when the Church of England in all things heareth the voyce of Christ and cleaveth onely to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles the Church of Rome is not grounded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but upon their vain traditions doctrines of men and will not suffer the Word of God to be read amongst the people nor permit the voice of Christ to be heard amongst them this necessarily followes from thence that the Church of England is a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and the Church of Rome is a false Church and founded upon errour and delusion And therefore Mr. Montague if you desire salvation come out of that confused Babylon into the bosome of the Church of England that teacheth the way the truth and the life and you will finde rest unto your soule And this shall satisfie to have spoken of this third part of my proposition Now I come to the fourth part viz. that in the Church of England the Gospell is purely preached repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sacraments rightly administred and in which there is the true invocation of God Another infallible and never deceiving note of a true Church which were it single and alone were sufficient to evince to the whole world that the Church of England is a true Church and built upon the foundation of Peter and therefore believes as it ought to believe By the pure preaching of the Gospell and right administration of the Sacraments and the true invocation of God I understand when all things are done in the ministry and preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments and invocation of the name of God and prayer according to Christs institution and according to the commission delivered unto the Apostles without addition of any thing or diminution but observing all things according unto the rule prescribed in all punctuall manner by such as God hath fitted for wisdome learning and all divine knowledge for that holy imployment and who doe accordingly in all uprightnesse sincerity and godly simplicity following the example of Paul 2 Cor. 2. vers 17. We saith he are not as many which make merchandise of the Word of God but of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ The Apostles did nothing in the ministry craftily or coveteously or lesse sincerely than they ought as more fully is expressed in chap. 4. ver 2. where he saith We have cast from us the cloake of shame and walke not in crafrinesse neither handle we the Word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth we approve our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God The Apostles preached the Gospell without subtilty and deceipt seeking no lurking-holes to cover their shamelesse dealing they preached not with excellency of words as Paul in 1 Cor. 2. declares or of wisdome in shewing the testimony of God which was the Gospell neither was their word and preaching in the inticing speach of mans wisdome but in plaine evidence of the Spirit and of power and not for self-ends After this example of the blessed Apostle is the Gospell preached by the Ministers of the Church of England who dispense the Ordinances according to their Commission neither adding nor detracting from it in any thing but withall care sedulity and watchfulnesse without base ends and self-respects attend upon the Ministry in their particular places and as they are made Watchmen unto their flockes by God himselfe so they receive the word from his mouth and give warning to the people Ezek. 3. ver 17. and they swerve not from the rule which will the better appeare if we examine the Commission the Lord Jesus gave to the Apostles Matth. 28. ver 19. Goe therefore saith Christ and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway untill the end of the world Their commission was limited that they should speake nothing but what Christ commanded them nothing of their owne heads and braines and keeping themselves within their limits they were ever sure of Gods presence and assistance who had promised them and all their successours in so doing to be with them to the end of the world they were bound therefore to teach nothing but Gods commands and that the holy Apostles observed and commanded all men though an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than they had taught them not to heare them under a fearefull curse Galat. 1. Now when the Church of England diligently keepes it selfe to the Commission given by Christ unto his Apostles and preaches the Gospell in all purity without any mixture of their owne
he shall be saved c. in the which words there are two things observable the first that Christ onely is the doore of Heaven no entrance but by him according to that of Saint Peter Acts 4. ver 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given no other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved The second thing out of these words observable is this that they that enter in by this doore shall be saved and by no other meanes for John 14. ver 6. Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me In which words Christ doth not onely teach us that he is the way but asserts that there is no other way to come unto God but by him if we will be saved therefore whatsoever waies to salvation either men doe devise and invent or the devill suggests to abuse the world God hath appointed no other way to Heaven and to be saved by but Jesus Christ alone he onely is the Mediator both of Jewes and Gentiles Ephes 2. vers 18. For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father And in chap. 3. v. 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him what neede then have men of any other Mediator seeing that the Son Jesus Christ makes the Father propitious and favorable unto us and seeing that entring in by the doore we attaine unto salvation which is the end of our hope 1 Pet. 1. When Christ ascended into Heaven he promised his Apostles to send them his holy Spirit the Comforter which should lead them into all truth and solace them and helpe them in all their tribulations and S Paul in the 8 of the Rom. v. 26. saith Likewise also the Spirit helpes our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and hee that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Now let us take notice how the Spirit of God teacheth all men to pray who knoweth best what is the Will of God Yee have not saith the Apostle verse 15. received the Spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee have received the Spirit of adoption whereby yee cry Abba Father that is with earnestnesse to cry Father Father Those then that call upon Saints and Angels have not as yet received the spirit of adoption who teacheth them alwayes to direct their Prayers unto God and to cry Father Father but the Spirit of error and delusion And in Gal. 4. v. 6. Because yee are Sonnes saith the Apostle God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father From the which words as from the former it is easy to conclude that they that teach men to call upon Saints and Angels are not guided and moved by the Spirit of God and Christ for all the Prayers that the Spirit of God and Christ frame in our hearts are addressed and directed unto God alone Withall we may observe in both the places cited that the Spirit teacheth us not onely to say but makes us cry Abba Father thereby instructing us to cast away all vaine feares and to come unto God with confidence and all assurance according to that in the. Heb. 4. v. 15 16. For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Here againe we are directed to come unto God only and to our Mediator when we approach to the Throne of grace neither can we addresse ourselves to any other better than unto Christ in regard that he best knowes our necessities before whom there is not any creature that is not manifest and in whose sight with whom we have to doe all things are naked and open neither is there any that has more compassion and is more touched with a feeling of our infirmities than hee who was in all points tempted like as we neither is there any that has more ability and all-sufficiency to succour help or save us than Christ who has all power in Heaven and Earth given him for the good of his people and reliefe of his Church And in regard likewise that all our Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are spirituall Sacrifices and all Sacrifices ought only to be offered to God alone and that in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ As Judges 13. v. 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou must offer it to God alone Psal 50. v. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee here we see that all Thanksgivings and prayses must be given to him onely to whom wee put up our Prayers and according to this rule have all the holy Prophets Apostles and all the Saints powred out their Prayers and Praises to God alone in the name of Jesus Christ and have directed others so to do as Eph. 5. v. 20. Giving thankes alwayes for all things unto God even the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and saith Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 2. v. 5. Yee also as lively stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-Hood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And therefore they will not be acceptable except they be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ And Heb. 13. v. 15. Let us therefore by him offer the sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruit of the lips giving thanks to his name So that if we wil follow the direction of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and be taught by God as all believers are Iohn 6. v. 45. then all our prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings are to be put up to God alone in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ and by the assistance of the holy Spirit And this is the Doctrine that all true Christians are bound to persevere and continue in to the last drop of their bloud and if an Angell from Heaven should teach us any other doctrine as invocation of Saints and Angels he is to be accursed Gal. 1. v. 8. The Apostle in that place alluding unto that which is spoken in the first of the Kings chap. 13. where the Prophet sent by the Lord to cry against the Altar of Ieroboam was commanded not to eate bread or drinke water nor to returne the same way and so he answered the King inviting him to goe to his house that if he would give him halfe his house that he would not go with him and gave him a