it was created except some great contrarietie befall to the hinderance thereof But man was created to know and to love God and to see his wisdome in the creature and to honour him therfore and doing thus to be happie for ever thereby yet nothing of this is done accordingly by any among all the sons of Adam therefore some great hindrance and contrarietie is come between But nothing that good is could be an hindrance to this great good nor yet any thing which is without the man himselfe Therefore mans sinne alone which hath infected all hath beene the onely hinderance of all this good 4. The holy Scripture shewes the truth of this in Iob 14.4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of uncleannesse not one And Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceived mee Rom. 5.12 By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Ephes 2.3 Wee re all by nature the children of wrath And this is that taint of originall sinne which being bred in every mans bones will never out of the flesh And concerning actuall sinne you may reade those Scriptures which are cited by S. Paul Rom. 3. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become filthie there is none that doeth good no not one c. from v. 9. to 18. CHAP. XVIII That there is a restoring of Man to a better life and further hope than that from which our parents fell BVt if the whole world be thus become guiltie before God is it for this end that the whole world may bee subjected to eternall death God forbid but as sin hath abounded unto condemnation so hath the grace and righteousnesse of God abounded much more unto everlasting life for as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation so by the righteousnesse of one the free pardon came unto all men for justification unto life See Rom. 5. Chap. Therefore lest man at the sight of his owne perfections should sinne through pride unrecoverably as the devils it was permitted that Adam should sinne as hee did that a way might bee made for the justice and mercie of God to bee manifest and that man at the sight of his sinne might be humbled before his Creator and so received to grace The whole world then being liable to the justice of God by that sinne of our first father as hath beene shewed now it remaines in this place to prove that there is a possibilitie to returne to God in whose favour and acceptance onely is life and happinesse And for the more cleere proofe hereof let us first lay this sure foundation that all the workes of God and all the possibilities in the creature are knowne to him from all eternitie Secondly that to doe well and right and to withstand sinne and the temptations of the devill requires a positive strength and grace in the heart of man which grace man cannot take unto himselfe because no creature can be partaker either of being or of strength or any good but onely so far forth as it is imparted thereunto and where the want of strength is the effect of that want on all occasions must needs appeare So that since Adams fall man being not onely deprived of that strength to resist sinne which Adam had but also infected with a naturall corruption and inclination to sin which they call concupiscence man hath no helpe in himselfe to helpe himselfe upon which grounds the reason will follow thus If there be not a possibility of the restoring of man into the favour and grace of God from which hee fell by his sin then could not the justice of God be without great iniquity and injustice Let him be mercifull that we speake according to the manner of men that is according to that reason and understanding which he hath given unto men for the manifestation of his glorie and grace For if God in the infinity of his wisdome foreseeing that man being created would sin and yet would create him and for his sin utterly cast off the whole race of mankinde to destruction neither could any place of mercie bee found with him for which the creature could give him glorie neither could that justice be but with great injustice inasmuch as they that never were should without any desert be created to eternall punishment and they that had done the least sinnes nay they that had done neither good nor ill as they that die in their infancie should bee shut out to eternall death aswell as they that all their life time had followed all manner of sinne with greedinesse So also all the commandements of God tending to the amendment of life and all his threatnings and promises should be in vaine So also all the endeavours of holy and devout men who through his grace strive to the masterdome of their owne wickednesse and all the constancie of them who have suffered for the profession of his truth and service should be unrewarded So vertue should have no advantage over vice in the difference of the reward But all these things are impossible therefore there is a restoring of man to that favour and grace of God from which he was separate by his sinne 2. If there were not a restoring of mankinde to that estate from which he is fal'n then the sin of man a finite creature should be more powerfull to the destruction of the worke of God who made man to everlasting life than the power wisdome of God should to the upholding of the creature in that estate wherein he created it So ill and sin things not being shold have preheminence for mischiefe above an infinite power and goodnesse for glorie and happinesse But this is impossible therefore as by sinne there was a generall wrack of mankinde so it is necessarie that there be a generall restoring powerfull and sufficient for the sinnes of the whole world avayleable and effectuall to all that beleeve it and shew the fruit of their faith by their strife against sinne and doing such good workes as God hath created that we should walke in them 3. Faith hope charity temperance and all other Christian and morall vertues are the worke of Gods Spirit in man who of himselfe is not able no not to thinke a good thought But it is impossible that the Spirit of God should worke in vaine or to no end in the heart of man to beleeve the forgivenesse of his sinnes and to hope for everlasting life c. or that God should not accept his owne worke in his creature which is ever for the good of the creature Therefore there is a restoring of man to those hopes of happinesse which he had lost 4. The continuance of the world and the creatures therein by a being of infinite power wisdome and goodnesse must bee to an end exceedingly good therefore there is a restoring of man
and Iustice was disesteemed therein Then in respect of the good of which man deprived himselfe by his sinne that was life eternall as the Father saith factus est dignus molo aterno qui in se perimit bonum quod poterat esse aeternum Thirdly in respect of the manly nature dispoyled of grace and glory which nature by the blessing which Adam had received was multipliable into infinite multitudes of men In all which respects that sinne after a sort may well be said infinite 2. But good is more powerfull and active than ill seeing ill neither is but in that which is good nor workes but in the power thereof Therfore if man by one ill deed were able to destroy himselfe much more by many good deeds shall he be able to make satisfaction Answer Ill is in every want or failing of that which is good but Good holds all perfections whether in being or in working Therefore man might easily corrupt himselfe but being corrupted hee cannot possibly repaire himselfe nor yet doe any thing that is good or acceptable Math. 7.18 12.33 3. But the satisfaction being now made are wee not restored unto as good an estate by the suffering of Christ as that which Adam lost so that if Adam for his obedience sake might have lived a naturall life eternally wee also for our workes sake may bee accounted worthy of everlasting blisse For if wee be restored by Christ and for his sake accepted our workes likewise are for his sake both accepted and rewarded according to their merit Answer I say that our estate is farre better than Adams in this that his hope of everlasting life being set in his owne obedience did instantly faile but ours standing in the obedience of Christ who is made to us righteousnesse sanctification redemption and life can never faile For therefore because that pretious treasure of eternall life was so carelesly kept by Adam God who loved the salvation of mankinde better then man himselfe would in no wise commit the keeping of that jewell to man any more Therefore though sinne have no power to condemne them that are in Christ yet is it still suffered to dwell in us that wee should not trust in our selves but in the living God For as the Father saith Multum nobis in hoc carue tribucremus nisi usque ad ejus depositionem sub veniâ viveremus Aug. de Civ lib. 10. cap. 22. And although Adam by the grace and favour of his Creator might have continued in the estate in which hee was created if hee had stood in his innocency yet could hee not even then have beene said to merit everlasting life For merit or hire comes ever for that which is above duty which cannot bee in the creature towards the Creator As to a hired servant the wages merit or hire comes for his worke because it was in his power whether hee would labour for that master or no being not bound unto him but for his hire but in a bondman the possession of his Lord all his service and labour is his Lords to require and imploy it as it pleaseth him Luke 17.8.9 and this is the condition of the whole creature to the Lord and Creator of all And if Adam in his innocency could not merit much lesse can sinnefull man merit any thing but affliction and death by his sinne and service to the devill to whom hee is no way bound but by his sinne And this difference the Apostle maketh Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death but the free gift of God is eternall life 4. But are wee not commanded to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 and is not the sentence of everlasting life pronounced for the workes of charity which were foreseene in us and for which the kingdome of heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Math. 25. vers 34.35.36 Answer What merit can any man claime for that which another hath principally wrought in him And if God worketh in us to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 what is our worke but that wee should with joy runne after Him that drawes vs Cant. 1.4 Therefore although good workes are ordained of God that wee should walke in them and that wee are created thereunto Eph. 2.10 and that God who chose us in Christ to bee heires of glory ordained all the meanes thereto and workes in us to bee ready to every good worke and thereby makes our calling and election sure unto us yet is not that worke solely and intirely ours but chiefely of the grace and spirit of Christ that dwels in us and crownes His owne good workes in us with everlasting life 1 Cor. 15.10 So then our workes must vanish that every mouth may bee stopped and the whole world may bee guilty before God Rom. 3.19 So that every man notwithstanding his owne workes even the chiefest among the Saints may with Iob abhorre himselfe and repent in sackcloth and and ashes Iob. 42.6 5. The naturall desires common to all men cannot bee in vaine because they come not unto them out of any particular choyse or present necessity but by influence or direction of that common nature which is in all men which though it cannot effect it yet hath it shewed what is to bee wrought for the uttermost good of every particular by the Lord of Nature But every man by the inclination of his owne will doth desire the uttermost perfection and happpinesse of his owne being which hee acknowledges to bee in being united to that which is the greatest good and the enjoying thereof in eternall life Therefore every man by the guidance of nature it selfe doth returne unto God as the Author and Finisher of his happinesse Answer No agent can worke of it selfe above the proper strength and power of it selfe And eternall life is a thing beyond the limits of naturall knowledge and desire which mindes onely the well-being and continuance of the whole man according to the present estate of this naturall life alone But because Hee that wils not the death of a sinner Ezech. 33.11 would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 therefore are all men so farre instructed or at least if they doe not willfully winke may bee so farrē instructed either by the voyce of the creature or by certaine inbred notions or by tradition or by an influence of grace denyed to none that they may know the eternall power and Godhead Rom. 1.20 and the immortality of the soule in a better estate then this life can afford as hath beene said before in Pref. And this is that universall grace which wee may yeeld to bee vouchsafed to all not onely without the visible Church but much more within the Church where by the cleare light of the Holy Scripture all may and ought to know particularly whatsoever is meet for their soules health And this universall grace I say further wee ought to yeeld unto because
sentence pronounced Come yee blessed receive the Kingdome prepared for you for I was hungry and ye gave Mee meat c. and on the other side Depart ye cursed for I was hungry and ye gave Me no meat c. Mat. 25.35 to 46. Ans It cannot bedenied but that the sentence of condemnation upon the reprobate is according to their workes as the deseruing causes thereof For not to beleeve in Christ is that great sin which is the cause of condemnation Ioh. 3.18 and 16.9 Neither is a dead faith ought worth but that faith onely is accepted which worketh by love Galat. 5.6 without which it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 And if all things that are not of faith be sinne Rom. 14.23 Then the wicked works of Infidels and Hypocrites and much more their violent and wilfull rebellions must needs be concurrent causes of their condemnation But the faithfull are therefore called to possesse the kingdome 1. Because they are blessed of the Father 2. Because they are predestinate thereto and the kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world So their workes come not as causes of their happinesse but onely as the fruits of their faith But because workes onely and not faith in the heart are manifest to the world therefore is the comparison made onely of the workes both of the godly and of the wicked that the justice of God may be manifested in rewarding the workes that are manifest to man But you will say if men for their ill deeds doe merit hell why should they not by their good workes merit heaven See the answere Chap. 19. Object 2. and 3. 3. A third question may arise concerning that which is said Luke 21.32 This generation shall not passe till all be fulfilled why then was not the judgement long agoe Answer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a generation in the narrow signification doth signifie that multitude of men which are alive at once and withall that time in which it is supposed they shall all be dead which in common reckoning is 100. yeeres And in this sence the saying of our Lord must be referred only to that which He had spoken concerning the overthrow of Ierusalem which followed about fourty yeeres after and the signes which should goe before that As the preaching of the Gospel in all the world See Col. 1.6 False Christs See Note g on Chapter 24. Warres Pestilence c. But because our Lord after the answeres to the three questions made by the disciples Matth. 24.3 1 Of the destruction of Ierusalem 2. Of the signe of His comming 3. Of the end of the world addes these same words This generation shall not passe c. vers 34. a generation cannot bee so narrowly taken in this place but rather it must signifie as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Saeculum and so taking the infancy of the world in the time of nature for one generation that middle age under the Law for another and then this old age of the word under the Gospel there is no other generation or change of state in the Church to be looked for but in this very generation all things shall be fulfilled And therefore Saint Iohn saith 1 Epist 2.18 This is the last time And although Saint Peter say 1 Epist 4.7 That the end of all things is at hand and that therefore we should be sober and watch unto prayer because we know not when our Lord shall call us to a particular account of our stewardship when all things of this world are ended with us Yet Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. directly affirmeth in his time that that great day of God should not come till the Apostasie was revealed which could not be till he that withheld that is the Imperiall power that then ruled was taken out of the way 4. But seeing that day of God is so terrible to the wicked as that they put it farre from them and againe so much desired of the godly as that they cry Come Lord Iesus Come it may seeme not altogether unfit to see some reasons of their different desires Concerning the wicked it is manifest that they being condemned already in their owne consciences have great cause to wish that there were no day of judgement no judge no tormentors But the faithfull in Christ who have the testimony of God in their hearts that their sinnes are covered have great reason to desire that day First and above all that the glory of God His mercy and justice may be manifest Secondly that the merit of Christs sufferings may appeare to the glory of His grace in them that they may have the actuall possession of that happinesse which they have here onely in the assurance of hope And no lesse doe they desire that comming that the body of sinne may be truely abolished For which desires sake even death it selfe is here in life oftentimes desired and when it comes is most willingly embraced because that thereby they are justified from their sin Rom. 6.7 And among other causes for which they pray that the Kingdome of God may come this is one that although euen because they refraine from ill therefore doe they make themselues as a prey Esay 59.15 yet in that day the trueth of their innocency shall be knowne And although here the more innocent and harmelesse a man is the more is hee subject to injuries slanders and surmises and that because men have forsaken the feare of the Almightie and having forgotten that he that taketh up not onely hee that raiseth a slander which every base varlet may doe but hee that beleeveth it and and much more he that furthereth it hath no part in that Kingdome Psal 15.3 Yet they use their tongues as if they were their owne and remember not that they must give an account of every idle much more of every lying and hurtfull word And heere there be some which doubt not to say that the godly may desire the comming of that day that they may see the reward of the wicked perhaps upon that text where it is said The Righteous shall be glad when he seeth the vengâ—ance Psal 58.10 But I suppose it necessary to answere with this difference That so farre foorth as a wicked man or men are declared the enemies of God of Christ of His Church a Christian may say Doe not I hate them ô Lord that hate thee yea I hate them with perfect hatred as if they were mine enemies Psal 139. ver 21.22 the hatred must be of their sinnes not of their persons but concerning those offences that are towards a mans owne selfe let the same mind be in us which was in Christ Iesus who suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow His steps who being reviled reviled not againe who being mocked and wounded yet made intercession for the transgressors Therefore though thine enemies despight thee dayly without a cause though he that eates thy bread lift up
for their justification unto life although they were not baptized as it doth stand with His justice to condemne them because they are tainted by their Parents For the children of the faithfull see the judgement of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.14 For the Infants of infidels I say onely this What hast thou to doe to judge another mans servant Hierax and his followers are accounted hereticks because they condemned the Children that died before they had knowledge yet brought he a shew of authoritie for his opinion out of 2. Tim. 2.5 No man is crowned except he strive But I answere that Christ in His agony did strive for them and His merit apprehended by the faith of the Parents brings them within the compasse of the Covenant made to Abraham and to his seed as Saint Paul argues Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.6 7 8. and 1. Cor. cited before Epiph. Haer. 67. addes hereunto auctorities which make the case most cleere especially for the Infants of the faithfull as that in Psal 145.9 His tender mercies are over all his workes and Matth. 21.16 Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou perfected thy prayse Matt. 19.14 Of such is the Kingdome of Heaven and argues that although the Children of Bethlehem had not knowledge of Him for whom they suffered yet can it not bee but that they should bee partakers of glory for His sake for whom they suffered Hereto you may take that in Matth. 18.14 It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish 3. But the Doctors square most about them that lived both to know and to doe both good and ill For some thinke that all such must come into judgement for all their workes their words and thoughts But others say that neither the Infidells because hee that beleeveth not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 nor among the beleevers they that are perfect shall come into judgement because there is nothing in them for which they should be condemned But if the infidells never heard how could they beleeve Rom. 10.17 and is there any among the beleevers that can say his heart is cleane Therefore the great businesse in the judgement will be as they suppose about them that knew God and lived in His Religion whose workes good and bad being examined and compared together if the good be moe and over-ballance the bad the doers shall be justified unto eternall life but if the ill deeds exceed they shall be condemned to punishment This seemes to bee the judgement of Lactantius lib. 7. cap. 20. to whom as syding with him Iohn Voss De extr Iud. Pte 1. Thess 4. writes Ierom August Greg. the Greate and Isidore of Sivil But Lactantius hath many things concerning the worlds restoring and the last judgement which to many of this age would seeme strange which perhaps wee may see hereafter Ierom and Augustine are by and by brought by him into the number of them that thinke that all sinnes indifferently shall be brought into judgement though not by way of enquirie or examination yet of condemnation as Ierom speakes impios negatores non judicabit sed arguet condemnatos And thus you see how the Saints already have judged the world But let us see how farre it is fit to approve or reprove their judgment Sect. 2 § 2. First concerning the faithfull in Christ because they as I said before § 3. num 5. at the houre of their death are admitted into a degree of everlasting happinesse and are put in the full assurance of the perfection thereof at the resurrection of their bodies their sinnes are assuredly pardoned and the pardon by those graces is sealed unto them And after their sinnes fully pardoned to bring them againe into remembrance at the generall judgement seemes too inconvenient Therefore they shall be partakers of that blessing which is Iohn 5.24 never to come into judgement And Psal 32. verse 1.2 that their sinnes shall be forgiven fullie covered and no way imputed unto them and in this respect are they equall unto the Angels because their sinnes shall be forgotten as cast into the botome of the Sea but the good deeds which God hath wrought in them and by them shall be remembred that they may be rewarded and thus far wee follow the Doctors But because their judgements are otherwayes contrary to the rule which is 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will both bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the Counsells of the hearts Let us first see what the Scripture saith of the infidells whom they so cast away as that they hold them not fit to be judged then let us looke on that which they speake concerning the comparison of good and ill workes together for eternall life or eternall punishment 1 For the first it is manifest by Saint Paul that the workes of the Gentiles whom they call infidells shall come into judgement where hee saith Rom. 2. verse 14 15 16. That the Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the Law shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing them in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this written word of the Law is the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 And seeing every man whether Christian Iew or Gentile hath the knowledge of sinne in himselfe therefore is every mouth stopped thereby and all the world is become guilty before God and consequently subject to judgement as Saint Iude saith verse 14. and 15. Behold the Lord commeth to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deedes and of all their hard speeches 2. Moreover seeing wee doe not put all sinnes to be equall as the Stoicks but doe beleeve and know that the Iudge of all the world will doe right and that the greater sinnes shall have the sorer punishment if all the Gentiles or infidells bee not equally sinners it is necessary that the award of their punishment and so the execution thereof be also different and unequal as it is said That every one shall receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it bee good or ill Vpon which ground wee may safely conclude against them of the contrary opinion that every mans deeds of what Nation or sect soever hee bee except before excepted and especially the deeds of the reprobate shall bee particularly examined that the cause of their condemnation may appeare to be most just 3. Thus our Lord speaks of the Queene of the South and the men of Ninive that shall rise in judgement and condemne that hard-hearted generation thus of Tyre and Sidon that should more favourably be dealt with then those wicked Cities where his glorious miracles being wrought had no power to turne them
not this knowledge of Christ and yet whosoever is saved among them cannot be saved by any other meanes then by His mediation and satisfaction therfore this being among those secret things which belong unto God Deut. 29.29 Wee must leave it unto Him as to choose among them whom He will take to Himselfe So also how Hee will make the Saviour knowne unto them § 3. Now concerning that sentence which is to passe upon them that are to be judged by the ballancing of their workes good and ill as was shewed before I affirme as our holy Church hath taught me out of the holy Scriptures Art 12. That good workes can neither put away our sinnes nor availe vs any thing for satisfaction for our sinnes towards God much lesse merit eternall life no nor endure the severity of Gods judgement if He should examine our best workes yea even our prayers are not without sinne according to the rule of His justice And therefore to teach that we shall be justified unto everlasting life if our good workes shall be moe and more heauy then our ill or if our ill exceed we shall be damned is a line of heresie contrary to the wholesome words of the holy Scripture as where our Lord saith Luke 17.10 When yee shall have done all those things which are commanded you say wee are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duty to doe Saint Paul also saith Rom. 3.24 Wee are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Read further what you find to this purpose to the 15. verse of Chap. 4. Moreover seeing in many things wee sinne all how can it be thought that the workes of a finite creature can any way be accepted for satisfaction of sinnes against an infinite justice I answer That it doth I but we are commanded to worke out our salvation Answer This argument with other to the like purpose you may find with their answeres in the end of the 19. Chapter One text of Scripture there is 2 Cor. 5.10 which is directly to this Article of the last judgement And because it troubled me for a long time and may perhaps trouble the minds of others that have as little understanding as my selfe I will willingly helpe them as I was holpen The words are We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Why blessed Paul quoth I what new Gospel is this Is the merit of Christ so vanished that we must be justified according to our workes If so then certainely Christ did die in vaine I imparted my doubt but found no satisfaction then I remembred that this second Epistle was as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an addition or further explication of such things as the Corinthians had enquired and to which he had answered in the former as you read Chap 7.1 And so I tooke this text to stand as a proposition for further proofe of the resurrection thus The Law of justice requires that every man should suffer in his body according to that which he hath done be it good or bad Therefore the body shall rise againe At last conferring with my reverend and learned friend Master R. S. about this text he taught me the true understanding thereof with more joy to me then if he should have given me the wealth of an Alderman or the honour of a great Lord to wit That the faithfull being received into everlasting life for the merit and satisfaction of Christ which is made theirs by faith and to the penny given Mat. 20. their obedience also shall be crowned according to the difference of their workes And thus the Saints in the resurrection shall differ as one starre differeth from another in glory And as it is in the reward of the Saints so shall the difference be in those punishments which shal be awarded unto the wicked as it is said Lu. 12 47 48. The seruant that knew His Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to His will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes And therefore thou that art called by that glorious name of a Christian see that thy workes be answerable to thy profession for it is not the bare name or profession onely that shall availe thee any thing Non honor est sed onus species laesura ferentem unlesse thou doest walke according to the rule of Christianity Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity otherways it will be easier for those Pagans and Infidells whom thou doest condemne then for thee b There shall not be any remembrance See the Note a before § 2. c That confessed the resurrection Some twenty sects of heretickes may be reckoned that denyed the resurrection of the body and all these are bound to deny the generall judgement in that sence as we understand it But Iohn Vossius De extr Iud Thes 1. writes out of Philastrius but leaves it to your courtesie to beleeve it That 4. sects of hereticks did in particular deny this Article But Philastrius walkes alone for neither they that write of heresies before him as Irenaeus and Tertullian nor Epiphanius in his owne time nor Augustine after him mention any such thing Concerning the Borborites and Florinians whom he accuses they held nothing to infringe this Article either directly or by any consequence But Proclus because he denyed that Christ was come in the flesh denyed it in our meaning but not absolutely The Manichees were indeed farre from hence not onely because they said that Christ redeemed onely the soules of men but especially because they denyed the resurrection of the body How much better thought the heathen who though they knew not the resurrection nor the generall judgement as wee yet they held a particular judgement as it appeares by Acacus Manos and Radamanth and so joy in Elysium and torments in hell as you may reade in Platoes Phaedon in Virgil Aeneid lib. 6. and elsewhere Quà m penè furvae regna Proserpinae Et judicantem vidimus Aeacum c. d Never to be reversed Sibyl toward the end of her second booke seemes to dispense with the rigour of this sentence and to leane to that heathenish fancy of purgatory not that of the Papists but that when the damned have in hell payed thrice so much punishment as their sinnes came to then at the entreaty of the Saints they shall bee freed from thence into Elysium For if you reade her verses that goe before and after they will sound so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another thing th' Eternall God unto the Saints will grant When they shall humbly pray unto His sacred Maiesty To save men from
also may bee holy even as Hee which hath called them is Holy and that according to the Law or rule of a sanctified life according to which they ought to live and count it their present misery that they are still subject unto sinne and so in their spirit they serve the Law of God though in their flesh the law of sinne See Rom. 1.25 But so many of this Church as are already freed from this bondage of corruption in the assurance of eternall blisse waite in hope for the redemption of their bodies so that both in body and soule they may serve the living God Obiect 2 Object 2. But why doe you call them holy men Can neither Women nor Children be heires of eternall life Answere As the word Homo in Latine signifies any of the race of man-kind as homo nata est Shee was borne man Serv. Sulp. ad Cic. So is man often used in English and therefore by the title of the most worthy the whole race of man kind is here understood So that not onely they which are within the virge of the visible Churches and have the ordinary meanes of faith that is the word and sacraments are comprehended hereby but also such as have not those meanes as they that live in the Countreys of Panims and Gentiles yea and of the Pagans themselues all such as the Lord our God shall call Neither may wee presume to forbid them to come unto God who seeme denied of the outward meanes of knowledge as the deafe the blind the Idiots in as much as God the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 16.22 can by His Spirit guide the will and informe the understanding as it pleases him Prov. 21.1 See further hereto Note a § 2. n. 4. on Chap. 32. And thus you understand what is meant by men and withall why the Church is called Catho ike or Vniversall namely because it holds the number of Gods chosen which haâ—e beene or shall be called out from the rest of all the men of the world from Adam unto the last man that shall be borne as this Church confesseth unto Christ Rev. 5.9 Thou had redeemed us unto God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and Nation and people The last circumstance is concerning the predestination of them that are in this Church for seeing none can be glorified but they that are justified in Christ neither can any one bee justified but such as are called and predestinate Rom. 8.30 and seeing that to the infinite wisedome of God all his workes are knowne and determined Act. 15.18 it is impossible that any one can be a member of this Church but onely such as God out of His eternall love hath predestinate thereunto Object 1 Object But there is one God and Creatour of all whose mercie is over all His workes and He hateth nothing that He hath made And therefore it may seeme that all are equally predestinate unto eternall life if all doe equally lay hold thereon Answere As the creature could not cause it selfe to bee So neither being corrupted by originall sinne can it change that being wherein it is See Art Eccl. 10. and seeing God alone doth worke in us both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2.13 it is not in any man of Himselfe to lay hold on eternall life nor to endâ—auour any thing thereto no not so much as to will or desire it without the speciall woâ—ke of God in him who worketh all things according to the counsell of His owne will Ephe. 1.11 So man though made upright yet being originally corrupted and left to the hand of his owne will cannot cease to sinne And although God permit him to follow his owne wayes yet that permission is no cause of any mans sinne nor puts it any thing in the reprobate why he should sinne But in the predestinate it is not so For he renews them in the spirit of their mind unto sanctification converting their will and making them ready unto every good worke Object 2 2. Object If then predestination be not of all men unto eternall life and yet that all men are in one and the same state of nature corrupted by the sinne of Adam It may seeme that God did predestinate and chuse out of the masse of man-kind those onely whom He did fore-see that they would bee excellent for their good works and so for their future merits sake adopted them to bee heires of eternall life Answere God is debtor to no man and where bee that gives is no way bound the gift can no way be accounted but onely of his free will that giveth so Predestination hath no other originall but onely the meere free-will of the Almighty God But if our works fore-seene were any cause of our predestination 1. How then could it bee of His mercy onely Rom. 9.16 2. How could it bee according to the good pleasure of His will Ephe. 1.5 3. How were it to the glory of His grace if the worthinesse of our workes foreseene had any right therein Ephe. 16 4. How were our boasting excluded Rom. 3.27 if they were the cause of our happines 5. And if our workes fore-seene be the cause of our predestination then also of all the consequents thereof as of our election calling justification and glorification But this is most false See 2. Tim. 1.9 Therefore also the former 6. Moreover what good workes can bee in man which God Himselfe doth not worke in us as the Prophet saith Esay 26.12 O Lord thou hast wrought all our workes in us 7. If God have created good workes that wee should walke in them and good workes acceptable to God bee found only in them that are predestinate and chosen to life it followes that good workes are fore-seene in us not as the cause but as the fruits and effects of predestination For if they can be no other than the effects of Gods grace in us they cannot be fore-seene as a cause of His grace towards us This objection is laid to them of the Romane Church but as farre as I have any acquaintance with them I find no such thing by them Tho. Aqu. contr Gent. lib. 3. Can. 163. teacheth the contrary and gives his reasons The grace of God saith hee is an effect of predestination and goes before all humane merit 2. The Divine will and Providence are the cause of all other things For of Him in Him and for Him are all things Neither can it be accounted the doctrine of their Church for in the 7. Can. Sess 6. Core Trid. where all the causes of the justification of man in the state of Nature are reckoned up efficient finall formall instrumentall the meritorions cause is put onely the suffering of our Lord who thereby made full satisfaction to God and merited justification for us And if wee be justified onely by the merit of Christ and not by any merit fore-seene in us then are we called chosen and predestinate
Scripture the Hereticke Pelagius taught that man of himselfe wiâ—hout any speciall graâ—e of God might fulfill the divine Commandements and if â—he grace of God were at all needfull it was oâ—ely that a man might more eâ—sily through grace doe those things which he was commanded to doe of his owne free will But this grace said he is onely in our free will which our nature hath received of God without any * See what Pelagâ—us meant by this in answ to the Iesuits challeâ— in Ireland â—ag 478. 179. 480 481. c. merit of ours fore oing In this onely God doth helpe us thâ—t by the law and the doctrine wee may know what we ought both to doe and to hope for Aug. Haer. Cap. 88. By occasion of whi h heresie divers unnecessary questions have beene mooved about free will universall gr ce perseverance and the like which are no way availeable to the increase of godlinesse or the comfort of the conscience but rather have overthrowne the faith of â—ome and beene the feuell of Factions both in the Church and Common-wealth But as among the Corinthians when schismes and discontents arose concerning their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Love-feasts before the holy Communion the Apostle brings them to the simplicity of the first institution thereof 1 Cor. 11.21 So by the same Spirit of wisedome hath his Majestâ—e our gracious Soveraigne with the advice of our reverend Fathers the god y and learned Bishops cut off these curious questions with all inconvenience and sâ—andall as might grow thereby See his Majesties declaration before the Artâ— of 62. Read also the Art 9.10.11.17 So that now through the mercy of God by the piety and constant care of his Majesty and by the providence and zeale of our faithfull shepherds there is assured hope that these tares which so lately troâ—bled our neighbour Churches and by the seruants of the enuious man were attempted to be sowne in our beâ—uteous fields shall never spread any roote of bitternesse among us And although these questions thrust in themselues here in this place to be discussed seeing predestination is the eternall foundation of the holy Câ—tholike Church out of which there is â—o salâ—atâ—on and into which none can come but he that is holy It may seeme that t ought to be enquired what holinesse we have of our selues or what strength to come to that holinesse which we ought to have and what streâ—gth to coâ—â—iâ—ue therein But because obedience is better the sacrifi e and bee use reason ranging beyond these bounds which God hath set â—s accounted by Saint Paul Rom. 9.20 a replying agâ—inst God let us leave these quest on s aâ— Saint Paul left that of predestination to the meere mercy and will of God and that absolute Lordship which he hath over His creature as the tempeâ—er of the clay hath power over the same lumpe to mâ—ke one vessell to honour and â—nother to dishonour And seeing mans understanding searching into the thingâ— of God so farre above his reach as the infinite wisedome of God and His seâ—ret will are must needs fall into errour let us be contented to keepe our selues within those limits which God Hâ—mselfe hath set Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children that we may doe them To this purpose Saint Paul writeth concerning this sealed secret 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale The Lord knoweth them that are His and let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity Therefore lest any man should runne beside his owne hopes whilest be enquires too busily into the hopes of other men let us remember that wise and faithfull counsell which is in 4. Esdr 8.55 Aske thou no questions concerning them that perish The reason went before verse 47. for thou commest farre short that thou shouldest be able to love the creature more then He that made it ARTICLE X. ⧠The Communion of Saints CHAP. XXXVI THey that make this clause to bee onely an appendix for explication of the former as if they would say I beleeve the holy Catholike Church to be the Communion or fellowship of Saints come short of the uttermost meaning thereof For beside the two properties of the Church to be Holy and Catholike it is necessary to know what the Priviledges or prerogatives are which belong to that holy congregation that they may know that their seruice is not without reward These prerogatives are 4. 1. This CoÌ„munion of the Saints which is the ground and assurance of the rest For from hence it followes that we may assuredly beleeve that our sins are forgiven and therefore that our bodies shall rise againe and that to everlasting life But this Communion of the Saints is two-fold 1. Among themselves Secondly in the participation of those benefits which are purchased for them by the merit of Christ Yet this Communion among themselves is rather a third property than a priviledge of the holy Church and ariseth from that Communion which we have with Christ For he that loveth Him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten of Him 1. Ioh. 5.1 2. And because all the faithfull are governed by one Holy Spirit therefore are they ever ready and willing to impart what gifts soever they have received to the common good of all that may be partakers thereof And this not onely in the supply of outward helpes as it appeared Act. 4.32 but much more in like affection one toward another in prayer one for another in supporting each the infirmitie of other as one member of the body is ever helpfull to another in comforting in exhorting and in the Spirit of Meekenes admonishing one another and every one in himselfe giving an example of a vertuous and honest life according to that commandement Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven And these things proceed from that inward and spirituall Communion which wee have with God the Father and with His Son Iesus Christ as it is said 1. Iohn 1.3 For seeing wâ— know That God so loved the world as that He gave His Son to die for the life of the world wee ought also to love the brethren So likewise the spirituall Communion or participation of those benefits whereof wee are partakers by the merit of Christ stands altogether in this that He our Mediator God and Man having given Himselfe a ransome for uâ— God doth not now looke on us as wee are in our selues corrupted in our sinnes but as wee are washed but as wee are sanctified but as wee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God as wee are one body with His Son and He our head is become our righteousnesse our sanctification and redemption So that through Him wee haue not onely these
purpose as Rom. 8.11 6. If the Spirit of Him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by His spirit that dwelleth in you This argument from the communitie of the Spirit you may understand by Chap. 17. § 4. n. 2. Phil. 3.21 7. Hee shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like to His glorious body according to the working whereby Hee is able even to subdue all things to Himselfe 8. The hope of the resurrection as it is a comfort against all the trouble and afflictions of this life so especially against sorrow for them that depart from hence as you read 1. Thes Chap. 4. vers 13 14. c. 9.2 Cor. 5.10 All must appeare before the judgement seat of Christ therefore the dead shall rise againe 10. For none of us liveth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe For whether wee live or die wee are the Lords Rom. 14.7 8 9. Therefore the dead shall rise againe 3. If there be a resurrection of the dead then the love of God may extend it selfe eternally towards man according to that excellency of compassion and love than which none can be greater So that not onely our sins be forgiven eternally but also those mercies vouchsafed which we can neither deserue nor thinke of because His love hath not whither it may extend it selfe any further and likewise the will and understanding of man may know and love God in that excellency and perfection of love which is possible to man in his perfection to performe But if there be no resurrection neither of these things can bee Therfore it is expedient that there bee a resurrection 4. An infinite goodnesse is sufficient and able to fulfill all the good desires of the creature both of the soule with knowledge with joy with love and all other vertues which it can hope or desire of the body also in giving of it health strength activitie for heavy and elementall to make it spirituall for earthly to make it heavenly to bee serviceable in every respect to the desires of the mind to passe from place to place to dilate or contract it selfe to appeare or disappeare c. Which if the infinite goodnesse never should nor would performe to the creature then had He put into the creature a hope and expectation of happinesse above that which He meant to performe So the imagination of goodnesse should be greater than the reall goodnesse and our apprehensions more large and an infinite goodnesse should not be able to answere the finite desires of the creature But all these things are impossible Ergo. It is necessarie that there bee a resurrection of the body and life everlasting whereby the expectation of man shall be fulfilled 5. The Law of God is the patterne of perfect justice And His infinite justice requires that reward bee given to every one accordingly as he hath broken or observed it and that according to the measure of His infinite justice so farre forth as a finite creature can bee capeable Therefore there shall bee a resurrection of the flesh especially by the lusts whereof the divine love and justice have especially beene broken 6. If there shall bee a resurrection of the body unto eternall life then God may use His creature man to His glory as it pleases Him if not then the power of God shall bee destitute of a subject framed of body and soule wich Hee may use to His glory But this is impossible that His power should be destitute of such a Creature to whom He hath promised immortall glory therefore there shall bee a resurrection unto everlasting life 7. By how much any efficient is greater in power by so much the more effectually doth it worke that the effect bee brought to the best end whereof it may be capable and that especially if the glory of the efficient be joyned therewith The desire and uttermost hope of every man is to live ever in body and soule not parted asunder 2. Cor. 5.4 and to this end and hope God Himselfe hath created us vers 5. and of this thing every man is capable and the great glory of the Creator shall bee most excelling in this that He free His creature man from the basenesse of mortality and corruption to an estate of Glory and immortality Therefore it is requisite that there bee â— resurrection and life everlasting For He fulfilleth the desire of them that feare Him Psal 145.19 Therefore they shall rise to â—ife everlasting 8. The will of man is created of God that he may aspire and come to that end whereunto the goodnesse and will of God have created him which end 〈◊〉 cannot attaine unto if there be no resurrection and eternall life For if there be no resurrection then is he created onely to the enâ—oying of happinesse short and fading in this life so should he have the understanding and desire of exceeding great felicitie and the enjoying of little But this is impossible for so the eff ct that is the short happinesse should not bee answerable to the cause that is the will of God which hath put this will and desire of eternall happinesse in man But if the naturall appetites of eating drinking procreation of the like c. cannot be in vaine much lesse the spirituall desires of knowing of loving God and pleasing of Him But the first are not in vaine therefore not the latter though that be not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall 9. Man as he is a creature of God is good Gen. 1.31 and his goodnesse is greater in respect of the end of his creation which was to know love and honour God which in this life hee cannot doe because of sinne the worke of the devill in him But it is impossible that either the sinne of man or the malice of the devill should frustrate the end of God in His creation Therefore there is a resurrection and eternall life wherein God shall have His due from man and man his eternall joy in God 10. No word or commandment of God can be in vaine as that Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Him onely shalt thou serve or that Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God For man doing thus the soule shall be happie and approach to that end for which it was created For therefore God loved man that he might love and honour God againe which because it is not done in this life because of our infirmitie and our sinne therefore there shall be a resurrection and life everlasting wherein our love shall be perfected least the divine love should suffer eternall injustice and eternall punishment be brought upon the creature so exceedingly beloved and not returning that love againe 11. Man is the end of all bodily being either in that he is the combination of all bodily beings
had brought in death it was a mercy that all those enemies of life which accompanied death should shew themselues that man miâ—ht daiâ—y be put in mind of his mortalitie and returne unto H m whom he had offended Now if you shall aske from whence this change of estates from immortality to mortality did succeed in man I thinke even from hence that the pure soule the image of God dwelling in the body which was framed of the bodily creature which was yet pure and not subiected to the curse had power to sustaine the body in that perfect estate wherein it was created and sâ— should have preserved it for ever if it had held that dignitie which it had and hearkened onely to the ordinance of God and had reigned over the bodily affections and desires as it ought and had power to doe But when the soule would forsake God the guide thereof and that dignitie which it had naturally over the body and follow the lusts and appetites thereof and for that treason against God lost the power and strength which it had to support the body and moreover must seeke sustenance for the body out of the creature now accursed and deprived of her first strength it was impossible but that according to the curse corruption diseases and death should follow thereupon Yet seeing the merit of Chri t is so ful of satisfactioÌ„ to the justice of God and He so powerfull to restore all the decay of nature and to destroy all the wrack and mischiefe which the devill hath brought thereinto wee may firmely beleeve as we professe in this Article that wee shall at last be brought to the eâ—â—oying of everlasting life better than that to which wee were at first created 1. For although by the craft of the devill sinne entered into the world and death by sinne passed over all man-kind yet seeing man was made immortall and that neither the end which God purposed nor yet the infinite merit of the death of Christ can bee in vaine it is impossible but that man-kind at last should be brought to eternall life 2. The infinite goodnesse of God is the reason and the cause that he is good to all and that His mercy is over all His workes Psal 145.9 Therefore there is an eternall life reserved for man the most excellent of the visible creature and the will of man above all other things desires an eternall life in glory and happinesse according to His promises But if no such eternall life shall bee then the action of God toward His creature shall be in litlenesse and defect neither shall he fulfill the desire of them that feare Him So also the will of man should more desire the accomplishment of the divine goodnes upon the creature than the will of God should desire the accomplishment of it selfe But these things are impossible therefore there shall bee an eternall life in glory and happinesse 3. Virtue and the ready service of man unto God is that thing wherewith God in man is most delighted and which He hath commanded as it is said Be ye holy for I am holy Lev. 11.44 and the desire of this holinesse is found in them especially that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and hate their sinnes whereby they displease Him But this seruice of man to God hath not hitherto beene duely performed by any living among the sonnes of men neither can be performed both in body and soule by the dead Therefore it shall be performed in the life that is to come wherein both Gods will and the desires of His shall bee fulfilled See Matth. 5.6 4. If there shal be an eternal life for man then man shall receive of the divine goodnesse and power a power whereby he may both bee and doe those things whereto the divine goodnesse and wisedome hath appointed him But if there be no life eternall then the end of mans creation should be onely to privation and not being But it were better never to have beene than after all the miseries of this life in the end to returne to an everlasting not being For so the effect that is man-kind should no way be answerable to the cause nor yet be any proofe or manifestation oâ— that goodnesse infinity eternitie and power by which it was made But this is impossible and against the conditions both of the prime cause and the infinitie of the dignities thereof Object But you will say that this reason doth no mâ—re prove that there is an eternall life for man than for beasts and other of the creatures which also ought to continue for the proofe of that wisedome and almightynesse of their cause Answere There is a difference betweene the end and those things which are for the end Man is the end of all the visible creature and therefore it followes that all those things are to bee in man as in the end so far forth as they can be worke or be glorified in Him And from hence also it followeth that man must bee for ever lest all these things which were for him should returne to nothing with him and the image of that infinite goodnesse and wisedome by which they were made should come to nothing eternally Therefore though they shall be in man as the idéa of them all yet not in their severall or distinct beings beside man 5. No naturall desire of the creature which is implanted in every individuall of every kind can bee in vaine because it is implanted therein by a superiour power which cannot bee frustrate But it is implanted in all men naturally both to desire and to hope for eternall life Therefore there shal be an eternall life For if after the resurrection man should not live for ever then there should be in God a will to raise him to life contrary to his will that hee should live for ever So His being should not be simple and one but this is impossible as it was proved Chap. 9. § 6. 6. The more powerfull that any cause is the more manifestly doth the likenesse thereof appeare in the effect And sith God is the first and chiefe cause of all and that the likenesse of man His worke shall be greater in his perpetuall welâ—-being than in not being at all therefore there shall bee an eternall life wherein the greatest likenesse of the effect to the cause shall be perfected that man may live in eternall Righteousnesse Wisedome and Glory Otherwise the infinite justice might seeme defective in reward and punishment if both good and bad should perish alike Moreover the word whereby the punishment was inflicted was neither so generall nor so without exception but that there was grace reserved And now lest he take of the tree of life and live for ever in his sin therefore the Lord God sent him forth of the garden of Eden the type of eternall happinesse till he had tasted of death the punishment of his sinne then should hee live for ever in joy 7. And these
hath no succour nor hope but only in his mercy that hath made him thereunto if he will desire and trust in his mercy And thus far the reasons of the heathens and the Religion of the Turkes doe drive them But here that foolish Religion of the Turkes is content to stay not holding it necessary to beleeve a Mediator because say they God infinite in mercy made his Creature onely because he loved it Thus while they truely magnifie the mercy of God they utterly forget that hee is Iust Vnto which infinite Iustice of God if they had taken due regard the same light of reason would further have shewed unto them that the soule that sinnes must beare a punishment answerable to his sinne And because by every sinne against God an infinite Iustice is offended therefore it is impossible that any man by his owne righteousnesse which can never bee any more than by the Law of God he is bound unto should bee able to make any satisfaction for his sinne Vpon which true principle it will follow necessarily in the light of reason either that there is no possible returne to the favour of God which conclusion a man would by all meanes avoid or else that the reconciliation of mankinde unto God must needs bee by the mediation of a man in every respect free from Sinne who bearing the punishment due to sinners might finde redemption and mercy for all them that would beleeve it and live worthy thereof But because all men conceived in lust and sinne are originally tainted therewith for our of uncleannesse who can bring that which is cleane therefore must the generation of this Mediator bee wonderfull and not after the common manner of all men but so that no sinne or taint of the flesh must bee therein So that being both borne and living without sinne hee might by his death become a ransome acceptable for the sinnes of others And although reason could not conceive nor finde how this should bee yet seeing that in the necessitie of the divine justice it must bee thus reason would as easilie yeeld that it might bee as it did finde and see the creation of mankinde and the whole creature out of nothing as by the discourse ensuing it will hereafter appeare If this were not thus how should the whole world of Infidels and misbeleevers bee hable to the justice of God for their ignorance of him for their neglect and for their unbeliefe So taking it as granted till it doth further appeare by the Treatise following that reason hath right good and necessarie use in the things of faith it is too manifest that these wretched times are such as seeme to call aloud for the publishing of some such worke as this for though the fooles that have said in their hearts there is no God dare not in words profes it yet by their continuance in their sinful deeds they do proclaime that their thoughts are so Neither are they altogether wanting which say that Religion is but a politicke invention to keep men in civill obedience but if the conclusions of the Christian Religion bee inferred upon necessarie principles then are they not made out of policie as these Atheists say but cannot prove it except they could also make it appeare that policie was able to make naturall reason I will not denie that Mahumed setled his religion so as they say but hee forbids to dispute of the principles thereof because it is against both reason and Scripture and so perhaps it may bee said of those Will-worships that are or have beene among other Gentiles to whom God vouchsafed not the knowledge of his Law But our most holy faith because it alone is true hath no other author than God himselfe who hath revealed it by his word and because no man shall bee excused if hee beleeve it not hee hath commanded reason whereof all men are partakers to seale thereto in everie point but because in the Treatise before mentioned and by the whole practice of this booke this thing is manifest I will here turne mee onely to answer those doubts which may bee brought against the perswading of matiers of faith by humane reason First it may bee objected that the matiers of faith are farre above humane reason and that therefore it is a great presumption to question or skan them thereby for it is said by S. Paul Rom. 11.33 that his wayes and wisdome are past finding out I confesse we know nothing of God but what he hath revealed of himselfe by his workes or by his words for hee dwelleth in the light that none can approach unto even as S. Paul speakes there of his calling and election to faith a will unrevealed but the Articles of our faith hee hath most plainely taught and revealed And further to the argument I confesse that humane reason turning it selfe to behold the divine truthes is as the eye of a Bat to looke on the Sunne But yet the eternall and infinite truthes are so apprehended by mans finite understanding as the light of the Sunne is by the eye that is verely and indeed the same light and no other for though the eye cannot receive all the light of the Sunne yet that which it doth receive is truly that same light which is in or from the Sunne But you say that if in things of common use as hony salt or any other things vegetable or minerall wee must confesse our exceeding ignorance of their nature properties and possibilities both alone and much more in all manner of compositions it may seeme that our dulnesse may much rather be acknowledged in things divine I yeeld not altogether to this consequence for to the knowledge of naturall things we have our owne witlesse experience to helpe us and the deceitfull authoritie of mistaking men but all those truthes whereon our faith relies are grounded on the infallible rules of Gods owne word revealed by himselfe unto us for this end that we should not bee deceived or mistaken And although it was impossible for humane reason ever to finde out the conclusions and most fundamentall points of our faith as the mysterie of the Trinitie the incarnation of God the resurrection of the body c. yet being by the cleer light of Gods own word made known unto us we approve the same truth by the judgement and voice of reason So the reasons that are brought hereunto are not to establish any truth new or unheard of but for that faith which was heretofore taught delivered unto the Saints if the reasons of themselves be weak and by their weakenes shew how mans understanding is dazled at the divine light yet the conclusions stand sure and unmoveable but if the reasons bee certaine and true then questionlesse they are grounded in the Word and truth of God and the conclusion true either for the reason delivered or for a higher reason which wee cannot finde To this purpose the Father Anselm de Conc. Gratiae lib. arbit
to such a being onely as hath heavinesse of parts but in God is neither heavinesse nor parts And so He workes and that infinitely 2. God is infinite and so evermore as great as he may be and that not in being only but also in working for otherwise greatenesse and lesnesse should be in him And because nothing can be in him beside His very being if the infinitie of greatnesse were in his being and a lesnesse in his working greaternesse and lesnesse should bee his very being so finite and infinite perfection and want good and ill should be convertible in him but these things are impossible Therefore God doth either worke infinitely or else he cannot worke at all but so should he not be worthy to be God so should not his power be infinite and if his power be infinite and yet he cannot worke at all then should his power bee altogether in vaine But all these things are impossible therefore God doth worke and that infinitely 3. The wisdome of God is infinite as was proved and by the infinitie of his wisdome hee doth understand the infinitie of his owne being but that cannot be but by an infinite action of understanding therefore the working of Gods wisdome is infinite And as these reasons against Epicurus that God doth worke and that infinitely so also these that follow prove the question fullie for if the being of God be one and that most simple and that nothing can be in him but essentially as was proved Chap. 9. § 5. 6. if hee worke as is shewed then his working or action must be his very being which because it is proved to be infinite it must follow that his action is also infinite 4. The working of infinite goodnesse wisdome power life truth c. in eternitie is the most desireable thing that may be and wherein the greatest glorie can consist which action of God if by his will He would not then must he will a ceasing of the action of goodnesse wisdome power c. and that in eternitie So should these dignities be infinite in vaine so his will were not answerable to the rest of his dignities so should hee not will the infinitie of his owne glorie nor being But all these things are impossible therefore the working of his dignities are answerable to their being and therefore infinite 5. The power of God is infinite as was proved by which infinitie of power all the other dignities of God may both be and worke infinitely And if the goodnesse and other dignities of God did not worke infinitely when by his power they might there should be an inequalitie or want in his goodnesse which should not be answerable to his power and the deprivation of the working of an infinite goodnesse would enforce an infinite ill so God should cease to be infinitely good But all these things are impossible Therefore the action of Gods goodnesse is of necessitie infinite 6. The power of God is such as that hee is thereby enabled to worke and if by his infinity he were not able to worke infinitelie then his infinitie should be of lesse force to withstand littlenesse and not being than his power is to withstand weakenesse so defect and want should be in his infinitie which of all his other dignities is set most against it and so his power should be infinite onelie in the possibilitie of working but finite in the action But these things are impossible therefore the power of God is as infinite in the working as it is in the being 7. If the working of God were not infinite he could not know it to be infinite but finite onely and in defect but a God cannot know any defect in himselfe in whom no defect is possible to be Therefore his working is infinite 8. If infinite working and being be not all one in God then there must of necessitie be in him either a multiplicitie of being or of accidents or of being and accidents But all these things have been shewed to be impossible chap 8. 9. therefore infinite being and working are in God all one So then his working is infinite 9. An infinite glory cannot be without the conditions of infinitie and eternitie nor yet without the being of goodnesse but neither can it be said to have the being of goodnesse if it spread not it selfe in the action of goodnesse neither yet of infinite and eternall goodnesse if it worke not infinitely and eternally but the glory of God is infinite with all the conditions of infinitie eternitie and goodnesse Therefore it workes infinitely and eternally according to the being of infinite and eternall goodnesse 10 The truth of God was proved to be infinite and one but if in the divine dignities there be a greatnesse in being and a lesnesse in working the truth in God must likewise be divers and not one so neither simple nor infinite But this is impossible therefore the working of his dignities is infinite as his being 11. The infinitie of God is such that b no abatement want or lesnesse may be understood or found therein but littlenesse or abatement might bee found therein if it were not as great in the action thereof as in the being for every abatement or want whether it bee of the being or of the working in goodnesse power wisdome c. is not onely a lessening but even an utter taking away of the infinitie thereof So that to denie the infinite working of God is to denie his infinitie and so his being 12. If all the dignities of God be infinite both in being and working it will follow that their equalitie and concord one with another is also infinite so that they be essentially one God and the same convertibly one with another the respects onely different as hath beene shewed Chap. 9. note h ob 1. But if these dignities bee not infinite in working as they are in being the disagreement will bee infinite because betweene no working or a finite working and a being every way infinite there is an infinite distance and to put this distance in God whose being i◠most simple and one would be utterlie impossible therefore God is altogether infinite in being and working If further proofe seeme yet needfull you may take hereto an inducement or two 13. The understanding of man is the image of God in him and as the understanding will not rest so is it much more meet to thinke of an endlesse wisdome Nay the very fantasie or thought though bodily though tyed to the five outward wits alone yet will it not rest and when it cannot worke upon the reason as in sleepe because reason will see that the fantasie was not deceiued in the outward sences then will it presse upon the remembrance as it appeares in dreames 14. If Hee which is cause of all working should cease to worke then all things at once should cease also both to worke and to be because c the first mover ceasing to move all the
hearts by faith being purged from dead workes wee ought to adde vertue to our faith and to this vertue knowledge and by these meanes to make our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1.5.10 And for this cause S. Paul prayes for the Colossians that having through faith embraced the truth they might bee filled with knowledge of the will of God in all wisdome and spirituall understanding And this is our progresse from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from that pure faith whereby wee first receive the kingdome of God as little children to that faith which is strengthened through knowledge for knowledge doth neither take away faith nor yet abate any thing of the worthinesse thereof but rather encreaseth it more and more while it is thereby rooted and grounded more firmely in him in whom at first we did beleeve as the learned Father August de Trinit Cap. 14. said Fides in nobis per scientiam gignitur nutritur defenditur roboratur b Workes both necessarily yet willingly Pref. This Will they call concomitant because it ever followes the verie being of that wherein the will is The will of God whereby hee gives being to the creature is câ—usall for by it alone the creature is without any other working of God but onely the pleasure or motion of his owne will power and goodnesse c. c Jn the being of goodnesse there is an infinite producer Pref. While I was preparing materials for this building I read the title of a Mart book Abstrusa abstrusorum abstrusissima primaria Symboli Apostolici abstrusa Though I had beene more than once gul'd with such titles Arcana arcanorum arcanissima arcana and the like wherein these writers sweat more than for any thing in the booke beside yet being interpreted a pious and very profound meditation of the deepe mysteries of the Apostles Creed I supposed that such bumbast would never bee quilted into a treatise upon the grounds of our Religion so that I verely hoped that all my labour was at an end At last having got the booke I found that it was nothing in good earnest but a declamation onely of a certaine springal for exercise sake into which as into a common place booke hee had gathered the sentences of learned men wherein they justlie bewaile the miserie of mankinde in his inabilitie to finde out the truth of things whereupon hee would utterlie shut out the use of reason in matiers of faith The consequence is not good as I have shewed Praef. n. 6. His speciall spleene is against Keckerman and his gregales that is them of his ging I thinke hee meanes the Calvinists of whom hee names onely Zanchius and them of whom he received this learning Melancthon and his owne verie Syren and Phoenix Scaliger out of whose shreds hee hath botch't up his declamation such as it is yet in this case he could not spare him that would manifest his understanding of the Trinitie according to Raymunds principles The wicked conclusion that will follow thereon Murshel the declamer goes about to shew out of Andreas Osiander as you shall heare anon Chap. 12. note a But what have Scaliger or Raymund done herein which the ancient Fathers had not done before save that they made the doctrine cleere by forreine comparisons one of the Sunne the beame and the brightnesse or shine thereof another by the body the brightnesse and heat of the fire another of the minde wherein is the word or understanding thereof and the will another saith the minde thinking the word representing that thought and the liking or approving thereof yet another will represent the Trinitie by memorie understanding and will another by the root the stem and the branch Augustine shewes it by a mans owne experience of himselfe who both is and knowes himselfe to bee and loves both his being and knowledge thereof de Civit. Dei lib. 11. cap. 26. But his reason in the 24. Chap. from Gen. 1. is of more force which is this He that said Fiat must needs be the Father of that Word but you must understand that word in Himselfe or that eternall word or decree of which our Lord speakes Iohn 5.19 And because the creature was made thereby it must follow that it was made by his word And where it is further said that all that was made was exceeding good if by goodnesse you understand the Holy Ghost the whole Trinitie is manifested unto us in his workes another explaines it by the fountaine and the streame to which Cusa addes the sea and if these saith he be supposed infinite then must all of necessity be one water And the same Cusa lib. de Filiatione Dei expresses it by the knowledge in the minde of the master the word signifying that knowledge and the spirit life or meaning of the word proceeding from the knowledge and the word whereby the scholars are instructed And have not many of these comparisons ground in the holy Scripture Ioh. 1.1 Heb. 1.3 Esay 11.1 and elsewhere But Raymund not by forreine comparisons but by the essentiall properties of the infinite being in the reall relations of every terme in unitie of that one being hath with more cleerenesse expressed to mans weake understanding the unspeakeable mysterie of the Trinitie in the unitie of one undivideable nature as I have shewed in the Preface in the being of goodnesse and Reason 3. of infinitie or greatnesse and Reason 8. of understanding And although I would not erre from company yet seeing I have such company both of the ancient and later writers which by the adversary himselfe are confessed to be of incomparable learning and Divine honestie I need not be ashamed of my company But notwithstanding all this invective against reason in things of faith see the young man by and by in the Sorbon The power of God saith he in the creation of the world wrought upon that which was not to cause it to be Therefore God is Almightie for this must be the conclusion howsoever he would turne it to shut out the use of reason but that will not follow upon the premises So in the case of mans redemption of the incarnation of God of the resurrection hee is over the head and eares in Aristotle and historie but all to prove these things in reason impossible And it is yeelded that all these things are utterly beyond the course of nature but yet upon better and higher principles than Aristotle knew they will all appeare possible and necessarie and then his reasons shall bee answered To this order the declamer would bring their consubstantiation and that which doth necessarilie follow thereon the bodilie presence of Christ in everie place And here he doth farre surpasse himselfe and by two bodies in one place will prove it possible that one body may bee in all places because God hath absolute power of all the nature of being But if this reason be good and sufficient then is hee injurious and unconstant to himselfe so
and therfore are these relations which we call persons in the Godhead essentially whose differences notwithstanding depend immediately upon the working of the Divine Being S. Augustine takes up this difference of properties gravely and wittily thus The being of God is said to be simple and so is because he is that which he hath except that relation which every Person hath to another For the Father hath the Son yet is not the Son and the Son hath his Father yet is not that Father but yet every Person in respect of himselfe is that which he hath as life glorie goodnesse c. This therefore is the simplicitie that he hath and that which he hath is not different that the qualitie is not one thing and the substance another de civit Dei lib. 11. Cap. 10. wee shall understand it better by instance in some of the Divine dignities All the dignities of God are infinite in all the possibilities of infinitie both of being and working for otherwise the dignitie were not infinite and he were not worthy to be God if any thing might be more excellent than he The glory therefore of God being infinite in working He by that infinite working of his glorie doth glorifie himselfe infinitely So God infinitely glorifying is God the Father God infinitely glorified is God the Sonne and that infinite action of glorification is God the Holy Ghost As when the understanding of a man or Angell doth view or understand it selfe then is it in it selfe not onely by the essence of it selfe essentially but also apprehended and understood by it selfe according to the action of the understanding so the mind understanding is one terme really distinct from the minde understood which is the image word or expression of the minde understanding which minde doth also differ from the action of it selfe whereby it doth understand it selfe So God the Father understanding himselfe is in himselfe God understood the image word or expression of God understanding This is that eternall Sonne infinitely and eternally brought forth thus was the Word eternally with God and that Word was God and God was that Word John 1. For as the actions of God doe not cease for then God should cease to bee God if he were not everie way infinite So doe they not proceed de potentia in actum that is to take a beginning from whence to raise themselves into perfection for then they were not infinite a parte ante and so not eternall But because God is wisdome or understanding essentially therefore is it essentiall unto him to understand himselfe eternally And this is that most glorious Sonne God eternized God understood God glorified willed good infinite powerfull c. by the infinite action of eternitie wisdome glorie will goodnesse infinitie and power which infinite action is God the Holy Ghost Now if this infinite working and being of God bee one essentially as hath beene proved Chap. 8. it must of necessitie follow first that all the Persons of the Godhead are coeternall Secondlie that as concerning their absolute essence there is no difference or inequalitie among them inasmuch as everie Person is by his owne being God eternally as it is said of the Sonne Philip. 2.6 That being in the forme or essence of the Godhead he thought it no robberie to bee equall with God For seeing the essence of the Godhead is one and that which is one cannot possiblie beget it selfe therefore neither the Sonne is from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne concerning their Godhead but the Sonne is of the Father as concerning his personall subsistence and so the Holy Ghost is from the Father and the Sonne inasmuch as the Sonne is not understood eternized or glorified but by the action of that being which is actuallie understanding eternall and glorious neither can there be any action of understanding eternizing and glorifying where there is not both the person understanding eternizing and glorifying and the person understood eternized and glorified Then this generation of the Sonne being onely by the eternall action of the Deitie it may appeare how beastlie and sensuall that Religion of Mahomet is which cannot thinke of any other generation than that which is betweene a male and his female Oh scorne and contempt even of honest thoughts yet thus these swine plot to themselves their happinesse in the life to come in feasting and sporting and fleshly pleasure with beautifull women See Wene a Bud. pag. 157. Woe unto that covering of Gog but his end is at hand and his destruction lingereth not But the answer to this argument See Chap. 34. § 5. n. 8. Concerning the person of the Sonne more particularlie you may reade hereafter in the 24. Chapter and of the Holy Ghost in the 33. It remaines here onely to answer to those objections which may bee brought against this faith of the Holy Trinitie 1. And first it may be said by the adversaries of this truth that the defenders thereof doe not agree among themselves for Thom. Aquinas in Semen lib. 1. dist 2. q. 2. brings this as an objection That the persons are distinguished by their properties or manner of being onely therefore not really In answer to which hee saith That everie terme of relation inasmuch as it is such must needs bee distinguished from that whereto it is referred seeing they are opposed by a relative opposition and therefore are really differing For things are either absolute as the essences or simple beings of things in themselves or relative as the Father and the Sonne which differ also really so that although they are not different essences yet are they moe or different things Res understand according to the uttermost differences which may bee in that manner of being which is founded immediately in the Divine essence or which is all one in the working thereof Againe Keckerman System Theolog. Cap. 4. to that objection of the Antitrinitarians that if there be unitie of essence and difference of persons a subject and a relation a substance and an accident then in the Godhead there should bee composition which because it is not possible to be therefore there are no such different relations answers and brings in the consent of Zanchius that relation is not any thing of reall being that it is not any accident because it is not being but imports onely the manner order or respect of being If this be true where is then that reall difference as Thomas speakes But these things are nothing different if well examined The purpose of one and of the other and of all right meaning Doctours is utterly to deny against the Tritheits all pluralitie or diversitie of essences or absolute beings And as Keckerman for avoyding of any accidentall being in the distinction of the persons saith that relation is not a thing of being but onely imports the order manner or respect of beings one toward another so Thomas to meet fully with that heresie of Sabellius and
the same theme which might easily be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he created Let the students of the holy mysteries give all diligence to read the holy Scriptures in their proper language For there this treason of Arius and all other hereticks is easily discovered 7. Hee that denyes himselfe to be good cannot be God But Christ saith of himselfe Math. 19.27 why callest thou me good there is none good but one even God Answ Good is either absolute and perfect which is God alone or else imparted the image of that Good and so every thing created was very good Gen. 1. Goodnesse is likewise in the vertue and disposition of the minde as Barnabas was a good man Act. 11.24 or manifest in the workes and thus Dorcas was full of good workes Act. 9.36 and our Lord wrought many good workes among the Iewes Ioh. 10.32 In these three kindes our Lord was good as man supereminently above all the orders of created things In the first kinde he was good as God which absolute goodnesse he denyed not to himselfe no more than Hee denyed himselfe to bee God at that confession of Thomas My Lord and my God but rather taught that young man if he had had wit to follow that perfection which hee prescribed For being by the young mans owne confession good it must follow of necessity by that rule of perfection Follow me that he was God and ought to be followed and obeyed Eph. 5.1.1 Cor. 11.1 8. Like unto this are those other arguments which they bring as where it is said Ioh. 6.57 Like as the living Father sent me and I live by the Father So hee c. If he live not by himselfe he cannot be God I answer that this life which the Sonne receives of the Father is not accidentall not of grace not of foresight or purpose but substantiall and eternall seeing the generation is according to the immutable being and eternall working of the Father and his spirituall perfection onely So they object from Heb. 3.2 That hee was faithfull to him that made him and Ioh. 14.28 My father is greater than I so 1 Cor. 15.28 when all things are subdued unto Him then also shall the Sonne himselfe be subject unto him that did put all things under him and many other which you may finde cited and answered by Athanasius and especially by Epiphanius in the places quoted before Wherein observe diligently the differences betweene those termes which signifie his nature and those which have reference to the office of his Mediatorship as in the first place of Heb. 3. Consider what he was made It is plaine by the verses before hee was made the Apostle and high Priest of our profession in which office he was faithfull to him that made him or appointed him thereunto so in the second place to that The Father is greater than I note the difference betweene the Divine and humane nature for the Sonne is inferiour to the Father by nature as man and so as he is the Mediatour in the dispensation of his offices as with us he makes up the body of his Church nay even in the Divine nature the Father is that eternall fountaine whence the Sonne hath his eternall originall although the honour of sending takes not away the equalitie of power nor the excellencie of nature from him that is sent so the greatnesse there spoken of is with respect of the office of the Sonne sent into the world that the world by him might be saved In the third place of delivering the kingdome to God the Father note the communication of idiomes or proprieties of speech according to the rules of Theodoret. That the words proper to either nature become common and indifferent to the Person as the God of glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 that is that Person which is the God of glorie was crucified concerning his humane nature Secondly that the communitie of names makes no confusion in natures now the word Sonne belongs to Christ indifferently either as he is the Sonne of God and so shall hee raigne with the Father and the holy Ghost eternally and of his kingdome there shall be no end Dan. 6.36 Luk. 1.33 And seeing that he as the Son of man hath received all power Mat. 28.18 John 3.35 and 13 3. as to governe his Church Psal 45. so to raise the dead and to execute judgement Iohn 5.26 27. Acts 17.31 Hee shall raigne till all things bee subdued unto him and that he hath utterlie destroyed all the workes of the devill sinne ignorance and death Iohn 1.3.8 that as God the Father doth now raigne by him so he having performed all things which belong to him as the Mediatour may thereafter as God raigne with the Father eternally our everlasting king of glory when God shall be all in all his children as he is in him I am the more briefe in this argument because their arguments are answered in part before § 4. And because this question is neere to that which followes immediately and againe because it is the principall subject of that treatise by me so often mentioned therefore for conclusion first consider the danger of this venome which at once poysons all our hopes of that full satisfaction which is made unto the justice of God by the death of Christ for if he be a creature only then can he not be infinite and if not infinite then cannot the infinite justice that is offended by our sinnes receive a full and sufficient satisfaction by him as you might see it proved in the 21 Chapter before And beside these reasons you may take with you these remembrances against all Arians Turkes Iewes Socinians and other hereticks whatsoever and give honour and glory unto Iesus our Lord and God Esay 9.6 Vnto us a childe is borne unto us a Sonne is given and his name shall be called The Mightie God the Everlasting Father the prince of peace Ier. 33.15 16. In those dayes the branch of righteousnesse shall grow up unto David and Ierusalem shall dwell safely and he that shall call her See Mat. 11.28 is Iehovah our righteousnesse Micah 5.2 Out of Bethlehem shall hee come forth unto mee that shall be ruler in Israel whose goings forth are from everlasting Rom. 9.5 Christ is over all God blessed for ever and ever Amen and 1 Iohn 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Sonne Iesus Christ This is the true God and eternall life § 10. Thus then our Lord Iesus being declared mightily to be Sonne of God by the testimony of the Father from heaven by his owne profession of himselfe confirmed by his glorious miracles Iohn 5.36.37 by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 by the consent of the Apostles and Prophets and by the testimony of the holy Ghost in the hearts of all his Children and being truly man by the testimony of his very enemies the onely question remaining concerning his beeing is that seeing all fulnesse must dwell in him
above every Name that every tongue should confesse that Christ is Iehova 3. And seeing He suffered under the power of the Romanes it was necessary that He should die by that manner of death which was most usuall with the Romanes which for their seruants and provincialls was the Crosse And although it seemed unto Pilate himselfe an unworthy death for Him Shall I crucifie your King Yet nothing could content His enemies but Crucifie Him Crucifie Him And because our Lord had no such priuiledge to plead for Himselfe that He was a free man of Rome as Saint Paul did Act. 16.37 22.25 29. 25.11 and so lost his head by the sword Therefore He must needs endure that bitter and accursed death of the Crosse 4. The tree through the craft of the devill was unto man-kind a cause of sinne Therefore lest the tree which was created good might become a curse to him for whom it was created and thereby the end of the creation might be perverted it seemed fit to the Wisedome of God that as the tree had beene an instrument in the worke of mans condemnation it should also bee an instrument in the worke of his redemption that man by his wound might also bee healed And therefore that our ransome should bee payed on the Crosse 5. Man by his sinne had made himselfe subject to the curse of the Law Therefore that the promise to Abraham That in his seed all the Nations of the earth should bee blessed Gen. 12.3 might come vpon them it was necessary that the curse should fall vpon that promised seed in whom they were to bee blessed as Saint Paul doth argue Gal. 3.13 and 14. 6. This crucifying of our Lord was prefigured diverslie in the Law as by the Serpent in the Wildernesse if you compare Numb 21.8 with Iohn 3.14 Moses also spreading out his hands in the forme of the Crosse overcame Amalec by his prayer Exod. 17.11 But aboue all other figures that glorious Type of Christ Samson who should begin to save Israel Iud 14.5 most liuely figured our Saviour on the Crosse when he laid his hands upon the Pillars and slew more at his death than he had done in all his life Iud. 16.30 So our Lord the Authour and Finisher of our Salvation though by His Preaching and His miracles He had shaken the Kingdome of the Devill yet by His death upon the Crosse He did triumph over all the power of hell Col. 2.15 David Psal 22.16 prophesies plainely of the wounds wherewith He was pierced in His hands and His feet when He was nailed to the Crosse as the Prophet Zechary Chap. 12.10 of that wound which through His side they made in His heart I the Lord will powre vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplicatior and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced And thus according to the Prophesies that were before was our Saviour crucified as you reade in the Gospel 3. Dead VVEe see IESVS made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death that He by the Grace of God should taste of death for every man Heb. 2.9 All the reasons for His crucifying confirme thus much And for this cause was Hee conceived and borne that He might redeeme His people from their sinnes The arguments also of the 19. Chapter of the 21.22 and 23. come all to this centre that Christ our Lord and onely Redeemer must die for our sinne 1. For seeing man by his sinne had made himselfe subject unto death according to the just sentence Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die it was necessary that He that had made Himselfe our surety Heb. 7.22 and taken our sinne upon him Esay 52. should die for our sinne 2. It was necessary that the highest degree of obedience should bee in him in whom was also the perfection of Sonne-ship But all the perfection of Son-ship was in Christ both that which is Eternall and that which is in time as hath appeared Therefore also the perfection of obedience But there can be no degree of obedience beyond this that a sonne should die at the will of his father Therefore it was necessary that our Lord should die For God so loved the world that He gave his onely begotten Sonne to die that the world by him might bee saved But because it was impossible that He in his Eternall being should be subject to death therfore was it necessary that He should bee incarnate that Hâ—e should bee conceived of the Holy-Ghost and be borne of a Virgin as it hath beene prooved 3. If Isaac the shadow were content to die at the will of His Father how much more ought Christ the substance to fulfill the will of His Father 4. The manifestation of the infinite dignities of God the Father is the proper and peculiar office of the Son See Iohn 17.6 and 26. And how could either the infinite Iustice or Mercy or Love of God the Father toward His creature or His honour in the creature bee better manifested than in the death of that Son For although it were farre from Injustice to punish the innocent for the wicked when He had set Himselfe to answere for the sinnes of the world yet was it the uttermost the most severe and eminent Iustice that possibly could bee to lay upon Him in whom there was no sinne neither was there any guile found in His mouth the burden of vs all to breake him for our sinnes to multiplie His sorrowes and at once to deprive Him of all the comforts of God and life it selfe for our offences Neither could the Mercy or love of God toward His creature be greater than this that when wee were enemies yet spared He not His owne Sonne to worke our reconciliation Neither can the honour of God be more magnified by the creature than for that mercy and love which he hath shewed toward the creature in the Eternall Glory and happinesse which He hath reserved for it through the satisfaction of his Son And because these things could not possibly be brought to passe otherwayes than by the death of the Sonne of God therefore was it necessary that He should die 5. Of contrary effects the immediate causes must needs bee contrary The greatest delight and joy which the naturall man hath is to follow his sinfull lusts Therefore the recovery or restoring of man from his sinfull state cannot bee but by the suffering of the greatest sorrow that is of death 6. The obedience and sufferings of Him who was to make satisfaction for the disobedience and rebellion of all man-kind could not possibly be either exceeded or equalled But if our Lord had not died a most bitter and cruell death in those torments which He endured both in his soule and body then had His sufferings beene equalled if not exceeded by many of the holy Martyrs who for their love and faith in God endured most bitter and exquisite torments Heb.
2. How are wee freed from that damnation under which we were brought through the sinne of Adam while the Divine Iustice is yet unsatisfied 3. And if Christ have not suffered for vs what example hath He left unto vs that wee should follow his steps 4. Wee that are the Disciples should bee above our Master our patience more then His our love to Him more then His to vs If wee for His sake should willingly suffer persecution shame losse imprisonment death which He Himselfe had not suffered for vs. And 5. It had been utterly to no end that He should have become man For as it had been in vaine for Him to have taken a body which should againe have beene scattered into that from whence it was taken as Apelles affirmed so had it beene to no end to take a body and therein to suffer the darkning of His divine glory if by that body no benefit had redounded to the creature But if you desire moe reasons hereto they that are brought in the Chapter for His suffering crucifying death and buryall may give you full satisfaction So the errours that are yet remaining about the suffering of Christ are two one of the Theopaschites who held that the God-head of Christ did suffer while His body was nayled on the Crosse Aug. de Haer. Cap. 73. The other of the Patrispassians such as Praxeas and Sabellius who because they thought that as the Father and the Son were but one substance so were they likewise but one Person and therefore they affirmed that God the Father was incarnate and suffered Aug. de Haer. Cap. 41. But the former of these is sufficiently reproved by the doctrine of the 9. Cha. For if God be not any kind of matier nor a compound nor a formed body nor subject to any accident but that His being be most simple and pure as was there shewed by every one of these circumstances it will follow necessarily that God cannot suffer The later is refuted by all the reasons of the 11. and 23. Chapters And if you hold not your selfe satisfied by that which is brought in those Chapters and the answeres to the reasons of Sabellius Note d on Chap. 11. You may doe well to read Epiph. Haer. 57. and Tertullian against Praxeas For this very question whether God the Father was incarnate and suffered is the Argument of that Booke b That by His partaking of our sufferings He might c. It may heere not vnfitly be demanded for what causes Christ the Holy one of God should die for vs and how that death becomes availeable to free vs from the power of sinne of death and hell For answere Wee must first put that which was the first and principall cause of our salvation the eternall purpose of God which He â—urposed in Iesus Christ our Lord. Ephe. 3.11 See Actes 2.23 And this not for any graces or workes fore-seene in us But according to the good pleasure of His owne will Ephe. 1.5 For He hath saved us and called us with an Holy calling not according to our workes but according to His owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2. Tim. 1.9 And he that puts any outward cause or good workes fore-seene in us whereby God might bee moved to chuse us takes away the chiefe glory of his grace and makes him to bee lesse good So then the first cause of all the causes and meanes of our salvation in Christ is the free mercy and purpose of God the Father which because it is the first it must needes also be the chiefe cause seeing all other causes worke to that end to which they are ordered and guided by the first And because the Son doth nothing of Himselfe but what things soever He seeth the Father doe those also doth the Sonne likewise Iohn 5.19 Therefore secondly did the Sonne according to that eternall purpose of the Father offer Himselfe vnto His Father for man as a ransome and satisfaction for their sinne as it is said Psal 40.7 Loe I come in the volume of the Booke it is written of mee to doe thy will O God Heb. 10.7 For in Him onely is God well pleased Matth. 12.18 And this is that Eternall Gospel of the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World Apoc. 13.8 For through the Eternall Spirit did Hâ— offer Himselfe without spot vnto God But if this offer of our Redeemer who offered Himselfe for vs had not beene accepted of His Father then had it beene of no availe for us Therefore in the third place it must appeare that God did accept this Sacrifice of His Sonne which is manifest first by this That it was the disposition and purpose of God Himselfe as was shewed in the first place and as it is said Heb. 10.10 By the will of God are wee sa ctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all Neither was God in this reconciliation of man-kind a willer or disposer onely but a worker also of our Redemption For God was in Christ reconciling the World vnto himselfe not imputing their trespasses vnto them 2. Cor. 5.19 If God then be for us who can be against us If He Iustifie who can condemne us who â—ave the decree and will of God for our Iustification the offer and acceptance of Christ both God and man for our ransome and reconciliation and that offer was made by the eternall Spirit And this Spirit also beareth witnesse to our Spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 The second cause concernes the justice of God by which our Lord Christ died for vs. And it stood in this that He according to the will of His Father became our surety Hebr. 7.22 and bound Himselfe to make satisfaction for the sin of man which man himselfe could not doe as it hath beene manifest before Chap. 19. Now in this satisfaction of Christ the infinite Iustice was accorded with the infinite Love of God to the creature The infinite love appeared as was said before first in this that the Sonne was called and appointed to the performance of this glorious worke Hebr. 5. verse 4 5.10 Then in this that being performed it was accepted in our name and for our everlasting happinesse as it is said Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that He gave His onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth Him should not perish but have everlasting life The infinite Iustice was manifest in this that the satisfaction of Christ was a full and perfect satisfaction according to the rigour of Iustice and that both in respect of the infinite value thereof and of the punishment which our Mediator endured The infinite value of the satisfaction was first in the Person that offered it For as the grieuousnesse of the injurie exceeded by the worthinesse of the Person of the Father that was offended So the value of the satisfaction exceeded by the worthinesse of the Sonne that made the amends And
not bound thereto in respect of any neede or debt of His owâ—e but He peâ—â—oâ—me aâ—â— that obeâ—ience which was due for our sakes and in our name whereaâ— the meâ—â—t oâ— all other men being finite could no way be satisfactorie for their sin against an infinite Iustice neither yet can they bee so accepted of God beâ—ause mans workeâ— how good soever they are yet can they neither be moe nor better th n man is bound unto Luk. 17.10 Neither are good workes truely ours but such as God hath done by us 1. Cor. 15.10 But seeing all our righâ—eousnesse is as filthy raggs Esay 46.6 let us looke unto Christ Iesus who alone of God is made unto us Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemptâ—on 1. Cor. 1.30 4. And as the ransome of our sinne must of necessitie be of an infinite value that it might be a fu l satis action to an infinite Iustice and therefore fit that our Redeemer should bee both God and man So was it necessary that Hee should become ours that wee might have that which we might give unto God for a full satisâ—action Aâ—d that our obligation to God might bee infinite not onely foâ— our creation or being from nothing but much morâ— for our well-being and restoring from worse than nothing Therefore that wee might have an infinite ransome to gi e unto him did Hee first give unto us His only Sonne Iohn 3.16 And yet that our claime and right might bee in Him not one y by the voluntary gift of His Father which in Him that had power to give made our right and possession suâ—e enough but also by our owne purchase that wee might have all maâ—ner of right in Him and assurance of Him therefore at His owne rice of five Shekels of silver Sixeteene shillings Eight pence Hen. Ainsw on Gene. 20.16 other 25. Shillings Ed Brerew in our money did wee also redeeme or buy him of God See Exod. 13.13 Numb 18.15.16 O most rich and precious â—urchase At so easie a rate to buy that which was more worth than all the woâ—â—â— And that the benefit of this bargaine might not redound to the Iewes â—one t e efore came the wise Gentiles from the East to relieve the penury of the poore Carpenter not onely for the payment of this purchase but also for saving oâ— thâ—t which was bought by Hâ—s flight into Egypt Matth. 2. Chapter And thus are wee become a Royall Priest-hood while wee offer unto God that infinite sacrifice beseeching His mercy for the merit of His Sonne Thus then the infinite Iustice being fully satisfied in our nature by that which Christ hath suffered for us our sinnes are not onely freely forgiven us in the beloved but wee are also brought into the perfect favour and Love of God and the assurance of those benefits which depend thereon Which love how great it is Our Lord hath sufficiently declared Iohn 17.23 where Hee saith that the Father hath loved us as He hath loved Him c With cramps of Iron sodered How Ioseph buried the body of IESVS rolling a great stone Matth. 27.60 a very great stone Mark 16.4 to the doore of the sepulchre the Gospels shew And although the stone were so great that women moe then foure Luke 24.10 durst not undertake to roll it away yet the chiefe Priests and Pharisees held not that surety enough and therefore by the leave of Pilate made the grave fast and sealed it and set their watch to keepe it The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seale and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make fast or sure as the word is used Act. 16.24 He made their feet fast in the stocks cannot import such sealing as is on a bagge of money or with a piece of paper which makes nothing fast but is only a signe of honest dealing For if the Disciples had purposed to steale the body of their master no such sealing could or should have hindered them And therefore that making fast and sealing here spoken of was such as I have said and that for the ends expressed CHAP. XXVIII ⧠Hee descended into Hell Sect. 1 § 1. I Have said before That every difference in opinion though in an Article of Faith is not immediately an heresie And therefore though divers expositions have beene made of this Article yet so long as the substance of it is granted and no obstinate nor malicious or condemning of others is there is no heresie or schisme towards especially seeing that divers expositions may sometimes stand with the trueth of the Scripture the authority of Fathers and the cleare meaning of this Article The different interpretations doe arise especially from the meaning of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheol and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hades Sheol of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shaal which signifies to crave or aske because Hell is never full Proverb 30. Hades hath the derivation of α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to see because of the darkenesse which is supposed to be there or not to be seene because the state of death is not knowne to the living or else as others will have it of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adamah earth by the authority of Sibyl lib. 1. paulo post initium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aden they call because the first Adam When hee was dead and buried thither cam Therefore all men that on this earth are borne Into th' house of Ades are said to turne This interpretation may seeme to have ground on that of Gene. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt returne And therefore 1. The word signifies sometimes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kever the grave wherein they Kuver the corps of the dead as in 1. Kings 2.6 Let not His hoary head goe downe to the grave Hebrew Sheol Greeke Hades in peace 2. Sometime they signifie the power of death the place or state of the dead either wretched or happy appointed for all men as it is said Psalm 89.48 What man is he that shall deliver his soule from the hand of Sheol Hebr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke To this place Iacob Genes 37.35 to this Sheol Iob. 14.13 desired to come as to the rest from all their labours as to that place whereto all must returne as the verses cited affirme 3. They signifie the place of torment as Psalm 9.17 The wicked shall bee turned to Sheol Hebr Greeke to Hades In this sence also the words Tophet Esay 30.33 Gehenna Mark 9.43 and Tartarus 2 Pet. 2.4 are used Hades also in Matth. 16.18 by a Metonymia signifies the devills as The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it that is All the devills which goe in and out at the gates of hell shall not prevaile against that Rocke Christ whom thou
his heele against thee though the drunkards make songs upon thee yet remember that there is a reward for the righteous that thy innocency shall breake forth as the light and thy patience shall shine as the noone day And remember that unthankefull wretches are no new thing in the world for the Orator said long agoe and I have often found it true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But if that Punke could say Men ' moveat cimex Pantilius Shall he that hath experience of such monsters of ingratitude put it in the power of a sonne of Belial to disquiet his peace Therefore let the Rymer read what others judge of him Feltham Resolu Cent. 2. Ch. 56. Let him write a booke against me I will bind it as a Crowne upon my head And if for my love and for my best deserts I find enemies yet will I pray for them Psal 109.4 For seeing we know that if we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with Him shall we not pray for them that seale unto us the assurance of this hope Therefore shall this be among my chiefest joyes That the drunkards make songs upon me 5. It may further be objected from Iohn 3.17 That God sent not His Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world by Him might be saved And if He came to save the world how shall He judge and condemne the wicked to Hell fire seeing this is contrary to the end of His comming Answer First that is spoken of His first comming onely Secondly it is manifest by the verse before verse 16. that the world in this place signifies onely the faithfull in the world for whose sake the world is and continues For to these only God gave His only Son that they should not perish but have everlasting life And as Christ was once offered for these at His first comming so for these shall He appeare the second time to salvation Heb. 9.28 For the last judgment being but the confirmation of the sentence of their justification by the death of Christ and the putting of them in the actuall possession of those promises that depend thereon their sinnes are so covered as that b there shall not be any remembrance of them in the judgement For the worshippers that are once purged have no more conscience of sinne to their condemnation Hebr. 10.2 seeing the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And therefore as a countrey-man of ours saith well Ames Med Theol Cap. 41 This judgement in respect of the faithfull is essentiall unto Christ as He is the Mediator but in respect of the unfaithfull it is of power onely given Him by the Father not essentiall to His mediation but some way belonging to the perfection thereof because the Father hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Yet let me adde thus much that although the judgement of condemnation be not essentiall to Christ as the Mediator of reconciliation yet He being the great Steward of the house of God it is essentiall to Him as the Son of God to take vengeance without mercy on them that dishonour His Father and despight the Holy Spirit of grace which by the light of their consciences proclaimes their sin unto them which they will in no wise forsake Sect. 4 § 4. 6. The last question is with those mockers that say either in words or by their continuance in their wicked deedes where is the promise of His comming For since the dayes of Henoch who threatned that Iudgement Iud. 14. above 4500. yeeres are passed and yet the world continues and that which hath beene is even that which shall be neither is any thing new under the Sun Eccles 1.9 Moreover though for your reasons against the eternitie of the world Chap. 13. it may seeme the world is not eternall à parte antè but that it had a beginning yet is it not cleare but that it may be eternall à parte pòst and continue for ever in as much as the Creator cannot repen◠Himselfe to bee the work-master of so glorious a frame So not to continue it in that being which it hath and to doe good unto it as the Psalmist confesseth Psal 104. verse 31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever the Lord shall rejoyce in His workes And if all the creature being made was exceeding good Gen. 1. the destroying of so great a good cannot bee but a very great ill which is farre from that goodnesse by which it was created I answere That the Text of Eccles prooves not but that the judgement shall fit at last and the bookes of every mans conscience shall be open that the judgement may be acknowledged to be according to their workes And although the time seems to us to bee prolonged that the number of the elect may bee fulfilled that the patience and long-suffering of God towards the wicked may be manifest for their repentance that the desire of the godly and their longing for His comming may be inflamed Yet to Him the time is determined and can neither be longer nor shorter than He hath appointed onely that comming to judgement hath been proclaimed so long before that in all ages men remembring the judgement might avoid those things for which they should bee condemned So for those reasons wherby you would enforce the continuance of the world for ever it hath beene answered that it is for the greater good to man and the creature which was made for his use that this world should have an end that the creature might be freed from that corruption to which it is subject by reason of his sinne then that it should still continue Neither doth that text of the 104. Psalme prove any thing to the contrary For as the glory of God had endured in eternity before the world so shall it continue when neither the heaven nor the earth nor yet their places shall be found any more Reu. 20.11 And as for that glory of His which is manifest in the creature it shall bee more wonderfull and excellent in that worke of His recreation which the Cabalists call de Mercava when the creature in the world to come shall be brought to glory and be able to consider the super-excellency of His mercy and goodnesse than it is in this worke de Bereshith or state of creation in this present world And if the deprivation of this present being seeme to be ill because the being of the creature was good in the state of creation then the taking away of all this ill and misery which is since come upon the creature by reason of sinne and the restoring of it into an estate of happinesse without comparison better and surer than that wherein it was created must in both respects be a far greater good than either to have created it such as it was or to continue it in the present being Bring hither what you finde in the 18. Chapter § 2. But because it seemes not
and comfort in God be firme and sure if they were not grounded upon His holy promises that never faile 2. And if no man know the things of God but onely the Spirit of God how could we beleeve that which is to be beleeved of Him or hoped for our selues as the Trinity of Persons the Incarnation of the Son the resurrection of the body c. but by the instruction of His holy Word 3. How could we have the true knowledge of sinne and the punishment thereof but by His Law whereby He hath taught us what duty we owe to Him to our neighbour and to our selues And if the holy Scripture doth thorowly instruct us in all things that we ought to doe or to beleeve is not the sufficiency and perfection thereof able to teach us how to be perfect in every good worke See 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 2. And if it might with due reverence unto God be supposed that the holy Scriptures have not sufficiently instructed us in every thing Yet who is he or what is that Church that may presume to adde to His word Proverb 30.6 Lest if they teach things that are not to be beleeved or command that which is not to be done our faith be found to be foolishnesse and our obedience become if not sinne yet without reward as the Prophet saith Esay 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand 3. As the man is so is his strength Iud 8.21 as his wisedome is such are his words And seeing it is evident by the Scripture which is given that it was the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to give instructions unto His Church and that it hath already been prooved that the Wisedome Chapter 5. and the Trueth of God as all His other dignities are infinite Chapter 7. if the instructions and directions of the Scriptures were not in every respect perfect and sufficient for the Church to that end for which they were written then the Wisedome or Goodnes of God should be defective in that which was necessary for His Church to know But that is impossible Therefore the Holy Scripture is sufficient 4. If God have not sufficiently and perfectly instructed us by His word what we ought to doe and to beleeve then can He not in Iustice punish those defects which shall be found in our Faith or obedience especially seeing we are not bound by any precept in His revealed will to hearken to any traditions with that reverence as to His word but rather are every where commanded to hearken to His word and that without any adding thereto or taking away therefrom Deut. 4.1 2. and 5.32 Esay 8.20 sends us to the Law and to the Testimony and if any one shall speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them So our Lord sends us to the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 Therefore the holy Scriptures are perfect and sufficient to teach all things that belong by way of divine revelation to faith and godlinesse All the Fathers runne this way and the most learned among the Schoolemen and later Papists as you may see them cited by Master G. Langford Enquiry after verity § 2. Of Traditions Obiect 1 Object 1 Against this doctrine of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures doubts are raised two wayes First from the necessity of Traditions Secondly for that it is supposed that some bookes of the holy Writ are lost For the first it is manifest even by the reasons that are brought for the sufficiency of the Scripture For if it were alwayes necessary that the service of God in His Church should be according to His owne commandement and direction it must follow necessarily either that the Scriptures should have beene given even from the beginning of the world for the Church of the redeemed began in Adam or else that the seruice of the Church was onely according to tradition The first is apparently false For Moses was the first inditer of any Scripture and that after the deliverance out of Egypt which was after the Creation of the world 2513 yeeres Therefore the second followes of necessity that Traditions were necessary Answer This is a wilfull mistaking of the question which being about the sufficiency of the Scriptures must needs be limited to the times since the Scripture was given But Moses was not the first inditer of the holy Scripture but God Himselfe who had first written His Law in mans heart did secondly write it in two Tables of stone with His owne hand in mount Sinai And thirdly againe when the Tables of the Covenant were broken this was the first of all that which we call holy Scripture After which time God taught Moses the Originall of the world the sinne and redemption of mankind the order of times and whatsoever was necessary for that people to know and to doe And although it bee most true that the faith and seruices of the Church before the law was onely according to tradition yet because those traditions were not kept as God had taught them God brought upon the world of the ungodly the Flood Yet even within foure hundred yeeres after the Flood by the craft of the devill and his new revelations the best among men became Idolaters as it is manifest in Iosh 24.2 And therefore God gave Ordinances and Lawes by Moses in writing to the obseruation of which the whole Church of Israel was bound without any addition thereto or taking away therefrom Deut. 12.32 Obiect 2 Object 2. But traditions may be necessary for the Church as well since the Scriptures were written as before as Saint Paul 2. Thess 2.15 exhorts them to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or by Epistle So the Councill at Trent Sess 4. Can. 1. commands them to be received as the holy Canonicall Scripture Answer The word Tradition there is doubtfull For either it may signifie at large any thing that is delivered either by word or by writing and that may be any fundamentall trueth according to the holy Scripture as Saint Paul meanes in that place as Saint Athanasius Epist ad Adelphium de Incarn Contr. Samos calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apostolicall Tradition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith delivered by tradition that God was manifest in the flesh or else it may signifie any canon or rule for the ordering of things indifferent in Ecclesiasticall policy wherein all things ought to be done in order And in these two sences traditions are to be held the first in obedience to God and His trueth as we receive the Apostles Creed and as you read in the Note on Chap. 33. § 2. N. 4. how Hosius speakes of the coessentiall Persons of the Trinity as a tradition from Christ to His Apostles and from them to us the second for peace and avoiding of divisions in the Church as to kneele at the holy Communion rather then to sit or to stand though none of all these
it hath power to convert the soule that it is sure that it makes the simple wise Psal 19.7 And therefore are they not the messengers of Christ but rather the ministers of Satan who under any pretext of falling into heresie of hardnesse to be understood or the like with-hold the laytie from the reading of the Scriptures It is not denied but that many things therein are hard to be understood yet that one thing which is needfull Luk. 10.42 That mystery of the knowledge of Christ which was kept secret since the world began is now made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25.26 1. For seeing the instruction of God must be of all such things as are above our knowledge and yet of such things as are most necessary for us to know if nothing be more necessary for us to know than the meanes of our delivery from sinne and death by the merit of Christ it is necessary that one needfull thing be made manifest unto us by the Scriptures of God that every one may know and come freely to the fountaine of living Waters But what helps a fountaine that is sealed up Therfore it is necessary that our redemption by Christ be cleerely plainely and for every mans understanding taught in the holy Scriptures 2. Most of the arguments of § 2. are easily brought to prove that the Scriptures are easie to bee understood 1. For what comfort or hope could wee have by them if wee understood them not 2. How is our memory helpt by that we know not 3. How are wee confirmed in our most holy faith and religion by that wee understand not 4. How should wee understand those high mysteries so farre beyond our apprehension as the Trinitie of Persons in Vnitie of the Deitie c. but that the Holy Scriptures have made them easie unto us 5. How should wee know the danger and punishment of our sinne or the reward of our obedience if the Scripture did not fullie instruct us therein 6. You may also bring hither the reasons in § 4. I need not repeat them nor teach a child how from the sufficiencie of the Scripture he may proove their easinesse to be understood See there Object 1 Object 1. But doth not Saint Peter 2. Epistle 3.16 say that in Saint Pauls Epistles as in the other Scriptures there are some things hard to bee understood Answere Though some things be hard yet the fundamentall points of our Religion as the articles of our faith and the rules of a Christian life are plaine and easie to bee understood therein and these are the things by the knowledge and performance of which wee may hope to have everlasting life Object 2 Object 2. But it is not the word of the Scripture that the unlearned and unstable wrest the things which they understand not to their owne destruction Nay did not the Hereticks though many of them learned peruert the Scripture to the supportance of their damnable Heresies And were it not better that they had never read the Scriptures than that they should read them with so great danger both to themselues and to others as it hath appeared by the heresies that have beene sowne in the Church Answere If I seeme to give you a sullen answere yet reprove it not if it stand with the trueth It is said 1. Pet. 2.9 That Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence to the disobedient but to them that obey the trueth elect and precious But should Christ therefore not have come to redeeme His Elect because some shewed themselves unworthy of eternall life Therefore if the Gospel be uneasie or hid it is hid to them that are without whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not perceive the trueth Therefore as Christ redeemed the elect prayes for the elect not for the world but for them whom God had given him out of the world Iohn 17.9 So the benefits which are peculiar to the Church of which the true understanding of the Scripture is one belongs to them who with an honest and pure heart receive the word and bring forth fruit with patience But it is true that even to those many things are yet unknowne and some things doubtfull and this by the dispe sation of God 1. To avoid wearinesse in the reader 2. To stirre up our diligence and further inquest 3. That wee may aske wisedome of God and not trust to our owne understanding 4. That in the high and gâ—eat mysteries of God wee should hold our selues contented with that knowledge of them which God hath vouchsafed to give us in His word and such conclusions as doe necessarily follow thereupon But if the Scriptures be able indeed to give wisedome to the simple to make Children wise to saluation through faith in Christ if they give instruction in righteousnesse and make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished to every good worke 2. Tim. 3.16.17 then doubtlesse are they for every mans reading for the perfect and him that is throughly furnished for children and for the simple for all ages of men and women Ho every one that thirsteth come to tâ—e waters Come buy Wine and Milke without money or price Es 55. verse 1. Of the Scriptures Jnterpretation § 7. ANd if the Scripture be for every ones reading then certainely for euery ones interpretation privately to his owne understanding according to the measure of his capacity For the interpretation of any word or writing is nothing else but the declaration of the native and true meaning thereof whether it be literall and that either simple or figurative or mysticall and that either allegoricall morall or anagogicall But that ought not to bee taken for the true meaning of the Scripture which every one according to his private fantasie is able to wring out but that onely is the true and lawfull interpretation thereof which doth offer it selfe according to the meaning of the words with due consideration of the argument or purpose of the text which is gathered by that which goes before and that which followes after And this interpretation is especially to be hoped from them who having knowledge of the Hebrew and Greeke wherein the Scriptures were originally written have made it all their studie and delight truely to understand them for their owne soules health and the instruction of others But that wee bee not overswayed by any opinion which wee may have of their learning or mightinesse in the Scriptures let nothing be taken for a true interpretation of the Scripture which is dishonourable to God contrary to any Article of the faith or any of the ten Commandements or the petitions of the Lord prayer or any received doctrine which is plainely taught by other places of Scripture Secondly nothing which is contrary to common reason and understanding or repugnant to civill custome and good manners 3. No man knoweth the things of God but
onely the Spirit of God therefore in the interpretation of doubtfull places of Scripture the Spirit of God whereby it was written must give also the true understanding or interpretation thereof and this Spirit and the meaning thereof is most easily found in the holy Scripture Therefore the surest and best interpretation of Scripture is by Scripture it selfe 4. The Scribes and Pharises were to be heard sitting in the Chaire of Moses that is teaching the Law according to the true meaning of Moses Therefore the interpreters of the New-Testament also are to be heard speaking the voice of Christ. But His sheepe will not heare a stranger for they know not the voice of strangers Iohn 10. Therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is chiefely by the Scriptures And by the Scriptures onely every question of faith and doctrine to bee decided not by the Church or any humane voice except they speake according to the word of the Scripture 1. For seeing the Holy-Ghost is the chiefe judge in all controversies on whose infallible sentence wee may safely relye and that the Scriptures are His immediate word therefore from thence are wee to expect His immediate answere whereas the Church speakes not from God immediately but as a meane conueighs unto us the voice of the Scripture 2. Beside this the Church may erre the Scripture cannot erre 3. The Scriptures shine by their owne light the Church by the light and Doctrine of the Scriptures 4. The Scriptures are alwayes at hand to be resorted unto the Church never all assembled nor a Councill scarce once in an age and they that vaunt most of the name for the most part have least of the true Church And therefore the Prophets send us to the Law and to the Testimonies and our Lord to search the Scriptures See 2. Peter 1.19 Object 2. By this meanes making it lawfull for every one to reade and interpret the Scriptures you set open a doore to all manner of heresies to enter into the Church and make every private spirit a judge and an interpreter of the sence of Scripture Answer Though every one may and ought to read the Scripture for comfort and instruction yet the interpretation of the harder places belongs especially to the Pastours and Doctors appointed by the Church thereto and if any private man doe interpret according to the former rules yet cannot that interpretation be said to proceed from a private spirit although the man be private For the holy Spirit is the common author of all light and understanding And the meanes whereby He useth to teach is the holy Word the common light of all the faithfull And this may seeme sufficient to have spoken of the Author and use of the holy Scriptures and what they are then of their sufficiency purity easinesse and interpretation And blessed is that man that meditates in them day and night that he may finde by them the full assurance of his hopes and live in obedience and thankefullnesse to the Author and finisher of his faith ARTICLE IX ⧠I beleeve in the holy Catholike-Church CHAP. XXXV A Certaine Iew famed for his riches was once asked by a great lord of the Turkes how it came to passe that the Turkes the Christians and the Iewes did so peremptorily hold every one their owne faith that they could not be withdrawne therefrom The Iew suspecting his wealth to be aimed at answered as their manner is by a witty parable A rich man quoth he had three sonnes that obserued him with great respect because of his wealth he to hold them all in their obedience oftentimes profest among them that he should be the heire of all his estate to whom at his death he should bequeath a ring which he used to weare But in secret he caused Mammurius the Goldsmith to make for him two other rings so like it as Numaes ancylia were not one more like another At his death he called each of his sonnes apart and gave to every one of them one of these rings and withall the possession of all his goods so every one holds his claime quoth he and it is not yet knowne how the controversie will be ended This is the present state of the Church not onely among these three sects named but likewise among all the sects of Christianity yea of all religions whatsoever For there is none among the Pagans but he hath this hope that his soule shall be happy if he serue his god as he ought And having determined those questions which concerne God and our Mediator it followes that in this second part of the Creed we consider those benefits and priviledges which belong unto the Church by that which our Saviour hath done and suffered for it But that we mistake not we shall best be guided by the holy Scripture both for the use of the word and for the knowledge of the thing The word Ecclesia as it signifies in the originall the house of religious exercises or a tumultuous assembly as in Act. 19.32 or a combination of wicked men as in Psalm 26.5 hath no use here but more properly it signifieth an assembly or multitude of people professing the true worship of God such as were the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and others planted by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in a City or Kingdome as we thinke that Ioseph of Arimathea planted the faith in this Island and so established a Church here Every faithfull family is likewise a Church Romans 16.5 and the Church representative as the Synedrion among the Iewes is also so stiled in Matth. 18.17 But because among all these Churches there may be hypocrites unholy and carnally minded men which we cannot count within our Creed and beleeve that they are the holy Church therefore the Church may be taken not onely for the visible but also they whose Mediator our Lord Christ is unto eternall life as he saith Iohn 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given mee From whence it will easily appeare what this holy Catholike or universall Church is which here we doe beleeve to wit that number of holy men which God out of all nations of the world hath predestinated unto eternall life If we cleare the sence of the words and answere such doubts as arise thereabout we shall afterward easily approove the Article And first concerning the title of holinesse given to the Church Object 1. It may be objected that seeing it is said Psal 14. that among all the Children of men there is none that doeth good no not one how can any Church among men bee called Holy Answere Not by any inbred holinesse in themselues but because the righteousnesse of Christ their Saviour is imputed unto them for their justification before God as it is said 1. Iohn 1.7 The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth us from all sinne then because the Spirit of sanctification dwells in them and makes them zealous of good workes that they
more fully assured unto us then this among all those things which we doe beleeve Stay thou trembling and fearefull soule and though the ugly visage of thy monstrous sinnes make thee afraid which indeed are so much the more hideous and deformed because they are not onely against the Law of God but against the law of reason rightly judging and against thine owne conscience yet stay and see what hope there is for thee and though that messenger of hell Despaire with all that wretched traine of all thy sinne which he brings with him doth hunt thee so close that thou darest not stay though thou wouldest be any thing save that thou art and most of all nothing at all yet see if a doore of hope as wide as the valley of Aâ—hor Hos 2.15 be not set open for thee onely if thou wilt be intreated to goe in and be saved 1. Thou objectest the wrath of God from which there is no avoidance But are not all men borne under one state of corruption and who can sâ—y his heart is cleane if God then should be extreame to marke what is done amisse who can abide it and if every sinne in as much as it is against an infinite justice deserues eternall punishment can no man be saved So all man-kind should have beene created onely to punishment but this is against the infinity of His goodnesse who is full of compassion slow to anger and great in mercy good to all and His tender mercies are above all His workes Exod. 34.6 Psal 144.8 9. Therefore there is forgivenesse of sinnes 2. Therefore is the sinne of the wicked angels unpardonable because it was wilfull in them because they cannot repent them of it and because they have no mediator to make satisfaction for their sinne All which through the mercy of God to us are found contrary in the sinne of man for neither was his sinne wilfull or of himselfe alone but from the devill which tempted him thereto neither is it without repentance in all that belong to God neither is it without a Mediator that is able to make satisfaction fully for all our sinnes But when all sufficient meanes are orderly disposed for an end it is impossible but that the end should follow Therefore there is a forgivenesse of sinnes as we are taught to pray 3. Glory and happinesse is not given till sinnes be first forgiven So that if there be not a forgivenesse of sinnes the greatest and most excellent vertues must for ever remaine without reward For we see that in this life vertue is so farre from reward or esteeme that it is rather persecuted with hatred and contempt as the Proverbe hath it Virtutis â—omes inuidia And if vertue can find no reward neither in this life nor in that which is to come then the goodnesse and justice of God should be defective But this is impossible therefore there is forgivenesse of sinnes 4. Change the termes of the first reasons in the 18. Chapter and they are easily brought to this conclusion So from the reasons for the Catholike Church and from many other this Article is easily concluded as you may see by the reason following 5. Christ tooke not on Him the nature of Angels but He tooke on Him the seed of Abraham H br 2.16 For it behooved Him in all things to be made like unto His brethren that He might bee a mercifull and faithfull High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people therefore was Hee made a little lesse then the Angels that Hee might suffer death for our sinnes and this that Hee might abolish his power that had the power of death Hebr. 2.14 15 16 17. but nothing of all this for any benefit to Himselfe but for us was He borne for us He died and rose againe and sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us And these are the glorious workes which were given unto Him of the Father to doe for us and cannot possibly be in vaine Therefore seeing He Himselfe became our surety for the things of heaven are not knowne but by the Registers of heaven See Hebr. 10.7 and 7.22 Gen. 3.15 Esay 53.4.5.6.8.11.12 and hath in His owne body borne the punishment of our sinnes upon the tree 1. Pet. 2.24 it cannot stand with the justice of God to exact that debt of us which our surety hath satisfied And therefore it followes that our sinnes are forgiven us 6. And that I may at once decide this question both by reason and authority also of holy Writ and give full comfort and hope to thee poore soule that art pressed downe even to the gates of hell under the burthen of thy sinnes stay and see if thy comforts be not greater then thou hadst thought First it is a cleare case that no mans life is justly call'd in question but by the plaine and manifest letter of the Law Thou wilt say that is thy desperate case For it is written Deut. 27.26 Cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them so is the Letter I confesse but that is now cancell'd and that by the interpretation of the Law it selfe builded upon one and the same justice with the former as where it is said Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith then not by doing the workes of the Law although it be most just that he that doth the workes of the Law should live therein Levit. 18.5 as Saint Paul argues Galat. 3.12 for Lawes are made for the preseruation of humane society in generall so for the safety and defence of every innocent in particular that doing well they may be without feare Rom. 13.3 But Christ our Saviour though He were separate from sinners though no deceit were found in His mouth lived not in His innocency by the patronage of the Law And if the Law had not power to give life to the innocent neither in justice can it have power to condemne the guilty and if no flesh shall be justified by the workes of the Law Galat. 2.16 but that all men thereby stand guilty before God what madnesse is it to seeke life by that which brings the sentence of condemnation and that upon all men indifferently And if Christ Iesus be of God made unto us Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 what shall we need to feare the condemnation of the Law which through the infirmity of our flesh was unable to give life or seeke any other righteousnesse then that which by faith we have in him And if He be our righteousnesse how can the Law condemne us when He hath fulfilled it for us Rom. 8.3 4. therefore comfort thy selfe in God Blessed is the man whose hope is in the Lord his God and though thy hopes be weake nay though thou walke in darkenesse and have no light yet trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon thy God Esay 50.10 And though thy conscience
the father But this Philosophy of the superfluity of the seed hath been hist out in the 17. Chapter The maine doubt is answered by Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15.44 Thy body is sowen a naturall body but it is raised a spirituall body So then though Beares or dogs or Canibals or wormes devoure the flesh yet seeing onely flesh is nourished thereby a materiall body with a materiall a naturall body with a naturall the spirituall body is free from any naturall change For even now the soule dwells not in the body but by those meane spirits which are raised from the bodily parts as I shewed before Therefore though this materiall individuall body shall be raised up yet because it is raised up a in spiritual estate it will be free from naturall corruption because it is fitted to be an eternall habitation for the soule being wholly spirituall and then there will be no want of any member or part when the soule shall be able to fit it selfe of a clothing for all uses out of a spirituall body neither shall it need to seeke any supply out of a forreigne body For as in justice the same soule must returne to the same body that both may suffer or be glorified together So shall both be perfected together according to the perfection of every individuall in their proper parts And though they be scattered in ashes or dust as farre as from East to West yet shall every atome be gathered into that body in which it first received the impression of an humane soule to become a part of a reasonable man The Poet gives you an example of a Gardiner wehling his seeds being mingled together Namque ut quondam olitor qui forte minuta sub uno Diversi generis confusa videbat aceruo Semina mox secum dum singula seligit hoc est Ozymon hoc apium lapathum istud oxalis illud Daucus andrachne ammi apiastrum urtica melanthum Sic tua sed melior sapientia novit acuto Permistos hominum cineres discernere visu I will give you an experiment for your easier understanding Take a knife a punch or other toole of steele well hardned and touch't with a load-stone mingle a quantity of the fylings of iron or steele with so much common dust as that the fylings appeare not yet with the knife or punch made cleane you may separate the fylings according to the first quantity out of the dust And if this be possible to metall by reason of the common spirit how much more to the soule when it is commanded to gather together that dust which once it had enlived by it selfe § 4. Among the heresies against the doctrine of our holy religion that which denies the resurrection was one of the first For beside the Sadduces which denied it as you read Mat. 22. and thought that the soule died with the body all the sects of the Samaritanes except perhaps the Dositheans held that errour with them And although it bee not knowne to mee which of them fell first into the ditch yet seeing both sorts held the bookes and authority of Moses and none of the Prophets beside authenticall and that the Sadduces interpreted Moses according to the letter of the Law and thought that the blessings and cursings therein contained did belong onely to this present life which was the originall of this errour with mee they shall be accounted the blind guides of the blind Among the Christians some twenty sects of Hereticks have beene which denied this Article some upon one ground some upon another The first fountaine of this poysoned doctrine among the Chri tians was Simon the Samaritane whose Scholars held it successively unto Marcus about a 100. yeeres after Simon This Marcus also upheld the same heresie but after him it was by turnes ca l'd up from hell againe Carâ—ocrates out of Platoes Scho e brought in the change of soules from body to body but much worse than hee For Plato thought that the soules of men were sent into the bodies of beasts or of crazed and old men for the punishment of their formâ—r sinnes but Carpocrates taught that they were brought thither for the fulfilling of those lusts which they had not done in their former bodies For being here subiect to the power of the enemie man said hee cannot escape the wrath of these adversaries but by the filthinesse of life and doing such things as please them And therefore the soules that live heere most vertuously and tempeâ—ately are oftenest sent into other bodies Though this doctrine of the devills Chaplaine upheld the immortality of the soâ—le yet no resurrection of the body Valentine and after him the Manichees taught that the soules of men onely were redeemed by Christ but not their bodies and therefore they should rise no more Neither yet should all soules bee saved For there bee said hee three sorts of men spirituall animall and carnall Spirituall which by nature have a most excellent faith and these shall be saved without good workes as Seth Animal which have but a little faith but may bee saved by a supply of their workes as Abel But the carnall as Cain can by no meanes bee saved Marcion concerning the resurrection of the body sided with Valentine And so did Apelles For said hee Christ Himselfe went to Heaven without any body For that body which Hee had taken from Heaven and the elements at the resurrection Hee delivered againe to their proper principles from whence He tooke it The Seleucians also that affirme that Christ left His body in the Sunne as you read before are bound to denie to us any ascent into the heavens above for it cannot be better with us the members than it is with our Head Origens errour against the resurrection is at large refuted by Epiphanius Haer. 64. and if you minde the objections and answeres before you have the sum of that which Origen brought against it and the other answered Hierax denied a resurrection of the body but is disproved by the arguments heere brought as all the other Hereticks which are here mentioned A resurrection of the soule he yeelded unto except of the Infants which died before they had knowledge because none is crowned except he that strives lawfully as you read before in the 28. Chapter where his reason is answered out of Epiphanius Haer. 67. And although you see such monsters of opinions as I have said and if you have leisure may read the refutation in particular in the Authour aforesaid Yet if you take good heed to that which hath beene spoken for and against the trueth you may confesse that the trueth is great and shall prevaile CHAP. XXXIX ⧠And life everlasting § 1. WHile there was no sinne in the world it stood not with the justice of God that any punishment for sinne should bee inflicted therefore death and all diseases as his fore-runners with hunger thirst and all the enemies of life were far from man But after that sinne