compunction or satisfaction And Here is all remission of sinne here be temptations that mooue vs to sinne lastly here is the euill from which we desire to be deliuered but there is none of all these And We are not here without sinne but we shall goe hence without sinne Cyril saith They which are once dead can adde nothing to the things which they haue done but shall remaine as they were left and waite for the time of the last iudgement Chrysost. After the ende of this life there be no occasions of merits Secondly we differ from them touching the meanes of Purgation They say that men are purged by suffering of paines in Purgatorie whereby they satisfie for their veniall sinnes and for the temporal punishment of their mortall sinnes We teach the contrarie holding that nothing can free vs from the least punishment of the smallest sinne but the sufferings of Christ and purge vs from the least taint of corruption sauing the blood of Christ. Indeede they say that our sufferings in themselues considered doe not purge and satisfie but as they are made meritorious by the sufferings of Christ but to this I oppose one text of Scripture Heb. 1. 3. where it is said that Christ hath purged our sinnes by himselfe where the last clause cuts the throat of all humane satisfactions and merits and it giueth vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer thing purgeth vs from our sinnes is not to be found in vs but in Christ alone otherwise it should haue bin saide that Christ purgeth the sinnes of men by themselues as well as by himselfe and he should merit by his death that we should become our owne Sauiours in part To this place I may well referre praier for the dead of which I will propound two conclusions affirmatiue and one negatiue Conclus I. We hold that Christian charitie is to extend it selfe to the very dead and it must shew it selfe in their honest buriall in the preseruation of their good names in the helpe and releefe of their posteritie as time and occasion shall be offered Ruth 1.8 Ioh. 19.23 II. Conclus We pray further in generall manner for the faithfull departed that God would hasten their ioyfull resurrection and the full accomplishment of their happines both for the bodie and the soule and thus much we aske in saying Thy kingdome come that is not onely the kingdome of grace but also the kingdome of glorie in heauen Thus farre we come but nearer the gates of Babylon we dare not approch III. Conclus To pray for particular men departed and to pray for their deliuerance out of purgatorie we thinke it vnlawfull because we haue neither promise nor commandement so to doe The eighteenth point Of the Supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall Our consent Touching the point of Supremacie Ecclesiasticall I will set downe how neare we may come to the Romane Church in two conclusions Conclus I. For the founding of the primitiue Church the ministerie of the word was distinguished by degrees not onely of order but also of power and Peter was called to the highest degree Eph. 4.11 Christ ascended vp on high and gaue gifts vnto men for the good of his Church as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Doctours Now howsoeuer one Apostle be not aboue an other or one Euangelist aboue an other or one Pastour aboue an other yet an Apostle was aboue an Euangelist and an Euangelist aboue all pastours and teachers And Peter was by calling an Apostle and therefore aboue all Euangelists and Pastors hauing the highest roome in the ministerie of the newe testament both for order and authoritie Conclus II. Among the twelue Apostles Peter had a threefold priuiledge or prerogatiue I. The prerogatiue of authoritie II. Of primacie III. Of principalitie For the first by the priuiledge of authoritie I meane a preheminence in regard of estimation wherby he was had in reuerence aboue the rest of the twelue Apostles for Cephas with Iames and Iohn are called Pillars seemed to be great Gal. 2.6.9 Againe hee had the preheminence of primacie because he was the first named as the foreman of the quest Math. 10.2 The names of the twelue Apostles are these the first is Simon called Peter Thirdly hee had the preheminence of principality among the twelue because in regard of the measure of grace he excelled the rest for when Christ asked his disciples whome they said he was Peter as beeing of greatest abilitie and zeale answered for them all Math. 16.16 I vse this clause among the twelue because Paul excelled Peter euery way in learning zeale vnderstanding as far as Peter excelled the rest And thus neere we come to popish supremacie The difference The Church of Rome giues to Peter a supremacie vnder Christ aboue all causes and persons that is full power to gouerne and order the Catholike Church vpon the whole earth both for doctrine and regiment This supremacie standes as they teach in a power or iudgement to determine of the true sense of all places of Scripture to determine all causes of faith to assemble generall counsels to ratifie the decrees of the said councels to excommunicate any man vpon earth that liues within the Church euen princes and nations properly to absolue and forgiue sinnes to decide causes brought to him by appeale from all the parts of the earth lastly to make lawes that shall bind the conscience This fulnes of power with one consent is ascribed to Peter the Bishops of Rome that followe him in a supposed succession Nowe we holde on the contrarie that neither Peter nor any Bishop of Rome hath any supremacie ouer the Catholike Church but that al supremacie vnder Christ is pertaining to kings and princes within their dominions And that this our doctrine is good and theirs false and forged I will make it manifest by sundrie reasons I. Christ must be considered of vs as a king two waies First as he is God and so is he an absolute king ouer all things in heauen and earth with the Father and the Holy Ghost by the right of creation Secondly he is a king as hee is a redeemer of mankind and by the right of redemption he is a soueraigne king ouer the whole Church and that in speciall manner Nowe as Christ is God with the father and the holy ghost hee hath his deputies on earth to gouerne the world as namely kings and princes who are therefore in Scriptures called Gods But as Christ is Mediatour and consequently a king ouer his redeemed ones hee hath neither fellowe nor deputie No fellowe for then hee should be an imperfect mediatour No deputie for no creature is capable of this office to doe in the roome and steade of Christ that which hee himselfe doth because euery work of the Mediatour is a compound worke arising of the effects of two natures concurring in one and the same action namely the godhead and the manhood and therefore to the effecting of
doting women who through the diuels delusion suppose that they themselues doe that which indeede the diuell doth alone albeit they endeauour cunningly to cloake this sinne yet by the same meanes they may defend murther adulterie and what other sinne soeuer II. Those which doe consult with Magitians they doe also worship the diuel for they reuolt frō God to the diuell howesoeuer they plaister vp their impietie with vntempered morter that they seeke Gods helpe though by the meanes of Magitians 1. Sam. 28.13 The woman said to Saul I saw gods ascending from the earth Leu. 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with spirit◠and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people Esay 8.19 20. When they shall say to you Enquire at them which haue a spirit of diuination and at the soothsayers which whisper and murmure Should not a people enquire as their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie The affirmatiue part Thou shalt worshippe God in spirit and trueth Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth For so soone as any man beginneth to worship God after an ouerthwart and vnlawefull manner he then adoreth an idoll howsoeuer he seemeth to colour his impietie Paul therefore Rom. 1.23 saith that such as worshipped the creature and turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible man did forsake the Creator v. 25. and 1. Cor. 10.20 Those things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuells and not vnto God To this part therfore appertaine such things as respect the holy solemne seruice of God I. The true and ordinarie meanes of Gods worshippe as calling vpon the name of the Lord by humble supplication and hartie thanksgiuing and the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments Act. 2.41,42 They that gladly receiued his word were baptized the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and of prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort you especially that praiers supplicatiōs be made for all men for kings all in authoritie Act. 20.7 The first day of the weeke the Disciples being come togither to breake bread Paul preached vnto them readie to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight Tertul. Apolog. chap. 39. We come into the assemblie and congregation that with our praiers as with an armie we might compasse God This kind of violence offered to God is acceptable to him If any man so offend that he must bee suspended from the publike place of praier and holy meetings all ancient men that be of any account beare rule being aduanced to this honour not by bribes but by their good report c. read the rest II. An holy vse of the meanes First in the ministers who ought to administer al things belonging to Gods worship according to his word Math. 28. 20. Teaching them to obserue all things which I haue commaunded 1. Corinthians 11. 23. I haue receiued of the Lord that which also I haue deliuered Secondly in the rest of the assemblie whose dutie is in praying vnto God in hearing the word preached and read and in receiuing the Sacraments to behaue thēselues outwardly in modestie and without offence 1. Corinth 14.40 Let all things be done honestly and by order Inwardly they must take heede that their hearts be well prepared to serue God Eccles. 4.17 Take heede to both thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God c. and chap. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart he hastie to vtter a thing before God Againe wee must looke that wee approch neere God in confidence of his mercie togither with a contrite and repentant heart for all our sinnes Heb. 4. 2. The word that they heard profited not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Psal. 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and so come before thine altar III. The helps and furtherances of the true worship are two Vowes and Fasting and they are not to be takē as the worship of God it selfe For we may not obtrude any thing to God as good seruice and as though it did binde the conscience except he haue ordained it for that end and purpose A vow in the New Testament is a promise to God with a full intent to obserue some corporall and externall duties which a Christian hath on his owne accord without iniunction imposed vpon himself that he may thereby the better be excited vnto repentance meditation sobrietie abstinence patience and thankfulnes towards God Gen. 28.20 Then Iaakob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I haue set vp as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that thou shalt giue me I will giue the tenth to thee In vowing we haue these things to obserue 1. We must not vow that which is vnlawfull 2. We ought not to vowe the performance of that which is contrarie to our vocation 3. Vowes must be of that which we can doe 4. They must be farre from so much as a conceit of merit or worship of God 5. We must so performe our vowes as that they encroch not vpon Christian libertie giuen vs in Christ for we are bounden to pay our vowes no longer then the causes thereof either remaine or are taken away Deut. 23.18 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow v. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee but when thou abstainest from vowing it shal be no sinne vnto thee c. v. 23. Psal. 66.14 I will pay thee my vowes which my lips haue promised Fasting is when a man perceiuing the want of some blessing or suspecting and seeing some imminent calamitie vpon himselfe or other abstaineth not onely from flesh for a season but also from all delights and sustenance that he thereby may make a more diligent search into his owne sinnes or offer most hūble praiers vnto God that he would withhold that which his anger threatned or bestow vpon vs some such good things as we want Matth 9.15 Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne so long as the bridegrome is with thē 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except for a time that ye may the better fast and pray Ioel 2.12 Wherefore euen now saith the Lord be ye turned
Creede beeing a summary collection of things to bee beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of God for the helping of memory and vnderstanding of men I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the Church For in these two points consisteth the whole summe thereof Lastly I say that it is gathered forth of the scripture to make a difference between it and and other writings and to shew the authoritie of it which I will further declare on this manner There bee two kinde of writings in which the doctrine of the Church is handled and they are either diuine or Ecclesiasticall Diuine are the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles And these are not onely the pure word of God but also the scripture of God because not onely the matter of them but the whole disposition thereof with the style and the phrase was set downe by the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine that is absolute and soueraigne and they are of sufficient credit in and by themselues needing not the testimonie of any creature not subiect to the censure either of men or Angels binding the consciences of all men at all times and beeing the only foundation of faith and the rule and canon of all trueth Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures These may be called the word or trueth of God so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man and therefore they are in such sort the word of God as that also they are the word of men And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne but subordinate to the former and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men councels but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall particular or proper Generall are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed ouer the whole worlde and among the rest the Creede of the Apostles made either by the Apostles themselues or by their hearers and disciples apostolicall men deliuered to the Church and conueied from hand to hand to our times Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches Proper writings are the bookes and confessions of priuate men Nowe betweene these we must make difference For the Generall Creede of the Apostles other vniuersall Creeds in this case not excepted though it be of lesse authoritie then scripture yet hath it more authoritie then the particular priuate writings of Churches and men For it hath beene receiued and approoued by vniuersall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages and so were neuer these in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholike Church and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed should vpon some occasion be changed a particular Church of any country can not do it without Catholike consent of the whole Churche yet particular writings and confessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholike Church Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith among all Churches to trie doctrines interpretations of scriptures by not because it is a rule of it selfe for that the scripture is alone but because it borroweth his authoritie froÌ„ scripture with which it agreeth And this honour no other writings of men can haue Here some may demand the number of Creedes Ans. I say but one Creede as there is but one faith and if it be alleadged that wee haue many Creedes as besides this of the Apostles the Nicene Creede and Athanasius Creed c. I answer the seuerall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seueral faiths and religions but one and the same and this called the Apostles creede is most ancient and principall all the rest are not newe Creedes in substance but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it that men might better auoid the heresies of their times Further it may be demanded in what forme this Creede was penned Ans. In the forme of an answere to a question The reason is this In the Primitiue Church when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ and was to be baptised this question was asked him What beleeuest thouâ— then he answered according to the forme of the Creede I beleeue in God c. And this maner of questioning was vsed euen from the time of the Apostles When the Eunuch was conuerted by Philip he said What doth let me to be baptised Philip said If thou doest beleeue with all thine heart thou maist Then he answered I beleede that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God By this it appeares that although all men for the most part amongst vs can say this Creede yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first vse of it for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is saide for a prayer beeing indeede no prayer and when it is vsed so men make it no better then a charme Before we come to handle the particular points of the Creede it is very requiâ—ite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature properties and kindes of faith the confession and ground whereof is set forth in the Creede Faith therefore is a gift of God whereby we giue assent or credence to Gods word For there is a necessarie relation betweene faith and Gods word The common propertie of faith is noted by the author of the Hebrewes when he saith Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the demonstration of things that are not seene For all this may be vnderstood not onely of iustifying faith but also of temporarie faith and the faith of miracles Where faith is said to be a ground the meaning is that though there are many things promised by God which men doe not presently enioy but onely hope for because as yet they are not yet faith doth after a sort giue subsisting or beeing vnto them Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration c. that is by beleeuing a man doth make a thing as it were visible beeing otherwise inuisible and absent Faith is of two sorts either common faith or the faith of the Elect as Paul saith he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect which also is called faith without hypocrisie The common faith is that which both elect and reprobate haue and it is threefold The first is historicall faith which is when a man doth beleeue the outward letter and historie of the word It hath two parts knowledge of Gods word and an
certaine extraordinarie power whereby God inabled to plague and punish rebellious offenders with grieuous iudgements not in their soules but in their bodies alone With this rod Paul smote Elimas blinde and Peter smote Ananias and Saphira with bodily death And it may bee that Paul by his power did giue vp the incestuous man when hee was excommunicate to be vexed in his bodie and tormented by the deuil but that by this rod the Apostles could smite conscience it can not be prooued Argum. 8.1 Tim. 3. Paul made a lawe that none hauing two wiues should be ordained a bishop nowe this lawe is positiue and Ecclesiasticall and binds conscience Answer Paul is not the maker of this lawe but God himselfe who ordained that in marriage not three but two alone should be one flesh that they which serue at the altar of the Lord should be holy And to graunt that this lawe were a new law beside the written word of God yet doth it not follow that Paul was the maker of it because he vsed not to deliuer any doctrine to the Churches but which he receiued of the Lord. Argum. 9. Luk. 10. He which heareth you heareth me Ans. These words properly concerne the Apostles and doe not in like manner belong to the Pastours and teachers of the Church And the end of these words is not to confirme any Apostolicall authoritie in making lawes to the conscience but to signifie the priuiledge which hee had vouchsafed them aboue all others that he would so farre forth assist them with his spirit that they should not erre or be deceiued in teaching and publishing the doctrine of saluation though otherwise they were sinfull men according to Math. 10. It is not you that speake but the spirit of my father which speaketh in you And the promise to be lead into all trueth was directed vnto them Argum. 10.1 Cor. 11. I praise you that you keepe my commandements Answ. Paul deliuered nothing of his owne concerning the substance of the doctrine of saluation and the worship of God but that which he receiued from Christ. The precepts here meant are nothing els but rules of decency and comely order in the congregation and though they were not to be obeyed yet Pauls meaning was not to bind any mans conscience therewith For of greater matters he saith This I speake for your commoditie not to intangle you in a snare 1. Cor. 7.35 Argum. 11. Councels of auncient fathers when they commaund or forbid any thing doe it with threatning of a curse to the offenders Ans. The Church in former time vsed to annexe vnto her Canons the curse anathema because things decreed by them were indeede or at the leâ—st thought to be the will worde of God and they had respect in the saying of Paul If any teach otherwise though hee bee an angel from heauen let him bee accursed Therefore Councels in this action were no more but instruments of God to accurse those whome he first had accursed Argum. 12. An act indifferent if iâ— be commanded is made necessarie and the keeping of it is the practise of vertue therefore euery lawe bindes conscience to a sinne Ans. An act in it selfe indifferent being commanded by mans law it is not made simply necessarie for that is as much as Gods law doeth or can doe but onely in some part that is so farre forth as the saide act or action tends to maintaine and preserue the good ende for which the lawe is made And though the action be in this regard necessarie yet doeth it still remaine indifferent as it is considered in it selfe out of the ende of the lawe so as if peace the common good and comely order may bee maintained and all offence auoided by any other meanes the act may be done or not done without sinne before God For whereas God himselfe hath giuen libertie and feedom in the vse of things indifâ—erent the lawe of man doeth not take away the same but onely moderate and order the ouercommon vse of it for the common good Argum. 13. The fast of lent stands by a lawe and commandement of menâ— and this law binds conscience simply for the auncient fathers haue called it a Tradition Apostolicall and make the keeping of it to bee necessarie and the not keeping of it a sinne and punish the offenders with excommunication Ans. It is plaine to him that will not be obstinate that Lent fast was not commanded in the primitiue Church but was freely at mens pleasures and in seuerall Churches diuersly both in regard of space of time as also in respect of diuersitie of meates Ireneus in his epistle to Victor cited by Eusebius saith Some haue thought that they must fast one daie some two daies some more some 40. houres daie and night which diuersitie of fasting commendeth the vnitie of faith Spiridion a good man did eate flesh in Lent and caused his guest to doe the same and this he did vpon iudgement because he was perswaded out of gods word that to the cleane all things were cleane And Eusebius recordes that Montanus the hereticke was the first that prescribed solemne and set lawes of fasting And whereas this fast is called Apostolicall tradition it is no great matter for it was the manner of the auncient Church in former times to tearme rites and orders Ecclesiâ—sticall not set downe in Scriptures Apostolicall orders that by this meanes they might commend them to the people as Ierome testifieth Euery prouince saith he may thinke the constitutions of the Ancestours to be Apostolicall lawes And whereas it is said to be a sinne not to fast in Lent as Augusâ—ine speaketh it is not by reason of any commandement binding conscience for Augustine saith plainely that neither Christ nor his Apostles appointed any set time of fasting and Chrysostome that Christ neuer commanded vs to followe his fast but the true reason hereof is borrowed from the ende For the Primitiue Church vsed not the Popish fast which is to eate whitmeate alone but an abstinence from all meates vsed specially to mortifie the flesh and to prepare men before hand to a worthie receiuing of the Eucharist And in regard of this good end was the offence And wheras it is said that auncient fathers taught a necessitie of keeping this fast euen Hierome whome they alleadge to this purpose saith the contrarie For confuting the errour of Montanus who had his set time of fast to be kept of necessitie he saith we fast in Lent according to the Apostles tradition as in a time meete for vs and we do it not as though it were not lawfull for vs to fast in the rest of the yere except Pentecost but it is one thing to doe a thing of necessitie an other to offer a gift of free will Lastly excommunication was for open contempt of this order taken vp in the Church which was that men should fast before Easter for their further humiliation and preparation to
He is able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Secondly according to his Deitie partly by applying the merit of his death partly by making request by his holy Spirit in the hearts of the Elect with sighes vnspeakable 1. Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father to the sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 8. â—6 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed We are not therefore to imagine or surmise that Christ prostrateth himselfe vpon his knees before his Fathers throne for vs neither is it necessarie seeing his very presence before his father hath in it the force of an humble petition The end of Christs intercession is that such as are iustified by his merits should by this meanes continue in the state of grace Now Christs intercession preserueth the elect in couering their continuall slipps infirmities and imperfect actions by an especiall and continuall application of his merits That by this meanes mans person may remaine iust and mans works acceptable to God 1. Ioh. 2.2 Hee is a reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house and holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Reuel 8.3,4 And another Angell came and stood before the altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which is before the throne and tâ—â— smoke of the odors with the prayers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand Thus farre concerning Christs priesthood nowe follow his Propheticall and Regall offices His Propheticall office is that whereby he immediately from his Father renealeth his word and all the meanes of saluation comprised in the same Ioh. 1.18 The Son which is in the bosome of his father he hath declared vnto you Ioh. 8.26 Those things which I heare of my father I speake to the world Deut. 18.18 I will raise them vp a Prophet c. The word was first reuealed partly by visions by dreames by speech partly by the instinct and motion of the holy ghost Heb. 1.1 At sundry times in diuers manners God spake in old time to our Fathers the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne 2. Pet. 1.21 Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy ghost The like is done ordinarily onely by the preaching of the word where the holy ghost doth inwardly illuminate the vnderstanding Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures v. 21.15 I I will giue you a month and wisdome where against all your aduersaries shall not bee able to speake nor resist Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended on the things that Paul spake For this cause Christ is called the Doctor Lawegiuer and Counsellour of his Church Matth. 23.10 Be ye not called Dâ—ctors for one is your Doctor Iesus Christ. Iam. 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy Esa. 9.6 He shall call his name Counsellour c. Yea he is the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 The Angell of the couenant Malac. 3.1 And the Mediatour of the new couenant Heb. 9.15 Therefore the soueraigne authoritie of expouÌ„ding the Scripture only belongs to Christ and the Church hath onely the ministerie of iudgement and interpretation committed vnto her Christs Regall office is that whereby he distributeth his gifts and disposeth all things for the benefit of the elect Psal. 2. and 110.31.2 The Lord said vnto my Lord sit tâ—ou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole The execution of Christs Regall office comprehendeth his exaltation Christs exaltation is that by which he after his humiliation was by little and little exalted to glorie and that in sundrie respects according to both his natures The exaltation of his diuine nature is an apparant declaration of his diuine properties in his humane nature without the least alteration thereof Rom. 1. 4. Declared mightily to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Act. 2.36 God hath made him both lord Christ whome ye haue crucified The exaltation of his humanitie is the putting off from him his seruile coÌ„dition and all infirmities and the putting on of such habituall gifts which albeit they are created and finite yet they haue so great and so marueilous perfection as possibly can be ascribed to any creature The gifts of his minde are wisdome knowledge ioy and other vnspeakeable vertues of his bodie immortalitie strength agilitie brightnesse Philip. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Math. 17.2 He was traÌ„sfigured before them his face did shine as the sunne and his cloathes were as white as the light Heb. 1.9 God euen thy God hath annointed the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellows Eph. 1.20.22 Christs bodie although it be thus glorified yet is it still of a solide substaÌ„ce compassed about visible palpable and shall perpetually remaine in some certaine place Luk. 24.39 Behold my hands and my feete it is euen I touch me and see a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye se me haue There be three degrees of Christs exaltation I. His resurrection wherein by his diuine power he subdued death and raised vp himselfe to eternall life 2. Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified concerning his infirmitie yet liueth he through the power of God Matth. 28.6 Hee is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord was laid The ende of Christs resurrection was to shewe that his satisfaction by his passion and death was fully absolute For one onely sinne would haue detaiâ—ed the Mediatour vnder the dominion of death though he had fully satisfied for all the rest 1. Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is in vaine yee are yet in your sinnes Rom. 4.25 Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification II. His ascension into heauen which is a true locall and visible translation of Christs humane nature from earth into the highest heauen of the blessed by the vertue power of his Deitie Act. 1.9 When he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went beholde two men stood by theÌ„ in white apparell which also said Ye men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen
fruit that the word of God bringeth forth in the liues of men shewes this to be most true The seauenth and last signe set downe by the Apostle Paul is that there shall be a calling of the Iewes before the Lord come to iudgement but of the time when this calling shall be of the manner how or the number of them that shall be called there is no mention made of in the word of God Now it is likely that this signe is yet to come These are the signes that goe before the comming of Christ all which are almost past and therefore the end can not be farre off Now follows the signe that is ioyned with the comming of Christ called the signe of the sonne of man What this signe is we finde not in the Scriptures Some thinke it to be the signe of the crosse but that is friuolous some the glorie and maiestie of Christ which shall be made manifest in his appearance which seemes to be otherwise by the very words of Christ. Then saith he shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man c. and then they shall see him come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie where he distinguisheth the one from the other But I rather coniecture it to be the burning of heauen and earth with fire at the very instant of Christs comming mentioned by Peter We must not here dispute whence this fire shall come or how it shall be kindled for that the word of God hath concealed and where God hath not a mouth to speake there we must not haue an eare to heare The vses to be made hereof are these When S. Peter had set downe the change that shall be at the comming of Christ and that heauen and earth must be purged with fire he makes this vse thereof Seeing all things must be dissolued what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines and the reason is good For if heauen and earth must be changed and purged at Christs comming then much more ought we to be chaunged and to put off the old man of sinne and to become newe creatures created after the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse If the bruit creatures must be renued by fire then much more are wee to labour that the heat of Gods spirit may burne vp sinne corruption in vs so change vs that we may be ready for him against his comming els heauen and earth it selfe shall stand in iudgement against vs to our condemnation Secondly the consideration of this that the world shall be consumed with fire teacheth vs moderation and sobrietie in the vse of Gods creatures as in costly buildings gorgeous attire and such like What madnes is this to bestow all that we haue on such things as at the day of iudgement shal be consumed with fire For looke whatsoeuer abuse shall come to Gods creatures by our follie the same shall then be abolished Thirdly we must consider that the cause why heauen and earth must be consumed with fire is mans sin by means wherof they are made subiect to vanity corruption Here then we haue iust occasion to acknowledge the greatnes wretchednes of our sinnes If any of vs had but seene the Iewes leprosie it would haue made vs to wonder for the contagion thereof did infect not onely the whole man but his garments also that were about him and sometime the walls of his house but howesoeuer wee cannot see that leprosie among vs yet we may see a worse For the leprosie of our sinnes doth not onely infect our garments and the things about vs with our bodies but euen the high heauens and the earth are stained with the contagion thereof and are made subiect to vanitie and corruption yea by sinne in vs the most glorious creatures in them as the Sunne Moone and starres are become subiect to vanitie Oh then howe wretched is the heart of man that makes no bones of sinne which is the most noisome thing in all the world the stinke whereof hath infected both heauen and earth If we could consider this wee would not be so slacke in humbling our selues for the same as we are We can not abide to looke on a poore lazar full of blanes and sores but if wee could see our sinns in their right colours they would make vs seeme vnto our selues tenne thousand times more ougly then any lazar man can be the contagion thereof is so great and noisome that the very heauens which are many thousand miles distant from vs are infected therewith Yet here we are to knowe that this fire shall not consume the substance of heauen and earth but onely change the qualitie abolish the corruption which our sinnes haue brought vpon them The fourth point to be considered is the manner of the last iudgement in which we may obeserue two things I. who shall be iudge II. the proceeding of this iudge The first is expressed in this article From thence he shall come to iudge He that is Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie For the father hath committed all iudgement vnto him It is indeede an action common to all the three persons in trinitie but yet the execution thereof appertaines vnto the sonne The father indeed doth iudge the world but yet by the sonne But some may obiect that the Apostles shall sit on twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And S. Paul saith The Saints shall iudge the world Howe then is this true that â—hrist is the onely iudge of the worlde Ans. The authoritie of iudgement and giuing sentence at the last day is proper to Christ alone and doth not belong either to the Apostles or to the Saints and they shall iudge at the last day onely as witnesses and approouers of Christs iudgement At the great day of assise beside the iudge the iustices on the bench are also in a manner iudges not that they giue sentence but because by their presence they approoue and witnesse the equitie of the sentence of the iudge so the definitiue sentence doth belong to Christ and the Apostles and Saints doe nothing but approoueâ— and beeing present giue assent to his righteous sentence The whole proceeding of the last iudgement may bee reduced to seuen points or heads The first is the comming of the iudge in the cloudes Here at the first may be demanded why Christ holdes the last iudgement rather on earth then in heauen Ans. He doth it for two causes One the creature to bee iudged hath sinned here vpon earth and hee proceedes after the manner of earthly iudges who holde their sessions and assises there where trespasses are commonly committed The second because the deuill his angels are to be iudged it is a part of their punishment to be cast out of heauen For no vnclean thing may come into this heaueÌ„ly IerusaleÌ„ therfore they now remain in the lower parts of the world
when he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth Ans. The promise is directed to the Apostles who with their Apostolicall authoritie had this priuiledge granted them that in the teaching and penning of the gospel they should not erre and therefore in the councell at Ierusalem they conclude thus It seemes good vnto vs and to the holy Ghost And if the promise be further extended to all the Church it must be vnderstood with a limitation that God will giue his spirit vnto the meâ—bers thereof to lead them into all truth so farre forth as shall be needfull for their saluation The second question is wherein stands the dignitie and excellencie of the Church Ans. It stands in subiection and obedience vnto the will and word of his spouse and head Christ Iesus And hence it followes that the Church is not to chalenge vnto her selfe authoritie ouer the Scriptures but onely a ministerie or ministeriall seruice whereby shee is appointed of God to preserue and keepe to publish and preach them and to giue testimonie of them And for this cause it is called the pillar and ground of truth The church of Rome not content with this saith further that the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture because say they we can not know Scripture to be Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But indeede they speake an vntruth For the testimonie of men that are subiect to errour can not be greater and of more force with vs then the testimonie of God who can not erre Againe the Church hath her beginning from the word for there can not be a Church without faith there is no faith without the word there is no word out of the Scriptures and therefore the Church in respect of vs depends on the Scripture and not the Scripture on the Church And as the lawyer which hath no further power but to expound the law is vnder the law so the Church which hath authoritie onely to publish and expound the Scriptures can not authorize them vnto vs but must submit her selfe vnto them And whereas it is alleadged that faith comes by hearing and this hearing is in respect of the voice of the Church and that therefore faith comes by the voice of the Church the answer is that the place must be vnderstood not of that generall faith whereby we are resolued that Scripture is Scripture but of iustifying faith whereby we attaine vnto saluation And faith comes by hearing the voice of the Church not as it is the Churches voice but as it is a ministerie or meanes to publish the word of God which is both the cause and obiect of our beleeuing Now on the contrarie we must hold that as the carpenter knowes his rule to be straight not by any other rule applied vnto it but by it selfe for casting his eye vpon it he presently discernes whether it be straight or no so we know and are resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe though the Church say nothing so be it we haue the spirit of discerning when we read heare and consider the Scripture And yet the testimonie of the Church is not to be despised for though it breede not a a perswasion in vs of the certenty of the Scripture yet is it a very good inducement thereto The militant Church hath many parts For as the Ocean sea which is but one is deuided into parts according to the regions and countries against which it lieth as into the English Spanish Italian sea c. so the Church dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth is deuided into other particular churches according as the countries are seuerall in which it is seated as into the Church of England and Ireland the Church of France the Church of Germanie c. Againâ— particulaâ— Churches are in a twofold estate sometime lie hid in persecution wanting the publike preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments and sometimes againe they are visible carrying before the eyes of the world an open profession of the name of Christ as the moone is sometime eclipsed and sometime shineth in the full In the first estate was the Church of Israel in the daies of Eliah when he wished to die because the people had forsaken the couenant of the Lord broken downe his altars slaine his Prophets with the sword and he was left alone and they sought to take his life also Behold a lamentable estate when so worthie a Prophet could not finde an other beside himselfe that feared God yet marke what the Lord saith vnto him I haue left seuen thousand in Israel euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euery mouth that hath not kissed him Againe it is said That Israel had beene a long season without the true God without priest to teach and without the law Neither must this trouble any that God should so farre forth forsake his Church for when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile he then gathereth his Elect by extraordinarie meanes as when the children of Israel wandered in the wildernes wanting both circumcision and the Passeouer he made a supplie by Manna and by the pillar of a cloud Hence we haue direction to answer the Papists who demand of vs where our Church was three-score yeares agoe before the daies of Luther we say that then for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouerspread the whole face of the earth and that our Church then was not visible to the world but lay hid vnder the chaffe of Poperie And the truth of this the Records of all ages manifest The second estate of the Church is when it flourisheth and is visible not that the faith and secret election of men can be seene for no man can discerne these things but by outward signes but because it is apparant in respect of the outward assemblies gathered to the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments for the praise and glorie of God and their mutuall edification And the visible Church may be thus described It is a mixt companie of men professing the faith assembled together by the preaching of the word First of all I call it a mixt companie because in it there be true beleeuers and hypocrites Elect and Reprobate good and badde The Church is the Lords field in which the enemie soweth his tares it is the corne flore in which lieth wheate and chaffe it is a band of men in which beside those that be of valour and courage there be white liuered souldiours And it is called a Church of the better part namely the Elect whereof it consisteth though they be in nuÌ„ber fewe As for the vngodly though they be in the Church yet they are no more parts of it indeede then the superfluous humours in the vaines are parts of the bodie But to proceede
liuing in the yeare â—46 acknowledged Lotharius the Emperour for his prince 4 No Bishop may be called vniuersall 5 The Church of Rome hath no more authoritie ouer other Churches then other Churches ouer it 6 A Priest and a Bishop were in times past all one 7 The Pope hath no power to giue or sell pardons 8 There can be no merit by fasting or abstinence from flesh 9 The masse is nothing but the forme of diuine sacrificâ— By this which hath beene said it doth in part appeare that the religion of the Church of Rome is repugnant to it selfe and it could not so be if it were from the word of God A Corollarie gathered out of the former assertion 1. A man being indued with no more grace then that which hee may obtaine by the religion of the Church of Rome is still in the state of damnation A DIALOGVE CONTAINING THE CONFLICTS betweene Satan and the Christian. Sathan OVile helbound thou art my slaue and my vassall why then shakest thou off my yoke Christian. By nature I was thy vassal but Christ hath redeemed me Sathan Christ redeemeth no reprobates such as thou art Christian. I am no reprobate Sathan Thou art a reprobate for thou shalt be condemned Christian. Lucifer to pronounce damnation belongeth to God alone thou art no iudge it is sufficient for thee to be an accuser Sathan Though I cannot condemne thee yet I knowe God will condemne thee Christian. Yea but God will not condemne me Sathan Goe too let vs trie the matter Is not God a Lord and a King ouer thee and may he not therefore giue thee a lawe to keep and punish thee with hell fire if thou breake it Christian. Yes Sathan And hast thou kept the lawe of this thy Lord and King Christian. No. Sathan Let vs proceed further Is not the same Lord also a most righteous iudge And therefore a most sharp reuenger of sinne Christian. Yes truely Sathan Why then wilt thou flatter thy selfe thou hypocrite God cannot winke at thy sinnes except he should be vniust Wherefore there is no remedie thou art sure to be damned hel was prouided for thee and now it gapeth to deuoure thee Christian. There is remedie enough to deliuer me from condemnation For God is not onely as thou affirmest a Lord and a iudge but also a sauing and a most mercifull father Sathan But thou firebrand of hel fire and child of perdition looke for no mercie at Gods hands because thou art a most grieuous sinner for 1 Original sin runneth wholly ouer thee as a loathsome botch or leprosie 2 Thy mind knoweth not the things that be of God 3 In the law of God thou art stark blind sauing that thou hast a few principles of it to make thee inexcusable 4 The Gospel is foolishnes and madnes vnto thee thou makest no better account of it then of thine owne dreame 5 Thy conscience is corrupt because it flattereth thee and excuseth thy sinne 6 Thy memorie keepeth and remembreth nothing but that which is against Gods word but things abominable and wicked it keepeth long 7 Thy will hath no inclination to that which is good but onely to sinne and wickednes 8 Thy affections are set onely on wickednes they are as mightie gyants and princes in thee they haue thee at coÌ„mandement RemeÌ„ber that for very anger thou hast bin sicke that the lust of thy flesh hath driuen thee to madnes forget not thy Atheisme thy contempt of Gods word thy inward pride thy enuie hatred malice thy couetousnesse and infinit other wicked desires which haue led thee captiue and made thee outragious in all kind of naughtines 9 Thy actuall sinnes committed partly in secret partly in publike are most filthie and most infinite Remember how in such a place at such a time thou diddest commit fornication in another place thou diddest steale c. God saw this I warrant thee yea all thy sinnes are written in his booke wherefore thou cursed wretch all hope of mercie is cut off from thee Christian. But Gods mercie farre exceedeth all these my sinnes and I can not be so infinite in sinning as God is infinite in mercie and pardoning Sathan Darest thou presume to thinke of Gods mercie why the least of thy sinnes deserueth damnation Christian. None of my sinnes can feare me or dismay me Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father vpon the crosse euen for me that I might be deliuered from condemnation which was due vnto me Sathan If Gods purpose were not to condemne thee perswade thy selfe he would neuer lay so many afflictions and crosses on thee as he doth What is this want of good name this weaknesse and sicknesse of thy bodie these terrours of the minde this dulnesse and frowardnes of thy heart what are all these I say and many other euills but the beginnings and certaine flashings of the fire of hell Christian. Nay rather my afflictions are liuely testimonies of my saluation For God as a louing father partly by them as with scourges chasteneth my disobedience and bringeth me into order partly conformeth me vnto my Sauiour Christ and so by little and little laieth open to me mine owne sinnes that I may dislike my selfe and hate them and maketh me to renounce the world thy eldest sonne and stirreth me vp to call vpon him and to pray earnestly with grones sighes which I am not able to expresse with any words as I feele them Sathan Thy afflictions are heauie and comfortlesse therefore they can not be arguments of Gods fauour Christian. Indeede their nature is to bring griefe and heauines to the soule but I haue had ioy in the midst of my afflictions strength sufficient to beare them and after them haue bin many waies bettered which befalleth to none of the wicked and for that cause it is a great perswasion to me that I shall not be damned with the wicked world but in spite of all thy power passe from death to euerlasting life Sathan After these thy manifold afflictions thou must suffer death which is most terrible and a very entrance into hell Christian. Death hath lost his sting by Christs death and vnto me it shal be nothing els but a passage vnto euerlasting life Sathan Admit thou shalt be deliuered from hell by Christ what will this auaile thee considering that thou shalt neuer come to the kingdom of heauen for Christs death onely deliuereth thee from death eternall it cannot aduance thee to euerlasting life Christian. I am now at this time a member of Christs kingdome and after this life shall raigne with him for euer in his euerlasting kingdome Sathan Thou neuer didst fulfill the law therefore thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Christian. Christ hath perfectly fulfilled euery part of the law for me and by this his obedience imputed vnto me I my selfe doe keepe the
we see how Gods word bindes conscience now conscience beeing thus bound againe bindes the man in whome it is The bond of conscience is called guiltines Guiltines is nothing else but a worke of the conscience binding euery sinner to the punishment of euerlasting death before God for this or that sinne Thus much of the proper binder of the conscience now followes the improper The improper binder is that which hath no power at all or vertue in it selfe to binde conscience but doth it onely by the authoritie and vertue of Gods word or some part thereof It is threefold Humane lawes an Oath a Promise Touching humane lawes the speciall point to be considered is In what manner they binde That this may in part be cleared I will stand a while to examine and confute the opinion that the very pillars of the Popish Church at this day maintaine namely that Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction haue a coactiue power in the conscience and that the lawes made thereby doe as truly and properly binde as they speake to mortall and veniall sinne as Gods law it selfe The arguments which they commonly vse are these Argum. 1. Deut. 17. That man that will doe presumptuously and not obey the authoritie of the Priest or Iudge shall die and thou shalt take away euill from Israel Here say they the precepts of the high Priest are Imperia not admonitions or exhortations they bind in conscience otherwise the transgressours therof should not haue bin punished so seuerely Ans. The intent of this law as a very child may perceiue is to establish the authoritie and right of the highest appeales for all matters of controuersie in the Synedrium or great court at Ierusalem Therefore the words alleadged doe not giue vnto the Priest a soueraigne power of making laws but a power of giuing iudgemēt of controuersies that according to laws alreadie made by God himself frō which iudgemēt there might be no appeale Now this power of determining doth not cōstraine conscience but the outward man to maintain order peace For what reason is there that that sentence which might be either a gainsaying of Gods law or a mistaking of it should bind the conscience to a sinne Again not euery one that refused to subiect themselues to the sentence of this court were straightway guiltie of sinne for this did Ieremie the Prophet and Christ our Sauiour when the Iewes condēned them for wicked persons but he that presumptuously despised the sentence and by consequent the authoritie it selfe which was the ordinance of God was guiltie Lastly the seueritie of the punishment which is temporall death doth not argue any power in the iudge of binding conscience this they might haue learned of their owne Doctor Gerson who holdeth that they that bind any man to mortall sinne must be able to punish him with answerable punishment which is eternall death Arg. 2. Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer ye shall bind in earth shall be bound in heaven Here say they to binde is to make lawes constraining conscience according to Matth. 23.4 They binde heauie burdens and lay them on mens shoulders Ans. The soueraigne power of binding and loosing is not belonging to any creature but is proper to Christ who hath the keyes of heauen and hell he openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Reuel 3.5 As for the power of the Church it is nothing but a ministerie or seruice whereby men publish and pronounce that Christ bindeth or looseth Againe this binding stands not in the power of making lawes but in remitting and retaining of mens sinnes as the words going before declare v. 18. If thy brother sinne against thee c. and Christ sheweth his owne meaning when he saith Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained Ioh. 20. 23. hauing before in the person of Peter promised them this honour in this forme of words Math. 16. I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shall be bound in heauen This which I say is approoued by consent of auncient Diuines August Psal. 101. serm 2. Remission of sinne saith he is loosing therefore by the law of contraries binding is to hold sinne vnpardoned Hilar. vpon Matth. cap. 18. Whome they binde on earth that is saith he leaue vntied of the knottes of their sinnes Lumberd the popish master of sentences The Lord saith he hath giuen to Priests power of binding and loosing that is of making manifest that men are bound or loosed Againe both Origen Augustine and Theophylact attribute the power of binding to all Christians and therefore they for their parts neuer dreamed that the power of binding should be an authoritie to make lawes Lastly the place Matth. 23.4 ouerturnes the argument for there the Scribes and Pharises are condemned because they laid vpon mens shoulders the burdens of their traditions as meanes of Gods worship and things binding conscience Argum. 3. Act. 15. It seemes good vnto vs and the holy Ghost to lay no more burden on you then these necessarie things that ye abstaine from things offered to idols and blood and that which is strangled and fornication Here say they the Apostles by the instinct of the holy Ghost make a new law not for this or that respect but simply to bind consciences of the Gentiles that they might be exercised in obedience And this is prooued because the Apostles call this law a burden and call the things prescribed necessarie and S. Luke tearmes them the commandements of the Apostles and Chrysostome calls the Epistle sent to the Church Imperium that is a lordly charge To this they adde the testimonies of Tertullian Origen Augustine Ans. Though all be graunted that the law is a burden imposed a precept of the Apostles a charge againe that things required therein are necessarie yet will it not follow by good consequent that the law simply bindes conscience because it was giuen with a reseruation of Christian libertie so as out of the case of scandall that is if no offence were giuen to the weake Iewes it might freely be omitted And that will appeare by these reasons First of all Peter saith that it is a tempting of God to impose vpon the Gentiles the yoke of Iewish ceremonies he therefore must needs be contrarie to himselfe if he intend to binde mens consciences to abstinence from strangled blood and things offered to idols A replie is made that this abstinence is prescribed not by the auncient law of Moses but by a new Ecclesiasticall or Apostolicall authoritie I answer againe that a Mosaicall ceremonie is still the same thing though it be stablished by a new authoritie And whereas Christ by his death put an ende to the ceremoniall lawe it is absurd to thinke that the Apostles by their authoritie reuiued some part of it againe bound mens consciences thereto Secondly the Church of God in
all places suffered this commandement to cease which the faithfull seruants of God would neuer haue done if they had beene perswaded that this law had bound conscience simply It is aunswered that this lawe ceased not because the giuing of offence vnto the Iewes ceased but because it ceased vniuersally yea but it could not haue ceased vniuersally if it had bound conscience specially considering it was propounded to the Church without any mention or limitation of time Thirdly Paul was present in this counsell and knew the intent of the law very well and therefore no doubt hee did not in any of his Epistles gaine-say the fame This beeing graunted it cannot bee that this lawe should bind conscience out of the case of offence For hee teacheth Corinthians that things offered to idols may be eaten so be it the weake brother be not offended Here it is answered that when Paul writ his first Epistle to the Corinthians this commandement of the Apostles touching things strangled blood was not come vnto them Wel to grant all this which can not be prooued let it be answered why Paul did not nowe deliuer it and why he deliuereth a doctrine coÌ„trarie to that which he had decreed at Ierusalem which was that the Gentiles should absolutely abstaine from things offered to idolls As for the testimonie of the fathers they are abused Indeed Tertullian saith plainly that Christians in his daies abstained from eating of blood and he perswades men to continue in so doing because he is of opinion beeing indeede farre deceiâ—ued that this very lawe of the Apostles must last to the ende of the world which coÌ„ceit if the Papists hold not what mean they to build vpoÌ„ him OrigeÌ„ saith that this law was very necessarie in his daiesâ— and no maruell For by Idolithytes he vnderstandes not things that haue beene offered to idols and are afterward brought to priuat houses or to the market as other common meats but hee vnderstandes things that remaine consecrated to idols and are no where else vsed but in their temples which we graunt with him must for euer be auoided as meanes and instruments of Idolatrie Whereas the lawe of the Apostles speakes onely of the first kind As for things strangled and blood he takes them to be the deuils foode and for this cause hee approoues abstinence from them And whereas Augustine saith that it is a good thing to abstaine from things offered to idols though it be in necessitie hee must bee vnderstood of the first kind of Idolithytes which are yet remaining in the idol-temples still consecrated vnto them and not of the second of which the Apostles law as I haue said must be vnderstood Argum. 4. Ioh. 21. Christ saith to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed my sheep that is as the word importeth feed and rule my sheepe Ans. This feeding and ruling stands not in making newe lawes but in teaching and gouerning the Church of god according to the doctrine which they had receiued from Christ. And this action of feeding is ascribed to all Christians Reuel 3.27 Who cannot therevpon chalenge a power of making lawes to the conscience Argum. 5. Ioh. 20. As my father sent me so I send you but Christ was sent of his father not onely with power of preaching and ministring the Sacraments but also with authoritie of commanding and giuing iudgement Answ. If this kind of reasoning may stand all the Apostles shall be made redeemers for they were all sent as Christ was and hee was sent not onely to preach the redemption of mankind but also to effect and work the same If this be absurd then it is a flat abusing of Scripture to gather from this saying of Christ that the Apostles had power of binding conscience because he had so It is true indeede that there is a similitude or analogie betweene the calling of Christ and his Apostles but it wholly standes in these points Christ was ordained to his office before all worldes and so were the Apostles Christ was called of his father immediatly and so were they of Christ Christ was sent to the whole world and so were they Christ receiued all power in heauen and earth as beeing necessarie for a Mediatour and they receiued an extraordinarie authority from him with such a plentifull measure of the spirit as was necessarie for the Apostilicall function Lastly Christ was sent euen as he was man to bee a teacher of the Iewes and therefore hee is called the minister of circumcision Rom. 15.8 and so the Apostles are sent by him to teach the Gentiles Thus farre is the comparison to bee enlarged and no further And that no man might imagine that some part of this resemblance standes in a power of binding conscience Christ hath put a speciall exception when he saith Go teach all nations teaching them to obserue all things that I haue commanded you and not commandements of your owne Argum. 6. Rom. 13. Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement and ye must be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Ans. Magistracie indeede is an ordinance of God to which we owe subiection but how farre subiection is due there is the question For bodie and goods and outward conuersation I grant all but a subiection of conscience to mens laws I denie And between these two there is a great difference to be subiect to authoritie in conscience to be subiect to it for conscience as will be manifest if wee doe but consider the phrase of the Apostle the meaning whereof isâ— that wee must performe obedience not onely for anger that is for the auoiding of punishment but also for the auoiding of sinne and so by consequent for auoiding a breach in conscience Now this breach is not properly made because mans law is neglected but because Gods lawe is broken which ordaineth magistracie and withall bindes mens consciences to obey their lawefull commandements And the damnation that is due vnto men for resisting the ordinance of god comes not by the single breach of magistrats commandement but by a transgression of the lawe of God which appointeth magistrates and their authoritie To this answer Papists replie nothing that is of moment Therefore I proceed Argum. 7.1 Cor. 4. What will you that I come vnto you with a rod or in the spirit of meekenes Nowe this rod is a iudiciall power of punishing sinners Answ. For the regiment and protection of Gods Church there bee two rods mentioned in Scripture the rod of Christ and the Apostolicall rodde The rod of Christ is tearmed a rod of yron or the rod of his mouth and it signifies that absolute and soueraigne power which Christ hath ouer his creatures whereby he is able to conuert and saue them or to forsake and destroy them And it is a peculiar priuiledge of this rod to smite and wound the conscience The Apostolicall rod was a
the sacrament So the 29. canon of the Councill of Gangres must be vnderstood As for the Canons of the Apostles so falsly called and the 8. Councill of Toledo I much respect not what they say in this case Arg. 14. Gods authoritie binds conscience magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie therefore magistrates authoritie binds conscience properly Ans. Gods authority may be taken two waies first for that soueraigne and absolute power which he vseth ouer all his creatures secondly for that finit and limited power which he hath ordained that men should exercise ouer men If the minor namely that magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie be taken in the first sense it is false for the soueraigne power of God is incommunicable If it be taken in the second sense the proposition is false For there be sundrie authorities ordained of God as the authoritie of the father ouer a child of the master ouer the seruant the authority of the master ouer his scholler which doe bind in conscience as the authoritie of Gods lawes doth By these arguments which I haue now answered and by many other beeing but lightly skanned it will appeare that necessarie obedience is to be performed both to ciuill and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction but that they haue a constraining power to bind conscience and that properly as Gods laws doe it is not yet prooued neither can be as I will make manifest by other arguments Arg. 1. He that makes a law binding conscience to mortall sinne hath power if not to saue yet to destroy because by sinne which followes vpon the transgression of his law comes death and damnation But God is the onely Lawgiuer that hath this priuiledge which is after he hath giuen his law vpon the breaking or keeping thereof to saue or destroy Iam. 4. 12. There is one Lawgiuer that can saue or destroy Therefore God alone makes lawes binding conscience properly and no creature can doe the like Answer is made that S. Iames speakes of the principall Lawgiuer that by his owne proper authoritie makes laws and doth in such manner saue and destroy that he neede not feare to be destroied of any and that he speakes not of secondarie lawgiuers that are deputies of God make laws in his name I say againe that this answer stands not with the text◠For S. Iames speakes simply without distinction limitation or exception and the effect of his reason is this No man at all must slaunder his brother because no man must be iudge of the law and no man can be iudge of the law because no man can be a lawgiuer to saue or destroy Now then where be those persons that shall make lawes to the soules of men and bind them vnto punishment of mortall sinne considering that God alone is the sauing and destroying Lawgiuer Argum. 2. He that can make lawes as truly binding conscience as Gods lawes can also prescribe rules of Gods worship because to binde the conscience is nothing else but to cause it to excuse for things that are well done and therefore truly please God and to accuse for sinne whereby God is dishonoured but no man can prescribe rules of Gods worship and humane lawes as they are humane lawes appoint not the seruice of God Esa. 29. 13. Their feare towards me was taught by the precept of men Mat. 15.6 They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commandements of men Papists here make answer that by lawes of men we must vnderstand such lawes as be vnlawfull or vnprofitable beeing made without the authoritie of God or instinct of his spirit It is true indeed that these commandements of men were vnlaweful but the cause must be considered they were vnlawfull not because they commanded that which was vnlawefull and against the wil of God but because things in themselues lawefull were commanded as parts of Gods worship To wash the outward part of the cup or platter and to wash handes before meate are things in respect of ciuil vse very lawfull and yet are these blamed by Christ and no other reason can be rendred but this that they were prescribed not as things indifferent or ciuil but as matters pertaining to Gods worship It is not against Gods word in some politicke regards to make distinction of meates and drinkes and times yet Paul calls these things doctrines of deuills because they were commaunded as thinges wherein God should be worshipped Arg. 3. God hath now in the new Testament giuen a libertie to the conscience whereby it is freed from all lawes of his owne whatsoeuer excepting such lawes and doctrines as are necessarie to saluation Col. 2. 10. If ye be dead with Christ ye are free from the elements of the world Gal. 5.1 Stand yee in the libertie wherewith Christ hath freed you and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage Now if humane lawes made after the graunt of this libertie binde conscience of themselues thē must they either take away the foresaid liberty or diminish the same but that they cannot doe for that which is graunted by an higher authoritie namely God himselfe cannot be reuoked or repealed by the inferiour authoritie of any man It is answered that this freedome is onely from the bondage of sinne from the curse of the morall lawe from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses and not from the lawes of our superiours And I answer againe that it is absurb to thinke that God giues vs liberty in conscience from any of his owne lawes and yet will haue our consciences still to remaine in subiection to the lawes of sinnefull men Argum. 4. Whosoeuer bindes conscience commandes conscience For◠the bond is made by a commandement vrging conscience to doe his dutie which is to accuse or excuse for euill or well doing Now Gods lawes command cōscience in as much as they are spirituall commanding bodie and spirit with al the thoughts will affections desires and faculties and requiring obedience of them all according to their kind As for the lawes of men they want power to command conscience Indeed if it were possible for our gouernours by lawe to command mens thoughts and affections then also might they command conscience but the first is not possible for their lawes can reach no further then the outward man that is to body and goods with the speeches and deedes thereof and the end of them all is not to maintaine spirituall peace of conscience which is betweene man and God but onely that externall and ciuill peace which is betweene man and man And it were not meete that men should command conscience which cannot see conscience and iudge of all her actions which appeare not outwardly and whereof there be no witnesses but God and the conscience of the doer Lastly men are not fitte commaunders of conscience because they are no Lordes of it but God himselfe alone Argum. 5. Men in making lawes are subiect to ignorance and errour and therefore when they haue made a lawe as neere
said that this commandement is spoken as well of the vnwritten as of the written word I answer that Moses speaketh of the written word onely for these very words are a certaine preface which he set before a long commentarie made of the written lawe for this end to make the people more attentiue and obedient Testimonie II. Isai 8.20 To the lawe and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Prophet teacheth what must be done in cases of difficultie Men must not rūne to the wizard or southsayer but to the lawe and testimonie and here he commends the written word as sufficient to resolue all doubts and scruples in conscience whatsoeuer Testimonie III. Ioh. 20.31 Those things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and in beleeuing might haue euerlasting life Here is set downe the full ende of the gospell and of the whole written word which is to bring men to faith cōsequently to saluatiō therfore the whole scripture alone is sufficient to this end without traditiōs If it be said that this place must bee vnderstood of Christs miracles onely I answer that miracles without the doctrine of Christ knowledge of his sufferings can bring no man to life euerlasting and therefore the place must bee vnderstood of the doctrine of Christ and not of his miracles alone as Paul teacheth Gal. 1.8 If wee or an angell from heauen preach vnto you any thing beside that which we haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught 1. Tim. 1.3 Testimonie IV. 2. Tim. 3.16,17 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good work In these wordes be contained two arguments to prooue the sufficiencie of Scripture without vnwritten verities The first that which is profitable to these foure vses namely to teach all necessarie trueth to confute all errours to correct faults in manners and to instruct in righteousnes that is to informe al men in all good duties that is sufficient to saluation But Scripture serueth for all these vses and therefore it is sufficient and vnwritten traditions are superfluous The second that which can make the man of God that is Prophets and Apostles and the ministers of the word perfect in all the duties of their callings that same word is sufficient to make all other men perfect in all good workes But Gods word is able to make the man of God perfect Therefore it is sufficient to prescribe the true and perfect way to eternall life without the helpe of vnwritten traditions V. The iudgement of the Church Tertul. saith Take from heretickes the opinions which they maintaine with the heathen that they may defend their questions by Scripture alone and they cannot stand Againe We neede no curiositie after Christ Iesus nor inquisition after the gospel When we beleeue it wee desire to beleeue nothing beside for this we first beleeue that there is nothing more which wee may beleeue Hierome on Math. 23. writing of an opinion that Iohn Baptist was killed because he foretold the comming of Christ saith thus This because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued In which wordes there is a conclusion with a minor and the maior is to bee supplyed by the rules of logicke thus That which hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued but this opinion is for therefore Behold a notable argument against all vnwritten traditions Augustine booke 2. cap. 9. de doct Christ. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture are found all those points which containe faith and manners of liuing well Vincentius Lirinen saith the Canon of the Scripture is perfect and fully sufficient to it selfe for all things Beside these testimonies other reasons there bee that serue to prooue this point I. The practise of Christ and his Apostles who for the confirmamatiō of the doctrine which they taught vsed alwaies the testimony of Scripture neither can it be prooued that they euer confirmed any doctrine by tradition Act. 26.22 I continue vnto this day witnessing both to smal and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come And by this we are giuen to vnderstand that we must alwaies haue recourse to the written word as beeing sufficient to instruct vs in matters of saluation II. If the beleeuing of vnwritten traditions were necessarie to saluation then we must as well beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as well as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall traditions are not els where to be found but in their bookes And we may not beleeue their sayings as the word of God because they often erre beeing subiect to errour and for this cause their authoritie when they speake of traditions may be suspected and we may not alwaies beleeue them vpon their word Obiections for Traditions First they alleadge 2. Thess. 2.15 where the Apostle biddes that Church keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by word or letter Hence they gather that beside the written word there be vnwritten traditions that are indeede necessarie to be kept and obeyed Ans. It is very likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul writ to any Church though in order it haue not the first place and therfore at that time when this Epistle was penned it might well fall out that some things needfull to saluation were deliuered by word of mouth not being as yet written by any Apostle Yet the same things were afterward set downe in writing either in the second epistle or in the epistles of Paul Obiect II. That Scripture is Scripture is a point to be beleeued but that is a tradition vnwritten and therefore one tradition there is not written that we are to beleeue Ans. That the bookes of the old and new Testament are Scripture it is to be gathered and beleeued not vpon bare tradition but from the very bookes themselues on this manner Let a man that is indued with the spirit of discerning read the seuerall bookes withall let him consider the professed author thereof which is God himselfe and the matter therein contained which is a most diuine and absolute truth full of pietie the manner and forme of speach which is full of maiestie in the simplicitie of words the ende whereat they wholly aime which is the honour and glorie of God alone c. he shall be resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe Yea and by this meanes he may discerne any part of Scripture from the writings of mē whatsoeuer Thus thē scripture prooues it selfe to be scripture yet
the said worke there is required an infinite power which farre exceedes the strength of any created nature Againe Heb. 7.24 Christ is said to haue a priesthood which cannot passe from his person to any other whence it followes that neither his kingly nor his propheticall office can passe from him to any creature either in whole or in part because the three offices of mediatioÌ„ in this regard be equal Nay it is a needlesse thing for Christ to haue a deputie to put in exequution any part of his mediatourship considering a deputie onely serueth to supply the absence of the principall whereas Christ is alwaies present with his church by his word spirit for where two or three be gathered togither in his name he is in the middest among them It may be said that the ministers in the work of the ministerie are deputies of Christ. I answer that they are no deputies but actiue instruments For in the preaching of the worde there be two actions the first is the vttering or propounding of it to the eare the second is the inward operation of the holy Ghost in the heart which indeede is the principal and belongs to Christ alone the action of speaking in the minister being only instrumental Thus likewise the church of God in cutting off any member by excommunication is no more but an instrument performing a ministerie in the name of Christ that is to testifie pronounce whome Christ himselfe hath cut off from the kingdome of heauen whome he also will haue for this cause to be seuered from the company of his owne people till he repent And so it is in all Ecclesiasticall actions Christ hath no deputie but onely instruments the whole entire action being personall in respect of Christ. This one conclusion ouerthrowes not only the Popes supremacie but also many other points of poperie Reason II. All the Apostles in regard of power authoritie were equall for the commission apostolicall both for right and exequution was giuen equally to them all as the very words import Math. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them c. and the promise I will giue to thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen is not priuate to Peter but is made in his person to the rest according as his confession was in the name of the rest Thus saith Theophylact They haue the power of committing and binding that receiue the gift of a bishop as Peter And Ambr. saith What is said to Peter is said to the Apostles Therefore Peter had no supremacy ouer the rest of the Apostles in respect of right to the commission which they say belonged to him onely and the exequution thereof to the rest But let all be granted that Peter was in commission aboue the rest for the time of his life yet hence may not any superioritie be gathered for the Bishops of Rome because the authoritie of the Apostles were personall and consequently ceased with them without beeing conueied to any other because the Lord did not vouchsafe the like honour to any after them For â—irst of all it was the priuiledge of the Apostles to bee called immediatly and to see the Lord Iesus Secondly they had power to giue the gift of the holy Ghost by the imposition of handes Thirdly they had such a measure of the assistance of the spirit that in their publike sermons in writing of the word they could not erre and these writings were all denied to those that followed after them And that their authority ceased in their persons it stands with reason also because it was giuen in so aâ—ple a manner for the founding of the church of the new testament which beeing once founded it was needfull only that there should be pastours teachers for the building of it vp vnto the end of the world Reason III. When the sonnes of Zebedeus sued vnto Christ for the greatest roomes of honour in his kingdome deeming hee should bee an earthly king Christ answers them againe ye knowe that the Lords of the Gentiles haue dominion and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them but it shall not be so with you Bernard applieth these very wordes to Pope Eugenius on this manner It is plaine saith he that here dominion is forbidden the Apostles Goe to then dare if you will to take vpon you ruling an Apostleship or in your Apostleship rule or dominion if you will haue both alike you shall loose both Otherwise you must not thinke your selfe exempted from the number of them of whome the Lord complaineth thus they haue raigned but not of me they haue beene but I haue not knowne them Reason IV. Eph. 4. Mention is made of gifts which Christ gaue to his church after his ascension wherby some were Apostles some prophets some Euangelists some pastours and teachers Nowe if there had beene an office in which men as deputies of Christ should haue gouerned the whole church to the ende of the world the calling might here haue beene named fittely with a gift thereto pertaining and Paul no doubt would not here haue concealed it where he mentioneth callings of lesser importance Reason V. The Popes supremacie was iudged by sentences of scripture condemned long before it was manifest in the worlde the spirit of prophesie foreseeing and foretelling the state of things to come 2. Thess. 2.3,4 The man of sinne which is that Antichrist shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God c. Nowe this whole chapter with all the circumstances thereof most fitly agrees to the sea of Rome and the Head thereof and the thing which then staied the reuealing of the man of sinne v. 6. is of most expounded to be the Romane Emperour I will alleadge one testimonie in the roome of many Chrysostome saith on this place As long as the Empire shall be had in awe no man shal straitly submit himselfe to Antichrist but after that the Empire shall be dissolued Antichrist shall inuade the state of the Empire standing void and shall labour to pul vnto himselfe the Empire both of man and God And this we find nowe in experience to be true for the See of Rome neuer flourished till the Empire decaied and the seate thereof was remooued from the cittie of Rome Againe Reu. 13. mentioned is made of two beasts one comming out of the sea whome the Papists confesse to be the heathenish Romane Emperour the second comming out of the earth which doth al that the first beast could doe before him and this fitly agreeth to the popes of Rome who do and haue done all things that the Emperour did or could doe and that in his very sight Reason VI. The iudgement of the ancient Church Cyprian saith Douâ—tlesse the same were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was indued with equall fellowshippe both of honour and of power but a beginning is made of vnitie that the Church may appeare to bee one Gregorie saith If one be
present vnto you an Exposition of another part of the Catechisme namely the Symbole or Creede of the Apostles which is indeede the very pith and substance of Christian religion taught by the Apostles imbraced by the ancient fathers sealed by the blood of martyrs vsed by Theodosius the Emperour as a meanes to ende the controuersies of his time and hereupon hath beene called the rule of faith the keye of faith And furthermore I hope that your Lordship will accept the same in good part the rather because you vouchsafed when you were in Cambridge to be an hearer thereof when it was taught and deliuered Thus crauing pardon for my boldnes I take my leaue commending your L. and yours to the protection of the Almightie Ann. 1595. Apr. 2. Your L. to command William Perkins The Contents of the booke The Creede pag. 185 Faith 187 God 198 The three persons 202 The Father 205 Gods omnipotencie 212 The Creation 217,221 Gods counsel 218 The creation of heauen 228 The creation of Angels 231 The creation of man 236 Gods prouidence 242 Adams fall and originall sinne 252 The couenant of grace 259 The title Iesus 262 The title Christ. 266 The title Sonne 271 The title Lord. 278 The Incarnation of Christ. 279 Christs humiliation 295 Christs passion 297 Christs arraignment 300 Christs execution 328 Christs sacrifice 350 Christs triumph 356 Christs buriall 367 The descension of Christ. 372 Christs exaltation 378 Christs Resurrection 380 Christs ascension 396 Christs sitting at c. 407 Christs intercession 409 Christs kingdome 417 The last iudgement 420 Of the holy Ghost 436 The Church 451,488 Predestination 453 The mysticall vnion 483 The communion of Saints 500 The forgiuenesse of sinnes 506 The resurrection of the bodie 509 Life euerlasting 516 In handling of the foresaid points for orders sake is considered 1. The meaning or such points of doctrine as are necessarie to bee knowne thereof 2. The duties to be learned thereby 3. The comforts that Gods pleople may gather thence AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED I beleeue in God c. NO man iustly can be offended at this that I begin to treat of the doctrine of faith without a text though some be of mind that in Catechising the minister is to proceed as in the ordinary course of preaching onely by handling a set portion of scripture therefore that the handling of the Creede beeing no scripture is not conuenient Indeede I graunt that other course to bee commendable yet I doubt not but in Catechising the minister hath his libertie to followe or not to followe a certaine text of scripture as we doe in the vsuall course of preaching My reason is taken from the practise of the Primitiue Church whose Catechisme as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues sheweth was contained in sixe principles or grounds of religion which were not taken out of any set text in the old Testament but rather was a forme of teaching gathered out of the most cleare places thereof Hence I reason thus That which in this point was the vse and manner of the Primitiue Church is lawfull to be vsed of vs now but in the Primitiue church it was the manner to catechize without handling any set text of scripture and therefore the ministers of the Gospell at this time may with like libertie do the same so be it they doe confirme the doctrine which they teach with places of scripture afterward Nowe to come to the Creede let vs begin with the name or title thereof That which in English we call the Apostles Creed in other tongues is called Symbolum that is a shot or a badge It is called a shot because as in a feast or banquet euery man payeth his part which beeing all gathered the whole which we call the shot amounteth and so out of the seuerall writings of the Apostles ariseth this creed or briefe confession of faith It is a badge because as a souldier in the field by his badge and liuerie is knowne of what band he is and to what captaine he doth belong euen so by this beleefe a christian man may be distinguished and knowne from all Iewes Turkes Atheists and all false professours and for this cause it is called a badge Againe it is called the creed of the Apostles not because they were the peÌ„ners of it conferring to it besides the matter the very style frame of words as we haue theÌ„ now set down Reason I. there are in this creed certen words phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles and namely these He descended into hell the Catholike Church The latter whereof no doubt first began to be in vse when after the Apostles daies the Church was dispersed into all quarters of the earth Secondly if both matter and wordes hâ—d beene from the Apostles why is not the creede Canonicall Scripture as well as any other of their writings III. The Apostles had a summarie collecollection of the points of Christian religion which they taught and also deliuered to others to teach by consisting of two heads faith and loue as may appeare by Pauls exhortation to Timothie wishing him to keepe the patterne of wholesome wordes which he had heard of him in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Nowe the Creed consists not of two heads but of one namely of faith only not of loue also Wherfore I rather think that it is called the Apostles Creede because it doth summarily conteine the cheife and principall points of religion handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles and because the points of the Creede are conformable and agreeable to their doctrine and writings And thus much of the title Now let vs heare what the creed is It is a summe of things to be beleeued concerning God and concerning the Church gathered forth of the scriptures For the opening of this description First I say it is a summe of things to be beleeued or an abridgement It hath beene the practise of teachers both in the newe and olde Testament to abridge and contract summarily the religion of their time This the Prophets vsed For when they had made their sermons to the people they did abridge them and penned theÌ„ briefly setting them in some open place that all the people might reade the same So the Lord bad Habakuk to write the vision which he sawe and to make it plaine vpon tables that he may runne that readeth it And in the newe testament the Apostles did abridge those doctrines which otherwise they did handle at large â—s as may appeare in the place of Timothie afore named Nowe the reason â—hy both in the old and newe Testament the doctrine of religion was abridged is that the vnderstandings of the simple as also their memories might be hereby helped and they better inabled to iudge of the trueth and to discerne the same from falshood And for this ende the Apostles
God but without that is forth of the Church are dogs enâ—hanters whoremongers adulterers c. And the Arke out of which all perished figured the Church out of which al are condemned And for this cause Saint Luke saith that the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued And the reason hereof is plaine for without Christ there is no saluation but out of the militant church there is no Christ nor faith in Christ and therefore no saluation Againe forth of the militant church there are no meanes of saluation no preaching of the word no inuocation of Gods name no Sacraments and therefore no saluation For this cause euery man must be admonished euermore to ioyne himselfe to some particular church beeing a sound member of the Catholike church The third rule is that the church which here we beleeue is onely one As Christ himselfe speaketh My doue is alone and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother And as there is onely one God and one Redeemer one faith one baptisme and one way of saluation by Christ onely so there is but one church alone The Catholike church hath two parts the church Triumphant in heauen and the church Militant on earth The Triumphant church may thus be described It is a companie of the spirits of iust men triumphing ouer the flesh the deuill and the world praising God First I say it is a companie of the spirits of men as the holy Ghost expressely tearmeth it because the soules onely of the godly departed as of Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. are as yet ascended into heauen and not their bodies Furthermore the properties of this companie are two The first is to make triumph ouer their spirituall enemies the flesh the deuill the world for the righteous man so long as he liues in this world is in continuall combate without truce with al the enemies of his saluation and by constant faith obtaining victorie in the ende of his life he is translated in glorious and triumphant maner into the kingdome of glorie This was signified to Iohn in a vision in which he saw an innumerable companie of all sorts of nations kinreds people and tongues stand before the Lambe clothed in long white robes with palmes in their handes in token that they had beene warriours but now by Christ haue gotten the victorie and are made conquerours Their second propertie is to praise and magnifie the name of God as it followeth in the former place saying Amen praise and glorie and wisdome and thankes honour power and might be vnto our God for euermore Hence it may be demanded whether Angels be of this Triumphant church or no Ans. The blessed Angels be in heauen in the presence of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost but they are not of the mysticall bodie of Christ because they are not vnder him as he is their redeemer considering they can not be redeemed which neuer fell and it can not be prooued that they now stand by the vertue of Christs redemption but they are vnder him as he is their Lord and King and by the power of Christ as he is God and their God are they confirmed And therfore as I take it we can not say that Angels are members of the mysticall bodie of Christ or of the triumphaÌ„t church though indeed they be of the coÌ„pany of the blessed The church Militant may be thus described It is the companie of the elect or faithfull liuing vnder the crosse desiring to be remooued and to be with Christ. I say not that the Militant church is the whole bodie of the elect but onely that part thereof which liueth vpon earth and the infallible marke thereof is that faith in Christ which is taught and deliuered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this faith againe may be discerned by two markes The first is that the members of this companie liue vnder the crosse and profit by it in all spirituall grace And therefore it is said that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of heauen And our Sauiour Christ saith If any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse euery day and follow me The second marke is a desire to depart hence and to be with Christ as Paul saith We loue rather to be remooued out of this bodie and to be with Christ. And againe I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Where yet we must remember that the members of Christ doe not desire death simply and absolutely but in two respects I. that they might leaue off to sinne and by sinning leaue to displease God II. That they might come to enioy happines in heauen and to be with Christ. Touching the generall estate of the Militant church two questions are to be considered The first how farre forth God is present with it assisting it by his grace Ans. God giues his spirit vnto it in such a measure that although the gates of hell can not preuaile against it yet neuerthelesse it remaines still subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners For that which is true in euery member of the church is also true in the whole but euery member of the Militant church is subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners because men in this life are but in part enlightened and sanctified and therefore still remaine subiect to blindnesse of minde and ignorance and to the rebellion of their wills and affections whereby it comes to passe that they may easily faile either in iudgement or in practise Againe that which may befall one or two particular churches may likewise befall all the particular churches vpon earth all beeing in one and the same condition but this may befall one or two particular churches to faile either in doctrine or manners The church of Ephesus failed in leauing her first loue whereupon Christ threatneth to remooue from her the candlesticke And the church of Galatia was remooued to an other Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ now why may not the same things befall twentie yea an hundred churches which befell these twaine Lastly experience sheweth this to be true in that generall Councels haue erred The Councell of Nice beeing to reforme sundrie behauiours among the Bishops and Elders would with common consent haue forbidden marriage vnto them thinking it profitable to be so vnlesse Paphnutius had better informed them out of the Scriptures In the third Councell at Carthage certaine bookes Apocrypha as the booke of Syrach Tobie and the Macchabees are numbred in the Canon and yet were excluded by the Councell of Laodicea And the saying of a Diuine is receiued that former Councels are to be reformed and amended by the latter But Papists maintaining that the Church can not erre alleadge the promise of Christ Howbeit
body They obiect that God is omnipotent True indeede but there bee some things the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power as to make contradicentia things contradictorie to be both true of which sort these are For that Christs bodie is a true bodie and that it is in many places at once are flatte contrarie beccause as hath bin shewed it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place and therefore to a bodie And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing the essence remaining whole 2. Againe transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former for it is a common saying in schooles Accident is esse est inesse It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in the substance Now therefore if the Accidents bee there is also the bread and wine and if there bee no substance of bread or wine neither can there be any accidents 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ and therfore it must needs holde that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation V. It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likewise it teacheth that in praying we are to cal GOD father which are things quite contrarie For who can truly call GOD father vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption and be assured that he is the child of God For if a man shall call god father yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not he playeth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our father c. in truth are contrarie VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon satisfaction for sinne are contrarie therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same doeth the papist he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it VII Doubting of saluation hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast which entereth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither VIII True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he standes in neede Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie IX Papists teach that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints and therefore they vse to pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them yet on the contrarie when they haue so done they pray to God immediatly that he would receiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God Yea when they offer vp Christ praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the mediation of Saints is then a mediator between Christ Iesus God the father X. It holdeth that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin then he must die his blood must be shed Heb. 9.22 And in the Scriptures these two sayings Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in Sacrifice are all one So then the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an vnbloodie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much There is a sacrifice which is no sacrifice And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner XI In the Canon of the masse the Church of Rome praieth on this wise We humbly beseech thee most merciful father by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices which thy Church offer to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour Againe they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ if he need not the blessing of his father their praier is needelesse Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie and therefore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues XII Papists in word they say that they beleeue put thei◠trust in God yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings XIII They put such holines in matrimonie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments which conferre grace to the partakers of them yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie XIV It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie may be redeemed by Sacrifices and Suffrages Against this is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome we know that in this life we may help one another either by praiers or by good counsell but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe may intreat for any but euery mā is to beare his own burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne XV. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him 2 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles and it is hard to say which was aboue the other 3 Leo the fourth