Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	divine_a	faith_n	humane_a	4,064	5	8.7140	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32801	The divine trinunity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or, The blessed doctrine of the three coessentiall subsistents in the eternall Godhead without any confusion or division of the distinct subsistences or multiplication of the most single and entire Godhead acknowledged, beleeved, adored by Christians, in opposition to pagans, Jewes, Mahumetans, blasphemous and antichristian hereticks, who say they are Christians, but are not / declared and published for the edification and satisfaction of all such as worship the only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all three as one and the self same God blessed for ever, by Francis Cheynell ...	Cheynell, Francis, 1608-1665.	1650 (1650)	Wing C3811; ESTC R34820	306,702	530

and laboured more abundantly then any in this service 5. Peter did never claime or exercise any such power over the Princes and Kingdomes of the world as the Pope doth Lu. 22. 25 26. Mat. 20. 25 26. 6. If Peter had desired and usurped any Supremacy over the rest of the Apostles he had thereby degraded himselfe and been last of all Mark 9. 34 35. 7. If the vices of Popes may make them Supream or their errours infallible we are able to prove that by fraud violence and such like black arts they have usurped a power over the consciences of men to lead them ●nto Heresie Antichristianisme Atheisme For by endeavouring to prove their Infallibility by the Scripture and then venting grosse errours as infallible truths upon the authority of the Pope and Church they have tempted some to beleeve neither Church nor Pope nor Scripture The Pope hath told them that they had as good beleeve nothing as not beleeve all and therefore it is to be feared that too many beleeve nothing at all Let us then to the Law and the Testimony and let Christ and his Spirit be heard speake in them and we will proceed to tryal with the Papists upon what points they please We will try all their new Tutelar Gods whether Angels or dead men or their breaden God in the Masse by the 1 Command Their picturing of God and worshipping of him by pictures by the Second Commandment Their Superstitious benedictions Magicall Incantations exorcismes and all those helps to salvation which salt wax spittle bells can afford by the third Commandement and so I might proceed to the Holy-dayes Masses c. or try their Popes usurpations the cruelty of their Inquisition their allowance of Fornication forbidding to marry their equivocations rebellious concupiscence by the Second Table We will by the Gospell of Christ try the Doctrine of Justification by workes their publick prayers in an unknowne tongue their denying of the Testament of Christs bloud to the people we will examine whether there be more sacrifices of Christ then one whether they that dye in Christ rest from their labours I might proceed to examine their Doctrine concerning the Offices and benefits of Christ concerning the nature and use of faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments and the rest of the points in controversie between us and the Papists And truly when I do read such questions as these I cannot but thinke of those Texts 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 3. Now the Spirit speakes expresly c. the Spirit doth so expresly condemne these seducing and erring Spirits that whosoever will be perswaded by the evident demonstrations of the Spirit and be over-ruled by his positive definitions in Scripture will confesse that the Papists were very wise in offering to be tryed by unwritten Traditions or the Pope and his adherents in all points in question It is clear that the Popes have taught for Doctrines the Commandements of men He that reades the Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians 1 Cor. 14. Chap. the second Chapter to the Colossians the second Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the plainer places of the Book of the Revelation will acknowledge the Spirit doth speake expresly The Pope must therefore be beholding to his School-men to defend his Doctrine and to his Canonists to keep up his Discipline and pretend no more to Scriptures or pure Antiquity for his Justification If the Anti-Scripturists would but hearken to the Spirit speaking in the Scripture they would say the Spirit hath magnified both Law and Gospel and made them honorable precious and glorious in our eyes I will not insist upon those many convincing arguments whereby the Scriptures are undeniably proved to be the word of God but humbly desire all men to consider whether the true reason why those Arguments do not effectually perswade obstinate men be not cleerly this because men do undervalue the testimony of the Holy Ghost and resist vex grieve or quench the Holy Spirit whose office it is to seale up this and all other saving truths to our consciences and hearts True it is that the law of God is written in our hearts by nature but our nature is corrupted and we are blinded with pride passion prejudice with selfe conceitednes and selfe-love and therefore it is requisite that the wrath of God should be revealed from heaven against pleasing gainfull sins nay unnaturall sins Rom 1. 18. to the end of the Chapter Moreover it is to be sadly considered that the Gospell is not written in our hearts by nature nor can it be found out by any artificiall Demonstration but it is discovered to us by Divine Revelation Rom. 1. 16 17. I know many learned men have used the testimony of humane Authors in a Secondary and subservient way to confirme our Faith in this point but it is cleer that we must rest our Faith upon the Authority of God in this and all other points or else our Faith will not be a Divine Faith God sweares by himselfe because he is the greatest and doth bear witnesse to himselfe in his word Nay to his Word in his Word because he is the truest for he is indeed the prime truth the onely Infallible Truth And hence it is that the Scriptures are called the testimonies of God and the testimony of the Spirit is so often produced 1 Pet. 1. 11. Act. 5. 32. 1 Ioh. 5. 6. It is no shame to adhere to the Testimony of God in the weightiest point Psal. 119. 31 46. Hence it is that the Penmen do so often shew their Commission and cry thus saith the Lord. And hence it is that God doth so often own the Scriptures for his word This is my word saith God this came from my inspiration saith the Spirit 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. This is my writing saith Iehovah I will own it and stand to it I have written to him the great things of my Law saith God Hos. 8. 12. The Scriptures are the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. They contain the counsel of God Act. 20. 27. God hath given us sufficient assurance that the Law was written by his own finger and all other books by his spec●al command and inspiration All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16 Prophecy●ame not in old time the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came not at any time by the will of man but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. Our Saviour gives a full testimony to Moses David the rest of the Penmen of the Psalms and all the Prophets Luk. 24 44. God hath sealed the testimony of the Penmen by miracles on men and divels we need not expect new miracles to confirm this Old-Testament ancient Gospel both are confirmed by the old miracles which stand upon Record in both But if any man preach a New Gospel we may

Coessentiall Trin-unity of these heavenly witnesses And divers other learned and judicious men conceive that these words were blotted out in the time of Constantius and Valens the Emperours who were sworn enemies of the blessed Trinity and professed Patrons of Arrianisme 7. The Hereticks did blot out those words Ioh. 4 24. God is a spirit as Ambrose assures us and therefore this practise of expunging such words in the Scripture as did refute their errours was too common amongst the Hereticks of old as we might prove by witnesses enough if that were our businesse 8. These words 1 Ioh. 5. 7. are to be found in copies of great antiquity and best credit 9. This Text is cited by the Ancient Fathers by Athanasius in his dispute with Arrius at the counsell of Nice and Arrius never denyed it for to be Scripture which certainly he would have done if there had been any doubt made of it in the Primitive times It is cited by Cyprian also in his book de Vnitate Ecclesiae Paxillus in his booke de Monomachia proves by an induction of the learned Doctors of the Church both before and since Athanasius that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-Unity of these heavenly witnesses was generally received by all that were esteemed Orthodox and pious in the Church of Christ. Calovius also in his Fides Patrum ante Concilium Nicenum gives in a Catalogue for the satisfaction of all that desire resolution in this weighty point 10. These three heavenly witnesses are one in Power nature and Will all three bear witnesse to the same truth and their testimony is divine 1 Joh. 5. 9. And the truth which they bear witnesse to is a fundamentall truth a saving truth that we may beleeve on the Sonne of God and have eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13. And if the authority of any one of these three heavenly witnesses be called into question all may be questioned upon the same grounds because their testimony is of equall authority their testimony is personall and divine and if the testimony and authority of these witnesses were not divine our faith which is built upon their testimony and authority would not be a divine Faith Quale est testimonium talis est fides All three heavenly witnesses joyne with one consent and Will in propounding this fundamentall truth and therefore if we do not beleeve and embrace it we give the lye to all the three witnesses in heaven 1 Joh. 5. 10. And if we do beleeve that Jesus is the naturall Son of God in and by whom all beleevers have eternall life then we must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is one God with his Father the true God and eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 20. Christ is God Attributivè Joh. 1. 1. Subjectivè Act 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. This one proposition That Iesus Christ is the naturall and proper Son of God is that Fundamental Confession of Faith upon which the Christian Church is built Mat. 16. 16 17 18. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God This is the Rock upon which Christ hath so firmly built his Church that the gates of Hell shal never prevail against it or this fundamentall truth We are all built upon Christ through the Spirit for an habitation of God Eph. 2. 20 21 22. Father Son Holy Ghost all three joyn in laying this foundation and all three are one and the self-same great God who is the only true God blessed for ever as hath been fully proved already in this book and therfore I may be the briefer in the discussion of this weighty point The Form of Baptism doth contain in it a short Creed or Rule of Faith Mat. 28. 19. And when the ancient Fathers speak such high things of the Creed they understand it of this short Creed which is part of Canonicall Scripture and not of that form which is commonly callled the Apostles Creed In like manner when they expound Eph. 4. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptism they say there is one Faith and one Baptism because the sum of our Faith is contained in the forme of Baptism When Epiphanius hath reckoned up all the Heresies in his Anaceph he opposes this one Scripture Mat. 28. 19. to them all to shew that he looked upon the Doctrine of the Trinity as a Breviary or at least prime fundamentall of the Christian Faith and Eusebius Pamphilus doth the like I might produce many pertinent places out of Irenaeus Tertullian Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Augustin others to make good this useful observation That the prime Fundamentall of the Christian Faith is contained in the Form of Baptism and founded on Mat. 28. 19. It were easie to shew upon what occasion other Articles were added to the publique confessions of Faith in the most renowned Churches in severall ages And it is as easie to prove that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-unity was for the matter and substance if not in expresse terms in terminis terminantibus as we say constantly maintained 1. In publique Confessions of Faith composed explained confirmed by the first Generall Councels published by the decrees and edicts of pious Emperours and ratifyed by their civil sanctions from time to time I need not instance in the Nicene Creed or that Creed which was composed by Athanasius who studied this point defended suffered for it above forty yeers The Confession published by the Synod of Constantinople doth not differ in substance from the other Creeds concerning this grand mystery of the blessed Trinity I am not willing to expatiate upon this Argument because I should then be engaged to cite very many testimonies of the Ancients which would swell up my book beyond its due proportion But if any man desire to read more upon this Argument for his own satisfaction and hath not so much time as to peruse the ancient Records he may read Master Parkers book de Desc. ad inferos more especially his fourth book The learned Sermon of Reverend Doctor Vsher concerning the unity of Faith who gives a brief aud satisfactory account of the ancient Confessions of Faith with a special reference to Baptism Doctor Voetius Gomarus and the rest who have written de Symbolo Apostolico or of the mystery of the Trinity The jugling of the Arrians is so plainly set forth in the most faithfull writers of Ecclesiasticall story that I need not relate how they made use of their interest at Court and all their carnal policy in every considerable place to pack Councels forge or corrupt Creeds seduce all sorts of men who were led more by interest then Scripture and then to evade or comply with subtile distinctions mentall reservations equivocations and such unworthy shifts for to save themselves from censure in a time of Reformation 2. The Catechismes of the Ancients hold forth this doctrine the Catechumeni were trained up in the knowledge of it Lucian who lived in Trajans time

what I should disallow Phil. 1 9 10 19. I must choose what the Spirit approves and then prosecute what I have chosen with care hope desire and embrace what I attaine to with love and delight and in a word rest satisfyed with the love of the Father the grace of the Son and the communion of the Spirit as my al-sufficient and satisfactory portion for evermore Psal. 17. 15. Psal. 63. 5. Faith is that Grace which enables and enclines us upon the divine testimony of the Spirit to depend on Christ for righteousnesse and life according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace The divine Testimony of the Spirit is the true ground of justifying Faith but Historicall Faith which may be in Devils Jam 2. and Temporary Faith which may be in Reprobates Luke 8. are not truly grounded on the Testimony wisdome Authority Revelation or demonstration of the Spirit We read of a Revelation of flesh and blood Mat. 16. 17. And the demonstration and Revelation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. 10. 14 15. Ephes. 1. 17. A man who hath nothing but sense and Reason in him may have an Historicall or a Temporary Faith but he who doth upon the divine Testimony of the Spirit beleeve that Iesus is the Christ he is born of God of the Spirit of God and hath the witnesse in himself 1 Joh. 5. 1. 6 10. For the regenerate and they only have a spirituall understanding in them to know him that is true when he is revealed unto them by the Spirit of truth 1 Joh. 5. 20. 1 Cor. 2 14 15. Deut. 29. 4. For the Demonstration of the Spirit is not understood by us untill we are renewed in the spirit of our mind so that we can look upon the Divine truths testifyed by the Spirit with a spirituall eye and discern them after a spirituall manner 1 Cor. 2. 14. And therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is not received but by our renewed Spirits Rom. 8. 16. Before we are Regenerate we receive divine truths only because we judge them reasonable or because we find them in the Scriptures and we beleeve the Scriptures upon an Humane Testimony and therefore only with an Humane not a Divine Faith But the Spirituall man beleeves all upon the testimony of the Spirit and doth constantly beg the direction of the good Spirit O thy Spirit is good saith David teach me lead me quicken me by thy Spirit Ps. 143. 10 11. Finally this good spirit discovers to a man before he beleeves 1. His want of Christ 2. The worth of Christ. His want of Christ by reason of 1. His hainous sins which are inexcusable damnable 2. His Spirituall wants which are innumerable 3. His present misery and slavery which are unspeakable unsupportable The worth of Christ because he is an All-sufficient Saviour and only Saviour the Spirit discovers the treasures of Free grace the mysteries of Divine Faith which even Angels admire the unsearchable riches of Christ the fulnesse of God able to satiate the soule with heavenly glorious everlasting happinesse and even infinite content Then the soule is convinced by the Spirit of God not onely of the truth but goodnesse of the Covenant made by God with man in Christ and that there are better things laid up for beleevers in Christ then any are or can be bestowed by Sathan upon his greatest Agents and dearest favourites the darlings of the flesh and world and upon this account the soule is perswaded by this demonstration of the spirit to close with Christ and deny itself to have no ability wisdome righteousnesse will of its own but to seek wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption in Christ. 1 Cor. 1. 30. In a word to deny its own will and take the will of Christ for its rule and compasse to do or suffer any thing for Christ to lose or sell all for him The good spirit perswades us 1. To prize Christ highly even above all the kingdomes of the world and glory of them 2. To beleeve in Christ stedfastly 3. To love Christ deerly better then our selves or dearest friends better then worldly treasures sensuall joy or any carnall contentments whatsoever 4. To follow Christ fully that we may enjoy him eternally as our Crown our happinesse our heaven And to this end and purpose to set up the word of God in our Consciences as our only rule for to direct us 1. In all points of Faith 2. In all parts of worship 3. In all passages of our life and conversation that we may cast out the world the Devil nay flesh and self and all to make roome for Christ. Now when the Spirit hath by its own evidence testimony authority wisdome and efficacy wrought Faith in the soule to carry it into the armes of Iesus Christ Christ doth bid it welcom embraces kisses it and takes this young beleever by the hand and puts him into his Fathers bosome And when we are thus brought to beleeve in Father Son and Holy Ghost then we are fitted and prepared to worship and obey all three glorious persons as one God blessed forever And therefore I may now proceed to speak of the worship of all three and then of our obedience to all three 2. This grand Mystery of Faith hath an effectuall influence into our Gospel-worship He takes the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost in vain and doth not make that Holy use which he should of the Titles Properties workes and Ordinances of all three who doth not with Knowledge Faith Reverence sincerity and spirituall joy worship all three for this is true Gospel-worship And therefore I would intreat my Reader diligently to consider what I have delivered in the fourth and fifth chapters of this Treatise concerning the divine Nature Titles Properties works of all three in order to worship for the glory of the thrice illustrious and yet single God head and then if he will study the scope of the first Table of the Holy Law of God and the substance of Gospel-worship he will acknowledge that every one who beleeveth in all three persons will find his Faith obliging and inclining him to worship al three glorious persons as one God blessed for ever 1. God the Father is to be worshipped under the Gospel as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in him I have touched this point already and because it is not much controverted by our grand enemies I shall not insist long upon it All the knowledge of God which we gain by the Scriptures of truth is revealed to us on purpose for our direction in the worship of God we must not worship God according to our own devices but according to that discovery which God hath made of himselfe to us in his Holy word not onely in respect of his divine nature as when our

Arminians the constant enemies of the Grace of God should consider that the Pelagians the advocates of Free-wil and corrupt nature were confounded with those plain Scriptures which were urged by the Councels of Carthage Milevis Orenge and Holy Augustine in his fragrant works The Socinians the enemies of the onely true God Father Son and Holy Ghost should consider that the Arrians were overthrown by the Scriptures in the Nicene councel and by the godly Pastours of the Church who instead of broken Scriptures which the Arians urged with as much fraud as the devil did Mat. 4. produced plain Scriptures and the whole Series of both Testaments and so did invincibly refute their blasphemous errours The Libertines who claym a liberty of publishing damnable Heresies and blasphemies under pretence of Prophesying might learn that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty true liberty but no where else for he who protends to speak by the Holy Ghost and yet denies Iesus to be the Lord doth at once blaspheme Christ and the Holy Spirit and is an Anti-spiritual Lyar an Antichristian Blasphemer and hath neither Father Son nor Spirit dwelling in him For he who speaks by the Spirit doth acknowledge Jesus to be the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. And he who denies the Son hath not the Father Who is a lyer but he who denies that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son whosoever denies the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Jo. 2. 22 23. In like manner every Spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but of Antichrist 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. This is that Vorstian liberty which hath undone so many Nations already and is now Idolized in England under the name of Liberty of Conscience by such as have neither Conscience nor liberty Reverend Dr. Sibbs did exceedingly cry out against this kind of Liberty in his time He would not have way given to Vorstian lawlesse licencious liberty of prophesie that every one so soone as he is big of some new conceit should bring forth his abortive Monster for then the Pillars of Christian Faith will soon be shaken and the Church of God which is an house of Order will be●ome a Babel an house of Confusion The dolefull issues of which pretended Liberty we see in Polonia Transylvania and in Countries neerer hand I might proceed but this is sufficient for a taste and if I should but name all the errours of this age and not confute them I should abuse my Reader and therefore I desire to stop in time and beseech all that are spiritually minded to hea●ken to the Spirit speaking in the word Beloved beleeve not every spirit but beleeve the Holy Spirit who is the Author of the Scriptures the Author of Faith the Iudge of Controversies the interpreter of the Scriptures the Doctor and comforter of the Elect and he will lead you into all necessary truth for your present edification and everlasting Salvation The Holy Spirit will assure you that the Scriptures of truth were all written by his own Authority and you may safely set to your seale when you have received the infallible testimony of the Holy Ghost We are witnesses of these things saith the ●postle and so is the Holy-Ghost also Act. 5. 32. We shall never receive the word as the Word of God with joy reverence submission and assurance of Faith specially in times of ●ffliction and temptation unlesse we receive the witnesse of the Spirit and ground our Faith upon the wisdome and evident demonstration of the Spirit When we look upon the word of God and consider 1 The wonderfull consent of all those Holy and selfe-denying men that penned it 2. The marvellous fulfilling of all the strange Prophecies in the fullnesse of time appointed by God 3. The Admirable Providence of God in preserving the Scriptures notwithstanding all the rage and malice of Hereticks and persecutors 4. The supernaturall Miracles wrought for to confirm it 5. The Harmonious testimony that the Church Martyrs Saints have in all ages given to it 6. The Antiquity Majesty Efficacy of it 7. The divine and heavenly matter contained in it 1. Mysteries above reason 1 Cor. 2. 9. 2. Commands contrary to our corrupt nature sent to all Nations and even to the greatest and proudest of men 3. Threats beyond the strength of man to inflict or the capacity of man to comprehend an hard heart a seared Conscience and yet a trembling Spirit a reprobate mind and sense a spirit of madnesse giddinesse horrour or slumber an everlasting worm eternall fire torments with the devil and his Angels 4. Promises and rewards beyond the power of man to bestow or wisdome of Angels to comprehend 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. 5. The fall corruption Redemption Salvation of man wonderfully declared in the Holy Scriptures the inward frame and disposition of mans heart his secret thoughts and most intimate projects his reserved wishes desires ends and purposes undenyably discovered for his conviction even to admiration and amazement 1 Cor. 14. ●5 then the reason of man is even confounded the obstinacy of mans heart subdued all the pride of humane glory stained and the Scriptures appeare to be the word of God But now all these Arguments and many more which I could name will not be effectuall for our regeneration and conversion untill the Spirit be pleased to set all home upon the heart by his own irresistible efficacy and seale this truth to the Conscience by his own infallible testimony But when the Spirit speaks to and works upon our spirits then we do assent and consent to all the proposals of God our very thoughts are captivated and subdued unto the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Our Conscience is convinced swayed and undeniably obliged to beleeve what is promised allow what is commanded our will made willing to chose both the affections to embrace both our whole man to follow after both according to the directions of God for performing what is commanded and obtaining of what is promised Rom. 7. 12. 22. Psa. 119. 106 112 113 127 128 167 173 174. I must acknowledge my absolute total and universal dependance upon the infallible wisdome infinite truth power majesty greatnesse and goodnesse of the Holy Spirit and confesse that he hath soveraigne Right and divine authority to reveale and prescribe whatsoever he pleases upon the rewards and penalties of everlasting life and death And I am obliged to beleeve and embrace al that the Spirit teacheth without any contradiction though it seeme never so improbable to my carnall reason and be really contrary to my corrupt affections ends and esianes The spirit teaches me how to apprehend and judge of spirituall things after a spirituall manner for the spirit teaches me what to approve and

God be thanked that ye who were the servants of sin have obeyed from the heart that for me of Doctrine which was delivered unto you by the holy spirit Rom. 6. 17. Be much in supplication and thanksgiving and the spirit of Supplication will be a spirit of Adoption an oile of gladnesse Heb. 1. 9. The spirit will teach you to cry Abba Father with comfort Gal 4. Rom 8. The spirit will fill your soules with all joy and peace in beleeving and in obeying the joy of the spirit shall be your strength the comforts of the Almighty even all the comforts of the Kingdom of God which consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost shall be all-sufficient to revive and support your dejected spirit All your fears and discomforts shall be dispelled your wants supplyed your wound soares infirmities healed and you at last filled with all the fulnesse of God Mal. 4. 2. Eph. 3. 19. Beleeve in the spirit obey the spirit and ye shall be sealed with the spirit Eph. 1 13. I beseech you by the tender mercies of God by the meekness and gentleness of Christ by the joy and for the love of the Spirit that you consider what hath been said that ye receive this wholesome Word as it is in truth the word of God the word of the Father Son and holy Ghost but testified after a more especiall and immediate manner by the Holy Ghost that it may worke effectually in all you who beleeve it 1 Thes. 2. 13. Even unto spirituall and sincere obedience to Father Son and Holy Ghost and that it may be so we must have a care to obey after the right manner for Amazia was too blame though he did that which was right in it self because he did it not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Let us imitate our Saviour who did all as he was commanded Ioh. 14. 31. Let us have 1. High thoughts of the Majesty and greatnesse of God 2. Sweet thoughts of the rich grace and infinite goodnesse of God 3. An intire and an universall respect to all the commands and every work of God Ioh. 6. 28 29. Every work which God hath given us to do Ioh. 17. 4. and ordained for us to walk in Eph. 2. 10 For every command of God must have a divine authority over our consciences and hearts Psal. 119. 6. and then Christ will account us his friends Iohn 15 14. 4. A more especiall respect to the weightiest and greatest duties of Religion such as God hath more especially enjoyned for instance 1 The duties of inward worship and obedience Mat 22. 37 38. the most reserved and intimate duties of Religion 2. Duties of judgment mercy and fidelity towards all men Mat. 23. 23. Love to our enemies Mat. 5. 44. 45. 3. Duties of our particular callings and speciall relations publique duties and family duties especially such as are most private Mat. 6. 6. Zach 12. 12. 4. The great work of Faith which is the summe of both Testaments because all judicious and zealous love all sincere and uniforme obedience springs from faith Iohn 6. 29. This is the worke of God and unbeliefe is the work of the Devill faith purifies our heart by applying the bloud of Christ to our soules Heb. 9. 14. The weighty matters of Law and Gospel may be referred to those foure Heads above mentioned observe that excellent Scripture God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of that kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him Iam. 2. 5. Faith and love will make us constant in the performance of all the other weighty matters required of us both in Law and Gospell and we have proved at large that faith and love is due to all three Persons We must performe all our duties 1. As to a Father a divine Father as hath been proved 2. In the name of Christ. 3. In the strength of the spirit 4. At the command and for the glory of all three co-essentiall Persons for all things are of the Father by the Son and through the spirit 5. With a willing mind a perfect heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 6. With all self-denyall diligence constancy 7. With an humble desire that we and our obedience may be accepted in and for Christ according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace Let us now put all together again and observe what a sweet harmony exact Symmetry and glorious uniformity there is in this whole mystery of Faith this mystery of the Co-essentiall Trinunity as reduced to practice by its effectuall influence into the mystery and power of godlinesse Beloved Christians I look upon my self as the least of Saints and greatest of Sinners unworthy to be accounted a Member but far more unworthy to be a Minister of Jesus Christ because I know more evill by my self then I know by any member of Christ but I thank God our Father Christ Iesus our lord and the co-essentiall Spirit the same God who worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. 6. that I have obtained mercy and ability of all three for to be faithfull and to be counted faithfull by them all for they have all three in some measure enabled me for that they counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministry for I am a Minister of that Gospell which is revealed from heaven by Father Son and Holy Spirit and I am a Minister accordidg to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectuall working of his power unto me I say who am lesse then the least of all Saints in this grace given that I should preach the love of the Father the grace and unsearchable riches of Christ the sweet Communion peace and joy of the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and full of glory Be pleased then to take a view of the whole mystery of faith and godlinesse and observe how this Co-essentiall Trinunity of Father Son and holy Ghost who are one God blessed for ever is the adequate Object Author End of all Religion 1. Look upon the Grand Mystery of our Election unto Grace Peace and Glory and observe what practicall inferences may be drawn from thence to raise our hearts to admire beleeve love worship obey Father Son and holy Ghost Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ grace unto you and peace be multiplied Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. 1 Pet. 1 2 3 4. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Iesus Christ Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father c. 2 Thes. 2.

shew and the Toleration of Seducers made the world Antichristian as Mr. Cotton proves And how the Christian world hath been not onely shaken but even broken by the Arian and E●tychian persecutions by the insurrection of the Macedonians in Greece and by the Antichristian warres and persecutions for many hundred years is evidently proved by sad and experimentall demonstrations When King James did tolerate Papists he did persecute Puritans as they then called men that were seriously and invincibly pious When Seducers get head they strengthen their party by force aswell as fraud and oppose such as dissent from their damnable errours as the Circumcellians did with Clubs and Swords or as Zedekiah did Micaiah with his fists Muncer Becold c. who were so tender and careful to preserve the Tares would not suffer the wheat to grow till harvest XII We must distinguish as judicious Davenant did between tolerable and intolerable errours simple and complicate errours as others speak There are corrigible and incorrigible Heretikes some Hereticks are but perverted and they are teachable others are subverted men that are smitten with a Spirit of Obstinacy impenitent and self-condemned men condemned Formally by their own conscience or Virtually by their proud and stubborn contempt of Christian admonition and their voluntary rejection of plaine truths that they may enjoy their beloved errours and their haereticall lusts men whose lives are as full of Atheisme as their assertions of blasphemy Seducing Heretikes who endeavour to thrust away others from the beliefe or worship of the only true God Father Son and Holy Ghost The Calvinists do not say that any one ought to be put to death for simple Heresie as the reverend and learned Professours of Leyden shew in their censure of the Arminian confession And on the otherside the Lutherans grant that seditious blasphemous seducing Heretikes Idolators and Apostates are when they grow incorrigible to be punished with death aswell as Sorcerers Traytours or Adulterers Let them name one of us saith Beza if they can who saith that all Heretikes ought to be put to death or that calls every one Heretike who dissents from him in some pro●itable but not Fundamentall points Servetus saith Mr. Calvin might have saved his life if hee had been a modest Heretike Master Cotton approves the Decree of the Senate of Geneva for punishing of Servetus with death No judicious Protestant will affirme that errours are to be confuted with fire and faggot but with meeknesse of wisedome expressed in faithfull instructions and admonitions our reasons are spirituall and if the Magistrate draw the sword in Gods name it is not to punish simple errour but to smite some intolerable errour that is twisted and complicated with blasphemy Apostacy Obstinacy or some such sins as are eminent in Seducing Heretikes and destructive to the Soules Religion and Peace of Christians Some erroneous persons have the itch and some the plague some of them are melancholike and some of them are mad and mad men must be bound or at least not permitted to walk abroad without their keeper The itch and the plague are both infectious but they are not both alike dangerous and nothing is more clear in point of Civill-government then that Magistrates should not suffer any to go about with plague-sores running on them Seducing Apostates Blasphemous Heretikes and grosse Idolators do not only subvert Order and Peace but Faith Piety they infect nay poyson souls XI●I The glory of God the good of Soules the happinesse of Christian societies are irresistible Motives to quicken the Magistrate to act against such dangerous persons as we have described according to the law of judgement and their different demerits in Faith and Love 1. In Faith for the Christian Magistrate doth not act like himself if he doth not performe acts of Civill-justice in Faith And it is cleare that if there be no morall equity in any of the judiciall Lawes in the Old Testament and there are none at all extant in the New the Christian Magistrate cannot performe any act of Civill-justice in Faith But it is indeed too evident to be denyed that All divine lawes which concern the punishment of Morall transgressions are of perpetuall obligation and therefore still remaine in force according to their substance and generall equity abstracted from speciall circumstances Typicall Accessories and the old formes of Mosaicall Politie For 1. These divine Lawes are not expired in their own nature 2. They are not repealed by God 3. The authority of the Law-giver is the same under both Administrations old and new the consciences of Christians aswell as Jewes are subject to his soveraigne and perpetuall jurisdiction 4. The matter of the Lawes is Morall and very agreeable to the Dictates of nature as doth appeare by the severall Lawes and Decrees of Heathens Dan. 3. 29. Ezra 7. 23. 25 26 27. Ezra 10. 3. 5. 8. compared with Numb 15. 30 31. Levit. 24. 15 16. Deut. 13. 8 9. Zach. 13. 3 6. Seducing poysoning slaying of Soules is by the law of Nature and Nations the worst of injuries 5. The reason of these divine Lawes is immutable and that reason is sometimes expressed and declared But it is not necessary that there should be any expresse ratification of every Morall Law in the New Testament which is plainly delivered in the Old 6. These divine Lawes are Independent on the will of Man and therefore indispensable mans authority II. The Magistrate is to act in Christian Love and charity against these dangerous men It is mercy to drive away the wolfe and cruelty to spare him there must be so much Fatherly love shewen to the souls of Christians to the ●●ttle flock as to preserve them from Wolves and Foxes Hee who loves Christ the Christian religion the souls and peace of Christians will not beare the sword in vaine his head heart hand bowels will keep time in working according to the written Rule XIV The Happinesse of Civill societies aswell as Church Assemblies doth much depend upon the punishing of Antichristian Heretikes seducing Apostates c. according to the nature and measure of their offences In all Civil States whose Acts are recorded in sacred or profane stories the Magistrates were to have a care not only of Justice Honesty but of that Religion also which they estemed divine for the good happinesse of their Civil state though it is no wonder if the Heathens did misapply this zealous instinct of nature to the maintenance of Superstition and Idolatry of a false Religion and false Gods Socrates Theodorus and Protagoras famous Philosophers were all three condemned at Athens by the Law against Irreligion But let us look into Christian states When the means of Instruction and Reformation have been vouchsafed to a people that are in Covenant with God and they corrupt the truth and worship of God the Lord doeth not onely punish degenerate Churches but even