pledges and pawnes of Gods loue procured for vs by Christ Iesus and as the first fruites of that heauenly inheritance which he himselfe hath purchased for vs how can we but rest assured to be brought in the time appointed by the Lord to the possession of that whereof we haue so certaine an earnest and so sure a pledge In pasting ouer temporall Land from man to man we esteeme much of good securitie which highly commendeth euen an hard bargaine A sound title and a good conueyance from such and such persons to such and such other maketh the security to be sufficient The goodliest possession that can be passed ouer to any of the sonnes of men is the glorious manner of the coelestiall Paradise the true title thereunto is Christ and his righteousnesse the conueyance thereof is the Word and the Sacraments which giue Christ to all that beleeue and the sure and certaine earnest of the same is the first fruits of the Spirit But to our Romish Catholickes the righteousnesse of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ performed for vs in his owne person and imputed vnto vs by the Lords most free and vndeserued mercy is a meere nullity and new no iustice and the apprehension thereof by faith is a phantasticall apprehension of that which is not a false faith and an vntrue imputation as our masters of Rhemes haue taught For their Rhem. in c. 3. ad Rom. title to the heauenly Paradise is the merit of that righteousnes which is wrought by themselues and their conueyances are the Popes Indulgences and Pardons and their Priests Absolutions and Masses and the deuotions of the men of their Religious orders But what is their securitie for all this verily nono at all for they are commanded to liue still in feare and doubtfulnesse because they know not how much they faile in the measure and manner of the fulfilling of this righteousnesse and whether or no they shall be enabled to perseuere And verily no maruaile that their security for their heauenly happinesse is so small or none at all seeing their pay for the same is in such light and clipt money yea in such base and counterfeit coyne and their conueyance thereof so feeble and weake The faith of our Romish Catholicks as they themselues teach is such a faith as may be in the deuils and therefore no maruaile but as the deuils beleeue and tremble so they doe beleeue and Iac. 2. 19. tremble also but wheras the pay made for the purchase of the coelestiall Paradise vnto all faithfull Christians is the absolute and perfect rigteousnesse of Christ performed for them and the conueyauce thereof vnto them is the Lords gracious grant thereof set downe in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and sealed with the seales of the holy Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament therefore the true faithfull Christian needeth not to feare and to doubt of his saluation seeing he hath so good euidence for the same For seeing Christ hath deliuered them out of the hands of their enemies that they should serue the Lord without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1. 74. all the dayes of their liues why should they feare or doubt to enioy the fruit of this deliuerance wrought by such a person and by such meanes Assuredly they doe not as the Apostle testifieth speaking in the name of all the faithfull Yee saith he haue not receiued Rom. 8. 16. the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption where by we cry Abba Father the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God if we be children wee bee also heires of God and heires annexed with Christ This ioyfull and comfortable security of all true and faithfull Christians Saint Cyprian setteth Cypr contra Demetriadem downe after this manner There is saith he with vs strength of hope and stedfastnesse of faith amidst the ruines of a decaying world a couragious minde and a constant vertue and a patience alwayes ioyfull and a soule alwayes secure of God to be our God Thus doth both Scripture and Fathers set forth that comfortable security which GOD by his Spirit hath setled in the hearts of his faithfull seruants The security then which they condemne is that whereby men are made either awlâ—sse of falling into temptations or carelesse of vsing the meanes appointed by God to withstand tentations or bold of their own strength in vsing the meanes and so negligent therby to craue continuall aide and assistance from the Lord for if we fearing to fall into tentations vse carefully the meanes appointed by God to withstand the same and distrusting our owne strength call continually to God for his aide then as the Apostle himselfe commandeth we ought in all things to be secure or without feare being Phil. 4. 6. throughly perswaded of this that the euent of all things shall be happy and that God will turne all to our good Rom. 8. 26. And verily the true Christian faith driueth away distrustfull feare out of the soule of euery true sincere Christian maketh manifest vnto him the soundnes vprightnes of his own heart seeing otherwise it could neuer leade him to true happinesse Yea as the most learned Dr. Fotherby our late most Reuerend and most louing Diocesan Lord Bishop of Sarum lib. 1. Cap. 12. Fol. 1 22. Hath shewed out of diuers of the bookes of the wisest among the Heathen true happinesse hath bin esteemed for a man to haue his soule free froÌ„ terror fearefulnesse nay without this freedome and security it is most certaine that it cannot enioy so much as a shadow of any foelicity or any sound comfort and true contentment seeing true contentment and sound comfort and ioy is founded in a couragious confidence of the heart and in the quiet security and tranquillity of the mind To be full of feare and terrour is a property belonging to a 1 Ioh. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 yea it is a 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 conâ—rary to true confidence and courage Feare saith the Apostle hath Cura quasi cor vrens painefulnesse and it brâ—edeth that care that burneth and scorcheth the heart and 〈◊〉 the soule and it hastneth those Apoc. 21. 8. that willingly entertaine it towards the horrours of hell and excludeth them from the ioyes of Heauen How then ought all the sincere Professors of the Gospell to be thankefull to God for that he hat sent his Gospell vnto them and hath opened theâ—… eyes thereby so to apprehend his vnspeakeable 〈◊〉 Christ reuealed therein that therby they are effectually stirred vp to loue God especially seeing as the Apostle saith there is no feare in loue but perfect loue 1 Ioh. 4. 18. casteth out feare For as a chast spouse is not iealous of her kind huâ—band and a dutiful sonne is not so fearefull as to think that his tender-hearted Father will withdraw his loue froÌ„
lightning the vnderstanding with a true faith doth sanctifie the will with all other vertues and establish it also with constancy and perseuerance Wherefore a well-grounded knowledge of the mysteries of godlinesse diuine wisdome and sauing faith doe neuer goe alone but take their traine with them and are alwaies accompanied with all other diuine and heauenly vertues And thus much concerning the necessary combination of sauing faith with all other diuine vertues Now it remaineth that we make manifest what comfortable assurance of Gods fauour and loue faith also giueth to all that truly beleeue CHAP. IIII. The diuine doctrine of the Christian faith doth giue to the sincere imbracers thereof a sauing faith and an assurance thereby of Gods fauour and loue and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse THat which all erronious professions doe promise that the Gospell of Christ doth performe euen a sure faith and a faithfull assurance of the fauour and loue of God and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse For herein is reuealed the Couenant of grace grounded vpon a strong foundation euen vpon him that is Immanuell God with vs a most powerfull Reconciler of men vnto God and a most gracious procurer of Gods fauour and loue For mans sinne being committed against the infinite maiesty of the most glorious Deity could not be done away but by an infinite satisfaction and Gods loue and euerlasting happinesse consisting therein being blessings of an inualuable worth could not haue beene purchased but by an inualuable price Now this infinite satisfaction and inualuable price could not haue beene tendred but by such an one that was true man ioyned in one person to the true God that so he might be a meet Mediatour betweene God and man And so he himselfe testifieth saying I am the way the truth Iohn 14. 6. and the life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me It is then by Christs meanes that wee beleeue in God and haue an assurance of his fauour and loue For to him God gaue after his shamefull death which he suffered for our sins a glorious resurrection as an ample testification of his full satisfaction made for them all and of his victorious conquest ouer death that so we might haue faith and hope in God Wherefore if 1 Pet. 1. 21. God hath plainly opened vnto vs the worke of our redemption and reconciliation wrought by Christ which is the foundation of the Couenant of grace wherein God offereth himselfe to be a gracious God and a louing Father to all such as imbrace it with a true faith it cannot be but if that with a true faith we apprehend this gracious Couenant we should rest thereby throughly perswaded of the Lords inestimable fauour and loue towards vs. Now that the vndoubted truth therof may euidently appeare let vs obserue these three circumstances First the time when this assurance is giuen Secondly the meanes whereby it is wrought Thirdly the witnesses that giue euidence to the certainty and infallibility thereof Now concerning the first when God by the light of the Gospel doth open our eies make vs to behold the light of his couÌ„tenance shining vnto vs in Christ Iesus and thereby doth not only informe our vnderstanding but also reforme our will and affections euen then in some measure he giueth vnto vs this comfortable assurance that he hath admitted vs among the number of his children and hath matriculated vs into the Vniuersity of his Saints and hath entred our names into his booke of life For that which our blessed Sauiour auouched of Zacheus when he willingly receiued by loue Christs person into his house and his doctrine by faith into his heart This day is saluation come to this house for as much as this man is become Luke 19. 9. the sonne of Abraham that is to be auerred of all persons whatsoeuer that readily imbrace the faith that was in Abraham seeing all such as haue their hearts purged by faith are Rom. 4 12. Gal. 3. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 21. vndoubtedly thereby made the sonnes of God and vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the Lord. Now saith Saint Iohn we are the sonnes of God euen as many as by an 1 Iohn 3. 2. effectuall calling are brought to a wise and vnderstanding faith and to an holy and vpright life So Saint Bernard At Bern. ep 107. the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse at our iustification that is when we are made inberently iust and righteous for so he taketh the word in this place the secret that was hidden from the beginning concerning those that are predestinate and shall be blessed beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternity whilest a man called by the feare of God and framed to righteousnesse by loue presumeth that he is of the number of the blessed knowing that whom he hath iustified them also he hath glorified In the which very place that we may come to our second circumstance Saint Bernard aduiseth the person that is made an holy and iust man to take for the opener of this mystery of his saluation the Spirit making him righteous and iust and thereby testifying to his spirit that he is the child of God For saith he who is a iust man but he that being beloued of God loueth him againe Which commeth not to passe but by the Spirit of God reuealing by saith the eternall promise of God for his saluation to come the which reuelation that is the ground or meanes of the which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by the which the deedes of the flesh are mortified and the man that hath it is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing by one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is beloued and loueth againe So then when the Apostle auoucheth that the Spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children Rom. 8. 16. of God that he doth saith Saint Bernard by nothing else but by the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deedes of the flâ—sh are mortified and the man of God is quickened vnto an holy and heauenly life So Origen The testimony of the spirit Oâ—ig in 8. Cap. ad â—…om is an hability giuen by the Spirit not to doe all things for feare but for loue towards God So Ambrose also vpon the same words of the Apostle calleth it an hability giuen by the Spirit of God to leade a life fitting the name of the sonnes of God whereby our heauenly Fathers marke is seene in vs. And this these holy men learned of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Giue saith he all diligence to ioyne to your 2 Pet. 1. 10. faith vertue to your vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience brotherly kindnesse to brotherly kindnesse loue c. and hereby make your calling and election sure for if you doe such things ye shall neuer fall For whereas God hath promised to be a
to the mainetenance of true Protestancye with their faith and quality therof Faith in holy Scripture is taken either for the quality and habit of Faith or for the doctrine of Faith The holy Scripture deciphereth the quality and habit of our Christian Faith by arguments taken out of all Theologicall places as followeth The principall efficient cause of the quality or habit of Faith is God Phil. 1. 29. The instrumentall cause is the word of God Rom 10. 17. The material cause is an assent vpon knowledge Ioh 6. 69. The formall cause is a sure and settled assent grounded vpon a sure setled kgowledge Iohn 17. 8. Col. 1. 6. The finall cause is the excluding of all glorying in our selues and the ascribing of all glory vnto God Eph. 2. 8. Rom. 3. 27. The effects of Faith are as all other divine graces and fruits of the spirit Acts 26. 18. so an holy considence and an assurance of God's loue and a comfortable boldnesse to come vnto God as vnto a gracious and loving Father Eph. 3. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 10. The subiect wherin it is seated is the mind For the mind is the eye of the soule and Faith is the true sight thereof Ioh. 8. 56. Act. 26. 18. the object thereof is all diuine truths Rom. 15. 4. especially the Covenant of grace founded vpon Christ Ioh. 20. 31. 1 Pet. 1. 21. the attributes are that it is â—ound orthodoxe and Catholicke that is one and the same in all the true servants of God which haue bin are or shall be to the end of the world Heb. 11. 2. Eph. 4. 5. Things divers are a sleight opinion Act 26. 28. and a temporary Faiâ—h Mat. 13. 20. Things contrary are presumption fleshly security either bred by confidence in teÌ„porall prosperity Isa 28. 15. or in the outward pledges of God's loue Iâ—rm 7. 4. or in the outward shew of good workes Rom. 9. 32. 10. 3. Things privately opposite are ignorance Eph 4. 18. a blind Faith Mat. 13. 19. sophisticall infidelity 1 Cor. 1. 23. That which is plain contradictory is flat Atheisme Sap. 2. 1. Act. 23. 8 things like are a bodily eye Ioh. 9. 39. a bodily hand 1 Tim. 6 12. a bodily mouth Ioh. 6. 53. a bodily foot 2 Cor. 5. 7. bodily wings Luke 17. 37. Things vnlike are vnstable childishnesse Eph. 4. 14 and wauering doubtfulnes Iac. 1. 6. The coniugates are to beleeue in God and in Christ Ioh. 14. 1 and to be one of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10 the notation or interpretation of the name is a sure and Vides quia fiet quod dictum est certaine accomplishment of that which Faith beleeueth Math. 8. 8. The definition or description thereof is this Sauiâ—g Faith is diuine wisdome or a certain knowledge and a settled assent and adhaerence to all diuine verities necessary to saluatioÌ„ especially to the couenant of grace as to the meanes of the chiefest good and highest happines 2 Tim. 3. 15. the diuision thereof is into a weake and strong Faith Rom. 14. 2. The testimonies are the confessions of the Martyrs and Confessors that haue liued doe and shall liue to the end of the world Apocal. 7. 10. This is the delineation of the whole body of Faith as it is drawne out by the pensill of the Prophets and Apostles the parts members whereof which are most controuersed are further lightned and cleared in the first part of this Treatise As in the second part thereof the reasons and arguments produced to open and iustifie the seueral doctrines of Faith are referred to all the Topick places as being the rich mines out of which they are digged The doctrines of Faith set down in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles are Logicall reasonable wise and the very first principles and grounds thereof are 1 Pet. 2. 2 without any mixture of sophisticall deceit The high Priests pectorall wherein the Vrim and Thummim was put and by the which God gaue answer vnto his peoâ—le was called by the Hebrewes Hosen and by the Greekes See Alsted Praecog Theolog. fol. 230. Logeïon and by the Latines Rationale for that the Lord's doctrines had in them the most pure holines of most exact Logick or reason The Logick places which I follow in this Treatise are deliuered by Petrus Ramus who concerning the vse of Logick hath very much cleared the rules of Aristotle our grand Master The exempliâ—ying of Logick places by the Theologicall positions I haue taken from Amandus Polanus but with this difference in that he setteth downe his arguments declaratiue and demonstratiue in bare sentences and propositions without further discourse whereas in this Treatise they are further opened by other arguments and reasons For as learned and iudicious Doctour Feild anouncheth in his Dedicatory Epistle to his first Booke of the Church the doctrines wherein we differ from the Church of Rome are grounded not only vpon the greatest authority that is but also vpon the most preuailing reasons that euer perswaded men And verily if that most famous Oratours iudgment be â—ound there is no reason to giue credit to that reason whereof there cannot bee yeelded a sufficient reason Câ—… lib. 4. ad Herennium The great Antichrist of these last times as testifieth 2 Thess 2. 8. the Apostle which hath brought in a great Apostacy froÌ„ the Faith shal be consumed with the Spirit of the Lord's mouth and shal be abolished with the brightnesse of his comming and so shall his Armies also which as Chrysostome Chrys â—om 49. in Mat. saith are impious Heresies For whereas the time of miracles is now long since expired whereby the Apostles and their successours in the Primitiue Church got credit to the diuine doctrine of the Gospel of Christ and Heb. 2. 4. 2 Cor. 10. 4. made it most powerfull to the ouerthrowing of all Heathenish Idolatries and impious Heresies it remaineth now that the Professours of the Gospel by the glorious light of powerfull arguments taken out of God's booke and iustifiable by the exact rules of â—ound reason make Truth victorious against Antichrist and all his impious Heresies For where Truth is clearely demonstrated and rightly apprehended it cannot otherwise be but that it 1 Esd 3 12. will mightily preuaile Our most wise and learned Solomon hath already by his penne begun this regall and Princely worke and hath iustified by cleare and demonstratiue arguments that the supreme authority to command aswell in Ecclesiasticall as in ciuill causes resteth in the ciuill Magistrate in his own Dominions and Countries and hath sent his Booke to all Christian Princes the which no doubt shall preuail at that time when he that hath the hearts of all Kings in his own hand shall know it to be most â—it And why should it not then highly please especially the Ecclesiastick Peeres of his Kingdomes to follow so worthy supereminent an example in causing all Theologicall doctrines in this
doctrine of the Romish Church is a provocation to sinne and not the doctrine of the Churches that professe the Gospell Popish pennance and Purgatory are contrary to the Article of the Creed I beleeue the remission of sinnes FroÌ„ such things as be coniugates Iury is not to be esteemed an holy land The will of man is not by nature free in things concerning God All the faithfull are Saints The Bishop of Rome is not the vniuersall pastour of the whole Church The Lawes of God only bind the conscience From the etymology or interpretation of the name True Religion bindeth only to the obseruation of such things as are commanded by God Whereas superstition bindeth to the obseruation of such things as are beside and aboue the former The Laity ought to haue liberty daily to read the holy Scriptures The faithfull themselues and also their Churches ought to be dedicated only to God The faithfull know their own Faith repentance and loue and their saluation in Christ Iesus An implicite that is a blinded and a folded vp Faith is not the true Christian Faith The breaking of a Popish vow is no sinne The Monkes as they now demeane themselues are not true Monkes All the faithfull are saued by the meere mercy of God in Christ. From the definition or description of a thing The faithfull haue assurance both of the Lord 's good will and loue towards themselues and also of their own sincere faith and true loue towards God The bare testimony of the Church cannot make sufficiently knowne any doctrine of Faith A Bishop may be a ciuill Magistrate From the diuision of a thing The signe of the Crosse is not a thing absolutely euill but may lawfully bee vsed at the administration of Baptisme From the whole to the parts or froÌ„ the generll to the speciall Matrimony is lawfull for the Clergy euen after the vow of single life All Ecclesiasticall persons aswell as secular ought to be subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It doth belong to the ciuill Magistrate in his owne dominions to command all such things to be obserued of all his subiects as concerne the diuine worship and seruice of God and therein he hath the highest authority The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good From the parts to the whole or from the speciall to the general The Church of Rome giueth diuine honour to Angels and Saints There are no persons appointed by God for Popish Purgatory FroÌ„ diuine humane testimonies The miracles and doctrine of the Church of Rome are fabulous and false euen by the testimonies of her own vulgar people Learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures THEOLOGICALL LOGICKE CHAP. I. QVAEST 1. 1 The Gospell is the only proper and immediate instrumentall cause of our conversion to God and of our faith and loue and of all other spirituall graces and not miracles nor the holy liues and comfortable deathes of the dearest seruants of God nor temporall blessings or corrections nor the authority of the Magistrate nor the wisdome of the Law of God and therefore much lesse the reason of the naturall man THe Gospell is the propeâ— and immediate Acts 26. 18. Ioh. 8. 32. 1 Pet. 2. 23. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 10. 17. 1 Ioh. 4. 19. instrument whereby God doth open our eyes and turne vs from darknes to light and from the power of Satan to God and doth free vs from the bondage of sinne and doth beget vs againe and renew vs into his owne Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of God Faith commeth by the Gospell For what can giue vs a faithfull assurance of Gods loue but such a pledge thereof as is giuen vs in the Gospell Loue is wrought by the Gospell displaying Gods loue For if we loue them that loue Matth. 5. 47 vs what singular thing doe we Doe not the Publicanes euen the same So repentance is wrought by the Gospell and a godly sorrow Mar 1. 15. for our diuelish sinnes For what can make vs truely sorrowfull for offending so good so gracious a God and carefull from the very heart to cease from sinne and to follow righteousnes if the grieuous agony and dreadfull death of our blessed Sauiour endured for our sinnes being reuealed in the 1. Pet. 4. 1. Ioh. 12. 32. Gospell cannot effect the samâ— Verâ—ly Iohâ— tâ—e Baptist gâ—uing the knowledge of saluation vnto the people for the remission of their sinnes through the tender mercy of God whereby the day spring from an high Luc. 1. 16. hath visited vs did turne many of the children of Israel vnto the Lord their God So the Apostles going out into the whole world and preaching the Gospell to euery creature did cast down holdes and imagâ—nations and euery â—igh thing that was exalted against the knowledge of God and brought into captiuity â— Cor. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 2. 2. euery thought to the obedience of Christ and so converted the whole world vnto God But as for miracles the holy liues and comfortable deathes of the dearest seruants of God the Lord 's temporall blessings and corrections the wisdome of the Law of God and the best reason of the naturall man all and euery of these may bee as good preparatiues to cause vs more readily to receiue the Physicke of our soules but the instructions of the wholesome doctrines of the Gospell of Christ are the only right Physicke and the most soueraigne conâ—ections that are able to recouer our spiâ—ituall health and life For if we liue an holy and an heauenly â—er 46. 1. Gal. 2. 20. life we liue so by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs the whâ—ch faith is wrought by the Gospell The former may be some impellent occasions to induce such as are not yet effectually called to giue an attentiue â—are to the most wholesome doctrines of the Gospell of Christ and to moue such as are effectually called already to hearken more readily and reuerently then before they haue done But they are no helpes to the Gospell it selfe for the working out of the conversion of any Because this word of Christ is not rightly receiued nor doth worke in any one effectually but where it 1 Thess 2. 13 is receiued for it's own sake And verily concerning the power of miracles and of the Church which is a multitude of such as professe the truth they are not able to convert an Infidell but to prepare him make him ready to embrace the Gospell which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16 Aug. de utilitâ—te credendi c. 16 to saluation to all that belieue Men saith S. Austin that are not yet able to discerne the heauenly truth that they may bee lifted vp to it and suffer themselues to be purged from their impurity hindâ—ing them from it haue the benefit of direction of authority which standeth vpon two things whereof the one is
am thus resolued saith Plato not now but alwayes that I am not to enthrall Plato in Critone my iudgement to any of my friends but to reason yea to that reason which by discourse appeareth to be best Whose opinion was seconded by the chiefest of all his Schollers that is by Aristotle Plato said he is my friend but truth that is Arist moral l. 1. c. 3. made knowne by reason is more my friend So our wise and Christian Philosophers What wilt thou Lact de vero Dei simulaâ—hro c. 20. doe quoth Lactantius wilt thou follow thine Ancestors or reason rather So St. Cyprian we are not to prescribe by custome but to conuince by reason yea let there bee gathered together in a generall councell the chiefest of the Bishops and Doctors and of all other learned men of the whole Christian world and let them also be such as rightly embrace the true Catholique and Apostolique Faith and giue a iust censure also in matters of neuer so great waight and moment yet are we not of necessity bound to stand to their verdict Or else Saint Austin was out of the way when he stood vpon this plea Aug cont Maxim l. 3. c. 14. with Maximinius the Arrian I will not saith he alledge the Councell of Nice to prejudice thee neither shalt thou produce the Councell of Ariminum to prejudice me I will not be bound to yeeld to the authority of the one nor thou to the authority of the other but by the authority of the Scrâ—ptures as by most indifferent witnesses not proper to either of vs but common to both let matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason be compared together and so let tryall be made of the truth For he had learned to yeeld that honor to those onely books of the holy Scripture that are called Canonicall Aug ep 19. ad Hieronymum that he did assuredly beleeue that none of the Authors of them did erre any whit at all But as for all other albeit they did excell in learning and holinesse yet he would not rest vpon their iudgements vnlesse they did confirme the same by the authority of Canonicall Scripture or by some reason agreeable vnto truth And verely faith is not to be iudged by the persons but the persons by the faith For as Tertullian saith â—aith is not therefore sound and Catholique because it is professed by such and such persons but such and such persons are to be deemed sound and Catholique for that they professe the sound and Catholique faith Ramus and Scribonius men of no small iudgement and learning haue taught that all manner of testimonies be they Divine or humane are of themselues iâ—artificiall arguments and that the doctrines proued thereby haue their credit and authority rather from the qualification of the persons whose testimonies they are then from the bare and naked testimonies themselues So the Emperour Adrian in his rescript credit is to be giuen to him that giueth the testimony and not to the bare testimony And verely we doe not embrace the testimony of God set downe in the bookes of the Scriptures with that reuerent manner as we ought to doe vnlesse when wee giue assent thereunto we d ee it not so much for the bare testimony it selfe as for that it is the testimony of the most wise and holy God which cannot deceiue or be deceiued Fâ—r then we rightly honour him and his truth Hereof it was that Christ receiued not the witnesse of Iohn as it was the testimony proceeding from a meere man but he receiued it as the testimony Ioh. 5. 33. of such a man as was indued with the Spirit of Eliah and sent before himselfe to prepare his way Nay he saith of his owne bare and naked testimony considered by it selfe If I should beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse were not true Ioh 5. 31. And yet concerning the same as it is the testimony of the Son of God the very essentiall wisedome of his heauenly Father he saith though I beare record of my sâ—lfe my record is true Ioh. 8. 14. for I know whence I came and whither I goe And hereof it is that both God and Christ are so often mentioned in the holy Scripture with their honourable Titles that so the credibility of their persons may yeeld the more and greater credit to their Doctrine Andy et as if this were not sufficient inough the very doctrine it selfe that proceedeth from God and is set downe in the holy Scripture is cleared and iustified by many arguments and reasons And verily how otherwise could the holy Scripture inable the wise and learned professors of the Christian Faith to confute all Heathenish and haereticall errours and to iustifie all Divine and Heauenly Truthes not onely to the Gentiles and Haeretickes but also to the faithfull themselues vnlesse it did minister plenty of all sound and evident arguments for the effecting of the same The Gentiles refuse the very words of the Canonicall Scriptures and the Haeretickes reiect the right and orthodoxall sense of them and therefore neither of them can be convicted but by the euidence of reason yea how can the faithfull themselues giue a sure assent vnto the Doctrines of the holy Scriptures vnlesse they apprehend such arguments and reasons as are sufficient motiues to induce them thereunto And hereof it is that in all sound and Orthodoxe Sermons made either to breed or to encrease and strengthen Faith vnto the doctrines obserued in the words of the Text there are annexed sound and sufficient reasons for the opening and confirming of the same doctrines And this is the cause why preaching is preferred before reading and Catechising as being the more ordinary meanes both to beget and strengthen Faith for that in preaching many reasons are produced as many lights for the better clearing and iustifying of all Truthes and for the fuller convincing of all errours and haeresies the which thing is not done either in reading or in Caâ—echizing There is I confesse no efficient cause of Gods will but his will it selfe for there is nothing without God that maketh him to will or to worke for then God should not be the first mouer and the first cause of all things but therefore he willeth Rom. 9. 19. because he willeth And yet farre be it from any Religious heart to thinke that the most wise God willeth any thing without good and sufficient reason or that he speaketh any thing idlely or in vaine The Word of the Lord is the Fountaine Eccles 1. 5. of Wisedome and therefore openeth all Divine truthes by their right and proper reasons And all the workes of God are done in number weight and measure he hath giuen to euery severall creature according to it's kinde it 's seuerall nature with properties qualities sitted thereunto And he hath ordained euery thing to coÌ„sist of such such causes faculties powers as were best agreeing to such
enabled them to vse more diligence in their weaker meanes and thereby aduanced them to greater gifts Now if against these things which haue beene deliuered it be obiected that faith doth not produce her actions by meanes of discourse but by the immediate operation and reuelation of the Spirit of God albeit this hath beene most abundantly confuted in all the former part of this Chapter yet if it were not so this one reason is fully sufficient to conuince the same For where is faith is that to the minde which the eye is to the body then it followeth that as the eye doth not apprehend his obiect immediately but as it is made conspicuous by meanes of some bodily light so faith which is the sight of the soule doth not apprehend truth which is her generall obiect vnlesse it be made manifest by the light of reaâ—on and meanes of discourse The which is so sure and certaine a truth that the Apostles themselues who had the knowledge of all diuine and humane verities necessary for such as should be teachers and instructers of the whole world giuen vnto them not by their owne labours and studdy but by the immediate reuelation of the Spirit of God yet had not this their knowledge without discourse As it is manifest by manner of handling and deciding the question that was brought vnto them which was whether the workes of the Law were to be ioyned with faith in Christ in the case of iustification and saluation For it is recorded that after the question had beene debated among them with great disputation and discourse the Apostle Saint Peter determined the same and that not without the allegation Act. 15. 7. of many arguments and reasons As Saint Iames caused some clauses to be added thereto but not without the producing of iust grounds for the same So when the people of God were to be carried into captiuitie among the heathen how did the Lord fore-seeing that they should be intised to Idolatry strengthen them in the Faith and Seruice of the true God and arme them against all contrary perswasions but by deliuering vnto them such reasâ—ns as whereby they might be fully perswaded that their owne God was the onely true God Ier. 10. 11. and that the gods of the Heathen were but titularie gods that Isa 41. 21. is gods in name and not in deed It is a truth confessed euen by some of the chiefe pillars of the Church of Rome that all the greatest mysteries of Faith that are necessary to saluation are plainely set down in the Canonicall Scriptures Now I would demand whether these doctrines there deliuered are treated and discoursed of there verbally and in bare words onely or really with sufficient waight of sound reason And verily how can any one reason without reason and discourse without discourse That there is but one true God euen the God of Abraham Isaac and Israel the Prophets Isay and Ieremy proue by most sound and sufficient arguments in the places cited a little before That this one God is distinguished into three persons The Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost why may it not be both iustified and illustrated and made euident by sound and sufficient arguments and reasons For whereas God is essentially good yea goodnesse it selfe seeing it is the property of that which is good to communicate it selfe to other why Bonum est sui communicativum Pro. 8. 22. Ioh. 5. 26. Ioh 16. 15. Ioh 15. 26. may it not be beleeued as an vndoubted truth that God the Father gaue his aeternall essence to God the Sonne begotten of him before all worlds and that God the Father and the Sonne gaue their aeternall essence to God the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both from all aeternity Hath God giuen to some of his mortall creatures power to beget things of the same essence and substance with themselues And may not the aeternall God beget an aeternall Sonne of the very selfe-same essence and substance with himselfe And hath God giuen to some other of his creatures as to graine of all sorts this power that things of the same essence and substance doe proceed from them And hath not the aeternall Father and the Sonne power that an aeternall Spirit of the same essence and substance should proceed from them both from all aeternity Is not this world with the creatures therein contained a most liuely glasse wherein the most glorious Creator is shadowed out vnto vs And euery good thing that hath a reall and an absolute being in the creature hath it not a reall existence in God For God is most absolutely and fully perfect and therefore the perfection of all good things is in God in the highest degâ—ee of absolute and full perfection And therefore seeing that paternitie and siliation and procession are good things in the creature why may they not rightly be 〈◊〉 to be in God in whom is the fulnesse of all good things Of all the creatures of this inferiour world the soule of man is most principall as the Sunne is the chiefest of all those goodly lights that are planâ—ed aboue in the heauenly spheâ—…es and therefore they are the fittest among all the noble creatures in some sort to resemble vnto vs the glorious Trinâ—tie The reasonable soule of man hath a reasonable substance which be â—etteth a reasonable vnderstanding from which proceedeth a reasonable will and yâ—t this is but one soule So Anima mundi est Deus God the soule of the world and the life of all things being aeternall begate his aeternall vnderstanding and wisedome before all worlds from whom proceedeth from all aeternity the holy Spirit with whom and by whom they will and worke all things and this aeternall soule wisedome and will is but one God So in the Sunne there is a most singular pure substance and a most excellent lustre and brightnesse begotten thereof and residing in the same and glorious beames issuing from both So in the most glorious Deity wee may behold God the Father the Father of Light God the Sonne the Iac. 1. 17. brightnesse of his Fathers glory God the Holy Ghost by whose beames the Light of the Gospell is made manifest Heb 1 3. vnto vs and yet this Father of Light this brightnesse of his Fathers glory and this glorious beame issuing out of both 1 Cor. 2. 10. is but one and the selfe-same God This euen the greatest mystery of our Christian profession was in part knowne vnto very Heathens themselues For they auerred that Minerua the Goddesse of Wisedome was begotten of their great God Iupiter without the helpe of Iuno which came in all likelihood from this vndoubted truth that the second person of the Trinity the essentiall wisedome of God was begotten of the true Iehovah before all worlds Now if any one being of a moâ—e metaphysicall apprehension desireth to see concerning that high mysterie other reasons that are more metaphysicall let him repaire to the
haue beene thought by some worthy to be fathered vpon Saint Austine I come more sweetly to my Iesus then to any of the Saints So Saint Austine himselfe in his Epistle to Dardanus O good Iesu O the Redeemer of my soule wherewithall shall I requite thy clemency or satisfie thy goodnesse for not shedding better bloud for thine elect then thou diddest for my sinnes So Saint Cyrill vpon these words Let his bloud be vpon vs and our children To what end should I haue wealth and hope for the inheritance of the goods of this world seeing already I am heire of thy most precious bloud and redeemed with thy most glorious death Why should not I very much esteeme of my selfe seeing thou hast shed as much bloud for me as thou hast done for all the world So Saint Bernard vpon these words of our blessed Sauiour I haue earnestly desired to eate this Passeouer with you before I suffer O good Iesu O the loue of my soule who among mortall men doth desire to make his life perpetuall as thou didst desire to loose thine for me What delight wilt thou take in the world to come with thine elect seeing here vpon earth thou didst call that day wherein thou didst suffer Easter that is a great and solemne festiuall day O good Iesâ— O the Redeemer of my souâ—e doe not I happily owe thee as much as all the world oweth thee seeing I haue cost thee as much bloud as all the world hath done Lastly we may ioine to these Saint Ambrose as one that is ioined with them in the same faith I will not saith he glory Ambros de Iacob vita beata cap. 6. because I am iust but because I am redeemed will I glory I will not glory that I am void of sinne but for that my sinnes are remitted vnto me I will not glory for that I haue profited any or for that any hath profited me but for that Christ is an aduocate to the Father for me and for that his bloud was shed for me By all which confessions which these holy persons made of their faith we may perceiue that it is the proper worke of true faith not onely to beleeue that Christ is our Sauiour in particular and that he shed his bloud as precisely for vs as well as for any other of the residue of the faithfull but also that thereby our sinnes are forgiuen in particular vnto our selues For it is not enough as Saint Bernard saith to beleeue that Bernard Ser. 2. de Annunciat thy sinnes cannot be done away but by him against whom thou hast offended and who himselfe cannot offend but thou must proceed further and beleeue also that thy sinnes are forgiuen euen to thy selfe To doubt of the most singular vertue of the bloud of Christ to purge all the sinnes of all the faithfull were infidelity euen so for any one that beleeueth himselfe to be one of the faithfull to doubt whether his sinnes are forgiuen to himselfe is to betray his hypocrisie seeing whatsoeuer he professeth yet either he beleeueth not himselfe to be one of the faithfull or else he beleeueth not the truth of the promise of the pardon of sinne that God hath made by all the Prophets Act. 10. 43. to all that beleeue Why Manasses himselfe that was a grieuous murtherer of Gods deare Saints and a greater Idolater then many of the Heathen yet when he felt Gods mercy in giuing him repentance he was perswaded that God was his God and louing Father and had saued and delâ—uered him from all his iniquities and sinnes No maruell then that Ezechias the Father of Manasses Esay 38. 17. who walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and did that which was good and acceptable in his sight and therefore knew himselfe to be accepted of God did make this profession after he was deliuered from his dangerous sicknesse saying Behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe No maruell likewise that Dauid a man after Gods owne heart resoluing with true sorrow of soule to confesse his sinnes had a certaine assurance of the pardon of them as he himselfe testifieth saying I thought I will confesse my sinnes against my Psal 3â— 5. selfe and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne For â—he which benefit being so gratious and great he calleth vpon his soule againe and againe to be thankfull vnto God in the best manner that possibly he could doe saying Praise the Lord Psal 1â—3 1. O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities There be two things that hinder this comfortable assurance in all the faithfull more or lesse especially in the time of some grieuous tentation As first the small measure of faith and other spirituall graces and the great strength of their earthly and carnall affections And secondly the remnants of distrustfull feare of vtterly falling away from God caused by their manifold and daily fals but the small measure of faith and of other graces of sanctification ought not to hinder the assurance of the faithfull because a little faith is a true faith aswell as a great faith seeing more or lesse doth not change Magis minus non variant speciem Iohn 3 16. Apocol 3. 8. the nature of a thing a little faith then is as true a signe of Gods loue as a great the Couenant of grace being made not only with them that haue a great faith but a little also euen with all that truly beleeue The Church of Thiatyra had but a little strength yet she was accepted with God aswell as the other Churches that had greater For workes of pietie are accepted with God according to that a man hath and not according 2 Cor. 8. 12. Matth. 13. 23. to that he hath not The ground that brought forth fruit thirtie sold is commended for good ground as well as that which brought forth a great deale more And the seruant Matth. 25. 23. that gained two talents is praised by his master as well as he that gained fiue For God will not despise the day of small Zach. 4. 10. things neither will our meeke and milde Sauiour Christ break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. Moreouer when the Lord doth promise that he will be a gracious God to all that beleeue repent and returne vnto him loue him and feare him and walke in his waies he doth not respect the perfection of these graces nor the worth of the workes that proceed from them but these promises are all founded vpon the worthinesse of Christ who is the foundation Act. 3. 26. Gal 3. 18. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ephes 1. 6. of the Couenant
doctrine of the Romish Church are fabulous and false by the testimonies of her owne vulgar people learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures Arguments drawen from humane and diuine testimonies It is an approued saying that the voice of the people is the voyce of God the which in Gods matters is true of Gods people and in matters subiect to sense and naturall reason is true in all such persons as haue in them sense and reason sound 1 Cor. 14. 22. Wherfore seeing miracles may be discerned by sense and naturall reason and therefore are appointed for Infidels which haue no other meanes to apprehend the truth of them the iudgement of the vulgar people is not to be refused herein especially if it concurâ—e with the plaine censure of such as are reputed learned and wise But 〈◊〉 of the miracles of the Romish Church produced by them for the confirmation of the doctrine of Transubstanciation Purgatory Images and the like haue beene esteemed so fabulous by some of their owne learned Writers that they haue not only called them pâ—oâ—s fraudes but also haue iudged their golden Legend wherein many of them are set downe to haue beene penned by a man of a brasen face and of and on forehead And so likewise haue their owne vulgar people iudged of them as it is euident in that generally they esteemed the Fryers the reporters of these miracles to haue beene such shamelesse lyers that it went for a common prouerbe among them A Fryer ergo a Lyer as Walsingham one of their own Chronologers writeth in the time of Richard the second And if they thus iudged of them when the tenth part of their faigâ—…ed forgâ—ries was nothing so fully disclosed as they wâ—re in some ages â—ollowing how can any one now iustly refuse their testimony therein Yea whereas the Doctrine of the Apostles hath beene long since so sufficiently confirmed by miracles 〈◊〉 by the hand of God in the Primitiâ—e Church that as Austine thinketh he that expecteth moe miracles is himselfe a monster and also seeing it was foretold by the vneâ—ring Spirit of God that in the latter times Antichrist should 2 Thes â— 9. came by the working of Saâ—an with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiued lenesse of vnrighteousnesse It is euident that the Church of Rome is the 〈◊〉 not of Christ but of Antichrist because she is so fâ—lly fraught with such variety of lying wonders and signes The Catholike apology of that renowned Doctor of our Church Thomas Morton now L. Bishop of Lâ—tchfield doth make it manifest that diuers points of the Romish Religion are erroâ—ous and vntrue by the plaine and direct testimonies of diuers enâ—…ent men of their owne profession Now what may be the cause that these men of note diuers wayes bound to the Church of Rome and in their affections wholy dâ—voted to her service and in their resolutions euen captiuated to her determinations should yet reâ—ect 〈◊〉 particular points of their owne deare mothers faith contrary to the generall consent of all the residue of their owne sworne brethren but that the evidency of truth lightned and cleered with many vndeniable and vnâ—voidable arguments and reasons forced them after a sort to subâ—cribe tâ— the doctrines of such as were their oppoâ—…tes The truth hereof may fully appeare by the bookes of that great and learned Clearke Erasmus who being conuinced with the evidencie of truth doth side with the Proâ—essours of the Gospell in many things albeit in his setled resolution hee had devâ—ted himselfe not only to be an obedient child but euen a seruile and a slauâ—sh vâ—ssall vnto the censure of the Church of Rome in al things that she decreed by her deâ—initiue sentence Kemnitius doth thus testifie of him that hee being present at a Kemnit in Exam Concil Trid. fol. 66. dispuâ—ation as a party against the Protestants confessed that their owne opinion then questioned had no sure and certaine testimonies of holy Scriâ—ture but that the contrary position might better and more plainely and soundly be proued out of the word of God yet said â—e if the Church shall command this I will beleeue it for I will captiuate mine vnderstanding vnto the Church If then such men so captiuated to the Church of Rome doe yet in diuerse particular points giue testimonie against her doctrine contraâ—y to their purpose and setled resolution in the generall herein appeareth the great power and strength of truth in that it doth extort a full testimony from a 〈◊〉 vowed enimie It is an ordinary asseueâ—ation of the patrones of the Romish superstition that their religion is old and ancient and hath the testimony of antiquitie vnity and vniuersality and that the religion of such as proâ—esse the Gospell is new was vnknowne before the time of Martin Luther yea some of them euen men of no small note and reputation haue beene so impudent shamelesse that they haue not been afraid boldly to avouch in their booke published to the view of all men that all antiquity and that in euery controâ—ersi that is betweene them Camp Rat. â— Possevin Bibliothec Select l. 7. c. 18. vs is wholy for them and directly against vs. The which if it were true why was their Index Expâ—rgatoâ—…us made therein order taken to put out diuerse things one of the bookes not only of diverse writers of their owne side but also out of the monuments of the ancient Fathers What Doe any that trust to the goodnesse of their owne cause and to the fulnesse of the witnesses produced by themselues maime and mangle and curtall and abridge their testimonies giuen vnder their owne hands and set downe in record by themselues and so suffer them not to tel out to the end fully and wholy their owne mindes Verily hereby it is plaine and manifest that all antiquity is not fully and wholy for them and therefore that such of them at least that make boast thereof are of the number of such haereticks as sinne being condemned by Tit. 3. 11. their owne consciences Yea whereas they Father vpon diuerse of the greatest lights of the Church diuerse Treatises that neuer came from them as the Liturgies of S. Iames S. Marke S. Denis and the like and as the Decretall Epistles fathered vpon divers ancient Bishops of Rome and produce out of them diverse testimonies for the iustifying of diuerse points of their Idolatry and superstition hereby it is manifest that their cause is very bad in that it cannot bee maintained but by such counterfeit and forged evidences Lastly to conclude if that the gouernours of the Church of Rome were not well witting to themselues in their owne consciences that the testimonie of God himselfe deliuered in the bookes of the Canonicall Scriptures was not directly against them why doe they refuse them as authenticall as supreame iudges in those tongues wherein they were first penned by the speciall and immediate
are not to be receaued as such onely vpon the testimony of the Church 1. 19. p. 150. 20 That the soule of our blessed Saviour after his death descended locally into Hell q. 20. p. 153. 21 Fasting or any outward thing doth not sanctifie any but only the inward graces of the spirit and all such things as doe enter into the heart of man q. 21. p. 158. 22 Our blessed Saviour is not corporally present in the Eucharist but in Heaven q. 23. p. 160. 23 The Citty of Rome is the mysticall Babylon and the pretended titulary 〈◊〉 Church is the most certaine seat of the great Antichrist of these last times q. 24. p. 161. 25 The word of God rightly vnderstood doth giue credit vnto it selfe and doth cause it selfe to bee beleeued and imbraced as the word of God for the excellency of the divine doctrines contained therein and not onely for the bare testimonie of the Church q. 25. 57. p. 162. 193 26 Kneeling is the fittest gesture of the body at the reverent receaving of the holy Communion q. 26. p. 165. 27 Holinesse doth not consist in vowing to abstaine from riches meats and marriage but in the lawfull and holy vse of them all q. 27. p. 165 28 The Bodie of Christ is at one time but in one place q 28. p. 166. 29 Christs Body and Blood ought not and in truth cannot be often offered vp to God by the Masse-Priests as a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead q. 29. p. 167. 30 Christs flesh is not eaten with our bodily mouths q. 30. p. 168 31 Enoch and Elias cannot come in their owne persons to resist Antichrist and to be slaine of him q. 31. p. 169. 32 It is a property only belonging to God to forgiue sinne q. 32. p. 169. 33 Regeneration is not wrought by the power of our owne free will but by the operation of the Spirit of God q. 33. p. 170 34 None are elected for their fore-seene works Q. 34. p. 171. 35 A true sauing faith is not seated in that soule where Infidelity raigneth or any other sinne Q. 35. p. 171. 37 The naturall man hath no free-will to that which is religiously good Q. 37. 49. 58 72. 91. p. 173. 185. 193. 209. 224. 38 No religious worship or seruice is to be giuen to any Angell or Saint Q. 38. p. 174. 40 The faithfull may as well know themselues to bee indued with true loue as with true faith Q 40 p 176. 41 The Cup in the Eucharist is not to be taken away from the Lay people Q. 41. p. 179. 42 Matrimony is lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell Q. 42. 88. p. 180. 221. 43 The Nailes Speare and Crosse wherewith Christs pretious body was tormented are not to be worshipped Q. 43. p. 180. 45 The Sacraments doe not conferre grace by the worke wrought vnlesse their vses be vnderstood Q. 45. p. 182. 46 No Images are to be worshipped with diuine worship Q. 46. p. 183. 47 The word of God is not to be read to people in an vnknown tongue Q. 47. p. 184. 48 In all matters that concerne the worship and seruice of God nothing ought to be taught or to be beleeued which is not warranted by the testimony of the Canonicall Scriptures Q. 48. 68. p. 184. 205. 50 Not the suffering much lesse the vowing of wilfull pouerty is the way to perfection Q. 50. p. 186. 51 The people ought to be able to try and to discerne the doctrine of their Teachers Q. 51. 60. p. 186. 195. 53 The going on pilgrimage to see or touch the true Reliques of the holiest of the Saints doth not bring any Sanctification at all Q. 53. p. 189. 54 The faithfull that are sanctified by regeneration may and ought to assure themselues of their full and finall glorification Q. 54. p. 190. 55 Our least sinnes are damnable and mortall Q. 55. p. 191. 56 All things necessary to saluation are plainely deliuered in the Canonicall Scriptures Q. 56. p. 192. 59 No man can make satisfaction to God for transgressing of any of his holy Lawes Q. 59. p. 194. 61 It is not safe to trust to the Priests Masses nor to the Fryers prayers nor to the Popes pardons pretending to disburse the surplussage of the Saints workes and to neglect to seeke after such a faith of our owne as may make vs fruitfull in all good workes and giue vs interest in Christ and in all his gifts Q 61. p. 196. 62 God did predestinate before all worlds some to euerlasting saluation in Christ and others to perish through their owne sinnes Q. 62. p. 197. 63 No Image ought to be made to represent God Q. 63. p. 202 64 All the workes of Infidels are sinnes Q. 64. p. 203. 65 The true seruants of God know themselues to be the true seruants of God Q 65. p. 203. 67 Vngodly persons are no true members of the Church of Christ Q. 67. p. 204. 69 The doctrine of the Church of Rome ministreth occasion and prouocation to sinne and not the doctrine of such as professe the Gospell Q 69. p. 207. 71 Iurie is not now to be esteemed an holy Land Q. 71. p 209. 73 All the faithfull are Saints Q. 73. p. 210. 74 The Bishop of Rome is not the Vniuersall Pastour of the whole Church Q. 74. p. 210. 75 The Lawes of God only bind the conscience Q. 75. p. 210. 76 True religion bindeth only to the obseruation of such Canons and rules as are made by God himselfe in matters of substance whereas superstition imposeth other also which are aboue and beside the former Q. 76. p. 211. 77 The Laitie ought to be admitted to the dayly reading of the holy Scriptures Q 77. p. 212. 78 The Faithfull themselues and also their Churches ought onely to be dedicated vnto God Q. 78. p. 213. 79 The faithfull are witting to their faith and loue and to their saluation in Iesus Christ Q. 97. 84. p. 213. 217. 80 An implicite faith that is a blind and a folded vp faith is not the true Christian faith Q. 80. p. 215. 81 The breaking of a Popish vow is no sinne Q. 81. p. 216. 82 Popish Monkes as now for a long time they haue demeaned themselues are no Monkes Q. 82. p. 216. 85 The bare testimony of the Church cannot make knowne vnto the people any doctrine of Faith Q 85. p. 218. 86 A Bishop may be a Ciuill Magistrate or any other sufficient Ecclesiasticall person Q 86. p. 219. 87 The signe of the Crosse is not absolutely euill but may be lawfully vsed at the administration of Baptisme q. 87. p. 220. 88 Matrimony is lawfull for the Cleargy euen after the vow of single life q. 88. p. 221. 89 All Ecclesiasticall persons are subiect to the Ciuill Magistrate q. 89. p. 222. 90 It doth belong to the Ciuill Magistrate in his owne dominions to command all such things to bee obserued of his subiects that concerne Gods diuine seruice and his subiects happinesse and herein he hath highest authority q. 90. p. 223. 91 The naturall man hath no free will in diuine and heauenly things q. 91. p. 224. 92 The Church of Rome giueth to the Saints diuine honour q. 92 p. 224. 93 There are no persons appointed by God for Popish Purgatory q. 93. p. 224. 94 The miracles and doctrine of the Romish Church are fabulous and false by the testimonies of her owne vulgar people learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures q. 94. p. 225. Faults escaped in some Copies PAg 3. line 20. for shame read shunne p. 9 l. 22 for iustificable r. iustifiable p. 31. marg for P◠r. 11. p. 40. l. 23. for yet r. yea p. 42. l. 13. for house r. horse p. 45. l. 36. euldent r. euident p. 47 in marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 64 l. 30. is in some copies left out p. 86. l. 25 for began r. begun p. 102. for Chap. 4. r. 6. p. 138. l. 1◠for possion r. possession p. 175. in mar for 29. r. 19. FJNJS
him so the true Church of Christ being his beloued Spouse and her legitimate children being the children of God will not be fearefull distrustfull whether God will change his kind affection towards them with-draw from them his tender loue Nay vndoubtedly the true Church is alwayes ready to professe and say My beloued is mine and I am his he is my beloued and still loueth me and therefore I will continually loue him and reioyce for euer in his constant loue And so vndoubtedly the legitimate children of the true Church are ready and willing to confesse with their elder brother Saint Paul We liue yet not we now but Christ liueâ—h in vs and in that we now liue in the flesh we liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. And verily such a confession is set downe by the Wiseman in the name of all the Saints Though we sinne say they all Sap 15. 2. yet we are thine for we know thy power but we sinne not knowing that we are thine In which words foure remarkeable points of doctrine are deliuâ—red vnto vs First that the Saints in this life auouch that they are the Lords in his fauour and in his loue and that we may vnderstand how certainly they are assured thereof they double the same asseueration saying that they doe not goe by guesse or stand vpon blinde hope but that they know indeed that they are the Lords Secondly the meanes are â—et downe whereby they know that they are Gods euen because he hath giuen to them a true knowledge of himselfe We are thine say they for we know thy power Thirdly they auouch that their sinnes of ignorance and infirmity doe not take from them this assurance of their faith For say they though we sinne yet are we thine Fourthly they auouch that this assurance of Gods loue is a most powerfull meanes to keepe them that they doe not willingly giue themselues ouer to sinne For say they we sinne not knowing that we are thine And therefore herein also the iudgement of the Church of Rome is contrary to the plaine and direct euidence giuen in by all the Saints in that they affirme that the assurance of Gods loue is a spurre to sinne whereas the Saints auouch and that no doubt vpon their owne experience that it is a bridle to restraine from the same Grace concealed from such as are left to their owne headstrong affections may be an occasion that many are carried headlong into sinne but grace reuealed giueth grace reuoketh from sinne and prouoketh vnto all good workes The grace of God saith the Apostle that bringeth Tit. 2. 11. saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue iustly and soberly and godly in this world Wherefore in that the Church of Rome not onely willeth coÌ„mandeth her followers to doubt of their saluation and to feare whether they be in the estate of grace but also disgraceth the security of saluation giuen to the faithfull by the Gospell of Christ being the powerfull instrument of God to worke faith grace it is euident that she is the mother of infidelity and not of faith and that she leadeth her disciples to hellish horrours and terrours the iust reward of fearefull infidelity and not to ioy vnspeakeable and glorious the happy fruit and 1 Pet. 1. 8. issue of a confident Christian faith as Saint Peter testifieth And thus haue I shewed in the clearing and demonstrating of these three last propositions what manner of knowledge that is which I affirme to be all one with sauing faith as first Phil. 1. 10. a wise discerning knowlege wher by we so apprehend Gods loue in Christ reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell as that we esteeme and embrace it as ouâ— highest happinesse and our chiefest good Secondly a sanctifying knowledge whereby we are not onely set in a right course but also are guided to walke constantly in all holy wayes that so we may be made Tit. 1. 1. meete to be partakers of Gods loue And thirdly a comforting and chearing knowledge whereby we haue a certaine assurance of Gods fatherly loue in this present life albeit not Rom. 8. 15. without many conflicts with distrustfull feares and shall at the last be brought to the quiet and peaceable possession 1 Ioh. 5. 19. thereof in the life to come CHAP. VII The vtility and dignity of faith and the great difficulty to attaine thereunto THe vtilitie and dignitie of faith doth hence appeare in that it causeth the faithfull to behold in Christ as in a miraculous mirrour of Gods matchlesse mercy an incomparable treasure of his vnspeakeable loue and to cleaue constantly to it as to their highest happinesse and chiefest good and maketh them desirous from the very bottome of their hearts to make manifest their thankfulnesse vnto him by their sincere obedience to all his Commandements and bringeth also peace of conscience vnto them by giuing them an assurance of the pardon of their sinnes and of their receiuing into grace and fauour with God And not only so but also for that it causeth them continually to fight against their spirituall enemies that would make them to breake their Couenant with God and in the end giueth them a full conquest ouer them al. This is saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5. 4. speaking to the faithfull the victory that is the principall weapon whereby the victory is gotten and the world ouercome euen your faith And therefore it is not without cause that the Apostle Saint Paul exhorteth the faithfull that aboue all they should take vnto themselues the shield of faith because thereby they Ephes 6. 16. might quench all the fiery darts of the Deuill And veriâ—y faith is the first and the chiefest of all those diuine and heauenly graces that are wrought in the hearts of Gods children by the holy Ghost and it is the fountaine and root of all the rest and therefore in diuers places where they are named together it is first named and hath the primacie and as it were the right hand of all the rest by faith Christ doth dwell in our hearts by whom God and all his blessings are made ours 2 Pet. 1. 5. 1. Thess 3. 6. Ephes 3. 17. 1 Cor. 3. 23. Faith saith Saint Austine is Christ in vs and that heauenly Sunne is impaired or increased according to our faith Aug. in Psal 12â— And againe Faith is the very soule of the soule and the life thereof Aug. in Ioh. hom 49. Because it ioineth vs to Christ the Author of life and bringeth with it all other diuine graces wherein our spirituall life consisteth Aug. de Praedest sanct cap. 7. And hence it is that the whole Law is said to appertaine to faith if a true faith be vnderstood Aug. de Fide Oper. cap. 22. And in this sense faith may be