the works of mortification till we have crucified the old man and even wounded sin to death by becomming to us the spirit of judgement and burning Esa 4.4 both to condemn our selves and to consume our drosse therefore it continually lusteth against the flesh and makes our hearts to rise against sin Gal. 3. as it doth against any thing we hate and if at any time we yeeld to the flesh this good spirit becomes like a voice behind calling to us that we are out of the way Esa 30.21 by daily good motions and checks of conscience and by baptizing us with fire Mat. 3.11 inflaming our hearts with an holy revenge upon sin and with a love to all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth Then next he doth infuse divine graces into the heart which are like so many letters commendatory of us to God as faith to beleeve above reason naturall as Abraham did Rom. 4.17 and without any visible means Heb. 11.1 so also he worketh in us love to God by which we tender the pleasure of God above all things in doing and suffering of which we are never ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by this holy spirit which he hath given us Rom. 5.5 and makes us wait by hope for the righteousnesse to be revealed Gal. 5.5 with longing and sighing Rom. 8.23 and praying by the spirit of supplication poured by him upon us Zac. 12.11 and never leaves till he hath made us partakers of the divine nature resembling God in selfe-contentment though we be shut out of the worlds society and in being in love with good men that are begotten of God 1 John 5.1 therefore he is called the spirit of love Rom. 15.30 and in wisedome Mar. 13.11 whereby the elect discern those mysteries which none knoweth but God and they for they are not discerned by others 1 Cor. 2.14 and also in transforming them into the practise of those things they hear and beleeve by this spirit from one glorious grace to another 2 Cor. 3.18 and this through the sanctification of obedience 1 Pet. 1.2 by which he gives us comfort by giving us peace of conscience and joy in assurance of remission and freedome from the guilt of sin in which respect he is called the comforter John 16.7 and so he is but especially in the times of affliction wherein he gives them such tastes of heavenly glory as makes them to contemn all earthly things and rejoice in tribulations Rom. 5.4 because this spirit of glory resteth upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Thus he goeth alwaies with the elect working in them a spirituall strength to persevere though sometimes they be like smoking flax almost choked in their sad melancholy fumes or like bruised reeds that have no strength then doth he establish the inward man Eph. 3.16 by nourishing the seeds of grace sown in our drie ground by his sweet dew from above Esa 44.3 and by his secret and powerfull assistance in the times of triall 2 Cor. 12.9 bearing witnesse to them that they are the sons of God for all their crosses in this world Rom. 8.15 which he sealeth to them by the promises beleeved concerning Christ and himselfe Eph. 1.13 All which considered we should make much of this spirit and not grieve it nor quench it Not grieve it by acting without it by our own sensuall desires and separating our selves from the societies where he doth affoord his gracious dispensations Jud. 19. or do not acknowledge his power in giving them skill and abilities to perform their severall places and callings nor asking counsell of him or direction from him Esa 30.1 but rather despise it even in his ordinances 1 Thes 4.8 and turn their ear from it as Neh. 9.20 30. and harden their hearts against it Zac. 7.12 and rebell against his doctrine and so grieve him in his ministers Esa 63.10 and Acts 7.51 as St Stephen told the Jewes yea to tempt him by venturing to try whether he will punish them or no as Ananias and Saphira did Acts 5.9 by all which they shew that whatsoever portion of the spirit they have received yet it is in vain Also we must not quench it as some do fire by casting on water or withdrawing that which should feed it â— Tim. 1.6 or lose it as we do springs for want of endeavor to draw or pump them And this men do when after they have had some taste of heavenly gifts in remorse for sin or some joifull apprehensions of Gods promises yet they fall away and having begun in the spirit yet end in the flesh Gal. 3. So when they fall into grosse sins after calling to grace they cause the Holy one to cease from them in his operation for a time and so lose the joy which formerly they found in Gods service So do they discourage the spirit of their Teachers so that they cannot do their work with joy but griefe Heb. 13.17 Thus by living in known sins they sad the spirit which would seale them to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 which may possibly conduce to the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost if these be not repented of Mathe. I pray declare to me that sin as plain as you can Phila. It is a wilfull and totall falling away from the grounds and true beginnings of Christ and from that spirituall fellowship which one hath had with the people of God therein after ones illumination and outward sanctification contemning the Gospell and despighting the methods and operations of the Holy Ghost without repentance even to death All this may be gathered from Heb. 6.4 5 6. and Heb. 10.25 26 27. But this must be rightly understood As first that he must be one inlightned with some competent knowledge in true religion and sanctified by outward calling at least to the covenant of grace Heb. 10.29 and the seals thereof though not sanctified by saving grace which shewes it selfe by true repentance from all sin and by relying on Christ by faith for his salvation So next he must wilfully apostate Heb. 10.26 as it were without temptation not as David by lust or Peter by feare yea it must be a totall falling from all parts of truth which may possibly over-power his nature by the terrors of the law Also he must despise the Gospell and even loath the way of salvation by Christ and scorne the Gospel which is the meanes of sanctification and hath in some manner worked formerly upon himselfe some change of mind and manners Besides he must offer some despight by blasphemie and persecution and that not of ignorance as Paul did but of desperate malice and that not only to the person of the holy as many have done to the person of the Father and Son by many presumptuous sins but to the work of grace and operating power of the Holy Ghost in us by which God commeth more neer to us then in other things or to his power shewed outwardly for approving
his spirit that are not his members Indeed there be some things that beare a resemblance with it in which the world is received and that is 1. Civility or common honesty and the next is restraining grace by which they may be said to be sanctified sacramentally or putatively Heb. 10.26 or disposed toward it Heb. 6.4 5. but this is but to have it fieri but non in facto esse i. in a way toward it but not in throughly or truly and therefore men must distinguish between civility which is wrought meerly by morall education according to naturall principles without any knowledge or desire of knowing Gods word but they are carefull to maintain equity and common honesty for the keeping up of trade and commendation of themselves upon which ground also they keep themselves from drunkennesse whoredome and enormous crimes without relation to Gods word Now sanctification though it incline to the same things or duties yet it doth it by the true medium of heavenly light which is the word of God and they that do not so are as far from sanctification as the heathen morallists Now their civility and all meer naturall mens honesty stands principally in the duties of the second table where the light of nature is most clear but for matters of piety in the first table they observe it but ceremoniously and so far as they conduce to preserve their credit among those they live withall but true sanctification hath an eie to both to give to Caesar and to God their severall duties Mat. 22.21 So the morall holy man rests only in negatives and thinks it charity enough not to do hurt but true holinesse doth both eschew evill and do good 1 Pet. 3.11 So the morall man thinks it holinesse enough to professe a dislike of popery and to quarrell with a Bishops dignity though they be utterly ignorant of the orthodox faith and the grounds of the true worship of God Again civility never goeth beyond the outward man Mat. because it takes hold only of the outward letter of the law but passeth over the spirituall sense of it So he that hath restraining grace which he takes for sanctification is much deceived for the difference between them is that restraining grace hath painfulnesse and discontentment at the bridle that God puts upon them and at the bands wherewith they are bound at which they rage Psal 2.1 3. as horses that some upon the bit by which they are guided whereas a man that is truly sanctified desireth that his very inclinations to evill were utterly abolished that it might not rebell against the law of the mind Rom. 7.23 Again they desire to extend their Christian liberty to the utmost without enquiring after the bounds of liberty or the expedience of putting it in practice but a man sanctified desireth to subsist within his bounds 1 Cor. 6.12 and had rather live where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawful Beside there is great difference in their absteining from sin for restraining grace makes one abstaine from sin for fear or shame because they would give the greater liberty to some sin which they desire to nourish Aug. de civit dei l. 5. c. 12. as some heathens abstained from injustice intemperance and covetousnesse by that unbounded desire which they had after glory and dominion but he that is sanctified escheweth evill because it is evill and displeasing to God of whose love he hath had so large experience that he trembles to offend him Psal 130.4 Again they that have only restraining grace when the means of that straint is removed grow licentious as Israel when they had no King Judg. 17.6 and the 18.19 but they that are sanctified are a law to themselves 1 Tim. 1.9 they need none of the terrors of it though they are willing to be led by the doctrine of it By these rules thou maist know whether thou art sanctified or not and from these marks arise an assured hope of eternall glory because we carry about us the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen of which at the first it may be we have but a conjecture i. a light inclination to the probability of Gospell truths next an opinion wherein the mind is more strongly swaied to think it true Next comes faith which makes a firm and undoubtfull perswasion of the truth of it Now in this case some have a little faith some a full assurance of it which is peculiar to Gods people and they may know they have it by the comfort that it affords to one under the pressures of sin and Gods justice Psal 73.23 24. and also by the ravishing of the affections to the love of those truths which is very strange and supernaturall for there is no greater antipathy in the world then there is between mans heart and Gods word and yet by faith is bred such affection to it that a man will give his life rather then one tittle of this truth should faile and beside it worketh a strange change in the whole man from sin to righteousnesse that one can hardly know him to be the same man Lact. de falsa sapient l. 3. c. 27 Non abscindit sed abscondit vitia This Philosophy could never attain to but rather hides sin then removes it but the word of God is so powerfull in operation that it not only removes sin but also all doubtfulnesse of the truth of Gospel-truth more then the authority of the Church can do which is variable and possibly erroneous So much of the rules of sanctification and hope of glory Mathe. Whereunto doth sanctification advance us more then common Christians Phila. To a true repentance and a communion with God and his Saints in the Catholick Church Mathe. I desire to know what these things are truly in themselves for I fear some do as much mistake true repentance as the Sectaries do the communion of Saints and the Papists do the Catholick Church Phila. You say true but repentance which is holy and sanctified is not a fretting griefe which some take at sin because it hath brought them into a dangerous condition for which they wish the sin undone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no place being left for other advice and counsell This hurts the mind and casts it from the hinges of deliberation except God turn it to a change of mind whereby one becomes more wise afterward to amend what he hath done amisse and to make amends for his error 2 Cor. 7.9 10. The cause of the one is the spirit of adoption whereby we are sealed the sons of God The cause of the other is the spirit of servitude the one arising from the Gospel-promises the other from the threatnings of the law for fear of condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both are well distinguished by St Luke The godly repentance Acts 2.37 they were pricked in their hearts for their unkindnesse to Christ but Acts
child placed neer the Liver for the better concoction of the milk and neer the heart to excite the mothers affection the more to the child and childs affection the more to the mother whom she may justly adjure upon just occasion by the paps which they have sucked when she so lovingly embraced them which no bruit can do Mathe. What contemplation yieldeth the inward parts Phila. The Lungs by which we breath and speak being placed neer the heart sheweth that speech is the interpreter of the heart and therefore we should not breath out one thing and think another but every man speak truth to his neighbour and not practise equivocations and mentall reservations So the ribs shew the care of God to defend the vitall parts comprized in the heart and the liver well expressed in Scripture by Abner his smiting Asahel under the fifth rib and Ioabs smiting him and also Amasa in the same place and by the souldiers piercing Christ there about that rib where hangs the Pericardia out of which issued water and blood to all which pectorals John 19.34 Vid. Syria-Paraphra if we add the breast-plate of righteousnesse the spirituall heart will be the safer So the bowels may mind us of the bowels of compassion which Christ had Mark 6.34 when his bowels did yearn at the peoples want of provision so the word signifieth for he was a merciful High-Priest Heb. 4.15 So the hungry gut should put us in mind of fasting till we feel that part complain and remember us what affliction of soule we should suffer for offending God But as one is called a blind gut so the belly is said to want ears to hear this doctrin such like the Cyclops know no God but their belly So our kidnies which are the most secretly enclosed should teach us to walk sincerely with God who searcheth the reins Psal 139. lest we like hypocrites have God neer in our mouths but put him far from our reins Ier. 12.1 For want of this we see what man is come to as appears in Psal 5.9 and Rom. â— 13 His throat is an open sepulchre seet swift to shed blood his right hand is a hand of falshood a womans beauty is like a jewell of gold in a swines snout We find the proverb too true the properest man at the gallowes and the fairest woman in the stewes So that we may cry out O most excellent soul what a vile lodging hast thou gotten The five senses that have their beginning from common sense which can judge of all objects absent as the five do of the object present are all worthy our consideration as to behold how every organ of sense hath his proper object the Eie colors the Ear sounds the Tongue meats pleasant or not pleasant the Nose odours or evill savours the Nerves are especially the seat of feeling as well as the means of motion and therefore they being in every part the sense of feeling is in every part and the other four are in the head only and though they be so neer in seat to each other yet one invadeth not another nor can do as the other These since mans fall are become brokers to set our hearts to sale to the devill and the world for the price of a few momentany delights and so the precious soul would be ravished out of Christs hands but the spirit of God interposeth and by the word of God insureth us of the interpellation of the Son of God by which he hath promised to marry our souls to himselfe in righteousness and everlasting glory So the heart of man is the seat of passions a choice vessell that is first formed in generation and first reformed in spirituall regeneration And as it first lives so it dieth last So the life of grace first begins there and is last left there This is that which God strives for against the devill the world and the flesh as Michael did with the devill for Moses body Iude 9. But when we answer Gods request who crieth to us Myson give me thy heart then the battell ceaseth This heart before the fall was like the holy land upon which God set his eies day and night or like the Ark from which God gave his Oracles for the answer of the heart is from the Lord or like a throne where God ruleth by his scepter of righteousnesse or like Moses Tables wherein God writes his Law But since the fal that man set up Idols in his heart God hath turned it as Iehu did the house of Baal into a draught house so that now as it is full of all uncleannesse so out of it proceeds by nature nothing else Mat. 15. It was once wise now a foolish heart and ful of darkness Rom. 1. It was once more inclinable to the right but now the left hand Eccles 10.2 which makes us do all things sinisterly Mathe. Whether was mans body immortall before the fall Phila. Not essentially for so only God is immortall nor by the gift of creation as the Angels and the souls of men are but potentially only and upon condition if he had continued in obedience which he not doing his body cannot be made immortall now but by the gift of a new creation which will be at the resurrection So that his body was immortall naturally so long as he kept the condition of immortality It is true his body might have died before the fall for it was as possible to die as he was possible to fall But this possibility would never have been reduced into act if he had not fallen For as the Angels could not die neither was it necessary they should die so Adam might have died but it was not necessary that without sin he should have died so being corrupted by sin it was necessary he should die but not before he fell For we see by the reliques of immortality left in Adam that the Fathers before the flood lived a mighty great age as Adam to 930 years and Methuselah lived 969. which was not so many moons as some think for then they had hardly reached the age of man and so the world would have been a long time peopling and though Adam might well beget Sheth about twelve years after his creation because he was made at first a perfect man yet if Adam begat not his third son till he was 130. moons old surely then Sheth began too young who at 105. years from his birth begate Enos which by the moons account was but eight years and five months But sure their age was measured by the years of the Sun i. twelve months to a year And it is no more wonderfull then that Israels cloths should last forty years in the wildernesse Deut. 29.5 And the manna in the golden pot many hundreds of years Joseph's bones 215. years Joshua 24.32 And the mummies of Egypt are kept by art so many 1000. years in full proportions as when alive What could not God have done to the body of
expounders thereof The next sign is the reviving and publishing the everlasting Gospell and profession of the reformed religion from superstition prophecied Rev. 14.6 which hath been set on foot by the Protestant religion in these latter times The next sign will be the fall of spirituall Babylon which in all likelihood is Rome by the martiall power of Princes Rev. 17.16 17. The other signs will be a generall corruption of manners Then the calling of the Jewes great alterations in heaven and earth but how is not set down But at last shall be seen the sign of the Son of man comming in the clouds Mat. 24.30 but what kind of sign this will be is uncertain Some say it will be the appearance of the Crosse and instruments of Christs passion Lyranus as the spear and nailes that pierced him and the other altogether Others say that a sword shall suddenly fall from heaven to signifie to all true beleevers Lactant. l. 7. c. 1 that the Captain of the Lords host is comming Others think that Christ shall appear with his Crosse carried before him Damianus de moribus Aethiop and a sword in his hand as ready to be revenged on the ungodly that have crucified him and of the enemies to his Crosse Others think the sign of the Crosse shall be carried before him in the clouds Chrysost in Mat. Muscul in Mat. as a testimony that it was he that was crucified or that it shall be the fignall of his triumph against the devill and the world whom by it he hath conquered Col. 2.15 Others say that this signe shall be the body of Christ appearing with all the marks of his wounds about him Dr wilket Calv. Pet. Mart. but whether they shall appear in his glorified body I know not Others say that this sign of the Son of Man shall be his celestiall power and glory with all the eies of the world to him and this is likely to be the sign even himselfe in glorious appearance as Luke 21.27 and Mark 13.19 who names no sign but himselfe Mathe. But how shall men be tried Phila. No doubt but by sufficient law and evidence They that have sinned without law shall perish without law Aug. in Rom. i. those that have sinned by nature without the law moral shall be judged by the law of nature with the law morall and those that sinned in the law shall be judged by the law Beside there shall be sufficient evidence to judge them by for we read of books that shall be opened Rev. 20.12 As first the book of nature and herein the creatures that we have abused shall testifie against us Jer. 17.1 Next the book of Scripture which we have disobeied Luke 12.48 Thirdly the book of Conscience which as a thousand witnesses shall convince us when it shall be awakened which is now asleep Then the book of Gods remembrance for the comsort of good men Mal. 3.16 and the terror of the wicked when God himselfe shall be a swift witnesse against them Lastly the book of life full of the names of Gods children Phil. 4.3 and also Rev. 20.12 yea rather then faile the heavens and the earth shall declare our iniquity and stand up against us Job 20.27 Mathe. What shall be the last issue of this day of judgment Phila. The godly shall have the possession of 1 Thes 4.17 where they shall have First the vision of God which is the very life of the sonle as the Sun is of plants Secondly their own natures perfected 1 Cor. 13.12 2 Cor. 3.18 their faces shall shine like the Sun their bodies active like spirits and shall have health without the least weaknesse their souls full of knowledge and their heart of perfect holinesse their company Angels and the spirits of just men Heb. 12.23 among whom shall be perfect love and amity Secondly the wicked shall be thrust into hell among the devils where they shall be deprived of the comfortable sight of God and heavenly glory excepting so much as Dives saw to the increase of his own griefe Also a worm of conscience shall ever be gnawing upon them by a remembrance of their sins with the unspeakable torments of fire unquenchable and the horrid presence of devils of which horrid troubles they shall never find ease nor end so that they shall loath the life they have and shall never find that death they desire And then shall follow the creation of new heavens and earth not in substance but in quality for as the old world was not annihilated by the deluge no more shall this by fire but they shall be melted and cast into a new mold as St Peter doth well expresse that though the inferiour heavens shall passe away with a noise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. and the elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the works there in shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Yet though all these things shall be dissolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. ver 11. and 12. and melted neverthelesse we look according to Gods promise for new heavens and earth wherein shall dwell righteousnesse In which also the creature shall have a restitution as appeareth Acts 3.21 and 8.23 from bondage to liberty i. from the bondage of corruption and mutation and the service of wicked mens humors not that all that ever was shall be so but every sort of creature that are then alive at the last day which God made in their severall kinds at the creation shall be restored and for ought I know reserved at the pleasure of God as the examples of his wisedome and power in the creation And last of all then shall Christ deliver up his Kingdome to God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 not his glorious and eternall estate which he ever did and must enjoy with the Father but his temporall government which was delivered to him with all power by the Father Luke 10.22 to rule in the Kingdome of grace by holy means and ordinances by which he having now subdued all enemies fulfilled all truth and delivered his elect from all sin and punishment and brought them to eternall happinesse he gives up this Kingdome to the Father to rule them in glory not excluding him lse but as the Father ruled by him in the Kingdome of grace so he now in and by the Father in the Kingdome of glory for ever Amen The end of the first Part. A CHRISTIAN DIALOGVE between PHILALETHES and MATHEIES Part 2. Mathetes CHrist being thus plainly set forth in the Old Testament how came the Jewes not to beleeve upon him Phila. 1. By their own hardnesse of heart not beleeving the Prophets but also persecuting of them and refusing to hear them Jer. 6.17 2. By the just judgement of God who therefore laid a stumbling block before upon which the father and the sons fell together ver 21. And Christ became to them a stumbling and a rock
he again slain by the souldiers who had before chose him Emperour Next followeth Valerianus Galienus 8. Persecution who raised the eighth persecution Now was Lucius Stephanus and Sixtus Bishops of Rome martyred and Laurence the Deacon broiled on a gridiron to death in patience Priscus Malchus and Alexander were devoured by wild beasts This Tyrant was taken captive by Sapor King of Persia and made his footstoole which made his son Galienus more mild and recalled those Christians that were banished Claudius and his son Quintilius succeed Claudius after great victory against the Goths in two years died Quintilius being chosen by his little army and hearing that Aurelianus was chosen also voluntarily bled to death Aurelianus raiseth the ninth persecution 9. Persecution Eus l. 7. c. 30. but it took no effect for as the Edict was proclaiming there fell a thunderbolt so neer the Emperour that he was taken up fordead He was after killed by his Secretary Mensth eus Aurelius Probus followed who after many great great victories employing the souldiers in husbandry Jup. hist saying there was no need of souldiers where there was no fear of enemies he was slain by them and much lamented Carus followed who was slain with thunder Numerianus his Son slain by Aper his father in Law Carinus his brother slain in battell by Dioclesian Dioclesian declared Emperour by the army kils Aper that had slain Numerianus In the nineteenth year of his reign 10. Persecution he raised the tenth persecution Now from the time of Valerian to the nineteenth year of Dioclesian and his associate Maximinianus the Church Christian had great peace and had great favor many of them with the Emperors and had some authority and offices committed to them Eus l. 8. c. 1. Beside they had liberty to build Oratories and Temples in Cites whereas before they worshipped in private houses of their own or in their burying places This liberty begate carnall security among Christians Caemeteria and wicked contentions and losse of charity and therefore God suffered this tenth persecution to awaken his people so that both these one in the East and the other in the West made fearfull havock of poor Christians This was the tenth persecution and it continued ten years for it ceased not from its first beginning by Dioclesian till the seventh year of Constantine that is all the time of Maxentius and Licinius Now were the Christian Temples pulled down the Scriptures burned Christian-officers displaced Bishops displaced imprisoned compelled to sacrifice to Idols if fortune could do it and all that would not renounce Christianity were disfranchised of their liberty and their offices and places John a Nobleman at Nicomedia Eus l. 8. c. 5. Eus l. 8. c. 6. tore down the Emperours Edicts and suffered a cruell death Peter a chiefe man in the Court was whipped and roasted and basted with vinegar and salt whose patience encouraged many to suffer Twenty thousand were burned in one Temple by Maximinus Dorotheus and Gorgonius after torments were strangled The prisons were so full of them there was hardly room for malefactors Women were hung up in trees by one leg Some rent by bowed trees some tortured many daies singing Psalms joifully Whole Towns full of Christians burned Whole Legions of Christian souldiers slain because they would not sacrifice to Idols by Maximinianus In divers Towns in France Italy and Germany the channels run with blood At last these cruell tyrants being weary of killing relented so far as to be contented to thrust out only their right eies and maim their left legs and condemn them to the mines After two years exercising this cruelty these two wicked tyrants gave over their imperiall offices Then the Empire remained to Constantius Chlorus and Galerius Maximinus Chlorus chose his son Constantine his associate under him and Galerius chose his two sons Maximinus and Severus to be Caesars under him and the souldiers set up Maxentius the son of Maximinianus to be their Emperour against whom Galerius sent his son Severus who was slain and Galerius chose Licinius in his stead Galerius Maximinus and Licinius drove on the persecution which Dioclesian began neer eight years together but Constantius Chlorus and his son Constantine were very favourable to Christians Maximinus seduced by sorcerers makes war against Licinius is vanquished and dieth Maxentius dishonoured the Ladies of Rome and commits such outrage that the people of Rome send to Constantine into France and Brittain for aid he was afraid of his charms but he had a sign given him in heaven of the crosse with stars that gave these words in hoc vinces In this thou shalt overcome He put therefore the crosse in his banner and overcame Maxentius who was drowned as he fled Licinius sets out lamentable edicts against poor Christians Eus lib. 2. de vita Constantini though Constantius Chiorus counted them the best subjects They might not meet or convent with Bishops nor women with men nor visite the imprisoned Christians so they retired to the woods and wildernesses The Bishops in Egypt and Lybia were cut in pieces Many were set in ponds of water all night and then burned the next day This Licinius made war with Constantine who overcame him and sent him away to live a private life in Thessalia where the souldiers slew him Rev. 2.10 And now ended the time prophecied of the Churches troubles by St. John saying that she should endure tribulation ten daies for now the Church begins to have great peace by the favour of Constantine who though not baptized till toward his end Eus de vita Const l. 4. yet was a continuall favourer of them as was his father Chlorus Mathe. Was here an end of persecution Phila. Yes of persecution of the Roman heathen Emperours but now persecutions arise from some Christians themselves Persecution of Christians by Christian Hereticks as Paul prophecied Acts 20.30 speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them not sparing the flock these were Hereticks Mathe. Were there not heresies before Constantines time Phila. Yes many Mathe. I pray tell me first what heresie is and then who those Hereticks were Phila. Heresie we count a chosen opinion contrary to the grounds of Christian faith and obstinately maintained by some that professe Christianity and therefore must not be Atheists carnall Christians Infidels Turks or Jewes nor weak minded Christians Mathe. Who were the Hereticks in chiefe before Constantine Mathe. The first was Simon Magus In the first hundred years after Christ Simon Magus whom Peter and Philip confounded at Samaria who though he were baptized because he professed himselfe to beleeve yet disclosing his prophane heart by offering mony to buy of St Peter the gifts of the Holy Ghost he was rejected From thence he fled to Rome where for his conjurations he was worshipped for a god in the time of Claudius by those Romans that would not admit Christ for God in the time
till Herod by the Roman power deprived them of all soveraignty In whose time Christ was born 536 years after the captivity of Babylon who like Daniels stone put all the former monarchies down by setting up a new spirituall kingdome in mens hearts to which even Kings themselves should be subject Now when he came he found the Church of the Jewes in much confusion by Sects and schismes of Pharisees and Sadduces Herodians and few that would entertain his doctrine yet some there was that were his disciples and followers whom having converted by preaching and confirmed by miracles and given his Sacraments as seals of his New Testament he suffered death by the Jewes envy and the unjust judgement of Pilate for mans redemption as hath been declared and rose the third day after for our justification and about 40 daies after having instructed and confirmed them in the rule of his spirit all kingdome in the Church he ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Ghost down upon them who were with the rest of his disciples his visible Church which they mightily increased by their travels among the Gentiles after the Jewes had persecuted and despised the Gospel Mathe. Where was now the visible Church Phila. It was translated to the Gentiles who were before without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 strangers from the covenant of promise and had no hope but were without God in the world destitute of all good and possessed with all evill though convinced of a godhead by nature Rom. 1.19 but rightly knew him not some said that he was One of himselfe another that the world was his son so that when they came to worship God Orph. in 1 Sect. de Deo Tresmig in Pimaud c. 9. they did it by idols as I have told you seeking God downward in the creature by which they should have been led upward to God yet God of his infinite mercy takes this wild Olive and plants it upon the stock of the Jew Jesus the root and off-spring of David that they might be the children of Abraham by living in the faith of Abraham which is rightly to be a true visible Christian whether Jew or Gentile Mathe. Wherein consisted Abrahams faith Phila. In beleeving that God would raise up one out of his seed in whom mankind should be blessed even Jesus Christ whose sufferings were signified by sacrifice without which analogicall relation they â—ould never have savoured sweetly with God And as beleeved on Christ to come so Christians beleeve on the same Christ passed And this beliefe is the essentiall being of a true Christian that is a trusting upon Christ by faith for perfect redemption And this is that makes the difference between the visible and invisible Christian for the visible or externall Christian is one that partaketh of the visible priviledges of the Church as Word and Sacraments but not of the invisible graces thereof they hear and understand not they receive but perceive not they read but beleeve not they beleeve literally not spiritually they conceive but do not produce Christ but abortively But the other Christian is not only visible by profession and participation of the common rites of the Church but is also a partaker of the invisible graces offered and conveied under those outward mysteries of the Church by the grace of faith which only justifieth him to Godward Jam. and produceth good works whereby he is justified in his faith with man and approved a true visible Christian But God requires only faith to justifie before him Orig. in Rom. 3. cap. for the Lord required not of the penitent theefe what before he had wrought nor did expect what work he should fulfill after he beleeved but being justified by the confession of his faith in Christ our Saviour joined him as a companion with himselfe being now ready to enter into Paradise And that this is the essentiall being of a true Christian these Authors following will manifest namely that such invisible Christians are justified before God by faith Rom. 3. without the deeds of the Law so saith Ignat. in Epi. ad Ephes Justin in dial cum Tryphon Clem. Alex. in strom 7. Aug. ad Bonif. l. 3. c. 5. Chrysost in Genes hom 26. Ambr. in Rom. 3. Basil mag de humilitate Victor Antiochenus in Marc. 5. Raban in Ecclum c. â— Remigius in Psal 29. Idiota c. 6. de conflictione carnis animae Giselbert in alterc c. 8. Theoph. in Rom. 10. Bern. serm 3. de adventu dom Rupertus in lib. 7. in Joh. c. 7. Foleng in Psal 2. Fulgent ad Monim l. 1. Honorius in spec Ecclus de nat dom Ferus in 1 p. pass dom Aquin. in Lect. 4. super Gal. 3. sic in Rom. 3. All these hold with St Paul Rom. 3. and c. 10. with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Therefore the Primitive Church baptized after such confession was made as Abraham was circumcised after he beleeved Rom. 4.11 yet Isaac was circumcised and all the children of Israel at eight daies old except when they travelled through the wildernesse into the faith of Abraham So the children of Christians were baptized into the faith of their converted parents Cypr. â—p 59. See the bapt of the Church of Geneva printed 1641. they beleeving in their parents in whom as infants they had only sinned and for whom their parents beleeved as well as for themselves And though this practice be not set down in the Scripture by verball command yet considering that Christ gave some commandements by voice to his disciples touching things pertaining to the kingdome of God Act. 1.2 3. And this practice being of so great antiquity in that kingdome of God i. that is the Church we need not make doubt of it except we will be contentious against the Churches custome See Hookers Eccles Politic. lib. 1. sect 14. Dr Field on the Church l. 4.30 1 Cor. 11.16 which ought to over-rule mens fancies and stand as a law to quiet conscience because the Church is directed by the same spirit that gave the Scriptures 1 of Thes 4.8 and therefore Paul exhorts them to keep the traditions they had been taught either by word or by Epistle And that baptizing of infants was an Apostolicall tradition may be gathered both from Councils and Fathers as I have in part declared and of which you may read farther in Aug. l. 10. de gen ad lit c. 23. So Orig. Com. in 6. Rom. Cypr. Epi. ad Fidum Concil Cartha and Concil Melivitan doth curse those that deny baptisme to children See also Irenaeus in his 2. lib. cant Heres c. 39. And if it were so anciently practised and no direct time set down when it began we may well conceive that it was delivered to the Church by by the Apostles and not taken from the Pope who did not apeare many hundred years after baptisme of children was