reward or punishment endlesse and eternall 8 That thou art a creature of an excellent worth and made to serue God 9 That thou hast no happinesse to the peace of Conscience 10 Thinke how good thy God hath bin vnto thee 11 Thinke of the Crosse and of Christ who there died for thee 12 Of examples of holy men and Saints who liued before thee Walke about your chamber a turne or two after your prayers and meditate vpon these points seriously and you shall finde that temptations to sinne will vanish away and leaue to assault you The 4. last things to bee first thought vpon by all good Christians Bern. Bonauent Dionys Carthus 1 The day of thy death thou knowest not how suddenly 2 The day of iudgement that will come certainely 3 The ioyes of heauen if thou liue religiously 4 The paines of hell if thou continuest to doe wickedly The end of Morning prayer Euening Prayer to bed-ward O Lord heare my prayer And let my cry come vnto thee Our Father which art c. A Prayer for Euening O LORD Carolâ—â— Paschal I doe confesse to my shame and confusion that this day hath beene spent by me with lesse puritie and pietie then it should haue bin I haue augmented sithence this morning the score of my sinnes My thoughts haue beene polluted my wit prophane and vnsanctified my tongue more rash and vnbridled then became any one of that rancke and calling wherein thou hast set me I haue sinned through idlenesse ignorance slouthfulnesse and malice And this darknesse of the night puts mee in minde of that eternall darknesse my sinnes haue deserued Pardon and forgiue me all my transgressions Let this darkenesse bee a fit time vnto mee of rest and sleepe and no opportunitie of snares and temptations Send thy holy Ghost into my heart to free and purifie the same from all rolling motions and suggestions of Sathan and from the vsuall terrours and affrightments of the night Preserue this house in safety O Lord and all the people that are therein Let my prayer ascend vp vnto thy presence as the incense and let this lifting vp of mine hands be as an Euening sacrifice through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Another HAuing spent the day Viues wee betake our selues to our repose in the night So after the troubles of this present life wee shall rest our selues in death Nothing doth more resemble our life then the day our death then sleepe our graue then the bed and our resurrection then our awaking in the morning Doe thou then O God my protectour and defender preserue me in my sleepe from the incursions and temptations of the diuell and in my death from the guilt and punishments of my sinnes I haue no strength to resist in the one nor merits of mine owne to display in the other Looke only vpon the merits of my Lord and Sauiour and giue mee a strong and stedfast faith to apply his righteousnesse to mine owne soule In confidence and full assurance of whose satisfactions for all my sins I doe for this night lie mee downe in peace and take my rest for it is that Lord onely that maketh mee to continue in safetie Amen Another ALmighty G. Cass and euerlasting God who makest the light to succeed the darknesse giue mee the grace to spend this night freed from the snares of sinne and Sathan and to bee here againe vpon my knees in the morning to giue thee thankes for the same through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen MEDITATIONS When your mayd is getting you to bed Viues HEe that willingly goes to bed should as willingly goe to his graue We willingly put off our cloathes being to put them on againe in the morning and should as willingly put off our bodies beeing to put them on againe in the Resurrection 2 After the troubles of the day comes the quietnes of the night Viues in the which the King and the swaine differ nothing so after this life comes death where poore and rich are alike and equall 3 Here is a fit time especially layd in your bed to fall to your Audite for the day past The practise of the Kings Maiesty as I haue heard What euill you haue committed by 1. Swearing 2. Lying 3. Taunting 4. Beeing too angry 5. Vaine talking especially of Religion 6. Exceeding in fare or apparell 7. Iniuring of another Repent of it Detest it Resolue to doe it no more What good you haue omitted as Saying grace when you eate Praying Releeuing of a poore bodie Respecting your husband parents Spending some time vpon Meditations Works of charitie Desire Gods grace to be more warie What good you haue performed If you haue learned any thing that day If you haue done any man good that day If you haue kept your priuate and publike prayers that day If you haue giuen any almes that day If you haue heard the Word or receiued the Sacrament that day If you haue spent any time vpon your MeditatioÌ„s that day Reioyce in it and giue God thankes for it When you haue runne ouer these accompts and finde sleepe comming say Into thy hands I commit my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth Amen The end of Euening prayer Some other Collects For Faith MAn is blinded by sin Viues but thou O Christ by the goodnes and mercie of God the Father art become our guide in the way of saluation And yet such is our wretchednesse and miserie that we stagger for all this sometimes not vnderstanding sometimes not beleeuing many times not applying to our soules with a sure confidence thy promises of saluation set downe in the Gospell O miserably blind that we are that can neither see our selues nor beleeue our guider and instructer O thou eternall and pure veritie vouchsafe so to slide into our hearts that we may be more certainely perswaded of thee and thy Truth then of those things wee see with our eyes heare with our eares and handle with our handes the weake apprehensions of our bodily senses vpon which this flesh and blood doeth so much depend Appease and asswage those rolling thoughts and wandring motions of the flesh that make vs to doubt and stagger in those high mysteries of the which wee ought most firmely to bee fixed and resolued Faith is thy gift and therefore worke it by the holy Ghost in my heart that all my senses and imaginations may become slaues and captiues to the same Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeleefe O Lord increase my faith Amen MEDITATION Viues 1 How easily wee beleeue a lewd and lying man and yet how scrupulous we are to beleeue God himselfe 2 We beleeue a man in things which nothing concerne vs we beleeue not God in matters of our saluation Man is impotent God omnipotent 3 We beleeue our senses which often delude vs as in all trickes of Legeyr-demaine we distrust Christ who can
as certainely washed from your sinnes Original being an infant and actuall if you had beene of yeeres by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ as you were rinsed outwardly in body by this Element of Water Marke then these vses of Baptisme 1. It assures vs wee are washed from our sinnes by the Holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ 2. It keeps vs from despaire because it assures vs our sinnes are washed away 3. It keepes vs from sinne for it is a shame for one washed to soile himselfe againe 4. It giues an entrance into the Church 5. It hath a visible signe Water Grace inuisible Forgiuenesse of sinnes by the blood of Christ VII THe Lords Supper is a distribution of Bread and Wine which seales signes and exhibits or giues vnto you Christs true Body offered and his true Blood poured out vpon the Crosse for your sinnes as certainely as the Priests exhibite vnto your hands the Bread and the Wine And withall the Supper assures your heart that Christs Body and Blood nourish your soule to perpetual life as surely as Bread and Wine doth nourish your body to the offices of this temporall life Marke then the vses of this Sacrament of the Supper 1. It assures you of all the benefit that is to be expected from the Bodie and blood of Christ 2. It puts you continually in minde that Christ dyed for you 3. It strengthens and ascertaines your faith if it be receiued worthily And therefore you must not neglect twice in the yeere at the least to approch with all reuerence this heauenly Table VIII THat this Sacrament may be receiued worthily you must examin your selfe before the receiuing Pray vnto God for Faith in the receiuing and take heed of grosse and premeditated sinnes after the receiuing of this Sacrament IX BEfore the receiuing you must examine foure things 1. You must examin your knowledge 1. Whether you know how you ought to liue To this end read ouer the 10. Commandements 2. Whether you know how to beleeue Read ouer attentiuely your Creed 3. Whether you know how to Pray Say ouer aduisedly the Lords Prayer Without this little knowledge at the least you are not fit to Receiue 2. You must examine your faith Whether you are assured in your heart that Christ hath fully satisfied for your sins and perfectly reconciled you vnto God not others only but your selfe also Without this assurance in some measure you may not receiue 3. You must examine your Repentance 1. Whether you are sory for your sinnes 2. Whether you hate sinne 3. Whether you resolue to indeauour to sinne no more Without this Repentance you cannot receiue worthily 4. You must examine your Charitie 1. Whether you forgiue all the world 2. Whether you are free from malice and hatred When you haue examined these foure points you may receiue worthily X. NOw your faith in Christ which you haue gotten in Gods Church being thus hatched by the holy Ghost in your heart brought foorth by your hearing cherished by your reading of the word sealed by your Baptism and strongly confirmed and strengthened by your partaking of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper must be continually maintained and preserued by these two meanes Prayer vnto God him only And Good works or holines of life And this is the summe of all your notes which I recommend vnto you for this time 1. Saluation is only by faith in Christ 2. Faith onely in Gods Church 3. Where by the Word read or heard Faith is nourished 4. By the Sacrament of Baptisme assured 5. By the Sacrament of the Supper ratified and confirmed 6. By Prayer and Good workes for euer established A Prayer after the reading of these few Notes O Lord God that I may be partaker of thy couenant of Grace make me a beleeuing member of thy Church send thy holy Spirit into my heart to beget there a confidence and full assurance of the remission of all my sinnes in Christ Iesus let this assurance bee still nourished with my hearing and reading of the Word let it be sealed vnto mee by my Baptisme confirmed by the Sacrament of the Supper and fully established by my seruing of thee in Prayer and Good workes to the glory of thy Name and the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A SHORT CATECHISME concerning Faith and good Workes to be read and meditated vpon once euery weeke at the least which may be well called The Catechisme of the Conscience Question WHy hath GOD made me a reasonable Creature and not as well hee might of a meaner kinde Answ That with your whole heart that is with your will and vnderstanding you might serue him and loue him which creatures only indued with reason can doe Q. How is God principally serued and loued of mee A. By your faith and good workes which God commaunds you in his Word And these good workes of yours are twofold Prayers to God Charitie to men Q. What is Faith A. A full beliefe assurance and perswasion of your heart whereby you are vnmoueably resolued of these three points 1. That there is one onely God one Essence three Persons The Father who created you Sonne who redeemed you Holy Ghost who sanctified you 2. That God the Sonne came into the world to doe all that was to bee performed and to suffer all that was to be endured by you for your sinnes actuall and originall And hereby obtained for you perfect forgiuenesse of all your sinnes and hath bestowed vpon you his owne perfect righteousnesse by the meanes whereof you stand iust and guiltlesse before the throne of God 3. That God hath prompted with his holy Spirit the Pen-men of the Scriptures to teach you all this faith and beleefe as also all the course of his worship And that euery thing contained in these Scriptures is true Q. Why doeth God so much require of mee Faith and beleefe A. Because without beleeuing in him you cannot loue him nor reuerence him As if you did not beleeue your father to be your father you would not loue him or reuerence him as your father Q. How is this Faith first wrought A. By your hearing of Gods word and vsing those two Sacraments appointed by Christ in his Church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper And withall by praying continually vnto God and doing of good workes Q. How shall I know that I beginne to haue Faith A. If you finde in your selfe these alterations 1. If you finde that you haue gotten more knowledge of God and of Religion are glad therof 2. If you doe desire more then you did to haue the Sonne of God to become your Sauiour and to stand betwixt you and Gods wrath for the sinnes you haue committed against God 3. If you take more delight then you did in Reading and hearing the Word of God Receiuing the Sacrament 4. If you finde doubtings in your minde and can pray vnto God to strengthen your
neither be deceiued nor deceiue vs. For the King and the Royall Issue I Humbly beseech thee G. Cass Almighty God to preuent with all blessings of goodnesse our King and his Royall issue Increase vpon them day by day all thy fauours vanquish with thy mighty hand all open enemies and priuie Conspirators who oppugne their religion life diademe or dignitie Crowne each of them with all vertues these vertues with long liues and their liues at the last with eternall glory Amen For Charitie or the workes of Mercie August Meditat. O Lord of mercie and compassion I beseech thee by the tender bowels of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to mooue my stonie heart to the workes of mercie that I may keepe my howers of prayers mourne with them that mourne counsell them that are amisse helpe them that are in miserie releeue the poore comfort the sorrowfull helpe the oppressed forgiue them that trespasse against me pray for them that hate mee requite good for euil despise no man or woman reuerence my betters respect my equals be humble and courteous to my inferiors imitate those that are good shunne those that are bad embrace vertue eschew vice Be patient in aduersitie modest in prosperitie thankfull in either Keepe a watch ouer my tongue Scorne this world and thirst after heauen Amen For the receiuing of the B. Sacrament O Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God G. Cass thorough whom onely is granted forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting who diddest iustifie the Publican when he confessed the woman of Chanaan when shee prayed Peter when hee repented and the thiefe vpon the Crosse when hee called vpon thee grant vnto me a most miserable and wretched sinner pardon and forgiuenesse of all my transgressions which I most humbly confesse I haue committed against thee that I may receiue this Communion of thy body and blood not to my iudgement and condemnation but to my euerlasting comfort and saluation who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen Meditation When you haue newly receiued O Lord encrease my faith O Lord G. Cass let the body and blood of Christ be fixed in my soule to my comfort in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Amen For that day you expect to heare a Sermon or when you reade vpon your Bible G. Cass ALlmighty and euerlasting God whose Word is a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes open and enlighten my vnderstanding that I may learne the mysteries of thy Word so farre foorth as is necessary to my saluation purely and syncerely and bee so transfigured in my life and conuersation vnto that which I shall learne as to please thee in will and deede through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen For sicknesse and all other vses you haue excellent Prayers in the Booke of Common prayers PRINCIPLES Few Notes for the priuate vse of my L. M. B. A Prayer to be said vpon your knees before the reading ouer of these Notes ALmightie God the Fountaine of true Wisedome and knowledge send thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may sufficiently vnderstand and stedfastly beleeue all the doctrines necessary to my Saluation and adde such practise and obedience to this Faith thorough the whole course of my life and conuersation as I may so serue thee in thy kingdome of Grace that hereafter I may be made partaker of thy kingdom of Glory through the onely merit and mediation of thy deare Sonne and my deare Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen I. MAn sithence his fall in Adam hath no hope of saluation but by the Couenant of Grace betwixt God and Man Whereby God promiseth vnto man Mercie and Forgiuenesse of Sinnes and man vnto God true Faith in Christ and holines of life and conuersation II. ALl men haue not interest in this Couenant of Grace but they onely that are of Gods Church Now the Church of God is Any Company or Congregation of men wheresoeuer liuing called by God through the sound of the Gospel vnto the Faith of Christ and distinguished from other Societies by these fiue Marks especially 1. hearing and reading the Word 2. Faith thereunto 3. the vse of the Sacraments 4. Prayer and 5. Sanctity of life Where these fiue things are there is euer a Church of God and sufficient means of saluation III. THe Word must be read often vpon your Bible with modesty and short desires of the heart vnto God to giue you grace to vnderstand it to beleeue it and to practise it It must bee heard vpon all conuenient occasions especially in those two houres of the Sabbath day appointed by the Church and the State for that Diuine worship and then you must obserue foure Rules 1 Obserue the Preacher with attention modestie 2. Secondly apply vnto your selfe in particular the Doctrines and Vses which are deliuered in generall 3. Examine your conscience if you be guilty of the sinnes there reproued and presently call to God for grace to amend them 4. Thinke vpon these things againe when you come to your Chamber IIII. THis outward hearing and reading of the Word together with the inward working of the holy Ghost in your heart doeth beget a true liuely and sauing faith which is A certaine knowledge and assurance of the heart that all is true which God hath spoken or promised in the Scripture and that you rest wholly and confidently vpon God that he hath granted vnto your selfe in particular forgiuenes of sinnes and true righteousnesse in Christ Iesus This is the maine point you are seriously to meditate vpon and therefore obserue these precepts 1. If you doe not beleeue or if you doe doubt of any thing in Scripture presently pray vnto God to strengthen and enlighten you 2. If you doubt whether you may haue any particular interest in those generall promises of grace in Christ propounded in the Gospel fall againe to your prayers for an increase of Faith 3. If you doubt and yet can finde in your heart to pray for more faith Let your conscience neuer bee troubled with such a doubting 4. Marke well when the Creed is in reading and giue an assent with your heart to euery Article And as I doubt not you haue learned it so keepe it still in memorie V. NOw as this faith of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse in Christ is wrought in vs by the reading and hearing of the Word ioyned with Prayer so is it signed and sealed in our hearts by the two Blessed Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper Obserue in either Sacrament two parts A visible signe Water in Baptisme Bread Wine in the Supper An inuisible grace Remission of sinnes in Baptisme The benefite of Christs passion in the Supper VI. BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament to wit An outward washing of Water appointed by Christ in his Church with this promise that vpon your being Baptized you were
pag. 342. Papist b Russic conun c. 23. p. 103. Russeist c Sle. Hist l. 5. Anabaptist d Allens confes Familist and e Protest p. 16. Puritan hold no Church a Church of God but his owne conuenticle and all to bee damn'd that are not of his societie and combination Now what beliefe you shall affoord these Bouteseux of the Catholike Church that dispose of Heauen and Hell as if it were their own Fee-simple I leaue to your wisdome and common vnderstanding Pap. Me thinks you now put me in minde of another obiection which vsually we make against the Protestants of England that they bring in too much good fellowship in religion and make Saluation a flowre which growes in euery mans garden Seeing that according to their Tenets Papist Protestant Anabaptist and Familist may euery one of them by meanes offered in his own Church as a portion or fragment of the Catholike Church attaine vnto Saluation Prot. If you were learned I could answere you in a word that none of these three Sectories considered in his owne Formality Qua talie as he is a Papist Anabaptist or Familist can euer attaine vnto Saluation but only as he is a Christian man admitted by Baptisme vnto the visible Church there made partaker of Gods word and Sacraments For then although these blessed means are very much weakened and obscured in their Synagogues by the malice of Sathan and inuentions of men yet may that holy Spirit that * Iohn 3.8 bloweth where he listeth worke in such a mans heart by these weake instruments and the rather the more the Word is faithfully preached and the Sacraments be in those places sincerely administred a true faith in Christ Iesus to bring him to saluation So then we doe not hold that Papists Anabaptists and Familists but onely that some Christians liuing in their congregations may though with great difficultie in comparison of this flourishing Church of ours and these admirable meanes of Saluation tendered in the same by the speciall mercy of God be saued and preserued If we be in an errour it is safer to erre in Charity then in Malice and praecipitancie considering the euent hereof is vnknowen to either of vs. Pap. I but where was your Church before this reformation began Prot. 1. When our Sauiour Christ with-drew the people from the a Matt. 16.12 leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees to the bread b Iohn 6.35 which came down from heauen and to saluation by faith in his Name was it fitting to demaund of him where his Church was before that Reformation 2. When these Churches of c 1. Corin. 5.1 Corinth d Galat. 3.1 Galatia e Reuel 2.12 Pergamus and f Reuel 2.18 Thiatyra were full of abuses if some part onely vpon the preaching of the Apostles had reformed themselues and so a diuision had growen would you straight wayes haue tax't them of Nouelty or ask't them where their Church had beene before this reformation 3 When the Apostles cast off â—he Lawe of Moses excepting only those g Acts 15.29 three or foure Ceremonies and when the Primitiue church some hundred yeeres after cast off those Ceremonies also for I finde them breathing of their last as it were about the times of h Anno 〈◊〉 140. Dialog quâ— insâ—â—â—â—tur Tryphon Iustin Martyr had it not beene a poore challenge of the Iewes or Traskists of those times to demaund where this vnceremoniall Church lay hid before the reformation I answer then that our Church before this reformation began liued together in one communion with yours with toleration of all those abuses which you haue still retained and wee most iustly reiected Pap. I but I hope you dare not compare in the gifts of the Spirit with Christ his Apostles or those worthies of the primitiue Church And therefore how presumed you to reforme your selues Reformation being a worke fitter for a generall Councell to haue gone about then for a small handfull of Northerne people Prot. Luther in epist ad Galat. in praefat distinctio admissa in Comitijs Augustanis ab ipsis Germanis Principibus Scultet annal decad 1. pa. 43. The Court of Rome had so gained vpon the Church of Rome that is the Pope and his conclaue of Cardinals had wriggled in themselues to that transcendencie of power ouer the rest of the Clergie and well minded laity that it appeared both at a In the yeere 1415. Constance b In the yeere 1546. Trent there was small hope of Reformation from such a Councell where the Pope the partie to bee reformed became the party reforming and supreame Iudge and president of the Reformation it selfe Although poore seduced ignorant women are much caried away with the name of the Councell of Trent yet you will quickly find out this ridiculous absurdity In a generall Councell as now it is held sithence the decay of the Empire the Pope is the party to be accused yet puts vp his owne endictment passeth a iury of his own vassals and finde they what they will being to giue finall iudgement he will be sure to do as his supposed predecessor taught our Sauiour to doe to wit fauour himselfe Matth. 16.22 So as there was no hope of doing good by a Generall Councell See the history of the Councell of Trent vnles it were a generous and free Councell and such a one the Pope you may bee sure would neuer abide Gerson de concil vnius obed And therefore one of your own writers concludes that in such a case seuerall kingdomes are to reforme themselues by National Councels which England and Denmark did put in practise Pap. Yea but it is too wel knowne It was no zeale of Reformation but carnall respects that mooued King Henry to touch vpon religion Prot. To you it seemes it is giuen to know these secrets but I see no reason we should thinke so The King could not bee induced to this reformation as a meanes to possesse himselfe of the Abbeies for they were already swallowed vp 31. Henr. 8. Nor as a preparatiue for his woing as Saunders thinks because Fisher the Bishop of Rochester who opposed his marriage made vp the one and twentieth prelate in banishing the Pope out of this Kingdome Instruction of a Christian in the Preface But without doubt the finger of God was the cause whatsoeuer was the hint or occasion Act. 23.1 Festus his popularitie and humour of pleasing gaue S. Paul occasion to appeale to Cesar and to visite Rome where and when hee layd the first stone of the Romane church Would you like it well a Protestant should say that your Church was founded vpon courtship and popularity If any carnall respect whetted on the king that was but the opportunity God onely was the first mouer and prime Agent in this reformation Pap. Nay surely God is the God of vnity but your Church being once seuered from the Romane
yea and three National Councels from Pope Stephen in the yeere 250 i Bellar. de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 25. 46. Lindan panopl. l. 7. c. 89. Possevinus in Apparat. titul Carthag the Bishops of Carthage Schismatized from all Popes of Rome for an hundred yeres together about the yeere 409. lastly k Bellar. de Ro. Pont. l. 2. c. 31. Idem de Matri c. 15. art 2. the Greeke Church cut off from the Roman for 300. yeeres are sufficient testimonies there may be a true Church of God though seuered and diuided from the Pope of Rome And here in this kingdome it was no Protestant but Popish Bishops that concluded in a Nationall Synode l Institut of a Christian set foorth anno 1537. by Authority our King might if he pleased create a Pope of his owne in his own kingdoms and dominions and yet remaine a member of the Catholike Church Pap. Well the best is you haue beene so tedious in your answeres that I haue I thank God forgotten all that you haue said for your reformed Church Prot. But I will helpe that quickly by summing vp of all into these 12. Positions 1 We haue a Church as hauing Doctrine Saluation Discipline 2 It is a portion of the Catholique Church 3. It hath a Spirituall vnion of doctrine with the vntainted members of the Church of Rome 4 And yet hath seuered her selfe from the Church of Rome by crying against and dissenting from her Superstions 5 Which some of vs hold no true Church of Gods in regard of the preuailing Faction 6 Although we iudge charitably of the Saluation of some in that Church 7 Who notwithstanding are saued not as Papists but as Christians 8 And in one lumpe or communion with this Church liued ours before the Reformation 9 Which then for want of a Generall did seuer her selfe by a Nationall Councell from the same 10 Nor was it any by-respect of the Kings but God and the cry of that age that caused this reformation 11 Nor doe our reformed Churches dissent amongst themselues in doctrine but in outward politie and discipline onely 12 Our Bishops and Priests come by a lineall Succession from Henry the eights time nor can a supposall of Heresie cut off this descent CHAP. 2. Of the Scriptures Pap. DOe you then hold this Church of yours to bee the ground of your Faith and reason of your beleeuing So as you doe therefore beleeue all the points of your saluation to be true because the Church doeth teach and instruct you in the same Or haue you any other rule and ground of your faith Prot. The Authority and good conceipt we haue of Gods Church a August contra Epistol fundam c. 5. prepareth vs to beleeue the points of our Saluation and serueth as an introduction to bring vs to the discerning and perfect apprehension of these mysteries of our faith but the Scripture onely is the ground and reason of our beleeuing For as the b Iohn 4.29 Samaritans were induced and drawne on to beleeue in Christ by that talk of the woman but hauing heard Christ himselfe professe plainely they beleeue no longer for her saying but c Iohn 4.42 because they heard him speake himselfe So doe we beginne to beleeue moued thus to doe by the good conceipt we haue of the Church but rest not in it as the ground of our beleeuing but onely in the infallible assurance of Gods truth in the booke of Scriptures Pap. Then God helpe you if that be your last resolution For our Church cannot erre but your Scriptures without the helpe of the Church to tell you so much can neuer bee ascertained vnto you to be the word of God And therefore what assurednesse of beleefe can you propose your selues vpon so vnsetled a foundation Prot. The Catholike Church indeed Wald. doctr fid l. 2. art 2. c. 27. spread ouer the world cannot erre damnably though the Church of Rome and all other particula Churches may as your owne Writers confesse But the Scriptures wee know to be the word of God not because the Church or Churchmen doe tell vs so much but by the Authority of God himselfe a Caluin instit l. 1. c. 7. d. 4. whom we doe most certainely discerne to speake in his word when it is preached vnto vs. For if we bring pure eyes and perfect senses the maiestie of God forthwith presenteth it selfe vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and beating downe all thoughts of contradicting or doubting things so heauenly forceth our hearts to yeeld assent and obedience vnto the same And therefore if you doubt whether that which you reade in your Bible be the word of God or finde any reluctancy in your vnderstanding to the doctrine of the same it is in vaine to flie vnto either Church or Churchmen to be perswaded in this point but down vpon your knees and pray feruently vnto God for Faith and the illumination of the Holy Ghost which can only assure you of the trueth of the Scriptures Caluin instit l. 1. c. 7. dist 5. For after wee are enlightned by the Spirit we do no longer trust either our owne iudgement or the iudgement of other men or of the Church that the Scriptures are of God but aboue all certainety of humane iudgement wee most certainely resolue as if in them wee saw the maiestie and glory of God that by the ministerie of men they came vnto vs from Gods owne most sacred mouth Pap. But what certaine ground of faith can you place on the Scriptures seeing by the seuerall interpretations of men and women they are turned and wrested like a nose of wax to euerie priuate designe and purpose Doe not you obserue how the Catholikes Protestants and especiallie the Brownists and Anabaptists doe fit all their turnes out of the holie Scriptures on which of these senses and imaginations is your faith rooted or peraduenture haue you some odde capritchious kinde of interpretation of your owne apprehension to direct you in these businesses Prot. Wee lay-folkes are licensed in the Church of England to reade Doe all interprete 1. Cor. 12.30 but not to interprete Scriptures excepting onely those passages which containe the necessarie points of our Saluation the which passages are so plaine easie euery where that any man or woman of the meanest capacitie especiallie if he or she be instructed in their Catechisme or grounds of religion may perfectly conceiue Staplet cont 6. q. 7. exp si art and vnderstand them But for the harder and more difficult places we leaue them to be interpreted by our Church-men in their Sermons and dailie ministerie For the ordering of which interpretations there are as I haue beene told 10. seuerall helps Obserued out of D. Field M. Hooker Chemnitius and Trelcatius the which if they be followed wil be sure and vnfallible guides to bolt out the true meaning of each place of Scripture 1 An illumination of the vnderstanding by
the Holy Ghost 2 A minde free from other thoughts and desirous of the truth 3 Knowledge of the Scriptures Creedes Catechismes Principles and other Axiomes of Diuinitie 4 A considerations how our meaning suites with other points of Christianitie 5 The weighing of circumstances antecedents and consequents 6 Knowledge of Histories Arts and Sciences 7 Continuall reading meditating and praying 8 Ioint and vniarring expositions of the Fathers 9 Consenting decrees of auncient Synods and Councels 10 Knowledge in the tongues Because therefore lay-men and women Papists Brownists and Anabaptists are wanting in all or some of these helpes they bring foorth many times such lame and prodigious interpretations Pap. If wee make the Scripture not the Church the rule of our Faith how shall we beleeue the Creed the Trinity the Sacraments the vnity of Essence the three persons in the Deity c. words neuer read in the Bible and yet necessarily to be apprehended of vs vpon paine of damnation Prot. I say that all these things are set downe in Scriptures either in so many syllables or at leastwise by necessarie inferences and deductions And wee doe not therefore beleeue them because they are onely taught by the Church but because they are rooted and grounded in the holie Scriptures the onelie stay and pillar of our affiance To summe vp therefore all this Chapter 1 The Church doeth prepare vs but the Scripture onely doeth force vs to beleeue 2 The whole Church cannot any part thereof may erre damnablie 3 Wee are taught the Scriptures to bee the word of God by the Holy Ghost mouing in our hearts and not by the Church sounding in our eares 4 Lay-men are to reade not to interprete Scriptures 5 The misse of some rules causeth wrong expositions of Scriptures 6 All things necessary to bee beleeued are either found in or collected and inferred from the Scriptures CHAP. 3. Of Iustification Pap. HOW then doe you learne out of the Scriptures that you are to be iustified and saued before God Prot. I am to bee iustified before God by an Act single in it selfe but double in our apprehension which is By Gods not imputing vnto me my sinnes and the same Gods imputing vnto mee Christs righteousnesse and withall by his creating of faith in my heart by the Holy Ghost to assure my Soule that God for the Actiue and Passiue obedience of Christ Iesus hath accomplished those two former Actes of not imputing my Sinne and of imputing vnto mee Christs righteousnesse Pap. A verie easie no doubt and reasonable religion which you haue learned out of the Scriptures Heere is no burthen left for your owne backe you cast all vpon Christs shoulders by the meanes of these two fine wordes Not imputing and imputing and a third swimming notion of your own conceipt which any man may haue with a little imagining termed by you faith it would be knowne therefore where your Church hath found out these words of Art in the holie Scriptures Prot. We do in all humilitie confesse that the globe of our sinnes and the world of that righteousnesse which is to appeare in the presence of Gods Iustice is too massie for vs to sustaine that are but dust and ashes and supportable only by that Atlas Verba Lutheri ep ad Henr. 8. tom 2. ep p. 290. Christ Iesus vpon whose shoulders not our conceits but the goodnes of God hath plac't and pressed them But that these wordes imputing and not imputing are such Greeke vnto you I doe impute it to your not reading of Scriptures and taking vp your religion by trust and credit from such Fripperers and Brokers as by lending your soules a false opinion of merits and good workes do diue into your purses and eat vp your estates by way of interest Not to trouble you as I might with a thousand places aske Dauid Psal 32.1 whether not imputing of sin and S. Paul Rom. 4.45 whether the imputing of Christs righteousnesse doth not make vs blessed and iustified For the words vse your owne eyes and inspection And for the meaning I referre you to a August tom 8 in psalm 31. S. Augustines vpon the one and b Amb. in ep ad Rom. c. 8. S. Ambrose his commentarie vpon the other passage Now that you fondlie imagine that Faith this heauenly hand that reacheth at this double Act and applies it to our owne Soules is such an apprehension as you may command when you please out of your owne phantasie it is such a poore opinion that no Soule warmed with the least touch or feeling of religion but contemnes with a most holie scorne and reproach I tell you and if you once haue it your conscience will tell you no lesse this Faith is the richest iewell in Gods cabinet Ephes 2.8 and can neuer be compas'd by any endeuour of ours vntill the Holy Ghost comes downe from heauen to set and enchase it in our hearts with his owne fingers as it were And being once obtained it new moldes and fashions the whole nature of man so as the vnderstanding becomes more enlightned to know God the will to obey God the affections to loue God and our brethren Nor can it bee preserued to the comfort of our conscience without daily praying meditating doing good workes reading the Scriptures hearing good Sermons and perusing of deuout and godly Treatises My beliefe therefore is this Gods not imputing of sinne and imputing of righteousnesse is the worker The Merits of Christ the procurer Faith wrought by the holy Ghost the instrument or applier good workes or my inherent righteousnesse poore as it is a consequent onely effect and follower of my iustification Pap. I haue heard some of your side raile against the very name of inherent righteousnesse which you seem now to acknowledge embrace Do Protestants therefore challenge any other righteousnesse besides that of Christs which is imputed Prot. They doe acknowledge a Sanctification or inherent righteousnes in the same sence as the auncient Fathers tooke the Word but not as Iesuits of late mistake it We haue righteousnesse inherent or subsisting in vs according to the which we shall be iudged but not according to the which wee shall be iustified You make your righteousnesse to goe before as the cause we ours to come after as the effect of Iustification You suppose yours so absolute as to euict from God all wee expect from ours is but to testifie vnto men that we are iustified You bragge of a perfection of degrees wee onely teach a perfection of parts in our righteousnesse For as in the dawning of the day euery part of the heauens is enlightened though none as yet in a full and compleat splendour so after the Act of Iustification apprehended by faith euery facultie of the soule is sanctified and made righteous the vnderstanding the will the affections the thoughts the words the deedes but none of those so exactly perfect as to implead a Iustification at the throne of