Church c Heb. 1.1 and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the Truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh and malice of Satan and of the world to commit the same wholly unto Writing d Prov. 22.19 20 21. Luk. 1.3 4. Rom. 15.4 Mat. 4.4 7 10. Isa 8.19 20. which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary e 2 Tim. 3.15 2 Pet. 1.19 those former wayes of Gods revealing his will unto his people being now ceased f Heb. 1.1 2. II. Vnder the name of holy Scripture or the word of God written are now contained all the Books of the Old and New-Testament which are these Of the Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshuah Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament The Gospels according to Matthew Mark Luke John the Acts of the Apostles Pauls Epistles to the Romans Corinthians 1. Corinthians 2. Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians 1. Thessalonians 2. to Timothy 1. to Timothy 2. to Titus to Philemon the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Epistle of James the first and second Epistles of Peter the first second and third Epistles of John the Epistle of Jude the Revelation of John All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of Faith and Life g Luk. 16.29 31. Eph. 2.20 Rev. 22.18 19. 2 Tim. 3.16 III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other humane writings h Luk. 24.27 44. Rom. 3.2 2 Pet. 1.21 IV. The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church but wholy upon God who is truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the word of God i 2 Pet. 1.19 21. 2 Tim. 3.16 1 John 5.9 1 Thess 2.13 V. Wee may bee moved and induced by the Testimony of the Church to an high and reverend esteeme of the Holy Scripture k 1 Tim. 3.15 and the Heavenliness of the matter the efficacy of the Doctrine the majesty of the stile the consent of all the parts the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God the full discovery it makes of the onely way of mans salvation the many other incomparable excellencies and the intire perfection thereof are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the word of God yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts l 1 John 2.20.27 John 16.13 14. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. Isai 59.21 VI. The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory mans salvation faith and life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequenet may be deduced from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new revelations of the spirit or traditions of men m 2 Tim. 3.15.16 17. Gal. 1.8 9. 2 Thes 2.2 nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word n John 6.45 1 Cor. 2.9 10.12 and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and Government of the Church common to humane actions and societies which are to be ordered by the light of Nature and Christian prudence according to the general rules of the Word which are alwayes to be observed o 1 Cor. 11.13 14. 1 Cor. 14.26.40 VII All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all p 1 Pet. 3.16 yet those things which are necessary to be known beleeved and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the learned but the unlearned in a due use of the ordinary means may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them q Psal 119.105 130. VIII The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the native language of the people of God of Old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediatly inspired by God and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages are therefore authenticall r Mat. 5.18 so as in all controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them Å¿ Isa 8.20 Acts 15.15 John 5.39 46. but because these originall tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them t Joh. 5.39 therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every Nation into which they come u 1 Cor. 14.6.9 11 12 24 27 28. that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may worship him in an acceptable manner w Col. 3.16 and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope x Rom. 15.4 IX The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture which is not manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly y 2 Pet. 1.20 21. Act. 15.15 16. X. The supreme Judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Counsels opinions of ancient Writers Dostrins of men and private Spirits are to be examined and in whose sentence we are to rest can be no other but the holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture z Mat. 22 29 31. Eph. 2 20. with Acts 28.25 The late ASSEMBLIES Confession of FAITH Examined CHAP. I. Of the holy Scriptures IN This Chapter you give an honourable testimony in many thiings to the testimony of truth that is the holy Scriptures yet some things very unwarrantable and no less prejudicial to truth have here as elsewhere slipped from you For first you say Section 1. That those former ways of Gods revealing his will unto his people are now ceased where if you by those former wayes understand such wayes and meanes whereby God either ordinarily instructed the people as he taught the Families of the Patriarches by the Patriarches themselves Gen. 18.19 and the people of the old world by the
preaching of Noah 2 Pet. 2.5 or extraordinarily by Angels Dreams Visions Inspirations and the like revealed his will to the Prophets and Apostles of old you are very much mistaken For as Gods arm is not now shortened so neither is his care good will and love towards the sons of men changed He hath of late as elsewhere so in Wirtembergh spoken to a servant of his by an Angel and forewarned them of the return and reinvasion of the Turks to chastise all those parts of Europe for their wickedness And for raising up of Prophets upon special occasion consider these ensuing Scriptures among many others Numb 12.6 If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream Where the Lord speaketh of that which is his usual course and practise and that which he will continue to do Isai 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Amos 3.7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he first revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets Joel 2.28 29. And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your Daughters shall Prophefie and your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions c. Matth. 28.34 Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them yee shall kill c. Rev. 6 9 10 11. Among other things to come John saw when Christ had opened the fift seal under the Altar the soules of them lying which were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held c. and heard that more of them should be slain Now this their Testimony is not onely called the Testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 12.17 but also the Spirit of prophesie it self Rev. 9 10. Even when Babylon is not onely come to her height but her downfal also there are Apostles and Prophets found in the Church who are called to rejoyce at her overthrow Rev. 18.20 Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her see also vers 24. For in her was found the blood of holy Prophets and of Saints and of all that are slain upon the Earth To all which add that of Wisdom 7.27 For shee that is Wisdom being but one can do all things and remaining in her self she maketh all things new and in all ages entring into holy souls she makes them friends of God and Prophets Out of all which and many Scriptures more it is evident that the Lord wil have Prophets in all ages and especially when he is about to bring extraordinary Judgments upon the World in generall and the Churches in speciall and that the last times shall abound most of all with the prophetical Spirit so that these extraordinary ways of Gods revealing himself neither are ceased nor shall determine in the Militant Church Secondly in the third Section you Words are these The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scriptures and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other humane Writings Where we cannot but wonder at three things First that you should equal those Books to other humane Writings without any discrimination for you know that some humane Writings are prophane some meerly fabulous some obscene some impious some blasphemous and some Atheistical Secondly that you should give the Books in the generall commonly called Apocryphal no preheminence above other humane Writings since you know that they cannot only plead their Antiquity but Gods special preservation that the Church and Saints have bin their Treasurers and Library keepers that they have been bound up and translated in various Languages with the other Oracles of God which by all are acknowledged Canonicall that they have been allowed and appointed to be read not only in private but publickly Nor are you ignorant what an high esteem both Saint Augustine and other Fathers had of them above all humane Writings though they did not hold them coequal every way with those commonly called Canonicall And lastly we marvail that you should use no distinction at all concerning these Books but pass the same censure upon them all alike Since that the Book of Tobit or Tobias is extant in the Hebrew as wel as Greek and Latin the Book of Ecclesiasticus was translated out of the Hebrew text by Jesus the son of Sirach as himself confesseth This Book with the Book of Wisdom breaths forth such a spirit of Wisdom and Holiness that it may be said Non vox hominem sonat that it transcends all humane capacity To say nothing that the words which the Apostle hath Hebrews chap. 1. vers 3. Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person c. seem to be taken out of the 7 chap. of Wisdom vers 26. these words Hebr. 11.5 That he had pleased God are taken out of Wisd 4.10 compare 1 Cor. 6.2 with Wisd 3.8 More especially the fourth Book of Esdras is acknowledged by Clemens Alexandrinus Faber and many more learned men to be written by inspirement of the Holy Ghost It is owned as Canonicall by diverse holy Prophets of later times Our Saviour cites these words which are written Mat. 23.37 38 How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate out of the second Book of Esdras chap. 1. vers 30. Many things shewed to St John in the Revelation are found in that Book It is doubtless a most lively prediction of these last times and the great famine and generall desolation spoken of in the last Chapter which is now in his accomplishment will ere long convince all the world that this Book is or should be Canonicall When you shal shortly see three Emperours at once in Europe one set up by the Pope another by the Princes and People and then the great Turk usurping that place and dignity think upon Esdras his vision of the Eagle with three heads Chap. 11.12 Thirdly Whereas you say in the sixth Section That nothing at any time is to be added to the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament whether by new relations of the Spirit or Traditions of men We desire to know what warrant you have thus to determine If you say that Rev. 22 18. it is written that if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this Book We answer that so much in effect was forbidden long before as Prov. 30.6 Add thou not unto his words least be reprove thee and thou be found a lier Yet many Books of the Holy Prophets and Apostles have been added since the written word of those times yea the same inhibition was given by Moses Deut. 4.2 and 12 32. Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Therefore this addition thus prohibited must necessarily be understood of any new Doctrine in substance differing from the Old even that of Moses But that there should be a vindication of the same when misunderstood or a more full and free publication of the same by the Prophets of the Old-Testament or inspired men of the New is not interdicted but rather promised It is true the whole Counsel of God concerning the glorifying of God and mans salvation is revealed in the New-Testament and so it was even in the Pentateuch of Moses Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our Children for ever that we may do the words of the Law Now look what reasons can be rendered why new books of Holy Scripture should be written after Moses by the Prophets of the Old Testament and after both by the Prophets and Apostles of the New Testament and the self same will plead for other Scriptures to be yet written after both If it be said that the Devil in time brought in a false understanding of Moses and so corrupted both the Civil and Ecclesiastical Estate and therefore it was necessary that Prophets should be raised up to cleer the Doctrine of Moses to reprove Princes Priests and Prophets to restore the Truth and worship of God and to foretell things to come whether good or evil c. And that in process of time when Satan had corrupted Moses and the Prophets with false glosses perverted the civil Government defiled 〈◊〉 Ministers and worship of God That for the Reformation of these and all other abuses as also to record what was fulfilled in their daies and to prophesie of future things the Apostles and inspired men of the New Testament were appointed to write the respective Books thereof we shall crave leave to demand these things of you again First Whether Satan that old and malicious perverter of all truths and goodness be not alive and as vigilant and active as heretofore Secondly Whether it was not foretold even in the New Testament that there should be a departure from the Faith as before 2 Thes 2.3 1 Tim. 4.1 Luk. 18 8. That there should be false Teachers in the last daies who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 2. c. which Jude in his Epistle testifies also That the whole Book of God should become a sealed Book Rev. 5.1 c. That a smoake ascending out of the bottomless pit should darken the Sun and the Air Rev. 9.2 That the two witnesses which prophesie in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and threescore daies or years which can be no other then the two Testaments as most spiritual men conclude were to be slain deprived of light and life for a time Rev. 11 8 to 12. That iniquity should so abound that all love and true goodness should decay Matthew 24.12 2 Timothy 3.1 2 3 4 5. c. That there should be false Christs and false Prophets which should preach those Christs Matth. 24.24 That Antichrist the son of perdition should fit in the Temple of God as if he were God or Christ 2 Thess 2.3 4 5 6 7. c. And finally that for the most part the visible Church with her severall Sects should become a great Harlot calling her self the Spouse of Christ and committing Whoredomes daily against Him his holy example and righteous Life and Kingdom which should be orabide in us being full of names of Blasphemy the most wicked of every Sect or Profession calling themselves â—â—e Temple and Tabernacle of God and the Saints of Christ Rev. 17.1 2. Thirdly whether Christ himself shall not come again in the Spirit to reveal Antichrist to consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and to destroy him with the brightness of his coming 2 Thess 2.8 Luke 18.8 To binde Satan and seal him up in the bottomless pit that he deceive not the Nations as before Revel 20.1 2. and to shorten the dayes of seducement contention and mutuall destruction in the Churches for the Elect sake lest no flesh should bee saved Mat. 24.22 23. Fourthly whether the Gospel is not to be preached anew to the whole world after all this ignorance error and corruption brought in Mat. 24.12 13 14. And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall grow cold but he that endureth unto the end the same shall be saved And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall bee preached in all the World for a witness to all Nations and then shall the end come to wit the end of Babylon or of the false and wicked Jerusalem of the Gentiles spoken of in that Chapter under the type of the former proud factious contentious bloody Christ-murthering City of which Christ took occasion to speak Vers 1 2. Nor was this universall publication of the Gospel fulfilled in the Apostles days but was foreshewed to St John as a thing yet to com Re. 14 6 7. And I saw another Angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and kindred and tongue and people saying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come That is upon the last wicked Jerusalem before mentioned Whereupon the fall of Babylon follows vers 8. And the curse of him that worshipeth the Beast or his image vers 9. both which Babylon and the Beast become clearly laid open by the said preaching of the Gospel Fifthly Whether there shall not another Elias arise after John Baptist to prepare the way for Christs spiritual coming to purge and renue the earth and to judge and govern the world in righteousness according to manifold promises and prophesies Isai 2.1 2 3 4. Micah 4.1 2 3. Jsa 11.2 3 4 5 6 and chap. 54.5 Dan. 7.14 27. Zach. 14.9 Psal 96.9 10 11 12 13. and Psal 98.1 9. The reason of this Querie is taken from the express words of our Saviour Matth. 17.11 Jesus answered and said unto them Elias truely shall first come and restore all things where he granteth that there is another Elias yet to come besides John Baptist already come spoken of in the verse following Sixthly Whether there shall not in time be a cleerer and more free dispensation of all truths after the Apostles dayes then in those or any former times Luk 12.3 Therefore whatsoever ye
have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear and closets shall be proclaimed upon the house topps Seventhly Whether the Apostle reciteing the parts and holy vessels of the Tabernacle in order Hebr. 9.1 2 3 4 5. and telling us ver 5. of which things we cannot now speak particularly to wit by way of exposition do not imply that a time should come wherein all those things and likewise all other mistical things of the Old and New-Testament should be opened and declared The Holy Scriptures being written for our instruction here upon earth and not in heaven or after this life 8. Whether this Gospel which is to be published to all Nations shall not be written as well as the former was that it may be so published especially since it is called an Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 shall it not be written for the ages to come as the Old and New Testament were before 9. Yea may not those Waters which issued out of the Temple Ezek. 47.1 c. and Joel 3.18 Zach. 14.8 Rev. 22.1 be understood as of all the gifts of the Spirit so of Gods most pure and holy doctrine which shall then proceed from the mouth and pen of the Holy Ghost as is promised Isa 2.2 3 4 c. especially since the Word of God is expresly compared to Water Jo. 15.3 Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you Eph. 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word 10. Shall that Spirit of God which is to be powred out in the last dayes upon all flesh lose his writing faculty which he formerly had and used in precedent ages 11. Shall not the Art of Printing or gift of God bestowed upon the last age be made the instrument of Gods Holy Spirit to publish his sacred and infallible Truth as well as it hath been made Satans way of disspreading his falshoods But to conclude this point let us entreat you of the Synod if you have any Germanes sitting among you to enquire of them or others what inspired men or professing to be such even of their Nation have written any Gospel to the whole world within six score yeares last past and whether some one of them hath not written more then all the Books of the New Testament amount to If so it may concern them you and us to finde them out to read them with diligence and earnest prayer to God for true enlightening judgement and guidance to compare and examine them not with the Writings of men bee they who they will but with and by the Holy Scriptures themselves for the Holy Ghost cannot contradict it self If we finde upon due search any such grace and mercy vouchsafed to this last age it may shew the true cause why Germany before and above all other Countreys according to that Acts 3.22 23. hath bin plagued and also afford us a present mean and expedient whereby all controversies in Religion may be decided from Gods own mouth and hold forth a true Modell to reform all Churches and Commonwealths by Sed verbum sat Sapientibus Fourthly and lastly in the tenth Section of this Chapter you say The supreme Judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councels opinions of Ancient Writers Doctrines of men and private Spirits are to bee examined and in whose sentence we are to rest can be no other but the holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures If you had added these words to private Spirits even publique Spirits also or pretending to be such we would have closed with you in that enumeration and have acknowledged that the Holy Ghost yet left at large must be the only supreme Judge to wit either speaking in the holy Scripture or without it although in all his determinations of Doctrine he doth speak according to former Scriptures And hence it is that for the tryall of Spirits in his dayes Isaiah sends men to the Law and the Testimony Isa 8.20 And Saint Paul in his time transmits men to the former Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 And the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets And accordingly for the tryall of new or late professing Prophets we are to examine their Doctrine by the former Writings of the Old and New-Testament but not by our own or our private Authors corrupt and darkned Iudgments For the true Prophets were sent to judg and reprove our Errors and not to be judged or condemned by us 1 Cor. 2.15 The only exception that we take against your tenth and last section is this That you limit the holy Ghost as if he was inherent in the Scriptures or could not determinate without the same when he pleaseth saying It is the holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture Howbeit if you meant no more by that expression then this That the Holy Ghost which first dictated the Scripture or still speakes in them being taken in his own sense We admit it to be true but your exposition there is both obscure and ambiguous CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity THere is but one onely a Deu. 6.4 1 Cor. 8.4.6 living and true God b 1 Thess â—9 Jer. 10.10 Who is infinite in Being and Perfection c Job 11.7.8.9 Job 26.14 a most pure Spirit d Joh. 4.21 invisible e 1 Tim. 1.17 without body parts f Deut. 4.15 16. John 4.24 with Luk. 24.39 or passions g Acts 14.11 15. immutable h Jam. 1.17 Mal. 3.6 immense i 1 Ki. 8.27 Jer. 23.23 24. eternal k Psa 90.2 1 Tim. 1.17 incomprehensible l Psal 135.3 almighty m Gen 17.1 Revel 4.8 most wise n Rom 16.27 most holy o Isa 6.3 Revel 4.8 most free p Psal 115.3 most absolute q Exod 3.14 working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will r Ephes 1.11 for his own glory Å¿ Prov 16.14 Rom 11.36 most loving t 1 John 4.8 16. gratious merciful long suffering abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin u Exod 34 6 7. the rewarder of them that diligently seek him w Hebr 11.6 and withall most just and terible in his judgments x Nehem 9.32.33 hating all sin y Psal 5.5 6. and will by no means clear the guilty z Nahum 1.2 3. Exod 34.7 II. God hath all life a Joh 5.26 glory b Acts 7.2 goodness c Psal 119.68 blessedness d 1 Tim 6.15 Rom 9.5 in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient not standing in need of any creature which he hath made e Acts 17.4 25. nor deriving any glory from them f Job 22.2 3. but onely manifesting his own glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone fountain of all Being of whom through
for not suffering him to mould them a new as that Potter had done Fourthly That the Lord forms not men anew by force or violence as the Potter did the senseless clay but works upon them as rational creatures and free Agents by perswading them and drawing them as is evident from the 7. verse to the 12. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome c. Lastly That the better a vessel is that is so made out of a depraved lump the more honour it is for the work man c. Object 18. Rom. 9 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Whence some collect that it is God that hath so fitted them Answ First It is not said that they were created but fitted for destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly It is not so much as implyed much less affirmed that they were so fitted by the Lord. Thirdly The clear contrary is imported where it is said that he hath with much or great long sufferance endured these vessels of wrath For if God created or designed them purposely for destruction things had succeeded according to his own hearts desire when they went on in fin and rebellion but in as much as he heartily desired their repentance and return in order to their salvation hence it was that he bear their multiplyed provocations and their contumacies against his grace with much irksomness and long sufferance the end whereof was salvation as the Apostles teach 2 Pet. 3.15 Rom. 2.4 Object 19. Rom. 9.23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory Whence it may seem that God hath prepared these vessels from eternity for this their glory Answ Note first That no such vessels since the fall can be vessels of glory till they be prepared thereunto that is purged from corruption and renued 2 Tim. 2.21 Secondly That the preparing and fitting of these vesfor the main part and power of the work is attributed to God in express tearms and so was not the fitting of the vessels of wrath aforesaid Thirdly That this preparing of the vessels of glory is said to precede glory but it is not here attributed to Gods eternal decree Lastly That both the glory and the preparation of the vessels thereunto is of grace and so ordained to Gods glory Object 20. St. Peter saith Epist 1. Chap. 2. ver 7.8 Vnto you therefore which beleeve he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the the same is made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto they were also appointed It seems then that some were fore-appointed to take offence at Christ and to stumble at that rock Answ It is granted that some were fore ordained thereunto and that it was foretold also that they should do so Isai 8.14 yet neither simply nor yet absolutely or irrespectively but as their punishment for their former pride upon their own self conceited wisdom holiness and righteousness and for their obstinacy also And so much seems to be intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being dosobedient namely before For it is usual that former sins especially a refractary disposition should be plagued with after and succeeding perverseness Psal 81 11.12 But my people would not bearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own councels Read Rom. 1.25.32 And the like answer we give to that place of St Jude verse 4. For there are certain men crept in among you who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into laciviousness and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ For first The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this condemnation shews it to be a punishment And secondly The cause of this condemnation is shewed in the words following ungodly men they were c. These are all the principal Objections which we could now call to minde and we hope though briefly and plainly yet they are sufficiently answered to the satiffaction of all understanding and impartial men True it is that this Argument rather required a Treatise then so short a Discourse but as you are succinct so we must not too far enlarge CHAP. IV. Of the Creation IT pleased God the Father Son and Holy Ghost a Heb 1.2 Jo 1.2 3. Gen 1.2 Job 26.13 Job 33.4 for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power wisdome and goodness b Rō 1.20 Jer 10.12 Ps 104.24 Ps 13.5 6. in the beginning to create or make of nothing the world and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six dayes and all very good c Gen 1. c. Heb 11.3 Col 1.16 Act 17.24 II. After God had made all other creatures he created man male and female d Gen 1.27 with reasonable and immortall souls e Gen 27. with Eccl. 12.7 and Luk 23.43 and Mat. 10.28 indued with knowledge righteousness and true holiness after his own Image f Gen. 1.26 Col 3.10 Eph. 4.24 having the Law of God written in their hearts g Rom 2.14 15. and power to fullfill it h Eccles 7.29 and yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the liberty of their own will which was subject unto change i Gen. 3.6 Eccl. 7.29 Beside this law written in their hearts they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which while they kept they were happy in their communion with God k Gen. 2.27 Gen 3.8 9 10 11 23. and had dominion over the creatures l Gen 1.26 28. CHAP. IV. Of the Creation examined IN the last Chapter you bewrayed a world of defects but here a defect of worlds you making mention but of one and that of the least importance and concernment to mankind whereas the Holy Ghost in the Scripture points out a plurality of worlds and some of them no less glorious to the Creator nor beneficial to men then this present outward world of which you speak For is it not expresly written Heh 1.1 2. That God hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom be hath appointed heir of all things by whom also be made the world Yea was it not an Article of faith in the Apostles dayes that God had so done For the Author of that Epistle after a description and encomion of faith Heb. 11.1 2. speaks thus ver 3. through saith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear If you answer
ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Was not new righteousness put into these men And were they not thereby washed sanctified and justified these three words expressing one and the same thing see also Tit. 3.4 5 6. But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour unto man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that so being justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Where you see again that the Apostle makes regeneration in Christ and justification to be the self same thing as we intimated in the foregoing Chapter Yea in the whole dispute about justification by Christ the Apostle Paul useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to justifie either for that part of justification which we commonly call mortification or that other part which we usually term vivification or for both as Rom. 6.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that is dead to wit with Christ is justified freed or purged from sin In this notion doth the Apostle use the word Act. 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified or cleansed from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rev. 22.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is He that is unjust will be so let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is or will be righteous let him be justified or righteous still and that is holy let him be sanctified still Where justification and sanctification are the same thing so Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Where righteousness and strength being joyned together the words must be understood of an internal righteousness through which our sins and corruptions are purged out And therein lies our justification as the next verse imports Yea if mortification be not comprehended under the word justification it is wholly left out in that golden chain so much spoken of and so little understood Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom be did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified In this sense Cyprian useth the word frequently and among prophane authors Catullus thus Justificam nobis mentem avertere deorum And so must the word of necessity be meant by the Apostle Rom. 5.8 as appeareth there by the opposition of our state as sinners to our justified estate But God commendeth his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being now iustified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath thruogh him And so must the same word be taken Rom. 3.24 25. Gal 2.17 We grant indeed that the word is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and variously used as for defending our selves or others as just Luke 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men c. for absolving or declaring one just Rom. 8 33 34. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth for predicating or magnifying some person or thing Mat. 11.19 But wisdom is justified of her children But all these are founded upon that moral sense of being just or made just or of being free from unrighteousness which is the Apostles sense in all his discourse of justification by Christ Thirdly you say positively That God justifieth by pardoning of sins but though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used sometimes for the puting away of sins and that by regeneration Luk. 1.77 Eph. 1.7 and elswhere as well as for the pardon of sins Yet justification in Saint Pauls sense lieth not in remission of sins Fourthly you say positively also That God justifies men by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous and you mean he doth so while they are otherwise both in heart and life But God accounts of every man as he is and though he is so gracious as to pardon the guilt of sins forsaken and repented of and ready also in Christ both to cleanse us and renew us because he would not have us dye in our iniquities yet as he speaks to Moses he will by no means clear the guilty or such as continue in evil Exod. 34.7 He is a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Doth not he search the heart and try the reines that he may give to every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.20 See what he saith Micah 6.10 11. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable shall I count them pure with the wicked balances and the bag of deceitful weights God indeed is said to justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 Yet not by accounting him righteous when he is wicked but by cleansing and renewing him and so making him of ungodly a godly and righteous person Fifthly you say God justifies them not for any thing that is wrought in them which is false for it is by something wrought in us that we are justified and sanctified and by something wrought in us also that we are justified that is declared just before God and men in Jesus Christ Sixthly you say That such are justified for Christs sake alone which is true of Christ and his work within us but not of Christ and his obedience without us as you mean it But why do you in these two last passages oppose that which is wrought in us to Christ as if the father and his Christ with the Holy Ghost were not the makers of every good work in the unregenerated Seventhly you say That God in this work imputeth not faith or the act of believing unto us for righteousness contrary to express Scriptures Is it not written Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 Gal 3.6 that Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness that is the Lord accepted his believing whereby he gave him that honor of his truth omnipotency and faithfulness as an acceptable duty at his hand and rewarded it with the promised righteousness as St. James speaks chap. 2.23 Yea doth not the Apostle speak thus expresly Rom. 4.23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but to us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead Eighthly you say That God doth not impute any other Evangelical obedience to men for their righteousness wherein you run full butt against the whole stream of the Scriptures of the Old and New
to their authority and the exercise of it over their Brethren CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day THE light of Nature sheweth that there is a God who hath Lordship and soveraignty over all is good and doth good unto all and is therefore to be feared loved praised called upon trusted in and served with all the heart with all the soul and with all the might a Ro 1.20 Act 17 14 Psa 119.68 Jer 7.10 Psal 31.23 Psal 18.3 Ro 10.12 Psal 62.8 Josh 24.14 Mar 12.33 But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself so limitted by his own revealed wil that he may not be Worshiped according to the imaginations and devises of men or the suggestions of Satan under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in holy Scripture b Deu 12.32 Mat 15.9 Acts 17.25 Mat 4.9.10 Deut 4.15 to 20. Exod 20.4 5 6. Col 2.23 II. Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to him alone c Mat. 4.10 with John 5.23 and 2 Cor 13.14 not to Angels Saints or any other creature d Col 2.18 Rev 19.10 Rom 1.25 and since the fall not without a Mediatour nor in the mediation of any other then of Christ alone e Joh 14.6 1 Tim. 2.5 Eph 2.18 Col 3.17 III. Prayer with thanksgiving being one special part of Religious worship f Phil 4.16 't is by God required of all men g Psa 85.2 and that it may be accepted it is to be made in the name of the Son h John 14.13 14. 1 Pet 2.5 by the help of his Spirit i Ro 8.26 according to his will k 1 Joh 5.4 with understanding reverence humility fervency faith love and perseverance l Psa 47.7 Eccl 5.12 Heb 12.28 Gen 18.27 Jam 5.16 Jam 1.6 7 Mar 11.24 Mat 6.12 14 15. Col 4.2 Eph 6.18 and if vocal in a known tongue m Cor 14.14 IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful n Joh 5.14 and for all sorts of men living or that shall live hereafter o 1 Tim 1.1 2. Joh 17.20 2 Sam 7.29 Rut 4.12 but nor for the dead p 2 Sam 12.21 22 23. with Luke 16.25.26 Rev 14.13 nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death q 1 Joh 5.5 V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear r Act 15.21 Rev 1.3 the sound preaching Å¿ 2 Tim 4.2 and conscionable hearing of the Word in obedience unto God with understanding faith and reverence t Jam 1.22 Acts 10.33 Mat 13.10 Heb 4.2 Isa 66.2 singing of Psalms with grace in the heart u Col 3.16 Eph 5.19 Jam 5.13 as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the Sacraments instituted by Christ are all parts of the ordinary Riligious Worship of God w Mat 28.19 1 Cor. 11 23 to 29. Acts 2 12. beside Religious Oaths x Deut 6.13 with Neh 10.29 Vows y Isa 19.21 with Eccles 5.4 5. Solemn Fastings z Joel 2.12 Esther 4.16 Matth 9.15 1 Cor 7.5 and Thanksgivings upon special occasions a Psal 107. throughout Esth 9.12 which are in their several times and seasons to be used in an holy and religious manner b Heb 12.28 VI. Neither prayer nor any other part of Religious Worship is now under the Gospel either tyed unto or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed or towards which it is directed e Joh 4.21 but God is to be Worshiped every-where d Mal 1.11 1 Tim 2.8 in Spirit and in Truth e Joh 4 23 24. as in private Families f Jer 10.25 Deu. 6.6.7 Job 1.5 2 Sam 6.18 20. 1 Pet 3.7 Acts 10 2. daily g Mat. 6.11 and in secret each one by himself h Mat 6.6 Eph 6.18 so more solemnly in the publick Assemblies which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken when God by his word or providence calleth thereunto i Is 56.6.7 Heb 10.25 Pro. 1 20.21 24. Acts 13.24 Luk 4.16 Acts 2.42 VII As it is the Law of Nature that in general a due proportion of time be set apart for the Worshiping of God so in his Word by a positive Moral and perpetual Commandment binding all men in all Ages he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him k Exo 20.8.10.11 Isa 56.2 4 5 6 7. which from the beginning of the World to the resurrection of Christ was the last Day of the week and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week l Gen 2.2.3 1 Cor 16.1 2. Acts 20.7 which in Scripture is called the Lord's Day m Rev 1.10 and it to be continued to the end of the World as the Christian Sabbath n Exod 20.8 10. with Mat 5.17.18 VIII This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord when men after a due preparing of their hearts and ordering of their common affaires before hand do not onely observe an holy rest all the Day from their own works words and thoughts about their worldly imployment and recreations o Ex 20.8 Exod 16.23 25 26 29.30 Exod 31.15 16 17. Isa 58.13 Neh 13.15 16 17 18 19 21 22. but also are taken up the whole time in the publick and private exercises of his Worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy p Isa 58.13 Mat 12.1 to 13. CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and of the Sabboth Day examined IN the foregoing Chapters you gave us a scantling of your faith and here you exhibite a view of your piety or Religion but as your faith was many wayes unsound so your Religion for the greatest part will prove a will worship and both it and the time you allot thereunto are so ungrounded that we can neither Sabbatize in your worship nor worship your sabboth with you You have here touched many things that concern that worship as the object the rule the part or subject with which the supposed matter the Place and time of it after your manner but we cannot but wonder at four things first your strange omissions secondly some truths which break from you at unawares contradicting what you said before thirdly your gross mistakes and lastly your confident affirming of things most false and destitute of foundation For the first it is no small matter of wonderment to us that you neither shew us what the worship of God is nor of what latitude in the general nor how many kinds there be of it nor wherein Gods principal eternal and saving worship lieth especially since the holy Scriptures are so clear in all the four which set forth unto us First that to worship God is all one as to fear him serve him and glorifie him Mat. 4.10 It
is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalts thou serve with Deut. 6.13 and 10.20 See Revelations 14.7 Secondly that our obedience to God and his worship in general are of equal latitude John 9 13. Now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of him and do his will him he heareth Thirdly that there are many kinds and degrees of divine worship as the worship of Angels which they owe to God Psal 97.7 Worship him all ye gods and the worship due from men Rev. 19.10 worship thou God This humane worship is manifold As first either Typical or real Rom. 7.6 That we should now serve him in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter Secondly A glorifying or worshipping him inwardly and another which is done only in an outward manner Isa 29.13 14. For as much as this people draw neer unto me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work c. Matth 15.8 and 7.6 c. Thirdly that there is a primary and secondary Worship the former instituted for it self and accepted in it self the other for and in the former only Hos 6.6 For I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledg of God more then burnt offerings Fourthly and lastly the primary immutable and salutiferous worship of God of which you speak no one word either in this your Confession of Faith or in your directory for worship in the name of a divine worship stands in the following of God and walking with him in his loving and everlasting righteousness as these places fully evict God created man in his own Image and similitude Gen. 1.27 to wit that therein he should serve and worship his God and Christ is given for this end Luk. 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life and not in one day in seven as you imagine Thus Enoch walked with God Gen. 5.24 So did Noah Gen. 6.9 Thus God required of Abraham that he should walk before him or with him and be perfect in that way Gen. 17.1 this was the Religion that Abraham taught his family even by Gods own testimony Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his children and houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham the thing which he hath spoken of him Thus the Prophets Catechised and instructed the people Micah 6.6 Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the most higâ—h God that is the question to which he answers ver 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self to walk with thy Godâ— Thus Phynehas and the holy priests both walked and taught Malachy 2 6. The Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lipps he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many from iniquity This is that worship in the Spirit or work of the Spirit which is required by the father John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth where the word Spirit is by a metony my put for the work of the Spirit for the whole fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph 5.9 and the word Truth there implies the whole divine nature or new creature in opposition to the typicall services Thus the Apostle shews both wherein the Kingdom of God and his acceptable worship lyeth Ro. 14.17 18. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousand peace and joy in the holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth the Lord Christ is accepted of God and approved of men Thus far concerning your omissions whereof this last is a most gross defect in them that would teach a whole Kingdom the way of Religion rightly For the truths which you have here at unawares confessed they are principally three all which reflect upon your selves The first is that where in the first Section you affirm That the very light of nature sheweth that there is a God who hath Lordship and Soveraignty over all who is good and doth good unto all and is therefore to be feared loved praised called upon trusted in and served with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the might If then the light of nature extend so far why may not all men be saved if they walke according to that light in turning to that God thus made known unto them in following him and serving him in all the wayes of his righteousness and goodnes in calling upon him for the pardon of their sins the healing of their errors and corruptions the leading of them into all truth and righteousness especially if illuminating grace be added thereto which truth you have denyed before Secondly you say in the same Section That Gods worship is so limited by himself and his revealed will that he is not to be worshipped after the imaginations and devices of men which is most true but it fals soul upon your worship here described which is for the most part a meer imagination and humane invention or tradition as it is obtruded upon us for a worship which we will shew by and by Thirdly in you fourth Section you say that prayer is to be made for things lawful and for all sorts of men living or that shall live hereafter who sin not the sin unto death but not for those that are dead If prayer should and must be made for all sorts of men that do or that shall live hereafter then either there is no absolute decree in God to debar men of salvation or we must pray expresly against Gods will or in our prayers not seek mens salvation which how it contradicts your former doctrine we shall report it to your selves and others Thirdly for the mistakes they are neither smal nor few in this place For first you take it for granted that there is an outward worship of God instituted by Christ in the new Testament in lieu of that ceremonial worship of the old Testament new accomplished and abrogated by Christ Secondly That there hath been an outward worship of God instituted from the Creation and a set time even the seventh day from the Creation appointed thereunto all which are meer dreams For though the Fathers before and after the Flood sometimes sacrificed voluntarily or by instinct it were as a monument of Christs inward sufferings with his future passion and to represent the way wherein we must follow
him into life but there was no prescript or set form of outward worship enjoyned to the sons of men till the dayes of Moses nor then to any others but the Israelites and that when they were mad upon outward things witness their making of the golden Calf True it is That the holy Prophets and Saints of the primitive Church shortly after the Apostles dayes seeing that the people then were grown outwardly minded also did for unity and edification sake bring in a form of Divine Service called the Liturgy which was both pious and very profitable and how far it may oblige us to observe it we will not here dispute But the forms of worship that now are in the reformed Churches are but prudential and not Jure divino Secondly whereas you make thanksgiving and prayer to be a part of Gods set solemn primary and prescript worship We grant that thansgiving shall be a part of Gods everlasting worship in Heaven but prayer with the reading of the holy Scriptures sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the word the holy administration and receiving of the Sacraments the singing of Psalms extraordinary fasts oaths vows c. all which you make parts of Divine worship are onely holy duties and means appointed by the Lord for the begetting and edifying of his Church but no parts of any set or prescript worship as you imagine yet are they piously and often to be used Thirdly you are mistaken not onely in the matter but in the time which is by you set a part thereunto that being left to the care piety prudence and convenience of the Churches Heb. 10.25 Acts 20.7.8 1 Cor. 5 4. 1 Cor. 11.18 20. Nor doth the fourth Commandment as it is positive bind any but the Israelites nor was the seventh day or the last day of the week to be kept as a Sabboth from the creation till the resurrection of Christ For that which is spoken Gen. 2.3 That God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it may be two wayes understood First by way of Anticipation a thing usual in the Scriptures Exod. 18.33 34 35. Gen. 1.27 Or Secondly it may be spoken of Christ in whom the Father hath rested from all his works and whom he hath blessed and sanctified for ever Neither was that day from the resurrection of Christ changed into the first day of the week by Christ or his Apostles as you affirm His arising upon that day or his appearing to his Disciples upon or shortly after that day without a Commandment to observe it do not any way enforce the observation of it The two places to which you refer us carry also little force with them for that in the Acts Chap. 20.7 We say that the occasion of that meeting was extraordinary to wit Paul being ready to depart the next day and not likely to see them any more sent for them and their meeting was not till the first day of the week was ended for it was in the night that they met And the other place 1 Cor. 16.1 2. not speaking of a publick contribution to be made upon the first day of the week but of a private laying a part of some money for such publike uses rather proves that day to be a working day when the Saints were to begin their next weeks work then an holy day Nor finally is it clear that this day is called the Lords Day and muchless that it was instituted for a perpetual holy day or Christian Sabbath for that place Revel 1.10 seems not to speak of any outward time for when the Prophets and Apostles purpose to intimate the time when they received the word of the Lord they never omit the yeer or moneth as John doth so that if he here would hiâ—t the time it may rather seem he speaks of the annual day of Christs resurrection whose mouth was then well known then of the weekly day But there is an inward and spiritual day of the Lord and so a true and spiritual Lords Day which the Saints hoped for and this as it seems was now appeared unto John Heb. 10.25 But exhorting one another and so much the rather as you see the day approaching 1 Cor. 1.7 8. So that you come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.19 Vntill the day dawn and the day Star arise in your hearts of which coming of his as Christ had given his promise to all his disciples Joh. 14.18 I will not leave you Orphans I will come again unto you So he in special intimates that John should live to see the same and share therein John 21.22 Jesus speaking of John saith thus to Peur If I will that he shall tarry till I come what is that to thee which coming of Christs can be no other then that his spiritual coming promised John 14.21 25. And indeed those latter words Rev. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lords day seem to expound the former words I was in the spirit and to declare what measure and degree of the spirit he had then attained when he received that revelation Howsoever most certain it is that the observation of our Lords Day was first taken up by the voluntary and prudential act of the Primitive Churches and afterwards that day with Wednesday and Friday were commanded to be dayes of holy Assemblies by Constantine the great and other holy Emperors as Ecclesiastical Hystories testifie with one consent and the greatest part of modern writers confess So that your propositions in the seventh Section which we have denyed are very rash and bold assertions some whereof are also very injurious for how can those countreys which have either a perpetual day or a perpetual night for many moneths together every yeer punctually observe such an outward Sabboth as you impose We grant that the fourth Commandement is moral as well as the rest but the morality of it lyeth not in appointing one day in seven for a publike outward worship nor was it appointed for that end by Moses though after he returns from Babylon in part so used but rather for a figurative rest but in resting from our own finful thoughts words and works through the help of Christ in keeping Gods Judgements and Commandements through his assistance and in seeking our eternal sanctification life and rest in him as Clemens Alexandrinus Hieronym and almost all the ancients with the best of our modern writers unanimously agree Christ saith that he Gave the Sabboth to be a sign that he is the Lord that Sanctifieth us Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 and Saint Paul saith That not only the other holy dayes but even the Sabboth were a shadow in the old Testament and the body of them is in Christ Col. 2.16 yea that the Sabboth which is spoken of Esai 58.13 is Christ whom we must not trample under foot by
wicked world or the great destruction come in Matthew 24.12 13 14. That it was necessary that some extraordinary Prophet or Apostle should be raised up in mercy for that end Revelations 14.6.7 And finally That other holy Scriptures and writings as we said before might in time be profitably added to the books of the New Testament to clear and vindicate them from the errors and mistakes of men brought in by Satan in progress of time as those books were written for the like vindication of Moses and the Prophets among other ends To return then to the business in hand besides many other great mistakes of yours in this argument you plainly and fully discover to the whole world that you understand not the mystery either of the Cup or of the Bread and Wine which are the true body and blood of Christ in this Sacrament nor yet the main end of its institution and so upon the matter you are not less but more grosly deceived then the Jews were John 6.52 c. For our Saviour speaking unto them there of his flesh which he would give for the life of the world verse 51. and of the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood if they would have life verse 53. and of the excellency and usefulness of his flesh and blood verse 53 54 55 56 57 58. The Jews understood the same flesh and blood of Christ which you do here even those of his humanity but herein they exceeded you whereas corporal things can be no ways eaten but corporally they conceived and that rightly that if it were his humane flesh and blood that they must feed of they must Canibal like eat and drink the same but you hold that the same must be eaten by Faith that is by conceit and imagination and no otherwise for bodily things must be eaten and drunk in a bodily manner and with bodily organs but spiritual things may be taken in spiritually by Faith We pray you therefore to read this chapter advisedly and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things Where if the Lord remove the scales from your eyes you may observe these things with us That Christ perceiving this their literal and gross understanding of his doctrine concerning his flesh to be eaten and blood to be drunk doth at the 63. verse explain himself and that first negatively and then positively telling them That the flâ—sh which they understood the flesh and blood of his humanity c. profiteth nothing in the way of feeding and quickening the soul dead in sin It is the spi-that quickeneth and it must be spiritual food that must give life strength and nourishment to the soul the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life which come from the spirit and life tend thither and speak of the same yea they are the flesh that I meant ye should eat That is I spake not of a corporall flesh and blood Here you see that it is not his humane flesh and blood that he gives us to feed upon and that by his own testimony Secondly he saith that unless we eat of his flesh and drink of his blood we neither have nor can have life in us vers 53. but Infants and all those that never heard of Christ in the flesh cannot eat of it in your sense that is by faith or imagination whence it will follow according to your Doctrine and conceiving that they cannot possibly have life Thirdly Our Saviour saith verse 56. He that cateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him which you cannot verifie of all those that eat his flesh and drink his blood in your sense and according to your doctrine and conceiving for we finde many rejected by our Saviour and shut out of his Kingdom who had eaten and drunk in his presence Luke 3 25 26 27. but it is most true of the spiritual flesh and blood eaten and drunken rightly Fourthly Our Saviour saith That his flesh is a bread that came down from Heaven verse 58. But his humane flesh and consequently his blood came not from thence Fifthly Our Saviour implies that this food must be both inward and living in those words verse 57. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me Lastly To eat these is to eat Christ If you demand then What is that flesh of Christ that is broken for us and which blood of Christ is it that is here signified We answer to each distinctly First The flesh of Christ is his Word whereby the invisible Word the Deity is made in some sort visible and edible unto us thus Christ the Eternal Word was made flesh to his Disciples and dwelt among them John 1.14 And they afterward saw his glory as of the onely begotten Son of God when he was spiritually incarnate in and with them Thus he told us before by way of explanation of himself John 6.63 what was the flesh that he would have the Jewes and us to feed upon even his Words which are spirit and life Thus Jeremiah speaks of the eating of this word or flesh chap. 15. verse 16. Thy words were found by me and I did eat them And they word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Thus Origen among the other Ancients saith Christiani omni die carnis agni comedunt c. Christians eat of the flesh of the Lamb every day whilst they feed of the flesh of the Word of God This is that Manna from Heaven which is Angels food Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandements bearkening to the voice of his word of which the Manna in the wilderness was a type Psal 78.24 25. He raigned down Manna upon them and gave them of the Corn of Heaven Thus man did eat Angels food he sent them meat to the full All which is more truly to be understood of the word wherewith God fed both them and the Angels before them then of the outward manna which was but a shadow of it Nor was it unusual in the old or new Testament to express the word of God the food of our souls by bread Deut. 8.3 And he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with Manna which thou knowest not neither did thy Fathers know That he might make thee know that man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live where by the way the spiritual mystery both of Manna and of bread is opened Amos 8.11 Behold the daies come that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord where observe this word is no other but that which comes out of the mouth of the Lord or is spoken by his spirit for otherwise how would it be so scarce and hard
the representing of your errours in worse part then it is meant your better information and the saving of your souls and others Finally Since you have set so good bounds between the Civil Magistrate and your selves in your last Section we will not remove the Landmark CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead THE bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption a Gâ—n 3 19 Act 13.36 but their soul which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistance immediately return to God who gave them b Lu 23.43 Eccl 12.1 the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies c Heb 12.13 2 Cor 5.16.8 Phil. 1 23â— Acts 3.20 Eph 4.10 And the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day d Luke 16.23 24. Acts 1.25 Jude 1.6 7 1 Pet 3.19 Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies the Scriptures acknowledg none II. At the last day such as are found alive shall not die but be changed e 1 Thes 4.15 1 Cor 15.5 2. and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies and none other although with different qualities which shall be united again to their souls for ever f Job 19.26 27. 1 Cor 15.42 43 44. III. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour the bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious body g Acts 24.13 John 5.28.29 1 Cor 15.43 Phil 3.21 CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead Examined HERE we could revive a manifold resurrection by you buried in silence one of internal both righteousness and unrighteousness discovered and raised up at our first humiliation by the spirit of God and the work of his Law Rom. 7.7 8 9. Another of men raised up by a work of regeneration some to honour as those that persevere and others to dishonour as those that fall away again Dan. 12.2 Thirdly A spiritual resurrection with Christ after we have been dead with him to sin Rev. 20 6. And lastly the raising up the souls again at our dissolution that it may go to judgement which is called a resurrection Catechristically but because you are now drawing towards a conclusion we shall have the less cause to contest or debate with you These violent motions should grow more remisse and gentle towards the latter end Your first Section comprehends many Propositions which we dare not deny nor shall we much alter them That the bodies of men after death return to dust That then they see corruption That the Soul whether a distinct part from the spirit or no hath an immortal subsistence That the soul sleeps not though many of them be at rest That the spirit returns to God that gave it Ecclesiastes 12 7. That the souls go to God immediately to receive their doom That the souls of the righteous after death are made perfect in happiness not without some access of holiness That those so made perfect are received into the Highest Heaven or into Paradice That those which are so received behold the face of God in life and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies That the Souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day yet we could tell you of some no contemptible Authors and those no Papists who maintain a twofold delivery out of Hell the one made by Christ of the men of the old world at the time of his resurrection for which they alledge Zech. 9.11 and 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and 1 Pet. 4.6 The other to be made at the end of the Chiliasts term of their thousand years Rev. 20.5 But the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand years were ended That besides these two places of the souls separatd from the bodies the Scripture for ought we yet finde makes no cleer mention of any other yet are we not altogether ignorant of what some have written concerning Limbo nor that some which favour not the Church of Rome as Jacob Behman for one do assigne a third place namely the Region of the Land of Canaan to be an Elysian field for the souls of departed Saints because the Lord sware to give the Land to Abraham and his seed for ever But whether the souls of the just shall dye imperfect and have their perfection adjourned to another world as you mean is a quere of some importance and to hold that it must be so positively may prove a dangerous errour For our parts we acknowledge that the Saints in Heaven do obtain no small access and increase as of light and wisdom so of power love holiness peace and joy also for the Apostle saith Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ but to die is gain To which that seems to agree which the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.1 2. For we know that if our earthly Tabernacle of this house were dissolved we have a building given us of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens But that the body of sin may and should be destroyed the workmanship of Satan abolished the righteousness of the law fulfilled and the Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven be fully sought and attained by us through the grace of Christ even in this life we have sufficiently proved before It remains then that we all take heed to the Apostles charge 2 Cor. 7 1.2 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit perfecting our holiness in the fear of God yea let all those that would be counted faithful Ministers in Christ Jesus labour with St. Paul Colos 1.28 to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus As to your 2d Section although the Apostle in that great larger chapter of the resurrection 1 Co. 15. seems to speak onely of the resurrection of the just yet we must grant that all the dead shall be raised according to other Scriptures and namely that of John 5.28 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation But for a conclusion of this chapter may not some be mistaken in thinking the first resurrection which comes not to any till they be first dead with Christ Rom. 6 5. is past already see 2 Tim. 2.18 yea to make our future happiness sure what had been more needful here