of the Apostles 2. Tim. 3. 14. Hence it appeares to be a fault in sundrie priuate persons when they read the Scriptures to gather priuate opinions to broch them to the world This practise hath beene the foundation of heresies and schismes in the Church Secondly Paul writes with consent that he might the better mooue and perswade the Galatians to receiue his doctrine which he is nowe to deliuer Hence it appeares that the Consent of Pastors and people is of great excellencie For the better conceiuing of it and the meaning of the text I will handle three points The first is what is the force of consent wherein stands it and where it is nowe to be found For the first Consent is of force to prepare the heart and to mooue it to beleeue as Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospell except the authoritie of the Church had mooued me And this is all it can doe For it is the word that is the obiect and the cause of our faith the word it selfe workes in vs that faith whereby it is beleeued And Paul in this place vseth consent not to worke a faith in the Galatians but onely to stirre vp a liking of his doctrine Two errors of the Church of Rome must here be auoided One that Consent is a certaine marke of the Church It is false for Consent may be among the wicked in the kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 13. 16. In the kingdome of darkenesse all is in peace Againe dissention may be among the godly as betweene Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter in the church of Corinth there were schismes 1. Cor. 11. Consent therefore simply vnles it be ioyned with true faith and true doctrine is not of force to declare vnto vs the true Church The second errour is that the catholike consent of beleeuers in pointes of religion is the true and liuely scripture and that â—he written word is but a dead letter to it and to be iudged by it for his sense and meaning But all is contrary For the written word is the first perfect pattern of the mind and will of God and the inward consent in the hartes of men is but a rude and imperfect extract and draught of it The second point is wherein standes this consent it must haue his foundation in Christ thence flow to the members as the oile from Aarons head to his garments Psal. 133. and it standes in three things consent in one faith and doctrine consent in affection whereby men be of one hart Act. 2. 47. consent in speach 1. Cor. 1. 10. The third point is where it is now to be found The Papists say that they haue true and perfect consent among themselues and that fathers and Councells be on their side and that we haue no consent among our selues I answer first that they haue not the coÌ„sent which they pretend for the proper points of Popery were not known to the apostles nor to the Apostolicall churches but were taken vp in the ages following by little and litle Secondly such doctrines as the papists make articles of faith are but opinions and coniectures in the fathers and Councles Thirdly the things which the Papists hold are the same peraduenture in name but they are not the same indeede with that which the fathers hold neither are they holden in the same manner as for example the purgatory which the fathers hold is a thing far different from the purgatory of the papists and so all the rest Of consent they may bragge but they cannot shew it As for our selues we all consent in the foundation of religion There is difference about the descent of Christ into hell The thing we all hold namely a descent the difference is in the manner whether it be vertually or locally There is difference about the paines of Christ in his agony and passion yet all acknowledge the infinite merit and efficacy of the death of Christ. There is difference about the gouernement of the visible church on earth For the substance of gouernemant all agree but for the manner of execution and administration they doe not That Christ is present in the Eucharist that his body and blood is there to be eaten and drunken all our churches agree and the difference is only touching the manner of his presence namely whether it be spirituall or locall And this is the mercy of God that in all our differences the foundation of religon is not rased Let vs pray for the continuance and increase of this consent Thus much of the persons that write now follow the churches to which the Epistle is sent to the churches of Galatia At this time the Galatians had made a reuolte and were fallen from iustification by the obedience of Christ so as Paul was affraid of them Chap. 4. and yet he called them churches still vsing great meekenes moderatioÌ„ His example must we follow in giuing iudgement of churches of our time And that we may the better doe this and the better releeue our consciences marke three rules The first is that we must rightly consider of the faultes of churches Some are faultes in manners some in doctrine If the faults of the Church be in manners and these faults appeare both in the liues of ministers and people so long as true religion is taught it is a church so to be esteemed and the ministers must be heard Math. 23. 1. Yet may we seperate from the priuat company of bad men in the church 1. Cor. 5. 11. and if it be in our liberty and choise ioyne to churches better ordered If the errour be in doctrine we must first consider whether the whole church erre or some few therein If the errour be in some and not in all it remaines a church still as Corinth did where some denied the resurrection because a church is named of the better part Secondly we must consider whether the church erre in the foundation or no. If the errour or errours be beside the foundation of religion Paul hath giuen the sentence that they which build vpon the foundation haie and stubble of erronious opinion may be saued 1. Cor. 3. 15. Thirdly inquiry must be made whether the church erre of humane frailty or of obstinacie If it erre of frailty though the error be in the foundation yet it is stil a church as appears by the example of the GalatiaÌ„s Yet if a church shall erre in the foundation openly and obstinately it seperates from Christ and ceaseth to be a church and we may seperate froÌ„ it may giue iudgement that it is no church When the Iewes resisted the preaching of Paul and had nothing to say but to raile Paul then seperated the Church of Ephesus and Rome from them Act. 19. 8. 28. 28. It may here be demaunded why Paul writes to the Galatians as brethren and calls them Churches seeing they haue erred in the foundation and are as he saith vers 6. remooued to another
hearts vpon the outward things of this world because God doth not respect vs for them But we are earnestly to seeke after the things that make vs accepted with God as true faith righteousnes and good conscience Rom. 14. 17. Againe superiours must be admonished to deale moderately with their inferiours Coloss. 2. 11. Againe inferiours are to comfort themselues if they be oppressed in that God the iudge of all accepts no persons Lastly here we learne that when we shall haue immediate fellowship with God in heauen all outward respect of persons shall cease God himselfe and the lamb Christ Iesus shall be all in all to the Elect. In the ende of the verse Paul addes for they communicated nothing to me but to the contrarie Rom. 1. 12. may be obiected Where Paul desires to come to Rome that he might be comforted by their mutuall faith both his and theirs Answ. Though the Apostles did communicate nothing to Paul in respect of doctrine or iudgement yet might they or the meanest beleeuers conferre something vnto him in respect of comfort or the confirmation of his faith and thus much he signifieth to the Romanes Here is a good item for them that come to no sermons because they can learne nothing Put the case they were as learned as the Apostles yet might they profit in hearing in respect of comfort of faith and good affection 7 But on the contrarie when they saw that the Gospel ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer the circumcision was to Peter 8 For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles 9 And when Iames and Cephas and Iohn knew the grace of God that was giuen to me which are accounted pillars they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hād of fellowship that we should preach to the Gentiles they vnto the Circumcision The wordes of more difficultie are thus to be explaned Contrariwise that is they did communicate nothing to me in way of correction but on the contrarie they gaue me the hand of fellowship Againe the words Circumcision and vncircumcision signifie the nation of the Iewes and the Gentiles the one circūcised the other vncircūcised And whē Paul saith that the grace of God was giuen to him he meanes specially the gift of an Apostle Rom. 1. 5. Lastly to giue the right hand of fellowshippe to Paul is to esteeme and acknowledge him for their collegue or fellowe Apostle by giuing the right hand in token thereof The contents of the words are these Here Paul sets downe the third signe of his approbation namely that the cheife Apostles acknowledged him for their fellow Apostle v. 9. Secondly he sets down the manner how the cheefe Apostles acknowledged this fellowship and that was by making a couenant with Paul that he should preach to the Gentiles and Peter to the Iewes Thirdly he sets down the impulsiue cause that mooued the Apostles to receiue Paul to their fellowship and that was the decree of God whereby he ordained that Paul should be the cheife Apostle to the Gentiles and Peter the cheife Apostle among the Iewes v. 7. Lastly he sets down the signes whereby the Apostles knew that Paul was ordained the Apostle of the Gentiles and they are two the grace of god giuen him and the power of his Ministerie among the Gentiles v. 8 9. Furthermore the things here contained are in a syllogisme disposed thus When the Apostles saw that I was ordained the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes they acknowledged me for their fellow Apostle and made a couenant with me that I should preach to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jewes But when I was with them at Ierusalem they saw that I was ordained the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes This minor is omitted yet the proofe thereof is set down thus For they saw the efficacie of my ministerie among the Gentiles and the grace of God that was with me Therefore they acknowledged me for their fellow Apostle c. The vse This text makes notably against the primacie of Peter First therefore let vs obserue the Ordinance of God here plainely expressed that Paul should be the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter the cheife Apostle of the Iewes And this may else where be gathered For the commission of the twelue Apostles ran thus that they must first preach to Ierusalem and Iudea then to Samaria and in the last place to the vttermost part of the earth Act. 1. 8. And Pauls commission was that he should first preach to the Gentiles and in the second place to the people of Israel Act. 9. 16. It may be obiected that the commission of all the Apostles was to goe into all the world and to preach to all men without exception Mar. 16. 15. Answer This power and libertie Christ gaue to all the Apostles and he did not take it away afterward neuerthelesse he ordered it by a second decree that Paul should specially haue care of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes And this the Lord did in great wisdome that confusion and discord might be auoided and a regard had of all prouinces through the world Hence it followes that the primacie of Peter ouer Iewes Gentiles is a supposed thing For the ordinance of God is that Peter shall be cheife ouer the Iewes and not ouer the Gentiles which were almost all the world beside And thus the supremacie of the Pope goes to the ground for if he hold of Peter and succeede him in authoritie and office as he pretends he must challenge a superioritie ouer the Iewes and he hath nothing to doe with vs. For Paul was cheife ouer the Gentiles and not Peter Secondly this Ordinance of God giues vs to vnderstand that the place Math. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. and I wil giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen doth not containe a promise made to Peter of a primacie ouer all the Apostles and ouer the Catholike church If Christ had meant any such thing in these words he would not haue assigned the Iewes to Peter and all the nations of the world beside to Paul Thus we see how this text for many hūdred yeares hath beene abused and is still at this day Thirdly it is false which the Papists teach that the place in S. Iohn Feede my lambes and feede my sheepe giues a primacie to Peter ouer the whole world For by the ordinance of God this feeding of lambes and sheep is limited to the nation of the Iewes Lastly whereas Eusebius saith in his Chronicle that Peter was Bishop of Rome and sate there 25. years it hath no likelihood of truth for then Peter liued in the breach of an expresse commandement of God for a long time because the Iewes were his speciall charge Againe it is to be obserued in this
till the comming of the Messias and now the Catholike Church is in the roome of the sanctuarie in it must we seeke the presence of God and the word of life therefore it is called the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Fourthly in Ierusalem was the throne of Dauid Psal. 122. 5. and in the Catholike Church is the throne or scepter of Christ figured by the kingdome of Dauid Reu. 3. 7. Fiftly the commendation of a cittie as Ierusalem is the subiection obedience of the citizens now in the Catholike Church all beleeuers are citizens Eph. 2. 19. and they yeild voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their king Psal. 110. 2. Isai 2. 5. Lastly as in Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register so the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Reu. 20. 15. Hebr. 12. 23. Againe the Catholike Church dwelling here belowe is said to be aboue in heauen for two causes First in respect of her beginning which is from the Election and grace of God and from Christ the Mediatour of whose flesh and bone we are that beleeue Eph. 5. 30. The iustice whereby we are iustified is in Christ our holinesse and life flowes from the holinesse and life of Christ as from a roote Secondly the Church is said to be aboue because it dwels by faith in heauen with Christ for the propertie of faith is to make vs present after a sort when we are absent Heb. 11. 2. The vse This beeing so we are admonished to liue in this world as Pilgrimes and strangers 1. Pet. 2. 11. and therefore we must not set our loue vpon any earthly thing but our mindes must be vpon the countrie to which we are trauelling And whatsoeuer is an hinderance to vs in our iourney we must cast it from vs that we may goe lightly and if we haue any wrongs done vs either in goods or good name we must the rather be content because we are out of our countrie in a strange place and hereupon we must take occasion to make haste to our iourneys end that is to our own citie and last abode Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11. 13 15. Secondly we must carrie our selues as Burgesses of heauen Phil. 3. 20. And this we shall do by minding seeking affecting of heauenly things by speaking the language of Canaan which is to inuocate and praise the name of God Lastly by leading a spirituall life that may beseeme the citizens of heauen Many faile in this point when they come to the Lords table they professe themselues to be citizens of the citie of God but in their common dealings in the world they play the starke rebels against God and his word and liue according to the lusts of their blinde and vnrepentant hearts Thirdly when Paul saith that Ierusalem which is aboue is free c. he shewes that the Catholike Church is one in number no more Cant. 6. 8. My doue is aboue and the onely daughter of her mother Ioh. 10. 16. One sheepefold There be many members but one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 12. Fourthly hence we gather that the Catholike Church is invisible For the companie of them that dwell in heauen by their faith cannot be discerned by the eie Iohn saw the heauenly Ierusalem descending from heauen yet not with the bodily eye but in spirit Reuel 21. 10. The things which make the Catholike Church to be the Church namely election vocation iustification glorification are inuisible The papist therfore erreth when he teacheth that the Catholike Church is a visible companie vnder one Pastour namely the Pope And the places which they bring to prooue the visibilitie of the vniuersall Church concerne either particular churches or the churches which were in the daies of the Apostles or againe they speake of the inward glorie and beautie of the Church Free that is redeemed from the bondage of death and sin and so from the curse of the lawe Of this freedome I will speak more afterward The mother of vs all shee is called a mother because the word of God is committed to the keeping of the Church which word is seed 1. Pet. 1. 23. and milke 1. Cor. 3. 2. and strong meat Heb. 5. 14. And the church as a mother which by the ministery of the said word brings forth children to God after they are borne brought forth shee feeds them with milke out of her owne breasts which are the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament Here a great question is to be propounded namely where we shall find this our Mother For it is the dutie of all children to haue recourse vnto their mother and to liue vnder her wing The aduocates of the Popish Church Priests and Iesuits say we must be reconciled to the Church and See of Rome if we would be of the Catholike church To this purpose they vse many motiues I will here propound seauen of them because heretofore they haue bin scattered abroad among vs. The first motiue The Church of Rome hath meanes of sure and certen interpretation tradition councels fathers we haue nothing but the priuate interpretation of Luther Melancthon Caluin c. Answ. Scripture is both the glosse and the text And the principall meanes of the interpretation of scripture is scripture it selfe And it is a means when places of scripture are expounded by the Analogie of faith by the words scope and circumstances of the place And the interpretation which is sutable to all these is sure certen and publike for it is the interpretation of God Contrariwise the interpretation which is not agreeable to these though it be from Church Fathers and Councells is vncerten and it is priuate interpretation Now this kind of interpretation we allow and therefore it is false that we haue onely priuate interpretations and that all the interpretations of the Church of Rome are publike Secondly I answer that we are able to iustifie our Interpretations of Scripture for the maine points of religion by the consent of Fathers and Councells as well as they of the church of Rome The second motiue We haue no diuine and infallible authoritie to rest on in matter of religion but they of the church of Rome haue Ans. In the Canonicall scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there is diuine and infallible authoritie for they are now in the new Testament in stead of the liuely voice of God And this authoritie we in our Church acknowledge Secondly I answer that the church hath no diuine and infallible authoritie distinct from the authoritie of scriptures as the Papists teach but onely a Ministerie which is to speake in the name of God according to the written word The third motiue We haue no limitations of opinion and affection but they of the church of Rome haue I answer first we suffer our selues to be limited for opinion by the Analogie of faith and by the written word and so doth
not the Papist which addes tradition to the scripture And for affection we suffer our selues to be limited by the doctrine of repentance and new obedience Secondly I answer that the church of Rome vseth false meanes of Limitation For it teacheth that for opinion we must captiuate our senses to the determination of the church by beleeuing as the church beleeueth though it be not knowne what the church beleeueth And it limits affection by auricular confession and by canonicall satisfactions meere inuentions of men The fourth motiue The Romane religion drawes the multitude Ans. It drawes them indeede because it is a naturall religion but it doth not turne them from darknes to light from death to life Secōdly I answer that Antichrist in his comming shall draw the multitude 2. Thess. 2. 9. The fift motiue There were neuer but two alterations of religion One in the daies of Elias the other in the daies of Iohn the Baptist. Ans. I will shew a third Paul saith that before the ende there shall be a departure 2. Thess. 2. and this departure is generall in all nations Reuel 13. 16. and after a thousand yeares there shall be the first resurrection Reuel 20. 5. and this resurrection is the reuiuing and the restoring of the Gospel after long ignorance and superstition The sixt motiue The church of Rome hath a Iudge to ende controuersies we haue none Ans. Christ is our Iudge and the scripture is the voice of this iudge determining all things pertaining to saluation fully and plainly to the contentation of any conscience The seauenth motiue The Romane religion is sutable to ancient Tradition Ans. It is contrarie For it abolisheth the second commandement touching Images and the tenth touching lust And it ouerturneth sundrie Articles of faith For it abolisheth one of the natures of Christ by the reall presence and his three offices by ioyning partners and associates with him To these seauen I adde three other The eight motiue then is this Our Ministers they say tooke vnto themselues new callings and consequently that we are but schismatikes Ans. The offices of the first restorers of the Gospel were ordinarie and their vocation to the said offices was ordinary for they were all either Priests or Schoole doctors It may be saide that they departed from their callings I answer they departed onely from the common abuse of their callings which they restored to their right vse The ninth motiue The church of Rome hath true baptisme and therefore it is a true church Ans. Baptisme in the Papacie pertaines not to it but to another hidden church in the middest of the Papacie as the light in the lanthorne pertaines not to it but to the passenger Secondly though the church of Rome hold the outward baptisme yet doth it ouerturne the inward which stands in the iustification of a sinner by imputation of the obedience of Christ. Thirdly baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel is no marke of a church Circumcision was vsed in Samaria and yet they were no people of God Hos. 1. 9. The tenth motiue The church of Rome hath antiquitie and succession from the Apostles Ans. They are no markes of the church vnlesse they be ioyned with propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine The kingdome of darknes hath also antiquitie succession vniuersalitie and vnitie Now then we are to hold the church of Rome as a stepmother nay as a professed harlot shee is no mother of ours For the Lord saith Come out of her my people Reuel 18. Let vs therefore come to the true answer The catholike Church our Mother is to be sought for and to be found in the true visible churches the certen markes whereof are three The preaching of the word of God out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with obedience Ioh. 10. 28. Eph. 2. 20. True inuocation of God the father in the onely name of Christ by the assistance of the spirit Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. the right vse of the sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper Math 28. 18. And by these shall we finde the true Church of God in England Ireland Scotland Germanie France c. Againe in that the Church is called our Mother the Papist gathereth that her commandements must be obaied Prov. 1. 8. and therefore in their Catechismes beside the commandements of God they propound the commandements of the Church But I answer that the precepts of the father and the mother must be one and then the mother must be obaied The Church is called the mother of vs all that is of all true beleeuers Hence it follows that wicked men are not members of the catholike Church as Popish doctors erroniously teach for then the church shall be a mother not onely to the children of God but also to the children of the deuill Lastly in that the church is our Mother we are taught that we must despise our first birth and seeke to be borne againe vnto God and sucke the brest of our mother feeding on the milke of the word Psal. 45. 11. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Thus to be borne a member of the new Ierusalem is a great priuiledge Psal. 87. 5. Reuel 3. 12. 27 For it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no childrē breake forth and crie thou that trauelest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband These words are the testimonie of the Prophet Isa c. 54. 1. and they are brought to prooue that which Paul said in the former verse that the Catholike Church is the Mother of vs all that is not onely of the Iewes but also of all beleeuing Gentiles In the words I consider the preface to the Testimonie and the testimonie it selfe The preface It is written where two points are to be considered The first is who saith Jt is written Ans. The Apostle Paul whose authoritie was diuine and infallible because he was led into all truth by the spirit of God so as he could not erre in deliuering doctrine to the church And yet for all this he followes the rule of the written word And his manner was so to doe Act. 26. 22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome which takes to it selfe an absolute power of iudgement in all matters without and beside the scripture yea a power to iudge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense thereof without the helpe of scripture vpon a supposed infallible assistance of the spirit The second point is In what question saith Paul It is written Ans. In a controuersie betweene him and the false Apostles touching the iustification of a sinner This shewes that the scripture it selfe is the meanes to determine and decide controuersies There was for this purpose in the old Testament the liuely voice of God vttered in the Oracle at the Mercie seat but in the new Testament there is no such voice of God but the written word is in stead thereof to the ende of the world And therefore
Paul saith It is written In the testimonie I consider three things the condition of two Churches the change of the condition the ioy that is vpon the change The condition of the Church of the new Testament in these words Barren that bearest no children thou that trauelest not the desolate Barren The Christian Church is so called because by the vertue and strength of nature it beares no children to God no more then Sara did to Abraham Ioh. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 3. 7. Secondly it is so called in respect of the beginning thereof when the Iewish church was yet standing till the spirit of God was powred forth vpon all flesh after the ascension of Christ and before this the number of them which were conuerted to God was very small and therefore Christ himselfe complained that he spent his strength in vaine Isai 49. 1. Thirdly it is so called in respect of the latter times of the church in which Christ shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth Luk. 18. 8. Further that the church is barren it is declared by the signe because she neither brings forth child nor beares Desolate that is without husband in appearance by reason of the crosse and affliction and without children because at the first the christian church was constrained to hide herselfe in the wildernesse Reuel 12. 14. It may be demanded howe the catholike church should be desolate Answ. The estate of the church is twofold inward or outward The inward estate stands in the true knowledge of God in Christ in comfort touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in the hearing of our praiers in protection and deliuerance from all spirituall enemies in the gifts of the spirit faith hope loue c. In respect of this estate the church is all glorious within and neuer desolate Psal. 45. 13. The outward estate of the Catholike church stands in visible assemblies in the publike Ministerie of the word and sacraments in a gouernment according to the word of God In respect of this second estate the Church may be in desolation This was the condition of the Church in paradise vpon the fall of our first parents of the Israelites at Mount Horeb when they worshipped the golden calfe and in the daies of Elias Rom. 11. 3. and afterward 2. Chron. 15. 3. When Christ suffered the sheapheard was smitten and the sheepe were scattered After Christs ascension all the earth worshipped the beast Reu 13. 12. Hence it followes that the Catholike church is not a visible estate or companie of men vnder one visible head because in respect of her outward estate shee may be for a time in desolation And as this is the estate of the church so is it also of the meÌ„bers thereof They shall be hated of all men Luk. 21. 17. Men shall thinke they doe God good seruice when they kill them Ioh. 16. 2. And Christ himselfe was a man without forme or beautie Isai. 53. 2. Hauing an husband in these wordes the condition of the Iewish church is set forth that shee is married or espoused to God who is her husband Ezech. 16. 8 9. Ose. 2. 19. The like may be said of any other church and namely of the church of England The vse This must teach vs to dedicate our bodies and soules to God and Christ and to giue the maine affections of our hearts vnto him as our loue and our ioy c. Secondly we must adorne and trimme our selues with grace that we may please our husband Psal. 45. 12. Thirdly we must be the glory of Christ as the wife is to her husband 1. Cor. 11. 7. and that is by subiecting our selues to Christ and his lawes Againe if we beâ—roath our selues to Christ indeed we may assure our selues that Christ is our Christ and that he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs and consequently that he will sanctifie vs Ezech. 16. 9. protect vs as an husband doeth his wife Gen. 20. 16. and indowe vs with all things needfull for this life and the life to come Ezech. 16. 10 11. The second point is the change of the church of the newe Testament because shee shall cease to be barren and bring forth many children This is the promise of God and hereupon Paul concludes that the church is a mother of all beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles Obserue that the promise of God is of infinite vertue in his time and place In the beginning God said let there be this or that and it was so Of like vertue is Gods promise if we can waite his leisure God promised that after 430. yeares the Israelites should be deliuered out of Egypt presently when the time was expired nothing could hinder the promise Read Exod. 12. 41. Therefore our dutie is to rest on Gods promises in all times both in life and death The third point is the ioy vpon the change Reioyce Here are two things to be considered The first who must reioyce Answ. The church Gods kingdome is the place of ioy Rom. 14. 17. Reioycing belongs to the people of God Psal. 68. 3. 106. 5. The musicke of the Temple was typicall and figured the ioy of the Catholike Church where is the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall The second point is in what must the church reioyce Ans. In the redemption of Christ and the fruit thereof the conuersion of sinners to god For the prophet had shewed at large the passion and sufferings of Christ Isai 53. and hereupon he saith Reioyce thou barren The Israelites were commanded to feast and to be merrie before the Lord Leuit. 23. 40. 1. Chron. 29. 32. that is before the Lords Arke which was the pledge of his presence Now this Arke was a figure of Christ and the myrth before the Arke signified that the foundation of all our ioy lies in our Reconciliation with God in Christ. The angels in heauen greatly reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner and at the returne of the prodigall sonne the fat calfe is killed The vse It is false that religion breeds Melancholie and cuts of all mirth It doeth not abolish mirth but rectifie it nay it brings men to true and perfect ioy Our first and principall ioy must be that we are in Gods fauour reconciled to God by Christ Luk. 10. 20. In Dauid the head of his ioy was the good estate of the church Psal. 137 6. And all other pettie ioyes must flow from this and be sutable to it Breake forth this signifies that the church vpon earth is as it were pent in with present greife Our ioy in this life is mixed with sorrow The paschall lambe was eaten with sowre hearbes to signifie that we feele no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ till we feele the smart of our sinnes We here must reioyce in trembling Psal. 2. 11. Ioy is sowne for them that are vpright in heart Psal. 97. 12. Crie in our earthly ioyes we must be moderate and sparing we must not eate to much hony
first cause of all good things in vs. 11. 7 Grace and peace are the cheife good things to be sought for 11. 30 Gods order in the communication of grace peace 12. 21 Grace and works cannot stand together in iustificatioâ— 20. 18 Wherein standes the efficacy of preuenting grace 52. 10 Whether it can be resisted 52. 30 How efficacie of grace and libertie of will stand together 52. 37 Grace in Scripture signifieth two things 153. 10 Preuenting grace is two fould 308. 24. The works of grace in God Imprint their Image in the hearts of them that belong to God 308. 32 Falling from grace though but in part is dangerous 339. 23 The hatred of Gods grace in man is the beginning of all persecution 362. 21. What is our Guide now in the new Testament the lawe beeing abrogated 234. 22 Men are said to be vnder grace two waies 318. 28 One little grace of God brings many other with it 391. 11 Beside the antecedent and first grace there is necessarie a subsequent or second grace 421. 34 Grace mentioned in the Scripture twofold 651. 33 Gratia gratum faciens and gratia gratis data ibid. 34 Gratia gratum faciens naturall or supernaturall ibid. 40. 652. 1 Why the fauour and loue of God is called the Grace of Christ 652. 15. The soule the proper subiect of Grace 652. 32 H Hatred whether a sinne or not 435. 4. What it is 435. 27 What a right heart is 111. â—7 What a humble and honest heart is 111. 18. Mans heart peruerse to Gods ordinance 618. 12 What Heresie is 432. 12. 18 Difference betweene heresie and schisme 432. 36 Difference betweene heresie and a simple error 433. 9 Three things in heresie ibid. 10 Three rules to preserue our selues from heresies 433. 20 There are two degrees of honour 455. 22. I Idolatrie committed two waies 304. 16. That Idolatrie may be rooted out of the mind what is to be done 305. 37. What Idolatrie is 427. 22 An Idol and Idolatrie taken two waies 427. 22 the Romish religion teacheth Idolatrie foure waies 428. 9 their Arguments answered ibid. 24 Iealousie twofold 329. 16 Good Iealousie stands in 3 things 331. 26. 332. 6. What the name of Iew signifieth opposed to Gentiles 270. 13 Of the distinction of Iewes Gentiles the cause of it 114. 3 Wherein it stands 114. 16 How long it endured ibid. 31 The nation of the Iewes shall be called and conuerted before the ende of the world but when or how God knowes 182. 2 Ierusalem a type of the catholike church in sixe respects 350. 21 Whether Ignorance be a sinne in those that want the word of God 303. 25. the Image of God standes in two things 335. 13 Whether Images be necessarie in the congregation of the people of God 161. 10 Immoderate vse of Gods gifts is 3 waies 400. 27 Imposition of hands by the church of Antioch vpon Paul no calling but a confirmation of his calling 2. 13. Imputation what 175. 18 Imputation twofold 175. 25. Things indifferent not to be vsed as oft as we liste and how we will 80. 22. Two things restraine the vse of theÌ„ indifferent 80. 29 A thing indifferent when it is made necessarie to saluation is not to be vsed 8115. Infantes how they are to be tearmed innocents and how not 525. 39 Infantes haue no good workes 553 8. Infantes to be iudged not by the booke of Conscience but by the booke of life 553. 10 Inscriptions no part of Scripture 658. What the Intercession of Christ is 298. 7. Certain Interpretation of Scripture where to be found 352. 33 Ioy is twofould 444. 17 Ioy of grace in this life standes in three things and hath a double fruit 444. 18. 23 Paul made fiue Iourneyes to Ierusalem 74. 2 We are to haue some warrant for our Iournies where three sortes of meÌ„ are to be blamed 75. 15. 20 Israel twofould 646. 1 Israell of God what ibid. 4 Israel of God why mentioned ibid. 6. Iudisme what it is 41. 12 What it is to Iudaise 112. 3 Iudge the best of others three obiectioÌ„s mooued answered 392 10. In giuing Iudgment of Churches three rules to be marked 8. 15 Three things are subiect to Iudgement 156. 3 Iudgement is twofould 159. 25 The dutie of ministers often to forewarne the people and the dutie of the people often to meditate of Gods iudgements 441. 10. 15. Iugling a kind of witchcraft 429. 35. What the word iustice signifies 116. 8. The subiect of iustification 117. 10 False causes of iustification ibid. 35 What is that thing in Christ by and for which we are Iustified 118. 32. We are not Iustified onely by the passion of Christ. 121. 10 The meanes of iustification 123. 30. Faith alone Iustifieth 129. 17 Iustice twofould of the person and of the act 176. 18 The danger of the doctrine of Iustification by workes 397. 29 Iustification is twofould of the person of the faith of the person 385. 5 Arguments against Iustification by works 375. 3 Faith and loue no ioynt causes in Iustification 384. 10 384. 10. Whosoeuer obstinately maintaineth the doctrine of iustification by workes cannot be saued 373. 30 Obiections remooued ibid. The kindes of iustification 131. 8 The practise of them that are iustified 131. 36 But one Iustification 177. 1 Papists in the day of death renounce Iustification by workes 183. 34 There is a Iustification before God and a Iustification before men 193. 3. We are Iustified not only by the death but also by the obedience of Christ. 286. 18 No Iustification by workes 419. 9. 420. 6. The twofould popish Iustification confuted 348. 12 K Kingdome of God what 42. 25 Gods kingdome what it signifieth 441. 22. Knowledge of the true God stands in two points 248. 20 Knowledge of god is 2. fould 303. 5 Knowledge whereby men know God is either litterall or spirituall 306. 4. The properties of spirituall are thâ—â—e 306. 18. The Knowledge whereby God Knowes men standes in 2. things 308. 10. and it hath two properties 309. 24 L The distinction of Latria and Dulia friuolous 313. 6 We are free from the Law in foure respects 136. 10 The maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospell 194. 36. 214. 17. Why the lawe is vrged though we cannot keepe it 196. 16 The difference of the promises of the Law and the Gospell 210. 17 Impossible for any man in the time of this life to fulfill the Law 186. 35. Obections remooued c. ibid. 11 There are two kindes of fulfilling the Law 189. 11 The Lawe is not greuous three waies vide commandements The difference of the promises of the Law and the Gospell 210. 17 How the Law reuealed sinne before Christ and after 216. 14. The vse of Gods Lawes 227. 23 The Lawe is a Schoolemaster to Christ in two respects 229. 10 When the Lawe of Moses was abrogated 230. 19 How farr forth the Lawe is abrogated 230. 38 What is the Morall Ceremoniall
contention Phil. 1. 15. others make marchandise of the word It is an excellent thing to imbrace the Gospel and yet many men doe it amisse for feare or for honour or for profit or for other sinister respect and not for the Gospels sake This temporall life is an excellent thing yet few there are that know the ende of this life For men commonly spend not their time to seeke the kingdome of heauen and to serue God in seruing of men but with all their might they aime at honours profits pleasures and thus they liue amisse not for the honour of God but for themselues This must teach vs not onely to doe good but to doe it well and to propound good ends to our selues and to seeke to be vpright in the statutes of God Psal. 119. 80. To this ende three things must be done First we must set before vs the will and commandement of God and this must mooue vs to doe the good we doe Secondly the outward action must be conformable to the inward motions of the inward man and they must both goe together Thirdly we must directly intend to obay God in the things we doe and to approoue our hearts and doings to him In that the false Apostles are saide to be ielous or zealous we see how nature can counterfeit 〈◊〉 grace of God and that which the child of God doth by 〈◊〉 that the naturall man can doe by nature Thus Pharao fa 〈…〉 repentance Exod. 9. 27. and Ahab that sold himselfe to worke wickednes 1. king 21. 27. and Iudas in the midst of his despaire is said to repent Matt. 27. 1. Daily experience shewes the like in such persons who in their extremitie with teares vse to bewaile their liues past and with many vowes and protestations promise amendment and yet afterward when they are on foote againe they returne to their old bias In a word there is nothing that the godly man doth by the spirit of God spiritually but an hypocrite may doe the like carnally Nature can play the part of the ape in imitating good things Therefore it stands vs in hand to praie and examine our hearts least we be deceiued in our selues For there may lie a depth of deceit and falshood lurking in the heart And that we be not deceiued two things must be obserued One is that we must cherish in our hearts an vniuersall hatred of all and euery sinne first in our selues and then in others The second is that we must be changed and renewed in our minds consciences and affections Thirdly here we see the propertie of enuie and Ambition in these false teachers Paul must be excluded from the loue of the Galatians that they alone may be loued Thus Iosua would haue excluded Eldad and Medad from prophesying and he would haue Moses to be the onely prophet but Moses saith I would to God all the people could prophecie Num. 11. 29. Iohns disciples would haue excluded Christ baptising but Iohn saith He must increase and I must decrease Ioh. 3. 30. The disciples of Christ would haue excluded one that cast out deuills in the name of Christ but did not follow him and Christ forbad them Luk. 9. 49. Lastly we here see the propertie of deceiuers is to make a diuision betweene the Pastors and the people Beside the former pretended ielousie there is a good ielousie which the Apostle takes to himselfe and els where he calls it the ielousie of God 2. Cor. 11. 2. This ielousie presupposeth the office of the Apostles and all Ministers which stands in three things The first is to become suters to the Church or to the soules of men in the name of Christ and to make the offer or motion in his name of a spirituall marriage and this is done in the ministerie and dispensation of the Gospel The second is to make the Contract betweene mens soules and Christ. Now to the making of a contract the consent of both the parties at the least is required Christ giues his consent in the word Ose 2. 20. and we giue our consent to him and choose him for our head when we turne to God and beleeue in Christ. And the ministerie of the word serues to signifie the will of Christ vnto vs and to stirre vp our hearts to an holy consent The third is after the contract to preserue them in true faith and good life that they may be fit to be presented to Christ in the day of iudgement and so be married to him eternally for then and not before is the marriage of the lambe These duties are all noted by Paul when he saith that he prepared the Corinthians that he might present them as a pure virgin vnto Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. And because this charge and office is laid vpon the Apostles and Ministers therefore they are said to be ielous This Ielousie stands in three things The first is to loue the Church indeede and truth for Christs sake The second is to feare least by reason of weaknes and by meanes of the temptations of the deuill the Church and they that beleeue should fall away from Christ. The third is after the fall of the church to be angrie with holy anger and indignation for Christs sake Thus Moses was ielous when the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe and Elias with like zealessue the priests of Baal Thus is Paul said to be ielous in this place and Act. 14. If the Apostle be thus ielous how much more then is Christ himselfe ielous who hath espoused himselfe to his Church This plainly shewes that he cannot brooke either Partner or deputie And therefore his sacrifice on the crosse must stand without the sacrifice of the masse his intercession without the intercession of Saints his merits without the merit of workes his satisfaction without any satisfaction of ours He will haue the heart alone and all the heart or nothing and he will not giue any part of his honour to any other This Ielousie in the Ministers must teach all faithfull seruants of God that they keepe themselues as pure virgins for Christ and set their hearts on nothing in the world but on him Therefore they must hunger after Christ they must account all things dongue for him they must haue their conuersation in heauen with him and loue his comming vnto thē by death Psal. 45. 10. Contrariwise they that set their hearts on any other thing beside him are said to goe a whoring from him and therefore they are accursed Psal. 73. 27. Thus many Protestants doe in their practise whatsoeuer they professe Thus doth the Church of Rome both in word and deede For beside Christ shee hath many other louers and shee goes a whoring after them when shee worships Angels and Saints the images of God and Christ with religious worship Againe by this we are put in minde to yeeld an vniuersall subiection to Christ for this is the dutie of the espoused wife to her husband Lastly that good things
but onely by the Latin church as might be prooued by manifold testimonies if it were a thing necessarie to be stood vpon Neuerthelesse howsoeur this inscription cannot be defended yet it may be excused and tollerated as a title of distinction to distinguish them from the other epistles As we see the Iewes diuiding the olde testament into 4. parts the first they called the law or 5. bookes of Moses the 2. the former prophets viz Ioshua Judges 2. bookes of Samuel 2. bookes of the Kings the 3 the later prophets as Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and the small prophets the 4. they called Kethubim which in English is as much as the scriptures not as though those 11. bookes were more properly scripture then the Pentateuch of Moses or the bookes of the former and later prophets but onely for distinction sake they were so called And they are tearmed of the 70. and of the Greeke church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is holy writts not because they had a peculiar holines proper to them aboue other parts of Gods word seeing all scripture is equally giuen by diuine inspiration nor as though the amanuenses of these bookes were more holy then the other pen-men of the holy Ghost nay contrarily it is doubted by some of Salomon who penned three of these bookes whether he were elected or reiected whereas it is not doubted of the rest but onely as I haue alreadie said to put a note of distinction betwixt them and other bookes in naming of them as Hugo de S. Uict hath well obserued In this sense this title Canonicall may be giuen to these Epistles without danger but if we shall vnderstand it in any other sense we shall be so farre from beeing able to defend it that we shall not be able to excuse it The second title which is giuen them is that they be called Catholike which inscription is as vnfit as the former for they are so called as some would haue it because they were writteÌ„ and directed to the whole Catholike Church consisting both of Iewes and Gentiles But that is not true seeing Iames chap. 1. 1. directeth his Epistle onely to the 12 tribes that were dispersed and not to the Gentiles And Peter who was an Apostle of Circumcision 1. Epist. 1. 1. writeth onely to the strangers the Iewes that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Others thinke they are tearmed Catholike for that they were not sent to one man or familie or citie or countrey but generally to the whole bodie companie and societie of the Iewes wheresoeuer dispersed ouer the whole earth But neither in this sense can they fitly or truly be tearmed Catholike forasmuch as two of these seuen viz. the second and third of Iohn were written to particular persons the one to the elect Ladie the other to Gains And by this reason the Epistle to Timothie that to Titus and Philemon may be called Catholike as well as these Againe be it graunted that they were all directed to all the Iewes yet I see not why the Epistle to the Ebrewes may not as well chalenge this title to be called Catholike as any of these seuen considering it was written to all the Iewes and onely to the Iewes Thirdly others affirme them to be called Catholike because they containe Catholike doctrine such as appertaineth to all men generally of what estate place condition or calling so euer they be But in this sense all Pauls Epistles may be called Catholike Epistles For whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that we through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. 4. Secondly the word Catholike is not so ancient for Pacianus an auncient father saith it was not vsed in the Apostles daies His wordes are these Sed sub Apostolis enquies nemo Catholicus vocabatur esto sic fuerie vel illud indulge cum post Apostolos haereses extitissent diuersisque nominibus Columbam Dei atque reginam lacerare per partes sciudere niterentur nonne cognomen suum plebâ— Apostolica pâ—stulabat quo incorrupti populi distingueret vnitatem ne intemeratam Dei virginem error aliquorum per membra laceraret that is But thou wilt say vnder the Apostles no man was called Catholique well be it so yet admit this withall when after the Apostles there were heresies and men beganne to rend in peeces and diuide gods done and Queene by sundry different names did not the Apostolike people require their surnames whereby they might distinguish the vnitie of the vncorrupt people least the error of some should rend in sunder gods vndefiled virgin where we see Pacianus doth freely grant that this surname Catholike was not in vse in the time of the Apostles Which testimonie Baronius doth notably dissemble in shewing the originall of this name out of Pacianus affirming but not proouing it to be as ancient as the Apostles Now this errour hath not onely befallen the Latin and Greeke copies but the Syriacke likewise as may appeare in the title prefixed before the most ancient Syrian traÌ„slation where we shal find these words The 3. Epistles of the 3. Apostles before whose eyes our Lord was transfigured Iames Peter Iohn In which inscription be couched 2. soule errours First in that this translator maketh but 3. epistles of James Peter and Iohn whereas there are sixe he omitting the 2. of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn as also that of Iude as no part of holy scripture therfore the Syriack church as I haue alreadie said doth not receiue these Epistles into their Canon vnto this day The second is in that he affirmeth Iames before whom our S. Christ was transfigured in mount Tabor to be the author of this epistle For that Iames before whome Christ was transfigured in the mount was Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and brother of Iohn Matth. 17. 1. After sixe daies Iesus tooke Peter and Iames and Iohn his brother and brought them vp into an high mountain and was transfigured before them Which Iames could not possibly be the penner of this epistle for he was slaine by king Herode long before the destruction of Ierusalem and the dispersion of the 12. tribes Acts 12. v. 2. About that time Herode the kinge stretched forth his hand to vexe certaine of the Church and he slew Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Therfore Iames the author of this epistile was Iames the sonne of Alphaeus For to faine an other Iames the brother of our Lord as some haue done is childish seeing it is plaine by sundry places of the N. T. that there were but two of that name mentioned in Scripture Iames the sonne of Zebedeus called Iames the greater and Iames the sonne of Alphoeus brother to Iude called the lesser and brother of our Lord. GRATIAS TIBI DOMINE IESV COMMON PLACES HANDLED IN THIS Commentarie The first figure shewes the page the second the line 1 HOw a man may