Exposition of Jude, Verse 1 · Part 2 – Part 6
The aduersaries of this ground against whom we must fight.
First the Turkes, and Turkish religion, who denie scripture to bee giuen by inspiration, and denie the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles, and in stead of them stand to their Alcaran. Secondly the Iewes, who refuse the bookes of the new Testament. Thirdly the Atheist, who will beleeue nothing of all this. Fourthly,Papists enemies to Hebrew and Greek. the painted aduersarie the Papist, who vndermines this ground; first, saying that the Hebrew and Greeke text is corrupted, so as wee may not build vponupon it, that thereby they might bring their Latin Bible into credit as most authentical; and yet (that they might make the sentence of their Church the rule of faith) the most learned of al that Church hold that the Latin Bible is also corrupt; so indeede they couertly renounce all scripture that the sentence of the Church may obtaine the chiefe stroke. Secondly, in teaching that the authoritie of the Church in regarde of vsus, is aboue the Scriptures, because wee knowe not the sense thereof, but by the Church: Thus putting downe the true and principall ground of Scripture, that they might more easily set vp their own dotages.
2. Ground.The second ground concerneth the sufficiencie of scripture, and is this: The Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles is a perfect rule of faith and manners: It is of all things to be beleeued or done to saluation. 2. Tim. 3.16. The Scripture is profitable to teach, improue, correct, instruct in righteousnes, to make the man of God absolute, yea perfect in eueryevery good worke. If it make him perfect in al kind of teaching, it is also able much more to make eueryevery man perfect to all the duties of his calling; Gal. 1.8. If an Angell should teach otherwise, that is, diuerse or besides, though not contrary to that which is taught, hee shall bee accursed; many doctrines indeed of Artes and other things are diuers and besides it; but the meaning is, that no doctrine of saluation must be brought, no not besides it, therfore the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles containe a perfect rule.Obiect. Many things which cannot bee found in scripture may be supplied by tradition?Answere. Ans. Traditions can neuer settle the conscience, for though diuerse of them are found in the writings of the fathers, yet they were subiect to error, and so might and did erre in them.
Aduersaries of this ground to bee contended with.
First, all men by nature; Iob. 22.14. Who say to the Almightie, Departe from vsus, for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies: yea our common Protestants▪ who in iudgement acknowledge this rule, yet in their life they leaue it, and take the leaden rule of naturall reason; sense, sight, and feeling, and few there be that liue by faith.
Secondly, the Romish Church, for first, they make the written word a thing ruled by setting vp another Rule; saying, that there are two kindes of Scripture: The first is inward,The myst…rie of iniquitie sup…ported by mysticall Scriptur… ▪ written in the heart of all Catholikes, which is the vniuersall consent of the Church: The second is outward, written by the Prophets and Apostles, an inken scripture (say they) and a dead letter without the former. Whereas the cleane contrarie is true, the true rule being the scripture of the Prophets and Apostles; and the other in the heart in this life, but an imperfect patterne drawne according to the former. Secondly, they ouerturne the ground, in ioyning to the written word vnwrittē tra…tions; so making it but half a rule, and indeed as good no rule: but where are these traditions? In the writings of Fathers they say: But how shall we know them to be scripture? Because the Fathers say so: But how shall wee know they say true? Here must they flie to man, whereof yet no man can assure vsus. Thirdly, in teaching that the true sense of scripture cannot be found without the Churches determination, and so indeede make it no rule, because a right rule both ruleth it selfe, and is plaine to rule other things also.
… Ground.The third ground is: There is one true God. By one, I meane one in number, not two: 1. Cor. 8.6. To vsus there is but one God, that is, to the Church, to vsus that looke to bee saued: which is plaine by this reason, for there can be but one infinite, and if there were two or moe Gods, there should be two or moe infinites, which is impossible.
Aduersaries to this ground.
First, the common Protestant, who in iudgment holdeth one God, yet in heart and life he setteth vp two or moe: some riches, some pleasure, some one sinne or other: for where a mans heart is, there is his God. Paul saith, some make their bellie their God: and that the Diuell is the God of the world.
Secondly, the maine Enemie is the Popish Church, Popery a …onster … heads, … many Gods.which in word holdeth one God, but diuers waies set vp diuers gods. As first the Pope himselfe, who (by their reformed Canon law) is to iudge all, and to be iudged of none. Who maketh himselfe a forgiuer of sinnes and that properly: yea, a maker of lawes to binde conscience aswell as Gods lawes, which is horrible blasphemie. Secondly, the Virgin Mary, whom they make a Goddesse as Christ a God: as Christ a King, so her a Queene; as he a Lord, so her a Ladie: yea they set Christ below her, whom they desire to commaund her sonne by the right of a mother: yea and in some of their reformed Seruice bookes, they trust in her for saluation.
Thirdly, the Saints whom they pray vntounto; wherein they attribute vntounto them the knowledge of the secrets of mens hearts, and omnipresence, for they must also be in all places; which are things proper vntounto God alone.
4. Ground.The fourth ground is, that God is all sufficient in himselfe: Gen. 17.1. I am all sufficient: that is, he hath in himselfe all perfection: for first, he taketh being from none, but giueth being to all. Secondly, for substance he is a Spirit of perfect nature. Thirdly, eueryevery way infinite, in regard of time, place, attributes. This may well be called a ground, for whosoeuer placeth any want or imperfection in God, denieth God, and maketh him no God.
Aduersaries hereof.
First, the common people, who conceiue a God made all of merciemercy without his iustice.
Secondly the Papist,Papists rob God of his mercy and iustice. who robbeth God of his perfection two waies: first, they attribute an imperfect iustice vntounto him, namely, such a one as may be satisfied by mans satisfaction. Secondly, an imperfect merciemercy, whereof our own merits must make a supplie: teaching that indeed Christ must make vsus iust: but we must make our selues more iust and merit saluation.
The fifth ground is:5. Ground. There be three in heauen, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, and th…se three are one God, 1. Ioh. 5.7. How can it be that three are one God?Quest. Ans. It is a mysterie,Answere. which the ancient Church answered thus: They be three in person and one in substance; so wee also say they be three in manner of subsisting, but one in nature and Godhead: Three they be distinguished in person, the Father not being the Sonne, nor the holy Ghost, and so in the other persons, 3. subsistences in one nature. Ioh. 17.2. This is life euerlasting, &c. This is a groūd because wee must worship one God in three persons, neither can wee aright thinke of God out of the Trinitie.
Aduersaries of this ground.
First, Heretikes innumerable whose memorie is accursed; as Arians of former and later times, denying the Godhead of Christ. Secondly, the Turke and Iew, who hold an absolute God out of the persons. Thirdly, our common people, who pray to such a God in their owne names out of the Sonne and holie Ghost. Fourthly, the Popish Church,Papists become An…itrinitaries which denieth by their doctrine the three persons: for hee that denieth the Sonne, denieth the Father and holy Ghost. 1. Ioh. 2.23. Now they denie the Sonne both in his natures abolishing his Manhood in their doctrine of the Sacrament, as also his offices of King, Priest and Prophet, for which we must vtterly separate from them.
6. Ground.The sixth ground is: That nothing commeth to passe without the special decree, will and prouidence of God: Matth. 10.23. A sparrow falleth not to the ground without his will. Obiect.Ob. Sinne is against Gods will, and therefore commeth to passe without his will.Answere. Ans. That which is against the will of God is not without his will. Quest. How can this be?Question. Ans. No sinne commeth to passe but God decreeth the permitting and being of it:Answere. now to permit sinne and the being of it, is neither the causing of sinne, nor the doing of it, but the not hindring of it, to which he is not bound. This ground being denied chance will be brought in, and God himselfe denied.
7. Ground.The seuenth ground is: That God hath chosen some men before the world was, to be partakers of the riches of his mercies, and passed by others because it was his will, Roman. 9.18. He will hauehave merciemercy on whom he will, Ephes. 1.4. 1. Pet. 2.9. Some are a chosen generation, and therfore some are not chosen. Againe, whom he will he hardeneth: he hideth the mysteries of the kingdome from some: why? because his pleasure was such, Matth. 11.25. And of this there is good reason, for in nature the first cause ordereth the second causes, and not the second the first. Now Gods will is cause of all causes; which therefore must rule all as the supreme, and not be ruled by any other. That this is a ground appeareth, 2. Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God remaineth sure, the Lord knoweth who are his: and indeede none other can bee the ground of grace and happines vntounto vsus, than the counsaile of God in electing vsus, called therefore of the Apostle a foundation.