A Reply to a Pretended Christians Plea for the Church of Rome, Part 6
Of the state of the Heathen.
WHereas I sayd, †Animadv. …. 97.J held it presumption for any to limit God, by how smal meanes or measure of faith and knowledge he will save a man. Who dares den▪ but God had many elect among the heathens, after he had separated Jsrael from them? Yea God expresly sayd, when he made Israel his peculiar people; that yet all the earth was his, Exod. 19 5. which are the words of the covenant *Ezek. 16generally. Wherefore we leave Gods secret counsels to himself, as he willeth us. Deut. 29. 29. and doe consider onelyonly the visible state of Churches, by the rules of Gods law and promises.
To this mine opposite sayth, †Chr. plea pag. 181.What is it that he meaneth hereby? Jf by the covenant he mean the covenant of grace for salvation, whereof we treat; and think that all people of the world, in all ages and places of the earth are under it: what differeth this from the opinion of the Anabaptists and Armintans touching general redemption? Jf he speak not of the covenant of grace which is for salvation; all may perceive he speakes not to the point in hand.
Answ. My meaning is plaine, that God had his elect among the heathens, as he bath in the Church of Rome: and he could not but see what I intended. By the covenant generally with all nations, I mean the same that himself alleaged *Chr. plea pag. 178.whileare from Ke… kerman, of the Church largely taken: which he explaineth, the company of all those which professe Christian religion or the name of Christ in what manner soever. And thus (sayth he) are all heretikes, schismatikes, and Arians, Papists, Anabaptists, and such like, referred to the Christian Churches▪ So if he understood himselfe, he might understand me, when I spake of the covenant generally. For such large Churches as he describeth, I hold all nations to be, when God made his speciall covenant with Israel. Noe was a Christian, and had the covenant of grace in Christ to him and to his seed, as absolutely as any Christian Church in the Apostles dayes: though the mystery of the Gospel was not then so clearly revealed * as it was afterward† Rom. 16. 25. 26. by the Apostles. But for the substance of the covenant, namely Christ, and faith in him, with obedience; it was given to Adam and his seed; to Noe and his seed, Heb. 13. 8. & 11. 1. 2 3. 4. 7. &c. And this covenant of grace in Christ, confirmed by sacrifices, as to us now by the sacraments. Which sacrifices all nations kept the first thousand yeers after Noe, (which was till after Moses death,) as well as the large Christian or false-Christian churches kept the sacraments. Yea let any shew, that any of the heathens (I except not the very Canaanites,) turned the sacrifices into such abominable idolatry, as the Church of Rome hath turned the sacraments. And for other synns, Antichristians are not behinde them. How freely did Abraham, Isaac, and Jakob live and publickly worship God by altars and sacrifices, in the midst of the Caananites, Hittites, &c. Gen. 12. 7. & 26. 25. & 35. 6. …. whereas if they had so doen (according to the true worship of the Gospel) in the Church of Rome now these many hundred yeares; they had been burned for heretickes, as innumerable of Abrahams faith have been. How religiously did the King of Gerar carry himselfe towards Abrahams wife, Gen. 20. in comparison of the outragious adulteries and fornications by the chiefe of the Church of Rome, as all histories testifie. Yea God himself appeared unto that King, and appointed Abraham to pray for him, Gen. 20. 3.—7. How honourably did the Hittites intreat Abraham, acknowledging him a Prince of God, and offred him all kindnes, Gen. 23. 5. 6. &c. yet other nations were better then they, Gen. 24. 3. 4. & 27. 46. Look upon Balaam the soothsayer of Mesopotamia, even in Moses time: and see how he consulted with Jehovah his God, by altars and sacrifices of Burnt-offrings, such as were used in Israel, Num. 22. 8. 9. 18. & 23. 1. 2. 3. &c. and it will plainly appeare, the heathens had not more degenerated from the religion & worship learned from Noe, then the Church of Rome, hath from that which Paul taught there. Yea there was a better Church in the land of Vz (in all likelihood,) then the Church of Israel was in Aegypt, when they polluted themselves with the idols thereof, Ezek. 20. 6. 7. 8. For in Vz land, Iob was †Iob. 29. 7. ….-25.governour, a most godly man as was upon the earth, and a Priest unto the most high God, Iob. 1. 1. 5. 8. & 42. 8. 9. holding firme the faith of Christ his redeemer, and of the resurrection to life, Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27. and free from idolatry, Iob. 31. 26. 27. 28. And what knowledge and religion was then among the Temanites, Shuhites, Naamathites, and Buzites; the friends of Iob that came to visit him, doe shew; Iob. 2. 11. &c. and 32. 2. &c. and notwithstanding their errour in their disputation, they obtained pardon of God in Christ, Iob. 42. 7.—9. And who can tell when the golden Candlestickes of Christian churches were removed from those other peoples. Though soon, even too soon, there was a generall apostasie among the nations after Noe, as among the nations after the Apostles times. But among which of them was there a such a Man of Syn reigning at any time, as hath now reigned in the Church of Rome, these many hundred yeares? Wherefore they measure not things by the *Rev. 21. 15golden reed, which cast off those Churches of the nations, as wholly prophane and fallen from grace; and yet justifie this notorious harlot the church of Rome, to be still in the covenant of grace; whose impieties are not inferiour to any of those nations in Moses time, but rather aboue them; for her sins have reached up to heaven, Rev. 18. 5. And wheras those nations had not the word of God written, but as they learned it by voyce of men, which might more easily be corrupted and forgotten: the church of Rome having the written word, hath despised it; not suffered their children to read or heare it, lest (forsooth) it should make them heretickes: that for a man to have Gods booke, it was as much as his life was worth: so the miserable people, for contempt of Gods holy Law, have been justly given over into Aegyptian darknes, and into most abominable idolatries and heresies, which have drowned men in perdition.
Now that which mine opposite objecteth of the opinion of the Anabaptists, &c. as I reject it for a great errour; so his supposition whereby he would feoff it upon me, is injurious: If I think that all people of the world in all ages and places of the earth, are under the covenant of grace, &c. whereas I spake but of the nations in Moses time, which were not so farr fallen from God, as they were afterward, and now much more. Againe, himselfe pleadeth for the church of Rome at this day, to bee in the covenant of grace: yet I hope he would not say, that all in that church are redeemed; otherwise then many reprobates are redeemed, except he should think there are no reprobates. And if the Man of Syn (which himselfe expoundeth the Pope and his Hierarchie) be redeemed; which are the chief members of that Church: we must needs acknowledge a very generall redemption.
So where he †Chr. plea pag. 181.chargeth me with abuse of Ezek. 16. 8. thou be…amest mine: and asketh me, Is this now the case and estate of all the earth with the Lord? I answer, no: it was not then, much lesse is it now. For I sayd, that then God made Israel his peculiar people, Exod. 19. 5. though generally he sayd all the earth was his. But because the earth corrupted their wayes before him, as they did before the …loud, Gen. 6. 11. 12. therefore God separated to himselfe a peculiar people to be his inheritance. And so I think mine opposite himselfe would confesse, though all that professe Christianitie be Gods Churches in his account, yet the Christian reformed churches, are Christs peculiar Churches, though all Christendom bee his in a large sense.
Yet he ceaseth not to object, that the heavens are the Lords, Deut. 10. 14. and every beast of the forrest is his, &c. Psa. 50. 10. 11. 12. shal we therefore think (sayth he;) that the beasts are the wife and Church of God▪ …s Ezekiel speaketh of the Jewes? &c.
Answ. None but beasts would so think. The comparison in Exod. 19. 5. is not between men and beasts, but between men and men. And such men as had all within lesse then a thousand years been Gods wife, and church, and in his covenant of grace. But most of them on their parts fallen from it to idolatry, as Israel also had Ezek. 20. 7. 8. and as the church of Rome, and other churches within a thousand yeares after the Apostles, have doen. The heathens then were not more fallen from God, then the church of Rome is: mine opposite pleadeth for Rome, because they were a church 15 hundred yeeres before, and Antichrist still sitteth in the Temple of God. I answer him, the heathens in Moses time were all the church nine or ten hundred yeares before, and are still called Gods people, Exod. 19. 5. He replieth, with the instance of Wild-beasts, &c. If I should so have turnd my back upon an argument, what out-cries would he have made after me?
When David exhorteth all the earth to sing unto the Lord, Psal. 66. 1. & 100. 1. speaketh he to the beasts? When Moses sayth, All the earth was of one language, Gen 11. 1. doth not he mean it of the men of the earth onelyonly, and not of beasts? So in Exod. 19. 5. yee (Israelites) shalbe a peculiar treasure unto me, above all peoples: for all the earth (that is all peoples of the earth) are mine. Where God calleth all peoples his, not onelyonly by creation, as the beasts were his; but by covenant made with them in Noes time, when he smelled the sweet savour of his sacrifice, and promised no more to drown the world; and blessed both Noe and his sonns, and established his covenani with them and with their seed after them; and gave them a sight of his covenant, his bow in the clowd, Gen 8. 20. 21. & 9. 1. 9. 12. 13. which covenant, though the natural benefit of it, extended to the beasts, (as the beasts also had natural refreshing by that water out of the Rock, which to the Israelites was a sacrament of Christ, Numb. 20 8 1 (or. 10. 4.) yet unto men, (and to men onelyonly,) it was a spiritual covenant of grace by Christ, as appeareth by Esa. 54. 8. 9. 10. Rev. 4. 3. and 10 1. 1 Pet. 3. 20. 21. Now the covenant of grace, thus established with Noe, his sonns, and their seed after them; was respected of God in Exod 19. 5. when for the Apostasie of Noes seed, he of his love made Israel his peculiar, above all other peoples: though some of the Nations were (as in charitie I judge from Iobs historie,) Gods true churches stil; and in the worst of the nations (as the cursed Canaanites) he had many of his elect, (as he hath now in the church of Rome;) which the examples of Rahab the harlot, the Gibeonites or Nethinims, Vriah the Hittite, Aravnath the Iebusite; and many other throughout the scriptures, doe confirme. All men (as th'Apostle teacheth from the heathens confession) are Gods ofspring (or generation,) Act. 17. 28. 29. The Gentile (as the parable shewerh in Luke 15) was brother to the Iew; and God is the God not of the Iewes onelyonly, but also of the Gentiles, Rom. 3. 29. and if the uncircumcised Gentile kept the righteousnes of the Law, his uncircumcision was counted for circumcision, for there is no respect of persons with God, Rom. 2. 10. 11. 26. Act. 10. 34. 35. And as Paul reasoneth, Hath God cast away his people (Israel)? Far be it: for J also am an Israelite &c God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew: Rom. 11. 1. 2. So I reason; Did God cast away his peoples of the seed of Noes sonns? Far be it. For Rahab was a Canaanite, Aravnah a Iebusite, Vriah an Hittite; Ebedmelech an Ethiopian, Iether an Ismaelite; and thousands of these and the other nations, which were Gods people whom he foreknew, and saved of his grace in Christ. They which can not answer these things but by instancing beasts; doe want the wisdom which men of God should have.
With like successe (in another *Chr. plea pag. 94 95.place of his book) he answereth touching the Gentiles. For wheras I †Animadv. pag. 70.wrote, The ordinanoes of God which they (the Apostate Israelites) in shew reteyned, could not be unto them the fig…es and seales of the forgivnes of synns, and of life eternal; and therfore were in their use of them, false and deceytfull, as were also the ordinances of God reteyned in other nations; as * Altars, Sacrifices, Preists, tithes, first fruits, incense, meat-offrings, drink-offrings, feasts, baptismes or washing▪ …byntings, excommunications, prayers, vowes, and many the like, wherof all histories doe record, that the Gentiles did reteyn them▪ (* Numb. 23. 1. Pompon. Laetus de Sacerd. T…bull. l. 1. eleg. 10. & l. 2. eleg. 1. 2. Homer. Odyss. 3. & Jliad. 1. Uirgil Aen. 2. Caesar bell. Gall. l. 6.
He replieth, All is to no purpose. For if it be to shew that the Gentiles had Altars, sacrifices, priests &c none doeth deny it. But if it be to shew that these were the Lords ordinances, given by him to these nations, as circumcision was to Jsrael, for confirmation of his covenant unto them; or that circumcision in Israel, was no more a signe and seale of Gods covenant, and consequently of forgivenes of synns and life eternal, then those were among the heathens &c▪ then all may see, that this scripture is also perverted, and that neyther it nor all the writers in the world, prove any such matter. &c.
Answ. It is easy to say, the scripture is perverted; and shew no reason how. I have before proved from the historie of Noe, & God: covenant of grace with his seed after him; and from the historie of Iob: that all nations had not onelyonly Altars, sacrifices, Preists &c, but had them also as the Lords ordinances given them for confirmation of his covenant, of forgivenes of synns in Christ to come. Whence did Cain and Abel, Noe, Abram, Iakob and Iob; learn to offer first fruits, and beasts, build altars, pay tithes, make vowes &c: but from divine institution taught their fathers from God, and by the fathers to the children? Otherweise they could not have doen them in faith, as of some of them th'Apostle testifieth they did, Heb. 11. which teacheth us so to judge of the rest. And if all other nations had kept the faith as did Iob; their sacrifices had been the seales of forgivenes of synns unto them, as they were †Iob. 1. 5. … 42. 8. 9.unto Iob. When they lost their faith, their sacrifices were vaine, and no seale of grace unto them. Now compare Israel in their Apostasie: they made new Temples, new Altars, new Priests, new feasts and signes, which were not onelyonly *1. King. 12 ….—33.none of Gods ordinances, but expresly forbidden them by his written Law, Exod. 20. 4. 5. so that they were so farre from having their sacrifices, seales of forgivenes of synns unto them, as they were reputed for bloud unto them, and they were by the doom of his Law, to be cut off for offring them, Levit. 17. 4. Thus having no word of promise, they neither did nor could sacrifice of faith; but their sacrifices were abominable, as the sacrifices of the heathens: and they sacrificed to divils, not to God, as Moses and the prophets testifie, Deut. 32. 17. 2. Chron. 11. 15.
Now for Circumcision; first it was not commanded to the Gentiles, neither was it a seale of the covenant of grace to Noe and his seed; but was first commanded to Abraham and his seed, and houshold, Gen 17. and so to Israel, and such as would be of that Church, and partake of their passover, Levit. 12. Exod. 12. 44. 48. Wherefore it being not commanded to Noes sonns, such of them as were scatered farr off, and heard not of the precept to Abraham: were doubtlesse in the covenant of gracefull, if they abode in Noes faith; and were saved without circumcision as well as we at this day. Who doubteth of the salvation of the Patriarchs Sem and Heber, who both of them lived till after the ordinance of circumcision: yet is there no record that they were circumcised. Yea all the Israelites that were born for the space of 40. yeeres in the wildernes, were uncircumcised till Iosuahs reigne, Jos. 5. 2.—6. yet with them in that estate, Moses renewed the covenant, to bee the Lords people, and that hee would bee their God, as he had sworn to their fathers, Deut. 29. 10.—13. And whereas mine opposite boldly affirmeth, that all the writers in the world prove no such matter, viz. touching Gods ordinances given to the heathens the sonns of Noe, for signes of salvation: it will appeare otherweise, even by the greatest enemies of the heathēs, the Iewes themselves. Who though they gloried in circumcision, and the Lawes given by Moses; yet thus they write, Jt is lawful for an heathen to offer burnt offrings unto God in every place; and he himselfe may offer in an high place, which he hath builded. But it is not lawful (for an Jsraelite) to help him, &c. for behold, we are forbidden to offer without (the Sanctuarie, Levit. 17. And it is lawful to teach them, and to learn them how they should offer to the name of the blessed (God.) Maimony in Misn. treat. of Offring sacrifices, chap. 19. s. 16. Thus by the Hebrewes testimony, the Gentiles might lawfully use sacrificing in their own lands, on their altars, &c. and the Iewes might instruct them to doe it aright, though they themselves might not doe it with them, being restreyned of God. And as for the state of grace, and salvation with God, they also say, Whosoever receiveth the seven commandements (given to the sonns of Noe) [of which I have spoken †Annot. o… Gen. 9.elsewhere, and whereof circumcision was none;] and doth them; he is of the saincts of the nations of the world; and he hath a portion in the world to come [that is, in eternall life] if he receive them and doe them, because the holy blessed (God) hath commanded them, &c. Maimony in Misn. treat. of Kings. chapt. 8. s. 11. Thus mine opposite needed not to have made it so strange, what I wrote of the state of the Gentiles, nor have called it an idle flourish; had he duly weighed their estate, as Gods word and humane writers bear witnes of it.
But this indeed is admirable (sayth he) that he should account the heathens * Chr. ple… pag. 9….superstitions to bee Gods ordinances: and yet esteem the circumcision and other ordinances of God had in Israel, to be lying and deceitful signes, &c. Besides in all his bead-roule of Writers, there is no mention at all of circumcision, whereabout our question is, &c.
Answ. 1. I called both the one and the other, the ordinances of God, in respect of their divine institution. The other nations that fell from God: and the Israelites that fell from God: I count them all abusers of Gods ordinances; which were not in their use of them, true signes and seales of eternall life unto them: but false and deceitfull. Thus I match them alike, without respect of persons, as I am taught by the Apostle, Rom. 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. The heathens superstitions (if he mean things of their own devising,) I never esteemed Gods ordinances at all; no nor Romes superstitions at this day.
2 That circumcision is not in the bead-roule as he calleth it: hee need not marvell, seeing it was not commanded the heathens, as before I have shewed. It seemeth hee had a speciall fansie to circumcision above all other Gods ordinances: otherwise, why might not he think that it might be prophaned as much as any other. There was no more holines in it, then in the sacrifices. And the Apostle sayth, Jf thou be a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision, Rom. 2. 25. what then will it availe, that Israel had circumcision, when they broke the Law, yea were without the true God, and without Law, 2. Chron. 15. 3. and sacrificed to Divils, Deut. 32. 17. 2. Chron. 11. 15. Finally, here he seeketh for circumcision, where it was not to be found: but within three le…es after in my †Animadv. …g. 75.book, I instanced some among the nations circumcised, even by his owne confession; and there he hath passed it over without answer, as if he had not seen it. Such intreatie and worse I bear at his hand with patience. Let me here adde the testimony of a learned man. Mr. Calvin (in his Sermon against idolatrie, upon Psal. 16. 4.) hath these words, There are diverse which at this day use another starting hole: for confessing that it is a detestable thing to mingle themselves with the idolatries of the Paynims, they wil not that this extend it self to the superstitions of the papacie: as though all the impieties of the Paynims had not been the corruptions of the true service of God. From whence I pray you drew the Paynims all their ceremonies, but from the holy Fathers? The mischief was, that they corrupted that which was wel instituted of God. And yet al the abominations that were in the world, had this goodly cloke of the name of God, and of Religion: but this made them not therefore justifiable, neither might the faithful communicate with them.