A Catholicon, Part 1 · Subpart 2
The second lecture.
v. 3. Here beginneth the second part of this epistle, wherein is propounded the whole argument & matter; namely to exhort them to striue and contend for the faith: wherein we hauehave these foure things to consider. 1. The cause, which mooued him to write; not onelyonly his owne desires, but the present necessitie. 2. Whereof he writeth; of the common saluation. 3. To what ende; to exhort them to striue for the faith. 4. A reason of this ende: the faith, which was once giuen: once for all, that they are not to expect a new faith, but it was giuen once to continue for euer.
When I gaue all diligence, &c▪ it was needfull:] These two ioyne togither, as the generall and speciall causes of his writing: the generall cause, is his diligent desire to profit: the sepciall, this necessarie occasion because of seducers and false brethren.
Doctrine. That all which are called to Doctrine 1.be dispensers of the word, should vse all diligence in preaching of the same.
Probat. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season. foreign. that is, let him take all occasion fit or vnfit, either in respect of the time, or of the opinion of the people.
Demonst. Act. 20. 7. S. Paul continued the preaching till midnight: he taught thorough eueryevery house, v. 20. at all seasons, v. 18. S. Peter, 2. Pet. 2. 15. I will endeauour alwaies, &c.
Exornat. 1. Cor. 4. 2. As stewards and disposers of their masters goods should be faithfull, so also Ministers, which are disposers of the secrets of God: and as shepheards are diligent to know the state of the flocke. Prou. 27. 23.
Confirmat. 1. Cor. 9. 16. Necessitie is laid vponupon me, and woe is me if I preach not the gospel. Ezech. 33. 6. God will require his blood that perisheth at the watchmans hand, if he doe not warne them.
Application. 1. The Papists hold, that the Scriptures are not necessarie now, no Error 5.more then in the Patriarks time, who liued many hundred yeares without any Scripture both before the flood and after. Ans. God did then teach them by visions and reuelations, and they had Prophets and Patriarks taught of God to instruct them: but now, we hauehave neither Prophets nor Apostles, and reuelations and visions are ceased, so that the Scripture and written word of God are now most necessarie: as here the Apostle saith, foreign, necesse habui, or it was needefull for me to write vntounto you.
2. Idle pastours and ministers are reprooued, who vse not this diligence to take all occasions to instruct their people, who if they loued Christ, would feed his flock.Ioh. 21. 16.
3. As the pastours should vse all diligence to teach, so the people should be as forward and diligent to heare: Swift to heare, slow to speake, Iam. 1. 19. But now contrariwise, they are swift to speake, and to open their mouthes against the Ministers of God, but exceeding dull and slow to heare Gods word: take heede also of itching eares, 2. Tim. 4. 3. Some are like nice and daintie persons, that take no meate, vnlesse it be dressed after their owne fanfie; that like any water, better then out of their owne fountaine, Prov. 5. 15. and other Ministers better, then their owne.
Common saluation] Doctrine. That there 2. Doctrine. Christ died onelyonly for the Elect.is one common way vntounto saluation, wherby all, that are appointed thereunto, shall be saued.
Probation. Eph. 4. 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptisme.
Demonstrat. Rom. 4. 23. It was not written onelyonly for Abraham, &c. Abraham had not a speciall way by himselfe to be saued, but the same common way with the rest. 2. Tim. 4. 8. S. Paul looketh for one common reward with all the faithfull.
Exorn. Like as they which liue in one kingdome be they strangers, or homeborne are subiect to one law, Exod. 12. 49. so there is one law for all that appertaine to the kingdome of Christ.
Reason. Act. 10. 34, 35. God is no accepter of persons, to priuiledge some, & not others, but he that feareth God in eueryevery nation is accepted.
Applicat. 1. Against the Papists, who Error 6.make this way too common, saying, that Christ died verily for all, Iewes, Turkes, infidels, for the damned as well as the Elect. Whereas the Scripture testifieth, he died onelyonly for his sheepe, Ioh. 10. 11. who is the Sauiour of all men, but especially of them which beleeue, 1. Tim. 4. 10. then not of all alike.
2. Against schismatikes, that make not this way common enough, but think they onelyonly hauehave found out the way to heauen, as beeing holier then the rest, as those hypocrites in Isaias time, 65. 5. Which say, Stand apart, come not neare me, I am holier then thou.
3. If it be a common saluation, none are to be ignorant of it: the ignorance then of the people is reprooued, who seeke not to know the means of their saluation: who are like to the foole, whome the wise man speaketh of, that knoweth not the way into the citie. Eccl. 10. 15.
That you striue for the faith, &c.] Doctr. Doctr. 3. EueryEvery one must striue for the faith.It is eueryevery mans part, according to his place and calling, to contend for the defence and maintenance of the truth, and to resist the gainsayers.
Testim. Prou. 23. 23. Bu…e the truth, but sell it not: that is, by all meanes compasse the truth, but by no meanes by thy silence or negligence betray it.
Demonst. Christ is herein an example to vsus, Ioh. 18. 37. who came to be a witnes to the truth: and S. Paul, 2. Cor. 13. 8. We can doe nothing against the truth, but for the truth. This is also the commendation of the whole Church of Ephesus, Apoc. 2. 2. because they sifted and examined the false Apostles, and hated the Nicolaitans.
Exorn. Like as Gen. 26. 21. the seruants of Isaac doe striue with the Philistims for the well of water, which they had found; so for the truth and faith we ought to contend.
Confirmat. The reason is taken from the excellencie and price of faith: men will contend for things of great price; so, we must not neglect so great saluation, which began to be preached by the Lord himselfe, Hebr. 2. 3. which hath beene commended to vsus by the trauaile of the Apostles, by the bloode of Martyrs. Dauid would not drinke the water, which was compassed with the perill of his captaines liues, but powred it out to the Lord. 2. Sam. 23. so should not we make light account of the truth, which hauehave beene defended by the sufferings of so many martyrs.
Applicat. 1. Against the Papists, who say that the triall of faith dependeth vponupon Error 7.the iudgement of the prelates of the Church, that the people must not skanne their faith, but receiue it at their hands. The Apostle here exhorteth all the brethren to striue for the faith: yea and the Berheans are commended, for examining the Apostles doctrine according to the Scriptures, Act. 17. 11. 2. This doctrine is against their carnall securitie, which make no account of the defence of the truth, but stand indifferent to eueryevery religion, readie to be carried about with eueryevery winde of doctrine. Eph. 4. 14.
Which was once giuen to the Saints] That is, once for all, not euer to be changed or 4. Doctr. Doctrine of faith vnchangeable.altered, and therefore this faith steadfast and vnchangeable ought to be striued and contented for.
Doctr. That the faith of Iesus Christ, preached first by the Lord, and confirmed by the Apostles, as it is contained in their scriptures and writings, ought to be kept inuiolably without change and alteration to the worlds ende. For the Apostle saith, 1. Tim. 6. 14. I charge thee to keepe this commandement vnrebukeable to the appearing of the Lord Iesus. Therefore S. Paul reprooueth the Galatians, for that they were so soone turned to an other Gospel, Gal. 1. 6. vers. 7. He calleth the peruerting of the Gospel of Christ, in corrupting of the doctrine of iustification by faith, with iustification by law or by workes, an other Gospel.
Exorn. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lay, Like as the house once builded, and the foundation laid, whosoeuer will enterprize to lay a new foundation will ouerthrow the whole building: like as the law of the Medes and Persians altered not, Dan. 6. 8. so neither is the law of Christ changed: therefore is it called a testament, which is ratified, when men are dead. Heb. 9. 17.
Confirmat. Heb. 13. 8. Iesus Christ, yesterday and to day, and the same for euer. As Christ chaungeth not, so neither his law nor Gospel.
Applicat. 1. Against the Papists, who in most of their articles hauehave varied from Error ….the doctrine of the Apostles: in their seauen sacraments, in the reall presence, sacrifice of the masse, inuocation of Saints, adoration of images, purgatorie, workes, traditions, like as the Pharisies had corrupted the law of God by their traditions, Math. 7. 9. They slander vsus, eueryevery yeare to inuent a new faith, but we maintaine the old, auncient, Apostolike faith, we stand in the old way. Ierem. 6. 16. 2. We see how dangerous a thing it is to depart from the faith once receiued; as salt, that wanteth his sauour can not be seasoned. Math. 9. 50.