Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 1 – Chapter 3
CHAP. 1. Of the knowledge of God.
*An Aphoriſme is a ſhort ſentence ſelected and ſet apart, or a definition, diſtinction, &c.I. APHORISME.
WE know God either as aAct. 14.15 16.17. and chap. 17.24.25, &c. Rom. 1.19.20creator, or as bIohn. 17.3.redeemer.
II.
The knowledge of God as … creator, is double: The one naturall, the other attained.
III.
The naturall knowledge of God as he … …eator, is that which naturally appea… in ſuch as be of yeares of iudgement, …uch cRom. 1.18.19 & chap. 2 14.15.without inſtructiō are perſwaded … God is, or ſome diuine eſſence, eter… moſt mightie, moſt wiſe, moſt bleſ… …aker and gouernour of the world, & …ll things therein: & therefore that this …d muſt be religiouſly worſhipped.
IIII.
That ſuch knowledge of God is naturally ingraffed in the mindes of men, may appeare, partly for that barbarous natiōs exerciſe ſome religious ceremonies: partly alſo for that the prophane contemners of God are otherwhiles ſmitten with a moſt great feare when God ſheweth ſome ſignes of his maieſtie: as in thunders and lightnings.
V.
The knowledge of God as he is creator is attained, both by humane or Philoſophicall ſpeculation and conſideration of the aRom. 1.20workes of God: and by diuine inſtruction, bGen. 1. Iob. 38.39.40 41. Pſal. 19.104. Prou. 8.22. &c.by the very written word of God.
VI.
The naturall knowledge of God, and that alſo which is attained by mans induſtrie, yeeld ſome ſeede of Religion: but the ſame is ſo corrupted partly by ignorance, partly by malice, that of it ſelf it can breed in vsus but onelyonly cRom. 1.21.22.23. Act. 17.22. &c. 1. Cor. 12.….ſuperſtition and falſe Religion.
VII.
And for the knowledge of God as he is creator, attained by the word of God, the ſame is either naked and bare, or ioyned with ſome affection of pietie.
VIII.
This laſt degree of knowledge excelleth all the reſt: yet it ſufficeth not for the true worſhip of God, and mans true feli…e, but is ſufficient onelyonly (as the former degrees) to make a manaRom. 1.20. inexcuſable. We muſt hauehave alſo by the bPſal. 19. by confer. v. 8. & the v. folowing with the precedent.word, the knowledge of God as redeemer, and the ſame …ked & knit with the faith and aſſurance … Gods children. And this is that which …worthily called a true cIohn, 17.3& a ſauing knowledge of God, whereby God as he is both creatour and redeemer is acknowledged … rightly worſhipped: and whereby alſo … become bleſſed.
CHAP. II. Of the holy Scripture.
I. APHORISME.
THe holy Scripture is that which holy a2. Tim. 3.16. 1. Pet. 1.21.men ſpecially the bIbid.Prophets and cRom. 1.2. 2. Pet. 1.19.A…oſtles, d2. Pet. 3.15.16.moued by the inſpiration of the …oly Ghoſt, hauehave written to eRom. 15 4. 1. Tim. 4.19.16. 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17. Iohn. 5 39. & Chap. 20.31.teach the people of God the pure worſhip of God, and what is mans true happineſſe. Sometimes it is called Gods written word, and the ſacred Scriptures: & ſometimes without an epithet, the Scriptures, and in the ſingular number, the Scripture: ſomtimes in Latin Biblia, of the Greeke word in the plurall number foreign, bookes: but this name other nations alſo vſe in the ſingular number, Bible.
II.
The holy Scripture is diuided into the bookes of the old and of the new Teſtament, or couenaunt: for that it was written partly before, partly after the incarnation of Chriſt: The firſt part is called, bookes or writings Propheticall, the ſecond Apoſtolicall.
III.
In the old Teſtament are numbred 24. bookes yet ſo as we count the ſtorie of Samuell, of the Kings, and of the Chronicles, and the 12. ſmall Prophets, to hauehave but one ſeuerall booke in euerie ſtory: as may appeare in this table folowing.
…. Geneſis, or the 1. booke of Moſes.
…. Exodus, or the 2. booke of Moſes.
…. Leuiticus, or the 3. booke of Moſes.
…. Numeri, or the 4. booke of Moſes.
…. Deuteron. or the 5. booke of Moſes.
…. Ioſua.
…. Iudges.
…. Ruth.
…. Samuels 2. bookes, commonly called 1. and 2. of Kings.
…. Kings 2. bookes, called alſo 3. and 4. of Kings.
…. Chronicles 2. bookes.
…. Ezra.
…. Nehemia.
…. Heſter.
…. Iob.
…. The booke of Pſalmes.
…. The Prouerbes of Salomon.
…. Eccleſiaſtes or the Preacher.
…. Canticles, or Song of Salomon.
…. Eſayah.
…. Ieremy: ad here his Lamentations.
…. Ezechiell.
…. Daniell.
24. The ſmall Prophets. 12.
1. Hoſea.
2. Ioel.
3. Amos.
4. Obadaiah.
5. Ionas.
6. Michah.
7. Nahum.
8. Habacuc.
9. Zephaniah.
10. Haggai.
11. Zachariah.
12. Malachi.
The bookes of the new Teſtament are 27. which are theſe:
1. The Goſpel according to S. Mathew.
2. The Goſpell according to S. Marke.
3. The Goſpell according to S. Luke.
4. The Goſpell according to S. Iohn.
5. The Actes of the Apoſtles.
6. Pauls Epiſtle to the Romaines.
7. Epiſtle 1. to the Corinthians.
8. Epiſtle 2. to the Corinthians.
9. Epiſtle to the Galathians.
10. Epiſtle to the Epheſians.
11. Epiſtle to the Philippians.
12. Epiſtle to the Coloſſians.
13. 1. Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians.
14. 2. Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians.
15. 1. Epiſtle to Timothie.
16. 2. Epiſtle to Timothie.
17. Epiſtle to Titus.
18. Epiſtle to Philemon.
19. Epiſtle to the Hebrues.
20. The Epiſtle of S. Iames.
21. 1. Epiſtle of S. Peter.
22. 2. Epiſtle of S. Peter.
23. 1. Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
24. 2. Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
25. 3. Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
26. Epiſtle of Iude.
27. The Reuelation of S. Iohn.
IIII.
This Scripture, or the word of God …ntained in this Scripture, is the a2. Pet. 1.19rule …th of faith and life, for all the true worſhippers of God: becauſe God is the b2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.21.au…our of it, who cannot lye, and hath authoritie to commaunde all men: and …herefore auncient writers call them, …ookes canonicall, or Canonicall Scrip…ures. VntoUnto this volume alſo are vſually annexed certaine other bookes which are …alled Apocrypha, that is, bookes kept hid … ſecret: for that we muſt not bring theſe … light when we are to confirme any doctrine concerning faith or Gods worſhip by diuine teſtimonies.
V.
And as for the abſolute authoritie of this Scripture, it conſiſteth in thoſe very words wherein it was firſt written, for that the ſame words were ſpoken a2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.21.by the holy Ghoſt vntounto theſe holy writers: and they arc Hebrue in the old, and Greeke in the new Teſtament. The tranſlations or interpretations of other languages hauehave their credit and authoritie, as they be founde to agree with the firſt fountaines whence they are deriued.
VI.
And albeit this Scripture ought to be receiued of all mē, for that it came by the inſpiration of Gods ſpirit, and is of credit ſufficient of it ſelfe: yet before the ſame be ſealed in our harts by the aEſ. 39.21. Iohn. 14 26. and 15.26. & …6.13. Rom 8.16. 1. Ioh. 2 27. &. chap. 5.6.holy Ghoſt, we cannot hauehave any certain knowledge of the power thereof; that ſo we may with full aſſurance truſt thereunto.
VII.
And yet we finde certaine proofes (as …ans reaſon can conceiue) good for the confirmation of the Scripture vntounto vsus, as theſe folowing; the maieſty of that heauē ly doctrine, the ſimplicitie, puritie and excellencie of the ſtile: the conſent alſo of all partes, the admiration whereunto it calleth vsus, the antiquitie of the bookes, ſo many and ſo wonderfull miracles, the admirable complement of all Prophecies, the diuine preſeruation of theſe bookes againſt the furie of the enemies, the con… of the Church, the bloud of Martyrs, and laſtly the common ſtate and conditiō … thoſe men which firſt writte the ſame.
VIII.
And albeit the cōſent of the Church be …great argumēt to commende the autho…ie of the Scripture vntounto vsus, yet the Po…ſh aſſertiō is falſe, that the authoritie of …he Scripture doth hāg vpō the iudgmēt of the Church: as if we could not beleeue …he Scripture, or as if the Scripture were …ot to be truſted, if the iudgement of the Church did not moue vsus thereunto, by teſtifying that theſe are the holy Scriptures, and commaunding vsus to reuerence them as the truth.
IX.
Neither yet doe we here deſpiſe the iudgment of the Church, whē we aſcribe not therunto that which is due vntounto God, which is to aſſure vsus of the truth of this celeſtiall doctrine. We muſt I graunt highly eſteeme of the teſtimonie of the true Church. For the Church (as a Notary) keepeth the holy Scriptures: and diſcerneth the true Scriptures of God from the falſe: as the goldfiner trieth and diſcerneth gold frō copper by his touch-ſtone, and as a skilfull man can teach vsus to know good coyne, which the ignorant knoweth not. Againe, the true Church (as a cōmon cryer) doth publiſh the Scriptures: and laſtly doth rightly interpret the ſame.
X.
Foraſmuch as the onelyonly Hebrue text in the old Teſtament, and the Greeke in the new is authēticall, & hath abſolute authoritie: the Councel of Trent conſequētly muſt erre, where it giueth caution, to …ld the Latin old vulgar edition as authenticall, in all publique readings, diſpu…ations, ſermons and expoſitions: and that no man be ſo bold or preſume to reiect it vnderunder any colour.
XI.
And ſeeing the Scripture is giuen to inſtruct vsus, concerning Gods worſhip & …r ſaluatiō, thoſe phantaſticall wits muſt …re, which laying aſide the Scripture flye …nto reuelations.
XII.
And whereas the ſcope of God in the ſcripture, is to teach men concerning his holy worſhip and mans true happineſſe; it foloweth then that it is ſo abſolute & perfect, that it containeth all things needfull …or this end & purpoſe. For otherwiſe we ſhould ſay that God himſelfe doth not at…ine that which he purpoſed, and this to ſpeake, is againſt the omnipotēcy of God.
XIII.
If the doctrine of the ſcripture be: a1. Tim. 3.16.17. & Pſa. 19.7.8.9.perfect, comprizing all points which neceſſarily concerne Gods pure worſhip & our ſaluation: then it foloweth that the Papiſts erre, which thruſt vponupon vsus their vnwritten verities; traditions, I ſay, which neither Prophets nor Apoſtles hauehave euer writtē.
XIIII.
And for that the doctrine of the Scripture is vndoubtedly a2. Pet. 1.19true: for that it came by the bIbid. 21. 2. Tim. 3.16.inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt: that muſt of neceſſitie be erroneous which is contrary vntounto it: as ſome fewe traditions are, which the Papiſtes thruſt vponupon the Church, as the very word of God it ſelfe.
CHAP. III. Of God.
I. APHORISME.
GOd is a aIohn. 4 24.ſpirite, moſt bDeut. 6.4. Exo. 3.14.15.pure, cPſal. 139.7 &c. Eſ. 66.1. Ier. 23.23 24 1. Kings. 8.27.infinite, dRom. 1.20 and 23. 1. Tim. 1.17. Pſal. 102.25. &c. Reu. 1.8.eternall, ePſal. 102 27.28. Mal. 3.6. Eſ. 46.10. Rom. 11.29.immutable: fGen. 17.1. and c. 35.11. Exod. 15. Iob. 38.39. Pſal. 91.1.2.almighty, moſt gPſal. … 1.104.24.147.5. 1. Sam. 16 8. Heb. 4.13. Rom. 11.33.34. and 16.27. …im 1.17. h i k l Exod. 34.6. and 7.wiſe, hPſal. 5.13. and 34.9.51.20. & …ſt v. 54 8.9.good, iIon. 4.2.louing, kIon. 4.2.mercifull, lGene. 18.23.25. Deut. 32.4. Iob. 34.10. …2 & 36. chap. Pſal. 11. laſt v. 34.16.17. Prou 8.8. Eſ. 45.11. Ierem. 12.1. …m. 1…8.iuſt, mLeu. 19.2. Ioſh. 24.19. 1. Sam. 2.2. Pſal. 99 3. Eſ. 6.3.holy, nPſa. …. Heb. 6.17.18. Tit. 1.2.true & of moſt free oRom. 9.15, &c. Math. 20.15.& abſolute authoritie: and is pMath. 28.…9.Father, Sonne & holy ſpirite: creator of heauen and qGen. 1.1.earth & of all things which are contained in them: the rLuk. 1.68, &c.redeemer and ſEphe. 2.10.ſanctifier of all his elect.
II.
Theſe three the Father, Sonne, & holy Ghoſt are three diſtinctaHeb. 1.3. perſons: and eueryevery perſon very bIohn. 1.1. Act. 5.3. & 4.God: yet not three Gods, …t they are that cDeut. 6.4.one very God, which in … Scripture is called Iehouah the Lord.
III.
Theſe three perſons differ, & are diſtinguiſhed, for that the Father is of none: the Sonne is of the aIohn. 1.14Father by an incomprehenſible and inſpeakable bPſal. 2.7. Prou. 8.24. and 25.generation:dIbid. Rom. 8.9. … holy Ghoſt is of the cIohn. 15.26Father & of the ſonne by an incomprehenſible and in…kable eIohn. 15.26 1. Iohn. 5.7.proceeding.