The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace, Catechism · Chapter 2
CAP. II. Of the Violation of this Catholick Order of Religion, and the Means provided by God to reſtore it.
Queſt. HOw did a change begin in this Catholick State of Religion, in the place of which we now ſee endleſs Schiſme and Confuſion?
Anſw. The Fallen Angels, a higher Region of Spirits, being Anathematiz'd out of Heaven, ſettled in a black and deteſtable Hereſie and Separation from God.
Queſt. How did this affect Man?
Anſw. They immediately endeavoured upon Humane Natures being newly breathed from God, and received into Society with himſelf, and all Bleſſed Spirits, to propagate their own Malignancy into it, in our Firſt Parents, and to ſeparate it with themſelves from the Creator, and his happy Publick.
Queſt. With what appearance was ſo malicious an Attempt covered?
Anſw. Under the plauſible Diſguiſe of Mans ſetting up for Happineſs, and becoming a Publick within himſelf, without, and againſt the Divine Oracle.
Queſt. What was the miſchievous Deſign that lay hid under this?
Anſw. To have enſlav'd Humane Nature under perpetual Vaſſallage to the Pſeudo-Catholick Synagogue of Satan, and to have depended upon a lye and the Father of it for Infallibility.
Queſt. What was the Effect of this Helliſh Attempt?
Anſw. Too unhappily ſucceſsful it was; for drawing our unwary Progenitors from the Royal Law implanted in their hearts, and rendring ſuſpicious to them the Oracle of the Divine Univerſal Spirit, they gave heed to an unknown obſcure Spirit, and to the Doctrine of Devils.
Queſt. What was the diſmal Conſequence of ſo monſtrous a Seduction?
Anſw. They loſt their place in the General Aſſembly, and Church of the Firſt-born written in Heaven, and forfeited it from all their Poſterity.
Queſt. But did theſe Excommunicate Spirits prevail upon our Firſt Parents, to become abſolutely and immediately of their Separation?
Anſw. No: For God clothing himſelf in his Son, with the Compaſſions of a Mediator and Redeemer, laid hold upon Humane Nature, as the Head of its Recovery, in that very Nature; certainly reconciling his own Seed, the Seed of Abraham, or his Church, into a ſtate more Catholick than the firſt, He, God-Man, being ſo inſeparably united with it: And with a redundance of Grace to all Mankind, laid the Foundations of their Reſtoration to their firſt Communion, with advantage, if built upon aright.
Queſt. What were the Foundations laid by the Son of God, the Saviour of all Men, eſpecially of them that believe, for the reſtoring them to the firſt Catholick ſtate of Religion?
Anſw. The very ſame that were Ordained by God before the Fall, viz. the Law of Natural Religion, preſerved in the Soul, with direct Aſpects upon God, Obligations to ſerve him, and Deſires of his Favour.
And when Man found himſelf in a fallen eſtate, and under Guilt, and yet that God ſpared him, and had patience with him, there muſt needs ariſe from True Reaſon, Hopes of and Deſires after his Mercy and Pardon, and Motions of return to him by Repentance, as is plain in the King of Nineveh.
2. Revelation, moſt exactly ſuited to our Recovery out of that miſerable Eſtate, with which God immediately ſuccour'd our Firſt Parents againſt Deſpair: For that was the Word of Promiſe, in relief againſt Satan's taking poſſeſſion of Man, as his Spoil; The Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head, an everlaſting Enmity being immediately kindled between them.
Queſt. Who is the Supreme Superintendent., miſſioned or ſent in the Son's Name, to negotiate our Return to, and preſerving our ſelves in the True Catholick Religion?
Anſw. The Divine Spirit alone, conducting us by Heavenly Aſſiſtances, inlightning us in the uncorrupted Principles of Natural Religion by Revealed, and aſſuring to us Revealed Religion by its Intimate Union with Natural, and enabling us to cut the Lines of the one running into the other with innumerable Mazes of Union: Sometimes preparing us for Revealed Religion by Natural, always to the true Natural by Revealed, and ſo confirming them to us by one another.
Queſt. You have made no mention of Creation, Providence, Evidences of Divine Preſence, and Miracles, what Place they have in the Renewal of Man's State towards God by the Redeemer.
Anſw. Theſe are all in the very ſame Place they were in the firſt Settlement, attending the Doctrine and Divine Law they are to ſeal, with Aſſurances they are Divine, and giving the Image and Likeneſs of that Law in the Power, Majeſty, Rectitude, and Order they themſelves carry, and ſo teſtifying of God, and his Word, of what Excellency it is; and that even before the Reaſon of Man, as it is imbodied, and miniſtred to by his Senſes.
Queſt. How ſhall there be a Diſtinction betwixt Miracles and Lying Wonders that impoſe on Men?
Anſw. There can be no Counterfeit of Creation and Providence, the Univerſal Miracles; and all True Divine Miracles are like them, generally, in their Beneficence to the World: Beſides, the Excellency of the Doctrine they come along with, manifeſtly diſtinguiſhes them.