The Divine Triunity of the Father Son and Holy Spirit, Dedication – To the reader
To the Worshipfull FRANCIS ROVS Esq The learned Provost of Eaton College.
SIR,
IT was the sad complaint of Hilary in his time, That there were as many Creeds as Wills, Periculosum nobis est tot nunc Fides existere, quot voluntates, dum aut ita Fides scribuntur ut volumus, aut ut volumus intelliguntur. Hilarius.and every one presumed to alter the wholesome Forme of sound Words, or else wrest it to a corrupt sense. And you know the sense of a Creed is the Creed. In these dayes of Libertinisme, men account it a kinde of bondage to confine themselves to a wholesome Forme of sound words, though they areaVerbis consecratis utendum Quintil. Consecrated words, and therefore such as cannot be condemned.
The Devil hath set good men at variance about saeculal affaires, Private interests and publique rights, and in the mean time robs or cheates us of what is spirituall and glorious, the purity of truth, the power and beauty of holinesse. We live in sad times, in which Atheisme pleads for protection and intolerable errours contend for a toleration. They who blaspheme Christ and his Gospel in jeast, The judgment of God upon scoffing Atheists.are Atheists in good earnest (as Lucian and Rablais were) but God will plead his own cause, if we will not. Lucian (as Suidas relates) was torne to pieces with dogs, and Rablais died drunk with Wine and Atheisme: We have good cause to suppresse and bewaile the very first risings of naturall Atheisme; we must not suffer any black suggestions or hovering thoughts which rellish of Atheisme to roost and nestle in our hearts;In animâ dicuntur esse, quae sunt in eâ per modum quietis; reliqua potius dicuntur esse ab animâ, quàm in animâ, Vide Bonavent. lib. 2. dist. 38. These extemporary thoughts, are sins which do proceed from us; but O let them not be familiars, and inmates which lodge, and dwell within us. I fear that Atheisme may soon become a Nationall sin in England, if there be an indulgence (worse then any at Rome) vouchsafed to irregular phantasies, and appetites under pious pretences. They who deny the God head of Iesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, hope to escape censure in England, if they can have the favour to be called devout Familists, although their blasphemy and wantonnesse doth declare them to be sensuall Socinians, and beastly Atheists. The Socinians and Familists have even already shamed the more modest Mahumetans. D. Pocockii specime…n Hist. Arab. pag. 21. Annot. pag. 218. & 219.Mr. Pocock (the learned and ingenuous Professour of Hebrew and Arabick in this Vniversity, in his notes upon Gregory the Arabian Phaenix) assures me that the Al Hayetians acknowlege the incarnation of the Eternall Word, and that we shall all be judged by this Incarnate Word at the last day. The more moderate Turks would stop their ears at the hearing of such blasphemies agaist Christ, as hath poysoned this English air. Some Mahumetans hold that Christus est Deus de novo ortus, as the Socinians say, he is Deus factus, Subordinatus, &c. And the Mahumetan-Sectaries talk just like our Familists, D. Pocock… Annot. pag. 219.Antinomians: &c. as will be evident to any one that will persue M. Pococks choise and learned Annotations. Licitum pronuntiant vino & scortationi indulgere, & reliqua quae lege vetita sunt perpetrare; omittenda esse censent, quae lege mandata sunt, pag. 261.& orationē. I am ashamed to English that with my pen, which some Professours have translated in broad and foule English by their grosse neglect of duties, contempt of ordinances, and bold practice of abominable leudnesse; I will not mention their dreams of a Phantasticall Hell, and Heaven. But sure I am our Familists, Sunt ex Al…shiisqui hominum foreign statuerūt. vide D. Pocockii Annot. p. 264.and their Alshii speak the same Dialect, when they discourse of their being Godded with God, and salute one whom they reverence with this Atheistall complement, Tu est Tu, id est, Tu es Deus. Sir, you are what you are, you are God! Henry Nicholas, the Father of the Family of Love, said of himself, I am God. A man would think that our Familists had met with some Mahumetans at Poland, or Constantinople, and some of the worst of them also. For Al Gazalius a precise and learned Mahumetan would teach them better langnage and behaviour also; He saith that cleanlynesse is a part of Faith, and the Key of Prayer, that we must have pure mindes, clean hearts and hands. But enough of that.
Sir, Being encouraged by the Committee, for regulating this Vniversity, to undertake a service which I even tremble to repeat, and you being Chaireman of that Committee, I conceived my self obliged to present you with this Treatise. When the Vniversity was pleased to elect me the L. Margarets Professour of Divinity, the revenue due to that Professour by a grant made under the great Seale of England 3io. Caroli, Apr. 20. 1649. This Act shall not extend to the revenues of any publik professor or reader in either of the Vniversities. Ad laudem & honorem sanctae & individuae Trinitatis, ac Fidei & Christianorum augmentum.was setled by speciall Act. And the Vniversity did purchase the lease of the House and Meadowes in Worcester, which belong to the said Professour, and would (if they might have had the common priviledge of leaseholders) have bought the inheritance of the premises outright for ever; but the Vniversity is denyed the benefit of the lease and the common priviledge aforesaid. The House and Meadowes are sold to others, and no revenue payed to the Professour. I desire that the Vniversity may be righted, and that my successour may not suffer as I have done. Sir, notwithstanding these discouragements, I conceived it my duty either to read or write for the propagation of the Christian Faith, and honour of the blessed Trinity according to the first Grant. I consulted the Vniversity and your self, and you both concurred that rebus sic stantibus, it was better to write then read, and that it did most conduce to the propagation of the Christian Faith; Finally, that it was most requisite that I should write in English, because since the beginning of the year 1645.1645 there have been many blasphemous bookes to the great dishonour of the blessed Trinity printed in England. But I have found the task far more difficult, because there are many Socinian subtiltyes which will hardly bear English, and I could not but take some notice of them, either by a Formall answer, or else by a confirmation of that deep truth which they do with no lesse blasphemy, then subtilty reject, deny. I have been forced sometimes to expresse my minde in Latine in the margine, merely upon that accompt; but the plainest reader may if he please to read the 4. 5. 8. and 9. Chapters, understand as much of this mystery as is necessary to bee known; and I am confident that the happy union between the Mystery of Faith, and the practicall Mystery of godlinesse is as plainly represented in this little Treatise, as in any of the ancient or moderne Divines; for I have faithfully endeavoured to give you the strength and Quintessence of both in a familiar way with many experimentall observations of mine own, which I shall now reveiw and practise in my most retired condition. But before I retire, give me leave to speak a word for my Brethren who are eminent for all manner of learning, sound in the Faith, holy in their life, and peaceable in their conversation; if men of such qualifications know not how to rest in the present unsetlednesse of publike affaires, and yet are ready to performe all lawfull things required of them for the defence and preservation of the true Religion and publique Liberties; why may not such be still employed for the promoting of such a just Accommodation & Reformation as may effectually advance the grand publike interest, the power, purity and growth of Religion in this land? you cannot look upon these men as enemies, and dare not deale with them as the worst of Infidels (whom Christian *See Weemse vo. 3. Expos. of the judiciall Law, cap. 15. Faithfull Presbyterians described and commended.Princes have sometimes banished from their dominions) if you desire to have the same common friends and enemies with Iesus Christ. Now which is the more tolerable penalty, to be out-lawed or banished, is not hard to determine. If you look upon them as Presbyterians, it is no dishonour to them to be true to their Principles in the midst of changes; it is a signe that they were never friends to the Fortune of the Cause, but to the Cause it selfe; forgive them if they know not how to pursue a new interest without new light or direction from the word of God. Besides they are such Presbyterians as all godly and prudent Independents will close with in the highest and sweetest acts of Church-communion. For I am confident that no wise and godly men will Practically separate from us in those very things in which they do Doctrinally agree with us,Grounds of an happy union between godly men of both perswasions. because that Text which they do so often cite, Philip 3. 15, 16. is Demonstratively clear in this very point, and doth manifestly condemne all causelesse Separation from lawfull Communion with the godly members of Reforming Churches.Si vultis vivere de Spiritu Sancto, tenete charitatem, amate veritatem, desiderate unitatem, ut perveniatis ad aeternitatem. Godly Presbyterians and Independents do. 1. Receive the same Officers, Pastours, Teachers, Ruling Elders, and of the same qualification required in the Rule set forth by the Parliament. 2. Admit Members of the same qualification held forth by the Assembly, namely visible Saints, who being of age, do professe Faith in, and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Rules of Faith and Life delivered in the Word. Aug.3. Desire that the above mentioned Officers should be incorporated in one Eldership, and joyn in all acts of Government of the Church. 4. Hold the same censures of Admonition and Excommunication, and do likewise receive such as have been censured into communion again, as soon as they give testimony of their repentance to them.Godly Independents do acknowledge Parochiall Churches to be true Churches of Christ.
Godly Independents doe acknowledg that Parochial Churches (wherein Ministers and others endeavor to remove all things justly offensive, that so all ordinances may be administred in purity) are true Churches of Christ. 2. They retaine Communion with these Parochicall Churches by baptizing their Children, and receiving the Lords Supper there, as occasion serves. And if occasionall Communion with us be lawfull, constant Communion with us would not be sinfull. 3. They receive the members of such parishes as aforesaid unto Communion with themselves in their own Congregations also occasionally. 4. They professe that they are ready to give an account to such Parochiall Congregations, as to Sister-Churches, whensoever they are offended at any irregular administrations in Independent Churches. 5. They esteem a sentence of Non-Communion passed by such Parochicall Congregations, is Churches against them, upon any scandall wherein they are unsatisfied, as a means to humble them, and as an ordinance of God to reduce them. Much more might be added: But it is clear from these premises, that prudent and godly Independents cannot conceive themselves obliged
1. To set up other Churches with differing rules of Constitution or Worship; For Presbyterians and Independents did both agree in the same Confession of Faith and Directory for Worship, and resolved to practice most of the same things, and those the most substantiall in respect of Government also, as doth appeare by those few transactions in the Assembly, and Committee for Accommodation, which have been Printed.
2. Nor can they say, that they are enforced to gather new Churches out of true Reformed Churches; for a circumstantiall difference cannot be a sufficient ground for leaving of all ordinary Communion with true reforming Churches. The prudent and godly Presbyterians have set no bounds to themselves in their Reformation but the Word of God; and therefore if the Independents will set forth a compleat Modell of their whole Church-way, and Church-order, fully, freely, and clearely, and prove it by plaine Texts out of the holy Scriptures, we shall thankfully receive whatsoever they shall convincingly impart. And I shall be bold to say,Statesmen and Sword-men have kept godly Presbyterians and Independents at too great a distance upon reasons of State. that there had been a judicious, affectionate and practicall Accommodation between us (notwithstanding some speculative differences in notionall Ideas) if there had been no interposition of Statesmen, or Sword-men, when the Committee of Accommodation had sadly considered and reviewed all materiall Arguments on this side, and on that; And if you set aside all reasons of State and saecular considerations, I do not see why men who agree in the substance of the Service and Worship of God, in the Directory according to the Preface, in the Confession of Faith set forth by the Assembly, and in the Doctrine contained in the Confessions and Writings of the reformed Churches, should not mind the same thing, and walk by the same Rule, that there might be a Practicall Communion between us in all points wherein there is a Doctrinal Agreement, and we might go hand in hand to heaven together, with meeknesse of wisdome, and sincerity of love.Caveats for men of both perswasions Let men of both perswasions beware of such a superstitious tendernesse as doth usually arise from some unconscionable errour, and unmortified lust, because it is no priviledge, but a judgement to be given up to errour or lust; and from such ensnaring liberty, which is indeed perfect bondage, good Lord deliver us. No man is obliged to follow the Positive Praescript of an erroneous conscience in any point or case whatsoever: Differences of Iudgment did not extinguish the relation of membership amongst the Romans and Corinthians. And it is certaine that the Substantials of Church-Government must not be changed in every age acording to the graduall differences of light in severall persons and Congregations.An expedient desired for an happy union between Presbyterians and Independents Dum propter haec alter alteri Anathema esse caepit, nemo penè Christi est. Hilarius.
We humbly desire that there may be a strict and mutuall obligation condescended to in some expedient by all godly men of both perswasions for mutuall edification, and for the preservation of all the Churches in these Dominions in truth, godlinesse, and peace, that we may not passe unchristian censures upon our Christian Brethren.
Let all private quarrels then fall to the ground, and let us mind the common interest of the Lord Iesus,Caveats for Statesmen and seriously promote it in our respective places in faith and love. And let all Statesmen beware
1. That they do not fall into the same spirituall or civill evils which they themselves have condemned in the King and Prelates.Remonstr. Decem. 15. 1641.
2. Beware of ERASTIANISME which doth overthrow all Church-government, both Presbyterian and Independent.
3. Take heed of CIVILL SCEPTICISME which doth overthrow the Fundamentals of publike Faith, and publike rights, and plucks up all Civill Government, by the roots.
4. Beware of Familisticall Polytheisme; for the Familists affirme that there are as many Christs, as many Gods manifested in the flesh, as there are Saints on earth. But to us there is but one God,Jer. 2. 11, 12, 28. and one Lord Iesus Christ; it is enough for blind Pagans to talk of many Gods, and many Mediatours.
5. Beware of Atheisme, the great Monster of this Age, compounded of Socinianisme, Familisme, Libertinisme, and Antinomianisme. The Ephesians complaine of none but robbers of Churches, and blasphemers, Acts 19. 37. But we have cause to complaine of them, and Apostates, Idolaters, Atheists, and what not?
6. Beware of a Toleration of intolerable errours. Reverend Mr Cotton is afraid that the Antichristian Whore will steale in at the Back-doore of a Toleration. The Magistrates of England are engaged by the Oath of God to root out whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine, and the Power of Godlinesse. That man is seduced by a private Spirit (as you observe well in your Orthodox Book) who lusteth after envy, after Sects and Divisions; Catholike Charity, C. 1. p. 11, 12.but the holy Spirit is a Catholike Spirit, a Spirit of Catholike Faith, and Catholike love, an unreserved and universall Love to all that beleeve and love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us then all hold fast the wholesome forme of sound words in faith and love. For they who waver against the credit of their own testimony, L. in Test. Dig. de Testibus.are not (as the Civilians say) to be heard or regarded, because they have lost their credit. We are reserved for some service in this declining Age; and therefore it doth become us to be Orthodox Saints, steady Christians, that our Posterity may imitate us, and see those glorious daies, which some conceive are come already, because they have attained a little vainglory in this Age of vanity. The Writers of this present time, who seeme to contradict one another concerning the light and glory of these unhappy daies, may as easily be reconciled as Sophocles and Euripides were concerning the goodnesse of women. Sophocles being asked the reason why he did alwaies represent women in his Tragedies as very good, whereas Euripides did ever represent them as very bad? answered, that be and Euripides did not at all contradict one another; for saith he, I do ever represent women just as they should be, and Euripides just as they are. In like manner some Writers represent these times just as they should be, and others represent them just as they are. But I must needs condemn those, who draw a crooked conclusion from the corrupt doctrine and manners of this untoward and crooked generation, and infer that there is no Church of God in England, because Antichristian and blasphemous Seducers are multiplyed without number, and favoured in the Land, though all the Magistrates and godly of the Nation are by one confederate Body, obliged by solemn Oath to root out Idolatry, Blasphemy, Heresie, Schisme, Profanenesse, and whatsoever else is contrary to sound doctrine, and the power of Godlinesse.
1. It is not denyed that there is a fry of Achans in the Land. 2. The sins condemned are inexcusable, and so are all the Foster-fathers of them. 3. We pray that they who have given their power to the Beast, may give it to the Lamb. 4. All faithfull Ministers do open heaven to the faithfull, and shut it against unbeleevers, as our Master enjoynes us, Mark. 16. 15. Luk. 24. 47. and therefore we are true and faithful to the King of Saints, and Commonwealth of Israel. 5. There are thousands in England whose hearts bleed at their eyes for the abominations of the Land; men that do seriously endeavour to save themselves & others from this untoward generation, according to Peters direction, Act. 2. 40. 6. The house of Jacob was the Church of God, and yet there were foule faults, Incest, and murder found amongst his Sons. The Lord perswade and encourage the Fathers of this Nation to be as zealous against the sins of the Nation, as Jacob was against the sins of Reuben, Simeon and Levi. I must go backwards here, Gen. 9. 23.as Shem and Japhet did. I have not time to mention other things, but let all such as have the power and bowels of Fathers, take heed that they do not persecute or offend one of those little ones who beleeve in Christ, Mat. 18. 6.much less undo one of those great ones, who have much of Christ, and his Spirit reigning in them. Beleeve it Sir, there are a company (I put my self out of the number) of Select men in Oxford; I know not whether there be, all things considered, the like in the World againe, men able and willing to promote the Common-wealth of true Religion, publike Liberty, and ingenuous learning for the Common-weale and good of mankind in all Nations; for they are acquainted with all necessary Arts, Sciences, and Languages, and dare throw the Gauntlet to the proudest Champions in the Antichristian World. Some few of these may perhaps be complained of by some Weathercockes, who can rather turn then crow, some froward children who bite their mothers breasts, or vipers who would eate a way to their own preferment thorow their mothers Bowels. It is not for want of pride or ignorance that these afflict your doores and eares with unnecessary complaints, which they prove just as Erucius did his against Roscius, who when he was asked who told him so, he answered, No body; and when it was demanded how the accusation would be proved, answered, In truth I know not. What is this (saith Tully pro Sexto Roscio) but to abuse the Laws and Judges, to object what you cannot prove, nay, do not so much as endeavour to prove? It may be you will reply as Hazael did, Am I a dog that I should be accessary to any grievous or unrighteous Decree? You know what Hazael did; and you know that Asa was a good man, and yet a Persecutor. But I hope that as you have been zealous for the Reformation, so you will be zealous for the preservation of the Vniversity, which is the earnest desire and prayer of
Sir, Your thankfull Servant Fr. Cheynell.
To the Reader.
I must entreat you not to mistake the Printers oversights for my dictates. I was seldome here to overlook the Presse, and can only glance over the Book now with a running eye. I leave it to your candor and judgement to correct ordinary slips, but before you set your self to read, be pleased to correct these 3. places.
In page 35. line 22. Not is left out, and for in line 23. read both thus, [Not as the spirit of disobebedience acts in children of wrath, for we, &c.]
In the Margin, page 28. b read thus, Actus divini considerati secundumid quod sunt.
In the Margin, pag. 370. For Pultum ocera read cultum opera.
The God of wisdome blesse our endeavours. The grace of Christ, the love of the Father, and Communion of the holy Spirit is the best portion; let us all beg it for our selves, our friends, and our posterity in these evill daies, and the Lord send us a gratious returne of all our Prayers at the Throne of grace, that we may all find grace and mercy in this time of need.
March 26. 1650.