Body of Divinity, To the reader 2 – Imprimatur
TO THE Christian and Candid READER.
READER,
DIvers have since the publishing of my Treatise of Divinity (consisting of three Books) exprest their good esteem thereof, and withall have said, that if the like were done upon the whole Body of Divinity, it would be a very usefull and profitable work: I have therefore inserted divers things into the former Treatises, and also enlarged them so farre by the addition of other Subjects, as to make a compleat Systeme or Body of Divinity.
I relate not here of the Covenant and Promises, Asslictions or Martyrdoms, because I have in my Books of Divine Promises and Saints Encouragements, sufficiently discussed those several points.
Divines go different wayes in their handling of positive Divinity and give several Titles to their Books; Some call their Work, A Systeme of Divinity; Others, A Synopsis; Others, A Syntagma; Others, Common places; Some, The M…rrow, Some, The Body of Divinity; Others, The Summe of Divinity.
There are Calvins Institutions, Bullingers Decads, Zanchies Works, Gerhards Common places▪ Ursins Summe of Divinity, and some others, that have more fully handled the Body of Divinity, but there are few of our English Writers (unlesse Master Perkins of old, and Bishop Usher lately, who have largely and fully written in English this way.
Some reduce all the Principles of Religion into more, some to few Heads. Some referre all to those four Heads,
1. Quae Credenda, What things are to be beleeved in the Creed.
2. Quae Facienda, What things are to be done in the Commandments.
3. Quae Petenda, What things are to be begged in the Lords Prayer.
4. Quae Recipienda, What things are to be received in the Sacraments.
The Creed, Commandments, the Lords Prayer, and the Sacraments.
Though I do not punctually observe that method, yet I handle all those four Subjects. I speak of God and his Attribute Almighty in the second Book, and handle all the Articles which concern Christ in the fifth Book, where I treat of the Recovery of man by Christ, and somewhat of the holy Ghost in the seventh Book (where I handle the Benefits by Christ) in Sanctification. Sanctification of the Church and Communion of Saints I speak of in the seventh Book. Of Forgivenesse of sins in the fifth Petition of the Lords Prayer, and in the Doctrine of Iustification. Of the Resurrection of the Body, and Last Iudgement, and Life Everlasting, I treat in the last Book. I handle the Commandments in the ninth Book. The Lords Prayer and Sacraments among the Ordinances in the seventh Book. I shall now particularize the several Subjects of each Book according to the method I observe.
First, I treat of the Scriptures or Word of God, the Divine Authority of both the Old and New Testament: I maintain against the Antiscripturists and such as go about to take away all the Old Testament. It was necessary that God should give us some outward signification of his will. All creatures have a rule without themselves to guide them in their operations. The Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Life, Isa. 8. 20. All extraordinary wayes of revelation are now ceased, we are to pray for a further Discovery of Gods minde in his Word, Ephes. 1. 17. not to expect new Revelations ex parte objecti, but ex parte Subjecti, a farther clearing of the Scriptures to us. Some say the Old Testament is a dead letter *Si quis locus ipsis objiceretur, respondebant, nos literae minimè obnoxios esse, sed Spiritum qui vivificat, sequi oportere. Calv. adversus Libertinos, c. 3. Vide plura ibid., so is the New without the Spirit; how can we convince the Iews but by the Old Testament? the same Spirit spake in both Testaments. Some turn the whole word into Allegories; Others deny consequences out of Scripture to be Scripture, nothing is Scripture (say they) but what is found there expresly. What is necessarily inferred is Scripture as well as what is literally exprest, Levit. 10. 1. The Apostle proves the Resurrection by consequence. Paul and Apollo Act. 17. 3. & 18. 28. proved to the Iews by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ, although in those Scriptures these very words are not found, but are deduced by a necessary consequence.
In the second Book I treat of God, That place Exod. 34. 6, 7. is as full a description of Gods Attributes, as any in all the Scripture. The Hebrew Doctors note, that there are thirteen Attributes, and but one that speaks of Iudgement (that he will punish the sins of Fathers upon their Children) all the other twelve are meerly, wholly mercy, and his Iustice is mentioned to invite men to lay hold on mercy. All Principles, Rules and Motions to Duty are to be found in God, Gen. 17. 1. Joel 2. 13. The Heathens extolled the knowledge of a mans self,
—E Coelo descendit, foreign.Juvenal. Satyr.
But Christians must chiefly study to know God, 1 Chr. 28. 9. Jer. 9. 24. Joh. 17. 3. The understanding of the Angels is perfected by the Contemplation of the Excellencies that are in God. We shall not be properly Comprehensores in Heaven (although the Schoolmen sometimes say so) yet we shall know God in a far more perfect manner then in this life, 1 Cor. 9. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 7. If God were more known, he would be more loved, seared, honoured, trusted. God is primum verum which satisfies the understanding, and Summum bonum which satisfies the will. Deo solo nos debemus frui, rebus aliis …i, We ought to enjoyAug. de civ. Dei l. 1. c. 25. Lomb. God alone, and use the world. We are said to enjoy a thing, with which we are delighted for i… self to use that which we referre to another thing. I will conclude this with that excellent Speech of *De civit. Dei l. 11. c. 21.Austine concerning Gods knowledge▪ Ludov. Viv. in August. loco citato.Non enim more nostro ille, vel quod futurum est, prospicit, vel quod praesens est, aspicit, vel quod praeteritum est, respicit: sed alio mo do quodam à nostrarum cogitationum consuetudine longe alteque diverso.
In the third Book I handle the Works of God. The serious considering ofPsal. 136. 5. Gods Works is a great part of sanctifying his Name. Besides the natural there is a spiritual use to be made of all the creatures, Revel. 12. *See D. Arrowsmith on that Text.1. The Sunne points to Christ, the Moon to the World, the Starres to the Ministers of the Gospel. How frequently did our Saviour take occasion from earthly things to teach men heavenly truths.
In the fourth Book I speak of the Fall of Man, and so of Original and Actual Sins.
Some Divines hold that there are three parts of Original Sin:
1. The guilt of Adams sin.
2. The privation of original righteousness.
3. The corruption of nature.
Of the imputation of Adams sinne to us, Garissolius a learned and piousSee his 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15▪ 16. & 17. Chapters. French Minister hath written a large Book. He shews there the consent also of Reformed Churches therein; but how great an agreement there hath been of Churches and Ecclesiastical Writers, ancient and modern in this matter, Andrew Rivet hath taught in a peculiar Book published upon that Argument. Every man by nature hath likewise lost the Image of God, and is born empty of Grace and Righteousness, and wholly corrupt, Rom. 3. 23, 24. & 5. 12. Rom. 1. 29. to the end. Ephes. 2. 1. & 4. 25. to the end. & 5. 3, 4, 9. 2 Tim. 3. 2. to the 6.
Some say we are dead, as we come out of the old Adams hand, but throughDeus creavit hominem rectum, naturarum autor non utique vitiorum, sed sponte depravatus justéque damnatus, depravatos, damnatosque generavit. the undertaking of Iesus Christ all men are restored unto a State of Grace and Favour, and that through common grace, they may believe if they will. But all unregenerate men are still under the state of death, and there is no such intrinsecal power in them, this man is regenerated (say the Arminians) and not that, because he hath better improved his abilities, but the work of Regeneration is an effect of special discriminating grace.
Some of our Divines say, God hath left some few relicks of his ImageOmnes enim fuimus in illo uno, quando omnes ille unus corrupit, quia per foeminam Iapsu… est in peccatum, quae de illo fa…ta est ante peccatum. August. de civit. Dei, l. 1…. …. 14. in us since the Fall, to leave us without excuse, and as a Monument of his Bounty, and in pity to humans Societies, some Knowledge and some restraint upon the Conscience. Others dislike this opinion, and say, That Righteousnesse in Adam was connatural, but consisted not in any natural Abilities, and that these remainders of Gods Image must be of the same kinde with what is lost, and so good in Gods account, and then man shall not be wholly flesh, and so there will be something for Grace to graff upon, which the Arminians lay hold on.
In the fifth Book, I speak of Mans Recovery by Christ, Phil. 2. 6. to the 1…. Heb. 9. 11. to the 15. Heb. 1. 3. Mark 10. 33, 34. as he had the grace of Union and Unction, so we through him, when we are united to him, we partake of his fulnesse, Iohn 1. 14. By the first Adam we lost Gods Image, Favour and Communion with him: By the second Adam Gods Image is restored in us, we are reconciled to God, and have accesse to him, yet he died not for all.
1. The reason why none can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect, is Because Christ died for them, Rom. 8. 33, 34. if therefore Christ died for all, none can lay any thing to the charge of a reprobate more then to the charge of Gods elect.
2. Christ prayed only for those who either did or should believe in him; andDoctor Twiss against Hord. for whom he prayed, for them only he sanctified himself, John 17. 9, 19. that is, offered up himself in Sacrifice upon the Cross for them.
3. If he died for all from the beginning of the world, then he died for all those that already were damned.
4. Then he hath merited salvation for all, and shall they then fail of salvation?
In the sixth Book I speak of the Church and Antichrist.
There is much spoken in these dayes of the admitting of Members, and of the free gathering of Churches, I would wish such to weigh well what M. Baxter hath in his Christian Concord, pag. 34. to 4….
For the judgement of divers Reformed Divines holding the Pope to be Antichrist, see Vigniers Preface to that excellent Book of his, entituled, Theatre De L'Antichrist, and M. Prinns Canterburian Doom, p. 277, 278, 279. if that be true which I heard from the Professour of Divinity in the University out of the Pulpit. Bellarmine saith, That since that Doctrine prevailed amongst us, that the Pope was Antichrist, that they have been of the losing hand: I wonder then why some of our Divines should speak and write so warily that way.
I might adde divers things to that I speak there of the Iesuites and Monks. The Dominicans come nearer us then the Fraciscans.
Friar Francis is highly commended by the Papists for three notable acts:
First, For gathering Worms out of the way.
Secondly, For calling all manner of beasts, as Worms, and Asses his Brethren.
Thirdly, For taking lice off beggars, and putting them on himself, yea into his own bosom. See Lewis Owens running Register, his unmasking of all Popish Monks and Iesuites, and also his Speculum Jesuiticum.
In the seventh Book I speak of Our Union with Christ, and the special Benefits by him, Adoption, John 1. 12. Iustification, Act. 13. 38, 39. Sanctification, 1 Thess. 4. 1. Col. 2. 13. Rom. 12. 9. to the end. 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 6, 7. Gal. 5. 22, 23, 24. Ephes. 6. 14. to 19. Philippians 4. 4. to the 9.
In the eighth of the Ordinances, where I shew the need of them, for theNam ista colluvies ab aliis haereticorum sectis in eo differt, quod non tantum certis in rebus erraverit, verum sit immensum quoddam stupendorum deliriorum mare: adeò ut vix unius Anabaptistae caput reperiri possit, quod non sit imbutum aliqua opinione diversa à reliquis. Calv. Instruct. advers. Anabaptistas. ablest Christians here, and maintain the several Ordinances. For that of Baptism, Why should the Priviledge of Infants under the Gospel be straighter then it was under the Law? Or actual Faith be more required in all that are to be baptized, then it was in those that were to be circumcised, when Cirlumcision as well as our Baptism was a Sacrament of Admission into the Church, and a Sign and Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith, Rom. 4. 11.
In the ninth Book I speak of the Decalogue, where I acknowledge I have received much help from a Manuscript of M. Wheatleys for the four first Commandments, and of M. Bals for the first. See M. Caudries second part of the Sabbath.
In the last I treat of Glorification, Mat. 25. 46. 2 Cor. 5. 10.
See an excellent Sermon of Master Thomas Goodwins of this Argument, stiled, The Happinesse of the Saints in Glory on Rom. 8. 18.
I have not only gone over the several Heads of Positive Divinity, but I have likewise handled many, if not most of the chief Controversies betwixt Us and the Papists, the Arminians, Socinians, and also discussed several things about Church-Government, to make it more full, and generally usefull to settle men in the main Truths.
It is reported of David Paraeus, That his labour was bestowed in polishing the body of Christian Doctrine, collected by Zachary Ursine, and that he desiredLaeti compend. Hist. Univers. Period. German. Art. 2. p. 536. not to die, till he had finished that task; but when he had concluded it, he joyfully uttered these words, Now, Lord, suffer thy servant to depart in peace, because I have done that which I desired. I have cause to bless God, as for that good esteem which my other Labours have generally found amongst both learned and pious Christians, so for enabling me to accomplish this great work.
Some may perhaps blame me for gleaning some notions from such as I hear, as well as from the Authors I reade.
To that I might say, Habes confitentem, sed non reum, I know no such guilt in it, if I do make use sometimes of some special Observations I hear from the Pulpit, though I hear often the same things from several persons. Some hold that a mans Sermon is no longer his own when he hath preached it, and I think the ears as well as the eyes are senses of Discipline. Besides many Divines andI had this salutation from one judicious Divine, Sir, You study to make us idle. some Rabbies (though I had but harsh language from one Divine) have acknowledged themselves beholding to me for my Labours, therefore I hope none will grudge, if I do likewise benefit my self and also others by my Collections in that kinde. I pray God to guide us all in the truth, and to preserve us from Apostasie in these declining dayes.
Thy hearty Well-willer EDWARD LEIGH.
Imprimatur
Iune 15th 1653, EDMUND CALAMY.