Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 19
VERSE XIX.
For the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us, by me, and Sylvanus, and Timotheus was not yea, and nay, but in him is yea.
IN the words the Apostle shews in particular what he preached among them, and we have in them these particulars briefly to be unfolded:
First, That Christ Jesus in his nature, and his offices is the Four Points.chief, and main object, and subject matter of preaching.
Secondly, That to make him profitable to us, he must be preached.
Thirdly, That consent of Divines, and Preachers helps faith.
Fourthly, That Jesus Christ being preached by the Apostles, is an undoubted yea, that is, an undoubted ground, and foundation to build on, in all the uncertainties of this life, in all the uncertainty of Religion. Jesus Christ pteached by S. Paul and other holy men of those times, was not yea, and nay, but yea.
First, Christ Jesus is the main object of Preaching.Doctr. 1. Chrise the main object of preaching.
It were impertinent here to stand on particulars, to shew you how Christ is the Son of God: for he is brought in here as the object of preaching. OnelyOnly in a word, we must of necessity believe that Christ Jesus is the Son of God. For how wondrously doth this stablish our faith when we believe in a Saviour that is God: the Son of God Jesus Christ by eternal Generation? In a word, here are these prerogatives of Christs Generation from all other Prerogatives of Christs Generation.sons whatsoever. Other fathers are before their sons, this Son of God was eternal with his Father. Other fathers have a distinct essence from their sons, the father is one, and the son another; they have distinct existences: but here there is one common essence to the Father and the Son. Other fathers beget a son without them, but this Father begets his Son within him; it was an inward work. So it is a mystical Divine Generation, which indeed is a subject of admiration▪ rather then of explication, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man. This was typified in the Ark, the Ark was a type of Christ… the A… had wood, and gold that covered that wood. Christs humane nature was the wood, and his Divine nature that contained it, that is the gold. But I should be too large, & besides the scope of the Text, if I should unfold this Point; I only touch it by the way. Christ Jesus in his natures as he is God & Man, and in his offices as Jesus Christ, that is, anointed as King, Priest, and Prophet, and in his estates of abasement, and advancement, is the main subject matter of preaching. For what can we say, but it must be reductive, and brought to Christ? If we open mens consciences by the Law, and tell them what a terrible estate they are in, what do we but drive them to the Physician? what is the law, but as John Baptist was to Christ, to prepare the way, to level the soul, to pull down the high thoughts and imaginations, to make way, and passage for Christ? And then in Christ, when we preach Christ, we preach his natures, God and man, and his Offices, as King, Priest, and Prophet, as he is predestinate, and sealed, and anointed by God the Father for that purpose, that we may have a strong Saviour, strong in himself, and authorized by his Father. And we preach his estates; of abasement, as he was crucified, and suffered for our sins: and his estate of exaltation, as he arose, and ascended into glory. These things belong to the preaching of Christ.
And then the benefits we have by him, reconciliation to his Father by his death, and peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and such like wondrous benefits we have by him.
And then our duty to him again, which is faith, and a conversation worthy. To imbrace all that is offered by Christ that it be not lost, for want of apprehending. Christ Jesus is the subject matter of our preaching, in his natures, in his offices, in the benefits we have by him, in the duties we owe to him, in the instrument of receiving all, faith: For in preaching, that faith which we require to lay hold on Christ, is wrought.
For preaching doth not onelyonly manifest the benefits we have by Christ, Preaching an instrument to work faith.but is a potent instrument of the Spirit of God to work this qualification, to make Christ profitable to us. Now all that we preach of holy duties, is either to humble us if we have them not, to make us flye to Christ by faith; or when we believe, to make us walk answerable to our faith. So whatsoever we preach is reductive to Christ; either to prepare us, or to furnish us to walk worthy of Christ. Indeed Jesus Christ is all in all in our preaching, and he should be so in your hearing; of all things you should desire to hear most of Christ. The apprehension of your sinfulnesse should drive you to Christ. The hearing of duties should be to make you adorn your Christian Religion you have taken on you. Naturally men love to hear flashes, witty conceits, and moral points wittily unfolded; but all these in the largest extent do but civilize men: it must be Christ unfolded, and Gods love, and mercy, and wisdome in him reconciling mercy and justice together. The wondrous love of God in Christ, and his justice, and mercy; and the love of Christ in undertaking to work our redemption; and the benefits by Christ, his offices, estates and conditions, these things work faith and love: these things do us good.
All other things take them at the best, they do but fashion our carriage a little; but that which enlivens, and quickens the soul is Jesus Christ. Therefore we should of all other things be desirous to hear of Jesus Christ. It is a point that the very Angels are students in. For the Ark (which I named Use. To desire most to hear of Christ.before) it had the Law, and the Mercy-seat in it, the mercy-seat to cover the Law. Now Christ hath satisfied the Law, and reconciled his Father; he hath freed us from the curse of the Law, and hath given full satisfaction to the Law, he is the Mercy-seat, by whom we have accesse to God the Father.
Now the Angels were upon the Mercy-seat interviewing one another, and prying down upon the Mercy-seat, insinuating, that the reconciling of Gods Justice and Mercy by that infinite wisdome of God in Christ, that our sins should be punished in him, and yet he be merciful to us, that he should punish our surety for us; that he should joyn these attributes together, that all the creatures in heaven and earth could not devise it, is a matter for Angels to pry into; the very frame of the Ark signified this: and shall not we be students in those mysteries that the Angels themselves desire every day to behold? If Christ be the main thing we are to stand on, Let us labour more and more to understand Christ, and him crucified: let us see our nature in him advanced now in heaven, to make us heavenly-minded: let us see our nature in him punished: let us see our sinful nature in him cleansed, and purged by his death and abasement: let us see our nature in him enriched.
Let us consider him as a publick person, and see our interest in his humiliation, and exaltation in glory: because he is the second Adam. These How to think of Christ.things should raise up our thoughts wondrously to think of his humiliation, and his exaltation, and of the love and mercy of God in him. And then think of what you will, nothing is discouraging: think of death, of hell, of the day of Judgment; think of Satan, of the curse of the Law: they are terrible things. I but think of the Son of God, of Christ anointed of God the Father to satisfie the Law, to satisfie his Justice, to overcome Satan, to crush his head, to be our Saviour as well as our Judge at the day of Judgment: these things will make all vanish. Things that are most tetrible to the nature of man without the consideration of Jesus Christ the Son of God, all are most comfortable when we think of him. Now when we think of Satan, we think of one crushed, and trod under foot, as he shall be ere long. When we think of Judgment, we think of a Saviour that shall be our Judge: when we think of God, we think of God reconciled in Christ. We have accesse by Christ to the Throne of grace; he is now in heaven, and makes intercession for us. When we think of death, we think of a passage to life where we shall be with him, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. So the things that are most uncomfortable, yet bring the consideration of them to Christ exalted in heaven, having triumphed over all these in our nature, and sits at Gods right hand. The thoughts of these things are comfortable meditations.
Nay, think of that which is the most terrible of all: the Justice of God, his anger for sin, it is a matter of comfort above all other. God is just to punish, and revenge sin, what then? because he is just he will not punish …hing twice; but his justice is fully satisfied, aad contented in his Son Christ Jesus, whom he hath anointed, and predestinate, and sent himself: and he must needs acknowledge that satisfaction that is done by him, that he hath sent himself: hereupon we come to think comfortably of Gods Justice.
God out of Christ is a consuming fire: there is nothing more terrible then God without Christ; but now in Christ we can think of the most terrible thing in God with comfort. Therefore S. Paul makes it the main scope of his preaching, and so should we of ours: and you should make it your main desire in hearing, and the main subject matter of your meditating, something concerning Christ. Let us often think of our nature in him now exalted in heaven, and that we shall follow him ere long: our head is gone before, and he will not suffer his body alwayes to rot in the earth: let us think of his natures, and his offices, and all the blessed prerogatives that we have by him, and all the enemies that are conquered by him, that in him we have God reconciled, and the Devil vanquished, we have heaven opened, and hell shut; we have our sins pardoned, and our imperfections by little and little cured: in him we have all in all.
There are four things that the Apostle speaks of, which includes all, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption. Christ Jesus is all in all: if we be ignorant, he is our wisdome: if we want righteousnesse and holinesse to stand before God, he is ou… righteousnesse; we stand righteous, being cloathed with his righteousnesse. If we want Grace, Of his fulnesse we receive Grace for Grace: he is sanctification to us. If we be miserable, (as we shall be to our sense) our bodies shall be turned to rottennesse, he is our redemption, not onelyonly of the soul, but of the body; he shall make our bodies like his glorious body: as he makes our soules glorious, by his Spirit conforming them to his own Image here: he means here redemption of our bodies from corruption, as well as of our soules from sin. He is all in all: in sin he is sanctification: in death he is life: in ignorance he is wisdome: there is nothing ill in us, but there is abundant satisfaction, and remedy in Christ. I speak this the rather, to shew what reason S. Paul had to stand on this, That all his preaching was to bring Christ Jesus among them. I go on.
The Son of God Jesus Christ preached among you.
All the good we have by Christ, is conveyed by the Ministery.Doctr. 2. All good by Christ conveyed by the Ministery.
Despise that, and despise Christ himself; Therefore whatsoever benefits we have by Christ, they are attributed to preaching; they are attributed to the Gospel as it is preached and unfolded: therefore it is called the Gospel of the Kingdome, The Word of reconciliation, The Word of life, The Word of faith; all these are by Christ: but it is no matter, whatsoever we have by Christ, we must have it by Jesus Christ unfolded in the Ministery of the Word: despise the Ministery that is contemptible to flesh and blood, and despise Christ himself, despise the Kingdome, and life, and all: for Christ preached is that we must relie on, Christ unfolded, the bread of life must be broken, the sacrifice must be anatomized and laid open, Christ Jesus the Son of God must be preached; he profits not but as he is preached: his riches must be unfolded, The unsearchable riches of Christ. Therefore God that hath appointed us to be saved by Christ, hath appointed, and ordained preaching to lay open Jesus Christ among us.
But (to come to the third Point) why doth he bring in consent to help? Doctr. 3. Consent of Ministers a help to faith.By me, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, would not his own authority serve the turn?
I answer, no, it would not sometimes: In it self it will, but in regard of the weaknesse of men, it is necessary to joyn the consent of others. S. Paul was an Apostle of Christ, but he knew that they were so weak, that they would regard his testimony the more for the joynt testimony of Timotheus and Silvanus; and the rest.
God considers not so much what is true in it self, as how to stablish our faith in it. As in the Sacrament, would not God give Christ, and his benefits? is he not true of his Word? Yes, but he gives the Sacrament for us: his promises are sure enough, yet he condescends to our weaknesse, to adde Sacrament, and oath, and all the props that may be: So the men of God that are led by the Spirit of God, though their own authority were sufficient, yet they condescend to the weaknesse of others. Therefore S. Paul alledgeth with himself, Silvanus and Timotheus, to strengthen them the better.
Then again, consent is a lovely thing, and proceeds from love: how sweet a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in unity? therefore we ought to stand much upon consent, if it may perswade us. But as Cyprian saith well, it must be consent in the truth. Consent that is not in the truth, is not properly concord, but conspiracy: consent in a lie, in falshood. The builders of Babel they had a consent among themselves when they came for a wicked purpose, as we see oft-times in Scripture. Consent must be in the truth, in that which is good, or else it is not consent, but conspiracy. By reason of our weaknesse consent is usefull, and that is the reason why in doubtful cases we may alledge Antiquity; not that the Word is not sufficient in it self; but to help our weaknesse, to shew that we do not divert from the truth, but that it is a truth warranted by others before. In doubtfull cases this is warrantable. He brings it likewise to enforce obedience the more, when it was a truth brought to them by so many. But that is not a thing I mean to stand on, a touch is enough.
That which I will spend a little more time in, is the next thing, that is, That
Evangelical doctrine now is most certain.
Something I spake of it before in the former verse, but I have reserved Doctr. 4. Evangelical truth is most certain.something to speak of it now. The Son of God preached by S. Paul with the consent of these blessed men, it was not yea, and nay, it was not unconstant. Evangelical truth is not yea, and nay: and the Preachers of it, the Apostles were not yea, and nay in the delivering of it. As it is true in it self, so it was true in the delivery of it, they were constant in it, they sealed it with their blood some of them.
How shall we know the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ to be yea, undoubtedly true?Quest. How to know the doctrine of the Gospel true.
I answer, how do we know the Sun shines? I know it by its own light, and by a light that I have in my eye; there is an inward light joyned with the outward light: So it is in this businesse, how do we know Divine truth Answ.out of the Book of God to be Divine? By the light in it self, by the majesty of the Scriptures, by the consent of the Old and New Testament, by the opposition of the enemies, and the confusion of them at the last that have been opposers of it, by the miraculous preservation of it, and the like: But especially by the powerfull work of it on the heart, by the experience of this blessed truth; I know this to be an undoubted truth, I find it quelling my corruptions, changing my nature, pacifying my conscience, raising my heart, casting down high imaginations, turning the stream of nature another way; to make me do that which I thought I should never have done, onelyonly because I have a strong light of Divine truth, and comfort. There is this experience of Christ, that a man finds in his soul, it sets him down that he can say nothing, but that it is Divine truth, because he finds it so.
Besides this, the testimony of the Spirit of God, and the work of the Spirit in him: For as to see, there is an outward light required, and an inward light in the eye: so to see Divine truth there must be a light in it self, a Divine sparkle in Gods Book, in every passage: but yet I must have an eye to see too; I cannot see it except God witnesse to my soul, that these things are divine, that they are yea, that they are certainly, and infallibly true.
There is a great difference between us and our adversaries, I can but touch it, and I need but touch it. They say we must believe, and we must Office of the Church concerning Gods Word.believe because of the Church. I say no; The Church we believe hath a kind of working here, but that is in the last place. For God himself in his Word, he is the chief. The inward arguments from the Word it self, and from the Spirit they are the next: the Church is the remotest witnesse, the remotest help of all. For the Church is but to propound Gods truth, to lay it open; to be as it were the candlestick; now the candlestick shines not, but upholds the candle while that shines: So the Church is but to propose, to set up Divine truth, that of it self being set up will enlighten well enough. The Church is to set out the Word, and to publish it by the Ministery, which Word of it self will shine. That work which the Church hath therefore is the last, and the inferiour: for the Spirit of God, and the inward majesty of the Word is of more force.
If a messenger come, and bring a relation, or bring a letter from one, and he tells me many things of the man: I but, I doubt him, because he may be false for ought I know: but when I see his hand and seal, and his characters, and stile, that shewes such a spirit to be in him, I know by his own characters, certainly this comes from the hand of that man. Now the messenger Simile.brings it, and gives it, but I believe it, because I see the characters, and hand and seal of such a one, that it is a truth. So the Church propounds, it is the messenger that brings the truth of God to us: but when a Christian soul hears the truth, and sees Gods seal upon it; there is a majesty and power that works on the soul, now we believe not for the messenger, but for the thing it self. Here is the difference, we believe the Scripture for the seal of Divinity that is in it self; they believe it for the messenger. As if a doubtfull messenger should come that is not certain, and a man should believe the things he brought, for him, for his sake: we believe, and entertain the messenger for the message sake; not the message for the messengers sake: our faith is better built then theirs.
But they say this, All comes to this at the last, God speaks by the Church, Object.as well as by the Scriptures: therefore the Church is to be believed more then the Scripture it self.
I answer; God speaks indeed in his Church, by his Spirit, and by his Answ. How God speaks in the Church.Word: but his speaking by his Word is the cause of his speaking in the Church: For what is the Church but begotten by the seed of the Word? How is the Church a Church but by the Word? Therefore he speaks first by the Scriptures, there is a majestie, and a Spirit in the Scriptures; and then he speaks by the Church as cleaving to the Scriptures, in a secondary manner. He speaks by the Church mediately, because that goes to the Word which speaks immediately. The Word was written by men led immediately by the Spirit of God; and the Church relying on that he speaks by them in the Church; but primarily by his Word. Having just occasion, I thought to touch this.
Undoubtedly, there are none that are not led with partiality, but incomparably, they see our faith is built on a better foundation then theirs; they have a rotten foundation. They talk of a Church, and when all comes to all, the Church their mother is nothing but the Pope their father. What is their Church but the Pope himself? for they run from the Church essentiall to to the Church representative; they run to Councels: and when we force them with Councels that they may erre, then the Pope he is the Church virtually: so I say, the Church their mother is nothing but the Pope their father, and what manner of men they have been, Histories tell us well enough. We see on what ground they build.
Jesus Christ, that is, the Gospel by him is not yea, and nay, but yea; that is, it is certainly, and infallibly, and eternally true.
Hereupon we may answer that curious question, that hath been, and now is every where; How we may know that our Church was before Luther's Quest. How to know our faith is the true ancient faith.time or no? (as they idly say) How we may know that the faith that we professe is the ancient faith?
I answer hence: take these grounds:Answ.
First, there is but one faith; men have varied, but faith hath not varied, as S. Austin saith well: for there is but one faith, as there is one God, one August. One Faith.heaven, and one happinesse. There was one faith from Adam. The times vary, but not the faith of the times: the same fundamental truth hath been in all times. Sometimes it hath been more explicated, and unfolded: as we have the Canon inlarged now in the time of the New Testament in many books. There is not a new faith, but a larger explication of the old faith. Divine truth is alway the same. It was one faith from the beginning of the world, from the first promise to Adam in Paradise till now. Abraham believed as we do now: so they were all saved by faith, Heb. 11.
Even as there is one Catholike Church consisting of all the members (the triumphant being the greater part) from the beginning of the world, to the end of the world: so there is one faith; take that for a ground. Indeed the Church varies as a man varies when he is a child, and when he is a man: he hath one manner of cloathes when he is a child, and another when he is a man: so the Church varies in cloathes: it was cloathed with Ceremonies then, which were cast off in Christ: but this is but a variation of garments: the Church had one faith.
Hereupon comes a second, there is one Catholike Church that is built One Catholike Church.on that one faith; one essential Church, one Catholike company rhat believe in Christ, from the beginning of the world to the end of the world, which we believe in the Apostles Creed. Well then, this being so, as it is undeniable that it is so; what Church is built upon that one faith that was yea in the Apostles, and was yea before then, (as the Apostle saith here, Our Preaching was yea, certain, and true, you may build on it) what Church builds on that, that Church all the while hath been: for there is but one faith, and one truth that runs along in all ages, which is the seed of the Church: therefore there must be a Church in all ages that is a branch of the Catholike Church; why? The Church must be built upon that one faith: therefore all particular Churches before us, that were branches of the general Church, were built upon that preaching of the Apostle, which he saith was yea. There is but one faith; and therefore all Churches that are true, are built upon that one faith. If we can prove that the Apostolicall doctrine agrees with our times, that ours hath consanguinity with the Apostles doctrine; then our Church was before we were, ever since the Apostles, it hath been alway yea: for there is but one truth.
The Church is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles: and Christ saith, Matth. 16. when Peter said to Christ, Thou art the Son of God, &c. saith he, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock, that is, upon this confession of thine, will I build my Church. So the confession of faith is the Rock what.Rock of the Church. Now there is alway one Rock of the Church that is alway yea: if our Church be built upon that Rock, then it is founded upon Apostolicall doctrine, upon the Prophets and Apostles; it was before we were: and if there were any Church, then it was ours which professeth that one faith.
If we conjure the Papists, they are silent, they dare say nothing. Dare they say their doctrine is nearer Apostolical then ours? they dare not say but ours is nearer: why then our Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles: why so? All the Churches since have been built upon one foundation, because there is one faith, and one Church: unity of faith makes the unity of the Church.
The seed of the Church is the Gospel, is Divine truth: now if Divine truth hath been alway, there hath been a Church alway: and if there hath been a Church alway, there hath been Divine truth that hath been yea alway. Now it is an Article of our faith in all times to believe a Catholike Church, therefore there is a certain truth that is alwayes yea, to be the seed, and foundation of that Catholike Church. Therefore we must search out what that yea was, what was the Apostolical doctrine, the positive doctrine in those Apostolical times, in the Virgin-times of the Church, before the Church was corrupted. The Church was not long a Virgin as the Father said. What was the yea of those truths? some there must be alway that held Apostolical truths in all ages. Our Church holds that positive truth that the Apostles held: for directly in so many words, we defend the Apostolical faith out of the Apostles: Therefore we say our Church was before Luther, because our doctrine is Apostolical, and the Church continually hath been Apostolical, because it was built upon the Apostles doctrine.
Our Church hath no doctrine in the positive fundamental points of it contrary, therefore our Church hath continued. Put case we cannot name the men, as idly, and ridiculously they urge, what is that to the purpose? shall we go from ignorance of particular men, to ignorance of the Church? we must believe that there is a Catholike Church; and there must alway be a positive doctrine and truth, the seed of that Church.
The Papists cavil with us, and say, we professe a negative Religion: Ye Object.cut off our opinions, say they, but what have you of your own? what affirmatives have ye?
It is most certain, that all our affirmatives have been ever since the Answ. Papists and we have the same affirmatives.Apostles time: for we and the Papists differ not in affirmatives, onelyonly they adde patcheries of their own. Religion stands most in affirmatives, that is the ground first: For we believe negatives, because they agree not to affirmatives: we believe a lie to be a lie, because it is contrary to positive truth; and the truth is before a lie; the affirmation is before the negation: a thing is, before the contrary is not. This laying for a ground, affirmatives being truths; our positive truths that we hold have been held in the Apostles times before, and since: even in the Church of Rome a thousand years after; and even now the affirmatives that we hold.
Do not they believe the Scriptures to be the VVord of God? Yes; but they adde patcheries of their own, the Apocrypha, and their own traditions to be the VVord of God too.
Do not they believe that Christ is Mediatour? Yes, but he is the onelyonly Mediatour for Redemption, and not for Intercession; they joyn others with him, Saints, and Angels.
We are saved by faith, that is the affirmative, and so say they: but they adde of their own, That we are saved by faith, and works.
Then again, we say, there are two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper; and so say they: but they adde five of their own. So I might run over all their opinions: whatsoever we hold, they hold. Therefore in their own confessions, our affirmatives have been ever since the Apostles times: if they had any Church, we had a Church, because our foundations are included in their Religion. All that we say, they say: but then again they say many things that we do not. Therefore they account us hereticks, because we make not that that they hold to be our yea too.
Again, the negatives that they believe, and we do not believe, they are but novelties in experience, they are not of the ancient Apostolical faith. Popish negatives novelties.That the Apocrypha should be had in equal authority with the Word of God in Scripture, alas, such a conceit was not thought of for 600 yeares after the Apostles. That the people should not read the Scriptures, it was but since the other day. Transubstantiation since the Councel of Laterane, a thousand years since Christ. That the Pope should be Supream, and depose Princes, such a thing was not heard of a thousand years after Christ. That he should have authority to Canonize Saints, it was but since the other day. Equivocation, but of late time: and so their idle babling of Divine service in Latine, and twenty other trumperies. So the things that we deny that are grosse and abominable in the judgment of every man that knowes any thing, they were but since the other day; they were not yea in the Apostles times: Then the Apostolicall Church being not built on them, they must be devised after. As indeed a thousand years after Christ, the most of these were never heard of. The most of the points of Popery wherein they differ from us, nay not any of them were never established by a Councel till the Councel of Trent, except Transubstantiation by the Councel of Laterane, which was a thousand years after Christ.
The affirmatives that we hold, and they hold too, we say they are constant from the Apostles time, they have been in all ages maintained and affirmed.
Our positive Points that we ground out of S. Paul, and out of the Scriptures. We seek the old way, and the best way, as Jeremy adviseth us. There was none of the Popish trash in Abraham's time, in the Patriarch's time, in Christs, and his Apostles times, or in many hundred years after: they came in by little and little for their own advantage; a meer policy to get money, and to abuse people. I say, they hold all our positive truths: but their errour is in addition.
Now this question may be made, whether their additions may be dangerous, or no? because it may be supposed, that some among them will Quest.say, that heresie is not in addition, but in contrariety to the faith, and detracting: but when one holds more then they should, that is no heresie, because there is somewhat superabounds; now we hold the truth, and more too.
I say it is grosse and false: foe if additions did not overthrow the foundation, there should never be any idolatry, nor never any heresie in these Answ. Additions in Popery dangerous.times. What was Idolatry, especially in the Church of God? Among the Jewes was there not the worshipping of the true God? Yes, but before an Image, their additions, their false manner overthrew the true. There is none of them fundamental Points (as we call them) though they make them fundamental; they make their Traditions of as much authority as the Word of God; and their fooleries, as the Articles of faith: they overthrow the main foundation; they are such additions as are destructive, to joyn with the Word of God Traditions. To worship God under another species and kind, is to be an Idolater: though they worship the true God, if it be after a false manner, it is prohibited. St. Paul saith, and with a commination, Gal. 1. If I or an Angell from Heaven teach otherwise: beside: put case it be not plainly, and directly contrary, if he teach other things that are not necessary to be believed, Let him be accursed. VVe ought not to go from the Scriptures in any fundamentall point of faith under pain of a curse. Therefore Poperie is a cursed Religion in respect of their very additions.
Doth not St. Paul tell the Galatians they were fallen from Christ, if they added circumcision to Christ? He doth not say if they did that which was directly contrary to faith: no, but in adding circumcision and works to Christ, they were fallen from Christ: whole Christ, or no Christ. In some cases additions are heresies, and overthrow the foundation.
If this be so, we may answer another question easily: The Apostolical Quest.doctrine you see is onelyonly yea; Whether then it be safer to be a Papist or a Protestant, considering that whatsoever we hold they do hold?
I answer, to be a Protestant it is safer in any mans judgement; because Answ. Safer to be a Protestant then a Papist.all that we say, themselves say: it hath been Apostolical: we can prove in all ages of the Church our affirmatives, we have a Catalogue of witnesses in all ages of them that held what we say: it was founded in the Apostles, and then came down to all ages. But what they say distinct, and differing from us, they have not the like testimony for: for indeed they are so beaten, that Bellarmine hath this, The authority of all Councels, and Fathers, and all depends upon the authority of the present Church: bring to them Councels, and Fathers, Tush, tush, all authority depends upon the present Church. VVhat authority gives the present Church, when 20. yeares after the Church varies? What certainty is there, when all authority of former times shall depend upon the present Church?
In those things wherein they differ from us, and that we deny, any understanding, reasonable man may see that they are novelties, and corruptions. As for the Pope to depose Princes, if a man have but his naturals, he may see it abominable. To pray in a strange tongue, to debar the people of the wine, when Christ saith, Drink ye all of it; who that hath ordinary discretion but will think it absurd? There is nothing that we differ from them in, but a man that hath but his naturals will condemne. Therefore ours is safer a great deal by their own confession, the learnedest of them, that it is enough to believe as we do. Do we not believe the Articles of the Creed? do we not believe the first four generall Councels? we do; who then will not say that these are sufficient being understood, and believed, to make a man that he be no heretick?
I may answer hence another question, whether a Papist may be saved or Quest.no? It is a curious question, you will say; but it is so ordinary, that somewhat I must say.
I answer, no doubt, but many of them are saved. How comes that to Answ. Whether a Papist may be saved?passe? They reverse their false grounds, and stick to those positive truthes that they and we hold together, they reject their owne workes and help of Saints, and go to Christ onelyonly; for, as I said, Poperie is full of contradictions. Now a Papist when he comes to have his conscience awakened, heleaves the Pope Indulgencies, their 5. Sacraments, Justification by works, and then imbracheth only Christ, and then he com… our part. They live by their Religion, and die by ours. So the question is whether living or dying? Luther saith, If they live, and die peremptorily in all the points professed in the Tridentine Counsell, they cannot. But no doubt many of them the Lord hath mercy on, to open their eyes to see the vanity of their works and of all their fooleries, which those that are wise and have their consciences enlightened turn off then, and so may be saved, but it must be with reversing the grounds of their religion, and sticking to ours which is agreeable to the Word.
Nay, to speak a little more of it; I say, we do more safely believe we are more safe, and on better grounds led into some lesse errours, then they do believe maine truths. It may seeme strange, but it is most true.
For if so be a sound Protestant maintain an errour, it is because he thinks it is in the Scripture, that it is in the Word: if it be discovered out of the Word of God to be an errour, he leaves it; as St. Cyprian, and other Fathers blessed Saints in heaven they held some errours; but if they saw the Scripture held otherwise, they had prepared minds to believe otherwise; therefore holding the maine fundamentall truths, though they held particular errours, they were saved.
The Papists maintaine fundamentall truths with us; they believe the Word of God, they believe in Christ, and to be saved by mercy, but upon what grounds? They believe the truth, upon heretical, divellish grounds. As upon what grounds do they believe the Articles of the faith to be so? and the Scriptures to be so? because the Church saith so. Who is the Church but the Pope? And what man is the Pope oft-times? A man, if we believe their own Writers, led with a divellish spirit: some of them have been Magicians. If they believe the truth, they do it not as divine truth: they believe the truth for matter: but the grounds of believing those truths are humane, nay worse, many times, divellish: for you know in the Revelation, the beast is inspired with the spirit of the Dragon, with the spirit of the Divell, and teacheth the doctrine of Divels. Now to teach that which is materially true, upon reasons that are diabolicall, or humane, at the best it is but humane, as the testimony of the Church is, what an unsafe thing is this?
Nay, I say, it is the most horrible witchery, the most horrible abomination one of them that ever was since the beginning of the World, this principle, that their Church cannot erre; that is the reason of the believing of all divine truths. Hereupon they come to practise most abominable treacheries, hereupon they defend lies, hereupon they kill Princes, and dissolve the bonds of allegiance that Subjects owe to Princes. And all humane and Divine things, all the light of nature, and Scripture, all becomes a nullitie. Why? because the Church cannot erre. And this they have from their holy Father the Pope, he is above all Councells, and all, and cannot erre. We know if principles be false, all other things are false: an errour in principles is a dangerous errour. An errour in the ground is the worst thing in the VVorld. As to maintaine treason to be lawfull it is worse then to be a Traitor: for his judgement is convinced alreadie; but he that maintaines a false principle, he is a dangerous man indeed: So to have this abominable principle, that the Church, that the Pope cannot erre. Hence come all those dangerous practices in this Common-VVealth ever since the beginning of Queen Elisabeths time.
Who would have thought (but that God gave up bitter, proud, poisonfull spirits, vain spirits that rejected the Word of God) that men of parts and understanding should ever be so sotted to believe such a thing, that a wretched ignorant man should get into the Chaire, and he should judge infallibly of the truths that he never knew in his life, being of another profession, as some are Canonists, and not Divines? But I leave that point.
To touch one thing more that borders a little upon this, that Divine truth is of an inflexible nature, whatsoever men think of it: and that crosseth another rule of theirs, that they will give what sense they will of Scriptures, Papists give what sense they will of Scriptures.and the Current of the present Church must judge of all former Councels. Now doth truth vary according to mens judgements? according to the pcesent Church? Must we bring the rule to the crooked timber, or the timber and the things to be measured to the rule? Shall the judgment of any man be the rule of truth? shall it be the rule in one time, and not in another? shall present men interpret it thus, and say it is so now: and others that succeed say, whatsoever it was now, thus it must be believed?
Hereupon likewise, if it be the constant nature of truth alway to be believed: hereupon it comes to crosse another thing, their dispensation: No dispensing with Gods L…no man can dispense with Gods Law: truth is truth indispensible. Laws divine, and naturall are indispensible, because they are alike in all things. Reason is reason in Turkie as well as here: the light of nature is the light of nature in any countrey as well as here. Principles of nature varie not as languages do, they are inbred things.
If the Principles of nature be invariable and indispensible, much more divine principles, saith the Heathen: filthinesse is filthinesse whether thou think it to be so or no. Opinion is not the rule of things, but the nature of the thing it self.
Therefore whatsoever is against nature none can dispense with, God cannot deny himself. What was naught in one age is naught in another, and is for ever naught. Whatsoever is divine or natural, is indispensible. No Monarch in the world can dispense with the law of nature or the Divine Law, the Word of God: for the opinion of any man in the world is not the rule of his course, but the undoubted light of God, whether the light of nature or the light of Divine truth,
I speak this the rather to crosse base Parasites, that when God calls them to stand for true causes, what do they make their rule? Not Gods constant yea, but they bend and bow to opinion: as if the opinion of any man in the World were the rule of their faith, and obedience. This is to make men, and no men. Is not the written Word of God, the VVord of God? Is not the law the law? (politike lawes I speak not of) shall a man yield to mens opinion, especially if the VVord do not warrant it? shall he yield to any man living that is inconstant by his disposition? There is truth which is certain, that a man must maintain to the Death. He is not onelyonly a Martyr that maintaines Religion. John Baptist was a Martyr that stood out in a matter that was not against heresie, but for the standing out against Herod; (he did not yield as many thousands would have done in such a case) Thou must not have thy Brother Philips wife, it is unlawful.
Men ought to suffer for the truths of nature, and not deny truth whatsoever, because it is a Divine sparkle from God. If it be any truth whatsoever, it must be stood in, because it is constant, and it is the best thing in the world next to Divine, and saving truth.
If this be so, that the Gospel, and Divine truth be yea: and that the Church at all times hath been built on that; and that whosoever is saved, is Use. To get certainty of faith answerable to the certain truth.saved by that yea: Let us labour to have a faith answerable to our truth. We say, and distinguish well: there is a certainty of the thing, and a certainty of the mind apprehending the thing. It is certain the Sun is bigger then the earth; but you shall never perswade a simple Countrey-man that it is so: There is a certainty of the object, but not of the subject: he will never believe it, because it is against sense. But now there must be both in a Christian. The Apostles doctrine, the truth he doth believe, the truth in the Scripture is yea, that is, it is certain and true, and not yea, and nay, it is not flexible: it is not as the Heathen Oracles were, that is, doubtful, and wavering. Let our assent be answerable to the truth: let us build soundly on a sound foundation.
As a Ship that is to rest in the middest of the waves, there is a double certainty necessary, that the Anchor-hold be good in it self, and that it be fastned upon somewhat that is firm: if it be a weak anchor, or if it be fastned upon gound that will not hold, the Ship is tossed about with waves, and so split upon some rock or other: So our soules require a double certainty, we must have an Anchor of faith, as well as an object of faith: we must have an Anchor of hope as well as an object. For the object we may cast Anchor there, it is Divine truth which will hold, there is no doubt of that, it is yea: but then our Anchor must be firm, our faith and affiance. Let us labour to build soundly, and strongly upon it. It should be our endeavour continually to stablish our faith, to stablish our hope, that we may know on what terms we live, and on what terms to dye.
Do but consider the difference between an understanding strong Christian, and another. A Christian that is judicious and understanding, ask him in what estate he is? why, comfortable: what is the ground of his faith? why, thus; I live in no known sin, I confesse my sins to God, my doctrine is yea, and I labour to bring my life to my doctrine.
Ask another, What do you mean to live so loosely, and carelesly? why will you stand thus? will you be content to die so? perhaps he doth not know sound doctrine; or if he do, it is confusedly, he doth not build on that rock, on that foundation.
O let us labour to build stronger and stronger on the truth. Our building strongly makes us eternal: Gods truth is eternal truth, because it makes us eternal. Is it not a strange thing that man, that is chaffe, and vanity, and smoak, whose life passeth as a tale that is told, that yet notwithstanding if he build on this yea, which is certain and infallible, the doctrine of the Gospel it will make him a rock, a living stone, it will make him eternal? All flesh is grasse, but the Word of God endures for ever.
What a comfort is this, our life being a vapour, and vanity, and growing to nothing, that the time will shortly come when we shall be no more, no more in this world: then to have Divine truth that will make us eternal? Psal. 90. Moses, a good man, he saw men drop away: faith he, Thou art our eternal habitation from Generation to Generation. What is the meaning of that? That is, We dwell in thee: here in our Pilgrimage to Canaan we drop away, but Thou art our habitation from Generation to Generation. So when a Christian considers, his life is uncertain, all things are vanity that support this life, yet notwithstanding I have a yea to build on, the Divine truth; The Word of the Lord endures for ever, and it will make me endure for ever. It is a Rock it self, it makes me a Rock: it will make me a living stone, built on that foundation, that all the gates of hell shall not prevail against my faith, and hope.
What a comfort is this? We have nothing without this Yea; we are yea, and nay, and our happinesse is yea, and nay: we are so happy now, as we may be miserable to morrow. Let us labour to build on Divine truth which is like it self; that in all the Changes of the world we may have somewhat that is unalterable, that is as unchangeable as God himself: As S. Paul here brings God himself, As God is true, my word to you was not yea, and nay, but yea. So much shall suffice for that Verse. I go on to the 20. Verse.