The Sum of Christian Religion, To the reader 2 – Aphorisms
D. David Parie to the READER, out of the Dutch Edition.
AT the entreatie of many holy men, I have tranſlated this Epitome of the orthodox reformed Chriſtian Religion, out of the Latine, into our vulgar tongue; not without ſome addition, and a more full explication, having added ſome Teſtimonies of Scriptures, Creeds, generall Councels, and Fathers: Therefore, in this Epitome, the Chriſtian Reader may briefly underſtand which is the doctrine of the Schooles and Churches in the Archipalatinate, and indeed, of all the reformed Churches through France, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Moravia, Bohemia, Poland, Hungarie, and elſe-where. Beſides, hee ſhall know, whether or no this doctrine be Calvinian and hereticall, as ſome injuriouſly ſtile it; or not Apoſtolicall rather, and Chriſtian, having its foundation in Gods word: But ſuch mad clamours will not, I hope, move thoſe, in whom is the zeale of pietie, and are carefull of their ſoules health; but will rather, after the example of thoſe noble Jewes of Theſſalonica,Act. 17.11. in the fear of God weigh this doctrine, that from hence they may learne which is the true Chriſtian Religion: they will alſo examine the Teſtimonies of holy writ, by which the doctrine of the orthodox reformed Religion is confirmed, which we maintaine; and which, before a generall Councell lawfully aſſembled; yea, before the Tribunall of Jeſus Chriſt, that ſupreme and moſt juſt Judge, we will not be aſhamed to defend. This was the practice of the people of Beroe, obſerving what doctrine Saint Paul taught them, and carefully ſearching if it was conſonant to Gods word: by which meanes it came to paſſe, that many of them, both men and women, beleeved in Jeſus Chriſt.
They are of another mind, who (at this day) call every doctrine Calviniſme, which is not conſonant to their opinion; by which intemperate ſpeech, they may eaſily refute Paul, and Chriſt himſelfe: and I muſt not expect, that any other name will be given to mine Aphoriſmes then this. But, ſurely if this be Calviniſme, the whole Book of God, yea the whole doctrine of the primitive Church, muſt be called Calvinian; for there are irrefragable teſtimonies which cannot be contradicted: yea, beſides, the learneder ſort of Papiſts and Jeſuits, who follow the Schoole-mens doctrine, muſt be called likewiſe Calviniſts: For, even in the midſt of Popery, God, for his Elects ſake, did preſerve, by the Schoole-men, from corruption, the doctrine Of Chriſts Perſon, Death, and Merit, Of his Aſcenſion into heaven, Of his ſitting at the right hand of God, and, Of Predeſtination, moſt plainely; as theſe points are explained by us in theſe Aphoriſmes. But the other Articles, to wit, Of faith, Of the Miniſtery of the Church, Of the Sacraments, were corrupted betimes in Popery.
But, it is to be lamented, that they, who, having laid aſide the name of Chriſt and of Chriſtians, deſire to be called by mens names, have ſo farre departed from the conſent of the Primitive Church, in the handling of theſe Articles of faith, and do every day more and more deviate from that primitive ſimplicity.
But why do I wonder,2 Theſ. 2.1. Hom. 3. in Rom. & Hom. 3. in Tit. 3. ſeeing God puniſheth the world, by ſending upon it ſtrong deluſions, in that it loves not the truth? But becauſe, as Chryſoſtome ſaith, Errour is various and intricate, and hath a reſtleſſe and unſtable quality; it is no ſtrange thing, that of one errour many do ariſe, and that out of one Controverſie, ten doe proceed. At the firſt, the onelyonly Controverſie was about the tenth Article, concerning Chriſts body lurking under the bread; as alſo of the orall manducation in the Lords Supper; which Controverſie was long in agitation amongſt the Lutherans: but in all the other Articles here ſet downe by us, there was a full conſent, as the Acts of the Conference at Marpurge, Anno 1529. do witneſſe; yea, Divines began to agree in the doctrine of the Lords Supper, Anno 1536. but this agreement was quickly broke, becauſe, after Luthers death, ſome could not handſomely maintainer their opinion of Chriſts corporall preſence in the Bread, ſeeing none of the Evangeliſts did utter theſe words of Chriſt, This is my body, after this manner, This bread is my body, or, under the bread, or, under the ſpecies of bread lurks my body. Beſides, Chriſt, whom they include in the Wafer or Hoſt, according to our Catholick beliefe, is not now upon the earth, but in heaven, ſitting at the right hand of God, from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead: they were in good hope to ſhelter their opinion under ſome other Articles of faith, and chiefly under that of the perſonall union of the two natures in Chriſt. Hence they went about to eſtabliſh his Ubiquity and Omnipotency, hitherto unheard of in the world, uſing this ſhift, If Chriſts body be every-where, it will be alſo in every Hoſt; if it be in every Hoſt, then it will be every-where. Then they fondly imagined the Article of Chriſts ſitting at the right hand of the Father, to be the ſame with that of the perſonall union of the two natures: as if you would ſay, Chriſts humanity with the Sonne of God, which is that very right hand of God every-where preſent, is perſonally united, and filleth heaven and earth. Thirdly, becauſe they ſaw that the Article of Chriſts Aſcenſion, did overthrow the Ubiquity, and corporall preſence in the Bread, by an unheard of and Allegoricall way, they expounded Chriſts Aſcenſion to be meant of nothing elſe, but of his vaniſhing into the aire, of his advancing unto the Divinity, and of his Ubiquity.
To theſe new monſters of opinions, as well the Pontifician Doctors, as thoſe of our profeſſion, beſides divers of the Lutherans, did ſtoutly oppoſe themſelves, defending the ancient ſimplicity and truth of theſe Articles of our faith: which the new Artiſts of Ubiquity perceiving, and finding that they failed here of their purpoſe; they found out new engines, and began to accuſe thoſe whom they ſtile Calviniſts, of other errours; to provoke them to Conference and Diſputation, not onelyonly about the Perſon of Chriſt, but alſo about the other Articles of Chriſtianity, bragging they could convince them of many fundamentall errours taught in the Reformed Churches.
Concerning Predeſtination, That all men were not elected, but that many were called, and few elected. Concerning the merit of Chriſts death; That the wicked and incredulous, ſo long as they remained ſuch, were not partakers thereof, but onelyonly the Elect that beleeved; That the promiſes of the Goſpel were univerſall in reſpect of the faithful, but not of unbeleevers and Epicures. Concerning faith, That it is the ſingular gift of God, That it is given onelyonly to the Elect, in whom onelyonly it is rooted, and permanent; That the ſame can never be finally loſt, becauſe it proceeds of the incorruptible ſeed of Gods word. Concerning the Miniſtery, That Miniſters were onelyonly outward diſpenſers of the word; but God wrought inwardly by his Spirit. Concerning Sacraments, That Chriſt was yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever; and that therefore he was the matter or ſubject of all Sacraments, both of the Old and New Teſtament. Beſides, that no man either by the word or Sacraments, could be partaker of Chriſt without faith. Concerning Baptiſme, That there was a two-fold waſhing: one outward, of water, by which the filth of the body is waſhed away; the other inward, of the bloud and Spirit of Chriſt, which is the Covenant of a good conſcience with God: That the Miniſter baptiſed onelyonly with water; but Chriſt, in the true adminiſtration of Baptiſme, did baptiſe with the holy Spirit: Alſo, that Infidels were not regenerated by Baptiſme: Alſo, that the children of Chriſtians were children of the promiſe and of the Covenant even before Baptiſme, and that for this cauſe they were to be baptiſed.
This doctrine, ſince the yeare 1586. hath beene not onelyonly condemned as Calviniſticall and Hereticall, but alſo reproached and accurſed by them who glory in the name of Lutherans: And when among the ignorant Vulgar, they traduce theſe Articles as errours of Calviniſme, they thinke they have bravely maintained their Cauſe, in defending their fictions of Ubiquity, and of a carnall preſence in the Lords Supper; which now we leave for a while, committing our whole cauſe of God
But it is certaine, that they have ſo farre relapſed into the ſinke of Pelagianiſme and Popery, that, it is to be feared, they will overwhelme the Lutheran Churches with greater darkeneſſe then ever heretofore: and yet (alas) they ſtick not to call this the true Evangelicall doctrine, and that of the Auguſtan Confeſſion, teaching concerning predeſtination, that in God is no election, but that he did promiſcuouſly chooſe all men. Concerning Chriſts death, that he by his death redeemed all men, and reconciled them to God; that he hath ſanctified them, and hath received them into favour, whether they beleeve or not. Concerning remiſsion of ſins, that a generall pardon is given to all men, both faithfull and Infidels. Concerning the promiſes of the Goſpell, that they belong to all, both faithfull and Infidell. Concerning Faith, that it is the cauſe of Election; that God did firſt foreſee who were to beleeve and perſevere; that faith is not in our power; that, notwithſtanding, it is a worke which God promotes in us, and that it may be loſt, and may be in hypocrites. Concerning the Miniſtery, that Miniſters may by their preaching conferre divine efficacy, and that they are diſpenſators both outwardly and inwardly. Concerning Sacraments, that the Sacraments of the Old Teſtament were onelyonly ſhadows, without Chriſt the body. Concerning Baptiſme, that there is a myſticall efficacy in the water, to waſh away ſinne, and to regenerate; that the holy Ghoſt, and his efficacy are annexed to the water; that the water and Spirit have the ſame effect; that hypocrites and Infidels in Baptiſme are regenerated by the holy Ghoſt; that the Miniſter doth not onelyonly baptiſe with water, but conferres alſo the holy Ghoſt; that Chriſtian Infants, before Baptiſme, belong no more to the Covenant, then the children of Turks: alſo, that before Baptiſme, they are poſſeſſed by Satan, who is by words and croſſings to be caſt out by the Exorciſt, and other ſuch like paſſages. Which doctrine truly is repugnant to the Goſpell; neither is it found in the Auguſtan Confeſſion, of which they ſo much bragge, nor in the word of God; and which, by M…. Luther with great zeale hath beene refuted and rejected. So thou mayeſt ſee, Chriſtian Reader, to what we are come to.
But, to what purpoſe is it to know the beginning of Controverſies? Let us rather endeavour how to be freed from them. Let us beſeech God, that he will be pleaſed to helpe his afflicted Church; to ſanctifie her in the truth of his word; to encline the Teachers and Miniſters of his▪ Goſpell to moderation, and to the love of Peace and concord, and then theſe Errours will eaſily fall to the ground without any laborious refutation, and Truth will ſucceed in their ſtead. For, Nothing is weaker then errour, ſaith Chryſoſtome; it is entangled with its owne wings;Hom. 28. in … Cor. 15. Hom. 4. de laudibus D. Pauli. nor is there need of any other battery or aſſault. And, as the ſame Father ſaith, Such is the condition of errour, that of it ſelfe, though none reſiſt, it will grow old, and fall away: On the contrary, the ſtate of truth is ſuch, that when it is oppoſed by many, it is ſtirred up, and increaſeth. Therefore, it is no wonder that the unluckie tares grow up ſo faſt in the Lords field; but truth, the daughter of time, by Gods aſſiſtance, will roote it up at laſt. Neither is it needfull that Gods faithfull ſervants ſhould weary themſelves in refelling our Adverſaries virulent Libels, for this will tend no wayes to Peace: the onelyonly way to victory and concord is, if, with our infirmity, with feare and trembling, with modeſty and forbearance, with the evidence of the Spirit, with the power of the word, we defend the Truth: which ſhall be my chiefe endeavour in the explication of theſe Aphoriſmes; for, at laſt, the Spirit of Chriſt will be ſtronger then the ſpirit of Satan, and the kingdome of Chriſt will be more powerfull then the kingdome of the Devill. Judgement ſhall returne to righteouſneſſe, and all they that are upright in heart ſhall follow it. Pſal. 94.15.
Tertullian againſt Valentin.
Truth is no wayes aſhamed, but onelyonly to be hid.
In the Catecheticall Miſcellanies are contained theſe enſuing Heads:
I. APhoriſmes containing the doctrine of the Reformed Churches, and the chiefe heads of Chriſtian Religion. Page 689.
II. The ſecular Theme, concerning Popery. Page 737
III. The Creed of bleſſed Athanaſius, with Parie's Notes. Page 753
IV. The Creed of the Fathers of Antioch againſt Paulus Samoſa…enus. Page 767
V. A Queſtion, Whether God created all men in Adam for one end, to wit, upon condition of the Law obſerved? Page 768
VI. Animadverſions upon the Theſis of D. Aegidius Hunnius, concerning the Hypoſtaticall Union. Page 770
VII. A reconciling of the Controverſie, concerning Chriſts active and paſſive righteouſneſſe. Page 791
VIII. A piece of a Speech, concerning the fruit of Chriſts Death. Page 807
IX. An Introduction to the Controverſie of the Euchariſt. Page 812
X. The Epitome of Arminianiſme: or, the Examination of the five Articles of the Remonſtrants in the Netherlands. Page 817