Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft. Ifai. viii. 20. To the law and to the teftimony if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. I Pet. iv. II. If any man fpeak, let him fpeak as the oracles of God. Pfalm cxix. 72. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and filver. Ver. 97. O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Pfalm cxxxviii. 2. Thou haft magnified thy word above all thy

name.

By the word canonical is meant whatever refpects, or is confirmed by, the laws of the church; and here it particularly refers to the decifions of the councils in the firft and pureft ages of christianity concerning the holy fcriptures; in which times the infpired writings were collected into one volume. The fcriptures of the Old Teftament had indeed been published in one volume long before by the Jews; but the fcriptures of the New were then added to them.

We could enter minutely into the proofs of the divine authority of each book, both of the Old and New Teftament, and into an account of the times in which they were written, and the perfons by whom but it would require a treatise of itself, to do justice to fo extensive a subject.

T

VI. Of the Old Testament.

HE Old Teftament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Teftament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Chrift, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore, they are not to be heard, who feign that the old Fathers did look only for tranfitory promifes. Although the law given from God by Mofes, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind chriftians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of ne ceffity to be received in any commonwealth; yet, notwithilanding, no chriflian whatfoever is free from the obedience of the commandments, which are called moral.

[blocks in formation]

(1) Luke xxiv. 27. And beginning at Mofes and all the pro phets, he [Chrift] expounded unto them, in all the feriptures, the

B

me.

things concerning himself. John v. 39. Search the feriptures [of the Old Teftament, which alone were then in being] for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they, which teftify of (2) Job xix. 25-27. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he fhall ftand at the latter day upon the earth; and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh fhall I fee God; whom I fhall fee for myfelf, and mine eyes fhall behold, and not another. Pfalm xvii. 15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteoufnefs. I fhall be fatisfied when I awake with thy likenefs. (3) Matt. xxii. 40. On these two commandments [the love of God, and love of man] hang all the law and the prophets. Matt. vii. 12. All things, whatfoever ye would that men fhould do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the laz and the prophets.

[ocr errors]

VII. Of Original or Birth Sin.

RIGINAL fin ftandeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk) but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteoufnefs, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.

NOTE S.

Gen. vi. 5. God faw that the wickednefs of man was great in the earth; and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked: who can know it? Pfalm xiv. 3. They are all gone afide; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Pfalm liii. 3. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Rom. iii. 1o. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. Pfalm li. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in fin did my mother conceive me. Eph. ii. 1-3. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trefpaffes and fins: wherein in times paft ye walked according to the courfe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difabedience; among whom also we all had our converfation, in times paft, in the lufts of our flefh, fulfilling the defires of the flesh and of the mind; and were, by nature, the children of wrath, even as others. Mark vii. 21-23.

From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adul teries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetoufnefs, wickednefs, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blafphemy, pride, foolishness; all thefe evil things come from within, and defile the man.

T

VIII. Of Free-Will.

IHE condition of man after the fall of Adam is fuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural ftrength and works to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore, we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Chrift preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

NOTE S..

(1) 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves, but our fufficiency is of God. Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in fins [God] hath quickened us together with Chrift (by grace are ye faved.) Ver. 8, 9. By grace are ye faved through faith; and that not of yourfelves, it is the gift of God: not of works, left any man fhould' boast. (2) John xv. 5. Without me [Christ] ye can do nothing. Phil. ii. 12, 13. Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

IX. Of the fuftification of Man..

W

E are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift by faith, and not for our own works or defervings:-Wherefore, that we are juftified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

NOTE S.

(1) Rom. iii. 24-26. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chrift Jefus; whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to de

clare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I fay, at this time, his righteoufnefs, that he might be juft, and the juftifier of hin which believeth in Jefus. Rom. v. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even fo, by the righteoufnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life. Rom. x. 4. For Chrift is the end of the law for righteoufnels to every one that believeth. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift; even we have believed in Jefus Chrift, that we might be justified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law fhall no fiefh be juftified. (2) Pfalm xxxii. 1. Bleffed is he whofe tranfgreffion is forgiven, whofe fin is covered. Rom. v. I. Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

A

X. Of Good-Works.

LTHOUGH good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after juftification, cannot put away our fins, and endure the feverity of God's judgment; yet are they pleafing and acceptable to God in Chrift, and fpring out of a true and lively faith, infomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree difcerned by its fruit.

NOTE S.

(1) Gal. v. 6. In Jefus Chrift neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but faith which worketh by love. James ii. 22. Seeft thou how faith wrought with his [Abraham's] works; and by works was faith made perfect. Ver. 26. As the body without the fpirit is dead, fo faith without works is dead alfo. (2) Heb. xiii. 16. To do good and to communicate, forget not; for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. James i. 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To vifit the fatherlefs and widows, in their affliction, and to keep himself uufpotted from the world. Tit. iii. 8. This is a faithful faying, and thefe things I will that thou affirm conftantly,, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to main tain good works.

V

XI. Of Works of Supererogation.

i

OLUNTARY works, befides over and above God's commandments, which they call works of fupererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare, That they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his fake than of bounden duty is required: Whereas Chrift faith plainly, When ye have done all that is commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fervants.

NOTE S.

Job xxii, 2, 3. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wife may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect? I Cor. iv. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haft thou, which thoa didit not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why doft thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Tit. iii. 5. Not ly works of righteoufnefs, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft

XII. Of Sin after Juftification.

[ocr errors]

OT every fin willingly committed after juftifica pardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to fuch as fall into fin after juflification : After we have received the Holy Ghoft, we may depart from grace given, and fall into fin, and, by the grace of God, rife again, and amend our lives. And, therefore they are to be condemned, who fay they can no more fin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to fuch as truly repent.

B 2

« AnteriorContinuar »