CHAP. I.

AMongst all the Divine In symbolo Athanasil ab ecclesiae universali recepto, utpote in princi­pio; & fine fidem in trinitate perso­narum esse necessariam ad salutem ( [...]) his asseritur. Zanchius de Deo, lib. 1. part. 1. cap. 1. §. 2. quaestio de Trinitate, ut est omnium in Theologia creditu maxime necessaria, ita omnium cog­nitu dissicillima. Meisnerus contra Socinianos scite probat plurimis argumentis, primum, & magnum articulum fidei christinae esse unum Deum in Trinitate persona­rum quibus argumentis adstipula­tur, Hoorn. Beek. Socinianismi confutati. 1. lib. 1. cap. 9. à pag. 226. ad pag. 243. & Voetius se­lect. disp. theol. par. 1. pag. 472. dogma de trinitate est fundamentale [...]; imo fundamentum fun­damenti, quia fundat alia dogma­ta fundamentalia; quod multis i­bid probat, & Melanct. loc. com­mun. cap. 27. summa Evangelii e­rudite comprehensa est in verbis bap­tismi. Eusebius Pamphilus in conc. Ni­ceno fatetur symbolum Nicenum pau­cis solum verbis differre à symbolo quod inquit nos ab episcopis ante­gressis accepimus, cumque lavatro baptismatis abluti essemus audivi­mus, Socrat. hist. eccles. l. 1. c. 5. & Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 12. Socrates Hist. lib. 7. cap. 17. Judaeus requirens baptizari, ante baptismi participationem multis die­bus fidem christianam addiscere, cum precibus, & jejuniis praecipitur, i­dem cap. 30. lib. 7. gens Burgun­dorum à Paganismo conversa petit Baptismum quae post septem dies in eis catechisandis impensos cum praece, & jejunio votum obtinuere hinc ca­non. 46. Conc. Laodicen. anno dom. 364. Baptizandos oportet fidei sym­bolum discere, & baptizanti reddere. Symbolum Con. Nicen. anno. dom. 325. Constantinopolitani anno dom. 381. Chalcedon. anno dom. 451. Symbolum Athanasii, Symbolum quod habet Irenaeus lib. 1. adversus Haere­sis cap. 2. primum concilium Tole­tan. conc. Lateranum in omnibus prae­dictis symbolis habetur articulus tri­nitatis: & tanta cura Paganos Cate­chimenos articulum trinitatis docue­runt, ut Lucianus qui vixit sub Tro­jano anno dom. 120. formulam cate­chizandi catechimenos addisceret nam inducit Christianam siccine Ethnicos catechizantem (licet ani­mo blasphemo) Deum alte regnantem, magnum, aetherium, atque aeternum fiilium patris, & spiritum sanctum ex patre procedentem unum ex tribus, & ex uno tria. Patres Concilii Constantinopo­litani anno dom. 383. mittunt libel­lum Synodicam Romam at Dama­sum, aliosque Episcopos ibidem con­vicatos, in quo exhibent fidei suae Confessionem Fidei Nicenae consen­taneam [...] & consentaneam baptismati [...], & Nazianzenus his contempo­ra [...]us orat. 32. [...]. Socinus anno dom. 1604. scribit epistolam Smaltio itidem Socinia­no de baptismo ut non necessario re­mittendo, atque ad synaxin excipi­endis hominibus vitae honestae ac pro­batae religionem christianam professis quamvis nunquam baptizatis: adeo abhorrent, acfloccipendunt baptismum. Satan ut fidem nostram ab ipsis radicibus convelleret, partim de di­vina filii, & Spiritus Sancti essen­tia; partim de personali distinctione ingentes pugnas semper movebat, Cal­vin. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 13. §. 21. Servabat tamen Dominus in Papa­tu renascituri suo tempore populi se­men, manebat salvus baptismus in Patris, Filii, & Spiritus Sancti no­men; quamvis perigrinae linguae usu, & multis aliis conspurcatus supersti­tionibus: manebat frustra toties op­pugnatum unitatis essentiae, & tri­nitatis personarum fundamentum, ma­nebat doctrina de duabus Christi na­turis, Beza epist. 81. Mysteries of Christian Religion which it hath pleased God in His infinite Wisdom, Mercy & Goodness, to reveal to His Church on Earth, on which they are to build their Faith and Salvati­on, the Mystery of the Sacred Trini­ty one God in three Persons, is the first in order, and of great con­cernment, even the three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5. 7. These three bear witness to the truth of all the Scriptures, then assuredly to this truth also, that they are three Persons in one Godhead, and among the twelve Articles of the Apostolick Creed, this Mystery of the Trinity takes up three.

This sacred Mystery is most clearly manifested in our Saviour's Baptism, Mat. 3. 16, 17. Luk 3. 21, 22. John 1. 32 33. The Fa­ther speaks from Heaven, this is my well beloved Son, while at the same time the Son is baptized in Jordan and the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven in the likeness of a Dove, and lighted upon God the Son, and abode upon Him.

Moreover, The Sacrament of Baptism being ordained of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the first Sacrament of the Cove­nant of Grace; in it all the Pro­mises of Mercy and Salvation are sealed to Believers, and by it Chri­stians are solemnly entered into the Church and House of God: so that the Contemner of this Sacra­ment debarreth himself from Sal­vation. Therefore God Himself hath appointed this Program to be prefixed upon the Porch of His Church, that this Almighty God in whose Name we are baptized, and in whom we Believe, is Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost; and It cannot be supponed, but that these Men and Women who were Proselyted, and being Pagans be­fore, admitted to the benefite of Christian Baptism, behoved to take a time to learn the Grounds of their Religion: therefore the the Doctors of the Church, not only wrote Catechisms for these young Christians, who therefore, betwixt their first offering of themselves to the Christian Church, until the time they were baptized, were called Catechumeni: These Doctors also wrote certain short [Page 3] Sums of Christian Faith commonly called Creeds, that before these Pa­gan Catechume in received Baptism, they were to give a confession of their Faith contained in their Creed; in all which Creeds, writ­ten by the Church, whether longer or shorter; and in their Cate­chisms, the Doctrine of the Trinity was a special part, and according­ly that Synod of Divines at Westmin­ster in their lesser Catechism have not omitted the Trinity: So the reformed French Church in Geneva have a little Catechism, containing only twenty one short Questions, on which they examine these who are at first to be admitted to the Lords Table, which little Cate­chism begins with the Trinity, and is bound in with their French Ver­sion of the Bible, printed at Geneva 1567.

The Sacred Trinity being the Program of Christian Baptism, proved the strong and invincible Fort of the Christian Faith in the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead, against the Arrians, and other An­titrinitarian Hereticks: wherefore Socinus, who hath drunk much deeper in the poysonable Cup of Blasphemy against the blessed Tri­nity then the old Arrians, hath very slightingly written of the Sa­crament of Baptism.

The second great Mystery of Christian Religion, is, that the Word was made Flesh, Joh. 1. 14. and this the Holy Ghost calls the great Mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the Flesh, 1 Timoth. chap. 3. vers. 16. which Mystery, viz. that the Word, the second [Page 4] Person, God the Son was incarnate, and not the Father, or the Holy Ghost; this cannot be known and believed aright, until first we know & believe that there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead, therefore our Saviour, Joh. 17. 3. joyns these two together, This is life everlast­ing, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; and the Apostle Paul, Coloss. 2. 2. to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.

If it be objected, that it seems to be a hard saying, That the Know­ledge and Faith in God, and three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in Christ God and Man in one Person, is necessary to Salva­tion: Seing both these are profound Mysteries, so far above Humane Reason and Capacity, I answer, first, Not only these two are great Mysteries, but also the whole Gospel is a Divine Revelation of a conti­nued tract of Mysteries, Mark 4. 11. Rom. 16. 25. 26. Eph. 3. 9, 16, 19. Coloss. 1. 26, 27. called the great Mystery of Godliness, 1 Tim. 3. 16. for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men, whereby we must be saved, but the Name of Jesus, Acts 4. 12. who is the Cap­tain of our Salvation, Heb. 2. 10. the Author of Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5. 9. and the Gospel is called the Knowledge of Salvation, Luk. 1. 77. the Word of Salvation, Acts 13. 26. the Way of Salvation, Acts 16. 17. the Salvation of God, Acts 28. 28. the Power of God to Sal­vation, Rom. 1. 16. the great Salvation, Heb. 2. 3. so that whosoever will not believe these Gospel Mysteries, is damned. I answer secondly, that to Divine and Saving Faith, as such demonstrative knowledge in the Logical Sense, far less comprehensive knowledge is required; but the Lord condescending to Mans Humane weak Capacity, accepts of Faith, albeit apprehensive Knowledge go before it, not alwayes requiring that they know how such a thing is true, but that howsoever it is true: And because of the mysteriousness of these Gospel Divine Truths, there is a necessity for a Christian to deny himself, before he can follow Christ, Matt. 16. 24. deny his carnal Wit and corrupt Reason, therefore in the Lord's work of Man's Conversion, in which He applys His exceeding great and Mighty Power, Eph. 1. 19. He casts down Imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5. where albeit the Almighty Hand of God is first in order, and chief in the work, yet the Christian himself, willingly consents to cap­tivate all his carnal Imaginations and Thoughts, and over the belly of them all, gives the assent of Faith to the Mysteries of the Gospel, be­cause they are the Truth of God, who is infinite in Truth, and cannot Lie; for he who piously and humbly captivates his Thoughts to Christ, will stop the mouth of all Objections of corrupt Reason, with Abraham, [Page 5] against hope believing in hope, Rom. 4. 18. which assent of Faith gives God far more Glory, then the assent of Science, which flows naturally from the force of that natural Light, born in by the knowledge of the Cause; but the assent of Faith is supernatural, being a supernatural Grace and gift of God, with all its degrees: And because the Myste­ry of the Trinity, and Christ's Incarnation, were so high above Man's corrupt Reason, therefore in the first 400. Years of the New Testament, Satan wrought mightily in the Children of Disobedience, and did find it an easie work to raise up many blasphemous Hereticks, who in the pride of their undaunted Heart, refused to captivate their corrupt Rea­son to believe the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation, which were not contrary to Reason, but above it.

CHAP. II.

AS for the Roll of the Ring leading Hereticks, after our Lord's Ascension, (intending brevity) We passe by all the Errors, or He­resies mentioned or foretold in the New Testament. Matth. 24. v 9. and 24. Act. 20. v. 29, and 30. Acts 15. Rom. 16. v. 17, and 18. Gal. 1. 6, 7. Col. 3. v. 1. Col. 9. v. 10. Col. 2. v. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Col. 9. 1. 2 Tim. 2. v. 17, 18. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 2 Thess. 2. v. 8. Albeit therein be in­stanced diverse Doctrines of Devils, and St. Peter foretells, that some would deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. v. 4. and St. John 2 Epist. 4. 3. mentions many Antichrists in the General, and denyers of Christ, but particularizeth none as such; for Simon Magus, Act. 8. 18. Was a baptised Christian, and falling in the Sin of Simonie in a most gross manner, was justly and bitterly rebuked by the Apostle Peter: And Ecclesiastick Hystoriographers record, that thereafter he returned with the Doge to his vomite, and with the Sow, to the wallowing in the myre; went to Rome, and turned to his old trade of witchcraft, where he was admired for his Lying Satanical Wonders (as before his Baptism) he had been admired in Samaria, Act. 8. v. 9, 10. and blasphemously called himself, Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. 2 cap. 1. & cap. 12. 13, 14. Igna­tius Epistola ad Tralesios Ireneus, lib. 1. cap. 20. Justinus Martyr Apologia secunda fusius. Cerinthus blasphemed Christ Jesus to be only a Man, and not the Messia, Anno Dom. 75. [Page 6] Ireneus, lib. 1. cap. 25. & lib. 3. cap. 3. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 22. The third Ring-leader Heretick Ebion, vented the like Blasphe­mies; by occasion of which three Hereticks, and their many followers, the Apostle St. John, who lived to this time, wrot the Gospel, in which his chief intent is to prove, and maintain against these Blas­phemous Hereticks, that Christ is God and Man in one Person. Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 26. Eu­sebius lib. 3. cap. 21. Ignatious epist. ad Trallianos, Epiphanius heresie 51. Cerdon Blasphemed, that the God of the Old Testament was not Christ's Father, Anno Dom. 143. Ireneus lib. 1: cap. 28. Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 10. Valentinus, of whom came the Genosticks, rejected the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity, and made up a fiction as it were of three Gods, Anno Dom. 145. Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 10. Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 1. & alibi passim multis refutat.

Euseb. lib. 5. cap. ult. E­umcum prioribus refutat, Ignatius, nominatim Epist. ad Tralianos. Theodotus, That Christ was only Man, he denyed Christ to be the Word, Joh. 1. 1. An. Dom. 194.

Hos refutat Tertul. Praxeas denyed the Tri­nity, his Followers were called Patripossiani, Anno Dom. 210.

Hos refutat. Tertul. Melchizedeciani blas­phemed, that Melchizedeck was greater then Christ.

Eus. lib. 7. cap. 5. refuta­tur ad Athanasio. Sabellius denyed the bles­sed Trinity.

Damnatus in Concilio Anti­ocheno, Anno Dom. 272. Samosatenus, denyed Christ to be God, Anno Dom. 269.

Eus. lib. 7. cap. 25. So­crat. 1. lib. 1. cap. 17. Exortus est Anno Dom. 276. eum Augustini­us multus & eruditus refutavit. Manes and his Followers denyed Christ, and the Holy Ghost to be God.

Damnatus a 318. Episcopis, Socret. lib. 1. cap. 3, 4, 5. The­odoret, lib. cap. 1. 7. Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 16. Anno Dom. 325. Arius, denyed the second Person of the blessed Trinity to be one in substance, co-equall and co-eternall with God the Father, he was confuted in the Council of Nice, his Blasphemy condemned and he Excommunicated, An. Dom. 325.

Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 24. a Basilio magno in disputatione de­victus. Photinius fell unto the heresie of Sabellius and Sam. Sata­nius, he was condemned in the Council of Serinium.

Socrates, lib. 2. cap. 35. ab Athanasio & Basillo refutatus. Macedonius, denyed the Holy Ghost to be God, Anno Dom. 360. He was condemned in the General Council of Constantinople. Anno Dom. 381.

Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 33. in hoc concilio contra Nestorium Cy­rillus magnam sustinuit partem. Nestorius, denyed the Per­sonal Union of Christ's Divine and Humane Natures, Therefore was condemned by a General Council, at Ephesus by 200. Bishops, Anno Dom. 431. And being obstinat, was banished by the Emp. Theodosius Albeit these forementioned Heriticks all Blasphemed the Sacred Tri­nity, yet none of them, but were poysoned with moe Errors besides, for mans corrupt heart is a too fertill soil to receive Satans Inventions.

Di onisius Episcopus Alex­andrinus. Eus. lib. 7. cap. 6. An­no. Dom. 260. One of the Antients, by reading the Blasphemies of Here­ticks, did not only condemne them, but also abhorred them the more; So I wish every Christian Reader of this Little Catalogue to make the like good use of it, for the Learned read them at length, in the large Volums, and from this Catalogue, the Learned may Collect the Reason, why the subtill Ser­pent, the Enemy of Gods Glory, and Mans Salvation, was so much set against the Doctrine of the Trinity; even because of it's great funda­mentality, in the Christian Saving Faith.

In the second Part of the Chapter follows the manyfold, and sade evils, both of Sin and Misery that were caused by these Blasphemous Hereticks.

1. The Lord of Glory was in a High Degree dishonoured, and greatly provoked to anger; So that the Learned, and Pious, in there consuming Zeal, and holy Indignation, did admire the Lords long Suffering Patience; crying out, O God how long shal the adversary re­proach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? Psal. 74. 10.

2. Too many followed those Blaspheming Hereticks, and their Per­nitious wayes; and that often in the particular Kingdom, where their Blasphemy was first invented, and sometimes their Pestilentious Breath spread abroad, and infected moe Kingdoms with their Poy­son.

3. Satan, and the power of Darknesse sometimes seemed to triumph, and Wickedness to lift up it's horn on high, and the smoak of the Bottomless Pit to darken the Face of the Earth.

4. Many weak Christians, and tender Lambs of Christ staggered, and stumbled, being troubled with the Words of Hereticks, almost to [Page 8] the subverting of their Souls, now in a fainting condition, their hearts, being moved as the Trees of the Wood with a mighty Wind? and many in danger to perish, for whom Christ died.

5. The sade condition of these Flocks, no doubt, moved their Pastors, in holy Zeal, like St. Paul, to wish these incorrigible He­reticks, who did what in them lay, to destroy the Flock of God, Ac­cursed from the Lord, as they were cut off from the Church, Gal. 5. 12. even these wandring Stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness-for ever, Jude v. 13.

6. Sometime unstable Church men, were Deceived, and Insnared, who, when Learned, Eloquent, or both, they prevailed mightily, both in City and Countrey; Like that time, when the Great Red Dragons Tail, did draw the third part of the Stars of Heaven, and cast them to the Earth, Revel. 12. 3 4. Hence a fearfull Rent, and Schisme was made in the Church; Hence came Biting, Devouring, and Consuming one another, Gal. 5. 15.

7. The Jew and Pagan, were hardened in their Errors, and a stumbling block insuperable laid in the way of their Conversion.

8. The Jew, (and in after Ages the Turk joyning with them) did gladly [...]rasp at the opportunity, to increase the Fire of Con [...]ention, by joyning with the Hereticks and Apostats, and strengthning their hands against the Orthodox; And took the more boldnesse to Blas­pheme that worthy Name by which we ate named, Iam. 2. 7.

9. The frequent and beautiful meetings of the Flocks of Christ, being Seduced, Diminished, and Scattered, caused their Faithful Pastors to offend, Mourn and Lament these of their Flocks that had fallen; Like the Loving Mother, weeping over, not One only, but Many of Her Children dying together: And to ly [...] all night in Sack­cloath, and weep betwixt the Porch and the Altar, to be in great heaviness, and continual sorrow of heart, and almost to wish them­selves accursed from Christ, for the welfare of His Church, and their Flocks therein, Rom. 9. 21.

10. When sometime the Faction of Hereticks grew strong, as in particular of the Arians, having, by the subtility of the Serpent, obtained the Secular Power to joyn, and side with them, and so did many Years Persecute the true Church of Christ, not only to the spoyl­ing of their Goods Imprisonment, or Banishment, but also many thousands having suffered Cruel Torments, at last Sealled the True Faith of Christ with their Blood and Death: Of which Arian Perse­cution against the true Church of Christ, we intend hereafter to give you a more particular accompt.

Follows the third part of the Cha [...]ter, wherein we shall give you a Compendious accompt, of the Good and Holy Means which the God of Truth, who walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks, [Page 9] and His Church the Pillar, and Ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. Hav­ing the Truth dwelling in them, and therefore were Fellow-helpers to the truth: in this time of Jacob; trouble; Windowing, and Fiery Tryal; The Lord stirred up, and inspired the Learned Doctors of His Church, to plead the cause of their Mother, against these Wolves and Foxes, who made Havock of the Church: which Doctors, in their Generation were Burning and Shining Lights, did earnestly con­tend for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints, Jude 3. Were vali­ant for the Truth, and suffered it not to fall in the Streets; but gave those Hereticks publick Disput, as they found Opportunity; Refuted them by their Writings, left to the Church in their several Volums to this Day, wherein they Refuted not only the Heresies that rose in their own Dayes, but also all the Heresies that Blasphemers had spread before their time, and by Painfull and Zealous Preaching of the Truth, they Confirmed their Flocks, and furnished them with Power­full preservatives against the Poyson of Seducers.

Ignatius & Justinus in suis Epistolis Justinus epistola ad Phi­lippenses Dominus mittens Apo­stolos jussit baptiz [...]re in nomen Patris Filij & Spiritus Sancti [...], & Epist. ad. &c. Philadel-Phienses, [...]. quod ad Ignatium in suis maltis epistolis ad varias Ecclesias perquam erudi­te omnes Hereticos se priores confutat, confundit praesertim antitrinitarios (3.) Irenaeus justo volumine & summo labare scripsit polemice ad­versus Hereticos se priores & con­temporarios. (4) Cyprianus justo itidem volumine multus est in veri­tate christiana stabilienda quam hi quatuor heroessanguine consignarunt. A second Mean, Beside the thousand thousand Christians that Sealed the Christian Faith of the Trinity with their Blood, and Death; among them many Pious, and Learned Bishops, not only defended the Truth of God by their Pen, and Writings, as a fore­said; but also Sealed that Truth which they had Written, and Preached, by their Blood and Death; As Ignatius, Justin, Ire­naeus and Cyprian, and many others, who wrot learnedly in defence of the Sacred Trinity, against Blasphemous Hereticks.

The third Means, As these glori­ous Martyrs, for the Glory of their Lord, Father, Son and Ho­ly Ghost, Sealed His Truth with their Blood: So the Almighty, who only does wonders, appended His own Seall to His own Truth, in their Death, by many miracles of diverse sorts. First, of stupen­dious Courage, and Ignatius, a militibus Ro­mam conductus in Epist. quam ad Romanos praemisit, vehementer chri­stianos hortatur, Romanos & adjurat ut eorumnullus solicitet magistratum Romanum ut Ignatium a morte li­berate; fassus se exultaturum tor­menta, & mortem pro Christo sub­menta, & martyrium evadere se om­mnino abnuere; sed instexibiliter desiderare: qualis fortitudo in pluri­bus martyribus fuit conspicua. Joy given them from above, to the Admiration and Confusion of their [Page 10] their tormenting Enemies. 2dly. Miracles manifested without them in their Death, as the Learned may read in the Church History; often the wild beasts refusing to de­vour them, and sometimes the fire to burn them. Hujus instantia in Poly­carpi martyrò commemorantur haec miracula in itinere ad ignem voce è Coelo confortatur 2. dum stat in igne ingens flamma ad distantiam cor­pus circumvallat, quasi sanctum dei attingere renuens ita ut miles illud observans [flamma crudelior] Po­licarpi corpus hastâ confoderit (3) sancti combusti corpus suavissimum, & fragrantissimum emisit odorem Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 14. Yea, 3dly. the Lord wrought many Glorious Mi­racles at the Graves of Martyres after their Death, of which there are many Examples in the Church History.

The Fourth Mean, whereas Solomon saith, in the multitude of counsellers there is safety; There­fore the Doctors of the Primitive Church did meet in Councils, as they saw need, in this or that Kingdom; but sometimes also, they did meet more solemnly in greater numbers, sometimes 3, or 4. sometimes 600 Bishops to­gether, besides moe then the double number of Presbyters, and these of the most Learned, and Pious Divines, that were in the Christian World, out of Asia, Affrica, and Europe by long, and perilous jour­nies, crossing Sea, and Land, beginning with Patres Synodi Nicerni je­junium indixerunt, ut Deus utilitati Ecclesiarum consultum vellet, Teo: doret in ancorato. fast­ing and praying. To which Councils respective, the then reign­ing Hereticks were Summoned to appear, and appearing were ex­amined anent their Errors, their Errors refuted, and sometime, yet seldome, themselves converted, but if obstinat, their mouths stopped; their Errors, and Blasphemies condemned, and accursed; themselves Excommunicat; and sometimes also Banished by the su­pream civil Magistrate, and for the furder confirmation of the Faith of following Generations, and establishment of the Posterity in the Truth. The Church did put in register, the proceedings of these famous Councills, whether Nationall, or Generall against these seve­rall Hereticks: As also their severall Acts, for Order and Decency, which Books are extant to this day in great Volumes.

As for these Hereticks, albeit the Lord did permit them for a sea­son, to try His People, if they would cleave to His Truth, or not, Deut. 13. 3. And that the approved might be made manifest, 1 Cor. [Page 11] 11: 13: Yet the Lord blessed the pains of His faithfull Servants against them, So that these Storms were turned to a Calme, and these Hereticks wholly made known, and He who sets bounds to the proud waves of the Sea, set also bounds to Satans Malice; and put a hook in the nose of these Blasphemers.

The Fifth Mean, The Lord from Heaven did manifest His Wrath and Indignation signally against some of the speciall Ring-leading He­reticks, or else by the hand of the civil Magistrat.

Eus. lib. 2. cap. 1. 13, 14. Egesippus lib. 3. cap. 2. Epi­phanius lib. 2. her. 22. Simon Magus, at Rome, by the help of Devils did flee in the Air; but fell down and was bruised to death, at the prayers of the Apostle Peter.

Secondly, Elimas the Sorcerer, was by God, miraculously smitten with blindness, for his Anti chri­stian perversness, Acts 13. 11.

Eus. lib. 5. cap. 15, 18. Thirdly, Montanus, and his Prophetess Maximilla hanged themselves.

Eus. lib. 5. cap. 14. Fourthly, Theodotus by force took his flight towards Hea­ven, but fell down, and died mi­serably.

Fifthly, Buddas or Terebinthus, Nicen through Sorcery did flie up in the Air, but fell down and brake his neck.

Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 17. Sixthly, Manues a Persian Heretick, the King of Persia caus­ed take off his skin, flayed alive, filled it with Chaffe, and hang­ed it up at the Gate of the City.

Socratas lib. 1. cap. 21. Seventhly, Arius being observed by the Bishop of Alex­andria, that he was a dangerous Heretick and mighty proud, while he is under Process, intends to come to the Church of Alexandria to morrow, in a presumptuous man­ner? wherefore the Bishop, all that night stayed in the Church, with Fasting, and Prayers and Tears wrestling against Arius; who, to mor­row going to that Church, a sudden Terror of Conscience, and ve­hement louseness of Belly did assault him, that he was forced to go aside to the next publick Jacks, where all his bowells gushed out; a fit [Page 12] Death-bed for so vile an excrement of Satan, whose breath had bred the most deadly pestilency that ever was in the World, whose man­ner of Death was a mercy to the World, and a Beaken of his Ship­wrack, fixed by the Almighty, upon the dangerous Rock of his Blas­phemous Heresie.

Prosper in chronico. Eightly, Priscbillianus, Anno Dom: 400. being, condemned by a Church Council at Burdeaux for his Blasphemies against the Trini­ty, with others of his Stamp, was beheaded by the Emperour Maximus. All the foresaid Blasphemers of the Trinity, the Lord stigmatized with a miserable death, to the terror of others.

CHAP. III.

AS in the first 300. Years after our Lord's Ascension, His Church was sore vexed by Ten bloody Persecutions, raised by Pagan Emperours, and molested by Antitrinitarian Hereticks, of which we have given you a short view in the former Chapter; So in this fourth Century, Satan the Father of Lies, Anno Dom. 324. filled the Heart of Arius (a proud Presbyter in Alexandria) with Blasphemies against the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, wherefore, the famous Council of Nice, consisting of 318. Bishops, conveened partly for examining and confounding of Arius Error in the Year 325. where after long dispute granted to the Adversary, his blasphemous Error was condemned and he Excommunicate: Notwithstanding, thereafter his Errors spread like a Gangren, and that chiefly by occasion of two Emperours Con­stantius and Valence, whom the Arians seduced to their Heresie, and so the Arian obtaining the Arm, and Countenance of the Civil Power to their wicked Faction, they left no mean unesseyed to encrease and strengthen their Party, and spread their Poison, which we intend to treat of in this Chapter, in these particulars.

First, Their indefatigable pains in conveening Church Councils, Secondly, The Falshood and Injustice in their Proceedings. Thirdly, Their hellish Policies. Fourthly, Their monstruous Cruelty against the Orthodox. Fifthly, The Lord's witnessing against them, both by His Church and His own immediate Hand of Justice upon them. To return to the first of these, in imitation of the Orthodox and true Church, like Satan, they transformed themselves into Angels of Light, did conveen Councils, sometime in one City and Kingdom, and some­time [Page 13] in another, as they judged most expedient for their purpose; where they composed diverse Creeds, but all Heterodox, and differing from the Nicen Creed; Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32. In fine breviter colligit numerum symbolorum Arrianorum particulatim & oppi­datim novem videbent. Their first Council held at Tyrus, Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 22. The second at Jerusalem, The third at Antioch, where they composed their first Arian Creed, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 14. Fourth­ly, Four prime leading Arians pre­sented to the Emperour a second Arian Creed, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 14. Fifthly, The Arians in the East sent a long Creed to the Bishops in the West, which they rejected. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 14. Sixth­ly, At Syrmium in Illyria the Ari­ans wrote two Creeds, Sozomen lib. 3. cap. 10. So­crat. lib. 2. cap. 25. Se­venthly, In a Council at Ariminum, the Arians wrote a sixth Creed, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 29. Sozo­men lib. 4. cap. 16. Eightly. At Nica in Thrasia the Arians wrote a Creed, which de­ceitfully they called the Nicen Creed, Sozomen lib. 4. cap. 18. Ninthly, The Arians held a Council at Seleucia in Ifau­ria, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32. Their last two Councils they held at Constantinople and An­tioch, where they Decree, that the word Substance Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 31. and Person, of one Substance, of another Sub­stance, all these Ariani multis pseudosynodis convocatis in quatuor factiones abi­ere, quarum quaeque priore insanior, prima factio petit in omnibus symbo­lis hoc expungendum quod filius sit patri [...]: factio secunda quod sit in symbolis exprimendum filium esse patri [...], tertia factio fi­lium esse patri tantummodo [...]: quarta factio filium esse patri [...] dissimilem & iri sunt app [...]llati anomei, & [...], quod blasphemarent filium esse [...] ex non exist [...]bus hi expresse damnantur in symbolo Niceno & hu­jus quartae factionis fuit ipse Arius Sozomen lib. 4. cap. 21, 28. be expunged out of all Creeds, By all which we may perceive the Arian apply­ing all his Oars, going to and fro, and walking up and down in the Earth, compassing Sea and Land to conveen Councils, thereby to frame Mischief by a Law, to en­gage and inslave unstable Souls, by the Shadow of a Chruch San­ction, making Proselyres, strength­ening his Faction.

Having spoken of their indefatigable Pains, let us in the second place observe their deceitful Dealling, their Deeps and Devices, which the Father of Lies (the old and crooked Serpent) had taught them: First, Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia being justly degraded by that Or­thodox Council of Nice, for his obstinacy in Arianism, and he, toge­ther [Page 14] with Arius, banished by the Emperour Constantine, he wrote to the Emperour a penitential Letter, wherein he subscrived the Nicen Creed, Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 10. (but with a double Heart,) and so was restored to his Place and Function; and Arius followed his example, Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 19. both in subscriving and dissembling, remaining in the gall of Bitterness with Simon Magus, and in the Synagogue of Satan; wherefore shortly there­after the Lord purged His Church of Arius, by an extraordinary and horrible death, even then when he was in the height of his Pride, go­ing to that Church in grandour, where he had spewed out his Blasphe­mies against the Son of God, even that King of Saints, who thought it no robbery to be equal with His Father, commands him to halt, not permitting him to enter into the House of God to pollute it, but thrust him into a common Jacks by the way, where the Lord cast out all his Intrals with his Excrements, and cast him effectually out of His Church, and stopped his blasphemous Mouth. Notwithstanding all this great and visible Judgment on Arius, his Brother in Evil (Eusebius of Nico­media) would not learn Righteousness, but hardened his heart in Pride, turned an obstinate and violent Persecuter of the true Church and Saints, Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 25. and chief Leader of the Arian Faction, adding Perjury to his Blasphemy.

Thirdly, As the Arians were Perfidious in their beginning, so in their Progress, they learned at the Accuser of the Brethren, to turn impu­dent false Accusers of the Orthodox Church men, which they acted in these forementioned pretended Church Counsels; And first, the great Athanasius, who as a divine Hero, stood in the Breach for the true Church, to whom both the Emperour and Bishop of Rome deferred great respect in their Letters, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 18. yet him they strived to affront in their Councils, and falsly accuse that he had cutted off a Man's Hand, which Hand they produced in their Coun­cil, having the Man himself fast in Prison; but by good and remark­able Providence, the Man escaped out of their Prison, and came to Athanasius in Council, with both his Hands whole, to the great confu­sion of his accusing Arian Enemies. Thereafter they produced an im­pudent Whore accusing Athanasius of Adultery with her, but Athana­sius so convinced her in the face of the Synod, that she had not a word to answer: But Eustathius the Orthodox Bishop of Antiochia, him they accused also of Adultery with another impudent Whore, whom the Arians suborned, and she did swear it; and albeit the innocent Bishop did constantly assert his innocence, yet they degraded him, and ob­tained [Page 15] at the Emperour to banish him; but thereafter, that wicked Wo­man (in the just Judgment of God) falling Sick, and dying in great bodily Torments, confessed her grievous sin of Perjury against innocent Eustathius, and that the Arians had hired her with a Sum of Mo­ney. Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 21.

A fourth instance of their deceit and subtilty, The Arian perceiv­ing by more then 30. Years sad experience, that the Creed of that fa­mous Council of Nice had given their cursed Cause a deadly wound, they craftily resolve to conveen a Council in that same City of Nice, and there write an Arian Creed to their own mind, and vent it for the old Orthodox Nicen Creed, and so to deceive the Vulgar: But He whose Throne is in Heaven, had them in derision; for when the Arians be­gan to conveen in that City of Nice, the Lord sent a great Earthquake, which caused the Arians (with fear) flee out of the City: Hieronimus ad annum domini 372. But that Plot failing them, they hardened their Neck like an Iron Sinew, and with a Whores Forehead, persist in a like wicked Design; for, understanding that in Thracia, the next adjacent Country, there is a Town called Nicea, thither they hasten, and hold their Council, and conclude upon a blaspemous Arian Creed, deceitfully calling It the (c) Sozomen. lib. 4. cap. 15. Nicen Creed.

A fifth instance of their Falshood in these their many Councils, where Satan had his Throne, and Antichrist kept the Chair; They wrote nine several Creeds, not all confirming or explaining the former Creed, but some of them containing Contradictions, of which themselves were ashamed, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 25. for a Liar should have a good Memory; yea, in the last of these Councils they ratifie their Council at Seleucia and its Creed, and cursed the Creed at Ariminum, because it was not Hete­rodox enough. Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 4.

As we have seen the Activity, Perfidity and Falshood of the Arian in spreading their Heresie, so in the fourth place we shall take a view of their Hellish Cruelty, practised against the Orthodox and true Church of God: For they poysoned (with their Arianism) the Emperour Constantius, who began his Reign Anno Dom. 336. and Valence, who be­gan his Reign Anno Dom. 366. th [...]se two Emperours they instigate to raise cruel and bloody Persecution against the Orthodox during the time of their Empire, of which we shall only mention a few notable Instances.

First, The Arians at Constanti­nople raised a great Tumult of Se­dition, that many Christians were troden under Foot to Death. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 9.

Secondly, The Arian Emperour Constantius having banished the Or­thodox Bishop of Constantinople, the Arians strangled him in his Exile, and the Orthodox Bishop of Adrianople died in Prison with Torments. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 21.

Thirdly, Great Persecution was raised by the Arians in the Cities of the East against the Orthodox Christians, by Banishment, spoil­ing of their Goods, and sundry kinds of Torments. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 22.

Fourthly, The Arians at Alexandria upon the Lords Day invaded with Arms the Orthodox, and having kindled a great Fire, apprehend­ed Orthodox Virgins (who, as they thought, would soonest yield to them,) these they threatned with Burning unless they turned Arian; but percelving these holy Virgins invincible Courage, resolute to die Martyrs for the Glory of the Sacred Trinity, they violently in the open Streets, pulled off all their Clothes, to put them to shame, and mocked them in their nakedness; but these Virgins being of undaunted Cou­rage to suffer for the Name of Christ, them the Arians so wounded on the Face, that their nearest Relations did hardly know them; and four­ty Men they scourged with Rods, that some of them died, yet they re­fused to give their dead bodies to their Friends to bury; and these who outlived their Scourging, part of them they Banished, of others not banished, the Chirurgians had great difficulty to pull out the Thorn Pricks out of their Flesh. At that same time, the Arians killed moe then thirty Orthodox Bishops in Egypt and Lybia, and banished sixteen moe, whereof some died in their cruel usage by the way, others died in the place of their Banishment; of which Martyrs the World was not worthy. Socrat, lib. 2. cap. 23.

Fifthly, In Constantinople and the Country about, many Orthodox Bishops were banished by the Arians, and other of the Orthodox that refused to communicate with the Arians they cruelly tormented their Bodies, and then scobbing their Mouths, violently thrust in the sacra­mental Elements of the Lords Supper, and that not only of Men and Women, but also of Children, and these who were most reluctant they detained in Prison and Torments, that so the Arian intended by this [Page 17] his work to get the honour that the Orthodox did communicate with them, but prophane forcing proved the Arian Communion to be the Table of Devils; yea, they thrust the Papes of some holy Women into a Chest, and closing its lid, cut off their Papes with a Saw, and others they burnt off their Papes with a red hot Iron. Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 30. Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 14.

Sixthly, The Arians in Alexandria conspired with the Jews and Pagans, and all three raised great Persecution against the true Christi­ans there; they apprehended the holy Virgins, stripped them naked as they were born, and led them through the Streets, obscenely mock­ing them, and if any Beholder (in Christian compassion) did speak but one word in their favours, they were driven away with Wounds; there­after, many of the Virgins they ravished, some they killed, and refused to give their Bodies to their Parents to be buried; yea, in this Tumult the Arian and Pagan committed so great abomination that I am asham­ed to render them in English, Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 20. a most profane Pagan being a chief Acter of these Abominati­ons, acted both in the Pulpit, and on the Altar of the chief Church of Alexandria; it was too like a Stage-Play of Satans divising against God's Word and Worship, the most profane the Devil could devise, and all this acted in the presence of the Arian Bishop, whom the Pagan Spokesman thus saluted, O Bishop! who denies the Son of God, thy com­ing is welcome to us, Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 22. our god Serapis embraceth thee, and brought thee hither; observe how well the Devil and the Arian does aggree, like Heart and Joy: This Pagan god Serapis, had a Church in Alexandria where he was worshipped, and in it a monstruous great Image, at that time much worshipped by the Pagans there. What true Christian can read the Perjury, Falshood and hellish Cruelty of the Arian, and their atheistical profaning of the Lord's Supper, and not look upon them as incarnate devils, against these antichristian and profane bloody Arians, who blasphemed both the Son and Holy Ghost. The Orthodox Church were most zealous to defend the Truth, and for that cause, to sing the Doxology in their publick Worship, exactly according to the words of the Holy Scriptures: For then the Arian also keeped the singing of their own Doxology, but it was different from the Orthodox and Holy Scriptures. Now, considering the true Churches hard condition, when the Arians perse­cute them, and yet these holy Christians were most willing to suffer Martyrdom for the Name of Jesus, and also to sing the Doxology, there­in professing their Faith in one God, in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, equal in Power and Glory: Now, I would ask the [Page 18] Christian now a days, If the Lord in His Providence did put them now in such a condition, to be persecuted to the death by the prevailing Arian, whether or not they would be content to suffer Martyrdom in defence of the honour of Christ, and also with the Orthodox Christian to sing the Doxology? would they both sing and suffer as these did, who are now singing triumphant Songs to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, having trode Satan and Arians under-foot; I willingly judge in Charity to these weak Lambs, they would then with the Orthodox Christians, both joyn in singing the Doxology, and also in suffering with them for the Name of Jesus; Then I ask them again, if they would have sung the Doxology if they had been going to the Stake to die in desence of the honour of Christ against the cursed Arian; then have they not as good reason and cause to sing Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for His merciful Providence to them, who knowing their weakness bet­ter then themselves, hath preserved them from such an hour of temp­tation, and fiery tryal, not suffering them to be tempted above that they are able: But furthermore, I give you this warning, that if ye af­firm with the three Children, you would sing in your fiery trial, but refuse to sing now when ye are preserved from it: Look to your selves that ye be not tempting God to cause you suffer Arian Persecution, that then ye may praise the glorious Trinity better, which now ye refuse, because the Lord frees you from Arian Persecution; this sore Trial the Lord avert.

In the last part of this Chapter, we shall observe the Testimony gi­ven by God and His Church in this fourth Century chiefly against the Arian; First, As for the true Church, they were not deficient to bear witness to the Truth, but as opportunity served, they conveened Or­thodox Councils, and among o­thers, one at Sardica, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 16. of 370. Orthodox Bishops, where the Ari­ans Accusations against Athanasius and other Orthodox Bishops were examined, and all found false and forged. Another Council at Jerusa­lem, Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 19. Anno Dom. 351. A third at Millan of 300. Bishops, Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 15. in which Councils they ratified the Ortho­dox Truth and Nicen Creed; and before that Anno Dom. 363. a Coun­cil of about 200. Bishops at Ariminum ratified the same Orthodox Nicen Creed.

As the Orthodox Church, during the time of the Arian Persecution, notwithstanding of all the cruelty used against them, the Church-men gave Testimony against the Arian, by Preaching, Writing, and Disputes, and both the Church-men and their Flocks by valiant suffering of Mar­tyrdom, [Page 19] and sealing the Truth with their Blood: So the Lord Himself from Heaven, divers ways did bear Testimony against the Arian, and for His Truth; first, in granting Signs and Wonders to be done by the Orthodox Church in this fourth Century, and in the Arians hottest Persecution, when in the mean time, the Arians had no Miracles amongst them, nor did they pretend to any; and although they had pretended to work Miracles, yet the Arians Miracles had been nothing but Satans lying Wonders: But God honoured even the persecute Or­thodox to work glorious Miracles; for instance, the Arians having banish­ed some Orthodox Christians to a remote Island in the Sea, where the Pagans worshipped the Devil, seated in a Grove, these banished Or­thodox Christians first cast Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 19. out the Devil out of the Pagan Priests Daughter, then converted her and her Parents, and at last the whole Pagans of that Island to the Chri­stian Faith. So the Devil could not stand before these Orthodox Chri­stians.

A second instance, Moses an Orthodox Christian was famous for working of Miracles, who coming to Alexandria, refused to receive Consecration to a Bishoprick from Lucius Bishop of Alexandria, Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 29. because he was an Arian, but re­proved him sharply, proving him to be altogether void of the true Principles of Christian Religion; but that same worker of Miracles re­ceived Consecration from the Orthodox Clergy to the said Bishoprick.

As the Lord did bear Testimony to the Orthodox Christians, and their Faith, by giving them the gift of Miracles, and not to the Arian, so did that Lord as Judge of the World declare and manifest His Wrath against the chief Arian Persecuters in this Century. First instance, Constantius the first Arian persecuting Emperour, who as he was false to God in turning Arian, so his kinsman Julian (whom he choised to be General of his Army) turned false to him, who having rebelled, Constantius leads an Army against him, but died by the way in Silicia, sore lamenting, and repenting of his Arian Heresie. Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 32. Second in­stance, The other Arian Empe­rour Valence was Satans evil In­strument, perverting the Goths to Arianism, (of which Poyson they were not cured some hundreds of Years therafter,) Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 27. and for the Emperours reward, the Goths rebelling, beat him and his Army in Battel, and he flying to a little [Page 20] Tower, they burnt the Tower and him with Fire. Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 3. & Hieronimus chronico ad annum 382. Third instance, The Wrath of God was remarkable in the death of George the Arian Bishop of Alexandria, (whose cruelty is mentioned in this same Chap­ter before, in the sixth instance of the Arian Cruelty, where this Arian George was Ringleader,) for not many Years after the foresaid instance of Persecution, the Pagans in Alexandria raised a seditious Tumult a­gainst the said George, pulled him out of the Church by the Ears, tied him to a Camel, then did tear him in pieces, and burnt him and the Camel to Ashes. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 2.

CHAP. IV.

THe Glorious Trinity of Persons in the God-head, being the great fundamental Article of our Christian Faith, and that Christ is the Son of God, the second Person of the blessed Trinity; upon which Rock the Christian Church is built, Matth. 16. 18. By which Name they are saved, Acts 4. 12 Even the great mystery of godli­nesse, God manifested in the Flesh, which Mystery cannot be known, nor believed aright to Salvation, unless we first know and believe that the Son sent by, and from the Father, was incarnat, and not the Fa­ther, John 17. 3. To this point we have spoken in the first Chapter; Therefore Satan, in the three first Centuries stirred up most Hereticks against the Sacred Trinity, and the Incarnation of the Son of God, to which we have spoken in the 2d. Chapter. Thirdly, The Arians, who rose in the Fourth Century, being more Active and Subtil, False, Bloody and prevalent, then any Hereticks which were before them, persecuted the true Church of God, in an Hellish manner, for this cause, the then Orthodox Church, as they used many good means, for strengthening the Christians in the Faith, and confuting, con­founding of Hereticks, as Preaching, Disputs, Writtings, Councils, and Church Censure, by Excommunication: all which Means, the God of Heaven Countenanced, and Blessed with good Success: So in that Fourth Century, the True Church, in their Publick Worship did appoint, that at the close of singing the Psalm, they should sing this Doxology, Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, in which Deed they have imitate the Lords own Example, command­ing [Page 21] Moses, now therefore write ye this Song for you, and teach it the Children of Israel, put it in their mouths, that this Song may be a witness for me against the Children of Israel, Deut. 31. 19. So the Primitive Church perceiving, by sad experience, Satans incessant malice, in stirring up Hereticks against the Sacred Trinity, and Mans Naturall weakness, and pronness to listen to Error, and believe Lies, especially against the blessed Trinity, most prudently and Piously aggreed, and unanimously to sing the Doxology to the blessed Trinity, in the publick Worship of God, to be a Witness against the Arian, and other Blasphemers of the Trinity, and for Confirmation of the Ortho­dox, and sound Believers in the True Faith, for Singing Glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, being in it self, a Lawfull, and Holy unquestionable Duty of Christians, albeit there were neither Heretick to oppose, and Blaspheme, the Trinity, nor Devil to tempt them to that wicked Deed, then finding both wicked Men and Devils, by Experience, enemies to that found and saving Truth, makes the singing of the Doxology, besides it's Lawfulness, and Expediency to be most usefull, and edifying for the People of God, and a strong pre­servative against Antitri [...]itarian Heresies.

Here we are not to think, that the Doxology, or praising of the Holy Trinity, was not used by the Doctors of the Church, these burning and shining Lights, before and beside the publick singing in the Church, for the Sacred Trinity being the great Fundamental of the Christian Faith, and object of Divine Worship, these Doctors ordi­narily closed their Prayers, or Sermons, or other Writtings with the Doxology, Anno Dom. 165. Policarpus, Bishop of Smirna (who had been the Disciple, of the beloved Disciple, St John) dying a glo­rious Martyre, in presence of many thousand Jews, Pagans and Chri­stians, ready to step into the Fyre, closed his heavenly Prayer thus, I glorifie thee through the everlasting high Priest Jesus Christ, thy wel­beloved Son, to whom with the, and the Holy Ghost, be all Glory, World without end, Amen. Here this blessed Martyr not only sealled the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity with his Death, but also the Blessed Glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Sealled that same Faith of this Faithfull Martyr with many miracles at his Death; of which we wrot in the second Chapter. Eus. lib. 4. hist. cap. 19. About the Year of Christ, 190. Clemens Alexandrinus writeth thus, Let us praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who one, is all, and in whom are all, altogether Good, Beautifull, Wise, and Just, to whom be Glory, now and for ever. lib. 3. paedagog. In the Year of Christ 325. The famous Councill of Nice having condemned Arius, and his Blaspheming Associats, for deny­ing [Page 22] the Co-eternity of the Son, and Holy Ghost with the Father, they writ a Synodical Letter to the Churches of Alexandria, Aegypt, Lybia, and Pentapolis; which they close with a Doxology to the Sacred Tri­nity, Thus, By the help of God, the Father Almighty, and our Lord Jesus Christ, with the grace of the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory for ever, Amen. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 6. Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 9.

The Synodical Epistle of the Council of Illyricum closeth thus; these things are inacted to the glo­ry of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for ever. [...], Sozemen lib. 3. cap. 19. [...].

Sozomen closeth the Preface to his Church History to Christ, with God the Father, and Holy Ghost be Glory for ever, Amen.

(c) Macarius a Church-man in Aegypt, who lived in the reign of Constantine and Constantius, closeth his 12th, 16th, and 17th. Homolies with the Doxology. About the Year of Christ 360. in the Church of Antioch, being a Patri­archall See at Publick Worship, were conveened most part Or­thodox, but some Arians mixed with them, when they came to that part of the Worshhip, which a Chronologer Nicephorus, Hist. Ecclesi­ast. lib. 9. cap 24. Ait eos cecinisse Doxologiam ad sinem Psalmodij. writes, was immediatly, after their singing the Psalm, then the Orthodox did sing the Doxology, Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, according to the Doctrine of the Nicen Council; But the Arians who were with them in the Church, differing from the Orthodox, sang Glory to the Father, by the Son, there­by purposing, that the Father was greater then the Son, which differ­ence in the singing, being perceiv­ed by Leontius Leontius tametsi sordibus Arianae blasphemiae fuit inquinatus tamen eas callide admodum occul­tare studuit, Etenim cum clerum, & Laicam etiam multitudinem in duas partes divisam cerneret Orthodoxos adhibentes conjunctionem & Filio, & Spiritui Sancto, Arianus vero ante Filium (Per,) ante Spiritum Sanctum (In.) praeponere; Ipse to­tam glorisicationem tacitus secum re­citavit adeo ut qui ei proximi; e­rant solum hanc particulam in secula seculorum audirent, haec Theodore­tus, lib. 2. cap. 24. Ex Athanasio. Regnante Anastasio diuterius Aria­norum Constantinop. Episcopus cum quendam Barbam nomine baptizare intenderet, & spreta dominica in­stitutione diceret baptizatur Barbas. [...], hoc dicto aqua in columbethra evanuit Barbas vero arreptâ fugâ exivit & miraculum hoc cunctis significavit, Haec scribit Theodorus lector in collectaveris lib. 2. & Nicephorus calisti, lib. 16. hist. Eceles. cap. 35. then Bishop of Antioch, and inclining to Arian­isme, putting his hand to his [Page 23] Gray Hairs, said, when this snow is melted there will be much Mire, by Age, and Experience, and Humane Prudence, he did fore­see the Storm of the Arian persecution of which I have spoken some­what in the 3d. chap. of this Treatise, for the Orthodox did sing the Doxology, according to the Words of our Saviour in the Gospel, in the Words of His Divine Institution of Baptisme, Matth. 28. 19. All three in one manner to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, but the Arian did sing Glory to the Father, by the Son, in the Holy Ghost, where, observe, that the Arian as yet did not altogether refuse to sing the Doxology upon any pretended reason or scruple of Conscience as some men do now, but it is like the sing­ing of the Doxology was then performed by the Orthodox with such Zeall, and unanimity, that the Arian was as yet afraid, or ashamed altogether to refuse the singing of it, as some now do.

Basil the great, who lived in the Year of Christ 369. in his Book concerning the Holy Ghost, cap. 27. He writs, that the most ancient Fathers did sing Gods praise, to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ac­cording to the Word in Baptism, and these two great Doctors Basil and Chrysostom, who were contemporary Bishops in the Greek Church each of them wrot a Greek Leturgy, being their Mother tongue, which both are used at this day, in all the Christian Churches of the World, that are within the Greek Communion: In Lyturgia, St. Basil pro­pe finem [...]. The one Ly­turgy on the Sabbath Dayes [...]: The other Lyturgy on all other Solemn Dayes, and in both these Lyturgyes, the Doxology was, and still is used these 1300 Years with­out scruple, or alteration [...]. Gregory Nazianzen in his sixth Or­ration concerning the Holy Ghost, we worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one God-head and power to Him, be all glory honour and power for ever and ever A­men.

In the Year of Christ 370. St. Jerome wrot to Damasus, Bishop of Rome, that in all the Churches of Rome, Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as it was in the Rome 1. Council. pag. 625. editionis Parisiensis. beginning, is now, and for ever, [Page 24] be sung alwayes at the end of the Psalm.

Concilium Vasense provin­ciase sub Imperio Theodosij inmoris cap. 7. cujus titulus ac propter haere­ticorum incredulitatem post gloria, Patri, &c. sicut erat in principio, &c. semper dicatur, quia non solum in sede apostolica sed etiam per totam Orientem, & totam Africani vel Italiani propter Haereticorum astuti­am qui dei filium non semper fuisse, sed in tempore caepisse blasphemant in omnibus clausulis post Gloria Patri, &c. sicut erat in principio. &c. di­catur, etiam & nos universis Eccle­sijs nostris ita dicendum esse decreve­mus. About the Year of our Lord 444. in the Council of Va­son, an Act is made, because of the unbelief of Arian Hereticks.

Because not only in the Aposto­lick See, but also throughout all the East, and in all Africk and Italy, to guard against the deceit of Hereticks Blaspheming, that the Son of God was not ever with the Father, but began to be in time; therefore, in all their clos­ings of singings in the publick Worship, after these Words, Glo­ry to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in all these other Churches is added, as it was in the begin­ning, so we appoint that the same Words (as it was in the begin­ning) be mentioned in the Dox­ology in all our Churches also.

Symbolium Nicenium in sine. [...]. Hence we may observe, That this addition (as it was in the beginning, was not first ap­pointed at Vason, for their Act bears the contrare, that it was used in Churches far and near, be­fore that time, which Jeromes desire to Damasus proves: But this Act at Vason gives the clear reason of the addition, viz. To guard the flock of Christ the better against Arian Hereticks, whereof some said there was a time when the Son of God was not.

Alexander Patriarch of Alexandria, one of the chief Fathers in the Nicen Council, to refute the Ari­an, brings that Text Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 3. among many others, John 1. 1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, by him all things were made, and if he made all things, then he was before the world, and also before that beginning, and consequently Eternal, as that Father reasoneth well, and St. Basil after him, for It were nonsense to say that there were priority of time in Eternity; For Arius said there was a time, when God was not a Father: There­fore the infallible Theologue of St. John began his Evangell with these [Page 25] words, intending in his Gospel, to assert Christs God-head against two abominable Hereticks in his time, Ebion and Cerinthus at whom Arius had learned his Blasphemies, and from this same Text, Calvin refutes both the old Arian and Servetus a vile Blasphemer, his own contemporary, who was burnt at Genevah, for a most blasphemous Heretick. In the Year of Christ 627. in the third Council of Toledo, consisting of the Church-men of Spain, and Galatia inact, whoso­ever sayes not Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost let him be accursed; by saying they mean singing, For then four hundred years before that, the Doxology was sung in all the Templet of the universal Church. And so in this Council, all of them in the close of the same, in the praises of God, they cryed, Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as the Learned may read in the Tomes of Councils, by this cursing mentioned in this Councill, It appears, they judged, that no Orthodox Christian would refuse to sing the Doxology, they did not imagine any will refuse except a Heretick.

In the Year of Christ, 633, in the Fourth Councill of Toledo, there are some accused, for rejecting the Sacred Hymnes composed by Hilary and Ambrose two famous Saints, and being received, and used in the Churches, yet these Men refused to sing them, because they were not in the Holy Scripture, for which refusal they were Excom­municat, yet these same very Men, did not scruple nor refuse to sing the Doxology, which was then constantly sung in the Church, at the close of every Psalm: Hence it is probable, that these men who re­fused to sing the Churches Holy Hymnes, and were willing to sing the Doxology, did estimat it of a higher rank, and counted it in with Divine and Spirituall Songs.

[...], &c. Quocirca at mea fert sententia major merces & praemium potius apud justum in­dicem reponitur quam veteribus illic martyribus cum illi in confessa positum reportarent martyrij apud homines existimationem & laurea­las á Deo acceperint suas vobis autem desint in certamine pari á populo col­lati honores, Basil tom. 2. Epist. 303. pag. 1074. The Learned have ob­served, that the Arian persecuti­on which was in this Fourth Cen­tury, was more bitter to the Souls of the Saints, and true Christians, then the Suffering during the ten Persecutions, in the first 300. Years, from Pagan Emperours: for then the Christian Martyrs re­ceived their Crown of Martyr­dome from their Lord in Heaven, with acclamations of praise from all their contemporary Christians without all malignant murmure, or obloquie; which was a sharp sput to hasten Christians to run that race; for ingenuous spirits know what humane applause will do even to the godly, to encourage [Page 26] them to a good action, and rouse them up to their Duty, even al­lowed by God, Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any vertue, and if there be any praise think on these things: But in this fourth Century, the Christian suffering Persecution, and Death It wat not from Pagans, but from these that called themselves Christians, even the Arian, who being prevalent, and putting to Death the Orthodox Christians, yet the Arian cryes out, these are not true Christians, but we; they are justly suffering Death for Er­rors in Christianity; Therefore writs the Learned, that the Martyrs in the fourth Persecution their reward will be greatest in Heaven.

And because this Persecution was so much the sadder to the Ortho­dox Christian, and in this Century, the King of Saints, who promis­ed His presence to His Church on Earth, seemed to be asleep, like that Matth. 8. 24. while the Ship is filled with waves: yet in the mean time, though thus he had decreed, to let His brittle Vessel, and His Disciples suffer a Storm, yet therefore he provided two ex­cellent Pilots in this Century, and indued them with so great a mea­sure of Piety, Learning undaunted Courage, and Prudence, that the one succeeding to the other, in the Eastern Church, where the Arian Storm did most rage; by Dispute, and Writing, and couragious Suf­ferings, they faced the Enemy, and kept the Flock of Christ toge­ther. Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria, and after him Basil Arch­bishop of Caesarea, both which keep the Styl of Great, untill this day; for they got it, because of their worth, Athanasius, even from the Arian Emperour Constantius, and Basil from the Apostat Emper or Julian: As is to be seen in both their Letters of record, with St. Basils Letters of sharp rebuke, which did become a pious Bishop to Julian an Apostat.

As for the Arian, as ye read in this Chapter before, in singing of the Doxology, shuned to sing it according to the Scriptures, Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, but by the Son in the Holy Ghost, which was a deceitfull Invention, and the Church History tells us the thing it self, but does not unfold the intrigue and mystery of it; which St. Basil hath done at full length; for that their singing in that their new devised way, was a subtil trick of the Devil, for under it they couched their Error, and Blasphemy; only giving Glory to God the Father, and for the Son, considering him only as the Fathers Instrument, but not equal with Him in Glory, and far less the Holy Ghost, which depths of Satan are found out by St. Basil, to the shame of the Arian, of which he writs at large, which the Learned do read. Basil tomo 2. lib. de spiritu sancto contra Arianus cap. 2, 3, 4, 5. and 25. cap. 7. 10. And that they were so obstinat in their Er­rors, that nothing could prevail to gain them to sing the Doxology [Page 27] according to the Scriptures, lib. de spiritu sancto. cap. 25. [...], scilicet isti Citius abjectarent linguas quam hanc vocem recipeant. & idem cap. 25. Doxologiam Ariani recitat tibi Patri honor & gloria per unigenitum filium tuum in spiritu sancto, qui sermo nunc usitatior est istis ipsa, ut ita loquar respiratione, & cap. 29. in oriente Orthoaoxi dignoscunt suos ab Arianis signo Doxologiae. That they would as soon quite their tongue, as quite that form of Doxology, which they used: where St. Basil grants, that their way of singing the Doxology might be exponed in an Ortho­dox sense according to the Scrip­tures, but was not to be suffered in these Hereticks, because it was well known they sang them in an Heretical and Blasphemous sense, against the Son and Holy Ghost.

Yet reflecting upon the Arian practice, observe, that they did choise it as a less evil, and scandal to sing the Doxology with some change of the short syllabes of interjections, conjunctions then not to sing it at all; For to have refused the singing of it, had been a short­er cut; but the reason was, publick shame would not suffer them altogether to seperat from the Orthodox Church, in that so unquesti­onable a duty, and so well known a part, of the Christians publick wor­ship, then let these in Scotland, who call themselves Orthodox, and refuse altogether to sing the Doxology, either one way or other, see to it, and I beseech them to commune with their own hearts, and smit upon their own Breast, and amend.

They who are pleased to read the History of the Arian Persecution in this fourth Century, will perceive the true Church of Christ at a ve­ry low ebb, and under one of the greatest eclipses that ever it suffered since the two Disciples said, we trusted that it had been He, Luk. 24. 21. and the eleven Apostles were weeping in secret, Mark 16. 10. yet the Lord who brought David out of his Deeps, and Daniel out of the Lions Den, and the three Children out of the seven times hotter Furnace, Jonah out of the Whales belly, and Lazarus out of the grave, and com­manded the dry scattered Bones to stand up a strong Army, Ezek. 37. 10. and in the beginning, commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, and bringeth Good out of Evil, out of the Churches Persecution and low condition, brought the more glory to His own Name, and more strength of Faith to His Church, whereby the Arians ungodly way of proceed­ing when they got the Power in their hand, they declared to the World what they were, even not the true Church of Christ, but the Seed of the Serpent, promoting their Religion by Injustice and Perjury, the Children of Abaddon and Apollyon, that Liar and Murderer from the beginning, John 8. 44. promoting their hellish Religion by cruel tor­menting and murdering of the Orthodox, they being the first that usurp­ed [Page 28] the name of Christian, withall, intending to propagate their Religi­on with Fire and Sword, which is not Christs way, nor of His true Christians, but of Antichristians; and therefore in persecuting of the true Church, as they had learned it at the Pagans, who lived before them, so they were glad to take the help of the Pagans who lived with them; therefore the Lord at last brought the Arian to confusion, and put their lying Lips to silence, so that ever thereafter, they were hated and abhorred, and despaired ever to prevail any more as they had done. The second Good which the Lord brought out of this Evil, was the perfite setling of the Christian Faith, the Lord bestowing on the Or­thodox such Courage to suffer, such Faith and Constancy, and heaven­ly Joy, that the Arian was confounded thereby; yea, and while the Orthodox were suffering for the Glory of God and His Truth, the Lord from Heaven did approve and seal His Truth which they believed and professed, even making them His Instruments to work glorious Miracles; but in the mean time the Arian wrought no Miracle, nor so much as pretended to work any lying Miracle, as Jannes and Jambres did against Moses, to the hardning of Pharaoh; wherein I observe the Lord's won­derful Providence so over-ruling the Arian, that they did not so much as mint to a Miracle, whereas the Miracles of the Orthodox Church were undenyable, and thus the Lord from Heaven did dicide the Con­traversie betwixt the Arian and the Orthodox in favours of His Church, and this the Lord's doing did so confirm them in the true Faith of the blessed Trinity, that the gates of Hell ever since was not able so to brangle it, and also His Church which had used the Doxology to the blessed Trinity in their publick Worship before that time, was now more confirmed in their Practice, and resolute to make use of it with­out fail ever thereafter, especially in the publick Worship.

In this Chapter at Page 24. we spoke anent the addition put to the Doxology, mentioned in the Council of Vauson (as it was in the Be­ginning.) If some object that that addition is obscure, and does not clearly assert the Eternity of the Trinity before the World began, as (for ever) in the close of the Doxology asserts the Eternity of the Tri­nity for ever after the World: I answer, we have proven indenyably from the Church History, that these words (as it was in the Beginning) in the Doxology are taken from the first Chapter and first Verse of St. John's Gospel, which words, the Holy Ghost there made use of, to as­sert the Co-eternity of the Son with the Father, and therefore that same Text was used by the Fathers of the Nicen Council against Arius, who denied the preceeding Eternity of the Son with the Father; and the Fathers of the Council of Syrmium against the Arians writ, that Ebion and Cerinthus who were blasphemous Hereticks in the days of the Apostle St. John, denied the Godhead of the Son, and consequently his Co-eternity with the Father: And therefore as the scope of all St. [Page 29] John's Gospel is chiefly to prove Christ's Godhead against these two He­reticks, so albeit that first Proposition, in the Beginning was the Word, taken alone, by way of separation from the following words, will not prove any Eternity or Co-eternity with the Father; yet joyn it in co­herence with the following words, and that will clear the right Sense of this Beginning in the first of John, and the Beginning mentioned in the Doxology, and ye will find it the same in Sense with the first words in holy Writ, Genes. 1. 1. In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth; and the same work of Creation is here attribute to the Son, in the third following Verse, all things are made by Him, &c. so that the Sense of these words in the Beginning, both in the beginning of Genesis, and beginning of John's Gospel, is clearly this, as from the Beginning was the Word, and that Word was God, so is now and ay shall last; And as in the Beginning all things were made by Him, and so He was Eternal before the World that He made in the beginning of Time, as in the beginning of Genesis God was Eternal before the making of the World, for to take any single Proposition in Scripture, and admit no Sense to it but that which that one single separate Proposition will af­ford, and so admit no further clearing of its Sense from antecedent and consequent Scriptures. The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have ever made that practice the mark of a Heretick, or at best of a heretical and contentious Spirit, so that the meaning of the words, as it was in the Beginning, compared with the rest of the Verse, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, is asmuch in Sense, as if the Doxology had said, as it was from Eternity is now and ay shal last. Vide sis Basil in Tomo primo, in locum, 1 John 1. Prov. 8. 23.

CHAP. V.

IN this fifth Chapter I intend to give a brief account of the Molesta­tion and Persection that the Church of Christ suffered from the remnant of Arians, and other Antitrinitarian Blasphemers, beginning [Page 30] at the fifth Century, and continued to this very present time; there­fore I divide it in two parts, The first containing the Antitrinitarians for 1000. Years, even to the sixteenth Century; The second part con­taining a list of the chief Socinians, Quakers, and others who deny the Sacred Trinity. In the beginning of the fifth Century, the great Tempest of the Arian Power and Persecution was much abated in the Mercy of God, who will not suffer the rod of the Wicked to ly always on the lot of the Righteous, lest the Righteous put forth their hand to iniquity, Psal. 125. 3. And among the many other means used by the Church against these blasphemous Heresies, the Lord blessed that mean, espe­cially of the Churches Councils, especially these General Councils of Nice, Ephesus, Constantinople and Chalcedon, which (as Beza well cha­racterizeth them) holiest Meet­ings the Sun saw since the days of the Apostles, who proved (against these Blasphemers) terrible as an Army with Banners, and like a Rock on the Sea shore that breaks all the Waves that violently beat upon it, but it self remains whole and immovable, Beza Epist. 81. Amplissimus ille Nicenae, Ephisinae Chalcedo­nensis, Synodi concessus; quo nihil unquam sanct us nihil Augustius ab Apostolorum excessu Sol unquam a­spexit, qui putat fundamentum omnis Religionis, id est veri Dei cognitio­nem maximos illos, & praestantissi­mos angelos Dei non tenuisse, san [...] indignus est qui in Ecclesia Dei sen­tiatur. for why, the Christian Faith of these General Councils was built upon the Rock, against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail, Mat. 16. 18.

In this fifth Century and some following, not only the Arians were not altogether extinct, but still remained a Prick in the side of the true Church, especially these barbarous Nations, who were not under the command of the Christian Emperours, to wit, Goths and Vandals, who were turned Arians, and persecuted the true Church so far as they had Power or Opportunity.

Secondly, In the midst of this Century arose another sort of He­reticks called Eutichians, Blas­phemers against Christ, who vexed the true Church about 300. Years, and sometimes were cruel Persecuters. Beza, Itidem exercuit Eccle­siam crassissimum illud Eurichis de­lirium annos plusminus trecentos, sub­inde interpolatis, & novo quodam suco oblitis erroribus renascens.

Before the Arian and Eutichian Hereticks were crushed, Satan stir­red up the Mahumetans, who are professed Blasphemers of the Sacred Trinity.

In the Year of Christ 441. The Vandals in Africk being Arians, put to death the Orthodox Chri­stians by cruel Torments. Prosper. in chronico.

Anno Christi 447. arose a mad Monk, who falsly taught the mixing together of Christ's two Natures, and so destroying them both, he was condemned by a General Council at Chalcedon, of 630. Bishops, Anno Domini 451. This Heresie continued the longer, and prevail­ed the more, because of two Em­perours Anastatius and Heraclius favourers of the same. Evagrius lib. 265. & cap. 8. & cap. 10. & lib. 3. cap. 5. add 22. & lib. 4. cap. 9, & 10.

Anno 489. Many Orthodox Bi­shops in Africa were banished by the Arians who were prevalent there. Palmerius in chron.

Honoricus King of the Vandals, Arians in Africk banished more then 400. Orthodox Antonius chronico, parte 2. Bi­shops, some he burnt to Ashes, and some of them their Tongues were pulled out, who flying to Constantinople, spoke miraculously as if they had had Tongues. Evagrius lib. 4. cap. 14, & 15.

Anno 448. The Eutichians in Alexandria slew the Orthodox Bishop Proterius in the Church, harled his body throgh the Streets, and gnashed his Bowels with their Teeth. Evagrius lib. 2. cap. 8.

Anno 496. Many Manicheans, who also were Blasphemers of the blessed Trinity, were detected at Rome, and their Books burnt.

Honoricus King of the Vandalls, in Africk, being Arian, banished at once 5000. Orthodox Christians. Centuria Magdeburgesis

Anastasius the Emperour, Anno Dom. 520. Commanded not a Trinity; but a Quaternity to be worshipped, he was smitten with a thunder bolt, and so dy­ed in his wicked Reign, 300. Orthodox were killed, and some Orthodox Bishops banished Petrus Diaconus & Platina.

Centuria Magdeburgensis Centuria 6. cap. 8. Theodoricus Arian King of the Gothes in Italy persecuted the Orthodox there, and the King of the Arian Gothes in Spain slew his own natural Son for turning Orthodox.

Magdeburgensis Centuri [...]s centuria 6. cap. 9. The Gothes in Spain, who had long persecut the Ortho­dox Christian, they were at last [Page 32] converted to the true Faith Anno 585.

In the seventh Century, the Monotholites, which were a Branch of the Eutichian Heresie troubled the true Church, for the Emperour Constance was a Monotholite, and also Heraclius Arjovaldus King of Lambards was an Arian, Anno Dom. 640.

Rotharius another of their Kings was Arian also, in the seventh Century; beside the trouble that the Church endured from the Eu­tichian, and Monotholite Hereticks, which were chiefly in the Eastern Church at Constantinople, and Alexandria, so be the Arians in Italy.

In this Century arose Mahamet, and composed his Alcaran, Anno Dom. 622. In which Blasphemously they deny the blessed Trinity; These not only spread, and prevailed mightily in Asia, and Africk, but also crossed the Hellespont, and molested Greece, both with the Sword, and Blasphemies; yea, also they crossed the Mediterranian over against Spain, and Italy, at last, Anno Dom. 829. came over with a Navy, from the Coast of Barbary, and spoiled Rome, and returned to Africk with the Prey, and again, Anno Dom. 845. Palmerius in chronico. came over and spoiled Rome the 2d. time, and Anno Dom. 933. came over the third time, and spoiled Genoa.

In the 7th Century, the Orthodox Church gave Testimony against Hereticks, in a Council held at Rome, Anno Dom. 650. of a 100 Bi­shops, and upward, where the Monotholites and the Antitrinitarians were condemned, and another there of 125. Bishops, and a third at Constantinople, Anno Dom. 681. of 150. Bishops.

And as the true Church gave Testimony against the Antitrinitarian Hereticks, so the Lord from Heaven, by His signal Judgements; For First, Honoricus King of Vandalls in Africk, an Arian, and cruel persecuter of the Orthodox, was long tormented with Venemous Boils; at last was consumed with Worms, and so ended his wretched Life.

Secondly, in this same Century, Theodoricus King of the Gothes in Ita­ly a vile Arian, having murdered an Orthodox Noble Man Senatour, named Symachus, thereafter shortly sitting at Table, the head of a great Fish dressed in a Dish set before him, which he imagined to be the head of Symachus, and was so stupified, that he dyed with fear.

Abaliardus, a professor in Paris, about the year 1143. wrot Blas­phemously against the blessed Trinity, whom Bernard refuted, and then there conveened a Council of Church-men in France, where he was confuted, convinced, converted Caranza folio 258.

In the Year, 1215. in the Council of Lateran, Joachim Abbas his Erronious Book against the Trinity, was condemned, to which he submitted Caranza folio 260.

If it be objected, that seing, in the Church History, and Councils, from the seventh Century to the fifteenth, there is only mention of two Antitrinitarian Hereticks, and consequently these Blasphemous Heresies being now banished, and buried; and seing it is granted, that the Doxology was first appointed to be sung in the Church, by occasion of Antitrinitarian Hereticks, for confirming in the Faith, the Lords People against their Blasphemies, why then was it any longer continued after the cause was removed? I answer, because the Church then perceived, by comfortable experience, that the constant sing­ing of the Doxology in the Publick Worship of God, had proved an excellent mean, to confirm Christians in the Doctrine, and Faith of the Trinity, and to guard them against the temptations of Satan, and his supposts, and their own corruption, who were all yet lying in wait, to blow at the Ashes of the little spunks of the said old Blasphe­mies, that seemed to be buried many hundred years before. This is Calvins Metaphore, and accordingly it came to passe, for in the year of Christ 1531. Satan did fill the heart, and furnished the pen of a Spaniard Servetus with the Blasphemies, and black Venome of that Old Serpent, and now we intend to begin the 2d. Part of this Chap­ter, and to manifest to every Christian Reader, that if the universal Church had good cause to appoint the singing of the Doxology be­cause of the Blasphemies of the Arians against the Sacred Trinity: So now in this old and doting Age of the World, the Church have much cause to continue that ancient practice, for the new, and late opposers of this blessed Trinity in this Age, are more blasphemous then ever the old Arian was, of which the rise and growth in Europe, we intend to give you a summar account.

First, That Spaniard Servetus being a Physician by profession, tra­velled 30. Years in Pole, Hungary, and Transalvania, practising Me­dicine, but infecting Souls with his Blasphemies (a worse disease then all his Bodily Cures) For which he was first apprehended, and im­prisoned at Lions in France, but escaped Prison there, afterward hav­ing written some Books against the Sacred Trinity, he was appre­hended at Geneva, for his Blasphemies, and obstinancy in them, was condemned by the Magistrat, and burnt quick, Anno Dom. 1553.

Beza Epist 81. Genevas just punishing of him, is approven by the Cantons of Tygurie Calvin. Epist. 157. Scaffusium Calvin. Epist. 158: Melancton, and Calvin. Epist. Aecolampadius rcfuts him, and Calvin also, in his Institutiones, & Opuscula, and [Page 34] Melanthon in his Fourth Volumne, who, in the Year, 1556. writs to the Vesalians vulgo the Veisle, that if any maintained Servetus Errors, he should be expelled out of their Town: and Cardinal Hosius one of the three, that presided in the Council of Trent in his Works, follo, 352. Writs, that Servetus justly deserved so to die for his Blasphemies, and Beza gives a just but black Testimony of him. Beza Epist. 81. In uni­co Serveto revocati sunt ab inferis Somasatenus, Arius & Eutiches, Marcion & Apollinaris, quod ibi­dem erudite probat inductione comparativa.

Servetus, having strongly fer­mented four Disciples; to wit, Valentinus, Gentilis, Alciat of Milan, Gibradus, and Blandrata. First, Valentinus spread his Errors secret­ly in Geneva, for which, being taxed, renunced them under his own hand, under pain of perjurie; notwithstanding began to spread them the second time; for which he was imprisoned, and to be liberat from Prison, wrot a second Recantation of his Blasphemies; and at the command of the Magistrat, burnt them publickly with his own hands: Thereafter spread his Errors in France, and Italy. Arius was but once perjured, but he twice; then he went to Pole, where he did meet with Blandrata and Alciat his old Companions; which two had also fled out of Geneva; and these three spread their Errors in Pole two years, untill the King of Pole banished them out of his Do­minions; then Gentilis wandered through Austria, Moravia and Savoy, at last was apprehended within the confines of the Republick of Bern, and for his doubled perjury, and obstinancy in his Blasphemies against the blessed Trinity, was judicially condemned at Bern by the Magistrat, and burnt in the Year of Christ, 1556. Bucan. loco 1. quest. Sect. 5. Beza epist. 81. The Hist­ory whereof is written at length, by Aritius Professor at Bern.

Third Blandrata a Physician, disput often against Calvin at Geneva, thereafter in Germany, Helvetia and Pole vented his Errors, at last turn­ed Arian, Anno Dom. 1569. and wrot against the Trinity, Faustus Sosinus in his Book of Epistles, pag 687. calls Blandrata his great Patron, to be ever in honour with him, but at last Blandrata was brother son, and died Beza epist. 81. miserably.

The Fourth Alciot turned Mahu­mitan, and fled to Turkie. Beza epist. 16:

Gilbraldus died of the Pestilence, Beza writes of other two, where­of the one [...]rowned himself in a well.

The other Ochinus, how miserable he died, all Pole knew, as writs Beza, and Cardinal Hosius.

Staucarus in Pole wrot against the Sacred Trinity, which the Or­thodox Synod in Pole condemned, and the Divines of Hidelberg, and Tigurie refuted, and Calvin also, An. Dom. 1563. and Beza 1568. Beza epist. ad Polonos 28. An. 1567 a Book written at Alba Julia by the Hereticks in Sarmatia and Transilvania is refuted at large, by Zanchius de tribus Elohim, Georgius Paulus, Superintendent of the He­reticall Churches in the Dioces of Croco, of whom writs Beza Epist. 81.

Statorius against whom Beza writs Epist. 15, and 16.

Andrew Dudithius, sometime a Bishop in Hungarie, and a conspicu­ous member of the Trent Council, he left the Roman Church; to him Beza writs his first Epist. Anno Dom. 1570. both large and loving, yet at last he fell in the snare of the Transilvanian Hereticks.

Sylvanus Pastor in Hydelberg turns Arian, and Traitor against his Prince Palatine; For these two crymes he was beheaded, Anno Dom. 1522. His Colleague Menzerus escaping out of Prison, went first to Pole, then to Transilvania, at last to Constantinople, and there turned a circumcised Turke; he dyed crying, and roaring most terribly, that the Turks said, they never saw such a fearfull death, and that he was a Child of Satan; and the Reader may think no wonder of his des­perat death, seing he had renounced his Saviour, and Baptisme.

Saedelius in Pole denyed Christs Divine Nature, and the New Testa­ment.

Laelius Sosinus an Italian, foresaking the Errors of the Roman-church, Calvine wrot an Epistle to him, Anno Dom. 1555. of him Beza writs Epist. 81.

Faustus Socinus, his Nephew leaving Italy, came to Tyguri, with his Uncles Papers, where he spent three years in privat Studies, he was of a quick wit, but too proud, and bold, he confesseth in his writs, that he had little Logick, Greek, or Hebrew, he went to Tran­silvania, and there spread his Errors, he was in such repute with these Hereticks, that even at this day they are designed Socinians.

Franciscus Davidis, about the Year 1580. Superintendent in Tran­silvania, to that Sect of Hereticks, denyed that Christ was God, or the Messias, or should be worshipped; For which the Prince of Tran­silvania cast him in Prison, where he turning mad, dyed in dispair, affirming he saw the Devils came to take him away with them.

Poleologus a Dominican at Rome,, fled to Poland; turned Ari­an, but was brought back to Rome, and burnt.

Smalcius Socinian Preacher at Racovia, wrot a large Socinian Catechism, Printed, Anno Dom. 1608. As Socinus had written ano­ther, and still the Socinians are busie scribling their Blasphemies, and Printing them, at Goslavius, Anno Dom. 1613. And Nicolaides Anno. Dom. 1614.

An Advocat at Paris, Anno Dom. 1616. caused Print Abailardus his Blasphemies, which had been condemned, and accursed, by a Church Council, above 500. years before.

Anno Dom. 1620 Servetus Books were turned in Dutch, and Printed in Belgia in which he blas­phemes the most blessed Trini­ty. Triceps cerberus diabolicum phantasma & illusio.

Doctor Forbes, Anno Dom. 1631. refutes a dissertation of a certain Socinian then newly written. Instructionum historico Theologicarum, lib. 1. cap. 7.

Anno Dom. 1642. Crellius, Socinian Preacher at Racovia, hath Printed a Book against the Trinity, and after him, Stychmanus.

The Socinians not only increased in Pole, and Transilvania, but also are come to Belgia, where they consort with the Arminian, For Anno Dom, 1611. The Orthodox Synod in Pole writs to Paraeus, regrat­ing, that the Socinians in Pole made much of Arminius; and now the later Arminians are poysoned with Socinianism, as is clear from the writtings of Episcopius their Chif­tain. Socinanismi confutati tom. 1. pag. 92. It was granted in­deed, that the Socinians are banished Belgia by publick Proclamation of the States of the Natherlands, yet notwithstanding, many Socinians lurk there, under the notion of Remonstrants, and Anabaptists, both which Sects are tolerat there, and who all three joyn, and agree in many of their Opinions, as writs Hoorn Beek, Divinity Professor at Utright, Anno Dom. 1650.

Voetius de tolerantia Antitrinitatiorum ministri remon­strantes non pauci in Socinianis erroribus deprehensi inter quos cele­bres Hendricus Slatius Adolphus Venator Gesterani duo, & com­plures in Zuid. Hollandia. Ann-Dom. 1618. & 1619. Idem Voeti­us in thesebus de necessitate, & uti­litate dogmatis de trinitate scribit, quod Remonstrantes inter suos tole­rent, foverent, promoveant eos omnes quos Socinianis aut Anabaptisticis Erroribus, aut pejoribus opinioni­bus delibutos, probe noverint E. G. Velsingium, Tonbergium. Anno Dom. 1638. Sartorius a Socinian at Amsterdam wrot a Let­ter to Adam Frank Socinian Preacher at Claudiopolis, which the Prince of Transilvania inter­cepted, and caused Print, where is written, that in Holland there is a great harvest of Socinians. (a)

The Socinians do not only lurk, and multiply in Belgia; but which is lamentable, are creept over to England. Mr. Edwards Gan­erene parte prima, Printed at Lon­don; Anno Dom. 1646. Writs, That here the Doctrine of the Tri­nity by too, too many is called a Popish Tradition, and part, third [Page 37] pag. 58. Thus he writs, all men may see, that many in England are Ari­ans, and Antitrinitarians, he writs also, pag. 136. a Letter from Hol­land to London, dated 1646. Here we burn the Books of the Socinian Errors, and they dare not be sold in these parts; but at London, is taught Blasphemy against God, and his Christ: and a Minister in Hol­land, wrot a Letter, dated October 18. 1646. to some Ministers in Lon­don, that diverse English Merchants were seeking to buy Socinus Works, and Crellius, &c. from a Stationer in Holland; and when the Stationer answered, that these Books were prohibit by the States General, the Merchant replyed, nevertheless you may transport them from other Nations, and we shall give you for them what you will, and the Generall Assembly in Scotland, Anno Dom. 1648. Sess. 43. Writs thus, Socinianisme is now spread in England. As for our senti­ment upon the Socinian, there was in the ancient Church two Here­sies, that were most dangerous, and prevalent; First, the Arian, then the Pelagian, both which the Orthodox Church zealously opposed, and justly condemned; but the late Socinian hath drunk in all the poy­son both of the Arian and Pelagian, and much more.

Secondly, That as the Ancient Church did condemne Arius, and Pelagius in their Councils, and being obstinat, Excommunicat them: So the Ancient Fathers Athanasius oratione prima contra Arianos multis probat Ari­anos non debere dici christianos. Idem scribit Theodoretus, lib. 2. cap. 16. Fulgentius & Hilarius ad Imperatorem Constantium. de­nyed the Arian to deserve the name of Christian, yea, the moderns both Papists and Lutherians, that wrot against the Socinians, deny them also to be Christians, the same doth Gomarus and Doctor Forbes in his Theological Instructi­ons, lib. 10. cap. 13, Sect. 14. de­nyes the Socinian Baptism to be valid.

The Professors of Leyden, Anno Dom. 1598. gave their judgment of Osterodius the Socinian his Writs, that they led Men very near to Turcism; and Grotius writing of the Piety of the States of Holland, saith, Seing Heresie is the Venom of the Church, and that suddenly working, yet there are degrees in Heresies, whereof some are more hurtful then others, but a worse Heresie then Socinianism is not to be found; at the very mentioning of which all the godly should shrink.

Against this Heresie, not only the Civil Magistrate and Church, but also the God of Heaven by His immediate Hand of Providence hath gi­ven Testimony; the Magistrate hath put them to death, not only in the reformed Church, but also the Roman Church: Thus the Parlia­ment of Pole being informed Anno Dom. 1638. that the Socinians in Racovia had begun to print a Book of Blasphemies against the Sacred [Page 38] Trinity, Libri titulus, Tormentum Throno Tritnitatem deturbans. they did take from them their Bibliotheck Printin­house, and Press, and being many, banished them the Town: As for the immediate Hand of God upon the Socinian, it is remarkable both in Temporal and Spiritual Judgments, that some of them were their own Murderers, and others of them died in Despair, others renunced Christ and turned Mahumetan.

Thus having spoken of the Socinian, remains a word of the Anabap­tist and Quaker, who also are Blasphemers of the Trinity; That the Anabaptists are such, the Profes­sors of Leyden are sufficient Wit­nesses; Profess. Leidens. disp. 23. in antithesi Sabellius & Praxias, & hodie libertini, & Anabaptistae quidam, trinominem Deum statuen­tes, & personarum realem distinctio­nem tollentes, modumque tantum pa­tesactionis varium inducentes Pa­trem incarnatum passumque revera statuunt. As for the Quakers, who not only are in England and Jreland, but even some of them scattered in Scotland; It's well known by many of their own print­ed Pamphlets, and by the Books of others, their mad Pranks, and Blasphemies, and Disputes against the Sacred Trinity; for instance, The Phanatick History printed at London, Anno Dom. 1660. pag. 54. In a publick Dispute at Cambridge they denied the Sacred Trinity, with Blasphemies that I abhor to write; And Anno Dom. 1657. a Book print­ed at London, by John Stalham, called the Reviler rebuked, wherein he refutes Quaker, Richard Fairnworth, who printed and spread a Pamphlet about that time, wherein he denied the Holy Ghost to be a Person in the Trinity. Therefore as the Universal Church of old did piously and wisely appoint and practise the singing of the Doxology, to confirm the Flock of Christ against the dangerous Blasphemies of Arius, and other Antitrinitarian Hereticks; so to this day the Universal Church do still continue that practice to guard their Flocks against the Blasphe­mies of Anabaptists and Quakers, but especially Socinians, who in hor­rid and hellish Blasphemies out do the old Arian.

CHAP. VI.

IN the former Chapters, I having described the occasion upon which the Universal Church did appoint the singing of the Doxology, to wit, The abounding of Blasphemers against the Trinity, proven in the first three Chapters. Secondly, The unanimous Agreement of the Church for singing the Doxology in the fourth Chapter, and the reason of its continuance in the Church to this day, even because the Church ever since hath never altogether wanted some blasphemous Hereticks within the Church, besides the Turk and Jew, both deniers of the Trinity without the Church. Follows the second part of this Treatise, which is subdivided thus: First, I prove by many Arguments the lawfulness of the singing of the Doxology, in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth Chapters: Secondly, I answer some Objections in the eleventh, and twelfth Chapters: Thirdly, I show the many Evils from the refusing to sing the Doxology; Lastly, I close with an Exhortation to receive with all tenderness, all that shall return from their Errors.

In this and some following Chapters, I have accumulate Arguments, because, I supponed I did write to some Christians weak in Knowledge, I say weak in Knowledge, because I am loath to judge that any Chri­stian strong in Knowledge will deny its lawfulness, unless their Judge­ment be strangely overclouded by prevalent Prejudice, and if any such there be, we have also brought Arguments for their perusing: We be­gin with Arguments for the Weak.

All who are baptized in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to them it is lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: But all Christians are baptized in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; therefore, to all Christians it's lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Second Reason, All who believe and profess their Faith in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to them it's lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but all Christians throughout the World believe and profess Faith in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, therefore it is lawful to all Christians throughout the World to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Third Reason, All who believe or profess that God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; to them it is lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: But all Chri­stians believe and profess, that God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; Therefore, &c.

Fourth Reason, All who believe, hope, and profess to enjoy eternal Glory in Heaven, from and with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to them it is lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: But all Chri­stians believe, hope, and profess to enjoy eternal Glory in Heaven, from and with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Therefore, &c.

Fifth Reason, God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, made all things for His own Glory, and Man's chief end is to glorifie God, the first words of the lesser Catechism of the Westminster Synod; Therefore it is lawful for Man to glorifie Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in a Song.

Sixth Reason, God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost hath given to Man his Tongue and Speech, that therewith he may glorifie God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Therefore, often in the Book of Psalms, Mans Tongue is called his glory, Psal. 57. 8. Awake up my glory. Psal. 108. 1. I will sing praise with my glory. Psal. 16 9. My heart is glad, my glory rejoyceth; which glory, the Maker of the Tongue (Acts 2. 26.) ex­pones to be the Tongue, in these words, My heart did rejoyce, and my tongue was glad. Psal. 30. 12. That my glory may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent, O Lord my God: Shall then, Mans Tongue, his glory, be commanded silence by Man, and not to sing glory to God the Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, when his Maker gave him his Tongue to sing glory to his Maker.

Seventh Reason, That which is the practice of the Angels, and of all the Saints in Heaven and Earth, is lawful, but to sing glory to God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the practice of the Angels, Luk. 2. 14. The heavenly host sang glory to God, and Rev. 5. 13. All in Heaven and in Earth did sing glory to God.

Eighth Reason, That which is commanded of God is lawful, but to sing glory to God is commanded by God, I prove the assumption, Psal. 96. 1, 2. These commanded, Sing unto the Lord, and vers. 3. declare his glory, and vers. 7, 8. give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name. &c.

Ninth Reason, That which hath been the constitution and constant practice of the Universal Church these 1300. Years without scruple, or refusal, and still retained in all the reformed Churches, after their [Page 41] purgation from Idolatry and Superstition, that is lawful; the same Argument is used by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 16. to stop the mouth of the Contentious, to wit, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God.

Tenth Reason, Rationis fundamentum illustra­tum. Justinus Martyr, in exposi­tione fidei sive unam, duas, vel tres personas proferamus, necesse est animo semper possidere [...] de Patre Filio, & Spiritu Sancto. Athanasius lib. de communi essen­tia Patris, Filii, & Spiritus Sancti, cap. 00 quod non sunt tres dii [...]. Idem in Sym­bolo [...]. Basilius magnus lib. 5. contra Eunomium cap. 15. [...], licet haeretici disrumpant sese non ta­men disrumpetur Trinitas. Nazianzenus Orat. 40. Quae est in sanctum baptisma [...]. Idem Orat. 37. [...]. Ephiphanius Haeresi 62. §. 3. [...]. Haec eadem est doctrina communi­ter Scholasticorum Alensis in summa Theologiae parte 3. quest. 3. membro 1. Articulo 3. Aquinas 2. 2. quest. 81. articulo 3. & quest. 84. arti­culo 1. Et Franciscus à Sancto Claro in expositione confessionis An­glicanae, Orat. 28. negat unam per­sonam divinam praecise sumptam esse terminum formalem adorationis la­triae, sed deitatem primario, & per­sonas ut identiscantur cum essentia. Calvinus Institut. lib. 1. cap. 13. §. 2. Si non consideramas tres persa­nas in deitate, nudum, & inane duntaxat Dei nomen sine vero Deo in caerebro nostro volitat, & §. 6. ubi in Scripturis fit simplex Dei mentio, & indefinita non minus ad Filium, & Spiritum Sanctum pertinet nomen hoc quam ad patrem. Et §. 20. In eundem sensum Amesius meduil. lib. 1. c. 6. §. 26. Equalis honor omnibus personis divinis equaliter à nobis debetur. That which is commanded by God is lawful; but to sing glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is commanded by God; Therefore, &c. I prove the minor, the glory commanded by God, and given to God is indi­visive, and due to all the three Persons equally; so says the lesser Catechism, they are equal in Power and Glory, and whensoever a Chri­stian sings glory to God, then it is not only lawful, but also necessary that in the thought that Christian at that same time shall ascribe that glory to all the three Persons, which if he do not, he is worshipping an Idol, and not the true God; then, whatever thought of a Christian is lawful and commanded, it is law­ful for him to express that thought with his Tongue then when he is singing glory to God, and lawfully and equally in his Mind is giving that glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then it is lawful for him at that same time to give that glory expressly with his Tongue to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for all the Worship and Adoration that the Christian gives to God, should, and is rightly given to God, one in Essence, and three in Per­sons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who all three have one Almighty Power, one Will, one external Action, in hearing our Prayers, and granting our Requests, and there­fore the Worship given to them is indivisible, therefore Perkins saith well, writing on Matth. 6. vers. 9. [Page 42] We should worship the whole Trinity conjunctly, and not one Person alone, and when we name God alone, we should in our mind worship the three Persons also; Then upon the sound and infallible Doctrine of Christi­anity as no Christian dare deny the lawfulness of singing Glory to God, so upon the same ground, and as infalliby; no Christian dare deny the lawfulness of singing Glo­ry to God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The ninth Reason in this Chapter being taken from the Custome of the Church, and that in Imitation of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 11. ver. 16. For in this present Case, the duty being proven lawfull, ac­cording to the Word of God, which we have done in the former eight Reasons; the practice of the Church (if the Apostles Argument hold good) is sufficient warrand to clear the Conscience, of every particular Christian, for doing of the duty; therefore, albeit we have handled before somewhat of the Antiquity, and Universality of this Practice, in singing the Doxology, and using it in our Devotion, yet for furder clearing of that truth, and satisfaction to the scrupulous, we shall clear it yet more from Antiquity; St. Basil, who was mighty in the Scriptures, and a Son of thunder against the Arian in his time, and so took occasion to write of the Doxology, being the great badge, and standard of Christinaity against the Arian, writs thus, Basil tomo 2d. lib. de spiritu sancto, cap. 29. consuetudinem psal­lendi Doxologiam habemus accep­tam ab antiquitate Patrum & pro­avorum, pag. 218. citat non solum Irenaeum, sed & Dionysium Alex­andrium, ad Dionysium Roma­num his verbis scribentem, congru­enter nos formâ à Senioribus acceptâ concordibus votis Patri, & filio Domino nostro Jesu Christo, cum Spi­tu sancto sit gloria, & impertum in secula seculorum: imo testatur Clemen­tem cujus multe extant Epistolae adeo que Apostolis contemporarium fuisse usum Doxologid, & Originem, & Africanum Historicum, & Grego­rium Thaumaturgon, & Firmilani­um in suis libris, quod ad suam praxin lib. de Spiritu Sancto, cap. 7. pag. 157. de seipso ita scribit, [...]. That he received the Custome of sing­ing Glory to the Father, as an Heirship from his Fathers, learned it at him that baptized him, and cites many of the Ancient Fathers, even to the dayes of the Apostles that used the Doxology, and that the Fathers before him did ap­point it to be sung in their Kirks, and as this shows it's antiquity, so [Page 43] he writs accordingly of his univer­sality, that from the East and the West, Mesopotamia and Cappadocia, Nations, and Cities long before his time, and the memory of all men used the Doxology.

But if it be objected, that yet it's uncertain when the Church first began to sing the Doxology in the publick worship of God, and therefore it is to be rejected, I an­swer, First, The duty being law­full, and iufallibly grounded on the Word of God, so it cannot be denyed, but the using of it is very Ancient, in the Church of Christ. 2d. Answer, by the light of Na­ture, and Law of Nations, a con­stant good Custome, long practised many hundred years without con­trole, or any apparent evil in the practice thereof, turns into a Law, Basil de spiritu sancto. cap. 27. [...]. Quod si glorificandi modum ve­luti scripto non traditum rejiciant proferant nobis fidei professionis pro­bationem de scripturis Calvinius in­stitut. lib. 2. cap. 16. § 18. hact­tenus symboli Apostolici Orationem secutus sum, quia dum paucis verbis capita redemptionis perstringit, vice tabulae nobis esse potest, in qua di­stincte & sigillatim respicimus, quae in Christo attentione digna sunt, A­postolicum autem nuncupo de authore interim minime solicitus, Apostolis certè magno scriptorum veterum assensu ad scribitur, sive quod ab illis in commune conscriptum, ac aeditum existimabant, sive quod compendium istud ex doctrina per eorum manus tradita, bona fide collectum, tali ele­gio confirm andum censerunt, neque vero Authori dubium est quin à prima statim Ecclesiae origne adeoque ab ipsis Apostolorum soeculis instar, publicè, & omnium calculis receptae confessi­onis obtinuerit, undicunque tandem initio fuerit profectum, nec ab uno ali­quo privatim fuisse conscriptumvere est quam simile ab ultima usque memoria sacrosanctae inter pios omnes authori­tatis fuisse constet; quod unice cu­randumest, idextra omnem contraver­siam positum habemus totam in eo fidei nostrae historiam succincte, di­stinctoque ordine recenseri nihil autemcontineri quod solidisscripturae testimonijs non sit consignatum: quo intellecto de authore vel anxie labo­rare, vel eum alioquo digladiari nihil attinet, nisi quiforte nonsuficiat certam habere spiritus sancti verita­tem, ut non simul intelligat aut cujus ore nunciata, aut cujus manu descripta fuerit. for universal practice, answers to univeral voices, that all who practise it, are content that it be a Law, and as it is so in the State, by Analogy, it is so in the Church, therefore St. Paul does not reason from a Church Canon, he sayes not we have made an Act in the Church for such a thing to be done, but only this, the Church hath no such custome, there­fore, would he say, this is as strong as a Church Act. 1 Corinth. 11. 16. I am glad that the Synod of Divines did not reject the Aposto­lick Creed, but has retained it at the end of their Shorter Cate­chism, albeit they cannot tell no more then Calvin when it was first written, or made use of in the Church, but confesses it Orthodox, lawfull, and consonant [Page 44] to the Scriptures, and very anci­ent, and in all these it aggrees with the Doxology, then if you re­tain your Creed, albeit none tell who first wrote it, or when it was first made use of, so I plead for the Doxology, that same priviledge, that albeit it cannot be proven from Scripture, when it began to be used, yet it having all the good properties of the Creed, should be retained in the Church as long as the Creed.

Yea, seing the Creed retains the style Apostolick, because of it's great Antiquity, so some of the learned incline to think, that the Doxology is also of Apostolick an­tiquity, for that it was used in the Church long before the Nicen Creed. It was proven by Basils words, and Athanasius, who was a young Presbyter at the Council of Nice, and there a great refuter of Arius, yet long before he dyed, Basil writs diverse Letters to him, Epist 47. And diverse following reve­rencing his Gray Hairs, but so as they were Bishops contemporary, and Bazil writs, that the Doxology was used in Europ, and Asia long be­fore the Council of Nice even past the memory of Man, and seing in the Primitive Kirk many Catechumine Men and Women were solemn­ly Baptized in their publick worship, who had chiefly learned in their Catechism the Doctrine of the Trinity, and gave a confession of it at their Baptism themselves, and in that their publick worship were alwayes sung holy Hymnes to God (as the learned know) what more probable then that these, especially the Catechumeni who were now Christians of understanding, as they were Baptized presently in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and gave a Confession of their Faith, in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that they also in their pub­lick worship did sing Glory, to that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in whose name they were newly Baptized.

Some asks the question, upon what Text of Scripture the Doxology is chiefly founded, for answer: It hath two parts, to wit, The three Persons of the Trinity, which are the object of that worship: Second­ly, the Glory given to them, which is the Act of worship in the Dox­ology, accordingly, the giving of Glory to God is founded on many Scriptures, but there is one full, and express, Rom. 11. the last verse, Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for [Page 45] ever, Amen. But seing the object of the worship, in three distinct Per­sons of the Trinity is most clear in the Words of the Baptismal insti­tution, Matth. last, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; therefore with Athanasius, Bazil, and the rest of the Greek Fathers, we think that the Doxology is chiefly grounded upon that Text in Matthew. It is true, some of the Learned would build it on that Text, Rom. 11. And that because they alleadge the three Persons of the Trinity insinuate here, which though it Lombardus lib. 1. senten. distinct. 36. capitulo 3. putat cum Augustino in lib. 1. de trinitate, cap. 6 in loco praedicto 11. capitis ad Romanos in­digitari distinctionem trium perso­narum: astibi certum est to loco non sa­tis perspicuum datur fundamentum fidei trium personarum trinitatis, & pro argumento invincibili quod Eu­nomius Arianus istam textam citat, ut patet Basilei, lib. 1. contra Eu­nominium dum dat confessionem suae fidei, pag. 7. Credimus inquit, in unum Deum, ex quo sunt omnia, & in unum unigenitum dei filium eun­dem verbum dominum nostrum Jesum Christum per quam sunt omnia, & in unum Spiritum Sanctum paracletum. Haec Arij confessio fidei in trinita­tem subolet hunc locum ad Romanos & ipse Arianus prius rumperet quam consiteretur se credere in Patrem Filium & Spiritum Sanctum aut ita pro­ferret Doxologiam, ut scribit Basilius. were granted, that the three Per­sons are there insinuat, yet the other Text being full and express, and the strongest Bulwark against the Arian, therefore that Text in Matthew, is the chief ground for the Doxology, for to glorify God according to that Text in the Ro­mans is so general, that the Arian could easily subscribe to such a Doxology.

CHAP. VII.

IN this Chapter we prove by Induction, that all the Parts of the Dox­ology are in the Holy Scriptures, from whence we deduce this Reason; that Divine Glory which in the Holy Scripture is given to Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, that same Divine Glory is lawfull to sing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; we prove the assumption, that Glory is given to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Rom. 11. v. last, To God be glory for ever, 1 Tim. 1. 17. To God be honour and glory for­for ever and ever, Amen. 2 Tim. 4. 18. To God be glory for ever and ever, 1 Tim. 6. v. 16. To God be honour and power everlasting for ever, Jude v. last, To God be glory now and for ever, Amen. Galat. 14. 5. [Page 46] To God and our Father be glory for ever and ever, Amen. and the same Words Philip. 4. 20. Secondly, Glory to God through Christ, these words you shall find, Rom. 16. v. last. Eph. 3. 21. Heb. 13. 20, 21.

Thirdly, To Christ be glory now and for ever, Amen. 2 Peter 3. v. last, Revel. 16. Revel. 5. 12. He is the Lord of glory, 1 Corinth. 2. 8. James 2. 1. He is crowned with glory, Heb. 2. 9. The Lords glorious branch Isaiah, 11. 10.

The Holy Ghost, Pet. 14. 14. The Spirit of glory is glorified.

Thus we have proven from Scripture these parts of the Doxology, Glory to the Father, to the Son, and Holy Ghost, for now and ever: There remains one word to be cleared in the Doxology, to wit, As it was in the beginning, for clearing of which, we wrot in the end of the fourth Chapter, that these words were added to the Doxology, because of Arian Hereticks, and that in the fourth Century, when Ari­us denyed that the Son was with the Father from all eternity, but af­firmed that there was a time when the Son was not, and these Ancient Doctors of the Church, knowing that the first Words in St. Johns Gos­pel, in these three Verses, were indited by the Holy Ghost, and writ­ten by the Apostle John his Pen-man, to assert the Co-eternity of the Son with the Father, and that against Ancient Hereticks, who lived in the Apostle St. John's time, and were Blasphemers of Christ, the Church therefore hath made choise of that same Text, as fittest against the Arians Alexander Alexandriae Episcopus Concilij Niceni Membrum Arij Blas­phemijs infensissimus, in sua Epistola ad omnes ubique gentium fratres scri­bit Arium asserere tempus aliquando fuisse cum filius Dei non esset, quod sic refutat in initio Evangilij Joan­nis. In principio erat verbum, ita­que non erat tempus cum non esset Socrates lib. 1. cap. 3. & Syrmi­ense concilium in symbolo damnat eos qui dicunt, erat tempus, aut se­culum quando [...] non erat: ibi­dem anathemate 25. Si quis dicat Christum ex quo, ex Maria natus est initium accepisse, ut Deus esset anathema sit, ut Samosatenus, Ebi­on, & Cerinthus. Thus have we cleared, that all the Words in the Doxology, are express Scrip­ture, and according thereunto; and if any object, that it follows not to be lawfully sung in the Church, except it were in Scrip­ture, all contiguous together as one of the Psalms of David, to these in this place, I only give this Answer, That the reformed Church of France, in their publick worship sing the Apostolick Creed turned in Meeter, and is there­fore printed, and bound in with their Psalm Books, and yet that Creed is far lesse continued Scrip­ture then the Doxology. And the Learned know, that the Church of France is famous not only of old time, for many glorious Martyres before the Council of Nice, but al­so in the beginning of Reformation from Popery. [Page 47] Origines, in hunc locum, Is. 66. 3. ait hic trinitatem insinuari Athanasius, tom. 1. operim pag. 154. 255. [...]. proferunt glorificationem, dicentes sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, tres personas perfectas ostendunt, & sub una voce Dominus unam substantiam declarant idque [...], in confuse, & indivise sub­innuens, nec Angelos nec Homines de­bere nec audere colere essentiam divi­nam, & non una colere tres personas ut supra probatum, hoc idem Athanasius ait detestandos ac procul abigendosesse Arianos dicentes ac si ipsi interfuis­sent angelos illos in primis vocibus exclamandi sanctus maxima voce usos esse, in secundis autem non tam magna voce, in tertia, adhuc submissiori, ac primam sanctificationem propriam legittimamque esse, secundam au­tem inferioris notae, tertiam ad­huc gradatim deterioris conditionis esse. In eandem sententiam scribit Caesarius Gregorij Nazianxeni fra­ter dialogo primo responsione ad in­terrogationem 13. Epiphanius in an­corato § 10. & 26. [...] hic hymnus Isaiah. 6. 3. quem Gre. [...] vocant canitur in liturgijs Basil, Chrisostom. & Gregorij, ut Damascenus, lib. 3. Orthodoxae fidei, cap. 10. interpre­tatur quod ter sanctus, sit tribus perso­nis trinitatis [...]; & in ordine baptismi secundū Aethiop­es habetur Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Pater, Filius & Spiritus Sanctus, nunc & semper, & in secula seculorum Amen. Anno Dom. 451. Hic hym­nus trisagius in Concil oecumen. Chaledon. 630. Episcoporum fuit cantatus, & inter actu hujus Con­cilij refertur; & postea Ecclesia universalis to hymno est usa, ut col­ligitur ex Constantinopolitana Si­nodo. 5. Praesidente Menua ejus se­dis Patriarcha, ubi Petrus Gna­pheus Antiochiae Episcopus damna­tus quod in suae Ecclesiae Lyturgia He­retice trisagio, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus addidisset qui pro nobis crucifixus est, ubi per ter sanctus in­terpretantur, tres Personas Trinita­tis, ut videre est in Epistola moni­toria ad eundem Gnapheum, priori­bus consentiunt Theodoretus sermo­ne, 2do. de curandis Grec. affecto. Cyrillus in tum textum, Augistinus sermone 38 de tempore, Et haec ea­dem est sententia theologorum, mo­dernorum Calvini institut, lib. 1. cap. 13. Is. 6. cap. § 11. & 15. & 28. Zanchij tomo. 1. lib. 1. cap. 2. Isa. 6. cap. Seraphim occinunt Patri Filio & Spiritui Sancto, quod etiamsi Antitrinitarij Transil­vanij negent, hunc textum nunquam mihi eripient. Polani syntagmate lib. 9. cap. 15. Professores Leidenses disp. 7. thesi 16. Bucan. loco 3. § 7. Ames. meduli. lib. 1. cap. 5 § 17. The second Part of the Chapter containing the twelfth Reason, it is taken from Isaiah cap. 6. v. 1, 2. 3. The Prophet Isaiah in a vision saw the Lord sitting on a Throne, and the heavenly seraphims crying one to another holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. Here the learned prove, that this song is sung to the Sacred Trinity, as if these Se­raphims had said, Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Ghost; for that same Lord of Hosts, in the 8. v. speaks in the plural number who will go for us, just so, Gen. 1. 26. And God said let us make man after our likeness: which speech the learned agree to be spoken by the Sacred Trinity. Se­condly, We shall prove that glo­ry to the three distinct Persons of the Trinity is meant here, First, That glory to the Father is meant none will deny, no not the Arian, nor Socinian. Secondly, we prove that glory to the Son is also meant here, for God the Son was also here, for the Prophet Isaiah saw His glory here, which is proven, John 12. 41. The Prophet Isaiah saw Christs glory, and spake of Him even then, when the Lord blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, Verse 40. which com­mission Isaiah received, Isaiah 6. 10. after he had seen Christs glory, then if God the Son was here, the 2d, holy is to him. Thirdly, the Holy Ghost was here, which I prove, it was the Holy Ghost here which spake to the Prophet Isai. 6. 9. The Lord said, go tell this people; but Acts 28. 25. That same [Page 48] Lord is the Holy Ghost; well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the Pro­phet unto our Fathers, saying, Go unto this people and say, hearing ye shall hear, and shal not understand, &c. Then seing the Scriptures prove the three Persons expresly were here, it cannot be denyed, but the three holies were to the three Persons; therefore the Doctors of the Ancient Church, and universal Councills, and ap­proven Orthodox Divines, unani­mously teach, that here the Sera­phims in their Chore are singing a Doxology to the blessed Trinity, and consequently this Doxology is a Scripture Song, therefore the Divines of Westminster Synod, in their Notes upon Revel. 4. at the 8. Verse singing the like three Ho­lies with them, in the 6. of Isaiah 3. Verse, which they also quoat, and coment thus; They contiually praise God, and set out the Tri­nity of the Persons in the God­head.

Did not the Angels, in this 6. of Isaiah sing the Doxology to the Glorious Trinity? The universall Church in their General Councill have taught so, and also practised accordingly, The Fathers, both before, and after that Councill, with Calvine, and the rest of the reformed Church teached so, and the Synod of Divines in their Notes on the Revelation teached so; will ye not then go along with the Universall, and Reformed Church, or will ye go along with the Synod of Divines on the Revelation; to that Synod you gave the Credit to draw up your Creed, or Confession of Faith, and Cate­chisms, and will ye not give them credit in the matter of the Doxolo­gy, that the Heavenly Seraphims sang Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, shall the Angels come from Heaven to Earth, to give you a good example to sing the Doxology, will neither the Universal [Page 49] Church on Earth, nor Angels in Heaven move you to follow their holy example, I answer, it will move all these on whom that Judge­ment hath not fallen, pronounced, Isaiah 6. 9, 10. Hear indeed, but understand not, make the heart of this people fat: As ye love your Souls, bewar of that Judgement, which is my prayer for you at the Throne of Grace.

CHAP VIII.

THe thirteenth reason is taken from the 5. Chap. of the Book of Reve­lation, thus collected; John the Divine saw a vision in Heaven, and heard them sing a new Song, vers. 9. continuing to the end of the Chapter: and vers. 13. Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, honour, glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Here the university of singing is so great, that it comprehends the universal Church of all Christians, yea, of all the Angels in Heaven, and all Saints in Heaven and Earth, both the Church Militant, and Triumphant. 2. What are they singing? Blessing, honour, glory, and power. 3. To whom do they sing this Doxologie? I answer, to him that sits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb: And that the weak may better understand that there are two Persons of the Godhead distinctly exprest here, for them more clearly distinguished in the 6. vers. In the midst of the Throne stood a Lamb, who came and took the Book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the Throne, Vers. 7. And that both the Father and the Son sat upon the same Throne, Revel. 3. 21. at the end, I am set down with my Father on his Throne. And Revel. 22. 3. and 1. verses, both the Throne of God and of the Lamb, and not Thrones. But the weak may say that the Holy Ghost is not named in this Song? To whom I answer, that it is the Doctrine and Faith of the universal Church, con­taining all Christians, from the of the Sun to its going down, Athanasius lib. 1. de Communi essentia trium personarum probat Tri­nitatem sedere in Throno, Nazian­zenus Orat. 26. Docet Spiritum Sanctum esse Patre Filioque, [...], & in Lyturgia Graeco Tomo 2. Bibliothecae Patrum Graec. Latin. pag. 112. Ita De­um invocant, [...], expers prin­cipii Trinitas impartibilis essentia eidem incidens throno unitas. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one and that same glorious God sit and reign conjunctly upon one and that same glorious Throne in Heaven, according to the lesser Catechism, There are three Persons in the Godhead, equal in power and [Page 50] glory: So that here while they sing glory to him that sits upon the Throne, the Holy Ghost is also necessarily to be meant, and lawfully is to be expressed, accor­ding to the orthodox Doctrine in the former reasons. Seing then all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and in Earth joyn in this Song with a loud voice, what a pity is it that some Christians should refuse to joyn in singing this Doxologie, yea, abhor it as a sinful action, and by shuning it, think they abstain from evil? I beseech you in the fear of the Almighty consider that word, Isai. 5. 20. Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil.

The General Assembly of this Church, Anno Dom. 1647. at Edin­burgh, August 28. Sess. 25. did ordain Mr. Zacharie Boyd to turn the Scriptural Songs (beside the Psalms) in the Old and New Testa­ment in Meeter, for the use of the Church, as Mr. Zacharie himself professes in the Preface to the said Songs, Printed at Glasgow, Anno Dom. 1648. But this Song in the Revelation 5. 9. I find not among the Scriptural Songs; why he omitted it, the reason I know not, but this I know, the Holy Ghost calls it a Song as expresly as any in the Bible. 2. The singers are all Christians. 3. The Subject is solemn, and the duty undenyable to all that call themselves Christians. Mr. Zacharie Boyd in his Letter to the Ministers of Scotland, of the date, Glasgow, 27. of February, 1648. (which Letter he prefixes to his Scriptural Songs which he turned in Meeter) sayes that the Church having the use thereof, may in obedience to the Apostles Precept, Eph. 5. 18. In Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual Songs, make melodie in their heart to the Lord.

The 14th reason that we bring, is from 1 Chron. 16. 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name; whence with a little Explication the lawfulness of singing the Doxologie may be proven: And first, from Christs words in his Divine Institution of Baptism, Mat. 28. vers. 19. Baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; So according to Christs words, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is the Name of God; then seeing we are commanded to give glory to Gods name then to give glory to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And if any would foolishly cavil here are three names, let this suffice to stop their mouth, that God who is truth it self hath called it, in the Name, in the Sin­gular Number, and not Names, in the Plural: Justin. in expositione fidei [...], in doctrina baptismatis unite nobis Patris & Fi­lii, & Spiritus Sancti, unum no­men traditum est Athanasius, lib. 1. de unita Deitate Trinitatis, ad The­ophilum in eundem sensum & Gre­gorius, Nazianzenus Oratione 40. quae est in sanctum baptisma, [...], Epiphanius haeraesi 62. § 4. [...], in uno nomine Trinieas appellata Arium refellat idem in Ancorato, § 22. [...] Trinitas in uno nomine nominata Gaudentius ser­mone 14. non ait in baptismi insti­tutione in nominibus sed in nomi­ne quia unum Trinitatis est nomen & Ambrosius, lib. 1. de Spiritu Sancto, cap. 14. in baptismo unum nomen quia unus est Deus, Augusti­nus lib. 3. contra Maximinianum, cap. 22. unum nomen quia hi tres sunt unum. Fulgentius ad Feli­cem notarum, cap. 2. nomen unum Deitatis quod triplicari non potest idem observant. Lombardus & A­quinas. Therefore the Doctors both of the Greek and La­tine Church have piously and lear­nedly dived into the mysterious [Page 51] cause of this one Name, and with one consent they agree that it is to teach the unity of the Essence, together with the Trinity of the Persons, then for our purpose, if Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be the Name of God, and three di­stinct Persons in the Godhead are to be known and believed necessa­rily to salvation by all Christians who are baptized in that Name; and seeing God in his mercy and goodness hath made Baptism a Seal, applying to Christians be­nefits of unspeakable value, given by Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, shall it not then be Gods due from man, and mans duty to God, to give God the glory due unto his Name, even to this his Name, Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, yea, and to sing it; for proof of which, amongst many Texts take the 23. Verse of the foresaid Chapter, 1 Chron. 16. Sing unto the Lord all the earth. So that from these three Texts, 1 Chron. 16. 23. and 29. with Mat. 28. and 19 I collect this conclusion, all baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, should sing Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: and if any object that 1 Chron. 16. 29. by Gods name is meant himself, I answer, be it so, but God himself is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Now Christian, when you have read these reasons, I intreat you to lay them to heart, especially the first nine, being most plain, and pon­der in each reason the first two sentences, which no Christian will or dare deny, albeit he know no more but the common grounds of reason, and Christianity: and if you grant both the first sentences, and yet deny the third sentence following on that reason, then know that truth hath got the victory, and you are convinced: And if you assent not to sing the Doxologie, ye detain the truth in unrighteousness, Rom. 1. 18. and rebel against the light, and hate the light, John 3. 20. And they who wilfully harden themselves, would not embrace the truth, albeit Christ the wisdom of the Father were Preaching it unto them, unlesse [Page 52] he did apply his Almighty gracious power, as he did to Saul in his con­version, Acts 9. ver. 5, 6. Which he does not ordinarily on those that harden themselves, and close their eyes against the light, darting in upon their understanding; for he resists the proud, but giveth grace to the humble and lowly. The Apostle speaks of unreasonable men, by which are meant the unbeliever, and unregenerat; For the true be­liever his saving Faith clears up, and fortifies his reason: Therefore if thou be a furnished and true believer, and grant the truth of the first two sentences of any one, or all the reasons, then thou will assent to the third sentence, which is, to sing Glory to the Father, Son, and Ho­ly Ghost; and if thou find thy heart inclining to consent, then blow at that spunk that is kindled in thy soul by the Holy Ghost, and go to thy knees in all humility, sincerity, and self-denial, and beg of him to lead thee in all truth, and to shew thee the good and the right way, and whether it will tend more to the glory of God, to sing Glory to the Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, or to be dumb and silent, and say in your heart, I will not sing glory to God, even when my fellow-Christians are singing it.

Do you believe with all your soul that God sent his Son from Heaven to earth to bring you from earth to Heaven; that Christ suffered the sorrows of death and hell, to save thee from endless torments, and will ye refuse to sing glory to him for so doing and suffering for you; If a poor brother of Jesus were asking an alms from you, and you would not give him one mite, and yet would say at that same time to stan­ders by, if that poor man were going to Prison, I would give him a great sum of money to relieve him, would they believe you, or rather laugh you to scorn? So when you are desired to sing glory to the blessed Trinity, and ye refuse to do it, who would believe you that you would suffer tormenting flames for the glory of that blessed Trinity. I know you will say you have some reasons why you refuse to sing the Doxo­logie, but ye would have no reason to refuse martyrdome? I answer, your corruption, that prompts you with excuses to refuse to sing the Doxologie, which is the easier duty, would furnish you with more excuses to shun burning; so that ye who will not give God his due honour, to sing glory to him, it is too like would never suffer mar­tyrdome for him, and so the true ground of your refusing is want of true Faith, Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not on­ly to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.

As for your pretences and excuses you bring for not singing the Doxologie, lay it to heart, that your excuses which your prejudged Conscience it may be accepts of, so as to give you a seeming and de­ceitful peace for a time; yet trust not that he who is greater then your Conscience will accept of these excuses, which in this life men who are blind, and partial Judges in their own cause thinks to be [Page 53] good and relevant. Our Saviour in the Gospel gives a list of excusers of themselves, but the Judge of quick and dead tells the true reason which the excusers would not have told, Mat. 22. 5. they made light of it: But I intreat you make it not a light thing to refuse to sing Glo­ry to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; for these reasons I have set be­fore you are founded on the Word of God, by which we shall be judg­ed, and your pretences and excuses in that day will be burnt with the hay and stubble, 1 Cor. 3. 12.

CHAP. IX.

TAke three Reasons more to be pondered by the judicious and un­byassed Christian, The first is thus grounded, the Worship of God consists in two parts, either God speaks to us, or we speak to God; God speaks to us in the Word, read, or exponed by Preaching; We speak to God by Prayer, suiting things needful to Soul and Body, or by Praises of His infinite Excellencies, and for His Benefites. These two last, to wit, Petitions or Praises, are either done without Song or in a Song; but so it is, that God in His infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath made the Christian Worship in the New Testament to differ from the Jews Worship in the Old Testament, in fulness, clearness, and comfortableness; they had only the Old Testament, we have the New Testament added to it; they had the Old Testament read and exponed by the Church-men and Prophets, we have Old and New Testament both read, exponed and preached more plainly and fully to our greater saving Knowledge and Comfort, for the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater then John Baptist, Matth. 11. 11. Secondly, Our Prayers and Praises of God in the New Testament are proportional to the Word read and preached, even more full, clear and comfortable then the Jew had in the Old Testament; but so it is that the obstinate and impenitent Jew refused to joyn with us Christians in any of these three parts of the Worship of God; they will not hear the Gospel read, be­cause [Page 54] it is the Gospel of Christ, whom they reject and blaspheme; they will not hear the Word preached, because we preach Christ crucified, which is to the Jews a stumbling-block, 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thirdly, They will not joyn with us in Prayer, for they refuse to pray to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and they will seek nothing from God in the Name of Christ. Fourthly, They reject our Sacraments, for they refuse to be baptized in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, nor yet will they communicate with us, because it is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ: Seing then the all-wise Lord hath made the Christian to differ from and excell the Jew in the Word and Sacra­ments, in Preaching and Praying, is it not convenient and suitable to the other parts of our Christian Worship, that we differ from them in our singing also, which is not a divers part of Worship distinct from Prayer and Praises without Song, but a divers manner of pronouncing it; for example, all that is in the Psalms, that is sung to God with a Tone; it is lawful for a Christian to worship God with these same words without a Tone or Song, in Prayer and Thanksgiving; so they differ not upon the matter, but in the manner of pronouncing them: But the adding of the Christian Doxology to the close of our singing of the Psalm, makes a suitable difference betwixt the Christians singing of the Psalm with the Doxology, and the Jew in their Worship singing the same Psalm without the singing of the Christian Doxology: More­over, Is it convenient or decent, that a Jew who blasphemes the Son of God, and denies the blessed Trinity, who are without the Commu­nion of Saints, that they shall have it to say or brag, although I abhor to joyn with the Sow, (for so they call the Christian,) nor will I hear their Gospel read or preached, nor will I joyn with them in Prayer, (for they abhor the Name of Christ;) yet says the Jew, I will not abhor to joyn with them in singing the Psalm, for they sing nothing but the Psalms of David just as we do, they sing in their Mother Tongue as we do in the Hebrew? would not the Christian think himself affronted at the Jews offer, and if any in the Church refused to sing the Doxology, he could say I am free to refuse the Doxology as some of your Chri­stians refuse.

2. Many of the Psalms close with a Doxology or Praise to God, some one way some another, and this Doxology is most often in the last Verse; but sometimes in the penult Verse, and then the last Verse is some particular reason and ground given for that particular Doxology. These who please to search the Psalms more diligently will find it so, to wit, Psal. 18. and 75. in their last and penult Verses; and in all these Psalms following you may observe a particular Doxology in the last Verse of every one of them, to wit, Psalm 7, 8, 13, 21, 24, 26, 30, 35, 41, 45, 52, 57, 59, 61, 66, 68, 71, 72, 89, 97, 99, 100, 103, 111, 118, 124, 136, 140, 145. and besides, there are other Psalms that all close [Page 55] with one and the same Doxology, to wit, Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 104, 105, 106, 115, 116, 117, 135, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150. Halle­lujah, and in the Book of the Revelation, chap. 19. three Companies end their Praises to God with that same Hallelujah, retaining the Hebrew in the Greek Text. The first Company much People, vers. 1, 2, 3. close their Praises with Hallelujah. Secondly, The twenty four Elders, and four living Creatures, in the second Chore, close Amen, Hallelujah. Thirdly, Another great multitude, vers. 6. being commanded, give their Hallelujah.

And as many of the Psalms close with a Doxology, so some of the scriptural Songs, as Exodus 15. 18. Isaiah 12. 6. Isaiah 38. 20. Habak­kuk 3. 18, and 19. 1 Chronicles 16. 36. Now, as in the Old Testament the Lord had teached the Jews to close their Songs and Psalms with a Doxology, (for in them I find a Doxology about fourty eight times,) so in the New Testament, seing it hath pleased God to reveal Himself more fully then He was pleased to do in the Old Testament to the Jew, and make the Doctrine of the Trinity the badge of Christian Baptism, and that Doctrine being so much opposed and blasphemed by Jews, Turks and Hereticks, shall it not then be lawful and expedient for the Christian, now the only Church of God, to close their Psalms with such a Doxology as may not only be a confession of their Faith in that great fundamental of the Trinity, and foundation of Christianity, but also to discern the true Christian Church from the Jews Synagogue, who are now Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah, Hos. 1. 6, 9. and so distinguish them from all other Meetings who pretend to worship the true God, and are but Antichristian Synagogues of Satan, and Blasphemers of the glorious Trinity.

The last Reason may be thus grounded, Amongst the ten several Names whereby God (in the Old Testament) hath been pleased to de­sign Himself, Jehovah Elohim are the two chief: First, Jehovah is [...] Est Dei nomen proprium, & [...] (cujus contractum [...] Psal. 68. 4.) nunquam legitur cum affixo ante vel post se, ita ut ultima litera nunquam mutetur, est à radice [...] quod idem cum [...] fuit est erit & ita Spiritus Sanctus interpre­tatur, Apocal. cap. 1. vers. 8. [...] significat Dei esse, & existen­tentiam. Deo essentialem, adeoque aeternam, & omnis entis creati cau­sativam, inesse, & conservari, & ita communiter exponunt Theologi, & Rabbini, est & tertium Dei no­men ab eadem radice, Exod. 3. 14. inquit Moses si dicant Egyptij mi­hi quod nomen ejus Dei qui mi sit te ad nos respondet Deus [...] [...], quod Arius mon­tanus interpretatur ero quod ero, quod Deus contraxit in immediate sequen­tibus [...] misit me ad vos ERO, quod communiter interpretantur SUM, & in novissima Versione Ver­nacula I Am haec tria Dei nomina, eandem Dei essentiam & existentiam significant, alia duo rarius usitata, sed Jehovah saepissime, quod habet nonn [...]nquam alia Dei nomina sibi adjuncta ut [...] adonai, Judic. cap. 16. v. 8. vel [...] 1 Sam. cap. 1. vers. 11. & [...] Psal. 7. vers. ult. sed saepissime omnium asso­ciantur duo nomina Jehovah Elo­him, verbi gratia, initio verborum Decalogi, Ego Jehovah Elohim, hinc in quibusdam Psalmis, ac aliis Hymnis in Verbo Dei non raro est legere Jehovah Elohim itaque Doxo­logiam quasi Psalmi clausulam ad­jungere, ad insinuandam sanctissimae Trinitatis glorificationem, ver. gra. Psalm 144. vers. ult. beatitudines populi cujus Jehovah [...] in his Doxologiis tres sunt notabiliores (prima circa initium regni Dividis primo libro Chronicorum cap. 16. vers. 36. ubi Psalmum in publico cetu claudit Doxologia benedictus Jeho­vah Elohim à seculo usque in seculum tum dixerunt totus populus, Amen. 2. Doxologia Jehovah Elohim est primo libro Chron. cap. 29. ubi con­vocatis regni ordinibus, qui cum Davide aurum argentum, &c. In Templi structuram liberaliter obtule­runt, tum David benedixit publice Jehovah Elohim, vers. 11, &c. deinde vers. 20. edixit David toti congregationi benedicite nunc Jeho­vah Elohim sic benedixerunt tota congregatio Jehovah Elohim, haec quidem Davidis, & congregationis benedictio videtur absque cantu Deo oblata. 3. Davidis Doxologia so­lemnior Jehovah Elohim videtur prorsus ultima jam moribundi inquit Tremellius sanctam ipsius animam Deo reddentis, Psal. 72. 18, 19. be­nedictus sit Jehovah Elohim, v. 19. & benedictum nomen gloriae ejus in seculum, impleaturque gloriâ ejus tota terra, Amen & Amen. huic Davidis Doxologiae seraphim, Isai. cap. 6. vers. 3. stantes clamabant Trinitati Doxologiam ut supra pro­batum est hujus tractatus pagin [...] 47. plena est omnes terra gloria ejus; quod quam belle respondet & quasi implet verba Davidis nempe im­pleaturque gloria ejus tota terra. Gods most proper Name, most often used in the Old Testament, it comes from an Hebrew word that signifies To Be, and so Jehovah sig­nies Gods Essence and Being of Himself, and the giving of Being to all His Creatures; therefore Exod. 6. 3. the Lord prefers His Name Jehovah to His other Name God Almighty, for this Name im­plyes Gods Almighty Power, to wit, Elshaddai, but Jehovah im­porteth Gods infinite Perfections; [Page 56] therefore Psal. 83. 18. God alone His Name is Jehovah, and Isa. 42. 8. I am Jehovah, that is my Name, and Exod. 15. 3. Jehovah is His Name, therefore Num. 6. 24, 25, 26. when God endites the words of the Blessing to Moses, how the Priest should pray over his People, it is all in the Name of Jehovah, and so the Lord puts His Name Jehovah upon His People.

The second Name of God most frequent in the Old Testament, is Elohim; it is the Plural Number, and is sometimes indeed used in the Old Testament in the Singular Number, but not so often by far as it's in the Plural Number: It is dispute among Divines what can be the reasons why the Lord should take to Himself so often a Name signifying Moe, to wit, a Plurality, and to joyn that to another of His Names, to wit, Jehovah, which is of the Singular Number, for albe­it often in the Old Testament God design Himself by other moe Names, as God Almighty, Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, &c. yet most often He designs Himself Jehovah Elohim, which is ordinarily ren­dered in the Bible, Lord God? For answer to the question pro­poned, generally it is this, That albeit from these two words there cannot be demonstrate the Unity of the Godhead, and Trinity of the Persons by a convincing Ar­gument against obstinate Jews and Antitrinitarian Hereticks, yet from it may be brought a probable Ar­gument to moderate and sober spirited Christians, to prove that Moses and other Pen men of the [Page 57] Old Testament, who themselves undoubtedly did know the Myste­ry of the Trinity, as Moses, David, Isaiah, &c. and therefore when they did so often write these two Names of God together Jehovah Elohim, the first being the Singular Number, the second the Plural, did thereby intimate the Unity of the Essence in the Godhead with the Trinity of Persons; therefore Pareus on Genesis, pag. 23. having dispute the question, at length concludes, No godly Man will de­ny the probability of this reason drawen from Elohim, joined with another word of the Singular Num­ber as it is here with Jehovah; and so think the Westminster Synod Notes, on the first two words of Genesis, Elohim Bara, the first Elohim being in the Plural Num­ber jovned with Bara in the Sin­gular Number, He did creat; and that Moses, and the rest of the Pen-men of the Holy Scriptures in the Old Testament did know this Mystery, is out of question to the Doctors, both of the Reformed and Roman Church, all which, with the Fathers and Councils, bring many strong and clear Arguments from the Old Testament to prove the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity: Therefore Tremellius, a Jew born, in his Notes upon Gen. 1. 26. Let us make Man after our own image, saith God; Note this here, God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one God in three distinct Persons so appoint; Let us, here saith Tremellius is a Testimony of the Sacred Trinity, and that not an obscure one: And therefore the Westminster Notes prove from the Scriptures, that Moses was not ignorant of the Doctrine of the Trinity; and it is observable, that in the first three Chapters of Genesis, Moses nineteen times calls God Jehovah Elohim; and who will deny that Abraham saw Christs day, John 8. 56. and did not David call Him Lord, when in the Spirit of Prophecy he spake of Him. Mat. 22. 44. and Isaiah saw His Glory, John 12. 41. And if some object, If there be so many clear Testimonies in the Old Testament of the [Page 58] Doctrine of the Trinity, how came it to pass that now the Jews who have, and read the Old Testament, deny the Sacred Trinity? The Scriptures will answer you, our Saviour in the Gospel pronounces them blind, Mat. 15. 14. the blind lead the blind, and often elsewhere, and so the Apostle calls them, Rom. 11. 7. were they not broken off for their Unbelief, Rom. 11. 20. till the fulness of the Gentiles come in; and since their rejection and breaking off, the Vail is on their Eyes until this day while they read the Old Testament, 2 Cor. 3. 13. yet it will not follow, but that the Mystery of the Trinity was known to the Saints, and saved in the Old Testament, who believed the Covenant of Grace made with Adam in Paradice, the seed of the Woman should tread down the head of the Serpent, which our blessed Saviour was to the Saints in the Old Testament, as well as to us the Way, the Truth and the Life, Joh. 14. 6. and the same to day, yesterday, and for ever, Heb. 13. 8. So that as the believing Jews and Church of God in the Old Testament, did believe the Doctrine of the Trinity (albeit we grant that that My­stery of the Trinity was not so clearly revealed to these Saints in the Old Testament, as it is now to us Christians under the New Testament) asserted to them in many Testimonies of Scripture; so they, reading and hearing the Hebrew Text, which was their Mother Language, and therein two Names of God so often joyned together Jehovah Elohim, the one in the Singular, the other in the Plural Number, the Holy Ghost and His Pen-men did thereby insinuate to them the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity; and according to this, in many of the Hebrew Psalms, and some Spiritual Songs, there is a Doxology to Jehovah Elohim, closing the Psalm, to wit, these Psalms following, 76, 80, 84, 90, 92, 99, 144, 146, and 1 Chron. 16. 36. and Chap. 29. vers. 20. and Psal. 72. vers. 18, and 19. If then the Jew closed many Psalms with the Doxology to the blessed Trinity, shall not the Christian, to whom the Mystery is more clearly revealed, and in which he is baptized, and without which he cannot be saved, (for no Salvation without Christ, Acts 4. 12.) and he who denieth the Son hath not the Father, 1 John 2. 23. and as the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, Job. 15. 26. so he who hath not the Spirit of the Father and Son dwelling in him is none of Christs, Rom. 8. 9. therefore the Jew, Turk, and Antitrinitarian Hereticks, who are ashamed of the Name of Christ in this Life, Christ will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Glory with His holy Angels, Mark 8. 38. But for us Christians, let us not be ashamed to believe and confess to our Salvation, and give Glory to Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, and with that Doxology to close the Psalm with it all our life, yea, also close our days with it on the Death­bed, following the example of that sweet Singer of Israel, Psal. 72. which he sang at the close of his days, a Prayer for his son Solomon, a Prayer full of comfort and faith in the Son of God, this Psalm he closes [Page 59] with a Doxology to Jehovah Elohim, ver. 18. Blessed be Jehovah Elohim, the God of Israel, and blessed be His glorious Name for ever and ever, and let the whole Earth be filled with His glory, Amen, and Amen. So, as the Jew had their Doxology Glory to Jehovah Elohim for ever, and we have Elohim more clearly manifested, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, then shall it not be lawful for Christians to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for ever.

For further clearing Jehovah Elohim, its intimating the Doctrine of the Trinity, as I have observed in the Hebrew Text of the Old Testa­ment, that these two Names of God when put together, especially in the Prophets, are most ordinarily used (although not always) upon one of these two occasions, First, When the Lord is to difference and contradistinguish Himself from all false and Pagan gods, and then ordi­narily it is rendered in the English Bible, the Lord my God, or thy God, or the Lord our God, or your God. Secondly, It is used when the Lord is giving to His Church some notable Promise of a great Deliverance, ei­ther bodily or spiritual in the Messiah, and so an evangelick Promise, and both these ways Jehovah Elohim intimats a Trinity, for the Pagans all confessed a Deity, but none of them Trinity in Unity. As for affix­ing Jehovah-Elohim to evangelick Promises in the Old Testament, it might be the most proper Name to insinuate a Trinity which was to be yet more clearly manifested in the Gospel; were it not that I intend brevity, I could instance both these, and clear them from many Scrip­tures in the Old Testament.

CHAP. X.

I Supponed in the Preface, that the strong Christian and learned was so clear in their judgement, of singing the Doxologie, that all the former Arguments I brought, was only for satisfying of the weak; and all these reasons are well known to the learned; but because I know the learned does not any thing, especially in the matters of God, but that for which their Conscience is clear; and the warrand of their Conscience is the holy Word of God: and therefore the learned in singing the Doxologie, are perfectly assured that the same is grounded upon the infallible Word of God, or deduced from it by clear and [Page 60] good consequence, and they know Cum tenellis Christi Agnis, & in sermone justitiae imperitis ad ardua progredi non expediat at eruditis in Christo fortibus est abunde comper­tum doctrinam evangelicam de Christiani certitudine propriae falu­tis a plurimis pessime abusam esse nam ut Pontisicii Recedunt a verita­te ex una part. ita Ecclesiae refor­matae pars maxima, sed pessima, re­cedunt a veritate ex alia parte, dum nullus non impiorum crepat usque ad insaniam ipsum esse certissimum de sua salute: proinde ad hujus verita­tis exactiorem investigationem & in Verbo Dei trutinatione, professo­res Christianismi sunt primo divi­dendi in verê credentes ad salutem, & in reliquos profitentes fidem ore, sed non credentes corde, quibus ta­men contingit fides dogmatica, histo­rica, vel literalis sacrarum Scrip­turarum in qua fide Satanas prae­omnibus impiis excellit, attamen vere credentibus solis, at non om­nibus certitudo salutis contingit, itaque sunt subdividendi in fortes & infirmos, infirmis in fide certi­tudo salutis non contingit, quia ob defectum cognitionis Scripturarum non possunt reflectere in suos actus fi­dei & alia fidei, [...], quae sunt Dei ordinaria media Christia­num ad certitudinem salutis pro­vehentia, & in particulari infir­mus Christianus in cognitione puer nequit colligere suam certitudinem syllogistice, hoccine quicunque cre­diderit in Christum salvabitur, at ego credo in Christum, ergo ego sal­vabor nam infirmus in fide licet pos­sit dicere ego credo idque vere & sincere tamen non cum ista certitu­dine super quam possit fundari certi­tudo conclusionis, & sit cum con­clusio sequatur debiliorem partem, infirmi conclusio non certo conclu­dit ipsi certitudinem salutis, proin solas fidelis fortis in fide certitu­dinem salutis adipiscitur, nec hi omnes nam non pauci in fide for­tes heri; hodie incidunt in flagi­tium scandalosum conscientiam vas­tantem protinus, & moraliter, & judicialiter, hesterna certitudo sa­lutis evanescit quid quod alius non minus in fide fortis heri, incidit in deliquium solaminus hodie cum Jo­bo, quod non fuit causatum pec­cato flagitioso; sed ob alios fines, justo, & Sancto Deo cognitos, & in Scholis Theologorum observatos: Quod ad Christianos non credentes ad salutem, est certo certius eorum nullum certitudinem salutis adipis­ci. Et tamen hos subdividimus in hypocritas Scripturarum sciolos, & profanos in flagitiis volutantes, ho­rum uterque jactat certitudinem sa­lutis; ad diverso modo, flagi­tiosus dum jactat certitudinem pro­pria salutis, novit se mentiri, at hy­pocritarum multi asserunt & ali­qualiter gaudent in certitudine salutis, quorum error est praesum­ptionis; nam quod ad minorem syllogismi (Ego credo) sibi ip­sis imponunt, nam vere opinantur se, credere, licet eorum fides non sit accepta à Deo ad salutem, proin­de inferunt conclusionem ego sal­vabor aequaliter praesumptuosam, cum assumptione, qui hypocritae in sua assumptione ego credo menti­tiuntur Logice, sed non Ethice. Christianis itaque fic divisis & subdivisis in classes eorum pars multo minima sed tamen optima certitudinem proprie salutis acqui­rit, nempe solummodo fortes & in cognitione Scripturarum, Fide & Sanctificatione itaque ab hac cer­titudine removentur non solium fla­gitiosi & hypocritae quin & Agni Christi tenelli qua tales quin & for­tes in fide aut sub deliquio gra­tiae sanctificantis, aut gratiae sola­minis. His positis inter eruditos videtur hanc questionem posse agitari num sit possibile, aut saltem probabile Chri­stianum posse esse certum de sua salute, & eundem non esse certum de hac veritate, bonum est & expedit Chri­stianum psallere Doxologiam Patri filio & spiritui sancto, ratio dubi­tationis est haec, probavimus nullum Christianum habere certitudinem pro­priae salutis nisi in cognitione religi­osa scripturarum, in fide, & sancti­ficatione fortem: at vix est verisi­mile hunc fortem christianum acqui­sivisse certitudinem propriae salutis, quae veritas est dissicillima acqui­situ quia multum excedit lumen naturae, & solum fundatur in lumine gratiae, at haec veritas Deus est licite hymno glorificandus Pater, Filius, & Spiritus Sanctus haec propositio non solum fundatur in himine scrip­turarum, & gratiae, sed etiam in lumine naturae, ut probatum est. Alia ratio probans certitudinem salutis esse veritatem acquisitu difficiliorem quam eam praedictam de Doxologia haec est plurimi qui­bus nunquam contingit certitude vera salutis quia impossibilis at ex eisdem non pauci qui callent sensum Scripturarum Literalem Historicum, & dogmaticum, praecip [...]e si in Phi­losophia sunt bene versati quamvis vel Hypocritae, vel flagitiosi tamen haec veritas, licet glorificare Deum Patrem, Filium & Spiritum Sanct­um hymno facillime potest ab ijs comprehendi, quia Christiani millies milleni nec ad salutem credentes in Christum nec pij, tamen has duas veritates certo credunt scilicet licet Deum hymno glorificare & hanc as­sumptionem, Deus est Pater, Filius, & Spiritus Sanctus, & Simodo sint Philosophi nullatenus de con­clusi [...]ne dubitabunt, itaque possit mirum videri homines cognitionis fidei pietatis, & certitudinis pro­priae salutis multum jactantes & attamen eosdem quasi sit mysterium incomprehensibile an sit licitum (vel expediens saltem) Deum Pat [...]m, Fili­um & Spiritum Sanctum hymno glori­ficare dubitantes nec mirum videatur objectum fidei justificantis, & de sua salute Christiani certissimi, & hy­pocritae dogmatice solum credentis, & de sua salute incerti idem esse nempe Deum Patrem, Filium, & Spi­ritum Sanctum; nam justificatus credit in Deum toto corde, Patrem, Filium & Spiritum Sanctum, & in Christum [...] sibi salvatorem, at hypocrita credit esse Deum eum­que esse Patrem, Fi [...]ium, & Spiri­tum Sanctum, & Scripturas Dei Verbum esse veras, at neutiquam cre­dit in Deum. Patrem, Filium, & Spiritum Sanctum, & in Christum salutorem fidei justificante co [...] puri­ficante, renovante, & ipsum Deo in Christo vinculo Spiritus Sancti in Aeternum uniente hypocritae fides est more speculativa in cerebro fluctu­ans at credentis ad salutem in corde radicata pieque fiducialis & practi­ca. that the Doxologie is of this nature; which reason of the strong is thus framed, whatsoever is clearly law­ful from the light of Nature, and the Word of God, that to the reli­gious Christian is lawful to do; but to sing glory to God is clear from the light of Nature, and from the holy Scriptures, therefore it is lawful for the religious Christian to do it. First, It is clear from the light ol Nature, because many learned Pagans, who had no more but the light of Nature, did sing holy Hymns of praise to their gods; this is abundantly clear in Humane History, and undenyable. Secondly, The Holy Scriptures are full of it, especially the Book of the Psalms, commanding us to sing praises to God; now this proves infallibly the general, that it is lawful to sing glory to God: Which Conclusion being proven, I make up a second Reason, and takes the proven Conclusion for the Major; and I reason thus, It is unquestionably lawful to sing glory to God, I assume, God is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; then it is unquestionably lawful to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and if any think themselves strong, and being under prejudice, are not satisfied with this reason, I would ask them if their Infant-Baptism was not an act of lawful Worship, and done in faith of the Minister that Baptized, and of their Parent that required and re­ceived that Sacrament for their use; in both which I judge the Minister consecrat and admini­strat [Page 61] the Sacrament lawfully, and their Parents lawfully received them from the Laver of Regene­ration, and yet I would gladly know from these that are not con­tent with singing the Doxologie, because it is not express in Scrip­ture, that the Christian sing glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, why then do they not reject their Infant-baptism because it is not express in Scripture Baptize In­fants, but well proven to be law­ful by necessary consequence from Scripture, which with the uni­versal Church we think a suffici­ent ground for Infant-baptism. And what is the cause that Anti­pedobaptists have fallen in that er­ror, and separat from the true Church? Even because they were too deep in that opinion, that ne­cessary consequence from Scrip­ture is not sufficient warrand for an act of religious Worship, of which error ye would be aware, lest it draw you into other great­er errors then you are aware of.

2. What express Scripture had Rahab to receive the Spies, con­ceal them, and send them away safely, Joshua 2. 9. &c. Heb. 11. 31. Jam. 2. 25. All which that she did in Faith, is proven clear­ly from these quoted Scriptures, then her faith was good, and ac­ceptable to God, albeit only built on good consequences from Scrip­ture.

3. I ask of you John who comes to Church, and Communicats, taking the Lords Supper, whether your worship be in faith, which I in charity suppon it is; but where [Page 62] is your express warrand in your Bible, you John, such a man, come and worship, and take the Lords Supper as the pledge of your sal­vation? These words are not to be found in the whole Scripture, why then dare ye come to worship and take the holy Sacraments? I think ye will or should answer, because in the express Word of God there is a general invitation; Come to me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Mat. 11. 28. From which gracious general invitation I sup­pon ye assume in sincere and good Conscience I John am heavy loa­den, and labours to be freed of my burden by all the good means appointed by God preparatory to that holy Sacrament, which if you can truly affirm in the sight of God, then I dare assure you in the Name of Jesus that your worship­ping, and communicating is in faith, albeit you have not express warrand in your Bible for you such an one by name to commu­nicate.

4ly, You John believes to be saved, but no expresse warrand have you in your Bible, that you John such a one shall be saved, yet I suppon with you in charity, your Act of Faith to be allowed, and accepted of God, and to be com­fortable to your Soul, for I sup­pone it well grounded on the Word of God, His Promise, and Command, whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved, John 3. 16. and John 6. 40. But I John such a one believe in Jesus Christ, there­fore I John such a one shall be sav­ed, [Page 63] the General Promise is express in the Word, but not your two following Acts of Faith builded thereon, and yet you will assume they are Acts of true Faith, and for the first of the two, it's truth is best known to your selves, who are alone privy to that heart secret of yours, 1 Cor. Chap. 2. 11. For all within the visible Church say, I believe in Christ, [...]ccording to the Apostles Creed received by the universal Church, for an Act of true Faith, and yet a great part speak not truly, This is a sad, but sure Truth, but as truely as thou believes in Christ, it is assuredly as true thou shall be saved, then if I grant that your Act whereby you believe to be saved, is True Faith, and rightly believed by you, albeit it is not express in in your Bible, then why shall not this be an Act of Faith, when a Christian believes it is lawfull to sing Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, albeit these words be not express in the Bible altogether but deduced from the Scripture by infallible consequence, I could proceed further in this point, but because the Babes are not able to bear it, and the Learned are fully clear in this Truth, I shall not in­sist, and these who will not assent to the Truth, the defect is in themselves, and not in the Truth, for Children, so long as they are such, will think, speak and under­stand as Children, for which the strong Christian should not despise the Babes, but consider they were once Babes themselves, and on the other hand, the Children [Page 64] should not presume, nor overwean themselves, nor judge uncharitably of the strong, but that they sing the Doxology in Faith; ground­ed on a strong Scriptural Conse­quence, as when the weak Christian takes his Sacrament, and I request the weak Christian to think soberly of himself; when David a Man according to Gods own heart, said in sincerity, Psalm 131. 2. I have quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother, and if ye will ask wherein he so behaved, he tells you himself he did not aspired things too high for him. If every Christian would do so, there would be more peace in the Church.

CHAP. XI.

IN this Chapter, we are to answer the Grand Objection, to wit, That the singing of the Doxology in the publick worship of God, was laid aside by the Generall Assembly of this Church, Anno Dom. 1649. To this my first answer is, that Assembly hath fourty two Ses­sions mentioned in the Index of the imprinted Acts thereof, but the laying aside of the Doxology is not mentioned in the Printed Acts of that Assembly, nor yet in the index of the imprinted Acts, there­fore, seing there is no mention in the Register of the Church, to prove to Posterity, that the Doxology was laid aside, it may put some to demurr in that affair, seing there is no legal proof of it extant. 2dly. I answer, though the laying aside of the Doxology was res gesta, yet seing there is not a word of it in the Register of the Church, the laying of it aside, will come under the Notion of an unwritten Tra­dition to Posterity, 3dly. I answer, That it is to be considered whe­ther or not the Generall Assembly was in potestate, and had lawfull power to lay aside the Doxology, for in their National Covenant, they grant their Religion as reformed, at the first expelling of Idolatry, and was Ratified in Parliament, in Anno Dom. 1560. And it's Con­fession of Faith to be Christs true and perfect Religion, that they shal adhere to it all their dayes, to which they bind themselves with Solemn and fearfull Curses; but so it is, That at the said Reformati­on, in the Lyturgy then appointed, and Printed at the beginning of the Psalm Book, Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and aye shall last, is extant [Page 65] in Print; yea, in that Psalm Book of the Church of Scotland of the old Edition, there is great variety of the Meeter Poesies and lest any of them having their diverse Tune should want the Doxology sung at the close of it, each of these diverse Poesies have a diverse Dox­ology one in substance with the ordinar Doxology, but differing in some words, being framed to be sung according to the particular mu­sical Tunes all which Doxologies were in use in the Church of Scotland after the Reformation, which Book is yet extant Printed at Aberdeen cum privilegio, in Anno Dom. 1638. So that the National Covenant compared with our first Reformation engadgeth us in all Scotland, not to quite the Doxology, under the pain of perjury; as for that fore­said Lyturgy of Scotland, which was Printed, and bound in with the Psalm Book, it was drawn up by the General Assembly, Anno Dom. 1560. and 1555 and 1567.

The Fourth Answer, The General Assembly, 1639. August 30. Which day, that Assembly hath enacted, thus. The General Assembly considering, that the intended Reformation being recovered, may be establish­ed; Ordains, that no Innovation, which may disturbe the peace of the Church, and make division, be suddenly proponed, or enacted but so as the motion be first communicat to the severall Synods, Presbytries, and Churches, that the matter may be approven by all at home, and Commissi­oners may come well prepared, unanimously to conclude with settled deliberation upon these points, in the general Assembly: Which Act of Assembly, as it was prudently made, so accordingly practised there­after, for in the General Assembly, Anno Dom. 1642. August 6. There are four Overtures Printed with the Acts of that Assembly to be ad­vised by Presbyters against the next Assembly; So that his laudable Act was carefully obeyed in other things but not so in laying aside the Doxology: For it was done abruptly, without the knowledge, or ad­vertisement of particular Churches, Presbytries or Synods, who should have been acquainted before and canvassed the matter, before any thing had been determined in the General Assembly anent the Doxolo­gy, and the laying of it aside, which was an innovation suddenly pro­poned, and instantly passed to the discomforming division of them­selves from all transmarin Protestants, yea, and from the universal Church.

Fifthly, In the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland and England, approven by the General Assembly of Scotland, Anno. Dom. 1643. August 17. In the said League and Covenant, with hands lifted up to the most high God, they swear sincerely, and constantly to endeavour the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Worship (but then the Church of Scotland in their Worship did sing the Doxology,) to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland in Worship, &c. according to the Example of the [Page 66] best Reformed Churches. but then, and to this day the best Reform­ed Churches did use, and still use the Doxology in the Worship of God, as is to be seen in the particular Psalm Books, in Helvetia, Ge­neva, France and Holland, &c. Here in the Solemn League and Co­venant, are two tyes on the Covenanters in both Nations to use the Doxology.

Sixthly, The same General Assembly, Anno Dom. 1643 After their approbation of the League and Covenant, in their Answer to the Sy­ned of Divines in England August 19 Writ thus, That you may be more closely united to the best Reformed Churches in Worship, &c. But so it was, that Scotland, and the best Reformed Churches, did then, and to this day use the Doxology, and in another Letter of the said Assembly, to the Parliament of England, they writ thus, That the Purpose, and End of the League and Covenant, is, for setling, and holding fast of Unity and Uniformity betwixt the Churches of this Island, and the best Reformed Churches beyond Sea; but all these Churches beyond Seas, did then, and still does to this day sing the Doxology, then surely the Church of Scotland, even after their taking the League and Covenant, as it did tye them to keep the Doxology, so they sincerely purposed to keep it, and their practice was conform.

Seventhly The General Assembly, Anno Dom. 1645. Feb. 3. post merid. S [...]ss. [...]o By their Act, they establish the putting in executi­on the Directory notwithstanding, in the close of that Act, they dissent from England expresly in two particulars, anent the manner of giving the Lords Supper. As also Sess. 16. Of that Assembly, they freely dissent from the Westminster Synod. in other two particulars, as also, they provide, that this shall be to prejudice to the Order and Practice of this Church, in such particulars as re appointed by the Books of Discipline, and Acts of General Assemblies, and are not other­wise ordered and appointed in the Directory: And this Act is not only to be found Printed in the General Assembly, Anno 1645 But also the said Directory was Printed at Edinburgh, in the said Year, by Order both of Church and State, and the foresaid Act of the General Assembly of Scotland Printed, and prefixed to it.

Now among th [...]se particulars, in which the Church of Scotland pre­serveth her Right, and protests timously, norwithstanding the De­rectory, and wherein the Directory hath not appointed other wayes, the singing of the Doxology, and the ordinar manner of Blessing the Lords People, at the close of the Publick Worship are two; for nei­ther of which are particularly ordered in the Directory contrarily, as for the Doxology, no mention to sing it, or not to sing it. 2dly. For the blessing of the Congregation, these are their Words, Let the Minister dismiss the Congregation with a solemn blessing. but no particu­lar word of a Directory, mentioning either the blessing in the Old [Page 67] Testament, Numb. 6. 24, 25. Or in the New Testament, 2 Corinth. 13 14. As they are both mentioned in their express words, in our Scots Lyturgy, at our Reformation; pag. 29 As also the said Scots Lyturgy hath the Doxology Printed in the Psalm Book, so that both from the National Covenant, and Solemn League and Covenant from many Acts of General Assemblies, and Letters of the said Assembly, it is without doubt, and notour, that the Church of Scotland, when they laid aside the Doxology, were no wayes in power to do it, but on the contrare, by both Covenants, and many other previous Oaths of their own, oblidged still to retain it, and not by quitting of it, so far as to have made a Schism from the Reformed Churches, with which they had Solemnly sworn to keep Union in Worship; but beside all these Tyes of their own Vowes and Promises willingly taken by themselves, which does denude them of all Liberty and Power, to lay aside the Doxology.

I bring this Reason, to wit. As the General Assembly of this Church did bind up their own hands from laying aside the Doxology, by both Covenants, and many Acts of General Assemblies beside, so there are Reasons brought from the substance of their deed to invalid at the same, as First, there is a Rule in the Word of God, Whether ye eat, or ye drink, do all to the glory of God, Then every Church Act should be done to the Glory of God, then the tenor of this Church Act must come to this, for the Glory of God, we lay aside singing Glory to God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, this is a hard saying, and like a Paradox, For he that offereth praise, glorifieth me, Psalm 50 13.

2dly. Consider that the Almighty can, and does make Lawes to His Creature, and His Will and infinit Goodnesse is a sufficient Reason to Him, stat pro ratione voluntas, but Men, both in Church and State, they and their Laws both are subject to Censure, and control of the Su­pream Law-giver, and therefore Mens Laws ordinarly have a Rational Narrative on which they are founded for all good Laws, are found­ed upon good Reasons and Reasonable Men should be led by reason­able Laws, especially when they are invalidating one former Law, or Decree. not out of use, or forgotten; but used for many Years, with approbation, yea, even to that very hour: Then this Law required a very grave and weighty Narrative, but the Act for laying aside the Doxology, had no such Rational Narrative, and in so far, it is invali­dat, from having the essentiall of an Act, for it is like, they could not have a rational Narrative for it, therefore, it was the prudency of the General Assembly, to bu [...]y in silence both the Act, and it's Nar­rative; This shews their unwillingness to the thing, and therefore I hope there may the rather an Act of Oblivion, or rescissory passe upon their imprinted Act.

Thirdly, We challenge the Roman Church, that they lean too much [Page 68] to unwritten Traditions, but I fear they may retort the Argument upon us, that some of the Reformed Church, adhere too much to unwritten Tradition, for the layin [...] aside of the singing of the Doxolo­gy, is not in the Word of God, nor in any Act of the Church, and therefore, if there be any unwritten Tradition, owned by the Re­formed Church, this must be it; For why, some people make as much dinn, and reluctancy, to sing the Doxology, as some of the Roman Church does, for keeping of their unwritten Traditions.

4. No particular Church in this or that Kingdom hath power to change any thing in the Publick Worship of God without the consent of the Supream Civil Magistrate; [...]umble not at this, for it is the Doctrine of the Church of Gene­va, Theses Genev. B [...]zae. Anno Dom. 1586. cap. 84. T [...]es. 18 ha­rum denique legum & statuendarum & tollendarum potestas ordinaria & legitima nequit a pastoris unius arbitrio neque 1 solius alicujus Pres­byt [...]rii judic [...]n pendere sed acceden­te Christiani Magistratus consensis & authoritate cum denique & comprobance grege ista vel pom­vel aboleri debent. who also require the consent of the flock, as needful, which was granted by the General Assembly of Scotland, 1639. and yet in laying aside the Doxologie without the fore-knowledge or consent of their flocks, they went contrary to their own Act, and also contrary to the Canon of the Church of Geneva, for the Church of Geneva very orderly requires the consent of the Magistrate, and his Authority to any such innovation, but so it was that the consent of the Magistrate, so [...] as we can learn, was not at all required to the laying aside of the Doxologie, and for less was it obtained. And if that Act of the General Assembly, 16 [...]9 August 30. had been obeyed, to wit, that th [...] laying aside of the Doxologie had first been debated in Synods and Presbyteries, before it had been presented to the General Assembly, 1649 (considering the many reasons which I have brought, which judicious Presbyters would have made use of) It is very pro­bable to me that the General Assembly foresaid had retained the Doxo­logie, notwithstanding of some in England who desired to lay it aside, and so they had dissented in the matter of the Doxologie from these in England, as well as they dissented from them to other particulars of far less moment, notwithstanding they so much wished union.

5. Having proven by many reasons the invalidity of laying aside the Doxologie, yet because some weak Christians have been ready to think that the General Assembly in the year, 1649 did lay aside the Doxo­logie in the Publick Worship of God, because they thought it unlaw­ful to use it: For answer, it is a very uncharitable thought to judge of any Minister of the Gospel, and such as were members of the Ge­neral Assembly, or these Divines in England, that they were so grosse­ly [Page 69] ignorant as to think the singing of the Doxologie unlawful. 2: That the General Assembly not only thought it not unlawful (for then they would have laid it aside willingly, and registrat their deed in the Books of their General Assemblies, to deterr all others from singing the Doxologie; but seing they left no word of it in their Register, It was because in their prudence they would not black Paper with it, far less Print it to be read by Posterity, being a deed in which they did not glory; but to the which, if I may say, they were compelled, as St. Paul speaks o [...] himself in another case, 2 Cor. 12. 11. by the impor­tunity of these in England, and that they might upon after considerati­ons re-assume the Doxologie the more easily, that there was nothing in the Register against it.

6. That the General Assembly, Anno Dom. 1649. did not reject the Doxologie, as unlawful is thus proven; some leading Ministers who were upon the secrets of that Assembly, did thereafter without scruple sing the Doxologie in Family Worship, acknowledging that the Assem­bly did only lay it aside in Publick Worship, to please some Brethrens desire in England, but the laying of it aside in Families was not intend­ed by the Synod.

7. When the Kings Majesty returned home, and Church affairs were setled, and the Doxologie with his Majesties express consent re­assumed, and put in practice again, then these Ministers who were present in that Assembly, 1649. and the rest of the Ministers in Scot­land, who had all submitted for laying it aside for a time, lest they should seem contentious, did more willingly re-assume it, then they laid it aside.

8. These aged Ministers who are yet alive, (for it is now 33. years past) can testifie, that that General Assembly, 1649 were far from any scruple, or thoughts of judging that the Doxologie was unlaw­ful.

9. In the General Assembly, 1645. Sess. 15. they enact, that the Ministers bowing in the Pulpit (although a lawful custome in this Church) be hereafter laid aside, for satisfaction of the desires of the Reverend Divines of the Synod of England, and for uniformity with that Church so much endeared to us: that then the General Assembly declare their bowing in the Pulpit a lawful custome, then much more did they think so of the Doxologie, for the singing of the Doxologie is of much moment, it being occasioned upon a most weighty considera­tion, to wit the strengthning of Christians against the damnable here­sie of the Arian, which heresie was not only damning, but also these Hereticks activity, and bloody cruelty (when they got power in their hands) did threaten the utter subversion of the true faith of the Church of Christ, therefore the universal Church spread to the ends of the earth, have ever since unanimously kept the practice of the Doxo­logie.

[Page 70]8. Their laying aside of the Doxologie would appear not to have been done cordially, but because of the importunity of these in Eng­land, for albeit they had received the Directory, Anno Dom. 1645. at which time these in England left the Doxologie, who had imbraced the Directory; yet for all that importunity from England, the General Assembly of Scotland did not lay aside the Doxologie until August, 1649. and when it was mentioned by the Moderator of the General Assembly to be laid aside, Mr. David Calderwood, an aged man, a Mi­nister of great experience, and of unquestionable integrity, as to these times, spoke to the hearing of the whole Synod. Moderator, I intreat that the Doxologie be not laid aside, for I hope to sing it in Heaven, to which speech he received no satisfactory answer; and I doubt not but many in that Synod by their silence did approve his saying, as a sound and seasonable testimony in favours of the Doxologie; and I do not remember that the Doxologie was laid aside by a formal suffrage of the whole Synod, by calling of the Roll; only some next the Moderator gave their consent: and howsoever, the not Registrating of this deed cannot be imputed to the sloath of their Clerk; for these who were acquaint with these times know well that they were not sloathful in business, but servent in spirit. But it seems strange to me that some in the General Assembly of Scotland in that year, 1649. could have so strong hopes of a comfortable union with England in matter of Reli­gion, and upon that account to lay aside the Doxologie to please them, when the General Assembly, Anno 1648. Sess. 21. complains at length of the perfidie of many Sectaries in England, who had once with Scotland taken the League and Covenant, and now had broken it in all its six Articles, and were hinderers of the work of Reformation in England; and the General Assembly, Anno 1649. Sess. 27. writ, that now the Sectaries in England were the prevailing party, who had sub­verted the Government, and appointed a vast toleration in England.

As for these Brethren in England who requested the General As­sembly in Scotland to lay aside the singing of the Doxologie, no doubt they had taken the League and Covenant, and on this account are cal­led Brethren; but in that Covenant they did solemnly vow and swear to Almighty God to reform Religion according to the best reformed Churches; but all the reformed Churches have still retained the Doxo­logie, why then did not these Brethren in England fear that Oath, the mark of the truly godly, Eccl. 9. 2. And if any would thus excuse them, that they were perswaded by such strong reasons as they thought libe­rate them from their Oath, in regard of singing the Doxologie, I an­swer, granting that it is possible they had such thoughts, as may be in charity supponed: To which I reply, If they had, as they thought, such strong reasons convincing themselves, then they were bound to impart that new and rare light unknown to the universal Church for [Page 71] more then 1300. years, they should have imparted that spiritual gift, and not hid that talent of knowledge in their Napkin, nor set their Candle under a Bushel, but on a Candlestick, to give light to all the house, not only of the reformed, but even of the universal Church.

2. It may be thought that they were obliged to clear themselves of giving offence in separating from the Reformed Churches, contrary to their Covenant, and quitting the Doxologie without so much as ren­dering one reason for their making a breach from the reformed Churches in their uniformity in Worship, which they did swear in their Covenant.

I am also sorry that with their quitting of the Doxologie, these in England did also quite both the solemn blessings in the Old and New Testament which the Reformed Church useth in the closing of the pub­lick Worship that they would neither give God his due, nor his peo­ple; not him his solemn glory, nor them their solemn blessing, and so they have not left a blessing behind them, and it is like their way hath not been the more blessed in their deed: for as their laying aside of the Apostolick blessing, 2 Cor 13, 14. (which Text the universal Church taketh for one of the chief Texts in the Word-of God for prov­ing the great fundamental point of faith of the Sacred Trinity) So the universal Church had made use of the Doxologie these many hundred years bygone, as a strong preservative against seducing of people to er­rour anent the Trinity.

As for the General Assembly of Scotland, as they piously, and pru­dently, in these unsettled and reeling times, retained both the blessings of the Old and New Testament in their Publick Worship, with the rest of the reformed Churches: So it was a good presage that in the Lords good time they would re-assume and sing glory to the blessed Trinity with the rest of the reformed and universal Church, as now they do at this day, for which we give glory to the blessed Tri­nity.

CHAP. XII.

THe Apostle Paul as a good Pastor professeth he became all things to all men, that by all means he might save some, 1 Cor. 9. 22. So I am informed that some Christians weak in knowledge, because the General Assembly for a time did lay aside the Doxologie, therefore they in an ignorant mistake thought it unlawful to be sung; and they [Page 72] are promoved in that errour upon this weak reason, because the Doxo­logie is no [...] express in continued Scriptures, as the Psalms of David are: I answer, first, If a Preacher whom they like well Preach, or Pray, or Praise God in Prose, or without a Song, although neither of these three, their Sermon, Prayer, or Praise, be express Scripture, but only according to Scripture (and I heartily wish it be alwayes so) then without all scruple they joyn in these as parts of Gods Worship, when neither that Sermon, Prayer, or Praise is the express Word of God; but if we praise God with a Tone, or Song, it must either be in the Psalms of David, or else it is an abomination to them: But doth not the Apostle command to praise God in Psalms, Hymns, and spiri­tual Songs, Eph. 5. 19. In which place the Learned dare not exclude any H [...]mn, or spiritual Song in Scripture, and we have proven already th [...] D [...]xologie to be of this nature.

2. I answer, whereas they say nothing should be sung in Publick Worship but express Scripture, then let them be pleased to learn this truth, that the Psalms which they sing in Meeter or Verse, are but a Paraphrase, or short Commentary upon the Scripture for no Church nor Divine rejects the express Word of God, but for Paraphrase it is ordinary to reject one, and authorize another, as the Church finds ex­pedient; and thus the General Assembly of Scotland rejected the old Paraphrase of the Psalms, as not so fit as need were in some things; and caused make a new Paraphrase in Meeter, and authorized it to be used in Churches, therefore no Paraphra [...]e is the express and pure Word of God, so they are in a mistake singing an imperfect Commen­tary of mans making when they think they are singing the pure Word of God, and yet you sing it, without scruple of Conscience; then I rea­son that any judicious Christian understanding that all the parts of the Doxologie are either exp [...]ess Scripture, or so infallible Divine funda­mental and saving truth, that they have been received without scruple or contradiction these 1300. years by the universal Church; so that all that time not one Christian did carp at any one word of the Doxo­logie; but as for the Paraphrase in Meeter upon the Psalms, as that old is rejected for its faults, so some do object and carp at some words and lines in the new Paraphrase, which ye sing without scruple; so that by consequence a learned and judicious Christian will sing the Doxo­logie with more clearness and contentment then some lines of the new Paraphrase, although I think that last Paraphrase any defect in it is compatible to the peaceable and moderate Christian; for this I write, not that any should reject the late Paraphrase, but that they who ac­cept of the Paraphrase do not despise or reject the Doxologie.

3. I answer, In our Psalm Books in Scotland, printed shortly after the Reformation from Popery, we also printed with the Psalms some spiritual Songs and holy Hymns, with liberty to sing them in the Church; [Page 73] So the Church of Geneva, reformed Church of France, and the Church of Belgia, have printed together with their Psalms of David many Scriptural Songs and holy Hymns, and have authorized them to be sung in the publick Worship of God, with the Lords Prayer, Ten Com­mandments, and the Apostolick Creed, all turned in Meeter, and sung in the Church; and dare any in Britain, who own the name of Protestant, condemn this practice of the reformed Churches beyond Seas, without the deserved reproof of Ignorance, [...]ride and Pervers­ness; therefore Mr. Baxter in his Method of Peace of Conscience, pa [...]. 411. writes thus, In my weak judgment, if Hymns and Psalms of Praise were new invented as fit for the state o [...] th [...] Gospel Church and Wor­ship, to laud the Redeemer come in the Flesh, as expressly as the work of Grace is now express: As Davids Psalms were fitted to the former state and infancy of the Church [...] and more obscure Revelations of the Mediator and His Grace, it would be no sinful humane invention, or addition, nor any more want warrand then ou [...] inventing the form and words of every Sermon we preach, or every Prayer that we make, or any Catechism, or Confession of Faith; nay, it seems o [...] so great use­fulness, as is next to a necessity, and if there be any convenient parcels of the ancient Church that are fit­ted to this use, they should de­servedly Petrus Martyr Comment. in quin­tum caput Judicum v. [...]. § 4. cu­randum ne in templis quaevis pro­miscue canantur s [...]d illa tantummodo quae divinis literis continentur, aut quae inde justis conclusion [...]bus elici­untur, & cum verbo Dei ad amiusium consentiunt: nam si senestra inventis hominum aperia [...]ur, verendum est ne musica ecclesiastica tandem ad nugas & fabulas re [...]idat, at approbat Hym­nos Ambrosii cani in Templis Symbo­lum Athanasii & Psalmos Augustini contra Donatistas. be preferred, for doubt­less, if Gods usual solemn Worship on the Lords days were fitted and directed to a pleasant delightful praising way, it would do very much to frame the spirits of Chri­stians to joyfulness, thankfulness, and delight in God, than which there is no greater care for the doubtful, pensive, and self-tor­menting frame of some Christians: O try this Christians, at the request of one who is moved by God to importune you to it Isa. 58. 14. Thou shall delight thy self in the Lord, compare this with Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will rejoyce over thee with singing.

If it be objected that the Doxology is defective, because it expresseth not the unity of the Essence in the Godhead with the Trinity of the Persons, to wit, that we do not express glory to God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? to which I answer, first, That it is beyond all que­stion that these three Persons Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are one glorious God, and so all true ChrisTians from the rising of the Sun to its [Page 74] going down, do firmly believe and unanimously profess, therefore to sing it after that manner, no doubt were Orthodox; then ye will urge, why was it not so appointed at first to be sung in Churches? for answer to which question, I perceive that the Westminster Synod in their Directory, Anno Dom. 1645. for Baptism, have appointed the Sacrament of Bap­tism to be administrate in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without adding one word more, albeit they did well know and believe that these three are one God, which no doubt they have done, following closs to the example of that great cloud of Witnesses, to wit, the Universal, and particularly the reformed Churches, lest otherwise they had presumed to teach our Saviour, who is the wis­dom of the Father, to speak better and more full Divinity.

And this leads us to the chief Answer, to wit, Why the Doxo­logy Ecclesia antiqua fidem suam in tres personas divinas aequales ejusdemque trinitatis Doxologiam super Christi verbis baptisma instituentis accura­tius fundarunt patres concilij Con­stanti [...]op. secundi oecumen. & ab Ecclesia universali in hunc diem ap­probati mittunt libellum synodicum Roman ad Damasim aliosque Epis. copos ibidem convocatos in quo ex­hibent fidei suae de Trinitate confes­sionem [...], & consentaneam baptismati [...], Theo­doret. Hist. Eccles. lib. 5. cap. 9. & Nazianzen his contemporandus ora­tione 32. Anno Dom. 381. [...], & idem Nazi­anz [...] Oratione 6. de Spiritu Sancto [...]. Quod ad Arianorum perversam ac haereticam Doxologiae corruptionem ab Ecclesia Orthodoxa damnatam consule, Theodoretum Hist. Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 24. ex Athanasio. does not express the unity of the divine Essence with the Tri­nity of Persons, even because these ancient Doctors of the Church and Apostolick Men in their holy and due reverence given to our Savi­ours words, when he appointed Christian Baptism, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; to the Doxology would neither add nor alter from that divine Pattern, and accordingly Basil the great writes, Epist. 78. We must as we have received, even so Baptize, and as we Baptize, even so Be­lieve, and as we Believe, even so give Glory. As for the Arian, about the Year of Christ 360. in the Cathedral Church of Antioch, the Arians singing the Doxology, were observed to change the words appointed by our Saviour in Chri­stian Baptism, and instead of sing­ing Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, did sing Glory to the Father, by the Son, in the Holy Ghost, which presump­tuous change, the Orthodox Church did condemn, as flowing from an Antichristian heart, inspi­red [Page 75] from Hell, yet pretending some­what of an Angel of Light, for their heretical Spirit was seen through their Mask, in that they did not keep fast the form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1. 13

Others object, To oblige Christians to sing the Doxology, is to take away their Christian liberty, who should have it still in their option to sing it or not sing it when they please? I answer, God never ap­pointed Christian Liberty to warrand disorderly Confusion, which God disowneth; for according to this Objection, in a Church Meeting, there is one half at such a Diet that will not sing the Doxology, because of their Christian Liberty, and the other half will sing it at that same Si Ecclesiae incolumitati bene pro­spectum volumus diligenter omnino curandum est ut diligenter omnia & secundum ordinem siant, ut cum in hominum moribus tanta insit diver­sit as, tanta in animis varietas, tanta in ingeniis judiciisque pugna, neque politia ulla firma est nisi certis legi­bus constituta, nec nisi stata quaedam forma servari ritus quispiam potest, Institut. lib. 4. cap. 10. §. 27. time because of Christian Liberty; and then who will deny this to be horrid and scandalous Confusion, very dishonourable to the God of all Glory, who is not the Author of Confusion, 1 Cor. 4. 33. and hath commanded all things to be done decently and in order; and therefore hath given power to His Church to appoint such and such things to be done decently and in order, as is clear in Calvin's words.

If it be objected to the Christians, to sing the Doxology so often, to wit, once at least each dyet of Publick Worship, is to make an Idol of it, I answer that defect, they who lay any weight on this Objection, it is of knowledge, to wit, That the frequent practising of any lawful Duty, in obedience to lawful Authority, is to make an Idol of it, Deut. 6. v. 7, 8, 9. The Lord Commands Parents to teach His Word diligently to the Children, When thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou lyest down, and when thou rysest up, &c. and in­culcats, Deut. 11. v. 18, 19 20. Does here the Lord command to make an Idol of the Word, Psal. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that me­ditats in the law of the Lord day and night, is that, to make an Idol of Gods Law, 1 Thess. 5 17. Pray without ceasing, is to make an Idol of Prayer, then to sing the Doxology at the close of the Psalm, does not make an Idol of it, it being done to the Glory of God, and in obedi­ence to lawfull Authority, and so for conscience sake. 2. Answer, It is not the frequency of the Action, that makes it Idolatrous, but trusting in the Action, although never so lawfull, and albeit, but once done; if a covetous worlding find a rich Treasure, he makes it his Idol, the first moment, so he who would give the half of his goods to [Page 76] the poor at one dell, and trust in it, as a sufficient price to buy there­with the Glory of Heaven, hath in so doing committed Idolatry 3. Answer, A Christian may abuse any Lawful Duty, by trusting in it, and so idolize it, but it will not follow, that therefore such a Duty is unlawfull in it self, as to give Alms to the Poor, &c. and there­fore should not be commanded, because it may be a [...]used. 4. Answer, Trusting in any Duty is a sin of the heart, which man cannot see in his neighbour, and so hath neither ability to judge, nor yet Authority. 5. Answer, Be awar that thou who pretends Christian Liberty, and therefore refuses to sing the Doxology, or else under pretence of fear to Idolize it, see thou make not an Idol of thy Chri­stian Liberty, or of thy panick fear of Idolizing th [...] Duty, for in this condition, the Proverb is made t [...]ue, The fear of a man causeth a snare, Prov. 29. v. 25. And that thou makes an Idol of thy pretended liber­ty of Conscience, or pretend [...]d fears of the Idolizing the commanded. Duty, is thus proven, that whatsoever [...] m [...]n prefers to his obedience to God, that he Idolizeth, but the disorderly Christian prefers the maintaining of his Christian Liberty, or pretended fear of Idolizing to the Duty of his obedience to God, therefore he Idolizeth his Chri­stian Liberty, and pretended fear of Idolizing, for God commands him to obey Superiour Powers in things Lawful, and [...]herefore in parti­cular to sing the Doxology, and all his answers is, his Christian Liberty, or fear of Idolizing forbid him to sing it, and so he may shake of all obedience to God and Man, under pretence of Idolizing the Duty.

Some say, they will not sing the Doxology, because the Bishops brought it in: First Answer, This Reason is invalid; for the singing of the Doxology being proven, to be a good and lawfull Deed, will ye abstain from a good Duty, because he whom you suppose to be your enemy, advises you to do it: This conc [...]it involves you in a snare of your own making. If your enem [...], to ens [...]re you, bid you fear God, will you not do it? I hope you will say you will do it, notwithstanding then, abstain not from a good Duty in contempt of an [...] man.

2dly. Do the lawfull Duty, least your Schism, and refusing give offence, I will ask you, Are you lesse oblidged to sing the Doxology then our Saviour was oblidged to pay Tribute, but He payed Tri­bute, least He should offend, Matth. 17. verse last.

3dly. The word of God commands, if thy enemy hunger, give him meat, and does not the same Lord by infallible consequence com­mand thee to take his meat, where he offers it, thou standing in great need of it: Then let it be supponed, that providence put you in such extremity, that ye are at the point of death for hunger, and the Bishop in charity, at the Lords command offers you Meat, although you ac­count him your enemy, you are bound in Conscience before God to take his adivise, and Meat both; beware to say you would refuse it; [Page 77] for that would nor help, but weaken your cause, For if you in pride refuse his meat offered, y [...] are your own murderer, and being a self­murderer, you kill both your Soul, and your Body, therefore I hope hav­ing pondered your twofold danger of Soul and Body, you will grant to take the Bishops Meat, for your own good, and look on him as one sent of God for your good in that strait, then ye will grant its lawfull for you to obey the Bishops advise.

4thly. If the Bishop shall recommend it to your Paroch Pasture, who hath the charge of your Soul to recommend it to each Family, to have Family Worship [...] would you cease from the Duty, because it came of the Bishop, I think you would not; and that because you had a higher warrand then the Bishop, that made you to obey, even the God of Heaven: Then although ye look not to the Bishops desire, to sing the Doxology, obey the command of God, to glorifie him with all the Powers of the Soul, and Members of the Body, which he gave you to glorifie him with them; and if the Bishop exhort you to walk in the way to Heaven, will you refuse to do it? and I will assure you, in the Name of Jesus Christ the great Bishop of our Souls, be­fore whose Judgement [...]eat we must all appear, that notwithstanding your sinfull contempt of Bishops, in that day you shall see many Bishops who had been Ma [...]tyrs Confessors, burning and shinning Lights, Sons of Thunder, and Consolation, standing in that day on the right hand of Jesus Christ, with their flocks, their Crown and joy, will you re­fuse to stand on Christs right hand, because many Bishops will be there or rather, will ye not be glad to back the Bishop in his way to glory, A [...]! then your old new light will be buried in Eternal Oblivion, and the Father of Lights will give you an new and eternal Light, to wit, that Bishops, which in your Error you misjudged, as going to hell, then ye will know assuredly they were going to Heaven on better grounded Faith then you, (your scruples with which you troubled your selves, and the place in the World wherein you lived, will be all cleared, th [...]n your hard thoughts that you entertained of Bishops, and many other Christians, better then your selves, will be blotted our of your judge­ment, to all Eternity, and if Mr. Calderwoods hopes do not fail him, you will sing the Doxology in Heaven, with the Bishops: But I charge you, who are not the Lambs of Christ and truly regenerat, that ye presume not to claim to this word, for it is none of yours, but the Childrens Bread.

5thly. Why do ye pretend your disguist of the Bishops, to be the cause of your refusing to sing the Doxology, did you not refuse to sing it be­fore they were Re­established, and that because the General Assembly laid it aside, whom ye obeyed, then ye refused to sing it before they returned, and if they had not returned, would you have resumed it, I think you will not say it: Then if the Bishops had not returned stil to this day you would have refused to sing it.

[Page 78] 6thly. I will give you better Information, ye with the rest of all this Kirk, are desired to reassume the Doxology, by Authority of the King's Majesty, for ye know it is the will of God in His Word, to in­vest the King with a power to restore the decayes of Religion, when they happen, and so did the good Kings of Judah, Asah, Jehosaphat, and Josiah; and accordingly our Kings Majesty, being, by the King of kings wonderfully and mercifully restored to his Crowns and Scep­ters, according to his duty of thankfulnesse, and Authority from the Lord given to Him, He perceiving that the Doxology was laid aside, in a time of confusion, when there was no King in Israel, even that part of the Kirk's publick Worship, wherein we not only agree with the uni­versall, but more especially, with the Reformed Kirks; Therefore, seing all the Reformed Churches with the Universall retained the Dox­ology, and the General Assembly of Scotland laid it aside, when they were not in power to do it, therefore the Kings Majesty, by His Authority, wisely, and piously recommended the reassuming of the Doxology, therefore in refusing to sing the Doxology, ye disobey the King in that which is lawfull and right, therefore my request is to you to fear God and Honour the King, by singing the Doxology, and there­by you shall first honour God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and then your King, for albeit, at the casting off the Yoke of the Popes us­urped Power, some of the Reformed Kirks did quite the Government of the Kirk by Episcopacy, yet none of these Kirks did ever affirm, that Monarchy, or Kingly Government was unlawfull, no, nor yet Episcopacy, for albeit some of them quite Episcopal Government, be­cause they had not Rents to sustain them, yet they granted the Go­vernment to be lawfull. I have more to writ upon this Point, but it is not for the Babes, who have need of Milk and not of strong Meat.

There remains one doubt to be answered: because the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 6. 12. [...] Beza reddit conducens Pastor spiritualiter utile hoc ver­bum invenitur, John 16. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 33. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Heb. 12. 10. Anis. medul. Theolog. lib. 2. 6. 16. res media dicitur expedire cum omni­bus circumstantiis consideratis ad gloriam Dei & aedificationem proxi­mi facit. Hath a distincti­on, All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient? therefore some may say according to this distinction, albeit the sing­ing of the Doxology be lawfull for a Christian, yet it will not follow, that it is expedient to sing it, for answer, as we have proven by many Arguments the lawfulnesse to sing it, so we shall clear the ex­pediency which can be best cleared from the Holy Scriptures, there­fore, 1 Cor. 10. 28. The Apostle sayes, All things are lawfull for me, but all things edifie not. The Greek word, which is rendered expedi­ent, may be rendered profitable, or conducing, that is, for the Chri­stians [Page 79] spiritual good, and edification, but so it is, that the singing of the Doxology to the blessed Trinity is most conducing. First, To the glory of God, 2dly. To the edification of the Christian, in the most fundamentall point of all Divinity, and this was the true cause, why the universall Church hath agreed so unanimously these many hundred years, to retain the Doxology in the publick worship, and for guard­ing of the Lords Flock against A [...]itrinitarian Blasphemous Hereticks, so that it cannot be objected, it might be expedient then, but not now, for to the old Arians are now added Socinians, Anabaptists, and Qua­kers, which Errors are come to our doors. 2dly. If any will yet be contentious, to deny the expediency of it, we Answer, that the most competent Judge on earth to prove it's expediency, is not this, or that privat Man, nor yet this, or that privat Church, but the universal Church, which to this day retain it, and use it, and therefore by their practice they declare to all particular Christians, that they judge it not only lawful, but also expedient, which is a satisfactory answer to all rational Christians.

CHAP. XIII.

HAving proven the Lawfulnesse, and Expediency of singing the Doxology, and answered the Doubts, and Scruples to the con­trare, we shall hasten to a close, having mentioned the evils that flow from the refusing to sing the Doxology, the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 20. Mentions the evils that flowed from their divisions at the Kirk of Corinth, to wit, debates, envyings, wraths, strifs, back-bitings, whis­perings, swellings, tumults, and all these are the sad effects of their divisi­ons, 1 Cor. 3. 3. That same Apostle writting to the Galatians, hath yet sadder evils, Galat. 5. 15. If you bit and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumeed one of another, which judgement I pray God in his mercy to avert from this Land, what bodily evils of Blood­shed, Spoiling of Goods, Desolation of Families, many Widows, and Fatherless Children, these are the sad and sore evils, that they are very dull and sensles, who takes not this to heart, but the spiritual evils of Sin, and Scandal is far more provocking in the eyes of the Lord, and First, The sin of Sedition against the lawfull Magistrat, which not only brings down the wrath of God upon a Land, but, if not repented of, ends in damnation to Soul and body, as appears, Rom. 13. From the beginning, another evil, the great Scandal given to the grieving of the Strong, and stumbling of the Weak, when they see the Commands of the lawfull Magistrat, commanding a thing so lawfull, as to sing the Doxology, yet to be contemned and slighted, The Apostle [Page 80] Paul, in that same place, Rom. 13. Says, we should obey the Magistrat, not only for fear of Gods Wrath, and the Magistrats Wrath, but also for conscience sake, is it not then strange Religion, when the Lord bids oney the Magistrat in all things lawfull and that for Conscience, sake, that in the mean time, they who call themselves Christians, and conscientious will answer for Conscience sake, we will refuse to obey the Magistrat, can it here be supponed that their Conscience that will not obey, is a good Conscience, when the Conscience in the Word named, Rom. 13. Is certainly meaned good conscience, except ye will make it such Divinity as this; It is good Conscience sayes the Lord is His Word, to obey the Magistrat, in things lawful, and also accord­ing to your refusal, it is good Conscience to disobey the Magistrat therefore be pleased to consider, that there is a twofold superstition,, First positive, which is most ordinar, to which the old Pharisees were much addicted; There is also a negative superstition, of which we have example, Colos. 2. 19. Touch not, taste not, handle not; there is an other example of the same, Rom. 14. 3. Where ye will find a su­perstidious (eat not) upon consideration of which two Texts, see that your refusing to sing the Doxology come not in, in that category (sing not) in which place ye may find a controversy betwixt two sorts of Christi­ans the strong in knowledge, and the weak, the strong Christian believes that he may can any thing, and not ask question, or scruple for Conscience sake, and him the Apostle approveth, and alloweth, for him the Apostle defends against the weak Christian, in the end of the 3. verse God hath received him, to wit, the strong Christian, and albeit the weak Christian, who is stiff through his ignorance to (eat not) yet the Apostle condemns him, because he proudly, and igno­rantly thought these things unclean, whereas the Apostle sayes, they were not unclean, and therefore the strong made no scruple, but eat, and is approven of God. So in the 14. verse of this 14. Chapter, the weak thought that unclean, which was not unclean, and therefore re­fused to eat it, then apply this to your own Consciences, who sayes, (sing not) because your Conscience thinks it unlawfull to sing, when we have proven already, that it is both lawfull, and expedient; See then that ye are not as wrong with your (sing not) as these weak Christian Romans were with their (eat not) The strong Christian thinks it clean to sing, and dutifull, and is approven of God, ye think it unclean, and unlawfull, and are not approven of God, because ye obey not the Magistrat in that which is lawfull, and I pray you consider in the 14. verse of that Chapter, the Apostles vehement and empha­tick expression, I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ, that there is nothing unclean of it self: So I know and am perswaded with the universall Church, that the Doxology is not unclean, nor the sing­ing of it an unclean Action, and though ye judge him that singeth, God hath saved him.

In these two ranks of Christians, strong in knowledge, and weak, I perceive a fault in each of them mutually toward the other, vers 3. The weak judged or condemned the strong, for the Greek word [...] signifies both, as if they had been sinning in their eating, and as people that made no conscience of their doings: So beware it be not your sin proudly and ignorantly to condemn them that sings, as it were a sin. There was a sin also on the other hand in the strong that de­spised the weak, for their refusing to eat, because of their scrupulous and ignorant conscience; therefore it is my humble request to all that sing the Doxologie, that none of them despise or set at nought him that singeth not, upon meer ignorance, his conscience being sincere, for despising is a sin against Christian love; therefore even these who in great weakness sing not, yet bestow Christian love on them, and still the more, if ye see any sign of Christ in them, and be willing to in­struct them in the spirit of meekness; for which cause I have written these lines for your information, and am to exhort you to tenderness with them in the last Chapter.

And if any object that there is some diversity and difference betwixt particular Churches which viosits not Christian union, as in some Churches they kneel at the receiving of the Lords Supper, in another Church they sit, in the third they stand; I answer, albeit diverse Churches in diverse Kingdoms have diverse wayes, yet no Church in one and the same Kingdom allows such a latitude as this, receive the Communion standing, or not standing as you please; but every Church have their settled way and uniformity, otherwayes it would violat the Apostles rule, let all things be done in order and decency, 1 Cor. 14. vers last, and make confusion, of which God is not the Author, as it is vers. 33. of that same Chapter: and according Justinianum, lib 4. cap. 10. § 27. Si Ecclesiae incolumita­ti bene prospectum volumus diligen­ter omnino curandum est ut decenter omnia & secundum ordinem fiant, at cum in hominum moribus tanta in sit diversitas, tanta in animas varie­tas, tanta in ingeniis, judiciisque pugna neque politia ulla firma est, nisi certis legibus constituta, nec ni­si stata quadam forma servari ritus quispiam potest. Calvin writes judiciously, that there cannot be order and decency unless there be one certain state form; so that this difference in some Churches one from another, will not allow in the same Church some to sing the Doxologie, some not: For as Calvin did sing it to the day of his death, so neither at that time, nor never before it, was the singing of the Doxologie called in question. 2 Answer, Albeit the universal Church hath judged some things of less moment then that the univer­sal Church should be tyed to an uniformity in them, because Church Communion might be kept firm amongst diverse Churches, notwith­standing [Page 82] that they differed in some smaller particulars; of which So­crates in his Church History, lib. 5. cap. 21. writes at length, which the Learned know, yet there are some things belonging to the Church of so weighty and important concernment, that the universal Church judged it no wayes expedient that particular Churches should be left to their own choise, but that the universal Church should agree upon one certain way wherein all particular Churches might keep uniformity ac­cording to the rule of Gods Word, for order, and decency, and peace; and therefore the learned know what contentions fell out in the se­cond Century, betwixt the Church in the West, and the Churches in lesser Asia; for these in lesser Asia kept their Feast of Easter the same day that the Jews kept their Passover; but the Christians in the West kept their Feast of Easter upon the first Sabbath day thereafter: And albeit in this mean time the foresaid West and East Churches their judgement and practice was diverse upon that matter, yet on both sides they who were strong in knowledge still kept Church Communi­on one with the other, as Socrates proves learnedly in the foresaid Book and Chapter, so that Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, afterwards a glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ, albeit he did celebrat Easter in that same day with the Jews Passover, as ordinarily did all his Neighbour Bishops in lesser Asia, yet coming to Rome he Communicat with their Bishop upon their Christian Sabbath day, which differed from his day of giving the Communion at home; but because there is infirmity and weakness in many Christians, therefore after that diverse day of keep­ing of Easter raised such broils and contentions betwixt the East and West Church, that there was no visible nor seasible way for prevent­ing a fearful rent and schism in the universal Church, until the general Council of Nice did appoint all to keep one day, which the universal Church hath kept ever since; therefore Beza in his 24. Epist. and 14. § thereof, distinguisheth well betwixt Ecclesiastick constitutions, some are universal, some particular, and without all controversie the sing­ing of the Doxologie is of universal constitution; for as we have pro­ven from antiquity of Fathers, and Councils, the singing of the Doxo­logie was the practice and judgement of the universal Church, there­fore as the universal Church resolved to keep Easter upon a differing day from the Jew, who crucified the Lord of glory, and still blas­phemes him, as Constantine the Great insinuats in his pious Letters af­ter that Council of Nice; so that same universal Church resolved to keep the Doxologie, as a testimony against the Arians, and all such blasphemous Antitrinitarian Hereticks.

Then to apply, the singing of the Doxologie is like the keeping of Easter on the Christian Sabbath day, and not with the Jew on their day, to which both the Civil Magistrat by their Authority, and the Church by their Spiritual Authority did agree at the Council of Nice: as for [Page 83] that Text which we cited, Rom. 14. of Christians in two contrary o­pinions about meat and dayes; the Civil Magistrat nor Church had not as yet interponed their Authority, but it was still Arbitrary for the Magistrats external power, they being then all Pagans, to them both the Jewish and Christian Religion were accounted superstition about words and names, as said the Pagan Magistrat, Acts 25. 19. and they thought it below them to take notice of these things: as for the Church Authority, which was then Apostolick, the Learned know the reason why they did not determine these questions of meats and dayes, because there was a time allotred of interim betwixt the death and honourable burial of the Jews Ceremonies, which time of their honourable burial was not yet expired: and the Epistle to the Ro­mans was written in this interim, during which time the Jewish Cere­monies of meats and dayes, &c. were mortui to the strong Christian Jew, and they were freed of their yoak, by taking on Christs easie yoak, and to the weak Christian Jew who was not clear to quite these Ceremonies as yet during this interim they were indifferent, and not mortiferi: So that place foresaid, Rom. 14. I fear be misapplyed by these that refuse to sing the Doxologie; for the case alters in this, the Doxologie is determined to be used both by the universal Church, and all civil Christian Powers, but these meats and dayes when St. Paul wrote to the Romans, were yet left arbitrary, therefore St. Paul reprov­ed these weak Christians for their ignorance, in not eating: but how much more bitterly had he reproved and condemned them if their not eating had been a breach of the command of the Church and State, as now it is in refusing to sing the Doxologie? Yet as the singing of the Doxologie agreed upon by the universal Church differs from the keep­ing of Easter on the Christian Sabbath, and not on the Jewish Sabbath, in two particulars; 1. The universal Church did more then 200. years differ in keeping the Christian Easter; but all that time not one iota of objection or scruple against the singing of the Doxologie. 2. The Scan­dalizing Act of difference of keeping Easter, was but once in the year, but the refusing to sing the Doxologie is a scandal every weekly Sab­bath.

This your refusing to sing the Doxologie, which the universal Church judgeth to be lawful and expedient, is offensive and evil both to these within, and these without the Church; for these within the Church I make this Hypothesis, that there being many thousand Protestants beyond Seas who hear that some in Scotland have made a separation from their Mother Church, and yet these same beyond Seas do not study the particular grounds, or pretended causes of that separation; yet these same persons being certainly informed that these of the Scots separation, among other differences, refuse to sing the Doxologie; which refusal of theirs is so notorious in their Publick Worship, that [Page 84] it is like the Oyntment upon the right hand which cannot be hid. Then what will Protestant Strangers over Seas conclude? Even this, that seing there is in Scotland some who without just cause have aban­doned the Doxologie, contrary to the judgement and practice of the universal Church, then it is very like that their other pretences for their separation are as unwarrantable; this refusing to sing the Doxo­logie is also evil to these without the Church; which I thus illu­strat, a Turk, Jew, or Pagan, being in the way of conversion to Chri­stianity; and having learned that there is one God, and three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for in this Name he is to be baptized; and being thereafter informed that these same men who are to Baptize him refuse to sing Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in their Publick Worship; in what a demurr and doubtful perplexity would that Turk be? Or would he receive Baptism from these who were to Baptize him in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and yet would not themselves sing Glory to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and also forbid him to sing it, would not that doubt debarr him from Christi­an Baptism, and Salvations or else upon better information that these who refused to sing the Doxologie were but a han [...]ful, who did sepa­rate themselves from the many thousand thousands of Christians who did gladly sing the Doxologie: Would not that Turk joyn himself glad­ly to that Church, whose Word, and Works, Sacraments of God, and his other Worship, was harmonious, where they did Baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, did also in their Publick Wor­ship sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This bygone information, as I directed is only to the weak and gra­cious Lambs of Christ; yet because I know there are other sort of Chri­stians, to whom, though I owe not so great respect as to the Lambs, yet I will tender them this word, ye who refuse to sing the Doxolo­gie, pretending Conscience for your refusing, ye are either painted Tombs, and cunning Hypocrites, or openly prophane ones, who pro­claim your sin like Sodom. First, I speak to the Hypocrite, thou grave­ly assevers that you dare not sing the Doxologie, le [...] you should wrong or grieve your Conscience: but how comes it to pass that against thy knowledge and Conscience thou lives in secret hainous sins? wilt thou in that day when thou gives account of thy self to the all-seeing God the searcher of hearts, and the eye-witness of thy secret sins, pretend Conscience as thy defence for thy schism now in refusing to sin, the Doxologie, when he who is greater then thy Conscience knows thy false and seigned words? Ah! thou wilt rather be speechless then, Mat. 22. 12. as now thou art when thou shouldst sing the Doxologie. Therefore to prevent that disaster, I intreat you be not silent now, but sing the Doxology, least in that day, the Judge of the Quick and Dead declare, to thy confusion, that thy refusing to sing the Doxology [Page 85] was not Conscience, nor Religion, but vain Glory, Interest, Self­seeking, and Faction.

As for you who liv [...] in oppen scandalous sins, as Drunkennesse Whore­dome, &c. and yet dare say, we cannot sing the Doxology, because of Conscience towards God, To you, hear the Lords answer, Psalm 50. 16. Unto the wicked, God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes? Seing thou hate [...] instruction, being partaker with the thief, adulterer and sclanderer. 2dly. Doth not thy own heart smyt thee, as a mocker of God, and all Religion, when thou pretends Conscience, and when it is seared long agoe, as with a hot iron, 1 Tim. 4. 2. 3ly. You may indeed increase the number of your party, but you diminish their credit, then let all who pretend Conscience, depart from iniquity, and sing the Doxolowy.

When was it that the General Assembly laid aside the Doxolo­gy; even when the Army of the English Rebells, (who had proved false to God, in the matter of Religion, false to the King, in matter of Loyalty, false and perfidious to Scotland, in stead of thankfulness to them for their assistance, came in against them with the Sword, having established a vast toleration, so that, that Army was made up of the dross, and dregs, and scume of England, and even then, when Reli­gion in Scotland and England was in greatest danger, then to lay aside the Doxology, was like that inference, the enemy is approaching, therefore put out your Matches, then consider the evils that immedi­atly, and inevitable came upon Scotland, after they laid aside the Dox­ology, what glory we lost, First, the purity of Religion, by their vast tolleration, which, with their Sectarian and Blasphemous Army, they brought into Scotland; Secondly, We lost our Liberties, for no man durst wear a Sword, or Weapon for his defence, but this was a just judgement, to take a Sword from a man, when he had killed his Father.

[...]. Quis potest haec absque genetu commemorare? annon ideo manifestum est, ut vel puer intelligat, haec quae nunc fuit esse proemia de­fectura fidei. And last of all, St. Basil looks upon it as a fearfull progno­stick, of departing from the truth, when he perceived the Arian not to quite the Doxology altogether, but to change it from the right words, he greatly feared a falling from the Faith to follow, so as long as ye refuse to sing the Dox­ology, ye continue in the begun seperation which is a fearfull evil, it keeps a door open to more sin, and sorrow to follow, for by that separation, ye keep in your heart a disgust at your Mother Church, as faulty, and assure your selves, through ye had no more Er­rors [Page 86] at present, but that one, that ye refuse to sing the Doxology, yet that Error will not be alone, for Error begets in the Soul a Sinfull inclination to more Error, as the Apostle speaks of Erronious Spirits, they grow worse and worse are not now too many turned Quakers, and some sweet Singers, whose beginning in Error was but small.

And to put a close to the Roll of the evils that follow the refusing to sing the Doxology. Is it not both sin and shame to offer to God a lame Sacrifice of worship, for they who refuse to sing the Doxology offer to God a lame Sacrifice of praise, and they are cursed by God, who offer to him the Sacrifice that hath blamish, when they have better and will not offer it: As for these that refuse to sing the Doxology, and think it needless, or evil, these in their heart, and by their deed condemn their Neighbour Christians, for offering to God a mostruous Sacrifice, as having a Leg more then enough, in the 2 Chron. 5. 13. When was it that the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, even when the singers, verse 13. were, or one to make an sound to be heard in prais­ing and thanking the Lord, but this is far from the practise of these, who will no [...] joyn in the praises, which discord in the Lords Song, cannot be but displeasing to him: So that such practise of singing and not singing at one time, yea, worse singing and grieving at one time, for no doubt, he that sings not grieves at him that sings, and looks very like the confusion, that was after the return of the Captivity, at the laying of the foundation of the Temple of Jerusalem, when one part was praising and rejoycing, another part weeping and howling, and the last continued evil, Is a continued Heart-burning, and discon­tent in the hearts of these, who refuse to sing, and keeping a door open still for more seperation.

To close this Chapter, as Mr. Calderwood said, in great zeall, in that foresaid General Assembly, That he hoped to sing the Doxology in Heaven; So let no Christian think it a paradox, for the learned do know, that it may be proven by sound Divinity, for, if in Heaven, our praises to God shall be perfect (which is most surely true) then we shall praise him in all his Attributs, in all his mighty Acts, especial­ly in his Word, and everlasting Gospel, then we shall eternally glori­fie the infinitly glorious Essence, in the mysterious Trinity of the Per­sons; for seing in Heaven there will be neither Petition, nor Pray­er, nor Preaching, which make up a great part of our worship on earth, and so all our worship in Heaven shall be praises, and that to all Eternity; and seing our knowledge of God in Heaven shall be far more perfect then it was on Earth, and then we shall see God face to face, and know him in Essence, and Persons more perfectly then we do now on Earth, and consequently, our love to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost much more perfect, so the perfection of our praises and incessantnesse, without wearing, shall answer to our greatest perfection [Page 87] in knowledge, and love to God, therefore it may be christianly supponed, that we shall joyn in Heaven with these four living Creatures, Revel. 4. 8. who rest not day nor night singing, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come; where was this trisagium uttered, The first two Verses of this Chapter affirm, that it was in Heaven, who were the living Creatures that kept this Chore of laus perennis, the Assembly Notes upon it, sayes, it was the Ministers of the New Testament. 3dly. What was the subject of their praises, the Assembly Notes say, they continually praise God, and set out the Tri­nity of the persons in the God-head.

If any please to object, the Church appointed the Doxology to be sung, to guard the Flocks of Christ against Antitrinitarian Hereticks, but in Heaven there is no danger, for no Devil, nor Antitrinitarian will be there to tempt, and the glorified Saints will be made perfect in Holinesse, I answer, when Isaiah 6. 2, 3. The Seraphims cryed one to another, by way of Authem, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory, Here I hope was neither Arian nor Anti­trinitarian, yea, I affirm, according to the Seraphims singing a Doxo­logy to the Trinity, that although there had never been Antitrinitari­an Heretick, nor danger of Devils to tempt them to that heresie, seing the Angels in Heaven did sing a Doxology to the blessed Trinity, which is granted by the universal Church, then shall it not be lawfull, expe­dient, and comely for Christians to sing Glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, whose motto in Baptism, is to be Baptized in Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Therefore, to conclude this Chapter, these who have Scruple, or Doubts to sing the Doxology for want of knowledge, my prayer is to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who is the Father of Lights, to reveal even this unto them, that we may with one Mind, and with one Mouth glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 15. 6. Now to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages, world without end A­men. Ephes 3. Chap. at the last verse.

CHAP. XIV.

BEing now to conclude this little Treatise, As its scope and aim is for healing and helping home of the wandring Sheep, so my work in this Chapter is to remove all Stones and Stumbling-blocks out of the way of the weak Lambs returning to their Folds again; and I be­seech you, put not the blame so much upon these Lambs, as upon these Men w [...]o drew them away and missed them; and let all good Chri­stians rejoyce in their return, and welcome them home, and that be­cause of the manifold Evils that this Kingdom was groaning under, which now God in His Mercy hath almost removed: Was not in ma­ny Families the Father against the Son? and a Man's Enemies these of his own Houshold? did not many Flocks forsake their Fold and resting Place, and strayed in the gloomy and dark Day? was not the empty Walls of many empty Paroch-Churches mourning? and the Stones of-emptiness crying out? and Pastors lamenting that their Flocks were de­parted? and a few left? yea, sometimes the Pastor so evil intreated, by his Flock turning Wolves, that he must needs convey himself away out of that place, some being spoiled, some wounded, some killed, some like desolate Widows mourning in secret in a desolate Retirement, like Jeremiah in his wished Cortage in the Wilderness, Jer. 9. 2. and for a long time the Magistrate loath to use rigour, which made them the more inexcusable, and at last they display an open Banner of Re­bellion, whereby they wilfully run themselves into a Labyrinth of Miseries, to be killed and spoiled, and many impoverished, and not a few suffered death by the hand of Justice, whose infatuate Souls (with that four leaven of their dangerous Doctrines) was at their death a far more sad spectacle to the Godly then their bodily death, which remem­bers me of David's bitter mourning for his traiterous son Absalom's death; and this Malady and sore Disease came to so great a height, that it threatned death, which was more then once prevented by open­ing of a Vein, and many thought our Disease incurable, and that it would turn at last to be a rooted Hectick to the consuming of the Mar­row; but blessed be our kind Samaritan, who beyond the expectation of many, and much more beyond our deservings, hath pitied us, for it was a time of love, and when we were lying in our Blood, he said Live, again he said Live, Ezek. 16. 6. even when the Enemy was say­ing [Page 89] there is no help for him in God, yet he hath poured in Wine and Oyl in our Wounds, and letten us (by sweet experience) know that there is both a Physician, and Balm in Gilead; and the God of our Health hath rebuked that Feaver, and hath commanded and created deliverance: Then let every one of us rejoyce in God, and count it our glory to be workers together with God: Is this a time of healing? let us concur and contribute our help; Is the Lord's Flock returning? then cast up, cast up, gather out the Stones; Hath the Lord Jesus awakened out of sleep, and rebuked the Winds and Seas, so that now there is a great Calm, then let us all help to row to bring the Vessel to a safe Harbour; when the Lord is bringing back the captivity of His People, let our Mouthes be filled with laughter and our Tongue with singing; behold and see, not one Dove alone returning to the Ark of their Mother Church with an Olive branch, Gen. 8. 11. but a whole cloud of these Doves are flying to their Windows, Isa. 60. 8. Are not the Pastors returned to their Flocks with joy who went away weeping, returning with the full blessing of the Gospel of Christ, now to bring forth the peaceable fruits of Righteousness of their sad and desolate re­tirement and widow-head, Lam. 3. 27, 28, 29. like St. Basil returning from the Desart, and St. Athanasius from his Exile; and now that pro­mised Blessing shall be given them, Isa. 30. v. 29. your eye shall see your Teachers. And now my Brethren, who had precious retirement to read, meditate and pray, and a sad cross to put you to it, then with Timothy, 1 Tim. 4. 15. let your profiting appear to all. Ye know what Luther writes, Prayers, Meditation and Temptation made good Theologues, and the Flocks that have been mispending their time, had the more need to redeem the time.

Now I turn my speech unto you in this Church who are strong, and have overcome that evil one, and have obtained Grace to live orderly before God and His Church during the time of these Confusions; as your compassionate Souls did grieve for Sin, weep in secret before the Lord to enlighten, inform and reform them, to reclaim and reduce them, therefore hath the Lord given you a gracious return of your Prayers, in returning them; then open your loving Hearts, and em­brace them, and these hands that were with outstreached arm lifted up to God for them, let your arms embrace them, and by word and deed, and contenuance, express the sincerity of your love to them, and as the Lord hath given you more knowledge then to them, let it be your gene­rosity not to insult over them, or despise them, but with all tenderness not to look down, but to stoop down to their Weakness, and let the strong elder Brother stoop down with his Hand, to hold by the hand or arm, a younger Brother learning to Walk, and count it his Glory to speak with him in his own childish Dialect, and take little steps with them; then I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus, reproach them not for by­gones, [Page 90] but pass an act of Oblivion, and in time coming, use all gentle­ness and forbearance, and so gain them to love you; and in all things indifferent and undetermined if he be not clear for the one way, con­descend to him and follow his way; bear with his infirmities, rashness, incivilities and ignorances, and others overweaning themselves as if they were strong in Knowledge; this is an infirmity of many weak, and yet for Peace sake, the strong ought to bear with it: Now this Duty of the Strong in bearing with the Weak, the Lord presseth much in His Word, Rom. 15. v. 1, 2. Why hath the Lord given thee more Knowledge, Mortification, Patience, &c. then to the Weak, but for this end, to bear with their Infirmities? for their Spiritual good, for which St. Paul gives you his holy example, 1 Cor. 9. 22. For the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some: and Chap. 10. v. 33. I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profite, but the profite of many, that they may be saved: Here is a great placebo, and yet no Flatterer, but in his converse ac­ceptable both to God and Man. The Spirit of Christ is not a sowre, censorious, sullen and carping Spirit, but meek, gentle and easie to be intreated. When the Child as yet but an intrant in the World, and learning to speak, will ask the Parents some childish question, will the Parents be incensed to inflict Chastisement, or rather will they not pass it with this Meditation, When I was a child, I thought as a child, I under­stood and spake as a child, 1 Cor. 13. 11. So, if any weak Babe in Christ propone or start any question in Religion (to which many Babes are too ready,) do not think that ye are always bound in Conscience to answer them, for many times our Saviour did it not, Act. 1. 6. Jo. 21. 20. And the Apostle to Timothy speaks of foolish and unlearn­ed questions, which produce strife and no edification, 1 Tim. 6. 4. then let the strong wave the question with a general answer, Jo. 16. 19. or instead of speculation leading to practice and holy life; Luk. 13. 23. Yea thirdly, It may be waved if it be beyond the sphere of the Larger Catechism, for Questionators that furnishes their common Discourse with Questions, are unsavoury company to the Godly, and the weak Christian should not be entertained by the strong Christian with Que­stions; it is expressly against the Apostles rule, Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not unto doubtful disputations, Rom. 14. ver. 1. then let neither strong nor weak Christian (especially in Company) move any question of Religion, especially these that belong to the pre­sent Differences, least the Strong touch the Weak on the old Sore, and so but grieve and irritate, which no doubt grieves the Spirit of God, and is not the healing way: As for the Weak, I intreat them who have been wandring in Mistakes, to resolve in the strength of Christ, in all time hereafter, to live orderly as to the Church, and [Page 91] loyally as to the King and Rulers under him, and then he is a cursed Man that will not be loving and kind to thee.

Then let the strong imitat their Father in Heaven, who when his prodigal Son returns, no word of his sin (with which the elder Bro­ther did upbraid him) but ran, and met, and kissed him, gave him new cloaths, and shoes, adorned him with a Ring, feasted him and made merry, Luk. 15. 20. He ran and met him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and imitate the Son of God, the great and good Shepherd, who brings home on his shoulder rejoycing one wandering sheep, does he not rejoyce much more now then in reduceing so great a flock?

And the Fathers kindness to his returning Prodigal, is so sweet a sub­ject, that I delight to mark in it further, that when the elder Brother uncharitably endeavoured to exasperat his Father against his younger Brother, casting up his old sins, the Father rejects the elder Brothers bitter Libel: See both the last and 24. verses, his Brother was dead; and is now alive, he was lost, and now is found; its gemination shews Emphasis, he was lost when dead in sin, but now alive to God to righ­teousness; he was the lost and wandering Sheep, he is come home a penitent sinner: And compare the 24. verse with the last yet more, my Son thy Brother he is sibb to thee, but sibber to me, which the words imply; therefore though ye would let him go as he came, yet will not I, O dear younger Brother be not afraid to return, nor scarr to come home, but first see that thou make thy peace with thy Father, verse 21. And although some churlish elder Brother (like Eliab too young David) would unchristianly chide thee, take courage, it is not that bitter Bro­thers house thou art coming home to, but thy Fathers; meditate and think on these things, for to be a ready antidote against the bitter Pills of some; and albeit some of the stronger Brethren be not so kindly, comfort thy self here is thy Father pleading for thee, and so is thy elder Brother in this same Chap. Luke 15. 6. who when he hath brought home his wandering sheep, rejoycing calls together his friends and neighbours, and sayes, rejoyce with me: then assure thy soul that Christs real friends will rejoyce at thy return, welcome thee, imbrace and love thee as their own bowels.

Then let us in this great act of charity, and tender love to the weak returning Lambs, imitat our blessed Redeemer, and elder Brother, who came from Heaven to Earth to seek and save the lost sheep, Luk. 19. 20. who bears the Lambs in his bosome, and leads them gently that are with young, Isai. 4. 12. and will be more loath to over-drive them then Jacob his young Children and Flocks, Gen. 33. 14. Then be thou compassionat towards them: Is the Saviour bearing them in his bosome? then grieve them not, for he cannot but see it, and be grieved. Is he leading them gently, then dare thou beat them back with word or reproach, like the piercings of a sword?

The Lord leads the lame and the blind in the way they do not know to Zion weeping, the woman with child, and she that travel­led with child, Jer. 31. 8. Mark the four sorts in the world, the fit­test objects of mans compassion, and help lame and blind, the woman with child, and travelling with child; and the first two most despi­cable, yet the Lord despises none of them; but seing they are weep­ing and coming to Zion, he is eyes to the blind, and legs to the lame; therefore strive thou so to do with holy Job, 29. 15. And beware on the other hand to deserve the curse for laying a stumbling block before the blind, or make them wander out of the way, Deut. 27. 18.

Is our blessed Saviour binding up that which was broken, strength­ning that which was sick? Ezek. 34. 16. For he will not break the bruis­ed [...]eed, nor quench the smoaking flax, Mat. 12. 21. Then thou strong Christian follow that same trade, strengthen the weak hands, and con­firm the feeble knees of these Lambs.

Did the Son of God assume soul and body, flesh and blood, that he might give his flesh to feed his Lambs? and charges Peter as he loved him, feed his Lambs, Joh. 21. 19. And what kindness thou shews to his Lambs, in the day of thy accounts he will count it up to thee as done to himself, Mat. 25. 45. Lay hold of this opportunity as a good Mere at to imploy to the uttermost all thy talents of gifts and graces, lay them out in helping to bring home the Lambs of Christ, and in learning to bear with the infirmities of the weak Lambs: Look to thy perfect copy that hath no blot in it. Joh. 3. vers. 1. and downward, what pains our Lord takes on Nicodemus, bearing with his rudeness and weakness in knowledge, though some of his Questions were most chil­dish; but our Saviour will not put out the spunk of his smoaking flax, which kept kindling from that time forth, for he pleads Christs cause behind his back, Joh. 7. 5. And as a true believer his faith kythed when the Apostles were weaker in faith, durst not be seen, nor kyth; and with Joseph of Arimathea waited on Christ at a dead life, and with living faith helped to enbalm and bury his Saviours body: What knows thou but some of these weak Lambs whom now thou helps to come home, but hereafter when they grow stronger they may help thee at a dead lift: Our Saviour did decree it, and foresee it in Nico­demus, no doubt, but thou can do neither.

The woman of Samaria, Joh. 4. 7. when our Saviour is hungry, thirsty, and weary about mid-day, after his journey, she not only refuses him a poor drink of water, but checks him for requiring it; not­withstanding he did not only bear with her uncivility, but also he of­fers her better water; which she not only refuses, but gives him two checks in stead of thanks for his offer: but he who did bear our sick­nesses, did bear with her infirmities, although he said, How long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you; and this was a part of his [Page 93] pennance for thy sins: then thou proud worm, shall thou storm or skunner at thy Lords command and example, to bear with the in­firmities of the weak.

It is probable thou will propound this doubt, shall I show all that kindness to these of which I may have probable grounded doubts that they are not gracious? For answer to thee, thou art not a fi [...] Judge of hearts; if their Lord and thine hath bestowed on them the priviledges of the visible Church, and they profess faith in that same Saviour with thee, then he allows thee to judge charitably of them, and converse with them in Christian fellowship, and love; yea, doth not our Lord, Mat. 9. 10. who hates all workers of iniquity, Psal. 5. 5. as such, yet he did converse with them, he condescends to eat with Publicans and sinners, as their spiritual Physician, who loved mercy better then sa­crifice; for the prudent Physician will bear with many morosities in speech and behaviour from his Patient, and all for their good, intend­ing their health: And if some would object, granting it to be a point much belonging to the Physicians Calling and Trade, yet they doubt if ordinary Christians be to tyed. I answer, Thou art as strongly bound as he by thy Christian Calling, bear ye one anothers burden, and so fulfil the Law of Christ, Gal. 6. 7. Rom. 15. 1. The great Physician will examine thee upon this his Law, as well as the Physician upon his Cures: for thou will find in the day of thy accounts, thou will be as well examined how thou imployed thy Talents of knowledge, morti­fication, patience, and charity, in winning and strengthning thy weak brother, as well as the Physician how he imployed his skill for healing of his sick Patients: See how the Creator of Angels condescends to converse, eat and drink with Publicans and sinners, to the ad­miration and ignorant sinful stumbling of the proud Pharisees, these whited Tombs: See and admire how that Lamb of God admits that woman, a great sinner, known for such in all the Town she lived in, Luk. 7. 39. to k [...]s his feet without ceasing, when Simon the Pharisee in the mean time, who had invited Christ to dinner, wondered that such a holy Person suffered such a vile sinner to touch him, but the Pha­risees were utterly ignorant of this Doctrine, the strong to stoop and support the weak, and their Satanical pride made them uncapable of it, for our Saviour who knew what was in man, describes them, Luk. 18. 11. They trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and dis­pised others, which two sins are inconsistant with true Grace: then let the strong Christian beware of these two sins, and thus hitherto we have set before the eyes of your Soul the blessed example of our blessed Redeemer, then I beseech you, who are strong in Christ, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, that ye bear with the infirmities of the weak Lambs, and count it your glory.

But it is probable, that some unwilling to this Duty, will strive to [Page 94] shune the yoak, as being absurd, and so no binding Duty, why, say they, to bide the strong counterfite, and dissemble, and fain them­selves to be weak, when he is strong; I answer, their is a great differ­ence betwixt simulation and dissimulation, for the first is lawful, and our Saviour practized it, Luk. 24. 28. Christ made as though he would have gone further, Beza renders it (fingebat) which I like not so well, the Syriack Interpreter (faciebat eos putare) But Aretius simulabat: For clearing up of this Christian policy of simulation, for the good of the weak Christian, First, All the time our Saviour was upon the stage of this World, did he not hide the glory of his divine Nature, under the Rags of the mortality infirmities, and misery of His humane nature, Isaiah 53. 2, 3. He hath no form nor comliness, there is no beauty, that we should desire him, verse 4. We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, for he did not manifest His Glory, but only to his own,, and that only in some degrees, as, and when it pleased himself, John 1. 14. And when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus, Luke 24. 16. their eyes were held that they did not know our Saviour, who dare challenge any fault here? And when a Christian in his lawfull acti­ons propones moe ends then one, which is lawfull for him, it is lawfull for him to conceall some of these ends, that the King of kings condescends to mans weak capacity, as if he had eyes, ears, hands, feet, and passions, when all these are infinitly below his purity, and perfection, so the Parents and Nurse speaks such broken language to the Babe, as it best understands, and the end makes it lawfull, the childs edification, and this same makes the condesending of the strong to the weak lawfull and acceptable, Rom. 15. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification; yea, St. Paul caught the Corinthians with guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. All Trades have their secrets, so practical Divinity, and many cases of Conscience: therefore Au­gustines answer upon this question, in his 19. Epist. that these simula­tions, and stoopings of the strong to the weak, is not mentientis astu, sed compatientis affectu, but that same Apostle 2 Cor. 11. 29. seems to aggravate this doubt, who is weak, and I am not Weak, then St Paul is really weak with the weak, which seems repugnantia in adjecto, when he was really strong, both in Knowledge, Faith, and Holiness, how then was he weak? I answer, through compassion, and the more strong in Sanctification, the more sympathizing, and compassionat, his Soul the more wounded with sorrow, and so the weaker through com­passion, and that in two conditions, First, to apply to the strong Christi­an, are some returning cordially to live in peace, and order, and thou se­ing them weak, be weak with them, stooping to them, taking half steps with the weak Lambs, and not thy own strong long steps, are they now shortly recovered out of a dangerous sickness, be very anxious that you occasion not them to relapse, was their foot disjoynted, is it now set [Page 95] right? then help them to take easie and even steps; there is another sort not yet come to land, but on a Ship broken plank wearing to shoar, let thy Soul be weak for them, fearing and dreading their sink­ing, and be using all good means to bring them safe to land, the Mo­ther though in good health, if she see her Child weak, and in danger of death, in her compassion will she not turn really weak, and be at the sowning for fear and grief.

As we have set before you the example of God, and Jesus Christ our Peace-maker, so we shall presse the Duty, being so acceptable to God and good men, with moe perswasives, and first, seing there is no gaining of our neighbours spiritual good so readily, as by gaining their love first, for then, and not till then will they take advise, or information, willingly, and therefore, the most effectuall way to gain them from their Error, is to perswade them of our love to them, which is only best accomplished by loving kindness, and carriage to­wards them, for no man will take advise, information, or counsell from him whom he suspects, or thinks to be his enemy.

2dly. Thou art oblidged in Conscience, in thy judgement of chari­ty to look on him as an Elect, it may be as reall as thy self, then if thou have that charitable judgement, to think thy self Elect also; [...] in the name of him who hath elected you both, charge you to be kind to him, especially, if you were in Christ before him; see what kindnesse Judah an strong elder brother, many wayes bestowed on his younger and weak brother Benjamin Gen. 44 33 I will be a bond man to my lord, and let my younger brother Benjamin go home to his father, what knows thou, but thy weak brother may be the beloved Benjamin? then use, and improve all thy gifts, and graces to bring home that darling Benja­min to his Father and thine.

3dly. Look upon thy weak Brother as dear to Christ as thy self, even the price of his Blood and Death, consider, Rom. 14. 15. and 1 Cor. 8. 11. And therefore beware of that fearfull [...]n of destroying thy weak brother for whom Christ dyed, by thy stubbornesse, and un­kindnesse to him, be aware to give him a sower look, or down look, thou little knows, how little a stone will cause his weak foot to stumble.

4ly. Look upon thy weak Brother as a Member of that same Mysti­call Body of Christ with thy self, 1 Cor. 22. 17. Where the eye can­not say to the least Member, the finger, or toe, I have not need of thee, verse 20. But on the other part, when the weakest, or smallest toe of thy foot is hurt, will not the Mouth cry, I am hurt, and suffer with it, and seek Cure, verse 16. The hand will apply the salve, and the eye see that it be well and right done, then if thou be a well seing eye, and have but a little sore toe, yet he is a Member of that same Mysticall Body of Jesus, who will feel his sore, and cure it.

5thly. Christ Jesus is head of all that Mysticall Body, whereof both that weak Lamb and thou art Members, and he is a feeling and com­passionate head, Ephis. 4. 15. And thy kindness to the weakest of [...]is Members, he will take it and repay it as done to himself, if thou edify in love the least Member of his Mystical Body, Ephes. 4. 12. O [...] if thou despise, and hurt the weakest of [...]hese his M [...]mbers will not that Glorious Head, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, Revel. 1. v [...]rse. say, I have seen, I have seen. Exod. 3. 7.

6thly. Look upon thy weak Brother, as a living stone in that holy and spiritual Temple, whereof Christ is the foundation, and chief cor­ner stone, and Chris [...] also th [...] Master-builder, commands thee who are strong to polish thy weak Brother, and build him up in the Faith, 1 Pet. 2. 5.

7thly. Consider him as a little Temple to God. 1 Cor. 6 19. Then for thy Lords sake, who dwells in it, help to polish and adorn it un­till the Cape-stone be put on, this do at his command, who might have left thee in thy natural condition, a leprous st [...]n [...], and cast thee into that unclean place without the City [...] Levit. 14. 40.

8thly. As the whole body of Believers are [...]hri [...]'s Bryde, and Spouse, his Sister, his Dove, his Undefiled, then this same Relation hath every particular Believer to Christ; Therefore help to deck and adorn his Spouse (the weaker the more tenderly) as a Bride prepar­ed for her Husband, let her not have cause to complain to her Husband, that instead of adorning thou did rather rob and [...]ull off.

9thly. Beware to disdain that younger Brother, for his weakness, and infirmity, and ignorance at present, what knows thou, but for all that he may redeem the time, and overtake thy self, and run by thee and prove a stronger Christian, and greater Saint, first on Earth, and then in Heaven not thy self.

10ly. As truly as in nature thou was a Babe before thou was a Man in strength and stature, so in Grace and Knowledge thou was once a Babe, and it may be profane also, which motive St. Paul pres [...]eth, Tit. 3. 2 3. Be gentle, shewing all meekness to all men, for we our selves were sometimes foolish, disobed [...]ent, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, but it may be thou will say, but I was never disloyal [...] [...]o my King. I answer, thank God for his good providence in thy goo [...] edu­cation, in regard of Loyalty, but has thou not been disloyal to the King of kines, by many wicked lusts?

11thly. What knows thou, bu [...] [...]ere thou die, thy Soul's condition may be as pitifull, and low, as the weakest Lamb, that now thou sees reurning to the Fold, what knows thou, but thou may fall in scanda­lous and grievos sin, and thereby be brought to the very brink of dis­pair, or with Job, in a desertion, crying, pity me, pity me, O my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me, Job 19. Chap. 21. This motive is [Page 97] pressed by St. Paul [...] Galat. 6. 1. Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self, least thou also be tempted.

12thly If thou be oblidged in Conscience to lay down thy life, for thy Brother, 1 John 3. verse 16. then certainly it is chiefly for the good of his Soul, even as Christ laid down his life for him, then thou art strongly oblidged to do the lesser Dutie for thy weak brothers spiritual good, even to be kind and compastiona [...] toward him.

Hath no [...] the Lord put it in the heart of the most cruel Tyger, and devouring Lyon to be kind, and loving [...]o their young ones, and the Reason is the same in the general, the Parents are strong, and their young Ones weak, and has need of their help, and that Law o [...] God in nature is obeyed, the Lyon [...]ss gives suck to [...]er young weak O [...]s, and the Sea-monster draws out the breast, and gives suck to their young Ones, Lam [...]nt 4 3. So thy [...]o [...]d commands thee who art strong to help thy weak Christian Brother.

Yea, does not the whole building of Heaven and Earth keep inviolable, by these Laws which their, and our Creator gave them, for their own particular, and mutu [...]l preservation, First the Earth furnisheth Fewel to feed the fire, and entertain [...] it in us [...]owells a [...] appears in many Countries. 2dly. The Earth keeps also in its bowells the trea­sures of wind, which by their blowing, help to keep both Air and Wa­ter from corrupting. 3dly. The Sea furnisheth the Earth with Water, sending it up to the Clouds, and they down to the Earth and by conveying Water through the bowells of the Earth t [...] furnish continu­all springs on the tops of the highest mountains. 4ly Does not the stars send down their influences many hundred thousand myles from Hea­ven to Earth, and rules the four Seasons of the Y [...]a [...]. Job 38. verse 31. 33. Yea, the Sun and Moon send down their influences, not only much conducing to the welbeing of Man and Beast, but also to the ve­getables, Deut. 33. 14. Precious Fruits brought forth by the Sun and Moon, yea, their influences pierces to the bottom of the Seas, and bottom of the Mountains; So in this lower World, the King of Saints ha [...]h a City. His Temple, His House, and every Believer is a stone there­of, o [...] such City this King of Saints hath given Laws, even that the strong and able Citizen, shall help to build the weak, that they may be f [...]i [...]l the more firmly united to Christ the Foundation by stronger Knowledge, and Faith, and better polished by more holy Life.

As this Duty is great and good, so many Graces are required in the S [...]ul of the strong, for performing this Duty to the weak, and first, Christian love, for knowledge puffeth up, but thy charity will edify the weak Brother, 1 Cor. 8. 1. It suffereth long, is kind, envyeth not, vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, hopeth all things, endureth all things, [Page 98] 1 Cor. 13. 4. If thou then have this Charity to thy Brother, how sweet a converse will it procure betwixt thee and thy weak Brother. The second Grace Humility, 1 Pet. 5. 5. Cloathed with Humility, in low­liness of Mind, each est [...]eming other better then himself, Phil. 2. v. 3. Thirdly, Meekness, Phil. 4 5. Gen [...]le, shewing all Meekness to all M [...]n, slow to Anger, if thou be of great understanding, Prov. 14. 29. a [...]reater Vassalage to thee then if thou ha [...] taken in a City. Prov. 16. 32. which three Graces are joyned together, Ephes. 4. 2. and Coloss. 3. 12. as beseeming Graces to the Elect, and especially to Church-men, who should be of he strong Ch [...]ians that we are speaking of, whose office is to please [...]he Flock for good to their edification, 2 Cor. 13. 10. and should do all things for their edifying, 2 Cor. 12. 19. gentle to all, in Meekness instructing these that oppose, 1 Tim. 3. 6. And here I will speak a little to my reverend Brethren of the Ministry, especi­ally to these [...]ho have had the most grieved hearts for the wan­dring of their Flocks, and now finds their comfortable return, I hope I need not press you to lov­ing kindness toward them, for I [...]. Sane quidem essemus omninum mor­talium absurdissimi si schisma [...]e & distractione Ecclesiarum ob [...]ectaremur nec membrarum Christi corporis coa­litionem ante omnia [...]lta hona repu­taremus Tom 2. epist 342. Idem ep [...]st 265. initio [...], at in corde meo tan­tum illius desiderium Ecclesiarum pacificandarum accensum esse affirmo ut vita mea libentissime redemptum velim illud oddi incendum & invi­diae quod nequam ille spiritus conci­tavit extinctum penitus consapitum­que esse. th [...]k every good Minister of Jesus Christ in this iuncto, will be so overjoyed, that he will rather in­cline to the other ex [...]remity of in­dulgence to them who return, and will be far from all [...]artness and so [...]rness towards these returning Lambs of hi [...]; and albeit hitherto they have possi [...]ly miscarried to thee, by word or deed, yet seing their Father & thine hath forgiven them the ten thousand Talents and thee also, then likewise must thou Christianly so give the small Mi [...]es of Offence which any of the Flock have committed against th [...], re­membring these words of great St. Basil, who endured the heat of the day, in the time of the Arian Persecution and says, that Church-men of all other would be most abominable, if they did not love the runiting of the Members of Christ's Mystical Body before all Earthly things, yea, and himself wisheth th [...]re union of the Church more than his own life.

As Love, Humility, and Meekness are fit Graces in the Strong, for helping the Weak, so is also heavenly Wisdom, which is peaceable, gentle and easie to be intreated, Jam. 3. 17. and courteousness; 1 Pet. 5. 8. so that the strong Christian who is endowed with these Graces; instead of aggraging the sins of infirmity of the Weak, he will rather excuse them in tanto for their ignorance, as Peter does the Jews, Acts 3. 17. and Joseph his Brethren, Gen. 50. 20. Secondly, He will [...]ear with the froward Speeches of the Weak, as the Lord does with Jonah, chap. 4. vers. 9. For he that covereth a transgression seeketh love, Prov. 17. 9. yea, Love covereth all sins, Prov. 10. 22. to wit, of Infirmity. Thirdly, They will answer [...]he froward words of the Weak with Meekness, for a soft tongue breaketh the bone, Prov. 25. 15. Eli in his imprudent rash­ness did mistake holy Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 14. by her soft and humble answer Elies mistaken reproof was instantly turned into a prophetical blessing of her, which the Lord fulfilled.

This Duty of the Strongs bearing with the infirmities of the Weak, must always be subordinate to our pleasing of God, which two are ve­ry well consistent; for our Saviour (and so should every good Christian) increased in favour with God and Man, Luke, 2. 52.

The Babes and Lambs of Christ must be ranked in two sorts, First, Some weak in Knowledge but not so weak in sanctifying Grace; others, some more Knowledge, but less sanctifying Grace, and accordingly the strong should carry toward them; but they will find it much easier and sweeter to converse with these weak ones, who have some measure of Sanctification, though their Knowledge be weak, and these weak ones again must be suboivided, some only Weak; some both Weak and Sick, that is, not only weak in Knowledge, but also Sick by reason of Desertion or Soul perplexi [...]ies [...] tending to Despair; these, of all the weak Lambs, must be and should be most tenderly dealt with, and of these especially our Saviour speaks in His Gospel, better a Milnstone be hanged [...]bout his Neck [...] and he be drowned in the deep of the Sea, then he offend one of these little ones that believe in me: Be cautious to try out, and careful to oversee these Lambs by any others.

As for you that are Strong, because you are not all of one size, I con­fes [...] the talk of bearing with the Infirmities, and gaining of the Weak to r [...]qui [...]e strong Shoulders, and the Graces abovementioned required in the Strong for that Duty proves no less. And therefore ye that are strong in K [...]wledge, but we [...]k in Mortification and Sanctification, no doubt that [...]sk will be more difficult to you; and therefore my hum­ble advice to you is, that if you find you are not sufficiently strong in Mortification and Patience as to bear with the Infirmities of them, beware o [...] falling in reasoning or disputing with them, for that will make no Healing, but rather more Strife: But withall, I would charge you to make this choice, rather to bear with the weak Lambs then for [Page 100] pleasing of Men to bear too much with Sinners, which is a displeasing of God; and thou who will not stoop to bear with the infirmities of the Weak, does not thy Father in Heaven bear with thy infirmities and grosser sins? does not thy Neighbour, with whom thou converseth, bear with thee also? nay, he deserves not to be born with, or live in Christian Society who is [...]o passionate and wrathful, that he will nei­ther bear word or look, for in many things we sin all, especially in sins of infirmity; beware thou be not like Job's Friends, who had some measure of Knowledge, and came with real purpose to comfort their Friend, but for want of Charity they proved mi [...]erable Comforters, and instead of binding up his Soul wounds, ranckled them more.

As for you who are strong both in Knowledge and Grace, though the task be hard and difficult sometime to the strongest Christian, as upon this account sometimes ye will have to do with a Lamb so weak in Knowledge, that they will think you scarce deserve the name of Chri­stian, or that you have Grace, or are walking in the way to Heaven; the best confutation of these is to live with them, and before them in all good Conscience, and by time they will be convinced of their Error towards you.

As for you who are prophane in your Lives, and yet have more Knowledge in Religion then the weak Lambs, beware ou [...] take it not upon you to reproach these Lambs, for in so doing you serve the Devil, ye break the heart of the tender Lambs, ye grieve the Spirit of God; and who gave you authority to insult over them, for to do these Lambs any good to their Soul condition, thou has no Grace to do it, being a slave to Satan and his Lusts thy self; beware of the cu [...]se of Amal [...]k, 1 Sam. 13. 3. his name to be blotted out from under Heaven, b [...]cause with a cruel heart he pursued and sm [...]e the hindmost, s [...]eble, faint and weary of Israel; and Ezek. 34. 20. 1. because the strong Ca [...]el thrust with side and shoulder, and push'd all the dise [...]sed with their horns, therefore will I destroy the fat, and the strong, I will [...]ed them with judgment, I will seek that which was lost, bring again that which was driven away, bind up that which was broken, strengthen that which was sick.

As for you Lambs, when you consider all this care that your Hea­venly Father takes of you, draw not hence this weak conclusion. That because your Father in Heaven commands the Strong to bear wi [...]h your Infirmities, and to please you, for your good to Edification, do not overwean upon that, as if your Father in Heaven love you better then the Strong Christian, know you not, that the Father on Earth, when he hath a young tender Child very sick, or in danger of Death, he will command his elder Brother, who is yet more beloved of the Father, then that young Child, yet he will command him to sit up in the night, and attend his sick Brother, forbid him to speak a word to offend him, [Page 101] why then is all this care of the Father, even because the young one is weak, and sick, and in danger of Death, and therefore has need to be tenderly dealt with, therefore on the other hand, when thou considers thy Heavenly Fathers tender care of thee, and thy salvation give him this thankfull meeting, to wit, when any Strong Christian accosts thee in Christian love, to gain thee from thy Errours, to tender the In­formation, and Instruction, beware thou reject not such a Messenger, Commissionated from thy Father but with all Meekness and Gentle­ness lend thy Ear, and thy Heart to sound Instruction; and if thou wilt keep Church Communion, and live orderly, thy Heavenly Father will more and more clear thee of thy doubts, and mistakes, and resolve to follow the advise of the Apostle, Philip. 3. 16. Which comes to this, that seing thy Neighbour Christian, and you agree in the Fundamentals, and saving Truths of Religion, to wit, one Catechism, and Confession of Faith, which are the compleat Rule to lead you both to Heaven, walk joyntly together in that way of Faith, and Holy Life; and for any other difference in opinion, till ye be cleared of your doubts, there is no danger for your Soul to let them lye asleep.

And for you that are Strong, remember that Precious Promise, in the Covenant of Grace, Their sin I will remember no more, Heb. 8. 12. And none of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him, Ezek. 18. 22. and 33. 16. So in this be ye followers of God as dear Children, Ephes. 5. 1. Therefore I charge you, that their bygone escapes be mentioned no more, as you would have your Heavenly Fa­ther keep that Covenant of Grace to you, in the day of your accounts, therefore let an Act of Oblivion, in the Souls of the Strong in Gifts and Grace be passed, in favours of the Weak, who have returned, or are in the way of returning to the Bosom of their Mother Church, that so these Weak Lambs reflecting with an holy, and inward Indignation against themselves, for their bygone Mistakes, and Wandrings, may rejoyce in the Lord, for the kindness, and Christian Brotherly Love, Humanity and Acceptance that they find, even from these whom be­fore they looked upon, during their separation as castawayes, and and now they find that Truth confirmed, Charity suffereth long, and is kind; all which Christian Kindnesse they finding in you, who are Strong, it may prove a strong Convincing and Gaining Argument upon their Spirits, that you have been, and are still in the Right Way to Heaven; For by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another, John 13. 35 And he that dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in him. 1 John 4. 16.

And for you, beloved in the Lord, who through the good hand of God upon you, are returned to your Mother Church, to Communion in Word and Sacraments, let there be no Schism in your Worship, [Page 102] but joyn with your Mother Church, and Holy Church Universal, in singing the Doxology with them, make straight paths for your feet, least that which is Lame be turned out of the way, but rather let it be healed, Heb. 12. 13. Do not so far as in you lyes make lame and halting Worship, if you be silent, when others are singing Glory to their God; shall your loving Mother Church receive you again in her bosome, and will ye be unthankfull and grieve her Soul, in retaining that halt which ye learned straying on the Mountains, and retain still to be a scandall to your Brethren, and a grief to her that bare you, God forbid.

As the Lords Covenant with Noah, and with mankind in him, and Sealled it with a visible Sign, to continue to all Generations, that he would not any more destroy the earth with a flood, and according to that Covenant hath [...]terat His Promise; I have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetuall decree, that it cannot passe it, and though the waves tosse themselves, yet cannot it prevail, though they roar, yet they cannot passe over it; I beseech the Lord, if it be His will that such another Inundation of Errours, with such Confusion, and dis­order never overrun these three Kingdoms again, untill that day that the Lord send forth His Angells, and gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and the King shall seperat the Sheep from the Goats, and there shall be perfect Union, in singing one Song, with one Heart and Mouth unto all Eternity, To Him that sits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb, and to the Holy Ghost, be Glory and Praise, And shall be Glory and Praise, by all glorified Angels and Saints World without End.

AMEN.