religion-第18部分

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to　his　works；　for　otherwise　he　cannot　be　a　King；　also　that　men
shall　rise　again；　for　otherwise　they　are　not　like　to　come　to
judgement。　The　whole　Symbol　of　the　Apostles　is　therefore
contained　in　this　one　Article；　which　notwithstanding　I　thought
reasonable　to　contract　thus；　because　I　found　that　many　men　for
this　alone；　without　the　rest；　were　admitted　into　the　Kingdome　of
God；　both　by　Christ；　and　his　Apostles；　as　the　Thief　on　the
Crosse；　the　Eunuch　baptized　by　Philip；　the　two　thousand　men
converted　to　the　Church　at　once　by　Saint　Peter。　But　if　any　man　be
displeased　that　I　doe　not　judge　all　those　eternally　damned；　who
doe　not　inwardly　assent　to　every　Article　defined　by　the　Church
（and　yet　doe　not　contradict；　but　if　they　be　commanded；　doe
submit）　I　know　not　what　I　shall　say　to　them；　for　the　most　evident
Testimonies　of　Holy　Writ　which　doe　follow；　doe　withhold　me　from
altering　my　opinion。
　　　　VII。　Secondly；　this　is　proved　by　the　preaching　of　the
Apostles。　For　they　were　the　Proclamers　of　his　Kingdome；　neither
did　Christ　send　them　to　preach　ought　but　the　Kingdome　of　God；
Luke　9。　vers。　2。　Act。　15。　vers。　6。　And　what　they　did　after　Christ
his　Ascension　may　be　understood　by　the　accusation　which　was
brought　against　them；　They　drew　Jason　（saith　Saint　Luke）　and
certain　Brethren　unto　the　Rulers　of　the　City；　crying；　These　are
the　men　that　have　turned　the　world　upside　down；　and　are　come
hither　also；　whom　Jason　hath　received；　and　these　all　do　contrary
to　the　decrees　of　Caesar；　saying　that　there　is　another　King；　one
Jesus。　Acts　17。　vers。　6；　7。　It　appears　also　what　the　subject　of
the　Apostles　Sermons　was；　out　of　these　words：　Opening；　and
alleadging　out　of　the　Scriptures　（to　wit；　of　the　old　Testament）
that　Christ　must　needs　have　suffered；　and　risen　again　from　the
dead；　and　that　THIS　JESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST。　Acts　17。　vers。　2；　3。
　　　　VIII。　Thirdly；　By　the　places　in　which　the　easinesse　of　those
things　which　are　required　by　Christ　to　the　attaining　of
salvation；　is　declared。　For　if　an　internall　assent　of　the　minde
were　necessarily　required　to　the　truth　of　all　and　each
Proposition　which　this　day　is　controverted　about　the　Christian
Faith；　or　by　divers　Churches　is　diversly　defined；　there　would　be
nothing　more　difficult　then　the　Christian　Religion。　And　how　then
would　that　be　true；　My　yoke　is　easie；　and　my　burthen　light？　Mat。
11。　vers。　30。　and　that　litle　ones　doe　beleeve　in　Him？　Mat。　18。
vers。　6。　and　that　it　pleased　God　by　the　foolishnesse　of
Preaching；　to　save　those　that　beleeve？　1　Cor。　1。　vers。　21。　or　how
was　the　thiefe　hanging　on　the　Crosse　sufficiently　instructed　to
salvation；　the　confession　of　whose　Faith　was　contained　in　these
words；　Lord　remember　me　when　thou　comest　into　thy　Kingdome；　or
how　could　Saint　Paul　himselfe；　from　an　enemy；　so　soon　become　a
Doctor　of　Christians？
　　　　IX。　Fourthly；　by　this；　that　that　Article　is　the　foundation　of
Faith；　neither　rests　it　on　any　other　foundation。　If　any　man　shall
say　unto　you；　Loe　here　is　Christ；　or　He　is　there；　beleeve　it　not；
for　there　shall　arise　false　Christs；　and　false　Prophets；　and
shall　shew　great　signes；　and　wonders；　&c。　Mat。　24。　vers。　23。
Whence　it　followes；　that　for　the　Faiths　sake　which　we　have　in
this　Article；　we　must　not　beleeve　any　signes；　and　wonders。
Although　we；　or　an　Angell　from　Heaven　（saith　the　Apostle）　should
preach　to　you　any　other　Gospel；　then　what　we　have　preacht；　let
him　be　accursed。　Gal。　1。　8。　By　reason　of　this　Article　therefore
we　might　not　trust　the　very　Apostles；　and　Angels　themselves　（and
therefore　I　conceive　not　the　Church　neither）　if　they　should　teach
the　contrary。　Beloved；　beleeve　not　every　spirit；　but　try　the
spirits　whether　they　are　of　God；　because　many　false　Prophets　are
gone　out　into　the　world；　hereby　know　yee　the　spirit　of　God；　every
spirit　that　confesseth　Jesus　Christ　is　come　in　the　flesh；　is　of
God；　&c。　1　John　4。　vers。　1；　2。　That　Article　therefore　is　the
measure　of　the　Spirits　whereby　the　authority　of　the　Doctors；　is
either　received；　or　rejected。　It　cannot　be　denied　indeed；　but
that　all　who　at　this　day　are　Christians；　did　learn　from　the
Doctors；　that　it　was　Jesus　who　did　all　those　things　whereby　he
might　be　acknowledged　to　be　the　Christ；　yet　it　followes　not　that
the　same　Persons　beleeved　that　Article　for　the　Doctors；　or　the
Churches；　but　for　Jesus　his　own　sake。　For　that　Article　was　before
the　Christian　Church；　although　all　the　rest　were　after　it；　and
the　Church　was　founded　upon　it；　not　it　upon　the　Church。　Mat。　16。
vers。　18。　Besides；　this　Article；　that　Jesus　is　the　Christ；　is　so
fundamentall；　that　all　the　rest　are　by　Saint　Paul　said　to　be
built　upon　it；　For　other　foundation　can　no　man　lay；　then　that
which　is　layd；　which　is　Jesus　Christ　（that　is　to　say；　that　Jesus
is　the　Christ）。　Now　if　any　man　build　uPon　this　foundation；　gold；
silver；　precious　stone；　wood；　hay；　stubble；　every　mans　work　shall
be　made　manifest：　If　any　mans　work　abide　which　he　hath　built
thereupon；　he　shall　receive　a　reward；　if　any　mans　work　shall　be
burnt；　he　shall　suffer　losse；　but　he　himselfe　shall　be　saved。　1
Cor。　3。　vers。　11；　12；　13。　&c。　From　whence　it　plainly　appears；
that　by　foundation　is　understood　this　Article；　THAT　JESUS　IS　THE
CHRIST。　For　gold；　and　silver；　precious　stones；　wood；　hay；　stubble
（whereby　the　Doctrines　are　signified）　are　not　built　upon　the
Person　of　Christ；　and　also；　that　false　Doctrines　may　be　raised
upon　this　foundation；　vet　not　so；　as　they　must　necessarily　be
damned　who　teach　them。
　　　　X。　Lastly；　that　this　Article　alone　is　needfull　to　be　inwardly
beleeved；　may　be　most　evidently　proved　out　of　many　places　of　holy
Scriptures；　let　who　will　be　the　Interpreter：　Search　the
Scriptures；　for　in　them　yee　think　yee　have　eternall　life；　and
they　are　they　which　testify　of　me。　John　5。　39。　But　Christ　meant
the　Scriptures　of　the　old　Testament　only：　for　the　new　was　then
not　yet　written。　Now；　there　is　no　other　testimony　concerning
Christ　in　the　old　Testament；　but　that　an　eternall　King　was　to
come　in　such　a　place；　that　He　was　to　be　born　of　such　Parents；
that　He　was　to　teach；　and　doe　such　things；　whereby；　as　by　certain
signes；　he　was　to　be　knowne：　All　which　testify　this　one　thing；
that　JESUS　who　was　so　born；　and　did　teach；　and　doe　such　things；
was　THE　CHRIST。　Other　Faith　then　was　not　required　to　attain
eternall　life；　besides　this　Article。　Whosoever　liveth　and
beleeveth　in　me；　shall　never　dye。　John　11。　vers。　25。　But　to
beleeve　in　Jesus　（as　is　there　exprest）　is　the　same　with　beleeving
that　JESUS　WAS　THE　CHRIST。　He　therefore　that　beleeves　that；　shall
never　dye；　and　by　consequence；　that　Article　alone　is　necessary　to
salvation。　These　are　written　that　yee　might　beleeve　that　JESUS　IS
THE　CHRIST　the　Sonne　of　God；　and　that　beleeving　yee　might　have
life　through　his　name。　Jo。　20。　vers。　31。　Wherefore　he　that
beleeves　thus；　shall　have　eternall　life；　and　therefore　needs　no
other　Faith。　Every　spirit　that　confesseth　that　Jesus　Christ　is
come　in　the　flesh；　is　of　God。　1　Jo。　4。　v。　2。　And；　Whosoever
beleeveth　that　JESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST；　is　born　of　God。　1　Jo。　5。
vers。　1。　And；　Who　is　he　that　overcometh　the　world；　but　he　that
beleeveth　that　IESUS　is　the　Son　of　God？　1　Jo。　5。　v。　5。　If
therefore　there　be　no　need　to　beleeve　any　thing　else；　to　the　end
a　man　may　be　of　God；　born　of　God；　and　overcome　the　world；　then
that　IESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST。　that　one　Article　then　is　sufficient　to
salvation。　See；　here　is　water；　what　doth　hinder　me　to　be
baptized？　And　Philip　said；　If　thou　beleevest　with　all　thine
heart；　thou　maist。　And　he　answered　and　said；　I　beleeve　that　IESUS
CHRIST　is　the　Sonne　of　God。　Acts　8。　vers。　36；　37。　If　then　this
Article　being　beleeved　with　the　whole　heart；　（that　is　to　say；
with　inward　Faith）　was　sufficient　for　Baptisme；　it　is　also
sufficient　for　salvation。　Besides　these　places　there　are
innumerable　others　which　doe　clearly；　and　expresly　affirm　the
same　thing。　Nay；　wheresoever　wee　read　that　our　Saviour　commended
the　Faith　of　any　one；　or　that　he　said；　Thy　Faith　hath　saved　thee；
or　that　he　healed　any　one　for　his　Faiths　sake；　there　the
Proposition　beleeved　was　no　other　but　this；　IESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST；
either　directly；　or　consequently。
　　　　XI。　But　because　no　man　can　beleeve　IESUS　TO　BE　THE　CHRIST；
who；　when　he　knowes　that　by　Christ　is　understood　that　same　King
who　was　promised　from　God　by　Moyses；　and　the　Prophets；　for　to　be
the　King；　and　Saviour　of　the　world；　doth　not　also　beleeve　Moyses；
and　the　Prophets；　neither　can　he　beleeve　these；　who　beleeves　not
that　God　is；　and　that　he　governs　the　world；　it　is　necessary　that
the　Faith　of　God；　and　of　the　old　Testament　be　contained　in　this
Faith　of　the　new。　Seeing　therefore　that　Atheisme；　and　the　deniall
of　the　Divine　Providence；　were　the　only　treason　against　the
Divine　Majesty　in　the　Kingdome　of　God　by　Nature；　but　Idolatry
also　in　the　Kingdome　of　God　by　the　Old　Covenant；　now　in　this
Kingdome　wherein　God　rules　by　way　of　a　new　Covenant；　apostasie　is
also　added；　or　the　renunciation　of　this　article　once　receiv'd；
that　JESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST。　Truly　other　Doctrines；　provided　they
have　their　determination　from　a　lawfull　Church；　are　not　to　be
contradicted；　for　that　is　the　sinne　of　disobedience；　but　it　hath
been　fully　declar'd　before　that　they　are　not　needfull　to　be
beleev'd　with　an　inward　Faith。
　　　　XII。　Faith　and　Obedience　have　divers　parts　in　accomplishing
the　salvation　of　a　Christian；　for　this　contributes　the　power；　or
capacity；　that　the　Act。　And　either　is　said　to　justifie　in　its
kinde。　For　Christ　forgives　not　the　sins　of　all　men；　but　of　the
Penitent；　or　the　Obedient；　that　is　to　say　the　just；　I　say　not　the
guiltlesse；　but　the　just；　for　justice　is　a　Will　of　obeying　the
Lawes；　and　may　be　consistent　with　a　sinner；　and　with　Christ　the
Will　to　obey　is　Obedience；　for　not　every　man；　but　the　just　shall
live　by　Faith。　Obedience　therefore　justifies　because　it　maketh
just　in　the　same　manner　as　temperance　maketh　temperate；　Prudence
Prudent；　Chastity　chaste；　namely　essentially；　and　puts　a　man　in
such　a　state；　as　makes　him　capable　of　pardon。　Againe；　Christ　hath
not　promis'd　forgivenesse　of　sinnes　to　all　just　men；　but　only
those　of　them　who　beleeve　Him　to　be　the　Christ。　Faith　therefore
justifies　in　such　a　sense　as　a　judge　may　be　said　to　justifie　who
absolves；　namely　by　the　sentence