their own Society would gladly pick a hole in Calvins Coat but the Reverend and Protestant Bishop Bilson roundly takes him up thus Calvin is so well known to those that be learned and wise for his great pains and good labours in the Church of God that a few suarling Fryers cannot impeach his good Name though you never so wretchedly pervert his words And yet the Bishops book came sorth cum Privilegio and was dedicated to Q. Elizabeth by one very tender in the point of Supremacy and Prerogative Dialog p. 509. But Calvins greatest crime was his Syncretism with the Doctrine of the Church and not his enmity to the Civil Government And because a shred cut of from the whole piece of his Discourse may easily through ignorance be misconstrued or through malice misrepresented to his prejudice I shall present his words at large to the Reader Institut lib. 4. cap. 20. parag 31. Nobis autem interim summoperè cavendum ne illam plenam venerandae Majestatis Magistratuum authoritatem quam Deus gravissimis edictis sanxit Etiamsi apud indignissimos resideat qui eam suâ nequitiâ quantum in se est polluant spernamus aut violemus Neque enim si ultio Domini est efraenatae dominationis correctio ideo protinùs nobis demandatam arbitremur quibus nullum aliud quam parendi patiendi datum est Mandatum De privatis hominibus semper loquor Nam siqui nunc sint populares Magistratus ad moderandam Regum Libidinem constituti quales olim erant qui Lacedaemoniis Regibus oppositi erant Ephori aut Romanis Consulibus Tribuni plebis aut Atheniensium Senatui Demarchi quâ etiam fortè potestate ut nunc res habent sunguntur in singulis regnis tres Ordines quum primarios conventûs peragunt adeo illos serocienti Regum Licentiae pro officio intercedere non veto ut si Regibus impotenter grassantibus humili plebeculae insultantibus conniveant eorum dissimulationem nefariâ perfidiâ non carere affirmem quià populi Libertatem cujus se Dei ordinatione tutores positos norunt fraudulenter produnt I think we may safely venture to translate them In the meâ—… while we ought studiously to beware that we neither despise nor oppose the Authority of Magistrates so full of Dread and Majesty which God himself has established by most severe Decrees although possibly it should reside in persons most unworthy and such as by their personal wickedness do defile it as much as in them lyes For though the Divine vengeance be the Restrainer of unbridled Empire yet must we not theâ—…e imagine that the Management thereof is committed to 〈◊〉 I speak always of private persons For if there should be any such popular Magistrates Constituted to Moderate the Arbitrariness of Princes such as of old were the Ephori who ballanced the Lacedaemonian Kings The Tribunes of the people who moderated the Roman Consuls or the Demarchi who were the same to the Senate of Athens And which power as things go now the three Estates in each Kingdom when they are convened in full Parliament do peradventure enjoy I am so far from forbidding them to intercede according to their duty with the furious Licenciousness of Kings that if they shall connive at them when they passionately harrasse and trample upon the poor Comonalty I may affirm that their silence cannot be excused of sinful breach of trust sâ—…ing they falsly betray the peoples Liberty whereof they knew themselves to be the Guardians by Gods institution Reader These are those dismal lines which have raised the clamour against poor Calvin wherein thou wilt observe these particulars 1. That private persons have no warrant from God to restrain the exorbitances of Governours but are left to the only Remedy parendi patiendi of submission and patience 2. Yet he supposes that some Magistrates may possibly have a larger power then bare suffering or passive obedience 3. This power which he supposes may possibly be entrusted with them is but serocienti Regum licentia pro. officio intercedere dutifully to intercede with the Prince to redress grievances humbly to represent the invasions made upon propriety or perhaps if called to counsel and advise a Redresse which is a power far greater then that of bare suffering and enduring the evil and yet infinitely short of Rebellion against deposing banishing or murdering Princes 4. This is only upon a supposition that there be such persons so qualified and entrusted by the constitution of 〈◊〉 Government and known Laws of the Land si qui sint populares Magistratâ—…s Constituti Such he supposes indeed the Ephori at Lacedaemon the Tribunes at Rome the Demarchi at Athens to have been but he 's not sure 't is but a peradventure there were any such in his time quá etiam fortè potestate ut nunc res habent sunguntur in singulis Regnis tres ordines For he knew pretty well how their own little Commonwealth at Geneva was Governed but the Models of France Spain and other Soveraign Monarchies he had but a guess at he had heard perhaps of Les Etats Generaux in France but he was not very certain whether they had any such interceding Authority or no however or whatsoever it was it could not be exerted but in full Convention of the Estates in a general Dyet Cùm primarios Conventûs peragunt and then was the time to petition to make addresses in a submissive way for the redress of grievances And 5. the guilt he charges upon these popular Magistrates for betraying their trust arises from this alone that they connived at the miserable harassings of the Comonalty they took no notice at all of the invasions upon the Subjects Rights and proprieties which they might have done and never have mingled heaven and earth together with civil broyles And what can an ordinary eye espy hence that should justify the Enquirers out-cry a passage says he of that ill Aspect upon Government that it is suspected by some and not altogether without cause that most of the Confusions of Kingdoms that have happen'd since and especially the troubles of this Nation have received encouragement if not taken rise from hence If this Enquirer or any other has formerly contributed to the confusions and troubles of this or any other Nation and received encouragement from this place of Calvin he ought first to be deeply humbled before God that he should draw such desperate conclusions as those of Rebellion out of an innocent sentence and give more essential proofs and signal marks of repentance then accepting a benefice of three or four hundred per annum and secondly be ashamed that he ventur'd to read Calvin before he could well construe a piece of plain Latin for I cannot understand that Calvin though he was bound to write true Latin was also bound to help every one to a construing book no no God obliged to prevent all the evil consequences which an
the Doctrine of the Churches Power to take it away 3. That the most rigid Calvinists do not scruple Subscription to the Articles so far as they relate to the Quinquarticular Controversies and for a clear experiment herein for once let the Church make those Articles only the single Rail about the Communion Table and we shall soon see such Multitudes of Dissenters crowd into the Constitution that she will hardly find two Benefices a piece for them It 's my greater admiration that they who deny Particular Election Original sin the interest of Christs death in Reconciling God to us that they who assert Iustification by our own Works Freewill c. can subscribe them and indeed it seems they swallow'd them with some Reluctancy and are now reaching and straining with many a sowr face to Degorge not the Bait of the Benefice which is infinitely sweet but the Hook of the Article which is unmereifully sharp This pretended Pretence then might safely have been forborn but that the Lapwing thinks it advisable to raise a huge cry where 't is not that we may not search where really it is to make a clampering about the Non causes to divert our Fnquirers from the true and proper causes of Non-consormity Like the ingenious policy of the Thief that being arraigned for a Horse freely confessed the stealing of a Bridle but prudently concealed it was upon the Horses Head But says our Enquirer though this neither needs nor deserves an Answer yet I stall reply Two things to it That is he will give us Two needless Answers to One needless Objection 1. The summe of the former needless Answer is thus much Common Arts and Sciences which depend upon Humane Wit and Invention are capable of daily improvements but Christianity depending solely upon Divine Revelation can admit of no new discoveries The busie Wit of Man way perplex but it can never bring to light any New Thing for if we admit of any New Revelations we lose the Old and our Religion together we accuse our Saviour and his Aposiles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World and we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him whosoever it shall be nay if an Angel from Heaven that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what had been received The Enquirer may call this a Needless Answer sor who shall hinder him from calling his own what he pleases but I assure him it contains a great deal of Needful Truth which had he like a good Husband improved the rest of his Book had been more needless than this Answer Needless we consess it to be as to the Objection which was it self needless but not so for his own Confutation for thus the Dissenters will come over him If neither Time nor the Wit of Man can make any New discoveries in Christianity then the Pope who like another Columbus or Americus has made Great and New discoveries in the Terra Incognita of Tradition and Ceremonies must either be a God or a Devil That the Liturgy was a principal part of Gods Worship he has told us in the Introduction that it was discovered from the beginning and not by later Adventurers he will be sore put to it to prove for all the Musty Fragments of St. Iames's Liturgy That it was not part of the Wisdom of Christ or his Apostles we are well enough satisfied That there was Wit and Invention in it we confess all the Question is whose Wit should have the glory of the Invention Again If to admit New Revelations be to lose the Old and our Religion together Let us make a short Quaery upon 't whether to admit of New Ordinances and Constitutions be not to lose the Old and our Religion together That is whether Gospel Institutions be not exclusive of new ones as well as Gospel Revelations and why we may not expect a new Credimus as well as a new Mandamus New Revelations as well as New Injunctions A New Prophet of the Church seems to me as necessary as a New King over the Church and a New High-Priest as needful as either And I proceed upon this Principle that the Law of Christ was as perfect as his Discoveries He has told us as fully and clearly what we should do as what we should believe He that may invade the Royal Office upon pretence there are not Laws enough for the Government of the Church may with equal appearance of Reason invade the Prophetick Office too upon pretence there are not Revelations now for its instruction And therefore the vigilant universal Pastor has found it as necessery to supply the defect of Revelations by his own Traditions as the nakedness of Worship by decent Ceremonies As Jesus Christ vindicated the Moral Law from the false Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees so he superadded a Ceremoniâ—…l Law depending meerly upon his own fulness of Power and Authority now what right any can pretend to add new Particulars to his Ceremonial Law which they may not also pretend to add to his Meral Law I cannot Divine And therefore one of our Enquirers great Friends who had his Eyes in his Head and saw farther into these matters than his poor Neighbours was constrained to assert a power that had lain dormant somewhere of adding New Particulars to the Divine Law But further If New Revelations do accuse our Saviour and his Apostles as if they had not sufficiently revealed Gods Mind to the World Then new ways of teaching Gods Mind new invented Symbolical Ceremonies will accuse him and them of the same culpable failure in not discharging those Offices committed by God to a Mediator and by him to his Apostles And in short If we incur St. Paul's Anathema which he denounces against him that shall Preach any other Doctrine than what he has received Then they will do well to get out of the way of that Curse who Preach this Doctrine The Church has power to decree Rites and Ceremonies Unless they be sure they have received it from Christ for it s but ill venturing to stand in the way of an Angel with a drawn Sword more terrible than which is one of the Scriptures Anathema's Some will ask where and when and from whom the Church received that Doctrine which some Preach viz. A Power to impose Mystical and Symbolical Ceremonies as the Terms of Communion with a Churchâ—… but I shall only say that our compassionate Enquirer will need a most compassionate Reader upon these Two Accounts First that he makes an Objection for Dissenters which is their Answer And Secondly that he gives an Answer to that Objection which is their very Objection but yet we have not heard the Conclusion The Consequence says he of these Premises is That the elder any Doctrine of Christianity can be proved to be it must needs be truer and he that talks of a more clear Light of the latter Times and clearer discoveries in Religion talks as idly as he that
may have something to do to keep Man humble upon this Hypothesis But whether of these Two Principles makes the nearer Approach to the Church of England I mean that Doctrine which is express'd in the thirty nine Articles let the 10. Art judge The Condition of Man is such after the Fall that he cannot turn nor prepare himself by his own Natural Strength to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Our Enquirer will tell us by and by p. 9. That there has been little or no alteration made in the Doctrine of this Church since the beginning of the Reformation And therefore I conclude that there has been no alteration made from an Anti-Arminian to an Arminian sense for that cannot be called little or no alteration Now that this 10 Art in the beginning of the Reformation in Edw. VI. Reign had an Anti-Arminian sense will be out of Question to him that remembers what Addition there was then made to it The Grace of Christ or the H. Ghost by him given doth take away the Stony Heart and giveth an Heart of Flesh and although those that have no will to good things he maketh them to will and those that would evil things he maketh them not to will yet nevertheless he forceth not the will Articles Printed by I. Day Anno 1553. Cum Privilegio If this then be the sense of the Article let him go practise at home and turn his Brains how to keep Man Humble and yet neither make him Stock nor Stone and when he has found out the Mystery send word to the Synod who I am assured never asserted higher than this amounts to But if this be not the sense of the Article at present though it was once so then it must follow that the Church has more than a little alter'd her Doctrine since the Reformation And then a worse thing than all this will follow for p 8. He allows That if this Church did approach too near Popery it would serve to justifie a Secession from it But says another if it approaches too near Arminianism it approaches too near Popery and therefore our Enquirer will warrant any Mans Secession from the Church without the least imputation of Schisme What a close connexion there is between those two errours we shall hear e're long and thither we refer the Reader when we have told him that the Church of England is certainly free from any Tincture of Arminianism and so far free from any spot of Popery only it concern'd the Enquirer to understand the consequences of his own scandalous Reflections I have done with his first Answer 2. I come now to his second The Artiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Church do with such adâ—… prudence and wariness handle thesâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paerticular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo I cannot imagine what greater Reproach he could throw upon these famous Articles and their worthy Compilers then to suggest that they were calculated for all Meridians and Latitudes As if the Church did imitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Delphian Apollo whose Oracles wore Two Faces under one Heed and were penn'd like those Amphilogies that cheated Croesus and Pyrrâ—… into their distruction Or as if like Ianus they looked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backwards and forwards and like the untouch'd Needle stood indifferently to be interpreted through the two and thirty Points of the Compass The Papists do never more maliciously reproach the Scriptures than when they call it a Lesbian Rule a Nose of Wax a Leaden Dagger a Pair of Scamans Trowzes a Movable Dyal you may make it what a Clock you please And yet they never arriv'd at that height of Blasphemy as to say it was Industriously so penn'd by the Amannenses of the Holy Ghost I dare not entertain so little Charity for an Assembly of Holy and Learned Men convened upon so solemn an occasion that they would play Legerde main and contrive us a Systeme of Divinity which should be 〈◊〉 pacis non veritatis The Conventicle of Trent indeed acted like themselves that is a pack of Juglers who when they were gravelled and knew not how to hush the noise and impâ—…rtunate Clamour of the bickering Factions the Craftiâ—…r Lâ—…ng Mâ—…n found out a Temper as they call'd it to skin over that Wouâ—…d which they could not heal and durst not search And what was the success of these Carnal Policies only this Both parties retained their differing opinions believed just as they did befâ—…re and when they fâ—…und how they had been cajouled the Conâ—… versiâ—…s which for a while had been smothered under the Ashes of a Blind Subscription broke out into a more violent flame The craft of this Politick Juncto that impartial Hâ—…storian Pietro Polaâ—… has opened to the World Hist. Conne of Trent p. 216. In the â—…ear 1546. says she In the end of the Session Dominicus a Soto principal of the Dominicans wrote Three Books of Nature and Grace wherein all his old Opinions were found Then comes Andreas Vega a great Man amongst the Franciscans and he â—…ites no less than Fifteen Books upon the 16 Points of the Decree that passed that Session and expounded all according to his own Opinions And yet their opinions were directly contrary to one another though both supposed to agree with the Decree of the Council So Righteous it is with God that they who design not their Confessions for an Instrument of Truth which is Gods End should not find them an Instrement of Peace which is all their End They that will separate Truth from Peace shall certainly miss both of Pâ—…ace and Truth The Title prefix'd to the Book of Articles does abundantly secure us of their Honesty The Catholick Doctrine believed and professed in the Church of England Now how shall we at all believe if we know not what to belâ—…eve And if the Trumpet gives an uncertain Sound 't is all one as if it were not Sounded That which is every thing and every where is nothing and no where That which has no determinate Sense has no Sense and that 's very near akin to Non-sense The Iews indeed have a Tradition that the Manna was what every Mans appetite could relish and such a Religion would these Men invent as should be most flexible where it ought not to bend and where it should yield there to be inâ—…exible Strange it is that Religion of all things in the World should be unfix'd and like Delos or O-Brazile float up and dâ—…n in various and uncertain Conjectures What Aristotle â—…'d to say of oâ—… of his Books That is was Editus non Editus and what was the just reproach of the Rhemists Testament that it câ—…e forth as some reporâ—… of a great Princes Sword with
a Padlock upon 't so stuffed with Pen and Ink-horn Terms that it was almost as intelligible in Latin the same contumely does our Enquirer pour out upon the Articles of the Church which were the most famous Testimony that then for many Years nay Ages had been given to the Truth of the Gospel I conclude then that he must be very immodest that can entertain a thought so unworthy the Learning Religion and sincetity of our first Reformers which were their greatest Ornaments as they were of their Times and the Articles the greatest glory of them both I know it 's an easie matter to draw up a Proposition so dubiously that the greatest Dissenters may subscribe it but what is the advantage of such dawbing Policy Peace or Unity of Judgment Some Men indeed have got a Worm in their Pates and they fancy this an expedient for these ends but there 's no such matter for the Subscribers in this Case do not bow their jugdments to the Articles but gently bend the Articles to their judgment It 's not the Bank that moves to the Boat but the Boat that moves to the Bank and each Party thinks it self the stronger because it can draw in the obsequious Articles to abet their opinioons When therefore he insinuates that they of the Calâ—…inistical perswasion in subscribing the Articles are forced to use Scholastick Subtleties to reconcile their opinions to them we entreat them to use Scholastick Subâ—…leties who are of the other judgment to reconcile the Articles to their opinions and they will find all too little unless they borrow a Point or two of Conscience first to resolve to subscribe and then defend it afterwards as well as they can And when he intimates that they were only some few Divines of this Church that used this expedient we know well that till the appearance of the late A. B. Laud the generality of this Church were of the Dort perswasion Arminianism has been openly declared Schism Arminius himself an Enemy to the Grace of God by our greatest and most Learned Princes and the greatest of our Church-Men have declared against it as a stranger and enemy to our Church But all this as I observ'd was brought in to vilifie the Synod of Dort and that eminently Learned and Holy Person St. Austin whose Credit whilst the Enquirer would wound he shall but like the Viper in the Fable Break his own Teeth and never hurt the impregnable Steel 2. A second pretended Objection against the Church is That it is not sufficiently purged from the Dross of Romish Superstitions It 's a marvelous advantage to him that challenges another to fight if he may prescribe and impose the Weapon this Authority has our Enquirer and some of his Camerades arrogated as peculiar to themselves that they may put what objections they please into the Mouths of Dissenters For though they cannot in the largest Charity acquit a Party neither considerable for Number or solid Learning which yet by noise and Pragmaticalness and some other Artifices have vested themselves with the Name of the Church yet they are ready to clear the Articles of the Church from Popery and Arminianism I intend those alone who would obtrude a meaning upon the Doctrine as if it impugned particular Election Original Sin and asserted Free-will Iustification by our own Works and the rest of those Points whereof some mention has been made In the first of Car. I. The House of Commons exhibited Articles against one Mr. Richard Mountague the 5th of which was thus And whereas in the 17th of the said Articles it is Resolved That God hath certainly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind in Christ and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting salvation wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit be called according to Gods purpose working in due time they through Grace obey that calling they be justified freely walk Religiously in good works and at last by Gods mercy attain to Everlasting Felicity He the said Richard Mountague 〈◊〉 the said Book called The Appeal doth affirm and maintain that men justified may fall away from that state which once they had Thereby laâ—…ing a most malicious scandal upon the Church of England as if he did differ herein from the Reformed Churches in England and thâ—… Reformed Churches beyond the Seas and did Consent unto those pernicious Errours commonly called Arminianism which the late famous Q. Eliz. and K. James of happy memory did so piously and Religiously labour to suppress And farther they charge him That the scope and end of his Book was to give â—…ncouragement to Popery and to withdraw his Majesties Subjects frrom the True Religion establisht From whence we have gained this Point that that Doctrine which denies Perseverance in them that were once Justified doth abet Arminianism and therein draw near Popery But if these men might expound the Articles they would deny the one and abet the other and therefore do draw too near Popery Hereupon Dissenters have a warrant under his own Hand to withdraw from the Church for says he p. 8. If the charge of drawing too near the Church of Rome were true or if it were probable it would justifie their separation from it In 5 Caroli I. The House of Commons made this protestation Whosoever shall bring in Innovation of Religion or by Favour or Countenance seâ—…k to extend Popery or Arminianism or other Opinion disagreeing from the truth or Orthodox Church shall be Reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Common-wealth And so close has the connexion between Popery and Arminianism ever been adjudged that the Jusuites who throughly understand their Interest and the most proper and suitable means to promote it hâ—…ve pâ—…ht upon This as the best expedient to introduce That for 〈◊〉 â—…s in that Triumphant Letter of theirs to their Rector at 〈◊〉 they express themselves Now we have planted that Soveraign Drug of Arminianism which will purge the Protestants of their Heresie and it flourishes and brings forth fruit in due season Whence we are taught both our Disease and our Remedy The Disease under which poor England laboured was Protestancy the Remedy was the Iesuites powder or a round Dose of Arminianism which is it seems a specifick purger of that Humour That the Divines of this Church did formerly maintain a just suspicion that the Opinions of Conditional Election and falling away totally from Grace were an In-let to Popery we need no other evidence then that Letter written by the University of Cambridge to their Chancellor upon the occasion of Barrets and Baro's preaching up such like novelties It was dated March 8. 1595. If say they passage be admitted to these Errours the whole Body of Popery will break in upon us by little and little to the overthrow of all Religion And therefore they humbly beseech his Lordships good Aid and Assistance for the suppressing
enquired whether it have not a greater Tincture of Judaism to enjoin other days for Holy-days which have no fâ—…ting in Gods word then to spend the Lords-day in pursuit of those things which concern our Everlasting peace which is clearly warranted thereby B. Andrews urges this against Trask The Apostles kept their Meetings on that day on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. held their sacred Synaxes their solemn Assemblies to preach to pray to celebrate the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lords Supper on the Lords-day for these two words only the Day and the Supper have the Epithete of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture to shew that its alike in both 5. A Fifth Instance of their Judaical Principle is their Doctrine of Absolute Predestination This Doctrine has perplext the Enquirer beyond measure he would mention it every where willingly but knows not where to mention it pertinently It was lately one of the Pretended or Apochryphal and now it s become a Real and Canonical nay a near and immediate Cause or at least the just sixth part of a Cause of separation I shall for once suppose that all the Non-conformists are Sublapsarians Now let him show me that Article or Doctrine to which this Church requires subscription relating to the Decrees of God to which a Sublapsarian cannot freely subscribe The 17 Art of the Church speaks without question her fense in this matter Predestination to life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ouâ—… of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting Salvation It were more for this Gentlemans comfort and credit to write a serious and Compassionate Enquiry into the Pretended and Real the Remote and near Causes of his own conformity to that Doctrine which he so pleasantly derides And with what Engines Machines Screws and Pulleys he could hale his Conscience to a Subscription The old Device was good Lingud juratus sum mente juravi nihil It 's a happy freedom of Spirit a blessed enlargement of mind to subscribe any thing and believe nothing Two things there are which ought to have been cleared first that the Doctrine of predestination is a Iewish Principle secondly that it 's a Cause or a piece of a Cause of Non-conformity For the former he makes it out thus He that seeks the source of so odd an Opinion can in my â—…ind pitch no where more probably then upon the absolute Decree of God to favour the Posterity of Abraham for his sake Alas Poor Man And had the Church of England thinks he no more wit then to talk of an Everlasting Purpose before the foundation of the World of a constant Decree to deliver from Curse and Damnation some that he had chosen out of Mankind and bring them to Everlasâ—…ing Salvation from such a Ridiculous Ground But the difficulty was how to make this a piece of Judaism and when Men set themselves insuperable Tasks they must rub through them as they are able The Second will yet be more difficult For many Conformists have been and are Sublapsarians and some Non-conformists Subter-Sublapsarians And the Enquirer told us p. 7. That the Articles of the Doctrine of our Church do with such admirable prudence and wariness handle these Points the Five Points as if particular respect was had to these Men and care taken that they might Abundare sensu suo So necessary it was our Author should confute his own Contradictious Cavils Well! Whether this Church the Iewish Church the Non-conformists or any or all or none of them be of this opinion yet it is a most monstrous one For says he The N. T. has often assured â—…s that at the great day God will judge the World in Righteousness and that without respect of Persons he will render to every one according to his Works Wonderful And are the Sublapsarians all this while to seek how God may be righteous in the Great Day if he Derceed to give Grace to some Men which he never owed them and left others to perish under the Fruits of their own Apostacy and unbelief 6. The last Instance is their superstitious observation and interpretation of Prodigies The Works of God are all Admirable those of Creation Glorious those of Providence Mysterious we have reason to Revere his Greatness in all that he doth them his Wisdom in all in that he can his Goodness in that he will make them Bow to subserve his own Counsels and Purposes in working together for good in them that love him To fetch our Creed from that Book of Providence we allow not it 's well if we can make Gods use of them to awaken a sleepy World to Repentance The greatest Prodigy that has startled me of late has been a Story that many tell us That in several places in the Nation the Graves have been seen to Open and many old Hereticks to have risen and walk'd and talk'd and preach'd and printed Books whom we verily believed to have been as dead and rotten as their Heresies Thus I remember Lirinensis calls Coelestius Prodigiosum Pelagij Discipulum That Prodigious Scholar of Pelagius Something was useful to have been said about Prodigies and it must come in here or no where and therefore let it pass for a Iewish Opinion and a sixth part of one whole Cause of Non-conformity 3 He reckons Preâ—…udice amongst the causes of our distractions and let it passe for a third There is a sound sense in which our Enquirers Notions may be very true could we be but so happy as to hit out Tertullian complained sadly of those insuperable prejudices against the Christian Religion under which they all groâ—…ed Non sâ—…lus aliquod in Causa est sed Nomen It was the Name of a Christian that was their greatest Crime Bonus Vir Cajus Sâ—…jus tantum quod Christianus A poor Woman amongst the Ignorant Devoto's of Rome was instructed by her Ghostâ—…y Father that the Hugonots were all Monsters It hapned that one of her Neighbours spying a Protestant passing by told her That Man is a Hugonot It 's imposible replyed she He looks as like a Man as ever I saw one in my life Thus are Dissenters by prejudice and partiality sentenced and executed in the peremptory Judgements of Many before their Cause is heard or thy admitted to a fair Defence and Tryal I shall therefore spare my common place Book and reserve my stores for more important occasions and at present borrow our Enquirers more refined Collections for they will serve any Mans turn to evince that prejudice is a Cause not why there are so many Non-conformists but that there are no more This Prejudice alone was able to Seal up the Eyes of the Gentile World against the Sun of Righteousness when he shone upon them in his brightest