is * This is Pelagius his Doctrine as may be seen in Alvarez de Auxil gratiae l. 1. disp 1. p. 4. n. 2. possible for men in the state of corruption to keep the whole Moral Law of God Both which are very gross Errors but the former of these I should suppose he doth not hold Because 1. He complains against Nonconformists though causelesly and very falsely for Antinomianism 2. He presseth obedience to the Law and good works so much as that he saith that those that have confidence in Gods mercy through Christ must come down again from the top of the tree and begin at the bottom in obedience to all Gods Commandments And this must go before we can actually receive his pardon and absolution according to that of the Apostle Tit. 3. 5 6 7. where it is visible saith he that his mercy cannot save us unless we become new creatures and that this must go before the justification we expect by the grace of God In his licensed Parable of the Pilgrim 〈◊〉 502 511 〈◊〉 But yet if he hold it I shall say no more than what Gods Word expresly and in terminis saith Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every 〈◊〉 that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Either Gods word is false or his Doctrine But the second which is this ' That 't is possible for men in the state of corruption exactly and perfectly to fulfill the whole Moral Law of God Papists that they may establish their Justification of mens persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works do affirm that believers * Bellar. de observatione Legis T. 4. l. 6. c. 7. can by the help of Gods grace and the spirit of love infused into them at their Justification perfectly fulfill the whole Moral Law of God And this seems to be the Doctors insinuation To which our Divines do answer that 't is true the Law of God is Evangelically kept or fulfilled by true believers in Christ Jesus whose perfect righteousness and obedience is imputed to them and thereby their sincere obedience though very imperfect as referred to the Law is accepted of God as perfect But the Law is not legally kept by exact and perfect doing for matter and manner all the works thereof by any justified or regenerated person in this life since Christ ascended up into Heaven And this I have proved by the Doctrine of the Church of England and may be further proved even by those portions of Sacred Writings which she appoints to be said before the Common-prayers begin or the Exhortation thereto Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight Psal 143. 2. And if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Joh. 1. â—8 The Church of England as I have shewed teacheth that the works of unjustified men are sins Art 13. And that the most holy and righteous * Davenant Deter 10. pag. 50. works of regenerate persons have some sin in them Art 15. and their graces are but imperfect They know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and they believe but in part Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief And our frailty is such that we can never fulfil the Law according to the perfection that the Law requireth Plenissima charitas est in nemine August Epist 29. Homily for Good Friday T. 2. p. 182. and p. 177. and there is original sin in the regenerate Article the ninth And that concupiscence * Bishop Prideaux Fascic Controvers l. 3. de peccato q. 5. p. 123. in the regenerate is properly sin Article the ninth That God made man in the state of innocency upright and able to fulfil the whole Law of God That 't is now since his fall in his corrupt estate though in part renewed impossible ordinarily for him to fulfil the Law is not the fault of the Law which is holy and just and good but of man who hath by his own default disabled himself that it much magnifies and commends the free grace of God in that he doth for Christs sake accept of true believers imperfect performances as if they were exactly conformed to the perfect Law of God which yet they are not Adam Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah Jonah Job Peter and Paul sinned David sinned after his person was justified Psal 51. and so did Peter by denying of Christ Luk. 22. 57 58 60. and by his unseasonable and scandalous using the Ceremonies of the Law or Judaizing Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. And St. Paul himself feels and complains Rom. 7. 20 21 24. of siâ— that did dwell in him of a law in his members that did draw him to do that which he would not and hinder him from doing that which he would do and of a body of death And Gal. 3. 17. That the flesh lusteth against the Spirit These few failings of Dr. Patrick and Mr. Fowler and Doctor Jeremy Taylor c. may not only serve to put in the other scale against the many little pretended ones the Debater objects against Mr. W. B. and Mr. T. W. and others but also prove That some great Conformists to the Discipline of the Church of England are the greatest Nonconformists to the Doctrine thereof and those tollerated if not protected and promoted while Nonformists to the Discipline but stout defenders of the Doctrine of Faith and Sacraments thereof are rejected and silenced ART XI That unregenerated persons own good works do make thâ—â— meet to receive grace from God or as the School-Author say deserve grace of congruity THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England but before I prove it for the better understanding of this error and the truth know 1. That grace in Sacred Scripture signifies two things 1. The favour of God or of man in himself and so 't is taken and used in the Old and New Testament As Gen. 6. 8. And Noah foâ—â—â— grace in the eyes of God Gen. 18. 3. Gen. 39. 21. Ezra 9. 8. Esth 2. 1â— So the Virgin Mary found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace with God Rom. 3. 24. Beng justified freely by his grace that is by the free favour or love mercy or goodness that is in God manifested to us in Christ Rom. 11 5 Election of Grace Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saved Sometimes it signifies 2. The gift of grace that is that gracious habit of grace that is inâ—erent in us as Rom. 11. 29. 2 Cor. 8. 7. See that ye abound in thâ—â— grace also Ephes 3. 7. The gift of grace Ephes 4. 7. Vnto every oâ—â— of vs is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Col. 3 16. Singing with grace in your hearts Heb. 12. 28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence
more over their fellow-Presbyters or shepherds of the flock but commanded to give good example to their flock expecting not a triple Crown here on earth that perisheth but a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away which Christ the only chief Shepherd will give at the great day of Judgment to all his holy humble diligent and faithful Pastors And thus was the Church governed in the Primitive times communi conciâ—io Presbyterorum by the common Jerom. in Tit. 〈◊〉 1. Jerom. ad Evagrium council of the Presbyters as St. Jerome told the Pope himself and this Council was not such a pickt Council of Princely Cardinals of his own creatures and sworn vassals as the Popes is which hath only a shew of the ancient Government of the Church but is indeed a wicked combination against it a meer device to uphold his Usurpation tyranny power pride and Lordly dominion over the Princes of the world and the Churches and Church-officers of Jesus Christ But it was a common Council of fellow-Presbyters of the same Church chosen by the Church in which Council for necessary order sake was by common consent toâ— chosen for that time one Presbyter that was the most worthy grave aâ—â— able man to be president or if you will Speaker of that Council for tâ—â—â— time who had only a precedency of order but no more a superiority of jurisdiction over the Colledg of Presbyters than the Speaker of the House of Commons hath over the rest of his fellow-commoners in Parliament assembled here in England 2. That the Pope of Rome is not St. Peter ' s Successor either in his Apostleship for that was extraordinary and died with him or Bishoprick For Peter the Apostle was not properly a Bishop neither could he be as the word Bishop is now commonly taken with us For he was an Apostle of the whole Church and so could not be tyed to the Church of Antioch or Rome as Papists would make the world believe he was He that makes Peter the Apostle a Bishop brings him oâ—â— of the Parlor into the kitchin as Dr. Raynolds speaks of St. James the Apostle in his Conference with Hart. He that makes the King of England a Justice of Peace or the Lord Chief Justice of England a Justice of Peace but of one County Diocess City or Parish or Town unkings the King and Unlord-chief-justiceth the other Peter had no superiority of authority over the rest of his fellow-Apostles Peter was not the Rock upon which Christ promised to build his Church but that Confession that Peter made in the name of Christs Disciples Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Peter had the same Commission from Christ and no other that the other Apostles had and they had the same that he had Peter was no more Bishop of Rome than S. Paul was Nay it can never be proved by Sacred Scripture that Peter the Apostle was at Rome at any time but that he was elsewhere above twenty years may be proved by Sacred Scripture and very probably that he was not at Rome when we cannot certainly prove him elsewhere in this or that particular place Obj. Papists out of Eusebius say thus That when Peter had laid the foundation Hart in Conference with Dr. Raynolds c. 6. D. 3. P. 257. of the Church at Antioch where be saâ—e Bishop seven years he went to Rome and preaching the Gospel there twenty-five years continued Bishop of that City Ans To this I answer thus 1. That though Eusebius was a â—â—arned man yet he was a meer man and not infallibly guided in his History and works as the Prophets and Apostles were 2. Eusebius is reproved by Pope Gelasius in a Council of seventy Bishops as false in his History which reproof is proved to be just by Canus viz. For his reporting of Christs Epistle to Agbarus and his avouching many things by Clemens Alexandrinus whereas the fable of the one and the works of the other are reproved by the Council And moreover he writeth in the same Chronicle That Sennacherib who besieged Jerusalem and Salmanassar who took Samaria were one and the same man which Saint * Com. in Isa 36. Jerom hath shewed to be contrary to holy Scripture as Dr. †Confer c. 6. d. 3. p. 258. Reynolds answers Hart. And he saith further That such another oversight is this of Peter ' s being seven years Bishop of the Church of Antioch and 25 years after that Bishop of the Church of Rome and he gives those probable reasons that others do give to prove That Peter was never at Rome He proves the first part of the story to be false and contrary to Sacred Scripture thus Peter by this account should have gone to Antioch about the 4th year after Christs death and there abode seven years even till the second * So Cornel. a Lapide Chron. Actuum Apostolorum pag. 3. year of Claudius the Emperor in †Cornel. a Lapide saith he went to Rome the third of Claudius in his Preface to the first Epistle of Peter which he went to Rome But the holy Scripture sheweth that Paul who was not presently converted after Christs death after three years found Peter at Jerusalem Gal. 1. 18. He went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days And Peter after that abode within the coasts of Jury first at Lydda Act. 9. 38. then at Joppa where he tarried many days Act. 9. 43. then at Caesaria Act. 10. 48. then at Jerusalem Act. 11. 2 where Herod Agrippa cast him into prison in the second or * Cornelius a Lapide saith 't was in the third year of Claudius Chron. Act. Apostolor p. 3. the very time that he removed as he saith from his seven years sitting Bishop at Antioch to Rome and wrote his first Epistle Preface to the 1. Epistle of Peter Vid. Lightf Harmony p. 92. third year of Claudius as it is likely for he died in the fourth when the Church of Antioch was both †plainted and wâ—tered by others and not by Peter viz. by Barnabas and Paul and were called Christians before ever Peter câ—â— there And therefore the first branch of Eusebius his report that Peter having founded the Church of Antioch and that he sate there Bishop seven years in the second year of Claudius is flatly contrary to Scripture And Onuphrius in his Annotations upoâ— Platina in Vitam B. Petri Apostoli saith It is most clear and surely known by the Acts of the Apostles and Paul ' s Epistle to the Galatianâ— that for nine years after Christs death Peter never went out of Jury till the second year of the reign of Claudius and therefore he could not sit seven years Bishop at Antioch before he went to Rome Thus the former part of Eusebius his story being proved false why may not the latter part viz. that Peter after this sate twenty-five years Bishop of Rome be also false To which I
necessary and edificative of the whole flock of Christ but are only made or said to be so by the will of man carrying a real appearance of evil and are scandalous to Papists and Protestants and establish such modes of Religious worship as are most conformable to the Gospel-rule and primo-primitive practise and not too like to and inductive of the Government and form of worship of the Apostatical and Antichristian Church of Rome I verily believe they would have more dutiful Sons and good Friends than now they have and the Church and Kingdom would have more peace and prosperity to which God of his great mercy incline their hearts However I beseech them to let their moderation be known to all men And I intreat all people without making any tumults upon any pretence whatsoever in their own places and callings quietly to endeavour and earnestly expect and pray for an amendment of what is amiss in Church and State to fear God and honour the King and submit to those that are in authority under him And so God keep you all Septemb. 29. 1673. R. R. B. D. The particular Doctrines renounced are these I. THat the Bread and Wine in the Lords-Supper after the Priests pronouncing these words with intention This is my Body and this is my Blood are turned or transubstantiated into the substance of Christs Body and Blood II. That Christ is really more present on the high Altar or Communion-Table as on his Throne or Chair of State than in the Pulpit or Font c. and that therefore more corporal bowing or more bodily reverence is due to the Altar or Communion-Table than to the Pulpit or Font. III. That mens persons are justified or accounted righteous before God for their own good works that follow Faith either in part or in whole and not for the merits of Jesus Christ alone IV. That Faith that doth justifie Believers persons before God is a bare and naked assent to the truth and that so and as an act habit or work in us it justifies V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by Faith alone on their part VI. That mens foreseen faith repentance good works c. were the true causes moving God to elect them to eternal Salvation VII That men unregenetate or in the state of nature have by their own free will power sufficient of themselves to turn themselves to God to believe in Jesus Christ repent and do good workâ— acceptable to God when they will and also finally to resist the efficacious grace of God in converting an elected sinner to himself VIII That truly regenerated persons cannot be certain of their eternal Salvation but may totally and finally fall away from the acts and habits of saving Grace before they die and be eternally damned IX That the corruption of our nature commonly called Original sin which remaineth in truly regenerated persons after Baptism is not properly sin X. That meer men in this life since Adams fall can perfectly fulfill Gods whole Moral Law and also voluntarily do good works besides and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation which are as they say greater and holier than the works of the Moral Law and do merit remission of sin and eternal life not only for themselves but also for others XI That unregenerated mens own good works do make them meet to receive grace from God or as the School Doctors say deserve grace of congruity XII Thâ—t the good works of â—â—regenerated men do ex condigno merit at Gods hands eternal life XIII That there is a place after this life called Purgatory wherein the souls of believers dying since Christs Resurrection are purged from sins by penal satisfaction which were not purged in this life so fully as they ought that they may enter into Heaven XIV That the Pope of Rome successively or the Papacy is not the Antichrist of which the Scripture writes XV. That it is lawful to set up and suffer Images of the Sacred Trinity of God the Father of God the Son or Crucifixes Of God the Holy Ghost or of Saints departed this life which have been worshipped in Temples or Churches where Gods people do usually meet to worship God XVI That those Books which are commonly called Apocryphal Scriptures as Tobit Judith c. are the pure word of God and in all things agreeable thereunto XVII That the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the supreme Head of the Universal Church of Christ above all Emperours Kings Princes Pastors People and Churches The Articles of Lambeth The Doctrine of the Churches of England and Ireland Arminianism is not the Doctrine of the Church of England Notes taken out of King James his Declaration against Vorstius King James no friend to Arminianism A Renunciation OF SEVERAL Popish Doctrines BECAUSE Contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND IN general I renounce and detest all Popish false Doctrine and all Popish Superstitious and Idolatrous Worship and practises and the real appearances thereof and in particular I renounce and detest these that follow ARTICLE I. That the Bread and Wine in the Lords-Supper after the Priests pronouncing these words with intention This is my Body and this is my Blood are turned or transubstantiated into the substance of Christs Body and Blood This I renounce because it is contray to the Doctrine of the Church of England which Article 28th faith thus Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy Writ but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the Nature of the Sacrament and hath given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner and the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith And Homily of the worthy receiving the Sacrament it saith thus It is well known that the meat we seek for in the Supper is spiritual food the nourishment of our souls an heavenly refection and not earthly invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnal p. 200. It 's also contrary to the Church of England's declaration concerning kneeling at the end of the Communion-service The Sacramental bread and wine remain still in their very natural substances therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians and the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ are in heaven and not here it being against the truth of Christs natural body to be at one time in more places than one This declaration is not only against the Papists Transubstantiation but also fully against the Lutherans Consubstantiation viz. That Christs body and blood is really and corporally in the bread and wine Both which
Writer of our Church have been delivered to us and we reject the sâ—â— of the Jesuits Arminians and all others wherein they differ frâ—â— us To be seen in Dr. Heylins Cyprianus Anglicus l. 3. p. 190. Aâ— the Parliament afterward declared 〈◊〉 presly the Articles of Lambeth to be 〈◊〉 Articles of Lambeth declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England Doctrine of this Church of England 〈◊〉 that all that did oppose them were to 〈◊〉 called in question which declaratioâ— Heylin informs us of in his Cyp. Angliâ—â— l. 3. p. 197. The Synod of Dort in which were several of our Learnâ—â— and Orthodox Divines as Bishop Carleton Davenant Hall Dr. Ward Dr. Belcanquall in their 1st Chapter and 9th Article say thus This said Election was made not upon foresight of faith and the obedience of faith holiness or of any other good quality or disposition as a cause or condition before required in men to be chosen but unto faith and the obedience of faith holiness c. and therefore Election is the fountain of all saving-good from whence faith holiness and the residue of saving-gifts lastly everlasting life it self do flow as the fruits and effects thereof according to that of the Apostle Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us not because we were but that we should be holy and without blame before him in love And therefore Error the 5th they reject as erroneous the Doctrine of them who teach That the incompleat and not peremptory Election We deny any such incompleat Election of singular persons is made by reason of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness begun or continued for some time but the compleat and peremptory Election by reason of the final perseverance of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness and this is the gracious and evangelical worthiness by which he that is chosen becomes worthier than he that is not chosen and therefore that faith the obedience of faith sanctity godliness and perseverance are not the fruits and effects of unchangeable Election unto glory but conditions and causes sine quibus non that is to say without which a thing is not brought to pass before required and foreseen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen A thing repugnant to the whole Scripture which everywhere beats into our ears and hearts these and such-like sayings Rom. 9. 11. Election is not of works but of him that calleth Act. 13. 48 As many as were ordained unto life-eternal believed Ephes 1. 4 He hath chosen us that we should be holy John 15. 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Rom. 11. 6 If of grace not of works 1 John 4. 10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son c. The Church of Scotland saith That those of manking that are predestinated unto life God before the foundations of the world were laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free-grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving hiâ— thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace Whiâ—â— Confession may be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the 〈◊〉 learned Assembly of Divines c. 3. Art 5. 4. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine and Confession of our godly Maâ—tyrs Robert Clover Master of Arts and Martyr in answer to 〈◊〉 Devil objecting against him his own unworthiness saith That 〈◊〉 Fathers before him were no bringers of any goodness to Goâ— but altogether receivers they choâ—â— not God first but God chose thâ—â— Fox his Acts and Monuments in one Folio p. 1618. 2 Col. first they loved not God first 〈◊〉 he loved them first yea he boâ—â— loved and chose them when thâ—â— were his enemies full of sin and corruption and void of 〈◊〉 goodness And that stout and learned and orthodox Martyr Mr. John Philpot in answer to Dr. Saverson and saying thâ—â— Where is there one of your Synagogues of Rome that ever hâ—â— been able to answer any of the godly learned Ministers of 〈◊〉 many who have disclosed your counterfeit Religion Which 〈◊〉 you all at this day is able to answer Calvins Institutions whâ—â—â— is Minister of Geneva To whom Dr. Saverson said A goâ—â— Minister indeed of Cut-purses and Runnagate Traitors and of 〈◊〉 I can tell you there is such contention fallen between him and 〈◊〉 own Sects that he was fain to fly 〈◊〉 Town * A gross lye or mistake which Hooker in his Preface to his Eccles Pol. confutes about Predestination 〈◊〉 whom and which John Philpot 〈◊〉 swereth thus I am sure you blaspheâ—â— that godly man and that godly Câ—â— where he is Minister as it is your Churches condition when you 〈◊〉 not answer men by learning to oppress them with blasphemies and 〈◊〉 reports for in the matter of Predestiâ—â—tion * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1697. 2 Col. HE IS IN NO OTHER OPINION THAN ALL THE DOCTORâ— OF THE CHURCH BE AGREEING TO THE SCRIPTURES Mark 〈◊〉 words for the matter of Predestination he that is Calvin is of 〈◊〉 other opinion than all the Doctors of the Church be and agreeiâ—â— to the Scriptures And in answer to the Bishop of Coventrey 〈◊〉 said plainly thus * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1721. 1 Col. I allow the Church of Geneva and the Doctrine of the same for it is una Catholica Apostolica and doth follow the Doctrine the Apostles did teach And when his Keeper at Newgate his old acquaintance promised him all kindness and favour if he would recant his Heresie he answered resolutely and plainly thus I will never recant whilest I have my life that which I have spoken for Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1722. 2 Col. it is a most certain truth and in witness whereof I will seal it with my blood which he did few days after Now what Calvin held concerning Predestination in general may be seen at large in his Institutions and what of this one particular may be found there lib. 3. c. 22. Sect. 1 2 3. clear against the Doctrine of Papists concerning Gods electing man to salvation for his foreseen faith c. and Sect. 6. may be seen his Doctrine clearly against Popish and Arminian Writers exposition of the 9th Chapter to the Romans where Mr. Fowlers shifts and glosses are answered too which he hath cunningly and perniciously inserted in pag. 263 c. of his free Discourse too large now here to be inserted I have been the larger in setting down these Confessions because Archbishop Laud in his too much applauded Relation of his Conference with Fisher p. 36. saith thus The Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion
one in the world they worship the idol of their own brains and therefore may lawfully be called Idolaters Will-worship is the worship of any besides God or of God himself otherwise than he hath commanded as A. B. Vsher shews in his Sum of Christian Religion p. 222. and in p. 223. he saith expresly That we are to worship God by those means only which he approveth in his Word according to his saying to Moses Do that which I command thee and do no more Deut. 〈◊〉 12. 6. That if any thing in Gods Worship be done contrary to or besides his command Non est honor sed dedicus it is not an honour to him but a disgrace to him as both St. * Hom. 51. in Matthew Chrysostome and Jerom †Honor praeter mandatum est dedicus affirm as Bishop Andrews quotes them in his Exposition of the second Commandment Where p. 274. he divides the external worship of God into two parts Substance and Ceremony By which 't is clear that Ceremonies are parts of Worship then if they be not specially commanded by God they are forbidden under the notion of Will-worship And Mr. Henry Jeanes in his first and second part of his Scholastical and Practical Divinity shews * Mr. H. Jeanes his mixture of Scholastical and Practical Divinity pag. 1. of Christs All-fulness pag. 64 68. that the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome are forbidden in 1 Cor. 14. ult out of Dr. Ames in answer to Dr. Hammond especially in his second Part. But in his first Part after a most learned Discourse of the All fulness of Christ he infers reprehension to Papists and Prelatists 1. To Papists who prejudice him in all his Offices 2. To Prelatists who have prejudiced him in his Kingly Office as he is the chief so the only Law-giver in his Church by institution of divers Church-Officers which he hath not appointed nor given them authority to appoint as also of divers Ceremonies of ordained and mystical signification appropriated unto the worship and service of God And in his Prophetical Office by their institution of Doctrinal Ceremonies which teach spiritual duties by their mystical signification which he saith is made good by the abridgment of that Book which the Ministers of Lincoln Diocess delivered to King James December 1. 1605 pag. 41. Christ say they is the only teacher of his Church and appointer of all means whereby we should be taught and admonished of any holy duty and whatsoever he hath thought good to teach his Church and the means whereby he hath perfectly set down in the Scriptures so that to acknowledg any other means of teaching and admonishing us of our duty than such as he hath appointed is to receive another teacher into the Church besides him and to confess some imperfection in those means he hath ordained to teach us by To which he takes leave to add the words of Dr. Ames in his fresh suit of Ceremonies pag. 210 211. Only this by the way I would learn how we ca◠acknowledg and receive any means of Religious teaching with faith except it appear to be Appointed by an authentick teacher and law-giver And how our Prelates in appointing means of spiritual teaching which Christ appointed not can be accounted therein Ministerial teachers under him is their and our only authentick teacher as also if Christ be our authentick teacher in all good that we learn about Religion who taught our Prelates such good manners as to put Pescues of their own making into his hand and so appoint him after what manner and by what means he should teach us Though this that Mr. Jeanes hath alledged and said be very pat to his purpose and hard to be answered or fairly wiped off yet I conceive that which he saith in his Bellarmines Enervatus in answer to Bellarmines Bellar. Enervat T. 3. c. 8. p. 57 58 59 61. arguments for Ceremonies more full and pertinent to my purpose to prove them unlawful because they are Will-worship or works of Supererogation besides the words of God to which for brevities sake I must refer the learned Reader where his arguments against them may be seen Where p. 61. he answers to Bellarmine urging for humane Ceremonies 1 Cor. 14. ult thus 1. Honesty and order did best consist in the Primitive * Yet Dr. Heylin calls the pure Worship of God performed by the French and Dutch Churches here in Archbishop Lauds time indecencies and thereby condemus our Saviour Christ and his holy Apostles of indecencies in their worship of God because without the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome Cyprian Angl. l. 4. p. 281. Church without humane Ceremonies 2. In that very place they are tacitly prohibited because there is nothing left to the Church besides the honest ordering of things instituted by Christ for the things instituted and the ordering of them do differ as the subject and its external adjunct 3. We must obey rulers that are set over us by God while they do the Commendments of him that set them over us 4. True Religion doth bring honour to God according to his will by those means that are appointed by him therefore it admits not humane Ceremonies Bellarmine argueth for Ceremonies that some Ceremonies have a spiritual virtue in them Protestants answer 1. Why some and not all if they all proceed from the same spirit 2. Seeing the Scripture is a rule perfectly directing us in spiritual life from it alone we must be shewed what those means are which have a spiritual virtue 3. If those some Ceremonies have a spiritual virtue in them or assisting them then they are of more efficacy and dignity than the Sacraments of the Old Testament or the Baptism of John They are parts of the New Testament which alone is the ministry of the Spirit and then the whole New Testament by Bellarmines judgment is not contained in the Scriptures which is too absurd Bellarmine saith the Church may institute new Ceremonies to spiritual effects as to adorn and represent some mystery of Religion and by that means help rude and ignorant people Protestants answer 1. That the Church is not called to make 〈◊〉 Institutes but to observe those that have been already instituted by Christ Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 2. Every one may institute a Ceremony saith Bellarmine to adorn and represent as well as the Church Bellar. l. 2. c. 8. or God himself But indeed no man can institute 〈◊〉 ceremony to represent a mystery of Religion but he that hath authority over Religion over the minds of men to enlighten them when and how he pleaseth and over the consciences of men to subject them to himself and his ordinances for all these things are required rightly to institute such a ceremony Bellarmine saith It 's lawful for the Church to institute new Ceremonies for some ends because private men inspired by God have invented new
for in King Hen. 8. and in the second of King Edward the sixths days the people were appointed to pray for their deliverance from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and his detestable Enormities Now from this sound Doctrine of the Church of England I hope I may have leave without offence to our Heylinists to prove the Pope of Rome successively to be the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of As thus He that under the pretence of Religion being the Servant the Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Peter is the Inventor and setter up of Superstitious and Pharisaical Sects which are against the Word of God and the glory of his name that challengeth and exerciseth Princely dominion over Nations and people and dominion over the Church of Christ which is his Kingdom whose usurped authority hath no good ground in holy Scripture that produceth Antichristian fruits practises and doctrines affirming that a man can by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself and denying this Doctrine that a man is justified alone by faith That is the Babylonical beast that is the successor of the Scribes and Pharisees the spoiler and destroyer of Christs Church the instrument and minister of Satan the head of that Antichristian Babylonical Sect which say of Jerusalem that is the true Church of God Down with it even to the ground whose Religion is rebellion whose Faith is faction and whose practise is murdering of souls and bodies is not to be accounted a Christian man the Vicar of Christ the Successor of Peter but an adversary to Christ and his Gospel That is Antichrist the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of But the Pope of Rome successively is so and 〈◊〉 therefore he is the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of The major is the Doctrine of the Church of England The Minor is also very largely proved in every particular by Dr. Henry More in his Learned and Elaborate and Ingenious Book called The Mystery of Iniquity which deserves seriously to be read and compared with the Doctrine and practises of the Church of Rome The full proof of the Minor would take in the whole Body of Popery which is learnedly confuted by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus Festus Hommius in his seven Theological Disputations against the Papists and others Yet I shall take the pains to set down some of the heads and leave you to apply them 1. The Pope of Rome is not as he pretends to be Christs Vicar General here on earth 1. Papists do not prove that the Pope of Rome is Christs Vicar General either in Temporals or Spirituals by Sacred Scripture 2. Christ is such an Head of his Church that he needs not such a Vicar on Earth as the Pope pretends to be for Christ is God as well as Man and is ever with his Church and will be even to the end of the world Mat. 18. 20. Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you even to the end of the world 3. To set up the Pope of Rome to be Christs Vicar is to deny Christs presence with his Church For a Vicar is one that doth supply the place of one that is absent and it is to deny Christ to be the Monarch of his Church and saith in effect that he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes the Church of Christ monstrous Biceps having two heads 4. The Officers that Christ hath appointed in his Church are not his Vicars but his Ministers Stewards c. their Office is not Magisterial but only Ministerial 5. When Christ ascended up into Heaven he did not commit the Government of his Church Universal to one man but to the whole Colledg or company or society of his Apostles Joh. 20. 21. Christ said to all his Apostles except Thomas that were alive this As my Father sent me even so send I you c. Here Christ performed that which he promised to Peter Mat. 16. 19. And I will give thee c. That was but a promise of this gift here Christ performed it to him and to all his Disciples to whom in Peter the promise was made Read also for this Mat. 28. 18 19 20. And when the Apostles died they did not institute one particular man over the whole Universal Church of Christ on Earth but ordained fit men in every particular Church or Congregation of believers to rule it and gave them authority and a charge to govern it by common counsel as ye may see was the practise of two Apostles when they solemnly took their leave of the Churches which they had planted Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your Hooker saith That the Apostles themselves ordained only in each Christian City a Colledg of Presbyters and Deacons to administer holy things Evaristus a Bishop of Rome about 112 years after the Birth of our Saviour begun the distinction of the Church into Parishes Ecclesiast Pol. l. 5. p. 433. And in the end of the same he saith That Presbyters and Deacons having been ordained before to exercise Ecclesiastical Functions in the Church of Rome promiscuously he was the first that tyed each one to his own station selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops as he there calls all the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Here you may see that the Government of the Church of Ephesus was committed not to one singular man alone over the flock and the Pastors too as Papists would have but to the whole Presbytery or company of Presbyters whom Paul sent for at Miletus Act. 20. 17. to whom he gave this authority and charge Read also I pray what St. Peter saith whose Successor the Pope pretends to be to the Elders that is the Presbyters of the Churches of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder he doth not say Bishop much less Bishop of Bishops but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-Presbyter and a witness of the sufferings of Christ also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Feed the flock of God which is among you not far distant from you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords mark this over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock of humility holiness meekness righteousness patience constancy charity mercy c. not of pride prophaneness tyranny injustice cruelty beastiality covetousness c. And when the chief sâ—epherd Christ shall appear that is come to Judgment ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Lo here again the Government of the Church is not committed to one man or Bishop but to the Presbyters of the Churches and they forbidden to Lord it over the flock much
so much holiness for as the Gospel teacheth us the spirit of Jesus is a good spirit an holy spirit a sweet spirit a lowly spirit a merciful spirit full of charity and love full of forgiveness and pity not rendering evil for evil extremity for extremity but over coming evil with good and remitting all offence even from the heart According to which rule if any man live uprightly of him it may be safely pronounced that he hath the Holy Ghost within him if not then 't is a plain token that he doth usurp the name of the Holy Ghost in vain Ye shall judg them by their fruits which if they be wicked and naught then 't is impossible that the tree of whom they proceed should be good Such were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their * See Dr. Prideaux his Introduction to History from p. 77. to p. 155. there you 'l read of Usurping Nimrods Luxurious Sodomites Aegyptian Magicians devouring Abaddons incurable Babylonians Bishops of Rome Lives and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while The Lord of heaven and earth defend us from their tyranny and pride that they never enter into his Vineyard again to the disturbance of his silly poor flock but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And be of his great mercy so work◠in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost that the comfortable Gospel of his Son Christ may be truly preached truly received and truly followed in all places to the beating down of sin death †By K. Edward the sixth and Q. Elizabeth's Injunctions all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and Ecclesiastical persons were to the best of their skill to declare against the Bishop of Rome's pretended and usurped power and jurisdiction two times at least every year openly Art 1. but have not some of them really neglected it been ready to declare four times in the year for the Bishop of Rome's traditions inventions and dumb Ceremonies and that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist the Pope the Devil and all the Kingdom of Antichrist that like scattered and dispersed sheep being at length gathered into one fold we may in the end rest togetogether in the bosom of Abraham Isaac and Jacob there to be partakers of eternal life through the merit and death of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Obj. But it may be objected by some that all this that is here in this Homily said against the Bishop of Rome and his Adherents may be said of some other Churches or at least against some other Bishops and their Adherents as have rejected the Bishop of Rome's authority as Mr. Mede observes that the Greek Churches have who imbrace the beasts impieties but refuse to be subject to him Ans To this I answer thus 1. with Mr. Mede and Dr. More that there may be little Babylons but Rome is Babylon the great they may be sister or daughter-harlots but Rome is the mother of harlots They may be little Misses but she is the great Whore other Churches may be corrupt in Doctrines of Faith and the Sacraments and the exercise of the Keys but none so corrupt as Rome is 2. If any Churches have retained too much of the Popes Doctrine Discipline Ceremonies Practises let them come out of Babylon that they partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues Apoc. 18. 4. have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them 2. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland which Church in her 80th Article of Religion saith thus The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supream head of the universal Church of Christ that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be that man of sin foretold in the holy Scriptures whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightness of his coming 3. 'T is contrary to the Confession of Faith by the Church and Kingdom of Scotland and sworn to by King James and the Subjects of Scotland which saith thus But especially we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church the civil Magistrate and consciences of men The whole Confession is very considerable and imitable to be seen in the latter end of the Harmony of Confessions 4. Not to mention what other Churches hold of the Pope of Rome's being the Antichrist yet because Dr. Heylin finds so much fault with the 80th Article of Cypr. Angl. lib 4. p. 269. 273. Ireland and pleads so much for Romish erroneous Doctrines as taught by our first Reformers and Martyrs but most falsely as I have shewed in some points before I shall give their sense of this point as I find their sayings set forth by Mr. Fox in his Book of Martyrs in one Volume Walter Mantell in his Apology prayeth thus I beseech the living God which hath received me to his mercy and brought to pass that I die stedfast and undefiled in his truth at utter defiance and detestation of all Papistical and Antichristian Doctrine I beseech him to keep and defend all his chosen for his names sake from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome that Antichrist p. 1398. Q. Mary March 2. 1554. Bishop Hooper of whom Dr. Heylin boasts much to little purpose in his Letter of Consolation sent to certain godly brethren taken in Bow-Church-yard in Prayer and laid in the Counter in Breadstreet saith thus I have been sorry to perceive the malice and wickedness of men to be so cruel devilish and tyrannical to persecute the people of God for serving of God saying and hearing of the holy Psalms and the word of eternal life These cruel doings do declare that the Papists Church is more bloody and tyrannical than ever was the sword of the Ethnicks and Gentiles When I heard of your taking and what ye were doing wherefore and by whom ye were taken I remembred how the Christians in the Primitive Church were used by the cruelty of Be-like there are some Christned Heathens unchristned heathens in the time of Trajan the Emperour about 77 Christians of old looked upon and accused as Traytors and movers of sedition for serving the true God truly so now by Papists and such like years after Christs ascension into heaven and how the Christians were persecuted very sore as though they had been Traytors and movers of sedition whereupon the gentle Emperour Trajan required to know the true cause of Christians trouble A great learned man called Plinius wrote unto him and said it was because the Christians said certain Psalms before day unto one called Christ whom they worshipped for God When Trajan the Emperour understood it was nothing but Conscience and
the spots of our iniquities for that were to deface Christ and defraud him of glory but they mean this and this is the meaning of those and such sayings that God of his mercy and of his favour towards them whom he hath appointed to everlasting salvation hath so offered his grace especially and they have so received it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinful living outwardly they seemed before to have been the children of wrath and perdition yet now the Spirit of God mightily worketh in them unto obedience unto Gods will and commandments they declare by their outward deeds and life in the shewing of mercy and charity which cannot come but of the Spirit of God and his special grace that they are the undoubted children of God appointed to everlasting life 2. That the words are to be understood of the judgment of men as the following words do declare for that speaks of the judgment of charity and of men The meaning of Tobit ' s words are these that we doing these things according to Gods will and our duty have our sins indeed washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthiness of them but by the grace of God which worketh all in all and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient to his Commandments Almesdeeds do wash away sins because God doth vouchsafe to repute us as clean and pure when we do them for his fake and not because they do merit or deserve our purging or for that they have any such strength or virtue in themselves Homily of Almsdeed Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 160 161. I have alledged these words to vindicate the Doctrine of the Church of England and to shew that the Church of England is in the main sound in the Doctrine of Justification Yet if I may be so bold I humbly conceive 1. That this Quotation of Tobit in the Margent might well have been spared to prove That the Holy Ghost in sundry places of Scripture saith that mercifulness and almesgiving purgeth from all sins c. Because I fear that our watchful adversaries will catch at it and make their advantage to prove that Book Canonical Scripture For Analogum per se positum stat proâ—suo famosiori significato seu analogato Scripture put by it self is presumed to Sanders Log l. 1. c. 6. par 4. stand for its most famous significate and there by Scripture they will presume is meant Sacred and Canonical Scripture 2. I know and acknowledg that the sense given by our Church is good and agreeable to that which our sound Divines do give of that of the wise man in Prov. 16. 6. Junius and Dod and Cartwright in loc By mercy and truth iniquity is purged But I know also that they expound this place of Gods mercy and truth and not of mans And so it doth not make good Tobit's of Almsdeeds But there is no need of alledging an Apocryphal Text so much abused by professed Papists to prove and provoke their Disciples to do meritorious works and then be forced to put our selves to much trouble to explain our honest meaning and caveat our people against Popish false exterpretations which whether all do or will understand is very doubtful especially if that neglected place of Solomon's Proverbs Prov. 16. 6. be so to be expounded as the Church of England expounds that of Tob. 4. 10. and 12. 9. which she must do else Papists will clearly get advantage by that expression in the Homily above recited The same Lesson doth the Holy Ghost â—lso teach in sundry places of the Scripture But to proceed Solus sanguis Christi nos purgâ—t ab omni peccato only the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin saith Johannes Maccovius Red. c. 23. de Elemosinâ— cont prima falsa Pontif. p. 51. And Tob. 6. 14 15 16 17. appointed to be read the 30th day of September at Evening-prayer The Angel Raphael who told Tobit a lye in Chap. 5. 6. for which Bishop Prideaux among other things rejects Fascic Controv. de Scripturâ— c. 1. q 2. p. 14. the Book viz. That he had lodged with our brother Gabael And v. 12. That his same was Azarias the son of Ananias the great and of thy brethren taught him a * For which A. B. Vsher's Sum of Ch Rel. p. 15 and Bishop Prideaux Fascic controv c. 1. q 2. p. 14. rejectâ— the Book as false and frivolous Magical spel or trick to †Concilium non divinum aut coeleste sed planè magicum as Junius proves in locum conjure away the wanton Devil Asmodius who was forsooth in love with Sarah the daughter of Raguel and had killed her seven husbands on their Wedding-night as 't is said v. 14. with which she was reproached by her fathers maids Chap. 3. 7. 8. appointed to be read also on Septemb. 28. at Evening-prayer in these words v. 16. And when thou shalt come into the marriage-chamber thou shalt take the â—sâ—es of perfume and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish spoken of before Chap. 6. 4 7. where he first taught him the spell and he said unto him touching the heart and the liver if a Devil or an evil spirit trouble any we must make a * Is this for edification in good manners smoke thereof before the man or the woman and the party shall be no more vexed and the Devil shall smell it and flee away and never come again any more Which device he accordingly put in practise as you may read in Tob. 8. 1 2 3. appointed to be read October the first at Evening-prayer And when they had supped they brought Tobias in unâ—â— her and as he went he remembred the words of Raphael and took the â—stes of the perfumes and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon and made a smoke therewith the which smell when the evil spirit had smelled he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt and the Angel bound him Which counsel and practise some men may teach some people to use and trust in Magical and Diabolical spells and charms and seek to Conjurers and Witches and Devils for which Bishop * Bishop Prideaux Fascic controv c. 1. q. 2. p. 14. Prideaux condemns and rejects the Book forbidden say our learned and sound Divines * Perkins in his order of Causes p. 63 to 66. A. B. Vsher's Sum of Christian Religion p. 229. in the second Commandment and is judged to be contrary to our Saviours Doctrine in Mat. 17. 21. Mark 9. 29. and in many other places of Scripture Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting And to pass over Tob. 10. 6 7. appointed to be read October the second at Evening-prayer which may teach women to contradict their husbands and if it be not yet looks like scolding Hold thy peace said Tobit to his wife for he is safe Hold thy
Homilies fit to be read in publick to teach people manners 3. That they do not explain * Ecclesiasticus or the Book of Wisdom saith the first Prologue to it contains many dark sentences and parables many things in the Canonical Scripures but are as obscure as I hinted before the 24th Chapter of Ecclesiasticus is and might be manifested in many more yea they obscure the holy Scriptures and render them doubtful yea they are contrary to the Canonical A. B. Vsher Sum of Ch Relig p. 15. and Diodate say and shew that Baruch is contrary to Sacred Scripture and in 2 Mac. 12. 42 43 44 45. is prayer for the Dead which is condemned by all our sound Divines Scriptures 4. If their conformity to the Canonical Scriptures for the most part be a sufficient reason for their appointment to be read in publick I humbly conceive that there might be found many Nonconformists works as Mr. Allen's Vindiciae Pietatis Mr. Ball 's Catechism a Treatise of the Covenant Mr. Burrough his four Treatises Mr. Dod upon the Commandments Dr. Jacomb upon Rom. 8. Mr. Jeanes his mixture of Scholastical with Practical Divinity wherein he hath clearly worsted your great Goliahs Dr. Hamond and Dr. Taylor Dr. Manton's work upon James and Jude Dr. Spurstow of the Promises Mr Watson's Sermons and many others which I name not because I have not read them more conformable to the pure word of God than these Apocryphal Books but especially the learned Assembly of Divines their larger and shorter Catechisms and Confession of Faith commended by learned A B. Vsher as the best that ever were made by any Church since the Apostles times in which I believe the severest Conformist that is cannot by all his wit and learning clearly prove by Canonical Scripture any error either concerning Faith or manners and therefore sure if the Bishops reason be good they are more fit and profitable to be appointed to be read and taught in publick than the Apocryphal Books that are appointed by our Bishops 5. Papists 't is to be feared will say that Th. Aquinas his Sums and Pet. Lumbard his Sentences collected out of the ancient Fathers are for the most part conformable to the Canonical Scriptures and that therefore by our Bishops reason they may be read as well as the Sacred Scriptures at least for instruction for manners what they will say for their lying Legends as Protestants commonly call them I know not but I am sure that several of our learned Protestants as well as Jerome and Augustine of old look upon Tobit and Judith the History of Susanna Bell and the Dragon to be but Comedies Romances or feigned Stories such as the Popish Legends are A B. * Sum of Christian Relig. p. 15 16. Vsher calls many of the Apocryphal Books fables Bishop †Fascic contr cap. 1. q. 2. pag. 16. Prideaux saith 't is uncertain whether Tobit Judith the fragments of Susanna Bell and the Dragon are not rather to be taken for Comedies or fictions than true Narrations Diodate in his Advertisement concerning Apocryphal Books saith That the matter of the Book is full of strange Narrations that have neither ground nor conformity with Authentical Scripture as those of the love of a Devil to a chaste and holy maiden of the death of her husbands of the manner of driving him away of binding him to a certain place of the long conversâ—â—â— of the holy Angel with him things which do savour of a Jewish fable composed for delight to give some instruction of vertue according to the manner of that Nation which seems to be confirmed because neither in Josephus a curious searcher of Jewish Antiquities as Bishop Prideaux assures me nor any other Jewish Author there is any tract of this History That Judith is a feigned Narration he proves by undeniable Arguments The Additions to Daniel of which the Song of the three Children is part part of which was gotten into our Common-Prayer-Book in the Benedicite and the History of Susanna and Bell and the Dragon are other parts Aman. Polanus affirms that St. Jerome Polan Syntag. l. 1. c. 34. p. 63. and Augustine call them Fables Obj. But Bishop Prideaux saith further in answer to this Objection That Canonical Scriptures are laid by and Apocryphals substituted in their stead to be read in publick That in eading that is not always proposed which 〈◊〉 Bishop Prideaux Fasc Controversiarum cap. 1. q. 2. p. 16. in itâ—s self most excellent but that which doth most serve to the edification of the hearers 1 Cor. 14. 26. That when their Apocryphals are read they are not equalled with Canonicals but are interposed as certain easie institutes which excite the slower hearers to embrace the Canonicals as Homilies and Sermons do Answ To this I answer 1. That these things are said but not proved 2. That if the Bishops Answer be to the Objection his words imply That the reading of the Apocryphals which are fabulous erroneous and contrary to the word of truth is more inservient to the edification of the hearers than the reading of Gods holy and pure word of Truth is which I deny and prove to be false thus 〈◊〉 That which is either the pure Word of God or is consonant thereunto and so free from fabulousness falseness approbation of toleration of evil must needs be more conducing to edification of the hearers than that which is fabulous false and contrary to the Word of God both for Doctrine of faith and manners and approves of and tolerates sin but that the latter is so of Apocryphals I have proved and the former you dare not deny of Canonicals Ergo your Apocryphals do not conduce more to the edification of the hearers than the pure and true Word of God doth 2. Thus that which teacheth false things and evil manners doth not edifie the hearers more than that which teacheth nothing but the truth and good manners But Ergo your Apocryphals do not build upward but downward they do edificare ad Gehennam as Tertullian ad ruinam as another speaks they build men down to Hell and prepare men to destruction Their publick reading actively scandalizeth for a scandal is a word or deed spoken or done yielding to another occasion of ruin and you cannot Aquinas 22. q. 43. a. 1. c. Scandalum est dictum vel factum minus rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae plead that 't is accidental as 't is said of Gods Word for the reading and preaching of Gods Word is commanded and so necessary but reading of Apocryphals is not commanded by God and is therefore unnecessary and being erroneous both for matters of faith and manners is of it self * Aquin. 22. q. 43. a. 1 ad 4. inductive to sin to sinful opinions affections and practises as may by any understanding Christian be evidenced in those Particulars I have instanced in before 3. 'T is evident that if not for
473. mentioneth many good things that that Committee were preparing but being obstructed by A. B. Laud though then in the Tower and some other Bishops the Commons laid the ax to the root of all evil as * Tindal of the Obedienâ—â— of Christian Magist p. 114. Tindal of old called the Bishops looking upon them as the â—inderers of all good as Martin * Martin Bucer de regnâ— Christ l. 2. c. 1. Bucer told King Edward the Sixth and so instead of mending things they grew worse Heylin confesseth nay braggeth that Books against Arminianism which he saith is * Cypr. Anglic. Introduct p. 36. agreeable to the Council of Trent cap. de fructu Justificationis Can. 3 4 were suppressed Sure I am that Dr. Prideaux his Sermons which he had preached at Court were not permitted to be reprinted at Oxford because he would not yield to the obliterating of some passages in them against Arminianism yet several passages which he as Doctor of the Chair rased out of Mr. Chillingworth ' s Book were inserted and printed after the good old Doctor had put his hand to the license for its printing which Book is now highly commended though the Doctor openly disowned it in the Chair saying That he had been abused in that Book Mr. Cheynell being opponent upon this Socinian question An ratio sit fundamentum fidei But what are these things to the purpose now I answer 1. The Author of the Friendly Debate often printed and its continuation hath raked up things against some Nonconformists which were of longer standing 2. If some Clergy-men of these times preach or print or act as they did in those days it is directly to the purpose Let any judicious indifferent man read the Book intituled The causes of the decay of Piety and he will find much of the Soveraign drug planted here as the Jesuit said in A. B. Laud ' s time to purge the Protestants of their Heresie as they call our true Religion Let him read Mr. Fowler ' s two Books viz. his Free Discourse and his Design of Christianity and he will see whatsoever he pretends to the contrary that his endeavour if not prime design is to promote that most Antichristian Doctrine of the Papists viz. Justification of our persons before God by our own good works or inherent holiness and overthrow the true Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England to which 't is believed he hath subscribed denying the * Free Discourse p. 126 128 129 130 145. Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sound sense of the Church of England sometimes calling it a false yea a grosly false notion thereof and sometimes a * Ibi. p. 141. sottish and mischievous Doctrine abusing those that hold it by branding them with the ignominious name of * Ibi. pag. 141 143. and Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 223. Antinomians affirming That our persons are justified before God by our own inherent holiness and good works and that faith * Free Discourse 159. Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. as it includes sincere obedience justifieth our persons before God and to this end using and improving Bellarmine ' s arguments to the utmost And lest any should charge him with the Doctrine of the Church of England which he cannot but know is contrary to his Doctrine he endeavours to prevent it saying That those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the 39 Articles of our Church taking * Free Discourse Edit 2. p. 2. p. 191. that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed * But where doth the Church allow this liberty what do you mean by the Church it's contrary to the end of the Law of 13. of Elizabeth and of the fifth Canon by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And again p. 2. p. 305. he saith further thus What was said of General Councils we also most heartily acknowledg concerning our own particular Church viz. that we are bound by no means to oppose the determinations of the Governours and Representatives in disputable matters nor do they as hath been shewed require our internal assent to their Articles but enjoin our submission to them as to an instrument of peace only Lo here you may see what these Latitudinarians are â—a name which some I know not who have given them but whether they deserve it let others judg but such is the latitude of these men that they would have liberty for themselves to preach and print what Doctrine they please but would have none allowed to dissenters in points of Church-government and Ceremonies as may be evidently seen in his Free Discourse by which we may see what Broth and Beef his palate relisheth best But what is there no internal assent required to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England and yet an unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the Liturgy and the Ceremonies and Rites thereof Are these more essential to the being of the Church of England than those Are the Ceremonies Rites and Liturgy more surely and certainly and indisputably grounded upon the Canonical Scriptures than the doctrine of Faith which concerns the Trinity justification of a sinner Christs satisfaction c. Have not all our 39 Articles been disputed nay do not some amongst us question whether there be a God and whether the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament be the Word of God and of divine authority and have not the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome which our Rulers have retained been from the first beginning of the Reformation here disputed and opposed by godly and learned Bishop Hooper and Mr. John Rogers and denied and detested even to the death by many godly Martyrs Do not all the Calvinistical Churches abroad join with the Church of England in maintaining the Articles of Religion which concern the confession of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments and yet reject the Liturgy Ceremonies and Church-government of the Church of England â—nd if only indisputable matters may not be opposed and all disputable ones may be opposed I pray what Article of our Creed and Religion may not be opposed by these men of the long name It is â—â—ear that though these men heartily subscribe to the 20 the 34 and the 36 Articles Whatsoever is not read in the holy Scripture nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of Faith Art 6 Church of England which are not Articles of Religion of the true Christian Faith because not contained in or proveable by the Word of God in their sense yet they give not an unfeigned assent and consent to the Articles of Religion concerning the Doctrine of Faith and the Sacraments for they take liberty they say 't is allowed them by the Church to interpret them as
by God Mr. Cartwright upon the place referreth the sigh of the Cross to the mark of the Beast Dionis Carthusianus Vpon Revel 13. 13. saith That conformity to the Doctrine and life of Antichrist is the mark of the Beast and upon this account did * Vid. General Confession of Faith of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland to be seen at the end of the Harmony of Confessions King James renounce and detest the Bishop of Rome's five bastard Sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrine added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God 'T is observed by Mr. Mede that one may receive the number of the name of the Beast that is his impieties and yet not receive the mark of his name that is not subject himself to his authority Which is exemplified in the Greek Church who imbrace the same form of impiety derived from the Dragon or the Idolatry of the Latins and yet refuse to be subject to the Latin Bishop or to bear his name So may others refuse to subject themselves to the supreme authority of Antichrist and to be called Papists and yet they may imbrace his Altars Images Fasts Feasts Ceremonies forms of Worship Government Laws Number yea and many of his Antichristian Doctrines and like well of much if not of almost all of that he holds and doth and yet will be called Protestants and take it very ill at the Papists hands when they call them Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists that is partly Papists and partly Protestants such as hold with the Papists and yet profess with the Protestants Mungrels as Bishop Abbâ—t called them in his Sermon above have great charity for professed 〈◊〉 but crâ—el hatred for real Protestants account true Calvinism heresie yea little less than Treason as Knot the Jesuit told some of our Mungrels but gross Popery yea blasphemy in doctrine to be but errour and more tollerable than Presbytery and Popery in practise to be indifferent and therefore lawful and commendable Many of these Heresies and errors I have renounced are by some of our Mungrels called the Doctrines of the Heylin's Introd to his Cyprianus Anglic. Church of England and Books have been printed if not licensed to confirm it but very falsely and slanderously except by Church of England they understand a faction for sure I am that the true and whole Church of England â—olds soundly against all these ensuing false Doctrines renounced Only her doctrine at least practise about Apocriphal Scriptures is not I fear so full and clear as I believe it might be Some mens plausible Sermons are abroad which are by too many persons swallowed down without due examination 'T is said by one a learned man That God doth only * Dr. Till Ser. offer grace in his Gospel but he forceth none to receive it To prevent mistakes I say and acknowledg 1. That God doth not force men against their wills to accept of the grace and assistance that he doth offer them but I deny that Quo minus tolerabilis est eorum inscitia qui Evangelium communiter ita Offerâ—i fingunt ut promiscuâ— liberum sit omnibus salutem fide amplecti Calvin in 1 Cor. 2. 14. God doth only offer assistance or grace to his children for though he do not convert them against their wills whether they will or no yet he takes away their hearts of stone and gives them hearts of flesh and makes them of unwilling to become willing in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. He worketh in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. 2. I acknowledg that Reprobates may finally resist the ineffectual grace of God 3. I affirm that the elect of God to Salvation shall not cannot finally withstand the effectual grace of God but that they shall at one time or other be effectually called converted and eternally saved And 4. That God who hath from all eternity elected them to the end everlasting Salvation hath also appointed them to the means conducing to the attainment of it as Faith in Christ Repentance for sin sincere obedience to the Law of God and perseverance in the same to the end Though I have not used many Arguments to confute every particular Error that would have been Voluminous yet I have sufficiently confuted them and proved that Papists and Protestants Religion differ or that the Church of Rome and Protestants hold a different Religion which was the main design of my undertaking and in alledging the Doctrine of the Church of England I should I conceive if I had done no more he thought to have done enough to convince if not professed Papists yet those that pretend to be the most dutiful Sons of the Church of England that these Doctrines are not Protestant but rather Popish and at least contrary to their Professions Subscriptions and Declarations as well as to Gods word and keep others from imbracing and imbibing and spreading of them If by alledging the Sermons Speeches and Writings of any learned Conformist heretofore I have displeased any of our great Conformists now I hope they will excuse and pardon me and blame them that printed and licensed them or themselves or others that have traduced or suffered the Truth to be bespattered or gainsayed or undermined by any Pelagian Arminian Socinian or Popish writer upon any pretence whatsoever And now my prayer to the God of Peace and Truth for England is That Gods true Religion may be setled here in its power and purity and that all Popery in Doctrine and Discipline and Worship may be burned with fire Revel 17. 16. that is as learned Dr. Moor expounds the place utterly consumed and to this end that God who hath the hearts of Kings and all men in his hands would incline the heart of our King and Parliament and all sorts of people to deny themselves and resign up themselves wholly to be guided by the will of God revealed in the Canonical Scriptures which ought to be the rule of all mens actions as our Book of * Homil. for Rogat on Week Part 3. p 230 Homil against Wilful Rebellion Part 6. p. 318. Homilies plainly declares which saith thus In Gods word Princes must learn how to obey God and to govern men in Gods word Subjects must learn obedience both to God and their Princes Is our reverend Fathers of the Church would stick close to the sound and necessary Articles of Religion established which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments to * Anno 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. which only all Ministers were bound to subscribe and give their assent and countenance men that do so and discountenance all those that hold or vent any Doctrine against the same and not stand too much upon those things which they have devised to uphold their own worldly power and interests and abate those things that are not of themselves or by Divine institution
seek for another righteousness or justification to be received at Gods own hands that is to say the forgiveness of his sins and this justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits embraced by faith is taken accepted and allowed by God for our perfect and full justification We are justified freely by faith without the works of the Law Homily of Salvation of Mankind pag. 13. there 't is further said That on our part we are justified by faith in the merits of Christ which is not ours but by Gods working it in us There 't is said also That the justice of man is shut out of Justification and yet that faith shutteth not out repentance hope love fear of God to be joined with faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so it shutteth not out good works which are necessary to be done afterwards of duty to God but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent to be made just by doing of them Whosoever denieth this Doctrine that faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary 〈◊〉 Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous by his owâ— works neither in part nor in wholâ— That we are justified only by faith 〈◊〉 * We are not justified by our own good works either in part or in whole Christ So speak all the Fathers botâ— Greek and Latin Hilary Basil Aâ—brose Hilary saith these words plaiâ—ly Faith only justifieth Canon 9th upon Matthew Ambrâ— saith thus This is the ordinance of God that they which belieâ—â— in Christ should be saved without works by faith only freely receiving remission of their sins Consider diligently these wordâ— without works by faith only freely we receive remission of oâ— sins Ibi. p 14 15 16 17. The true meaning of this Doctrinâ— we be freely justified by faith without works or that we be justâ—fied by faith in Christ only is not that this is our own act to bâ—lieve in Christ or this faith in Christ doth justifie us and deserâ— our justification unto us for that were to count our selves to 〈◊〉 justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but tâ—â— true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we heâ— Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Chariâ—â— Repentance and fear of God within us and do add never so maâ— works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our saâ—â— vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and gooâ— deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as thing that be far too weak insufficient and imperfect to deserve remissioâ— of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust oâ—ly in Gods mercy and that Sacrifice which our high * Which shews that faith justifieth as it receives Christ as an high Priest or Saviour not as a King as Mr. Fowler would have in the first place in his free Discourse p. 161. I receive Christ as my Prophet but he doth not justifie mâ— as he is my Prophet or my King Priest anâ— Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of Goâ— once offered thereby Gods grace Iâ—â— p. 17. Faith as great a vertue as it is yet it putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us unto Chrisâ— for to have only by him remission oâ— our sins or justification so thâ— our faith doth as it were say to uâ— it is not I that take away your sins BUT IT IS CHRIST ONLY to him only I send you for thaâ— purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues words thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ Ibid. pag. 18. 2. 'T is not only contrary to her Homilies but also to her Articles of Religion Article 11th We are counted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and not for our own good works That we are justified by faith alone is a must wholesome Doctrine as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification To which for further proof I refer you And Article the twelfth 't is said thus Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins Now Mr Fowler or any of his party cannot put off the Doctrine of the Church of England to which he hath subscribed as he doth our learned mens arguments against the Papists by saying as they do that the Apostle meant when he said That we are not justified by works works of the Ceremonial * Mr. Fowler 's Free Discourse p. 186. Law but not the works of the Moral Law or if them Those only which are done by the strength of nature but not those which proceed from faith For the Church of England excludes all our works even those that proceed from Faith And they intended in their Homilies and Articles of Religion Dr. Field of the Church 2d part p 861. We teach that he excludeth all these that is that St. Paul excluded from Justification all the works of Moses Law Ceremonial and Moral to overthrow the false Doctrine of the Church of Rome and to establish the Doctrine of Justification according to the Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to Popery For it saith expresly That whosoever denieth this Doctrine that Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a CHRISTIAN MAN nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an ADVERSARY to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily for Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. And again That were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins and so justifie himself Ibid. pag. 17. By which you may see that to deny this Doctrine That we are justified by faith alone and to affirm that we are justified by our own good works is not a Christian but a proud presumptuoâ—â— antichristian Doctrine And to affirm or insinuate that our persons are justified before God partly by our faith and partly by our own good works is also cleaâ—ly against the express Doctrine of the Church of England for 〈◊〉 saith that faith shuteth out good works yea it self as 't is an act habiâ— or work from our justification and remitteth and directeth us to Chrisâ— merits for our justification as may be seen above 3. 'T is contrary also to Canonical Scripture Gal. 2. 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be jâ—stified by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by the works of the Law 〈◊〉 by the works of the Law shall no flesh be
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law To which they add Rom. 4. 2 3. and Ephes 2. 8 9. and say further Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours for it is the gift of God Now that we do receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Joh. 6. where he putteth eating for believing But it is most clear in Joh. 1. 12. and believing for eating for as by eating we receive meat so by believing we are made partakers of Christ therefore we do not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charity works or merit but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith And moreover our charity and our works cannot please God if they be done of such as are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or do any just works We are made just as we said through faith in Christ by the meer grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sins but imputeth unto us the righteousness of Christ yea and our saith in Christ is imputed for righteousness unto us The Church of Basil saith thus We confess the remission of siâ—â— through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it self in the works of charity and by this means is tried yet we do not attribute righteousness and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but only to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lamb of God shed for us There may be seen the Confessions of Faith of the Churches of Bohemia France Belgia or Holland Ausburg Saxony Wirtemberg Scotland to which might be added the Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland agreed upon Ann. 1615. in Articles 34 35 36 37. but they being almost the same verbatim with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England for brevities sake I forbear But I pray take and consider the Confession of Faith of England and Scotland made by the late learned and orthodox Assembly of Divines Chapter the eleventh of Justification Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of Justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love Now let any indifferent and judicious and impartial man compare this with the ancient Doctrine of the Church of England set down in her Books of Articles of Christian Religion and Homilies and then judg whether it be not more consonant thereunto and also to Sacred Canonical Scripture than is 1. Dr. H. Hammond's * Practical Catechism p. 1649. p. 31. p 41. p. 33. p. 29. who saith That sincere obedience with faith justifies mens persons before God Or 2. Dr. Sim. Patricks †Parab of Pilgrim p. 511. 〈◊〉 who saith That new obedience must go before we can expect to be justified by the grace of God And thus * p. 32. Suffer not your faith to rest no not on Christ till it animate you to a free and cheerful obedience to all his commands Which destroys the faith of adherence and founds Faith upon his own works and not solely upon Christ if he means as he must do an actual animation to such an obedience as he speaks of Who saith also That good works are * Friendly Debate p. 13 14. necessary to justification He must mean a priori and antecedent to Justification else he speaks not ad rem but cuffs the man of clouts of his own making for all men even those he pleads against hold that they necessarily follow it And that faith justifies as 't is effectual by love to our Saviour he must mean so else he answers not his question How can this be seeing we are justified by faith only very well saith he for it is not an idle ineffectual faith which justifies but that which works by love to our Saviour and love is the keeping of his Commandments Which implys that Faith justifies our persons before God either as 't is a work or as 't is working by love and so he makes good works * Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous either in part or in whole Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 17. concauses at least with Faith of our Justification before God or that faith doth justifie our persons before God by good works of which Justification he would perhaps too have love the form as Papists would have it to be And this seems to be his meaning and of his Pilgrims guide to Jerusalem or rather to Rome because he faith It cannot be understood nor defined without works which implys that good works are of the constitutive essence of Faith Par. Pilgrim p. 139. and that all definitions of justifying faith that separate obedience from faith are but cheats and dangerous illusions And thence he derides the words recumbency adhesion rest acquiescence as lazie and slovenly expressions of Faith as justifying though our * Vrsin Catechism p. 27â— q. 21. p. 134. Bp. Davenants Determin 39. and of Justif c. 32 p. 411. Bp. Downham of Justif l. 6. c. 4. Dr. Ames Med. Theol. l. 1. c. 3 R. 4. Pareus in Act 15. 6. judicious learned and orthodox Divines have commonly used them in defining Faith as justifying Or 3. Mr. Fowler 's who saith That justifying faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includes a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its precepts or true holiness in the nature of it and that it justifies as it doth so Who saith also †Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221 223. That this principle admitted viz. that faith justifies only as it apprehendeth the merits and righteousness of Christ gives advantage to Antinomianism Who saith That * Free Discourse part 1. p. 164. In the 160 page of his Free Discourse he saith that faith justifieth as it worketh by love And in p. 159. he saith it justifieth as it implieth obedience Justification is mostly
for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ * That is applied by faith as the Thirtyfourth Article of the Church of Ireland explains it by faith and not for our own good works That we are justified by faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine As more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification 2. In her Homilies as Homily for Salvation of Mankind p. 13 14 15 16. No man by his own acts works or deeds seem they never so good can be justified and made righteous before God but every man is of necessity constrained to seek for another righteousness or justification to be â—â—ceived at Gods own hands that is to say forgiveness of his 〈◊〉 And this justification or righteousness whiâ—â— we so receive of Gods mercy * Vide 34. Article of the Church of Ireland and Christs â—â—rits imbraced by Faith is taken accepted 〈◊〉 allowed by God for our perfect and full justiâ—â—cation On our part we are justified by Faith 〈◊〉 the merits of Christ which is not ours 〈◊〉 by Gods working in us We are justified freely by Faith withoâ—â— the works of the Law Ambrose saith That is the Ordinance of Goâ—â— that they which believe in Christ should be saved without worâ—â— by faith only freely receiving remission of their sins And p. 18 〈◊〉 Faith putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us 〈◊〉 Christ for to have only by him remission of our sins or justificatioâ—â— So that our Faith doth as it were say to us It is not I that take â—â—way your sins but it is Christ only and to him only I send you 〈◊〉 that purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues wordâ—â— thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ bâ—cause Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our siâ—â— and that by Faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Goâ— mercy and of the remission of our sins which thing none otheâ— of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scriptuâ—â— useth to say That Faith without works doth justifie Faith onlâ— justifieth us is all one with St. Paul Faith without works justifietâ— us And in her Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. p. 186 187 The only mean or instrument of Salvation required of our part iâ— Faith that is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God whereby we perswade * This Mr. Fowler calls a strong fancying and thereby labours to scoff us out of our Religion and Faith p. 127 130. of his Free Discourse our selves that Goâ— both hath and will forgive our sins that he hath accepted us again into his favour and that he hath released us from the bonds of damnation and received us into the number of his Elect-people not for our deserts but only and solely for the merits of Christs Death and Passion who became man for our sakes and humbled himself to sustain the reproach of the Cross that we thereby might be saved and made inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven and Faith shall be imputed to us for righteousness as well as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And Ibid. p. 188. 't is said thus Faith is the only instrument of Salvation now left unto us By which 't is clear that it justifieth not as an act habit or work â—ut only as an instrument apprehending and applying the righteousness of Christ Observe that the word Faith in this Proposition We are â—ustified by faith is to be understood relatively with relation to or coâ—otation of its object and is sense equivalent to this We are justified by Christs merits or righteousness apprehended and applied by faith Here is a Metonimie where the effect of the principal cause Christ is attriâ—uted to the instrumental cause Faith as the Plow is said to enrich the husbandman and eating is said to nourish that is instrumentally it 's the corn that enricheth and the meat that is eaten nourisheth the Plow and eating are but the instruments So 't is said We are saved by hope that is by Christ in whom we do hope so here 't is said that faith justifieth that is Christs righteousness received and applied by Faith to the Believer justifieth him in Gods sight 2. Because 't is contrary to the judgment and declared Doctrine of all those learned and Orthodox Divines and * Vide Latter Confession of Helvetia p. 〈◊〉 King James in his pious Meditations upon certain Verses of Revel 20. saith the Pope is Antichrist and Popery the loosing of Satan which he proves by several marks among the rest this is one Blasphemeth he not in denying us to be saved by the imputation of Christ his righteousness p. 78. And K. James also saith That Christs sealed ones have washed their garments made themselves white in the blood of the Lamb for they by vertue of his deaâ—h are made righteous by imputation whose blood is the only full purgation of us from our sins In his Par. on Rev. c. 7. p. 22. Confessions I named before as may be seen before Yea and 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches as Mr. Pemble very fully and learnedly manifesteth against Papists and Arminians and Socinians in his Treatise of Justification Sec. 2. c. 1. p. 159. where he sheweth that the sentence of the Reformed Churches concerning the manner how Faith justifieth consisteth in two Branches 1. That a sinner is justified by faith not properly as it is a quality or action which by its own dignity and merit deserves at Gods hands remission of sins or is by Gods favourable acceptance taken for the whole and perfect righteousness of the law which is otherwise required of a sinner but only in relation unto the object of it the righteousness of Christ which it embraceth and resteth upon 2. That a sinner is justified by faith in opposition unto the righteousness works in the fulfilling of the Law whereby no man now can be justified Where interpreting this Proposition a man is justified by faith faith We must understand all things relatively thus a sinner is justified the sight of God from all sin and punishment by faith that is by the obeâ—â—ence of Jesus Christ believed on and imbraced by a true faith And this â—â—terpretation of that Proposition the Reformed Churches do admit and 〈◊〉 other rejecting as erroneous and contrary to the Scriptures such gloâ—â— as ascribe any thing to the * As Dr. Heylin Dr. Hammond Dr. Patrick and Mr. Fowler do as I have declared before dignity faith or make any combination betwâ—â—â— faith and works in the point of our Jusâ—â—fication Amongst which there are thâ—â—â— erroneous assertions touching mans Juâ—â—â—fication by faith which they reject 1. That faith justifieth us per modum causae efficientis meritoâ—â— as a proper efficient and meritorious cause which by its own worth and â—â—nity deserves to obtain Justification remission of sins and the grace well doing this is properly Popish which he refutes
Ibi. p. 160 161 〈◊〉 163. Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 2. That we are justified by faith sensu proprio that is the act of â—â—lieving in that Tò credere is imputed for righteousness being accepteâ— God and accounted unto us for that whole righteousness of the Law whâ—â—â— we were bound to perform so that our very faith is that righteousness 〈◊〉 which we are justified in the sight of God Non quidem merito suo 〈◊〉 propter gratuitam acceptilationem Dei This is the error of the Arâ—â—nians with whom the Papists agree which they received from Faustâ—â— Socinus that unhappy Heretick in his blasphemous Book de Christo Sâ—â—vatore and Michael Servetus in his second Book de Lege Evangeliâ—â— Which Errors are confuted by Calvin in his Opuscula and ibid. by 〈◊〉 Pemble Sec. 2. c. 2. p. 164 c. 3. A sinner is not justified by faith alone but also by other vertues 〈◊〉 graces as Hope love repentance fear of God c. and this is the opâ—nion of the Papists which whether it be not the Doctrine the scopâ—â— and main drift of our Latitudinarian Divines in their Books let tâ—â— impartial and judicious Reader truly judg which he confutes 〈◊〉 Sec. 2. c. 3. p. 167 c. and which is most opposed and confuted by 〈◊〉 sound Doctrine of the Church of England as may be easily seen 〈◊〉 what I have before alledged out of it Now that true Believers in Christ are justified that is declared 〈◊〉 accounted righteous before God acquitted from their debt the Cuâ—â— of the Law which by their sins they have deserved at Gods hands by and for the merits of Christs * Christs righteousness is not only his inherent holiness as Mr. Fowler falsely suggests in his Free Discourse pag. 128. passive and active obedience to the will of God his Father which is called Christs righteousness imputed to them I prove thus by arguments taken clearly from the Doctrine of the Church of England and Gods word 1. They that believe in Christ that is that their persons are justified before God are justified either by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but they are not justified before God by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness therefore they are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is undeniable because there is no other thing by or for which they are justified that is absolved from the curse of the Law and declared not guilty but accounted innocent and righteous The Minor I have proved already by the Doctrine of the Church of England the sentence and confession of the Reformed Churches abroad and our own learned Divines at home and by the authority of Canonical Scripture The sum of which is this 1. Because we are freely justified by Faith not as an act habit or work but as an instrument apprehending and applying the righteousness of Christ and not by the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20 24 28. Gal. 2. 16. 2. Because all our inherent righteousness is imperfect and accompanied with many sins and therefore cannot stand before the judgment-seat of God much less merit or procure our Justification at Gods hands To which I add this further Though God hath ordained us to walk in good works yet the meaning is not by these words to induce us to have any affiance or to put any confidence in our works as by the merit and deserving of them to purchase to our selves or others remission of sins and so consequently everlasting life for that were blasphemy against Gods mercy and great derogation to the blood-sheâ—ding of our Saviour Jesus Christ For it is the free grace and mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ without merit or descriving on our part that our sins are foâ—given us that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom T. 2. Hom. of good works part 1. pag. 81. And 't is observable that the Church of England makes Justification to be forgiveness of sins Homily for Salvation p. 13. And Bellarmine himself Lib. 1. de Paenit saith Remissio peccatorum quid est nisi justificatio 2. True Believers in Christ are justified the same way and by the same means that Abraham was but Abraham's person was justified before God not by his own good works but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him Ergo true Believers in Christ are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The Major is the Doctrine of the Church of England as I shewed before and is clear by St. Paul's Doctrine Rom. 4 11 12. As Abraham the Father of the Faithful was justified so shall his faithful sons believers in Christ be justified too that righteousness might be imputed to them also And Rom. 4. 22 23 24. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed 〈◊〉 him that is Abraham but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if 〈◊〉 believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification The Minor also is clear because he was justified by his Faith whereby he believed God in the promised seed that is in Christ Roâ— 4. 3. Abraham believed God that God that spake to him and it 〈◊〉 counted to him for righteousness And I shewed before that his Faith was taken not absolutely but relatively with connotation of the object Christ promised that was counted to him for righteousness So Rom. 4 9. Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness And ver 21. and therefore it that is his Faith in Christ the promised seed was imputed to him for righteousness And our Homily saith Ibi. supra Oâ—â— faith shall be imputed to us as well as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob And it necessarily must be so for he was not justified by Faith as 〈◊〉 act or habit or work as I proved before by the Doctrine of the Church of England 3. If God doth accept and allow of Christs active and passive obedience and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true Believers in Christ then they are justâ—fied before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but God doth accept and allow of the active and passive obedience of Christ and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true believers in Christ therefore true believers in Christ are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is evident because Christs obedience and merits is his righteousness For we say not that Christs essential righteousness which is in him as God the second Person in the Sacred Trinity or that righteousness which he by his Spirit and Word works in believers is
imputed to believers for Justification but that Mediatory righteousness of Christ whereby he suffered for our breach of Gods most righteous Law which deserves Gods curse Gal. 3. 13. and actively fulfilled the whole Moral Law of God for us which we were bound to do Levit. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Gal. 4. 4 5. Mat. 3. 15. If a Creditor cast his debtor into prison for non-payment of such a sum of money as he owed him till he be payed the money or otherwise satisfied for his debt upon his sureties or friends coming to him and paying him all the money and he taking accepting and allowing of it as full and perfect satisfaction to him for the debt doth impute it or reckon it or put it upon his account and consequently to him as though it were paid and made by his debtor in person himself and doth therefore in manifestation thereof deliver up his bond or cross his Book and release him out of prison So 't is here Gods accepting taking and allowing of our Saviour Jesus Christs our sureties active and passive obedience for us as though actually and personally performed by us as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice and thereupon we applying it by Faith pardoning our sins delivering of us from the curse of the Law formally punishments and eternal death doth thereby impute his obedience or righteousness to us that by Faith in Christ do make application of it to our selves Now the Minor is the express Doctrine of the Church of England and Ireland Homily for Salvation p. 13 14 15 16 17. And this Justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by faith is taken * Mr. Fowler himself makes Justification and acceptance with God all one Free Disc p. 134. accepted and allowed by God for our full and perfect justification And again Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 175. Neither was it possible for us to be loosed of this debt of our own ability it pleased him that is Christ our Surety to be the payer thereof and to discharge us quit his paying our debt meritoriously discharging us quit necessarily implys that God did accept of the merits of his death and doings for us And Ibi. p. 177. Christ was obedient to his Father even to the death and this he did for us all that believe in him And such favour did he purchase for us of his heavenly Father by his death that for the merit thereof if we be true Christians indeed and not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sins those expressions that Christ did purchase for us Gods favour and clearly discharged us from our sins manifest it to all the world that God did accept and take and allow as full satisfaction of what Christ did for us Again Ibi. p. 187 188. Christ by his own oblation and once offering himself upon the Cross hath taken away our sins and restored us again into Gods favour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sin shall hereafter be requisite or needful in all the world And in the 34th Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland they say thus We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jâ—sus Christ applied by Faith and not for our own works or merits And this righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by Faith is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full Justification And in 35th Article they say thus And whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransome it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite mercy without any desert of ours to provide for us the most precious merits of his own Son whereby our ransome might be fully paid the Law fulfilled and his Justice fully satisfied So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them that truly believe in him He for them paid their ransome by his death he for them fulfilled the Law in his life that now in him and by him every true Christian may be called a fulfiller of the Law for as much as that which our infirmity was not able to effect Christs justice hath performed And this Doctrine viz. that Christ hath for us made a full and perfect satisfaction to Gods Justice is the express Doctrine of the Church of England in her Order of the Communion which saith there That Jesus Christ did suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption and that he made there by his own oblation of himself once offered 〈◊〉 full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world And Homâ—ly of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 169. Christ made perfect satisfaction by his death for the sins of all people And that God doth take accept and allow it as full and perfect satisfaction for the sins of all his elect people is most evident by the holy Apostles Creed which the Church of England also believeth as well as by the holy Doctrine of the Canonical Scriptures which hold that Jesus Christ did not only die and was buried and was for a time held under the power of death and the grave which was as his imprisonment but that he was raised again for our Justification which declared that God was fully satisfied with what he had done and suffered else he would not have let him out of Prison Rom. 4. 25. And that he ascended up into heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of God and that from thence he shall come to iudg both quick and dead Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 1. 3. And God hath declared that in him he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 17. 5. And that we are compleat in him Col. 2. 18. And that we are justified in and by him Rom. 3. 24. And that we have peace with God through him Rom. 5. 1 2. And that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. And that he saves his people from their sins to the uttermost Mat. 1. 21. Heb. 5. 25. Of which you may see much more hereafter in the 13th particular concerning Purgatory To pass by many more arguments 4 Sacred Scripture doth evidently hold it forth unto all that will not wilfully shut their eyes or that are not judicially blinded 1. Jer. 23. 6. This is the name whereby Christ shall be called that is by all Gods people the Lord our righteousness * See Bishop Andrews his Sermon in locum All Gods people shall profess that they have their righteousness from Christ which is in effect the same with Isa 45. 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory All the spiritual seed of Israel that is all Gods Elect shall be justified that is shall obtain remission of their sins and right to everlasting life by virtue of the Son
Barjona for flesh and blood hath 〈◊〉 revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven 2 Cor. 3. 5 〈◊〉 that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 〈◊〉 our sufficiency is of God Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing 〈◊〉 Christ Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to 〈◊〉 his good pleasure Ephes 2. 8. For by grace ye are saved through faâ—â—â— and that grace or that faith is not of your selves It is the gift of 〈◊〉 And so is repentance the gift of God Act. 5. 31. Act. 11. 18. 2 〈◊〉 2. 25. If God will give them repentanceâ— to the acknowledgement of 〈◊〉 truth 3. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Reformed Protestant Churches As 1. To the eighth Article of Lambeth which as you hearâ— before was declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England The eighth Article of Lambeth is this No man can come to Christ unlesâ—â— it be given to him and unless the Father shall draw him nor are all men 〈◊〉 drawn by the Father that they come to the Son 2. To the 32 Article of Religion of Ireland None can come 〈◊〉 Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father draw him 〈◊〉 all men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come unto the Soâ—â— neither is there such a sufficient measure of grace vouchsafed unto eveâ— man whereby he is enabled to come unto * The nature of man through the transgression of our first parents hath lost free-will and retaineth not now any shadow thereof saving an inclination to â—ill those only excepted whom of his grace he hath sanctified and purged from their Original leprosie King James his Declaration against Vorstius p. 368. of his Works everlasting life This Confession includes the 8th and 7th Articles of Lambeth 3. To the latter Confession of Helvetia which saith thus Therefore man not as yet regenerate hath no free will to good no strength to perform that which is good In regeneration the understanding is illuminated by the Holy Ghost that it may understand both mysteries and will of God and the will it self is not only changed by the Spirit but is also endued with faculties that of its own accord it may both will and do good Harmony of Confessions Sec. 4. c. 9. p. 62 63. and the like may be there seen in the former Confession of Helvetia p. 65. art 9. See the Confession of Bohemia For that will of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakned that now from henceforth of it self and without the grace of God it cannot chuse judg or wish nay it hath no desire nor inclination much less any ability to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased Harmony of Confessions Sect. 4. p. 68. The Confession of the French Church is much to the same effect there to be seen p. 70. and there in the same Section is the Confession of Belgia full and clear to the same purpose with notable proofs out of Scripture against mans natural power to convert himself to God as John 3. 27. John 6. 44. Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. John 15. 5. And p. 74. of the same Section is the Confession of Auspurg to the same purpose And p. 75. they say thus We condemn the Pelagians and all such as they are who teach that by the only powers of * This is directly contrary to Dr. Patricks Doctrine before recited in the Margent nature without the holy Spirit we may love God above all and fulfill the Law of God as touching the substance of our actions The Confession of the Church of Saxony is to the same effect there to be seen p. 77. That man by his natural strength is not able to free himself from sin and eternal death but this freedom and conversion of man to God and this spiritual newness is wrought by the Son of God quickning us by his Holy Spirit In the same Section p. 82 83. the Church of Wirtemberg saith thus And whereas some affirm that so much integrity of mind was left to man after his fall that by his natural strength and good works he is able to convert and prepare himself to faith and the invocating of God it is flatly contrary to the Apostolicâ— Doctrine and the true consent of the Catholick Church Rom. 5 By one mans trespass evil was derived unto all men unto condemnation Ephes 2. When ye were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in times paâ—â— ye walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince c and we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others he saith Dead in sins and the children of wrath that is strangers from thâ— grace of God But as a man being corporally dead is not able by his oâ—â— strength to trepare or convert himself to receive corporal life so be which is so spiritually dead is not able by his own power to câ—â—vert himself to receive spiritual life The Synod of Dort c. 〈◊〉 Article 3. say thus All men are conceived in sin and born 〈◊〉 children of wrath untoward to all good tending to salvation forward to evil dead in sins slaves of sin and neither will nor 〈◊〉 without the grace of the Holy Ghost regenerating them 〈◊〉 streight their own crooked nature no not so much as dispose theâ— selves to the amending of it And Article 4. they say thus Bâ—â— so far short is he from being enabled by this imbred light to coâ— to the saving knowledg of God and to convert himself unto hiâ— that he doth not make right use thereof in natural things and â—vil affairs nay that which it is he many ways defileth it all 〈◊〉 withholdeth it in unrighteousness and by so doing becomâ—â— inexcusable before God Who in the 4th error rejected reject thâ— error of those that teach That an unregenerated man is not properly nor totally dead in sins nor destitute of all strength tendâ—â— to all spiritual good but that he is able to hunger and thirst aftâ—â— righteousness or everlasting life and to offer the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 humble and contrite heart even such as is acceptable unto God For these assertions march against the direct testimonies of Scripture Ephes 2. 1 5. Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Gen. 6. 5. 8. 11. Every imagination of the thought of mans heart is only evil continally Moreover the hungring and thirsting for deliverance out of misery 〈◊〉 for life-eternal as also the offering to God the sacrifice of a broken â—â—eâ—â— is proper to the regenerate and such as are called blessed Psal 51. 1â— Matth. 5. 6. That the efficacious grace of God in mans effectual calling or conversion doth not depend upon the aptitude or co-operâ—tion of the will of man but is from the supernatural work of Goâ—â— which the holy Scripture calls the drawing of the Father to the
that which was set down by the Reverend Assembly of Divines the Confession of Faith c. 3. a. 1. God from all eternity did the most wise and holy counsel of his own will freely and unchâ—â—geably ordain whatsoever comes to pass yet so as thereby neiâ—â— is God the Author of sin nor of violence offered to the will of 〈◊〉 creatures nor is the liberty or contingenâ—y of second causes taâ—â— away but rather established And this Doctrine is clear in 〈◊〉 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdom prepared you from the foundations of the world Ephes 1. 4. God hath chosen 〈◊〉 him that is in Jesus Christ before the foundations of the world 2 Tâ—â— 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not accoâ—â— to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was gâ—â— us in Christ Jesus before the world began Which is directly contrary the erroneous Doctrine of those who teach That God chuseth 〈◊〉 this or that particular person before others till he see whether he 〈◊〉 believe or not and persevere in the faith who make a persevering liever in the point of death to be the object of Gods peremptory complâ—â— full and irrevocable election unto life condemned the Synod of Dort in the Remonstrants who teaâ—â— Acta Remonst a. 1. p. 7. That Gods Election unto salvation is manifoâ—â— one general and indefinite another singular anâ—â— definite and this again either incomplete revocable not peremptory or conditional or else complete irrevocable peremptory oâ—â— absolute likewise that there is one election unto faith anothâ—â— unto salvation so that election unto justifying faith may be witâ—â— out a peremptory election unto salvation for this saith the Synoâ—â— is of mans brain devised without any ground in the Scriptures coâ—rupting the Doctrine of Election and breaking that golden chain of salvation Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated them also he hath called and whom he hath called them also he hath justified and whom he hath justified them also he hath glorified 3. That they that are predestinated to everlasting salvation cannot perish eternally or be damned for the Article saith plainly That God hath constantly decreed by his counsel to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour Now this is also consonant to holy canonical Scripture in those places before alledged and also many others as Mat. 16. 18. The gates of Hell all the power and policy of the Devil and his instruments shall not prevail against it that is against the Church of Jesus Christ and Mat. 24 If it were possible they shall deceive the very elect where note that it is impossible totally and finally to deceive the elect of God unto eternal life John 10. 28 29. And I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 1 Pet. 1. 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 John 2. 27 But the annointing which ye have received abideth in you the grace of God abideth in him that is truly sanctified by Gods Spirit 1 John 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him that is the seed of Gods Spirit and Word saving grace so remaineth in him that he doth not commit sin as the Devil doth studiously purposely affectionately impenitently and maliciously he committeth not the sin unto death the sin against the Holy Ghost 1 John 5. 18. He that is born of God cannot commit and live and lie down in sin as the Devil and the wicked do but though he fall into sin yet he riseth again Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me Rom. 5. 8 While we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him and according to this is the 5th Arâ—icle of Lambeth and the 38th Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland A true lively justifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanisheth away in the elect or regenerate either totally or finally â—nd because Dr. Heylin most falsly saith That this Doctrine of the Papists and Arminians was the Doctrine which our godly Reformers and Martyrs taught and sealed with their blood I shall give you a little of what they 〈◊〉 lieved said and sealed with their blood Thomas Whittell Priest 〈◊〉 Martyr in his Letter to John Carles saith thus That God sufferâ—â— his to fall but not finally to perish Fox Book of Martyrs in one Wâ—â— lume p. 1742. and John Carles aâ—â— swered Dr. Martin who examiâ—â— King James in his Paraphrase upon Revel c. 9. p. 27. saith That these spiritual grashoppers shall be so bridled that they shall not have power to pervert the elect of whatsoever degree or sort but their power shall extend only upon them that bear not the mark or seal of God upon their foreheads so on c. 13. p. 41. him about Predestination thus believe that Almighty God our 〈◊〉 dear loving Father of his grâ—â— mercy and infinite goodness did eâ—â— in Christ before the foundation the earth was laid a Church 〈◊〉 Congregation which he doth câ—â—tinually guide and govern by 〈◊〉 grace and holy Spirit so that 〈◊〉 one of them shall ever finally peâ—â— and otherwise he holdeth not Aâ—â— John Philpot that learned Martyr maintained the Doctrine of Prâ—â— stination which Calvin taught in his Institutions to be agreeing with tâ—â— which the Doctors of the Church did teach and the holy Scriptures and wâ—â— he sealed with his blood as I shewed you before out of Mr. Fox his Boâ—â— of Martyrs p. 1697. 2 Col. and p. 17â— 1722. John â—â— â—greeable to * John Bradford Martyr in his Letter to N. and his Wife saith thus This is the difference betwixt Gods children which are regenerate and elect before all times in Christ and the wicked cast-aways that the elect lie not still in their sin continually as do the wicked but at length do return again by reason of Gods seed which is in them hid as a sparkle of fire in the ashes as we may see in David Peter Paul Mary Magdalen and others Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1573. one Volume thâ—â— also is the Doctrine of the Synod oâ—â— Dort c. 5. of the perseverance of the Saints Canons 6 7 8. For Gâ—â— who is rich in mercy according 〈◊〉 the unchangeable purpose of Electioâ—â— doth not wholly take away his hoâ—â— Spirit from his no not in their grâ—â— vous slips nor suffers them to waâ—â— der so far as to fall away from thâ—â— grace of adoption and state
aversion from that which is good materially 't is an inclination to that whiâ—h is morally evil There is in the will of man 1. an impotency to that which is spiritually good as the understanding of a meer natural man cannot rightly think of any thing that is spiritually good so the will of a meer natural man cannot rightly of it self will any thing that is spiritually good 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we â—â— sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our â—â—ciency is of God Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in us both to 〈◊〉 and to do of his own good pleasure 2. A proneness only to that whicâ— is evil Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in 〈◊〉 eâ—rth and that every imagination of the thoughts or purposes or desireâ—â— his heart was only evil continually 3. Aversness from that whiâ—â— is good Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for 't is 〈◊〉 subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Read Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5. We are all dead in trespasses and sins and 〈◊〉 by nature the children of wrath by nature not pure but corrupt aâ—â— that corrupted by Original sin That which is born of the flesh 〈◊〉 flesh John 3. 6. and who can bring a clean thing out of an uncâ—â— Job 14. 4. Now Papists grant that original sin imputed is pâ—â—perly a sin but inherent they say is not properly a sin Pelagâ—â— that old Heretick was the Father and the Popish Arminian aâ—â— Semi-pelagian Divines are the 〈◊〉 and followers of it Beâ—â—mine T. 4. l. 2. de peccato c. 3. saâ—â— from Jam. 1. Quod 〈◊〉 Jacobo in illo 〈◊〉 Bellar. l. 5. de amissione gratiae c. 3. 9. c. 10. Peccatum inhabitans Rom. 7. non nisi improprie dicitur peccatum non vocatur peccatum illud non est peccatum quod parit peccatum non est peccatum And Dr. Jeremy Taylor one 〈◊〉 Archbishop Lauds Chaplains late â—â—shop in Ireland in his further Exâ—â—nation of original sin saith expresly thus That original sin is not our sin properly not inherent in us but is only imputed so as to bring evil effects upon us for that which is inherent in 〈◊〉 is a consequent only of Adams sin but of it self no sin for theâ—â— being but two things the constituent parts of original sin the want of original righteousness and concupiscence neither of these caâ— So Pelagius and Arminius picad be a sin in us but a punishment 〈◊〉 Adams sin they may be P. 459. And p. 475. of the same book he saith That original sin is 〈◊〉 an inherent evil not a sin properly but metâ—nimically that is it is the effect of one sin and the cause of many a stain not a sin it doth not damn any infant to eternal pains of hell And p. 474. he saith thus And since no Church did ever in join tâ— any Catechumen any penance or repentance for original sin iâ— sâ—â—ms horrible and unreasonable that any man can be damneâ— for that for which no man is bound to repent But Sir is that only properly sin for which the Church injoins penance Did the Jews injoin any penance for Poligamy and doth the Christian Church injoin penance for inward sins is not the 19th Commandment made void by this Doctrine did not King David 〈◊〉 51. 5. and St. Paul Rom. 7. confess their original sin or was King Davids and St. Pauls Confession one of your Brother Dr. Haâ—â—onds free-will offerings commended even to meriting And I pray read there his Explanation of the 9th Article of the Church of England and then judg whether that of Knot the Jesuit be not true Preface to Charity maintained Sec. 2. Heylins Cypr. Anglicus l. 4. p. 252 253. viz. That the Doctrine of the Church of England began to be altered in many things for which our Progenitors forsook the Roman Church for example it is said that the Pope is not Antichrist prayer for the dead is allowed Limbus patrum it is maintained that the Church hath authority in determining controversies of faith and to interpret Scriptures about free-will predestination universal grace that all our works before effectual vocation are not sins merit of good works inherent righteousness faith alone doth not justifie Traditions Commandments possible to be kept your Thirty nine Articles are patient nay ambitious of some sense in which they may seem Catholick for Dr. Heylin in his Cyprianus Anglicus lib. 4. p. 252. alledgeth much of this charge of Knot as a commendation of our Church and upon the 20th and 34th Articles he saith That more power than this the Church of Rome did never challenge and less than this was not reserved unto it self by the Church of England in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 20 21. where he saith That in the year 1571. the Articles agreed upon in the year 1562. were re-printed and this clause the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and also in controversies of Faith as he saiâ—h was left out by the power of the Genevian * That was the Parliament that that year confirmed the Articlâ—s to which alone subscription was injoined yet Heylin saith it left out the Prayer against the Pope out of the Letany faction if it were not for the Genevian-faction your faction would soon bring us all to Rome but the times bettering and the Governors of the Church taking notice thereof there was care taken 't is believed 〈◊〉 A. B. Land as Mr. Prin and Burton discovered that the said â—â— should be restored unto its place in all following impressions of that â—â— but if it may be said to be restored to its place 't is wondred 〈◊〉 Dr. â—â—ocket Warden of All-Sâ—â— Colledge and Chaplain to A. B. â—â—bot Heylins Cyp. Angl. l 1. p. 76. And 't is left out of the Articles of Ireland 1615 which were allowed by King James should forget to put it into thâ—â— 20th Article when he made his book in Latin intituled De politia Ecoleâ—â— Anglicanae in which he set down all our Liturgy the 39 Articles of Religion the book of Ordination of Priests and Deacons and Consecraâ—ion of Bishops c. I say if it had been in the Article 〈◊〉 very strange that a man of his learning and integrity and pâ—â— and expectation too should leave it out but you see 't is put in 〈◊〉 you may well guess by whom and to what purpose by what 〈◊〉 Heylin saith of it it reserved or rather restored to it self as much power as the Church of Rome ever challenged which Knot the Jesuit observed That their Churches as the Jesuit goes on â—â—ginning to look with a new face their walls to speak a new language that men in talk and wriâ—ing use willingly the once fearful names of Priests and Altar and are now put in mind that for exposition of Scripture they are
by Canon bound to follow the Fathers that Protestantism waxeth weary of it self that Calvinism is accounted * For proof read Dr. Heylins Cypr. Anglicus and its Introduction Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p. 414 415 416. there you 'l see the agreement made betwixt the Pope or his agents and some of our Clergy men and that which â—â—ey call the ancient Catholick Religion is nothing but Popery only abatement in some things at least for a time 〈◊〉 Cyprianus Anglicus was setled in his pontificalibus heresie at the least and little less than treasoâ— I say much of this Heylin saith was truth and he himself in his Introduction to that History and other books makes very manifest What Chillingworth answereth to this bold charge of the Jesuit you may see in Dr. Cheynells rise and growth of Socinianisâ— c. 6. The â—anterburian Religion not the true Protestant Religion p. 70 But to return to my business Bellarmine is answered by learned Dr. Ames a Nonconformist in his Bellarminus Enarvatus T. 4. l. 2. de peccato originali c. 3. p. 34. ad p. 46. which I have read and Bishop Jeremy â—â— I hear is answered very learnedly and fully by Mr. Henry Jeanes â—â—other Nonconformist which I have not read how conformable â—â—e Bishops Doctrine is to the false Pelagian condemned Doctrine of â—â—e Church of Rome and Nonconformable to the true and approved â—â—octrine of the Church of England let the indifferent and judiciâ—â—s Reader judg Vide Maccovium Rediv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminiaâ—â—ruâ— c. 9. p. 118. That Original sin inherent in us is properly sin I prove thus 1. That which hath the name and nature of sin properly so called â—â—s sin properly so called but original sin inherent in us hath the â—â—e and nature of sin properly so called ergo it is sin properly so â—â—lled 1. It hath the name of sin properly so called given unto it in saâ—â—red Scripture The Reverend * Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. A. B. â—â—sâ—er tells us That all other sins have â—â—eir special names but original sin is â—â—operly called sin and †Amand. Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 3. p. 336. Polanus beâ—â—re him saith that 't is called absoâ—â—tely sin Rom. 7. 8. because it is the â—â—ring and fountain of other sins pecâ—atum peccans sinning sin Rom. 7. 13. â—â—eccatum inhabitans indwelling sin Rom. 7. 17 20. and Mr. Hilderâ—â—am upon Psal 51. p. 283. tells us that the Spirit of God expresly â—â—lls it sin Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity â—â—d in sin did my Mother conceive me and so Dr. Mer. â—asaubon * In locum Musculus and Dr. Ames expound the place â—hich place Bishop Prideaux * Fasciculus controversiarum c. 3. q. 5. p. 112. saith â—â—nnot be understood but of original sin â—â—d its propagation as both ancient and â—â—ter Divines expound the place and in â—â—ree Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans viz. 6. 7 8. 14 times at â—â—ast and Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 6. 6 12 13 14. Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin â—â—t by the law for I had not known lust that is to be sin except the â—â—w had said Thou shalt not coveâ— Where 't is clear that lust by which 〈◊〉 meant the first unlawful desires or motions which have not the â—â—nsent of the will lust in the habit or disposition inclination imagiâ—â—tion as well as lust in the act is forbidden in the Tenth commandâ—â—nt as not only Beza Parâ—us Calvin and Peter Martyr but also Dr. Willet and Wilson and Dr. 〈◊〉 and Diodate upon the place 〈◊〉 B. Prideaux Fasc controvers c. 3. q 5. p. 112. Sharpius Symphon â—a Novis Epoc. p. 397. Andrews and Dr. Mayor upon the 〈◊〉 Commandment and Bishop 〈◊〉 and Sharpius elsewhere assure 〈◊〉 verse the 8. For sin taking occâ—â— the Commandment the more 〈◊〉 â—â— the more it bursteth forth †A. B. Vsher Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. 〈◊〉 streams do that cannot be stopped till God by his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 it wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the 〈◊〉 was dead that is it seemed so to him because he knew it 〈◊〉 felt it not but when he knew the law he knew sin and 〈◊〉 activity and found 't was alive so verse the 14. But I 〈◊〉 sold under sin Man is said to be carnal two ways 1. Quâ—â— carni because he serves the flesh so unregenerated men 〈◊〉 nal 2. Quia proclivis est carni because he is inclined to 〈◊〉 the flesh that is original corruption which is called flesh 〈◊〉 1. Gal. 5. â—7 so Paul was carnal though he had mortified 〈◊〉 he had some relicts or remainders of it an inclination to thâ—â— of the flesh he was carnal in opposition to the law that 〈◊〉 ritual that is he was not so spiritual as the law required 〈◊〉 der sin slaves to â—in are of two sorts 1. Some sell themsâ—â— sin original sin and its lusts they willingly obey the lusts 〈◊〉 flesh so did Ahab and such are wicked men 2. Some arâ—â— another and such a slave was Paul even after his actual conâ—â— for he was a slave against his will he desired to escape from 〈◊〉 ster he served him unwillingly as may be seen verses the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no more I that do it but sin that is original 〈◊〉 tion that dwelleth in me So verses 23 24. so Rom. 8. 2. he 〈◊〉 have added Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the 〈◊〉 death by sin so verse the 13th For until the law sin that is 〈◊〉 ginal sin was in the world which the Apostle proves 〈◊〉 death was in the world till Moses v. 14. 2. Original sin hath the nature of sin properly so called 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of 〈◊〉 which is the definition that the Spirit of God gives of 〈◊〉 perly so called 1 John 3. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is the 〈◊〉 gression of the law as we translate the words but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dâ—â— from Alpha a Privitive Particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lex the law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a want of conformity to the Law of God Now that Original 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is a want of that righâ—ousness which all men ought to â—â—ave * Vide Dr. Barlow Exercitat 2. Scholastical Divines define â—â— to be oarentia rectitudinis debitae a â—â— of rectitude which ought to be in â—â— reasonable creature And this I Homily of the coming down of the Holy Ghost p. 209. Mâ—n of his own nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to God without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or godly motion only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds â—â—ight prove out of Aquinas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 82. a. 3. con Cum originale peccaâ—â—um justitiae originali opponatur nihâ—â—â—â—iud
reason of its pride and contumacy neither can it be by reason of its pravity and perversness The flesh saith Diodate is not only incapable to submit to Gods will through weakness but also through â—â—tural repugnancy To which may be added Rom. 7. 14. For 〈◊〉 know that the law is spiritual and the law is spiritual because it binds not only all the humane creatures intents and purposes but his whole force and power and all the thoughts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ— his heart to an holy inward obedience as well as to an outward compleat conformity to the will of God whicâ— if he did as he ought to perform he should be spiritual too aâ—â— free from death but I am sold under sin contrary to and averâ—â— from the law St. Paul after he was regenerated was like other men in part carnal through the proclivity of his nature to commit those sins which according to his regenerate part he hated and would not so our sound and learned Divines expound the place and urge the following verses to prove that concupiscence is properly a siâ— and in the regenerate after baptism 2. Concupiscence is properly sin because 't is forbidden in the law of God Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust the sudden motions of mind unlawful desires and affections which arise in the soul and have not the consent of the will as our Orthodox Divines expound the word that is to be sin except the law had said thou shalt not covet Where 't is clear that concupiscence is called sin and that 't is forbidden in the law of which before To which may be added the 9th Article of our Church of England which saith thus Yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin and the Article saith that 't is a FAULT and corruption of the nature of every man Bishop Jeremy Taylor himself confesseth that 't is in the Latin Copies called vitium naturae which I think in Morals is Englished vice in Theologicals sin and if virtutes Ethicorum sint splendida peccata sure their vices are proprie-dicta peccata which yet the Bishop with the Jesiâ—â—â— denies 3. Concupiscence is contrary to the Law of God because we are commanded to put it off Ephes 4. 22 23 24. That ye put of concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in rigâ—teousness and true holiness Where original sin is called the old man as 't is in * Calvin Pareus Peter Martyr Diodate Willet Dr. Featley Wilson in locum and Bishop Reynolds of the sinfulness of sin p. 139. Rom. 6. 6. that is the body of sin not nature but our corrupt nature which we have contracted from our old Father Adam as all our learned and sound Divines expound the places and the phrase 4. That 't is properly sin I reason thus that which rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God is sin properly but original sin rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God ergo original sin is properly sin the major is undeniable because nothing that is not properly sin doth render us obnoxious to Gods wrath God is angry with nothing but sin or for sin the proper object of a Christians hatred should be sin and 't is of God's as being only contrary to his nature and law Gal. 3. 10 the minor may abundantly be proved by plain Scripture Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death by which in regard the Apostle speaks absolutely without any limitation he meaneth death in general of what kind soever temporal and eternal Gal. 3. 10. 1 Thes 1. 10. Rom. 5. 18. And because Bishop Taylor * Explanat of original sin p. 469 470. denies it of death eternal I pray read what the Church of England saith of it in her Homilies of Christ's Nativity T. 2. p. 167. and Homily of Christs Death T. 2. part 2. p. 181. and 184. set down before in the beginning of this Article * Man was justly condemned therefore condemned to everlasting death p. 103. and Ephes 2. 3. We are by nature the children of wrath We are not so by pure nature then we must needs be so by corrupt nature and that is original sin inherent in us Children of wrath are subjects of sin and through desert of sin subject to wrath that is the wrath of God which he hath threatned against sinners for sin death and damnation and temporal judgments Ephes 5. 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience only children of disobedience are children of wrath where there is no sin or disobedience there God hath no wrath and our 9th Article of Religion saith plainly that this original sin in every person born in this world deserveth Gods wrath and damnation and so our Church * Questions of Baptism Catechism saith For being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath and it cannot be understood of lust with consent of will for that Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel without doubt knew to be sin and that also is actual sin and not original of which the Article treateth 2. Because infants conceived and brought forth in sin who never committed any actual sin in their own persons have died as you may see in Davids child 2 Sam. 12. 18. and experience daily shews it and Rom. 5. 14. proves it Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually committed any sin in their own persons over them that is over infants who sinned not actually or by imitation but only by an inherent corruption of nature in them so our Reverend Divines A. B. Vsher and Bishop Prideaux Archbishop Ushers Sum of Christian Religion p. 143. Bishop Prideaux bis Fascic controver c. 3. q. 3. p. 113. Pareus in locum and many more of our sound Divines as well as the ancient Fathers expound the place and in the order of our burial 't is said that by Adâ—â— all die 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Obj. But it will or may be objected that infants sinned in Adam in whose loins they were and that they are punished with death 〈◊〉 for their own inherent corruption of nature that is in them but for the sin of Adam in whose loins they were imputed to them Answ To this I answer 1. That neither Bellarmine nor Papists nor Bishop Taylor nor any compleat Conformist in the Church of Englanâ— can well object this for they hold Concil Trid. 5. Sec. 5. Can. Bel. de Sacrament baptismi c.
Ceremonies Protestants answer As if the inspiration of God did not make God the author of the fact as well as the command expressed in his word Otherwise it were lawful for the Papists to conclude by the same reason that they have authority to institute new Sacrifices and Sacraments Bellarmine replies and saith That the Congregation made a new Feast Esth 9. 1. Mac. 4. Protestants answer That the first was political the second was to be disallowed Bellarmine saith the Apostles instituted a new Ceremony Act. 15. Protestants answer That there was no new ceremony instituted but a respect to scandal in tollerating an old ceremony Bellarmine saith the Church may institute some things and ceremonies are not repugnant to the Gospel neither hath the Lord forbidden that we should add no ceremonies for the more commodious and profitable administration of the Sacraments Protestants answer 1. The Church cannot appoint any new thing by her own authority 2 Carnal ceremonies void of the Spirit as all humane ceremonies are are repugnant Hildersham proves from Job 4. 23. that humane Ceremonies are forbidden in the Gospel in loc Bishop Andrews in Command 2. p. 263 or 255. Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart c. 8. d. 4. p. 565. John Launder Thomas Iveson John Denly Martyrs professed that they believed that the Ceremonies used here in Q. Maries days were naught vain superfluous superstitious which they sealed with their blood Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1593 1594 1595 1598. to the perfection of the New Testament 3. Humane ceremonies can make â—o more to the commodious and profitable administration of Christs Sacraments as they were administred by Christ and his Apostles than the decrees of faith made by men do make more commodiously to illustrate the faith revealed by Christ What shall we think that certain new men have a better insight and know better what ceremonies are to be used in Baptism than the holy Apostles and Christ himself So of the Supper too Bellarmine saith That ceremonies iustituted by the Church cannot be omitted without sin yea not without scandal Protestants answer There cannot be instituted Religious ceremonies by the Church without sin and therefore they may be omitted without sin and ought to be omitted 4. That we cannot fully and perfectly perform all that the Law of God requireth for Christ saith plainly That when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable servants Which shews that we cannot perfectly keep the Law for if we could we should be profitable servants getting thereby much glory to God and everlasting life to our selves Do this and thou shalt live And the Homily of the Death of Christ T. 2. part 2. p â—82 saith Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christs acts and merits And again in the same Page it saith thus of Adam after his fall He could not keep the Law neither if Adam and his posterity had been able to satisfie and fulfill the Law perfectly in loving God above all things and their neighbours as themselves then should they have easily quenched the Lords wrath and escaped the horrible sentence of eternal death For 't is written Do this and thou shalt live that is fulfil my Commandments keep thy self upright and perfect in them according to my will then thou shalt live and not die But such was the frailty of mankind after his fall such was his weakness that he could not walk uprightly in Gods Commandments though he would never so fain but daily and hourly fell from his bounden duty offending the Lord his God divers ways to the great increase of his condemnation all are gone astray Our frailty is such that we can never of our selves fulfil the Law according to that the Law requireth And our 15th Article of Doctrine saith thus That all we the rest that is besides Christ although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yea the Popes Doctrine viz. That meer men since Adams fall can in this life perfectly fulfil Gods whole Moral Law is not only contrary to Sacred Scripture the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homilieâ— and Articles but also her Book of Common Prayers As to the Lords-Prayer wherein Christ taught his holy Apostles and all Gods children to say every day Forgive us our trespasses To our commoâ— general Confession We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts We have offended against thy holy Laws We have left undone those things we ought to have done and we have done those things we ought not to have done And 't is contrary to the prayer after every Commandment for pardon of sin committed against it Lord have mercy upon us Yea the Litany might be brought against Papists in this point And Prov. 7. 20. Rom. 7. 15. 17 18 20 23 24 1 Joh. 1. 8 9 10. and contrary also to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches to be seen in the Harmony of Confession Sect. 4. and the 43 Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland and the fourth Article of the 16th Chapter of the Confession of Faith of Scotland Yea the gates of Hell I believe will never be able to overthrow that Faith in that Confession made by that Assembly Heâ—â— what Shelford Serm. p. 121 127 136 139 147. and White Bishop of Eli on the Sabbath p. 157. say for mans ability to fulfil the Law against the Doctrine of the Church of England and what Shelford saith for works of Supererogation Serm. p. 184. may be seen in Laudensium Autocatacrisis p 70 71. And what Bishop Forbes saith in his Book de Justificatione may be seen in the Supplement thereunto p. 300. And what Dr. Patrick saith may be seen in his Parable of the Pilgrim p. 324. who there saith thus 'T is true we are not tyed to that which we cannot do but yet the flesh will sometimes juggle and complain of impotence when there is nothing hinders it but sloth This is Bellarmines argument de observatione Legis c. 7. si praecepta c. if the precepts are impossible then they oblige none To this argument Dr. Ames gives this answer Dr. Ames his Bellar. Enervatus T. 3. c. 7. p. 191. 1. That this argument doth not prove that the Law is more possible to be kepâ— by believers than by unbelievers by the just than by the unjust 2. That the obligation to keep the Law is not taken away by the impossibility that flows from our fault To which I shall say but thus that the words imply as they may well be taken one or both of these errors 1. That men now are not bound to keep the Moral Law of God Or 2. That 't
to the 35th Article of Religion of Ireland Although this justification be free unto us yet it cometh not so freely unto us that there is no ransom paid therefore at all God shewed his great mercy in delivering us from our former captivity without requiring of any ransom to be paid or amends to be made on our parts which thing by us had been unpossible to be done And whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransom it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite mercy without any desert of ours to provide for us the most precious merits of his own Son whereby our ransom might be fully paid the law fulfilled and his justice fully satisfied so that now Christ is the righteousness of all theâ— that believe in him He for them paid their ransom by his death He for them fulfilled the law in his life That now in him and by him every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the law for as much as that which our infirmity was not able to effect Christ's justice hath performed and thus the justice and mercy of God do embrace each other the grace of God not shutting out the justice of God in the matter of our justification but onâ—y shutting the justice of man that is to say the justice of our oâ—â— works from being any cause of deserving our justification 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster c. 16. Article 5. We cannot by our best works merit paâ—don of sin or eternal life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our former sins but when we have done all we can we have done but oâ—â— duty and are unprofitable servants and because as they are good they proceed from his Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled 〈◊〉 mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgment Behold here is the Doctrine of the three Churches in his Majesties three Kingdoms against this Popish Autichristian Doctrine of Merits But 4. 'T is contrary to sacred Scripture That the good works of regenerated men do not merit eternal salvation at Gods hands â—prove 1. Because eternal life is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. That whicâ— is given to us is not merited by us but eternal life is given to us therefore eternal life is not merited by us 2. Because we are not saved by our own good works but by the mercy of God T it 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done 〈◊〉 according to his mercy he saved us therefore our good works do not merit eternal salvation 3. Because the Apostle saith that we are saved by grace Eph 2. 8 9. where by grace is meant the favour or mercy of God in him aâ—◠〈◊〉 by works which we have done or do and the reason is given lest 〈◊〉 man should boast which we might do as that we have saved our selvâ—â— and God hath not saved us if our own good works within us or doâ—â— by us as our Homily speaks did merit eternal salvation 5. The good works of regenerated men do not ex condigno men eternal life at Gods hands because they want the proper conditions of proper merit for that which is properly merit ex condigno or is properly meritorious hath or ought to have these Conditions Cond 1. That it be perfectly good but the good works of regenerated men are imperfect This I have proved before out of our book of Homilies Articles of Ireland and Confession of Scotland and sacred Scripture Homil. of Christs death t. 2. part 2. p. 182. alledged Article 6th Article the 10 and this 12th of this See also Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord â—â—r in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 2. 16. Psal 130. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Gal. 5. 17. * Isa 64. 6. The stains of our righteousness are no less than menstruous Dr. Slater in 2 Thes 2. 11. p. 167. And upon this account our good works are not meritorious ratione pacti or ratione operis for the Covenant of works Do this and thou shalt live requires perfect obedience without any imperfection which if we perform not eternal life is not due unto us ratione pacti by vertue of the Covenant of Works and if you come in and plead the Covenant of Grace Believe and thou shalt be saved you deny the condignity of your works and come over to us for Gods free grace given unto us for we are not justified and saved for our good works worthiness but for Christs sake in whom he hath elected us unto eternal life 2. Cond That it be not due or debt but our good works are due debts which we owe to God Luk. 17. 10. When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do We may merit of men when we do them some notable piece of work which we were not bound to do but we can do no good work to or for God but that which we are bound to do therefore we cannot merit by doing good works which are but our duty Adam while he was in the fâ—ate of innocency could not by his perfectly good works have merited ex condigno eternal life at Gods hands by reason of the dignity of his works because his works were due from him to God as I shewed before in the Article of Original sin Cond 3. That they be only ours but our good works as they are good are not properly * Homily for Rogation-Week t. 2. p. 297 220. alledged before Article 7. p. â—1 ours but are the free gifts of God and works of God in us 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think â—â—t thing as of our selves but our suâ—ficiency is of God Joh. 15. 5. Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing that is nothing that is spiritually and truly good and acceptable to God and Phil. 2. 13. it is God that worketh in you to will and to do that which is good of his good pleasure See more in Homily of Repentance t. 2. p. 263. alledged before Article 7th Cond 4. That it profit him of whom we merit but our good works do not profit God Job 22. 2. Can a man be profitable unto God Psal 16. 2. Our goodness extendeth not to thee Rom. 11. 35. Who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompenced to him again Luk. 17. 10. When you have done all you are commanded
resurrection are purged from sins by penal Concil Trident. Sess 6. can 30. satisfaction which were not purged in this life so fully as they ought that they may enter into heaven THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the sound Doctrine of the Church of England Article the 22d of Purgatory The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God In Homily of Prayer T. 2. part 3. p. 122. 't is said That there are but two places after this life Heaven and Hell the one proper to the elect and blessed of God the other to the reprobates and damned souls as may well be gathered by the Parable of Lazarus Against the ground or rather indeed pretence for Purgâ—tory viz. That some sins of believers were not fully purged away in this life and must therefore there be purged away by making satisfaction by suffering for them The Church of England saith 〈◊〉 her Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 177. That Christ Jesus did purchase such favour for us by his death of his heavenly Father that for the merits thereof if we be true Christians indeed 〈◊〉 not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sins And in the Homily of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ T. 2. part 1. p. 200. she saith Thou must believe that Christ hath made upon his cross a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee a perfect cleansing of sins so that thou acknowledg no other Saviour Redeemer Mediatour Advocate Intercessor but Christ only 2. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland in the 101 and 102 Articles Homil. of the misery of man part 2. p. 11 He i. e. Christ is the high and everlasting Priest which hath offered himself once for all upon the Altar of the Cross and with that one oblation hath made perfect for evermore them that are sanctified He is the alone Mediator between God and man which paid our ransome to God with his own blood and with that hath he cleansed us from all sin he is the Physician which heal eth us all our diseases and of all our venial sins too of their Religion which is this After this life is ended the souls of Gods Children be presently received into Heaven there to enjoy unspeakable comforts the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell there to endure endless torments The Doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum Purgatory Prayer for the dead Pardons Adoration of Images and Reliques and also invocation of Saints is vainly invented without all warrant of holy Scripture yea and is contrary to the same 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland contained in the Confession of Faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Chap 22. Article 1. The bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption but their souls which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistence immediately return to God who gave them the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies and the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to judgment of the great day beside these two places for souls separated from their bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none T is contrary also to the latter Confession of Helvetia Article 26. to be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 16. p. 483. and to the Confession of the French Church Article 24. to be seen ibi Har. of Confessions Sect. 16. For the further confutation of this Popish Poetical and Antichristian Purgatory I shall lay down these plain ensuing Positions Position 1. That the souls of true believers in Christ do aâ— soon as they die go immediately into heaven and therefore not into the Popes Purgatory The antecedent Proposition I prove thus 1. From Isa 57. 2. He shall enter into peace that is the righteous man that dies before evil days come enters in his soul into Heaven and his body rests in his grave called his bed and if so then undoubtedly he goes not into the Popes Purgatory for there is no peace to them that are there for they are tormented say Papists with the â—â—me torments that they in Hell are tormented with 2. From Luk. 16. 22 23. The beggar Lazarus died and was carried into Abrahams bosom by the Angels and the rich man died and was cast into hell Now that by Abrahams bosom is meant Heaven * Vide also Homil. for Whitsunday p. 21 321 421 5216. recited Article 14. hujus is clear by the forecited Doctrine of the Church of England c. if not by the consent of Papists too that the Angels that carried his soul into Abrahams bosom were not evil but good Angels for that neither good Angels go into Hell nor evil into Heaven must also be yielded as the 25th verse of that Chapter declares then it will follow necessarily that the soul of Lazarus was carried by the holy and blessed Angels into Heaven where Abrahams bosom was and not into any part of Hell for Lazarus was comforted he was not only not tormented with poena sensus vel damni the punishment of sense or loss but he was actually comforted which implies not only a ceasing of his former suffering evil things but enjoying of good things the comforts of the other life the full knowledg of God and feeling his fatherly love 3. 'T is said Luk. 23. 43. by our Saviour himself to the Thief upon the Cross immediately before his death To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise that is in Heaven and therefore not in the Popes Purgatory for that is not Paradise Paradise is a place of pleasure and happiness but the Popes Purgatory is a place of pain and misery of hellish torments as Papists say In 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Paradise and that Heaven is coelum Emperaeum the seat of the blessed where God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the blessed Angels and souls of just men made perfect are and enjoy pleasures for evermore So 't is taken in Revel 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give saith the Spirit to the Churches to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Where by the Paradise of God not only Pareas and others of our learned men upon the place but also Cornelius a Lapide himself understands as the most genuine sense the fruition of God and eternal blessedness of which the Paradise of Adam was a figure sign and type 4. In Revel 14. 13.
are willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord which necessarily implies that they did believe that as soon as ever their souls were gone out of their earthly homes they should be present with the Lord in heaven for of that they say we are confident And. 10. Of this opinion and belief was St. Pauls as you may see in Phil. 1. 21 23. For to me to live is Christ and to die is * Mori lucrum quaesi dicat mors est lucrum heatitudinis mortem ergo non timeo quia si occidar moriar vitam aeternam lucrabor inevolabo praesensque sistar ac fruar Christo So Chrisostom Anselm Theophilact Oecumenius Thomas Aquinas in locum gain How could his death begain to him if he must not go immediately to Heaven but to Purgatory there first to suffer hellish punishments for his sins Yet if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall chuse I wot not for I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Here you see the Apostle Paul desired to depart out of the Tabernacle of his body and why that he might be with Christ he believed that as soon as his soul was departed out of his body she would presently be and remain with Christ but where not in the Popes Purgatory for there Christ was not but in heaven there he believed he was whom the heavens must receive till the restitution of all things Act. 3. 19. He believed that his soul would presently be with Christ in Heaven and therefore he saith that death temporal would be better for him than temporal life Certainly had St. Paul believed that after his soul had ended her work in his body here she should be carried into the Popes Purgatory and there be punished for his sins for a time it may be till the day of judgment he would have easily resolved himself that it had been better for him as well as for the Philippians to abide in the flesh and not to die I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ is as if he had said thus I am now bound q. d. Jam alligatus sum corpori si hoc vinculo solvar ero cum Christo illique astringar Cor. a lapide in locum to my body but if I were loosed from this bond I should be with Christ and bound to him saith Cor. a lapide Hence note saith he that souls altogether pure do presently when they leave the body not sleep but are with Christ in heaven and eternal life and therefore the Apostle desired to be dissolved and dye that he might be with Christ but if he ought to expect after death the day of judgment that then at length he might enjoy Christ he had in vain desired to be dissolved rather than live because then after his dissolution and death he should be absent from Christ as much as if he had remained in this life much more he there speaks out of Chrysostome Theophilact Oecumenius and Cyprian to the same purpose 'T is observable that he saith that souls that are altogether pure pass presently out of their bodies into Heaven and this he saith is the opinion of Turrian and of Suarezius and that St. John Apoc. 14. 13. speaks of souls perfectly just Now this I say is their shift to put off all our Protestant Divines have alledged from sacred Scripture against their Purgatory for they hold that those that are cast into Purgatory are not perfectly purged but must be purged perfectly by suffering temporal punishment and thereby making penal satisfaction to the justice of God of the fondness of which hereafter but I 'le close with them and assume Position 2. That the souls of those persons that are justified by faith is Christ's blood are perfectly purged from their sins if not immediately before yet at the moment of their death and that therefore by their own concessions and affirmations they go not into the Popes Purgatory but to Heaven as I have proved before and for the clearing of this know that not only their Angelical Doctor as Papists call Thoâ—â— Aquinas but our own Divines hold that there are three effects of sin 1. Reatus the guilt 2. Macula the spot or stain 3. Paâ—â— the punishment of it Now 1. The guilt worthiness or desert of sin which obligeth the sinner to the sustaining of just punishment for his sin is washed away in our justification by the perfect satisfaction and merits of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as the Church of England abundantly testifieth in her books of Articles Homilies and Common-Prayer and the Canonical Scriptures plainly declare as in John 1. 29. Beâ—â— the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 1 John 1. 7. 〈◊〉 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 2. 12. If 〈◊〉 man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation that is the propitiator for our sins who doâ—â— make atonement expiate satisfie and purge away the guilt of oâ—â— sins and make peace and pacifie his wrath and make him propitiâ—â— merciful favourable and good unto us and 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gâ—â— himself a ransome for all Himself God-man a ransome for all Hâ—â— 9. 14 15. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God and lest the adversary shoâ—â— say that he did not perfectly purge away all sin read Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 and by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. 5. 't is said of Christ that he washed us in his own blood 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And upon this account doth the Apostle declare and infer Therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God in our justification imputeth * 2 Cor. 5. 19. not our sins unto us and consequently not our guilt but he imputeth the righteousness of our Saviour Jesus Christ unto us and doth repute us just as though we had no sin and consequently no guilt upon us but Papists do acknowledg by Christ Jesus a freedom from sin according to the guilt of sin but they deny it according to the punishment of which hereafter 2. Macula the spot stain or filth of sin which deprives the soul of its spiritual beauty which it should have and is made vile Mat. 15. 11. Apoc. 21. 11. is taken away by sanctification 1 Cor. 3. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified Eph. 5. 26 27 That he might sanctisie and cleanse it i. e. His Church with the
done great injury to Christ Because 1. by this mean Christ were not a perfect Redeemer 2. He were not our only Redeemer which is contrary to 1 Tim. 2. 5. 3. He were not a satisfactory Redeemer but man himself must suffer and thereby make satisfaction to God himself else he could not be saved 4. He should not purge us by himself from all our sins Heb. 1. 3. but we our selves must do it in part at least by suffering temporal punishments in Purgatory 5. Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora that is vainly done by many that may be done by a few Christ was and is able to save us alone and by himself He is mighty to save â—sal 63. 1. He needed not the help of man and therefore he trod the wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. and of the people there was none with me 6. Bellarmine as Dr. Ames shews notwithstanding his fair pretence ascribeth the satisfaction Bellarm. Enervat T. 2. l. 5. c. 2. p. 210. made to God to man Vna tantum est actualis satisfactio ea est nostra that is there is but only one satisfaction and that is ours 7. Though Christ doth work in us by his Spirit yet that doth not enable us by suffering temporal punishments to make satisfaction unto God 8. Bellarmine's bold assertion That by Christs satisfaction we have grace to satisfie Divine justice is like that before mentioned that Christ merited that we might merit without any ground at all in Canonical Scripture which saith that Christ by himself not by us purged our sins Heb. 1. 3. and that God laid on him not on us the chastisement of our peace and that with his stripes not with our own are we healed Isa 53. 5. What Bishop Mountague Bishop Maxwell and Bishop Andrews in his Strictura is made to say after he was dead concerning offering and prayer for the dead and Dow and Pocklington have written may be seen in Laudeâ— sium Autocatacrisis c. 5. p. 81 82. And lest any should be deceived by them I pray read Dr. Ames his Bellarminus Enervatus T. 4. l. 5. c. 1 2. where you will find Bellarmine's and these mens arguments for Purgatory answered ART XIV That the Pope of Rome successively Bellar. T. 1. l. 3. c. de Antichristo Bishop Mountague Gag c. 10. p. 74. Appeal p. 141. A. B. Laud checkt Bishop Hall for calling the Pope of Rome Antichrist and commanded him to expunge it out of his Book for Episcopacy Vide Dr. Heylin Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 406. Dr Heylin saith as the Papists do That the Pope cannot be Antichrist for Antichrist must be a single person a Jew and must kill Enoch and Elias Col. of Schism pag. 81. or the Papcy is not the Antichrist of which the Sacred Scripture writes THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Homil. of good works T. 1. part 3. p. 38. It gives honour to God for giving to King Henry the Eighth the knowledg of his Word and an earnest affection to seek his glory and to put away all such superstitious and Pharisaical Sects by Antichrist invented and set up against the true Word of God and the glory of his name And Homily of Obedience Part 3 pag. 76. it saith thus But concerning the Usurped power of the Bishop of Rome which he most wrongfully challengeth as the Successor of Christ and Peter we may easily perceive how false feigned and forged it is not only by that it hath no sufficient ground in holy Scripture but also by the fruits and doctrine thereof And in the same Page it saith thus He ought rather to be called Antichrist and the Successor of the Scribes and Pharisees than Christs Vicar and Peter's Successor And in Homily of Willful Rebellion Part 6. pag. 316. The Pope or Bishop of Rome is called the Babylonical Beast of Rome And Part 5. p. 309. of the same 't is said That Christ expresly forbids his Apostles and by them the whole Clergy all Princely Dominion over people and Nations and he and his holy Apostles likewise namely Peter and Paul did forbid unto all Ecclesiastical Ministers dominion over the Church of Christ And indeed while the Ecclesiastical Ministers continued in that order that is in Christs word prescribed unto them and in Christian Kingdoms kept themselves obedient to their Princes as the holy Scripture doth teach them both was Christs Church clear from ambitions emulations and contentions and the state of Christian Kingdoms less subject unto tumults and rebellions But soon after the Bishop of Rome did by his intollerable ambition challenge to be Head of the Church he became at once the spoiler and destroyer of the Church which is the Kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian Kingdoms as an Universal Tyrant over all Wherefore let all good subjects knowing these special instruments and ministers of the Devil to the stirring up of all rebellions avoid and flee them the pestilent suggestions of all usurpers and their adherents and imbrace all obedience to God and their natural Princes that they may enjoy Gods blessing and their Princes favour Homily against Wilful Rebellion Pag. 310. And whosoever denieth this Doctrine That Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary to Christ that is an Antichrist and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily of Salvation of Mankind Pag. 16 17. and in the same Page thus That were the greatest arrogance and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm That a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself Again in the Prayer appointed for the Fifth of November set forth by Authority of Parliament 3. Jacob. c. 1. 't is prayed thus Root out that Antichristian and Babylonical Sect. The Church of England in her Homily against the peril of Idolatry Part 3. p. 70. saith thus The Prophet Daniel c. 11 declareth such sumptuous decking of Images with gold silver and precious stones to be a token of Antichrists Kingdom who as the Prophet sheweth shall be adored as God with such things Dr. Heylin's Introd to his Cyp. Angl. p. 1â— which say of Jerusalem Down with it down with it even to the ground c. and to this end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with judgment and justice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose Religion is rebellion whose Faith is faction whose practise is murdering of souls and bodies and to root them out of the confines of this Kingdom And Dr. Heylin himself who was no small friend to the Pope and Popery saith thus That in the Book of Homilies are some hard expressions against the Pope but none more hard than those in the publick Letany
places things which God hath not placed in them as in Water Garments Surplices Cowles Crosses Bells Books Candles their Sacerdotal garments which ought they say to be hallowed and consecrated by the Bishop as the Amice the Albe or Surplice the Girdle the Stole the â—annell or Maniple and the Chasible for ordinary Priests And the Bishops Gloves of leather Sandals or Apostolical Shooes Breeches the Tunick the Dalmatick the Miter they are all brought into the Church as I said by the Popes of Rome and their Agents The Amice is the first Priestly habit in which the Priest muzles his head in form of an Hood of which habit their Doctors say * See and wonder at their most ridiculous application of Scripture Durands Rationale l. 3. c. 2. Tollet instructio Sacerdotis l. 2. c. 2. the Apostle speaks Epâ— 6. 17. Take the helmet of salvation And 't is worn upon the Priests head because his head signifies the Divinity which kept it self hidden at the Lords passion as Gabriel Biel saith in his Eleventh Lesson upon the Canon of the Mass And so saith Pope Innocent the third l. 1. Mysteriorum cap. 35. where also he saith that this Amice signifies the Angel clothed with a cloud Revel 10. 1. 2. Upon this Amice the Priest puts the Albe or Surplice which is as Mountain calls it a white * I have known some wear an half-shirt instead of a Surplice shirt because it is written †Innocent 3. l. 1. c. 51. Let thy garments be always white Eccles 9. 8. And it is of fine linnen because it is written That the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints Revel 19. 8. This shirt hath about the borders of it some light work with green or red silk because it is written The Queen is at thy right hand with embroidered garments Psal 45. So Innocent 3d B. 1. of the Mysteries of the Mass Gabr. Biel in his 11th Lesson upon the Canon of the Mass saith that this Albe or white Surplice signifies the fools garment wherewith Herod clothed Christ for to mock him 3. Upon this Albe they put the girdle which signifies chastity for as Pope Innocent 3d saith Luxury is in the reins of this girdle say they speaks Isaiah the Prophet Innoc. l. 1. c. 37 52. Isa 11. 5. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loyns It serves also to put us in mind that Christ hath a golden girdle girt about his paps Revel 1. 15. and of what is said by St. Luke 12. 35. Let your loyns be girded about 4. The Stole comes next after which signifies the yoke of the Lord Mat. 11. 30. and hangs on the right hand and on the left because we must be armed with the armour of righteousness on the right and on the left hand 2 Cor. 6. 7. Tollet * Instruc Sacerd. l. 2. c. 2. Innoc. l. 1. c. 9. 54. saith That it goes down to the ground for to signifie perseverance which goes unto the end 5. Then comes the Maniple or Fannel in fashion of a Napkin upon the left arm because it is written Psal 126. Venientes venient cum exultatione portantes manipulos suos they shall come bringing their sheaves with them with rejoicing as Durand and Tollet say and Pope Innocent also B. 1. ch 43. where he saith also that the Maniple is put upon the left arm because it is written in the Song of Songs his left arm is under my head 6. The last piece and which doth cover all the rest Innoc. 3d l. 1. c. 50. is the Chasuble from casula a little cottage which I take to be a Cope which signifies charity For as St. Peter saith Charity covers a multitude * So doth a Chasuble of sins 1 Pet. 4. 8. Pope Innocent saith it signifies the Universal Church When the Bishop sings Mass 1. He changeth or shifts his shooes and stockings because God said to Moses put off thy shooes for the place whereon thou standest 〈◊〉 holy ground Exod. 3. 5. Pope Innocent the third in the first Book of the Mysteries of the Mass saith That Isaiah by the spirit of prophesie admireâ— the beauty of the Bishops stockings and sandals when he said How beautiful are Isa 52. 7. But when and where do Bishops do so Preaching is none of their work they say the feet of those that bring glad tidings that publish peace And in his 2d Book Chap. 22. he saith That the priest ought to pray towards the East because the day-spring fom on high hath visited us Luk. 1. 78. 2. When the Bishop sings Mass he hath gloves on his hands to the end as Durand the Master of the Ceremonies saith that his left hand may not know what his right hand doth according to the Lords coâ—â—ment Mat. 6. 3. And these gloves are of leâ—tâ—â—â— because Jacob's hands were covered with kids-skins Innoc. 3. l. 1. c. 41. 57. Innoc. 3. l. 1. c. 34. when Isaac blessed him as the Pontifical teacheth And Pope Innocent also saith and he groundeth the Sandals or Episcopal shooes upon that which is said Psal 60. Over Edom will I cast out my shoo 3. The Rings he hath on his hands signifie that he is the Spouse of the Church as it is written For I have espoused thee to one husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. Again because the father of the * What a prodigal Bishop Innoc. 3. l. 1. c. 46. 61. prodigal son caused a ring to be put upon his finger which finger whereon the ring is signifleth the Holy Ghost as it is written †Is not that a piece of blasphemy digitus Dei est thiâ— is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. as the same Authors say 4. The Cross or Pastoral staff signifies the correction as it is written 1 Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come unto you with a rod. And in Psal 45. 6. The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter though the Cross it may be be a crooked staff 5. The Horns of the Miter signifie the two Testaments saith Pope Innocent the third B. 1. of the Mysteries of the Mass c. 60. these things you may read in Peter du Moulins Book of the Mass in French and Translated into English by James Mountain Ann. 1641. Chapters 12 and 13 and Chap. 8. Moreover thus at Mass they ligâ—â— Wax-candles at Noon-day because Christ said I am the light of the world And the Altar must be of stone because St. Paul saith that the rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Of the two Horns of the Altar the one signifies the Jews and the other the Gentiles Whence also the Priest transporteth the Mass-book from one Horn to the other because that from the Jews the Gospel is passed to the Gentiles And this Mass-book is laid upon a Cushion because it is written My yoke is easie and my burden light Mat. 11. 30 The Priest turns his back to the people because God
one Hence Amaziah who bowed down before the gods of the Edomites is judged to have committed Idolatry for the Lord was angry with him 2 Chron. 25. 14 15. Mark it that which is called bowing down before the gods of the Edomites in the 14th verse is in the 15th verse called seeking after that is serving of the gods of the people And to put it out of doubt learned Ainsworth upon Exod. 20. 5. saith the very same as Mr. Pool quotes him upon the place Idem est adorare coram Domino Domino to pray before God in 1 Chron. 17. 16. is in 2 Sam. 7. 27. called praying unto God idem est procumbere coram Diabolo Diabolo for that which is in Mat. 4. 9. called falling down before the Devil is in Luk. 4. 7. called worshipping of him And to bow down to images Non animi actum sed corporis designat imaginibus ullum signum honoris quocunque tandem animo id fieret exhibere prohibeatur say Grotixs and Rivet as Mr. Pool there quotes them To fall down before an image doth note not the act of the mind but of the body It 's forbidden to give to images any sign of honour with what mind or intention soever it be done In 1 King 12. 30. the people are said to worship before the Calf as they in Exod. 32. did which God who is the best interpreter of mens actions expounds to be worshipping of the Calf Exod. 32. 8. Psal 106. 19. for 't is called a sin v. 30. yea a great sin 2 King 17. 21. yea they are for it expresly called Idolaters 1 Cor. 10. 7. Neither be ye Idolaters as some of them were as it is written the people sate down to eat and rose up to play Which place where 't is so written is Exod. 32. 6. Where the story of their Idolatry is recorded Though I have but touched at these things yet I may seem to some men to dwell upon them therefore to proceed Who but Papists brought into the Church worshipping of Relicks as the tayl of the ass on which Christ rode into Jerusalem the clouts in which our Saviour was wrapped when he was a child one of which the Emperour * Vide Sleiden's Commentaries Charles the Fifth worshipped when he was made Emperour The Whighs of Joseph and our Saviour like Carpenters used when they made yokes kept close in a box if you will believe them The coals on which St. Laurence was broiled a feather of the Angel Gabriels wings alias of a Peacocks tayl Much more might be said of the superstition and Idolatry of the Pope and Church of Rome as his five superadded Sacraments Invocation of Saints decking and worshipping of Images but I forbear for brevities sake 2. That the Pope hath been the setter up of Pharisaical Sects against the word of God for besides the word is in Scripture sense against the word might be illustrated by his making more orders of Church-Officers than Christ or his Apostles appointed in his Nos maximè in eo a Pontificiis dissentimus quod illi inter Ecclesiae ministros numerant creaturas humanas nos autem nullos ministros Ecclesiasticos agnoscimus praeter illos quos Christus instituit Ecclesiae in Scripâ—â—ris commendavit Dr. Ames Bellar. Enervat T. 2. l. 3. c. 3. p. 108. Church as Ostiarius the Door keeper Lector the Reader Exorcista the Exorcist or Conjurer Acolyâ—kus a Clerk or Waiter upon the Bishop or Priest or Subdiaconus a Subdeacon Diaconus a Deacon Sacerdos a Priest Of which orders as they call them only two the Canons as the Master of the Sentences saith Sent. 4. Dist 24. think are sacred Orders because the Primitive Church so far as they can read had only these two viz. the order of Deaconship and Priesthood and of these only we have the Apostles precept And because all the Schoolmen that write upon Peter Lombard hold that Bishops are not an order Bonavent in Sen. 4. Dist 24. q. 3. a. 2. Aureolus in Sen. 4. d. 24 q. 1. a. 2. Omnis forma ex quo est in actu c. Every form in as much as it is in act hath power to communicate it self in the same kind therefore every Priest hath power to celebrate orders why then do they not celebrate them because their power is hindred by the Decree of the Church whereupon when a Bishop is made there is not given unto him any new power but the former power being hindred is set at liberty as a man when the act of reason is hindred and the impediment is removed there 's not given unto him a new soul And there he saith that Episcopatus is not a superior order is plain because it hath no superior act as it is distinguished against Priesthood which is apparent because the act of a Bishop as it differeth from Priesthood 〈◊〉 to or dain and the act of a Priest is to consecrate the Body of Christ i. e. to consecrate and administer the Sacrament distinct from preaching Presbyters and that the order of Priesthood is the highest and perfectest order and that a preaching Presbyter may by virtue of his order do all that a Bishop can do in the Church were he not restrained by the Bishop or Church And none that I find among the Papists but Jesuits and the Spaniards in the Council of Trent held or hold that Bishops are by divine right â—n order of Church-officers distinct from and superior to preaching Presbyters but only that they are a degree or dignity of Presbyters and that by humane institution if any way I shall not lay that to their charge though the Jesuitical party endeavoured what they could at the Council of Trent to carry it in those very terms as may be seen in the History of the Council of Trent B. 7. Yet Festus Hommius saith that the Apostolick and truly Primitive Church was altogether ignorant both of the names and functions of Popes Patriarchs Archbishops Metropolitans Arch-presbyters Arch-deacons Suffragans A. B. Vsher saith That new Ministeries are forbidden in the second Commandment Sum of Christ Religion p. 222. And Mr. Perkins in his order of Causes c. 21. p. 62. saith That in the second Commandment is forbidden the Romish Hierarchy from the Parrator to the Pope Abbots Priors Monks Canons Deans Prebends Vicars Sacrificers Priests and the like as they are now used in the Papacy Disp 2â— T. 5. p. 122. What are those Sects of Monks and Friers of which there are many Orders as Carmelites Franciscans so called from St. Francis Dominicans so called from St. Dominick Augustines so called from St. Augustine and Jesuits which Order Ignatius Loyola the founder got confirmed by the Popes of Rome whose creatures and vassals now they are in the Church of Rome but Pharisaical Sects all studious of the Popes Decrees and observant of his commands though never so superstitious idolatrous abominable and wicked and contrary to Gods
the whole Hierarchy which rides upon the Roman Empire that is rules it is a man doth that rides upon an horse and is carried supported and maintained by it There is no person or persons to whom the proper â—â—â—ks of the Babylonical Beast or Antichrist doth so properly and truly agree as to the Pope or Popes of Rome with the Popish Hierarchy and Clergy The Woman or great Whore that is the Church of Rome with her Beast with two Horns Revel 13. is in Revel 17. described 1. Generally 1. That she is a great Whore that is an abominably Idolatrous * The Church of Rome is an Idolatrous Church an Harlot as the Scripture calls her so saith our Church Homily against the peril of Idolatry Part 3. p 69. Church 2. That she sitteth upon many waters that is that she ruleth many people v. 1 15. 3. That the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the inhabiters of the earth been made drunk with the wine of her fornication that is with her Idolatries v. 2. 2. More particularly and thus 1. More obscurely 1. By her rule and government She sits upon a scarlet coloured beast full of the names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns that is the whole Roman Empire as Idolatrous with a Pagan Antichristian Idolatry that is she had the †The Emperour of Germany is the Popes Advocate sworn to defend the Pope and Church of Rome The Pope makes him swear to defend the Church of Rome to banish Hereticks and to have no company with the wicked to maintain by all means possible the dignity of the Bishop of Rome and all priviledges granted to the Church of Rome as Sleiden â—hews in his Commentaries l. 2 〈◊〉 2â— 25 26. rule and government she turned him she curbed him she spurred him she made him do what she would for the upholding of her self for the maintaining and propagating of her false Doctrine and worship and caused him to make War and Laws against those that would not obey her Decrees and submit to her power that is she guided and exercised an Imperial powerful bloody and blasphemous enemy to Christ and his Church v. 3. 2. By her pompous and whorish apparel and ornaments and the woâ—â— was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and deckt * Homil. against the peril of Idolatry p. 69. to be seen in Article 15. p. 〈◊〉 hujus with gold and precious stone and pearls that is was a very proud and imperious and bloody Whore And so is the Pope and so are his Cardinals arrayed 3. By her inticing and intoxicating cup wherewith she allures and prepares her foolish lovers to spiritual fornication that is to Idolatry and falseness to Jesus Christ and his Interests Having a * But may it not be understood and intended of her specious pretences of Orthodoxy devotion decency and order with which she induceth her lovers to drink of her abominable cup to swallow her Heterodoxies Superstitions and Usurpations and Idolatries golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication The golden cup saith Pareus upon the place are the Popes golden titles wherewith he hath hitherto commended to the world the 〈◊〉 of his fornication viz. Pope holy Father Father of Fathers Pastor of Pastors his Holiness Christs Vicar Sâ—â— Peter's Successor c. It refers literally to the Popes triple Crown and rich Cope glittering with pearls and precious stones and to his Cardinals rich robes saith Dr. H. More 4. By her Name as Whore v. 5. and upon her forehead was her name written Mystery Babylon the * Which implies as Mr. Mede in his Comment upon Revel 14. that there may be and are other little Babylons petty Harlots with whom the inhabitants subject to each of them may be defiled with spiritual adultery i. e. Idolatry great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Which is an allusion to impudent and notorious Whores who had their names not only written upon their cells to be known at home but also upon their foreheads to be known abroad too as Seneca Controvers 2. l. 1. and Tertullian Lib. de pudicitia plainly shew and such an one is the Pope and his Church of Rome she is not Babylon Literal but Mystical that is she is a very impudent and notorious Idolater and the mother that is the conceiver the bringer forth and the nourisher of all Idolatries and Idols in the world and the word mystery shews that it cannot be understood of Rome-Pagan as some Papists would have it but must be understood of Rome-Christian in profession as Idolatrizing with Christian objects And one reason is because this beast comes after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other that is after the Christian Emperour and is the last for it goeth into perdition Revel 17. 8 10 11. 5. By her extream cruelties barbarities and bloody tyrannies and persecutions murders and detestable enormities Revel 17. 6. And I saw a woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus And this hath been abundantly manifested in the Popes of Rome and their agents whom they rid ruled and spurred on to most bloody and cruel murdering of the Saints of Jesus under the names of Waldenses Albigenses Wicklivists Hussits Lutherans Calvinists Hugonots Puritans and other names condemned and destroyed by the Pope of Rome's authority instigation or approbation as Hereticks or Schismaticks because they would not drink of the Church of Rome's whoring cup. Of which you may read in Mr. Fox his Books of Martyrs Mr Fuller's Holy War Sleiden's Commentaries the Supplement to Philip de Comines History where is described Papists bloody and treacherous murdering of thousands of Protestants in Paris and the parts adjoining and the relations of the bloody and barbarous Massacres in Ireland and the Vallies of Piedmont promoted by the Pope and acted by Papists Reverend Dr. Prideaux in his Sermon intituled Gowries Conspiracy upon 2 Sam. 20. 1. p. 13. saith thus Let us depend upon it as long as there is a Pope and a Devil Princes professing the Gospel shall never be secured from Gowries and Garnets And a little after that he saith thus I have gleaned these few scatterings by the way out of their own Doctrines to prove that their Doctrine directly warranteth Treason let the Traytors be what they will and that none can be an absolute Papist but if he throughly understand himself and live under a Christian Prince that hath renounced the Popes authority must needs being put to it be an absolute Traytor No persons under heaven have been more bloody and cruel to sincere Professors of pure Christianity than the Popes of Rome and Papists that they are not still the same we have no good reason to believe but more cause to take heed of them 2. She is described more plainly 1. By the Beast that carrieth her on which she rides that is the Roman Empire
Book 5. C. 16. Sec. 8. to which Book and to Mr. Potter of the Number of the Beast he refers for fuller satisfaction His Mystery of Godliness I have not seen but I have read Mr. Potter's Book of the Number of the Beast Printed at Oxford Ann. 1642 of which Book there were either but few Printed or they were suddenly bought up that 't is a hard matter to get one of them of which Book I took some scraps of which because of the scarcity of the Book I shall make bold to communicate some which are to my business in hand and the rather because the Book is so highly commended by learned Dr. Twiss Mr. Mede and Dr. More Revel 13. 18. Here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. The Mystery of the number 666 is to be found out by comparing it with the number 144 to which this number 666 is as it were the autâ—â—numerus and must therefore be interpreted after the same manner and in the same particulars applied to the Synagogue of Antichrist as the number 144 ought to be applied to the Church of Christ Now the mystery of the number 144 which is the number opposed to the number 666 consists in the square-root thereof and and therefore the mystery of the number 666 must be in the square-root thereof also But now to find out the true interpretation of this number 144 it 's generally granted by all ancient and latter Interpreters that the chief if not the only cause why this number was chosen rather than any other number to be the measure of the wall of the Coelestial Jerusalem Revel 21. 17. is because this number is raised and built upon the number 12 which being multiplied into it self produceth the square-number 144. For as this number 144 is raised and built upon the number 12 only and cannot possibly admit of any other number to be the root and basis of it so neither can the Church of Christ admit of any other foundation than that which is already laid by the 12 Apostles As therefore this number 144 is built upon 12 Unities so is the Church of Christ built upon the 12 Apostles And as the number 12 is more conspicuous and remarkable in this number 144 than any other number because it measureth not only the bottom or root but the sides and ranks of it also so it 's evident that the number of 12 is more conspicuous and remarkable in the Church of God than any other number whatsoever And hence it is that this number 12 is repeated above 144 times in the Scriptures and is in them so often used and in so many and so divers particulars applied by the Spirit of God to things appertaining to the Church that we cannot but acknowledg this number to be chosen and as it were affected by the Holy Ghost rather than any other And though the number 144 may truly be said to be Gods number rather than any other numbers because it representeth the figure of the City and in general the form and structure of the Church and Hierarchy thereof yet it cannot so properly be called Gods number as the number 12 which almost in all material respects is applicable to the Church and is used in the Scriptures always as numerus certus pro certo and not as numerus certus pro incerto in which sense it must needs be granted that the number 144 doth sigâ—â—ifie and represent the Church in general And whereas the number 144 is no where mentioned in Scripture but in Revel 21. it must be granted that it is not there to be the measure of the Wall which doth in that place signifie the spiritual building of Gods Church because there then were or at any time should be precisely so many â—nd no more faithful Christians or living stones built upon the 12 foundations there named but that we might learn thence that how great or how little soever the number of faithful Christians should be yet they must be all built upon the foundation of the 12 Apostles as the number 144 is built upon 12 Unities And hence 't is granted by Interpreters that this number 144 was chosen to be the measure of the Wall of the new Jerusalem for this reason chiefly if not only because it is the only square-number which can be raised and built upon 12 Vnities as is clear to all those that have understanding to extract the root of numbers As the number 12 was the measure number and foundation of the city gates and wall of the ancient and literal Jerusalem and was in respect of the 12 Patriarchs the root from whence the 12 Tribes had their Original according to the flesh so the same number 12 should be the only conspicuous number in the foundation and structure of the spiritual and new Jerusalem in which the 12 Apostles are 12 spiritual fathers answerable to the 12 Patriarchs and are 12 foundations laid by our Saviour Christ upon which and according to which foundation that is by multiplying of the Doctrine of the Apostles by 〈◊〉 self only all the spiritual builders of Gods Church in the times 〈◊〉 come ought to erect and square their buildings And they are also placed at the 12 Gates as 12 angels to keep out as it were with a two-edged sword every thing that defileth and to admit into this Church by the gates of Baptism committed first and originally unto them and prefigured by the 12 Oxen under the brazen Sea 1200 of every Tribe that is all those faithful Christians and true Israelites which can derive their spiritual Genealogy from the faith and doctrine of the 12 Apostles And this is without all question the true and natural interpretation of the numbers and measures of the new Jerusalem spoken of Revel 21. 16 17 c. The new Jerusalem spoken of Revel 21. is the sAme with Jerusalem spoken of in Ezek. 48. the Church militant not triumphant is meant by it as almost every line and every word evidenceth as not only Mr. Potter and Forbs and and other Protestants but many Papists observe The number 144 is a square and perfect number built and raised upon the number 12 so the Church of Christ is a square and perfect building built upon the doctrine of the 12 Apostles It 's also true that as the number 666 is neither a square nor perfect number nor built upon the number 12 so neither is the Romish Hierarch a square and perfect building neither is it built upon the doctrine of the 〈◊〉 Apostles So Forbs and Potter p. 44. The number 666 is to be counted by extraction of the root because the opposite number 144 is so to be accounted To extract the square-root of a number given is to The root of a Number find out the greatest number which being multiplied into it self and having the fractions added to the
them in their sanctified Banners to make them fortunate Vide Elements of Armory p. 166. 8. In this Church of St. Peter's is besides the said 25 little Altars one great Altar or Sepulcher viz. that of St. Peter which is as it were their Sanctum Sanctorum upon which no man may celebrate Mass but the Pope only This Altar or Sepulcher is made four square of a perfect Cubical figure the length breadth and height of it are equal the measure of every side or area of this Altar is precisely 25 foot of square measure as the words of Baronius Ann. 324. and Onuphrius de praecip Rom. Basil c. 4. do testifie 9. They have most remarkably imprinted the number 25 upon all their Altars because Christs 5 Wounds as they call them are in 5 several places engraven upon the top of every Altar Which their multiplying of our Saviours Wounds from 5 to 25 what it may signifie either in their intention or beyond their intention is not material to enquire but certain it is that there are usually and ordinarily 25 Prints marks or dints engraven upon all their Altars St. Peter's hath thus and so have others 10. The Pope keeps his Jubilee every 25 year 11. As they seem to affect saith he the 25th year so also the 25th day of the Month for their chief Holy-days are upon the 25th day more than upon any other day as the 25th of December for the Nativity of our Saviour The 25th of January for St. * That is Paul the Hermite not the Apostle Paul's Conversion The 25th of February for the Feast of St. Mathias The 25th of March for the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin The 25th of April for Saint Marks day The 25th of July for St. James his day and upon the 25th day of August is the Feast of St. Bartholomew celebrated at Rome as their Breviary witnesseth although in other places it be celebrated one day sooner 12. 'T is observed by a learned man that when Gregory reformed the Kalendar they rejected the Golden Number 19 by which means they made a twofold Epact of 25 of which one is written thus 25 the other thus XXV or in a different colour Who also addeth this That until he could see some reason why the Jesuits fastned this conceit upon 25 rather than upon any other number he should impute it to their affectation of this number above all other And 't is observed that Antiochus who in many almost in all things was a type of Antichrist insomuch that what some Authors expound of Antiochus in Daniel other Authors interpret of Antichrist faileth not in this but of all the days of the month he and his Officers did solemnize the 25th day by offering sacrifice upon the Idols Altars on that day and by their Monthly persecution of the Jews on that day as appears Mac. 1. 59. Obj. But it 's objected concerning the number of the Colledg of Cardinals that at their first institution it was not 25 but 26 because the Pope numbreth himself among the Cardinals as he is Peter's Successor in his Apostleship and because he is a Cardinal so accounted Answ To this 't is answered that the Popes were not of the decreed number 25 as Christ was not numbred among the 12 Apostles though he was an Apostle Heb. 3. 1. but was their Lord and Master and head So the Pope as he pretends himself to be Vicarius Christi is not and cannot be numbred among the Cardinals but is their Lord and head The reason why the number 666 was chosen saith Mr. Potter was because the only figure of this number is a perfect figure perfectly representing the city of Rome as the number 144 was chosen because the figure of this number is a perfect figure perfectly representing the city of Jerusalem For which he gives many reasons and proves what he saith by Demonstrations too many and large to be set down here which I believe all the Papists in the world will never be able fully to answer to him for brevities sake I must necessarily refer you Thus far Mr. Potter of the Number of the Beast 666. I pray seriously read the Book you 'l find more in it than I can express here Mr. Mede when he looked upon it at first he sleighted it and read it with much prejudice but by that time he had read all of it and read it again he admired it as the excellentest piece that ever was Printed of that subject By counting the Number 666 thus you may find the rise body and seat of Antichrist If the application of the Number 666 or its root 25 doth discover any other Church or City besides Rome it 's no more than Dr. H. More and Mr. Mede collect that there may be little Babylons petty Harlots elsewhere out of Rome in Italy and though it may hold the faith as Rome anciently did yet it may degenerate and become Romish first and so Antichristian in the end as the City and Church of Rome did and doth * Which I humbly conceive should make all Churches examine themselves what they hold and practise that is held and practised by that apostatized Church and come wholly off from her in what she hath not express Canonical Scripture for or allowed example of or precept for it or promise to it therein And the apostacy of other Churches may be measured by their near accession to and agreement with this Queen of Harlots As learned Dr. Henry More hath observed in his Synopsis Apocalyptica l. 1. cap. 15. Sect. 10. pag. 314. where he shews that the square root of the number of the Beast is 25 and doth detect to whom the Vision of the Beast doth belong And besides the name long since foretold and found to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Numeral Letters make the Number 666 is considerable as appears thus Λ Α Τ Ε Ι ΠΟ Σ 50 1 30 5 10 300 70 200 Put these Numbers together and you may find that they make exactly the number 666. And 't is very well known that upon the division of the Empire into Eastern and Western the Greeks called the Western Churches the Latin Churches and the Western Bishops in General Councils were called the Latin Bishops and the distinction of the subscriptions were under the titles of Patrum Latinorum patrum Graecorum and the very name of the Beast doth determine him to Rome and Italy where * Dr. Prideaux in his Introduction to History put out in his Son Matthews name P. 91. saith that Vitalianus one of the Bishops of Rome in the year 666 sent Theodorus a Greek and Hadrian an African into England to bring in the Latin service being the year 666 just the number of the Beast of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give a shrewd account the Latin Tongue was and is used in every thing Mass Prayers Hymns Litany Canons Decretals Bulls Councils Bible which
agreeing with other marks of the Beast is very significant and convincing that the Pope of Rome with his apostatizing Clergy is the great Whore or Antichrist I have been so large in this point that I must for brevities sake forbear to alledg what learned King James in his Epistle to his Apology to all Christian Princes saith where he fully and clearly proves the Pope to be Antichrist And in his Paraphrase upon the Revelations in which he every where calls the Pope of Rome Antichrist and the Church of Rome the false persecuting and Antichristian Church However Dr. Heylin in his Cyprianus Anglicus endeavours dishonourably to pervert his words and works Dr. Prideaux in his Sermon upon Rev. 2. 4. p. 36. Sermonum saith thus roundly Fathers and brethren is this a time to make a doubt whether the Pope be Antichrist or no seeing his horns and marks are so apparently discovered Bishop Sanderson in his Sermon upon 1 Tim. 4. 4. p. 414. Sermonum saith thus The Apostle gives instance in two of those Antichristian Doctrines viz. a prohibition of Marriage and an injunction of abstinence from Meats which particulars being so agreeable to the present tenets of the Romish Synagogue do give even of themselves alone a strong suspition that there is the seat of Antichrist But joined unto the other prophesies of St. Paul and of St. John in other places make it so 2 Thes 2. 3. Apoc. 13. 11. unquestionable that they who will needs be so unreasonably charitable as to think the Pope is not Antichrist may at the least wonder as * Moulins Accomplishment in the Preface one saith well by what strange chance it fell out that these Apostles should draw the picture of Antichrist in every point and limb so just like the Pope and yet never think of him I have one thing more to remind you of and that is this That though the Antichristian Church of Rome do in words profess the Doctrine of the Apostles Creed yet by their other super added Doctrines they do overthrow it As is evidently to be seen in the sum of their Doctrine before recited their own 13 Articles superadded to the first 12 of the Nicene Creed do overturn and destroy in effect them Mr. Thomson in his Arraignment of Antichrist p. 96 97 c. will inform you how they cross every Article of the Creed and so will others as Hemingius Antichristi-machia Beza cap. 7. conf Dr. Abbot against Bishop Part 3. To all which let me I pray add but a little more which the Church of England plainly saith in her Homily for Whitsunday p. 213 214 215 216. where having declared three marks of a true Church whereby it may be Marks of a true Church known viz. 1. Pure and sound Doctrine preached 2. The Sacraments ministred according to Christs institution 3. The right use of Ecclesiastical Discipline It saith thus Now if ye will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is at present and hath been for the space of 900 years and odd you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide * Rome as 't is now is no true Church this A. B. Laud contradicts in his Relation of Conf. p. 〈◊〉 and Bishop Mountague in his Gag 50. A. B. Laud saith that Papists and Protestants hold not forth a different Religion 〈◊〉 Bishop Mountague saith That the present Church of Rome is not divers from the ancient Church of Rome but remains firm in the same foundation of Doctrine and Sacraments from the nature of a true Church that nothing can be more Neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Jesus Christ neither yet do they order the Sacraments or the Ecclesiastical keys in such sort as he did first institute and ordain them but have so intermingled their own traditions and inventions by chopping and changing by adding and plucking away the now they may seem to be converted into a new guise Christ commanded unto his Church a Sacrament of his body and blood they have changed it into a †So did Gyles Widdows in his Schismatical kneeless Puritan p. 34 89. the Church is the place of Gods presence the Communion-Table the Chair of State of the Lord Jesus and his chiefest place of presence in our Church where his Priests sacrifice the Lords Supper to reconcile us to God offended with our daily sins Bp. Sparrow saith 't is an unbloody sacrifice in his Ration p 391. p. 280. he saith the Priest offers up the sacrifice of the holy Eucharist Sacrifice Christ ministred to the Apostles and the Apostles to other men indifferently under both kinds they have robbed the lay-people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordained no other element to be used in Baptism but only water whereunto when the word is joined it is made as St. Augustine saith a full and perfect Sacrament they being wiser in their own conceit than Christ think it is not well nor orderly done unless they use conjuration unless they hallow the water unless there be oyl salt spittle tapers why was the sign of the Cross left out and such other dumb ceremonies serving to no use contrary to the plain rule of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. who willed all things to be done in the Church unto edification Christ ordained the authority of the Keys to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolve them which are truly penitent they abuse this power at their own pleasure as well in cursing the godly with bell book and candle as also absolving the reprobate which are known to be unworthy of any Christian society whereof they that list may see examples let them search their lives To be short look what our Saviour Christ pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel the same may be boldly and with safe conscience pronounced of the Bishops of Rome namely that they have forsaken and daily do forsake the commandments of God to erect and set up their own constitutions Which thing being true as all they that have any light in Gods word must needs confess we may well conclude according to the rule of Augustine that the Bishops Aug. contra Petiliam Donastae Epistol c. 4. of Rome and their adherents are NOT THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST much less then to be taken as CHIEF HEADS AND RULERS of the same Whosoever saith he do dissent from the Scriptures concerning the Head although they be found in all places where the Church is appointed yet are not in the Church a plain place concluding directly against the Church of Rome Wheresoever ye find the spirit of arrogance and pride the spirit of envy hatred contention cruelty murther extortion witchcraft necromancy c. assure your selves that there is the spirit of the Devil and not of God albeit they pretend to the world never
godly hearted and peerless young Christian Prince Whom Dr. Heylin saith He was a man of ill principles and that 't was no infelicity to the Church he means Rome sure that he died so soon And in p. 1673 col 2. he saith thus Now then seeing the Doctrine of Antichrist is returned again into this Realm and the old Laws of Antichrist are allowed to return with the power of their father again c. Mr. John Philpot Martyr in his seventh Examination and Answer saith That the Church of Rome is a false Church and the Synagogue of Satan Ibid. p. 1704. col 2. And in his ninth Examination he tells Harpsfield That the Religion of Rome is a false Religion Ib. p. 1709. col 1. So he told Chadsey Ibid. p. 1715. col 1. And at his last Examination he told the Lord Mayor of London That he was sorry to see that that authority which representeth the Kings and Queens persons should now be changed and be at the commandment of Antichrist And ye speaking to the Bishops pretend to be the follows of the Apostles of Christ and yet ye be very Antichrists and deceivers of the people and that Church which ye pretend to be the Catholick Church is the Church of Rome the Babylonical and not the Catholick Church of that Church I am not Ibid. p. 1721. col 1. Thomas Whittel Priest and Martyr saith That he was well content to give over his body for the testimony of Gods truth and pure Religion against Antichrist and all his false Religion and Doctrine Ibid. p. 1738. Barthlet Green a Scholar and Martyr affirmeth That the Church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist Ibid. p. 1744. A. B. Cranmer M. calleth and proveth the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1768. col 2. That the Traditions and Religion of that usurping Prelate of Rome are most erroneous false and against the Doctrine of the whole Scripture and the author of the same to be very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom do most evidently concur all signs and tokens whereby he is painted to the world to be known Ibid. p. 1774. col 2. Many of which marks he sets down there And at St. Maries in Oxford when he recanted his Recantation he said thus And for the Pope I refuse him as Christs enemy and Antichrist with all his false Doctrine and this he declared he spake without dissimulation Ibid. p. 1781. col 1. And in his Letter to Queen Mary he saith thus of the Pope If this be not to play Antichrists part I cannot tell what is Antichrist which is no more to say but Christs enemy and adversary who shall sit in the Temple of God advancing himself above all others yet by hypocrisie and fained religion shall subvert the true Religion of Christ and under pretence and colour of Christian Religion shall work against Christ and therefore hath the name of Antichrist whom he there proves to be Antichrist Ibid. p. 1784. col 2. John Mandrell Robert Spicer and William Coverley denying the Pope to be head of the Church or Christs Vicar affirmed him to be Antichrist and Gods enemy Ibid. p. 1788. William Times Curate and Martyr answered Bonner That the See of Rome is the See of Antichrist and therefore to that Church I will not conform my self nor once consent to it Ibid. p. 1791. And p. 1793. he saith The Church of Rome is the Antichristian Church Sixteen Martyrs at once make this Confession The See of Rome is the See of Antichrist the congregation of the wicked whereof the Pope is head under the Devil Article the third for proof of which they offer to be burnt Ibid. p. 1810. col 1. ART XV. That it is lawful to set up and suffer Bishop Mountague in his Gag pag. 300. saith That Images and Pictures of Christ may stand in Churches pro institutione rudiorum commone factione Historiae excitatione devotionis And pag. 318. that the Images and Pictures of Christ the blessed Virgin and Saints may not only for Civil uses but also for Religious imployment and helps of piety be set up in Churches and that the Church of Rome and we differ not therein so practise exceed not Doctrine And p. 317. that Dulia may be given to them Images of the Sacred Trinity of God the Father of God the Son Crucifixes of God the Holy Ghost or of Saints departed this life in Temples or Churches where Gods people do usually meet to worship God THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her excellent Homily against the peril of Idolatry wherein she saith as followeth p. 12. These costly deckiâ—â— of Churches and Images have nothing profited those that are wise and of understanding but have thereby greatly hurt the simple and unwise occasiâ—â—ing them thereby to commit most horrible Idolatry p. 13. Our Images 〈◊〉 been be and if they be publickly suffered in Churches and Temples 〈◊〉 will be worshipped and so Idolatry committed to them Wherefore our Iâ—â—ges in Temples and Churches be indeed none other but Idols as unto 〈◊〉 which Idolatry hath been is and ever will be committed p. 15. That 〈◊〉 honouring of abominable Images is the cause the beginning and end of 〈◊〉 evil and that the worshippers of them be either mad-men or most wicked men p. 17. Although it be said now commonly that Images be Lay 〈◊〉 Books yet we see they teach no good lesson neither of God nor of goâ—â—ness but all error and wickedness and therefore God as he forbiddeth 〈◊〉 Idols or Images to be made or set up so doth command such as we find 〈◊〉 and set up to be pulled down broken and destroyed Deut. 7th and 〈◊〉 Chapters where 't is observable that all the occasions of Idolatry 〈◊〉 to be avoided and therefore did God forbid marriages with the children of Idolaters for they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly p. 18. To set up Images or Altars is a wickedness and great offence and abomination in the sight of the Lord. p. 19. It is impossible that we should be worshippers of Images and the true servants of God also as Paul teacheth 2 Cor. 6. p. 21. Upon 1 Joh. 5. ult Tertullian saith Keep your selves from Images and Idols he saith not now keep your selves from Idolatry as it were from the service of them but from the Images or Idols themselves that is from the very shape or likeness of them do ye think those persons which place Images and Idols in Churches and Temples yea shrine them even over the Lords-Table as 't were of purpose to the worshipping and honouring of them take good heed either to St. John ' s counsel or Tertullian ' s for so to place Images and Idols is it to keep themselves from them
or else to receive or imbrace them P. 22. Origen saith That in the Commonwealth of the Jews the Carver of Idols and Image-maker was cast far off and forbidden lest they should have an * Occasions of Idolatry forbidden occasion to make Images which might pluck certain foolish persons from God and turn the eyes of their souls to the contemplation of earthly things And again in another part of his Book against Celsus he saith thus It is not only a mad and frantick part to worship Images but also once to dissemble or wink at it Athanasius saith that the invention of Images came of no good but of evil and whatsoever hath an evil beginning can never in any thing be judged good seeing it is altogether naught Lactantius saith That no Religion is in that place wheresoever any Image is For if Religion stand in godly things and there is no godliness but in heavenly things then be Images without Religion P. 23. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus who lived 390 years after Christs ascension writeth to John Patriarch of Jerusalem thus As I entred into a certain Church to pray I found there a linnen cloth hanging in the Church-door painted and having in it the Image of Christ as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well what Image it was therefore when I did see the image of man hanging in the Church of Christ contrary to the authority of the Scriptures I did tear it and gave counsel to the Keepers of the Church that they should wind a poor man in the said cloth and so bury him And afterwards the same Epiphanius sending another unpainted cloth for that painted one which he had torn to the said Patriarch writeth thus I will you will the Elders of that place to receive this cloth which I have sent by this bearer and command them that from henceforth no such painted cloths contrary to our Religion be hanged in the Church of Christ For it becometh your goodness rather to have this care that you take away such scrupulosity which is unfitting for the Church of Christ and offensive to the people committed to your charge Upon which the Homily notes as followeth 1. That Epiphanius judged it contrary to Christian Religion and the authority of the Scriptures to have any Images in Christs Church 2. That he rejected not only carved and molten Images of Christ or of any other Saint but also * Such as are in many Church-windows and walls painted Images out of Christs Church 3. That he regarded not whether it were the Image of Christ or any other Saint but being an Image would not suffer it in the Church 4. That he did not only remove it out of the Church but with a vehement zeal tare it in sunder and exhorted that a Coarse should be wrapped and buried in it judging it meet for nothing but to rot in the earth following therein the example of good King Hezekiah who brake the brazen Serpent to pieces and burned it to ashes for that Idolatry was committed to it 5. That Epiphanius thinketh it the duty of vigilant Bishops to be careful that no Images be permitted in the Church for that they be * Occasions of scruple or offence are not to be permitted in the Church occasions of scruple and offence to the people committed to their charge To these some other good Notes might be super-added as 1. that Epiphanius Had A. B. Laud been Patriarch there he might possibly have been fined 1000 l. and deprived of his Bishoprick and been bound to his good behaviour for time to come for so doing as Mr. Sherfield the Recorder of Salisbury was for taking down the pictures of the Trinity in painted glass and setting up white glass in the place of it in St. Edmonds Church there as Dr. Heylin relates l. 3. pag. 228 229 230. was out of his own Diocess and yet he brake down the Image and tare it to pieces 2. That he gave notice of it after he had done it to the Patriarch of Jerusalem whom it chiefly concerned to look to it 3. That he willed him to will the Elders of that Church upon the door of which the painted cloth was hung to take that unpainted cloth he had sent for that for that painted one he had torn and command them that from henceforth no such painted cloths be hanged in the Church of Jesus Christ But the Homily goes on p. 24. and saith That whereas Images began at that time secretly and by stealth to creep out of private houses into the Churches and that first in painted cloths and walls such Bishops as were GODLY AND VIGILANT when they espied them removed them away as unlawful and contrary to Christian Religion as did here Epiphanius to whose judgment you have not only St. Jerome the Translator of his Epistle and the writer of the History Tripartite but also all the LEARNED AND GODLY Then will it not follow that they that set them up and plead for them are not learned and godly Clarks and not godly and vigilant Bishops that do not what they can to remove them CLARKS yea the whole Church of that age and so upward to our Saviour Christs time by the space of above 400 years consenting and agreeing And P. 25. St. Augustine saith Such as worship the dead are not CATHOLICK CHRISTIANS He esteemeth worshipping of Saints Tombs and Pictures as good Religion as gluttony and drunkenness He alloweth greatly Marcus Varro affirming that Religion is most pure without Images and saith himself that Images be of more force to crooken an unhappy soul than to teach and instruct it and that Images in Churches do by and by breed error and Idolatry P. 26. and p. 27. Jerome upon Jer. 10. saith That the errors of Images have come in and passed to the Christians from the Gentiles by an heathenish use and custom Where note saith the Homily That St. Jerome and Eusebius agree that these Images came in among Christian men by such as were Gentiles and accustomed to Idols and being converted to the faith retained This well considered why may we not wonder that some of our first Reformers wholly bred up in Popery reformed so much and did not retain all the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome seeing as much may be said for them as for those they retained and the grounds and reasons upon which they rejected some would if men would be ruled by right reason and religion reject those they retained yet some remnants of Gentility not throughly purged We see saith the Homily Act. 15. That the Jews being newly converted to Christianity would have brought in their Circumcision whereunto they were so long accustomed with them into Christs Religion with whom the Apostle St. Paul had much ado for the staying of that matter for which there was more to be said than for Images yea or humane Ceremonies But a man may most justly wonder of
that they 〈◊〉 things indifferent which may be abâ—sed or well used Answ This 〈◊〉 yielded in part Flowers are wrougâ—â— in Carpets Arras and Pictures 〈◊〉 Princes printed or stamped in theâ—â— Coyns which when Christ did see in the Roman Coyn we read 〈◊〉 that he reprehended it neither do we condemn the art of Painting and Image-making as wicked of themselves but we would grant them that Images used for no Religion or Superstition rather we mean Images of none worshipped nor in danger to be worshipped of any may be suffered But Images placed publickly in Temples cannot possibly be without danger of worshipping and Idolatry wherefore they are not publickly to be had or suffered in Temples The Jews to whom the Law was first given and should best know the meaning of it would not suffer Images publickly to be in the Temple at Jerusalem though no worshipping was required at their hands but rather offered themselves to death than to assent that Images should be once placed in the Temple neither would they suffer any Image-maker among them And Origen added this clause lest their minds should be plucked from God to the contemplation of earthly things And they are much commended for this earnest zeal in maintaining Gods honour and true Religion P. 45. And truth it is that Jews and Turks who abhor Images and Idols as directly forbidden in Gods Word will never come to the truth of our Religion while the stumbling-blocks of Images remain among us and lie in their way And P. 49. What meaneth it that Christians after the use of the Gentiles Idolaters cap and knee before Images is not this stooping and kneeling before them adoration of them which is forbidden so directly by Gods Word P. 50. Satan desiring to rob God of his honour desireth exceedingly that such honour might be given to him wherefore those which give the honour due to the Creator to any creature do service acceptable to no Saints who be the friends of God but unto Satan Gods and mans mortal and sworn enemy Obj. But they say that they do not worship the Image as the Gentiles did their Idols but God and the Saints whom the Images do represent and therefore that their doings before Images are not like the Idolatry of the Gentiles before their Idols Answ 'T is answered thus St. Augustine Lactantius and Clemens do prove evidently that by this their answer they be all one with the Gentiles-Idolaters The Gentiles saith St. Augustine which seem to be of the purer Religion say We worship not the Images but by the corporal Images we do behold the signs of the things which we ought to worship And Lactantius saith the Gentiles say we fear not the Images but them after whose likenesses the Images be made and to whose names they be consecrated And Clemens saith that Serpent the Devil uttereth these words by the mouth of certain men We to the honour of the invisible God worship visible Images which surely is not false See how in using the same excuses which the Gentile-Idolaters pretended they shew themselves to join with them in Idolatry For notwithstanding this excuse Augustine Lactantius and Clemens prove them Idolaters And the Scriptures say they worship stocks and stones notwithstanding this excuse even as our Image-mongers do And Ezekiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians stocks and stones although they were but Images of their gods So are our Images of God and the Saints named by the names of God and his Saints after the use of the Gentiles What should it mean that they according as did the Gentile-Idolaters light Candles at noon-time or at midnight before them but therewith to honour them for other use is none of so doing for in the day it needeth not but was ever a Proverb of foolishness to light a candle at noon-day And in the night it availeth not to light a candle before the blind and God hath neither use nor honour thereof By which it appeareth that Are not Tapers appearances of the same Religion to be abstained from as well as candles we do agree with the Gentile-Idolaters in our Candle-Religion And P. 52. As the Gentiles so our Image-maintainers have invented and spread many lying-tales and written many Fables and Miracles of Images And P. 53. Among the holy Relicks they have they say the tayl of the Asse on which our Saviour rode which they offer to be kissed and to be offered unto And P. 55. The having of Images in Churches publickly hath not only brought us to worshipping of them but to worshipping of them with the same kind of worship wherewith they worship the Copy as the Homily shews out of Naclaâ—tus Bishop of Clugium And P. 56. the Homily saith thus Having shewed and proved that our Images have been be and will be worshipped and by their own confession that they ought to be worshipped I will out of Gods Word make this general argument against all such makers setters up and maintainers of Images in publick places thus And first I will begin with the words of our Saviour Christ Wo be to that man by whom an offence is given Wo be to him that * Is there not the same reason against Popish Ceremonies and other unnecessary things offendeth one of these little ones or weak ones Mat. 18. Better were it for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the sea and drowned than that he should offend one of these little ones or weak ones And in Deut. 27. God himself denounceth him accursed that maketh the blind to wander out of the way And in Levit. 19. Thou shalt not lay a stumbling-block or stone before the blind But Images have been be and as afterwards shall be proved ever * May not the same be said of Popish Ceremonies Con the Popes Nuncio brought with him into England in A. B. Laud ' s reign many Reliques of Saints Medals and pieces of gold with the Popes picture on them to seduce the Ladies of the Court and Country Heylin ' s Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 358. will be offences and stumbling-blocks especially to the weak simple and blind common people deceiving their hearts by the cunning of the Artificer as the Scripture expresly in sundry places doth testifie and so bringeth them to Idolatry and therefore wo be to the erector setters up and maintainers of Images in Churches for a greater penalty remaineth for them than the death of the body Obj. If it be replied that this offence may be taken away by diligent and sincere doctrine and preaching of Gods Word as by other means and that Images in Churches therefore be not things absolutely evil to all men although dangerous to some and therefore that it were to be holden that the publick having of them in Churches is not expedient as a thing perilous rather than unlawful and utterly wicked Ans This will be answered by proving the third Article which
followeth That it is not possible if Images be suffered in Churches either by preaching of Gods Word or by any other means to keep the people from worshipping of them and so to avoid Idolatry And 1. concerning preaching if it should be admitted that although Images were suffered in Churches yet might Idolatry by diligent and sincere preaching of Gods Word be avoided it should follow of necessity that sincere Doctrine might always be had and continue as well as Images and so that wheresoever to offence were erected an Image there also of reason a godly and sincere Preacher should and might be continually maintained for it is reason that the warning be as common as the stumbling-block the remedy as large as the offence the medicine as general as the poyson but that is not * At least not probable for those rulers that are so foolish as to set up or suffer needless Images will be so wicked as to set up idle or Idolatrous Preachers also possible as both reason and experience teacheth Wherefore preaching cannot stay Idolatry Images being publickly suffered For an Image which will last for many hundred years may for a little be bought but a good Preacher cannot with much be continually maintained Item if the Prince will Those Preachers that are offended at their pulling down and see no hurt in them but conceive much good in and by them will never be good Preachers against them and such was Bishop Sanderson as appears by his Sermon upon Rom. 3. 8. p. 70. in 4to fuffer it there will be by and by many yea infinite Images but sincere Preachers were and ever shall be but a few in respect of the multitude to be taught For our Saviour Christ saith the Harvest is plentiful but the workmen are but few which hath been hitherto true and will be to the worlds end And in our time and in our Country so true that every Shire should scarcely have one good Preacher if they were divided Now Images will continue to the beholders preach their Doctrine that is worshipping of Images and Idolatry to which preaching mankind is exceeding prone and inclined to give ear and credit as experience of all ages and Nations doth too much prove But a true Preacher to stay this mischief is in very many places scarcely heard in one whole year and some where not once in seven years as is evident to be proved And that evil opinion which hath been long rooted in mens hearts cannot suddenly by one Sermon be rooted out clean And as few â—â—inclined to credit sound Doctrine as many and almost all be prone to Superstition and Idolatry so that herein appeareth not only a difficulty but also an impossibility of the remedy It appears not that sound and sincere Preaching hath continued in one place above a hundred years but 't is evident that Images superstition and worshipping of Images and Idolatry have continued many hundred years For all writing and experience do testifie that good things do by little and little ever decay until they be clean banished and contrariwise evil things do more and more increase till they come to a full perfection and wickedness For example for preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by process of time waxed less and less pure and after corrupt and at last altogether laid down and left off and other inventions of men crept in place of it And on the other part Images among Christian men were first painted and that in whole stories together which had some signification in them afterwards they were embossed and made of timber stone plaister and metal And first they were only kept privately in private mens houses and then afterwards they crept into Churches but first by painting but afterwards by embossing and yet were they at first no where worshipped but shortly after they began to be worshipped of the ignorant sort of men as appeareth by Gregory the first Bishop of Rome in his Epistle to Serenus Bishop of Marcelles Of which two Bishops Serenus for Idolatry committed to the Images brake and burnt them Gregory although he thought it tollerable to let them stand yet he judged it abominable that they should be worshipped and thought as is now alledged that the worshipping of them might be stayed by teaching of Gods Word according as he exhorts Serenus to teach the people as in that Epistle appeareth But whether Gregory's opinion or Serenus his judgment were better herein consider ye For experience by and by confuteth Gregory's opinion For notwithstanding Gregory's writing and others preaching Images being once set up in Temples simple men and women shortly after fell on heaps I humbly pray may not the same be said of kneeling at receiving the Sacrament was it not at first injoined as a thing indifferent but was it not received of ours as a gesture of the highest reverence due to so great a mystery as Bishop Prideaux speaks And doth not Bishop Sparrow call it adoring in his Rationale p. 273. Vide Art 1. p. 5. hujus to worshipping of them and at last the learned also were carried away with the publick error as with a violent stream or flood And at the second Council at Nice the Bishops and Clergy decreed That Images should be worshipped and so by occasion of these stumbling-blocks not only the unlearned and simple but the learned and wise not the people only but the Bishops not the sheep only but the shepherds themselves who should have been guides in the right way fell to Idolatry in worshipping of Images And P. 69. the Homily saith thus The Romish Church is not only an Idolatrous Church an Harlot as the Scripture calleth her but also a foul filthy old withered Harlot for she is of ancient years understanding her lack of nature and * Yet Hooker in his Ecclesiast Policy l. 4. Sec. 9. p. 145. in answer to Mr. Cartwright ' s and Bucer ' s Objection against Popish Ceremonies viz. That Popery for want of utter extirpation of her Ceremonies hath taken root and flourished again but hath not been able to re-establish it self in any place after provision made against it by utter evacuation of all Romish Ceremonies saith thus As we deny not but that this may be true so being of two evils to chuse the less we hold it better that the friends and favourers of the Church of Rome should be in some kind of hope to have a corrupt Religion restored than both we and they conceive just fear lest under the colour of rooting out Popery the most effectual means to bear up the state of Religion be removed and so a â—â—y made for Paganism or for extream barbarity to re-enter To which by the way I give this short answer 1. That he acts directly against the Doctrine of the Church of England and therefore it is no wonder that his Book was commended to the Pope of Rome as the best written in English and that he alone deserved
justifie And if they are not to be accounted Christians then they are not to be accounted Believers 2. Because 't is not only acknowledged to be a sin yea a great trespass Ezra 9. 13. Ezra 10. 2 10. but they that were guilty of it entred into a Covenant to put away their strange wives and swore to perform their Covenant and they performed it Ezra 10. 3 9 12 16 19. Yet upon this account only it would be unlawful because they will provoke to Idolatry or occasion their serving of other gods or the true God after an idolatrous manner which God abhors So though it should be yielded that it were lawful in it self to set up and suffer Idolatrous Images in the publick places of Gods worship yet they are not to be erected or tolerated in them because they are scandalous objects they are provocations to and occasions of committing Idolatry forbidden in the second and sixth Commandments and also in Rom. 14. 13. Let no maâ—â— a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way And Mat. 18. 6. and 't was observed before that Images are directly forbidden in Gods Word because they are occasions of Homily against peril of Idolatry p. 44. idolatry Which plainly shews that occasions of idolatry are directly forbidden in Gods Word And so saith Bishop * Bishop Andrews upon Com. p. 109. A B. Vsher's Sum of Ch. Religion p. 206. Andrews and A. B. Vsher Cum quid prohibetur prohibentur illa omnia per quae pâ—â—venitur ad illud When any thing is forbidden all things which lead thereunto are also forbidden Bonae legis non est solum tollere vitiae sed etiam occasiones vitiorum It 's the part of good Laws not only to take away vices but also to take away the occasions of vices and therefore to take away Images if the Law-makers really intend to prevent Idolatry â—nd so for other sins â—nd this was the wisdom and piety of good King Hezekiah when the people fell to worshipping of the Brazen Serpent which Moses at Gods command set up for the curing of the people that were stung with Serpents He set not up declarations of the use of it and preachers against worshipping of it but he took the best surest and * Frustra sit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora readiest way to hinder the peoples idolatry he brake it down 2 King 18. 4. So if Magistrates will prevent Idolatry and superstition in their subjects they must pull down Popish Images Altars and abolish all Popish Ceremonies and occasions of idolatry and superstition Otho's shewing his fair Wife Poppaea naked to lustful Nero was not more actively scandalous than mens setting up and willing permitting of such Images as have been and may be abused to Idolatry in publick places of Gods Worship are or may be They shew that they have neither such zeal for God nor love to their neighbours as they ought to have 2. God hath commanded all Idols to be broken down Exod. 23. 24. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them nor do after their works but shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their images So Exod. 34. 13. Numb 33. 52. Deut. 7. 25 26. Deut. 12. 2 3. 3. Good Kings have been highly commended for destroying the Images and Altars of Idolaters as Asa in 1 King 15. 13. and Hezekiah 2 King 18. 4. and Josiah 2 King 23. 24. 4. They do not only offend Papists but professed adversaries without the Church they do not only allure Papists to commit Idolatry but they so offend Jews and Turks that they will not embrace Christian Religion because some who profess themselves to be Christians set up Images and Pictures in their Churches 5. We are all commanded to keep our selves from Idols 1 Joh. 5. ult The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. John's time signified generally an Image for Idol and Image signifie the same thing only one is a Greek word originally and the other is a Latine word If you will keep your selves from Image-worship you must keep your selves from Images especially in publick places of worship 6. The Temples of God were not built to that end that the Images of the Creatures should be placed in them but that they might serve for the publick performance of that worship which is appointed and approved of God Mat. 21. 13. My house shall be called the house of prayer 7. Images in Churches have a shew of evil which ought to be abstained from 1 Thes 5. 22. A Papist a stranger coming into one of our great Churches where Images were 〈◊〉 said aloud Profecto hic est facies ecclesiae nostrae how truly I determine not but the learned * Speech in Parliament p. 3. 4. Lord Faulkland said of some of our late Bishops that under the pretence of adorning our Churches they have defiled our Church Our 35 Article of Religion saith thus Our Books of Homilies contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and necessary for these times And that against the peril of Idolatry speaks notably against setting and suffering Images in Churches ART XVI That those Books which are commonly To ordain any other Word or Sacraments than those which God hath appointed is Will-worship forbidden in the second Commandment saith A. B. Vsher in his Suâ— of Ch. Religion p. 228. Homily for Almesdeedâ— T. 2. p. 〈◊〉 is quoted Tab. 4. in the Margent called Apocryphal as Tobit Judith Esdras c. are the pure word of God and in all things agreeable thereunto THis â—â— Because 't is contrary to the sixth Article of Religion of the Church of England which excludeâ—â—m out of the number of Canonical Books of Scripture 2. Because many things 〈◊〉 contained are contrary to Canonical Scripture for Doctrine and manners as is shewed in the following Appendix intended first for another Book and therefore cannot be fit for confirmation of Doctrine nor instruction of manners Obj. But they are often alledge in tâ—â—â—â—ok of â—â—iliâ—s as Scripture which the Holy Ghost doth teach Answ 'T is answered that they are not used as Canonical Scripture Object But 't is a rule in reasoning Analogum per se positum stat pro suo famosiori significato Sanders Log. l 1. c. 6. par 4. That an analogal put by it self stands for the most excellent significate Here Scripture put by it self without any Epithete stands for Canonical Scripture the most famous significate of Scripture Answ To this I say that if there be Canonical Scripture producible to prove the thing it was ill in the Margent to quote an Apocryphal Text and not it but if there be no Canonical Scripture for it it was ill to call it Scripture in the Text without any Epithite or adjunct and worse to say * Vide appendicem the Holy Ghost doth teach it Obj. But they are called part of the Old Testament in the order for reading the first and
second Lessons in the Common-prayer Book Answ To this I must leave the Bishops to answer or confess the error and amend it For I profess I know not how to answer for them if I What I can do I have done in the Appendix but I fear that will not satisfie all could I would Papists will notwithstanding Dr. Cozens his Allegations prove from our own sayings that they are Canonical Scripture because they are by us called the Old Testament and so are appointed to be read I pray read my Appendix intended for another use An APPENDIX concerning Apocryphal Scriptures appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels c. Quest 1. BEcause you are so full of your Questions I ask you Whether the Apocryphal Scriptures appointed in the Kalender in the Common-Prayer-Book to be read the first Lessions at Morning and Evening-Prayer be part of the Old Testament The reason of asking this Question is this because 't is said in the Order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read the Old Testament is appointed to be read for the first Lessons at Morning and Evening-Prayeâ— And in the following part of that Order 't is said thus And to know what Lessons shall be read every day look for the day of the Month in the Kalender following and there ye shall find the Chapters that sâ—all be read for the Lessons both at Morning and Evening-Prayer Now in the Kalender to pass by the many Chapters that are culled out of the Apocryphal Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus and appointed to be read upon Holy-days throughout the year though there be many good sayings in them yet they have some * Wisd 19. appointed to be read upon Mathias day how properly let the world judg And Popish Expositors will no doubt make good Divinity and sense of it which would not please you if a Nonconformist should essay to make Episc Prideaux sascic controv c. 1. q 2. p. 14. failings and some that do not tend to edisication and such as you would exclaim against if you should find them or the like in Mr. W. B's or Mr. Tâ—â—'s or in any Nonconformists Sermons or Writings and yet you have given your assent and consent unto them and have promised to read them upon the days appointed all the Chapters in Tobit except the fifth Chapter and of Judith many of Ecclesiasticus Baruch Bell and the Dragon the History of Susanna in which are many false and â—angerous things appointed to be read Now if they are not part of the Old Testament why do you say they are such and give your assent and consent that they shall be read in all Churches and Chappels and promise that you will read them in yours contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England to which you have I suppose subscribed too and contrary to the Doctrine of the Protestant Churches seeing none but Papists hold them to be parts of the Old Testament I pray Sir give such an answer as may help us to satisfie our people whom you would have us to perswade to comply with you in your publick service and answer the subtile Papists who will be ready to alledg your publick Order and Kalender and other things as that concerning the Service-Book Par. 1 2 3. and that direction which follows line the last to prove that they are Canonical Scripture because parts of the Old Testament as you plainly say in the said order and direction and Kalender And I foresee that 't will be but in vain to say that our Church in her Articles holds no such thing but rather the contrary For besides that they imply a contradiction the appearance of which you are ready to carp at and exclaim against in Nonconformists they will say that that Order and Kalender was made since the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England and the last Law they 'l say either virtually repeals or at least expounds the former You are as you say a Rational Divine pray give a solid and sufficient reason of this thing of which we need not be ashamed that may stop the mouths of our dissenting Protestant friends and opposing Popish enemies If you cannot do it I hope you will ingenuously confess your error and use your best and utmost reason interest and endeavour with all sort of men to reform it Q. 2. Whether you do indeed think that those Books or Chapters or Histories call them which you will do indeed and in truth directly tend to the edification of the Church as you say * Of Ceremonies in Preface to the Book of Common-Prayers that all things that are done in the Church ought to do as the Apostle teacheth 1 Corintâ— 14. 26. The reason of this Query is because there are erroneous frivolous and dangerous things appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels to the people in some of those Chapters which do not tend to their edification but rather to their destruction and others too As for example in Tob. 4. 10. which is appointed to be read September the 30th 't is said thus That alms do deliver from death and suffereth not to come into darkness And Tob. 12. 9. which is appointed to be read the third of October 't is said thus That alms doth deliver from death and shall purge * Which is contrary to Homily of Salvation pag. 16 17. which saith that that were the greatest arrogance and presumption that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself from all sin Which may induce many especially ignorant people to swallow the Doctrine of Popish Merits without a grain of salt and deny or undervalue the inestimable merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ contrary to 1 Joh. 1. 9. Who cleanseth us from all unrighteousness And 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as we know that ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold and therefore not with alms from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ And Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And also contrary to Heb. 9. 14 15 22 26 28. I know that this place of Tobit is alledged in the Homily of Almesdeeds Tom. 2. p. 159 160 161. where it saith thus The same Lesson doth the Holy Ghost also teach in sundry places of the Scripture quoting Tob. 4. in the Margent saying mercifulness and almes-giving purgeth from all sins and delivereth from death and suffereth not the soul to come into darkness Now to this the Ch. of England there answereth That Almesdeeds purge not from sin as the the original cause of our acceptance before God or that for the dignity or worthiness thereof our sins are washed away and we purged and cleansed of all
peace said she to her husband And that frivolous story of his Dog following after them with which some have made vain sport and others may again in Tob. 11. 4. appointed to be read at Morning-prayer October the third I come to Tob. 12 12. appointed to be read at Evening-prayer October the third where this is appointed to be read of the Angel Raphael Now therefore when thou didst pray and Sarah thy daughter-in-law I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the holy one and when thou didst bury the dead I was with thee likewise And vers 15. 't is appointed to be read thus I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints and which go in and out before the glory of the holy one Which words imply two gross errors 1. That there are but seven holy Angels that wait upon God and go in and out before him which is contrary to the Canonical Scriptures which say that thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times 〈◊〉 Cornel à Lapidâ— Junius Diodate Willet in locum thousand stood before him Dan. 7. 10. which is generally by Papists as well as Protestants understood of holy Angels See also Heb. 12. 22. Apoc. 5 1â— See also A. B. Vsher his Sum of Christian Religion p. 118. where 〈◊〉 saith that all the Angels do wait upon the Lord their God in heaven to exâ—cute his will 2. That those seven Angels are Gods remembrancers 〈◊〉 mind him of the prayers of his Saints and presenters of their prayers beâ—â— him A kind of Heavenly Courtiers or Officers that do present to as remember God of the good works prayers and alms c. of 〈◊〉 holy ones as if God did not regard or remember their prayers 〈◊〉 services without these seven Angels mediations intercession Which office saith learned Jâ—â— Jun. in Tob. 12. 12. the Scripture doth no where give to created Aâ—gâ—â— but maintain to belong only to Christ and which â—lâ—â— if there were nothing else is enough to prove the 〈◊〉 Upon the 15 ver bulousness and impurity of the Book and to rejeâ—â— as evil and unfit to be read in publick yea to be bound up with the Sacred Word of God And learned A. B. Vsher where before reckons up all the offices of the Sum of Christian Religion pag. 118. good Angels to the souls and bodies of good men but mentioneth not their presenting of the Saints prayers before God nor remembering God of them And 't is a Doctrine and place of Scripture as you call it that makes much for the Which is a good argument there is no such thing Bishop Prideaux Fascic cont c. 4. S. 2. q. 1. p. 169. Article 7th Papists Idolatrous invocating of Angels And 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and of other Reformed Churches and of the Canonical Scriptures which say That Jesus Christ the second Person in the Sacred Trinity the Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. 3. 1. is the only person that doth present the prayers of the Saints to God and that he is our only Mediator of Redemption and Intercession as may be fully proved by Rom. 8. 34. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 12. Revel 8. 3 4. And the last Collect in the Lâ—tany and the Collect for St. Stephens day which prayers say That Christ is our only Mediator and Advocate And by the Homily of Prayer Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 115. and Part 3. p. 118. where 't is said thus In the word of God the Holy Ghost doth plainly teach us that Christ is our only Mediator and Intercessor with God and that we must not run or seek to another See also A. B. Vsher's Sum of Christian Religion p. 166 and p. 176. where he sheweth That one part of Christs Intercession for us doth consist in his presenting our prayers unto God and making them acceptable in his sight And 't is contrary to Psal 8. 4. Psal 111. 5. Psal 112. 6. Levit. 26. 42. Luk. 12. 6 7. and many other places of Sacred Scripture where 't is said That God is mindful of his people and of his Covenant made with them Yea that he doth hear what his people say and take special notice of what they do yea and record what they say and do Read Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name If God take notice of and record what his people say one to another then without doubt he takes notice of and remembreth the prayers which they make unto himself and therefore he needs no such remembrancing Angels as this feigned Raphael speaks of to put him in mind of his Saints prayers And he hath appointed Jesus Christ to present the prayers of and make Intercession for his people Joh. 6. 27. Him hath the Father sealed and appointed Heb. 3. 12. to the office of a Redeemer and of making satisfaction for the sins of his people and Intercession for them as Bishop Reynolds very learnedly sheweth upon Psal 110. pag. 383 384. 387 388 c. And Christ hath undertaken the work of our Redemption and making Intercession for his people He was not only made a surety to us of a bâ—tter Covenant Heb. 7. 22. but he also is said to come to do the office of a surety Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 5 7 9. God fitted him and prepared him for the work of our Redemption v. 5. and Christ voluntarily undertook it Then said I Lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God v. 7 9. Hence doth he call himself the good shepherd that doth lay down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 11 15. which Doctrine is saith the Reverend Bishop the rock and foundation of all the Churches comfort and therefore the Doctrine held forth in the foresaid feigned story of Tobit is the more pernicious and abominable being so destructive of our Lord and Saviours right and of all good Christians sure and solid comfort and those men that refuse to give their unfeigned assent and consent thereunto and to its use and publick reading are the more excusable not to say commendable for denying themselves so far as they have done rather than do that or consent to the doing of that which is as you see so much conducing to Popish Doctrine and practise and contrary to Gods sacred and precious truth the honour and interest of Jesus Christ and the comfort and welfare of all good Christians In the Months of September and October all the Book of Judith is appointed to be read in publick in Churches and Chappels Where to pass by many of the falsities that Orthodox learned Divines both ancient and modern do find in
Reverend Bishop Jewel in his Defence of his Apology c. 3. divis 10. tells us That the old Council at Carthage commanded that nothing should be read in Christs congregation but the Canonical Def. of Apol. p. 571. Scriptures Which words saith he are to be found in the Council of Vide Homil. for Rogation-week Part 3. p. 230. Hippo which is the abridgment of the third Council of Carthage in these words Scripturae Canonicae in ecclesia legendae quae sunt praeter quaâ— alia non legantur that is the Scriptures Canonical which are to be read in the Church and besides which nothing may be read Et non oportet libros qui sunt extra canonem legere nisi solos canonicos veteris novi Testamenti That is we may not read any Books that be without the Canon but only the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament There ye may find the Decrees of two of the Kings of France Lewis and Charles In Templis tantum canonici libri id est sacrae literae legantur That is Let there be read in the Churches only the Canonical Books that is to say the holy Scriptures and many other good sayings and testimonies to the same purpose And Harding's shift or addition to or exposition of the Decree of Carthage viz. That nothing be read in the Church but the Canonical Scripture sub nomine divinarum Scripturarum under the name of the Dâ—vine Scriptures will not help our Bishops for they have appointed those Apocryphal Scriptures which they have appointed in the Calendar to be read as parts of the Old Testament for they say expresly in their * See the order in the Book of Common-Prayer for reading the first and second Lessons 'T is probable that by this order our Bishops have deceived our Parliaments who believing them searched not and knew not that Apocryphals were to be read as Canonical Scripture order for reading the Lessons That they have appointed the Old Testament to be read for the first Lessons and the New Testament for the second Lessons throughout the year And in their Calendar to which they specially direct us for the finding of those Lessons they appoint as was said before and is there to be seen above 120 Chapers of Apocryphal Books to be read in our Churches and Chappels for the first Lessons many of which as I have manifested are contrary in many things to the pure word of God Obj. But Bishop Prideaux in answer to the Papists who say that the Apocryphals are called by the Fathers Scripture and Canonical saith with the Fathers there is a twofold Canon 1. Morum of manners 2. Fidei of faith these saith he are sometimes called Canonical in the first sense not in the second Answ To which I answer thus 1. That the Fathers were but meer men and not infallibly guided by the holy and unerring spirit of God 2. That they had their errors and did contradict themselves 3. That Mr. Hildersham though he speak well of the Fathers whom you say was a Conformist proves by three good reasons That our learned Divines in these days may know more and have better judgment in Religion than the Fathers had as 1. They are born and bred in the knowledg and profession of the truth and have known from their childhood the holy Scriptures which are able to make them wise unto salvation as the Apostle speaketh of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. Whereas most of the Fathers were bred and had lived long in Gentilism and beresie before they came to the knowledg of the truth 2. They enjoy the benefit both of all the Fathers own labours and of the writings of many other learned men also which the Fathers themselves could not do A Dwarf may see farther upon a Giants shoulder than the Giant 3. They have the help both of far better Translations of the Scripture than the Fathers could have and of the knowledg of the Tongues also which the chief of the Fathers are well known to have been wanting in 4. The Bishop saith nothing to that that they are called Scripture 5. That there are many erroreous Doctrines contrary to the Canonical Scriptures in those Books and some in those appointed to be read as I have shewed before which may do much mischief to the true Church of Christ and teach false Doctrine instead of good manners 6. That they are not a good Canon for manners as I have shewed in Tobit's wife her passionate bidding her husband who gave her good counsel to hold his peace and immoderate bewailing her Son who was well Tob. 10. 6 7. to which may be added Raguels swearing that Tobius should stay with him fourteen days and in teaching Tobias to conjure or spell away the Devil Tob. 6. 16 17. which Tobias practised Tob. 8. 2 3. and in the Angel Raphaels lying in saying that he was Azarias the son of Ananias the great and of Tobits brethren Tob. 5. 12. and in saying that he was one of the seven Angels that did bring to remembrance Tobias and Sarahs prayers and that did present the prayers of the Saints before the holy one Tob. 12. 12 15. And in Judiths lying hypocritical dissembling and swearing to compass her treacherous and bloody design and praying to God for to bless her deceit and commending the wicked and cruel fact of Simeon which God by Jacob condemned Judith 9. 2 3 4 10 13. Judith 10. 12 13. and Judith 11. Judith 12. which may and no doubt will teach evil men and women more evil than good manners and this too not so much accidentally as by themselves and their own nature 7. The Canonical Scriptures are a sufficient Canon for Doctrine of faith and * Homily for Rogation week Part 3d p. 230. And no where can we more certainly search for the knowledg of this will of God by the which we must direct all our works and deeds but in the holy Scriptures manners and therefore there is no need of reading these Books to teach men good manners 8. If the Popish Legends are not to be read in publick because full of lyes and fictions then by the same reason should not Tobit Judith the History of Bell and the Dragon be read which are full of such things Obj. But Bishop Prideaux saith That the Apocryphal Books are read for their conformity for the most part with the Canonical as ancient and sacred Homilies to inform and teach good manners not to confirm Doctrine Fasc cont c. 1. q 2. p. 16. loc 4. Sec. 3. q 6. p. 237. Answ To this I answer as before 1. That the word of God is a perfect and perspicuous rule for Doctrine of faith and good manners 2. That there are many things in those Books inconformable to the Canonical Scriptures both for Doctrine and manners as the Bishops answer maximâ ex parte implies and as I have plainly shewed and therefore they are not sacred
dierum Article 12th for unregenerate r. regenerate In the Book p 5. add due p. 7. l 25. r. adgeniculari p. 13. r. omnis p. 15. l. 2. F. utimini tanta p. 20. 12. r. adorare p. 27. l. 4. r. accusatis p. 49. l 16. r. nuda p 51. r. appear p 52. l. 6. r. the. l. 27. make at us a comma l. 33. r. Threlcatius p 57. l 7. add in p. 60. l. 25. r. ubi p. 61. l. 3. r. Mediatory l. 37 r. such p 64 l 24â— r. or p. 67. l 24. add a after and. p. 68 l. 18. r. 132. p. 70. l. 19. r. pervenimus p 71. l. 11. r. gratiae p. 75. marg r. deter 33. p. 83. l. 6. marg r. evil p. 98. l. 23. dele John Bradford p. 103. l. 26. r. Father p. 107. l. 17. r. fawtor p. 112. l. 37. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 198. l. 16. marg add of p. 207. l. 9. r. of p. 210 l. 3. r. peccati p. 211. l. 2. marg r. deter 33. p. 215. l. 3. r. 3. p 217. l. 8. add ad before efficatiam l. 12. r. rigore l. 21. make a Parenthesis after brains thus p. 220. l. 18. Hom against willful Rebellion p 310. belong to the former and l 23. Hom. for Salvation p. 16 17. belong to the words foregoing p. 226. l 25. r. Paul's p. 23 1. l. 16. add him after followed p. 233. l 3. r. Balaeus l. 1. marg r. Clementis p. 234. r. fannell p. 137. r. vitis degeneris p. 250. l. 12. r. seven p. 253. l. 4. r. general p. 254. marg r. p. 258. l. 26. after some make l. 29. r. antinumerus p. 261. l. 36. add number before 25. p. 262. l. 2. r. Bongus p. 269. l. 26. r. Catholicam l. 30. r. caetera p. 307. that which is set against the Articlee should have been set lower against the Renunciation of it p 309. l. 3. r. Prayer-book l. 24. for this make a period thus p. 312. l. 8. r. Gabrael l. 3. marg r. reject p. 316. l. 21â— make a comma thus p. 323. l 29. add is p. 325. marg dele see p. 326. l. 26. r. sortitus p. 338. l. 11. r them p. 346. l 36. make a comma after them thus BOOKS Sold by Tho. Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultry over against the Stocks-Market THE Morning Exercise at Cripplegate or several Cases of Conscience practically resolved by Sundry Ministers in Quarto Price bound 8 shill A Supplement to the Morning-Exercise at Cripplegate or several more Cases of Conscience practically resolved by sundry Ministers in Quarto Price bound 12 shill A Discourse of Patronage being a modest Inquiry into the Original of it and a further prosecution of the History of it By Zachariah Cowdry in Quarto Price stitcht 6 d. The Poor-Mans Family-Book by Richard Baxter in 8vo Price bound 4 shill Precious Faith considered in its nature working and growth by Edward Polbill of Burwash in Sussex Esq in 8vo Price bound 3 sh 6 d. The Faithfulness of God considered and cleared in the great events of his Works or a second part of the fulfilling of the Scriture by the same Author in 8vo Price bound 2 shill 6 d. A New Spelling-book with Syllables or an Alphabet in a plain path-way to the faculty of reading the English Roman Italian and Secretary hands with several Copies of the fame devised chiefly for Children that hereby with the less loss of their time they may be able to pass from reading to the Latin Tongue Also this Book is very necessary for the ignorant to teach them to write true Orthography in a short time Price stitcht 6 d. The Divine Will considered in its Eternal Decrees and holy execution of them in 8vo An Answer to a Discourse of Mr. William Sherlock touching the Knowledg of Christ and our Union and Communion with him in 8vo The Court of the Gentiles in four Parts by Theophilus Gale in 4to A Week of Soliloquies and Prayers with a preparation to the holy Communion and other Devotions added to this Edition in two parts by Peter du Moulin D. D. in 12s De Causa Dei or a Vindication of the Common Doctrine of the Protestant Divines concerning Predetermination i. e. The Interest of God as the first Cause in all Actions as such of all Rational Creatures from the invidious consequence with which it is burden'd by Mr. John How in a late Letter or Proscript of Gods Prescience in 8vo A Dialogue between a Romish Priest and an English Protestant wherein the principal Points and Arguments of both Religions are truly proposed and fully examin'd by Mathew Pool Author of the Synopsis Criticorum in 12s The Spiritual Remembrancer or a brief Discourse of the duty of those who attend upon the Preaching of the Gospel by Samuel Welley in 8vo God a Christians Choice compleated by particular Covenanting with God wherein the Iawfulness and expediency is cleared by Samuel Winney in 12s The reuniting of Christianity Or the manner how to rejoin all Christians under one sole Confession of Faith in 8vo The Life of Donna Olympia Maldachini who governed the Church during the time of Innocent the X which was from the year 1644 to the year 1655. Written in Italian by Abbott Gualdi and faithfully rendred into English The Christian Pattern or a Divine Treatise of the Imitation of Christ Written Originally in Latin by Tho. Kempis above two hundred years since The Jew turn'd Christian or the Corner-stone wherein is an assertion of Christ being the true Messiah by John Jacob formerly a Jew but now turn'd a Christian in 4to stitcht The Romish Priest turn'd Protestant with the Reasons of his Conversion wherein the true Church is exposed to the view of Christians and derived out of the holy Scriptures sound Reason and the ancient Fathers by James Salgado a Spaniard formerly a Priest of the Order of the Dominicans 4to stitcht Poeseâ—s Grecae Medulla in qua continentur Insigniores Poetarum Graecorum gnomae versus Proverbiales Epigrimmata quaedam selecta in memoriae subsidium Alphabeticae disposita cum versione latinâ In usum Scholarum per Johannem Langston 8vo Poems in two Parts First an Interlocutory Discourse concerning the Creation Fall and Recovery of Man Secondly a Dialogue between Faith and a Doubting Soul By Samuel Slater 8vo Mr. Edward Wests Legacy being a Discourse of the Perfect Man In Twelves
grace aâ—â— act or habit or quality inherent in us And if we be justified by the righteousness of Christ only which being out of us in him imputed to those who receive it by Faith which also * Lib. 4 5. before I invincibly proved then also it followeth by necessary consequence that we are justified by Faith only as it is the instrument or hand of the soul 〈◊〉 apprehend or receive Christ who is our righteousness wherefore where Faith is said to justifie it must of necessity be understood relatively and in respect of the object to which purpose both Justification and all other benefits which we receive by Christ are attributed to Faith as I have shewed ¶ L. 6. c. 4. Sec. 6. before Not that Faith worketh these things but because by it we receive Christ and with him aâ—â— his merits and benefits And for the same cause the Faith of all the faithful though unequal in degrees in some greater in some less is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike precious in the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1. which is an evidence That faith doth not justifie in respeâ—â— of its dignity or worthiness but in respect of the object which it doth receive which being the most perfect righteousness of Christ untâ— which nothing can be added is one and the same to all that receivâ—â— it Of tâ—is see more Lib. 1. c. 2. Sec 10. 4. Bishop Reynolds upon Psal 110. 4. p. 443. saith thus So theâ—â— between Christ and us there must be an unity or else there can be no imputation and therefore it is that we are said to be justified by faith and that faith is imputed for righteousness Rom. 4. 5. not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere the act of believing as if that were in se accounted righteousness as it is a work proceeding from us by grace but because it is vinculum instrumentum unionis the bond of union between us and Christ and by that means makes way to the imputation of Christs righteousness unto us And the same reverend learned and orthodox Bishop in his most excellent Treatise of the Life of Christ p. 476. saith That preciousness of faith is seen chiefly in two respects 1. In regard of the Objects and 2. In regard of the Offices of it And p. 478. he saith That the Offices which are peculiar to faith are principally these three 1. To unite to Christ and give possession of him 2. The second office wherein consisteth * P. 480. the excellency of faith is the consequent of the former namely to justifie a man for there is no man righteous in the sight of God any further than he is taken into the * I have inserted this not only because it makes way for what I have chiefly to alledg but also that those Antichristian Popish Arminian Socinian men who call themselves Protestants and the dutiful Sons of the Church of England that do not only deny but deride and scoff at union and communion with Christ which is indeed the ground of all our happiness here and hereafter may take notice of what a learned Bishop of their party in two several Treatises saith and proveth unity of Christ and into the fellowship of his merits God is alone well pleased in Christ and â—â—ll a man be a member of his body a part of his fulness he cannot a pear in Gods presence This was the reason why Christ would bave none of his bones broken or taken off from the Communion of his natural body Joh. 19 36. to note the indissoluble union which was to he between him and his mystical members So that now as in a natural body the member is certainly fast to the whole so long as the bones are firm and sound so in the mystical where the body is there must every member be too because the bones must not be broken asunder If then Christ go to heaven if he stand unblameable before Gods justice we all shall in him appear so too because his bones cannot be broken That which thus puts us into the unity of Christ must needs justifie our persons and set us right in the presence of God and this is our faith The Apostle gives two excellent reasons why our Justification should be of faith rather than of any other grace the first oâ— Gods part that it might be of grace The second on the part of the promise that the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 16. First Justification that is by faith is of meer grace and favour no way of work or merit sor the act whereby faith justifies is an act of humility and self-dereliction a holy despair of any thing in our selves and a going to Christ a receiving a looking towards him and his all-sufficiency so that as Mary said of her self so we may say of faith the Lord hath respect unto the lowliness of his grace which is so far from looking inward for matter of Justification that it self as it is a work of the heart Tâ— credere doth not justifie but only as it is an apprehension or * This Mr. Fowler saith is false in his Free Discourse p. 129. taking hold of Christ For as the hand in the very receiving of a thing must needs first make it self empty if it be full before it must let all go erâ— it take hold of any other thing so faith being a receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. must needs suppose an emptiness iâ— the soul before Faith hath two properties as a hand to work and to receive when faith purifies the heart supports the drooping spirits worketh by love carries a man through afflictions and the like these are the works of faith wheâ— faith accepts of righteousness in Christ and receives him as the gift of his Fathers love when it embraceth the promises afar off Heb. 11. 13. and lays hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 12. this is the receiving act of faith Now faith justifies not by working * This is directly against Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine before mentioned and against Dr. Heylin's too lest the effect should not be wholly of grace but partly of grace and partly of works Ephes 2. 8 9. but by bare receiving and accepting or yielding consent to that righteousness which in regard of working was the righteousness of Christ Rom. 5. 18. and in regard of disposing imputing appropriating unto us was the righteousness of God Rom. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. Pag. 480 481 482. 3. The third Office of faith is to give us with Christ all things 5. I might alledg the Testimony of Luther Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Zanchy Musculus Pareus Polanus Tilenus Vrsinus Wendelinus Wollebius Festus Hominius Amesius Junius Macrobius Sharpius Piscator Threâ—â— and many more of our own Writers but those you usually answer by slighting saying they were particular men and Presbyterians or Nonconformists therefore I forbear but I
have quoted your own approved Authors Take therefore the Confession of Protestant Churches in this matter 1. The Confession of Belgia who Article 22 say thus Yet to speak properly we do not mean that faith by it self or of it self doth justifie us which is but only an instrument whereby we apprehend Christ which is our justice Christ therefore himself is our righteousness which imputeth all his merits unto us faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits 2. See also the Confession of Ausburg who say thus When therefore we do say that we are justified by faith we do not mean that we are just for the worthiness of that vertue but this is our meaning that we do obtain remission of sins and imputation of righteousness by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith and faith doth not signifie here only a knowledg of the History but it signifieth a belief of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediator Jesus Christ And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a * Not of a strong fancying as Mr. Fowler saith they do Free Discourse p. 127 p. 130 confidence and trust of mercy St. Paul and St. James do not disagree for whereas James saith the Devils believe and tremble he speaketh of an Historical faith now this faith doth not justifie for the wicked and the Devils are cunning in the History But Paul when he saith faith is reckoned for righteousness heâ— speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith And so it goes on Harmony of Confessions Sect. the ninth 3. And the Synod of Dort in the second Chapter and fourth Error rejected the Synod having delivered the Orthodox Doctrine rejecteth the Errors of them Who teach that the New Covenant of Grace which God the Father by the Mediation of Christs death made with men doth not consist herein viz. That we are justified before God and saved by faith in so much as it apprehends the merits of Christ but herein viz. That God the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated reputes faith it self and the imperfect obedience of faith for perfect obedience of the Law and graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3. 24 25. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And with wicked Socinus they bring in an uncouth and strange justification of man before God Arminians Socinians and Papists agree in this Antichristian Doctrine contrary to the consent of the whole Church 4. The Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland made as Dr. Heylin saith by A B. Vsher and assented and consented to by the whole Clergy there and allowed and confirmed by the Parliament there and by King James here Anno 1615 When we say that we are justified by faith only we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man without true repentance hope charity and the fear of God for such a faith is dead and cannot justifie Neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ or this our faith in Christ which is within us doth of it self justifie us or deserve our Justification unto us for that were to account our selves to be justified by the vertue or dignity of something that is within our selves but the true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance and the fear of God within us and add never so many good works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our said vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and good deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and unperfect and unsufficient to deserve remission of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust only in Gods mercy and the merits of his most dearly beloved Son our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ Nevertheless because Faith directly sends us to Christ for our Justification and that by faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercy and the remission of our sins which thing none other of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works and the ancient Fathers of the Church to the same purpose that only faith doth justifie us By justifying faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a perswasion of the truth of Gods word in general but also a particular application of the gracious promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his only Sons sake Articles 36. 37. This is almost the same that I have before alledged out of our Books of Homilies 6. I shewed before the Confession of Faith of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the late learned and Orthodox Assembly of Divines That God doth freely justifie those whom he hath effectually called not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any â—ther Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness C. 11. And in their larger Catechism p. 95. which would be very useâ—ul and profitable not only for all young Students but also for our â—roud conceited Photinian Divines to study they shew how Faith doth â—ustifie Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other graces which do always accompany it or of good works that are the fruits of it nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his Justification but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness Gal. 3. 11. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 5. with Rom. 10. 10. Joh. 1. 12. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 2. 16. I conclude this particular with what Cicero said Oratio 19. to Cataline Nihil horum ora vultusque movêre ART V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by faith alone on their part THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 11th Article of Religion We are accounted righteous before God only