as immediately from Christ or from God the Father and the Son in the same manner as Saint Peter did though not in the same measure But the Difference of the measure in which we receive it or the difference of our growth in Christ doth not argue a different manner either of our receiving it or of growth by it 7. But is this the worst Practise of the Romish Church that she adds one Article more unto our Creed than Saint Peter knew or taught others to believe or that she makes Peters successors to have a Foundation which he had not If thus she did and no more this were enough to convince her of Grosse Heresie But this one Article of faith or this second foundation of faith which she pretends is of such a transcendent nature that it devours all the rest and doth if not overthrow the First foundation of our faith yet which is all one it draws us from it For as many successions as there be of Popes or of Peters pretended successors so many several foundations there be of their faith which successively adhere unto them Nor are these several or successive foundations either immediately cemented or firmly united to the first Foundation which is Christ or one to another They are as so many Rows or Piles of stone laid one upon another without any juncture or binding than loose sand And all that absolutely unite themselves to the present Romish Church that is to Peters pretended successors must of necessity fall off from the First Foundation Christ God and man and flote with these secondarie foundations to wit Peters succcessors when the floods of temptations do arise The point then to be proved is this That the present Romish Church to wit the present Pope or such as rely upon him as a second or intermediate foundation in this structure cannot possibly be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets they cannot grow up together as living stones firmly united in Christ Jesus as in the Corner-stone Now the proof of this Point is clear because none can be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles unlesse they absolutely believe as they believed and firmly acknowledge that which they have commended unto us in their writings to have been delivered unto them by God himself for so they expressely teach us to believe Believing then as they believed we must believe that albeit the Apostles and Prophets be not the Foundation here meant in the Text yet that they were Master Builders appointed by God for squaring and fitting all that lived with them or that succeeded them for this foundation and that the Rule by which as well the Pastors and Teachers as the people taught by them must be fitted and squared for this foundation is the doctrine of faith conteined in their Writings Both these parts of truth to wit that the Books of the Old and New Testament are their Writings or Dictates and that in these Writings the Doctrine or Rule of Faith is contained must be absolutely believed and taken for unquestionable before any modern pastors in the Church can be fram'd or fashioned to be true stones in this building But no man which absolutely believes the present Romish Church can have any absolute belief that the Old and New Testament or the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets are infallibly true or contain the Word of God The best belief that any Romanist can have is but Conditional and the Condition is this If the present Romish Church to wit the Pope and such as rely upon his authoritie be absolutely infallible and cannot err in matter of faith But it will be Replyed In as much as the Roman Catholicks take it as a Principle most unquestionable that their Church cannot erre they for this reason must beleeve the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets concerning Christ to be infallible and the bookes of the Old and New Testament to conteyne the word of God because the Church their Mother which they firmely beleeve cannot erre doth tell them so or as their owne writers speake because the Church their mother doth Canonize these bookes for the bookes of God This indeed is the chiefe advantage which they Presume their Lay-people have of ours in that they believe the Churches testimony concerning the bookes of God to be infallible and if they beleeve the Church to be in this point infallible they cannot doubt but that these bookes are the word of God But if wee look more narrowly into this mysterie of iniquitie and take their full meaning with us it will further appear that this absolute belief of this present Churches absolute infallibilite doth overthrow or undermine the whole frame of faith For they extend this supposed infallibilitie of the Romish Church so farre and make the belief of it so necessarie that without this fundamentall principle as they say wee cannot infallibly believe or know the bookes of the Old and New Testament to containe in them the word of God And in avouching this it is evident that they leave both the Authoritie of the Apostolical and Prophetical writings and the Authoritie of the Present Church altogether uncertaine so uncertaine that nothing avouched by either of them can be by their doctrine so certain as to become any Foundation of their faith If wee cannot infallibly believe the bookes of the Old and New Testament to be the bookes of God himselfe and of divine Authoritie otherwise then by believing the present Romish Church to be infallible let them tell us how they can possibly believe or prove that the Romish Church or any other Congregation of men hath any such infallible authoritie This authoritie must be either believed or known by light of nature or by Divine Testimonie or Revelation That the infallibilitie of their Church can be known by light of Nature they do not they dare not say For that Peter on whom that Church as they pretend is founded was an Apostle of Christ cannot be known by light of Nature or by sense it cannot be infallibly believed but by Divine Authoritie Revelation or Testimonie By what Divine Testimonie then do they know that Peter was an Apostle or that the Church was to be builded on him or on his successors You know they pretend that place of S. Matthew Chap. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and that of S. Luke Chap. 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail And yet they deny that we can possibly know these words to be the words of God or to have any such meaning as they make of them unlesse we will believe the Churches Authoritie in avouching them to be the words of God and her interpretation of them to be infallible But leaving them wandring in this Round or Circle as we found them long agoe let us further consider the manner how we are built upon Christ the Chief Corner-stone and how we must
in the first place 3. All of them did solemnly promise and vow to mortifie the deeds of the body as we now do But so may others do which never meant to be baptized It is true and therefore the full and onely Reason why these Romans one and other were reckoned as dead to sin was not because they had promised or vowed to mortifie the deeds of the flesh or to put sin unto a civil death that is to break the Raign or Dominion of it For thus to promise or thus to vow without sufficient means or probable hopes such hopes and means as by nature they could not have to perform what they thus vow were presumption a tempting of God and provocation of Satan to take that opportunitie which they themselves offer to assault them To compell all that come unto the Sacred Laver to undertake that treble vow which is and hath been alwayes solemnly made and undertaken either by the parties themselves which are to be baptized in case they be of years or by their sureties were the part rather of a cruel Stepdame than the office of a loving Mother unlesse the Church our Mother which exacts this vow of all and every one could give full assurance to all and every one of her sons that God in baptisme for his part never failes to give means sufficient for quelling the reign of sin for mortifying the deeds of the body Means I mean sufficient not in themselves only but sufficient to every one of us unlesse we will be defective unto our selves Now adde this Reason unto the former and you have the true and full meaning of our Apostle when he saith that all that are Baptized are dead to sin that is First they are dead unto it by solemn vow or profession Secondly they are said to be dead unto sin or sin to be dead in them in as much as they in Baptism receive an Antidote from God by which the rage and poison of it might easily be asswaged or expelled so they would not either receive that grace or means which God in Baptisme exhibits unto them in vain or use it amisse So we may say that any popular disease is quelled or taken away after a soveraign remedie be found against it which never fails so men will seek for it seasonably apply it and observe that Dyet which the Physitian upon the taking of it prescribes unto them 4. Some in our times there be and more I think than have been in all the former which deny all Baptismal Grace Others there be which grant some Grace to be conferred by Baptisme even unto infants but yet these restrain it onely to infants Elect. And This they take to be the meaning of our Churches Catechisme wherein Children are taught to believe That as Christ the second Person in the Trinitie did Redeem them and all mankind So the Holy Ghost the third Person doth sanctifie them and all the Elect People of God But can any man be perswaded that it was any part of Our Churches meaning to teach Children when they first make profession of their Faith to believe that they are of the number of the Elect that is of such as cannot finally perish This were to teach them their Faith backwards and to seek the Kingdom of Heaven not Ascendendo by ascending but Descendendo by descending from it For higher then thus Saint Paul himself in his greatest perfection could not possibly reach no nor the blessed Angels which have kept their First station almost these 6000 years Yet certain it is that Our Church would have every one at the very first profession of his Faith to believe that he is One of the Elect People of God But those Reverend Fathers which did compose that Catechisme and the Church our Mother which did approve and authorize it did in charity presume that every one which would take upon him to expound this Catechisme or other principles of Faith should first know the Distinction between the Elect that is such persons as cannot perish and the Elect People of God or between Election unto Gods ordinarie Grace or means of salvation and Election unto eternal glory Every People or Nation every company of men when they are first converted from Gentilism to Christianitie become an Elect People a chosen generation or company of men that is they and their seed after them are made capable of Baptism receive an Interest in Gods promises made unto us in Christ which the heathens whilst they continue heathens cannot have And all of Us are in Baptism thus far sanctified that we are made true members of the visible Church qualified for hearing the word for receiving the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood and whatsoever Benefits of Christs Priestly Function are committed to the dispensation of his Ministers And thus far sanctified by Baptisme no man can be but by the Holy Ghost Our Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. 14. That the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing Husband else were your children unclean but now they are holy So that he attributes an holiness unto the children of believing Parents by which they are more capable of Baptisme then the children of unbelieving Parents are And of this holiness by which they are capable of Baptisme all children are partakers although but one of their Parents whether Father or Mother do believe much more are the children of believing Parents to be reputed holy or sanctified after baptisme by which alwayes some Gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred upon them For even that holiness which was communicated or derived unto them from their Parents before they were baptized or by which they became capable of Baptisme was conferred upon their Parents by Baptisme 5. Whether This gift or Qualification wherewith The Holy Ghost is said to sanctifie all the Elect people of God be or include in it the Grace of Regeneration I will not dispute That infants are by Baptisme regenerated we may not deny unlesse we will take upon us to put another sense upon the Articles of our Church than they will naturally bear But whether such as were baptized when they came to years of discretion as most of these Romanes were did in Baptisme receive the Grace of Regeneration or were forthwith regenerated That I leave unto the Schools It sufficeth us to know the true meaning of our Apostle in this place And this it is All of us in baptisme receive A gift or Talent which by nature we had not we could not have For the use of this talent we shall be called unto a strict accompt And when this accompt shall be taken it shall go harder with those which either have abused it misimployed it or not used it than with the Gentiles Heathens or Infidels which never received the like For to whom more is given of them more shall be required And unlesse their means to vanquish Satan
deep touch of Pity or Compassion would raise our spirits to an higher point of service unto Christ then any relief or supply of their bodily wants can amount unto You may if you will for Christs sake be pleased to do it distribute so unto their bodily necessities as you may lay a necessity upon their souls of coming to the ordinary knowledge of Christ and of Gods mercies in him towards man You may by authority put the Precept of our Apostle in execution Such as will not work let them not eat or such as will not work the ordinary works of God that will not labor to be instructed in his fear and in his Laws let them not be partakers of your Bounty and Pity To constrain the poor the halt and lame to enter into the Lords house were a matter easie if as the Law of God and man requires none were permitted to remain amongst us but such as were confined to some certain dwelling or abode where they might live under the inspection or cure as well of Civil as of Ecclesiastick Discipline And consider with your selves I beseech you how either the Civil or Ecclesiastick Magistrate will be able to answer the great King at the last day through whose default whether joyntly or severally many children have been by Baptism received into Christs Church and yet permitted after to live such a roving and wandring life that no Tie can be laid upon them to give an account of their Faith or Christian conversation to any Church or Embassador of Christ But as Bodies while they are in motion are in no place though they pass through many so these wandering Meteors are of no Church though they be in every Church If I should in private perswade You Magistrates to seek some Redress of this Enormitie and blemish to the Government of this place I doubt I should be put off with the Exception to which I could not easily replie That you have better experience then I or others of my opinion or profession have And out of that experience see greater difficulties then we can discern But now having express warrant from our Saviour's words and this Fair opportunitie of Time and Place You must give me leave to reply unto you as an ingenuous and learned Scholar once did to a Christian Emperour which pretended greater difficulties in a good work which he commended to his Princely care then you can do in this Yet a work not all together so necessary nor so acceptable unto God as this work would be In rebus pijs aggrediendis nefas est considerare quantum tu potes sed quantum Deo fidis qui omnia potest Think not when you are about works of Pietie so much of your own Abilitie or weakness but examine how much you relie and trust in Almightie God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we conceive or think CHAP. XXXI MATTH 25. 34. 41. Come ye Blessed of my Father FOR I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirstie Go ye Cursed FOR I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirstie Jansenius his observation and disputation About merit examined and convinced of contradiction to it self and to the Truth The definition of Merit The State of the Question concerning Merit Increase of Grace no more Meritable then the First Grace A Promise made Ex mero motu sine Ratione dati et accepti cannot found a Title to Merits Such are All Gods promises Issues of Meer Grace Mercy and Bountie The Romanists of kin to the Pharisee yet indeed more to be blamed then He. The objection from the Causal Particle FOR made and answered 1. AGainst such as denie the merit of humane works Thus much saith Jansenius an ingenuous and learned Bishop though a Papist is diligently to be observed That Christ in this place deputes this Kingdom to the righteous FOR their works sake hereby giving us to understand that Life Eternal is bestowed upon them FOR their works by which the righteous Merit Life Eternal even as the wicked by their evil works Merit everlasting punishment The only ground or reason of this Assertion is For that our Saviours Form of speech in both Sentences is the same and Causal in both As he saith unto the wicked Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire FOR I was an hungred and you gave me no meat c. ver 41 42. So he saith unto the righteous or them on his Right-hand v. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you FOR I was an hungred and you gave me meat c. Yet least any man should except against him as dissenting from the Doctrine of Christ elsewhere delivered and from the Apostolick and Catholick Church By which Our salvation is ascribed to Gods Grace and mercy he adds this salve to the wound which he had made Non tamen Sic merit is nostris putetur dari vita aeterna c. Let no man think that life eternal is So bestowed upon our merits as All may not be given to the mercie of God from which we have our good works or merits He grants withal That the salvation of the Righteous depends upon Gods Blessing and Predestination upon which likewise their Good works depend Lest any should glory in himself A sin forbidden by Gods Prophet Jer. 9. ver 23. That All then is to be attributed to Gods mercie that no man may glorie in himself or in his works is true Our enemies in this Point being Judges is confessed by our Adversaries even in this place from which they seek to establish Merits And This we may conclude is A Point of Catholick Doctrine taught by Christ Prophets and Apostles stedfastly imbraced by all Reformed Churches and expresly in words acknowledged by the Romish Church With this Point of Catholick Faith we mingle no Doctrine no Opinion which may but questionably pollute or defile it We avoid all occasions of incurring the least suspition of contradicting it and for this cause We abandon the very name of Merit as now it is used or rather abused by the Romish Church Although in some Ages of the Church it were an indifferent and harmlesse Term Mereri importing no more as was shewed Chapter 27. then to Get or Obtain But Merit in the language of the modern Romish Church Est actio cuijustum est ut aliquid detur is An action or work to which something or any thing is due by Rule of Justice Yet doth the Romish Church not only Enjoyn the Use or Familiarity of this Name in this Sense or signification but Require the Assent of Faith unto the Reality Expressed by it 2. The Points then which lie upon that Church to prove if she will acquit her self from polluting the holy Catholick Faith are Two The One That this Doctrine of meriting heaven by works doth not contradict the former part of Catholick doctrine acknowledged by her to wit that
place of Sacramental eating and drinking was because they saw no possibilitie how to maintain the peremptorie decrees of the Councels of Constance and Basil concerning Communion under one kind if the words of our Saviour ver 53. of this Chapter be to be understood of Sacramental eating and drinking For it is granted by all that the Consecrated bread is Sacramentally his Bodie not his Blood and that the Cup is Sacramentally his Blood not his Bodie And yet our Saviours words are express Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you So that all which hope to have life must Sacramentally drink his blood aswel as eat his flesh if this place be meant of Sacramental eating That evasion which most oâ—â— modern Priests and Jesuites use for eluding rather then answering this Objection was too palpable in the Judgement of these two great Divines as it since hath seemed to others of that Church which yet maintain that the former words of our Saviour are to be understood of Sacramental eating Christs flesh and drinking Christs blood The evasion of modern Priests and Jesuits is that he which Sacramentally receives Christs Bodie under the shape or form of Sacramental bread doth with it receive his blood per Concomitantiam by way of concomitancie because there is blood conteined in his bodie which they thus receive But this cannot satisfie any Romish Divine which understands himself or the ancient Doctrine which that Church pretends to follow For this device of receiving Christs blood in the bread per concomitantiam was but a late invention little above 200. years before Jansenius or Hessels lived And the newnesse of this imagination or invention which was generally applauded in the Romish Church in his time was one special motive why that Reverend Pastor of Blessed memorie Mr. Gilpin did disclaim the Romish Churches Doctrine in the Point of Transubstantiation as Bishop Tunstall his Uncle before him had done Secondly Admitting the bread were turned into Christs very bodie and after this conversion had blood in it as truly as flesh and bones yet all this would not salve the literal sense of our Saviours words in the 53 d verse if the eating and drinking which he there speaks of were Sacramental For suppose a man should feed upon raw flesh or upon flesh which had visible or material blood in it we might say indeed that he did eat blood per concomitantiam by way of concomitancie because the flesh which he eats had blood in it But no man would say That he did drink blood per concomitantiam For eating and drinking are two distinct acts and incompatible at one and the same time He that eateth flesh with blood in it doth not eat the flesh and drink the blood whilest he only eats but eats both together the one as principal the other as an appurtenance if he eat as a man and not as Swine do draugh which is no more an eating then a drinking Or if a man should drink blood mingled with some small portions of flesh we might say He did drink flesh by way of Concomitancie but no man would say that he did eat blood per concomitantiam albeit there were flesh in the blood which he drinks for he drinks both together he doth not eat either And for these reasons Pope Innocent expressely denies that he which eats Christs bodie whilst he only eats it doth drink his blood In his fourth Book Myster Evangel Legis ac Sacramenti Eucharist Chap. 21. Edit Venet. in quarto 8. The only refuge which the most learned in the Romish Church since Jansenius and Hessels dyed have found out for answering the former Objection of Reformed Writers is That the words of our Saviour Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man And drink his blood ye have no life in you are to be Expounded disjunctively as thus Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man Or drink his blood ye have no life in you The use or Corollarie of this Exposition is That if Christian people do Sacramentally Either eat Christs flesh Or drink his Blood as they ought that is with due preparation this will suffice seeing as they pretend there is no Divine precept which enjoynes all Christian People Sacramentally to receive Christs bodie and blood under both kindes Nor all Priests but only such as do Officiate or Consecrate The precept of Institution Bibite ex hoc omnes Drink ye all of this was punctually directed as they alledg to our Saviours Apostles only who were at this time made Priests and authorized to minister Christs bodie and blood after his death Yet were they not by their leave at this time Sacerdotes conficientes Our Saviour Christ himself did Consecrate both the Bread and Wine the Apostles were as much inferior to him as the meanest Lay-people are to the greatest Priest in the Romish Church to the Pope or summus Pontifex himself But the further Discussion of this Point belongs more properly to the words of the Institution The other Point of expounding et by vel or of shuffling in Or for And belongs to the Cognizance of the 53 and 56. verses To justifie this exposition Cardinal Tollet would perswade us That St Johns Greek Text is full of Hebraismes and there is nothing more familiar with Moses or with other sacred Hebrew writers then to use And for Or Et for Vel. And he brings divers instances to this purpose As for example that in Exod. 21. 17. He that curseth father And mother shall surely be put to death So it is word for word in the Hebrew and yet our English Translation as well as the Vulgar Latin renders the Original thus He that curseth father Or mother shall surely be put to death And it would be an ungodly Evasion for any Magistrate not to censure him as a transgressour of this Law which curseth his father albeit he do not curse his mother or which curseth his mother albeit he do not curse but rather blesse his father But must the true interpretation of such as are to judge according to this Law be derived from the peculiar phrase or dialect of the Hebrews No this was Cardinal Tollet's Errour for the Rule of Interpretation so the matter or circumstance be the same would hold as true in any dialect or language whatsoever The Question then is What certain general Rule we have when or in what cases the conjunctive particle And doth produce this or the like disjunctive sense or may warrant this or the like Exposition of this Law He that curseth father And mother shall surely die that is he which curseth Either father Or mother shall surely die For the like Exposition the Rules are Two One General and infallible Rule is this Whensoever the particle And doth couple not two parts of one and the same proposition but two intire propositions together That which is thus conjunctively affirmed of
fulfilled until the last Judgement or in the life to come is acknowledged and well observed by a late learned Jesuit And this Interpretation being proffered by a man of that profession I entertain the rather because it affords us a facile and commodious interpretation of all or most of those places whether in the Old Testament or in the New which the Romish Church the Iesuits in special insist upon for the glorious Prerogatives of the visible Church and of the visible Roman Church above all Churches visible How many instances soever or places they bring whether general for the visible or militant Church or for the glory of the Roman Church in special this One Answer will give satisfaction to all They are meant of the visible or militant Church Inchoativè but of the Church triumphant Consummativè They are meant of the visible or militant Church indefinitely that is some particular members of the visible Church have undoubted pledges or earnests of those glorious promises in this life which notwithstanding shall not be either universally punctually or solidly accomplished save onely in the members of the Church triumphant Christs Church whether we consider it as militant or triumphant is an essential or integral part of his Kingdom and as his Kingdom so his Church hath its first plantation or beginning here on earth Both have a right or interest in the glorious promises made to the Church universal neither Church nor Kingdom here on earth can have entire possession of the blessings or prerogatives promised until it be given them by the Great King at the day of Final Judgment Of this rank is that prophecie Jer. 31. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more This Place no man denies was literally verified in the Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviours Ascension But shall not be punctually and solidly fulfilled until the day of Judgment be past Then the true members of Christs Church shall neither need Tradition nor the written Word they shall be all immediately taught of God and have his Laws most perfectly and indeliblely written in their hearts The gates of hell shall not then in any wise prevail against them not so far as to annoy their bodies or interrupt their peace and happiness Of this intire happiness and perfection the Church Militant had a pledge or earnest in the effusion of the Holy Ghost and all that be true Members of Christs Church have a superficial draught or picture of this entire happiness in their hearts But Christ at his Ascension was so far from annulling the use of preaching or teaching one another that as the Apostle tels us Eph. 4. 11 12 13. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers more extraordinary then any had been during the time of the Law for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of faith c. 10. Thus to interpret the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Church indefinitely taken can be no Paradox seeing the predictions of our Saviour himself concerning his Kingdom must of necessity be thus interpreted witness that Prediction to omit others Matth. 16. 27 28. The Son of man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Verily I say unto you there be some standing here that shall not tast of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom The later part of this Prediction or the Experiment answering unto it was exemplified in Peter Iames and John within seven dayes after For these Three were Spectators of his Transfiguration in the Mount And his transfiguration was but a representation or exemplification of that glory wherein he shall appear in the day of Judgment when he shall give these Apostles and all that shall obey his precepts full possession of the Kingdom of God prepared for them But albeit these three Apostles had not onely their eyes but their ears true witnesses of his glory as of the glory of the onely begotten Son of God for so it is said Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light and ver 5. A bright cloud over shadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased hear him Yet miserable men had they been for all this if their hopes or expectations had been terminated or accomplished with this transient glorious spectacle or voice Both the voice and the spectacle were but earnests or pledges of that everlasting joy or happiness which they were to expect in the perpetual fruition of the like sights or sounds in the life to come Of this sort or rank is that Prophecie of Esay 2. 4. And he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into Plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more There was at the birth of this great Judge a glimps exhibited of this Universal Peace which shall not be universally established before the last and final Judgement All the Nations of the Earth were quiet and free from any noise of War when he came first into the World For Janus his Temple was then shut And after he shall be revealed again unto the World from Heaven there shall be neither Death nor Famine nor the Sword Howbeit even the dearest of his Saints which have lived since his first Birth were to endure a perpetual War in their Pilgrimage here on earth and the end of their War is to make them capable of this everlasting peace 11. Another Prediction of his coming to Judgement there is which must be interpreted according to the former Rule that is Inchoativè or in part of his first coming to visit us in humility and to instruct the World but Completivè or fully of his second coming to Judge the World Mal. 3. 2 3. But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope And he shall sit as a refiner or purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness So certain and so general is the former Rule of interpretation that not this prediction of Malachi's onely and the like of other Prophets but the fulfilling of them related by the Evangelists cannot rightly be interpreted without the
temporal A mountain of gold could not have swayed so much with St. John as thirty pieces of Silver did with Judas so unequally was the balance of his heart set that this small sum being put as it were in the one scale did over-poize his Lord and Master who was the fountain of all spiritual Graces being put in the other scale It was not then the weight of the money but the Excesse of his desire and propension to money which made him so foully to miscarry The whole art or skill of a Christian consists in these two points First In examining or finding out the strength or sway of his affections unto things temporal And secondly In abating or weakning their strength or in weaning his soul from such desires This is that which the Scripture cals the Circumcision of the heart and that is no other then a putting off of all superfluous or impertinent desires or a lopping or limiting of our natural desires that they extend not beyond our compasse A Grain of Faith or spiritual Grace may sway more in a man of moderate desires then an Ounce of the same faith or Grace can do in a man of immoderate or vast desires The first fruit of Grace is to moderate our desires or affections this is the only way to become rich in Faith and rich in Grace Thus much the heathen Philosopher had observed that the way to be truly rich was not to make continual addition to our wealth or coyn but by substraction or abatement of our desires of it Unless we use the same Method in matters spiritual we can have no certaintie of our salvation no assurance of our setled Estate in Grace albeit our apprehensions of Eternal Life through Christ be quick and lively albeit our zeal to the professors of the truth be strong and servent Though it be most true which St. John saith that Greater is he which is in us then he which is in the world that is Christ Jesus is much stronger then the Divel yet unless we hold our desires and propensions to things temporal within compass and keep our selves within the bounds which he hath set us we have no assurance of his protecting of us against his adversary who is much stronger then we are or can be without his special Protection But say we have set a short period to our desires of things temporal and brought our natural affections into a tolerable subjection unto the spirit of Grace Are we hereby freed from danger or from suffering prejudice in our spiritual Tast of Eternal Life No! Besides that moderation of our natural desires or affections in which The forsaking of all that we have consists there is required a Perpetual watchfulness over all our wayes we must carefully look to every particular step For as a Judicious Divine hath well observed albeit he which is thus far a Christian in heart be endowed with the extraordinary Graces of the spirit be like a man of an able and active body well armed and skilfull in the use of his weapons yet even such a man may quickly take the foile if his adversary encounter him upon a slippery ground For this reason as there must be An Habitual for saking of all that we have lest otherwise our own concupiscences do tempt and betray us so there must be a perpetual watchfulnesse to prevent all advantages which the great tempter never ceaseth to seek out against us hence is that other precept of our Saviour so often inculcated by himself and by his Apostles Be sober and watch watch and pray continually c. Without sobriety there can be no watchfulnesse And this sobrietie consists not only in the moderation of our meat and drink or other pleasure of the sense but in the government of our very thoughts and speeches It includes a maturitie of Judgement and deliberation in all our resolutions and undertakings It is no lesse opposed to restless or hasty furious passion then to habitual excesse in any other kind whatsoever For Celeritas semper malis conatibus addit a Comes Unruly or prodigious Acts are for the most part ushered by rashness A lesser weight if it move swiftly or be violently thrown will sway more and give a greater blow then a far greater weight which moveth slowly or with lesse violence The swiftness of Motion or violent passions will mis-sway our inclinations or propensions though in themselves moderate as far as the setled weight of an habituate inclination or Custome Now albeit we be commanded to be sober and watch to watch and pray continually yet this being an Affirmative Precept Obligat semper non ad semper though it alwayes binds us yet it doth not bind us to all times alike The due observance of it is more specially required at those times which are set a part by Gods law as the Sabbath is or at those times which are by the Church consecrated for religious meditations and performances such as is this instant time of Lent if I should term it the Holy Time of Lent I should with some men incur the censure of superstition seeing all times are alike holy Be it so if we consider them in themselves yet the time of Lent being sequestred or set apart by the Church those feastings or merry meetings which in the season of Joy lately past were not unlawful if the like should be practised or exercised in it would convince the practisers of prophanness I know there is a Doctrinal Error too well entertained in many parts of this Kingdom which much hinders the due observance of this Time but so it doth the performance of many other necessary duties The Error is this That humane Lawes or Lawes Ecclesiastick made by the Church do not bind the Conscience his Doctrine hath been maintained by some worthy and Orthodox Pastors in this Church without any Error if their meaning were rightly conceived But what they conceive not amisse is so expressed that it hath occasioned many to erre foully not in Doctrine only but in Practise Their meaning I know is no more then this That no man doth sin or wound his Conscience but by transgressing some Law of God This in Thesi is most true Yet let me request you to remember or consider what hath been told you before in the controversie between us and the Romish Church concerning Christian Obedience and Loyaltie to Princes that however no man can sin but by transgressing Gods Lawes yet an Ecclesiastick or humane Law being made this year for restraint of our liberty in things indifferent may make the same Act or practise to be a transgression of Gods Law which the year or years before had been no transgression of it But the Law concerning the observation of Lent as well in respect of dyer as of frequenting the house of God is not of this or the last years standing it hath the warrant and custome of the Ancient Church and the highest authoritie of this
desert or only of Gods free Mercy and favour The first Grace being lost though lost it cannot be without their default that had it the second Grace in their Divinity may be merited de Congruo in congruity And this is A strange Tenet that seeing the First Grace cannot be merited by any works of ours either de Condigno or de Congruo that is either out of the true worth of our works or out of any Congruitie or proportion which is between them and Grace the second Grace should be at all merited when the Grace which is the Foundation of this merit is utterly lost this is all one as if they should say The fruit may be good or fair when the Root or Tree which bears it is dead or that the Roof may stand when the foundation is taken from it or that any Accident may remain without a substance Yet thus to hold they are inforced if they wil speak consequently to their other Tenets or Positions concerning the merit of works done out of Grace or charitie For many of their Arguments which they bring for confirmation of their merits in General do either conclude That the Second Grace may be merited or awarded by the course of Gods justice not of mercie only or that the Apostasie into which they should otherwise fall may be prevented by the vertue or efficacie of their former works of charity or else they conclude nothing at all for any merit 3. The Especial or as some think the Only place of Scripture which can with probability be alledged for the Revival of Merits after the Grace from which these merits did spring is utterly extinguished is that Heb. 6. 9 10. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak In the formet verses the Apostle had threatned them with the danger of that Irremissible sin which they call The sin against the Holy Ghost into which no man can fall but by forsaking the works of his First Love What then is the Reason that our Apostle doth hope so well of these back-sliding Hebrews He grounds his hopes as the Advocates for the Romish Church contend not so much upon Gods Free mercie or Favour by which only the First Grace was bestowed upon them as upon Gods Justice And if his hopes be grounded upon Gods Justice more then upon his Free Mereie or Favour Then the Recovery of their former estate or the prevention of that Apostasie into which they were falling was more from the merit of their former works then from Gods Free Mercie or Grace Now That the Apostle did ground his hopes of their Recovery upon Gods Justice they take it as proved from the tenth verse For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister These words seem to import That if God at this time should have cast them off He had not been just and right in his Judgements and if it had been any injustice in God at this time utterly to have forsaken them Then their perseverance in such Grace as was left them for the Recovery of such Grace as they had lost was out of merit or desert and perhaps meritorious of the Recoverie For every man doth deserve or properly merit that which without injustice or unrighteousness cannot be detained from him This is the most plausible argument which they bring for the Revival of Merits after Grace be lost or decayed and if merits may revive after Grace be lost then questionless Whiles Grace continues without interruption or intercision men may merit more degrees or increase of the same Grace and so Finally Everlasting Life which is here said to be the Grace of God I have been bold to put this Argument drawn from our Apostle Heb. 6. as far home as any Advocate for the Romish Church hath done or can do Because the true and punctual Answer unto it will easily reach all other Arguments which they can draw from the like Head or Topick as when it is said God shall reward us in righteousnesse or as a righteous Judge c. 4. To this Place I Answer That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek or Justitia in Latine doth sometimes import strict or legal Justice as it is opposed to mercie favour or loving kindness Sometimes again it imports universal Goodness or all the branches of Goodness So the heathen had observed that Justitia in sese virtutes continet omnes that Justice universally taken did comprehend all vertues in it And in this sense A loving or friendly man is said to be A Just or righteous man So the holy Ghost speaks of Joseph the betrothed Husband of the Blessed Virgin that being a Just man he was not willing to make her an example but was minded to put her away privily though he found her with child between the time of her Espousal and the time appointed for her marriage yet not with child by himself Now so long as he was ignorant that she had conceived by virtue of the Holy Ghost it had been no injustice but rather a branch of Legal Justice to have made her an example to have had her severely punished for so the Law of God in this Case as he yet understood the Case did not only permit but seemed to require And to present a fact punishable by the Law of God is alwayes lawful and just Yet this was no part of that Justice or righteousness which the Holy Ghost commends in Joseph when he saith he was a just man To be Iust then in his Dialect in this Case was to be A loving a friendly and favourable man And if the Romish Church would take Righteousnesse in the same sense in those places wherein it is said that he shall reward the Saints as a righteous Iudge and crown them with Glory their Conceit of merit could find no supportance from those Testimonies of Scriptures which they most alledge for it But To the former place in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is further to be noted That our Apostle doth not say there though it be most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God you have to deal withall you cannot say is not just but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is not unjust As there is a great difference between not worthy and unworthy so is there betwixt not Iust and unjust When our Apostle denies God to be unjust this Negative is Infinite and doth include all other branches of Gods Goodness besides that Justice by which he renders to every man his due It specially importeth in our Apostles meaning his favour or loving kindnesse or his unwillingness to take the advantages of Law or strict Justice against these Hebrews or a willingness not so much to remember their present misdeeds or back-slidings in his Justice as to remember their former works which
were much better then their present in mercie favour and loving kindnesse 5. But whilst they thus contend for the merit of works done by Grace do they not derogate from the merits of Christ who is the only fountain of all Grace We say They do But They Reply They do not but rather magnifie the merits of Christ more then we do who deny the merits of Saints For Christ as they alledge did not only merit Grace for us but this also that we by Grace might truly Merit Now grace itself and the merit of grace is a more Magnificent Effect of Christs Merits then grace alone Here is a Double Effect of Christs Merits by their Doctrine whereas we admit but a single One. Thus they reply But if the One of those two effects which they imagine or conceive doth derogate more in true construction from the merits of Christ then the supposal or admission of it can add unto them We attribute more unto his merits by the admission of One single Effect only to wit meer grace then they do by acknowledgment of Two to wit grace it self and the merit of grace in us But the more we are to merit by grace for our selves the less measure of merit we leave unto Christ For as that which he merited for us is not ours but his so that which we merit for ourselves is not His but Ours The merit of grace supposeth a Fulnesse or Fountain of grace and Fountain of grace there is no other but Christ himself nor is there any Fulness of grace but in him only For of his fulnesse as the Evangelist saith Iohn 1. 16. we all have received grace for grace that is grace upon Grace Every degree or greater measure of Grace which we receive doth flow alike immediatly from the fulness of this inexhaustible Fountain of Grace without any secondary Fountain or Feeders Grace doth not grow in us as Rivers do which although they have one main spring or fountain yet they grow not to any greatness without the help of secondary Fountains or concurrence of many springs or feeders Grace doth so immediatly come from Christ as the Rivers do from the sea Increase of Grace doth come as immediatly from Christ as the increase of Rivers from rain or as the increase of light in the waxing Moon comes from the Sun 6. The state of this Question concerning The merits of works comes to the same issue with that other Great question concering Justification As whether it be by faith alone or by faith and works The Romish Church grants that we are justified by faith in Christs blood or merits Tanquam per Causam efficientem as by a true efficient Cause seeing all the Grace which we first receive is bestowed upon us for Christs sake But they hold withall that it is the Grace which for Christs sake is bestowed upon us by which we are formally justified that is As water poured into a vessel doth immediatly expell the air which was in it before so the infusion of Grace for the merits of Christ doth expell sin whether Original or actuall out of our souls And this in their Language is The remission of sins for the attaining whereof There needs no imputation of Christs righteousness after Grace be once infused The formall Cause of every thing requires some efficient or Agent for the production or resultance of it but being once produced or existent it excludes the interposition or intervention of any other Cause whatsoever for the production or existence of its formall Effect To produce heat in the water it is impossible without the Agency or Efficiency of fire but the water being made scalding hot by the heat of fire will heat or scald the flesh of of man or other living creature although it be removed from the fire although it work only in its own strength or of the heat inherent in it Thus say the Romanists that grace cannot be produced in us but by the vertue and efficiency of Christs merits but being by them once produced it doth justifie us immediatly by the strength and vertue of it inherent in us and by the same strength and vertue working in us it doth produce its formall effect to wit the increase of grace and lastly eternal life But if this Doctrine of theirs so far as it concerns Justification or the Remission of sins were true then this inconvenience as I have elsewhere shewed would necessarily follow That no man already after this manner justified could say or repeat that Petition in our Lords Prayer Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us without a mockerie of God or Christ For if our sins be formally remitted by the infusion of grace and if by the infusion of the same grace we be formally justified the only true meaning of this Petition is in true Resolution This Lord makes us such or remit our sins after such a manner that we shall not stand in need of thy remission or forgivenss of them or that we shall not stand in need of the mediation of thine only Son For if they be remitted immediatly by grace so long as this grace endures all mediation is superfluous is impossible This Inconvenience is farther improved by the same Doctrine so far as it concerns the merits of works done in charitie And prophanes those Two other Petitions in the same our Lords Prayer Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven no lesse then their Doctrine of Justification doth that Petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us For if works done by grace or charitie could truly merit eternal life the effect of all the three Petitions should be but this Lord let thy Kingdom of Grace so come unto us Lord let thy will be so done by us here on earth that as we have been long debters unto thee for giving thine only Son to die for our sins and for the purchasing of the First Grace unto us so let us by this grace be inabled to make both Thee and Him debters to us by the merit of this grace and debters in no meaner a sum then the retribution or payment of Eternal Life For if that life can be merited by our works then God doth owe it unto us for our works And if it be due unto us by merit or by debt then it is not as our Apostle hath it in this 23. verse the gift of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Original hath it the Grace of God The Apostle might as well have said that Eternal Life was as truly the wages of our righteousness as death is the wages of our sin And so the best Scholars in the Romish Church do grant he might have said What then is the Reason why he did not say so Of this they give us This Reason Inasmuch say they as the First grace by which we merit the Kingdom of heaven is
more then the Pharisee confest when he said Lord I thank thee that I am not as other men are nor as this Publicane Here was a true acknowledgement that he received this Grace by whose good use he thought himself better then other men freely from God But in making this Comparison he gloried as if he had not received it or as if having received it he was not so great a Debter unto God as the Publicane was nor liable to the same Account for his sins past or present Questionlesse this Pharisee had been partaker of better Grace at least of better means of salvation then the Publican had been And if this conceit of his own worth in comparison of other men had not polluted his works there is no Question but that he had been more righteous then the Publican yet the Publican went home more justified then the Pharisee not for the worth of any good works which he had done but by unfeigned acknowledgment of his own Unworthiness if God should have entered into Judgment with him That Form of Prayer or acknowledgment which the Publican made would at this day well beseem even those which have received a greater measure of Grace then either he or the Pharisee had done even those which have been more fruitful in Good Works then both of them were Or if the Publican be no fit person for sanctified men to imitate certainly the Prophet Daniel is a fit one and yet his confession of his own unworthiness if God should have dealt in Justice with him was more pathetically humble then the Publicans was Dan. 9. 8 9. Oh Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because we have sinned against thee to thee O Lord our God belongeth mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against thee He placeth no part of his Confidence in the Merit either of his prayer or fasting which yet were both excellent works proceeding from charity and excellently performed by him but how excellently soever these Duties be performed by him or any they neither can Merit ought for their own worth in themselves nor from the vertue of Gods promises for all his promises are promises of Mercie and he that seeks for mercie though promised by God must sincerely and seriously renounce all works even the best works which he hath done that is he must disclaim all Merit or confidence in works otherwise he cannot take hold of Gods promises of mercie but solliciteth God to deal in justice with him 10. And yet here I must request the Reader to call that to mind which hath been often inculcated before that whensoever our Apostle excludes all works from Justification or Election he is to be understood only of Confidence in Works or Conceit of Merit He excludes not their Presence but necessarily requires it to our Justification as to the making of our Election sure He only denies any Causal Efficiencie in them for procuring these or the like blessings of God least of all for obtaining of eternal life unto which Good works are most necessary For our Apostle takes it as granted that we must deny our selves before we can do any good works but we must do good works before we can renounce them and we must renounce them in all our suits and pleas specially for those blessings which God out of his Free Grace and mercie promised us A Doctrine which would to God some late Writers of Reformed Churches had taken into serious consideration whilst they earnestly pleaded for the Free Grace of God in our Election For so they would never have taught us as to my apprehension they do that our Election to Eternal life is a more free grace of God then the donation of Eternal life it self then which as no blessing of God is more Great so none can be more Free But the absolute Freedom of the Gift doth no way exclude but rather require some Qualifications in the Donee and for this Reason it is that the practise of Good works is in special sort required for the attaining of Eternal Life Because That is the greatest and most Free Act of Grace which The God of Mercie hath to bestow upon us in respect of it our best deeds are most unworthy and the lesse worthy they are the more unfeignedly they are to be renounced And seeing our Apostle when he excludes works from any plea of mercie doth only exclude Confidence or Conceit of Merit in them in whatsoever sense he excludes them from Election or Justification he excludes them in an higher degree of the same sense from the Donation of eternal Life Otherwise that could not be as our Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Free Gift of God 11. But as in all other points of Controversie betwixt Us and the Romish Church so in this specially concerning Merits I am alwayes jealous of both Readers and Hearers lest whilst they hear one Error refuted they take occasion to run into the Contrary For preventing this inconvenience in this present point I must Request all in the First Place to Observe that Both of us fully agree in this General that God is a Rewarder of them that seek him and no man can truly seek him but by a true and lively working Faith The Question betwixt us is only this Whether God Reward such as seek him according to the Rule of Justice or according to the Rule of his boundlesse Mercy or whether our works his Grace and promise presupposed be worthy of his Reward or only make us not altogether unworthy or not uncapable of his Mercie The Second Point which I would commend to all mens Consideration is This that as our Apostle in the fore-cited place Heb. 6. doth not ground his hope of those Hebrews recovery upon Gods Justice so he doth not ground it upon the Infallibility or immutable estate of their Election He doth not so much as intimate that they could not possibly fall because their persons were Elected for this was more then either he or they knew more then most men can possibly know more then any man in their Case may safely perswade himself He that makes his personal Election the only Anchor of his Faith in such temptations as these Hebrews at that time were overtaken with shall fall into as bad perhaps a worse Error then if he held That his Good works formerly done might merit his Recovery unto his former estate so he will but address himself to do the like This Conceit of merit though we take men in their best estate or when they are least conscious of grosser sins is a Symptom of heathenish pride or ignorance For the Heathens thought they could make the Gods or divine Powers beholding unto them But to stay our selves in the consciousness of grievous sins lately committed upon perswasions of our personal Election is the most dangerous root of Hypocritical Pride that can be planted in our corrupt
it is then a continuance or Overplus of this abundant mercy to increase this Grace of Adoption in us yearly dayly and hourly Lastly to crown this continuance of his Grace and mercy towards us with an Everlasting Kingdom is but an abundant excess of the same mercy and loving kindness out of which he first promised the Grace of Adoption and dayly increased it Si merita nostra aliquid facerent ad damnationem nostram veniret Non venit ille ad inspectionem meritorum sed ad remissionem peccatorum Non fuisti et factus es Quid Deo dedisti malus fuisti et liberatus es Quid Deo dedisti Quid non ab eo gratis accepisti merito et Gratia nominatur quia gratis datur Briefly in that Gods Mercie and Goodnes is absolutely infinite it can admit of no External Motive or inducement either for bestowing the First Grace upon us or for increasing it or for the perpetuation of it we may deserve or merit the withdrawing of his mercies from us or the decrease of his blessings but deserve or merit their increase we cannot for merit supposeth more then a motive or inducement it necessarily includeth a Tie or Obligement whereas no obligement or inducement can be laid upon infinite goodness whose continuation and increase is likewise successively infinite without all period or restraint unto all such as do not merit or provoke the substraction or diminution of it 8. Difference in this point of merit between the doctrine of the modern Romish Church and the doctrine or rather the conceipt of the Pharisee I for my part could never conceive any save only secundum magis et minùs A difference of defect and Excess The nature and qualitie of their opinions and conceipts is the same The excess of pride or self conceipt of their own works and of their worth is on the Romanists part not on the Pharisees The Pharisees mere wen of more strict life then most either of the Romish or Reformed Churches now living be They abstained from many Enormities in which the Publicans with whom they lived did wallow They were zealous followers of many Good works which the Publicans did not so much as approve much less practise least of all practise with zeal and constancie But were they therefore nearer to the Kingdom of heaven here promised or were they more justified by their works then the Publicans were which did not work The Parable of the Pharisee and Publican Luke 18. doth witness the contrary I tell you saith our Saviour verse 14. this man went down unto his house rather justified then the other to wit the Pharisee What was it then that made the Pharisee more uncapable of justification then the Publican want of works No! As he alledgeth and no man could disprove his allegation He fasted twice in the week and gave Tithe of all that ever he possest What then Only The opinion of merits or over-weening conceipt of the worth of these his Positive works or of his abstinence from grosse and mortal sins But it may be he ascribed all this to His own Free-Will not to the favour and grace of God Not so For if we compare him with the modern Papists in this Point we are bound in conscience to pronounce the same sentence of them that our Saviour did of the Pharisee and the Publican The Pharisee that very Pharisee which our Saviour said was less justified then the Publican is more justifiable then any modern Romanist which beleeves the doctrine of merits as now it is taught or despiseth our Church as less holy then the Church of Rome for denying the merit of works For even this Pharisee albeit he thought himself a great deal better then the Publican yet did he not ascribe this to himself or to his Free-will for so he makes his confession ver 11. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican In saying thus he did acknowledge not only his Positive good works as fasting and paying tithes but his Abstinence from evil as from extortion c. to be from God For he thanks him that he was not an extortioner and his solemn Thanks include an acknowledgment that it was his gift whom he thanks that he was no extortioner no unjust or adulterous person That the Pharisee did conceive as the Romanist doth that the First Grace by which he began to be more observant of Gods Lawes then the Publicans or other men were was only from God and that the increase of this Grace or his proficiencie in good life and works was from himself or the effect of his Free-will this is more then can be laid unto his charge For he saith not God I thank thee that thou hast converted or reclaimed me from so sinful paths as this Publican walks in To have said thus much and no more might have left a suspition that he did acknowledge the First Grace of his conversion to be Gods meer Gift not so the Second or Third Grace or the increase of Grace or his proficiencie in good Life But now he saith God I thank thee that I am not as other men are nor as this Publican This includeth an acknowledgment that all the Perfection whereof until this very day he deemed himself possest was from God was his Free Gift So that it would be very hard to fasten any part of the doctrine of merits which is now stiffely maintained by the Romish Church upon this Pharisee Seeing then he boasts of nothing which he doth not acknowledge that he had received from God wherein doth his pharisaical pride or conceit or as the Evangelist stiles it his Trust in himself consist Only in that he Glories in Gods Graces as if he had not received them in that he was not humbled by that Grace which by his own acknowledgement he had received from God therefore is he lesse justified then the Publican So then the true End and use of all our works of all the Graces which God bestows upon us in this life is to teach us true humility and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as men that seek for the Kingdom of Heaven not by Works much lesse as due to our works but by acknowledgement of Gods Meer Mercie and our own unworthiness Many which in words disclaim the doctrine of Merits as for ought I know this Pharisee did may secretly trust in themselves or in their Merits but none which make the doctrine of Merits a point of Belief as the Romanists do but must of necessity trust in themselves and in their merits as this Pharisee did Hence saith St. Augustine Vis excidere a gratia jactes merita Wouldst thou fall from Grace Boast of thy merits 9. All that they have to Object against us from this place is from the Form of our Saviors Speech Inherit the Kingdom of God prepared for you FOR I was an
Reformation and Refining was that they made The Church which in their Language was the bodie of the Clergie A body Politick or kingdom distinct from the body of the Layetie holding even Christian Kings and Emperours to be Magistrates meerly Temporal or civil altogether excluded from medling in affairs Ecclesiastick Now this being granted the Supream Majestie of every kingdom State or nation should be wholly seated in the Clergie The greatest Kings and Christian Monarchs on earth should be but meer vassals to the Ecclesiastick Hierarchie or at the most in such subordination to it as Forraign Generals and Commanders in chief are to the States or Soveraignties which imploy them who may displace them at their pleasure whensoever they shall transgresse or not execute their instructions or Commissions For this reason as in the handling of the first verses of the 13. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans hath been declared unto you before All the disputes or Lawes concerning the Supremacie of Kings or Free States within their own Dominions were to no purpose unlesse this Root of mischief and Rebellion be taken away which makes the Clergie a body politick or Common-weal Ecclesiastick altogether distinct from the Layetie-Christian Now this erroneous Root of mischief hath been well removed by the Articles of Religion established in this Church and Land Article the 37. wherein The same authoritie and power is expresly given to the Kings of this Realm and their successors which was in use and practise amongst the Kings of Judah and the Christian Emperors when kingdoms and Common-weales did first become Christian The Law of God and of nature will not suffer the Soveraign Power in Causes Ecclesiastick to be divorced from the Supream Majestie of any Kingdom or free Soveraigntie truely Christian But what be the contrary Errors into which such as take upon them to be Reformers of the Reformation already made have run headlong Or how do they the same things wherein they judge the Romanists The Romanists as they well observe deserve condemnation by all Christian States for appropriating the Name or Soveraign Dignitie of the Church unto the Clergie and by making the Prerogative of Priests and Prelates to be above the Prerogatives of Kings and Princes The Contrary faction of Reformers not content to deprive the Clergie of those civil Immunities and priviledges wherewith the Law of God the Law of Nations and the Fundamental Law of this Kingdom have endowed them will have them to be no true members of the Common-weale or Kingdom wherein they live Or at the best but such Inferior members of the Common-weale as the Papists make the Layetie to be of the Church men that shall have no voice in making those Coercive Lawes by which they are to be governed and to govern their flocks yea men that shall not have necessary voyces in determining controversies of Religion or in making Rules and Canons for preventing Schisme I should have been afraid to beleeve thus much of any sober man professing Christianitie unlesse I had seen A book to this purpose perused as is pretended in the Frontispice by the Learned in the Laws But the Author hath wisely concealed his own name and the names of those learned in the Lawes which are in grosâ—â— pretended for its Approbation And therefore I shall avoid suspition of ayming at any particular out of mis-affection to his person in passing this general Censure No man could have had the heart to write it no man the face to read it without blushing or indignation but he that was altogether unlearned and notoriously ignorant in the Law of God in the Law of nature and in the Fundamental points of Christianitie 6. All Errors in this kind proceed from these Originals First The Authors of them Charitie may hope by Incogitancie or want of consideration rather than out of Malice seek to subject the Clergie unto the same Rule unto which the Church was subject for the first 300. years after Christ during which time the Kings and Emperours under which the Christians lived were Heathens And whilst the chief Governours were such no Christians could exercise Coercive Authoritie as to Fine imprison or banish any that did transgresse the Lawes of God or of the Church The Apostles themselves could use no other manner of punishment besides delivering up to Satan Excommunication or inhibition from hearing the word or receiving the Sacraments Secondly the Authors of the former Errors consider not That whilest the Church was in this subjection to meer Civil and not Christian Power the Lay-Christians of what rank soever though noble men by birth were as straightly confined and kept under as were the Clergie Yea the Clergie in those times had greater authoritie over Lay-Christians then any other men had Authority much greater over the greatest then any besides the Romish Prelates do this day challenge over the meanest of their flocks But after Kings and Emperors and other supream Magistrates were once converted to the Christian Faith their dignities were no whit abated but gained this Addition to their former Titles that they were held supream Magistrates in Causes Ecclesiastick That is they had power of calling Councils and Synods for quelling Schisms and Heresies in the Church power likewise to punish the Transgressors of such Laws or Canons as had been made by former Godly Bishops or Prelates which lived under Heathen States or of such as the Bishops or Clergy which lived under their Government should make for the better Government of Christs Church Unto punishments meerly spiritual which the Apostles and Bishops had formerly only used Christian Emperors added punishments temporal as imprisonment of body loss of goods exile or death according to the nature and qualitie of the transgression But that any Laws or Canons were made by Christian Kings or Emperors for the Government of the Church or that any Controversies in Religion were determined without the Express Suffrages and Consents of Bishops and Pastors though all wayes ratified by the Soveraigntie of the Nation or State for whom such Canons were made no man until these dayes wherein we live did ever question 7. And of such as question or oppose Episcopal Authoritie in these Cases I must say as once before out of this place in like case I did If Heathen they be in heart and would perswade the Layetie again to become Heathens their Resolutions are Christian at least their conclusions are such as a good Christian living under Heathens would admit But if Christians they be in heart and profession their Conclusions are heathenish or worse For what Heathen did ever deny their Priests the chief stroke or sway in making Lawes or ordinances concerning the Rites or service of their Gods or in determining Points Controverted in Religion To conclude this Point The men that seek to be most contrary to the Romish Church and are most forward to judge her for enlarging the Prerogative of Priesthood beyond its ancient
pamphlets Schismatical and Seditious books find no where better welcome or entertainment then in this Town And wise men I hope will account it a work of charitie rather then of crueltie to take Rats-bane from children albeit they should long after it more greedily then after any wholsom meat Or if any be so stubborn as not to part with this poison by gentle perswasions the only Remedie must be to exclude them from communicating with others in the food of life For us Dearly beloved let us in the bowels of Christ Jesus I beseech you content our selves with the Reformation already established by Authority It is no time to sally out against the Adversary in single bands or scattered companies but rather with the joynt forces of our united affections of prayers and endeavours either to batter the Foundation of their Churches wals or manfully to defend our own keeping our selves within the bounds whereunto authoritie hath confined us The common Adversaries of the Truth which we professe want no strength of wit or weapons of Art to work upon all advantages which our ignorance negligence indiscretion or dissension may present unto them And this one great advantage they have of us that we for the most part fight as it were every man upon his own head without the advice or appointment of our chief Leaders and Commanders So do not our Adversaries they have the perfect Discipline of War And I cannot but approve his wish That either they had our vine or we their fence And it is a Rule to be observed aswell in spiritual warfare as in any others yea most especially in it Arma tenenti Omnia dat qui justa negat By denying that to our Adversaries whereto they have fair Title out of Gods Word or out of Venerable Orthodoxal Antiquitie we shall but betray the true Cause which we maintain against them in main and Fundamental Points which if we would wisely maintein them are most defensible Observe I beseech you what hath been said unto you and the God of wisdom and of peace give you understanding in all things profitable to your Salvation CHAP. XXXIX The Third Sermon upon this Text. ROMANS 2. 1. Therefore Thou art inexcusable O man c. A Romish Error breeding Doubt of Salvation charged upon its proper evident Ground viz Their making The Intention of A Bishop Essentially necessarie to the Consecration of A priest And the Intention of a Priest so necessary that no Sacrament can be without it The Error of The Contrarij Teaching a Preposterous immature Certaintie of Salvation The Right Mean betwixt or cure of these extremities prescribed unto us by our Reformers of Blessed memorie contained in the Publick Acts of The Church 1. ANother Doctrinal Point there was mainteined by the Romish Church when our Fathers departed from it which required Reformation And this Point contains all the several Tenets of that Church which did occasion or nurse Doubt of Salvation or Perplexity of Conscience in every private man so often as he should examine his Estate in Grace his hopes or Interest in Gods mercy or promises to all First then by Gods assistance Of the General Error or that branch of it which especially required Reformation Secondly Of the Contrary Error or Inconveniencies into which many by Curiositie of Reformation have run Thirdly Of the True Mean or Orthod oxal Doctrine which the Reformers of our Church did hold and maintain and have delivered unto us in the Publick Acts of the Church approved and ratified by the General Consent of this Kingdom The Error of the Romish Church was Doubt of Salvation with This Error that Church hath been often charged by all the best writers of Reformed Churches But sometimes or by some men in those Churches not upon so Evident Ground as it might be charged For some there be which charge this Error directly upon their Tenet concerning The Nature of Faith or Hope But for their Defence if we joyn issue with them upon those Terms they have more to say then they can have if we charge this Error upon their Doctrine concerning The Intention of the Priest in the Administration of the Sacraments By whose hidden vertue Faith and Hope are begotten and increased For how much soever they may seem to magnifie The Sacraments of the New Testament in respect of the Sacraments of the Law as that they conferre Grace upon the receivers of them Ex Opere operato by the very Sacramental action which the Sacraments of the Law did not Yet all this being granted no man can be more certain of his Estate in Grace then he is of the good Intention of the Priest which administred the Sacraments Now this Assurance or perswasion of the Priests Intention can be no sure Ground of Faith truly Christian 2. The Sacrament of Baptism they hold to be absolutely necessary unto Salvation and that All such infants as die without Baptisme are excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven And yet they hold withall that Unlesse the Priest when he comes to Baptize any Infant do intend to do what the Church appoints him to do the Baptisme is invalid or of none effect albeit he use the Formal Words of Baptisme and apply the Sacramental element to the body of the Infant presented by the solemn prayers of the Church or Congregation present Besides the solemn Pronunciation of the Words I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and the washing of the body in water there must be Interior mentis intentio the internal Intention of the Priests minde must joyntly concur with the Word and Sacrament or rather with the Holy Ghost for producing the Invisible Grace or Gift of the Spirit which is the proper Effect of the Sacrament So that how well soever the Parents the Friends and neighbours assembled demean themselves at or before the performance of this Sacred Act yet every Infant brought to the Sacred Laver may be Two Wayes remedilesly prejudiced by the Priest to the ruine of its soul or losse of salvation First It may be deprived of the fruit or benefit of this Sacrament which is by their Doctrine absolutely necessary to salvation by the meer negligence or carelesnesse of the Priest as in Case he forget in heart or mind to intend his dutie of doing that which the Church in like Case usually doth or appoints to be done whatsoever else he do or say all is nothing it is no Baptisme Secondly The Infant may be so far prejudiced as is said by the malice or impietie of the Priest As in Case he be so wickedly disposed as secretly to subtract or withdraw his Intention by any interposed condition or Limitation though not expressed the Baptisme is invalid or of no effect To give you One of their own Instances or Ruled Cases If one should come to one of their Priests and request him to baptize such a mans child naming his Parents and
29 § 9. Fol. 3586. I suppose this was preached at St. Ma. in Oxon. Nothing is called Little or great but in Comparison with other things Lev. 23. 27. ☜ The occasion of Baruchs complaint Two Doctrines or two Propositions A Corollarie added to the former Things indifferent yea lawful things by Circumstances become unlawful He means some man that had turned to the Church of Rome Good men are and ought to be most religious in worst Times Sympathie planted in Bruites See the Sermons upon this Text. Fol. 3610. ☞ ☜ Apathie a Symptom of a graceless obdurate mind Numb 32. 6. 2 Sam. 11. Uriah Godfrey of Bulloign Argia in Statius Of Portia see Plutarch in vita Bruti The Author omits the Second Doctrine to be handled in the next Sermon and passeth to the Corollarie which he proves by Instance A Great Warning and a Greater Truth Libro 6. de providentia Dei See more Instances of Stupidity in the end of the Attributes Salvian This was preached in Oxon after the visitation by the Plague A Forward Souldier Petrus Strozius See Val. Maximus de Cupiditate Uiae Epist Lib. 1. Epist 22. See Lanoue Paradox second Page 204. Thuanus Lib. 26. pag. 543. colum 1. See Busbequius his fourth epist De Rebus Turc Lament 4. 10. Zephaniah 2. 3. The Doctrine handled in Hypothesi An Objection 1 King 21. 2 Kings 22. 18. 19 20. The Objection pressed home The Answer to the former Objection 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. 2 King 23. 30. 2 Chron. 35. 21 24. Ezek. 14. 20 21. From a double Aspect A twofold Sympathie ariseth See Chap. 14. §. 6. Fol. 3439. Quaere whether he mean his Sermons upon Jer. 26. and other Texts printed 1637. Or Pharaohs Hardning See Book 10. Fol. 3222. ☞ See the following Sermon upon Matthew 23. 37. ☜ I suppose he means His Treatise of Prodigies or divine Fore-warnings betokening Blood which was lost in his life time and cannot yet be found Salvian in his 6. 7. Books de Gubern Matth. 7. 1. Rom. 14. 4. The Text is A Conclusion Q. From what Premisses inferred The Limitation of the Conclusion The Extent of the Conclusion Another Limitation ☞ Two Instances in Ahab and David who by judging others did condemn themselves See Book 10. Fol. 3018. and 3099. The Minor of the foregoing Syllogism ☞ ☜ See Book 4. or justifying Faith Sect. 2. The composition of Hypocrisie Pharisaical Two special sins of the Ancient Jews The Antient Jews sins The later Jews Reformation See a following Sermon upon that Fact Christs true Exposition of the Negative part of the fourth Commandement Take we heed of condemning our selves by judging the later Jews See the fourth chapter of this Book Fol. 3342. See Book 8. ☜ ☜ ☞ A Romish error requiring Reformation An Error of the Contraire extreme disparaging The Reformation A Factious Schismatical Book modestly Censured Apostolical and Episcopal Power under heathen Princes and after Princes were Christianed The Antient Heathens gave and Turks give more to their Priests then some professing Christianity do to theirs both for Power and Maintenance A Precept will be in force when pretences will be out of date The main Error of the Romish Church Infallibilitie both in expounding holy Scripture and in attesting Traditions See the second and third Books The Two former Romish Errors well Reformed The Temper Bounds of the Right and Rigid Reformer The Cure of the Error by the Right Mean The Error extreamly Contrary to the Romish Error ☞ In his Sermon before the King upon Jer. 26. pag. 32. he saith divide the sins of 40. years last past into ten parts the sins of the Pulpit and the Presse would be a large Tenth See signes of the Times pag. 57. 58. Three Points purposed A Romish Eror causing Doubt of Salvation viz The intention of the Priest c. A Romish Priest may damn an Infant through neglect or malice by the Doctrine of that Church See Soto in 4. Senten dis 1. Q. 5. Art 8. Romish Priests have a strange Negative voice The Second Point The Remedie of the Contrarii as bad as the Diease About This Point See Book 4. and Book 10. cha 51 52 53. and Serm. on Jer. 26. pag. 13. and signs of the Times p. 62. Upon this Text See Book 7. Chap. 18 19. See Book 10. Fol. 3274. Where this Author sayes 300. Bellarmines 300 Valentiaes could not do the Protestant Religion so much harm as Dr. Hessels did taking advantage of this Doctrine Of this Division see Lib. 10. Fol. 3153 3275. See Book 10. Fol. 3262 and signes of the Time p. 63. The Third Point How Fides is Fiducia see Book 10. cap. 52. See Chapt. 4. Fol. 3338. Idolatry transforms the Divine Nature into unfit similitudes The late R. R. Bishop of Winchester B. Andrews in his Sermon on that Theme The Worshipping of Imaginations the root of Idolatry See the fifth Book ☜ Some Writers not Papists transform the Divine Nature Paraeus See Book 10. Fol. 3012. ☜ See Book the Fifth The Sayings of dying men remarkable Three points considerable The Circumstance of time Observations and Uses out of the story and circumstances Touching Retaliation see the 6. Book or Treatise of Gods Attributes 2 part §. 4. chap. 31. page 343. A Cluster of Deadly Sins in the Horrible murther of Zechariah the High-Priest Levit. 17. 13. See the next Sermon upon this Text. Gen. 19. 9. Pto. 28. 4. Wisd 2. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 12. Of Pharisaical Hypocrisie See Book 4. and second Sermon on Jer. 26. See the Sermen upon that Text immediately precedent The Former Sermon on 2 Chron. 24. 22 I suppose was preached at Court This at Oxford Of the Jews Calamities see Book 1. chap. 23. and 27. The first Question Who this Zechariah was This punctually agrees with the Copy The Temple and the Altar Why Zachariah called the son of Barachiah See Dr. Hammonds Notes on Matth. 23. fol. 125. where he cites Josephus Lib. 4. cap. 19. for another Zacharias killed by the Zelots immediately before the Seige which puts a short end to this Question The Second Question Why our Saviour instanceth in Zechariah Zachariah the only Prophet that dyed with an Imprecation See Fol. 3721. ☞ The Third Question A Paraphrase or Exegesis of Christs loving and threatning expressions A Paraphrase or Exegesis of our Saviours meaning or Implication How Christs death was A Cause of the Jews Calamities The Son of God in a peculiar manner to the Jews King of Old Psa 74. 10 Luke 4 6. Ezek. 7. 21 24. Dan. 4. 17. See fol. 3729. where this was the 4 Question propounded From Abels to Zachariahs death were 3000. years from Zach. to these words spoken were 00. or 900. See a following Sermon on 2 Kings 23. 26. A Generation contains thirty years betwixt Manasseh's and Iosiahs death were about thirty three years The Objection is hardened by taking in Abels Blood Zechariah was slain 900. years Abel 3800. years before Christ spoke