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.
Christs Church which is his mystical body are inseparably knit together to Christ and to one another Hypocrites may be externally by outward profession and separably united to the Church and Christ but true believers in Christ abide in Christ Joh. 15. 2. they are inseparably united to Christ else as was said before Christ may lose his peculiar people yea be a head without a body for if one of his members may be eternally separated from See Dr. Field of the Church his Appendix part 1. p. 833. That the elect called according to Gods purpose have that grace that excludeth sin from reigning and that this grace once had by them is never totally nor finally lost him then others may also and if others then all of them may be so separated from him for there is the same reason of one that there is of another yea of all Our Saviour saith Not one of them his Father gave him is lost John 17. 12. yea the Apostle speaks fully that nothing shall be able to separate us that are in Christ Jesus from the love of Gâ—â— which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Those whom Chriâ—â— loved he loved to the end John 13. 1. Isa 54. 8. But with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeeâ—â— Jerem. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefâ—â— with loving kindness have I drawn thee Jerem. 32. 40. And I 〈◊〉 make an everlasting covenant with thâ—â— that I will not turn away from them 〈◊〉 do them good but I will put my feâ—â— Vide King James his Declaration against Vorstius wherein he called the Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints taught by Bertius a Scholar of Arminius that enemy to God an heretical blasphemous and wicked Doctrine in their hearts that they shall not depart from me and Rom. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 gifts and calling of God are witâ—â— repentance Gods decree of Eleâ—â— is unchangeable and therefore thâ—â—â— gifts that flow from it are imâ—â— table too God taketh not thâ—â—â— away from them neither can thâ—â— that have them lose them Chrâ—â—â— prayed for them John 17. 9 15 19 20 24. and Bishop Mountagâ—â— himself confesseth that Christ was ever heard in what he prayâ—â— for ART IX That the corruption of our nature commonly called Original sin which remaineth in truly regenerated persons after Baptism is not properly a sin THis I renounce 1. because 't is contrary to the sound Doctrine of the Church of England in Homily of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 167. where we may read how excellently man was made after Gods own Image and that Adam falling into sin had in himself no one part of his former purity and cleanness but being altogether spoâ—ted insomuch that he seemed to be altogether a lump of sin and therefore by the just judgment of God was justly condemned to everlasting death and this plague fell not only upon himself but also upon all his posterity and children for ever as St. Paul Rom. 5. By one mans offence sin entred upon all many were made sinners by which words we are taught that as in Adam all men universally sinned so in Adam all men universally received the reward of sin that is became mortal and subject unto death having nothing in themselves but everlasting damnation both of body and soul they became as David saith corrupt and abominable they went all out of the way there was none that did good no not one And in the Homily of the Death of Christ T. 2. p. 184. Is not sin think you a grievous thing in Gods sight seeing for the transgression of Gods Precept in eating of one apple he condemned all the world to perpetual death and would not be pacified but only with the blood of his own Son And in Homily of Christs Resurrection T. 2. p. 195. Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt and leavened with the sowre bitterness of the poyson which we received by the inheritance of our old Fatheâ— Adam But more fully the Church of England in her 9th Article of Religion of Original sin thus Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendered of the off-spriâ—â— of Adam whereby man is very far gone from Original Righteousâ—â— and is of his own nature inclined to evil so that the flesh lusteth 〈◊〉 ways contrary to the spirit and therefore in every person 〈◊〉 into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation and 〈◊〉 infection of nature doth remain yea in them that are regeneratâ—â— whereby the lust of the flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiâ—â— some do expound the wisdom some sensuality some the affectioâ—â— some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the law of God 〈◊〉 although there is no condemnation for them that believe and 〈◊〉 baptized yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and 〈◊〉 hath in it self the nature of sin In which Article is declared 1. That Original sin doth not consist in following or imitating of 〈◊〉 in sinning against God as Pelagians vainly teach 2. That Original sin is the FAULT AND CORRUPTION of 〈◊〉 nature of every man that by ordinary generation descends from 〈◊〉 Psal 51. 5. Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 4. 17. Jam. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11. 3. That Original sin deserves Gods wrath and damnation in every â—â—â—son so born into this world Rom. 7. 23 24. Gal. 5. 17. Ephes 2. 3. 4. That Original sin is and remains in every person so born eveâ—â— them that are regenerated Rom. 7. from vers 7. to vers 25. 5. That concupiscence oâ— lust hath in it the nature of sin Rom. 〈◊〉 11 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 23 24. Gal. 5. 17. Now sum up what the Church of England saith of Original sin 〈◊〉 then judg whether she doth not affirm that Original sin is propâ—â— a sin 2. Because 't is contrary to the sound Doctrine of other reformâ—â— Churches to be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sec. 4. p. 〈◊〉 1. 'T is contrary to the latter Confession of Helvetia Man was frâ—â— the beginning created of God after the Image of God in righteâ—â— ness and true holiness good and upright but by the instinct of 〈◊〉 â—â—rpent and his own fault falling from goodness and uprightâ—â—â— became subject to sin death and sundry calamities and such 〈◊〉 one as he became by his fall such are all his off-spring even 〈◊〉 ject to sin death and sundry calamities and we take sin to be 〈◊〉 natural corruption of man derived or spread from those our 〈◊〉 parents unto us all through which we being drowned in evil 〈◊〉 â—upiscences and clean turned away from God but prone to 〈◊〉 evil full of all wickedness distrust contempt and hatred of Goâ—â— can do no good of our selves no not so much as think of any 2.
washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish So T it 3. 5 6. Cant. 4. 7. Christ Church is all fair there is no spot in her and I might say to Papists that they hold that venial sins do * Veniale peccatum non causat maculam in anima Th. Aquin. 12 ae q. 89. a. 1. B. Medin in 12 ae q. 88. a. 1. p. 1209. not make a spot in the soul and therefore that there is no need of casting it into Purgatory to purge them from them but I say though this sanctification be imperfect in this life yet 't is perfected at the hour or instant of death Heb. 12. 23. But ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect that is ye are come to the company of just mens souls in heaven that are made perfect in grace Hence we may easily and certainly conclude 1. That the godly souls of justified men when they depart out of their bodies do live with God and the blessed Saints in heaven because otherwise they cannot be taken into fellowship with them and that therefore they live not in the Popes Purgatory 2. That the souls of justified men are perfect in heaven all their imperfections infirmities and corruptions with which they were troubled while they were in their bodies are perfectly done away and they are made perfect in grace 1 Cor. 13. 10. But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away v. 11. Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know as I am known 'T is true we have our sins here while we are in the body of corruption that lets us in doing good and disposeth Mores animae sequutur temperamentum corporis us to do evil and makes us wretched as St. Paul complains Rom. 7. But as soon as we put off this body of death as some think Paul called it the old man and all its lusts and affections are put off too perfectly and we are in our souls made perfect not only sincere and as perfect is opposed to hypocrisie as now but we are perfect as perfect is opposed to that which is imperfect there shall remain no sinful imperfections in our souls but we are as the holy Angels of God and do Gods Will as they do perfectly without any the least sin whatsoever and this Doctrine not only sound Protestants but Papists themselves do hold too for they say That the day of the Saints death is their birth-day for in that say they they are Cornelius a Lapide in Apoc. 14. 13. new-born and enter into everlasting life yea wise King Solomon saith That the day of ones death is better than the day of ones birth that is to true believers in Christ 't is not to them a vindictive punishment but a passage from this life in sin and misery to a life better in Heaven sinless and blessed and to me that which is said in our Liturgy in the order of burial is a good confirmation which is you know thus Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take to himself the soul of our dear brother here departed which is true though not of all yet of all Gods elect in Christ and we cannot in reason conceive that God their loving Father who hath elected them in Christ his Son who hath suffered for them and which suffering he hath accepted as full satisfaction for them will in Christs presence who is ever with his Father and at his right hand making intercession for them bid them be gone or send them to the Popes Purgatory there to suffer hellish torments till the day of judgment and we cannot conceive that Christ himself would do it To all this I might urge an argument ad homines which may convince them though not us and say that Papists must hold if not this truth with us too yet more that Saints even in this life are perfect else their justification by their own habitual righteousness and their meriting eternal life by their own good works and their perfectly fulfilling the law will fall to the ground if there remain some sins in the souls of persons that are justified before God which must be purged away by suffering temporal punishments in their Purgatory then certainly neither was their inward habitual righteousness perfect and so could not justifie them before God but needed a justification and pardon it self and so their justification of their persons before God is overthrown by this their covetous Doctrine of Purgatory nor was their outward actual righteousness or good works meritorious of eternal life but rather for the sin in them deserved eternal death If believers in this life can both for matter and manner in their own persons keep and fulfill the whole Moral Law as they plead they can then this their casting off their souls into Purgatory to be purged from some venial sins committed in their life-time here in the body which were not sufficiently purged here as they say must needs fall to the ground and therefore they must deny their forementioned Doctrines of Justification Merits and fulfilling the Law or renounce this of Purgatory which overthrows them for this Dilemma will push them with one horn or both if they say that their inherent righteousness is perfect then they destroy their pretended foundation for their Purgatory then there will be no sins remaining to be purged in Purgatory if they say that their inherent righteousness is imperfect then I say they destroy their justification before God by their own inherent righteousness for imperfect righteousness cannot justifie them in the sight of God but will stand in need of a perfect righteousness to procure a pardon for and cover its imperfectness if they affirm that imperfect righteousness will justifie mens persons before God then they plainly deny Christ and say in effect whatsoever they pretend to the contrary that there was no need of his coming into the world and doing and suffering what he did for 't is yielded that men by the light of nature the study of Moral Philosophy and good education and observation have attained to great measures of Moral Justice which yet neither justifies them before God as our 13th Article undeniably proves of which I spake before nor saves them as our 18th Article plainly John 3. 3. Acts 15. 24 28. Rom. 3. 10 20 28. Gal. 3. 16. Gal. 5. 18. Col. 2. 16 20. Ephes 2. 8 9. Apoc. 20. 10. Apoc. 21. 8. Acts 4. 12. John 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. John 14. 6. Hebr. 11. 6. shews the title of which is this Of obtaining salvation only by the Name of Jesus Christ The Article it self is this They also are to be had accursed that presume to say That every man
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
* This is an old Pelagian Error as St. Aug. shewed l. 2. de Predest Sanct. c. 18. Alvarez de Auxil Div. Gracâ—â— Disp 1. p. 12. n. 16. Faith repentance good works and perseverance were the true causes moving God to elect them to eternal Salvation THis I renounce Because 1. 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. p. 2. p. 186. Christs death was caused by mans sin and Gods mercy proccedeed from Gods free love to mankind without any merit or desert on our part And a little before in the same Homily p. 1â—â— Our acts and deeds are full of imperfectness and infirmities and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour And therefore I conclude that it proceeded not from mans foreseen good-will or Gods foresight that he would use his will well as believe in Christ and persevere in well-doing c. but from Gods own good will to him 2. 'T is contrary to Sacred Scripture for the holy Scriptures do every where where they treat of this Election ascribe it to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purpose good-will or free-grace as Ephes 1. 4. 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to 〈◊〉 good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace where he hath made us accepted in the beloved Where 't is clear that we are â—â—cted to holiness and not for our holiness of which Faith is a chief paâ—â— So verse the ninth of the same Chapter Having made known unto the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath pâ—â—posed in himself So v. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will So 2 Tim. 1â—â— Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began So Rom. 9. 1â—â— 16. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compâ—â— on on whom I will have compassion So then it is not of him that willeth 〈◊〉 of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy So Rom. 9. 11 12 1â— For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or 〈◊〉 that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works 〈◊〉 of him that calleth It was said to her The elder shall serve the youngâ—â— as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated So Rom 8 〈◊〉 30. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conforme◠〈◊〉 the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many brethâ—â— mark it they were predestinated that they might be conformed to the image of Christ not because he foresaw they would be so themselves Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorifiâ—â— From whence I reason thus 1. If mens foreseen Faith good works and perseverance thereiâ— did move God to elect them to Salvation then their Election was nâ—â— of mercy and free grace but of justice seeing he did but chuse thâ—â— to glory because he saw they were worthy and so their Electiâ—â— was not of Gods free grace but of mans desert 2. If God elected men to eternal life because he did foresee thâ—â— would believe and do good works c. then Election was of him thâ—â— willeth and of him that runneth and not of him that sheweth mercy which is directly contrary to the express word of God 3. If Elect on was for foreseen Faith and good works then it follows that the object of Election was not fallen man and so miserable and an object of mercy as all our most sound Divines do commonly hold and which opinion the Popish Arminian party approâ—â— of more than they do of the Superalapsarian way but man restored 〈◊〉 grace and justified which all sound Divines deny 4. The effect of Election was not cannot be the moving cause of Election But Faith and good works are the effects of Election and therefore they were not they cannot be the moving cause of Gods electing men to Salvation The Major is undensable because the cause is before the effect and the effect is after the cause The Minor is clear by express Scripture Act. 13. 48. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Where 't is evident that their believing is an effect or fruit of Gods ordaining them to eternal life So Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him And Rom. 8. 29 30. Whom he did foreknow that is eternally elect he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Where conformity to the image of Christ is an effect of Predestination not a cause moving God to elect us and by conformity cannot be meant only of conformity to Christ in suffering afflictions or bearing the Cross as Arminians would falsely expound the place for so many of Gods elect Infants and others would be excluded out of the number of Gods Elect. For many of them pass out of this world without suffering of the Cross as Christ did and live here in this world in wealth and peace and honour And the next following words gainsay that gloss That he might be the first-born among many brethren Now Christ was not only the first-born among many brethren in regard of suffering affliction but also and chiefly in respect of holiness and happiness We his Elect-brethren are predestihated to be conformed to him in righteousness and holiness here and glory and happiness hereafter and consequently that we might believe and do good works and persevere therein For these are part of our inherent righteousness or conformity to Christ our elder Brother He was called properly the first-born for his superexcellent grace and in that our conformity to him here was predestinated from all eternity and also our Glorification with him in Heaven hereafter as the next words explain the former Whom he did predestinate them he also called justified and glorified Vocation Justification and Glorification are the things we are to be conformed to the Image of Christ And here may be observed that Vocation and Justification and Glorification whiâ—h include or presuppose Faith in Christ and good works and perseverance are fruits of Election and not causes 5. If our Election was of foreseen Faith and good works thâ—â— Gods electing of us was in order of nature after and the fruit 〈◊〉 our electing of God and so we should be said to chuse him 〈◊〉 love him first which is directly contrary to Canonical Scripturâ— Joh. 15. 16. Ye
due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be injoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God Now this is very true and excellently good and comfortable Doctrine in which are many truths against the Church of Rome and heâ— followers very remarkable As 1. That Gods decree of Election or Predestination unto eternal life is immutable and not changeable as Papists and Arminians hold very erroneously for 't is called Gods everlasting purpose whereby 〈◊〉 hath constantly decreed by his counsel The decrees of God are in Godâ— and whatsoever is in God is God and God is immutable Mal. 3. 6. I am tâ—â— Decretum Dei est ipsissima Dei voluntas Wol. Chr. Theol. l. 1. c. 3. p. 20. Et quicquid est in Deo est ipse Deus Decreta Dei secundum esse absolutum sunt ipse Deus Maccovius Redivivus Theol. Polem c. 6 p. 6. c. 7 p. 63. Lord I change not Jam. 1. 17 With Gâ—â— there is no variableness nor shadow of turning Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Gods loâ—â— to his elect in Christ is unchangeable Isa 54. 8. With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeareâ— of old unto me saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 32. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will 〈◊〉 turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearâ—â— that they shall not depart from me John 13. 1. Jesus loved his own which were in the world to the end John 10 28 29. Christ sâ—ith of his sheep thus I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither sâ—â— any man pluck them out of my hands My Father which gave them me 〈◊〉 greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one John 17. 9 20. Christ hath prayed for them not only that their faith fail not as he prayed for Peter Luk. 22. 32 but that they may be delivered from the evil of the world v. 15. and that they may be one and that they may be with him v. 21 24. Rom. 8. 35 36 38 39. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ See for this also the 3d Article of Lambeth declared as I shewed before to be the Doctrine of the Church of England which is this There 〈◊〉 predestinated a certain number of the predestinate which can neither bâ— augmented nor diminished See also the 13th Article of the Religion of the Church of Ireland which is this By the same eternal counsel God hath predestinated some unto life and reprobated some unto * Which is the first Article of Lambeth death of both which there is a certain number known only to God which can neither be increased noâ— diminished See also the Synod of Dort c. 1. of Predestination Can. 7. Election is the UNCHANGEABLE What Election is purpose of God by which before the foundations of the world according to the most free pleasure of his will and of his meer grace out of all mankind fallen through their own default from their first integrity into sin and destruction he hath chosen in Christ unto salvation a set-number of certain men neither better nor more worthy than others but lying in the common misery with others which Christ also from all eternity he appointed the Mediator and head of all the elect and foundation of salvation and so he decreed to give them to him to be saved and by his Word and Spirit effectually to call and draw them to a communion with him that is to give them a true faith in him to justifie sanctifie and finally glorifie them being mightily kept in the communion of his Son to the demonstration of his mercy and praise of the riches of his glorious grace as it is written Ephes 1. 4 5 6. Rom. 8. 30. Canon 11 12. of the same Chapter As God himself is most wise unchangeable omniscient and omnipotent so the Election made by him can neither be interrupted nor changed revoked or disannulled the elect cast away nor their number diminished Of this their eternal and immutable election unto salvation the elect in their time although by several degrees and in a different measure are assured and that not by searching curiously into the depths and secrets of God but by observing in themselves with spiritual joy and holy pleasure the infallible fruits of Election signed out unto us in Gods word such as are a true faith in Christ a filial fear of God grief for our sins hungring and thirsting after righteousness And the Synod rejects the error of those who teach That not all election unto salvation is unchangeable but that some which are elected notwithstanding Gods decree may perish and for ever do perish by which gross error they both make God mutable and overthrow the comfort of the godly concerning the certainty of their salvation and contradict the holy Scriptures teaching Matth. 24. 24. That the â—lect cannot be seduced John 6. 39 That Christ doth not lose those which â—â—e given to him of his Father Rom. 8 30 That God whom he hath preâ—estinated called justified them he doth also glorifie 2. That Gods decree of predestination to eternal life was made by â—â—m before the foundations of the world were laid as may be seen also in the first Article of Lambeth-Articles which is this God froâ— eternity hath predestinated certain men unto life and certain men hâ—â— he reprobated And also in the 13th Article of Ireland which coâ—tains the same Doctrine in the same words that our 17th Artiâ—â— doth and also in the Synod of Dort c. 1. Canon 7. before fâ—â— recited and Canon 8. they say That this Election is not maniâ—oâ—â— but one and the same of all which are to be saved both under â—â— Old and New Testament because the Scripture speaks but of 〈◊〉 only good pleasure purpose and counsel of the Will of God 〈◊〉 which he hath chosen us from eternity both unto grace and gloâ—â— both unto salvation and the way of salvation which he hath prâ—â— pared that we should walk therein and according to this Doctrine is
11. saith Effectus baptismi primarius est ita peccatum omne abolere idque vi operis operati ut quae reliqua manet prava fidelibus concupiscentia peccatum verâ—â— censeri non debet and Bishop Taylor saith That this concupiscence or inclination to forbidden instances is not imputed to the baptized 〈◊〉 to the regenerated Further Explanat of original sin p. 500. And in the next Page he saith It is a contradiction to say that the sin remains and the guilt is taken away if he pardons he takes away the sin for in the justified no sin can be inherent or habitual Now is not this most notorious false Doctrine condemned in the Palestine Synod Article 9th objected against Pelagius and contrary to Article the 9th of the Church of England which saith That this infection of nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated And the 15th Article which saith thus But all we the rest 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 and contrary to 1 John 1. 8. yea is not this truly Antinomian yea Antichristian What have justified persons no sin inherent in them Is justification an abolishing of the being of sin in the justified And p. 461. he saith that in infants the very actions and desire of concupiscence are no sins and therefore much less is the principle but more to my purpose he saith ibid. p. 481. That after baptism the guilt of the first sin doth not remain which if it be true then according to him they die not for that sin and that all persons baptized be they non-elect are freed by it from the guilt of that sin and that if they die before they commit actual sin they are undoubtedly saved which many learned Divines doubt of and many more plainly deny it the Scriptures alledged by Papists as Ephes 5. 26. T it 3. 5. either are not understood of external baptism but of internal sanctification or regeneration or if of baptism then they are to be understood obsignificativè not physice significativè not realiter else it would follow that every person that is baptized is really and internally regenerated which is most apparently false For 1. many that are baptized live most wicked lives and die most wicked deaths if the tree may be judged by the fruits or else he must hold with Jesuitical Papists that truly regenerated persons may totally and finally fall away from saving-grace against which Popish Error read what is said before and become castaways and damned And because baptism came in the place of circumcision it would follow that all that were externally circumcised in their foreskins were also internally circumcised in their hearts which is clearly contrary to Romans 2. 28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Where 't is obvious that some were outwardly but were not inwardly circumcised and in their hearts and so it may beh ere Besides our most learned and sound Divines as Bishop Prideaux Maccovius and many others out of St. Angustin hold that sin is taken away by baptism yea by justification non ut non sit but only non ut imputetur the blood of Christ washeth away sin meritoriously the Spirit of God efficiently the word instrumentally the Sacraments symbolically significatively and obsignificatively that original sin is washed away by baptism Our Conformists consent and assent and subscribe to this Position which whether true and so certain as it 's said I determine not because I know not how to prove it by Gods word It is certain by the wâ—â—â— of God that children which are baptized dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved Rubr. after Baptism by which they do yea must hold that original fin imputed is washed away from them by baptism and therefore original sin imputed is not cannot be according to them the meritorious cause of infants death dying before they commit actual sin in their own persons 2. I answer that many infants have died soon after they were baptized I saw one die within a quarter of an hour after 't was baptized before they could be conceived to have committed any actual sin in their own persons therefore original sin inherent was the procuring or meritorious cause of their death and consequently 't is properly sin their cryings cannot in reason be thought to be sinful frowardness or actual sin but are but the fruits of pains or wants which are punishments of original sin yet remaining and inherent in them which do undeniably prove it to be sin properly so called for God never punisheth but for fin as the Bishop himself saith ibid. p. 463. 5. There is one testimony more which is good against the Bishop and all Conformists and 't is a true one 't is the beginning of the order of Baptism set down in our Liturgy thus Dearly beloved for-as-much as all men be conceived and born in fin and our Saviour Christ saith None can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven except he be regenerate and born a new of Water and of the Holy Ghost by which 't is clear that 't is the Doctrine of the Church of England that infants are conceived and born in sin but not in actual sin Ergo in original sin Now I pray read all these things once again seriously â—nd consider how strangely the sound Doctrine of the Churâ—â— of England is undermined perverted if not wholly subâ—erted by â—er pretended dutifuâ—â— sons and the false Doctrine of the Church of Rome is contended for by them â—o bring in fâ—ee-will and natural power to convert a mans self c. But before I leave this a few words to the main argument for this Popish old Pelagian Error and that is this That which is not * Bishop Taylors further Explanation of original sin frequently and so Papists and Pelagians voluntary is not sin but original sin inherent in us is not voluntary Ergo 't is not sin properly To which I answer by denying the major all sin is not voluntary in their sense 1. Because the error of the mind which the will doth follow is fin and yet its involuntary because it goes before every act of the will 2. Sins committed through ignorance are not voluntary and yet are sins properly Levit 5 15. 2. I deny the minor 1. Because original sin was voluntary in Adam in whose loins we were who voluntarily committed the first sin for himself and us too And 2. Also it may be said to be voluntary in us because we in our wills are prone to sin 3. The main of the Adversaries arguments that Original sin is involuntary will reach only the propagation of it To which I answer that man is corrupted even from
and godly feâ— 2 Pet. 3. 18 But grow in grace 2. That the * Aquinas 12ae q. 114. a. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medina in 12ae q. 114. a. 3. Schoolmen speak of 〈◊〉 twofold merit whereof the 1 Is Meritum de congruo merit oâ— congruity which is not truly and properly merit but such as it is 't is defined to be this That it is congruous convenient Dr. Davenant de justitia c 6. p 603. â—emble of Justification c. 1. S. 2. p. 163. or agreeable to goodness that Gâ—l do reward a man working according to his vertue or power â—â—at he hath Which many learned men do deny to be truly and properly merit For that is truly and properly meritorious that doth properly and absolutely for it self deserve a reward or which doth in its formal reason include equality or condignity to that reward of which it is said to be meritorious But merits of congruity do not truly and properly deserve a reward or carry an equality or proportion with the thing said to be merited the grace of God and therefore are not truly and properly merits their merit of congruity is nothing else but fitness for which they have no ground in Scripture or right reason yet Bellarmine the Council of Trent and other Papists retain the name and give it chiefly to those dispositions and preparations which they say go before Justification according to which they say grace is ex congruo due and so comply with Pelagius his false Doctrine long since condemned Gratiam secundum merita dari i. e. Grace is Aug. Epist 106 107. contra duas Epistolas Pelagianorum lib. 2. c. 8. to be given according to merits That is it 's congruous or fit that grace or favour be bestowed upon men by God according to their deservings For if those dispositions be merits and if according to them grace be given as the Council of Trent * Secundum propriam cujusque dispositionem Sess 6. cap. 7. defineth do they not plainly hold that grace is given to men of God according to their merits 2. Meritum de condigno Merit of condignity is that which includes in its formal reason equality condignity or worthiness proportionable to the thing of which 't is said to be meritorious And thus they say the good works of regenerate men do merit heaven of which hereafter Not to trouble you with a full confutation of this Scriptureless and reasonless distinction of merits but to apply it to our present purpose in hand I say 1. That good * I call them good works so quoad substantiam but formally are evil because they call them so works done by an unregenerate man before the grace of Christ be received or the inspiration of his Spirit do not ex congruo merit the favour of God For 1. there is no proportion between them 2. Then our Election should not be of Grace as 't is said to be by the unerring Spirit of God Rom. 11. 5. but of sinful mans sinful works which they call deserts confuted before in Article the sixth 2. That good works of unregenerate men before the saving grace of Jesus Christ be infused into them 〈◊〉 Quia ego volo Deus me adjuvat est Pelagianorum Alvarez de auxiliis Divinae gratiae l. 1. disp 1. p. 11. wrought in them by his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 received by them do not merit ex câ—â—gruo or deserve grace that is saving grace of congruity Papists indeed 〈◊〉 hold that good works done by man before he receive the spâ—â— grace of Christ do provoke God to bestow his saving grace 〈◊〉 him and that the man himself a 〈◊〉 tle * The Synod of Dort reject as an error the Doctrine of them that teach that in spiritual death no spiritual gifts were separated from the will of man for that the will of it self was never corrupted but only INCUMBRED by the darkness of the understanding and unruliness of the affections which IMPEDIMENTS BEING REMOVED the will may put in ure her own inbred faculty of freedom that is of her self will or nill chuse or refuse any kind of good set before her Which they say is contrary to Jer. 17. 9. Ephes 2. 3. Chap. 3 4. Errour 3d. hindrance being taken away 〈◊〉 rendred disposed to receive the graâ—â— of God Hence is that of some Schoâ—â— men of some I say for they do not agree but some are sounder than Jesuits and Arminians that God doth not deny grace to him that doth endeavour to do what is in him to obtain it And he doth what is in him that doth forsake the act of sin the will of 〈◊〉 ning and doth endeavour to do good and to convert himself to God He that doth this deserves grace say they by this merit of congruity because it is congruous say they that to a man acting according to his vertue God should give a reward according to the excellency of his vertue And also because it were incongruous or unfit 〈◊〉 give grace to them that neglect to 〈◊〉 these things and voluntarily oppoâ—â— grace offered And this merit of congruity was brought into the Church by some erroneous Schoolmen and 〈◊〉 others made use of that some reason might be given or shewed of mans part why to sâ—â— grace is given and to others not given and so they make the first 〈◊〉 ving cause of grace taken either for the favour of God or gifts of grace of God Spirit to be in man and in mans own natural power or free will Which I suppose is sufficiently confuted before Articles the sixth and seventh 3. That good works done before the saving grace of Christ received and wrought in a man â—o make him meet to receive the saving grace of God These works I call good according to them which may be good quoâ—â— substantiam materialiter but are evil quoad modum formaliter because not done to Gods glory in faith and in love and obedience to God and his will Now these Errors I renounce because they are contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 13th Article which is this Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his 〈◊〉 are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesâ—â— Crist neither do they make men meet to receive grace or as the School-Aâ—rthor say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not 〈◊〉 â—s God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin In which Article are these three Conclusions 1. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant unto God 2. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of 〈◊〉 Spirit do not make men meet to receive grace or do not deserve grace of congruity 3. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of 〈◊〉 Spirit have the nature of sin
shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature for holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved so I might argue from their meritorious works but I forbear To all which I shall add what I have found in Dr. Field of the Church Appendix part 1. l. 2. p. 772. since I wrote that before of Saints being perfectly cleansed from all sin at the moment of their death He saith thus speaking of one Higgins in the 20th Chapter of that Appendix I produce the judgment and resolution of Scotus Durandus and Alexander of Ales That all sinfulness is utterly abolished in the very moment of dissolution and that there is no remission of any sin in respect of the fault and stain after death The words of these Authors I set down at large the words of Alexander of Ales the first of the School-men called the irrefragable Doctor are these Final grace taketh away all sinfulness out of the soul because when the soul parteth from the body all proneness to ill and all perturbations which were found in it by reason of the conjunction with the flesh do cease the powers thereof are quieted and perfectly subjected to grace and by the means all venial sins are removed so that no venial sin is remitted after this life but in that instant wherein grace may be said to be final grace it hath full dominion and absolute command and expelleth all sin Whereupon he addeth That whereas the Master of the Sentences and some others do say that some venial sins are remitted after this life some answer that they speak of a full remission both in respect of the fault and stain and the punishment also but that others more narrowly and piercingly looking into the thing do say that they are to be understood to say Sins are remitted after this life because it being the same moment or instant that doth continuate the time of life and that after life they are remitted in the very â—â—ment of dissolution grace more fully infusing and pouring it self into the soul at that time than before to the utter abolishing of all sin all her impediments formerly hindring her working now ceasing * Death unto the godly is the utter abolishing of sin and perfection of mortification saith A. B. Vsher Sum of Christian Religion p. 545. Thus you see that not only our learned Protestant Divines but also Alexander of Ales the first School-man called the irrefragâ—â— Doctor Scotus the subtile Doctor 〈◊〉 Durand the Master of the Ceremonies as the Papists themselves esteem and call them were of this judgment That the souls of men dying in the state of grace at the momeâ— of death are purged and cleansed perfectly from all the fault and stain of 〈◊〉 sin and then it will follow that they are freed from the third effeâ—â— of sin too and that is 3. Poena punishment which is an evil inflicted upon the sinner himself or his surety for sin For 1. if the guilt of sin be perfectly taken away as indeed it is in our Justification and the stain of sin be also perfectly taken away in the moment of our death and sin be wholly abolishhd then the punishment of sin must needs be taken away too Of this judgment was St. Bernard When all the sin shall be wholly Bernard in Psal qui habitat Ser. 10. taken out of the way no effect of it shall remain that the cause being altogether removed the effect shall be no more and you know 't is a rule in reasoning Sublata causa tollitur effectus the cause being taken away the effect ceaseth Sin then being perfectly destroyed when death parteth the soul from the body all its effects guilt filth and punishment must consequently be destroyed too and that all sin is taken away in the moment of the dissolution of the soul and body I have sufficiently proved and therefore the punishment is taken away too Pray hear what God himself saith to this point in Ezek. 18. 22. When the wicked man shall turn from all his sins that he hath committed all his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned unto him Now if God hath so far forgiven their sins as that he will not remember them then certainly he will not punish them for them in another world with hellish torments if God punish truly penitent men for their sins in this world and that to come too he cannot be said not to remember them but to remember them as we say with a witness if he forgives and forgets all their sins then undoubtedly he forgives and forgets their venial sins too if he forgive their mortal sins their sins of enmity against God which make God displeased with the sinner as Aquinas and his followers speak then it will follow by an undeniable consequence that he forgives and forgets their venial sins their lesser sins which are not * Peccatum veniale non est contra legem quia venialiter peccans non facit quod lex prohibet nec praetermittit quod lex per praeceptum obligit sed facit praeter legem quia non observat modum rationis quem lex intendit Aquin. 12 ae q. 88. a. 1. 〈◊〉 Medin in 12 〈◊〉 q. 89. a. 1. p. 1209. against the law but only besides the law and which though they displease God yet they do not make the sinner displeasing to God and that they do only obnubilate but do not obtenebrate grace as †Bel. t. 4. l. 2. De peccato venialâ— c. 1. Medina teacheth and those sins which Mr. Chillingworth in his dangerous book saith are so small as that he durst not ask God pardoâ— for them and which * B. Medin in 12 〈◊〉 q. 88. a. 1. p. 1199. Bellarmine saith are ex natura ratione probati in their own nature and kind of sin venial that is not repugnant to the love of God and 〈◊〉 neighbours that do not render as unworthy of the friendship of God and guiâ—â—â— of eternal death and that are so small as that it were unjust to punish theâ— with eternal death that they do not exclude out of heaven but that God himself is bound by law that he hath made to give to his friends the kingdom of 〈◊〉 notwithstanding their venial sins of which although they dâ— repent yet are presently remitted ex natura status quum anima emigrat e corpore from the nature of the state when the soul departs out of the body as Papists teach how these sins I say should need to be purged away from believers souls the friends of God whose sins God hath covenanted to pardon by such temporal punishments in Purgatory as are the same for nature with those the Devil inflicts upon the damned in hell and yet that their mortal sins as Davids adultery and murder Peter's
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
add further that 't is evident by Gal. 1. 18 that after three years after Paul return from Arabia he returned to Damascus which might be 〈◊〉 or seven years after Christs death For Papists write that Pâ—â— was converted the 20th year of Tiberius the Emperour which was the second year after Christs death as they themselves reckoâ— And he went after he received his sight to Damascus and then preached Jesus Christ Act. 9. 19 20 22. and thence went into Arabia and thence returned to Damascus again and there preaâ—â—ched and then after three years he went up to Jerusalem to sâ—â— Peter and abode with him fifteen days which could not be 〈◊〉 above six years after Christs death Then fourteen years after that Paul with Barnabas went up from Antioch to Jerusalem thâ—â— is fourteen years after Paul's Conversion as Cornelius a Lapide wiâ—â— have it but others think 't was fourteen yeaâ—â— after his * Dr. Lightfoot's Harmony p. 96. first going up to Jerusalem to sâ—â— Peter which must needs be nineteen or twenâ—â— years aâ— least after Christs death Others will have it to be to the Council of Jerusalem which was as Jerom saith eighteen years after Christs death where Peter was the first but not the conclusive speaker Act. 15. and then and there it was agreed among them that Paul and Barnabas should be the Apostles of the Gentiles and Peter and James of the Jews Gal. 2. 9. And that after this Peter came down to Antioch as Onuphrius affirms ubi supra and that then Paul reproved him to his face for dissembling Which clearly confutes Eusebius his story of St. Peter's being Bishop seven years at Antioch before the second or third year of Claudius Papists say that the Council was held the ninth year of Claudius and that that very year he banished the Jews out of Rome and that then Peter by the counsel of God came from thence * If Peter had then came from Rome and upon such an account 't is very probable that some mention would have been made of it in Sacred Writ as well as of Aquilla ' s and Priscilla ' s Act. 18. 2. to Jerusalem but this they do not prove by good evidence Affirmantis est probare they that affirm that Peter was at Rome must prove it I have proved that Peter was at Jerusalem and the coasts thereabout above 20 years after Christs death then he could not be at Rome the second or third year of Claudius as they say but prove not Cornelius a Lapide saith that from Christs death to Peter's death which was the last year of Nero there Chron. Actuum Apostolorum p. 7. were but 36 years above 20 of which years I have proved Peter to be elsewhere Then it s undeniably true That he sate not seven years Bishop at Antioch and 25 years Bishop at Rome for there remain but 16 years at the most in which time it will be difficult if not impossible to prove that Peter was at Rome That Peter was not at Rome I offer these arguments 1. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans written in the third of Nero's reign say some others say 't was written in the 13th of Claudius in which Peter say Papists sate Bishop Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 10. p. 432 of Rome saluteth many Saints but maketh no mention of St. Peter whom 't is very probable he would not have neglected if he had been there Bishop 2. When Paul was at Rome he wrote to those that were abroad and makes mention of several particular fellow-labourers and yet he makes not mention of Peter Yea though he make mention of the Salutation of Aristarchus and Mâ—rcus one whom they say was at Rome with Peter Jesus called Justus one of the Circumcision and Epaphras and St. Luke the beloved Physician who wrote the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles and Demas who afterward forsook him though I say he remembers these mens Salutations to the Colossians yet not one word of or from Peter Col 4. 10 11 12 14. and when he wrote to Timothy from Rome a little before his death he saith to him Eubulus greeteth thee and Pudens and Linus who is said to be the first Bishop of Rome that is Pastor of the Church there and Claudia and all the brethren yet no remembrance from Peter to him though he had been at Rome and could not but be acquainted with Peter if he had been there 2 Tim. 4. 21. So in his Epistle from Rome to Philemon vers 23 24. he saith thus There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-labourer in Christ Jesus Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Lucas my fellow-labourers yet not a word of Peter 3. Paul mentioning his fellow-workers unto the Kingdom of Goâ— nameth Aristarchus Marcus and Jesus who is called Justus saith thus These are my fellow-workers unto the Kingdom of God which have been a comfort to me but not a word of Peter yea if he had been there Bishop of Rome formerly 't is charitable to conceive that he would have written to the Church at Rome in Paul ' s behalf but not a word of any such matter They say that they heard not any thing concerning him Act. 28. 21. 4. Paul at Rome writing to Timothy tells him thus At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me 2 Tim. 4. 16. Now if Peter had been there and Bishop of Rome as they say he was 't is not probable that he would have forsaken him especially having had such a check for his first denying of his Lord and Master 5. When Paul was brought Prisoner to Rome Luke in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 28. telleth us that he was received of the brethren yet makes no mention at all of Peter though Cornelius a Lapide tell us That Claudius Actuum Apostolorum Chron. p. 5. his Decree for banishing the Jews was revoked the first year of Nero this being they say the third but Diodate saith 't was the tenth or eleventh year of Nero ' s reign iâ— which time Peter might have returned to Rome at least once in tâ—â— years he might have visited his Church there and St. Paul too to whom he had given the right hand of fellowship in a more emiâ—â—â—â— and more dangerous place than Rome even at Jerusalem 6. After Paul had been at Rome three days he sent for the chief of the Jews and when they came to his lodging he gave them an account of his being brought prisoner there Which if Saint Peter had been there 't is very likely he would have known and told them yea if he had been formerly Bishop of Rome though he had been at Jerusalem or Antioch or thereabout he would have sent them notice of it either by letter or by word by some one of the Brethren but that they deny Act. 28. 21. 7. They desire to hear what he thought for as concerning this Sect we know that it is every where spoken against And they
and especially shall be in the last head who shall worship God not after the manner of the Heathens that went before him nor of Papists that follow after him but purely without such Pagan inventions as his Predecessors used or such Popish inventions as his Successors used after him and in whose time the Church shall not be persecuted for following the Lamb wholly and keeping her self a pure Virgin for her beloved Husband Christ And this Christian Emperour or form of Government is called another because in form of Ecclesiastical Government and as referred to the Church of Christ it was specifically different from those that went before him and that which followed after him This Christian Government was not come in St. John's time but it came long after and began in our Constantine's time and continued but a short time And this Christian Emperour caused Pagan Idolatry and Persecution for Christianity to cease and is therefore said to wound the former beast or head to death that is as Idolatrous and persecuting Revel 13. 3. And one of his heads was as it were wounded to death to wit the sixth head but this continued but a little while for the old Dragon seeing himsâ—lf cast out into the earth resolved to raise up persecution again against the Church of Christ by the Church under the fair and specious pretences of honouring God and his servants and under the notion of Orthodoxy decency and order to bring into the Church or Empâ—re error superstition and Idolatry and thereby really dishonour God deface his worship and raise up persecution against Gods Church And to this end he instigated the two-horned beast to set up a new form of Idolatry viz. worshipping God in by or through Images and devices of their own and worshipping Gods ordinances and servants and all under the notion of honouring God and Christ and beautifying his worship and promoting his service and to compass this brought in a new persecution against the true members of Jesus Christ that would not make an image to the beast that had the wound that is because they would not yield to their innovations errors Idolatries and superstitions and deal falsely with Christ and dishonour his Saints as he and his superstitious idolatrous erroneous ambitious and covetous Clergy did and do and will do till they go to their place To this end he sets up Emperours and Kings after his own hearts desire Idolatrous blasphemous and cruel against Christs Church in the Empire which is here called the beast that was and is â—ot even he is the eight that is he is the eight King in regard of one Christian besides the six Pagan heads and is of the seven Idolatrous â—â—d goeth into perdition He is called the eight aâ— the Christian Emperour is taken in because he succeeds him too and hath something of him profession of the Christian Faith of the Worship of the true God but under the pretence and notion of honouring God and his servants and maintaining his truth and promoting his service he brings into the Empire error heresie blasphemy idolatry and â—â—tichristianism and persecution and destroys and persecutes that which he pretends to set up and uphold and therefore he is the seventh and last Idolatrous head that shall be in the Empire that is the last form of Government that shall be erroneous Idolatrous and blasphemous For he goeth into perdition which notes his utter ruin and final overthrow as Idolatrous and persecutive of true Christianity and the â—xtirpation of Idolatry out of it 4. This Beast is described by its parts or powers into which it is divided v. 12. The ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet that is in St. John's time nor till the Empire was divided and broken into parts or until it became or was to become again a Beast Idolatrous and pernicious to Christ and his loyal followers but reâ—eive power as Kings one hour that is 〈◊〉 little while with the beast that is with the beast whose name is was and is not and yet is that is the beast under the seventh and last head 5. This ten horned beast is described by its unity and activity 1. By its unity to help this Idolatrous blasphemous and obnoxious beast on whom the Pope and his Hierarchy ride v. 13. These have one mind and shall give up their power and strength unto the beast These ten Kings shall be of one mind in the main for matters of Religion that is shall be of the Religion of the Empire that is of the Pagano-Christian or if you will the mungrel Samaritan Religion whereby the Empire had again become a beast And shall give their power and strength that is shall be ready by their authority and by force of arms and * Vide King James his Paraphrase upon the place by what other means they can to maintain the beast in its beastly Idolatrous condition blasphemies superstitions and persecutions or else shall give the Idolatrizing Emperour which is the head of this beast the aid or assistance of their armies or forces if need so require against all opposers of this mungrel Religion For the Emperour is looked upon as The Emperour of Germany who hath a shew of the old Emperours is called and sworn to be the Popes Advocate and to defend him as may be seen in his Oath when he is made Emperour Sleid. Com. l. 1. f. 25 c. the chief Champion or Generalissimo of all the Papal forces and these ten Kings may be conceived to be the â—orâ—â— of his head as coming into a kind of subordination and combination with him in making War against the Lamb. But that power which influenceth all is the Whore of Rome the Pope and his Hierachy that rides the beast And truly when the head of this grâ—â— Whore saith a learned Doctor is once found to be so big as to out-top the Secular heads of the Empire and both pretends to and makes use of that boasted jus utrinsque gladii the right of both Swords that is so soon as the Pope is found to act the Caesar as well as the Vniversal Patriarch there is no incongruity to allow him represented in two places as many learned men do as well as he sustains two parts and conceive him typified 〈◊〉 well in the last head of the beast as in the costly adorned head of the grâ—â— whore Thus the reverend Doctor And indeed I see not but the whole description in the 13th Chapter as well as that in the 17th Chapter of the Revelations may truly and properly be attributed to the two-horned beast and the Woman for whatsoever the ten horned beast is said to do he doth it by the direction instigation and approbation of the two-horned beast and Woman Quod quis per alium facit per se ipsum facere videtur The murder of Vriah though it was effected by the Ammonites yet it is charged upon King David
Popes Traditions and Ceremonies pestilent deadly poyson Yea forsooth I have for I have drunken of the pestilent Traditions and ceremonies of the Bishop of Rome Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1504. Col. 1. Mr. John Bradford Martyr proveth the Church of Rome not to be a true Church but a false Church and the Pope the Head thereof to be the wicked one that is Antichrist And he tells the Bishop of York and the Bishop of Chichester That they did wickedly in coupling themselves to the Church of Rome again Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1533. col 2. And in pag. 1543 he tells the Londoners thus That in testimony of this my Faith I render and give my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christs Vicar General and supreme Head of his Catholick or Universal Church here or elsewhere upon Earth as for denying the horrible and Idolatrous Doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christs real corporal and carnal presence in his Supper under the forms and accidents of Bread and Wine And he saith the same in his Letier to the University and Town of Cambridg pag. 1544. And a little after in the same Letter he saith to Cambridg Dost thou not know Rome to be Babylon And in his Letter to Lancashire he saith That Transubstantiation is the dearly beloved of the Devil and the daughter and heir of Antichrists Religion c. Ibid. p. 1546. And in his Letter to a Woman that desired to know Whether she might be present at the Popish Mattins or no refraining from the Mass he saith thus This Latin Service is a plain mark of Antichrists Catholick Synagogue so that the Communicants and approvers of it thereby declare themselves to be members of the same Synagogue and so cut off from Christ and his Church whose exterior mark is the true administration of his Word and Sacraments Furthermore the example of your going thither to allow the Religion of Antichrist as doubtless you do indeed howsoever in heart you think occasioneth the obstinate to be utterly intractable the weak Papists to be more obstinate the strong Gospellers to be sore weakned and the weak Gospellers to be overthrown which things how great offences they be no pen * Yet do not many men make nothing of scandalizing their brethren now by injoining and practising the needless ceremonies of the church of Rome is able to utter by Letters Ibid. p. 1565. And in a Letter to the Lady Vane he saith That the Bishop of Rome is undoubtedly that great Antichrist of whom the Apostles do so much admonish us Ibid. p. 1565. col 1. And a little after he saith That the Bishop of Rome is a Butcher or a Bite-sheep rather than a Bishop How can we call him Christs Vicar that resisteth Christ oppugneth his verity and persecuteth his people and like a Prelate preferreth himself above God and man Ibid. p. 1566. col 1. And in his Letter to certain godly men he saith thus Therefore take heed for the Lords sake take heed and defile not your bodies or souls with this Romish and Antichristian Religion set up amongst us again but come away from as the Angel cryeth from amongst them in their Idolatrous service lest ye be partakers of their iniquity Ibid. p. 1568. col 2. And in his Letter to a godly Gentlewoman that was cast off by her Friends because she would not go to the Popish Mass he saith thus You cannot be partaker of Gods Religion and Antichrists service whereof the Mass is most principal you cannot be a member of Christs Church and of the Popes Church Ibid. p. 1570. And in his Letter to N. and his Wife he saith Now hath Antichrist all 〈◊〉 power again Ibid. p. 1571. And in his Letter with a Supplication to Queen Mary and her Council he saith thus That the Lords eyes were set to destroy England and your Highness and all your Honours if in time ye look not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selves to be slaves and hangmen to Antichrist and his Prelates which have brought your Highness and your Honours already to let Barnabas loose and to hang up Christ Ibid. p. 1574. John Launder Martyr in his Confession before Bishop Bonner saith That whosoever doth teach or use any more Sacraments than Baptism and the Lords-Supper or get any Ceremonies he doth not believe that they be of the Catholick Church but doth abhor them from the bottom of his heart And doth further say and believe That all the service sacrifices and ceremonies now used in this Realm of England yea in all other parts of the world which have been used after this manner be erroneous and naught and contrary to Christs institution and the determination of Christs Catholick Church whereof he believeth that he himself is a member and in this Faith he died Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1593. M. Luther * History of the Counc of Trent lib. 1. p. 76. said to the Popes Nuncio that nothing can be received from Rome compatible with the Ministry of the Gospel Derrick Carver Martyr in his answer to Bishop Bonner saith That your Ceremonies used in the Church are beggarly and poyson Ibid. p. 1594. Thomas Iveson Martyr confessed and to his death stood to this Article objected against him by Bonner That he believeth that all the ceremonies now used in this Church of England are vain superfluous superstitious and naught Ibid. p. 1595. col 1. Of the same Faith was John Denley Gentleman as may be seen in his Answer to the seventh Article Ibid. p. 1598 And the said John Denley in Answer to the third Article objected against him by Bishop Bonner said thus That I believe that this Church of England using the faith and Religion which is now used is no part or member of the aforesaid holy Catholick Church but is the Church of Antichrist the Bishop of Rome being the head thereof Ibid. p. 1597. Patrick Packingham Martyr told Bishop Bonner plainly to his face That the Church which Bonner believed was no Catholick Church but was the Church of Satan and that therefore he would never turn to it Ibid. p. 1598. col 2. Henry Laurence Martyr being required to put his hand to his Answers writ thus Ye are all of Antichrist and him ye follow Ibid. p. 1599. col 1. George Tankerfield Martyr plainly told Bishop Bonner That the Church whereof the Pope is the supreme head is no part of Christs Catholick Church Ibid. p. 1602. col 1. Mr. Robert Glover Master of Arts and Martyr plainly told the Bishop of Leichfield That the Church of God knoweth and acknowledgeth no other head but Jesus Christ the Son of God whom ye have refused and chosen the man of sin the son of terdition enemy to Christ the Devils deputy and lieutenant the Pope Ibid. p. 1616. col 1. In which place he gives six notes of Christs true Church which the Church of Rome wanteth yea
the pure Word of God as they do in Ecclesiasticus 25. which is appointed to be read only to the 13 verse And in Ecclâ—s 30. which is to be read only to 18th verse And Ecclâ—s 46. which is to be read only to v. 20. where the 20th verse which saith That Samuel prophesied after his death and shewed the King his death and lift up his voice from the earth to prophesie to blot out the wickedness of the people is omitted because as I suppose the ancient Fathers have judged it to be contrary to the pure Word of God and if upon that account that be left out 't is thought that upon the same account Chap. 48. should be cut off at v. 13. or that left out which saith that nothing as the old Translation and as Junius hath it ulla res or as the last hath it No word could overcome Elizeus and that after his death his body prophesied For every Book of the Apocrypha hath falshoods in Doctrine or History as the learned †Sum of Christ Relig. p. 14. 15. A. B. Vsher saith and shews in many particulars in every Book where 't is observed by him and Jerome and Bishop * Fascic controv c. 1. q. 2. p. 14. Prideaux that Philo the Jew who lived since Christ is judged the Author of the Book of Wisdom though he would make the world believe that †See the Title and c. 9. the old Translation Solomon was the Author of it Now I pray give me leave to propose to the godly wife some few passages I have glanced upon in reading that Book whether they are agreeable to Gods pure Word 1. Whether that be true and agreeable to Sacred Scripture That God made not death Wisd 1. 13. seeing it is said Gen. 2. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto all men once to die and after that to judgment Pray who but God hath appointed it and whether God may not as well be said to make death as darkness Gen. 1. Exod. 10. 21 22. Josh 24. 7. Psal 104. 20. Thou makest darkness 2. Whether there be no poyson of destruction in any of Gods creatures as 't is said there is not Wisd 1. 14. seeing Adders Asps Serpents Toads Spiders c. have poyson in them as is evident Deut. 34. 24 33. Job 20. 16. Psal 58. 4. Psal 140. 3. Rom. 3. 13. And was not King John poysoned to death 3. Whether that be a true and a good expression and agreeable to Gods pure Word which is in Wisd 2. 2. For we are born at all adventures in the Latin 't is thus Casu nati sumus i. e. We are born by chance Seeing the expression sounds very ill among Christians who deny chance and ascribe all events to Gods Providence the Scriptures indited by the infallible Magic Phis l. 1. c. 3. p. 57. Spirit of God being the rule alone for Doctrine and manners to them saying That a sparrow doth not fall to the ground without the Providence of God and that our hairs are numbred Mat. 10. 29 30. And that God begat us and formed us Deut. 32. 18. Isa 44. 2. And Job telle us that God brought him out of the womb Job 10. 18. Now I hope you will not say that God doth cause any thing by chance or at all peradventure because all things are ordered and come to pass according to the counsel of God Act. 2. 23. Act. 4. 28. and the †Sum of Christian Relig. p. 109 110. Reverend and learned A. B. Vsher whom we Christians should credit more than Philo the Jew saith expresly That nothing cometh to pass by meer hap or chance but as God in his eternal knowledg and just will hath decreed before should come no pass And that of wise Solomon Prov. 16. 33. is very remarkable The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. 2. The words are not true quoad nos homines but sound very ill in the School of Philosophy as well as of Divinity for Philosophers tell us That chance is a cause by accident of those things which are undertaken without election or counsel and an effect by accident is that which doth happen besides the intention of the agent And they make this difference between Fortune and Chance That fortune is ascribed to those things that are endued with reason and will as when a man digs a Well and finds a treasure finding the treasure an effect they say iâ— by accident and is by them ascribed to Fortune And Chance they say is a cause of the events which do happen about things that are destitute of will and reason as when a glass falls from a table upon the ground yet is not broken this they say is an effect by accident and is by them ascribed to Chance But now we have reason and will when we are born and our parents also who are the chief agents in our birth have reason and will and do act in our births not only as natural agents but also as rational creatures and are causes by themselves of our births for they do effect Causae per se our births by their own faculty that is by nature or counsel and they do not effect our births by accident by a strange faculty that is besides the propension of nature or purpose of mind neither do we our selves in our births so act for we have a natural inclination when our Months are finished to be born and our Parents have the like natural propension to bring us forth and therefore we cannot be truly said to be born by chance or at all adventure or by fortune and if so then our births should be effects by accident that is happen besides the intention and expectation of the agent which cannot be for our birth is intended and expected 3. Besides too I do not remember the word applied to all among us but only to bastards who indeed in our common discourse are said to come or to be born by chance but untruly too as is shewed above But this sense would sound very ill among us if applied to all persons how to make a true and good sense of the words I know not 4. Whether that be an universal truth and agreeable to Gods word in Wisd 3. 12 13. to be read October 14. speaking of the ungodly that despise wisdom thus Their wives are foolish and their children wicked and their off-spring cursed Was not Abigail the wife of churlish drunken ingrateful Nabal a wise and chaste woman who by her prudence pacified incensed David and saved her husbands and servants lives and restrained him from shedding innocent blood And was Jonathan the Son of Saul a wicked man and cursed was King Hezekiah the Son of wicked King Ahaz a wicked and cursed child Is it not directly contrary to Gods pure Word which shews that Ahaz was a