they please and as experience shews oppose them too against the determination of the Church which allowance I hope I may have to defend them But do not these men lay a foul aspersion upon the Church who say They do allow those men that will give an hearty assent and subscribe to their authority ceremonies and traditions and injunctions to interpret and secretly undermine and openly oppose the Doctrines of Faith of the true Christian Religion I profess I do not believe it of the whole Church-representative of England of which I should believe he speaks though I have not heard of one of them or of any Conformist that hath appeared against these mens false interpretations yea open contradictions of the articles of Religion concerning the true Christian faith But what security of peace and truth the Magistrate whom like their elder brethren in Holland they claw while he will suffer them to carry on their destructive designâ— can have by these mens subscriptions declarations yea oaths I know not Would not all the Jesuits of Rome subscribe declare and swear too upon these conditions I have heard of one Minister that would subscribe assent consent and declare if they would hate him but one syllable un And so it may be would others too if they might do as they do not perform what they promise and write against what they subscribe assent and consent to too as these men say they are allowed by the Church But I know not well what Church the man means by our Church for I do not know well of what church he is though I hear he is in the Church of England and promoted so was the Bishop of Spalato till King James found out his Knavery and so was Dr. Lewes who returned to Winchester and when he had received some thousands of pounds of current English money he returned to his Church of Rome who therein followed not the cunning advice of Thuanus a learned and cunning Papist to Casaubon * Wedderbornes Book p 23 vid. Supplement to Laudensium autocatacrifis p. 18. not to come away to them but stay here seeing he had and might have more means here than he could or would have there and might do them more service here than he could do them if there I have dwelt too long upon this large man else I could set before your eyes many more of his erroneous and dangerous Doctrines but I must leave him What I have said in my following Renunciation will I hope sufficiently confute Dr. Patrick's Doctrine of Justification by our own good works and by faith as it worketh by love and some Friendly Debate pag. 13 〈◊〉 14. other of his false Doctrines I meddle not with some others because better heads and pens have undertaken them Though the Arminian c. faction he they say much increased yet that it was greater and more Popish before the late Civil Wars and that there was more danger of bringing in Popery then than there is now I could offer many reasons as I. That the body of Popery except the Popes Supremacy was then preached and printed as Dr. Fuller shews was complained of and so much Dr. Heylin confesseth as was shewed before and may in a very great part he seen gathered to your hands in Laudensium Autocatacrisis and the Supplement thereunto and Laudensium Apostasia which I believe cannot be proved now 2. Then there were the High Commission and the Star-Chamber Courts which are not now wherein A. B. Laud and his party used to crush whosoever appeared in the least against their Arminian Doctrines and Popish Innovations 'T is true we have some disadvantages we want a Dr. Humphrie Abbot Holland and Prideaux in the Chair in Oxford a Cartwright Whitakers Davenant and Ward at Cambridge a Dr. Ames Twisse Kendal and a Mr. Jeanes who are gone to their Rests and we lack liberty and encouragement for our thousands of Orthodox Nonconforming Ministers freely to preach and print against Popish Arminian and Socinian Innovations in Doctrine Discipline and Worship If orthodox and learned and godly Divines Nonconformists indeed to the Ceremonies but real Conformists to the Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England who did not only preach the truth to the elder but taught it to the younger sort of people had not been turned and kept out of the Ministry and silenced and cast out of their Freeholds and Corporations except they would do such things as they judged unlawful or at least inexpediâ—â— and put into their places either ignorant or erroneous or scandalous persons men either unapt or unfit to teach though I acknowledg there are many learned sober men sound in the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach in the Ministry whose persons God knows I love and whose learning I honour and admire yet I say there are many as selfish malicious covetous ambitious some as erroneous if not idolatrous men as many that are of the Church of Rome and so would openly profess themselves to be if time should serve them 't is very probable and verily believed that neither Popery nor Arminianism that cunning way to bring in Popery nor Prophaneness and Atheism would have gotten that head which some say they have Where the fault is is not for me to determine not suggest But verily I think his Gracious Majesty cannot be so much as suspected much less accused of it for he was graciously pleased to issue out a Declaration for liberty for tender Consciences from Bredah and another soon after his return home which was turned into a Bill by a worthy Gentleman and offered to the Parliament then called healing Since that his Majesty made another Gracious Declaration for liberty of Conscience but that 't is known was cried down by the Episcopal party and now at last his Majesty upon pious and politick accounts hath given forth another and more Gracious Declaration for liberty of Conscience and licensed several sound Protestant Divines who have lost their livings and suffered the spoiling of their goods and refused dignities rather than comply with our Bishops and their Latitudinarian party in things they judged unlawful inexpedient and inductive to Popery c. to preach and teach the word of God truly and worship God purely as he hath commanded in his Word without humane additions and inventions c. But this also the Episcopal party under the specious pretence of being against bringing in Popery which many of them preach and practise and love more than the truth and the pure worship of God as God and their own consciences well know though they have formerly extolled the Kings Supremacy and Prerogative above Law Right Reason and Religion and these thirteen years last past scarce ever executed one Law of those many that are made against Popish Recusants no nor mentioned publickly any fear of Popery till his Majesty granted his most loyal Protestant Subjects liberty to serve God purely as he hath commanded in his Word
by God Mr. Cartwright upon the place referreth the sigh of the Cross to the mark of the Beast Dionis Carthusianus Vpon Revel 13. 13. saith That conformity to the Doctrine and life of Antichrist is the mark of the Beast and upon this account did * Vid. General Confession of Faith of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland to be seen at the end of the Harmony of Confessions King James renounce and detest the Bishop of Rome's five bastard Sacraments with all his rites ceremonies and false doctrine added to the administration of the true Sacraments without the word of God 'T is observed by Mr. Mede that one may receive the number of the name of the Beast that is his impieties and yet not receive the mark of his name that is not subject himself to his authority Which is exemplified in the Greek Church who imbrace the same form of impiety derived from the Dragon or the Idolatry of the Latins and yet refuse to be subject to the Latin Bishop or to bear his name So may others refuse to subject themselves to the supreme authority of Antichrist and to be called Papists and yet they may imbrace his Altars Images Fasts Feasts Ceremonies forms of Worship Government Laws Number yea and many of his Antichristian Doctrines and like well of much if not of almost all of that he holds and doth and yet will be called Protestants and take it very ill at the Papists hands when they call them Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists that is partly Papists and partly Protestants such as hold with the Papists and yet profess with the Protestants Mungrels as Bishop Abbâ—t called them in his Sermon above have great charity for professed 〈◊〉 but crâ—el hatred for real Protestants account true Calvinism heresie yea little less than Treason as Knot the Jesuit told some of our Mungrels but gross Popery yea blasphemy in doctrine to be but errour and more tollerable than Presbytery and Popery in practise to be indifferent and therefore lawful and commendable Many of these Heresies and errors I have renounced are by some of our Mungrels called the Doctrines of the Heylin's Introd to his Cyprianus Anglic. Church of England and Books have been printed if not licensed to confirm it but very falsely and slanderously except by Church of England they understand a faction for sure I am that the true and whole Church of England â—olds soundly against all these ensuing false Doctrines renounced Only her doctrine at least practise about Apocriphal Scriptures is not I fear so full and clear as I believe it might be Some mens plausible Sermons are abroad which are by too many persons swallowed down without due examination 'T is said by one a learned man That God doth only * Dr. Till Ser. offer grace in his Gospel but he forceth none to receive it To prevent mistakes I say and acknowledg 1. That God doth not force men against their wills to accept of the grace and assistance that he doth offer them but I deny that Quo minus tolerabilis est eorum inscitia qui Evangelium communiter ita Offerâ—i fingunt ut promiscuâ— liberum sit omnibus salutem fide amplecti Calvin in 1 Cor. 2. 14. God doth only offer assistance or grace to his children for though he do not convert them against their wills whether they will or no yet he takes away their hearts of stone and gives them hearts of flesh and makes them of unwilling to become willing in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. He worketh in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. 2. I acknowledg that Reprobates may finally resist the ineffectual grace of God 3. I affirm that the elect of God to Salvation shall not cannot finally withstand the effectual grace of God but that they shall at one time or other be effectually called converted and eternally saved And 4. That God who hath from all eternity elected them to the end everlasting Salvation hath also appointed them to the means conducing to the attainment of it as Faith in Christ Repentance for sin sincere obedience to the Law of God and perseverance in the same to the end Though I have not used many Arguments to confute every particular Error that would have been Voluminous yet I have sufficiently confuted them and proved that Papists and Protestants Religion differ or that the Church of Rome and Protestants hold a different Religion which was the main design of my undertaking and in alledging the Doctrine of the Church of England I should I conceive if I had done no more he thought to have done enough to convince if not professed Papists yet those that pretend to be the most dutiful Sons of the Church of England that these Doctrines are not Protestant but rather Popish and at least contrary to their Professions Subscriptions and Declarations as well as to Gods word and keep others from imbracing and imbibing and spreading of them If by alledging the Sermons Speeches and Writings of any learned Conformist heretofore I have displeased any of our great Conformists now I hope they will excuse and pardon me and blame them that printed and licensed them or themselves or others that have traduced or suffered the Truth to be bespattered or gainsayed or undermined by any Pelagian Arminian Socinian or Popish writer upon any pretence whatsoever And now my prayer to the God of Peace and Truth for England is That Gods true Religion may be setled here in its power and purity and that all Popery in Doctrine and Discipline and Worship may be burned with fire Revel 17. 16. that is as learned Dr. Moor expounds the place utterly consumed and to this end that God who hath the hearts of Kings and all men in his hands would incline the heart of our King and Parliament and all sorts of people to deny themselves and resign up themselves wholly to be guided by the will of God revealed in the Canonical Scriptures which ought to be the rule of all mens actions as our Book of * Homil. for Rogat on Week Part 3. p 230 Homil against Wilful Rebellion Part 6. p. 318. Homilies plainly declares which saith thus In Gods word Princes must learn how to obey God and to govern men in Gods word Subjects must learn obedience both to God and their Princes Is our reverend Fathers of the Church would stick close to the sound and necessary Articles of Religion established which concern the Doctrine of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments to * Anno 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. which only all Ministers were bound to subscribe and give their assent and countenance men that do so and discountenance all those that hold or vent any Doctrine against the same and not stand too much upon those things which they have devised to uphold their own worldly power and interests and abate those things that are not of themselves or by Divine institution
A Renunciation OF SEVERAL Popish Doctrines BECAUSE Contrary to the Doctrine of Faith of the Church of ENGLAND By R. R. B. D. Babylon's Brats must not be dandled but dasht against the wall Phinehas his Zeal Jehu's March Josiah's Resolution Luther's Heroical Spirit have ever best prevailed against the mystery of iniquity Bishop Prideaux his Sermon upon Revel 2. 4. Pag. 25. Whosoever denieth this Doctrine That Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily of Salvation of mankind Pag. 16 17. Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum S. August l. de fide operibus c. 4 14. The Pope is Antichrist and Popery is the loosing of Satan for blasphemeth he not in denying us to be saved by the imputation of Christs righteousness King James his Godly Meditations upon certain Verses of Revel 20. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Jude vers 3. LONDON Printed for Tho. Cockeril at the Three Legs in the Poultry over against the Stocks-Market 1680. CHRISTIAN READERS THough I confess I have long had it in my thoughts to prove That the Doctrine of the Laudensian faction is not the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England and that the greatest Conformists to the Ceremonies are the greatest Nonconformists in deed and in truth to the Doctrine of faith or the articles of Religion of the Church of England concerning the Confession of the true Christian faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments yet I sate still earnestly expecting that some one Orthodox Conformist or other whom it most concerned to maintain it would appear to prove the former or some learned Nonconformist to the Ceremonies would do the latter but neither seeing nor hearing of any one of them to attempt either the one or the other being incouraged by the Parliaments late Act for renouncing Transubstantiation I have though the unfittest of a thousand adventured to renounce not only that blasphemous Doctrine but many more of the Papists erroneous and Antichristian Doctrines and in doing of this may possibly be thought obliquely if not directly to do them both And I begin with renouncing their abominable Transubstantiation partly because the Parliament did so and also because it 's not only destructive of the humane nature of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but also inductive of adoration of the Lords-supper and the Tables or Altars whereon 't is celebrated Several of our high Conformists having so beld and 't is feared that some do so now the presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament of the Altar as they have been pleased to call it that they might well be thought to hold it after the Papists or Lutherans Doctrine for 't is clear that they have not only been against Orthodox mens discovery of the way that Christs body is not in Bp. Forb's de Eucharist l. 1. c. 1. par 7. A. B. Laud in his Star-Chamb Speech Dr. Heyl. Hist of Presbytery p. 2. the Sacrament of the Lords-supper but they have plainly held that he is more and some other way in that Sacrament than in that other of Baptism and that he is there truly really substantially as 't is in the 18th Article of the Popes Creed to be seen in this Renunciation Article 14th yea essentially as Dr. Lawrence speaks in his Court-sermon p. 18. And in the second place I have renounced Adoration or bowing to Altars or Communion-Tables purposely and upon the Religious account of more religâ—ouâ— excelâ—â—nâ—â— c. because that Doctrinâ— and practise being â—dmitted worshipping of the Sacrament of Images of the Cross of Relicks c. may easily be introduced and maintained And thirdly I have renounced their Heretical Doctrine of Justification of mens persons before God by their own good works because it overthroweth the Gospel and in effect denieth Christ to be come in the flesh and is most dangerously Antichristian and very commonly brâ—â—ched amongâ—â— us and the sound Doctrine of the Church of England against it called Antinomianism and the imputation of Christs Righteousness vilified and denied and Faith as an act habit or work or as it includes sincere obedience set up in its room and the Papists Justification of our persons before God by our own actual or habitual righteousness re-introduced I have also renounced the sufficiency of the natural active power of mans Free-will while in the state of nature to turn of it self to God to believe c. and there by the ground and foundation of the Old and New Pelagian long since condemned though of late too much revived and affected Doctrine and those that usually flow from or are companions of it as also the lawfulness of setting up and suffering of Images in places of publick worship because they have been are and will be occasions of Idolatry Superstition and much mischief in Church and State where they have been and are tolerated as may be seen in that excellent Homily against the peril of Idolatry I have also proved by the Doctrine of the Church of England and our own learned mens approved works That the Pope of Rome is the Antichrist and that therefore he is not supreme Head of the Church and that therefore his humane inventions should not be imposed upon nor followed by the Churches of Jesus Christ but that Christ himself the supreme Head of his Church should be only so acknowledged his word duty and constantly consulted and followed in all matters which concern his Church â—is pure Doctrine Discipline and Worship and Truths countenanced and maintained and not suppressed or disgraced and also that Antichrists erroneous and Antichristian doctrines usurpations superstitious and scandalous ceremonies and other Worships should be detested * Vide the Confessioâ— of Faith made the 28 of Jan. 1581 in the 14 year of K. James his Reign there and subscribed and sworn to by K. James his Houshold and whole Kingdom of Scotland set down in the latter end of the Harmony of Confessions and renounced and suppressed 'T was once a sad and great complaint made to a Sub-Committee in which were many eminent Bishops and three Doctors of Divinity That all the tenents of the Council of Trent except only such points of State-policy against the Kings Supremacy as were made Treason by the Statute as good works co-causes with Faith in Justification private Confession by particular enumeration of sins needful necessitate medii to Salvation that the oblaâ—ion or as others the consumption of the Elements in the Lords-Supper holdeth the nature of a true Sacrifice Prayers for the Dead lawfulness of Monastical Vows the gross substance of Arminianism and some dangerous points of Socinianism had been preached or printed by some amongst us saith Dr. Fuller in his Ecclesiastical History Dr. Heylin ' s Cypr. Anglicus l. 5. p. 472
473. mentioneth many good things that that Committee were preparing but being obstructed by A. B. Laud though then in the Tower and some other Bishops the Commons laid the ax to the root of all evil as * Tindal of the Obedienâ—â— of Christian Magist p. 114. Tindal of old called the Bishops looking upon them as the â—inderers of all good as Martin * Martin Bucer de regnâ— Christ l. 2. c. 1. Bucer told King Edward the Sixth and so instead of mending things they grew worse Heylin confesseth nay braggeth that Books against Arminianism which he saith is * Cypr. Anglic. Introduct p. 36. agreeable to the Council of Trent cap. de fructu Justificationis Can. 3 4 were suppressed Sure I am that Dr. Prideaux his Sermons which he had preached at Court were not permitted to be reprinted at Oxford because he would not yield to the obliterating of some passages in them against Arminianism yet several passages which he as Doctor of the Chair rased out of Mr. Chillingworth ' s Book were inserted and printed after the good old Doctor had put his hand to the license for its printing which Book is now highly commended though the Doctor openly disowned it in the Chair saying That he had been abused in that Book Mr. Cheynell being opponent upon this Socinian question An ratio sit fundamentum fidei But what are these things to the purpose now I answer 1. The Author of the Friendly Debate often printed and its continuation hath raked up things against some Nonconformists which were of longer standing 2. If some Clergy-men of these times preach or print or act as they did in those days it is directly to the purpose Let any judicious indifferent man read the Book intituled The causes of the decay of Piety and he will find much of the Soveraign drug planted here as the Jesuit said in A. B. Laud ' s time to purge the Protestants of their Heresie as they call our true Religion Let him read Mr. Fowler ' s two Books viz. his Free Discourse and his Design of Christianity and he will see whatsoever he pretends to the contrary that his endeavour if not prime design is to promote that most Antichristian Doctrine of the Papists viz. Justification of our persons before God by our own good works or inherent holiness and overthrow the true Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England to which 't is believed he hath subscribed denying the * Free Discourse p. 126 128 129 130 145. Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sound sense of the Church of England sometimes calling it a false yea a grosly false notion thereof and sometimes a * Ibi. p. 141. sottish and mischievous Doctrine abusing those that hold it by branding them with the ignominious name of * Ibi. pag. 141 143. and Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 223. Antinomians affirming That our persons are justified before God by our own inherent holiness and good works and that faith * Free Discourse 159. Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. as it includes sincere obedience justifieth our persons before God and to this end using and improving Bellarmine ' s arguments to the utmost And lest any should charge him with the Doctrine of the Church of England which he cannot but know is contrary to his Doctrine he endeavours to prevent it saying That those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the 39 Articles of our Church taking * Free Discourse Edit 2. p. 2. p. 191. that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed * But where doth the Church allow this liberty what do you mean by the Church it's contrary to the end of the Law of 13. of Elizabeth and of the fifth Canon by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And again p. 2. p. 305. he saith further thus What was said of General Councils we also most heartily acknowledg concerning our own particular Church viz. that we are bound by no means to oppose the determinations of the Governours and Representatives in disputable matters nor do they as hath been shewed require our internal assent to their Articles but enjoin our submission to them as to an instrument of peace only Lo here you may see what these Latitudinarians are â—a name which some I know not who have given them but whether they deserve it let others judg but such is the latitude of these men that they would have liberty for themselves to preach and print what Doctrine they please but would have none allowed to dissenters in points of Church-government and Ceremonies as may be evidently seen in his Free Discourse by which we may see what Broth and Beef his palate relisheth best But what is there no internal assent required to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England and yet an unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the Liturgy and the Ceremonies and Rites thereof Are these more essential to the being of the Church of England than those Are the Ceremonies Rites and Liturgy more surely and certainly and indisputably grounded upon the Canonical Scriptures than the doctrine of Faith which concerns the Trinity justification of a sinner Christs satisfaction c. Have not all our 39 Articles been disputed nay do not some amongst us question whether there be a God and whether the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament be the Word of God and of divine authority and have not the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome which our Rulers have retained been from the first beginning of the Reformation here disputed and opposed by godly and learned Bishop Hooper and Mr. John Rogers and denied and detested even to the death by many godly Martyrs Do not all the Calvinistical Churches abroad join with the Church of England in maintaining the Articles of Religion which concern the confession of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments and yet reject the Liturgy Ceremonies and Church-government of the Church of England â—nd if only indisputable matters may not be opposed and all disputable ones may be opposed I pray what Article of our Creed and Religion may not be opposed by these men of the long name It is â—â—ear that though these men heartily subscribe to the 20 the 34 and the 36 Articles Whatsoever is not read in the holy Scripture nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of Faith Art 6 Church of England which are not Articles of Religion of the true Christian Faith because not contained in or proveable by the Word of God in their sense yet they give not an unfeigned assent and consent to the Articles of Religion concerning the Doctrine of Faith and the Sacraments for they take liberty they say 't is allowed them by the Church to interpret them as
benefits thereof then I say the Font and Reading-pew may be called Altars as well the Communion-table and the Pulpit may more properly be called an Altâ—r than the Table for there Thanks or the sacrifice of Praise is more frequently given or offered to God for Christs death and the benefits we receive thereby than on the Communion-table and that therefore they should be so called if not bowed to by your reasons But A. B. Laud is pleased to alledg Reverend Bishop Jewel as approving his bowing to Communion-tables set Altarwise at the East-end of the Quire or Jewel's Reply to Harding Art 3. p. 29 151. Chancel Bishop Jewel speaking against Ministers praying before their people in an unknown Tongue to whom Harding saith That the people cannot indeed say Amen to the blessing or thanksgiving of the Priest so well as if they understood the Latin Tongue perfectly yet they give assent unto it c. and this they declare by sundry outward tokens and gestures as by standing up at the Gospel and at the Preface to the Mass and by bowing themselves down and adoring at the Sacrament by kneeling at other times as when pardon and mercy is humbly asked and by other like signs of Devotion in other parts of the Service To which Bishop Jewel gives a short Answer and shews That 1 Harding's words contradict St. Paul's 1 Cor. 14. 16 17 18. 2. He commends devotion and affection in people at the service of God 3. He acknowledgeth in the general not in those particulars that Hâ—rding speaks of that kneeling bowing standing up and other like are commendable gestures and tokens of Devotion so long as the people understand what they mean and apply them unto * That is rightly and according to his wordâ— the next words to whom they be due the Archbishop left out as being against bowing to his altars God to whom they be due otherwise they may well make them hypocrites but holy and godly they cannot make them There may be adoring at the Sacrament when people confess their sins pray for pardon of them and give thanks to God for mercies received but here 's not a word in Hardings answer or in Bishop Jewel's reply of bowing to or towards the holy Table or Altar especially upon your religious account of Christs corporal or sacramental presence hoc est corpus meum And that Bishop Jewel was not for bowing to or towards the holy Table or Altar as you call it especially upon your accounts his works do evidently declare For he was as I have shewed against bowing to or adoring of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper which is the Ordinance of God and therefore is more worthy than the Table whereon it stands which is but an instrument or help to the orderly and decent celebration of that Ordinance as was shewed above And there ye may find him saying That religious Bishop Jewel's Ssr. upon 1 Cor. 11. 23. p. 50. adoration belongs not to any creature but only to God And concerning Altars he proves out of Origen and Arnobius that there were none in the Apostles times nor in many years after as was shewed before And in the 30th Division of that third Article of his Reply to Harding he declares himself for the Apostles times as the best and truest standard for Doctrine and practice in which times they had Communion-tables and not altars And in his works you may find him stiff and zealous against * Bishop Jewel ' s Reply to Harding art 14. D. 1. pag. 367 368 369 c. D. 12. p. 380 381 382. worshipping of Images yea of worshipping God in by or through them yea I find him in his works not forward to follow much less to commend the degenerate Church of Rome's works which first set up Altars which Church he saith out of St. Ambrose is Caput superstitionis the head of superstition and the great Whore and mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Of whom Nicholas Iyra in 2 Thes 2. quoted by him too saith Ab Ecclesia Romona jam diuâ— est quod recessit gratia It is long since the Grace of God departed from the Church of Rome from which Grace whosoever is departed he is departed from Christ Bishop Jewel ' s D. of Apol. p. 2. c. 5. p. 139. The other arguments used for bowing to Altars or worshipping of God towards them by Doctor Pocklington and A. B. Laud drawn from the practise of Queen Elizabeth King James and the Knights of the Order of the Garter are so weak that they will deny them if I should return them upon themselves as thus Qâ—een Elizabeth abetted and helped the Scotch Subjects in taking up arms against their Queen and the Hollanders in taking up arms against their King Ergo 't is lawful and not rebellious so to do For I presume if it had been unlawful and rebellious Queen Elizabeth would not have abetted and helped them therein which is A. B. Laud's argument in his Star-Chamber This argument of the A B. is pitiful weak and so is mine that is made in imitation of it only to shew the invalidity of his for bowing to altars Speech p. 48. for bowing to Altars yet he denies my parallel in one of his illegal and condemned Canons made Anno 1640 after the Parliament was dissolved Queen Elizabeth sequestred the Revenues of the Bishoprick of Oxford Dr. Heylin ' s Cypr. Anglicus p. 49. for eleven years together and gave them to the Earl of Essex from which I infer as the Archbishop doth that 't was lawful so to do For I presume as he doth that if it had been sacriledg and unlawful she would not have done it Thus ad hominem I might alledg many more authorities and produce many more arguments against bowing to Altars upon the account of divine excellency or worshipping God in through by or towards them but I forbear Only this I pray remember that all Wâ—ll-worship is forbidden in the second Commendment but to worship God by in through or towards the holy Altar or Communion-table purposely upon your accounts of divine excellency is Will-worship Ergo 't is unlawful and 't is Will-worship because 't is no where commanded in the New Testament or in the Moral Law for the Ceremonial Law iâ— abrogated ART III. That mens persons are justified or Bell. T. 4. l 6. c. 1. de formali causa justificationis Et c. 9. de operum justificatione So Bishop Montague Gag p. 141 142 143. accounted righteous before God for their own good works that follow faith either in part or in whole and not for the merits of Jesus Christ alone THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England which saith thus in her Book of Homilies 1. 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 received at Gods own hands that is to say the forgiveness of his sins and this justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits embraced by faith is taken accepted and allowed by God for our perfect and full justification We are justified freely by faith without the works of the Law Homily of Salvation of Mankind pag. 13. there 't is further said That on our part we are justified by faith in the merits of Christ which is not ours but by Gods working it in us There 't is said also That the justice of man is shut out of Justification and yet that faith shutteth not out repentance hope love fear of God to be joined with faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so it shutteth not out good works which are necessary to be done afterwards of duty to God but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent to be made just by doing of them Whosoever denieth this Doctrine that faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary 〈◊〉 Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous by his owâ— works neither in part nor in wholâ— That we are justified only by faith 〈◊〉 * We are not justified by our own good works either in part or in whole Christ So speak all the Fathers botâ— Greek and Latin Hilary Basil Aâ—brose Hilary saith these words plaiâ—ly Faith only justifieth Canon 9th upon Matthew Ambrâ— saith thus This is the ordinance of God that they which belieâ—â— in Christ should be saved without works by faith only freely receiving remission of their sins Consider diligently these wordâ— without works by faith only freely we receive remission of oâ— sins Ibi. p 14 15 16 17. The true meaning of this Doctrinâ— we be freely justified by faith without works or that we be justâ—fied by faith in Christ only is not that this is our own act to bâ—lieve in Christ or this faith in Christ doth justifie us and deserâ— our justification unto us for that were to count our selves to 〈◊〉 justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but tâ—â— true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we heâ— Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Chariâ—â— Repentance and fear of God within us and do add never so maâ— works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our saâ—â— vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and gooâ— deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as thing that be far too weak insufficient and imperfect to deserve remissioâ— of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust oâ—ly in Gods mercy and that Sacrifice which our high * Which shews that faith justifieth as it receives Christ as an high Priest or Saviour not as a King as Mr. Fowler would have in the first place in his free Discourse p. 161. I receive Christ as my Prophet but he doth not justifie mâ— as he is my Prophet or my King Priest anâ— Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of Goâ— once offered thereby Gods grace Iâ—â— p. 17. Faith as great a vertue as it is yet it putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us unto Chrisâ— for to have only by him remission oâ— our sins or justification so thâ— our faith doth as it were say to uâ— it is not I that take away your sins BUT IT IS CHRIST ONLY to him only I send you for thaâ— purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues words thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ Ibid. pag. 18. 2. 'T is not only contrary to her Homilies but also to her Articles of Religion Article 11th We are counted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and not for our own good works That we are justified by faith alone is a must wholesome Doctrine as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification To which for further proof I refer you And Article the twelfth 't is said thus Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins Now Mr Fowler or any of his party cannot put off the Doctrine of the Church of England to which he hath subscribed as he doth our learned mens arguments against the Papists by saying as they do that the Apostle meant when he said That we are not justified by works works of the Ceremonial * Mr. Fowler 's Free Discourse p. 186. Law but not the works of the Moral Law or if them Those only which are done by the strength of nature but not those which proceed from faith For the Church of England excludes all our works even those that proceed from Faith And they intended in their Homilies and Articles of Religion Dr. Field of the Church 2d part p 861. We teach that he excludeth all these that is that St. Paul excluded from Justification all the works of Moses Law Ceremonial and Moral to overthrow the false Doctrine of the Church of Rome and to establish the Doctrine of Justification according to the Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to Popery For it saith expresly That whosoever denieth this Doctrine that Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a CHRISTIAN MAN nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an ADVERSARY to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily for Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. And again That were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins and so justifie himself Ibid. pag. 17. By which you may see that to deny this Doctrine That we are justified by faith alone and to affirm that we are justified by our own good works is not a Christian but a proud presumptuoâ—â— antichristian Doctrine And to affirm or insinuate that our persons are justified before God partly by our faith and partly by our own good works is also cleaâ—ly against the express Doctrine of the Church of England for 〈◊〉 saith that faith shuteth out good works yea it self as 't is an act habiâ— or work from our justification and remitteth and directeth us to Chrisâ— merits for our justification as may be seen above 3. 'T is contrary also to Canonical Scripture Gal. 2. 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be jâ—stified by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by the works of the Law 〈◊〉 by the works of the Law shall no flesh be
it theâ— he did more sensibly and firmly rest upon God for the performance of his promise to him 2. If mens persons are justified before God by their own personal good works then they are so justified either by those good works they do before their faith or by those that follow after their faith but they are not justified before God by their own personal good works which they do before their Faith nor by those which they do after their Faith or after they believe in Christ therefore they are not justified before God by their own personal works 1. Their persons are not justified before God by their works which they do before they believe in Christ because they are not formally good they are not pleasing unto God for as much as they spring not from faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make men meet to receive grace and so do not dispositivè justifie as Papists hold or as the School-Authors say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but that they have the nature of sin So saith the Church of England in her 13th Article of Religion Works done before faith in Christ though they may be materially good yet they are not formally good but are perfectly evil yea are * Virtutes Eâ—hnicorum sunt splendida peccata Rom. 1. 17. sins for whatsoever is not of faith is sin saith St. Paul and the Church of England Rom. 14. 23. Homily of good Works T. 1. p. 30. 2. Their persons are not justified before God by those good works which they do after they believe in Christ and which proceed from Faith in Christ which I prove thus 1. By the twelfth Article of Religion of the Church of England Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgment 2. Because they are imperfectly good and so stand in need of the perfect righteousness of Christ to cover their infirmities as may be proved by our Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 177. Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christ acts and merits 3. Because they follow the justified and are done after their justification and this argument the Church of England teacheth out of Saint Augustine in her Homily of good works T. 2. p. 82. Good * Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequntur justificatum S. August de fide operibus c. 4. 14. And this Doctrine John Lambert Martyr sealed with his blood Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1091. works go not before in him which shall afterward be justified but good works do follow after when a man is justified 4. Because it was confessed on all hands that no mens persons were ever justified before God by doing of evil works and therefore the Apostle had no need to prove that men were not justified by them but the works of unbelievers are †If an Heathen may cloath the naked feed the hungry and do such other like works yet because he doth them not in faith for the honour and love of God they be but dead vain and fruitless works to him Hom. of Faith p. 31. See there also p 30. all the life of them that lack true faith is sin Ibi. p. 31. evil works for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat 7. 17. And whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Therefore it follows that the Apostle Paul did intend to prove that the good works of men which proceed from faith do not justifie menspersons in Gods sight 5. And lastly Papists themselves distinguishing of a twofold Justification first and second confess that all works are excluded from the first Justification which only is properly Justification their second is Sanctification properly Bellarmine himself Lib. 4 c. 15. de Justificatione confesseth that the Apostle Paul doth in the Epistle to the Romans dispute of the first Justification therefore he excludes all our works from the Justification of our persons before God 4. It is contrary to the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches of Christ as may clearly be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 9. To give you a sight of some things they declare at large the latter Confession of Helvetia c. 15. saith thus To justifie in the Apostles disputation touching Justification doth signifie to remit sins to absolve from the fault and the punishment thereof to receive into favour to pronounce a man just for the Apostle saith to the Romans God is he that justifieth who is he that can condemn where to justifie and condemn are opposed and in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 13. the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him every one that believeth is justified For in the law also and in the Prophets we real Deut. 25. 1. That if a controversie were risen amongst any and they came to judgment the judg shaâ—l judg them that is justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked And in the fifth Chapter of Isaiah Wo to them that justifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certain that we are all by nature sinners and before the judgment-seat of God convicted of ungodliness and guilty of death but we are justified that is acquitted from sin and death by God the Judg through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plain than that which Paul saith All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus for Christ took upon himself and bare the sins of the world and did satisfie the justice of God God therefore is merciful unto our sins for Christ alone that suffered and rose again and doth not impute them to us but he imputeth the justice of Christ unto us for our own so that now we are not only cleansed from sin and purged and holy but also endued with the righteousness of Christ yea and acquitted from sin death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heirs of eternal life To speak properly then it is God alone that justifieth us and that only for Christ by not imputing to us our sins but imputing Christs righteousness unto us But because we do receive this Justification not by any works but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ therefore we teach and believe with the Apostle that sinful man is justified only by faith in Christ not by the Law or by any works For the Apostle saith Rom. 3. We
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law To which they add Rom. 4. 2 3. and Ephes 2. 8 9. and say further Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours for it is the gift of God Now that we do receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Joh. 6. where he putteth eating for believing But it is most clear in Joh. 1. 12. and believing for eating for as by eating we receive meat so by believing we are made partakers of Christ therefore we do not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charity works or merit but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith And moreover our charity and our works cannot please God if they be done of such as are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or do any just works We are made just as we said through faith in Christ by the meer grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sins but imputeth unto us the righteousness of Christ yea and our saith in Christ is imputed for righteousness unto us The Church of Basil saith thus We confess the remission of siâ—â— through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it self in the works of charity and by this means is tried yet we do not attribute righteousness and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but only to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lamb of God shed for us There may be seen the Confessions of Faith of the Churches of Bohemia France Belgia or Holland Ausburg Saxony Wirtemberg Scotland to which might be added the Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland agreed upon Ann. 1615. in Articles 34 35 36 37. but they being almost the same verbatim with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England for brevities sake I forbear But I pray take and consider the Confession of Faith of England and Scotland made by the late learned and orthodox Assembly of Divines Chapter the eleventh of Justification Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of Justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love Now let any indifferent and judicious and impartial man compare this with the ancient Doctrine of the Church of England set down in her Books of Articles of Christian Religion and Homilies and then judg whether it be not more consonant thereunto and also to Sacred Canonical Scripture than is 1. Dr. H. Hammond's * Practical Catechism p. 1649. p. 31. p 41. p. 33. p. 29. who saith That sincere obedience with faith justifies mens persons before God Or 2. Dr. Sim. Patricks †Parab of Pilgrim p. 511. 〈◊〉 who saith That new obedience must go before we can expect to be justified by the grace of God And thus * p. 32. Suffer not your faith to rest no not on Christ till it animate you to a free and cheerful obedience to all his commands Which destroys the faith of adherence and founds Faith upon his own works and not solely upon Christ if he means as he must do an actual animation to such an obedience as he speaks of Who saith also That good works are * Friendly Debate p. 13 14. necessary to justification He must mean a priori and antecedent to Justification else he speaks not ad rem but cuffs the man of clouts of his own making for all men even those he pleads against hold that they necessarily follow it And that faith justifies as 't is effectual by love to our Saviour he must mean so else he answers not his question How can this be seeing we are justified by faith only very well saith he for it is not an idle ineffectual faith which justifies but that which works by love to our Saviour and love is the keeping of his Commandments Which implys that Faith justifies our persons before God either as 't is a work or as 't is working by love and so he makes good works * Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous either in part or in whole Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 17. concauses at least with Faith of our Justification before God or that faith doth justifie our persons before God by good works of which Justification he would perhaps too have love the form as Papists would have it to be And this seems to be his meaning and of his Pilgrims guide to Jerusalem or rather to Rome because he faith It cannot be understood nor defined without works which implys that good works are of the constitutive essence of Faith Par. Pilgrim p. 139. and that all definitions of justifying faith that separate obedience from faith are but cheats and dangerous illusions And thence he derides the words recumbency adhesion rest acquiescence as lazie and slovenly expressions of Faith as justifying though our * Vrsin Catechism p. 27â— q. 21. p. 134. Bp. Davenants Determin 39. and of Justif c. 32 p. 411. Bp. Downham of Justif l. 6. c. 4. Dr. Ames Med. Theol. l. 1. c. 3 R. 4. Pareus in Act 15. 6. judicious learned and orthodox Divines have commonly used them in defining Faith as justifying Or 3. Mr. Fowler 's who saith That justifying faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includes a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its precepts or true holiness in the nature of it and that it justifies as it doth so Who saith also †Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221 223. That this principle admitted viz. that faith justifies only as it apprehendeth the merits and righteousness of Christ gives advantage to Antinomianism Who saith That * Free Discourse part 1. p. 164. In the 160 page of his Free Discourse he saith that faith justifieth as it worketh by love And in p. 159. he saith it justifieth as it implieth obedience Justification is mostly
attributed to faith because 〈◊〉 other graces are virtually therein contained and that is the principle froâ— whence they are derived Whereas thâ— truth is it is only ascribed to faith and that because it is the only grace thâ—â— doth apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ to the sinner as the Church of England teacheth iâ— her Homily of Salvation of Mankind the third Part pag. 19. Faiâ—â— only is said to justifie because it doth directly send us to Christ for remissioâ— of sins 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 OTHER 〈◊〉 our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works doth justifie Who saitâ— also That as * Free Discourse pag. 188. works signifie sincere obedience 〈◊〉 Christs Gospel neither I nor those Preacherr can account it any scandal to have it said of us that 〈◊〉 hold JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS he must mean it of Justification of mens persons before God else he beats the air or cunningly equivocates And indeed so he explains himself Nor need we so mince it as to say that faith justifieth our persons and good works our faith for understanding works I say for a * Pag. 189. working faith our persons if ever they be Socinians define justifying Faith to be obedience fides justificans est obedientia Catech Racov. c. 9. The old Photinian Hereticks called it a new creature Wendelin Ch. Theol. l. 1. c. 25. p. 476. compare Dr. H's Dr. P's and Mr. F's Doctrines of Faith and Justification with Socinians and Photinians c. must be justified by them Which is directly and expresly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in heâ— Articles and Homilies before alledged Sure I am that these mens Doctrine gives great advantage to Popery and is directly contrary to the prime design of Christianity which is to advance the glory of Gods free grace in giving us his only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose again for our justification and sets up Justification by our own righteousness which is the same false and Antichristian Doctrine the Papists teach How Dr. †Just as the Semi-Pelagians do as Alvarez shews de auxil div grat disp 2. pag. 19 20. Heyliâ— divideth Justification between faith and good works may be seen in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 28. Sect. 29. What false Doctrine concerning Justification others of A. B. Laua's party have taught in his time may be seen in those two Books collected to your hands viz. Laudensium Autocatacrisis and Laudensium Apostasia One word to these men What Divine that understood himself and did not intend to cheat men into a Popish Photinian Socinian or Arminian belief of Justification by a mans own inherent righteousness and consequently denying of Christs by which alone our persons are justified before God ever went about to put good works or new obedience into the definition of Faith as it justifieth our persons before God What is it a cheat in Bishop Sanderson and all sound Logicians and Philosophers to define a man to be animal rationale becaus they make no mention of risibility which necessarily flows from his principles and is really inseparable from him Did you never read nor hear of a praecisâ—â—e separation of a property from its proper subject that is a consideration of the subject without considering the property if not I shall not doubt but that you have studied Rhetorick more than Logick and Natural Philosophy though you brag much of your rational Discourses and Religion too Now if the subject may be defined without its proper passion pray may not the cause be considered and defined too without its effects Bishop Sanderson * Log. l. 3. c. 17. par 5. p. 64. teacheth us to define habits by their end and object And Philosophers tell us that Habitus distinguuntur per actus actus per objecta Habits must be distinguished by their acts and acts by their objects Now the proper act of faith as it justifies mens persons before God is not to work by love and resolve upon new obedience as you insinuate but to receive the proper object of Justification which is not Gods commands formally considered as you insinuate but the righteousness of Jesus Christ called the Lord our righteousness and do not Philosophers give us two definitions of the soul the one as 't is a form of the body thus Anima est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corporis physici organici vitam habentis in potentia and the other as 't is the efficient cause of its operations thus Anima est principium quo vivimus sentimus movemur intelligimus primo what do they put a cheat upon the world and illusions because in the first they mention not its effects so here faith is in the Doctrine of Justification considered by our and your orthodox Divines as the form of Justification taken passively whereby believers lay hold on Christ with all his merits by the hand of faith and apply them to themselves Here I say they do not consider faith as an efficient principle or cause of either Bishop Davenant de justitia habituali c. 22. p 312. inward graces or outward good works for all these are excluded or to use our * Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. Faith shutteth not out repentance hope love fear of God to be joined with faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying c. Homilies word shut out from the business of Justification of sinners persons before God as I shewed before out of St. Paul's and the Church of England's Doctrine And they may reason thus that which Faith excludeth from justification of sinners persons before God cannot be put into the definition of Faith formally considered as so justifying but Faith formally considered as justifying sinners persons before God excludeth works from Justification of sinners persons before God For Faith and works are in this point opposed every where by S. Paul as was manifested before out of the Doctrine of the Church of England as well as St. Paul's Therefore good works cannot be put into the definition of faith as 't is justifying of sinners persons before God And 't is observable by the way too that Faith shutteth out repentance and fear of God as well as love from the office of justifying of sinners persons before God as our Homily quoted in the Margent plainly declareth And therefore it excludeth Mr. Fowler 's sincere resolution of obedience to all the precepts of the Gospel not only from the definition of Faith as justifying but also from the office of justifying mens persons before God In the point of justifying of mens persons before God these * Mr. Fowler 's Free Discourse p. 127. quarrelsome sottish men as you are pleased out of
your abundant modesty to call A. B. Vsher Bishop Downham Bishop Davenant Mr. Perkins Pemble Dr. Ames and many others of our own learned orthodox Divines besides many more of foreign Countries consider not Faith as 't is the principle of good works but according to its proper office as justifying which is to rest trust upon to receive and apply and so in that office it actually needs no good works or vertues to be coupled with it because it is but the souls instrument to apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ that is freely offered in the Gospel to it self and which no other grace or work of man doth or can do as was shewed before * Dr. Patrick calls this I am nought I have nought his Pilgrims charm Par. Pilgr p. 283. Which sure is not so good a comparison as Mr. T. W. his painted post is of an hypocrite condemned by him in his Debate He that will be Christs disciple must deny himself and his own righteousness as Paul did Phil. 3. 7. 8 9. Christ will be a whole Saviour or none at all He that comes to Christ for justification with his own good works in his hand doth in effect say that he hath in truth some but not much need of him and his righteousness and thereby he incapacitates himself to lay hold upon and receive Christ and his merits for inâ—us existens prohibet extraneum he must let go his own works before he can apprehend and relye only upon Christs merits as he must do as was evidenced before out of the Doctrine of our Church of England which saith * Hom of Salv. of Mank p. 17. We must trust only in Gods mercy and that sacrifice which our high Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God once offered for us upon the Cross to obtain thereby Gods grace For further and fuller confutation of this gross and most Antichristian error not to say heresie as Dr. Slater calls it I refer you back to what I have alledged out of the Church of Englands Books of Homilies and Articles of Religion upon the serious reading of which and their Books and comparing them together all judicious and sound Christians will find that there is great cause for all men to take heed of their Books as of cheats and dangerous illusions to use Dr. Patrick's words by which they have defamed the sincere and sound professors and assertors of the true and pure Protestant Religion which to do their learned Dr. H. More in his Mystery * Lib. 2. c. 13. p. 〈◊〉 This saith he must needs be very antichristian and uncharitable to misrepresent mens actions and opinions in publick speeches or writings or invent notorious lyes or fictions in the disparagement of mens persons and Doctrines and suborn men to write them and divulge them to the world for truths which is to do as was the custome of those who were under the Dragon that old Serpent and false accuser of the ancient Primitive Christians c. of Iniquity saith is one part of Antichristianism and cunningly under the pretence of confuting the errors and reproving the follies and infirmities of Nonconforming Protestants to those errors and impositions and modes of worship and government which they profess they like very well have printed what they have preached I cannot tell not to say Arminian Socinian but Popish Errors contrary to the express word of God and the sound and clear Doctrine of the Church of England to which 't is believed they have subscribed if not declared their assent and consent yea even that antifundamental error or rather heresie of Justification of sinners persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works and thereby slighted our free Justification by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ apprehended and applied alone by true Faith in Jesus Christ which is in effect denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ as their Dr. More shews in his Mystery of Iniquity and is obvious to every man that fully understands what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and that is not resolved virtually to deny Christ to be come in the flesh and to profess himself to be fallen from grace as the Apostle speaks 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3. Gal. 5. 4. From all which I shall not peremptorily conclude any thing but only ask this question as Dr. Patrick Friendly Debate pag. 2 3. doth Can he be a good subject a good * Hom. of Salvat of Mankind p. 16 17. before quoted and alledged Christian and a Minister of Christ that doth so To conclude 't is true that good works do either actually or habitually accompany a true justifying Faith or do follow a justified person but they have no hand or efficiency at all in the justification of a sinners person before God as the Doctrine of the Church of England plainly shews We are justified by Faith with works associativè but not by Faith and works copulativè that is we are justified by that Fâ—â—â—h that is accompanied with works but not by the works that do accompany it as concauses with it thereof but by faith alone because that only and no other vertue grace or work doth or can do it apprehends and applies that which doth justifie our persons before God viz. Christs righteousness ART IV. That Faith that doth justifie sinners persons before God is a bare and naked assent to the truth of Gods word and that so and as an act habit or work in us it justifies THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homily of the Salvation of Mankind p. 17. which saith thus The true meaning of this Doctrine We be freely justified by faith without works is not that this our own act to believe in Christ or that this faith in Christ which is within us doth justifie us For that were to count our selves to be justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but the true meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have faith we must renounce the merit of our said vertues c. And in the Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. part 2. p. 1â—7 thus The only mean or instrument of Salvation required of our part is faith that is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God c. ut supra where 't is clear that the faith that doth justifie us is not a bare notitia or knowledg of and assensus assent unto the truth of Gods word but also as our sound Divines do hold and maintain Bishop Davenant Determ 37. fiducia a sure trust and confidence in Gods mercy c. So also in Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 20. A true and right Christian is not only to believe the holy Scriptures and all the Articles of our Christian Faith that is to assent to them but also to have a sure trust and confidence
have quoted your own approved Authors Take therefore the Confession of Protestant Churches in this matter 1. The Confession of Belgia who Article 22 say thus Yet to speak properly we do not mean that faith by it self or of it self doth justifie us which is but only an instrument whereby we apprehend Christ which is our justice Christ therefore himself is our righteousness which imputeth all his merits unto us faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits 2. See also the Confession of Ausburg who say thus When therefore we do say that we are justified by faith we do not mean that we are just for the worthiness of that vertue but this is our meaning that we do obtain remission of sins and imputation of righteousness by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith and faith doth not signifie here only a knowledg of the History but it signifieth a belief of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediator Jesus Christ And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a * Not of a strong fancying as Mr. Fowler saith they do Free Discourse p. 127 p. 130 confidence and trust of mercy St. Paul and St. James do not disagree for whereas James saith the Devils believe and tremble he speaketh of an Historical faith now this faith doth not justifie for the wicked and the Devils are cunning in the History But Paul when he saith faith is reckoned for righteousness heâ— speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith And so it goes on Harmony of Confessions Sect. the ninth 3. And the Synod of Dort in the second Chapter and fourth Error rejected the Synod having delivered the Orthodox Doctrine rejecteth the Errors of them Who teach that the New Covenant of Grace which God the Father by the Mediation of Christs death made with men doth not consist herein viz. That we are justified before God and saved by faith in so much as it apprehends the merits of Christ but herein viz. That God the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated reputes faith it self and the imperfect obedience of faith for perfect obedience of the Law and graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3. 24 25. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And with wicked Socinus they bring in an uncouth and strange justification of man before God Arminians Socinians and Papists agree in this Antichristian Doctrine contrary to the consent of the whole Church 4. The Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland made as Dr. Heylin saith by A B. Vsher and assented and consented to by the whole Clergy there and allowed and confirmed by the Parliament there and by King James here Anno 1615 When we say that we are justified by faith only we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man without true repentance hope charity and the fear of God for such a faith is dead and cannot justifie Neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ or this our faith in Christ which is within us doth of it self justifie us or deserve our Justification unto us for that were to account our selves to be justified by the vertue or dignity of something that is within our selves but the true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance and the fear of God within us and add never so many good works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our said vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and good deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and unperfect and unsufficient to deserve remission of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust only in Gods mercy and the merits of his most dearly beloved Son our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ Nevertheless because Faith directly sends us to Christ for our Justification and that by faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercy and the remission of our sins which thing none other of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works and the ancient Fathers of the Church to the same purpose that only faith doth justifie us By justifying faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a perswasion of the truth of Gods word in general but also a particular application of the gracious promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his only Sons sake Articles 36. 37. This is almost the same that I have before alledged out of our Books of Homilies 6. I shewed before the Confession of Faith of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the late learned and Orthodox Assembly of Divines That God doth freely justifie those whom he hath effectually called not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any â—ther Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness C. 11. And in their larger Catechism p. 95. which would be very useâ—ul and profitable not only for all young Students but also for our â—roud conceited Photinian Divines to study they shew how Faith doth â—ustifie Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other graces which do always accompany it or of good works that are the fruits of it nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his Justification but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness Gal. 3. 11. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 5. with Rom. 10. 10. Joh. 1. 12. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 2. 16. I conclude this particular with what Cicero said Oratio 19. to Cataline Nihil horum ora vultusque movêre ART V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by faith alone on their part THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 11th Article of Religion We are accounted righteous before God only
Ibi. p. 160 161 〈◊〉 163. Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 2. That we are justified by faith sensu proprio that is the act of â—â—lieving in that Tò credere is imputed for righteousness being accepteâ— God and accounted unto us for that whole righteousness of the Law whâ—â—â— we were bound to perform so that our very faith is that righteousness 〈◊〉 which we are justified in the sight of God Non quidem merito suo 〈◊〉 propter gratuitam acceptilationem Dei This is the error of the Arâ—â—nians with whom the Papists agree which they received from Faustâ—â— Socinus that unhappy Heretick in his blasphemous Book de Christo Sâ—â—vatore and Michael Servetus in his second Book de Lege Evangeliâ—â— Which Errors are confuted by Calvin in his Opuscula and ibid. by 〈◊〉 Pemble Sec. 2. c. 2. p. 164 c. 3. A sinner is not justified by faith alone but also by other vertues 〈◊〉 graces as Hope love repentance fear of God c. and this is the opâ—nion of the Papists which whether it be not the Doctrine the scopâ—â— and main drift of our Latitudinarian Divines in their Books let tâ—â— impartial and judicious Reader truly judg which he confutes 〈◊〉 Sec. 2. c. 3. p. 167 c. and which is most opposed and confuted by 〈◊〉 sound Doctrine of the Church of England as may be easily seen 〈◊〉 what I have before alledged out of it Now that true Believers in Christ are justified that is declared 〈◊〉 accounted righteous before God acquitted from their debt the Cuâ—â— of the Law which by their sins they have deserved at Gods hands by and for the merits of Christs * Christs righteousness is not only his inherent holiness as Mr. Fowler falsely suggests in his Free Discourse pag. 128. passive and active obedience to the will of God his Father which is called Christs righteousness imputed to them I prove thus by arguments taken clearly from the Doctrine of the Church of England and Gods word 1. They that believe in Christ that is that their persons are justified before God are justified either by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but they are not justified before God by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness therefore they are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is undeniable because there is no other thing by or for which they are justified that is absolved from the curse of the Law and declared not guilty but accounted innocent and righteous The Minor I have proved already by the Doctrine of the Church of England the sentence and confession of the Reformed Churches abroad and our own learned Divines at home and by the authority of Canonical Scripture The sum of which is this 1. Because we are freely justified by Faith not as an act habit or work but as an instrument apprehending and applying the righteousness of Christ and not by the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20 24 28. Gal. 2. 16. 2. Because all our inherent righteousness is imperfect and accompanied with many sins and therefore cannot stand before the judgment-seat of God much less merit or procure our Justification at Gods hands To which I add this further Though God hath ordained us to walk in good works yet the meaning is not by these words to induce us to have any affiance or to put any confidence in our works as by the merit and deserving of them to purchase to our selves or others remission of sins and so consequently everlasting life for that were blasphemy against Gods mercy and great derogation to the blood-sheâ—ding of our Saviour Jesus Christ For it is the free grace and mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ without merit or descriving on our part that our sins are foâ—given us that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom T. 2. Hom. of good works part 1. pag. 81. And 't is observable that the Church of England makes Justification to be forgiveness of sins Homily for Salvation p. 13. And Bellarmine himself Lib. 1. de Paenit saith Remissio peccatorum quid est nisi justificatio 2. True Believers in Christ are justified the same way and by the same means that Abraham was but Abraham's person was justified before God not by his own good works but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him Ergo true Believers in Christ are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The Major is the Doctrine of the Church of England as I shewed before and is clear by St. Paul's Doctrine Rom. 4 11 12. As Abraham the Father of the Faithful was justified so shall his faithful sons believers in Christ be justified too that righteousness might be imputed to them also And Rom. 4. 22 23 24. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed 〈◊〉 him that is Abraham but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if 〈◊〉 believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification The Minor also is clear because he was justified by his Faith whereby he believed God in the promised seed that is in Christ Roâ— 4. 3. Abraham believed God that God that spake to him and it 〈◊〉 counted to him for righteousness And I shewed before that his Faith was taken not absolutely but relatively with connotation of the object Christ promised that was counted to him for righteousness So Rom. 4 9. Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness And ver 21. and therefore it that is his Faith in Christ the promised seed was imputed to him for righteousness And our Homily saith Ibi. supra Oâ—â— faith shall be imputed to us as well as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob And it necessarily must be so for he was not justified by Faith as 〈◊〉 act or habit or work as I proved before by the Doctrine of the Church of England 3. If God doth accept and allow of Christs active and passive obedience and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true Believers in Christ then they are justâ—fied before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but God doth accept and allow of the active and passive obedience of Christ and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true believers in Christ therefore true believers in Christ are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is evident because Christs obedience and merits is his righteousness For we say not that Christs essential righteousness which is in him as God the second Person in the Sacred Trinity or that righteousness which he by his Spirit and Word works in believers is
imputed to believers for Justification but that Mediatory righteousness of Christ whereby he suffered for our breach of Gods most righteous Law which deserves Gods curse Gal. 3. 13. and actively fulfilled the whole Moral Law of God for us which we were bound to do Levit. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Gal. 4. 4 5. Mat. 3. 15. If a Creditor cast his debtor into prison for non-payment of such a sum of money as he owed him till he be payed the money or otherwise satisfied for his debt upon his sureties or friends coming to him and paying him all the money and he taking accepting and allowing of it as full and perfect satisfaction to him for the debt doth impute it or reckon it or put it upon his account and consequently to him as though it were paid and made by his debtor in person himself and doth therefore in manifestation thereof deliver up his bond or cross his Book and release him out of prison So 't is here Gods accepting taking and allowing of our Saviour Jesus Christs our sureties active and passive obedience for us as though actually and personally performed by us as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice and thereupon we applying it by Faith pardoning our sins delivering of us from the curse of the Law formally punishments and eternal death doth thereby impute his obedience or righteousness to us that by Faith in Christ do make application of it to our selves Now the Minor is the express Doctrine of the Church of England and Ireland Homily for Salvation p. 13 14 15 16 17. And this Justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by faith is taken * Mr. Fowler himself makes Justification and acceptance with God all one Free Disc p. 134. accepted and allowed by God for our full and perfect justification And again Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 175. Neither was it possible for us to be loosed of this debt of our own ability it pleased him that is Christ our Surety to be the payer thereof and to discharge us quit his paying our debt meritoriously discharging us quit necessarily implys that God did accept of the merits of his death and doings for us And Ibi. p. 177. Christ was obedient to his Father even to the death and this he did for us all that believe in him And such favour did he purchase for us of his heavenly Father by his death that for the merit thereof if we be true Christians indeed and not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sins those expressions that Christ did purchase for us Gods favour and clearly discharged us from our sins manifest it to all the world that God did accept and take and allow as full satisfaction of what Christ did for us Again Ibi. p. 187 188. Christ by his own oblation and once offering himself upon the Cross hath taken away our sins and restored us again into Gods favour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sin shall hereafter be requisite or needful in all the world And in the 34th Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland they say thus We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jâ—sus Christ applied by Faith and not for our own works or merits And this righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by Faith is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full Justification And in 35th Article they say thus And whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransome it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite mercy without any desert of ours to provide for us the most precious merits of his own Son whereby our ransome might be fully paid the Law fulfilled and his Justice fully satisfied So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them that truly believe in him He for them paid their ransome by his death he for them fulfilled the Law in his life that now in him and by him every true Christian may be called a fulfiller of the Law for as much as that which our infirmity was not able to effect Christs justice hath performed And this Doctrine viz. that Christ hath for us made a full and perfect satisfaction to Gods Justice is the express Doctrine of the Church of England in her Order of the Communion which saith there That Jesus Christ did suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption and that he made there by his own oblation of himself once offered 〈◊〉 full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world And Homâ—ly of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 169. Christ made perfect satisfaction by his death for the sins of all people And that God doth take accept and allow it as full and perfect satisfaction for the sins of all his elect people is most evident by the holy Apostles Creed which the Church of England also believeth as well as by the holy Doctrine of the Canonical Scriptures which hold that Jesus Christ did not only die and was buried and was for a time held under the power of death and the grave which was as his imprisonment but that he was raised again for our Justification which declared that God was fully satisfied with what he had done and suffered else he would not have let him out of Prison Rom. 4. 25. And that he ascended up into heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of God and that from thence he shall come to iudg both quick and dead Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 1. 3. And God hath declared that in him he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 17. 5. And that we are compleat in him Col. 2. 18. And that we are justified in and by him Rom. 3. 24. And that we have peace with God through him Rom. 5. 1 2. And that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. And that he saves his people from their sins to the uttermost Mat. 1. 21. Heb. 5. 25. Of which you may see much more hereafter in the 13th particular concerning Purgatory To pass by many more arguments 4 Sacred Scripture doth evidently hold it forth unto all that will not wilfully shut their eyes or that are not judicially blinded 1. Jer. 23. 6. This is the name whereby Christ shall be called that is by all Gods people the Lord our righteousness * See Bishop Andrews his Sermon in locum All Gods people shall profess that they have their righteousness from Christ which is in effect the same with Isa 45. 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory All the spiritual seed of Israel that is all Gods Elect shall be justified that is shall obtain remission of their sins and right to everlasting life by virtue of the Son
is more than his inherent righteousness as I shewed before or inherent holiness is as coâ—pleatly made †'T is so by Gods imputation theirs as if they theâ—selves were compleatly and perfectly righteous and that upon no other * They call not Faith a condition but the only instrument of the soul condition or qualification wrought in them but 〈◊〉 believing whereby too many of them meâ—â— strongly fancying this rightcousness to 〈◊〉 theirs This he saith in the Margent iâ— a false notion of it and is grosly false doctrine For he saith there are two palâ—ble mistakes in it 1. That Christs righteousness is properly †'T is as properly made ours by imputation as Adam's first sin is made ours made ours I am coâ—fident there is no Scripture that tells us 〈◊〉 All that we find asserted in the Gospel 〈◊〉 to this matter is this that real benefits 〈◊〉 advantages which are likewise exceedingâ—â— great * But what are they is justification one of them or not in the sense I have treated of it and excellent do by the righteousness of Christ accrue to us and those â—â—less great and excellent than if that righteousness were in the most proper seâ—â— ours 2. The other mistake is that this righteousness is made ours upon no other terms than that of believing †Who saith so what other terms are required on our part besides faith in Christ believe and thou shalt be saved antecedent to Justification it is so This is not only a * And yet this man saith Conformists must not write against the Doctrine of the Church of England false but also a most dangerous opinion And then he saith That be and his moral Preachers are careful to shew the falsity and defectiveness of some definitions of faith of dangerous consequence and that this is one of the false ones namely that is is a taking hold of †Who are the men that so define it and where Assembl Definition of Justifying Faith Christs righteousness or a believing thâ—â— it is made over to us p. 129 130 this he calls a mysterious faith and non-sâ—nse p. 130. The Learned and Orâ—hodoâ— Assembly of Divines in their larger Catechism did give us this Definition of justifying Faith Justifying faith is a saving grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability of himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of â—oâ— for salvation Joh. 1. 12. Act. 16. 32. Phil. 3. 9. Is this a false or defective definition of Faith or non-sense if it be speak out and prove it And p. 130 131. he saith The reason why those moral Preachers use not at all or but seldom the phrase imputed righteousness is because those mens very untoward notion hath so leavened * And yet you 'l use the word Altar and the phrase holy Altar though the Papists have levelâ—â— it with their false notion of oftering the sacrifice of Christs body and blood upon it the heads of the vulgar that they can scarcely hear of Christs imputed righteousness but they are ready to make an ill use of it by taking from thence occasion to entertain low and disparaging thoughts of an inward real righteousness I think saith he it would be well if it were never used I pray mark 1. He calls our Orthodox Divines notion of Christs imputed righteousness an â—ntoward notion 2. He gives a Popish reason and very untoward false and dangerous one why his Divines use not the phrase imputed righteousness because forsooth ' tâ—s in danger to be abused the same that Papists give for their prohibiting vulgar people to read the holy Scriptures in a known tongue left they should abuse it 3. Christs righteousness and the imputation thereof must not by these mens reason be mentioned Lest people should take occasion to disparage mans own real moral righteousness Doth not this shew that you prefer your own righteousness above Christs And pag. 132. he saith But take notice that this expression Christs * So saith Bellarmine as Tâ—lenus in his Syntag. de Justiâ— p 726. tells us where he saith frontem persricat Bellarmiâ—â— 'T is plainly in Rom. 4. 6. â—hil 3. 8. 9. and by necessary consequence in Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. and many other plâ—ces of Script 2 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 imputed righteousness is not to be found in all the Bible Nor in any of the places where we find the word imputed relating to the righteousness of Christ at all to be understood but only an effectual faith which is the very same with inherent righteousness which as I said is that moral righteousness only that those Preachers may be justly charged with altogether insisting upon p. 133. Here the man speaks out plainly that our persons are justified befoâ—â— God by our own inherent righteousness as 't is taken in opposition 〈◊〉 the righteousness of Christ imputed to us which latter he utterly denies And in his other Book intituled The design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. he saith That faith justifies as it includes a sincere resolution of obedience or true holiness in the nature of it Which is as directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England as any that his Father Bellarmine hath written concerning Justification whose arguments he urgeth and improves as will be evident to any man that reads Bishop Downham of Justification and Dr. Ames his Bellarminus Enervatus And in p. 133. of his Free Discourse he saith There are but two Chapters in all the New Testament where we find the word imputed mentioned as relating to righteousness one is in the fouâ—â— to the Romans and the other the second of St. James In the fourth to the Romans we have it four or five times and it is most evident that there still it is to be interpreted as I said that is above p. 132. * Which is most false it 's evident that 't is taken as all our sound Protestant Divines understand it of Faith not as 't is effectual by works but as it 's relatively considered apprehending the righteousness of Christ and applying it to our selves as I have shewed before Bishop Sanderson was no Antinomian consider what he saith That Justification of sinners by the imputed righteousness of Christ apprehended and applied unto them by a lively Faith without the works of the Law is a sound true comfortable profitable and necessary Doctrine Serm. upon Rom 3. 8. p. 49. in 410. of an effectual faith which is the very same with inherent righteousness And what he saith for confirmation of his opinion That Abrahaâ— was justified by his faith
* 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
have not chosen me but I have chosen you and 〈◊〉 dained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your frâ—â— should remain Where 't is clear that the Apostles who reprsented not only Ministers of the Gospel but also all Gods Churcâ— which consists only of his Elect did not chuse God first but 〈◊〉 chose them first And that he did not ordain them to eterâ—â—â— life because he did foresee that they would go and bring for t fruit and persevere in well-doing but that they and by conâ—â—quence we might do so So 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that 〈◊〉 loved God but that he loved us That is first as the 19 verse 〈◊〉 pounds this tenth We love him because he loved us first 6. Gods Election of man to Salvation cannot be from his foâ— seeing that man would believe and do good works for 〈◊〉 hath not since his Fall sufficient power of himself to will to bâ—lieve or do good works for it is God that worketh in us both 〈◊〉 will and to do Ephes 2. 13. Yea the Apostle speaks plainly Epâ—â— 2. 8. That we are saved by grace through faith and that that faith is not 〈◊〉 our selves but that 't is the gift of God And so holds the Churâ—â— of England frequently in her Book 〈◊〉 Homilies For it is the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 Homil. of the Nativity of Christ T. 2. p. â—67 no other thing that doth quicken 〈◊〉 minds of men stirring up good and gâ—â— motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and commanâ—ment of God such as otherwise of their own crooked and perverse â—â—ture they should never have That which is born of the flesh is fleâ—â—ly as who should say man of his own nature is fleshly and câ—â—nal and corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to Gâ—â— without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or goâ—â— motions only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds as for the fruit of the Spirit the fruit of faith charitable and godly motions if he haâ—â— any at all in him they proceed only of the Holy Ghost who is the 〈◊〉 worker of our Sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Jesâ—◠〈◊〉 Homily concerning the coming down of the Holy Ghosâ— p. 209. We must needs agree that whatsoever good thing is in us either of grace or nature or fortune is of God only as the only authâ—â— and worker Verily that holy Prophet Isaiah beareth record and saitâ— O Lord it is thou of thy goodness that bast wrought all our works in us not we our selves And to uphold the truth in this matter against all justitiaries and hypocrites which rob Almighty God of his honour and ascribe it to themselves St. Paul bringeth in his belief We be not saith he sufficient of our selves as of our selves once to think any goodthing but all our ableness is of Gods goodness for he it is in whom we have all our being our living and moving It is meet to think that all spiritual goodness cometh from God above only Homily for Rogation-Week p. 217. 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the reformed Churches The French Church saith thus We believe that out of this universal corruption and damnation wherein by nature all men are drowned God did deliver and preserve some whom by his eternal and immutable counsel of his own goodness and MERCY WITHOVT ANY RESPECT OF THEIR WORKS he did choose in Christ Jesus and others he left in that corruption and damnation in whom he might as well make manifest his justice by condemning them justly in their time as also declare the riches of his mercy in the others The Confession of the Church of Belgia is this We believe that God after the whole off-spring of Adam was cast head-long into perdition and destruction through the fault of the first man hath declared and shewed himself to be such a one as he is indeed namely both merciful and just merciful in delivering and saving those from condemnation and from death whom in his eternal counsel of HIS OWN FREE GOODNESS he hath Aliud est in Christo legi aliud in Christo esse in Christo elegi est ex mundo numero periuntium 〈◊〉 Christo ut redemptus ab ipso fide donatus in ipso Mac. red Th. Pol. 〈◊〉 7. q. 4. p. 67. chosen in Jesus Christ WITHOUT ANY REGARD AT ALL OF THEIR WORKS Harmony of Confessions Sect. 5. p. 86 87. The Church of Ireland in the 14th Article of her Confession of Faith saith thus The cause moving God to predestina te unto life is not the foreseeing of faith or perseverance or good works or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself for all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his mercy and of his justice it seemed good to his heavenly Wisdom â—o chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his justice And 〈◊〉 former part of this Article is the Doctrine of the Church of Eâ—â—land also in express terms set down in the second Article of â—â—beth to be seen in the end of this book how and by whom Arâ—â— bishop Whitgift and several Bishops Fletcher Elect of London Vâ—â—han Elect of Bangor Tindale Dean of Eli Dr. Whitaker Mr. Perkiâ—â— Mr. Chaderton c. and upon what account Dr. Heylin in part shâ—â— in his Cyprianus Anglicus lib. 3. p. 2â— 204. viz. Peter Baroes venting Arâ—â—nian It cannot be denied but that the same Doctrine is maintained by Arminius and that it is the very same with that of the Church of Rome as appears by the Council of Trent Coâ—â— 3 4. Heylins Introduction to his Cyp. Anglicus p. 36. which as Dr. Heylin himself câ—â—â—fesseth is agreeable to Franciscan â—â—pish Doctrine and which the Parliment of 1628. remonstrated to the 〈◊〉 and Kingdom to be a cunning 〈◊〉 bring in Popery the professors of 〈◊〉 opinions being common disturbers of 〈◊〉 Protestant Churches and incendiarie◠〈◊〉 those States wherein they have gotteâ—â— head being Protestanis in shew but Jesuits in opinion and practise 〈◊〉 Angl. l. 3. p. 181. Now that the Articles of Lambeth are the seâ—â— of the Doctrine of the Church of England may be gathered not â—â—ly from A. B. Vshers taking these Articles into the Articles of Religâ—â— of Ireland and King James his approving of them but also by 〈◊〉 declarations of the Commons Assembled in Parliament in or abâ—â— the year 1628 June 14. We 〈◊〉 Commons of England now Assembâ—â— Declaration of the Commons in Parliament do claim profess 〈◊〉 aver for truth the sense of the Aâ—â—cles of Religion which were established in Parliament the 〈◊〉 year of Queen Elizabeth which by the publick Acts of the Churcâ—â— of England and the general and current exposition of the
the same Apostle calls the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. and Rom. 15. 13. He judgeth that the measure of unmoved and unshaken hope is in every true believer according to the measure of faith that is in him Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost And St Hilary in his Comment upon Matthew p. 261. quoted by Bâ—shop Davenant ubi supra doâ—h so joyn this hope with faith that he doth ascribe to both of them the same firmness anâ— certainty fluctuation and uncertainty Dominus vult regnum caelorum sine aliqua incertae voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioqui justificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa fiat Spes est certa expectatio futurae beatitudinis Pet. Lomb. 3. 26. Tho. Aquin. 22 ae q. 18. a. 4. ambiguâ— And the Papists do in vain distinguish between a certainty of hope and a certainty of faith seeing hope in the same regenerated and justified man cannot waver or be unstable unless also his faith in Christ do waver and be unstable neither doth a certain faith remain unless by hope it obtain the same certainty 3. I say that true believers may have a certainty of faith of their present state of grace and future state of glory for their belief is or may be grounded upon the sure and certain word or promises of God as John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and Act. 16. 30 31. the Jaylor said to the Apostles Sirs what must I do to be saved and they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ they may assume but we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ therefore we shall be saved and we know that we do believe in Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God and Rom 8. 16. the Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God and Gal. 4. 6. because ye are Sons God hath â—ent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and many other true believers besides those two godly Martyrs Mr. Robert Glover and John Carles of whom before have had fidem evidentiae the faith of evidence they have known that they did believe Lord said he in the Gospel I believe help thou mine unbelief Mark 9. 24. and the Romans being â—ustified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. How could they by faith obtain peace with God if they were uncertain whether they had faith or not St. Paul Gal. 2. 20. saith thus The life that I 〈◊〉 in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God so Peter saith 〈◊〉 21. 15 16. Lord thou knowest that I love thee St. John and those tâ—â— believers he wrote to 1 Joh. 3. 14. saith We know that we are passâ—â— from death to life because we love the brethren and besides faith 〈◊〉 be known by its fruits of which our learned and orthodox Diviâ—â— have written much The Church of England saith Article 12. Thâ—â— good works a lively faith may be known as evidently as a tree discerned the fruit and I have proved it before that we are justified by fâ—â— and that we may know that we have faith and consequently that are justified and consequently we may know that we shall be eternâ—â— saved for Rom. 8. 30. those that be justified shall be glorified 2. The second point of Popery to confirm the former in the fâ—â—mer Popish conclusion renounced is this That truly regenerated and justified persons may totally and finally 〈◊〉 away from the acts and habits of saving-grace before they dye and be â—â—nally damned To which I say 1. 'T is not denied that an unbeliâ—â— or wicked man may fall away from the common grace which he 〈◊〉 2. That a truly regenerated man may for a time lose the sense of 〈◊〉 love to him in Christ is not denied neither 3. That a truly regâ—â—rated man may fall into sin though not that against the Holy Gâ—â— as the Arminians hold is yeilded also 4. That a truly regenerâ—â— person or believer in Christ may fall for a time from some act or 〈◊〉 saving-grace is granted also as may be seen in David and Peter 〈◊〉 is the sense of the 16th Article of Religion of the Church of Englaâ—â— But 5. that a truly regenerated pâ—â—son or believer in Christ can 〈◊〉 and * Thomas Whittell in his Letter to John Carles saith That God suffereth his to fall but not finally to perish Fox his book of Martyrs p. 1742. finally fall away from all the acts 〈◊〉 habits of saving-grace before he dye 〈◊〉 become a damned reprobate is utterly â—â—nied and renounced and that 〈◊〉 cause 1. 'T is contrary to the Doctriâ—â— the Church of England Article 〈◊〉 Bertius a Scholar of the late Arminius who was the first that infected Leyden with Heresie was so impudent as to send a Letter unto the Archbishop of Canterbury with a book intituled De Apostasia Sanctorum the title whereof were worthy enough to make it worthy of the fire saith King James in his Declaration against Vorstius p. 554. of his Works Mark it he calls Arminius and Bertius his Doctrine of the falling away of the Saints heresie and ibid p. 355. he calls Arminius that enemy of God and his Doctrine corrupt seed and ibid p. 350. he calls Arminius and Arminians seditious and heretical Preachers of which he warned the States-General not to suffer to creep in among them and p 355. he calls them infected persons yea Hereticks and Atheistical Sectaries and their Doctrine Heresie and Schisms yea he calls Bertius his Book of the Apostasie of the Saints a blasphemous Book ibid. p. 355. And Sir Ralph Wynwood K. James his Ambassador calls Arminian Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints that wicked Doctrine ibid. p. 361. After we have received the 〈◊〉 Ghost we may depart from gâ—â— given and fall into sin and by 〈◊〉 grace of God we may arise agâ—â— and amend our lives Lo here the Church holds only a partial not a total a temporary not a final falling away from saving-grace given into sin for it maintains that we may rise again by the grace of God and amend our lives And the 17th Article is more full Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he constantly decreed by his councel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in
Ceremonies Protestants answer As if the inspiration of God did not make God the author of the fact as well as the command expressed in his word Otherwise it were lawful for the Papists to conclude by the same reason that they have authority to institute new Sacrifices and Sacraments Bellarmine replies and saith That the Congregation made a new Feast Esth 9. 1. Mac. 4. Protestants answer That the first was political the second was to be disallowed Bellarmine saith the Apostles instituted a new Ceremony Act. 15. Protestants answer That there was no new ceremony instituted but a respect to scandal in tollerating an old ceremony Bellarmine saith the Church may institute some things and ceremonies are not repugnant to the Gospel neither hath the Lord forbidden that we should add no ceremonies for the more commodious and profitable administration of the Sacraments Protestants answer 1. The Church cannot appoint any new thing by her own authority 2 Carnal ceremonies void of the Spirit as all humane ceremonies are are repugnant Hildersham proves from Job 4. 23. that humane Ceremonies are forbidden in the Gospel in loc Bishop Andrews in Command 2. p. 263 or 255. Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart c. 8. d. 4. p. 565. John Launder Thomas Iveson John Denly Martyrs professed that they believed that the Ceremonies used here in Q. Maries days were naught vain superfluous superstitious which they sealed with their blood Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1593 1594 1595 1598. to the perfection of the New Testament 3. Humane ceremonies can make â—o more to the commodious and profitable administration of Christs Sacraments as they were administred by Christ and his Apostles than the decrees of faith made by men do make more commodiously to illustrate the faith revealed by Christ What shall we think that certain new men have a better insight and know better what ceremonies are to be used in Baptism than the holy Apostles and Christ himself So of the Supper too Bellarmine saith That ceremonies iustituted by the Church cannot be omitted without sin yea not without scandal Protestants answer There cannot be instituted Religious ceremonies by the Church without sin and therefore they may be omitted without sin and ought to be omitted 4. That we cannot fully and perfectly perform all that the Law of God requireth for Christ saith plainly That when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable servants Which shews that we cannot perfectly keep the Law for if we could we should be profitable servants getting thereby much glory to God and everlasting life to our selves Do this and thou shalt live And the Homily of the Death of Christ T. 2. part 2. p â—82 saith Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christs acts and merits And again in the same Page it saith thus of Adam after his fall He could not keep the Law neither if Adam and his posterity had been able to satisfie and fulfill the Law perfectly in loving God above all things and their neighbours as themselves then should they have easily quenched the Lords wrath and escaped the horrible sentence of eternal death For 't is written Do this and thou shalt live that is fulfil my Commandments keep thy self upright and perfect in them according to my will then thou shalt live and not die But such was the frailty of mankind after his fall such was his weakness that he could not walk uprightly in Gods Commandments though he would never so fain but daily and hourly fell from his bounden duty offending the Lord his God divers ways to the great increase of his condemnation all are gone astray Our frailty is such that we can never of our selves fulfil the Law according to that the Law requireth And our 15th Article of Doctrine saith thus That all we the rest that is besides Christ although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yea the Popes Doctrine viz. That meer men since Adams fall can in this life perfectly fulfil Gods whole Moral Law is not only contrary to Sacred Scripture the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homilieâ— and Articles but also her Book of Common Prayers As to the Lords-Prayer wherein Christ taught his holy Apostles and all Gods children to say every day Forgive us our trespasses To our commoâ— general Confession We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts We have offended against thy holy Laws We have left undone those things we ought to have done and we have done those things we ought not to have done And 't is contrary to the prayer after every Commandment for pardon of sin committed against it Lord have mercy upon us Yea the Litany might be brought against Papists in this point And Prov. 7. 20. Rom. 7. 15. 17 18 20 23 24 1 Joh. 1. 8 9 10. and contrary also to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches to be seen in the Harmony of Confession Sect. 4. and the 43 Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland and the fourth Article of the 16th Chapter of the Confession of Faith of Scotland Yea the gates of Hell I believe will never be able to overthrow that Faith in that Confession made by that Assembly Heâ—â— what Shelford Serm. p. 121 127 136 139 147. and White Bishop of Eli on the Sabbath p. 157. say for mans ability to fulfil the Law against the Doctrine of the Church of England and what Shelford saith for works of Supererogation Serm. p. 184. may be seen in Laudensium Autocatacrisis p 70 71. And what Bishop Forbes saith in his Book de Justificatione may be seen in the Supplement thereunto p. 300. And what Dr. Patrick saith may be seen in his Parable of the Pilgrim p. 324. who there saith thus 'T is true we are not tyed to that which we cannot do but yet the flesh will sometimes juggle and complain of impotence when there is nothing hinders it but sloth This is Bellarmines argument de observatione Legis c. 7. si praecepta c. if the precepts are impossible then they oblige none To this argument Dr. Ames gives this answer Dr. Ames his Bellar. Enervatus T. 3. c. 7. p. 191. 1. That this argument doth not prove that the Law is more possible to be kepâ— by believers than by unbelievers by the just than by the unjust 2. That the obligation to keep the Law is not taken away by the impossibility that flows from our fault To which I shall say but thus that the words imply as they may well be taken one or both of these errors 1. That men now are not bound to keep the Moral Law of God Or 2. That 't
is * This is Pelagius his Doctrine as may be seen in Alvarez de Auxil gratiae l. 1. disp 1. p. 4. n. 2. possible for men in the state of corruption to keep the whole Moral Law of God Both which are very gross Errors but the former of these I should suppose he doth not hold Because 1. He complains against Nonconformists though causelesly and very falsely for Antinomianism 2. He presseth obedience to the Law and good works so much as that he saith that those that have confidence in Gods mercy through Christ must come down again from the top of the tree and begin at the bottom in obedience to all Gods Commandments And this must go before we can actually receive his pardon and absolution according to that of the Apostle Tit. 3. 5 6 7. where it is visible saith he that his mercy cannot save us unless we become new creatures and that this must go before the justification we expect by the grace of God In his licensed Parable of the Pilgrim 〈◊〉 502 511 〈◊〉 But yet if he hold it I shall say no more than what Gods Word expresly and in terminis saith Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every 〈◊〉 that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Either Gods word is false or his Doctrine But the second which is this ' That 't is possible for men in the state of corruption exactly and perfectly to fulfill the whole Moral Law of God Papists that they may establish their Justification of mens persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works do affirm that believers * Bellar. de observatione Legis T. 4. l. 6. c. 7. can by the help of Gods grace and the spirit of love infused into them at their Justification perfectly fulfill the whole Moral Law of God And this seems to be the Doctors insinuation To which our Divines do answer that 't is true the Law of God is Evangelically kept or fulfilled by true believers in Christ Jesus whose perfect righteousness and obedience is imputed to them and thereby their sincere obedience though very imperfect as referred to the Law is accepted of God as perfect But the Law is not legally kept by exact and perfect doing for matter and manner all the works thereof by any justified or regenerated person in this life since Christ ascended up into Heaven And this I have proved by the Doctrine of the Church of England and may be further proved even by those portions of Sacred Writings which she appoints to be said before the Common-prayers begin or the Exhortation thereto Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight Psal 143. 2. And if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Joh. 1. â—8 The Church of England as I have shewed teacheth that the works of unjustified men are sins Art 13. And that the most holy and righteous * Davenant Deter 10. pag. 50. works of regenerate persons have some sin in them Art 15. and their graces are but imperfect They know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and they believe but in part Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief And our frailty is such that we can never fulfil the Law according to the perfection that the Law requireth Plenissima charitas est in nemine August Epist 29. Homily for Good Friday T. 2. p. 182. and p. 177. and there is original sin in the regenerate Article the ninth And that concupiscence * Bishop Prideaux Fascic Controvers l. 3. de peccato q. 5. p. 123. in the regenerate is properly sin Article the ninth That God made man in the state of innocency upright and able to fulfil the whole Law of God That 't is now since his fall in his corrupt estate though in part renewed impossible ordinarily for him to fulfil the Law is not the fault of the Law which is holy and just and good but of man who hath by his own default disabled himself that it much magnifies and commends the free grace of God in that he doth for Christs sake accept of true believers imperfect performances as if they were exactly conformed to the perfect Law of God which yet they are not Adam Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah Jonah Job Peter and Paul sinned David sinned after his person was justified Psal 51. and so did Peter by denying of Christ Luk. 22. 57 58 60. and by his unseasonable and scandalous using the Ceremonies of the Law or Judaizing Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. And St. Paul himself feels and complains Rom. 7. 20 21 24. of siâ— that did dwell in him of a law in his members that did draw him to do that which he would not and hinder him from doing that which he would do and of a body of death And Gal. 3. 17. That the flesh lusteth against the Spirit These few failings of Dr. Patrick and Mr. Fowler and Doctor Jeremy Taylor c. may not only serve to put in the other scale against the many little pretended ones the Debater objects against Mr. W. B. and Mr. T. W. and others but also prove That some great Conformists to the Discipline of the Church of England are the greatest Nonconformists to the Doctrine thereof and those tollerated if not protected and promoted while Nonformists to the Discipline but stout defenders of the Doctrine of Faith and Sacraments thereof are rejected and silenced ART XI That unregenerated persons own good works do make thâ—â— meet to receive grace from God or as the School-Author say deserve grace of congruity THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England but before I prove it for the better understanding of this error and the truth know 1. That grace in Sacred Scripture signifies two things 1. The favour of God or of man in himself and so 't is taken and used in the Old and New Testament As Gen. 6. 8. And Noah foâ—â—â— grace in the eyes of God Gen. 18. 3. Gen. 39. 21. Ezra 9. 8. Esth 2. 1â— So the Virgin Mary found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace with God Rom. 3. 24. Beng justified freely by his grace that is by the free favour or love mercy or goodness that is in God manifested to us in Christ Rom. 11 5 Election of Grace Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saved Sometimes it signifies 2. The gift of grace that is that gracious habit of grace that is inâ—erent in us as Rom. 11. 29. 2 Cor. 8. 7. See that ye abound in thâ—â— grace also Ephes 3. 7. The gift of grace Ephes 4. 7. Vnto every oâ—â— of vs is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Col. 3 16. Singing with grace in your hearts Heb. 12. 28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence
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
The first and third of these three Conclusions shew the reasons of the second and hold forth this truth That the works of unregenerated men done before they receive the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not good works and so pleasing unto God and that because they spring not from a lively faith in Christ but are evil because they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done And therefore they make not men meet to receive grace or deserve not grace of congruity at Gods hands 2. And this erroneous Doctrine of merit of congruity and preparing and disposing and making men meet and worthy to receive grace is also contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Engâ—â— in her Homily for Rogation-week T. 2. p. 3. p. 223. which saith thus Faith is the first entry into a Christian life without which no man can please God Faith is the giâ—t of God Ephes 2. 8. Charity wherewith we love our brethren is the work of God If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent who reacheth forth his merciful hand to raise us up if we have any WILL TO RISE it is HE that PREVENTETH OUR WILL AND DISPOSETH us thereunto If after contrition we feel our consciences at peace with God through remission of sins and so be reconciled to his favour and hope to be his children and inheritors of everlasting life who worketh these great miracles in us our worthiness our deservings and endeavours our wits and vertue Nay verily St. Paul will not suffer flesh and clay in such arrogancy and therefore saith all is oâ— God which hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Lo here you see that your vertue wits endeavours deservings worthiness are excluded from being the efficient disposing much more from being the meritorious cause of the favour of God or grace of faith or love or repentance c. in us and that these are the gifts of God which he by his Spirit worketh in us And 3 't is contrary to the Church of England's Liturgy as Collect for the 17th Sunday after Trinity Lord we pray thee that thy grace may alway prevent and follow us and make us continually to be given to good works And in one of the Collects after the Communion Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee c. Wherein we acknowledg that Gods grace and favour must prevent us and go before our doing or beginning to do any good works and that his grace must follow and further us with its continual help else we shall not be able to begin nor continue to do good works acceptable to him And 4. 't is contrary to the tenth Article of the Church of England of Free-will The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ PREVENTING us that we may have a good will and WORKING with us when we have that good will 2. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland Articles 25 and 26. which accords with the Doctrine of the Church of England verbatim in her tenth and thirteenth Articles 3. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland which also agreeth with the Doctrine of the Church of England to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Edenburgh August 27 1647. Sess 23. c. 9. Art 3 4. c. 10. Art 1 2. c. 16. Art 2 3. 7. Now these Errors of the Papists are grounded upon two Errors more which they have received from the Pelagians 1. The first Error which is the ground of these is this That men in the state of corruption before they are endued with a lively faith in Jesus Christ can by the power of their own free-will do good works which Papists call dispositions or preparations of grace which they say do out of congruâ—â—y move God to bestow his grace upon them and prepare or make them meet and worthy to receive Gods grace Now though this error be sufficiently yea abundantly confuted before especially in the seventh Article of this Renunciation yet because 't is the ground of many others and 't is so much stood upon and 't is so pleasing to corrupt reason Give me leave to say something more against it here also And 1. I say that this Doctrine is condemned by the Synod of Dort Chap. 3 4. Error 3. before recited And also Error 5 We reject the Doctrine of them that teach that corrupt and natural man can so rightly use common grace by which they mean the light of nature or those gifts which are left in him after the fall that by the good use thereof he may attain to a greater namely Evangelical or saving grace and by degrees at length Salvation it self And God for his part sheweth himself ready in this manâ—er to reveal Christ to all men seeing he doth sufficiently and efficaciously afford to every man necessary means for the making Christ known and for faith and repentance They give not their reason there for their rejecting of the former part of this Error because that they had it done before in the third and fourth Error rejected But against the latter they say thus For this is convinced to be false as by the experience of all ages in the world so also by the Scriptures Psal 147. 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not â—ealt so with any Nation and as for his judgments they have not known them Act. 14. 16 God in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Act. 16. 7 8. Paul and his company were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not And Error the ninth they reject the Doctrine of them that teach That grace and free-will are co-partening causes jointly concurring to the beginning of conversion and that grace doth not in order of causality go before the action of the will that is that God doth not effectually help mans will unto conversion before the will of man moveth and determineth or setleth it self thereunto For this Doctrine was long since condemned by the ancient Church among the Pelagian Errors out of the Apostles authority Rom. 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And 1 Cor. 4. 7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Item Phil. 2. 13 It is God which worketh in you
Law as the old Pharisees were of the Traditions of the Elders the latter swearing to him blind obedience all making a shew of Religion but under the pretence thereof devour widows houses they garnish and visit the Sepulchres of the Martyrs but shed the blood of Christs most faithful Ministers and members who observe the traditions and commands of the Pope but make void the commandments of God Mat. 15. Mat. 23. I know not any men under heaven more like the old Pharisees than these creatures of Antichrist in the Church of Rome are their Doctrines and doings declare them his Formalists who have it may be a form of godliness but denying the power thereof who make these latter times to be very perilous 2 Tim. 3. 3. That he challengeth Princely dominion over the Church of Christ and people and Nations needs no proof Three Popes of Rome successively forged and pleaded a forged Decree for the Pope of Rome's Supremacy his trampling upon Emperours and Kings making them to kiss his Toe hold his Stirrup deposing of them and making others making what Laws he pleaseth dispensing with and making void Gods Laws as he pleaseth releasing subjects of their allegiance to their lawful and godly Princes and commanding them to rebel against dethrone and destroy them and their most Christian and loyal Subjects In a word he exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. which is one great mark of Antichrist 4. That his usurped authority hath no good ground in holy Scripture but is expresly forbidden by our blessed Lord and Saviour Mat. 20 25 26. But Jesus called them i. e. his Disciples unto him and said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Even as the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Luk. 22. 25. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Nether as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock Neither in those places of Scripture where Christs Ecclesiastical Orders of Church-Officers are set down is there any mention of an Universal Bishop as 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes 4. 11. Peter the Apostle disclaims this Princely Monarchy and Supremacy when he called himself the Elders of the Churches Fellow Presbyter and forbid them to Lord it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Cyprian in his Epistles to several Popes of Rome calls them brothers Jerom also writing to the Pope of Rome tells him and proves it too that by divine right a Bishop and a Presbyter is the same Act. 20. 17 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Ephes 4. 11. in his Epistle ad Oceanum that with the ancient Fathers Bishops and Presbyters were all one And adversus Lucifera nos he saith that a Bishops preferment was not by necessity of Gods Law but granted to him by the Church to honour him withall In his Epistle ad Evagrium handling this question at large he saith Who can endure his foolishness that preferred Deacons before Priests that is Bishops seeing the Apostle plainly teacheth that a Bishop and a Presbyter are all one And for proof he alledgeth Tit. 1. 5. Act. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Ephes 4. 11. And of this judgment also was St. Augustine Chrysostome Beda Oecumenius Sedulius Primasius Theophilact Theodoret Anselm Ambrose John Wickliff Thom. Walden Luther Zuinglius Calvin Oecolampadius Melancthon John Lambert Martyr Bishop Hooper Bishop Bale Mr. Tindal Martyr Musculus Zanchius Bullinger Gualter Chemnitius Danaeus Chamier Junius John Bradford Mâ—rtyr Dr. Hâ—mphry Dr. Reynolds Dr. Hollard Professors of Divinity at Oxford Bishop This is Bishop Jewel's argument against the Pope in his Def. of his Apology Jewel Bishop Morton Dr. Whitaker Mr. Cartwright Dr. Willet Amandus Polauus Michael Medina among the Papists and many more that write upon the Sentences many of which may be seen in Mr. Masons defence of Ordination by Presbyters in the Reformed Churches where there are no Diocesan Bishops 5. That he produceth Antichristian * Antichristianism was covered for a long time under the Cloak of Orthodoxy and Ceremonial indifferency saith Mr. Tomson a Bishops Chaplain in his Antichrist arraigned p. 85. fruits practises and doctrines appears by his abominable pride superstition Idolatrous worships pretended miracles and lying wonders by his Council of Trent wherein he Decrees That mens persons are justified before God by their own good works and all the errors before confuted denying justification of mens persons before God by faith alone which Errors he labours to maintain by his Creatures as Bellarmine Stapleton Harding Cornelius a Lapide and others especially by the Jesuits and also introduâ—ing his Traditions and Apocryphal Scriptures in which are many things directly contrary to Gods word and Christs interest and upon these and some other accounts did our Church of England in King Edward the sixth his reign pray in her Litany thus From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us 6. That he is the Babylonical Beast that hath two horns like a lamb and speaks as a dragon That is he professeth the innocency of Christ the Lamb of God but speaks and acts like a Dragon he uttereth blasphemous speeches thunders out cruel and unjust Excommunications against Christs servants and venteth and maintaineth Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having his conscience seared with an hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 2 3. of them which believe and know the truth The tâ—â— horned beast by his Ecclesiastical and Temporal power pretending Orthodoxy and Ceremonial indifferency decency and order and Apostolical traditions better adorning and promoting Christianity restored the Image of the old Pagan Beast that is under these and some other pretences restored idolatry and tyranny again into the Roman Empire and persecution against the true Church of Christ The two Horned Beast in the 13th of the Revelations is say some the same with the great Whore arrayed in purple and scarlet that 〈◊〉 a golden cup in her hand full of all abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whose forehead was a name written Mystery Babyloâ— the great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth in the 17th of the Revelations But I humbly conceive with submission to better judgments that if this do not intend some other Beast like the great Whore of Rome as I fear it doth then the Whore or Church of Rome is in the 13th Chapter described by her Head and principal â—â—mbers chiefly because Horns signifie Powers And in the 17th Chapter she is described as taking in not oaly the Head and Cardinals but
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
authority yet for edification they are made rather superior than equal to the Canonical Scriptures that are laid aside to make room for those Apocryphals as more edificative than they 4. Apocryphals are not more easie institutes exciting to the imbracing of the Canonicals but rather to the rejecting of them in the matters of faith and good manners 5. Suppose they were such institutes yet it will not follow that such erroneous Books should be publickly read because of the greater parts easiness and conformity to the word of Truth for they may * Let us cast from us corrupt Doctrine that will infect our Souls Homily of the Resurrection p. 196. corrupt their souls with erroneous opinions and affections and lives with wicked practises 6. No corrupting-Homilies or Sermons are to be appointed to be read or preached in publick in the Church for all things are to be done to the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 14. 26. 7. Apocryphals are appointed to be read in Cathedrals as well as in Country Parochial Churches Now you will not say that in Cathedrals where the Bishop Dean and Prebends sit and hear are the popular and duller or slower sort of hearers This therefore is no true and satisfactory answer but a meer pretence and put-off ART XVII That the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the supreme Head of the Vniversal Church of Christ above all Emperours Kings and Princes Pastors People and Churches THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England which in Article of Religion 37 saith thus The Queens Majesty hath the chief power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all causes doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government by which titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended we give not to our Princes the ministring either of Gods word or of the Sacraments the which things the Injunctions also lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie But that only prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or temporal and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England And I add as Dr. Reynolds offered at the Conference at Hampton-Court pag. 37. that be ought not to have any here Of which God willing and permitting I shall say more hereafter though much be said already in the 11th Article of Popery renounced as before The Articles of Lambeth the Doctrine of the Church of England and Ireland THe Articles of Lambeth made by Dr. John Whitgift A B. of Canterbury Dr. Fletcher Bishop Elect of London Dr. Vaughan Bishop Elect of Bangor Dr. Tindale Dean of Eli Dr. Whitaker Dr. Chaderton and Mr. Perkins c. as I find them in Dr. Heylin's Cyprianus Anglicus l. 3. p. 204. and as I find them among the Articles of Ireland 1. God from all eternity hath predestinated certain men unto life certain men he hath reprobated 2. The moving or efficient cause of Predestination unto life is not the foresight of faith or of perseverance or of good works or of any thing that is in the person predestinated but only the good will and pleasure of God 3. There is predetermined a certain number of the Predestinate which neither can be augmented nor diminished 4. Those who are not predestinate to Salvation shall be necessarily damned for their sins 5. A true living and justifying faith and the Spirit of God sanctifying is not extinguished doth not fall off or vanish in the Elect either totally or finally 6. A man truly believing or endued with justifying faith is certain or with full assurance of faith of the remission of his sins and of his everlasting Salvation by Christ 7. Saving Grace is not given nor communicated nor granted to all men by which they may be saved if they will 8. No man can come to Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father shall draw him nor are all men drawn of the Father that they come to the Son 9. It is not in the free choice and power of every man to be saved These Nine Articles or Conclusions And when the Articles of England were received in the Church of Ireland the Title of the Canon is thus Of the agreement of the Church of England and Ireland the profession of the same Christian Faith Which shews that the Churches of England and Ireland did agree in those Articles c. in the Convocation held at Dublin Anno 1615 were resolved upon and agreed to by A. B. Vsher and the Bishops and Clergy as the publick Confession of the Church of Ireland as may be seen in the Articles of Ireland and in Dr. Heylin's Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 271. And moreover these Nine Articles of Lambeth were declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England by the Commons of England Assembled in Parliament about June 14th Anno Domini 1628 as Dr. Heylin informs me in his Cyprianus Angiicus l. 3. p. 197. And 't is observable that though Dr. Heylin affirms that the five Arminian points condemned in the Synod of Dort are the Doctrine of the Church of England and though Dean White licensed Moungues Armin an Popish Books and affirmed that there was nothing in it but what was agreeable to the profession of Faith and Doctrine of the Church of England Cypr. Angl. l. 2. p. 135. and the three Arminian Bishops Buckeridg Corbet and Laud that wrote and pleaded for him affirmed the same in which Books the five Arminian points were maintained by Mountague and Limbus patrum and many Popish points more though they clamoured very much against the Parliaments declaring That he had in his Books viz. his Gagg and his Apollo Caesarem disturbed the peace of the Church by publishing Doctrines contrary to the Articles of the Church of England and the Book of Homilies and that the whole frame and scope of his Books was to the discouragement of the well-affected in Religion from the true Religion established in this Church and to incline them and as much as in him lay to reconcile them to Popery Cypr. Angl. l. 2. p. 155 And laboured by the authority and interest of the then King to have those points referred to the decision of the Convocation to whom they said they did belong though all the knot * Cyp. Angl. l. 1. p. 59. of Arminians except Mr. Barlow that met at Bishop Neils and many more were promoted and dignified persons and Mountague †Cypr. Angl. l. 3. p. 185. himself made Bishop in
which ought to be the rule of all mens religious actions declaim against and thereby condemn his Majesties piety and prudence and suppress in many places the Whosoever forbids us to do what God commandeth or commandeth us to do what God forbiddeth is accursed unto all them that love the Lord. Basilius Moral c. 14. quoted by Bishop Jewel in his Reply to Harding a. 14. d5 p 373. most pure worship and service of God the preaching up the real interests of the Lord Jesus Christ and the preaching down the Errors Heresies Idolatries and Suâ—â—â—stitions and Antichristian inventions of the Apostatized Church of Rome with whom the Laudensian party long laboured a reconciliation Let any unprejudiced man that is judicious seriously read Dr. Heylin's Cyprianus Anglicus and his Introduction thereunto and he will see much more than I do but hint and also what a mongrel Religion he would make ours and have established here and what principles of Tyranny and Popery he therein lays down and commends But though these things might be true in some heretofore yet now they see the error their selfish and passion hath led themselves and it may be others inconsiderately into that they may fear they shall be put besides the saddle it may be beaten with those rods which they made for other men that earnestly desired the Churches peacé and the Kingdoms welfare by any powerful ill-minded and ill-principled Prince as Heylin most falsely saith King Edward the sixth was of that will but make use of those weapons which they have made to subvert their dissenting brethren they are well content at least some of them to tolerate Protestant dissenters as may be seen in and about the Cities of London and Westminster and they preach against Popery very much Very good 't is well their eyes begin to be opened if they be not shut again before they 'l see and forsake the true causes and sin no more Old Bishop Bonner told them long since That liking of the Popes Broth would incline men to like in time their Beef too I wish their moderation might be known to all men But is a toleration of the pure Worship of God and preaching his truth all the fruit the sight of their error hath brought them to no question they I mean the Episcopal party would grant as much to home-born Papists 'T is granted to foreign Protestants though 't is true their great Father in God A. B. Laud overthrew that liberty of the Protestant Religion which King Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth and King James granted them under hand and seal as Dr. Heylin largely shews in his Cyprianus Anglicus and thereby he made such an evil president as 't is believed did his present Majesty much mischief in his late Wars and rendred his gracious offers to the Netherlanders of protection and liberty of their Religion if they would come under his Government ineffectual lest such Bishops as A. B. Laud was should in time have though not his yet some succeeding Princes ears and thereby as he make void all grants and promises unto them What is no more to be granted to home-born Protestants who adhere to our doctrine of Faith and the Sacramants than to Foreigners Is granting a bare and uncertain toleration of the pure Worship of God to those godly Protestants that adhere most firmly to the pure Protestant Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Worship and a full comprehension with rewards and great promotions allowed and given to those that hold Popish Doctrines not only contrary to the Word of God but also to the sound Doctrine of the Church of England well becoming those Bishops that are in profession Protestant Is this a sufficient and the right way to keep out Popery is it proper for the chast Spouse of Christ to take upon her the badges of the great Whore of Rome Is it proper for the Israel of God to sâ—mbolize with her who is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Is it proper for those that profess themselves the Saints and servants of the most high God and the followers of Jesus Christ to impose and contend for the proper marks of the Beast spoken of in Revelations the 1â— and 17 Chapters Doth not learned and religious Peter * Et nos si verè Christiani sumus non decet ritus caeremonias vel a Judoeis vel à nationibus aliis accipere sed tantum debem is usurpare quae nobis mandata sunt in literis divinis P. Martyr loc com clas 2 ae c. 5. S. 16. P. 220. Martyr say That if we be Christians indeed it becomes us not to receive Rites and Ceremonies from the Jews or other Nations but that we ought to use those things only which are commanded in the Divine Writings a Should we believe that those men †Aquin. 12 ae q. 103. a 2. Pet. Mart. loc Com. cl 2 ae p. 197. Pareus Beza in 1 Cor. 10. 18. those Jews who after pretence of sight of their errors are sound Christians and intend really to keep out and root out Judaism yet command and rigorously enjoin the use of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Jewish Religion which are the proper badges and real professions thereof as Papists themselves say and our men prove Can any rational sound Protestant be so silly as to think and say that if the Ceremonies be left in their use as the Bishops themselves say they are in their own nature indifferent that then farewell the Church of England For what is the Church of England like the Church of Rome built upon such sandy weak or unnecessary foundations or must the Kingdom be said to be so much in love with the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome as to give 400000 l. per Annum to the Bishops and their agents and dependants to uphold them Doth not the Church of England say * Homily against peril of Idolatry Part 3. p. 69. That the Church of Rome Knowing her self to be a foul filthy old withered Harlot understanding her lack of natural and true beauty and great lothsomeness which of her self she hath doth after the custom of such Harlots paint her self and deck and attire her self with gold pearl stone and all kind of precious jewels that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them may please the foolish phantacy of some lovers and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her who if they saw her but in simple apparrel would abhor her as the foulest and filthiest Harlot that ever was seen Are not Ministers bound and do they not subscribe and give assent to this very Doctrine how can we then without great shame and suspicion wear her apparel and call her a true Church carry her name as it were in our foreheads comply with her in suâ—h unnecessary things except we have a months-mind to return to her ugly bosom and base drâ—â—gery Are not the Lords people forbidden Mark the word Unnecessary to do any
unnecessary thing that Idolaters do in Exod. 23. 24. Levit. 18. 13. Levit. 19. 27 28. Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Deut. 14. 1 2. and this reason given them for it For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the earth And are we not commanded to come out of Babylon the Church of Rome that we partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues Revel 18. 4. Are we not as dear children to follow Christâ—â— Mat. 16. 24. Ephes 5. 1. And are not his modes of Worship better and freer from scandal suspicion and appearance of evil than Antichrists If not let 's speak out plainly in words at length and not in figures But they preach much against Popery Well blessed be God for it I am glad with St. Paul that Christ is preached though it should be out of envy and strife and contention supposing to add affliction to his bonds I am glad that Popery is preached down in sincerity and hatred thereof or only in design pretence or on purpose to add affliction to Nonconformists bonds which is verily suspected For when his Gracious Majesty declared liberty for Nonconformists before this last time 't is well known that a man of the long Name was up at Oxford with Non fuit sic ab initio and others elsewhere and now presently after his Majesties last Declaration with Licenses was not the Kingdom filled with their sound of Popery Popery Popery as if to license sound Protestant Divines to preach who are most against Popery were to tollerate Popery Papists had the same liberty before it that they had after it but not a word of complaint against Popery before Nonconforming Protestants to â—eremoâ—ieâ— â— had liberty granted to preach the Truth and worship God without their ceremonies and rites not one new Law made nor one old one executed against Papists and Popery these twelve or thirteen years last past but new Laws made and old ones never intended against Nonconformists and the pure Worship of God their Religious meetings made rioters and riotous and men yea the vilest of men hired to inform against them for doing good and Justices of the Peace severely censured for not punishing Gods people for serving of him as he hath commanded them That 't is strongly suspected that Presbytery and purity and verity hatâ— been more hated and feared than Popery and that the Pope and his power is more feared than real and most Antichristian Popery But however and by whomsoever Popery is preached down I rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce But who are the men that preach it down what parts of Popery do they preach down how many dignified Clergy-men do preach it down Are there not more aspiring men do preach and print much of it up and those promoted and many deserving men that preach it down neglected if not discountenanced was not Dr. Cozens twice indicted and the Indictmens found and complained of in Parliament for uttering these words That the King was no more supreme Head of the Church of Vide Articles against him and the Parliaments Censure of him England than the boy that rubs his Horse-heels And 't is said he got off by flying of which necessity he hath since made a virtue and gotten to be Bishop of Durham Was there not a Book called Dr. Cozens his Devotions in which Mr. Prin saith There were twenty Popish Errors printed and that the Reformers Prin ' s Quench-coal Epist to King Charl. 1. p. 10. of our Church took away all Religion and the whole service of God when they took away the Mass Hath not another written a Book for the observation of Holy Lent as a * See Bishop Sparrow's Rationale p. 143 144 145. 5 Eliz. c. 5. vide Rastal Titleship p. 378. Religious Faest contrary 't is said to the intent if not to the express words of the Law Let any judicious and impartial man read Bishop Sparrow's Rationale upon the Common-prayer Book and judg what Popery he writes against therein P. 273. he saith 'T is the duty of people to receive the Sacrament kneeling for it is a sin not to adore when we receive this Sacrament And p. 391. he saith It is a dangerous deceit to say that creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them Them as Rogers calls the Sacraof the Lords-Supper an * Thomas Rogers upon Article 31 saith that 't is a Fable to say that the Mass is a Sacrifice The Sacrament is not a Sacrifice but only a Commemoration of that Sacrifice offered on the Cross Art 31. unbloody Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice of the Death of Christ And p. 395 396 he saith That this Sacrament should be received fasting though Christ instituted it immediately after Supper for which he gives this reason It is for the honour of so high a Saerament that the precious †Is this for or against Transubstantiation body of Christ should first enter into the Christians mouth before any other meat And p. 89. he saith That by Curates here i. e. In the prayer for Bishops and Curates are not meant Stipendiaries as now it 's used to signifie but all those Parsons or Vicars to whom the Bishop who is the chief Pastor under Christ hath committed So Dr. Heylin speaks in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 9. s. 10. the Cure of Souls of some part of his Flock and so are the Bishops Curates The Bishop with these Curates a flock or congregation committed to their charge make up a Church By which words I humbly conceive the * To hold Bishops Jure Divino and especially essential to the being of a Church as A. B. Laud did Cypr. Anglic. p. Divine right of Diocaesan Episcopacy is asserted and thereby the Kings Supremacy impreached for if the Bishops be the chief Pastors under Christ Adam Contzen 1. 2. Pol. c. 18. Rastal Title-crown p. 17. Sir Edward Cooks de jure Regis Ecclesiast fol. 8. Dr. Heylin saith that there are 26 Cathedral Churches or Episcopal Sees in England Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 291. and the A B. of Canterbury is accounted Primate and Metropolitan of all England Heylin Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 249. to whom the Cure of Souls is by Christ committed the King cannot place and displace them as he pleaseth and grant their authority for so long or so little while as he pleaseth as the Law and Law-givers say he may And this will follow that the right Reverend Father in God the Lord Primate of all England is the Head-pastor and the other 25 Reverend Bishops the A. B. of York being in respect of him but as one of the other are the chief Pastors and all the rest of the Ministers of the Church of England are but their Curates And then also it will
of Godfry Goodman Bishop of Gloucester was accused of it in Court and Convocation and declared and professed it by his last Will and Testament as Dr. Heylin shews in his Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p. 416. 'T is said of Dr. Theodore Price Bishop of that though he lived like an Atheist yet he died like a Papist Prin ' s Epistle to K. Châ—r I before his Quench-coal p. 42. England be so absolutely directly and cordially Papists that it is all that 1500 l. per Ann can do to keep them from confessing it This and much more may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p 392 408. Doth not A. B. Laud p. 36. of his commended Relation of his Conference with Fisher say thus The Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion And doth not Dean Potter iâ— Charity mistaken p 62 say thus That the most necessary and fundamental Truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned by fundamental points of faith we understand these prime and capital Doctrines of Religion which * But what are those a Bishop and a people or a Pope and the multitude of Professors of Christianity as Bishop Sparrow intimates in his Rationale upon the Common-prayer Book p. 89. Bishops Curates and people committed to their charge make up a Church make up the holy Catholick Church But did not the Church of England before A. B. Laud altered the Prayer for the Fifth of November say That Papists Religion is Rebellion and A. B. Laud held that Bishops are essential to the being of a Church as Heylin shews in his Cypr. Anglic. l. 1. p. 54. l. 4. p. 400 401. their faith is faction Which cannot be said of Protestants Religion or Faith truly without great slander though Dr. Heylin as they say most wickedly standers all the first restorers of the Reformed Religion with it Doth not the Church of Rome hold such points of faith as do destroy the foundation and those not only questioned but denied by real Protestants Doth not the Church of Rome hold this Doctrine as a point of faith for denying or not believing of which they have put many thousands of Protestants to death viz. That the body and blood together with the soul of the Lord Jesus Christ is truly really and substantially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and that there is made a turning of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood which turning the Catholick Church as they falsly call themselves doth call Transubstantiation If this be denied see the 18th Article of their Religion set down in the 14th Article of this Book And doth not our Vide Bull Pii 4 bound up with the Council of Trent super forma juramenti professionis sidei Church of England hold the truth in this point against the Church of Rome that this their Doctrine is false and doth destroy the humane Nature of Christ and consequently destroy all the Articles of our Creed which concern Jesus Christs humane nature and consequently our Salvation And is not this a fundamental point of faith that true believers persons are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and applied by faith alone Is it not the main drift of the Apostle to prove and settle the Romans and Galatians in this truth That believers persons are not justified before God by their own good works even of that Law of which câ—meth the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of sin Yea doth not the Apostle say that if he shall teach justification of our persons before God by our own good works he should frustrate the grace of God that is overthrow the Gosâ—el of Jesus Christ for if righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2. 21. And could these great Grandees who imposed and took subscription to the Book of Homilies upon and from others be ignorant of what the Church of England holds therein especially this Whosoever denieth this Doctrine THAT FAITH ALONE JUSTIFIETH is not to be accounted a Christian man nor a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory that 't were the greatest arrogance and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. Now because some of our English conforming Divines have by their Preachings and Writings said that most of these ensuing false Doctrines I Heylin in his Introduction to his Cypr. Angl. p. 36. S. 36. have renounced all which the Church of Rome holdeth and maintaineth are the Doctrines of the Church of England and thereby induced many persons to believe and allow them I have to prevent the growing mischief of this grand deceit and to vindicate the Church of England from these calumnies and to inform the ignorant and inconsiderate that have subscribed assented and consented to the Articles of Religion and Homilies of the Church of England but never throughly read and considered them spent as much of my time with my pen as could be spared from my fork and rake this Harvest whiles many great Conformists to the Ceremonies and Government enjoy their Plurality of Benefices besides their great dignities but labour not in the Word and Doctrine much less preach or write against these gross Popish Doctrines but rather preach or print them to the great dishonour of God especially of Jesus Christ the increase of Popery and Atheism and the great grief of those godly Christians that are Protestants indeed and in truth as well as in profession Antichrist professeth the Creed as well as these men yet by his superinduced Doctrines and practices he overtbrows it So these men of long Name may profess subscribe and assent to the Doctrine of the Church of England and yet by superinduced Doctrines contradict and destroy it for they give not an internal assent to it as was observed before out of Mr. Fowler ' s Free Discourse p. 305. And whether those men do not play the Hypocrites lâ—t the world judg The Pope of Rome in divâ—ding Rome unto 25 Priests the fatal squarâ—-root of the number of the Beast 666 laid the foundation of his Iâ—olatrous and tyrannous Kingdom long before his Supremacy was perfected yea claimed He arose out of the earth as grass by little and little insensibly so possibly may a Pontifex Maximus with such a number of such Priests in time â—o elsewhere especially if rulers and ruled are willing to be ridden by them Of all Beasts tâ—e two horned Beast is the most dangerous to be ridden by next that which is most like him as
may be seen by comparing the 13 and the 17 Chapters of the Revelationâ— but especially by Revel 14. 9 If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name They that follow Christ bear the name of the Lamb and his Fathers in their foreheads which break not their faith whereby they have bound themselves in Baptism to the Lamb as their General and to his Father and do not backslide to the worship and pomps of Satan and his Angels his works his world and inventions that is to his Idolatrous worship and the furniture thereof and all they which have received the mark of the Beast have refused the mark of Christ and his Father they have forsaken it and made it void and are accounted as if they had not received it only these 144000 which had not fled over to the camps of the Beast but did closely stick to the Lamb do shew the Lords mark as yet in their foreheads As Mr. Mede shews out of the ancient Fathers in his Comment upon Revel 14. Christs followers are they which have not defiled themselves with women for they are Virgins That is saith Mr. Mede They converse not with unchast women but what manner of women are these surely not such as are commonly called such but cities according to the usual phrase of the Prophets and those indeed Christian in name but addicted to Idols whose Queen is great Babylon called the mother of harlots with whom the Kings and inhabitants of the earth commit fornication with such those who are the company of Christ have not conversed that is they have not defiled themselves with Idolatry for they are Virgins that is free from all spot of Idolaty For the reason of the Analogy doth altogether require that these be called Virgins in the same sense wherein the rest the Kings and the people are said to play the Harlots with Babylon Furthermore since Babylon is called the mother of harlots it followeth that her daughters the other cities be likewise petty-harlots with whom the inhabitants subject to each of them may be defiled with spiritual Idolatry Now * Bellar. de effec Sacramentorum l 2. c. 31. a. 20. Bellarmine the great Champion for Papists saith That their Ceremonies are chief characters and badges of their Religion and he will have Catholicks to be discerned from Hereticks and other Sects of all sorts even by Ceremonies And Thomas * Aquin. Sum. 12ae q. 103. a. 4. Omnes ceremoniae sunt protestationes fidei in qua consistit interior Dei cultus c. Aquinas their Angelical Doctor as they call him saith That all Ceremonies are Protestations of faith in which the inward worship of God doth consist and that profession of faith or Religion may be made by deeds as well as by words and therefore †Baldum de casibus conscientiae communio rituum est symbolum communionis in religione l. 2. c. 14. cas 7. Adhuc dico Episcopis Presbyteris in Domino quicunque cum Judaeis Pascha egerit aut solemnia dieriâ— festorum eorum susciperit comporticipabit eis qui Dominum apostolos ejus occiderunt Ignatius ad Philadelph Epist as he concludes they that use the Ceremonies of the Jews thereby profess themselves to be of their Religion and Communion in Rites is a sign of Communion in Religion Saith Baldwin they that did eat of the Jewish Sacrifices were partakers of the Altar 1 Cor. 10. 18. That is saith Pareus Socios Judaicae religionis cultus se profitebantur that is they professed themselves to be companions with them of their Religion For the Jews by their Sacrifices did establish a mutual union in one and the same Religion And hence Dr. Fulk noteth That the Apostle in that place doth compare Sacraments with the Altars Hosts and Sacrifices of the Jews and Gentiles in that point which is common to all Ceremonies viz. to declare them that use them to be partakers of that Religion whereof they be Ceremonies And upon this account have professed Papists as Harding in his Epistle before the Preface to his Confutation of the Apology and Martial in his Epistle before his Tract of the Cross and the Author of the Apologetical Epistle for the English Papists Sect. 7. very boldly professed That they believed that Queen Elizabeth liked well of their Religion because she retained and maintained their Ceremonies And Gretzer a Jesuit calls Conformists in Gretzer de Festis l. 1 c. 2. quoted by â—â—r Collier a Conformist in his Appendix to his Vindiciae Thesium de Sabbatho England Calvino-Papistae upon this account Calvino-Papistae Angli ut in aliis quae ad ritus â—eremonias pertinent longe liberaliores sunt quam Puritani in Gallia Germania Belgia ita in festis retinendis longè â—argiores That is the English Calvin-Papists as they are more free in other things which belong to rites and ceremonies than the Puritans in France Germany and the Netherlands so they are much more large in retaining Feasts And Mr. Parker of the Cross c. 9. Sure our Church was then more Calvinistical than Arminian or Melanctonean though Dr. Heylin would make us believe the latter else Papists would not have called our Conformists Calvino-Papistae but rather Lutherano-Papistae or Melanctono-Papistae shews out of a Book intituled Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae in Anglia contra Calvino-Papistatas Puritanos That the Papists did daily invite them to an association against the Puritans And Mr. Prin in his Quench-coal informed King Charles the First that Bishop White in a Dedicatory Epistle of one of his Books of the Sabbath finds fault with those men that repute or call us Schismaticks from the Roman Church at this day because most as he saith but Puritans and Presbyterians are perfectly reconciled to it And 't is reported to be the judgment of Spalato one of the reconcilers of the Church of England to Vid. the Bishop of Durham's Narration p. 32. Rome That the Churches of Rome and England excluding Puritans were radically the same Dr. * Antichrist demonstrated c. 11. â—â—ct 26. Abbot afterward Bishop calls all the Priests garments whereby they are distinguished from the rest of the Church a special part of the Character of the Beast Pareus upon the place approveth Dr. Abbots Exposition of the place and placeth the common mark of the Beast to be in the observation of Antichrists Festival days and the rest of his Ceremonies which are not commanded
necessary and edificative of the whole flock of Christ but are only made or said to be so by the will of man carrying a real appearance of evil and are scandalous to Papists and Protestants and establish such modes of Religious worship as are most conformable to the Gospel-rule and primo-primitive practise and not too like to and inductive of the Government and form of worship of the Apostatical and Antichristian Church of Rome I verily believe they would have more dutiful Sons and good Friends than now they have and the Church and Kingdom would have more peace and prosperity to which God of his great mercy incline their hearts However I beseech them to let their moderation be known to all men And I intreat all people without making any tumults upon any pretence whatsoever in their own places and callings quietly to endeavour and earnestly expect and pray for an amendment of what is amiss in Church and State to fear God and honour the King and submit to those that are in authority under him And so God keep you all Septemb. 29. 1673. R. R. B. D. The particular Doctrines renounced are these I. THat the Bread and Wine in the Lords-Supper after the Priests pronouncing these words with intention This is my Body and this is my Blood are turned or transubstantiated into the substance of Christs Body and Blood II. That Christ is really more present on the high Altar or Communion-Table as on his Throne or Chair of State than in the Pulpit or Font c. and that therefore more corporal bowing or more bodily reverence is due to the Altar or Communion-Table than to the Pulpit or Font. III. That mens persons are justified or accounted righteous before God for their own good works that follow Faith either in part or in whole and not for the merits of Jesus Christ alone IV. That Faith that doth justifie Believers persons before God is a bare and naked assent to the truth and that so and as an act habit or work in us it justifies V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by Faith alone on their part VI. That mens foreseen faith repentance good works c. were the true causes moving God to elect them to eternal Salvation VII That men unregenetate or in the state of nature have by their own free will power sufficient of themselves to turn themselves to God to believe in Jesus Christ repent and do good workâ— acceptable to God when they will and also finally to resist the efficacious grace of God in converting an elected sinner to himself VIII That truly regenerated persons cannot be certain of their eternal Salvation but may totally and finally fall away from the acts and habits of saving Grace before they die and be eternally damned IX That the corruption of our nature commonly called Original sin which remaineth in truly regenerated persons after Baptism is not properly sin X. That meer men in this life since Adams fall can perfectly fulfill Gods whole Moral Law and also voluntarily do good works besides and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation which are as they say greater and holier than the works of the Moral Law and do merit remission of sin and eternal life not only for themselves but also for others XI That unregenerated mens own good works do make them meet to receive grace from God or as the School Doctors say deserve grace of congruity XII Thâ—t the good works of â—â—regenerated men do ex condigno merit at Gods hands eternal life XIII That there is a place after this life called Purgatory wherein the souls of believers dying since Christs Resurrection are purged from sins by penal satisfaction which were not purged in this life so fully as they ought that they may enter into Heaven XIV That the Pope of Rome successively or the Papacy is not the Antichrist of which the Scripture writes XV. That it is lawful to set up and suffer Images of the Sacred Trinity of God the Father of God the Son or Crucifixes Of God the Holy Ghost or of Saints departed this life which have been worshipped in Temples or Churches where Gods people do usually meet to worship God XVI That those Books which are commonly called Apocryphal Scriptures as Tobit Judith c. are the pure word of God and in all things agreeable thereunto XVII That the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the supreme Head of the Universal Church of Christ above all Emperours Kings Princes Pastors People and Churches The Articles of Lambeth The Doctrine of the Churches of England and Ireland Arminianism is not the Doctrine of the Church of England Notes taken out of King James his Declaration against Vorstius King James no friend to Arminianism A Renunciation OF SEVERAL Popish Doctrines BECAUSE Contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND IN general I renounce and detest all Popish false Doctrine and all Popish Superstitious and Idolatrous Worship and practises and the real appearances thereof and in particular I renounce and detest these that follow ARTICLE I. That the Bread and Wine in the Lords-Supper after the Priests pronouncing these words with intention This is my Body and this is my Blood are turned or transubstantiated into the substance of Christs Body and Blood This I renounce because it is contray to the Doctrine of the Church of England which Article 28th faith thus Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy Writ but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the Nature of the Sacrament and hath given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner and the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith And Homily of the worthy receiving the Sacrament it saith thus It is well known that the meat we seek for in the Supper is spiritual food the nourishment of our souls an heavenly refection and not earthly invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnal p. 200. It 's also contrary to the Church of England's declaration concerning kneeling at the end of the Communion-service The Sacramental bread and wine remain still in their very natural substances therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians and the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ are in heaven and not here it being against the truth of Christs natural body to be at one time in more places than one This declaration is not only against the Papists Transubstantiation but also fully against the Lutherans Consubstantiation viz. That Christs body and blood is really and corporally in the bread and wine Both which
erroneous opinions destroy the humane nature of Christ and consequently all those Articles of our Creed which concern the bodily part of his humane nature and depend upon the verity thereof Besides Transubstantiation is also contrary to Canonical Scripture Mat. 26. 29 But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Where 't is clear that the wine which he drank and gave to his Disciples and which they did drink was naturally the fruit of the Vine and not the natural blood of Christ but called his blood Sacramentally because it did by the institution of Christ signifie or represent the blood of Christ as Circumcision by a like Sacramental phrase is called the Covenant Gen. 17. 10 11 This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you Lo here Circumcision which is properly but a sign of the Covenant that was made between God and Abraham and his seed as 't is called in the 11th verse is yet in the 10th verse figurative or if you will Tropically called the Covenant because 't was a sign of it by Gods special appointment and so these words This is my body and this is my blood Mat. 26. 26 28. are to be understood If the bread which he did eat and the wine which he drank and gave to his Disciples and that they did eat and drink had been Christs body and blood corporally and naturally then Christ and his Disciples did eat his natural humane body and drink his natural humane blood which is not only blasphemous to be spoken against Christ and slanderous against his holy Apostles but also improbable to be done and directly against Gods word Gen. 9. 4. But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall ye not eat and if not of beasts then sure not of man And 't is contrary as well as Consubstantiation to Act. 3. 21. The Heavens must contain him that is Christ until the times of restitution of all things If Christ be corporally according to his humane nature in Heaven than he is not corporally present in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper for his body is not cannot be in two * The Papists Decrees Decr. p. 3. Dist 2. c. 44. say thus Corpus Domini in quo resurrexit uno loco esse oportet The body of our Lord wherein he rose must be in one place proper places distant the one from the other as Heaven and that Sacrament are at one and the same instant of time That he was not in two places at one time while he was here on earth read Mat. 28. 5 6 And the Angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen and he said come see the place where the â—ord lay Read also Mark 16. 5 6 They went into the Sepulchre c. And Luk. 24. 6. is the same relation and demonstration and vers 12. is one circumstance more Peter ran unto the Sepulchre and stooping down he beheld the linnen clothes laid by themselves but found not Jesus there And vers 23 The women found not his body in the Sepulchre And vers the 24th Certain men went to the Sepulchre and found it as the women had related but him they saw not Read also Joh. 20 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and there you 'l see more of Christs Resurrection and that his body was not in the grave Thaâ— his body cannot be in two proper places at once is also evident because every body is circumscribed with his own proper place Christs body is a true humane body as our bodies are and therefore cannot be in two proper places at one and the same time and the proper place of Christs proper body cannot be a little bit oâ— bread or wafer but his proper place is and must be proportionable to the quantity or extension of the parts of his body and to affirm that Christs natural humane body is in Heaven and in the Sacrament too properly and circumscriptively is to affirm that his body is properly in a thousand places at once To affirm that Christs body is essentially substantially and truly present in the Elements of the Sacrament of the Supper as Dr. Laurence with Papists doth doth necessarily imply a contradiction to wit Court-Sermon p. 18. that his body is a true humane body and that it is not a true humane body which two Propositions cannot be true of the same subject at the same time Idem non potest esse non esse God hath absolute power as Thomas Aquinas speaks truly over the whole nature of the creature but not so as that he should cause it to be and not to be at once The object of Gods power as the Jesuits confess is whatsoever implies not a contradiction in it self now that the self-same body should sit down and not fit down should be visible and not visible shoâ—ld be divisible and not divisible should be here and yet elsewhere should be one and yet many are manifest contradictions saith Bishop Hall in his no peace with Rome Sec. 18. p. 658. of his Works Moreover it is contrary to 1 Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye shall eat this bread not Christs real body and drink this wine not Christs real blood of his body ye shew forth the Lords death till he come and therefore he is not come corporally which he is and must be if he be in that Sacrament corporally under the forms of bread and wine And besides this Doctrine of Transubstantiation overthrows the nature of the Sacrament as the Church of England saith truly for where there is no Element or sign there can be no Sacrament and there is no Element if the bread and wine be turned into the substance of Christs body and blood Ergo it 's false Finally It hath been the occasion of much Superstition and Idolatry as the Church of England saith in her 28th Article for from hence proceeded the reservation of the transubstantiated bread for sundry * There is a Minister in place that I know who useth to keep some of the Sacr mental bread and gives it to sick persons to cure them superstitious purposes hence the adoration of the bread injoined even as God himself hence carrying the Wafer-god about in pompous Processions hence the Popish Feast called Corpus-Christi day Yea hence I mean from Christs real or corporâ—l presence in the Sacrament came kneeling or adoration at receiving the bread and wine at the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper as may be gathered from Dr. Heylin's words who saith thus That both the Lutherans as well as the Catholicks knew that if
Christ be not really present in the Sacrament there is no reverence due to the Elements or Sacrament History of Presbytery p. 2. He must mean by his real presence a corporal presence as Papists * Fox Acts and Monuments p. 1416. in one Volume our godly Martyrs learned †Scottish Oath or Confession of Faith commanded by King James King James and many others understood and do so understand the phrase else he speaks not ad rem to the purpose For if he mean a spiritual presence so Christ is in the Sacrament of Baptism and in all his Ordinances and yet he saith not that there is such a bodily reverence due to it or them as he and his party plead is due unto the Elements in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And what he means by his Reverence Bishop Prideaux knew right well he meant kneeling in his former Books put forth in his time who in his Fasciculus Controversiarum loc 4. Sec. 3. q. 6. p. 241. saith thus That kneeling is Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester preached at Court the 5. Sunday in Lent for the real corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Supper which made no small stir but that was taken up as Heylin saith Cypr. Anglic. l 2. Yet whatsoever he was taught to say by Bishop Andrews and Laud he was and lived and died a Papist and so declared himself as Heylin himself confesseth in his Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 446. injoined only as a thing indifferent and is received of our men as a gesture of the highest reverence due to so great a mystery Mark it he saith 't is received of our men as a gesture to so great a mystery and a gesture of the highest reverence he spake or wrote not his own but their sense And that which they call reverence Bishop Sparrow plainly calls adoration For in his Rationale p. 273. he saith That 't is the duty of people to receive kneeling for it is a sin not to adore when we receive this Sacramen And Dr. Kellet in his allowed Tricennium p. 637. 654 655 620. saith That the presence of Christ in the Sacrament is such as the Eucharist it self must be adored and that if any desire proof that the Eucharist is to 〈◊〉 adored he adviseth him to read taken with the peoples in forâ— of form of the Crucifix may in the eating or handling and that the people of the cup of a silver pipe and that sitting â—â— Communion 〈◊〉 of the * But did the Apostles and the Primitive Christians who kneeled not prophane the Sacrament and sin against God by so doing or was the Sacrament then not so worthy as 't is now or rather were not men then more Christian than now Lords-Supper and that not only the Eucharist it self but also the very Altar upon which it lies must be adored What Laud thought of this matter you will see in the next particular and I doubt not but you 'l find him of the same judgment and as superstitious as they and one of those whom Bishop Prideaux meant by our men And Dr. Sutton †Dr. Sutton ' s Godly Meditations c. 33. p. 179 and p. 182 a Prebend of Westminster pleads for kneeling at receiving the Sacrament upon such a moral account as if God our Maker were more present in the bread and wine than in the water in Baptism and in any other Ordinance for he urgeth Psal 95. 6 O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker as if God by the Prophet in that place of Scripture did call upon all the members of his Church to worship fall down and kneel before him in the bread and wine at the Sacrament in a religious state put before them in the act of receiving and so make Christ and his holy Aposâ—les and all others that use not that gesture transgressors And the learned Papists holds That if the Elements bread and wine in the Sacrament be not turned really into Christs body and blood kneeling at receiving them is not lawful but that 't is Idolatry if any created substance remain there So Aquinas 3. q. 75. Hardings Answer to Bishop Jewels Challenge fol. 111. a. Bellarmine de Sacramento Eucharistia l. 2. c. 8. 〈◊〉 â— cap. 13. a 5. cap. 24. q. 6. Of the same mind were Scotus and Durand and therefore they removed the bread out of the Sacrament as Bishop Jewel shews in his Sermon upon 1 Cor. 11. 23. p. 52. What many of our men have written in favour of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation may be seen in Laudensium Autocatacrisis p. 107 108. and the Supplement thereunto c. 3. p. 34 35. ART II. That Christ is really more present on the high Altar or Communion Table as on his Dr. Pocklington Altare Christianum c. 24. p. 175. vide p. 8. hujus Throne or Chair of State than in the Pulpit or Font c. and that therefore more corporal bowing or more bodily reverence is due to the Altar or Communion-table than to the Pulpit or Font. THis I renounce because it is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the declaration after the Communion-service concerning kneeling which saith That by kneeling no adoration is intended or ought to be done either unto the Sacramental bread and wine there bodily received or unto any corporal presence of Christs natural flesh and blood for the Sacramental bread and wine remain still in their very natural substances and therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians and the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ are in heaven and not here it being against the truth of Christs natural body to be at one time in more places than one For if bodily reverence or adoration be not due to the Elements which are signs of Christs body and blood as broken and shed for us then certainly they are not due to the Table or Altar on which they are but set and if it be Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians to adore the Sacramental bread and wine then much more it is Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians to adore or bodily to bow purposely to the high Altar or Communion-table on which they are but set Now that this corporal bowing purposely to the Altar or Communion-table is religious and adoration I prove thus by our own men Aris Dei adâ—eniculari est adorare sacrosanctum altare To bow to Gods altars is to adore the holy altar saith Dr. Kellet in his Tricennium p. 644. Papists say there is a Worship due to the Cross ratione contactus because Christs body touched it and therefore they adore it but they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverence or honour So A B. * Aquin. 3a parte q 25. a. 4. c. A. B. Laud in his Star-Chamber Speech p. 47. A B. Laud's Injunctions to Merton-Colledg
ad Vitam solitariam agentes Athanasius that the Pulpit is called Thronum a Throne and that which you call Altar is called mensam ligneam a wooden board for so learned †Jewel Def. of Apol. 3 d. part c. 1. d. 3. p. 315. Bishop Jewel Englisheth Athanasius his words 2. The Pulpit is more like a Throne than the holy Table is for a Throne is an higher and more eminent seat than others a Pulpit is a Chair on high with a Canopy over it And such Dr. Pocklington †Altare Christianum pag. 44 46. tells us was the Pulpit and the Chair that St. John sate in when he ordained Bishops which he calls a Throne and that Bishops did sit in their Throne in the Presbytery and that there was the holy Altar Be-like then the Bishop sate cheek by jole as in commission with God Almighty as your Dr. Sutton scoffingly speaks in his * Dr. Sutton ' s Meditat. upon the Sacram. c. 33. p. 179. Meditations upon thâ— Sacrament against those persons that sit and dâ— not kneel at receiving the Sacrament Yea he siâ— above God Almighty if what Bishop †Rationale pag. 378 379. Sparroâ— saith be true for he saith That the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Throne or seat was higher thaâ— others and right under it stood the Altar oâ— holy Table the Propitiatory Christs Monument and the Tabernacle of his Glory the shop of the great Sacrifice 2. The Pulpit may more properly be called Gods Mercâ— seat than the Communion-table or Altar is 1. Because in the Pulpit God usually proclaims his mercy to all penitent and believing sinners and induceth them to accept of mercy in Christ 2. Faitâ— comes by hearing the Word preached ordinarily and by it also iâ— Faith confirmed and increased but on the Lords-table the mercy oâ— God is not first given or wrought but only signed sealed and confirmed as it is also at the Font in Baptism 3. The Pulpit is more like a Chair of State than the Altar is For 1. The Pulpit is like a Chair of State with a seat in it and Canopâ— over it and therein Christ by his Ambassadors sits or stands anâ— speaks to his people and declares his Law and Gospel but on thâ— Table or Altar Christ is represented not as sitting in his Chair oâ— State and Exaltation but as in his low estate 〈◊〉 Humiliation as crucified or dead as on his Cross rather 1 Cor. 11. 26. than as on his Chair of State 2. There is no similitude in the Table or Altar to a Chair oâ— State 3. Though Subjects use to give civil worship to the Chair oâ— State of their Prince yet 't will not follow that men should oâ— lawfully may give religious worship honour or bodily reverence to Christs Chair of State be it Pulpit Font Pew Table Heaven or believers in whom he reigns For all religioâ— reverence of the creature is forbidden in the seconâ— Dr. Ames Bellar. Enar. T. 2. l. 6. c. 7. p. 273. Commandment say Mr. Perkins A. B. Vsher Dâ— Mayer Dr. Aries and many others 4. Dr. Ames saith That God is not more in 〈◊〉 Temple made with hands separated from the company of Believers than he is elsewhere since the Legal Temple was taken away 5. Mr. Hildersham saith There is no holiness inherent in oâ— adherent to the places of publick Worship that by the * Hildersham upon Joh. 4. Lect. 33. p. 139 142 143. death of Christ all religious difference of places is taken away no one place is holier than another and that 't is †Bishop Sparrow makes the Church like the Temple part of worship and will have people that pray in private to look towards the Temple Rationale 386 387. Judaism and a denial of Christ to be come to hold that one place is holier than another as is evident by Joh. 4. 21. and that our houses and chambers are as holy places as the Churches are I pray read the whole Lecture it shews the superstition of the Papists and of our men that follow them it may enable you to answer their arguments and avoid their sin 6. No place is made so holy by the Ordinances or services of God therein or thereon celebrated or performed as therefore to make them the objects of religious adoration or reverence 1. Because the Ordinances and services of God cannot make the place where they are performed God 2. Because the Ordinances or services of God themselves are not cannot be the objects of religious adoration or divine reverence without the special command of God And though we do shew outward religious reverence when we pray to God and when God by his word and by his Ambassadors speaks to us in publick and private yet we do it not to them but immediately to God And therefore I conclude that the holy Table or Altar though separated to an holy use cannot be made so holy by reason of the Sacrament of Christs body and blood being consecrated or standing thereon as to deserve to be religiously adored or reverenced with godly honour and therefore the Archbishop's reason to prove that the Altar is the greatest place of Gods residence upon earth namely because 't is there hoc est corpus meum that is Sacramentally for to hold that 't is there transubstantially or consubstantially I have proved is directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and to the truth of Christs humane body this is my body is an insufficient and weak one And if it should have been good it would prove that the Paten in which the Sacramental bread and the bowl in which the Sacramental wine is put yea and the Priests fingers that break and deliver the bread are to be bodily and religiously reverenced as the greatest places of Christs residence here on earth for there 't is more nearly said Hoc est corpus meum they immediately touch the Sacramental body of Christ the holy Table or your Altar doth not for there is the cloth betwixt them And besides it would follow that the Font the reading-Pew and thâ— Pulpit yea the whole Church yea every private house in whicâ— either of Gods Sacraments or other of his Ordinances are used foâ— Christ is there spiritually present should be religiously reverenceâ— with godly bowing to them because there 't is this is my body or thâ—â— is my blood or this is my word Moreover this seems to justifie Papistâ— in their calling the Cross on which Christ was crucified the holy Cross if not in their adoring it and Christ before a Crucifix ratione coâ—tactus by reason of its touching Christs body or resembling it Buâ— this I do but hint by the way 7. 'T is forbidden to worship God in or by or through an Image for the Israelites in Aaron's time and Jeroboam's and Ahab's times are condemned not for worshipping the Golden Calf or Calves 〈◊〉 a God but for worshipping the true God in by or
grace aâ—â— act or habit or quality inherent in us And if we be justified by the righteousness of Christ only which being out of us in him imputed to those who receive it by Faith which also * Lib. 4 5. before I invincibly proved then also it followeth by necessary consequence that we are justified by Faith only as it is the instrument or hand of the soul 〈◊〉 apprehend or receive Christ who is our righteousness wherefore where Faith is said to justifie it must of necessity be understood relatively and in respect of the object to which purpose both Justification and all other benefits which we receive by Christ are attributed to Faith as I have shewed ¶ L. 6. c. 4. Sec. 6. before Not that Faith worketh these things but because by it we receive Christ and with him aâ—â— his merits and benefits And for the same cause the Faith of all the faithful though unequal in degrees in some greater in some less is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike precious in the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1. which is an evidence That faith doth not justifie in respeâ—â— of its dignity or worthiness but in respect of the object which it doth receive which being the most perfect righteousness of Christ untâ— which nothing can be added is one and the same to all that receivâ—â— it Of tâ—is see more Lib. 1. c. 2. Sec 10. 4. Bishop Reynolds upon Psal 110. 4. p. 443. saith thus So theâ—â— between Christ and us there must be an unity or else there can be no imputation and therefore it is that we are said to be justified by faith and that faith is imputed for righteousness Rom. 4. 5. not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere the act of believing as if that were in se accounted righteousness as it is a work proceeding from us by grace but because it is vinculum instrumentum unionis the bond of union between us and Christ and by that means makes way to the imputation of Christs righteousness unto us And the same reverend learned and orthodox Bishop in his most excellent Treatise of the Life of Christ p. 476. saith That preciousness of faith is seen chiefly in two respects 1. In regard of the Objects and 2. In regard of the Offices of it And p. 478. he saith That the Offices which are peculiar to faith are principally these three 1. To unite to Christ and give possession of him 2. The second office wherein consisteth * P. 480. the excellency of faith is the consequent of the former namely to justifie a man for there is no man righteous in the sight of God any further than he is taken into the * I have inserted this not only because it makes way for what I have chiefly to alledg but also that those Antichristian Popish Arminian Socinian men who call themselves Protestants and the dutiful Sons of the Church of England that do not only deny but deride and scoff at union and communion with Christ which is indeed the ground of all our happiness here and hereafter may take notice of what a learned Bishop of their party in two several Treatises saith and proveth unity of Christ and into the fellowship of his merits God is alone well pleased in Christ and â—â—ll a man be a member of his body a part of his fulness he cannot a pear in Gods presence This was the reason why Christ would bave none of his bones broken or taken off from the Communion of his natural body Joh. 19 36. to note the indissoluble union which was to he between him and his mystical members So that now as in a natural body the member is certainly fast to the whole so long as the bones are firm and sound so in the mystical where the body is there must every member be too because the bones must not be broken asunder If then Christ go to heaven if he stand unblameable before Gods justice we all shall in him appear so too because his bones cannot be broken That which thus puts us into the unity of Christ must needs justifie our persons and set us right in the presence of God and this is our faith The Apostle gives two excellent reasons why our Justification should be of faith rather than of any other grace the first oâ— Gods part that it might be of grace The second on the part of the promise that the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 16. First Justification that is by faith is of meer grace and favour no way of work or merit sor the act whereby faith justifies is an act of humility and self-dereliction a holy despair of any thing in our selves and a going to Christ a receiving a looking towards him and his all-sufficiency so that as Mary said of her self so we may say of faith the Lord hath respect unto the lowliness of his grace which is so far from looking inward for matter of Justification that it self as it is a work of the heart Tâ— credere doth not justifie but only as it is an apprehension or * This Mr. Fowler saith is false in his Free Discourse p. 129. taking hold of Christ For as the hand in the very receiving of a thing must needs first make it self empty if it be full before it must let all go erâ— it take hold of any other thing so faith being a receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. must needs suppose an emptiness iâ— the soul before Faith hath two properties as a hand to work and to receive when faith purifies the heart supports the drooping spirits worketh by love carries a man through afflictions and the like these are the works of faith wheâ— faith accepts of righteousness in Christ and receives him as the gift of his Fathers love when it embraceth the promises afar off Heb. 11. 13. and lays hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 12. this is the receiving act of faith Now faith justifies not by working * This is directly against Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine before mentioned and against Dr. Heylin's too lest the effect should not be wholly of grace but partly of grace and partly of works Ephes 2. 8 9. but by bare receiving and accepting or yielding consent to that righteousness which in regard of working was the righteousness of Christ Rom. 5. 18. and in regard of disposing imputing appropriating unto us was the righteousness of God Rom. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. Pag. 480 481 482. 3. The third Office of faith is to give us with Christ all things 5. I might alledg the Testimony of Luther Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Zanchy Musculus Pareus Polanus Tilenus Vrsinus Wendelinus Wollebius Festus Hominius Amesius Junius Macrobius Sharpius Piscator Threâ—â— and many more of our own Writers but those you usually answer by slighting saying they were particular men and Presbyterians or Nonconformists therefore I forbear but I
of Gods righteousness which shall be applied to them by Faith So Diodate in Isa 45. 25. 2. Rom 4 6. Blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works Now that righteousness is not cannot be inherent properly in our persons for that is not without works it must necessarily therefore be Christs righteousness which is imputed to him that is blessed 3. Rom. 5. 17 18 19 For if by one mans offence i. e. Adams death reigned by one i e. by Adam much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ therefore as by the offence of one that is Adam judgment came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the righteousness of one that is Christ the second Adam the free gift camt upon all men that is that are elected in Christ unto justification of life This next verse makes it most clear For as by one mans disobedience that is Adams many that is all that were naturally in Adam by ordinary generation were made sinners so by the obedience of one that is of Christ many that is all Gods Elect shall be made righteous Not efficiently and meritoriously only but formally as by Adams disobedience we weâ—â— made sinners not efficiently and meritoriously only but formally for his first sin was imputed to us and made our sin so are believers Christ formally made righteous by the Imputation of Christs righteousness them 4. 1 Cor 1. 30. Christ is made to us of God wisdom and righteousneâ—â— and sanctification and redemption Where the blessed Apostle doth â—â—presly distinguish righteousness from sanctification the righteousness 〈◊〉 Christ imputed to us from inherent righteousness wrought in us 5. To this might be added this That no righteousness but the rigâ—teousness of Christ who is God and man in one Person is now 〈◊〉 to satisfie the justice of God and purchase for us remission of our 〈◊〉 and perfectly fulfill the Law of God for us and therefore St. 〈◊〉 who understood himself very well Phil. 3. 8 9 Counted all thing but dung that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his oâ—â— righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith That is clothed witâ— the righteousness of Christ imputed to him as not only Dr. Featly bâ—â— all our sound Divines that have written upon the place expouâ—â— it 6. Before I leave this point I pâ—â— observe * Tilen Syntag. de Justif p. 724. Wendâ—lin Theol. lib. 1. c. 25. Thes 8. p 491. with Divines That remissâ—â— of sins or absolution from the curse of tâ—â— Law and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ are not two divers or distiâ—â— integranting parts of Justification or two acts in number and really distinct but one and the same act respecting two terms à quo ad queâ— from which and to which As darkness is by one and the same act expelled the air and light introduced into the air so by one and tâ—â— same act of Justification is the sinner absolved from guilt and pronounced just by one and the same act is the sinners sin pardoned and the righteousness of Christ imputed to him Remission of sins and imputation of righteousness are not two divers or distinct parts secuâ—dum essâ— but only secundum dici in nature but name and sound foâ— either of them taken asunder doth express the whole nature of Justification as appears Rom. 4. 6 7. where the Apostle purposely handling this argument doth use to remit sins and to impute righteousnesâ— as things or phrases of equal force or signification David describeâ—â— the blessedness of man unto whom God imputeth righteousness withoâ—â— works saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven Psal 32. 1 〈◊〉 To these arguments I might add what Cardinal Contarenus in tractaâ—â—u de Justificatione doth teach to be seen in Dr. Ames his Bellarminus Enervatus T. 4. l 6. c. 1. p. 128. and what Cardinal Cajetan also saith to the same purpose there to be seen but I forbear because I am now to deal with Protestants in profession though Papists indeed in those points about Justification And that you may see I do not wrong them I shall here insert what Mr. Fowler * And I hope I may without offence call them so seeing they hold the very same that Papists do in their tract of Justification seeing he calls us Antinomians for holding the Doctrine of St. Paul saith that he and his party do hold Free Discourse p. 1. p. 125. he saith That those men are angry with those Preachers that is his Latitudinarian party that preach a truly †As if those he writes against did not preach such a moral and real righteousness as well as they and as though Christs righteousness which is imputed to believers were not such moral and real righteousness because they hear no talks from their Pulpits of an imputative righteousness And p. 126 he saith They do not use the phrase so often but they believe the thing in their sense that is so to handle the doctrine of imputed as to shew the necessity of inherent righteousness that is as he explains himself elsewhere to the justification of a sinners person before God which whether it be not downright Jesuitical or if you rather will Socinian-Popery let the judicious and indifferent Reader judg This then is their notion of Christs imputed righteousness that those which are sincerely righteous and from an inward living principle allow themselves in no known sin nor in the neglect of any known duty which is to be Evangelically righteous shall be dealt with and rewarded in and through Christ as if they were perfectly and in a strict legal sense so 'T is certain I acknowledg that those that are justified are sincere but that their sincerity doth antecede or copulatively or concausally concur to the Justification of their persons before God with the righteousness of Christ imputed to them is a grosly false notion of Christs imputed righteousness and amounts to no more than what the Papists teach That Christ hath merited that our works might merit and is directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England as I have shewed before And besides he speaks not out plainly but saith they shall be dealt with and rewarded in and through Christ but how whether as the efficient or meritorious or formal cause he doth not shew The latter he cannot mean because he denies the Justification of a sinners person before God upon the account of the imputed righteousness 〈◊〉 Christ And p. 127. he saith thus I am confident that this which 〈◊〉 immediately before gave is the only true notion of the imputed righteousness of Christ And p. 128. The true notion he saith of those mâ—â— he writes against of the imputed righteousness of Christ is this that Christs righteousness * Christs righteousness
Writer of our Church have been delivered to us and we reject the sâ—â— of the Jesuits Arminians and all others wherein they differ frâ—â— us To be seen in Dr. Heylins Cyprianus Anglicus l. 3. p. 190. Aâ— the Parliament afterward declared 〈◊〉 presly the Articles of Lambeth to be 〈◊〉 Articles of Lambeth declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England Doctrine of this Church of England 〈◊〉 that all that did oppose them were to 〈◊〉 called in question which declaratioâ— Heylin informs us of in his Cyp. Angliâ—â— l. 3. p. 197. The Synod of Dort in which were several of our Learnâ—â— and Orthodox Divines as Bishop Carleton Davenant Hall Dr. Ward Dr. Belcanquall in their 1st Chapter and 9th Article say thus This said Election was made not upon foresight of faith and the obedience of faith holiness or of any other good quality or disposition as a cause or condition before required in men to be chosen but unto faith and the obedience of faith holiness c. and therefore Election is the fountain of all saving-good from whence faith holiness and the residue of saving-gifts lastly everlasting life it self do flow as the fruits and effects thereof according to that of the Apostle Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us not because we were but that we should be holy and without blame before him in love And therefore Error the 5th they reject as erroneous the Doctrine of them who teach That the incompleat and not peremptory Election We deny any such incompleat Election of singular persons is made by reason of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness begun or continued for some time but the compleat and peremptory Election by reason of the final perseverance of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness and this is the gracious and evangelical worthiness by which he that is chosen becomes worthier than he that is not chosen and therefore that faith the obedience of faith sanctity godliness and perseverance are not the fruits and effects of unchangeable Election unto glory but conditions and causes sine quibus non that is to say without which a thing is not brought to pass before required and foreseen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen A thing repugnant to the whole Scripture which everywhere beats into our ears and hearts these and such-like sayings Rom. 9. 11. Election is not of works but of him that calleth Act. 13. 48 As many as were ordained unto life-eternal believed Ephes 1. 4 He hath chosen us that we should be holy John 15. 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Rom. 11. 6 If of grace not of works 1 John 4. 10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son c. The Church of Scotland saith That those of manking that are predestinated unto life God before the foundations of the world were laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free-grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving hiâ— thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace Whiâ—â— Confession may be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the 〈◊〉 learned Assembly of Divines c. 3. Art 5. 4. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine and Confession of our godly Maâ—tyrs Robert Clover Master of Arts and Martyr in answer to 〈◊〉 Devil objecting against him his own unworthiness saith That 〈◊〉 Fathers before him were no bringers of any goodness to Goâ— but altogether receivers they choâ—â— not God first but God chose thâ—â— Fox his Acts and Monuments in one Folio p. 1618. 2 Col. first they loved not God first 〈◊〉 he loved them first yea he boâ—â— loved and chose them when thâ—â— were his enemies full of sin and corruption and void of 〈◊〉 goodness And that stout and learned and orthodox Martyr Mr. John Philpot in answer to Dr. Saverson and saying thâ—â— Where is there one of your Synagogues of Rome that ever hâ—â— been able to answer any of the godly learned Ministers of 〈◊〉 many who have disclosed your counterfeit Religion Which 〈◊〉 you all at this day is able to answer Calvins Institutions whâ—â—â— is Minister of Geneva To whom Dr. Saverson said A goâ—â— Minister indeed of Cut-purses and Runnagate Traitors and of 〈◊〉 I can tell you there is such contention fallen between him and 〈◊〉 own Sects that he was fain to fly 〈◊〉 Town * A gross lye or mistake which Hooker in his Preface to his Eccles Pol. confutes about Predestination 〈◊〉 whom and which John Philpot 〈◊〉 swereth thus I am sure you blaspheâ—â— that godly man and that godly Câ—â— where he is Minister as it is your Churches condition when you 〈◊〉 not answer men by learning to oppress them with blasphemies and 〈◊〉 reports for in the matter of Predestiâ—â—tion * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1697. 2 Col. HE IS IN NO OTHER OPINION THAN ALL THE DOCTORâ— OF THE CHURCH BE AGREEING TO THE SCRIPTURES Mark 〈◊〉 words for the matter of Predestination he that is Calvin is of 〈◊〉 other opinion than all the Doctors of the Church be and agreeiâ—â— to the Scriptures And in answer to the Bishop of Coventrey 〈◊〉 said plainly thus * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1721. 1 Col. I allow the Church of Geneva and the Doctrine of the same for it is una Catholica Apostolica and doth follow the Doctrine the Apostles did teach And when his Keeper at Newgate his old acquaintance promised him all kindness and favour if he would recant his Heresie he answered resolutely and plainly thus I will never recant whilest I have my life that which I have spoken for Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1722. 2 Col. it is a most certain truth and in witness whereof I will seal it with my blood which he did few days after Now what Calvin held concerning Predestination in general may be seen at large in his Institutions and what of this one particular may be found there lib. 3. c. 22. Sect. 1 2 3. clear against the Doctrine of Papists concerning Gods electing man to salvation for his foreseen faith c. and Sect. 6. may be seen his Doctrine clearly against Popish and Arminian Writers exposition of the 9th Chapter to the Romans where Mr. Fowlers shifts and glosses are answered too which he hath cunningly and perniciously inserted in pag. 263 c. of his free Discourse too large now here to be inserted I have been the larger in setting down these Confessions because Archbishop Laud in his too much applauded Relation of his Conference with Fisher p. 36. saith thus The Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion
So Dr. Potter in his Charity mistaken p 62. and Dr. Mountague Antig. p. 14. Gag p. 50. To whom I answer 1. That the contrary is hereby evident and well known 2. That though Papists profess the Apostles or Nicene Creeds yet by their erroneous Doctrines they overthrow them as Mr. Thompson in his Arraignment of Antichrist plainly shews the Papists do ART VII That men unregenerate or in tâ—â— state of nature have by theâ—â— Deum offerre gratiam omnibus singulis istam sufficientem reddi efficacem vel inefficacem per voluntatem noluntatem hominis in cujus potestate est illam vel acceptare vel respuere is the false Doctrine of Papists N. B. Totus Pelagianismus huic sententiae includitur saith Maccovius 〈◊〉 Pontif. c. 18. p. 39. Bel. de lib. art c. 3. own free-will power sufficient 〈◊〉 themselves to turn themselves 〈◊〉 God to believe repent and 〈◊〉 good works acceptable to God whâ—â— they will and also finally 〈◊〉 resist the efficacious grace of God in converting an elected sinner to himself THis Position I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrâ—â— of the Church of England Article the 10th The condition 〈◊〉 man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare hâ—â—self by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upâ—â— God Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that 〈◊〉 may have a good will and working with us when we have that good 〈◊〉 And Homily of the misery of man part 2. p. 11 12. We have 〈◊〉 goodness help or salvation of our selves but contrariwise sin damnation and deâ—â— Yet Dr. Patrick saith thus All the actions of nature you will grant to be easie for they flow from us with ease and facility Now there is nothing plainer than that the ways of temperance charity and trust in God and such like wherein we are to walk are most conformable to the right frame and constitution of your soul You will move consonantly to your own principles which God hath naturally endued you withall you will but follow the inclination of rational nature and that in its highest improvement Par Pilg. p. 252. What Bishop Jer. Taylor held in favour of that Popish Doctrine see his explanation of Original sin p. 467. What Dr. Heyliâ—â— held see his Introd to his Cyp. Angl p. 36. Sec. 37. p. 33. Sec. 35. everlasting We have in our selves as of our selves nothing whereby we may be delivered from this miserable captivity 〈◊〉 which we have cast our selves We are not of our selves able to think a good thought or work a good deed so that in our selves we can find no hope of Salvation but rather what maketh unto destruction And Homily for Rogation-week T. 2. p. 217. Whatsoever is good proceedeth from God as from the principal fountain and only author And p. 220. it saith what I alledged in the former Article renounced And Part third of the same Homily p. 228. Faith is the first entry of a Christian life without which no man can please God Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. Charity wherewith we love our brethren is the work of God If after our own fall we repent it is by him that we repent who reacheth forth his merciful hand to raise us up it is he that preventeth our will and disposeth â—s thereunto If after contrition we feel our consciences at peace with God through remission of our sins and so be reconciled to his favour and hope to be his children and inheritors of everlasting life who worketh these great miracles in us our worthiness our deservings and endeavours our wits and vertue nay verily St. Paul will not suffer flesh and clay in such arrogancy and therefore saith all is of God which hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ And there p. 229. 't is said That without the secret inspiration of the Spirit we cannot once so much as speak the name of our Mediator as St. Paul plainly testifieth No man can once name our Lord Jesus Christ but in the Holy Ghost much less should we be able to believe and know these great mysteries that be opened to us by Christ St. Paul saith that no man can know what is of God but by the Spirit of God As for us saith he we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God for this purpose that in his holy Spirit we might know things that be given us by Christ And Homily of Repentance T. 2. p. 263. This must be verified of all men Without me ye can do nothing Joh 15. And again Yet Dr. Patrick saith thus I am forced to love God by such a strong inclination as hath no cause but nature Par Pilgrim p. 468. of our selves we are not able so much as to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. And again in another place God worketh in us both the will and the deed And for this cause although Jeremy had said before If thou return O Israel return unto me saith the Lord yet afterward be saith Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Jer. 4. 1. Jer. 31. 18. And a little before in the same Homily 't is said That we must beware that we do in no wise think in our hearts imagine or believe that we are able to repent aright or turn effectually unto the Lord by our own might and strength And the second Collect for Evening-prayer O God from whom all holy desires all 〈◊〉 counsels anâ— all â—ust works do proceed And Collect for second Sâ—â—day in Lent Almighty God which dost see that we have no power 〈◊〉 our selves to help our selves Collect for 19th Sunday after Triniâ—â— and Collect for Easter-day and Exhortation before Baptism 〈◊〉 he will grant to these children that thing which by nature they caâ—â— have And question after the Commandments in the Church 〈◊〉 techism That thou art not able to do these things of thy self And Veâ—â—cles said after the Lords Prayer O Lord open thou our lips and 〈◊〉 mouth shall shew forth thy praise Which implies that unless God do opâ—â— our mouths we cannot shew forth his praise 2. Because 't is contrary to Sacred Canonical Scripture Rom. 8. 7 〈◊〉 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law 〈◊〉 God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot pleâ—â— God 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of 〈◊〉 Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he 〈◊〉 them because they are spiritually discerned He wants the Spirit of Gâ—â— to discern them savingly Mat. 16. 16 17. Simon Peter answered 〈◊〉 said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Jesus answered 〈◊〉 said unto him blessed art thou Simon
Barjona for flesh and blood hath 〈◊〉 revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven 2 Cor. 3. 5 〈◊〉 that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves 〈◊〉 our sufficiency is of God Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing 〈◊〉 Christ Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to 〈◊〉 his good pleasure Ephes 2. 8. For by grace ye are saved through faâ—â—â— and that grace or that faith is not of your selves It is the gift of 〈◊〉 And so is repentance the gift of God Act. 5. 31. Act. 11. 18. 2 〈◊〉 2. 25. If God will give them repentanceâ— to the acknowledgement of 〈◊〉 truth 3. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Reformed Protestant Churches As 1. To the eighth Article of Lambeth which as you hearâ— before was declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England The eighth Article of Lambeth is this No man can come to Christ unlesâ—â— it be given to him and unless the Father shall draw him nor are all men 〈◊〉 drawn by the Father that they come to the Son 2. To the 32 Article of Religion of Ireland None can come 〈◊〉 Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father draw him 〈◊〉 all men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come unto the Soâ—â— neither is there such a sufficient measure of grace vouchsafed unto eveâ— man whereby he is enabled to come unto * The nature of man through the transgression of our first parents hath lost free-will and retaineth not now any shadow thereof saving an inclination to â—ill those only excepted whom of his grace he hath sanctified and purged from their Original leprosie King James his Declaration against Vorstius p. 368. of his Works everlasting life This Confession includes the 8th and 7th Articles of Lambeth 3. To the latter Confession of Helvetia which saith thus Therefore man not as yet regenerate hath no free will to good no strength to perform that which is good In regeneration the understanding is illuminated by the Holy Ghost that it may understand both mysteries and will of God and the will it self is not only changed by the Spirit but is also endued with faculties that of its own accord it may both will and do good Harmony of Confessions Sec. 4. c. 9. p. 62 63. and the like may be there seen in the former Confession of Helvetia p. 65. art 9. See the Confession of Bohemia For that will of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakned that now from henceforth of it self and without the grace of God it cannot chuse judg or wish nay it hath no desire nor inclination much less any ability to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased Harmony of Confessions Sect. 4. p. 68. The Confession of the French Church is much to the same effect there to be seen p. 70. and there in the same Section is the Confession of Belgia full and clear to the same purpose with notable proofs out of Scripture against mans natural power to convert himself to God as John 3. 27. John 6. 44. Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. John 15. 5. And p. 74. of the same Section is the Confession of Auspurg to the same purpose And p. 75. they say thus We condemn the Pelagians and all such as they are who teach that by the only powers of * This is directly contrary to Dr. Patricks Doctrine before recited in the Margent nature without the holy Spirit we may love God above all and fulfill the Law of God as touching the substance of our actions The Confession of the Church of Saxony is to the same effect there to be seen p. 77. That man by his natural strength is not able to free himself from sin and eternal death but this freedom and conversion of man to God and this spiritual newness is wrought by the Son of God quickning us by his Holy Spirit In the same Section p. 82 83. the Church of Wirtemberg saith thus And whereas some affirm that so much integrity of mind was left to man after his fall that by his natural strength and good works he is able to convert and prepare himself to faith and the invocating of God it is flatly contrary to the Apostolicâ— Doctrine and the true consent of the Catholick Church Rom. 5 By one mans trespass evil was derived unto all men unto condemnation Ephes 2. When ye were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in times paâ—â— ye walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince c and we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others he saith Dead in sins and the children of wrath that is strangers from thâ— grace of God But as a man being corporally dead is not able by his oâ—â— strength to trepare or convert himself to receive corporal life so be which is so spiritually dead is not able by his own power to câ—â—vert himself to receive spiritual life The Synod of Dort c. 〈◊〉 Article 3. say thus All men are conceived in sin and born 〈◊〉 children of wrath untoward to all good tending to salvation forward to evil dead in sins slaves of sin and neither will nor 〈◊〉 without the grace of the Holy Ghost regenerating them 〈◊〉 streight their own crooked nature no not so much as dispose theâ— selves to the amending of it And Article 4. they say thus Bâ—â— so far short is he from being enabled by this imbred light to coâ— to the saving knowledg of God and to convert himself unto hiâ— that he doth not make right use thereof in natural things and â—vil affairs nay that which it is he many ways defileth it all 〈◊〉 withholdeth it in unrighteousness and by so doing becomâ—â— inexcusable before God Who in the 4th error rejected reject thâ— error of those that teach That an unregenerated man is not properly nor totally dead in sins nor destitute of all strength tendâ—â— to all spiritual good but that he is able to hunger and thirst aftâ—â— righteousness or everlasting life and to offer the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 humble and contrite heart even such as is acceptable unto God For these assertions march against the direct testimonies of Scripture Ephes 2. 1 5. Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Gen. 6. 5. 8. 11. Every imagination of the thought of mans heart is only evil continally Moreover the hungring and thirsting for deliverance out of misery 〈◊〉 for life-eternal as also the offering to God the sacrifice of a broken â—â—eâ—â— is proper to the regenerate and such as are called blessed Psal 51. 1â— Matth. 5. 6. That the efficacious grace of God in mans effectual calling or conversion doth not depend upon the aptitude or co-operâ—tion of the will of man but is from the supernatural work of Goâ—â— which the holy Scripture calls the drawing of the Father to the
〈◊〉 may be sufficiently yea abundantly proved by that which hath been said Cur gratia Dei sit efficax in quibusdam id dependit a voluntate hominum Bel. lib. 1. de graet lib. arbitr c. 12 13. before but that this efficacious grace of God in converting an elected sinner is not finally resistible by the will of man as Papists and * See the 3d and 4th Chapters of the Synod of Dort and therein the Remonstrants 8th error rejected about Conversion Arminians would make the world believe may further be proved by the Homily for Rogation-week T. 2. part 1. p. 21â— God doth what liketh him none can resist him for he worketh all things in his secret judgment yea even the wicked to damnation as Solomon saith and the Scripture saith Who hath resisted his will Rom. 9. 19. that is his effectual will in regenerating an elected sinner and God in his effectual calling or converting a sinner taketh away the resistibility against it out of his heart Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flâ—sh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Isa 43. 13. I will work saith God and who shall let it Job 9. 12. Behold he taketh away who can hinder him Isa 14. 24. The Lord of Host hath sworn Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass as I have purposed so shall it stand V. 27. The â—ord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disannull it Now Gods election of man is frequently called his purpose as Rom. 8. 28. Rom. 9. 11. Ephes 1. 11. To Papists I might urge â—sâ—her 13. 8 9. Lord Almighty King for the whole World is in thy power and if thou hast appointed to save Israel there is none that can gain-say it v. 11. no man can resist thee Ephes 3. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Moreover if man can always resist the efficacious grace of God in converting an elected sinner then it might come to pass nay it would come to pass most certainly that Jesus Christ should have no peculiar people for the corrupt will of man cannot incline to imbrace the grace of God that is offered in the Word and Ordinances of God till the Spirit of Christ by saving * Deus qui voluntatem praeparat ipse eam donat quam si per suam gratiam homini non dederit nunquam potest homo in Deum velle credere Fulgentius de veritate praedestinat l. 1. grace do overcome and change the perversness of it and make it willing for though to will is of nature yet to will well is of grace It is God that worketh in 〈◊〉 both to will and to do of his good pleasure that is to will and to do well Phit 2. 13. as the Articles and Homilies and Liturgy of the Church of England ubi supra do abundantly declare Or 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ should have a peculiar people then he must by these meâ—â— Doctrine viz. That mans will can ponere obicem and always resiâ—â— Gods will and determine to refuse Gods grace offered yea reject it beiâ—â— wrought in him which indeed implies a contradiction be beholding to man for it who determined himself to accept of his gracious offers all which would otherwise have beeâ— in vain and ineffectual Lastly Bellarmine * Bellar. l. 3. de gratia c. 3. Ames Bellar. Enervat T. 4. l. 3. c. 3. de efficaci gracia p. 56. himself setting down the vanous opinions of men about effectual grace saith this is the first The first opinion is of them that do plaâ—â— efficacious grace in mans assent and co-operation so that it 〈◊〉 called efficacious grace from the event because it doth dispâ—â—â— the effect and therefore it doth dispose the effect because maâ—â— will doth co-operate or help with it This opinion saith hâ—â— is altogether alien from the judgment of St. Augustin and aâ—â— of the Sacred Scriptures it overthrows the foundation of Goâ—â— Predestination and abuseth the woâ—â— effectual grace * Wendelin Christ Theol. l. 1. c. 3. p. 132. Wendelin saith which is the meer and special frâ—â— gift of God to the free will of man corrupt and dead in sins as that 't is in mans power to believe or not believe do plainâ—â— broach a Pâ—lagâ—an-heresie contrary to the whole Scripture Effectual grace is not a physical action whereby God doth compel the will of Vid. August l. de correct gratia c. â—4 Cui volenti saâ—vum facere nulâ—um bomiâ—um resistit arbitrium c. Hier. in Ephes c. 1. Illt â—â—nullus resistere potest quia omnia quae voluerit faciat Aquin. 〈◊〉 q. 103. a. 8. 9. 19. 2. 6 c. ad 3. mâ—n or physically determine it without its own proper deliberation for a supernatural effect cannot be produced by a natural operation and so man nilling should be converted and believe which implies a contradiction neither is this effectual gracâ— only a moral perswasion in it self in different to which it is in mans power to yield or oppose for so God should not work more effectually in converting man than the Devil and seducers do in keeping him from conversion and the efficacy of grace should not consist in the motion of God but in the strength of arguments and so there should be placed in the will of man unconverted an aptitude of obeying that moral perswasion and converting himself but effectual grace is a supernatural action or work of God whereby he doth outwardly by his word and other appointed means and inwardly by the efficacy of his Spirit not physical action but divine secret and ineffable motion illuminate the blind mind of man change make new and convert the perverse will of man that the will being renewed doth begin by its own free election to will and chuse the good that is shewed it from the enlightned understanding And by this effectual grace God doth so work upon the will of man that his will doth no longer resist the grace of God but comply with Gods Will and wills what he wills Of this see further Nihil in libero arbitrio constitutum superat voluntatem Dei Aug. Enchir. c. 100. Nothing is in mans will can over-power Gods will the Synod of Dort Chapter 3 and 4. of Conversion Articles 10 11 12 13 14. and Errors 6 7 8. rejected by them See also the Confession of Faith made by the Assembly of Divines c. 10. of effectual calling Article 1 2. and the 33d Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland and the 9th Article of Lambeth It is not in the free choice and power of every man to be saved ART VIII That truly regenerated persons cannot Bellar. l. 2. de justificatione c. 14. Synod of Dort 3d
Error rejected by them Dr. Heylins Introduction to his Cyp. Angl. p. 36. S. 37. p. 31. Montagues Gag p. 163 164 186. Appeal p. 213 214. be certain of their eternâ—â— salvation but may totally anâ— finally fall away from the actâ— and habits of saving-grace before they dye and be eternally damned THis I renounce In which there are two notable points 〈◊〉 Popery 1. That truly regenerated persons cannot be certain of their eterâ—â— salvation which Bellarmine for Papists affirms Dr. Ames for Protestants denies Vid. Dr. Ames his Bellarmin Enervat T. 4. l. 6. de justificatione c. 2 3 4. p. 152 153 154. 1. The Church of England saith thus That the faith that doâ—â— justifie us is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God 〈◊〉 be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ and an aâ—â—ureâ—â— faith and trust in Christ ubi supra p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which necessariâ—â— implies that truly regenerated persons who have this sure trust aâ—â— Homil. of Salvation of mankind p. 20. Homil of Christs Death p. 187. assured faith and confidence of their justification may be certain of their everlasting salvation 2. 'T is contrary also to the 6th Article of the Articles of Lâ—â—beth which is this A man truly believing or endued with justifying faith is certain by or with fâ—ll assurance of faith of the remissâ—â— of his sins and of everlasting salvation by Christ 3. 'T is contrary to the 37th Article of Religion of Irelanâ— A true believer may be certain by the assurance of faith of thâ— forgiveness of his sins and of his everlasting salvation 4. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort c. 5. of perseverance Articles 9 10. Of this perseverance of the elect unto salvation and the perseverance of true believers in the faith the faithful themselves may be and are ascertained according to the measure of their faith by which they assuredly believe that they are and shall for ever continue true and lively members of the Church and that they have remission of their sins and everlasting life and therefore this certainty is not from any special Revelation made beside or without the word but from faith in Gods promises which he hath most plentifully revealed in his word for our comfort from the testimony of the holy Spirit bearing witness with our Spirit that we are the Sons of God and heirs Rom. 8. 16. Lastly From a serious and holy care of keeping a good conscience and endeavour of good works And if Gods chosen in this world should want this solid comfoâ—â—u of obtaining the victory and this infallible pledg and earnest of eternal glory they were surely of all men most miserable See also Article the 11th 5. 'T is contrary to the experience of many of Gods dear Children of Robert Glover who had assurance of Gods love in Christ in the pardon of his sins and of eternal life when he came in the sight of the place where he was to be burned for Christs sake He is come he is come said he to his friend that comforted him John Carles another holy Martyr answered Dr. Martin plainly thus That God hath predestinated me to eternal life in Jesus Christ I am most certain and even so am I sure that his holy Spirit wherewith I am sealed will so preserve me from all heresies and evil opinions that I shall dye in none at all Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p 1813. 1st 2d Col. 6. 'T is contrary to canonical Scriptures as Job 14. 17. But ye know him that is the Spirit for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you And v. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Rom. 8. 15 16. But ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ And v. 35 38 39. of the same Chapter Who shall separate us from the love of Christ For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God whicâ— is in Christ Jesus our Lord 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received not 〈◊〉 spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know thâ— things that are freely given to us of God 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selvâ— whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Ephes 3. 12. In whom 〈◊〉 have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him 2 Tim. 4 7 〈◊〉 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnes 1 John 3. 2â—â— But we know that when we shall appear we shall he like him and we 〈◊〉 that he was manifested to take away our sins and v. 14. of the saâ—â— Chapter We know that we have passed from death to life because 〈◊〉 love the brethren and v. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God beâ—â— he laid down his life for us which he explicates in 1 John 4. 16. 〈◊〉 we have known and believed the love 〈◊〉 God hath tâ— us 1 John 5. 〈◊〉 He that believeth in the Son of God 〈◊〉 tâ—e witness in himself and 〈◊〉 v. 13. of that Chapter These things have I written unto you that beliâ—â— on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal 〈◊〉 and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God 2 Pet. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 thren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if 〈◊〉 these things ye shall never fall To pass by many other places of Sâ—â—cred Scripture which might be produced to prove this comfortâ—â— truth That truly regenerated persons may in this life be certain of 〈◊〉 eternal salvation These I have produced may if well observed and applied be sâ—â— ficient to make it good and evident A certainty of hope Papists grâ—â— but they deny a certainty of faith To which I answer 1. That if they understand by hope that which doth arise from 〈◊〉 ceitâ—ul conjectures and discourses of human reason they grant no mâ—â— to true believers in Christ than they grant to hypocrites for sâ—â— a hope may be in them 2. But if by hope they mean a true Theological infused grace whiâ—â— is the daughter of faith then they grant that which they seem to dâ—â— for the Apostle doth teach That tâ—â— that have this hope have the sâ—â— certainty with faith as Bishop * Deter 3. p. 18. Nos hac spâ— jam servatos esse Dâ—â— â—ant argueth from Rom. 8. 24. â—or we are saved by hope and this
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
of jusâ—â— fication or to commit the sin unâ—â— death or against the Holy Ghost oâ—â— to be altogether forsaken of him and throw themselves headlong into everlasting destruction c. 7. For first 〈◊〉 all in these slips he preserveth 〈◊〉 them that his immortal seed bâ— which they were once born again that it die not nor be lost by them afterward by his Word and Spirit he effectually and certainly reneweth them again unto repentance so that they do heartily and according unto God grieve for their sins committed and with a contrite heart by faith in the blood of the Mediator craving forgiveness of them obtain it recover the apprehension of the favour of God reconciled unto them adore his mercies and faithfulness and from thenceforward more carefully work out their salvation with fear and trembling Canon 8. So not by their own merits or strength but by Gods free mercy they obtain thus much That they neither totally fall from faith and grace nor continue to the end in their falls and perish which in regard of themselves not only full easily might but doubtless would come to pass yet in respect of God it cannot so fall out since neither his counsel can be changed nor his promise fail nor the calling according to his purpose be revoked nor Christs merit intercession and custody be made of none effect nor the sealing of the holy Spirit be frustrated or defaced 4. That they that are predestinated unto everlasting life be or shall be effectually called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption and 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 Which Doctrine is not only contrary to that false Doctrine of the Papists and Arminians before renounced but 't is also agreeable to the Doctrine taught by St. Paul Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8. 15 16 17. Gal. 4. 6 7. and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified and therefore they cannot fall away from saving grace totally and finally and be damned 5. That 't is of the meer will or purpose or good pleasure of God that some men are in Christ Jesus elected and not others unto salvation for here you see this Election is called Gods purpose and his counsel to deliver from damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation Which is not only contrary to that erroneous Doctrine of the Papists before confuted and renounced viz. That God did elect men unto salvation for their foreseen faith good works and perseverance that would be in them but 〈◊〉 also consonant to canonical Scripture Rom. 9. 11 15. Luke 12. 〈◊〉 Ephes 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Agreeable to this is the second Articlâ—â— Lambeth The moving or efficient cause of Predestination unto life 〈◊〉 the foresight of faith or of perseverance or of good works or of 〈◊〉 thing that is in the person predestinated but only the good will and 〈◊〉 sure of God Agreeable to which is also the 14 Article of Religâ—â— of the Church of Ireland drawn up by A. B. Vsher as Dr. Hâ—â— tells us to which King James gave his consent and approbatioâ— Heylins Cypr. Anglicus l. 4. p. 271. 6. That the godly consideration of Predestination and our electioâ—â— Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly perâ—â— confirms our faith and fervently kindles our love to God But the Doctrine of the Papists who hold that true believers in Christ may totally and finally fall away from all the acts and habits of savâ—â— grace and become damned reprobates is full of bitter unplâ—â— and unspeakahle sorrow and vexation even to godly persons 〈◊〉 doth not confirm and establish their faith of eternal salvation 〈◊〉 be enjoyed through Christ but rather fill their souls with doâ—â— of their salvation and fears of their damnation and doth 〈◊〉 fervently kindle but rather quench the fire of their love to God 〈◊〉 they shall be taught that Gods love to them dependeth not upon 〈◊〉 self but upon their uncertain love to him from which they say 〈◊〉 may totally and finally fall away and be therefore eternally damned 〈◊〉 any Doctrine that ever was preached or printed did binder Piety 〈◊〉 true Christianity and comfortable walking with God this of the Paâ—â— falling away totally and finally from saving-grace is one and 〈◊〉 well be put among the chief causes of the decay of Piety amongst 〈◊〉 and put into that golden book so intituled and its contrary put 〈◊〉 of it Further I might draw an argument or two more from what 〈◊〉 Church of England saith in her old book of Common Prayers whiâ—â— she offers to Almighty God as in the Collect for St. Simon and Jâ—â— Apostles she saith this Almighty God which hast builded thy 〈◊〉 gregation upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesâ—s Câ—â— himself being the head corner-stone And the next Collect for All-Sâ—â— day where she saith this Almighty God which hast knit togethâ—â— thy elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ our Lord from which this argument might be frame They that are built upon the sure foundation or rock Jesus Christ and are inseparably knit together in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Jesus Christ cannot totally and finally fall away from Christ and his Church and be damned but according to the Church of England Gods elect truly regenerated persons are so built and so united Ergo they cannot totally and finally fall away from Christ and his Church and consequently not from saving-grace by which they are so built and knit together the major is undeniable and clear by Matth. 7. 24 25. Therefoye saith Christ whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon the house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock Upon which place * Pareus in locum Veram fidem super petra aedificatam nunquam deficere sed semper conjunctam esse cum perseverentia Pareus hath this note That a true faith built upon the rock doth never fail but is always joyned with perseverance and Mat. 16. 18. I say unto thee Thou art Peter and upon this rock that is which thou hast confessed will I build my Church and the gates of Hell that is all the power and policy of the Devil and his instruments shall not prevail against it the Minor is the Doctrine of our Church in the two Collects before alledged and Gods elect regenerate true members of
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.
aversion from that which is good materially 't is an inclination to that whiâ—h is morally evil There is in the will of man 1. an impotency to that which is spiritually good as the understanding of a meer natural man cannot rightly think of any thing that is spiritually good so the will of a meer natural man cannot rightly of it self will any thing that is spiritually good 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we â—â— sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our â—â—ciency is of God Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in us both to 〈◊〉 and to do of his own good pleasure 2. A proneness only to that whicâ— is evil Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in 〈◊〉 eâ—rth and that every imagination of the thoughts or purposes or desireâ—â— his heart was only evil continually 3. Aversness from that whiâ—â— is good Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for 't is 〈◊〉 subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Read Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5. We are all dead in trespasses and sins and 〈◊〉 by nature the children of wrath by nature not pure but corrupt aâ—â— that corrupted by Original sin That which is born of the flesh 〈◊〉 flesh John 3. 6. and who can bring a clean thing out of an uncâ—â— Job 14. 4. Now Papists grant that original sin imputed is pâ—â—perly a sin but inherent they say is not properly a sin Pelagâ—â— that old Heretick was the Father and the Popish Arminian aâ—â— Semi-pelagian Divines are the 〈◊〉 and followers of it Beâ—â—mine T. 4. l. 2. de peccato c. 3. saâ—â— from Jam. 1. Quod 〈◊〉 Jacobo in illo 〈◊〉 Bellar. l. 5. de amissione gratiae c. 3. 9. c. 10. Peccatum inhabitans Rom. 7. non nisi improprie dicitur peccatum non vocatur peccatum illud non est peccatum quod parit peccatum non est peccatum And Dr. Jeremy Taylor one 〈◊〉 Archbishop Lauds Chaplains late â—â—shop in Ireland in his further Exâ—â—nation of original sin saith expresly thus That original sin is not our sin properly not inherent in us but is only imputed so as to bring evil effects upon us for that which is inherent in 〈◊〉 is a consequent only of Adams sin but of it self no sin for theâ—â— being but two things the constituent parts of original sin the want of original righteousness and concupiscence neither of these caâ— So Pelagius and Arminius picad be a sin in us but a punishment 〈◊〉 Adams sin they may be P. 459. And p. 475. of the same book he saith That original sin is 〈◊〉 an inherent evil not a sin properly but metâ—nimically that is it is the effect of one sin and the cause of many a stain not a sin it doth not damn any infant to eternal pains of hell And p. 474. he saith thus And since no Church did ever in join tâ— any Catechumen any penance or repentance for original sin iâ— sâ—â—ms horrible and unreasonable that any man can be damneâ— for that for which no man is bound to repent But Sir is that only properly sin for which the Church injoins penance Did the Jews injoin any penance for Poligamy and doth the Christian Church injoin penance for inward sins is not the 19th Commandment made void by this Doctrine did not King David 〈◊〉 51. 5. and St. Paul Rom. 7. confess their original sin or was King Davids and St. Pauls Confession one of your Brother Dr. Haâ—â—onds free-will offerings commended even to meriting And I pray read there his Explanation of the 9th Article of the Church of England and then judg whether that of Knot the Jesuit be not true Preface to Charity maintained Sec. 2. Heylins Cypr. Anglicus l. 4. p. 252 253. viz. That the Doctrine of the Church of England began to be altered in many things for which our Progenitors forsook the Roman Church for example it is said that the Pope is not Antichrist prayer for the dead is allowed Limbus patrum it is maintained that the Church hath authority in determining controversies of faith and to interpret Scriptures about free-will predestination universal grace that all our works before effectual vocation are not sins merit of good works inherent righteousness faith alone doth not justifie Traditions Commandments possible to be kept your Thirty nine Articles are patient nay ambitious of some sense in which they may seem Catholick for Dr. Heylin in his Cyprianus Anglicus lib. 4. p. 252. alledgeth much of this charge of Knot as a commendation of our Church and upon the 20th and 34th Articles he saith That more power than this the Church of Rome did never challenge and less than this was not reserved unto it self by the Church of England in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 20 21. where he saith That in the year 1571. the Articles agreed upon in the year 1562. were re-printed and this clause the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and also in controversies of Faith as he saiâ—h was left out by the power of the Genevian * That was the Parliament that that year confirmed the Articlâ—s to which alone subscription was injoined yet Heylin saith it left out the Prayer against the Pope out of the Letany faction if it were not for the Genevian-faction your faction would soon bring us all to Rome but the times bettering and the Governors of the Church taking notice thereof there was care taken 't is believed 〈◊〉 A. B. Land as Mr. Prin and Burton discovered that the said â—â— should be restored unto its place in all following impressions of that â—â— but if it may be said to be restored to its place 't is wondred 〈◊〉 Dr. â—â—ocket Warden of All-Sâ—â— Colledge and Chaplain to A. B. â—â—bot Heylins Cyp. Angl. l 1. p. 76. And 't is left out of the Articles of Ireland 1615 which were allowed by King James should forget to put it into thâ—â— 20th Article when he made his book in Latin intituled De politia Ecoleâ—â— Anglicanae in which he set down all our Liturgy the 39 Articles of Religion the book of Ordination of Priests and Deacons and Consecraâ—ion of Bishops c. I say if it had been in the Article 〈◊〉 very strange that a man of his learning and integrity and pâ—â— and expectation too should leave it out but you see 't is put in 〈◊〉 you may well guess by whom and to what purpose by what 〈◊〉 Heylin saith of it it reserved or rather restored to it self as much power as the Church of Rome ever challenged which Knot the Jesuit observed That their Churches as the Jesuit goes on â—â—ginning to look with a new face their walls to speak a new language that men in talk and wriâ—ing use willingly the once fearful names of Priests and Altar and are now put in mind that for exposition of Scripture they are
by Canon bound to follow the Fathers that Protestantism waxeth weary of it self that Calvinism is accounted * For proof read Dr. Heylins Cypr. Anglicus and its Introduction Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p. 414 415 416. there you 'l see the agreement made betwixt the Pope or his agents and some of our Clergy men and that which â—â—ey call the ancient Catholick Religion is nothing but Popery only abatement in some things at least for a time 〈◊〉 Cyprianus Anglicus was setled in his pontificalibus heresie at the least and little less than treasoâ— I say much of this Heylin saith was truth and he himself in his Introduction to that History and other books makes very manifest What Chillingworth answereth to this bold charge of the Jesuit you may see in Dr. Cheynells rise and growth of Socinianisâ— c. 6. The â—anterburian Religion not the true Protestant Religion p. 70 But to return to my business Bellarmine is answered by learned Dr. Ames a Nonconformist in his Bellarminus Enarvatus T. 4. l. 2. de peccato originali c. 3. p. 34. ad p. 46. which I have read and Bishop Jeremy â—â— I hear is answered very learnedly and fully by Mr. Henry Jeanes â—â—other Nonconformist which I have not read how conformable â—â—e Bishops Doctrine is to the false Pelagian condemned Doctrine of â—â—e Church of Rome and Nonconformable to the true and approved â—â—octrine of the Church of England let the indifferent and judiciâ—â—s Reader judg Vide Maccovium Rediv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminiaâ—â—ruâ— c. 9. p. 118. That Original sin inherent in us is properly sin I prove thus 1. That which hath the name and nature of sin properly so called â—â—s sin properly so called but original sin inherent in us hath the â—â—e and nature of sin properly so called ergo it is sin properly so â—â—lled 1. It hath the name of sin properly so called given unto it in saâ—â—red Scripture The Reverend * Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. A. B. â—â—sâ—er tells us That all other sins have â—â—eir special names but original sin is â—â—operly called sin and †Amand. Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 3. p. 336. Polanus beâ—â—re him saith that 't is called absoâ—â—tely sin Rom. 7. 8. because it is the â—â—ring and fountain of other sins pecâ—atum peccans sinning sin Rom. 7. 13. â—â—eccatum inhabitans indwelling sin Rom. 7. 17 20. and Mr. Hilderâ—â—am upon Psal 51. p. 283. tells us that the Spirit of God expresly â—â—lls it sin Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity â—â—d in sin did my Mother conceive me and so Dr. Mer. â—asaubon * In locum Musculus and Dr. Ames expound the place â—hich place Bishop Prideaux * Fasciculus controversiarum c. 3. q. 5. p. 112. saith â—â—nnot be understood but of original sin â—â—d its propagation as both ancient and â—â—ter Divines expound the place and in â—â—ree Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans viz. 6. 7 8. 14 times at â—â—ast and Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 6. 6 12 13 14. Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin â—â—t by the law for I had not known lust that is to be sin except the â—â—w had said Thou shalt not coveâ— Where 't is clear that lust by which 〈◊〉 meant the first unlawful desires or motions which have not the â—â—nsent of the will lust in the habit or disposition inclination imagiâ—â—tion as well as lust in the act is forbidden in the Tenth commandâ—â—nt as not only Beza Parâ—us Calvin and Peter Martyr but also Dr. Willet and Wilson and Dr. 〈◊〉 and Diodate upon the place 〈◊〉 B. Prideaux Fasc controvers c. 3. q 5. p. 112. Sharpius Symphon â—a Novis Epoc. p. 397. Andrews and Dr. Mayor upon the 〈◊〉 Commandment and Bishop 〈◊〉 and Sharpius elsewhere assure 〈◊〉 verse the 8. For sin taking occâ—â— the Commandment the more 〈◊〉 â—â— the more it bursteth forth †A. B. Vsher Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. 〈◊〉 streams do that cannot be stopped till God by his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 it wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the 〈◊〉 was dead that is it seemed so to him because he knew it 〈◊〉 felt it not but when he knew the law he knew sin and 〈◊〉 activity and found 't was alive so verse the 14. But I 〈◊〉 sold under sin Man is said to be carnal two ways 1. Quâ—â— carni because he serves the flesh so unregenerated men 〈◊〉 nal 2. Quia proclivis est carni because he is inclined to 〈◊〉 the flesh that is original corruption which is called flesh 〈◊〉 1. Gal. 5. â—7 so Paul was carnal though he had mortified 〈◊〉 he had some relicts or remainders of it an inclination to thâ—â— of the flesh he was carnal in opposition to the law that 〈◊〉 ritual that is he was not so spiritual as the law required 〈◊〉 der sin slaves to â—in are of two sorts 1. Some sell themsâ—â— sin original sin and its lusts they willingly obey the lusts 〈◊〉 flesh so did Ahab and such are wicked men 2. Some arâ—â— another and such a slave was Paul even after his actual conâ—â— for he was a slave against his will he desired to escape from 〈◊〉 ster he served him unwillingly as may be seen verses the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no more I that do it but sin that is original 〈◊〉 tion that dwelleth in me So verses 23 24. so Rom. 8. 2. he 〈◊〉 have added Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the 〈◊〉 death by sin so verse the 13th For until the law sin that is 〈◊〉 ginal sin was in the world which the Apostle proves 〈◊〉 death was in the world till Moses v. 14. 2. Original sin hath the nature of sin properly so called 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of 〈◊〉 which is the definition that the Spirit of God gives of 〈◊〉 perly so called 1 John 3. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is the 〈◊〉 gression of the law as we translate the words but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dâ—â— from Alpha a Privitive Particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lex the law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a want of conformity to the Law of God Now that Original 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is a want of that righâ—ousness which all men ought to â—â—ave * Vide Dr. Barlow Exercitat 2. Scholastical Divines define â—â— to be oarentia rectitudinis debitae a â—â— of rectitude which ought to be in â—â— reasonable creature And this I Homily of the coming down of the Holy Ghost p. 209. Mâ—n of his own nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to God without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or godly motion only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds â—â—ight prove out of Aquinas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 82. a. 3. con Cum originale peccaâ—â—um justitiae originali opponatur nihâ—â—â—â—iud
reason of its pride and contumacy neither can it be by reason of its pravity and perversness The flesh saith Diodate is not only incapable to submit to Gods will through weakness but also through â—â—tural repugnancy To which may be added Rom. 7. 14. For 〈◊〉 know that the law is spiritual and the law is spiritual because it binds not only all the humane creatures intents and purposes but his whole force and power and all the thoughts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ— his heart to an holy inward obedience as well as to an outward compleat conformity to the will of God whicâ— if he did as he ought to perform he should be spiritual too aâ—â— free from death but I am sold under sin contrary to and averâ—â— from the law St. Paul after he was regenerated was like other men in part carnal through the proclivity of his nature to commit those sins which according to his regenerate part he hated and would not so our sound and learned Divines expound the place and urge the following verses to prove that concupiscence is properly a siâ— and in the regenerate after baptism 2. Concupiscence is properly sin because 't is forbidden in the law of God Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust the sudden motions of mind unlawful desires and affections which arise in the soul and have not the consent of the will as our Orthodox Divines expound the word that is to be sin except the law had said thou shalt not covet Where 't is clear that concupiscence is called sin and that 't is forbidden in the law of which before To which may be added the 9th Article of our Church of England which saith thus Yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin and the Article saith that 't is a FAULT and corruption of the nature of every man Bishop Jeremy Taylor himself confesseth that 't is in the Latin Copies called vitium naturae which I think in Morals is Englished vice in Theologicals sin and if virtutes Ethicorum sint splendida peccata sure their vices are proprie-dicta peccata which yet the Bishop with the Jesiâ—â—â— denies 3. Concupiscence is contrary to the Law of God because we are commanded to put it off Ephes 4. 22 23 24. That ye put of concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in rigâ—teousness and true holiness Where original sin is called the old man as 't is in * Calvin Pareus Peter Martyr Diodate Willet Dr. Featley Wilson in locum and Bishop Reynolds of the sinfulness of sin p. 139. Rom. 6. 6. that is the body of sin not nature but our corrupt nature which we have contracted from our old Father Adam as all our learned and sound Divines expound the places and the phrase 4. That 't is properly sin I reason thus that which rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God is sin properly but original sin rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God ergo original sin is properly sin the major is undeniable because nothing that is not properly sin doth render us obnoxious to Gods wrath God is angry with nothing but sin or for sin the proper object of a Christians hatred should be sin and 't is of God's as being only contrary to his nature and law Gal. 3. 10 the minor may abundantly be proved by plain Scripture Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death by which in regard the Apostle speaks absolutely without any limitation he meaneth death in general of what kind soever temporal and eternal Gal. 3. 10. 1 Thes 1. 10. Rom. 5. 18. And because Bishop Taylor * Explanat of original sin p. 469 470. denies it of death eternal I pray read what the Church of England saith of it in her Homilies of Christ's Nativity T. 2. p. 167. and Homily of Christs Death T. 2. part 2. p. 181. and 184. set down before in the beginning of this Article * Man was justly condemned therefore condemned to everlasting death p. 103. and Ephes 2. 3. We are by nature the children of wrath We are not so by pure nature then we must needs be so by corrupt nature and that is original sin inherent in us Children of wrath are subjects of sin and through desert of sin subject to wrath that is the wrath of God which he hath threatned against sinners for sin death and damnation and temporal judgments Ephes 5. 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience only children of disobedience are children of wrath where there is no sin or disobedience there God hath no wrath and our 9th Article of Religion saith plainly that this original sin in every person born in this world deserveth Gods wrath and damnation and so our Church * Questions of Baptism Catechism saith For being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath and it cannot be understood of lust with consent of will for that Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel without doubt knew to be sin and that also is actual sin and not original of which the Article treateth 2. Because infants conceived and brought forth in sin who never committed any actual sin in their own persons have died as you may see in Davids child 2 Sam. 12. 18. and experience daily shews it and Rom. 5. 14. proves it Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually committed any sin in their own persons over them that is over infants who sinned not actually or by imitation but only by an inherent corruption of nature in them so our Reverend Divines A. B. Vsher and Bishop Prideaux Archbishop Ushers Sum of Christian Religion p. 143. Bishop Prideaux bis Fascic controver c. 3. q. 3. p. 113. Pareus in locum and many more of our sound Divines as well as the ancient Fathers expound the place and in the order of our burial 't is said that by Adâ—â— all die 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Obj. But it will or may be objected that infants sinned in Adam in whose loins they were and that they are punished with death 〈◊〉 for their own inherent corruption of nature that is in them but for the sin of Adam in whose loins they were imputed to them Answ To this I answer 1. That neither Bellarmine nor Papists nor Bishop Taylor nor any compleat Conformist in the Church of Englanâ— can well object this for they hold Concil Trid. 5. Sec. 5. Can. Bel. de Sacrament baptismi c.
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
the womb is evident by sacred Scripture how this came unto us we should not be curious to inquire but rather industrious in Gods way to amend it yet the learned do say that God not as a Creator but as a Judg made the Souls of men in the seed without that Original righteousness which Adam had as a punishment of the first sin of ours in Adam in whom we were who by his fin rendred us his posterity who sinned in him worthy to be deprived of Original righteousness and then from this privation follows corruption or an inclination to actual unrighteousness and this is voluntary by mans own private will ART X. That meer men in this life since Rhem. Test an 2 Cor. 8. 14. Pet. a Soto assert Cathol de lege Doctor Hammond's Tract of Will-worship Sec. 16. 19. saith That when a man shall out of a pious affection do any thing else beside what God hath commanded by any particular precept this action of his is to be accounted so much the more commendable and acceptable to God which Mr. D. Cawdry hath answered p. 71 72. of Will-worship Adam ' s fall can perfectly fulfill Gods whole Moral Law and also voluntarily do works besides and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation which are greater and holier than the works of the Moral Law and do merit remission of sins and eternal life not only for themselves but also for others THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in all its parts As Article 14th which saith thus Voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required whereâ—â— Christ saith plainly When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say ye are unprofitable servants In which Article we have these four things held forth unto us 1. That works of Supererogation are voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments and so vice versa voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments are works of Supererogation Of which kind are Popish vows of voluntary poverty regular obedience perpetual continency Feasts Fasts Ceremonies Pilgrimages and such like Will-worships made by them but not commanded by God in his Word 2. That works of Supererogation or voluntary works besides over and above Gods commands cannot be taught without arrogancy Which works besides and above that which God hath commanded and imposed are called sometimes Ordinances of the world Col. 2. 20. Voluntary Religion Col. 2. 23. Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. forbidden in the Word of God where we are commanded 1. To walk not after the laws of men but according to the statutes of God Josh 1. 7 8. Be strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my servant commandeâ— thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whither soever thou goest This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Till this be done Rulers must not look to prosper in their Government at home and undertakings against their enemies abroad 2. To hear Christ Mark 8. 7. who teacheth Christians their duty setting before them as their rule and direction the law and word of God Mat. 5. 17 18. 19 20. and more than that he doth not urge and against mans needless injunctions Mark 7. 7. They worship 〈◊〉 in vain saith Christ teaching for Doctrines the commandments of meâ— And teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you Mat. 28. 20. And Christs sheep hear his voice but not the voice of strangers Joh. 10. 3 5. The works of Supererogation are more rightly called the Festus Hommiâ—â— Disp 19. c. 6. Opera supererogationis rectius opera superarrogantiae appellantur works of superarrogance saith a learned man 3. That Voluntary works or works of Supererogation besides or above the Commandments of God are the subversion of godliness and true religion and cannot be taught without impiety The reason is rendred in the body of the Articles And 't is so saith Mr. Thomas Rogers in his Explications and Confirmations of the 39 Articles upon the 14th Article 1. Because Gods Law is thereby broken that mens may be kept Mark 7. 7 8. 2. The holy Scriptures must be contemned as not sufficient enough to bring men to the knowledg of Salvation which St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 able to instruct in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 3. God who is only wise 1 Tim. 1. 17. is made unwise in not prescribing so necessary works To which I add 4. That true Godliness is the right worshipping of God as he hath apâ—â—â—ted in the Canonical Scriptures as all know that know the meaning of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth piety or godliness 〈◊〉 Voluntary works or works of Supererogation advance a worship 〈◊〉 mens devising directly against the scope and end of the second Commandment wherein God hath commanded men to worship him 〈◊〉 â—e hath prescribed and forbidden Will-worship as all our Learned and â—â—thodox Divines expound that Commandment 5. They that do worship God by such ways and means as he hath â—â—t prescribed in his Word do not love but hate God as both A. B. â—â—her and bishop Babington declare in their Expositions upon that Commandment and they worship a God of their own devising as not only Mr. Perkins but also Peter Marâ—r * Loc. com clas 2 ae c. 4. p. 196. Nullus verus Deus est qui rebus iis coli vellit unde super est dum impii tales ritus suis sacris adhibent ut non verum Deum adorent sed illum quem iis rebus delectari finxerunt Et cum is in rerum natura nullus â—extet animorum suorum idolum colunt idâ— câ—rco jure possint dici idololatrae Perkins Cases of Conscienc l. 2. c. 11. Sec. 2. q. 1. p. 206. do plainly demonstrate Nullus â—erus Deus c. That is not a true God that would be worshipped by these things that is such things as the true God had not commanded or warranted in his Word of which he spake before â—â—ence it remaineth that wicked men while they add such rites as he was speaking of before to Gods sacred things 〈◊〉 ordinances that they do not adore the true God but him whom they seign to be â—elighted with such things and seeing there is no such
both to will and to do of his good pleasure In that Synod were * Divines at the Synod of Dort five of our learned Divines sent by K. James Viz. George Carlton Bishop of Landaff John Davenant Priest Doctor and publick Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridg and Master of Queens Colledg there Samuel Ward Priest Doctor of Divinity Arch-deacon of Taunton and Master of Sidney-Colledg in the University of Cambridg Thoâ—â— Goad * Who I suppose was sent instead of Dr. Joseph Hall who fell sick after he came to the Synod Priest Doctor of Divinity chief Chaunter of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in London And â—â— Bâ—â—â—â—â—quall a Scotchman Priest â—â—chelor of Divinity who said of this an◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is our opinion and judgment in witness whereof we have 〈◊〉 subscribed And 't is as I shewed before directly contrary to the express words of the Doctrine of the Church of England in her tenth Article The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant Good works are brought forth by Grace Homily of Good works T. 2. p. 81. and acceptable to God without the special grace of Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will Lo here you see it clearly and plainly affirmed that man in the state of corruption before he receive the special grace of God in Christ cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength to faith or do good works acceptable to God And these reasons may be given for it 1. Because we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1 Col. 3. 13. Now as a man that is corporally dead cannot of himself move dispose or prepare himself to his Resurrection or enlivening so a man that is spiritually dead in sin cannot raise or dispose and prepare himself or actively concur towards his raising up again or to his spiritual life Obj. But against this they object 1. That in a dead carkass there are no reliques of life but in unregenerated men they say there are some reliques of spiritual life Answ To which I answer and say 1. That there are no reliques of spiritual life in a man that is spiritually dead in trespasses and sins for death in Spirituals doth fully exclude spiritual life A maâ— is not cannot be said to be truly and properly dead while there is aâ—â— life in him 2. With this accords the Doctrine of the learned A. 〈◊〉 Vshar in his Sum of Christian Religion p. 143. who there saith thâ—â— Every man is by nature dead in sin as a loathsome carrion or as a dead corpse and lyeth rotting and stinking in the grave having in him the seed of all sins Ephes 2. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 6. 3. The Synod of Dort condemn as an error this Doctrine That an uâ—regenerated man is not properly noâ— totally dead in sins nor destitute of all strength to spiritual good but that he is able to hunger and thirst after righteousness or everlasting life and to offer the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart even such as is acceptable to God For these assertions march against the direct testimonies of Scripture Ephes 2. 1 5 Ye were dead in trespasses and sins And Gen 6. 5. 8. 21. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil contiâ—ally Moreover the hungring and thirsting for deliverance out of misery and for life eternal as also the offering to God the sacrifice of a broken heart is proper to the regenerate and such as are called blessed Psal 51. 19. Mat. 5. 6. 4. The Church of England maintains this Doctrine also in her Homily of the Nativity of Christ T 2. p. 167. where we may read thus That Adam falling into sin had in himself no one part of his former purity and cleanness And a little after His posterity had nothing in themselves but everlasting damnation both of body and soul Which fully proves that there was and is in every man since the fall before the special grace of Gods Spirit be wrought in him a total privation of spiritual life And in Homily for Christs Death T. 2. p. 182. 't is said That man could do nothing that might pacifie Gods wrath So Ibid. 183. and in Homily for Whitsunday T. 2. p. 209. Man by nature is fâ—esbly and carnal without any spark of godliness Doth not all this prove a total privation of all spiritual life Obj. But they say That God doth not bespeak dead carkasses to arise but he speaks to men dead in sins and then doth set before them their disease which implies some life and a power of rising in them Answ To this I answer thus 1. That Christ spake to Lazarus that had been four days dead and in the grave these words Lazarus come forth Joh. 11. 43. 2. That Gods raising of men dead in sins unto spiritual life is a great miralce as 't is called in the Homily for Rogation-week T. 2. p. 228. Who worketh these great miracles in us yea greater than Christs raising of dead Lazarus for to his Vivification and Resurrection there was no opposition in him but to the spiritual Viâ—ification and Resurrection of men in the state of corruption there is opposition not only from without by the Devil and the world but also within by their inbred corruption which makes them averse from that which is good yea which is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. That Gods speaking to unregenerate men dead in their sins implies not that they have a power in themselves of raising themselves to spiritual life no more than Lazarus but it shews what they are 〈◊〉 what they should do not what they can do He gave them a power at first in Adam to do whatsoever he commanded them to do but they through their own default have disabled themselves he therefore mâ—â— justly require it of them and punish them for their loss of it and neglect of their duty Obj. But they say That the dead carkass cannot resist Gods raising of him but the unregenerate man can Ergo they have a power of rising Answ To this I answer 1. That the unregenerate Elect cannot finally resist their regeneration for the power of God in regenerating his Elect in Christ is irresistible as hath been proved before Art 7th 2. That it follows not that because unregenerated men have a power to resist their spiritual resurrection they therefore have a power to raise themselves but rather proves they have none their corruption is so great Obj. But they object That in the dead carkass there is no power to rise but in the unregenerate there is a power to regeneration Answ There is a passive power in unregenerated persons to regeneration that is to be regenerated by the Spirit
of God But there is not in them an active power or ability to regenerate themselves Ob. But God calls upon unregenerated men to cast away their sins and to make them a new heart and a new spirit and turn your selves Ezek. 18. 31 32. Now say they if they cannot do these things and if he alone can do them how can he in reason call upon them to do them Ans To this I answer thus 1. That praecepta ostendunt non quâ—â— possumus sed quid debemus Precepts do shew not what we can do but what we ought to do Or they shew what by grace we can do but not by our selves saith the learned Fasciculus controversiarum c. 3. q. 4. p. 122. Bishop Prideaux 2. That God doth do some things and yet exhort and command men to do them God worketh in men to will and to do and yet he exhorts them to will and to do to love him and to keep his Commandments Our Saviour commands us to believe in him Joh. 14. 〈◊〉 And yet he saith That no man can come to him except the Father which sent him do draw him Joh. 6. 44. And you know that Faith is the giâ—â— of God Ephes 2. 8. So here turn ye shews what we ought to do 〈◊〉 what we can do We had once in Adam a power to do what he commands he doth call upon us for doing of it though now we cannot do it without his special help and grace 3. Consider what thâ—â— Church of England saith in her Homily of Repentance T. 2. p. 263. 〈◊〉 must be verified of all men Without me ye can do nothing And again of our selves we are unable so much as to think a good thought and again it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do And for this cause pray mark this although Jeremy had before said Jer. 4. 1. If thou return O Israel return unto me saith the Lord yet afterward he saith Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned Which plainly shews that they could not turn themselves to the Lord but the Lord himself must turn them or else they would never return or be turned And the next words of the Homily are St. Ambrose doth plainly affirm that the turning of the heart unto God is of God But to return to my proof of the point That a man in the state of corruption cannot without the special grace of God turn and prepare himself to grace 2. Because a man by nature is not capable of those things which are spiritual but they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them 1 Cor. 2. 14. 3. Because the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. 4. Because an unconverted man is unfit to think any thing that is spiritually good 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our idoniety or fitness is of God The very thoughts the imaginations of unconverted men are only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God and therefore not fit to prepare and dispose men to grace 5. Because before his conversion he is an evil tree now au evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7. 18. He is an Ethiopian accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. which cannot change his skin 2. They ground this their false Doctrine of merit of congruity upon auother error which they suppose and teach viz. That God â—oth dispense his grace according to the preparations and dispositions of men that are to receive it as was shewed before But God saith otherwise Rom. 11. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Mark it he doth not say I will have mercy on them who by doing first that which is in them are by themselves disposed to the receiving of saving grace by the merit of congruity but he saith on the contrary in the next words It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy That is on whom he pleaseth Which place Peter Martyr understands thus That neither Election is in respect of any thing in man and that â—e hath no power to will of himself but that 't is of God himself who sheweth mercy on whom he will and 〈◊〉 he will he hardneth St. * De Predestinatione c. 14. Defendimus contra novum Pelagianorum errorem gratiam Dei non secundum merita nostra dari sed gratis dari cui datur quia neque volentis neque currentis sed miserentis est Dei justo autem judicio non dari cui non datur quia non est iniquitas apud Deum Augustine sâ—â— We defend against the new error of 〈◊〉 Pelagians that the grace of God iâ— giâ—â— not according to our merits but that 〈◊〉 given freely to whom 't is given Beâ—â— 't is not of him that willeth nor of 〈◊〉 that runneth that is as I humbly coâ—ceive of him that inwardly willeth 〈◊〉 outwardly endeavoureth that it's nâ—â— for any thing in man that he hath done but of God that sheweth mercy Aâ—â— that by a just judgment it is not giveâ— to him to whom 't is not given For there is none iniquity with God And that of the Apostle Ephes 1. 11. God worketh all things according to tâ—e counsel of his own will is very considerable and to our purpose And besides all these things it will follow from this erroneous Pelagiâ—â— Doctrine that some men before saving-grace received from Gods Spirit may by their own endeavours difference themselves from others which have not performed such endeavours as they have which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine in 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee 〈◊〉 differ and what hast thou that thou didst not receive the sense of which is as our Church declareth in the Contents of that Chapter That we have nothing but what we have râ—ceived For every one of these men may answer and say that the preparations and disposition gotten by 〈◊〉 own endeavours have differenced me for I have had an endeavour â—o good which I have not received from the fulness of Christ the Mediator but from the fountain of nature or from my own free-will yet remaining in me but this is abominably false and contraâ—y to the Doctrine taught by St. Paul and St. Ambrose St. Augustine aâ—â— all the Reformed Churches I named before Lastly I deny this error That a man unregenerated can dispose â—â—elf to true real regeneration or that 〈◊〉 A. B. Vsher in his Sum of Christ Religion pag. 338. saith That unregenerate men do no good works which he there proves man unregenerate can do such works 〈◊〉 so please God as to move
him to coâ—feâ—â—â— on â—hâ—m some saving grace Which 〈◊〉 prove to be false not only by the Dâ—â—ctrine of the Church of England anâ— the reformed Churches before alledged and the reasons before giveâ— but also briefly thus 1. Because it is impossible for any man to please Gâ—â— withâ—â—t faith Heb. 11. 6. and Rom. 8. 8. They that are in the flesh as all â—â—regenerated men are cannot please God 2. God cannot be said to be moved by the works of unbelievers to bestow supernatural grace upon them for if God be not moved by the works of true believers to bestow this or that good thing which he doth bestow upon them then much less can he be said truly to be moved with the works of â—â—believers to confer his supernatural grace upon them But now that God is not provoked by the works of true believers as a cause or reason why he doth bestow that which he doth bestow upon them These things do manifest 1. Because all the works of true believers are due debts to God Luk. 17. 10. When ye have done all those things that â—re commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that â—â—ich was our duty to do And therefore as they cannot come into muster of merit so they cannot move God to do good to them Ex deâ—ito 〈◊〉 All the gifts of God which he bestows upon true believers are free gifts and proceed from his free grace and mercy They are said to be justified freely by his grace Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 5. 18. To be regeneraâ—ed of grace Ephes 2. 4 5. To be saved of grace Ephes 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. â—â— I offer this The young man in the Gospel Mat. 19. 16. who came to Christ and asked him What good he must do to have eternal life our Saviour said He must keep the Commandments But which said the young man Jesus said Thou shalt do no murther thou shalt not commit adulâ—â—ry thou shalt not steal thou shalt not bear false witness honour thy father and thy mother and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self The young man sâ—itâ— all these have I kept from my youth up What lack I yet And in Mark 10. 17. he is said to come running and that he kneeled down to Christ and asked the question And in vers 21. 't is said That Jesus â—eâ—olding him loved him Lo here a man that had outwardly in appearance kept the second Table came earnestly and humbly to Christ for his gracious direction to Heaven was not this man as much prepared as the Papists well disposed unregenerated man and yet Christ let him go and did not bestow his saving grace upon him Nay more 〈◊〉 sought the blessing with tears and yet went without it Gen. 27. 34. And yet on the other hand behold another Saul a zealous man against Christ and persecuting the Disciples of Jesus Christ who breathed out threatnings against believers in Christ and made havock of the members of Christ entering into every house to find and apprehend believers in Christ haling men and women committed them to prison Act. 8. 3. an informer against them that called upon the name of Jesus and a cruel active persecutor of them and yet notwithstanding all this though he had done Christ and his Church much evil at Jerusalem and was going to Damascus to apprehend 〈◊〉 that he found of that way and bring them bound to Jerusalem Christ met him by the way spake to him and asked him Why he persecuted him and even then bestowed his special grace upon him he converted him Act. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 11. For behold he prayeth This I take to be 〈◊〉 clear demonstration of the Apostles truth That 't is not of him that â—â—eth or of him that runneth but of God that shewed mercy and a confutation of the Papists Error That God is not causally or meritoriously â—â—ved to bestow his grace upon men for or according to their own preparatioâ— or dispositions but he doth all according to the counsel of his own will 〈◊〉 that he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be â—aâ—â—neth and shews that saving grace is not deserved of God by carnal mans works but freely given us of God Ephes 2. 4 5. The wheel turneth round not to the end that it may be made round but because it is â—â—de round therefore it turneth round So no man doth good works to receive grace by his good works but because he hath first received grace therefore consequently he doth good works as 't is in our Homily of Goâ—â— works T. 2. part 1. pag. 81. 4. To this might be added That the works Virtutes Ethnicorum sunt splendida peccata Aug. and virtues of unregenerated me◠〈◊〉 sin Prov. 21 4. The plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abominatioâ— to the Lord. Prov. 28. 9. Their prayers are an abomination And Roâ—â— ult Whatsoever is not of faith is sin And our 13th Article of Religion And that therefore they do not please God for he hates sin above all things as being most contrary to his nature and will and consequently do not move God to bestow his Grace upon unregenerated men ART XII That the good works of regenerated men do ex condigno at Gods hands merit eternal life for them THis false Doctrine I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her book of Homilies Homily of good works T. 2. part 1. p. 81. Though God hath ordained us to walk in good works yet the meaning is not by these words to induce us to have any affiance or to put any confidence in our works as by the merit and deserving of them to purchase to our selves or others remission of sins and so consequently everlasting life for that were â—lasphemy against Gods â—â—rcy and great derogation to the blood-shedding of our Saviour Jesus Christ for it is the free grace and mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of â—is Son Jesus Christ without merit or deserving on our part that our sins are forgiveâ— Yet Bishop Montague in his Appeal p. 233 saith The wicked go to enduring of torments everlasting the good to enjoying of happiness without end thus is their state diversified to their deserving See him also Antig. 〈◊〉 153. Shelforâ— Ser. p. 153. Shelford Ser. p. 198. Laudensium Autocatacrisis p. 70 71 72. us that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour and are â—ade heirs of his heavenly kingdom And in her 11th Article of Religion We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and NOT FOR OVR OWN WORKS OR DESERVINGS Now if we are not justified by our own merits then certainly we are not saved by our own merits if our good works do not merit our justification then they do not merit our eternal salvation 2. 'T is contrary
resurrection are purged from sins by penal Concil Trident. Sess 6. can 30. satisfaction which were not purged in this life so fully as they ought that they may enter into heaven THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the sound Doctrine of the Church of England Article the 22d of Purgatory The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God In Homily of Prayer T. 2. part 3. p. 122. 't is said That there are but two places after this life Heaven and Hell the one proper to the elect and blessed of God the other to the reprobates and damned souls as may well be gathered by the Parable of Lazarus Against the ground or rather indeed pretence for Purgâ—tory viz. That some sins of believers were not fully purged away in this life and must therefore there be purged away by making satisfaction by suffering for them The Church of England saith 〈◊〉 her Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 177. That Christ Jesus did purchase such favour for us by his death of his heavenly Father that for the merits thereof if we be true Christians indeed 〈◊〉 not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sins And in the Homily of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ T. 2. part 1. p. 200. she saith Thou must believe that Christ hath made upon his cross a full and sufficient sacrifice for thee a perfect cleansing of sins so that thou acknowledg no other Saviour Redeemer Mediatour Advocate Intercessor but Christ only 2. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland in the 101 and 102 Articles Homil. of the misery of man part 2. p. 11 He i. e. Christ is the high and everlasting Priest which hath offered himself once for all upon the Altar of the Cross and with that one oblation hath made perfect for evermore them that are sanctified He is the alone Mediator between God and man which paid our ransome to God with his own blood and with that hath he cleansed us from all sin he is the Physician which heal eth us all our diseases and of all our venial sins too of their Religion which is this After this life is ended the souls of Gods Children be presently received into Heaven there to enjoy unspeakable comforts the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell there to endure endless torments The Doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning Limbus patrum Limbus puerorum Purgatory Prayer for the dead Pardons Adoration of Images and Reliques and also invocation of Saints is vainly invented without all warrant of holy Scripture yea and is contrary to the same 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland contained in the Confession of Faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Chap 22. Article 1. The bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption but their souls which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistence immediately return to God who gave them the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies and the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to judgment of the great day beside these two places for souls separated from their bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none T is contrary also to the latter Confession of Helvetia Article 26. to be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 16. p. 483. and to the Confession of the French Church Article 24. to be seen ibi Har. of Confessions Sect. 16. For the further confutation of this Popish Poetical and Antichristian Purgatory I shall lay down these plain ensuing Positions Position 1. That the souls of true believers in Christ do aâ— soon as they die go immediately into heaven and therefore not into the Popes Purgatory The antecedent Proposition I prove thus 1. From Isa 57. 2. He shall enter into peace that is the righteous man that dies before evil days come enters in his soul into Heaven and his body rests in his grave called his bed and if so then undoubtedly he goes not into the Popes Purgatory for there is no peace to them that are there for they are tormented say Papists with the â—â—me torments that they in Hell are tormented with 2. From Luk. 16. 22 23. The beggar Lazarus died and was carried into Abrahams bosom by the Angels and the rich man died and was cast into hell Now that by Abrahams bosom is meant Heaven * Vide also Homil. for Whitsunday p. 21 321 421 5216. recited Article 14. hujus is clear by the forecited Doctrine of the Church of England c. if not by the consent of Papists too that the Angels that carried his soul into Abrahams bosom were not evil but good Angels for that neither good Angels go into Hell nor evil into Heaven must also be yielded as the 25th verse of that Chapter declares then it will follow necessarily that the soul of Lazarus was carried by the holy and blessed Angels into Heaven where Abrahams bosom was and not into any part of Hell for Lazarus was comforted he was not only not tormented with poena sensus vel damni the punishment of sense or loss but he was actually comforted which implies not only a ceasing of his former suffering evil things but enjoying of good things the comforts of the other life the full knowledg of God and feeling his fatherly love 3. 'T is said Luk. 23. 43. by our Saviour himself to the Thief upon the Cross immediately before his death To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise that is in Heaven and therefore not in the Popes Purgatory for that is not Paradise Paradise is a place of pleasure and happiness but the Popes Purgatory is a place of pain and misery of hellish torments as Papists say In 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Paradise and that Heaven is coelum Emperaeum the seat of the blessed where God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the blessed Angels and souls of just men made perfect are and enjoy pleasures for evermore So 't is taken in Revel 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give saith the Spirit to the Churches to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Where by the Paradise of God not only Pareas and others of our learned men upon the place but also Cornelius a Lapide himself understands as the most genuine sense the fruition of God and eternal blessedness of which the Paradise of Adam was a figure sign and type 4. In Revel 14. 13.
are willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord which necessarily implies that they did believe that as soon as ever their souls were gone out of their earthly homes they should be present with the Lord in heaven for of that they say we are confident And. 10. Of this opinion and belief was St. Pauls as you may see in Phil. 1. 21 23. For to me to live is Christ and to die is * Mori lucrum quaesi dicat mors est lucrum heatitudinis mortem ergo non timeo quia si occidar moriar vitam aeternam lucrabor inevolabo praesensque sistar ac fruar Christo So Chrisostom Anselm Theophilact Oecumenius Thomas Aquinas in locum gain How could his death begain to him if he must not go immediately to Heaven but to Purgatory there first to suffer hellish punishments for his sins Yet if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall chuse I wot not for I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Here you see the Apostle Paul desired to depart out of the Tabernacle of his body and why that he might be with Christ he believed that as soon as his soul was departed out of his body she would presently be and remain with Christ but where not in the Popes Purgatory for there Christ was not but in heaven there he believed he was whom the heavens must receive till the restitution of all things Act. 3. 19. He believed that his soul would presently be with Christ in Heaven and therefore he saith that death temporal would be better for him than temporal life Certainly had St. Paul believed that after his soul had ended her work in his body here she should be carried into the Popes Purgatory and there be punished for his sins for a time it may be till the day of judgment he would have easily resolved himself that it had been better for him as well as for the Philippians to abide in the flesh and not to die I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ is as if he had said thus I am now bound q. d. Jam alligatus sum corpori si hoc vinculo solvar ero cum Christo illique astringar Cor. a lapide in locum to my body but if I were loosed from this bond I should be with Christ and bound to him saith Cor. a lapide Hence note saith he that souls altogether pure do presently when they leave the body not sleep but are with Christ in heaven and eternal life and therefore the Apostle desired to be dissolved and dye that he might be with Christ but if he ought to expect after death the day of judgment that then at length he might enjoy Christ he had in vain desired to be dissolved rather than live because then after his dissolution and death he should be absent from Christ as much as if he had remained in this life much more he there speaks out of Chrysostome Theophilact Oecumenius and Cyprian to the same purpose 'T is observable that he saith that souls that are altogether pure pass presently out of their bodies into Heaven and this he saith is the opinion of Turrian and of Suarezius and that St. John Apoc. 14. 13. speaks of souls perfectly just Now this I say is their shift to put off all our Protestant Divines have alledged from sacred Scripture against their Purgatory for they hold that those that are cast into Purgatory are not perfectly purged but must be purged perfectly by suffering temporal punishment and thereby making penal satisfaction to the justice of God of the fondness of which hereafter but I 'le close with them and assume Position 2. That the souls of those persons that are justified by faith is Christ's blood are perfectly purged from their sins if not immediately before yet at the moment of their death and that therefore by their own concessions and affirmations they go not into the Popes Purgatory but to Heaven as I have proved before and for the clearing of this know that not only their Angelical Doctor as Papists call Thoâ—â— Aquinas but our own Divines hold that there are three effects of sin 1. Reatus the guilt 2. Macula the spot or stain 3. Paâ—â— the punishment of it Now 1. The guilt worthiness or desert of sin which obligeth the sinner to the sustaining of just punishment for his sin is washed away in our justification by the perfect satisfaction and merits of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as the Church of England abundantly testifieth in her books of Articles Homilies and Common-Prayer and the Canonical Scriptures plainly declare as in John 1. 29. Beâ—â— the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 1 John 1. 7. 〈◊〉 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 2. 12. If 〈◊〉 man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation that is the propitiator for our sins who doâ—â— make atonement expiate satisfie and purge away the guilt of oâ—â— sins and make peace and pacifie his wrath and make him propitiâ—â— merciful favourable and good unto us and 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gâ—â— himself a ransome for all Himself God-man a ransome for all Hâ—â— 9. 14 15. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God and lest the adversary shoâ—â— say that he did not perfectly purge away all sin read Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 and by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. 5. 't is said of Christ that he washed us in his own blood 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And upon this account doth the Apostle declare and infer Therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God in our justification imputeth * 2 Cor. 5. 19. not our sins unto us and consequently not our guilt but he imputeth the righteousness of our Saviour Jesus Christ unto us and doth repute us just as though we had no sin and consequently no guilt upon us but Papists do acknowledg by Christ Jesus a freedom from sin according to the guilt of sin but they deny it according to the punishment of which hereafter 2. Macula the spot stain or filth of sin which deprives the soul of its spiritual beauty which it should have and is made vile Mat. 15. 11. Apoc. 21. 11. is taken away by sanctification 1 Cor. 3. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified Eph. 5. 26 27 That he might sanctisie and cleanse it i. e. His Church with the
upon unbelievers are yet they are not formally such for we must know that the formal reason of pâ—nishment properly and strictly so called is always to be fetched frâ—â— the final cause for the pain which is inflicted of God as a revenging or punishing Judg with that intention that it shall satisfie his Justice hath the true and proper or formal reason or nature of punishment and this kind of pain we deny to be inflicted upon Moses David or any other true believers after remission of their sins but what pain is inflâ—cted of the same God as a provident Father with this intention that he may further the salvation of his children obtains the nature of a * Aquin. 12 ae q. 87. a. 7. medicine not of punishment and this kind of pain we grant is by our most wise and loving Father imposed upon true penitents in this life after their sin is pardoned but Papists devised punishments are for satisfaction not for correction True believers in Christ do in this life undergo poenam correctivam corrective pain but not poenam satisfactoriam satisfactory pain here in this life or in Purgatory 1. Ad demonstrationem debitae miseriae 2. Ad emendationem labilis vitae 3. Ad excitationem necessariae patientiae dixit Augustinus in Joh. Tract 124. Potest quantum adjici quod Christus docet Joh. 93. Manifestatio operum Dei Tilen Syntag p 2. c. 65. de Purgatorio Thes 15. p. 956. or any where else they suffer not pain to satisfie Gods justice but for the demonstration of deserved misery the â—â—endment of a sinful life the exercise â—f necessary patience and the manifestation of Gods power as the word poena pain or punishment is taken in a large sense so paternal castigation of the godly for their sins such as Davids was affliction for the trial of their faith patience and constancy such as Jobs was and Martyrdom for the testimony of saving truth are by some of our Divines called punishments but not in that sense that punishment properly so called is taken which only is called penal satisfaâ—â—ion and that is punishment inflicted upon the sinner or his surety for sin to satisfie Divine Justice which is either temporal for duration but everlasting and infinite for virtue and value by reason of the transcendent dignity of the person suffering equivalent to the everlasting in time and such was the penal satisfaction which Christ suffered for the sins of his elect or everlasting in duration which is begun in this life and continued for ever after this life in the world to come and such is that which impenitent reprobates suffer Reprobates are bound by the Law of God to perform for themselves this penal satisfaction and therefore they do begin it in this life and after this life continue it in hell to all eternity because they can never fully satisfie Mat. 25. 41. But this penal satisfaction is not required to be made in part or in whole of true believers in Christ because Jesus Christ their surety hath satisfied for them to all eternity 3. Because this Popish Doctrine that the souls of believers in Purgatory suffer punishment to satisfie for their sins not sufficiently purged away in this life is a very dishonourable and destructive Doctrine to the full and perfect satisfaction of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ therefore I lay down this plain Position Position 3. That the satisfaction our Saviour Jesus Christ hath made for all the sins of true believers in him is a full sufficient and perfect satisfaction But Papists Doctrine of Purgatory-satisfactions saith virtually interpretatively and in effect 1. That it was not an universal satisfaction for all the sins of all true believers in Christ which is contrary to express canonical Scripture Tit. 2. 14. Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness s if he cleanse us from all iniquity from all sin from all unrighteousness then certainly from venial sins 2. Christs active obedience and sufferings were not a sufficient satisfaction to the Justice of God for the breach of his Law by true believers in him which is directly contrary 1. to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her order of Communion which saith there That Jesus Christ did suffer death upon the cross for our redemption and that he made there by his own oblation * Homil. of Christs death T. 2. part 2. p. 187 188. So Homil. of the worthy receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper T. 2. part 1. p. 200. of himself once offered a fâ—â— perfect and sufficient sacrifice obâ—â— and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and Homily of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 169. Christ made perfect satisfaction by his death for the sins of all people and Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 175. concerning the death of Christ it saith That it was impossible for us to be loosed from this debt by our own ability it pleased 〈◊〉 therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge us quit and p. 177. of the same Homily it saith thus Such favour did Christ purchase 〈◊〉 us by his death of his heavenly Father that for the merit thereof 〈◊〉 we be true Christians in deed and not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sin 2. 'T is contrary to Canonical Scripture which saith that Christ hath made a full and perfect satisfaction to God for all the sins of all believers in him 1. Because the Scripture saith that he paid the price that was due to God from us For 1. he not only perfectly fulfilled the Law for them he was made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. And he fulfilled all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. And he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat. 5. 17. And that he did not for himself but for believers is evident Gal. 4. 3 4 5. Phil. 2. 6 7 8. And the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers for righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 2. But he suffered for true believers in him great sorrow in his soul Mat. 26. 37 38. Grievous torments in his body Mat. 27. 46. Luk. 22. 44. Joh. 20. For he was crucified and died Mat. 27. 35. Phil. 2. 8. Mark 15. 24 37. He was buried and remained under the power of death for some part of three days but without corruption he suffered poenas infernales hellish torments eternal in essence as Maccovius will have it equivalent to hell-torments by reason of the worthiness of his person into which our humane nature that suffered was taken that what he suffered in his humane nature is attributed to and taken to be the suffering of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
done great injury to Christ Because 1. by this mean Christ were not a perfect Redeemer 2. He were not our only Redeemer which is contrary to 1 Tim. 2. 5. 3. He were not a satisfactory Redeemer but man himself must suffer and thereby make satisfaction to God himself else he could not be saved 4. He should not purge us by himself from all our sins Heb. 1. 3. but we our selves must do it in part at least by suffering temporal punishments in Purgatory 5. Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora that is vainly done by many that may be done by a few Christ was and is able to save us alone and by himself He is mighty to save â—sal 63. 1. He needed not the help of man and therefore he trod the wine-press alone Isa 63. 3. and of the people there was none with me 6. Bellarmine as Dr. Ames shews notwithstanding his fair pretence ascribeth the satisfaction Bellarm. Enervat T. 2. l. 5. c. 2. p. 210. made to God to man Vna tantum est actualis satisfactio ea est nostra that is there is but only one satisfaction and that is ours 7. Though Christ doth work in us by his Spirit yet that doth not enable us by suffering temporal punishments to make satisfaction unto God 8. Bellarmine's bold assertion That by Christs satisfaction we have grace to satisfie Divine justice is like that before mentioned that Christ merited that we might merit without any ground at all in Canonical Scripture which saith that Christ by himself not by us purged our sins Heb. 1. 3. and that God laid on him not on us the chastisement of our peace and that with his stripes not with our own are we healed Isa 53. 5. What Bishop Mountague Bishop Maxwell and Bishop Andrews in his Strictura is made to say after he was dead concerning offering and prayer for the dead and Dow and Pocklington have written may be seen in Laudeâ— sium Autocatacrisis c. 5. p. 81 82. And lest any should be deceived by them I pray read Dr. Ames his Bellarminus Enervatus T. 4. l. 5. c. 1 2. where you will find Bellarmine's and these mens arguments for Purgatory answered ART XIV That the Pope of Rome successively Bellar. T. 1. l. 3. c. de Antichristo Bishop Mountague Gag c. 10. p. 74. Appeal p. 141. A. B. Laud checkt Bishop Hall for calling the Pope of Rome Antichrist and commanded him to expunge it out of his Book for Episcopacy Vide Dr. Heylin Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 406. Dr Heylin saith as the Papists do That the Pope cannot be Antichrist for Antichrist must be a single person a Jew and must kill Enoch and Elias Col. of Schism pag. 81. or the Papcy is not the Antichrist of which the Sacred Scripture writes THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Homil. of good works T. 1. part 3. p. 38. It gives honour to God for giving to King Henry the Eighth the knowledg of his Word and an earnest affection to seek his glory and to put away all such superstitious and Pharisaical Sects by Antichrist invented and set up against the true Word of God and the glory of his name And Homily of Obedience Part 3 pag. 76. it saith thus But concerning the Usurped power of the Bishop of Rome which he most wrongfully challengeth as the Successor of Christ and Peter we may easily perceive how false feigned and forged it is not only by that it hath no sufficient ground in holy Scripture but also by the fruits and doctrine thereof And in the same Page it saith thus He ought rather to be called Antichrist and the Successor of the Scribes and Pharisees than Christs Vicar and Peter's Successor And in Homily of Willful Rebellion Part 6. pag. 316. The Pope or Bishop of Rome is called the Babylonical Beast of Rome And Part 5. p. 309. of the same 't is said That Christ expresly forbids his Apostles and by them the whole Clergy all Princely Dominion over people and Nations and he and his holy Apostles likewise namely Peter and Paul did forbid unto all Ecclesiastical Ministers dominion over the Church of Christ And indeed while the Ecclesiastical Ministers continued in that order that is in Christs word prescribed unto them and in Christian Kingdoms kept themselves obedient to their Princes as the holy Scripture doth teach them both was Christs Church clear from ambitions emulations and contentions and the state of Christian Kingdoms less subject unto tumults and rebellions But soon after the Bishop of Rome did by his intollerable ambition challenge to be Head of the Church he became at once the spoiler and destroyer of the Church which is the Kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian Kingdoms as an Universal Tyrant over all Wherefore let all good subjects knowing these special instruments and ministers of the Devil to the stirring up of all rebellions avoid and flee them the pestilent suggestions of all usurpers and their adherents and imbrace all obedience to God and their natural Princes that they may enjoy Gods blessing and their Princes favour Homily against Wilful Rebellion Pag. 310. And whosoever denieth this Doctrine That Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary to Christ that is an Antichrist and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily of Salvation of Mankind Pag. 16 17. and in the same Page thus That were the greatest arrogance and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm That a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself Again in the Prayer appointed for the Fifth of November set forth by Authority of Parliament 3. Jacob. c. 1. 't is prayed thus Root out that Antichristian and Babylonical Sect. The Church of England in her Homily against the peril of Idolatry Part 3. p. 70. saith thus The Prophet Daniel c. 11 declareth such sumptuous decking of Images with gold silver and precious stones to be a token of Antichrists Kingdom who as the Prophet sheweth shall be adored as God with such things Dr. Heylin's Introd to his Cyp. Angl. p. 1â— which say of Jerusalem Down with it down with it even to the ground c. and to this end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with judgment and justice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose Religion is rebellion whose Faith is faction whose practise is murdering of souls and bodies and to root them out of the confines of this Kingdom And Dr. Heylin himself who was no small friend to the Pope and Popery saith thus That in the Book of Homilies are some hard expressions against the Pope but none more hard than those in the publick Letany
for in King Hen. 8. and in the second of King Edward the sixths days the people were appointed to pray for their deliverance from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and his detestable Enormities Now from this sound Doctrine of the Church of England I hope I may have leave without offence to our Heylinists to prove the Pope of Rome successively to be the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of As thus He that under the pretence of Religion being the Servant the Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Peter is the Inventor and setter up of Superstitious and Pharisaical Sects which are against the Word of God and the glory of his name that challengeth and exerciseth Princely dominion over Nations and people and dominion over the Church of Christ which is his Kingdom whose usurped authority hath no good ground in holy Scripture that produceth Antichristian fruits practises and doctrines affirming that a man can by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself and denying this Doctrine that a man is justified alone by faith That is the Babylonical beast that is the successor of the Scribes and Pharisees the spoiler and destroyer of Christs Church the instrument and minister of Satan the head of that Antichristian Babylonical Sect which say of Jerusalem that is the true Church of God Down with it even to the ground whose Religion is rebellion whose Faith is faction and whose practise is murdering of souls and bodies is not to be accounted a Christian man the Vicar of Christ the Successor of Peter but an adversary to Christ and his Gospel That is Antichrist the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of But the Pope of Rome successively is so and 〈◊〉 therefore he is the Antichrist the holy Scripture writes of The major is the Doctrine of the Church of England The Minor is also very largely proved in every particular by Dr. Henry More in his Learned and Elaborate and Ingenious Book called The Mystery of Iniquity which deserves seriously to be read and compared with the Doctrine and practises of the Church of Rome The full proof of the Minor would take in the whole Body of Popery which is learnedly confuted by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus Festus Hommius in his seven Theological Disputations against the Papists and others Yet I shall take the pains to set down some of the heads and leave you to apply them 1. The Pope of Rome is not as he pretends to be Christs Vicar General here on earth 1. Papists do not prove that the Pope of Rome is Christs Vicar General either in Temporals or Spirituals by Sacred Scripture 2. Christ is such an Head of his Church that he needs not such a Vicar on Earth as the Pope pretends to be for Christ is God as well as Man and is ever with his Church and will be even to the end of the world Mat. 18. 20. Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you even to the end of the world 3. To set up the Pope of Rome to be Christs Vicar is to deny Christs presence with his Church For a Vicar is one that doth supply the place of one that is absent and it is to deny Christ to be the Monarch of his Church and saith in effect that he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes the Church of Christ monstrous Biceps having two heads 4. The Officers that Christ hath appointed in his Church are not his Vicars but his Ministers Stewards c. their Office is not Magisterial but only Ministerial 5. When Christ ascended up into Heaven he did not commit the Government of his Church Universal to one man but to the whole Colledg or company or society of his Apostles Joh. 20. 21. Christ said to all his Apostles except Thomas that were alive this As my Father sent me even so send I you c. Here Christ performed that which he promised to Peter Mat. 16. 19. And I will give thee c. That was but a promise of this gift here Christ performed it to him and to all his Disciples to whom in Peter the promise was made Read also for this Mat. 28. 18 19 20. And when the Apostles died they did not institute one particular man over the whole Universal Church of Christ on Earth but ordained fit men in every particular Church or Congregation of believers to rule it and gave them authority and a charge to govern it by common counsel as ye may see was the practise of two Apostles when they solemnly took their leave of the Churches which they had planted Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your Hooker saith That the Apostles themselves ordained only in each Christian City a Colledg of Presbyters and Deacons to administer holy things Evaristus a Bishop of Rome about 112 years after the Birth of our Saviour begun the distinction of the Church into Parishes Ecclesiast Pol. l. 5. p. 433. And in the end of the same he saith That Presbyters and Deacons having been ordained before to exercise Ecclesiastical Functions in the Church of Rome promiscuously he was the first that tyed each one to his own station selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops as he there calls all the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Here you may see that the Government of the Church of Ephesus was committed not to one singular man alone over the flock and the Pastors too as Papists would have but to the whole Presbytery or company of Presbyters whom Paul sent for at Miletus Act. 20. 17. to whom he gave this authority and charge Read also I pray what St. Peter saith whose Successor the Pope pretends to be to the Elders that is the Presbyters of the Churches of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder he doth not say Bishop much less Bishop of Bishops but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-Presbyter and a witness of the sufferings of Christ also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Feed the flock of God which is among you not far distant from you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords mark this over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock of humility holiness meekness righteousness patience constancy charity mercy c. not of pride prophaneness tyranny injustice cruelty beastiality covetousness c. And when the chief sâ—epherd Christ shall appear that is come to Judgment ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Lo here again the Government of the Church is not committed to one man or Bishop but to the Presbyters of the Churches and they forbidden to Lord it over the flock much
St. Peter who spake of the Church at Literal Babylon which he knowing and hearing St. John whose Scholar they say he was by Babylon in his Revelations to mean Rome thought Peter to mean so too which was the ground of his Error that Peter was at Rome and of those that inconsiderately followed him Old Writers have misreported things and yet have said they had them from the Elders and they from the Apostles Irenaeus who wrote in the next Age after the Iren. l. 2. c. 39. Apostles reports That the Lord Jesus taught forty or fifty years and that this he had of all the Elders of Asia and that they had it from St. John and that St. John lived with them till Trajan's time and that Mr. Calamy was mistaken and abused by a Writer and Printer of his Casual Sermon preached at Aldermanbury after the Act a-against Nonconformists Preaching viz. That we should be delivered Anno 1666 but he affirmed no such words but reproved that vain conceit some of those Elders did not only see John but other Apostles and they heard these things from them And yet notwithstanding all these great Authorities or Traditions this was an erroneous opinion of Irenaeus and that of Epiphanius is held the sounder That Christ lived but about thirty-three years and theâ— suffered death and this is believed because it is most agreeable to Scripture Therefore I say that the testimony of Papias yea of Jerome is not to be credited where there is not good ground in Sacred Scripture for their opinions especially where many probable reasons are produced from Scripture against their uncertain opinions And so I may say of the Fathers that said that Peter was at Rome and died there Some of our Divines produce Jerome to prove that he was Crucified at Jerusalem Papists say that he was Crucified which was a Jewish death and that Paul who without doubt suffered death at Rome was beheaded which was a Roman death Dr. * Confer c. 6. d. 3. p. 265. â—yranus a Papist upon Mat. 23. 34. saith Some of them ye shall kill as James the Brother of John c. Some shall ye crucifie as Peter and Andrew his Brother Vid. also Chrysostom in Mat. 23. 34. Reynolds tells Hart that a learned man viz. Velenus in opusculo inscripto Petrum non fuisse Romam 〈◊〉 illic passum of our side having weighed and seeing the dissention of Writers touching the time that he came to Rome and knowing by the Scripture that their speech of his abode in Rome is false and marking the shameful practise of the Romanists in forging calos for their own advantage as Constantines Donation and espying some such forgery among their Monuments of Peter 〈◊〉 Linus fable of his death and finding his Martyrdom mentioned by Jerom and Lyra in such sort as though he had been crucified by the Scribes and Pharisees he was brought by these and the like perswasions into this opinion that Peter never came to Rome And of this opinion was Balaeâ—â— in Act. Rom. Pont. l. 1. praefat and so have been many others since And besides there were Christians at Rome in the time of Tiberius and Caligula before ever Peter is reported to be at Rome as Eusebius witnesseth Hist l. 2. c. 2. and Tertullian in his Apology c. 5. And if we may believe * Libro 1. recognitionum Clementio Object Papists object that if Peter long ago preached to the Gentiles Act. 15. 17. Ergo he preached at Rome Answ I answer thus 1. That it follows not 2. Paul preached to the Gentiles before Peter did Act. 〈◊〉 3. Before Peter saw the Vision of the sheet and heard the command of the Lord be thought it unlawful for him to go to the Gentiles Act. 10. 28. 4. Peter first preached Christ to Cornelius and his friends at his house in Caesaria Act. 10. 5. 'T is most probable that Antioch received the Gospel from Barnabas and Paul and others before Rome and they were first called Christians Act. 11. 19 26. 6. Some of those strangers of Rome that were at Jerusalem Act. 2. 10. might preach the Gospel at Rome Clement Barnabas was there before Peter And that which is objected out of Act. 28. 21. that the Jews told Paul That they had received no Letters out of Judea concerning him and that neither any of the brethren shewed or spake any harm of him is not to be conceived that they had not received or heard of his Epistle which he sent to the Romans some few years before but concerning his particular business and occasion of his being sent Prisoner then to Rome And it makes much as I observed before against St. Peter's being so long Bishop at Rome as Papists would have that these Jews should hear nothing of Paul and be so ignorant of the Doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of which Peter was by special agreement an Apostle to them Thus I suppose I have sufficiently overthrown the main foundation of the Popes Primacy and Supremacy For if Peter was never at Rome then he was not Bishop of Rome and if he was not Bishop of Rome then the Pope of Rome is not his Successor in the Episcopacy thereof and then by Papists own consequence he is not supreme Bishop of all the Church 3. The Pope of Rome successively was and hath been the inventor and setter forth of Superstitious and Pharisaical Sects which are against the Word of God and the glory of his name To shew in particular how every Pope brought some Superstition into the Church would be very Voluminous for that therefore I must refer you to the Centurists to Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart to Dr Henry More 's Mystery of Iniquity and the little Treatise of ancient Ceremonies called Vitis degeneris Bishop Jewel's Works and the Mass in English and Latin by James Mountain Printed 1641. I might refer you to the Popes Decretals and indeed they are a good evidence against themselves but they are late forgeries devised to justifie their latter Superstitions and Usurpations therefore I forbear though some Romanizing Protestants have them in too high estimation Though â—ome real Hereticks were the first Inventors of some Superstitions yet the Popes and their Agents were the first setters up imposers of theâ—â— in the Church bringing of Spittle Salt Cream Oyl and the sign of the Cross into the service of God at Baptism is well known to be theirs Kneeling or adoring as * Bishop Sparrow in his Rationale p. 273. some men call it at the receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Vsing the sign of the Cross above thirty times praying to and for the Dead at their Mass worshipping of †Vide ubi supra p. 〈◊〉 what the Church of England saith in her Homily against peril of Idolatry part 3. p. 70. Images of Saints departed this life of Crucifixes the Cross Altars bowing to the East their Superstitious Fasts and Feasts putting holiness in times
agreeing with other marks of the Beast is very significant and convincing that the Pope of Rome with his apostatizing Clergy is the great Whore or Antichrist I have been so large in this point that I must for brevities sake forbear to alledg what learned King James in his Epistle to his Apology to all Christian Princes saith where he fully and clearly proves the Pope to be Antichrist And in his Paraphrase upon the Revelations in which he every where calls the Pope of Rome Antichrist and the Church of Rome the false persecuting and Antichristian Church However Dr. Heylin in his Cyprianus Anglicus endeavours dishonourably to pervert his words and works Dr. Prideaux in his Sermon upon Rev. 2. 4. p. 36. Sermonum saith thus roundly Fathers and brethren is this a time to make a doubt whether the Pope be Antichrist or no seeing his horns and marks are so apparently discovered Bishop Sanderson in his Sermon upon 1 Tim. 4. 4. p. 414. Sermonum saith thus The Apostle gives instance in two of those Antichristian Doctrines viz. a prohibition of Marriage and an injunction of abstinence from Meats which particulars being so agreeable to the present tenets of the Romish Synagogue do give even of themselves alone a strong suspition that there is the seat of Antichrist But joined unto the other prophesies of St. Paul and of St. John in other places make it so 2 Thes 2. 3. Apoc. 13. 11. unquestionable that they who will needs be so unreasonably charitable as to think the Pope is not Antichrist may at the least wonder as * Moulins Accomplishment in the Preface one saith well by what strange chance it fell out that these Apostles should draw the picture of Antichrist in every point and limb so just like the Pope and yet never think of him I have one thing more to remind you of and that is this That though the Antichristian Church of Rome do in words profess the Doctrine of the Apostles Creed yet by their other super added Doctrines they do overthrow it As is evidently to be seen in the sum of their Doctrine before recited their own 13 Articles superadded to the first 12 of the Nicene Creed do overturn and destroy in effect them Mr. Thomson in his Arraignment of Antichrist p. 96 97 c. will inform you how they cross every Article of the Creed and so will others as Hemingius Antichristi-machia Beza cap. 7. conf Dr. Abbot against Bishop Part 3. To all which let me I pray add but a little more which the Church of England plainly saith in her Homily for Whitsunday p. 213 214 215 216. where having declared three marks of a true Church whereby it may be Marks of a true Church known viz. 1. Pure and sound Doctrine preached 2. The Sacraments ministred according to Christs institution 3. The right use of Ecclesiastical Discipline It saith thus Now if ye will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is at present and hath been for the space of 900 years and odd you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide * Rome as 't is now is no true Church this A. B. Laud contradicts in his Relation of Conf. p. 〈◊〉 and Bishop Mountague in his Gag 50. A. B. Laud saith that Papists and Protestants hold not forth a different Religion 〈◊〉 Bishop Mountague saith That the present Church of Rome is not divers from the ancient Church of Rome but remains firm in the same foundation of Doctrine and Sacraments from the nature of a true Church that nothing can be more Neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Jesus Christ neither yet do they order the Sacraments or the Ecclesiastical keys in such sort as he did first institute and ordain them but have so intermingled their own traditions and inventions by chopping and changing by adding and plucking away the now they may seem to be converted into a new guise Christ commanded unto his Church a Sacrament of his body and blood they have changed it into a †So did Gyles Widdows in his Schismatical kneeless Puritan p. 34 89. the Church is the place of Gods presence the Communion-Table the Chair of State of the Lord Jesus and his chiefest place of presence in our Church where his Priests sacrifice the Lords Supper to reconcile us to God offended with our daily sins Bp. Sparrow saith 't is an unbloody sacrifice in his Ration p 391. p. 280. he saith the Priest offers up the sacrifice of the holy Eucharist Sacrifice Christ ministred to the Apostles and the Apostles to other men indifferently under both kinds they have robbed the lay-people of the cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ ordained no other element to be used in Baptism but only water whereunto when the word is joined it is made as St. Augustine saith a full and perfect Sacrament they being wiser in their own conceit than Christ think it is not well nor orderly done unless they use conjuration unless they hallow the water unless there be oyl salt spittle tapers why was the sign of the Cross left out and such other dumb ceremonies serving to no use contrary to the plain rule of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. who willed all things to be done in the Church unto edification Christ ordained the authority of the Keys to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolve them which are truly penitent they abuse this power at their own pleasure as well in cursing the godly with bell book and candle as also absolving the reprobate which are known to be unworthy of any Christian society whereof they that list may see examples let them search their lives To be short look what our Saviour Christ pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel the same may be boldly and with safe conscience pronounced of the Bishops of Rome namely that they have forsaken and daily do forsake the commandments of God to erect and set up their own constitutions Which thing being true as all they that have any light in Gods word must needs confess we may well conclude according to the rule of Augustine that the Bishops Aug. contra Petiliam Donastae Epistol c. 4. of Rome and their adherents are NOT THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST much less then to be taken as CHIEF HEADS AND RULERS of the same Whosoever saith he do dissent from the Scriptures concerning the Head although they be found in all places where the Church is appointed yet are not in the Church a plain place concluding directly against the Church of Rome Wheresoever ye find the spirit of arrogance and pride the spirit of envy hatred contention cruelty murther extortion witchcraft necromancy c. assure your selves that there is the spirit of the Devil and not of God albeit they pretend to the world never
Religion he caused by his Commandments every where that no man should be persecuted for serving of God He a Gentile and heathen man would not have such as were of a contrary Religion punished for serving of God but the Pope and his Church hath cast you into prison being taken even doing the work of God and one of the excellentest works that is required of Christian men that is The Pope and his Church worse than heathens against Christs Church while ye were in prayer and not in such wicked and superstitious prayers as the Papists use but in the same prayer that Christ taught you and in his name only ye give God thanks for that ye have received and for his sake ye asked for such things as ye wâ—nt O glad may ye be that ever ye were born to be apprehended while ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousness sake c. And a little-after he saith thus You may perceive by your imprisonment that your adversaries weapons against you be nothing but flesh blood and tyranny For if they were able they would maintain their WICKED RELIGION by Gods word but for lack of that they would violently compel such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy word of God and all Christs doings be contrary unto them Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1412. John Rogers Martyr Divinity-Reader at Pauls called the Church of Rome the Antichristian Church Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1416. And in the same page in answer to Bishop Gardners question Whether he believed in the Sacrament to be the very body and blood of our Saviour Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary and hanged on the Cross really and substantially He said thus Even as the most part of your Doctrine in other points is false and the defence thereof only by force and cruelty so in this matter I think it to be as false as the rest For I cannot understand really * Yet our men hold that Christs body is really and substantially in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper Else they basely equivocate Vid. Dr. Laurence Court-Sermon p. 18 Bishop Mountague in his Appeal p. 289. Heylin in his History of Presbytery p. 2. Yea not only Dr. Kellet Pocklington but A. B. Laud himself say that for the presence of Christs body in that Sacrament the Altar it self as well as the Elements must be adored as I have shewed before in Article the second and substantially to signifie otherwise than corporally but corporally Christ is only in heaven and so cannot be corporally also in your Sacrament And in the next Colume of the same Page he positively affirmeth Bishop Gardners Catholick Church as he called the Church of Rome is the Antichristian false Church And in page 1417 he saith That the Church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist And in pag. 1419 of the same Book he saith thus If God look not mercifully upon England the seeds of utter destruction are sown in it already by these hypocritical Tyrants and Antichristian Prelates Popish Papists and double Traytors to their natural Country Mr. Laurence Sanders in his Answer to Dr. Weston's Question viz. Who was of your Church thirty years past said thus Such quoth I. as that Romish Antichrist and his rabble have reputed and condemned as Hereticks Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1422. And after his Examination standing among the Officers and seeing a great multitude He warned them of that which by their falling from Christ to Antichrist they did deserve and therefore exhorted them by repentance to rise again and to embrace Christ with strong faith to confess him to the end in the defyance of Antichrist sin death and the Devil so should they retain the Lords favour and blessing p. 1424. And in his Letter to his Wife and others of the Faithful he saith thus And although I am not May not many Nonconformists say almost the same now God now preacheth to their people and to the whole Kingdom by their silence and suffering so among you as I have been to preach to you out of the Pulpit yet doth God now preach unto you by me by this my imprisonment and captivity which now I suffer among them for Christs Gospel sake bidding them to beware of the Romish Antichristian Religion and Kingdom requiring and charging them to abide in the truth of Christ which is shortly to be sealed with the blood of their Pastors c. p. 1427. Bishop Hooper told Bishop Gardner That forasmuch as the Pope taught Doctrine altogether contrary to the Doctrine of Christ he was not worthy to be accounted as a member of Christs Church much less to be Head thereof Ibi. p. 1433. And in his Speech to the Sheriff of Gloucester he said thus I come not hither as one enforced to die for it is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain but as one willing to offer and give my life for the truth rather than to consent to the wicked and Papistical Religion of the Bishop of Rome received and set forth by the Magistrates of England to Gods high dishonour and displeasure Ibid. p. 1436. And in his Letter to Mrs. Anne Wartop he calls the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist that beareth the name of Jerusalem Ibid. p. 144â— Dr. Rowland Taylor Martyr in his Answer to his Friends that exhorted him to flie to save his life said thus What Christian man would not gladly die against the Pope and his Adherents I know that the Papacy is the Kingdom of Antichrist altogether full of lyes and falshood Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1446. And in his Answer to Bishop Gardner who exhorted him now to rise with them and receive mercy offered c. he said thus That so to rise should be the greatest fall that ever I could receive for I should so fall from my dear Saviour to Antichrist Ibid. p. 1447. And in a Letter to a Friend touching the causes of his death he saith thus That he did affirm the Pope to be Antichrist and Popery to be Antichristianity Ibid. p. 1449. Col. 2. And in his Answer to Bishop Bonner when he came to the Prison to degrade him wishing him and his fellows to turn to his Mother he said to him I would you and your fellows would turn to Christ as for me I will not turn to Antichrist Ibid. p. 1451. 1 Col. And in his Letter to his Wife he saith The Popish Mass as it is now is but one of Antichrists youngest Daughters in the which the Thomas Wats said to the 11th Article that he believed that the Bishop of Rome is a mortal enemy to Christ and his Church Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1512. Devil is rather present and received than our Saviour the second Person in Trinity God and man Ibid. p. 1455. Col. 1. Mr. Hawkes in Answer to this Question of Bishop Bonner Did you ever drink any deadly poyson saith thus The
acteth against and contrary to them By which saith he they do declare themselves to be none of the Church of Christ but rather of the Synagogue of Satan Yea he there tells his Wife That he called them with good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the Devil and that as their father the Devil is a lyar and murtherer so their Kingdom and Church as they call it standeth by lying and murdering therefore my dear Wife have no fellowship with them Ibid. Bishop Ridley in his Letter in Captivity calls the Church of Rome the Strumpet of Babylon and the Pope of Rome Antichrist Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1626. col 1. And in his Answer at his Examination to Bishop White he saith He cannot but confess with St. Gregory a Bishop of Rome also that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. John speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon And I say saith he with the said St. Gregory that he that maketh himself a Bishop of all the world is worse than Antichrist Ibid. p. 1650. col 2. And in his Communication with Dr. Brooks Bishop of Gloucester when he degraded him exhorting him to recant and submit to the Church of Rome he saith thus You know my mind concerning the usurped authority of the Romish Antichrist Ibid. p. 1659. col 2. And a little after when he would Bishop Ridley though when he was in his Pontificalibus he contended too much for the Surplice c. yet when he came to die he refused it and abominated it put on him the Surplice c. he inveighed against the Romish Bishop and all that foolish apparel calling him Antichrist and the apparel foolish and abominable Ibid. In his Farewell Letter to all his Friends he calls the Bishop of Rome the Babylonical Beast and the then Bishops of England thieves of Samaria Sabei Caldei These robbers have rushed out of their dens and have robbed the Church of England of all the aforesaid holy treasure of God they have carried it away they have overthrown it and instead of Gods holy word the true and right administration of Christs holy Sacraments as of Baptism and the other they mix their Ministry with mens fantasies and many wicked and â—â—godly traditions Ibid. p. 1674. And these Bishops he calls the Soldiers of Antichrist Ibid. p. 1675. col 1. And in his Letter to the Lords Temporal he saith thus I wonder my Lords what hath bewitched you that ye are so suddenly fallen from Christ unto Antichrist from Christs Gospel unto mens traditions from the Lord that bought you to the Bishop now of Rome I warn you of your peril be not deceived except ye will be found willingly consenters unto your own death For if ye think thus we are Lay-men this is a matter of Religion we follow as we are taught and led if our teachers and governours teach us and lead us amiss the fault is in them they shall bear the blame My Lords 't is true I grant you that both the false teacher and the corrupt governour shall be punished for the death of their subjects whom they have falsely taught and corruptly lead yea and their blood shall be required at their hands But yet neverthelss shall that subject die the death himself also that is he shall also be damned for his own sin For if the blind lead the blind Christ saith not the leader only but both shall fall into the ditch Shall the Synagogue and the Senate of the Jews trow ye which forsook Christ and consented to his death therefore be excused because Annas and Caiphas with the Scribes and Pharisees and their Clergy did teach them amiss yea and also Pilate their Consenters and doers are both guilty saith Bishop Ridley Ibid. p. 1675. governour and the Emperours Lieutenant by his tyranny did without cause put to death Forsooth no my Lords no. For notwithstanding that corrupt Doctrine or Pilates washing of his hands neither of both shall excuse either that Synagogue and Seigniory or Pilate but at the Lords hand for the effusion of that innocent blood on the latter day shall drink of the deadly whip * Bishop Gardners six Articles called the Whip with six strings I â—elieve he alluded to Ye are witty and understand what I mean Therefore I will pass from this to tell you that ye are fallen from Christ to his adversary the Bishop of Rome pag. 1667. And immediately after he tells them That he doth not in calling the Bishop of Rome Christs adversary or Antichrist rage or raile but speak the words of truth and sobriety And shews That that Church while it continued in the Apostles Doctrine was Apostolick and those that sate in that See might be called Apostolici but since that See hath degenerated from the trace of Truth and true Religion which it received of the Apostles at the beginning and hath preached another Gospel hath set up another Religion hath exercised another power and hath taken upon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other strange Laws and Canons and rulers than ever it received of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ which thing it doth at this day and hath continued so doing alas alas of too too long a time since the time I say that the state and condition of that See hath thus been changed in truth it ought of duty and of right to have the names changed both of the See and of the Sitter therein As that See then for that true trade of Religion and Doctrine of Christs Apostles justly and truly was called Apostolick so as truly and justly for the contrariety of Religion and * Is this not directly contrary to A B. Laud's Doctrine in his Relation wherein pag. â—â—6 he saith That the Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion diversity of Doctrine from Christs and his Apostles that See and the Bishop thereof at this day both ought to be called and are indeed Antichristian The See is the seat of Satan and the Bishop of the same that maintaineth the abominations thereof is Antichrist himself indeed And for this cause this See at this day is the same which St. John calleth in his Revelation Babylon or the Whore of Babylon and spiritual Sodoma and Egyptus the mother of fornications and of the abomination upon the earth and with this Whore do spiritually meddle and lye with her and commit most stinking and abominable adultery before God all those Kings and Princes yea all Nations of the earth which do CONSENT TO HER ABOMINATIONS and use or practise the same Ibid. p. 1668. And in his Lamentation for the change of Religion in England he saith thus The head under Satan of all mischief is Antichrist and his brood and the same is he which is the Babylonical Beast Ibid. p. 1671. col 2. And in p. 1673 he calls King Edward the sixth that innocent that
godly hearted and peerless young Christian Prince Whom Dr. Heylin saith He was a man of ill principles and that 't was no infelicity to the Church he means Rome sure that he died so soon And in p. 1673 col 2. he saith thus Now then seeing the Doctrine of Antichrist is returned again into this Realm and the old Laws of Antichrist are allowed to return with the power of their father again c. Mr. John Philpot Martyr in his seventh Examination and Answer saith That the Church of Rome is a false Church and the Synagogue of Satan Ibid. p. 1704. col 2. And in his ninth Examination he tells Harpsfield That the Religion of Rome is a false Religion Ib. p. 1709. col 1. So he told Chadsey Ibid. p. 1715. col 1. And at his last Examination he told the Lord Mayor of London That he was sorry to see that that authority which representeth the Kings and Queens persons should now be changed and be at the commandment of Antichrist And ye speaking to the Bishops pretend to be the follows of the Apostles of Christ and yet ye be very Antichrists and deceivers of the people and that Church which ye pretend to be the Catholick Church is the Church of Rome the Babylonical and not the Catholick Church of that Church I am not Ibid. p. 1721. col 1. Thomas Whittel Priest and Martyr saith That he was well content to give over his body for the testimony of Gods truth and pure Religion against Antichrist and all his false Religion and Doctrine Ibid. p. 1738. Barthlet Green a Scholar and Martyr affirmeth That the Church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist Ibid. p. 1744. A. B. Cranmer M. calleth and proveth the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1768. col 2. That the Traditions and Religion of that usurping Prelate of Rome are most erroneous false and against the Doctrine of the whole Scripture and the author of the same to be very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom do most evidently concur all signs and tokens whereby he is painted to the world to be known Ibid. p. 1774. col 2. Many of which marks he sets down there And at St. Maries in Oxford when he recanted his Recantation he said thus And for the Pope I refuse him as Christs enemy and Antichrist with all his false Doctrine and this he declared he spake without dissimulation Ibid. p. 1781. col 1. And in his Letter to Queen Mary he saith thus of the Pope If this be not to play Antichrists part I cannot tell what is Antichrist which is no more to say but Christs enemy and adversary who shall sit in the Temple of God advancing himself above all others yet by hypocrisie and fained religion shall subvert the true Religion of Christ and under pretence and colour of Christian Religion shall work against Christ and therefore hath the name of Antichrist whom he there proves to be Antichrist Ibid. p. 1784. col 2. John Mandrell Robert Spicer and William Coverley denying the Pope to be head of the Church or Christs Vicar affirmed him to be Antichrist and Gods enemy Ibid. p. 1788. William Times Curate and Martyr answered Bonner That the See of Rome is the See of Antichrist and therefore to that Church I will not conform my self nor once consent to it Ibid. p. 1791. And p. 1793. he saith The Church of Rome is the Antichristian Church Sixteen Martyrs at once make this Confession The See of Rome is the See of Antichrist the congregation of the wicked whereof the Pope is head under the Devil Article the third for proof of which they offer to be burnt Ibid. p. 1810. col 1. ART XV. That it is lawful to set up and suffer Bishop Mountague in his Gag pag. 300. saith That Images and Pictures of Christ may stand in Churches pro institutione rudiorum commone factione Historiae excitatione devotionis And pag. 318. that the Images and Pictures of Christ the blessed Virgin and Saints may not only for Civil uses but also for Religious imployment and helps of piety be set up in Churches and that the Church of Rome and we differ not therein so practise exceed not Doctrine And p. 317. that Dulia may be given to them Images of the Sacred Trinity of God the Father of God the Son Crucifixes of God the Holy Ghost or of Saints departed this life in Temples or Churches where Gods people do usually meet to worship God THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her excellent Homily against the peril of Idolatry wherein she saith as followeth p. 12. These costly deckiâ—â— of Churches and Images have nothing profited those that are wise and of understanding but have thereby greatly hurt the simple and unwise occasiâ—â—ing them thereby to commit most horrible Idolatry p. 13. Our Images 〈◊〉 been be and if they be publickly suffered in Churches and Temples 〈◊〉 will be worshipped and so Idolatry committed to them Wherefore our Iâ—â—ges in Temples and Churches be indeed none other but Idols as unto 〈◊〉 which Idolatry hath been is and ever will be committed p. 15. That 〈◊〉 honouring of abominable Images is the cause the beginning and end of 〈◊〉 evil and that the worshippers of them be either mad-men or most wicked men p. 17. Although it be said now commonly that Images be Lay 〈◊〉 Books yet we see they teach no good lesson neither of God nor of goâ—â—ness but all error and wickedness and therefore God as he forbiddeth 〈◊〉 Idols or Images to be made or set up so doth command such as we find 〈◊〉 and set up to be pulled down broken and destroyed Deut. 7th and 〈◊〉 Chapters where 't is observable that all the occasions of Idolatry 〈◊〉 to be avoided and therefore did God forbid marriages with the children of Idolaters for they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly p. 18. To set up Images or Altars is a wickedness and great offence and abomination in the sight of the Lord. p. 19. It is impossible that we should be worshippers of Images and the true servants of God also as Paul teacheth 2 Cor. 6. p. 21. Upon 1 Joh. 5. ult Tertullian saith Keep your selves from Images and Idols he saith not now keep your selves from Idolatry as it were from the service of them but from the Images or Idols themselves that is from the very shape or likeness of them do ye think those persons which place Images and Idols in Churches and Temples yea shrine them even over the Lords-Table as 't were of purpose to the worshipping and honouring of them take good heed either to St. John ' s counsel or Tertullian ' s for so to place Images and Idols is it to keep themselves from them
followeth That it is not possible if Images be suffered in Churches either by preaching of Gods Word or by any other means to keep the people from worshipping of them and so to avoid Idolatry And 1. concerning preaching if it should be admitted that although Images were suffered in Churches yet might Idolatry by diligent and sincere preaching of Gods Word be avoided it should follow of necessity that sincere Doctrine might always be had and continue as well as Images and so that wheresoever to offence were erected an Image there also of reason a godly and sincere Preacher should and might be continually maintained for it is reason that the warning be as common as the stumbling-block the remedy as large as the offence the medicine as general as the poyson but that is not * At least not probable for those rulers that are so foolish as to set up or suffer needless Images will be so wicked as to set up idle or Idolatrous Preachers also possible as both reason and experience teacheth Wherefore preaching cannot stay Idolatry Images being publickly suffered For an Image which will last for many hundred years may for a little be bought but a good Preacher cannot with much be continually maintained Item if the Prince will Those Preachers that are offended at their pulling down and see no hurt in them but conceive much good in and by them will never be good Preachers against them and such was Bishop Sanderson as appears by his Sermon upon Rom. 3. 8. p. 70. in 4to fuffer it there will be by and by many yea infinite Images but sincere Preachers were and ever shall be but a few in respect of the multitude to be taught For our Saviour Christ saith the Harvest is plentiful but the workmen are but few which hath been hitherto true and will be to the worlds end And in our time and in our Country so true that every Shire should scarcely have one good Preacher if they were divided Now Images will continue to the beholders preach their Doctrine that is worshipping of Images and Idolatry to which preaching mankind is exceeding prone and inclined to give ear and credit as experience of all ages and Nations doth too much prove But a true Preacher to stay this mischief is in very many places scarcely heard in one whole year and some where not once in seven years as is evident to be proved And that evil opinion which hath been long rooted in mens hearts cannot suddenly by one Sermon be rooted out clean And as few â—â—inclined to credit sound Doctrine as many and almost all be prone to Superstition and Idolatry so that herein appeareth not only a difficulty but also an impossibility of the remedy It appears not that sound and sincere Preaching hath continued in one place above a hundred years but 't is evident that Images superstition and worshipping of Images and Idolatry have continued many hundred years For all writing and experience do testifie that good things do by little and little ever decay until they be clean banished and contrariwise evil things do more and more increase till they come to a full perfection and wickedness For example for preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by process of time waxed less and less pure and after corrupt and at last altogether laid down and left off and other inventions of men crept in place of it And on the other part Images among Christian men were first painted and that in whole stories together which had some signification in them afterwards they were embossed and made of timber stone plaister and metal And first they were only kept privately in private mens houses and then afterwards they crept into Churches but first by painting but afterwards by embossing and yet were they at first no where worshipped but shortly after they began to be worshipped of the ignorant sort of men as appeareth by Gregory the first Bishop of Rome in his Epistle to Serenus Bishop of Marcelles Of which two Bishops Serenus for Idolatry committed to the Images brake and burnt them Gregory although he thought it tollerable to let them stand yet he judged it abominable that they should be worshipped and thought as is now alledged that the worshipping of them might be stayed by teaching of Gods Word according as he exhorts Serenus to teach the people as in that Epistle appeareth But whether Gregory's opinion or Serenus his judgment were better herein consider ye For experience by and by confuteth Gregory's opinion For notwithstanding Gregory's writing and others preaching Images being once set up in Temples simple men and women shortly after fell on heaps I humbly pray may not the same be said of kneeling at receiving the Sacrament was it not at first injoined as a thing indifferent but was it not received of ours as a gesture of the highest reverence due to so great a mystery as Bishop Prideaux speaks And doth not Bishop Sparrow call it adoring in his Rationale p. 273. Vide Art 1. p. 5. hujus to worshipping of them and at last the learned also were carried away with the publick error as with a violent stream or flood And at the second Council at Nice the Bishops and Clergy decreed That Images should be worshipped and so by occasion of these stumbling-blocks not only the unlearned and simple but the learned and wise not the people only but the Bishops not the sheep only but the shepherds themselves who should have been guides in the right way fell to Idolatry in worshipping of Images And P. 69. the Homily saith thus The Romish Church is not only an Idolatrous Church an Harlot as the Scripture calleth her but also a foul filthy old withered Harlot for she is of ancient years understanding her lack of nature and * Yet Hooker in his Ecclesiast Policy l. 4. Sec. 9. p. 145. in answer to Mr. Cartwright ' s and Bucer ' s Objection against Popish Ceremonies viz. That Popery for want of utter extirpation of her Ceremonies hath taken root and flourished again but hath not been able to re-establish it self in any place after provision made against it by utter evacuation of all Romish Ceremonies saith thus As we deny not but that this may be true so being of two evils to chuse the less we hold it better that the friends and favourers of the Church of Rome should be in some kind of hope to have a corrupt Religion restored than both we and they conceive just fear lest under the colour of rooting out Popery the most effectual means to bear up the state of Religion be removed and so a â—â—y made for Paganism or for extream barbarity to re-enter To which by the way I give this short answer 1. That he acts directly against the Doctrine of the Church of England and therefore it is no wonder that his Book was commended to the Pope of Rome as the best written in English and that he alone deserved
the name of an Author 2. He makes the Whores attire and Ceremonies to be the most effectual means to bear up the state of Religion which is most abominably false and scandalous if he means true state but if he means false and formal and corrupt it may be true 3. That he had rather have Popery restored at least the hopes of its restoring continued by keeping up her Ceremonies than they abolished 4. That he makes the state of Religion to consist in at least to depend upon Romish Ceremonies and not the natural and true beauty and simple purity of the Gospel 5. That he with the great Whore of Rome seeks to please fond lovers they being best pleased with whorish attire and painted Shews and not Jesus Christ who is best pleased with simple honest plainness 6. That he suggests a most false position that if Romish Ceremonies be removed Paganism will re-enter whose contrary is most true as common experience and all the Reformed Churches can witness 7. That he makes Popish Ceremonies and Popery and Barbarity to be but evils of punishment and not evils of sin for of two evils of sin neither is to be chosen 8. That Popery being Antichristianism made up of superstition idolatry blasphemy heresie usurpation c. it 's unlawful to give men any hopes of restoring it true beauty and great loathsomeness which of her self she hath doth after the custom of such Harlots paint her self with gold pearl stone and all kind of precious jewels that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them may please the foolish fantasie of fond lovers and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her who if they saw her but in simple apparel would abhor her as the foulest and filthiest Harlot that ever was seen Apoc. 17. But the true Church of God as a chaste Matron espoused to one husband our Saviour Jesus Christ whom she is content only to please and serve and delighteth not to delight the fantasie of any other lovers or woers is content with her natural ornaments not doubting by such sincere simplicity best to please him who can well skill of the difference between a painted visage and true natural beauty St. Jerome upon Jer. 10. saith thus Though Images be decked with gold yet good or profit is there none in them And such deckings of Images are tokens of Antichrists Kingdom who as Daniel saith shall worship God with gorgeous things Lactantius saith that as little Girls play with little Puppets so be these deckt Images great Puppets for old fools to play with Homily of the pâ—ril of Idolatry Part 3. p. 71. But away with these coloured cloaks of Idolatry of the books and scriptures of Images and Pictures to * That the Papists Doctrine of Images that they are Lay-mens Books is directly contrary to the word of God and therefore as false and erroneous to be detested of all Gods children Habbak 2. 18. Teachers of lies Jer. 10. 8. The stock is a Doctrine of vanities Isa 40. 10. 'T is profitable for nothing 'T is forbidden in the second Commandment saith A. B. Vsher in his Sum of Christian Religion p. 230. teach Ideots nay to make Ideots and stark fools and beasts of Christians Ibid. Godly men will respect not only their own city country time and the health of men of their age but be careful for all places and times and the salvation of all ages at the least not lay such stumbling-blocks and snares for the feet of other country-men and ages which experience hath already proved to be the ruin of the world Wherefore I make a general conclusion of all that I have hitherto said If the stumbling-blocks and poysons of mens souls by setting up of Images will be many yea infinite if they be suffered and the warning of the same stumbling-blocks and remedies for the said poysons by preaching be few if the stumbling-blocks be easie to be laid the poysons soon provided and the warnings and remedies hard to know and come by if the stumbling-blocks be continually in the way and poyson be ready at hand every where and warning and remedies but seldom given and if all men be more ready of themselves to stumble and be offended than to be warned all men more ready to drink of the poyson then to taste of the remedy and so in fine the poyson continually and deeply drunk of many the remedy seldom and faintly tasted of a few how can it be but that infinite of the weak and infirm shall be offended infinite by ruin shall break their necks infinite by deadly venome be poysoned in their souls And how is the charity of God and love of our neighbours in our hearts then if when we may remove such dangerous stumbling-blocks such pestilent * So Mr. Hawks Martyr called the Popes Traditions and Ceremonies Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1504. poysons we will not remove them what shall I say of them which lay stumbling-blocks where there were none before and set snares for the feet nay for the souls of weak and simple men and work the danger of their everlasting destruction for whom our Saviour Christ shed his most precious blood So the Homily 2. Images are not to be tolerated in Churches 1. Because they are occasions of Idolatry as the Homily of the Church of England against the peril of Idolatry abundantly sheweth Now occasions of Idolatry are to be avoided as may be gathered from Deut. 7. 3 4. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son Now mark the reason why the Israelites were forbidden to marry wives of the Idolaters daughters which God cast out before them for they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods Lo here you may see that though it should be granted that it were lawful in it self for any of Gods Church to marry with Idolaters which is thought to be utterly unlawful 1. Because 't is expresly forbidden Deut 7. 34. Ezra 9. 12 13. not only to the Israelites but also to the Christians 2 Cor. 6. 14. Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness Idolaters are * Whosoever seeketh righteousnesâ— by works without faith denieth God and maketh himself god and they are not only Idolaters but very Infidels saith Luther upon Gal. 3. 10. p. 125 128. unbelievers though they may make a kind of profession of faith in Christ yet they virtually deny him to be God by their worshipping of his Creatures with Religious worship and by their worshipping of him not as he hath appointed but after their own inventions they make an Idol of him And you know that our Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 16. 17. saith That he is not to be accounted a Christian man that denieth this truth that faith alone doth
second Lessons in the Common-prayer Book Answ To this I must leave the Bishops to answer or confess the error and amend it For I profess I know not how to answer for them if I What I can do I have done in the Appendix but I fear that will not satisfie all could I would Papists will notwithstanding Dr. Cozens his Allegations prove from our own sayings that they are Canonical Scripture because they are by us called the Old Testament and so are appointed to be read I pray read my Appendix intended for another use An APPENDIX concerning Apocryphal Scriptures appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels c. Quest 1. BEcause you are so full of your Questions I ask you Whether the Apocryphal Scriptures appointed in the Kalender in the Common-Prayer-Book to be read the first Lessions at Morning and Evening-Prayer be part of the Old Testament The reason of asking this Question is this because 't is said in the Order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read the Old Testament is appointed to be read for the first Lessons at Morning and Evening-Prayeâ— And in the following part of that Order 't is said thus And to know what Lessons shall be read every day look for the day of the Month in the Kalender following and there ye shall find the Chapters that sâ—all be read for the Lessons both at Morning and Evening-Prayer Now in the Kalender to pass by the many Chapters that are culled out of the Apocryphal Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus and appointed to be read upon Holy-days throughout the year though there be many good sayings in them yet they have some * Wisd 19. appointed to be read upon Mathias day how properly let the world judg And Popish Expositors will no doubt make good Divinity and sense of it which would not please you if a Nonconformist should essay to make Episc Prideaux sascic controv c. 1. q 2. p. 14. failings and some that do not tend to edisication and such as you would exclaim against if you should find them or the like in Mr. W. B's or Mr. Tâ—â—'s or in any Nonconformists Sermons or Writings and yet you have given your assent and consent unto them and have promised to read them upon the days appointed all the Chapters in Tobit except the fifth Chapter and of Judith many of Ecclesiasticus Baruch Bell and the Dragon the History of Susanna in which are many false and â—angerous things appointed to be read Now if they are not part of the Old Testament why do you say they are such and give your assent and consent that they shall be read in all Churches and Chappels and promise that you will read them in yours contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England to which you have I suppose subscribed too and contrary to the Doctrine of the Protestant Churches seeing none but Papists hold them to be parts of the Old Testament I pray Sir give such an answer as may help us to satisfie our people whom you would have us to perswade to comply with you in your publick service and answer the subtile Papists who will be ready to alledg your publick Order and Kalender and other things as that concerning the Service-Book Par. 1 2 3. and that direction which follows line the last to prove that they are Canonical Scripture because parts of the Old Testament as you plainly say in the said order and direction and Kalender And I foresee that 't will be but in vain to say that our Church in her Articles holds no such thing but rather the contrary For besides that they imply a contradiction the appearance of which you are ready to carp at and exclaim against in Nonconformists they will say that that Order and Kalender was made since the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England and the last Law they 'l say either virtually repeals or at least expounds the former You are as you say a Rational Divine pray give a solid and sufficient reason of this thing of which we need not be ashamed that may stop the mouths of our dissenting Protestant friends and opposing Popish enemies If you cannot do it I hope you will ingenuously confess your error and use your best and utmost reason interest and endeavour with all sort of men to reform it Q. 2. Whether you do indeed think that those Books or Chapters or Histories call them which you will do indeed and in truth directly tend to the edification of the Church as you say * Of Ceremonies in Preface to the Book of Common-Prayers that all things that are done in the Church ought to do as the Apostle teacheth 1 Corintâ— 14. 26. The reason of this Query is because there are erroneous frivolous and dangerous things appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels to the people in some of those Chapters which do not tend to their edification but rather to their destruction and others too As for example in Tob. 4. 10. which is appointed to be read September the 30th 't is said thus That alms do deliver from death and suffereth not to come into darkness And Tob. 12. 9. which is appointed to be read the third of October 't is said thus That alms doth deliver from death and shall purge * Which is contrary to Homily of Salvation pag. 16 17. which saith that that were the greatest arrogance and presumption that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself from all sin Which may induce many especially ignorant people to swallow the Doctrine of Popish Merits without a grain of salt and deny or undervalue the inestimable merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ contrary to 1 Joh. 1. 9. Who cleanseth us from all unrighteousness And 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as we know that ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold and therefore not with alms from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ And Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And also contrary to Heb. 9. 14 15 22 26 28. I know that this place of Tobit is alledged in the Homily of Almesdeeds Tom. 2. p. 159 160 161. where it saith thus The same Lesson doth the Holy Ghost also teach in sundry places of the Scripture quoting Tob. 4. in the Margent saying mercifulness and almes-giving purgeth from all sins and delivereth from death and suffereth not the soul to come into darkness Now to this the Ch. of England there answereth That Almesdeeds purge not from sin as the the original cause of our acceptance before God or that for the dignity or worthiness thereof our sins are washed away and we purged and cleansed of all
the spots of our iniquities for that were to deface Christ and defraud him of glory but they mean this and this is the meaning of those and such sayings that God of his mercy and of his favour towards them whom he hath appointed to everlasting salvation hath so offered his grace especially and they have so received it fruitfully that although by reason of their sinful living outwardly they seemed before to have been the children of wrath and perdition yet now the Spirit of God mightily worketh in them unto obedience unto Gods will and commandments they declare by their outward deeds and life in the shewing of mercy and charity which cannot come but of the Spirit of God and his special grace that they are the undoubted children of God appointed to everlasting life 2. That the words are to be understood of the judgment of men as the following words do declare for that speaks of the judgment of charity and of men The meaning of Tobit ' s words are these that we doing these things according to Gods will and our duty have our sins indeed washed away and our offences blotted out not for the worthiness of them but by the grace of God which worketh all in all and that for the promise that God hath made to them that are obedient to his Commandments Almesdeeds do wash away sins because God doth vouchsafe to repute us as clean and pure when we do them for his fake and not because they do merit or deserve our purging or for that they have any such strength or virtue in themselves Homily of Almsdeed Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 160 161. I have alledged these words to vindicate the Doctrine of the Church of England and to shew that the Church of England is in the main sound in the Doctrine of Justification Yet if I may be so bold I humbly conceive 1. That this Quotation of Tobit in the Margent might well have been spared to prove That the Holy Ghost in sundry places of Scripture saith that mercifulness and almesgiving purgeth from all sins c. Because I fear that our watchful adversaries will catch at it and make their advantage to prove that Book Canonical Scripture For Analogum per se positum stat proâ—suo famosiori significato seu analogato Scripture put by it self is presumed to Sanders Log l. 1. c. 6. par 4. stand for its most famous significate and there by Scripture they will presume is meant Sacred and Canonical Scripture 2. I know and acknowledg that the sense given by our Church is good and agreeable to that which our sound Divines do give of that of the wise man in Prov. 16. 6. Junius and Dod and Cartwright in loc By mercy and truth iniquity is purged But I know also that they expound this place of Gods mercy and truth and not of mans And so it doth not make good Tobit's of Almsdeeds But there is no need of alledging an Apocryphal Text so much abused by professed Papists to prove and provoke their Disciples to do meritorious works and then be forced to put our selves to much trouble to explain our honest meaning and caveat our people against Popish false exterpretations which whether all do or will understand is very doubtful especially if that neglected place of Solomon's Proverbs Prov. 16. 6. be so to be expounded as the Church of England expounds that of Tob. 4. 10. and 12. 9. which she must do else Papists will clearly get advantage by that expression in the Homily above recited The same Lesson doth the Holy Ghost â—lso teach in sundry places of the Scripture But to proceed Solus sanguis Christi nos purgâ—t ab omni peccato only the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin saith Johannes Maccovius Red. c. 23. de Elemosinâ— cont prima falsa Pontif. p. 51. And Tob. 6. 14 15 16 17. appointed to be read the 30th day of September at Evening-prayer The Angel Raphael who told Tobit a lye in Chap. 5. 6. for which Bishop Prideaux among other things rejects Fascic Controv. de Scripturâ— c. 1. q 2. p. 14. the Book viz. That he had lodged with our brother Gabael And v. 12. That his same was Azarias the son of Ananias the great and of thy brethren taught him a * For which A. B. Vsher's Sum of Ch Rel. p. 15 and Bishop Prideaux Fascic controv c. 1. q 2. p. 14. rejectâ— the Book as false and frivolous Magical spel or trick to †Concilium non divinum aut coeleste sed planè magicum as Junius proves in locum conjure away the wanton Devil Asmodius who was forsooth in love with Sarah the daughter of Raguel and had killed her seven husbands on their Wedding-night as 't is said v. 14. with which she was reproached by her fathers maids Chap. 3. 7. 8. appointed to be read also on Septemb. 28. at Evening-prayer in these words v. 16. And when thou shalt come into the marriage-chamber thou shalt take the â—sâ—es of perfume and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish spoken of before Chap. 6. 4 7. where he first taught him the spell and he said unto him touching the heart and the liver if a Devil or an evil spirit trouble any we must make a * Is this for edification in good manners smoke thereof before the man or the woman and the party shall be no more vexed and the Devil shall smell it and flee away and never come again any more Which device he accordingly put in practise as you may read in Tob. 8. 1 2 3. appointed to be read October the first at Evening-prayer And when they had supped they brought Tobias in unâ—â— her and as he went he remembred the words of Raphael and took the â—stes of the perfumes and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon and made a smoke therewith the which smell when the evil spirit had smelled he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt and the Angel bound him Which counsel and practise some men may teach some people to use and trust in Magical and Diabolical spells and charms and seek to Conjurers and Witches and Devils for which Bishop * Bishop Prideaux Fascic controv c. 1. q. 2. p. 14. Prideaux condemns and rejects the Book forbidden say our learned and sound Divines * Perkins in his order of Causes p. 63 to 66. A. B. Vsher's Sum of Christian Religion p. 229. in the second Commandment and is judged to be contrary to our Saviours Doctrine in Mat. 17. 21. Mark 9. 29. and in many other places of Scripture Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting And to pass over Tob. 10. 6 7. appointed to be read October the second at Evening-prayer which may teach women to contradict their husbands and if it be not yet looks like scolding Hold thy peace said Tobit to his wife for he is safe Hold thy
peace said she to her husband And that frivolous story of his Dog following after them with which some have made vain sport and others may again in Tob. 11. 4. appointed to be read at Morning-prayer October the third I come to Tob. 12 12. appointed to be read at Evening-prayer October the third where this is appointed to be read of the Angel Raphael Now therefore when thou didst pray and Sarah thy daughter-in-law I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the holy one and when thou didst bury the dead I was with thee likewise And vers 15. 't is appointed to be read thus I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints and which go in and out before the glory of the holy one Which words imply two gross errors 1. That there are but seven holy Angels that wait upon God and go in and out before him which is contrary to the Canonical Scriptures which say that thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times 〈◊〉 Cornel à Lapidâ— Junius Diodate Willet in locum thousand stood before him Dan. 7. 10. which is generally by Papists as well as Protestants understood of holy Angels See also Heb. 12. 22. Apoc. 5 1â— See also A. B. Vsher his Sum of Christian Religion p. 118. where 〈◊〉 saith that all the Angels do wait upon the Lord their God in heaven to exâ—cute his will 2. That those seven Angels are Gods remembrancers 〈◊〉 mind him of the prayers of his Saints and presenters of their prayers beâ—â— him A kind of Heavenly Courtiers or Officers that do present to as remember God of the good works prayers and alms c. of 〈◊〉 holy ones as if God did not regard or remember their prayers 〈◊〉 services without these seven Angels mediations intercession Which office saith learned Jâ—â— Jun. in Tob. 12. 12. the Scripture doth no where give to created Aâ—gâ—â— but maintain to belong only to Christ and which â—lâ—â— if there were nothing else is enough to prove the 〈◊〉 Upon the 15 ver bulousness and impurity of the Book and to rejeâ—â— as evil and unfit to be read in publick yea to be bound up with the Sacred Word of God And learned A. B. Vsher where before reckons up all the offices of the Sum of Christian Religion pag. 118. good Angels to the souls and bodies of good men but mentioneth not their presenting of the Saints prayers before God nor remembering God of them And 't is a Doctrine and place of Scripture as you call it that makes much for the Which is a good argument there is no such thing Bishop Prideaux Fascic cont c. 4. S. 2. q. 1. p. 169. Article 7th Papists Idolatrous invocating of Angels And 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and of other Reformed Churches and of the Canonical Scriptures which say That Jesus Christ the second Person in the Sacred Trinity the Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. 3. 1. is the only person that doth present the prayers of the Saints to God and that he is our only Mediator of Redemption and Intercession as may be fully proved by Rom. 8. 34. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 12. Revel 8. 3 4. And the last Collect in the Lâ—tany and the Collect for St. Stephens day which prayers say That Christ is our only Mediator and Advocate And by the Homily of Prayer Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 115. and Part 3. p. 118. where 't is said thus In the word of God the Holy Ghost doth plainly teach us that Christ is our only Mediator and Intercessor with God and that we must not run or seek to another See also A. B. Vsher's Sum of Christian Religion p. 166 and p. 176. where he sheweth That one part of Christs Intercession for us doth consist in his presenting our prayers unto God and making them acceptable in his sight And 't is contrary to Psal 8. 4. Psal 111. 5. Psal 112. 6. Levit. 26. 42. Luk. 12. 6 7. and many other places of Sacred Scripture where 't is said That God is mindful of his people and of his Covenant made with them Yea that he doth hear what his people say and take special notice of what they do yea and record what they say and do Read Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name If God take notice of and record what his people say one to another then without doubt he takes notice of and remembreth the prayers which they make unto himself and therefore he needs no such remembrancing Angels as this feigned Raphael speaks of to put him in mind of his Saints prayers And he hath appointed Jesus Christ to present the prayers of and make Intercession for his people Joh. 6. 27. Him hath the Father sealed and appointed Heb. 3. 12. to the office of a Redeemer and of making satisfaction for the sins of his people and Intercession for them as Bishop Reynolds very learnedly sheweth upon Psal 110. pag. 383 384. 387 388 c. And Christ hath undertaken the work of our Redemption and making Intercession for his people He was not only made a surety to us of a bâ—tter Covenant Heb. 7. 22. but he also is said to come to do the office of a surety Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 5 7 9. God fitted him and prepared him for the work of our Redemption v. 5. and Christ voluntarily undertook it Then said I Lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God v. 7 9. Hence doth he call himself the good shepherd that doth lay down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 11 15. which Doctrine is saith the Reverend Bishop the rock and foundation of all the Churches comfort and therefore the Doctrine held forth in the foresaid feigned story of Tobit is the more pernicious and abominable being so destructive of our Lord and Saviours right and of all good Christians sure and solid comfort and those men that refuse to give their unfeigned assent and consent thereunto and to its use and publick reading are the more excusable not to say commendable for denying themselves so far as they have done rather than do that or consent to the doing of that which is as you see so much conducing to Popish Doctrine and practise and contrary to Gods sacred and precious truth the honour and interest of Jesus Christ and the comfort and welfare of all good Christians In the Months of September and October all the Book of Judith is appointed to be read in publick in Churches and Chappels Where to pass by many of the falsities that Orthodox learned Divines both ancient and modern do find in
and I am sent to tell thee Now I pray seriously consider all-her words and search whether you can find so many lies told at one time by one person except in the Popish Legends and all hid under the cloak of Religion prayer revelation and affection when nothing was intended but murther and mischief as the two next Chapters plainly shew was her design I know there may be good use made of this story or fiction to teach Kings and great men Generals and others to take heed of entertaining of fair-faced and smooth-tongued Women lest they be deceived shamed yea ruined by them and 't is to be feared some persons may the Lord restrain them take example by Judith to lye swear dissemble equivocate and do any thing to compass their bloody designs against the Princes and Potentates of the world and may think it lawful to use unlawful means to obtain as they judg a good end as the Monk of Swinstead-Abby did against King John who poysoned him in the Chalice and those wicked wretches that poysoned the Emperour Henry the seventh in the Host and those wicked bloody Papists that stab'd King Henry the * If I mistake not saith Dr. Jer. Taylor 's Sermon at St. Maries in Oxford upon November 5th p. 19. it was Pope Sixtus Quintus who sometimes pronounced a speech in full Consistory in which he compares the assassinate of Jâ—ques Clement and Judith where after having aggravated the faults of the murdered King he concludes him to have died impenitent denied him the solemnities of Mass Dirge requiem for his soul at last he ends with a prayer that God would finish what in this bloody manner he had begun third of France with a knife in the belly and King Henry the fourth his successor in the mouth and at the heart All which Mr. Prin speaks of in his Rome's Master-piece p. 34. and an Indian nut that the confederate Papists had prepared for King Charles the first From which and the like bloody designs and practises the Lord in mercy preserve King Charles the second and all his Royal Relations and loyal subjects especially when they shall hear and read that her treacherous and bloody fact is so much and by such men commended and held forth for peoples example of life and instruction in good * Art 6. manners and as part of the Old Testament at least †See Preface to the Common-prayer-book Parag. 4. agreeable to the will of God I beseech you to read over all this and examine and consider it well and then I make no question but you 'l see cause enough to tear these two fabulous erroneous and dangerous Books out of our Bibles and cast them out of our Churches Methinks seeing the ancient Fathers so ordered the matter that the whole * See Preface concerning the Service of the Church Parag. 1. Bible or the greatest part thereof should be read once every year and seeing that Order is called a †Ibid. Parag. 2. godly and decent order and fault found that it hath been altered broken and neglected by planting in * Are not the stories of Tobit Judith Susanna Bell and the Dragon as uncertain Ex Historicis Apocryphis incertum est an Tobias Judith cum fragmentis de Susanna Bell Dracone habeantur pro Dramaticis potius quam vâ—ris narrationibus Bishop Prideaux Fascic cont c. 1. q. 2. p. 16. uncertain stories and Legends that commonly when any Book of the Bible was begun after three or four Chapters were read out all the rest were unread this corruption should not be continued still as the directions for proper Lessons plainly shews it is so doth the Kalender For there is not one Chapter of either of the Books of Chronicles in which Books are many things that are not so plainly and fully set down in the Books of the Kings And also the whole Book of the the Canticles which shews the excellency and mutual love of Christ and his Church is neglected and but twelve Chapters of the Prophecy of â—zekiel are appointed to be read in the whole year the other thirty-nine especially that exceeding profitable and remarkable Chapter Ezek. 16. wherein God takes special care and gives a special charge to have Jerusalem know her abominations v. 2. and to take notice of his extraordinary love towards her v. 6. are left out and several other Chapters in other Books of the Old Testament in which are things very profitable to be read for the understanding of other places of Scripture confirmation of Doctrine and instruction in good manners And there is appointed to be read as a Lesson but one piece of a Chapter of the Book of the Revelations that excellent Book which hath so much concerning the Church of God in this latter end of the world and discovers so much of the Antichrist and other enemies of Christ and his true and pure Church of which Book Christ saith Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein for the time is at hand Revel 1. 3. And that if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy city and from the things that are written in this Book Revel 22. 19. and that is the 19th Chapter and that but to the 17th verse and that as obscure and mysterious and as hard to be understood as most of the rest of that holy Book and the rest that is omitted more easie most of it to be understood than that and to be sure much more profitable for the Church of Christ than the 24th Chapter of Ecclesiasticus is which is appointed to be read by special order upon the 24th of August St. Bartholomews day and to be more sure than those that are appointed to be read out of Tobit and Judith and yet there are above 120 Chapters of Apocryphal Books appointed in the Kalendar to be read in one year And whether appointing them and punishing Ministers for reading those other of the Books of Scriptures be not a virtual taking away the words of that Book I humbly leave to your consideration And seeing your Convocation-men who Can. 139. call themselves the Church of England say they have ordained nothing to be read but the pure word of God or that which is agreeable to the same If a great part of the pure word of God must give place as less †Except certain Books and Chapters which be least edifying and might best be spared and therefore are left unread Vide Order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read Parag. 1. conducing to the instruction of people in good manners than the Apocryphal Scriptures do methinks they might have done well to have left out all such parts and passages and expressions of them as are not agreeable to
which saith That God formeth the spirit of man within him that is in medio in the midst of man as the †Junius in Locum Hebrew and Latin hath it and it accords not with Luk. 23. 43. where Christ said to the penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice that is in Heaven And 't is contrary to Luk. 16. 22 25 26. which sheweth that the soul of Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosom immediately after his death and that there it remained and Of this largely before in Article 13. was to remain And not agreeable to Mat. 25. 46. which saith That the righteous go into everlasting life Yea and not consonant with Phil. 1. 21 23. where the Apostle saith thus For me to live is Christ but to die is gain What gain if his soul went into another body and not into Heaven And if any should say that Philo's opinion was That all souls of all men were made together by God in the beginning of the world and treasured up until bodies be prepared for them which was the opinion of many Jews and of Origen as Peter †â—oc com claf prim C. 12 Sect. 23. p. 82. Martyr and Pareus * In Gen 2. 7. inform me I answer that we have cause also to reject it For 1. I ask where the treasury is where these Souls are kept in Heaven it cannot be for there evil souls are not kept for the evil Angels were cast out of Heaven as soon as they sinned In Hell they cannot be neither for there good souls that do Gods will are not cast I might ask again where then are they kept 2. I ask whether those souls so long since made have been idle or active if they have been idle and doing nothing it seems absurd to say that God should make so many souls so long time before-hand to do nothing for his honour seeing he made nothing in vain and can as easily make them when bodies are prepared for them to act If it be said they have been active and doing something then that is either good or bad Pareus informs me that the Jews held that these souls were kept in Gods treasury until they were infused into bodies according to their merits which implies that some did good and deserved to be put into good bodies and others did evil and deserved to be put into evil bodies and so were by God disposed accordingly An ingenious witty soul was put belike into an undefiled body as Philo seems to imply by his words But to this I answer 1. That it seems the Heathens were not of this opinion for they say of Galba Ingenium Galbae malè habitat 2. This conceit hath no foundation in Sacred Scripture For 1. That which is alledged for their opinion That God rested from all his works Gen. 2. 2 3 4. is easily answered thus 1. That Christ saith My Father worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5. 17. 2. That God rested from making more or new species or kinds of Creatures but not from making more or new Individuals or Particulars of those kinds which he had made 2. In the History of the Creation no nor any where else in Canonical Scripture there is no mention or intimation made of any such making all souls together which being a thing of so great moment would not be concealed if any such thing had been 3. But that the soul of Adam was made in the act * Augustin de Civit. Dei l. 12. c. 23. Viâ—es upon him of its inspiration into the body of Adam Gen. 2. 7. And there is the same reason of our souls and his Creando infunditur infundendo creatur 4. 'T is said in Zach. 12. 1. That God formeth the spirit of man within him that is as Junius observes 't is in the Hebrew In medio is the midst of him and therefore not made some thousands of years before 't was infused into him 5. Their conceit of being disposed according to their merits is not agreeable to Sacred Scripture which Rom. 9. 23. saith plainly of those Twins that God loved i e. chose Jacob to life everlasting and hated Esau i. e. reprobated him before they had done either good or evil Therefore their doing good or evil was not the meritorious cause of putting them into either good or bad clean or unclean bodies Lastly His body undefiled is such another Judaical conceit or Poetical fiction for what body of man ordinarily begotten by man is undefiled Job's question Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean includes this affirmative That no man can do it 1. It participates of Adams first sin and 't is †Rom. 5. 12. vide Hildersâ—am upon Psal 5. Lect. 55. p. 259. imputed to it And 2. 't is prone and disposed to sin as a leprous seed is to leprosie Though it be said that spiritual infection which is in semine be not sin formaliter actu yet it is a certain occult disposition to sin from which it comes to pass that the soul created in the body as a flower in a Vide Baron Exer 2. de origine animâ—â— Art 6. stinking place doth contract from the body habitual and culpable viciousness even from its first union with it so that the body is defiled participativè vel imputativè dispositivè and therefore not undefiled as he speaks Subjectum quo peccati est caro Vide Article 9th of the Church of England subjectum verò quod personâ— quia peccatum primo intravit ratione corporis ad inficiendam animam Bishop Prideaux Fascic controv c. 3. de peccato q. 5. p. 126. ad 5 ibid. q. 3. p. 112 113. p. 117. Semen * That is the seed is infected as a stinking torch to which if fire be put that stink which before lay hid doth appear so the soul joined to the Embrio and informing it it actuates that poyson which before lay hid in the seed whereby the whole compositum or humane nature is infected infectum esse tanquam funale faetidum cui si flamma admoveatur prodit quae autea latebat totius facis graveolentia sic anima embrioni copulata eamque informans actuat in semine latens virus quo fiat corruptio totius compositi I might except against Ecclesiasticus 1. 14. where 't is said That the fear of the Lord was created with the faithful †Which is conceived to be contrary to Psal 50. 5. Ephes 2. 1 3 5. the Exhortation at Baptism in C. P. B. in the womb and many other passages in the Apocryphal Books but these may suffice and make men look more narrowly into the errors and contradictions that are in them to Gods pure word yea in some parts of those Chapters that are appointed to be read publickly in our Churches and methinks should cause them all to be turned out of the doors of our Churches and Common-Prayer-Book especially seeing
Orthodox Carleton's place at Chichester who wrote against Mountagues Books and Popish Goodman who * Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 446. lived and died a Papist was made Bishop of Gloucester in Orthodox Smith's place who opposed Laud in his Altar-worship there yea though A. B. Abbot was by Laud's means sequestred from the execution of his office and his authority committed to such hands as were no favourers of the Genevean faction they are Heylin's own words of which Bishop Laud as Heylin * Cypr. Angl. l. 3. p. 170. saith informed the King that A. B. Abbot was the head viz. to Mountain Bishop of London Neile Bishop of Durham Buckeridg Lauds Tutor Bishop of Rochester Howsâ—â— Bishop of Oxford and himself Bishop of Bath and Wells or any two of them yea when Laud was gotten uppermost and had gotten stout-hearted Williams Bishop of Lincoln into the Tower and had his Spies upon Orthodox Hall Bishop of Exceter and Davenant Bishop of Salisbury two of those learned Divines which were sent by King James to the Synod of Dort and had almost and did what he listed in promoting those of his party and suppressing those of the Genevean party as Dr. Heylin evidenceth yea brags in his Cyprianus Anglicus yet I say he never durst put those five Arminian points to the hazard of decision by the Convocation though he had a great mind to it as appears by his moving the Duke of Buckingham about it and his consulting with Bishop Andrews about it as Dr. Heylin relates in his Cyprianus * Lib. 2. p. 133. 'T is probable he first advised and then ordered the Catalogue of the most eminent Divines distinguished according to their perswasions by the Letters O and P made him fear the Convocation and therefore take his other courses which brought himself and others to ruin Cyp. Angl. l. 2. p 133. And the eighth Article objected against him viz. That there must be a blow given to the Church such as hath not been yet given before it would be brought to conformity Cyp. Angl. l 5. p. 512 513. might be brought to prove his fear of the Convocation as is said Anglicus least they should be condemned by our Convocation as well as they were by the Synod of Dort and by Bishop Carleton Dean Sutcliff Dr. Featly Mr. Goad Mr. Yates Mr. Ward Mr. Burton Mr. Rouse and Mr. Pryn asunder that the encounter seemed to be betwixt a whole army and a single person as Heylin writes in his Cyprianus Anglicus l. 2. p. 155. and by Dr. Prideaux in the Chair in the Divinity School at Oxford as they had been by learned Dr. Humphries Dr. Holland and Dr. Abbot before him and by Dr. Whitaker Mr. Perkins Dr. Davenaut and Dr. Ward and many more at Cambridg and by many more in the Universities and elsewhere in Cities Towns and Country Parishes And were never declared either by any Convocation at or since the first reformation or by any Parliament except in Queen Maries reign to be the Doctrine of the Church of England And for further confirmation of this truth that those five Arminian points condemned by the Synod of Dort to which Synod King James sent several Learned and Orthodox Divines who joined with the rest of that Learned Synod in condemning and rejecting all those five Armanian points which sure neither he nor they would have done if they had been the Doctrine of the Church of England were not the Doctrine of the Church of England read King James his Declaration against Vorstius wherein he writes thus to his Ambassador Sir Ralph Winwood Trusty and Welbeloved c. You shall repair to the States-General with all possible diligence in our name telling them that we doubt not but that their Ambassadors which were here about two years since did inform them of a forewarning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make unto them in our name to beware in time of * Arminians called seditious and heretical Preachers seditious and heretical Preachers and not to suffer any such to creep into their State Our principal meaning was of Arminius who though he were late dead yet had he left too many disciples behind him Declarat pag. 350. of his Works That Vorstius hath published such monstrous blasphemy and horrible Atheism in a scandalous Book fit to be burnt and the Author punished and that Arminius late Divinity-Reader at Leyden was but of little better stuff who though he be dead hath left his sting yet living among them Ibid. p. 350 351. And in pag. 355. he saith thus in his Letter to the States-General We had well hoped that the corrupt seed of that enemy of God Arminius did sow amongst you some few years since had given you sufficient warning to take heed of such infected persons seeing your own Country-men divided into factious upon this occasion a matter so opposite to unity which is indeed the only â—roâ— and safety of your State next under God as of necessity it must by little and little bring you to utter ruin if wisely you do not provide against it and that in time Ibid. p. 355. It is true it was our hard hap not to hear of this Arminius before he was dead and that all the Reformed Churches of Germany had with open mouth complained of him But as soon as we understood of that distraction in your State which he left after his death behind him we did not fail to use some such speeches to your Ambassadors as we * That is those above named to beware of seditious and Heretical Preachers thought fittest for the good of your State which we doubt not but they have faithfully reported unto you For what need we make any question of the arrogancy of these †Arminians called Hereticks or atheistical Sectaries Hereticks or rather Atheistical Sectaries among you when one of theâ— at this present that is Bertius a Scholar of Arminius as he described and called him in his former Letter to his Ambassador Ibid. p. 354. remaining in your Town of Leyden hath not only presumed to publish of late a blasphemous * Bertius his Book de Apostasia Sanctorium called a blasphemous Book Book of the Apostasie of the Saints but besides hath been so impudent as to send the other day a copy thereof as a goodly present to our Archbishop of Canterbury together with a Letter wherein he is not ashamed as also in his Book †To say that the Doctrine therein contained is agreeable to the profession and Doctrine of the Church of England a gross lye to lye so grosly as to avow that his Heresies contained in the said Book are agreeable with the religion and profession of our Church of England for these respects therefore have we cause enough very heartily to request you to root out with speed those * Arminianism Heresie and Schism Heresies and Schisms which are beginning to bud forth among you which if you suffer to
have the reins any longer you cannot expect any other issue thereof than the curse of God infamy throughout all the Reformed Churches and a perpetual rent and distraction in the whole body of your State Given at Westminster Octob. 6. 1611. And Sir Ralph Winwood his Majesties Ambassador there in his Remonstrance to the States-General by his Majesties approbation saith thus If therefore Religion be as the Palladium of your Common-wealth and that to preserve the one in your glory and perfection be to maintain the other in her purity let your selves then be judg in how great a danger the State must needs be at this present so long as you permit these Schisms of Arminius to have such vogue as now they have in the principal Towns of Holland and if you suffer Vorstius to be received Divinity-professor in the University of Leyden the Seminary of your Church who in scorn of the holy Word of God hath after his own fancy devised a new Sect patched together of several pieces of all sorts of ancient and modern Heresies Ibid. p. 358 and p. 361. he saith further thus His Majesty doth exhort you that you having gotten the upperhand of your miseries you would not suffer the followers of Arminius to make your actions an example for them to proclaim throughout the world that wicked The Doctrine of Arminians of the apostacy of the Saints a wicked Doctrine Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints To be short the account which his Majesty doth make of your amity appears sufficiently by the Treaties which he hath made with your Lordships by the succours which your Provinces have received from his Crowns and by the deluge of blood which his subjects have spent in your Wars Religion is the only sowder of this amity for his Majesty being by the Grace of God Defender of the Faith doth hold himself obliged to defend all those who profess the same The Protestant Hollanders of the same Faith and Religion with us Faith and Religion with him Ibid. p. 361. And p. 365. King James himself saith If the subject of Vorstius his Heresies had not been grounded upon questions of an higher quality than touching the number and nature of the Sacraments the points of Justification of Merits of Purgatory of the visible Head of the Church or any such matters as are in controversie at this day betwixt the Papists and us Nay more if he had medled only with the nature and works of God ad extra if we say he had soared no higher although we should have been very sorry to see such * Mark it he calls those points also Heresies Heresies begin to take root among our Allies and ancient Confederates we should not have been so zealons as we have been in this business And p. 368. he saith thus of the main point of Arminians The nature of man through the transgression of our first Parents hath lost free-will and retaineth not now any shadow hereof saving an inclination to evil those only excepted whom God hath sanctified and purged from their original Leprosie And p 366. he saith thus The principal bond of our conjunction is our uniformity in Religion King James was of a mind better than and different from A. B. Laud. He you see thought himself obliged to help the Hollanders as being of the same Profession and Religion with him yea and uniform in the same Religion for substance though they and he differed in Discipline mode of Worship and form of Church-Government but A. B. Laud would not acknowledg the Protestant Ministers of the Palatinate Churches to be of the same Religion with us here in the Church of England * Cypr. Anglicus l. 4. p. 305 306. where you 'l find that he caused the Letters-Patents for a Collection for those Orthodox Protestant Ministers though procured by the Queen of Bohemia of K. Ch. her Brother to be cancelled and new ones drawn and those expressions expunged c. and that because they received the Doctrine and rigors as Heylin calls them of Calvin in the point of Predestination and the rest depending thereupon as Orthodox And also for that they maintain a parity of Ministers and hold not our Episcopacy essential to the being of a Church as A. B. Laud plainly did and also for that they called the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Rome an Antichristian yoke King James called and proved the Pope of Rome to be Antichrist and the Doctrines of Arminius and his followers wicked and heretical and held those of Calvin to be Orthodox in those points and uniform with our Profession here in England as may be seen by his Declaration against Vorstius by his procuring the Synod of Dort and sending Orthodox Divines to it who condemned the five Articles of Arminius or Arminians and by his ratification of the nine Articles of Lambeth in the Articles of Ireland And for further proof of King James his judgment against Arminianism take and read a Jesuits Letter to the Rector at Bruxells Father Rector The Jesuits Letter c. We have now many strings to our bows and have strongly fortified our faction and have added two Bulwarks more for when King James lived WE KNOW HE WAS VERY VIOLENT AGAINST ARMINIANISM and interrupted with his pestilent wit and deep learning our strong designs in Holland now we have planted the Soveraign drug Arminianism which we hope will purge the Protestants from their Heresie This Letter was seized in A. B. Laud's Study Vide Prin's Introduction to A. B. Laud's tryal and attested against him at the Lords-Bar as Mr. Hickman informs me in his Justification of the Fathers and Schoolmen pag. 63. To which purpose the The Commons Declaration Commons of England assembled in Parliament declared to his late Majesty thus The hearts of your Subjects are perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the faction of Arminians that being as your Majesty well knows but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States in which they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jesuits in opinion and practise Of which growing faction Neile Bishop of Winchester and Laud Bishop of Bath and Wells are named particularly for the principal Patrons as Dr. Heylin saith Cyp. Angl. l. 3. p. 181. And though Dr. Heylin and Bishop Mountague stand much upon King James his words at the Conference at Hampton-Court yet being well considered they make nothing for their false Doctrine That truly justified persons may totally and finally fall away from the acts and habit of saving Grace but rather against it For 1. King James though he did not yield as they say at the Conference at Hampton-Court that those words totally and finally should be added to the sixteenth Article of our Church yet he yielded to it and to all the Articles of Lambeth
Tollet it is to be generally observed that there is a tacit Invocation of the Devil when a man attempts to do any thing by that which neither of it self nor by Divine power produceth such effects And Filliucius * Tract 24. c. 7. n. 170. p. 82. declaring the several ways whereby a Magical operation may be discerned most of which are applicable to their Sacramentals gives this as the reason of them all Because when the effect cannot be expected from the power of such causes since they have it not of themselves neither from God who hath not instituted them it follows that it must be expected from the Devil who is therein tacitly invocated They take it for evident that the efficacy of such things is not from God if he did not institute them not from God saith Filliucius seeing he is not the institutor So Silvester will have the Magical signs referred to Diabolical compact because having no such power of themselves they are not of Divine institution plainly signifying that if their Sacramentals were not instituted of God they could be no better than what he refers to the Devil Now what evidence is there that their Sacramentals are of Divine institution and appointed by God for such purposes Now if any indifferent man should apply that which declares that those learned Papists have written of above to two of those Ceremonies which they use and we have retained as much abused and such virtue ascribed to them not only by them but by †Bishop Mountague in Orig. p. 82. saith the sign of the Cross hath power to work Miracles to make the Devil to flie and that 't is a sword and buckler and the chief armor of the soul against all spiritual enemies many in our Church also viz. the Surplice and the sign of the Cross in Baptism I know not well how to free them that attribute such supernatural virtue to them and so use them from the same offence that is charged upon them in their use of their Sacramentals for they are retained and enjoined as a Vide of Ceremonies why some be retained before the Book of Common-prayers means apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified The Surplice is retained either to stir up the dull mind of the b Dr. John Burges of the lawfulness of Kneeling c. 17. p. 52. saith the Surplice signifieth the pureness that ought to be in the Minister of God So do the Episcopal Commissioners in answer to Presbyterians p. 108 109. Minister that wears it to innocency and holiness as if he alone needed such excitation or were alone of a dull mind in the congregation or to stir up the dull minds of the people to reverence the Surpliced Minister as more holy and innocent than others And the pleaders for it say 't was retained to signifie and teach Pastoral holiness And so 't is made a new Sacrament and a new word forbidden saith Archbishop c Sum of Christian Relig. p. 222. Bishop Morton saith that the Cross is a sign of constant profession of Christanity Pat. def c. 1. S. 6. Vsher in the second Commandment and the sign of the Cross in Baptism though most grosly abused by Superstitious and Idolatrous Papists is retained to signifie and teach constancy in the true Faith of Jesus Christ and is by Mr. Hooker called as a Sacrament à quasi Sacrament and by another a semi-Sacrament Yea Mr. Hooker d Eccles Pol. l. 5. p. 353. calls it a mean where nature doth earnestly import aid and that ready assistance than which there can be no help more e What more forcible than the Sacrament of Baptism and the Word of God preached and applied c. forcible serving only to relieve memory and to bring to our cogitation that which should most make ashamed of sin Yea doth he not say plainly that the sign of the Cross as we use it is in some sort a mean to the work of preservation from reproach surely the mind which as yet hath not hardned it self is sin is seldom provoked thereunto in any gross and grievous manner but natures secret suggestion objected against it ignominy as a bar Which conceit being entred into that palace of mans fancy the gates whereof 'T is observable that Hooker pleads for the sign of the Cross as Papists do for their Crucifixes to put men in mind of Christs Passion and their duty to him for it Of which Crucifixes are as effectual as the sign of the Cross and so he cunningly overthrows the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homily against the peril of Idolatry and secretly bring in Idolatry by our Ceremonies Eccles Pol. l. 5. Sec. 65. p. 343. have imprinted in them that holy sign which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoever Christ hath wrought and we vowed against sin it cometh hereby to pass that Christian men never want a MOST EFFECTUAL THOUGH SILENT TEACHER TO AVOID WHATSOEVER MAY DESERVEDLY PROCURE SHAME So that in things which we should be ashamed of we are by the Cross admonished faithfully of our duty at the very moment when admonition doth most need Thus Hooker By which 't is clear that he ascribes a very great virtue to the sign of the Cross and that equal to if not greater than is in the Sacrament of Baptism or the Word of God preached c. For he saith 'T is a mean most ready and a most forcible help to work preservation from sin and reproach which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoever Christ hath wrought and we have vowed against sin and a most effectual teacher which doth most faithfully admonish us of our duty c. Now this †Yea 't is said virtually that they have a power in them to reduce men to a perfect and godly living without error or superstition See ubi supra of Ceremonies in the end virtue to do these things they have not either naturally in themselves or by Divine institution They were never intended by nature or the God of nature for such purposes and God hath no where promised to give such virtue and efficacy to these humane Ceremonies and men have not power to give them such great virtue as is ascribed to them by the pleaders for them and therefore I dare not undertake to clear them from the charge and judgment that is above given against those other forementioned Sacramentals by those learned Papists Learned Festus †Disp Theol. adversus Pontificios 37. Thes 6. p. 266. Hommius saith thus of the sign of the Cross That 't is Magical and superstitious to attribute to the sign of the Cross made by the hand or finger in the air or any other thing a supernatural and divine efficacy of sanctifying us or our things of avoiding Devils and of curing Diseases and that it ought to be abrogated for this
superstitious and truly Magical abuse of it And Disputation the 38. Thes 2. p. 208. he saith further thus For seeing that Idolatry is nothing else than to attribute to the Creatures that honour that is due to God alone and those virtues which are proper to God it is manifest that all they whosoever they be that ascribe to Creatures and most of all to Inanimate Creatures the Divine Properties and the proper effects and benefits of God or Christ do manifestly make Idols of those Creatures and whoever they be that do earnestly desire or expect these benefits from them do commit gross Idolatry And Mr. Perkins in his Order of Causes of Salvation and Damnation upon the second Commandment p. 63. in 4to saith thus Satanical means I call those which are used in the producing of such an effect to the which they neither by any express rule out of Gods Word nor of their own nature were ever ordained I pray let these things be humbly and meekly considered and withal remember that there is an Amen said to the use of the sign of the Cross which is a prayer as appears in the Office of publick Baptism and the Church-Catechism I do not charge our men with it but humbly submit it to their serious consideration and desire them if any shall think they are concerned hereby to go about to clear themselves from that is here charged upon the Papists they do not as the practise of some hath been answer so as to acquit the Papists too and justifie the ungodly but rather abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. and abolish that which is amiss or hath but the real appearance of that which is evil to godly sober judicious and consciencious men Vpon the whole matter 't is Queried I. WHether among the Conformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies there be not as many Nonconformists to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery holding if not all yet many of these false Doctrines renounced as there are Nonconformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church of England II. Whether those Conformists in name that are Nonconformists in deed to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery be not more dangerous and likely to disturb the peace of the Church and Kingdom by Preaching and Printing and endeavouring to bring in Popery than those Nonconformists to the Rites and Ceremonies and Declarations enjoined but are real Conformists to the Articles of Religion of the Church of England which only concern the Doctrine of Christian faith and the Sacraments which is all the Subscription was enjoined by the ancient Law 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. 13 Eliz. c. 12. III. Whether the twentieth Article of the Authority of the Church since the first clause hath been added by the Bishops and the thirtyfourth Article of Traditions especially seeing Dr. Heylin saith in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus pag. 20 21. That authority to decree Rites or Ceremonies and authority in Controversies of Faith contained in the twentieth and thirtyfourth Articles of Religion the Church of Rome never challenged more and the third Article concerning Christs descent into Hell if it be expounded other way than that of the Apostles Creed to which assent is given in the eighth Article and the thirtysixth Article of ordering the consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons seeing the Order of Diocesan Provincial and Oecumenical Bishops distinct from and superiour to Preaching-Presbyters hath been by Papists contended for to be of Divine right or institution and yet hath been denied by sound Protestants as appears by the History of the Council of Trent and is by Archbishop Laud and his party made essential to the being of a Church which saith Adam Coutzen a Romish Priest in the second Book and eighteenth Chapter of his Politicks is the readiest and easiest way to cheat the Protestants of their Religion and Ordination by Protestant Preaching Presbyters is denied to be valid and yet Ordination of Popish Priests is allowed to be good be against Popery or may not in fine bring in the whole body of Popery if not timely prevented especially when that which Mr. Fowler * Free Discourse second Edition pag. 2. p. 191 saith shall be seriously considered viz. that those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of our Church taking that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed †p. 2. p. 305. by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth Subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And that the †What liberty is that to interpret them as they please and contrary to the Grammatical and common sense of them as Dr. Jeremy Taylor did the Ninth and Johannes de Sancta Clara Archbishop Laud's Fovourite did all the Thirty-nine Governours of the Church require not their internal assent to the Articles of the Church of England and yet require an unfeigned assent and consent to the Ceremonies and Declarations by them invented and injoined as the Act for Uniformity shews as if they were more necessary and essential to the being of the Church of England than those substantial and fundamental Truths that are contained in the other Articles of our Christian Religion Most especiall◠seeing * Gretzer de Festis l. 1. c. 2. Gretzer a Romish Priest calls the conforming part of the Clergy of England Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists as was noted before in the Epistle to the Christian Reader IV. Whether for the prevention of Popery it be not necessary to authorize some known Orthodox Nonconformists who stand not in awe of Bishops as Conformists do to license Books against Popery Arminianism Socinianism and Anabaptism and for defence of the Articles of Religion of the Church of England at least whether it be not more convenient and safe to authorize such Nonconforming Divines than it is to authorize Bishops Chaplains to license Books seeing in A. B. Lauds time they suppressed the printing of many Orthodox Books and Sermons and licensed many Heterodox and Popish Arminian and Socinian Books as may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Cyprianus Anglicus and they may do the like or the same or worse hereafter FINIS The Christian Reader is humbly desired to correct these ERRATA'S which escaped in the Printing in the Authors absence IN the Epistle p. 1. l. last in the Marg. r. Presbytery p. 11. l. 32. r. riots p. 12. l. 29. these words he faith it is a dangerous decert to say that Creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them which are not the words of Bishop Sparrow but of Thomas Rogers upon Art 31. and should have been put in the Margent against Bishop Sparrow's former words then should follow what Bishop Sparrow saith p. 391. thus and hs calls the Sacrament c. p. 20. l. 5. marg r. Balduin l. 12. for dixerit r.