man is conuerted this worke of God is not done by compulsion but he is conuerted willingly and at the very time when he is conuerted by Gods grace he wils his coÌ„uersion To this ende saide Augustine He vvhich made thee without thee will not saue thee without thee Again that is certen that our wil is required in this that we may do any goodthing wel but we haue it not from our owne povver but God workes to will in vs. For looke at what time God giues grace at the same time he giueth a will to desire will the same grace as for exaÌ„ple when God works faith at the same time he workes also vpon the will causing it to desire faith willingly to receiue the gift of beleeuing God makes of the vnwilling will a willing will because no man can receiue grace vtterly against his will considering will constrained is no will But here we must remember that howsoeuer in respect of time the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man goe togither yet in regard of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and mooued by grace then it also acteth willeth and mooueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Romane church touching freewill neither may we proceede further with them II. The dissent or difference The point of difference standeth in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall matters which concerne the kingdome of God The Papists say mans will concurreth worketh with gods grace in the first conuersion of a sinner by it selfe and by it owne naturall power and is onely helped by the holy Ghost We say that mans will worketh with grace in the first conuersion yet not of it self but by grace Or thus They say will hath a naturall cooperation we denie it say it hath cooperation onely by grace beeing in it selfe not actiue but passiue willing well onely as it is mooued by grace whereby it must first be acted and mooued before it can act or will And that we may the better conceiue the difference I will vse this comparison The Church of Rome sets forth the estate of a sinner by the condition of a prisoner and so do we marke then the difference It supposeth the said prisoner to lie bound hand and foote with chaines fetters and withall to be sicke and weake yet not wholly dead but liuing in part it supposeth also that being in this case he stirreth not himselfe for any helpe yet hath abilitie and power to stirre Herevpon if the keeper come and take away his bolts and fetters and hold him by the hand and helpe him vp he can and will of himselfe stand and walke and goe out of prison euen so say they is a sinner bound hand and foote with the chaine of his sinnes and yet he is not dead but sicke like to the wounded man in the way betweene Ierico and Ierusalem And therefore doeth he not will and affect that which is good but if the holy Ghost come and doe but vntie his bands and reach him his hand of grace then can he stand of himselfe and will his owne saluation or any thing els that is good We in like manner graunt that a prisoner fitly resembleth a naturall man but yet such a prisoner must he be as is not onely sicke and weake but euen starke dead which cannot stirre though the keeper vntie his boltes and chaines nor heare though he sound a trumpet in his eare and if the said keeper would haue him to mooue stirre he must giue him not onely his hand to help him but euen soule and life also and such a one is euery man by nature not onely chained and fettered in his sinnes but starke dead therein as one that lieth rotting in the graue not hauing any ability or power to mooue or stirre and therefore he cannot so much as desire or doe any thing that is truly good of himselfe but God must first come and put a newe soule into him euen the spirit of grace to quicken and reuiue him and then beeing thus reuiued the will beginneth to will good things at the very same time wheÌ„ god by his spirit first infuseth grace And this is the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in this point of free will III. Our Reasons Now for the confirmation of the doctrine we hold namely that a man willeth not his owne conuersion of him selfe by nature either in whole or in part but by grace wholly and alone these reasons may be vsed The first is taken from the nature and measure of mans corruption which may be distinguished into two parts The first is the want of that originall righteousnes which was in man by creation the secoÌ„d is a prones and inclination to that which is euill and to nothing that is truely good This appeareth Gen. 8. 21. The frame of mans heart saith the Lord is euill euen from his childhood that is the disposition of the vnderstanding will affections with all that the heart of man deuiseth fâ—rmeth or imagineth is wholly euil And Paul saith Rom. 8. 5. The wisdome of the flesh is ENMITIE against God Which wordes are very significant for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated vvisdome signifieth that the best thoughts the best desires affections and indeauours that be in any naturall man euen those that come most neare to true holines are not onely contrary to God but euen enmitie it selfe And hence I gather that the very heart it selfe that is the will and minde from whence these desires and thoughts doe come are also enmitie vnto God For such as the action is such is the facultie whence it proceedeth such as the fruite is such is the tree such as the branches are such are the rootes By both these places it is euident that in man there is not onely a want absence or deprivation of originall righteousnes but a prones also by nature vnto that which is euill which prones includes in it an inclination not to some fewe but to all and euery sinne the very sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted Hence therefore I reason thus If euery man by nature doe both want originall iustice and be also prone vnto all euill then wanteth he natural free-will to will that which is truly good But euery man by nature wants originall iustice and is also prone vnto all euil Ergo Euery man naturally wants free-will to will that which is good Reason II. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man PERCEIVETH NOT the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither CAN HE KNOVVE them because they are spiritually discerned In these wordes Saint Paul sets downe these points I that a naturall man doeth not so much as thinke of the things reuealed in the Gospell II. that a man hearing and in minde conceiuing them
can not giue consent vnto them and by naturall indgement approoue of them but contrariwise thinketh them to be foolishnesse III. that no man can giue assent to the things of God vnlesse he be enlightened by the spirit of God And hence I reason thus If a man by nature doth not knowe and perceiue the things of God and when he shall know them can not by nature giue assent vnto them then hath he no power to will them But the first is euidently true Ergo. For first the minde must approoue giue assent before the will can choose or will and when the mind hath not power to conceiue nor giue assent there the will hath no power to will Reason III. Thirdly the holy Ghost auoucheth Eph. 2. ◠Colloss 2. 13. that all men by nature are dead in sinnes and trespasses not as the Papists say weak sick or half dead Hence I gather that mā wāteth naturall power not to will simply but freely and franckly to will that which is truly good A dead mā in his graue cannot stirre the least finger because he wāts the very power of life sense motiō no more can he that is dead in sin will the least good nay if he could either will or do any good he could not be dead in sinn And as a dead mā in the graue cānot rise but by the power of God no more can he that is dead in sinne rise but by the power of Gods grace alone without any power of his owne Reason IV. Fourthly in the conversion and saluation of a sinner the scripture ascribeth al to God and nothing to mans freewil Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Eph. 2. 10. We are his worekmanship CREATED in Christ Iesus to good workes And c. 4. v. 24. the nevv man is CREATED to the image of God Nowe to be borne againe is a worke of no lesse importance then our first creation and therefore wholly to be ascribed to God as our creation is Indeede Paul Philip. 2. 12. 13. biddeth the Philippians worke out their saluation with feare and trembling not meaning to ascribe vnto them a power of doing good by themselues And therefore in the next verse he addeth It is God that worketh both the will and the deede directly excluding all naturall freewill in things spirituall and yet withall he acknowledgeth that mans will hath a worke in doing that which is good not by nature but by grace Because when God giues man power to will good things then he can will them and when he giueth him a power to doe good then he can doe good and he doth it For though there be not in mans conuersion a naturall cooperation of his will with Gods spirit yet is there a supernaturall cooperation by grace enabling man when he is to be conuerted to will his conuersion according to which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 15. 10. I haue laboured in the faith but least any man should imagine that this was done by any naturall power therefore he addeth yet not I that is not I by any thing in me but Gods grace in me inabling my will to doe the good I doe Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August The will of the regenerate is kindled onely by the holy Ghost that they may therefore be able because they will thus and they will thus because God VVORKES IN THEM TO VVILL And We haue LOST OVR FREEVVILL to loue God by the greatnes of our sinne Serm. 2. on the words of the Apostle Man when he was created receiue a great strēgth in his freewil but by sinning HE LOST IT Fulgētius God giueth grace freely to the vnvvorthy whereby the wicked man being iustified is inlightened VVITH THE GIFT OF GOOD VVILL and with a FACVLTIE OF DOING GOOD that by mercy preventing him he may BEGIN TO VVILL VVEL and by mercy cōming after he may doe the good he will Bernard saith It is VVHOLLY THE GRACE OF GOD that we are created healed saued Council Arausic 2. cap. 6. To beleeue and to vvill is GIVEN from aboue by INFVSION and inspiration of the holy Ghost More testimonies and reasons might be alleadged to prooue this conclusion but these shall suffice now let vs see what reasons are alledged to the cōtrary III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. First they alledge that man by nature may doe that which is good therfore will that which is good for none can doe that which he neither willeth nor thinketh to doe but first he must will and then doe Nowe say they men can doe good by nature as giue almes speake the trueth doe iustice and practise other duties of ciuill vertue and therfore will that which is good I ansvver that a naturall man may do good workes for the substance of the outwarde worke but not in regard of the goodnes of the manner these are two diuers things A man without supernaturall grace may giue almes do iustice speake the truth c. which be good things considered in themselues as God hath commanded them but he cannot doe them well To thinke good things and to doe good things are naturall workes but to think good things in a good manner and to doe them well so as God may accept the action done are works of grace And therefore the good thing done by a naturall man is a sinne in respect of the doer because it failes both for his right beginning which is a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained as also for his ende which is the glory of God Obiect II. God hath commaunded all men to beleeue and repent therefore they haue natural free wil by vertue whereof being helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue and repent Ansvv. This reason is not good for by such commaundements God sheweth not what men are able to doe but what they should do and what they can not doe Againe the reason is not well framed it ought rather to be thus Because God giues men commaundement to repent and beleeue therefore they haue power to repent beleeue either by nature or by grace then we hold with them For when God in the Gospell commaundeth men to repent and to beleeue at the same time by his grace he inableth them both to will or desire to beleeue and repent as also actually to repent and beleeue Obiect III. If man haue no freewill to sinne or not to sinne then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoided Ansvv. The reason is not good for though man can not but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe therefore he is to be punished as a bankrupt is not therefore freed from his debts because he is not able to pay them but the bils against him stande in force because the debt comes thorough his owne default The second point of Originall sinne The next point to be handled
is concerning Originall sinne after baptisme that is how farforth it remaineth after baptisme A point to be well considered because hereupon depend many points of poperie I. Our consent I. Conclus They say naturall corruption after baptisme is abolished and so say we but let vs see how farre it is abolished In originall sinne are three things I. the punishment which is the first and second death II. Guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment III. the fault or the offending of God vnder which I comprehend our Guiltines in Adams first offence as also the Corruption of the heart which is a naturall inclination pronesse to any thing that is euill or against the law of God For the first we say that after baptisme in the regenerate the punishment of originall sinne is taken away There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that be in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 1. For the second that is the guiltines we further condescende and say that is also taken away in them that are borne anew for considering there is no condemnation to them there is nothing to binde them to punishment Yet this caueat must be remembred namely that the guiltines is remooued from the person regenerate not from the sinne in the person but of this more afterward Thirdly the guilt in AdaÌ„s first offence is pardoned And touching the corruption of the heart I auouch two things I. That that very power or strength wherby it raigneth in man is taken away in the regenerate II. That this corruption is abolished as also the fault of euery actuall sinne past so farre forth as it is the fault and sinne of the man in whome it is Indeede it remaines till death and it is sinne considered in it selfe so long as it remaines but it is not imputed vnto the person and in that respect is as though it were not it beeing pardoned II. The dissent or difference Thus farre we consent with the Church of Rome now the difference betweene vs stands not in the abolishment but in the manner and the measure of the abolishment of this sinne Papists teach that Original sinne is so farre forth taken away after baptisme that it ceaseth to be a sinne properly and is nothing els but a want defect and weaknes making the heart fit and readie to conceiue sinne much like tinder which though it be no fire of it selfe yet is it very apt and fit to conceiue fire And they of the church of Rome denie it to be sinne properly that they might vpholde some grosse opinions of theirs namely That a man in this life may fulfill the law of God and doe good workes voide of sinne that he may stande righteous at the barre of Gods iudgement by them But we teach otherwise that though originall sinne be taken away in the regenerate and that in sundrie respects yet doth it remaine in them after baptisme not onely as a want and weaknesse but as a sinne and that properly as may by these reasons be prooued Reason I. Rom. 7. 17. Paul saith directly It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me that is originall sinne The Papists answer againe that it is so called improperly because it commeth of sinne and also is an occasion of sinne to be done But by the circumstances of the text it is sinne properly for in the words following Saint Paul saith that this sinne dwelling in him made him to doe the euill which he hated And v. 24. he crieth out O wretched man that I am vvho shall deliver me from this bodie of death whence I reason thus That which once was sinne properly and still remaining in man maketh him to sinne and intangleth him in the punishment of sinne and makes him miserable that is sinne properly But originall sinne doth all these Ergo. Reason II. Infants baptised and regenerate die the bodily death before they come to the yeares of discretion therefore originall sinne in them is sinne properly or else they should not die hauing no cause of death in them for death is the wages of sinne as the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 23. and Rom. 5. 12. Death entred into the world by sinne As for actuall sinne they haue none if they die presently after they are borne before they come to any vse either of reason or affection Reason III. That which lusteth against the spirit and by lusting tempteth and in tempting intiseth and draweth the heart to sinne is for nature sinne it selfe but concupiscence in the regenerate lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. and tempteth as I haue saide Iam. 1. 14. God tempteth no man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne avvay by his owne concupiscence and is intised then when lust conceiueth it bringeth forth sinne And therefore it is sinne properly such as the fruit is such is the tree August Concupiscence against vvhich the spirit lusteth IS SINNâ— because in it there is disobedience against the rule of the minde and it is the punishment of sinne because it befalls man for the merits of his disobedience and it is the cause of sinne Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August epist. 29. Charitie in some is more in some lesse in some none the highest degree of all which cannot be increased is in none as long as man liues vpon earth And as long as it may be increased THAT VVHICH IS LESSE THEN IT SHOVLD BE IS IN FAVLT by which fault it is that there is no iust man vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by which fault none liuing shalbe iustified in the sight of God for which fault if we say we haue no sinne there is no truth in vs for which also though vve profit neuer so much it is necessarie for vs to say forgiue vs our debts though al our words deedes and thoughts be alreadie forgiuen in baptisme Indeede August in sundrie places seemes to denie concupiscence to be sinne after baptisme but his meaning is that concupiscence in the regenerate is not the sinne of the person in whome it is For thus he expoundes himselfe This is not to haue sinne not to be guiltie of sinne And The lavv of sinne in baptisme is remitted and not ENDED And Let not sinne raigne he saith not let not sinne be but let it not raigne For as long as thou liâ—est of necessitie sinne will be in thy members at the least looke it raigne not in thee c. Obiections of Papists The arguments which the Church of Rome alleadgeth to the contrarie are these Obiect I. In baptisme men receiue perfect and absolute pardon of sinne and sinne being pardoned is taken quite away and therefore originall sinne after baptisme ceaseth to be sinne Ans. Sinne is abolished two waies first in regard of imputatioÌ„ to the person secoÌ„dly in regard of existing and beeing For this cause God vouchsafeth to maÌ„ two blessings in baptisme Remission of sinne
8. Secondly God in making promise of saluation respects not mens worthinesse For he chose vs to life euerlasting when we were not he redeemed vs from death beeing enemies and intitles vs to the promise of saluation if vve acknovvledge our selues to be sinners Matth. 9. If vve labour and trauaile vnder the burden of them Matth. 11. If we hunger and thirst after grace Ioh. 7. 37. And these things we may certenly and sensibly perceiue in our selues and when wee finde them in vs though our vnworthines be exceeding great it should not hinder our assurance For God makes manifest his power in our weaknes 2. Cor. 12. and he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe Isa. 42. Thirdly if a man loue God for his mercies sake and haue a true hope of saluation by Christ he is in Christ and hath fellowship with him and he that is in Christ hath all his vnworthines wants laid on Christ and they are couered and pardoned in his death and in respect of our selues thus cōsidered AS VVE ARE IN CHRIST we haue no cause to wauer but to be certen of our saluatiō that in regard of our selues The fourth point touching the iustification of a sinner That we may see how farre we are to agree with them and where to differ first I will set downe the doctrine on both parts secondly the maine differences wherein we are to stande against them euen to death Our doctrine touching the iustification of a sinner I propound in fowre rules Rule I. That iustification is an action of God whereby he absolueth a sinner and accepteth him to life euerlasting for the righteousnes and merit of Christ. Rule II. That iustification stands in two things first in the remission of sinnes by the merit of Christ his death secondly in the imputation of Christ his righteousnes which is an other action of God whereby he accounteth and esteemeth that righteousnes which is in Christ as the righteousnes of that sinner which beleeueth in him By Christ his righteousnes we are to vnderstand two things first his sufferings specially in his death and passion secondly his obedience in fulfilling the law both which goe togither for Christ in suffering obeied obeying suffered And the very shedding of his blood to which our saluation is ascribed must not onely be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which he shewed his exceeding loue both to his father and vs and thus fulfilled the law for vs. This point if some had well thought on they would not haue placed all iustification in remission of sinnes as they doe Rule III. That iustification is from Gods meere mercie and grace procured onely by the merit of Christ. Rule IV. That man is iustified by faith alone because faith is that alone instrument created in the heart by the holy ghost wherby a sinner laieth holde of Christ his righteousnes and applieth the same vnto himselfe There is neither hope nor loue nor any other grace of God within man that can doe this but faith alone The doctrine of the Romane Church touching the iustification of a sinner is on this manner I. They holde that before iustification there goes a preparation thereunto which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of naturall freewill whereby a man disposeth himselfe to his owne future iustification In the preparation they consider the ground of iustification and things proceeding from it The ground is faith which they define to be a generall knowledge whereby wee vnderstande and beleeue that the doctrine of the word of God is true Things proceeding from this faith are these a sight of our sinnes a feare of hell hope of saluation loue of God repentance and such like all which when men haue attained they are then fully disposed as they say to their iustification This preparation being made then comes iustification it selfe which is an action of God whereby he maketh a man righteous It hath two parts the first and the second The first is when a sinner of an euill man is made a good man And to effect this two things are required first the pardon of sinne which is one part of the first iustification secondly the infusion of inward righteousnes whereby the heart is purged and sanctified and this habite of righteousnes stands specially in hope and charitie After the first iustification followeth the second which is when a man of a good or iust man is made better and more iust this say they may proceed from works of grace because he which is righteous by the first iustification can bring forth good works by the merit wherof he is able to make himselfe more iust and righteous and yet they graunt that the first iustification commeth onely of Gods mercie by the merit of Christ. 1. Our consent and difference Now let vs come to the points of difference betweene vs and them touching iustification The first maine difference is in the matter thereof which shall be seene by the answer both of Protestant and Papist to this one question What is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting we answer Nothing but the righteousnesse of Christ which consisteth partly in his sufferings and partly in his actiue obedience in fulfilling the rigour of the law And heare let vs consider how neare the Papists come to this answer and wherein they dissent Consent I. They graunt that in Iustificatiō sinne is pardoned by the merits of Christ that none can be iustified without remission of sinnes and that is well II. They graunt that the righteousnesse whereby a man is made righteous before God commeth from Christ from Christ alone III. The most learned among them say that Christ his satisfaction and the merit of his death is imputed to euery sinner that doth beleeue for his satisfaction before God and hitherto we agree The very point of difference is this we hould that the satisfaction made by Christ in his death and obedience to the lawe is imputed to vs and becomes our righteousnes They say it is our satisfaction and not our righteousnes whereby we stand righteous before God because it is inherent in the person of Christ as in a subiect Now the answere of the Papist to the former question is on this manner The thing saith he that maketh vs righteous before God and causeth vs to be accepted to life euerlasting is remission of sinnes and the habite of inward righteousnes or charitie with the fruits therof We condescend and graunt that the habite of righteousnes which we call sanctification is an excellent gift of God and hath his reward of God and is the matter of our iustification before men because it serueth to declare vs to be reconciled to God and to be iustified yet we denie it to be the
when we doe things prescribed in the way of counsell we may profit our selues and merit therby But this answer doth not stand with reason For things commanded in that they are commaunded are more excellent then things left to our libertie because the will and commaundement of God giues excellencie and goodnes vnto them Againe counsells are thought to be haâ—der then the commandements of the law and if men can not profit themselues by obedience of moral precepts which are more easie much lesse shall they be able to profit theÌ„selues by counsells which are of greater difficultie Reason IV. If it be not in the abilitie and power of man to keepe the law then much lesse is he able to doe any worke that is beyond and aboue all the law requireth but no man is able to fulfill the lawe and therefore no man is able to supererrogate Here the Papists deny the proposition for say they though we keepe not the lawe yet we may doe things of counsell aboue the lawe and thereby merit But by their leaues they speake absurdly for in common reason if a man faile in the lesse he cannot but faile in the greater Now as I haue said in popish doctrine it is easier to obey the moral lawe then to performe the counsells of perfection Obiections of Papists I. Isaie 56. 4. The Lord saith vnto Eunuches that keepe his sabbath and choose the thinge that pleaseth him will he giue a place a name better then the sonnes and daughters Now say they an Eunuch is one that liues a single life and keepes the vow of chastitie herevpon he is said to deserue a greater measure of glory Ans. If the wordes be well considered they prooue nothing lesse for honour is promised to Eunuches not because they make and performe the vowe of single life but because as the text saith they obserue the Lordes Sabbath and chose the thing that pleaseth God and keepe his couenant which is to beleeue the word of God to obey the commandements of the morall lawe Obiect II. Mat. 16. 12. Christ saith There are some which haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen therefore the vowe of single life is warrantable and is a worke of speciall glorie in heauen Ans. The meaning of this text is that some hauing receiued the gift of continencie doe willingly content themselues with single estate that they may with more libertie without distraction further the good estate of the Church of God or the kingdome of grace in themselues and others This is all that can be gathered out of this place hence therefore cannot be gathered the merit of euerlasting glorie by single life Obiect III. Math. 9 21. Christ saith to the young man If thou wilt be perfect goe sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen Therefore say they a man by forsaking all may merit not onely heauen but also treasure there that is an exceeding measure of glorie Ans. This young man beeing in likelihoode a most strickt Pharise thought to merit eternall life by the workes of the law as his first question imporieth Good master what shall I doe to be saued and therefore Christ goeth about to discouer vnto him the secret corruption of his heart and herevpon the words alledged are a commandement of triall not common to all but special to him The like commandement gaue the Lord to Abraham saying Abraham take thine onely sonne Isaac and offer him vpoÌ„ the mountaine which I shall shewe thee Gen. 12. 2. IV. Obiect 1. Cor. 7. 8. Paul saith It is good for all to be single as he was and v. 38. he saith it is better for virgins not to marry and this he speakes hy permission not by commandement v. 26. Ans. Here single life is not preferred simply but onely in respect of the present necessitie because the Church was then vnder persecution and because such as liue a single life are freed from the cares and distractions of the world V. Obiect 1. Cor. 9. 15. 17. 18. Paul preached that excelled in faith in the times of the olde and new testament II. They are to be honoured by giuing of thankes to God for them and the benefits that God vouchsafed by them vnto his Church Thus Paul saith that when the Churches heard of his conuersion they glorified God for him or in him Gal. 1. 13. And the like is to be done for the Saints departed III. They are to be honoured by an imitation of their faith humilitie meekenesse repentance the feare of God all good vertues wherin they excelled For this cause the examples of godly men in the old and new testament are called a cloud of witnesses by allusion for as the cloud did guide the Israelites through the wildernes to the land of Canaan so the faithful now are to be guided to the heauenly Canaan by the examples of good men that haue beleeued in God before vs and haue walked the strait way to life euerlasting Concl. II. Againe their TRVERELIQVES that is their vertues and good examples left to all posteritie to be followed we keepe and respect with due reuerence Yea if any man can shewe vs the bodily relique of any true Saint and prooue it so to be though we will not worship it yet will we not despise it but keepe it as a monument if it may conueniently be done without offence And thus farre we consent with the church of Rome Further we must not goe The dissent Our difference stands in the manner of worshipping of Saints The Papists make two degrees of religious worshippe The highest they cal Latria whereby God himselfe is worshipped and that alone The second lower then the former is called Doulia whereby the Saints and Angells that be in the speciall fauour of God and glorified with euerlasting glorie in heauen are worshipped This worshippe they place in outward adoration in bending of the knee and bowing of the bodie to them beeing in heauen in invocation whereby they call vpon them in dedication of Churches and houses of religion vnto them in sabbathes and festiuall daies lastly in pilgrimages vnto their reliques images We likewise distinguish adoration or worship for it is either religious or civill Religious worship is that which is done to him that is Lord of all things the searcher and trier of the heart omnipotent euery where present able to heare and helpe them that call vpon him euery where the author and first cause of euery good thing and that simply for himselfe because he is absolute goodnes it selfe And this worship is due to God alone being also commaunded in the first and second com mandements of the first table Ciuill worship is the honour done to men set above vs by God himselfe either in respect of their excellent gifts or in respect of their offices authoritie whereby they gouerne others The right ende of this worship is to testifie and declare that we
when they are dying they should hold practise euery day while they are liuing In the last cōclusiō they teach that we must not onely beleeue in generall but also apply vnto our selues the promises of life euerlasting But they differ from vs in the very manner of applying They teach that the promise is to be applied not by faith assuring vs of our owne saluation but onely by hope in likelihood coniecturall We hould that wee are bound in dutie to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith We doe not teach that all and euerie man liuing within the precincts of the Church professing the name of Christ is certen of his saluation and that by faith but that he ought so to be and must indeauour to attaine thereto And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie to be considered for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluatiō and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the gospell For it inioynes two things first to beleeue the promises therof to be true in themselues secondly to beleeue by faith to applie them vnto our selues And this latter part without which the former is voide of comfort is quite ouerturned The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine I haue answered before now therfore I let them passe To conclude though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vs in doctrine concerning faith yet indeed they deny abolish the substance therof namely the particular certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits vnto our selues Again they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie office of true sauing faith which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised The XXI point Of Repentance Our consent Conclus I. That repentance is the conuersion of a sinner There is a twofold conuersion passiue and actiue passiue is an action of God whereby he conuerteth man beeing as yet vnconuerted Actiue is an action wherby man beeing once turned of God turnes himselfe and of this latter must this conclusion be vnderstood For the first cōuersion considering it is a worke of God turning vs vnto himselfe is not the repentance whereof the Scripture speaketh so oft but it is called by the name of regeneration and repentance whereby we beeing first turned of God doe turne our selues and doe good works is the fruit thereof Conclus II. That repentance standes specially for practise in contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction in work or deede Touching contrition there be two kinds thereof Legal and Euangelical Legal contrition is nothing but a remorse of conscience for sinne in regard of the wrath and iudgement of God and it is no grace of God at all nor any part or cause of repentance but onely an occasion thereof and that by the mercie of God for of it selfe it is the sting of the law and the very entrance into the pit of hell Euangelical contrition is when a repentant sinner is greeued for his sinnes not so much for feare of hell or any other punishment as because he hath offended displeased so good mercifull a God This contrition is caused by the ministerie of the Gospell and in the practise of repentance it is alwaies necessarie and goes before as the beginning thereof Secondly we holde and maintaine that confession is to be made and that in sundrie respects first to God both publikely in the congregation and also priuately in our secret and priuate prayers Secondly to the Church when any person hath openly offended the congregation by any crime and is therefore excommunicate Thirdly to our priuate neighbour when we haue vpon any occasion offended and wronged him Mat. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and be reconciled to him now reconciliation presupposeth confession Lastly in all true repentance we holde and acknowledge there must be satisction made first to God and that is when wee intreate him in our supplications to acecpt the death and passion of Christ as a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for all our sinnes Secondly it is to be made vnto the Church after excommunication for publike offences and it stands in duties of humiliatiō that fitly serue to testifie the truth of our repentance Thirdly satisfaction is to be made to our neighbour because if he be wronged he must haue recompence and restitution made Luc. 19. 8. and there repentance may iustly be suspected where no satisfaction is made if it lie in our power Conclus III. That in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruites worthie amendment of life for repentance it selfe is in the heart and therefore must be testified in all manner of good workes whereof the principall is to endeauour day by day by Gods grace to leaue and renounce all and euery sinne and in all things to doe the will of God And here let it be remembered that we are not patrones of licentiousnes and enemies of good workes For though we exclude them from the acte of our iustification and saluation yet we maintaine a profitable and necessarie vse of them in the life of euery Christian man This vse is threefold in respect of God of man of our selues Workes are to be done in respect of God that his commandements may be obeied 1. Ioh. 5. 12. that his will may be done 1. Thess. 4. 3. that we may shew our selues to be obedient children to God our father 1. Pet. 1. 14. that we may shewe our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ Tit. 2. 14. that we might not grieue the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. but walke according to the same Gal. 5. 22. that God by our good workes may be glorified Math. 5. 16. that we may be good followers of God Eph. 5. v. 1. Againe workes are to be done in regard of men that our neighbour may be helped in worldly things Luc. 6. 38. that he may be wonne by our example to godlines 1. Pet. 3. 14. that we may preuent in our selues the giuing of any offence 1. Cor. 10. 32. that by doing good wee may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries Thirdly lastly they haue vse in respect of our selues that we may shew our selues to be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. that we may walke as the children of light Eph. 5. 8. that we haue some assurance of our faith and of our saluation 2. Pet. 1. 8 10. that we may discerne deade and counterfait faith from true faith I am 2. 17. that faith and the gifts of God may be exercised and continued vnto the ende 2. Tim. 1. 6. that the punishments of sinne both temporall eternall may be preuented psal 89. 32. that the rewarde may be obtained which God freely in mercie hath promised to men for their good works Gal. 6. 9. The