of Grace should no more have hindred his Salvation than God's Threatning against Nineveh The cause of Rejection or Damnation is Sin in man which will not hear neither receive the promise of the Gospel c. It is not a Christian man's part to attribute his Salvation to his own Free-will with the Pelagian and extenuate Original Sin nor to make God the Author of ill and damnation with the Manichee nor yet to say that God hath written Fatal Laws and with necessity of Destiny violently pulleth the one by the hair into Heaven and thrusteth the other head-long into Hell I have thus at large transcribed the words of these two Holy Bishops and Martyrs for the Reformed Religion because the Books are not easie to be met with and Bishop Hooper's not to be light on without great difficulty And I say by these Citations to which we might have added others it is very apparent not only that they undoubtedly believed the Doctrine of Christ's dying for all men and were zealous Assertors of it too but also that they rejected that Doctrine of Fatal Decrees which is the Foundation of the contrary Opinion I cannot but take notice by the way how Unreasonable and Uncharitable those men are who clamour at such a rate against their Brethren as Innovators and Apostates from the Church of England for their asserting no worse Doctrine than we have now seen was heartily approved by these Ancient and Eminent Fathers of our Church The Doctrine of which Church I presume they 'l have the Modesty to acknowledge they were as fit judges of as themselves But I must hasten to that which is much more to our present purpose viz. That no Doctrine is more clearly or fully asserted in the Holy Scriptures than this of Vniversal Redemption And that there may remain no longer the least doubt or scruple in any of our breasts concerning it let us take notice of these following particulars First How those that have a share in Christ's Redemption are expressed by our Saviour and his Apostles They are expressed by the words SINNERS indefinitely the WORLD ALL the WHOLE WORLD EVERY MAN And can the Wisdom of man invent more plain significant and full words by which to express the Universality of Mankind 1. Those whom Christ came and died to save that is to put into a Salvable state so that it will be wholly long of themselves if they perish are expressed by the word Sinners indefinitely S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners of which I am chief Now 't is a known Maxim that An indefinite Proposition is equivalent to an Vniversal one And our Saviour himself saith that He came to call sinners to repentance Luke 5. 32. And to seek and save that which was lost Chap. 19. 10. He makes no exception of Sinners or Lost persons and therefore what can they be less than All Mankind But if this be not satisfactory 2. They are expressed by the word World Our Saviour saith Iohn 3. 16 17. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved I could not disparage any ones understanding more than by endeavouring to satisfie him that 't is a most pitiful and senseless shift to say that by the World is meant all the Elect in the world that is some exceeding few of the world in comparison of the rest For besides that this is to make nonsence of the former Verse as must needs be obvious to every body so by taking the same Liberty in interpreting other Texts the Bible would be made the most insignificant Book in the world The Generality of men is ordinarily called the World and Bad men are sometimes so called in Scripture because they are the Generality but to express the incomparably lesser part of men by the word World is such a Figure as was never heard of 3. They are expressed by the word All to put us more out of doubt 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again Now did ever the word All signifie a few And that by All is to be understood the Universality is plain from the former of these Verses where the Apostle proves that all were dead or obnoxious to death by this Argument that Christ died for all But we will not question whether all in the largest sence were obnoxious to death and therefore all must be understood in the same extent when it is said that Christ died for all or we shall make the Apostle a very sad Arguer For how could it follow from hence that Christ died for some that therefore all without exception were dead Again 1 Tim. 2. 6. we read that Christ gave himself a Ransom for all And ver 4. that He will have all to be saved and come to the knowledge or Acknowledgment of the truth And once more 1 Tim. 4. 10. that He is the Saviour of all men but especially of those that believe So that those that believe are not the all he is the Saviour of the all being distinguished from them And the meaning of the words is sufficiently obvious viz. He is so the Saviour of all as to put them into a capacity of Salvation but he is so the Saviour of those that believe as that they shall be actually saved Those that so believe as to obey the Gospel are at present in a state of Salvation and if they persevere shall be undoubtedly saved 4. Those whom Christ died for and came to save to make it still more out of doubt if it be possible are expressed by the Whole World 1 John 2. 6. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole World Nay 5. They are expressed by Every man Heb. 2. 9. But we see Iesus who was made a little or for a little while lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every man And this is the fullest and most Comprehensive Expression that can be imagined If after all these most express Affirmations in such variety of the plainest words it shall still be asserted that the Doctrine of Universal Redemption is Heretical or false there needs no other Reply but this Let Christ be true and his Holy Apostles and everyman a Liar that dares to
but a very small number compared with those for whom he did not die and those for whom he died shall be undoubtedly saved and those for whom he died not shall be undoubtedly damned then I cannot see how the wisest man on Earth can answer this Plea of a wicked man for persisting impenitently in his wickedness viz. If Christ died for me I shall be saved and he will most assuredly at his own time which to be sure is the best bring me over to the obedience of his Precepts by his Omnipotent grace if that be necessary in order to my Salvation But if he died not for me then let me do what I can it will signifie nothing my state is unalterable So that I run no hazard in being careless and neglectful of the concerns of my Soul on supposition of my having an interest in the death of Christ nor is my case one jot the better for my diligence in using the means of Salvation according to my power on supposition of the contrary Now how can we think that the Gospel doth contain such mighty Arguments to perswade us to work out our own Salvation whilest it leaves us utterly unable to answer this Plea that Careless People may and do many of them make for their Carelesness And therefore it highly concerns us to beware of that Doctrine which makes Christ to die but for some Certain Persons as not only most false but as very dangerous The truth is this Doctrine could never gain any considerable Credit in any Church in the World for the first fifteen hundred years 'T was broached with the other concomitant Doctrines by one Lucidus a Presbyter in France about the year of our Lord 500 of which the Pelagian Heresie was the occasion but quickly condemned by two Councils one at Arles the other at Lions About 300 years after it was with the other revived by Godscalcus a person of ill Fame but condemned again by a Council at Mentz But the Doctrine we are defending was Asserted as a Point never doubted of by the Fathers of the first 300 years And is as expresly Asserted in the most Ancient Confessions of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea and also in the Articles Homilies and Catechism of our own Church And those three Holy Martyrs Arch-Bishop Cranmer Bishop Latimer and Bishop Hooper who will be acknowledged by our Adversaries in this Point to be most Orthodox men have as plainly and fully given their testimony thereunto as we can desire Arch-Bishop Cranmer in the Preface to his Book against Gardiner hath these words that Christ made a Sacrifice and Oblation of his body upon the Cross which was a full Redemption Satisfaction and Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World Bishop Latimer in his Sermon on the first Sunday after the Epiphany tells us that Iesus is an Hebrew word which signifieth in our English Tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankind born into the World And he hath this passage in his Sermon on the Gospel for the twenty first Sunday after Trinity P. 2. of Fol. 208. which would be horribly offensive to many now adays viz. That Christ shed as much bloud for Judas as he did for Peter Peter believed it and therefore was saved Judas would not believe and therefore he was condemned the fault being in him only and in no body else Bishop Hooper in his Preface to his Exposition of the Ten Commandments saith That as the Sin of Adam without priviledge or exemption extended and appertained unto all and every of Adams Posterity so did this promise of Grace generally appertain as well to every and singular of Adams posterity as to Adam As it is more plainly expressed where God promiseth to bless in the seed of Abraham all the people of the World And that these Good men did not hold Contradictions but as they undoubtedly believed that Christ died for all so they also rejected that Doctrine of the Divine Decrees which is inconsistent therewith is plain from the following passages Bishop Latimer saith in his Fourth Sermon on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany That if the most part be damned the fault is not in God but in themselves for Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would that all men should be saved but they themselves procure their own damnation and despise the Passion of Christ by their own wicked and inordinate living Here we may learn to keep us from all curious and dangerous Questions when we hear that some be chosen and some be damned Let us have good hope that we shall be among the chosen and live after this hope c. Think that God hath chosen those that believe in Christ and that Christ is the Book of life c. So we need not to go about to trouble our selves with curious questions of the Predestination of God But let us rather endeavour our selves that we may be in Christ for when we be in him then are we well and then we may be sure that we are ordained to everlasting life But you will say how shall I know that I am in the Book of life How shall I try my self to be elect of God to everlasting life I answer First we may know that we may one time be in the book and another time come out again as it appeareth by David See more that follows to the same purpose Fol. 310. Again in his Sermon on Septuag Fol. 214. saith he God's Salvation is sufficient to save all Mankind But we are so wicked of our selves that we refuse the same and we will not take it when 't is offered to us and therefore he saith Pauci verò electi Few are chosen that is few have pleasure and delight in it for the most part are weary of it cannot abide it for there are some that hear it but they will abide no danger c. Such men are cause of their own Damnation for God would have them saved but they refuse it like Judas the Traitor whom Christ would have had to be saved but he refused his Salvation he refused to follow the Doctrine of his Master Christ. And Bishop Hooper is very full and particular to this purpose in his forecited Preface Saith he Cain was no more excluded from the promise of Christ till he excluded himself than Abel Saul than David Judas than Peter Esau than Jacob Concerning which two Brethren in the sentence of God given to Rebecca there was no mention at all that Esau should be disinherited of Eternal Life but that he should be inferior to his Brother Jacob in this world which Prophecy was fulfilled in their Posterity and not the Persons themselves God is said by the Prophet to have hated Esau not because he was disinherited of Eternal Life but in laying his mountains and his heritage waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness Mal. 1. 3. That Threatning of God against Esau if he had not of wilful malice excluded himself from the Promise
contradict them Secondly As our Saviour and his Apostles do so express the Persons for whom he died as that they must necessarily be the Universality of Mankind so we learn from S. Paul that the Remedy by Christ is of equal extent with the mischief occasioned by Adam That the Sore is not so broad but the Plaister is every whit as broad Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life Can anything be said plainer than this is in these words viz. That as many as fell by the Transgression of Adam were designed to be recovered by the Righteousness of Christ But it is Objected that it follows in the 19. ver that By the obedience of one shall Many he made Righteous As our Saviour himself saith This is the New Testament in my bloud which was shed for Many for the Remission of Sins But that this is a Strange objection will appear by comparing the latter part of that 19. ver with the former For as by one mans disobedience Many were made sinners So that as many were put into a possibility of being justified by the Righteousness of Christ and we do not desire that more should as were made Sinners or made liable to condemnation by the Disobedience of Adam And by this means the Reign of Grace to Eternal life was designed to be no more limited than was the Reign of Sin to death As it follows in the 21. ver That as Sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. And it is not to be wondered at that the word Many should signifie All for it is well known that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many or the Many is used in other Greek Authors to signifie all as well as in the New Testament So that these Texts do most necessarily and plainly speak thus much That none that hear the Gospel shall fall short of Salvation but through their Unbelief and Disobedience their wilful rejecting the Remedy offered them Nor any neither that never heard the Gospel merely for the Transgression of their first Parents but only for their own Sins I mean their wilful disobedience to that light they have And that none to whom the Gospel is preached are excluded from Salvation by Christ is manifestly implied in those words of our Saviour Iohn 3. 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life As the Brazen Serpent was erected for the Cure of all that were stung by the Fiery Serpent none excepted but such as would not look up to it for that end So none shall be shut out from the benefit designed by the Son of man's being lifted up upon the Cross but such as will not believe that is apply themselves to him in that way which he hath appointed for the obtaining of it And though our Saviour saith ver 19. of that Chapter that This is the condemnation that a light is come into the World Yet he immediately explains himself in the following words and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil Or Mens being condemned by the occasion of his coming is to be imputed to their Rejecting him and so refusing to comply with the most reasonable terms of his New Gracious Covenant not to his or his Father's design in his Coming For he saith Iohn 12. 47. I came not to judge the World but to save the World Thirdly We are assured that Christ died even for those that perish The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8. 11. If any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be imboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols and through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ died Here it is supposed that a man may perish for whom Christ died And consequently that he died for Reprobates themselves that is those that have made themselves so for if Christ died for all there can be no other Reprobates Again Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died And the Author to the Hebrews expresly preacheth this Doctrine Chap. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified or Consecrated an unholy thing S. Peter likewise asserts the same 2 Epist. 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there will be false Teachers among you who privily will bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction So that these vile wretches were not destroyed because Christ did not redeem them for they are said to be bought or redeemed by him as well as others but they brought upon themselves swift destruction Lastly If this Doctrine be false that Christ died for all then none are or can be condemned for not Believing in him notwithstanding that the condemnation of men is so continually ascribed thereunto For 't is a plain case that those for whom Christ did not die can be no more obliged to believe in him than the Devils are And to say that any are condemned for not doing that which it was not their duty to do will I hope be acknowledged the grossest absurdity This little in comparison of what might be said to demonstrate the truth of this Great Article of our Faith is much more than barely sufficient to give us an undoubted assurance of it The truth is the Sun doth not shine more bright in the Firmament than doth this Doctrine in the New Testament And I know nothing we can be assured of upon Scripture Authority if this be False or Uncertain I verily believe that there are few of the Greatest Points of our Christian Faith but may as plausibly be objected against as this Doctrine from Scripture 'T is said indeed by our Saviour Iohn 10. 5. I lay down my life for my sheep But did he ever say I lay down my life for none but my sheep If he had we must have concluded either that the whole World are his Sheep or that which is far worse that he said and unsaid and contradicted himself and so destroyed the Foundation of our Faith and Hope But in saying He laid down his life for his sheep his meaning was that those who obeyed his voice should receive the benefit of his death and such Sheep he would have all to be For as we have seen in 1 Tim. 2. 4. He would have all men to be saved and to come to the acknowledgment of the truth Again our Saviour saith that He
that I would my self publish it to all the world and instead of thinking it a disgrace and disparagement I would esteem it as an ornament for my innocence would be the more cleared and my good name vindicated by the means of it And so far would I be from sneaking and skulking in corners like one ashamed to shew his head that I would like a Prince with Heroick courage and confidence go up to the face of mine Enemy and expose and lay open my whole life before him Or rather we will read these Verses as the sence of them is expressed in a late excellent Paraphrase upon this Book Oh that the truth of all this that I have been accused of might be examined by some equal judge Behold I continue still to desire of God this favour And let him that can accuse me bring in his Libel in writing against me Surely I would not endeavour to obscure it but openly expose it to be read by all nay wear it as a singular ornament which would turn to mine honour when the world saw it disproved I my self would assist him to draw up his charge by declaring to him freely every action of my life I would approach him as undauntedly as a Prince who is assured of the goodness of his cause These words with many other of his sayings shew what a blessed Liberty the Soul of this Holy man was possessed with even whilest he was deprived of all his outward comforts and in the saddest and most dismal circumstances Thirdly Nothing will free a man from Trouble and Dejection of mind like the careful observance of the Laws of Righteousness This as it is a certain consequent of Fear and Shame it must needs free a man from as it freeth from those its Causes But it incomparably beyond any thing in the world cureth this Malady of a wounded spirit how or by whatsoever it be occasioned I have shewed that it is the fate of Sinners to feel great perturbation and disturbance of mind from their corrupt Affections by the law in their members warring against the law of their minds and also by reflecting upon their folly and madness and by the fearful expectations that their manifold bold transgressions of the Divine Laws do raise in them The wicked saith the Prophet are like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Cain had no sooner given place to Envy and Revenge but his Countenance fell and the Disquiet of his mind was bewrayed by his looks But there is no such Lightsomness and Sprightfulness of Soul no such Pleasure and Self-satisfaction as that which results from true Religion Righteousness and Goodness It 's ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths peace Prov. 3. 17. Light is sown for the Righteous and joy for the Vpright in heart Psal. 97. 11. Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them Psal. 119. 165. The work of Rigteousness shall be peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Esay 32. 17. The Good man is free from self-accusations and from that gnawing Worm that is frequently felt in Guilty breasts He is not appalled in thinking of what is past nor cast down with the fore-thought of that which is to come His Soul is like a calm and clear River like the waters of Siloam which run softly without noise or murmur Whatsoever is Natural is for that reason highly pleasing but nothing so natural to the Heaven-born Soul of man nothing is so agreeable to our original Make as to live in conformity to the Laws of Righteousness Whilest this is our serious care we act according to our Highest principle that Principle which God and Nature designed for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Leader and Governour I mean the Reason of our Minds And therefore so long as we follow its Dictates and behave our selves like those on whose souls the Divine image is imprinted which consisteth in Righteousness and true Holiness so long I say we live in our own Element and therefore must necessarily have Self-enjoyment And we shall enjoy our selves more or less according as we are more or less diligent in works of Righteousness and Goodness The experience of every Good man will force him to subscribe to the truth of this no such man can withhold his assent from it or call it into question any more than he can his own Feeling Such a one feels such serenity of thoughts and such great delight and satisfaction of mind in the exercise of love to God and love to men in works of Piety Justice and Charity in the exercise of Humility Meekness Patience and Submission to the Divine will and all other Christian Graces and Virtues that while he is so employed all is as well within him as he can desire he accounts it a Heaven upon Earth to be so employed I fear that many a one who would be thought a Christian cannot receive this Doctrine that it seems to him a very strange Soloecism but I could tell him of many a Heathen of whom he may learn it as well as of Christians particularly Tully who hath this brave saying in his Tusculan Questions O Philosophy the Guide of our lives O thou seeker out of Virtues and expeller of Vices One day well spent and in obedience to thy precepts ought to be preferred before a sinning immortality And all those say for substance the self-same thing who tell us that Virtue is a Reward to it self The Good man feels also no small pleasure in reflecting upon the fruits of Righteousness he hath brought forth And much more in the Contemplation of that Glorious Reward which God for Christ's sake hath promised to those who patiently persevere in well-doing The fore-expectation whereof doth greatly support him under all the crosses and afflictions wherewith he is exercised in this life And makes him not only Patient under those Tribulations he meets with for Righteousness sake but even to Glory in them as the Apostles did and Primitive Christians And moreover he receiveth great Refreshment and Comfort more immediately from the Holy Ghost especially when he is called forth to any exceedingly great suffering or extraordinary service He then marvellously strengthens the Good man with strength in his Soul to bear the one and perform the other as becomes a servant of Iesus Christ. Which he doth chiefly by giving sensible clear and lively representations to the Good mans mind of the Glory of Heaven and by stedfastly fixing it upon the Crown of Righteousness and Life which his Blessed Lord hath promised to all those who are faithful to the Death Thus was the first Christian Martyr S. Stephen strengthened who being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God saw the Heavens opened as ready to receive him and the Son of man standing on the
by himself the true Riches By the Salvation which he is the Author of is meant that from the worst of evils principally and everlasting Salvation So proportionably whenas the Son is said to make us free the meaning is free with the best of Freedoms viz. that from sin as also we have seen is manifest from the Context Whenas Christ is said to be Anointed according to the Prophecy of Esay concerning him to preach deliverance to the captives and to set at liberty them that are bruised with being long fettered and shackled we are likewise to understand the same most desirable of all Liberties and Deliverances Whereas S. Iames calls the Gospel the law of Liberty Chap. 1. 25. and the perfect law of Liberty Chap. 2. 12. we are primarily to understand it as will be further shewn of this same Liberty which infinitely surpasseth all other In which sence the Apostle S. Paul understood it to be The perfect law of Liberty when he called it The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus adding that it had made him free from the law of Sin and death Rom. 8. 2. Secondly We find this Liberty was that the instating us wherein our Saviour when he was in the World and his Apostles after him were altogether bent and intent upon The business of making men holy and obedient to the Laws of Righteousness they had not only mostly in their Eye but all they did was subordinated thereunto All those powerful means that were used to perswade the world that Iesus is the Christ were in order to this end For the Son of God was manifested to take away our sins and to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 5 8. Therefore is Faith so highly commended and so much ascribed thereto and men so excited to believe in Christ or to believe his Gospel because the Doctrine Precepts Promises and Threatnings therein contained have a great aptness and tendency are of mighty force and efficacy to the thorough Reformation of our Lives and the cleansing our Natures from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit Because that Faith which is terminated upon those Objects is such a Shield as whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one Because it is most effectual to the purifying of the heart and the overcoming of the world In short Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2. 14. He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves to the drudging service of their Lusts but unto him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. Or that they should be his Servants that is his Free-men according to that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 22. He that is called being a Servant is the Lords Free-man He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes. 5. 26 27. He his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. Or as S. Paul saith Rom. 6. 7. That being dead we might be freed from sin That is that being dead to it we might be freed from the Bondage we were in under it Or as we have it ver 18. That being made free from sin we might become the servants of righteousness Our Saviour required nothing of us forbad nothing to us but what was apparently designed in order to our deliverance from sin the making us pure in heart and holy in all manner of conversation He gave us not a Promise but what was to encourage us hereunto nor yet a Threatning but what was intended to scare us from the serving of one Lust or other And the Apostle tells us that the whole of the Gospel or The grace of God that brings salvation is designed to teach us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. 'T is sufficiently evident from this little that hath been said that the setting us free from Sin and the making us Free to Righteousness was the business which took up our Blessed Saviour's time and thoughts when he was upon the Earth and wherein his holy Apostles were employed after his departure And therefore this must necessarily be our grand Christian Liberty Abundantly more might have been said upon this Argument but we have heretofore copiously handled it in another Treatise Thirdly Our Saviours abrogating the Ceremonial Law his freeing from that yoke was mainly designed in order to the thorough effecting this Freedom and Liberty This was a yoke which the Apostle Peter saith neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. It was a yoke of bondage as S. Paul calls it Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage This Liberty as appears by his discourse both before and after was that which Christ had given them from the burdensome services of the Mosaical Dispensation And diverse other places there are which speak of this Liberty as an effect and fruit of the death of Christ. Now it is worthy our Observation that the great reason wherefore our Saviour did put an end to the Obligation of this Law and why the Apostles especially S. Paul insisted so much upon it and so earnestly cautioned the Jewish Believers against intangling themselves again with this yoke was because it became very highly injurious to the Grand Evangelical Design of setting men perfectly free from their Lusts Because it gendered to that spiritual bondage in deliverance from which consisteth our best Liberty For this Law understood Carnally and according to the letter only which it ought not to have been was very apt to beget a sordid and low spirit a temper of mind very much estranged from true Piety and Goodness And it is too unquestionable that the Iews generally had no higher a sense of it The Law the Author to the Hebrews saith made nothing perfect Chap. 7. 19. It gave no man Freedom from the power of Sin no power to subdue corrupt Affections was obtainable thereby it did not make men truly and internally Righteous but only Ritually and Externally As the most eminently Good men under the Law did fall far short of the Apostles of our Saviour and those whose lives have been most answerable to the Christian precepts so those degrees of Virtue and Goodness they did attain to were not owing the Law but to the Covenant made with Abraham which was the same for substance with the Gospel Covenant The Law is
plentiful a pouring of Him out in the times of the Gospel There were indeed common as well as more special Gifts of the Spirit in the First Ages For the miraculous ones of speaking all manner of Tongues Prophesying Healing all sorts of Diseases Casting out Devils c. which were the great Witnesses to the truth of Christianity were very common They were not only conferred upon the Apostles but the private Believers These signs said our Saviour shall follow them that believe in my name c. Mark 16. 17. And not onely on those Believers who were sincere Christians but those also whose Lives were not at all answerable to their Christian profession as appears by those words of our Saviour Mat. 7. 22. And several of these miraculous Gifts we have full assurance from Antiquity did continue in the Church though in nothing so plentiful a measure particularly those of Healing Prophesying and Casting out Devils till about the beginning of the Fourth Century when Providence blessed her with a Christian Emperor and she came to be protected by his Sword and Laws and consequently stood not in such need of those Gifts for the keeping her in Heart and the upholding her Credit and Reputation in the World But as these have ceased for many Ages so the abovesaid Fruits of the Spirit are the onely Endowments now remaining which may in a more peculiar manner be ascribed to Him that is they are the onely Supernatural Endowments As to that therefore which is commonly called the Gift of Prayer we have these things to say First That we have not the least reason to believe that the expressions of the very best mens Prayers are now dictated by the Holy Ghost or that they pray by the Inspiration of the Spirit as to Words or Matter I know not that any sober men do pretend to such a Gift as this in Prayer and too many of those that do pretend to it do manifestly declare by the management of their Gift that either they juggle and are gross Cheats or are sadly deluded What slovenly what ridiculous what bold and impudent expressions are ordinarily heard from them And what a deal of nauseating stuff that hath brought a vile scandal upon Religion and furnished Atheistical and Prophane people with matter of derision Even such stuff as that it is no better than a Blaspheming the Holy Ghost to father it upon Him But I delight not to insist upon this Argument It is objected that S. Paul saith Rom. 8. 26. We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered I answer that this Text makes not at all for the purpose of those who in this sence pretend to an ability of praying by the Spirit For as for the Apostle's saying that We know not what to pray for as we ought it is to be limited to Temporal things and wholly to them For we do know that all those things which are necessary to our Eternal Felicity viz. all spiritual Blessings are to be prayed for And we do or may know what all those are without inspiration But we do not know whether worldly Prosperity or Affliction may be best for us or what measure of temporal good things or what particulars of such good things and therefore in reference to these things we are not to pray Absolutely but Conditionally and with a Willingness to be denied if God sees it not good to grant them to us And the following words shew that it is not therefore to be concluded that the Spirit will put it into Good peoples hearts what temporal things they should pray for for they tell us that He will back their Petitions in Heaven by interceding for them with unutterable Groanings not that He will put words into their mouths or suggest matter of Prayer to them I dare not say the Spirit never does thus I should be then too bold but we have no ground to expect or hope He should at least in ordinary cases In short whosoever pretends that his Prayers are dictated by the Holy Ghost must have the very same opinion of them that he hath of the Divinely inspired Writings Secondly I say consequently That an ability of uttering our Minds to Almighty God in great variety of words and phrases is as much a Natural Gift or a Gift acquired in an ordinary way that is by study and frequent practising and exercising as any Art or Ability whatsoever Very bad men have been often known to have a notable Faculty this way and so miserably weak and silly are abundance of people as to admire those for excellent Christians in whom they perceive it though they know them guilty of very great immoralities and they have nothing to commend them but this Faculty But there is no man if he will set himself to it and he be made for it that is prepared with a sufficient measure of Boldness and Confidence with a glib Tongue and a warm Head but may be excellent at it Therefore I say how shamefully ignorant and childish are the Vulgar sort I fear the much greater part that this dexterity at pouring forth words to the King of Heaven without fear or wit with a mighty voice great earnestness and abundance of action shall gain to a man a greater repute with them for a precious Christian than all the above-mentioned real fruits of the Spirit put together Although any Hypocrite that is qualified as we now said may with the greatest ease attain to it Such a brave man as this shall lead multitudes by the Nose work his base designs upon them and infuse what Principles he listeth into them Such Babies are the common People too generally in the affairs of Religion and their Spiritual concerns But Si populus vult decipi decipiatur If Folk will be thus cheated and made a prey of who can help it It may grieve us at the Hearts to think what work the Popish Priests and Jesuits may hereafter make as we know that in Disguises they have already made sad work among these silly Sheep No men in the World having a rarer knack at Extemporary performances and at Feigning and Raising of Passions than many of them have But Thirdly The true Spirit of Prayer consisteth in a deep sense of the Incomprehensible Majesty of the great God of the infinite distance that is between Him and us of our unspeakable Obligations to Him and necessary dependance upon Him In an affecting sense of our own Wretchedness and Sinfulness which makes us altogether unworthy to appear in His presence or to receive the least Favour at His hands In a sense of His infinite Goodness Wisdom and Power and an undoubted Belief that whatsoever is really needful for us He knoweth so to be and is both Able and Willing to confer it upon us when we ask it as we ought in the Name of Iesus Add hereunto entire Resignation of our Wills
Reservation which takes away all Security and Confidence in one anothers words and tends to the destruction of Humane Society This Doctrine is not proper to the Iesuits but as Father Parsons saith in his Treatise tending to Mitigation hath been received in the Roman Church for Four hundred years And if you take in the professed Principles of that their most Renowned Order which improve that Doctrine so far as in some cases but especially in those wherein their Religion is concerned to make it Lawful or at least Venial to back Equivocations with Sacred Oaths and horrible Imprecations and that before a Court of Judicature at least if it consists of Hereticks of the practising upon which we have had among our selves of late most Amazing Instances If I say you take in these principles which are now collected out of their Books into Pamphlets and exposed to the View of every Body as also those very many other which are to be seen in the Iesuits Morals you will say that should we rake Hell for Doctrines to make men Devils there can none be found more Effectual for the purpose than those wherewith we are furnished by the Church of Rome And so much shall suffice to be spoken to the First Particular viz. That Popery tendeth as much as is possible to the debauching our Souls by bringing them into subjection to Vile Affections in discoursing on which we have studied to be as brief as can be Secondly Popery no less tendeth to Disquiet mens Minds with certain troublesom and tormenting Passions We have shewed in the First Section that all Corrupt Affections and therefore the forementioned to which all may be reduced are of a very tormenting nature In saying therefore now that Popery tends to disquiet men with certain troublesom Passions I design a distinct head of Discourse viz. That the better and wiser any man of that Religion is the more will his Mind be disturbed by a many Points thereof particularly with Fear Shame Anxiety and Solicitude And First For the Passion of Fear what can so excite this or make a man so much a Slave to it as the Popish Doctrine of Purgatory Whosoever doth really believe that there is a life after this must needs be more or less solicitous about his state in that life and according to the degrees of that his Faith will his solicitude be greater or less Now the belief of that Doctrine must necessarily be accompanied with great fear of Death which as the Apostle saith makes those who are under the power of it all their life-time subject to Bondage For as the pains of Purgatory are taught to be so dreadful and terrible as to equallize those of Hell except onely in the duration of them and how long each particular person may lie there before he be released whether scores or hundreds of years as also what degrees of Torment shall be allotted to him is the greatest uncertainty so no man can have any rational assurance let him lead never so strictly holy a life of escaping this place of Torment No nor the least hope neither from such a life if it be short of absolute Perfection as whose is not And as for the Efficacy of Penances and Indulgences it is impossible for any one who ever thinks seriously about the concerns of his Soul and understands any thing of Religion at least not to be full of diffidence what it may amount to Those are such monstrous Cheats the former for the most part of them and the latter all of them that such as are not much short of Brutes for Folly or of Devils for Wickedness can never be so blinded as to promise to themselves the least benefit or advantage from them and much less that which is promised by the Pope and the Priests Again what a Slavish Fear and Dread of God as a Revengeful Being must needs possess the Minds of those who have imbibed the Church of Rome's Doctrine concerning Whippings and Scourgings and other severe Penances viz. That they are necessary not onely for Mortification but likewise for Satisfaction in the Popish sence of that word But what a Spirit of Bondage are they under then from Dread of God's Vengeance in believing as they are bound that God will not Remit the punishment of Sin where the Guilt of it is washed away with the Bloud of Christ upon the performance of the conditions of the New Covenant which is as Nonsensical as False that he will not Remit it I say to such so far as to excuse them from intolerable Temporary Torments in the other World except he hath other satisfaction given him in this life by themselves nor from Torments of a Vastly long duration except it be given him by others after their decease Their Church is so well aware with what horrible Dread and Fear this Doctrine must necessarily affect poor credulous Fools that she hath invented it for that very reason because by this means she brings them into the most Slavish subjection makes her self Mistress of their Purses and is enabled to have her fill of Tyranny over their Consciences their Souls and Bodies What tongue can express the Devilishness of such Practices Next for the Passion of Shame The necessity of all People's of both Sexes Confessing to the Priest which is enjoyned by the Council of Trent to be done once a year at least and that of all their Actual sins and not onely so but also of all their purposes and desires to commit them nay and inclinations too what violence is hereby done to the Modesty of all such as have not arrived to the height of impudence This is to use the words of the Learned Doctor More as if all the modest Maids and grave Matrons in the Parish should strip themselves stark naked and in that manner humble themselves before their Priest once a year Which would look like a piece of unsupportable Tyranny And yet as he proceeds this extorted Confession upon pain of Damnation not to conceal any thing is not the stripping of a man to his naked body but the stripping him of his body that they may see his naked Heart and so by the force of this Superstition break into those secrets which it is onely the due priviledge of God Almighty to be acquainted with c. And Lastly What Anxiety and Solicitude must those Papists minds needs be tormented with who are at all concerned about their Eternal State by reason of these following Doctrines viz. That of the Dependence of the Efficacy of Sacraments upon the Priests intention That of Confession now mentioned decreed in the Trent Canons viz. That the Penitent must not onely confess every Mortal sin which after the strictest search he can call to mind but even his particular sinful thoughts his secret desires and every circumstance which changeth the nature of the sin And that of their distinction of sins into Mortal and Venial to pass by many others As for the