and instilled cunningly and pretended craftily to bee the Churches at length you may winde-in with FORRAINE DISCIPLINE also and so fill Christendome with Popes in every Parish for the Church and with popular Democraties and Democraticall Anarchies in the State God divide you first in IACOB and scatter you in ISRAEL In this present Passage who or what directed you writing in and beeing of the Church of England unto this Division of OUR DIVINES commonly called CALVINISTS and Lutherans as membra dividentia and ad oppositum YOUR Divines forsooth Of what Livery are you or those YOUR Divines Separatists from others Singular a Part a Faction a Division or else why YOUR Divines Are not You and YOURS Divines of the Church of England If not what make You meddling nestling roosting heer Hy you hence to the Brethren of AMSTERDAM where YOUR Divines are if there be any such For there they say all religions may be met with if a man have lost his Religion there he may finde it there are all Divines the Divels and all If yea what make you with that Title of OUR Divines why divide you non dividenda Mine and Thine Yours and Ours are not for Vnity are not or should not bee heard or once named in the Church of England The Divines heer are or should be all of them Divines who hold or should hold and maintaine the Doctrine established and commanded to bee taught in the Church of England which was never taught nor directed by the precepts or wills or fancies or factions or forgeries of men and is not to be stiled Lutheran or Calvinian but by such onely as mean to set up ALTAR against ALTAR and to foment a Schisme in the Church Such be YOUR Divines it seemeth who are cut out into Division Into their Secret let not my soule enter I am none I professe of that Fraternity no Calvinist no Lutheran but a Christian This I Declare not that which you calumniate that I adhere first unto them consent unto them All of them and Only to them infallibly who have been in their severall times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enspired by GOD secondly unto those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their true Successors and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Lieutenants and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observers of the Rules and Traditions enjoyned of old according to deduction from that Prime Rule interpreting the HOLY SCRIPTURES the Rule of faith in places controverted and obscure which is ever in points of lower alloy not according to the fancy and most-what presumption of some one man delighting commonly to oppose and thwart the streame of Antiquity but according to the sense and meaning of those Times that drew water neerer unto the Well head that is to the APOSTLES and their Successors immediately As for consent with Lutherans I doe no where declare it Shew me the place where I preferre them commend them once name them to this purpose You never were so privy unto any thought of mine that you could speake what I thought of them concerning whom I wish that they were men of more allayed spirits and calmer temper than they are or doe shew themselves in opposition And yet why may I not in some things as well as soone as lawfully consent unto them as unto YOUR DIVINES the commonly called CALVINISTS IOHN CALVIN came after in time and was but a Secondary unto MARTIN LUTHER entring in upon his Labours and Reversions and why should he challenge any priviledge of preferment above MARTIN LUTHER that I may not as well and lawfully declare my self for the one as for the other In this Church and Kingdome doth any Rule Canon Law or Authority tie or command me to reverence the one above the other to follow the one rather than the other I may why not consent with the Lutherans rigid or mollified in some things against the Calvinists and in some other differenced opinions with the YOUR Calvinists against them why not who tyed mee more to the one than the other or to eyther more than to BELLARMINE in some things against them both Truth hath latitude and extension No man that I know of hath infallibilitie from errors assigned unto him ex asse Truth is truth whosoever speaketh it and S. AUGUSTINE did embrace it from TYCHONIUS a Donatist in one particular rather than the Tendries of Catholick Authors What if I went thus far or did so much declare my selfe to favour the Lutherans against YOUR Divines Have I therein broken any Statute transgressed any Canon offended against Law opposed Order neglected any Authority If I have Declare against mee let mee answer for it If none of these take notice of YOUR Divines what are private mens opinions unto me who may bee as free in my opinions as they are in theirs But I doe not as you informe Declare any such thing for to Declare importeth a publicke Act an assent upon acknowledgement Doe I in this CHAPT professe correspondency in the point controverted with Lutherans Doe I any where with them or others beside the Church of England the absolutest representation of Antiquitie this day extant What that Church beleeveth I beleeve what it teacheth I teach what it rejecteth I reject what it doth not tender I am not tyed unto I was bred a member of the Church of England brought up a member of the Church of England therein by the meanes and Ministery of that Church I received that Earnest of my salvation when by Baptisme I was inserted into CHRIST In the Union and Communion of that Church I have lived not Divided with Papist nor Separated with Puritan Through the assistance of the grace of GOD'S Spirit which is never wanting unto any that seeke Him I hope to live and dye in the Faith and Confession of that Church than which I know none nor can any be named in all points more conformable unto purest Antiquitie in the best times which I trust to make good against any and all those Brethren in evill Papists and Puritans whosoever who looking and running two severall waies doe like SAMPSON'S foxes joine together in the taile If there bee in any writing preaching saying or thought of mine any thing Delivered or Published against the Discipline or Doctrine of THIS Church I am sory for it I revoke it recant it disclaime it Vultu laeditur pietas if I have done so in any thing unto my Mother in all humilitie I crave pardon and will undergoe Penance But the presumptions of servants are not the Lords directions Every one that prateth readeth lectureth preacheth or professeth must not look to have his Theses Lectiones Harangues or discourses taken as the Dictates or doctrines of our Church Our Mother hath sufficiently made knowne her minde in her publicke promulgated authorized ARTICLES and COMMUNION BOOK with those other to which we have all subscribed that are publickly interessed in the Priesthood and Function of this
he is seated in Constantinople that is also in Rome For Constantinople is known to have been called New Rome was so named by CONSTANTINE himselfe the Founder had in Church and Common-wealth in both States 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way equalled priviledges with the elder Rome Senators and one of the yearely Consuls The adjacent country was then called Romania and is so corruptly termed by the Turks at this day Rumilio or Rum-ili that is the Roman Country It was the Emperiall Citie then when MAOMET that false Prophet and Antichrist arose as well as Rome indeed rather then Rome since the time that CONSTANTINE to the great advantage of barbarous nations enemies unto the Roman State translated the state of the Empire thither And lastly this great and Emperiall CITY bearing rule over the Kings of the earth is likewise as well as ROME seated upon seven hills at or neere unto the Sea indeed in a Foreland or Landstreight where two Seas meet the only Seat in the world for an Emperiall See For which cause it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by NICETAS The City with seven tops Vrbs septicollis by PAULUS DIACONUS so acknowledged by IANUS DOUZA a Gentleman of the Netherlands in his Iournall and by M. RICHARD KNOLLS in his Turkish History with others Now upon these premised considerations of the Marks of that Antichrist so fitting the Turkish State and Tyranny every way it may seeme probable that MAOMET the false Prophet and the Turkish State as the Beast may at least be assumed into association with the Pope and Papacy in making up that Antichrist and Antichristian Kingdome or State opposite unto the State and Kingdome of CHRIST and Christians which respectu finis may be accounted one in opposition against GOD and CHRIST though the meanes of effecting it be many different and diverse Turcisme one way may oppose CHRIST as it doth vi apertâ by fiery force and Ropery bee ad oppositum another way fraude and insidijs as it is In which respect as DANIEL may well tell us of one horn so S. IOHN remembreth a Beast with two Hornes MAOMET in the East the POPE in the West both Hornes pushing fiercely against the Saints yet so also that it may be probable which ZANCHIUS hath Miscellan lib. III. and LAMBERT also upon the Apocalypse that beside these two after these both it is not unlikely out of both these impious opposite States one notorious singular mischievous Antichrist may arise towards the finall consummation of the world who in fradulent colluding malicious craftinesse in impious execrable and transcendent wickednesse through hereticall impostures and lying miracles shall goe beyond all other that ever lived in the world and bee fitted with all signes and markes of Antichrist unto the full so as no exception can bee taken against any in any one point Surely if the Generall of the Iesuites Order should once come to be Pope sit in PETERS chaire as they call it I would vehemently suspect him to bee the party designed for out of what nest that accursed bird should rather come abroad than out of that Seraphicall Society I cannot ghesse and but ghesse For in resolution I say with that IEWELL of England in pag. CCCXCIII I will not say the POPE is ANTICHRIST GOD will reveale him in his time and he shall be knowne yet is it probable hee may be of that rank I will not say the TURKE is Antichrist though it bee probable that Antichrist may come from thence the Turkes power being increased and inlarged by the Popes policy as the same B. IEWELL hath observed it well that it may not seem strange two opposite in State may conspire in opposing Piety For all these and whatsoever is beside these in this particular denoted being all prophecies and predictions of things to come obscurely and mystically delivered are but opinions and conjectures not intended not to be received as finall resolutions For my part I desire not to contest with any man about them nor would I willingly have mens mindes or the peace of the Church disquieted with them It is an evill disease in the world among Divines in things of indifferency they cannot endure dissentients He is not my friend I will hold no correspondency with him that will not per omniae and in omnibus bee of my minde There is a Rule of faith we acknowledge it commend it and have recourse unto it Things that are straight and direct and according to that Rule confessedly need not application are not commonly brought to be applied to that Rule but things of different or doubtfull standing these need application and are applied confessedly by the perpetuall practice and tradition of the Catholick Church in consent of Fathers Wee apply things doubtfull unto Scripture our Norma and exact and absolute Rule of faith and manners We consent and agree it is Antichristian to dissent from to reject that Rule and him an Antichrist that doth so or proposeth any thing as Credendum against that Rule The Pope doth this Let him then be an Antichrist in S. IOHN'S acceptance There are many Antichrists But whether hee bee THAT Antichrist or not I dare not presume to determine without speciall warrant in such a case If you have any speciall illumination or assurance by divine revelation or rather strong perswasion through affection much good may it do you keepe it to YOUR selves presse it not on others that in such cases desire sapere ad sobrietatem rather than resolve without good warrant CHAP. VI. Touching IUSTIFICATION The state of a meere naturall man who to please GOD must become a new creature That newnes cannot be wrought without a reall change of a sinner in his qualities In what sense it may be said that there is an Accesse of justification both by daily receiving remission of new sins and by increase of grace in joyning vertuous and good deeds unto Faith INFORMERS TOuching Iustification thus hee writeth A sinner is then iustified when hee is made iust that is translated from the state of nature to the state of grace as COLOS. I. XIII which Act is motion as they speak betwixt two terms and consisteth in forgivenesse of sinnes primarily and grace infused secondarily CHAP. XVIII pag. CXLII MOUNTAGU AND this all this in generall in particular is our Informers Popery Strange Popery Of what religion are you M. Informers YATES and WARD For in Christian Religion a man is and may be considered two waies as I also have considered him according unto a twofold state The state of nature to which hee was formed and the state of grace to which he is reformed as hee was in ADAM depraved and lost as hee is in CHRIST IESUS sought out found and healed of his maladies In his Being Subsisting and Constitution every man is first a naturall man in that state standing hee pleaseth not GOD. He can doe nothing saith CALVIN that can please him or be accepted of him His
in the kingdome He is indeed well acquainted with such Imputations as Papist and Arminian and I know not what the ordinary language of of our precise Professors against any man that is not as themselves MORE FURIOSO Calvinista And having had this measure often meted unto him from their verie great Zeale and very no-Charitie hee could have been contented to have contemned their malice the rather because a Scold cannot any better way bee charmed than by contempt but because Authoritie was drawne in to lye at the stake for conniving in points so dangerous but God knoweth how he could not possesse his soule in patience but thought himselfe in duetie and in conscience bound to cleere those points from Error which he delivered lest Sacred Authoritie might come in for Maintenance and Champetry as they would have it To come then to the Inscription Errors delivered must be his Tenents and avowed Propositions one way of these twain eyther by Affirmation or Negation For Errare saith S. AUGUST if yet our Informers and the Side regard what S. AUG saith est verum putare quod falsum est falsumque quod verum est vel certum habere pro incerto incertum pro certo sive falsum sit sive verum Howsoever there passeth omni modo a resolution for the thing erred in by Affirmation or Negation So or not so And therefore we cannot justly say He erreth or at all taxe him for Erring that neither denieth nor affirmeth that which is imputed unto him but only reporteth what he findeth This is the case of M. MOUNTAGU in all at least in the major part of these imputed Errors Hee is but a Narrator of other mens opinions suspending his owne judgement sometime peradventure when hee should not have so done out of a due respect unto Peace and Quietnesse in the Church sufficiently already disturbed and not the least by these Brethren and also because hee would not stirre the Hornets neasts of men affected otherwaies Secondly Error is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectively against something which is right as being an aberration from a Rule Now I demand of these so forward Informers those delivered Errors by M. MOUNTAGU and published Errors by Authoritie against what common Tenent doe they offend From what Rule are they an aberration I doe not find it expressed by the Informers Contrivers or Subscribers why in what against whose conclusions they are erroneous Against some Rule of Faith they must bee if Errors in Doctrine I know none I am told of none but the private opinions of the Informers or some Classicall resolutions of the Brethren Through all the severall XXI Articles or what you will call them of Popery and Arminianisme I finde no other proofe but Ipse dixit my words are related onely and you must take them upon M. YATES and M. WARD' 's bare words to bee Popery and Arminianisme for other proofe you cannot finde nor must expect So Magisteriall are our Purer Brethren those great Rabbines and Doctors in Israel having annexed unto their Penns and Pulpits infallibilitie of judgement it seemeth as well as the Pope of Rome unto his chayre Popular Spirits have evermore great opinion of their owne singular Illumination And you shall ever observe that each simple Ignoránte a classicall Dictator amongst the Covent tendereth his owne dreames and conceipts Simulachra modis volitantia miris no otherwise but as Oracles upon their owne bare words And such prevailing power have they upon their Proselites none living but Iesuites so great as they that their Sayings are held uncontroleable And hence it is that they vouchsafe us no proofe in their so many false Imputations Better Popery I will abide by it than any one proposition in M. MOUNTAGU For what difference betwixt their Dictates and Papall Decisions an abortive Embryo of the much groned-for Monarchie of our Puritanicall Parochiall would-be Popes over Kings and Kaesars and All that are called Gods Error then is ever against a rule In points of Faith Error is or should bee against the rule of Faith Scripture is they will not deny the rule of Faith as proceeding from Revelation divine the true Constat and Canon of Faith and Manners It is granted aberration from Scripture is Error The farther aberration the greater Error Bring mee in any one point or all points to this Rule Tye mee to it Try mee there Submitto fasceis I fall downe and adore it I would not I will not swerve from it But put the case in application of any Question unto that Rule there be dissents that I say one thing the Informers another the Collectors a third and in conclusion there bee quot homines tot sententiae how many men so many minds For the true and exact decision thereof what shall we do First in equity no man is to be his owne carver and Opinionibus vulgi in errorem rapimur Popular positions are not ever passable Nay rather most commonly it is true that Populus dicit ideò errat Now Private Spirits are of much weaker assurance therefore all that are not unlearnedly madde or insolently wedded unto their owne wills grant that as the Church is Custos regulae so doth it of right apply Examinanda unto that Rule The Church universall in generall causes each particular and private Church for speciall and particular and territoriall questions and querees These Informers against M. MOUNTAGU'S Errors unto what Rule will they stand or whither doe they appeale I disclaime as incompetent Popular Cantonings of dismembred Scripture and Private Interpretations of enforced Scripture I will not bee put over unto Classicall decisions nor that Idoll of some mens Reformation unto any Propheticall determinations in private Conventicles after Lectures For when departed The Spirit of God from mee or any other conformable Minister of the Church of England to speake unto them But because the doubts hang in the Church of England unto the Publicke Doctrine of the Church of England doe I appeale contayned in those two authorised and by All-subscribed Bookes of the Articles and Divine Services of the Church Let that which is against them on Gods name be branded with Error and as Error be ignominiously spunged out let the Author be censured as he well deserveth by Authority if there be any thing in that much maligned book of M. MOUNTAGU either against the Rule immediate the Word of God or against the Rule applied or expounded in the Dictates of the Catholick Church in general or the Tendries of our English Church in particular If I so be taken with the fact or evidence be cleer against me or I be convicted per testes idoneos to have erred thus I will recall and recant whatsoever is so exorbitant and further will deal so with my owne writings as they did with their curious books Act. 19. 19. Qui primas non habui sapientiae modestiae poenitentiae habebo secundas But to come at length up to and joyne issue with
required by the Roman Writers to make it rewardable as far as they are positive no Protestant disalloweth of To those conditions may others be added INFORMERS THese are his words This is your owne doctrine in the Romane Schooles and so farre the Protestants for these conditions do go along with you MOUNTAGU THis doctrine And what doctrine is this that there is merit of condignity that it is so farre forth due unto good works as that through and for the worke it selfe wrought and performed we may deserve and challenge upon desert or else GOD should wrong us grace goodnesse heaven happinesse at GOD'S hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I never said it never thought it doe detest it from my heart That doctrine which is to be found in the specified place is touching the quality not the validity concerning the condition not the imputation or account of a good worke which conditions specified and remembred by me are 1. That it be morally good not simply evill 2. Freely wrought and not out of compulsion 3. By man yet in this life not after death 4. In the state of grace and not by any naturall man without GOD. Of these conditions which doe not exclude other what Protestants doe not allow I adde and may adde many more Faith is necessarily required in the person before that any thing hee doth can please GOD. For whatsoever is not of faith is sinne These Informers it seemeth are otherwise minded for they traduce and calumniate me for a Papist who require as necessary these conditions unto a good worke which were never to my knowledge denied untill now And these are the conditions concerning which only I write So far the Protestants go along with you Concerning which consent in these particulars I confesse I thought it was reall and I think so still I never could finde I never did imagine I doe not beleeve any Protestant living setting your selves aside so ignorant peevish or prophane as to deny those conditions specified Now it being as I conceived agreed upon on all sides concerning the necessity of them I did make this conclusion unto the GAGGER If your texts doe contradict this either expressely or obliquely look you unto it it concerneth you as much as us And why might I not make it when they oppose a Position in the Protestants hands in which themselves are as deeply interessed as Protestants are But the men proceed to a specification of my consent more particularly CHAP. XIII GOD surely rewardeth good works according to his promise of his free bounty and grace INFORMERS ANd in that very page his words are If this be your Merit wee contradict it not And this is the Merit you plead for MOUNTAGU ANd so it is For all the Gagger's Texts of Scripture plead for that Merit I speak of and no other And that Merit is no more but this Verily there is a REWARD for the righteous doubtlesse there is a GOD that judgeth the earth A point of Popery put into my mouth by the Prophet DAVID and that totidem verbis And so King DAVID is become a Papist as well as I. For my words upon which that inference is made are REWARD in heaven no man denyeth REVVARD appointed for our good workes all doe confesse If this be your MERIT we contradict it not Doe you Dare you doe it that there is no REWARD for the righteous Cast the lye then into the Psalmists throate Psal XIX XI In keeping of them GOD'S Commandements there is GREAT REVVARD and unto him that said GOD REVVARDETH everie man according to his worke not onely according to the Qualitie of the worke that he that soweth of the flesh shall of the flesh reape Corruption and he that soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit reape glory and honour and immortality but according to the degree and proportion of his worke He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally Not of works or for works but according unto works rather For there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alia est merces liberalitatis gratiae aliud virtutis stipendium aliae laboris remuneratio saith S. AMBR. specially in the intercourse betwixt GOD and man where Non debendo sed promittendo DEUS se fecit debitorem S. AUGUST And from this no Protestant I know dissenteth I am sure a speciall man in your bookes though I hold him of another spirit and Sect than you better by farre precisely setteth downe the same in his Comment upon the Epistle to the Galathians See then Reader the sincere and honest dealing of these misdeeming Informers that accuse me of Popery for positive Scripture by a trick of concealement in saying GOD REWARDETH GOOD WORKES CHAP. XIV The Church of England holdeth no such absolute certainty of salvation in just persons as they have of other objects of Faith expressely and directly revealed by GOD INFORMERS TOuching the Doctrine of the certainty of salvation having cited BELLARMINE'S opinion he hath these words This BELLARMINE assigneth and this is enough Faction may transport a man to wrangle for more but when once they ioine issue the difference will not be much CHAP. XXII pag. 186. MOUNTAGU ET quid haec ad IPHICLI Boves what hath this to doe with merit of good workes whereto by the Informers it is consigned Neither in my opinion nor yet in BELLARMINE'S judgement doth Certaintie or Incertainty of salvation depend so necessarily upon Merit or Demerit of good workes If a man continue constant in the course of good workes he is sure and certaine of salvation in BELLARMINE'S judgement and in my opinion also though differently Causally in his as procured by them Consequently in mine as following of them But whether hee that doth good workes be certaine of Salvation that is shall continue to the end faithfull constant in doing good workes and so obtaine Salvation the promise of GOD behighted unto those that doe good is another Question of a different and disparate Nature But to leave these Extravagancies and come to the point unto assurance of which they speake It being by the Gagger fastned unto our Church ignorantly or maliciously verie absurdly as almost everie particular in that Pamphlet is That everie one ought infallibly to assure himselfe of his Salvation and to hold that he is of the number of the Elect and predestinate unto eternall life I tooke him short for such his conclusion so generall that everie one ought singuli generum so the words intend to assure himselfe whereas that assurance upon which the poore fellow grounded his imputation resting upon the infallible purpose and decree of GOD'S predestination of the Elect was by the So perswaded in the Church of England for the Church of England it selfe was not of that opinion restrained unto some only and not enlarged unto all as the man hath it Every one ought Secondly that concerning even those some the Church