such thing will follow for although the inferiour Clergie are to be guided by the Bishops in matters of Religion so farre as the Bishops instruct them according to the common rule of faith collected out of Holy Scripture and confirmed by the Vote of Primitive Antiquity and which is approved and ratified by the Church whereof they are members yet they are not absolutely or altogether to be directed by the Bishops for they have liberty to dissent if by waighty and substantiall arguments they shall be able to demonstrate that the Bishops determination or doctrine is repugnant to Orthodoxall Verity a Aug. ep 28. Contra Cypriani aliquâ—m opinionem ubi quod videnduÌ„ fuit fortasse non vidit sentiat quisque quod libet tantum contra Apostolicam manifestissimam fidem nemo sentiat Id de Trin. li. 3. Prooem In omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberum correctorem desidero c. But now againe on the contrary if any of the inferiour Clergie proceed as the Dialogaster hath done and be able to produce nothing waighty effectuall firme or solid but that which is meerely schismaticall declamatory and verball Then there is just cause that the inferiour Clergie in due obedience should submit themselves to Episcopall sounder judgement Object 2 A Bishops Rotchet cannot conferre Grace ex opere operato Ergo The inferiour Clergie are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement c. Answ The ground of this objection is apparently false for if inferiours are not bound to submit themselves to the judgement of any buâ— of such onely as have received extraordinary grace ex opere operato b Causare Gratiam ex opere operato idem est atque eam causare in omni suscipiente sufficienter disposito non per modum meriti sed prout consideratur secundum entitatem suam quatenus habet rat oneÌ„ entis quodammodo naturaliter operantis Coenick Cabrera Gregor Valent. Hosius Bosius c. Then it wil be consequent that Parochians are not obliged to submit themselves to the instruction of thâ—ir godly and lawfull Pastors Neither are Children bound to submit themselves to their Parents directions because holy order and paternity conferre not extraordinary grace to Priests or to Parents ex opere operato to instruct their Parochians or their Children as the Holy Prophets and Apostles instructed the Church to wit by a miraculous power of inspiration Object 3 Bishops have not such infallibilâ—ty as the Pope challengeth for we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the Head and confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Ergo the inferiour Clergy are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement Answ 1. If none may instruct and guide others in matters of Religion but they onely which have such infallibility as the Pope claimeth a Aug. Triumph Sum. de potest Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Nullus potest appellâ—re à Papa ad Deum quia una sententia est una Curia Dei Papae and is conveyed from him as the head into them as Veines Then neither Saint Augustine nor any other of the Fathers nor any other man since the Apostles might guide and instruct others in matters of Religion for none of these had such infallibility as the Pope challengeth c. Secondly If none may be guides to others in things Divine and Religious but such only as have the same infallibility which the Pope claimeth How comes it to passe that the Author of this Dialogue having neither extraordinary wit nor wealth of learning presumeth to make himselfe a Iudge b H. B. Tr all of privat devot Praef. I heare alas pooâ—e BurtoÌ„ he is crackt discontentment or hope of preferment have embarked him in this perilous adventure What shall I say Am I crackt Wherewith Not I am sure either with too much lâ—arning as FESTUS charged Paul or too much living And if I am mad I am not the first and Instructor of others not only in his owne Cure but of all men learned and unlearned in the kingdome c Cyprian ad Iubaian Novatianus simiarum more quae cum homines non sint homines imitantur vult ecclesiae catholicae authoritatem vendicare quando ipse in ecclesia non sit and if any man vary as all Wise men doe from his placits contained in certaine irregular and unlicensed Pamphlets Hee forth-with stigmatizeth them d Hier. Apol. c. Ruff. Quicunq te offenderit quamvis simplex quamvis innoxius sit ilico fiet criminosus in print threatneth to publish Books in Latine against them He turnes White into Blacke e Plea To the Appeale pag. 5. The Puritans stick not to cast him D. Wh. in the teâ—th with White died bâ—acke He casteth durt in their faces f Tertul. c. Hermog Maledicere singulis officium bonae conscientiae judicat and flings about with his heeles like a netled â—ade Now what partiality is this to make the Reverend and learned Bishops of the Church Veines of the Pope because they by lawfull authority guide and instruct the Clergie subject to their Episcopall jurisdiction and in the meane time that this Scripturient having received no authority from God or men and being destitute of all abilities for so great a worke should constitute himselfe a Iudge Paramount even in the most profound and obscure questions of Theologie g Greg. Nazian Apolog fugae stulte tâ—mâ—reque faciunt qui priusquam ipsi satis doctrina instructi sunt aliorum se magistros profitentur Figlinamque ut vulgo dici solet in dolio discunt A. Brother such a resolution had need have a good ground to stand upon and being a matter of such moment it requires our best zeale strength especially to vindicate the Doctrine of our Reverend Mother the Church of England which wee have sucked from her purer Breasts nor onely so but to vindicate her name from reproach for if it be so as you have said that the Doctrine of our Church is by that book overthrown then consequently as I conceive she must deepely suffer and be wounded through the sides of those whom he so often in his Book brandeth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians B. Brother you conceite aright for in truth all those Calumnious and odious Termes which he gives to those whose opinions except Brabournes only he impugneth in his Treatise as venomous Serpents Noysome Tares Pestilent weedes and Vncleane Beasts termes to bee abhorred of all true Christians and in a word Novell Sabbatarians they all result upon our deare Mother the Church of England c With lye and all For who are the most of those or rather all whom he thus stigmatizeth are they not or were they not in their time the true-bred Children of the Church of Engl. all unanimously professing and maintaining her Orthodox Doctrines Can therefore the Mother
to say there is a world in the Moone consisting of Land and Sea and inhabitants because there are some blacke spots in it which is yet not a more Lunaticke opinion than that is presumptuous and absurd Hath not the profane world found by woefull experience and that of late dayes within these two yeares last past wherein men have taken a liberty to prophane and pollute but a part of the Lord's-Day that this is a most horrible sin And a sin it cannot be but as a breach of one of God's Holy Commandements for where there is no Law there is no transgression The profanation I say of the Lord's Day is clearely shewed to bee an horrible presumptuous sin and in speciall a bold breach of the fourth Commandement by those many remarkeable judgements of God which have fearefully fallen upon fearelesse Sabbath breakers and that I say within these two yeares last past the like whereof cannot be parallell'd in all the Histories of all the Centuries since the Apostles times Which alone if men were not altogether possessed with the spirit of stupidity and of a croced conscience were sufficient to teach their dull wits that the fourth Commandement is still in force commanding the Sabbath-day to be sanctified the profanation whereof we see so terribly punished by divine revenge A point also which our Homily hath noted which were sufficient to admonish the Adversary of his presumptuous oppositions thereunto Answ 1. Divine Lawes being generall or indefinite oblige to obedience in particulars when the speciall Object commanded or prohibited by any other just Lawes is reduced to the Divine generall Law by lawfull consequence For example Thou shalt not steale is generall Therefore thou shalt not without license from the Owner or without other lawfull authority take away thy Neighbours Oxe or his Asse and yet Meum and Tuum thy Neighbours Oxe and his Asse are made his owne by humane Law So likewise in this present Question the generall equity of the Divine Law is Christian people must observe a convenient and sufficient time for Divine Worship c. And Christian Princes and the Bishops and Pastors of the Church having lawfull Authority to appoint such Observations as are subservient to true Religion have ordained Christmasse Easter and the Lord's day of every Weeke for Divine Worship and Religious Duties Ergo Christians are obliged by the generall Equity of the Divine Law to observe Christmasse Easter and the Lord's-day after that the Rulers and Pastors of the Church have appointed the same to be done to God's glory It is a frantick Paradox to maintaine That Christians are obliged to nothing but such things only as are definitely and in particular commanded by some expresse written Law of GOD in holy Scripture For many things which are in Nature and kinde indifferent when they are commanded by Parents Masters Magistrates or any other lawfull authoâ—ity come within the compasse of God's generall Law and that generall Law obligeth people to performe them Mediante Praecepto Parentis Heri Magistratus Ecclesiae c. by a mediate precept of Parent Master Magistrate or Church pag. 93. 2 To the Objector's Argument the answer is Where God's Law commandeth not either in particular or in generall there is no sin but if God's Law command in generall That we must obey every lawfull ordinance of the Church being subservient to God's glory and the edification of his people and the Church commandeth us religiously to observe the Lord's-day Christian people are bound in conscience to obey a Bernard d. Praecept Dispens cap. 12. Sive Deus sive homo viâ—â—rius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia deferenduÌ„ ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo and if they doe otherwise they transgresse God's Commandement and are guilty of sin pag. 93. 3 Whereas this Scribler affirmeth that no man is able to define a convenient and sufficient time for God's worship c. and compares the undertaking thereof to the imagination of the being of a World in the Moone c. I doubt not but that this quaint conceit makes him prick up his eares but upon due examination it will prove as ridiculous as the Man in the Moone For if any one presume to define things which are remote from humane cognisance not having sufficient meanes to prove his affirmation he justly deserves to be condemned of rashnesse and folly But the Governours in the Christian Church want not compleat and sufficient meanes to enable them to set downe and determine convenient and sufficient time for God's publike worship for they have many generall Rules laid downe in holy Scripture for the ordering of Ecclesiasticall affaires they have likewise Presidents of the Divine Law in ancient time they have the practise and example of the Saints of God to direct and leade them and Christian prudence hath enabled them in former ages to appoint sufficient and convenient dayes and times for God's solemne worship and in these dayes they have both understanding and authority to do the like 4 God's vengeance upon malicious profaners of the Lord's-day is no sufficient argument to prove that this day is expressely or literally commanded to bee observed in the Christian Church by the particular Precept of the fourth Commandement For wilfull transgression of the Precepts of the Church commanding such actions and offices as are religious holy and subservient to God's glory brings God's heavie judgements upon profane and disobedient people 5 In the close of the former Argument Brother B. casts dirt in the Face of him whom he stileth his Adversary saying This were sufficient to admonish the Adversary of his presumptuous oppositions thereunto But where or when hath his Adversary delivered any Position in his late Treatise or elsewhere in defence of profanenesse upon the Lord's-day or upon any other day For honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day is farre more remote from profanenesse than the factious and viperous deportment c Aug. c. Petilian li. 2 Idipsum vipereum est non habere in ore firmamentum veritatis sed venenum maledictionis of this Roarer against such as comply not with him in his presumptuous Dictats B. Mr. Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. Sect 70. hath these words If it be demanded whether we observe these times to wit Holy-dayes as being thereunto bound by force of Divine Law or else by the only positive Ordinances of the Church I answer to this That the very Law of Nature it selfe which all Men confesse to be God's Law requireth in generall no lesse the sanctification of times than of places persons and things unto God's honour For which cause it hath pleased him heretofore as of the rest so of time likewise to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage never to be dispensed withall nor remitted againe to require some other parts of time with as strict exaction but for lesse continuance
Verball discourse it is answered that the Bishop hath already received approbation of his worke from his sacred Majesty and as much thankes and respect from the Lord's Grace of Canterbury as a faithfull person can expect or desire from a Superior and continuing as he hath begun he is in no danger to lose either his Majesties or the Arch-Bishops or any other worthy Persons lawfull favour 2 The Author with thankfulnesse to God protesteth that He having bestowed above two hundred of his bookes upon Persons among which many were of great worth and quality hath never as yet received so much as one check or affront from any one since a three fold impression of the Book And the Dialogue deviser is the first Satan so far as the Bishop is hitherto informed who hath fomed out his gall and venome against it Sed quamvis libraverit accusationis suae hastas totis adversus nos viribus interserit credimus in Deo salvatore quod scuto circumdabit veritas ejus cum Psalmista cantare poterimus Sagittae parvulorum facta sunt sagittae eorum although he hath with all his might bent his Speare and darted his Weapons against us yet wee trust in God our Saviour that the shield of veri y shall protect us so that we may say with the Psalmist Their arrowes shall be as the arrowes of children Hier. adv Ruffin lib. 1. 3 The Treatise is so farre from distracting the Kings loving Subjects which are of a loyall and peaceable disposition that many intelligent persons who have diligently read and examined the same having in former time been doubtfull are now setled in a firme resolution never to bee distracted with Sabbatarian fancies any more A. You know what is said in a late book allowed by Authority Communion Booke Catec expounded by Reve. That the holy Fathers in God the Bishops are to be guides in Divinity to the whole Clergie of inferiour Order So as all Priests are to submit to their godly judgements in all matters appertaining to Religion And the reason is given because the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes do in the great mystery of godlinesse comprehend many things which the common people doe not Yea also some things which Ministers of the inferiour Order doe not apprehend So as it is expected of those Holy Prelates that we must lay our hand on our mouth when they speake and be altogether regulated by their profound dictats B. I remember well the Booke and I cannot but wonder that those passages were not expunged with many others when the Book was called in and then the second time published You know we live in a learned age a One of whom it may truly be spoken None so bold as blinde Bayard may live in a learned age and we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the head and so confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Or that a Rotchet can confer this grace Ex opere operato And beleeve me Brother when we see such a Papall spirit begin to perk up in this our Church is it not high time trow you to look about us Shall we stumble at the Noone day and in the Meridian of the Gospell close our eyes and become the sworne Vassals of blinde Obedience b Cusan Exercitat l. 6. Obedientiâ— irrationalis est consummata obedientia scilicet quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut jumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo No no In this case therefore were Goliah himselfe the Champion I would by Gods grace try a fall with him Answ If bold Bayard were armed with Davids spirit and fortitude what Gyant were able to stand before him But if his whole strength consisteth in wording and facing onely Quid prodest Simiae si videatur esse Leo c Greg. Nazian in sentent What can it availe an Ape to conceive himselfe to bee as strong as a Lion But passing by this vaine ostentation let us take the matter delivered by him into examination 1 He censureth a moderne Writer for affirming that the Bishops of the Church are Guides to the inferiour Clergy to direct them in matters of Religion 2 He disputeth against this Position in manner following The Pope is not infallible Ergo the Bishops being Veines of the Body whereof the Pope is Head cannot be Iudges or Guides to instruct the inferiour Clergy 3 He saith that the Author whom he opposeth is guided with a Papall spirit Now this as I conceive is the Summe and marrow of the Dialogaster his argumentation In answer hereunto the Bishop saith that if this Objecter had intended to proceed in a right method of Disputation he must first of all have stated the Question and considered what Iudiciall power the Bishops of the Church of England challenge concerning regulating and deciding matters of Controversie in Religion and then he might have framed Arguments made Inferences and used his Invectives and Declamations and not before But being bold and blinde and not regarding and considering the Churches Tenet concerning Episcopall power he disputeth in a rude and deriding manner rather venting his malice against the Order of Bishops as Hereticks c Cyprian l 3. Ep. 9. Haec sunt initia Haereticorum ortus atque conatus SchismaticoruÌ„ male cogitantium ut sibi placeant praepositum superbo tumore conteÌ„nant in ancient times were wont to do than delivering any thing true substantiall or to the purpose 1 The Question is whether Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 3. have any power of judicature in matters belonging to Religion or in questions Theologicall 2 Whether they bee Veines of the Pope and guided by a Papall spirit if they challenge or exercise any such power 3 Whether they can have no such power unlesse they be endued with Divine Grace Ex opere operato Now to these Questions our Answer is 1 That Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles Rule have a ministeriall and subordinate power and authority to determine Theologicall Controversies by the Rule of holy Scripture and by the consentient Tradition and testimony of the ancient and orthodoxall Catholike Church For Timothy and Titus being Bishops lawfully ordained b Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised such power in the Church c Habiles idonei ad ecclesias quas â—â—i Apostoli fundaveranâ— pascendâ—s regendâ—sque estimâ—ti fuerint c Hieron c. Ruffin li. 2. Vtrum recipi debet EpiscoporuÌ„ relinquitur judicio Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. lis qui in Ecclesus sunt Presbyteris oportet obaudire quicunque cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis acceperunt The Bishops and Fathers in the foure first generall Councels d Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 18. Quicquid in sanctis EpiscoporuÌ„ Conciliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui did the like
Theft as the Novell Sabbatizers preach pag. 235. for Christian people to use some intermission from religious and spirituall actions and likewise some recreation upon some part of the Lord's-day and they are not obliged during the whole day which according to the Sabbatarian Tenet containeth 24. houres to forbeare to speake any words or think any thoughts or to performe any workes or actions which concerne either pleasure or profit read pag. 249. because it is morally impossible for them with comfort and ordinary diligence to continue 24. houres together in spirituall and religious exercises and meditations 2 The Law of Christ condemneth all profane libertinisme but why doth Br. Asotus stile such recreation as neither is vicious in forme quality or circumstance by the name of profane liberty And other recreation than this the Bishop maintaineth not either upon Sunday or upon any other day pag. 229. 3 The Bishop intreateth Br. B. to resolve him whether it is not a Doctrine of Libertinisme to animate Christian people in disobedience of lawfull Authority to teach them it is a branch of their Christian liberty to be their owne guides in point of Religion to deprave or to neglect the Common Service and other Duties enjoyned by the precepts of the true Church whereof they are members to maligne Ecclesiasticall Governours and to proclaime them Veines of the Pope and to be of a Papall Spirit if they presume to instruct the inferiour Clergie in point of Religion To bequarrell godly and learned persons who comply not with the new Sect in their fanaticall asseverations and to censure and controle all things which are not sutable to their owne groundlesse and sencelesse traditions Now in good earnest you Br. B. many judicious men are of minde that the fomenting of these humours in Christian people by Doctrine or example is a more proper act of profane libertinisme than such bodily exercise and recreation as the Lawes of our Kingdome and State have permitted B. I observe a very improper and so an untrue speech where hee saith if they should upon Puritan Principles restraine them wholly from all repast Who I pray you doth restraine the people from all repast on the Lord's-Day Or is prophane sport a repast to feede the rude Vulgar it seemeth so and liberty to youth is as their meate and drinke Answ It appeareth by the Law of the Sabbath Exod. 23.12 That one end and use thereof was the refreshing of the people upon the seventh day after six dayes toile and labour And the old Sabbath and other Festivals were Dies Laetitiae dayes of mirth and rejoycing and sober and honest recreation upon some part of the old Sabbath was prohibited by no Divine Law pag. 237. Now if in the time of the Gospell Christian people upon Principles borrowed out of the Talmud and the Rule of Pharisaicall Tradition should be surcharged with such rigid Ordinances as are imposed by Novell Sabbatarians pag. 235 236. 249 250. and he wholly restrained from all recreation upon any part of the Holy-day One end of the Holy-day should be destroyed and Christian people must be deprived of that liberty which God and nature have granted and from hence it will be consequent that the Holy-day instead of a day of Refreshing shall become a day of Oppressing people with an heavier burden than in right ought to be laid upon them and this would make the Holy-day more unwelcome than the plough-day and besides it might engender in peoples mindes a distast of their present Religion and manner of serving of God pag. 266. This passage highly displeaseth the Dialogue-broacher but instead of solid answer and confutation First he carpeth at the forme of speech affirming that it is improper but wherein he declareth not then he saith it is untrue this likewise is easily said but impossible to be proved After this he equivocates saying Who I pray you do restraine the people from all repast on the Lord's-day that is who restraineth people from eating and drinking on the Lord's-day And lastly he declineth the true state of the Question for whereas his owne Tenet is Vniversall to wit that all civill recreation is unlawfull upon the Sunday in his disputation hee opposeth some kindes of bodily exercises and recreations which seeme to him to be lascivious profane and really vicious in their proper forme and quality B. Pag. 266. He saith some Recreations not prohibited by our Lawes our religious Governours allow upon Holy-dayes And Pag. 232. Civill recreation not prohibited in termes neither yet by any necessary consequence from the Law cannot bee simply unlawfull And pag. 231. No just Law Divine Ecclesiasticall or Civill doth totally prohibit the same To this I reply that those sports fore-specified are prohibited by Law both Divine Ecclesiasticall and Civill 1. By Divine Law as Rom. 13.13 Gal. 5.21 1 Pet. 4.3 c. 2. By Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Councels c. 3. By just Civill Lawes c. Answ 1 It is an infallible verity and confessed by the Dialogue-forger himselfe that nothing can bee vicious or sinfull unlesse it bee prohibited expressely or virtually by some just Law c Aug. d. pec mer. remis l. 2. c. 12. Neque peccatum erit si non divinitus jubeatur ut non sit Br. B. Dialog p. 11. A sin it cannot bee but as a breach of one of God's holy Commandements for where there is no Law there is no transgression Divine or Humane But sober and honest repast recreation or pastime upon some part of the Holy-day is prohibited by no Divine Law nor by any Ecclesiasticall or Civill Law of our State and Church Therefore sober and honest recreation c. upon some part of our Holydayes is not vicious sinfull or unlawfull Now the Objector in his reply declineth as his manner is the true state of the Question and inveigheth against certaine particular Exercises and Recreations excepted against by some learned Divines and which have beene prohibited by publike authority in foraigne Nations But the Bishop in his Treatise proceeded no further concerning recreations than is before expressed to wit that such are neither vicious in forme quality or circumstance may lawfully be used upon some part of the Holy day if they shall be permitted by lawfull authority And the maine reason of his forbearance was because in the first part of his Treatise he undertooke to deliver no other Doctrine concerning the old Sabbath or the Lord's-day but such only as seemed to him both to be Orthodoxall and also Catholike and therefore he declined the Question concerning Pastimes and recreations in their particular leaving the same to a publike determination of the Church and State by reason there now is and in former times hath beene diversity of opinion among godly men concerning the quality of such particulars And if Br. B. esteemeth those bodily exercises and recreations to be profane and vicious which his gracious Majestie in a royall Edict permitteth his Subjects with sundry
England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's day is the same which the Fathers of the Primitive Church received from the holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time pag. 13. But the Bishop in his Treatise maintaineth the same Doctrine which the Primitive Fathers received from the Holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 3 The present Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day is the same which is commonly maintained by all Reformed Churches in Christendome But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with all the Reformed Churches in their common Doctrine of the old Sabbath and of the Lord's-day pag. 271. Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 4 That the Homilies appointed to be read in the Church of England must not alwayes bee expounded according to the sound of words but according to the Line and Rule of holy Scripture is the Tenet of H. B. in his Plea to an Appeale pag. 14. The Bishop in his Treatise hath expounded the Homily of the Time and Place of prayer appointed to be read in the Church of England according to the Line and Rule of Holy Scripture and according to this sense and exposition nothing is delivered in the Homily repugnant to the Bishop's doctrine concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Brother B. in his Dialogue hath these remarkable Passages following 1 The Tenet of the Dialogist is That the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue delivered in this forme of words Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day c. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. The Lord rested the seventh day c. commandeth in expresse termes the religious observation of the Lord's-day and the same is a commandement of the Law of Nature Now from hence it is consequent 1. That Saturday and Sunday being two distinct and severall dayes of the Weeke if the Commandement be naturall and expresse for the one it cannot be naturall and expresse for the other unlesse the one day were named expressed or described in the same as well as the other 2 That the Iewes were obliged to the religious observation of the Saturday by the Law of the fourth Commandement which was Positive in respect of that day and Christians are bound to keepe holy the Sunday by the very same Commandement as by the Law of Nature Now all judicious men confesse that the 4th Commandement concerning keeping holy the saturday was a Positive Law Therefore we desire Br. B. to cleare this contradiction to wit how it is possible that the Law of the fourth Commandement concerning Saturday being Positive The same Law according to his Tenet commanding Sunday can be Naturall Againe let this bould Bayard resolve Vs how the observation of the Lord's-day can be said to be expressely commanded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue when Saturday only and no other day is expressed either by the words of that Precept or is concluded from the words or sentences thereof by any formall or necessary illation Lastly let him resolve Vs how we may rightly conclude from the expresse words of the fourth Commandement that Sunday is to be kepr holy by that Law For if this man will argue rightly hee must proceed in this or the like manner The fourth Commandement literally and expressely enjoyneth the Observation of Saturday and the Precept concerning Saturday is Legally Positive Therefore Christians must observe Sunday by vertue of such a Law as was Legally Positive for keeping of Saturday Gentle Br. B. licke over your Calfe once again and please not your selfe nor abuse your Reader with such absurd Bulls and contradictions a Chrysost in 1. Corinth Ho. 38. Nihil est errore magis imbecillum suis ipsis alis implicatur nec oppugnatione aliunde opus habet transfigit ipse se A second Passage of Brother B. Vnlesse the keeping the first Day of the weeke for Sabbath bee commanded H. B. Dialog manuscript cited in tâ—e Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 89. the Divine Authority of it will not appeare saith Br. B. for only God's Commandement bindeth the Conscience But no Divine Commandement is expressely delivered in the Old or New Testament concerning the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day Therefore if Br. B. his first proposition is true and if hee bee not able to produce some Divine Commandement out of the Scripture for the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day he must if he adhere to his owne principles be compelled to grant Theoph. Brabourne that the observation of the Lord's-Day is an act of superstition and will-worship A third Passage of Brother B. H. B. Dialog pag. 15. 16. It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd st of morall precepts It is a principle in God there can be no ceremony but all must bee eternall and so in his Image which is the Law of nature and so in the Decalogue There can be no Ceremony at all in the Law of the fourth Commandement because Saint Paul reckoned the Sabbath Day among the Ceremonies of the Old Law Colos 2.16 And all the Primitive Fathers ranked the Sabbath and Circumcision in the number of Legall Ceremonies A fourth Passage of Brother B. The Primitive Fathers did ever and usually stile the Lord's-day the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement in a proper and literall sence The reason because sometimes but yet very seldome They named it Sabbatum in a mysticall and analogicall sence that is an Holy day on which Christian people must have a speciall care to abstaine from sin A fift Passage of Brother B. Because the Lord's-Day succeeded and came in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Observation thereof is commanded by the particular Law of the Old Sabbath As if one should say Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision Ergo it is commanded Christians by the Old Law of Circumcision A sixt Passage of Brother B. The Bishop's of England may not use the Testimony of Divines of reformed Churches because they dissent from them in some Theologicall questions As if one should argue Protestants may not use Saint Augustine's testimony against Pontificians or Pelagians because they have refused his Tenet concerning the absolute damnation of Infants departing this life before they were baptized a Aug. Epist 106. Parvulos non baptizâ—tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.
peccatum Quod quamdiu in peccato vixerint non dimittitur Pro. 28.13 Esay 1.16 17. 55.7 An Adulterer therefore continuing in his sin committing the same as oft as opportunity serveth is not justified before God For God who calleth it an abomination in us Men to justifie the wicked Prov. 17.15 cannot himself justifie any sinner continuing in his wickednes and therefore every such sinner ceaseth to be justified untill hee have repented and forsaken his sinne The Author of the Appeale at this present a learned and Reverend Bishop maintained the former Doctrine by the words of the Homily affirming that the Doctrine delivered in the Homily was the Doctrine of the Church of England pag. li. 32. In answer to the former Brother B. sets his glosse upon the Homily saying a Plea to the Appeale lb. As neither the Church of England her self avoucheth or concludeth any thing for Doctrine matters of faith but so far as is consonant to the word of God so neither are we to measure her doctrines but by the only line and rule of the Scriptures Ib. For the Articles and Hâ—milies of the Church of England wee subscribed unto theÌ„ indeed but not to the private sense which every particular man may put upon them Idem Christ Conf. Compl. pâ—g 92. that we are to measure the Doctrines of the Church of England by the line and rule of holy Scr pture and that we must not take the words of the Homily at the first rebound according to our owne fancy but so far as the same is consonant to the word of God pag. 14. But if this Rule which the Dialogue Dauber hath approved is authenticall then we can see no reason wherefore it may not be lawfull for us as well as for him to expound the words of the Homily in point of the Sabbath according to the sense of holy Scripture And if we may do this then it is undoubtedly true that it was not the intent of the Homily to make the 4th Commandement a Precept of the Law of Nature or a morall Precept purely intirely and properly such Our request likewise is that Br. B. would make a review of a confident Argument propounded by him against the Appealer in his Plea pag. 17. the scope whereof is That a Person once justified and in the state of Grace if afterwards he become an Adulterer or wilfully commit any other the like crime or sin and continueth therein yet he still remaineth in the state of Grace without any diminution of his faith no not in the degrees His Argument is as followeth A mortall Father begets a mortall Son So the immortall God can beget no Son but he is immortall Now it is impossible for the immortall God to dye no not for a moment Of this nature also is the Borne of God a H. B. Plea to the Appeal Now this being so cleare a proofe if any places of Scripture seeme to be opposit they are so onely in sound not in sence he cannot fall away totally that is dye in his spirituall life no not for a moment But upon the foresaid ground Br. B. may proceed further and conclude that no person once regenerate can possibly sin at any time in thought word or deed neither can hee die a temporall death For if God Almighty being a Father of the regenerate hath begotten all his sonnes in nature like himselfe and it is impossible for God Himselfe either to dye or to sinne Then it will likewise be impossible for any Regenerate Persons to sinne in thought word or deed they cannot at any time covet or lye or transgresse any Divine Law neither can they dye a temporall Death The learned Author of the Appeale beleeveth that Br. B. was pleased to act Asotus his part although hee stiled himselfe Orthodoxus when hee propounded the former Argument For although it is true that an immortall father begetting a son of the same nature and substance with himselfe every such naturall sonne must be immortall like unto his naturall father as appeareth in the second person of the Trinity according to his Deity b Aug. c. Faust Manich. li. 3. ca. 3. Vnicum filium habet Deus quâ—m genuit de substantia sua de quo dicitur cum in forma Dei esset non rapinam arbitratus est se aequalem esse Deo Nos autem non de substantia sua genuit creatura enim sumus quam non genuit sed fecit yet it is extreme false and most absurd to affirme that all such Persons as are the Sonnes of God meerely by his Voluntary Election free gift or by Creation or Adoption and so farre as they imitate and obey him * Id. Serm. Dom. in Mont. c. 46. Vnus naturaliter filius est qui nescit omnino peccare Nos autem potestate accepta efficimur filii in quantum ea quae ab illo praecipiuntur implemus Id. in Psa 44. Ille creando pater sed nos illum imitando filii Matth. 5.45 doe partake the essentiall and naturall proprieties and Attributes of God himselfe their heavenly Father For Adam was the sonne of God by Creation Luk. 3.38 And Infants baptized are regenerate with the Holy Spirit and made the Children of God by Adoption and yet notwithstanding Adam by disobedience fell from grace and became mortall and all Infants regenerate in Baptisme are mortall and many of these comming to yeares of discretion by sinne and Infidelity fall away from the state of Grace and Adoption a August Ep. 59. Quid dicturus est de Infantulis parvulis qui plerique accepto in illa aetate gratiae SacrameÌ„to qui sine dubio pertinerent ad vitaÌ„ aeternam regnumque caeloruÌ„ si continuo ex hac vita emigrarent sinuntur crescere noÌ„nulli etiam Apostatae sunt received in their Baptisme Prosper Aquitauicus b Prosp ad artic fals impos cap. 7. Cyprian Ep. 76. Nonnulli de illis qui sani baptizantur si postmodum peccare caeperint Spiritu immundo redeunte quatiuntur ut manifestum sit diabolum Baptismo fide credentis excludi si fides postmodum defecerit regredi S. Augustine's Disciple and interpreter saith as followeth Ex regeneratis in Christo Iesu qâ—â—sdâ—â— relicta fide â—â—is moribus apostatare à Deo impiam Vitamin suâ—â—versione finire multis quod dolendum est probatur exemplis Among those which are regenerate in Christ Iesus that some persons by forsaking faith and good manners fall away from God and â—nd their wicked life in Apostasie is proved the more is the pitty by many examples A. Sir you have abundantly satisfied me in this point and I suppose every Rationall man and true bred sonne of the Church of England and surely I wonder so learned a man should commit so foule an error as not to search better into the Doctrine of our Church so clearely expressed in the Homily Answ In the Bishop's Epistle prefixed
to this Treatise and in the precedent examination of the Objections out of the booke of Homilies the judicious Reader will observe this former babble of Br. Asotus fully confuted both by the expresse words of our Statute Law and also by many other weighty arguments and authorities B. You need not wonder at it wee have all known him to do as great a matter as that for was not his hand to the approbation of a Booke in printe though afterwards called in by Sovereigne authority which containes and maintaines many sundry Tenets both Pelagian and Popish flat against the cleare Doctrines of our Church and whereby he hath as yet made no publike recantation to remove the scandall from the Church of England and to satisfie so high an offence given Answ One H. B. some few yeares past vented an envious and illiterate Pamphlet against the Author of the Appeale and against his Approver H. B. Plea to an Appeale Pres to the Reader accusing them that they avow approve and stiffely maintaine grosse and grievous heresies devised by the Devill The principal and most notorious of al the rest he makes the Appealer's Tenet concerning the losse of faith and justification which one heresie saith he overthroweth the whole tenure truth of the Gospel it turneth upside down the very foundation of our salvation it reviveth directly in part by consequence altogether that wicked Heresie of the Pelagians The Appealer in the Treatise which H. B. entertaineth with such foule language affirmeth that it seemed to him A justified person by committing foule and wilfull sinne might really fall away from grace and cease to be justified The 16. Article of our Churches Doctrine and the words of our Homilies a The first and second part of the Sermon of falling from God pag. 54. and pag. 57. seemed to him to maintaine this position and Saint Augustine and his followers were of this judgement H. B. after much prating and ignorant disputing comming at length to Saint Augustine saith as followeth Saint Augustine is so copious in this point of perseverance to wit that justified persons cannot fall away from grace either totally or finally that I marvell that any man who hath read St. Aug. of these points would ever meddle with him in this matter to wrest one mangled testimony against so many pregnant proofes of truth Now Br. B. was forced to this desperate assertion because otherwise he must have beene proclaimed a malicious Calumniator in accusing the Appealer of Pelagianisme and devilish Heresie For Saint Augustine was a professed Adversary to the Pelagians and to all their devillish Heresies and therefore if this most learned and godly Father in his disputations against Pelagians and their Adheres expressely and constantly maintained that some regenerate and justified Persons might really fall away from saving and justifying grace then it is certaine that the said Tenet is not Pelagian Saint Augustine's Positions concerning the former question First this Holy Father distinguished justified Persons into two kinds or sorts to wit 1 Some of them are God's Children according to his secret and eternall Predestination a Aug. de Corrept grat ca. 9. In illa praedestinatione sunt filii ejus nondum nati sunt filii ejus 2 Some justified persons are his Children propter susceptam temporaliter gratiam because for a time only namely during their perseverance they b Ib. c. 8. Mirandū est quidē c. quod filiis suis Deus quibusdam quos regeneravit in Christo quibus fidem spem dilectionem dedit non dat perseveratiam Ib. ca. 9. Filiis suis non praedestinatis Deus perseverantiam non dedit are partakers of divine grace The first of these are God's sons because according to his eternall purpose they are predestinate to the finall receiving the inheritance prepared for his Children The Temporary are not his Children according to his eternall prescience c Aug. Ib. Non illos dicit filios praescientia Dei Prosp ad artic fals impos sent 7. and because hee foreseeth they shall not finally persevere and obtaine the Crowne of everlasting glory Secondly St. Aug. affirmeth of both these sons the Temporary as well as the Perseverant d Aug. de Bon. persev ca. 8. Vtrique vocati fuerunt vocantem sequuti utrique ex impiis justificati per lavachrum regenerationis utrique renovati Id. de Cor. grat ca. 6. Si autē jam regeneratus justificatus in malā vitam sua volūtate relabitur certe ille non potest dicere non accepi quia acceptā gratiā Dei suo in malum libero amisit arbitrio Prosp ad artic fals impos ca. 7. that they were called of GOD and they followed or obeyed his calling Vtrique ex impiis justificati both of them being naturally impious were justified and regenerate or renewed by the laver of Regeneration Thirdly he teacheth that the temporary during the time of their perseverance were endued with faith working by Charity a Aug. de cor gra ca. 6. fidē quae per dilectionē operatur Ib. c. 8. cam qua Christiane viverent dilectionem dedit Ib. c. 13. In fide quae per dilectionem operatur incipere vivere Acceperunt fidem quae per dilectionem operatur They had received faith working by Charity They lived justly and faithfully for a time b Ca. 8. cū fideliter pie viverent cum coluerūt bona fide They lived piously with hope of immortality not foiling their Conscience with foule crimes c Id. de Civ Dei li. 11. c. 12. Quos videmus juste pie vivere cū spe futurae immortalitatis sine crimine vastāte conscientiam They heard the voyce of Christ and obeyed it d Id. in Ioh. tr 45. quādiu recte sapiunt audiūt vocem Christi Lastly during the time of their perseverance Non simulaverunt justitiam They played not the Hypocrites neither was their righteousnesse fained e Id. d. cor gra c. 9. Deum coluerunt bona fide c. 8. Fourthly St. Augustine his Tenet was that justified and regenerate persons of both kindes have fallen away and possibly they may fall away from justificant grace The Predestinate may fall away for a time but so as they shall undoubtedly by Repentance and forsaking their sin recover f Aug. de civ Dei li. 17. c. 8 c. Faust Manich. li. 21 c. 81 88. d. Doctr. Christ li. 3. ca. 21. In Psa 126. In Iohan tr 66. tr 103. d. Bapt. c. Dō li. 1. c. 11. d. cor gra c. 6. 7. 8. 13. Ad art fals impos art 13. Hypognost li. 6. ca. 7. Novimus aliquos etiam perfectos ex labore multorum annorum prolapsos in ultimo vitae suae perisse The non predestinate do fall away in such manner as that they either perish in the act of their sin or if they live they fall into