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
unto pag. 267. Thesis 7â— The Sanctification of one particular day in seven is neither any principle of the Law of nature nor yet an immediate Conclusion of the same neither is the same commanded by any written Evangelicall divine Law neverthelesse the same is consonant to the Equity of the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue and besides The religious observatâ—on of one day in seven is a convenient time for GOD'S publique and solemne worship and the Christian Church in al ages since the Apostles hath deputed one weekely Seventh-day to the fore-said end And therefore it is a thing just and reasonable to continue the same observation pag. 91. Thesis 8. There is no expresse Commandement written in the New Testament concerning the religious observation of the Sunday of every weeke rather than of any other convenient day or time Neverthelesse because the Christian Church ever since the Apostles age hath beene accustomed to observe this weekely-day and it is a received Tradition that the holy Apostles themselves were the authors of this observation and also the maine reason upon which this observation was first grounded to wit the Resurrection of CHRIST upon the day called the LORD'S-day is a just and weighty motive to induce Christian people to observe this day in the honour of CHRIST and to testifie their rejoycing and thankefulnesse for the benefit of our SAVIOUR'S Resurrection Therefore it is not expedient decent or agreeable to equity and good reason to alter the long continued observation of this day into any other new day or time pag. 152. Jncipit PROLOGUS A. BRother you are happily met B. And you Brother also A. I would I might spend an houre or two with you in private conference in a point wherein I have of late been not a little perplexed B. Why what is the matter Brother A. Have you not seene a late Treatise of the Sabbath-day published by an eminent Antistes in this Church B. Yes I have both seene and perused it A. I pray you what thinke you of it B. I thinke it is a very dangerous Booke A. What meane you by that B. I mean dangerous to the Authour if it were well examined before competent judges A. How so I pray you B. Because it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath A. Pardon me that seemes to mee impossible B. Why A. Because he saith expresly in the very title page of his hooke That it containeth a defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England against Sabbatarian Novelty And therefore I am confident he will looke to make that good B. Be not too confident you know the Proverb Fronti rara fides The foulest causes may have the fairest pretences Answ The substance of the precedent interlocutory babble is The Bishops Booke is a dangerous booke and that to himselfe if it were examined before Competent judges for contrary to the title of the booke it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath Our answer to this accusation is 1. that if we will rightly understand the quality of it we must first of all define who are Competent judges Now the holy Scripture The Law of reason and all prudent men require these properties following to the Constitution of Competent judges 1. Lawfull authority 2. Sufficient learning and knowledge 3. Feare of God 4. Wisedome 5. Integrity and love of Verity 2 The Bishops Treatise of the Sabbath hath already beene examined by judges qualified in manner aforesaid Namely by the two most Reverend Arch-Bishops by many Reverend Bishops by the Honourable Court of High Commission by many Reverend and learned Deanes by many Doctors and Professors of Theologie by some of the learned Readers in Divinity of both Vniversities by Noble and Prudent Statesmen by eminent Professors of both Laws civill and temporall and the Kings Majesty himselfe the Bishops Soveraigne Lord and Master hath graciously accepted it and if these before named shall not be esteemed competent judges Our desire is to be enformed by our Brother B. who in our Church or Kingdome are competent judges but especially let him resolve us who shall be those competent Iudges to whose sentence hee will submit the examination of his owne unlicensed pamphlets 3 The Bishop hath not onely affirmed in the title page of his Treatise that it containeth a Defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England c. but he likewise hath confirmed the same by arguments and testimonies irrefragable Therefore Brother B. his proverbiall sentence Frontirara fides is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it admitteth an exception to wit credit ought at all times to bee given to the Frontispice of every booke which confirmeth that which is contained in the same by weightie and effectuall arguments Now the conclusion from the Premises is The Bishops Booke can prove no dangerous Book either to himselfe or to any other if it were duely examined by lawfull and competent Iudges A. That is true you say But yet I cannot be perswaded that so great a Personage would so farre overshoot as to give that advantage to those whom he makes his adversaries Nay you know his Booke is dedicated to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by whose direction and that according to his sacred Majesty his command he was set upon this work both for the preventing of mischiefe as himselfe saith in his Epistle Dedicatory to the said Arch-Bishop and to settle the Kings good Subjects who have long time beene distracted about Sabbatarian questions Now if he maintaine not but as you say overthrow the Doctrine of the Church of England he will have small thankes from his sacred Majesty for his paines who is the Defender of the Faith of the Church of England and hath often solemnly protested Declaration about the Dissolving of the ParliameÌ„t And Declaration before the 39. Articles and that in his publike Declarations â—n print that he will never suffer therein the least innovation And what thankes then can heâ— expect from the Bp. trow you And instead of preventing he will pull on greater mischiefs And in stead of setling the Kings good Subjects he will fill their minds with greater distractions And therfore Brother in so saying you lay a heavy charge upon him It is dangerous so to charge a Person of that Dignity and Esteeme in the world Take heede therefore what you say You know also that he is a great Scholer deeply learned a Reverend Father of the Church so as his judgment is taken almost for an Oracle Answ The summe of the former discourse is That the Bishop can expect small thankes from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to whom his Booke is dedicated or from his Majesty who will suffer no innovation in Religion if he being of note for learning and a Bishop of the Church hath in stead of setling the mindes of the Kings loving Subjects distracted or led them into error To this
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
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
quality with the Law it selfe and therefore if the Law be intirely and naturally morall then the expresse and speciall object of the same is of the same quality For example in the fifth Commandement of the Decalogue Honour thy father and thy mother c. Naturall Parents are the prime speciall and expresse Object of that Law therefore although other Objects may be added as honour the King give honour to Presbyters that rule well honour Masters c. Yet naturall Father and Mother being named expressed and specified in the Commandement remaine indelible because they are the prime Object thereof In like manner if the fourth Commandement were naturall and intirely morall like unto the fifth then the particular day expressed and described therein namely Saturday must be observed although the Apostles and Christian Church might adde the Lord's-day and some other Festivals for the enlarging of the service of Christ 4 The Bishop also in his Treatise 235. c. 249. c. hath observed certaine desperate passages in those mens Sermons and Tractats whom he stileth Novell Sabbatarians to wit To doe any servile worke or businesse upon the Lord's-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man or to commit adultery To throw a Bowle on the Sabbath-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man And to make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's day is as great a sin as for a father to take a knife and cut his childes throat To ring more Bels than one upon the Lord's-day to call the People to Church is as great a sin as to commit murder In Harvest time though the Corne be in danger yet better were it for us that it should rot on the ground than for us by carrying it in with the breach of the Sabbath to treasure up unto ourselves wrath c. It is not lawfull for people to go out of their houses to walke in the fields These former Dictats are borrowed from the old Pharisees and the moderne Authors who have revived and maintained them comply herein with Sabbatarian Hereticks Thus to satisfie my judicious Reader I have delivered the reasons inducing me to stile certaine new Scripturients and Predicants whose opinions I impugned Novell Sabbatarians and if Br. B. and his Allies are offended and hold this Title odious let them right themselves not by raging and thrusting out rayling and libelling Pamphlets marching up and downe in blew Iackets but by renouncing and recanting those scandalous Positions which are apt to impoyson Christian People with Iudaical and Sabbatarian heresie 5 Those persons which the Bishop intended when he used that terme of Novell Sabbatizers were so far from being the true bred children of the Church of England that they were either in heart or in open profession adheres to the Presbyterian Policy and they sucked not their Doctrine of the Sabbath from the breasts of both the Testaments but partly from the corrupt Fountaines of Ancient Heretickes and partly out of the broken Cesternes of their owne private fancies B. The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sabbath is most clearely a If Br. Asotuâ— had said clearely and left out the word most he had said more than he could have made good and fully set forth in the Booke of Homilies which Booke the 35. Article to which all we Ministers doe subscribe doth commend as containing A godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times and therefore judged to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People Answ The Homily setteth forth the Doctrine of the Church of England if the words and sentences thereof be rightly expounded to wit according to the rule of the Scripture the common vote and consentient testimony of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of Christ in all ages and the precedent and subsequent Lawes Statutes and Canons of the kingdome and Church of England But if the words and sentences thereof be not rightly expounded b Tertul. d. Prascript ca. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus according to the foresaid rules but according to mens private interpretation then the same may bee a meanes to lead people into error for so it fareth sometimes even with holy Scripture it selfe c Hieron Com. in Eph. 1. Interpretatione perversa ex Evangelio Domini sit Evangelium hominis quod pejus est Diaboli Id. c. Lucifer Nec sibi blandiantur si de scripturarsi capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cuÌ„ diabolus de scripturis aliqua sit locutus scripturae non in logendo consistunt sed in intelligeÌ„do 2 Some passages in the Homily are ambiguous Therefore the doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearely set forth in the same The Antecedent is proved by these Instances The Homily saith As for the time which Almighty God hath appointed his people to assemble together solemnly it doth appeare by the fourth Commandement of God Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day it is plaine in the Acts of the Apostles ca. 13. the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them In this passage the Homily might seeme to those who maintaine the Saturday Sabbath to make that day a weekly festivall because the Apostles upon that day even after Christs Ascension entred into Synagogues and did there performe Christian religious offices Act. 13.14 44. and Chap. 17.2 It followeth in the Homily God doth not binde Christians so straightly to observe the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath in forbearing of work and labour in time of great necessity In this passage the Homily hath not clearely and explicitely declared 1. How farre forth the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement was Ceremoniall 2. What kinde of worke and labour in particular Christians may lawfully use upon the Holy day Br. B. pag. 22. Will admit no work or labour upon the Sunday but such only as is of absolute necessity as in time of Scar-fire invasion of enemies c. But the Ancient Imperiall lawes permitted sundry workes of lesse necessity than the former upon the Sunday pag. 219. and grave Divines as Calvin Bucer Beza c. approve the same a Walaeus de Sab. pag. 1â—9 Non audemus improbare quod post concilium Arelatense Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes aut vindemiae etiam die Dominico colligantur Quia si ad famis propriae solatium licuit Discipulis sabbato aristas vellere Cur non liceat in tali casu â—d pulsionem praeventionem famis communis terram coÌ„serere messem aut vindeâ—iam salvare Bez. in Cantic Ho. 30. Vt autem Christiani eo die a suis quotidianis laboribus abstinerent praeter id temporis quod in caetu ponebatur Id neque illis Apostolicis temporibus mandatum neque prius
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