THE Contemplations upon the HISTORY OF THE New Testament now complete The second Tome Together with Divers TREATISES reduced to the greater Volume By Jos Exon. MDCLXI LONDON Printed by James Flesher TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Most Gracious and Dread Soveraign MOre then twenty years are slipt away since I entred upon this task of sacred Contemplations presuming so long agoe to prefix your Royal Name to some of the first pieces of this long work which I rather wished then hoped I might live to finish The God of Heaven hath been pleased to stretch out my daies so farre as to see it brought at last after many necessary intermissions to an happy end Now not with more contentment then boldness I bring to your sacred hands besides variety of other discourses that work complete whereof some few parcels saw the light before under subordinate Dedications The whole is your Majesties due no less then the unworthy Author whose age pleaseth and prideth it self in nothing more then in the title of one of your Majesties most ancient Attendants in my station now living JOS. EXON THE CONTENTS OF THIS SECOND TOME CONTEMPLATIONS ON THE NEW TESTAMENT The First Book containing THE Angel and Zachary 1 The Annunciation of CHRIST 6 The Birth of CHRIST 9 The Sages and the Star 12 The Purification 15 Herod and the Infants 18 The Second Book containing CHrist among the Doctors 23 Christ's Baptisme 27 Christ Tempted 29 Simon Called 38 The Marriage in Cana. 41 The good Centurion 44 The Third Book containing THe Widows Son raised 48 The Rulers Son cured 51 The dumb Devil ejected 53 Matthew Called 58 Christ amongst the Gergesens or Legion and the Gadarene heard 61 The Fourth Book containing THe faithful Canaanite 73 The deaf and dumb man cured 79 Zacheus 83 John Baptist beheaded 91 The five loaves and two fishes 100 The walk upon the waters 107 The bloody issue healed 114 Jairus and his daughter 120 The motion of the two fiery Disciples repelled 122 The ten Lepers 126 The pool of Bethesda 132 Christ transfigured 138 The woman taken in adultery 152 The thankful Penitent 158 Martha and Mary 165 The begger that was born blinde cured 169 The stubborn Devil ejected 173 The Widows mites 177 The ambition of the two sons of Zebedee 179 The tribute-money pay'd 183 Lazarus dead 185 Lazarus raised 190 Christ's procession to the Temple 198 The fig-tree cursed 202 Christ betrayed 205 The Agonie 209 Peter and Malchus or Christ apprehended 212 Christ before Caiaphas 215 Christ before Pilate 218 The Crucifixion 224 The Resurrection 233 The Ascension â—â—â— Sermons and other Treatises A Sermon of publick thanksgiving for the wonderful mitigation of the late Mortality preach'd before his Majesty at White-Hall 251 One of the Sermons preach'd at Westminster on the day of the Publick Fast April 5. 1628. to the Lords of the High Court of Parliament 261 A Sermon preach'd before his Majestie on the Sunday before the Fast March 30. 1628. at White-hall 271 One of the Sermons preach'd to the Lords of the high Court of Parliament on Ashwednesday February 18. 279 The Hypocrite set forth in a Sermon at Court February 28. 1629. being the third Sunday in Lent 291 The Beauty and Unitie of the Church in a Sermon at White-Hall 304 The Fashions of the world laid forth in a Sermon at Grayes-Inn on Candlemas day 311 The Estate of a Christian laid forth in a Sermon at Grayes-Inn on Candlemas day 320 The Fall of Pride out of Proverbs 29. ver 23. 329 Christ and Caesar A Sermon preach'd at Hampton-Court 337 The defeat of Cruelty prayed for and laid forth in a Sermon preach'd at a solemn Fast at White-Hall 344 S. Paul's combat in two Sermons preach'd at the Court to his Majestie in ordinary attendance 1 352 S. Paul's combat in two Sermons preach'd at the Court to his Majestie in ordinary attendance 2 362 The Old Religion A treatise wherein is laid down the true state of the difference betwixt the Reformed and Roman Church 369 The Reconciler An Epistle pacificatory of the seeming difference of opinion concerning the Trueness and Visibility of the Romane Church 424 Occasional Meditations 448 Certain Catholick Propositions 499 An Answer to Pope Urban his Inurbanity expressed in a Breeve sent to Lewis the French King 503 TO MY MUCH HONOURED AND RIGHT WORSHIPFUL FRIEND Sir Henry Yelverton KNIGHT ATTURNEY GENERALL TO HIS MAJESTIE Right Worshipful It is not out of any satietie that I change from the Old Testament to the New these two as they are the Breasts of the Church so they yield Milk equally wholesome equally pleasant unto able Nurselings Herein I thought good to have respect unto my Reader in whose strength there may be difference That other Breast perhaps doth not let down this nourishing liquor so freely so easily Even so small a variety refresheth a weak Infant Neither will there perhaps want some palates which will finde a more quick and pleasing relish in this fresher substance These I thought good to please with a Taste ere they come to sate themselves with a full Meal of this Divine nourishment in emulation of the good Scribe that brings forth both old and new If it please God to inable my life and opportunities I hope at last to present this Church with the last service of the Historie of either Page wherein my Joy and my Crown shall be the Edification of many In the mean time I dedicate this part unto your Name whom I have so much cause to observe and honour The Blessing of that God whose Church you have ever made your chief Client be still upon your head and that honourable Society which rejoyces in so worthy a Leader To it and your self I shall be ever as I have cause Humbly and unfeignedly devoted JOS. HALL Contemplations THE FIRST BOOK Containing The Angel and Zachary The Annunciation The Birth of CHRIST The Sages and the Star The Purification Herod and the Infants The Angel and Zachary WHEN things are at worst then God begins a change The state of the Jewish Church was extreamly corrupted immediately before the news of the Gospel yet as bad as it was not only the Priesthood but the courses of attendance continued even from Davids time till Christs It is a desperately depraved condition of a Church where no good orders are left Judea passed many troubles many alterations yet this orderly combination endured about an eleven hundred years A setled good will not easily be defeated but in the change of persons will remain unchanged and if it be forced to give way leaves memorable footsteps behinde it If David fore-saw the perpetuation of this holy Ordinance how much did he rejoice in the knowledge of it who would not be glad to doe good on condition that it may so long out-live him The successive turnes of the Legal ministration
into that sacred order that we stick at There we finde that none but Christ can make a Sacrament for none but he who can give Grace can ordain a Signe and Seal of Grace Now it is evident enough that these adscititious Sacraments were never of Christs institution So was not Confirmation as our Alexander of Hales and Holcot so was not Matrimony as Durand so was not Extreme Unction as Hugo Lombard Bonaventure Halensis Altissiodore by the confession of their Suarez These were ancient Rites but they are new Sacraments All of them have their allowed and profitable use in Gods Church though not in so high a nature except that of Extreme Unction which as it is an apish mis-imitation of that extraordinary course which the Apostolick times used in their cures of the sick so it is grosly mis-applied to other purposes then were intended in the first institution Then it was Ungebant sanabant the oyle miraculously conferring bodily recovery but now Non nisi in mortis articulo adhibetur it is not used but upon the very point of death as Cajetan and Cassander confesse and all experience manifests and by Felix the Fourth drawn to a necessity of addresse to eternall life Sect 2. Seven Sacraments beside Scripture NOT to scan particulars which all yield ample exceptions but to wind them all up in one bottome Whosoever shall look into the Scripture shall finde it apparent that as in the time of mans Innocency there were but Two Sacraments the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge so before and under the Law however they had infinite Rites yet in the proper sense they had but Two Sacraments the same in effect with those under the Gospel the one the Sacrament of Initiation which was their Circumcision parallel'd by that Baptisme which succeeded it the other the Sacrament of our holy Confirmation that spirituall meat and drink which was their Paschall Lambe and Manna and water from the rock prefiguring the true Lambe of God and bread of life and blood of our Redemption The great Apostle of the Gentiles that well knew the Analogy hath compared both Moreover brethren I would not have you ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all were baptized in the cloud and in the sea and all did eat the same spirituall meat and all did drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ What is this in any just construction but that the same two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper which we celebrate under the Gospel were the very same with those which were celebrated by Gods ancient people under the Law they two and no more Hoc facite Doe this is our warrant for the one and Ite baptizate c. Goe teach and Baptize for the other There is deep silence in the rest Sect. 3. Against Reason IN Reason it must be yielded that no man hath power to set to a seal but he whose the writing is Sacraments then being the seals of Gods gracious evidences whereby he hath conveyed to us eternall life can be instituted by no other then the same power that can assure and perform life to his creature In every Sacrament therefore must be a Divine institution and command of an Element that signifies of a Grace that is signified of a word adjoyned to that element of an holy act adjoyned to that word Where these concur not there can be no true Sacrament and they are palpably missing in these five Adjections of the Church of Rome Lastly The Sacraments of the new Law as Saint Austin often flowed out of the side of Christ None flowed thence but the Sacrament of water which is Baptisme and the Sacrament of blood in the Supper whereof the Author saith This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you The rest never flowing either from the side or from the lips of Christ are as new and mis-named Sacraments justly rejected by us and we thereupon as unjustly censured CHAP. XVI The Newnesse of the Doctrine of Tradition THE chief ground of these and all other Errours in the Church of Rome is the over-valuing of Traditions which the Tridentine Synod professes to receive and reverence with no lesse pious affection then the Books of the Old and New Testament and that not in matter of Rite and History onely but of Faith and Manners also wherein as they are not unwilling to cast a kinde of imputation of imperfection upon the written Word so they make up the defects of it by the supply of unwritten Traditions to which indeed they are more beholden for the warrant of the greater part of their superadded Articles then to the Scriptures of God Both which are Points so dangerously envious as that Antiquity would have abhorred their mention Neither is any thing more common with the holy Fathers of the Church then the magnifying the compleat perfection of Scripture in all things needfull either to be believed or done What can be more full and clear then that of Saint Austine In his quae apertè c. In these things which are openly laid forth in Scripture are found all matters that contain either Faith or Manners Cardinall Bellarmine's elusion is not a little prejudicial to his own Cause He tells us that Saint Austin speaks of those Points which are simply necessary to Salvation for all men all which he acknowledges to be written by the Apostles But besides these there are many other things saith he which we have only by Tradition Will it not therefore hence follow that the common sort of Christians need not look at his Traditions that commonly men may be saved without them that Heaven may be attained though there were no Traditions Who will not now say Let me come to Heaven by Scripture goe you whither you will by Traditions To which adde that agreat yea the greater part if we may believe some of their own of that which they call Religion is grounded upon onely Tradition If then Tradition be onely of such things as are not simply necessary to Salvation then the greater part of their mis-named Religion must needs be yielded for simply unnecessary to all men And if we may be saved without them and be made Citizens of Heaven how much more may we without them be members of the true Church on Earth As for this place S. Augustine's words are full and comprehensive expressing all those things which contain either Faith or Manners whether concerning Governours or people If now they can finde out any thing that belongs not either to belief or action we do willingly give it up to their Traditions but all things which pertain to either of those are openly comprized in Scripture What can be more direct then that of holy Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
together This I have been bold to say out of caution not of reproof Thus much that there was a Feast of the Jewes Now what Feast it was is questionable whether the Pasch as Irenaeus and Beza with him thinks upon the warrant of John 4. 35. where our Saviour had said Yet four months and then comes harvest or whether Pentecost which was fifty dayes from the shaking of the sheaf that was Easter Sunday as Cyrill Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius and some later or whether one of the September Feasts as some others The excellencie of the Feast makes for Easter the Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the number of Interpreters for Pentecost the number of Feasts for September For as God delighted in the number of seven the seventh day was holy the seventh year the seventh seven year so he shewed it in the seventh month which reserves his number still September the first day whereof was the Sabbath of Trumpets the tenth dies expiationum and on the fifteenth began the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes It is an idleness to seek that which we are never the better when we have found What if Easter what if Tabernacles what if Pentecost what loss what gain is this Magnâ nos molestiâ Johannes liberasset si unum adjecisset verbum John had eased us of much trouble if he had added but one word saith Maldonat But for us God give them sorrow which love it this is one of Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain disputations that he forbids his Timothie yea which is the subject thereof one of them which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish and unlearned questions 2 Tim. 2. 23. Quantum mali facit nimia subtilitas how much mischief is done by too much subtilitie saith Seneca These are for some idle Cloisterers that have nothing to doe but to pick straws in Divinity Like to Appian the Grammarian that with long discourse would pick out of Homer's first verse of his Iliads and the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the number of the books of Iliads and Odysses or like Didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that spent some of his four thousand books about which was Homer's Countrey who was Aeneas's true mother what the age of Hecuba how long it was betwixt Homer and Orpheus or those wise Criticks of whom Seneca speaks that spent whole volumes whether Homer or Hesiod were the elder Non profuturam scientiam tradunt they vent an unprofitable skill as he said Let us be content with the learned ignorance of what God hath concealed and know that what he hath concealed will not avail us to know Rather let us inquire why Christ would go up to the Feast I find two silken cords that drew him up thither 1 His Obedience 2 His desire of manifesting his Glory First It was a general law All males must appear thrice a year before the Lord. Behold he was the God whom they went up to worship at the Feast yet he goes up to worship He began his life in obedience when he came in his Mothers belly to Bethleem at the taxation of Augustus and so he continues it He knew his due Of whom do the Kings of the earth receive tribute of their own or of strangers Then their Sons are free Yet he that would pay tribute to Caesar will also pay this tribute of Obedience to his Father He that was above the Law yields to the Law Legi satisfacere voluit etsi non sub Lege He would satisfie the Law though he were not under the Law The Spirit of God sayes He learned Obedience in that he suffered Surely also he taught obedience in that he did This was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to John Baptist It becomes us to fulfill all Righteousness He will not abate his Father one Ceremony It was dangerous to goe up to that Jerusalem which he had left before for their malice yet now he will up again His Obedience drew him up to that bloody Feast wherein himself was sacrificed how much more now that he might sacrifice What can we plead to have learned of Christ if not his first Lesson Obedience The same proclamation that Gedeon made to Israel he makes still to us As ye see me doe so doe ye Whatsoever therefore God injoyns us either immediately by himself or mediately by his Deputies if we will be Christians we must so observe as those that know themselves bound to tread in his steps that said In the volume of thy Book it is written of me I desired to doe thy will O God Psal 40. 6. I will have obedience saith God and not sacrifice But where Sacrifice is Obedience he will have Obedience in sacrificing Therefore Christ went up to the Feast The second motive was the manifestation of his Glory If we be the light of the world which are so much snuffe what is he that is the Father of lights It was not for him to be set under the bushel of Nazareth but upon the table of Hierusalem Thither and then was the confluence of all the Tribes Many a time had Christ passed by this man before when the streets were empty for there he lay many years yet heales him not till now He that sometimes modestly steals a Miracle with a Vide nè cui dixeris See thou tell no man that no man might know it at other times does Wonders upon the Scaffold of the World that no man might be ignorant and bids proclaim it on the house tops It was fit the world should be thus publickly convinced and either wone by belief or lost by inexcusableness Good the more common it is the better I will praise thee saith David in Ecclesia magna in the great Congregation Glory is not got in corners No man say the envious kinsmen of Christ keeps close and would be famous No nor that would have God celebrated The best opportunities must be taken in glorifying him He that would be Crucified at the Feast that his Death and Resurrection might be more famous will at the Feast doe Miracles that his Divine power might be approved openly Christ is Flos campi non horti the flower of the field and not of the garden saith Bernard God cannot abide to have his Graces smothered in us I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart saith the Psalmist Absolon when he would be insigniter improbus notoriously wicked does his villany publickly in the eyes of the Sun under no curtain but Heaven He that would doe notable service to God must doe it conspicuously Nicodemus gain'd well by Christ but Christ got nothing by him so long as like a night-bird he never came to him but with owles and bats Then he began to be a profitable Disciple when he durst oppose the Pharisees in their condemnation of Christ though indefinitely but most when in the night of his death the light of his Faith brought him openly to take down the Sacred Corps before
that all these Fathers were carelesse of the rest especially since the end which they professe to propose unto themselves herein is the instruction of the people of what Nation or Language soever which end as it was never meant to be limited to two sorts of people so could it never be attained without this liberty of Language fitted to their understanding To which may be added that the Greeks and Latines of all other had the least need of this provision since it was famously known that they had their several Services already of received and current use before this Constitution was hatched Neither is it of any moment which he addeth That in Italy it self this Decree was not extended to the use of Vulgar tongues for that it is evident that S. Thomas who lived soon after composed in Latine the Office of the Feast of Corpus Christi not in the Italian although the same Aquinas confesses that the vulgar tongue of Italy at that time was not Latine For what childe cannot easily see that if their great Doctor would write an Office for the publick use as is intended of the whole Church he would make choice to write it in such a Language as might improve it to the most common benefit of all the Christian world not confining it to the bounds of a particular Nation Besides what was the Italian in those times especially but a broken and corrupt Latine differing more in Idiome and termination then in the substance of speech That which Radevicus about the year 1170. records for the voice of the people in the election of Pope Victor Papa Vittore S. Pietro l'elege makes good no lesse for what such difference is betwixt this and Papam Victorem Sanctus Petrus elegit So as this instance doth nothing at all infringe that just Decree of the Roman Fathers Howsoever that observation of Erasmus is true and pregnant to this purpose Nec lingua vulgaris c. Neither was the vulgar tongue i. the Latine withdrawn from the people but the people went off from it And as for our Ancestors in this Island our Venerable Beda witnesses that in England the Scriptures were read by them in five Languages according to the number of the Books wherein the Law of God was written namely English Scotish British Pictish and Latine which saith he in meditation of the Scriptures is made common to all the rest A point which the said Author specifies for a commendation of the well-instructednesse of those people not as purposing to intimate that the use of the Latine did thrust out the other four for he there tels us that in all four they did not only search but confesse and utter the knowledge of the highest truth This restraint then is not more New then envious and prejudicial to the Honour of God and the Souls of men Sect. 2. Against Scripture AS for Scriptures were this practice so old as it is pretended the rule is Longaevae consuetudinis c. The authority of an ancient Custome is not to be slighted so long as it is not against the Canons Nothing can be more against the Canons of the blessed Apostle then this who did he live in these our daies and would bend his speech against the use of a Language not understood in Gods service could not speak more directly more punctually then he doth to his Corinths How doth he tell us that the speaking in a strange tongue edifies not the Church profits not the hearers produces a necessary ignorance of the thing spoken makes me a Barbarian to him that speaketh and him that speaketh a Barbarian to me How doth he require him that speaketh in an unknown tongue to pray that he may interpret And if he must pray that he may doe it how much more must he practice it when he can doe it How doth he tell us that in a strange-languaged Prayer the understanding is unfruitfull that it is better to speak five words with understanding that we may teach others then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue that those which speak with strange tongues are but as mad men to the unlearned or unbelievers Sect. 3. Against Reason IN which Scriptures besides Authority the Apostle hath comprized unanswerable and convincing Reasons against this Romish abuse Amongst the rest is intimated that utter frustration of the use of the tongue in Gods service For it is a true Rule which Salmeron cites out of Lactantius Nihil valet ex se c. That thing is to no purpose which avails not unto the end whereto it serves Silence doth as much expresse the thought as a language not understood In this sense is that of Laurentius too well verified Sacerdos imperitus mulier sterilis A Priest unable to expresse himself is a barren woman uncapable of bringing forth children to God As good no tongue as no understanding What good doth a Well sealed up as Ptolomy said of the Hebrew Text. Wherefore do we speak if we would not be understood It was an holy resolution of S. Augustine that he would rather say Ossum in false Latin to be understood of the people then Os in true not to be understood This practice however it may seem in it self slight unworthy of too much contention yet in regard of that miserable blindness and mis-devotion which it must needs draw in after it is so hainous as it may well deserve our utmost opposition The unavoidablenesse of which effects hath carried some of their Casuists into an opinion of the unnecessarinesse of devotion in these holy businesses so as one sayes He that wants devotion sins not another Though it be convenient that the Communicant should have actuall devotion yet is it not necessary Alas what service is this which poor souls are taught to take up with which God must be content to take from hood-wink'd suppliants This Doctrine this Practice thus new thus prejudicial to Christians we blesse God that we have so happily discarded and for our just refusall are unjustly ejected CHAP. XIII The Newnesse of forced Sacramentall Confession THE necessity of a particular secret full Sacramental Confession of all our sins to a Priest upon pain of non-remission is an Act or Institution of the Romane Church For as for the Greek Church it owns not either the Doctrine or Practice So the Glosse of the Canon Law directly Confessio apud Graecos c. Confession is not necessary amongst the Grecians unto whom no such Tradition hath been derived That Glosse would tell us more so would Gratian himself if their tongues were not clipt by a guilty expurgation But in the mean time the Glosse of that Canon hitherto allowed plainly controlls the Decree of that late Council For if the necessity of Confession be only a Tradition and such a one as hath not been deduced to the Greek Church then it stands not by the Law
of God which is universal not making differences of places or times like an high-elevated Star which hath no particular aspect upon one Region That there is a lawfull commendable beneficial use of Confession was never denied by us but to set men upon the rack and to strain their Souls up to a double pin of absolute necessity both praecepti and medii and of a strict particularity and that by a screw of Jus divinum Gods Law is so mere a Romane Novelty that many ingenuous Authours of their own have willingly confessed it Amongst whom Cardinall Bellarmine himself yields us Erasmus and Beatus Rhenanus two noble Witnesses whose joynt Tenet he confesses to be Confessionem secretam c. That the secret Confession of all our sins is not onely not instituted or commanded Jure divino by Gods Law but that it was not so much as received into use in the Ancient Church of God To whom he might have added out of Maldonat's account omnes Decretorum c. all the Interpreters of the Decrees and amongst the School-men Scotus We know well those sad and austere Exomologeses which were publickly used in the severe times of the Primitive Church whiles these took place what use was there of private These obtained even in the Western or Latine Church till the dayes of Leo about 450. years in which time they had a grave publick Penitentiary for this purpose Afterwards whether the noted inconveniences of that practice or whether the cooling of the former fervour occasioned it this open Confession began to give way to secret which continued in the Church but with freedome and without that forced and scrupulous strictnesse which the latter times have put upon it It is very remarkable which Learned Rhenanus hath Caeterum Th. ab Aquino c. But saith he Thomas of Aquine and Scotus men too acute have made confession at this day such as that Joh. Geilerius a grave and holy Divine which was for many years Preacher at Strasburgh had wont to say to his friends that according to their rules it is an impossible thing to confesse adding that the same Geilerius being familiarly conversant with some religious Votaries both Carthusians and Franciscans learned of them with what torments the godly minds of some men were afflicted by the rigour of that Confession which they were not able to answer and thereupon he published a book in Dutch intituled The sicknesse of Confession The same therefore which Rhenanus writes of his Geilerius he may well apply unto us Itaque Geilerio non displicebat c. Geilerius therefore did not dislike Confession but the serupulous anxiety which is taught in the Summes of some late Divines more fit indeed for some other place then for Libraries Thus he What would that ingenuous Author have said if he had lived to see those volumes of Cases which have been since published able to perplex a world and those peremptory Decisions of the Fathers of the Society whose strokes have been with Scorpions in comparison of the Rods of their Predecessors To conclude This bird was hatched in the Council of Lateran Anno 1215. fully plumed in the Council of Trent and now lately hath her feathers imped by the modern Casuists Sect. 2. Romish Confession not warranted by Scripture SInce our quarrell is not with Confession it self which may be of singular use and behoof but with some tyrannous strains in the practice of it which are the violent forcing and perfect fulnesse thereof it shall be sufficient for us herein to stand upon our negative That there is no Scripture in the whole Book of God wherein either such necessity or such intirenesse of Confession is commanded A Truth so clear that it is generally confessed by their own Canonists Did we question the lawfulness of Confession we should be justly accountable for our grounds from the Scriptures of God now that we crie down only some injurious circumstances therein well may we require from the fautors thereof their warrants from God which if they cannot shew they are sufficiently convinced of a presumptuous obtrusion Indeed our Saviour said to his Apostles and their successors Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained But did he say No sin shall be remitted but what ye remit or No sin shall be remitted by you but what is particularly numbred unto you S. James bids Confesse your sins one to another But would they have the Priest shrieve himself to the penitent as well as the penitent to the Priest This act must be mutual not single Many believing Ephesians came and confessed and shewed their deeds Many but not all not Omnes utriusque sexus They confessed their deeds some that were notorious not all their sins Contrarily rather so did Christ send his Apostles as the Father sent him he was both their warrant and their pattern But that gracious Saviour of ours many a time gave absolution where was no particular confession of sins Only the sight of the Paralyticks Faith setcht from him Son be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee the noted Sinner in Simon 's house approving the truth of her Repentance by the humble and costly testimonies of her Love without any enumeration of her sins heard Thy sins are forgiven thee Sect. 3. Against Reason IN true Divine Reason this supposed duty is needlesse dangerous impossible Needlesse in respect of all sins not in respect of some for however in the cases of a burdened Conscience nothing can be more usefull more soveraign yet in all our peace doth not depend upon our lips Being justified by faith me have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Dangerous in respect both of exprobration as Saint Chrysostome worthily and of infection for Delectabile carnis as a Casuist confesseth Fleshly pleasures the more they are called into particular mention the more they move the appetite I do willingly conceal from chast eyes and ears what effects have followed this pretended act of Devotion in wanton and unstaied Confessors Impossible for who can tell how oft he offendeth He is poor in sin that can count his stock and he sins alwayes that so presumes upon his innocence as to think he can number his sins and if he say of any sin as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one as if therefore it may safely escape the reckoning It is a true word of Isaac the Syrian Qui delicta c. He that thinks any of his offences small even in so thinking falls into greater This Doctrine and Practice therefore both as new and unwarrantable full of Usurpation Danger Impossibility is justly rejected by us and we for so doing unjustly ejected Sect. 4. The Noveltie of Absolution before Satisfaction LEst any thing in the Romane Church should retain the old form how absurd is that innovation which they have made in the order of their
to their sin then to my wrong The main ground of the Exception is That I yield the Church of Rome a true visible Church wherein the harsh noise of a mis-construed phrase offends their eare and breeds their quarrell For this belike in their apprehension seems to sound no lesse then as if I had said The Church of Rome is a true-believing Church or a true part of the mysticall body of Christ a sense which is as far wide from my words or thoughts as from truth it self Wherefore serves this Book but to evince the manifold Corruptions of that foul Church That she is truely visible abates nothing of her abominations For who sees not that Visible refers to outward Profession True to some essentiall Principles of Christianity neither of them to soundnesse of Belief So as these two may too well stand together A true visible Church in respect of outward Profession of Christianity and an Hereticall Apostaticall Antichristian Synagogue in respect of Doctrine and Practice Grant the Romanists to be but Christians how corrupt soever and we cannot deny them the name of a Church Outward Visibility gives them no claim either to Truth or Salvation Shortly then in two things I must crave leave to vindicate my self One that I do no whit differ from my self the other that I differ not from the Judgement of our best Orthodox and approvedly-classicall Divines Both which cleared what have I done It is a grievous challenge this of Inconstancy for though whiles we are here in this region of Mutability our whole man is subject to change yet we do all herein affect a likenesse to the God of Truth in whom there is no shadow by turning especially in Religion so much more as that doth more assimilate and unite us to that unchangeable Deity Lo say they the man that once wrote No peace with Rome now cries nothing but Peace with Rome whiles he proclaims it a true visible Church and allows some Communion with it Alas brethren why will ye suffer a rash and ignorant Zeal thus to lye palpably in your way to Truth Be but pleased to cast your eyes upon the first Chapter of that Book of mine which is thus objected to me in a causelesse exprobration that which long since I wrote of the Irreconcilablenesse of Rome and see if that Section be not a full expression of the same Truth and that in the same words which I have here published There shall you finde taught That there is no other difference betwixt us and Rome then betwixt a Church miserably corrupted and happily purged betwixt a sickly languishing dying Church and one that is healthfull strong and flourishing That Valdus Wiclef Luther did never goe about to frame a new Church which was not but to cleanse restore reform that Church which was That they meant onely to be Physicians to heal not Parents to beget a Church There you shall finde That we are all the same Church by virtue of our outward Vocation whosoever all the world over worship Jesus Christ the only Son of God the Saviour of the world and professe the same common Creed that some of us doe this more purely others more corruptly that in the mean time we are all Christians but sound Christians we are not There ye shall finde this very Objection so fully answered as if it had been either formerly moved or so long since prevented the words are these But how harshly doth this sound to a weak reader and more then seems to need reconciliation with it self that the Church should be one and yet cannot be reconciled Certainly yet so it is The dignity of the outward forme which comprehends this Unity in it self avails nothing to Salvation nothing to Grace nothing to the soundnesse of Doctrine The Net doth not straight make all to be Fish that it hath dragg'd together ye shall finde in it vile weeds and whatsoever else that devouring element hath disgorged The Church is at once one in respect of the common Principles of Faith and yet in respect of consequences and that rabble of opinions which they have raked together so opposed that it cannot as things now stand by any glew of Concord as Cyprian speaketh nor bond of Unity be conjoined That which Rome holds with us makes it a Church that which it obtrudes upon us makes it Hereticall the truth of Principles makes it one the Error and impiety of Additions makes it irreconcilable c. Look on the face therefore of the Roman Church she is ours she is Gods look on her back she is quite contrary Antichristian More plainly Rome doth both hold the Foundation and destroy it she holds it directly destories it by consequent In that she holds it she is a true Church howsoever impured in that she destroies it what semblance soever she makes she is a Church of malignants If she did altogether hold it she should be sound and Orthbox if altogether she destroied it she should be either no Church or devilish but now that she professes to hold those things directly which by inferences she closely overthrows she is a truely visible Church but an unsound one Thus I wrote well-near twenty years agone without clamor without censure And since that in my Latine Sermon to the Convocation did I very ought from this hold Did I not there call heaven earth to record of our innocence in separating from the Romane Church Did I not cast the fault upon their violence not our will Did I not professe Lubentes quidem discessimus c. We willingly indeed departed from the Communion of their Errors but from the Communion of the Church we have not departed Let them abandon their Errours and we embrace the Church Let them cast away their Soul-killing Traditions and false appendances of their new Faith we shall gladly communicate with them in the right of the same Church and hold with them for ever This I freely both taught and published with the allowance with the applause of that most Reverend Synod and now doth the addition of a Dignity bring envy upon the same Truth Might that passe commendably from the pen or tongue of a Doctor which will not be endured from the hand of a Bishop My brethren I am where I was the change is yours Ever since I learned to distinguish betwixt the right hand of Veritie and the left of Errour thus I held and shall I hope at last send forth my Soul in no other resolution And if any of you be otherwise minded I dare boldly say he shall doe more wrong to his Cause then to his adversary That I differ not from my self you have seen see now that I differ not from our learned judicious approved Divines That the Latine or Western Church subject to the Romish Tyranny unto the very times of Luther was a true Church in which a saving profession of the truth of Christ was found and wherein Luther himself received his Christianity
of muck but beaten down and burned with the fire of Gods Word the walls of Wood Hay Stubble which the Babylonian builders had raised upon the old Foundation which is Christ Jesus and edified upon it a fair Palace of Silver Gold precious Stones This same is the Opinion also of my Collegues of the French Church of this City of London If any self-conceited Christian thinketh this an advantage rather then a disparagement and disgrace to that punk the Roman Church and taketh thereby occasion to persevere to be her Bawd or Stallion and to run a whoring with her I say with the Psalmist The wicked hath left off to be wise and to doe good and with the Angel He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still For neither must an honest heart speak a lie for the good that may come of it nor conceal in time and place a necessary Truth for any evil that may insue of it If it harden more and more the flinty hearts of some unto death it will soften and melt the iron hearts of others unto life that seeing among us the mud and dirt of humane Traditions wherewith the Pope and his Clergy had furred and soiled the bright-shining glasse of the Gospel wiped away from this heavenly mirror of God's favour they may come unto us and beholding with open face as in a glasse the glory of the Lord may be changed with us into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Which last effect I pray with my heart your Reconciler may have with those that are children of Peace And so recommending your Lordship with all your learned eloquent sound and usefull Labours to Gods most powerfull blessing and my self to the continuance of your godly Prayers and old Friendship I remain for ever Your Lordships most humble and affectionate Servant GILBERT PRIMROSE From London the 26. of February 1629. To my Worthy and much respected Friend Mr. H. CHOLMLEY MAster Cholmley I have perused your Learned and full Reply to Master Burton's Answer wherein you have in a judicious eye abundantly righted your self and cleared a just Cause so as the Reader would wonder where an Adversary might finde ground to raise an opposition But let me tell you were iâ— a Book written by the Pen of an Angel from Heaven in this Subject I should doubt whether to wish it publick How true how just soever the plea be I finde such is the self-love and partiality of our corrupt nature the quarrell is inlarged by multiplying of words When I see a Fire quenched with Oyle I will expect to see a Controversie of this nature stinted by publick altercation New matter still rises in the agitation gives hint to a fore-resolved Opposite of a fresh disquisition So as we may sooner see an end of the common Peace then of an unkindly jarre in the Church especially such a one as is fomented with a mistaken Zeal on the one side and with a confidence of Knowledge on the other Silence hath sometimes quieted such like mis-raised brabbles never interchange of words This very Question was on foot some forty years agoe in the hote chace of great Authors but whether through the ingenuity of the parties or some over-ruling act of Divine Providence it soon died without noise so I wish it may now doe Rather let the weaker Title goe away with the last word then the Church shall be distracted For that Position of mine which occasioned your Vindication you see it sufficiently abetted and determined by so Reverend Authority as admits no exception I dare say no Learned Divine of our own Church or the forain can but subscribe in this our sense to the Judgement of these Worthies To draw forth therefore this cord of contention to any further length were no lesse needlesse then prejudiciall to the publick peace He is not worthy to be satisfied that will yet wrangle As for those Personall aspersions that are cast upon you by Malice be perswaded to despise them These Western parts where your reputation is deservedly pretious know your zeal for Gods Truth no lesse fervent though better governed then the most fiery of your Censurers No man more hateth Popish Superstition onely your fault is that you do not more hate Errour then Injustice and cannot abide wrong measure offered to the worst enemy Neither be you troubled with that idle exprobration of a Prebendary retribution who would care for a contumely so void of truth God knows that worthlesse gift was conferred upon you ere this task came into either of our thoughts and whoso knows the entire respects betwixt us from our very Cradles till this day may well think that a Prebend of three pounds by the year need not goe for a Fee where there is so much and so ancient cause of dearness I am sorry to see such rancour under the coat of Zeal Surely nothing but mere Malice can be guilty of this charge no lesse then of that other envious challenge of your decay of Graces of falling from your first Love from industry to ease from a weekly to a monethly preaching when those that know the state of your Tiverton the four-parted division of that charge and your forced confinement to your own day by publick authority both Spirituall and Temporall must needs acquit you and cry down the wrong of an accuser As for the vigour of Gods good Graces in you both common and sanctifying all the Country are your ample witnesses I that have interknown you from our childhood cannot but professe to finde the entrance of your age no lesse above the best of your youth in abilities then in time and still no lesse fruitfull in promises of increase then in eminent performances What need I urge this your Adversaries do enough feel your worth So as to speak seriously I cannot sufficiently wonder at the liberty of those men who professing a strict conscience of their wayes dare let their Pens or Tongues loose to so injurious and uncharitable a detraction whereof they know the just avenger is in Heaven It should not be thus betwixt Brethren no not with Enemies For the main business there wants not confidence on either side I am appealed to by both an unmeet Judge considering my so deep ingagements But if my umpierage may stand I award an eternall silence to both parts Sit down in peace then you and your worthy Second whose young ripeness and modest and learned discourse is worthy of better entertainment then contempt and let your zealous Opponents say that you have overcome your selves in a resolved cessation of Pens and them in a love of Peace Farewell from Your loving Friend and ancient Collegue JOS. EXON OCCASIONALL MEDITATIONS BY JOS. EXON Set forth by R. H. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE My very good Lord JAMES Lord Viscount Doncaster Right Honourable FInding these Papers amongst others lying aside