should print over and over againe his unworthie collections not onely subscribed by his Chaplane but dedicated to himselfe wherein salvation is avowed to be a thing unknown and whereof no man can have any further or should wish for any more then a good hope (z) Pag. 82. Salus eorum satis certa quamvis ipsis ignota ex gratia infinita sua misericordia det Deus hanc spem sua vissiman huius spei plerophoriam amplioreÌ„ non expectamus And if any desire a clearer confession behold himselfe in those oposcula posthuma of Andrewes which he setteth out to the world after the mans death dedicates to the King avowing that the Church of England doth maintaine no personall perswasion of predestination which Tenet Cardinall Pirroun had obiected to them as presumption (z) Stricturae we think it not safe for any man peremptorily to presume himself predestinat White also in his answer to the Dialogue makes mans election a misterie which God hath so hid in his secret counsell that no man can in this life come to any knowledge let be assurance of it at great length from the 97. page to the 103. and that most plainly A demonstration of Canterburies Arminianisme in the highest degree But to close this Chapter passing a number of evidences I bring but one more which readily may be demonstrative though all other were layd aside By the Lawes and practickes of England a Chaplans licencing of a booke for the presse is taken for his Lord the Bishops deed So Helen approven by Canterburie teacheth in his Antidotum (a) Pag. 3. Or if you be so dull as not to apprehend that yet must the publishing of this Libel rest in conclusion on my Lord high Thesauror the Bishop of London at whose house the booke was licentiate which is so high a language against authoritie against the practise of this Realme for licenciating of bookes against the honour of the Star-chamber on whose decree that practise is founded c. and for this there is reason for the Lawes give authoritie of Licencing to no Chaplane but to their Lords alone who are to bee answerable for that which their Servant doeth in their name Also the Chaplane at the Licencing receives the principall subscrived Copie which he delivereth to his Lord to be laid up in his Episcopall Register William Bray one of Canterburies Chaplanes subscrived Chounaei Collectiones Theologicae as consonant to the doctrine of the Church of England meet for the presse The Author dedicated the Treatise to my L. of Canterburie it was printed at London 1636. In this booke the first article which by the confession of all sides drawes with it all the rest is set downe in more plaine and foule tearmes then Molina or any Jesuite sure I am then Aâ—minius Vorstius or any their followers ever did deliver (b) Pag. 18. Non vidio rationem in contrarium quare cum quae est ex Deo per unam eandemque actionem bonitatis a seipso emanantem recta ordinatio fidei in Christum resipiscentiae obedientiae perseverantiae sit causa salvationis perversa quae ex hominibus est damnationis non in eadem unitatis ratione electionis reprobationis etiam causa agnoscantur teaching in one These those three grosse errours 1. That mens faith repentance perseverance are the true causes of their Salvation as mis-beleefe impenitencie apostasie are of damnation Doeth Bellarmine goe so farre in his Doctrine of Iustification and merite 2. That those sinnes are no lesse the true causes of reprobation then of damnation 3. That mens faith repentance perseverance are no lesse the true causes of tâ—eir eternall Election then mis-beliefe or other sinnes of their temporall damnation Let Charitie suppone that his Grace in the middest of his numerous and weightie imployments hath beene forced to neglect the reading of a booke of this nature though dedicate to himselfe albeit it is well knowne that his watchfull eye is fixed upon nothing more then Pamphlets which passes the presse upon doctrines now controverted yet his Grace beelng publickly upbraided for countenancing of this Booke by D. Bastwick in the face of the Star-chamber and beeing advertised of its dedication to himselfe of the errours contained in it yea of injuries against the King of the deepest staine as these which strooke at the very root of his Supremacie and that in favour of the Bishops When in such a place Canterburie was taxed for letting his name stand before a booke that wounded the Kings Monarchick Government at the very heart and did transferre from the Crowne to the Miter one of its fairest diamonds which the King and his Father before him did ever love most dearly no charitie will longer permitt us to beleeve but his Grace would without further delay lend some two or three spare-houres to the viewing of such a piece which did concerne the King and himselfe so nearly Having therefore without all doubt both seene and most narrowly sifted all the corners of that small Treatise and yet beene so farre from reproving the Authour from censuring the Licencer his Chaplan from calling in the booke from expurging any one jot that was in it that the Treatise the second time is put to the presse at London with the same licence the same dedication no letter of the points in question altered May wee not conclude with the favour of all reasonable men that it is my Lord of Canterburies expresse minde to have his owne name prefixed and his Chaplanes hand subjoyned to the grossest errours of Arminius and so to professe openly his contempt of the Kings proclamation for the pretended violation whereof be causeth stigmatize mutilat fine excessively imprison for time of life very vertuous Gentle-men both Divines Lawyers Physicians and of other faculties What here can bee said for his Graces Apologie nothing commeth in my minde except one allegation that the point in hand crosseth not the proclamation discharging to proceed in those questions beyond the grammaticall construction and literall sense of the articles of England Arminianisme is consonant to the articles of EnglaÌ„d and not contrary to the proclamation The Authour indeed in his Epistle dedicatorie avowes to his Grace that the These alleadged and all the rest of his booke doeth perfectly agree with the English Articles in the very first and literall sense whereof the proclamation speaketh (c) Nec videantur sensum articulorum ecclesiae Anglicanâ— in literali grammaticali nedum in affixo verborum sensu transgredi And to this assertion the Licencers hand is relative as to the rest of the booke But of this miserable apologie which yet is the onely one which I can imagine possible this will bee the necessary issue that the grosse lye which good King Iames put upon the bold brow of impudent Bertius for his affirming that one article of the Saints apostasie let be other more vile Arminian Tenets
Protestants set not up a differeÌ„t ReligioÌ„ for the christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and the difference is in certain grosse corruptions to the very endangering of salvation which each side saith the other is guiltie of Star-chamber speach pag. 36. My second reason is That the learned make but three Religions to have beene of old in the world Paganisme Iudaisme and Christianitie and now they have added a fourth which is Turcisme Now if this ground of theirs be true as it is generally neceived perhaps it will be of dangerous consequence sadly to avow that the popish religion is rebellion though this clause passed in the â—iturgie through inadvertrance in King Iames time this reason well weighed is taken from the very foundation of Religion it selfe ibid. pag. 34. His Majesty expresly commanded mee to make the alteration and to see it printed 2 They will have us to understand though wee the papists differ in some things yet that this very day their is no schisme betwixt papists and Protestants that protestants keep union and communion with the Church of Rome in all things required for the essence of a true Church necessarie for salvation that though they communicate not with some of her doctrines and practices yet this marres not the true union and communion of the two Churches both in faith and charitie That these who passe harder censures upon Rome are but zelots in whom too much zeale hath burnt up all wisedome and charitie (z) Pottar p. 3. 66. Wee darre not communicat with Rome either in her publicke Liturgie which is manifestly polluted with grosse superstition or in these corrupt and ungrounded opinions which she hath added to the faith These make up the poperie but not the Church of Rome In them our communion is dissolved but wee have still a true and reall union with that and all other members of the Church universall in faith and charitie ibid. pag. 74. To depart from the Church of Rome in some doctrines and practices wee had just necessarie cause though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessarie to salvation There is great difference betwixt shisme from them and reformation of our selfe It is one thing to leave communion with the Church of Rome and another to leave communicating with her erros whosoever professeth himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of Christs bodie must confesse himself consequently to forsake the whole And therefore wee forsake not Romes communion more nor the body of Christ whereof wee acknowledge the Church of Rome to bee a member though corrupted If any Zelots hath proceeded among us to heavier censures their zeal may bee excused but their charitie and wisedome can not hee iustified Cant. relat p. 192. The Protestants have not left the Church of Rome in her essence but in her errors not in things which constitute a Church but only in such abuses and corruptions which worke toward the dessolution of a Church 3 Thar the points wherein the two Churches doe differ are such as prejudge not the Salvation of either partie that they are not foundamentall and albeit they were so yet the truths that the papists doe maintaine are of force to hinder all the evil that can coÌ„me from their errours (†) Cant. relate pag. 249. The foundation is and remaineth whole in the mids of their superstitions Heylens answere pag. 124. Suppose a great Prelat in the high Commission Court had said openly That wee and the Church of Rome differed not in fundamentalibus yet how commeth this to be an innovation in the doctrine of England For that church telleth us in the 19. article That Rome doth erre in matters of Faith but it hath not told us that she doth erre in fundamentalibus Halls old religion after the beginning It is the charitable profession of zealous Luther that under the poperie there is much Christian good yea all that under the papacie there is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianitie Neither doe wee censure that Church for what it hath not but for what it hath Fundamentall truth is like the Maronian wine which if it bee mixed with twentie times so much water holds his strength Rome as it is Babylon wee must come out of it but as it is an outward visible Church wee neither did nor would Butterfields Maskell Poperie is poyson but fundâ—mentall truch is an antidot A little quantitie of antidot that is soveraigne will destroy much poyson Pottar pag. 62. The most necessarie and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned ibid. By fundamentall points of Faith wee understand these prime and capitall doctrines of Religion which make up the holy Catholick Faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian The Apostles Creed taken in a Catholicke sense that is as it was further opened in some parts by occasion of emergent heresies in the other catholicke creed of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Scholemen Fathers to comprehend a perfect catalogue of fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. pag. 109. It semeed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with erros even fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. p. 109 It seemed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with errors even fundamentall Heretickes doe imbrace the principles of Christianitie and erre only by misconstruction Whereupon their opinions albeit repugnant indeed to Faith yet are held other wise by them and maintained as consonant to the Faith 4 That the popish errours let bee to bee fundamentall are of so small importance as they doe not prejudge either faith hope or charitie let be salvation (a) Cant relat pag. 361 Holcat Non omnis error in his quae fidei sunt est aut infidelitas aut haeresis In things not necessarie though they bee divine truths if about them men differ it is no more then they have done more or lesse in all ages and they may differ and yet preserve that one necessary Faith intire and charitie also if they be so well minded for opinions which flattereth about that one souls saving Faith there are dangerous differences this day Pottar pag. 38. It is a great vanitie to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the particles of the divine truth so long as the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that common faith containing all necessary verities is keeped So long as men walke charitably according to this rule though in other things they be otherwise minded the unitie of the Church is no wise
invention are these privie articles which his Creature my Lord of Derry presents to diverse who take Orders from his holy hands We will passe these and such other effects which the remote rayes of his Graces countenance doe produce in so great a distance Onely behold How great an increase that unhappie plant hath made there in England where his eye is neerer to view and his hand to water it The Canterburians in England teach the first and second article of Arminianisme In the 25. yeare at the very instant of King James death D. Montagu with D. Whites approbation did put to the presse all the articles of Arminius in the same fearmes with the same arguments and most injurious calumniations of the Orthodox doctrine as Spalato and the Remonstrants had done a little before but with this difference that where those had dipped their pennes in inke D. Montagu doth write with venegar gall in every other line casting out the venome of his bitter Spirit on all that cometh in his way except they be fowles of his own feather for oft when he speakes of Iesuites Cardinals Popes hee annoynts his lips with the sweetest honey and perfumes his breath with the most cordiall tablets If any doe doubt of his full Arminianisme let them cast up his Appeale and see it clearly (k) Appeal p. 60. I professe my through sincere dissent from the faction of novellizing Puritans but in no point more theÌ„ in the doctrine of desperate predestination Ibid. p. 70. I see no reason why any of the divines of our Church present at the Synod of Dort should take any offence at my dissenting who had no authoritie that J know of to conclude me more then I doe at them for dâ—ffering from me in their judgment quisque abundet in suo sensu Ibid. pag. 71. I am sure the Church of England never so determined in her doctrine Ibid. pag. 72 at the conference of Hamptoun-court before his Majestie by D. Bancroft that doctrine of irrespective predestination was stiled against the articles of Lambeth then urged by the Purâ—tans a desperate doctrine without reproof or taxation of any Ibid. pag. 50 your absolute necessarie determined irresistible irrespective decree of God to call save and glorifie S. Peter for instance infalliblie without any consideration had off or regard unto his faith obedience repentance J say it truely it is the fancie of some particular men in the first and second Article of Election and Redemption he avoweth his aversnesse from the Doctrine of Lambeth and Dort which teacheth that God from eternitie did elect us to grace salvation not for any consideration of our faith workes or any thing in us as causes respects or conditions antecedent to that decree but onely of his meere mercy And that from this Election all our faith workes and perseverance doe flow as effects Hee calleth this the private fansie of the Divines of Dort opposite to the Doctrine of the Church of England For this assertion he slandereth the Synod of Lâ—mbeth as teachers of desperate doctrine and would father this foule imputation but very falsly on the Conference at Hamptoun Court (l) Ibid. pag. 61 64. I shall as I can briefly set downe what I conceive of this of Gods decree of predestination seâ—ting by all execution of purpose this farre we have gone and no word yet of predestination for how could it be in a paritie Tâ—ere must â—e first conceived a disproportion before there can be conceived an Election or dereliction God had compassion of men in the masse of perdition upon singulos generum genera singulorum and out of his love motu mero no oâ—herwise stretched out to them deliverance in a Mediator the Man Iesus Christ and drew them out that tooke hold of mercie leaveing them there that would none of him Againe he avoweth positively that faith goeth before Election and that to all the lost race of Adam alike Gods mercie in Christ is propounded till the parties free-will by beleeving or mis-beleeving make the disproportion antecedent to any divine either election or reprobation One of the reasons why King Iames stiled Arminius disciples Aâ—heists Why King Iames stiled them Atheists was because their first article of condiâ—ionall Election did draw them by an inevitable necessitie to the maintenance of Vorstian impiety For make me once Gods eternall decree posterior and dependant from faith repentance perseverance and such works which they make flow from the free-will of changeable men that decree of God will bee changeable it will be a separable accident in him God will be a composed substance of subject true accidents no more an absolute simple essence and so no more God Vorstius ingenuitie in professing this composition is not misliked by the most learned of the Belgick Arminians who use not as many of the English to deny the clear consequeÌ„ces of their doctrine if they be necessary though never so absurd However in this very place Montagu maintaines very Vorstian Atheisme as expresly as any can doe making the divine essence to be finite his omnipresence not to bee in substance but in providence (m) Appeale p. 49. the Stoicks among others held that paradox of old Deum ire per omne terras tractusmaris coelumque profundum They meant it substâ—ntially and so impiously Christians doe hold it too but disposively in his providence and so making God to be no Gâ—d This though long agoe by learned Featlie objected in print to Montagu lyes still upon him without any clearing Certainly our Arminians in Scotland were begun both in word and writt to undertake the dispute for all that Vorstius had printed I speake what I know and have felt oft to my great paines Arminianisme is a chaine any one linck wherof but specially the first will draw all the rest yet see the other also expressed by Montagu In the articles of grace and freewill They teach the third and fourth article not onelie he goes cleare with the Arminians teaching that mans will hath ever a facultie to resist and oftimes according to the Doctrine of the Church of England actually doth resist reject frustrate and overcoms the most powerfull acts of the spirit and grace of God even those which are employed about regeneration sanctification justification perseverance (n) Appeal p. 89. S. Steven in terminis hath the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you resist nay fall crosse with the holy Ghost not suffering him to worke grace in you If the Counsell meaned it de gratia excitante praeveniente operante I think no man will deny it de gratia adiuvante subsequente cooperante there is without question in the naturall will of a regenerate man so much carnal concupiscence as may make him resist and rebell against the Law of the Spirit And if a man justified may fall away from grace which is the doctrine of the Church of England then without question your selves being
were uncapable of these doctrines when men began to chyde and to count each other Anathema as it was with our neighbours it began to be with us was it not time to enjoyne both sides silence By this meanes you say there is no Minister not one among thousand that dare clearely preach of these most comfortable doctrines and so soundly confute the Arminian heresie Blessed be God that there are so few who dare and I wish those few who dare had shewed more obedience to his Majestie approven by Canterburies Chaplane P. Helen directed to speake for Canterburie himselfe doth not stand to affirme that this was a cause well deserving all the sufferings he complained off Canterburie his followers contrary to the proclamation goe on still to print let be to preach their Tenets Could any here but expect of his Graces wisdome and loyaltie when his sollicitude appeareth to disgrace and punish without respect of persons all who in contempt as hee saith of the Kings proclamation will not desist from the publick oppugning of Arminianisme that on the other hand the preachers printers for Arminianisme according to that same proclamation should be put to some order yet this is so far neglected that all who are so affected Cousins Colinâ—s Beel in Cambridge Potter and Iackson in Oxfoord and many more prime Doctours in both Universities in the cittie in the Court and over all the Land boldly give out their minde to all they meete with for the advancement of the new way yea boldnesse in running those pathes hath beene knowne to have beene the high way in all the three Dominions these yeares bygone to certaine promotion in many men who to the worlds eyes had no other singular eminencie of any good parts But that his Graces tramping upon the Kings Proclamation may be yet the more evident behold how he doth dayly dispense both with his owne pen and those also of his friends to write and print for Arminianisme what they please White being taxed by Burtoun for his subscription to Montagous appeal is so far from the least retractation that the fift article of Apostacie uncertaintie of salvation which Burton did single out of all Montagous errours as most opposite to Christian comfort he maintaines it in his owne answer to the Dialogue but as the custome now is under the covert of some Fathers name at great length with much bitternesse and casts out without provocation in his Treatise of the Sabboth the first and second article (t) P. 82. The benefitt of redemption by the antecedent will of Christ is intended to all men living though all men by reason of their own demerits doe not actually receive the Fruit of it Voluntas antecedens est voluntas primaria beneplacitum Dei ex eius nativa propensione existens nullamque sumans occasionem ex nobis Mr. Dow and Schelfoord use the same plainesse Yea in the 31. yeare that faction was so malapeart as to set out the historicall narration by one M. A. Ileward wherein all the Articles of Arminius at length with these false and bitter calumniations of our doctrine Which are usually chanted and rechanted by the Remonstrants are not onely sett downe as truths but also fathered upon the first reformers Martyrs of England That booke when it had beene out a while was called in not because the Doctrines were false not because the storie was forged as that learned Knight S. Vmphrey Lyne by the ocular inspection of the originall manuscript did since demonstrate but the only reason of the calling of it backe as his Grace makes Heylen declare to us was the dinne and clamour which Burtown then one of the Ministers of London made against it (w) Moderat answer p. 121. The Historicall narration was called in also for your pleasure Canterburie himselfe is nothing afrayed to lend his own hand to pull downe any thing that seemes crosse to Arminianisme The certainty of salvation the assurance of election is such an eyesore that to have it away hee stands not with his owne hand to cutt and mangle the very Lyturgie of the Church otherwise a sacred peace and a noli me tangere in England in the smallest points were they never so much by any censured of errour Yet if any clause crosse Arminianisme or Poperie his Grace doth not spare without dinne to expurge it did it stand in the most eminent places thereof in the very morning prayers for the Kings person Here there was this clause fixed since the reformation who art the Father of thine Elect and their Seed this seemed to be a publike profession that it was not unlawfull for King Charles to avow his certainty and perswasion that God was his Father and hee his adopted Childe elect to salvation His Grace could not endure any longer such a scandalous speach to beâ— uttered but with his owne hand scrappeth it out Beeing challenged for it by Burtoun and the out-cryes of the people hee confesseth the Fact Onely for excuse bringeth three reasons of which you may judge (x) Star-chamber speach p. 28 It was put out at the Ks. direction in my predecessours time when the king had no children First hee saith It was done in his predecessours time Doth not this make his presumption the more intollerable that any inferiour Bishopp living at the very lugge of the Archbishop should mint to expurge the Lyturgie Secondly Hee pretends the Kings command for his doing Doth not this encrease his guiltinesse that he and his followers are become so wicked and irrespective as to make it an ordinare pranke to cast their owne misdeeds upon the broad back of the Prince Dare hee say that the King commanded any such thing motu proprio Did hee command that expunction without any information without any mans advise Did any King of England ever assay to expurge the publike Bookes of the Church without the advice of his Cleargie Did ever King Charles medle in any Church matters of farre lesse importance without D. Lauds counsell The third excuse That the King then had no Seed How is this pertinent May not a childlesse man say in his prayers that God is the Father of the Elect and of their Seed though himselfe as yet have no Seed But the true cause of his anger against this passage of the Leiturgie seemeth to have beene none other then this Arminian conclusioÌ„ that all faith of election in particular of personall adoption or salvation is nought but presumption That this is his Graces faith may appeare by his Chaplans hand at that base and false storie of Ap-Evan by Studly wherin are bitter invectives against all such perswasions as puritanik delusions (y) Satan like an Angell of Light stirring up in the heart of immortified persons a spirituall pride in a high conceit of their gifts the assurance of their Election illumination conversioÌ„ imaginarie sense of their adoptioÌ„ c. yea he is contented that Chounaeus
ancients who had received the rule of the true intellegence of Scripture from they holy apostles by succession In the doctrine of faith justification fulfilling of the Law merit they are fully popish In our most important controversies anent faith justification fulfilling of the Law merite c. they teach first that faith is no more but a bare knonwledge and naked assent that in the nature of it there is no confidence application at all that the souls confidence and application of Gods promises are the acts onely of hope and charity that justifying faith is the catholicke faith a generall assent to the articles of the Apostolick Creed that particular personail applying faith but presumption and fantasie (i) Shelfoord page 36 This one faith is called by Divines the Catholick faith contained in the three Creedes of the apostles Nice and Athanasius The false faith is contrarie too this the private faith or fancie rather by which men believe to besaved by them that which is the mother and nource to vice an enemie to all good life and that this is no the Catholick faith shall appear because that faith hath not a speciall object as a mans self or Gods speciall favour to this or that particular man which is hopes object but a catholick object which is the whole first truth and every member of Gods books as the school to acheth this faith goeth but to the truth and esse of divine things Fait giveth those truths a being and substance in our minde but after hope layeth hold on them in the wil and affections and applyeth them to our selves charitie goeth in unto them The apostle sayeth That hee who cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him not a rewarder of me or thee as if the article of faith were personall Idem page 106. In the love of the heart lyeth the greatest apprehension The greatest meane of our apprehending of him is by charitie which layes hold on him in the will and reasonable affections Chounai Collect. 82. Applicatio ex parte hominis non ex alia ratione procedit quam ex amplexu amoris desiderii Ibid. page 97. Det Deus hanc spem suavissimam hujus spei plerophoriam Again they teach that justification is ascribed by the Apostle to faith onely by way of beginning inchoative because the assent to the trueth of God is that first vetue which the chaine of all other vertues whereby wee are compleet lie justified for common doth follow (k) Chonnaei collect page 69. Inchoativè per fidem iustificat Deus dat sc propter Christum cognitionem ex cognitione fidem ex fide spem sive fiduciam ex fiducia charitatem ex charitate adhaesionem obediendi complacendi defiderium ex isto desiderio meritorum Christi salubrium applicationem ex ista applicatione sanctificationem seu observantiam mandatorum ex istis omnibus in actu scilicet consummato justificationem ex illa salvationem quae omnia tum efficaciter per canalem Dei gratiae ex fide tanquam ex principio seu radice per connaturalitatem omnium ad fidem ad se invicem effluere videantur quaecunque ab aliquibus horum proveniunt ad fidem tanquam ad omnium originem referenda sunt in hoc sensu arbitramur Apostolum 3. ad Rom. vers 28. loquutum fide homines justificatum iri scilicet per fidem elicituram ex consequentiis suis operationem 3. That charitie is the forme of faith and that to it the act of justification is much more reasonablie ascribed then too faith (l) Shelfoord page 102. Charitie is called of schoole Divines grace it selfe It is thar law of the Spirit which freeth from death and sin It is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience It covereth a multitune of sins It will not suffer them to appear Without charitie workes are dead as well as faith and other vertues Hence the Schoole calleth charitie the forme of vertues Ibid. page 106. Faith converteth the minde to God but it is love that converts the heart and will to God which is the greatest and last conversion for we never seek any thing till wee desire it Our conversion is begun in the minde by faith but it is only halfe conversion yea no conversion of the whole man except the love of the heart where lyeth the greatest apprehension follow it wee see salvation by faith but we obtaine it not till wee seeke it by charities desire Wherefore I conclude that for as much as charitie is the most neere and immediat cause of our conversion that it is also the most precious grace of God for our good and the greatest mean of our apprehending him is by charitie which layeth hold on him in the will and reasonable affections therefore this must be the greatest meane of our justification Ibid. page 109. The fulfilling of the law justifieth but charitie is the fulfilling of the law where the apostle preferreth charitie to justifying faith he compareth them in the most excellent way and it is most manifest that the most excellent way is the way of our justification and conversion to God 4. That S. Pauls justification whereby we stand before the barre of God is nought but our conversion and sanctification by our inherent righteousnesse (m) Shelfoord page 107. Iustification conversion to God is all one Idem pag. 10◠Charitie is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience Montag antid page 142. A sinner is then justified when hee is transformed in minde renewed in soule regenerate by grace Chomley in his answer for Hall to Burtoun is not onely content to exeeme the Popish justification from all blot of a fundamentall errour but seemes also to make all our contraversie in this point to be but a jugling about words yea at last hee seemes to joine with the Councell of Trent in anathematizing our doctrine For thus if I remember well doth he speake If any man shall say that men are so justified by the sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse or by sole remission of sinnes that they are not also sanctified by inherent grace of charitie or also that the grace whereby we are justyfyed is only the favour of God let him be accursed and let him be so indeed for me You will say this is nothing but meere jugling I grant it but yet it is not the direct denyall of the foundation for here is both remission of sins and imputation of Christs righteousnesse included which though it be sufficient to justification in the Protestant sence yet in the Popish sense wherein sanctification is also required it is not sufficient 5. That the fulfing of Gods Law to us in this life is both possible and easie that if God did command us any thing which were impossible he should be both unjust and a tyrant (n) Shelfoord pag. 121 That there is fulfilling of the Law
in this life Iames teacheth if you fulfill the royall law you do well Were Gods Law not possible to befulfilled the supposition should be idle unfit for Gods word a caption unbeseeming a writing by divine inspiration To the keeping of this we must straine our soule wee must nor flee to a naked imputation where is required our confirmation Hee hath predestinate us to be conform to the image of his Son Hee hath fulfilled the Law and so must we too Ibid page 127. Christ hath merited that the rigteousnesse of the Law should be fulfilled in us not by faith only or by sole imputation as the ignorant understand it but by our actuall walking in the divine precepts Ibid. page 136. To binde a man to things impossible were a wrong both to nature and grace therefore the schoole verse sayeth Vltra posse viri non vult Deus alla requiri God can no more in equitie now require impossibilities at our hands then hee could at first at Adams Neither doeth hee if wee believe S. Paul who sayeth I can do all things by Christ who hath loved me Ibid. page 139. If God should command things impossible then should he be more cruell then a tyraÌ„t who will not offer to exact of his Subjects such a tribute which he knowes can not be payed It is tyrannicall and cruell and therefore impossible to God to require the abilitie which he himselfe took a way and of those too that are his friends and in league with him Ibid. page 147. To say that the very best works of the Saints are uncleane impure mortal sins is extreame blasphemie Can the works of the holy Ghost be impure The least addition of evill in a good work makes it sinfull because Bonum est ex integra causa malum ex quolibet defectu White on the Sabboth page 157. urgeth those sayings as from S. Austine Neque impossible aliquid imperate potuit Deus quia justus est neque damnaturus est hominem proeo quod vitare non potest quia pius est Execramur blasphemiam eorum qui dicunt aliquid impossible homini à Deo esse praeceptum 6. That not onely many do fulfill the Law without all mortall sinne but sundry also do supererogat by doing more then is commanded by performing the counsels of perfection of chastity povertie and obedience (o) Shelfoord page 184. By his preceps he informeth us of all the meanes that leads toward life eternal by his counsels which go beyond his precepts because GOD hath given man freewill to get what he can in the state of grace for the state of glory he shewes some exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection and to improve the common reward of glory for the next life as sell what thou hast and give it to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven heere we have counsell to change temporall riches for eternall which are better 2. Wee are counselled to change permitted fleshly pleasures for heavenly pleasures where it is said qui potest capere capiat 3. We are counselled to deny our selves and our lawfull liberties to follow Christ through the worlds difficulties these are Gods counsels which in the primitive church were put in practice but in our times they are put of with a non placet ibid p. 129. Of the counsels of the gospel which go beyond the counsels of the Law S. Chrysost sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ hath commanded nothing impossible yea many have gone above his commandemeÌ„ts 7. That our good works do truely deserve and merit eternall life (p) Mâ—ntag appeal p. 233. The wicked go to enduring of torments everlasting the good go to enjoyning of happinesse without end thus is their estate diversified to their deserving Shelfoord p. 120. seteth downe the commensment verses of Cambridge which in merite goeth as farre a Bellarmine VirtutuÌ„ sancta spesinsa caterva saluteÌ„ divino ex pacto quam meruere dabuÌ„t Chomneus p. 18. goes yet further that our workes are the as true efficieÌ„t cause of our salvatioÌ„ as our wickednesse can be of our damnation as we heard before Montag antig p. 153. That a work may be said to be meritorious ex condigno these conditions are required that it bee morallie good that it be freely wrought by a man in this life in the estare of grace and friendship with God which have annexed Gods promise of reward All which conditions I can not conceave that any Protestants doth deny to good works 8. That our obeying the counsels of perfection do purchase a degree of glory above the ordinar happinesse (q) Shelforod p. 198. In that blessed estate there are degrees of joy glory a starre differs from another in glory some ground bringeth foorth thirtie some sixty some a hundred fold To this agreeth S. Gregory Quia in hac vita nobis est discertatiorum erit procul dubio in illa discertio dignitatum ut quo hic alius alium merito superat illic alius alium retributione transcendat And S. Cypriam in pace coronam vincentibus candidam pro operibus dabit in persecutio ne purpuream pro passione geminabit Certent nunc singuli ad utriusque honoris amplissimam dignitatem accipiant coronas vel de sanguine purpureas Here shineth Gods justice in distributing rewards according to the varietie of his own grace in this life bestowed and Christians works by their owne free will to the best end employed and because their are certaine excellencies of workes in overcomming the greatest difficulties therefore the schoole after the former demonstration argueth priviledged crownes which they call aureola to be due to them which have conquered best to Martyrs for overcoming persecutions to virgins for conquering the flesh and to Doctors for putting the Divell to flight from their floks All this latelie is printed by the faction neither that onely but which to us seemeth mervellous when great popular grumblings and sundrie publicke challeÌ„ges hath beene made against the authors of such writs These whom Canterburie hath employed to apologise for the worlds full satisfaction hath not yet beene pleased to disavow any of those writers nor to expresse the least signe of their indignation against any of their abominations (r) Heylens answer p. 127. For Shelfoords book whatever is in that mentioned should not trouble you if he ascribe a speciall eminencie unto charitie in some certaine things it is no more then was taught to him by S. Paul who doeth prefer it as you can not but choose to know before faith and hope nor doth he attribute our justification thereunto in any other sense then was taught him by S. Iames. M. Dow p. 52. And I believe if M. Shelfoords justification by charity be wel examined it will prove no other then that which S. Iames sayes yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely I would demand of any reasonable man whether