Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A31347
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A Catholick pill to purge popery with a preparatory preface, obviating the growing malignity of popery against Catholick Christianity / by a true son of the Catholick apostolick church.
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True son of the Catholick apostolick church.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing C1495; ESTC R15262
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39,661
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102
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whom the debt is due so none can forgive sins but God only against whom the sin is committed Psal 51.4 The power of binding and loosing committed to the Apostles and Ministers of the Word is by declaring the will and pleasure of God out of his Word both to pronounce forgiveness of sins to all that are truly penitent and the retaining of them to the impenitent The Pope and his Clergy are never able to prove themselves to be the true Ministers of Christ and they cannot so much as challenge this latter authority and power to themselves much less the former which is proper to God only The motive or impulsive cause which moved God to justifie us was not any thing in us but only the grace of God that is the free good will and pleasure of God Rom. 3.24 Ephes 2.8 Tit. 3.5 7. They teach that we are not justified by grace only but by works also that is by the merit of our works And to this end they have of late years devised a first and second Justification The first is when a sinner of an evil man is made a good man and this they say cometh only of Gods mercy by the merit of Christ The second is when one of a good or just man is made better and more just and this proceedeth from works But we are to know that there are not two kinds of justification a first and second but one and the same justification considered in different respects In respect of Gods actual acceptation of a mans person justification is absolute but in respect of the actual application and manifestation of Gods acceptation unto a mans conscience justication is by parts and degrees Master Scudder on the Lords Prayer pag. 303. to 390. And further we are to note that the Papists second justification is no other then sanctification which is an effect and fruit of justification the which is imperfect and not able to justifie us before God The material cause of our justification is the active and passive righteousness and obedience of Jesus Christ his inherent holiness his fulfilling of the Law his death sacrifice and full satisfaction The formal cause or the form of justification is the righteousness of Christ imputed of God unto us Rom. 5.19 Rom. 4 5 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.19 21. Phil. 3.9 The Papists deride this doctine that Men are justified by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ which righteousness is not in us but in Christ The Rhemists call it a new no justice a phantastical apprehension of that which is not Rhem. on Rom. 3. Sect. 7. They hold them accursed that so affirm and teach And they teach that the only formal cause of our justification is the justice of God whereby we are not reputed and accounted just but are made just indâ—â—d and this 〈◊〉 is that which every man hath within himself and is inherent in him Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 10 113 Rhem. on Phil. chap. 3 Sect. 3. The instrumental cause of justification on our part 〈◊〉 true and lively faith whereby we receive and apply unto our selves the mercy of God Christ Jesus and all his benefits resting upon him aloâ—â— for salvation They teach that saith doth not justifie as an instrument in apprehending the righteousness of Christ but as a proper and true cause is actually justifieth by the dignity worthiness and meritorious work thereof Bellar. l. 1. de â—uâ—â—â—cat cap. 17. They teach also that saith is not the only cause of our justification but that there are othâ—r also as hope charity 〈◊〉 deeds and other vertues yea they say that works are more 〈◊〉 then faith in the matter of justification and pronounce him 〈◊〉 that shall say a 〈…〉 justified only by faith Rhem. 〈◊〉 Rom 8. Sect. 6. and 〈◊〉 Jâ—m 2. Sect. 7. Bâ—â—â— l. 〈◊〉 de Jâ—â—â—â— c. 13. â—â—â—â—l â—â—il Seâ—◠〈◊〉 Câ—n. 9. These and other sâ—â—h like thâ—â—g they 〈◊〉 contrary to the Doctrine of jâ—sâ—â—fiâ—ation which is a 〈◊〉 ground of Religion And if therewere no more points of difference between us these were sufficient to keep us from uniting of our Religions for hereby the Church of Rome doth raze the very foundation C. You said before that we are justified freely I would know how this can be if we be justified by the righteousness and for the merit of Christ M. Because the Decree of God the Father for our Redemption is free and we pay nothing again to God of our own And therefore by the word freely our merits are excluded but not Christs By which it appeareth that in respect of our selves we are justified freely of Gods meer mercy and grace without any respect of our own righteousness or worthiness but yet through Christ and for his righteousness and obedience imputed to us both which are signified by the Apostle Rom. 3.23 24. C. Shew me I pray you what is meant by Merit what the Doctrine of the Papists is concerning merit and whether that our works be meritorious or no. M. By Merit we understand any thing or any work whereby Gods favor and life everlasting is procured and that for the dignity and excellency of the work or thing done Now the true merit whereby we look to attain the favor of God and life everlasting is to be found in the person of Christ alone in whom God â—s well pleased The Papists make two kinds of merit the merit of the person and the merit of the work The merit of the person is as they say a dignity in the person whereby it is worthy of life everlasting The merit of the work is a dignity or excellency in the work whereby it is made fit and enabled to deserve a life everlasting for the doer of the work See Rhem. on Rom. 8. Sect. 5. We now do renounce our own personal merits and all merit of our own works and rely only upon the merits of Christ and we hold that no works of ours can merit That no man by any works of his can merit may be proved by the properties and conditions that must be in a work meritorious and they are five First the work must be absolutely perfect but all our works are unperfect as well in parts as in degrees of accomplishment In parts because we omit many things which the Law prescribeth and do many evil things which the Law prohibiteth In degâ—ees because the works of the Saints are uncâ—eâ—n Esay 46.6 Phil. 3.8 Secondly a man must do the work of himself and by himself for if it be done by thâ— help of another the merit doth not properly belong to the doer But the good works which we do are not ours but are wrought by God in us Thirdly a man must do the work of his own free-will and pleasure not of due debt for when we do that which we are bound to do we do no more but our duty But whatsoever we do we do it as poor debtors we are miserable Bankrupts
their own nature are mortal And concerning this venial sin it was not known among the Fathers for Seven hundred years after Christ And thus you see what gross things they both teach and practise contrary to the Commandments of God whereby it plainly appeareth that Popery cannot be of God for thus I reason Whatsoever Religion doth teach things contrary to the Commandments of God is not of God but Popery doth so and therefore it is not of God and so by good consequence Papists cannot be good Catholicks DIALOGUE 13. C. Hitherto you have shewed that the Papists teach many things contrary to the Creed the Sacraments and the ten Commandments now tell me I pray you whether they teach any thing contrary to the Lords Prayer M. They do likewise teach and practise many things contrary thereunto I will but only name some of them The Lords Prayer teacheth us to call upon God only They teach and practise prayer to Saints In the first Petition we pray for the hallowing of Gods Name They give unto Saints departed that which is proper to God and so dishonor Gods Name In the second Petition we pray for the erecting of Gods Kingdom of Grace in our hearts and also for the means thereof namely the preaching and hearing of Gods Word They hinder the coming of Gods Kingdom in rejecting the Word of God and in persecuting such as will preach hear and read it Contrary to the third Petition is their Doctrine of Free-will Contrary to the fifth Petition is their Doctrine of satisfaction for sin In the sixth Petition we pray for strength to withstand Satan and his temptations They teach people to drive away the Devil with holy water and such like childish toys These and other such like things they teach and practise contrary to the Lords Prayer DIALOGUE 14. C. If Popery be so contrary to the grounds of Religion then we may not joyn with them in their profession M. It is true indeed we must therefore do as the Lord bade Jeremy Chap. 15 19. Let them return to thee but return not thou to them We may joyn with them in respect of Civil Society but not in respect of Religion and yet even then we are to take heed lest we be corrupted by them for he that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith Some think that our Religion and the Religion of the present Church of Rome are all one for substance and that they may be united but they are grosly deceived for an union of these two Religions can never be made more then the union of light and darkness and that because the Church of Rome as hath at large been shewed hath struck at the very foundation C. If Popery be so contrary to the very grounds of Religion then what is the cause that so many yea of the more wise and learned sort do embrace and cleave to it M. One special cause of it is that because men will not receive the love of the Truth therefore God will send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie 2 Thes 2.10 11. A second cause is ignorance of the Scriptures and of the grounds of Religion for if men would well acquaint themselves herewith they should easily see the grossness of Popery A third cause is that Popery is very agreeable and pleasing to mans corrupt nature As for example to be justified by our good works to have Images to Worship God in to live in Ignorance to have pardons for our sins to serve God in outward Ceremonies as in choice of meat difference of days c. These are things very agreeable and pleasing to our corrupt nature and therefore one especial cause why so many embrace Popery A fourth cause is the tyranny of the Church of Rome whose chief means to uphold her Religion is fire and sword for were it not for this many thousands in a few years would utterly renounce Popery A fifth cause why so many especially of the Learned do embrace it is pomp and profit that is ambition and covetousness This was that which made the Scribes and Pharisees even against their own knowledg to withstand Christ and his Gospel And this makes many learned Papists to do the like They know no doubt that in some things they err as it doth appear by the words of Stephen Gardiner on his death bed The Bishop of Chichister seeing him to be in a desperate case comforteth him with the hope of remission of sins by the merits of Christ Gardiner hereunto answereth thus What will you open that gap now you may speak it to me and to such as are in my case but if you teach it to the people then farewell all meaning our authority pomp and profit by absolutions Masses c. These are the special causes why so many embrace Popery C. There is one thing more that I would gladly know concerning the Papists and that is whether a Papist may be saved seeing that Popery is so contrary to the grounds of Religion M. You are then to mark what a Papist is A Papist as the Rhemists on Act. 11. Sect. 4. do describe him is one that cleaveth to the Pope in Religion and is obedient to him in all things Every one now that is under the jurisdiction of the Pope is not to be counted a Papist for there are some even in Italy Spain c. that hold the Grounds of Religion do sigh and grone under the Romish yoke and desire to be freed from it yea would rejoyce to see it Again there may be some that for want of knowledge and the means thereof are entangled with some points of Popery but yet they hold the foundation which is Christ Jesus and look to be saved by his merits and not by their own or any others Such we account not Papists but the true Church and children of God But by Papists we mean such as cleave fast to the Pope in Religion are in all things obedient to him will not be reclaimed from their errors refuse to hear the Word of God to read the Scriptures or any other good books Of such we may boldly say that if they thus continue to the end they cannot be saved DIALOGUE 15. C. I do now plainly see that Papists are no good Catholicks because they are neither of found faith nor good life but tell me I pray you who indeed are the true Church and the true Catholicks M. All that do truly and sincerely embrace profess and practise the afoâ—esaid grounds of Religion in what countrey soever they live C. Is the Church of England the true Church M. Yes for it hath the special marks of the true Church namely the Word of God sincerely and soundly preached and the Sacraments rightly administred C. The Papists say that there are diversities of opinions among us that we cannot agree among our selves and that therefore we are not the true Church M. In all substantial points of Religion we agree both amongst our selves and also