Christ imputed to us by faith And so also doe the Divines of Coleyn teach that we are Iustified by the righteousnesse of Christ not as it is without us abiding in him but as the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to us CHAP. IV. Certaine objections of the Adversaries answered concerning this matter of Iustification FIrst the ambiguitie of this word Iustificare seemeth much to misleade you in this point for you will have it to signifie and import to make a man iust who before was uniust by a quality of Iustice inherent in his owne person And true it is That whosoever is Iustified is also sanctified so that hee hath in some sort a Sanctitie or Iustice inherent in his owne person by the operation of Gods spirit within him This then which you call Inherent Iustice in a man is the same that wee call Sanctification and is not all one with Iustification but is a fruit effect and consequent of it Neither doth the word Iustificare to Iustifie evermore so signifie but sometimes it signifieth to declare or approve one to be Iust as in Psal. 51.4 and Rom. 3.4 where it is thus said to God himselfe That thou mayest be iustified in thy sayings meaning that thou maist bee declared or approved to be Iust. And so in the first of Tim. 3.16 Christ is said to be Iustified that is declared or approved to be iust And this sense also doth S. Iames in his second Chapter of his Epistle say That a man is Iustified by vvorkes that is declared or approved to be Iust by them as being the fruits and declarations of his faith And sometimes againe it signifieth by a Iudgement or sentence to absolve and acquit a man of faults and crimes laid to his charge of all punishments to the same belonging as in Pro. 17.15 it is said Hee that Iustifieth the vvicked and hee that condemneth the Iust even they both are an abhomination unto the Lord that is hee that absolveth or acquiteth a wicked man in Iudgement when contrariwise he should be condemned and he that condemneth a Iust and innocent person who should of right be acquited both these are abhominable in Gods sight Where you see that to Iustifie the wicked is not by alteration of qualities actuallie to make a man Iust who before was unjust but it signifieth by sentence and Iudgement to acquit and free him that is accused And thus is the word Iustifie taken in S. Pauls discourse touching this matter as to omit all other places is manifest by that one place of Rom. 8.33 34 where it is said thus VVho shall lay anything to the charge of Gods elect It is God that Iustifieth who is he that condemneth Where you see that the word Iustifie is set as opposite to the word Condemne and consequently signifieth an acquiting cleering freeing or discharging of whatsoever may bee laid to the charge of anie of Gods elect and chosen children 2 Neither can anie rightly conclude because this righteousnesse of Christ is thus said to be imputed by faith that therefore it is onely an imaginarie and phantasticall Iustice and no Iustice or righteousnesse indeed yea such blasphemies must be detested For the word Imputed doth not diminish or detract from the truth of the Iustice as though it were imputed or reputed for Iustice which were none revera but it signifieth that as it is in it selfe a most pure full perfect and complete righteousnesse being farre above the best righteousnesse that is to be found in anie earthly Saints or such as be meere men so doth God accordingly reckon and esteeme of it So that although we be most uniust in respect of our selves yet by having Christs righteousnesse imputed to us we are in him really and truely Iust righteous and without all spot staine or imperfection For Christ with all his merits righteousnesse satisfaction and obedience is not by way of fancie opinion conceit or imagination but revera actuallie and verilie bestowed and given of God to all his faithfull and beloved children Vnto us a childe is borne unto us a sonne is given saith Esay the Prophet And againe it is said That God so loved the vvorld that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. And it is said againe that He vvas given of God his Father to the Elect and that those Elect were likewise given of God to him Agreeably whereunto speaketh also S. Paul saying that Christ is made unto us of God vvisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that as it is vvritten vvhosoever glorieth should glory in the Lord. Seeing therefore Christ with all his obedience and righteousnesse is given unto us of God and that wee take and receive him by faith there can be no doubt but that he is as verilie and reallie become ours as anie mans lands possessions or goods become his which he hath by lawfull conveyance or gift from another man 3 But when we say that Faith only Iustifieth in Gods sight you further obiect that this word Onely is more then is in the Scripture to be found Howbeit you may observe that in the Gospel of S. Marke Christ said thus to one Be not afraid onely beleeve But neither are these words Trinity Consubstaâ—tiall c. expressely found in the Scripture but so long as the effect and equivalencie of them is there found it sufficeth In like sort if words equipollent or equivalent to this word Onely be found in the Scripture it sufficeth What is then the sense of this word onely in this position Faith onely iustifieth it is added to exclude vvorkes and their merit from being anie cause of that our Iustification in the sight of God Now then when the Scriptures expresly and plentifully affirme that vvee are Iustified by faith vvithout vvorkes and by faith and not by vvorkes is it not as much as if they had said in plaine termes that wee are Iustified by faith onely Againe when the Scriptures say and teach that vve are Iustificati gratis and ex gratia and per gratiam Iustified franckely and freely that is for nothing paid or performed on our parts and of grace and by grace Doe not these words fully import and cleerly shew that we are Iustified without anie merits or workes of our owne deserving it Can anie thing be more plainely declared 4 Neverthelesse they still seeke refuges and therefore sometimes say that When S. Paul speaketh of the Workes of the Law excluding them from Iustifying in Gods sight he meaneth only the vvorkes of the Ceremonial Law and not the vvorkes of the Morall Law But indeed S. Paul speaking of the Workes of the Law verie apparantly meaneth as well the Workes of the Morall law as of the Ceremoniall for when he saith that Not the hearers of the Law but the doers of the Law shall be Iustified can this be intended onely of the Ceremoniall law without anie regard at all had to the Morall Or when
faith And thus himselfe being otherwise dead did live or had life in him namely by faith in the Sonne of God and not by the workes of the law Yea he further excludeth even the workes of righteousnes in expresse termes saying thus Not by the vvorkes of righteousnesse vvhich vve have done but according to his mercie he hath saved us Observe that he here directlie affirmeth of himselfe of all the rest that shall be saved that they are saved not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vvorkes done by them in righteousnes but of Gods meere mercie and grace through Christ Iesus And againe observe that speaking not to unbeleevers but to beleevers Saints and sanctified people living in Ephesus he saith thus By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of vvorkes lest anie man should glorie for vvee are his vvorkemanship created in Christ Iesus unto good vvorkes vvhich God hath before ordained that vvee should vvalke in them Heere also you see infalliblie that workes though done by such as be sanctified and regenerate persons be neverthelesse excluded from being anie cause of their salvation yea by the verie words themselves of the text you perceive that he speaketh expresly and by name of good vvorkes vvhich God hath before ordained that vvee should vvalke in them denying them neverthelesse to be anie cause of salvation But here why doe they speake of anie good workes done by Infidels or before faith received For to speake properlie and truely none doe or can doe good workes so allowed to be in Gods censure but beleeving persons onely inasmuch as the best workes of Infidels and before a man hath received faith be not allowed for good in Gods sight but bee as S. Augustine affirmeth of them Splendida peccata Glittering sinnes Howbeit here remember that although those which be Saints upon earth that is which bee regenerate and sanctified people be thus expresly affirmed to be saved by their faith and not by their good workes yet have they neverthelesse these good workes appointed for them to walke in so long as they live in this world for so this text to the Ephesians directlie sheweth to the end their faith should not be idle but working through love as S. Paul speaketh in another place and that so it might appeare to bee not a vaine and a dead faith but a sound and a lively faith and such as will save a man as S. Iames and the rest of the Scriptures have also before declared Yea this point even Christ Iesus also himselfe by his last Iudgement in the end of the world doth declare namely that the iustifying and saving faith is not voide of good workes but furnished with them and yet that Gods people doe not relye upon them For thus will hee say to his faithfull and elect ones Come ye blessed of my father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the vvorld for I vvas hungrie and yee gave me meate I was thirstie and yee gave me drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee in naked and ye clothed mee I vvas sicke and yee visited mee I vvas in prison and yee came unto me But now observe that although these elect and righteous persons had these good workes yet doe not they so much as take notice of them much lesse stand upon the merite of them and therefore doe they answer and say Lord when savv vvee thee hungrie and fed thee or thirstie and gave thee drinke vvhen saw vvee thee a stranger and tooke thee in or naked and clothed thee sicke or in prison and came unto thee Reade further the rest of the Chapter to the end of it And by all of it considered together ye may verie easilie perceive first that they bee not the elect and righteous people but the reprobates that stand upon their workes obiect their workes to plead for them And secondlie that Christ their Lord taketh notice of the good works of the elect although themselves take no notice of them nor doe so much as once mention or alledge them Where Christ by alledging their good works would have the world also to take notice and to be advertised that it was not a vaine idle or dead faith but a iustifying and saving faith which these men had For their good workes be there mentioned as testimonies fruites and declarations of their faith and as being Via regni non causa regnandi The vvay vvherein they walked toward this kingdome but not as being the cause of their enioying of that kingdome as S. Bernard also himselfe hath before taught affirmed Yea in verie deede the primarie and original cause of their enioying of that most happie kingdome is there delivered in the former words where Christ calleth them the Blessed of his father and telleth them moreover directlie that they are to possesse this kingdom not by anie purchase or desert of their owne but by way of Inheritance for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Inherite yee or possesse yee it by waie of Inheritance And further he there telleth them that this kingdom was prepared for them long before they were borne or had done anie good workes at all namelie even from the foundation of the world So that this glorious and heavenlie kingdome is given them of Gods meere bountie and grace and is unto them a Revvard according to their vvorkes as the Scripture speaketh but not for their workes as though their workes deserved it or were the meritorious cause of their salvation Yea it is a reward of grace and favour and not of debt or due desert as S. Paul hath also before testified and a revvard of Inheritance as the same S. Paul againe expresly affirmeth it In vaine therefore also is that your distinction of the first Iustification which you make to be by faith without vvorkes and of the second Iustification which you say is by workes and by living an holie and godlie life for the Scriptures speake but of one Iustification in Gods sight availeable to salvation As for that which you call the second Iustification consisting in doing good workes and in holinesse of life and conversation it is as I said before more properlie and rightly to be tearmed as the Scripture calleth it Sanctification it being an effect declaration fruite and consequent of that Iustification we have before by faith as S. Iames and S. Paul and the rest of the Scriptures doe manifestly teach CHAP. V. That Christ is our onely and all-sufficient Redeemer and hath fully satisfied Gods Iustice for our sinnes and the punishment thereto belonging against mens merits and satisfactions in that behalfe and against Popish Purgatorie And that there is no licentiousnesse in this doctrine but the cleane contrary BVt they further accuse our Religion to be licentious because relying wholly upon Christ our
an excellent Master-builder had laid for a foundation in this work and building him that is the onely foundation namely Iesus Christ. And he there proceedes in that similitude shewing that all the rest of the building should be sutable and correspondent to this foundation whosoever were the builders or workemen in that worke and therefore he biddeth everie workeman and builder in this worke that is everie Teacher and Minister of the Gospell to take heed bovv he buildeth vpon that foundation for if anie of them build upon it gold silver or precious stones that is pure and sound doctrine sincerely delivered he shall receive a reward at Gods hand But if anie of them build wood hay stubble all which be combustible matter and upon triall by fire will soone bee burnt up and consumed whereby unsound doctrine or such as is not soundly and sincerely delivered is understood This man in respect of his unsound combustible stuffe is therein to suffer losse yet himselfe shall bee saved because he holdeth the foundation namely Iesus Christ and the iustifying faith in him Yet as it vvere through the fire because though himselfe be saved holding the foundation yet the frothie unfound and vanishing stuffe which he builded thereupon must perish and bee lost as wood hay and stubble perish and bee consumed when they come once to the fire Gods word is in the Scripture resembled to fire and when mens doctrines both for matter and manner shall be brought to be examined and tried by this fire then as in a cleere day the darkenes of the night being dispelled things appeare evident and manifest so will it also by that triall cleerely appeare and be manifested howsoever before they lay hid and obscure what doctrines bee sound and what unsound what be firme substantiall and permanent and will like gold and silver endure tryall by the fire and what be like wood hay stubble and such combustible matter as when it commeth to bee tried by fire â—s found vanishing stuffe and soone consumed and abolished You see then the true sense and meaning of this Text and that it no way enforceth or inferreth your Purgatorie fire Yea it speaketh not one word of purgeing by fire but of trying by the fire and that also not of mens persons as you suppose but of their workes For all which causes it neither doth nor can possiblie make anie proofe at all for your so much fancied and imagined Purgatorie 5 These which be your chiefe Texts being answered let me now desire you to consider further the fourteenth chapter of the Revelation of S. Iohn where it is written thus Blessed are the dead vvhich dye in the Lord forthwith Even so â—aith the spirit that they rest from their labours and their vvorkes follow them which words are not onelie to be understood of Martyrs but of all other also that die in the faith of Christ for as all the godlie are said to live in Christ 2. Tim. 3..12 so are they likewise said to die in Christ or to be the dead in Christ 1. Thess. 4.16 All godlie and faithfull people then and not Martyrs onelie be such as die in the Lord and consequently be here affirmed and pronounced to be blessed forthwith even presentlie after their death and departure out of this world for the Text saith they be Beati à modò blessed forthwith or immediately after their death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Greeke that is from that verie present time forward Seeing then they be in the state of blessednesse forthwith and have rest from all paines and labours and have also the reward of their workes accompanying them and bestowed upon them it must needs be granted that they come into no such painefull terrible and tormenting place as your supposed Purgatorie is The Rhemists hereunto answere that being in Purgatorie they are blessed and rest in peace in respect they be discharged of the labours and afflictions of this life and which is more from the daily dangers of sinne and damnation and be put into infallible securitie of eternall joy with unspeakable comfort of conscience But first a poor blessednes miserable coÌ„fort must it be to be freed from the miseries calamities of this life to be cast into much greater miseries calamities afterward namelie into those hote burning fierie flames of Purgatorie there to be tormeÌ„ted for I know not how manie hundreds or thousands of yeares For ye say That such so great be the paines of Purgatorie that there is no difference between them and the verie pains of Hell it selfe but only in respect of the continuance of the time viz. that Purgatorie paines be temporarie and not lasting ever whereas Hell torments be everlasting Which being so I would faine learne how the Soules departed that suffer paine after this life ended can certainly tell whether for the present they be in Hell or in Purgatory for the paine and torment being alike in both and no difference betweene them in respect of the degree of pain but of the continuance onely those that after their death suppose themselves to be in Purgatory may possibly be in Hell the place of the damned for ought they for the present there know finde or feele to the contrarie But secondly it is but a meere fancie and imagination when they say that they have there unspeakeable comfort of conscience for how can they have such unspeakeable comfort of minde where they have such intolerable torments as be equall for the time they be there to the verie paines and torments which the damned soules suffer in Hell And where they say that being in Purgatorie they have infallible securitie of eternall Ioy this is likewise another meere imagination and dreame for what proofe or warrant from God or his Scriptures can they shew for these things None at all doe they or can they shew but their owne or other mens conceits and supposals Themselves doe say that none in this life can be infalliblie assured of his salvation without a speciall revelation from God which way I pray you come those soules to be so assured which be in Purgatorie Have they anie revelation of this matter there given them from God Or if yee say they have How doe ye prove it for the wiser sort of people will no longer be fed with bare words opinions conceits or imaginations of your deceived Church But yet further what need anie of Gods children goe to this your Purgatorie there to bee put in infallible securitie of eternall Ioies when as they may have that benefite even in this life Yea they actuallie have that unspeakeable solace and benefite namelie an infallible assurance of their salvation in this veâ—ie life as afterward in his due place is declared Lâ—ying therein with a ioy that is unspeakeable and glorious as S. Peter also himselfe speaketh and himselfe witnesseth Howbeit I grant that in S. Augustines time some opinion of such
for us In which words you see that although some bee appointed to wrath yet othersome bee appointed to obtaine salvation by the meanes of their Lord Iesus Christ vvhich died for them and these which were thus predestinated and appointed not to wrath but to Salvation he sheweth that even for this verie cause they should be the more vigilant warie and circumspect as touching their lives and conversations to walke as Children of the light and of the day and not to be like unto those that be appointed to wrath and be of the night and of darknesse Againe S. Paul in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians speaking of some To whom God sent strong delusion to beleeve lies that they might all be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes distinguishing those that were of the Elect number from them he saith thus But wee ought to give thanks alway for you brethren beloved of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation And there hee sheweth further how after this their election they be brought to salvation namely through sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth So that you here still perceive that all bee not elect to salvation but some onely and that those that be thus elected bee such as bee afterward sanctified by the spirite of God and beleeve the Gospell and word of truth and so come in the end to the salvation appointed for them S. Paul againe to the same effect in his Epistle to the Ephesians saith thus Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love In which words you likewise see that not all in a generalitie but some onelie bee elected and that those which be thus ordained and elected to life and salvation were in Gods purpose and decree so ordained and elected antequam iacerentur fundamenta mundi before the foundations of the world were laid But then here observe withall that those which be thus elected and predestinated of God to Salvation bee not so predestinate and elected to the end they should live licentiously wickedly or carelesly but to the end They should be holy and without blame before him in love for so be the very direct words of the Apostle Wherefore it is apparant that S. Paul from this matter and doctrine of Predestination and electing of men to salvation gathereth not anie argument of Licentiousnesse for neither can such argument from thence be rightly deduced what soever Atheists Papists or others thereupon untruly inferre but cleane contrariwise from hence he gathereth as likewise all the rest of Gods children doe matter to blesse praise and thanke God for ever and ever and therby provoketh men to shew forth the fruites of that their thankefulnesse by a continuall godly life and an holy conversation For indeed what will move a man to thankfulnesse and to shew his obedience towards God both in his thoughts and affections and in his words and in his workes and everie manner of way if his election to salvation decreed and purposed with God before the foundations of the world were laid will not moove him unto it seeing hee was then in Gods hand to have disposed of him as of a vessell either to honour or dishonour at his owne good and free pleasure there being then no matter of merit or desert in him why God should choâ—se him more then another yea at that time of his ordaining and appointing of him to salvation hee might if hee had so pleased have otherwise disposed of him and might have left and refuseâ— him as he did others to goe with them to everlasting wrath and eternall horrour and damnation Infinite and unspeakeable therefore must such a one needes conceive the love of God to be towards him in this case and such as can never be suficiently magnified Yea thus againe from this predestination and election of God doth S Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians likewise inferre as it is indeed most forcible thereunto matter of argument to perswade to all Christian vertues and to all godlines and holines of life for thus he saith Novv therefore as â—he elect of God holie and beloved put on tender mercie kindenes humblenes of minde meekenes long suffering forbearing one another and forgiveing one anoâ—her if anie man have a quarrell to another even â—s Christ forgave you even so doe yee c. Marke here also how from this that they were the Elect of God he gathereth this Argument to perswade to all goodnes godlines and Christian vertues And so likewise doth S. Peter also frame an Argument from thence to perswade to all holinesse of life Yee saith hee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shevv forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenes into his marveilous light By all which you see I hope sufficiently that out of this doctrine of Predestination can no Argument for licentiousnes or carelesnes of life be rightly deduced but the cleane contrarie For although God hath predestinated and foreordained what shall become of all men as he hath likewise of all things else wee are not therefore to grow carelesse and dissolute but all our chiefe care studie endeavour should be this namly to examin our selves our harts waies affections works thereby see whether we be of the number of those that be elected predestinated to salvation yea or no And if wee finde that we are therin to reioyce with powring forth everlasting praise and thankes unto God for so speciall ineffable and incomparable a favour and during all our life to shew forth the fruites of that thankefulnes by a continual endeavour to walke in the waies of God godlines And if anie upon examination of himselfe doe not yet finde the marks tokens of Gods children within him and of such a one as is predestinated to salvation hee is not therefore to be discouraged utterly or to dispaire but to know that he may be for all that of the number of Gods Children if hee neglect not to use the meanes which God hath appointed in that case inasmuch as God may hereafter at some one time or other before his death call him to faith and repentance and regenerate and sanctifie him by his spirit so testifie and make known the same unto him For as it is true that VVhom God hath predestinated them also hee calleth so no lesse true is it that God hath also set his appointed times and meanes when and how he will call them unto himselfe whom hee hath so predestinated which thing Christ Iesus also himselfe sheweth in the Parable namely that some were called
some have done that the King is therein called Supreme head of the Church they are deceived The words of the Oath at this day to take away all offence that any might conceive in that point being not supreme HEAD but supreme GOVERNOR And as touching this Title of Governor within his owne Dominions none can with anie reason gainesay it inasmuch as beside that which is before spoken King Alfred reigning long sithence was likewise called Omnium Britanniae Insulae Christianorum Rector The Governor of all the Christians vvithin the Isle of Britanny The Councell also held at Mentz in Germanie the yeare 814 in the time of the Emperor Charles the great and Pope Leo the third calleth likewise the Christian Emperor Carolus Augustus Governor of the True Religion and Defendor of the holy Church of God c. And a little after they say thus VVee give thankes to God the Father almighty because he hath granted unto his holy Church a Governor so godly c. In the yeare 847. there was also held another Councel at Mentz in the time of Leo the fourth and Lotharius the Emperor where they againe call the Emperor Verae Religionis strenuissimum rectorem a most puissant Governor of the true Religion The like was ascribed to King Reccesumthius in a Councell held at Emerita in Portugale about the yeare 705 in these words VVhose vigilancie doth governe both secular things vvith very great piety and ecclesiasticall by his vvisedome plentifully given him of God Where you see it expressely acknowledged that the King is a Governor both in causes secular and ecclesiasticall And this Councell of Emerita had also good allowance of Pope Innocent the third in his Epistle to Peter Archbishop of Compostella as Garsias witnesseth So that the Title of Governor even as touching matters ecclesiasticall as well as civill or secular attributed to the King he governing in them after a Regall manner and not in that Ecclesiasticall manner which Bishops and Clergie men use can no way justly be misliked but must in all reason be well approved and allowed Howbeit I grant that King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt had that Title of Head in their times given unto them but not of the universal Church upon earth as the Pope hath but of the Church onely within their owne Dominions and not within their owne Dominions neither in such sort and sense as the Pope taketh upon him to be Head over all the Churches in the world that is to rule and governe them at his own pleasure and as he lift himselfe Indeed Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester when he was in Germanie upon the Kings affaires was there a very ill Interpretor of that Title Supreme head of the Church vvithin his owne Dominions given to King Henry the eight reporting that the King might thereby prescribe and appoint new ordinances in the Church concerning faith and doctrine as namely forbid the marriage of Priests and take away the use of the Cup in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in things concerning Religion might do what he listed This manner of declaring the Kings power and authoritie under that Title did so much offend the reformed Churches that Calvin and the writers of the Centuries did complaine of it and that iustly and worthily bearing that sense but in no other sort or sense did they dislike it Yea even that Title of Supreme head being rightly understood needed not to have offended anie for they had iâ— in no other sort or sense then the King of Israel likewise had the title of Head of the Tribes of Israel of which Tribes the Leviticall Tribe was one Or then Theodosius that Christian Emperor had the like within his Empire of whom Saint Chrysostome saith that non habet parem super terram He hath no peere or equall upon earth and affirmeth moreover of him that hee was summitas Caput omnium super terram hominum the Head and one that had the Supremacy over all men upon earth Yea by the Title of supreme Head attributed to King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt was no more meant but the verie same that was afterward meant to the late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie or to King Iames our now Soveraigne Lord under the title of Supreme Governor for that they are both to be taken intended in one the selfe same sense is verie manifest even by a direct clause in an Act of Parliament viz. the Statute of 5. Eliz. cap. 1. in which also is declared how the Oath of Supremacie is to be expounded And the words of that Statute be these Provided also that the Oath viz of Supremacie expressed in the said Act made in the said first yeare of her raigne shall be taken and expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Maiesties raigne that is to say to confesse and acknowledge in her Maiestie her heyres and successors none other authoritie then that vvhich vvas challenged and lately used by the noble king Henry the eight and king Edward the sixt as in the said Admonition more plainly may appeare Where first you may observe the Authoritie attributed to King Henry the eight and to King Edward the sixt and to Queene Elizabeth as touching this point intended and declared to be all one And secondly you see it enacted how the Oath of Supremacy is to bee expounded namely that it is to be taken expounded in such forme as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Iniunctions published in the same first yeare of her Raigne The words of which Admonition therefore as more amply conteyning the explanation of the same Oath I have here thought good to adde for your better and most full satisfaction in this matter The Title whereof is this An Admonition to simple men deceived by the malicious HEr Maiesty forbiddeth all her subiects to give eare or credite to such perverse and malicious persons vvhich most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving subiects how by the vvordes of the Oath of Supremacy it may be collected that the Kings or Queenes of this Realme possessioners of the Crowne may challenge authoritie and power of Ministery of Divine offices in the Church vvherein her said subiects be much abused by such evill disposed persons for certainly her Maiestie neyther doth nor ever vvill challenge any other authority then that vvhich vvas of ancient time due to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme that is to say under God to have the Soveraignety and rule over all maner of Persons borne vvithin these her Maiesties Dominions and Countries of vvhat estate eyther Ecclesiasticall or Temporall soever they be So as no forraine Power shall or ought to have any superioritie over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sense of the
the Protestants concerning iustification by this lively faith and not by anie dead faith is such as you can no way dislike that it is so far from making anie carelesse of doing good works that contrariwise it urgeth abetteth perswadeth and provoketh men unto them if they meane or desire to have such a faith as whereby they may be saved But now although the Protestants doe thus rightly teach that this faith and good workes goe together and be inseparable in respect of the person so that he that hath this faith hath also good workes yet in the point of our Iustification in Gods sight and before his Tribunall they are to be distinguished and to be considered apart and not confusedlie because it is Faith onlie and not Workes whereby we apprehend and applie Christ Iesus unto us as our Righteousnesse To understand this the better you must ever remember that Christ Iesus is in verie deed our Righteousnes for so the scriptures doe plentifullie teach and proclaime Our faith is but the hand or instrument whereby we apprehend and applie that righteousnesse unto us and our good workes be the fruits testimonies and declarations both to our selves and other men of that faith in Christ which iustifieth us before God And therefore it is not enough for a man to say hee hath faith but if hee have that true livelie and iustifying faith which he pretendeth he must declare shew it by his workes for so S. Iames saith Ostende mihi fidem tuam ex operibus tuis shew me thy faith by thy vvorkes And agreeablie hereunto S Paul calleth good workes and a sanctified course of life fructus Iustitiae the fruits of righteousnesse So that wee are first righteous by faith in Christ before wee doe or can bring forth these fruits of righteousnes And so S. August likewise teacheth affirming directly that Opera sequuntur Iustificatum non praecedunt Iustificandum Good vvorkes doe follow him that is formerly iustified and doe not goe before him that is afterward to be iustified And this even Christ Iesus also himselfe declareth namelie that the tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit By all which it is verie manifest that good works be not causes but fruits effects and consequents of that faith which iustifieth us before God But this is yet further evident because S. Paul saith expresselie that wee are Iustified by faith and so have peace vvith God Hee further excludeth Workes verie directlie and by name from having anie thing to doe in that act of our Iustification Therefore vve conclude saith he that a man is Iustified by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Law And againe he saith that God imputeth righteousnes vvithout vvorks Againe he saith It is by grace and not of works Rom. 11.6 And againe he saith It is not of vvorkes Rom. 9.11 And againe hee saith By grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves for it is the gift of God and not of vvorkes lest any man should boast himselfe In all which places yee may perceive that how requisite or commendable soever good workes be and what good use soever they have yet they bee directlie excluded from being anie cause of our Iustification and salvation in Gods sight and censure And with this also agreeth that saying of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians where he giveth this conclusion saying Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And so also testifieth S. Iohn saying That as many as received Christ to them he gave this prerogative to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Where you may observe that beleefe or faith is reckoned as the hand or instrument whereby Christ is apprehended or received Againe he saith That God so loved the vvorld that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that vvhosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life In which words you may observe againe the first and originall cause of our salvation to be the meere grace and love of God Secondly the materiall cause to be Christ the Sonne of God with his obedience and righteousnesse And thirdlie the instrumentall cause to be faith or beleefe in that his Sonne and our Saviour Iesus For he saith the text was sent into the world to this end that vvhosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life But consider that he saith yet further That as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the vvildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life Some of you no doubt remember the storie of the Serpent there mentioned which is in the booke of Numbers for after that the people of Israel had wickedly spoken and murmured against God and against Moses The Lord sent fierie Serpents among the people which stung the people so that manie of the people of Israel died Therefore the people came to Moses and said VVe have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray to the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us And Moses prayed for the people And the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fierie Serpent and set it up for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke upon it and live So Moses made a Serpent of brasse and set it up for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then he looked to the Serpent of brasse and lived As therefore Moses lift up this brazen Serpent in the wildernes to the end that whosoever was stung by those fierie Serpents and did looke upon that brazen Serpent might be cured live and was cured and did live accordingly So was also the Sonne of man Christ Iesus lift up upon the Crosse where he was crucified to the end that whosoever is stung with the deadly stings of sinne or of that old Serpent the Divell and doth with the eies of his faith applying him looke upon Christ Iesus so lifted vp and crucified for him should bee healed and have eternall life Where you may againe perceive that as Christ is compared to that brazen Serpent so is our beliefe or faith in him compared to their looking upon the brazen Serpent so that still it appeareth that faith is as the eie or instrument whereby wee behold apprehend and apply Christ crucified as a salve unto us for all our sores For in him is comprehended whatsoever is necessarie or fit to cure us When therefore wee say and speake in this sort that Sola fides iustificat Faith onely iustifieth wee meane not that this faith is so sole or alone as that it is without good works but that in the act of our iustification before God and in his sight and as it respecteth and apprehendeth Christ the obiect of it it is sole and alone workes having no
end to bee glorified So on the other side those that bee the Reprobates doe after their transgression in Adam lye dead in their sinnes without being quickened renewed or regenerated and without having anie Saviour or Redeemer appointed for them and bee blinded in their errors and hardened in their transgressions untill they come at last through their owne default to their due and deserved iust Condemnation For as touching saving graces the Elect onely have obtained them but the rest have beene hardened as S. Paul expresly affirmeth There is then a Remnant as he againe speaketh according to the election of grace And consequently not all in a generalitie be chosen but some onely Yea Manie bee called externally and by the outward preaching and ministerie of the word but for all that few be chosen as Christ himselfe also witnesseth And for further proofe hereof it is expresly said of some kinde of sinners namely of Reprobate sinners that it is a thing impossible that such should bee renewed by repentance for which cause it is also said of Esau that He found no place for repentance though he sought the blessing with teares And againe it is said of some that they did not beleeve yea that non poterant credere they could not beleeve And the reason is there yeelded because God had blinded their eyes by his not giving them light and hardened their hearts by his not mollifying of them so that by reason of their owne naturall blindenesse and corruption attracted to themselves by the fall of Adam remayning unaltered they could neither see with their eies nor understand with their hearts nor be Converted that hee might heale them Wherefore not of Reprobate sinners but of such as be unfained true and sound converts unto God and godlines which none be but the Elect is that sentence in the Prophesie of Ezechiel meant and to be intended which saith that God willeth not the death of a sinner For if he bee not such a true convert but a counterfeit or one that continueth to the end in his wickednes and unrighteousnes shall he live he shall not live sith he hath done all these abhominations but he shall die the death and his blood shall be upon him saith God himselfe by the same Prophet Ezechiel in the verie same Chapters In those two Chapters then of Ezechiel if you well consider them you may readily and easilie finde two sorts of sinners to be comprised and mentioned namely the one sort such as turned from their righteousnes that is from that course of righteousnesse and godlinesse which they seemed at first to hold to a course of unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse continuing in that wicked course unto the end such sinners saith God in those places shall surely die and the other sort of sinners such as repent and returne by a sound conversion unto God and unto the waies of righteousnesse persevering in those good godly waies unto the end which none doe but such as be the Elect such sinners shall not die the death but such shall surely live as is likewise said in the same Chapters So that even by those two Chapters it appeareth that God doth will the death and destruction of some kinde of sinners But this is yet further evident by those wicked and ungodly sonnes of Eli the Priest who when their father gave them good counsell and godly admonition they neverthelesse obeyed not the voyce of that their Father because saith the Text the Lord vvould Destroy them Observe well those words Agreeably whereunto S. Peter also speaking of certaine which stumbled at the vvord and vvere disobedient saith that they were thereunto even ordayned Againe speaking of certaine godlesse men hee saith they were as bruite beasts led vvith sensuality and made to be taken and to be destroyed Wherewith agreeth that of Solomon also in his Proverbs saying The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked for the day of evill And so likewise testifieth S. Iude for speaking of certaine ungodly men that turned the grace of God into vvantonnesse he saith that they were before of old ordeyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this Iudgement or to this condemnation By all which it is infallibly manifest that God seeing all men to have sinned in the transgression of Adam hath ordained and decreed to permit and suffer some of them to run on in the course of wickednesse and ungodlinesse untill they come in the end to their iustly deserved destruction and perdition 2 In vaine then and most untruly is it obiected against the Protestants that they make God the Author of sinnes and high time it is for all to cease their slandering of them in that behalfe For the Protestants in their doctrine cleane contrariwise doe teach that although God decreed to permit sinne to come into the world yet he never made it nor was the Author or worker of it yea God made man good at the first yea all things that he made were in their creation very good as is expressely written in Genesis The corruption of man and the sinne that came unto him was brought in and procured another way namely after his creation by the perswasion and temptation of the Divell that subtill Serpent and by mans will consenting thereunto as is likewise declared in Genesis so that not God but the Divell and man together consenting to that temptation and perswasion of the Divell were the Author and efficient cause of sinne in man at the first and so continue Authors and workers of sinne in men unto this day And therefore is it said that Sathan entred into Iudas Iscariot to stirre him up to betray Iesus And likewise doth S. Iames write thus Let no man say vvhen he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted vvith evill neither tempteth he any man c. Yea it is the Divell even that wicked Spirit That vvorketh in the children of disobedience as S. Paul witnesseth And againe he saith that Men are ensnared by the Divell and held captive by him to doe his vvill untill such time as God set them free and doe deliver them by his grace and power For God doth not put instill or infuse wickednesse into anie but withholdeth his graces from Reprobates and so they not onely sinne by reason of their owne concupiscence and nature corrupted and depraved thorough the transgression of Adam but doe further by degrees grow obdurate in their sinnes and so in the end come to their iust condemnation Wherefore God appeareth to be in sinnes committed not a cause efficient but deficient or wanting in that he leaveth some men to themselves and giveth not unto them those sanctifying and saving graces which he giveth to his elect For neither indeed is hee bound or compellable to give those graces to anie but to whom he pleaseth nor doe they properly or
perdidit Man having ill used his free-vvill destroyed both himselfe and it So that now since the fall of Adam liberum arbitrium captivatum non nisi 〈◊〉 peccandum valet free vvill being captivated iâ— of no force but to sinne as the same S. Augustine affirmeth Againe he saith Quia peccavit voluntas secuâ—a est peccantem peccatum habendi dura necessitas Because the vvill had offended there followed the sinner an hard necessity of having sinne And againe he saith that Naturae nostrae dura necessitas merito praecedentis iniquitatis exâ—rta est The hard necessity of our nature arose out of the merit or desert of the before going transgression Since the fall of Adam then as the same S. Augustine further saith Voluntas in tantum est libera in quantum est liberata Mans vvill is so farre forth free as it is made free by God For as hee saith againe Hominis non libera sed à Deo liberata voluntas obsequitur Mans vvill not free of it selfe but so farre forth as it is made free by God doth yeeld obedience But yet howsoever mans Will is now become thus thrall and captive unto sinne yet is it free from constraint And of this freedome in respect of constraint it is that S. Augustine is ever to be intended wheresoever hee acknowledgeth men to have free VVill and therefore doe not mistake or misunderstand him in this point For indeed it is not by forcing violence constraint or compulsion but by his sweet internall motions and perswasions that God ex nolentibus facit volentes of unwilling maketh men willing as S. Augustine himselfe teacheth and affirmeth Now that out of the fallen Lumpe of mankinde it was that God shewed his Mercie to some in Electing them to salvation and his Iustice to othersome in not Electing them this is apparant because S. Paul saith directly that Election is neither of the vviller nor of the Runner sed miserentis Dei but of God that sheweth mercy For which cause also the Elect upon whom GOD thus shewed Mercie be called the vessels of mercy and the rest upon whom hee shewed not this mercie but left them as hee then saw them in their sinne and transgression be said to be the vessels of vvrath But as nothing commeth to passe in this world but what God before the world was made decreed and determined with himselfe either to doe or to permit to be done so accordingly hee decreed and determined before the foundations of the world to permit this sinne and fall of Adam and thereout to make this his Election of some unto glorie and salvation in and through Christ and to leave the rest in their sinne unto condemnation For that God did decree or purpose to permit Adam to fall beside the event of it which doth sufficiently declare it it is further evident because S. Peter also writing to the Elect saith that they were redeemed vvith the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot and that he namely Christ vvas ordeyned before the foundation of the vvorld but was manifested in the last times for their sakes S. Paul likewise testifieth the same in his Epistle to Timothy Inasmuch then as both these Apostles doe thus cleerely affirme that Christ was ordeyned before the foundation of the vvorld to be as he is a Redeemer and Saviour of all the elect from their sinnes for for this cause it was that he had the name of Iesus which signifieth a Saviour given unto him because hee was to save his people from their sinnes as the Angel himselfe witnesseth I say seeing Christ was thus ordeyned before the vvorld vvas made to be a Redeemer and Saviour of people from their sinnes it must of necessitie be granted that the fall of Adam was also decreed to be permitted whereby men might become sinners for by the fall of Adam it was and not otherwise that sinne entred and was to enter into all mankinde Neither indeed needed there nor possibly could there have beene anie Redeemer Saviour or deliverer from sinne unlesse sinne had first beene and had made an entrance into the world And therefore well doth S. Gregory say Et quidem nisi Adam peccasset Redemptorem nostrum carnem suscipere nostram non oportuisset Dum pro peccatâ—ribus Deus homo nasciturus erat That verily if Adam had not sinned our Redeemer should not hâ—ve taken our flesh upon him Sith that for sinners it vvas that God vvas to be become man And to the same effect speaketh also Saint Augustine saying that Melius Iudicavit de malis benefacere quam mala nulla esse permittere God iudged it better out of evill to vvorke good then to suffer no evill at all to be And this is further declared for Saint Paul saith expressely That the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be given to them that beleeve Againe hee saith That â—ll both Iewes and Gentiles bee under sinne c. that everie mouth may be stopped and that all the vvorld might be made subiect to the iudgement of God And again he saith There is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being Iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus vvhom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse Againe he saith that God hath shut up all in unbeleefe that hee might have mercy on all even upon all those whether they were Iewes or Gentiles whom hee so purposed to take to mercie in and through CHRIST By all which you may perceive that GOD did purpose or decree to permit the sinne and fall of Adam and for what cause and reason it was so permitted as likewise that hee permitteth other sinnes also in which permission of his his vvill is alwaies included for against his vvill hee permitteth nothing neither can anie thing come to passe against his will that is whether he will or no But he it is that ruleth ordereth and governeth the whole world all things therin and doth both in heaven and in earth whatsoever he pleaseth Yea Bonum est ut mala sint alioquin non sâ—â—eret deus ut mala sint Non sinit autem nolens utique sed volens It is good saith S. Augustine that there should be evill or sinne otherwise God would not suffer or permit it to bee And verily he permitteth it saith he not against his will but vvith his will Againe hee saith Non fit aliquid nisi omnipotens fieri VELIT vel sinendo ut fiat vel ipse faciendo There is nothing done unlesse God WILL have it to bee done either by suffering it to be done or by doing of it himselfe In like sort saith Hugo that when God doth good and permitteth evill his
a salve to all if all can take hold of him and apply him unto themselves as a Saviour by a true and lively faith But because all cannot doe this for none have this true lively and iustifying faith but Gods elect onely therefore he died efficiently that is his death was effectuall and beneficiall only to Gods Elect. Wherfore also well doth he distinguish whether it were Augustine or Prosper Qui magnitudinem pretii distinguit a proprietate redemptionis vvhich distinguisheth the greatnes or sufficiencie of the price from the proprietie of redemption Agreably whereunto S. Ambrose likewise saith that Etsi Christus pro omnibus passus est specialiter tamen pro nobis passus est quia pro Ecclesia passus est Although Christ suffered for all excluding none from the benefite of his death if they beleeve in him yet specially or in a speciall manner hee suffered for us that doe beleeve in him because for his Church it was that hee suffered And so likewise testifieth S. Hierome that Christ gave his life a redemption not for all but for manie that is saith hee for them that beleeve In like manner doth S. Paul say that God gave him to death for us all that is for all Gods elect whereof hee was one For so also S. Augustine interpreteth it in Ioh. tract 45. Pro nohis omnibus tradidit illum Sed pro quibus nobis praescitis Praedestinatis Iustificatis Glorificatis Hee gave him to death for us All But for vvhich Vs namely for them saith hee vvhich are the foreknovvne the Predestinate the Iustified and the Glorified persons Againe in the Epistle to the Hebrevves it is said that Christ Tasted death for all but in the verses that follow he sheweth the speciall meaning of those words viz. that those All vvere sanctified persons the brethren of Christ the Children vvhich God had given him and the Children which hee by that his death and passion was to bring unto glory For which cause he is also there called the Prince of their salvation In like sort it is said in the second Epistle to the Corinths that Christ dyed for all but in the words following he explaineth the matter and sheweth that hee died for all such as finding themselves dead in themselves should afterwards live not unto themselves anie longer but unto him that died for them and rose againe which kinde of godly and new life none doe live but the elect onely Againe in his Epistle to the Thessalonians he speaketh thus God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtaine salvation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which dyed for us Observe here likewise that he maketh Christ Iesus in a speciall and peculiar manner to die onely for those which bee appointed to obtaine salvation by the meanes of him and not for the rest which were appointed unto Wrath for he there manifestly distinguisheth betweene those two sorts of people Againe S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians speaketh thus Husbands love your vvives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Where you see also that he appropriateth the benefit of the death of Christ to his Church which he so entirely loved Yea Christ Iesus himselfe affirmeth the same saying that Hee is that good Shepheard which giveth his life for his Sheepe And againe hee saith Greater love hath no man then this that a man bestovv his life for his friends yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you By all which appeareth that Christ in respect of the proprietie of redemption gave his life and died onely for his Church for his Sheepe for his Friends that would obey him which is as much to say as that hee died specially and properly for the Elect. Yea he was in Gods purpose intended and ordayned to come into the world for the redemption of the Elect. So S. Peter likewise testifieth directly for writing his Epistle to the Elect of God 1. Pet. 1.2 he saith that They were redeemed with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lambe undefiled and without spot and hee there further saith expresly that Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last times for their sakes Where you see it precisely affirmed that Christ was ordained to come and did come into the world for the Elect sake And so also doth S. Paul declare in his Epistle to Timothy And this likewise doth Esay shew in his Prophesie saying Vnto us a Childe is borne unto us a Son is given that is unto the Church and people of God of which number the Prophet was one that so speaketh Againe S. Paul writing to the Church and people of God distinguishing them from the rest saith thus unto them Yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie yee God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods Againe in the Acts of the Apostles it is said to bee The Church of God which Christ hath purchased with that his blood Yea this is so evident that by the All for whom Christ died is in respect of redemption and remission of sinnes meant all the elect onely that for the clearer illustrating of it to be so the Scripture it selfe often useth in stead thereof this word Manie As in the Gospell according to S. Matthew Christ Iesus himselfe saith thus This is my blood of the nevv Testament that is shed for manie for the remission of their sinnes Againe hee saith The sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a redemption for manie Marke that in both those places he saith That he gave his life to be a ransome or redemption not of all in a generalitie but of Manie that is as I said before of the Elect onely So likewise it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrevves Christ vvas once offered to take avvay the sinnes of manie And againe it is said by S. Paul that By the â—bedience of one namely of Christ manie shall be made righteous And so againe it is said in Daniel that The Messias should be slaine and that he should confirme the covenant vvith manie But beside all this S. Paul speaketh yet further verie plainely thus God setteth out his love tovvard us seeing that vvhilst vvee vvere yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being novv iustified by his blood vvee shall be saved from vvrath through him Observe here first that he saith Christ died for us that is for us that be of Gods Church and people for he speaketh in the person of them and in their behalfe and secondly observe that he maketh this an argument as it is indeede of Gods great and speciall love towards them that he sent his sonne to die for them what can be more plaine to shew that in Gods
be a sufficient outward signe to make a sacrament then should the preaching of the Gospel and ministerie of the word be also a sacrament which hath that outward signe the grace also of reconciliation unto God wherein absolution and remission of sinnes is included thereunto belonging And by such reckoning would there be no difference betweene the ministerie of the Word and the ministerie of Sacraments But as I said before not an audible voice uttered but a visible signe and that of Gods owne instituting and appointing is required to make a Sacrament Yea although Christ in Ioh. 20.23 gave authoritie to his Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel to declare and pronounce absolution and remission of sinnes to beleeving and repentant persons yet thereupon it followeth not that therefore Repentance should be a Sacrament for everie good godly and allowable thing is not by and by to be called a Sacrament in that sense of the word that we here speake of Yea you may by as good reason aswell make faith and beleefe a Sacrament as repentance for Faith is also necessarie and requisite for the remission of sinnes as well as Repentance But there is indeed no cause or necessitie that Repentance or Penance as yee call it should be made a Sacrament for this purpose because Christ hath appointed other to be Sacraments serving to this use and end namely to testifie and seale up remission of sinnes to everie faithfull and repentant sinner viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper For Baptisme is expressely affirmed to be the Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes Mark 1.4 And so saith S. Peter also Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes So that Baptisme is a Sacrament and seale unto us of the remission of all our sinnes as well actual as original upon our faith and repentance And so is also the Lords Supper another Sacrament given for the same use end and purpose viz. to signifie testifie assure and seale up unto us the remission of all our sinnes whatsoever or whensoever committed upon our repentance faith in Christ Which thing Christ himselfe also declareth when he teacheth it to be a Sacrament of that blood of his which was shed for manie for remission of sinnes 4 And that Marriage or Matrimony is also no Sacrament proper to the new Testament and the Christian Church is a thing verie evident First because it was a thing instituted in Paradise and was before the Law and under the Law and in the times of the old Testament used and observed aswell as under the new Testament Secondly because Marriage may be as it is amongst Infidels and unbeleevers and such as be out of the Church societie of the faithfull For the Matrimonie of Infidels is lawfull God instituting it for all mankind and therefore it cannot bee a Sacrament proper to the Christian Church and to the members of Christ onely Thirdly because it is not common and commanded to all Christians For it is not required nor of necessitie that all in the Church should be married for everie one hath his proper gift of God some one way some another Fourthly it hath no promise of remission of sinnes or of salvation annexed unto it as Sacraments ought to have being strictly and properly taken Fiftly it hath no outward visible signe nor word of Institution from Christ to make it a Sacrament and therefore it can bee none For whereas Bellarmine saith that the word of Institution is I take thee c. and the externall signe bee the persons that be married These bee strange conceites For first these words I take thee c be words devised of men and not of Christ his institution and be words only expressing the mutuall consent of the parties that are to bee married Againe the outward visible signe in a Sacrament must bee material and real and not personal as water is in Baptisme and bread and wine in the Lords Supper and therefore the persons married cannot be the outward visible signe Besides the married persons be the receivers of this pretended and supposed Sacrament so that they cannot bee also the signe For the signe and the receiver in every Sacrament must needs bee divers and distinguished If anie obiect and say that Marriage is the signe of an holy thing namely of the spirituall coniunction betweene Christ and his Church I demand who instituted it to bee so Yea it was not instituted to that end to bee a Sacrament of our coniunction with Christ howsoever it may resemble it but for other ends and purposes as namely to avoide fornication and adulterie c. But further all signes comparisons or resemblances of holy things must not bee counted Sacraments in that sense of the word wee speake of For then how manie Parables comparisons or similitudes there be of holy and heavenly things in Scripture so manie Sacraments should wee have and then the Rainebow the Sabboth a graine of Mustard-seede Leaven a Draw-net a Vine a Doore and sundrie such other things should wee make Sacraments But the greatest reason whereof they are most confident is out of Ephes. 5.32 which their vulgar translation and the Rhemists read thus This is a great Sacrament Howbeit in the Original which is ever to be followed the words bee these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a great mysterie Now everie thing that is a mysterie is not by and by to be concluded to be a Sacrament for then godlines shold be a sacrament because it is said to be a misterie 1. Tim. 3.16 Gods wil is also said to be a misterie Ephes. 1.9 The obstinate unbeleefe of the Iewes untill the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in is likewise called a misterie Rom. 11.28 That all shall not die but that some shal be changed at the cōming of Christ to Iudgment is also affirmed to be a misterie 1. Cor. 15.51 Yea Iniquitie is also called a misterie 2. Thes. 2.7 And yet none I thinke will be so unwise as to conclude all these to be therfore sacraments But the Apostle himselfe preventeth answereth this obiection affirming that this great misterie he speaketh of consisteth not in carnal Matrimonie but in the spiritual coniunction betweene Christ and his Church This is a great mysterie but I speake saith hee concerning Christ and his Church So that the marriage betweene Christ and his Church and the coniunction and knitting of them together which is not natural and carnal as that of the husband and the wife is but spiritual is the great misterie or secret he there expresseth himselfe to meane speake of And therefore doth Cardinal Caietane ingenuously confesse upon this text of Ephes. 5.32 that these words prove not Matrimonie to be a Sacrament And indeed it is verie evident to all that duly consider that text and the circumcumstances of it that the Apostle bringeth not marriage
shall vvalke after the Lord your God and feare him and shall keepe his commandements and hearken unto his voyce and yee shall serve him and cleave unto him But that Prophet or that Dreamer of dreames hee shall bee slaine because hee hath spoken to turne you avvay from the Lord your God vvhich brought you out of the Land of Egypt and delivered you out of the house of Bondage to thrust thee out of the vvay vvherein the Lord thy God commanded thee to vvalke Wherby we are admonished that if anie Miracle be wrought or wonder done to leade a man out of the right way from God and his religion or for the confirmation of anie Idolatrous erroneous or false religion or of anie point of Error or Vntruth wee must not regard it or bee moved by it And therefore wee are first to examine whether that point of faith and religion which in these daies is so attempted or intended to bee proved by Miracle or Wonder bee consonant and agreeable to the word of God delivered unto us in the holie and Canonical Scriptures For if it be not found to bee thereby warranted the Miracle or wonder wrought for the confirmation of that untruth must beare no sway with us how great soever it seeme but must be reiected as here you see And this is one cause amongst the rest why they bee called Lying Miracles and wonders which are done in Poperie the Antichristian Church because they bee done to this end to maintaine lyes and lying doctrines and an untrue and false religion whereby they deceive men and bring them first to Impietie and misbeleefe and afterward to utter ruine and destruction 7 For as this Antichristian Poperie was to prevaile by the subtiltie and deceiveablenesse therof and by the working of Satan and by the lying miracles and wonders that be therin so S. Paul further sheweth amongst vvhom it should prevaile namelie Amongst them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and that therefore God did sent them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that they all might be damned vvhich beleeved not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse In which words you see first the cause and reason which God had to punish the world with this great plague of Antichristian Popish blindenesse namely the neglect and contempt of his Word and Gospell and their preferring mens traditions doctrines lies and devises before his truth in his Scriptures contained For saith he because they received not the love of the Truth that they might bee saved therefore it is that Satan with his fraudes and deceiptfull practises should so prevaile among them Againe hee saith And therefore shall God send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that they all might be damned vvhich beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Observe here well that hee calleth it as most apparantly it is indeede a strong delusion wherewith Papists are possessed and carried and that it is also a strong delusion to beleeve lyes and such as that they take pleasure in that unrighteousnesse Doe not all devoted Papists finde this to be true And is not Popish Antichristianisme also rightly worthily called Iniustice or unrighteousnesse when most iniuriously it hath robbed God and men Christ and his Church and the sacred and canonical Scriptures and not only Bishops and Clergie men but Kings Princes and Emperors also and people of the rights and dues to them belonging Yea it breaketh the strength and sinewes of Common weales also aswell as of the Church by lying and deceiptfull equivocations by dispensing with oathes and with other things by their doctrine and Decree that Faith is not to be kept vvith Heretickes by their dissolving of the allegeance of subiects by their doctrine of deposing Kings by their Gun-powder plots and most detestable devises of treasons rebellions murders and massacres of Christian and Protestant Princes and their people and by sundrie other wayes rufull to be told and most shamefull to be either professed or put in execution Can there be greater points of iniustice or unrighteousnesse then these But all this while forget not I beseech you amongst what manner of people it is that this Antichristian Poperie prevaileth namely that it is amongst them that perish that all they might be damned vvhich beleeved not Gods truth extant in his Scriptures but take pleasure in that unrighteousnesse For doe you not hereby perceive the most fearefull estate and most wofull condition that all Papists be in that notwithstanding they be often admonished will not for all that forsake Antichrist and his religion to embrace the truth and the most pure religion of Christ taught in the holy Scriptures Bee they not here expressely affirmed to be such as perish and are to be damned if they persist obstinate and will not be reclaimed or converted Agreeably hereunto is also that which is written in the Revelation of S. Iohn where the Angel uttered it with a lowd voice to the end that all men should take notice of it saying If any man vvorship the beast and his image and receive his marke in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the vvine of the vvrath of God yea of the pure vvine that is poured into the cup of his vvrath and hee shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angells and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torment shall ascend up evermore and they shall have no rest day nor night vvhich worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the print of his name Consider these things seriously yee that are wont to say and hold that None can be saved but he that is a pure Papist Doe yee not see the cleane contrarie here directly affirmed and that by warrant from God himselfe that whosoever is a pure Papist and in contempt of all admonitions will so live and die is not a saved but a damned soule Wee wish your salvation and if your selves wish it likewise as no doubt ye doe yee will then take the right course for it and be content not onely patiently but thankefully also to receive these christian and friendly admonitions and so be moved in time to relinquish and utterly to detest and abandon this Antichristian Poperie that thus directly and certainely leadeth to Hell and damnation 8 But consider yet further the other words of S. Paul where he saith of Antichrist thus VVhom the Lord shall consume vvith the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming For hereby appeareth that Antichrist and his religion shall be consumed by the voice and preaching of the word of God which he calleth the spirit of his mouth and that hee shall be utterly abolished at the bright and glorious comming of Christ to iudgement so that here you may observe the decay and destruction of that Antichristian monster namely