body or soule of Adam was the image of God but that it had it residence in both In the body there was maiesty representing a diuine maiesty immortality and innocency which as spirituall rich robes decked the same with an vnspeakeable beauty In the firmament of the soule the image of God in knowledge and the same in righteousnesse and holinesse Col. â— 10 Ephâ—s â— 24 as glistering lights did shine â—orth to the garnishing thereof In the vnderstanding as a bright shining sunne soundnesse of reason ouerspread his glorious rayes In the will vprightnesse and holinesse The libertie of the will shewing forth some very diuine matter in the soule like a precious stone set in gold as Saint Bernard speaketh was â—â—ch that by it owne and proper motion it chose and refused that which sound reason said was to be chosen and refused that is the choise of good and euill was free Briefly to take along with vs one of our aduersaries â—â—rney of the new râ—ligion pag. 253. that his owne mouth may condemne him Adam saith Kellison was enriched with a soule filled with grace and spirituall treasures which was prone to vâ—rtue not inclined to vice neither molested with concupiscence nor ouer-ruled by passion but ruled reason which was ruled by grace His superiour part was obedient to God his inferiour part to the superiour sensualitie to reason the flesh to the spirit and all creatures to him were obedient Now God hauing created Adam in this surpassing glory placed him in Eden where he was inuironed about with varietie of pleasures And because it was necessary that maÌ„ adorned with such height of dignity should yet owe homage vnto his creator as to the supreme Maiesty he made a couenant with him founding it in that pure and holy nature of mans part in which he was made On Gods part in Gods owne law ingrauen in mans heart by his diuine finger in the first creation And not in Christ nor the grace of God in Christ For then God hauing a delight to be with man and man with God there was no breach nor variance that there needed a mediator as after Adams fall there did when a new couenant was to be made namely the couenant of grace in Christ in which legall or natural couenant the Lord promised vnder condition of holy and good workes in obedience and faith to be performed a coÌ„tinuance of immortality through a perpetuall life free from sorrow sicknesse age and death it selfe or otherwise if by disobedience he transgressed death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death saith God to Adam in his fatherly warning or admonition to the end he should not fall Iehouah who had thus made the Angels witnessing spectators of the purity of Adams creation yee for a further testimony likewise to all succeeding ages concerning the goodnes of the Angels of man and all creatures it is said God saw all that he had made and it was very good In the heauens when this celestiall Oracle was published the Angels stood in their beauty surpassing excelling in Wisedome Power Holinesse and Happinesse In paradise Adam was in most admirable glory meditating in the height of his vnderstanding in the mirrour of the diuine Deity neither was there in heauen or earth any enemy to be seene or found to vnrobe Adam by breach of the couenant of the illustrious image of God But as it commonly falleth out in best gouerned states though the Prince do shew neuer such loue to the subiect by the gift of honour and rich possessions yet some are so vngratefull that by conspiracy and in hatred of all piety they seeke to murther their Prince and Soueraigne that they might while streames of bloud inuironne the mournefull throne set the crowne vpon their owne tyranicall heads so in some sort it fell out in heauen the beâ—utiful citie of perfection For some of the Angels not contented with the blessed permanent state in which they were created hauing Lucifer for their General became aduersaries to God by conspiring in the height of their ambition to plucke the royall and euer-shining Diademe off their creators head Insomuch that in Gods iustice they were throwne downe like lightening from heauen That they might at the time appoynted be chiefe as a terrour to all traytors in hellish torments that would haue bene aboue God in heauenly pleasure and felicity Lucifer and his associates thus banished the coelestiall Hierusalem like a wandring Archtraytor that desireth euery one to be like himselfe by infusing into others his poysoÌ„ through hellish perswasion set vpon Adam vsing his wife as an instrument to effect what he intended And like as an Aspe doth first send poyson with a tickling delight into one veine and so from veine to veine vntill the vitals be seized vpon and the body wrapped in the armes of Death So did Satan first by sugered temptation eclipse the cleare shining light of Adams vnderstanding when he caused him to call in question the Lords commandement And afterward wounded him with the sting of concupiscence inwardly hauing procured him to reach his hand towards the apple But once eating and by eating transgressing he was wounded to death And by transgression likewise of the law which is a priuation and want of conformity with the law of God the glorious eye of the vnderstanding became presently obscured like a dead mans eye 1. Ioh. 3. with thicke and palpable darknesse of ignorance And the shining beauty of the will turning away from righteousnesse and holinesse was ouerwhelmed with the darksome cloudes of impurity and iniustice and became through the hardnesse of heart deceiptfull lusts corrupt froward and more poisoned then the minde it selfe Briefly Adam like an euil maÌ„ that hateth the light being become the companion of of death hating his Creator â—uruey of â—he new â—eligion â—ag 353. thought forthwith to hide himselfe vnder shade trees from his presence from whom darknesse it selfe cannot be hidden Thus when by sin as Kellison saith man would not be subiect to God he became a slaue to his owne flesh passions and sensuality hell and damnation And of all this seruile subiection sinne was the cause For when Adam sinned and we in him transgressed we were by and by guilty of death which is the reward of sinne and by sinne we became slaues to sinne and concupiscence For as Christ saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a slaue to sinne And being slaues to sin we were slaues to the Diuell who hath no authority or power ouer vs but by sinne and being slaues to the Diuell we were the captiues of hell Though this be the state of all the sons of men whose birth-right Adam sold in the height of his pleasure for an apple Rom. 5.18 Heb. 12.16 Suruey pag. 580. and not onely his owne as Esau did for a portion of meate in his hunger Yet God who is good and iust and must be iust as Kellison saith else were he
hath taken away the curse and terrour of the law This vse of the law God made to Adam in paradise Moses to the Israelites in the wildernesse Christ to the Iewes and Gentiles Concerning which vse the Annotations vpon the Rhems saith Rhem. 10. annot Rom. 10. text Rhem. The law was not giuen to make a man iust or perfect by it selfe but to bring vs to Christ to be iustified by him Againe the law was not as the Iewes ignorant zeale supposed for them to iustifie themselues by it but to bring them to Christ to beleeue in him and so for his sake to be iustified Notwithstanding like Camelions that can turne themselues into all colours they deny this third vse of the law in denying Christ to be the brasen serpent that taketh away the sinnes of the world Christ say they hath merited his owne glory Againe Heb. 2. marg D. Kel pag. 262. Mat. 5. annot Rom. 8. annot Rom. 1. annot 2. Tim. 4. annot Rom. 6. annot 1. Ioh. 4. annot Rhem. our sinnes notwithstanding Christs passion are imputed vnto vs. Againe Christians are truly iust and haue in themselues inherent iustice by doing Gods commandements Againe that Christs paines merited heauen and so doe theirs That a Catholicke liuing but an ordinary honest life either not sinning greatly or supplying his fault by penance is iust That heauen is their owne right bargained for and wrought for That life euerlasting is the stipend of iustice To this belongeth their fidutia which is only a hope well corroborated confirmed and strengthened vpon the promises and graces of God and the parties merit There is no Christ in their fidutia as there is no faith in their Religion For he onely hath merited his owne glory But leauing them as they are I will say with the Prophet Dauid It is time for the Lord to worke Psal 119. verse 126. for they haue destroyed thy law And to cry out with Saint Augustine O vanitas vendens vanitatem vanitatem audituris vanis credituris O vanity selling vanity to them that will heate vanity and vaine are they that will beleeue it Thus gentle reader you may liuely behold the Angels of light directing the way of piety to Christ but the Angels of darknesse to horrible impicy So that no other sect of heretickes as the Kings Maiestie said in the Parliament house The Kings Maiesties speech in the ParliameÌ„t house Not excepting Turke Iew Pagan no not those of Calicute that worship the Diuell did euer maintaine by the grounds of their religion that it was lawfull or meritorious as the Romish Catholickes call it to murther Princes or people for matters of religion OPPOS 3. If Christ hath deliuered vs from hell because he hath paid the punishment due to sin and requireth no other satisfaction then doth he in a maner egge vs forward to all vice Againe Is Christ abode the paine himselfe and would haue none required at our hands in so doing what hath he done but opened a wide gap to all licentious liberty vice and iniquity Suruey of the new religion pag. 260. pag. 261. O Blasphemous hereticke worse then the hereticke Gnosticke who set forth things that were monstrous about the life of the blessed Lady whereas he publisheth hereticall doctrine disgracefull to the passion of our blessed Sauiour First in saying that it is not sufficient of it selfe Secondly if that the redemption of man bee perfected by it onely and not left to mans merit or to the offering vp of a round cake in the Masse then a gate is set open to all licentious liberty vice and iniquity Contrary to this we will first proue that Christ is a perfect redeemer Secondly that Christ hath not onely redeemed vs but also worketh inherent righteousnesse to the restoring of the image of God in vs therefore giues no loose liberty at all to sin and iniquity as Popes and Popish Priests do as the sequele shall declare First concerning the redemption of man God saith that cannot but speake truth that giuing the new Testament he would in such sort be mercifull Ier 31 Heb. 8. Eph. 1.3 as to remember the sinnes of his people no more that iâ— to say of the true beleeuers The which giueth vs to vnderstand that God for Christs sake by whom and in whom this testament was made is perfectly and perpetually by his onely sacrifice pacified Vpon which place of the Hebrewes Rhem. pag 7â—8 S. Chrysostome cited by Doctor Fulke saith Therefore hee forgaue sinnes when he gaue the testament he gaue the estament by his sacrifice If therefore he forgaue sinnes 〈◊〉 one sacrifice now there is no need of the second Theodâ—ret likewise saith Where there is remission of these things now there is no oblation for sinne for it is superfluous after remission is giuen and he promised remission sayng Their sinnes and iniquities I will no more remember Likewise Photinus saith What need is there of many oblations when that once which Christ offered is sufficient to take away sins Christ saith the Annotations vpon the Rhems is that eternall Prieâ—t and redeemer which by his sacrifice and death vpon the crosse 2. Tim. 2. annot Heb. 5. an hath recoâ—ciled vs to God and paid his bloud as a full sufficient ransome for all our sinnes he being without need of any redemption neuer subiect to the possibility of any sinning Againe The full worke of that his sacrifice by which we were redeemed was wholly consummate accomplished at the yeelding vp of his spirit to God the father when he said Consummatum est The truth of which doctrine concerning the absolute redeÌ„ption of man liuely appeareth in the resurrection of our Sauiour For seeing that Christ as their owne note vpon the Rhems coÌ„fesseth dyed not in his owne but in our sins himselfe neuer subiect to the possibility of sinning It is most assured that if one sinne of all our sinnes had remained either not throughly or imperfectly punished then could not Christ haue risen againe forasmuch as where there is but one sinne there of necessity must bee death For so hath the vnchangeable truth and righteousnesse of God decreed The wages of sinne is death Most excellent to this purpose is that saying of Saint Hillary Rom. 6.23 Apol. pag. 89. cited by Bishop Iewel Our euerlasting life is ready easie to beleeue that Iesus Christ is risen againe froÌ„ the dead For in the resurrectioÌ„ of our Sauiour wâ— may behold through a liuely faith the very actual remission of sinnes and our iustification For as tâ—e Father by deliuering Christ to death Iohn 3.16 Eph. 5.2 Luk. 4.18 hath redeemâ—d our sinnes in him that was obliged for vs before Adam was created by the decree of the whole Trinty so by raising him from death he hath absolued him from our sinnes and vs in him according tâ— the saying of the Apostle Rom. 4.25 Who was deliuered to dath for our sinnes
part onely For as not some part of Adamâ— disobedience by which he transgressed the law iâ— imputed vnto vs. Rom. â— 19 So not some part of Christs obedience but all which he most perfectly in the purity of his innocency and holinesse fulfilled both in doing and suffering is imputed vnto vs. For the threatning of the law cannot be fulfilled but by bearing and suffering the curse nor the commandement of the law otherwise performed but by doing of them Christ Phil. 2. Gal. 3. that he might take away the curse of the law humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse S. Hierome saith For that which was impossible of the law in that it was made weake by the flesh God sending his Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh condemned sinne of sinne in the flesh Which if it bee true it may bee obiected vnto vs Then Moses Isaiah and the rest of the Prophets which were vnder the workes of the law were vnder the curse which thing he will not be afraid to confesse which hath read the saying of the Apostle That Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs And to answer that euery one of the Saints for their time were made a curse to the people As Christ became obedient vnto the death to take away the curse of the law Ibid. 3.4.5 So likewise to the fulfilling of the commandements the Apostles speaking of the precepts of the law saith But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the law that wee might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Againe 2. Cor. 5 2â— Rhem. pag. 571. he hath made him which knew no sinne to be sinne for vs that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Theophilact cited by Doctor Fulke vpon this place saith What is this that God gaue his Son which knew no sin that is which was iustice it selfe to dye for vs and caused him to dye as a sinner and wicked man For cursed is he that hangeth on a tree And he was reputed among the vniust He saith not that he made him a sinner but sin it selfe which is more why was this done That we might be iustified not of workes and the law but of grace For this is the iustice of God when a man is iustified by grace so that no blemish or small spot is sound in him For therefore he said not that we might be made iust but the iustice of God shewing the excellency of grace Oecumenius saith He made him sinne that is he should be condemned a sinner that we should be made the iustice of God in him He said not that wee might bee made iust but that which was more iustice it selfe and the iustice of God And that is the iustice of God which is not of workes but that we might be iustified in him that is by him forgiuing and pardoning vs. Saint Augustine God made Christ sinne for vs to whom we are to be reconciled He therefore was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him As he declared sinne not to be his but ours not placed in him but in vs by the similitude of sinfull flesh in which he was crucified Thus by the testimony both of Scripture and Fathers we see that Christ hath not only taken away the heauinesse of the law and left it to our fulfilling but hath also fulfilled the law to the meriting of a sempeternall righteousnesse for vs. Yea to the reducing and restoring vs to a farre more excellent state then Adam before inioyed who had posse non peccare we non posse peccare He pâ—sse non mori we non posse mâ—ri He had power not to sinne we no power to sinne He power not to dye we no power to dye Nay our estate if we enter into some particular coÌ„sideration is in some measure through these two parts of Christs obedience farre more excellent in this life not to speake of the life to come then Adams was Adam was mortall so are we euen while we are mortall 1. Ioh. 3.14 We are translated already saith the Apostle from death to life Adam enioyed the pleasures of Paradice so we in part in this our pilgrimage Eph. 2. haue the fruition of the pleasures of heauen While we are made to sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Who being the first ripe corne offered to the Lord sanctified the whole field that is all his members and ascended on high that he might prepar a place and take as our feoffe possession of heauen for vs. Adam in the height of his liberty was called but the seruant of God but we euen in this vaile of misery are called the members of Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 the spouse of Christ yea Christ By the name of Bride-groome bone of his bone by being through regeneration made partakers of his diuine nature flesh of his flesh hauing our flesh made the flesh of Christ By sanctification we haue the same minde and affections the same life that Christ hath through the participation of the same Spirit Adam standing in his estate of integrity God had a delight to be with him and he with God but God hath a delight to be with vs in this our state of imperfection Delicia mea cum filijs hominum My delight is to be saith God with the sonnes of men Delicia nostra cum filio Dei Our delight is to be wiâ—â— the Sonne of God The wife of Adam in the middest of his pleasures became an instrumentall meanes to vnrobe him of the glorious image of God But the Spirit of Christ our husband in this our pilgrimage beginneth to cloath vs with the image of God againe Adam in his ioy in eating the fruit forbidden found nothing but death We in the middest of our afflictions can finde nothing but life we cannot dye though we would Haba 1.12 For neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God But seeing these priuiledges are in no request with them that leaue Christ to merit by his paines his owne glory and theirs to do the like I cannot see how they can by this their owne doctrine be saued for that no man hath this iustice of workes the Annotations elsewhere thus speaketh Rhem. Rom. 8. annot Maâ—th 5. annot We be truly called the sonnes of God and so iust indeed though we be not without all sinnes Euery one of vs as well iust as vniust being taught and bound to confesse our offences to aske daily of God by this petition Forgiue vs our debts So farre are we off from meriting any
sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God But a round cake offered by a new sacrificing Priest to deface the â—lory and eternall Priesthood of Christ that is sufficient By this it doth appeare that the Church of Rome attempting to draw from the true faith and abrogating the daily sacrifice Christ Iesus to the setting vp of the abhomination of desolation prophesied in Daniel is not the true Church but the Church of Antichrist As in doctrine it proueth it selfe opposite to Christ so in the action of seeking dâ—solation as well temporall as spirituall vnder the colour of merite it doth the like For the fruit of their doctrine is to murther Princes and to ruinate States that Antichrist may sit still in the wildernesse To which end they weÌ„t vp as Christ hath foretold into the plaine of the earth they compassed the tents of the Saints For it is not saith Saint Augustine De ciuitate Dei lib. 20. to be taken that the persecutors should gather to any place as though the campe of the Saints or beloued city shoulâ— be but in one place which indeed are no other thing but the Church of Christ spreaâ— through the whole world And thereforâ— wheresoeuer the Church shall then be which shall be in all nations euen then for so much iâ— insinuated by the earth here specified there shall the tents of the Saints be and the beloued city of God and there shall she be besieged by all her enemies which shall be in euery country where she is in most cruell and forcible sort And thus shee hath bene besieged not to speake of the Bohemians the Massaker in France and other places in this little Island by an army of Priests of whom Gregory Bishop of Rome hath long foretold saying All things are done which were foreshewed the King of pride is at hand and that which is a vile thing to be spoken an army of Priests is prepared for him because they which should be chiefe in humility doe serue as Souldiers vnder pride and arrogancy By this army of Priestâ— sent by the King of pride treasons haue grownâ— vp in this kingdome as close together as the huskâ— and corne in one eare Squier sent by Walpoole the Iesuite a fellow-worker to the King of Pride marched hither to this end with his poyson Parry sent by Benedict Palimon the Iesuite an other of the ranke with a knife with many moe whose tailes were bound together like Sampsons Foxes to destroy the land Yea by fire also had not the prouideÌ„ce of God preuented the gunpowder treason Thus briefly the Church of Rome likewise appeareth in seeking desolation to be the visible Church of Antichrist And for the further proofe hereof I referre you gentle readers to these few Oppositions following Thus wishing you all happinesse in the Lord and well freed of the Iesuits which like Cannibals hunt after the soules and bloud of you and your posterities as wofull experience teacheth I end THOMAS BEDLE THE TABLE Opposition 1. THat God creating vs able to fulfill his law is neither in commanding nor in punishing vs in not performing his will an vnreasonable Prince as Popery teacheth Oppos 2. That Protestant Preachers teaching the true vse of the law open the way to piety That Popish Priests teaching impieties contrary tâ— the law open a gappe to vnutterable villany Oppos 3. That Christ in taking away our sinnes doth not as Popery auerreth egge forward to vice but to vertue That Popes and popish Priests in giuing remission of sinâ— to commit sinne open a gate to all licencious libertie Oppos 4. That Christ hath perfected our saluation and not left it to our co-operation That Popish Priests which auerre that Christ hath only merited grace for vs co-operate not with that grace but with disgrace of the holy Trinity Oppos 5. That it is not in the power of man to raise himselfe from death to life That Popish Priests in teaching the contrary goe about therein to blot out Gods couenant concerning the absolute remission of sins in Christ to extenuate the merits of our Sauiours passion and to abase the power of Gods Spirit Oppos 6. That we are iustified by Christs whole entire obedience of the law and not by part That Popish Priests in denying this doctrine send men to seeke their saluation in the confusion of Babylon Oppos 7. That we are iustified by faith in Christ which faith is not an idle apprehension of Christs iustice or a lying faith as Popery teacheth That the faith Popish Prists teach is an idle apprehension and lying faith Oppos 8. That Protestant Preachers in teaching an inherent righteousnesse as well as an imputatiue open a gap to all piety That Popish Priests teaching neither an imputatiue nor an inherent righteousnesse but an inherent euill open a gap to all kind of impiety Oppos 9. That the faithfull mans praier beleeuing the remission of sinnes is not without most excellent vse That Popish Priests praiers are most idolatrous yet 〈◊〉 they not weare their hose out of the knees to say them except they may merit heauen by them Oppo. 10. That Protestants acknowledging Christ their only Aduocate neither rob nor dispoyle him of honor That Popish Priests rob and dispoyle him of all honor to bestow it elsewhere Oppo. 11. That Protestants beleeuing in Christ to the remission of sinnes haue both a religion and sacrifice That Popish Priests in seeking their saluation in theiâ— consecrated cake holy water ashes palmes candle and such like ioyned in commission with that their Gâ—â— of bread as a God not all-sufficient to saue of himselfe haue neither religion nor sacrifice An Addition demonstrating the abolishing of Antichrist vniuersall maintainer of treason and supreâ—â— head of Heretiques THE PRINCELY PROGRESSE OF THE CHVRCH MILITANT marching forth by the steps of the Flocke to her triumphant Bridegrome CHRIST IESVS OPPOS 1. THe Protestants doctrine which affirmeth that the commandements are impossible maketh God an vnreasonable Prince Suruey of the new religion pag 459. THE Protestant Preachers in teaching Gods commandemens impossible to be kept preach the truth yet is God as the sequele shall declare most good iust and no vnreasonable Prince To the manifestation hereof we are to consider that Iehouah who in all eternity meditated in the mirror of his Maiestie concerning the creation of Angels and Men to the end they might participate of his immortalitie and permanent felicitie And withall the heauen and earth so excellent in beauty so admirable in variety as glorious pallaces for them to dwell in To the effecting at the time prefixed what he had in his eternall counsell decreed created the Angels with an vnderstanding of surpassing excellency and of nature most simple next vnto his diuine and sacred Deity Afterward not to speake of the worlds creation he made these glorious creatures witnessing spectators of Adams noble birth made by Gods owne hand of the virgin-like earth and in his owne image Not that the
not good first as he is good yea essentiall goodnesse cannot but require notwithstanding our wofull fall obedience at our hands to the fulfilling of his law through the purity of nature in which he created Adam Which purity lost being also the grouÌ„d and iustice out of the which the law should be kept no man though the Lord command obedience is able to performe the same For by sinne as Kellison saith we were dispoyled of grace Suruey pag. 254. And that force of grace had we none because sinne had depriued vs of it Likewise Saint Augustine cited by M. Whittaker against Campian saith Naturall gifts were corrupted the supernaturall extinguished Insomuch that the naturall mans vnderstanding as the Scriptures auerre is so farre off from doing the office of a Generall to direct the will to the effecting that which is good That it neither perceiueth 2. Cor. 2.14 Ephes 4.18 Rom 7.14 Ibid. 6.16.17.20 nor conceiueth the things of God And the will depriued of liberty to choose that which is good and wanting the direction of reason like an vnruly Souldier transgresseth coÌ„tinually the law through disordered motions and euill desires O euill is free will without God saith S. Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel Againe Man misusing his free will Apol. pag. 16. spilt both himselfe and his will Againe What do men presume so much of the possibility of nature it is wouÌ„ded it is maÌ„gled it is troubled it is lost it behoueth truly to confesse it then stedfastly to defend it Againe Free-will once made thrall auaileth nothing but sinne But to make this yet more manifest Rhem. pag 195. that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue life in them most excellent is that place cited by Doctor Fulke from the Councell of Arausican Chap. 7. That we are not apt to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues If any man do hold that by force of nature he can thinke any good thing which pertaineth and is expedient to eternall life or that hee can choose to be saued that is to consent to the preaching of the Gospel without illumnation and inspiration of the holy Ghost which giueth to all men the sweetnesse in consenting and beleeuing the truth He is deceiued with an hereticall spirit not vnderstanding the voice of God saying in the Gospel Without me yee can do nothing And that of the Apostle Not that we are apt of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And touching vnderstanding the Apostle saith The naturall man vnderstaÌ„deth not those things that be of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So that neither the will nor vnderstanding haue heauenly life in them Therefore it is impossible to do good although the Lord commands it Neither is the Lord bound â—o woâ—k it in vs for he oweth vs nothing may leaue vs reprobate to be condemned for euer without impeachment to his goodnesse As he refused Esau when he loued Iacob Respecting them both as ill Rom. 9. Annotat. Rhem. as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth and the one no lesse then the other guilty of damnation for originall sinne which was alike in them both And therefore where he might haue iustly refused both he saued of mercy one which one being as ill as void of grace as the other must therefore hold of Gods eternall purpose mercy eleâ—tion thâ—t he is prâ—fâ—rred before his brother which was â—lder then himselfe and no worse then himselfe Suruey pag. 58â— Secondly God as he is iust requireth obedience at our hands that our actions may be tryed by the diuine rule of iustice namely his law Otherwise as S. Augustine cited by Kellison teacheth No sinne should be if no law did forbid it If no sinne then no death Iâ— no death then Aâ—am should escape vnpunished contrary to Gods word which saith In the day that thou â—aâ—â—st thereof thou shâ—lt dye the death Yet God in commanding vs that which is good and in puniâ—hing vs doing euill and not good which both as Saint Augustine saith are damnable neither impeacheth hiâ— gooâ—nesse as we said before nor iustice the fault being ours that we transgresse and not Gods who created Adam and we in Adam able to performe his law as his word doth auerre his Angels witnesse and Kellison afore cited testifie Therefore if Princes for a momentary transgression may iustly punish their subiects with perpetual exile and death it selfe how much more may God that created Adam so glorious a creature both punish him for his rebellion all his posterity in him that spaâ—â—d not the Angels yet himselfe a most iust and good God According to that saying of Moses Perfect is the work of the mighty God Deut. 32.4 all his waies are iustice and iudgement God is true and without wickednesse iust and righteous is he Not cruell inhumane barbarous or tyranicall as the false Prophet Kellison like a prophane Marcionite vrgeth For as Aristotle a heathen could say Iustitiam esse hespero lâ—cifero sormosiorem Iustice is farre more beautifull then the euening and morning starre But to conclude against this most blasphemous hereticke with Saint Augustine Detrâ—ctor diabolum in lingua portat A slaunderer beareth the diuell in his tongue and yet maketh himselfe in the meane time as cunning as any Pelagian of whom Saint Augustine thus speaketh The Pelagians thinke themselues cunning men when they say That God would not command that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to do And who iâ— there that knoweth not this But therefore God commandeth vs to do some things that we are not able to do that we may vnderstand that we ought to craue of him Thus we see God is good in requiring that which is good at our hands and iust in punishing vs not performing the same And Kellison a blasphemous wretch to vrge the contrary to disgrace the truth the Lord of truth and the preachers of the same OPPOS 2. The Protestant Preachers auouching the lawes and commandements of God to be impossible giue occasion to all impiety Suruey of tâ—â— new religion Pag. 570. The Protestant preachers auerring the couenant of workes founded in nature and in the law of God impossible to be performed auouch the truth Yet teaching the true vse of the law direct the way to all piety Whereas Popish Iesuites and Priests making the law to be no law leade the way to all impiety as the sequele shall declare Although the promise of the law hath annexed condition impossible to be performed by any of the sonnes of Adam yet concerning the elect it is not without most excellent vse For first it serueth thâ— Spirit of God as an instrumentall meanes to bring them to the notion of sinne Secondly to worke a terrour in them for sinne And thirdly to be as a Schoolemâ—ister directing to Christ Concerning the
first vse Saint Paul speaking of himselfe saith Nay I know not sinne but by the laâ— for I had not knowne what lust meant except the laâ— hâ—â—â—â—id Thou shalt not lust That is he had noâ— knowne that euery tickling desire of concupiscence though râ—sisted had bene sinne except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Iames 1. Annotat. Rhems This vse of the law Popish Priests and Iesuites do deny First in teaching â—hat concupiscence it selfe is no sinne but when we do obey and yeeld to it Nay they doe suppose that â—he outrage of concupiscence and sensuall appetite is so â—arre off from sinne that he that consenteth not vnto it need not to say God forgiue vs our sinnes for the same Moreouer the Councell of Trident accurseth him that thinketh concupiscence to be a sin If it were no sin the law would not haue prohibited the same as it doth For saith S. Paul as it is in their owne translation But sinne I did not know but by the law for concupiscence I knew not vnlesse the law did say Thou shalt not couet But occasion being taken sinne by the commandement wrought in me all concupiscence Vpon which place the Annotation noteth That sinne Rom. 7. annotat Rhems or concupiscence which was asleepe before was wakened by prohibition the law not being the occasion thereof nor giuing occasion thereunto but occasion being taken by our corrupt nature to resist that which was commanded S. Ambrose vpon this place saith He hath not namely the Apostle discerned this concupiscence from sinne but ioyned it vnto it Signifying that when there was not so much as any suspition that this thing was not lawfull before God I knew saith he that it is a sinne The argument in the Rhems before the Epistle of Saint Iames thus speaketh The Apostle dehorteth from all sinne but yet also namely to certaine and from certaine As fro acception of persons froÌ„ detraction and rash iudgements from concupiscence and loue of this world By this we may see that concupiscence is of it selfe a sinne forbidden in the law before we do obey and yeeld vnto it Whosoeuer saith our Sauiour looketh on a womâ—â— to lust after her hath committed adultery with hâ—r alreâ—dy in his heart Againe not onely the man that â—illeth his brother is culpable of iudgement but he â—lâ—o that is angry wiâ—â— his bâ—â—ther vnaduisedly We â—râ— fâ—â—â—iâ—â—â—n 〈…〉 â—â—t onely to 〈…〉 tâ— be aâ—â—râ— Suruey 278. pag. 257. pâ—g 〈…〉 from a â—ultâ—â—â— aâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—tion buâ— alâ—o froâ— câ—â—â—â—s lookâ—s yea 〈◊〉 Wâ— aâ—e not only forbidâ—en tâ— oâ—â—end oâ—r friâ—eÌ„â—s but aâ—â—o 〈…〉 â—wes Againâ— thâ— lâ—â— restraineth oue◠〈…〉 â—s the ouâ—â—â—â—â— For Christ aâ—â—â—ng at that most excellent peâ—â—â—ction that was in Aâ—am when he wâ—s created forbideth in vs by his immâ—culate law thâ—t permitteth no sâ—â—th of siâ—ne the least euill that may arise through concupiscence to labour against his spirit in so heauenly a building as is the renouation of mâ—n to his pristen estate Aâ—g contra Iâ—â—â—â—â— liâ— 3 caâ— 3. Thâ—â—onâ—upiscence of the flesh saith Saint Augustine against which 〈◊〉 good â—â—â—â—it dâ—sireth or laboureth is both sinne it selfe and also the paine of sinne and the cause of sinne For as the Annotations vpon the Rhems teacheth Iames 1. mâ—â—â— In a tâ—â—â—â—tiâ—â— pâ—â—ted b◠〈◊〉 acâ—â—â—â—â—â—guâ—â—â—us 1â—â—0 From the concupiâ—cence of the flesh the â—â—â—â—upiscenâ—e of the eyes and the pride of life all sinne anâ— tempâ—â—tiâ—â—â— proâ—â—â—â— As Thomas vpon his Sums there cited confessâ—th Againe Concupiscence say they â—s aâ—â—â—rdinâ—te appetite of the soule inclining it to â—â—llow the dâ—â—ires of the fleâ—h proceeding from sinne and 〈◊〉 the soule to sinne Secondly they teach contraâ—â— to the law because they say that veniall sins as thâ—y stile them be no sinnes For a man saith the Aâ—â—â—ations vpon the Rhemâ— may be iust notwithstanding veniall sinnes Againe 1 Ioh. 1. marg Rom. 1. Rhâ—m Mat. 6. annotat Rhems veniall sinnes are pardonable of their owne nature and not worthy of damnation Now those sinnes that are pardonable in their owne nature owe to God no dâ—bt that is the punishment due for sins But venial sins do For dâ—bts do not onely sâ—gnifie mortall sinnes but also vâ—niâ—ll as S. Augustine by them often cited teachâ—th Therefore euery mâ—n be he neuer so iust yet because hee cannot liue without veniall sinnes may vâ—ry truly â—nd ought to sâ—y this prayer Forgiue vs our debts Againe wâ—osoeuer hath any impure matter of veniâ—ll sâ—nnes or sâ—ch other debts to Gods iudgments payâ—ble must into Purgatory or more truly into hell Rom. 6.23 if they be not pardoned in Christ For the wages of sin is death Thirdly they teach 1. Ioh. 1. marg 1. Ioh. 3. Annotat. Rhems that euery iniquity is not sinne against plaine Scripture that saith That all iniquity is sin 1. Ioh. 3.7 As it is in their owne Rhems Let no man say saith Saint Augustine sâ—â—ne is one thing iniquity is another thing I am a sinfull man but I am not vniust Euery one that doth commit sinne doth commit iniquity for sinne is iniquitie What thâ—â— shall wee do with our sinnes and iniquities No man in this life hath bene is or shall be perfectly iust Moreouer contrary to the law the Iesuite thinkes he sinnes not at all by lying impudently before his Kings fâ—ceâ— yea and confirming his lye with pâ—riury by laying his hand vpon the holy Gospel Anâ— why so Because hauing receiued a commandement from his Gâ—nerâ—ll to lye Iâ—suite Catech. 2. lib. 122. pag. his vow of obedience is so precise that he thinkes he is freed from all sinne and that he faulted much more if by telling the truth he had not obeyed him Here they pâ—ay the Priscillianists which sayd Iura periura secretum prodere noli Sweare and forsweare but bewray no secrets Fourthly whereas the law commands obedience vnto the Kings of the nations who beare rule ouer vs Exod. 20. Luke 22. and are as the forbidden fruit and apple in paradice that may not be touched Touch not mine annointed Psal 105.15 Yet notwithstanding it is a common thing with the Iesuites to preach to their yong Nouices concerning the murther of Princes And do teach that the Bulles of Rome haue power to depose all the Kings of the earth I sâ—ites Catech. lib. 3 pag. 204. â—e Franc. â—nâ— pag. 18. â— 64 65. 34. and to depriue them of their temporall state and Soueraignty That Kings so excommunicated ought to best â—ne though they be Catholickes That it is a good and meritorious deed to murther them The Councell of Coâ—stance saith a Iesuite condemned that odious Proposition concerning the killing of Princes by priuate men whensoeuer they iudge them for tyrants but when the Pope that King of pride shal iudge them for tyrants it seemeth it is meritorious for his army of Priests to set vpon them Richard Walpoole the Iesuite furnishing Squire with poyson instructioÌ„s to kil
and is risen againe for our iustification If one dyed for all saith Saint Bernard in his 190 Epistle to Innocent Bishop of Rome then all were lead that so the satisfaction of one might be imputed to all euen as that one person bare the sinne of all No maâ— saith Kellison citing Saint Iohn hath greater charâ—ty then this to dye for his friend and especially for his enemy And this also extolleth Christs power most highly who by death ouercame death yea sinne also and condemnation Here it plainly appeareth by Kellisons owne words that sinne with the guilt and punishment is taken away by Christ and we deliuered fron all sin both originall and actuall veniall and mortall à culpa poena that is from the fault and punishment due to the same as the Annotations vpon the Rhems acknowledgeth and the very Canon law likewise confesseth 1. Ioh. 1. annot De consec 4 cap. 8. 2. Cor. 5.2 Rhem. pag. 570. in teaching that the Son God tooke vpon him the flesh of sinne that is to say sinfull flesh and the punishment he being without fault that so in the flesh of sin both the fault might be satisfied and the punishment also Nay more that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him For he hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne saith the Apostle that wee should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Vpon which place Saint Chrysostome cited by Doctor Fulke saith that we should be made the iustice of God in him what speech what mind can set forth these things worthily for him that was iust he made a sinner that he might make sinners iust But rather he said not so but that which was much more for he named not the quality but the essence he said not a sinner but sinne it selfe not onely him which sinned not but him which knew no sinne that we might be made he said not iust but iustice it selfe and the iustice of God For this is the iustice of God when iustification commeth not of workes seeing it is necessary that no spot be found but by grace by this meanes all sinne cleane vanisheth away In the meane time he suffereth them not to be extolled seeing God performeth all and sheweth the greatnesse of the giuer in that the former iustice was of the law and of works but this is the iustice of God Primasius vpon this text saith God the Father made his Sonne sinne for vs that is a sacrifice 〈◊〉 sinne The sacrifice offered for sinne in the law was called sinne although it did not sinne at all as it is written And he shall lay his hand vpon the head of his sinne c. By the bloud of these sacrifices that bloud which was shed for vs was prefigured for Christ being offered for our sinnes was called by the name of sinne that we might be made the iustice of God in him not in vs. Theodoret vpon this text saith That when he was free from sinne he suffered the death of sinners that he might loose theâ— sinne of men and being called that which we were hee made vs that which he was for he gaue vs the riches of his iustice Thus it doth appeare that Christ hath not onely taken away the paine and punishment of sinne but also merited a sempiternall righteousnes for vs which is as an Ancient saith the very roote of life Otherwise what would become of that faith which the Annotations vpon the Rhems speaketh of that reacheth to the life to come Rom. 10. annot making man assured of such articles as concerne the same As of Christs coming downe to be incarnate of his descending to hell of his resurrection ascension and returne againe to be glorified by which actions we be pardoned iustified and saued as by the law we could neuer be In vaine would our faith be saith the Apostle if Christ was not risen iustified from our sins we in him 1. Cor. 15. â—7 for theÌ„ we were yet in our sins that is guilty before God Therefore because Christ is risen we are no longer in our sinnes that is we are in very deed absolued from them and the punishment due for them Being thus compassed about with a cloud of witnesses concerning the perfect redemption of man who can but behold our King comming out of his sepulcher as out of a palace leading death in chains and the Prince of death fast bound in fetters of iron and with all his elect traine following him saying O death where is thy sting O graue Ibid. 15.55 56. where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God that hath giuen vs victory in our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue redemption through his bloud Eph. 1.7 euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to his rich grace Secondly forasmuch as that it standeth not with Christs Kingly power to begin and not to accomplish his subiects happinesse hee in his all-seeing wisdome hath merited the Spirit of his Father for vs through the effectuall working power whereof as by his diuine finger he writeth his law in our minds and hearts according to his promise So that the elect may say together with their Sauiour Heb. 8. Psal 40.8 I desired to do thy will ô my God I am ready to do it yea thy law is within my heart That is all knowledge to the performaÌ„ce of thy law which the naturall man cannot attaine vnto vnlesse God inlighteneth his vnderstanding to discerne betweene obiects things set before it in the holy Scriptures Againe Christ through the effectuall working of his Spirit prepareth the heart by making it soft and tender to will those things that are pleasing to God yea to do the will of God 1 Thes 4.3 whose will it is that we should be holy and cleane When he hath thus done he sitteth in the heart of man working both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure to the perfecâ— repairing of the Image of God in him God sittetâ— saith an Ancient in the heart of man like a King in 〈◊〉 palace in his word like a King in his Councell in hiâ— Church like a Generall in his army in his throne like a conquerour in his triumph Hee sate in the heart of Matthew whom of a Publican and notable sinner he made an Apostle and Euangelist He stirred such a course in the heart of Paul that of a cruell persecutor he became a faithfull and zealous Preacher Yea though Christ doth repaire that which we haue losâ— by Adams transgression according to the saying oâ— the Councell of Arausicanum chap. 21. Nature by Adam lost by Christ is repaired yet Kellison doth taxe his passion with this false imputation to egge vs forward to all vice to open a wide gappe to all licencious lilibertie and iniquitie But if a Pope with Bonifacâ— the eighth or Clement the sixth
giue remissioâ— of sinnes to those that come on pilgrimage to Rome or send their Angels to mediate their cause he doth not egge forward with Killison to vice Or if a Pope giue remission of sinnes with Vrâ—aâ— the sixth or Clement the seuenth to fight in hiâ— priuate scisme he doth not giue liberty to iniquity Or if a Pope with Inocent the third giue remission oâ— sinnes to murther a King he openeth no gate to licentious libertie But onely Christ must be taxed with that by Kellison who in no case by the Romanâ— law may take away sinne Iesâ—it caâ—ech lib. 2. page 83. But the society of Iesuites may Our society of Iesus saith a Iesuite is an acquitall of all sins One daies deuotion in their house may as you may finde it thus written in their Catech. first booke Ibid. li. an Page 8. 8. page He that shall come euery yeare to performe his deuotions one whole day in our house shall haue plenary indulgence of all his sins though he said but one Pater noster or an Aue Mary The Masse Priest by his owne authority may Luke 5. an Who hauing obtained the wonderfull grace to remit sin saith in the preparation to the Masse Thy mine owne authority do first absolue thee from the sentence of the lesse excommunication if thou haue need thereof And besides I absolue thee from all thy sinnes Almes deeds of themselues may Luke 11.16 annot Almes deedes extinguish sinne redeeme sinne deliuer from death and gaine heauen But Christ without the prayers of the Church and parties merite may not Therefore the Priest before Masse in the absolution saith Let thy sinnes be forgiuen thee through the merits of our Lord Iesus Christ the prayers of our mother holy Church the good deeds that thou hast done and which thou shalt hereafter by the grace of God do The merits of Saints without the helpe of Christ may Therefore as a thing of great secret the Masse Priest secretly saith in the Masse We beseech thee ô Lord through the merits of the Saints whose reliques we here haue through the merits of the rest of the Saints to forgiue me all my sins Briefly Masses wherein a round cake is offered and not Christ Indulgences to the which the Pope subscribes not God mens merit which is a menstruous cloth and not as sweet incense reliques purchased of Masse Priests may take away sinnes and giue life but Christ may not for so to beleeue is high treason to the Romish and Canniball army who hauing inuented many heresies propter gulam ventrem for gluttony and belly cheare as Saint Hierome speaketh feed themselues fat vpon the soules of men But miserable is that spouse as Saint Bernard saith that is committed to such leaders they are not the friends they are the enemies of the Bridegroome Thus much shall suffice concerning the difference of doctrine in this position wherein you may be hold the Angels of light leading the way to Christ the hope of glory and the Angels of darknesse to hopelesse glory lying hid in indulgences merit satisfaction worshipping of Saints images and reliques which Kel in his Epistle to the reader in his Suruey hath promised to make as plaine and as plausible as may be to those that will take his impolished worke in good part that is to deny Christs passion to be sufficient and to looke for saluation in them OPPOS 4. Christ deserued for vs at Gods hands grace by which together with our co-operation we may be saued and redeemed Suruey pag. 26. pag 256. 1. Pet. 1. pag. 257. KEllison a little before this place cited treating of the price of our redemption acknowledgeeth the same to bee so great that as S. Peter saith We were redeemed not by gold and siluer but by the pretious bloud of Christ So rich a price was this bloud that it was sufficient to haue satisfied for the sinne that shed it as Saint Bernard saith Whereupon Kellison concludeth That Christ is our redeemer who hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse Pag. 262. Pag. 191. freed vs from the slauery of sinne and bondage of the diuell Yet contrary to all this in another place he teacheth that Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes not because his passion without any co-operation on our part doth suffice and therefore Christ thought it good as he elsewhere saith as we fell by our willes into captiuity so by our owne wils together with grace we should rise againe and winde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and tyranny of the diuell Saint Paul to the confutation of this doctrine teacheth That Christ himselfe when he ascended on high led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men not that he led captiuity into heauen where there is no place for sin and death but that to the redeeming and reducing of mankinde to his old liberty and dignity ouercoming the diuell sinne and death he led them in open shew in an vnspeakable triumph according to that saying of the Apostle Col. 2.15 Spoyling the principalities and powers thou hast made a shew of them openly and hast triumphed ouer them Whereupon that ioyfull voyce was heard out of heauen when Christ ascended vp thither not where God the word was not before but where the word become flesh sate not before Now is saluation in heauen and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night King Dauid prophesied of this vnspeakable triumph saying They haue seene ô God thy goings the goings of my God and my King which art in the sanctuary The singers went before Reu 12.10 Psa 68.24 the players of instruments after in the middest were the maâ— is plâ—ying with â—â—â—brels In which sweet reioicing it doth most liuely appeare that saluation power is made perfect by the Lords death resurrection by the which sin death is abolished life is restored the diuell cast down ouerthrown so that he can no more accuse mankind before the iudgment seate of God Now we are freed from sin saith the Apostle who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choseÌ„ Rom. 8. There is our freedome from the punishment It is God that iustifieth who shall coÌ„demne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe which is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs So that no accusation may be brought against Gods chosen Seeing then that Christ hath wrought so excellent and perfect redemption as the whole hoast of heauen doth beare witnesse it appeareth that it is not left to the co-operation of our owne wils to rise againe and winde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and tyranny of the Diuell If it had bene left vnto the will of man how could the will of man haue performed it Ioh. 15. Without me saith
Christ you can do nothing Yet there be men saith an ancient vnthankefull to Grace ascribing much to poore and wounded Nature It is true that man when hee was created receiued great strength of free will but by sinning he lost it Saint Augustine cited by Doctor Fulke propoundeth this question Rhem pag. 206. May not that part of mankinde to which God hath promised deliuerance and an eternall kingdome bee repaired by the merit of their owne workes God forbid for what good can he worke that is lost or cast away except he be deliuered from perâ—â—tion What by freewill God forbid that also For man vsing free will amisse lost himselfe and it also For as he that killeth himselfe doth it while he liueth but in killing himselfe liueth not neither can hee reuiue himselfe when he hath slaine himselfe So when man sinned by free will sinne got the victory and free will was lost For of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome to him hee is addicted or bound as a slaue Rom. 6. What liberty then can there be of him that is a bond-slaue but when he delighteth in sinne For he serueth freely that doth his maisters will gladly And by this he is free to commit sinne which is a slaue to sinne but to do iustly he shall not be free except he being deliuered from sinne beginne to be the seruant of righteousnesse That is true liberty for the ioy of well doing and a godly bondage to the obedience of the commandements But whence shall a man that is bound and sold haue this liberty Except Christ doth redeeme him whose saying that is Iohn 8. If the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed which thing before it begin to be wrought in man how can any man boast of free will in a good worke which yet is not free to worke well except he extol himselfe being puffed vp with vaine pride which the Apostle beateth downe when he saith You are saued by grace through faith Neither doth man when hee is made free by Christ make himselfe euery day more honorable then other vntill he come to be more pretious then fine gold Rem 9.23 Phil. 2.23 ye aboue the wedges of the gold of Ophir For this is a worke peculiar to Gods Spirit that worketh in vs the will and the deed according to his good pleasure We will saith Saint Augustine but it is God that worketh in vs to will we worke but it is God that worketh in vs according to his good pleasure This is behouefull for vs to speake This is a godly and true doctrine that our confession may be humbled and lowly and that God may haue the whole We liue in more safety if wee giue all vnto God rather when wee commit our selues partly to our selues and partly to him For as it is God that first worketh a new recreation in the minde through a heauenly illumination and a holy will by creating holinesse in the will so it is the same God that causeth the light of the one to increase and the holinesse of the other to abound Concerning which spirituall beatitude Saint Iohn teacheth most excellently when he saith That life was in God from the beginning Ioh. 1.4.5 and that life was the light of mâ—n that this light shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not It was the speciall reuelation of the Father that Peter knew Christ And it was the exceeding mighty and powerfull worke of Christs Spirit Ioh. 2.20 that Saul afterward called Paul did preach Christ not directed by any fleshly or humane Spirit but by the Spirit of Christ by which he did liue in him That we liue well that we vnderstand aright we haue it of God of our selues we haue nothing saith Saint Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel From this want ariseth the paiers of holy men Dauid beseecheth God to create a cleane hart in him And Salomon saith Let him incline our hearts vnto himselfe that we may keepe his commandements These holy Patâ—â—â—â—ke did not thinke as ambitious Popish Priests dâ—e that they had power in themselues to make themselues cleane and to purge their owne hearts aâ— the Rhems teacheth By this which hath bene said we may see more cleare then the light that the will of man doth not co-operate with the Spirit of God in his recreation no more then Adam in his creation For the vnderstanding seeth no further then the Spirit of God inlightneth it which is but in part in this world no more then a man carrying a candle into a large gallery garnished on euery side with variety of curious workes seeth no more then that the light of the candle maketh apparent Psa 18.28 Surely saith Dauid thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will lighten my darknesse Againe send thy light and thy truth let them leade me let them bring me into thy holy mountaine and to thy tabernacle Neither doth the will in any thing obey the Lords command more then it is effectually moued thereunto by Gods Spirit As it doth appeare in Ionas Ionah 1.3 who being commanded by the Lord to go to Niniuah that great citty and cry out against it rose vp to fly to Tharshish froÌ„ the presence of the Lord. But more apparant in the saying of Paul Rom. 7.23 For I delight saith hee in the law of God concerning the inward man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading one captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members But Kellison saith Suruey pag. 144. If we co-operate not with God by our own free wil In vain do we pray that his will be done vpon the earth But to this we answer if we doe co-operate with God then our will shall bee done as well as Gods will 1. Cor. 25.28 Phil 4.6 Ibid. 2.13 And so God shall neuer be all in all in vs that we may bee wholly gouerned by his holy Spirit which is plaine opposite to truth and most dishonourable to Christ For if Christ should not wholly gouerne vs by his Spirit At the day of resurrection when our bodies shall rise Spirituall bodies that is wholly to be gouerned by his holy Spirit which now they are but in part then there would remaine a will in vs as now there doth cooperating against and not with the Spirit of God euen the will which the Apostle complaineth of when hee cryeth out Rom. 7. Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Euen from the law of my minde which leadeth me captiue vnto the law of sinne So also should Christs body that is his Church be imperfect the good worke of the Spirit of God vnfinished Eph. 1.23 and the fulnesse of Christ thereby extinguished For as by his gratious dispensation he is head of his Church hee is not full without his body But what should we speake further of the worke of Gods Spirit to those
of the first resurrection without any co-operation of it owne Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum saith Clemens Alexandrinus cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. Bis Iewel pag. 178. Our faith is the key of the kingdome of heauen Cor clausum habent quia clauem fides non habent saith S. Augustine They haue their hearts shut vp because they lacke the key of faith God giueth vs this key before we can haue passage into heauen wee no sooner receiue the same but Gods treasury is opened vnto vs our of which we receiue through Christ righteousnesse and life that we may be made partakers of the first resurrection Againe â—o make this more apparent our Sauiour saith Except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God Nor cannot enter into the kingdome of God that is into a vertuous life Man is so farre off from disposing himselfe thereunto as Christ testifieth that he is not able to discerne it And no maruell Rom 8.6 1. Cor. 2. for the wisdome of the flesh is death as the Apostle saith Againe the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned This did liuely appeare in the Philosophers who did know that there was a God but neither knew what that God was nor how he was to be worshipped And therefore no better stiled in the height of their wisedome by Tertullian and Saint Hierome then the Patriarkes of heretickes He therefore that would attaine to this spirituall knowledge must first receiue his new birth not in body but in minde that is his minde must be illuminated and made spirituall that it may become the minde of Christ by receiuing a recreation from the Spirit of Christ Rhem. Rom. annot We haue the minde of Christ saith the Apostle And the gift of faith which is the first foundation and ground to build vpon must bee created and placed in that royall chaire of illumination before we can either see what a vertuous life is or do any thing that is pleasing to God For without faith it is possible to please God Yet for a further demonstration of that we haue in hand there is a kingdome of darknesse and a kingdome of light The kingdome of darknesse consisteth of dead men wounded to death by Adams transgression The kingdome of light of liuing men reuiued and viuicated by the second Adams spirit Concerning these two kingdomes Col. 1.12.13 the Apostle thus speaketh Giuing thanks to the Father which hath made vâ— meet to be partakers of the inheritance of Saints in light who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse that is out of the kingdome of Satan by iustification and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne by sanctificatioÌ„ Vpon which place Theodoret thus speaketh We praise the merciful God which wheras we are vnworthy hath made vs partakers of the Saints in light Thus we see that this translating from the poweâ— of darknesse that is from death to life can bee no more in the will of men that are dead in sin then it was in Lazarus to raise himselfe out of the graue who only are raised by the effectual working power of Gods Spirit as all the selected are from time time As Saint Paul notably teacheth the Ephesians in shewing them what is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power not onely in raising vp Christ their head from the dead that he might sit at the right hand of his Father but also in raising vp them the members of Christ quickening them together in Christ by whose grace they are saued That they might sit likewise together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus The dead man cannot be raised againe vnlesse the Lord cry within him saith S. Augustine Seeing therefore that that sanctified body of Christ free from sinne both originall and actuall could not be raised vp but by the exceeding great power of the Godhead Iniurious is this Popish position which would haue vs fellow-workers with the whole Trinity in raising our selues being dead Nay double iniurious it is to the whole trinity First to God the Father in making his couenant to none effect who hath promised for Christs sake to remember our sins no more Secondly to Christ in extenuating the merits of his passion In saying he onely hath merited grace for vs and left vs in Aegypt vnder the slauery of the diuel the Aegyptian Pharaoh Thirdly it abasheth the power of Gods Spirit in making vs fellow workers with him in our recreation as if darknesse could co-operate with light to the perfecting of our redemption which Christ as they say hath not Fourthly most iniuriously for their owne righteousnes for their own merit sake yea in murthering of Princes would tye Gods Spirit to be life vnto them or to whoÌ„ they sell life by selling of merits Masses such like The heresie of Macedonius which said that the holy Ghost is seruant and slaue to the Father the Son is as tollerable as the heresie of these meÌ„ that would make the holy Ghost their seruant yea while they are through false doctrine Monstra portentu as Platinia somtimes said of their Popes Monsters vnnaturall and ill shapen creatures In this position wee may behold the Angels of light preaching the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards vs which beleeue Eph. 1.19 according to the working of his mighty power as the Apostle saith and the Angels of darknesse attributing as vâ—â—â—ankfull to grace that to nature which is proper to the diuinity Teaching also by denying the sufficiency of Christs passion night as Saint Cyprian saith in stead of day destruction in stead of health desperaâ—iâ—â— vnder the colour of hope infidelity vnder the pretence oâ— faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ OPPOS 6. Christ hath redeemed vs from the seruitude of the laâ—â— not that the law bindeth vs not but because he hatâ— takeÌ„ away the heauinesse of the law And by his grace hath giuen vs force easily to fulfill it which otherwise would haue tyrannized ouer vs in commanding more then we should haue bene able to haue performed Suruâ—y 261. THese Co-operators with grace still seeking tâ— lessen and extenuate the merit of Christs passion Heb. 1. marg Ioh. 17.5 leaue him to merit his owne glory and themselues to do the like Christ saith the Annotationâ— vpon the Rhems by his passion merited his owne glorification When as contrariwise Christ praying to his Father desireth to bee glorified not with any new merited glory but with the glory he had with hiâ— Father before the world was God the creator of alâ— things needed not to haue stepped downe from hiâ— throne to haue taken our nature vpon him to merit his owne glory but our saluation that we might in him become righteous by his whole intire obedience of the law and not as Kellison would haue it by a
hee so much delighteth that thrise like a Nightingale hee recordeth it againe and againe The iust shall liue by faith Rhem. p. 568. 440. Let the iust man saith Saint Augustine cited by Doctor Fulke tollerate the vniust let the temporall labour of the iust tollerate the temporal impunity of the vniust but yet the iust man liueth by faith For there is no other iustice of man in this life but to liue by faith which worketh by loue For if he liue by faith let him also beleeue that hee shall rest after his labour and they shall haue eternall torments after their present ioy Againe seeing all the iust both of elder time and the Apostles liued by right faith which is in our Lord Iesus Christ and had such holy in inners with faith Chrysâ—st in Mat. hom that although they could not be of so perfect vertue in this life as in the life to come yet what sinne soeuer hath crept vpon them of humaine frailty it is immediatly wiped away through the piety of the same faith He that desireth not vaine glory saith Chrysostome being made Christs Vicar ought to preach the iustice of Christ This iustice did Saint Paul preach to the Romanes Galatheans and Hebrewes This iustice did the Fathers preach to those that liued in their times Ambrose telleth the Gentiles that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not of workes Againe Amb. de Voc. Gent. lib. 1. cap. â— they are iustified because working nothing nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gift of God â—mb Epist â—d Rom. cap. â— Againe this was Gods determination that the law being at an end the grace of God should require faith onely to saluation The Apostle saith Saint Origen doth say â—rigen epist â—d Rom. 3. cap. that the iustification of faith alone doth suffice so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified although he haue fulfilled no worke Wherefore it standeth vs vpon that take in hand to defend the Apostles writing to be perfect and all things to stand with good order to inquire who hath bene iustified by faith onely without works Therfore for example sake I thinke that the theefe is sufficient which being crucified with Christ cryed to him from the crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou commest in thy kingdome Neither are there any workes of his described in the Gospell But for his faith Iesus said vnto him This day shalt thou be with me in paradiâ—e Hillariuâ— vpon Matthew saith It moued the Scribes and Pharises that sinne was forgiuen by a man 〈…〉 â—â—ld a man onely in Iesus Christ and that to 〈◊〉 â—or giuen by him which the law could not release for saith onely doth iustifie â—pol pâ—g â—â— Saint Basil cited by Bishop Iewel saith Who so trusteth not in his owne merits nor loâ—â—â—th to be iustified by his owne workes he hath his onely hâ—pe of saluation in the mercy of our Lord. With whom Saint Augustine agreeing thus exhorteth Presume not of thine 〈◊〉 working but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle sâ—ith Yee are saued by grace Gregory Nazaâ—â—â—â— speaking in the person of the Publican that praied with the Pharisie Workes sâ—â—ll not saue me but let thy grace and mercy drop downe 〈◊〉 â—ime prophane man which onely hope ô king thou hast giuen to miserable sinners Rom. 9. annot Rom. 10. text With this saying agreeth the Annotations vpon the Rhems All that be deliuered out of the common condemnation be deliuered by grace and pardon through the meanes and merits of Iesus Christ Againe the law was not giuen as the Iewes ignorant zeale supposed for them to iustifie themselues by it considering they could not fulfill it but to bring them to Christ to beleeue in him and so for his sake to be iustified But to make the truth of this doctrine more apparent wee are to consider there concurres two things necessary to the iustification of faith that is to say the forgiuenesse of our vnrighteousnesse Act. 20.43 Rom. 3.23 Ibid. 4.7 1. Ioh. 1.4 Ibid. 2.12 or the remission of our sins and the imputaion of anothers righteousnesse For the first the Prophets beare witnesse that euery one that beleeueth in him namely Christ shall through his name receiue remession of sinnes that is shall by faith be iustified and absolued from the guilt and punishment of sinne and so become blessed in not hauing his sins imputed vnto him Blessed is the man â—aith the Prophet to whom the Lord imputeth no â—â—nne With whom S. Augustine agreeing Rom. 4.6 thus redoubleth the words of the Prophet Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne neither is there guilt in his heart This is the coÌ„fession of humble Saints which boast not themselues to be that they are not And this is the confession of S. Ambrose cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. pag. 82. I will not glory for that I haue done good to any man nor for that any man hath done good to me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the Father and for that Christs bloud was shed for me Yet notwithstanding this freedome concerning the remission of sinnes we haue no right to eternall life vnlesse we attaine likewise by faith to an vnchangeable and euerlasting righteousnesse which the law requireth Which sempeternall righteousnesse is that which Christ merited for vs in keeping the law making them blessed to whom it is imputed Daniel 9.21 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes This righteousnesse of Christ being sempeternall one and the same is to him to whom it is imputed yea to the iust man that sinneth seuen times a day perpetually the roote of life The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Most excellent to this purpose Rom. 8.10 is that saying of S. Bernard cited by M. Whittaker against Champion He that hath taken the desert of sinne by giuing vnto vs hiâ— righteousnesse he hath payed the debt of sinne and restored life For so death being dead life returneth as sinne being taken away righteousnesse commeth againe Furthermore death is abandoned by Christs death and Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. Suruey pag. 607. pag. 637. Rom. 3.25 But forasmuch as Popish Priests alloweth nor liketh iustifying faith which they stile to be an idle apprehension of Christs iustice and a lying faith Let vs try which way else we may be iustified It is most certaine we all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and therefore remaine in death for the wages of sinne is death And notwithstanding Christs passion as saith Kellison sin is still imputed vnto vs. Can the euerlasting torment of the creature pay this debt Suruey pag. 262. The euerlasting torment of the creature is not able to satisfie for it For although in the place of horrour they are as an Ancient speaketh Plena fletus ex dolore stridor dentiuÌ„ ex furore Full of weeping because of
and seeking battile Speaking peace in their petitions to the Kings maiesty and seeking battaile in their gun-powder treason But the Church standeth Frustra circumlatrantibus hereticis The heretickes in vaine barking about it Gentle Readers thus you may behold the Angels of light teaching as well an inherent as an imputatiue righteousnesse not to giue leaue to sinne whereas the Angels of darknesse teaching neither leade the way to all idolatry OPPOS 9. In vaine the faithfull man praieth for iustification or remission of sinnes because before he praieth his sinnes are forgiuen him and he is iustified or else his full assured faith is a lying and deceiptfull saith Suruâ—y of the nâ—â— Râ—ligion pag 458. THe Protestants saith this Popish Iesuite pray in vaine but the Papists wee may say pray vainly who thinke to wash away their sinnes by praier Heb. â— 2â— Pag. 4â—3 annot 4â—â— which cannot bee remitted without bloud Otherwise Kellison knoweth no reason why we should weare our hâ—se out in the knees with praying if praier neither sâ—nctifieth for sin nâ—â— meriteth any thing at Gods hands truly if we weare our hose out in the knees weâ— loose more then we get if this doctrine be true This is the supreme honour called by them Latria that this hereticke giueth to God that asketh in the ambition of his owne heart Who is the Almighty that we should serue him Iob. 21. or what profite should we haue if wee should pray vnto him vnlesse by our prayers we may wash away our sins But by what praier By those that are more odious then profitable and not so profitable as odious For though they begin in many of their praiers with Omnipotens sempeterne Deus Act. 17.28 and end with Per Dominum Iesum Christum yet nothing is placed in the middle part but Saints and the merits of Saints to make their prayers meritorious being filled so full of merit But what Saints Such for the most part that haue bene canonized not by God but by Popes As S. Francis made a Saint by Gregory the ninth and Thomas Becket by Pope Alexander the third For none by the decree of the said Alexander are to bee taken for Saints but such are canonized and admitted by the Bishop of Romes Bull. The merits of Saints so canonized are in their prayers offered as an vnlawfull composition for the remission of sinnes not vpon the golden Altar as the righteousnesse of Christ but vpon the stinking Altar of mens nature as the merits of men Iohn 16. marg 1 yet they suppose they are made in Christs name because their praiers made to Saints are concluded with Per Christum Dominum nostruÌ„ meum as the margent note vpon the Rhemes testifieth But for breuity we will speake no further of the praiers of these faithlesse men that denying the sufficiency of Christs passion seeke their saluation in them by saying them vpon beads by number that they may know at least thereby how many they say though they vnderstand not what they say But leauing them to their beads I will turne my pen to maintaine the praiers of the faithfull man whose prayers Kellison saith are vaine because hee is assured of his saluation Will Kellison say that S. Iohn the beloued Desciple of the Lord that leaned vpoÌ„ his breast vnto whom he bequeathed in his last will his mother a virgin to a virgin was not assured of his saluation If he say hee was not the testimony of Saint Iohn will confute him wherein it is written 1. Iohn 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life Or that Peter did not beleeue the remission of sinnes 1. Pet. 3 18. whose confession is that Christ once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Or that the Apostles in generall did not beleeue the remission of sinnes when the Creed of the Apostles doth testifie they did Yet Christ taught them to desire not once but alwaies when they prayed forgiuenesse of sinnes by these words Forgiue vs our debts Mat. 6.12 not that the punishment due to sin was not forgiuen them for then Saint Iohn would not haue said We know that we are translated from death to life But that through the increase of faith they might more and more inwardly feele the application of the forgiuenesse of sins Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15 17. Phil. 3.13 who proueth by the resurrection of Christ the actuall remission of sinnes which could not be If Christ be not raised as he saith your faith is in vaine and ye are yet in your sinnes Afterward saith I count not my selfe that I haue attained vnto it namely in the 9. and 10. verses before to the full knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of his resurrection Now if an Apostle wrapped vp in the third heauen a pen man of the holy Ghost could not attaine to a full and perfect tast of his saluation how much lesse those whose faith is but as a graine of mustard seede yet sufficient to saluation attaine to the full taste of the application of the forgiuenesse of sinnes without much praier The man that beleeued in Christ desired of him to helpe his vnbeliefe and many a poore soules conscience cast downe yet the children of God would be glad to pray day and night to finde but one dram of this application that Popish Priests will not weare their hose out in the knees for Secondly Tim. Eph. Isa God who hath shewed mercy vnto the faithfull man not that he was but that he should be faithfull and hath selected him not that he was but that he should be holy hath promised that he may be both faithfull and holy to worke a renouation in him and that so apparent that whosoeuer seeth him shall know him thereby Then here is another notable motiue to stirre vp a faithfull man to praier that hee may earnestly desire with Saint Paul that God would make perfâ—â—â— his image in him And that by vnderstanding knowing aright the cause and author of all things he may attaine to more noble and purer actions as well in his vnderstandidg as will That his memory sanctified may retaine euermore good and holy cogitations of God and of commendable actions whereby religion is preserued and increased That he would purifie his affections and in stead of such as are euill and corrupt excite by his holy spirit working in his word honest and vertuous motions in his heart And that the inferour powers may be obedient to the superiour that the image of God thereby repaired and the image of Satan abolished we may bee wholly gouerned through the effectuall working and the plentifull presence of Gods Spirit For as yet in this life the faithfull man hath the first fruits of the spirit and not the tenth so that the flesh liueth still in a manner fully in him The which aduantage Sathan espying by beholding grace begun and not perfected fighteth against
from sinners and made higher then the heauens hath no neede dayly as those Priests first for his owne sins then for the peoples to offer sacrifice For this he did once for all in offering himselfe That which they did daily and vnsufficiently in offering the sacrifice of beasts Christ did once and perfectly in offering himselfe From hence appeareth first Reuel 1.5 the excellency of his loue Secondly the excellency of his mediatorship The excellency of his loue who loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud What greater proofe can there bee of his loue then this that of tender compassion and loue towards vs as a most mercifull and excellent high Priest he offered vp himselfe in sacrifice euen a slaine and bloudy sacrifice for the sins of the world And so with his bloud once powred forth and once offered hath wâ—shed away all our sinâ— and reconciled vs to his Father Secondly insueth as a fruit of his passion the excellency of his mediatorship But now our Priest hath obtained saith the Apostle a more excellent office in as much as hee is the mediator of a better Testament which was made vpon better promises namely the remission of sinnes perfected by his death and sufferings Ier. 31. Heb. 1.16 For I will be mercifull vnto their vnrighteousnesse and I will remember their sinnes and iniquities no more saith Iehouah that made the Testament or couenant concerning the remission of sins And by his death confirmed the same Therefore he forgaue sinnes saith Chrysostome when he gaue the testament by his sacrifice If therefore he forgaue sins by one sacrifice now there is no need of a second Theodoret where there is remission of these things Now there is no oblation for sinne for it is superfluous after remission is giuen And he promised saying Their sinnes and iniquites I will remember no more Which promise of God Rom. 4.5 is euery day more and more performed in the iustification of the vngodly man who is iustified by faith in Christ by hauing his righteousnesse imputed vnto him that hath none of his owne The second vse consisteth in the Kingly dignity of our Sauiour who being exalted and placed in tâ—e highest degree of honour giueth as he hath receiued Psal 68.8 Eâ—h 4.8 gifts for men By the merit of his manhood gifts vnto men through the power of his God-head the gift of the holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 4.13 The gift of grace Rom. 5.15 The gift of faith Ephes 2.8 The gift of righteousnesse Rom. 5.17 The gift of life Rom. 6.23 with other graces infinite decking vs fit for the bridegroome Since then saith the Apostle that he by the right hand of God hath bene exalted and hath receiued of his Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you see and heare As God did beautifie the soules of the Apostles with supernaturall knowledge making them of Fisher-men Preachers and to speake as the Spirit gaue them vtterance to euery one in his owne language So he doth likewise through the same spirit Rom. 10.17 Eph â—1 18 Rom. 8.2 Gal 3.13 open the hearts of the hearers of his word that he may sow the seed of immortality namely the Gospel in them To the bringing forth of faith through the which the holy Ghost applyeth the benefites of Christs passion To the begetting the Church anew lost in Adam and to the reëdifying of it dayly more and more 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 6. Ioh. 6. 1. 1. Cor. 10. 12. Ephes 2. vntill it come to the full period of perfection For Christ by the holy Ghost doth sprinckle vs with his bloud doth make vs his members doth feed vs with himselfe doth make vs drinke of himselfe and doth build vs vpon himselfe that we may be complet in him which is the head of all Principality and Power How then commeth it to passe that Christs sacrifice is not sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God Kellison telleth vs the reason is If Christ neuer offered any other sacrifice Pag. 291. then that of the crosse then is he not a perpetuall Priest because hee hath no sacrifice which either by himselfe or by his Ministers is perpetually offered Then it may be of them demanded wherein the eternall Priest-hood of Christ consisteth Heb. 7. annot The Annotation vpon the Rhems telleth vs That Christ is not called a Priest for euer onely for that his person is eternall or for that he sitteth on the right hand of God and perpetually prayeth and maketh intercession for vs or for that the effect of his death is euerlasting For all this proueth not in proper signification that his Priesthood is euerlasting and perpetual But that Christs eternall Priest-hood consisteth in the perpetuall sacrifice of his body and bloud in the Church Yet by an vnbloudy sacrifice Pag. 144. pag 614. pag. 288. Pag. 387. continually to be offered as Kellison saith not immediatly from Christ the high Priest but onely by his vnder and virgin like Priests For the worship of God and exercise in religion which sacrifice in the Masse so offered is a most pleasing and cleane sacrifice not onely in respect of the outward forme which is vnbloudy but also in respect of the most chast pure and virgin like flesh and bloud of Christ Now then seeing Christs sacrifice as the Annotation vpon the Rhems teacheth consisteth in the perpetuall sacrifice of his body and bloud in the Church Then it consisteth not in that sacrifice Kellison speaketh of because it is vnbloudy without bloud therefore without profite For without shedding of bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 If Christs perpetuall Priest-hood consisted in that vnbloudy sacrifice then should Christs perpetuall Priest-hood surcease to be when that should surcea so to be offered But seeing a sacrifice offered by an vnder Priest is so powerfull to vphold religion and the worship of God which the sacrifice of Christ cannot Let vs behold this sacrifice so highly commended and so maiestically offered by virgin-like Priests And first the excellency of the Priests that maketh and offereth it For though they doe stile themselues vnder Priests as the Pope stileth himselfe Seruus seruorum The seruant of seruants yet they challenge notwithstanding with him supreame power ouer the Creator of all things To the manifestation hereof we are first to consider the excellency of the Priest in the consecration They tell vs that in their handes Stella Clericorum as it were in the virgins wombe the Sonne of God is incarnated and taketh flesh That in their consecration they are aboue the blessed mother of Christ For she caused Christ to come into her virgin like wombe with eight words Ecce ancilla Domini fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum whereas their Priests make him come into the hoast with fiue words onely that is to say Hoc est enim corpus meum That they are more higher in authority then
Saints is iniurious to God Secondly the place where we must pray to them Apoc. 6. annot the Annotations vpon the Rhems saith Where they are present the Catholicke men resort to pray to theÌ„ that is to their tombes and reliques for the Saints are present at their tombes and reliques saith the Annotation But we must vnderstand that they are present with their dead bodies if their presence be at all For their soules saith the Annotation liue vnder Christ their Altar in heauen expecting their bodyes So that if we will needes pray to them wee must pray to them as they are present namely to the dead bodies separated from their soules Thirdly how the dead bodies of Saints in whose presence they pray come to the knowledge of our praiers for other presence they can proue none Kellison saith By the reuelation of God Pag. 354. For as they see God face to face so in him they see and know our cogitations and prayers Seeing then they come to the notion of our prayers by seeing God face to face it resteth they proue how the dead bodies can see God face to face in whose presence they pray But say that their soules did attaine to the knowledge of our prayers from God what necessity is there in it that they needing themselues a perpetuall mediator to stand in the presence of God should acquaint God as second mediatours with that hee knew before to the breeding of a confusion in that celestiall Ierusalem 2. Cor. 4.9 Isai 42.1 where the Saints both liuing departed behold God in the face of his Sonne and God againe his Saints in the face of his Sonne as in him in whom his soule delighteth If their soules did know when wee prayed vnto them yet would it nothing profite because not knowing whether our prayers were in faith or no which is a thing peculiar to God they could not tell when to offer or not to offer them for feare of the Lords displeasure who hath threatned euerlasting destruction to the fauourits of his enemies Rom. 8.27 Apo. 14. Neither if they did know could they be secondary mediators or intercessors for intercession is to stay or let a matter that it goeth not forward And what Saint by merit can make stay of the Lords iudgements against vs in whose sight the Angelâ— are not perfect For this is peculiar to Christ the righteous who shewing himselfe to the Father craueth for his owne name and his owne merit aâ— iust reward vpon a due debt namely remission of sinnes sempeternall righteousnesse and the gift of the holy Ghost for all his elect Hee is Emanuell God with vs he speaketh for vs he excuseth vs hee maketh our cause good by offering vp his owne righteousnesse vpon the golden Altar of his owne pure and incomprehensible nature which as sweet perfume mounteth to the highest throne seated in incomprehensible light to the obtaining all things for vs that we might be complete in him in whom all things are giuen euen in him who is not the Son of God vnuÌ„ or vnicuÌ„ one alone but with many brethren And to what Saint can this without blasphemy be spoken but of Christ Who as S. Amb. saith is our mouth whereby we speake to the Father Ambrose de Isaac Euanua our eye wherby we see the Father our right hand wherby we offer our selues to the Father without whose intercessioÌ„ neither we nor all the Saints haue to do with God S. Augustine cited in the Rhems saith That Christ is the aduocate and patrone of mankinde that by himselfâ— alone and by his owne merits purchaseth all grace and mercy to mankinde in the sight of his Father 1. Tim. 2. annot none making intercession for him or giuing any grace or force to his prayers but he to all none asking or obtaining either grace in this life or glory in the life to come but by him Gentle Reader now with equity censure whether the Protestants giue more honour to Christ in acknowledging him their only Sauiour aduocate and his righteousnesse the onely sweet perfume to be offered vp in the censer of faith Or the Papists that haue found out other Sauiours intercessors withall made a composition of diuers mens merites to offer vp as a sweet incense of gratefull smell to God Exod. 30.38 But if the earthly incense might not be imitated but vpon paine of death let Kellison and all Popish Priests iudge what their hire shall be for counterfeiting that which is heauenly and not of any created composition as the Legall incense the shadow of the heauenly was OPPOS 11. The Reformers haue no religion because they haue no sacrifice His reason without reason is because Christs sacrifice is not sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God Suruey pag 376. pag. 384. ANtichrist saith the Annotation vpon the Rhems shall abrogate the daily sacrifice Againe shall impugne Christs kingdome vpon the earth 2. Thes 2. annot that is to say his spirituall regiment Againe shall impugne Christs Priest-hood pag. 384. and take away as Kellison likewise saith the daily sacrifice And what is this but to take away the Priestly and Kingly dignity of our Sauiour to teach that Christs sacrifice is not sufficient to vphold religion and the worship of God Concerning whom the Lord hath sworne and will not repent that Christ and none but Christ is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec saith the Lord speaking in the singuler and not in the plurall number For onely Christ is King of peace King of righteousnesse Onely without Father of his manhood and mother of his God-head Hauing neither beginning of his daies nor end of his life and therefore continueth a Priest for euer without successors in his Priesthood as confirmed vnto him by the oath of the Lord himselfe after he had said Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy fot-stoole O Lord which hast sworne saith S. Augustine Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec The same Priest for euer is the Lord on thy right hand The very same Priest I say for euer of whom thou hast sworne is the Lord on thy right hand because thou hast sayd vnto the same my Lord Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Which euerlasting Priest-hood of our Sauiour cannot be without vse yea most excellent vse first in shewing himselfe before his Father Secondly by giuing gifts vnto men First in that he appeareth in the sight of God for vs we are esteemed righteous perpectually in him who is the true sacrifice and full accomplisher of mans redemption Hâ—b 7. an As the Annotation vpon the Rhems truly stileth him And hath by once offering wrought a perpetual freedom from the kingdome of death Our high Priest saith the Apostle which is holy innocent impolluted separated