remission no Article of the Jewish Creed explained and confuted p. 64. The people of the Jewes had actuall and eternall remission before Christs comming in the flesh p. 73. Angels now in heaven and Adam before the fall under the Law p. 77. Assize p. 84. B Bondage of conscience beleeving Jewes freed from 75 C Comfort for a distressed conscience 91 92 93. Chaine of salvation 93 Conversion of soules is not working of miracles 3.5 Crueltie as great as the souldiers used to Christ to apply the Law for satisfaction to a troubled conscience 14 Covenant of grace the same in all ages of the world 18. Moses and the Prophets preached it 10. Made knowne to beleevers in all ages 9 Conscience what it is 88. Testimony of it twofold 88 Christ ever the same to all beleevers 72. present in his Incarnation to the Fathers 84 not a hidden mystery to them 22 Christ the foundation upon which the Fathers built 27 D Desire of salvation a note of salvation 85. Desire after grace is grace 86. desire of Faith is Faith 87 Doctrine of Moses and the Apostle one and the same 19 20. The Gospel not a new Doctrine 23 24 E Eucharist A threefold eating 83 F Fathers did eate Christ present 83. They did eate the same spirituall meate that we eate in our Sacraments 82. Vnder the Law had the same hope of eternall life with us 54 Faith not without an inward change of the heart 32. How it justifieth 34. In saving Faith three things 65. Lying hid workes of piety and charitie assure us 88 G Gods people in severall ages make but one Church of God 80 H Heires under age how the Jewes were 70 Hell fourefold the Papists affirme 72,73 I John Baptist wrought no miracle at any time 1,2 Infants how said to beleeve not saved without Faith 47 Justification handled at large 35. to the 40. No man is justified before he beleeves 41 42. see more 43 44 45 K Knowledge what it is 65 Kingdome of God alwayes at hand to true penitents 81 L Law not a curse but a blessing to the Jewes 76.78 How it sanctifieth to the purifying of the conscience 51 52 53. Called the letter and why 7 A lewd slander against the Protestants 31. Contrary to Article 39. 32 33 Love to the brethren a sure marke of a child of God 88 M Moses called the Minister of death abusively 8. He spake truth as it was and is in Christ Jesus 20 21 25 Merit not in our prayers 12 Multitude 13 Ministers must cry out against sinne 48 Men reclaimed from sinne nearer the kingdome of heaven and not thereby made 7. times more the children of Hell 49 50 Manichaeus his errour from 2 Cor. 3.7 6 P Promise obtained by the Fathers as well as by us 78 Prophets did not preach the old covenant in opposition to the new 62 Papists and we differ about the foundation 28. They hold first justification to bee of free mercy 29 30 31 Preaching terrours makes not a man a legall Preacher 11. Preaching often makes not a man a painefull Preacher 15. Lucas Pollo his way of preaching 16 17 Paedagogicall discipline threefold 21 R Remission of sin what it is 65 Reall presence 83 Repentance the Prophets taught cannot justly be reprehended 55. How Johns repentance and the Prophets differ 55 56. Repentance the Prophets preacht not confined within the bounds of conversation 57. Repentance doth wash away sin and how 57 58. seven benefits by it 59.6 S Satisfaction for sin not made by lamenting and amending 61 Sacraments of the Fathers for substance the same with ours 82 Sermons like Davids Song 16 T Tradesmen ought not to take upon them the office of a Minister 15 Transubstantiation repugnant to the humane nature of Christ 28. W Word must be rightly divided 16 Z Zeale for the Sabbath a marke of a true Christian 85 Places of Scripture expounded  Psalme   Vers Pag. 68 11 9  Proverb  Chap. Vers Pag. 3 6 15  Isay  52 7 10  Amos  2 8 15  Zachar.  12 10 61  Matth.  5 6 85 11 15 50 11 2 3 4 2 25 40 91  Marke  12 34 49 10 19 50  Luke  18 14 59.60  John  1 12 37 1 17 19,20 1 18 65 66 67.69 5 46 25 Chap. Vers Pag. 6 29 36,37 8 56 68 10 41 1 14 6 21 14 12 3,4,5  Acts  3 24 9 10 43 66 15 11 10  Rom.  1 1,2,3 9 2 6,7 12 3 24 30 3 22 34 4 3 38 4 5 42 5 1 45 7 7 8 16 25 23  1 Corinth  2 11 90 10 3,4 82  2 Corinth  3 6 7 4 6 69  Galat.  2 16 33 Chap. Vers Pag. 3 10 76 3 24 20 3 17 62 4 1 70 4 9 52 4 25 74  Ephes  2 20 27 2 8 36 4 5 47  2 Tim.  2 15 15  Hebr.  2 25 75 3 5 18 7 19 54 10 1 52.54 11 39 78 11 1 84  James  4 8 58  1 Pet.  1 12 80 1 10 23 2 8 8  1 John  3 14 92 To the Assembly of Divines now sitting concerning matters of Religion by Order from the High Court of PARLIAMENT THOMAS-ATVVOOD ROTHERHAM wisheth increase of Gods graces in JESUS CHRIST Reverend Sirs I Have here presented to your view the Confutation of a Pamphlet intituled The Doctrine and conversation of John Baptist wherein you have Christ and Free Grace pretended and yet the power of grace in the Soules of Christians contemned and the Kingly Office of Christ rejected and under colour of Faith and beleeving the Law of God made void which the Apostle Rom. 3.31 cries downe with an Absit and God forbid such doctrins should be suffered standing so much in opposition to Scripture Those of this Sect pretend great knowledge great zeale great holinesse so did the Pharisees in Jerusalem the Donatists in Afrique the Electi amongst the Manichees but their knowledge is ignorance their zeale madnesse their holinesse hypocrisie Their writings speeches behaviour are cleare demonstrations of this It is high time to looke unto and to meet with such mischievous Doctrines as these Claudenda Cavea antequam aves Evolaverint the cage had need be shut before such uncleane birds as these be flowne God make you famous instruments for his glory the good of your King and Country To the beating downe of Superstition Heresies and Schisme and send you favour with God and man and thus I humbly take leave desiring your favourable acceptance of my poore endevours Et Postquam nos alma Ceres meliore beavit Fruge dabo vobis quam dedit illa Ceres A DEN OF THEEVES DISCOVERED IN the eleventh page of his Book He laies downe this conclusion That John did no Miracle is but an opinion of the people I say this is his false opinion for it is really true that John did
not onely the separation of the soule from the body but the punishment which is inflicted upon us from an angry God so that it comprehends eternall destruction and thus every wicked man that is out of Christ is through the feare of death temporall as being the gate to eternall death all his life time subject to bondage The beleeving Jewes were not subject to this bondage they were the Sonnes of God and did receive the spirit of adoption and this slavish feare and bondage was taken away from them by Christ for they were the sonnes of God by adoption as well as wee Pa. 54. To prove that this was a bondage of conscience saith he What is it that makes death bitter but the sting of death and what is the sting of death but sin Wherefore they had conscience of sin This is a doctrine most injurious to the people of God in those times against the blood of Christ certainly the sting of death so of conscience was by Christ taken from them and they could say as well as beleevers now as it is (d) Nec quicquam obstabit quin olim corpora nostra resuscitentur fiat quod olim per propheras Apoâ—â—olos praedictum est Gual in loc hom 87. Verba Prophetae vel Apostoli laetantis Hos 13.14 Glo. Ordin 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Pag. 55. he argues thus If the Jewes betweene Moses time and John Baptist were under the Law then under the curse that they were under the Law is proved Gal. 3.23.24 But if under the Law then under the curse Gal. 3.10 Can he prove that because the Apostle saith Before faith came we were kept under the Law therefore the Jewes were under the curse and from Moses to John Baptists time lived and died under the curse which must of necessitie follow Never did any man mis-apply and mis-interpret-Scripture more grossely for this place will prove clearely that their being kept under the Law was not a curse but a blessing upon them and that in a high degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) Erat lex quoddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munimentum quo circumse ptus populus ille conspicuus inexpugnabilis impermixtus usque ad Christum conservabatur ab aliis populis separatus permanebat Pareus in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to be fenced about with a garrison of men God did give unto this nation many particular priviledges they being a peculiar people unto himselfe as the morall Law written the Priesthood Rites Ceremonies and forme of government now the Law was quoddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a wall of defence with which the people were hedged in round about and were conspicuous inexpugnable kept separated from other nations untill the comming of Christ thus to be kept under the Law was a peculiar favour of God to theÌ„ above al other nations in the world as God himself witnesseth Deut. 4.7 8. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day This place doth confute him the (f) Dicturi erant pscudoapostoli Etiamsi coÌ„cedamus justitiam non manare ex lege sed ex gratuita in Christo promissione quum tamen Deus quem semper unum sui similem esse testatus est oeconomiam istam Mosaicam constituerit c. quo jure vis illam aboâ—ere Responder Apostolus temporariam fuisse istam oeconomiam Beza in loc scope and designe of the Apostle is to confute the false Apostles who were ready to say Although we grant righteousnesse not to come by the Law but from the free promise in Christ Notwithstanding God who is unchangeable did give the Mosaicall Law and oeconomie as you confesse to bring us to Christ how then can this stand with the unchangeablenesse of God that this Law should be abolished The Apostle makes answer that by Gods appointment this was but Temporarie and to endure but till faith came that is till Christs comming in the flesh for Faith is taken metonymically for the principall object of Faith and it were fearefully desperate to thinke that all the people from Moses to John Baptist lived so under the Law as that they were without faith in Jesus Christ Thus you see this place maketh against him and in stead of a curse pronounceth a blessing it being the blessing of God upon the Jewes to be kept under the Law till Faith came that is till Christs incarnation The beleeving Jewes before the comming of Christ were under the Law in respect of Ceremonies but not in respect of the malediction curse thereof To conclude this if by the Law of Moses we understand the Mosaicall Politie so the Law by the comming of Christ was abolished if by the Law wee understand the morall Law or ten Commandements the curse of the Law is and was ever taken away in regard of all true beleevers living in all ages of the world (a) Causa abrogationis manifesta haec est Deus singulari beneficio constituit politiam Mosaicam ut esser certa fedes certa gens quali Schola in qua servatetur doctrina de Filio Dei repeterentur promissiones adderentur illustrissima testimonia in qua certum esset Filium assumpta natura humana concionaturum esse fururum victimam resurrecturum esse editurum testimonia doctrinae quia Deus de his tantis rebus vult nos certos esse voluit autem postea finem esse hujus politiae Melancthon par 2. de leg pag mihi 251. And likewise consider it as a guard whereby the Jewes were fenced in and separated from all other nations so it is by Christs comming abolished Consider it as a rule of life Thus Angels are under the Law Adam before his fall the Saints now in heaven And none yeeld more subjection to it then they this subjection is their libertie and thus the Law considered as a rule of life is the will of God and is eternall as God himselfe Let us goe on and see how he can prove from Gal. 3.10 That the people being under the Law were under the curse The intent of the Apostle in this place is to prove justification by Faith in opposition to the workes of the Law as Vers 8 9. And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So then they which be of Faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham for as
inanibus sed legis praedicatione coÌ„minationeque paenarum a peccaris corum deterret paenitentibus remissionem peccatorum promittit Ludovic Lavat in Ezek. hom 47. Ezek. 13.22 Because with lyes yee have made the heart of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life Judgement must be applyed to whom it belongs and mercy to whom mercy belongs (g) Legem divinam vehementer acuit in vitia sui temporis vulgaria tanta cum acrimonÌ„ia in vectus est ut aculeos in animis hominum c. Evangelii itidem dulcissima praedicatione animos prosternatos sensu itae divinae percussos ereâ—it ad spem gratiae divinae ac salutis aeicrnae traduxit Melchior Adam in vita ejus Lucas Pollo a German divine a man of eminent parts was wont to preach the law exceeding earnestly inveighing against the common sinnes of the times in which he lived very â—â—arpely That he left a sting in the consciences and mindes of men insomuch that sparing none he gave offence to some which he regarded not having Gods command and the examples of the Prophets and Apostles to back him Againe he Preached the Gospell most sweetely labouring to lift up such as were cast downe and sensible of the wrath of God due to them for their sinnes and to bring them to the hope of Gods free grace and Eternall salvation And in his last sicknesse he desired that when he should be in an Agony and lye a dying to be put in minde of foure things First of Consolations concerning the remission of sinnes Secondly of Consolations concerning Gods gracious presence in afflictions and death it selfe Thirdly concerning finall conservation that God will conserve and keepe his elect against sinne death Satan and hell to Eternall life Fourthly of those words of Christ The Righteous shall goe into life Eternall And did tell the Minister to whom he had committed this charge that in doing thus he should execute the office of a true Pastor And is not this the care of all Gods faithfull Ministers who have had experience of the worke of God upon their owne consciences (h) Quis infirmatur non aegritudine corporls sedanimi qualitatem cuâ—ae suaedeseribit ab effectibus internis Cajetan in loc Quis infirmatur in fide ego non infirmor Si enim aliquem in fide vacillate animadverto sâ— cujus fideÌ„ gravibus tentationibus concuti video ut vix subsistere queat ita ego certe afficior ac si ipse eas tentationes sustinerem neque conquiescere possum donce tales iterum erigam confirmeÌ„ Luc. Osiard in loc 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men And when we see men in distresse of Conscience may we not say with the Apostle Who is weake and I am not weake 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is offended and I burn not I know there are in these parts of the Country many able Preachers who in their Sermons doe rightly and truely distinguish betweene Law and Gospell to the beating downe of the Kingdome of Satan and setting up the Kingdome of Jesus Christ in their severall Parishes whose bowells doe yearne over the soules of their people Witnesse their constant pious and painefull Preaching in such times when Preaching was most opposed whose tender bleeding Consciences having a hand of Iron held over them could not swallow downe that which this man did although their lively-hoods and liberties lay at Stake being threatned with suspension deprivation imprisonment witnesse the reading of the booke of Liberties and other innovations which he yeelded to without making question nay pleaded for them let him not goe about to cast dirt in their faces whose upright conversation and deare affection they expresse to the Soules committed to their charge makes them lovely and honourable in the sight of God and all that truely feare God In the beginning of pag. 27. This question is propounded Did not Moses preach grace The answer is No Moses preacheth the law of works This is answered before onely I propound two questions First whether did Moses ever preach justification by the workes of the Law in plaine termes whether did he ever lay this downe for a doctrine That a man may be justified by the workes of the Law in the sight of God Moses did preach the righteousnesse of faith and so he did preach grace Secondly Whether is not the (i) Foedus gratiae afferens applicans remissionem peccatorum justitiam vitam aetemaÌ„ omnibus in Christum mediatoreÌ„ credentibus ed perpetuum aeternum ac immutabile omnibus mundi temporibus unum arque ideÌ„ nulli abrogationi obnoxium omneÌ„ verustatis ac novitatis â—ationem excludens cumunâ— cademque sir falutis via Gerhaâ—d loco toÌ„ 3. col mihi 292. Covenant of grace one and the same preached in all ages by which all beleevers have beene are and shall be saved but we shall speake more fully of this hereafter I come to the next question propounded pag. 27. Did not Moses speake truth In the Pulpit he made this Answer that he did speake the truth and he did not speake the truth I meeting him on the morrow by accident told him that Moses was to be commended in that he spake the truth but he was blame worthy in that he did not speake the truth he made no answer for the present but writes to me afterward Nimirum tacuisse that he did conceale the truth And so makes him guilty of that which the Apostle pleads for his discharge Act. 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsell of God And how it can stand with Heb. 3.5 (k) Summa vero est Mosen scilicet fideliter tradi disse populo quae illi Dominus mandaverat Calvin in loc And Moses verely was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after Moses did deliver all things which were commanded him of God faithfully to the people for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken these words are truely to be understood of the Gospell of Christ of which Moses was a witnesse so that here is set downe the (l) Sic consensus doctrinae Mâ—sis atque Apostoli in hac Epistola ex plicatae non obsâ—â—â—e explicabitur Paraeus in loc Agreement betweene the doctrine of Moses and the Apostle expressed in this Epistle so that they were both witnesses of one and the same Christ of one and the same Gospell and did Preach one and the same Doctrine Certainely then Moses did not hold his peace concerning any Truth he was to deliver from God to the people But in Print he sets downe this answer to the question Did not Moses speake Truth yes according to Law and Conscience But not according as the Truth is and was in Christ Let us
locale sive circumscriptibile e converso vel quia dimensionemeapiens longitudinis altitudinis latitudinis distantiam facirin loco ut corpus vel quia loco definitur determinatur quoniam cum sit alicubi non ubique in venitur Magist lib. 1. dist 37 cap. 6. Tolle spacia locorum corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt necerunt Tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporum non erit ubi sint ideo necesse est ut non sint Aug. Tom. 2. Epist 57. col mihi 275. affirmes that it is the property of a body to be so limited and determined to one place that it cannot be in every place but the Papists doe by their reall presence affirme the body of Christ to be omnipresent and thereby doe utterly overthrow his humane nature Take away the spaces or dimensions of places from bodies and then they shall be no where And because they shall be no where they shall not be at all Take away the bodies themselves from the qualities of bodies and there shall be no place where they are And therefore it followes necessarily that they be not at all And thus you see the Papists doe quite take away the foundation We hold Christ as he is set forth to us in the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets to be the onely foundation Doe not the Papists in making their (b) Concil Trident. Sess 4. Traditionsof equall Authority with Scripture goe about to lay another foundation is not this a wide difference I might instance in other fundamentalls but he doth plainely confute and contradict himselfe when he saith the Papists doe deny Christ comming in the flesh And this is a misfoundation Page 34. He propounds this question I will therefore aske the wise Jesuite how we come to be partakers of Christs Righteousnesse and I am sure I shall have this answer by Sacraments by Penance Faith and other good workes which are a meanes to apply Christ unto us I beleeve he is a man that hath not much troubled himselfe in reading controversies betweene the Papists and us neither hath any insight into the Jesuites If he aske some of the learned Papists how we come to be justified in the sight of God (c) Causa efficiens primaria est honitas miscricordia Dei Bellar. Tom. 4. de Justificat cap. 2. Prima justiria per quam ex impiis reddimur justi non ex merito sed ex misericordia Dei Bellar. de Justif tom 4. lib. 4. cap. 21. Bellarmine will answer that the primary and efficient cause is the goodnesse and mercy of God And according to his distinction of first and second Justification he will tell you that in the first Justification whereby a wicked man becommeth Just in the sight of God it is not from merit but from Gods free mercy And Cardinall (d) Quoniam diximus ad justitiam nos pervenire per fidem justitiam Christi nobis donatuam Inde est quod experimento videmus vitos sanctos qui quanto majus in veritate proficiunt tanto minus hbi placent ac proprerea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo Justitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se relinquunt soli Christo incumbunt Rivet Cathol Orth. tom 2. pag. mihi 243. vide plura ibid. Contarenus saith we are justified by Faith and that the righteousnesse of Christ given unto us whereby we are inserted into Christ and have put on Christ is that certaine solid foundation upon which wee must stay our selves and beleeve that for that alone wee are justified before God that is to be accounted just and to be just and hee doth plainely shew that we are not justified by the workes of Sanctification or by any inherent righteousnesse in our selves but by the righteousnesse of Christ freely given and communicated unto us Thus this Papist telleth us that we are made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse not by penance or any workes of ours but from the free gift of God That of wicked men we are made just in the sight of God is by being made partakers of Christs righteousnesse now whereas he saith Page 34. That the Jesuite will say by Sacraments penance faith and other good workes we are made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse and that they are a meanes to apply Christ unto us The Papists will deny this to his face Bellarmin upon Romans cap. 4 5. where the Apostle makes it plaine That we are not justified by workes saith Paul (e) Paulus ad Râ—m 4. dicit non ex operibus justiheari c. Nos igntur diâ—mus Paulum loqui de prima justificatione qua homo ex impio fir justus ideo recte Pauluâ— dicere hominem justificari sine operibus Quemadmodum enim nemo po est opere suo seips procreate aut a morte revocare procreatus autem vel a morte revocatus ipse se comedendo bibendo nutrit auget sic etiam homo per peccatum mortuus non potest merito opetum suotum se justificare Bellarm. de Justif tom 4. lib. 4. cap. 18. col mihi 267. speakes here of the first Justification whereby a man of wicked is made just in the sight of God and therefore Paul saith rightly that a man is justified without workes He useth this illustration As no man is able by his owne worke to procreate himselfe or to recall himselfe from death but being procreated and made alive from the dead then he doth by eating and drinking nourish himselfe and groweth So a man that is dead in sinne cannot by the merit of his owne workes justifie himselfe but after God hath justified him he is able by living well to cherish and increase righteousnesse in himself and of just to become more just which the Papists call the second Justification and so they labour to bring in merit and justification by workes We deny this second justification And concerning the first justification he saith we are made partakers of that righteousnesse not from merit but from the mercy of God The Apostle tells us how wee come to be made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Aske the Councell of Trent (f) Cum vero Apostolus dicir hominiâ—m justificari perhdem gratis ea verba in eo sensu intelligenda sunt quem perpetuus Ecclesiae Carholicae consensus tenuit expressit ut scilicer ignitur per fidem justincari dicamur qua fides est humanâ— salntis initium fundamentum radix omnis justineationis line qua impâ—ssibile est placere Deo ad filiorum ejus confortium pervenire gratis autem justificari ideâ—â— dâ—â—auaut quia nihil comm quae justificationem pracedunt five â—des sive opera ipsam justification Sâ—tatiam promeretur si enim gratia est jam non eâ— opeâ—â—bus alioquin ut idem Apostolus inquâ—â— pratia jam non
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man according to both natures a mediatour to the Fathers and the people of the Jewes who lived in the time of the Law before he did assume his humane nature he was a Mediatour according to both natures because then he was the Mediatour of men as he was to be incarnate he is now a Mediatour as he is incarnate Saint (l) Unus est Deus unus Mediator Dei hominum homo Christus Jesus quoniam non est aliud nomen sub caelo datum hominibus in quo oporteat nos salvos fieri in illo definivit Deus fidem omnibus suscitans illum a mortuis itaque sine ista side hoc est sine fide unius mediator is Dei hominum hominis Christi Jesu sine fide inquam resurrection is ejus quam Deus hominibus definivit quae utique sine incarnatione ejus ac morte non potest veraciter credi fine fide ergo incarnation is mortis resurrectionis Christi nec antiquos justos ut justi essent a peccatis potuisse mundari Dei gratia justificari veritas Christiana non dubitat Aug. de peccat Origin lib. 2. cap. 24. to 7. Augustine makes this plaine from the 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Jesus From whence hee concludes that without Faith or beleeving this one Mediatour of God and men the man Christ Jesus And that without beleeving the incarnation death and resurrection of Christ the holy Fathers could not be made cleane and justified by the Grace of God that they should be justified from their sinnes And this saith the Father the Christian veritie doth not doubt So then it is plaine that the people of the Jewes having Christ their Mediatour according to both natures and beleeving his incarnation death and resurrection without which they could not be justified before God had knowledge both of Actuall and eternall remission And did beleeve Actuall and Eternall remission of sinnes present their sinnes being in Jesus Christ Actually and Eternally remitted unto them For the meaning of this place John 1.18 The Jewes did depend altogether upon the authority of Moses in regard he spake with God face to face the Evangelist to the intent he might bring them off from that overvaluing esteeme they had of Moses in opposition to Christ denieth that any man hath seene God at any time but the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father one with him who knowes all his secrets he hath declared him By him Moses had those things which he delivered to the people (m) Per hunc gratiam achdem voluntas Patris exposita est Mosi per hunc datae sunt faederis tabulae factae sunt promissiones quicquid aliud beneficiorum Dei isti populo concessum est Muscul in loc by him the will of the Father was made knowne to Moses by him the Tables of the Covenant were given the promises were made and whatsoever other benefits were granted to that people of God And it is true that no man considered in his naturall condition hath seene God at any time 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Matth. 11 27. No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Sonne and hee to whomsoever the Sonne will reveale him The (n) Sensus igitur est quod absque revelatione per Filium in verbo Evangelii exterins per S. 8. illuminationem interius factam nec essentiae nec voluntatis divinae salutatis salvifica cognitio cuiquam hominum in hac vita obtingere possit Gerâ—ard loc Tom 9. col mihi 719. meaning is that without revelation by the Sonne in the Word of the Gospell outwardly and by the illumination of the holy Ghost inwardly it is impossible for any man to attaine to the saving knowledge of God And by this way did all beleevers in all times come to know God savingly without which it was impossible for them to be saved As for that place 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who hath commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ If we consider these words in (o) Alludit perpetuo in toto hoc sermone Apostolus ad Mosis faciem laciem illam non apertam utclara esset Dei imago sed opertam Beza in loc allusion to Moses they doe not exclude the people of the Jewes from having the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but they include thus much that we under the Gospell have a clearer light the vaile being done away Page 52. He makes use of Gal. 4.1 The Heire as long as he is a Childe differeth nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all Who are the Heires under age even the Jewes untill the time came that God sent forth his Sonne c. They were the Heires under age that differed not from servants Now I say sayes he They that had knowledge of actuall and Eternall remission differed from servants They that differed nothing from servants had not knowledge of actuall and eternall remission You see his Argument and what he concludes let 's see how he can make it good from the words rightly expounded The Apostle saith the Heire as long as he is a Childe differeth nothing from a servant The word nothing (p) Quod nihil differat a servo particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil intelligatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non absolute sed quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjectionem Parâ—us in loc is not to be understood absolutely but in regard of Subjection as is expounded in the second verse but is under Tutours and Governours as a servant is not at his owne liberty but under the command of his Master So the Heire while he is a Childe is under Tutors c. and differeth nothing from a servant in regard of his present subjection yet this Subjection doth not make him of a Sonne to become a servant for his Son-ship remaines for all that neither doth his differing nothing from a servant which is to be restrained to his present subjection take away his right of inheritance for the Apostle saith He is Lord of all And in this he differeth from a Servant who is no waies Lord neither doth remaine in the house alway as it is Jah 8.35 Well then according to the Metaphor take the Church of the Jewes for the Heires under age differing nothing from Servants Notwithstanding this servitude (a) Neque tamen haec servitus haereditati adoptioni corum derogabat crant nihilominus filii haeredes domini omnium sub externa servitute conscientias liberas habentes spiritu filiali intus Deo libere servientes certi enim de grathita remissione
pecâ—atorum per fidem venturi Christi conscientias a mortis peccati Tyrann de liberas habebant quantum saluti suae satisesset Parcus in loc did not derogate from their inheritance and adoption They were neverthelesse Sonnes Heires Lords of all under this outward servitude they had their consciences free serving God freely in the inner man with a filiall spirit for they were certaine of free remission of sinnes by Faith in Christ and had their consciences freed from the tyranny of death and sinne so farre forth as was sufficient for their Salvation So that this place of Scripture rightly understood makes altogether against him for from hence we may gather that the (b) Itaque hic verborum Apostoli sensus est nemo puter me quae hactenus dixi in Patrum ant gentis Judaicae contumeliam dixisse sueruÌ„t enim hi quo que filii Dei promissionum haeredes neque me latet quod olim pronuntiavit Deus Israel est filius meus primogenitus Item ex Aegypto vocavi filium meum Exod. 4. Hose 11. Gualter in Gal. hom 31 Fathers under the Old Testament had hope of the same inheritance which we have at this very day because they were partakers of the same adoption and they were chosen of God to this end that they should be the sons of God together with us as well as we Againe we gather from this place that in externall servitude which to them was no servitude but as it is compared with our condition since the comming of Christ they had freedome of conscience neither did the strict observation of the Law hinder Moses Daniel all the godly Kings Priests and Prophets and the whole company of beleevers but that they were free in spirit Therefore they did so beare the yoke of the Law upon their shoulders which I say againe was not to them a yoke but comparatively to the Christian liberty by the comming of Christ that they did serve God with a free spirit and were principally and especially (c) Praesertim vero de gratuita peccatorum remissione edocti ut conscientias haberent a peccati mortis Tyrannide solutas Inde constituendum est candem semper suisse doctrinam vera fidei unitate nobiscum fuisse conjunctos unius etiam Mediatoris fiducia nobisctan fretos Calvin in loc taught and instructed concerning free remission of sins and had their consciences loosed from the Tyranny and slavery of sinne and death From whence it is concluded that there was alwayes one and the same Doctrine and that they were joyned with us in the true unity of Faith and that they did injoy with us affiance and hope in one and the same Mediator in whom they had boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the Faith of him Ephes 3.12 and therefore it must necessarily follow that they had not an overly but an experimentall knowledge of actuall and eternall remission having assurance in their consciences that their sins were at that present time wherein they lived actually and eternally remitted in Christ Otherwise we must conclude that the sinnes of beleevers in the time of the Law were not remitted till Christs manifestation and comming in the flesh which is most absurd and contradictory to Scripture They had Christ in Spirit They beleeved in Christ and were saved by him as we are as it is Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Yesterday to our Fathers to day to us for ever to ours all that ever were saved were saved by one and the same Christ who is the way being (d) Quia igitur haereditas caelestis non est nisi una 〈◊〉 una ejus parandae via ac ratio perspicuum est unam substantia esse veteris novi Testaments Ecclesiam salutis doctrinam contra quam â—anaâ—ici papistae contendunt Pareus com in Gal. cap. 4. 1. ever the same yesterday before the time of his comming in the flesh to day when he did come in the flesh at the time before appointed now and for ever the same Christ to all beleevers in all times all beleevers in all ages being for substance one and the same Church of God Christ was (e) Exhibitus Patribus in promissione ita ut eorum fider non minus praesen fue it sanguis Christi sun dendus quam sidei nostâ—ae praefens est jamolim effusus Tessan in Epist ad Hebr. praelect cap. 13.8 exhibited in the promise to the Fathers and the blood of Christ to be shed was no lesse present to their Faith then the blood of Christ long agoe shed is present to our Faith Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood is no remission and it was by the shedding of the same blood that all Gods people from the beginning of the world ever had remission Pareus (f) Unde commentum pontificium de limbo in quem Patres fideles crudeliter detruferunt ubi nulla salute fruerentur eminus tancum sururam intuerontur firmiter destruitur Pareus in loc that godly and learned man from his place Gal. 4.1 concludes that if the Fathers were Heires and Lords of the inheritance with us they were therefore saved by Faith no lesse than we whereby he condemneth the Papists concerning their (g) Altis debetur sola paenadamni solum temporalis absque ulla paena sensus isti dicebantur esse in limbo Patrum qui prohibebantur an eâ—passionem Christi a visione divina eo quod non crat satisfactum pro peccato totius naturae quanâ—vis hi non essent obnoxii alicur panae pro peccatis suis personalibus Durand lib. 3. dist 22 quae 4. limbus wherein they have cruelly shut up the Fathers where they injoy not salvation but behold it afar off onely to come and this is just according to his proposition as he defends it that they had knowledge of actuall and eternall remission to come not present but afarre off His proposition is farre more cruell and injurious to the Fathers than the opinion of the Papists is about the limbus They have devised and imagined in their wandering conceit foure infernall and subterrestriall places First Hell Secondly Purgatory Thirdly Limbus infantum where Children remaine dying without baptisime Fourthly Limbus Patrum where all the Fathers were before Christs comming in the flesh And their opinion is that they were kept in an infernall place or dungeon of darknesse yet without paine they did suffer the punishment of losse onely and that but for a time for this Limbus did indure but till the comming of Christ and (f) Constituunt Scholastici communi consensu intra terram quatuor sinus five unum in quatuor partes divisum unum pro damnatis alterum pro purgandis tertium pro Infantibus sine baptismo abeuntibus quartum pro justis qui moriebantur ante Christi passionem qui nunc vacuus remanet Bellarm. Tom 2. de Purgator lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. mihi 410. Bellarmin himselfe