truth is there was not so much as one word of commendation giuen him whereat Momus himselfe might cauill as the iâ—dicious and ingenuous Reader may heere see by the simple truth faithfully related vnlesse any will be so censorious as to taxe S. Paul for saying as the truth was That the Baâ—barians were courteous and shewed them that had suffered shipwracke no little kindnesse That it is sayd he was noted to be a Papist who euer denied it The proposition was not that hee was no Papist but according to the Doctrine of our Christian reformed Churches That a simple-hearted Papist not holding the whole mysterie of Romish iniquity but only erring in some lesse points which ouerthrow not the foundation may vpon repentance in generall of sinnes knowne and not knowne finde mercy with God relying vpon Christ alone for saluation Where it is said That he was a seducer I haue my selfe charged him with it but hee was so farre from maintaining that bad office that he did in excuse of himselfe affirme That he knew no cause why any man should count him a Papist vnlesse it were for keeping the Kings lawes in abstaining from flesh vpon Fridayes and such like times I call God to record I doe the man no wrong but testifie herein the very truth and did expastulate with him that if the conscience of the Kings Lawes did so preuaile with him in that why it should not also cause him to come more often to the Church the reason being the same for both whereunto his answere was silence But for the matter of seducing It makes not a man by and by a settled Professour in his Religion because hee labours to draw others vnto it for we see by experience that if any conceiue well of a Religion and begin to entertaine it though they be as yet but very Nouices they will presently seeke to induce others to the same this may appeare by those that were Conuerts to the truth as Andrew and Philip and the like whom as Apes these Errants imitate 2. Vnto the former another aspersion was added which did touch the whole Ministerie and was vrged with no little spight and clamour viz. That any man be he neuer so vile for a Cloth and a fee shall as his Funerall be commended and extolled to the heauens If any be guilty of this crime let him beare his owne burden for my part I haue learned with Elihu not to giue titles lest my Maker should become my destroyer for thereis a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and call darkenesse light It is well knowne that for diuers yeeres I did vtterly abstaine from speaking any one word of the dead but onely applyed my selfe to the instruction of the liuing insomuch as it grew distasted yet neuer did I abstaine as holding is vnlawfull for I know there is very good vse of it 1. That the vertues of the godly may be propounded for imitation that wee might be followers of the Saints who through faith and pacience haue inherited the promises 2. That the perseuerance of the faithfull being made knowne we may with the ancient Church as is noted afterwards in this Treatise sing laud to God that being faithfull vnto the death they haue receiued the Crowne of life 3. That if any hauing liued scandalously in open sinne but through the mercy of God by the meanes of his afflictâ—ng rod are recouered and brought home with the Prodigall the Congregation being made acquainted with it may glorifie God that hath giuen them repentance vnto life and with the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner 4. That vpon any extraordinary accident men being suddenly surprized by death their example propounded may be a monitory to the liuing that they may take it to heart and profit by it These and the like are good occasions of the Teachers Discourse in this kinde And vpon this ground I haue indeuoured to auoyde scandalum datum the giuing of any offence keeping my selfe alwayes in the meane or middeway betweene both extremes 3. A third crimination or fault obiected and that with no little asperitie was that euen the very prophane should make a scoffe of it And what did they say Why forsooth being vpon their Ale-benches they call for another Pot deriding the Doctrine of Gods Mercy and Patience in that hee calleth not all at once but some euen at the eleuenth houre Did not the wicked doe this euen at the very preaching of the Prophets and Apostles yea of Christ himselfe Can any pretend pietie and take part with such impietie taking it vp and casting it as dung in the face of God himselfe for it is not Moses but God against whom men open their foule mouthes and the contemptuous vsage of the poorest seruant of Christ he counts as a despight done to himselfe howsoeuer men slubber it ouer 4. A fourth crimination was that I should shew so much respect to one that was a noted enemie to my selfe But bee it that hee was so I haue learned of my Master though hee were my enemie yet to call him friend Could he be a greater enemie to me then Saul was to Dauid yet see how Dauid giues him his due praise in his mournefull song vpon the death of Saul and Ionathan 5. The next obiection was that his not comming to Church was excused for that his memory was decayed In this point I cannot tell whether I should blame more the reporters laesum ingenium or laesam memoriam his want of wit or his want of memorie for what reason is there to thinke that a Papist should refraine comming to Church because he cannot remember what he doth heare when in truth hee would willingly bee there starke deafe or learne the Art of obliuion But the truth is that the failing of his memorie was spoken of in the beginning his not comming to Church in the end of all the speech and almost the last point of all and it was applyed only to his facultie wherein I said he did practise with good liking till through weakenesse his memorie began to faile But the substance of the speech which I now come vnto will cleere all You may therefore please to vnderstand that the Sermon being ended according to my vsuall manner I tooke occasion to speake somewhat of the partie deceased not by way of commendation or excuse in regard of his Religion which I had before taxed for many errours but onely by way of application of one speciall point in my Sermon which was that in a corrupt Church some may bee saued holding the foundation though taynted with diuers errours of lesse moment and so consequently in the Romish Church prouided that they hold not the whole Mysterie of that Iniquity nor by any doctrine or practice ouerthrow the fundamentall grounds of Faith and Religion This I did apply to the person of the Gentleman deceased charitably deeming him to be in the number of
these and that as I did take it for good reason The effect of my speech concerning him was digested into these two branches His facultie and his Religion For the first I did onely touch it in a few words shewing that hee did practise the Art of Physicke with good and commendable acceptance till such time as through weakenesse his memorie began to faile that he was very courteous and ready to affoord his best helpe specially to Schollers as I could testifie of mine owne certaine knowledge and not wanting therein to poore neighbours as I had partly seene with mine owne eyes and neere dwellers to him could testifie Touching his Religion I did indeuour to expresse my charitie with our Christian reformed Church that all men might see the difference between Christian and Antichristian Religion They cast downe headlong into hell all that consort not with them in dependance vpon one Head The Romane Bishop we charitably and hopefully conceiue that in the middest of them notwithstanding their errour of that dependance yet many haue beene are and shall bee saued the Lord hauing his thousands among them that neuer bowed their knee to Baal My reasons why I did so charitably iudge of his estate before God were briefly these 1. First I shewed that he was not infected with the whole Mysterie of Iniquity nor did appeare to be obdurate and obstinate that way because in our Christian families where he came he was knowne to ioyne with them in Prayer 2. In conference and dispute about Religion euery man that did conuerse with him can testifie his vnskilfulnesse and weakenesse that way wherein his disabilitie of answere was supplied vsually with these or such like euading speeches God send vs all to heauen The Sonne of God bee good to vs c. 3. Hee protested to me that he was neuer at the most solemne part of their Romish Religion that is The Masse nor did euer know what it meant This confession was not long before his death 4. His skill in the Vtensils and Vessels of their Religious seruice was so little that he did not know a Chalice but would pleasantly tell of his mistake taxed by a Gentlewoman better skilled in the trade then himselfe 5. My selfe reading to him a Sermon of S. Bernard wherein the Father vehemently inueighed against the Court and Prelacie of Rome and demanding of him Whether Luther or Caluine or any of our men could more plainely and more powerfully speake against such impietie he did as a man conuicted admire it as strange to him for hee â—aw there was no deceit inasmuch as it was read to him in his owne Booke 6. He ordinarily though not so often as was fiâ— resorted to Church and communicated annually excepting the last yeere or little more before his death and that was vpon occasion of the Princes going into Spaine which made many befoole themselues 7. Last of all in the shutting vp of his life neere his end my selfe praying with him he did shew his consent by erecting both his hands vp to heauen and after the Prayer ended by giuing mee his hand cheerefully and willingly of his owne accord If these bee not sufficient arguments to induce my charitie towards him iudge you And tell mee I pray you whether such a speech so charitably vttered need to flee the light and be glad of the couert of darkenesse or not rather with boldnesse come into the light as now it doth that it may bee approoued of God and discreet good men That I may not with too much prolixitie offend your patience I will now draw to an end intreating your courteous acceptance of this token of my sincere loue vnto you It is indeed many wayes due vnto you of right but especially in regard of your loue and kinde respect shewed to mee of late that whereas for the space of aboue ten yeeres I constantly continued the weekely lecture vpon the Market day hauing no recompence for that paines but onely Master William Sakers Legacie of fiue pounds per annum it hath pleased you vpon due consideration to augment it to a conuenient stipend which good Worke was first well begun by Master Reginold Edwards and that not onely motioned by word but seconded by his liberall act in contributing most largely to so good a purpose And whereas voluntary contributions depending onely vpon the Donors free disposition are in like manner as Charitie it selfe subiect to waxe cold it was not onely very kindly towards me but exceeding prouidently for the better continuance of so religious a worke propounded by Master William Thurston to the whole Corporation and by their generall consents condescended vnto that the stipend should euer heereafter be paid out of the Chamber Of which pious Worke I commend to the world this Monument in the iust praise both of those Prime Motors as also of you all who were the Concomitants and Adinuant causes of that so good and needfull a furtherance of Gods Religious seruice desiring the Almightie to blesse you all and to giue you the comfort that religious Nehemiah had in the like case that with him euery one of you may bee able to say vnto God with ioy and confidence Remember mee O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the House of my God and for the offices thereof Yours in the Lord Iesus IOHN PHILLIPS THE WAY TO HEAVEN ACTS 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued THere is nothing more fit not better beseeming a Christian minde at such times and vpon such occasions as this when our mortality is set before our eyes then to consider seriously with our selues what shall become of vs after this life that seeing our passage out of this world by death is ineuitable we may before our departure learne here vpon earth how to liue for euer in Heauen This heauenly lesson is here taught vs in this short and sweet text which that I may open vnto you and in opening it may set open Heauen gate to euery faithfull soule you shall vnderstand that these words are The conclusion of a memorable History concerning the prime and first gathering together of the Christian Church by the Apostles after the glorious Ascension of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Know therefore that to the end that so great a worke as the conuerting of the whole world consisting of many Nations and different languages might the better be effected our blessed Lord did according to his promise send the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles enabling them to speake to euery Nation and people in their owne tongues that all countries might be taught to know and worship God in their owne language And for the greater incouragement of the Apostles it pleased God to giue such a blessing to these beginnings that about Three Thousand soules were conuerted at the first Sermon of Peter Now to shew that this blessing ceased not
things saith Saint Augustine The righteousnesse of God not our righteousnesse In him not in vs. So then looke how Christ was made sinne for vs in the same manner are wee made the righteousnesse of God in him But Christ was not made sinne by infusion or inherencie of sinne but onely by imputation So we that we may be saued must bee iustified not by our inherent righteousnesse which at the best is imperfect but by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 4. This righteousnesse is imputed to euery true beleeuer for it is faith onely whereby we apprehend Christ with all his benefits as we may see if we compare together Faith Hope and Charitie Faith like a hand receiueth and layeth hold on the obiect Christ therefore S. Iohn maketh receiuing of Christ and beleeuing in him all one Hope onely expecteth looketh for the accomplishment of that which faith beleeueth and with patience waiteth for it Charitie distributeth her good things to the benefit of others Hence it is that faith onely is said to iustifie because it is the onely instrumentall cause of our iustification in that it alone doth apprehend Christ by whom we are iustified Scriptures for this are plentifull From all things saith Saint Paul in his Sermon at Antioch from which ye could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by Christ euery one that beleeueth is iustified And disputing the question of iustification he doth thus determine it Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law This saith Saint Bernard is the Apostles meaning that a man is iustified freely by faith 5. Our iustification is of Gods free grace and mercy This the Apostle auoucheth That all men are iustified freely by his grace A trueth so euident that it hath obtained the Aduersaries ingenuous confession For the vncertaintie of our own righteousnesse saith Bellarmine and the perill of vaine-glory it is most safe to repose our whole confidence in the sole mercy and fauour of God Thus euen our Aduersaries being witnesses our Christian reformed Religion directeth men the safest way to heauen 6. It is for the onely merit of Iesus Christ therefore the Apostle hauing said That we are iustified freely by his grace addeth through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ. And venerable Bede saith That Christs death is our life his condemnation our iustification Thus we see what Iustification is now that it belongeth only to the Church and is a concomitant of saluation our Creede may teach vs where we are directed to beleeue as speciall priuiledges of the Catholike Church the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Resurrection to life euerlasting And the Apostle saith That wee being iustified by his grace should bee made heires according to the hope of eternall life Where wee haue in one text both the persons to whome Iustification doth belong we saith the Apostle that is the Church and faithfull people of God and the inheritance of eternall life following The last grace accompanying saluation is Sanctification It is a grace of God whereby a man being iustified is in euery part of soule and body renewed by the Spirit of God no more to liue in sinne but to walke in newnesse of life It is in a word the renewed image of God consisting in knowledge righteousnes and true holinesse You may see it in the lesson that grace teacheth all her children which is To deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world being zealous of good workes Iustification and sanctification differ in foure points 1. Iustification is before sanctification in nature though both be together in time for as the branch must first be in the Vine before it can by vertue of the sap bring forth fruit so a man must bee first in Christ by faith before hee can be a new creature and so bring forth the fruit of holinesse 2. Iustification is without vs in Christ as was said before but Sanctification is within vs inherent and infused by the Spirit of God 3. Iustification is that whereby we stand absolued and made iust in the sight of God but by Sanctification wee are onely declared to be iust 4. Iustification doth quiet the conscience by reconciling it and making it at peace with God for being iustified by faith wee haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ. But Sanctification cannot doe so because our best actions are imperfect and in regard of their defect stand in need of pardon If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand Now that Sanctification is also the Churches peculiar heare the Apostle shewing the difference betweene men out of the Church and such as are in it speaking of their prophanenesse before their calling he saith and such were some of you but telling them of their change he addeth but ye are washed but ye are sanctified It is therefore the stile or addition of the Church Vnto the Church of God saith Saint Paul which is at Corinth To them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints And we beleeue in our Creede the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints That it doth accompany saluation is more then manifest for without it no man shall see the Lord but being â—reed from sinne we haue our fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Therfore we must know that sanctificatioÌ„ is such a necessary antecedent though no meritorious cause of Saluation that notwithstanding no man shal be saued for the merit of it yet no man can be saued without it because true sauing faith the instrumentall cause of our iustification and saluation worketh by loue and can be no more without sanctity and good workes then fire can bee without heat or water without moisture To conclude then if there be no saluation without election calling iustification and sanctification and none of these to be found but only in the Church of God it followeth necessarily that there is no saluation out of the Church 3 There are certaine meanes appointed of God to worke and encrease sauing grace which if they shall be found to be the Prerogatiue of the Church it cannot be denied but that there onely Saluation is to be had for in reason the end cannot ordinarily be attained without the meanes leading vnto it Our Sauiour telling the woman of Samaria of the Water of life she answered him Sir you haue nothing to draw withall and the well is deepe from whence then haue you that Water of life Indeede the well is profound and deepe from whence we must fetch the euer-liuing Water and the womans reason may teach vs that we had need of instruments and meanes to conuay it vnto vs. Now the meanes to effect
an infinite Maiesty at one instant to heare the manifold variety of petitions of all men vpon the face of the earth yea and to know the very thoughts and desires of euery heart praier being principally the act of the heart Vpon this very ground wise Salomon takes for granted that all praier ought to bee made to God onely Heare thou in heauen saith he to God thy dwelling place and forgiue and doe and giue to euery man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest for thou euen thou only knowest the hearts of all the Children of men Againe prayer to Saints wanteth that threefold prop that must support euery true and acceptable seruice to God that is to say Precept Promise and Paterne For Inuocation of Gods name we haue expresse commandement Call vpon me And our Sauiour commandeth that when we pray we should direct our prayers to Our Father in heauen We haue also a sure word of promise Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he wil giue it you And Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued We haue no such precept no such promise to warrant and incourage vs to inuocate the Blessed Virgin S. Peter S. Paul or any or all of the Saints Againe for praier to God only we haue expresse paterne both perâ—onall in all the Fathers from the first Adam in the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and prime Orthodox Fathers of the Church who did suffer Martyrdome for this very point That God onely in Christ is to be adored and called vpon We haue also a reall paterne in that Heauenly Manuall of praier and praise the Sacred Psalter or Psalmes of Dauid together with the set formes of the faithfuls praiers recorded euery where in Scripture and all directed to God only not on paterne of prayer to Saints This is ingenuously confessed by their own Eccius and other Pontificians that inuocation of Saints hath no warrant in sacred Scripture not in the Old Testament because the Fathers were then in Limbo nor in the new Testament lest the Gentiles should returne againe to their old Idoll-worship and leâ—t the Apostles should bee charged with arrogancy as be speaking beforehand their owne glory and worship to bee done to themselues after their death Nay more they confesse that it is the safer and better way to call vpon God onely in the name of Iesus Christ. And one of them out of a work ascribed to Saint Augustine concludes the question thus More safely and more sweetly do I speake in prayer to my Iesus then to any of the Saints The storie of George Duke of Saxony is herein memorable Lying vpon his death-bed the Monkes like Locusts swarming about him and beholding his agony exhorted him one to inuocate the Virgin Mary another to call vpon the Angels another to pray to these and these Saints for helpe in that extremity but a Noble man one of his familiars standing by directed his speech to the Duke in this manner Your Highnesse saith he was wont in your politicke affaires to take vp this prouerbe To goe the direct way without ambages or circumstances is the most compendious course Why then should your Highnesse in this most dangerous passage goe about the furthest way and not rather goe the direct way vnto God himselfe by Christ who both will and can certainely helpe Erasmus among other his pleasant conceits doth merrily glance at this error reporting a story of one at Sea where as their manner is euery man in a wracke flyeth to his Saint as it were his Tutelar God There was one saith he among the rest when he saw the present and imminent danger and that there was no delaying in the midst of his distraction thoght with himself If I should pray to S. Nicholas it is vncertaine whether he heare me and it may be he is busy in hearing dispatching other petitioners or if not so yet it may be that he cannot haue so speedy accesse to God to mediate for me as my present necessitie requires I will therefore saith he take the safest and surest course and goe the direct way to God himselfe by Christ because it is written in the Psalme Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the Hebrewes Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of neede If any stumble at this that some Fathers are alledged to countenance this error let him remember that of S. August We must not hearken to This say I This say you but This saith the Lord. And distinctly first of himselfe he saith I would not haue you follow my authority that you should therfore thinke any thing necessary to be beleeued because I say it And of other Fathers what he held may appeare by that which he writeth of S. Cyprians Epistle viz. That it hath no authority to bind him For saith he I do not hold Saint Cyprians Letters to be Canonicall Scripture but I examine them by the Canonicall and what I finde thereunto agreeable I imbrace with his praise what is not consonant by his leaue I will leaue This is the true profession of a Doctor concerning the Scriptures at his inauguration Quod tenet teneo quod respuit respuo What the Scripture doth hold I hold what it doth reiect I reiect If any harp vpon the long custom of this error in the ChristiaÌ„ world let him consider as one saith wel that Christ said not I am custom but I am truth And that custome without truth is but an old error or the antiquity of error Which like an old sore is so much the worse and more incurable the older it is 11. Their prayer for the dead to deliuer them out of that fearefull and hell-like torment in Purgatory wherein they are made to beleeue they lye boyling as in a fierie fornace What an antithesis and plaine opposition is there betweene the Word of truth and this grosse error We know and are assured by the Word of God that the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth and purgeth vs from all sinne So that there is no neede of humane purgatiues either for veniall sinnes or for temporall punishment of sinnes mortall For our Lord Iesus assureth the faithfull departing this life that he that heareth his Word and beleeueth is passed from death vnto life and that they that die in the Lord are in a blessed estate rest from their labours Yea the poorest Lazarus that dieth in the faith of Abraham is immediately in his precious soule conuaied by the Angels into Abrahams bosome there possessed of heauenly ioy not afflicted with hellish torment This may be a sufficient conuiction of this error that there is not one sentence not one word not one syllable no not one letter in