sin Nature Voluntas Personae and by every actual sin we justifie Adams breach of Covenant and that Text Rom. 5. 12 19. seems clear for the imputation of Adams sin All were in Adam and Peccatum Adami ita posterii imputatur ac si omnes idem peccatum patranissent◠Bellarm. Again Peccatum Originale tametsi ab Adamo est non tamen Adami sed nostrum est Tom. 4. l. 4. c. 3. 8. sinned in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so our last Translation in the Margin Though it be rendered for that all have sinned yet must it be understood in him or sinned in Adam else it is not true that all upon whom death hath passed have sinned as namely Infants newly born Therefore 't is not said all are sinners but all have sinned which imports an imputation of Adams act unto his Posterity So that without question you and I are as guilty of this sin as if we had been present and joyned with Adam in it And the offering of another Adam to thee and me in the Church shews that the dispensation of God is not rigorous for we may share in his obedience as well as in the others disobedience It is as agreeable to the Wisdom and Justice of God by the sin of the First Adam to entail death upon all his Children as to the Wisdom and Grace of God by the Obedience and Righteousness of the Second Adam to confer Life upon his Children Have I said any thing towards your Conviction Tim. Yes a great deal but to little purpose for I don't understand this putative sin and putative Righteousness of the First and Second Adam Tit. Take heed Tim. of making a mock of these serious matters I could tell where you learned that word putative for a need But as merry as you and your Companions make your selves with it know that if imputative Righteousness don't justifie you you are in a worse condition than the Scribes and Pharisees whose Righteousness Legal I am afraid exceeded yours and yet insufficient to carry them to Heaven Matth. 5. 20. And St. Paul who was as to the Law blameless doth yet desire not to be found in his own Righteousness but that which is by Faith through Christ Jesus the Righteousness putative as you in derision term it which is in God by Faith Phil. 3. 9. But of this in a more proper place I only demand this of you Tim. that though you plaid the fool in subscribing this Article before you Read it yet that you would not play the Knave in disowning it now you have Subscribed it making a mock of it for you must needs understand it if you understand English for never any thing said more plainly that there is Original sin in all remaining in the best of men and that Adams sin is so far ours as we deserve Hell and Damnation for it And assure your self unless after this warning I hear you are Reformed as to this matter I shall acquaint the Bishop what a Subscriber and maintainer you are of the Articles of our Church who I doubt not will call you to an account For I stedfastly believe his Lordship holds it a less sin to be defective in the Ceremonies than in the Articles and will sooner Suspend for the latter than the former But I hope you will give me no cause especially when you have Read the next Article X. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such That he eannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God Wherefore w◠have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will. Tit. The following Article Concords so well with this that 't is pitty to part them if you will therefore Read that too before we proceed farther Tim. I shall Article XI We are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own works or deservings Wherefore that we are Justified by Faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification Tit. As to these two Articles I need not ask your Opinion for I know you to be as rotten in these as an Egg nine days sat on Free Will and the necessity and efficacy of Works to Justifie without putative Righteousness is so much your tone in the Pulpit that the very Bells in the Steeple have learned the Tune And when you are approaching the Church the least jar out of it puts you into such an Arminian chafe that the Bells are presently forsooth Calvinistical Bells the Ringers Calvinistical Rogues wishing the Ropes in their hands fast about their Necks An admirable Devotion at your first entrance into Gods House Tim. And there are more of this Opinion besides my self Tit. What Opinion That the Ninth Tenth and Eleventh Chapters to the Romans were foisted into that Epistle by Calvin or at least he had an hand in Composing our Articles Tim. No neither but for Free Will and Justification without putative Righteousness that Christ came chiefly to be an Example to us and not to Justifie us by the imputation of his Righteousness this is the Opinion I know many are of besides me Tit. Aye too many but for you and I and those men you mean who have consented and Subscribed to these Articles to talk at this rate I must tell you is a fault not to be born with whatever others say that are free we that are obliged by Promises and Subscriptions should be honest and true to them Tim. Honest and True Yes so I ought but I have learned better since my Subscription and I hope you will give a man leave to improve his Reason and Understanding Tit. Yes by all means but suppose you were called to Subscribe these very Articles word for word again now your Reason is so mightily improved what would you do Tim. A needless question for that 's not likely Tit. Why not Put case the Patron of a Good that is a great Living of about two hundred or three hundred pounds per annum should out of his Generosity freely offer you the Presentation to it would you refuse his kindness rather than Subscratch for it Tim. I am afraid I should scarce withstand the force of so taking a temptation Tit. And you would Read them openly in the Parish Church the people being present and openly declare your approbation of them and full consent to them as the Law requires rather than lose such a Benefice Tim. I believe I should I wish some body would try me Tit. And Preach and Prate against them or contrary to them when you had done ha Tim. Not directly Tit. Directly or indirectly directly you would be a Knave for your pains not to
in order of Numbering which still comes between Six having Six before it and Six after it continually and so our Sunday our Day of rest hath and therefore we also rest the Seventh Day dim I deny it ours is the first not the Seventh Tit. And the Seventh as much as the first the first of our Week and Seventh after Six of Labour Indeed the Period from which we take the beginning of our Account is not the same but another from the Jews for they did Reckon from the beginning of the Creation and so forward we from the Resurrection and so forward but ours is as truely and surely the Seventh as theirs though Reckoned from another Period and as for the Period whence the account must be made we have no word at all in the Precept For the Precept saith not Six Days from the Creation thou shalt labour and the Seventh from the Creation is the Sabbath of the Lord but Six Days shalt thou labour nor doth it say The Lord blâ—ssâ—d and Sanctified the Seventh Day from the Creation but the Sabbath Day that is the Seventh after Six of labour Tim. And what do you understand by all this Tit. I understand what I suppose the Article Enjoynes by Requiring every Christian to yield obedience to the Commandments and so to this Fourth among the rest viz. That you and I and every Christian is oblidg'd by vertue of this Command for ever to rest every Seventh day after Six from all labour Recreation c. and to Dedicate it in Solemn manner wholly to the worship and Service of God by preaching Reading Praying and other Holy Religious Duties and Exercises both iâ— Publick and Private Consider this a little and give me your thoughts Tim. I need not much time to Study I have in the Company I have been Conversant with some Clergy men as well as others heard the Sabbath so Decryed and the strickt Observation of it so slighted and vilified that I thought there was little in it more than another day But for the future I hope I shall be more diligent in preparing for it and more strickt and serious in the Observation of it than ever I have been Tit. You will do very well and to endeavour to bring it into greater esteem and veneration with the people wherever you come for the life of all Religion amongst us consists in a due keeping this day and believe it our own practice in this regard will prevail more than our Preaching Inasmuch as Examples are of more force with men than Precepts And 't is our Obedience to Gods Commands which must evidence the sincerity of our Faith contained in the Creeds mentioned in the next Article Article VIII The three Creeds Nice Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought throughly to be received and believed for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture Tit. Touching this I think I need not question you for though you never see them in the Articles before yet you have often Read them in the Common-Prayer and I suppose with hearty assent to the Articles of Christian Faith contained in them Tim. I do so Tim. Let us therefore hear the next viz. Article IX Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from Original Righteousness and is of his own Nature inclined to evil so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation And this infection of Nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the Flesh called in Greâ—k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the wisdom some sâ—â—sualâ—ty some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the Law 〈…〉 And althouâ—h there is no condemnation for them that Believe and are Baptized yet the Apostle doth confess that conâ—upisence and lust hath â—â—â—sâ—lf the natuâ—e of sin Tit. If I remember right at Reading the second Article you discovered your self a liâ—tle infirm and faulty about Original sin calling it only a privation of Original Righteousness what think you now Tim. I think if I had Read this Article I should never have Subscribed it nor do I believe it now I have Subscribed it Tit. What nothing no part of it Tim. Truely very little a very small part of it Tit. Do you believe the Scriptures if you do I see no reason why we should not believe this sound Article of our Church even every shred and Syllable of it For 1. It asserts that there is Original sin which is called sin Rom. 7. 8. The sining sin Rom. 7. 13. The sin that dwelleth in us Rom. 7 20. The sin that so easily besets us Heb. 11. 1. The body of sin The body of Death The Law in the Members It is also called Fâ—esh The old Rom. 7. 23 24. Joh. 3.6 Rom. 7.5 Ro. 7. 25. King. 1.8 38. Heb. 12. man. The Law of sin The plague in ones own heart And the root of bitterness Besides the woful effects we find of it in our selves proves it As blindness in the mind darkness in understanding rebellion in the will c. with unholy and unclean affections proneness to sinful and aversness to Holy and Godly Actions 2. Next this Article teacheth us that this Original corruption remains in every man even in the Regenerate and this St. Paul acknowledgeth at large in Rom. 7. and Gal 5. 17. He saith the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that we cannot do the things we would And St. James Every Jam. 1. 14. man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust And the best of Gods Children bewail the remainder and indwelling of this Lust and Corruption doubtless therefore our Church is right thus far 3. And also in saying in every person born into the world deserves Hell and Damnation for if it be sin as hath been proved already it can deserve no less Rom. 1. 18. Colos 3.5.6 Jam. 1.15 Ro. 6. 23. So that I can find nothing in this Article but may go down very well if Arminius or Socinus hath not turned your Stomach against it Tim. It can never enter into my Head that Adams sin he being but one should defile the Universal Nature Tit. I thought Socinus was in your Belly before now he looks out at your mouth Adam 1 Cor. 15. 47. Ro. 5. 12. 17. had in him the whole Nature of mankind and by his one offence the whole Nature was defiled Tim. Adams sin was not voluntary in us we never gave gave consent to it Tit. There is a twofold will Voluntas Naturae the whole Nature of man was represented in Adam therefore the will of Nature was sufficient to convey the
Tit. Then I perceive you are sound as to this Article Read the last ARTICLE 39. Tim. As we confess vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his Apostle So we judg that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may Swear when the Magistrate requireth in a Cause of Faith and Charity so it be done according to the Prophets Teaching in Justice Judgment and Truth Tit. The summe of this last Article is this That vain and rash Oaths are unchristian and forbidden by the Gospel And that a lawful Oath by the same word may be given and taken in Justice Judgment and Truth Or when we are lawfully called to it by a lawful Magistrate Now touching the former some are too forward and as to the latter some too backward And all that I shall say here having spoken somewhat to you of this nature already is this I heartily wish that as some Dissenters from our Church may justly be charged for Swearing too little so that they could not as justly charge many of our Church with Swearing too much Tim. I wish so too the Lord grant it Tit. Sure I am that because of Oaths such as this Article forbids c. our Land mourns I pray God therefore that all Christians Ministers especially may learn of the Prophet David to set a watch upon the door of their Lips that they may not in this kind above all at any time offend with their Tongues Tim. Amen Tit. Now you have heard this short account of the Articles of our Church which you have subscribed give me your serious thoughts of them Tim. In brief and sincerely as I subscribed them I am convinced they are sound and good That those Ministers who deviate from them in Doctrine or Practice as I and many more have done God forgive both me and them are greatly to blame and justly deserve to be censur'd for it by the Governours of our Church And that such as hold them firm and inviolable Preaching and Living according to them are not only in regard of their subscription the most Conscientious Person but must needs be also the Truest Friends to our Church and strongest Foes to Rome and all other our Churches Enemies Tit. God be thanked for this Conviction and while you are in this good mind with my Prayers to God that you may continue so I bid you Farewel A Friendly and Cordial Exercitation to my Brethren in the Ministry Whose Lives are unbecoming their Function Reverend Brethren I Call God and his Holy Angels to Witness I have had many sad and serious thoughts for the Miseryand Destractions of our Church And can truly say the former discourse is the effect and result of such thinking and how would my heart rejoyce and my sadness be turned into singing might I conduce any thing by what I Preach or Write to her Settlement and Union But who can hope this till all her Sons shall speak and do the same things Preaching according to her Articles and acting and living answerable to her Prescriptions which are Sober Righteous and Godly Nothing gives a greater blow and bane to Religion than the discords and loose lives of her Professors and much more of her Ministers If Pride and Covetousness if Envy and Malice if Slander and Censoriousness if Division and Uncharitableness if Debauchery and Loosness look ill and are of ill Consequence in other men much more in Ministers We are not called the Salt of the Earth to corrupt others Lights to walk in Darkness Stewards to be Unfaithful and Angels to live like Devils We cannot Sin at so easy a rate as other men for as our evil examples do more hurt than others so our doom will be more dreadful when we come to give up our account to our Lord Jesus the Bishop of our Souls and of the Souls committed to our trust whom he hath redeemed by his Precious Bloud It is noted among King Alphonsus sayings that a great man cannot commit a small Sin. I may say much more that a learned man and a Teacher of others cannot commit a small Sin or at least that Sin is great in him which is smaller in another For we Sin against more knowledg and against more light and means of knowledg there must needs therefore be more wilfulness in our Sins If we Sin 't is because we will Sin. Yea our Sins must needs have more Hypocrisy in them than other men's by how much the more we have spoke against them O what an hainous thing is it in us to study how to disgrace Sin to the utmost by setting forth the Author Nature and danger of Sin thereby to make it as frightful and odious â—o our People as we can and when we have done to live in it and secretly cherish that which we openly disgrace To cry it down in others and keep it up in our selves in our own Hearts and Lives To call it publickly all to naught beastly Drunkenness hellish Swearing damned Covetousness Body and Soul destroying Whoredom c. and yet make it our Bedfellow and Companion what vile Hypocrisy is this is not this to bind heavy Burthâ—ns for others and not to touch them our selves with a finger what can you say to this in the day of Judgment Did you think still of Sin as you spake or did you not If you did not why did you dissemble if you did why would you keep and commit it if Sin be evil why do you live in it if it be not why do you disswade men from it if it be really dangerous how dare you venture on it if it be not why do you tell men so if God 's threatnings be true why do ye not fear them if they be false why do you trouble Men needlesly with them and put them into such frights without cause Do you know the Judgment of God that they that commit such things are worthy of Death and will you do them O my Brethren yet let not any of us who bear the Name of Christs Ambassadors bear the Badge of a miserable dissembling Pharisee They say but do not Our Sins have more perfidiousness in them than other Mens We have more engaged our selves against Sin. Besides all our common Engagements as Christians we have many more as Ministers How oft and how earnestly for God's sake Religions sake and their own Souls sake have we called others from it how oft have we declared the Terrors of the Lord against it All these did imply that we renounced it our selves Every Sermon that we preach against it every private Exhortation and Admonition every Confession of it in the Congregation is a renewed engagement upon us to forsake it Every Child that we Baptize and receive into Covenant with Christ every Administration of the Holy Supper of our Lord wherein we call upon Men to repent and forsake Sin to renew their Covenant with God and lead a new Life according to his