is cultus religiosus of which incurvation in such circumstances is assuredly one kind I mean exhibited to either an invisible power or to its visible representation in an Image And consent of Nations Dr. More Mystery of Iniquity c. 11. p. 36. hath made it an appropriate sign of religious worshipâ— especially in a Temple Yea c. 5. p. 14. of the same learned Book he saith thus To do religious worship to the picture or image of any creature of any Person of the holy Trâ—nity or of all three or particularly to the image of Christ though this religious worship is intended to pass through the representation to God himself Father Son or Holy Ghost is notwithstanding Idolatry according to the second instance where worshipping the true God by an image is proved to be Idolatry and every thing that is not God that hath religious worship given to it thereby becomes an Idol And c. 14. p. 46. of the same Book he saith That an Idol and Images in religious worship are all one one is a Latin and the other is a Greek word they both signifie the likeness of some thing and the worshipping of the true God by an Idol is Idolatry And p. 50. of the same Book he saith That whatsoever is interposed betwixt God and us by way of God in our worshipping is not an help but an hinderance to the perfection of that worship You may read much more to this purpose in that useful and learned Book but I forbear Now apply this to your Altars and corporal bowing to them upon your religious accounts of divine excellency and then I believe you will be forced either to acquit the Papists yea the Jews of Idolatry in worshipping the true God by Images or representations or else you must condemn your selves of Idolatry and will I hope renounce it But lest this should not suffice consider what other of our learned Divines say To worship God in at or before an image purposely is Idolatry and superstition and God so worshipped is made an Idol which is forbidden Deut. 4. 15 16 17 18 19. So Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 2. c. 11. S. 2. p. 206. A. B. Vsher upon the second Commandment saith 1. That such are Sum of Christ Religion p. 229. 230. guilty of Idolatry as worship those things that are not God 2. Such as countenance them or do any thing to the furtherance of Idolatry and that outward religious adoration of those things that are not God is forbidden in the second Commandment and that this worship be denied to every thing that is not God as the Sun and Moon Angels Saints Reliques Images and such trash as Rome alloweth Deut. 4. 17 19. Col. 2. 18. Revel 19. 10. 22. 8 9. Act. 10. 25 26. That Idem ibidem p. 232. we must not give the least token of reverence either in body or soul unto any religious Images Psal 97. 7. Hab. 2. 18. Isa 44. 15. Exod. 32. 4. for that is a further degree of Idotry as to shrine clothe or cover them with precious things to light candles before them to kneel and creep to them or to use any gestures of religious adoration unto them 1 King 19. 18. wherein although the gross Idolatry of Popery be taken away from amongst us yet the corruption cleaveth still to the hearts of many as may be seen in them that make courtesie to the Chancel where the high Altar stood and give the right hand unto standing Crosses and Crucifixes c. Now upon this account do our learned Divines condemn the Papists as guilty of Idolaty for their worshipping as they say Bishop Andrews upon 2 d. Comm. p. 279. the true God before or in or by Images or Crucifixes as some amongst us do before in or by or through their Altars And indeed I think they are as much Idolaters as the Heathens were who as the Ancients say and prove out of the Heathen Authors that they intended not the worship of their Images of Jupiter * Bishop Andrews ubi supra A. B. Usher upon 2 d. Comm. in Sum of Christ Religion p. 232. Mars but those Deities as they called them whom they represented as the Papists pretend they worship not the Image but the thing represented by it 8. That is an abuse of Gods Ordinance to use any thing that God hath commanded for his Worship otherwise than he himself hath appointed forbidden in the second Commandment as to hang pieces of St. John ' s Gospel about mens necks c. 1 Chron. 15. 13. 2 King 18. 4. 2 Sam. 6. 3 7 8. So saith reverend A. B. Usher Now though it be Sum of Christ Relig. p. 226. granted that God hath appointed the Communion-table as an help or mean for the decent comely and orderly celebration of the Sacrament of the lords-Lords-Supper viz. To be consecrated and set thereon to shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11 24 25. yet he hath not appointed it to be used in his worship as a mean motive or memorative object to mind men of and move them to adoring him or worshipping God before towards in or by it Good King Hezekiah's breaking the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses at Gods command when 't was abused to Idolatry is a good president for good Magistrates to destroy Altars and restore Communion-tables when set up altarwise against the East-wall of the Chancel and abused to Idolatry to their ancient place the body of the Church and forbid their subjects purposely and upon any religious accounts whatsoever to bow or adore or do bodily reverence to or towards them 9. If to bow corporally versus altare or worship God towards the Communion-table purposely and upon religious accounts it being will-worship be not flat Idolatry yet 't is a manifest appearance of Popish Idolatry which should be carefully avoided 1 Thes 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil Upon which place Bishop * Exposition in locum Jewel saith thus Be not Idolaters leave off to do any thing that may bring you into suspition of Idolatry give not that honour unto any creature which is proper unto God Have no fellowship with their works bear no appearance of liking their evil Abstain from appearance of evil in word and deed it 's an appearance of evil needlesly to use Idolaters words as Priest Altar Sacrifice as they do it 's a greater appearance of evil and the more to be avoided to set our Communion-tables altarwise it 's a preparation to make them Altars and to bowing to them and it 's the greatest appearance of evil and the more to be abstained from when any Crucifix or Image is set upon the altar or on the wall or glass window over or near it as was in times of professed Popery and in some places in A. B. Laud's time directly contrary to the drift of the Homily against the peril of Idolatry and Queen Elizabeths Injunctions so much
erroneous opinions destroy the humane nature of Christ and consequently all those Articles of our Creed which concern the bodily part of his humane nature and depend upon the verity thereof Besides Transubstantiation is also contrary to Canonical Scripture Mat. 26. 29 But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Where 't is clear that the wine which he drank and gave to his Disciples and which they did drink was naturally the fruit of the Vine and not the natural blood of Christ but called his blood Sacramentally because it did by the institution of Christ signifie or represent the blood of Christ as Circumcision by a like Sacramental phrase is called the Covenant Gen. 17. 10 11 This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you Lo here Circumcision which is properly but a sign of the Covenant that was made between God and Abraham and his seed as 't is called in the 11th verse is yet in the 10th verse figurative or if you will Tropically called the Covenant because 't was a sign of it by Gods special appointment and so these words This is my body and this is my blood Mat. 26. 26 28. are to be understood If the bread which he did eat and the wine which he drank and gave to his Disciples and that they did eat and drink had been Christs body and blood corporally and naturally then Christ and his Disciples did eat his natural humane body and drink his natural humane blood which is not only blasphemous to be spoken against Christ and slanderous against his holy Apostles but also improbable to be done and directly against Gods word Gen. 9. 4. But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall ye not eat and if not of beasts then sure not of man And 't is contrary as well as Consubstantiation to Act. 3. 21. The Heavens must contain him that is Christ until the times of restitution of all things If Christ be corporally according to his humane nature in Heaven than he is not corporally present in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper for his body is not cannot be in two * The Papists Decrees Decr. p. 3. Dist 2. c. 44. say thus Corpus Domini in quo resurrexit uno loco esse oportet The body of our Lord wherein he rose must be in one place proper places distant the one from the other as Heaven and that Sacrament are at one and the same instant of time That he was not in two places at one time while he was here on earth read Mat. 28. 5 6 And the Angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen and he said come see the place where the â—ord lay Read also Mark 16. 5 6 They went into the Sepulchre c. And Luk. 24. 6. is the same relation and demonstration and vers 12. is one circumstance more Peter ran unto the Sepulchre and stooping down he beheld the linnen clothes laid by themselves but found not Jesus there And vers 23 The women found not his body in the Sepulchre And vers the 24th Certain men went to the Sepulchre and found it as the women had related but him they saw not Read also Joh. 20 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and there you 'l see more of Christs Resurrection and that his body was not in the grave Thaâ— his body cannot be in two proper places at once is also evident because every body is circumscribed with his own proper place Christs body is a true humane body as our bodies are and therefore cannot be in two proper places at one and the same time and the proper place of Christs proper body cannot be a little bit oâ— bread or wafer but his proper place is and must be proportionable to the quantity or extension of the parts of his body and to affirm that Christs natural humane body is in Heaven and in the Sacrament too properly and circumscriptively is to affirm that his body is properly in a thousand places at once To affirm that Christs body is essentially substantially and truly present in the Elements of the Sacrament of the Supper as Dr. Laurence with Papists doth doth necessarily imply a contradiction to wit Court-Sermon p. 18. that his body is a true humane body and that it is not a true humane body which two Propositions cannot be true of the same subject at the same time Idem non potest esse non esse God hath absolute power as Thomas Aquinas speaks truly over the whole nature of the creature but not so as that he should cause it to be and not to be at once The object of Gods power as the Jesuits confess is whatsoever implies not a contradiction in it self now that the self-same body should sit down and not fit down should be visible and not visible shoâ—ld be divisible and not divisible should be here and yet elsewhere should be one and yet many are manifest contradictions saith Bishop Hall in his no peace with Rome Sec. 18. p. 658. of his Works Moreover it is contrary to 1 Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye shall eat this bread not Christs real body and drink this wine not Christs real blood of his body ye shew forth the Lords death till he come and therefore he is not come corporally which he is and must be if he be in that Sacrament corporally under the forms of bread and wine And besides this Doctrine of Transubstantiation overthrows the nature of the Sacrament as the Church of England saith truly for where there is no Element or sign there can be no Sacrament and there is no Element if the bread and wine be turned into the substance of Christs body and blood Ergo it 's false Finally It hath been the occasion of much Superstition and Idolatry as the Church of England saith in her 28th Article for from hence proceeded the reservation of the transubstantiated bread for sundry * There is a Minister in place that I know who useth to keep some of the Sacr mental bread and gives it to sick persons to cure them superstitious purposes hence the adoration of the bread injoined even as God himself hence carrying the Wafer-god about in pompous Processions hence the Popish Feast called Corpus-Christi day Yea hence I mean from Christs real or corporâ—l presence in the Sacrament came kneeling or adoration at receiving the bread and wine at the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper as may be gathered from Dr. Heylin's words who saith thus That both the Lutherans as well as the Catholicks knew that if
unnecessary thing that Idolaters do in Exod. 23. 24. Levit. 18. 13. Levit. 19. 27 28. Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Deut. 14. 1 2. and this reason given them for it For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the earth And are we not commanded to come out of Babylon the Church of Rome that we partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues Revel 18. 4. Are we not as dear children to follow Christâ—â— Mat. 16. 24. Ephes 5. 1. And are not his modes of Worship better and freer from scandal suspicion and appearance of evil than Antichrists If not let 's speak out plainly in words at length and not in figures But they preach much against Popery Well blessed be God for it I am glad with St. Paul that Christ is preached though it should be out of envy and strife and contention supposing to add affliction to his bonds I am glad that Popery is preached down in sincerity and hatred thereof or only in design pretence or on purpose to add affliction to Nonconformists bonds which is verily suspected For when his Gracious Majesty declared liberty for Nonconformists before this last time 't is well known that a man of the long Name was up at Oxford with Non fuit sic ab initio and others elsewhere and now presently after his Majesties last Declaration with Licenses was not the Kingdom filled with their sound of Popery Popery Popery as if to license sound Protestant Divines to preach who are most against Popery were to tollerate Popery Papists had the same liberty before it that they had after it but not a word of complaint against Popery before Nonconforming Protestants to â—eremoâ—ieâ— â— had liberty granted to preach the Truth and worship God without their ceremonies and rites not one new Law made nor one old one executed against Papists and Popery these twelve or thirteen years last past but new Laws made and old ones never intended against Nonconformists and the pure Worship of God their Religious meetings made rioters and riotous and men yea the vilest of men hired to inform against them for doing good and Justices of the Peace severely censured for not punishing Gods people for serving of him as he hath commanded them That 't is strongly suspected that Presbytery and purity and verity hatâ— been more hated and feared than Popery and that the Pope and his power is more feared than real and most Antichristian Popery But however and by whomsoever Popery is preached down I rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce But who are the men that preach it down what parts of Popery do they preach down how many dignified Clergy-men do preach it down Are there not more aspiring men do preach and print much of it up and those promoted and many deserving men that preach it down neglected if not discountenanced was not Dr. Cozens twice indicted and the Indictmens found and complained of in Parliament for uttering these words That the King was no more supreme Head of the Church of Vide Articles against him and the Parliaments Censure of him England than the boy that rubs his Horse-heels And 't is said he got off by flying of which necessity he hath since made a virtue and gotten to be Bishop of Durham Was there not a Book called Dr. Cozens his Devotions in which Mr. Prin saith There were twenty Popish Errors printed and that the Reformers Prin ' s Quench-coal Epist to King Charl. 1. p. 10. of our Church took away all Religion and the whole service of God when they took away the Mass Hath not another written a Book for the observation of Holy Lent as a * See Bishop Sparrow's Rationale p. 143 144 145. 5 Eliz. c. 5. vide Rastal Titleship p. 378. Religious Faest contrary 't is said to the intent if not to the express words of the Law Let any judicious and impartial man read Bishop Sparrow's Rationale upon the Common-prayer Book and judg what Popery he writes against therein P. 273. he saith 'T is the duty of people to receive the Sacrament kneeling for it is a sin not to adore when we receive this Sacrament And p. 391. he saith It is a dangerous deceit to say that creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them Them as Rogers calls the Sacraof the Lords-Supper an * Thomas Rogers upon Article 31 saith that 't is a Fable to say that the Mass is a Sacrifice The Sacrament is not a Sacrifice but only a Commemoration of that Sacrifice offered on the Cross Art 31. unbloody Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice of the Death of Christ And p. 395 396 he saith That this Sacrament should be received fasting though Christ instituted it immediately after Supper for which he gives this reason It is for the honour of so high a Saerament that the precious †Is this for or against Transubstantiation body of Christ should first enter into the Christians mouth before any other meat And p. 89. he saith That by Curates here i. e. In the prayer for Bishops and Curates are not meant Stipendiaries as now it 's used to signifie but all those Parsons or Vicars to whom the Bishop who is the chief Pastor under Christ hath committed So Dr. Heylin speaks in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 9. s. 10. the Cure of Souls of some part of his Flock and so are the Bishops Curates The Bishop with these Curates a flock or congregation committed to their charge make up a Church By which words I humbly conceive the * To hold Bishops Jure Divino and especially essential to the being of a Church as A. B. Laud did Cypr. Anglic. p. Divine right of Diocaesan Episcopacy is asserted and thereby the Kings Supremacy impreached for if the Bishops be the chief Pastors under Christ Adam Contzen 1. 2. Pol. c. 18. Rastal Title-crown p. 17. Sir Edward Cooks de jure Regis Ecclesiast fol. 8. Dr. Heylin saith that there are 26 Cathedral Churches or Episcopal Sees in England Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 291. and the A B. of Canterbury is accounted Primate and Metropolitan of all England Heylin Cypr. Anglic. l. 4. p. 249. to whom the Cure of Souls is by Christ committed the King cannot place and displace them as he pleaseth and grant their authority for so long or so little while as he pleaseth as the Law and Law-givers say he may And this will follow that the right Reverend Father in God the Lord Primate of all England is the Head-pastor and the other 25 Reverend Bishops the A. B. of York being in respect of him but as one of the other are the chief Pastors and all the rest of the Ministers of the Church of England are but their Curates And then also it will
the same Apostle calls the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. and Rom. 15. 13. He judgeth that the measure of unmoved and unshaken hope is in every true believer according to the measure of faith that is in him Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost And St Hilary in his Comment upon Matthew p. 261. quoted by Bâ—shop Davenant ubi supra doâ—h so joyn this hope with faith that he doth ascribe to both of them the same firmness anâ— certainty fluctuation and uncertainty Dominus vult regnum caelorum sine aliqua incertae voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioqui justificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa fiat Spes est certa expectatio futurae beatitudinis Pet. Lomb. 3. 26. Tho. Aquin. 22 ae q. 18. a. 4. ambiguâ— And the Papists do in vain distinguish between a certainty of hope and a certainty of faith seeing hope in the same regenerated and justified man cannot waver or be unstable unless also his faith in Christ do waver and be unstable neither doth a certain faith remain unless by hope it obtain the same certainty 3. I say that true believers may have a certainty of faith of their present state of grace and future state of glory for their belief is or may be grounded upon the sure and certain word or promises of God as John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and Act. 16. 30 31. the Jaylor said to the Apostles Sirs what must I do to be saved and they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ they may assume but we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ therefore we shall be saved and we know that we do believe in Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God and Rom 8. 16. the Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God and Gal. 4. 6. because ye are Sons God hath â—ent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and many other true believers besides those two godly Martyrs Mr. Robert Glover and John Carles of whom before have had fidem evidentiae the faith of evidence they have known that they did believe Lord said he in the Gospel I believe help thou mine unbelief Mark 9. 24. and the Romans being â—ustified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. How could they by faith obtain peace with God if they were uncertain whether they had faith or not St. Paul Gal. 2. 20. saith thus The life that I 〈◊〉 in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God so Peter saith 〈◊〉 21. 15 16. Lord thou knowest that I love thee St. John and those tâ—â— believers he wrote to 1 Joh. 3. 14. saith We know that we are passâ—â— from death to life because we love the brethren and besides faith 〈◊〉 be known by its fruits of which our learned and orthodox Diviâ—â— have written much The Church of England saith Article 12. Thâ—â— good works a lively faith may be known as evidently as a tree discerned the fruit and I have proved it before that we are justified by fâ—â— and that we may know that we have faith and consequently that are justified and consequently we may know that we shall be eternâ—â— saved for Rom. 8. 30. those that be justified shall be glorified 2. The second point of Popery to confirm the former in the fâ—â—mer Popish conclusion renounced is this That truly regenerated and justified persons may totally and finally 〈◊〉 away from the acts and habits of saving-grace before they dye and be â—â—nally damned To which I say 1. 'T is not denied that an unbeliâ—â— or wicked man may fall away from the common grace which he 〈◊〉 2. That a truly regenerated man may for a time lose the sense of 〈◊〉 love to him in Christ is not denied neither 3. That a truly regâ—â—rated man may fall into sin though not that against the Holy Gâ—â— as the Arminians hold is yeilded also 4. That a truly regenerâ—â— person or believer in Christ may fall for a time from some act or 〈◊〉 saving-grace is granted also as may be seen in David and Peter 〈◊〉 is the sense of the 16th Article of Religion of the Church of Englaâ—â— But 5. that a truly regenerated pâ—â—son or believer in Christ can 〈◊〉 and * Thomas Whittell in his Letter to John Carles saith That God suffereth his to fall but not finally to perish Fox his book of Martyrs p. 1742. finally fall away from all the acts 〈◊〉 habits of saving-grace before he dye 〈◊〉 become a damned reprobate is utterly â—â—nied and renounced and that 〈◊〉 cause 1. 'T is contrary to the Doctriâ—â— the Church of England Article 〈◊〉 Bertius a Scholar of the late Arminius who was the first that infected Leyden with Heresie was so impudent as to send a Letter unto the Archbishop of Canterbury with a book intituled De Apostasia Sanctorum the title whereof were worthy enough to make it worthy of the fire saith King James in his Declaration against Vorstius p. 554. of his Works Mark it he calls Arminius and Bertius his Doctrine of the falling away of the Saints heresie and ibid p. 355. he calls Arminius that enemy of God and his Doctrine corrupt seed and ibid p. 350. he calls Arminius and Arminians seditious and heretical Preachers of which he warned the States-General not to suffer to creep in among them and p 355. he calls them infected persons yea Hereticks and Atheistical Sectaries and their Doctrine Heresie and Schisms yea he calls Bertius his Book of the Apostasie of the Saints a blasphemous Book ibid. p. 355. And Sir Ralph Wynwood K. James his Ambassador calls Arminian Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints that wicked Doctrine ibid. p. 361. After we have received the 〈◊〉 Ghost we may depart from gâ—â— given and fall into sin and by 〈◊〉 grace of God we may arise agâ—â— and amend our lives Lo here the Church holds only a partial not a total a temporary not a final falling away from saving-grace given into sin for it maintains that we may rise again by the grace of God and amend our lives And the 17th Article is more full Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he constantly decreed by his councel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in
Ceremonies Protestants answer As if the inspiration of God did not make God the author of the fact as well as the command expressed in his word Otherwise it were lawful for the Papists to conclude by the same reason that they have authority to institute new Sacrifices and Sacraments Bellarmine replies and saith That the Congregation made a new Feast Esth 9. 1. Mac. 4. Protestants answer That the first was political the second was to be disallowed Bellarmine saith the Apostles instituted a new Ceremony Act. 15. Protestants answer That there was no new ceremony instituted but a respect to scandal in tollerating an old ceremony Bellarmine saith the Church may institute some things and ceremonies are not repugnant to the Gospel neither hath the Lord forbidden that we should add no ceremonies for the more commodious and profitable administration of the Sacraments Protestants answer 1. The Church cannot appoint any new thing by her own authority 2 Carnal ceremonies void of the Spirit as all humane ceremonies are are repugnant Hildersham proves from Job 4. 23. that humane Ceremonies are forbidden in the Gospel in loc Bishop Andrews in Command 2. p. 263 or 255. Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart c. 8. d. 4. p. 565. John Launder Thomas Iveson John Denly Martyrs professed that they believed that the Ceremonies used here in Q. Maries days were naught vain superfluous superstitious which they sealed with their blood Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1593 1594 1595 1598. to the perfection of the New Testament 3. Humane ceremonies can make â—o more to the commodious and profitable administration of Christs Sacraments as they were administred by Christ and his Apostles than the decrees of faith made by men do make more commodiously to illustrate the faith revealed by Christ What shall we think that certain new men have a better insight and know better what ceremonies are to be used in Baptism than the holy Apostles and Christ himself So of the Supper too Bellarmine saith That ceremonies iustituted by the Church cannot be omitted without sin yea not without scandal Protestants answer There cannot be instituted Religious ceremonies by the Church without sin and therefore they may be omitted without sin and ought to be omitted 4. That we cannot fully and perfectly perform all that the Law of God requireth for Christ saith plainly That when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable servants Which shews that we cannot perfectly keep the Law for if we could we should be profitable servants getting thereby much glory to God and everlasting life to our selves Do this and thou shalt live And the Homily of the Death of Christ T. 2. part 2. p â—82 saith Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christs acts and merits And again in the same Page it saith thus of Adam after his fall He could not keep the Law neither if Adam and his posterity had been able to satisfie and fulfill the Law perfectly in loving God above all things and their neighbours as themselves then should they have easily quenched the Lords wrath and escaped the horrible sentence of eternal death For 't is written Do this and thou shalt live that is fulfil my Commandments keep thy self upright and perfect in them according to my will then thou shalt live and not die But such was the frailty of mankind after his fall such was his weakness that he could not walk uprightly in Gods Commandments though he would never so fain but daily and hourly fell from his bounden duty offending the Lord his God divers ways to the great increase of his condemnation all are gone astray Our frailty is such that we can never of our selves fulfil the Law according to that the Law requireth And our 15th Article of Doctrine saith thus That all we the rest that is besides Christ although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yea the Popes Doctrine viz. That meer men since Adams fall can in this life perfectly fulfil Gods whole Moral Law is not only contrary to Sacred Scripture the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homilieâ— and Articles but also her Book of Common Prayers As to the Lords-Prayer wherein Christ taught his holy Apostles and all Gods children to say every day Forgive us our trespasses To our commoâ— general Confession We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts We have offended against thy holy Laws We have left undone those things we ought to have done and we have done those things we ought not to have done And 't is contrary to the prayer after every Commandment for pardon of sin committed against it Lord have mercy upon us Yea the Litany might be brought against Papists in this point And Prov. 7. 20. Rom. 7. 15. 17 18 20 23 24 1 Joh. 1. 8 9 10. and contrary also to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches to be seen in the Harmony of Confession Sect. 4. and the 43 Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland and the fourth Article of the 16th Chapter of the Confession of Faith of Scotland Yea the gates of Hell I believe will never be able to overthrow that Faith in that Confession made by that Assembly Heâ—â— what Shelford Serm. p. 121 127 136 139 147. and White Bishop of Eli on the Sabbath p. 157. say for mans ability to fulfil the Law against the Doctrine of the Church of England and what Shelford saith for works of Supererogation Serm. p. 184. may be seen in Laudensium Autocatacrisis p 70 71. And what Bishop Forbes saith in his Book de Justificatione may be seen in the Supplement thereunto p. 300. And what Dr. Patrick saith may be seen in his Parable of the Pilgrim p. 324. who there saith thus 'T is true we are not tyed to that which we cannot do but yet the flesh will sometimes juggle and complain of impotence when there is nothing hinders it but sloth This is Bellarmines argument de observatione Legis c. 7. si praecepta c. if the precepts are impossible then they oblige none To this argument Dr. Ames gives this answer Dr. Ames his Bellar. Enervatus T. 3. c. 7. p. 191. 1. That this argument doth not prove that the Law is more possible to be kepâ— by believers than by unbelievers by the just than by the unjust 2. That the obligation to keep the Law is not taken away by the impossibility that flows from our fault To which I shall say but thus that the words imply as they may well be taken one or both of these errors 1. That men now are not bound to keep the Moral Law of God Or 2. That 't
denial of his Lord and Master Paul's persecuting of the Saints and which do as they confess cause a spot or sâ—â—iâ— in the soul and are contrary to the Law of God and do render the â—â—â—er displeasing to God and deserve eternal death as Aquinas and Meâ—â— ubi supra do plainly teach should escape the same penal Purgation in Purgatory is to me very strange improbable and inconsistent Doctrine as well as contrary to sacred Scripture which saith of God thus Jer. 31. 34. I will remember their sin no more that is punish them no more and of them 1 Rom 8 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus if no condemnation theâ— surely no hellish punishments 2 Apoc. 14. 13. That they rest frâ—â— their labours and if from their bodily labours as Papists yield they do then much more from spiritual labours else it had been no comfort for them to die seeing their death would but free them froâ— corporal pains which could last at most but for the short time of their lives here but would transmit their souls into spiritual helliâ—â— pains which will last till the great day of judgment except the Pope of Romes good will can be procured to let them out somewhat sooner as the Popes Doctors teach 3 That Rom. 5. 1. being justified by faith they have peace with God but to have peace wiâ—â— God and to suffer the torments of hell inflicted by the Devil fâ—â— some hundreds it may be thousands of years are altogether inconsistent And this is an approved truth though mans sin do deserve temporal and eternal punishments yet the offence being remitted the punishment is remitted also which is excellently well proved by Dr. Davenant and that their Remissa culpa remittitur poena Dr. Davenant 〈◊〉 â—33 p. 149. sins are forgiven in this life absolutely perfectly and fully even when they believe in Jesus Christ and therefore the holy Scripture speaks of justification and remission of sins in the present tensâ— and time past Rom. 4. 2 5 7 9 16 22. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 2. 16. Here believers in Christ are forgiven all their sins and there are all punishments due to their sins forgiven also Now that the punishment due to the offence or offender by Gods Law is forgiven when the offence is forgiven I prove thus 1. Because punishment properly so taken and called is inflicted only for sin Punishment is an evil inflicted upon the sinner or his surety for sin The sin which Poena est malum peccatori propter peccatum inflictum Ames Med. l. 1. a. 12. p. 55. deserves it being taken away it must necessarily be taken away too 2. Because to remit the sin is not to impute it any more to punishment that is not to punish it What man will or can say that a Magistrate hath perfectly pardoned a murderer and yet hang him up for the murder It implies a contradiction to say that God hath forgiven true believers in Christ all their sins and yet to say he punisheth them for them to be satisfied for breach of his Law 3. To say that God hath forgiven true believers all their sins and yet punish them for them with temporal punishment properly so called in Purgatory for the satisfying of his justice is undeniably to ascribe injustice to God who is justice it self seeing this way they teach that God doth punish the soul that hath no sin only because it formerly had sin which he hath for Christ's sake fully forgiven 〈◊〉 â—nd besides too here would be another piece of injustice most blasphemously fixed upon God if he should forgive all sins to the sinner for Christs sake who hath made full satisfaction to him for the believing sinners sins and yet punish the sinner to exact for one offence a double satisfaction one from Christ the surety and another from the poor sinner Would it not be decried as a grievous piece of injustice for a creditor to exact of the surety that is bound for 100 l. in a penal Bond of 200 l. the 200 l. and receive it and release the surety and yet afterward sue the Bond upon the principal for non-payment of his 100 l. at the time conditioned Yet this piece of injustice Papists do in effect by their Doctrine of the souls of believers in Christ suffering in Purgatory temporal penal satisfactions that is punishments to satisfie Gods Justice for breach of his Law after he had taken full satisfaction from Christ his Son and their surety and so exact and receive full satisfaction the whole Bond of him and then afterward exact of them satisfaction in part too fasten upon God who is Justice it self for he hath punished his own Son who voluntarily and by his Fathers consent became their surety He laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53. 6. that is the punishment of all our sins Read vers 5. He was woundeâ— for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisemeâ—â— of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed though he had no sin of his own he had done no violence neither was deceit in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him yea to put him to death v. 9 10. And he did bear our sins that is the punishment of our sins is his own body on the tree that is on the cross Isa 53. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and this he did not for himself for he had no sin 1 Pet. 2. 22. but for us and in our sâ—ead 1 Pet. 2. 21 24. Yet notwithstanding all this Papists by this their Doctrine of Purgatory that believers souls for whom Christ hath suffered the punishment paid the bond of 200 l. 〈◊〉 so fully satisfied the debt yet that God hath sued the bond again upon the 〈◊〉 believers soul and will make that make him satisfaction too in part at least though I say he was fully satisfied before by his Son and her surety Jesus Christ the righteous as appears by his letting him out of prison when he had him fast in the grave at his resurrection by which he openly declared that he was fully satisfied Rom. 4. ult Who was delivereâ— that is to death for our offences and was raised again for our jusâ—iâ—â—cation to assure us that he hath satisfied for us pacified his Fatheâ—â— wrath with us for our sins and procured his favour for us and his gracious acceptation of us charge God with this great injustice And to prevent the Papists objection that Moses David aâ—â— others after their sins were forgiven were punished with tempâ—â— punishments I say that they were not punished with Gods vindiâ—â— justice for their sins but that they were chastised in love and mercy to humble them for sin past and prevent sin for the future in theâ—â— others afflictions that believers suffer in this life are not properly â—â—nishments but castigations and though they may be materially tâ—â— same that punishments inflicted
upon unbelievers are yet they are not formally such for we must know that the formal reason of pâ—nishment properly and strictly so called is always to be fetched frâ—â— the final cause for the pain which is inflicted of God as a revenging or punishing Judg with that intention that it shall satisfie his Justice hath the true and proper or formal reason or nature of punishment and this kind of pain we deny to be inflicted upon Moses David or any other true believers after remission of their sins but what pain is inflâ—cted of the same God as a provident Father with this intention that he may further the salvation of his children obtains the nature of a * Aquin. 12 ae q. 87. a. 7. medicine not of punishment and this kind of pain we grant is by our most wise and loving Father imposed upon true penitents in this life after their sin is pardoned but Papists devised punishments are for satisfaction not for correction True believers in Christ do in this life undergo poenam correctivam corrective pain but not poenam satisfactoriam satisfactory pain here in this life or in Purgatory 1. Ad demonstrationem debitae miseriae 2. Ad emendationem labilis vitae 3. Ad excitationem necessariae patientiae dixit Augustinus in Joh. Tract 124. Potest quantum adjici quod Christus docet Joh. 93. Manifestatio operum Dei Tilen Syntag p 2. c. 65. de Purgatorio Thes 15. p. 956. or any where else they suffer not pain to satisfie Gods justice but for the demonstration of deserved misery the â—â—endment of a sinful life the exercise â—f necessary patience and the manifestation of Gods power as the word poena pain or punishment is taken in a large sense so paternal castigation of the godly for their sins such as Davids was affliction for the trial of their faith patience and constancy such as Jobs was and Martyrdom for the testimony of saving truth are by some of our Divines called punishments but not in that sense that punishment properly so called is taken which only is called penal satisfaâ—â—ion and that is punishment inflicted upon the sinner or his surety for sin to satisfie Divine Justice which is either temporal for duration but everlasting and infinite for virtue and value by reason of the transcendent dignity of the person suffering equivalent to the everlasting in time and such was the penal satisfaction which Christ suffered for the sins of his elect or everlasting in duration which is begun in this life and continued for ever after this life in the world to come and such is that which impenitent reprobates suffer Reprobates are bound by the Law of God to perform for themselves this penal satisfaction and therefore they do begin it in this life and after this life continue it in hell to all eternity because they can never fully satisfie Mat. 25. 41. But this penal satisfaction is not required to be made in part or in whole of true believers in Christ because Jesus Christ their surety hath satisfied for them to all eternity 3. Because this Popish Doctrine that the souls of believers in Purgatory suffer punishment to satisfie for their sins not sufficiently purged away in this life is a very dishonourable and destructive Doctrine to the full and perfect satisfaction of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ therefore I lay down this plain Position Position 3. That the satisfaction our Saviour Jesus Christ hath made for all the sins of true believers in him is a full sufficient and perfect satisfaction But Papists Doctrine of Purgatory-satisfactions saith virtually interpretatively and in effect 1. That it was not an universal satisfaction for all the sins of all true believers in Christ which is contrary to express canonical Scripture Tit. 2. 14. Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness s if he cleanse us from all iniquity from all sin from all unrighteousness then certainly from venial sins 2. Christs active obedience and sufferings were not a sufficient satisfaction to the Justice of God for the breach of his Law by true believers in him which is directly contrary 1. to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her order of Communion which saith there That Jesus Christ did suffer death upon the cross for our redemption and that he made there by his own oblation * Homil. of Christs death T. 2. part 2. p. 187 188. So Homil. of the worthy receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper T. 2. part 1. p. 200. of himself once offered a fâ—â— perfect and sufficient sacrifice obâ—â— and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and Homily of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 169. Christ made perfect satisfaction by his death for the sins of all people and Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 175. concerning the death of Christ it saith That it was impossible for us to be loosed from this debt by our own ability it pleased 〈◊〉 therefore to be the payer thereof and to discharge us quit and p. 177. of the same Homily it saith thus Such favour did Christ purchase 〈◊〉 us by his death of his heavenly Father that for the merit thereof 〈◊〉 we be true Christians in deed and not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sin 2. 'T is contrary to Canonical Scripture which saith that Christ hath made a full and perfect satisfaction to God for all the sins of all believers in him 1. Because the Scripture saith that he paid the price that was due to God from us For 1. he not only perfectly fulfilled the Law for them he was made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. And he fulfilled all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. And he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat. 5. 17. And that he did not for himself but for believers is evident Gal. 4. 3 4 5. Phil. 2. 6 7 8. And the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers for righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 2. But he suffered for true believers in him great sorrow in his soul Mat. 26. 37 38. Grievous torments in his body Mat. 27. 46. Luk. 22. 44. Joh. 20. For he was crucified and died Mat. 27. 35. Phil. 2. 8. Mark 15. 24 37. He was buried and remained under the power of death for some part of three days but without corruption he suffered poenas infernales hellish torments eternal in essence as Maccovius will have it equivalent to hell-torments by reason of the worthiness of his person into which our humane nature that suffered was taken that what he suffered in his humane nature is attributed to and taken to be the suffering of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
acteth against and contrary to them By which saith he they do declare themselves to be none of the Church of Christ but rather of the Synagogue of Satan Yea he there tells his Wife That he called them with good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the Devil and that as their father the Devil is a lyar and murtherer so their Kingdom and Church as they call it standeth by lying and murdering therefore my dear Wife have no fellowship with them Ibid. Bishop Ridley in his Letter in Captivity calls the Church of Rome the Strumpet of Babylon and the Pope of Rome Antichrist Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1626. col 1. And in his Answer at his Examination to Bishop White he saith He cannot but confess with St. Gregory a Bishop of Rome also that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. John speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon And I say saith he with the said St. Gregory that he that maketh himself a Bishop of all the world is worse than Antichrist Ibid. p. 1650. col 2. And in his Communication with Dr. Brooks Bishop of Gloucester when he degraded him exhorting him to recant and submit to the Church of Rome he saith thus You know my mind concerning the usurped authority of the Romish Antichrist Ibid. p. 1659. col 2. And a little after when he would Bishop Ridley though when he was in his Pontificalibus he contended too much for the Surplice c. yet when he came to die he refused it and abominated it put on him the Surplice c. he inveighed against the Romish Bishop and all that foolish apparel calling him Antichrist and the apparel foolish and abominable Ibid. In his Farewell Letter to all his Friends he calls the Bishop of Rome the Babylonical Beast and the then Bishops of England thieves of Samaria Sabei Caldei These robbers have rushed out of their dens and have robbed the Church of England of all the aforesaid holy treasure of God they have carried it away they have overthrown it and instead of Gods holy word the true and right administration of Christs holy Sacraments as of Baptism and the other they mix their Ministry with mens fantasies and many wicked and â—â—godly traditions Ibid. p. 1674. And these Bishops he calls the Soldiers of Antichrist Ibid. p. 1675. col 1. And in his Letter to the Lords Temporal he saith thus I wonder my Lords what hath bewitched you that ye are so suddenly fallen from Christ unto Antichrist from Christs Gospel unto mens traditions from the Lord that bought you to the Bishop now of Rome I warn you of your peril be not deceived except ye will be found willingly consenters unto your own death For if ye think thus we are Lay-men this is a matter of Religion we follow as we are taught and led if our teachers and governours teach us and lead us amiss the fault is in them they shall bear the blame My Lords 't is true I grant you that both the false teacher and the corrupt governour shall be punished for the death of their subjects whom they have falsely taught and corruptly lead yea and their blood shall be required at their hands But yet neverthelss shall that subject die the death himself also that is he shall also be damned for his own sin For if the blind lead the blind Christ saith not the leader only but both shall fall into the ditch Shall the Synagogue and the Senate of the Jews trow ye which forsook Christ and consented to his death therefore be excused because Annas and Caiphas with the Scribes and Pharisees and their Clergy did teach them amiss yea and also Pilate their Consenters and doers are both guilty saith Bishop Ridley Ibid. p. 1675. governour and the Emperours Lieutenant by his tyranny did without cause put to death Forsooth no my Lords no. For notwithstanding that corrupt Doctrine or Pilates washing of his hands neither of both shall excuse either that Synagogue and Seigniory or Pilate but at the Lords hand for the effusion of that innocent blood on the latter day shall drink of the deadly whip * Bishop Gardners six Articles called the Whip with six strings I â—elieve he alluded to Ye are witty and understand what I mean Therefore I will pass from this to tell you that ye are fallen from Christ to his adversary the Bishop of Rome pag. 1667. And immediately after he tells them That he doth not in calling the Bishop of Rome Christs adversary or Antichrist rage or raile but speak the words of truth and sobriety And shews That that Church while it continued in the Apostles Doctrine was Apostolick and those that sate in that See might be called Apostolici but since that See hath degenerated from the trace of Truth and true Religion which it received of the Apostles at the beginning and hath preached another Gospel hath set up another Religion hath exercised another power and hath taken upon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other strange Laws and Canons and rulers than ever it received of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ which thing it doth at this day and hath continued so doing alas alas of too too long a time since the time I say that the state and condition of that See hath thus been changed in truth it ought of duty and of right to have the names changed both of the See and of the Sitter therein As that See then for that true trade of Religion and Doctrine of Christs Apostles justly and truly was called Apostolick so as truly and justly for the contrariety of Religion and * Is this not directly contrary to A B. Laud's Doctrine in his Relation wherein pag. â—â—6 he saith That the Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion diversity of Doctrine from Christs and his Apostles that See and the Bishop thereof at this day both ought to be called and are indeed Antichristian The See is the seat of Satan and the Bishop of the same that maintaineth the abominations thereof is Antichrist himself indeed And for this cause this See at this day is the same which St. John calleth in his Revelation Babylon or the Whore of Babylon and spiritual Sodoma and Egyptus the mother of fornications and of the abomination upon the earth and with this Whore do spiritually meddle and lye with her and commit most stinking and abominable adultery before God all those Kings and Princes yea all Nations of the earth which do CONSENT TO HER ABOMINATIONS and use or practise the same Ibid. p. 1668. And in his Lamentation for the change of Religion in England he saith thus The head under Satan of all mischief is Antichrist and his brood and the same is he which is the Babylonical Beast Ibid. p. 1671. col 2. And in p. 1673 he calls King Edward the sixth that innocent that
the History if it may be so called for the Text saith that 't was acted and therefore pen'd after the captivity yea after the return of the Jews to Jerusalem as is clear in chap. 4. 3. and chap. 5. 19. and then there was no true Nabucodonosor King of the Assyrians as may be gathered from the Books of Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah And 't is therefore thought to be but a * Bishop Prideaux Fascic controvers c. 1. q. 2. p. 16. fiction or meer Romance and was intended to procure favour from the Roman Emperour or his Deputy in the Jews Country for the distressed Jews which was the drift of Achiors good speech and counsel or else to work their ruin by some such crafty and deceitful and bloody woman as Judith was and by such wicked practises as she is said to use as may be gathered from Chap. 8. 35. in chap. 9th 2. Judith prayeth unto God and therein commends the deceitful and cruel fact of Simeon Gen. 34. which God the Holy Ghost by righteous Jacob condemns Gen. 49. 5. And also prayeth God to prosper her feigned tales and lies Give into my hand the power that I have conceived smite by the deceit of my lips the servant with the Prince and the Prince with the servant break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman and make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe who purposed evil things against thy Covenant Chap. 12. 3 4 9 10 13. And chap. 10. 12 13. she tells two or three lyes to compass her design And she said I am a woman of the Hebrews and am fled from them for they shall be consumed There is one lye at least And I am come to Holophernes the chief captain of your army to declare words of truth There 's another lye And I will shew him a way whereby he shall win all the Hill-country without losing the body or life of any man There 's another lye And in chap. 11. there are many more lyes yea a most abominable series of treachery swearing flattering aequivocating and dissembling and all covered with the fair pretence of Religion to the great dishonour of God and the scandal of Religion the opening of the mouths of the wicked to blaspheme and speak evil of God Religion and good men I pray read the words and seriously consider them and then judg whether they do not tend more to the destruction than the edification of the ignorant hearers and readers and teach more evil than good manners vers 5. Then Judith said unto Olophernes receive the words of thy servant and suffer thine handmaid to speak in thy presence and I will declare no lye unto thee this night v. 6. And if thou wilt follow the words of thine handmaid God will bring the thing perfectly to pass by thee and my Lord shall not fail of his purposes v. 7. As Nebucodonosor King of all the earth liveth and as his power liveth who hath sent thee for the upholding of every living thing for not only men shall serve him by thee but also the beasts of the field and the cattel and the fowls of the air shall live by thy power under Nebucodonosor and all his house v. 8. For we have heard of thy wisdom and thy policies and it is reported in all the earth that thou only art excellent in all the Kingdom and mighty in knowledg and wonderful in feats of war v. 9. Now as concerning the matter which * Chap. 5. 18 1â—â— Achior did speak in thy counsel we have heard his words for the men of Bethulia saved him and he declared unto them all the words that he had spoken v. 10. Therefore O Lord and Governour reject not his word but lay it up in thine heart for it is true for our Nation shall not be punished neither can the sword prevail against them except they sin against their God v. 11. And now that my Lord be not defeated and frustrate of his purpose even death is now fallen upon them and their sin hath * It meets not overtakes them if this be true overtaken them wherewith they will provoke their God to anger whensoever they shall do that which is not fit to be done 12. For their victuals fail them and all their water is scant they have determined to lay hands upon their cattel and purposed to consume all those things that God hath forbidden them to eat by his Laws v. 13. And are resolved to spend the first fruits of the corn and the tenths of the wine and oyl which they had sanctified and reserved for the Priests that serve in Jerusalem before the face of our God the which things it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to †Did not David and his men eat the shew-bread and did he sin in so doing did not our Saviour justifie them in eating of it in that extremity Mat. 12. 3 4. and were not these besieged Bethulians in as great extremity as David and his men were Which place plainly shews that a rigorous observation of Ceremonies must give place to necessity saith Diodate upon the place touch with their hands v. 14. For they have sent some to Jerusalem because also they that dwell there have done the like to bring them a license from the Senate 15. Now when they shall bring them word they will forthwith do it and they shall be given thee to be destroyed the same day But now comes the double iniquity 16. Wherefore I thine handmaid knowing all this aâ—â— fled from their presence and God hath sent me to work * Had King James who discovered the Papists Powder-treason heard her he would have examined her a little and found out her dissimulation Had any Nonconformists uttered such words in any of their works Mr. Debater would no doubt have cried out Treason treason c. and yet to the reading of this he gives assent and consent for instruction of people in manners Art 6. B. Prideaux Fasc cont c. 1. q. 2. p. 16. things with thee whereat all the earth shall be astonished and whosoever shall hear it 17. For thy servant is religious and serveth the God of heaven day and night Now therefore my Lord I will remain with thee and thy servant will go out by night into the valley and I will pray unto God and he will tell me when they have committed their sins v. 18. And I will come and shew it unto thee then thou shalt go forth with all thine army and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee v. 19. And I will lead thee through the midst of Judea until thou come before Jerusalem and I will set thy throne in the midst thereof and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth at thee for these things were told me according to my foreknowledg and they were declared unto me