Micah 6.6 by pretended good works in this Pathetical expostulation Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of oyl Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Then the Prophet concludes immediately He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God What can be more evident then this to shew that God Almighty requires nothing of a sinner but a faithfull returne to his Duty Where is then your pitifull satisfaction Our Saviour Jesus Christ did most sufficiently satisfie for our sins by his own most bitter passion and death as is abundantly clear in Scripture nor was his precious Passion sufficient only to take away the sins of the whole world which it may be you will willingly grant but also to take away the pains and punishments due to us for them for the Prophet I say affirms it thus surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Isai 53.4 5. and again he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Thus it is plain aswell the punishment of sin as sin it self was taken away by him without any piece of our satisfaction required And Jesus Christ the great Physitian he always makes a perfect cure of sin and punishment what need then is there of our satisfaction That the Root and foundation of all these your doctrines is extreamly false and that Man hath no free-will at all is proved most plainly thus The Blessed Baptist assures us that man can receive nothing except it be given hipe from Heaven Saint James likewise tells us John 3.27 that every good gift and every perfect gift Jam. 1.17 is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights c. Saint Paul yet more plainly 2 Cor. 3.5 that we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 1 Cor. 4.7 And to the same Corinthians saith What hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it With the truth of all these Texts how can your Doctrines of Free-Will stand 2. Rom. 9.19.16.18 Isa 63.17 Jerem. 10.23 Prov. 16.1 Prov. 30. Again Saint Paul to the Romans quctes the Words of the Lord to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion from thence draws an Argument himself against your Free-Will to then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be hardneth what now will become of your Free-Will The Phophet Isaiah expostulates somewhat strangly with God about this O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and bardned our heart from thy fear What can man do then with his Free-Will 4th The Prophet Jeremy declares it for a truth of his own knowledge O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Solomon assures us likewise that the preparation of the heart in man Jerem. 10.23 Prov. 16.1 Prov. 20.24 and the answer of the Tongue is from the Lord and again mans goings are of the Lord how can a man then understand his own way if he cannot understand it he can sure left direct it The Prophet Isay and S. Paul tells us Isay 45.9 Rom. 9.20 that it is an extravagant thing for the thing formed to say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus and the Apostle in the same Chapter says that God of his free grace and meer election faves some and not for any thing of their works or freewill that is exprelly said in the Text if it were not it would however follow from reason for otherwise grace would not be grace at all and then concludes as a foresaid that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that giveth mercy what could be said more cleerly against your Churches doctrine Our Saviour tells his Apostles as three Evangelists do joyntly and severally assure us Mat. 10.19 Mark 13.11 Luke 12.11 that they should take no thought how or what they should speak for it should be given them in the same hour what they should speak for said he again it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you if then our ability be so short to speak how much less must it be to do his will S. Matthew again tells us in the same Chapter Mat. 14.29 how our Saviour argues the matter with them are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father if a Sparrow fall not without him how shall a thought word or action of ours Our Saviour very positively concludes this point in S. Johns Gospel thus John 6.44 no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day what can poor we do then with all the strength of our will or works so I beseech the same Father to draw your Ladiship and all erring Christians to himself This paper my Lady had no sooner read but she sent a messenger with a letter back to Mrs. N. to thank her for the favour of her paper and to assure her of the best satisfaction she should be able to give to it but cheifly to defire her for the future to forbear Scholastick questions least by their little skill in those nicities they might before they were a ware engage themselves in Blasphemy or Heresie So Mrs. N. returned thanks to her Ladiship for her kind caution and promised to avoid all speculative disputes and to proceed upon things more morall and practicall with which the Lady was satisfied so fell to work upon the papers thus To what you alledge against our doctrine of goodworks and for your justification by faith alone I answer thus To the first We do humbly believe acknowledge and profess that the just must live by faith for faith is the foundation of the spirituall building Heb. 11. and the substance of all things hoped for as the Apostle tells us But what you do from thence gather of your faith alone is a meer tearing and a falsifying of all those texts out of the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists For it is no where said that the
imployed upon better things so the Lord give a blessing to our endeavours and sweet Madam be pleas'd to continue me in the quality of Madam Your most humble Servant N. The Messenger Arriving speedily back at my Ladies House and delivering the Letter with the inclos'd papers her Ladyship finding the Contents fell to the work iw mediately which you shall hear as followeth Madam the Doctrine that your Church delivers concerning good works is a Mother most strange erroâ—s and abuses of Christianity as confession free will c. Which gives me the boldnesse to make my addresse to your Ladyship wholly to that purpose So I shall first endeavour to overthrow your foundation that is your Doctrine of good works That good Works signifie nothing to the Justification much less to the salvation of a Christian by any way of merit iâ— most manifest out of Scripture 1. The Prophet Habakkuk tells us plainly of him that seeks his Justification by his Works that his soul which is lifted up Hab. 2.4 is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith The same is insisted on by our Saviour Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And St. Paul quoting the Prophet tells the Romans For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written Rom. 1.17 the just shall live by faith And again Gal. 3.11 to the Galatians â—ut that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith And again to the Hebrews Now the just shall live by faith What then is become of your grand confidence in good works Our Saviour tells the woman diseased with an issue of blood Matth. â— that her Faith hath made her whole And in the same Chapter assures the blind men because they believed that he was able to restore their eyes to them that therefore they should see and saying according to your Faith be it unto you their eyes were opened by this you may see the value that Faith hath in the esteem of God 3. The Scripture expresly tells us that Abraham believed in the Lord Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4. â— and he counted it to him for righteousness the same thing St. Paul repeats to the Romans to the Galatians Gal. 3.6 Jam. 2.22 and so St. James by all which it is plain that Faith is the only thing that justifies and gives the reputation of righteousness before God 4. We finde in St. Lukes Gospel that our Saviour bids us to say when we shall have done all things that are commanded us that we are but unprofitable Servants Luk. 11.43 we have done that which was our duty to do What is become of your doctrine of works Where is your merit in them by them or for them when after you have done all things fill'd the world with Hospitals Colledges Churches and Monasteries given all your goods to the poor mortified and macerated your bodies you are yet so far from meriting that you are but unprofitable Servants 5. Our Saviour tells us clearly and with a vertly verily I say unto you he that heareth my word Joh. 5.24 and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Can any thing be more plain then this that by Faith alone we are to gain everlasting life 6. Charity it self is but a fruit of Faith so that it is plain Faith alone may suffice to our justification and our Saviour taketh frequently works for Hypocritical and pronounceth a woe to such as depend upon them 7. Then it is plain there neither is or can be any such thing as good works and whosoever pretends to that righteousnesse is a hypocrite for the Prophet Isaiah tels us Isa 54.6 that we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And again the Scripture tels us that there is not a righteous man upon the earth who does well Eccl. 5. and sins not And the Prophet David cryed out Psalm though a man after Gods own heart Enter not into Judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy fight shall no man living be justified Where is then your Justification by works And St. Paul that great Vessel of Election complains Rom. 7.15.23 that he was sold under sin for that which he did he allowed not he did not what he would but what he hated that he did and that he saw another Law in his members warring against the Law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the Law of sin which was in his Members what then must become of us poor creatures if we confide in our own works That Auricular Confession of Sins to a Priest is so farre from being a good work and acceptable in the sight of God that it is meerly to be esteemed Wil-worship and humane invention is proved thus It is plain out of the very Text which you so much urge for your opinion Joh. 20.23 which is in St. John Whosoevrr sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained That Christ commands nothing there concerning confession but only requires Priests to give their absolution 2. And St. James when he seems to command Confession speaks only of a brotherly Confession Confess your faults one to another Jam. 5.16 there is not a word of confession to Priests 3. Then our Saviour said not to the woman taken in adultery go and confess thy sins to a Priest but go and sin no more 4. Again we read of Peters tears and great repentance how he wept most bitterly but we read not a jot of his going to confession and yet his sin was most undoubtedly pardoned 5. Then I have read in Ecclesiastical History that Confession was in one Age wholly abrogated and forbidden in the Church That your Doctrine of satisfaction for sins is most dangerous if not desperate for Christian souls is proved thus 1. St. John the Baptist being sent to be a Preacher of Repentance to the people taught only the observation of the Commandments of God expresly forbidding them to do more then what was appointed for them to do nor makes he mention at all of any satisfaction for sins The Lord himself declares by his holy Prophet Ezekiel Luk. 3.13 that if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all his statutes and do that which is lawfull and right Ezek. 18.21 he shall surely live he shall not die Here is nothing imposed upon a penitent but to do Judgement and righteousness c. not the least word of satisfaction The Prophet Micah does most plainly deride all those that seek to make a satisfaction for their sins
the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man c. why does your Church then tye up mens mouths from meat at any time 2. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4 5. S. Paul tells us that now the speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lies c. forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgivings of them which believe and know the truth for every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Heer the Apostle plainly calls it a doctrine of Devils and meer lies to command abstinence from any meat which God has created for the use of the faithful to be taken with thanksgiving 3. Tit. 1.14 15. Does not the same Apostle forewarne us not to give heed to such doctrines as those which he calls the commandements of men that turn from the truth and gives this reason that unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleiving is nothing pure c. How dares your Church then impute iniquity to any thing of meat or make such a distinction between meats as you do 4. Colos 2.16 17. Does he not command the Colossians thus Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath days which are but a shadow of things to come c. yet you are pleased to make your ceremonies to be the very substance of your Religion 5. Again he tells the Romans thus Rom 9. If by the Spirit you shall mortify the deeds of the flesh ye shall live he says nothing of mortification by fasting therefore that must be purely your invention 6. Lastly we may say to you as S. Acts 15.10 Peter in the Acts why tempt you God to put a yoake upon the neck of the Disciples which neither we nor our Fathers were able to hear Christian liberty endures no such burthensome bondage for Christ himself never made any distinction of meats or commanded any such observations why then should Christians his faithfull people be subject to them That your making and observing of vâ—â—s especially of chastity and single life though in your Priests themselves is another intolerable abuse and burthen laid upon Christianity I prove thus 1. It is plain that Jesus Christ our Saviour bestowed a freedome upon us which we call Christian Deut. 4.2 Revel 22 18. c. why should vows then reduce us into bondage Nay our Saviour cleerly shewed that he would have all his counsels free and yet your votaries make them necessary as commandments These vows therefore are those humane inventions so much spoken of forbiden and reproved in Scripture by consequence most unlawfull S. Paul forewarns Timothy from all those externall works of piety which are not capable to renew a man but are fit rather to make men hypocrites than saints and in such words as seem almost pointed at old Nuns 1 Tim. 4.7 8. But prâ—fain and old wives fables refuse excercising thy self rather unto Godliness for bodily exercise profiteth litle but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that is now and of that which is to come by this it is plain that it is the exercise of the soul which God deligheth in and not those vowed bodily observancies 3. Nay all those external works must of necessity be enemies to Christianity for they extinguish faith weaken hope and cause men to repose their confidence in them more then in the mercies of God and it is plain that your late votaries like those old Pharisees that our Saviour reproves do value more such empty traditions then they do the commandments of God to whom he pronounceth a woe for no other reason Luke 11.42 c. but for tything of Mint Rue and all maner of herbs and passing ore judgement and the love of God c. 4. Over and above all this the grand presumption of your votaries appears in oblieging themselves to a straiter rule of liveing than the Evangellicall rule to which every faithful Christian is tyed in Baptisme when it is plain that by all the endeavours that a Christian can use he cannot attain to a greater perfection and very hardly perform so much as is required Then as to your vows of chastity and restraining of Priests from marriage I prove the absurdity of all that thus 1. First it is plain by the old Testament that the Priests Gen. 1. 2. of the old Law might marry and had wives then the Greeks and divers other Christians ever had and shall have their wives 2. Your vows of Chastity and restraints from marriage are most plain oppositions to a divine precept which God so often inculcated into all creatures and particularly to man be ye fruithful and multiply 3. S. Paul foretells that in the latter times 1 Tim. â— 1 2 3. some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils c. forbiding to marry c. who should this be but you for no other Churches else does it 4. Tit. 1.5.6 The same Apostle commands Titus that amongst the rest of the things which he was to set in order as he had appointed him he should ordain a Bishop the busband of one wife and having faithful children by which it is plain that Priests might marry then 5. 1 Cor. 7.9 Chastity is and ought to be free but your vows and invented traditions make it to be necessary notwithstanding that S. Paul says plainly that it is better to marry then to burn and bids all men if they cannot contain themselves to marry 6. 1 Cor. 7.28 And a little after in the same Chapter he says positively to all but and if thou marry thou hast not sinned and if a virgin marry she hath not sinned c. and your Church is pleased to make it worse than the breach of a commandment 7. In fine there can be nothing more cleer than that vows of virginity are vain and in plain English foolish because impossible it were the same thing to obliege a man to live without meat or drink and your Pope pretends by his humane traditions to mortifie mens flesh when it is impossiple to do that without a constant recourse to the grace of God But abive all the Abuse of your Church it manafest in multiplying of Sacraments and making them out of meer humane constitutions which I prove in short thus 1. All Sacraments ought to be of our Saviour Christs own institution but your supernumerary Sacraments are after constitutions of the Church therefore they cannot be Sacraments 2. As for your Sacrament of Penance I have shewed sufficiently