bounds do the same things she doth by Equivalencie and run to the same End by a quite contrary way The Romish Church it cannot be denyed makes her Popes and Prelates with other Pillars of their Church plain Idols They which out of an undiscreet and furious zeal seem most to abhor this kind of Idolatry commit Sacrilege and rob God of his honour as the Romish Church doth And he that robs God of his honour doth the very same thing and no other which an Idolater doth Now they are said in Scripture to rob God of his honour and to commit an abomination more then heathenish for the heathen do not spoil their Gods which defraud him of his tithes offrings which were due unto the Priest for his ministration and service in Gods House But they rob God of his honour more immediately and more directly which despise or contemn his Embassadors not in word only but in taking that Authority from them which he hath expresly given unto them and which is worst of all in seeking to alienate it unto them over whom he hath in matter of salvation appointed them Guides and Overseers That Precept of our Apostle I am sure will stand good when all Laws or Intendments of Laws to confront it will fail Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves Heb. 13. 17. What Rule doth he mean meerly Civil or Temporal No! What then Ecclesiastick Not that only But the Rule of Government spiritual such as is proper to the Bishops of the Church For so it follows for they to whom you are to submit your selves watch for your souls as they that must give an accompt and you are therefore to obey that they may do their office with joy and not with grief for that saith the Apostle is unprofitable for you Now that in this plenty of preaching and frequencie in hearing The most hearers profit so little in the School of Christ the true Reason is for that men do not submit themselves unto their Pastors in such sort as they ought but think it his Duty or Office only to preach and their duty only to hear not to be Ruled or Governed by him whereas the ones preaching is vain and the others hearing is vain unless this duty of obedience be first planted in their hearts The Pastors Grief which ariseth from neglect or contempt of this Duty will prove in the issue the Peoples Curse 8. But the main stream of Popery from which the name of Babylon is derived unto Rome was the Absolute Infallibilitie of the Romish Church Representative The branches of this supposed absolute Infallibilitie were Two The First That the sense of Scriptures which that Church doth maintain or avouch concerning Faith or Manners is alwayes Authentick undoubted and true But whereas many Points as well of Doctrine as Practise concerning Faith and Manners were in that Church established by Prescription and Use without so much as any Pretence of warrant from Scripture They were inforced in the Second Place to maintain That the Unwritten Traditions of the Church were of equal Authoritie with the Scriptures and that the present Church was as Infallible in her Testimony of the One as in her Judgment of the other The Infallible Consequence of which supposed Infallibilitie is This That the people were absolutely to believe whatsoever that Church should propound unto them as a Point of faith or practise commendable and to abjure whatsoever that Church should condemn for heresie or ungodliness By Absolute Belief or obedience they intend a belief or obedience not only without Condition or scruple in the first undertaking but without Reservation of appeal upon any new discovery of dangers unseen unsuspected in the first undertaking The Churches Authority once declared was in their Divinity sufficient to quell or put to silence all succeeding Replies or mutterings of Conscience Both these dangerous Errors were well Reformed The later stream or puddle of Traditions in a manner drained by this Church and State For every Bishop at his Consecration doth solemnly promise or vow not to propound any thing to the people as a Point of Faith unless it be either expresly conteined in the Scripture or may be thence deduced by necessary Inference To bind or tie all Bishops thus solemnly unto the observance of this Rule the wisdom of those Times had these Reasons Not only to curb or restrain the licentious Abuse of Bishops former Authoritie but because they knew that the people were in many Cases concerning the service of God and other Christian duties bound to yeeld more credence and obedience to their Bishops and Pastors then unto men not called to Sacred or Pastoral Function It is One Thing to believe any Doctrinal Proposition as A Point of Faith necessary to salvation Another to believe it so far as we may safely adventure upon any practise or duty injoyned by superiors That is to believe it not Absolutely but Conditionally and out of such belief to obey them not absolutely but conditionally that is with reservation of freedom or libertie when either the truth shall be better discovered then now it is or greater dangers appear then for the present we do suspect The Obedience which we give unto Superiors may be Ex Fide of Faith albeit the points of doctrine or the perswasions out of which we yeeld this obedience be not De Fide No points of Faith or necessary to salvation 9. But a great many well-meaning men there were who shortly after this happy Reformation could not content themselves to stand upon such sure Termes of Contradiction unto the Romish Church as the first Reformers had done but sought in this Point which was indeed above all others to be abhorred to be most extremly Contrary unto her Wherein then doth that Contradiction to the Romish Church wherein the first Reformers of Religion did entrench themselves and wherein doth the Extream Contrarietie whereunto others more Rigid Reformers if they could have effected their Projects would have drawn this Church and Land consist The Romish Church as you heard before did make Unwritten Traditions a Part of the Rule of Faith as soveraign as the written Word of God and did obtrude those observances which had no other warrant then such Tradition as altogether necessary to salvation The First Reformers of this Error were contented to contradict them only in this And their Contradiction is expresly mainteined partly in the Articles of Religion partly in the Book of Consecration of Bishops The Contradiction is This That all things necessary to salvation are contained in Scripture which is all one as to say That the Scripture is the only Rule of Faith Yet did they not for all this utterly reject All use of Tradition or Ceremonies as you may find expressed in the thirty fourth Article in which though Rites and Ceremonies or other customs of the Church be not injoyned in particular as they take for granted by God himself
as immediately from Christ or from God the Father and the Son in the same manner as Saint Peter did though not in the same measure But the Difference of the measure in which we receive it or the difference of our growth in Christ doth not argue a different manner either of our receiving it or of growth by it 7. But is this the worst Practise of the Romish Church that she adds one Article more unto our Creed than Saint Peter knew or taught others to believe or that she makes Peters successors to have a Foundation which he had not If thus she did and no more this were enough to convince her of Grosse Heresie But this one Article of faith or this second foundation of faith which she pretends is of such a transcendent nature that it devours all the rest and doth if not overthrow the First foundation of our faith yet which is all one it draws us from it For as many successions as there be of Popes or of Peters pretended successors so many several foundations there be of their faith which successively adhere unto them Nor are these several or successive foundations either immediately cemented or firmly united to the first Foundation which is Christ or one to another They are as so many Rows or Piles of stone laid one upon another without any juncture or binding than loose sand And all that absolutely unite themselves to the present Romish Church that is to Peters pretended successors must of necessity fall off from the First Foundation Christ God and man and flote with these secondarie foundations to wit Peters succcessors when the floods of temptations do arise The point then to be proved is this That the present Romish Church to wit the present Pope or such as rely upon him as a second or intermediate foundation in this structure cannot possibly be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets they cannot grow up together as living stones firmly united in Christ Jesus as in the Corner-stone Now the proof of this Point is clear because none can be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles unlesse they absolutely believe as they believed and firmly acknowledge that which they have commended unto us in their writings to have been delivered unto them by God himself for so they expressely teach us to believe Believing then as they believed we must believe that albeit the Apostles and Prophets be not the Foundation here meant in the Text yet that they were Master Builders appointed by God for squaring and fitting all that lived with them or that succeeded them for this foundation and that the Rule by which as well the Pastors and Teachers as the people taught by them must be fitted and squared for this foundation is the doctrine of faith conteined in their Writings Both these parts of truth to wit that the Books of the Old and New Testament are their Writings or Dictates and that in these Writings the Doctrine or Rule of Faith is contained must be absolutely believed and taken for unquestionable before any modern pastors in the Church can be fram'd or fashioned to be true stones in this building But no man which absolutely believes the present Romish Church can have any absolute belief that the Old and New Testament or the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets are infallibly true or contain the Word of God The best belief that any Romanist can have is but Conditional and the Condition is this If the present Romish Church to wit the Pope and such as rely upon his authoritie be absolutely infallible and cannot err in matter of faith But it will be Replyed In as much as the Roman Catholicks take it as a Principle most unquestionable that their Church cannot erre they for this reason must beleeve the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets concerning Christ to be infallible and the bookes of the Old and New Testament to conteyne the word of God because the Church their Mother which they firmely beleeve cannot erre doth tell them so or as their owne writers speake because the Church their mother doth Canonize these bookes for the bookes of God This indeed is the chiefe advantage which they Presume their Lay-people have of ours in that they believe the Churches testimony concerning the bookes of God to be infallible and if they beleeve the Church to be in this point infallible they cannot doubt but that these bookes are the word of God But if wee look more narrowly into this mysterie of iniquitie and take their full meaning with us it will further appear that this absolute belief of this present Churches absolute infallibilite doth overthrow or undermine the whole frame of faith For they extend this supposed infallibilitie of the Romish Church so farre and make the belief of it so necessarie that without this fundamentall principle as they say wee cannot infallibly believe or know the bookes of the Old and New Testament to containe in them the word of God And in avouching this it is evident that they leave both the Authoritie of the Apostolical and Prophetical writings and the Authoritie of the Present Church altogether uncertaine so uncertaine that nothing avouched by either of them can be by their doctrine so certain as to become any Foundation of their faith If wee cannot infallibly believe the bookes of the Old and New Testament to be the bookes of God himselfe and of divine Authoritie otherwise then by believing the present Romish Church to be infallible let them tell us how they can possibly believe or prove that the Romish Church or any other Congregation of men hath any such infallible authoritie This authoritie must be either believed or known by light of nature or by Divine Testimonie or Revelation That the infallibilitie of their Church can be known by light of Nature they do not they dare not say For that Peter on whom that Church as they pretend is founded was an Apostle of Christ cannot be known by light of Nature or by sense it cannot be infallibly believed but by Divine Authoritie Revelation or Testimonie By what Divine Testimonie then do they know that Peter was an Apostle or that the Church was to be builded on him or on his successors You know they pretend that place of S. Matthew Chap. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and that of S. Luke Chap. 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail And yet they deny that we can possibly know these words to be the words of God or to have any such meaning as they make of them unlesse we will believe the Churches Authoritie in avouching them to be the words of God and her interpretation of them to be infallible But leaving them wandring in this Round or Circle as we found them long agoe let us further consider the manner how we are built upon Christ the Chief Corner-stone and how we must
and the self same man as if he had been but once created or had continued from his creation without any interruption of his duration or existence This implies no more contradiction in nature then to say that the King may create one and the same man twice Earl or Duke or make him often the same Magistrate The Office or dignity may be the self same albeit there be some vacancie or interruption in the Administration or duration of it As if a man was deposed of his Office and dignity at the end of the first year and restored again at the end of the second year this would imply a diversity of Creation or advancement no diversitie at all in the Office or dignitie unto which the same person is twice advanced Now Gods Power over all his creatures either utterly to annihilate them or to interrupt them in their actuall existence or duration and to create them in the self same or better estate again is farre greater and more Soveraigne then any Princes civill power to advance or depose his subjects or to restore them intirely to their former dignities Admit then That God had resolved the first man Adam into nothing at the very first instant wherein he did eat the forbidden fruit with purpose not to create him again untill the last trumpet shall sound to Judgement the Terrour of that day should make as deep impression in him then first restored to life and sense again as if he had suffered him to live but one day and had called him at even unto Judgment or a final accompt as terrible as in that last day it shall be to all that die in their sins This whole time of vacancy or cessation from actual Being for almost six thousand years would not have seem'd so long to him at his Resurrection as a night past over in a dead sleep is to a malefactor which had murthered his Father in the Evening and is drawn to the execution as soon as he awakes in the morning Thus much of Gods Power in general to raise up the self same men again which have been long dead or by supposition more then dead utterly resolved into nothing Now if we must acknowledge it as an essential Branch of the Almighty Creators Power to be able to raise up or create the self same men again although they had been annihilated or turned to nothing we must needs acknowledge it as a fruit or effect of the same Power to re-unite every mans soul and body again at the last day seeing the soul as Christian Faith doth teach us doth still remain the same it was the body being not utterly annihilated or consumed to nothing but only resolved into dust or into the Elements of which it was first made Sed quomodo inquis dissoluta materia exhiberi potest Consider a temetipsum O homo fidem rei invenies Recogita quid fueris antequà m esses utique nihil meminisses enim si quid fuisses Qui ergo nihil fuer as priusquam esses idem nihil factus cum esse desieris cur non posses esse rursus de nihilo ejusdem ipsius Auctoris voluntate qui te voluit esse ex nihilo Quid novi tibi eveniet qui non eras factus es cumiterum non eris fies Redde rationem si potes quâ factus es tunc require quà Fies Et tamen facilius utique fies quod fuisti aliquando quia aeque non difficile factus es quod nunquam fuisti aliquando Quaecunque te materia destruxerit hauserit aboleverit in nihilum prodegerit reddet te ejus est nihilum ipsum cujus est totum This is the sum of Tertullian's Collections Apolog. cap. 48. 10. This Power of God to create man of nothing and to create every one the self same man he was albeit he had been annihilated or turned into nothing The School Divines of the Romish Church acknowledge and with great subtilty of wit and strength of Argument prove out of the Article of Gods Omnipotencie unto which all Possibilitie meerly Logical or which implies no evident contradiction in nature is alwayes subject and obedient But of This as of most other Orthodoxal Doctrines or Principles of Faith wherein we hold communion and consort with the Roman Church the modern Advocates of that Church the Jesuites especially make a very malicious and Sinister use The most learned amongst the modern Jesuites being pressed by our Writers with the gross absurdities and scandalous inconveniences which necessarily follow upon their doctrine of Transubstantiation or of Christs local Circumscriptive bodily presence in the blessed Sacrament Fly to this doctrine of Gods Almighty Power whereby he is able to create one and the self same Individual Substance again and again as oft as it pleaseth him as to their last Hold and refuge Their only hope is that this General Doctrine being made plausible by them they shall be able to make their quarrel Just not in it self but upon expected advantage if any of our Writers should be so forward as in divers other Cases some have been too forward to deny their Antecedents when as they should Traverse the Inference or conclusions which they labor with subtiltie to infer from plausible and Orthodoxal Premisses Howbeit this Antecedent That God is able to create the self same man or bodily substance again and again and as oft as it shall please him no Protestant Writer to my observation hath yet denied none as I hope will ever deny But such is our adversaries confidence of Christs promise to St. Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail Luke 22. 32. and of the Popes authority as of Peters pretended Successor in this promise that whatsoever doctrine the Pope shall deliver ex Cathedra as he hath done this doctrine of Transubstantiation for a point of Faith they think God bound in Justice to use his absolute and Omnipotent power to make it true For if the Pope or the visible Romish Church could possibly err in this or any other point of faith God by their doctrine should fail in the performance of his former general promise which undoubtedly he will not do so long as he hath power to make his promise good or to make the visible Churches interpretations true and justifiable to the preservation of whose Infallibility he hath as they teach bound himself by solemn promise 11. But The Question betwixt us and them Concerning Christs local or circumscriptive Bodily presence in the Sacrament is not whether God can make one and the same body to be at one and the same time in divers places or whether He can create one and the same body again in every hour or in every place as shall seem good to him But whether it be his will to use this his power Or whether his will thus to do be so fully revealed in Scripture as that we are bound to believe That he doth or will make Christs
he is likewise rewarded according to his Faith We may extend that Saying of our Saviour though spoken then but to one man unto all and every man According to their faith so shall it be done unto them And our Saviour in the Parable next before This Sentence expresly avoucheth that the Final Award or retribution shall be according to Faith Matth. 25. 23. Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. No man shall be rewarded for any Works unless they were the Works of Faith or done in Faith To speak properly it is the Fidelity of our Works or our Fidelity in Working which shall be rewarded As for those Hypocrites against whom St James disputes and from whose Notion or Conceit of Faith the Romish School-men for the most part take their Description of Faith they had altogether as little of Abrahams Faith as they had of Abrahams Works For if they had been partakers of Abrahams faith then as our Apostle infers Gal. 3. 7 They had been the sons of Abraham and if they had been the sons of Abraham they would by our Saviours Inference have done the works of Abraham Such faith as they made brags of could not justifie them because it was a dead and fruitlesse faith devoid of works Such works as the Romish Church doth magnifie in opposition to faith can neither justifie nor receive any Reward because they are no faithful Works but rather like seeming fruits without any Root They put their works upon their faith as we do sweet flowers upon dead Corpses Neither can give life or perfection to others The best Censure that Christian Faith or Charity will permit us to give of their doctrine Concerning the nature of faith and works is This That albeit they all profess to believe that which their Church believes yet the most of them do neither believe nor practise as the Church in these points teacheth Their ignorance in this particular is much better then their knowledge of most of the rest But to conclude the first Position Because some of our Writers exclude all works from the work of Justification some Roman Writers I dare not say all sought to be even with them by excluding faith from sharing with works in the Final Award or retribution For besides this Eagerness of extream Opposition or desire to be contrary unto us it is not imaginable what could move any learned Writer amongst them to Affirm that this final Retribution shall be according to VVorks and Deny it According to Faith 4. About the Second Position there is no Controversie betwixt us and the Romish Church we hold Good works to be as necessary to salvation as they do As necessary according to both Branches of Necessity Necessarie they are Necessitate praecepti and necessarie likewise Necessitate medii necessarie by Precept or duty for God hath commanded us to do them he hath redeemed us to the end that we should serve him in righteousness and holiness But many things which are in this sense necessary in that their Omission doth necessarily include a breach of Gods Commandement and by consequent a sin do not alwayes induce or argue a Forfeiture of our Estate in Grace or utter exclusion from the' Kingdom of heaven For this Reason we say That Good works are necessary not only Necessitate praecepti by way of Command but Necessitate medii as the way and means so necessary to salvation that without the practise of them no man can be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven Through the Omission of Good works many do forfeit that Interest which they truly had in the promises of everlasting Life In the promise it self all that are partakers of the Word and Sacrament all that acknowledge the Word revealed to be the way unto everlasting life have A true Interest Of the pledge or earnest of the blessing promised that is of justifying or sanctifying Grace none are partakers but such as are fruitful in Good works according to the means or abilities which God hath bestowed upon them Whether it be possible for such as are once estated in Grace to give over the Practise of Good works that here we leave to such as desire to exercise their wits in the controversies about Falling from Grace and the rather because we have spoke a word of that Point in the 26. Chapter of this Book Let them determine of the Categorical Affirmative or Negative as they please This Conditional is most certain If it be possible for him that hath Grace or Faith in what measure soever inherent to give over the practise of Good Works he shall thereby forfeit his present estate in Gods promises and defeat his hopes of inheriting the Kingdom of God Whosoever saith our Saviour shall break one of these Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven For I say unto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. Yet did these Scribes and Pharisees many Good Works and made conscience of many Duties which many Precise Ones in our dayes do not trouble their Consciences withal This notwithstanding These Scribes and Pharisees did exclude themselves from the Kingdom of Heaven as here established on earth by leaving other Good Works altogether or for the most part undone which the Law of God did no lesse require at their hands Even the Good Works which they did were not well done by them because they were not done in Faith they never came so near unto the Kingdom of Heaven as to acknowledge Christ for their Lord much lesse to be partakers of those Gifts and Graces of the Spirit which after his Ascension were bestowed on men Nor shall all they which were partakers of those Gifts and which did still acknowledge him for their Lord enter into the Kingdom which is here prepared for such as continue in well doing So saith our Saviour Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom but he that doth c. Many will then say Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out divels and in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Matth. 7. 21 22. 5. But in this place We see the Sentence is not awarded for Positive Works of iniquitie but for Omission of the duties of charitie He saith not Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Because ye have oppressed the poor and stranger or for that ye have robbed the Fatherless and made a prey of
deep touch of Pity or Compassion would raise our spirits to an higher point of service unto Christ then any relief or supply of their bodily wants can amount unto You may if you will for Christs sake be pleased to do it distribute so unto their bodily necessities as you may lay a necessity upon their souls of coming to the ordinary knowledge of Christ and of Gods mercies in him towards man You may by authority put the Precept of our Apostle in execution Such as will not work let them not eat or such as will not work the ordinary works of God that will not labor to be instructed in his fear and in his Laws let them not be partakers of your Bounty and Pity To constrain the poor the halt and lame to enter into the Lords house were a matter easie if as the Law of God and man requires none were permitted to remain amongst us but such as were confined to some certain dwelling or abode where they might live under the inspection or cure as well of Civil as of Ecclesiastick Discipline And consider with your selves I beseech you how either the Civil or Ecclesiastick Magistrate will be able to answer the great King at the last day through whose default whether joyntly or severally many children have been by Baptism received into Christs Church and yet permitted after to live such a roving and wandring life that no Tie can be laid upon them to give an account of their Faith or Christian conversation to any Church or Embassador of Christ But as Bodies while they are in motion are in no place though they pass through many so these wandering Meteors are of no Church though they be in every Church If I should in private perswade You Magistrates to seek some Redress of this Enormitie and blemish to the Government of this place I doubt I should be put off with the Exception to which I could not easily replie That you have better experience then I or others of my opinion or profession have And out of that experience see greater difficulties then we can discern But now having express warrant from our Saviour's words and this Fair opportunitie of Time and Place You must give me leave to reply unto you as an ingenuous and learned Scholar once did to a Christian Emperour which pretended greater difficulties in a good work which he commended to his Princely care then you can do in this Yet a work not all together so necessary nor so acceptable unto God as this work would be In rebus pijs aggrediendis nefas est considerare quantum tu potes sed quantum Deo fidis qui omnia potest Think not when you are about works of Pietie so much of your own Abilitie or weakness but examine how much you relie and trust in Almightie God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we conceive or think CHAP. XXXI MATTH 25. 34. 41. Come ye Blessed of my Father FOR I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirstie Go ye Cursed FOR I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirstie Jansenius his observation and disputation About merit examined and convinced of contradiction to it self and to the Truth The definition of Merit The State of the Question concerning Merit Increase of Grace no more Meritable then the First Grace A Promise made Ex mero motu sine Ratione dati et accepti cannot found a Title to Merits Such are All Gods promises Issues of Meer Grace Mercy and Bountie The Romanists of kin to the Pharisee yet indeed more to be blamed then He. The objection from the Causal Particle FOR made and answered 1. AGainst such as denie the merit of humane works Thus much saith Jansenius an ingenuous and learned Bishop though a Papist is diligently to be observed That Christ in this place deputes this Kingdom to the righteous FOR their works sake hereby giving us to understand that Life Eternal is bestowed upon them FOR their works by which the righteous Merit Life Eternal even as the wicked by their evil works Merit everlasting punishment The only ground or reason of this Assertion is For that our Saviours Form of speech in both Sentences is the same and Causal in both As he saith unto the wicked Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire FOR I was an hungred and you gave me no meat c. ver 41 42. So he saith unto the righteous or them on his Right-hand v. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you FOR I was an hungred and you gave me meat c. Yet least any man should except against him as dissenting from the Doctrine of Christ elsewhere delivered and from the Apostolick and Catholick Church By which Our salvation is ascribed to Gods Grace and mercy he adds this salve to the wound which he had made Non tamen Sic merit is nostris putetur dari vita aeterna c. Let no man think that life eternal is So bestowed upon our merits as All may not be given to the mercie of God from which we have our good works or merits He grants withal That the salvation of the Righteous depends upon Gods Blessing and Predestination upon which likewise their Good works depend Lest any should glory in himself A sin forbidden by Gods Prophet Jer. 9. ver 23. That All then is to be attributed to Gods mercie that no man may glorie in himself or in his works is true Our enemies in this Point being Judges is confessed by our Adversaries even in this place from which they seek to establish Merits And This we may conclude is A Point of Catholick Doctrine taught by Christ Prophets and Apostles stedfastly imbraced by all Reformed Churches and expresly in words acknowledged by the Romish Church With this Point of Catholick Faith we mingle no Doctrine no Opinion which may but questionably pollute or defile it We avoid all occasions of incurring the least suspition of contradicting it and for this cause We abandon the very name of Merit as now it is used or rather abused by the Romish Church Although in some Ages of the Church it were an indifferent and harmlesse Term Mereri importing no more as was shewed Chapter 27. then to Get or Obtain But Merit in the language of the modern Romish Church Est actio cuijustum est ut aliquid detur is An action or work to which something or any thing is due by Rule of Justice Yet doth the Romish Church not only Enjoyn the Use or Familiarity of this Name in this Sense or signification but Require the Assent of Faith unto the Reality Expressed by it 2. The Points then which lie upon that Church to prove if she will acquit her self from polluting the holy Catholick Faith are Two The One That this Doctrine of meriting heaven by works doth not contradict the former part of Catholick doctrine acknowledged by her to wit that
All is to be ascribed to the mercie of God that no man ought to glorie in himself or in his works The other That this Doctrine of merit is taught by the Holy Ghost as either by Christ himself by his Prophets or Apostles for so it must be taught if it be imposed as an Article of Faith although we could not convince it to contradict the Former or any other Article of Faith First then of the state of the Question or Point of Difference betwixt us Secondly Of the Refutation of their Opinions Thirdly The answer to the Objection which they frame out of the Causal Particles in this Text Math. 25. 34 41. 3. That the Doctrine of Merits doth not contradict the Catholick Doctrine which ascribes our salvation wholly to the mercie of God Jansenius seeks to justifie by this One Reason For that the Romish Church doth acknowledge those Good Works wherein she placeth Merits to proceed from the Mercie of God But this speech of his Habemus bona opera a miscricordia Dei By or from the mercies of God we have our Good Works is Indefinite that is It is uncertain how far this man himself or any of his profession do acknowledge Good Works to proceed from the Mercie of God If he had said that All our Good Works are wholly from God this had agreed well with both branches of his Former Conclusion As First That All were to be given to the mercie of God And Secondly That no man might glorie in himself or in his works But if his Speech had been thus farre extended it would have left no room for merits whereas the Doctrine of Merits must have place in all the writings that come from the Roman Press albeit perhaps the Writer himself had assigned them none But if either All our Good Works be not from God or if All of them be from God Quoad Originem only as they are in the Root but not as they are in their Growth and perfection Then there may perhaps some place be left for Merit So much of them as proceeds from our selves and not from God might be accounted our own but yet being ours there is no necessity that God should reward them with everlasting life For the clearer understanding of our adversaries meaning and the State of the Question betwixt us and them we may consider First the Root or Faculty Secondly the Stemme or Habit of meritorious works Thirdly the Fruit or works themselves or the exercise or practise of or according to their Habit. The Root or Facultie whence works truly good do spring as most of the Romish Church now acknowledge is Grace infused And this Infusion of Grace by which men in their Divinity are first justified they acknowledge to be wholly from God And in that they acknowledge the First Grace or Root of Good Works to be wholly from Gods mercie they consequently deny that it can be merited 'T is a Maxim in their modern Schools as we shewed before that Fundamentum meriti non cadit sub merito The Foundation of merits cannot be merited And this Foundation of merits is the First Grace by which man is first justified But after this Grace be once infused the Use of it depends upon mans Free-will He that useth this Talent well or not amiss shall have more given him This Overplus the Romish Church ascribes to the Merit of Works And by the habitual and constant use of Grace and Free-will Life Eternal it self by their Doctrine may be properly merited We acknowledge that whosoever doth not hide the Talent of Grace but imploys it aright shall certainly receive increase of Grace from God and be partaker of joy according to the measure of his Works though not For his Works sake or for his right use of Grace 4. We say the Increase of Grace is no more from any Works or Merits of Works then the First Grace it self is The inheritance of Eternal Life can no more be purchased by the fullest measure of Grace or greatest perfection of Works that in this life can be attained unto then the First Grace can be purchased by Works That the First Grace is not given for our Works is not procured by them the Romish Church now acknowledgeth This beginning of Grace or foundation of merits they confesse that they receive from the sole blessing or Predestination of God And so say we All increase of Grace the Preparation of this Kingdom for us our Preparation to be capable of it our admission into it are the Effects likewise of Gods Predestination and the Fruits of his mercy Yet not so as that his Mercie or Predestination doth impose any necessity upon the men for whom this Kingdom is prepared We deny not a Freedom of will in this Preparation but the Merit of our Free-will A Freedom of will we have to neglect or despise the ordinary means by which Grace is bestowed A Freedom likewise to hide or not imploy those Talents or blessings which God hath already bestowed upon us If we do evil or imploy these Talents amiss the evil is wholly our own the miscarriage is wholly our own If we do well or imploy them aright This is Gods Work and not ours or not so ours as that we may hence challenge any Reward as due unto us No man can do well unless he be enabled first by God to do well and the more he is enabled by Gods Gifts and Graces bestowed upon him the more he is bound to God Nor can we ever in this life be so thankful unto God for Gifts already received as we ought to be The least increase of Grace after the First Grace given exceeds the greatest measure of our service or thankfulness if we could impartially esteem or rate them by their proper worth or weight So that the more Grace we receive from God or the better our Works are the more still we are indebted to him that inables us to work and as our debt to him increaseth so our Title to Merit any thing at his hands questionlesse decreaseth To conclude then That which creates a new Title of bond or debt unto God from us cannot possibly be the Ground-title of merits that is Of any debts or dues from God to us But Grace not the First Grace only but all increase of Grace doth still create or found a new Title of Debt from us to God Therefore Neither the First Grace nor any increase of Grace can be Fundamentum meriti any Foundation or Ground-title unto merits But rather seeing Merits include a Debt or due from God to us he that most aboundeth in Grace which is the Free Gift of God will be most ready to disclaim all Merits 6. But if Works it may be some of the Romish Church will say cannot deserve Everlasting Life in themselves or as they are wrought by us yet may they deserve it in as much as God hath promised Life eternal to all
pamphlets Schismatical and Seditious books find no where better welcome or entertainment then in this Town And wise men I hope will account it a work of charitie rather then of crueltie to take Rats-bane from children albeit they should long after it more greedily then after any wholsom meat Or if any be so stubborn as not to part with this poison by gentle perswasions the only Remedie must be to exclude them from communicating with others in the food of life For us Dearly beloved let us in the bowels of Christ Jesus I beseech you content our selves with the Reformation already established by Authority It is no time to sally out against the Adversary in single bands or scattered companies but rather with the joynt forces of our united affections of prayers and endeavours either to batter the Foundation of their Churches wals or manfully to defend our own keeping our selves within the bounds whereunto authoritie hath confined us The common Adversaries of the Truth which we professe want no strength of wit or weapons of Art to work upon all advantages which our ignorance negligence indiscretion or dissension may present unto them And this one great advantage they have of us that we for the most part fight as it were every man upon his own head without the advice or appointment of our chief Leaders and Commanders So do not our Adversaries they have the perfect Discipline of War And I cannot but approve his wish That either they had our vine or we their fence And it is a Rule to be observed aswell in spiritual warfare as in any others yea most especially in it Arma tenenti Omnia dat qui justa negat By denying that to our Adversaries whereto they have fair Title out of Gods Word or out of Venerable Orthodoxal Antiquitie we shall but betray the true Cause which we maintain against them in main and Fundamental Points which if we would wisely maintein them are most defensible Observe I beseech you what hath been said unto you and the God of wisdom and of peace give you understanding in all things profitable to your Salvation CHAP. XXXIX The Third Sermon upon this Text. ROMANS 2. 1. Therefore Thou art inexcusable O man c. A Romish Error breeding Doubt of Salvation charged upon its proper evident Ground viz Their making The Intention of A Bishop Essentially necessarie to the Consecration of A priest And the Intention of a Priest so necessary that no Sacrament can be without it The Error of The Contrarij Teaching a Preposterous immature Certaintie of Salvation The Right Mean betwixt or cure of these extremities prescribed unto us by our Reformers of Blessed memorie contained in the Publick Acts of The Church 1. ANother Doctrinal Point there was mainteined by the Romish Church when our Fathers departed from it which required Reformation And this Point contains all the several Tenets of that Church which did occasion or nurse Doubt of Salvation or Perplexity of Conscience in every private man so often as he should examine his Estate in Grace his hopes or Interest in Gods mercy or promises to all First then by Gods assistance Of the General Error or that branch of it which especially required Reformation Secondly Of the Contrary Error or Inconveniencies into which many by Curiositie of Reformation have run Thirdly Of the True Mean or Orthod oxal Doctrine which the Reformers of our Church did hold and maintain and have delivered unto us in the Publick Acts of the Church approved and ratified by the General Consent of this Kingdom The Error of the Romish Church was Doubt of Salvation with This Error that Church hath been often charged by all the best writers of Reformed Churches But sometimes or by some men in those Churches not upon so Evident Ground as it might be charged For some there be which charge this Error directly upon their Tenet concerning The Nature of Faith or Hope But for their Defence if we joyn issue with them upon those Terms they have more to say then they can have if we charge this Error upon their Doctrine concerning The Intention of the Priest in the Administration of the Sacraments By whose hidden vertue Faith and Hope are begotten and increased For how much soever they may seem to magnifie The Sacraments of the New Testament in respect of the Sacraments of the Law as that they conferre Grace upon the receivers of them Ex Opere operato by the very Sacramental action which the Sacraments of the Law did not Yet all this being granted no man can be more certain of his Estate in Grace then he is of the good Intention of the Priest which administred the Sacraments Now this Assurance or perswasion of the Priests Intention can be no sure Ground of Faith truly Christian 2. The Sacrament of Baptism they hold to be absolutely necessary unto Salvation and that All such infants as die without Baptisme are excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven And yet they hold withall that Unlesse the Priest when he comes to Baptize any Infant do intend to do what the Church appoints him to do the Baptisme is invalid or of none effect albeit he use the Formal Words of Baptisme and apply the Sacramental element to the body of the Infant presented by the solemn prayers of the Church or Congregation present Besides the solemn Pronunciation of the Words I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and the washing of the body in water there must be Interior mentis intentio the internal Intention of the Priests minde must joyntly concur with the Word and Sacrament or rather with the Holy Ghost for producing the Invisible Grace or Gift of the Spirit which is the proper Effect of the Sacrament So that how well soever the Parents the Friends and neighbours assembled demean themselves at or before the performance of this Sacred Act yet every Infant brought to the Sacred Laver may be Two Wayes remedilesly prejudiced by the Priest to the ruine of its soul or losse of salvation First It may be deprived of the fruit or benefit of this Sacrament which is by their Doctrine absolutely necessary to salvation by the meer negligence or carelesnesse of the Priest as in Case he forget in heart or mind to intend his dutie of doing that which the Church in like Case usually doth or appoints to be done whatsoever else he do or say all is nothing it is no Baptisme Secondly The Infant may be so far prejudiced as is said by the malice or impietie of the Priest As in Case he be so wickedly disposed as secretly to subtract or withdraw his Intention by any interposed condition or Limitation though not expressed the Baptisme is invalid or of no effect To give you One of their own Instances or Ruled Cases If one should come to one of their Priests and request him to baptize such a mans child naming his Parents and
for conferring the Order of the Priesthood and for the efficacie of the Sacrament of Confirmation Secondly The Necessitie of the ordinarie Priests Intention in administring the Sacrament of Baptism of the Lords Supper and of Extreme Unction we need not be afraid or ashamed to Charge their Doctrine in making the Intention of the Priest or Minister of the Sacrament to be an Essential part of the Sacrament with nursing a perpetual distrust or doubt not only of salvation or perseverance in Grace but with distrust or Doubt whether men have the ordinary Meanes for attaining unto the First or Second Grace For of these Meanes they can be no more certain no better assured then they are of the Priests Intention 6. The Second Point which I undertook to shew you was How some in Reformed Churches by seeking the Cure of this maladie to wit Doubt or distrust of salvation by the Contrary did conceive a doctrine which either nurseth a Doubt or distrust not of salvation only but of meanes necessarie unto it as bad or worse then the former Doubt of the Romish Church or else occasioneth a Presumption in many which is worse then both The doctrine which they conceived to be the fittest medicine for curing the Romish Maladie to wit distrust or Doubt of salvation was The Certainty or Assurance of salvation That Fides was Fiducia That Faith did include a certainty of salvation which if every man could assume none should Doubt or distrust of salvation Mistake me not I pray as if I did absolutely deny or condemn this Doctrine which I acknowledge to be wholsome and true in its Time and Place I only mislike the mis-placing or mis-application of this Truth As he said Beneficia male collocata male facta arbitror Good offices evil bestowed part-take more of evil Turns then of good deeds So may I say That the mis-placing of Truth is oft-times more dangerous then a gross Error But how or wherein hath this Doctrinal Truth concerning The Certaintie or Full Assurance of Faith been mis-placed by some Writers of Reformed Churches In this especially That they have taught or maintained this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Full Assurance or Certitudo Fidei which is somewhat more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be as Essential to the Nature of Faith of that Faith which distinguisheth a Christian from an Infidel or a Faithful man from a Reprobate as the Intention of the Priest is by the Doctrine of the Romish Church to the Essence or efficacie of the Sacrament Such an Essential Propertie would they have This Certaintie of salvation to be of true Faith that whosoever doth truly believe must be Certain of his salvation and whosoever is not certain of his salvation is no true Believer And to this Point or purpose that Saying of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 5. hath been alleged by many Know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates The former Extent of this Certaintie of salvation to All true Believers did give the forest blow to Reformed Religion that ever it received a wound more grievous than all our Adversaries could have given it had not her friends and lovers given them this Advantage Now this Negative or Exclusive Interpretation of this place of St. Paul as if all were Reprobates or without hope which one time or other after meanes of salvation have been offered cannot assure themselves of their present estate in Grace or Salvation hath more deeply wounded the Consciences of private men then the consciousness of all their other mis-deeds or practises And the Doctrine is for this reason the more to be misliked for that it specially wounds such as are of an humble and dejected spirit and most afraid to offend God either by unbelief or by misdeeds 7 Both parts of my Conclusion to wit That This Doctrine admitteth either Doubt of salvation or Presumption will be made clear or cast upon you from the Confluence of these two Errors mentioned The One which makes The Certaintie of Salvation an Essential or reciprocal Property of Faith The Other which ranks all that have not this Assurance or Certaintie in the state or condition of Reprobates which is indeed but a Branch of another usual Error of which I must request and admonish you to beware in whomsoever you find it of them Who divide all mankind without Limitation into two ranks into sheep or goats Reprobates Though this be in due time and place most true yet it is a truth much mis-placed if we make this Division of all men before the hour of death or day of Judgment But you expect a clear Explication of the manner how these Two Opinions nurse either a Doubt of Salvation or Presumption which is worse then Doubt Take it then Thus. If it were a Truth to be taught or if it be taken as true That whosoever doth not attain unto the Certaintie of Salvation is none of the Elect or That of all mankind the one sort is irrevisibly ordained to life the other irreversibly ordained to death Then All such as have heard the Word preached and received the Sacraments and are not as yet assured that they are in the Estate of Grace or number of the Elect must of necessitie doubt whether there be any possibility left for them to attain unto such an Estate or whether they be not in the number of Reprobates I know the usual Reply to this Objection is That albeit some men be irreversibly appointed to death eternal before they be made part-takers of life temporal yet because it is unknown unto us who they be that be thus ordained or appointed therefore we must preach the Word and administer the Sacraments indifferently to all whom we see willing to hear the Word or receive the Sacraments But all this doth no way diminish the former Doubt or distrust in most hearers for if it still be true as the former Doctrine supposeth that some men the farre greater part of men which hear the Word preached are irreversibly ordained to death every man which as yet apprehends not his own estate in Grace or his Ordination to life eternal cannot be Certain must still doubt whether he be or ever shall be in the number of them which are or shall be irreversibly ordained to life The Romish Church did never deny but that the Priest may actually or virtually intend to do what the Church appoints him to do when he administreth the Sacraments And yet in as much as they teach withall That if he do not intend to do as the Church of Christ appoints him to do the Sacramental Act is void we hence justly charge their doctrine with breeding or nursing continual Distrust or Doubt of Salvation But if we withdraw or substract the Intention or purpose of God or of Christ from concurring with the Word and Sacrament which we exhibit unto all or from concurring with any part or the
place of Sacramental eating and drinking was because they saw no possibilitie how to maintain the peremptorie decrees of the Councels of Constance and Basil concerning Communion under one kind if the words of our Saviour ver 53. of this Chapter be to be understood of Sacramental eating and drinking For it is granted by all that the Consecrated bread is Sacramentally his Bodie not his Blood and that the Cup is Sacramentally his Blood not his Bodie And yet our Saviours words are express Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you So that all which hope to have life must Sacramentally drink his blood aswel as eat his flesh if this place be meant of Sacramental eating That evasion which most oâ—â— modern Priests and Jesuites use for eluding rather then answering this Objection was too palpable in the Judgement of these two great Divines as it since hath seemed to others of that Church which yet maintain that the former words of our Saviour are to be understood of Sacramental eating Christs flesh and drinking Christs blood The evasion of modern Priests and Jesuits is that he which Sacramentally receives Christs Bodie under the shape or form of Sacramental bread doth with it receive his blood per Concomitantiam by way of concomitancie because there is blood conteined in his bodie which they thus receive But this cannot satisfie any Romish Divine which understands himself or the ancient Doctrine which that Church pretends to follow For this device of receiving Christs blood in the bread per concomitantiam was but a late invention little above 200. years before Jansenius or Hessels lived And the newnesse of this imagination or invention which was generally applauded in the Romish Church in his time was one special motive why that Reverend Pastor of Blessed memorie Mr. Gilpin did disclaim the Romish Churches Doctrine in the Point of Transubstantiation as Bishop Tunstall his Uncle before him had done Secondly Admitting the bread were turned into Christs very bodie and after this conversion had blood in it as truly as flesh and bones yet all this would not salve the literal sense of our Saviours words in the 53 d verse if the eating and drinking which he there speaks of were Sacramental For suppose a man should feed upon raw flesh or upon flesh which had visible or material blood in it we might say indeed that he did eat blood per concomitantiam by way of concomitancie because the flesh which he eats had blood in it But no man would say That he did drink blood per concomitantiam For eating and drinking are two distinct acts and incompatible at one and the same time He that eateth flesh with blood in it doth not eat the flesh and drink the blood whilest he only eats but eats both together the one as principal the other as an appurtenance if he eat as a man and not as Swine do draugh which is no more an eating then a drinking Or if a man should drink blood mingled with some small portions of flesh we might say He did drink flesh by way of Concomitancie but no man would say that he did eat blood per concomitantiam albeit there were flesh in the blood which he drinks for he drinks both together he doth not eat either And for these reasons Pope Innocent expressely denies that he which eats Christs bodie whilst he only eats it doth drink his blood In his fourth Book Myster Evangel Legis ac Sacramenti Eucharist Chap. 21. Edit Venet. in quarto 8. The only refuge which the most learned in the Romish Church since Jansenius and Hessels dyed have found out for answering the former Objection of Reformed Writers is That the words of our Saviour Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man And drink his blood ye have no life in you are to be Expounded disjunctively as thus Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man Or drink his blood ye have no life in you The use or Corollarie of this Exposition is That if Christian people do Sacramentally Either eat Christs flesh Or drink his Blood as they ought that is with due preparation this will suffice seeing as they pretend there is no Divine precept which enjoynes all Christian People Sacramentally to receive Christs bodie and blood under both kindes Nor all Priests but only such as do Officiate or Consecrate The precept of Institution Bibite ex hoc omnes Drink ye all of this was punctually directed as they alledg to our Saviours Apostles only who were at this time made Priests and authorized to minister Christs bodie and blood after his death Yet were they not by their leave at this time Sacerdotes conficientes Our Saviour Christ himself did Consecrate both the Bread and Wine the Apostles were as much inferior to him as the meanest Lay-people are to the greatest Priest in the Romish Church to the Pope or summus Pontifex himself But the further Discussion of this Point belongs more properly to the words of the Institution The other Point of expounding et by vel or of shuffling in Or for And belongs to the Cognizance of the 53 and 56. verses To justifie this exposition Cardinal Tollet would perswade us That St Johns Greek Text is full of Hebraismes and there is nothing more familiar with Moses or with other sacred Hebrew writers then to use And for Or Et for Vel. And he brings divers instances to this purpose As for example that in Exod. 21. 17. He that curseth father And mother shall surely be put to death So it is word for word in the Hebrew and yet our English Translation as well as the Vulgar Latin renders the Original thus He that curseth father Or mother shall surely be put to death And it would be an ungodly Evasion for any Magistrate not to censure him as a transgressour of this Law which curseth his father albeit he do not curse his mother or which curseth his mother albeit he do not curse but rather blesse his father But must the true interpretation of such as are to judge according to this Law be derived from the peculiar phrase or dialect of the Hebrews No this was Cardinal Tollet's Errour for the Rule of Interpretation so the matter or circumstance be the same would hold as true in any dialect or language whatsoever The Question then is What certain general Rule we have when or in what cases the conjunctive particle And doth produce this or the like disjunctive sense or may warrant this or the like Exposition of this Law He that curseth father And mother shall surely die that is he which curseth Either father Or mother shall surely die For the like Exposition the Rules are Two One General and infallible Rule is this Whensoever the particle And doth couple not two parts of one and the same proposition but two intire propositions together That which is thus conjunctively affirmed of
seek to hide our souls from the view of others albeit we cannot discern the inward stain or filth of sin but are rather in love with her painted pleasures But when he shall appear that knew no sin in himself and yet knows all the secrets of mans heart it is no vail of flesh no die of nature no covering of the visage with bloud that will avail such as continue to do those things whereof they are or ought to be ashamed or which they are afraid that others should see or know They shall then desire the Hils for a vail and the Rocks and Mountains for a covering to their shame but in vain for perpetual darkness shall be their habitation and their present shame and confusion of face shall then appear to be the harbinger or fore-runner of death CHAP. XIX ROMANS 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed c. We are many wayes ingaged to serve God rather then to serve sin though sin could afford us as much fruit and reward as God doth But there is no proportion no ground of Comparison betwixt the fruits of sin and the Gift of God The Case stated betwixt the voluptuous sensual life and the life truly Christian Satans method And Gods method A Complaint of the neglect of Grace 1. THe Scope of our Apostles whole discourse in this Chapter is to deter us from the service of sin and by the help of Super-abounding Grace and Hope of an exceeding great Reward both to encourage and engage our best Endeavors unto the service of God His Motion or Argument was reasonable albeit sin or he that is the Author of sin were able to afford us as much fruit or as full a recompence as the service of God doth There is no man amongst us of this Church I presume but doth abhor the Heresie of the Manichees which was in part this that we were beholding to another God for our bodies then unto Him which made our souls Yet if their abominable doctrine were for disputation sake supposed as true We could not be by any right so ingaged unto the service of this imaginary god as unto the service of the True God which made our souls and doth purifie them by his Word and Sacraments For we are not debters to the flesh but unto the God of the Spirits of all Flesh we are Debtors indeed unto the only God which made both our bodies and souls and spirits He may challenge our service by double right First by the right of Creation which we had shamefully violated by alienating our Allegeance unto his Enemy Secondly by right of Redemption for he that made us all hath redeemed us all and if we continue servants unto sin we do not only violate that antient or former Bond which we owed unto him by right of Creation but that second Bond whereby we stand bound unto him by right of redemption And transgressors we should be and most unthankful wretches if we did not cheerfully and sincerely betake our selves unto his service albeit the reward or recompence which he hath promised and will perform were but equal to the fruits or pleasures of sin But the truth is that so far they are from all equalitie that there is No Proportion between them The wages of sin are lesse then nothing compared to the reward of righteousnesse which is more then all things else that can befal us For not to Be at all never to have had any Being were better then to suffer the death here meant So that death and life especially everlasting death and everlasting life cannot come into any Ballance That which is worse then nothing or not Being so is everlasting death cannot be compared with any thing that is Good much less with the perfection of goodness such is everlasting life which containeth all goodness whereof we can imagine our nature to be capable 2. The only Comparison then must be between the service of sin and the service of righteousness in respect of our present estate or during the time of this mortal life And so if you mark it our Apostle hath Two Motives to withdraw us from the service of sin and Two to draw us to the service of righteousness The first Motive to withdraw us from the service of sin is that it is fruitless and shameful for the present The First Motive again to sway us unto the service of righteousness is the present fruit which we have unto Holiness and between these two there may be some Comparison if we sequester them from the other two to wit from life and death everlasting To sequester the service of righteousness altogether from the hope of everlasting life or the service of sin altogether from the fear of everlasting death is a thing if not impossible yet not warrantable as was shewed before in the tenth Chapter For those things which God hath conjoyned man may not sever Yet we may so far sever them as God permitted them to be severed in the wiser Heathen The very Heathens felt a kind of Compunction or sting of conscience upon the commission of grossers sins which did suggest a kind of tacit fear but of what evil to come they expresly knew not They had again a kind of joy or Grateful Testimonie or congratulation of spirit or conscience upon the practise of things honest and comely And this joy did kindle a secret hope or incouragement to go forwards in those courses but it burst not out into a flame it wanted the light or guidance of divine truth For both this fear and this hope they had without any express hope of everlasting life or express fear of everlasting death However the wiser or more moderate sort of them did prefer the practise of vertue or such pietie as they knew before the wonted pleasures of this life Yet this their greatest Philosophers did not do without the Contradiction of such as were given over to bodily pleasures And this opposition of sensual men may seem to have some Ground of Reason even from the Rule of Faith it self if we had no more express hopes of everlasting life or more distinct fear of everlasting death then they had For shall we not think that the estate of Dives was much better then the estate of Lazarus in this life wherein Dives received pleasure and Lazarus pain Now pleasure is much better then pain And if such a life as Dives here led afforded pleasure how was it Fruitless specially in respect of Lazarus his life which was full of pain Indeed in respect of a life so charged with pain as Lazarus's was or with such vexations and dangers as the life of Saint Paul and other more eminent Saints of God in the primitive Church were That Saying of our Apostle is most true 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ then are we of all men most miserable His meaning is That if bodily
temporal A mountain of gold could not have swayed so much with St. John as thirty pieces of Silver did with Judas so unequally was the balance of his heart set that this small sum being put as it were in the one scale did over-poize his Lord and Master who was the fountain of all spiritual Graces being put in the other scale It was not then the weight of the money but the Excesse of his desire and propension to money which made him so foully to miscarry The whole art or skill of a Christian consists in these two points First In examining or finding out the strength or sway of his affections unto things temporal And secondly In abating or weakning their strength or in weaning his soul from such desires This is that which the Scripture cals the Circumcision of the heart and that is no other then a putting off of all superfluous or impertinent desires or a lopping or limiting of our natural desires that they extend not beyond our compasse A Grain of Faith or spiritual Grace may sway more in a man of moderate desires then an Ounce of the same faith or Grace can do in a man of immoderate or vast desires The first fruit of Grace is to moderate our desires or affections this is the only way to become rich in Faith and rich in Grace Thus much the heathen Philosopher had observed that the way to be truly rich was not to make continual addition to our wealth or coyn but by substraction or abatement of our desires of it Unless we use the same Method in matters spiritual we can have no certaintie of our salvation no assurance of our setled Estate in Grace albeit our apprehensions of Eternal Life through Christ be quick and lively albeit our zeal to the professors of the truth be strong and servent Though it be most true which St. John saith that Greater is he which is in us then he which is in the world that is Christ Jesus is much stronger then the Divel yet unless we hold our desires and propensions to things temporal within compass and keep our selves within the bounds which he hath set us we have no assurance of his protecting of us against his adversary who is much stronger then we are or can be without his special Protection But say we have set a short period to our desires of things temporal and brought our natural affections into a tolerable subjection unto the spirit of Grace Are we hereby freed from danger or from suffering prejudice in our spiritual Tast of Eternal Life No! Besides that moderation of our natural desires or affections in which The forsaking of all that we have consists there is required a Perpetual watchfulness over all our wayes we must carefully look to every particular step For as a Judicious Divine hath well observed albeit he which is thus far a Christian in heart be endowed with the extraordinary Graces of the spirit be like a man of an able and active body well armed and skilfull in the use of his weapons yet even such a man may quickly take the foile if his adversary encounter him upon a slippery ground For this reason as there must be An Habitual for saking of all that we have lest otherwise our own concupiscences do tempt and betray us so there must be a perpetual watchfulnesse to prevent all advantages which the great tempter never ceaseth to seek out against us hence is that other precept of our Saviour so often inculcated by himself and by his Apostles Be sober and watch watch and pray continually c. Without sobriety there can be no watchfulnesse And this sobrietie consists not only in the moderation of our meat and drink or other pleasure of the sense but in the government of our very thoughts and speeches It includes a maturitie of Judgement and deliberation in all our resolutions and undertakings It is no lesse opposed to restless or hasty furious passion then to habitual excesse in any other kind whatsoever For Celeritas semper malis conatibus addit a Comes Unruly or prodigious Acts are for the most part ushered by rashness A lesser weight if it move swiftly or be violently thrown will sway more and give a greater blow then a far greater weight which moveth slowly or with lesse violence The swiftness of Motion or violent passions will mis-sway our inclinations or propensions though in themselves moderate as far as the setled weight of an habituate inclination or Custome Now albeit we be commanded to be sober and watch to watch and pray continually yet this being an Affirmative Precept Obligat semper non ad semper though it alwayes binds us yet it doth not bind us to all times alike The due observance of it is more specially required at those times which are set a part by Gods law as the Sabbath is or at those times which are by the Church consecrated for religious meditations and performances such as is this instant time of Lent if I should term it the Holy Time of Lent I should with some men incur the censure of superstition seeing all times are alike holy Be it so if we consider them in themselves yet the time of Lent being sequestred or set apart by the Church those feastings or merry meetings which in the season of Joy lately past were not unlawful if the like should be practised or exercised in it would convince the practisers of prophanness I know there is a Doctrinal Error too well entertained in many parts of this Kingdom which much hinders the due observance of this Time but so it doth the performance of many other necessary duties The Error is this That humane Lawes or Lawes Ecclesiastick made by the Church do not bind the Conscience his Doctrine hath been maintained by some worthy and Orthodox Pastors in this Church without any Error if their meaning were rightly conceived But what they conceive not amisse is so expressed that it hath occasioned many to erre foully not in Doctrine only but in Practise Their meaning I know is no more then this That no man doth sin or wound his Conscience but by transgressing some Law of God This in Thesi is most true Yet let me request you to remember or consider what hath been told you before in the controversie between us and the Romish Church concerning Christian Obedience and Loyaltie to Princes that however no man can sin but by transgressing Gods Lawes yet an Ecclesiastick or humane Law being made this year for restraint of our liberty in things indifferent may make the same Act or practise to be a transgression of Gods Law which the year or years before had been no transgression of it But the Law concerning the observation of Lent as well in respect of dyer as of frequenting the house of God is not of this or the last years standing it hath the warrant and custome of the Ancient Church and the highest authoritie of this
final sentence is the true cause why the wicked are excluded from all benefit of it The performance of the same works as feeding of the hungry visitation of the sick c. is the Instrumental cause or means subordinate to the Principal cause why Christs sheep are suffered or admitted to enjoy the benefit of the same free Pardon but no cause at all why the Pardon was proclaimed or why the Kingdom of Heaven was prepared for them For that was prepared for them from the Foundation of the world before they had any Actual Being before they could merit any thing at the hands of men much lesse at the hand of God either de Congruo or de Condigno For all merit supposeth some precedent work and every work or operation presupposeth Actual Being 7. But how freely soever the General pardon be issued out or the Kingdom of Heaven be either promised or really bestowed and it is as freely bestowd or given as it is promised the free gift or bestowing of it is so far from excluding all Qualifications in the parties on whom it is freely bestowed that it necessarily requires a sincere performance of those good duties which are specified in the Final sentence Come ye blessed of my Father for I was an hungry and you gave me meat c. Now if to suffer stub born malefactors to enjoy the benefit of a gracious Pardon cannot stand with the Majestie of an earthly Prince much lesse can it stand with the infinite Majestie of the Eternal Judge to permit impenitent sinners to enjoy the benefit and the full redemption purchased by Christ or to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Both because no unclean thing can enter there and because as the Redemption is a Redemption from the service of sin to the service of righteousness so the Pardon is only a Pardon to such as repent and forsake the Sin Pardoned This answer to their later Topick or Frame of Arguments for our Admission into Eternal Life drawn from the Causal Form of speech will bring forth a punctual Answer to the other General Head or Root of Arguments taken from those places of Scripture wherein is said that We are accounted worthy of Eternal Life For in all the places alledged by them This Phrase or form of speech To be worthy includes no more then then to be so qualified as we shall not be accounted Unworthy of Gods mercy or free Pardon through Jesus Christ All that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven must be such as Deus dignabitur that is such as God shall vouchsafe or deign to accept in mercy or not accompt altogether Unworthy of his Free Pardon purchased by the merits of Christ or of the benefits of it which are alwayes actually bestowed not only For Christs merits but in Christ and through Christ that is as freely bestowed without any merits of ours as they were first promised The Greek writers especially their Ecclesiastick writers who most accurately follow the true sense and Character of the New Testament which was first written in Greek accurately distinguish betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this purpose there is an Ecclesiastick Canon in the Greek Church which commends the ingenuity of such as shall acknowledge themselves be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as we say not worthy of the dignities whereto they are preferred But if any man should say he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Unworthy of such preferment the Canon takes it as a presumption that he is not to be admitted unto it or as a part of Conviction that he deserves to be deprived of it Now to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the language of the Holy Ghost is somewhat more then to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be in no wise worthy of the preferment which he seekes for or enjoyes This is the phrase which Paul and Barnabas use unto the stubborn Jews Acts 13. 46. But seeing you put the word of God from you and Judge your selves to be Unworthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of eternal life Lo we turn unto the Gentiles These Jews then to whom they spake were unworthy that is altogether Uncapable of Eternal Life whereof the Gentiles were in this sense thus far Worthy that they were not altogether Uncapable of that free mercy and Pardon which was first tendred to the Jews And this exclusion of the Jews and admission of the Gentiles unto everlasting life or unto the means or pledges of it was but the accomplishment of our Saviours Parable Matth. 22. ver 8. Then saith He to his servants the wedding is ready but they which were bidden were not Worthy And it is worth your nothing that in Two of Cardinal Bellarmines forecited Allegations the One Luke 20. ver 25. The Other 2 Thess 1. 4. is said not such as are Worthy but such as shall be or are accompted Worthy of everlasting life that is such as shall be so accompted or accepted not for their own sake or for their merits but so accompted and accepted for and through the merits of Christ or for his imputed righteousness for to say That Christs righteousness is imputed to us is all one as to say his righteousnesse shall go upon our accompt or that we shall not be uncapable of his Merits For the word to Impute is as much in strict propriety of speech as to be admitted upon an accompt Thus much of the Objections made by the Romish Church and of the Answers unto them which was the First General proposed 8. The Second was The Confirmation of the Doctrine joyntly maintained by all reformed Churches which for the present we shall confirm from One place of Scripture only besides the Words of the Text Rom. 6. 23. and that is Rom. 8 18. I reckon saith the Apostle or I give it up as upon an account that the sufferings of this present time are Not Worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us If any Works of men Regenerate were Meritorious or Worthy of Eternal Life These by our adversaries confession should be the sufferings of Holy Martyrs specially of such Glorious Martyrs as St. Paul was Yet These he saith are not Worthy to be compared unto or are of no Worth in respect of the glory that shall be revealed in us But if the precious names of those in Sardis that is the Saints there were to walk with God Because they were Worthy how shall the sufferings of St Paul or of St. Peter be held Unworthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no wise Worthy or most unworthy of the glory which was to be revealed in them For this includes as much if not somewhat more then to walk with Christ The Answer is ready The Sufferings of the Saints were not Unworthy in respect of Gods Free Grace or Mercie not Unworthy of enjoying the benefit of his
it is then a continuance or Overplus of this abundant mercy to increase this Grace of Adoption in us yearly dayly and hourly Lastly to crown this continuance of his Grace and mercy towards us with an Everlasting Kingdom is but an abundant excess of the same mercy and loving kindness out of which he first promised the Grace of Adoption and dayly increased it Si merita nostra aliquid facerent ad damnationem nostram veniret Non venit ille ad inspectionem meritorum sed ad remissionem peccatorum Non fuisti et factus es Quid Deo dedisti malus fuisti et liberatus es Quid Deo dedisti Quid non ab eo gratis accepisti merito et Gratia nominatur quia gratis datur Briefly in that Gods Mercie and Goodnes is absolutely infinite it can admit of no External Motive or inducement either for bestowing the First Grace upon us or for increasing it or for the perpetuation of it we may deserve or merit the withdrawing of his mercies from us or the decrease of his blessings but deserve or merit their increase we cannot for merit supposeth more then a motive or inducement it necessarily includeth a Tie or Obligement whereas no obligement or inducement can be laid upon infinite goodness whose continuation and increase is likewise successively infinite without all period or restraint unto all such as do not merit or provoke the substraction or diminution of it 8. Difference in this point of merit between the doctrine of the modern Romish Church and the doctrine or rather the conceipt of the Pharisee I for my part could never conceive any save only secundum magis et minùs A difference of defect and Excess The nature and qualitie of their opinions and conceipts is the same The excess of pride or self conceipt of their own works and of their worth is on the Romanists part not on the Pharisees The Pharisees mere wen of more strict life then most either of the Romish or Reformed Churches now living be They abstained from many Enormities in which the Publicans with whom they lived did wallow They were zealous followers of many Good works which the Publicans did not so much as approve much less practise least of all practise with zeal and constancie But were they therefore nearer to the Kingdom of heaven here promised or were they more justified by their works then the Publicans were which did not work The Parable of the Pharisee and Publican Luke 18. doth witness the contrary I tell you saith our Saviour verse 14. this man went down unto his house rather justified then the other to wit the Pharisee What was it then that made the Pharisee more uncapable of justification then the Publican want of works No! As he alledgeth and no man could disprove his allegation He fasted twice in the week and gave Tithe of all that ever he possest What then Only The opinion of merits or over-weening conceipt of the worth of these his Positive works or of his abstinence from grosse and mortal sins But it may be he ascribed all this to His own Free-Will not to the favour and grace of God Not so For if we compare him with the modern Papists in this Point we are bound in conscience to pronounce the same sentence of them that our Saviour did of the Pharisee and the Publican The Pharisee that very Pharisee which our Saviour said was less justified then the Publican is more justifiable then any modern Romanist which beleeves the doctrine of merits as now it is taught or despiseth our Church as less holy then the Church of Rome for denying the merit of works For even this Pharisee albeit he thought himself a great deal better then the Publican yet did he not ascribe this to himself or to his Free-will for so he makes his confession ver 11. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican In saying thus he did acknowledge not only his Positive good works as fasting and paying tithes but his Abstinence from evil as from extortion c. to be from God For he thanks him that he was not an extortioner and his solemn Thanks include an acknowledgment that it was his gift whom he thanks that he was no extortioner no unjust or adulterous person That the Pharisee did conceive as the Romanist doth that the First Grace by which he began to be more observant of Gods Lawes then the Publicans or other men were was only from God and that the increase of this Grace or his proficiencie in good life and works was from himself or the effect of his Free-will this is more then can be laid unto his charge For he saith not God I thank thee that thou hast converted or reclaimed me from so sinful paths as this Publican walks in To have said thus much and no more might have left a suspition that he did acknowledge the First Grace of his conversion to be Gods meer Gift not so the Second or Third Grace or the increase of Grace or his proficiencie in good Life But now he saith God I thank thee that I am not as other men are nor as this Publican This includeth an acknowledgment that all the Perfection whereof until this very day he deemed himself possest was from God was his Free Gift So that it would be very hard to fasten any part of the doctrine of merits which is now stiffely maintained by the Romish Church upon this Pharisee Seeing then he boasts of nothing which he doth not acknowledge that he had received from God wherein doth his pharisaical pride or conceit or as the Evangelist stiles it his Trust in himself consist Only in that he Glories in Gods Graces as if he had not received them in that he was not humbled by that Grace which by his own acknowledgement he had received from God therefore is he lesse justified then the Publican So then the true End and use of all our works of all the Graces which God bestows upon us in this life is to teach us true humility and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as men that seek for the Kingdom of Heaven not by Works much lesse as due to our works but by acknowledgement of Gods Meer Mercie and our own unworthiness Many which in words disclaim the doctrine of Merits as for ought I know this Pharisee did may secretly trust in themselves or in their Merits but none which make the doctrine of Merits a point of Belief as the Romanists do but must of necessity trust in themselves and in their merits as this Pharisee did Hence saith St. Augustine Vis excidere a gratia jactes merita Wouldst thou fall from Grace Boast of thy merits 9. All that they have to Object against us from this place is from the Form of our Saviors Speech Inherit the Kingdom of God prepared for you FOR I was an
to censure their forefathers to whom they owed more respect then we do to them for Idolatry prophanenesse and guilt of innocent blood and thus they censured them without dissimulation or affected zeal And yet in thus judging their Fathers they did condemn themselves for they did the same things or worse But you will say It is not possible that we should do the same things which these later Jewes did or worse things then they did For Christ cannot be buffeted cannot be spit upon cannot be crucified again Yet may we do those things and would to God oft-times we did them not which are more displeasing to him now enthroned in Heaven as King then all that the Jewes did unto him whilst he was in form of a servant here on earth It was not the evil which the Jewes did to him as to their professed enemie but the evil which was in themselves as their pride envie hypocrisie uncharitable censuring of others which made him that made them to be their enemie and him that had been their Protector to fight against them These are diseases not Proper to the Jewish Nation but Epidemical and common to all Nations and places The matter of them as our Apostle in this Chapter disputes is alike common to all But the Jewish Nation came to their Crisis at Christs first appearance in humilitie Our Critical Day is not to be expected until his second appearing in Majesty and glory Then nothing which lies hid in the heart but shall be laid open then and not before will all enmitie betwixt the serpent and the womans seed appear And in that day it shall be more tolerable for them which crucified him then for us unlesse we take warning by Gods known Judgements upon them and their seed to avoid those practises and accustomances which wrought and swayed them by means secret and unsensible to exercise enmitie and hostilitie against their Lord their Maker and Redeemer 14. And here my purpose was to have used the former Parallel betwixt the Ancient Jewes which killed the Prophets and the later which condemning them for so doing did not withstanding kill our Saviour as a Map whereby to shew you in what particulars many in this Land who not content with that discreet and judicious Reformation which is contained in the publick Acts and Liturgie of our Church by their solicitous care and anxious zeal to be extreamly contrary unto the Romish Church almost in all things do by judging her and her children condemn themselves doing the very same things or worse things then she doth and help to make up that measure of iniquitie upon this Land which the Romish Religion whilst it was here authorized had left unaccomplished But for this point and others which serve for use and application of the general Doctrine hitherto delivered this present time will not suffice The Application shall be brief Take heed you measure not your love to truth by your opposition unto error If hatred of error and superstition spring from sincere love of truth and true Religion the root is good and the branch is good But if your love to truth and true Religion spring from hatred to others error and superstition the root is naught and the branch is naught There can no other fruit be expected but hypocrisie hardness of heart and uncharitable censuring others CHAP. XXXVIII The Second Sermon upon this Text. ROMANS 2. 1. Therefore Thou art inexcusable O man c. 1. THe Points worthy our Consideration are Three First How our Fore-elders in the beginning of Reformation and many amongst us since the Reformation established did or do condemn themselves whilest they judge the Romish Church in particulars worthy of Condemnation by all Secondly How the Romish Church in General and many professing Reformed Religion condemn themselves even whilst they judge the Iews in Points most gross and damnable Thirdly How not the Romish Church only or the Jewish Synagogue but many amongst Professors of true Religion men in Opinion Orthodoxal evidently condemn themselves whilest they judge or censure the very Idolatry of the Heathen The Points for which one Church or Nation one sort of People or generation of men may judge another either concern matters of Manners and practise or matters of Opinion and doctrine or matters mixt that is Errors in Opinion which induce misdemeanors in practise If Errors there be any which do not draw after them dangerous or ungodly Practises these rather deserve pity or toleration then Rigid Censure But Doctrinal Errors which induce lewd practises are more dangerous more to be detested then the most gross or lewdest practises into which some men fall being not mislead or drawn into them by Plausible Errors or false doctrine Practises how gross soever if they want the supportance or Countenance of Doctrinal Rules pollute the souls consciences of the parties peccant they are not so powerful to seduce others But Misdemeanors or perverse Affections being coutenanced by Pretence or Colour of sacred Authoritie are most infectious Briefly there is no false Doctrine but it is an Inconvenience whereas grosser misdemeanors without error in doctrine are but Mischiefs And it is a Maxim received by the most sage and prudent that Better is a Mischief then an Inconvenience or at least an Inconvenience is worse then a Mischief But worst of all is an Inconvenience which draws Mischief after it and such is every Error in Doctrine which inclines or disposes men to evil practises or which doth leaven or malignifie the affections of the heart naturally bad or but indifferent That which our Fore-elders did most condemn in the Romish Church or at least that which they went about to reform was the Excessive Wealth which the Church or Clergie had gotten into their possession with the Transcendent Authoritie of the Papacie by which they sought to detain what they had gotten or to gather more Whatever the manner of getting their wealth or Revenues was the manner of using or imploying them was exceeding bad and did deserve yea require a Reformation Our Fore-elders did well in judging the Clergie for abusing Revenues sacred to the maintenance of idleneness superstition and idolatry But would to God they had not condemned themselves by judging them or that they had not done the same things wherein they judged them Happy had it been for them and for their posterity if those large Revenues which they took from such as abused them had been imployed to pious uses As either to the maintenance of true Religion or to the support of the needie or to prevent oppressing by extraordinary Taxes or the like This had been an undoubted effect of pure Religion and undefiled before God But it was not the different Estate or condition of the parties on whom Church Revenues were bestowed that could give warrant unto their Alienation or which might bring a blessing upon their intended Reformation but the Uses unto which they were consecrated or the manner how
he shall thus with himself resolve If this very child be brought unto me I intend to do to him as the Church enjoyns but if any other be presented unto me I have no Intention to baptize him however I use the words of Baptisme and wash him with water The Resolution of their Doctors is that in Case another child be brought unto the Font and not that Individual child for which he was first spoken unto he shall have no benefit by his Baptisme 3. For a Priest to make such secret Conditions limitations or reservations the Romish Doctors acknowledge to be a wicked and sacrilegious part But this is all the comfort which the Infant presumed to be baptized or his Parents can have if the Priest be disposed to be thus malitious That the Intention of the Priest is necessarily required not only by way of Precept or to the better administration of the Sacrament but Necessitate Medii as a meanes so necessary that without it there can be no Sacrament at all not their School-men or private Doctors only but some of their General Councils have declared For the Council of Florence makes this Intention of the Priest to be of the very Essence of the Sacrament Now Essentia non Suscipit magis minus If the Priests Intention be of the Essence of this Sacrament it must be as necessary as the Intention of the holy Ghost And yet their later Doctors are in this point more Rigid then the ancient were which lived not long after the Council of Florence For Thomas of Aquine the great Master of the modern Jesuites required only an habitual Intention his Scholars the Jesuites alwayes required a virtual Intention which is more then an habitual Again whereas some of their Doctors in Ages past did think it a Probable Opinion which might without Censure of impietie be believed that in Case ordinary Priests were negligent or otherwise defective in the administration of the Sacraments the High-Priest of our souls to wit Christ Jesus might or would supply their defect or negligence Zuares a late great Doctor in that Church censures the Author of this opinion for his zeal without discretion And Soto another great Doctor who was present at the Council of Trent peremptorily denies all relief or remedy from Christ to any Infant in Case the Priest will be so wicked as either not to Intend to do what the Church doth appoint or to withdraw his Intention or purpose to do him good by baptizing him If the Priest purpose to remit his sins by Baptism they are remitted by Christ if he purpose not to remit them but to retain them they are not remitted but retained by Christ 4. Besides the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which Two the Reformed Churches only acknowledge instituted by Christ as generally necessary to salvation the Romish Church presseth Three other upon all Lay-People as necessary unto their salvation Ex necessitate praecepti that is they are bound in duty to receive them and in Case they omit them when they may have them they forfeit their interest in Gods promises And those are the Sacrament of Confirmation the Sacrament of Absolution upon Confession and the Sacrament of Extreme Unction These make a plausible shew or pretence that the Romish Church hath greater store of means for salvation or for conferring Grace then Reformed Churches have But how well soever God by their doctrine hath provided for their Church in granting it such a multitude of Sacraments such an extraordinary manner by w ch their supposed Sacraments confer Grace upon such as receive them yet when all is done they grant a Negative voice to the Priest in the distribution of all Sacramental Grace And such a Negative as is not usual in other Cases For all other Governors of humane Societies whether Ecclesiastick or Civil have only a Negative voice which if they do not expresly use their silence is interpreted for a Grant or testification of their Consent unto the business proposed But albeit the Priest profess his Consent unto the Sacramental Act by pronouncing the Sacramental words yet if he be pleased by secret Condition or tacit Limitation to withdraw the Consent of mind or spirit from his external act or words pronounced by him the Spirit of God shall want his influence upon the souls of such as receive the Sacrament And as they grant a Negative unto every ordinary Priest in the distribution of Sacramental Grace unto the Laytie So they give the like Negative unto the Bishop or Prelate in the distribution of Sacramental Grace unto their Priests For the ordination of Priests is in their Doctrine a Sacrament of the new Law or Gospel and of this Sacrament the Intention of the Bishop or Prelate which administreth it is an Essential part If the Bishop either through negligence or malitiousness do not afford his secret Intention or consent the ordination of the Priest is invalid the words pronounced by him or imposition of hands doth imprint no Character upon his soul and without this character he is no Priest 5. And here by the way you may inform your selves why such as are contented in all points to believe as the Romish Church believeth have their own Priests or Prelates in such esteem or estimation as no other people besides have their lawful Governors The true Reason is not any extraordinary worth in their persons but this strange kind of Power or Authoritie which were it true or where it is acknowledged to be true might justly exact double honour more then humane even both parts of that honour which the heathens respectively gave unto their several gods Some gods the heathens honoured with Placatorie Sacrifices lest being neglected they should do them harm Other gods whom they conceived to be the Authors or distributers of things good and comfortable they adored or honoured with propitiatory Sacrifices Both kinds of sacrifices or services one and the same Romish Priest may wrest from the people committed to his charge The one to wit Placatorie Sacrifices he may exact and the people will be ready to perform lest he withdraw or alienate his Intention from them or their children whilest he administers the Sacrament unto them For his malitious or fraudulent withdrawing of his Intention from the Sacrament may procure them greater losse or harm then the Heathen could conceive their angry or wreakful gods could work them The other kind of Sacrifices to wit Propitiatorie the people committed to his charge will be willing to exhibit to the Romish Priest that he may be the more diligent circumspect and attentive whilest he administreth the Sacraments seeing upon supposal or presumption of his diligence or Intention in this business they hope for a greater blessing then the heathens expected from their good or favourable gods But to conclude this First Point If we put all these together First The Intention of the Prelate or the Bishop necessary by their doctrine
greater part of men we do necessarily breed a greater scruple or nurse a more dangerous Doubt of salvation in all men as yet not effectually called then the Romish Church doth For Gods Intention or purpose to save men is without all question more Essential to the Efficacie of the Word preached or of the Sacraments administred then the Romish Church can conceive the Intention of her Priests to be Besides all this If their Doctrine were true who teach That all such men as in the issue prove Goats or Reprobates were such from their birth or irreversibly destinated to death before they were born God should with-hold or withdraw his Purpose or Intention of Salvation from farre more hearers of the Word and partakers of the Sacraments then the Romish Priests usually do 8. But many you will say which hear the Word are already assured of their Estate in Grace or of their salvation And this Doctrine cannot occasion any doubt or distrust in them It cannot indeed whilst they are thus perswaded But even this Perswasion it self if it be immature or conceived before its time doth secretly nurse A Presumption which is far worse then Doubt or distrust of salvation And sometimes occasions a worse kinde of distrust or Doubt then the former doctrine of the Romish Church doth For suppose A man which is to day strongly perswaded of his present Estate in saving Grace and certain of his salvation should to morrow or the next day fall into some grosse or grievous sin and continue in it or the like for many dayes together If his former assurance remain the same it was it is No Assurance of Faith No true Confidence but Presumption Or if his former Confidence or Assurance upon consciousness of new sins fail or abate The Former Division of All Mankinde into Goates and sheep into Elect and Reprobates will thrust him into Despere For the Consciousnesse of freedom from grosser sins or of practise of good works cannot be a surer token of his Estate in Grace or salvation then the consciousness of foul and grievous sins is of Rejection or Reprobation if it were true that every man is at all times either in the state or condition of an Elect person or a Reprobate For The Rule of life and Faith is as plain and peremptory that no Adulterer no murtherer no foul or grievous offender shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as it is That all such as live a godly and a sober life shall enter into it And yet our own consciences can give a surer Testimony that we have committed grosse and greivous sins then that they are cleansed from the guilt of former sins Seeing the heart of man is more deceitful or more deceivable in its perswasions or Judgement of its good deeds or resolutions then in its apprehension of grosser facts committed by us And for this Reason I cannot perswade my self That any man which hath any sense or feeling of True Religion or rightly understands himself in these or the like Points can in the consciousness of grosse and fouler sins rest perswaded that he is in the same Estate of Grace wherein he was or in the same way to life Howbeit even in the consciousness of foulest sins he may and ought to have hope that he may be renewed by repentance And yet to have such an hope were impossible unlesse he were perswaded that there is a Mean or middle Estate or condition between the estate and condition of the Elect and the Reprobates 9. But let us take a man that hath been long perswaded that he is and hath been in the irreversible state of salvation and is not conscious to himself of any grosse or palpable sin or at least of continuance in any such sins since this perswasion did possesse him Yet if he have embraced this opinion or perswasion before his soul were adorned with that golden chain of spiritual vertues which St. Peter requires 2 Pet. 1. whether for making our election sure in it self or for assuring it unto us This immature or misplaced perswasion may fill his soul with the self same presumption which the absolute infallibilitie of the present Romish Church doth breed or occasion in all such as beleeve it And that is A presumption worse then heathenish For though an Heathen or Infidel kill men uncondemned by law live in incest and fall down before stocks and stones or other dumb creatures Yet such a man being called in question for killing men uncondemned by Law will not justifie his Action If his incest be detected he will be ashamed of it or being challenged for worshipping stocks and stones he will not allege any sacred Authoritie for his warrant But if you challenge a Romanist with some like practises and tell him that he transgresseth the Law of God in those particulars as grossly as the Heathens do his Reply will be Though our facts be outwardly the same yet our practises are most dislike Our practises cannot be against the Law of God seeing they are warranted by the authoritie of the Church and Pope who is the faithful Interpreter of Gods Laws and cannot erre in matters of faith or practice authorized by him In the like case if you shall oppose a man that makes himself thus certain of his salvation before his time in this or the like manner Sir you are as covetous as great an oppressor of the poor as uncharitable as malitious as proud and envious as are the Heathen or others whom you condemn for Infidels and no good Christians And press him with such evident particulars in every kind as would amate or appall an ingenuous Heathen or other meer moral man that were conscious of the like yet you shall find him as surely locked up in his sins by this his immature perswasion of his own infallible estate in Grace as the Romanist is by his Implicit Belief or the Churches absolute Infallibilitie So long as this Perswasion lasts that he shall certainly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven no Messenger of God shall ever perswade him that he hath done or continues to do those things which whosoever continues to do shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Grosse and palpable or open sins might happily shake or break this perswasion how stiffe soever it had been before but so will not secret or lurking sins It rather animates or quickens those secret sins of envy ambition pride or malice And of all other fruits of this preposterous perswasion or misplaced Truth this is the worst that it makes men mistake their malice towards men whose good parts or fame they envy to be zeal towards God or to his Truth 10. Unless Sathan had put this Fallacie upon some men in our times it were impossible that they could sleep upon the consciousness of such uncivil behaviour as they use or such unjust aspersions as they cast upon all others without respect of persons which dissent from them in Opinions often disputed between
exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should Bow c. And seeing every other Article in this Creed is conceived in literal distinct termes I see no reason why we should believe this Article of Christs sitting at the Right-Hand of God alone should be represented unto us in Termes Poetical or meerly Metaphorical Howbeit Christs sitting at the Right-Hand of God the Father according to the Literal meaning of these words doth by way of Real Embleme import that Christ's Humane nature is exalted far above Angels c. which are often said to Stand or Attend before or about the Throne of God but not to sit on His Throne or at his Right-Hand For unto which of them said He at any time Sit on my Right-Hand Heb. 1. ver 13. CHAP. II. Of the Real Dignitie contained in This Article viz. The Exaltation of Christ That Christ was exalted both as the Son of God and as the Son of David 1. THe Dignity of this Name and the Realitie of Dignity answering unto it is further set forth in the First Chapter to the Hebrews ver 3 4 5. He sate down or sitteth on the Right-Hand of the Majestie on High or in highest places and is made so much more excellent then the Angels by how much he hath obtained a more Excellent Name then they For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day begat I thee And again I will be his Father and he shall be my Son But if these two Scriptures were literally meant as most Divines grant the one of David the other of Solomon why may not the Title of Gods Sons agree as literally to Angels as to David or Salomon Though these two eminent Princes as Gods Vicegerents on Earth were Solo Deominores yet was David in the height of his Greatnesse too low and Solomon in the amplitude of his Royaltie too little to be in all points full peeres to the meanest Angel that attends Gods Throne And yet were not both of them too great to be but Mapps or Models of Evangelical Excellencies It was the height of both their Excellencies to be Shadows or Types of that Son of David concerning whom the Lord had sworn by His Holiness a most faithful Oath from which he would not shrink Psal 132. 11. and Psal 89. 3 4 35 36. that He should endure stable for ever and that his Throne should be as faithful a witnesse in Heaven as either Sun or Moon Selah All the Royaltie Power or prosperitie which David or Solomon enjoyed were but as pledges or earnests for the time present of that mightie power and excellencie wherewith the Son of David was after that in the fulnesse of Time he had humbled himself in the fulnesse of Glorie to be invested But as we say Homo pictus est Homo and no man saith Leo vivus est Homo A dead Corps or Picture of man doth better brook the name of a man then a live Lion or other creature indued with sense So David and Solomon in that they were Types of Christ might be more capable of being stiled Gods Sons or of being begotten to that earthly Empire which was the Map or shadow of his only begotten Sons eternal Inheritance then the Angels were The greatest Angels of God whose presence David did reverence as Gods Embassadours are servants to the Son of David For so the Apostle Heb. 1. 6. interprets that of Psalm 97. ver 7. Let all the Angels of God worship him No marvel then if David when he saw as much of his Glorie as he or some other Psalmist Psal 97. did instile him His Lord Psal 110. 1. That all the Glorie and Dignitie which the Apostle seeks to set forth by the testimonie of the Psalmist Psalm 45. 6 7. Psalm 102. 25 26. is comprehended in this Article of Christs Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Apostle supposeth Heb. 1. 13 14. For so he concludes by way of an Epiphonema the sum of all which he had said before unto which of the Angels said he at any time Sit thou at my right-hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires unto Salvation It is A Doctrine full of Comfort that the Blessed Angels the Powers and Principalities celestial one and other should be at the command of this our High-Priest who can compassionate our estate much better then any of them can As they had a Charge given concerning him in the dayes of his humiliation here on earth So he now being ascended up to his Father gives them the same Charge over us to preserve us in all our wayes It is on our part required that we make His wayes Our Wayes otherwise we have no just assurance of the Angels vigilancie over us But have they this Charge over all of us or onely over some few that are Predestinated unto Salvation The Apostle saith All of them are sent forth to minister to such as shall be heirs of Salvation and All of Us whom God hath called and made partakers of his Word and Sacraments are under the Promise and in the estate of the Sons of God And if we be sons then are we heirs yet Haeredes praesumpti non apparentes Heirs Presumed not Heirs Apparent unto Salvation To be Heirs Apparent is proper to the Predestinate only or to the Elect. But of the Doctrin and Use concerning Angelical Protection and ministrie for our good elsewhere It shall suffice to give you notice by the way that This last quoted place Heb. 1. 14. doth evidently refute a Curious Distinction of Orders amongst the Angels as if some were Angeli astantes others ministrantes one Order of Angels that stand in the presence of God because the Angel Gabriel gives himself this Title Luke 1. 19. And another Order of ministring Angels whereas our Apostles speech is general that All the Angels and under this universalitie he comprehends even the most noble Order of heavenly creatures are ministring spirits sent forth for our good If they which are said in Scripture to stand before God be either Angels or created substances inferiour to the Son of God they are sometimes at least by courses ministrantes ministring spirits So that to stand before God or to minister for our good is no true note of any Distinction of Order betwixt Angels but only of the vicissititude of their service They which are to be sent forth stand in the presence of God to receive their instructions and at their return stand before God to deliver the effect or issue of their Embassage 2. But as diverse writers in the Romish Church not balancing other places of Scripture with this Place of our Apostle last cited have fram'd a needlesse Distinction of Orders amongst the Angels So some others opposite enough to them offend no lesse by
weighing this place alone For so far hath the misapprehended Doctrine of Predestination and Certaintie of their own Estate in Salvation misswaded some as they have not been affraid to affirm That the Angels are in some sort inferiour to themselves because They minister to them as they are Heires of Salvation Ministers they are indeed yet not to us but to God or Christ though for our good So is every Magistrate so is every Pastor in his place yet God forbid that inferiours should hence collect That their Magistrates and Pastors should be Inferiour to all them for whose good they are Ministers 3. The next Point to be examined is the Extent of this our High Priests Exaltation about the Bounds or limits whereof the Controversies are more then any difficulties in the Rule of Faith do minister but not so many as men of rash or audacious understandings make and the most of them prosecuted with greater vehemencie of contention then the spirit of sobrietie which should be in every good Christian will approve The Questions of more profitable Use are generally Two The First concerns the Logical Subject of Christs Exaltation comprehended in this Title of Sitting at the Right-hand of God and the like And the Issue is this Whether Christ be exalted only as he is the Son of David or as he is the Son of God or according to both his natures as well Divine as humane The second Quaerie is about the Extent or Limits of the Exaltation of his humane Nature The one Question as Logicians speak is about the Extent or limit of the Subject The other about the Extent or limit of the Attribute That Christ was exalted according to his Humane Nature or as he was the Son of David all Christians agree But that he should be exalted as God or according to his Divine Nature which is absolutely Infinite may well seem impossible for the matter and for the Phrase very harsh Howbeit this is avouched by many Orthodoxal and worthy Divines And if Christ be as most Protestants avouch our Mediator Secundum utr amque naturam according to Both Natures why may he not be said to be Exalted according to Both Natures Yet a Difference there is which will disjoynt this Consequence For to be a Mediator betwixt two doth not necessarily include any Defect or inequalitie in the partie mediating in respect of the parties between whom he is a Mediator Whereas to be Exalted doth necessarily include or presuppose some Lower degree from which he is Exalted to an higher And if Christ according to his Divine Nature be alwayes equal to God the Father he was and is and shall be Absolutely Infinite And Absolute Infinitie cannot admit of any Degrees specially of Exaltation This necessarily argues that Christs Divine Nature could in it self receive no Degree of Diminution or Exaltation If then according to his Divine Nature he was exalted this Exaltation was not by any Real Addition of Dignitie to his Nature but only quoad nos in respect of us And it is perhaps one thing to say that Christ was Exalted according to his Divine Nature Another to say That Christ was Exalted as he was the Son of God However thus much we are bound to believe and thus much we may safely say That Christ as God was exalted in the same Sense and manner that he was Humbled as God Now that the Son of God who was as truly God as God the Father truly equal to God the Father did truly humble himself unto death even to the death of the Cross was in the first Chapter of our Eighth Book deduced out of the second to the Philippians Nor did he humble himself only according to his Humane Nature for he humbled himself not only by his life and death here on earth but by taking the Humane Nature in which he was humbled The Humane Nature could not be humbled by being united to his Divine Nature but rather Exalted So that the first and Prime Subject of his humiliation was if not his Divine Nature yet his Divine Person The Person of the Son of God was humbled by his Incarnation or Conception by his Birth by his Life by his Death and Passion And for every degree of his humiliation there is a correspondent degree of his Exaltation by his Resurrection by his Ascension into heaven and by his Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father In what Sense our Apostle saith He was humbled according to his Divine Person hath been discussed at large before The sum was this If he that thought it no robberie to be equal with God had been at any time pleased to have assumed a body or created substance into the unitie of his Infinite Person such Glorie and honour was unto that his bodie or created substance due as exceeds the Glorie and honour of all other bodies or created substances infinitely more then any creature can possibly exceed another And yet we know that the Son of God who was from Eternitie equal to his Father did in the Fulnesse of Time assume into the unitie of his Divine Person a Bodie and Soul subject to all the infirmites sin only excepted that humane nature is capable of And by assuming such a bodie and by exposing it to all the miseries of mortalitie the Son of God was truly said to be humbled and the Degrees of his humiliation were as many and large as are the Degrees by which his immortal glorified Bodie doth exceed his mortal Bodie as many and large as are the Degrees of Honour and Excellencie betwixt that Royal Priesthood which now he exerciseth and the Form of a Servant wherein he appeared So that not only the Humane Nature of the Son of God but the Son of God in his Humane Nature is truly exalted according to all the Degrees of his former Humiliation But is this all that we are bound to believe or may safely acknowledge concerning the Exaltation of Christ both as he was the Son of God and as he was the Son of David 4. If this were all then his Exaltation as the Son of God should meerly consist in the Abdication or putting off the Form of a Servant It could not include or presuppose any positive Ground of any new and Real Attribute but only a Relation to his former humiliation Some good Divines as well Ancient as modern suppose that albeit man had never sinned yet should the Son of God have been incarnate that is have taken our nature upon him yet our nature not humbled or obnoxious to death but alwaies clothed with glorie and immortalitie For Illustration or Example sake Suppose the Son of God had taken an humane bodie altogether as glorious as now it is from the very first moment of its assumption into the unitie of his Divine Glorious Person Could the assumption of such a bodie how glorious soever or how perpetual soever its glorie had been have added any least degree of Exaltation unto the Son of