it theâ— he did more sensibly and firmly rest upon God for the performance of his promise to him 2. If mens persons are justified before God by their own personal good works then they are so justified either by those good works they do before their faith or by those that follow after their faith but they are not justified before God by their own personal good works which they do before their Faith nor by those which they do after their Faith or after they believe in Christ therefore they are not justified before God by their own personal works 1. Their persons are not justified before God by their works which they do before they believe in Christ because they are not formally good they are not pleasing unto God for as much as they spring not from faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make men meet to receive grace and so do not dispositivè justifie as Papists hold or as the School-Authors say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but that they have the nature of sin So saith the Church of England in her 13th Article of Religion Works done before faith in Christ though they may be materially good yet they are not formally good but are perfectly evil yea are * Virtutes Eâ—hnicorum sunt splendida peccata Rom. 1. 17. sins for whatsoever is not of faith is sin saith St. Paul and the Church of England Rom. 14. 23. Homily of good Works T. 1. p. 30. 2. Their persons are not justified before God by those good works which they do after they believe in Christ and which proceed from Faith in Christ which I prove thus 1. By the twelfth Article of Religion of the Church of England Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgment 2. Because they are imperfectly good and so stand in need of the perfect righteousness of Christ to cover their infirmities as may be proved by our Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 177. Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christ acts and merits 3. Because they follow the justified and are done after their justification and this argument the Church of England teacheth out of Saint Augustine in her Homily of good works T. 2. p. 82. Good * Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequntur justificatum S. August de fide operibus c. 4. 14. And this Doctrine John Lambert Martyr sealed with his blood Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1091. works go not before in him which shall afterward be justified but good works do follow after when a man is justified 4. Because it was confessed on all hands that no mens persons were ever justified before God by doing of evil works and therefore the Apostle had no need to prove that men were not justified by them but the works of unbelievers are †If an Heathen may cloath the naked feed the hungry and do such other like works yet because he doth them not in faith for the honour and love of God they be but dead vain and fruitless works to him Hom. of Faith p. 31. See there also p 30. all the life of them that lack true faith is sin Ibi. p. 31. evil works for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat 7. 17. And whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Therefore it follows that the Apostle Paul did intend to prove that the good works of men which proceed from faith do not justifie menspersons in Gods sight 5. And lastly Papists themselves distinguishing of a twofold Justification first and second confess that all works are excluded from the first Justification which only is properly Justification their second is Sanctification properly Bellarmine himself Lib. 4 c. 15. de Justificatione confesseth that the Apostle Paul doth in the Epistle to the Romans dispute of the first Justification therefore he excludes all our works from the Justification of our persons before God 4. It is contrary to the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches of Christ as may clearly be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 9. To give you a sight of some things they declare at large the latter Confession of Helvetia c. 15. saith thus To justifie in the Apostles disputation touching Justification doth signifie to remit sins to absolve from the fault and the punishment thereof to receive into favour to pronounce a man just for the Apostle saith to the Romans God is he that justifieth who is he that can condemn where to justifie and condemn are opposed and in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 13. the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him every one that believeth is justified For in the law also and in the Prophets we real Deut. 25. 1. That if a controversie were risen amongst any and they came to judgment the judg shaâ—l judg them that is justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked And in the fifth Chapter of Isaiah Wo to them that justifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certain that we are all by nature sinners and before the judgment-seat of God convicted of ungodliness and guilty of death but we are justified that is acquitted from sin and death by God the Judg through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plain than that which Paul saith All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus for Christ took upon himself and bare the sins of the world and did satisfie the justice of God God therefore is merciful unto our sins for Christ alone that suffered and rose again and doth not impute them to us but he imputeth the justice of Christ unto us for our own so that now we are not only cleansed from sin and purged and holy but also endued with the righteousness of Christ yea and acquitted from sin death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heirs of eternal life To speak properly then it is God alone that justifieth us and that only for Christ by not imputing to us our sins but imputing Christs righteousness unto us But because we do receive this Justification not by any works but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ therefore we teach and believe with the Apostle that sinful man is justified only by faith in Christ not by the Law or by any works For the Apostle saith Rom. 3. We
seek for another righteousness or justification to be received at Gods own hands that is to say the forgiveness of his sins and this justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits embraced by faith is taken accepted and allowed by God for our perfect and full justification We are justified freely by faith without the works of the Law Homily of Salvation of Mankind pag. 13. there 't is further said That on our part we are justified by faith in the merits of Christ which is not ours but by Gods working it in us There 't is said also That the justice of man is shut out of Justification and yet that faith shutteth not out repentance hope love fear of God to be joined with faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so it shutteth not out good works which are necessary to be done afterwards of duty to God but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent to be made just by doing of them Whosoever denieth this Doctrine that faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary 〈◊〉 Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous by his owâ— works neither in part nor in wholâ— That we are justified only by faith 〈◊〉 * We are not justified by our own good works either in part or in whole Christ So speak all the Fathers botâ— Greek and Latin Hilary Basil Aâ—brose Hilary saith these words plaiâ—ly Faith only justifieth Canon 9th upon Matthew Ambrâ— saith thus This is the ordinance of God that they which belieâ—â— in Christ should be saved without works by faith only freely receiving remission of their sins Consider diligently these wordâ— without works by faith only freely we receive remission of oâ— sins Ibi. p 14 15 16 17. The true meaning of this Doctrinâ— we be freely justified by faith without works or that we be justâ—fied by faith in Christ only is not that this is our own act to bâ—lieve in Christ or this faith in Christ doth justifie us and deserâ— our justification unto us for that were to count our selves to 〈◊〉 justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but tâ—â— true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we heâ— Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Chariâ—â— Repentance and fear of God within us and do add never so maâ— works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our saâ—â— vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and gooâ— deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as thing that be far too weak insufficient and imperfect to deserve remissioâ— of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust oâ—ly in Gods mercy and that Sacrifice which our high * Which shews that faith justifieth as it receives Christ as an high Priest or Saviour not as a King as Mr. Fowler would have in the first place in his free Discourse p. 161. I receive Christ as my Prophet but he doth not justifie mâ— as he is my Prophet or my King Priest anâ— Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of Goâ— once offered thereby Gods grace Iâ—â— p. 17. Faith as great a vertue as it is yet it putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us unto Chrisâ— for to have only by him remission oâ— our sins or justification so thâ— our faith doth as it were say to uâ— it is not I that take away your sins BUT IT IS CHRIST ONLY to him only I send you for thaâ— purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues words thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ Ibid. pag. 18. 2. 'T is not only contrary to her Homilies but also to her Articles of Religion Article 11th We are counted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and not for our own good works That we are justified by faith alone is a must wholesome Doctrine as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification To which for further proof I refer you And Article the twelfth 't is said thus Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins Now Mr Fowler or any of his party cannot put off the Doctrine of the Church of England to which he hath subscribed as he doth our learned mens arguments against the Papists by saying as they do that the Apostle meant when he said That we are not justified by works works of the Ceremonial * Mr. Fowler 's Free Discourse p. 186. Law but not the works of the Moral Law or if them Those only which are done by the strength of nature but not those which proceed from faith For the Church of England excludes all our works even those that proceed from Faith And they intended in their Homilies and Articles of Religion Dr. Field of the Church 2d part p 861. We teach that he excludeth all these that is that St. Paul excluded from Justification all the works of Moses Law Ceremonial and Moral to overthrow the false Doctrine of the Church of Rome and to establish the Doctrine of Justification according to the Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to Popery For it saith expresly That whosoever denieth this Doctrine that Faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a CHRISTIAN MAN nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for an ADVERSARY to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory Homily for Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. And again That were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins and so justifie himself Ibid. pag. 17. By which you may see that to deny this Doctrine That we are justified by faith alone and to affirm that we are justified by our own good works is not a Christian but a proud presumptuoâ—â— antichristian Doctrine And to affirm or insinuate that our persons are justified before God partly by our faith and partly by our own good works is also cleaâ—ly against the express Doctrine of the Church of England for 〈◊〉 saith that faith shuteth out good works yea it self as 't is an act habiâ— or work from our justification and remitteth and directeth us to Chrisâ— merits for our justification as may be seen above 3. 'T is contrary also to Canonical Scripture Gal. 2. 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be jâ—stified by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by the works of the Law 〈◊〉 by the works of the Law shall no flesh be
justified So Gal. 2. 21 For righteousness come by the Law then christ is dead vain Dr. Fearley gives this Note Although the * Notes in loc be many uses and benefits of Christs death besidâ— our justification yet the Apostles argument is very strong that the would have been no necessity for 〈◊〉 Salvation that Christ should have diâ—â— Luther upon the place saith That to seek to be justified by the works of the Law is to reject the Grace of God which he saith is blasphemy more horrible than can be expressed it is to deny Christ to spit in his face to tread him under foot We despise Grace when we observe the Law that we may be justified through it We constantly affirm that either Christ died in vain or else the Law justifieth not but Christ died not it vain Ergo the Law justifieth not and by his blood expiated our sins 〈◊〉 men might have been justified by 〈◊〉 works of the Law either Ceremonial 〈◊〉 Moral Rom. 3. 28 Therefore we coâ—clude that a man is justified by faith with out the deeds of the Law And v. 3â— seeing it is one God which shall justifâ— the circumcision by faith and the uncâ—â—cumcision through faith That is Jeâ— called the Circumcision and Gentilâ— called the Uncircumcision are justifie by one God by and through Faith 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ Read further Rom. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 4 5 10 11. but Rom. 3. 20. which I haâ— almost forgotten is very considerablâ— as to this point Therefore by the deâ—d of the Law there shall no flesh be justifie in his sight for by the Law is the know ledg of sin Where observe 1. That he speaks of a Justification of mens persons before God in his sight and not of saith and before men as Saiâ— James Chap. 2. 17 18 20 21 22 24 26. is to be understood 2. He saith That a man is not justified by the works of the Law 〈◊〉 which is the knowledg of sin which is the Moral Law for by thâ— Moral Law all men are convinced of sin and that there is sin in their best works even in those that proceed from Faith Papists and their followers amongst us say that mens persons are not justified in the sight of God by doing the works of the Ceremonial Law but they say they are * Mr. Fowler 's free Discourse p. 186. justified by the works of the Moral Law which proceed from faith which is directly contrary to the Doctrine delivered by St. Paul which is That by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight For by the Law is the knowledg of sin by the Moral not by the Ceremonial Law is the knowledg of sin And so the word Law is taken in Rom. 2. 12 13 14 15 18 21 22 25 26. as not only Protestants but also Papists themselves expound Dr. Feaâ—ley Dr. Willet Mr. Calvin Pareus and Cornelius a Lapide in Loc. the word And that mens persons are not justified by their own good works of the Moral Law which spring from Faith as Papists affirm Mr. Fowler 's free Discourse pag. 187. they are I prove thus 1. If any meer man since the Fall was ever justified by the works of the Moral Law which proceeded from Faith then certainly Abraham the Father of the Faithful was so justified but Abraham was not so justified therefore no meer mans person since the Fall was so justified The sequel of the Major is evident 1. Because Abraham's Personal works which proceeded from his Faith were as good as any meer mans works For by faith Abraham left his own Country and went when he was called of God into a strange Country which he should after receive in his posterity and be went out not knowing whither he went and there sojourned Heb 11. 9. And by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten Son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called Hebr. 11. 17 18. 2. Because he being the Father of the Faithful there is the same reason and way of all faithful mens Justification that was of his as the Apostle shews Rom. 4. 12 13 24 25. Now the Minor viz. That Abraham was not justified before God by his own personal good works which proceeded from his faith I prove by the Apostles own arguments 1. If Abraham was justified before God by his own personal good works which proceeded from his Faith then he had some matter to glory or boast of before God but Abraham had no matter to glory or boast of before God therefore he was not justified before God by his own Personal good works which proceeded from his faith Both the Promises are in Rom. 4. 2. for if Abraham were justified by works of his own he had whereof to glory there is the Major but not before God there is the Minor That is he had no matter to glory of before God Rom. 3. 27. in the point of his Justification he brought nothing of his own to justifie his person before God for God wrough his Faith and his works in him True he might have somewhat 〈◊〉 glory or boast of before men but not before God for the reasoâ— alledged and also because what he had was imperfect and due 2. To him that is justified before God by his works there is a reward due of debt not of grace but to Abraham there was a rewarâ— due not of debt but of grace therefore he was not justified beforâ— God by his works The Major is in Rom. 4. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of debt The Minor 〈◊〉 proved thus 1. Because he was justified by faith Rom. 4. 3. For what saith thâ— Scripture Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesâ— Gen. 15. 6. 2. Because he was not justified by his works Rom. 4. 5. For to hâ—â— that worketh not that is seeketh not righteousness or justification 〈◊〉 his works but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith 〈◊〉 counted for righteousness 3. Abraham believed and was justified before God before he performed those eminent acts of faith mentioned Rom. 4. 18. as may be seen Geâ— Pererius Pareus in Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. Dâ—b 2. 12. 3 4 7. Gen. 13. 16 18. Gen. 14. 14 18 19. and which is urged by Papists and yielded by Protestants But the Apostle as Moses before him puts his justification upon that eminent act of faith because then he mosâ— manifested his faith even when he was or had been under a great affliction and not upon any eminent act of Faitâ— before or after this that no man might * Willet in Rom. 4. 3. impute 〈◊〉 justification to his works and then he did more firmâ— believe the promise than he did before and then he had more sense and feeling of it than he had at the first making of
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law To which they add Rom. 4. 2 3. and Ephes 2. 8 9. and say further Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours for it is the gift of God Now that we do receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Joh. 6. where he putteth eating for believing But it is most clear in Joh. 1. 12. and believing for eating for as by eating we receive meat so by believing we are made partakers of Christ therefore we do not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charity works or merit but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith And moreover our charity and our works cannot please God if they be done of such as are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or do any just works We are made just as we said through faith in Christ by the meer grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sins but imputeth unto us the righteousness of Christ yea and our saith in Christ is imputed for righteousness unto us The Church of Basil saith thus We confess the remission of siâ—â— through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it self in the works of charity and by this means is tried yet we do not attribute righteousness and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but only to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lamb of God shed for us There may be seen the Confessions of Faith of the Churches of Bohemia France Belgia or Holland Ausburg Saxony Wirtemberg Scotland to which might be added the Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland agreed upon Ann. 1615. in Articles 34 35 36 37. but they being almost the same verbatim with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England for brevities sake I forbear But I pray take and consider the Confession of Faith of England and Scotland made by the late learned and orthodox Assembly of Divines Chapter the eleventh of Justification Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of Justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love Now let any indifferent and judicious and impartial man compare this with the ancient Doctrine of the Church of England set down in her Books of Articles of Christian Religion and Homilies and then judg whether it be not more consonant thereunto and also to Sacred Canonical Scripture than is 1. Dr. H. Hammond's * Practical Catechism p. 1649. p. 31. p 41. p. 33. p. 29. who saith That sincere obedience with faith justifies mens persons before God Or 2. Dr. Sim. Patricks †Parab of Pilgrim p. 511. 〈◊〉 who saith That new obedience must go before we can expect to be justified by the grace of God And thus * p. 32. Suffer not your faith to rest no not on Christ till it animate you to a free and cheerful obedience to all his commands Which destroys the faith of adherence and founds Faith upon his own works and not solely upon Christ if he means as he must do an actual animation to such an obedience as he speaks of Who saith also That good works are * Friendly Debate p. 13 14. necessary to justification He must mean a priori and antecedent to Justification else he speaks not ad rem but cuffs the man of clouts of his own making for all men even those he pleads against hold that they necessarily follow it And that faith justifies as 't is effectual by love to our Saviour he must mean so else he answers not his question How can this be seeing we are justified by faith only very well saith he for it is not an idle ineffectual faith which justifies but that which works by love to our Saviour and love is the keeping of his Commandments Which implys that Faith justifies our persons before God either as 't is a work or as 't is working by love and so he makes good works * Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous either in part or in whole Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 17. concauses at least with Faith of our Justification before God or that faith doth justifie our persons before God by good works of which Justification he would perhaps too have love the form as Papists would have it to be And this seems to be his meaning and of his Pilgrims guide to Jerusalem or rather to Rome because he faith It cannot be understood nor defined without works which implys that good works are of the constitutive essence of Faith Par. Pilgrim p. 139. and that all definitions of justifying faith that separate obedience from faith are but cheats and dangerous illusions And thence he derides the words recumbency adhesion rest acquiescence as lazie and slovenly expressions of Faith as justifying though our * Vrsin Catechism p. 27â— q. 21. p. 134. Bp. Davenants Determin 39. and of Justif c. 32 p. 411. Bp. Downham of Justif l. 6. c. 4. Dr. Ames Med. Theol. l. 1. c. 3 R. 4. Pareus in Act 15. 6. judicious learned and orthodox Divines have commonly used them in defining Faith as justifying Or 3. Mr. Fowler 's who saith That justifying faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includes a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its precepts or true holiness in the nature of it and that it justifies as it doth so Who saith also †Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221 223. That this principle admitted viz. that faith justifies only as it apprehendeth the merits and righteousness of Christ gives advantage to Antinomianism Who saith That * Free Discourse part 1. p. 164. In the 160 page of his Free Discourse he saith that faith justifieth as it worketh by love And in p. 159. he saith it justifieth as it implieth obedience Justification is mostly
attributed to faith because 〈◊〉 other graces are virtually therein contained and that is the principle froâ— whence they are derived Whereas thâ— truth is it is only ascribed to faith and that because it is the only grace thâ—â— doth apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ to the sinner as the Church of England teacheth iâ— her Homily of Salvation of Mankind the third Part pag. 19. Faiâ—â— only is said to justifie because it doth directly send us to Christ for remissioâ— of sins and that by faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Goâ— mercy and of the remission of our sins which thing NONE OTHER 〈◊〉 our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works doth justifie Who saitâ— also That as * Free Discourse pag. 188. works signifie sincere obedience 〈◊〉 Christs Gospel neither I nor those Preacherr can account it any scandal to have it said of us that 〈◊〉 hold JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS he must mean it of Justification of mens persons before God else he beats the air or cunningly equivocates And indeed so he explains himself Nor need we so mince it as to say that faith justifieth our persons and good works our faith for understanding works I say for a * Pag. 189. working faith our persons if ever they be Socinians define justifying Faith to be obedience fides justificans est obedientia Catech Racov. c. 9. The old Photinian Hereticks called it a new creature Wendelin Ch. Theol. l. 1. c. 25. p. 476. compare Dr. H's Dr. P's and Mr. F's Doctrines of Faith and Justification with Socinians and Photinians c. must be justified by them Which is directly and expresly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in heâ— Articles and Homilies before alledged Sure I am that these mens Doctrine gives great advantage to Popery and is directly contrary to the prime design of Christianity which is to advance the glory of Gods free grace in giving us his only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose again for our justification and sets up Justification by our own righteousness which is the same false and Antichristian Doctrine the Papists teach How Dr. †Just as the Semi-Pelagians do as Alvarez shews de auxil div grat disp 2. pag. 19 20. Heyliâ— divideth Justification between faith and good works may be seen in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus p. 28. Sect. 29. What false Doctrine concerning Justification others of A. B. Laua's party have taught in his time may be seen in those two Books collected to your hands viz. Laudensium Autocatacrisis and Laudensium Apostasia One word to these men What Divine that understood himself and did not intend to cheat men into a Popish Photinian Socinian or Arminian belief of Justification by a mans own inherent righteousness and consequently denying of Christs by which alone our persons are justified before God ever went about to put good works or new obedience into the definition of Faith as it justifieth our persons before God What is it a cheat in Bishop Sanderson and all sound Logicians and Philosophers to define a man to be animal rationale becaus they make no mention of risibility which necessarily flows from his principles and is really inseparable from him Did you never read nor hear of a praecisâ—â—e separation of a property from its proper subject that is a consideration of the subject without considering the property if not I shall not doubt but that you have studied Rhetorick more than Logick and Natural Philosophy though you brag much of your rational Discourses and Religion too Now if the subject may be defined without its proper passion pray may not the cause be considered and defined too without its effects Bishop Sanderson * Log. l. 3. c. 17. par 5. p. 64. teacheth us to define habits by their end and object And Philosophers tell us that Habitus distinguuntur per actus actus per objecta Habits must be distinguished by their acts and acts by their objects Now the proper act of faith as it justifies mens persons before God is not to work by love and resolve upon new obedience as you insinuate but to receive the proper object of Justification which is not Gods commands formally considered as you insinuate but the righteousness of Jesus Christ called the Lord our righteousness and do not Philosophers give us two definitions of the soul the one as 't is a form of the body thus Anima est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corporis physici organici vitam habentis in potentia and the other as 't is the efficient cause of its operations thus Anima est principium quo vivimus sentimus movemur intelligimus primo what do they put a cheat upon the world and illusions because in the first they mention not its effects so here faith is in the Doctrine of Justification considered by our and your orthodox Divines as the form of Justification taken passively whereby believers lay hold on Christ with all his merits by the hand of faith and apply them to themselves Here I say they do not consider faith as an efficient principle or cause of either Bishop Davenant de justitia habituali c. 22. p 312. inward graces or outward good works for all these are excluded or to use our * Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. Faith shutteth not out repentance hope love fear of God to be joined with faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying c. Homilies word shut out from the business of Justification of sinners persons before God as I shewed before out of St. Paul's and the Church of England's Doctrine And they may reason thus that which Faith excludeth from justification of sinners persons before God cannot be put into the definition of Faith formally considered as so justifying but Faith formally considered as justifying sinners persons before God excludeth works from Justification of sinners persons before God For Faith and works are in this point opposed every where by S. Paul as was manifested before out of the Doctrine of the Church of England as well as St. Paul's Therefore good works cannot be put into the definition of faith as 't is justifying of sinners persons before God And 't is observable by the way too that Faith shutteth out repentance and fear of God as well as love from the office of justifying of sinners persons before God as our Homily quoted in the Margent plainly declareth And therefore it excludeth Mr. Fowler 's sincere resolution of obedience to all the precepts of the Gospel not only from the definition of Faith as justifying but also from the office of justifying mens persons before God In the point of justifying of mens persons before God these * Mr. Fowler 's Free Discourse p. 127. quarrelsome sottish men as you are pleased out of
your abundant modesty to call A. B. Vsher Bishop Downham Bishop Davenant Mr. Perkins Pemble Dr. Ames and many others of our own learned orthodox Divines besides many more of foreign Countries consider not Faith as 't is the principle of good works but according to its proper office as justifying which is to rest trust upon to receive and apply and so in that office it actually needs no good works or vertues to be coupled with it because it is but the souls instrument to apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ that is freely offered in the Gospel to it self and which no other grace or work of man doth or can do as was shewed before * Dr. Patrick calls this I am nought I have nought his Pilgrims charm Par. Pilgr p. 283. Which sure is not so good a comparison as Mr. T. W. his painted post is of an hypocrite condemned by him in his Debate He that will be Christs disciple must deny himself and his own righteousness as Paul did Phil. 3. 7. 8 9. Christ will be a whole Saviour or none at all He that comes to Christ for justification with his own good works in his hand doth in effect say that he hath in truth some but not much need of him and his righteousness and thereby he incapacitates himself to lay hold upon and receive Christ and his merits for inâ—us existens prohibet extraneum he must let go his own works before he can apprehend and relye only upon Christs merits as he must do as was evidenced before out of the Doctrine of our Church of England which saith * Hom of Salv. of Mank p. 17. We must trust only in Gods mercy and that sacrifice which our high Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God once offered for us upon the Cross to obtain thereby Gods grace For further and fuller confutation of this gross and most Antichristian error not to say heresie as Dr. Slater calls it I refer you back to what I have alledged out of the Church of Englands Books of Homilies and Articles of Religion upon the serious reading of which and their Books and comparing them together all judicious and sound Christians will find that there is great cause for all men to take heed of their Books as of cheats and dangerous illusions to use Dr. Patrick's words by which they have defamed the sincere and sound professors and assertors of the true and pure Protestant Religion which to do their learned Dr. H. More in his Mystery * Lib. 2. c. 13. p. 〈◊〉 This saith he must needs be very antichristian and uncharitable to misrepresent mens actions and opinions in publick speeches or writings or invent notorious lyes or fictions in the disparagement of mens persons and Doctrines and suborn men to write them and divulge them to the world for truths which is to do as was the custome of those who were under the Dragon that old Serpent and false accuser of the ancient Primitive Christians c. of Iniquity saith is one part of Antichristianism and cunningly under the pretence of confuting the errors and reproving the follies and infirmities of Nonconforming Protestants to those errors and impositions and modes of worship and government which they profess they like very well have printed what they have preached I cannot tell not to say Arminian Socinian but Popish Errors contrary to the express word of God and the sound and clear Doctrine of the Church of England to which 't is believed they have subscribed if not declared their assent and consent yea even that antifundamental error or rather heresie of Justification of sinners persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works and thereby slighted our free Justification by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ apprehended and applied alone by true Faith in Jesus Christ which is in effect denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ as their Dr. More shews in his Mystery of Iniquity and is obvious to every man that fully understands what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and that is not resolved virtually to deny Christ to be come in the flesh and to profess himself to be fallen from grace as the Apostle speaks 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3. Gal. 5. 4. From all which I shall not peremptorily conclude any thing but only ask this question as Dr. Patrick Friendly Debate pag. 2 3. doth Can he be a good subject a good * Hom. of Salvat of Mankind p. 16 17. before quoted and alledged Christian and a Minister of Christ that doth so To conclude 't is true that good works do either actually or habitually accompany a true justifying Faith or do follow a justified person but they have no hand or efficiency at all in the justification of a sinners person before God as the Doctrine of the Church of England plainly shews We are justified by Faith with works associativè but not by Faith and works copulativè that is we are justified by that Fâ—â—â—h that is accompanied with works but not by the works that do accompany it as concauses with it thereof but by faith alone because that only and no other vertue grace or work doth or can do it apprehends and applies that which doth justifie our persons before God viz. Christs righteousness ART IV. That Faith that doth justifie sinners persons before God is a bare and naked assent to the truth of Gods word and that so and as an act habit or work in us it justifies THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homily of the Salvation of Mankind p. 17. which saith thus The true meaning of this Doctrine We be freely justified by faith without works is not that this our own act to believe in Christ or that this faith in Christ which is within us doth justifie us For that were to count our selves to be justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but the true meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have faith we must renounce the merit of our said vertues c. And in the Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. part 2. p. 1â—7 thus The only mean or instrument of Salvation required of our part is faith that is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God c. ut supra where 't is clear that the faith that doth justifie us is not a bare notitia or knowledg of and assensus assent unto the truth of Gods word but also as our sound Divines do hold and maintain Bishop Davenant Determ 37. fiducia a sure trust and confidence in Gods mercy c. So also in Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 20. A true and right Christian is not only to believe the holy Scriptures and all the Articles of our Christian Faith that is to assent to them but also to have a sure trust and confidence
grace aâ—â— act or habit or quality inherent in us And if we be justified by the righteousness of Christ only which being out of us in him imputed to those who receive it by Faith which also * Lib. 4 5. before I invincibly proved then also it followeth by necessary consequence that we are justified by Faith only as it is the instrument or hand of the soul 〈◊〉 apprehend or receive Christ who is our righteousness wherefore where Faith is said to justifie it must of necessity be understood relatively and in respect of the object to which purpose both Justification and all other benefits which we receive by Christ are attributed to Faith as I have shewed ¶ L. 6. c. 4. Sec. 6. before Not that Faith worketh these things but because by it we receive Christ and with him aâ—â— his merits and benefits And for the same cause the Faith of all the faithful though unequal in degrees in some greater in some less is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike precious in the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1. which is an evidence That faith doth not justifie in respeâ—â— of its dignity or worthiness but in respect of the object which it doth receive which being the most perfect righteousness of Christ untâ— which nothing can be added is one and the same to all that receivâ—â— it Of tâ—is see more Lib. 1. c. 2. Sec 10. 4. Bishop Reynolds upon Psal 110. 4. p. 443. saith thus So theâ—â— between Christ and us there must be an unity or else there can be no imputation and therefore it is that we are said to be justified by faith and that faith is imputed for righteousness Rom. 4. 5. not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere the act of believing as if that were in se accounted righteousness as it is a work proceeding from us by grace but because it is vinculum instrumentum unionis the bond of union between us and Christ and by that means makes way to the imputation of Christs righteousness unto us And the same reverend learned and orthodox Bishop in his most excellent Treatise of the Life of Christ p. 476. saith That preciousness of faith is seen chiefly in two respects 1. In regard of the Objects and 2. In regard of the Offices of it And p. 478. he saith That the Offices which are peculiar to faith are principally these three 1. To unite to Christ and give possession of him 2. The second office wherein consisteth * P. 480. the excellency of faith is the consequent of the former namely to justifie a man for there is no man righteous in the sight of God any further than he is taken into the * I have inserted this not only because it makes way for what I have chiefly to alledg but also that those Antichristian Popish Arminian Socinian men who call themselves Protestants and the dutiful Sons of the Church of England that do not only deny but deride and scoff at union and communion with Christ which is indeed the ground of all our happiness here and hereafter may take notice of what a learned Bishop of their party in two several Treatises saith and proveth unity of Christ and into the fellowship of his merits God is alone well pleased in Christ and â—â—ll a man be a member of his body a part of his fulness he cannot a pear in Gods presence This was the reason why Christ would bave none of his bones broken or taken off from the Communion of his natural body Joh. 19 36. to note the indissoluble union which was to he between him and his mystical members So that now as in a natural body the member is certainly fast to the whole so long as the bones are firm and sound so in the mystical where the body is there must every member be too because the bones must not be broken asunder If then Christ go to heaven if he stand unblameable before Gods justice we all shall in him appear so too because his bones cannot be broken That which thus puts us into the unity of Christ must needs justifie our persons and set us right in the presence of God and this is our faith The Apostle gives two excellent reasons why our Justification should be of faith rather than of any other grace the first oâ— Gods part that it might be of grace The second on the part of the promise that the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 16. First Justification that is by faith is of meer grace and favour no way of work or merit sor the act whereby faith justifies is an act of humility and self-dereliction a holy despair of any thing in our selves and a going to Christ a receiving a looking towards him and his all-sufficiency so that as Mary said of her self so we may say of faith the Lord hath respect unto the lowliness of his grace which is so far from looking inward for matter of Justification that it self as it is a work of the heart Tâ— credere doth not justifie but only as it is an apprehension or * This Mr. Fowler saith is false in his Free Discourse p. 129. taking hold of Christ For as the hand in the very receiving of a thing must needs first make it self empty if it be full before it must let all go erâ— it take hold of any other thing so faith being a receiving of Christ Joh. 1. 12. must needs suppose an emptiness iâ— the soul before Faith hath two properties as a hand to work and to receive when faith purifies the heart supports the drooping spirits worketh by love carries a man through afflictions and the like these are the works of faith wheâ— faith accepts of righteousness in Christ and receives him as the gift of his Fathers love when it embraceth the promises afar off Heb. 11. 13. and lays hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 12. this is the receiving act of faith Now faith justifies not by working * This is directly against Mr. Fowler 's Doctrine before mentioned and against Dr. Heylin's too lest the effect should not be wholly of grace but partly of grace and partly of works Ephes 2. 8 9. but by bare receiving and accepting or yielding consent to that righteousness which in regard of working was the righteousness of Christ Rom. 5. 18. and in regard of disposing imputing appropriating unto us was the righteousness of God Rom. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. Pag. 480 481 482. 3. The third Office of faith is to give us with Christ all things 5. I might alledg the Testimony of Luther Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Zanchy Musculus Pareus Polanus Tilenus Vrsinus Wendelinus Wollebius Festus Hominius Amesius Junius Macrobius Sharpius Piscator Threâ—â— and many more of our own Writers but those you usually answer by slighting saying they were particular men and Presbyterians or Nonconformists therefore I forbear but I
have quoted your own approved Authors Take therefore the Confession of Protestant Churches in this matter 1. The Confession of Belgia who Article 22 say thus Yet to speak properly we do not mean that faith by it self or of it self doth justifie us which is but only an instrument whereby we apprehend Christ which is our justice Christ therefore himself is our righteousness which imputeth all his merits unto us faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits 2. See also the Confession of Ausburg who say thus When therefore we do say that we are justified by faith we do not mean that we are just for the worthiness of that vertue but this is our meaning that we do obtain remission of sins and imputation of righteousness by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith and faith doth not signifie here only a knowledg of the History but it signifieth a belief of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediator Jesus Christ And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a * Not of a strong fancying as Mr. Fowler saith they do Free Discourse p. 127 p. 130 confidence and trust of mercy St. Paul and St. James do not disagree for whereas James saith the Devils believe and tremble he speaketh of an Historical faith now this faith doth not justifie for the wicked and the Devils are cunning in the History But Paul when he saith faith is reckoned for righteousness heâ— speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith And so it goes on Harmony of Confessions Sect. the ninth 3. And the Synod of Dort in the second Chapter and fourth Error rejected the Synod having delivered the Orthodox Doctrine rejecteth the Errors of them Who teach that the New Covenant of Grace which God the Father by the Mediation of Christs death made with men doth not consist herein viz. That we are justified before God and saved by faith in so much as it apprehends the merits of Christ but herein viz. That God the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated reputes faith it self and the imperfect obedience of faith for perfect obedience of the Law and graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3. 24 25. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And with wicked Socinus they bring in an uncouth and strange justification of man before God Arminians Socinians and Papists agree in this Antichristian Doctrine contrary to the consent of the whole Church 4. The Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland made as Dr. Heylin saith by A B. Vsher and assented and consented to by the whole Clergy there and allowed and confirmed by the Parliament there and by King James here Anno 1615 When we say that we are justified by faith only we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man without true repentance hope charity and the fear of God for such a faith is dead and cannot justifie Neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ or this our faith in Christ which is within us doth of it self justifie us or deserve our Justification unto us for that were to account our selves to be justified by the vertue or dignity of something that is within our selves but the true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance and the fear of God within us and add never so many good works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our said vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and good deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and unperfect and unsufficient to deserve remission of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust only in Gods mercy and the merits of his most dearly beloved Son our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ Nevertheless because Faith directly sends us to Christ for our Justification and that by faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercy and the remission of our sins which thing none other of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works and the ancient Fathers of the Church to the same purpose that only faith doth justifie us By justifying faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a perswasion of the truth of Gods word in general but also a particular application of the gracious promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his only Sons sake Articles 36. 37. This is almost the same that I have before alledged out of our Books of Homilies 6. I shewed before the Confession of Faith of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the late learned and Orthodox Assembly of Divines That God doth freely justifie those whom he hath effectually called not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any â—ther Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness C. 11. And in their larger Catechism p. 95. which would be very useâ—ul and profitable not only for all young Students but also for our â—roud conceited Photinian Divines to study they shew how Faith doth â—ustifie Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other graces which do always accompany it or of good works that are the fruits of it nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his Justification but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness Gal. 3. 11. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 5. with Rom. 10. 10. Joh. 1. 12. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 2. 16. I conclude this particular with what Cicero said Oratio 19. to Cataline Nihil horum ora vultusque movêre ART V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by faith alone on their part THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 11th Article of Religion We are accounted righteous before God only
for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ * That is applied by faith as the Thirtyfourth Article of the Church of Ireland explains it by faith and not for our own good works That we are justified by faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine As more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification 2. In her Homilies as Homily for Salvation of Mankind p. 13 14 15 16. No man by his own acts works or deeds seem they never so good can be justified and made righteous before God but every man is of necessity constrained to seek for another righteousness or justification to be â—â—ceived at Gods own hands that is to say forgiveness of his 〈◊〉 And this justification or righteousness whiâ—â— we so receive of Gods mercy * Vide 34. Article of the Church of Ireland and Christs â—â—rits imbraced by Faith is taken accepted 〈◊〉 allowed by God for our perfect and full justiâ—â—cation On our part we are justified by Faith 〈◊〉 the merits of Christ which is not ours 〈◊〉 by Gods working in us We are justified freely by Faith withoâ—â— the works of the Law Ambrose saith That is the Ordinance of Goâ—â— that they which believe in Christ should be saved without worâ—â— by faith only freely receiving remission of their sins And p. 18 〈◊〉 Faith putteth us from it self and remitteth or appointeth us 〈◊〉 Christ for to have only by him remission of our sins or justificatioâ—â— So that our Faith doth as it were say to us It is not I that take â—â—way your sins but it is Christ only and to him only I send you 〈◊〉 that purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues wordâ—â— thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ bâ—cause Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our siâ—â— and that by Faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Goâ— mercy and of the remission of our sins which thing none otheâ— of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scriptuâ—â— useth to say That Faith without works doth justifie Faith onlâ— justifieth us is all one with St. Paul Faith without works justifietâ— us And in her Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. p. 186 187 The only mean or instrument of Salvation required of our part iâ— Faith that is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God whereby we perswade * This Mr. Fowler calls a strong fancying and thereby labours to scoff us out of our Religion and Faith p. 127 130. of his Free Discourse our selves that Goâ— both hath and will forgive our sins that he hath accepted us again into his favour and that he hath released us from the bonds of damnation and received us into the number of his Elect-people not for our deserts but only and solely for the merits of Christs Death and Passion who became man for our sakes and humbled himself to sustain the reproach of the Cross that we thereby might be saved and made inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven and Faith shall be imputed to us for righteousness as well as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And Ibid. p. 188. 't is said thus Faith is the only instrument of Salvation now left unto us By which 't is clear that it justifieth not as an act habit or work â—ut only as an instrument apprehending and applying the righteousness of Christ Observe that the word Faith in this Proposition We are â—ustified by faith is to be understood relatively with relation to or coâ—otation of its object and is sense equivalent to this We are justified by Christs merits or righteousness apprehended and applied by faith Here is a Metonimie where the effect of the principal cause Christ is attriâ—uted to the instrumental cause Faith as the Plow is said to enrich the husbandman and eating is said to nourish that is instrumentally it 's the corn that enricheth and the meat that is eaten nourisheth the Plow and eating are but the instruments So 't is said We are saved by hope that is by Christ in whom we do hope so here 't is said that faith justifieth that is Christs righteousness received and applied by Faith to the Believer justifieth him in Gods sight 2. Because 't is contrary to the judgment and declared Doctrine of all those learned and Orthodox Divines and * Vide Latter Confession of Helvetia p. 〈◊〉 King James in his pious Meditations upon certain Verses of Revel 20. saith the Pope is Antichrist and Popery the loosing of Satan which he proves by several marks among the rest this is one Blasphemeth he not in denying us to be saved by the imputation of Christ his righteousness p. 78. And K. James also saith That Christs sealed ones have washed their garments made themselves white in the blood of the Lamb for they by vertue of his deaâ—h are made righteous by imputation whose blood is the only full purgation of us from our sins In his Par. on Rev. c. 7. p. 22. Confessions I named before as may be seen before Yea and 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches as Mr. Pemble very fully and learnedly manifesteth against Papists and Arminians and Socinians in his Treatise of Justification Sec. 2. c. 1. p. 159. where he sheweth that the sentence of the Reformed Churches concerning the manner how Faith justifieth consisteth in two Branches 1. That a sinner is justified by faith not properly as it is a quality or action which by its own dignity and merit deserves at Gods hands remission of sins or is by Gods favourable acceptance taken for the whole and perfect righteousness of the law which is otherwise required of a sinner but only in relation unto the object of it the righteousness of Christ which it embraceth and resteth upon 2. That a sinner is justified by faith in opposition unto the righteousness works in the fulfilling of the Law whereby no man now can be justified Where interpreting this Proposition a man is justified by faith faith We must understand all things relatively thus a sinner is justified the sight of God from all sin and punishment by faith that is by the obeâ—â—ence of Jesus Christ believed on and imbraced by a true faith And this â—â—terpretation of that Proposition the Reformed Churches do admit and 〈◊〉 other rejecting as erroneous and contrary to the Scriptures such gloâ—â— as ascribe any thing to the * As Dr. Heylin Dr. Hammond Dr. Patrick and Mr. Fowler do as I have declared before dignity faith or make any combination betwâ—â—â— faith and works in the point of our Jusâ—â—fication Amongst which there are thâ—â—â— erroneous assertions touching mans Juâ—â—â—fication by faith which they reject 1. That faith justifieth us per modum causae efficientis meritoâ—â— as a proper efficient and meritorious cause which by its own worth and â—â—nity deserves to obtain Justification remission of sins and the grace well doing this is properly Popish which he refutes
Ibi. p. 160 161 〈◊〉 163. Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 2. That we are justified by faith sensu proprio that is the act of â—â—lieving in that Tò credere is imputed for righteousness being accepteâ— God and accounted unto us for that whole righteousness of the Law whâ—â—â— we were bound to perform so that our very faith is that righteousness 〈◊〉 which we are justified in the sight of God Non quidem merito suo 〈◊〉 propter gratuitam acceptilationem Dei This is the error of the Arâ—â—nians with whom the Papists agree which they received from Faustâ—â— Socinus that unhappy Heretick in his blasphemous Book de Christo Sâ—â—vatore and Michael Servetus in his second Book de Lege Evangeliâ—â— Which Errors are confuted by Calvin in his Opuscula and ibid. by 〈◊〉 Pemble Sec. 2. c. 2. p. 164 c. 3. A sinner is not justified by faith alone but also by other vertues 〈◊〉 graces as Hope love repentance fear of God c. and this is the opâ—nion of the Papists which whether it be not the Doctrine the scopâ—â— and main drift of our Latitudinarian Divines in their Books let tâ—â— impartial and judicious Reader truly judg which he confutes 〈◊〉 Sec. 2. c. 3. p. 167 c. and which is most opposed and confuted by 〈◊〉 sound Doctrine of the Church of England as may be easily seen 〈◊〉 what I have before alledged out of it Now that true Believers in Christ are justified that is declared 〈◊〉 accounted righteous before God acquitted from their debt the Cuâ—â— of the Law which by their sins they have deserved at Gods hands by and for the merits of Christs * Christs righteousness is not only his inherent holiness as Mr. Fowler falsely suggests in his Free Discourse pag. 128. passive and active obedience to the will of God his Father which is called Christs righteousness imputed to them I prove thus by arguments taken clearly from the Doctrine of the Church of England and Gods word 1. They that believe in Christ that is that their persons are justified before God are justified either by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but they are not justified before God by their own habitual or actual inherent righteousness therefore they are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is undeniable because there is no other thing by or for which they are justified that is absolved from the curse of the Law and declared not guilty but accounted innocent and righteous The Minor I have proved already by the Doctrine of the Church of England the sentence and confession of the Reformed Churches abroad and our own learned Divines at home and by the authority of Canonical Scripture The sum of which is this 1. Because we are freely justified by Faith not as an act habit or work but as an instrument apprehending and applying the righteousness of Christ and not by the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20 24 28. Gal. 2. 16. 2. Because all our inherent righteousness is imperfect and accompanied with many sins and therefore cannot stand before the judgment-seat of God much less merit or procure our Justification at Gods hands To which I add this further Though God hath ordained us to walk in good works yet the meaning is not by these words to induce us to have any affiance or to put any confidence in our works as by the merit and deserving of them to purchase to our selves or others remission of sins and so consequently everlasting life for that were blasphemy against Gods mercy and great derogation to the blood-sheâ—ding of our Saviour Jesus Christ For it is the free grace and mercy of God by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ without merit or descriving on our part that our sins are foâ—given us that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom T. 2. Hom. of good works part 1. pag. 81. And 't is observable that the Church of England makes Justification to be forgiveness of sins Homily for Salvation p. 13. And Bellarmine himself Lib. 1. de Paenit saith Remissio peccatorum quid est nisi justificatio 2. True Believers in Christ are justified the same way and by the same means that Abraham was but Abraham's person was justified before God not by his own good works but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him Ergo true Believers in Christ are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The Major is the Doctrine of the Church of England as I shewed before and is clear by St. Paul's Doctrine Rom. 4 11 12. As Abraham the Father of the Faithful was justified so shall his faithful sons believers in Christ be justified too that righteousness might be imputed to them also And Rom. 4. 22 23 24. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed 〈◊〉 him that is Abraham but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if 〈◊〉 believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification The Minor also is clear because he was justified by his Faith whereby he believed God in the promised seed that is in Christ Roâ— 4. 3. Abraham believed God that God that spake to him and it 〈◊〉 counted to him for righteousness And I shewed before that his Faith was taken not absolutely but relatively with connotation of the object Christ promised that was counted to him for righteousness So Rom. 4 9. Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness And ver 21. and therefore it that is his Faith in Christ the promised seed was imputed to him for righteousness And our Homily saith Ibi. supra Oâ—â— faith shall be imputed to us as well as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob And it necessarily must be so for he was not justified by Faith as 〈◊〉 act or habit or work as I proved before by the Doctrine of the Church of England 3. If God doth accept and allow of Christs active and passive obedience and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true Believers in Christ then they are justâ—fied before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them but God doth accept and allow of the active and passive obedience of Christ and the merits thereof as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice for true believers in Christ therefore true believers in Christ are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them The sequel of the Major is evident because Christs obedience and merits is his righteousness For we say not that Christs essential righteousness which is in him as God the second Person in the Sacred Trinity or that righteousness which he by his Spirit and Word works in believers is
as it was operatiâ—â— by good moral works that is in St. Paul'â— sense that his person was justifieâ— before God by it as so operative else he speaks not to the purpose as Bellarmine commonly doth for 't is yielded That Abrahams faith was justified by works and declared before men yea and his person too before men that 't was a true and living faith and not a dead faith or a meer profession of faith and that he was a justified person is very false and his endeavour to prove it is like it He saith The Apostles design in the fourth Chapter is to prove that the observance of Mosaical rites whereof Circumcision was the chief is not necessary to mens Justification or acceptance with God and this he would prove by the instance of Abraham who was accepted and also very high in Gods favour even while he was in uncircumcision p. 134. But to this I say that 't is clear the Apostles design in that Chapter is to prove that no mens persons are justified by works but that all that are justified are justified only by Faith in Jesus Christ and lest any should think that only the Jews were thus justified by Faith in Christ without the works of the Law he proves that even the Gentiles and the Jews are justified the same way even by faith in Christ because Abraham was so justified before he was circumcised v. 9. Cometh the blessedness upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also No but it comes upon both Jews and Gentiles alike for Abraham was justified by faith in Christ before he was circumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness that is that Christs righteousness might be imputed to them also And p. 136. he saith That St. James his design was to prove against Gnosticks who were ranting * Sir we are no more Antinomians than St. Paul was nor Gnosticks Antinomians the absolute necessity of new obedience in order to mens being received †This is most false into Gods favour that is justified or accepted as righteous By which 't is clear that he makes as Dr. Patrick doth new obedience to go before Justification In p. 137. he expounds Phil. 3. 9. of inherent righteousness and to that end saith that Paul chiefly desired to be found in Christ Whereas 't is clear that there is no such expression nor meaning but that he desires only to be found in Christ not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that is clothed with the righteousness of Christ imputed to him as all our Orthodox Divines expound the place as Calvin Piscator Dr. Featly Diodate Beza in Locum And Dr. Willet in his Synopsis Willet Synopsis Papismi pag. 580 986 1000. Bp. Prideaux Fascic Controversiarum c. 5. q. 5. p. â—66 Bp. Downham of Justificaâ— l 7. c. 3. 〈◊〉 15. p. 460. Assembly of Divines in their larger Catechism of justifying Faith Papismi 12th Gen. Controversie of the Sacrament of Baptism in answer to Bellarmine who denieth that we are justified formally by the righteousness of Christ but that we are justified by our own righteousness inherent in us answers thus This is a great * Vid. King James his saying to this purpose before p 〈◊〉 in the Margent blasphemy and contrary to the Apostle who saith That I might be found not having mine own righteousness which is by the Law but the righteousness of God through faith Phil. 3. 9. The righteousness 〈◊〉 God by faith is not our own righteousness but we are justified by the righteousness of God that is by the righteousness of Christ by God imputed to 〈◊〉 And so Bishop Downham expounds the place and answereth Bellarmine's shifts and Mr. Fowler 's improvement of them which learned answer of his is too large here to be inserted where he proves ouâ— of Chrysostom and Châ—mnitius that the Apostle did in the point of Justification of his person before God account all his works not only those before his conversion but even those since yea his works both past and present as loss and dung Though these men declare themselves by their works to be Factors for Rome preach and print most Antichristian Popish Doctrine and such as some of the honester and sounder sort of Papists have disclaimed and written against with approbation of the learned and Regent Papists themselves as Dr. Ame's shews out of Contarenus whose works were approved by the Regent Doctors of Divinity at Paris An. 1572. Contarenus words are these Dr. Ames Bellar. Enervat T. 4. lib. 6. de Justif c. 1. Thes 1. compared with his 13th Protestants argument pag. 151. Quoniam inquit ad duplicem justitiâ—â— pervenimâ—â—â— per sidem justitiam inhaereâ—tem nobis charitatem ac gratiam qua efficimur consortes divinae naturae justitiam Christi nobis donatam imputatam quoniam insâ—â—rti sumus induimus Christum restat inquirere utranam debeamus niti existimari nos justificari coram Deo idest sanctos justos haberi ego prorsus existimo piè Christianè dici quod debeamus niti niti inquam tanquam restabili quae certò nos sustentâ—t justitia Christi nobis donata non auteâ—â— sanctitate gratia nobis inherente haec etenim nostra justitia est inchoata imperfecta quâ— tueri nos non potest quin in multis offendamus quin assiduè peccemus Id circo in conspeclu Dei non possumus ob hanc justitiam nostram haberi justi boni quemadmodum deceret filios Dei esse bonos sanctos Sed justitia Christi nobis donata est vera perfecta justitia quae omnino placet oculis Dei in qua nihil est quod Deum offendat quod Deâ—â— noâ— summopeâ—â— placcat â—ac ergo sola re certa stabili nobis â—â—tendum est ob eam solam credere nos justificari coram Deo id est justos â—aberi dici justos Now I suppose Mr. Fowler will have no just cause to blame me for discovering so plainly his erroneous opinions seeing I have dealt canâ—idâ—y with him in repeating his own words and he will thereby in reâ—se that preferment which he hath gotten already by his printing these his erroneous Doctrines I have confuted Though I confess I have taken this pains to convince and convert him and prevent others To preach against Calvin's Doctrine was the way to Preferment as Heylin shews in Cyp. Angl. p. 68. imbracing of his Errors To all which I shall add Bishop Sanderson's judgment Justification of sinners by the imputed righteousness of Christ apprehended and applied unto them by a lively Faith without the works of the Law is a sound true comfortable profitable and necessary Doctrine Serm. upon Rom. 3. 8. p. 49. in 4 to ART VI. That mens foreseen
* This is an old Pelagian Error as St. Aug. shewed l. 2. de Predest Sanct. c. 18. Alvarez de Auxil Div. Gracâ—â— Disp 1. p. 12. n. 16. Faith repentance good works and perseverance were the true causes moving God to elect them to eternal Salvation THis I renounce Because 1. 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. p. 2. p. 186. Christs death was caused by mans sin and Gods mercy proccedeed from Gods free love to mankind without any merit or desert on our part And a little before in the same Homily p. 1â—â— Our acts and deeds are full of imperfectness and infirmities and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour And therefore I conclude that it proceeded not from mans foreseen good-will or Gods foresight that he would use his will well as believe in Christ and persevere in well-doing c. but from Gods own good will to him 2. 'T is contrary to Sacred Scripture for the holy Scriptures do every where where they treat of this Election ascribe it to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purpose good-will or free-grace as Ephes 1. 4. 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to 〈◊〉 good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace where he hath made us accepted in the beloved Where 't is clear that we are â—â—cted to holiness and not for our holiness of which Faith is a chief paâ—â— So verse the ninth of the same Chapter Having made known unto the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath pâ—â—posed in himself So v. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will So 2 Tim. 1â—â— Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began So Rom. 9. 1â—â— 16. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compâ—â— on on whom I will have compassion So then it is not of him that willeth 〈◊〉 of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy So Rom. 9. 11 12 1â— For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or 〈◊〉 that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works 〈◊〉 of him that calleth It was said to her The elder shall serve the youngâ—â— as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated So Rom 8 〈◊〉 30. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conforme◠〈◊〉 the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many brethâ—â— mark it they were predestinated that they might be conformed to the image of Christ not because he foresaw they would be so themselves Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorifiâ—â— From whence I reason thus 1. If mens foreseen Faith good works and perseverance thereiâ— did move God to elect them to Salvation then their Election was nâ—â— of mercy and free grace but of justice seeing he did but chuse thâ—â— to glory because he saw they were worthy and so their Electiâ—â— was not of Gods free grace but of mans desert 2. If God elected men to eternal life because he did foresee thâ—â— would believe and do good works c. then Election was of him thâ—â— willeth and of him that runneth and not of him that sheweth mercy which is directly contrary to the express word of God 3. If Elect on was for foreseen Faith and good works then it follows that the object of Election was not fallen man and so miserable and an object of mercy as all our most sound Divines do commonly hold and which opinion the Popish Arminian party approâ—â— of more than they do of the Superalapsarian way but man restored 〈◊〉 grace and justified which all sound Divines deny 4. The effect of Election was not cannot be the moving cause of Election But Faith and good works are the effects of Election and therefore they were not they cannot be the moving cause of Gods electing men to Salvation The Major is undensable because the cause is before the effect and the effect is after the cause The Minor is clear by express Scripture Act. 13. 48. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Where 't is evident that their believing is an effect or fruit of Gods ordaining them to eternal life So Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him And Rom. 8. 29 30. Whom he did foreknow that is eternally elect he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Where conformity to the image of Christ is an effect of Predestination not a cause moving God to elect us and by conformity cannot be meant only of conformity to Christ in suffering afflictions or bearing the Cross as Arminians would falsely expound the place for so many of Gods elect Infants and others would be excluded out of the number of Gods Elect. For many of them pass out of this world without suffering of the Cross as Christ did and live here in this world in wealth and peace and honour And the next following words gainsay that gloss That he might be the first-born among many brethren Now Christ was not only the first-born among many brethren in regard of suffering affliction but also and chiefly in respect of holiness and happiness We his Elect-brethren are predestihated to be conformed to him in righteousness and holiness here and glory and happiness hereafter and consequently that we might believe and do good works and persevere therein For these are part of our inherent righteousness or conformity to Christ our elder Brother He was called properly the first-born for his superexcellent grace and in that our conformity to him here was predestinated from all eternity and also our Glorification with him in Heaven hereafter as the next words explain the former Whom he did predestinate them he also called justified and glorified Vocation Justification and Glorification are the things we are to be conformed to the Image of Christ And here may be observed that Vocation and Justification and Glorification whiâ—h include or presuppose Faith in Christ and good works and perseverance are fruits of Election and not causes 5. If our Election was of foreseen Faith and good works thâ—â— Gods electing of us was in order of nature after and the fruit 〈◊〉 our electing of God and so we should be said to chuse him 〈◊〉 love him first which is directly contrary to Canonical Scripturâ— Joh. 15. 16. Ye
Error rejected by them Dr. Heylins Introduction to his Cyp. Angl. p. 36. S. 37. p. 31. Montagues Gag p. 163 164 186. Appeal p. 213 214. be certain of their eternâ—â— salvation but may totally anâ— finally fall away from the actâ— and habits of saving-grace before they dye and be eternally damned THis I renounce In which there are two notable points 〈◊〉 Popery 1. That truly regenerated persons cannot be certain of their eterâ—â— salvation which Bellarmine for Papists affirms Dr. Ames for Protestants denies Vid. Dr. Ames his Bellarmin Enervat T. 4. l. 6. de justificatione c. 2 3 4. p. 152 153 154. 1. The Church of England saith thus That the faith that doâ—â— justifie us is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God 〈◊〉 be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ and an aâ—â—ureâ—â— faith and trust in Christ ubi supra p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which necessariâ—â— implies that truly regenerated persons who have this sure trust aâ—â— Homil. of Salvation of mankind p. 20. Homil of Christs Death p. 187. assured faith and confidence of their justification may be certain of their everlasting salvation 2. 'T is contrary also to the 6th Article of the Articles of Lâ—â—beth which is this A man truly believing or endued with justifying faith is certain by or with fâ—ll assurance of faith of the remissâ—â— of his sins and of everlasting salvation by Christ 3. 'T is contrary to the 37th Article of Religion of Irelanâ— A true believer may be certain by the assurance of faith of thâ— forgiveness of his sins and of his everlasting salvation 4. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort c. 5. of perseverance Articles 9 10. Of this perseverance of the elect unto salvation and the perseverance of true believers in the faith the faithful themselves may be and are ascertained according to the measure of their faith by which they assuredly believe that they are and shall for ever continue true and lively members of the Church and that they have remission of their sins and everlasting life and therefore this certainty is not from any special Revelation made beside or without the word but from faith in Gods promises which he hath most plentifully revealed in his word for our comfort from the testimony of the holy Spirit bearing witness with our Spirit that we are the Sons of God and heirs Rom. 8. 16. Lastly From a serious and holy care of keeping a good conscience and endeavour of good works And if Gods chosen in this world should want this solid comfoâ—â—u of obtaining the victory and this infallible pledg and earnest of eternal glory they were surely of all men most miserable See also Article the 11th 5. 'T is contrary to the experience of many of Gods dear Children of Robert Glover who had assurance of Gods love in Christ in the pardon of his sins and of eternal life when he came in the sight of the place where he was to be burned for Christs sake He is come he is come said he to his friend that comforted him John Carles another holy Martyr answered Dr. Martin plainly thus That God hath predestinated me to eternal life in Jesus Christ I am most certain and even so am I sure that his holy Spirit wherewith I am sealed will so preserve me from all heresies and evil opinions that I shall dye in none at all Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p 1813. 1st 2d Col. 6. 'T is contrary to canonical Scriptures as Job 14. 17. But ye know him that is the Spirit for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you And v. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Rom. 8. 15 16. But ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ And v. 35 38 39. of the same Chapter Who shall separate us from the love of Christ For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God whicâ— is in Christ Jesus our Lord 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received not 〈◊〉 spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know thâ— things that are freely given to us of God 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selvâ— whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Ephes 3. 12. In whom 〈◊〉 have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him 2 Tim. 4 7 〈◊〉 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnes 1 John 3. 2â—â— But we know that when we shall appear we shall he like him and we 〈◊〉 that he was manifested to take away our sins and v. 14. of the saâ—â— Chapter We know that we have passed from death to life because 〈◊〉 love the brethren and v. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God beâ—â— he laid down his life for us which he explicates in 1 John 4. 16. 〈◊〉 we have known and believed the love 〈◊〉 God hath tâ— us 1 John 5. 〈◊〉 He that believeth in the Son of God 〈◊〉 tâ—e witness in himself and 〈◊〉 v. 13. of that Chapter These things have I written unto you that beliâ—â— on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal 〈◊〉 and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God 2 Pet. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 thren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if 〈◊〉 these things ye shall never fall To pass by many other places of Sâ—â—cred Scripture which might be produced to prove this comfortâ—â— truth That truly regenerated persons may in this life be certain of 〈◊〉 eternal salvation These I have produced may if well observed and applied be sâ—â— ficient to make it good and evident A certainty of hope Papists grâ—â— but they deny a certainty of faith To which I answer 1. That if they understand by hope that which doth arise from 〈◊〉 ceitâ—ul conjectures and discourses of human reason they grant no mâ—â— to true believers in Christ than they grant to hypocrites for sâ—â— a hope may be in them 2. But if by hope they mean a true Theological infused grace whiâ—â— is the daughter of faith then they grant that which they seem to dâ—â— for the Apostle doth teach That tâ—â— that have this hope have the sâ—â— certainty with faith as Bishop * Deter 3. p. 18. Nos hac spâ— jam servatos esse Dâ—â— â—ant argueth from Rom. 8. 24. â—or we are saved by hope and this
Law as the old Pharisees were of the Traditions of the Elders the latter swearing to him blind obedience all making a shew of Religion but under the pretence thereof devour widows houses they garnish and visit the Sepulchres of the Martyrs but shed the blood of Christs most faithful Ministers and members who observe the traditions and commands of the Pope but make void the commandments of God Mat. 15. Mat. 23. I know not any men under heaven more like the old Pharisees than these creatures of Antichrist in the Church of Rome are their Doctrines and doings declare them his Formalists who have it may be a form of godliness but denying the power thereof who make these latter times to be very perilous 2 Tim. 3. 3. That he challengeth Princely dominion over the Church of Christ and people and Nations needs no proof Three Popes of Rome successively forged and pleaded a forged Decree for the Pope of Rome's Supremacy his trampling upon Emperours and Kings making them to kiss his Toe hold his Stirrup deposing of them and making others making what Laws he pleaseth dispensing with and making void Gods Laws as he pleaseth releasing subjects of their allegiance to their lawful and godly Princes and commanding them to rebel against dethrone and destroy them and their most Christian and loyal Subjects In a word he exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. which is one great mark of Antichrist 4. That his usurped authority hath no good ground in holy Scripture but is expresly forbidden by our blessed Lord and Saviour Mat. 20 25 26. But Jesus called them i. e. his Disciples unto him and said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Even as the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Luk. 22. 25. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Nether as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock Neither in those places of Scripture where Christs Ecclesiastical Orders of Church-Officers are set down is there any mention of an Universal Bishop as 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes 4. 11. Peter the Apostle disclaims this Princely Monarchy and Supremacy when he called himself the Elders of the Churches Fellow Presbyter and forbid them to Lord it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Cyprian in his Epistles to several Popes of Rome calls them brothers Jerom also writing to the Pope of Rome tells him and proves it too that by divine right a Bishop and a Presbyter is the same Act. 20. 17 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Ephes 4. 11. in his Epistle ad Oceanum that with the ancient Fathers Bishops and Presbyters were all one And adversus Lucifera nos he saith that a Bishops preferment was not by necessity of Gods Law but granted to him by the Church to honour him withall In his Epistle ad Evagrium handling this question at large he saith Who can endure his foolishness that preferred Deacons before Priests that is Bishops seeing the Apostle plainly teacheth that a Bishop and a Presbyter are all one And for proof he alledgeth Tit. 1. 5. Act. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Ephes 4. 11. And of this judgment also was St. Augustine Chrysostome Beda Oecumenius Sedulius Primasius Theophilact Theodoret Anselm Ambrose John Wickliff Thom. Walden Luther Zuinglius Calvin Oecolampadius Melancthon John Lambert Martyr Bishop Hooper Bishop Bale Mr. Tindal Martyr Musculus Zanchius Bullinger Gualter Chemnitius Danaeus Chamier Junius John Bradford Mâ—rtyr Dr. Hâ—mphry Dr. Reynolds Dr. Hollard Professors of Divinity at Oxford Bishop This is Bishop Jewel's argument against the Pope in his Def. of his Apology Jewel Bishop Morton Dr. Whitaker Mr. Cartwright Dr. Willet Amandus Polauus Michael Medina among the Papists and many more that write upon the Sentences many of which may be seen in Mr. Masons defence of Ordination by Presbyters in the Reformed Churches where there are no Diocesan Bishops 5. That he produceth Antichristian * Antichristianism was covered for a long time under the Cloak of Orthodoxy and Ceremonial indifferency saith Mr. Tomson a Bishops Chaplain in his Antichrist arraigned p. 85. fruits practises and doctrines appears by his abominable pride superstition Idolatrous worships pretended miracles and lying wonders by his Council of Trent wherein he Decrees That mens persons are justified before God by their own good works and all the errors before confuted denying justification of mens persons before God by faith alone which Errors he labours to maintain by his Creatures as Bellarmine Stapleton Harding Cornelius a Lapide and others especially by the Jesuits and also introduâ—ing his Traditions and Apocryphal Scriptures in which are many things directly contrary to Gods word and Christs interest and upon these and some other accounts did our Church of England in King Edward the sixth his reign pray in her Litany thus From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us 6. That he is the Babylonical Beast that hath two horns like a lamb and speaks as a dragon That is he professeth the innocency of Christ the Lamb of God but speaks and acts like a Dragon he uttereth blasphemous speeches thunders out cruel and unjust Excommunications against Christs servants and venteth and maintaineth Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having his conscience seared with an hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 2 3. of them which believe and know the truth The tâ—â— horned beast by his Ecclesiastical and Temporal power pretending Orthodoxy and Ceremonial indifferency decency and order and Apostolical traditions better adorning and promoting Christianity restored the Image of the old Pagan Beast that is under these and some other pretences restored idolatry and tyranny again into the Roman Empire and persecution against the true Church of Christ The two Horned Beast in the 13th of the Revelations is say some the same with the great Whore arrayed in purple and scarlet that 〈◊〉 a golden cup in her hand full of all abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whose forehead was a name written Mystery Babyloâ— the great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth in the 17th of the Revelations But I humbly conceive with submission to better judgments that if this do not intend some other Beast like the great Whore of Rome as I fear it doth then the Whore or Church of Rome is in the 13th Chapter described by her Head and principal â—â—mbers chiefly because Horns signifie Powers And in the 17th Chapter she is described as taking in not oaly the Head and Cardinals but
473. mentioneth many good things that that Committee were preparing but being obstructed by A. B. Laud though then in the Tower and some other Bishops the Commons laid the ax to the root of all evil as * Tindal of the Obedienâ—â— of Christian Magist p. 114. Tindal of old called the Bishops looking upon them as the â—inderers of all good as Martin * Martin Bucer de regnâ— Christ l. 2. c. 1. Bucer told King Edward the Sixth and so instead of mending things they grew worse Heylin confesseth nay braggeth that Books against Arminianism which he saith is * Cypr. Anglic. Introduct p. 36. agreeable to the Council of Trent cap. de fructu Justificationis Can. 3 4 were suppressed Sure I am that Dr. Prideaux his Sermons which he had preached at Court were not permitted to be reprinted at Oxford because he would not yield to the obliterating of some passages in them against Arminianism yet several passages which he as Doctor of the Chair rased out of Mr. Chillingworth ' s Book were inserted and printed after the good old Doctor had put his hand to the license for its printing which Book is now highly commended though the Doctor openly disowned it in the Chair saying That he had been abused in that Book Mr. Cheynell being opponent upon this Socinian question An ratio sit fundamentum fidei But what are these things to the purpose now I answer 1. The Author of the Friendly Debate often printed and its continuation hath raked up things against some Nonconformists which were of longer standing 2. If some Clergy-men of these times preach or print or act as they did in those days it is directly to the purpose Let any judicious indifferent man read the Book intituled The causes of the decay of Piety and he will find much of the Soveraign drug planted here as the Jesuit said in A. B. Laud ' s time to purge the Protestants of their Heresie as they call our true Religion Let him read Mr. Fowler ' s two Books viz. his Free Discourse and his Design of Christianity and he will see whatsoever he pretends to the contrary that his endeavour if not prime design is to promote that most Antichristian Doctrine of the Papists viz. Justification of our persons before God by our own good works or inherent holiness and overthrow the true Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England to which 't is believed he hath subscribed denying the * Free Discourse p. 126 128 129 130 145. Imputation of Christs Righteousness in the sound sense of the Church of England sometimes calling it a false yea a grosly false notion thereof and sometimes a * Ibi. p. 141. sottish and mischievous Doctrine abusing those that hold it by branding them with the ignominious name of * Ibi. pag. 141 143. and Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 223. Antinomians affirming That our persons are justified before God by our own inherent holiness and good works and that faith * Free Discourse 159. Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. as it includes sincere obedience justifieth our persons before God and to this end using and improving Bellarmine ' s arguments to the utmost And lest any should charge him with the Doctrine of the Church of England which he cannot but know is contrary to his Doctrine he endeavours to prevent it saying That those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the 39 Articles of our Church taking * Free Discourse Edit 2. p. 2. p. 191. that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed * But where doth the Church allow this liberty what do you mean by the Church it's contrary to the end of the Law of 13. of Elizabeth and of the fifth Canon by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And again p. 2. p. 305. he saith further thus What was said of General Councils we also most heartily acknowledg concerning our own particular Church viz. that we are bound by no means to oppose the determinations of the Governours and Representatives in disputable matters nor do they as hath been shewed require our internal assent to their Articles but enjoin our submission to them as to an instrument of peace only Lo here you may see what these Latitudinarians are â—a name which some I know not who have given them but whether they deserve it let others judg but such is the latitude of these men that they would have liberty for themselves to preach and print what Doctrine they please but would have none allowed to dissenters in points of Church-government and Ceremonies as may be evidently seen in his Free Discourse by which we may see what Broth and Beef his palate relisheth best But what is there no internal assent required to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England and yet an unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the Liturgy and the Ceremonies and Rites thereof Are these more essential to the being of the Church of England than those Are the Ceremonies Rites and Liturgy more surely and certainly and indisputably grounded upon the Canonical Scriptures than the doctrine of Faith which concerns the Trinity justification of a sinner Christs satisfaction c. Have not all our 39 Articles been disputed nay do not some amongst us question whether there be a God and whether the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament be the Word of God and of divine authority and have not the Ceremonies of the Church of Rome which our Rulers have retained been from the first beginning of the Reformation here disputed and opposed by godly and learned Bishop Hooper and Mr. John Rogers and denied and detested even to the death by many godly Martyrs Do not all the Calvinistical Churches abroad join with the Church of England in maintaining the Articles of Religion which concern the confession of the true Christian Faith and the Sacraments and yet reject the Liturgy Ceremonies and Church-government of the Church of England â—nd if only indisputable matters may not be opposed and all disputable ones may be opposed I pray what Article of our Creed and Religion may not be opposed by these men of the long name It is â—â—ear that though these men heartily subscribe to the 20 the 34 and the 36 Articles Whatsoever is not read in the holy Scripture nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of Faith Art 6 Church of England which are not Articles of Religion of the true Christian Faith because not contained in or proveable by the Word of God in their sense yet they give not an unfeigned assent and consent to the Articles of Religion concerning the Doctrine of Faith and the Sacraments for they take liberty they say 't is allowed them by the Church to interpret them as
they please and as experience shews oppose them too against the determination of the Church which allowance I hope I may have to defend them But do not these men lay a foul aspersion upon the Church who say They do allow those men that will give an hearty assent and subscribe to their authority ceremonies and traditions and injunctions to interpret and secretly undermine and openly oppose the Doctrines of Faith of the true Christian Religion I profess I do not believe it of the whole Church-representative of England of which I should believe he speaks though I have not heard of one of them or of any Conformist that hath appeared against these mens false interpretations yea open contradictions of the articles of Religion concerning the true Christian faith But what security of peace and truth the Magistrate whom like their elder brethren in Holland they claw while he will suffer them to carry on their destructive designâ— can have by these mens subscriptions declarations yea oaths I know not Would not all the Jesuits of Rome subscribe declare and swear too upon these conditions I have heard of one Minister that would subscribe assent consent and declare if they would hate him but one syllable un And so it may be would others too if they might do as they do not perform what they promise and write against what they subscribe assent and consent to too as these men say they are allowed by the Church But I know not well what Church the man means by our Church for I do not know well of what church he is though I hear he is in the Church of England and promoted so was the Bishop of Spalato till King James found out his Knavery and so was Dr. Lewes who returned to Winchester and when he had received some thousands of pounds of current English money he returned to his Church of Rome who therein followed not the cunning advice of Thuanus a learned and cunning Papist to Casaubon * Wedderbornes Book p 23 vid. Supplement to Laudensium autocatacrifis p. 18. not to come away to them but stay here seeing he had and might have more means here than he could or would have there and might do them more service here than he could do them if there I have dwelt too long upon this large man else I could set before your eyes many more of his erroneous and dangerous Doctrines but I must leave him What I have said in my following Renunciation will I hope sufficiently confute Dr. Patrick's Doctrine of Justification by our own good works and by faith as it worketh by love and some Friendly Debate pag. 13 〈◊〉 14. other of his false Doctrines I meddle not with some others because better heads and pens have undertaken them Though the Arminian c. faction he they say much increased yet that it was greater and more Popish before the late Civil Wars and that there was more danger of bringing in Popery then than there is now I could offer many reasons as I. That the body of Popery except the Popes Supremacy was then preached and printed as Dr. Fuller shews was complained of and so much Dr. Heylin confesseth as was shewed before and may in a very great part he seen gathered to your hands in Laudensium Autocatacrisis and the Supplement thereunto and Laudensium Apostasia which I believe cannot be proved now 2. Then there were the High Commission and the Star-Chamber Courts which are not now wherein A. B. Laud and his party used to crush whosoever appeared in the least against their Arminian Doctrines and Popish Innovations 'T is true we have some disadvantages we want a Dr. Humphrie Abbot Holland and Prideaux in the Chair in Oxford a Cartwright Whitakers Davenant and Ward at Cambridge a Dr. Ames Twisse Kendal and a Mr. Jeanes who are gone to their Rests and we lack liberty and encouragement for our thousands of Orthodox Nonconforming Ministers freely to preach and print against Popish Arminian and Socinian Innovations in Doctrine Discipline and Worship If orthodox and learned and godly Divines Nonconformists indeed to the Ceremonies but real Conformists to the Doctrine of Faith of the Church of England who did not only preach the truth to the elder but taught it to the younger sort of people had not been turned and kept out of the Ministry and silenced and cast out of their Freeholds and Corporations except they would do such things as they judged unlawful or at least inexpediâ—â— and put into their places either ignorant or erroneous or scandalous persons men either unapt or unfit to teach though I acknowledg there are many learned sober men sound in the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach in the Ministry whose persons God knows I love and whose learning I honour and admire yet I say there are many as selfish malicious covetous ambitious some as erroneous if not idolatrous men as many that are of the Church of Rome and so would openly profess themselves to be if time should serve them 't is very probable and verily believed that neither Popery nor Arminianism that cunning way to bring in Popery nor Prophaneness and Atheism would have gotten that head which some say they have Where the fault is is not for me to determine not suggest But verily I think his Gracious Majesty cannot be so much as suspected much less accused of it for he was graciously pleased to issue out a Declaration for liberty for tender Consciences from Bredah and another soon after his return home which was turned into a Bill by a worthy Gentleman and offered to the Parliament then called healing Since that his Majesty made another Gracious Declaration for liberty of Conscience but that 't is known was cried down by the Episcopal party and now at last his Majesty upon pious and politick accounts hath given forth another and more Gracious Declaration for liberty of Conscience and licensed several sound Protestant Divines who have lost their livings and suffered the spoiling of their goods and refused dignities rather than comply with our Bishops and their Latitudinarian party in things they judged unlawful inexpedient and inductive to Popery c. to preach and teach the word of God truly and worship God purely as he hath commanded in his Word without humane additions and inventions c. But this also the Episcopal party under the specious pretence of being against bringing in Popery which many of them preach and practise and love more than the truth and the pure worship of God as God and their own consciences well know though they have formerly extolled the Kings Supremacy and Prerogative above Law Right Reason and Religion and these thirteen years last past scarce ever executed one Law of those many that are made against Popish Recusants no nor mentioned publickly any fear of Popery till his Majesty granted his most loyal Protestant Subjects liberty to serve God purely as he hath commanded in his Word
in Gods merciful promises to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his Commandments And this true Christian faith neither Devil hath nor yet any man which in the outward profession of his mouth and in his outward receiving of the Sacraments in coming to the Church and in all other outward appearances seemeth to be a Christian man and yet in his living and deeds sheweth the contrary And also p. 22. There is a twofold faith 1. Dead which bringeth forth no good fruits but is idle and unfruitful and is the faith of Devils and of wicked men who confess God with their mouths but deny him in their deeds He believeth the Scriptures to be true but trusteth not in God for the performance of the Promises therein He believeth not in God and trusteth not in his mercy and grace 2. A lively Faith is not idle or unfruitful but worketh by charity And this is not the common belief of the Articles of our Faith but 't is also a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ Nothing so much commendeth men to God as this assured Faith and trust in him By which we may see 1. That Faith justifieth not as it barely assents to the word of God which may be proved thus That is no act of Faith as 't is justifying which Devils and wicked men may have but assent to the word of God Devils and wicked men may have therefore a bare assent to the word is no act of Faith as justifying The Major is undeniable the Minor is not only affirmed by our Church in the said Homily but may be proved by Jam. 2. 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble And that wicked men may have such faith may be seen in Jam. 2. 14. Wicked men may assent to the History of the Scriptures yea to this That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Saviour of the World as those did we read of in Joh. 2. 23 24 Many believed in his name when they saw the Miracles which he did But yet these did not put their trust and confidence in Jesus for Salvation they believed that he was the Christ that was promised but they received him not to be their Saviour For Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men He knew they did not believe in him with their hearts And Joâ— 12 42. Among the chief rulers many believed in hâ—m but they were hypocrites for because of the I harisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God And such a believer was Simon Magus Act. 8. 13. He believed and was baptized and continued with Philip 〈◊〉 wondred beholding the Miracles and signs which were done and yet his heart was not right in the sight of God he was in the gall of bitâ—â—rness and bond of iniquity which he discovered when he would have bought the power of giving the Holy Ghost with money as may be seen in Act. 8. 19 20. 21 22 23. If this assent would justifie it would juâ—â—â—fiâ— them 2. Faith justifies not as 't is an act habit or work for faith putteth us from it self and remitteth us to Christ for justification and saith it is not I that justifie you but Christ only it is not I that take away your sins it is Christ only and to him only I send you for that purpose forsaking therein all your good vertues thoughts and works and only putting your trust in Christ Hom. of Salvation of Mankind p. 18. and before that it saith No man by his own acts works and deeds seem they never so good can be justified and made righteous before God ibi p. 13. Now the act of a mans own Faith is a mans own act and therefore it cannot justifie him before God 2. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of our learned and orthodox Divines 1. Read what Bishop * â—ascic Controv. c. 5. q. 5. p. 266 267. Prideaux saith Neque tamen merito fidei justificamur sed medio non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non propter fidem sed per fidem non justi facti sumus sed declaramur apprehendente scilicet fide non mâ—da tantum cognitione assensu sed fiducia iâ—â—ente salvatoris merito quod divinae justitiae satisfaciat We are not justified by the merit or worthiness of Faith but by means of Faith not for Faith but by Faith we are not made but declared just by Faith apprehending not by a naked knowledg and assent only but by a trust resting upon the merits of our Saviour which satisfies Gods justice 2. Archbishop Vsher to this question How is this great benefit of Justification applied to us and apprehended by us excellently and truly answereth thus This is done on our part by faith alone and that not considered as a virtue inherent in us * Mark this is directly and distinctly and expresly against Dr. Patrick's and Mr. Fowler 's false Doctrine mentioned before John Bradford that pious and learned Martyr saith That Faith as it justifieth is to be understood thus not that the action it self of believing as it is a quality in man doth deserve it but because it taketh that dignity of the object For in the act of justifying faith as it is an action in man is not to be considered alone but must go ever with the object and taketh its virtue thereof Fox his Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1577. working by love but only as an instrument or hand of the soul stretched forth to lay hold on the Lord our righteousness Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 10. 10. Jer. 22. 6. So that faith justifieth only relatively in respect of the object which it fastneth on to wit the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified faith being only the instrument to convey so grrat a benefit unto the soul 〈◊〉 the hand of the beggar receives the almes Sum of Christian Religion pag. 196. 3. Bishop Downham in his learned Treatise of Justification where may be seen Mr. Fowler 's Arguments and Doctrine taken out of Bellarmine fully and punctually answered too long to be herein inserted Lib. 6. c. 7. Sec. 3. in answer to this question Whether Faith doth justifie formally as being a part of inherent righteousness or instrumentally only as the hand to receive Christ who is our righteousness He saith thus The Roman Catholicks hold the former the true Catholicks the latter But the former I have sufficiently disproved before and proved the latterâ— for if we be not justified by any grace or righteousness inherent iâ— our selves or performed by our selves which I have before Liâ—â— 4. by undeniable arguments demonstrated then it follows necessarily that we are not justified by Faith as it is a gift or
imputed to believers for Justification but that Mediatory righteousness of Christ whereby he suffered for our breach of Gods most righteous Law which deserves Gods curse Gal. 3. 13. and actively fulfilled the whole Moral Law of God for us which we were bound to do Levit. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Gal. 4. 4 5. Mat. 3. 15. If a Creditor cast his debtor into prison for non-payment of such a sum of money as he owed him till he be payed the money or otherwise satisfied for his debt upon his sureties or friends coming to him and paying him all the money and he taking accepting and allowing of it as full and perfect satisfaction to him for the debt doth impute it or reckon it or put it upon his account and consequently to him as though it were paid and made by his debtor in person himself and doth therefore in manifestation thereof deliver up his bond or cross his Book and release him out of prison So 't is here Gods accepting taking and allowing of our Saviour Jesus Christs our sureties active and passive obedience for us as though actually and personally performed by us as full and perfect satisfaction to his Justice and thereupon we applying it by Faith pardoning our sins delivering of us from the curse of the Law formally punishments and eternal death doth thereby impute his obedience or righteousness to us that by Faith in Christ do make application of it to our selves Now the Minor is the express Doctrine of the Church of England and Ireland Homily for Salvation p. 13 14 15 16 17. And this Justification or righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by faith is taken * Mr. Fowler himself makes Justification and acceptance with God all one Free Disc p. 134. accepted and allowed by God for our full and perfect justification And again Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 175. Neither was it possible for us to be loosed of this debt of our own ability it pleased him that is Christ our Surety to be the payer thereof and to discharge us quit his paying our debt meritoriously discharging us quit necessarily implys that God did accept of the merits of his death and doings for us And Ibi. p. 177. Christ was obedient to his Father even to the death and this he did for us all that believe in him And such favour did he purchase for us of his heavenly Father by his death that for the merit thereof if we be true Christians indeed and not in word only we be now fully in Gods grace again and clearly discharged from our sins those expressions that Christ did purchase for us Gods favour and clearly discharged us from our sins manifest it to all the world that God did accept and take and allow as full satisfaction of what Christ did for us Again Ibi. p. 187 188. Christ by his own oblation and once offering himself upon the Cross hath taken away our sins and restored us again into Gods favour so fully and perfectly that no other sacrifice for sin shall hereafter be requisite or needful in all the world And in the 34th Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland they say thus We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jâ—sus Christ applied by Faith and not for our own works or merits And this righteousness which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits imbraced by Faith is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full Justification And in 35th Article they say thus And whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransome it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite mercy without any desert of ours to provide for us the most precious merits of his own Son whereby our ransome might be fully paid the Law fulfilled and his Justice fully satisfied So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them that truly believe in him He for them paid their ransome by his death he for them fulfilled the Law in his life that now in him and by him every true Christian may be called a fulfiller of the Law for as much as that which our infirmity was not able to effect Christs justice hath performed And this Doctrine viz. that Christ hath for us made a full and perfect satisfaction to Gods Justice is the express Doctrine of the Church of England in her Order of the Communion which saith there That Jesus Christ did suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption and that he made there by his own oblation of himself once offered 〈◊〉 full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world And Homâ—ly of Christs Nativity T. 2. p. 169. Christ made perfect satisfaction by his death for the sins of all people And that God doth take accept and allow it as full and perfect satisfaction for the sins of all his elect people is most evident by the holy Apostles Creed which the Church of England also believeth as well as by the holy Doctrine of the Canonical Scriptures which hold that Jesus Christ did not only die and was buried and was for a time held under the power of death and the grave which was as his imprisonment but that he was raised again for our Justification which declared that God was fully satisfied with what he had done and suffered else he would not have let him out of Prison Rom. 4. 25. And that he ascended up into heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of God and that from thence he shall come to iudg both quick and dead Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 1. 3. And God hath declared that in him he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 17. 5. And that we are compleat in him Col. 2. 18. And that we are justified in and by him Rom. 3. 24. And that we have peace with God through him Rom. 5. 1 2. And that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. And that he saves his people from their sins to the uttermost Mat. 1. 21. Heb. 5. 25. Of which you may see much more hereafter in the 13th particular concerning Purgatory To pass by many more arguments 4 Sacred Scripture doth evidently hold it forth unto all that will not wilfully shut their eyes or that are not judicially blinded 1. Jer. 23. 6. This is the name whereby Christ shall be called that is by all Gods people the Lord our righteousness * See Bishop Andrews his Sermon in locum All Gods people shall profess that they have their righteousness from Christ which is in effect the same with Isa 45. 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory All the spiritual seed of Israel that is all Gods Elect shall be justified that is shall obtain remission of their sins and right to everlasting life by virtue of the Son
is more than his inherent righteousness as I shewed before or inherent holiness is as coâ—pleatly made †'T is so by Gods imputation theirs as if they theâ—selves were compleatly and perfectly righteous and that upon no other * They call not Faith a condition but the only instrument of the soul condition or qualification wrought in them but 〈◊〉 believing whereby too many of them meâ—â— strongly fancying this rightcousness to 〈◊〉 theirs This he saith in the Margent iâ— a false notion of it and is grosly false doctrine For he saith there are two palâ—ble mistakes in it 1. That Christs righteousness is properly †'T is as properly made ours by imputation as Adam's first sin is made ours made ours I am coâ—fident there is no Scripture that tells us 〈◊〉 All that we find asserted in the Gospel 〈◊〉 to this matter is this that real benefits 〈◊〉 advantages which are likewise exceedingâ—â— great * But what are they is justification one of them or not in the sense I have treated of it and excellent do by the righteousness of Christ accrue to us and those â—â—less great and excellent than if that righteousness were in the most proper seâ—â— ours 2. The other mistake is that this righteousness is made ours upon no other terms than that of believing †Who saith so what other terms are required on our part besides faith in Christ believe and thou shalt be saved antecedent to Justification it is so This is not only a * And yet this man saith Conformists must not write against the Doctrine of the Church of England false but also a most dangerous opinion And then he saith That be and his moral Preachers are careful to shew the falsity and defectiveness of some definitions of faith of dangerous consequence and that this is one of the false ones namely that is is a taking hold of †Who are the men that so define it and where Assembl Definition of Justifying Faith Christs righteousness or a believing thâ—â— it is made over to us p. 129 130 this he calls a mysterious faith and non-sâ—nse p. 130. The Learned and Orâ—hodoâ— Assembly of Divines in their larger Catechism did give us this Definition of justifying Faith Justifying faith is a saving grace wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God whereby he being convinced of his sin and misery and of the disability of himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the Gospel but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for pardon of sin and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of â—oâ— for salvation Joh. 1. 12. Act. 16. 32. Phil. 3. 9. Is this a false or defective definition of Faith or non-sense if it be speak out and prove it And p. 130 131. he saith The reason why those moral Preachers use not at all or but seldom the phrase imputed righteousness is because those mens very untoward notion hath so leavened * And yet you 'l use the word Altar and the phrase holy Altar though the Papists have levelâ—â— it with their false notion of oftering the sacrifice of Christs body and blood upon it the heads of the vulgar that they can scarcely hear of Christs imputed righteousness but they are ready to make an ill use of it by taking from thence occasion to entertain low and disparaging thoughts of an inward real righteousness I think saith he it would be well if it were never used I pray mark 1. He calls our Orthodox Divines notion of Christs imputed righteousness an â—ntoward notion 2. He gives a Popish reason and very untoward false and dangerous one why his Divines use not the phrase imputed righteousness because forsooth ' tâ—s in danger to be abused the same that Papists give for their prohibiting vulgar people to read the holy Scriptures in a known tongue left they should abuse it 3. Christs righteousness and the imputation thereof must not by these mens reason be mentioned Lest people should take occasion to disparage mans own real moral righteousness Doth not this shew that you prefer your own righteousness above Christs And pag. 132. he saith But take notice that this expression Christs * So saith Bellarmine as Tâ—lenus in his Syntag. de Justiâ— p 726. tells us where he saith frontem persricat Bellarmiâ—â— 'T is plainly in Rom. 4. 6. â—hil 3. 8. 9. and by necessary consequence in Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. and many other plâ—ces of Script 2 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 imputed righteousness is not to be found in all the Bible Nor in any of the places where we find the word imputed relating to the righteousness of Christ at all to be understood but only an effectual faith which is the very same with inherent righteousness which as I said is that moral righteousness only that those Preachers may be justly charged with altogether insisting upon p. 133. Here the man speaks out plainly that our persons are justified befoâ—â— God by our own inherent righteousness as 't is taken in opposition 〈◊〉 the righteousness of Christ imputed to us which latter he utterly denies And in his other Book intituled The design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221. he saith That faith justifies as it includes a sincere resolution of obedience or true holiness in the nature of it Which is as directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England as any that his Father Bellarmine hath written concerning Justification whose arguments he urgeth and improves as will be evident to any man that reads Bishop Downham of Justification and Dr. Ames his Bellarminus Enervatus And in p. 133. of his Free Discourse he saith There are but two Chapters in all the New Testament where we find the word imputed mentioned as relating to righteousness one is in the fouâ—â— to the Romans and the other the second of St. James In the fourth to the Romans we have it four or five times and it is most evident that there still it is to be interpreted as I said that is above p. 132. * Which is most false it 's evident that 't is taken as all our sound Protestant Divines understand it of Faith not as 't is effectual by works but as it 's relatively considered apprehending the righteousness of Christ and applying it to our selves as I have shewed before Bishop Sanderson was no Antinomian consider what he saith That Justification of sinners by the imputed righteousness of Christ apprehended and applied unto them by a lively Faith without the works of the Law is a sound true comfortable profitable and necessary Doctrine Serm. upon Rom 3. 8. p. 49. in 410. of an effectual faith which is the very same with inherent righteousness And what he saith for confirmation of his opinion That Abrahaâ— was justified by his faith
have not chosen me but I have chosen you and 〈◊〉 dained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your frâ—â— should remain Where 't is clear that the Apostles who reprsented not only Ministers of the Gospel but also all Gods Churcâ— which consists only of his Elect did not chuse God first but 〈◊〉 chose them first And that he did not ordain them to eterâ—â—â— life because he did foresee that they would go and bring for t fruit and persevere in well-doing but that they and by conâ—â—quence we might do so So 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that 〈◊〉 loved God but that he loved us That is first as the 19 verse 〈◊〉 pounds this tenth We love him because he loved us first 6. Gods Election of man to Salvation cannot be from his foâ— seeing that man would believe and do good works for 〈◊〉 hath not since his Fall sufficient power of himself to will to bâ—lieve or do good works for it is God that worketh in us both 〈◊〉 will and to do Ephes 2. 13. Yea the Apostle speaks plainly Epâ—â— 2. 8. That we are saved by grace through faith and that that faith is not 〈◊〉 our selves but that 't is the gift of God And so holds the Churâ—â— of England frequently in her Book 〈◊〉 Homilies For it is the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 Homil. of the Nativity of Christ T. 2. p. â—67 no other thing that doth quicken 〈◊〉 minds of men stirring up good and gâ—â— motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and commanâ—ment of God such as otherwise of their own crooked and perverse â—â—ture they should never have That which is born of the flesh is fleâ—â—ly as who should say man of his own nature is fleshly and câ—â—nal and corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to Gâ—â— without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or goâ—â— motions only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds as for the fruit of the Spirit the fruit of faith charitable and godly motions if he haâ—â— any at all in him they proceed only of the Holy Ghost who is the 〈◊〉 worker of our Sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Jesâ—◠〈◊〉 Homily concerning the coming down of the Holy Ghosâ— p. 209. We must needs agree that whatsoever good thing is in us either of grace or nature or fortune is of God only as the only authâ—â— and worker Verily that holy Prophet Isaiah beareth record and saitâ— O Lord it is thou of thy goodness that bast wrought all our works in us not we our selves And to uphold the truth in this matter against all justitiaries and hypocrites which rob Almighty God of his honour and ascribe it to themselves St. Paul bringeth in his belief We be not saith he sufficient of our selves as of our selves once to think any goodthing but all our ableness is of Gods goodness for he it is in whom we have all our being our living and moving It is meet to think that all spiritual goodness cometh from God above only Homily for Rogation-Week p. 217. 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the reformed Churches The French Church saith thus We believe that out of this universal corruption and damnation wherein by nature all men are drowned God did deliver and preserve some whom by his eternal and immutable counsel of his own goodness and MERCY WITHOVT ANY RESPECT OF THEIR WORKS he did choose in Christ Jesus and others he left in that corruption and damnation in whom he might as well make manifest his justice by condemning them justly in their time as also declare the riches of his mercy in the others The Confession of the Church of Belgia is this We believe that God after the whole off-spring of Adam was cast head-long into perdition and destruction through the fault of the first man hath declared and shewed himself to be such a one as he is indeed namely both merciful and just merciful in delivering and saving those from condemnation and from death whom in his eternal counsel of HIS OWN FREE GOODNESS he hath Aliud est in Christo legi aliud in Christo esse in Christo elegi est ex mundo numero periuntium 〈◊〉 Christo ut redemptus ab ipso fide donatus in ipso Mac. red Th. Pol. 〈◊〉 7. q. 4. p. 67. chosen in Jesus Christ WITHOUT ANY REGARD AT ALL OF THEIR WORKS Harmony of Confessions Sect. 5. p. 86 87. The Church of Ireland in the 14th Article of her Confession of Faith saith thus The cause moving God to predestina te unto life is not the foreseeing of faith or perseverance or good works or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself for all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his mercy and of his justice it seemed good to his heavenly Wisdom â—o chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his justice And 〈◊〉 former part of this Article is the Doctrine of the Church of Eâ—â—land also in express terms set down in the second Article of â—â—beth to be seen in the end of this book how and by whom Arâ—â— bishop Whitgift and several Bishops Fletcher Elect of London Vâ—â—han Elect of Bangor Tindale Dean of Eli Dr. Whitaker Mr. Perkiâ—â— Mr. Chaderton c. and upon what account Dr. Heylin in part shâ—â— in his Cyprianus Anglicus lib. 3. p. 2â— 204. viz. Peter Baroes venting Arâ—â—nian It cannot be denied but that the same Doctrine is maintained by Arminius and that it is the very same with that of the Church of Rome as appears by the Council of Trent Coâ—â— 3 4. Heylins Introduction to his Cyp. Anglicus p. 36. which as Dr. Heylin himself câ—â—â—fesseth is agreeable to Franciscan â—â—pish Doctrine and which the Parliment of 1628. remonstrated to the 〈◊〉 and Kingdom to be a cunning 〈◊〉 bring in Popery the professors of 〈◊〉 opinions being common disturbers of 〈◊〉 Protestant Churches and incendiarie◠〈◊〉 those States wherein they have gotteâ—â— head being Protestanis in shew but Jesuits in opinion and practise 〈◊〉 Angl. l. 3. p. 181. Now that the Articles of Lambeth are the seâ—â— of the Doctrine of the Church of England may be gathered not â—â—ly from A. B. Vshers taking these Articles into the Articles of Religâ—â— of Ireland and King James his approving of them but also by 〈◊〉 declarations of the Commons Assembled in Parliament in or abâ—â— the year 1628 June 14. We 〈◊〉 Commons of England now Assembâ—â— Declaration of the Commons in Parliament do claim profess 〈◊〉 aver for truth the sense of the Aâ—â—cles of Religion which were established in Parliament the 〈◊〉 year of Queen Elizabeth which by the publick Acts of the Churcâ—â— of England and the general and current exposition of the
to the 35th Article of Religion of Ireland Although this justification be free unto us yet it cometh not so freely unto us that there is no ransom paid therefore at all God shewed his great mercy in delivering us from our former captivity without requiring of any ransom to be paid or amends to be made on our parts which thing by us had been unpossible to be done And whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransom it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite mercy without any desert of ours to provide for us the most precious merits of his own Son whereby our ransom might be fully paid the law fulfilled and his justice fully satisfied so that now Christ is the righteousness of all theâ— that believe in him He for them paid their ransom by his death He for them fulfilled the law in his life That now in him and by him every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the law for as much as that which our infirmity was not able to effect Christ's justice hath performed and thus the justice and mercy of God do embrace each other the grace of God not shutting out the justice of God in the matter of our justification but onâ—y shutting the justice of man that is to say the justice of our oâ—â— works from being any cause of deserving our justification 3. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of faith made by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster c. 16. Article 5. We cannot by our best works merit paâ—don of sin or eternal life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our former sins but when we have done all we can we have done but oâ—â— duty and are unprofitable servants and because as they are good they proceed from his Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled 〈◊〉 mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgment Behold here is the Doctrine of the three Churches in his Majesties three Kingdoms against this Popish Autichristian Doctrine of Merits But 4. 'T is contrary to sacred Scripture That the good works of regenerated men do not merit eternal salvation at Gods hands â—prove 1. Because eternal life is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. That whicâ— is given to us is not merited by us but eternal life is given to us therefore eternal life is not merited by us 2. Because we are not saved by our own good works but by the mercy of God T it 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done 〈◊〉 according to his mercy he saved us therefore our good works do not merit eternal salvation 3. Because the Apostle saith that we are saved by grace Eph 2. 8 9. where by grace is meant the favour or mercy of God in him aâ—◠〈◊〉 by works which we have done or do and the reason is given lest 〈◊〉 man should boast which we might do as that we have saved our selvâ—â— and God hath not saved us if our own good works within us or doâ—â— by us as our Homily speaks did merit eternal salvation 5. The good works of regenerated men do not ex condigno men eternal life at Gods hands because they want the proper conditions of proper merit for that which is properly merit ex condigno or is properly meritorious hath or ought to have these Conditions Cond 1. That it be perfectly good but the good works of regenerated men are imperfect This I have proved before out of our book of Homilies Articles of Ireland and Confession of Scotland and sacred Scripture Homil. of Christs death t. 2. part 2. p. 182. alledged Article 6th Article the 10 and this 12th of this See also Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord â—â—r in thy sight shall no flesh be justified Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 2. 16. Psal 130. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Gal. 5. 17. * Isa 64. 6. The stains of our righteousness are no less than menstruous Dr. Slater in 2 Thes 2. 11. p. 167. And upon this account our good works are not meritorious ratione pacti or ratione operis for the Covenant of works Do this and thou shalt live requires perfect obedience without any imperfection which if we perform not eternal life is not due unto us ratione pacti by vertue of the Covenant of Works and if you come in and plead the Covenant of Grace Believe and thou shalt be saved you deny the condignity of your works and come over to us for Gods free grace given unto us for we are not justified and saved for our good works worthiness but for Christs sake in whom he hath elected us unto eternal life 2. Cond That it be not due or debt but our good works are due debts which we owe to God Luk. 17. 10. When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do We may merit of men when we do them some notable piece of work which we were not bound to do but we can do no good work to or for God but that which we are bound to do therefore we cannot merit by doing good works which are but our duty Adam while he was in the fâ—ate of innocency could not by his perfectly good works have merited ex condigno eternal life at Gods hands by reason of the dignity of his works because his works were due from him to God as I shewed before in the Article of Original sin Cond 3. That they be only ours but our good works as they are good are not properly * Homily for Rogation-Week t. 2. p. 297 220. alledged before Article 7. p. â—1 ours but are the free gifts of God and works of God in us 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think â—â—t thing as of our selves but our suâ—ficiency is of God Joh. 15. 5. Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing that is nothing that is spiritually and truly good and acceptable to God and Phil. 2. 13. it is God that worketh in you to will and to do that which is good of his good pleasure See more in Homily of Repentance t. 2. p. 263. alledged before Article 7th Cond 4. That it profit him of whom we merit but our good works do not profit God Job 22. 2. Can a man be profitable unto God Psal 16. 2. Our goodness extendeth not to thee Rom. 11. 35. Who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompenced to him again Luk. 17. 10. When you have done all you are commanded
ex dignitate operis not for the worthiness of the works done it mâ—â— be due ratione pacti by reason of the Covenant that God freely made to â—â—lievers in Christ but 't is not due ratione sacti that is 't is not due foâ— the worthiness of the works done Obj. But against all this Bellarmine and * Debate p. 14. Dr. Patrick object Mat. 25. from 31. to the end but chiefly the 34 35 verses Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was 〈◊〉 â—â—ungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I 〈◊〉 a stranger and ye took me in c. Hence Bellarmine and Dr. Patrick would infer that good works of regenerated men are meritorious or efficient causes of their eternal salvation and consequently of their justification Ans To which I answer 1. That good works are via ad regnum as St. Bernard speaks but not causa regnandi they are the way that God hath appointed us to walk in to the kingdom of Heaven but they are not the cause of our reigning there they may be conditions sine quibus non without which we cannot get thither but not efficient causes of our getting there 2. 'T is true that God requires good works at our hands as fruits and evidences of justifying faith and as â—â—edent conditions to our eternal salvation and as manifestations of our love and thankfulness to God for his abundant love to us in our election sâ—stification adoption sanctification and preservation c. but not as conditiâ—â—s of the Covenant of Grace or as efficient or meritorious causes of our Justification or salvation or foreseen moving causes of our election 3. That the word for doth not always shew the cause of a thing but sometimes it renders the reason of a thing which reason may be drawn from the effect as 't is in Luke 7. 47. Her sins are forgiven for she loved much where by for is shewed not the cause why but the reason to prove that her sins were forgiven For she loved much Mary her great love was not the cause why her sins were forgiven her but the effect sign and evidence thereof she liad received much love from God therefore she loved God very much So here God is merciful for he rewardeth the merciful to his members according to their works this reason from the word for here is not from the cause of our inheriting the kingdom of Heaven but from the effect to prove the cause The argument may be thus They that are the elected justified and adopted Children of God shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven but you at my right hand are such ergo ye shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven the Minor our Saviour provâ—s by their works thus They that are for Christs sake merciful to Christs Members and Ministers are the elected justified and adopted Children of God but you are merciful for Christs sake to Christ's Members and Ministers Ergo you are the elected justified and adopted Children of God the Minor viz. that they were merciful for Christs sake to Christs Members and Ministers Christ proves by their works For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. So that here you may see that the Particle for is not used here causally but rationally it doth not declare the cause of their salvation but it declares a reason to prove that they were the blessed Children of God and heirs of the kingdom of heaven for he here proves their election quoad quod sit but not quoad cursit that they were elected c. but not why they were elected and therefore it makes nothing for the proof of Bellarmines or Dr. Patricks Doctrine This Doctrine that Christ hath merited that our good works might merit is one of Antichrist's delusions to be taken heed of 2 Thes 2. 11. lest we be induced to believe a lie that is the whole Antichristian Faith and Religion which is a complicated lie 2. This Doctrine of theirs implies either that Christ hath not sufficiently merited eternal life for us or that our meriting is vain and needless for that which is sufficiently done to that end by Christ needs not that it should be done again by us to that end 3. That whatsoever Papists say to the contrary 't is evident that they do divide the glory of meriting eternal life between Christ and Christians because they give it not solely to that grace that is in Christ but also to that grace that doth inhere in us or is done by us to which also they ascribe our justification And for a further evidence they exhort people to do good works by this argument 'T is more honourable to merit Dr. Ames Bel. Enervat t. 4. c. 72. p. 206. by a mans self than by another and ' tâ—â— more honourable to have eternal life by merit than by gift as Bellarmines Durands and Tappers following word set down by Dr. Ames do plainly shew magis honorisicum c. that is It is more honourable to have eternal life by merit than only of gift saith Bellarmine Far be it that righteous men should expect eternal life as 〈◊〉 poor man doth an alms for it is much more glorious that they as conqâ—â—rors and triumphers do possess it as crown due to their labours so saith Tapper Tapper in Art Lovan t. 2. art 9. It is more honourable to have a thiâ—â— by a mans self or of a mans self thâ—◠〈◊〉 another or by another for be that hath any thing by his own proper merit 〈◊〉 a manner hath it by himself in as much as he hath made that thing due 〈◊〉 him by his own proper action saith Dâ—rand Now let any unprejudiced mâ—â— Durand in 3. d. 18. that understands common reason judg what the Papists mean and what their words do signifie when they say That Christ hath merited that regenerated persons good works might merit eternal life and whether this be not as I said one of their strong delusions by which they are deceived themselves and endeavour to deceive others and whether these Popish Grandees false heretical and blasphemous Doctrines above Ames Bellar. Enervat t. 4. l. 7. c. 2. p. 209. recited as Guido the Hermit confessed in his revocation of them that they were do not rob God of the honour of his free grace and Christ our blessed Saviour of the honour of his inestimable merits and overthrow the Gospel yea blow up Christianity it self under the pretence of advancing it and utterly destroy the souls and bodies of many well-meaning people and pick the pockets of many thousands to fill the proud Pope of Romes Coffers and satisfie if it be possible the covetous ambitious and malicious lusts of that man of sin and his adherents let the world judg ART XIII That there is a place after this life called Purgatory wherein the souls of believers dying since Christs
benefits thereof then I say the Font and Reading-pew may be called Altars as well the Communion-table and the Pulpit may more properly be called an Altâ—r than the Table for there Thanks or the sacrifice of Praise is more frequently given or offered to God for Christs death and the benefits we receive thereby than on the Communion-table and that therefore they should be so called if not bowed to by your reasons But A. B. Laud is pleased to alledg Reverend Bishop Jewel as approving his bowing to Communion-tables set Altarwise at the East-end of the Quire or Jewel's Reply to Harding Art 3. p. 29 151. Chancel Bishop Jewel speaking against Ministers praying before their people in an unknown Tongue to whom Harding saith That the people cannot indeed say Amen to the blessing or thanksgiving of the Priest so well as if they understood the Latin Tongue perfectly yet they give assent unto it c. and this they declare by sundry outward tokens and gestures as by standing up at the Gospel and at the Preface to the Mass and by bowing themselves down and adoring at the Sacrament by kneeling at other times as when pardon and mercy is humbly asked and by other like signs of Devotion in other parts of the Service To which Bishop Jewel gives a short Answer and shews That 1 Harding's words contradict St. Paul's 1 Cor. 14. 16 17 18. 2. He commends devotion and affection in people at the service of God 3. He acknowledgeth in the general not in those particulars that Hâ—rding speaks of that kneeling bowing standing up and other like are commendable gestures and tokens of Devotion so long as the people understand what they mean and apply them unto * That is rightly and according to his wordâ— the next words to whom they be due the Archbishop left out as being against bowing to his altars God to whom they be due otherwise they may well make them hypocrites but holy and godly they cannot make them There may be adoring at the Sacrament when people confess their sins pray for pardon of them and give thanks to God for mercies received but here 's not a word in Hardings answer or in Bishop Jewel's reply of bowing to or towards the holy Table or Altar especially upon your religious account of Christs corporal or sacramental presence hoc est corpus meum And that Bishop Jewel was not for bowing to or towards the holy Table or Altar as you call it especially upon your accounts his works do evidently declare For he was as I have shewed against bowing to or adoring of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper which is the Ordinance of God and therefore is more worthy than the Table whereon it stands which is but an instrument or help to the orderly and decent celebration of that Ordinance as was shewed above And there ye may find him saying That religious Bishop Jewel's Ssr. upon 1 Cor. 11. 23. p. 50. adoration belongs not to any creature but only to God And concerning Altars he proves out of Origen and Arnobius that there were none in the Apostles times nor in many years after as was shewed before And in the 30th Division of that third Article of his Reply to Harding he declares himself for the Apostles times as the best and truest standard for Doctrine and practice in which times they had Communion-tables and not altars And in his works you may find him stiff and zealous against * Bishop Jewel ' s Reply to Harding art 14. D. 1. pag. 367 368 369 c. D. 12. p. 380 381 382. worshipping of Images yea of worshipping God in by or through them yea I find him in his works not forward to follow much less to commend the degenerate Church of Rome's works which first set up Altars which Church he saith out of St. Ambrose is Caput superstitionis the head of superstition and the great Whore and mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Of whom Nicholas Iyra in 2 Thes 2. quoted by him too saith Ab Ecclesia Romona jam diuâ— est quod recessit gratia It is long since the Grace of God departed from the Church of Rome from which Grace whosoever is departed he is departed from Christ Bishop Jewel ' s D. of Apol. p. 2. c. 5. p. 139. The other arguments used for bowing to Altars or worshipping of God towards them by Doctor Pocklington and A. B. Laud drawn from the practise of Queen Elizabeth King James and the Knights of the Order of the Garter are so weak that they will deny them if I should return them upon themselves as thus Qâ—een Elizabeth abetted and helped the Scotch Subjects in taking up arms against their Queen and the Hollanders in taking up arms against their King Ergo 't is lawful and not rebellious so to do For I presume if it had been unlawful and rebellious Queen Elizabeth would not have abetted and helped them therein which is A. B. Laud's argument in his Star-Chamber This argument of the A B. is pitiful weak and so is mine that is made in imitation of it only to shew the invalidity of his for bowing to altars Speech p. 48. for bowing to Altars yet he denies my parallel in one of his illegal and condemned Canons made Anno 1640 after the Parliament was dissolved Queen Elizabeth sequestred the Revenues of the Bishoprick of Oxford Dr. Heylin ' s Cypr. Anglicus p. 49. for eleven years together and gave them to the Earl of Essex from which I infer as the Archbishop doth that 't was lawful so to do For I presume as he doth that if it had been sacriledg and unlawful she would not have done it Thus ad hominem I might alledg many more authorities and produce many more arguments against bowing to Altars upon the account of divine excellency or worshipping God in through by or towards them but I forbear Only this I pray remember that all Wâ—ll-worship is forbidden in the second Commendment but to worship God by in through or towards the holy Altar or Communion-table purposely upon your accounts of divine excellency is Will-worship Ergo 't is unlawful and 't is Will-worship because 't is no where commanded in the New Testament or in the Moral Law for the Ceremonial Law iâ— abrogated ART III. That mens persons are justified or Bell. T. 4. l 6. c. 1. de formali causa justificationis Et c. 9. de operum justificatione So Bishop Montague Gag p. 141 142 143. accounted righteous before God for their own good works that follow faith either in part or in whole and not for the merits of Jesus Christ alone THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England which saith thus in her Book of Homilies 1. No man by his own acts works or deeds seem they never so good can be justified and made righteous before God but every man is of necessity constrained to