no condemnation saith Paul Rom. 8. 1. For by Gods grace are wee iustified gratis by redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3. 24. and hee hath set vs free Ioh. 8. 36. free from sinne both in respect of the guilt as also of punishment Else how are we free Are Gods workes imperfect 2. Cor. 5. 1. Wee know that if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolued that we haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in heauen Saint Paul speakes of himselfe and of all true Christians in this word wee of whom he saith that after death they haue their house for euer in heauen hee puts no lodging or Inne of Purgatory betweene And in the tenth verse of the same Chapter hee saith that at the last Day euery one is to receiue as hee hath done in this bodie So whilest man liueth here in bodie and not as hee suffers in soule in Purgatorie is hee considered Heb. 10. 14. By one oblation hath hee consummated for euer those that are sanctified Note here 1. That Christ hath made an oblation for his 2. That this is but one 3. That this one Col 2. 13 4. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. hath consummate and made his perfect 4. And that for euer So as in verse 17. it s said that their sinnes and iniquities I will now remember no more And will he yet punish them in Purgatory Will he cleanse them from all sinne pardon all offences not imputing sinne Rom. 4. 8. and yet will he exact a satisfaction It s vnreasonable to thinke it 1. Thes 4. 17. Where the Apostle speakes of those aliue at the last Day to be onely changed and so taken vp to Christ All the elect at that time shall escape Purgatorie or it may bee it will then be blowne out or it and hell turned into one Ephes 1. 10. Here the Apostle speaketh of perfecting all in Christ in heauen and in earth Note how hee here onely mentioneth two places in which those be who haue benefit by Christ those in Heauen and in Earth The Apostle forgot them which were frying in Purgatorie If Saint Paul had beleeued such a place where hope of Saluation had beene would he haue left those soules comfortlesse Reu. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours Where rest is there is no torment It were small comfort to thinke this to be spoken of the body for so beasts and beastly men rest Also to vnderstand it of the soule that it rests from the feeling of temptations to sinne and from feare of damnation and yet to be in hellish torments for sinne they not knowing how long What a rest may this be called Let them shew where the word rest is ascribed to any and that they are blessed and doe rest while they be in flaming torments Thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 henceforth pointeth at the present transition to blessednesse Math. 16. 19. and 18. 18. Here is mention of the Churches power to loose on earth but not in Purgatorie except Purgatorie be on earth Not Peter nor the Pope hath any power allowed by Christ from these Scriptures to meddle with any binding or loosing of any after death but onely in this life Note this you Papists which rest so much on the Popes power and helpe of friends after death Luk. 23. 43. The good thiefe went forthwith into Paradise which is heauen 2. Cor. 18. 2 4. So Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. Both escaped Purgatorie the one vnder the Law and the other vnder the Gospell In all the old Testament there was no sacrifice ordained for soules of the departed When Aaron offered incense it was onely for the liuing to pacifie Gods displeasure towards them but not for the dead Numb 16. 48. Wisd 3. 1. The soules of the iust are in the hand of God and torment shall not touch them So doth Montanus translate truely according to the Greeke text But in Purgatory is torment and therefore iust mens soules are not in Purgatory for they are in peace ver 4. What can bee more direct against their Purgatorie Hee that desires more Scriptures according to our translation let him reade a booke intituled Ignisfatuus where are alledged out of the Old Testament Ezech. 18. 22. Esai 57. 1. Eccles 12. 7. Psal 32. 1 2. Psal 51. 7. Esai 53. 4. Leu. 1. 3 6. Out of the New Testament 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Heb. 1. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 6. 23. 8. 33. 5. 1. Reu. 14. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Col. 1. 20. Gal. 6. 8. Ioh. 9. 4. 2. Cor. 4. 17 18. Mar. 11. 25. Col. 2. 13. Mat. 6. 12. Ioh. 10. 18. Gal. 5. 22. All which places are vrged in forme of reasoning Contraried by Antiquitie The booke of questions and answeres at the end of Iustine Martyrs workes saith in quest 75. thus After the soules are departed out of the body the soules of the good are carried into Paradise the soules of the wicked into hell And in quest 60. it is said that men after the departure of the soule out of the bodie cannot by any prouision care or study get helpe or succour Cyprian against Demetrian saith This life being ended wee are diuided into the euerlasting lodgings of death or immortalitie Ierome on Amos 9. The soule loosed from the bands of the body shall bee carried to hell or be lifted into the heauenly habitation Greg. Nazianzen in Epitaph Caesar fratris saith that euery good soule fearing God freed from the body presently enioyeth admirable pleasure Austin de vanit Tom. 9. c. 1. When the soule parteth from the bodie she is instantly placed in Paradise or headlongly cast into hell and in lib. 5. of his Hypognost he saith A third place wee know none neither doe we find any such place throughout the holy Scriptures Ambros cap. 2. of his book of the profit of death saith When the day commeth wee goe assuredly to our Father Abraham c. and although our workes faile vs marke this yet our faith may secure vs. The Greeke Churches to this day beleeue no Purgatorie See Master Moulin his Buckler of Faith pag. 214. 219. citing Chrysostome Lactant. Hilarie Victorinus Austin Ambrose Origen Greg. Nazianz. and Basile touching soules departed Gainesaid by their owne men Espencaeus in 2. Tim. pag. 144. saith Euery soule after the dissolution of the body doth enter into an vnchangeable estate Leo Decr. part 2. Consecr 33. dist 1. cap. 49. saith That which a man in his body receiueth not being vncloathed of his flesh he cannot obtaine Lombard 3. D. 19. saith of such as are in Christ that they are so deliuered that after this life there is not any thing to bee found to be punished Bishop Fisher called Roffensis against Luther Art 18. confesseth that in the ancient Fathers there is either none at all or very rare mention of Purgatorie Greg. on Iob lib. 13. cap.
distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes Prou. 24. 16. A iust man falleth seuentimes and riseth vp againe Ergo Men may commit sinnes veniall and yet remaine iust Answ Here is no proofe that these falls or sinnes are not mortall in themselues For that a iust man sinning remaineth iust is not from the nature of the sinnes which he doth fall into but from the state of adoption and Gods mercy which giueth him grace to repent which is here to bee vnderstood by his rising againe God accepting of him in Christ through whom he is accounted iust and in whom all his sinnes are veniall XXXI Proposition Of keeping Gods Commandements THe question is not of man before his fall for he could then The state of the question keepe them nor of man in corrupt estate for hee cannot keepe them being altogether wicked and euill as before is proued nor of man in state of glory being in all perfection and able perfectly to doe the will of God But the question is of man regenerate in the state of grace as he here liueth going on by Gods assisting grace vnto the perfection in glory Neither is the question here of any kinde of keeping for the regenerate man in diuers respects may bee said to keepe Gods commandements First Imputatiuely in Retract lib. 2. cap. 19. Christ who is our Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption and through whom we are pardoned To this fitteth that of Saint Austin All the commandements are then reputed done when that is for giuen which is left vndone Secondly in respect of his will God hauing giuen him a will and hearty desire in sinceritie to keepe his commandements and then in his mercy accepting the same will for the deed Thirdly in respect of his endeuour and carefull striuing in all good conscience to frame his life after these commandements so keeping them according to the measure of his grace receiued Fourthly comparatiuely in respect of others who liue loosely without care and conscience of obedience A godly gracious person in respect of such may be said to keepe the commandements Lastly in respect of his integritie of heart to one commandement as well as to another and to all and euery clause of euery commandement at all times without sinister regard according to his knowledge and power of diuine grace giuen to assist him therein Of such kinds of keeping is not the question but it is this That a regenerate man by assistance of Gods grace is able to obserue all and euery commandement of God in euery part at all times in thought word and deed perfectly as God in his Law requireth of him Confuted by their owne Bible 1. IT maketh all to haue sinne in them 1. Ioh. 1. 8 10. If we say Prou. 20. 9. we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues If we say we haue no sinne we make him a lyer Now here in the word wee is vnderstood Saint Iohn the beloued Apostle as well as others So Iames saith In many things we offend Iam. 3. 2. and Where sinne is there is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3. 4. And they that sinne keepe not perfectly the Law II. It maketh iust men imperfect and offenders against the Law Eccles 7. 21. There is no iust man in the earth that doth good and sinneth not Prou. 24. 16. Seuen times shall the iust fall and rise againe This they themselues expound of sinne that a iust man sinneth oftentimes III. It affordeth vs a world of examples of most excellent men which haue offended and greatly transgressed the Law of God Adam made in perfection iust Noah holy Aaron righteous Iob zealous Dauid Ieremie the Prophet Saint Peter and other the Apostles also when they forsooke Christ IV. It bringeth in Saint Paul who was an Apostle who had beene rapt into the third heauen bewayling himselfe calling himselfe an vnhapppy man because of that sinne which yet remained in him which made him to doe the euill which hee would not and hindred him in doing the good which hee would doe and so repugning the Law of his minde and captiuing him in the Law of sinne which is in his members Rom. 7. 19 24. In like manner Iob cap. 9. 28 31. fearing all his workes for though hee should be washed yet saith he speaking of God Thou shalt dip me in filth and my garments shall abhorre me Lastly it teacheth the forme of the Lords Prayer wherein wee all and euery one are taught to aske dayly forgiuenesse of God which sheweth that wee all trespasse dayly against him Contraried by Antiquitie Ambros in Comment on Gal. 3. The commandements are such as it is vnpossible to keepe them Austin in Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. Woe be to the most commendable life that we can leade if thou Lord setting thy mercie aside shouldest examine it Bernard on Cant. Serm. 50. The commandements neither haue beene fulfilled in this life by any man nor can be And afterwards he saith that the Law exceedeth mans strength and acknowledgeth that God commanded things impossible not to make vs sinners but to humble vs. Gainesaid by their owne selues Doway in Annot. on Prou. 24. 15 16. saith that without imperfections no man liueth Rhemists on Matth. 6. 12. doe acknowledge that euery man though hee be neuer so iust liueth not without veniall sinnes Now hauing proued before that all sinne in its nature is mortall Therefore by this their grant all men sinne mortally when they sinne if that there were not remission through Christ Ferus in Act. 15. The Law is an impossible burthen for it requireth not onely the hand but the heart Secondly it conuinceth vs to bee sinners for wee doe all more against it then for it Aquinas saith in Gal. 3. lect 4. It is impossible to fulfill the whole Law and citeth for it Act. 15. 10. Scriptures obiected answered Phil. 4. 3. I can doe all things through Christ which strengthneth me Answ 1. All things must of necessitie be limited for Paul could not doe all things without exception Secondly they are to bee applyed to the all things which hee before spake of in the former verse that is to bee abased and to abound In all things saith he I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Here we see the Apostle limits his all things to these kinde of things Thirdly herein cannot bee included the commandements for that the Apostle should here contradict himselfe For in Rom. 7. 18 19 20. speaking of the Law he professeth his inabilitie to performe that which is good Fourthly let it be granted that here the commandements are included as they would yet perfect obedience will not bee hence included For its one thing to be a doer and another thing to doe all in perfection A man may say hee is to doe and can doe all his Masters businesse Will it therfore follow that he so doth it as no defect euer at any time
actions tending to pietie Or the places vrged are such as speake of mans free-will in spirituall actions and these may bee reduced to three heads First to those which perswade exhort and command men to turne and repent to doe good workes to beleeue loue and obey God To which a full answer is made before to Deut. 30. 19. Secondly to those which speake of men holpen by God in workes of pietie which are to be vnderstood of such as be holpen by Gods assisting grace who haue been prepared before by his preuenting grace Thirdly to those where men are said to be co-workers with God which must be vnderstood of them in whom God hath wrought both the will and deed first for so they worke and God also in them Phil. 2. 12 13. Through Christ saith the Apostle I can doe all things who strengtheneth mee Phil. 4. 13. I liue saith he and Christ in me So they liue together Gal. 2. 20. I labour saith he yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 2. Cor. 15. 10. He labours and grace assisteth him To all these places wee may answer generally thus First that wee doe acknowledge a freedome of will in spirituall things when God hath first wrought it in vs. Secondly that those places alledged of them speake of Gods commanding yea and commending of holy mens willingnesse prayers and holy words good workes but they doe not manifest by what power they so will so pray professe and practise and therefore doe not determine the question in hand Which other Scriptures cleerely doe for vs and against our Aduersaries XXX Proposition That some sinnes are in their owne nature veniall and doe not deserue eternall punishment TO cleere this point and to make their errour euident to all obserue what they hold to be veniall sinnes First all those sinnes and negligences into which through weakenesse vpon euery little occasion men euery houre do fall Secondly all the ill motions of the heart being without full deliberation and consent as the sudden passions of the minde concupiscence anger desire of reuenge and such like so vaine and idle thoughts Thirdly such words as sudden and violent passion without precedent deliberation and intent forceth as in a rage and fury to sweare and curse So cholericke answers for trifles rayling and reproachfull termes To these adde excessiue prating idle talking scurrilous and filthy speaking ribald songs officious lying without damage to a mans neighbour vaine boasting preferring his owne wit strength and beauty before others Fourthly such sinnes as a man committeth against his owne good as to spend his time idly gouerne his estate badly wastfully consuming his goods louing to play at Cards and Dice and to goe to Playes to exceede in apparell eating and drinking with delight of his belly Fifthly sinnes towards others as children disobeying Parents when it is of negligence and sensualitie To steale trifles and things of little value Sixtly such sinnes as bee outward to-moue delight as painting the face or for pastime as scoffing and obscene iests and gestures in Playes and such like in sport Seuenthly such sinnes as are against pietie and deuotion as not to sanctifie well the Sabbath day to fast pray giue almes and to goe to the Church for vaine-glory to confesse sinnes negligently and many other besides all these they count veniall sinnes Heere may we see plainely how it comes to passe that vaine people loue so much that vaine licentious Religion runne to it and continue in it and the reasons are First for that they make such euils as these and many other moe yea some kinde of soule secret euils veniall or no sinnes at all not simply sinnes but imperfectly and onely sinnes in some sort Secondly because they hold and teach that these are not iniurious to God are pardonable without repentance not deserue hell not in strictnesse of necessitie to bee confessed to a Priest neither can God in iustice punish them more then with a temporall punishment Thirdly because that as they teach God doth easily pardon and forgiue these and the remedies prescribed are for the most part very easie which be these the giuing of Almes knocking vpon our brest with some remorse going into a Church receiuing holy water with a deuout motion the Bishops blessing crossing of ones selfe bearing with other folkes defects and froward dealings towards vs confessing our sinnes in generall hearing of Masse deuoutly and to be patient in aduersitie and troubles These things are taught some by one sort some by another sort of their learned men See Vaux his English Catechisme also the mirrour to confesse well and D. Whites Way digress 38. Doctor White his Orthodox way cap. 1. obs 2. sect 3. pag. 28. in quarto who doe produce the Authors which teach these To hold that there are any such sinnes as these or any sinnes at all veniall in their owne nature and not deseruing damnation is the very nursery of fleshly libertie and the high-way to destruction Confuted by their owne Bible First it telleth vs that death is the stipend of sinne not excepting any Rom. 6. 21 23. and pronounceth that the soule that shall sinne the same shall dye Ezek. 18. 20. and that hee is cursed that abideth not in the words of this Law and fulfilleth them not Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. making him that offendeth in one to be guiltie of all Iam. 2. 10. and by it also wee learne that deaths sting is sinne 1. Cor. 15. 56. And therefore whatsoeuer is sinne that same is mortall If it bee sinne it is the sting of death and if deaths sting then is it mortall For death doth euer sting deadly Secondly it threatneth death and hell for such sinnes as they count veniall offences seeming very little as in anger to call one foole is in danger of hell fire Matth. 5. 23. and for filthinesse foolish talke or scurrilitie commeth the anger of God Ephes 5. 4. 6. yea we are told that for euery idle word men shall speake they shall render an account in the Day of Iudgement and that as guilty of death Matth. 12. 36. And though our Aduersaries doe hold it a veniall sinne for a man not to husband well his owne estate liuing carelessely and idle yet Christ held it a sinne worthy damnation Matth. 25. 26 27 30. To bee a bragger to be deceitfull to breake a mans couenant to bee without knowledge though they ranke not these among hainous crimes yet deserue they death as we learne by their Bible Rom. 1. 32. Thirdly it telleth vs that for seeming small offences many haue beene fearefully punished as Lots wife for looking backe to haue beene turned into a Statue of Salt Gen. 19. 26. For gathering sticks on the Sabbath day God commanded to stone a man to death Numb 15. 35. and one for blaspheming vpon passion when he was striuing with another Leuit. 24. 10 14. Some of Aarons sonnes for offering strange fire were burnt to death with
fire from heauen Leuit. 10. 1 5. Vzzah of a good intent but touching the Arke was striken dead of God 2. Sam. 6. 7. The Bethshemites for but looking into the Arke were smitten dead to the number of aboue fifty thousand 1. Sam. 6. 19. The Israelites slaine in the Wildernesse 1. Cor. 10. For vnaduisedly speaking yea when it came from a vexed and exasperated spirit was Moses punished Psal 105. 32 33. he was not permitted to goe into Canaan which was a type of Heauen but hee must dye before euen Moses Now whatsoeuer sinne vnder the Law God punished with death or commanded to be punished by death the same without remission deserued eternall death For the first time that death is mentioned it is to bee vnderstood of death temporall and eternall due to all had not there beene a Mediatour betweene God and vs Gen. 2. 17. Fourthly it teacheth that Originall sinne which is lesse then any actuall sinne whether in thought word or deed is punished with death Rom. 5. 12. Now if the reward of this sinne be death then surely much more any other flowing from thence though it seeme to man neuer so small an offence deserueth death as the very consent of the minde to other euill doers among which boasters are reckoned is worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. yea and Commessations which we translate Reuellings wherein too many much delight is a sinne which keepes the doers thereof that they cannot obtaine the Kingdome of God Gal. 5. 21. Fifthly sinnes of ignorance vnder the law Leuit. 4. 2 13 27. had sacrifices appointed to make an atonement to God for them Now all sacrifices for sinne shewed that a man deserued death for euery such sinne Now if sinnes of ignorance deserue death what may all men think of such sins as Papists call veniall before-mentioned plainely forbidden by the Word of God Sixtly to commit adulterie is a mortall sinne but their Bible telleth vs that for one to see a woman to lust after her hath al-already committed adulterie with her in his heart Matth. 5. 28. And can any sinne seeme lesse then concupiscence of the heart suddenly arising by the obiect to the sight And yet Papists make wanton dalliances no sinne or as none in their account Seuenthly it sheweth that it is Christs bloud that cleanseth from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1. Now if euery sinne needs cleansing by his bloud then euery sinne in its owne nature is mortall in that it cannot be cleansed but by his death Contraried by Antiquitie Austin in Enchirid. cap. 79. speaking of sinnes which might seeme small saith They might bee thought very light but that in the Scriptures they are demonstrated greater then wee doe imagine But that the truth speakes it who would thinke saith hee that for a man to call his Brother foole is guiltie of hell-fire The ancient Fathers earnestly exhort to beware of counting any sinnes light or small Basil qu. Contract qu. 4. No sinne is to bee accounted as small for that saith hee it is the sting of death See for this Austin Epist 108. and in Ioh. 11. 13. Chrysost on Gal. 1. Ierome in Epist ad Caelantiam It is very safe to beware of small sinnes as if they were great c. Neither doe I know saith he whether we may call any sinne small seeing it is committed with a kinde of contempt of God And he is most prudent who respects not so much the quantitie of the thing commanded as the dignitie of the Commander See Master Perkins his Demonst of his Probl. of veniall sin and therein many testimonies of the Ancients Gainsaid by their owne men Almaine out of Gerson Moral Tract 3. cap. 20. concludeth that no sinne is veniall of it selfe but onely through the mercy of God Azorius instit Moral part 1. lib. 4. cap. 8. doth maintaine against Bellarmine that veniall sinnes are against the Law Now that which is against the Law is deadly Of this opinion is Fisher Bishop of Rochester and diuers others See the Authors in Doctor Whites Way digres 38. pag. 247. and Bishop Mortons Protest Appeal pag. 646. To passe ouer the oppositions of one against another they all call them sinnes Now euery sinne is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3. 4. By which we come to the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. 26. and 7. 7. And if there were no Law there were no transgression Rom. 4. 15. Therefore in confessing veniall sinnes to be sinnes they make them transgressions of the Law and then the Law worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. and so necessarily through veniall sinnes they are vnder wrath and so sinne mortally euen to condemnation except God in Christ pardon them and that they doe heartily repent pray for pardon and seeke with God reconciliation by Christ Scriptures obiected answered Matth. 5. 25. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother without cause is in danger of Iudgement And whosoeuer shall say vnto his Brother Racha shall be in danger of Councill and whosoeuer shall say Thou Foole shall be guilty of Hell-fire Answ This place proueth not any sinnes to be veniall and not mortall in their owne nature For first this should be against the scope of Christs speech in confuting the Pharises mis-vnderstanding the Law and here in particular the sixt commandement They stucke to the Letter Christ here extendeth the breach of this Law to thoughts and words so making a man by causelesse anger and railing words to be before God guiltie of murder Is this then to make sinne veniall or are not rather those which they conceit to bee veniall by Christ here made mortall if to be guilty of bloud before God be mortall Secondly here is no difference made of sinnes in their nature but onely here is shewed the degrees of sinning and that one offence is greater then another For faine would I know of them how they can distinguish these in nature that anger and calling one Racha should be veniall and to call one Foole to bee mortall Thirdly the punishments here expressed distinguish not the nature of the sinnes but shew the degrees of punishments according as men sinne For as God in mercy will reward mens well-doings with degrees of glory so in iustice will he in hell the damned with degrees of punishment Matth. 10. 15. Fourthly whereas our Aduersaries make Iudgement and Councill temporall punishments for veniall sinnes and hell fire for mortall sinnes taking aduantage by the translation of the word Gehenna First it is cleere that punishments doe not alter the nature of sinnes but being duely executed doe shew onely the degrees of sinne to be greater or lesser and so are they accordingly punished Secondly Papists themselues hold vnaduised anger and words euen tending to blasphemie comming of sudden and vnaduised anger as the word Racha and Foole doe here to be veniall sinnes Therefore they erre in distinguishing the sinnes thus into veniall and mortall which they themselues account to be veniall Thirdly the punishments here mentioned are such