misery which man endures in this life as pouerty disgrace diseases anâ— at the last death it selfe which is called the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 VVhat is eternall punishment Syst Theol. pag. 186. It is that vnspeakable sorrow torment and disgrace which the damned shall suffeâ— in hell with the diuell and 〈◊〉 Angels I conceiue now the parts of mans misery shew mee 〈◊〉 the exemplary cause whereby as in a glasse J may 〈◊〉 to the knowledge of my misery The glasse wherein we may perfectly see our misery is that high and strict rigour of the law of God both in exacting that righteousnesse which wee are neuer able to performe and also in threatning most grieuous punishments which they must abide which do not satisfie the Law of God either by themselues or by another VVhence may we know the rigour of Gods Law First De Lege Zanch CoÌ„fess cap. 10. item Loc. Com. 5. iteÌ„ com 4. pag. 185. seqq euen by euery CommandemeÌ„t of the Decalogue of which wee cannot in this life performe so much as one perfectly the summe of which Commandements are contained in those words which Saith Mathew hath Chap. 22 Luk 10. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God c. Secondly by those grieuous comminations which are added to these Commandements Cursed is euery one that abideth not c. Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 This then is our greatest misery that wee cannot satisfie the Law of God sithence wee are not able nor apt of our selues to thinke any good 2 Cor. 3. â— and consequently that according to Gods word we must be cursed both in this life and in the life to come vnlesse wee can obtaine from the great mercy of God redemption and remission of our sinnes which is another thing euen an excellent remedie against oâ—â— misery that this heauenly discipline setteth out vnto vs and which wee meane now to handle The Second part of this celestiall Science which is touching the freeing of Man from his misery that is from sinne and the punishment of sinne I Know well my misery I would gladly know how I may bee freed from this misery or what remedie there is for these diseases of my soule The remedy is two fold either prime and independant or secondarie and depending of the former VVhat is the prime or independant remedy It is our free predestination and election Syst Theol. pag. 296. De praedestinatione Zanch. tom 2. p. 476. seqq item Miscellan 1. part p. 1â—3 seqq pag. 279. seqq whereby God hath decreed from all eternity to redeeme and saue euerlastingly some certaine men by his Sonne of which these sayings of the Scripture beare witnesse Ephes 1.4.5 He hath elected vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Hee hath predestinated vs whom hee might adopâ— for sonnes in Christ Jesus eueâ— out of the good pleasure of hiâ— owne will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De gratia salutis sonte Zanch. Loc. Com 4. item tom 8. pag. 180. Disputare vis mecum mirare meum exclama O altitudo Augustin Rom. 8. verse 30. Whom hee hath predestinated them also he called Rom 9. will haue mercy on whom I wilâ— haue mercy therefore electioâ— is not in him that willeth or iâ— him that runneth but in 〈◊〉 which sheweth mercy Psal 15.16 Acts 13. vers 48. Anâ— so many of them as were predistinated vnto life eternall beleeued Mat. 20. vers 16. Mâ—â— are called but few elected J haue heard as touching thâ— prime remedie of our misâ—ry to wit election vnto 〈◊〉 eternall now instruct me 〈◊〉 the other kinde or remedie That is diuided into three heads First Redemption Secondly Iustification Thirdly Sanctification VVhat is Redemption It is the setting of vs free from sinne and the punishment of sinne wrought by Christ Iesus the Sonne of our Redeemer How many things offer themselues to bee considered about our Redemption Two the efficient cause or Authour of Redemption Secondly the obiect of it whereunto Redemption appertaineth VVho is our Redeemer Iesus Christ De RedeÌ„ptore Zanch Confess c. 11 for he is made vnto vs of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediatour betwixt God and man euen the man Christ Iesus How many things are wee to consider in Christ our Redeemer Two his Person and his Office How many things are there to be considered in the Person of Christ Two to wit the parts of it and their Vnion Of how many parts doth the person of Christ consist Syst Theol. pag. 312. Of two the diuine nature and the humane And this I pâ—oue that Christ consisteth on these two Natures because he is true God and true man That he is true God we haue spoken before when we proued the Sonne to be God And truely that there is another Nature in the Sonne of God besides the humane nature may bee proued by two manifest arguments the former whereof is this In what person soeuer there is made a distinction and limitation so that one thing is attributed to it by reason of one part and another thing agreeth vnto it by reason of another part in that person of necessity there must be two natures but in the Person of Christ there is such a limitation Ergo. The Minor is proued out of Rom. 1.3 where the Apostle saith that the Sonne of God was made the seede of Dauid according to his flesh Whereupon it necessarily followeth that there is another thing in Christ besides his flesh for when as I say that man is immortall according to his soule it must needs follow that there is some other thing in man beside his soule for euery limitation argueth a diuersitie in that which is limited The other argument is to whom many things are attributed which can in no wise agree to humane nature in him there must needs be another nature or essence distinct from the humane nature But vnto Christ many things are so attributed Ergo. The Minor is proued by that Iohn 8. verse 58. Verily Verily I say vnto you Before Abraham was I am This can by no meanes be vnderstood of the humane nature because Christs Natiuitie was two thousand yeares after Abraham That trifling exposition which the Samosatenian Heretikes giue of this place before Abraham was to wit the Father of the faithfull I am is altogether vnsound and not sounding with the text neither with the scope and intension of Christ in this place for hee was to answer to the obiection of the Iewes who had said in the verse going before Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham Now what an answer should this haue beene if he had said Before Abraham was the Father of the faithfull I am for that should haue beene as ridiculous an answer as if when one should say to me thou art not yet forty yeares old and hast thou seene Sigismund King of Polonia and I
Zanch. Miscellan 1. par p. 214 seqq Calv. Insti l. 3. c. 13. §. 3. who in their Trent Councell Session 6. boldly affirme that a man cannot hereof bee certaine in this life but ought alwayes to doubt of it and they adde that there can bee no greater sinne before God then that a miserable sinner should assure himselfe of Gods fauour yea and further they adde that whosoeuer shall holde that opinion ought to bee accursed To this their abominable errour we oppose most plaine places of holy Writt Rom. 8 vers 15. Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but that spirit of Adoption by which wee crie Abba Father which spirit beareth witnes to our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God This is a very horrible impiety that wee will not receiue the testimony of the Spirit but doubt of the truth certainty therof 1 Iohn 5.10 Hee that beleeueth in the Son of God hath the Testimonie in himselfe And surely if God would haue had vs to haue doubted Hoe dixit Deus hoc promisit si parum est hoc iurauit Aug. hee would neuer haue sworne that hee would bee mercifull to vs. But now he hath sworne thus much very euidently EZech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord that is as truely as I am and liue I will not the death of a sinner but that hee liue Also Iohn 5.24 Verely verely J say vnto you whosoeuer beleeueth in the Son hath eternall life And Woe bee to thee then saith Saint Austin if thou beleeue not God when he sweares to thee But the Papistes obiect Obiect Tria considero in quibus tota spes mea consistit Charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis Potestatem redditionis c. Bern. They that are weak are subiect to falling and they cannot bee sure of the grace of God Answ Who so are weake they may easily fall I limit the proposition thus vnlesse there bee one that is mightier who vpholdeth them Now God it is that holdes vs vp and that helpeth our infirmities And therefore certaine wee may be of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the grace of God not by any thing in our owne nature indeed which is weake but by the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost making vs strong according to those sayings of holy Writ Psal 37.24 Though the righteous fall he shall not bee cast off because the Lord putteth vnder his hand Iohn 10.28 I wil giue vnto my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any one take them out of my hand my Father which hath giuen mee them is greater then all that is hee can supply their wants readily and vphold them mightily Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Again they obiect that place Obiect 1 Cor. 10.12 Hee that standeth let him take heed that he fall not I answer Solut. That the Apostle there speaketh of hypocrites which doe perswade themselues falsly that they stand and further he speakes also of the weaknesse of men touching which wee cannot be enough admonished to the end that wee may thinke saluation not to lie in our owne strength but in the grace of God only Obiection They vrge also that place Eccles 9.1 A man knoweth not whether hee is worthy loue or hatred Solut. Whereto I answere First that this is a fallacie not beeing limitted wee ought then thus to limit it A man knoweth not of himselfe but hee may know it The fathers speake against a vaine presumptioÌ„ not a godly assurance God reuealing it vnto him and the holy Spirit witnessing it Secondly a man knoweth not by those humane causes by the euent of Fortune and the chances and changes of these outward things And therein the Text it selfe is a mouth to expound it selfe for there it is said that a man by externall changes such as are riches pouertie health sicknesse honour contempt that a man cannot by these things nor any other externall estate iudge and certainely know whether hee bee in the fauour of God or be hated by him And therefore that their Argument is not sound which argue thus as many doe I am rich Ergo I am the sonne of God or I am poore Ergo God doth hate me This iudgement then whether wee bee in the fauour of God or not wee must take from Gods Word Sithence therefore it is certaine that a faithfull soule may bee assured of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and may bee made partaker of the peace of Conscience as it is said Ro. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace thence another thing doth necessarily follow De perseuerantia Zanch. Miscellan 1. part p. 91. seqq iteÌ„ pag. 347. to wit That a man when hee is once receiued into the fauour of God and hath obtained remission of his sinnes that hee I say cannot fall away from the Grace of God nor lose his Faith nor be obnoxious vnto eternall daâ—nation For because we ought not to doubt of the grace of God therefore neither can wee fall away from the grace of God for if we could fall away from it then wee might doubt of it but we being once receiued into the grace and fauour of God that wee cannot altogether loose that grace of God the Scripture witnesserh Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus if no condemnation then perpetuall fauour if no condemnation then also no time is wherin they may slide from the grace of God fall into condemnation for by no condemnation is excluded both all the kinds thereof and all occasions of falling thereinto Hitherto appertaineth that place Ipse ergo eos facit perseuerare in bono qui facit bonos qui autem cadunt pereunt in Praedestinaâ—orum numero non fuerunt August which before wee haue cited Iohn 10.28 My sheepe none shall take out of my hand which is all one as if hee had said My sheep shal neuer be taken out of my hand Which must be diligeÌ„tly noted against the Papists who affirme that a man after that he is taken into the fauor of God may fall again out of his fauour euen as if he had neuer been in fauor but may haue of a mercifull God an vncompassionate and irreconcileable God euen as when one falls out of the fauour of the King in stead of a gentle and kinde master hee hath now an angry and cruell Lord. Obiect But here they obiect that place in the 51. Psalme where Dauid after that horrible sinne of his was committed prayeth Restore vnto mee the ioy of my saluation vers 12. therefore say they hee had lost the fauour of God Solue I answer that the Papists doe not halfe well enough looke into the text for it is not said Restore vnto me my spirit
should answer Before my sonne shall get a sonne and be a father I am would not all laugh at such an answer giuen to that question and that Christ is Man it needs no prouing because all grant it Why is not the sole humane Nature of Christ called a Person as well as euery one of vs be called persons Persona est 1. substaÌ„tia 2. singularis 3. IntelligeÌ„s 4. Non purs alterius 5 Non susâ—â—tata ab alio 6. In communicabilis Syst Log. l. 1 cap. 5. Totus totuÌ„ me assumpsit vt toti mihi saluteÌ„ gratificare tur quod u. in assuÌ„ptibile est incurabile est Lumb Although the humane Nature of Christ consisteth of a soule and a body euen as wee doe notwithstanding it cannot subsist a part by it selfe without adioyning it to the diuine Nature whereas wee can subsist euery one by himselfe seuerally otherwise hee is like vnto vs in other things sinne onely excepted as the Scripture witnesseth Heb. 2. verse 14. Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood euen Christ also was made partakers of them And verse 16. He tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham whereupon hee ought to bee made like vnto all his brethren in substance namely according to his soule and body Which may bee obserued against the Vbiquitaries Syst Theol. pag. 320. who conceit there was another kind of humane substance in Christ then such as we haue namely such a one as can bee in one and the selfe same instant of time euery where in all places both in heauen and earth and so they confound the diuine and humane Nature one with the other I haue heard what bee the parts of Christs person now shew me what is the vnion of those two parts in Christs Person It is that indissoluble knot whereby the humane Nature is so surely tyed vnto the diuine and the diuine Nature so linked to the humane that of them two is made but one Person and that those Natures for euer cannot be disioyned the one from the other VVhat are wee to consider in this vnion Two things to wit The cause of the Vnion of the two Natures in Christ and then the properties of this vnion VVhat is the cause of the Vnion of these two Natures in Christ Syst Theol. pag. 313. Assumpsit quod non erat non a misit quod erat Aug. De Incarnatione Zanch. tom 8 pag. 16. seqq The conception of the humane Nature in the Virgin Maries wombe wrought by the Holy Ghost and then the Natiuitie and Incarnation whereby after that most strait coniunction of the humane Nature with the diuine in the Virgin Maries wombe the man Christ was borne and brought forth into this light See Syst Theolog. pag. 323. How many proprieties hath this Vnion Syst Theol pag. 316. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cvrill Three First that it is exceeding fast and sure Secondly that it cannot possible bee dissolued Thirdly that by reason thereof those things that agree only to the one Nature are notwithstanding attributed to the whole Person Silua proprietate vtriusque natura suscepta est à maiestate humâ—litas à vertute infirmitas ab aeternitate mortalitas Leo. Vid. Pet. Lumbard l. 3. sent distinct 21. Syst Theol. pag. 326. because of either of those two natures See Syst Theol. pag. 320. I haue heard as touching the Person of Christ now it remaines that I bee instructed in the Office of Christ and first of all that you tell me how the office of Christ is called generally It is in generall tearmed the Office of a Mediatour What is a Mediatour Generally a Mediatour importeth such an one as doth reconcile the party offending to the party offended which reconciliation consisteth in these three things 1. The Mediatour must make intercession for him that hath grieued the party offended 2. Hee must satisfie the party offended for the iniurie and wrong done Non mediator homo praeter de itatem non mediator Deus praeter humanitatem sed inter diuinitatem solam humanitatem solam mediatrix est humana diuinitas diuina humanitas August 3. He must promise and lisewise prouide that the offender shall not offend any more And therefore when we say Christ is a Mediatour it is as if wee say that Christ is that Person that hath appeased God whome mankind by their sinnes had most gâ—ieuously offended and who hath giuen satisfaction to the Iustice of God by his Passion and Death who prayeth for sinners and applyeth his merit vnto them by faith who regenerateth them by his holy Spirit that they may begin in this life to hate sinne and to bee warie that they offend God no more Of how many sorts is the Office of Christ our Mediatour Of three sorts Propheticall Scerdotal Regal in regard whereof our Sauiour is called Christ i. e. anointed and appointed vnto this triple Office because in the Old Testament by Gods owne command there were anointed Profits Priests and Kings Which is the Propheticall Office of Christ and in what doth it consist It consists in two things 1. Syst Theol pag. 333. In the Office of teaching And 2. In the Efficacie of his teaching for Christ is called a Prophet 1. Because he hath reuealed God and Gods will vnto Angels and vnto men For God could no otherwise be knowne then by the Son according vnto that Iohn 1. 18. The Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. 2. Because he hath appointed and preserued in his Church the Ministery of the Gospell and bestoweth on his Church able Teachers and Ministers fitting and furnishing them with gifts necessary for teaching Ephes 4. vers 11. Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets other to be Apostles and Teachers 3. Because hee is powerfull by the Ministerie of the Word and inclineth the hearts of such men as are elect to beleeue and obey the Gospell Luk. 24. vers 45. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures Acts 16. vers 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to atteÌ„d vnto those things which were spoken by Paul Which is the Priestly Office of Christ and wherein doth it consist Syst Theol. pag. 340. It consists in three things First in the purging of our sinnes Secondly in the vertue and applying of that Purgation Thirdly in his Intercession for vs for as the Priest in the Old Testament had two Offices the one to make attonement for sinne and the other to pray for the people So likewise the Priestly Office of Christ heerein consisteth First that hee should offer himselfe as a Sacrifice to his eternall Father for our sinnes Secondly that he should make Intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father What are there to bee considered in the first part of Christs Priestly Office to wit in the satisfaction for our sinnes There be two namely the causes or meanes whereby Christ
wrought this expiation and so satisfied for our sinnes and secondly the Proprieties of that Expiation VVhat bee the causes by which Christ wrought this expiation These be of two sorts either Prime or arising from the prime causes VVhat is the prime cause Syst Theol. pag. 342. The obedience of Christ in that he humbled himselfe and was subiect to the Law to the end that he might satisfie for vs who had broken the Law According to that Rom. 5. verse 19. As by the disobedience of one man to wit of Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one to wit of Christ many shall be made righteous VVhat is the other cause arising and springing from this prime cause It is two-fold The Passion and the Death of Christ Of what sort is the Passion of Christ It is of two sorts Externall and Internall VVhat is the Externall Passion It is both that anguish which Christ endured in his most Sanctified body and also that ignominy and shame which hee sustained for our sakes VVhat was the Internall Passion That wonderfull sadnesse Deum pati plus est and heauinesse which Christ felt in his soule for our sinne Of which it is said quam omnes homines in omnem aternitateÌ„ pati Mat. 26. v. 38. My soule is heauy euen vnto the death where by death he vnderstandeth not only corporall death but eternall as if he had said my soule is as heauy and sorrowfull as their soules are which must for euer be damned How many were the torments of Christ in soule Two Which is the former Syst Theol. pag. 348. The former was in the Garden before he was apprehended and led to publike iudgement Audi vtraÌ„que vocem tum carnis infirmae Pater si possibile sit transeat à me calix tum prompti animi Non tamen vt ego volo sed vt tu vis fiat Ambros for there beganne hee to bee affraid of himselfe lest God should leaue and forsake him whom he then beheld as one who was grieuously offended for the sinnes of Mankinde and consequently who was extreamely angry with him that had taken and translated vpon himselfe the sinnes of the whole world Whereby doe you know the greatnesse of these torments and sufferings in the soule of Christ By two tokens First in that Christ there needed Angels to comfort him and to hold him vp lest being too much affraid by that horrible sight of the angry and wrathfull God hee should haue fainted See Luk. 22. v. 43. and hence it was that hee vttered that speach My soule is heauy vnto death euen to eternall death What is the other token of those most grieuous torments in the soule of Christ His bloody sweat for this was a manifest signe that all the naturall forces in Christ were much weakened and as it were bound from doing their Office by reason of that great torment and terrour so that nature could not keepe the blood any more in the veines but was faine being coniealed and clotted to cast it out as it were and driue it to the exterior parts of which great violence and terrour the like example can no where be read in any History VVhich is the other suffering or torment of Christ in soule The latter was that which a little before his death hee felt vpon the Crosse when he stroue against that temptatâ—oÌ„ of his perpetuall separation and obiection from the face oâ— God whereupon he sent forth that dolefull cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee where by a Metonymy he calleth that fearefull temptation wherewith those are wonâ— to bee troubled whom God hath cast from his sight and quite forsaken desertion or forsaking For requisite it was that Christ should endure such a temptation that hee might deliuer vs from eternall damnation I haue seene the passion of Christ now tell me his death Syst Theol. pag. 355. The death of Christ is the separation of his Soule from his Body whereby hee satisfied for and purged our sins and deliuered vs from eternall death And so much the very shedding of blood and water out of Christs side did manifest of which Iohn speaketh Iohn 19. vers 34. One of the Souldiers saith he pearced his side and presently issued out blood and water by the blood Christ signified that our sins were ransomed and satisfied for by the water that we are washed from the filth of our sinnes It followeth now in order that you instruct me as touching the proprieties and benefits of Christs Passion tell mee therefore what is the first proprietie of Christs Passion This it is that it was altogether necessary in regard that mankinde could no way else be freed from eternall death but by the death of the Sonne of God And that for this reason because the most high God is most iust and therefore neuer remitteth sinnes without satisfaction sithence that by nature hee hateth sinnes and can in no wise indure them for he that is iustice most eminently cannot away with iniustice euen as the fire cannot abide water As it is said Psal 5. vers 4. Thou art not a God that willeth wickednesse Againe plaine places of the Scripture doe testifie the same Rom. 8. vers 3. That which was impossible to the Law that hath God done by sending his Sonne i. e. that which by no other meanes could haue beene performed was done by the death of the Son of God Heb. 2. v. 14. Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood hee also in like manner was made partaker of them that he might abolish by death him that had the power of death that is the Deuill and in the ver following and might set at libertie those which through the feare of death were subiect vnto bondage all their life long that is that hee might redeeme those which otherwise should haue perished eternally vnlesse Christ had wrought their Redemption And truly if there had beene any other way to haue satisfied for sinne then that might haue beene performed either by our selues or by some other creature But wee could not haue done this for our selues First because whatsoeuer good we doe wee doe already owe it vnto God and that which we owe vnto God is not the price of Redemption or satisfaction but it is due debt Secondly because we adde somwhat to the score of our dâ—bts euery day and therefore we can neuer be able to satisfie and pay them And that wee daily adde sinne vnto sinne See 1 Iohn 1. v. 8. Psal 130. v. 3. Math. 6 v. 12. Math. 18. v. 25. Thirdly because sinne is a wrong and iniurie to God and so an infinite euill and therefore also deserueth either eternall punishment or one equall thereunto out of which if it had beene laid vpon vs we could neuer haue beene able to haue freed our selues No other creature could satisfie for vs for example Not the Angels first because man and no other creature
sinne What is the third propriety of Christs Passion That it was most sufficient Per Christum hominem iustitiae Deiplenissime satisfactum pregenere humano Bellar. lib. de asccusment in De um grad 13. cap. 3. neither neede wee any more expiation which is proued by that Heb. 9. v. 26. New was he in the end of the world made manifest by that offering vp of himselfe once to take away sinne And verse 28. Christ was once offerd vp that hee might take away the sinnes of many And yet more euidently Heb. 10.12 This man after the offering of his sacrifice sitteth for euer at the right hand of the Father And vers 14 By his one oblation that is by that his oblation which only is most perfect and sufficient Now that with is said Col. 1.24 Objection I fulfill the remainders of Christs suffering or passion in the flesh Soluti It must not be so vnderstood as if the Passion of Christ were not of it selfe sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi sunt duplicia quaedam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in carne sua quadaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in membris quae sunt Christi quia meÌ„broruÌ„ Zaâ—ch but needed some addittament to fill it vp but there by a Synecdoche the Passions of Christ hee calleth all such as the members of Christ were to suffer as if he said I must also indure those afflictions which Christ shall feele in his members as he expressely annexeth I fulfill the remnant of Christs Passion in the flesh for the body of Christ which is his Church that hee might plainly shew that hee spake not of that passion which Christ suffered for our sinnes Omnes sanctorum afflictiones vel sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—bus puniuntur peccata vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus probatur fides vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus confirmatur doctrina de his loquitur Melanct. but of the crosses and afflictions which the Church must sustaine in this world which Church by a Metaphoricall kind of speaking is the body of Christ And this which we haue spoken about the sufficiency of the passion of Christ we must note againe against the Papists who reach and say that expiation and purging of sinne is partly by good workes which shall bee confuted in the doctrine of Iustification partly by the Masse which shall likewise bee confuted in the point of and concerning the Lords Supper and partly by Purgatory which say they is a fire in which the soules of men after this life are tormented with temporall paines and are purged from sinnes and from which the soules of such as are aliue by fauour and by prayers may be deliuered as the Councell of Trent saith in the fifth Session Against which obserue these reasons First Calu â—nsti l. 3. c. 5. §. â— seqq in the sacred Volume there is no one testimony of Purgatory nor not so much as one example of any one that was in that Purgatory fires Ergo it is a meere inuention of their owne braine They vrge a place Obiecti 1 Cor. 3. verse 13. where it is said that by the fire shall be made manifest and proued euery mans worke of what sort it is But they apply this to Purgatory very foolishly Solus for the Apostle speaketh as touching the edifâ—cation of the Church and saith that the time shall come when it shal be tryed and examined how much euery one hath profited in edifying the the Church by the word of God and the holy Spirit which two he calleth fire by a Metaphor Hee addeth further Verse 15. He shall be saued but euen as it were by the fire where abiding still in the Metaphor and similitude he saith that not all those who haue not edified aright shall straight way bee damned for euer but that they shall suffer a tryall in their owne conscience because they haue not so faithfully discharged their Office as they should Secondly obserue two manifest sayings of the holy Writ wherein you shall finde but two places only that must bee in the next world pointed out vnto you the one for the blessed the other for those who are eternally damned Mark the last 16. Iohn 5.24 Verily verily I say vnto you who so heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me shall not come into iudgment and by consequence not into Purgatory which is a part of Iudgement but shall passe from death to life Reuel 14. vers 13. Blessed are they henceforth which dye in the Lord. Henceforth that is from the very moment wherein they dye There is also a plaine place Luke 23.43 where Christ saith to the thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice whereas he if any needed this Purgatory fire I haue heard sufficiently as concerning the first part of Christs Priestly office namely the purging away of our sinnes tell me what is the second part of the Priestly Office of Christ Syst Theol. pag. 357. It is that effectuall application whereby Christ doth alsufficiently and powerfully apply that his purging performed by him vnto the faithfull so that by it they may obtaine remission of sinnes reconciliation and peace What is the third part of this Office of Christ It is his intercession for vs VVhat doe you meane by intercession I doe not meane any Prayer or suite whereby Christ would get vnto vs againe the the fauour of God as one man is said to interceed for another that he may procure him somewhat but I vnderstand first that perpetuall value and vertue of the Sacrifice of Christ namely in that Christ presenteth his passion which he suffered for vs vnto the eternall Father Secondly the Fathers consent resting in this Passion of Christ contented and agreeing that this Passion of Christ shall be of force for vs for euer VVhich is the third Office of Christ His Regall Office Syst Theol pag. 359. for Christ is not only a prophet a priest vnto vs but he is also a King In what points consisteth the Regall Office of Christ In foure First in that hee gouerneth the Church by his Spirit and by his Word and doth not only shew vnto vs by his Word what we ought to doe but by the worke of the Spirit in vs enableth vs to doe them Secondly in that he defendeth vs against our enemies Satan Sinne and Death that they haue no power to hinder our saluation Thirdly in that he beautifieth his Church with excellent gifts and appointeth the Ministerie of his Word making men obedient vnto his owne ordinance Fourthly in that at the end of the World he shall appeare to bee Iudge of all men Syst Theol. pag. 368. and shall condemne the wicked to eternall punishments but shal make the godly to shine with eternall glory I doe already conceiue the office of Christ what it is and of how diuers sorts it is now I would haue you tell mee what the obiect is about
Corelate in the Lords Supper It is called the thing signified or that thing where of wee are put in mind and assured in the Lords Supper The ancient Church called the Relatum the earthly matter as is bread and wine for both of them spring from the earth and the thing signified it called the heauenly matter whereupon it rightly and religiously taught that the Supper of the Lord did consist in two things a terrene or earthly and a celestiall or heauenly matter and therefore that it behooued those which came vnto the Lords Supper to thinke that there they should receiue two things to wit an earthly thing after an earthly fashion that is bread wine with the mouth of the body and an heauenly thing after an heauenly manner that is the Body and Blood of Christ by a true faith What be the things signified in the Lords Supper The thing signified is of two sorts substantiall or accidentall What is the substantiall Euen whole Christ our Mediatour according to both natures diuine and humane but especially according to his body and blood in asmuch as in his body as the subiect of his passion hee suffered for our sinnes and by his blood shed hee purged our sinnes And this it is which Christ saith This is my body which is giuen for you that is in the Supper of the Lord you are put in remembrance and assured of my body as it hung vpon the Crosse and also of my blood which was shedde likewise for you vpon the Crosse What is the Accidentall Euen all those benefits which doe acc ew vnto vs by the passion and death of Christ as the forgiuenesse of sinnes regeneration sanctification and in fine life euerlasting as Christ saith My blood which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes I haue heard of both thy termes in the Lords Supper to wit the Relate and the Corelate now J would be instructed about the foundation and ground of holy admonition and certification as you calld it The fundamentall or efficient cause of the Lords Supper is Syst Theol pag. 446. partly in respect of the thing it selfe or the Sacrament partly in respect of vs which doe vse the Sacrament What is the foundation in respect of the Sacrament it selfe It is two fold the institution of Christ and the agreement or correspondencie betwixt the signe and the thing signified What are to bee considered in the institution of Christ Two things First the History of the institution of the LORDS Supper set downe by the Euangelists secondly De verbis Caenae Zanch. Epist lib. 1. pag. 179. Calu. Instit l 4. cap. 17. §. 12. seqq the especiall words of the institution which are This bread is my Body which is giuen for you 1 Cor. 11.24 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood vers 25. How are those words to bee vnderstood Syst Theol. pag. 457. Dominus non dubitauit dicere hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui Aug. Hoc est corpus meum id est hoc est figura corporis mei Tert. Panis dicitur corpus suo modo cum sit sacramētum non autem dicitur rei veritate sed mysterio significante Aug. They are to bee construed according to the nature of signes or sacraments which are not transubstantiations of things but as we haue a little before noted significations and seales of things These words therefore are not substantially to be vnderstood as if the Bread were the substance of the Body of Christ for by that reason bread should haue beene crucified for vs bread should haue beene giuen to die for vs and so the Cup likewise should haue beene shed for vs vpon the Crosse the Cup should haue issued out of Christs side Neither are they to bee vnderstood consubstantially as if the body of Christ were included in the bread and the bloud of Christ included in the wine for Christ saith not in this bread is my body or in this wine is contained my blood Vt quid paras dentes ventrē crede māducasti Idem Antequam sāctificetur panis panē nominamus diuina autem illa sanctificāte gratia liberatus est ab appellatione panis dignus autem habitus est dominici corports appellatione et si natura panis in eo remansit Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar Seruator noster nomina cōmutauit corpori quidem id quod erat symboli ac signi nomen imposuit symbolo autem quod erat corporis causa mutationis manifesta estiis qui c. Theodoret. neither would our Sauiour teach his Disciples where his body or his blood was for they saw that well enough in that Christ was sitting with them at the Table But those words are to be vnderstood in a commemoratiue or certificatiue signification as if Christ had said the bread doth for a certaintie signifie vnto you and giues you notice of my body which is deliuered vnto death for you and the wine doth most certainely notifie assure you of my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes Christs speech then is altogether the like as if when a Prince hath granted to any one a faire Mannor and hee giue withall vnto the Graunt his letters with his Broad seale and deliuering the man these his letters with the seale hee should say Loe there 's your Manner Now hee giues not the Land substantially into his hands and by consequent it will follow that that speech of the Prince must not bee vnderstood substantially as if those letters and the seale were the very substance of the demain or because the demaine were inclosed in the seale but it is a significatiue and certificatiue kind of speaking which must bee thus vnderstood and interpreted these letters of mine and this seale doth import and assure thee of the certaine hauing and possessing of that Mannor Farme or demaine Wherefore wee conclude that the Body and Blood of Christ according to the substance thereof is neither in the bread nor in the place where the Supper of the Lord is administred but in heauen as is vsually said he ascended into the heauens from whence only hee shall come at the last Judgement but that the Bread Wine do giue vs notice and assurance that that very body which now is in heauē was giuen for vs on the Crosse and that the Blood of Christ was shed for vs. Which must bee obserued against the Papists and Vbiquitaries who seeke after the body and blood of Christ in that very place where is the bread and wine What is the other foundation in respect of the Sacrament Si sacramēta aliquam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sunt sacramenta non haberēt ne sacramenta quidem essent Aug It is the agreement or meet analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified or it is that fitnesse whereby the Bread may signifie and ascertaine vs of Christs body
man hath such a naturall power and strength by which hee doth prepare himselfe for his conuersion and saluation and by which hee doth affect and effect too that which is truly and vniuocally good Wee teach and affirme that there is in the vnregenerate no such power of nature no such strength of free-will nor any faculty to doe ought that good is but onely he is led by the corruption of nature to that which is euill till Gods grace hath wrought a change in the whole man by an effectuall and vnresistable call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam indeed our common Father had such a quality and naturall faculty of the soule bestowed vpon him by God in his first creation whereby potuit non peceare if hee had would he should not haue sinned This he had for himselfe and for his posterity hee being the root of Mankind but by his disobedience and auersion from God hee depriued himselfe and consequently his Posterity of that excellent quality as Saint Austin very appositely Homo malè vtens libero arbitrio ipsum perdidit seipsum Man not vsing his Free-will aright lost both it and himselfe too Now what we lost in Adam we do not regaine but by Christ Iesus It is Christ alone that makes vp those breeches and therefore till a man bee regenerate by the grace of Christ till hee be implanted into the body of Christ till Christ dwell in his heart by faith he can neuer looke to be freed from that misery whereinto hee was plunged by Adams first transgression This is the true state of the Controuersie whereby you see what wee hold and what they oppose The proofes which are brought on their side to giue your Author his due are very orderly and distinctly proposed but some of them are impertinent some friuolous all as weake as water for a generall answer to them all doe but obserue a double distinction I. Man is considered in a fourefold Estate 1. In statu instituto in the state of integrity before the fall wherein his will was inclinable to good or euill So inclined to good that it might decline to euill which he did and wee feele it and smart for it 2. In statu destituto in the state of corruption after the fall wherein his will is inclinable onely to euill being made the slaue and seruant of sinne yea dead in sinne 3. In statu restituto in the state of Regeneration by Christ wherein his will is inclinable to good and euill the Spirit calling to good the flesh calling to euill 4. In statu praestituto in the state of glory whereunto hee was predestinate in Christ wherein his will is inclinable onely to good and that immutably II. The things whereabout the will of man is conuersant are of three sorts Naturall as to eate and drinke heare and see talke and walke and the like in these hee hath free-will after the fall Ciuill Affaires as to argue and dispute to follow a trade to resort to the Church to listen outwardly to that is taught in these he hath freewill though it bee very weake and maimed as S. Austin saith Spirituall which are either appertaining to the Kingdom of Darknesse as all sins and to these a man is freely carried by the corruption of nature God as the duties of holinesse and in these actions an vnregenerate man hath no freedome of will at all Now the reasons that are brought against the Orthodoxe truth doe either speake of man in his integrity and the state of regeneration and so conclude not that which is in question about the corrupt estate of man abiding vnder the Dominion of Sinne or they speak of freedome in naturall and ciuill affaires which wee doe not altogether deny but that hee hath no will to desire nor power to effect Spirituall actions appertaining to the Kingdome of God these reasons following shall most euidently euict 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Who can bring a cleane Reas 1 thing out of that which is vncleane saith holy Iob and he answers himselfe with his own words No body can doe it Iob 14. An euill Tree saith our Sauiour cannot bring forth good fruit Math. 7.17 but the vnregenerate a man in his corrupt estate is an euill Tree Math 12.13 therfore he can bring forth no good fruit he can doe nothing that is good Reas 2 II. All the imaginations of an vnregenerate mans heart are euill only euill continually euil Gen. 6.5 if all be euill and only euil continually too there is no imagination nor inclination to good at all Reas 3 III. They that are dead cannot possibly performe any worke of a liuing man Sin is the death of the soule grace is the life o◠it But an vnregenerate man is dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.1 and therefore hee hath no more power to raise himselfe out of the graue of sinne or to walke in the wayes of godlinesse then a dead man hath to raise vp his body out of the Sepulchre or to walke and worke as a liuing man IV. If by the Power of Reas 4 Free-will a man might attaine to grace then by the power of the flesh a man might attaine to the spirit the reason is because as Free-will is of the flesh so grace is of the spirit now Christ saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3. The force of this Argument I thinke none will deny that hath read the Combate betweene the flesh and the spirit in the Apostle Galat. 5. whereby it manifestly appears that in euery faithfull Christian there are two contrariant Principles of action The one is flesh that is the part vnregenerate the other is spirit and that is the regenerate part The spirit calleth vs to good the flesh haleth and draweth vs along vnto euill Now then Free-will being of the flesh and belonging to the part vnregenerate for whatsoeuer is not spirit is flesh cannot produce any spirituall action Those actions are deriued from another Principle The workes of the flesh proceed not from the spirit therefore the works of the spirit doe not issue from the flesh The causes will alwaies be distinct and the effects different That which is born of the flesh will be flesh and that which is borne of the spirit will bee spirit Ioh. 3.6 Reas 5 V. If wee are not able of our selues so much as to think a good thought then we cannot will any thing that is good before the grace of God hath brought vs out of our corruption Ignoti nulla cupido wee cannot desire that wee know not wee know not that that wee cannot thinke vpon But wee are not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought as of our selues but all our sufficiencie the word in the originall is Emphaticall all our idoniety and aptitude to good is from God And therfore saith Austin Omne bonum opus gratia Dei praecedit Epist
your whole demeanes Say you couenant for foure or fiue hundred pounds per annum Your Farmer at the making of the bargaine is an able substantiall sober man well able to pay you your annuall rent But so it fals out that soone after he is with-drawne to lewd and riotous courses and spends both time and estate vpon luxurie and vanity So that now hee is Bankerupt not worth fiue pence in all the world and consequently altogether vnable to pay you fiue hundred pound What then may not you in equity and iust law require of him your annuall rent although it be impossible for him to pay it I know you may Iust so it is betwixt God and man At the first man was created in perfect righteousnes and so was a person fitted to the obseruance of all good duties but soone after hee turned bankrupt hee fell vpon riotous and disobedient courses being tempted by the woman and shee by the Serpent to eat the forbidden fruit Before he was the seruant of God now he is become the slaue of sin So that he hath no strength to runne in those good wayes wherein at first God set him What then Because hee is not able to do any good may not God in equity exact of him the keeping of his commandements I trow hee may yea I am sure he doth and that rightly because the thing is become impossible to man meerly through his owne default 3 The exhortations and dehortations the promises and threatnings which haue annexed conditions are not in vaine neither is there any mockery in them although we be not able of our selues to fulfill the exhortation or performe the condition For it must be obserued that there are in the visible state of the Church both elect and reprobate and these two will grow together in the field vntill the haruest when they shall bee separate by the Angels the wheat that is the elect gathered into Gods barne the tares that is the reprobate gathered into sheaues to be burnt So then the precepts of God in the Word and the exhortations of the Ministers according to the Word are directed either to the reprobate or to the elect and not one iot of the Word of God shall fall to the ground For to the one it becomes the sauour of death vnto death to the other the sauour of life vnto life I open my selfe thus The exhortations threatnings promises warnings c. set downe in the Word of God and published by the mouth of his Ministers being directed to the reprobate make them the more inexcusable that their mouths may be stopped and that they may not say another day that if they had beene exhorted to such a good duty they would haue imbraced it if they had beene admonished of such a fault they would haue forsaken it For here there consciences shall conuict them and they shal know then that there hath beene a Prophet among them If they be directed to the elect they bee eyther such as are not yet effectually called and then the holy Spirit enwrapping himselfe in his Word worketh an admirable change in their hearts and begets those good things in them whereunto they are exhorted for the Word of the Lord is mightie in operation as the Apostle saith and the Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule as the Psalmist speaketh or else they bee actually called and then by those denunciations of iudgement they become more wary in their carriage by those exhortations to godlinesse they become more liuely and forward in all good courses tending and striuing after perfection So that in all this here is no mockage at all neither can God without blasphemy be said to doe any thing in vaine This because it is the most substantiall doubt and most stood vpon by your Author therefore I haue endeauoured to cleere it thus at large as you see and to afford it a full answere Ob. For the other they are either impertinent as that out of Ecclus 15.14 which speakes of man in his first estate of creation before the fall Sol. wherein we deny not man freewil besides I say not that the Booke is Apocryphall although that might serue for a sufficient answere or they be friuolous Ob. as that of Cain Gen. 4 7 wherin it is not said that he shall haue dominion ouer sin Sol. but there God vrgeth an argument to coole the heat of his anger taken from the subiection of his brother Abel Ob. Of this Bran is that testimony taken out of Iosuah 24. Sol. wherein hee giues them their choice whether they will serue the true God or not not as if it had been in their power to haue chosen but only that hee might draw from them a confession of the true worship of God by which protestation they might the more be tied to Gods seruice after Iosuahs death and held the more inexcusable if they fell to Idols after this solemne profession to feare God and to abiure all idolatrous worship And that instance of Ananias Ob. Act. 5. is like because it speaketh onely of an humane and ciuill matter Sol. the sale of a piece of land which was in his owne power Ob. The first demonstratiue reason which is argumentum cornutum carries some better shew with it but concludes nothing against the truth Haec Pelagii quoque arma erant ad impetēdum Augustinum Calv. Instit l. 2. c. 5. §. 1 Sol. It is this Sin is either necessary or voluntary if necessary thē it is not sin if voluntary then it may be auoyded The hornes of this argumentation are too short and weake to push down the truth If sinne be necessary then it is no sinne How proue you that argument You must remember which you also learned in morall Philosophy that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarium inuitum are opposed not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarium necessarium God and his Angels are good necessarily and yet they are voluntarily good The Deuill and his Angells are euill necessarily and yet they are euil most willingly too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oportet there must be heresies sayes the Apostle Necesse est It is necessary that offences come sayes our Sauiour and of Iudas his bloudy sinne and the Iewes malicious conspiracy against Christ it is expresly said That they did nothing but what the mighty hand of God had decreed long afore to be done Briefly then sinne is both voluntary and necessary Voluntary in respect of mans will for we say that a man may bee carried freely and with a full swing to the workes of darknesse euen to commit wickednesse with greedinesse neither is it necessity but compulsion which takes away the liberty of the will And it is also Necessary in respect of Gods decree which is immutable For this is a most certaine and vndoubted truth that nothing can bee done in the