Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	death_n	eternal_a	wage_n	6,951	5	11.2154	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12211	A friendly advertisement to the pretended Catholickes of Ireland declaring, for their satisfaction; that both the Kings supremacie, and the faith whereof his Majestie is the defender, are consonant to the doctrine delivered in the holy Scriptures, and writings of the ancient fathers. And consequently, that the lawes and statutes enacted in that behalfe, are dutifully to be observed by all his Majesties subjects within that kingdome. By Christopher Sibthorp, Knight, one of his Maiesties iustices of his court of chiefe place in Ireland. In the end whereof, is added an epistle written to the author, by the Reverend Father in God, Iames Vssher Bishop of Meath: wherein it is further manifested, that the religion anciently professed in Ireland is, for substance, the same with that, which at this day is by publick authoritie established therein.	Sibthorp, Christopher, Sir, d. 1632.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1622 (1622)	STC 22522; ESTC S102408	494,750	610

aside The vvages of sinne saith S. Paul is death But the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Note that hee calleth Eternall l●fe not the wages or merit of Men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The free gift of God bestowed gratis without anie purchase merit or desert of ours albeit Iesus Christ our Lord purchased it for us and paid a great price for it in our behalfe through vvhom and whose merits it is that we obtaine it Hearing saith S. Augustine that death is the vvages of sin vvhy goest thou about O Thou not Iustice of man but plaine pride under the name of Iustice vvhy goest thou about to lift up thy selfe and to demand Eternall life vvhich is contrarie to death as a vvages due Chrysostome also upon this place speaketh thus Hee saith not eternall life is the revvard of your good vvorkes but eternall life is the gift of God That he might shevv that they are delivered not by ●heir ovvne strength or vertues and that it is not a debt or vvages or a retribution of labours but that they have received all those things freely of the gift of God Theodoret likewise upon this place observeth that the Apostle saith not here revvard but gift or grace for eternall life is the gift of God for although a man could performe the highest and absolute Iustice yet eternall ioyes being vveighed vvith temporall labours there is no proportion And so saith S. Paul himselfe that The afflictions of this life non sunt Condignae are not vvorthy the glorie that shall be shevved unto us It is true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merces a revvard is promised to those that doe good workes but it is as before is shewed merces ex gratià non ex debito a revvard of grace or favour and not of debt or desert as even S. Paul himselfe distinguisheth So that God giveth the Crowne of righteousnesse not to the merit or worthines of our workes but to the Merit or Worthines of Christ and as due to us by his promise onely freely made unto us in Christ. The Crowne therefore of eternall life is of mercie and favour in respect of us but of Iustice and desert in respect of Christ who hath purchased it for us by his merits and worthines Wherefore S. Augustine saith well that fidelis dominus qui se nobis debitorem fecit non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendo The Lord is faithfull who hath made himselfe a debtor unto us not by receiving anie thing of us but by promising all things unto us Againe he saith Non dicimus Deo Domine redde quod accepisti sed redde quod promisisti VVee say not to God Render that O Lord vvhich thou hast received of us but render or give that vvhich thou hast promised Againe he saith That God crovvneth his ovvne gifts not our merits vvhen he crovvneth us What vvorthinesse soever then is in us it is by Gods acceptation and his accounting of us to bee such in through Christ not by reason or in respect of any of our owne personall merits or worthinesse For vvhat hast thou saith S. Paul that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it vvhy dost thou glorie as though thou hadst not received it The gifts and graces of God in a man should make him humble and thankefull and not make him proud as though he deserved them and a great deale more by reason of them If a man give another 100. l. which hee useth well doth hee thereby deserve or can hee therefore claime as of merit or dutie to have at that mans hand 100000. l. Men for good works and benefits done may deserve praise and thankes amongst men but what man by doing of his dutie deserveth praise or thankes at Gods hand or What Servant for doing his Masters service and commandement can thereupon claime to be his Masters heire VVhosoever glorieth should glorie in the Lord as S. Paul teacheth But if men doe merit then have they somewhat of their owne wherein to glorie But God alloweth no matter of glorie in men with him or in his sight neither have they indeed anie matter of glory in them because whatsoever graces or goodnes men have they have received it of God to whom they ought to bee thankefull and for which they stand bound to performe all manner of dutie unto him So that how much merit men take to themselves so much doe they detract from the merits of Christ and so much praise glorie and thankes doe they pull from God to whom all praise glorie honour and thankes rightly and properly belong and are to be rendred Yea the Kingdome of heaven is a reward infinitely above the value of all mens workes and therefore must needes bee given of grace and cannot be merited by men But against mens merits and their workes of satisfaction whereby they intend to satisfie Gods wrath and Iustice for sinnes which is onely satisfiable by the death and sufferings of that Immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus enough hath beene before spoken and therefore I here forbeare to speake anie further of them 4 But in this matter of vvorkes this is not to be passed over or omitted that they also hold workes of Supererogation as they call them whereby they say Men doe more then they are bound unto by Gods Commandements and so doe merit not onely their owne salvation but the salvation also of others or something toward it Can these be accounted good vvorkes or that be held for a good and right religion wherin such monstrous things be taught and maintained It is more then anie meere man is able to doe perfectly and exactly to keepe and performe the vvhole lavv and Commaundements of God for so S. Paul himselfe expreslie affirmeth it to be a thing impossible because of the vveakenesse that is in all sinnefull flesh and so have the ancient Fathers likewise before testified and taught Why then doe these men talke of doing all and more then all the Commaundements of God Indeed if anie thinke to come to heaven by Doeing as he in the Gospell did the Ansvvere which Christ gave in that case is right and fit for him that Hee must keepe the Commandements for Moses describing the righteousnesse vvhich is of the Lavv saith That the man vvhich Doth those things shall live by them But the righteousnesse vvhich is of faith speaketh as S. Paul sheweth on another fashion and consisteth in a firme beleeving in Christ For Christ who performed the law for us it being a thing impossible for us to doe is the End or accomplishment of the Lavv for righteousnesse to everie one that beleeveth as hee there againe affirmeth And yet must none therefore hereupon conclude God to bee Cruell Tyrannicall or uniust in giveing such a Law as is impossible for men to keepe for at the first

as good right and reason say that hee by the vertue and merit of his death and passion hath enabled men to be The Saviour and Redeemer of the VVorld in their owne persons or to be the Mediator betwixt God and them or challenge anie other right or prerogative whatsoever that properly belongeth to Christ Iesus For what may not men frame fancie or devise out of this if they be so disposed and care not to imagine things at their owne pleasure without anie warrant from God or his word Is it not then a most intolerable boldnesse for anie meere mortal and sinfull men to be so presumptuous as to dare to stand in Christ his place or to challenge to themselves anie part of that high incomparable and peculiar honour that properly belongeth to him who is both God and man and our whole onely and perfect Redeemer I pray tell me what imperfection doe you finde in his satisfaction that it should not content you Are your selves better able to make satisfaction to Gods Iustice for sinnes then hee or is his most precious bloud passion and obedience able to satisfie for eternall paines and punishments and not for temporall Shall he be able to satisfie the greater and not be able to satisfie the lesse or if ye grant him to be able to die doe yee doubt of his willingnesse in that behalfe And if hee were both willing and able neither of which yee can denie what question then should be made in this matter It is true that as touching the ungodly reprobates that be without Christ all calamities afflictions miseries and punishments of this life and even the bodily death it selfe remaine to them in their owne nature and be to them tokens of Gods wrath and of his curse and unappeased displeasure and forerunners of their future certaine and undoubted damnation But to the godly Elect that be in Christ Iesus and that have peace with God and with whom hee is reconciled through Christ no afflictions of this life have in them anie token at all of his irefull and revengefull displeasure or of his unsatisfied Iustice but they are contrariwise tokens of his great love and fatherly affection toward them as is before shewed and are to them forerunners of their future certaine and undoubted salvation For toward Gods children the nature of these things is changed through Christ having no Curse at all but blessednesse in them Insomuch that even death it selfe also which to flesh and bloud seemeth most bitter to them neverthelesse is a most welcome and blessed thing as having the sting of it which is sinne taken away in Christ their Saviour and as being the doore that openeth an immediate passage and entrance to an everlasting life in eternall happinesse For vvee know saith S. Paul in the person of all Gods children that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed vvee have a building given of God that is an house not made vvith hands but eternall in the heavens for therefore vvee sigh desiring to be clothed vvith our house which is from heaven And Christ Iesus himselfe speaketh likewise thus Verily verily I say unto you Hee that heareth my vvord and beleeveth him that sent mee hath everlasting life and commeth not into Iudgement but is passed from death into life If then which is a thing here evident assoone as this earthly Tabernacle of their bodies is dissolved all Gods children goe to an eternall heavenly habitation and againe if the godly and faithfull man after the death of the bodie doth in his soule immediatly passe to an eternall life which you likewise here see to be verie manifest for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the preterperfect tense what is then become of your supposed Purgatorie Doe you not by these Texts perceive that even that also is to bee utterly banished and abolished as a thing fabulous impious and untrue and not to be beleeved 2 But your Church for all that striveth and strugleth to uphold it as being indeed one of the best fires that ever the Pope and his Clergie have had for the heating of their Kitchins and which in respect of the people who are miserably abused with it is not unfitly called Purgatory-Pickepurse inasmuch as it robbeth them of their wealth and substance But let us see what texts of Scripture they chiefelie alledge and relie upon for this purpose First they alledge Mat. 5.25 26 where Christ saith thus Agree with thine adversarie quickl●e whilst thou art in the way vvith him lest at anie time thine adversarie deliver thee to the Iudge the Iudg deliver thee to the officer then thou be cast into prison verily I say unto thee thou shalt not come out from thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing Howbeit this text is an exhortation perswasion to peace reconciliation concord agreement betwixt man and man in this life least for not observing of this concord agreement it so fall out as often it doth in the world that the debtor be cast into Prison and depart not from thence untill he have paide the utmost farthing But if by this Prison be meant as they would have it a place of punishment after death yet then is there no necessitie for all that to expound it of their Purgatorie for well may it then bee taken for Hell the place of the damned yea then it must needs be so taken inasmuch as there be but two sorts of people namely Elect and Reprobate and answerably to them there bee but two places after death viz. Heaven and Hell for that the soules of Gods Elect goe immediately after their death not into anie such tormenting place as your supposed Purgatorie but into Heaven is beside the former texts evident even by the president of the good Theefe that was crucified with Christ to whom Christ said thus This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise that is in Heaven the place of blessednesse for all Gods Saints and people That this Theefes soule went that verie day into Paradise is a thing expreslie apparant in the Text and that Paradise is Heaven even the Third and higest Heaven the place of glory is also verie manifest because S. Paul himselfe so declareth and expoundeth it What doubt then can there bee in this matter But it is yet further evident by the example of the Rich man and Lazarus For when the Rich man died hee went to Hell the place of Torments for the Reprobate when poore Lazarus dyed he was carried by Angells into Abrahams Bosome that is into Heaven the place of comfort ioy and happinesse for all God elect For that Abrahams bosome must be taken for Heaven and not for that fained place of Limbus Patrum which Papists make to be a part of hell is manifest by this that beside the solace ioy and comfort that is shewed to be in it it is further mentioned and set

against them that in this sacrament of the Lords Supper not the bare formes or accidents of bread and wine but the verie substance it selfe of bread and wine doth remaine But thirdly why doe they say that Melchisedech sacrificed in bread wine when there is no such thing in the Text Hee offered no sacrifice of bread and wine but brought forth bread and wine for the refreshing of Abraham and his Armie And so saith Iosephus Melch●sedech gave liberal entertainment to the Souldiers of Abraham and suffered them to vvant nothing for the sustenance of their life This another writer likewise approveth saying Melchisedech king of Salem offered unto him bread and vvine which Iosephus as it were expounding saith he ministred to his Armie the dueties of hospitaliti● and gave him great plentie of things necessarie and besides he blessed God vvhich had subdued to Abraham his enemies for Hee vvas a Priest of the highest God Yea even the Hebrew word also which signifieth not obtulit or sacrificavit but protulit or eduxit declareth the same for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hotsi quod perinde sonat ac si dicas exire fecit hoc est eduxit seu protulit which is asmuch as that Melchisedech caused bread and wine to come forth or to be brought out to Abraham and his companie but it hath no such sense in it as that he sacrificed bread and wine Whereupon the Greekes have also translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protulit hee brought forth But yet further to shew unto you that Christ is the only Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and in what sense he is so that Epistle to the Hebrewes thus compareth Christ and Melchisedech together That as Melchisedech was both a King and a Priest so likewise is Christ And as Melchisedech was a King of righteousnesse and of peace so is Christ for he brought in everlasting righteousnesse as it is said in Dan. 9.24 and is also the true King of peace as having by his mediation made peace betweene God and Vs. Yea as Melchisedech was not only a King but a Priest also of the most high God so is Christ who with the sacrifice of himselfe upon the Crosse hath redeemed all his people and blesseth them and maketh intercession for them Againe Melchisedech is said to be without father without mother without kinred having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life which things be thus affirmed of Melchisedech because in the Scriptures neither his father nor his mother nor his ancestors nor his death are recorded And such a one is Christ the sonne of God without a father as he is Man and without mother as he is God being Eternal without beginning of daies or end of life And as Melchisedech is said to be and continue a Priest for Ever so is Christ who liveth and continueth ever a Priest by reason of that his everlasting and unremoveable Priesthood perpetually resident and inherent in his owne person Thus Melchisedech a Type and figure of Christ and Christ himselfe be resembled and compared together By all which you may infallibly perceive that Christ onely and none but he is or can be a Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and consequently that Popish Priests be extremely audacious and impudently impious that dare and doe challenge to themselves to be Priests according to that order 3 Howbeit there be Priests neverthelesse under the New Testament for all true Christians whosoever be Priests and are expressely so entitled in the holy Scriptures not that anie of them are to offer up Christ in a bodily sacrifice but that they are to sacrifice their owne bodies as S. Paul declareth by killing and mortifying their owne lusts and concupiscences and other their vile affections and consecrating themselves wholly unto God and his service Christ hath made us saith S. Iohn Kings and Priests even to God his Father S. Peter likewise saith thus Yee are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people set at libertie that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of Darkenesse into his marveylous light And againe he saith Ye as lively stones be made a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. In which places you see that All generally whosoever that bee the member of Christ are and be termed Priests and withal you see the reason why they are so entitled namely not because they are to offer anie bodily sacrifice of Christ but in respect of spiritual sacrifices as S. Peter here expressely calleth them which they are to offer up unto God Of which sort is the sacrificing of their owne bodies before mentioned by S. Paul and the sacrifices likewise of praises and thankesgivings and of praier which ascendeth up like incense unto God the sacrifice also of righteousnesse of doing good and giving almes and distributing to those that be in necessitie and such like for all these be called sacrifices And hereby also is verified the Prophecie in Malachy where God saith thus From the rising of the Sunne unto the going downe ●f the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure offering for my Name is great among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hosts I say this Prophecie is verified not by anie supposed carnal or bodily sacrificing of Christ in the Popish Masse which is a most ungodly and impure thing but by those spiritual sacrifices before mentioned which All Christians everie where are to offer up unto God Neither ought it to seeme strange to anie that all the Members of Christ generally be they men or women be thus termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotes that is Priests for yee see it is by the Scriptures cleere and evident and therefore must be confessed Wherefore also Tertullian saith Nonne Laici Sacerdotes Be not Lay people also Priests As for those that beare Ecclesiastical office in the Christian Church they have no where throughout all the New Testament this terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotes that is Priests specially or properly given unto them but they are there evermore called by other names as Bishops Pastors Doctors Presbyters Deacons Ministers and such like so carefully doth the whole New Testament shunne that word Sacerdotes that is Priests from being attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel speciallie or peculiarlie but useth it as a name general and common to all Christians It is true neverthelesse that in the ancient Fathers they bee sometimes called Sacerdotes and the Lords ●able also is sutably in the same ancient Fathers sometimes called an Altar Howbeit these be not proper but alluding and tropical speeches signifying that as in the Iewish Church they had an Altar and Priests to offer sacrifices thereupon so in the Christian

verie soone and at the third hower some at the sixt houre some at the ninth and some at the eleventh hower and some are called even at the last houre as was the Theefe crucified with Christ. So that God calleth some earely and betimes in their youth and some in their riper and elder yeares and some not till their old age and latter dayes of their life and some not till the verie last houre of their daies and consequentlie so long as life remaineth there is a possibilitie for men to be called and therefore no reason is there why anie should despaire as likewise none ought rashlie or unadvisedly to presume upon this doctrine 2 Now then to shew unto you the truth of that other point as being an appendant hereunto namely that even in this life a man may come to be assured that hee is one of the number of those that be elected and predestinated to eternal life and salvation consider first what S. Peter writeth saying Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things yee shall never fall Here you see it precisely and directly taught by S. Peter that men not onely may but ought so farre to endeavour namely to make their calling and election sure to themselves And he there further sheweth them how they may attaine unto this assurance namely by having doing and using of those excellent christian vertues and courses he there mentioneth Againe doth not S. Paul speake thus in plaine tearmes Try your selves vvhether yee bee in the faith or no Examine your selves Knovv yee not that Christ Iesus is in you except yee he reprobates Where hee likewise declareth that all that be sound Christians may by good triall and examination of themselves finde perceive and Know that Christ Iesus is in them and that they belong unto him This confidence knowledge and assurance had that holy man Iob for thus he saith I am sure that my redeemer liveth c. though af●er my skin vvormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see God in my flesh vvhom I my selfe shall see and mine owne eies shal behould and none other for me Yea this perswasion and assurance had also S. Paul and not only He but all the rest of Gods Children have likewise this confidence and assurance for thus hee speaketh in the name of them all VVho shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword as it is vvritten For thy sake are vvee killed all the day long vvee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things vve are more then Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded the words of your Translation declaring the same thing be Certus sim I am sure or I am assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. In these words you see that S. Paul speaketh not onely in the singular but in the plurall number and consequently of others aswell as of himselfe even of all the elect people of God that they all aswell as he at some one time or other of their life have this strong confidence and unremoveable assurance that nothing shall be able to separate Them from Gods love toward them in Christ. For he saith againe that as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And againe he saith That spirit beareth vvitnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Who then having that spirit within him for a Witnesse can make anie doubt of it Likewise speaketh S. Iohn saying Hereby know vvee that vvee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his spirit For by that spirit it is that VVee know as S. Paul againe witnesseth the Things that bee given to us of God But S. Iohn saith againe thus Dearely beloved Now are vve the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare vvhat we shall be But vvee know that when he shall appeare vve shall be like him for vvee shall see him as he is and every man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe even as He is pure Marke here still that hee saith they Know it and therefore it is no uncertaine opinion or doubtfull hope but an assured hope or hope with assurance Which assured hope or knowledge of their owne salvation whosoever have by the testimonie of Gods spirit within them wee see here by this expresse testimonie of S. Iohn that they are not idle negligent carelesse and licentious persons but such as continually labour strive against their owne corruptions and defilements and so to be purged more and more from them Farre therefore from carelesnesse and licentiousnesse doth also this doctrine touching assurance of salvation appeare to be For not everie one that saith he is assured of it is by and by assured but this is a matter as you see that requireth a great triall and examination of a mans selfe and is ioined with a continuall care desire striving and endevouring to walke in the commandements and waies of God it being in verie deed the most comfortable ioyfullest and highest step of Christianitie and the Summum bonum or chiefest felicitie that anie man can reach to in this life For this causeth a Ioy even a True Ioy to the heart and soule of a man and such a Ioy as cannot be expressed But then you aske how he is sure of continuing persevering in the way of godlinesse unto the end for you obiect that the godliest man that is often sinneth and may fall Whereto I answer that most true it is he often sinneth and falleth but God still rais●th him up after his falls by a godly sorrow and a true Christian repentance for those sinnes and by amendment of life afterward so that such a one neither doth nor can finally fall or perish for as it is written in the Psalme Though he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth under his hand to raise him up againe And so saith Solomon also that the lust man falleth seven times but he riseth againe And these things be spoken of him that is a lust and righteous person indeede and not of an Hypocriticall and counterfeit person or of such a one as onely in his owne opinion or in the opinion of others is a righteous person and not so in verie deed nor in the sight of God For he that is a righteous person onely in his owne opinion or in the opinion of other men and not so in verie deed may fall utterly and finally away and then shall not all his former righteousnesse that hee had

a salve to all if all can take hold of him and apply him unto themselves as a Saviour by a true and lively faith But because all cannot doe this for none have this true lively and iustifying faith but Gods elect onely therefore he died efficiently that is his death was effectuall and beneficiall only to Gods Elect. Wherfore also well doth he distinguish whether it were Augustine or Prosper Qui magnitudinem pretii distinguit a proprietate redemptionis vvhich distinguisheth the greatnes or sufficiencie of the price from the proprietie of redemption Agreably whereunto S. Ambrose likewise saith that Etsi Christus pro omnibus passus est specialiter tamen pro nobis passus est quia pro Ecclesia passus est Although Christ suffered for all excluding none from the benefite of his death if they beleeve in him yet specially or in a speciall manner hee suffered for us that doe beleeve in him because for his Church it was that hee suffered And so likewise testifieth S. Hierome that Christ gave his life a redemption not for all but for manie that is saith hee for them that beleeve In like manner doth S. Paul say that God gave him to death for us all that is for all Gods elect whereof hee was one For so also S. Augustine interpreteth it in Ioh. tract 45. Pro nohis omnibus tradidit illum Sed pro quibus nobis praescitis Praedestinatis Iustificatis Glorificatis Hee gave him to death for us All But for vvhich Vs namely for them saith hee vvhich are the foreknovvne the Predestinate the Iustified and the Glorified persons Againe in the Epistle to the Hebrevves it is said that Christ Tasted death for all but in the verses that follow he sheweth the speciall meaning of those words viz. that those All vvere sanctified persons the brethren of Christ the Children vvhich God had given him and the Children which hee by that his death and passion was to bring unto glory For which cause he is also there called the Prince of their salvation In like sort it is said in the second Epistle to the Corinths that Christ dyed for all but in the words following he explaineth the matter and sheweth that hee died for all such as finding themselves dead in themselves should afterwards live not unto themselves anie longer but unto him that died for them and rose againe which kinde of godly and new life none doe live but the elect onely Againe in his Epistle to the Thessalonians he speaketh thus God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtaine salvation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which dyed for us Observe here likewise that he maketh Christ Iesus in a speciall and peculiar manner to die onely for those which bee appointed to obtaine salvation by the meanes of him and not for the rest which were appointed unto Wrath for he there manifestly distinguisheth betweene those two sorts of people Againe S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians speaketh thus Husbands love your vvives even as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it Where you see also that he appropriateth the benefit of the death of Christ to his Church which he so entirely loved Yea Christ Iesus himselfe affirmeth the same saying that Hee is that good Shepheard which giveth his life for his Sheepe And againe hee saith Greater love hath no man then this that a man bestovv his life for his friends yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you By all which appeareth that Christ in respect of the proprietie of redemption gave his life and died onely for his Church for his Sheepe for his Friends that would obey him which is as much to say as that hee died specially and properly for the Elect. Yea he was in Gods purpose intended and ordayned to come into the world for the redemption of the Elect. So S. Peter likewise testifieth directly for writing his Epistle to the Elect of God 1. Pet. 1.2 he saith that They were redeemed with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lambe undefiled and without spot and hee there further saith expresly that Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last times for their sakes Where you see it precisely affirmed that Christ was ordained to come and did come into the world for the Elect sake And so also doth S. Paul declare in his Epistle to Timothy And this likewise doth Esay shew in his Prophesie saying Vnto us a Childe is borne unto us a Son is given that is unto the Church and people of God of which number the Prophet was one that so speaketh Againe S. Paul writing to the Church and people of God distinguishing them from the rest saith thus unto them Yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie yee God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods Againe in the Acts of the Apostles it is said to bee The Church of God which Christ hath purchased with that his blood Yea this is so evident that by the All for whom Christ died is in respect of redemption and remission of sinnes meant all the elect onely that for the clearer illustrating of it to be so the Scripture it selfe often useth in stead thereof this word Manie As in the Gospell according to S. Matthew Christ Iesus himselfe saith thus This is my blood of the nevv Testament that is shed for manie for the remission of their sinnes Againe hee saith The sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a redemption for manie Marke that in both those places he saith That he gave his life to be a ransome or redemption not of all in a generalitie but of Manie that is as I said before of the Elect onely So likewise it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrevves Christ vvas once offered to take avvay the sinnes of manie And againe it is said by S. Paul that By the ●bedience of one namely of Christ manie shall be made righteous And so againe it is said in Daniel that The Messias should be slaine and that he should confirme the covenant vvith manie But beside all this S. Paul speaketh yet further verie plainely thus God setteth out his love tovvard us seeing that vvhilst vvee vvere yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being novv iustified by his blood vvee shall be saved from vvrath through him Observe here first that he saith Christ died for us that is for us that be of Gods Church and people for he speaketh in the person of them and in their behalfe and secondly observe that he maketh this an argument as it is indeede of Gods great and speciall love towards them that he sent his sonne to die for them what can be more plaine to shew that in Gods

purpose intention Christ dyed not for the redemption of all in a generalitie but of the Elect only whom he so especially and entirely loved In like sort testifieth S. Iohn saying In this appeared the love of God toward us marke still that word Vs that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the vvorld that vve might live through him And againe he saith Herein is love not that vve loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Here you likewise see that the sending of his sonne is an effect and argument of his most deare and speciall love toward his Church and people If then this be as indeed it is an argument of such high speciall and incomparable love in Christ to give himselfe to death and likewise in God his Father to send him into the world to that end and that this special and incomparable love belongeth onely to the Elect it must needes be granted that Christ his death being an argument of such unspeakeable and especial love was only for the Elect in Gods intention and purpose for those onely be the men whom he so entirely and unspeakeably loved and not the other But consider what Saint Paul yet further writeth saying thus Blessed bee God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ vvhich hath blessed us vvith all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the vvorld that vvee should be holy and vvithout blame before him in love VVho hath predestinated us to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne vvill to the praise of the glory of his grace vvhereby hee hath made us accepted in his bloud by vvhom vve have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace vvhereby he hath beene abounding toward us In which words you may againe perceive that those onely that were Elect before the foundation of the world be the men that be there said to have redemption through Christs bloud even the forgivenesse of sinnes and that for these two incomparable benefits namely of their Election before the foundations of the world and of their Redemption through the bloud of Christ they can never blesse God sufficiently nor yeeld him sufficient thankes Yea the Redemption which Christ by his bloud hath purchased for anie is an Eternall Redemption as the Epistle to the Hebrewes expressely affirmeth it and therefore if all in a generalitie aswel bad as good and Reproprobate aswell as Elect should have redemption by the death of Christ it should be an Eternall redemption as here you see even an everlasting discharge and forgivenesse of all their sinnes and so then should none be damned at all but all aswell one sort as another should be saved which if it be grosse and absurd false and untrue that also must be held grosse absurd and untrue whereupon this followeth But consider yet further that the bloud of Christ Iesus the Sonne of God is not dumbe dead vaine idle or ineffectual bloud but it is ever powerfull and effectuall to all those for whose benefit it was intended to be shed and therefore beside that it is called by S. Peter precious bloud or the bloud of price and value whereby Gods Church and people were bought and purchased it is further said in the Epistle to the Hebrews to be speaking blood and that it speaketh better things then that of Abel For indeed the bloud of Abel spake and cried for revenge against a Malefactor but contrariwise the bloud of Christ speaketh for mercie peace love reconciliation and attonement towards sinners and malefactors Yea the bloud of Christ hath these vertues attributed unto it namely to clense from all sinne to reconcile to iustifie to sanctifie and to save sinners Seeing then the bloud of Christ is of that great force vertue and efficacie and that none are cleansed from their sinnes reconciled iustified sanctified and saved but the elect onely it is apparant that that so precious prevalent powerfull and saving bloud of his was shed for the redemption of the Elect only and not of the Reprobate And therefore doe the Saints and elect people of God in the Revelation sing this Song unto that Immaculate Lamb Christ Iesus saying thus Thou art vvorthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof because thou vvast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation Yea by the efficacie and vertue of Christ his death his buriall and his resurrection it is that Gods elect dye to sinne and burie sinne and be quickned and rise to newnesse of life which thing Reprobates cannot doe Againe it appeareth that Christ in his death suffering and satisfaction which hee made to the law and to Gods wrath and iustice bare the person only of the Elect to cleere and set them free insomuch that of them only it is said that they be In Christ and that they vvere circumcised ●n him or in his circumcision that they dyed together with him in his death that they rose together with him in his resurrection that they ascended with him into heaven and there sit vvith him in heavenly places By all which manner of speeches it is evident that the Elect and Elect onely be accounted his members and knit and conioined unto him Yea such is this neere coniunction and union betweene Christ the head and the Elect his members that considered together they be called verie Christ by S. Paul And therefore it is apparant that the Reprobates which are to bee damned were never In Christ Iesus nor made satisfaction to Gods Iustice in him for their sinnes nor died with him nor rose againe with him nor ascended with him into heaven nor have anie union or communion with him And this is further yet more evident by this that Christ Iesus himselfe doth directly disclaime all Reprobates in the praier which he maketh in the behalfe of all the Elect which his Father gave him saying thus I pray for them I pray not for the vvorld but for them vvhich thou hast given mee for they are thine Observe this well for here you see that Christ praieth and maketh intercession onely for the elect and utterly disclaymeth to pray for the world that is for the Reprobates of the world Sith then the Reprobates have no part nor portion in the praier and intercession of Christ by what right shall they have anie part or portion in his death or sacrificing himselfe upon the Crosse For the Priesthood of Christ consisteth chiefly in these two points namely in his oblation or sacrificing of himselfe upon the Crosse in his prayer or intercession and seeing the Reprobates never had nor have anie interest in the one neither can they have in the other And therefore also is Christ recorded

it So likewise is Antichrist described under the name figure of a Beast as is also confessed even by the adversaries themselves and therefore neither can hee be supposed one singular and particular person but a State and Dominion wherein a succession of sundrie persons one after another is admitted For whereas Bellarmine answereth that in the Prophecie of Daniel sometimes by Beasts are signified whole States and Kingdomes and sometimes particular persons as in the eighth chapter he saith that by the Ramme is understood one particular King namely Darius the last King of the Persians hee is much deceived and the Text it selfe directly confuteth him affirming this Ramme to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reges not one particular King but the Kings of the Medes and Persians So likewise by the Goate in Daniel is not meant one singular person namely Alexander as Bellarmine againe mistaketh but the verie Kingdome or kingly state of Grecia and the great horne betweene his eyes is in the Text it selfe expounded to be the first King of that Empire or Kingdome of Grecia which was Alexander which horne being broken off foure other stand up in the stead of it So that by every Beast in Daniel you see that not any one particular person but an whole State Empire Kingdome or Dominion is signified and intended and consequently Antichrist being in the Revelation of S. Iohn described under the name of a Beast must needs likewise be supposed not one singular and particular person but an whole State Kingdome or Dominion which admitteth manie persons to rule and raigne in it one after another in succession A third argument to prove this is the exposition and acknowledgement of the Rhemists themselves for touching the seven heads of the Beast that is of the Latin or Romane State the sixt head thereof is as themselves doe shew not one singular and particular person but a State Kingdome or Empire namely the Romane Empire wherin were divers that ruled and raigned in succession one after another Now then if the sixt head of the Beast be not one singular and particular man which themselves declare and affirme but a State and succession of men why should they not grant Antichrist whom themselves also affirme to be the seventh head of the Beast to be likewise not one singular and particular person but a State and succession of persons for they are both called Heads alike and there is no reason of difference that can be shewed more for the one then for the other A fourth argument is out of Revelation the 20 where the Divell being bound for a thousand yeares S. Iohn saw in Vision the soules of them that vvere beheaded for the vvitnesse of Iesus and for the vvord of God and vvhich had not vvorshipped the Beast nor his Image nor had taken his marke upon their foreheads nor in their hands and they lived and raigned vvith Christ those thousand yeares But the rest of the dead lived not againe untill the Thousand yeares vvere finished This is the first Resurrection Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second Death hath no power c. In which wordes you see mention made of a Thousand yeares expressely in which this Antichristian Beast was in Esse some all that while lying dead in their sinnes and Antichristian Errors and othersome rising from their sinnes and errors to newnesse of life and to true Christianitie which is there called the first resurrection and these are said to live and not to be dead and to raigne with Christ subduing and getting victorie over themselves and over this Antichristian Beast like Kings Conquerors during all that time When therefore there is expresse mention made of a Thousand yeres in which this Antichristian Beast had to do who doth not perceive that Antichrist cannot be one singular and particular man that shall raigne onely three yeares and an halfe but that hee is and must needs be a State and succession of persons that is thus directly discovered to have had a continuance in the world for at least a Thousand yeares A fift argument is this that S. Iohn saith thus It is the last time and as ye have heard that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist commeth even now there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Antichrists whereby vvee Know that it is the last time Where you may easily observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist is not one particular person but manie and that manie Antichrists be this Antichrist for so the Text it selfe declareth In like sort he speaketh in his second Epistle Many Deceivers be entred into this vvorld which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver and the Antichrist Where againe you see that not onely One but many Deceivers be this Deceiver and the Antichrist Whereunto adde also the opinion of diverse of the ancient Fathers as of Irenaeus Origen Chrysostome Hierome Ruffinus Primasius Augustine expounding that place of Matt. 24. which speaketh of manie false Christs and false Prophets that should arise and shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceive the verie Elect as spoken of Antichrist for thereby also they give us to understand that Antichrist is to be conceived to be manie and not one singular person A sixt argument is taken from the Apostasie it selfe which S. Paul speaketh of which Apostasie whether you expound it of the revolt and departure of so manie multitudes of people from the right faith and religion of Christ or of a revolt from the Romane Empire by the Kings and Princes of the earth or from both it cannot be otherwise intended then the worke of manie ages Bellarmine saith that thereby wee may rectissimè most rightly understand Antichrist himselfe and he cyteth diverse ancient Fathers for the proofe of that opinion Now then if by the Apostasie Antichrist himselfe be most rightly understood as Bellarmine teacheth and that this Apostasie cannot in reason be otherwise supposed then the Worke of Manie ages as hee also sheweth especially considering that the Mysterie of that Iniquity or Apostasie began to vvorke even in S. Pauls daies how can Antichrist bee rightly conceived to be one singular man that shall raigne onely three yeares and an halfe and no longer Yea it is manifest that even in the false teachers and heretickes which were in the Apostles daies and which were helpers and workers in this Apostasie and Mysterie of Iniquitie Antichrist was for so hath S. Iohn before assured us Neither indeed could he afterward have beene revealed disclosed detected or discovered unlesse he had bin in Esse before in som secret hidden close covert sort For which cause Theodoret also saith that Defectionem appellat A ntichristi praesentiam S. Paul calleth The Apostasie or defection the presence of

of the Doctor what the reason might be that where he bringeth in the words of Giraldus Cambrensis touching this place as an authenticall authoritie hee passeth over that part of his relation wherein hee affirmeth that S. Patrick intended by this meanes to bring the rude people to a perswasion of the certaintie of the infernall paines of the reprobate and of the true and everlasting life of the elect after death The Grecians alledge this for one of their arguments against Purgatorie that whereas their Fathers had delivered unto them manie visions and dreames and other vvonders concerning the everlasting punishment wherewith the wicked should be tormented in Hell yet none of them had declared any thing concerning a purgatorie temporarie fire Belike the Doctor was afraid that wee would conclude upon the same ground that S. Patrick was carefull to plant in mens mindes the beleefe of Heaven and Hell but of Purgatory taught them never a word And sure I am that in the book ascribed unto him De tribus habitaculis which is to be seene in his Majesties Librarie there is no mention of anie other place after this life but of these two only I will lay down here the beginning of that treatise and leave it to the iudgement of anie indifferent man whether it can well stand with that which the Romanistes teach concerning Purgatorie at this day There be three habitations under the power of almightie God the first the lowermost and the middle The highest whereof is called the kingdome of God or the kingdome of Heaven the lowermost is termed Hell the middle is named the present World or the circuit of the Earth The extremes whereof are altogether contrary one to another for what fellowship can there be betwixt light and darkenesse betwixt Christ Belial but the middle hath some similitude with the extremes For in this world there is a mixture of the bad and of the good together whereas in the kingdome of God there are none bad but all good but in Hell there are none good but all bad And both those places are supplied out of the middle For of the men of this world some are lifted up to Heaven others are drawne downe to Hell namely like are joyned unto like that is to say good to good and bad to bad just men to just Angells wicked men to wicked Angels the servants of god to God the servants of the divell to the Divell The blessed are called to the kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world the cursed are driven into the everlasting fire that is prepared for the Divell and his angels Thus farre there Hitherto also may be referred that ancient Canon of one of our Irish Synods wherein it is affirmed that the soule being separated from the bodie is presented before the judgement seat of Christ who rendreth it owne unto it according as it hath done and that neyther the Archangel can leade it unto life untill the Lord hath judged it nor the Divell transport it unto paine unlesse the Lord doe damne it as the sayings of Sedulius likewise that after the end of this life eyther death or life succeedeth and that death is the gate by which wee enter into our kingdome together with that of Claudius that Christ did take upon him our punishment vvithout the guilt that thereby he might loose our guilt and finish also our punishment Cardinall Bellarmine indeed alledgeth here against us the vision of Furseus who rising from the dead told many things which hee saw concerning the paines of purgatory as Bede he saith doth write But by his good leave we will be better advised before we build articles of faith upon such visions and dreames as these manie wherof deserve to have a place among the strange narrations of soules appearing after death collected by Damascius the heathen Idolater rather than among the histories discourses of sober Christians As for this vision of Furseus all that Bede relateth of it to this purpose is concerning certaine great fires above the ayre appointed to examine every one according to the merits of his workes which peradventure may make something for Damascius his Purgatorie in Circulo lacteo for in that circle made he a way for the soules that went to the Hades in heaven and would not have us wonder that there they should be purged by the way but nothing for the Papists Purgatorie which Bellarmine by the common consent of the Schoolemen determineth to be within the bowels of the earth Neyther is there anie thing else in the whole book of the life of Furseus whence Bede borrowed these things that looketh toward Purgatorie unlesse peradventure that speech of the Divell may be thought to give some advantage unto it This man hath not purged his sinnes upon earth neyther doth he receive punishment for them here Where is therefore the justice of God as if Gods justice were not sufficiently satisfied by the sufferings of Christ but man also must needes give futther satisfaction thereunto by penall workes or sufferings either here or in the other world which is the ground upon which our Romanists doe lay the rotten frame of their devised Purgatorie The latter visions of Malachias Tundal Owen and others that lived within these last five hundred yeares come not within the compasse of our present inquirie nor yet the fables that have bene framed in those times touching the lives and actions of elder Saints whereof no wise man will make anie reckoning Such for example is that which we reade in the life of S. Brendan that the question being moved in his hearing Whether the sinnes of the dead could be redeemed by the prayers or almes-deeds of their friends remayning in this life for that was still a question in the Church he is said to have told them that on a certaine night as he sayled in the great Ocean the soule of one Colman who had beene an angry Monke and a sower of discord betwixt brethren appeared unto him who complained of his grievous torments intreated that prayers might be made to God for him and after sixe dayes thankefully acknowledged that by meanes thereof he had gotten into heaven Whereupon it is concluded that the prayer of the living doth profit much the dead But of S. Brendans sea-pilgrimage we have the censure of Molanus a learned Romanist that there be many apocryphall fooleries in it whosoever readeth the same with anie judgement cannot choose but pronounce of it as Photius doth of the strange narrations of Damascius formerly mentioned that it containeth not onely apocryphall but also impossible incredible ill-composed and monstrous fooleries Whereof though the old Legend it selfe were not free as by the heads thereof touched by Glaber Rodulphus and Giraldus Cambrensis may appeare yet for the tale that I recited out of the New Legend of England I can

as an answer unto the Bishops of Ireland that did submit themselves unto him whereas the least argument of anie submission of theirs doth not appeare in anie part of that epistle but the whole course of it doth clearely manifest the flat contrary In the next place steppeth forth Osullevan Beare a wilde Beare indeed rather then a Christian man who in his Catholick Historie of Ireland for so he stileth his trayterous and barbarous Collections lately published would have us take knowledge of this that when the Irish Doctors did not agree together upon great questions of faith or did heare of any new doctrine brought from abroad they were wont to consult with the Bishop of Rome the Oracle of truth That they consulted with the Bishop of Rome when difficult questions did arise wee easily grant but that they thought they were bound in conscience to stand to his judgment whatsoever it should be and to intertaine all his resolutions as certaine Oracles of truth is the point that we would faine see proved For this he telleth us that when questions and disputations did arise here concerning the time of E●ster and the Pelagian heresie the Doctors of Ireland referred the matter unto the See Apostolick Whereupon the error of Pelagius is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland and the common course of celebrating Easter was embraced both by the Northren Irish and by the Pictes and Britons as soone as they understood the rite of the Romane Church Which saith hee doth not obscurely appeare by the two heads of the Apostolick letters related by Bede lib. 2. cap. 19. But that those Apostolick letters as he calleth them had that successe which he talketh of appeareth neither plainly nor obscurely by Bede or anie other authoritie whatsoever The error of Pelagius saith he is reported to have found no patron or maintayner in Ireland But who is he that reporteth so beside Philip Osullevan a worthy author to ground a report of antiquity upon who in relating the matters that fell out in his owne time discovereth himselfe to be as egregious a lyar as anie I verily thinke that this day breatheth in Christendome The Apostolick letters he speaketh of were written as before hath beene touched in the yeare of our Lord DCXXXIX during the vacancie of the Romane See upon the death of Severinus Our countreyman Kilianus repayred to Rome 47. yeares after that and was ordayned Bishop there by Pope Conon in the yeare DCLXXXVI The reason of his comming thither is thus laid downe by Egilwardus or who ever else was the author of his life For Ireland had beene of old defiled with the Pelagian heresie and condemned by the Apostolicall censure which could not be loosed but by the Romane judgement If this be true then that is false which Osullevan reporteth of the effect of his Apostolicall Epistle that it did so presently quassh the Pelagian heresie as it durst not once peepe up within this Iland The difference betwixt the Romanes and the Irish in the celebration o● Easter consisted in this The Romanes kept the memorial of our Lords resurrection upon that Sonday which fell betwixt the XV. and the XXI day of the Moone both termes included next after the XXI day of March which they accounted to be the seat of the Vernall aequinoctium that is to say that time of the Spring wherein the day and the night were of equall length and in reckoning the age of the Moone they followed the Alexandrian cycle of XIX yeares whence our golden number had his originall as it was explained unto them by Dionysius Exiguus which is the account that is still observed not only in the Church of England but also among all the Christians of Greece Russia Asia AEgypt and AEthiopia and was since the time that I my selfe was borne generally received in all Christendome untill the late change of the Kalendar was made by Pope Gregory the XIIIth The Northren Irish and Scottish together with the Pictes observed the custome of the Britons keeping their Easter upon the Sonday that fell betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone and following in their account thereof not so much the XIX yeares computation of Anatolius as Sulpicius Severus his circle of LXXXIIII yeares for howsoever they extolled Anatolius for appointing the bounds of Easter betwixt the XIIII and the XX. day of the Moone yet Wilfride in the Synod of Strenshalch chargeth them utterly to have rejected his cycle of XIX yeares from which therefore Cummianus draweth an argument against them that they can never come to the true account of Easter who observe the cycle of LXXXIIII yeares To reduce the Irish unto conformitie with the Church of Rome in this point Pope Honorius the first of that name directed his letters unto them Exhorting them that they would not esteeme their owne paucitie seated in the utmost borders of the earth more wife then the ancient or moderne Churches of Christ through the whole world and that they would not celebrate another Easter contrary to the Paschall computations and the Synodall decrees of the Bishops of the whole world and shortly after the clergie of Rome as we have said upon the death of Severinus wrote other letters unto them to the same effect Now where Osullevan pardon me if I honour the rake-hell too much in naming him so often avoucheth that the common custome● sed by the Church in celebrating the feast of the Lords resurrection was alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish and now embraced also by the Northren together with the Pictes and Britons who received the faith from Irish Doctors when they had knowledge given them of the rite of the Church of Rome in all this according to his common wont hee speaketh never a true word For neyther did the Southerne Irish alwayes observe the celebration of Easter commonly received abroad neyther did the Northren Irish nor the Pictes nor the Britons manie yeares after this admonition given by the Church of Rome admit that observation among them to speake nothing of his folly in saying that the Britons received the faith from the Irish when the contrarie is so well knowne that the Irish received the same from the Britons That the common custome of celebrating the time of Easter was not alwayes observed by the Southerne Irish may appeare by those words of Bede in the third booke of his historie and the third chapter Porrò gentes Scottorum quae in australibus Hiberniae insulae partibus morabantur jamdudum ad admonitionem Apostolicae sedis antistitis Pascha canonico ritu observare didicerunt For if as this place clearely proveth the nations of the Scotts that dwelt in the Southerne parts of Ireland did learne to observe Easter after the canonicall maner upon the admonition of the Bishop of Rome it is evident that before that admonition they did observe it after another maner The word jamdudum which Bede