Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	church_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	3,753	5	9.2711	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79473	Chillingworthi novissima. Or, The sicknesse, heresy, death and buriall of William Chillingworth. (In his own phrase) Clerk of Oxford, and in the conceit of his fellow souldiers, the Queens arch-engineer, and grand-intelligencer. Set forth in a letter to his eminent and learned friends, a relation of his apprehension at Arundell, a discovery of his errours in a briefe catechism, and a shorr [sic] oration at the buriall of his hereticall book. By Francis Cheynell, late fellow of Merton Colledge. Published by authority.	Cheynell, Francis, 1608-1665.	1644 (1644)	Wing C3810; Thomason E36_7; ESTC R13256	46,148	66

out of the circumstances of the Text cannot convince me unlesse I judge of them by my Reason and for every man or woman to rely on that in the interpreting of Scripture you say is an horrible absurdity And p. 99. Reason will shew this to be the meaning yes if we may use our Reason and rely upon it Protestants use their reason but Socinians rely upon their reason And he teaches implicit faith all along his book Protestants saith he do agree with an Implicit faith in that sense of the whole Scripture which God intended whatsoever it was p 129. 130 cap. 5. sect. 3. a ready way to tempt men to beleeve very little concerning the sense of Scripture for men will be apt to say that the sense of this and the other place of Scripture is not plainly and fully revealed and Mr Chillingworth doth not require any thing to be beleeved with an explicit faith which is not plainly and undoubtedly delivered in Scripture My reason saith he is convincing and demonstrative because nothing is necessary to be beleeved but what is plainly revealed p. 92. But nothing in his judgement is plainly revealed about any point which is called in question if there be a seeming conflict of Scripture with Scripture Reason with Reason Authority with Authority in such a case he cannot well understand how it can be truly sayd that God hath manifestly revealed the truth on either side chap. 3. sect. 9. p. 136. 137. Well but admit that the appearances on my side are answerable and grant that Scripture Reason Authority are all against me because on the other side yet consider the strange power of Education and Prejudices instilled by it and what Passions I am subject to and then my errour is unavoydable and therfore excusable for though the truth is in it selfe revealed plainly enough yet to such a one as I am prepossest with contrary opinions the truth in that point is not plainly revealed read page 137. Sure the corruption of our Nature is as unavoydable as prejudices and passions and therefore he must according to his principles conclude that God who knowes whereof we are made will not enter into judgement with us for those things which all things considered were unavoydable they are his own words page 137. Nay besides education prejudices and passions inadvertence may in the fourth place excuse us if we dis-beleeve a plain Revelation Finally in the fift place multitude of buisinesse distractions hinderances will excuse us and hinder God from imputing our errours to us as sinnes In his answer to the preface p 19. I am verily perswaded that God will not impute errours to them as sinnes who use such a measure of industry in finding truth as humane prudence and ordinary discretion their abilities and opportunities their distractions and hinderances and all other things considered he will be sure to give liberty enough shall advise them unto in a matter of such consequence But certainly humane prudence and ordinary discretion will teach men to plead these excuses which he hath framed for them when any point of faith shall be pressed upon them they will say our opportunities are few our distractions and hinderances many our education meane our abilities weake our prejudices strong our passions violent our inadvertence pardonable and therefore we will content our selves with a modest humble implicite faith we beleeve the whole Scripture to be true in that sense which God intended whatsoever it was but we have not time to search or ability to judge what it was if we beleeve nothing explicitely or to disbeleeve a clear revelation that revelation though cleare in it selfe is not cleare to us our errour the corruption of our nature our prejudices contrary opinions with which we are already prepossest and all other things considered is unavoidable and therefore God will never impute it to us as a sinne Whither these Principles tend let the pretended Parliament at Oxford judge Qu. But are we not bound to heare what the Church will say to us for our direction in weighty points Ans. I must beléeve the Church in every thing she proves either by Scripture Reason or universall Tradition be it Fundamentall or bée it not Fundamentall pag 149. These disjunctives seem to imply that something fundamentall may be proved by reason or universall Tradition which cannot be proved by Scripture The Licencers may do well to declare what that Fundamentall point is or how many there are if there be more then one I may go to Heathens I need not go to the Church for any thing which Reason teaches the Philosophers can sufficiently instruct me and if what the Church teaches be finally resolved into my owne reason as he affirmes p. 96. then I do not beléeve either God or the Church but my own reason By you saith Master Chillingworth to Knot as well as by Protestants all is finally resolved into your owne reason Sect. 115. cap. 2. Sure I am then that such Protestants and Jesuites are in their high-way to pure Socinianisme and therefore it is no marvell if some Jesuites have been such Anti-Trinitarians as Master Chillingworth pleads in his owne defence Preface and Answer to the directions to N. N. Sect. 16 17 18 c. the Church hath lost the interpretation of obscure places pag. 56 and plaine places need no exposition at all Qu. But what if the Church erre Ans. Then a man may learne of that self same Church which taught him to confute the errours of that Church that is I may learne to confute the erroneous conclusions of that Church by those very rules and principles which that Church teaches Chap 3. sect. 40. p. 150. First then a private man is presumed to have more Logicke then that teaching Church Secondly the Prelates who call themselves the Church may give my brethren of the Assembly leave to confute their erroneous conclusions by some rules and principles which they themselves have delivered Thirdly a man may learne of the Church how to teach the Church Principles which lead to these harsh truths being licenced at Oxford are an argument to me that they approved this booke before they read it Qu. But how shall we doe then to finde out the true Church and the true Religion Ans. For commands to séek the Church I have not yet met with any and I beleeve saith he to Knot you if you were to shew them would be your self to seek Cap. 3. Sect. 41. p. 150. And for Religion how little paines or care we are to take about it hath been already shewed Q. But which must a man chuse first his Religion or his Church Ans. Every man is to iudge for himself with the iudgment of discretion which he calls humane prudence and ordinary discretion in the place of his Answer to the preface fore-cited p. 19. and to chase either his religion first then his Church as Master Chillingworth saith or as Knot his Church first and then his Religion pag.

Reason in the chaire in stead of Antichrist is dead and gone publish it not in the streets of Askelon that he who did at once batter Rome and undermine England the Reforming Church of England that he might prevent a Reformation is dead lest if you publish it you puzzle all the Conclave and put them to consider whether they should mourne or triumph If any man enquire whether he hath a Tombe-stone as well as an Elegy let him know that we plundered an old Friar of his Tombe-stone and there is roome enough for an Epitaph if they please to send one from Oxford if not give us leave to say we have provided a Sepulchre and it is your fault if you doe not provide a Monument for as Laurentius Valla the master of Elegances observes a Monument is nothing else but a speaking Sepulchre Vixque Monumentum dixerim nisi literae aut alii tituli appareant quae si desint magis sepulchrum quàm monumentum erit Laur. Vall. Elegant lib. 4. cap. 75. If there be any man yet unsatisfied that this great Philosopher Mathematician Oratour and any thing but what he pretended to be a Divine hath had no more honour at his death then a plaine Tombe-stone and such a song of lamentation as was taken up for Saul let him read this following Catechisme and if he be either Papist or Protestant he will be satisfied if he be true to his owne principles A Prophane Catechisme collected out of Mr Chillingworths Works Question HOw shall I be able to prove to an Atheist that there is a God and that the Books of the Old and New Testament are the word of God Answ. When Protestants affirme against Papists that Scripture is a perfect rule of Faith their meaning is not that by Scripture all things Absolutely may be proved which are to be beléeved for it can never bée proved by Scripture to a gain sayer that there is a God or that the Book called Scripture is the word of God for as he saith a little before nothing is proved true by being said or written in a Book but only by Tradition which is a Thing credible of it selfe chap. 1. p. 55. Sect. 8. the first Edition approved at Oxford Doubtlesse the Atheists and Papists will give him hearty thanks for this answer which doth preferre Tradition which the Atheist vilifies before Scripture which the Papists vilifie he hath pleased them both The Papists will bee well pleased to see this doctrine licensed by the Protestants of the University of Oxford that Tradition is more credible then Scripture for Tradition is credible for it selfe but the Scripture when it is to be proved a perfect Rule to us is credible only by Tradition in Mr Chillingworths conceit pag. 96. and where shall we meet with this universall Tradition 2. But I finde another answer pag. 53. Tradition may be helped out by naturall Reason Controversies wherein the Scripture it selfe is the subject of the question cannot be determined saith Mr Chillingworth but by Naturall Reason the only principle beside Scripture which is common to Christians cap. 2. sect. 3. And in his marginall observations on a passage of Mr Hookers he layes downe this as a Rule Naturall Reason then built on principles common to all men is the last Resolution pag. 65. Nay Reason is in some sort Gods word see his answer to the Preface pag. 21. How then will the Atheist say is Reason credible for it selfe since Mr Chillingworth saith that Gods word is not credible for it selfe Surely these answers will never bring a man to divine faith for to rely upon Tradition is but to rely upon Humane testimony and such as the testimony is such is the faith if the testimony which is the ground of faith be humane then the faith cannot be divine Againe naturall Reason is not infallible nor is it able to judge of truths which are above Reason now it is cleare that supernaturall truths are above naturall Reason Finally faith is not grounded upon Reason but upon Authority He gives a third answer chap. 1. pag. 36. God hath confirmed the doctrine of the Scripture by miracles but then he saith we have nothing to assure us of the truth of those miracles but Tradition and therefore we are not got one steppe nearer faith or Heaven by that shift and if he flie back to Reason then consider what he saith pag. 117. God hath no where commanded men to beleeve all that Reason induceth them to beleeve Qu. But if this great point must be tried by Reason what Reason can you produce to prove the Scripture to be the word of God An. There is as good reason for it as there is to beléeve other stories or matters of Tradition He requires men to yeeld just such a kinde or degree of assent to the Gospel of Christ as they yeeld to other stories or matters of Tradition chap. 1. pag. 37. for God desires us only to beleeve the conclusion as much as the premises deserve ib. sect. 8. p. 36. And the Chronicle of England joyned with the generall tradition of our acquaintance deserves as much credit in Mr Chillingworths conceit as the Gospel of Christ for his words are these chap. 2. sect. 159. p. 116. 117. Wee have I beleeve as great reason to beleeve there was such a man as Henry the eighth King of England as the Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate The Lord rebuke that spirit of errour which moved the great men of Oxford to license this blasphemy What have I no more reason to beleeve the three persons in the holy Trinity speaking in their glorious Gospel to my heart and conscience then I have to beleeve Stowes Chronicle or the generall tradition of my owne acquaintance or some such other fallible testimony Qu. But what if I cannot be assured that any part of the Scripture is the word of God may I be saved without beleeving this weighty point An. Yes saith Mr. Chillingworth chap. 2. sect. 159. if a man should beléeve Christian Religion wholly and entirely and live according to it such a man though he should not know or not beléeve the Scripture to be a Rule of faith no nor to be the word of God my opinion is he may be saved Excellent Divinity indeed what is not this a principle of Christianity that Scripture is the word of God and rule of faith and if it be how then is it possible for a man to beleeve the Christian Religion wholly and entirely and yet not beleeve this principle Yes I may beléeve the Scripture as I doe Augustins works pag. 114. Qu. But if I am assured that some Scripture is the word of God how shall I know what books are Canonicall and what not An. By universall Tradition I must receive those books for Canonicall of whose Authority there was never any doubt or question in the Church pag. 148. I may then it seems doubt of the Epistle of James the second of Peter

57. Every man then is Judge the Scripture for fashions sake he calls the rule but he makes every mans naturall reason the rule to judge whether such a Text be the Word of God and then what is the sense of that Text and so all is still finally resolved into our owne reason into humane prudence and ordinary discretion for Tradition is a principle not in Christianity but in Reason nor proper to Christians but common to all men p. 72. cap. 2. sect. 51. Come away then to the Schoole of Socrates for this is just sit anima mea cum Philosophis Read from the 9● to the 100 page I will advise with God and that Reason he hath given me page 158. he adored God and Reason Qu. But is it not possible for men to become faithfull without either Church or Scripture Ans. Yes by the works of God without us and the Law of God written in us by Nature Either of these wayes might make some faithfull men without either necessity of Scripture or Church ch. 2. sect. 124. p. 100 Qu. What is Faith Ans. It is the Assent of our Vnderstandings Qu. Are not the Essentiall Doctrines of Christianity to bee embraced with our will An. The assent of our understandings is required to them but no obedience from our wills chap. 4. sect. 2. p. 193. Qu. What are these Essentiall doctrines of Christianity Ans. I do not know Qu. Do you not know what ye are to beleeve Or cannot the church tell what these necessary Truths called the Essentiall and Fundamentall parts of Christianity are Answ No there 's no such Church that Mr. Chillingworth was ever acquainted with We are not to learn of the Church what is fundamentall cap. 3. sect. 39 Qu. What doth Mr Chillingworth think Fundamentall Ans. All points which are intrinsecall to the Covenant betwéen God and man page 193. cap. 4. sect. 3. Qu. What are these points Ans. Repentance from dead works and faith in Christ Iesus the forme of God oh that he would have confessed him to be God and Saviour of the world this is all that is simply necessary pag. 159. Qu. What is it to beleeve in Christ Answ It is to expect remission of sinnes and salvation from him upon the performance of the conditions he requires p. 134. Observe more conditions beside faith required to Iustification 2. No mention made of Christs performance but ours 3. No mention of free grace it runs like a Covenant of works Qu. What are these conditions Answ. One is that we beléeve what God hath revealed when it is sufficiently declared to have béene revealed by him You have had the English of that already read pag. 134. Qu. Is it simply necessary to salvation to beleeve in Christ Ans. It is simply necessary for them to whom faith in Christ is sufficiently propounded as necessary to salvation p. 134. He will wrangle with you if you say faith in Christ is sufficiently propounded to Iewes Turks Heathens for observe that he presently addes in the selfe same page That may be sufficiently declared to one all things considered which all things considered to another is not sufficiently declared and consequently that may be Fundamentall and necessary to one which to another is not so In his conceit then it is not necessary for some mens salvation that they should beleeve in Christ And it hath beene formerly observed that some men as he conceived might be made faithfull men without necessity of Church or Scripture Finally in the 133 page he saith expresly that Cornelius was but a meete Gentile one that beleeved not in Christ and knew not but men might be worshipped and yet we are assured that his prayers and almes even whilst he was in that estate were accepted Ergo in his judgement a meere Heathen and an Idolater may have accesse to God in prayer and be accepted without the mediation of our only Mediator the Lord Iesus God blessed for ever But the truth is Cornelius was a Proselyte instructed in the Iewish Religion who beleeved in the Messiah and that faith was sufficient for his acceptance before the Gospel of Christ was preached unto him The prayers and almes of idolatrous Heathens who know not but they may worship men cannot be accepted without faith in Christ nor do their prayers and almes please God so well as that for them or by them they should be promoted to a higher degree of knowledge the knowledge of Christ that so they may be saved by Christ for what is this but to deserve a Saviour which is meritum de congruo at least nay let the Licensers consider whether to deserve Christ be not more then to deserve Heaven Moreover he is much mistaken when he saith that they who never heard of Christ may seek God as to please him and that they shall be rewarded for their seeking of him with the knowledge of the Gospell or saith in Christ for he who doth not seek God in and by Christ our only Mediatour doth not come to God but runs quite beside him to such a carnall seeking God never yet promised such a spirituall reward Consider that of the Apostle Rom. 9. 30 31 32 33. and the next chapter the second and third verses That text Hebr. 11. 6. should be compared with and expounded by Iohn 14. 6. and then it will be evident that no man can seek so as to finde him or come to him after an acceptable manner unlesse he seek God in and come to him by Iesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life the true way to eternall life I hasten to the next question Qu. What other Condition is there of the Covenant besides beleeving Answ. Repentance of sinne and obedience to Christ for God is a punisher of them that obstinately offend him therefore repentance of sinne is necessary and Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and Saviour of the world by obedience to whom men must look to be saved p. 101. Mark he doth not say by whose obedience men must be justified and yet this is the fairest confession that I can meet with I read often of our obedience to Christ but I never read any thing yet in Mr Chillingworths book of Christs obedience imputed to us now it is the imputation of Christs obedience to us and Gods free pardon of our disobedience which make the covenant appeare to be a covenant of grace Qu. What is repentance Answ An universall sorrow for all those sinnes which we know we have committed and which we feare we may have committed Answer to the Preface p. 20. If we have beene betrayed into or kept in errour by any sin of our will if that errour be discovered there must be a particular and explicite repentance of that errour if it be not discovered then a generall and implicite repentance for all sinnes knowne and unknown doth suffice Ib. p. 21. Observe that he saith nothing of the hatred of sinne or the forsaking of

owne obedience in stead of relying upon Gods authority and Christs obedience can be saved by the Covenant of Grace let all true Christians judge Qu. What other condition is required of us Answ. A true sincere and cordiall love of God Answer to the Preface p. 20. Qu. How may a man be raised to this love Answ. By the consideration of Gods most infinite goodnesse to us and our own almost infinite wickednesse against him Gods Spirit cooperating with us may raise us to a true sincere and a cordiall love of God in the same page Qu. Wherein doth this infinite goodnesse of God manifest it selfe Answ. 1. In creating us of nothing 2. In creating us after his own image 3. In creating all things for our use and benefit 4. In streaming downe his favours on us every moment of our lives 5. In designing us if we serve him to infinite and eternall happinesse 6. In redéeming us with the pretious bloud of his beloved Sonne 7. By his patience towards us in expecting our conversion 8. In wooing alluring leading and by all meanes which his wisdome can suggest unto him and mans nature is capable of drawing them to repentance and salvation I have picked out the marrow of his notions the best Divinity his works afford but observe 1. We are saith he designed to eternall happinesse if we serve God which is perfect Popery shall I say or Socinianisme here is a conditionall decree and the condition is works 2. God expects our conversion I thought he had effected our conversion if God stay till we will turne off our selves or cooperate with his Spirit in the first act of our conversion we shall never be converted Sure I am this Implicite faith grounded on unsanctified reason and fallible tradition will rather resist then cooperate with the holy Spirit The Scripture tels us that we do never love God in good earnest till we doe beleeve Gods love to us compare the 16. and 19. verses of the 1 Iohn 4. And faith is not wrought in us by our cooperation with the Spirit but by the Almighty power of God who quickens us whom he finds dead in trespasses and sinnes unto a lively faith as is evident in the two first chapters of the Epistle to the Ephesians Qu Is it possible for a man that lives and dies a Papist to be saved Ans. Yes very possible in the iudgement of Master Chillingworth 1 Because the Papists do not erre in Fundamentals chap. 3. Sect. 56. pag. 164. For the only and main reason saith he why we beleeve you not to erre in Fundamentals is your holding the Doctrine of Faith in Christ and Repentance The worst sort of Papists who have means to find the Truth but will not use them may be saved if they die with a generall repentance for all their sinnes knowne and unknowne because the Truths which they hold of Faith in Christ and repentance are as it were an Antidote against their errours and their negligence in seeking the truth Especially seeing by confession of both sides we agree in much more then is simply and indispensably necessary to salvation Chap. 3. Sect. 12. pag. 133. And truly I doe beleeve if the worst of Papists and the worst of Protestants did agree in fewer things then they doe there would be more hope of the salvation of Papists Qu. What is the best way to bring Papists and Protestants into one communion Ans. The framing and proposing of a Liturgy which both sides hold lawfull p. 132. This was perchance the great stratagem aimed at in the framing of that Liturgy which was sent into Scotland and this is a point which deserves the consideration of the pretended Parliament or Assembly at Oxford Qu. Is the Spirit absolutely promised to the succession of Bishops Answ No for many of them have beene notoriously and confessedly wicked men men of the world whereas this Spirit is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because he seeth him not neither knowes him p. 146 147. Whether this be not as true of some Popish Prelats in England as of the Bishops of Rome let the learned determine Qu. What if a Church maintaine an errour contrary to Gods Revelation knowne by that Church to be a divine Revelation Ans. The Church that doth so is no longer a Church p. 137. Qu. Doth not Master Chillingworth sometimes contradict himselfe and call the Roman Church the Catholique Church Answ. He seemes to do so p. 132. His words are these We beléeve the Catholique Church cannot perish yet that she may and did erre in points not Fundamentall and that Protestan● were obliged to forsake these errors of her Church as they did though not the Church for the errours for that they did not but continued still members of the Church Observe that the question is about forsaking the Church of Rome and he talkes of the Catholique Church 1. The Catholique Church did not erre with the Roman the Greek Church did forsake the errours of the Roman 2. Those Protestants who did protest against the Church of Rome were a considerable part of the Catholique Church 3. Those Protestants did not continue members of the Roman Church but did renounce her communion because of her errours 4. His distinction which followes betweene the Catholique and Roman Church makes his former observations non-sence at least 5. He saith they separated from the Roman Church only in things which they conceived superstitious or impious and he saith they were obliged to doe this under paine of damnation Not saith he as if it were damnable to hold an errour not damnable p. 132. Did those Protestants rightly conceive the practises of Rome to be superstitious and impious or did they not if they did conceive aright then superstion and impiety are in Master Chillingworths judgement not damnable if they did conceive amisse why doth Master Chillingworth justifie our separation from the Church of Rome Sure Master Chillingworth was no fit man to maintaine the common cause of Protestants against Papists Qu. May not a man bee damned by maintaining errours which are not in themselves damnable Ans. Yes because it is damnable outwardly to professe and maintaine and ioyne with others in the practise of that which inwardly we do not hold for this is as he confesses damnable dissimulation and hypocrisie p. 132. Men may do well to take notice that Mr Chillingworth doth account something damnable and I note this the rather at this time because men are so apt to professe one thing in one place and another thing in another in these dayes of liberty and to joyne with others in the practise of that which they inwardly dislike Yet Mr Chillingworth saith that if in him alone there should have met a confluence of all the errours which all the Protestants in the world have fell into out of humane frailty he would not be so much afraid of them all as to ask pardon for them because to ask pardon for them were

scandalously because publiquely and doth not only hold but vent damnable heresies and vent them not only in the Pulpit but in the Presse shall not his damnable heresies and printed heresies be confuted after his death shall thousands be seduced and perish and all Orthodox Divines silenced with that one Proverb Nothing is to be spoken of the dead but good Nay put the case further yet suppose a man hath had his head full of powder-plots and his heart full of bloody desires nay hath been a Ring-leader and Encourager of others to bloody practises against the very light of nature as well as Scripture must nothing be said of such a man when he is gone but good Mr Chillingworth and I met in Sussex by an unexpected providence I was driven from my owne house by force of Armes only as the Cavaliers confessed because I was nominated to be a Member of the Assembly and when I heard that my Living was bestowed upon a Doctor who if some Cambridge-men deceive me not became the stage farre better then he doth the Pulpit I resolved to exercise my Ministery in Sussex amongst my friends in a place where there hath been little of the power of Religion either known or practised About the latter end of November I travelled from London to Chichester according to my usuall custome to observe the monthly Fast and in my passage with a thankfull heart I shall ever acknowledge it I was guarded by a Convoy of 16 Souldiers who faced about 200 of the enemies forces and put them all to flight Upon the twelfth of December I visited a brave Souldier of my acquaintance Captain James Temple who did that day defend the Fort at Bramber against a bold daring enemy to the wonder of all the countrey and I did not marvell at it for he is a man that hath his head full of stratagems his heart full of piety and valour and his hand as full of successe as it is of dexterity My gratefull pen might wel run on in his commendation to the eternall shame of those who have been ungratefull to him to whom they doe under God owe their preservation But I intend not to defraud others of their deserved praise who were present at that fierce encounter There was present Colonell Harbert Morley a Gentleman of a nimble apprehension vigilant spirit but the Cavaliers were kept at such a distance that they never put the Colonels Regiment of horse to any trouble There was present likewise Captaine Henry Carleton the Antiprelaticall sonne of a learned Prelate a man of a bold presence and fixed resolution who loves his country better then his life Captain Simon Everden was there also a man of slow speech but sure performance who deserves that Motto of the old Romane Non tam facile loquor quam quod locutus sum praesto You cannot expect that I should name all the rest of the Commanders But there were you see some difficulties in my way which seemed insuperable and yet the Lord of Hosts did bring me thorow these difficulties safe from Bramber to Arundell upon the 21 day of December if I forget not Master Chillingworth was at that time in Arundell Castle which was surrendred to the much renowned Commander Sir William Waller Serjeant-Major-generall of all the associated Counties in the East and West upon the sixt of Ianuary As soone as the Castle was surrendred I represented Master Chillingworths condition to Sir William Waller who commended him to the care of his worthy Chaplaine and his Chaplaine shewed so much charity and respect towards him that he laid him upon his owne bed and supplied him with all necessaries which the place did afford When the rest of the Prisoners were sent up to London Master Chillingworth made it evident to me that he was not able to endure so long a journey and if he had been put to it he had certainly died by the way I desired therefore that his journey might bee shortned and upon my humble motion he was sent to Chichester where I intreated the Governour that he might be secured by some Officer of his acquaintance and not put into the hands of the Marshall the Governour gave order that Lievtenant Golledge should take charge of him and placed him in the Bishop of Chichesters Palace where he had very courteous usage and all accommodations which were requisite for a sicke man as appeares by the testimony of his owne man at Oxford and a Letter of thankfull acknowledgment from Master Chillingworths father to Lievtenant Golledge nay by Master Chillingworths Codicill which hee desired should be annexed to his Will in which he gave 10 livre. to Captaine King 10 li to Mistresse Mason who keepes the Bishops house and attended Master Chillingworth in his sicknesse and 10 li. to Lievtenant Golledge And it may further appeare by a Letter of Captain Kings sent to Oxford and the testimony of Master Edmonds his Apothecary both which are as followes Captain Kings Letter sent to Mr Walter Iones one of the Chaplains of christ-Christ-Church in Oxford Ian. 23. Kind friend MAster Chillingworth was in so weake a condition by reason of a violent fluxe that I perswade my selfe hee could not have lived the first night of his journey had he gone farther for it was very tedious to him to be brought hither He lyes very ill and for ought I perceive in a desperate condition and how God may dispose of him we know not if any of his friends have a purpose to come into these parts they shall have free passage without any molestation Lievtenant Golledge performes the part of a reall friend in every kinde neither is Christobell wanting in her best care and diligence Lievtenant Golledge hath already disburst 10 livre. or thereabout It would not be amisse that some of Master Chillingworths friends were present with him whilest there is some hope of life for it will be a great satisfaction both to him and others There must be no delayes either of time or money I heare that Master Chillingworths Sister whom hee hath made Executrix is travelling with childe and therefore unfit for travell but he is very confident she will not let him want for necessary supplies whilest he lives and that hee may have decent buriall befitting one of his merit if it pleaseth God he chance to dye Among other of his friends I pray acquaint Doctor Shelden the Warden of All-soules with what is written whom Master Chillingworth doth very highly esteem Your very affectionate friend Robert King From Chichester Jan. 23. The testimony of Master Edmonds A Friend standing by him desired him to declare himselfe in point of Religion for two reasons first Because the Iesuites had much defamed and traduced him in that particular secondly Because he might be able to give an account to his friends in case he should survive He answered he had declared himselfe already in that point sufficiently to the world His friend told him that there went

sinne in which the life and power of repentance doth consist A man may live and die in his sinnes and be saved by an universall sorrow Men are damned saith he who die in wilfull errours without repentance but what if they die in thir errours with repentance Answer to the Preface p. 20. That is a contradiction saith the Iesuit and he saith true but it appeares by that speech that Master Chillingworth conceived that an universall sorrow for sinne without any hatred of or turning from sinne was saving repentance Qu. What other condition is required in the Covenant between God and man in Christ Answ Sincere obedience Answer to the Preface p. 18. This indeed is the prime condition he meanes when he saith p. 134. That to beleeve in Christ is to expect remission of sinnes from Christ upon the conditions he requires This is pure Socinianisme to beleeve that we shall be pardoned upon our obedience or as the Socinians expresse it and justified according to the Covenant by our owne obedience not as we say by the obedience of Christ and freely pardoned for the al sufficient satisfaction of Christ made in our stead and put upon our account Besides if a man neglect never so many duties live in never-so many errors and commit never so many grosse sinnes he conceives that an Implicite Faith and a generall Repentance of all sinnes knowne and unknowne are sufficient Antidotes and his Obedience shall passe for sincere Obedience as you may clearly see in those places which have beene already alleadged If a man be not convinced that Christ is God by his principles an Implicit Faith and generall Repentance will serve the turne though that truth hath beene sufficiently propounded to him and it is meerly his own fault that he is not convinced for in his conceit as long as this man remains as he saith unconvinced but as we say obstinate so long he doth not derogate any thing from Gods veracity or truth His words are these But if the proposall be only so sufficient not that the party to whom it is made is convinced but only that he should but for his own fault would have beene convinced of the divine verity of the doctrine proposed The crime then is not so great for the beliefe of Gods veracity may well consist with such an errour Yet a fault I confesse it is and without Repentance damnable if all circumstances considered that is mens passions hindrances c. considered as above said the proposall be sufficient p. 18. of his answer to the Preface Now what he meanes by repentance hath beene shewen a generall sorrow for all sinnes knowne and unknowne such a repentance as will consist with a mans obstinate deniall of a truth for he may die in this errour with Master Chillingworths repentance and neither the errour nor the obstinancie shall be imputed to him because he is sorry for he knowes not what and remained unconvinced of his errour though it was meerly his owne fault that he was not convinced This is a ready way to save Iewes Turkes Socinians Papists Infidels and all for he doth meerly retaine the names of faith repentance sincere obedience without the substance life and power of them The Faith he talkes of leaves the will at liberty he starts at the Apostles phrase the obedience of faith You saith he to Knot say there is some merit in faith we some obedience in it which can hardly have place where there is no possibility of disobedience as there is not where the understanding doth all and the will nothing p. 329. Sure I am the Devill hath such a saith an assent without obedience his faith is no faith because grounded meerly upon probabilities he only saith that the precepts of Christianity are most likely to come from God p. 36. chap. 1. but the Spirit of God being implored by devout and humble prayer and sincere obedience may and will by degrees advance his servants to an higher certainty p. 36. 37. But this certainty is a reward given to beleevers so then men are beleevers before the Spirit gives them any certainty that the Christian religion did proceed from the fountaine of goodnesse Now he who only beleeves the Christian religion of all other religions to be most likely to be true is not very likely to implore the Spirit very earnestly either by prayer or obedience for who will obey the precepts of Christianity till he be assured that they and the promises are divine But saith Master Chillingworth men may talke their pleasure of an absolute and most infallible certainty but did they generally beleeve that obedience to Christ were the only way marke that the onely way to present and eternall felicity but as firmly and undoubtedly as that there is such a City as Constantinople nay but as much as Caesars Commentaries or the History of Salust I beleeve the lives of most men both Papists and Protestants would be better then they are chap. 6. pag. 327. Sure Christs obedience for us is the way to happinesse therefore our obedience is not the only way 2. It is certaine that all true Protestants do beleeve the Gospel more firmly then Caesars Commentaries or Salust prophane Histories 3. Such a Faith as this will not implore the Spirit by devout and humble prayer or by sincere obedience 4. I appeale to all indifferent men what kind of obedience is like to spring from an implicite faith in unsanctified reason a faith that is a bare assent without obedience the faith of Devils not the faith of Christians 5. The repentance of obstinate men I meane in sensu composito as Master Chillingworth means a generall sorrow which he cals repentance that is humiliation without reformation repentance of sinnes which I love and live in and damnable errours which I die in is not that repentance from dead works which Christ requires sure Heresie in the language of the Apostle is a work of the flesh and therefore as dead a work as any other we may then safely conclude that an implicite faith in unsanctified reason or fallible tradition and a generall sorrow for I know not what sinnes and errors though grosse enough for to be known such sinnes and errours as the party doth love live and die in and never so much as confesse to be sinnes or errours because he is so obstinate that he will not be convinced of them I say safely conclude that this faith and this sorrow are both unchristian if not Antichristian He that hath an implicite faith in his owne unsanctified reason makes himselfe a Pope Sanctified reason sees but in part and therefore unsanctified reason is spiritually blind it cannot see any thing which is spiritually discerned Besides I feare that he conceived there was some merit of congruity in the lame obedience of this blind beleever because he saith the sincere obedience of such a beleever doth implore the Spirit Now whether a man that relies upon his owne reason and his