seruants Though this point touching Euangelical Coūsels may seeme to bee of no great consequence yet to the Romanists it is a point fundamentall for vpon it they build their treasury of superaboundant satisfactions And Leech after hee had first suckt this thinner and purer blood afterwards greedily swallowed the most corrupt and ranke blood of Popery but I hope the Appealers manifold preferments and better hopes will be better councellors to him then to merit by a totall or supererogate to a finall Apostacie from vs to the Pope of Rome Of Reall presence Harmony Church of Rome Counc of Trent Sess. 13. cap. 1. Of the reall presence of our Lord in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist This holy Synode openly and simply professeth That in the Sacrament of the Eucharist after the consecration of Bread Wine That our L. Iesus Christ true God and man is truly really and substantially contained vnder the species or forme of those sensible things Gratian. de consecrat distinct 2. cap. Ego Berengarius is inioyned by Pope Nicholas to recāt in this form I Berengarius doe accurse that heresy wherewith I haue beene heretofore defamed in maintaining that the bread and wine after the consecration are onely a Sacrament and not the true body and blood of Christ. And that the true body and blood of Christ cannot be sensibly handled by the Priests or broken or chewed with the teeth of the faithfull but onely in the signe or sacrament thereof And I giue my consent to the holy Church of Rome and Aposto like See and I professe with my tongue and heart that I hold the same faith concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Table which our Lord and holy Father Nicholas and this holy Synod by Euangelicall and Apostolicall authority hath inioyned to be held and hath confirmed vnto me to wit that the bread and wine vpon the Altar after consecration are not onely the sacrament but also the true body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and that not onely the Sacrament but the body and blood of Christ is in truth sensibly handled and broken by the Priests and eaten with the teeth of the faithfull Bellarmine de Sacramento Eucharist lib. 1. c. 2. The Councell of Trent Sess. 13. teacheth That Christ is in the Sacrament truly and really against the fiction of the Calvinists who will haue Christ to be there so present that he may be apprehended by faith that hee is present to the contemplation of faith though corporally in heauen Bellarm. ibid. The Councell addeth substantially against the Calvinists who say that the body of Christ according to his substance is onely in heauen but according to I know not what virtue and power he floweth from thence to vs. Appealer ANsw. to Gag pag. 253. But that the Diuell bred you vp in a faction and sent you abroad to doe him seruice in maintaining a faction Otherwise acknowledge there is there need be no difference in the point of reall presence Appeal p. 289. Cōcerning this point there need be no difference the disagreement is onely de modo praesentiae Answer to Gagg pag. 253. There is there need bee no difference in the point of reall presence Ibid. pag. 252. We ingenuously confesse That by this Sacrament Christ giueth vs his very body and blood and really and truly performes in vs his promise as for the maner how this inexplicable that vnutterable trans or con wee skill not of Vide supra Appeal pag. 289. In these passages the Appealer differeth from the Church of England in these three things first that he saith There is no difference betweene vs about the reall presence wheras indeed there is a maine difference and most of our Martyrs dyed rather then they would acknowledge the Popish reall presence See the Acts and Monuments Secondly he saith that the manner is vnutterable whereas the Church of England defineth the manner Thirdly in that he saith we skill not of or make matter of transubstantiation or consubstantiatiō wheras the Church of England expresly condemneth transubstantiation as a grosse and dangerous error Discord Church of Engl. ARticle 28. The body of Christ is giuen taken and eaten in the Supper onely after a heauenly and spirituall manner And the meane wherby the body of Christ is eaten and receiued in the Supper is Faith Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proued by holy Writ but is repugnant to the plaine word of Scripture ouerthroweth the nature of a Sacramēt and hath giuen occasion to many superstitions Iuel Artic. 5. of the reall presence pag. 238. We seeke Christ aboue in heauen and imagine not him to be bodily present vpon the earth The body of Christ is to be eaten by faith onely and no otherwise And in this last point appeareth a notable difference between vs and M. Harding for we place Christ in the heart according to the doctrine of Saint Paul Mr. Harding placeth him in the mouth We say Christ is eaten onely by faith Master Harding saith hee is eatē with the mouth and teeth Article 28. The body of Christ is giuen taken and eaten in the Supper onely after an heauenly and spirituall manner the meane wherby the body of Christ is receiued and eaten in the supper is faith Transubstantiation is repugnant to Scripture ouerthroweth the nature of a Sacrament The Appealer seemes to bee one of the Bonhommes who in a jejune Lent-discourse durst openly bid defiance to the Article of our Church saying I abhorre them that teach Christ to be in the Sacrament onely by faith for hee is not there because wee beleeue but wee beleeue because he is there present If this be a good beleefe and doctrine That Christ is otherwise present in the Sacrament then to the hearts of beleeuers and that by faith onely let the Appealers poore Woodcocke or Catholike Cockscombe pag. 251. tell vs what he taketh to be the meaning of S. Austin in those words qui credit edit or if he cannot do that yeeld a reason why Rats and Mice may not eate the very body of Christ. Of Images Harmony Church of Rome COunc. of Trent Sess. 25. p. 290 The Images of Christ the Virgin mother of God of other Saints are to be had retained in Tēples especially and due honour and veneration is to bee giuen vnto them Because the honour which is to be exhibited to them is referred to the prototype or sampler so that by the images which we kisse and before which we put off our hats and lye downe wee adore Christ and the Saints whose Images they beare Bellarmine of the Images of Saints lib. 2. c. 21. Images by themselues properly are to be worshipped Ibid. cap. 22. We must not say That the supreme worship called Latria is due to Images but on the contrary wee ought to say that they ought not so to be adored Bellarmin ibid. cap. 9. lib. 2.
Images may be lawfully set vp in Churches Appealer ANswer to the Gagg p. 318. The pictures of Christ the blessed Virgin and Saints may be made had in houses set vp in Churches respect and honour may bee giuen to them The Protestants doe it and vse them for helpes of Piety in rememoration and more effectuall representing of the prototype Page 319. Let practice doctrine goe together wee agree Page 318. You say they must not haue Latria sowce Appeale page 257. In your practice you giue them that honour which you call Latria and is a part of diuine worship so not we Let practice and doctrine goe together that is giue them no Latria formall nor interpretatiue we agree Answer to Gagg pag. 318. Images are not vnlawfull for ciuill vses nor vtterly in all maner of religious imployment Gag p. 300. Images haue three vses assigned by your Schooles Instructiō of the rude commonefaction of history and stirring vp of deuotion You and wee also giue vnto them Discord Church of Engl. ARt 22. The Romish doctrine concerning worshipping and adoration as well of Images as of Reliques is a fond thing vainly inuented and grounded vpon no warranty of Scripture But rather repugnant to the word of God Homily against the perill of Idolatry part 3. page 42. It is vnlawfull that it the image of Christ should be made or that the Image of any Saint should bee made especially to bee set vp in Temples to the great and vnauoidable danger of Idolatry Wee grant that Images vsed for no religion or superstition rather we meane Images of none worshipped nor in danger to be worshipped of any may bee suffered But Images placed publikely in Temples cannot possibly be without danger of Idolatry Ibid. p. 42. Beware lest thou make to thy selfe that is to say to any vse of Religion any grauen Image Ibid. page 43. Images are of more force to crooke an vnhappy soule thē to teach and instruct Ibid. pag. 42. Either Images bee no bookes or if they be they bee false and lying bookes the teachers of all errour In this point of Images the Appealer differeth from the Church of England in foure particulars 1 The Church of England condemneth in the Article the popish doctrine concerning the worshipping of Images The Appealer approueth the doctrine and condemneth the practice onely 2 The Church of England teacheth it to be vnlawfull to set vp Images in Churches because it cannot be done without vnauoidable perill of Idolatry The Appealer alloweth the setting them vp in Churches 3 The Church of England forbiddeth all religious vse of Images allowing meere ciuill or historicall The Appealer alloweth Images for religious imployments 4 The Church of England denyeth any worship due to Images The Appealer granteth any worship saue Latria hee stickes not at Dulia if it trench not vpon Latria In all which points of Doctrine hee perfectly accordeth with Bellarmine and the Church of Rome onely hee disclaymeth their practice as also Polidor Virgil and many other ingenuous Papists doe Of the Crosse. Harmony Church of Rome BEll Book 2. of the Images of Saints c. 30. The signe of the Crosse workes miracles not out of a natural virtue that it hath as a figure But as a signe instituted of GOD. Note that there are three wonderfull effects of the crosse 1. it terrifieth putteth deuils to flight 2. It driueth away diseases and all euils 3. It sanctifieth those things vpon which it is imprinted The first effect it hath from three causes from the apprehension of the deuill the deuotion of man and institution of God For the Deuill when he seeth the Crosse presently remembreth that by the Crosse of Christ hee was conquerd spoild bound discōsited Hence it is that he flyes from the Crosse as a Dog doth from a stone or staffe with which he hath beene strucke Againe the Crosse hath a force from the worke of him that worketh with it or vseth it after the same manner as prayer hath For the signe of the Crosse is a kinde of the calling vpon the merits of Christ crucified expressed by the signe of the Crosse. Appealer ANsw. to Gagg page 321. Our church alloweth the signe of the crosse vseth it commandeth it I could tell you some experimented effects of it App. p. 280. What if I meant some experimēted effects of my own knowledge what then Can you controll or convince me What if vpon diuers extremities I haue found ease by vsing that ciaculatory prayer of our Let any By thy cross And what if to testifie my faith I made the signe of the cross Answ. to Gagge pag. 320. Wee vse signing with the signe of the Crosse both in the forehead and elsewhere witnesse that solemne form in our Baptisme for which we are so quarrelled by our factious The flesh is signed that the soule may bee fortified saith Tertullian and so doe wee Appeale p. 268. What hindereth but that I may signe my selfe with the signe of the Crosse in any part of my body at any time at night when I goe to bed in the morning when I rise c Discord Church of England BOok of Common Prayer Then the Priest shall make a Crosse vpon the Childes forehead Booke of Canons Chapter of the signe of the Crosse. The Infant baptised is by virtue of Baptisme before it be signed with the signe of the Crosse receiued into the Congregation of Christs flocke and not by any power assign'd to the signe of the Crosse. The Church of England hath retained the signe of the Crosse being purged from all Popish Superstition and errour for the remembrance of the Cross accounting it a lawfull outward ceremony and honourable badge In this point touching the signe of the Crosse the Appealer differeth from the Church of England in two particulars 1 He falsely imposeth vpon the Church of England That in her forme of Baptisme shee vseth the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and elsewhere That else-where is not to be found in the forme of Baptisme or els-where in the constitution or practice of our Church 2 He ascribeth operatiue Power and experimented effects to the Crosse and seemes to father some such error vpon the Church of England saying That wee signe the flesh that the soule may be fortified so wee wheras the Church of England in the Canon will haue no power or efficacy to be ascribed to the signe of the Crosse but onely a kinde of significancy and honorable representation of Christs death vpon the Cross. And more then this I will not beleeue touching any efficacy of the signe of the Crosse till I finde by experience that the Appealers signing his lips with the signe of the Crosse makes him a faire-spoken and his signing himselfe on the brest with the signe of the Crosse makes him a Good man Of Invocation of Saints Harmony Church of Rome COunc. of Trent Sess. 25. The holy Synod commādeth all Bishops and others to whom the office
and charge of teaching is cōmitted that according to the vse of the Catholike and Apostolike Church they diligently instruct their congregations touching the intercession and invocation of Saints teaching them that it is good and profitable humbly to call vpon them to flye vnto their prayers help and aid and that they impiously conceiue who deny that Saints inioying eternall happinesse with God are to be called vpon or that the calling vpon them is idolatry or that it is repugnant to the word of God or that it derogateth from the honour of the only Mediator between God man Iesus Christ Bellar. of the blessednes of Saints booke 1. chap. 19. Holy Angels men departed this life are piously profitably called vpon by the liuing Appealer GAgg pag. 200 Perhaps there is no such great impiety in saying S. Laurence pray for me Ibid. p. 203. Now the case of Angels-keepers in point of Advocation Invocation is much different from other Angels not Guardians as being continually attendant alwayes at hand though invisibly therfore though we might say Saint Angell-keeper pray for me it followeth not we may say St. Gabriel pray for me Invocation of Saints page 99. If thus my selfe resolued doe inferre Holy Angel keeper pray for me I see no reason to be taxed with point of Popery or superstition much lesse of absurdity or impiety Answ. to Gagg p. 229. Saue al other labor in this point proue but onely this their knowledge of any thing ordinarily I promise you straight I will say Holy Saint Mary pray for me Discord Church of Engl. ARtic 22. The Romish doctrine cōcerning Invocation of saints is a fond thing vainly invented grounded vpon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God Homily of Prayer 2 part pag. 114. Invocation or prayer may not bee made without faith in him on whō they call wherupon we must onely soly pray to God For to say wee should beleeue eyther in Angel or Saint or any other liuing creature were horrible blasphemy against God his word Ibid. Is there any Angel Patriark or Prophet among the dead can know the meaning of the heart c. Bishop Andrewes Answ. to Bellarmins Apol. pag. 180. Alleadgeth The Synod of Laodicea did forbid praying to Angels Defence of the Church of England against Spalata c. 60 You aske why Saints are not to be called vpon Because you haue no command of God to call vpō them Now in the worship of God God cōmandeth Deut. 12. 23. What I command thee that onely doe thou Because you haue no example in Scripture of calling on them but that of Iohn Apoc 19. 10. See thou do it not worship God Because it is wil-worship after the commandements doctrines of men condemned by the Apostle Col. 2. 22. Of which God said of old Who required these things at your hands Esay 1. 12 And of which our Sauiour saith In vaine doe they worship me teaing for doctrines the commandements of men Mat. 15. 9. White Answ. to Fisher. page 335. Invocation of Saints is iniurious to the onely mediatorship of Christ. In this point touching the Inuocation of Saints the Appealer differeth from the Church of England in two particulars 1 That he maketh a difference betweene Angels especially Guardians and other Saints in respect of Invocation whereas the Church of England putteth no such difference But indifferently forbiddeth the calling vpon Saints departed or Angells Guardians or others And the reasons they alledge are as strong against the one as the other 2 The Appealer denyeth Inuocation of Saints onely vpon this ground that the Saints departed ordinarily know not our affayres and consequently he maketh Popish Invocation idle and foolish but not impious blasphemous iniurious to God and our Sauiour Whereas the Church of England denyeth Invocation of Saints vpon many other grounds and maketh it idolatrous iniurious to Christ yea and blasphemous as appeareth in the places aboue alleadged Of Extreme vnction Harmony Church of Rome COun of Trent Ses. 14. cap. 1. The holy vnction of the sick is instituted by Christ as a truly and properly called Sacrament of the new Testament Ibid. cap. 2. The effect of this Sacrament is the wiping away of all those sins in the sicke which remaine to be expiated the relieuing and strengthening his soule Appealer ANsw. to Gagg ch 37. p. 267. That Sacramental vnction is not to be vsed to the sicke Vse it if you will We hinder you not Nor much care or enquire what effects ensue vpon it But obtrude it not on vs or vnto the Church as in censu of the Sacraments of the Time of grace c. Discord Church of Engl. ARt 25. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ in the Gospell that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Those fiue commonly called Sacraments Confirmation Penāce Orders Matrimony Extreme vnction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as haue growne partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in Scriptures But yet haue not like nature of Sacramēts with Baptisme the L. Supper In this point touching Extreme vnction though the Appealer doe not fully ioyne hands with the Papists and shake hands with the Church of England yet he maketh the vsing of Extreme vnction or not vsing it the attributing of such effects as the Church of Rome erroniously if not impiously ascribeth to it or not attributing a light matter of no great importance a thing indeed not to be obtruded vpon the Church as necessary yet a thing for ought that he saith to the contrary that may be not vnlawfully vsed Whereas the Church of England or at least the most approued Writers in the Church of England make the adding of any new Sacrament and attributing a diuine spirituall effect vnto it without commandement or warrant of God's word to be a grieuous sinne breach of the second Commandement And if it may haue such an effect as to wipe away all sinnes remaining in the sicke our Church should very much wrong the sicke not to administer it to them It concernes vs therefore to enquire of any such effects and finding that it hath none to condemne it as not onely vnwarranted by Scripture but also derogatory to the efficacy of the the other Sacraments and Christs blood Of assurance of Saluation Harmony Church of Rome COnc of Trent Ses. 6. canon 13 If any man say that to obtaine remission of sins it is necessary that a man beleeue certainly and without any hesitation or questioning in regard of his own infirmity and disposition that his sins are remitted him let him be accursed Counc of Trent Sess. 6. Canon 14. If any say that a man is absolued frō sin and iustified because he certainly beleeueth that hee is absolued and iustified and that none is iustified but hee that beleeueth that hee is iustified let him be accursed Ibid. Can. 12.
of the Apostasie of Saints Edit Lugduni Anno 1615. pag. 12. Demand the first There is no absolute Election and b pag. 25. Absolute Predestination granted it was necessary to remoue the whole Scripture to settle that head or doctrine Arminius in the forecited Declaration pag. 33. Out of this doctrine to wit of absolute solute Predestination it c followeth that God is the Author of sinne And this may bee proued by a foure-fold Argument 1. Because this Doctrine layeth it downe that God precisely hath decrâ—ed to demonstrate his glory by punishing or punitiue iustice and mercy sauing some men and damning others which but by d Sinne entring into the world neither was nor could be done c. Arminius respons ad Artic. 10. It would be easie for mee to conuince the opinion of some of the brethren of Manichâ—isme and Stoicisme We protest to the whole world that by our aduersaries e Manicheisme and f Stoicisme or fatall necessitie is â—rought into the Church The Embleme of their booke of the Acts of the Synod of Dort hath this triumphant title Destructo fato or the 〈◊〉 of Fate Ex Act. Syn. Dordrac in Peror Bert. epist. Dedic before his booke of the Apostasie of the Saints There are who flie Pelagianisme not seeing that they plainly side with the Manichees Hee citeth these words as out of an Epistle of Casâ—ubon but forged by himselfe Hag Conference set out by Bert. pag. 90. This absolute Decree openeth a gate on this side to a g dissolute life on that side to h desperation APPEALER APPEALE to Caesar pag. 58. In all which passage to wit of the seuenteenth Article there rehearsed both concerning Gods decree and execution of that decree is not one word syllable or apex touching your absolute necessary determined irresistible irrespectiue decree of God to call saue and glorifie Saint Peter for instance infallibly without any consideration had of or regard to his faith obedience and repentance Appeale to Caesar pa. 54. Nothing is by mee ascribed to your side and to your Doctors but an absolute and irrespectiue decree concerning man in vtramque partem I brought no inferences to presse you withall such as are commonly and odiously made against you by opposites whose virulent inuectiues though too true imputations I vsed not I did not charge you with making God the Author of sinne That the reprobate are iâ—cited on and prouoked to sinne by God That God was the Author of Iudas treason and the like Appeale pag. 68. I neuer yet read of any prime preuious determining decree by which men were irrespectiuely denied grace and excluded from glory vnlesse from damned e Heretiques or f Stoâ—call Philosophers Appeale pag. 30. Against that absolute irrespectiue necessitating and fatall decree of your new Predestination Appeale pag. 60. I must confesse my dissent through and sincere from the faction of Noâ—â—lising Puritans c. but in no one point more than in this their h desperate doctrine of Predestination in which as they delight to trouble themselues and others in nothing more so I professe I doe loue to meddle nothing lesse I haue not I did not desire nor intend to declare my opinion in that point a Edit Lugduni Batau ex officina Tho. Basson 1512. b Positâ Praedestinatione illâ absolutâ necessarium fuit totam scripturam loco mouere vt illud caput adsereretur c It no way followeth See Caluines Preface of his booke of Diuine Predestin and first booke of Institut 17. Chap. Beza against Castellio Peter Martyr in his Comment on the 1. Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans Zuinglius in his Sermon of Prouidence Abbot Prelect of the Author of sinne Paraeus Answer to Bellaâ—mine second booke of the state of sinne and losse of grace chap. 4. and diuers others d God decreed the permission and disposing of sinne which he fore-saw vpon his permission would be hee did not decree the effecting or existence of it that it should be Saint Augustine fully answereth these and the like Arguments in his booke de Corrept Grat. cap. 10. We freely confesse that which we most rightly beleeue that the God and Lord of all things who made all things exceeding good and fore-saw that euill things would arise out of good and knew that it more appertained to his most omnipotent goodnesse to draw good out of euil than not to suffer euils to be hath so ordred the life of men and Angels that in it first he might shew the power of their owne free-will and then the benefit of his grace and iudgement of his iustice And in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium cap. 11. God being most exceeding good would not by any meanes suffer any euill to be in his workes but that he is also so omnipotent and good that he can and doth worke good euen out of euill e As Iulian the Pelagian often in his bookes vpbraided Saint Augustine with Manicheisme so doth Arminius and the Appealer following the Pelagians step by step lay the same imputation vpon the orthodox defenders of Predestination But the imputation is most false for the Manichees held two soules in a man one good another bad and ascribed good and euill not to the free-will of man but to those two soules We with the holy Fathers teach but one soule in man and referre good and euill to Free-will but so that the will of it selfe is free to euill but is not neither can sithence the fall of Adam be free vnto good till God hath freed it by his grace according to the words of our Sauiour in Saint Iohns Gospell Chap. 8. 36. But if the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed And of Saint Paul Rom. 6. 18. Made free from sinne c. f A stale obiection long sithence answered by Saint Augustine in his second booke cap. 5. ad Bonifac. Wee maintaine not Fate or fatall necessity vnder the name of grace but if it please some men to call the omnipotent will of God vnder the name of Fate we seeke indeed to auoid prophane nouelty of word but wee will not contend about words To which answer of Saint Augustine we may further adde that the beleefe of Christians touching the falling out of all things according to the determinate counsell of God Act. 2. differeth from the Stoicke Fate or Fatality in foure things 1. The Stoicks subiected God himselfe to Fate Iupiter though he most desired could not free Sarpedon we subiect Fate that is the necessitie of things to Gods most free-will 2. They vnder the name of Fate vnderstood an eternall fluxe and necessary connexion of naturall causes and effects we teach that all natural and second causes had their beginning in the Creation neither is there such a necessary and absolute depeÌ„dance of effects from their naturall causes but that God can and often doth suspend those effects and miraculously worke beside aboue nay against nature 3. The Stoicks by their Fatality took away all contingencie wee admit
the naturall will of a regenerate man so much of Adam remaining and carnall concupiscence as may make him resist and rebell against the Law of God l We answer with Saint Augustine in his first booke De gratiâ libero arbit cap. 16. It is certaine that we will when we will but he makes vs to will that is good of whom it is said Pro. 8. The will is prepared by God and God worketh in vs to will Philip. 2. It is certaine that we work when we worke but he worketh in vs to worke by giuing most efficacious power to the will who saith I will make you to walke in my waies Ezek. 36. Faith and repentance are our workes because in vs though not of vs actions and passions denominate the subiect not the cause God is the efficient cause of faith and repentance but the subiect in which these vertues are wrought is man who therfore is said to beleeue and repent because these things are wrought in him but not by the power of his own will but by the effectuall worke of grace stirring the will and making it freely to assent vnto and beleeue the Gospell Bernard de lib. Arbit What doth free-will I answer in one word it is saued or cured this worke cannot bee done without two one by whom the other in whom it is wrought God is the Author of it the health or cure of the will free-will is only capable of it m Grace is two-fold Outward Inward Outward Offered in the ministery of the Word Inward Enlightning and inciting only Renewing and regenerating Men can and do resist outward and inward only enlightning grace but not renewing and regenerating grace so far as to hinder their conuersion or after they are cōuerted vtterly to cast away the spirit of sanctification and thereby fall away totally finally If God should giue no other grace but such as man at his pleasure might reiect or repell hee should haue no kingdome within vs and if he could not by his grace absolutely subdue and conquer the stubbornesse of mans will he should not be omnipotent If grace doth not determine mans will but mans will the influxe and effect of it the peace and grace of God should not rule in our hearts but euery man should be ruled to righteousnesse as well as to sinne by his owne free-will which was the expresse heresie of Pelagius and Caelestius as Prosper in precise termes sets it downe in his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lord 414. n To the place in the Acts I answer First That Saint Steuen speaketh of the Iewes resisting the Spirit of Prophecie not the Spirit of regeneration the Iewes gain-said withstood and opposed the Word of the holy Ghost vttered by the Prophets not the secret working of the holy Ghost by grace in the hearts of such whom he would and did conuert Secondly We confesse that men vncircumcised in heart such as were these Iewes whom Saint Steuen vpbraideth not only can resist but can doe no other then resist the holy Ghost but regenerating grace by circumcising the heart remoueth that hardnesse whereby it resisteth grace and then it cannot resist because that which makes it resist is taken away as Saint Augustine inferreth vpon that of Ezechiel the eleuenth I will take away your stony-hearts and giue you an heart of flesh His inference is Chap. 8. of Predestination of Saints This grace which is secretly conueighed into the hearts of men is not refused or repelled by any hard heart for it is therefore giuen that the hardnesse of the heart may first be taken away o Not to insist vpon the distinction of the double will of God well knowne to the learned by the notions of signi beneplaciti his commanding or declaratiue will which is not alwaies fulfilled and his powerfully working and absolute good will and pleasure which is alwaies fulfilled I further answer that this place of Scripture rightly interpreted as it is by Saint Augustine makes against and no way for the Arminians and Appealer for Christ saith not How often would I haue gathered you Scribes and Pharises and those Rulers and Gouernours of Ierusalem which killed my Prophets and you would not but how often would I haue gathered your Children that is the inhabitants of Ierusalem and I did also though you would not but did what you could to hinder their gathering vnder my wings that is their assembling to the true Church and sheltring themselues vnder the shade thereof Quos volui te nolente congregaui Whom I would gather I gathered though thou wouldst not So Saint Augustine vpon these words p If by operating grace hee meaneth that grace whereby God circumciseth the heart Deut. 30. openeth the heart Acts 16. conuerteth the heart Ierem. 31. taketh away a stony heart Ezek. 36. writeth his Law in the heart Ierem. 31. worketh faith in the heart by the mightinesse of his power Eph. 1. and 2 Thess. 1. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man I suppose who is well catechised in the principles of Religion will maintaine that such grace may be resisted For this were to make the impotencie of mans will to preuaile against the omnipotencie of God and to disappoint his purpose and frustrate his worke Saint Augustine that Delian diuer into the depth of this mystery resolueth the contrary in many places in his booke of Predestination of Saints Chap. 8. Why doth he complaine sithence no man doth or can resist his will Doth the Apostle answer O man it is false that thou sayest No he saith no such thing But who art thou O man that answerest God And de Corrept Gratiâ cap. 12. The weaknesse of mans will is helped in such sort that it is led by diuine grace indeclinably and vnconquerably insuperabiliter ageretur and what is vnconquerably lesse then irresistibly if grace vnconquerably lead the will the will cannot conquer grace in striuing against it And Chap. 14. ibidem No will of man resisteth God when God will saue And hee confirmeth his Assertion with a reason prouing that the will of man neither doth nor can resist the will of God for saith he To will and to nill are so in the power of him that willeth or nilleth that it can neither hinder Gods will nor conquer his power And in his first booke of questions to Symplician 2. Quest. The effect of Gods mercy cannot be in mans power to frustrate it if he list or that God should haue mercy in vaine if man would not take hold of it because if God would haue mercy on those who are reluctant and withstand it he could so call them as it might befit them that is be effectuall vnto them Saint Bernard in his booke of Free-will followeth Saint Augustine close There is made a creation of the will by Christ into liberty and that without vs if into then not out of liberty or freedome of will if without vs then it is not in our Power to hinder
that I might be graft in through infidelity they were broken off and thou standest by faith be not high minded but y feare Bert. pag. 33. I frame the fourth demonstration from the feare of the Saints Iohn 15. 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast z forth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fire APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 160. Matth. 24. 12. Because iniquitie shall abound the charity of many shall grow cold Surely it was hot that groweth cold and charitie enlarged is not but the fruit of a liuing faith which if it continued in statu quo the charity of many could not x wax cold therefore once had may bee lost Againe Rom. 11. 20. 21. Thou standest by faith bee not high minded but y feare and feare is not but where change may be Here change may be or why doth it follow Take heed lest he also spare not thee Ibid. pag. 160. Ioh. 15.2 Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh z away x To the place of Matth. 24. 12. we answer First that the loue of many may wax cold yet will it not thereupon follow that the loue of the regenerate and true beleeuers waxeth cold for the regenerate and true beleeuers are not meant by those Many True charitie is a fruit of faith and such as the faith is such is the charitie If it be a temporary faith the charity proceeding from it is but temporary and being so may not only wax cold but also be vtterly extinguished The root being rotten the fruit falls of it selfe But if the root of faith be sound charitie will neuer decay but abound more and more till the childe of God be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse Philip. 1. 9 11. Secondly the consequence is not good from a remission of some degree of charitie to the amission of the habit of it The Apostles themselues as they were not so strong in their faith so neither so hot in their loue toward our Sauiour at his Passion as before Their faith was shaken in that fearfull storme of temptation their confidence was small or none in appearance in their owne sense for in saying we trusted it had beene hee that should haue redeemed Israel Luke 24. they imply that his death had loosned the Anker of their hope and that both their heart and faith failed them for the time their loue also waxed cold if not freezed when they fled from him and forsooke him Yet no learned Diuine euer affirmed that their loue to our Sauiour was quite lost for as he loued them so they loued him to the end Thirdly this argument may be retorted against the Aduersaries thus If Christ doth here put a difference betweene those that are truly faithfull and hypocrites in this that the one Hypocrites to wit should in the latter dayes and perillous times be offended deceiued wax cold in charity but the other the truly faithfull should continue to the end then this place maketh not for but against the totall or finall falling away of true beleeuers But Christ in this place puts a difference between those that are truly faithfull and hypocrites in this that the one Hypocrites to wit should in the latter daies and perillous times be offended deceiued and wax cold in charity vers 10 11 12. but the other the truly faithfull should continue to the end vers 13. Therefore this place maketh not for but against the total or finall falling away of true beleeuers y To the place alledged Rom. 11. 19 20. we answer First that it is not meant of particular beleeuers and their danger of falling away from iustifying faith but of the people of the Gentiles in generall and their danger of being cut off from the true Oliue into which they were ingrafted that is from the outward profession of faith and communion of the Catholique Church into which they were admitted vpon the reiection of the Iewes The Gentiles therefore ought not to be high-minded against the Iewes but feare lest God who spared not the naturall branches should not spare them but cut them off also as he did the naturall branches if they should grow proud and presumptuously secure Now there is no question but that a Visible Church which at this time professeth the truth and is a member of the Catholike Church may fall away from the outward and publike profession of faith and cease to be a part of the Catholike visible Church as the most famous sometimes flourishing Churches of Greece and Asia planted by the Apostles themselues now ouer-run with Mahometanisme Idolatry and Heresie proue by their lamentable Apostasie and deplorate if not desperate estate But Bertius and the Appealer should haue had their eyes vpon the marke and point in question which is not of the doctrine of faith but the habit of faith not de fide quam credimus but de fide qua credimus not of the publique profession of a Church but of a particular affiance of euery true beleeuer in Christ. A member of the visible Church may be cut off but no member of the inuisible for Christ cannot haue damnata membra any members who shall not be saued as the Approuer of the Appealers booke rightly gathereth out of Saint Augustine in his Reply to Fisher. A Church or Kingdome generally may depart from the Christian faith or renounce the pure profession thereof in publique and yet no true beleeuer either totally or finally lose his faith but either secretly in that State or Kingdome or else-where openly he may retaine both faith it selfe and the profession thereof Secondly Gods threatnings haue their vse both in the Elect and Reprobate to make the one vnexcusable or to keepe them within some bounds of moderation and to keepe the other in an awfull reuerence filiall feare and spirituall watchfulnesse which are meanes of Perseuerance no arguments of Apostasie Feare is not but where a change may be to wit feare of a change but there may be a feare of offending God through high-mindednesse and presumption as was in the Apostles and is in all the Elect yet no change of their estate of grace could or can be by the confession of Arminius himselfe and the learned'st of all our Aduersaries Thirdly as the faithful ought to feare so they also might and de facto would fall away not only totally but finally if they were left to themselues and therefore in regard of the frailtie of their nature and mutabilitie of their owne will they haue iust cause to feare and doe still feare in themselues yet are still confident in God who is faithfull and will establish them and keepe them from euill 2 Thess. 3. 3. and shall confirme them vnto the end that they may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 8. Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus That feare which God promiseth to put into the hearts
of true beleeuers to this end that they may not fall away from him is a certaine meanes to preserue true beleeuers in the faith else God should faile in his end But the feare here enioyned is that feare which God promiseth to put into the hearts of true beleeuers to this end that they may not fall away from him Ierem. 22. 40. Therefore the feare here inioyned is a certaine meanes to preserue true beleeuers in the faith and consequently a strong argument for the perseuerance of Saints in faith and grace as it is vrged by Saint Augustine in his booke de Perseuer Sanctorum cap. 2. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me What is it else then to say the feare shall be such and so great that they shall for euer cleaue vnto me z To the places alledged Iohn 15. 2 5. we answer First there is a double insition or ingraffing into Christ externall when a man is made a member of the visible Church by the hearing of the Word and participation of the Sacraments internall when a man by sanctifying grace and sauing faith is made a member of the inuisible Church They who haue the outward insition only into the true Vine Christ Iesus may be cut off but they which haue the inward as well as the outward insition cannot be cut off and wither as a branch for Non est corpus Christi reuerâ quod non er it in aeternum That is not Christs true body which shall not abide for euer neither by the like reason is that a true branch which abideth not for euer in the Vine August de Doct. Chri. lib. 3. cap. 32. Which reason of S. Augustine is confirmed by Saint Gregory in his description of the Church in his Comment on the Canticles Christus sanctam Ecclesiam de sanctis in aeternum permansuris extruxit Christ hath built his Church of Saints which shall for euer perseuere Secondly as there is a double insition into Christ so there is a double profession of faith a naked and bare profession without practise of a holy life or fruit of good workes or a profession ioyned with practise a faith working through loue bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit By the barren branches cut off and withered Theophylact on these words alledged vnderstandeth those who make a naked and bare profession Saint Cyril in his tenth booke vpon Iohn Those who haue faith without loue and good works such a faith S. Iames in his second Chap. calls a dead faith but the faith by which the iust man liueth is a liuing faith working by loue Galat. 5. 6. and bringing forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. Thirdly the words in me Iob. 15. 2. may be either referred to the word Vine and the meaning is euery branch existent or ingraffed in me that beareth no fruit but leaues only of a bare profession shall be taken away or the words in me may be referred to bearing of fruit and the meaning is euery professour of Religion or member of any Congregation that beleeueth not in me and beareth not fruit in me to wit the fruits of the Gospell by my grace shall be cast forth as a dead branch and wither for as it is in the fift verse Hee that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth fruit for without me yee can doe nothing If the words be taken in the former sense they are meant of Hypocrites within the Church if in the latter of Iewes or Pagans without the Church who beare fruit that is doe morally good workes or doe by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. but because they doe not these things in faith their good workes are no better than splendida peccata sins hauing a luster or shew of vertue as Saint Augustine Take the words in either sense they belong not to regenerate persons and true beleeuers who are so ingraffed into Christ that they abide in him by faith and beare fruit in him through faith Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus No branch that beareth fruit in Christ shall be taken away but purged that it may bring forth more fruit as it followeth in the second verse vrged by the Aduersarie But euery true beleeuer is a branch that beareth fruit in Christ Matth. 13. 23. Rom 6. 22. Therefore no true beleeuer shall be taken away but purged that he may bring forth more fruit ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 26. Beleeuers may make shipwrake of faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. some hauing put away a good cōscience cōcerning a faith haue made shipwracke Ibid. 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from the a faith giuing heed to seducing spirits APPEALER APPEALE pag. 160. 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away cōcerning a faith haue made shipwracke Ibid. Nor was it onely for those times but foretold of succeeding ages 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter daies some shall depart from the a faith a To the places alledged out of Timothy wee answer First that they are fully answered by the distinction aboue mentioned ad literam y namely of a two-fold signification of the word faith which is sometimes taken for the saith which we beleeue that is the word of faith or doctrine of the Gospell as Galath 1. 23. Now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed Rom. 10. 8. This is the word of faith which we preach the hearing of faith Galat. 3. 2. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith Act. 6. 7. And in this sense Oecumenius taketh the word faith in the first place aboue alledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith I vnderstand faith in doctrine by conscience a godly conuersation or a good life And that it is to be so taken in the latter place it is euident by the words following 1 Tim. 4. 1. Giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrine of deuils Faith opposed to error and doctrine of deuils is the true doctrine of faith which we beleeue and preach Sometimes the word faith is taken in Scripture for the faith by which we beleeue that is the inward grace or habit of faith as Rom. 3. 28. Iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law And Rom. 4. 5. His faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 5. 1. Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God This distinction is not new coyned by nouelizing Puritans but stamped by the ancient Fathers and goes for current among the Schoole-men Saint Augustine in his thirteenth booke of the Trinity chap. 2. deliuers it in these very termes There is a difference betweene the faith quae creditur and quâ creditur And Lombard lib. 3. distinct 23. taketh the same from Saint Augustine saying Fides est interdumid quod credimus interdum estid quo credimus Secondly we answer that as there is a temporary faith so there may be a good conscience for
indeed he standeth not as those that killed the Apostles did thinke that they did God good seruice Iohn 16. 2. The Pharisie thought that he was rather iustified than the Publican yet he was not Saint Paul thought he had done a worke acceptable to God and aduantagious to the true Church when he persecuted the Saints and made hauocke of the Church The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things as it deceiueth others so sometimes our selues also Wee may conceiue that we are highly in Gods fauour and a great way toward heauen when yet indeed we are cast backe or stand at a stay It is therefore a speciall point of wisdome to examine our spirituall estate and proue whether we are in the faith or no that is whether we stand indeed or thinke onely that we stand for he that thinketh only that he standeth and hath no sure footing nor ground of his perswasion may fall and that irrecouerably Thirdly He that standeth may fall yet not totally or finally A man may fall and yet not bee hurt by his fall a man may be hurt and that dangerously by a fall and yet not die of that hurt Iustus cadit non tamen excidit The righteous falleth seuen times a day Si cadit quomodo iustus si iustus quomodo cadit If he fall how is he righteous if righteous how doth he fall Saint Ierome answereth sed iusti vocabulum non amittit qui semper per poenitentiam resurgit He loseth not the name of righteous who as often as he falls by sinne riseth againe by repentance Epist. 44. Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None of those whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation can fall totally or finally Those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall are such whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation in the next verse 1 Cor. 10. 13. But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but wil with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it Therefore those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall cannot fall totally or finally f To the place alledged Phil. 2. 12. we answer First that the argument drawne from the feare of Gods Saints hath beene before refuted and retorted in the handling that text of the Apostle Be not high-minded but feare Secondly we answer Feare is not here opposed to religious confidence but to carnall security and presumption The trembling here commanded is an awfull reuerence and filiall trembling not a seruile affrighting this feare and trembling is not only ioyned with assured hope that God will worke both the will and the deed in them that so feare vers 13. but also with ioy Psal. 2. 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Feare cannot be here taken for a distrustfull feare or a feare of being damned but of a sollicitous and watchfull feare for this were no good consequence God worketh in you the will and the deed therefore feare that is doubt and distrust your saluation but vse all diligence to make your election sure and be carefull to stirre vp God his grace in you and to call on him continually in all humblenesse of minde for the assistance of his Spirit without which you can neither doe nor will any good This grace and assistance of his Spirit God promiseth to none but to the humble and such as tremble at his word Esay 66. 2. Why doth the Apostle say saith Saint Augustine worke out your saluation with feare and trembling and not rather with securitie if God worke it vnlesse because in regard of our will without which we cannot well worke it may soone come into mans heart to esteeme that which he doth well to be his owne worke and say I shall neuer be remoued therefore he who gaue power to his will turned his face for a while froÌ„ him that he which said so might be troubled quoniam ipsis est ille tumor sanandus doloribus Because that swelling pride is to be healed with very sorrowes of a troubled minde Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None in whom God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed can fall totally or finally In those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed Philip. 2. 13. Therefore those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling cannot fall totally or finally ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 28. The Scriptures relate this to haue come to passe in the Angels Iude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Ibid. In our first Parents for Adam being holy created after Gods owne image yet was by his wife drawne to fall yea and the craftic serpent deceâ—ued his holy wife 2 Cor. 11. 3. Idem pag. 30. That which befell the blessed Angels and Adam and Eue in the state of innocencie that may befall any Saint now but it is certaine the holy Angels fel and our first Parents therefore any Saint may forsake his owne righteousnesse APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 161. Thus Scripture speaketh plaine Their reasons from Scripture are euident Man is not likely in state of grace to be of an higher g alloy than Angels were in state of Glory than Adam Was in state of Innocencie For Grace is but a conformity thereto and no conformitie exceedeth the Architype At most it is but an equalitie thereto and equals are of the same proportion Now if Adam in Paradise and Lucifer in Heauen did fall and lose their Originall estate the one totally the other eternally what greater assurance hath any man in state of Proficiencie not of Consummation g To the instance in Lucifer and Adam we answer First that though man in the state of Proficiency be not simply in an happier estate and better then Adam in Paradise much lesse then Lucifer in Heauen yet he may haue and hath a greater assurance of his estate then they had Saint Augustine confidently affirmeth That the grace which was giuen by the second Adam exceeds that which was giuen to the first Adam in that it was more powerfull Haec potentior est in secundo Adam prima est enim quâ sit â—t habeat homo iustitiam si velit secunda plus potest quâ sit vt velit tantumque velit tanto ardore diligat vt carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate Spiritus vincat And againe Primo homini qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non peccare posse non mori posse ipsum bonum non deserere datum est adiutorium perseuer antiae non quo fieret vt perseueraret
learned Bishop of Sarisbury in the words of Tertullian himselfe Salomon in lapsu gratiam fidei remisit actum intermisit habitum non amisit motumque fuit in co spiritualis vitae robur non amotum concussum non excussum There was in Salomons fall a remission or abatement of the grace of faith an intermission of the act not an amission of the habit the strength and vigour of his spirituall life was moued in him not remoued shaken but not shaken out or quite lost Tertullian speakes of Peter but it may be applied as well to Dauid and Salomon who are not said here to haue lost grace totally and finally but to haue fallen into grieuous sinnes the one into adultery the other into idolatry And notwithstanding Dauids fall that hee retained the Spirit of Grace in him it is manifest out of that prayer of his in the 51. Psalme Renoua spiritum rectum intra me Renew a right Spirit within me vers 10. Spiritum sanctum ne recipias à me Take not thy holy Spirit from me vers 11. Establish me with thy free Spirit vers 12. These prayers of that holy Prophet shew that Dauid in his grieuous fall lost the comfort of Gods Spirit vers 12. and the free and quickning motions thereof and therefore he humbly desires a renouation and confirmation of the Spirit but not a new donation thereof That which he prayes to God not to take from him certainly he had in some degree when he so prayed Take not thy Spirit from me As for Salomons recouery after his fall we haue the testimonies of Gregory of Neocaesarea Cyril of Ierusalem Hilary Ierome Ambrose Aquinas Bonauenture Hugo Cardinalis Petrus Comestor Paulus Burgensis Carthusian Soto Genebrard Serarius Delrius Lorinus and many other cited to our hands by Caleb Dalichampius student in Scedan in his booke intituled Vinditiae Salomonis Lastly this place of Tertullian de praescript cap. 3. If it had beene entirely cited by the Appealer would haue vtterly ouerthrown that for which it is cited If those words nemo autem Christianus alledged by the Appealer nisi qui ad finem perseuerauerit That no man is a Christian but he that perseueres to the end wound not the Appealers Tenet yet the words following in the end of this very Chapter cut the very throat thereof Miramur de Ecclesijs eius si à quibusdam deseruntur quum ea nos ostendunt Christianos quae patimur ad exemplumipsius Christi ex nobis inquit prodierunt sed non fuerunt ex nobis si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum Maruell we if some forsake the Churches of Christ whereas those those things which we suffer after the example of Christ doe manifest vs to be Christians They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs saith Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. 19. In this allegation as many other in his booke the Appealer resembles the Cappuchin Friers who when they haue gathered great store of meat at rich mens doores I know not out of what blinde superstition they eat the worst and leaue the best and daintiest meat and vain-gloriously put it into the Almes-box and giue it to beggers at the doore l To the place of Saint Cyprian Epist. 7. we answer First that Saint Cyprian in that Epistle exhorts Rogatianus and other Confessors to perseuere in the profession of their holy faith therefore this place is brought obtorto collo for Apostasie His words are immediatly before the words alledged by the Appealer and Bertius Danda opera est vt post haec initia ad incrementa quoque veniatur consummetur in vobis quod iam foelicibus rudimentis esse coepistis You must vse diligence that after these beginnings you may proceed and that may be perfected in you which is happily begun Secondly we answer Cyprian saith that Saul and Salomon lost the grace which was giuen them but expresseth not what grace he meant whether gratiam gratis datam or gratiam gratum facientem whether the grace of illumination only or of sanctification whether the spirit of Prophecie or of Gouernment or of Regeneration Thirdly whether he meaneth grace of wisdome or grace of holinesse ordinary or extraordinary gifts of the Spirit hee saith not that the Spirit or grace departed from them totally or finally and therefore this shaft is not onely blunt in it selfe but also falls very short of the marke Lastly Saint Cyprian as he perseuered himselfe a constant Martyr to the end so is he a great patron of the perseuerance of Saints In his booke against Nouatia◠of the Vnity of the Church he sets a marke vpon backsliders to distinguish them from good men and true beleeuers Nemo aestimet bonos de Ecclesiâ posse decedere Let no man imagine that good men can marke the word Posse depart from the true Church Triticum non rapit ventus nec arborem solidâ radice fundatam procella subuertit inanes paleae tempestate iactantur inualidae arbores turbinis incursione euertuntur The wind doth not blow away corne neither doth a storme ouerturne a tree deepely and strongly rooted it is emptie chaffe that the wind scattereth and they are weake and rotten trees that are ouerthrowne in a storme In this sweet straine Saint Cyprian playeth on his Master Tertullians Key Auolent quantum volent paleae leuis fidei quocunque afflatu tentationum eo purior mass a frumenti in horrea domini reponetur Let the Chaffe that is men of light beleefe be blowne or flie away with euery puffe of temptation by this meanes Gods floore is purged and cleansed I maruell none of this Chaffe flew in Bertius eyes to make him misse his way to Paris who destitute of better arguments for Apostasie became himselfe an example of Apostafie but the best is before his departure he was knowne to be no Saint He went away from vs because he was not of vs for if he had beene of vs he would without doubt haue remained with vs according to the words of Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. alledged by Tertullian and Saint Cyprian in both passages m To the place alledged out of Nazianzen we answer That it is like Didoes sword wherewith shee pierced her owne bowels Non hos quaesitum munus in vsus If Bertius who only tasted Nazianzens waters in a muddy streame or the Appealer who hath drunke deepely of them in the pure fountaine had searched diligently thorow all the writings of that profound Diuine for a testimony against themselues they could hardly meet with a more pregnant Because Saul saith this holy Father became not purely and sincerely another man nor gaue himselfe wholly and entirely to be directed by the Spirit he came to a fearefull end Hypocrites therefore and such as are not sincerely conuerted and truly regenerate may fall away not they who wholly and entirely yeeld themselues
to the guidance of Gods Spirit not they who by an vnfained conuersion become perfectly and sincerely other men To the former as saith this Father God is a light to the latter he is a fire the former he enlightneth only the latter he heateth also melteth their heart purgeth them from all their drosse Or if that eloquent Father take light in the good sense and fire in the worse then his meaning is that as the word of God is a sauour of life vnto life in them that are saued and a sauour of death vnto death in them that perish so God himselfe is a Comfortable light to the true children of light but a consuming fire to Hypocrites and Apostatates and all such as haue fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse much more those who vtterly forsake God and consult with the Deuill as Saul did and others of that his desperat resolution Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta mouebo I will make a league with Death and couenant with Hell n To the passages alledged out of Saint Augustine we answer most willingly we desire to heare none rather than Saint Augustine speake in this Cause Neuer had the Church of God since the Apostle Saint Paul a more valiant and resolute Champion of Grace than Saint Augustine As Tully spake of the ancient Rhetoritians Potius ex arte quà m de arte scripserunt They rather wrote out of art than of the art So may it be truly said of Saint Augustines workes against the Pelagians non tam de gratiâ quà m ex gratiâ scripsisse videtur That he wrote rather and spake from grace than of grace so full of grace are his lips and pen in this argument of Grace I could easily point to many places in the Workes of this holy Father especially those extant in his seuenth Tome Vbi noÌ„ seclusa aliqua aquula sed vniuersum flumen erumpit Where there runnes not a small riuelet but a maine streame of this water of the grace of perseuerance springing to euerlasting life Verily Saint Augustine so professedly and strongly opposeth both the Pelagian Demi-pelagian and now Arminian errors that as Pelagius himselfe in a Synod at Ierusalem being pressed with Saint Augustines Reasons and Authorities which he was not able to answer sought to vilifie and slighten his Person So Arnoldus Coru. Bertius rather goe about to discredit than satisfie the Authoritie of this Prime Father Non est standuÌ„ hâc in parte Authoritati Augustini We are not to stand to yâ— Authority of Austin in this point saith Arnoldê° Quid quod Augustinê° ipse alijs per AfricaÌ„ Ecclesijs viuê° vidensque sententiaÌ„ suam noÌ„ probauit Quid quod ipse à se dissentit Augustinê° vt AugustinuÌ„ citanti nihil sit promptius quà m AugustinuÌ„ ipsum opponere Austin saith Bertius by his life time made not good his opinion to the Churches of Africa He dissents froÌ„ himselfe in so much yâ— nothing is more easie than to oppose Augustine to Augustine This lesson they both learned froÌ„ Arminius their Master as Coruinus mali corui malum ouum acknowledgeth pag. 205. Puto Arminium non illibenter tibi concessurum fuisse hâc in parte Augustinum vobiscum facere ita tamen vt varium eum esse dixisset inconstantem in sententiâ suâ enuntiandâ But Plato Instar millium Saint Augustine is more worth than a thousand nay all the Arminians whose Workes as they haue already deuoured all the workes of the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians so I hope will in time deuoure also all the Arminians workes as Aarons Rod did the Magicians Durum telum necessitas ignoscite Meere necessitie droue Arminius and his Schollers to this desperate answer The Fox in the Greeke Epigrammatist when hee could not reach the grapes at which his mouth watered comforted himselfe saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no great matter though I cannot reach them these grapes are but sowre fruit As sowre as they are Bertius and the Appealer snatch at one or two namely the two passages before alledged by them To the first we answer It toucheth not the state of the present question The state of Saints in Grace may be sure enough yet they not alwaies assured of it There is a certitude of the subiect and a certitude of the obiect that which now is in debate is not the certitude of the subiect whether the Regenerate are assured in themselues of their Perseuerance but the certitude of the obiect whether their perseuerance in it selfe be certaine This distinction is acknowledged generally by those Interpreters who comment on that of Saint Peter Make your election sure that is say they to your selues and your own hearts not in it selfe nor in respect of God For the foundation of God standeth sure hauing this Seale The Lord knoweth who are his neither can any thing done by man adde strength to Gods decree But because our assurance of Election and the state of Adoption and Grace and perseuerance in the same is partly from the testimony of the Spirit within vs and partly from the effects of Grace to wit the fruits of righteousnesse and because when we grieue the Spirit of God hee withdraweth his Spirit for a time and thereby both the testimony of the Spirit is silent for the time the effects of Grace cease Saint Augustine humbly and truly professeth that the Saints albeit they are certaine of the reward of their perseuerance yet are found vncertaine of their perseuerance it selfe Quis cum hominum se in actione profectuque iustitiae vsque in finem perseueraturum sciet They are certaine certitudine fidei by the assurance of faith but not certaine certitudine scientiae experientiae by the certainty of knowledge and experience as Bucer acutely distinguisheth they are certaine of perseuerance in it selfe yet they are found that is you may finde them in that state by reason of some fearfull temptation not certaine in themselues nay sometimes they in themselues receiue the sentence of death to humble them and make them pray with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed Restore vnto me the ioy of saluation and vphold me with thy free Spirit Psal. 51. 12. Lastly there is a double perseuerance 1. A perseuerance in a course of sanctity vnto the end without any interruption or stop when a childe of God goeth still forward and neuer is cast backe but continueth as Saint Augustine speaketh In actione profectuque iustitiae Still in the action and progresse of righteousnesse and of such perseuerance the Saints are not certaine in this life 2. A perseuerance vnto the end yet not without some interruption and going back also for a time but without any totall or finall back-sliding and of such perseuerance a Saint of God may and ought to be assured o To the place alledged by Bertius out of the fifth Chapter of Saint Augustine de Corrept
voluntas à Domino ideo pro illo Christi non possit esse inanis oratio Quando rogauit ergone fides eius deficeret quid aliud rogauit nisi vt haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam inuictissimam perseuerantissimam voluntatem Ecce quemadmodum secundum gratiam Dei non contra eam libertas defenditur voluntatis voluntas quippe humana non libertate consequitur gratiam sed gratia potius libertatem vt perseueret delectabilem perpetuitatem insuperabilem fortitudinem When Christ prayed for the faith of Peter that it might not faile what other thing did he aske but that he might haue a most free a most resolute a most vnconquerable a most perseuering will in the faith Behold how the freedome of the will is defended by vs according to Gods grace not against it for the will of man doth not by her freedome obtaine grace but by grace freedome and a delightfull perpetuitie and inuincible power to perseuere ARMINIANS HAge CoÌ„ference Article 5. If those that are regenerate cannot fall away totally nor finally hence it would follow that no q children of the faithfull could be damned because by Baptisme they are put into the state of Grace and regenerated Bertius pag. 79. The seuenth absurdity which followes vpon the Aduersaries doctrine is that Baptisme doth not certainly seale in all the children of the faithfull the grace of God Bertius pag. 35. The fifth demonstration is drawne from the causes of Apostasie whereof the first is the committing of sin r against conscience 1 Tim. 1. 19. c. Hage Conference Article 5. Those that are truly faithfull may commit murther adultery and the like hainous sins therefore lose faith and Gods fauour for which things the wrath of God falleth vpon the children of disobedience Coloss. 3. 6. APPEALER APPEALE pag. 36. Let this be acknowledged to be the Doctrine of our Church that children duly q baptised are put into the state of Grace and saluation which you see you cannot you must not deny and both our and my experience will shew that many so baptised children when they come to age by a wicked and lewd life do fall away from God and from that state of Grace and Saluation wherein hee had set them to a worse state wherein they shall neuer be saued If you grant not this you must hold that all men that are baptised are saued which I know you will neuer doe Answer to Gag pag. 161. 162. Againe Faith must needs be lost where it cannot consist It cannot consist where God wil not abide God will not abide where he is disobeyed he is disobeyed where mortall r sinne is committed the most righteous man liuing vpon the face of the earth continually doth or may in this sort transgresse who can tell how oft he offendeth Cleanse thy seruant from presumptuous sins Thou wilt haue no fellowship at al with the deceitful Nor shall any euill dwell with thee q To the reason drawne from the Baptisme of Children we answer First that it is of all other most weak childish for it doth not at all touch the state of the question as is obserued by Suarez the German Diuines at the Hage Conference the English Diuines present at the Synod of Dort his Maiesties publique Professor of Diuinity in Oxford The question is of those who are iustified by the Act of faith conceiued by the preaching of the Gospell who fall into actuall sins wounding their conscience whether such thereby lose the habit of Grace and totally and finally fall away from the state of iustification Now infants haue not the actuall vse of reason neither doth their faith if so they haue infused faith actually apprehend and apply the promises of the Gospell neither can they be supposed to commit those crying actuall sins which the Appealer calls mortall I hope not in the Popish sense which cannot stand with the Grace of iustification as is pretended by the Arminians and Appealer Secondly we answer That although in a good sense a child may be said to be put into the state of Grace and Saluation because thereby the infant is admitted into the Church and participateth of the meanes of saluation yet if wee speake properly and precisely the Sacraments seale and not conferre grace or as the Church of England speaketh by her learned Apologist doe not begin but rather continue and confirme our incorporation by Christ. The Sacrament is a seale of the Couenant the conditions are supposed to be drawn and assented vnto before the seale be put to the instrument The Seale without the Couenant is not auaileable the Couenant may be without the Seale we are tyed to Gods Ordinances God is not The contempt of Baptisme is damnable the defect in the children of the Elect and seed of the faithfull comprised in the Couenant with their fathers is not so if all possible meanes haue beene vsed by the Parents and Minister to procure them Baptisme before God call them away there is no danger to the Parents much lesse to the Children For the ineuitable defect of Baptisme may be supplyed either by a desire of Baptisme as in Valentinian or by profession of faith as in the Theefe vpon the Crosse or by the bloud of Martyrdome as in the Innocents put to death by Herod Thirdly we answer All that are regenerate Sacramentally are not necessarily and infallibly regenerated spiritually A man may be baptised with water and yet not with the holy Ghost Ismael was circumcised as well as Isaak Esau as well as Iacob Simon Magus was baptised as well as Simon Peter Our Church in Charitie as it supposeth all children baptised to be regenerate by the holy Ghost so also in the forme of buriall it supposeth all that liue in the bosome of our Church to die in the Lord and to depart in the true faith of Gods holy name Yet vndoubtedly our Church attributeth no more vertue to the Sacraments than the Ancient Church did Theoderets obseruation is well knowne Gratia Sacramentum aliquando praecedit aliquando sequitur aliquando nec sequitur Grace sometimes goes before the sacrament somtimes follows it somtimes it follows it not at all Saint Augustines resolution is peremptory Omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt sed non in omnibus beneplacitum est Deo cùm essent omnia communia Sacramenta non communis erat omnibus gratia quâ— Sacramentorum virtus est Sicut nunc iam reuelatâ fide quae tunc velabatur omnibus in nomine Patris Filij Spiritus sancti baptiz atis commune est lauacrum regenerationis sed ipsa gratia cuius sunt Sacramenta quâ membra corporis Christi cum suo capite regenerata sunt non communis est omnibus The lauer of regeneration is coâ—mon to all that are baptised in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost but the Grace whereof these are Sacraments whereby the members of the body of Christ are regenerate with
bitter scoffe at the practice of our Ecclesiasticall Courts Howsoeuer if the Appealer had onely trod a little awry either in the high path of popery or by-path of puritanisme I for mine owne part would haue borne with it and that in respect of his otherwise commendable parts and profitable paines in the Church but when he halteth downe right betweene two religions none that desireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walke with a right foot can endure him And doth he not limpe nay doth he not halt downe-right doth he not weare a Linsie-woolsy garment Answer to Gagg page 13. and 14 Truth is of two sorts amongst men manifest and confessed truth or more obscure and involved truth In his quae apertè posita sunt in Scripturis inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem morés que vivendi spem scilicet charitatem Plainly deliuered in Scripture are all those points which belong vnto Faith and Manners Hope and Charity to wit And accordingly I doe know no obscurity vpon these I know none of these controuerted inter partes The Articles of our Creed are confessed on both sides and held plaine enough The controuerted points are of a larger and inferiour alloy of them a man may bee ignorant without any danger of his soule at all A man may resolue or oppose this way or that way without perill of perishing for euer c. It is most euident in this place that the parties he speaketh of are the Papists and we for there are no other haue any triall in this Chapter or matter of debate By partes in many other places of his booke he vnderstandeth Papists and Protestants and here he cannot meane any other but the Gagger and his complices on the one side and the Protestant Church on the other side as the antecedents and consequents doe manifest Now if the differences betweene the papists and vs are of such an inferiour alloye that little reckoning is to be made of them because they adde nothing to or take nothing from the summe of sauing knowledge how much haue all the reformed Churches in Christendome to answer at the dreadful Tribunall of Christ for making so great a rent in Christs seamlesse coat vpon so small occasion If the controuerted points be like herbe Iohn in the pot that may be in or out without perill at all why haue all our Prophets sithence Luther at least cryed Mors in ollâ mors in ollâ Death in the pot O blessed Martyrs who sithence the beginning of Reformation haue watred the seed of the Gospell with your blood put off your long white robes and garlands and put on sackcloth and ashes for you dyed vpon no good ground you shed not your blood in zeale but spilt it in folly Martyrs you may be of schisme or obstinacy or indiscretion but not of faith if those points you suffered for belonged not at all to faith Diffido oculis meis identidem interrogo an legerim an viderim I suspect mine eyes I question my Copy I demand of my selfe againe and againe Is it possible a Diuine of no inferiour alloy should vtter such an incredible paradoxe wee dissent from the Church of Rome about Christ and his offices the foundation of faith the Scriptures the rule of faith the Church the subiect of faith the Sacraments the seales of faith iustification the proper effect of faith and good workes the fruit of faith nay wee contest about the very nature and essence of faith And are none of these matters of faith doe none of these belong to faith or manners If our debates are de tribus capellis about the fringe not the Spouse coat about the barke and not the body of Religion then hath not the Church of Rome erred in matter of faith and if she hath not then the Church of England hath erred in charging her with error not onely in matter of ceremony and discipline but also in matter of faith Art 19. If the Church of England hath erred in this Article the Appealers false oathes must needs be answerable to his degrees and preferments for so oft hath he sworne to that Article among the rest But he yeeldeth vs a reason The Articles of our Creed are confessed on both sides and held plaine enough on both sides hee might say on all sides and hands For the Arrians in Polonia the Antitimitarians in Transiluania the Nestorians in Greece the Anabaptists and Socinians in the Netherlands doe all rehearse the Articles of the Creed and hold them plaine enough Let him peruse al the bedrol of heretikes condemned by the Church of God in all ages drawne by Irenaeus Epiphanius S. Augustine Philastrius Alfonsus a Castro and others and he shall hardly pitch vpon any sort of Heretickes that directly either denyed or articled against the Articles of the Apostles Creed And will he say none of these erred in matter of faith but all were and are in regiâ viâ the high way to heauen If hee answer that the heretickes though they professed the Articles of the Apostles Creed totidem verbis in the very words yet they denyed or depraued the sense and brought in damnable errours by consequence ouerthrowing those foundations of our faith Our reply is at hand As the greater part of ancient heretickes so at this day the Papists confesse the Articles of the Creed and hold them plaine truth but they misinterpret them and by consequence shake if not quite ouerthrow diuers of them Either they or we misinterpret those three articles especially concerning the Catholike Church the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes to which their great Champion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reduceth all the controuersies betweene our Church and theirs And for vndermining the articles of our Creed by consequences and maintaining repugnances to them thâ— Romish Pioners are not farre behind the ancient enemies of our faith Manes and Vorstius doe not directly impugne the article touching God the Almighty Creator nor Marâ—ion Arrius Apollinaris Eutiches Nestorius and Socinus the article concerning Christ the Redeemer nor Macedonius and the Pneumatomachi the article concerning the holy Ghost but they held such doctrine which was not comportable with those articles And how the Romish doctrine of Invocation of Saints and Angels may stand with the first article rightly expounded I beleeue in God and their doctrine of Iustification by inherent righteousnesse with the second and in Iesus Christ and of transubstantiation with the article of Christ his Incarnation and Ascension and of a Catholick visible Romish Church vnder one visible Head with that I beleeue the holy Catholicke Church and of vncertainty of saluation with those I beleeue the remission of sins and life euerlasting I desire to bee enformed by the Appealer which I could neuer yet bee by any Romanist Vpon this most false and deceiueable ground that the differences inter partes are not in matters de fide hee buildeth two most dangerous assertions that a man may be ignorant
of them without any perill of his soule at all and A man may resolue or oppose this way or that way without perill of perishing Tum maximè oppugnaris si te oppugnari nescis The greatest danger of all is when in place of danger wee suspect none A man that enters into a plaguy house if he know not of it is more subiect to infection through his carelesse boldnesse And they who speake fauourably of the Romish Church compare it to a Pest-house in which yet through Gods extraordinary mercy a man may be without mortall infection but cannot possibly be without danger If there be no danger in Romish Schools and Temples if a man may be at Masse and incurre no perill of Idolatry in the adoration of the Hoste inuocation of Saints worshipping of Images Reliques and the like blot out all the parts of the largest and learnedst Homily in all the booke intituled Against perill of Idolatrie Here I appeale to the Appealers conscience Is it no perill at all to the soule of man to be ignorant which are the true inspired Scriptures which is the true Church which are the Sacraments instituted by Christ what is the pure worship of God in spirit and truth what are the prerogatiues of Christ and priuiledges of his Saints what is that faith we are justified and saued by All these and many more are controuerted points and doe none of these strengthen or weaken our title to the Kingdome of Heauen I haue no commission to inlarge the bowels of my Sauiour and most vnwilling am I to straiten them or close vp his side against such ignorant persons who neuer had nor could haue means to come to the full light of the Gospell yet I am not ignorant what Saint Augustines iudgment is euen of inuincible ignorance in points of faith Sed illa ignorantia quae non est eorū qui scire nolunt sed eorum qui tantum simpliciter scire nesciunt neminem sic excusat ut sempiterno igne non ardeat si propterea non credidit quia non audivit omnino quod crederet c. Not wilfull ignorance no not simple nescience can priuiledge any from euerlasting fire although he therefore beleeued not because he neuer heard what he should beleeue For that of the Psalmist is not without ground Powre out thy wrath O God on those nations that know thee not nor that of the Apostle when he shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them who know not God But the Appealer restraineth not his assertion to inuincible ignorance be it affected ignorance nay be it resolued errour in the controuerted points it no way in his iudgement indangereth eternall saluation either there is no crimen or at least discrimen in treading in either path for he saith A man may resolue or oppose this way or that way without perill of perishing for euer Answer to Gagg pag. 14. A braue resolution of a Protestant Diuine to resolue that a resolute Papist a professed opposite to the doctrine of the Gospell may goe away cleare with it and not at all stumble at that stone on which whosoeuer falleth he shall be broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will grinde him to powder Matt. 21. 44. I desire to be satisfied whether doth the Appealer beleeue that the Articles of Religion established in our Church by Authority standing in direct opposition as they doe to the Trent decisions are expresly contained in the Scriptures or may be euidently deduced from thence or not If not then according to the sixt article of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for saluation they are no articles of faith or religion If they are expresly contained in holy Scriptures or may be euidently deduced from thence then they are Gods truth set downe in his owne word And is there no danger in resoluing against God in opposing his word in siding against that truth which shall stand and abide when heauen and earth shall passe away I grant euery doctrine contained in Scripture is not absolutely necessary to saluation yet in the generall this is a doctrine most necessary to saluation to beleeue that all doctrine of Scripture is vndoubtedly true and that to deny any part of Scripture and much more deliberately to oppugne and wilfully to oppose is dangerous yea damnable And for the controuerted points in particular the denying of the truth in them lay so heauy on Latomus Franciscus Spira his conscience on their death-beds that in a fearful conflict of despaire by reason of the hainousnesse of that sinne they miserably gaue vp the ghost And Minaerius Gallus for mainly opposing the doctrine of the Gospell was so tormented with a burning in his bowels that he had as it were a sense of the very paines of Hell-fire euen in this life I tremble to rehearse what Aubignius reporteth in his history concerning a late great King beyond the Sea who after he had embraced the Romish faith and renounced the pure doctrine of the Gospell was exceedingly perlexed in mind and troubled in conscience and aduised with his bosome friend adiuring him to deale faithfully with him whether or no in that his action of deserting the faith of the reformed Church he had not committed the impardonable sinne against the holy Ghost To illustrate this point concerning the necessity of departing out of Babylon and perill of remaining in her let vs borrow a ray or beame of a true Iewel Wee haue done nothing in altering Religion vpon either rashnesse or arrogancy nay nothing but with good leisure and mature deliberation neither had we euer intended so to doe except both the manifest and assured will of God reuealed to vs in holy Scripture and regard of our own saluation had euen constrained vs thereunto This indeed is the lustre of a true Iewel but the false Diamond glareth on this wise The present Church of Rome hath alwayes continued firme in the same foundation of doctrine and sacraments instituted by God and acknowledgeth and imbraceth communion with the ancient and vndoubted Church of Christ wherefore she cannot be other or diuerse from it for she remaines still Christs Church and Spouse As in Ceiland they say A Snake lurketh vnder euery leafe so wee may truly say of this passage of the Appealer there is poysonous error and Satanicall doctrine in euerie line First it is an errour of dangerous consequence to affirme that the present Church of Rome holdeth the same foundation with the ancient and primitiue Church For the present Church of Rome holdeth the twelue new Articles added to the Apostles Creed mentioned in Pope Pius his Bull as fundamentall points and necessary to saluation The oath prescribed by the Pope runnes thus Caetera item omnia à sacris Canonibus Oecumenicis Conciliis ac praecipuè à sacrosanctâ Tridentinâ Synodo tradita definita declarata indubitanter recipio atque profiteor simúlque contraria
omnia atque haereses quascunque ab Ecclesiâ damnatas rejectas anathematizatas ego pariter damno rejicio anathematizo Hanc veram Catholicam fidem extra quam nemo salvus esse potest quam in praesenti sponte profiteor veraciter teneo eandem integram inviolatam usque ad extremum vitae spiritum constantissimè Deo juvante retineri confiteri atque à meis subditis vel illis quorum cura ad me in munere meo spectabit retineri doceri praedicari quantum in me erit curabo Whence I thus argue First In this forme of oath the twelue new Articles together with the rest of the definitions of the Councell of Trent are made part of the Catholicke faith which except a man beleeue faithfully he cannot be saued but neither these twelue new articles nor any of them were held as true by the ancient Church much lesse as points fundamentall and de fide therefore the present Church of Rome holdeth not the same intire foundation of faith with the ancient Secondly the ancient Church of Rome held the Scriptures to be the onely perfect infallible rule of faith and foundation of sauing doctrine as is plentifully proued by Iuel Rainolds Bilson Kemnisius Morney D. Francis White and diuers others but the present Church of Rome holdeth otherwise making vnwritten traditions part of the foundation of faith which they say is built partly vpon the written and partly vpon the vnwritten word of God Therefore the present Church of Rome holdeth not the same entire foundation of faith with the ancient Thirdly the articles of the Apostles Creed rightly expounded and taken in the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost were the foundation of the ancient Churches faith But the present Church of Rome holdeth not the articles of the Apostles Creed rightly expounded and taken in the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost therefore the present Church of Rome holdeth not the same foundation with the ancient Church The proposition or major is not denied the assumption may bee euidently proued by instancing in some of the prime Articles The first article I beleeue in God rightly expounded teacheth vs that we ought to repose our confidence in God and him onely not vpon any Creature Saint or Angell and therefore not to call vpon them the consequence is the Apostles Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued this Article thus expounded the present Church of Rome beleeueth not Secondly Faith in Iesus Christ rightly vnderstood signifieth affiance in Christ for saluation or a relying vpon Christ with an assured perswasion for remission of sinnes through his merits and satisfaction This interpretation of faith in Christ the present Church of Rome is so farre from admitting that it accurseth all those who teach the nature of justifying faith to consist in this affiance or confidence Thirdly the Incarnation of Christ rightly expounded implyeth that Christ was once and but once made of a pure Virgin a true and perfect man like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2. 17. 4. 15. And the Councell of Calcedon in the fift Act against Eutiches accurseth all those who deny that Christ retaineth still the properties of his humane nature such as the shape of man proportion dimension circumscription c. This article thus expounded is not assented to by the Church of Rome for the Romanists teach that Christ is made in the Sacrament by the Priest The learneder Iesuits are not content with the adducing or bringing of Christ into the Sacrament where he was not before for that say they were onely a translocation not a transubstantiation a locall motion not a substantiall mutation but in expresse words maintaine a new production of Christs body made of bread Againe they teach that Christs body in the Sacrament is whole in the whole and wholy in euery part of the Host which is impossible if according to the definition of the Councell of Calcedon he retaine the properties of his humane nature to wit extension of parts proportion of limmes distinction of members c. Whence I argue They who teach that Christ hath a body inuisible indiuisible insensible impassible ouerthrow the verity of his humane nature and consequently deny the article of his Incarnation But the Church of Rome teacheth that Christ in the Sacrament to wit hath a body inuisible indiuisible insensible c. Therefore the Church of Rome ouerthroweth the verity of Christ his humane nature and consequently denieth the article of his Incarnation Fourthly the article of Christ his Ascension rightly vnderstood importeth that Christ is so ascended from the earth that hee is not now vpon earth but is contained according to his bodily presence and humane nature in the heauens Act. 3. 21. This article is not thus held by the Church of Rome for the Romanists teach that Christ euen according to his humane nature and bodily presence is vpon earth in euery Church on euery Altar where the sacrifice of the Masse is offered besides priuate houses to which the Sacrament is caried so that by this their Doctrine Christ is more vpon earth since his Ascension then before Before his Ascension he was onely in one Country and at one time according to his bodily presence but in one particular place but since his Ascension according to their beliefe he is truely really and substantially in a million of places viz. euery where in their offertory after the words of Consecration whence I argue They who beleeue and teach that Christ God man according to his bodily presence is vpon earth since his Ascension into heauen deny that he is contained in heauen and consequently ouerthrow the article of his Ascension But the Romanists beleeue and teach that Christ God and man according to his bodily presence is vpon earth since his Ascension into heauen Therefore the Romanists deny that hee is contained in heauen and consequently ouerthrow the article of his Ascension The first proposition or major is grounded vpon the Angels Argument Mat. 28. 6. He is not here for he is risen the testimony of S. Peter Acts 3. 21. whom the heauens must containe S. Austins resolution Christ according to his bodily presence cannot be at the same time in the Sunne and Moone and vpon the Crosse the inference of Vigilius when Christ was in the flesh vpon earth he was not in heauen and now because hee is in heauen he is not therefore vpon earth If Christs body could at the same time bee in more places the Angels argument were of no force for his existence in more places then one at the same time being granted he might be risen and in Ierusalem and yet at the same instant be there where the Angell affirmeth he was not to wit in the graue If Christ may be vpon earth in his body and in heauen at the same time then is not he contained
in the Heauens for it implieth a contradiction that his body should be contained in and yet be without the Heauens at the same time If his body may bee in more places then one at once then he might haue been at the instant of his passion in the Sun and Moon vpon the Crosse which S. Augustine concludes to bee absolutely impossible And if Christ in his flesh may be both in heauen and earth at the same instant Vigilius his reason hath no strength at all to wit because he is in heauen therefore he is not vpon earth To conclude if it be impossible that Christ his body should bee at the same instant in heauen and vpon earth as the testimonies of the Angel S. Peter S. Augustine and Vigilius aboue alleadged declare and if all Papists teach that Christs body after words of Consecration is truely really and substantially vpon earth handled with the hands and eaten with the mouthes of Communicants they must needes consequently deny his bodily presence and being at the right hand of his Father in Heauen Fiftly the article of the Catholike Church rightly expounded signifieth the whole company of Gods elect which is the onely Catholike inuisible Church wee beleeue for the visible Church is an obiect of sense and therefore not properly an article of faith This true interpretation of the article the Romanists are so farre from admitting that in the Councell of Constance they condemned Iohn Husse of heresie for maintaining it Whence I thus argue They who make the visible Church to be the catholike Church which wee beleeue misbeleeue the article touching the Catholike Church But the Romanists make the visible Church to be the Catholike Church which wee beleeue Therefore the Romanists misbeleeue the article touching the catholike Church The first proposition or major is proued by the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walke by faith and not by sight and Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the euidence of things not seene The Church therefore which we beleeue cannot be the visible Church The assumption is the assertion of all Papists who are so farre from beleeuing that they scoffe and laugh at an inuisible Church as a meere phantasme or Platonicall Idaea Sixtly the foure last articles of the Apostles creed the communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sins the resurrection of the dead and life euerlasting rightly expounded import not only that there is a communion of Saints and remission of sinnes in the Church and a resurrection of the faithfull to eternall life which the Deuills themselues doe and cannot but beleeue but that euery true beleeuer who rehearseth these articles doth and ought to beleeue that hee hath a part in the communion of Saints hath obtained remission of his sinnes and shall at the last day rise to life eternall This interpretation of these articles is condemned by the Papists as hereticall Whence we thus argue against them They who deny that a man is bound to beleeue that he is of the number of the elect or that his sinnes are vndoubtedly forgiuen him c. ouerthrow the foure articles aboue mentioned according to their true meaning But the Romanists deny that a man is bound to beleeue that he is of the number of the Elect or that his sinnes are vndoubtedly forgiuen him c. Therefore the Romanists ouerthrow the foure articles aboue mentioned according to their true meaning Secondly it is a dangerous errour to affirme that the present Church of Rome holdeth the same foundation of Sacraments with the Ancient Church Which I proue first They who maintain seuen Sacraments properly so called hold not the same foundation of Sacraments with that church which held but two onely But the present church of Rome maintaines seauen Sacraments properly so called the Ancient church of Rome held but two onely Therefore the present church of Rome holdeth not the same foundation of Sacraments with that church The first proposition or major if it bee not euident in it selfe may be thus confirmed The fiue Sacraments which the Romanists adde cannot be built vpon that foundation which beareth but two onely therefore those fiue Sacraments are built vpon another different foundation or vpon no foundation at all The second proposition or assumption is generally proued by all Protestant writers that handle this question with whom the Appealer professeth euery where to hold faire quarter Secondly I proue it thus Whosoeuer maintaineth an error ouerthrowing the nature of a Sacrament holdeth not the same foundation of Sacraments with the Ancient church But the present church of Rome maintaineth an error ouerthrowing the nature of a Sacrament Therfore the present church of Rome holdeth not the same foundation of Sacraments with the Ancient church The first proposition is euident in it selfe for nothing can be more fundamentall to a Sacrament then that which concernes the nature and essence of a Sacrament nothing more destructiue or euersiue then that which ouerthroweth the very essence and substance of it The second proposition is contained totidem verbis in expresse words in the articles of religion of the Church of England Artic. 28. Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine a doctrine de fide in the Church of Rome defined both by the Councell of Lateran and the Councell of Trent in the supper of the Lord cannot be proued by holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture ouerthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath giuen occasion to many superstitions Thirdly it is proued thus Whosoeuer holdeth an errour concerning Christs ordinance and institution of the Sacraments erreth in the foundation of Sacraments and therein differeth from the ancient Church But the present Church of Rome holdeth an errour concerning Christs ordinance and institution of the Sacraments Therefore the present Church of Rome erreth in the foundation of Sacraments and therein differeth from the ancient Church The first proposition is cleare for Christs order and institution is the foundation of the Sacraments and therefore an error concerning it must needs be fundamentall in point of Sacrament The second proposition or assumption is set downe in Article 30. Both parts of the Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be ministred to all christian men alike which assertion touching Christs ordinance the present Church of Rome erroneously denieth and defineth the contrary in the Councell of Constance and Trent Thirdly it is a dangerous errour to affirme that the present church of Rome is not diuerse from the ancient vndoubted church of Christ. Which I proue First thus Whatsoeuer Church hath most shamefully gone from the Apostles from Christ himselfe from the Primitiue and catholike church of God and hath vtterly forsaken the Catholike faith is vndoubtedly diuerse from the ancient true church of Christ The present church of Rome hath most shamefully gone from the Apostles from Christ himselfe from the primitiue and catholike church of God and hath
Eugenius the Church of Rome was not so visible as the Appealer would haue it Thirdly if the Appealer vnderstand by the Church of Rome as his friends and informers and all Protestants generally vnderstand it and as hee must if he say any thing to the purpose a Church in Rome and the Popes territories or elsewhere holding the present Romane faith which is set downe in the Councell of Trent both the major and minor are notoriously false For neither was there any church in the world holding that faith visible for many hundred yeeres after Christ neither is the Church holding that erroneous faith a true Church Howsoeuer it may please God in that Church as hee did in the Churches of the Arrians in Saint Hilary his time to call many by the Word Sacraments to the knowledge of the truth quorum aures puriores erant quà m doctorum ora whose eares were purer then the teachers mouthes who strained the milke they receiued from their mother and casting away that which was impure dranke downe onely the sincere milke of the word I suppose the Appealer will not affirm the Arrian Churches to bee true Churches yet God had his wheat euen in their floore all couered with chaffe and I doubt not but hee euer had and still hath many thousands euen in the Romane Church it selfe who neuer bowed the knee to that Baäl. Our question is not of them but of their Gouernours and Teachers and the outward face of their Church maintaining and practising idolatry and inforcing as farre as they can the accursed Canons of the Councell of Trent whether in this sense the Church of Rome be a true Church It is saith the Appealer a true Church ratione essentiae in regard of essence but not in regard of soundnesse of doctrine This answer explicateth not the question but implieth a contradiction to say a true Church in respect of the essence and not in respect of soundnesse of Doctrine is to say the church of Rome is a true church in respect of the essence but not in respect of the essence for soundnesse of Doctrine is of the essence of the true church By it the true Church is defined Article the 19. The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is Preached and the Sacraments bee duely ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same If the Appealer by truth meaneth metaphysicall truth which is of as large extent as being or entity the more hee graspeth the lesse hee holdeth for in this account all Churches are true Churches and the Church of Rome is no more indebted to the Appealer for his Euloge then all the hereticall and schismaticall Churches in Christendome they are Churches therefore in this sense true Churches for Ens et verum conuertuntur In this acception a thiefe is a true man because it is true that he is a man and the Deuill a true Angell because it is true that he is an Angell and the Appealer a true writer because it is true that he is a writer of whom it may be said as it was of Seuerus Omnia fuit et nihil profuit he turneth euery way and yet cannot passe he angleth in all waters and yet catcheth nothing hee hath spent all his oyle in making salues for the foule sores of the Whore of Babylon and yet hath left Her worse then he found Her The filing vp of the Writ THe errors of the Appealer both in point of Arminianisme and Popery and of a different nature from both being laid open in simplicity and sincerity I first appeale from the Appealer to himselfe as that Plaintiffe sometime did from Philip to Philip. I appeale from the Appealer as set on by others to the Appealer as left to himselfe from his rash to his aduised from his former to his latter thoughts which are vsually the wiser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Secundae cogitationes secundiores And if he retract his errours I will let fall the suit if he persist in his erroneous opinions I referre him together with this discouery of his errors to the Examination and Censure of the most learned religious and iudicious House of Conuocation now sitting to whom vnder his Maiesty the cognizance of Doctrinall differences properly belong Faustus Regiensis intending to refute S. Austine vnder another name that he might auoid all suspition of Pelagianisme intitles the first Chapters of his Book against Pelagius and vnder this vaile of opposing S. Austins professed enemie from the third chapter of his booke to the end couertly carps at and refels S. Austins learned Booke of the Predestination of Saints Let moderate men and no franticke Puritans iudge whether the Appealer as in his matter so in his manner of writing follow not Faustus the Demipelagian his patterne whether pretending an answer to a Gagger of the Protestants he intend and indeauour not to Gagge the most learned and zealous Protestants and drawing out his stile more poinenant then a Stilletto in colour and shew against the Romish enemie hee cunningly giue not therwith a secret wound to his owne Mother the Church of England and the true professors of the Gospell therein As for the Fratres Descripti the right and left hand of the Appealer whose Trade hath beene for these many yeares past to informe against the zealous and learned Defenders of the true religion established here in England vnder the name of Puritans quia volunt decipi decipiantur But for those graue and venerable Diuines who are reported to haue subscribed to the Appealers Bookes I thinke the Relator was mistaken in the word hee meant proscribed them and all other ancient worthies of our Church who yet applaud and approue these late Polemickes of the Appealer I humbly intreat them in the words of the Orator Videant Patres Conscripti ne circumscripti videantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galat. 4. 16. Tacit. Maledicta si irascaris agnita videntur spreta exolescunt Cyprian epist. Antequam Pelagiana haeresis appareret and recolant aduersus haeresin Pelagianam Concil Carth. sub Aurelio Nefarius ab omnibus anathematizandus error Concil Mileuit Perniciosissimi erroris auctores perhibentur Caelestius Pelagius August p. 94. ad HilariuÌ„ Omnes qui spem habemus in Christo huic pestiferae impietati resistere debemus Prosper in Crom. Per totum mundum haeresis Pelagiana damnata est August ep 47. Pelagiana haeresis venena August lib. 1. de peâ—c orig Doctrina illa pestifera Ad Bonis l. 2. c. 5. Nâ—num execrabilâ— dogma Pelagianum vel Caelestianum Et post Exitiosissima prauitas Appeal to Caesar pag. 21. In comment in poster Analyt Cic. pro Sylla Declar. aduers. Vorstium King Iames ibidem Plin. Panegyr Balchanquall Concio ad cleruÌ„ Appeale ibid. Matth. 18. 7. Pag. 70. Pag. 108. Appeal pag. 71. 72. *