Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	great_a	mortal_a	venial_a	3,197	5	11.4523	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64661	The judgement of the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland 1. Of the extent of Christs death and satisfaction &c, 2. Of the Sabbath, and observation of the Lords day, 3. Of the ordination in other reformed churches : with a vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first, some advertisements upon the latter, and in prevention of further injuries, a declaration of his judgement in several other subjects / by N. Bernard.	Ussher, James, 1581-1656.; Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1658 (1658)	Wing U188; ESTC R24649	53,942	189

THE JUDGEMENT Of the late ARCH-BISHOP OF ARMAGH And I Primate of Ireland 1. Of the Extent of Christs death and satisfaction c. 2. Of the Sabbath and observation of the Lords day 3. Of the Ordination in other reformed Churches With a Vindication of him from a pretended change of opinion in the first Some Advertisements upon the latter And in prevention of further injuries A Declaration of his judgement in several other subjects By N. Bernard D. D. and Preacher to the Honourable society of Grayes-Inne London Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost Joh. 6. 12. London Printed for John Crook at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard 1658. TO THE READER THE first Treatise containing the Judgement of the most eminent Primate of Ireland concerning the True Intent and Extent of Christs death and satisfaction upon the Crosse was written by him at the request of a Friend a little before the Synod of Dort a Copy of which being taken was unknowne to him carried thither by a Member of it upon the multiplying of them exceptions were taken by divers and by one Penne contracted into a Letter to him which the second Treatise is an answer unto both these I had from him about twenty eight yeares agone and now upon the desire of such whose judgements I subscribe unto and the prevention of other mistaken Copies which possibly might be produced I have been hastened to the printing of them That which hath given the occasion is the mistake lately published of the change of his Judgement in it a little before his death But by the view of these I believe the Authour will receive satisfaction In the vindication of which two Letters being desired from me long agone which have been hitherto deferred the publick I have been importuned to permit them to be annexed Unto which I shall here adde but this That not onely in the forenamed subjects but in the rest relating to the Remonstrants the Primate concurred with Bishop Davenant whose Lectures Demorte Christi praedestinatione reprobatione he caused to be published only that little Treatise added in the conclusion of it entituled Sententia Ecclesiae Anglicanae de praedestinatione capitibus annexis c. taken to be Bishop Davenants and implyed so by the Printer ab eodem uti fertur Authore which possibly hath occasioned the apprehension of a change in him also I have been assured by a Person of Eminency who affirms it out of his own knowledge that it was Bishop Overals And now upon this occasion I have thought fit to publish a Learned Letter of the Primates wrote many yeares agone to Doctor Twisse concerning the Sabbath and Observation of the Lords day having two Copies corrected throughout with his owne hand with parts of two other Letters of the same matter which I had together with the former as also his judgement in divers other subjects both in Doctrine and Discipline with some Advertisements for the clearing and preventing of any further misapprehensions Unto which is added his Reduction of Episcopacy to the form of Synodical Government c. before published And at the request of the Printer a distinction of those Bo●kes which are owned by the Primate from such as are not If the Readers Opinion shall dissent in any of the above-named or swell into an opposition let him not expect any defensive Armes to be taken up by me it being my part to declare his judgement as I finde it Which with the most Pious and Learned I doubt not but will be as it hath been of a Reverend and high esteem If it may but moderate the heat which hath lately broken out among us about some of them the fruit expected is reaped And as these shall be of profit and acceptance I shall be encouraged to a further gathering up of the like fragments N. B. The Judgement of the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland of the true Intent and Extent of Christs death and satisfaction upon the Crosse. Written in Answer to the request of a Friend March 3. 1617. The true Intent and Extent of Christs Death and Satisfaction upon the Crosse. THe all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ made for the sinnes of the whole World The true intent and extent is Lubricus locus to be handled and hath and doth now much trouble the Church this question hath been moved sub iisdem terminis quibus nunc and hath received contrary resolutions the reason is that in the two extremities of opinions held in this matter there is somewhat true and somewhat false The one extremity extends the benefit of Christs satisfaction too farre as if hereby God for his part were actually reconciled to all mankind and did really discharge every man from all his sins and that the reason why all men do not reap the fruit of this benefit is the want of that faith whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them Whence it would follow that God should forgive a man his sins and justifie him before he believed whereas the Elect themselves before their effectuall vocation are said to be without Christ and without hope and to be utter strangers from the Covenants of Promise Ephes. 2. 2. 2. The other extremity contracts the riches of Christs satisfaction into too narrow a room as if none had any kind of interest therein but such as were elected before the foundation of the World howsoever by the Gospel every one be charged to receive the same whereby it would follow that a man should be bound in conscience to believe that which is untrue and charged to take that wherewith he hath nothing to do Both extremities then drawing with them unavoidable absurdities The Word of God by hearing whereof faith is begotten Eph. 1. 13. must be sought uuto by a middle course to avoyd these extremities For finding out this middle course we must in the matter of our Redemption carefully put a distinction betwixt the satisfaction of Christ absolutely considered and the application thereof to every one in particular The former was once done for all The other is still in doing The former brings with it sufficiency abundant to discharge the whole debt the other addes to it efficacy The satisfaction of Christ onely makes the sinnes of mankind fit for pardon which without it could not well be the injury done to Gods Majesty being so great that it could not stand with his honour to put it up without amends made The particular application makes the sins of those to whom that mercy is vouchsafed to be actually pardoned for as all sins are mortal in regard of the stipend due thereunto by the Law but all do not actually bring forth death because the gracious Promises of the Gospel stayeth the execution even so all the sinnes of mankind are become venial in respect of the price paid by Christ to his Father so farre that in shewing mercy upon all if so

we not know They have not all obeyed the Gospel Rom. 10. 16. all are not apt to entertain this Message of peace and therefore though Gods Ambassadours make a true ten-tender of it to all unto whom they are sent yet their peace only resteth on the sons of peace but if it meet with such as will not listen to the motion of it their peace doth again return unto themselves Luke 10. 6. The Proclamation of the Gospel runneth thus Apoc. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come for him this Grace is specially provided because none but he will take the paines to come But least we should think this should abridge the largenesse of the offer a Quicunque vult is immediately added and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely yet withall this must bee yielded for a certain truth that it is God who must work in us to will and to do of his good pleasure and though the call be never so loud and large yet none can come except the father draw him John 6. 46. For the universality of the satisfaction derogates nothing from the necessity of the speciall Grace in the application neither doth the speciality of the one any wayes abridge the generality of the other Indeed Christ our Saviour saith Joh. 17. 6. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me but the consequence hereby inferred may well be excepted against viz. He prayed not for the world Therefore He payed not for the world Because the latter is an Act of his satisfaction the former of his Intercession which being divers parts of his Priest-hood are distinguishable one from another by sundry differences This his satisfaction doth properly give contentment to Gods justice in such sort as formerly hath been declared His Intercession doth solicit Gods mercy The first containes the preparation of the remedy necessary for mans salvation The second brings with it an application of the same And consequently the one may well appertain to the common nature which the son assumed when the other is a speciall Priviledge vouchsafed to such particular persons onely as the father hath given him And therefore we may safely conclude out of all these premisses That the Lamb of God offering himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world Intended by giveing sufficient satisfaction to Gods Justice to make the nature of man which he assumed a fit subject for mercy and to prepare a medicine for the sinnes of the whole world which should be denied to none that intended to take the benefit of it Howsoever he intended not by applying this all-sufficient remedy unto every person in particular to make it effectual unto the salvation of all or to procure thereby actual Pardon for the sins of the whole world So in one respect hee may be said to have died for all and in another respect not to have died for all yet so as in respect of his mercy he may be counted a kind of universal cause of the restoring of our Nature as Adam was of the depraving of it For as far as I can discerne he rightly hits the naile on the head that determineth the point in this manner Thom Contra Gentiles lib. 4o. 55. Mors Christi est quasi quaedam uuiversalis causa salutis si cut peccatum primi hominis fuit quasi universalis causa damnationis Oportet autem universalem causam applicari ad unumquodque s●ecialiter ut effectum universalis causae participet Effectus igitur peccati primi parentis pervenit ad unumquemque per carnis originem effectus autem mortis Christi pertingit ad ad unumquemque per spiritualem regenerationem per quam Christo homo quodammodo conjungitur incorporatur AN Answer of the said Arch-Bishop of Armagh to some exceptions taken against his aforesaid Letter as followeth ICannot sufficiently wonder why such exceptions should be taken at a Letter of mine which without my privity came to so many mens hands as if thereby I had confirmed Papisme Arminianisme and I know not what error of Mr. Culverwels which as you write is and hath been opposed by many yea all good men The Papist saith one doth thus distingnish A Mediator of Redemption and Intercession And Bellarmine saith another divides the satisfaction and application of Christ. To which what other Answer should I make but this To hold that Christ is the onely Mediator of Redemption but the Saints are also Mediators of Intercession That Christ by his Merits hath made satisfaction to his Father in grosse and the Pope by his indulgence and his Priests by their Oblations in the Masse do make a particular application to particular persons To joyne thus partners with Christ in this manner in the Office of Mediation is Popery indeed But he who attributing the entire work of the Mediation unto Christ alone doth yet distinguish the Act of Redemption from the act of Intercession the Satisfaction made by him unto God from the Application thereof communicated unto men is as far from Popery as he that thinks otherwise is from the grounds of the Catechisme For that Christ hath so died for all men as they lay down in the conference of Hague ut reconciliationem cum Deo peccatorum remissionem singulis impetraverit I hold to be untrue being well assured That our Saviour hath obtained at the hands of his father Reconciliation and Forgivenesse of sinnes not for the Reprobate but Elect onely and not for them neither before they be truly regenerated and implanted into himselfe For Election being nothing else but the purpose of God resting in his own minde makes no kind of alteration in the party elected but onely the execution of that Decree and Purpose which in such as have the use of reason is done by an effectual calling in all by spiritual regeneration which is the new birth without which no man can see the Kingdom of God That Impetration whereof the Arminians speak I hold to be a fruit not of his Satisfaction but Intercession and seeing I have learned from Christs own mouth Joh. 17. 9. I pray not for the reprobate World I must needs esteem it a great folly to imagine that he hath impetrated Reconciliation and Remission of sinnes for that world I agree therefore thus farre with Mr. Aimes in his Dispute against Grevinchovius That application and impetration in this latter we have in hand are of equall extent and That forgivenesse of sinnes is not by our Saviour impetrated for any unto whom the merit of his death is not applyed in particular If in seeking to make straight that which was crooked in the Arminians opinion he hath bended it too farre the contrary way and inclined too much unto the other extremity it is a thing which in the heat of disputation hath befallen many worthy men before him And if I be not deceived gave the first occasion to this present controversie But I see no reason

take the benefit thereof For he is much deceived that thinkes a preaching of a bare sufficiency is able to yield sufficient ground of comfort to a distressed Soule without giving a further way to it and opening a further passage To bring newes to a bankrupt that the King of Spain hath treasure enough to pay a thousand times more than he owes may be true but yields but cold comfort to him the miserable Debtor sufficiency indeed is requisite but it is the word of promise that gives comfort If here exception bee taken That I make the whole nature of man fit for mercy when it is as unfit a subject for grace as may be I answer That here two impediments do occurre which give a stop unto the peace which is to be made betwixt God and man The one respects God the party offended whose justice hath been in such sort violated by his base Vassals that it were unfit for his glorious Majesty to put up such an injury without a good satisfaction The other respects man the party offending whose blindnesse stupidity and hardnesse of heart is such that he is neither sensible of his own wretchedness nor Gods goodnesse that when God offers to be reconciled unto him there must bee much intreaty to perswade him to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. In regard of the latter I acknowled with the Apostle That the naturall man receives not the things of the spirit for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he because spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. And this impediment is not taken away by Christs satisfaction which is a work of his Priestly function but by the enlightening of the mind and softning the heart of the sinner which are effects issuing from the execution of the Prophetical and Kingly Office of our Redeemer When therefore I say That by Christs satisfaction to his Father he made the Nature of Man a fit subject for mercy I mean thereby that the former impediment arising on Gods part is taken away that if it were not for the other for the having whereof we can blame none but our selves and in the not removing whereof wee cannot say God hath done us any wrong there were no let but all men might be saved And if it pleased God to extend his mercy unto all as he keeps his freedome therein in having compassion on whom he will have mercy and leaveing others in blindnesse naturall hardnesse of their own heart yet the worth of Christs satisfaction is so great that his Justice herein should be no loser But if this Justice you will say be satisfied how comes it to passe that God exacts payment again from any I Answer We must take heed we stretch not our similitudes beyond their just extent least at last we drive the matter too farre and be forced to say as some have done That wee cannot see how satisfaction and forgivenessè can stand together and so by denying Christs satisfaction be injurious to Gods justice or by denying remission of sinnes become injurious to Gods mercy Wee are therefore to understand that the end of the satisfaction of Gods Justice is to make way for Gods free liberty in shewing mercy that so mercy and Justice meeting and embraceing one another God may be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. Now the generall satisfaction of Christ which was the first act of his Priestly Office prepares the way for Gods mercy by making the sinnes of all mankinde pardonable the interposition of any barre from Gods Justice notwithstanding and so puts the sonnes of men onely in a possibility of being justified a thing denied to the nature of fallen Angels which the sonne was not pleased to assume But the speciall application of this satisfaction vouchsafed by Christ unto those persons onely whom his Father hath given him out of the world which is an appendant or appertaineth to the second Act of his Priest-hood viz. his intercession produceth this potentia in Actum i. e. procureth an actuall discharge from Gods anger And maketh justification which before was a part of our possibility to be a part of our presenr possession If it be said It is a great derogation to the dignity of Christs death to make the sinnes of mankinde onely pardonable and brings in a bare possibility of justification I answer It is a most unchristian imagination to suppose the merit of Christs death being particularly applyed to the Soul of a sinner produceth no further effect than this Saint Paul teacheth us that we be not onely justifiable but justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. yet not simply as offered on the Crosse but through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. that is through his bloud applyed by faith The bloud of Jesus Christ his Sonne saith Saint John 1 John 1. 17. cleanseth us from all sinnes yet cleanse it doth not by being prepared but by being applyed prepared it was when hee poured it out once upon the Crosse applyed it is when he washeth us from our sinnes therein Rev. 1. 5. It is one thing therefore to speak of Christs satisfaction in the generall absolutely considered and another thing as it is applyed to every one in particular The consideration of things as they are in their causes is one thing and as they have an actuall existence is another thing Things as they are in their causes are no otherwise considerable but as they have a possibility to be The application of the Agent to the patient with all circumstances necessarily required is it that gives to the thing an actuall being That disease is curable for which a Soveraigne medicine may be found but cured it is not till the medicine be applyed to the patient and if it so fall out that the medicine being not applied the party miscarries We say He was lost not becanse his sicknesse was incurable but because there wanted a care to apply that to him that might have helped him All Adams sonnes have taken a mortall sicknesse from their Father which if it be not remedied will without faile bring them to the second death no medicine under heaven can heale this disease but onely a potion confected of the blood of the Lamb of God who came to take away the sinnes of the world which as Prosper truly notes habet quidem in se ut omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non medetur The vertue thereof is such that if all did take it all without doubt should be recovered but without takeing it there is no recovery In the former respect it may be truly said That no mans state is so desperate but by this means it is recoverable and this is the first comfortable newes that the Gospel brings to the distressed Soule but here it resteth not nor feedeth a man with such a possibility that he should say in his heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring Christ from above but it brings the word of comfort

Next What or who compelled him that he was fein to do it and if by that speech as well as Arminius he means according to common construction As full or in the same terms as Arminius it will be the hardest proof of the three whom he scarce ever names in his works his aime being against Pelagius and his Disciples Unlesse that passage in his Pelagian History may be so applyed wrapped up under the Title of Britanniae Antiquitates Pelagius being a Britain which he intended to have taken out and printed as a Treatise by it selfe where he having given us at large the bold and rugged language with which Julian one of Pelagius his followers in defence of his Doctrine greets the most mild and meek Father S. Augustine he addes this Chap. 11. p. 312. Cujus idcirco verba hic describenda putavi ut in hoc speculo contemplaretur lector consimiles nostrorum temporum ardeliones Thrasoni huic adeo geminos ut in eos hujus spiritus quasi per Pythagoricam quandam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immigrasse videatur I know not how he can call him an Anti-Arminian unlesse he confesse them to be Pelagians Secondly In this particular concerning Universall Redemption I have cause to believe there was not any change in him from what his judgement was many yeares agone and if he were not totally according to Calvin must it therefore be argued he was wholly for Arminius Might not there be a mean wherein he might tread more safely according to the ancient Doctrine of the Church And indeed to deal clearly with you his judgement in this point was in a middle way different both from yours and Mr. Pierce which if it might not expose him to both your pens and censures but be a reconciliation between you the latter of which I see little hope of I might be moved the more willingly to declare it I do the rather mention this because As Mr. Pierce saith you call it the chief head of Arminianisme So he saith 't is that with which other opinions in debate must stand or fall And Chap. 3. p. 15. excuseth his prolixity on it because if this error be once disclaimed by the adversary all the rest will tumble of their own accord c. In a word I am sorry to find that heat between you which beng Ministers and Neighbours is the more unseemly I shall advise you in your reply to endeavour rather to heal up the breach than make it wider the fruits of the spirit appearing much in meeknesse and Gentlenesse c. and laying aside all verball animosities and personal reflections calmely to fall upon the matter And so I commend you and your labours to Gods blessing and direction and rest Your very assured Friend N. BERNARD Grayes-Inne March 11. 1656. A Vindication of the Primate from a late change of opinion A second Letter of the said Doctor Bernard to Mr. Barlee in Answer to a part of a Postscript at the conclusion of a book of Mr. Pierces viz. a Correct Copy of some Notes of Gods decrees c. Wherein the former erroneus report raised upon the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh especially concerning Universal Grace or Redemption being more largely affirmed is here more fully cleared and vindicated SIR I Have lately received from you another book of Master Pierces which I saw not before viz. A Correct Copy of Gods decrees c. In the Postscript of which I find a larger confirmation of what had been affirmed by him in relation to the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland which at your desire I cannot refuse to return you my sense of also The Authour is a Stranger to me but appears to be a man of very excellent parts and abilities and I am sorry he hath been moved to employ them in this particular in a continued confident declaring the change of opinion in so Learned and pious a Prelate as himselfe worthily styles him to whom for ought I know he was a stranger and adding That what he hath before affirmed to be upon a just ground and mature deliberation and yet I find no other foundation upon which this is built than the report of others The frequent experimental failing of which when it comes to the proof hath wrought it out of reputation with prudent men to depend upon That which I find in the conclusion of his Postscript I must begin with wherein he doth determine viz. That whosoever shall appear to hold the Negative That my Lord Primate of Armagh did not declare his rejection of these opinions which I resist and which himselfe formerly embraced will wrong the memory of the Bishop As I do not according to his caveat take upon me to prove a Negative so I do not understand the ground of this definitive Sentence upon whomsoever shall adhere to it I am sure his meaning is not because he doth resist them and lesse shew is there because the Primate had formerly embraced them for a changeablenesse in Doctrine carries in it self a shew of dishonour that with him there should be yea and nay surely there must be somewhat of grosse corruption or dangerous consequence formerly taught and professed by this good Primate that should incurre this censure And it is too early a conclusive while they are yet in Dispute between you and the matter not heard on the Primates side Which I expected not from a person so ingenuous as I read Master Pierce to be And howsoever the whole implies that the Primate had wronged himselfe if not his hearers and readers in preaching and writing of untruths so long but much more if he had died without retracting them and that the injury done to him is already decreed to lye upon that person that shall affirm otherwise of him in either yet this must not deterre or discourage me in this service of his vindication leaving it to the judgemnent of others Which may be thought lesse injurious The averring his constancy or inconstancy in matters of such weight and moment I shall be contented he do enjoy his opinion if he will not censure me for not forsaking my own viz. That I think I should wrong him and my selfe at least do neither right if I should silently let this belief of him passe without putting it to a stand by producing those probabilities which have prevailed with me to the contrary That which Mr. Pierce professeth viz. That he published it to the Immortall honour of that great Prelate doth not well suit with the expressions in the next breath calling it an error which had possest him and intimating it to be a retraction of his aberrations or a penitency of his sins which he having no sense of or not expressing it till then he must have contracted a great guilt all his life both in preaching and writing to the subversion possibly of many This if he had found himself guilty of a verball retraction would not have sufficed but he should have given