folly set all things Mala mens malus animus out of frame and doth not wisedome frame and order all things aright Doth darknesse cause men to stumble and fall Iohn 11. 9. Heb. 3. 12. and doth not light keepe men vpright and preserue them from falling Doth infidelity withdraw mens hearts from God and corrupt their wils and affections and doth not faith ioyne men neerely vnto God and sanctifie their wils and affections with all manner of diuine and heauenly graces Wherefore as all carnall Gospellers and loose Libertines so our Romane Catholikes are greatly deceiued in that they thinke that a sauing and iustifying faith may stand with raigning sinnes for then should the selfe-same persons at the selfe-same time be the children of God in respect of their mindes sanctified with the knowledge of the truth and with sauing faith and the children of the Deuill in their wils being polluted with dominering sins but where sauing faith getteth the sure and safe possession of the minde it not only expelleth infidelity out of the castle of the vnderstanding but also casteth out all sinne and iniquity out of the forts of the will and affections that they shall no longer rule and raigne there For sauing faith doth regenerate vs and make vs the sons of God Gal. 3. 26. as the Apostle affirmeth and so reneweth vs to his image in holinesse and crue righteousnesse and therefore will not suffer vs to giue place to wilfull and raigning sinnes and presumptuous transgressions Whosoeuer saith Saint Iohn is borne 1 Iohn 3. 9. of God sinneth not for his â—eed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God that is whosoeuer is borne of God committeth no such sinnes whereby the Word of God is choaked and extinguished in him because it is an immortall seed which liueth and indureth for euer where it is 1 Pet. 1. 23. once rooted and settled neither can hee sinne because hee is borne of God That is sinne which is the worke of the Deuill cannot so farre forth preuaile as to annihilate his regeneration which is the worke of God because God is stronger then the Deuill and will maintaine his owne proper worke in his owne children against the malice and mischiefe of Satan For let the Deuill set his chiefest instruments on worke to draw Gods children from their faith and obedience to God yet they shall not finally preuaile against them So Saint Iohn Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for 1 Iohn 4. 4. greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world For albeit they be little and weake in themselues yet they are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and are enabled thereby to stand against all the assaults of the Deuill Ephes 6. 10. And verily he that truly beholdeth and duly considereth what this great dignity is to be translated out of the bondage of Satan into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God he cannot with purpose of heart serue sinne any longer and enthrall himselfe againe vnto the tyranny of Satan but he will resigne himselfe wholly ouer to God How can we saith the Aposte Rom. 6. 2. that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein When Ioseph that of a poore slaue being made chiefe ruler ouer all Gen. 39. 9. Fixum eteniâ—… quicunque geret non hunc â—go nolle crediâ—…erim Christo cum mâ—ricate mori Coster that great estate which his master was possessed withall was tempted by his lewd mistrisse to defile his masters bed How can I said he doe this wickednesse and sinne against God How much more then will all such as are indued with true Christian faith resolue and say when they duly consider their great dignity in that of the bondslaues of Satan they are made the sonnes of God and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen How can we giue ouer our selues to wilfull and presumptuous sinnes to the great dishonour of our louing and most gracious God who hath aduanced vs to so great dignity and honor Vndoubtedly they cannot but thus resolue with themselues their sure beleefe of so great a fauour throughly settled in their hearts will not suffer them to giue themselues ouer to the seruice of sinne but will cause them fully to resolue to continue and perseuere in constant and continuall obedience vnto God And in this respect the estate of all such as are reconciled vnto God by Christ albeit it be subiect to many infirmities is farre more happy then Adams was in his absolute and perfect purity For as Saint Austine saith the first liberty was a Aug. de corrept grat cap. 2. possibility not to sinne but ours is much greater being such as that we cannot possibly sinne that is giue our selues ouer to be bondslaues to raigning sinnes For to Adam was giuen grace to persist in grace if he would but to vs it is giuen that we be made willing and that by our will we conquer our concupiscence to him was giuen ability if he himselfe would haue vsed it but to vs is giuen not only to be able but also to be willing to vse our ability For the will of the Saints is so forcibly mooued by the Spirit of God that therefore they are able because they will and therefore they will because it is God that worketh in them that they be willing For if in so great infirmity wherein perfect vertue was requisite for the suppressing of pride they were left to their owne will that by the helpe of God they might persist if they would themselues and that God himselfe did not worke in them the very will that they would among so many and so great tentations the will by reason of her weaknesse would soone râ—lent and giue ouer A remedy therefore was prouided for the infirmity of mans will that it should be so mooued by diuine grace that it should neuer decline or separate it selfe from the same and therefore albeit it were weake yet it should neuer vtterly faile Now that Saint Austine did not mistake herein it is manifest by the testimony of God himselfe set downe by the Prophet Ieremie in most direct words to that purpose I will Ier. 32. 40. saith the Lord make an euerlasting Couenant with them meaning his faithfull ones vnder the time of grace that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So then now vnder the Couenant of grace diuine grace is not so offered to the faithfull that they may either chuse or refuse it if they will but thereby they are made both willing to receiue it at the first and resolute also to perseuere therein constantly euen to the end and therefore by the Spirit of God they are called trees which shall not cease from yeelding fruit Ier. 17. 8. Whereby it is manifest that grace
The Gospell is the ministery of righteousnesse and life reuealing the light of God's countenance shining in Hos 11. 4. Christ and opening his Fatherly affection and loue whereby he draweth his Elect vnto him The most that the Law of God can effect either by the aequity of the holy precepts thereof or by the seuerity of the threatnings denounced therein is happily for a time to stay sin vndoubtedly it hath not power enough to â—lay it it may stop for a while the current of sin cut down some of the boughs thereof but it cannot empty the fountaine of sin nor pluck it vp by the very rootes Much lesse can humane wisdome worke the reformation of sinfull men it may mâ—ke them perhaps couer their sinnes but Humana sapientia ut plurimum efficiat non abscindit vitia sed abscondit Lact. Inst l. 3. c. 26. cannot enable them to cast out their inbred corruptions The vttermost it can work as Lactantius testifieth is to driue corruption inward and to make it hide it selfe for a while but by making men outward conformitans it maketh them in truth no better then dissembling hypocrites For the reason and the wisedome of the naturall man could not finde out many particular transgressions committed against the Law of God nor sound the depth of his â—udgments much lesse could it reach to the height of his mercies and the most strange and incredible expiation that the Lord appointed for sinne This Mystery required a supernaturall reuelation and could not be reuealed but by the doctrin of the Gospel Wherâ—fore when the world by her wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that belieue For the Gospell is the powerfull voice of our great Shepheard whereby he calleth and recalleth 1 Cor. 1. 21 Ioh. 10. 3. all his wandring sheepe and bringeth them home to his owne fold The Gospell is the banner of Christ whereby hee bringeth back his fugitiue souldiers and draweth them to his Can. 2. 4. Mar. 1. 17. owne colours The Gospell is the net which plucketh vs vp out of the Sea of our sinnes and pulleth vs into Christ's ship and waffeth vs along to the safe hauen of our euerlasting happines in the Kingdome of Heauen The Gospell is that voyce of Christ that raiseth vs vp out of the death of sinne to the life of Ioh. 6. 25. righteousnesse yea it is that aqua vitae that water of life that worketh in vs an holy life and quickneth vs to euerlasting Ioh. 4. 14 life The Gospell is that Zephyrus that life-breathing winde Cant. 4. 16. that blowing vpon Christ's Garden causeth the spices thereof to flow out The Gospell hath in it those sweet deawes and showers which dropping down vpon the dry grounds of our hearts causeth them to yeeld a plentifull haruest The doctrines Deut. 32. 2. of the Gospel are those good sciences that being grafted in ouâ— hearts make vs to become fruitfull trees meeâ—e to be planted in the Paradise of God Lastly the Gospell is that Iac. 1. 21. spirituall and heauenly enchantment that doth metamorphise and transforme vs being as beasts in qualities and conditions into the qualities conditioÌ„s of men yea of holy sanctified men For in it is drawn forth such a liuely picture of our own Isai â—… 6. vilenes and of the excellencie of the Lord and of the strangenes of the remedy making manifest the greatnes of the maâ—ady that therein we all beholding as in a mirrour the glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from 2 Cor. 3. 18 glory to glory as by the spirit of God Being thereby auerted from our selues conuerted to God wâ—aned from our selues and won to God forced to leaue our selues and to cleaâ—e to God yea to loath our selues and to loue God Wherefore let 2 Cor. 5. 14. Iew and Gentile and whatsoeuer Heretickes preach only or at least principally the Law of Moses or the Law of nature and Nations because they acknowledge not the imputed righteoousnes of Christ Iesus which is published in the Gospell but looke to be saued by their own workes But let the ministers of Christ which are the Ministers of the Gospell preach the Mar. 16. 15. Gospell to euery creature following herein not only the commandement but also the example of their heauenly Lord and Master who testifieth of himselfe on this manner saying Tâ—e Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath anointed mee Luc. 4 18. that I should preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me And verily not only blessed are the â—eet of them that bring Rom. 10. 15 glad tidings of those good things that God giueth to his by the preaching of the â—ospell but also blessed are the cares of Mat. 13. 16. all such as reuerently and religiously hearken thereunto seeing thereby they attaine this high priuiledge to be made the Elect Rom 3 2 Eph. 2 3. and chosen people of God For by nature all being borne in siâ—ne the children of wrath and inheritours of destruction by preaching and hearing of the powerfull doctrine of the Gospell such as are of the number of the Elect and chosen people of God are borne againe as by an immortall seed are made the children of God and inheritours of the Kingdome of 1 Pet. 1. 23. Heauen CHAP. II QVAEST 2. The Word and the Sacraments doe not profite vnlesse the sense and vse of either be rightly apprehended and vnderstood THe power and efficacy of things consisteth not in the letters and wordes wherein they are expressed but in the things themselues being rightly applied to those vses where unto they are ordained by God To ascribe an operatiue and working power to bare letters or words hath bin condemned by all wise and religious persons not only in such as haue bin bâ—witched with diuelish forceâ—ies but also in such as haue bin blinded with grosse and palpable superstition The seuen sons of one Scava a Priest are branded with the note of aeternall infamy for that they tooke vpon them to name ouâ—r them that Acts 19. 13. had euill spirits the name of the Lord IESVS saying We adiure you by IESVS whom Paul preacheth As the Scribes and Pharisees are condemned of grosse and palpable superstition for that they did ascribe a sanctifying Mat. 23. 5. power vnto the Law of God written vpon their garments They did not vnderstand saith S. Ierome that these things are Ierom in Mat. c. â—3 to be carried in their hearts and not on their bodies seeing Libraries and chests haue the bookes but not the knowledge of God The like saith he doe euen now superstitious women amongst vs who haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge in litle Gospels and in the wood of the Crosse and in other things of the like nature Neither was this
giue in sincerity entertainment in the best roomes of thy soule to the Word of God and thou dost Ioh. 14. 23 Eph. 3. 17. withall giue entertainment to Christ For Christ doth dwell in our hearts by Faith He is not receiued and eaten with our bodily mouthes because he is not our bodily food but with the mouthes of our soules when sweetly and profitably we lay vp in our memories that his flesh was wounded and pierced for Aug. de doct Christian l. 3. c. 10. vs. So Tertullian Tertul. de resur carniâ— Christ is deuoured by hearing chewed by vnderstanding and digested by beleeuing For reall things are not in our mindes by any corporall contiguity of their reall substances but by a spirituall participation of them by their Res non sunt in animis sed rerum notiones reall notions Neither doe our Sacraments auouch a mingling of persons or an vniting of substances but after a spirituall and a mysticall manner And therefore Christ's Body being not a bodily but a ghostly food is not receiued but by the powers of our soules being indued with a â—rue Faith For the Lord doth bestow his seuerall gifts and blessings Cyp. de coâ—a â—om Quicquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur vpon his seuerall creatures according vnto their seuerall natures and powers whereby he hath made them capable thereof causing them all to moue and to worke according to those powers and faculties where withall he hath indued them Hee nourisheth nourishable things by their nourishing powers doth minister many comforts to his creatures that haue sense and motion by causing them to apprehend the same by their sensitiue and motiue faculties So likewise doth he bestow his gifts proper to men which are reasonable creatures by making them knowne vnto them by the discourse of reason by causing them to apprehend and embrace the same by their vnderstandings and wâ—ls which are the proper faculties of reasonable creatures As for example the Lord worketh a care in many naturall men to lead a ciuill and a righteous life by causing them to apprehend and embrace those arguments and reasons which are of force to perswade to a ciuill and a righteous life As in like manner hee opâ—neth the hearts of such as he calleth to the estate of grace by causing them carefully to attend to the diuine Acts 16. 14. doctrines of the Word of grace For the Spirit of God leadeth them not as blind men which are led by their guides in the way that they see not themselues but he openeth their eyes that they may turne from darknes to light from the power of Satan to God that they may receiue remission of sinnes inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Insomuch that the minds of the Faithfull are first sanctified Acts 26. 18. by a true and right apprehension of the loue of God in Christ made manifest vnto them by the light of the Gospell and their wills are inflamed with a seruent desire to be partakers thereof before they be made the sincere Seruants of Christ For as Austin Aug. de peccat meriâ— remiss l. 2. cap. 3. Aug. hom 15. de verb. Apost saith God worketh our saluation in vs not as in stones that haue no sense or as in those creatures to whom he hath not given reason wiâ—l For as the same Father also teachetâ— elsewhere He that made thee without thee doth not make thee Iust without thee He made thee not knowing what was done vnto thee but he maketh thee iust being willing and witting to that worke which is wrought in thee There are two parts of our saluation or deliuerance from sinne whereof the one is a deliuerance from the very being and Heb. 1. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 24 Isa 63. 3 1 Cor. 1. 13. Act. 20. 28 1 Pet. 1. 19 bondage of sinne and the other from the guilt and punishment thereof Now albeit concerning our deliuerance from the guilt punishment of sinne our most mighty Sauiour hath performed that alone by himselfe euen by the shedding of his owne most precious blood yet concerning that other part which consisteth in the dâ—liuerance from the being and bondage of sinne he doth effect it by diuers moâ—iues set downe in his holy Word whereby through the effectuall operation of his holy Spirit he doth make his Elect desirous and willing to cast off the grieuous yoake of Satan to haue all their very thoughts brought vnto obedience to the commandements of God Wherefore it was not without cause that the Prophet Daniel Dan. 4. 24. exhorted Nebuchadnezzar to redeeme his sins with righteousnes and his iniquities with mercy towards the poore that so there might be an healing of his errour For as hee that is ouercome of sinne is in bondage to sinne so he that breaketh 2 Pet. 2. 19. the bonds of sinne and casteth off the yoke thereof may rightly be said to redeeme and to saue himselfe from the same Take Redime to captum quam queâ—…s minimo 1 Tim. 4. 16. heed saith the Apostle to Timothy to thy selfe and to thy doctrine and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Verily as sinne is the sicknes death of the soule so righteousnesse is the health and life thereof And therefore whereas contraries are cured by contraries Contraria curaÌ„tur contrarijs by righteousnes our soules are cured of their sinnes As it is apparent by the words of Daniel before-mentioned Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes and thine iniquities with mercy towards the poore loe let there be an healing of thine errour by which words we are taught that by righteousnes our souls are healed of their sinnes Wherefore all such as hearken attentiuely to the doctrine of the Gospell and are thereby brought to saith and righteousnes Luc. 1. 17. whereby they are purged from their sinnes may rightly be said to worke out their owne saluation to redeeme and saue Phil. 2. 12. their owne soules for that they are iâ—struments vnder the grace of Christ for the effecting of this so worthy a worke And verily as the ignorance of the powerfull truths of the Gospell breedeth folly and folly leadeth into all iniquity and Eccl. 7. 27. is the porter that openeth the doore to all impleâ—y â—o the true knowledge of the mysteries of godlines breedeth wisedome 2 Tim. 3. 15. wisedome deliuereth from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things and from them that leaue the Prov. 2. 10. wayes of righteousnes to walke in the wayes of darknes and so is an entrance and portall to piety and to all other diuine Prov. 4. 7. vertues So then in the worke of regeneration deliuerance from the being and bondage of sinne both the â—aithfull teacher of 1 Cor. 3. 9. 2 Cor. 6. â— Phil. 2. 12. the Gospell and
beleeueth to righteousnesse and with the mouth he confesseth to saluation For the Scripture saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded In which words is set downe the diuersity that is betweene the Law and the Gospel in prescribing the meanes wherâ—by we are deliuered from death and made partakers of euerlasting life â—oe saith the Law that which is prescribed in me and thou shalt liue and doe it in that manner that thou neuer transgresse and then thou shalt be free from all feare of death Whereas the Gospell saith Beleeue that Christ dyed and descended into Hell for thee to assure thee of thy deliuerance and that he hauing performed all righteousnesse for thee ascended into Heauen the place where righteousnesse is rewarded and crowned to take possion thereof for thee and thou shalt be deliuered from the horrours of Heil and be made pertaker of â—he â—oyes of heauen So when the Iaylor demanded of Paul and Silas what he should doe that he might be saued they answered Beleeue in the Act. 16. 30. Lord Iesus that he fulfilled all righteousnesse both in suffering and obaying for the saluation of all that rightly beleeue and thou shalt be saued And verily whereas there is but one manner and forme of obtayning Iustification and Saluation for all that are iustified and saued seeing children dying in their Infancy and all such as are not effectually called vntill the end of their liues cannot be iustified and saued by the workes of righteousnesse wrought by themselues but by the righteousnâ—sse of Christ performed for them and imputed vnto them by a true faith therefore all the residue of the faithfull seruants of God are iustified and saued after the same manner And so our blessed Sauiour teacheth in the parable of the Husbandman that went Matth. 20. 9. out and sent labourers into his Vineyard whereof sâ—me were sent at the first houre some at the third some at the sixt and some at the last houre and yet they all receiued the same wages The which parable Saint Ambrose expounding saith Ambros de vocat Gent lib. 1. cap 5. that such as were hyred at the last houre represent such as are called to the Lords seruice at the end of their liues whom hee hath chosen without workes and vpon whom he doth rather powre forth the riches of his Grace then yeeld a reward vnto their labours that they also who haue laboured and sweat the whole day and continued their whole life in the seruice of God and yet receiue but their Penny with the other may thereby understand that they also rather receiue a gift of grace then a wages of hire due to their workes Now if it be replyed that Infants and such as are called at the end of their liues are iustified and saued for the workes they would haue done if that they had liued a longer time the answere is made by S. Austin that rewards and punishments Aug. de bono perseuerant cap. 9 ep 15. And de Praedestin Sanctorum cap. 12. are not rendred to workes that men would or could doe but to such as are actually done For otherwise Tire and Sidon yea all the damned should be saued seeing at the day of iudgement they would all repent if they might and if their repentance would then serue the turne Wherefore if we seeke for righteousnesse by the workes of the Law performed by our selues as the Iewes did and as the Romanists still doe we shall assuredly faile therein as they did but if with the Gentiles we imbrace righteousnesse and life by faith in Christ then vndoubtedly we shall attaine to both QVEST. VIII The forme and manner to attaine to Sanctification is not to receiue the holy Word of God and the Sacraments with our bodily senses but with the powers of our soules nor to trauaile farre and neare on pilgrimage to see or kisse holy reliques but to see and touch holy things with the inward faculties of our mindes which are the proper subiects of Sanctification Nothing can be in any respect profitable vnlesse it be applyed in that manner and to those vses whereunto it is profitable but the word of God is giuen vnto vs for this vse that it should open vnto vs the minde and will of God and as Aug. in quaest veteris noui Testamenti Saint Austin saith the visible Sacraments were ordayned for such as were enuironed with flesh that by the steps thereof they might ascend froÌ„ such things as are seene to such things as are vnderstood Wherefore the word of God hanged about our neckes or deliuered in wordes not vnderstood cannot 1 Cor. 14. 6. profit but is deliuered in vaine And so teacheth the Apostle And now my Brethren if I come vnto you speaking with tongues not vnderstood what shall I profite you Verely the word not vnderstood is an Oister whose shell is not opened and as a candle which is noâ— lighted and as a Matth. 13. 19. lampe without oile and as seed sowne by the high way side In like manner the outward elements in the holy Sacraments being not applied to those vses whereunto they were ordaâ—ned by the institution of Christ are but bare signes and emptie figures they are not instruments of spirituall grace but let the word come to the element and lay open the right vse of it then it becommeth a Sacrament and a feale of the righteousnesse Rom. 4. 11. that commeth by faith For as he is not a Iew that is one ouâ—ward so neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Rom. 2. 28. flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and the Circumcision of the heart in the spirit not in the letter is the true Circumcision whose praise is not of men but of God Sanctified meanes ordained by God to sanctifie the soule must bee apprehended Hag. 2. 13. by the powers of the soule Seeing holy things as saith the Prophet touched onely with our bodily senses doe nothing at all further the sanctitie of our spirits And heereof it was that our Sauiour himselfe forbade Mary to touch him with her bodily hands for that she esteemed Iohn 20. 17. too highly thereof But saith he goe to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and your Father to my God and your God That is apprehend ye with the hands of your faith that by my meanes God is become your louing Father and gracious God and then ye haue apprehended me with a right hand So not by going a long iourney on pilgrimage we draw nigh vnto God but by praier proceeding Act. 10. 4. Precibus non gressibus itur ad â—…um Bern. Ep. 319. from an humble and faithfull minde For we clime vp to God by praiers and not by staires And therefore all that will shew themselues truly religious must as Bernard teacheth trauell on pilgrimage not towards the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem and that not with their
that as many as would ioyne the workes of the Law to the grace of Christ in the matter of Iustification They were abolished from Christ and fallen from Gal. 5. 4. grace Yea if we had not sinned but continued in our innocency and had kept all the Commandements of God whereunto God had bound himselfe by his promise to render the reward of eternall life yet in confidence of the merit of our workes we could not haue said rightly vnto the Lord Pay that thou Aug. in Ps 83. Aug. de verb. Apost Ser. 15. owest but performe that which thou hast promised For as the same Father saith God hath not made himselfe a debtor to vs by receiuing any thing froÌ„ vs but by promising vs that which best pleased himselfe But now since our best actions are so stayned by some sinister respect or other in the doing of them that as Gregory saith euen an holy man doth see his Greg. in Ioh. l. 9. c. 1. very vertuous workes to be vicious if they come to be scanned by a iust Iudge then they are so farre off from deseruing of any reward at Gods hands much lesse of Iustification and Saluation that rather in strict Iustice they merit condemnation For so Saint Austin is bold to pronounce of them Woe Aug. confess lib. 9. cap. 13. worth the commendable life of man if thou Iudge it without mercy In what a wofull case then are all proud Papists which will not be iustified and saued but by the merit of their owne workes seeing thereby they be abolished from Christ and are fallen from grace and from the fruit and benefit of both QVEST. XXXVII The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good Arguments drawne from that which is opposite priuatiuely By nature we are all spiritually dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1. And therefore as a man that is bodily dead is able to performe no action that belongeth to a naturall life so cannot wâ—… performe any action that belongeth to a spirituall and supernaturall life vntill we be quickned and raised vp againe by he Spirit of Christ We are now all by nature depriued of all Rom. 5. 6. spirituall power and strength We are 〈◊〉 sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing as of 〈◊〉 selues Much lesse to will or 2 Cor. 3. 5. to worke any such thing We are saith one Prophet foolish Ier. 4. 22. children and haue no vnderstanding we are wiâ—e to doe euill but to doe well we haue no knowledge We are now all by nature the Gal. 4. 25. children of the bond woman and not of the free The time was when in Adam we had all freedome of will to make choice either of good or euill but since that in him we made choice of that which was euill we are so hardned therein and in such Rom. 6. 20. bondage and slauery to our corrupt lusts that we haue no inclination at all or free motion vnto righteousnesse For as Aug. de correp grat c. 13. Austin saith our will as it is â—ow by nature free and not made free by grace is free from righteousnesse only in bondage to sin For liberty without race as the same Father teacheth Aug. Ep. 89. is nâ—t liberty but contumacy that is a wilfull obstinacy in that onely which is euill QVEST. XXXVIII No religious worship or seruice is to be giuen to any Angell or Saint Arguments drawen from such things as depend vpâ—n relation Let not saith Saint Austin the worship of the dead be vnto vs a matter of Religion Aug. de Vera Reâ—ig c 55 Aug contra Faust Mâ—nich lib. 23. c. 21. Synod MoguÌ„t c. 46. For they are to be honoured for imitation but not to be adored for Religion And againe we worship the Saints with charity but not with seruice neither doe we build temples vnto them For according vnto the censure of the Synode of Ments the Saints which haue shut vp the course of their liues with a blessed end ought worthily to be honoured of vs as the worthy members of Christs body but not with that honour which is due vnto God but with that reuerent regard of society and loueâ— wherewith holy men may be honoured of vs here in this life The like is to be said concerning the worship of Angels I fell said Saint Iohn confessing his owne double fall at the Angels feet to worship him but he said vnto me See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimony of Iesus Apoc. 19. 10. câ— 22. 9. worship God By which words of the Angell vttered once and againe we Seruus est domini seruus may iustly collect that seeing a seruant among men is a seruant of his Lords only not of any one of his fellow seruants and is bound to serue the one onely and not the other therefore seeing all the faithfull haue but one Lord all Angels and Saints being their fellow seruants they ought to deuote themselues Eâ—hes 4. 5. 2. 29. onely to the Religious seruice of God and not vnto the seruice of any Angell or Saint We take it to be a great absurdity and indignity also for one that is admitted into the family of an earthly King to betake himselfe to the seruice of a subiect and is it not a greater indignity for one that by baptisme is admitted into the family of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to betake him to the seruice of an Angell or Saint In Oxford wee are sworne Non suscipere gradum Simeonis that is when we haue taken an higher degree of dignity in the Schooles not to take a lower degree And shal we then when we haue receiued this high degree of honor to be admitted among the seruaÌ„ts of the Almighty Creator of heauen earth shall we I say debase our seâ—ues so low as to seeke for admission into the seruice of a weake creature Let the Romanists then if they list deuote themselues vnto the seruice of the Saints and giue to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine worship but let the true seruants of God be carefull to giue diuine seruice onely to God QVEST. XXXIX The faithfull are made righteous before God by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them Arguments drawen from things that haue the same proportion of reason If by the disobedience of the first Adam many were made sinners why by the obedience of the second Adam may not many be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 8. 34. If our sinnes were imputed vnto Christ when hee was pure from all sinne why may not his righteousnesse be imputed vnto vs albeit we be stayned with all sinne If Christs sufferings and death are made ours and we thereby are deliuered from condemnation Why may not his righteousnesse as well be imputed vnto vs
doctrine of the Romish Church are fabulous and false by the testimonies of her owne vulgar people learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures Arguments drawen from humane and diuine testimonies It is an approued saying that the voice of the people is the voyce of God the which in Gods matters is true of Gods people and in matters subiect to sense and naturall reason is true in all such persons as haue in them sense and reason sound 1 Cor. 14. 22. Wherfore seeing miracles may be discerned by sense and naturall reason and therefore are appointed for Infidels which haue no other meanes to apprehend the truth of them the iudgement of the vulgar people is not to be refused herein especially if it concurâ—e with the plaine censure of such as are reputed learned and wise But 〈◊〉 of the miracles of the Romish Church produced by them for the confirmation of the doctrine of Transubstanciation Purgatory Images and the like haue beene esteemed so fabulous by some of their owne learned Writers that they haue not only called them pâ—oâ—s fraudes but also haue iudged their golden Legend wherein many of them are set downe to haue beene penned by a man of a brasen face and of and on forehead And so likewise haue their owne vulgar people iudged of them as it is euident in that generally they esteemed the Fryers the reporters of these miracles to haue beene such shamelesse lyers that it went for a common prouerbe among them A Fryer ergo a Lyer as Walsingham one of their own Chronologers writeth in the time of Richard the second And if they thus iudged of them when the tenth part of their faigâ—…ed forgâ—ries was nothing so fully disclosed as they wâ—re in some ages â—ollowing how can any one now iustly refuse their testimony therein Yea whereas the Doctrine of the Apostles hath beene long since so sufficiently confirmed by miracles 〈◊〉 by the hand of God in the Primitiâ—e Church that as Austine thinketh he that expecteth moe miracles is himselfe a monster and also seeing it was foretold by the vneâ—ring Spirit of God that in the latter times Antichrist should 2 Thes â— 9. came by the working of Saâ—an with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiued lenesse of vnrighteousnesse It is euident that the Church of Rome is the 〈◊〉 not of Christ but of Antichrist because she is so fâ—lly fraught with such variety of lying wonders and signes The Catholike apology of that renowned Doctor of our Church Thomas Morton now L. Bishop of Lâ—tchfield doth make it manifest that diuers points of the Romish Religion are erroâ—ous and vntrue by the plaine and direct testimonies of diuers enâ—…ent men of their owne profession Now what may be the cause that these men of note diuers wayes bound to the Church of Rome and in their affections wholy dâ—voted to her service and in their resolutions euen captiuated to her determinations should yet reâ—ect 〈◊〉 particular points of their owne deare mothers faith contrary to the generall consent of all the residue of their owne sworne brethren but that the evidency of truth lightned and cleered with many vndeniable and vnâ—voidable arguments and reasons forced them after a sort to subâ—cribe tâ— the doctrines of such as were their oppoâ—…tes The truth hereof may fully appeare by the bookes of that great and learned Clearke Erasmus who being conuinced with the evidencie of truth doth side with the Proâ—essours of the Gospell in many things albeit in his setled resolution hee had devâ—ted himselfe not only to be an obedient child but euen a seruile and a slauâ—sh vâ—ssall vnto the censure of the Church of Rome in al things that she decreed by her deâ—initiue sentence Kemnitius doth thus testifie of him that hee being present at a Kemnit in Exam Concil Trid. fol. 66. dispuâ—ation as a party against the Protestants confessed that their owne opinion then questioned had no sure and certaine testimonies of holy Scriâ—ture but that the contrary position might better and more plainely and soundly be proued out of the word of God yet said â—e if the Church shall command this I will beleeue it for I will captiuate mine vnderstanding vnto the Church If then such men so captiuated to the Church of Rome doe yet in diuerse particular points giue testimonie against her doctrine contraâ—y to their purpose and setled resolution in the generall herein appeareth the great power and strength of truth in that it doth extort a full testimony from a 〈◊〉 vowed enimie It is an ordinary asseueâ—ation of the patrones of the Romish superstition that their religion is old and ancient and hath the testimony of antiquitie vnity and vniuersality and that the religion of such as proâ—esse the Gospell is new was vnknowne before the time of Martin Luther yea some of them euen men of no small note and reputation haue beene so impudent shamelesse that they haue not been afraid boldly to avouch in their booke published to the view of all men that all antiquity and that in euery controâ—ersi that is betweene them Camp Rat. â— Possevin Bibliothec Select l. 7. c. 18. vs is wholy for them and directly against vs. The which if it were true why was their Index Expâ—rgatoâ—…us made therein order taken to put out diuerse things one of the bookes not only of diverse writers of their owne side but also out of the monuments of the ancient Fathers What Doe any that trust to the goodnesse of their owne cause and to the fulnesse of the witnesses produced by themselues maime and mangle and curtall and abridge their testimonies giuen vnder their owne hands and set downe in record by themselues and so suffer them not to tel out to the end fully and wholy their owne mindes Verily hereby it is plaine and manifest that all antiquity is not fully and wholy for them and therefore that such of them at least that make boast thereof are of the number of such haereticks as sinne being condemned by Tit. 3. 11. their owne consciences Yea whereas they Father vpon diuerse of the greatest lights of the Church diuerse Treatises that neuer came from them as the Liturgies of S. Iames S. Marke S. Denis and the like and as the Decretall Epistles fathered vpon divers ancient Bishops of Rome and produce out of them diverse testimonies for the iustifying of diuerse points of their Idolatry and superstition hereby it is manifest that their cause is very bad in that it cannot bee maintained but by such counterfeit and forged evidences Lastly to conclude if that the gouernours of the Church of Rome were not well witting to themselues in their owne consciences that the testimonie of God himselfe deliuered in the bookes of the Canonicall Scriptures was not directly against them why doe they refuse them as authenticall as supreame iudges in those tongues wherein they were first penned by the speciall and immediate