he is seated in Constantinople that is also in Rome For Constantinople is known to have been called New Rome was so named by CONSTANTINE himselfe the Founder had in Church and Common-wealth in both States 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way equalled priviledges with the elder Rome Senators and one of the yearely Consuls The adjacent country was then called Romania and is so corruptly termed by the Turks at this day Rumilio or Rum-ili that is the Roman Country It was the Emperiall Citie then when MAOMET that false Prophet and Antichrist arose as well as Rome indeed rather then Rome since the time that CONSTANTINE to the great advantage of barbarous nations enemies unto the Roman State translated the state of the Empire thither And lastly this great and Emperiall CITY bearing rule over the Kings of the earth is likewise as well as ROME seated upon seven hills at or neere unto the Sea indeed in a Foreland or Landstreight where two Seas meet the only Seat in the world for an Emperiall See For which cause it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by NICETAS The City with seven tops Vrbs septicollis by PAULUS DIACONUS so acknowledged by IANUS DOUZA a Gentleman of the Netherlands in his Iournall and by M. RICHARD KNOLLS in his Turkish History with others Now upon these premised considerations of the Marks of that Antichrist so fitting the Turkish State and Tyranny every way it may seeme probable that MAOMET the false Prophet and the Turkish State as the Beast may at least be assumed into association with the Pope and Papacy in making up that Antichrist and Antichristian Kingdome or State opposite unto the State and Kingdome of CHRIST and Christians which respectu finis may be accounted one in opposition against GOD and CHRIST though the meanes of effecting it be many different and diverse Turcisme one way may oppose CHRIST as it doth vi apertâ by fiery force and Ropery bee ad oppositum another way fraude and insidijs as it is In which respect as DANIEL may well tell us of one horn so S. IOHN remembreth a Beast with two Hornes MAOMET in the East the POPE in the West both Hornes pushing fiercely against the Saints yet so also that it may be probable which ZANCHIUS hath Miscellan lib. III. and LAMBERT also upon the Apocalypse that beside these two after these both it is not unlikely out of both these impious opposite States one notorious singular mischievous Antichrist may arise towards the finall consummation of the world who in fradulent colluding malicious craftinesse in impious execrable and transcendent wickednesse through hereticall impostures and lying miracles shall goe beyond all other that ever lived in the world and bee fitted with all signes and markes of Antichrist unto the full so as no exception can bee taken against any in any one point Surely if the Generall of the Iesuites Order should once come to be Pope sit in PETERS chaire as they call it I would vehemently suspect him to bee the party designed for out of what nest that accursed bird should rather come abroad than out of that Seraphicall Society I cannot ghesse and but ghesse For in resolution I say with that IEWELL of England in pag. CCCXCIII I will not say the POPE is ANTICHRIST GOD will reveale him in his time and he shall be knowne yet is it probable hee may be of that rank I will not say the TURKE is Antichrist though it bee probable that Antichrist may come from thence the Turkes power being increased and inlarged by the Popes policy as the same B. IEWELL hath observed it well that it may not seem strange two opposite in State may conspire in opposing Piety For all these and whatsoever is beside these in this particular denoted being all prophecies and predictions of things to come obscurely and mystically delivered are but opinions and conjectures not intended not to be received as finall resolutions For my part I desire not to contest with any man about them nor would I willingly have mens mindes or the peace of the Church disquieted with them It is an evill disease in the world among Divines in things of indifferency they cannot endure dissentients He is not my friend I will hold no correspondency with him that will not per omniae and in omnibus bee of my minde There is a Rule of faith we acknowledge it commend it and have recourse unto it Things that are straight and direct and according to that Rule confessedly need not application are not commonly brought to be applied to that Rule but things of different or doubtfull standing these need application and are applied confessedly by the perpetuall practice and tradition of the Catholick Church in consent of Fathers Wee apply things doubtfull unto Scripture our Norma and exact and absolute Rule of faith and manners We consent and agree it is Antichristian to dissent from to reject that Rule and him an Antichrist that doth so or proposeth any thing as Credendum against that Rule The Pope doth this Let him then be an Antichrist in S. IOHN'S acceptance There are many Antichrists But whether hee bee THAT Antichrist or not I dare not presume to determine without speciall warrant in such a case If you have any speciall illumination or assurance by divine revelation or rather strong perswasion through affection much good may it do you keepe it to YOUR selves presse it not on others that in such cases desire sapere ad sobrietatem rather than resolve without good warrant CHAP. VI. Touching IUSTIFICATION The state of a meere naturall man who to please GOD must become a new creature That newnes cannot be wrought without a reall change of a sinner in his qualities In what sense it may be said that there is an Accesse of justification both by daily receiving remission of new sins and by increase of grace in joyning vertuous and good deeds unto Faith INFORMERS TOuching Iustification thus hee writeth A sinner is then iustified when hee is made iust that is translated from the state of nature to the state of grace as COLOS. I. XIII which Act is motion as they speak betwixt two terms and consisteth in forgivenesse of sinnes primarily and grace infused secondarily CHAP. XVIII pag. CXLII MOUNTAGU AND this all this in generall in particular is our Informers Popery Strange Popery Of what religion are you M. Informers YATES and WARD For in Christian Religion a man is and may be considered two waies as I also have considered him according unto a twofold state The state of nature to which hee was formed and the state of grace to which he is reformed as hee was in ADAM depraved and lost as hee is in CHRIST IESUS sought out found and healed of his maladies In his Being Subsisting and Constitution every man is first a naturall man in that state standing hee pleaseth not GOD. He can doe nothing saith CALVIN that can please him or be accepted of him His
gratiâ NULLA possunt esse liberi arbitrij bona merita saith the Controversor But wee need a supply continually of Divine Operation Protection Direction and new Inspiration to goe on with Free-will which is Comes non Dux Pedissequa non Praevia as S. AUSTEN speaketh Epist 106. If this were not so then faith and repentance were not the actions of man neither could man be said to beleeve or repent but the holy Spirit that infuseth grace Now Id agit gratia ut sanata natura quod vitiata non potest POSSIT per cum qui venit quaerere salvare id quod perierat S. AUGUST Retract 1. cap. XIII We may saith RUARD TAPPER consider in every vertuous action of man two things the qualitie of goodnesse and the work it selfe The qualitie of goodnesse is WHOLLY from grace the worke it selfe is wrought by the FREE-WILL of man ASSISTED by grace Opera pietatis Credere poenitere c. fiunt per NATURALEM virtutem liberi arbitrij in quantum LIBERE fiunt OPERA sunt à gratiâ verò ut PIETATIS opera sunt Tamen UT SIC à libero arbitrio gratiâ informato EFFECTIVE fiunt non autem à SOLA gratiâ He that saith thus doth not say nor thinke that man can by any NATURALL power EXCITE and prepare himself to grace or apply himselfe unto GOD to the motions of his Spirit as if GOD'S concurse needed not or that man by the power of his owne will without any speciall help of grace could sorrow for sinne or by his PURE NATURALS had power to love GOD above all or to do works holy and acceptable unto GOD as some have prodigiously thought and written nay not that the grace of GOD and power of WILL are ex aequo joint copartners to goe passibus equis much lesse that man's will can outstrip the grace of GOD. This is denied and cannot be inferred upon the activenesse intended or actions insisted on in and of our wills prevented and enabled by grace all that is said is COOPERAMUR SEQUIMURQUE PATREM NON PASSIBUS AEQUIS as that childe did his father in the Poet. This is I conceive it the doctrine of the Protestant Schooles Vbi interim DUO observanda esse docemus say the Helvetians in their Confession PRIMUM regeneratos in boni electione operatione non tantùm agere PASSIVE sed ACTIVE Aguntur enim à DEO ut AGANT IPSI quod agunt Rectè enim AUGUSTINUS adducit illud quòd DEUS dicitur noster ADIUTOR nequit autem ADIUVARI nisi is qui IPSE ALIQUID AGIT S. PAUL speaking of Beleevers saith You have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine whereunto you were received ROM VI. XVII And SALOMON saith PRO. IV. XXIII Keepe thine heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life OUR SAVIOUR saith A good tree bringeth foorth good fruit The WILL of man is a true naturall faculty given to man in his creation In the state of corruption this naturall faculty is a true efficient cause of sinne and this naturall faculty is punished for sinne In the state of justification the same naturall faculty is truely and really endued with grace and bringeth forth the works of righteousnes and shall be rewarded with glory and immortality In both these states the WILL is a TRUE Efficient but differently a PRINCIPALL Efficient in the first state a SUBORDINATE Efficient in the second because the holy Ghost activateth and enableth it For By the grace of GOD wee are that wee are and that grace is not in vaine in us in the Doctrine of the Church of England ARTIC X. working with us when we have that good will GOD'S preeminence in the worke of our salvation his chiefe hand in the businesse his GRACE preventing inspiring enlightning exciting upholding sustaining and concurring doth not take away mans FREE-WILL in cases where Will hath any interest at all The STOICKS amongst others held that Paradox of old DEUM ire per omnes Terras tractusque maris coelumque profundum they meant it substantially and so impiously CHRISTIANS doe hold and beleeve it too but disposingly c. in his providence according to that Axiome of the wise Perting it à fine ad finem fortiter disponens omnia suaviter according to the severall natures and exigences of things to which he gave being and power to worke so not DESPOILING them of their OWNE by CONCURRING with them nor by any accesse ANNIHILATING his former grants or indowments conferred on them Thus having with as great diligence as I could examined this question inter partes of FREE-WILL so farre as was coïncident unto my purpose I do ingenuously confesse that I cannot find any such MATERIALL difference between the Pontificians at least of better temper and OUR Church But if the Informers can make the contrary appeare submittam fasceis and turne over a new leafe even in this Article opposing the Church of ROME as farre as any of the preciser Cut or zealous Disciples of THOMAS CARTWRIGHT'S Schoole whosoever Then then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am a man reserved abhorring to multiply controversies where is no cause CHAP. X. The Councell of Trent not wholly to bee condemned Man's Will not meerely passive but active and free in the proper acts thereof The memorable saying of SCOTUS The power of the Will in things divine INFORMERS IN the next page thrice hee approveth the Doctrine of the Councell of Trent touching Free-will MOUNTAGU WHolly or in part It would have beene explaned by honest men For say I beseech you will not your owne wisedomes or charity or common sense or understanding or what you will call it commend and approve some Determinations of the Councell of TRENT Saepè etenim est olitor valdè opportuna loquutus And why not they learned men at least resolve some thing truely where was no cause of Faction to be opposite Secondly whatsoever I approve in that Councell is not thrice approved as you doe enlarge in your suggestions but twice at most nor yet twice but by repeating the same thing twice remembred occasionally That which is so approved is this Sess VI. cap. V. Si quis LIBERUM hominis ARBITRIUM post ADAE lapsum amissum extinctum esse dixerit aut rem esse de SOLO TITULO imò TITULUM SINE RE FIGMENTUM denique A SATANA INVECTUM in Ecclesiam Anathema sit And so say I and so I hope if your wits be your owne will you say Man ever since the Fall of ADAM is not senselesse a stocke a stone meerly PASSIVE in all things active and AGENT voluntarily in nothing That which hee doth at least something that hee doth he doth it willingly and freely QUUM homini non sit per peccatum adempta neque intelligendi neque volendi facult as sed duntaxat RECTE intelligendi volendi facult as saith BEZA at least hee doth it according to his WILL not compellable in the
walke in holinesse and in newnesse of life Remission of sinnes and imputation of CHRIST'S Righteousnesse saith M. PERKINS is Iustification a free pardoning and cancelling of all Bands and Obligations of transgression for CHRIST'S sake through the only merit of his Death Passion and shedding of his bloud Which Act Psal XXXII II. is called Not imputing sin When and where GOD doth so pardon and not impute sinne he addeth unto it out of his love a seconding Act of divine mercy and grace enabling man to abandon everie mortall sinne those sinnes that doe hang so fast on that are more eminent notorious enormious whose property is vastare conscientiam to the amolishing of the whole body of sinne that it raigne not in our mortall bodies although that those delicta ordinariae incursionis as TERTULLIAN nameth them cannot so easily bee put away Have I unto you seemed to confound Iustification with Sanctification if yet you knowe the difference between them or have I ascribed in your seeming anie act of Sanctification unto Iustification You may bee pleased to remember that I went not most punctually to work but è re natâ to confute the Gagger described Iustification at large never suspecting that any professed enemies of Popery as you would seem to bee would so captiously have perverted my true sense and meaning my words at least my passage beeing warranted by YOUR owne Dictators CALVIN PERKINS BEZA For Iustificationis nomen largè accipio saith BEZA and imagine them to bee my words ut complectitur quicquid à CHRISTO consequimur tam per Imputationem quà m per Spiritus in nobis Sanctificationem Annotat in Tit. 111. ver VII and in Opusc To. 11. pa. DCLXXVII Otherwise be it known unto your Masterships that I beleeve Iustification in strictnes of tearms is neither Regeneration nor Renovation nor Sanctification but a certaine Action in GOD applied unto us or a certaine respect or relation whereby we are pardoned and acquitted of our sinnes esteemed righteous before GOD and accepted by him in CHRIST unto life everlasting which wiser men than you have so expressed whom haply for my sake you will hold to be Papists heereafter CHAP. VII A change made in a justified man The Author agreeth in part with the Councell of Trent and therfore maintaineth Popery no necessary illation The doctrine of the Church of England and of other reformed Churches in this point of Iustification INFORMERS ANda little after In the state of grace a man is iust when hee is changed Which change must have concurrence of two things Privation of Beeing to that which was The body of sinne and secondly a new constitution unto GOD in another estate In which he that is altred in state changed in condition transformed in mind renew'd in soule regenerate borne anew unto GOD by grace is iust in the state of Iustification ceasing to bee what he was becoming what he was not before In this maine point he accordeth fully with the Councell of TRENT Sess VI. cap. XXXVII contradicteth the Doctrine of the Church of England in the book of Homilies serm of salvation and all other Reformed Churches MOUNTAGU HEER now at length wee have some though very poore shew of a just and formall accusation the rest are but meer calumniations For heer is a charge of delivering Popery and maintaining it and withall an advancing of that charge by pretending some seeming proofe in a threefold branch 1. of According fully with the Councell of TRENT 11. Contradicting the Doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND 111. Dissenting from all other reformed Churches which is done by this one Assertion A change is made in a justified man the substance in briefe of all the former suggestion such an one as maketh mee beleeve that these informations were not gathered by any Scholars or Divines but subscribed unto unadvisedly and collected by some other at odds with his owne little or frantick wits for who can conceive that a just and uniust a carnall and spirituall man should be the same that one regenerate and reformed in the spirit of his mind should be the same that hee was before that a live man should bee dead I confesse I cannot conceive LAZARUS in his grave and sitting at table with our SAVIOUR to have undergone no change nor alteration SAUL a Persecuter and Saint PAUL an Apostle without change the Thiefe upon the Crosse no other man than when hee robbed and killed upon the high-way Was he called justified saved then sure he was changed Had hee not been changed from what hee formerly was hee had not entred into Paradise with our SAVIOUR Hee whose Disciples YOUR Divines are assigned to be never taught you this Learning Fatemur saith he dum nos intercedente CHRISTI justitiâ sibi reconciliat DEUS ac gratuitâ peccatorum remissione donatos pro justis habet cum ejusmodi misericordiâ conjunctam simul esse hanc ejus beneficentiam quòd per Spiritum suum sanctum in nobis habitet cujus virtute concupiscentiae carnis nostrae magis ac magis indies mortificantur Instit III. XIV IX You heare him to speak of righteousnes inhabiting in our hearts by grace diffused from the HOLY GHOST of a progresse in a new course of life from grace to grace from perfection unto perfection which is not a phantasie but reall Nos enim so he addeth sanctifitamur hoc est consecramur DOMINO in veram vitae puritatem cordibus nostris in legis obsequium formatis And somewhat before as hath been remembred already he calleth it a resurrection from death to life and no resurrection but supposeth change when this mortall shall have put on immortality and this corruptible shall have put on incorruption which is indeed the work of the right hand of the Most High and cannot be but betwixt terms that à quo and this ad quem which is the strangest Popery that ever yet I was acquainted withall But why go I about to proove that there is Motion unto those that agree not upon common Principles or bring proofs to ANAXAGORAS for The snowe is white who would not suffer himself to be perswaded so nay because he was otherwise by preconceit perswaded he said it did not so much as seem white unto him YOUR opinions are your owne you will opine what formerly you have thought So doe for mee and there an end If yet you would there make an end and be content to enjoy your conceits unto your selves and make much of them at home but we must come over and conforme our Faith unto your thoughts or wee shall heare of it on both our eares For instance at present Odiously and maliciously you advance this accusation to procure hate and envie unto the part and parties ad oppositum unto you It is the Doctrine you say of the Councell of Trent and M. MOUNTAGU agreeth fully with that Councell But you mistake on each hand and knowe not what you say I do not
acts thereof The memorable Saying of SCOTUS The power of the Will in things divine CHAP. XI The fourth and last point of ARMINIANISME touching the Synod of DORT The Synod of Dort not our Rule Private opinions no Rule The Informers imputations nothing at all THE SECOND PART touching POPERY CHAP. I. THe Author uncharitably traduced His profession for the doctrine discipline received and commanded in the Church of England Conformable Puritans Furious zeale The Church of Rome not a sound yet a true Church Private opinions disclaimed The Church of England asserted to her owne publick and proper Tenents The cause of all these Imputations CHAP. II. The Church Representative and Points Fundamentall what they are All that Papists say is not Poperie Particular Churches have and may erre The Catholick Vniversall Church hath not cannot erre Of Generall Councels The Author farre from the Iesuites fancy The XXI Article of the Church of England explaned CHAP. III. Strange accusations Antiquity reverenced not deified Fathers accused of some error by Iesuites The occasion of their enlarged speeches concerning Free-will The Author acquitted of Popery CHAP. IV. Private and publick doctrine differenced In what sense the Church is said to be alwaies visible The Author acquitted from Popery againe by others learned Divines Of the Church of Rome CHAP. V. Touching ANTICHRIST The Pope and Prelacie of Rome Antichristian That he is Magnus ille Antichristus is neither determined by the publick doctrine of the Church nor proved by any good argument of private men Difference among Divines who The Man of sinne should bee The markes of the great Antichrist fit the Turkish Tyrannie every way as well as the Papacy The peace of the Church not to bee disquieted through variety of opinions No finall resolution to be yet had in this point CHAP. VI. Touching IUSTIFICATION The state of a meere naturall man who to please GOD must become a new creature That newnes cannot bee wrought without a reall change of a sinner in his qualities In what sence it may be said that there is an Accesse of Iustification both by daily receiving remission of new sins and by increase of grace injoyning vertuous and good deeds unto faith CHAP. VII A change made in a justified man The Author agreeth in part with the Councell of Trent and therefore maintaineth Popery no necessarie illation The doctrine of the Church of England and of other reformed Churches in this point of Iustification CHAP. VIII Strange Popery GOD onely and properly justifieth CHAP. IX Holinesse of life added unto Iustification and Remission of sinnes GOD justifieth originally and Faith instrumentally CHAP. X. An Accesse declaratory made to the act of Iustification by the works of a lively faith S. PAUL and S. IAMES reconciled The old Prophets and ancient Fathers made new Papists by the Informers CHAP. XI The doctrine of MERIT ex condigno rejected as false and presumptuous Difference between the old and the new signification of Mereri CHAP. XII The quality and conditions of a good work required by the Roman Writers to make it rewardable as farre as they are positive no Protestant disalloweth of To those conditions may others be added CHAP. XIII GOD surely rewardeth good works according to his promise of his free bountie and grace CHAP. XIV The Church of England holdeth no such absolute certainty of salvation in just persons as they have of other objects of Faith expressly and directly revealed by GOD. CHAP. XV. Touching Evangelicall Counsailes Evangelicall Counsailes admitted according to the doctrine of the old Fathers and many learned Divines of our Church Popish doctrine concerning workes of Supererogation rejected CHAP. XVI S. GREG. NAZIANZ defended from the touch of uncircumcised lips CHAP. XVII The exposition of the saying of our SAVIOUR If thou wilt be perfect c. S. CHRYSOST S. AUG S. HIER S. AMBR. make it no imperious precept If it be the Informers are the least observers of it and sinne against their owne consciences CHAP. XVIII Touching LIMBUS PATRUM The dreames of Papists about Limbus Patrum related and rejected The state of mens soules after death The place proportioned to their state The soules of the blessed Fathers before CHRIST'S ascension in heavenly Palaces yet not in the third and highest heavens nor in that fulnesse of ioy which they have now and more of which they shall have heerafter The opinion of old and new Writers Our Canons not to be transgressed The doctrine and faith of the Church of England concerning the Article of CHRIST'S descent into Hell The disadvantage wee are at with our Adversaries Every Novellers Fancie printed and thrust upon us for the generall Tenet of our Church The plain and easie Articles of our CREED disturbed and obscured by the wild dreames of little lesse than blasphemous men by new Models of Divinity by Dry-fatts of severall Catechismes The Beleefe of Antiquity The Author and It far from POPERY CHAP. XIX The seventh point of Popery touching IMAGES The Historicall use of Images maketh nothing for the adoring of them Popish extravagancies CHAP. XX. S. GREG. doctrine concerning Images far from Popery CHAP. XXI No religious honour or worship to bee given unto Images They may affect the mindes of religious men by representing unto them the actions of CHRIST and his Saints In which regard all reverence simply cannot be abstracted from them CHAP. XXII Popish doctrine and practice both about adoration of Images rejected CHAP. XXIII The Church of England condemneth not the historicall use of Images The Booke of Homilies containes a general godly doctrine yet is it not in every point the publick dogmaticall resolved doctrine of the Church The Homily that seemeth to condemne all making of Images is to be understood with a restriction of making them to an unlawfull end Many passages therein were fitted to the present times and to the conditions of the people that then were The finall resolution of this controversie CHAP. XXIV Touching signing with the Signe of the CROSSE To signe with the signe of the Crosse out of Baptisme or upon the breast c. no more superstition than to signe in Baptisme or upon the forehead The practice of the ancient Church The reasons that moved them that might move us to use often signing They lived with Pagans and wee with Puritans both deriders of the signe of CHRIST'S Crosse CHAP. XXV The practice of the primitive Church approved Unadvised Informers Novellers rejected CHAP. XXVI The testimony of S. ATHANASIUS vilified by the Informers The testimonies of other Fathers concerning the efficacie and power of the signe of the Crosse CHAP. XXVII Popery is not the signing with but the adoring of the Crosse Strange effects which GOD hath wrought of old adhibito signo CRUCIS and may doe still by vertue of CHRISTS Death and Passion which that Signe doth represent CHAP. XXVIII The Informers presumption against the current of Antiquity CHAP. XXIX Touching the SACRAMENT of the ALTAR The Informers drawn low
at least what danger consequent unto Error I should thinke it a preservative against danger rather inasmuch as the difficulty and obscurity pretended will in all probabilitie keep men off from meddling in it above their Modell and so from any consequent trouble or danger if any such can be about it I have not heard ARMINIUS taxed for any such assertion which if he had held he had beene in the right The Question of Freewill so canvassed and discoursed of up and downe is indeed a point and so ever hath beene held of very great obscurity fitting rather Schooles than popular eares or auditories If it bee not an obscure Question what then meane those many and manifold intricated and distracted divisions amongst men touching Freewill the nature state condition of it since ADAM'S fall the power efficacy and extent thereof in naturall morall civill divine indifferent good bad determined indetermined acts the concurrence and cooperation thereof with grace the constitution and connexion thereof with necessity prescience providence predestination the decrees purposes and will of GOD Protestants and Papists together by the eares Papists at odds amongst themselves and Protestants with Protestants upon no better tearms To my capacity that is obscure which is so much intangled with contradictory disputations upon all hands and so much perplexed with oppositions BELLARMINE a man no disparagement to your worth of as strong a braine and piercing apprehension as eyther of you M. WARD and M. YATES or any new upstart Master in Israel of the pack confesseth that the Concurrence of Grace and Free-will is Res omnino difficilis fortassè in hâc vitâ incomprehensibilis which saying of his our Bishop MORTON I hope nor Papist nor Arminian disliketh not and remembreth withall out of BENIUS this De modo quo liberum arbitrium vel movetur vel movet ad exercitium boni clamant alij rem non posse in hâc vitâ percipi sed omnem ingenij humani captum superare OCHAM SA CAIETANUS ALII This is strange Arminianisme is it not CHAP. IX Controversies unnecessarily multiplied the AUTHOR no Favourer of them Questions of obscurity and speculation not fit for Pulpits popular eares Freewill made no such controversie among moderate men either of the Pontifician or Protestant side as people are borne in hand withall INFORMERS BUt M. MOUNTAGU saith It might better have beene omitted and overpassed in silence especially the differences hanging as they doe upon such niceties and the controverted particulars being of no great moment upon due examination CHAP. XVI pag. CVII MOUNTAGU I Must and do confesse I am of that mind and thinke so still that the idle fellow the Gagger had done much better had merited more at GOD and mens hands to speake in his owne language and deserved better of the Church and have done better service to GOD Almighty as also might the major part by much of his Side if they would bee more sparing in multiplying controversies and disputes and so in disquieting the peace of the Church in points of that nature which doe not so concerne the state of mans soule or his walking in the waies of GOD'S commandement or knowing of Him the onely true GOD and whom he hath sent IESUS CHRIST Now was ARMINIUS also of that opinion If he were not how am I or can I bee an ARMINIAN for this If he were of this opinion then hath hee been deeply wronged by you and others that make him an Incendiary a Bontifeu a Flabellum of faction and sedition so much undeservedly in both Church and State that charge him so deeply as you have done with troubling the Netherlands and endangering that State by moving Disputes about Prescience Perseverance Predestination universall Grace Free-will and losse of Faith And surely M. MOUNTAGU deserved a more moderate and lesse empassioned censure than to bee informed against for moving of sedition which toucheth deep and will beare I trowe an ACTION of the Case who hath evermore detested that humour of Innovators that take the disquieting of things established a sufficient hire to set them on work who for feare of offending that way concealed both his owne opinion often and sometime the doctrine of the Church which haply he should not have done Is hee therefore seditious because he refused to dispute discourse or talke de omni Ente to contest for every thing ut pro aris focis to make a Case of faith or conscience of every speculation or because hee professeth his dislike of multiplying controversies in those kindes which increase rather discord and troubles in Church and in State than serve to edification It is strange that for wishing advising and in his owne particular using and ensuing that moderation thereby not to engarboile the Church and disturb the course of piety he should so by you and yours be blamed accused and traduced for a PAPIST and an ARMINIAN calumniated almost in every Ordinary by your means for a dangerous driver at Popery and Sedition being with one breath in the selfe-same points blamed for being so temperate for saying no more for not mooving favouring fomenting unnecessary quarrels and disunions in questions of speculation and of obscurity advising rather to reserve them for and referre them to the Schools though your honest simplicity or PURE charity thought it fit to conceale this his moderate wish or advice rather than to thunder and lighten in your Pulpits with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by buzzing them into popular eares and capacities incapacious of them unable to comprehend them O vertiginem may I not well say that men should have such whirle-gigs in their brains and be so farre at variance with their owne wits as to imply contradiction in adjecto to charge M. MOUNTAGU because he had delivered such and such errors in Doctrine and yet to accuse him because he misliketh the delivering of such errors For in such and so great variety of errors or opinions touching free-will it may be that not one of them all is true but that more than one of them should be true it cannot be as CICERO spake in another case If OF the defenders of Free-will some beleeved not the necessity of grace which doctrine the IESUITES condemne of PELAGIANISME some denied that GOD can absolutely determine the will and are confuted by the most part some disliked that GOD should bee said by his exciting grace to work physically in man and are gaine-said by BENIUS as therein Adversaries unto Fathers and Councels some hold that GOD doth not morally determine the will and are excepted against by SUAREZ some gave to mans will in the Act of conversion an equality with yea a preeminence before grace and are therefore contradicted by others as repugnant unto Scriptures and to Fathers and finally some laboured to satisfie all doubts concerning the concurrence of grace and will and yet confesse they cannot assoile them as is confessed in these many words by the
Church of England promote informe against me spare not In Morboniam all the Councels of Trent in the world if there were ten thousand of them I forsake them all respectively such regard and awfull respect doe I beare unto my Mother the CHURCH of England You quote us the Homilies but it is at randome as if you spake it by Heare-say having never read them and no marvell for I think you dis-repute them as all of your Faction doe Serm. you say of Salvation There are three severall Homilies or as you call them Sermons of that argument with the Title of Salvation In all of them in any one of them shew me any contradiction unto any thing delivered against the Gagger or unto this Error as you call it of the change made in a justified man if you can You cite no words name no place send me to no Text Page nor particular by any direction that I may know where to finde what you intend A meer trick of juggling companions Marry I find some things in those Homilies which I dare say will not down nor digest with you as opposing some other dreames of your Side but I let them alone till opportune time But in the second Sermon of Repentance I finde directly in a man that is justified a change made faith the Homily The fourth part of Repentance is amendment of life or a new life in bringing forth fruits worthy of Repentance For they that doe truely repent them of their sinnes must be cleane abtered and CHANGED they must become new creatures they must be no more the same they were before Now look and compare M. MOUNTAGU'S private Popery with this publick Popery of the Church and goe give your selves the check for malice and indiscretion And afterward having instanced this doctrine in that memorable example of ZACHEUS'S conversion from his evill way of covetousnes and extortion as a common Customer the Homily concludeth with this Epiphonema concerning him thus Heer we see that after his repentance he was no more the same man he had been before but was clean CHANGED and altered It was so farre off that he would continue and abide still in his unsatiable covetousnesse or take ought away fraudulently from any man that hee was most ready and willing to give away his owne Go now and challenge M. MOUNTAGU for his Popery upon like case in like tearms almost delivered In the state of grace a man is just and a just man I hope none is but he that is already iustified when he is changed Which change of his consisteth in two things Privation of Being to that which was formerly in a naturall man the body of sinne and A new constitution unto GOD in another state namely of holinesse in life and conversation I know well enough what you are afraid of what you would say because you neyther understand your selves nor mee that doe not make this change the same with Iustification in the act but an incident instant necessarie consequent thereupon Goe then and befoole your selves for confusedly opposing common sense and reason and well knowne and confessed Divinity on all hands No reasonable man will denie a renewing in a justified man where are evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without alteteration or any other the least change of substance old things are made new saith ORIGEN in his Dialogue against the Marcionites which I have manuscript Nor do Reformed Churches dissent or differ as these Calumniators falsly suggest The Confession of Ausberge requireth novam vitam which is obedientia mandatis DEI and renovatio according to S. PAUL and that also so necessarily that qui admittunt actiones contra Conscientiam sint injusti nec SPIRITUM SANCTUM nec fidem retinent And for the maner I finde it thus Fide apprehenditur remissio Peccatorum quia per fidem accipitur SP. SANCTUS jam corde renovantur induunt novos affectus sic AMBROSIUS Fides bonae voluntatis justae actionis genitrix est In the confession of Saxony more direct In declaratione vocabuli justificari usitatè dicitur Iustificari significat ex injusto justum fieri quod rectè intellectum hic quoque quadrat And what that right understanding is ensueth fully and wholly M. MOUNTAGU'S Popery Ex injusto justum id est absolutum à reatu propter filium DEI id est apprehendentem fide ipsum CHRISTUM qui est justitia nostra quia EIUS merito habemus remissionem DEUS justitiam ejus nobis imputat propter EUM nos justos reputat dato SPIRITU SUO SANCTO nos vivificat regenerat a flat change And in the Belgick Confession yet fuller Credimus veram hanc Fidem unicuique nostrum inditam nos regenerare atque veluti novos homines efficere ut quos ad novam vitam vivendam excitet And in the French likewise Credimus nos qui Naturâ servi sumus peccati hac eadem fide intercedente in novam vitam regenerari Thus these Reformed Churches and so all the rest acknowledge a change in justified persons by the grace of sanctification I remembred before out of the Reverend and learned Deane of Carlile that we are farre from that absurd opinion wherewith our adversaries charge us that GOD in justification doth not change the minde You it seemeth are none of those WEE he speaketh of for he meant it of the publick authorised Doctrine of the Church of England and of Conformers unto the said Doctrine of that Church You have a Church or Conventicles of your owne and Consistoriall fancies it seemeth thence derived nor will you bee freed from that absurd opinion nor let the Church of England willingly be freed from it For if a man list to beleeve you before that Learned Man whose bookes the best amongst you is not worthy to follow or carrie after him in justified persons there is no change CHAP. VIII Strange Popery GOD only and properly justifieth INFORMERS PRoperly to speake saith he GOD only iustifieth who alone imputeth not but pardoneth sinne MOUNTAGU DEUS propter solum CHRISTUM passum resuscitatum propitius est peccatis nostris nec illa nobis imputat Imputat autem CHRISTI justitiam pro nostrâ It a ut jam simus non solùm mundati à peccatis purgati vel sancti good Popery is it not you shall have more of it sed etiam donati justitiâ CHRISTI absoluti à peccatis morte condemnatione justi denique ac haeredes vitae aeternae Thus much the Helvetian Confession against your former Information Now followeth expressely against this Propriè ergo loquendo DEUS solus nos iustificat english this M. YATES duntaxat propter CHRISTUM justificat non imputans nobis peccata sedimputans nobis ejus justitiam And yet you shall need not to english it it is ready englished unto your hands for have you forgot or rather have you read indeed that Homily you but now alledged against me