conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law To which they add Rom. 4. 2 3. and Ephes 2. 8 9. and say further Therefore because faith doth apprehend Christ our righteousness and doth attribute all to the praise of God in Christ in this respect Justification is attributed to faith chiefly because of Christ whom it receiveth and not because it is a work of ours for it is the gift of God Now that we do receive Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Joh. 6. where he putteth eating for believing But it is most clear in Joh. 1. 12. and believing for eating for as by eating we receive meat so by believing we are made partakers of Christ therefore we do not part the benefit of justification giving part to the grace of God or to Christ and a part to our selves our charity works or merit but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith And moreover our charity and our works cannot please God if they be done of such as are not just wherefore we must first be just before we can love or do any just works We are made just as we said through faith in Christ by the meer grace of God who doth not impute unto us our sins but imputeth unto us the righteousness of Christ yea and our saith in Christ is imputed for righteousness unto us The Church of Basil saith thus We confess the remission of siâ—â— through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it self in the works of charity and by this means is tried yet we do not attribute righteousness and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but only to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lamb of God shed for us There may be seen the Confessions of Faith of the Churches of Bohemia France Belgia or Holland Ausburg Saxony Wirtemberg Scotland to which might be added the Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland agreed upon Ann. 1615. in Articles 34 35 36 37. but they being almost the same verbatim with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England for brevities sake I forbear But I pray take and consider the Confession of Faith of England and Scotland made by the late learned and orthodox Assembly of Divines Chapter the eleventh of Justification Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of Justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love Now let any indifferent and judicious and impartial man compare this with the ancient Doctrine of the Church of England set down in her Books of Articles of Christian Religion and Homilies and then judg whether it be not more consonant thereunto and also to Sacred Canonical Scripture than is 1. Dr. H. Hammond's * Practical Catechism p. 1649. p. 31. p 41. p. 33. p. 29. who saith That sincere obedience with faith justifies mens persons before God Or 2. Dr. Sim. Patricks †Parab of Pilgrim p. 511. 〈◊〉 who saith That new obedience must go before we can expect to be justified by the grace of God And thus * p. 32. Suffer not your faith to rest no not on Christ till it animate you to a free and cheerful obedience to all his commands Which destroys the faith of adherence and founds Faith upon his own works and not solely upon Christ if he means as he must do an actual animation to such an obedience as he speaks of Who saith also That good works are * Friendly Debate p. 13 14. necessary to justification He must mean a priori and antecedent to Justification else he speaks not ad rem but cuffs the man of clouts of his own making for all men even those he pleads against hold that they necessarily follow it And that faith justifies as 't is effectual by love to our Saviour he must mean so else he answers not his question How can this be seeing we are justified by faith only very well saith he for it is not an idle ineffectual faith which justifies but that which works by love to our Saviour and love is the keeping of his Commandments Which implys that Faith justifies our persons before God either as 't is a work or as 't is working by love and so he makes good works * Mans righteousness cannot make himself righteous either in part or in whole Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 17. concauses at least with Faith of our Justification before God or that faith doth justifie our persons before God by good works of which Justification he would perhaps too have love the form as Papists would have it to be And this seems to be his meaning and of his Pilgrims guide to Jerusalem or rather to Rome because he faith It cannot be understood nor defined without works which implys that good works are of the constitutive essence of Faith Par. Pilgrim p. 139. and that all definitions of justifying faith that separate obedience from faith are but cheats and dangerous illusions And thence he derides the words recumbency adhesion rest acquiescence as lazie and slovenly expressions of Faith as justifying though our * Vrsin Catechism p. 27â— q. 21. p. 134. Bp. Davenants Determin 39. and of Justif c. 32 p. 411. Bp. Downham of Justif l. 6. c. 4. Dr. Ames Med. Theol. l. 1. c. 3 R. 4. Pareus in Act 15. 6. judicious learned and orthodox Divines have commonly used them in defining Faith as justifying Or 3. Mr. Fowler 's who saith That justifying faith is such a belief of the truth of the Gospel as includes a sincere resolution of obedience unto all its precepts or true holiness in the nature of it and that it justifies as it doth so Who saith also †Design of Christianity c. 19. p. 221 223. That this principle admitted viz. that faith justifies only as it apprehendeth the merits and righteousness of Christ gives advantage to Antinomianism Who saith That * Free Discourse part 1. p. 164. In the 160 page of his Free Discourse he saith that faith justifieth as it worketh by love And in p. 159. he saith it justifieth as it implieth obedience Justification is mostly
me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh Psal 27. 2. When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell Upon which words St. Augustine saith thus Carnes nostras manducant qui nos persequuntur they that persecute us do eat our flesh 5. They shall burn her with fire that is they shall consume and destroy her as she is a Whore that is as she is an Idolatrous false and Antichristian Church but whether they shall go to Rome her seat and burn that with material fire in order to the destruction of this Mystical Babylon is not certain yet I dare not positively determine against it because all I have read except one are for it But this is certain that they shall be zealous against her and against her false Doctrine and false Worship and her cunning undermining of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the pure Worship of Christ and the true interests and ends of Christianity and to that end countenance maintain and protect and promote true and pure Gospel-worship and Doctrine and the assertors thereof and discountenance and suppress such persons as labour by power or policy to advance Antichristian Doctrines practises and interests for they know that they have crafty treacherous cruel powerful and malicious enemies to deal with Rev. 16. 13 14. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the Cardinals Bishops Jesuits mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet For they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of the great day of God Almighty 3. By the principal Author of her destruction v. 17. And God shall put it into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled Hence some learned men have conceived that those Kings at least some of them that have hated the great Whore and made her desolate and naked and have eaten her flesh but have not burnt her with fire that is have not utterly consumed her Idolatries false Doctrines Hierarchy Vide King James his Paraphrase upon Revel 17. p. 56. Revel 18. 9. Ceremonies Images Altars Laws c. but have retained them upon such grounds as may easily bring them in love again with the great Whore shall again give up their power and strength and Kingdoms to the beast the great Whore rides and consequently to her and her abominations that have been rejected and the industrious actings of some men to reconcile the Greek and Protestant Churches to the Church of Rome have increased the fear of that opinion Now what God will do I know not but I know that mens not receiving the love of the truth and their having pleasure in unrighteousness is a just and provoking cause thereof 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. But I humbly conceive that though these words are placed immediately after the degrees of the great Whores destruction yet they do not necessarily imply that they shall agree again to give up their Kingdoms to the beast and so to the great Whore again but they are an assurance that God will make the ten horns or Kings Viis modis some one and some another way instrumental to destroy the great Whore as he hath promised And that because as what they did before in unanimously agreeing to give up their power and strength to the beast proceeded from God in his wise and wonderful Providence for the fulfilling of his words by his Prophets Dan. 7. 8 21 22 25 28. As he put it into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give their Kingdoms to the beast to uphold Idolatry superstition heresie and the Whores tyrannies and this in just judgment against them so now he who hath the hearts of Kings in his hands will alienate their hearts from the great Whore and incline their wills to agree to hate her and to make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and to burn her with fire God is able to do it and he will do it in his appointed time Dan. 7. 25. Rev. 18. 3 4 5 6 7 8. For strong is the Lord who judgeth her 4. Lastly the great Whore is described most plainly by her seat or chief place of residence and therein Society and Government v. 18. and that is Rome And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the Kings of the earth The Angel saw that there might be some that would in time suggest that other Cities were built upon seven Hills as Bishop Mountague in favour some think of the great Whore saith Constantinople is therefore prevents this Evasion and saith that the City where the great Whore of Babylon sits is that great City which did in St. John ' s time reign over the Kings of the earth he speaks of her in the present tense which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Now Constantinople was not then in being as it is now and hath been since Constantine of Byzantium made it the Head of the Oriental Empire and enlarged it and called it Constantinople and it did not reign then in St. John's time over the Kings of the earth as Rome did and therefore it cannot be this great City Rome did in St. John's time and long after reign over the Kings of the earth as Poets Fathers * Ribera Bellarmine Cornel. a Lapide and Papists themselves acknowledg it 's a shame for Protestants to question much more to deny it But this Woman succeeds in that City and Polity to govern it and the whole Empire as it is a beast This Woman is not a singular person but a City or Polity and society of men governing in that great city Rome which in St. John's time did reign over the Kings of the earth the whole Empire So now this great Whore there sits and rides the beast the Empire at least it did so as Idolatrous as in St. John's time the Woman the great city of Rome not the walls houses and streets but the citizens and not every one of them but the Rulers the Emperours Senators and Officers ruled that great city reigned over it and over the Kings of the earth so now the Woman the great Whore the Pope the two-horned beast and his Cardinals and Clergy and Officers reign or at least did so over the Kings of the earth which is ascribed to the whole Ciey because the Head and Officers and Rulers thereof did and do it And this Seat of this Babylonical beast or great Whore or Antichrist may be found in his number 666 as Dr. More in his Synopsis Apocalyptica relates of which he Synops Apocalyp l. 1. c. 15. Sec. 10. p. 314 saith he hath treated largely in his Mystery of Godliness
your abundant modesty to call A. B. Vsher Bishop Downham Bishop Davenant Mr. Perkins Pemble Dr. Ames and many others of our own learned orthodox Divines besides many more of foreign Countries consider not Faith as 't is the principle of good works but according to its proper office as justifying which is to rest trust upon to receive and apply and so in that office it actually needs no good works or vertues to be coupled with it because it is but the souls instrument to apprehend and apply the righteousness of Christ that is freely offered in the Gospel to it self and which no other grace or work of man doth or can do as was shewed before * Dr. Patrick calls this I am nought I have nought his Pilgrims charm Par. Pilgr p. 283. Which sure is not so good a comparison as Mr. T. W. his painted post is of an hypocrite condemned by him in his Debate He that will be Christs disciple must deny himself and his own righteousness as Paul did Phil. 3. 7. 8 9. Christ will be a whole Saviour or none at all He that comes to Christ for justification with his own good works in his hand doth in effect say that he hath in truth some but not much need of him and his righteousness and thereby he incapacitates himself to lay hold upon and receive Christ and his merits for inâ—us existens prohibet extraneum he must let go his own works before he can apprehend and relye only upon Christs merits as he must do as was evidenced before out of the Doctrine of our Church of England which saith * Hom of Salv. of Mank p. 17. We must trust only in Gods mercy and that sacrifice which our high Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God once offered for us upon the Cross to obtain thereby Gods grace For further and fuller confutation of this gross and most Antichristian error not to say heresie as Dr. Slater calls it I refer you back to what I have alledged out of the Church of Englands Books of Homilies and Articles of Religion upon the serious reading of which and their Books and comparing them together all judicious and sound Christians will find that there is great cause for all men to take heed of their Books as of cheats and dangerous illusions to use Dr. Patrick's words by which they have defamed the sincere and sound professors and assertors of the true and pure Protestant Religion which to do their learned Dr. H. More in his Mystery * Lib. 2. c. 13. p. 〈◊〉 This saith he must needs be very antichristian and uncharitable to misrepresent mens actions and opinions in publick speeches or writings or invent notorious lyes or fictions in the disparagement of mens persons and Doctrines and suborn men to write them and divulge them to the world for truths which is to do as was the custome of those who were under the Dragon that old Serpent and false accuser of the ancient Primitive Christians c. of Iniquity saith is one part of Antichristianism and cunningly under the pretence of confuting the errors and reproving the follies and infirmities of Nonconforming Protestants to those errors and impositions and modes of worship and government which they profess they like very well have printed what they have preached I cannot tell not to say Arminian Socinian but Popish Errors contrary to the express word of God and the sound and clear Doctrine of the Church of England to which 't is believed they have subscribed if not declared their assent and consent yea even that antifundamental error or rather heresie of Justification of sinners persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works and thereby slighted our free Justification by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ apprehended and applied alone by true Faith in Jesus Christ which is in effect denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ as their Dr. More shews in his Mystery of Iniquity and is obvious to every man that fully understands what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and that is not resolved virtually to deny Christ to be come in the flesh and to profess himself to be fallen from grace as the Apostle speaks 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3. Gal. 5. 4. From all which I shall not peremptorily conclude any thing but only ask this question as Dr. Patrick Friendly Debate pag. 2 3. doth Can he be a good subject a good * Hom. of Salvat of Mankind p. 16 17. before quoted and alledged Christian and a Minister of Christ that doth so To conclude 't is true that good works do either actually or habitually accompany a true justifying Faith or do follow a justified person but they have no hand or efficiency at all in the justification of a sinners person before God as the Doctrine of the Church of England plainly shews We are justified by Faith with works associativè but not by Faith and works copulativè that is we are justified by that Fâ—â—â—h that is accompanied with works but not by the works that do accompany it as concauses with it thereof but by faith alone because that only and no other vertue grace or work doth or can do it apprehends and applies that which doth justifie our persons before God viz. Christs righteousness ART IV. That Faith that doth justifie sinners persons before God is a bare and naked assent to the truth of Gods word and that so and as an act habit or work in us it justifies THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homily of the Salvation of Mankind p. 17. which saith thus The true meaning of this Doctrine We be freely justified by faith without works is not that this our own act to believe in Christ or that this faith in Christ which is within us doth justifie us For that were to count our selves to be justified by some act or vertue that is within our selves but the true meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have faith we must renounce the merit of our said vertues c. And in the Homily of Christs Death and Passion T. 2. part 2. p. 1â—7 thus The only mean or instrument of Salvation required of our part is faith that is a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God c. ut supra where 't is clear that the faith that doth justifie us is not a bare notitia or knowledg of and assensus assent unto the truth of Gods word but also as our sound Divines do hold and maintain Bishop Davenant Determ 37. fiducia a sure trust and confidence in Gods mercy c. So also in Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 20. A true and right Christian is not only to believe the holy Scriptures and all the Articles of our Christian Faith that is to assent to them but also to have a sure trust and confidence
have quoted your own approved Authors Take therefore the Confession of Protestant Churches in this matter 1. The Confession of Belgia who Article 22 say thus Yet to speak properly we do not mean that faith by it self or of it self doth justifie us which is but only an instrument whereby we apprehend Christ which is our justice Christ therefore himself is our righteousness which imputeth all his merits unto us faith is but the instrument whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits 2. See also the Confession of Ausburg who say thus When therefore we do say that we are justified by faith we do not mean that we are just for the worthiness of that vertue but this is our meaning that we do obtain remission of sins and imputation of righteousness by mercy shewed us for Christs sake But now this mercy cannot be received but by faith and faith doth not signifie here only a knowledg of the History but it signifieth a belief of the promise of mercy which is granted us through our Mediator Jesus Christ And seeing that faith is in this sort understood of a * Not of a strong fancying as Mr. Fowler saith they do Free Discourse p. 127 p. 130 confidence and trust of mercy St. Paul and St. James do not disagree for whereas James saith the Devils believe and tremble he speaketh of an Historical faith now this faith doth not justifie for the wicked and the Devils are cunning in the History But Paul when he saith faith is reckoned for righteousness heâ— speaketh of a trust and confidence of mercy promised for Christs sake whom we must receive by faith And so it goes on Harmony of Confessions Sect. the ninth 3. And the Synod of Dort in the second Chapter and fourth Error rejected the Synod having delivered the Orthodox Doctrine rejecteth the Errors of them Who teach that the New Covenant of Grace which God the Father by the Mediation of Christs death made with men doth not consist herein viz. That we are justified before God and saved by faith in so much as it apprehends the merits of Christ but herein viz. That God the exaction of perfect legal obedience being abrogated reputes faith it self and the imperfect obedience of faith for perfect obedience of the Law and graciously thinks it worthy of the reward of eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3. 24 25. All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And with wicked Socinus they bring in an uncouth and strange justification of man before God Arminians Socinians and Papists agree in this Antichristian Doctrine contrary to the consent of the whole Church 4. The Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland made as Dr. Heylin saith by A B. Vsher and assented and consented to by the whole Clergy there and allowed and confirmed by the Parliament there and by King James here Anno 1615 When we say that we are justified by faith only we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man without true repentance hope charity and the fear of God for such a faith is dead and cannot justifie Neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ or this our faith in Christ which is within us doth of it self justifie us or deserve our Justification unto us for that were to account our selves to be justified by the vertue or dignity of something that is within our selves but the true understanding and meaning thereof is that although we hear Gods word and believe it although we have Faith Hope Charity Repentance and the fear of God within us and add never so many good works thereunto yet we must renounce the merit of all our said vertues of Faith Hope Charity and all other vertues and good deeds which we either have done shall do or can do as things that be far too weak and unperfect and unsufficient to deserve remission of our sins and our justification and therefore we must trust only in Gods mercy and the merits of his most dearly beloved Son our only Redeemer Saviour and Justifier Jesus Christ Nevertheless because Faith directly sends us to Christ for our Justification and that by faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercy and the remission of our sins which thing none other of our vertues or works properly doth therefore the Scripture useth to say that faith without works and the ancient Fathers of the Church to the same purpose that only faith doth justifie us By justifying faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a perswasion of the truth of Gods word in general but also a particular application of the gracious promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his only Sons sake Articles 36. 37. This is almost the same that I have before alledged out of our Books of Homilies 6. I shewed before the Confession of Faith of the Church of Scotland to be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the late learned and Orthodox Assembly of Divines That God doth freely justifie those whom he hath effectually called not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of believing or any â—ther Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness C. 11. And in their larger Catechism p. 95. which would be very useâ—ul and profitable not only for all young Students but also for our â—roud conceited Photinian Divines to study they shew how Faith doth â—ustifie Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other graces which do always accompany it or of good works that are the fruits of it nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his Justification but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness Gal. 3. 11. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 5. with Rom. 10. 10. Joh. 1. 12. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 2. 16. I conclude this particular with what Cicero said Oratio 19. to Cataline Nihil horum ora vultusque movêre ART V. That the persons of true Believers in Christ are not justified before God by the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ imputed to them on Gods part and apprehended and applied by faith alone on their part THIS I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 11th Article of Religion We are accounted righteous before God only
Writer of our Church have been delivered to us and we reject the sâ—â— of the Jesuits Arminians and all others wherein they differ frâ—â— us To be seen in Dr. Heylins Cyprianus Anglicus l. 3. p. 190. Aâ— the Parliament afterward declared 〈◊〉 presly the Articles of Lambeth to be 〈◊〉 Articles of Lambeth declared to be the Doctrine of the Church of England Doctrine of this Church of England 〈◊〉 that all that did oppose them were to 〈◊〉 called in question which declaratioâ— Heylin informs us of in his Cyp. Angliâ—â— l. 3. p. 197. The Synod of Dort in which were several of our Learnâ—â— and Orthodox Divines as Bishop Carleton Davenant Hall Dr. Ward Dr. Belcanquall in their 1st Chapter and 9th Article say thus This said Election was made not upon foresight of faith and the obedience of faith holiness or of any other good quality or disposition as a cause or condition before required in men to be chosen but unto faith and the obedience of faith holiness c. and therefore Election is the fountain of all saving-good from whence faith holiness and the residue of saving-gifts lastly everlasting life it self do flow as the fruits and effects thereof according to that of the Apostle Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us not because we were but that we should be holy and without blame before him in love And therefore Error the 5th they reject as erroneous the Doctrine of them who teach That the incompleat and not peremptory Election We deny any such incompleat Election of singular persons is made by reason of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness begun or continued for some time but the compleat and peremptory Election by reason of the final perseverance of foreseen Faith Repentance Sanctity and Godliness and this is the gracious and evangelical worthiness by which he that is chosen becomes worthier than he that is not chosen and therefore that faith the obedience of faith sanctity godliness and perseverance are not the fruits and effects of unchangeable Election unto glory but conditions and causes sine quibus non that is to say without which a thing is not brought to pass before required and foreseen as already performed by those who are compleatly to be chosen A thing repugnant to the whole Scripture which everywhere beats into our ears and hearts these and such-like sayings Rom. 9. 11. Election is not of works but of him that calleth Act. 13. 48 As many as were ordained unto life-eternal believed Ephes 1. 4 He hath chosen us that we should be holy John 15. 16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Rom. 11. 6 If of grace not of works 1 John 4. 10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son c. The Church of Scotland saith That those of manking that are predestinated unto life God before the foundations of the world were laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free-grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving hiâ— thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace Whiâ—â— Confession may be seen in the Confession of Faith made by the 〈◊〉 learned Assembly of Divines c. 3. Art 5. 4. 'T is contrary to the Doctrine and Confession of our godly Maâ—tyrs Robert Clover Master of Arts and Martyr in answer to 〈◊〉 Devil objecting against him his own unworthiness saith That 〈◊〉 Fathers before him were no bringers of any goodness to Goâ— but altogether receivers they choâ—â— not God first but God chose thâ—â— Fox his Acts and Monuments in one Folio p. 1618. 2 Col. first they loved not God first 〈◊〉 he loved them first yea he boâ—â— loved and chose them when thâ—â— were his enemies full of sin and corruption and void of 〈◊〉 goodness And that stout and learned and orthodox Martyr Mr. John Philpot in answer to Dr. Saverson and saying thâ—â— Where is there one of your Synagogues of Rome that ever hâ—â— been able to answer any of the godly learned Ministers of 〈◊〉 many who have disclosed your counterfeit Religion Which 〈◊〉 you all at this day is able to answer Calvins Institutions whâ—â—â— is Minister of Geneva To whom Dr. Saverson said A goâ—â— Minister indeed of Cut-purses and Runnagate Traitors and of 〈◊〉 I can tell you there is such contention fallen between him and 〈◊〉 own Sects that he was fain to fly 〈◊〉 Town * A gross lye or mistake which Hooker in his Preface to his Eccles Pol. confutes about Predestination 〈◊〉 whom and which John Philpot 〈◊〉 swereth thus I am sure you blaspheâ—â— that godly man and that godly Câ—â— where he is Minister as it is your Churches condition when you 〈◊〉 not answer men by learning to oppress them with blasphemies and 〈◊〉 reports for in the matter of Predestiâ—â—tion * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1697. 2 Col. HE IS IN NO OTHER OPINION THAN ALL THE DOCTORâ— OF THE CHURCH BE AGREEING TO THE SCRIPTURES Mark 〈◊〉 words for the matter of Predestination he that is Calvin is of 〈◊〉 other opinion than all the Doctors of the Church be and agreeiâ—â— to the Scriptures And in answer to the Bishop of Coventrey 〈◊〉 said plainly thus * Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1721. 1 Col. I allow the Church of Geneva and the Doctrine of the same for it is una Catholica Apostolica and doth follow the Doctrine the Apostles did teach And when his Keeper at Newgate his old acquaintance promised him all kindness and favour if he would recant his Heresie he answered resolutely and plainly thus I will never recant whilest I have my life that which I have spoken for Fox Acts and Monuments in one Volume p. 1722. 2 Col. it is a most certain truth and in witness whereof I will seal it with my blood which he did few days after Now what Calvin held concerning Predestination in general may be seen at large in his Institutions and what of this one particular may be found there lib. 3. c. 22. Sect. 1 2 3. clear against the Doctrine of Papists concerning Gods electing man to salvation for his foreseen faith c. and Sect. 6. may be seen his Doctrine clearly against Popish and Arminian Writers exposition of the 9th Chapter to the Romans where Mr. Fowlers shifts and glosses are answered too which he hath cunningly and perniciously inserted in pag. 263 c. of his free Discourse too large now here to be inserted I have been the larger in setting down these Confessions because Archbishop Laud in his too much applauded Relation of his Conference with Fisher p. 36. saith thus The Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion
that they 〈◊〉 things indifferent which may be abâ—sed or well used Answ This 〈◊〉 yielded in part Flowers are wrougâ—â— in Carpets Arras and Pictures 〈◊〉 Princes printed or stamped in theâ—â— Coyns which when Christ did see in the Roman Coyn we read 〈◊〉 that he reprehended it neither do we condemn the art of Painting and Image-making as wicked of themselves but we would grant them that Images used for no Religion or Superstition rather we mean Images of none worshipped nor in danger to be worshipped of any may be suffered But Images placed publickly in Temples cannot possibly be without danger of worshipping and Idolatry wherefore they are not publickly to be had or suffered in Temples The Jews to whom the Law was first given and should best know the meaning of it would not suffer Images publickly to be in the Temple at Jerusalem though no worshipping was required at their hands but rather offered themselves to death than to assent that Images should be once placed in the Temple neither would they suffer any Image-maker among them And Origen added this clause lest their minds should be plucked from God to the contemplation of earthly things And they are much commended for this earnest zeal in maintaining Gods honour and true Religion P. 45. And truth it is that Jews and Turks who abhor Images and Idols as directly forbidden in Gods Word will never come to the truth of our Religion while the stumbling-blocks of Images remain among us and lie in their way And P. 49. What meaneth it that Christians after the use of the Gentiles Idolaters cap and knee before Images is not this stooping and kneeling before them adoration of them which is forbidden so directly by Gods Word P. 50. Satan desiring to rob God of his honour desireth exceedingly that such honour might be given to him wherefore those which give the honour due to the Creator to any creature do service acceptable to no Saints who be the friends of God but unto Satan Gods and mans mortal and sworn enemy Obj. But they say that they do not worship the Image as the Gentiles did their Idols but God and the Saints whom the Images do represent and therefore that their doings before Images are not like the Idolatry of the Gentiles before their Idols Answ 'T is answered thus St. Augustine Lactantius and Clemens do prove evidently that by this their answer they be all one with the Gentiles-Idolaters The Gentiles saith St. Augustine which seem to be of the purer Religion say We worship not the Images but by the corporal Images we do behold the signs of the things which we ought to worship And Lactantius saith the Gentiles say we fear not the Images but them after whose likenesses the Images be made and to whose names they be consecrated And Clemens saith that Serpent the Devil uttereth these words by the mouth of certain men We to the honour of the invisible God worship visible Images which surely is not false See how in using the same excuses which the Gentile-Idolaters pretended they shew themselves to join with them in Idolatry For notwithstanding this excuse Augustine Lactantius and Clemens prove them Idolaters And the Scriptures say they worship stocks and stones notwithstanding this excuse even as our Image-mongers do And Ezekiel therefore calleth the gods of the Assyrians stocks and stones although they were but Images of their gods So are our Images of God and the Saints named by the names of God and his Saints after the use of the Gentiles What should it mean that they according as did the Gentile-Idolaters light Candles at noon-time or at midnight before them but therewith to honour them for other use is none of so doing for in the day it needeth not but was ever a Proverb of foolishness to light a candle at noon-day And in the night it availeth not to light a candle before the blind and God hath neither use nor honour thereof By which it appeareth that Are not Tapers appearances of the same Religion to be abstained from as well as candles we do agree with the Gentile-Idolaters in our Candle-Religion And P. 52. As the Gentiles so our Image-maintainers have invented and spread many lying-tales and written many Fables and Miracles of Images And P. 53. Among the holy Relicks they have they say the tayl of the Asse on which our Saviour rode which they offer to be kissed and to be offered unto And P. 55. The having of Images in Churches publickly hath not only brought us to worshipping of them but to worshipping of them with the same kind of worship wherewith they worship the Copy as the Homily shews out of Naclaâ—tus Bishop of Clugium And P. 56. the Homily saith thus Having shewed and proved that our Images have been be and will be worshipped and by their own confession that they ought to be worshipped I will out of Gods Word make this general argument against all such makers setters up and maintainers of Images in publick places thus And first I will begin with the words of our Saviour Christ Wo be to that man by whom an offence is given Wo be to him that * Is there not the same reason against Popish Ceremonies and other unnecessary things offendeth one of these little ones or weak ones Mat. 18. Better were it for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the sea and drowned than that he should offend one of these little ones or weak ones And in Deut. 27. God himself denounceth him accursed that maketh the blind to wander out of the way And in Levit. 19. Thou shalt not lay a stumbling-block or stone before the blind But Images have been be and as afterwards shall be proved ever * May not the same be said of Popish Ceremonies Con the Popes Nuncio brought with him into England in A. B. Laud ' s reign many Reliques of Saints Medals and pieces of gold with the Popes picture on them to seduce the Ladies of the Court and Country Heylin ' s Cyp. Angl. l. 4. p. 358. will be offences and stumbling-blocks especially to the weak simple and blind common people deceiving their hearts by the cunning of the Artificer as the Scripture expresly in sundry places doth testifie and so bringeth them to Idolatry and therefore wo be to the erector setters up and maintainers of Images in Churches for a greater penalty remaineth for them than the death of the body Obj. If it be replied that this offence may be taken away by diligent and sincere doctrine and preaching of Gods Word as by other means and that Images in Churches therefore be not things absolutely evil to all men although dangerous to some and therefore that it were to be holden that the publick having of them in Churches is not expedient as a thing perilous rather than unlawful and utterly wicked Ans This will be answered by proving the third Article which
the pure Word of God as they do in Ecclesiasticus 25. which is appointed to be read only to the 13 verse And in Ecclâ—s 30. which is to be read only to 18th verse And Ecclâ—s 46. which is to be read only to v. 20. where the 20th verse which saith That Samuel prophesied after his death and shewed the King his death and lift up his voice from the earth to prophesie to blot out the wickedness of the people is omitted because as I suppose the ancient Fathers have judged it to be contrary to the pure Word of God and if upon that account that be left out 't is thought that upon the same account Chap. 48. should be cut off at v. 13. or that left out which saith that nothing as the old Translation and as Junius hath it ulla res or as the last hath it No word could overcome Elizeus and that after his death his body prophesied For every Book of the Apocrypha hath falshoods in Doctrine or History as the learned †Sum of Christ Relig. p. 14. 15. A. B. Vsher saith and shews in many particulars in every Book where 't is observed by him and Jerome and Bishop * Fascic controv c. 1. q. 2. p. 14. Prideaux that Philo the Jew who lived since Christ is judged the Author of the Book of Wisdom though he would make the world believe that †See the Title and c. 9. the old Translation Solomon was the Author of it Now I pray give me leave to propose to the godly wife some few passages I have glanced upon in reading that Book whether they are agreeable to Gods pure Word 1. Whether that be true and agreeable to Sacred Scripture That God made not death Wisd 1. 13. seeing it is said Gen. 2. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto all men once to die and after that to judgment Pray who but God hath appointed it and whether God may not as well be said to make death as darkness Gen. 1. Exod. 10. 21 22. Josh 24. 7. Psal 104. 20. Thou makest darkness 2. Whether there be no poyson of destruction in any of Gods creatures as 't is said there is not Wisd 1. 14. seeing Adders Asps Serpents Toads Spiders c. have poyson in them as is evident Deut. 34. 24 33. Job 20. 16. Psal 58. 4. Psal 140. 3. Rom. 3. 13. And was not King John poysoned to death 3. Whether that be a true and a good expression and agreeable to Gods pure Word which is in Wisd 2. 2. For we are born at all adventures in the Latin 't is thus Casu nati sumus i. e. We are born by chance Seeing the expression sounds very ill among Christians who deny chance and ascribe all events to Gods Providence the Scriptures indited by the infallible Magic Phis l. 1. c. 3. p. 57. Spirit of God being the rule alone for Doctrine and manners to them saying That a sparrow doth not fall to the ground without the Providence of God and that our hairs are numbred Mat. 10. 29 30. And that God begat us and formed us Deut. 32. 18. Isa 44. 2. And Job telle us that God brought him out of the womb Job 10. 18. Now I hope you will not say that God doth cause any thing by chance or at all peradventure because all things are ordered and come to pass according to the counsel of God Act. 2. 23. Act. 4. 28. and the †Sum of Christian Relig. p. 109 110. Reverend and learned A. B. Vsher whom we Christians should credit more than Philo the Jew saith expresly That nothing cometh to pass by meer hap or chance but as God in his eternal knowledg and just will hath decreed before should come no pass And that of wise Solomon Prov. 16. 33. is very remarkable The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. 2. The words are not true quoad nos homines but sound very ill in the School of Philosophy as well as of Divinity for Philosophers tell us That chance is a cause by accident of those things which are undertaken without election or counsel and an effect by accident is that which doth happen besides the intention of the agent And they make this difference between Fortune and Chance That fortune is ascribed to those things that are endued with reason and will as when a man digs a Well and finds a treasure finding the treasure an effect they say iâ— by accident and is by them ascribed to Fortune And Chance they say is a cause of the events which do happen about things that are destitute of will and reason as when a glass falls from a table upon the ground yet is not broken this they say is an effect by accident and is by them ascribed to Chance But now we have reason and will when we are born and our parents also who are the chief agents in our birth have reason and will and do act in our births not only as natural agents but also as rational creatures and are causes by themselves of our births for they do effect Causae per se our births by their own faculty that is by nature or counsel and they do not effect our births by accident by a strange faculty that is besides the propension of nature or purpose of mind neither do we our selves in our births so act for we have a natural inclination when our Months are finished to be born and our Parents have the like natural propension to bring us forth and therefore we cannot be truly said to be born by chance or at all adventure or by fortune and if so then our births should be effects by accident that is happen besides the intention and expectation of the agent which cannot be for our birth is intended and expected 3. Besides too I do not remember the word applied to all among us but only to bastards who indeed in our common discourse are said to come or to be born by chance but untruly too as is shewed above But this sense would sound very ill among us if applied to all persons how to make a true and good sense of the words I know not 4. Whether that be an universal truth and agreeable to Gods word in Wisd 3. 12 13. to be read October 14. speaking of the ungodly that despise wisdom thus Their wives are foolish and their children wicked and their off-spring cursed Was not Abigail the wife of churlish drunken ingrateful Nabal a wise and chaste woman who by her prudence pacified incensed David and saved her husbands and servants lives and restrained him from shedding innocent blood And was Jonathan the Son of Saul a wicked man and cursed was King Hezekiah the Son of wicked King Ahaz a wicked and cursed child Is it not directly contrary to Gods pure Word which shews that Ahaz was a
wicked man and that Hezekiah was an eminently godly man and King as may be seen 2 King 16. 20. 2 King 18. 2 Chron. 〈◊〉 ult 2 Chron. 29. 2 Chron. 30. 2 Chron. 31. 20. And was Abijah the Son of wicked Jeroboam who made Israel to sin a wicked child and curseâ— off-spring Doth not the Lord say of him thus That all Israel 〈◊〉 mourn for him for he only shall come to the grave because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 King 14. 13. Doth it not hence follow that none of the wives of wicked men are wise and none of their children shall be saved â—nd it will not shift it off by saying that the words are only indefinite and sound no more but this that some wicked mens wiveâ— are foolish that is light and wanton and that some of wicked mens children are wicked and cursed for so it may be said of truly godly mens wives and children as we may see in Davids and Solomons and then what punishment or discouragement is this more to the ungodly than to the godly and therefore that is not the sense and was not the meaning of the Author but the former which is false and not agreeable to Gods pure word of truth 5. Whether that in Wisd 3. 16 17 18 19 verses be agreeable to the pure word of God which is As for the children of adulterers they shall not come to their perfection and the seed of an unrighteous bed shall be rooted out for though they live long yet shall they be nothing regarded and their last age shall be without honour or if they die quickly they have no hope neither comfort in the day of trial For horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation Now I pray are these things universally true of Bastards or not that they are not so 〈◊〉 A. B. Vsher saith of this see his cruel sentence against Bastards Sum. of Ch. Relig. pag. 16. consider 1. That Jephthah was a bastard Judg. 11. 1 2. and yet he came to his perfection and though he was cast out so as he did not inherit his fathers land yet he lived long and he was regarded and his last age was with honour for he was a valiant vertuous and victorious man and was chosen first by the Gileadites to be General of all their forces and afterward he was chosen Judg of all Israel and he ruled Israel six years ond he had hope and comfort in the day of tryal for he is reckoned by the Apostle amongst those believing worthies of whom he saith that the world was not worthy of them Heb. 11. 32 38. he was endued with the spirit of prudence and fortitude yea and was a truly godly man as appears by his prudent and just dealing with the Ammonites and his conscientious keeping of his rash vow though 't was so much against his own interest and disadvantageous to his only child And his death was not more horrible than other mens the Scripture speaks no evil of his death as it doth of several wicked mens Sauls Ahabs Achitophels Jehorams Jezabels and Judas's and others but only that he died after he had judged Israel six years and that he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead his own country 2. 'T is against the express Text of Scripture and scope of the Spirit of God in Ezek. 18. 4 8 17 20. which saith That it shall be no more said that the parents have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edg For the soul that sinneth it shall die The children shall not be punished for the fathers fault 3. Adulterers and Adulteresses that were infamous by their own fault have had hope and have been saved as we may see in K. David and Rahab and therefore sure Bastards that are not infamous through their own default but only as such through the sin of their Parents may have hope and may through Gods mercy upon their repentance for their own sins and faith in Christ be saved too eternally 4. If this of Philo were universally true then no man could ordinarily be fully perswaded and sure of his Salvation which is a Doctrine that may bring true born children into an uncomfortable condition and make them almost without hope and bring them to a terrible end 5. Pharez the son of Judah begotten adulterously upon â—is Daughter-in-law Tam. r was a bastard Ceâ— 38 and yet was no 〈◊〉 miserable person as the Author of the Book of Wisdom describes a bastard to be For he was a hopeful yea a blessed man God so blessed Pharez that among the Posterity of Judah it was said in craving a blessing on a family Let thy house be like the house of Pharez whom Tamar bare unto Judah Ruth 4. 12. Yea he was honoured with being one of our Lord and Saviour Christs Progenitors according to his humane nature as ye may see by comparing Ruth 4. 18 19 20 21 22. 1 Chron. 2. 4 5. Mat. 1. 3. Luk. 3 33. 6. Whether that in Wisd 8. 19 20. said to be spoken of Solomon as the The ninth Chapter is called Solomon's Prayer in the old Translation words preceding and succeeding shew be agreeable to Gods pure word viz. For I was a witty child and had a good spirit yea rather being good I came into a body undefiled and do not rather savour of much base pride and be not directly contrary to true Solomon's Doctrine Prov. 27. 2 Let another man praise thee and not thy own mouth a stranger and not thine own lips and do not smell very rankly of the * Upon this account Bishop Prideaux condemns this Book Fascic controv c. 1. q. 2. p. 14. Pythagoreans and the Pharisees error who held That the souls of good men when they die go not immediately to heaven and there remain but into the bodies of other good men as †De Bello Judaico l. 2. c. 7. Josephus relates of the Pharisees Yea and do not virtually deny original sin for he saith that he had a good spirit which I take to be meant of his soul for 't is in the Latin Bonam animam fortitus eram and that he was good i. e. of a good soul and that he came into a body undefiled i. e. with sin what else is or can be the meaning For I am of their opinion that hold that the first sin of Adam our common father was and is imputed to all us his posterity descending from him by ordinary generation and that we naturally want that original righteousness which was in Adam and that we are prone to sin which proneness to sin is propagated to us by or with the seed of our Parents Of which to discourse here would take up too much time and paper but this I do but hint I intend the Pharisees error which I conceive is not agreeable to the pure Word of God in Zach. 12. 1.
Homilies fit to be read in publick to teach people manners 3. That they do not explain * Ecclesiasticus or the Book of Wisdom saith the first Prologue to it contains many dark sentences and parables many things in the Canonical Scripures but are as obscure as I hinted before the 24th Chapter of Ecclesiasticus is and might be manifested in many more yea they obscure the holy Scriptures and render them doubtful yea they are contrary to the Canonical A. B. Vsher Sum of Ch Relig p. 15. and Diodate say and shew that Baruch is contrary to Sacred Scripture and in 2 Mac. 12. 42 43 44 45. is prayer for the Dead which is condemned by all our sound Divines Scriptures 4. If their conformity to the Canonical Scriptures for the most part be a sufficient reason for their appointment to be read in publick I humbly conceive that there might be found many Nonconformists works as Mr. Allen's Vindiciae Pietatis Mr. Ball 's Catechism a Treatise of the Covenant Mr. Burrough his four Treatises Mr. Dod upon the Commandments Dr. Jacomb upon Rom. 8. Mr. Jeanes his mixture of Scholastical with Practical Divinity wherein he hath clearly worsted your great Goliahs Dr. Hamond and Dr. Taylor Dr. Manton's work upon James and Jude Dr. Spurstow of the Promises Mr Watson's Sermons and many others which I name not because I have not read them more conformable to the pure word of God than these Apocryphal Books but especially the learned Assembly of Divines their larger and shorter Catechisms and Confession of Faith commended by learned A B. Vsher as the best that ever were made by any Church since the Apostles times in which I believe the severest Conformist that is cannot by all his wit and learning clearly prove by Canonical Scripture any error either concerning Faith or manners and therefore sure if the Bishops reason be good they are more fit and profitable to be appointed to be read and taught in publick than the Apocryphal Books that are appointed by our Bishops 5. Papists 't is to be feared will say that Th. Aquinas his Sums and Pet. Lumbard his Sentences collected out of the ancient Fathers are for the most part conformable to the Canonical Scriptures and that therefore by our Bishops reason they may be read as well as the Sacred Scriptures at least for instruction for manners what they will say for their lying Legends as Protestants commonly call them I know not but I am sure that several of our learned Protestants as well as Jerome and Augustine of old look upon Tobit and Judith the History of Susanna Bell and the Dragon to be but Comedies Romances or feigned Stories such as the Popish Legends are A B. * Sum of Christian Relig. p. 15 16. Vsher calls many of the Apocryphal Books fables Bishop †Fascic contr cap. 1. q. 2. pag. 16. Prideaux saith 't is uncertain whether Tobit Judith the fragments of Susanna Bell and the Dragon are not rather to be taken for Comedies or fictions than true Narrations Diodate in his Advertisement concerning Apocryphal Books saith That the matter of the Book is full of strange Narrations that have neither ground nor conformity with Authentical Scripture as those of the love of a Devil to a chaste and holy maiden of the death of her husbands of the manner of driving him away of binding him to a certain place of the long conversâ—â—â— of the holy Angel with him things which do savour of a Jewish fable composed for delight to give some instruction of vertue according to the manner of that Nation which seems to be confirmed because neither in Josephus a curious searcher of Jewish Antiquities as Bishop Prideaux assures me nor any other Jewish Author there is any tract of this History That Judith is a feigned Narration he proves by undeniable Arguments The Additions to Daniel of which the Song of the three Children is part part of which was gotten into our Common-Prayer-Book in the Benedicite and the History of Susanna and Bell and the Dragon are other parts Aman. Polanus affirms that St. Jerome Polan Syntag. l. 1. c. 34. p. 63. and Augustine call them Fables Obj. But Bishop Prideaux saith further in answer to this Objection That Canonical Scriptures are laid by and Apocryphals substituted in their stead to be read in publick That in eading that is not always proposed which 〈◊〉 Bishop Prideaux Fasc Controversiarum cap. 1. q. 2. p. 16. in itâ—s self most excellent but that which doth most serve to the edification of the hearers 1 Cor. 14. 26. That when their Apocryphals are read they are not equalled with Canonicals but are interposed as certain easie institutes which excite the slower hearers to embrace the Canonicals as Homilies and Sermons do Answ To this I answer 1. That these things are said but not proved 2. That if the Bishops Answer be to the Objection his words imply That the reading of the Apocryphals which are fabulous erroneous and contrary to the word of truth is more inservient to the edification of the hearers than the reading of Gods holy and pure word of Truth is which I deny and prove to be false thus 〈◊〉 That which is either the pure Word of God or is consonant thereunto and so free from fabulousness falseness approbation of toleration of evil must needs be more conducing to edification of the hearers than that which is fabulous false and contrary to the Word of God both for Doctrine of faith and manners and approves of and tolerates sin but that the latter is so of Apocryphals I have proved and the former you dare not deny of Canonicals Ergo your Apocryphals do not conduce more to the edification of the hearers than the pure and true Word of God doth 2. Thus that which teacheth false things and evil manners doth not edifie the hearers more than that which teacheth nothing but the truth and good manners But Ergo your Apocryphals do not build upward but downward they do edificare ad Gehennam as Tertullian ad ruinam as another speaks they build men down to Hell and prepare men to destruction Their publick reading actively scandalizeth for a scandal is a word or deed spoken or done yielding to another occasion of ruin and you cannot Aquinas 22. q. 43. a. 1. c. Scandalum est dictum vel factum minus rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae plead that 't is accidental as 't is said of Gods Word for the reading and preaching of Gods Word is commanded and so necessary but reading of Apocryphals is not commanded by God and is therefore unnecessary and being erroneous both for matters of faith and manners is of it self * Aquin. 22. q. 43. a. 1 ad 4. inductive to sin to sinful opinions affections and practises as may by any understanding Christian be evidenced in those Particulars I have instanced in before 3. 'T is evident that if not for
superstitious and truly Magical abuse of it And Disputation the 38. Thes 2. p. 208. he saith further thus For seeing that Idolatry is nothing else than to attribute to the Creatures that honour that is due to God alone and those virtues which are proper to God it is manifest that all they whosoever they be that ascribe to Creatures and most of all to Inanimate Creatures the Divine Properties and the proper effects and benefits of God or Christ do manifestly make Idols of those Creatures and whoever they be that do earnestly desire or expect these benefits from them do commit gross Idolatry And Mr. Perkins in his Order of Causes of Salvation and Damnation upon the second Commandment p. 63. in 4to saith thus Satanical means I call those which are used in the producing of such an effect to the which they neither by any express rule out of Gods Word nor of their own nature were ever ordained I pray let these things be humbly and meekly considered and withal remember that there is an Amen said to the use of the sign of the Cross which is a prayer as appears in the Office of publick Baptism and the Church-Catechism I do not charge our men with it but humbly submit it to their serious consideration and desire them if any shall think they are concerned hereby to go about to clear themselves from that is here charged upon the Papists they do not as the practise of some hath been answer so as to acquit the Papists too and justifie the ungodly but rather abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. and abolish that which is amiss or hath but the real appearance of that which is evil to godly sober judicious and consciencious men Vpon the whole matter 't is Queried I. WHether among the Conformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies there be not as many Nonconformists to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery holding if not all yet many of these false Doctrines renounced as there are Nonconformists to the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church of England II. Whether those Conformists in name that are Nonconformists in deed to the Doctrine of the Church of England that is against Popery be not more dangerous and likely to disturb the peace of the Church and Kingdom by Preaching and Printing and endeavouring to bring in Popery than those Nonconformists to the Rites and Ceremonies and Declarations enjoined but are real Conformists to the Articles of Religion of the Church of England which only concern the Doctrine of Christian faith and the Sacraments which is all the Subscription was enjoined by the ancient Law 3 Edw. 6. c. 11. 13 Eliz. c. 12. III. Whether the twentieth Article of the Authority of the Church since the first clause hath been added by the Bishops and the thirtyfourth Article of Traditions especially seeing Dr. Heylin saith in his Introduction to his Cyprianus Anglicus pag. 20 21. That authority to decree Rites or Ceremonies and authority in Controversies of Faith contained in the twentieth and thirtyfourth Articles of Religion the Church of Rome never challenged more and the third Article concerning Christs descent into Hell if it be expounded other way than that of the Apostles Creed to which assent is given in the eighth Article and the thirtysixth Article of ordering the consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons seeing the Order of Diocesan Provincial and Oecumenical Bishops distinct from and superiour to Preaching-Presbyters hath been by Papists contended for to be of Divine right or institution and yet hath been denied by sound Protestants as appears by the History of the Council of Trent and is by Archbishop Laud and his party made essential to the being of a Church which saith Adam Coutzen a Romish Priest in the second Book and eighteenth Chapter of his Politicks is the readiest and easiest way to cheat the Protestants of their Religion and Ordination by Protestant Preaching Presbyters is denied to be valid and yet Ordination of Popish Priests is allowed to be good be against Popery or may not in fine bring in the whole body of Popery if not timely prevented especially when that which Mr. Fowler * Free Discourse second Edition pag. 2. p. 191 saith shall be seriously considered viz. that those Divines of his opinion do heartily subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of our Church taking that liberty in the interpretation of them that is allowed †p. 2. p. 305. by the Church her self though it is most reasonable to presume that she requireth Subscription to them as to an instrument of peace only And that the †What liberty is that to interpret them as they please and contrary to the Grammatical and common sense of them as Dr. Jeremy Taylor did the Ninth and Johannes de Sancta Clara Archbishop Laud's Fovourite did all the Thirty-nine Governours of the Church require not their internal assent to the Articles of the Church of England and yet require an unfeigned assent and consent to the Ceremonies and Declarations by them invented and injoined as the Act for Uniformity shews as if they were more necessary and essential to the being of the Church of England than those substantial and fundamental Truths that are contained in the other Articles of our Christian Religion Most especiall◠seeing * Gretzer de Festis l. 1. c. 2. Gretzer a Romish Priest calls the conforming part of the Clergy of England Calvino-Papistae Calvin-Papists as was noted before in the Epistle to the Christian Reader IV. Whether for the prevention of Popery it be not necessary to authorize some known Orthodox Nonconformists who stand not in awe of Bishops as Conformists do to license Books against Popery Arminianism Socinianism and Anabaptism and for defence of the Articles of Religion of the Church of England at least whether it be not more convenient and safe to authorize such Nonconforming Divines than it is to authorize Bishops Chaplains to license Books seeing in A. B. Lauds time they suppressed the printing of many Orthodox Books and Sermons and licensed many Heterodox and Popish Arminian and Socinian Books as may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Cyprianus Anglicus and they may do the like or the same or worse hereafter FINIS The Christian Reader is humbly desired to correct these ERRATA'S which escaped in the Printing in the Authors absence IN the Epistle p. 1. l. last in the Marg. r. Presbytery p. 11. l. 32. r. riots p. 12. l. 29. these words he faith it is a dangerous decert to say that Creatures may be adored and is contrary to Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down to them which are not the words of Bishop Sparrow but of Thomas Rogers upon Art 31. and should have been put in the Margent against Bishop Sparrow's former words then should follow what Bishop Sparrow saith p. 391. thus and hs calls the Sacrament c. p. 20. l. 5. marg r. Balduin l. 12. for dixerit r.