shall confirme it by so visible an instance as this Death was proposed to Adam for the mark of Gods wrath and vengeance which he was become liable to by sinne The turning of this curse into a blessing was to be the effect of Christs Crosse which was not yet to be revealed The life of the Land of Promise was proposed for the reward of keeping Gods law in stead of the life of Paradise Therefore the cutting off of that life was to be taken for a mark of that curse which mankind became subject to by the first Adam till it should be declared the way to a better life by the Crosse of Christ Therefore the Giants that left it with the markes of enmity with God upon them are described as within the dominion of Hell but not asleep unlesse we can think that it is a mark of misery to go to them that sleep when all do sleep Prov. II. 17. IX 18. XXI 17. Esay XXVI 14. For that there should be no praising of God after death holds punctually in virtue of the Old Covenant which brought no man to life and was then on foot though they who writ those things might and did know that by the virtue of the New Covenant under which they knew themselves to be they should not be deprived of the priviledge of praising God after death and before the resurrection how sparing soever they were to be in imparting this knowledge openly to all the world For how otherwise should they whom the Apostle Ebr. XI declareth to have sought the kingdom of heaven have showed themselves otherwise affected with death then the Martyrs that suffered for Christ were afterwards How could it be thought the same Spirit that moved them to such a difference of effects according to the difference of time And therefore the same Solomon that saith there is nothing to be done in the grave Eccles IX 10. saith further Eccles XII 8. that when the dust returns to the earth then the soul returns to God that gave it And when Exoch and Elias were taken away by God in their Bodies neither sleep they seeing Moses and Elias attend our Lord Christ at his transfiguration Mat. XVII 3 4. Mark IX 4 5. Luke IX 30. nor is it possible for any man that would have soules to sleep to give a reason why the Covenant by which all are ordered being the same the soules of Christians should sleep when their souls sleep not And therefore when our Lord proves the resurrection by this That God is called the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob whereas God is not the God of the dead but of the living Mat. XXII 32. Mark XII 26. Luke XX. 37. he not onely supposes that his argument is good but that his adversaries the Sadduces granted it to be good And so Saint Paul when he argues that if the dead rise not againe then are we the most miserable of all people As having no further hope then this life 1 Cor. XV. 19. For what needed more to them that owned the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ and yet would deny the world to come questioning the resurrection that supposes it For the rest I will not repeate that which I produced afore out of the Books we call Apocrypha which he that peruseth will find a difference between the language of the Patriarchs and Prophets speaking of themselves and the language of those Bookes speaking of them But I will insist upon this that our Lord when he proposeth the Parable of Dives and Lazarus manifestly accepts of that opinion which notwithstanding such difficulties from the Scriptures of the Old Testament had prevailed over the better part of that people by Tradition of the Fathers and Prophets To wit that the soules of good and bad are alive in joy and paine according to the qualities in which they depart hence and shall resume their bodies to give account in them for their workes here The same doth the appearance of Moses and Elias at his transfiguration the rendering of his soul into his Fathers hand the promise of bringing the thiefe into Paradise the same day signify Whereby it appeareth that whatsoever might seeme to argue either that the soules of the Fathers were in the devils hands till the death and resurrection of Christ or that all soules go out like sparks when men dy and are kindled anew when they rise againe prove nothing because they prove too much For if they prove any thing they must prove that there is no world to come as the disputes of Ecclesiastes and Job seem to say because by the accidents of this world there is no ground of a mans estate in it Which seeing it is so farre from leaving any dispute among Christians that among Jewes the Sadduces were reputed Sectaries It is evident that whatsoever may seem to look that way in the Old Testament cannot prove that the soules of the Fathers were in the Verge of Hell till Christ riseing againe the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared to many as we read in the Gospel of Mat. XXVII 52 53. This indeed were something if the Scripture had said that those Saints who arose with their bodies when our Lord Christ was risen againe had ascended into heaven with him in their bodies Which because it derogates from the generallity of the last resurrection having no ground in the Scripture can beare no dispute Therefore seeing these Saints as Lazarus afore and the Widowes sonne of Naim whom our Lord raised restored their bodies to the grave there is no presumption from hence that their soules were brought from Hell by our Lord to be translated into the full happinesse of the world to come with his owne I do therefore allow that which is written in the Apocryphall 2 Esdras IV. 41 42. In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman For like as a woman that travaileth maketh hast to escape the pressure of her travaile Even so do those places haste to deliver the things that are committed unto them And VII 32. And the earth shall restore those that are asleep in her and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence and the secret places shall deliver those soules that were committed unto them For in most of those writings which the ancient Church counteth Apocryphal because they are suspected to intend some poisonous doctrine excellent things are contained which the agreement of them with Canonicall Scripture and their consequence and dependance upon the truth which they settle renders recommendable even from dangerous authors And for that which is here said whether we suppose this book to be written by a Christian or not before Christ or after Seeing there is no mention of any Saints in those visions of the old Testament where God is represented sitting upon his Throne but
for the waters are come in even unto my soul And Let not the water-stood drown me neither let the deep swallow me up And let not the pit shut her mouth upon me And XLII 9. One deep calleth another because of the noise of thy water-pipes All thy waves and billows are gone over me Whereupon S. Paul Romans VI. 3 4 5 Know ye not that as many as have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death We are therefore buried with him by baptism into death that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so we should also walk in newnesse of life For if we have been planted into the like death of his then shall we be also into the like of his rising again For when he saith again Rom. X. 7. Who shall go down into the deep to wit to bring up Christ from the dead He sheweth plainly that by the waters of the deep he understands death whereby I suppose it appears sufficiently that the water of Baptism not the fire of the Holy Ghost is the antitype to the waters of the deluge Besides the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is not called Baptism but by resemblance of the fire thereof infusing it self into all the soul as the whole body is drenched in the waters of baptism Therefore it is not called absolutely Baptism but with an addition abating the property of the sense the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire Therefore where the term Baptism stands without this addition or any circumstance signifying the same it cannot be understood Again the interrogating of a good conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as all men of learning agree metonymically or by Synecdoche the answer or rather the stipulation consisting of the interrogatories of Baptism and the answer returned by him that is baptized undertaking to believe and to live like a Christian For it is manifest that it Fath been alwayes the custom in the Church of God as still in the Church of England which S. Peter here shews that it comes down from the Apostles to exact of him that is baptized a solemn vow promise or contract to stand to that which he undertaketh And this it is which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies whereof he that doubts may see enough in Grotius his Annotations to make him ashamed to doubt any more When therefore S. Peter saith that Baptism saveth us not the doing away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God he does not intend to distinguish the Baptism of water from the Baptism of the Holy Ghost in opposition to the same But to distinguish in the Baptism of water the bodily act of cleansing the flesh from the reasonable act of professing Christianity which being done out of a good conscience towards God he saith saveth us And that by the resurrection of Jesus Christ By vertue whereof S. Paul also saith that if we planted into the like death to Christs death we shall also be planted into the like resurrection of Christs Supposing that whosoever is baptized takes upon him the profession of Christs Crosse that is the bearing of it when his Christianity cals him to it For when our Lord saith in the Gospel I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. XII 50. And again to the sons of Zebedee Mat. XX 22. Are ye able to be baptized with the Baptism which I shall be baptized with He shews sufficiently that his Baptism is his Crosse In consideration whereof that is of undertaking to bear it out of a good conscience as Christ was raised from death to life again by the Spirit of Holinesse which dwelt in him without measure So those that are planted into the likenesse of Christs death in Baptism are promised the Grace of Gods Spirit to dwell in them and to raise them from sin here to the life of Grace and from death hereafter to the life of Glory in the world to come as I shewed you in the first Book So that S. Pauls argument proceeds not upon consideration of the Ceremony of Baptism and the naturall resemblance it hath with the duty of a Christian to rise from sin because he professes to die to it For that were to think that the Apostles have but weak argumens to inforce the obligation of Christianity with when this prime one is made to signifie no more then an indecorisne impertinence or inconsequence in signifying and professing that by our Baptism which by our lives we perform not But maketh Baptism the protestation of a solemn vow and promise to God and men and Angels to live for the future as the profession of Christians importeth And is it possible to show man overtaken in sin a more valuable consideration to expect salvation upon and therefore a stronger means to inforce the performance of what he hath undertaken then his own ingagement upon such a consideration as that We are therefore baptized with Christ unto death because we have undertaken upon our Baptism to mortifie our selves to the world that we may live to Gods service And upon that condition we promise our selves that we shall be raised from the dead again though by vertue of Christs rising again Being buried with him in Baptism wherein ye are also risen with him by faith of the effectuall working of God which raised him from the dead saith S. Paul Col. II. 12. For by obliging our selves to the profession of Christianity from a good heart and clear conscience we obtain the promise of the Holy Ghost whereby God effecteth the raising of us to a new life of righteousnesse necessarily consequent to the mortifying of sinne Besides these how many and how excellent effects are attributed to Baptism in the writings of the Apostles which without S. Peters distinction might seem strange that they should depend upon the clensing of the flesh but that they should by Gods appointment depend upon that ingagement whereby we give our selvs up to Christ for the future according to his distinction not at all For that this ingagement should not be effectuall till consigned unto the Church at Baptism cannot seem strange to him that believes the Catholick Church to be as I have shewed a corporation founded for the maintenance and exercise of that Christianity to which we ingage our selves by Baptism When the Jewes were pricked in heart to see our Lord whom they had crucified to be risen again and asked the Apostles Men and Brethren What shall we doe Acts II. 37 38. Peter saith unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you unto remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Which if it depend upon Baptism what promise of the Gospel is there that does not To the same purpose Heb. VI. 6. It is impossible for them that have once been inlightned and tasted the heavenly gift and become partakers
Christ how farre it is declared to us by the Scriptures and original Tradition of the Church Knowing neverthelesse that this being resolved the rest of the controversie concerning the holy Trinity necessarily falls to the ground of it self as having nothing whereupon to subsist when the everlasting Godhead of Christ is once maintained afore Now the ready way that I can think of to go through so great a dispute as briefly as is possible is to take in hand first the point of originall sinne in which the dispute between Pelagius and Socinus on the one side and the Church on the other side is grounded For therefore I hope it will appear the shortest way to dispatch the whole dispute because that being decided together with that which dependeth upon it as incident to it concerning the state of our Lord Christ before his coming in the flesh the rest will appear to consist either in controversies of Divines or in mistakes and disputes about words I begin with S. Paul because he it is who having laid forth the necessity of Christianity to the salvation as well of Jewes as of Gentiles in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romanes and in the fourth chapter by the Example of Abraham confirmed the same Or if you please answered the objection concerning the salvation of the Fathers before and under the Law proceeds in the fifth Chapter to lay forth both the ground upon which it is effectuall which is the death of Christ and the ground upon which it was necessary which is the sinne of Adam Thus then saith S. Paul Rom. V. 12 13 14. Therefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all in whome all sinned For untill the Law sinne was in the world Now sinne is not imputed where there is no Law And yet death raigned from Adam until Moses even upon them that had not sinned after the likenesse of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that is to come It is said that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be translated in asmuch as all had sinned To signifie that Spirituall death came after Adam upon all that had sinned as Adam did inasmuch as they had sinned For as for bodily death they believe not no more then Pelagius that it was the punishment of Adams sinne but the condition of mans birth Onely the troubles the cares the sorrowes by which men come to their graves these as they acknowledge to be consequences as of Adams sinne so of all those sinnes whereby men follow and imitate Adam so they think to be meant by the sentence In the day wherein thou eatest thereof shalt thou die the death But this is no lesse then to deny the literall sense of the Scripture which the Church hath received for one of Origens errors in the interpretation of the beginning of Genesis What is it else to say That Adam was liable to bodily death by nature but to spiritual death by sinne For it is manifest by the premises that through all the Old Testament the second death is no otherwise preached then under the figure of the first death and that by virtue of the ground laid from the beginning that the Covenant of Grace which tendreth life and death everlasting was onely intimated under the Covenant of nature which the Law only received and limited to the happiness of the land of promise as to the Israelits tendring expresly only blessings and mercies of this life to the civil and outward obedience of Gods commandments And can it be imagined that in the very first tender that God made to man of life in consideration of obedience and death of disobedience this life and this death must be understood to be the second when the obedience was onely in abstaining from the forbidden fruit What was then that fruit of the tree of Life by eating whereof they might have preserved themselves from death I aske not what it signified but what it was For all reason will require admitting the premises that it signified that whereby the soul escapes spirituall death But the same reason will inforce that it must be the fruit of a tree which so long as they eat not of the tree of knowledge they were licensed to eat to preserve them from bodily death Neither is there any difficulty in that they aske How all the posterity of Adam should have come by the fruit of that tree that grew no where but in the garden of Eden For I suppose it had been as easie to have planted all parts of the world with the same tree as with the posterity of Adam had he continued in obedience Who being not driven out of Eden as upon his disobedience but sending his posterity to do that in the rest of the world which he did there had made all the world Eden by placing the Paradise of God wheresoever innocence dwelt In this case I see not why any man should take care for the tree of Life that no posterity of Adam might die No more then what should become of that innocent posterity which when it had so planted the World the counsel of God concerning the propagation of man kind may well be thought to have been come to ripenesse The Socinians indeed do alledge Josephus who speaking of the tree of life doth not say that it should have made man immortall but onely that it should have made him live to very great yeares But that is of no consequence In regard that it is not expressed in the Scripture that God would have had man live everlastingly upon the earth had he lived in obedience For supposing that it was a question among the Pharisees to which sect it appeares Josephus inclined most whether so or whether God would translate them to a heavenly life after a time of obedience here which to the Pharisees that acknowledge the resurrection and the world to come must needs seem credible enough it is no marvaile that Josephus should say That by virtue of the tree of life they had lived to a very great age though in case not translated they might as well have lived alwayes by virtue of it But let us hear S. Paul 1 Cor. XV. 21 22. For since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all died so by Christ shall all be made alive Is there any rising from bodily death but by Christ I say not any rising in the quality of those in whom the Spirit of Christ dwelleth of whom S. Paul saith that He who raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies through his Spirit dwelling in you Rom. VIII 11. But setting aside this quality it is the coming of Christ and his trump that raiseth againe even those that shall rise to judgement And can it for all this be doubted whether that life was lost by Adams fall which the rising of Christ shall
time of persecution but the performance of it alwayes because alwayes difficult and laborious alwayes the following of Christ with his Crosse on our shoulders When the powers of the World professe Christianity then is the scandall of profession taken away because they must cherish so farre must they needs be from persecuting that which they professe But the scandall of the Crosse in performing of it remaines so much the more difficult to be avoided by how much a man is more subject to be tempted by evill example to hope for salvation without performing it Therefore as I shewed you asore those who professe to believe the truth of Christianity many times delayed their Baptisme in the Primitive Church whether as loth to retire to that strictnesse of life which it required or as sensible of their own weaknesse and desiring to finde confidence of themselves that they might walk worthy of it before they undertook it Whereupon Tertullian as I shewed you advises to deferre it till a man were setled in a state of continence or wedlock And because the reason of this delay was doubtfull therefore there remained in the Church some doubt of the salvation of those that died in this estate But to him that should resolve to wear the profession for a quality rendring him capeable of the priviledges of a Christian by the laws of Christian powers but to fulfill it no further then the law should require to him is the scandall of Christs Crosse quite voided though by as great a scandal as that which diverts from Christianity namely that of Simon Magus who became a Christian for gaine He that expressely resolves not this within himselfe but in the effect of his life and conversation hath no more regard to the reason of his Christianity then if he had expressely resolved it is necessarily of the same form and all that care not to perform what they undertake according to the ranck and degree of their negligence reducible to it But besides it is manifest that during the heat of persecution those that believed not the whole faith of a Christian that is hereticks those who for matters not concerning the Faith broke the unity of the Church that is schismaticks were many times ready to suffer death for their sect and for that part of Christianity which it allowed So far were they from dis-believing it Shall we say that any of these had in them the virtue of faith Let us consider what might move them to believe and it will appear first that they might be moved to believe that for their own sake which a Christian believes for Gods sake then that it can be no part of the virtue of Faith to believe the truth for a mans own sake and not for Gods If sensuality can move a worldly man to believe the truth so long as the advantages of the world attend it well may it be said to be the grace of God that gives him sufficient reason to believe supposing for the present not granting that these reasons are the helps of Gods free grace to bring men to believe but that he sets himself in Gods stead in believing that for his own advantage which he should believe out of obedience to God and for his service is not grace but wickednesse be it never so true never so holy that he believes He that dis-believes part of that which it is necessary to salvation to believe he that breakes the unity of the Church upon true grounds though not necessary for who can make a sect without some pretense in our common Christianity he hath the fulfilling of his own will and singularity for his reward and cannot claime that faith to be a grace of God which God rewardeth not Nor is this to say that the least beginning of Faith is to be had without Gods Grace supposing for the present but not granting that the worke of Salvation is the work of Gods praeventing Grace from the very beginning of it But that there may be a reall beleefe of Christian truth in the understanding of him that hath no part of good will to be a true Christian The Vâ—article of the Councill of Orange providing only Initium fidei ipsumque credulitatis affectum That the beginning of Faith and the very inclination to beleeve be thought to come Per inspirationem spiritus sancti corrigentem voluntatem nostram ab infidelitate ad fidem ab impietate ad pietatem By inspiration of the Holy Ghost correcting our Will from unbeleefe to faith from ungodlinesse to godlinesse For though when first a man is shewed reason to beleeve both these reasons and the least inclination to follow them be ascribed to Gods Grace because the scandall of the Crosse is to be overcome to which all that inclination tendeth yet when that scandall is voided by falling upon as great the assent of the understanding remaines the effect of humane discourse upon the sufficience of reasons proposed all the goodnesse that otherwise must have been ascribed to Gods Grace in the inclination of the will being void and dead And all this though properly said of those that are converted to Christianity at yeares of discretion seeing the difference between the cases is punctually true in them that are bred Christians supposing them to have the Grace of the Holy Ghost by being baptized infants and to have destituted the same afterwards The beleefe that remaines in them being meerly the effect of humane discourse upon the motives of Faith which are indeed helpes of Grace without us without any respect of submission to the will of God for the effect of them within us which who giveth cannot be so wanting to the Grace of God as we suppose these But this being said I shall now leave it to the Reader to judge whether this may have been the occasion or upon what other occasion it may be thought to have come to passe that in the Doctrine of the Schoole the inward act of beleeving without the inward resolution of outwardly professing hath been taken for the whole virtue of Faith I say without including that inward resolution of the heart whence that outward profession proceedeth when it is true and is alwaies presumed by the Church to proceed when the contrary appeares not And that from hence have proceeded the disputes concerning faith without forme which they will have to be that dead faith without works which S. James II. 17 19 20. compareth with the faith of devils that believe and tremble And faith informed by the love of God which they will not have to adde any thing to the nature of it so that it shall consist in any thing else then in believing the truth of the Gospel but to qualifie it to justifie him that before was a sinner to God as containing in it all the righteousnesse of a Christian But though at the present I determine not what is true in this position what not I must determine as to the point in
forgive our brethren their offences against us Mat. VI. 14. 15. Our Lord rendring a reason why he had taught his disciples to pray Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us For if it forgive men their sinnes your heavenly Father will forgive you also But if you forgive not men their Transgressions neither will your Father forgive your Transgressions And the Apostle James II. 13. to the same purpose Judgement shall be without mercy to him that sheweth not mercy And the foote of our Saviours Parable Mat. XVIII 35. So also shall your bravenly Father do to you if from your hearts yee forgive not every one his Brother their transgressions So Mar. XI 25. 26. And Luc. VI. 37. 38. Judge not and yee shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned pardon and ye shall be pardoned give and there shall be given to you good measure crouded and shaken and runing over shall be given into your bosome for the measure that ye mete with shall be measured to you againe And againe Luk. XI 41. But give Almes according to your power and all things shall be cleane to you So Solomen Prov. XVI 6. By mercy and truth shall inquity be expiated And Daniell to Nebuchodonosor Dan. III. 5. Redeeme thy sins by righteousnesse or Almes deeds and thy iniquity by shewing compassion upon the afflicted For the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can signifie nothing but Redeem in the Caldee though there is a figure of speech in the Prophets Language intending redeem thy self from thy sinnes as I shall have occasion to say in another place and therefore t is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from hence come those sayings Tobit IV. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Tob. XII 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almes delivereth from death and suffereth not to enter into darknesse And Almes delivereth from death and purgeth away all sinne And Ecclus. III. 33. Water quencheth flaming fire and with almes shall he make prepitiation for sinnes And XXIX 15. Shut up almes in thy store houses and they will deliver thee from all afflictions And the words of the Apostle are plainest in this sense I Pet. IV. 8. Charity shall cover a many sinnes The Prophet also to the same purpose Isa I. 17. For they that make that filth which alone justifieth not to include or presuppose that condition to which Baptisme tieth Christians must needs crucifie themselves and set the Scriptures upon the rack to finde another meaning for them then the words bear By which that which God hath made due without and before any condition may turely be said to be given in consideration of it Which reason and the common sense of all men abhors But supposing that faith which onely justifieth to include the profession of undertaking Christianity as the condition upon which the promises of the Gospel are to be expected So certaine as it is that this will not be due if the condition be not fulfilled so necessary and so proper it will be to say That whatsoever that condition includeth is the consideration upon which the promise cometh though not by virtue of the thing done but by virtue of Gods tender and the Covenant of Grace and the promise which it containeth and the free goodnesse of God which first moved him to tender that promise And therefore you shall find those that suppose it not alwayes tormenting themselves to force upon the Scriptures such a meaning as the words of them doe not beare And in the last place concerning the consent of the Church though the Fathers are free in acknowledging with S. Paul justification by faith alone yet notwithstanding they are on the other side so copious in attributing the promises of the Gospel to the good workes of Christians that it may truly be said there is never a one of them from whom sufficient authority is not to be had for evidence thereof Which will amount to a tradition of the whole Church in this point In particular S. Augustine to whom appeal is wont to be made in all parts of that dispute which relateth to the Heresie of Pelagius hath so clearly and so copiously delivered the answer which I maintaine to those texts of S. Paul where he denieth that Christians are justified by the workes of the Law that those that challenge him in other points of this dispute concerning the Covenant of Grace doe not pretend to be of his mind in this Though the ground of this answer consisting in the twofold sense of the Law deserved as I conceive to be further cleared even after S. Augustine and the rest of ancient Church-writers I would therefore have the reader here to understand that I account all the rest of this second book to be nothing else but the resolution of those difficulties the answer to those objections and demandes which arise upon the determination here advanced The chief of them is that which followes in the next place How the promises of the Gospel can be said to be the effects of Gods free grace requiring our Christianity as the condition upon which they become due and not otherwise But there are also others concerning the possibility of fulfulling Gods Law by the new obedience of Christians concerning the goodnesse and perfection of it concerning the force and effect of good workes either in making satisfaction for sinne or in meriting life everlasting Which I shall allow that consideration in due time which the model of this abridgement will bear As for the sense of the Fathers evidencing the Tradition of the Church I am yet to learn that there ever was any exception alledged to infringe the consent of the Church in the necessity of good workes to the obtaining of salvation for Christians But onely the case of those who being taken away by death upon professing Christianity have not time to bring forth the fruits of it And how good workes can be the necessary meanes to procure the salvation of Christians but by virtue of that Law or condition for obtaining salvation which the Gospel now expresly enacteth and alwaies did covertly effectuate no sense of man comprehendeth For that the ancient Church agreeth in allowing the force of satisfaction for sinne to workes of Penance of Merit for the world to come to workes done in the state of Grace none of the Reformation which either disowneth or excuseth it for so doing according to the respect they have for it can make questionable And therefore though this be not the place to justifie the ancient Church in these particulars yet this is evident that those who maintaine more then my position requires do agree in that which it containes I shall therefore content my selfe for the present with producing some speciall passages of the Fathers expressing in my opinion the markes of my position and the reasons whereupon it proceeds As limiting the position between faith and workes in the matter of justifying
exalted Neither is it any difficulty that Christ could not be exalted to any eminence that should not be due to him as God in mans flesh and therefore that which was due to him as incarnate could not be due to his Crosse For the assumption of mans nature being a work of God and not of nature the state which our Lord Christ was to assume in our nature was not determinable any way but by the voluntary apointment of God and the Father who ordered it So that nothing hindred the effects of the holy Ghost dwelling in our Lord Christ without measure to be exercised in such measure and upon such reasons as God should appoint nor the declaration of the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelling in our flesh to depend upon his obedience and suffering in it The declaration hereof is that which S. Paul calls that name above all names at which all things bow which the giving of the holy Ghost to our Lord Christ to convince the world of it upon his exaltation is that which effecteth So saith S. Peter Acts II. 33 Being therefore exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the holy Ghost of the Father he hath shâ—d forth this which ye now see and hear For it is true our Lord promised his disciples the holy Ghost John XIV 16 17 18. XVI 7 13 14 15. But this promise he received upon his advancement to the right hand of God being then and thereupon enabled to perform it And therefore it is that which our Lord signifies Mat. XXVIII 18. When he saies All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth Go ye therefore and make disciples all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost For the event shews that this power consists in sending the holy Ghost whereby the World was reduced to the obedience of the Christian Faith So that when our Lord saies Mat. XI 27. All things are delivered unto me by the Father he means the right to this power though limited in the exercise of it unto the time and state of his advancement which gave him right in it And though it be granted as I said afore that the generall terms of all power in heaven and earth and all things are to be understood of that which concerns his kingdome Yet seeing the ground thereof consisting in giving such measure oâ— the holy Ghost to his disciples as the advancement of his kingdom requires supposes the fullnesse thereof to dwell in his own flesh it imports no disparagement to the Godhead of Christ that the exercise thereof in our flesh is limited to that time and that state of his advancement which the Father appointeth S. Paul Ephes IV. 7-11 writeth thus Now to every one of us is grace given according to the measure of Gods gift To wit in which God pleased to give it Therefore he saith Going up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth He that descended is the same who also ascended farre above all heavens that he might fill all things And he hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors Where it is manifest that he sets forth the ascension of our Lord in the nature of a triumph after the victory of his Crosse as Conquerors lead captives in triumph and give largesses to their subjects and souldiers And that which S. Paul terms giving gifts to men David out of whom it is quoted Psal LXVIII 18. calls receiving gifts for men Our Lord being his Fathers Generall and by his Commission conquering in his name Receiving therefore of him who gave him Commission the gifts which he bestowes at his triumph can any man doubt that he receives them in consideration of the discharge of that Commission which he undertook And these gifts are the meanes by which the Gospel convicteth the World and taketh effect in it The same appears by the conquest of Christs Crosse and those Scriptures that speak of it Col. II. 15. Disarming principalities and powers he made an open shew of them triumphing over them through it To wit his Crosse to which he had said just afore that he nailed the decrees of the Law that were against us Heb. II. 14. Seeing then that Sonnes partake of flesh and blood he also likewise did partake of the same that by death he might destroy him that had the power of death even the devil and free as many as through fear of death were all their life long subject unto bondage 1 Cor. XV. 54-57 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortall immortality then shall that come to passe which is written death is swallowed up in victory Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks be to the Lord which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ How doth God grant victory by our Lord Jesus Christ are we not and he severall persons by nature the conflicts severall what doth this conquest contribute to ours but by inabling us to overcome How that but by the help of God granted in consideration of it How are slaves to the fear of death freed from death by Christs death but because there is no condemnation for them that live by the Spirit of life granted them in consideration of his death And what is the triumph of the Crosse over the powers of darknesse but this that by the meanes of it they are disabled to keep mankind prisoners as afore And wherein consists the condemning or the executing of sinne in the flesh which S. Paul spake of afore but in this that by the death of Christ we are inabled to put it to death The Parable of our Saviour is manifest in this that as the branches bear fruit by being in the vine that is of it so Christians by being in Christ John XV. 1-8 and that force by virtue whereof they bear it not being conveyed but by Gods appointment why God had appointed the merits and sufferings of Christ to go before this conveyance but to procure it is not reasonable Therefore our Lord John VIII 31 36. If ye abide in my word ye shall be my disciples indeed and shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free And againe Verily verily I say unto you that every man that sinneth is a slave to sinne Now the slave abideth not for ever in the house but the Sonne for ever If therefore the Sonne set you free you shall be free indeâ—d The Sonne of God sets free the slaves of sinne not as the Sonnes of men by the death of their Fathers becoming heirs and granting freedome to whom they please but by dying himself and by his death helping them to their freedome And S. Paul 1 Cor. II.
forfeiture may be an instruction to them if once they believe that it was by just Law This justice then and the ground of it is the onely reason why the predecessors fault is truly said to be imputed to his posterity But between God and mankind in the forfeit of Adam by the precept given him there cannot be understood any contract by virtue whereof posterity that did not the act can be liable to the punishment of it And therefore we must distinguish between the imputing of one mans sinne to another formally so as to punish a man for another mans sin which if he concurred to the act may be just otherwise not And effectively in the nature of a meritorious cause which reduceth it self to the effective when in consideration of one mans sinne another is made subject to that evil which he should have been free from otherwise And according to this distinction though the posterity of Adam is liable to much evill in consideration of his sin yet is not this evil properly the punishment of it but the effect of the same will of God in propagating mankind with the staine of concupiscence which takes place in maintaining understanding creatures to do all that sinne which God might have hindred them from doing had he not thought it better to draw good out of evil then utterly to prevent it And this is no more then the correspondence between the first and second Adam which S. Paul proceeds upon Rom. V. inferreth For I have shewed already that the righteousnesse of Christ is not imputed to any man formally and immediately so as to say that any man is justified by Gods deputing our Lord Christ for his benefit personally excluding those for whom he was not deputed And I have shewed againe that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to all Christians effectively and in the nature of a meritorious cause In as much as have shewed that those helps of grace without which no man is able to imbrace Christianity as it is to be imbraced are granted by God in consideration of his merits and sufferings laid out to that purpose And that which remaineth for me to shew in due place is this That that disposition which qualifieth for the promises of the Gospel being brought to passe in any man by those helps obliges not God to grant those promises which the Gospel rewards it with by any worth in it self but by virtue of Gods grace in consideration of Christs merits and sufferings laid out to that purpose By which correspondence it may appear that those who can perswade themselves that the posterity of Adam are bound to answer for the sin of his fall as their own act cannot stand bound to acknowledge a Christian to whom the merits of the sufferings of Christ are imputed upon the same terms obliged to any condition upon which his right to the promises of the Gospel can depend being once due to him by virtue of Christs merits and sufferings deputed to be personally his As on the contrary those that acknowledge the merits and sufferings of Christ to be justly imputed to the persons of those whom he was sent to redeem cannot stand bound to acknowledge the posterity of the first Adam to be liable to concupiscence by his fall seeing the coming of Christ for the redemption of those whom God thereby should please to exempt from the common imputation thereof would be no lesse effectuall to the voiding of that condemnation which it contracted then supposing what ever disease of our nature concupiscence coming in by his fall may signifie So that supposing the immediate and personall imputation of the fall of Adam to all his posterity of the merits and suffering of Christ to all those for whom they are appointed the evil which mankind suffereth by the meanes of Adams fall is properly the punishment of his sinne the good which it receiveth by the meanes of Christs sufferings is the reward of it nor can have any dependance upon any act of his free will Otherwise then as that which God worketh by him not as that which he requireth at his hands But supposing the meritorious imputation of Adams fall and Christs righteousnesse the evil which his posterity lies under by meanes of it will not be properly the punishment of sinne because not the recompense of the evill which a man does by the evil which he suffers though properly a penalty because an evil inflicted in consideration of sinne Now supposing that Adam understood the precept In the day thou eatest thereof shalt thou die the death to condemn his posterity as well as himself it is manifest notwithstanding that the obligation thereof was not by virtue of his accepting of it and contracting upon it but originall by virtue of that being which God had bestowed and therefore taking hold of all his posterity on whom he meant to bestow it Wherefore though it is handsomly called by S. Augustine and others a Covenant of God with mankind which being transgressed by Adam forfeited the benefit thereof to his posterity Yet to speak properly it was the meer appointment of God in that which lay in his power and right to appoint that the uprightnesse wherein Adam was created should descend to his posterity he continuing in it otherwise the propagation thereof should be maintained the uprightnesse failing Nor can any man think strange that Christianity should oblige us to believe this if we consider the many and strange extravagances which those who either acknowledge not Christianity or have fallen from it do runne into by not resting in it The Epicureans and as some think the Peripateticks denying Providence the Stoicks Free-will and so the same providences The Pythagoreans whom the Platonicks are intangled with and the ancient Gnosticks Marcionites and Manichees manifestly imitate setting up two Gods one the author of evil the other of good the Heathen worshipping in effect the devil whom those Sects set up under the Name of author of evil the Jews and Mahumetanes if they have any thing to say to the originall of evil in mankind to whose use God hath commended the world being obliged to say that it comes from the fall of Adam Pelagians and Socinians not confessing what Jewes and Mahumetanes cannot deny but not able to give any account why the noble creature of mankind should be so overspread with evil coming from a good God and accountable for his own actions The question thus stated and Christianity tendring first the fall of bad angels and the seducing of Adam by their malice and in consequence thereunto of the greatest part of mankind to the worship of evil angels by whom they were seduced excepting those whom God dealt with by his word ministred by angels first then by his Sonne whose Gospel now is preached I suppose there is nothing wanting to evidence either the truth or obligation of it though those that preach it are not inabled to evidence why God pleased to suspend the
Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse For is it not all the reaâ—on in the world that if the Eucharist be the Sacrifice of Christ crucified the consecrating of the Eucharist that is the causing of the Elements to become this Sacrifice should be and be accounted and called the sacrificing of Christ And if the participation of the Eucharist be as I have showed it to be the renewing of the Covenant of Grace by virtue whereof the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse becomes propitiatory and impetratory in behalf of Christians shall not the Sacrifice of the Eucharist whereof they participate be counted propitiatory and impetratory by virtue of the consecration indeed though in order to the participation of it For if the profession of Christianity be the condition that renders God propitious to us and obtains for us the benefits of Christs passion And that the receiving of the Eucharist is the renewing of that profession by virtue whereof the Faults whereby wee have failed of that profession for that which is past are blotted out and wee for the future are qualified for the blessings which Christs passion tendereth Then is the Eucharist a Sacrifice propitiatory and impetratory by virtue of the Consecration though in order to the participation of it Which whether those that are so much for the Sacrifice in the Church of Rome rest conâ—ent with it or not seemeth to mee so natively proper to the simplicity and holinesse of Christianity that nothing can be held forth more pertinent to advance the zeal of frequenting together with the devotion and reverence of communicating in this most precious of Gods Ordinances to Christians For what can more oblige a Christian to the frequent and worthy communion of this Sacrament then to consider that by receiving it hee is re-estated in his right to those promises which the Gospel â—endreth provided that hee on his part re-establish in his own heart that resolution to Christianity by professing which hee was at the first estated in Gods Kingdom Hereupon arises a fourth reason why this Sacrament is a Sacrifice to wit of the bodies and souls of them who having consecrated their goods to God for the celebration of it do by receiving it professe to renew that consecration of themselves to the service of God according to the Law of Christ which their Baptism originally pretendeth For in as much as wee revive and renew the first profession of our Christianity in receiving the Eucharist wee do also by the same means offer up our bodies for a living Sacrifice holy and well pleasing to God which is our reasonable service of God as S. Paul commandeth Rom. XII 1. And by that which hath been said it is easie to resolve that which is further questioned in the School whether the breaking the pouring forth the taking and the consuming of the Elements by eating and drinking belong to the nature of the Sacrifice or not For I have already allowed the consecrating of the Elements apart to be a necessary ingredient of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist as necessary to represent the Sacrifice of the Crosse And if men did consider that the Eucharist had never been instituted but to be participated they would finde it impeâ—tinent to allege any reason why it should be a Sacrifice that â—endeth not to the participation of it There is then in the Masse a peculiar ceremony of breaking the Host into the Chalice not tending to the distributing of it but all the portions to be taken by the Priest Of this I speak not Otherwise breaking pouring forth distributing eating drinking are all parts of the Sacrifice as the whole action is that Sacrifice by which the Covenant of Gace is renewed restored and established against the interruption of our failleurs And now I confesse that all they who do not believe the promises of the Gospel to depend upon any condition to be performed by our free will qualifying us with a right title to them may very well say by consequence that it is a disparagement to the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse to make the Eucharist a propitiatory and impetratory Sacrifice in behalf of the Church in that sense and to that effect as I have said But supposing that condition I challenge all the world to say wherein any such disparagement lies For let any man think either mee or the Doctors of the Church of Rome so mad as to ascribe that propitiation which is once made for the whole world by the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse to the representation and commemoration of it by the Sacrifice of the Eucharist But in regard the Gospel requires a certain condition at thine hands which being not performed to thee Christ is neither born nor crucified nor â—â—en again as S. Prosper saith And that the communion of the Eucharist professeth the performance thereof and that truely if it be worthy so that the Propitiation wrought by Crosse thereby becomes effectually thine in that regard the Eucharist becomes to thee a propitiatory Sacrifice by virtue of the Consecration indeed which makes the Elements to become the body and bloud of Christ mystically as in a Sacrament but yet in order to the participation of iâ— And is not this the applying of the propitiation wrought by the Sacrifice of Christs Crosse when as by the Sacrament of the Eucharist a man becomes intitled to the benefit of it Nor let any man tell mee that this application is wrought by living faith as if that were evidence enough that not by the Sacrament of the Eucharist For if notwithstanding this faith the Sacrament of Baptism is necessary to estate us in this right because there is no living faith without being baptized into Gods Church By the same reason supposing the frequentation of the Eucharist commanded for the dayly redressing and maintenance of the same title of necessity it follows that the application of that propitiation is to be ascribed to the Eucharist which is not applicable without it Again If S. Paul injoyn the Church to offer up their Prayers Supplications and Intercessions for all estates in the world at the celebration of the Eucharist as recommending them in the name of Christ there mystically present in the commemoration of his death upon the Crosse can it seem strange that the Prayers which are so powerfully presented by alleging an Intercession of such esteem should have a special virtue and take a special effect in making God propitious to his Church and all estates of the same and obtaining for them those benefits which Christs passion tenders And if so is not the Sacrament of the Eucharist a propitiatory and impetratory Sacrifice by virtue of the Consecration though in order to the Oblation and presentation of it by the prayers of the Church for the obtaining of their necessities What is there in all this that the tongue of slander can asperse with the imputation of Popery unlesse they will have Popery to be that Christianity which
worthy frequenting of this holy Sacrament that suffers As for the Church of England I referr my self to the very form of those Lawes according to which as many as have received Orders in it have promised to exercise the Ministery to which they were appointed by the same and that before God and his Church at so solemne an occasion that nothing can be thought obligatory to him that would transgresse it For the Offertory which the Church of England prescribeth if it signifie any thing signifieth the dedication of that which is offered as at large to the necessities of the Church so in particular to the celebration of the Eucharist then and there At the consecration the Church prayeth That wee receiving these thy creatures of Bread and Wine according to thy Son our Saviour Christs holy institution in remembrance of his death and passion may be partakers of his most blessed body and bloud And after the Communion Wee thy humble servants intirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully râ— accept this our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving Most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ and through faith in his bloud wee and thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins and all other benefits of his death and passion All this having premiâ—ed prayer for all States of Christs Church Which whether it make not the Sacrament of the Eucharist by virtue of the Consecration the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse propitiatory and impetratory for them who communicate in it by receiving the Elements whether or no by virtue of this Oblation propitiatory and impetratory for the necessities of the rest of the Church as well as the Congregation present I leave to men of reason but not to Puritanes to judge This I am sure the condition of the Gospel which is the fourth reason for which I have showed that the Eucharist is counted a Sacrifice in the sense of the Church is exactly expressed in the words that follow to the confusion of all Puritanes that would have us expect the blessings promised from such a kinde of faith which supposes it not neither implies â— And â—â—â—e wee offer and present to thee O Lord our selves our souls and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto thee humbly beseeching thee that all we which be partakers of this holy Communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction For the reason which obliges us to professe this at receiving the Eucharist which is the New-Testament in the blood of Christ is because the promises which the Gospel covenanteth for depend upon it as the condition which renders them due And upon these premises I may well conclude that all the reasons for which I have showed that the Eucharist is a sacrifice in the sense of the Church are recapitulâ—ted and comprised in which followeth And though we be unworthy through our manifold sinnes to offer unto thee any sacrifice yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service not waying our merits but pardoning our offences CHAP. VI. The reason of the Order by which I proceed brings me to the Baptism of Infants in the next place The power of the Keyes seen in granting Baptism as well as in communicating the Eucharist Why Socinians make Baptism indifferent Why Antinomians make it a mistake to Baptize The grounds upon which I shake off both With answer to some objections WHen I proposed to write of the Laws of the Church that is to say of those controversies concerning the same which are the subject of division in mater of Christian amity to the English at this time I proposed my subject in aeqivocall terms till it be further distinguished that the Laws of the Church may be understood to be those which God hath given the Church to conduct the body of the Church in the exercise of their Christianity And they may be understood to be those which God hath inabled the Church to give themselves according to that which I showed from the beginning That Gods giving such Laws to Christians as are to be kept and exercised by the community of Christians at their respective Assemblies is a demonstration that God hath founded a Society or Corporation under the name of the Church And that supposing the Church to be such a Society or Corporation of necessity inferreth that it is inabled by Gods Law to give Laws unto it selfe in such maters as not being determined by Gods Law become necessary to be determined for preservation of the Body in unity and communion in the offices of Gods service The Laws therefore that God gives his Church are so farre the subject of this inquiry as may make it to appear what is left to the power and duty of the Church to determine And to this purpose it seemed requisite in the first place to determine what the rule of Faith containeth to be believed of the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the ground of whatsoever can be pretended that he hath injoyned his Church as concerning the frequentation of it having determined the like afore not only concerning the Sacrament of Baptism but also concerning Penance in as much as they contain qualifications requisite by the Gospel to render the promises thereof due to particular Christians Whereas the Sacrament of the Eucharist being as I said afore the most eminent of those offices which God hath injoyned to be celebrated by the Assembles of his Church having first founded his Church upon the duty and the command or upon the charter or priviledge of holding those Assemblies even when the Powers of the world allow it not required a teaâ—y express to determine the true intent why it was instituted that it might the better appear in due time how those circumstances in the celebration of it which are a great part of the subject of that division which prevails among us in point of Christianity may best be determined to the intent of Gods Law And also that the true intent of other Powers given the Church evidently â—ending to the maintenance of Christianity and the purity thereof but alwaieâ— with a respect to the unity of the Church in the communion of those offices whereof this is the chief might the better be estimated by a right understanding of the end which they seek You have then the first that is the original and primitive and also if you demand that the prime and chief power of Gods Church consisting in celebrating the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist Not in washing away the filth of the Body as S. Peter saith that is not in ministring the outward ceremony of washing the body with water or any part of it but in admitting and allowing that professinn of a good Conscience which qualifies a man to be a member of the Church For this allowance is no lesse then a declaration on the part of the Church that he who upon these times
driven out of paradise If you call the same Jerusalem it will appeare why the place of the damned is called Gehenna which was the place without Jerusalem where those that were sacrificed to the Idoles of Canaan were consumed with horrible tortures of fire The Scripture of the old Testament yeeldeth not the name but the true interpretation of it In the meane time though our Lord by carying the thiefe into Paradise show that it continues not shut yet continues it no lesse secret no better knowne then it is knowne where Adam first dwelt It is strange that the bosome of Abraham should signifie the same He is acknowledged the Father of the faithfull by Jewes as well as Christians His hospitality is recounted in the scripture The kingdome of God which his people then expected is proposed by our Lord in dâ—vers passages of the Gospell under the figure of an entertainement as an expression then familiar to his people It is no marvaile that it should be called Abrahams bosome from whom the faith that purchaseth it hath so eminent a beginning though the Fathers before Abraham be there One thing we must note A vast gap wee see between it and the flames where Dives was tormented But where the partition is fixed so little is determined by the words of the scripture that whether both within the earth or one within the earth the other in the heavens or whether both without this visible world as of the place of the damned some argue with great probability from the darkenesse that is without in the Gospell no rule of â—aith determines And therefore whether the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the parable useth Luke XVI 23. when the rich man lifts up his eyes in Hell and sees Lazarus in Abrahams bosome whether it comprehend the bosome of Abraham as well as the place of torments no Rule of faith determineth For as it manifestly signifyeth the place of the damned in the scripture which it is manifest Gods people must needs distinguish by the scripture is the place where they were sure by the scripture that God would punish his and their enemies So comprehending also the place of righteous soules nor distinguished from the other to Gods people by the ancient scriptures how should the signification of it be restrained here For as the Hethen so Josephus also manifestly extendeth it to the place of righteous as well as wicked soules after death For when he saies that de Bello Jud. II. 12. the Saduces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take away the punishments and rewards of the World to come under the one name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he comprises both estates which the rest of Gods people attributed then to good and bad The Pharises he saies Antiq. XVIII 2. maintaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishments and honors under the earth And that as it followeth for ever which is as much as if he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because those things which were thought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things under the earth Again of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And agreeing with the Greekes they affirme that good soules are assigned a seate beyond the Ocean in a place not grieved with raine or snow or heate but alwaies refreshed with a milde West wind blowing from the Ocean But the evill ones they assigne a darke and stormy nooke full of torments without ceasing And yet in an other place he saith they assigne them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most holy place of the Heavens So little ground is there for the distinct signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sense of those to whom our Lord spoke It behoveth us therefore to acknowledge the victory of our Lord Christ and his triumph over the Devill and all the damned which S. Paul as in the text quoted out of the Epâ—stle to the Ephesians he ascribeth to the Ascension of our Lord according to the Psalme which he alleageth so Col. II. 15. to the Crosse when he saith Spoiling principalities and powers he made open show of them triumphing over them in it by it or upon it to wit his Crosse to which he had said just afore that he nayled the hand writing which was against us This victory and triumph belongs to the rule of faith and the beliefe of it to the substance of Christianity because by vertue of it we have reconciliation with God and the rest of that which the Gospell promiseth But that it should be performed by the descent of Christs soule into the place of the damned being begun upon the Crosse and finished at the ascension as the necessity of our redemption requireth not so no Rule of Faith will oblige to believe There is great appearance that the devil did not understand the effect of it till our Lord rose againe as Ignatius saith that he understood not the the birth of the blessed Virgine Pilates Wives dream is a signe that doubting of the consequence he would have hindred that which by Judas he did procure He thought himself Lord of mankind because for sin they were condemned to death That by the death of Christ this condemnation was to be voided possibly he might not understand till Christ rose againe Though the soules of the Fathers were delivered out of his Power before the death of Christ yet might he not understand that by virtue of it Our Lord saith John XIV 30. The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Because he found nothing of his owne that is of sinne in Christ Though he had nothing to do with Christ in justice seeing in deed he had meanes to swallow him and might not know that the swallowing of him would oblige him to render his interest in all that should escape with him is it a marvaile that he swallowed him being a murtherer from the beginning Thus farre I have owned the reason of our redemption against Socinus Which if it be true the victory of Christ was declared that is the triumph begunne at his rising againe And therefore it is no way prejudiciall to the common Faith which I know some have imagined that our Lord Christ having been in Paradise with the good thiefe or in the bosome of Abraham with Lazarus till Easter day morning when he was to rise againe went from thence in his humane soul to the place of the damned to declare to the devil that by laying violent hands on him who had not sinned he had lost not onely the Fathers but all that should believe at the preaching of the Gospel For herein the triumph of his victory upon the Crosse consisteth But the substance of this ceremony being so fully provided for by the death of his Crosse and by his riâ—ing againe in virtue of it that he who believeth it not should be thought to come short of believing all that which it is necessary to salvation to believe seemeth to me
of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Pet. I. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time 1 Cor. V. 5. that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 2 Tim. IV. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day Luke XIV 14. Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just For all which there were no reason to be given but the mention of the day of judgement would be every where utterly impertinent if the reward were declared at the houre of death and that judgement which then passeth For how can that be expected which is already injoyed You have seen the souls of the Martyrs that appear to Saint John before Gods Throne where none but Martyrs appeare as I have argued bidden to expect the conâ—ummation of their company before the vengeance of God be exercised upon their persecutors Apoc. VI. 9 10 11. VII 14 After this vengeance is exercised and they had raigned M. yeares with Christ and the devil was loosed againe and had brought Gog and Magog to fight against Gods Church and they had been destroyed and the generall judgement represented Apoc. XX. the Spirit returneth to show Saint John the New Jerusalem containing those that see Gods face and have his Name upon their foreheads Apoc. XXI XXII 1-5 Who have no need of the Sunne because God is their light and shall raigne for everlasting For after all this againe The Spirit and the bride say come And let him that heareth say come And let him that thirsteth come and let who will come and take of the water of life for nothing And he that testifyeth these things saith Indeed I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus What demandeth all this That which seemeth not to be refused admitting the consequence of the Visions That those souls who appear before Gods Throne pray for the second coming of Christ and the consummation of all things The renewing of their prayer Apoc. VI. after the representation of the generall judgement Apoc. XX. inforceth it The Saints therefore in heaven still desiring the second coming of Christ is it marvaile if there remaine something to be prayed for on behalf of inferiour rankes having showed that those who were sealed and saved in Jewry are not described to appeare in heaven before Gods Throne Whither we admit all that dy in the state of Grace to be with Christ as well as S. Paul and that in Paradise taken for the third heavens Or reserve as well we may reserve so much privilege to an Apostle and a martyr according to that which I have showed you out of the Apocalypse as not to equall with him all that dy in the state of Grace Certaine we are the estate of those that dy in Gods grace admits a solicitous expectation of the day of judgement though assured of the issue of it That is it which so many texts of Scripture alledged afore signifie nothing if they signify it not What is it then that reason grounded upon the Scriptures requires Certainly did our justification consist in the immediate imputation of Christs righteousnesse revealed by that Faith which therefore justifieth no man could dy in the state of Grace but be must be as pure as the Blessed Virgine and he that can digest such excessive assertions may think strange that any difference should be made among them that dye in Grace But I must and do suppose that which I have proved that the performance of that common Christianity the undertaking whereof justifies makes as much difference between the righteousnesse of severall Christians as must needes be found between the Highest of Gods Saints and the Lowest of those that escape the second death And therefore inferre that the difference of theire estates between death and the generall judgement must needes be answereable though from their death they know to whether lot they be deputed as for their particular judgment And this will necessarily follow supposing this world to be the Race and the next the Gole according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace which hath been declared For supposing that he who keepeth account of his steps and watcheth over his wayes may be ready for Gods call and appeare before him without sinne having washed it away by the blood of Christ infused in the tears of finall repentance Must we not of necessity suppose that they who doe not so who are evidently the farre greater part of Christians departing with the guilt and slaine of such sinne upon them must needs appear with it before God notwithstanding the Covenant of Grace Againe the ove of this world and of our selves from whence such sinne proceedeth and would have proceeded should men proceed to live suppose it be such as drives not Gods Spirit away because incident to that humane â—railty which the Covenant of Grace presupposeth how shall it be washed out of that soule after death by virtue of the Covenant of Grace which hath failed of the Covenant of Grace in not washing it away being alive It is therefore necessarily consequent upon the premises that Christiane soules which escape the second death because the love of God was alive in them to strive against sinne though not to clear them of it continue in that estate wherein they departed till the generall judgement As for the love of God or of the World so for the joy or remorse which they have in them selves for it That the purity of this joy or the mixture of it with remorse be not meerly the punishment of sinne committed but the effect and consequence of the estate in which it departeth though the sin which it committed in the Body be the meanes to constitute this estate That the departure thereof bring it to that anxiety concerning the everlasting judgement which is proportionable to the love of the creature which it departeth with That being reposed in an estate and place of refreshment which those secret receptacles and chambers of Esdras seem to signify it remaine subject as well to those clouds of sorrow and remorse which the sense of sinne done and the love of God which hath not conquered the love of the Creature produceth as to that light and refreshment which the Spirit of God may create That the end of all this may be the trial of the day of judgement purging away all the dregs and drosse of sinne and of the love of this world which may remaine in soules that depart or are found then alive in the state of Grace by the fiercenesse and sharpnesse of that griefe which the triall of the generall judgement shall cause It may be thought that the fire wherewith the day of the Lord is revealed seizing their bodies which they shall have resumed by the paine which it
bodies the holy Ghost that dwelt in them here raiseth This is that precious pearle and that hid treasure this is that grain of mustard seed that leaven which being purchased at the price of all we have and sowed in the heart and layd up in the past of our thoughts makes all our actions fruitfull to the riches of everlasting happinesse This is that little spot of truth for the maintaining whereof so many bloudy fields of Controversies in Religion are and have been fought by soules that perish by maintaining division in the Church to the prejudice if not the losse of that truth for which they fight As the country alwaies suffers by the warre that is made for it All this while it is to be remembred that Baptisme tieth not onely to professe this faith unto death but to live according to Christianity Whether it be by virtue of Moses Law cleared by our Lord of the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees or by the New Law of Christ clearing the spiritual intent of the Old it is not necessary to salvation for a Christian to know For Irenaeus briefly distinguishing mater of Faith from mater of Knowledge in the Scriptures 1. 2 4. makes all that which concerns the reason of the difference in Gods proceeding under the Law and the Gospel to be mater of abundant knowledge not of necessary faith But it is necessary for the salvation of a Christian to know that by being a Christian he undertakes to suppresse mortify and prevent as far as in him lies even the first motions of concupiscence whether in the lusts of the flesh or the lust of the eyes or the pride of life as our Lord in the Gospel hath clearly laid forth howsoever the Law have expressed or intimated the same And this is that warre with the devil the world and the flesh for the keeping of Gods commandments which our Baptisme undertaketh For there is no difference in things to be done concerning a private Christian as a private Christian that seems to be any considerable ground of division in the Church The substance of our common Christianity in that part seems to remain without dispute In things that are to be believed it were well if it could be said so truly that there is no part of the rule of Faith in dispute In the meane time the substance of Christianity containing whatsoever it is necessary for the salvation of all Christians to know whether in matter of Faith or of maners whereof to speak properly the rule of Faith signifieth onely the first part consisteth onely in that which concerns a particular Christian as such whether to be believed or to be done But what then shall the beliefe of one holy Catholicke and Apostolicke Church in our Creed signify Onely that there are Christians in the world Shall a Christian be saved by believing that which all Christians see that there is a company of men that call themselves Christians Or shall it therefore be necessary to the salvation of all Christians to know that God hath founded the whole body of the Church consisting of all Churches for a Society and Corporation subsisting by his Law shall it concern the salvation of simple Christians to understand the nature of Corporations and to know how visible communion in Christian Offices makes the Church such a one believing that this comes by Gods appointment I do not imagine any such thing Indeed whosoever allowes no ground of difference between true Christians on the one side and hereticks and schismaticks on the other side cannot admit the belief of one Catholicke Church for an article of his Creed For had there never been heresie or schisme the communion of all Christians with all Christians going forwards without interruption the Church had been no lesse Catholicke then now that it is called Catholicke to distinguish it from heresies and schismes which prevailed sometimes in some places but never spread nor lasted with the Church But had there been no profession qualifying for communion with the Church Had there been no power in the Church to limit the Order and circumstance of Communion in the Offices of Christianity it could never have been visible whom a Christian was to communicate with professing himself bound by believing one Catholicke Church to communicate with it Because by this meanes it was visible and because being visible an obligation was acknowledged of communicating with it the profession of this obligation was to be part of the common Christianity which the Creed was to signify But when it is no more visible whom a Christian is to communicate with by reason of division in the Church what is it then that resolves whom a Christian is to communicate with That is indeed the question which this whole businesse intends to resolve For the Reformation having occasioned division in the Church the parties are both visible but which is the true Church remaines invisible so long as it remaines in despute For though it be not invisible to that reason which proceeds aright upon due principles yet that is not required of all Christians that would be saved And therefore if it be not visible to the common reason of all men it is invisible This I alledge to no further purpose then to show how much all parties stand obliged to procure the reunion of the Church as answerable for the soules that may miscarry by chusing amisse in that which Gods ordinance makes visible but mens disorder invisible to common sense For the more difficult the way of salvation proves by this meanes the more shall all estates stand obliged to clear it Let us then see wherein the difficulty of the choice consisteth let us see what satisfaction the parties tender common sense that salvation is to be had by leaving of them The Word and the Sacraments are the markes of the true Church So say the Doctors of the Reformation so say perhaps their confessions of Faith It were too long to dispute that But how are these markes distinctive For I suppose they pretend not to make known the Reformed Churches to constitute the true Church in opposition to the Church of Rome by markes common to both And will any common sense allow that the Church of Rome will grant that they have not the word of God or the Sacraments which they allow the Reformed to have If you adde the pure preaching of the Word and the pure ministring of the Sacraments you advance not a foot For is common sense able to judge that the Reformed way is pure that of the Church of Rome impure It judgeth that they who call it so think so Whether it be so or not it must come under dispute And appealing to the Scriptures it appeareth that common sense is not judge in the meaning and consequence of them upon which the resolution depends It is therefore manifest that the preaching of the word and the ministring of the Sacraments is no mark of the Church unlesse
takes place The Councile then transgresseth the Power of the Church in erecting a Position of the Schoole and that in the proper sense of the terms not true into an article of the Faith But the Bull much more in requiring to sweare it And whether or no the decree of the Councile concerne the salvation of a single Christian being under it The swearing to it which the Bull injoyneth necessarily concerns the salvation of him who if he understand the businesse knowes it not to be true if he understand it not cannot sweare it But that the satisfaction of Penance is not to abolish the guilt of eternall death by changing the love of this world into the Love of God above all things but to redeem the debt of temporall punishment remaining when the sinne is remitted by the Sacrament or when it cannot be had by the meer desire of it as it is decreed Sess VI. cap. XIV this is necessarily prejudiciall to the Christianity of those who must needs be induced by it to think themselves restored to Gods grace without the meanes which his Gospel requireth For be Penance never so much a Sacrament if the Church suppose the Gospel the applying of the Keyes thereof cannot abate that condition which the Gospel requireth but is imployed to effect it Therefore absolution proceeds not but upon supposition that the change of a mans disposition is visible by the performing of his Penance If the case of necessity create an exception which the Church presumeth that God dispenseth in and therefore reconcileth all in the point of death by giving them the Eucharist It is not because there is ground of pardon in their being reconciled but in the procuring of their being qualified for it which must not have been presumed upon otherwise For the presumption of pardon not lying in the act of reconcilement by the power of the Keyes but in the ground of it upon the corrupt custome of absolving first and imposing Penance to be performed afterwards to decree this construction that it is not imposed for remission of sinne as conditionally depending on it but to pay the temporall punishment remaining when it is remitted was to heape abuses upon abuses For hence is come the change of attrition into contrition by the sentence of absolution in him in whom all the Penance that is in joyned pretends nothing else then to effect it So that pardon being held forth upon undue grounds the corruption of our nature must needs presume upon it when it is not effected How then shall a man sweare to admit this without consenting and concurring to the intangling of simple soules in the snares of their sinnes And this is therefore a point wherein the Christianity which the decree constituteth is necessarily defective as not providing for that which the Gospel maketh requisite to the remission of sinne but teaching to expect it from the act of declaring it by the Church without supposing the ground upon which the Gospel tendreth it If the decree of Transubstantiation could possibly be expounded to signify onely the Sacramentall presence of the body and bloud of Christ which I maintaine the consecration effecteth what would that serve the turne when it is further required that we hold him anathemâ— that believes the substance of the elements to remaine which being so manifestly justifyed by the Scriptures neither any Tradition of the Church nor any reason rendring the bodily presence of them inconsistent with the Sacramentall presence of the flesh and bloud of Christ excludeth Nor is it enough that Christian people frequent themselves and admit in others the use and effect of these offices which the Councile of Florence first decreed to make up the seven Sacraments unlesse they sweare to hold them for Sacraments without distinguishing either in that grace which the ceremony signifieth or in the force whereby they concurre to the obtaining of it Whereas the difference between our common Christianity and that which the Church is able to contribute towards the effect of it by any office which it is inabled to celebrate ought to distinguish the grace of the holy Ghost which Baptisme and the Eucharist immediately bestow by virtue of the Covenant of Grace which they inact and establish from that which any office of the Church by Gods promise to hear the prayers thereof is able to bring to passe Further seeing that by the Scriptures expounded according to the originall Tradition of the Church the soules of those that depart in grace are in an imperfect state of happinesse till the generall judgement according to the state in which they depart Neither can any prayers be made to redeem soules out of Purgatory paines to the sight of God which the decree of the Councile of Florence supposeth upon those termes Nor any assurance be had that the prayers which are made to the Saints do come to their knowledge And how then shall a good Christian swear to believe that Soules are helped out of Purgatory by the prayers of the living or that he is to pray to saints of whom he can by no meanes be assured that they hear his prayers Surely it cannot be imagined that the communion of the Eucharist in one kinde the making of these prayers to Saints which distinguish them not from God desiring of them those things which onely God can give the setting up of their images in Churches to be worshipped and prayed to in the house of Gods service the worshipping of images as the objects of that worship in respect of their principals which is not the worship of their principals the serving of God in an unknown Language the barring of Christian people from the Scriptures the maintaining of Masses where no body communicates scarce any body assisteth the opinion of applying the virtue of Christs death by them to those who neither communicate nor assist them with their devotions by virtue of the Sacrisice the tendring of pardon for sinne by Indulgences whereof there can be no effect but the releasing of Penance injoyned These and other customes of that Church which have the force and effect of Law which written lawes many times never attaine are so farre from being reasonable meanes to advance the service of God that to live under them and to yield conformity to them is a burthen unsufferable for a Christian to undergo to approve them by being reconciled to the Church that maintaines them a scandal incurable and irreparable But to swear further and to professe firmely to admit and imbrace them as contained within the title of constitutions and observations of that Church is a thing which to me it seems strange that it should ever be required of a Christian The effect of this Bull is of so high a nature in regard of those whom it concerns that never any Generall Councile pretended to produce the like That every man should owne the Lawes of the Society wherein he lives so farre as to live in conformity with them