them in the world to come that should heartily and faithfully serve him in this Which adding to it the profession of the Name and warrant of Christ as the Author of that contract whereby we undertake so to do is Christianity I have yet said nothing of the passage of S. James II. 14 where he disputes expresly that faith alone justifieth not but Faith with works for it seemes to make a generall argument by it self though in truth the reason which he brings that Abraham was justified by works necessarily depends upon the true reason why S. Paul saith That Abraham was justified by faith Which reason they that will not admit deserve to crucifie themselves everlastingly to find how he can be truly said to be justified by workes that is justified by faith alone without works afore were it not pitty that the Scriptures should be set on the rack to make them confesse a meaning which the words in no language by any custome of humane speech will bear For if the Faith of him that hath no good works will not save him not justifie him as the Apostle expresly affirmeth can the workes that are said to do this be said to do it Metonymicalâ—y because they are signes or effects of Faith which doeth it when it is said that faith without them doth it not And though by the way of Metonymy the property or effect of the cause may be attributed to the effect of that cause Yet when that property or effect is denied the cause and attributed to the effect will any language indure that it should be thought properly to belong to the cause which is denied it and attributed to the effect only by Metonymy that is in behalf of the cause that is denied it Is there any need to come into these straits when by saying that a man is justified by faith alone according to S. Paul meaning by undertaking Christianity a man will be obliged to say that he is justified by works also according to S. James to wit by performing that which he undertaketh unlesse you will have him justified by undertaking that which he performes not For when it is said that a man is justified by undertaking Christianity it is supposed that he undertakes it sincerely and heartily Which sincerity containing a resolution of all righteousnesse for the future justly qualifies him for those promises which overtake him in sinne so that for the present he can have nothing to justifie him but the righteousnesse of this faith alone which the Gospel tells us that God accepteth But for the time to come just ground is there to distinguish a second justification which proceeds upon the same consideration but supposes the condition undertaken to be performed from that first which though done by faith alone inferreth the necessity of making good what is undertaken that it may be available Is not this that the Apostle saith James 11. 15 16 17. If a brother or sister be naked or want daily food and one of you say to him Go in peace be warmed and fed and yet give them not things fit for his body what is he the better So also faith if it have not workes is of it self dead Where lies this comparison but in this that he who professeth Christianity but doth not according to it is like him that professeth love to his brother but relieves not his necessities And so when it followes But a man may say thou hast faith and I have workes shew me thy workes by thy faith and I will shew thee my faith by my workes For he that liveth like a Christian it is plaine he sheweth his Faith by his workes which is evidence that he professeth Christianity sincerely but he that onely professeth is yet to make evidence by his workes that his profession is sincere As for the example of Abraham the Apostles words are these Abraham our Father was he not justified by works when he offered Isaac upon the altar Thou seest that faith wrought with his workes and by works was his saith perfited And the Scripture which saith Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse was fulfilled and he was called the sonne of God What is this but that which we read 1 Mac. 11. 52. Was not Abraham found faithfull in triall and it was counted to him for righteousnesse For it was counted to him for righteousnesse that not being weak in saith he considered not his own body already mortified as being a hundred years old nor the mortification of Sarahs wombe nor doubted through want of belief in Gods promise but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God and being satisfied that he is able to do what he hath promised As S. Paul saith Rom. IV. 19 20 21. And therefore much more must it needs be counted to him for righteousnesse that by faith he offered Isaac when he was tempted and that he who had received the promises offered his onely begotten sonne of whom it had been said In Isaac shall posterity be counted to thee Reckoning that God was able to raise him from the dead Whence also he received him in a parable As the Apostle saith Heb. XI 17 18 19. For here as I shewed afore it is the act of faith and not the object of it that is imputed to righteousnesse And in that obedience whereby this temptation was overcome though there was a good work yet there was an act of that faith And therefore the Apostle deservedly addeth that his faith wrought with his workes But the faith that moved him to travail after Gods promise was perfected by this work wherein that faith moved him to tender God obedience And therefore the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Because that which Moses had said that God counted Abraham righteous for his faith was made good and proved not to have been said without cause but that he was righteous indeed as righteous he must be whom God so accounts that obeyed God in such a triall as this So that which S. James addeth of Rahab Likewise Rahab also the harlot was she not justified by works receiving the messengers and sending them out another way How shall it agree with that of the other Apostle Heb. XI 31. Through faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers receiving the spies in peace But by virtue of the same reason that having conceived assurance of the promises of God to his people that she might have her share in them she resolved to become one of them upon such terms as the case required wherein certainly the preservation of their spies was required So if by Faith then by Workes if by Workes then by Faith I must not leave this point till I have produced another sort of Scriptures in which the promises of the Gospel are made to depend upon workes which Christianity requireth AS namely when forgivenesse of sinners is promised upon condition that we
Of the Prophets and righteous men under the Law Abraham and Rahab the harlot justified by Workes if justified by Faith The promises of the Gospel depend upon works which the Gospel injoyneth The Tradition of the Church 52 CHAP. X. What Pelagius questioneth concerning the Grace of Christ what Socinus further of the state of Christ before his birth The opposition between the first and second Adam in S. Paul evidenceth original sinne Concupisence in the unregenerate and the inability of the Law to subdue it evict the same The second birth by the holy Ghost evidenceth that the first birth propagateth sin 66 CHAP. XI The old Testament chargeth all men as well as the wicked to be sinful from the wombe David complaineth of himself as born in sin no lesse then the Wise man of the children of the Gentiles How Leviticall Laws argue the same And temporal death under the Old Testament The book of Wisdome and the Greek Bible 76 CHAP. XII The Heresie of Simon Magus the beginning of the Gnosticks That they were in being during the Apostles time Where and when the Heresie of Cerintâ—us prevailed and that they were Gnosticks The beginning of the Encratites under the Apostles It is evident that one God in Trinity was then glorified among the Christians by the Fulnesse of the Godhead which they introduced in stead of it 80 CHAP. XIII The Word was at the beginning of all things The apparition of the old Testament Prefaces to the Incarnation of Christ Ambassadors are not honoured with the honour due to their Masters The word of God that was afterwards incarnate was in those Angels that spoke in Gods Name No Angel honoured as God under the New Testament The Word was with God at the beginning of all things as after his return 89 CHAP. XIV The Name of God not ascribed to Christ for the like reason as to creatures The reasons why the Socinians worship Christ as God do confute their limitations Christ not God by virtue of his rising again He is the Great God with S. Paul the true God with S. John the onely Lord with S. Jude Other Scriptures Of the form of God and of a servant in S. Paul 94 CHAP. XV. Not onely the Church but the World was made by Christ The Word was made flesh in opposition to the Spirit How the Prophets how Christians by receiving the Word of God are possessed by his Spirit How the title of Sonne of God importeth the Godhead How Christ is the brightnesse and Image of God 100 CHAP. XVI The testimonies of Christs Godhead in the Old Testament are first understood of the figures of Christ Of the Wisdome of God in Solomon and elsewhere Of the writings of the Jewes as well before as after Christ 112 CHAP. XVII Answer to those texts of Scripture that seem to abate the true Godhead in Christ Of that creature whereof Christ is the first-born and that which the Wisdome of God made That this beliefe is the originall Tradition of the Church What means this dispute furnisheth us with against the Arians That it is reason to submit to revelation concerning the nature of God The use of reason is no way renounced by holding this Faith 116 CHAP. XVIII The necessity of the grace of Christ is the evidence of Original sinne How the exaltation of our Lord depends upon his humiliation and the grace of Christ upon that All the work of Christianity is ascribed to the grace of Christ Gods predestination manifesteth the same 133 CHAP. XIX Evidences of the same in the Old Testament Of Gods help in getting the Land of Promise and renewing the Covenant And that for Christs sake That Christianity cannot stand without acknowledging the grace of Christ The Tradition of the Church In the Baptism of Infants In the Prayers of the Church In the decrees against Pelagius and other records of the Church 140 CHAP. XX. Wherein Original sinne consisteth What opinions are on foot That it is not Adams sinne imputed to his posterity Whether man were at the first created to a supernatural end or not An estate of meer nature but innocent possible Original sinne is concupisence How Baptism voids it Concerning the late novelty in the Church of England about Original sinne 151 CHAP. XXI The opinion that makes the Predestination of mans will by God the sourse of his freedom And wherein Jansenius differs from it Of necessity upon suppositiou and absolute The necessity of the Will following the last dictate of the understanding is onely upon supposition As also that which Gods foresight creates The difference between indifferent and undetermined 163 CHAP. XXII The Gospel findeth man free from necessity though not from bondage Of the Antecedent and consequent Will of God Praedetermination is not the root but the rooting up of Freedom and Christianity Against the opinion of Jansenius 170 CHAP. XXIII A man is able to do things truly honest under Originall sinne But not to make God the end of all his doing How all the actions of the Gentiles are sinnes They are accountable onely for the Law of nature How all men have or have not Grace sufficient to save 181 CHAP. XXIV Though God determineth not the will immediately yet he determineth the effect thereof by the means of his providence presenting the object so as he foresees it will chuse The cases of Pharoah of Solomon of Ahab and of the Jews that crucified Christ Of Gods foreknowledge of future conditionalls that come not to passe The ground of foreknowledge of future contingencies Difficult objections answered 189 CHAP. XXV The grounds of the difference between sufficient and effectual How naturall occasions conduce to supernatural actions The insufficience of â—ansenius his doctrine Of sufficient grace under the Law of Moses and Nature 202 CHAP. XXVI Predestination to grace absolute to glory respective Purpose of denying effectuall Grace absolute of punishing respective The end to which God predestinates is not the end for which he predestinates Grace the reward of the right use of Grace How much of the question the Gospel dètermines not That our indeavours are ingaged no lâ—sse then if predestination were not it determineth Of the Tradition of the Church and of Semipelagians Predestinatians and Arminians 212 CHAP. XXVII The question concerning the satisfaction of Christ with Socinus The reason why Sacrifices are figures of Christ common to all sacrifices Why and what Sacrifices the Fathers had what the Law added Of our ransom by the price of Christs propitiatory Sacrifice 233 CHAP. XXVIII Christ took away our sinne by bearing the punishment of it The Prophesie of Esay LIII We are reconciled to God by the Gospel inconsidâ—cation of Christs obedience The reconcilement of Jews and Gentiles Men and Angels consequent to the saâ—e Of purging and expiating sinne by Christ and making propitiation for it Of Christs dying for us 238 CHAP. XXIX The grant of Grace in consideration of Christ supposes satisfaction made by him for sinne Neither
Apostle denies any man to be justified For all Christianity acknowledges that the Gospel is implied in the Law neither could the justification of the Fathers before and under the Law by Faith be maintained otherwise And therefore it is no strange thing to say that under the Law there were those that obtained that righteousnesse which the Gospel tendereth though not by the Law but by the Gospel which under the Law though not published was yet in force to such as by meanes of the Law were brought to embrace the secret of it But it cannot there-therefore be said that they were justified by the Law or by the works of it but by Grace and by Faith though the Law was a meanes that God used to bring them to the Grace of Faith And therefore when the Apostles inferences are imployed to fortifie this argument To wit that if a Christian be justified by works depending upon the Covenant of Grace then he hath whereof he may glory which Abraham that was justified by Faith had not Then hath he no meanes to attain that peace and security which the Gospel tendereth all having the conscience of such works as do interrupt it I do utterly deny both consequences For I say that the works that depend upon the Gospel are neither done without the Grace of God from whence the Gospel comes neither are they available to justify him whom the Gospel overtakes in sinne of themselves but by virtue of that Grace of God from whence the Gospel comes Now I challenge the most wilfull unreasonable man in the world to say how he that sayes this challenges any thing whereoâ— he may glory without God who acknowledges to have received that which he tenders from Gods gift and the promise which God tenders in lieu of it from his bounty and goodnesse To say how a man can be more assured that he is in the state of Gods grace then he can be assured of what himself thinks and does For not to decide at present how and how farre a man may be assured of Gods grace whatsoever assurance can be attained must be attained upon the assurance which a man may have of his own heart and actions and that as S Paul saies 1 Cor. 11. 10. No man knows what is in a man but the Spirit of a man that is in him For if it be said â—hat this assurance is from the Spirit of God and therefore supposes not so much as the knowledge of our selves I must except peremptorily that which I premised as a supposition in due place that no man hath the Spirit of God but upon supposition of Christianity And therefore no man can know that he hath the Spirit of God but upon supposition that he knows himself to be a good Christian otherwise it would be impossible for any man to discern in himself between the dictates of a good and bad Spirit seeing it is manifest that among those that professe Christianity many things are imputed to the Spirit of God which are contrary to Christianity Now of the sincerity of that intention wherewith a man ingages to live like a Christian a man may stand as much assured as he can stand assured of his own confidence in God or that he doth indeed believe himself to be predestinate to life And therfore it is no prejudice to that security and peace of conscience which the Gospel tendereth that it presupposeth this ingagement and the performance of it This answer then proceedeth upon these two presumptions That the grace of Christ which is the grace of God through Christ is necessary to the having of that faith which alone justifieth Which the heresy of Socinus denies with Pelagius And that it justifieth not of it self but by virtue of that grace of Christ that is the grace which God declares in consideration of his obedience These presumptions it is not my purpose to suppose gratis without debating the grounds upon which they are to be received having once purposed to resolve wherein the Covenant of Grace stands But I must have leave to take them in hand in their respective places and for the present to dispatch that which presses here which is to shew that the intent of S. Paul and the rest of the Scriptures which he expounds most at large is this That a Christian is not justified by the Law of Moses and those works that are done precisely by virtue thereof not including in it the Gospel of Christ but by undertaking the profession of Christianity and performing the same which is in his language by faith without the workes of the Law and therefore consequently by those workes which are done by virtue of this faith in performance of it And first I appeale to the state of the question in S. Pauls Epistles what it is the Apostle intends to evict by all that he disputes And demand who can or dare undertake that he had any occasion to decide that which here is questioned upon supposition that a Christian is justified by the Covenant of Grace alone which the Gospel tendereth Whether by Faith alone which is the assurance of salvation or trust in God through Christ Or by Faith alone which is the undertaking of Christianity and living according to the same For it is evident in the Scriptures of the Apostles how much adoe they had to perswade the Jewes who had received Christ that the Gentiles which had done the like were not bound to keep the Law which they it is evident did keep These had no ground had they understood from the beginning of their Christianity that their righteousnesse and salvation depended not upon the keeping of it under the Gospel of Christ It is evident that the trouble which Jewish Christians raised in the Churches to whom those Epistles are directed which dispute this point fullest upon occasion of this difficulty was the subject and cause of directing the same What cause then can there be why these Epistles should prove that a Christian is not justified by such works as suppose the Covenant of Grace when as the disease they pretend to cure consists in believing to be justified by the works of Moses Law which supposeth it not For it is evident that had it been received as now that Moses Law is void the occasion of this dispute in these Epistles had ceased what ever benefit besides might have been procured by them for succeeding ages of the Church Is it not plain that the pretense of S. Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes is this that neither the Gentiles by the Law of Nature nor the Jewes by the Law of Moses can obtaine righteousnesse or avoid the judgement of God and therefore that it is necessary for both to imbrace Christianity He that reades the two first chapters cannot question this In the fourteenth chapter together with the beginning of the fifteenth you shall find him resolving upon what terms these two sorts of Christians were to converse with one another And
having received the promises but having seen them afarre of and being perswaded and having saluted them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon earth for they who say such things declare that they seek a country And had they been mindfull of that which they were come out from they might have had time to turn back But now they desire a better that is an heavenly Whereupon God is not ashamed to be called their God For he had prepared them a City And againe 39 40. These all being witnessed by faith received not the promises God having provided some better thing for us that they might not be perfected without us Where it is plaine that they according to the Apostle expected the kingdom of heaven by virtue of that promise which is now manifested and tendered and made good by the Gospell whereof our Saviour saith John VIII 98. Your father Abraham leaped to see my day and saw it and rejoyced And againe Mat. XIII 17. Verily I say unto you that many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things ye see and have not seen them and to hear the things ye hear and have not hard them CHAP. IX Of the Faith and Justification of Abraham and the Patriarkes according to the Apostles Of the Prophets and righteous men under the Law Abraham and Rahab the harlot justified by workes if justified by Faith The promises of the Gospel depend upon works which the Gospell injoyneth The Tradition of the Church HAving thus shewed that the interest of Christianity and the grounds whereupon it is to be maintained against the Jewes require this answer to be returned to the objection it remaines that I shew how the apostles disputations upon this point do signify the same Of Abraham then and of the Patriarches thus we read Heb. XI 8 10. By faith Abraham obeyed the calling to go forth unto the place he was to receive for inheritance and went forth not knowing whither he went By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as none of his own dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same promise For he expected a City having foundations the architect and builder whereof is God Is it not manifest here that both parts of the comparison are wrapped up in the same words which cannot be unfolded but by saying That as Abraham in confidence of Gods promise to give his posterity the land of Canaan left his country to live a stranger in it So while he was so doing he lived a pilgrim in this world out of the faith that he had conceived out of Gods promises that he should thereby obtaine the world to come And is not this the profession of Christians which the Apostle in the words alledged even now declareth to be signified by the pilgrimages of the Patriarchs And is not this a just account why they cannot be said to have attained the promises by the law but by faith Therefore that which followeth immediately of Sarah must needs be understood to the same purpose By faith Sarah also her self received force to give seed and bare beside the time of her age because she thought him faithfull that had promised Therefore of one and him mortified were born as the stars of heaven for multitude and as the sand that is by the sea shore innumerable For S. Paul declareth Gal. III. 16. IV. 22 Rom. IX 7 8 9. that the seed promised Abraham in which all the nations of the earth shall be blessed is Christ and the Church of true Spirituall Israelites that should impart the promise of everlasting life to all nations And this promise you saw even now that Abraham and the Patriarchs expected Sarah therefore being imbarked in Abrahams pilgrimage as by the same faith with him she brought forth all Israel according to the flesh so must it needs be understood that she was accepted of God as righteous in consideration of that faith wherewith she traveled to the world to come Neither can it be imagined that S. Pauls dispute of the righteousnesse of Abraham by faith can be understood upon any other ground or to any other effect then this What then shall we say that Abraham our father got according to the flesh saith he Rom. IV. 1-5 For if Abraham was justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not towards God For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse But to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the wicked his faith is imputed for righteousnesse The question what Abraham found according to the flesh can signifie nothing but what got he by the Law which is called the flesh in opposition to the Gospel included in it which is called the Spirit Did he come by his righteousnesse through the Law or not For had Abraham been justified by works that should need none of that grace which the Gospel tendreth for remission of sinnes well might he glory of his own righteousnesse and not otherwise For he that acknowledges to stand in need of pardon and grace cannot stand upon his own righteousnesse Now Abraham cannot so glory towards God because the Scripture saith that his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse which signifies Gods grace in accepting of it to his account not his claime as of debt Whereupon the Apostle inferreth immediately the testimony of David writing under the Law in these words As David also pronounceth the man blessed to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works Blessed are they whose iniquities are remitted and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne What can be more manifest to shew that the Apostle intends no more then that the Fathers pretended not to be justified by those workes which claimed no benefit of that Grace which the Gospel publisheth Especially the consequence of Davids words being this Psal XXXII 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile For the Prophet David including the spirituall righteousnesse of the heart in the quality of him to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works the Apostle must be thought to include it in the Faith of him to whom the Lord imputeth it for righteousnesse Now when S. Paul observeth in Moses that Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Upon the promise of that posterity which he expected not Gen. XV. 6. It cannot be said that Abraham had not this faith afore Or that it was not imputed to him for righteousnesse till now Because the Apostle to the Hebrews hath said expresly that he had the same faith and to the like effect ever since he left his country to travail after Gods promises And certainly it was but an act of the same Faith to walk after the rest of those
to those works which go before faith that is before baptisme and are done without faith not to those that issue upon it and therfore placing that faith which alone justifieth in the profession of Christianity by Baptisme and that justification which insueth upon it not in effecting that faith but in those rightes which God alloweth him that hath it upon the account of it S. Jerome upon that of Zach. VIII 10. There was no reward for man or beast Priusquam fidem Christi quis recipiat in eo Spiritus Sancti fundamenta radicantur nullus audire poterit Est merces operi tuo Sive ille Judaeus sit sive Haereticus sive Gentilis quiequid boni operis fecerit nisi in Christi nomine fecerit mercedem sui operis non habebit Videmus Haereticorum virgines Philosophorum rigorem Judaeorum in escarum varietate observantiam tamen dicimus juxta Aggaeum quod comedant non satientur bibant non inebrientur operiantur non calescant qui mercedes congregat mittat eas in sacculum pertusum Before a man receive the faith of Christ and the foundations of the Holy Ghost be laid in him no man shall be able to hear There is a reward for thy work Be he Jew or Heretick or Gentile whatsoever good work he shall do not doing it in the Name of Christ he shall have no reward for his worke We see the Virgines of Hereticks the rigor of Philosophers the scrupulosity of Jews in diversities of meates and yet we say according to Aggai They eat and are not filled they drink and are not merry they are clothed and not warmed and he that gathers wages puts them into a purse with a hole in it Upon Galat. III. 2. Consideremus autem diligenter quid non dixerit Vtrum ex operibus Spiritum accepistis Sed adjecerit ex operibus Legis Sciebat enim Cornelium Centurionom Spiritum ex operibus accepisse sed non ex operibus Legis quam nesciebat Si enime contrario dicatur ergo sine eruditione fidei accipi Spiritus Sanctus potest nos respondebimus accepisse quidem eum Spiritum sed ex auditu fidei naturali lege quae loquitur in cordibus nostris bona quaeque facienda vitanda mala per quam dudum quoque Abraham Mosen caeteris Sanctos justificatos retulimus quam augere deinceps potest operum observatio legis quoque notitia non tamen carnalis legis quae praeterit sed spiritualis quia lex spiritualis est Neque vero quia sidem praeferimus legis opera destruimus aut dicimus secundum quosdam Faciamus mala donec eveniant bona quorum damnatio justa est Sed servituti gratiam anteponimus dicimusque quod Judaei propter metum faciunt id nos facere propter charitatem Illos cogi ad bonum nos bonum sponte suscipere Non igitur ex fide Christi licentia nascitur delinquendi sed ex dilectione fidei voluntas boni operis augetur dum bona ideo facimus non quia judicem formidamus sed quia scimus ei placere in quem credimus Now let us diligently consider that he saith not Whether have ye received the spirit by works but addeth by the workes of the Law For he knew that even Cornelius the Centurion received the spirit by workes but not by the workes of the Law which he knew not For if it be said on the other side That then the holy Spirit may also be received without the hearing of faith We will answer That he received the Spirit but by the hearing of faith and the Law of nature which sayes in our hearts that all good is to be done and evil avoided whereby we told you afore that Abraham Moses and the rest of the Saints were justified which the observation of workes succeeding may increase and knowledge of the Law but not the carnal law which is past but the Spirituall because the law is spirituall Nor do we destroy the workes of the Law because we preferre faith or say according to some let us do evil till good come whose damnation is just But we preferre Grace before bondage and say that we do for love that which Jewes do for feare That they are constrained to that good which we do of our own accord Therefore there rises no license to sinne from the faith of Christ but from the Law of Faith the lust of well doing increaseth while we do good not because we are afraide of the Judge but because we know it pleases him in whom we believe Here the difference which I make betweene workes and workes of the Law is S. Jeromes Here the righteousnesse of the Fathers under the Law of nature is ascribed to Faith out of which they submitted themselves to it as also Cornelius his title to that grace of the holy Ghost which the Gospel promiseth Here the reason is set forth why the workes of the Law justifie not because the preaching of the Gospel supposeth that the Law can effect no more then an outward and carnal obedience to the precepts thereof for fear of punishment Whereby it appeareth that those workes which justifie not are not onely those of the ceremonial Law but all that goes before the preaching of Faith whether as under Christianity or as before it according to S. Jerome The Gospel both requiring and effecting that inward and spirituall obedience which love constraineth I am not afraid after this to name the short commentary upon S. Pauls Epistles which usually goeth with S. Jeromes workes though I will suppose it to be Pelagius his upon Gal. III. 10. Quaeritur sant hoc loco si fides sola sufficiat Christiano utrum non sit maledictus qui praecepta Evangelica contemnit Sed fides ad hoc proficit ut in promitiis credulitatis accedentes ad Deum justificet si deinceps in justificatione permaneat lege permaneant caeterum sine operibus fidei non Legis mortua est fides Qui enim non credunt mandatis qui precepta Evangelica contemnunt maledictos esse servator edocuit dicens Discedite a me maledicte in ignem aeternum Et Jacobus Apostolus unius mandati transgressorem omnium reum esse ostendit Here forsoeth it is questionable whether faith alone be enough for a Christian and whether he be not accursed that shall neglect the praecepts of the Gospel But faith availeth so farre as in the beginning of belief to justifie those that come to God if they abide in justification thenceforth But without the workes of Faith not of the Law Faith is dead For that those who believe not the commandments and neglect the precepts of the Gospel are accursed even our Saviour hath taught saying Go ye cursed from me into everlasting fire And the Apostle James sheweth that he who transgresseth one commandment is guilty of all Againe upon 1 Tim. II. 15. Notandum quod sola fides ei
qui post Baptismum supervixerit non sufficiat nisi sanctitatem mentis corporis habeat quae sine sobrietate difficile custoditur It is to be noted that faith alone is not enough for him that survives after Baptisme unlesse he have the holinesse both of mind and body which without sobriety is hardly preserved Here you have S. Jeromes distinction between the works of Faith and of the Law and Baptisme the boundary of righteousnesse by Faith alone without the works of Faith And if any man be so impertinent as to suspect S. Jerome for a Pelalagian wherein he agrees with Pelagius S. Austine may perswade him that Pelagius is no Pelagian in this but speakes the sense of the Church Serm. LXXI De Tempore Quomodo fides per dilectionem operatur Et quomodo justificatur homo per fidem absque operibus legis Quomodo intendite fratres Credit aliquis percepit fidei Sacramenta in lecto mortuus est Defuit illi operandi tempus Quid dicimus Quia non est justificatus Plane dicimus justificatum credentem in eum qui justificat impium Ergo rite justificatus est operatus non est Impletur sententia Apostoli dicentis Arbitramur justificari hominem per fidem sine operibus Legis Latro qui cum Domino crucifixus est corde credidit ad justitiam ore confessus est ad salutem Nam fides quae per dilectionem operatur etsi non sit in quo exterius operetur in corde tamen illa fervens servatur Nam erant quidam in lâ—ge qui de operibus Legis gloriabantur quae fortasse non dilectione sed timore faciebant volebant se justos videri praeponi Gentibus quae opus legis non fecerant Apostolus autem praedicans fidem Gentibus cum eos qui accedebaut ad Dominum videret justificaetos ex fide utram quia crediderant bene operarentur non quia bene opetati sunt credere mererentur exclamavit securus ait Quia potest justificari homo ex fide sine operibus Legis Vt illi magis non fuerint justi qui quod faciâ—bant timort faciâ—bant Cum fides per dilectionem operetur in corde etiamsi foris non exit in opere How workes Faith by Love And how is a man justified by Faith without the workes of the Law Brethren marke how A man believes receives the Sacraments of Faith in his bed and dies wants time of working What shall we say That he is not justified Plainly we say he is justified believing in him that justifies the wicked So he is justified but wrought not The saying of the Apostle is fulfilled I suppose a man is justified by Faith without the workes of the Law The thiefe that was crucified with our Lord believed with the heart to righteousnesse and confessed to salvation with the mouth For Faith that worketh by love when there is nothing to work upon outwardly remaines neverthelesse fervent in the heart For there were those under the Law that boasted of the workes of the Law which perhaps they did not for love but for fear and would seem righteous and be preferred before Gentiles that had not done the work of the Law But the Apostle preaching the Faith to the Gentiles and seeing those who come to the Lord justified by Faith so that they did well because they had believed and not merited to believe by well doing cries out securely and sayes that a man may be justified by saith without the workes of the Law So that they who did what they did for fear of the Law rather were not righteous Whereas faith may work by love in the heart though it go not forth in any work Againe Libro quaestionum LXXXIII quaest LXXVI Si quis cum crediderit mox de hac vita discesserit justificatio fidei manet cum illo Non praesentibus bonis operibus quia non merito ad illam sed gratia pervenit Nec consequentibus quia in hac vita esse non sinitur If a man depart out of this life straight after he hath believed the justification by faith remaineth with him good workes neither accompanying because he came not to it by merit but by grace nor following because he is not suffered to live The reason being the same for which those who depart without Baptisme if not by their own fault are held to be saved In regard whereof S. Bernard Epist LXXVII thinkes that the Gospel Mark XVI 16. Having said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Doth not repeat He that is not baptized shall be demned But onely He that believeth not shall be demned Here the onely case in which a Christian can be saved without good workes is when time obliges him not to bring them forth And the onely reason why the workes of the Law justifie not is Because the Spirituall obedience of the Law presupposeth faith the knowledge of the Law according to the letter reaching onely to produce the outward work without that inward disposition which onely Christianity effecteth as well as requireth A thing which S. Austine in the dispute with Pelagius so often repeateth De Spiritu Litera Cap. VIII XXIX Contra duas Epistolas Plagianorum III. 2 7. De Gratia Christi peccato Originali I. 13. II. 24. De Gratia lib. arbitrio Cap. XII Origen in Rom. III. Libro III. Indulgentia namque non futurorum sed preteritorum criminum datur Igitur ut ad praepositum redeamus justificatur homo per fidem cui ad justificationem nihil conferunt opera Legis Vbi vero fides non est quae credentem justificet etiamsi quis opera habeat ex lege tamen quiâ— non sunt adificata supra fundamentum fidei quamvis videantur esse bonâ— operatorem suum justificare non pessunt si eis deest fides quae est signaculum corum qui justificantur a Deo For faith granteth indulgence of sâ—nnes past not to come He therefore is justified by Faith to returne to our purpose to whose justification workes of the Law contribute nothing But where that faith which justifieth him that believeth is not though a man have workes according to the Law yet because they are not built upon the foundation of Faith though they seeme good they cannot justifie their workers wanting Faith which is the maâ—ke of those that are justified by God The same Origen in the same book bringeth in the example of the thiefe upon the Crosse and of the woman that had been a sinner but was saved by her Faith Luke VII to the same purpose And I will not omit the wordes of S. Jerome upon that of Isa LXIV 5. All our righteousnesse is like a menstruous ragge Libro XVII In quo considerandum quod justitia quae in Lege est ad comparationem Evangelicâ— puritatis immunditia nominetur Etenim non est glorificatum quod prius glorificatum suit propter excellentem gloriam And
by and by Si quis igitur post Evangelum Christi adventum filii Dei Paedagogae Legis observat ceremonias audiat populum consitentem quod omnis illa justitia panno sordidissimo comparetur cui Esther diadema suum quod erat regiae potestatis insigne comparat Where it is to be considered that the righteousnesse which is in the Law in comparison of the purity of the Gospel is called uncleannesse For that which was counted glorious is not glorious in regard of that glory that excelleth And If any man then after the Gospel of Christ and the coming of the Sonne of God observe the ceremonies of that Pedagogicall Law let him hear the people confesse that all that righteousnesse is comparable to a most filthy ragg◠Wherewith also Ester compares her diadem though the ensigne of Royall Power The Prophet brings in the Synagogue confessing it self destitute of righteousnesse The Apostles shew that the Church onely furnisheth that righteousnesse through faith which the Synagogue by the Law cannot have And shall we say that S. Jerome abuses the Prophet in limitting that uncleannesse which the Prophet acknowledgeth even in their righteousnes to that which is to be had by the Law For though he name onely the workes of the Ceremoniall Law yet is all the righteousnesse that is to be had by the learning of the Letter of the Law of the same nature not attaining to be done with that disposition of the heart which onely the Gospel produceth O Ecumenius upon James II. 14. speaking the sense of some Fathers hath expressed all the points of my position in these tearmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But some of the Fathers have thus judged of this businesse For they say that distinguishing Abraham by times he is the patterne of both Faiths Whereof one going before Baptisme requires no Workes but onely Faith and the profession of salvation and the word whereby we are justified believing in Christ The other is coupled with workes So the Spirit that spoke in the Apostles shewes no contrariety The one justifying him that approcheth by profession alone in case he presently depart this life For such a one hath no workes but the cleansing of Baptisme is to him a sufficient passeport to salvation The other demanding of him that is already baptized that he should shew good workes He had proposed before another way of reconciling the Apostles by distinguishing severall significations in the terme of Faith which in that effect and consequence falls in with this S. Gregory In Evang. Hom. XIX Quod cum it a sit fidei nostre veritatem in vitae nostre consideration◠debemus agnoscere Tunc enim veraciter fideles sumus si quod verbis promittimus operibus complemus In die quippe baptismi omnibus nos antiqui hostis operibus atque omnibus pompis abrenunciare promisimus Itaque unusquisque ad considerationem suam mentis oculos reducat si servat post baptismum quod ante baptismum spopondit certus jam quia fidelis est gaudeat Which seeing so it is we are to acknowledge the truth of our faith in the consideration of our life For then are we truly faithfull or believers if we accomplish by workes what we promise by words For at the day of our Baptisme we promise to renounce all the workes and all the pompes of our ancient foe Let every man therefore turne the eyes of his minde to the consideration of himself and if he observe after baptisme that which he promised before baptisme being now assured that he is faithfull or a believer let him rejoyce He ascribeth that justification which requireth good workes to the fulfilling of that promise which our Baptisme presupposeth To the same purpose the commentary upon S. Pauls Epistles that goes under S. Ambrose his name upon Rom. III. 8. Manifeste beati sunt quibus sine labore vel opere aliquo remittuntur iniquitates peccata teguntur nulla ab his requisita poenitentiae opera sed tantum ut credant By and by Quemadmodum autem ad paenitentium potest pertinere personam cum dicit Beati quorum tectasunt peccata Cum constet paenitentes labore ac gemitu peccatorum remissionem acquirere Aut quomode Martyrio congruit quod dicit Beatus vir cui non imputabit dominus peccatum Cum sciamus gloriam martyrii passionibus pressaris acquiri Propheta autem tempus foelix in adventu servatoris praevidens beatos nominat quibus sine labore vel aliquo opere per lavacrum remittuntur teguntur non imputantur peccata Manifestly they are happy whose iniquities are remitted and whose sins are covered without the labour of any work not requiring of them any paines of Penance but onely to belivee And But how can it belong to the person of Penitents when he saith Blessed are they whose sins are covered Seeing it is manifest that Penitents attain remission of sins by labour and grones Or how agrees that which he saith with Martyrdome Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Seeing we know that the glory of Martyrdome is attained by sufferings and pressures But the Prophet foreseeing a happy time at our Saviours coming names them blessed whose sins are remitted and covered and not imputed by the laver of Baptisme without the labour of any work Whether or no this opposition between remission of sins which Baptisme alone and that which Penance and Martyrdome giveth he pertinently here alledged and like a Divine for Baptisme is the undertaking of Martyrdome if God require it and Penance is the voluntary undergoing of it when sin requireth it evident it is that Baptisme is here the boundary of that justification which faith alone promiseth And upon Heb. IV. 16. he saies that God gives requiem sempiternam fidem habentibus eam tamen quae per dilectionem operatur non credentibus poenam perpetuam Ne forte relicta pollicitatione quam dedimus Deo in baptismo iterum revertamur ad opera infidelitatis quae abdicamus coram multis testibus Everlasting rest to those who have faith but that which worketh by love perpetuall paine to those who believe no. Least peradventure abandoning the promise which we made to God at our Baptisme we return againe to the works of infidelity which we renounce before many witnesses Where the damation of a Christian is imputed to the transgressing of that promise which he makes to God in Baptisme And the true S. Ambrose when he saies lib. 1. Epist 1. Nec enim fides sola ad perfectionem satis est nisi etiam baptismatis adjiciatur gratia sanguinem Christi redemptus accipiat For neither sufficeth faith alone to persection unlesse the grace of baptisme be added and be that is redeemed receive the blood of Christ Cleerly compriseth the Sacrament of Baptisme after which the baptized alwaies received the Eucharist in the ancient Church whereupon S. Augustine afore mention Sacramenta fidei in
the plurall number the Sacraments of faith within that faith which alone justifieth But the same S. Ambrose Offic. II. 2. Habet ergo vitâ—m aternam fides quia fundamentum bonum est habent bona facta quia vir justus dictis et rebus probatur Therefore faith hath eternall life because the foundation is good And so have good works because a man is tried to be righteous by both saying and doing That is by doing as he saies By doing these works which by his Baptisme he undertakes to do S. Basil De spiritu sancto cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For faith is perfected by Baptisme and Baptisme is founded upon faith and both are fulfilled by the same names For as we believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost so are we baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And profession goes afore introducing to Salvation but baptisme followes sealing up our assent Not onely to the demand doest thou believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost but when it is further demanded wilt thou be baptized upon these termes And this profession so sealed is that which saveth him that departs upon it not him that survives to falsifie it S. Chrysostom in Rom. IV. 2. Hom. VIII makes a long comparison to shew that man glorisies God more by believing then by keeping his commandments Which certainly proceedeth not not can hold in those workes that presuppose faith having in them all that whereby faith glorifyeth God and more And therefore is to be limitted to works done before faith And therefore of those workes is S. Chrysostme to be understood when he sayes as oft times he doth that a man is justified without workes by Faith or by Grace in Gal III. 12. In Rom. III. 27. Homil. VII In Ephes II. 10. Homil. IV. The reason being alwayes that of Theodoret upon Galat. III. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seripture of God convinceth both those that were afore the Law and under it as transgressors as well these of Moses Law as those of the Law of Nature Offering the salvation that is promised by faith for an antidote both for these and for those If the Law of Moses were not of force to justify much lesse the Law of Nature Now the Gospel supposeth both Jewes and Gentiles under sinne and liable to Gods wrath till the Gospel come as S. Paul in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romanes declareth Not as if no man had been saved under the Law or before it But because they who then were saved belonged not to the Law of Moses or that of Nature but to the Gospel as saved by the meanes of it So said S. Jerome afore that they were saved by the preaching of Faith under the Law of Nature And thinne was the number of them who thus were saved that it was requisite the Gospel should come least the meanes which God had used to restore man afore might seem to have been imployed to no purpose So to be saved by faith and not by workes is the same with S. Paul according to the Fathers as to be justified by being a Christian and not by being a Jew by the Gospell and not by the Law So Tertullian cont Marc. V. 3. Ejus ergo Dei erit fides in qua vivit justus cujus Lex in qua non justificatur operarius Proâ—nde si in Lege maledictio est in Fide benedictio Therefore that faith whereby the just liveth shall be the same Gods whose the Law is whereby he that worketh is not justified Accordingly if the curse come by the Law then the blessing by faith For that Faith which properly stands in oppostion to the Law is Christianity S. Hilary In Mat. Can. VIII Movet Scribas remissum ab hommine peccatum Hominem enim tantum in Jesu Christo intuebantur remissum ab eo quod Lex laxare non poterat Fides enim sola justificat The Scribes are moved that sinne should be remitted by a man For they looked upon Jesus Christ as a meere man who remitted that which the Law could not loose For Faith alone justifieth Faith onely justifieth in opposition to the Law which remitteth no sin Therefore faith is Christianity Clemens Alexandr Strom. II. To learn is to obey the commandments which is to believe God Because forsooth to professe the Faith is to undertake to live by Gods commandments Strom. IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He therefore playes false with God that believes not God But he that keepeth not the commandments believes not Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All therefore whatsoever ye do do to the glory of God whatsoever it is permitted to do under the rule of Faith Here that part of Christianity which prescribes a Christian what he is to do what not is called the Rule of Faith Because he believes that God requires it at his hands though he undertake more then to believe it Strom. VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is a believer or faithful that receives the commandments upon due consideration and keeps them Pelagius upon Rom. X. 4. Talis est ille qui in Christum credidit die qua credidit qualis ille qui universam legem implevit Such is he that believeth the day that he believeth as is he that hath fulfilled the whole Law In the day of his Baptisme that is if he lives not to transgresse it His title to heaven is as good as if he had done whatsoever the Law requireth I shewed you before that Pelag. in the matter of justification departs not from the Church Clemens of Rome S. Pauls Scholar whom I will end with in his Epistle to the Corinthians p. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham who was called friend was found faithful in that he became obedient to the word of God p. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore was our Father Abraham blessed was it not because he did righteousnesse and truth through Faith p. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were all therefore glorified and magnified not by themselves or their owne workes or just actions which they had done but by his will And therefore we who are called by his will through Christ Jesus are not justified by our selves or our owne wisdome or understanding or workes that we have done with holinesse of heart But by faith whereby Almighty God hath justified all from the begining of the world The Fathers were not justified by their own workes but because being called by the will of God as we to Christianity through Christ Jesus they were found faithfull in doing righteousnesse truth through faith as he said of Abraham before For the workes of Faith cannot be counted our own works which we had never done had not Gods call gone afore That Faith then which alone justifieth importeth as great and as reall a change in the jugdement and resoution of him that attaineth it from unrighteous to righteous as the
is to determine controversies of Faith And what obligation that determination produceth Traditions of the Apostles oblige the present Church as the reasons of them continue or not Instances in our Lords Passeover and Eucharist Penance under the Apostles and afterwards S. Pauls vail eaâ—ing blood and things offered to Idols The power of the Church in limiting these Traditions 178 CHAP. XXV The power of the Church in limiting even the Traditions of the Apostles Not every abuse of this power a sâ—fficient warrant for particular Churches to reforme themselves Heresie consists in denying something necessary to salvation to be believed Schism in departing from the unity of the Church whether upon that or any other cause Implicite Faith no virtue but the effect of it may be the work of Christian charity p. 163 CHAP. XXVI What is to add to Gods Law What to adde to the Apocalypse S. Pauls Anathema The Beraeans S. Johns Gospel sufficient to make one believe and the Scriptures the man of God perfect How the Law giveth light and Christians are taught by God How Idolatry is said not to be commanded by God 168 CHAP. XXVII Why it was death to transgress the determinations of the Jewes Consistory and what power this argueth in the Church A difference between the authority of the Apostles and that of the Church The being of the Church to the worlds end with power of the Keyes makes it not infallible Obedience to Superiours and the Pillar of truth inferre it not 175 CHAP. XXXI The Fathers acknowledge the sufficiencie 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—rnesse of the Scriptures as the Traditions of the Church They are to be reconciled by limiting the termes which they use The limitations of those sayings which make all Christian truth to be contained in the Scriptures Of those which make the authority of the Church the ground of Faith 181 CHAP. XXXII Answer to an Objection that choice of Religion becomes difficult upon these terms This resolution is for the Interest of the Reformation Those that make the Church Infallible cannot those that make the Scriptures â—â—ear â—nd sufficient may own Tradition for evidence to determine the meaning of the Scriptures and controversies of Faith The Interest of the Church of England The pretense of Rushworthes Dialogues that we have no unquestionable Scripture and that tâ—e Tradition of the Church never changes 192 CHAP. XXXI That the Scriptures which wee have are unquestionable That mistakes in Copying are not considerable to the sense and effect of them The meaning of the Hebrew and Greek even of the Prophets determinable to the deciding of Controversies How Religion delivered by Tradition becomes subject to be corrupted 198 CHAP. XXXIV The dispute concerning the Canon of Scripture and the translations thereof in two Questions There can be no Tradition for those books that were written since Prophesie ceased Wherein the excellence of them above other books lies The chiâ—fe objections against them are questionâ—ble In those parcels of the New Testament that have been questioned the case is not the same The sense of the Church 207 CHAP. XXXIII Onely the Originall Copy can be Authentick But the truth thereof may as well be found in the translations of the Old Testament as in the Jewes Copies The Jewes have not falsified them of malice The points come neither from Moses nor Esdras but from the Talmud Iewes 218 CHAP. XXXIV Of the ancientest Translations of the Bible into Greek first With the Authors and authority of the same Then into the Chaldee Syriack and Latine Exceptions against the Greek and the Samaritane Pentateuch They are helps never thelesse to assure the true reading of the Scriptures though with other Copies whether Jewish or Christian Though the Vulgar Latine were better than the present Greek yet must both depend upon the Original Greek of the New Testament No danger to Christianity by the differences remaining in the Bible 224 The CONTENTS of the second Book CHAP. I. TWo parts of that which remains How the dispute concerning the Holy Trinity with Socinus belongs to the first The Question of justification by Faith alone The Opinion of Socinus concerning the whole Covenant of Grace The opinion of those who make justifying Faith the knowledge of a mans Predestination opposite to it in the other extream The difference between it and that of the Antinomians That there are mean Opinions p. 1 CHAP. II. Evidence what is the condition of the Covenant of Grace The contract of Baptism The promise of the Holy Ghost annexed to Christs not to Johns Baptism Those are made Christs Disciples as Christians that take up his Cross in Baptism The effects of Baptism according to the Apostles 5 CHAP. III. The exhortations of the Apostles that are drawn from the patterns of the Old Testament suppose the same How the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament are the same how not the same How the new Testament and the New Covenant are both one The free-will of man acteth the same part in dealing about the New-Covenant as about the Old The Gospel a Law 12 CHAP. IV. The consent of the whole Church evidenced by the custome of catechising By the opinion thereof concerning the salvation of those that delayed their Baptism By the rites and Ceremonies of Baptism Why no Penance for sins before but after Baptism The doctrine of the Church of England evident in this case 17 CHAP. V. The Preaching of our Lord and his Apostles evidenceth that some act of Mans free choice is the condition which it requireth The correspondence between the Old and New Testament inferreth the same So do the errors of Socinians and Antinomians concerning the necessity of Baptism Objections deferred 23 CHAP. VI. Justifying faith sometimes consists in believing the truth Sometimes in trust in God grounded upon the truth Sometimes in Christianity that is in imbracing and professing it And that in the Fathers as well as in the Scriptures Of the informed and formed Faith of the Schools 30 CHAP. VII The last signification of Faith is properly justifying Faith The first by a Metonymy of the cause The second of the effect Those that are not justified do truly believe The trust of a Christian presupposeth him to be justified All the promises of the Gospel become due at once by the Covenant of Grace That to believe that we are Elect or justified is not justifying faith 37 CHAP. VIII The objection from S. Paul We are not justifyed by the Law nor by Works but by Grace and by Faith Not meant of the Gospel and the works that suppose it The question that S. Paul speakes to is of the Law of Moses and the workes of it He sets those workes in the same rank with the works of the Gentiles by the light of nature The civil and outward works of the Law may be done by Gentiles How the Law is a Pedagogue to Christ 43 CHAP. IX Of the Faith and Justification of Abraham and the Patriarkes according to the Apostles
to range themselves among their own respective Sectaries So that to impute the corruption of their damnable inventions to the Church because they mixed themselves with the Church till they were discovered is the same justice that the Gentiles did the Christians in charging them with those horrible incests and vilainies which the Gnosticks only were guilty of because they so farr as it was for their turn affected to shelter themselves under the profession of Christians I shall have occasion in another place to inquire further concerning the riâ—ng of the Gnosticks during the time of the Apostles In the mean time because I see those who know not how to yield to the truth when it is showed them stand in the justification of the wrong that is done the Church by expounding of the corruptions of the Papacy that which Hegesippus saith of the Gnosticks it shall be enough to give you his own words in Eusebius Eccles Hist III. 32. R. Steph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hegesippus saith That till that time the Church remained a pure Virgin and undefloured Those that indeavored to adulterate the true Rule of that preaching which saveth the Rule of Faith which I said so much of afore lurking in obscure holes of darknesse till then if any such there were But the sacred quire of the Apostles having found the several ends of their lives And that generation of men being past that were vouchsafed to hear the wisedom of God with their own ears then did the confirmation of atheistical error receive beginning through the deceit of false Teachers Who now none of the Apostles remaining undertook bare-headed for the future to preach that Knowledge which is falsly so called in opposition to the preaching of the truth For here you have in expresse terms that Knowledge falsly so called from whence the Church after S. Paul calls all those Hereticks Gnosticks as pretending to have got it by such means as our Lord had not discovered to his Apostles You have also the difference between their lurking under the Apostles and their open preaching after their death in terms so expresse that hee must have a good will to it whoever oversees I shall be obliged to referr my self to these same words in another place Now to that which is objected concerning the opinion of the Millennaries I answer first that it cannot be thought ever to have been Catholick For Iustine the Martyr who first mentions it in his dispute with Trypho the Jew not many years after the Apostles expresly testifies that it was the opinion of the most orthodox Christians to wit in his judgment but withall that it was contradicted by others who were neverthelesse Christians even in his account that is of the Communion of the Church Which as it is a peremptory exception against the Universality so is it a reasonable presumption against the Originality of it Seeing that in so few years between him and the Apostles those that believed not all which they had delivered for the common Christianity can in no probability be thought to have injoyed the Communion of the Church And truely had it not been contradicted elsewhere that excellent Prelate Denys of Alexandriae that suppressed it in Egypt about CXXX after as you may see in Eusebius Eccles Hist VII 23 24 25. would have found a hard text of it For the intelligence and correspondence then in use between all parts of the Church would easily have confirmed those of his charge even against him The reason of atchieving the work was because the rest of Christendom insisted not on it Neither is the number or repute of Writers extant the reason to conclude any thing Catholick if the premises be true But the evidence which may be made sometimes from the disputes of able Writers but much more from the acts which past in the Church according or against that which they dispute that their doctrine was received or not received by the Church in whole or in part as necessary or not And therefore secondly I say that the mater of this position concerneth not the Rule of Faith commonly obliging all Christians but the interpretation of a true Prophesie indeed but the true understanding whereof whoso would make necessary to the salvation of all Christians should tye all Christians upon their salvation to understand the Apocalypse which who does To justifie this opinion it hath been showed that the Jewes have this opinion that their Christ shall raign M years when hee comes which seeing they cannot be supposed to have received from the Christians it makes a just presumption that they had it even in S. Iohns time The Jewes have a Tradition which they attribute to the School of one R. Elias mentioned in many of their writings by name in Baal haturim upon Gen. II. and which is also the conceit not onely of Lactantius VII 14. Tychonius the Donatist in his V Rule for expounding the Scripture and the Epistle anciently intitled to S. Barnabas and lately published but also as you may see in the late Lord Primates Latine Discourse of Cainan That as there passed II M years before the Law under the Law counting from Abraham II M years so the dayes of Christ should be II M years and after that the everlasting Sabbath But whether or no the Jews of S. Iohns time could expect this thousand years for the complement of the Sabbath or work of VIIM years which this Tradition promised Whether or no Christians may expect the end of the World at the end of VII M years the Sabbath that shall succeed being eternity according to that of S. Peter and of the Psalm that M years are as a day in Gods sight let them that have nothing else to do inquire Certainly it will not concern the meaning of the Apocalypse unlesse it could be said that the M years there fore-told are to begin after II M years of our Lord are finished Indeed this wee see that the Jewes whom King Alphonsus imployed to make the accounts of the Celestial motions in appointing the motion of the fixed Starrs from West to East to come rome round in XLIXM years the irregularity of that motion to come round in VII M years and that not being obliged to it by any observations made the like account of Sabbaths of thousands of years and VII thousands as the Law doth of dayes or years or Sabbaths of years But if these Jewes be pitifully put to it when to excuse their not believing in Christ who came when the World was about IVM years old according to their own Tradition they are fain to say that it hath failed a small mater of almost XVII C years for their sins Among the Christians what can be said more but that it pleased God to promise them M years of prosperity and raign which the Jews forsaking Christ promised themselves to no purpose Seing the beginning of them cannot be tyed to the end of VIM years from the beginning of the
with the merits of their lives They study to presse down immoderate words with the wait of good works And by and by Quia hoc quod tegitur inferius ponitur aliud aliquid superducitur ut quod est subterpositum tegatur tegere peccata ducimur quae quasi subterponentes abdicamus Quibus nimirum quasi tegmen superdicimus dum bonorum operum nos indumento vestimus Peccata itaque tegimus si bona facta malis actibus superponamus Because that which is covered is laid beneath and something drawn over it to cover that which lies beneath we are said to cover those sinnes which we give over as laying them beneath Over which we draw a kind of covering when we invest our selves with the covering of good workes Therefore we cover sinnes if we lay good deeds over evil workes CHAP. X. What Pelagius questioneth concerning the Grace of Christ what Socinus further of the state of Christ before his birth The opposition between the first and second Adam in S. Paul evidenceth originall sinne Coucupiscence in the unregenerate and the inability of the Law to subdue it evict the same The second birth by the holy Ghost evidenceth that the first birth propagateth sinne NOW though all agree that we are justified not by the Law nor by Workes but by the Gospel and by Grace because it is the meer Grace of God that moved him to send our Lord Christ by him to convince the World that the Gospell is true and ought to be imbraced yet that the Grace of Christ that is those helpes of grace which God gives in consideration of his merits and sufferings are requisite to inable those to whome this conviction is tendred to imbrace it and to persevere in it neither Pelagius of old nor Socinus at present will yeild Nor that Abraham should have any thing to bragge of if he should pretend to be justified by those workes which the free will of him whose understanding is convict that the Gospel is true is without other help able to produce Or that in consideration of any such help the Gospel is to be counted Grace which if the helps it requireth should be purchased by obeying it were not to be counted of free Grace The words of Pelagius are well enough known remaining upon record in S. Austine De Gratia Christi 1. 7. Adjuvat enim nos per doctrinam revelationem suam dum cordis nostri oculos aperit dum nobis ne praesentibus occupemur futura demonstrat dum Diâ—boli pandit insidias dum nos multiformi ineffabili dono gratiae coelest is illuminat For he helps us by revealing his doctrine while he opens the eyes of our heart while he shewes us things to come least we be busied about things present while he layes open the ambushes of the Devil while he inlightens us with the manifold gift of heavenly grace And againe Cap. X. Operatur in nobis Deus velle quod bonum est velle quod sanctum est dum nos terrenis cupiditatibus diligentes mutorum amantium more tantum praesentia diligentes futurae gloriae magnitudine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praemiorum pollicitatione succendit dum revelatione sapientiae in desiderium Dei stupentem suscitat voluntatem dum nobis suadet omne quod bonum est God works in us the willing of that which is good and holy while he inflames us being addicted to earthly lusts and loving onely things present like mute creatures with the promise of great reward of glory to come while by revealing of wisdome he raises the dull will to the desire of God while he perswadeth us to all that is good Where besides the Grace of God in making us reasonable creatures he acknowledgeth also the grace of the Law meaning thereby the doctrine and motives of Christianity whereby saith he the mind is inlightned to understand the difference between things transitory and everlasting and the will is inclined and perswaded to preferre true good before that which is counterfeite Which being said by a Christian though I see no expresse mention that he makes of the Gospel of Christ necessarily infers that notwithstanding he supposed the same with Socinus To wit that the conviction which the motives of faith tender to all men that are made acquainted with it as it is necessarily the production of Gods meer Grace so is it enough to inable a reasonable man being so convict how much the world to come is to be preferred before this to imbrace and to persevere in that course by which a man stands convict that he may attaine it And though Socinus hath more expresly maintained that upon the imbracing of Christianity the holy Ghost is given to inable Christians to preferre that which their profession importeth Yet as I find the truth thereof so manifestly layd down in the Scriptures of the New Testament that I cannot see how he should pretend to be a Christian that should deny it So can I not remember that Pelagius ever went about to deny it On the contrary there is appearance enough that Pelagius acknowledgeth the grace of the holy Ghost whether in bringing a man to be or to persevere unto the end a Christian His own words are yet extant upon 1 Cor. 11. 10. To us who by believing have deserved to receive the Spirit of God which shewes us his will Nobis qui fide meruimus Sp. Dei accipere qui voluntatem suam nobis ostendit Hath God revealed it And by and by Sensum Domini qui est in viris Spiritualibus sine Spiritu Dei nemo cognovit No man knowes the meaning of God which is in spirituall men without Gods Spirit And upon Rom. IV. 17. Quare multa peccata donavit abundantia donationis Sp. Sancti Quia multa sunt dona Ipsa enim justitia donatur in baptismo non ex merito datur Why hath the abundant gift of the holy Ghost pardoned us many sinnes Because Gods gifts are many For righteousness it self is given in Baptisme not rewarded as of merit For why might not Pelagius as well as Socinus make it the purchase of mans free will upon the tender of Christianity which is Gods Grace For the appearance is sufficient and evident that Socinus was so disgusted with the opinion That justifying faith consists in believing that a man is predestinate to everlasting life in consideration of the obedience of Christ imputed to his account because given for him and the elect in opposition to the rest of mankind that supposing the tender of the Gospel the accepting of it he placeth in the meer act of free will upon which the gift of the holy Ghost necessary to the performance of that which Christianity professeth depends as due debt by Gods promise Who having prevented mankinde with that promise hath suspended that which follows upon this compliance It is further to be considered that Socinus also acknowledgeth the Grace of the holy Ghost preventing the undertaking
Church which they corrupted by denying these attributes to the man Jesus attributed the same things to him which they denying were therefore excluded out of the Church When S. John proceedeth saying We saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God he refers to that which went afore he dwelt among us Now seeing it is so ordinary for the Jewes to call the majesty of God dwelling among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the very word that S. John uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are obliged thereby to understand that the majesty of God dwelling among us in the tabernacle of Christs flesh bodily as figuratively it had done in the Tabernacle or Temple of the Jews declared it self notwithstanding by those glorious works which it wrought in his flesh to be what it was For the title of Sonne of God is given in the Old Testament to the Angels first and to the Messias when David saith Ps LXXXIX 18. I will make him my first born higher then the Kings of the earth Whereby it is evident that this title in the Literall sense belonged first to David Of whom also he that will maintaine the difference between the literall and the Spirituall sense upon that ground which I setled before must maintaine those words of David Psal II. 7. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee To be said Now I suppose that those who expected the Messias to come as a temporall Prince to deliver the people of Israel from the yoke of their oppressors into the free use of that Law which they had received from God as did not onely the rest of the world when Christ came but even his own disciples before his rising againe could by no meanes be informed of that Spirituall kingdome which by the dwelling of the Word in our flesh was intended to be raised Which if it be true though they called the Messiah the Sonne of God as well as the Sonne of David yet is it impossible that they should conceive the same ground for which he is so called and by consequence understand the title in the same sense as we do And this difference of signification is necessary even in the understanding of the Gospel For when the Centurion saith at our Lords death Mark XV. 39. Of a truth this man was the Sonne of God It is not reasonable to imagine that he who dreamed not at all of his rising againe but was a meer heathen should call him the Sonne of God in that sense which we believe But either as Heathenisme allowed Sonnes of the Gods as some thinke or as by conversing with the Jews they had understood them to hold the Messias whom they expected to be the Sonne of God as Prince raised by God What shall we say then of the Apostles demand Vnto which of the angels said he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee When we find the title of Sonnes of God in the Old Testament attributed to Angels Surely it is necessary to have recourse to that sense in the which it was then known that Christians attributed this title to our Lord Still known by the honour which then and now the Church tendereth him according to it For what will all that Socinus acknowledgeth availe to make good the Apostles assumption when he saies that our Lord is the Sonne of God because conceived without man by the holy Ghost in the womb of a Virgine Is this any more then Adam may challenge for which he is called the Sonne of God Luke III. 38 For the effective cause entereth not into the nature of that which it produceth Neither importeth it any thing to the state of our Lord that he was conceived of the holy Ghost if we suppose nothing in him but a soul and a body which those that are born of man and woman have How then is the title of the Sonne of God incompetible to the Angels which Adam thus farre challenges If you look back upon the premises there remaines no doubt nor any way to escape it otherwise The holy Ghost overshadowing the blessed Virgine not onely workes the conception of a Sonne but dwells for ever according to the fullnesse of the Godhead in the manhood so conceived as by the nature of the Godhead planted in the Word which then came to dwell in the manhood so conceived Therefore that holy thing which is borne of the Virgine being called the Sonne of God is made so much above the Angels as the esteem which this name imports is above any thing that is attributed to them in the Scriptures Therefore is this Sonne of God honoured as God during his being upon earth by them that were instructed to understand the effect of it though they that were not disciples but took it onely for a title of the Messias which they knew he pretended to be perhaps conceived not so much by it Therefore our Lord himself poses the Pharisees how they would have David to understand the Messias to be his Lord whom they knew to be his Sonne Mat. XXII 42 45. Mark XII 35 37. Luke XX. 41 44. This is then that which S. Paul saith Col. I. 19. For in him it pleased God that all the fullnesse should dwell And Col. II. 9. 10. For in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily And Ye are filled through him Speaking of Christ I shewed you before that the heresies of that time some whereof it is manifest were then seducing the Colossians did all agree in preaching God the Father of all things to be unknown together with all that belonged to the compleating of the Godhead till they made him known And all this contrived by the devil to subvert the Faith of Christ by counterfeiting something like it in sound like false coyne to cozen the simple with Whereas therefore S. Paul here saith that the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in Christ And our Lord so often in S. Johns Gospel that the Father dwelleth in him and he in the Father And the fullnesse of the holy Ghost dwelleth in the Word incarnate as I shewed even now It is manifest that they laboured to introduce a counterfeit Fullnesse of the Godhead of their own devising into that esteem and worship which the fullnesse of the Godhead contained in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost preached by our Lord Christ and his Apostles challengeth And therefore that the fullnesse of the Godhead challenged by S. Paul to dwell in the flesh of Christ must stand in opposition to that fullnesse which these sects worshipped Being challenged by S. Paul as vindicating the Christian Faith from that corruption wherewith these Sects pretended to adulterate it And being challenged by those Sects in opposition to S. Paul and the Christian Faith which he vindicateth to rest in those whom they severally preached not in the Sonne and holy Ghost together with the Father as he maintaineth For when the fullnesse of
from the whole Church For to require me to believe them to be in the torments prepared for the devil and his angels because I cannot say where they are were a reason too unreasonable for a Christian CHAP. XXI The opinion that makâ—s the Predetermination of mans will by God the sourse of his freedom And wherein Jansenius differs from it Of necessity upon supposition absolute The necessity of the Will following the last dictate of the understanding is onely upon supposition As also that which Gods foresight creates The difference between indifferent and undetermined These things thus premised as concerning that estate wherein the Gospell overtaketh the will of man to whom Christ is tendered being under original sin I say that it findes him not void of that freedome of choice in doing or not doing this or that which stands in opposition to necessity But that which stands in opposition to the bondage and servitude of sin This position is intended to contradict an opinion which seemeth to be very ordinary among Divines as well of the Reformation as the Church of Rome though more ingeniously professed and maintained by these Who pretending to derive the efficacy of Gods Predestination and the grace which it provideth from that decree of his Will whereby he determineth the will of his creature to do or not to doe watsoever is indeed don or not don in order of nature before it determine it selfe do consequently professe that notwithstanding this Predetermination of the will is no lesse effectuall then Gods omnipotence whereof it is the immediate and indefeasible consequence and effect yet there is no freedome in the creature no contingence in the effects of it but that which followeth upon this will of God determining understanding Creatures to do that which they do freely as it determining understanding Creatures to do that which they do necessarily This position though I intend not to admit yet I count it a point of ingenuity in them who think they free themselves of great dificulties by supposing it expressely to maintaine the truth of that supposition whereof they make so much advantage For they who not daring to incounter the difficulties wherewith it is chargeable do claime the consequences of it without premising the expresse supposition of it do as good as say nothing where they advise not the reader of those difficulties which the prime principle that they proceed upon is burthened with But he that sees how particular instances depend upon generall principles shall not stick to judge of their positions by the dependance they have upon this supposition so soon as they are informed of the credit which it deserves Now this predetermination Being the immediate effect of Gods omnipotency as for the cause of it as for the nature of it troubles very much those that maintaine it to say wherein it consists as indeed it may very well trouble any man to say of what colour a Chimaera is being in rerum natura just nothing For if they say it is a principle infused by the immediate worke of grace into the Will it is straightwaies evident that the having of it is not to make the Will able which all habituall indowments tend to but to make it actually to worke It must therefore consist in a certain motion or impulse immediately wrought by God in the Will which though it is not in the will to have depending meerely upon the Will of God yet that neither good nor ill can be don without it being necessary as they think to the effectuall determining of the will upon two accounts First as the will is a secondary cause that cannot worke unlesse moved by the first cause Secondly as the Will not being determined of it selfe cannot be determined to any act but by the same first cause But these two accompts seem to me both one For nothing can determine the will to act speaking of that which determines it formally or in the nature of a formall cause but the act of it For supposing the will to act and excluding whatsoever else might be considered the will remaines determined Not suposing that it may further be questioned what determines it The question then being onely what it is that determines the will in the nature of the effective cause the difficulty that causeth the question is but one because it is presumed that the second cause can not act if not acted that is determined to act by the first The nature then of this motion received lodged in the Will is imagined neverthelesse to be successive such as is the being of colours in the aire when they goe to the eye or that impulse which a handicraft-man moves his tooll with And the necessity of it standeth upon a generall account not of originall sine but of Gods creature such as the will in all estates is requisite to the acts of the will because nothing can be don by the creature but that which God shall determine it to do But there is of late an other opinion started in the Church of Rome by Jansenius in his Augustinus which maintaines that the Will in all actions that are goâ—d according to Christianity is determined by grace effectually inclining the will by the love of true good preventing not expecting the motion thereof and producing that influence of the will whereby formally it acteth The nature of it then consists in that very act of life whereby the reasonable creature exerciseth its choice no waies requisite to the actions of nature which man is able to do under originall sin but meerely upon that account as the cure of it restoring the due command over that concupiscence wherein originall sin consisteth and not extending to the state of innocence Which notwithstanding the will is no lesse naturally determined by it then by that principle which the other opinion advanceth For they say both that the will is not determined by the object howsoever proposed but morally as he that outwardly adviseth or perswadeth determines him that resolves upon that consideration which he advanceth to that which he proposeth And therefore this determination both agree satisfies not that efficacy of grace which the scriptures proposed in the premises require Therefore as the former opinion determineth the will naturally by a principle really lodged in the nature of the wil so this by the very vitall act of vvilling really subsistng in the nature of the Will though produced by God a cause above nature which when the delight in good which it importeth is so great as to swallow up all contradiction it determineth to the same preventing the determination of it selfe when otherwise acknowledging that though of the same nature with that which overcometh it is never the lesse defeasible From this ground there flowes an other difference between these two opinions we goe further from the fountaine head still more visible For the former admitting free will to be a faculty able to act or not to act supposing all
that would onely be saved So that the workes whereby they are pursued must be called workes of supererogation because he that does them layes out more upon Gods service then he is obliged to do They are the words of our Lord to the disciples Mat. XIX 11 12. All are not capable of this word of not marrying For there are Eunuchs which were so born from their mothers wombe And there are Eunuchs which were made Eunuchs by men And there are Eunuchs that have made themselves Eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven He that is capable let him hold this Here it is said that God hath made some men of such constitution of nature that they are able to containe themselves from marriage and that this is the gift of continence which whoso hath falls under a command of not marrying whoso hath not of marrying But when our Lord exhorts those that are able to containe themselves from marriage to strive for that grace certainely he makes not that a gift of nature which he would have a man indeavour to attaine He that is exhorted to make himself an Eunuch is not so made by God but from God he hath the grace to preferre the kingdom of heaven before even that content which God alloweth him here and if he betray not that grace by preferring that content before the clearest and securest meanes of attaining it he will not faile of grace to performe that which he resolves for Gods sake And truely it were strange that the Gospel should make that grace which conducts to the height of Christianity to consist in an indowment of nature But S. Pauls wordes will take no nay 1 Cor. VII 25-28-36 37 38. Of Virgins I have no precept of the Lord but give advise as having received mercy of the Lord to be faithfull I think then this expedient for the present necessity that it is good for a man to be thus Art thou tied to a wife seek not to be loose Art thou loose from a wife seek not a wife But if thou marry thou sinnest not and if a virgine marry she sinneth not Onely such shall have affliction in the flesh But I spare you Againe If a man think he deales unhansomly with his Virgine if she passe her flour and so it must be let him do as he please he sinneth not let him marry But he that standeth firme in his heart having no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath resolved this in his heart to preserve his Virgine doeth well So he that marrieth her doeth well but he that marrieth her not doeth better Is the sunshine more manifest then this A man may resolve either of both for his daughter a Virgine supposing her will to follow his as generally the duty of the children is which S. Paul here supposeth and not sinne but do well yet better in containing from marriage because of the advantage which that state yeildeth Christianity as S. Paul showes Therefore he declares that God hath given no law in it but his Apostle gives that advise for the best which his Lord had done The same Apostle of Widowes 1 Tim. V. 5 9-14 She that is a Widow indeed and desolate hopeth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day And let no Widow be listed under threescore years old having been the wife of one husband having a testimony for good works that she hath bred up her children entertained strangers washed â—he Saints feet helped the afflicted followed every good work But refuse younger Widowes for when they grow wanton against Christ they will marry Being to be condemned because they have renounced their first faith And withall they learn to be idle and to go about from house to house and not onely idle but tattlers busie bodies speaking things unfitting Therefore I would have the younger marry Here is againe a clear case Timothy is directed to liâ—t some Widowes for the service of the Church in the state of Widowes others to refuse That which commends the one for the preferment is the exercise of those workes which they could not have had opportunity for in the state of wedlock That which renders the others dangerous is because for them to desire marriage is to grow wanton against Christ Wherefore when S. Paul would have them to marry it is not because he denieth in the next words that state of proficience which he had acknowledged just afore but because it is better to hold the mean then to fall from the highest ranck of Christianity Which serves to resolve his meaning as well as his Masters 1 Cor. VII 1 2 6 7. For that which you writ to me about it is good for a man not to touch a woman But because of fornication let every man have his own wife and every woman her own husband But this I speake of indulgence not by command For I would all men were even as my self But every one hath his proper grace of God some thus some otherwise Doth not the grace of God in married people assiâ—t in the offices of Christianity towards those relations which marriage procureth Correspondently therefore the Grace of God in the continent is not a natural temper obliging them so to live But the helps that inable them to discharge themselves like Christians in a higher rank among Christians So that the perfection of Christianity lies not in the state of continence but in the rank of it That is to say in â—hose offices of Christianity wherein their estate gives them opportunity to be conversant the state being no otherwise so accountable then because there is a presumption that persons are such as they ought to be and as their state gives them opportunity to be The perfection of Christianity then consisteth in the love of God and in his service and the service of Christians for Gods sake That is in spending a mans life in those offices in which there is most regard to God least to our owne temporall interest But is it unreasonable to count that a state of perfection which generally and in reason is the meanes for it because it is found to be practised to other effects Is it unreasonable to think that God who hath need of all states for the service of his Church and giveth those severall graces which are requisite to make severall men serviceable for severall states should not determine by law but leave to their choice whom he indues with those graces that which containes not the work of Christianity but being indifferent by kind is neverthelesse by kind the meanes to procure it Saint Paul gives this reason why he wrought for his living rather then take any thing of the Corinthians in these termes It were better for me to dye then that any man should void that which I glory in For if I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity lies upon me yea woe to me if I preach not the Gospel For if I do
Infants stand obliged to inform themselves in it when they come to age Indeed all that hath been said of the Covenant of Grace and the terms of it witnesseth that they are first to be proposed to them that understand then choice is to be made baptism following to solemnize the profession of that choice But this text is so farre from signifying that Infants should not be baptized till all this is done that it rather serves to intimate an exception to the generality of the propoâ—ition in behalf of them seeing those who shall be taught the obligation they have to be Christians whither they will or not are very regularly and legally called Disciples and therefore comprehended in the precept of making Disciples This intimation appears clearer in the words of S. Paul 1 Cor. VII 14. where he perswadeth Christians that were married to Infidels not to forsake them in these words For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the wife And the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unclean but now they are holy For the meaning whereof I will have recourse to the Book of Wisdome III. 11-19 where describing the miseries of the Idolatrous heathen under the title of those that neglect wisdome among other things he saith Their waies are foolish their hearts wicked and their generation accursed For saith he Blessed is the barren that is cleaâ— and hath not known the bed of sin And again The fruits of good labours that is of those that labour in the Law are glorious and the roâ—t of wisdome never fadeth But the sonnes of Adulterers shall decay And the generation that is born of evill bed shall be destroyed For the exâ—esses of the Gentiles that knew not God in the â—usts of carnal uncleannâ—sse were so great that it alwaies was to be presumed that children so bred could have no means of insâ—ruction to preserve them from the same And the difference between the people of God and Idolatrous Nations was visible evâ—n in this point from the first separation of them upon that account as appeareth by the zeal of Simeon and Levi for their Sister so dishonoured Should they deal with our sâ—ster as an harlot say they Gen. XXXIV 31. Which zeal Judith IX 3. understandeth to have proceeded upon this reason That they being abandoned to the service of strange Gods had done that uncleâ—nesse which God had forbidden and which his servants abhoâ—red as the pollution of their blood For there is no man that knows what belonged to Heathenism that can doubt that all uncleannesse of this nature was alwaies reckoned among them for a thing indifferent and no account had of it but in civill regards as it dishonoured the house oâ— tainted the issue But the people of God being bred to the knowledge of the true God and the abomination in which he hath it stood upon it chiesty in that regard because should they do as Idolaters they could not be taken for Gods people Wherefore when S. Paul adviseth them that were maried to Infidels not to part from them in case they were content to continue with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this content is to be understood to be such as might stand with Christianity that is that the Christian party should have interest to teach the issue Christianity and to guide them according to the Law For by this interest they are in S. Pauls esteem legally holy as to the Church because of a legal presumption of their Christianity by the meanes of their education under that Parent that was Christian and by the consent of that party which was not Christian had all freedom to propose unto their Posterity the obligation of Christianity If this be the case of those that are born of one side Christianâ— what shall we say of them that are born of Christian Parents For being sure as humane things can be sure that they shall come to the knowledge of Christ and then be under the obligation of Christianity they are already as to God and to all Christians not to them that do not believe Christianity under the obligation of living and of behaving themselves as Christians But we are not therefore to imagine that the guilt of originall sinne ceaseth in them any more then in those that are not Christians or that this guilt can be taken away otherwise then by Christianity And hath an Infant any thing but Baptism to intitle it to Christianity And shall they not cry out to God upon those Parents that suffer them to go out of this world not Christians Surely if we look upon the provision of the Law with a single eye that is alwaies observing the difference formerly setled between the Law and the Gospell we shall have great cause to conclude The Law that is the Covenant made with Abraham having intitled his posterity to the Land of promise provideth that every male childe of his that shall not be circumcised the eighth day shall be cut off from his people Gen. XVII 14. that is to say The life thereof shall be forfeit in Gods hands not to give him any share in the right of that people who by being circumcised became Gods people So you have here the condition of Circumcision requisite to intitle even those that are born of Abraham to the promise made to him and his seed The consequence hereof is that which the correspondence between the Law and the Gospel between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace inferres If by entring into the Covenant made with Abraham and with his seed they become heirs of the land of promise then by entring into the covenant made with Christ and Abrahams that is Christs spiritual seed we become heirs of the world to come If by circumcision they entred into the Covenant made with Abraham and with his seed then by Baptism we enter into the Covenant made with Christ and with Abrahams spiritual seed If by the neglect of Circuâ—cision the temporall life of Abrahams seed were forfeit by the terms of this Covenant in Gods hands then by the neglect of Baptism is the spiritual life of those that are born of Christs spirtuall seed forfeit in Gods hands For if the Land of promise and the inheritance thereof estated upon Abraham and his seed according to the flesh required neverthelesse the execution of that condition by which they were admitted into the Covenant How much more shall the inheritance of the world to come promised to the children of Christians as the parties agree require the execution of that condition by which the Covenant of Grace is inacted Indeed if the Covenant of Grace were inacted between God and man by the publishing of the Gospel as most men seem to imagine there were some colour for such a consequence But if the Covenant of Abraham was to be inacted upon the flesh of them that were Circumcized even after that the whole people of Israel had entred into Covenant for themselves