satisfaction for their sinnes M. The satisfaction which they maintained was an ecclesiasticall and publike mulct or penalty imposed vpon notorious offenders thereby to testifie their repentance and to satisfie the Church whom they had offended Perkins 1. V. 577 c 2 vol. 165. 2 D. 166. The efficient causâ— of our iustification is God alone It is God onely that forgiueth our sinnes Esa 43.25 Mar. 2.7 Ro. 8.33 They teach that the Pope can forgiue sinnes and we know that he giues pardons not only for the time past but also for the time to come yea they teach that priests haue right to remit sinnes and they alleadge these places to proue it Math. 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 Now we are to note this that as none can forgiue a debt but the party to whom the debt is due so none can forgiue sinnes but God onely against whom the sinne is committed Ps 51.4 The power of binding and loosing committed to the Apostles Ministers of the Word is by declaring the will and pleasure of GOD out of his Word both to pronounce forgiuenes of sinnes to all that are truely penitent and the retayning of them to the impenitent The Pope and his Clergie are neuer able to proue themselues to bee the true Ministers of Christ and they cannot so much as challenge this latter authoritie and power to themselues much lesse the former which is proper to God onely The motiue or impulsiue cause which moued God to iustifie vs was not any thing in vs but onely the grace of God that is the free good will and pleasure of God Rom. 3.24 Eph. 2.8 Tit. 3.5 7. They teach that wee are not iustified by grace onely but by workes also that is by the merit of our works And to this end they haue of late yeeres deuised a first second Iustification The first is when a sinner of an euill man is made a good man and this they say commeth onely of Gods mercy by the merit of Christ The second is when one of a good or iust man is made better and more iust and this proceedeth from workes But we are to know that there are not two kinds of iustification a first and second but one and the same iustification considered in different respects In respect of Gods actuall acceptation of a mans person iustification is absolute but in respect of the actuall application and manifestation of Gods acceptation vnto a mans conscience iustification is by parts and degrees M. Scudder on the Lords Prayer pag. 303. to 309. And further we are to note that the Papists second iustification is no other then sanctification which is an effect fruit of iustification the which is imperfect not able to iustifie vs before God The materiall cause of our iustification is the actiue and passiue righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ his inherent holinesse his fulfilling of the Law his death sacrifice and full satisfaction The formall cause or the forme of iustification is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed of God vnto vs Rom. 5.19 Rom. 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Cor. 5.19 21. Phil. 3.9 The Papists deride this doctrine that Men are iustified by the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ which righteousnesse is not in vs but in Christ The Rhemists call it a new no-iustice a phantasticall apprehension of that which is not Rhem. on Ro. 3. Sect 7. They hold them accursed that so affirme and teach And they teach that the onely formall cause of our iustificaâ—ion is the iustice of God whereby wee are not reputed and â—ccounted iust but are made iust indeed and this iustice is â—hat which euery man hath within himselfe and is inherent â—n him Concil Trid. Sess 6. can 10 11. Rhem. on Phil. cha 3. Sect. 3. â—he instrumentall cause of iustification on our part is a true â—nd liuely faith whereby wee receiue and apply vnto our selues the mercy of God Christ Iesus and all his benefits resting vpon him alone for saluation They teach that faith doth not iustifie as an instrument in apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ but as a proper and true cause it actually iustifieth by the dignity worthinesse and meritorious worke thereof Bellar. l. 1. de iustificat cap. 17. They teach also that faith is not the onely cause of our iustification but that there are other also as hope charity almes-deeds and other vertues yea they say that workes are more principall then faith in the matter of iustification and pronounce him accursed that shall say a man is iustified onely by faith Rhem. on Rom. 8. Sect. 6. and on Iâ—m 2. Sect. 7. Bellar. l. 1 de iustif c. 13. Concil Trid. Sess 6 Can. 9. These and other such like things they teach contrary to the doctrine of iustification which is a maine ground of Religion And if there were no more points of difference betweene vs these were sufficient to keepe vs from vniting of our Religions for heereby the Church of Rome doth raze the very foundation C. You said before that we are iustified freely I would know how this can be if we be iustified by the righteousnes and for the merit of Christ M. Because the Decree of God the Father for our Redemption is free and we pay nothing againe to God of our owne And therefore by the word freely our merits are excluded but not Christs By which it appeareth that in respect of our selues we are iustified freely of Gods meere mercy and grace without any respect of our owne righteousneâ— or worthinesse but yet through Christ and for his righteouâ—nesse and obedience imputed to vs both which are signifieâ— by the Apostle Rom. 3.23 24. C. Shew me I pray you what is meant by Merit what the dectâ—â— of the Papists is concerning merit and whether that our workes be mâ—â—â—orious or no. M. By Merit wee vnderstand any thing or any workeâ— whereby Gods fauour and life euerlasting is procured 〈◊〉 that for the dignitie and excellency of the worke or thiâ— done Now the true merit whereby wee looke to attaine the fauour of God and life euerlasting is to be found in the person of Christ alone in whom God is well pleased The Papists make two kindes of merit the merit of the person and the merit of the worke The merit of the person is as they say a dignitie in the person whereby it is worthy of life euerlasting The merit of the worke is a dignitie or excellency in the worke whereby it is made fit and inabled to deserue life euerlasting for the doer of the worke See Rhem. on Rom. 8. Sect. 5. We now doe renounce our owne personall merits and all merit of our owne workes and rely onely vpon the merits of Christ and we hold that no workes of ours can merit That no man by any workes of his can merit may bee proued by the properties and conditions that must bee in a worke meritorious and they are fiue First the worke must be absolutely perfect
follow him fall vpon him and therfore he flies abroad in the night and then he is quiet If the Scriptures should be suffered to be expounded and read of all Nations in their owne language then that Owle of Rome the Pope I meane with all his fooleries and abominations would be discerned and discouered and then the world would hate him follow after him persecute him euen as the small birds doe the Owle and therefore they cannot abide the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue but loue darknes rather then light because their deedes are euill Iohn 3.19 C. What say you then to their good works as building of Churches giuing of Almes c M. These and such like workes required in the Law of God in themselues are good and to be practised of all but to them they are as the Fathers called the vertues of the Heathen but splendida peccata glittering drosse and beautifull deformities C. Doe they teach any thing contrarie to the morall Law and to the doctrine of good workes M. Yes they doe both teach and practise many things directly contrarie to Gods Commandements They reach for good workes such things as are not commanded but rather forbidden in the Law of God as namely to goe on Pilgrimage to vow single life to fast forty dayes and forty nights c. First concerning set Pilgrimages vnto certaine Images there was none of the Fathers did so much as dreame of thâ— for 600. yeeres after Christ at the least Perkins 2. Vol. p 141 542. Secondly the necessitie of the vowe of continencie was established first and annexed vnto Orders about 380. yeeres after Christ and that by Pope Siricius But it had no vniuersall admission vntill the time of Pope Hildebrand in the yeere 1070. Perkins 1. Vol. 583. to 587. 2. Volume 575 576. Acts and Monuments 1151. Thirdly their doctrine of single life was neuer commanded of God nor knowne in the Primitiue Church but hath sprung vp since and is indeede the very doctrine of Diuels 1. Tim. 4.13 So is also their forbidding of meates for religions sake They teach also that a man may fulfill the Lawe yea doe workes of Supererogation that is more then the Lawe doth require and that men of their abundance may allot to others such workes of Supererogation Rhem. on 1. Cor. 9. sect 6. 2. Cor. 8. sect 3. This doctrine of theirs makes the Law of God to be vnperfect and is directly contrary to the words of Christ Luke 17.10 And it was not knowne of the ancient Fathers They spake indeed sometimes of Supererogation but in a farre other sence then Papists doe There are no such workes to be found in the person of any meere man or Angell but onely in the person of Christ God and man Perk. 1. vol. 598. 599. 2. vol. 540. 541. DIALOGVE 8. C. Shew me I pray you in particular what things they teach contrary to the commandements M. I could plainely proue vnto you that they doe both teach and practise many things contrary to euery one of the Commandements but I will onely set downe the chiefest and such as most men know to be true The first Commandement concernes the inward worship of God the ground of which worship is the true knowledge of God and without which none can truely worship and serue him for such as our knowledge is such is our worship â— Chron. 28.9 Psal 9.10 Ier. 9.24 The Papists teach that â—gnorance is the mother of deuotion but the truth is it is â—he mother of superstition and idolatry Gal. 4.8 The Papists therefore being ignorant and without the true knowledge of God cannot truely worship him but must needs bee Idolaters worshipping they know not what The first Commandement requireth that wee haue the true Iehoua for our onely God They make Christs body to be God because they hold that it may be in many places at once which thing is proper only to God They make the Pope to be God that in plaine words Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope Thou art another God vpon earth and the Pope tooke it to himselfe Concil Later Sess 4. They giue the power to the Pope which is proper to God and so make him to be God As that he can make holy that which is vnholy pardon sinnes c. Perkins 1. vol. 400. 1. and they giue diuine worship to creatures and so make theÌ„ their Gods The second Commandement concerneth the outward worship of God or the forme manner of his worship This Commandement they haue cleane put out of the Decalogue and to fill vp the number they diuide the last into two The scope of this Commandement is that no Image is to be made of God nor any worship performed to him in an Image Deut. 4.15 16. But they teach it lawfull to make Images of the true God and to worship him in them and that there is a religious worship due to them Belarm 〈◊〉 imag sanct lib. 2. cap. 21. And in the second Nicen Councell it it was decreed that the Image of God should be worshipped with the same worship that is due vnto God Their practice is answerable to their doctrine for they worship the Images of God of Christ the Saints the woodden Crosse yea a piece of bread C. They say that they doe not worship the images but God Christ and the Saints in the image M. Suppose that this were true yet in so doing they commit grosse idolatry and the same that the people of Israeâ— did for which God plagued them greatly Exod. 32.5 28. 〈◊〉 thinke there is none so very a Calfe as to thinke that they did worship the Calfe it selfe The Calfe was but a representation of God and yet they sinned greatly in making it and worshipping God in it The Heathen in times past could say as much for themselues concerning their worshipping of Images as the Papists now doe and yet as they were Idolaters so are the Papists for as touching their superstition and idolatry bloud caÌ„not be more like to bloud or an egge to an egge then the one of them is to another The Heathen had for euery Nation and Prouince some peculiar god Among them the Elements had their seueral gods to rule ouer them The Heathen had a certain god assigned to their cattell The Heathen had peculiar gods for learning and learned men and for handi-crafts men And all these haue the Papists likewise The Heathen erected Altars ordained Priests to offer sacrifices fell downe before their idols c. So the Papists deck and adorne their images goe on Pilgrimage to them fall downe vpon their knees before them and make their prayers vnto them And what is all this but to worship the very images themselues the which is most grosse idolatry Musculus on Psa 16. ver 4. page 139. 140 Virels grounds pag. 87. to 92. Attersoll on Philemon pag. 63. 64. C. They say that there be degrees of religious worship the highest is latria and this is
this meanes it came to passe that Christ was free from all spot Concil Trid. Sess 5. Cap. 1. â—peccato originali And so herein they do altogether ouerthroâ— this Article of Christs conception by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 whose onely power the Scripture doth impute Christs holinesse and not the Virgin Marie which was no lesse then all others conceiued and borne in sinne did need Christ to be her Mediator as wel as the rest of mankind There was a long time a foule stirre in the Church of Rome betweene the Dominicans and the Franciscans about this point Acts and Monuments pa. 732. It was the common opinion of Fathers and Writers vntill Lumbards time which was about the yeere 1150. that she was conceiued in Original sinne Perkins 2. Vol. 596. In the fourth Article wee professe that Christ suffered c. by which he hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of his elect and for the whole punishment thereof both eternall and temporall The Papists teach that Christ hath satisfied for sinnes going before Baptisme but concerning sinnes following Baptisme the fault is remitted by the Passion of Christ and the punishment which of infinite is made finite is to be satisfied for by men themselues either heere or in Purgatorie that is men themselues must satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their offences either on earth or in Purgatorie There is say they a certaine infernall place in the earth called Purgatory in the which as in a prison-house the soules which were not fully purged in this life are there clensed and purged by fire before they can be receiued into heauen Bell. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 1. and cap. 3. lib. 2. cap. 6. Rhem. on 1. Cor. 3. Sect. 4. They say also that it is an Article of faith to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie and that he which beleeues it not is â—â—re to goe to hell Bellar. ibid. l. 1. c. 15. But this is so farre from â—eing an Article of faith as that it is a meere fable and conâ—rarie to an Article of faith The bloud of Christ is the Purâ—atory of our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.7 Afflictions are called the fieâ— tryall 1. Pet. 1.7.4.12 whereby wee are clensed from our â—orruption as gold is froÌ„ the drosse by fire No other Purgaâ—â—rie is to be found in Scriptures The Scriptures mentioÌ„ but two sorts of men beleeuers and vnbeleeuers and but two places after this for them heauen for the one and hell for the other Luke 16.25 26. Iohn 3.36 Reuelation 20.14 15.21.7 8. They that dye in the Lord rest from their labours which cannot be true if any of them goe to Purgatorie Their workes follow them that is the reward of their workes Reuel 14.13 If any man should haue gone to Purgatorie then the thiefe vpon the Crosse had gone thither who repenting at his end wanted time to make satisfaction for the temporall punishment of his sinnes but Christ said to him To day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise The doctrine of Purgatorie came into the Church out of the Heathen writers for the Philosophers and Poets were the first that euer wrote of it and Popish Purgatorie was vnknowne to the Fathers many hundred yeeres after Christ Perkins 2. Vol 568.569 C. If Purgatorie be but a fable contrary to an Article of faith then what is the cause that the Church of Rome so stifty maintaines it M. There is great cause why they should so doe for it keepes in the fire in the Popes Kitchin for if the fire of Purgatorie were not great the fire in the Popes Kitchin would be but small for by this meanes they haue store of money for Pardons Masses Diriges and other such like trumperies DIALOGVE 5. C. Doe they teach any thing else contrary to the Creede M. Yes The sixth Article saith that Christ ascended into Heauen c. and the Scriptures say that the Heauens must containe him c. Acts. 1.11.3.21 They teach contrarie hereunto namely that Christ is corporally present in thâ— Sacrament and that in many places at once The which 〈◊〉 contrary to the nature of a true body and contrarie to thâ— nature of the Sacrament which is a remembrance 〈◊〉 Christ Virgilius against Eutyches lib. 4. saith thus When 〈◊〉 that is the flesh of Christ was on earth it was not in heâ—uen and because it is now in Heauen it is not on eartâ— This is the Catholike faith and confession It is an Artiâ— of faith to beleeue the Catholike Church and faith is the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Therefore the Catholike Church is alwaies vnto the world inuisible and not to be espied but by the eyes of faith because things seene are not beleeued The Papists teach that the Catholike Church is and hath bin alwaies visible Rhem. on Mat. 5. Sect. 3. The Church is said to be Catholike that is vniuersall because it is not tyed to any one speciall place but is spred abroad ouer the face of the earth They tye it to Rome alone which can be but a particular Church not vniuersall In the Church there is a Communion of Saints and these are they that are sanctified by the bloud and Spirit of Christ hauing the perfect holines of Christ put vpon them by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holines powred into their heart by the Spirit of sanctification And such are the Faithfull here on earth 1. Cor. 1.2 Psal 16.2 The Papists acknowledge none to bee Saints but such as are in heauen They teach that the Pope can canonize Saints whereas to make one a Saint is onely the worke of God 1. Cor. 11. The Pope hath canonized many that indeede were neuer true Saints of God but wicked men and ranke Traitours to their Princes as Becket with many others This canonizing of Saints was neuer heard of with the Fathers vntill the yeere 880. and then Adrian tooke vp this authoritie And Alexander the Third after him confirmed it in his decrees In the Creede we professe to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes that is I beleeue that God for Christ his sake doth freely forgiue the sinnes of his Elect and my sinnes also And herein consisteth our iustification namely in the free forgiuenes of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnes to vs. The Papists teach many things contrary to this Article First that men are to make satisfaction for their sinnes Now satisfaction for sinnes and forgiuenes of sinnes are contraries If we satisfie in our own person wee are not iustified freely if we be iustified freely as most certainely we are Rom. 3.23 then we make no satisfaction at all If a man can satisfie and pay a debt then he needes no forgiuenesse but if the debt bee forgiuen him then it is plaine that there is no satisfaction made The satisfaction for our sinnes was made by Christ and not by vs. C. Did not the ancient Fathers teach men to make
but all our workes are vnperfect as well in parts as in degrees of accomplishment In parts because we omit many things which the Law prescribeth and doe many euill things which the Law prohibiteth In degrees because the works of the Saints are vncleane Esay 64.6 Phil. 3.8 Secondly a man must doe the worke of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by the helpe of another the merit doth not properly belong to the dooer But the good workes which we doe are not ours but are wrought by God in vs. Thirdly a man must doe the worke of his owne free will and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our duty But whatsoeuer we doe we doe it as poore debters nay wee are worse then poore debters we are miserable bankerupts wee haue nothing we haue lesse then nothing to pay Luke 17.10 Fourthly the worke must be done to the benefit and profit of him from whom we looke to be repayed But no man by any worke of his can bring any profit vnto God Iob 22.2.35.7 Psal 16.2.50.12 We may benefit men but we cannot benefit our Maker from whom we haue receiued life and limb soule and body and all that we haue wee can giue him nothing and therefore can deserue nothing from him Rom. 11.35 36. Lastly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not then a reward of desert but a gift of good-will But there is no proportion betweene our workes which are altogether vnperfect and the excellency of those great blessings and benefits which the Father giueth vs freely in his Sonne Rom. 8.18 And therefore in this and the former respects there can be no merit in any meere man wherefore it is no lesse absurd to say that we merit saluation at Gods hands by good works then if one should say Thou hast giuen mee an hundred pounds therefore thou oughtest to giue me a thousand C. Was not this doctrine of merit taught in the times of ancient Fathers M. Merit being taken in his proper sense for due iust desert was neuer allowed of the sound Professors for a thousand yeeres after Christ Perkins 1. Vol. 574 575. second Vol. 535 536. Such therefore as will be iustified and saued by their owne workes and challenge eternall life by their merits doe shew themselues to be most proud and vnthankefull persons and deserue most iustly to be condemned eternally C. The Papists at their end doe renounce their owne merits and professe that they looke to be saued onely by the merits of Christ M. If there were nothing else but this it were enough to proue their doctrine of merit to be a false doctrine for if it were a truth then a man is not onely in his life time to professe it and maintaine it but also in his death yea rather to dye for it then to deny it But seeing they in their life professe it and maintaine it but at their death renounce it it is a manifest argument that euen they themselues doe know that it is not a true but a falâ—e doctrine C. If they know that it is not a truth what makes them then in their life-time so stiffely to maintaine it M. It serues greatly to maintaine and vphold the Popes kingdome for they teach that the ouer-plus of Christs merits and of the merits of Saints and Martyrs is the treasure of the Church which being gathered together and put into a store-chest is in the Popes custodie and he alone hath the plenary opening and shutting of this Chest and the ordering and disposing of these merits by vertue whereof hee giues out Indulgences and Pardons when and to whom hee will So that such as haue not merits enow of their own may haue them from thence And so hereby hee maintaines and vpholds his kingdome for hereby comes in infinite wealth and reuenewes Perkins 3. vol. 1. part pag. 165 2. D. 2. vol. 590. 2. a. In these and many other particular points the Papists teach contrary to the Articles of the Creed and therefore are no true Catholikes neither doe they belong to the Catholike Church as is thus proued Whosoeuer haue not the Catholike faith doe not belong to the Catholike Church but the Papists haue not the Catholike faith therefore they doe not belong to the Catholike Church That they haue not the Catholike faith is plaine by that aforegoing DIALOGVE 6. C. Doe they teach any thing contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments M. Yes many things Christ ordained but onely two Sacraments The Church of Rome hath added to them fiue more namely Confirmation Penance Matrimonie Orders and extâ—eme Vnction C. Are not these Sacraments indeed M. No surely for there are foure things necessarily required to make a Sacrament First the authoritie of Christ commanding it Secondly the element or outward signe as the matter of it Thirdly the word of institution as the forme Fourthly the end and vse to be a seale of our faith for remission of sinnes These foure things are not to be found in their fiue latter Sacraments and therefore they are no Sacraments indeed Master Attersoll on the Sacraments pag. 119. to 150. Synopsis Papis Controu 14 15 16. C. May not the Church then institute and ordaine Sacraments M. None may ordaine a Sacrament but onely the Lord. As none may put a signe and seale to a mans last Will and Testament but onely the maker of the Testament so none may ordaine Sacraments which are signes and seales of the new Testament and couenant of grace but onely the Lord which made the couenant And therefore the Church of Rome in doing the contrary proues her selfe not to bee the true Church of Christ but rather the Church of Antichrist They doe also in many other things teach contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments As First that the Sacraments doe giue grace and namely remission of sinnes ex opere operato by the worke wrought Rhem. Acts 22. Sect. 1. Secondly that not onely faith doth iustifie but the Sacraments also Rhem. Rom. 6. Sect. 5. Whereas Sacraments are signes and seales of iustification Rom. 4.11 Thirdly that Infants dying without Baptisme cannot bee saued Rhem. Ioh. 3. Sect. 2. They haue also added many idle ceremonies to Baptisme as Creame Tapers Salt c. with an opinion of saluation and worship annexed vnto them yea in times past they baptized Bels but now they begin to be ashamed of it and say that they were but onely hallowed and consecrated to holy vses Bellar. l. 4. de Pont. Rom. c. 12. Synopsis Papismi Controu 12. Quest 5. Concerning the Lords Supper they haue likewise most grossely abused it in many things First they take away the Cup from the Laity whereas the Church of Rome for aboue a thousand yeeres after Christ vsed both signes in the Communion The Communion vnder one kind was decreed defined and