of commutative justice betwixt GOD and man by the dignity of their workes after conversion and their refusing to have Heaven gratis Andradius the interpreter of the Council of Trent Orthod explic lib. 6. saith The reward of the just is not freely given but Heaven is set to the sale for our workes Tâ—pperus saith in Explic. art Lovan tom 2. art 9. GOD forbid that the just should expect eternal life as the poor man doth his almes it is our conquest our triumph and the prize due to our labours Valentia tom 3. disp 7. telleth that the workes of the faithful are satisfactory for the punishment of sin Bellarmin bringeth forth a new evasion de just if lib. 5. cap. 10. saying that Christ merited that we should merit So that the merit of our workes is from his merits this is plaister to daub with For where do we read in Scripture that phrase He hath suffered for us that we should be holy in all manner of Conversation and serve him in righteousness and holiness but no where that we should merit eternal life the gift is wholly from him so it is written Rom. 6. 23. Secondly This is petitio principii for the question betwixt Papists and us is whither we are unprofitable servants when we have done all So speak we with Scripture they say we are meritorious men Thirdly Suarez saith Tom. 1. in Thomam disp 4. another thing that good workes are in themselves and of their own nature meritorious therefore not such because of Christ his merits Otherwise saith he we could not be said to merit We say this is the way to clipe the satisfaction of Christ Jesus the value of the price payed for us What good workes we do are mixed with imperfections and are too few alas if the Lord accept of them and reward these workes with temporal or spiritual blessings it is not for the merit of the work but of free grace and mercy and for the merits of Christ meerly So we may be freely rewarded see Matth. 5. 46. Luk. 6. 32. where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously taken We cannot make amends to GOD nor satisfie his justice but his promise is sure not according to our merits but his own mercy so we must inherit eternal life this is Aug. doctrine on Ps 88. and Chrysost on Col. 2. Your satisfactions and merits are contrar to Scripture pure antiquity dishonourable to Jesus Christ and prejudicial to souls Now you see this reflection might have been well spared for it is no reply at all to what I said Sixteenthly Ye foster loosness and prophainess § 16. Inst by telling tales about Purgatory the use of prayer and sacrifices for the dead But the Scripture saith Heb. 9. 27. after death cometh judgement which must be understood immediatly otherwise it might be said after birth cometh judgement and in the grave there is neither work nor invention neither is there any place appointed for people after their removal hence save Heaven or hell Reply The telling of men that after their Papist Reply sins are forgiven they must suffer for the temporal pain due to them is not a way to foster loosness but rather to terrifie all who believe from offending GOD in the least seeing all such must be chastised either by GOD punishing or man doing pennance and that voluntary either here or in Purgatory hereafter according to the Apostle 1. Cor. 3. 15. If any ones work burn he shal suffer loss but he shal be saved yet so as by fiâ—e which place Augustin citing on Ps 37. saith and because it is said he shal be saved that fire is contemned yet that fire shal be more grievous then whatever a man can suffer in this life Purge me O Lord and make me such a one as shal not need that mending fire c. Now doth St. Paul or Aug. here tell tales Or can that mending fire by which a man is saved be more grievous then what he can suffer here Or can it make a man loose to pray with Aug. thus But it may be he was doting here as when he said Mass for his Mothers soul as we read in his Confessions committing both sacriledge and Idolatrie as commonly Protestants say to please an old wâ—fe after her death You adde that Scripture saith after death cometh judgement and in the grave there be neither work nor invention What maketh this against Purgatory Do Catholicks deny that we are justified at the very moment of death before they go to Purgatory Or that they work in the grave But how is it true say you there is no place mentioned in Scripture save Heaven oâ— hell to which the godly and wicked do go Albeit all go to one of these places yet is there not a prison mentioned from which a man shal not go till he hath payed the uttermost farthing Matth. 5. 25. which the Fathers expounded to be Purgatory viz. Hierom on this chapter St. Cyp. ep 52. Tertull. lib. de anima and doth not St. Paul above cited speak of another fire then that of hell Duply You have Rhetorications in defence Prote ∣ stants Duply of Purgatory which I pass and touch reason or testimonie produced by you You mention two texts of Scripture the one is Matth. 5. 25. where we are commanded to agree with our adversarie quickly c. this place proveth no Purgatory prison For first It is allegorick and so cannot be argumentative on a controverted point All that is here intended is that brethren should dwel together in love and forgive other their trespasses against them as is clear from the context Secondly If it were meaned of Purgatory it would make the Lord their adversarie they behoved to be delivered up to the Devil for he is the Jaylor of the prison Now it is strange divinity to say that the Lord is an adversary and the Devil a Jaylor to the man whose sins are forgiven him Thirdly If this prison be Purgatory then there is commutative justice betwixt GOD and man for such here pay the uttermost farthing And who can say to the Lord forgive me have mercy upon me and yet be of this judgement that he can pay all his debt by that mending fire and not owe any thing to free gracious pardon Fourthly It maketh punishment to purge away punishment which is Repugnantia in adjecto For you grant that the filth and blot of sin is removed here Your own Jansenius interpreteth it not of Purgatory Concor in locum The other Scripture is 1. Cor. 3. We shal be saved yet so as by fire that is not meaned of purgatorie fire but of probatorie fire in this life not hereafter Let any man read the chapter and he will see this the purpose of the Holy Ghost to shew what was doctrinally or practically erroneous should be put to the firie tryall when judgment should begin at the house of God as the Apostle Peter
who dare not ask God for the exceeding greatness of my sin O saints of God I beseech you with tears and weeping to fall down before his mercy seat for me wretch Sixthly ye deny the making of the sign of the Cross and Images but hear S. Dennis lib. 2. Eccl. hierarch cap. 2. 5. The sign of the Cross is so much honoured that it is often used both in Baptism and other Sacraments And in the third Age Tertul. de cor mil. cap. 3. In every thing we sign our forehead with the sign of the Cross of which practise tradition is the defender custome the conserver and faith the observer And againe the same Tertul. lib. 2. de pudic The Image of Christ bearing a Lamb on his shoulder were graven on chalices and used in Churches Seventhly ye deny Freewill which in the second Age Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 72. affirmeth not only in workes but even in faith hath Almighty God reserved liberty of will to man saying be it done to thee according to thy faith And in the third Age S. Cyprian lib. 3. cap. 52. The freedom of believing or not believing is placed in the will Eâ—ghtlie ye denie merit of workes but in the second Age Justin Martyr Ap. 2. boldeth it saying We think that men who by workes have shewed themselves worthy of the will and counsel of God shall by their merits reign with him And in the third Age St. Cyprian sect de Eleemosyna If the day of your return shal find us unloaden swift and running in the way of good works our Lord will not fail to reward our merits Ninthlie Ye deny the possibility of keeping the Commandments against Tertul. in the second Age cited by the Centurists and Origen in the 1. hom 9. on Iob. the baptized saith he may fulfil the law in all things Judge now Sir whither it be not an open calumnie to say the controversies betwixt you and us were not then started in the first 300. years The Fathers having taught even then so clearlie our tenets which nevertheless ye are not ashamed to call new with Dr. Pierce in his Court sermon but see the two learned answers made to him which may evidentlie convince you of boldness ignorance and errour Answer You are wise by this your reply Prote ∣ stants Duply for you leave the marrow of my answer untouched which was this That our Church in Doctrinals worship c. is as old as Scripture That you pass with a jeer and say that it is the language of all Sectaries This calumny hath been cast of old upon pure doctrine Acts 24. and their worship called Haeresie verse 14 I wish that all Sects were such as we are scriptural in their way Ye are the greatest Schismaticks I know on earth departing from the Scriptures and mocking others who adhere to them The other assertion is That this is the voice of common people who claim descent from Adam and Eve Is not this true Are not all nations of men made of one blood Acts 17. 26. It is grace and vertue which maketh the difference Omnis sanguis concolor And iâ— we have as much relation to scripture Churches as multitudes have to Adam and Eve we are not spurious but of a right extract Ye probably must be a kind of men like the pre-Adamits and of another descent But one cheat is here remarkable you promise to shew how contrar our doctrine is to scripture and when you come to answer then you beginne with Dudithius and overleap the whole scripture Your own Rainerius an Inquisitor giveth this verdict concerning us that we are said to have been from the beginning and walked by the Scriptures Secondly You pass that concerning professours of our doctrine in all Ages and will not signifie one man who answereth Flaccius or refuteth Usher but only you averre with Dr. Vane to whom ye are much beholden in this that they were not in all things ours I know few discerning men who agree in all things If we hold one foundation which Jesus Christ hath laid that maketh unity and uniformity All Christian Churches except Romanists make the Scripture the sole rule of their faith and to this we accord Were the Eastern and Western Churches essentially different because of some discrepances about the time of Easter c. For Turkes and Tartars they are without Christ and you might more pertinently have spared the comparison of them with ancient churches and professours if your charity were as much in your breasts as in your books and your respect real to the Saints in light Thirdly That which I said I will mak good that all the positive fundamentals of our Religion were mantained in the Church the first 400. years This appeareth from the Creeds and Confessions of Faith then made yet extant Let any read the Apostolick Nicaene or Anathasius Creed the determinations of the Ephesian council written by Cyril of Alexandria the Confession of Faith made by the council of Chalcedon and there they will find exact conformity with the positives of our Religion Popery addeth to these their own inventions which we renounce and this maketh the difference To make this truth appear the more I shal name these foundations The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles upon which our faith is builded We hold that there is one GOD three Persons that the world was made by GOD and man the tennant when the house was made appointed to bring in his rent That man was made according to the Image of GOD in holiness and righteousness That he fell from his first state and turned to the creature by transgression That sin entered this and death by sin That he sinned as a publick person and involved posteritie under a curse That GOD so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son who was very GOD made flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin and dyed for our sins and after burial rose again for our righteousneâ—s So that it is the blood of Jesus Christ only that cleanseth us from all siâ— And eternal life is the gift of GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord and when he paid the price then he ascended to Heaven and the Heaven must contain him as man â—ill the day of the restitution of all things That he iâ— now aâ— the right hand of GOD advocating and inâ—erceeding for as many as the Father gave him and shal come again and render â—o every man according to his works When he ascended on high he led captivity captive and sent the Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who createth saith in us by which we are justified Who enlighteneth convinceth comforteth supporteth directeth all the houshold of faith and teacheth all the children to worship GOD alone in spirit and in truth and to call on his Name through Jesus Christ the only Media tour betwixt GOD and man Our Lord sent his Apostles and set them in the Church commanding them to teach
as yet others think that seeing the occasion of the first making use of it is removed it not being commanded in Scripture and much abused by you that it is more expedient to leave it undone But your abuse of it is not approved by Tertullian so his testimony maketh nothing for you who do so And for Images it is an impudencie in you to say that there were any Images set up in Churches the first 300. years what ever draughts might be in dwelling houses or cups For proving your shamelesness in this assertion hear your own Lorinus on 17. Acts on the 15. verse c. where wit Vasquez and Durand he telleth that all Images were forbidden under the Law and citeth for it Ex. 20. 3. then he sheweth that under the Gospel in the first Centuries there were no Images for this he citeth Lactantius and Tertullian Augustin and Arnobius contra Gentes who saith that Gentiles exprobrabant Christianis quod nullam Dei formarent picturam occultabant quod celebant i. e. The Gentiles did upbraid the Christians because they would not make any Image of GOD they did hide what they worshipped That Adrian fancying the Christians as Pagans suspected did build his Temple without any Images And in Constantius his time the Christian Chappels were called Templa Adrians Then he bringeth the decree of the Council of Eliberis where it was provided that there should be no Images in Churches Ne quod colitur adoratur in parietibus depingatur i. e. that which is worshipped and adored should not be painted on walls This council was celebrated in the time of Constantine in the fourth Centurie and this is the 36. Canon of it And till the second Council of Nice which was in the 800. year Image worship was abommable in the Christian Church How then can you assert so great and absurd an untruth Read ancient History and acknowledge your errour As for Free-will we do not deny it in some senseâ— and in the Jesuited sense none of these you cite did mantaine it Augustin against Julian and Pelagius opposed that so do we This is well proved by Jansenius Yprensis in his defence of Augustins doctrine against the Jesuits Vincentius Lyrinensis adversus Haereses lib. 1. cap. 34. proveth that Pelagius was the first inventer of your Free-will which is Arbitrium servum As for the merit of works Just in Marty understood not by it meritum condigni but the obtaining of the end of their faith and labours So Augustin saith the Apostle Paul electionis vas meruit nominari lib. de praed gratia and Cyprian readeth that 1. Tim 1. 13. I obtained mercy misericordium merui You keep the words which some ancients used and we the sense so ye deceive the People In your sense they absolutly renounced it Origen in epist ad Rom. lib. 4. suith Vix mihi suadeo quod possi ullum opus esse a nobis quod ex debito remunerationem Dei poscat i. e. I can hardly perswade my self that there can be any work which of debt deserveth a reward from GOD. Bernard in Cant serm 67. non est in quo gratia intret ubi jam meritum occapavit i. e. Grace hath no place to enter where merit hath occupied the room Your own Ferus on Matth. chap. 20. S. saith GOD hath freely promised he rendereth freely if therefore thou wouldest keep the grace and favour of GOD make no mention of thine own merits For out of mercy he will give all yet thou must not be the slower to good workes yea welshould be more fervent for doing of them as becometh us well who have so bountiful a Lord. Which words the Spanish inquisitors would have expunged Lastly You prove the fulfiling of the law even as the rest by Tertallian and Origen who say nothing but that through Christ who strengthneth us we can do all things This is the word of GOD Phil. 4. 13. which we will not disclaim But the man who can fulfil the Covenant of workes needeth not a Saviour Is it like they would hold it in your sense seeing they disclaime merit and said with us In many things we offend all and when we have done all we are unprofitable servants Where is perfection then The saw may be so farre fulfilled as to make us acceptable to GOD through Christ but not to justifie us Now let the Reader judge impartially whither it was ignorance in me to say that the primitive Church knew not Popery and that the negatives of our Religion could not be allowed by them more then by us What they say obiter concerning any thing of that kind is for us more then for Papists Papists Quest 8 Question eight How prove you the tenets of the Church of Rome to be contrar to Scripture Answer Your doctrine forbidding Laicks Prote ∣ stants Answer as ye call them to read and search the word of GOD is against the command of Christ Iohn 5. 39. this is written Scripture which ye contradict by your practice c. Reply In your eight Answer you are so Papists Reply confused in your method so weak in your citations and even sometimes so contradicting to your self that it needeth no other censure Yet I will reflect briefely on every thing You object first our doctrine forbidding Laicks as we call them say you as if there were no true distinction between Church men and Laicks i. e. a Minister and a Cobler in Ecclesiastical functions To read the Scripture is against the command of Chrâ—st Where first you object as if there were any article of the Cathoilck Church forbidding them to read Scripture absolutly She forbiddeth them to read Scripture without leave of their Pastours and Directours which is easily granted to any judicious person as all the Converts of this Countrey know whereof the greatest part have seen your errours in Scripture and detasted them Your citation is weak and can prove nothing till it be made out whither the words be imperatively taken or rather indicatively Ye search the Scriptures so Cyril interpreteth it lib. 3. in Iohn chap. 4. To whom Beza assenteth advertisirg that the word should be rather taken in the indicative mood So that you see I must have some other infallible judge to tell me in which of these two senses it should be taken before I build any thing on this place Thirdly As Christ in the same chapter proveth himself to be the Son of GOD by four testimonies First Of John the Baptist Secondly Of his works and miracles Thirdly Of his Heavenly Father Fourthly Of Scripture So do we prove by four like testimonies the Roman Church First By the authority of the Fathers Secondly By miracles in all ages Thirdly By the authority of GOD clearlie saying in all ages by her unitie sanctity in fallibility This is my Spouse Fourthly Of Scriptures exhorting all to read and hear them not superficially turning and shuffling them over as the Jews do to this day and yet
all must say Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight no flesh living â—â—n be justified Psalm 143. 2. And the Church must confess that all her righteousness is ragged and as a menstruous cloath Reply In your thirteenth Section you denying Papists Reply that we are justified by faith and works do both contradict scripture and your self It in the Epistle of St. James chap. 2. verse 20. 24. You see then how by works a man is justified and not by faith only No wonder after this ye contradict your self when you grant that faith is justifying or made justified by works For what is it to say that works justify faith But that faith without works is not justifying And so that faith justifyeth not all or no other way then as it is decompanied with good workes as two conjunct causes For as the Philosopher saith causa causae est causa causati But what needeth any reasoning if this place be not clear to a Minister what it clear to ignorants in all the scripture Wherefore ye had done better to reject the Epistle of James with Luther then to acknowledge it for scripture to deny that we are justified by faith and works the two parts of Christian dutie being belief and life Yet to shew that the place of St. James is not to be taken according to the letter you cite three passagâ—â— excluding workes of the written law from justifying but not excluding workes of grace and the Gospel The first whereof expoundeth the rest and St. Augustin them all de fide operib cap. 14. saying St. Paul speaketh of the workes of Abraham in so much as they proceed from the law excluding the spirit and grace of Christ Then you say neither can any good work be wrought by us till we are justified for how can an evil tree bring forth good fruit To which Question I answer with our Saviour in the Gospel asking how a good tree can bring forth evil fruit as David committing adulterie For if you understood the one you may easilie understand the other Which if you do not go to the school and learn the distinction betwixt simpliciter and secundum quid betwixt good and evil simplie and in part For as there be few so good but they do some evil so there be few so bad but they do some good being assisted by GODS actual grace albeit they want sanctifying grace Yea very good actions may be done with some little imperfection which maketh the Prophet compare our righteousness to a menstruous cloath Duply You are like to your self all along in this reflection for I cannot call it a return Prote ∣ stants Duply seeing you have a flourish of fectless words for catching women and children but do not touch the arguments proposed for justification by faith without the workes of the law My first argument was this That the Apostle Paul saith we are justified by faith without the workes of law therefore not by them You say he meaneth not of workes of grace What then Of sinful workes before Coversion And is it indeed like that sinful workes can be called by the Apostle workeâ— of the law seeing these are transgressions of the law Or that the justitiaries amongst the Romans in the dayes of the Apostle were so gross as to assert that sinful workes justifie a man which condemn him Secondly you say that justification by faith contradicteth scripture James 2. 24. which place I explained and reconciled with the 4. of the Romanes and all you say to that is that I contradict my self I said workes justifie faith for my faith is known by my works to my self and others But that will nor say that workes and faith justifie the man So I clash not with my self here And for your Maxime causa causae est causa causati If I understand this you contradict your self in the application of it for faith being the cause of workes and justifying the man workes are the effect of justificatâ—on not the cause of it Hence the Apostle James saith shew me thy faith by thy workes O man For it cannot be showen without workes v. 18. Albeit we say that faith alone justifieth yet that Fides sola in approhendendo non est solitaria My next argument was that a man must be justified before he can work well therefore workes are not the cause of justification I hope you will not say that the effect is antecedent to its cause if you have read Ramus Logick And that a man must be justified before he can work well I prove thus He must be sanctified Ergo c. a corrupt tret cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7. 18. Ere you have not something to say to this you close with Pelagius for a defence and speak non-sense For you say that you answer with our Saviour by a distinction of that which is simply such and secundum quid In what part of the Gospel is this Logick to be found For it is clear from the verse above cited that our Saviour denyeth simply the thing so he granteth it not secundum quid Some good acts you say may be done by evil men being assisted by actual grace I would know if actual grace can be in exercise where habitual grace is not at all then if men habitually evil in an unconverted state can do any thing well That something materially good may be done by them as well as sin may be committed by the regenerated I doubt not but that they can do ought upon a good principle for a good end by a good morive I deny it simply Now if they be not such they cannot justifie a mâ—n For nullum agens potest agere extra Spharâ—m suae activitatis Till he be sanctified he cannot be be such till he be justified he cannot be sanctified Workes justifie no more the man then the fruit maketh the tree good My third Reason you leave untouched which was this that the present time requireth all our work Ergo it cannot justifie us for bygones or the future What is now debituns cannot pay my bygone debt nor free me for the time to come And you grant all I have said in the fourth that our best workes are unperfect and so cannot hold water before the Tribunal of GOD. I am glade to hear you grant so much for then where will workes of supererogation and merit appear For further clearing of our Doctrine of Justification take notice the Papists and we thus differ First They say there is a two fold justification one whereby a mâ—n unjust is made just for attaining this there must be previous dispositions by the acts of faith fear hope love whch fit the man for his justification some of them terme this Meritum congrui others say tâ—at this is the free gift of GOD not deserved by workes The second Justification is that whereby â— man being just is made more just this they say is merited by their workes and proceedeth
à DEO arbitrio simul both from free will and GOD. So Molina Here they confound justification and sanctification And by this way we are not compleetly justified till we die ere the work of sanctification be perfected fully we must be Saints in light Secondly That free gift of grace is parted betwixt GOD and free-will if this Doctrine hold For Bellarmin saith we co-operat with GOD in justification it self and the beginning of faith So by it that emphatick place Rom. 8. 34. cannot be interpreted aright it is GOD who justifieth If man had no part nor hand in the Creation how can he have it in the first Conversion seeing that is a new Creation Thirdly They make the formal cause of justification inherent righteousness which is ragged by their own confession as appeareth from this reflecter Then it is no fit covering for our nakedness for it self needeth a covering Can it satisfie divine justice being so imperfect Augustin telleth the contrar on Psalm 42. Whosoever liveth here albeit he live righteously if that righteousness be strictly judged wo to hâ—m Fourthly It is not safe nor comfortable for ourselves That same Father telleth us again de bono perseverantiae cap. 6. â—e live more safely when we attribute all to God wholly then when we commit our selves partly to GOD partly to our selves Now this inherent righteousness as put on in the second justification is the birâ—h of merits and free-will say all Papists then positively and mostly thy own The merits of Christ are a far off cause causa formalis immediata is thy own righteousness the consideration of this made Bellarmin confess de justif lib. 5. cap. 7. tutissimum est in sola DEI misericordia conquiescere It is safest to repose on the mercy of GOD not on thy own righteousness A dying Christian seriouâ— about salvation will indeed find it safest and surest We again mantain that a converted man is under previous law work of conviction contrition humiliation and the fallow ground of the heart is thus prepared and broken up by the plowing of the Word but a man may come this length and go no further the dispositions have not alwayes a necessar connexion with that new birth Nor is the seed of faith still sown in such as are under the spirit of bondage He who â—asteth of these powers may fall away There be a relative difference between these acts in the Elect and others Secondly When faith the free gift of GOD Phil. 1. 29. is sown into the heaâ—t and planted there as it is native to the child to seek the breasts so it leaueth and leadeth the man in its first motion to the righteousness of Jesus a Mediator who is The Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. and he maketh mention of his righteousness even of his only The Lord hath so appointed it he is made of GOD to us righteousness 1. Cor. 130. faith apprehendeth that as the ship-broken man doth a plank whereby he commeth to land by that we are justified before GOD. Inherent graces cannot satisfie the justice of GOD nor make perfect obedience to the law nor pay the penalty which it requireth But Mediatory righteousness can do all this So the causes of justification are these the final cause is the glory of GOD and mans salvation The efficient the favour mercy and good will of GOD. The meritorious the obedience of Jesus Christ The formal the imputed righteousness of that blessed Mediator The instrumental cause or condition as some word it is faith Rom. 3. 24. 25. so we are justified by faith alone as Abraham was before GOD and this giveth glory to GOD Rom. 4. dethroneth the boasting of men and is the sure safe scripture way Now when we say that faith alone justifieth by laying hold on his righteousnes and applying it we still hold that faith which justifieth to be pregnant with good workes such as love heart-cleansing new obedience patience zeal and other fruits of the spirit This adversaries deny not to us Bellarmin doth us this much right for he acknowledgeth that we hold good workes to be necessar to the justified Non necessitate efficientiae sed prasentiae So they justifie our faith to ourselves and others but faith justifieth the man and workes have no place in that act We do not deny that good workes have room and are necessarie for working out of our salvation they are via regâ—â— but in the point of Justification they are excluded Our justification is the Lords act of gracious absolution tendred to us through Christ When we receive the sentence faith the hand of the soul layeth only hold of it And it is not said in Scripture love in his blood or patience or real in it but faith in his blood by which we are justified cloathed and covered Remission and righteousness commeth in this way This animateth all our graces and we hold justification and salvation of free grace Ephes 2. 8. 9. Fourteenthly You set up free will in faln man almost as it was under the Covenant of § 14. Iust workes in the state of innocencie and do attribute Election partly to that Idol More that without Christ we may merit congruously and naturally dispose our souls for grace But the Scripture saith Rom. 11. 6. Election is meerly of grace and if by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace were no more grace but if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise workes were no more workes Nay We cannot of our selves as of our selves think a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. and without Christ we can do nothing Iohn 15. 5. being by nature children of wrath dead in sins and trespasses Ye say we set up free will in faln man as it was in the state of Innocencie wheâ—eas we Papist Reply put great distinction betwixt free will in these two states as you may see in our School Divines yet Christ by his grace hath so set it up that with the same grace a man may choose to do good and refuse to do evil Both Scripture and Fathers are clear for this Scripture Deut. 30. 19. I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live And 1. Cor. 7. 37. He who hath determined in his heart not having necessitie but having power of his own will to keep his Virgin Is not here free will asserted necessitie clearly excluded How then can you call it an Idol or if a man have not free will wherefore sorveth preaching and exhortation to perswade a man to that which is not in his power Protestants say there is no good action in the power of a man Why then do they perswade Roman-Cathâ—licks to turn Protestant seeing Conversion being a most holy and good work is nor in our power or free-will Or how could it stand with GODS wisdom to command men what they could not do Or with his justice to condemn
cannot be such will consider Matth. 15. 9. and so acocunt that worship vain The Merchants have not alwayes the best shops who hang forth pompous signs Nor is she reputed a chaste woman who is fearded in the face and cloathed with the attire of an harlot The whorish garbe of Rome will not reactily please souls espoused to that one Husband Iesus Christ therefore live like the Gospel And if ye be sealed by it to the day of Redemption with the holy Spirit of promise the Scripture truths will be precious to you That which rendreth many unstable is a notional Cartesian way of Religion but sincere Christians have not so learned Christ If thou once taste how good the Lord is and if he hath given thee songs in the night his testimonies to thee will be more then thy necessarie food Irreligious prophanness and Popery are practically so sibb to other that the one ushereth in the other Nothing maketh me fear the growth of this bitter root in the Land more then the deludge of prophanness which overfloweth all the banks When men belie their Christian profession being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobat Is it not to be feared that the Lord make such like Shiloh Ier. 7. 17. live then holily and righteously If ye do his will ye shal know the doctrine whither it be of GOD or not Iohn 7. 17. Godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come it is nor much to be feared that many if any who have tasted of the power of Religion by the ordinances of the Reformed Church will turne away to Popery That seal on the heart will prove a notable preservative I shal conclude this Preface with a word of advertisement to the Inhabitants of Dundee whom I dearly love and have in my heart frequently before the Lord. That seeing the Lord hath made you one of the considerable incorporations in this Nation ye would consecrate your gaine to him by proving valiant for his truth on earth it is not unknown how the Lord honoured this place by making an early profer of the Gospel to it by that faithful Servant and Martyr of Christ Mr. George Wishart who preached the Gospell here and edified many by his powerfull preaching One Robert Milne who had then sway in the Tovvn to please that Cardinal Beton by vvhom he vvas corrupted and byassed with bribes as our Ecclesiastick Historians â—ell discharged the faithful servant of Christ from preaching in the Tovvn any more to vvhom he replyed I shall remove but if it be long well with you I am not led by the spirit of Truth and if unexpected trouble fall on you remember this is the cause of it Turne then to God by repentance for he is mercifull This vvord was verified for within four days after his departur the plague of pestilence break up here Then sent they for him as sick men do for a Phisitian who returning comforted the unthankful people vvho shut him out Preached on the East-port on that text Psalm 107. v. 20. he sent his word and healed them shortly thereafter the plague ceased The Word of GOD backed by prophecie and providence did take so deep impression on the people that they became eminent promoters of the vvork of Reformation And for ought that I can learn from that time or thereabout Poperie decayed so in this place that none avouched it till the year 1662. then some three or four did break out to the great scandal of the Congregation Novv the case and stare of the question being the same vvhich vvas then if ye fall out of love vvith the truth vvrath vvill be upon you and as ye vvould not meet vvith a vvrathful stroak cleave to the Gospel vvith full purpose of heart If any shal do othervvise vvhich the Lord forbid such vvill degenerate from their vvorthie Predecessours and vvandring from mountain to hill vvill finde no resting place As no place in the Land hath been more free of Poperie for a long time so none have suffered more for loyaltie to our Soveraigne the Kings Majestie Was not your blood spilt like vvater Your houses rifled and possessed by usurping strangers Yet ye vvho survive the rest are aâ— brands plucked out of the fire preserved by the Lord. If after such stroaks messages messengers deliverances preservations ye do countenance or foster Poperie and fall avvay from the truth of GOD. Will it not be bitterness in the latter end Who encline so let them read Ezra 9. 14. and make application A word is enough to the wise There have been sundry faithful Messengers of Christ here since the Reformation who warned the place frequently who battered Babylon and builded Zion And if the tares of Adversaries should pester this field again these Messengers now at their rest will stand up and witness against this place in one day And this testimony shal be indorsed against you That ye are lawfully warred to save your selves from the evil of this generation Reader where ever thou dwellest consider well what is said here buy the truth and sell it not And the Lord give thee understanding in all things which belong to thy Peace in this thy day this is heartily desired by a lover of the truth and doctrine which is according to Godliness FAREVVEL Sithence our Confession and the Grecian Confession of Faith is here mentioned I thought it expedient to prefixe the Greek because every Reader will not probably have it at hand That therefore it may appear to all what consent our doctrine hath of old and of late and how numerous the Professours thereof be at home and abroad this is adjoyned So that Adversaries can neither justly load us with noveltie of tenets or paucitie of adherents and he who will peruse both Confessions maye easily convince them of their errour I thought to have set down the intire Confession in the Greek language but the Printer finding a defect of typs the beginning of each Article and distinct period is set down in Greek And a faithful translation of it in the English language is subjoyned this translation was Printed at London diverse years since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Eastern Confession of the Christian faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY-GHOST _ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe ouâ— GOD Almightie and infinite three in Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Father unbegotten the Son begotten of the Father befor the World consubstantial with the Father the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father by the Son having the same essence with the Father and the Son we call these three Persons in one essence the holy Trinity ever to be blessed glorified and to be worshipped of every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe the holy Scripture to be giveâ— by GOD to have no other author but the Holy Ghost which we ought
undoubtedly to believe for it is written We have a more sure word of Prophecie to the which ye do well to take heed as to a light shining in a darke place Besides we believe the authoritie thereof to be above the authority of the Church It is a farr different thing for the hâ—ly Ghost to speake and the tongue â—f man for the tongue of man may through ignorance erre deceive and be deceived but the Word of GOD neither deceieveth nor is deceived nor can erre but is alwayes infallible and sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the best and greatest GOD hath predestinated his Elect unto glory before the beginning of the world without any respect unto their workes and that there was no other impulsive cause to this election but only the good will and mercy of GOD. In like manner before the world was made he hath rejected whom he would of which act of reprobation if you consider the absolute dealing of GOD his will is the cause but if ye look upon GODS orderly proceeding his justice is the cause for GOD is marciful and â—ust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that one GOD in Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost to be the Creator of all things visible and invisible Invisible things we call the Angels visible things the Heavens and all things under them And because the Creatour is good by nature he hath created all things good and cannot do any evil and if there be any evil it proceedeth from the Devil and man for it ought to be a certain rule to us that GOD is not the authour of evil neither can any sin by any just reason be imputed to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that all things are governed by GODS Providence which we ought rather to adore then search into sith it is beyond our capacitie neither can we truely understand the reason of it from the things themselves in which matter we suppose it better to embrace silence in humilitie then to speak many things which do not edisie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the first man created by God fell in Paradise because neglecting the Commandment of GOD he yeelded to the deceitful counsel of the Serpent from thence sprung up Original sin to his posteritie so that no man is borne according to the flesh who doth not bear his burthen and feel the fruits of it in his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ hath made himself of no account that is hath assumed mans nature into his own Subsistence that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost that he was made man in the womb of Mary alwayes a Virgin was born and suffered death was buried and glorified by his resurrection that he brought salvation and glorie to all Believers whom we look for to come to judge both quick and dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that our Lord Iesus Christ sitteth aâ— the right hand of his Father and there maketh intercession for us executing alone the office of a true and lawful Priest and Mediatour and from thence he hath a care of his people and governeth his Church adorning and enriching her with many blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that without Faith no man can be saved but that we call Faith which in Christ Iesus justifieth which the life and death of our Lord Iesus Christ procured the Gospel published and without which no man can please GOD. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Church which it called Catholick containeth all true believers in Christ which being departed are in their Countrey in Heaven or living on earth are yet traveling in the way the Head of which Church because a mortal man by no means can be Iesus Christ is the Head alone and he holdeth the sterue of the Government of the Church in his own hand but because on earth there be particular visible Churches and in order every one of them hath one chief which chief is not properly to be called a head of that particular Church but improperly because he is the principal member therof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Members of the Catholick Church be the Saints chosen unto eternal life from the number fellowship of who Hypocrits are excluded though in particular visible Churches Tares may be found amongst the Wheat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Church on earth in the way is sanctified and instructed by the Holy Ghost for he is the true Comforter whom Christ sendeth from the Father to teach the truth and to expel daâ—kness from the understanding of the Faithful For it is very certaine that the Church of GOD may erre â—â—king fâ—lshood for truth from which errour the light and doctrine of the holy Spirit alone fâ—eeth us not of mortal man although by Mediation of the labours of the Churches Ministers this may be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We beleeve that a man is justifie by â—aiâ—h and not by workes but when we say by Faith we understand the correlative or object of Faith which is the righteousness of Christ which Faith apprehends and applyeth unto us for our salvation This may verily be and yet without any prejudice to good workes for Truth it self teacheth us that workes muâ—â— not be neglected that they be necessary means and testimonies of our Faith for confirmation of our calling but for workes to be sufficient for our salvation and to make a man so to appear before the Tribunal of Christ that of condignity or merit they conferre salvatioÌ„ humane frailty witnesseth to be false but the righteousness of Christ being applyed to the penitent doth onely justifie and save the Faithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that free-will iâ— dead in the unregenerate because they can do no good thing and whatsoever they do is sin but in the regenerate by the grace of the holy Spirit the will it excited and indeed worketh but not without the assistance of grace to effect that therefore which is good grace goeth before the will which will in the regenerated is wounded as he by the thieves that came from Ierusalem so that of himself without the help of grace he hath no power to do any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that there be Evangelicall Sacraments in the Church which the Lord hath instituted in the Gospel and they be two we have no larger number of Sacraments because the Ordayner thereof delivered no more Further more we believe that they consist of the Word and the Element that they be seals of the promises of GOD and we doubt not but do conferre grace But that the Sacrament be intire and whole it is requisit that an earthly substance and an external action do concurre with the
not to be thought that privat mâ—n should be barred from searching the scripture seeing it is contrar to that text John 5. 39. where if by searching the Scripture you mean the reading and interpretation of it that cannot be the sense of it For the Apostle Paul saith 1. Cor. 12. GOD hath set in the Church Prophets Apostles Doctors c. Then he addeth are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Doctors do all interpret Then this doth not belong to every man to read and interpret Scripture but to search the deep meaning and sense thereof from the Doctors of the Church For the Jews did search the scripture reading and hearing it read in their Synagogues and yet did deny Christ to be the Messiah which scripture doth clearly testifie Even as Protestants do read Scripture and in it the real presence the power to forgive sins granted to men justification by faith and good works anointing the sick virginity preferred to marriage and yet deny all this Wherefore as Christ exhorteth the Jews to do it with greater reflection and attention not superficially turning and shuffling it over as Protestants do so do I exhort them The word is the sword of the spirit upon which you inferre should any privat man be disarmed amongst his soes So let me tell you that the Apostle calling it a sword sheweth that it should not be put into a mad mans hand or in the hand of a fool i. e. Poor ignorants who as Peter saith wrest it to their own destruction and yet this is your consequence if it should be granted to all privat men Children and fools get not arms amongst their foes wherewith they might rather wrong themselves then their enemies but are under the protection of their Paedagogues and attendants And so the ignorant should not easily handle the sword of the word being ignorant and only capable of the letter but should receive the sense thereof from the Church and her Pastors that it may be to them an arme of defence Pro. Duply 1 Answer first All this is answered fully in the return of the first question to which place I referre the Reader lest I make idle repetition If the rule of right reasoning had been observed nothing of this ought to have come in formerly but here in its own proper place I distinguished betwixt privat men and privat interpretations then betwixt the extraordinar gift of interpreting and the ordinar Thirdly Betwixt the priviledge and the exercise Privat men have the priviledge to search the Scriptures you say it should be by no other then doctors if that be true then the Lord Jesus did not direct the people who heard him to use prayer and meditation for knowing the Scriptures but to go to their rulers Scribes and Pharisees who did what they could to make the Scriptures testifie against him and all his I appeal to the conscience or reason of any if this exposition on the place can hold water Or if an indvidual act such as this being performed by another is an obedience to a command If this exposition be good then when the Lord pronounceth the man blessed who meditats in the Law day and night the sense of it must be if his Pastors do it for him it is enough Who will admit this But the one is as true as the other Secondly You contradict your self for once you say that privat men should not interpret Pro. An. 2 Scripture but take it from the mouth of the church then immediatly you exhort them to do it not superficially but with attention and we exhort to no more Thirdly You make all the people who are Pro. An. 3 privat men mad fools and Children by your coÌ„parison in whose hand the word of GOD should not be put then it must be taken from them and how agreeth this with the former exhortation What if this were told to the Kings and Queens who are Popâ—sh By the testimony of your doctors ye are all de clared unfit to rule others for mad men fools children caÌ„not govern In effect ye guide theÌ„ as such in divine matters for ye muzle and blindfold the people all this passeth under the notion of Paedagogy But sad is the case of such pupils â—f they knew what belonged to their peace Let ignorants be catechised and trained in the ways of GOD this may make them more discerning of the sense and meaning of the word of God Seneca telleth Coenant nobiscum quidam quia sunt docti alii ut sint doâ—li Some men suppe with us because they are learned others that they may be learned The testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple should they then be deprived of them Question sixth Ye agree not about the Pa. Qu. 6 rule for some cast at the Epistle of James others receive it Answer None of the pure reformed do Pro. Qu. so it was only rejected by some Lutherians in which we do not owne them Secondly The number of Scripture books is not the question but whither these mantained by all be the rule of saith Seeing all men are murable creatures and at their best state vanity Popes clash with Popes Councils with Councils Pulpits with Pulpits let any judge whither it be safest that the revealed will of God be our rule or the dictats of self contradicting men Reply You say none of these pure reformed Pa. Reply reject the Epistle of James and you disclaime the Lutherians who do so and they you for I am confident they will acknowledge none for pure reformers who take an Epistle for scripture which they hold to be none Then you say the number of Scripture books is not the question Sir you move questions as you please but hear Mr. Hooker one of your most learned Protestants lib. 1. Eccl. pol. Sect. 14. pag. 36. of these things necessar saith he the very chief is to know what books we esteem holy which is impossible for it self to teach Apply this to your only determiner of faith in your first answer And truely I think this should be the first question of all to the pure reformed according to the pure word of God as you cal them which are the books of the pure word of GOD Now if you answer these are mantained by all which you make the rule of faith how few books of Scripture shal be this rule if any at all For there be few or none whereof some have not doubted or flatly denyed Saint Augustin contra Faustum Manichaeum and lib. de mor. Eccl. cap. 1. Saith the Manichees did deny Moses and the Prophets the Jews did deny the New Testament What books of Scripture are mantained by all For by that you make the consent of all judge of canonical Scripture how then can you disclaim tradition and say immediatly after men are mutable creatures and at their best state vanity Seeing upon the consent of men ye take up your rule of faith and number of Scripture books I know other Protestants
any other Papist Reply Reply In your twelfth Sect you make us teach that lawful Magistrats may be deposed by the Pope and that we canonize such Where citing Rom. 13. and 1. Pet. 2. you sight with your own shaddow and make up tenets contrar to Scripture which Catholick detest and abhorre But this is proper to Heresie and particularly yours to cause rebellin from lawful Princes and Magistrats as it did every where even in its first beginning witness the revolting of the Princes of Germany against the Emperour The bloody warre of the subjects in France 20. years against their King Holland against Spain to this day the Suitzers amongst themselves SCOTLAND first against Queen Mary and then our late gracious King Nevertheless Ministers are so bold as to speak this who can neither be subject to Kings Magistrats nor Bishops if they oppose their whimsyes in the least Every one of them taking greater power to himself then Catholicks gives to St. Peter Duply Any one may here perceive a Prote ∣ stants Answer studied shift by way of recrimination Because ye date not declare your selves herein And do you indeed detest the Doctrine of the whole Canonists the whole Jesuits that the Pope may depose a lawful King If it be so I am glade you renounce this point of Poperie But because you say I fight with my own shaddow herein to shew how ignorant and impudent you are in this denyal Let any read either the bull of Gregory the seventh against Henry the fourth the Emperor or of Sixtus the 5 against Henry the third King of France or of Pius the fifth against Elizabeth Queen of England and there ye will find this tennor Nos in supremo justitia throne collocati supremam in omnes Reges Principes Terrae universae cunctosque populos gentes Nationes non humana sed divina institutione obtinentes nobis traditam potestatem declaramus praecipimus jubemâ—s c. Viz. That none of their subjects should owne oâ— acknowledge them For your better information in this particular know that the power of the Pope in this particular is one way explained by the Canonists and another way by the Jesuits For the Canonists say that the Pope hath jura omnia caelestis terrestris imperii sibi à Deo concessa The Jesuits that Pontifex ut Pontifex non habet directe ullum temporalem potestatâ—m sed solum spiritualem tamen indirecte ratione spiritualis habet potestatem quandam eaâ—â—que summam disponendi de temporalibus rebus omnium Christianorum See more of this in Dr. Barclay de potestate Papae in Principes Christianos They hold it beyond doubt that in ordine ad spiritualia which is a broad charter the Pope may depose any King and loose their subjects from all allegiance to him cum subest causa rationalis †Anno 1654. When it was Printed at Naples by authority that the Pope should not exercise jurisdiction civil in the territories of Spain without the Kings leave this was condemned at Rome by Innocent the tenth Secondly They hold that Bishops may omnem moverâ— lapâ—dem and that is a broad word ne degant sub Haeretico Principe Baron anno 438. Sect. 89. Thirdly When the knowledge of the fault is evident Subjects may lawfully if they have sufficient strength exeem themselves from subjection to their Prince Baniâ—s on Thomas quastion 12. and that ante judicis sententiam declaratoriam Lastly Privat persons may kill an Heretical King after sentence is given against him Suarez defens fidei Cathol lib. 6. cap. 4. only their tenderness appeareth in this that the King be not constrained wittingly or willinglie to be the cause of his own death the sense is thiâ— if you can poyson him by his gloves garment or saddle you may do it But by meat or drink you may not for then he taketh his own poyson So John Mariana de Reg. instit lib. 1. cap. 7. Is it not then true that by principles of doctrine no Papist adhering to the Pope can be a loyal subject to the King As for our Reformations ye look on all such with an evil eye But our doctrine in the reformed Church concerning the Magistrat is such that no Christians on earth give him more then we do Witness out Confession of Faith to which we will adhere while we live what ever the scripture and pure antiquitie giveth to Kings that we willingly tender for conscience sake All sound Protestants do abhorre and detest the murther of our late Soveraign Lord the King and we in this Nation did protest and declare against it for which our Commissioners were committed close prisoners and sent with a guard to the border As for the Reformation abroad I desire that famous Mr. Baxter his Key for Catholicks and disswasive from Popery may be read by you who hath written so well on this point that I hope all men satissiable may be satisfied with his reasons which I need not here transcribe See also the testimonie of the Ministers at London against that horride murther to which testimonie we do still adhere and then adbered But Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione c. †See Bilson of Subjection page 382. Doth not your great Cardinal Allen write an Apologie for Stanles treason against Queen Elizabeth Doth not Bellarmin shew lib. 5. de Pontif. cap. 8. in how many respects Kings may be deposed by their subjects Did not Pope Sixtus the fifth make an Oration at Rome in commendation of the Friar who murthered Henry the third King of France Was not Tyrones treason commenced and commended by your Party who then did take on the coâ—â— of Armes and sound the trumpet of rebellion When the Popes Bull roared in England against Queen Elizabeth how many treasons were hatched and evil humours bred in the people Thirteenthly Ye say we are justified partlie by faith partlie by workes but the § 13. Inst Scripture saith that we are justified by faith without the works of the law and that the man is justified to whom the Lord imputeth faith without workes Rom. 4. 6. and that we are saved by grace through faith not of workes lest any man should boast Neither can any good workes be wrought by us till we be justified and sanctified how can an evil tree bring forth good fruit Nor can we understand any good work which the law doth not require seeing it was tendered under the Covenant of grace Beside our best worksare leavened with many imperfections and debt for the present so these cannot absolve us for bygones or the time to come And whereas the Apostle James chapter 2. speaketh of Justification by workes his purpose there is onlie to declare what justifieth faith Now justifying faith must be a lively working faith and if it be dead it availeth not and if he hint at personal justification which verse 29. implyeth it is before men and that before the Tribunal of GOD there
them eternally who had not free-will to obey his Commandements Hear St. Aug. lib. de Fide contra Manich. chap. 10. Who will not cry out it is a foolish thing to command him who hath not freedom to obey what is commanded And it is an injurie to condemn him who hath no power to fulfil them And again lib. de Gr. lib. Arbit cap. 2. GOD hath revealed to us in Scripture that in man is free-will because GODS Commands would not perfect man unless he had free-will to do them Gregory hom 12. on Numb O Israel what doth the Lord thy GOD require of thee Let them be ashamed of these words who deny free-will in man How should GOD require of man unless man had in his power what to offer to GOD requiring Doth he not here speak to you and clearly against you Now whereas you cite Rom. 11. 6. Election is meerly of grace you put in the word meerly which is not in Scripture And whereas it is said if it be of grace then it is no more of workes that is meaned of natural workes without grace or workes of the law As answer these Doctors whose sentence you here impungue for without grace you say well with the Apostle we cannot think a good thought and without Christ we can do nothing John 15. 5. Wherefore it is another calumny when you make us say that without Christ we may merit congruously which we hold for Pelagian and Semi-Pelagian Heresie Duply You reason for Free-will upon Prote ∣ stants Duply Pelagian grounds as Jansenius Ipr. who was Popish hath aboundantly proved in his learned work If you would read and consider him he would satisfie and refute you But seeing you gift us with him and so with Augustin for in these be is totus Augustinus I shal only say this by way of position First The natural man hath no freedom for spiritual good as before the fall because he is the servant of sin Hear Aug. contra duâ—â— epist. Pelagian Libertaâ— illa quae fuit in Paradiso periit per peccatum Propter quod natura humana Divina indiget gratia diceâ—te Domino si vos filius liberaverit vere liberi eritis He granteth a freedom for evil but of our selves as of our selves we cannot think a good thought we say the same with Scripture and Antiquitie Secondly We hold that in some moral acts a man hath freedom whither by a new gift or as the remainder of the first I shal not disput E. G. He may elocat his Virgin to be warried or not according to the text cited by you 1. Cor. 7. 37. this we do not deny Thirdly Commands threatnings exhortations are means appointed by GOD to make us who are nilling willing to do good yet so that it is he who worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. Who worketh all our workes in us Is 26. 1â— So the place you cite Deut. â—0 19. maketh nothing against us for as Augustin saith jubet javat and the Elect get grace â—o obey these who are approven will thus be made manifest so it is not in vain for us to exhort Papists to be converted for wisdom wiâ—lbe justified of her own children And did not our Lord upon this account exhort the obstinat Jews to reformation Yet your atgument from exhortations is against him and his way asmuch as against us We have a vvill moral faculties of willing and nilling and are not stocks Augustin throughout meaneth no more and admit that Origen be of your mind Scripture saith the contrar If election be of grace without workes is it not clear that it is of meer grace For these two are opposit here You say you do not refuse that not set up free-will in man as before the fall and appeal to your School-men for my information I answer you make use of the word grace as Pelagius did ad frangendam invidiam but indeed Adam had no more power over his will then ye give to lost man which I prove thus Adam could plead for no more but the posse by his câ—eation and the velle if he pleased to choose or refuse obedience But all your Jâ—suits give this to man after the fall that positis omnibus requisitis ad agendum which doth take in the decree the concourse and grace it self in the sense of all your Dominicans at lest who impugne this description yet potest agere vel non agere therefore he hath as much now as before the fall according to your Divinity Albeit you condemn Pelagius yet ye are wholly his here See I beseech you Jansenius on this subject Yea ye make your self differ from another contrar to the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 7. For two having equal grace objective and subjective it is the will which casteth the ballance and maketh it efficacious in one not in another This is the doctrine of School-men So ye have your will to thank your will to invocat for any good And what more said the Semi-Peldgians or Messalians then the Mass-men do here averre Your Council of Trent saith the will potest dissentire si velit your school-men whom you desire me to consult in this matter are of the same tenets The council saith Sess 6. chap. 5. that one is converted and mother remaineth in his infidelity the cause is in their will in that one entertaineth the other rejecteth the grace of GOD. Molina disp 12. to hold this saith he is a matter of faith Eckius in his Enchir saith that the beginning of our Salvation we have from Gods mercy but it is in our power to yeeld to thaâ— divine inspiration or not Aquinas contra Genres lib. 3. saith it is in the power of free-will to hinder or not hinder the receiving of divine grace Molina again telleth that the persaverance of men in good dependeth upon their own co-operation with grace By grace they mean no more but a moral suasion externally offered or an objective inclination of the will but no effectual determination at all So indeed at the command of the will grace is either useful or not permitted to enter in or shut out of doors Who perceiveth not this doctrine to be derogatory to the honor of GOD and power of free grace Therefore we say with Augustin in his Ench. cap 32. DEUS nolentem praevenit ut velâ—â— volentem sequitur ne frustra velit The Lord by his grace maketh nilling men willing and willing men are assisted by the same lest they runne in vain The will of man saith he who was the hammer of Pelagianism is libera quia liberata It s free because it s freed See Aug. de side ad Petrum Diaconum cap. 32. Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites posse quidem hominem quem nec ignorantia literarum nec aliqua prohibet imbecillitas vel adversitas verba sanctae Logis Euangelii sive legere sive ex ore cujusdam praedâ—catorâ—s audire sed ut quod audit
with naked persecuted truth in our Church as the Marques of Galeacia Mr. Smeton c. yea sundry have gone to Rome been converted by taking a distaste at their worship and way Fourthly Our run awayes runagads have to mourn before the Lord for their Apostacie seeing they cannot deny that the Ordinances in our Church have been by the Lords blessing instrumental to beget children to God This they must graunt unless they will say that all the reformed Church is unconverted which they have no confidence to averre Now how gross is it to spit in the face of her who did bear and foster them which I wish the Lord may lay to the consciences of such revolters But not to insist further I desire you in the fear of God to pause and consider well whether you are going to heaven or hell and by what rule you walk If the will of man or the revealed will of God have the power of your consciences or whether it be safer to take the scriptures way in which the Prophets and Apostles walked to heaven or the way of your own traditions and vaine inventions He who walketh according to the scripture rule peace and mercy shall be upon him and upon the Israell of God Reply In your last answer you say our Papists Reply pelf and policie is greater then yours both which I grant but glories in neither Yet if Ministers augmentations hold on they will shortly equal our pelf but not our Christian policit in employing it so well our glorious and goodly edifices of Churches Hospitals Monasteries dispersing and distributing their rents to pious uses But the thrusting down of Churches Hospitals Monasteries dispersing and dissipating their rents testifie your want of policy blind avarice mad passion Secondly You say we give indulgencies for looseness as if in Catholick times there had been greater looseness then since the Reformation Whereas the keeping of Lent and Fasting dayes were abolished Pennance and satisfaction for sin taken away Celibacie in Church men thought a crime Laicks allowed after divorcement to marry all good works thought impossible the Commandments thought impossible to be keeped and that men sin of necessity in their best actions which as it excuseth all wickedness and sin so it giveth way to all looseness and prophainness Thirdly You say many quit Rome in the integrity of their heart such as the Marquess of Galeacia and closed on their peril with naked truth in your Church To which I answer that all Hereticks and Schismaticks have quit Rome not in the integritie of their heart but in the blindness of their mind and that with their own peril eternal damnation closing with a very naked faith and Religion not well cloathed with the least colour of truth but not with naked faith or belief which Catholicks confidently and constantly assert what ever you say to the contrar And it is no where else to be found for they know there is but one faith and one GOD and one true Church Consequentlie united in the same faith in all which points as she was established by Christ and his Apostles hath continued since their time visible in her Pastours and People in all Ages holy and incorrupted in her Doctrine religious in her Sacraments and ceremonies powerful and glorious in her wonders and miracles conversion of Infidels in the which the holy Fathers have lived and all true Martyrs have died Which only all new upstarts and Sects do persecute and oppose as Protestants at this day under the pretence of Reformation and upon the same ground of wresting Scripture against the common consent of the Church and Fathers with them For as all divisions in Christianity have been from the Roman Catholick Church so all have turned both their armes and pennes chiefly against her but in vain she is builded on a rock against which the gates of hell shal not prevail against her And so who return from you to her are neither run-awayes nor run-agads as you call them but like the forlorn child or lost sheep return'd Whose example undoubtedly many more would follow if they would consider Faith without unity amongst Protestants a Church without a Head a Body without united Members a Law without a Judge a Temple without an Altar Religion without Sacrifice Divine service without Religious ceremonies Sacraments which do not sanctifie Doctrine without infallibility Belief without a ground Preachers without a call Commandments impossible to be keeped Exhortation to what is not in our power Reprobation without workes Reward without Merits Sin punished where there is no Free-will Scripture received or rejected upon the catalogue of the Jewes GODS word patched up by men Reformation without authority New-lights against old received veâ—iâ—ins the Privat-spirit against the whole Church single mens opinions against the unanimous consent of the Fathers in a word wavering Pastours unsetled Government unstable Faith In the post-script there be a parallel patched about our Reformations which being composed of the gall of bitterness without verity or reason deserveth no answer but that which Hezekiah commanded Is 36. 21. Duply You graunt that ye are rich and politick this is true there is much prophain Prote ∣ stants Duply 1 policie where Jesuited equivocation is mantained But tell me if this be like the Godly sinceritie and Gospell simplicitie which was the old Apostolick way and ground of their rejoicing 2. Cor. 1. 12. If ye exceed us in sumptuous buildings which politickly you mistake for the policie mentioned by me though your pelf be greater then ours we want not Hospitalls Bridges Temples according to our abilitie But what is that to the doctrine which is according to Godliness The Turks exceed you as farre that way as ye doe us And the Temple of Diana at Ephesus exceeded you and them also Secondly You deny that Poperie fostereth prophanness but it is too apparent and Duply 2. how can it be otherwise If indulgencies bought and sold like an horse in a market tend not ex natura operis in it self to make men loose and prophane let any sober man judge For thus may they reason shall I quite my lusts for a little money I know what will do the bussines and put me in favour with God Why should I pluck out my right eye and cut off my right hand when a little time in puâ—gatorie will do the turne and a soulemasse which I can have for the Legacie of a summe of money will free me thence But we with the scripture forbid men to deceive themselves for they who do such things shall not it herit the kingdom of heaven So with us nothing less will satisfie then Gospell repentance and the least ground of hope is not granted to those hereafter who turne not away hore from their iniquities How can this be denyed seeing your latest Casuists such as Escobar Busenbaius and Diana the Sicilian have purposly devised latitudes for rendring prophane men secure about Duells Sodomy and other acts of
uncleanness which would make chaste ears to â—ingle And that men who in hainously are not bound to repent imediatly as it is fully proved by Reverend Learned Mr. MENZIES in his Papismus Lucifugus pag. 158. to 169. And when it is defended that minus probabile may be chosen although it have no ground in scripture contrar to more probable grounds and the stream of Doctors doth not this open a door to make the may of Christianity broad whereas the scripture calleth it strait and narrow Thus ye gaine proselites And it is observable that manâ— loose livers in the land who are adversarieâ— to the power and puritie of Religion hate to be reformed do encline to Popery And to me it is not minus probabile that it is only upon this account We are not against fasting chastity mortification Nor do we say that men sin not willingly or that good workes are impossible yea we hold them necessar to salvation Only we deny that faln man can be justified by the workes of the law otherwise we needed not a Saviour not a Gospell-remedy It is your ordinar way to mistate questions and then intend a skirmish which is easie work this is a sinfull and shallow evasion Thirdly You fall out with bauling expressions which rational men cannot value much and scoâ—fe at these worthies who did take their lives in their hands and closed with persecuted truth neither for gaine nor for honor but for conscience sake Was not this a commendable duty If self denyall be not a chief ingredient in Christian performances I know not the Gospell You assert that it was blindness not integrity I averse it was integrity and not blindness Who art thou that judgest another mans servant remember thou shalt be judged You talk much concerning the authority and unity which is amongst you but some who were at Rome and have come not long ago from you to us againe tell what sort of integritie puritie and chastitie is amongst you So it is no wonder albeit many tongues and pennâ— be employed to pull down that whorish Babell which ye call Zion Fourthly You imply that none can be saved but such as are subject to the Pope Therefore our run-awayes must nor be apostats with you for they are Prodigals returned and lost sheep found When I pray you went they from you to us Were they not baptized in our Church and partakers of all ordinances with us till of late Then I pose you and them again whither ye damn all who are not Popish and judge them unconverted If they be Hereticks in your sense this must follow Yet you have nor the confidence to speak it directly And sure I am Scripture requireth not subjection to the Pope as an article of the Creed If without this â— man cannot be saved albeit he believe and live like the Gospel the Apostle Paul was no chosen Vessel which is contrar to Scripture there was no Pope in his dayes nor long after that Your Church hath been visible by bell book and candle fire faggot pomp policie Your Pastours are more for the fleece then the flock Ye are superstitiouâ— by addition substractioÌ„ multiplication without any warrand Your Ceremonies are partly Paganish partly Jewish and for the most Schismatick so not religious nor venerable Your miracles woÌ„ders are such that it is good for you to have them wrought in America and told in Europe Like are ye to him who cometh with lies and wonderâ— 2. Thess 2. 9. Your conscience can witness what Leger-demain is in these And it is our way to try miracles by the Scripture I wish Infidels were converted to the Christian faith and not to a faction By the Scripture noâ— by fopperies and military Compulsators Stephen the Apostles and some primitive Fathers were Martyrs but they died not in the Romish Faith as it is now mantained And how can your Church be called Catholick which is a particular one wherein be many dissenters It is not strange to us albeit ye indulge them who runne away and Apostatize from us but it is strange why they have done so and what hath sascinated them to burst all bonds and swallow on a sudden the whole bulk of Popery It requireth an Ostrich stomach to digest such iron Where in did Gospel-truths Gospel-worship or their mother and nurse weary them testifie against her if they can Fifthly You say we have Faith without unity then you grant us faith and our unity in fundamentals is more then your own A Church without a head We acknowledge no Pope head of our Church Christ is our head and the visible Government of the Church is Aristocratical not Monarchical the mystical Members of his Body are united in him so we are not a body without united members Neither want we a Judge in controversal matters It is known that many points of Christianity cannot be judged by râ—en because the Kingdom of Grace is within us and consisteth not in meat or drink but righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Who will say that the hidden man in the heart can be cognosced by any external living judge on earth The spiritual man â—udgeth all things but he himself is judged of no man 1. Cor. 2. 15. The written word is the rule of this and other such cases For other matters we have Councils and Church Ruleâ—s appointed by the supream Judge who are bound to discern according to Scripture and all are appointed to obey them in the Lord so we have not a Law without a Judge The golden Altur is our Altar we have sacrifices of Prayer and Praises and one living sacrifice is better then many carcases that is reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. Then we have order and decencie and such positives as set forth the worship in a Gospel way without pâ—mpous observation therefore we lack not an Altar Sacrifices and Ceremonies in such manner as Gospel-work under the New Testament requireth Our Sacraments are instruments to seal and sanctifie our rule is infallible for it is Scripture the grounds of our faith are such as will not make us ashamed for we have his revealed will and word for it Therefore it is a calumny to say we have Sacraments which do not sanctifie Doctrine without infallibility and Belief without a ground If our Preachers had runne unsent the Lord had not sealed their Ministrie with such success Ier. 23. 32. It may be spoken without vanity to the praise of free-grace that there be many real sincere serious solid Christians in BRITTAIN Blessed be the Lord we go not without our CoÌ„verts who can speak with any adversary in the gate And they will and do bless our Ministry upon the brink of eternity which hath been the power of GOD to their Salvation So our Ministry is not without a call we say not that any divine command is in it self impossible to be keeped but that fallen man through his own fault is imperfect in obedience