by Canon bound to follow the Fathers that Protestantism waxeth weary of it self that Calvinism is accounted * For proof read Dr. Heylins Cypr. Anglicus and its Introduction Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p. 414 415 416. there you 'l see the agreement made betwixt the Pope or his agents and some of our Clergy men and that which â—â—ey call the ancient Catholick Religion is nothing but Popery only abatement in some things at least for a time 〈◊〉 Cyprianus Anglicus was setled in his pontificalibus heresie at the least and little less than treasoâ— I say much of this Heylin saith was truth and he himself in his Introduction to that History and other books makes very manifest What Chillingworth answereth to this bold charge of the Jesuit you may see in Dr. Cheynells rise and growth of Socinianisâ— c. 6. The â—anterburian Religion not the true Protestant Religion p. 70 But to return to my business Bellarmine is answered by learned Dr. Ames a Nonconformist in his Bellarminus Enarvatus T. 4. l. 2. de peccato originali c. 3. p. 34. ad p. 46. which I have read and Bishop Jeremy â—â— I hear is answered very learnedly and fully by Mr. Henry Jeanes â—â—other Nonconformist which I have not read how conformable â—â—e Bishops Doctrine is to the false Pelagian condemned Doctrine of â—â—e Church of Rome and Nonconformable to the true and approved â—â—octrine of the Church of England let the indifferent and judiciâ—â—s Reader judg Vide Maccovium Rediv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminiaâ—â—ruâ— c. 9. p. 118. That Original sin inherent in us is properly sin I prove thus 1. That which hath the name and nature of sin properly so called â—â—s sin properly so called but original sin inherent in us hath the â—â—e and nature of sin properly so called ergo it is sin properly so â—â—lled 1. It hath the name of sin properly so called given unto it in saâ—â—red Scripture The Reverend * Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. A. B. â—â—sâ—er tells us That all other sins have â—â—eir special names but original sin is â—â—operly called sin and †Amand. Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 3. p. 336. Polanus beâ—â—re him saith that 't is called absoâ—â—tely sin Rom. 7. 8. because it is the â—â—ring and fountain of other sins pecâ—atum peccans sinning sin Rom. 7. 13. â—â—eccatum inhabitans indwelling sin Rom. 7. 17 20. and Mr. Hilderâ—â—am upon Psal 51. p. 283. tells us that the Spirit of God expresly â—â—lls it sin Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity â—â—d in sin did my Mother conceive me and so Dr. Mer. â—asaubon * In locum Musculus and Dr. Ames expound the place â—hich place Bishop Prideaux * Fasciculus controversiarum c. 3. q. 5. p. 112. saith â—â—nnot be understood but of original sin â—â—d its propagation as both ancient and â—â—ter Divines expound the place and in â—â—ree Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans viz. 6. 7 8. 14 times at â—â—ast and Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 6. 6 12 13 14. Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin â—â—t by the law for I had not known lust that is to be sin except the â—â—w had said Thou shalt not coveâ— Where 't is clear that lust by which 〈◊〉 meant the first unlawful desires or motions which have not the â—â—nsent of the will lust in the habit or disposition inclination imagiâ—â—tion as well as lust in the act is forbidden in the Tenth commandâ—â—nt as not only Beza Parâ—us Calvin and Peter Martyr but also Dr. Willet and Wilson and Dr. 〈◊〉 and Diodate upon the place 〈◊〉 B. Prideaux Fasc controvers c. 3. q 5. p. 112. Sharpius Symphon â—a Novis Epoc. p. 397. Andrews and Dr. Mayor upon the 〈◊〉 Commandment and Bishop 〈◊〉 and Sharpius elsewhere assure 〈◊〉 verse the 8. For sin taking occâ—â— the Commandment the more 〈◊〉 â—â— the more it bursteth forth †A. B. Vsher Sum of Christian Religion p. 144. 〈◊〉 streams do that cannot be stopped till God by his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 it wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the 〈◊〉 was dead that is it seemed so to him because he knew it 〈◊〉 felt it not but when he knew the law he knew sin and 〈◊〉 activity and found 't was alive so verse the 14. But I 〈◊〉 sold under sin Man is said to be carnal two ways 1. Quâ—â— carni because he serves the flesh so unregenerated men 〈◊〉 nal 2. Quia proclivis est carni because he is inclined to 〈◊〉 the flesh that is original corruption which is called flesh 〈◊〉 1. Gal. 5. â—7 so Paul was carnal though he had mortified 〈◊〉 he had some relicts or remainders of it an inclination to thâ—â— of the flesh he was carnal in opposition to the law that 〈◊〉 ritual that is he was not so spiritual as the law required 〈◊〉 der sin slaves to â—in are of two sorts 1. Some sell themsâ—â— sin original sin and its lusts they willingly obey the lusts 〈◊〉 flesh so did Ahab and such are wicked men 2. Some arâ—â— another and such a slave was Paul even after his actual conâ—â— for he was a slave against his will he desired to escape from 〈◊〉 ster he served him unwillingly as may be seen verses the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no more I that do it but sin that is original 〈◊〉 tion that dwelleth in me So verses 23 24. so Rom. 8. 2. he 〈◊〉 have added Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the 〈◊〉 death by sin so verse the 13th For until the law sin that is 〈◊〉 ginal sin was in the world which the Apostle proves 〈◊〉 death was in the world till Moses v. 14. 2. Original sin hath the nature of sin properly so called 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of 〈◊〉 which is the definition that the Spirit of God gives of 〈◊〉 perly so called 1 John 3. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is the 〈◊〉 gression of the law as we translate the words but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dâ—â— from Alpha a Privitive Particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lex the law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a want of conformity to the Law of God Now that Original 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prove thus 1. Because it is a want of that righâ—ousness which all men ought to â—â—ave * Vide Dr. Barlow Exercitat 2. Scholastical Divines define â—â— to be oarentia rectitudinis debitae a â—â— of rectitude which ought to be in â—â— reasonable creature And this I Homily of the coming down of the Holy Ghost p. 209. Mâ—n of his own nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to God without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or godly motion only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds â—â—ight prove out of Aquinas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 82. a. 3. con Cum originale peccaâ—â—um justitiae originali opponatur nihâ—â—â—â—iud
The Confession of Bohemia or Waldenses A second kind of sin is Original sin naturally ingendred in us and hereditary wherein we are all conceived and born into this world Behold saith David I was born in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me and Paul We are by nature the children of wrath Let the force of this hereditary destruction be acknowledged and judged of by the guilt and fault by our proneness and declination by our evil nature and by the punishment which is laid upon it 3. The French Church saith thus We believe that all the off-spring of Adam is infected with this contagion which we call Original sin that is a stain spreading it self by propagation and not by imitation only as the Pelagians thought all whose Errors * One of his Errors was that Original sin is not truly and properly a sin but a punishment we detest and we believe that this stain is indeed sin because it maketh all and every man not so much those little ones excepted which as yet lye hid in their Mothers wombs guilty of eternal death before God we affirm also that this stain even after baptism is in nature sin 4. The Confession of Belgia which is this We believe that through the disobedience of Adam the sin which is called Original hath been spread and poured into all mankind Now Original sin is a corruption of the whole nature and an hereditary evil wherewith even the very infants in their Mothers wombs are polluted the which also as a most noysome root doth branch out most abundantly all kind of sin in man and is so filthy and abominable in the sight of God that it alone is sufficient to the condemnation of all mankind neither are we to believe that this sin is by baptism utterly extinguished or plucked up by the roots seeing that out of it as out of a corrupt fountain continual floods and rivers of iniquity do daily spring and flow 5. The Confession of Auspurg saith thus And this Original blot is sin indeed condemning and bringing eternal death even now upon all that are not born by baptism and the Holy Ghost 6. The Confession of Saxony Art 2. treats largely of Original sin Where she approves the Doctrine delivered to us by the first Fathers Prophets and Apostles and the Apostles Scholars even unto Augustin and after his time and condemns the Doctrine of Pelagius and all those who have scattered in the Church like doting follies to those of the Pelagians and they 〈◊〉 like not the usual definition given of original sin viz. Originalâ—â— is a want of Original justice which ought to be in us and afâ—â—â—ward they say That these wants and this whole corruptioâ—â— sin and not only a punishment of sin Harmony of Confessions 〈◊〉 4. p. 76 77. 7. To this may be added the Confession of the Châ—â— of Ireland which Article 24th is the same with the Churchâ—â— Englands 8. The Confession of the Church of Scotland may 〈◊〉 seen in the Confession of Faith made by the late learned and 〈◊〉 thodox Assembly of Divines c. 6. Articles 5 6. This corrupâ—â— of nature during this life doth remain in those that are regâ—â— rated and although it be through Christ pardoned and moâ—â— yet both it self and all the motions thereof are truly and prâ—â— sin every sin both original and actual being a transgression oâ—â— righteous Law of God and contrary thereunto doth in its 〈◊〉 nature bring guilt upon the sinner whereby he is bound oveâ—â— the wrath of God and curse of the Law and so made subjecâ—â— death with all miseries spiritual temporal and eternal Now if these Churches Confessions suffice not to prove orâ—â— sin to be properly a sin give me leave I pray humbly to offer 〈◊〉 further Confirmation and Explication these things that followâ—â— 1. That Original sin is either Imputed or Inherent 1. Original sin imputed is the inobedience of Adam in whose 〈◊〉 all meer men were and sinned is imputed to all his posterity 〈◊〉 they in their own persons had acttually violated the Law of Goâ—â— eating the forbidden fruit Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one 〈◊〉 entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 that all have sinned that is in that one man in Adam legally◠〈◊〉 they stood under his Covenant naturally as they bear his Imaâ—â— as they were in his loins as two Nations are said to be in the 〈◊〉 of Rebeccah Gen. 25. 23. and Levi to have paid tithes in the 〈◊〉 of Abraham to Melchisedeck Heb. 7. 9 10. the slavish estate of thâ—â— parents is imputed to their children The natural man thoughâ—â— may think himself frâ—e yet is sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. as reâ—â— lion of great persons against their King not only hurts their own persons but stains their blood and is imputed to their posterity so is Adams first sin imputed to us who were in his loins and are natural ordinary partakers of his nature and Rom. 5. 13. 't is said that sin was imputed for until the law that is of Moses sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no law that is where there is no law broken 2. Original sin inherent is hereditary corruption naturally propagated Vide Homily of the Nativity of Christ T. 2. p 167â— supra unto us from the fall of our first parents making us guilty of temporal and eternal punishments whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to every thing that is good and wholly inclined to all that which is evil from which do proceed all our actual sins whereby every meer man is so corrupted in his understanding that he doth not cannot know any thing sufficiently concerning meerly divine things belonging to his eternal salvation without the special grace of God Matth. 16. 17 18. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven 1 Cor. 2. 14. For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned and this is called sometimes blindnesâ— Ephes 4. 18. Vanity and carnal-mindedness in the mind and understanding Ephes 4. 17. Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be hardness in the conscience who being past feeling Ephes In Adamo nos omnes rei facti fuimus quia nos omnes fuimus quod ille imus erâ—t unde naturae corruptae ad nos quâ—â—nor emanarunt vulneraâ— ignorantia in intellectu malicia in voluntate infirmatas in iraâ—â—ibill rebellio in concutiscihâ—â— appetitu Aquin 12 ae q. 84. Ex Beda saith learned Bishop Pridiaux fascic controversiaâ—â— c 3 de peccato q. 5. p. â—2â— 4. 19. Pravity or perversaess in the will which is commonly called concupiscence in the appetite and this is formally a turning or
reason of its pride and contumacy neither can it be by reason of its pravity and perversness The flesh saith Diodate is not only incapable to submit to Gods will through weakness but also through â—â—tural repugnancy To which may be added Rom. 7. 14. For 〈◊〉 know that the law is spiritual and the law is spiritual because it binds not only all the humane creatures intents and purposes but his whole force and power and all the thoughts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ— his heart to an holy inward obedience as well as to an outward compleat conformity to the will of God whicâ— if he did as he ought to perform he should be spiritual too aâ—â— free from death but I am sold under sin contrary to and averâ—â— from the law St. Paul after he was regenerated was like other men in part carnal through the proclivity of his nature to commit those sins which according to his regenerate part he hated and would not so our sound and learned Divines expound the place and urge the following verses to prove that concupiscence is properly a siâ— and in the regenerate after baptism 2. Concupiscence is properly sin because 't is forbidden in the law of God Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust the sudden motions of mind unlawful desires and affections which arise in the soul and have not the consent of the will as our Orthodox Divines expound the word that is to be sin except the law had said thou shalt not covet Where 't is clear that concupiscence is called sin and that 't is forbidden in the law of which before To which may be added the 9th Article of our Church of England which saith thus Yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin and the Article saith that 't is a FAULT and corruption of the nature of every man Bishop Jeremy Taylor himself confesseth that 't is in the Latin Copies called vitium naturae which I think in Morals is Englished vice in Theologicals sin and if virtutes Ethicorum sint splendida peccata sure their vices are proprie-dicta peccata which yet the Bishop with the Jesiâ—â—â— denies 3. Concupiscence is contrary to the Law of God because we are commanded to put it off Ephes 4. 22 23 24. That ye put of concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in rigâ—teousness and true holiness Where original sin is called the old man as 't is in * Calvin Pareus Peter Martyr Diodate Willet Dr. Featley Wilson in locum and Bishop Reynolds of the sinfulness of sin p. 139. Rom. 6. 6. that is the body of sin not nature but our corrupt nature which we have contracted from our old Father Adam as all our learned and sound Divines expound the places and the phrase 4. That 't is properly sin I reason thus that which rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God is sin properly but original sin rendreth persons obnoxious to the wrath of God ergo original sin is properly sin the major is undeniable because nothing that is not properly sin doth render us obnoxious to Gods wrath God is angry with nothing but sin or for sin the proper object of a Christians hatred should be sin and 't is of God's as being only contrary to his nature and law Gal. 3. 10 the minor may abundantly be proved by plain Scripture Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death by which in regard the Apostle speaks absolutely without any limitation he meaneth death in general of what kind soever temporal and eternal Gal. 3. 10. 1 Thes 1. 10. Rom. 5. 18. And because Bishop Taylor * Explanat of original sin p. 469 470. denies it of death eternal I pray read what the Church of England saith of it in her Homilies of Christ's Nativity T. 2. p. 167. and Homily of Christs Death T. 2. part 2. p. 181. and 184. set down before in the beginning of this Article * Man was justly condemned therefore condemned to everlasting death p. 103. and Ephes 2. 3. We are by nature the children of wrath We are not so by pure nature then we must needs be so by corrupt nature and that is original sin inherent in us Children of wrath are subjects of sin and through desert of sin subject to wrath that is the wrath of God which he hath threatned against sinners for sin death and damnation and temporal judgments Ephes 5. 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience only children of disobedience are children of wrath where there is no sin or disobedience there God hath no wrath and our 9th Article of Religion saith plainly that this original sin in every person born in this world deserveth Gods wrath and damnation and so our Church * Questions of Baptism Catechism saith For being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath and it cannot be understood of lust with consent of will for that Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel without doubt knew to be sin and that also is actual sin and not original of which the Article treateth 2. Because infants conceived and brought forth in sin who never committed any actual sin in their own persons have died as you may see in Davids child 2 Sam. 12. 18. and experience daily shews it and Rom. 5. 14. proves it Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is actually committed any sin in their own persons over them that is over infants who sinned not actually or by imitation but only by an inherent corruption of nature in them so our Reverend Divines A. B. Vsher and Bishop Prideaux Archbishop Ushers Sum of Christian Religion p. 143. Bishop Prideaux bis Fascic controver c. 3. q. 3. p. 113. Pareus in locum and many more of our sound Divines as well as the ancient Fathers expound the place and in the order of our burial 't is said that by Adâ—â— all die 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Obj. But it will or may be objected that infants sinned in Adam in whose loins they were and that they are punished with death 〈◊〉 for their own inherent corruption of nature that is in them but for the sin of Adam in whose loins they were imputed to them Answ To this I answer 1. That neither Bellarmine nor Papists nor Bishop Taylor nor any compleat Conformist in the Church of Englanâ— can well object this for they hold Concil Trid. 5. Sec. 5. Can. Bel. de Sacrament baptismi c.
to do say We are unprofitâ—ble servants and therefore our good works cannot merit any thing of God by their own worth and oblige him to give us a reward for their profit done him Cond 5. That there be a proportion between the thing meriting and the thing merited but between our imperfect good works and eternal life there is no proportion merit of condignity must be equal to the reward or thing merited that is truly and properly meritorious that doth properly and absolutely for it self deserve a reward or which doth in its formal reason include equality or condignity tâ— that reward of which 't is said to be meritorious but now that there is no proportion between our works and eternal life is proved Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Where 't is clear thaâ— the Apostle who was a regenerated man and had done as many good works as any regenerated man after his conversion as appears by his works yet those he sligâ—ts in comparison of the knowledge of Christ by faith and who suffered many great and cruel afflictions and 〈◊〉 last Martyrdom for Christs sake yet he reckoned them all not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us in heaven they hold no true proportion or equality with the reward neither in respect of dignity or worth nor in respect of duration or time these affâ—â—ctions are not worth that glory which we shall have in heaven aâ—â— these afflictions which are but for a moment are not worthy to be equalled with that eternal weight of glory which they work for us if righâ—â— born This place saith Pareus and our Dr. Fulk and Willet in locum tollit omne meritum condigni Pareus in loc Dr. Fulk taketh away all merit of condignity for if the sufferings of the Saints neither for quality nor quantity are proportionable to the glory that is to come then it followeth necessarily that they are not worthy if the sufferings of Martyrs come short of the value and worth of the glorious happiness of Saints triumphant in heaven then sure much more do their best actions come short thereof There is a reward ratione pacti when a man promiseth such a reward to a person if he do such a work for him Now this reward is called wages not properly merit because it may be meerly of promise and not of desert e. g. A man may promise another man an 100 l. of good gold to fetch him a bottle of straw which when he hath done he is bound to give or pay it to him because he promised so much but this is not properly merit of condignity for the work done was not worth the money supposing as is to be supposed the straw easie to be had and near at hand for there was no proportion between the fetching of the bottle of straw and the 100 l. Now where there is merit of condignity there must be proportion between the merit and the reward because the reward of the merit is an act of justice as Aquinas shews and justice is a certain equality as he there proves out of the Philosopher 12. 〈◊〉 q. 114. a. 1. c. 2. There is a rewardâ— ratione operis when a man doth such a work that doth of its self and its own nature carry such a dignity and worthiness in it as that it deserves such a reward to be given to him in justice Now this is that the Papists are to prove that our good works do that there is such excellency dignity and worthiness in them as that they do of their own nature deserve eternal salvation at Gods hands and that God is bound in justice with it to reward us for the dignity of our good works which we Protestants utterly deny and we say that if we should yield that our good works do thus merit eternal life at Gods hands these absurdities would easily follow 1. That we had something whereof to glory or to boast of that we had merited our salvation contrary to Ephes 2. 8 9. 2. That eternal life were not freely given to us but of due and just debt paid to us contrary to Rom. 6. 21. 3. That Christ dyed in vain contrary to Gal. 2. 21. This is one of the Church of Romes Antichristian Doctrines which doth in effect deny Christ to be come in the flesh It 's but a vanity in our men the great friends to Rome to say that Papists profess with us the Apostles Creed when as indeed and in truth by their doctrines and practises they deny and overthrow what they profess for if men can by their own strength turn themselves to God when they will and fulfil the whole moral Law do works of superogation and by the right use of their natural reason and will merit ex congruo the first grace and then ex condigno merit eternal life What need was there for Christ so have come into the world and taken our nature upon him become our surety to have fulfilled the law and dyed for us And therefore our Homily before alledged saith very well That this Doctrine of Merits speaks blasphemy against Gods mercy and great derogation to Christs blood-shedding and another Homily before alledged That whosoever denieth this Doctrine that faith alone justifieth is not to be accounted a Christian man nor for a setter forth of Gods glory but for a setter forth of mans vain glory and for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and that it were the greatest arrogance and presumption of man thâ—â— Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his oâ—â— works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself Homily of salvation of mankind p. 16 17. Obj. But they say That Christ 〈◊〉 merited that our good works that are his Nova haec est Theologia Prophetis Apostolis ignota Christus meruit ut nos mereamur nobisipsis vitam aeternam Dr. Ames Bel Enerv. t. 4. c. 2. p. 214. gifts wrought in us and performed by us should merit eternal life Ans 1. This I have often heard said but could never as yet see it proved and therefore till it be proved I deny it because there is neither sacred Scripture nor good reason for it I know that true believers in Christ are made worthy 2 Thes 1. 5. Apoc. 3. 4. by the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to them and apprehended and applied by a lively faith but this makes not their imperfect works which as good he works in them and which they owe unto him meritorious at Gods hands again God doth reward his people with eternal life secundum opera * Rom. 2. 6. according to their works but not propter opera for their works and the reward is of free gift not of due debt for 't is ex pâ—â—misso of Gods own free promise but not