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To the READER.

HOSE Famous Minifters of Chrift, Luther, tec % lanfthon, Calvin, Zuinglius, Bucer, and the reft of them, who juftly are ftiled Reformers of Religi- ^i^ on 5 did fay more againft Popery, than any of the Papifts have yet been able to give a fclid Anfvvcr to: And indeed it was by wife and uninterefted men judged, above a hundred years ago, a defperate Caufe , being fb much againft both Scripture and right Reafon. The Church of Rome, therefore, that it might uphold arid defend it felf, hath had recourfe unto Cruelty, policy, Sophifiry.

As for their Cruelty, What place almoft is there that rings not of it? The Mxjfacreat Paris, the Irif) Rebellion, the Gunpowder >Treafon , thofe Flames in which lb many were burned in the Perfecution under j^ Miry 5 do plainly (hew, That the Romijl) Seaji is the moft Cruel one that ever was, and is extreamly eager to tear in pieces all that refufe to worlhip him. Thofe many thoufands of Men, Women, and Children, who have been moft barbaroully butchered by Bloody Papifts in France, in Ireland, in Bohemia, in Pied" mont, in England 5 may inform all, what Arguments they ufe to promote their Religion, when once they have any Power in their hands} and what kind of dealing is to beex-pefted where Popery (hall prevail 5 unlefs there be afubjeft-ing of Bodies, Ejiate, Reafon, Senfe, Faith, and Conference alfb, unto their Tyranny and Vfurpation.

And left thefe Liftances of Cruelty which I have mentioned, fhould be extenuated, as making nothing againft Popery, becaule (everal of that Religion have condemned them^it will not be ami(s to add, That Thuanus, an Hiftorian of their own, BtfivfUtm lib, gives this information^ That the Pope when he heard of the^;^° 4> Maflacre, from his Legate at ?ark, read the Letter in the Con- Nuncio de tu« fiftory of Cardinals, and folemnly gave thanks to Almighty ^StaJS God for fo great a blejftng conferred upon the Roman See and rum quanta the Chrifiian World, It was alfo decreed, That a jubilee fhould teti . ti ? Ron }f be publiihed5 the Caufeswhereof, were to return than^ tdT&^mct

c . c .. ' 1 dinalium Se-

natu fontihcii Legati lirens decretum eft, ut inde rccla Pontifex cum Cardinalibus ad B. Mmi coQcederet, & D. O. M. pro tanto beneficio Sedi Roman*, orbiq; Chnftiano collato, grarias ttta folenni ageret: & legs %«* fanmm.

A 2 God

r

The Epijlk to the Redder.

God for destroying in France the Enemies of the Truth and of the Church&c. Sooti after,the PopeXent Cardinal Vrfih'm his Name to congratulate the King of France^ who in his journey through the Cities highly commended the Faith of thofe Citi-sens who had an hand in the Mailacre, and difiributedhis Holiness blejfings among then/. And at P^rar, being to periwade the reception of the Council of Trent^ endeavoured it with this Argument, That the memory of the late Action to be mag-nifi'ed in all Jges, at conducing to the glory of God^ and the dignity of the holy Roman Churchy might be> as it were y fealed by the approbation of the Holy Synod*

If this Mailacre bq thus juftihed , commended, magnified, where there was alfo fo much Treachery ( for the Protefiants were invited to a Marriage between the Houfes of Valois and .*The number bourbon ? and then inthe dead of the night * many thoufands LinT^this °f them, without diftin&ionof Age or Sex, were butchered, Mailacre at fothat the Channels ran down with blood into theRiver\fure theTplaces, 0 we ma y conclude, That the raoft horrid Murthers will be de-ameunted un- fended, as long as that which they call the Catholick^ Religion. *h Tand* * s f ^ ere ^y promoted. I grant indeed, there are fome good-natur'd Papi(ls which fay, They diilike luch bloody doings, whatever may be pretended for their judification': But 'tis more than probable, that thefe very Gentlemen, (uppofing "the Pope had full Power to weild both Swords, if they fhould dare to talk againft his Cruelty, would prefently be cafl'd 0 md feel the ftroke of his Swords> as Heretic^s. * , Policy is another prop of Popery. By Policy. I do not mean

that Prudence in managing of State-affairs, which is joined with Integrity, Juftice, Honefty$ but that Craftineft and Sub-tilty, whereno regard is had either to Truth or Confcience, , but any thing is done,though never fo much againft the Rules of Rjghteoufnefs, that carnal Ends may be brought about.The Pope having arrogated (iich Power to himfelf, that he can ab-fblve SubjeSs from their Oaths of Allegiance, can takeoff the obligation of Covenants and Promifes, and give Difpenfations to tranfgrefs the Laws of God j hereby a door, is opened to all Unrighteoufhefs, and Papijis may be allowed to diffemble, to lye, to be perjured, as long as 'tis for the Catholic^ Caufc. The Writings o£ Machiavelhzve beenftudied more throughly by many of the Roma/tifts ? that* the Scriptures of the Apoftles

and

The Epijlle to the Reader.

and Prophets. And thofe who have converted with the jfe-furts, and underftand theMyftery cfijefuitifm^ find them fuch exaft Aohitophcls, that they will counfel to any thing, though never (b ungodly,if it tend to the upholding of their Fadtion. Laftly,For their Sophijiry : In this refpeft their Schoolmen, who have endeavored to argue forP<?/?er^are famous.But when what they-(ay is duly weighed, it appears to be but Sophiftry, and no more. In the main points of Con trover fie between the Church o&Rome and us, their Arguments are atifwercd in the(e enfuing Sermons, the truth alio is confirmed by Scripture and Reafon, and then an Improvement made in order unto practice. This mixture of Polemical and Practical Divinity together, 'tis hoped will be very ufeful.

The Minifters who preached thele Leflrures, endeavoured to accommodate themfelves to the capacity even of ordinary Hearers : For the common people,confidering the Induftry of RomiJI) Emiffaries, are in great danger of being (educed^and this Book, through the bleffing of God, may be an Antidote. I could have wifhed that the Sermons had been delivered to me all together, that they might have been printed in better order, and (brted together according to the fubjedt-matter of them. But if the Reader pleafe to confult the Table at the beginning, he may read them in order if he be fb minded.

To conclude: Since England was formerly fuch a Tributary to the See of Rome^ and fuch vaft (urns of Money were carried yearly from Hence Thither $ we are not to doubt but the Pope looks upon us with* grief that he has loft at, and with an earneft defire to regain us* His Inftruments are more than ordinarily bufie to this End , infomuch that both King and Parliament have taken publicly notice of it. This Lecture therefore againft Popery ? is very (eafbnable 5 and if (which I earneftly beg) this Labour be made fiiccesful to reduce any of them who have been /educed, or to arm and defend the people againft one of the greatejl vifible Enemies that Chrift has in the world} I (hall exceedingly rejoice thst my Pulpit was fb much honoured by my Fathers and Brethren whea they preached in it, and that ever fuch a Projett againft popery came into my mind.

NAT HA N AEL VINC ENT T

The Thefes or Truths maintained in thefe Sermons againft the P A P It S.

l.fTT* HE Scripture was written for the ufe of the Laity J and, fiould be tr(inflated into known Tongues, that they may underpaid it } and foould be heard and read by them. Text, i TXc/^5.27. Serm. 5. p. 105.

II. The Scripture is a fufficient Rule of Chriflian Faith or Record of all necejjary Chriflian Doftrines, without any fup-plement of unwritten Tradition, as containing any neceffary matter of Faith 5 and is thus far fufficient for the decifion of Controverts. Text, 2 Thef. 2.15, Serm. 6. p. 149.

III. TheTejiimony of the Church is not the only nor the chief reafon of our believing the Scripture to be the IVord of God. Text, Luke 16.29. Serm. 10. p. 313.

IV. There is no External, Supream, and Infallible Judg in ■the Church of God, to whom all Christians are obliged to fub-tnit their Faith and Confcience in all matters of Religion. Text, Mat. 23.8, 9,10. Serm. 1, p. 1.

V. There is no fuch Church injiituted by Chriji, as allchri* fiians joined to one meer Human Head, either Perfonal or Col* leUive: But Chrili is the only Vniverfal Head. Text, 1 Cor. 12. 27, 28. Serm. 2. p. 25.

VI. Kingr and Emperors are not rightful Subjects to tht

?ope$ neither hath he Power, for pretended or real Herefie, to

excommunicate and depofe them, nor to abfolve their Subje&s

from their Oaths of Allegiance 5 but even the Clergy arefubjeU

?to fecular Princes, and their Bodies and Eli at es under their

Government. Text, ASs 26. 2. Serm. 3. p. 44.

VII. The Pope of Rome is That Antichrili , and Man of Sin, fpoken of in the Apocalyps , and by the ApoBle PauL Text, 2 Thef 2. 3, 4, 5. 6, 7, 8,9, 10. Serm.4. P- 80.

VIII. The Proteftants didupon jullgrounds feparatefrom the church of Rome. Text, Luk* 6. 2?. Serm. 14. p. 492.

IX. The Lord Jefus, who is the only Foundation of his Church, is the preferver of its Duration, in fome meafure, vi-

fibly throughout all ages. Text/ Mat. 16.18. Ser. 25. p.839.

X. The Papifts dangeroufly corrupt holy Worflnp, by their finful Prayers to Saints and Angels. Text, #0^.10.14. Ser.

15. p. 519. XII. Fnr*

Xr. Purgatory is * gnundlefs and a, dangerous Doffrint. Text, i Cor. 3.15. Serm. 24. p. 813.

XH. No Sin is in its own nature Venial , but every Sin is deadly, anddefcrves eternal Damnation. Text, Rom. 6. 23. Serm. 8. p. 261.

XIII. The Good Works of believers are not meritorious of eternal Salvation. Text, rfal.62. 12. Serm. II,5 pag.401.

XIV. There are not any work/ of Supererogation. Text,L#^e 17. 10. Serm* 16. p. 548.

XV. The Do&rine of Justification is dangeroufiy corrupted in the Roman church. Text, Rom. 3. 24. Serm. 12. p. 441„

XVI. 3 Tis not lawful to make Images of God, nor to wor-JJjip him as reprefented by an Image 5 nor to direB our worfiip to an Image as <* Medium 3 nor fcandaloujly to feemto worfiip Images, bf doing it corporally as idolaters do, though we pretend tokeep- our hearts to God. And the Papifts prefumptu-oujlj leave the fecond Commandment* out of the Decalogue* Text, Mat. 4. 10. Serm. 13. p. 458..

XVII.. Public^ Prayer ought not to be made in an wth^Kywn^ Tongue. Text, 1 Cor.\\.\ 5. Serm. 9. p. 295.

XVIII. The Pope and his Clergy, by falfeprefnmptuons Pardons and Indulgences,have heinoufly injured Chriji,the Church, and Souls of men. Text, Hei.1c.14. Serm. 19. p. 6jj.

XIX. That Dottrineinthe Church of Rome which forbids^ to marry, is a wicked Doctrine. Text, 1 Tim. 4. 2* Serm. 17* p. 578.

XX* The Papal Doctrine in denying the pojfibility of Ajfu-ranee, is falfe , and hath a dangerous tendency to destroy the true Peace and Comfort of fouls in the certain hopes of ever* Uiting happinefi. Text, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Serm. 18. p. 617.-

XXI. Baptifm and the Lords Supper are the only Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace under the New Testament. Text, Prov. 30. 6. Serm. 20. 701.

XXII. ihere is no juch thing as Tranfubitantiation in the Euchartli 5 and 'tis idolatry in the Papifts to worflip the confe-crated Bread, though they thinks 'tis turned into the Body of chriff. Text, 10^.11.23,24,25. Serm. 21. p. 729.

XXIII ihe Papifts go prefumptmajly againli the Institution of Chriff, and change and corrupt his Ordinance, and are injurioHs to the people ^ in denying the ufe of the Cup to them

in the Lords Supper. Text, Mat. 26, 27, 28. Ser. 2 2. p. 760.

XXIV. In the Mafs there is not a true and real Sacrifice of Qhritt himfelffor the fins of the Head and Living. Text, Heb. 10. 12. Ser. 23. p.784.

XXV. Popery is a Novelty^ and the Vroteliant Religion was not only before Luther, but the fame that was taught by Christ and his ApoUls. Text. Jer. 6. id. Ser. 7. p. 165.

READER, The fmaller Miftakes are left unto your Ingenuity to Correct ', the grofTer Errata are here amended.

ERR A TA.

p.Age 5, I. 16, r.Maffer, J. 10, r. he, p, 17, J. i, r. of thee, p. 39, r. detefl, p. 81. r. 0^ oof, p. 62, J. 1$, r. Rev. 16. 13. p. 85, 1. 7, r. Grdfe'rUs, p. 8$, I. 38, add bringing in, p. p5,1. 2, Vvinfingen-fis, p. 97, 1. 8, r. to, p. 98, r. }>ead, p. 99,1. 27, r. he looks, p. 100, 1. 23, r. Officers, p. 102, 1.6, r. flbf/V, I. 7. add £&£, I. 37, addbid publicl^and open, p. 106,1. 30, r. turret, p. \c% 1. 27, r. p-iilis, p. iio,1. 25, r.Scrinh, p. 112, 1. 1, r. condonandi, p. 113, 1. 11, r. Tarqnin, p. 118, 1. 15, r. /i/f/? aw, p. 122,1. 1, r. let, p. 141, 1. 13, r. r2 S. p. 152, 1. 37, r. readinejs, p. 155, 1, 3, r. /*/*&, |>.2d3,1. 22, r. ingenioufly, p. 266, 1. 34, r. offender, p. 27.2, 1. 26, dele of, p. 292,1. 16, r. w&if <s madnefi, p. 27$, L 26 , r. gold. f Page 404-, 1. 8, r. .actions, p. 405, marg. r. jfc frcedeii : & grat. I. 42, r. 07, p. 407, 1. 2,' r. injfat,'\. 25, r. dr ri 1. 36, r. Andradiiis,^. 408, I. 4, r. fentent. I. 15, marg. r. W£ condigno, & 1. 23, r. convention,}. 42, r. a^ro, 1. 44, r. t«6-7»j, p. 409, marg..]. $, r. vAvrj, p' 416. 1. 8, marg. r,.cot(ummando, p. 418, 1. 40, r. fib/ wi t$ vchhh it is, p. 421,1. ult. r. jo. 2. Ep. 8. p. 422,1. 2, r. 2. w*rf&, p. 425, dele othe, p. 426, marg. 1. 13, r. tribuit, p. 442, 1. 16, r. 1 Co? . 6. 11. p. 443,1. 18, r. 1 Jo. 8.-9. marg. r. c> chfilii, p. 445. 1. 16, add fr/at, p 447, marg. r. dominicm, p. 448,1. 23, add grace, p. 449,1. 3, r. retractation, p. 450. 1. 17, r. dartyefs, p. 451, 1, 10, dele of, 1. 20, add or others, p. 452,1. 1, add rre may get eternal life i p. 455, marg. dele r. 2. p. 456, I. 34, r jo fa' 1 , 1. 34. add or others for them, p. 459, I. 13, for presently r. pretendedly, 1. 19, for making r. wording, p. 462,1. 2, for will r. would, 1. 3, for part r. ^iff*, 1. 24, dele one of, 1. 32, for our works r. Civil vror-hip, p. 4^3,1. 11, add alio, 1. 22, dele one «/,1. 23, for Proftrating r. proftration, p 466, i. 8, fcr how r. now, p. 463, 1. 16', for tranfparent r. tranfeendent, p.471, for lives r. ft^tfto .p. 475,1. 2,for beffc r. hff, p. 483,1 for alfo r. v;ho, ibid.ddc that, p. 489, I. 17, for may r. muff, p. 492. for fave r. firve, p. 494. for thus r. this, for as r. tkojup, 495, marg*. r Antmames, p. 513, r. euQ&tpiloi, p. 521, .1. 29, r. intention, 1. 38, for your r. their, p. 525, marg. r. Ecd-fia, for qui ';/, r. qmdm, p. 527,1. 34, for (corned r. fumed, p. 530,1. 13, r. vanity, p. 531, marg- r.funtforfmct,znd Quit & for •fail us eft, -p. 539. r. ukJitov, p. 547, 1. 14, r. *fe/, and add des, p. 548, marg. r. Jewclm* Pv §50, r/fe, marg. r. utilitas, p. 551, r. Mxtth.^ 22. p. $$2, r. yea rather, 14, for w for fpiritu*

dele 0/, p. 603 J/13, r" HctQUdv]at 9 p 6lt, 1 20, r. Alexanders, p. 613,1.39, r. inceffuofis, p. 614,"1. 30, r. Setters, I. 32, r, bhc^uil, in Tit. Ser. 18, r. Belkvzr his, p. 619, marg. 1. 14, r. */>p/. C>r. fetl. 3, p. 6.23,1 42, r eTi xctk£y, i$yccv p, 226, i. 13, for theirs r. ffe* P^ijfj, p. 627,1. 41, r. ftngle, p. 630,1. 13, r. as to, p. 632,1. 38, for way r. Eye, p. 635, 1. 40, for thefe r. thofe, p. 640, l. 40, marg. r. incauto, p. 641, 1. 20, « /u.%1ct Ao>« p. 644,1. 3, r. inartifiiale, p. 648, 1. 29, dele from £-Urntthjp 445, L25, dele Co>?. * Page 701, 1.1,4, r. light, I.31, r. tender, p.705,1. i3,r. Sacraments, p. 708,1. 20, r. vocati, 1. 44, r. emmwded, p. 710:1. 27? r. rite, p. 711,1. 14, r. change, p. 714,1. 34, r. *fcf, p. 715. 1. ult.-dele md that through final Infidelity, p. 716,1. 39, dele again, p. 72.0, J. 41, r. prevented, p. 723, 1. 6, that which.is included in the Parenthefs fliould have been fet in the Margin, p. 725,1. 26, r. coufd, p. 726,1. 235 r. <# tf> £ intaiid, p. 727, 1. 5, for their r. both, p. 784, for fpeaking r. freutyth, p. 788, dele for,and for in that r. a, p. 790, for it is r. he is, p. 791, for -was r. were, p. 795, for oJ from r. on, and dele in, p. 806, for at r. of, p. 808, dele to underffmd, p. 814,1. 7,V. /Jw, p. 810, i. 16, for fttis r. jz»«, 1. ult. r. wafled, p. 818, 1. 15, r. r^^ p. 819, I. 2, r. laff, 1. 10, r. 2000, and 1. 32, r. defying, p. 828, 1. 32, r. jaftified for fanctified, p. 830,1. 39, r* Doftor, p. 832,1, ult, x. mouldring 7 p. 834,1, 20, r. tKWH) P« 834,1, 23, r. called day, p. 8375 k 23, r. gone.

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Mat. 23. 8, p, 10. Z>»* fo #o* j>? called Rabbi^ for one is your Ma$er, even

Chrijt^ and all ye are Brethren, And call no man your Father upon the earthy for one is your Father which

is in Heaven. Neither be ye called Makers •> for one is your Mafter y even Cbrifjt,

HE But in the beginning of tjiefe words hath a manifeft refpecl: unto the foregoing verfes, wherein our bleffed Saviour defcribes and cenfurcs the ambition and ufurpation of the Scribes and Pharifees. He tells you in the fifth verfe, AH their work/ they do to be feen of men \ not for the pleating of God, but for gaining of reputation amongft men \ not for the fatisfadion of their own Conferences, but for vain glory and oftentation. Ihey made broad their Phylacleries \ the Phyladteries were little fciowls of Parchment which the Jews did wear upon their arms, or upon their foreheads, wherein they writ fome parcels of the Law of God. How folidly grounded that practice

T a > JL , A n0t n ° W examine : But the Scribes and Pharifees made thefePhvJadrerics larger and broader than the reft of the Jews, that they might gain that refpecl from the people by their outward garb, which they could not gain by any true and folid worth. It follows in the nxth verfe. 7hey love the uppermofl rooms at feajh, and the chief feats in the Synagogues; .and in the feventh verfe, and greetings in the Mar-kets and fa be called of men Kabbi 5 i, e . Mafter or Voter •, for fo the r TW es **** the word is doubled for the"'greater honour and Url J The y aflfe L ^d titles of honour, and the Jmifh Sanhedrim did

^V° X u hefe W U P° n karned men > a » a the V obliged the People to give them thefe titles * and they had a faying, that he that

B fahtetb

VV*f**«

^.;-

Tops and Councils hot Infallible. Semi. I.

f.ilutetb bis teacher M he doth another man^ and dcth not*caU him Rabbi provokes God to depart from Ifratl.

But indeed there was a deeper and worfe deiign than this in it s they did not only aim,at fplendid and glorious titles, but they did ufuip Authority and Dominion over the Conferences of the People, whereof this was but a lign > as amongft us the Flag is a fign of the Dominion of the Seas, fo tins title was an indication and iigu of that Authority they ufurped over the people. Againft this leaven of the Scribes and Pharifees, our Saviour cautions them in the words read, Be ye not called Rabbi, call no man your Father upon earthy neither be ye called Mailers. The fame thing thrice repeated in various expreifions, to (hew the great importance and necejftty of this precept. But how is this to be underllood } Ianfwer, it is nor a prohibition concerning the 7'fe of the name, but concerning the pra&dce rf the thing. You are not to underftand it thus, as if it were unlawful to call any man 'father, or Mafier, as the Quakers with fufKcknt weaknefs will underhand ir. Certainly the Apofties beft underllood the meaning of their Lord'and Mailer j and for as much as we hind that they themfelves did give men thefe titles, we have warrant enough to ufe them, Ephef. 6. 4. Fa-thers provoke not your Children to wraths and left any man (hould have iuch. an Allegorical humour as to underftand it of fpiritual Fathers, they are called fathers of the flefh, Heb. 12. p. We have had fathers of our flcjb. And fo fervants muf; obey in all things their Majiers according to the ^/^,Col.3.2 2.nay more,it is not unlawful to call teachers by thefe names', it is not unlawful tQci[\Teachzts,Mafters ) 'DoclorsJlabbies,i 0^.4.15.For though you have ten thoufandinftru&ers in Chrifi, yet have you not many Fa-theirs, fur in Chrijl Jefiu I have begotten you through theGofpel: I am your Father, your fpiritual Father, and the title of Mafier (eP//«tVx<tAcO an-fwers to Rabbi in the Hebrew, as the learned know, and plainly appears from Job. 20. 16. Jefus faid unto her Mary, Jhe turned her jelf about andfaid^ Rabboni! a word of the fame fignirrcation with R«*&£i,which i'S as much as to fay Mafier. This name I fay, is commonly given to Teachers and Minifiersof the Gofpel => he fent fome Apofiles, andfome teachers or Mafier 7, «T/JWxaAKo and fo St. Faul calls himfelf <£*/*?**;«*, a teacher, a Mafier\a Voftor of the Gentiles,

What then is here forbidden ?

Anf Two things. CO He forbids a vain and ambitious arTecTration of fuch titles of honour as thefe. (2) And principally he forbids that Authority and Dominion over the Confciences of men which thefe titles do import. I (hall fay nothing to the former, the latter is that F mull difcourfe of at this time. And to this purpofe, and that you may the better underftand the mind of our bleffed Saviour in thefe words* you muft know that the Scribes and Pharifees did arrogate to them-. Selves this Authority over the people, the felf-fame Power which the Popifn teachers at this day ufurp ever their people. This was their doctrine.

Serm. I. Tope and Councils net Infallible.

drine, That trte People were obliged to believe all their Do&rine.%and to practife all their Injunctions. Tiiefe are the very words of the Jewifh lalmud, which is as it were their Bible. All the words of our Rabbin? are to be believed, and received^ as the very words of the living God. And in another place, IVe owe the fame faith to all which the Rabbins teach in their homilies,which we give to the Law of Mofes. Nay they went fo far as to fay, fas Rabbi Solomon an eminent Doctor of theirs faith upon Veut. 17. II.) Thou fljalt not depart from the words of the wife. i.e. their leachers, though they tell thee that thy right hand \f thy Ujt, and thy left hand k thy right \ and in another place, he that dijfents from kit Teachers, is as bad as he that difflntsfrom the Divine Majejiy > and h e . th rt believes the words of the wife, it is as if he did believe God himfelf. Nay they went higher, My Son attend rather to the words of the Scribes than /* the words of the Law.

Now by this you may clearly undcrftand what our Saviour aims a% and why he prelTeth this point with fo much vehemency ; you fte the very life and foul of Religion was (truck at by this intolerable llfuipa-tion. Therefore our Saviour faith, call no man Rabbi, cat' no man jfonr Father upon earth $ let none of my Difciples or Apoftles ever ufurp tl is Authority-} and if any of them mould be fo arrogant as to do it, Ijt no man give this title to them-, that is, acknowhdg not this Authority to be in them ; own no man for your Father or Mafter on Earth, except my fclf or your Father in Heaven.

From the words thus explained I gather this Doctrine.

Dodt. Ibert is no external, fupream and infusible Judg id the Church of God) to whom all Cbriflians are obliged to fubmit their Faith and Covfci-ences, in all matters of Religion.

This was the point that I was defired to difcourfe of at this time \ and I do it the more willingly, becaufe in the whole body of Popery, the oppofite Dodtrineto this is the heart of it. This is Artkulus jiantk, vel cadentis Fapifmi; Popery will cither Hand or fall by the truth or falfhood of this AfTertion. It is ufual with Papifls confidently to invite us to the debate of this Doctrine, concerning the fupream and infallible Judg of Controverfies > this they all acknowledg, ftrikes at the root \ and we do but nibble at the branches, unlefs we flrike at this.

Now that you may the better understand this Difcourfe, I muft acquaint you with the Doctrine of the Papifls in this particular. They are not content with Chrift the Judg in Heaven, and the holy Scriptures the Judg upon Earth> but they mufl have another Judg, 3. viilble Judg i like the Ifraelites they mud have a vifible God to go be* fore them, though it be but a Calf. They fay d) that an external and vifible Judg of all matters of Religion upon Earth is abfolutely necefTa-xy > and this Judg they fay is the Church, by which they underfiand

B 2 the

Pope and Councils not Infallible. Serm. I,

the Governours of the Church, either the Pope, as fome of them fay,or as others, a General Council, or the Pope and a Council together, as thofe that would feem wifer than the reft pretend.

(2) They fay, this fupream Judg is infallible ^ he can neither be deceived himfelf, nor deceive them that flick to him, and are taught by him.

(3) They fay it is the duty of every particular Chriftian intirely and unrefervedly to fubmit his Faith and Confcience to the conduct and guidance of this Judg, to believe whatever he teacheth, and to pracTrife whatever he commands, according to that known and often mentioned and never to be forgotten AfTertion of Bellarmine, T>e Pontifice Rom. I.4. cap. 5. in fine. If, faith he, the Tope could or fhouldfo far err, as to command thepratlice of vice, and to forbid vertuous actions, the Church were hound to helieve vices to he good, and vertues to be had. This is plain dealing > and I cannot but adore the wife and wonderful Providence of God, that fhould give up a perfon of fuch wifdom and learning as Bellarmine, to difcoverthe true and the defperate confequences of this principle, that all men that have a care of their. Souls might avoid 2nd abhor it.

This is the fum of their Doctrine*, and they further add, that .this Doctrine of the Churches fupream and infallible Authority, as it is of more weight and importance, fo it is, and in all reafon ought to be more evident and demonftrable than any other Chriftian Doctrine whatsoever, as a learned Doctor of the Romijh Church exprefly affirms, I ♦mean Creffy in his Exomologefis ; whether this be fo or no we (hall by and by difcem. And againft this bold and wicked AfTertion I have laid down this Proportion, There is no external fupream, infallible Judg in the Church cfGod,to whom all Chrifiians are obliged to fubmit their Faith andConfciences in allmatters of Religion. That which I am now pleading for is, that you may preferve the greatelt treafure you have in the world, even your Confciences, againft the horrible Ufurpations of wicked and unreafonable men. Ifhall not ufe multitudes of Arguments to confute the Popifh Affcrtion, but a few, and thofe fuch as may convince the Confcience of any perfon, who will not (hut his eyes againft the light.

Arg. 1. This Authority which they pretend to is a greater Authority than the Apoftles themfelves did ever claim, or exercife in-the Church of God \ as plainly appears from 2 Cor. 1.24. Not that we have dominion over your Faith. I do not underftand what dominion over a mans Faith can be, if this that they pretend to be not fo. God himfelf can fcarce be imagined to have a greater dominion over any mans Faith than this, that a man be obliged to believe every thing which God faith without examination, and praclife whatfoever he commands*, and this the Pope lays claim to, as you have heard, and it is notoriouHy known •, by which alone you may fufficiently difcem who is that Man of Sin prophefied of, 2^2,4, Who oppofeth and exaheth himfelf

above

Serm. I. Pope and Councils not Infallible.

above all that U called God, or that if worshipped', fo that he ai Godfittcth in the lemple of God, (hewing himfelf that be h'God. This was our bleflLd Saviours fole Prerogative, Acl.$.22. Mofes truly ftid unto the Fathers, a Prophet frail the Lord your God raife up unto yiu of your brethren like unto me, himjhaU ye bear, in all things whitfoever he fo all fay unto you. So (hat this is the hcighth of ChriJts honour \ and the truth is, it might well be faid of Chrilr, we may fafcly relie upon and hear Chrift in all things whatfoever-hc fhould fay to us j this was very agreeable to ihe nature and perfon of Chrift, one in whom were all the treafures of wif-dom andh+iowledg, one in whom thefulnefs of the Godhead dwelt bodily, one that was Godmanifijledin theflejh : I fay,we may fafely relie upon fuch a perfon j but that this fhould be faid of a weak and wicked man,fuch as themfelves confefs many of their Popes to have been, that we fhould hear whatever he fays^ this is fuch a ftupendious ufurpation, that I can never think of it with horror enough. The holy Apoftles thought it good manners to keep adiftancefrom their Lord and maker, they never durft arrogate fuch an abfolute and unlimited Authority to themfelves. Witncfs that evident place, Gal. 1.8, p. though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gofpel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed. And as I faid before, fo fay I now a-gain, If any man ( be what he will, the Pope or a Council, or any company of men, for ubi lex mn difiinguit, non eft dijiinguendum , God makes no difference or exception here* neither muft we ) preach any other Gofpel unto you than that you have received, let him be.accurfed. And do you not think this would be another Gofpel if any man fhould fay, that vices were vertues, and fins,duties, and confequently that unbelief and impenitency were Gofpel-duries, would not this be another Gofpel ? and you fee.they allow this Authority to the Pope. If the Pope teach fo, you are bound to believe fo > but this was not Saint Pauls mind, 'though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gofpd^ do not only disbelieve him, butcurfehim to his face j it may be he will curie you, and pronounce an Anathema againft you, and roar with his Bulls againft you; but regard not that, the curfe cauflefs fnall not come, Prov. 26.2. but the curfe fhall reft upon himfelf.

Arg. 2. Such an Authority as they pretend to, is contrary to that command of the trial of Dodtrines, which is laid upon all Chriftians s tor if there be an infallible judg to whom I ought to fubmit my Faith and Conference in all matters of Religion, what need I try Dodrrins ? certainly there is no room left for it C and therefore the PapiIts laying down that AfTertion, they do with very good fenfe collecl: this Con-clufion from it, That you owe an imp'icite Faith to all their Doclrins, and blind obelience to all their commands} it is Bellar'mines AlTertion, AChrijUan, faith he, Jbould receive all the V^trins of the Church without J»y examination. Now let us fee whether this btthe mind of God or no j i{ it be, than they are in the right •, if not, than it is an abominable

I

Tope and i wicils not Infallible. Serm. I.

ble Usurpation. If we confult the holy Scriptures, we (hall find that no Chriflian is to offer to God a blind facririce, but a reafonable fervice. I ret. 3.15. Be ready always to glue an. anfwtr to every man that asketh ym a reafon 0^ the hope that is inyou- It is not the Colliers reafon will ferve the turn, nor the Colliers Faith, to believe he knows not why •, this is not to give a reafon of our hope, ijoh.^.i. Teloved^ believe not every Spirit (that is every teacher that pretends to be led by the fpiritj but try tyefpirits whether they are of God, becaufe many falfe Prophets are gone out into the world. God hath given us fufficient warning, that there fhould be a great and a general defection amongfr PrcfeiTors,yea amongft the Preachers of the Gofpel, 1 Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit fpeakjth exprefly, taat in the latter times fome Jhall depart from the faiths giving heed to fe. dating fpirits, and Doctrines of Vevils. A dr. 2C. 30. Alf> of yrnr own ■} elves Jhall men arife, fpeakjng pervnfe things to draw away T)/fiples after them,&c. 2 Pet. 2. 1,2. But there were falfe Pnpbtts aIJo amongft the people, even m there fcall be falf: Teachers among you, who privily Jhall bring in dimnabU herefies, even denying- the Lord that bought them, and many fbalfoll'jw their pernicious wayr. Well now, what is the remedy again ft this doleful dikafe > be not furprized when you fee various and contrary opinions in the Church \ h is no more than was foretold by all the Apoftles. But now what (hall Chrifrians do in this diftreiTed condition and contradiction of opinions ? what was the remedy prefcribed m cafe of falfe Prophets of old ) and what is the remedy in cafe of falfe Teachers now? Why it is trial. Chriftians are commanded to try them. Tnere were two ways propofed to try the Prophets of old ; the one was by the event. Deut. 18. 2 1, 2 2. And if thou f*y in thine heart, how fhil we know the word which the Lord hath not fpoh^n, when the Prophet Jpea^pth in the name of the Lbrd. if the thing follow n% nor come to pafs y that is the thing which the Lord hath not fpoken \ but the Prophet hathjpo-ken itp*efumpimmfly~ thou (halt not be afraid of him. And the other way of trial was by the Scripture, Ifa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Teftimony, iftbyfpea}^ not according to this word, it i< becaufe there tf m light in them \ and Ver.i5. Bind up the Tejtimony, pal the Law anong my Difci-phs. And Verfl 18^ ip, Behold I and the Children whom the Lord bath given me areforpgns and for wonders in Jfrad, and when tbtyjhati fry unto you, f-ek^unto them that have familiar fpirits, and unto wizards, that peep, and thst mutter, Jhall nit a people feek unto their God ? for the living to the dead? The way to difcover thele delulions is to enquire, and that is by the Law and by the Teftimony, and this the people were obliged to. And fo this is the remedy prefcribed in the New Teftament \ I need inftance but in that place, \Thf.< > .2\. Prove all things, hold fail that which is good. Prove all things, who is this that is rfquired to do it } it may be it is the Pope, it may be it is a general Council, and they indeed mud prove all things', no, read the fir ft verfe of the for ft Chapter, Paul andSylvanvS) and Timothem unto the Church of the Theffahnians

Serm. I. Pope and Cawcils /■ ; J Infallible.

in God our Father } the Members of the Church, thefe are here commanded to prove all dung'-, and hold fall: that which is good. The fame perfons are obliged to prove all things, who are obliged fa bold fjji that which is good : and lince it isconfeiTed the latter claufe belongs to the people, fo mull the former alfo. Contider three things. (i.) Christians have Ability to try things with. (2.) They have a Rule to try things by. And ( 3. ) They have a Promife of difcovery, and I think more is not necefTary,

Frrft, Chriltians have Ability to try things with, they have reafon-able faculties, they are capable of judging between things that differ > the A pottle fpeaks to the Church of the Corinthians •■> 1 Cor. 10. 15. Ifpea'^as to wife men > judgye what I fay. Chriltians, as well as Mini-Hers, have the Spirit of God which enables them to judg of fpiritual things. 2 Cor. 2. 15. He that U fpiritual (that is, he that hath the Spirit of God ) judgeth all things. He is capable of judging between DocTrine and Doctrine, between Precept and Precept, between Practice and Practice s and upon the warrant of this Text, and many ethers , I dare affirm, that a ferious, godly, difcreet Chriflian, is a more competent judge of many divine Tiuths, than the greateft Scholar in the World, that wants the direction of the Spirit of God : add to this what our Saviour faith, John 10.4, 5. and remember he fpeaks not of the Shepherds, but of the Sheep •, myjheep bear my voice, and they fJJow me 5 a ft ranger they will not follow, but will fly from him : fir they ktiotp not the voice of ftrangers. You fee rhe Sheep are indued by God with faculties, they can diitinguifti between Ghritt and a Stranger, between Chriii and Anti-chritt.

Secondly, Chriltians have a certain Rule to try things by, and that is the holy Scriptures, to which Chriii commanded the Jews to bring all his doctrines, Joh. 5. 2p. Search the Scriptures. Acts 17. it. Thefi were more noble than thofe in Iheffzlonica, in that they received the word mth all readinefs of mind, and fearcbed the Scriptures dayly whether thoje things were fo. 2 Per. I. 19. We have alfo a more fare word of Propbefy ( the Prophecies of the OldTeftament compared with the events and doctrines of the New ) wbereunto yon do well that yon take heed, as ttnto a light that fhineth in a darlt^ place. Pray obferve, 1. Who writes this, it is Peter, he from whom the Pope claims all the power he hath , and yet Peter faith, you do well to take heed to the Scriptures. I know the Popes are grown wifer fince, theyhave corrected Pfter •, they fay, People do ill to take heed to the Scriptures 5 they fay' it is the fountain of all herefie, for people to ftudy the Scripture : our Saviour faid.it was the fountain of all error that men did not undcittand the Scriptures ; Ton err,becaufe youtyow not the Scriptures. Matt. 22. 25?: The Pope faith, Men err becaufe they will know and read the Scriptures 2. To whom he writes this, look upon the endorfementof his kpmIe:.Peradventure he writes thus to hisSiiccftffors$ ; No, but to-

- tbetni

r

Pope <wd Cpncils not Infallible, Scrovl,

them that have obtained like /Vicious faith with us, p. J. of this chapter.

Mir&fyi Chriftians have a prcmife of difcovery upon Trial \ 2 Prov. 4. 5. If thou feekejt her ( that is wifdom ) as fiver , and fearchefi for her as fir hid treafures, then fhalt thou underhand the fear of the Lord and find the hnowledg of Gods Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he fioall hyow of the doUrine whether it he of God, or whether I fpeak of my

Arg.%, Againft the Supremacy and the infallible Authority of the

Pope is taken from the danger of following falfe guides. People may

fin in following their guides and teachers-, this the Papifts deny5 they

fay that People are obliged to believe their Teachers, and if they do fo,

they are freedom fin and danger; and if their Dodrine fce true, it

muft. needs be fo. This is thatlmuftnow briefly examine, as that

.which alone will decide the whole controverfy i when Aaron taught the

people to worihipthe golden calf, and proclaim'd, tomorrow is a feaff

unto the Lord, £^^.52.5. Did the people fin in obeying Aarons

doclrine, and complying with his precepts, or did they not > I think

nothing is more plain, than that they did fin in it: verf.31. And Mofes

returned unto the Lord, andfaid, Oh I this -people hath finned a great jin.

Not only Aaron finned in teaching this doArine, but the people finned

in believing this docrrine.: and in Verf^^. And the Lord plagued the

people becanfe they made the calfe which Aaron made, or, as the words

may very well be interpreted, becaufe they worshipped the calfe, orjacri-

ficed to the calfe, which Aaron Made,

So you fee plainly, the people finned, and were plagued becaufe they followed the Doclrine of Aaron : and fo in Ifa. 3.12. 0 my people, they which lead thee, caufe thee to err, by their corrupt doclrines and finful practices ;> and yet this did not at all excufe them : for Ifa. 24. 1, 2, 3. Behold, the Lord ma^eth the earth ( that is, the Land ) empty, and triahgtb it waft, and turneth it upftde down, and fatter eth abroad the inhabitants thereof \ and it fhall be, as with the people, fo with the prieft) as with the fervant fo with his majier, as with the leader fo with the follower : The Priefi: fhall be punifhed forely for mifguiding the people, and the people fhall bepuriifhed for following them. To come lower, to thePriefis and Rulers of the Church in our blelTed Saviours times the chief Priefi and the great Council at Jerufalem then were, as the Papifts confefs, the fupreme and infallible Judges" of all the matters of Religion, as the Pope at leaft with a general Council pretends to be at this day. Thefe infallible Judges, are called blind guides, Matt. 23.16. Woe unto you blind guides -, they were univerfally enemies to Chrill; John 7* 48. Have any of the Rulers or of thePha-nfees believed on him? They accounted Chrift an impofrory Matt. 27. 63. The very words of their great Council are thefe, Sir, weremem-far that that deceiver faii^ while he was yit alive \ after three days I will

rife

Serm. I. Tope and Council .not Infallible. f ■

rifeagain\ thefe were the men that (lured up the people againft Chrift. Mitt. 27. 20. But the chief Priefts and Elders perfwaded the multitude, that t'jey jhould Ml^Barrabaf, and d.ftroy Jefus. You fee nothing is more, plain i no adverfary can be fo impudent as to deny this, that the high Priefts and the great Council of the Jews did unanimouily agree in preaching this Doctrine, that Chrift was a deceiver. Now the quefticn is, whether the people did well in believing this Doctrine, or nor. Certainly if the Popifh Doctrine be true, the'people did well in following the high Priefts direction, and fo the Papifts affirm , they are the words of Bccanus, in his Manual of Contr over fie s, The whole people of the Jews, in the matters of Religion were bound to follow what the high Prieft faid, and the greatcft of their Divines, even Bellarmine exprcily fays, that the people were bound to ftand to the high Priefts judgment > whatfoever fsntence he jhould deliver. Now we fay, they did (in in believing their Teachers •, let us both hear what Chrift fays, and no more need be faid againft this abominable AfTertion, nor for the deciding of this queftion, and eftablifhing you againft this Doctrine. What can be more plain than that paifage of our Saviours, M*tt. 15. 14? Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, both (hall fall into the ditch. You fee, he that follows a blind leader is punifhed as well as he that leads him, both fall into the Ditch. And Alls 3. 17. When the Apoftle was Preaching to the Jews, I wot, fays he, that through ignorance you did it, (that is, you crucified Chrilt,) at did alfo your rulers. Ignorance it was in the Priefts, and ignorance it was in the people i and the people, fay the Papifts, are excufable, be-caufe they were bound to follow the Priefts \ but did this make it no fin in the people? Let us hear what Saint Peter fays, AUs 2. 23. Hiw, being delivered by the determinate counfel andforehjtowledg of God you havt takgn, and by wicked hands have crucified and fain : Neither Gods decree, nor the high Priefts mifguidance did at all excufe them from that wicked act s and as they faid, His blood be upon us and our children, fo we fee that fad Curfe is upon them to this day } Wrath U come upon them to the Httermoft, as the Apoftle fays, 1 Tbef.2. 1 6. And if we fearch this matter a little further, it will more evidently appear, and indeed afford another undeniable Argument to confirm this Truth. Here were two contrary Authorities, God and Chrift in his name on the one fide, and the Authority of the Church on the other fide. Chrift commands the \

Jews to believe in him, John 6.2$, when they asked him, What fluU we do that we may wori^ the works of God? What does God require of us? Jefus anfweredand faid unto them, this if thewor\of God, that yon believe on him whom he hath fent: and the great Doctrine, you know, Preached by Chrift, was, Repent and believe the Go/pels and Chrift tells them, Joh.^.^6. He that believeth on the Son hath ever lajiing ft life, and he that believeth not the Son, fhal not fee life, but the wrath of God abidetb on him. And the Arguments our Saviour brings to prove

C him-

himfelf to be the Melius, and to'oblige them to believe, they are principally two. The hrft is the works he did, Job. 5.3 6. The work* that 1 do bear witnefs of me, that the Father bath fent me. And the fecond is the Scriptures, verf.39. of that Chapter,Search the Scriptures, for in them ye thin\ye have eternal life, and they are they which tefiifie of me \ and in verf.46. Had ye believed Mofes, ye would have believed me, for be wrote of me; this for the one fide. On the other fide irands the Authority of the Church, the Supreamand Infallible Judg of Controverfies, as the Fapifis fay thefe were ', The chief Vriejls and Elders, and all the Council, fought falfe witnefs againjv Jefne, to put him to death, Mat. 26, 5^. and vsrf.6%. the high Prieft pronounceth, he hath fpiken blafphemy, what further need have we of witneffes, behold now yon have heard bis blafphemy, 1vb.1t thinly ye ? and the reft confent to his fentence*, verf. 66. and they anfivered and faid, he is guilty of death. And the Jews had agreed already that if any man did conffs that he was Chrifi, be Jhould be put out of the Synagogue, Job. p. 2 2.

Now then the queftion lies here, whether the Jews were obliged to believe Chrifi in this cafe, or whether they were obliged to believe the High Prieft and Sanhedrim,and the Church of the Jews. And methinks the very mentioning of it (hould prefently determine it in all your thoughts *, it is fo prodigious a thing that the Church (hould fet up it felf in oppofition to Chrift, that no man can hear it without tingling earf. Saint Peter hath decided it, Ail. 5. 29. Then Peter and the other Apojvles answered andfaid, we ought to obey God rather than many we ought to believe God rather than man. Can any man that hath the un-derftanding of a man in him, or the Confcience of a Chriftian, think that the people of the Jews^ that the Difciples and Apoftles of our Lord did fm in believing in him, becaufeit was contrary to the command of the High Prieft and Church of the Jews ? Can any man think their Unbelief was their duty > or that the Authority of the Church could make void the command of God ? or that the Jews did but their duty in believing Chrift to be a deceiver' Thefe are ftupendious and prodigious aflfertions } and yet all thefe and many more muft be digefted, or elfe they muft part with their fundamental Doctrine. And juft as the cafe of the Jews was then, fo is our cafe now S for example, God clearly and plainly commands me, as plainly as words can exprefs it, Ex9d. 20. 4, 5. Thoujhalt not ma\e unto thee-any graven linage, or any lih^emfs of any thing that is in Heaven above, .or thai is in the Earth beneath^ or that is in the water under the Earth, thou (halt not bow dirvn thy felf to them., nor ferve them. And Mat. 4. \o. fays our Saviour, It is written, thou fljalt worjhip the Lord thy G id, and him only foalt thou ferve. The Church of Rome comes and teaches us a quite contrary dodrrine 5 they lay, thou (halt worjhip graven Images, and Saints, <*nd Angels, and nH Godoxly\ the queftion is, which of thefe two we muft believe, and whofe command we ought to obey? whether the Children muft obev

God

God their Father, or the Church their Mother > whether I muft'believe the Word of God, which is confeft to be fo by the Papifts them-felves, or the word of man,Vhich they vainly pretend to be the Word of God? let the i Joh.^.p. determine this Controvcrfie, if we receive the witnefs of man, the witnefs of God is greater. The witnefs of God certainly ought to be preferred before the witnefs of man > add to this Mat. 15. 6, Ken have made the commandment of God of none effetl by your Traditions. And verfp. in vain do they worfhip me, teaching for Voftrines the commandments of men ; and tell me what is it to make void the commandments of God by mens Traditions,if this be not ?

Arg. 4. andlafi. Againft this Doctrine is from the want of a Divine Appointment and Promife; we muft remember the queftion our Saviour puts, LuJ^. 12. 14. Man,who made me a judg or a divider over you ? And that paiTage, Heb. 5. 4. No man takgth this honour to himfelf, but he that was called of God as was Aaron. If there be fuch a Soveraign and Infallible Judg as the Tap ills pretend there is, and the Pope be he, this Tudg ought in all reafon to produce his commiflion, and fliew his letters patents for it. It is confeited on all hands that man is 01 himfclf a vain and foolifli creature, full of ignorance, apt to eiror, that loves darknefs rat.her than light •> Men of low degree are vanity , and men of high degree are a lye, Pfal. 62. p. the minds of all men do need renovation, or clfe they are not capable ofdifcerning Divine things. Now if any man pretend to an exemption from the common infirmities and corruptions of humane nature, this man ought to produce his writ of priviledg, and to (hew wherein, and how he hath fuch an exemption. Certainly if any pretends to be infallibly guided by God in all things, he can claim it only from the grace of God, and by vertue or. Gods Promifej but fuch Prcmife there is none. I acknowkdg the Papifts pretend they have fuch a promife, that I (hall next examine. And here are two things to be enquired into : (1) To whom this cornmiifi-on and promife is given, and this is the foundation of all the reft ; for though it mould appear, that God had made a Promife of infallible guidance to fome perfon or perfons •, yet unle(s it plainly appear to whom that promife is made, no man can lay claim to it, or have any benefit by it.

Now let us enquire to whom this Promife is made *, the Papifts fay, it is made to the Church * but,fay I,what do they mean by the Church ? fay they, it is to the Governours of the Church ; but go a little further, and what do they mean by the Governours of the Church ? and herein they mo(t horribly break into pieces > this Doctrine they fay, as you have heard, is of more importance than any Doctrine whatioever,and fo ought to be proved with the greater evidence, than any other. But when we come to examine it, their evidences are fo obfeure and inevi-dent that they are not fufficient to convince their own Brethren h It belongs fay fome of them to the Pope, to the BiQiop of fame \ fay others,

C 2 no,

no, it belongs to a General Council, and thefe opinions are quite contrary one to another » and this difference is not only amongft obfcure and private perfons, but their greateft DoAors j there rs Univerfity a-gainft Univerfity, City againft City, Kingdom againft Kingdom. So that till they be agreed, to whom this Promife is made, they can make no benefit of the claim, nor are we obliged to follow them.

2. Where this Grant and Promife is? the Papifts anfwer, it is contained in the holy Scriptures » and here they mufter up fome Promifes as they call them, that confer this priviledg either upon the Pope, or a General Council *, and this I (hall briefly examine. Only in general ob-ferve three things.

Tm More clear and exprefs Promifes than any they pretend to did not fecure the Church of God formerly from error, and therefore it i s a vain thing for them to expect it now. I will deal fo charitably with our adverfaries, becaufe they want proofs as to help the infirmity of their caufe. We will fuppofe there were fuch a text as this, In the Church of Rome pull my name be for ever \ fure they would defire no more than this \ they would fay, it is plain from hence that the Church of Rome is infallible. But I fay, if there were fo plain a proof, yet that would not be fufricient to prove it infallible, or to fecure the Church from Error, and that I will prove by a plain inftance. God fpeaks concerning the Temple of Jerufalem, 2 Chron. 7. 16, Tor now I have cho-fen and fanftified thi* houfe which thou haji built , to put my name there for ever, and mine eyes, and my heart fljall be there perpetually. You fee, here is the fame Promife which I fuppofed made to Jerufakm > but how far this was from fecuring the Church of Jerufilem, the high Priefts and his Brethren from Error and Apofhcy,doth fufficiently appear from thofe frequent and grievous complaints of the Prophets,con-cerning the univerfal depravation of that Church, and particularly of the Priefts of it, from the in fiances of the grofs errors and miCcarriages of the High Priefts and others, and particularly it is put out of all dispute by that fatal and damnable Error of that Church in the condemnation of Chrift.

2. Gods Promife of leading them into all truth is fufpended upon certain conditions. The Spirit of truth you know is only promifed to them that ask him, Lukj 11. 13. How much more (hallyour heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that as\ him \ and it is fuppofed that they muft ask aright \ for you ail^and receive not^ becaufe you ask^amift, Jam. 4.3. and in the place forementioned,7^.7.i7. If any man will do his wilt, he jhall hjiow the Vofirine, ivh ether it be of God, or whether I fpea\ofmy felfy where you fee the knowing of the Doctrine of Chrift is fufpended upon the doing of Gods will. Now then for as much as the Church of Rome hath apparently broken the condition God requires, as no man that reads their own Hiftorians can doubt, no wonder if God according to his commination in that cafe, make them ta kgow his breach of Fromife, 3. The

3. The Promifes which they pretend to are fo dark and obfcure that they do not convince many of their own Brethren \ therefore it is a ridiculous thing to think they mould convince Proteftants. For inftance, I told you they were horribly divided in that fundamental Doctrine of the Infallible Judg, that fome place this Infallibility in the Pope, and others in the Council. Now whereas the Promifes they pretend to are of two forts, fome pretend this Infallible Authority to be in the Pope, and fome in a General Council. Thofe that fay it is in the Pope,do both (light and difpute againft thofe arguments that are brought to prove it to be in the Council, and on the contrary thofe that believe the Infallibility to be in the Council, defpife and confute thofe Arguments which arc brought for the Infallibility of the Pope. This being premifed, I come particularly, but briefly (becaufe I have difcufTed them elfewhere) to the Promifes pretended for this ufurped Authority. Firft for the Pope, and then for the Council.

For the Pope they tell us this ftoryj That Saint Feter was made by Chrift the Supreamand Infallible Judg of all Matters and Controveriies of Religion, and that Peters SuccelTors, the Popes and Bifhops of Rome are invefted with the fame Authority and Priviledg^and this they fay, is evident from Scripture, and hath been owned by the Church of God in all ages from Chrifts time till Lathers days : this is the Romifh Legend, to which I anfwer i this Doctrine hath no foundation in Scripture i the places they alledg for it are principally two.

1. Their firft place is Mat. 16* 18. And I fay alfo unto thee, that thou art Feter, and upon thti rocl^ I will build my Church, and the gates of hell fhall not prevail againft it. Therefore Feter, and confequently all his SuccelTors the Popes, are the Rock upon which the Church is built -•> and therefore have the Supream and Infallible Judgment, to whom all pcr-fons muft fubmit their Faith and Practice.

Anf. 1. It is plain enough, that it is not Peters Perfon, but Feters Doctrine which our Saviour doth here fpeak of. Peter had made a glorious confelfion, verf. 16. thou art Chrift the Son ofthe living God, and verf.iy. Jefits anfweredandfaidunto him, bleffed art thou Simon Bar-Jonas \ for flefh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which U in Heaven. And for a further confirmation of this Truth,he adds, I fay unto thee, thou art Feter, (he mentions Feters name by way of allu-fion), and upon thk RocJ^, that is, this Confeffion made and delivered by thee, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell Jhall not prevail a-gainft it.

2. If it were Feters perfon, and if he were called a Rock, and a Foundation of the Church, yet all this will not prove him to be infallible, much lefs his SuccefTors. The proper and primary Foundation of the Church Feter was not > witnefs that evident place* 1 Cor. 3. n. For 0-tber foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jefm Chrift \ in a fccondary and Mkufterial fenfe Feter was a Foundation, and fo were all

the

the reft of the Apoftles-, 2 Epbef. 2. 20. Ton are built upon the foundation of the -Applies and Prophets v i*e. upon the Do&rine delivered by the Apoilles and Prophets not upon their Perfons (for then the Prophets could never have come in for a (hare), and therefore in like manner ("if you will allow Scripture to be its own interpreter) when Peter is called a Rock or Foundation, it is not his Ferfon, but his Doctrine to which that title belongs. Rev. it. 14. The wall of the City ("the new Jerufakm, the Church of Godj had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apofiles of the Lamb. Here is no prerogative of Peter, but all are equally foundations.

3« The Promife of Infallibility doth not belong to Peter, but unto the Church, the gates of bellf jail not prevail againji it \ prevail againlt what or whom ? againil: the Church", it is not the Rock upon which the Church is built, but the Church which is built upon that Rock, unto which that fccuiity is prcmifed •, he doth not fay, the gates of hill (hall not prevail againji thee, much left doth he fay, the gates of hell (hall not prevail againft thy SuccciTors to the end of the world •, but the gates of belljhall not prevail againil the Church. So that though Peter dies, and all his SuccelTors mould prove fas a great number of the Popes have done) Apoftates frcm the Faith.yet frill the Church remains built upon the Rock. ,

4. This Promife is made to the true, invillble and fincere ProfeiTors cf the Gofpel-Church j this is evident from the accomplishment of the Promife. The Promife is, the gates of hell (J-jall not prevail againji the Church •, and it is manifeit the gates of hell did.and do prevail again.fi: all other perfons except the iincere Profeffors of the Gofpcl i therefore thofe perfons that are laid to be Infallible, and fecure againft all danger, are only the true and inviiible members of the Church.

2. The other place is, Luk* 22.31, 32. And the Lord fa id, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath dt fired to have you. thai be may fift you AS rvbeatj but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not: therefore, fay they, Peter did not err in thc'Faith, and confequenrly the Popesjns SuccelTors,cannot err ", but alas, v-hat vain and ridiculous Arguments are theft ? Nothing is more evident, than that this Promife, or Prayer rather of Chrili doth not concern any Infallibility in the Doclrine of Faith, but his eltablifhment in the grace of Faith V it you coniider Peter was not fo much miftaken in his judgment, the opinion cf Peter concerning Chrill was not changed, it was not fo much an error of his mind as an error in his practice. Peter was afraid of furfering, and llavifh fear made him fpeak againft his own Confcience, when he faid, Ihriovo not the man\ and his mifcarriage was in his tongue, not in his judgment', fo that it is plain it was the grace of Faith that was there fhaken, and not the Doclrine of Faith, and therefore no Infallibility can be pretended from it. And here I might defift, but for more abundant confutation of this ab-furd and abominable Do&rine, I (hall (hew that as they cannot prove it

from

from Scripture, we can difprove it from Scripture. I hope I fhall make it plain from Scripture, that the Doctrine of Peters In fallibility and Su-pream Authority in the Church of God was not received after Chrifts death ; for this I (hall offer two Arguments.

1. That Peter no where challengeth this pewer.

2. The Apoftles no where give it him =, therefore it is an intolerable arrogance that his Succeffors fhould claim it.

1. Peter did not challenge it. Itisobfervable, that in the Gofpel of M*ri^, which the learned believe was indited by Peters direction, there is not fo much as a repetition of that famous Text, Ikon art Peter , and on this rochj. will build my Church, Veter durft not have omitted it, if it had been fo fundamental a Doctrine as the Papifts would have it. And afterward Peter writes two Epiftles, and there is not one fyllable in either ot them concerning this Authority-, but fomemay poflihly fay, this was Peters modefty, that he would not take it to himfclf. But certainly Peter durft not excrcife his modefty to the impeachment of his HJelity^and the concealment of fo neceffary and important a Truth, but he would and ought to have done as Paul did, who when his Authority wasoppofed by falfe Teachers, he aflferts and vindicates, and (as himfclf exprefTeth it) tnagnifieth his office, Rom. 11. 13. and fo no doubt Peter would and mould have done had he really had that Su-pream Power which the Papifts for their own fakes would faften upon him s and becaufe he did not, it is a great prefumption he had it nor.

2. The other Apoftles no where give this honour to Peter, but rather by their practices fhew thcmfelves to be of a contrary opinion-, which I think will be fufhciently evident to all fober difcrcet and diiinterelTed perfons from two places of Scriptures, which methinks might fuffice for the determination of this ControverfTe.

The one is, Ad. 15. where Imuft firft remind you that at this time our bleflcd Saviour was dead, and Saint Peter by the Doctrine of the . Papifts, was fuppofed to be in the actual exercife of his Headfhip over the Church, to be the Supream and Infallible Judg of all Controversies} and if they faytrue. he was believed and known to be foby all the rett of the Apoftles, and all the Chriftians of that 3ge -, whether it were fo or no we fhall fee by this Chapter. A controverlie arifeth in the Church", wel^what do they do for the resolution of it ? Act. 15. 1,2. They <jj?tp ■ to Jcrufalemfo the Apples and Elders about thvf\]^tdH. Why did they not go to Peter if he were the 1 Infallible judg ? it wi£ a vain and frivo- -lous thing to call them all together, if Peter clone might deteiminc it. . But it may be thefe were the Chriftians at Aniioch, and they did not well r.nderftand Peters Supremacy and Infallibility,' but the Church of Jerusalem underftood it better -, well, let us examine that too, in verf.6, . the Apples and Elders ' c ante together to consider of 'this matter 5 Saint Peter ■ was no more confuted with 'ban the reft : in the 7. verf. Peter fpake in the AfTerably 3 and delivers his opinion, verf K fio, Now therefore , why

>emt> 1

tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the nec\pfthe Vifciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ? the yoke of the Ceremonial Law is wholly to be taken off from the necks of Chriftians, and no burden fhonld be laid upon them. After him James comes and delivers another opinion, different from Peters^ verf. ip,2 0. My fentence is,that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them, that they abjlain from pollutions of Idols, and from fornication, and from things fir angled, and from blood \ as if he had faid,I am not altogether of Meters mind, I would not have all thefe things wholly and on a fudden difcharged. It is but meet that fome refpedt and tendernefs (hould be (hewn to the believing Jews, and that we mould become all things to all men that we may fave fome; and therefore it is fit we (hould a little comply with the Jews, not to impofe Circumcifion, but to abjlain from pollutions of idols, and from for nication,and from things flrangled, and from blood. And the manner of his expreflion here is very obfervabkj My fentence is, A/» •>« *?«?», Wherefore I thus determine and conclude.Re doth not fay,according to the prefent itile of the Roma-nijls, and as he ought to have done, if their Do&rine were true, I do in all humility prefent my opinion to the Vicar of Chrifi, the Prince of the Apofiles, the Supream and Infallible Judg of this and all other Controverfies^ to whom I freely and fully fubmit my thoughts and judgment j but barely relates part of Peters difcourfe, and then concludes with a kind of definitive fentence. And which is further confiderable, this great Council prefers James his opinion before P^r/,and the Decree runs in James his words, verf. 2.9. That ye ubfiainfrom meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things fir angled, -and from fornication, from which if ye keep your felves r yefhalldo well. Can any man in his right fenfes imagine that things would have been thus managed if Peter had been the Supream and Infallible Judg of all Controversies ? Yet further,the Decree runs not in Peters name as now it doth in the Popes name, but in all their names \ Verf. 2$. The Apofiles and Elder s^and Brethren, fend greeting unto the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antiocb, and Syria,and Cilicia$ and. verf. 28. itfeemed good to the holy Ghofi, and to us, to lay wponyou no greater burthen than thefe neceffary things \ and AH. 16. 4. They delivered them the Decrees for to keep,that were ordained by the Apofiles and Elders that were at Jerufalem. It is ridiculous and incredible to think that there (hould not in all this ftory be one word of Peters pre-heminence, if he were at that time what they vainly pretend him to be, the Supream Head of the whole Church, and the Infallible Judg of all Controverfies.

Another place of Scripture no lefs evident Ls the fecond Chapter of Saint Pauls Epiftle to the Galatians, where there are divers remarkable palTages; verf. 7. The Gofpel of the Vncircttmcifion was committed to me ( faith St. Paul) as the Gofpel of the Circumcifion was committed to Peter. Bow ? what ftrange news is this ? I though* all the Gofpel of Chrift,

whether

whether Circumcifion or llncircumcifion had been committed to ffter^ and not any to Paul, but in fubordination to Peter, fo fays the Pope, (b fay thePapifts at this day: Circumcifion and llncircumcifion, Jews and Gentiles, all committed to Peter; this is anew difcovcry ! Saint Paul though rapt up into the Third Heaven, he knew nothing of this: Perad venture whileft he was in Heaven, the decree for Peters Supremacy and Infallibility was enacted upon earth, and fo he loft the knowlcdg of that Myftery. Howfoever he found nothing of it in Heaven, and we can find nothing of it upon Earth, and therefore it muft needs come from a third place, and what that is, I leave to you to judg. He adds furthe", verf. a. When James, Cephas, and John, who feemed to he piU lars (he ipeaksof them all alike, allFxOcks and Fillais ) perceived tie grace which was given unto me, they gaze to me and Barnabas the right hand of feVewfoip \ andi'fr/Tu. When Peter came to Antivch, Jnrith[hoi htm to the face, becaxfe he was to be blamed. What ? the Infallible Judg to be blamed } this is nonfence : the Infallible Judg to feduce and mif-lead them that followed him? This he did, fays Saint Paul; And therefore it is a very nonfenfical opinion to think that at this time he owned Peter to be theSupream and Infallible Judg of all Controverfics. Obferve further, how fleightly he fpeaks of all j-he Apoflles, and that promifcuoufly, without any refervatisn for Peter^ verf. 6, Thofi who feemed to be Jomewhat^ whatfoever th°y were it mah x eth no matter to me (God accepteth no mans perfon ) fir they, who feemed to be fime- < what in conference aided nothing to me: Peter is no more to me than another man, nor than Jtmes, nor John, and all the ApofVes. J received the Gofpel immediately from Chrift, and He that wrought effeUuaVy in Pet;r to the Apollkjhip of the Cirumafon, the fame wm mighty in me towards the Gentiles, verf. 8. Can any man living think, that confiders what he believes, that the Apoitle would have fpoke thus, and that all the Apoftles would have dealt thus, if they had known and believed, that Peter had been at this infiant the Supream Infallible Judg, to whom all were obliged to fubmif. But further, if all that is faid concerning Peter had been true, and if the ailedgcd pro-rnifes did indeed belong to Peter, and did make him an Infallible Judg of all Confroverfies \ yet what is this to the Pope, who is a perfon of a quite different chandler > Which that yon may underftand a little, I (hall in brict prefent to you the qualify of thofe perfons, who they fay, are Infallible Judges of all Controverfies. I (hall not mention a word out of any Protellant Author, but out of their own writings. The Popes Library-keeper, Platina, confe/feth concerning divers of the popes, as is notorious, that they were, horn in nm portent *, mongers fif men $ and elfewhere he confeffeth, that there were Eighteen Popes fu~~ ttfflvffy, one after another that wereMagicivis, and in covenant with the T>e Can any man living think that fuch perfons were infallibly guided by the Spirit of God that had.made a league with the Devil ?

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18" Pope and Councils not Infallible. Serm. L

zndGenebrard^ a violent and virulent Papifr, confeffeth that the Popes for a hundred and fifty years together after the Apoflks were Apofjtat.es, not Apolhlical^ and our country-man Stapleton, an eminent man among!! thePapifts, faith, Imn'l acknowledge J thinly there were fcarce any fns except that of Herefy y of which the Popes and Bifhops of Rome were not guilty. And, it is notoriously known that many of them were Adulterers, and many of them Sodomites, and many of them bloody and cruel men, and guilty of all forts of Wickednefs. I need fay no more, but (hall leave it to you to judg how incredible a thing it is, thatper-fo.ns of fuch a character as this, fhould be the Supreme and Infallible Judges of all Controverts. How can it be imagined, that fuch a per-' fon fhould be the foundation of the Church, that is not fomuch as a true member of the Church ? Or how can that Promife •, The gates of bell JbaUnot prevail againfi thee^ belong to that man that hath made a covenant with Hell it felf, or that is a bondflaveof the Devil? How can any infamous wicked wretch make claim to thofe Promifes which Chrift made to the holy and bleifed Apoftles ? How can it be imagined that that mans Faith is fecured, all whofe other Graces are ruined and come to nothing > you fhall find that Faith and a good Confcience go together; i Tim. j, 19. Holding faith and a good confcience, which fame having put away , concerning faith h*ve ma\e foipwrac}^ How can any mans Faith live, when all his other Graces are confeffed to be dead? And you know what Saint James faith, Chap. 2. verf. 20. Faith without works is dead. How can that man pretend to be infallibly guided by the Spirit of God, that hath not the Spirit of God in him? It is expreily faid of fuch fenfual and brutifh men, as many of the Popes are acknowledged to have been, that they have not the Spirit of God. We have it under the hand of one of the Apoftlcs, Jude verf. 19. Senfual, not having the fpirit. Which alfo appears ( and it is very re-markable that it doth Co) from that very Text which they bring to prove the Infallibility of Councils* John 14. 16, 17. I will pray the father, and he Jhallgive you another comforter, that he may abide with yon for ever, even the fpirit of truth whom the world ( that is, as is evident, the wicked men of the World ) cannot receive, becaufe it feethbim not, neither kyowetk him: the World hath not the Spirit of God, becaufe they have not feen nor known God. Now, who thofe men are that have not feen nor known God, you may learn from another place 4 1 John 3.6. Woofoever abideth in him, that is, in God, or in Chrift, ftnneth not, whofoever finneth hath not feen him, neither kpown him *, that is, whofoever doth fell himfelf to fin, whofoever alloweth himfelf in the cuftomary practice of fin, for of fuch only that phrafe is meant, otherwife the fame Apoftle fays, If we fay we have no fin, we deceive our fives, and the truth is not in us, and There is not a jufi man on earth that doth good and ftnneth not, Ecclef. J. 20. But the meaning is, hethat Jives in a conftant courfe of fin, this man hath not feen God, ngr

known

known him, and therefore hath not the Spirit of God \ and therefore away with that impudent Doctrine that pretends the infallible Guidance of the Spirit, to him that hath not fo much as the common Graces of the Spirit of God.

By this time I hope it fufficiently appeareth that the Doctrine of the Popes Supreme and Infallible Authority hath no foundation in Scriptures I fhould now proceed to (hew that this Doctrine was not owned by the Ancient Church fucceeding theApoftles: But becaufe ihis would of it felf require a large difcourfe, and hath been abundantly demonftrated by others, and I have elfewhere fpoken fomething to it, I (hall at prefent wholly forbear it. I thought to (hew you that as it was not owned by the Scripture, fo neither was it owned by thetirft and pureft Churches.

For the fecond Particular, the Supremacy and Infallibility of Councils, feparate from the Pope, it is fo little owned by our Englifh Papifts, that I (hall not need to fpend many words about it. The places of Scripture which they alledg for it, are principally thefe three.

The rirft, Matt. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midji of them. A mo ft ridiculous proof! for all that this Text proves, is the fpecial and gracious Prefence of Chrift: Chrifts gracious Prefence is one thing, infallible Guidance is another thing; if that Prefence of Chrifts makes all thofe infallible which have it, it is not only the Pope, or a General Council, but all Councils, and all aftemblies of Chrillians are Infallible. Further this Promife is fufpended upon that condition of being gathered together in Chrifts name, that is, by Chrifts command and commiifion, feeking his honour and glory, being guided by his Rule, and acting according to his Will '■> all which is included in that phrafe of being gathered in Chrijh name : It is true he that doth all this is Infallible, but the queftion is, whether they do this, nay, it is abundantly evident they do it not.

Another place is, John 16. 13. When the fpirit of truth is come, he rvrll guide you into all truth. To that I (hall need only to fay this, that this Promife is made to the Apoftles alone, and it is made to every* Apo-flle. Pray obferve it, it was not only made to Peter, but to all the Apoftles, and to every Apoftle : whereas one Apoftle went one- way, and another another way, one preached to the Jews, another to the Gentiles, God did promife that he would direct all thefe in Preaching the Doctrine of the Gofpel, that they Inould be led into all necelfary truths, and this was neeeffary to be done in laying the foundation of the Chriftian Church : But what is this to the Pope or General Council? He doth not fay, that theApoftles (hall be Infallible only when they are gathered together, but every oneafunder; otherwife all thofe Churches which were converted by the Preaching of any fingle Apoftle C which was thecaic of molt Churches in the World ) had no certain

D 2 and

and infallible foundation for their Faith. And confequently , if this Priviledgbe extended to the SucceiTors of the Apoflles, then not only the Pope is Infallible, but all and every other Succeffor of any one of the A pottles is Infallible* fo that either it proves the Infallibility of divers particular perfons , or elfe it doth not prove the Infallibility cf Councils. Another place is, AU. 15.28. ¥ or it fumed good to the Holy 1 Ghoft, and to us, to lay no other burthen upon you. A molt impertinent Allegation j this is only a Declaration of the prefent cafe, and no Pro-mife for the future. It is true, he fays, this Council was guided by the Holy Ghoft, and fo they were, but does not fay all other Councils (hall. It is notorioufly known that many Councils there were that were Arri-ans, and others that were Erroneous in other points \ and the Papiits themfdves confefs that many Councils have Erred, efpecially thofe Councils that have undertaken to cenfureand condemn the Popes, and to fet up their own Authority above them. Thefe, they fay, were not led by the Holy Gholt, but fas they fay expreily of the famous Council of Carthage for that very reafon) adted by the inftigation of the Devil. So that it feems all General Councils are not Infallible, but fuch as they pkafe, or fuch as pleaie them*, the relt muit feek their fortunes,and (rufc for themfclves. As for this Council, A3*i 5. it is confelTed they were Infallible. But doth it therefore follow, that becaufe this Council all the Members whereof were holy men, and divers of them holy Apoftle-, fevery one^of which was Infallible^ were Infallibly guided by the Holy Gholt in this Controverfie, that therefore a General Council, confi/Hng fbmetimes (for ought appears to the contrary) wholly of wicked men without the Spirit of God,(hould be Infallibly guided in all Controver-lies > There is no man of common fenfe but fees an evident difparity in the cafe.

I know there is one thing they further pretend, that though it be true, the Pope is not Infallible of himfelf, nor the Council alone, yet both together are Infallible *, The Decrees of the Pope confirmed by a General Council are Infallible. Two things only I (hall fay to this.

1. This is butafhufrlng evafion againft their own Confciences, becaufe it is notoriouily known, and the Popifh Doctors unanimoufly confefs it, that this fuppofed Infallibility is lodged either in the Pope, or in the Council > They will not allow of a mixt Infallibility, that the Pope (hould conltitute one part,and the Council another. Bellarmine fays, rhat Li fallibility dies net lye partly in the Pope, and partly in the C&uncil, but it is wholly in the Pope, and in the Council, fo far and no further than tiny cleave t) the Pope; and fays another,St apt. The Council adds no Infallibility to the Pope \ it is he alone that is Infallible. And on the other fide, thofe that place the Infallibility hrthe Council do as expreily aftrrni 1 , It 'is mi partly in the Pope, and partly in the Council, but wholly in the Ctmncil, and in the Pope no further than he (iic!>s to the'Council. Which having fully proved dfewiure out-of their own Authors, I ; (hall here omit. Ey

which

germ, I. Pope and Councils not I/f Ullilk. ' M

which it is evident enough, that this is only an artihee to deceive ih* ignorant and injudicious people, but is not fatisfadtoiy to their own Confciences.

2. If this were truest would do them no good, becaufe it doth not reach the prefent (late of the Church -, for at this time there is no General Council in the Church", the Fope is now the only Head of the Church amonglt them > fo that either the Fope alone is the Infallible Judg, or there is none at this day. If it be fa id, they have betides the Popes Authority, the Decrees and Writings of the Councils, that will do them no good •, for they all fay, there is .1 neceifity of a living Infallible Judg, and they fay of the Scripture, that it is but a dead letter, and that no Writings can determine Controverfies: Co that there being now no Head of the Church belide the Pope, either he is Infallible or there is none fuch in their Church at this day, and therefore I may conclude, that no particular perfon or company of men now is,or can be, the Su-pream Judg of the Church, to whom all Chrillians are bound to fub-mit their Faith and'Confciences. Khali conclude all with tv\o practical Inferences.

i. Leirn from hence whit infinite caule you have to blefs God that hath delivered and preferved you from Popery, and what need you have continually to pray, and to ufe all lawful endeavours that this Iron-yoke may never be put upon you. The Popi(h teachers do by their people, as the Phililiims did by Sampfoa^ put out their eyes, and make them grind in their mill. Papifts mutt fee by their Teachers eyes, and. are obliged to believe whatever they teach them. I have been informed by an Englifb Merchant, fometimes re riding in Spain, that being in fo.ne Conference concerning Pveligion, with a Spaniard of note there and his intimate Acquaintance, he ufed thefe Expreflions with Tears h\ his Eyes j " You People of England are happy,you have liberty to fee 4 with your own eyes.and co examine the Docliine delivered to you, c upon which your eveilalting life depends •, but lays rK, We dare not ' fry, our Souls are our own,but we are bound to believe whatever our a Teachers tell us,though it be never fo unreafonable or ridiculous. It is • doubtlefs a dreadful thing for a man to fee the Inquifition on the one hand, and damnation on the other hand. Therefore let us blefs God that hitherto hath delivered us, and hath prevented in fome good mea-Cure the hopes and expectations cf Papi/ts. Under Hand I befeech you, and conlider your Priviledg •, WeMiniiiers do not impofe upon you^ and tell you, you mult believe all we fay, though it would be for our interelttodolbi but we fay with the Apoflle, We fpea\ unto wif.> men, ytd^yevehatwefay, We commend you as St. Paul did the Btrtans, .Acl.\-]. for fearching the Scriptures, whether thefe Do&rines we teach be true or no. It is a great evidence of the truth of the Froteftant Doctrine, that it is not afraidof the Light, it defircs nothing more than to be tried j and it is no lefs an evidence of the falfhood of Popery,that

they

Hi Pope and Councils not Infallible. Serm. h

they dread nothing more than the Light. You know what our Saviour fays, Job. 3. 20, 2 1. Every one that doth evil batetb the light, neither cometb to the light, left h'x deeds fhould be reproved, but be that doth truth cometb to the light that b\$ deeds may b'e made manifest, that they are wrought in God. God hath given you Talents,we command you to ufe your Talents, they command you to wrap them in a napkin. God hath given you light, The Sprit of a man U the Candle of the Lord\ we command you to fee by that Light, they command you to hide it under a bufhel. Pity blind Papifts, pray for them, and rejoyce in the goodnefs of God towards you, and fee what caufe you have to be fervent in prayer, that God may never fufler Popery to recover its ftanding in thefe Kingdoms.

2, For as much as there is no perfon upon Earth that can infallibly guide you to Salvation, it concerns you to have the greater care of your ; own Salvation. You will fay what (hall we do > I (hall only give you thefe three Directions, and Co conclude. Do but thefe three things, and you need not be troubled that you have no Infallible Judg to fecure you in your way.

I. Study the holy Scriptures,- let the Pope forbid you to do it, it is no matter, it is fufficient for us, that (Thrift commands vou to do it fob. 5.3P, Search the Scriptures, fir in them ye thinly ye'have eternal life j ye thinly, and ye think right, you muft not take that for a term of diminution* ; no more than when the Apoltle faith, / thinkj have iheffu rit of God, 1 Cor. 7. But the meaning is.you judg, and you judg atfght in it ', Job. 20. 3 1. Tbefe things are written that you might believe, that ■ Jefm vi the Chri[i the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through bis name. The Word is written, and blefted be God you have it before your eyes, it is not hid nor locked up from you, as among ft the miferable Papifts •, but the Book is open, and you may read it,and may by Gods bleiling upon your own induftry and the ufe of thofe , helps which his gracious Providence affords you, incompetent mea-fure underftand it. I (hall only mention that one place, and methinks the • very reading of it (hould put this difputc quite out of doors, 2 Tim. 3. 14, &c. But continue thou in the things which thou baft learned, and baft been affured of, knowing of whom thou haft learned them, and that from a child tbm ha\\ kyawn the holy Scriptures, -which are able to make thee wife unto Salvation, through Faith which U in Cb^ift Jefus.

2. Pray fervently for the Guidance of Gods Spirit \ and for your encouragement know that God hath not left you without Promiies,& thofe much more clear than thofe which thePapifts produce for their Diana of Infallibility. In general this, Job. 16. 23. JVhatfoeverye fhall as\^ the Father in my name, he will give it you. And left any fhould think this -Promife is confined to the Apoftles, our Saviour adds, Job. [7.20,21. Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them aljo which jh^U believe on me through their word. That they all may be one^ &c. Another clear and comfortable

fortable Promife to this purpofe you have Lul^ 11. 13. Ify: then being evil, Izviowbowto give good gifts unto your Children, bore much more fljali your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to thofe that asl{ t him? Whence I may venture to draw this Conclufion, That an holy and humble Chri-ftian iincercly asking the conduct of the holy Spirit, hath better affu-rance of his Infallible Guidance in all Truths neceflary to Salvation, than an ungodly Pope that either doth not ask it, or asks amifs, feeing fuch a perfon hath no intereft in Chrifr, in whom alone all the Promifes are Tea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. And therefore let no Chrifiian perplex himfelf with fuch anxious thoughts as thefe, What ifhall I do under the various and contradictory Opinions that are amongft us?I want wifclom todifcem. St.Jawes tells you what you mould do, Jam. i.^.Jfany man lacl^ wifdomjet him asl^ofGod, who gives to all men (mark that ) liberally, and upbraidetb not, and it fhall he given him. And therefore in (his cafe beg Counfel from God. There is not the weakeft, nor the moll ignorant C'cacme amongft you, but if you faithfully and diligently fcek direction from God, you may confidently expect it. Pray to God as David did, Pfal. 2 5. 5. Lead me in thy Truth, and teach me \ for thou art the God of my Salvation, on thee do 1 wait all the day. And Pfal. 43. 3. Oh fend out thy Light and thy'Truth, Id them lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill. And as David did beg this of God, fo he promifeth it to himfelf, and fo may every ilncere Chriftian, Pfal. 73. 24. Jhoujhalt guide me with thy counfel, and afterwards receive me to glory. God is the fame God {till, and as able and as willing to direcl: you as ever he was, and as faithful -in keeping his Promife as ever, as ready to hear as you are willing to ask. You have it under Gods hand, Lul^. 11. 10. As\and you fhall'receive, Jeel^ and you ft> all find, \noc\ and it fhall be opened to you. What need more be faid to encourage the Faith and the Hope of all that fear God?

3. If you would difcern and hold fall the Truth,love and pra&ife it. The beft way to be certainly guided into the way of Truth, is to Uvq jap to it. Of this we have evident alTurance in that forementioned place, Joh.J. ij. If any man wi 11 do his will, befljjUkjtowoftbeDotlrine, whether it be of God, or whether Ifpeal> of my fe If. Certainly a good Confci-ence is the beft prefervative of a mans Faith -, and therefore when once men put away a good Confcience, the next news is, they make fhip-wrack of their Faith, 1 Tim. 1.19. Holding faith and a good confcieuce. y which fo me having put away, concerning faith have made (hipwrack : an eminent initance you have, 2 Thef.2. 10, 11, 12. Becaufe they received not the love of the truth that they might be faved, for this caufe God fhall fend them {hong delufions^ that they (hould believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth, but hadpleafure in unrighteoufnefs. A Text that needs no other Comment but the Examples of this Gens- • ration. Papifts brag much of the many Profelytes they have gained a-mongft us. For my part I am not at all furprized with it. When I con-fid er

fider fuch Texts as this and the righteous and tremendous Judgments of God,I rather wonder they do not flow in to them in far greater nun> bers. Nor can I believe that any wife man will think they have any greauaufeof triumph in their Profelytes, if he will but make a little enquiry, and get a true Charader of the generality of them. He that knows their Morals will never wonder at the change of their Religion It is noflrange thing if a diffolute Proteftant turn a zealous Papift I or i\ the righteous God (hake thofe out of his lap, and out of the Prol teftant Church who were but rotten members of it B

I conclude all with that excellent advice, z Pet.$ 9 ij^ ig. Xe t h erea! fore, fohvedfeting ye know thfe things before, beware led ye alfo beina led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own ftedfafaefc but grow in Grace, and in th? knowkdg of our Lord and Saviour Jefw Cbrijf,

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CHRIST

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81

II

CHRIST, and not the POPE, Uni verfal Head of the Church.

I Cor. 12. 27, 28. Now ye are the body of Chriji, and niem*

hers in particular. And God hath fit fome in the Church, firfi Apojiles, 8cc.

Oil R appointed Work at this time is to determine^ Whether there be fitch a Church of Chrifts Inftitut ion, as confifteth all Christians United orSubjefted to any one meer humaneHead, Perfonal or Cofottive > Or, Whether there be any Vniverfal Head or Govcrnour of the whole Church on Earthy befides, and under Je-fusChrift? Which I deny. And when I have fully opened the [uefti-on, I (hall prove the Negative both from this Text, and feveral oth Texts and Arguments.

Of all the Controverfies between us and the Papifts, this is the firft and greateft : We firft deny that there is any fuch Head : And fecondly, That the Pope is fuch a Head.

The Papifts, as knowing the impoflibility of finding any fair pretence of afcribing the Internal ads of Chrifts Office to the Pope, are forced to diftinguifh, a Mediatorial Head of vital influx to the Church Regenerate, from a Political Governing Head of the Chux oh-vifible for Congregate ). And they confefs that Chriit only is the firft •> but fay, that under Chrift, the Pope is, as his Vicegerent, the fecond : But' we maintain the Negative as to both : And if there be no fuch Head, there is no Church that is fo Headed. Two things in this word afe meant in our denial. Firft, There is no fuch Conjlitutive Head, who is to the llniverfal Church a Conftitutive, EfTential part \ as is a King in a Kingdom, a Mafter in a Family, and the Pars Imperans, in ever} Political Society. Secondly, There is no fjch Governing Head, having. Power and Obligation to make Univerfal Laws, and tojuug andExe* cute Univerfally.

There are three ways of Divine Inftitution which we here exclude,

irft,God harh inftituted no fuch Head orChurch by the. Law of Nature.

Secondly, Nor by Chrift himfelf, immediately determining it in his

E humane

humane Nature on earth. Thirdly, Nor by the Revelation or deter. mination of his Spirit in his Apoftles or any other Authorized and Infallible lnfpired perfons: And befides thefe three, we know no other fort of Iniiitufion of God, to come into queftion.

Our queftion medleth not with the Heads or Governours of Kingdoms, nor of particular Churches, but only of the Univerfal Church.

Arg, i. From Nature, common llcafon and Experience, anon pojp, ad non tjje: No mortal man, or Collective body of men, is capable of being a Conftitutive and Governing-Head of all theChurch on Earth : Therefore there is no fuch Head.

F/V/f, No ilngle perfon is capable of it. To prove which, confider but, i. IVJjata Man is. 2. What fuch a man would have to do. • F/r/r", A Man is a poor finite creature, confined to one place at once, not able to eompafs the Earth, nor know all its Countrcys, much Ids Inhabitants: Not able to take notice of all the actions of the fons of men throughout the World j nor to receive fuch fatisfaclory information concerning them, as may inable him to judg them jufily : Nor is he capable of taking coguifance of one of many Millions of Caufes that would belong to fuch a ]udg. And Man is a poor Worm, unable to procure any due execution of Univerfal Laws, and to reprefs the Rebellion of RehTters* and to defend theChurch againft its enemies. And man is fo bad a creature, that he that is tried in fo great a work as the Government of all the Wcrld, and tried by fo great temp-rations as mull needs arife in fuch an undertaking, will but become C according to the courfe of ordinary changes; the worit, and {o rhe mo ft odious of men : So that it is a wonder that Man mould become fo ignorant, as to think that any one mortal Man is capable of Ruling all the World, or all the Chrifiians in the World*

Secondly ^ But confider what fuch a Head mull have to do, ard there will remain no difficulty in the Cafe. 1. He that undertaketh the Univerfal Government, undertaketh to make Univerfal Laws, and to exercife Supream Power in Judging and Executing according to thofe Law?. And he that maketh Univerfal Laws in things unchangeable, mi'ft fdppofe that Chrift hath not done it himfdf already, which is faifc : And in things changeable, hemuft be fufficiently acquainted with the (rate of all the Nations in the World , and the different Cafes which require divert! fication both as to Time and Place : which a Man of many Thoufand miles diftance is uncapable of

And as to ]udgm?nc and Execution. 1. As to Perfons, it is to be cx-creifed upon individuals. 2. As to-Caufess it is r. Either Judging who is fit or unfit for the Sacred Miniftry, as to Ordination} or 2. Who is fit or unfit for Chriftian Communion. And that in reflect, 1.T0 Knowtedg and Faith, or Ignorance, Unbelief or Heretic, Or 2. To a Pious and Honeft, or a Criminal Converfaeion.

Firfc

Firfc Kingdoms or Cities are not either fo be taken into, or caft out c i that Church of Chrilt, for the Faith or the Faults of any part of them. Baptifm bilongeth to Individuals-, and to Cities and Kingdoms no orherwife than as conrifting of fuch Individuals: It is the: Faithful and their Seed that are to be baptized 5 God-never Authorized any to baptize Kingdoms cr Cities becaufe the King or Magiftrates believed.

And the fame muft be faid of Excommunications \ Kingdoms cr Cities are not to be Unchurched, or Interdicted Gods wcifhip, becaufe of the tin of Kings and Magiftrates: ( Though Cvch inhumane and un-chriftian kind ot Difcipline hath ( upon ihc Venetians and many other Countries ) been exercifed by the Pope ) \ God faith, that the Soul that Gnneth (hall dye, and not the Son for the Fathers tin, which he is not guil'y of.

Secondly, And if this be fo, it is eafie fo discern whether one Man can fo Govern all the World. 1. He that ordaineth Minifters, muft try them, that he may truly judg of their furrkiency. 2. He that bap-ti/eth the Adult, muft try their Knowkdg and Faith, that he may truly judg of their Capacity. 3. He that will ji fily judg any aecufed of Hcrche or wicked living, mutt hear the WitnelTcs, and hear the Peifcn, and understand the circumitarxes oftheCaufe: And before he Exccmn unicate any, he mutt not only know him to be Criminal, but alio Impenitent; and therefore muft with Evidence, Love and Paricnce, endeavour tirtt to bring him to Repentance. The like know-ledg is neaffary to a juft Abfoluticn. And what can one Man do in any of this, for all the World ? /

Object. He can do it per alios, though not per fe : He can fend forth men to do it. The King cannot Govern bit Kingdom by himft If only^ without Offccrs •> hut by them he can.

J>ft?. 1. What other men do, he doth not: To fay he doth it per alios, is but a deceitful phraie, and maketh not their work to be his. That which he doth, is not to Preach, and Baptize, and Excommunicate, and Abfulve by them, but to bid them doit, orlicenfe them \ yet if he fent them all to do it as his Servants Authorized by him to do it in his name and (lead, it might be called morally his Act: but it is not fo. The Office of a Bifhcp or Presbyter, is of Divine Inftitution, and their work defcribed by the Word of God \ and the Office and Work is their own \ and they themfelves are accountable for it to their chief Paflcr, J< fus Chrift. 2. The work of an Eccletlaflick Pafior is pergonal, even the exercife of his own skill, and not only the commanding of another to do it. If fetting others on the work were all that's necefTary, there needed no Bifhop or Paftor to be fuch a Head i a Prince were fitter ; David and Salomon could command the Prk!:s acd

E 2 Le-

Levites to do their Office, and could place and difplace them h and fo many Chriftian Kings: But as it is not the proper Office of a Fhyfici-an, Surgeon, Printer^ Architect, &c to Licenle Phyficians, Surgeons, Printers, e?r. or to fet them on work} fo neither of a Bi(hop or Paftor to licenfe or command fuch: And for Ordination, it may be done without a Pope *, or elfe how is the Pope ordained or confecrated him-felk g. The Office of the Apoftles was not only to fend other men to convert the World, and fettle the Churches, and govern them, but firft to labour in all this themfelves, and then to ordain others to go along with them as their helpers, and to govern the particular Churches > which is not the fame thing, as only to fet other men on work. 4. A Kings Office confifteth fo much in Power,to appoint Officers under him to their feveral Provinces and Works, as that therein it greatly dirTereth from a Pallors,which is like to a Phyficians, or a Philofophers 5 and more confifteth in the exercife of perfonal skill and overfight. 5. But if all this hitherto faid were nothing, it is moft certain that no King is capable of governing all the World : And if the Paftoral Office required no more perfonal skill and exercife thereof than the Regal \ yet all thae would follow were but this, that as a King by himfelf and his Officers, can govern a Kingdom, but not all the World, fo is it to be faid of any. paftor', though indeed the. latter is much lefs pofliblc.

The Impofiibilities are notorious at this day. 1. The Pope doth not fomuch as know a very great part of the World, what Inhabitants it hath, or of what Religion. 2. Much of the World is fo remote from him that his Meflengers mud be many years in going, and all informations as long in being fent to him. 3. The patfage is fo hazardous and difficult that they are not likely by Sea and Land-to efcape all the dangers in the way. 4. Many Princes Countries muft be paft through thac are enemies to Chriftians, and infrequent Wars with us, and one another, and therefore will not fuffer fuch paffage and intercourfe as the Government of the remoteft parts require. 5. There are many Countries that underftand no Language which the Popes EmilTaries can fpeak. 6. There are many Chriftian Countries at this day which the Pope lately was not known to, nor ever fo much as required their Subjection :o him, by reafon of their incapacity of Converfe. When Oviedo would have made the Abajftns believe that Subjection to the Pope was neceflary to their Salvation, the Emperours Mother pofed him by that Queftion, Why G)d nor the Pope ever told them Jo till now^ and why thty never before heard of the Popes claim? To which the poor man had no better an anfwer to give, Than that inacceiliblenefs and di-fiance hindered it, as Godigpw himfelf reciteth the D'ifcourfe. Which is no left than a plain confeffion of what I am proving, that no one man k'capable of governing all the World : When fo great an Empire as that oiJk-'fi-i (efpeciaily in its former grandeur) was fo for out of the

Papal

Scrm. II. liniverfal Head of the Church.

Papal reach, as that for To many hundred years he could never fo much as know them, and fend a Governour to them, nor any Mcffcngers to claim their Obedience \ no wonder if much more of the World be further out of the reach of his Notice and Jurifdiction. Arg.i. And as no (ingle natural Perfon,fo much more no Collective Per-fon or Company is capable to be an liniverfal Governour. For all the forefaid difticulties will be yet greater to them, than to one. There is none but an liniverfal Council that can be fuppofed to make fuch a Claim i which Council mult be one Civil Perftn, or Collective, and therefore be in one place, and manage this Government by Confent: But r. That place where they meet will be as diftant from the Antipodes as Rome is, and they will have as far to fend and receive information. 2. The collecting of a true liniverfal Council, as I (hall (hew anon, is not only difficult, but never to be done. 3. One man may do more in a day, than a Parliament, much more a Council of all the Chriftian World, Can do in many Days or Weeks j there are fo many to fpeak, debate, and to receive fatisfadlion. 4. And feuds and difagreemfcnts will be yet a greater hinderance: So that where there is a Natural Incapacity, there can be no liniverfal Governours But both Pope and Council" have a Natural Incapacity.Therefore neither of them can be an liniverfal Governour.

Arg. 2. From the filence of the Creed and Scripture concerning fuch an liniverfal Head; If Chrift had inftituted any Vicaricus,Univerfal Governour, and confequently a Church fo conftituted, it would have been plainly revealed in the Creed, or Sacred Scriptures: But there is no fuch thing plainly revealed f nor darkly neither) in the Creed or Sacred Scriptures. Therefore there was no fuch inftituted by Chrift.

The Major is proved, in that they commonly confefs that all Fundamentals or points of common necedity are plainly revealed in the Creed, or Sacred Scriptures s and they aiTert that an liniverfal Governour, and a Church fo conftituted, is a Fundamental, and a point of common ne-ceflity to be believed: Therefore if Chrift had inftituted any fuch, it mult needs have been in the Creed, or Scriptures. No man can imagine that if the reft of the matters of Divine Faith muft themfclves be received from the believed Authority of fuch a Head or Church, Chrift: would not plainly make known the Authority of fuch a Head and Church: But this is,the foundation of the Papifts Faith.

And that there is no fuch thing contained in the Creed or Sacred Scriptures, the Impartial reading of them is enough to prove : The Crcrd mentioneth the Holy Catholick and Apoftolkk Church as Ode* #

but faith not a word of Rome, or the Pope, or a Council, or any Ur.i-verfal Governour of this Church, befides Jefus Chrift.

The Sicred Scriptures mention no fuch neither \ iri^ only Peter that N pretended by the Papifts to be there endued with K ch a Fower. But i. There Is no word that fpeaks fuch a thing, the confutation of their

vain

c

50 drifted not the rope} Serm. IL

" vain Collections, from Tn es Petrtts, &c. and Pa fee oves'mets, &c, I have made elfvyheie, and in this fhoit Exercitaticn neither need ncr may recite if.

2. It belcrgeth (o the Univeifal Governour to make Univeifal Laws for the Church j but no Scripture tells us of any more that Peter did in this Legislation, then James or Panl^ or ether Apoftles.

3. Itbelongeth to the Univeifal Governour to give Authority to all the reft, and to fettle all Inferiour Orders and Officers*, but no Sciip-ture mentioneth any fuch thing of Peter, but the contrary, viz. Deacons were inftituted by the Apoftles jointly* none of the red of the Twelve received his Power from Ptter\ Paul took Silas, and Barnabas took M*r^ with him, and ?j#/made Timothy, Tints, and others Evan-geliits without Peter, or any Authority received from him \ and the A-poftles ordained Elders in every Church which they planted without Peter, J&.i ^.23. Tit.1.5, &c.

Ob'. Th:y bad their power from Chril b fore he afcended .and fj needed not receive it from Peter,

A f Either Peter was made the Univeifal Governour before Chiiits Afccfltlon or not ,• if not, then Chrift perfonally fetled no frch Monarchy •, yea.then he fetled confrar'ily 3n Arif^ocracy, or equality of Power in many, that is, in all the Apoftles j and is it credible that he fetled one form of Government at fi-rft, and charged it fo quickly after > And then the Chinches were after Chiifs Afcenfion p'anrcd and fetled by fuch as had no Power from Fetcr, and fo the Succethon is not from him as the Head. And then all the Texts pretended by them fas Pape oves, &c.) are by them forfaken. But if Piter was made Monarch before -Chrifts Afcenfion then the other Apoftles mud before be under Chrift and him. and as the Church had -two Heads at once, a Prime and a Vicarious, fo the reft urn ft have their Power from both. At leaft after ChriPiS Afcenfion all the Apoftles would fall under the Government of Peter, and fo from thence mull hold their Power from him, which they never did.

4. It belongeth to the Unwcrfal Governour to be the known de-c'aied Center of the Churches common Unity ■> to whom accordingly in cafe of Divifions they fhould have recourfe throughout all the WGild. But it was not fo concerning Peter } We read of many fad Contentions, in the Churches of Corinth^ Galitia, Colffe. &c. yea of Rome it felf, Rom, 14.^15. and many fad Heretics, Crimes and Breaches in the Seven Afian Churches, Rev, 2. & ?, and yet not a word to refer them to Peter for their healing, nor one reproof for their rebellion againft him as Univerfal Governour, nor one perfwafion to unite all in him ! Nay he himfelf, who 2 Pet. 2. doth write fharply againft Hcreiies, never mentioneth any fuch remedy.

5. And it b:lo.ig:ch to tfn Univerfi! Head and Governour (0 rebuke, all culpable Liferiours, and to receive appeals in cafes of difficulty. Bit norijof all this is laid of Peter, but contrarily that Paul withfr.ood.him to the face, becaafe he walked not uprightly, and was to be blamed, GjL 2. ib that the cafe in S:ripture is plain againft them.

'Afg*$. From the contrary AfTertionsin the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are not only illent as to the Inftitution of any fuch Univerfal Governour or Church, but they fpca't againft it: Therefore there was no flich Inftitution of Chrift.

And here I mutt come up to my Text , and from it and others bring in feveral Scripture-Arguments.

Note here i.That the Unity of the Church, and the nature and rea-fons of it, are mod largely and expreily handled in this Chapter. 2.That this Church is called the Body of Chrift, but not of Peter or the Pope*, and that its Unity is placed in one Spirit, one Lord, and one God, Feffif, 6, 7, 11,12,13. and not in one Vicarious Head. 3. That all "Belie* vers are numbred with the Members, even Apoftles themfelves exprefly, as contradiitincl from the Head in whom they are united. Apofiles are called here, Members in particular, fet by God in the Church, even the ftrjt rank or' Members, and Prophets next. If Peter then was the llniverfal Head, it was not as an Apoftle > for the Apoftles were but the noble ft Members in particular.

ArgA. If Chrift be here deferibed as the only Head, and Apoftles-bat as particular Members, then no Apoftle was an llniverfal Gover-nour or Head: BlU rhe Antecedent is plain in the Text, &c.

And indeed Eellarvzine is forced to maintain that the Pope fuccce-deth not Peter as an Apoftle, but as the Vicarious Head* of the Church > by which he confeffeth that Peter was not fuch a Head as an--Apoftle. Bu$ Paul here deferibing the whole Body, mentioneth no part but Chriil< th: Head, and Apoftles and others varioully gifted and placed, as parti-ciriar Members. So that here is no Office above Apoftolical in which the Pope can fucceed Peter.

Ar£. II. The fame evidence is vifible in "Epbef. 4. where Paid vehemently endeavouring the Ephefians Unity, reckoneth up only thefcr ftven NeceflTaries in which it muff be founded : 1. One B)'Jy 'of Chrift),. 2. One Spirit. 3. One Hope of our Calling- (Grace and Glory ). 4. One-. Lord C J.efus Chrift). 5. One Faith (The Belief of the Gofpel\ 6. One* Baptifin (and Baprifmal Covenant}. 7. One God and Father of all, abor? all, through> all and in all), veif. 3, 4, 5,6* Andin all the Members who-muifinthefe feven be united, he placeth diveriity, and numbercth A-pottles, Prophets and Paftors with the reft, as being bur"particular Members of the Body. And then hedefcribeth the Body that is thus to* be united, the ends and benefits of their concord^ and.the, fubordinate

means v

£2 Chritl, and not the Pope, Serm.IL

; means, toverf. id. In which he calleth them the Body of Chrift (only and not of the Pope ) which muft come to a perfect man, in the Unity cf Faith 3nd Knowledg of Chrift, and not be toiTed with every wind of Dodhine, but grow up in him in all things which is the Head, Chrift ; From whom the whole body fitly conjoyned and compared ( not by another Head but ) by that which every joynt fupplyetb, according to theeffedu.il working in the me a fare of every part, ma^eth increase of the body to the edifying of it felf in love. There could never have been an opener door, for Paul to have brought in the mention of an Univerfal Vicarious Governour at, if he had known of any fuch j than the oc-caiions and Subjedr here in hand. But here is ftill none but Chrift the Head, and Apoftles and others as the particular Members.

Arg. III. Yet more exprefly in i Cor. 1.3. When the Corinthians were inclined to factions \ fome would have United in Paul, and fome in Apollo, and fome in Cephas or Peter, and fome would have appropriated Chrift to themfelves. And how doth Paul feek to heal this Schifm ? Not by telling them that indeed they muft all Unite in Peter as the Univerfal Head or Monarch , but that Chrift is not divided (and therefore he muft be their common Center ) and that the reft were but his Minifters by whom they believed, and were not crucified for them, nor were they Baptized into their name \ and that they (hewed themfelves Carnal by thefe contentions, in fetting up one above another, when Paul, Apollo, and Cephas, were alike theirs, and Minifters of Chrift, and Stewards of his Myfteries } Cap. 3.3-522. & 4.1. So that here Peter is not only not mentioned as the Head and Center of Church-Unity, when his Name was in queftion, and the Cafe required it, ( had it been true ) but alfo exprefly and by Name excluded from any fuch Office, and thofe fharply taxed that would fo have thought of him, nay, that thought yet lower of him *, for indeed there is no probability that any of the Corinthians dreamt" of his Univerfal Government, but only fome preferred him as a more excellent Teacher before all o* thers, in a fiding way.

Arg. IV. When Peter himfelf jnftrudreth the Paftors of the Church in their duty, 1. He taketh no higher title to himfelf than an Apoftle and Servant of Jefus Chrift, and an Elder, and a Witnefs of his fufterings, and a partaker x)f the Glory that (hall be revealed. 2. And he tells them that they muft not oveifee the Hod!; as Lords, but as Examples , which is inconfiftent with their opinion, who take his Univerfal Government, to be eftential to the Church, and necelTary to Salvation to be believed.

Arg.V. In Matt. 20. We find it put by way of petition to Chrift, to determine who fhould be greateftj viz. thai James and John might

be

be next him in his Kingdom > and Peter with the reft of the Ten were offended at it: yet Chrift is fo far from telling them that either they, or Peter fhall have fuch honour, that he contrarily concluded^, verf 25. Sec. Ye kjtow that the Princes of the Gentiles exercife dominion over them, and they that are great exercife authority upon them \ but it fhall not be fo among you : But whofoever will be great among you, let him be your minificr^ and rvbofoever will be chief among you, let him be your fervant. Even in this, not telling them who fhall be the Man, but leaving it to them by humility and fervice to merit all that preeminenee which he alloweth of.

Arg. 4. The Fourth chief Argument is fetcht from theNon-confift-ence of fuch an Univerfal Head with the Office and Prerogative of Chrift.

To havelnftituted an Univerfal Head andGovernour, would have been the making of another Chrift, or at leaft the communicating of part of the EiTence of Chrifts Office and Prerogative \ But Chiift did never make another Chrift, nor communicate any part of the EflTence of his Office or Prerogative : Therefore Chrift did never Inftitute an Univerfal Head and Governour.

The firft Proportion is proved by the true definition or defcription of Chrifts Office, which containeth his Univerfal Kingdom, as well as his Univerfal Propriety and Priefthood. That Chrift is the Owner and the Ruler of all, is believed by all that believe him to be the Chrift > For this end, he both dyed, rop, and revived, that he might be Lord of the dead and of the living, Row. 14. p. And the Univerfality of fome parts of his Prieftly Office are acknowledged , and of the reft, as to thofe who are capable of the Benefits. He is the Owner of all the World: And he is the Ruler of all, de jure, & de fatto, in divers manners and degrees, though only the faithful obey him to Salvation : And his Sacrifice had not only a fufficiency for all, butalfo erTi&ually procured the common Grace and Benefits which are actually given to all. And 1. It is confelTed by all fober perfons, that Chrift hath not given to any under him an Univerfal Propriety. If any Parafite of the Pope fo talk, the reft dare, not own it. To be the Lord or Owner of all things and Perfons is proper to Chrift: If the Pope be his Vicarious Proprietary , Kings and Perfons are at his will and mercy , and he need not to be beholden to any Prince for Tribute^ for all Lands and Monies in the World are his: But this is the proper Prerogative of Chrift. And there is no Mediator that ofTereth himfelf a Sacrifice for the fins of the World, or meriteth for all men, or all believers, but Jefus Chrift.

The Minor is undeniable: Chrift by vertue of his Univerfal Power, hath communicated a Ministerial Limited Subordinate Power to men, overfeveral parts of his Church or Kingdom, but not Univerfal over

F - all:

all s which needeth no other proof, than to know that Authority and Obligation concur in conftituring every fuch Office : And if any one Apoille had been Obliged to Rule, yea, or to Teach all the World, he had been obliged to an impoilibility. Therefore even the Apoftles all together had but an Indefinite obligation, and.not an llniverfal as to all the World} no, nor to all the Churches: For if e.g. Philip their Deacon, or his converted Eunuch, or Jofeph, or Nathaniel, or any other Preacher did convert any Countrey, or gather any Churches far off from the reach of any Apoftle, no Apoftle was bound to Teach or Rule that Church j much lefs aay one of them to Teach and Rule all the World,

And i. If Chrift have not made an Univerfal Sub proprietor, it's not like that he hath made an Univerfal Rector. 2. If Chrift have not made an Univerfal Teacher, 3. Nor an Univerfal Prieft •> by the fame Reafon we may conclude, that the Univerfal Kingdom is incommuni* cable. 4. And as to the Kingdom it felf, t. The Univerfal Legifla-tion is already performed by Chrift, and therefore not left to Man. 2. Vniverfal, Forcible Government is committed to no Man: All Pow T er in Heaven and Earth is given to Chrift > and he committeth the Sword to Kings and Magiftrates, and the Word to Minifters with the Keys of the Church •, But Chrift never made an Univerfal King or Magiftrate under him,to Govern all the World by the Sword:Therefore we as well may conclude, that he never made an Univerfal Paftor, or Church- Monarch; one part of his proper Kingdom being no more communicable than the other. 3. And Univerfal ProteUion, which is another kind of Kingly Office, is not communicated to any. The Pope cannot Protect all the World, or all the Church =, To that all the reft of Chrifts Office, being as to the Vniverfality confelTcd incommunicable, it will follow that Government muft be fo alfo: I fay, As to Vniverfality, as forefeeing that they will object, that it is Incommunicable as to Primacy of Power, but not as to Vniverfality \ which therefore I have proved, though in this ftrait I muft not ftand to An-fwer their frivolous Objections.

And here you may perceive, why Proteftants fay that the Pope is Antichrift, even becaufe he traiterouily ufurpeth, and arrogateth, that which is EiTcntial to Chrifts own Office, by making himfelf an llniverfal Head to Chrifts Body, and Governour of hk Kingdom, on a falfe preteace of Chrifts delegation.

Object. A King mzy make a Vice-King, erLieutenant, without parting with any of his Royalty or Prerogatives,

Anfw, 1. It is not the Name of a Viceroy, but the Thing that is in queftion. A King may call a Subject his Viceroy, and may make him his chief Magiftrate over fome part of his Empire that isdiftant from

him,

him, yea or over the whole : But if he give him the abfolute Legifljtive, and Judicial Power over all his Kingdom, he parteth with his Royalty, and maketh that man King. 2. But fuppofe it were oth<:rwife,thc rcafon of the difference in the cafe is evident. A King is but a Man, and fo is his Viceroy, and one is as capable of Ruling as the other. But Univerfal Government is fomewhat above the capacity of any mecr Man, and none but God and our Redeemer is capable of it : Therefore if Chrift will make an Univerfal Head and Governour of the World or Church, hemuft make him another Chrift, or a God j or clfe he doth not make him capable.

Arg. 5. A negatione effeftut ad negationem effettionis. There never was fuch an Univerfal Vicarious Head of Chrifts Body : Therefore he never instituted fuch.

Nothing but the Antecedent here needs proof.

I (hall confider (for the proof of the Antecedent) i.Of the Church in the time when the Scripture was written : 2. And of the Church till the days of Conftantine : 3. And of the Church till the llfurpation of theTitle of Univerfal Head:4. And of the Church fince then to this day.

1. In Scripture-times I have proved already, that neither Peter nor any other did govern cheUniverfal Church, in Ordination, Legiilati-on, Judgment, Appeals, &c.

2. Till Conftantines time there is not the lead probability of any fuch thing in Church-Hiftory; which I will not be beholden to any man to grant me who is acquainted with the Records of Antiquity,nor do I fear a denial from any thing but Fadtion,or blind Partiality,fuch as Baronius^ and other Flatterers of the Pope were byalTed by. For whereas the chief Claim of the Pope is from his Prefidency in Councils, till Conftantines days there never was fuch a thing as a General Council in the World (unlefs you will call Chrifts Family and Apoilles fuch J. And he that can prove the Pope to have been till then the Governour of all the World, or all the Chriftians in the World, will fetch his proofs (neither from Scripture nor true Hiftory, but) from fomewhat unknown to other Mortals.

3. And w 7 ere Men but Impartial in the ftudying of~Church-Hiflory, I would not be beholden to any Manjeadily to acknowledg all that follows: 1. That Conftantine and his SuccelTors were far from being Rulers of all the World j having but one Empire, which though great> the "Maps will tell you was (mall in comparifon of all the Earth. 2 .That the Bifhop of Rome was to the Empire but as the Arch-Bi(liop of Canterbury is to England* a Biihop who by that Emperour had a Primacy given him in his Empire : For what Power had he to fettle a Head to the reft of the World? 3. That whereas his Prefidency in General Councils was his chief pretence for his Univerfal Power,even that Prefidency was unconftant, and varied as the Emperour pleafed. 4. That

F 2 tho

fc

thofe General Councils were called General but in reference to one Principality or Empire> fas the Scots called their AflTemblies General) anc i were no llniverfal Councils reprefenting all the Churches in the World. For T.They were called long by the Emperouri And what Power had the R*man Empcrour to call together the Bilhops of.all the World ? 2. The Subfcriptions of the Bimops as recorded even in Biniiis, Surm^ Nicol'mm, Crab, will fatisrie any man that doth not by Fadion hinder his own fatisfadion : And though the name of one Johannes PerfidU in the Council of Nice, and fome fuch Inftances in others, feem great Ob-jedions^o fome Men, I let them go, as-knowing that there is no end of difputingwith thofe Men that can make a Mountain,of an Atome. There was a City called Perfif j and it was then ufual to place a Bifhop at..-the Borders of Perfia, Scythia, &e. and to call him by the Title of the Neighbour Country which he was defired to take care of.I have oft enough in other Writings proved^that the Councils were but Imperial (fuppofing that fome few under Pagans, that affeded the Countenance of the Roman Greatnefs, who were Neighbours, did rarely joyn themfelves): And that Reynerius confelTeth, that the Armenians and other Churches converted by the Apoftles,weie not under theBiftiop o[Rome; And that Tbeodoret giveth the Reafon why the Bifhop of Nifibis was at the Council of -Nice, becaufe Nifibis was then under the 'Roman Empire: And that the Abaffines, the Persians, Indians, outer Armenians, and many other Countries of ChrifHans without the Empire, were not re-prefented in the Councils, nor ever fubjeded themfelves to the Pope of Rome,

4. And even fince the days of Boniface who obtained of Phocas the Name of llniverfal Bifhop, theChrifiian World was never under him.: For 1. The Gr^Church hath ever fince refilled the Claim. 2. The laid Abaffines, Armenians, Indians, and many others never fubjecftcd themfelves to him. 3. He hath captivated his profeiTed Subjeds by fo much cruel force, as that he is uncapable of knowing who. are his-real Subjeds by confent: And we have by experience reafon to think, that in all Popifh Countries it is not-one of many that is a Papill under--ilandingly, and at the heart, but moft either know not what Popery \$ H or filently go on with their Neighbours to avoid the obloquy and fuf-fcring, which elfe they muft undergo. 4. Dr. Yield (ot the Church)^ and Bimop Morton (\n his Apolog.) have fully proved > That till Luther* time, abundance of the Dodors of each Age, though they renounced not the Roman Communion, were againft their Opinions •> and that there is fcarce any Dodrine of the Protectants, which men of their own Communion held not. All which fully (hew that the Univerfaf Church did never acknowledgor receive this pretended llniverfal Head. 5. To all which I may add, That alt the Gwi^Church (when far larger than the Latin) did ever hold the Primacy in the Empire to be Jure bumano only \ which is notorious in the exprefs words of the Council

' at

ztCbalcedon y and in that the Patriarch of Conllantinople contended for the Primacy, which he could never have done had he taken it to be of Gods Inftitution : For Constantinople being comparatively a novel Church, had no pretence to a Primacy as Jure Vivino. All which I have further proved elfwhere.

Of all the Arguments brought for the Popes Univerfal Government I know but Two, that to a confidering Man are worthy a Confutation.

The firft is from pretended Poffeftlon : Chrift ruleth his Church not only Preceptively but Eventually defatlo, according to the great defign. of his Office, (elfe he mould be but a Nominal King himfelftj But Chrift hath Eventually, or defafio ruled his Church by the Pope and his Prelates thefe Thoufand years at leaft, if not from the beginning ; Therefore he Inftituted this fort of Government (or elfe his own P^egi--ment and Defign is fruftrate).

Anf. 1. As to the Major ; the Church of Chrift hath obedient and difobedient ProfelTors s Good andBad,Piety and Sin are in the Church-Vifible. The Goodnefs and Piety, and Obedience is according to his Decree and Purpofe ; but fo is not the Sin. And Chrifts own Government obtaineth its ends, ia the Salvation of his Eledt, and in fo much reftraint and order as he keepeth up among the reft. 2. Elfe this Argument would prove as much that Idolatry and Heathenifm were better than the Jews Religion, before Chrifts Incarnation : For Jitdta was a very little fpot of the World, and defaUo Heathenifm did pof-fefs moft of the reft. 3. Yea it would prove all fin to be of Gods appointment, if we might argue zfado ad jut.

2. But the Minor is not true: It is accounted by the beft Geographers to be but about a third or fourth part of the Chriftian World that are Papifts at this day, when the decay of the Eaftern Churches, and the lofs of Nubia, and a great part of the Abajfine Empire,^, hath much diminifhed it. I may therefore turn this Argument better againft them, and fay that Chrift never did de fatto rule his Church, or the greateft part of it by an Univerfal Governour, nor permit it fo to be ruled : Therefore this never was his Defign : Though indeed his Will de debito muft be known by his Laws, and not by Events.

The fecond Argument is: Though an Univerfal Head be not of Divine Inftitution, why may not the Bifhopsof the Churches fet.up fuch a one over them all by confent (or Princes at leaft) ? And why may not -an Univerfal Church be Inftituted by Man 5 as well as a National or Provincial Church >

Anf. 1. Is the Government of Chrifts Church a matter of fo fmall moment, and is the Soveraign Head no more concerned in it, but to leave it to Men to fet up what Government they will ? Undoubtedly it

is

is the Prerogative of the Soveraign to appoint his own Officers: And he that doth it ufurpeth his Prerogative. 2. What men are they that pretend to fuch Power > were they themfelves the Officers of Chrift,in any ftate of Inftituted Government ? If nof, then (1) Chrift hath made no Subordinate Government * (2) Then he made no Apoftles, &c. f3)Then he did not the part of a Soveraign*, (4) Then thefe Men that made the new Government were no Minilters of his,nor had any Power from him to doit. But if they themfelves be Chrifts Inftituted Officers ■» then 1. Chrift did Institute certain Officers, and confequently a ftate of Government. 2. Then let thefe Minilters of his prove if they can that ever he commiiiioned them to alter that ftate of Govern-men which he fir ft Inftituted-, 3, If they cannot, let them confefs that it is a Trayterous Ufurpation. 4. Either it is a Government Univer-fally needful to the Church, or not: If not, why talk you of it > If yea,who made you either greater or wifer, or better than Chrift > that you can find out and fettle an Univerfal Government, which he had not the power, the wifdom or the goodnefs to Inftitute*

5. By his Inftituting particular Churches, and their Overfeers or Elders, and Wqrfhipand Difcipline, he (hewed us that he took fuch a Church-fettlcment fGr his own Work : And if (o^ what made him do it imperfectly > and how come you to be able to do it better >

6. The World hath had lamentable experience thefe Thirteen hundred years and more, to how ill efteds Men have altered Chrifts Inftituti-ons, and to what proud Contentions, Schifms, Perfections, and other Calamitics 3 their Alterations have tended. 7. But (to fpeak fully to the cafe) we grant that as Chrifts Ordinances, Doclrine, Wor(hip and Difcipline, are diftinguifhed from the meer Circumftances of them, (called the Circa Sacra) -, fo when Chrift hath Inftituted Officers for his own Work, Men may for edification make Officers for their Work •, that is, thefe Circumftances (fuch as are Church-Wardens, Sextons, Door-keepers, and many the like). But will any man of brains and Chriftianity hence conclude, that Men may fet up an Officer for Chrift, above all the Officers of his own Inftitution,and empowered to over-rule them all, yea and to Silence them, Sufpend them, Excommunicate them,and be a Monarch over them all?If Chrift would have had fuch a one, he was as wife and able to do it hjmfelf as any of his Minifters are. 8. And it is God that muft blefs the Labours of his Officers : And he hath no-where promifed to blefs any but his own. p. And if Men may make the Papacy, Men may pull it down again when reafon requirethit. And it will go harder with the Pope, than either pious Gerfon (de auferibilitate Papz)^ or Learned Card. Nic. Cufanus (de Concordia)^ do affirm, it may. 10. But if it be but by Mens confent, that we muft have a Pope, let thofe have none that do not confent: And then moll: of the Chriftian W r orld will be without him.

This

ThisControreifie about an Univerfal Vicarious Head and Gover-nonr, being the true fum of the difference between the Papifts and Protefunts, were we not now retrained, (hould be much larglier handled, and fuller proofs of all that we aflert annexed. But our neceilitatcd brevity (hall conclude with thefe few Ufcs.

I. Learn hence to hate the Devilifh fin of Pride, and fear it in your filves, left there (hould be more of it than you have yet obferved : For the Pope and his Prelates, are naturally fuch Sons of Adam as our (elves: And if Pride in them may rife to fuch a height, as to make them in this fo mad, as to think poor Man hath Capacity, and Right, and -Obligation to Govern all the World, or all the Chrifliaws in the World, and thereby to become the plagues of the Earth, ancl the troublersof all Chriftian States and Churches, have not we.allcaufe to fear it in our felvcs ? Though it have not Temptation or Advantage to work fo publickly and mifchievoufly as theirs, alas, it is the fame Sin which caufeth men to overvalue their own Vnderftandingt^ their Goodnefs^ or their Greatnefs: It is the fame Sin which fetteth fome Preachers on contriving, and hunting for preferment, and others for popular ap-plaufe, and which maketh men Write, and Preach, and Talk againft -things which they underftand not, and againft men better than them \ (elves, and todefiroy Love and Concord, and tear the Churches, and harden the ungodly in the contempt of all Religion ; yea, and to proceed impenitently in all this, while fome think that their zeal for Order

and Obedience, and others, that their zeal for Truth and Godlinefs, will warrant them in all this. It's an old Proverb, that all men-are born with a Pope in their Bellies : And he is a Conquerour, aud a Saint indeed, that hath truely overcome his Pride , which conquereth marry that can Preach and Talk againft it: And many that cry out of Popery, . and Papal pride, do too little detedr, and fear, and mortifk, the fame . pernicious evil in themfelves.

II. Learn hence to underftand the Grand Difference between thePro-teftants and the Papifts: It is not firft, Whether the Pope be the Man that Chrift hath made his Univerfal Vicar, and Governour of all the World? But firft, Whether there be any fuel Inftituted by Chrift or not ? For if they once prove that there is any fuch, we will cenfefs that no other can put in fo fair a claim for it as the Pope. The quefti- • on is not, firft, Whether the Church of Rome be the true Catholick Church?But firh\Whether there be any fuch thing of Chrifts Inilitution, as an Univerfal Church, Headed by a Vicarious Head, under Chrift? -We deny the Being of fuch a Head, and fuch a Church.-.

III. Therefore take heed of thofe di r puters that cry up the Catholick : Church, as fuppofing it to have an UniverfaLHead befides Chrift ( ei- -♦her Pope or Council ) as if this mud be a granted thing * and then all . that we have to do with the Pope, is but to bound and moderate him 1

in,

in his Government: Thcfe men fay, We are againft the abufes of the Court of Rome, but not againft the Church of Rome, But that which a Proteftant juftly denyeth is, That there is any'fuch Univerfal Head and Church at all, as the Papifts do aflert.

IV. And hence obferve in what fence it is, that Divines fay, that Rome is not a true Church, nor Papifts as fuch members of the Church of Chrift j we all confefs that thofe called Papifts, who practically hold the EiTentials of Chriftianity , and truely believe in Chrift the true Head, are all parts of the true Catholick Church, which hath no Head indeed but Chrift. But we maintain that the Pope was never made by Chrift, the Governour of the Univerfal Church i and that their pretended Catholick Church, contlfting of the Pope as fuch a Head, and °f his Subjects'as fuch, is a Traiterous Combination, and no true Church of Jefus Chrift : That Policy was never Inftituted by him. And in this fenfe all Proteftants are agreed, while fome fay that Rome is a true Church, and others fay that it is not: They mean thus the fame thing.

V. And hence you may perceive why they take the Pope to be Anti-chrift: Becaufe he ufurpeth part of the Prerogative and Kingdom of Chrift, without his Inftitution, and againft his Laws; by making him-felf the Governour of all the World or Church, he maketh him as another Chrift: Ashe would be a Traytor to theKing, who would ufurp the Univerfal Government of his Kingdoms, as to Legislation, Judgment, and Executions, though he fhould falfly pretend the Kings Com-mifiionfor it.

VI. Take heed of a Flefhly, and Worldly Religion. A Flefhly, and Worldly Heart, and Life, lyeth under fhame, and remorfeof Confci-ence, till the Devil bring in the defenfative of a Flefhly, and Worldly Religion : For Nature, Reafon and Experience tell men, that all things below are vanity, in comparifon of everlafting things*, and therefore the Devil hath no fuch way, to keep his polTeffion of fuch Souls in peace, as by making them a Religion fuitable to their Worldly minds and interefts: And then they will im againft God as by his own Authority, and vilitie his Servants, yea, and burn them as by his own Command,and fight againft Chrift as by his own Commi(lion. & in nomine domini incipit omne malum, as the old Proverb is,taken from the Papal Style, Religion is fo excellent, and necefTary, that nothing can fo fuc-

-cesfully prevail in the minds of men againft it, as that which cometh in its own garb and name. What men on Earth do Satan more fervice than men of a Flefhly and Worldly Religion ? Who by the power of Carnality, firft make themfelves, and next, would make others believe, that their own Worldly Intereft is the true Intereft of Chrift, and the Catholick Church \ and when they have made their own Carnal Wills and Irtterejl, the means of the Churches Peace and Concord ( fuch as they will allow it ) then cry up the great names, of Government,

Obe-

Obedience, Order, Unity, Concord and Peace, and cry down all that is againtt them, as Confufion, Rebellion, or Schifrrr, when all figni-ricth no more, but that they are proud and worldly, and have got the upper ground , and fo may name things to their own advantage. When Sin becometh a Religion, it conquereth the Light, and quieteth Confcicnce, in the moft odious adions, and moft malignant oppofitions of the Truth. I cannot more flgniHcantly fpeak my fenfe, than in the words of our feriousPoet, Mr. George Herbert, in his Church Militant, p. 188, i8p, 190..

" Sin being not able to extirpate quite

M The Churches here, bravely refoWd one night

cc Jo be a Church-man too and wear a Miter, dec. !

But it is too long to be Tranfcribed.

If the Archbifhop of Canterbury fhould tell all the World, that no Man can be a true Chriftian, or be faved, that believeth not in him, and becometh not his obedient Subject, and fhould fend out men to Preach this on the pretence of Unity, Obedience, and Peace h Would not all the World deride this, as a worldly prefumptuous kind of Religion > ]uft fuch is Popery, which faith the fame of one that the Roman Emperour made the chief Bifhop in his own Principality •, and now when that Empire, is diffclved, claimeth the Government of all Chriftian Kings and People in the whole World. Is it not a wonder of ftupidity *, that fuch a Religion, is not derided, and defpifed by all mankind that have the ufe of Reafon ?

VII. Laftly, Take heed of hafty trufting fair pretences, when fo ab-furdathing, and great a mifchief, as the Papal Univerial Government, may have fuch good words to promote it, zsVuity, Concord, Obedience, &c. And fo many deceived perfons to entertain it.

Queft. What it the mifchief of this pretended Headjhtp ?

Anfo. Firfl, It conftituteth a Humane Universal Church: whofe name deceivcth men, and keepeth the Divine Catholick Church to many unknown.

Secondly, This Humane Church is let up above, and againft the trwe Univerfal Church of Chrift', and arrogateth Power to deprefs, abufe, and perfecute the Churches that Chrift hath Inftituted.

Ihirdly^ Hereupon it introduceth a Humane Religion, which is as injurious to the Religion inftituted by Chrift.

Fourthly, It cheateth Millions of Souls, by making them believe that'they are good Chriftians, becaufe they are Subjects to the Brmop of Rome, which they call, being of the right Church. •

G Fifthly,

Fifthly, It becometh the Grand Engine of dividing Chriftians, and deftroyingLove, and railing Bloody Perfections, and hindering Uni-• ty which they ciy up. For when Chrift hath made the terms of Chri-ftian Concord to be few and eaiie, and fuch as all Chriftians are agreed in, Concord is hereby accordingly made eafie: But when an Ufurper will come and add his Forgeries, and impoilible Terms, which Chriftians neither do, nor ever did agree in, what more effectual and pernicious art could have been ufed, to divide the Churches ? If nothing but Allegiance to the King be required to the Concord of his Kingdoms, all Loyal Subjects would be as one : But if a Subject will Hep up and fay, you fhall alfo fwear to me, as the Univerfal Viceroy, or have no Peace, when he proveth no fuch Power, and the Subjects take it to be Treafon to be Sworn to him without the Kings command^ Would not this fet all the Kingdom together by the ears ?

Sixthly, And then, when men are polTiiTed with this falfe opinion, that all Chriftians muft be united in fubjectien to the Pope, it will pervert the minds of the very lovers of Unity and Peace, and harden them in the guilt of wicked Perfecution, as if it were their duty as the friends of Unity, to root out all thofe as enemies to it, who refufe their falfe and traiterous means.

Seventhly, And I may add that the poor Pope himfelf is hereby made the mod miferable of mortal men, while he undertaketh thePailoral charge of millions and myriads, even of many Kingdoms and Empires, which he never can nor will perform, and fo muft anfwer for betraying and deceiving all thefe Souls.

Q^eft. "But if there he no fuch thing as an Vniverfil Church, Headed and Governed by a Vicarious Head under Chrift, What is the trueVniverfal Church, and what is its true Government f

Anjtv. Fir(i , The Univerfal Church on Earth, is all Chriftians Headed only by Chrift, as havirg the fole power and capacity, of Univerfal Legillation, Judgment, Execution, and Protection.

Secondly, The true Government is this i i. All forcible Government bytheSword, evenabout matters in Religion, belongeth to Kings and Magistrates only, in their feveral dominions.

Secondly, The Power of the Word, and Church-Keys ( to judg who (hall be in the Communion of the Church ) belongeth to the Bi-fhopsor Paftorsof the particular Churches refpectively.

'thirdly, Thefe Bimops or Pallors being obliged to as much Concord as they can attain, are bound to hold correfpondence with one another by Delegates, Letters, or Synods, as far as the End (Church-Concord) doth make necelTary.

Fourthly., If they offend and abufe their Office, they are under the Government of the Magiftate, who may chaftife them.

Fifthly,

Fifthly, If the Paftor be an Infidel, or Enemy, and will not do his duty, Cyprian long ago told us, that the people muft obey God before a wicked Paftor > and as he hath no power to force tbem^ fo they are not bound to confent, to (in againft God, or betray the Church and their own Souls, for the will or intereft of unfaithful Eaftors.

Sixthly, And when all is done, we mud never dream of attaining in this World a perfect Unity and Peace , nor till we come where Knowledg, Love, and Holinefs, are all perfect : of which, fee more in my fmall popular Treatife called CathoUc\Vnity,

G 2: SERM

v.8.

. 2.

SERMON III

KINGSand EMPEROURS, rightful /y Sub;cas to the POPE.

not

Adc. 26. 2. / thinks *ny felf happy King. Agrippa 3 becauje I fiat/ anfvoer fir my felf this day before thee, &c.

I ^ Hough I cannot this day aflume to my felf that happinefs the I Apoflle did, that he did Apologize before a King .who was

expert in all the Cuftoms of the Jervs^ verf. 3-, Yet (I do -JL. fuppofe) I may account my felf happy, that I am to Apo-. Jogize for Kings and Emperours, who do know, and haveaffumed to themfelves their Pvoyal Prerogatives granted to them from the King of Kings by whom they reign, confirmed to them by him who is fet upon the Holy Hill of Zion 5 and infringed, eluded, or ufurped by a Pretended Vicegerent, whofe Right and Reafon in his Pretences are no greater than his Humility or Modefty in the claim and exercife of his Fower. "Whileft I treat of this important Affair, I hope yon that are my Auditors will do me reafon to hear me-patiently ', and I humbly fub-mit the Difcourfe tothofe facred Peifons whofe caufe needeth nc more, or greater Advocates than have already appear'd in it : And if the im-modeft reftlefnefs of incroachers do occaHon a neceflary Apology for this Caufe, it deferveth a much better than now is by others dcfire,not his own choice, put upon it. If there be any thing lefs becoming the greatnefs of the Caufe, and the excellency of the Perfons, and fas I

fore-

forefee it will be) not worthy the favourable acceptance of the mcaneft Prince *, yet I humbly pray the favourable interpretation, and gracious pardon of all that my own weaknefs hath rcndrcd defective*, and a condefcending acceptance of what the fhength of Reafon, the refer.t-merrtofDuty, the obligation of Oaths, the dictates of Nature, the Command of God, and a vowed Loyalty to my Great and Gracious Soveraign, have in this (To much his) Caufe. better performed. With • this defired candor and hoped favour I return to my Work, which ly-eth in the Text I have lead, becaufe in that either dire&ly or confe-quentially lieth this Thefis.

Kings and Emperours are not rightful Subjects to the Pope, neither hathheFower for pretended or real Herefie to Excommmnicate and Depofe them, nor to Abfolvc their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance •> but even the Clergy are (ubjecl to Secular Princes, and their Bodies and Eftates under their Government.

In which Thefis (I obferve) two different fort of Proportions, the fir(l Negative, the other Tofitive* and thefe kind of Proportions in the Schools are differently treated, for the Pofitives are to be proved by the Opponent, the Negative to be defended by the Refpondent 5 fo fhould Rome if the Pope would carry his Caufe, prove his own Right, which he can as eafily now as ever i and with jult fuch Arguments as formerly make good > whileft immodefl Claims, forcible Vfurpations, en- TheSumm fldved Councils, citations of treasonable Decretals^ appellations to feditions 0 f t ] lc p 0 pcs Canon-Law, blafphemous appropriation of Omnipotency, ftlfdefigning flat- Right, and its teries, and vowed obedience to the Pope againji Nature, Reafon and Reli* Proofs. gion \ Whileit thefe are accounted good proofs, what Romanics will think the Pope an 11 fur per ? or his Wars againft the Emperour Rebellion? May all Chriitian Kings enjoy their undoubted Rights, and keep in the undifturbed PofTeflion of them until fuch Arguments of weak and fenflefs become ftrong and reafonable, his Roman Holinefs will fcarce think the reverfion worth his/thanks, if it be bequeathed him, or worthy of his hope if it be promifed him on fuch Terms, and on better I truft he will never have it. This Negative part of the Poiltion (for reafons kept to my felf) I do caft into the latter part of my Dif-courfe, The Pofitive Pofition, viz. The Clergy are fubjeil to Secular Princes, and their Bodies and Eflates under their Government^ I put in the fir ft place, and (hall firft handle if,whenoe the Negative Proportions will as confequences follow and take their own place. Now here it is ne-cefTary I

1. Explain the Terms which are here ufed, and fiate the Thefis. Method of the

2. Confirm the Thefis fo ftated. Difcouife.

3. Difcover the Doclrine and Dodors who avow the contrary. *

4. Give you their Reafons, and an Anfwer to them.

5. Prefent you with fome Corollaries from the Difccurfe.

Se8. 1.

'a6 Kings and Emperonrs not Serm. III.

who meant Sett. I. The firft Term to be explained is Clergy, which admits of by Clergy in both a Scriptural fenfe,and an Ecclefiaftical fenfe : in the Scripture-fenfe

s^'^tureand lt ^ ot ^ la y lt ^ out t0 ^ uc ^ extcnt as ^ ar exceedeth the meaning of it

Ecekfwftick in Ecclefiaftical fenfe,as is evident from the ufe of the word *^?©">both

Writers. in the *01d Teftament,and in the*New,where it comprehendeth all the

* Deut 40.20. People that are in the Congregation of the Lord, thus the Laity are

wax dwni >tto)?©-, the Inheritance of the Lord. But the favour of Rome is not fo

K&ov sy*™' g rC at toward the people, as to underftand them a part of thofe whom

Deut. 0. 29. they do afTerf exempted from the Secular Government, it were too im-

'* yu ov\oi Mot mode/t to fpoil Princes of all their Subje&s.* In the Ecclefiaftical fenfe^s

ex $ kmj?©~ it hath been taker* for many hundred years in all fort of Writers,*/* the

&i, 1 Pet.5.3^ ' Atts ofCouncils, in the Controverfies of Difputants, in the Narrativef of

elms aut jw Historians- and now in the common language of both Proteftants and

foww *«* Pref- Papifts it is retrained to men in Ecckiiaihcal Office by Ordination and

lyteros,fid gn- Dedication to Divine Miniftrations, called by the Church of England,

gm qui cinque as we jj as by Papifts (*Sacerdotes) Priefis } Co whom Rome vindicates a

f°jV .^jff freedom from the Government of the Secular Power: In brief I under-

Erafm. in be. ^ an ^ here by Clergy, thefe laft mentioned, and all Religious Perfons r

So VatablM & (of which multitudes are fwarming under the Papacy) fuch as Abbots,

Groiius ex- Triors, Monkf, Friers, J if nits, &c. together with their Feminine Vota«<

plain the xks,Abbeffes, Nuns, &c. All thefe whether jointly, or a-part confrdered,

*°Non negmus are tne perfons I underftand by Clergy. Thefe are,

appellation?™ iftam antiquum efj'e & ante mult a, Specula in Ecclefia obtinuijje. Pp. Salm. Thef. Theol.

* Ver Sacer dotes inUlligimus Novi Tejtamenti miniftros prafertim Ecck^Anti\lites,quosantiquiVatres y quia non civjli Miquo Jed [zero munere [ungunlm, Sacerdotes appellarunt, Davenant. Determ. q. 1 $.

Sett. II. Subject, i.e. Not only Defatlo, becaufe the Power of the Secular Prince is fo formidable that they do not, becaufe they dare not, deny him obedience 5 to which Henry the Eighth might well afcribe the moft of the good behaviour of the Papiftical Religious whom he fub-verted, but de Jure they are fubjedted ■, God, Nature, Gratitude, Oathf^ Religion, and necejpry Conftitutions of humane Laws have fubje&ed them. In the words of the Apoftle, Rom. 13. 5. IVherefore they muft needs be fubyeB, not only for wrath, but for Conscience fake. That is fas Mn Solo f<x».* Qrotius wellParaphrafeth it) not only out of fear of punifhment which the mttu ?* . • Lap threatnethjbut out ef Conscience, becaufe Chrijt hath commanded it. iidquh chri* The Subjection we fpeak of then is a voluntary, free, cheerful and fas id praiepit. dutiful Obedience which is due to the Civil Magiftrate, and not an Grot, in loc. enforced Subjection i It is the refult of Law, Confcience, and Love, not only the refult of Fear and Compulfion. It is our Duty, and the Magi (hates Due.

ftrtaiy y ali and Se ^' 111, ^e next term to be explained is Secular Prime s\vAie:xt by Princes are tne wa Y note, That Primes are properly Secular, their Dignity, Power, Secular. aid Government is (quoad Ortgmem /in its rife Divine ■-> the P&wers that

a**

*">

are, are of God, but (quo adob)ei\a) as to the things they dotage cog* nifance of, they are (though not folely, yet) Primarily Secular. And (quoad extcrnam formam) as to the manner of pomp and date which may render the Government more Awful, 'tis and juftly is, ordered and determined (prout fapienti* princip'u vifnm (ft) as fee met h good to whence it fs 1 he wifdem of the Prince, and io is Secular. But what through the that we mult Royal favour ef jome good Princes , and more through the Ambition n °w diflin-and Vfurpations of Popijh Ecclefiaftickj, who have inverted themfelves pJjnc^SL^ with Principalities, and a Power equal with the Princes of this World*, jg r andEccle-It is become neceffiry we Jhould dityinguifh Princes into Secular and Eccleft- {. ailicul. afiical: The Secular being thofe Princes which we will call now Temporal and Civil', The Ecckiiaftical fuchas the Pope, his Cardinals, and w ho thefe fome Bi(hops,fuchas the Spiritual Electors in the Empire,$Y. To which arc * Inferiour Clergy do with lefs fcruple acknowledge and pay their ready Subjections behde which I doubt not to afiert, fand hope I (hall be able to prove) they do owe a Subjection, and Obedience to the Temporal, Civil, i.e. Secular Prince } of which a word or two, <that we may not miiiake,or be miftaken. Now this term Prince may be tafyn either 1. In Princes per-

refati to the Perfon \ or 2. In refpell to the Office •, In the rirfi: fenfe it re- ( ° mXl ] con{[ : r 1 ^ • r 1 r> r ■ • ' «ra j i 1 dered,or with

terreth to Governments in a imgle Perlon, as in Kingdoms, in the lat- re f pec \ t0 t ^ e

ter it referreth to Government, managed by a State or Council, as of Government. old in the Roman Commonwealth i> or now in the Commonwealths of Ecclefaflicks Venice, Genoa, or the Dutch, Neither ofthtfe may be excluded, where rightful Sub-the Clergy are Subjects to a King, as in France, or Spain, they are M 0 n ar ^hs iner his rightful Subjects : Where they are under a Commonwealth they are Common-Subjec-b to the Secular Power ••> i.e, they owe Subjection to the Supream wealths, as Civil Magiltrate-, as to their perpetual honour, and to the good ex- J vas excellent-ample of all Chrifrendom, the MuhYious Republick of Venice ^^^yjcrttd both the proud Pope Paul the Fifth, and the flubborn Clergy of their by the vim-State to learn and acknowledg,GT/c$7«p of>Hv) out of fear of the Ma- toj sgainfr giftrates Power, when they would not (fid rtiv cm^fwiv) out of fenfe ?aul the $tiu of their own Duty. Against I leave this, a Prince may be confidired either with refpedr. to Subjects that,

Firfl, Are born Subjetls'to whom the Supream Magiftrate is Native Princes and Prince •, to whom they owe fealty, and allegiance, whether they have fhorn Sub;e6s Natu-it, or not: Their Oathftrengthens a former, but createth not their firlt p^uaj ^' obligation to Allegiance. This is coeval with their Perfons, and is Natural. Or,

Secondly, Princes may be confidered with refpeel to SubjeCfs that are Each may be fuch, occafwnally, and Pro tempore, as when either neceffary occaiiqns, Tooccafonally invite or call men into a forreign Princes Countreys, or when an aiBfc anc * tempo-trary choice out of curiofity, or the hke,bringeth men into a forreign J^t S a ^? Cr " jurifdiclion : The cafe of Merchants, Students, and Travellers. Hcnts and whileft they are in thofe Countreys, they are in Confcience bound by Travellers a-the julT known Laws of that Land > and if they tranfgrefs thofe Laws, broad -

to

to the forfeiture of State, Limb, or Life* the favour of the Prince may fave the Criminal; But there is no benefit of Clergy can exempt him from the Jurifdidtion of the Prince, or refcue him from the execu^ tionof the Law, by their Minifters of Juftice.

Fourth Term Sett.IV. The next thing to be explained is, How their Bodies are, explained, the faid to be, under Government of the Civil or Secular Trince. In fhort Perfonsof Ec- c heir Pcrfonsare

fubieft'toW Flr & Both liahle *°. Ane ^ Reftralnts > Imprifonments, and Coer-

ftraints of c * on > ^ there [hallbe ajulicaufe, orfufpicion of juft caufe.

Law. Secondly, And obnoxious to the fentence of the J t aw, according to the

Sentence of nature of their offence, jo as either to lofe Life, or Limb, or fufTer by

^r^rrfmps Stri P es , 0r Stigmatizing, or Exile, or lofs of Liberty, or any like

* corporal Penalty.

Common fer- 'thirdly, What perfonal (ervices the community of the lay-Subjeds

vices for pub- z ?z bound to do for their Cpuntrey and their Prince, the Clergy are

lick good in b ounc J t0 ^ though ufually exempt from it through the favour of their extream exi- ^ . . i • /r* .1 j V k • « •

^encfcs. Prm.ce .) and in an urgent necellity, on the command or their Prince,

they may be obliged \ and ought to afford their Ailiitance. ( As in czie of an Invafion to Arm, or in an affault of a City to defend it, or in the danger of his Prince's Perfon to refcue him with the Labour,. Courage, and Hazard of his own Life) That Clergy-man, who in a florin would not obey the Pilots order, and take his turn at the Pump^ to fave the Veffel, and Goods, with his own Life and the Life of others» were as unworthy of a room in the Ship, as other lading, that is call over-board to prevent a danger, from its weight.

'rh Terra Sett, V. TbeEAates of the Clergy^ are next to be confidered, and.

explained, E- tnat ; n divers refpedb.

faites of Cler- n r f^ "their inheritances from their Fathers, do not by the Sons being a hereditary CUrgyVUn, become free from the common burthens, which. Authority lay-Subjects as o- eth on the Publick or generality of the Subjects for defraying publick therinheri- charges.

* ance , s .". Secondly, The Lands andEfiates of their preferments of what fort (b-

charseable Cver 5 are ' m u ke manner chargeable, if the Magiflrate judgeth it neceffary for"publick and equal: And in fuch cafe they ought to obey as readily as other men, good. when their Prince with advice and confent of fuch Counfel as can duely.

impofe it on others, have impofed it on them. Social may be Thirdly, The Ejlatcs of EcclefiajUcal Societies are under the Govern-limited, tax- ment of the Secular Authority, as well as the Eftates of Lay-Societies cd, regulated. anc { Corporations, to limit their increaie by gifts, as by our Statute of Eenencianes ^j ortma j n : j 0 enquire and compel them, to imploy them to the uf> (bended or &bipb they were given, as by commiifion of charitable ufes. deprived on Fourthly, The Ejiates of Clergy-men which are [beneficia &c.) given as

male-admini- encouragement to them,and reward of their labour 3 and duties difcharged » ftration. ar *

I

Serm. III. rightful SnbjeEts to the Tope* «49

are fo tinder the Civil Magiftrate's Government, that be may ejett and remove the negligent, and incorrigible male-adminiftrators in that Office, as in other cafes of male-adminiltration. Though it may be moll convenient to do this by Clergy-men, as Co-adjutors in the procefs; yet the Authoritative determination deriveth it felf from the fupreme Ma-giftrate, who as He judgeth the Offender unworthy of the Truft of fuch an Office, fo may difpoiTefs him of the Beneiit and Eftate belonging to it.

Fifthly, The Ejlates fo fallen from the one, may by the Power which juftly s ucn £ft aces took them away, he adjudged to another, who may better difcharge the may be con-Office, and dejerve the Benefice. And in this cafe the Clergy-man mull fared ono-be fubjed, though poifibly an error may be in the judgment paffed, ? e [j S j V r° and no legal way be left for his relief-) as fell out in the deprivation of cnar t ~ ne the Proteitant Minifters by Queen Mary. truft.

Sixthly, The Eflates of Clergy-men are forfeitable on crimes of high na- Eftates of ture, as well as other mens Ejlates. Treafon, of which ( with or with- Clergy-men, out leave from Rome, I fay J a Clergy-man may be guilty, will forfeit G °ther m n T his eftate, and the Prince may ( on conviction at leaft ) feize it.

St&. 6. I come to the laft Term to be opened, Are under their Go- Sixth Term vemment'j where I do remind you, that we fpeak^ now of matter ^/opened under Right, not of matter of Faft feparate from Right: Their Perfons, and f/ > ^ nme ? t ' Eftates, ought to be under the Government of the fecular Prince, asnotWy/Lfft? their Rightful Lord and Governour. Now Government,

Firff, Is for Protection and defence: Governours are fhields of the Protection of Earth, and Heirs of reftraint, a praife to them that do well, and they Government, watch over their people as Sheepherds : whence the Poet rightly called Clergy impor* his Prince iroi[M9a,\ctav: And here, in this part, none do with fuch c j a ^ ey importunate clamors, and immodeft injunctions expeel: a (hare, as the dilloyal Shavelins > as if the fecular Arm were framed to the Body-Po- *; Gre in shave-litick, only to defend thePeifons and Eftates of Ecclefiafticks, and to^ s d *£ e im " offend all others.

Secondly, Is Directive > and this, fome of them will indeed allow Directive Go-the fecular Magiftrate over the Clergy } but ere the Magiftrate can get vernmental-clear of them with this fmall allowance of his right, it fares with him J° w d by as they fay, it doth with thofe who receive money of Witches, or this allowance the Devil, when they come to ufe it, 'tis vanifht or turned into wither- vani/neth ed leaves. For, when to be

Thirdly, The Coercive Power of the Civil Magiftrate in Governing ^ xer .^ fe£ f over them, they with more Wit than good manners, or dutifulnefs, endea- coercive^Go' vourtowreftfrom the Magiftrate', and when he hath parted with the vernment,this Power of punifhing the ill-natur'd difobedience of the Clergy, he muft the Popifti content himfelf with fuch ameafure of obfervance, as may no whit in- cle rgy reject, fringe the Clergie's Immunities, and Rights of Holy-mother, which you may be allured their difcretion will make lefs, than their good

H Na-

Directive Nature would feem to allow : Indeed a Directive Power without Co-ercivePower erc i ve ? ls an Engine to pull down the honour of a Prince, and to ex-an Engine to a ^ the (tubborn humour of every Male-contented Subject, a fit Project debafe Sove- for Rome } and fome brain-lick Millenarie, who in his hot ntdreameth rcignty. of a Crown for himfelf on Earth. But our Thefts intends to Subject

the Clergy of Rome ( for our own, they readily acknowledg it, and live ) in a fubjection to the directive Government of the Chriftian Magistrate, as the Rule of their Duty, -and to the Coercive Government as the juit Rule of punifhment for neglect of their duties. Civil Govern- Fourthly, Where the Government fecular is not Chriftian, yet in all juft ra en £ though ay ,J lawful commands, the Clergy is fubjetl to the Directive Power of U% hath both a ' anc ^ in comm ^ n ^ s un)i$ and unlawful, their Perfons and Elates are under Power Direct- the Coercive Power, though it mould be exercifed to the highefi degree of ive and Coer- Perfection: And I do not remember befide Prayers, Supplications, ewe over the patience, and Tears, any remedy left them for the la(t relief, but an ergy# honeft, peaceable and juftiriable flight from their rage, and crueltyv

I added this over and above, feeing our Ihefis fpeaksof Objection to The Summary Princes, who are fuppofed Chriftians^ and not Heathens. Summarily jf t th ? The ^ s then the Clergy, who by the Pope and his Law are exempt from the jurifdiction of the fecular Prince in all cafes, arefo far from a due.and rightful claim to fuch exemption, that in all cafes Civil and Criminal, and EcclefiafHcal, they are both as to their Perfons and Eftates, fubject to the Directive and Coercive Power of the Secular Prince, be he a Chriftian, or Heathen Magiftrate > in fo much, that the Clergy owe him an Active obedience in the due andlawfuiexercife of his Directive Power : and in the undue exercife thereof, the Clergy as others owe him a Pailive obedience, and-neither may reliit by force, or appeal from him to a Forreigner, to evade or null his Coercive Power.

The ftate of the Pofition thus laid down, I come to the fecond thing 2. General propofed. viz. To prove that the Clergy are fubject to the. Secular Thefoproved. Prince, &c. And fo

St. Paul knew i. Firlt, I argue from tbelext, a Majore ad Minus *, St. Pdul was a K ,°^ e> ^ Qr Clergyman, fitter to be truftedwith fnch an exemption from obedience t& fuch exempt *^ e ^ fm ^ at Trine?, than any of our Prefent Clergy:. And if any fuch Pri-tion,therefore viledg had been given by Chrift, or had been inherent in the Office, there was he would have known it, claimed it, and flood on it > But St. Paul none for him. knew none fuch, flood not upon any fuch Priviledg : Therefore furely there is none fuch inherent in the Clergy, or annexed to the Clergy* Rom. 1.1. & i think there is not much doubt to be made, whether i. He were a Clergy-man, who had his commiffion from God and Chrift, without the ceremonies with which men do ordain to that Office. Or 2. Whe-Afts 2$. 25,8: ther he were concerned to plead his Priviledg if he had any * for it was" & 26. pi. a ^ a f e t ^ at toucht his Life, wherein he now.was engaged. Or 3. Whe^ ther he might heboid on account of his Innocency to claim his Priviledg, flnce his judges determined be had done nothing worthy of Death

01

or of Bonds, Afr. 26.51. Had one of our Roman Priefts been thus A-fdme quefti-feized, imprifoned, impleaded, and endangered •, wefliould foonhave oncl whether heard him, excepting to the jurifdiclionof the Court, and appealing ^j" e a yf^ar of from an Incompetent Judg, and (huffling off the Procefs with irrpor- $ t p ettrj be a tunate clamours, that he was a Spiritual Man, and not to be call'd to breach of Al-account by a Temporal Power. But here you find nothing of fuch ankg iancc t0 a appeal, which cannot be imputed to the Nefcience of the Apoftle who p^j£"? but was infpired by the Infallible Spirit: He would have known it if there f ocn [ c [ w m^ had been any fuch exemption, nor may it with colour of Reafon be (aid. amRufitt know-he would not make ufc of his Priviledg, and that he did relax of his wna t he ™uft Right. * For 1. This would be fuppofed agaiefl all Reafon, 1. Hisjf 1 ^ 0 ^^ Lite was then in que/Hon. 2. He was a Man would make ufe of his magc t0 H> 2# Priviledges, as when he pleaded himfelf a Roman, 3. He (hould have & bore it out aflerted his Priviledg, that hem his teilimony, fu-cceeding E ecleila flick sop *e Autho-might firmly prove theirs, though he could not have gotten clear oi r "J ^ urbax their hands. 4. His filence in the Cafe hath done the Church m-nch c jj 0 f Rome . wrong, which date the Immunities, fome Centuries later than Paul's and of Vaf-time. 5. Whereas, Had he been as Zealous, and Wife as our Roman ckal$. then P. Pricfts now are ; He had been more faithful to his Trull, and we had ™" *"&'** more clearly proved our Right. Farther yet, 6. It feemeth little fto rt / w "and'his of a culpable dillimulation, that he (hould count, or profefs to coum inflexible op-himfelf happy that he was to anfwer before a Secular Prince. Nothing portion to hj can be imagined more unbefeeming him who was fet for the defence of 2 who pro-theGofpel, than fuch tame and foft Cowardifeas he was guilty of on ^ wasK* the fuppolltion of thefe pretended exempts. No, St. Paul wot Id ne Native Lord vet have betrayed the Preachers of the Gofpel, and the Religious in and Sovereign all ages fucceedings but have at leaft owned his Right to the Privikd; Mantis on re-( if there had been any fuch, ) before Feftuf, who was under the Ro- *E*. ^vitnefs manCffar, Governour of Judea; and fo Judg in Paul's Cafe, though tu de and^re-Agrippa was but an honourable Auditor. hellions hu-

moar agjinfl: his Prince and Eenefactor,who found Tho. Becfyt moft refolute to exempt the Clergy,though guilty of Murthers, from the judgment of the Secular Prince ; that he might preferve the ufurped Priviledges of the Church, when Reafon, Law, and Gods own Word required jull execution on fuch crimes proved againft the Clergy.

And of later years, the like bred a quarrel betwixt the Serene Republick of Venice, and Paid the fifth.

* It is Bellaminfs Evafion, and Suart\ approves it, qui dicit Vanhm non jure fed facto Ctfarem *ppelia{fe.-~-Nam jurifditfiene exemprn em utiq; jnre divino fed quia alia ratiouc nonpotirat inhnicorun: i*» fidias Evil are.

I conclude therefore this Argument, the Clergy of this prefent Age, .and of Ages paft are as much under the Secular Government as was St, Paul; But he was fo much under it, that he accounted himfelf happy, that he might have a candid hearing before the Secular Power, and could find no Priviledg to exempt himfelf: Therefore neither have our prefent Clergy any fuch Priviledg of exemption, and flumld-acknow-

H 2 ledg

ledg it a happinefs to defend a juft caufe before an Impartial Judg, and no wrong to be adjudged to a deferved correction for any crime condemned by the righteous Laws of their Sovereign Prince.

2. What was juft and right, and ought to be owned by St. Paul a Clergy-man in the point of fubjection to the Secular Power, that is juft right,6c ought to be owned in the point of fubjedtion to the Secular Authority now by the Clergy.This Propoiition I think will need no proof and if it (hould we (hall meet with due place for it.But S.PW owned this *Riftei\ibunil Subjection as what was juft, right, and which ought to be. Now this c<efms vacat Propoiition is almoft in exprefs terms in that, Att. 25.10. Ifland before quod Procure- C£farsjudgment-feat*$ (Which Phrafe comprehendeth the whole mat--tor habebat no- t er of his Subjection) where I ought to be judged, which paiTage exclu-'dtflTtflrts' ^ et ^ an y j"ft exception*, I ft and at Ctfars judgment feat; defatto, he Grot, in loc. WM now before the Supream Authority Civil*, and left any (hould fur-*As Bcllarmine mife that he did tacitely repine at it, or that we argue a fatto ad jus ; It and Suin^frc. is added by Saint Paul, Where I ought to be judged. I know fome (ay that

fion^whoare St * Paul ^ n0t this as w ^ at waS °^ right t0 ^ e e ' but wIiat was by Profeflion then moft fafe to be done, and becaufe he could not otherwife efcape

and would the hands of the Jews'^To which I Anfwer,

gladly be in

Pra&ice fons of Belial, i.e. without a Superiour) affirm Paulum von jure fed fafto Martm ap^

*•</'#..

(1.) That the word (f"j may in fome places be fo taken to denote

what muft in a cafe be done, without refpedt to duenefs and right •, but

from this it may be fo taken [to the Jefuits,M#/r' be fo takgn\ is too weak

an inference.

ff*' 1 1'1 ?' (2) The Greek «N* in the New Teftament doth in moft places denote

$hv! and €A " t,iat wn ' lcn 0L1 g nt ex debito, jtijhqne ordine, to be done, and fo the Mu(l

Mat.'18. 53. is a Moral Afar/rrefjlting from the duene(sof the thing, and that this is

vutilto £ ffi fo the places cited in. the Margent will prove. And yet farther we fay,

Mat. 23. 23. TetvTet '4£h ircwfcu'-, and fo cap. 24. 6. & 2$. 26. and five times in St.Marfc And St. Lu^e whofe phrafe is moft near the pure Greeks doph ufe it Nineteen times, of which I think not one but requireth, or beft beareth the Interpretation, juxta dibitum & ex jure. And when he ufeth it in the Afts,o( 24, or 25 places, fcarce two will bear other fenfe than what comports with the duenefs of Office, or comelinefs of order,or fuch like iffuing into a Moral Muft, which is the fame with Duty, and which is rightly expreft by we ought.

1 Cor. 8. 2. (^) Since St.TauJ is moft competent Judg of his own.meaning,we'l

scNk }y v ®*i view how he doth ordinarily rake this <T& Rom. 1. 27. Receiving-

<vvuya.t. recompenje of their errour (tiP J«j which was meet, z.f.juit and due

1 Cor. 15. 25. to them. And Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray for as we ought y

£h yet? du- &<*3-' 0 «T«. And Rom. 12.3. I fay to every man not to thinly

1w fan'

Mvhv '^nd"2 Cor.2.3. dqfav %^h ^\ yjupav ;andc.$.io. S/Jui< <t>&M$ct)§nmi $£; and Ephef. 6. 20. a>{ (T« pts hahtiffeLt. So Col. 4. 4. and 1 Thef. 4. 1. nus cP« tpZ$ mexTrd^Hv. And in his Epiftlcs to Timothy, to Titw, and to the Hebrews, he ftill fo ufeth the word f£ of which we aaw do treat.

r \*

I

f«-*£ 0 J^ ) above what he ought , &c. And fo in other his Epiftles his 7J <f wr, or his M*/* is what is right and ought,** debito & jujio return ordine not what muft of neceflity be done. And this had fo patted in the Text if it had not been To much againft the Priviledg of thefe Roman Clergy, who cannot now bear the plain and literal meaning of this Word of God,becaufe they will not keep in the place to which the Word ofGodaffignedthem.

(4) The Apoftle could not without fin of a high nature according

to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome thus appeal to a Secular Judg ; So Tafebal

and now think with your felves whether to gratifie the Jefuits and chargeth King

Clergv of Rome we (hall make the Apoftle guilty in fo high a nature, ^^S^j^

and tranfgreiling his own rule, by doing evil that good may come of that he gav ' e

it j the judgment for which fin flumbers not. not honour to

St. Peter, nor to the Lord, becaufe no Appeals came to Rome, i.e. Pope. Tho. Bec^et by way of Penance fufpen-ded himfelf from Prieltly function for confenting once that Priefts ftiould be tried by Secular Power for Robberies, Murthers, &c. And he calls the Royal Decrees of the King and Parliament at ClmndonJEoi trying fuch crimes of the Clergy,wicked devices, Baron, ad. Ann. 1167. Seot.26.

(5) So by this Glofs we (hall fairly make every refolute (not to call

them obftinate) Prieft that refufed to own the Supream Power of his Such a Sainc Soveraign Prince, and chofe rather to die condemned according to and Martyr juft Laws againft Traytors,. and fo died a flout and brave Martyr for was rho.Bec^a the Truth and the Church', When Paul through weaknefs of courage, in difpoiltioa or crafty drifts betrays the juft Rights of the Church, which afperfion ^o^ghrpitv you do as much abhor I know as becomes good Chriftians. Let them 'twas) he ne-for ever remain Traytors to their Prince, who avow Appeals from him ver was to an alien pretended Superiour j St. Paul would not out of defign do brought to k-it, he was too honeft, he knew he could not of right do fo, though p 1 trial for hisPerfonand Caufe were Ecclefiaftical, his Supream Secular Prince ble ^raftices ought have the hearing of it, Ifiand (faith he; at Ctfars Judgment- SucJl w feat where I ought to be judged. Exmew , Mid-

dlemere, and Nidigatt executed for denying the Supremacy in Hen.2. time,and Bifhop Fi[her,and alfo Sir Thomas Moor, with many others, who facrinced their lives for a forreign ufurper againft their Natural

Prince.

•

(6) Laftly, what-evcr weaknefs or obfeurity may be in my arguing from the Text, yet I am fure the Text doth more plainly and more irrefragably aiTert C£fars Jurifdidtion over this eminent Ecclefiaftick than all the TextsjDroduced to that end do prove the exemption of the Clergy from the Civil Magiftrates Judgment, or their Subjection to the Pope. I cannot renounce common fenfe at fo eafie a rate as to fay Chrift faid thrice to Peter, feed, &c. therefore the Pope is the Supream Judg of Ecclefiaftick Perfons and Caufes in the whole Churchy or if I wete fo eaiie an Arguer I mould through the frailty of clear

fenfe

fenfemore readily make this Heretical Conclufion, All Clergy-men in-feriour to Saint Paul ought to own their Subjection to the Civil Authority without appeal rrom the Supream Power of their Prince*, be-cauie St. Paul owned it his duty, and C^fars right by that Confeifion, I ft and before C ^fars Judgment-feat where I ought to be judged. If the Ro-tnanijh be of his opinion, who when he was told that it was the Do-dtrine of St. Paul, which was afferted in oppofition to his Tenet, made a quick reply, I am not of Pauls mind, I (hall not take my felf bound to reconcile them to his opinionuf we cannot have their company here-in, we fhall not much want it whileft we have fuch good company as St. Paul and Czfar. In next place,

Thirdly, 1 argue Clergy-men, Bodies and Eftates are as other Sub-

Sm d Scr?p°- ^ S Unc * er " le Government of the Secular Prince ; Thus, Ihey who are mrc included in the Community^ on whom the Word of God chargeth SubjetHoa

to Princes as a duty^ are under the Government ef the Prince. None can doubt this who doubt not that all is duty which the Divine Law chargeth on us in our places. But now the Clergy are included in the Community , which is apparent by that univerfal Propofition of the Apoftle in Rom. 13. 1. Let every foul be jubjeft to the higher Powers. It isnowex-ArgHtiiis quam ploded f though pretending to Origen as to the Author; that this is »t^'Mod meant °7 tiie Animal, not Spiritual man, i.e. the Clergy-man. Time ' J • ' was when fuch a glofs patted current with fome whofe Intereft it

was the Scripture fhould be elided , rather than plain duty under-ftood \ and theafpiring ambition of Papal Clergy nipt in the bud. Now . it is clear, that the Apoftle retaineth the Hebrew Dialed, Every foul, i.e.

dixit*proTmni ever ^ man ' ^° tiiat e * tner our P a P a ^ Clergy muft difclaim their kindred homine. Erafm. with Mankind , or elfe with their whole Family be fubjeft to the unufaHijque. Prince, Vatablus. Omuls anlma pro qmvis bamhe. -In utroque Tefiamento, Gen.14.21. Give me the Perfons. Angl. Donne moi lis Perfonnes, Gall Ao* fioi t6v< "Av<P&{. The Seventy-two fo rendring the Heb. ilJBZn ^*? \T\ 'Animas Perforins inteliigit & homines capthos. In the fenfe $23 is taken, Gen. 46. i$j 18, 22, 2$, 26, & 27. Exed. 1. $.■ Chap.-12.4. chap. 15. 19. Lev.$,2. & 20.6. Numb. 1$. 25, 2<5. And many . other places roo long to be cited out of the Old Teflament, in imitation whereof the New Tenement fo fgeaketh; ^#.2.41.^43. chap. 3. 23. chap. 7. 14, chap. 2^. 37. Rom. 2. 9. iFeter

The Perfons of the Clergy are comprifed in that (*£** 4w) k* every foul; their Eftates in the 6. ve rf Render ^tribute to whom tribute it due. And that you may know to whom Tribute is due, the Apoftle telleth you, it is tohim that beareth the Sword, who hath Power •Civil, and Secular, verj.$.

Neither would I advile Boniface to thru ft in here fwaggering with his two Swordsj for here is not room for him, the place is dellgned for one who hath but one Sword, and who came honeftly by it, and can give a good account thereof as he is the Minitter of God, a terrour to *hofe that do evil, and revenger to execute wrath, not to excommunicate

Serffl. 111. Rightful SuhjeUs to the Tope. $ 5

nicatc. In a word this place doth fo peremptorily fubjed all Perfons to the Civil Power, that I muft needs though fomewhat related to the Qlergy, profefs the Text makes equal Subjection our duty ^ and gratitude to the favour of our Prince maketh our Exemptions (whatever they arcj at once our Priviledges above our Neighbours > and our debts to our Prince.

Fourthly, The ApoftleS*. Paul diretteth Titus to peach Obedience and ? oun \ x scrlp-Subjecffion due to Principalities and Magiftrates from Chriftians with- ture Proof. out any exctptim of'Perfons. Tit. 3.1. Nay,if you enquire who they are that Titm mitftput in mind to be fobjett, you cannot refer it to other than fuck perfons as by St./^//direction were committed to h'vs care and teach-/ag.among which you will cap.i.tind the Clergy-Elders^ver.^^ffi^Tvi^h andBiJhops, ver.6. iwicKQirct* Thefe are fome of thofe whom Titus muft put in mind to obey Magiftrates., How. much doth the Papal Clergy need fuch a Monitor to cool their fervours to their Ecclefiaftical Immunities, and to kindle their decayed zeal for Obedience to the Civil Powers. Whence I thus reafbn, Thofe that Titm is commanded to mind of their Obedience to Magiftrates, were of right under the Government of the Magiftrate •,. But Presbyters and Bifhops, i.e. Clergy-men were fome of thofe who were to be fo minded by him : Therefore they ajre of Right under the Government of the Civil Magiftrate. This is the Theopolitua of St. PanL But left you fhould doubt he had not good will enough to the SuccelTors and Clients of St. Peter, out of an old quarrel that fell out between him and St. Pf/er,when the Doctor of the Gentiles was fo bold with the Prince of Apoftles,that he did charge him with dillimulation, a very fmall and d warfifh fault in St. Peter, and hugely improved in his SuccefTors. Who knows whether a fpice of this old grudg were not ftrew'd on the injunctions of Obedience, and Snbjeclion to the Civil Power? But what was St. Peters opinion in the cafe >

Fifthly, St. Peter then in Epift. 1. chap.2. 13, 14, 1^,16 -verfes, doth FiftruScripture very-unluckily for his SuccefTors and their Clergy fall into the.fame Proof., drain of Subjecting the Clergy as well as others', for he doth without exception require of all Chriftians that they fuhmit them fives \ i.e. their Perfons, and by confequence their. Eftates, to every Ordinance of Man, whether to the King, &c. How unhappily forgetful washe of his Vicar 1 not one word of him and his Supremacy but all referved intire to the King, and Inferiour Magiftrates fent.by the King, .to whom all Chriftians within his Dominions are to fubmit themfelvc:s..

But in thofe days Chriftians were under Perfection, and it would not have been prudence to have publifhed their Paviledges, and to have exempted the Clergv, It feems Rome hath long underftood by -unwritten Verities and Apoftolical Tradirionviuc fAer thought one , thing, and wrote another. But the. fpite is, he.doth Cathedra, deter--oaice this wheie eeitainly^ he is. Infallible i iince hu SuccefTors in after- -

ages claim the Infallible Priviledg in vertue of that firft Grant made to Peters who in practice did once what his SucceiTors do very often without impair of their Infallibility err (in genere morum) as to practice, but cannot in Doctrine. Well, fure Peter did thus direct pru-dentially, and temporifing ! not fb, his Reafons do as it falls out ak fure us he did own it as a perpetual Doctrine and Rule i fori. It is for the Lords fake, hetf.ify And this farther, 2. is the will of the Lord •, and 3. that by fo doing they might ftop the mouths of the foo-lifh and ignorant; who among the Heathens were ready to charge the Christians without any ground given, with that, which on juft reafons from the feditious and rebellious practices of well-nigh a thoufand years contefting with the Civil Supream Power, Rome hath given the foolifh Hereticks to object againft them, but in the words of Royal mouth, Their Faith id fatlion, and their Religion Rebellion. Sixth Scrip- Now to all thefe add we in the fixth place this Scripture-Argument', That the Clergy whether ordinary Priefts, or the High-Priefts, or Prophets, once were and that (]urc) of right fubjett to the Government of the Secular Power ,and were bound to appear and give account of tb emfelves to the Civil Power in cafe they were accufed and fummoned. So when Ahimelech and the Prieits that dwelt at Nob were accufed and fummoned to give account of themfelves, and what they had done for David ; they obey and appear before Saul their King, 1 Sam. 22. 11. Who indeed did as cruelly and tyrannically adjudg them to death as they had dutifully and readily obey'd his Summons. But now fure if there had been any Priviledg of exemption, fome one or other among thofe fourfcore and five Priefts would have known it, and pleaded it before they had been (b unmercifully Butchered •, but here is not one word of all this, no exception to the Judg as incompetent, no deprivation, and degradation from the Priefthood, in order to reduce them to the Secular and Lay-•flate: No delivering them by the Ecclefiaftick State into the hands of the Secular Power •, in which and fuch like formalities the Romijh Prieft Cifatany time he be fo unbefriended and unhappy) is ftript of his Clerical Immunities, and delivered over to the Civil Sword. It is a Riddle Rome will hardly unfold with dexterity, that Eighty-five Priefts mould have neither knowledg of fuch a Priviledg, nor courage to plead it for faving their life. I need not advifea Seminary Prieft apprehended and in danger of condemnation, tofeek a Precedent at Nob, he knows he (hall lofe his labour', it is Rome only that (haves the head, and then as facred forbids Kings to meddle with it. Yet left the Tyranny oiSaul whom the Scripture notes for this, or the meannefs of the fufferers mould any whit invalidate the inftance,let us lock a little lower where we find Abiatbar deprived of thePrieftly Office by Solomon, 1 King. 2. 2<5, 27. Who commanded that he fhould get him to Anathoth, ver.2d. and thmfl him from being Prieft before the Lord, vcr. 27. The chief Priefts a-

mong

mong the Hebrews as they were put in by the Kings, fo for grievras faults

they mig-ht be put out, or punifht with death by the Kin^s, fir they were ^^^^' ty -

Subjecls, and while the King fat the High Pricjl flood. So Grotim on the ^ 4™ »

place. gibus inftotnt-

bxntar •, iti

ab iifdem gravi ex culpa, deftitui imo & nmte punhi pctsrmt. Erant mm (ibditi idioq-, jedenie Rege ftabat fimmus Sicerdos : Hug. Grot, in loc. SoGrotim took it for granted that Ahimeitch was High-Prieft, to whom Sado^ fucceeded High-Pried, i chron. 29.22.

Now the Cafe is altered at Rome, and hath been long fince. Abiathar came and (on his appearance) received fentence of Judgment from his An.Dom.583. Sotferaign : But Sergiut the firfl was of a more unyielding mettal, and though the Emperour Juftinian the J econd fcnt fox him to Constantinople, to anfwer for his Difobedience to his Soveraign, who required him to receive the Canons of the Council of Trulh; yet this Pope found Partisans among his fellow-Subjects, who had lefs manners than to obey their Emperour, and more love to the Pope than to let him take fo dangerous a Journey, and he good man would not be fo unkind as to go a- zacharias Pro-gainft the will of thofe who offered violence to the extraordinary Pur- to spatharw* fuivant that fummoncd him. Nay men of lefs Authority have taken on them to refufe Obedience to the Summons of their Soveraign. Thus Anno n^* Thomas Bechgt though a greater Saint than Sergiw, yet of a lower rank £* * ere a " in Power refufed to appear before King Henry II. and his Council of Anno ' II02t Nobles at Notrhampton. Nor was Anfelrns carriage much more dutiful to his Soveraign King Henry I. to whom he refu fed to do Homage as was required and had been performed by his PredeceiTors.

By thefe Inftances it appears that both ordinary Priefts, nay the High-Prieft himfelf among the Jtvps, were under the coercive Government of the Kings of Ifrael, whofe Authority the Prophets, though by extraordinary call they may with reafon be thought in fome refped: above the High-Prieft, fubmitted unto without appeal to a Superiour. or exception to the incompetency of their Judgment. So did the Prophet fubmit to Afa, 2 Chron. 16. 10. and patiently did bear the hafty judgment of his angry Soveraign *, no noife here of an appeal, no mention made of Immunities, of his Office, or Priviledg of the Clergy. The Seer doth not f what once the Servant of Philip the Macedonian King did) appeal from Afa a good King in a bad humour, to Afa a better Judg in a good humour. How would an Anfelm, a Beckgt, a Brandelino Valdemarino,ot Scipio Saraceno have huft and he&or'd his Prince for fuch ufage as Ha-nani from Aja, or Jeremiah from Zedekiah and his Princes, 7^.38.5,6. found. But thofe great Clerks (To let me call the Prophets.) pretended to no fuch exemption in thofe days, and yet Jeremiah had fo ample commiffion that the Pope defireth no more to be granted him of Kings and Princes.and thinks this enough to fet him above them all whileft he offers a violence to that Text, (Jer. i.ie. I have fet thee over the Nations, and over the Kingdoms of the Earth.) Great as the violence he offers

I to

to the Emperours Crown and Sovereign Dignity. But it admits a plea whether to his excufe in part or to his greater (name, let the Impartial Judg without violence to both the Text and Frinces, he had loft his longing, for neither do freely grant the Popes that Supremacy they mull have, or they mifcarry, though I think it was not the denial here-Tope Join, ^ of was the caufe of the mifcarriage of the Female Pope S though both *7 NT SCa f d mocncr aRC * k rat too CI <^o jguefs, for I find not a word of this Popes aftorVavow'd Nieces or Nephews) died in the Child-bearing: Yet be it or better or by mere than-worfe for our own Clergy, or the fhavelings of Kome\ the Secular Au-6€cy Authors thority did once govern the Clergy in the Church of the Jews \ and. of the Popiih or Ji nar y Priefts, the High-Prieft and Prophets themfelves fubmitted Dr.'p^SlJJJ to it> whence our obedient and learned Clergy have example to their and BhndiU dutifulnefs, and the Papal Clergy a reproof of their diiloyalty *, and witnefs. our Thefts hath a good evidence of its truth *, which I (hall now endea-

vour to prove by Come farther Reafons ( though I think enough to make out the truth hath been already delivered)perhaps Reafon may convince, fome who are not willing to fee the truth in Scripture-precedents.

Reaf, i. The Clergy are fubjed: to the Government Secular^ or elfe one.of thefe two things will follow, viz.

i. Either each Clergy-man it a Soveraign, and under no Law and Go-. ffoiwSirnis vernment, which no fober man ever yet dreamt of for this were, to make . that a com- every.of them a God, or a King: Orelfe ? mon Prieft is as much better than a King, as a Man is better than a Bead. Chimarz p.^7. a.

2. That they are by a Subordination of Perfons of their own profejfion, Subjetls and Vaffals to a Supream Ecclefiaftical Independent, or abfolute Power without, or above, or againft the Civil Power-■> which as no Loyal heart would, wiuh, fo no Royal Crowned head fhould endure } .for fuch confederations as I (hall now offer to the Readers confideration.

1. This were to ma\e either a native fubjeel equal to his Soveraign Prince, or to render, a considerable body of bis People Subjects to aforreigner j which appears thus: If the body of the Clergy fand the orders of the prefeffed Religious) be only fubject and under the fole Government of one of their own ProfelGcn > and whoever is a native this perfon is,and hisSucceffors will bef when advanced to the Supremacy and Ecclefiaftical Sovereignty.) fet up in.a power Independent on his Prince, and uncon-troulable by his Prince, and fo of a fubjedt be made a Soveraign over the Clergy, whofe obedience will be withdrawn from the Prince to the Ecclefiaftical head, and Supream ;. or,If this Perfon, who is fuppofed Ecclefiaftical Soveraign, and who ought to govern ihe Religious and the Clergy, be a forreigner, then he that by birth and blood is a Granger to the Prince becomes by this means the Lord and Soveraign over

the

the whole body of the Clergy and Religious,which in many Countrys is *n Ergiand I no fmall part of the people, S6»3

third Priefts Religious', Ring James obferves it in his Apology, ttnum Gallia Kegnum habit ultra, 300000. howi-Kummilliaquafub obtentu cliricattis, monacbams, [iwftionifaue Ecclefiajlica jugum Regis txeujfi runt. P.Molin. De Monach. Temp. Pontif. Roman, c. 18.

2. This would leffen all the Princes and Sovereigns of the world in. three things effential to the very being and ft ability, as well as to the Glory and Grandeur of their Kingly Thrsnes and Majefty •, It would lefTcn their Free* dam and liberty in making Laws for their whole Kingdom, and ere they can rcfolve on that Ordinance which they do apprehend will be for univerfal good of their Kingdom, they muft enquire of the Ecclef^ aftkal Exempts whether fuch a Law would not violate the Ecclefiafli-cal liberty, and ask them leave to make it, or elfe they (hall be taught as Anfelm and Beckft would teach their Soveraigns, or as Faul the fifth taught the Duke of Savoy, and the State of Genoua, and would fain have taught the State of Venice, but they proved itubborn Scholars, and enforced that prefuming tutor to forgo the Lecture.

Next it would lejfen their Authority in commanding obedience to Laws made^tht Exempt Clergy would undoubtedly firlt coni1der,whcther the Obedience required were not an infraction of their Immunities/and how far it intrenched on the liberty of the Church,and when this is brought to an ilTue who does not fee that the General priviledge pretended untie th the (Vinculum necejfarig & debit* obfervantix) bond of a neceiTa-ry Obedience which is due of Right to the Magifirate, and leaves the Exempt to the free determination, whether of good nature and volun- ~ mntu w. •_ tary choice he will comply with his Prince, or whether Prudence will 'cidligatim not rather determine to (ecure their pretended P»viledg,and deny ihttnm coattivk to their Prince, which fthey pretend J he hath no right to command. At fid diruiha.. mod by this means Obedience which by God and Nature is made the ^™2 r ? 1, ^ Prince his due, and the Clergy-mans debts is by a fraudulent pretext xit^oft^the ' reduced to an uncertain and arbitrary benevolence. Here hence will third par of enfue, The lejjening of the Power which Jhould execute Laws made, and their Subjects

be. All this I have faid is evident from an undeniable inftance oflivipgs,K./<M». Paul <$tb. who better informed, or bolder refolved, told the Venetians EpiO:. to Vru He would not endure them to judg Ecclefiaftical Perfons who are not Subje&s t/^Qrv o? the unto Princes, and whom they cannot chajiife though they be Rebellious. By (Wrrds he-

this Piinces may fee how little Power that Indulgent Father the Pope twe«.n V.P.$tb

and VenitianSy Anno \6c$. Vxiil $th. envying the Soveraign Authority that was given to the Vemthis by God, Nature, and the liberality of Emperours and Popes, as foon as he had afumed the Papacy he began to fearch out for ways to fubvert it. U Cardinal. part,2. lib.i, pag.127.

I 2 would

go Mttgs dftd Emperburs, not Serm. III.

would leave in their hands, who in Criminal cafes of higheft nature will fo boldly deny them all power t© judg Ecclefiafticks. Certainly by the fame juftice he taketh away power of judging by Laws Civil, he will alfo (when timeferveth, and with equal rightj deny them a power to make Law? to regulate the Obedience of the Ecclefiafticks,or if there be fome daring Prince will venture to make the Law, the Pope, or who-ever fhall be fupposM the abfolute Severaign over the Clergy,, mall by the injured Clergy have timely notice to interpofe a Prohibition that the Obedience be not exacted, nor a non-Obedience to fuch Laws puniflit. And what will remain to fuch a Prince but a Title and Name, lefTened to fuch a degree, That he muft owe the Peace of his Kingdom, the Reverence of his Royal Dignity,the Safety of his Perfon, and the Succellion of his Posterity to the arbitrary will of every Clergy-man, or at leaft of the Ecclefiaftical Prince. .

2. Reaf They that are by the Word of God bound to pray for the Secular Prince as for a Soveraign under whofe Tower and Authority they do live and en)oy the quiet and profperity of their life, are certainly under the Government of the Secular Prince, both as to their Perfons or Bodies, and as to thtir Eftates or Goods, which have no fmall (hare in the peace and quiet that they fhould defire to enjoy. I think little doubt can be made of this Propofition, or any thing contained in it *, for it fpeaketh not of Prayers which (ex dehito Charitatvs) out of Chriftian charity we ought to make for all men, and fpecially for men in great Power who through a juft favour may much advantage the Church of God. But we fpeak of Prayers that are to be made for particular Rulers under whom we either were born, or by Gods over-ruling Providence are for prefent determined. Now the Scripture doth thus direcT, i 1im.2+1, 2. I exhort therefore f faith St. Paul) that firfi of all Supplications^ &;. be made for * ffa&KAxS, all men, for Kings, &c. * In which words you have a Canon of the &c * Sl e cut Im ~ Apoftle directing and commanding Timothy, and in him obliging Bi-mat^mandata mo P s t0 P ra Y ^ or a ^> ^ or Kings and all in tAuthority over us,that un-dare p<ejidib'M der their Government our life may be peaceable and quiet to our felves, fclibant, ita whileft our Perfons are defended from violence of the cruel, and our paulas m Ti- £ft a tes are defended from the injuries of opprefTbrs. Which certainly is Tadat Enifco- a benefit as we enjoy in the place of our abode, fo by the Government pis, Kug.Grot. of the place where we abide : And this feems to be comprifed in that in ioc. of (Eufebim * citing) Vionyfius, without ceafing we pray for your Kingdom

[■ Jer. 27.17, t fj at i t mJ y a yij e unfha'ken^ in the ftability whereof our affairs will a-

the^riS^fo bide ftable and fafe ' Now who feeS n0t that this needs muft be in tha fitbmit to the State or Kingdom where thofe live who are bound thus to Pray >

Government

of the King of Babylon,znd he enjoyns them to pray for the Government and Governors, c:2$.v.i: and *}th. So that put thefe together they make up the Proof that Clergy are bound to pray for the Civil Government as that they ought tofubmit their necks to.

* £/ wi*«V vVig Tntfitkfihiiat <xV]aj> o'Taf dfdMVTQ' ftctiAWi ) irfMX<>tM$* i

This -

This Text then requireth thofe that pray to look on thofe Kings and Magiftrates which in the Apoitles words are /2aV/A«* x} kvC&fyfi, for whom they pray, as Kings over them, as their Rulers, and fo con-fcquently they muft acknowledg themfelves the Ruled or Subjedfo,ac-cording to the rule,That Relates do mutually fuppofe each other. In a ^i aU [ e m . word or two that the Clergy muft pray for Kings, and for thofe that are tuo pmmt* in Authority,is certain enough from the comprehenfive words of the Text: But for what Kings, &c. if for forreign, how much more for their own ? If for their own then is it only that they may give good counfels, and by them direct the Clergy > This hath very little availed with refoluteand turbulent Clergy-men, and can as little contribute to quieting the life of the difturbed as it can reftrain, punifli, and by coercive Power chaftife the difturbers, which if it be (by an ill chance as often it hath been) found to proceed from the Clergy, alas the Prince is left helplefs, and the Laity is left hopelefs. And we had need to have another manner of addrefs, viz. That all Men and Kings, and all in Authority mould pray for the Clergy, that they may be good-natur'd, wife and thankful to God for their Immunities, that they may abufe none of their Immunities to the diiturbance of the Prince or Laity, and : fo had we need the Text be changed.

Reaf.3. The Clergy are bound to give an Exemplary Obedience and Fidelity to their King, that by their Example the People who are committed to them for Inftru&ion may be induced to and fetled in i their Obedience and Allegiance s but fuch an Example is not given, but rather a contrary example of difobedience, difrefped", and contumacy, by a pretended exemption of the Clergy > they are not then exempt, but ought to be in body and ftate, or goods under the Civil Government* Thusbriefly,they that by God are commanded to give Exemplary Obedience to CiviJ Government, are as to their Perfons and Goods under the Civil Government •, But the Clergy are fo commanded: Therefore they are under it. The Major Proportion can admit ne doubt jfor fuch a command from God makes our Obedience due to fuch a Government, the only difpute can be whether God hath commanded the Clergy to give" example of fuch Obedience now ? Thus I prove it> God commands them Exemplary doing what is to be done for the Lords fake, and what is to be done for Confcience fake-, the Clergy more than others are bound by their Profeilion to let the World know that they are Confcientious, and that they ad for the Lords fake: But now Obedience to Civil Magiftrates is fo commanded for the Lords ; fake, 1 Pet, 2.13. and ir is commanded for Confcience too, £001.13.5. That the Clergy are comprehended in thofe general commands, as I have already proved, fo now I fay to confirm it, That where the Scri- -pture doth not, they cannot except themfelves.

Obedience to the Civil Government is every-where but at Rome, and in her appendant Schools a Moral vettue, and a neceflary Ingredient to

make .

make an honeft and vertuous man. And therefore the Loyal Moralifts, the wife Law-givers, with beft warrant of Reafon and Religion always required it in all Subjects, only Rome,( where it matters not how much blind obedience to the Pope, or how little Religion toward God they find in their ClergyJ,taketh care that their Clergy be not mancipated to the ftrict Rules of Political vertues,left of good Citizens and obedient Subje<3;s, they fhould infenfibly lapfe into a dilTerviceablenefs to the Papal Tyranny.But we mult, guided by Reafon and Scripture, acknow-ledg Allegiance a very great vertue, wherein (as in other vertues) the Reformed Clergy are bound to be Enfamples to their flocks.

~Reaf. 4. Ibey rvbo do defend their Perfons and their Good* by the Authority a-zd Power of the Civil Government, ought in all equity and rea~ fin to bear and profefs true Allegiance to the Governours and Government. The right which is done for them in fuch cafes obligeth them to this duty, and the benefit from Governours to the Governed is a molt jult reafon for Obedience from the Subject to the Prince. The Apoftle St. Peter intimates this as one ground of Obedience, 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14.. Be ye fubjM,&c. Why > becaufi Governours are €/* wfiMttv x«t-xoToiav, appointed to restrain the injurious, and opprefhve by judging condemning and punching their injufuce. They are alfo *'? tTratvop *Aya~ SoGoicov, for the praife of thofe that do rvelk Protecling, rewarding, and praifing them. The benefit we enjoy fhould in reafon bind us to the obedience and fubmiiiion we owe our Governours.

By this Argument St. Paul preft the Chriftians at Rome to Obedience, Rom. 13.3. For Rulers are not a terrour to good rvorkj, but to the evil, &c. Do good andihnufhilt have praife of the fame, fo verf. \th. Ihe Ruhr is the Minifier of Gidfor good, Sec. therefore beyefubject. And this is the Prophets reafon, Pray for the Peace of the City, &cc. But it's Babilon ; true, but in the Peace thereof you ft) all enjoy peace, Jer. 29. 1. with ver. 7. So then the Argument holds good in the Prophets and Apoflles Logicl; j They who enjoy the benefits of a Government mult be obedient to the Government. And I would fain know what will become of all the pleas which the Romanics make for the Prchcminence of Clergy-men,if this foundation be not folid and good , the great benefits the Laity reap from the counfel and labours of the Clergy, they judg reafon enough for the Laity's .Subjection to them. In a word to fpeak Reafon with Impartiality in the cafe, Let thofe that are benefited, be fubmiltive to and obfervant of thofe by whom they are benefited, then the common people 8c all the Laity will duly obferve in Spiritual cafes the counfel 6c authority of their Spiritual Glides, and the Clergy in Civil and Secular Cafes will be left where Chrift and St. Peter did leave them under the -Civil and Secular Prince to be governed by him. There is indeed Bineficia torft- a difpute whether the Right cf Governing be originally in the Be-xwti jus &jo- ne ^^ or bscaufe of the Benefit he befiows, or on fome other ac-faclori. count j but there is no difpute, nor will it admit any, whether the

' Bene-

Y

Serm. Ill; right fid Subje&s to the Pope. 65

Beneficiary be bound to his Benefaclor, and ought for that very Btmpcixj.-t caufe to obferve and obey him. pSuUM T "

Fifthly, What Priviledges and exemptions for their Ferfons or Eftates, ^,w-. ^ ^ from common or public^ burthens and fervices the Clergy do enjoy, they do ftcium jure di* en]>y through the favour of their Prince or Governour, whopleafeth to re- bitum commo-mit to them, what there may he fome reafon to perfwade, hut no Law 7 or vtnAl * Right to command from the Prince: Who as at fir ft he favv Reafon to grant that favour, fo will ( I believe ) continue it until he fee a fuffi* cient caufe to recal his own Grant *, which future caufe may ( by conjecture from what already hath been adted in our view ) fooneft arife from an ufurping Ingratitude ( the hereditary infirmity of the Papal lUui^ hmU See ) which never giveth to any, what it can by fraud or force keep to pontificiom fa it felf: as the Grave and Impartial Author of the Council of Ttent TfJrJZiJ v/cll obferveth, on the Pompatick and Ridiculous Act of Paul the ^ m ^ & q iiQ d Fourth', giving the Kingly Title over Ireland to Queen Mary, who jn(tis domtnk had derived it from her Father, and her Brother, and had affumed it to aufem mqiu-her felf at her firft coming to the Crown. Such Legerdemain hath*' 7 /' ■ ;'?£* long pail at F^ome, coined with the imprels of gratituce or bounty, ConCt xridtntl and when it hath cheated Kings and Piinces, into a degree that a- /. 5. wakens their refentments and juft indiguation ,* they will refume the exorbitant Grants of Piiviledges, and teach the Papal Clergy to ufe more manners, and acknowledg that none of their Immunities granted by Princes, were intended to make them Piinces fellows, or Rebels clend rebel— again ft them without £uilt, or fear of anfwering at their Secular Tudi- ll ° l \ **£**

a j 1 !• n 11 r 1 b ^i >n ,x, ,j n w non W crimen-

catures. And when this (hall come to pals, the Chriftian World fhall yu ma jeftatis 9 underftand the miftake of the Canonifts in their Law-, which aiTert, quia ntn eft That the Clergy, and all their Goods, are by Divine right free from the pbditm Regi. Power of Secular Princes. Againft which 1 (hall now eppofe no other EmS&Apmi. ' Authority than the Conception of Bellarmine, one, as any other, able to C fal!j£cltrbia. fay as much for, and as refolved to yield no more than he ntfifT needs EdiL-Aetntrj. -in the Caufe of the Eccleilaftick liberty, who confelTeth (UK dechrici*. ZttiUtu c 28.) Jhat not one word can be produced frcm the Word of God, by ^ ric K r . on which this exemption of the Clergy can be proved. And therefore hence I K*;// ^mhi • fhall briefly argue. They who owe their exemption of Body and v # 'lito 1 modo Goods from Perfonal fervices and tribute to the Power of their Secular traht ad fru-Prince •<> though by fuch favour they are actually free, yet originally l *™ magiftrb* they were fubjedr to him, and of Right they full are : and if the Prince ^jj^ff L iltr fee caufe to require it of them, they are.bound to ferve him with their u 2? ' Eodies and Eftates, which is certainly to be under their Government. Ckrici&eo- • What the favour of the Prince granted once to any of his Subjects is riim _ bon* eti- •

as encouragement to their obedience, not as fecurity to their difobedr- ™-3™ 4nfr*

i i • n i r ii . • Iwera {wt ipo- ■

ence, granted and it mult be for common good : but when once rt teffate fecufari* -

Mm-qnwctynm.

Eo>u cUricoviim \:int & merits debent eft's ab mnibtts Principm tm:mornmtribHtislib;r.:, j>-;c?o+tic::. & txtvtptia ifta humano jure non itvm htrodutla <ft ? fwp< 5\

proveth.i

proveth a Univerfal, Publick inconvenience ormifchief it ought to be reverfed. Now Ecclefiaftick Perfons do owe their Immunities from perfonal Services and Tributes to the favour of their Secular Prince : Therefore their Perfons and Goods are under their Government. If this do not appear evident, I would have a Papift tell me", What had been the Cafe of the Clergy, if fuch Immunities had never been Granted ? Had they not been under the Civil Magiftrate? What ifneceffity a-waken the Civil Magiftrate, and he feethin point of prudence andfafe-ty, that thefe Exemptions and Immunities may not be continued, and fo by a Law revokes them, Doth not the Clergy thereby return to their priftine Subjection ? Ecclefiaftical Immunities for the Bodies and Goods of the Eccleilafticks are introduced, Jure humano, by the Law of Man* if no fuch Law had been made, or on juft caufe hereafter (hail bexe-peal'd, no fuch Exemption had ever been, or elfe had been nulPd though once granted', if nofuchjExemptionhad -been granted, then had thefe Eccleiiafticks been equally fubje& with the non-exempt % and as much bound to obey the Civil Government as the Lays.

Sixthly, Ihe Clergy m fuch are in the effential cmftiiution ef their Of-fice 7 and as to the Immunities that are neccffarily appendant to it, or flowing from it, wholly of a different nature, vh. Spiritual ', and therefore cannot in Keafon claim Immunities which are in their nature Secular and Civil: Such are thefe we have been difcourfing of. Now, every one may foon know, that the Priviledges of every rank of men, are fuitabk to the Nature of that Office or Relation wherein they ftand ; fo Civil Offices have the Immunities which are Civil, and Spiritual Offices are in-veiled with Spiritual Immunities; as it is not a Priviledg due to a Chriftian as Chriftian, to be exempt from the Coercive Power (if the Civil Magiftrate, fo neither is the Priviledg of the Clergy by vertueof their Office fo great as to advance them above the Power of the Prince : God who knew what Priviledges were fltteft for each Order of men, would fure have told us that the Clergy fhould be free from the Government of the Civil Magiftrate, if he had either made or intended an Exemption in all Civil Cafes mould be a Priviledg to Ecclefiaftick Per-Lib. de citric;* fons. But Bellarmine himfelf confeiTeth, that there is not one Word of cap. i&iSnUum q 0 & proving fuch Immunities due to the Clergy. It were a great dif-pottfi proferri or( j €r ^ an ^ w ould bring in a confufion upon the Univerfe to allow fuch ifU^exwptio a mixture', for why is not the Irrational creature raifed to thePrivi-tonfimetur. ledges of the Humane Nature ? Whatanfwer would a Shaveling give me to the queftion ? Or why is the Humane Nature determined to a Satisfaction, with Priviledges below the Angelical? Is it not becaufe their Natures are different ? Well, why is this a fatisfadrory account of different Priviledges in different Ranks of Natural Beings, and may not be alike fatisfadrory, in the different kinds of Moral and Political Beings and Orders ? Thefe are as different as the other. It were a monfuo.is birth mould a bruit bring forth fomewhat half bruit and

half

half Man, and I do not yet fee any lefs than monfter in this i that the »J«J«* Indelible Characters of Priefthood mould ftamp a Licence of Immuni-P^ r ™? G ^ ties in Secular affairs: Such mifliaperi births K<m»* may perhaps little ver nment and wonder at and fofter, but wc muft do with them as our Laws, enquire made the out the offender, and condemn all that are proved guilty : So may Temporal the Fathers of this mithapen brat fpeed when-cver they are taken ipS^JJ^ their Treafons, on the confidence that their Indelible Character protrary t0 ' thc tects them from the ftrokc cf thc Secular Sword. cuftom of fo

7. Reaf They who rvere bom Native Subjeclr, and by Frieftbood or many ages. U Orders, enter not on any Relation that doth neceflarily and jujiifiably abolijh ^f K °" that former Relation* thefe though fo ordained^ remain Sub)etts to their Natural Prince, and owe him obedience ft ill. This Proportion furely none in their wits will deny h . for the Native Subject is both as io Per-fonandEftate under the Government of his Native Prince, and continues fo until fomewhat do (jure) by right, not only (exconfequenti) by confequence, abolifh that primeval bond, which with his fwadling bands, Nature and God put upon him. Now then, one of thefe two muft be aiTerted by the exempt Clergy:

1. Either that they were never born Subjects, and fo were in different fenfe from the Apoftle born free. If they like not this, fay

2. Or elfe though born Subjects, their Holy Orders have nulled that mum Gattix natural Allegiance, and defeated the Prince of fo many Subjects as have r J mm h *^l been made Clerks. If this be the Cafe, VominummUlU

quce [lib obtcntu clerlcatus & mcMMhaim fxnllionifo Ecclc[iijlic<e jugam Regis txwjjeruiiti alkma--, a Rege [ummum Vrin-cipem agnojeunt non modo h Spiritualtim [ed & in Timporzlibm. P. au Moul. dt Temp, Montr* P. R* cap. 18.

I would enquire whence is this corroding quality in the IndelibleChar-acter, to eat out what is engraven fo deep in our Natures by the God of Order and Nature ? Certainly Chrift and his Apoftles never fo tempered it: But Rome who found the bonds of Allegiance were fetters on them, retraining them from their refolved Ufurpations, and hindring their growing Ambition, refolve what-ever comes on't * Thefe Bonds muft be broken, and thefe Cords muft be caft off ( to allude to that, ffal. 2. ) and it muft be done by fome curious engine too, for elfc the noife of it would give an Allarm; In one word, The Grace of God in Chrift to his Church, hath been fo far from abolifhing any, that it hath mightily fortified on all the bonds of Natural and juft necelTary Relations, in all forts of men, Civil, and Sacred, and commands Ec-clefiaftical Perfons as well as Civil, to obferve the juft Laws of thofe P,rinces r to whom Nature had before made them Subjects. It is not Chrift's Canon, but the Canon of Antichrift, which to make good Clerks fpoils good Citizens. Had the truth in this been as confident with Papal defigns, as the diftinct duties of a good Subject, and Sari cred

cred Perfon are confi/tent in one Perfon, I had neither troubled you and my felf, nor had they troubled the World with this Controverfy > It were time for Princes to command no more Priefts mould be made, until Rome, or whoelfe do pretend the fame Prerogative, had learnt to prefer ve a Loyal and good Citizen, while they make an Eccleilaftical Officer : might my motion be heard, they only fhould confer Orders on Subjects who had learnt this skill.

Eighthly, And hftly, were this a Truth, That the Clergy were both as to Bodies and Eftates not under the Government of the Civil Magistrate, How could the Primitive Chriftians, the Martyred Bijbops, the per*-fecuted Clergy, avow it to the World, that Chrijlianity did not teach"any thing definitive or dangerous to Commonwealths and Civil Governments? How great an impudence would it be in it felf to deny > Or how greatly would it have been to the fhame of the fuffering Ghriftians, if that their adverfaries could charge on them, that they profefTed a Religion which dire&Iy fpoiPd the Magiftrate of his Coercive Power over their Friefts, and Indirectly, i. e. in ordine ad ffiritualia, in relation to fpiri-tuals, fpoiled him of his Coercive Power over the reft of his Subjects* He derided Julianas Sarcafne had been but a Retaliation to them,if they had been fo the Chriftians principled and perfwaded. Might he not with fome colour of Reafon; te rob'd with plead, You have fpoil'd me of Supreme Authority over Sacred Perfons he would 1 ** their Bodiesand Elates, as too Holy to be commanded by the polluted »iake their hands of Secular Princes : And I judg the Perfons of Priefts and ChrN journey to ftians too Holy to meddle with the polluting things of this World, and Heaven more w ii]^ i n ordine ad ft iritualia^ free them from thofe cares and bufinelTes ? ca£ eC * ite and Had there been a proof made before any one Tribunal of the Roman Emperours, that the Chriftian Religion had publiflied, maintained, and pradtifed fuch a Propofition j the impartial World would foon have puird off the mask, and fhew'd undeniably that thofe pretended Martyrs were not condemned for the profeflion of their fpeculative o^ pinions, or the owning of the Truth of the Hiftory of Chrift : but that thefe pretended Martyrs were real and avowed Traytors, enemies toC^pr, to the Civil Government, and dangerous ufurpers on the Supreme Authority of the Prince. Such Martyrs indeed may now bfe talkt of mRome> but what impartial Judg will not condemn the Trea-fonablenefs of the crime which deferved, and the Impudence of the Plea which defends the fufferers, who died for dtfloyal rejection of their Native Prince, and traiterous fubje&ing themfelves to the Power. of a Forreigner, enemy to him in whofe Kingdom they do flouriftv or. might flourifli >

Now after fo much Reafon pleaded for the fubjec*rion of the Clergy in Civil Caufes to the Civil Magiftrate, it may perhaps feem to fome incredible, that any Doctrine by any Do&or (hould be avowed contrary hereunto > can there be fuch an unreafonable opinion entertain'd, or maintained by any > The next thing propofedfor to be treated^ will plain

cmugb

enough Jhew both who are the Teachers, and what is that they "Teach in thU print : Wherein I will be brief, and but name particulars, the Church ?. General of Rome hath ( excepting, fome few ) in all places where they ^^^S barefaced owned this, and Strongly contend for it: That neither the Goods t ^ e clergy nor the Perfons of their Clergy, or Religious, were under any Coadt from the Go-ive Power of the Civil Magiftrate. Indeed fome Perfons of the Ro- vernment of man Communion as Loyal, as Learned, do difclaim fuch exemptions Secular Prin-and Immunities, content with the favour of their Sovereign j to xheChurch whom they are ready to acknowledg they owe their Immunities what- 0 ( Fomi genc-cver they are, above the Immunities that their fellow-Subjecls enjoy rally, for their Perfons or Goods : Nay, whole Churches and Seignories that we rightly account Popifh, as the French, the Venetians,do accord with the Proteftant Churches, in the juft oppofition of fuch unlimited and abfolute Immunities for the Clergy, and maintain the Sovereign Authority of the Prince over the Perfons and Eitates of the Ecclefi- Ammadwcr-afticks. Or in the Words of a Perfon of Honour who hath lately fonsupon Fa-fpoken to this cafe on the by. God be thanked that fenfleJsVfurpation and naticifmFana-exemption of the Clergy from the common Juftice of Nations, U pretty well tically i^P**-out of countenance, and fince the Republic 1 ^ of Venice fo notorioufly hafled ££> & ^' nd y ^ ¥zu\tbe fifth in thai very pointy other Kings and Princes have chaftifed imputation their own Clergy for tranfzendent Crimes, without askjng leave of hit Holi- refuted and nefs, or treating them in any ether manner than they do their ordinary ma- retorted, by lefaftors. This is the Cafe now, but time was when the Pope and the s *^' P' H3-Clergy would not fo eafily have forgone their llfurpations, and Princes how great foever, (hould have hardly exercifed fuch an undoubted Right: And time will come again (if ever the Pope can attain to a ^ common Power that may encourage him to revive his pretended Right ) when Prieft is 2s he will exempt the Clergy from the jurifdiclion of Secular Princes, and rr' ucn be . tter refume all fheCaufes which concern the Perfons or Eftates of Clergy- tIian ^ in ^ men into his own hand, and determine them as proper only for his better' than a Cognifance. Nor do I furmifc more than I have ground for; it was Eeaft: Nay, fome ages pair, the humour of the Pope and his adherents, and frill is as much as

their aim, as will be evident tothofe who can and will confult at lei- Go< ? Almigh-r ty doth excel

lure * a Prieft, fo

much doth a Prieft excel a King. Stxniflatts Orichmtti in chimera, fol. 97. cited by H. F<nr/:V, p. 37.

Firft, The treatifes of fome modern Jefuits excellent SchoUars, yet J worn fupporters of the Popedome, and very zealous fticklers for the Immunities of the Clergy •, as refolute Souldiers who defend the outworks, for the greater fafeguard or*the City. So Bellarmine in his BooJ^ de ckricis, a-vows, The Clergy by Divine Right, free from the Authority of the Secular Princes. And Emanuel Sa. tells you what he thought in the Cafe, when he gives you a Jefuitical i.e. an impudent andtreafonabU Keafon y why a Clergy-Man cannot be guilty of Treafon ; viz, Bccaufe

K 2 the

-onfenTri!?' the Cler £yMan is not the Prince hisSubjed*. So in the Colen and r^ ia *ooe Antwer P editions of his Book.

clericus. Edit. Secondly, The Conjlitutions of fome Councils \ nor vs it to be wondered

Colonienf. & at, thztfince Popes got ufurped Power in their hands, they can by the Ec-

Antwcrp. clefiaftical Diet afTume what Immunities may for future elhblifh their

Hierarchy, and confirm what hath been ufurped with much profit and

advantage to their Church and Caufe.

Thirdly, '-The Decretals of'Popes ( which is as valid an Authority,

Superioribus as the Ordinance-of a Profperous Rebel, determining himfelf and his

menfibus ad confederates Innocent Perfons and Loyal Subjects; and their Bulls,

Apoftdic *fe- am0ng Which that ° f Pm1 the Fifth a £ ainfi the Dllke and Rep^blick of dis audienci- Venice, as it is late fo may fuffice,. being backt with Nine or Ten Pre-am pervenit cedents of other Popes, in like Cafes. Wherem of late it came to our Ducem &Se-ear, that theVu\e and Council of Venice have enatted dhtrs Decrees con* m J4P ^f 1 " traryto the Liberty and Immunity Ecclefiaftick^ and repugnant to the Sa-

torum ^i- cred Canons and General Councils, and to the Conjlitutions of the Roman

verfa decre- Popes.-— And the Jaid Vukg and Council have Imprifoned and detained in

ta .— Zc-Prifon, Scipio Sarracenus, and Brandelino V3ldemarino, Perfons in ~Ec-

clefiaftica?. li- clefiafiicl^dignity, for certain Crimes by them committed : All which it d.one

rnuScatlVon- Wlt ^ P retence ? *&** '** w lawful for them ( Duke and Senate ) to do

traria, turn. * We things.

Generalibus

Gonciliis & facris canonibus, nee mm Romanorum Pontirlcum conftitutionibus repugnantia ftatu-

iuc Eofdem Ducem & Senatum.

Et Senatum Scipionem Sarracenum Canonicum Vicentinum & Brandalinum Valdemarinum Fo-

rojulienfem Abbatem Perfonam in dignitate Ecclefiaftica conftitutum ob qu#dam crimina—-

commiik canceri mancipaffe & mancipatos detinuiffe fub prattextu quod eis haec facere lice-,

ret,

Here you have the Act of thellluftrious Duke and State fecretly traduced as an unjuftiriable A&, and the Power ( by which they do it ), reprefented to the World as an llfurpation prejudicial to the Church-exemptions. The Crimes of the Perfons were notorioufly foul, efpecially of the Abbot, viz. Sorcery, Rapes, Inceft.and many Murthers which the Qurdam P a p a * foftnefs terms, certain pretended crimes ( as was reported) by them pratenfc cri- committed, for which, as well they deferved, they were Imprifon'd : But mina— - per TnePremiffes being prejudicial to the Rights of th€ Apoftolical See, and to dies ut dice- our Authority ( faith Pope Paul the Fifth) and Jo the Priviledges of the °nWa"" C ° m " ^^fons-Ecclefiaftic}^ and for that they overthrow the Liberty and Immunity

Cumq;pr<2- °f the Church. miila-— fedi ,

Apodolica?, noflr* Autoritati, & Ecclefiarum Juribus, & Ecclefauicarum perfbnarum privHe-

%m prajudicium inferant, ipfamq, libertatem & imniunitatem Ecclefiafticam tollanc.

■

His Holinefs good man I could not bear it, and therefore after much ado becomes to tell us what he will do, and with what good examples

and

and warrant for it in thefe words, and with the great names of Ten Nosquinul-Popes. JFe who by no means ought to endure that the Ecclefiaftical Liberty lo Pafto ferrc and Immunity, or our Authority and the Authority of the Apoftolick, See ^^^ fhonld be violated and contemned, following the example of moji General libcrtas & Ira . Councils, and offrefh memory the examples of &c. And other Popes our munitas, no-Predecejfours, who have revoked the lil$ Statutes publijh't againjt the Ec- ftraq-, & fedis clefiaftick. Liberty, as ftatutes which in jujUce were Null, Invalid and not ^^^ Ratified, and who have decreed and declared that they were Null, Invalid, lemr & con .

and tf no force. temnatur, In-

hxrentcs plu-rimorum General]urn Conciliorum decretis, ac veftigirs Re. Me. Innocent. ^Honorii; 5. Gregorh: v. Alex and. 4. Clem. ^Martini. 4. Bonlf. 7-&9» Martini. 5. Nlcolal. $. Et Aliorum R. P* prxde-ceiTorum Noftrorum qui (irate Statuta alias contra libertatem Ecclefiaft icam edita tanquam ipfo jure nulla, invalida & irrita revocarunt, ac nulla invalida & irrita decreverunt & declara-mnt. —

In a little Paragraph you fee how much lefs the Pope makes of the

Authority of free Princes, and how he doth pronounce that his Prede-

ceflours and General Councils have in like Cafes aflerted the Ecclefiaiti-

cal Immunities', and a Sovereign Prince may not punifh Rapes, and

Murthers in a Perfon who is dignified with the Orders of the Church,

if he doth, though they are Nullities in themfelves, they (hall be ( as

in this cafe they were ) declared a-new from Rome Nullities. On Ma- Habita currt

ture deliberation with our venerable Brethren the Cardinals of the Holy \^^ ^

Church of Rome, with their confent and Council, ( though the forefaid ftris S. K. E.

Decrees, Edifts, and Commands, were in Law it felf Null, Invalid^ and Cardinalibus

Void) by thefe Prefents we do decree and declare notwitkflanding a-new, maturacon-

that they were and are Null, Invalid^ and Void, of no force or moment •, f ulratIone de \ . , J . j 1 1 r - ' r 1 5 lpforum con-

And that none are bound to the observing of them. fylo & a (T en f u

f licet fupra-difta decreta &: edifta, & Mandata ipfo jure nulla, invalida, & irrita fmt} ea nihnominus ipfo jure adhuc de novo nulla, invalida & irrita, nulliufq*, roboris & momenti fuiffe & effe & nemi-nem ad illorum obfervantiam teneri per praefentes decernimus & declaramus.

Excellently fpoken ! and like the SuccefTor of an humble Fiflier-man ! Though the Duke of Venice may marry the Adriatic^ without a licenfe from Rome, He may not imprifon a murtherous Abbot without the hazard of Joflng his Principality, Who would not wifh to be a Denifonof Rome, it a Conclave.of the Purple Fathers may reverie "-. a Law which was made to reftrein the enormous violences of Clergyman ? Companionate Fathers that prefer the fafety of their (Ingle-Sons to the fafety of whole Kingdoms \

By this you feejefuites, Cardinals, the Confiftory, the Popes fuc- c vn0( j us f e * cefiTivcly, and General Councils ( if there be truth in the Pope's Bull ) c^res Precipes admo-

nuit—, nee permifTuros ut officiates Ecclefia: & perfonanrm Ecclefiaflicanitn Ioi-

munitatesi violent &c. Concil, Trident. Sett 25, cap, 20.

ex-

exempt the Clergy from the Coadlive Power of a Civil Magiftrate a-gainit Nature, Reafon, and Religion. How far they would allow the Dire&ive Power if time favoured them, I give you leave to guefs from the late inftance of Pope Urban, 1632. and Pope Innocent the Tenth > This latter interpofing between the French King, requiring Cardinal de Ketz to renounce his Title or pretence to the Archbifhoprick of Tariff Hiftory of rev ^ v ' n § tne °ld Maxime , Jbst Princes ought not to be fufferedto meddle Management an Ecckfiajiical affairs, this being to put their Sichje too boldly in another of Cardinal man's harveft : The former refufing to admit Ferdinand 2. his Enabafc Mayrine. fadour extraordinary which was Cardinal Pafman, for avoiding (^as the l m ' 6 1 ' ?**"* excellent Hiftorian &apt. Nani reports it ) to admit fttcban Embjffadour, " Hiftory of he dUedged, that a Cardinal honoured with the Furple and a Holy CharaCx-Vmce. lib. 9. er'could not be employed in the fervict of Secular Princes, pag. 359. "This is plain dealing however, and fo far Princes $re obliged *, that

?they will (peak their minds fometimes freely. Now I fee if Clergymen offend the Laws, Princes are ill-natur'd topunifh, becaufe Clergymen owe them obedience to Directive Laws > And if they employ them in a matter unwelcome to hisHolinefs, the Princes make too bold with them that bear the Imprefs of a Holy Character ; fo precarious muft the Rule of Princes be over an exempted Clergy. Yet, What Reafon may be fuppofed for this ? Certainly fo great a Priviledg cannot in Reafon be pretended by wife and honeft men, to be warranted by light and trivial Arguments. 4. General. Two forts of Arguments I ufually meet with urged •, Firfr, Drawn The Reafons, ab Indecoro, from the unfcemlinefs of fubjc&ing the Clergy to the Go* for exemp- vernment of the Civil Magiftrate, and this hath three indecencies in it >

JSiikk 0010 " of which by and by -

The Second drawn a Jure, from their Right to be exempted, and this alfo is threefold, of which ere long. Mean time return we to the firfr. 1. Ab Me- It is., fay the Fapal Orators, a very unfeemly thing that the Clergy coro. (hould befo fubjedted. For my part if there be an Indecency in it, I

could be glad the Indecency were removed, I fhould think fomc ad van* tage would thereby accrew to the Reformed Clergy j but without Spectacles of the Papal make,' we (hall never be able to defcry the Inde-_ cencies; let us borrow Cardinal Bd'armin's and with them look how unhandfome it is. That Shep- Fir ft, Ibat the Shepherd fhould be under the Government of the Sheep, herds be un- Thj s is a clear Cafe : But the mifchief is, Similitudes are no Demon/trader their f' lQns . ^ Qr Jq^ t k e Scripture forbear to caU Kings Shepherds, and per-Anfwer. ^ a P s °^ tner than the Prieft is called fo > and the Argument is retorted Clergy-men are in Seculars and Civil matters to a Man ( except fome few crafty Foxes among them ) Sheep, the Prince is their Slnpherd, It U undecent that the Sheep fhould be exempt from the Shepherds Government: Therefoie undecent the Clergy be exempt from the Civil Magiftrate, fo we difoufs the iiii

Secondly,

Serm; III. rightful Snbje&s to the Tope. yi

2. It is an;Indecency that brrvboto diy governeth as the Clergy -man Indecent that from the Fulph in confeffun, or giving gbotfly counfil to the Prince^ fhould ' 1C vvno to morrow be cited before bit tribunal , and be judged there. Very JjJ ea n.oy]d th?S

good! ^ morrow be

2. An Indecency I confefs there is that a Clergy-man fhould by any mif- judged by demeanor dejerve r#:But as the Fathers in the Council of Trent fometitne them lie argued to their advantage : Cuftoms manners and humours alter, and ^f ache( ^ to : what was handfome of old becomes unhandfome now \ and beftdes, indecent in Countrys dif?er,nothing more graceful thin to be mounted on a white the cafe. Afs among the Jews \ but the Pope would refent it as an high affront it Indecencies as hisCatholick Majefty fhould by a ftrange activity (like the Trahfub- men fanc y-ftantiating ad: of the Prieft) turn the white Neapolitan Courfer into an

Afs for the Tribute due to his Holinefs for the Kingdom of Naples, and fend it for him to ride on. In a word all we heretical Proteftants fand a No Proteftaat great many of the good Catholicks of all Countrys) fancy to our felves, ^ a " fee tms That it is very meet to fee a Clergy-man preaching to his Prince from ^J* p£pjft s . the Word of God, whrleft he is dutiful and loyal ^ and to fee him im- can't fee it. prifon'dand executed for his Treafons when he is guilty, if this be aa unlucky cuftom among us, let the Clergy be fas the Proteftant will be) loyal, or keep out of places where are practiced fuch unhandfome cuftoms and laws, as to hang, murthering and fellonious Priefts in the common fafhion of other Rogues without leave asltf of the Pope.

3. A third Indecency is,that the Clergy who are fervants of God and J. nclecent ™^ facred perfons, mould be judgM by the Vaflals of the World, and the Goctbe f uh _ impure hands of Laymen. A mighty abfurdity if well confidered! ject to Vaflafc

I never knew the full weight of this Argument before I had metof the World., with the information that Staniflam Oricborius gave me, That every common Friefi does M much excel a King Ma beaji does excel a man. Now .Anfwer'd-by this Rule it were as much pity to fee a King judg, condemn, and caufe to be hang'd, or headed a Prtelt, as it would be to fee a Horfe, or Afs by an ufurped power turn-upon and execute his Mailer and driver. In a word when I fee the ufurping beaft Co ufe a man I will endeavour * to prevent the abfurdity: But if ever it be my lot to fee or hear a Soveraign Prince judg, condemn, and put to death a fhaveling, and one of Romes Confecrated Priefts, Cor one of a more reformed pro-feffion) under the guilt of capital crimes, I fhould deiire the Father to excufe me untill I faw as clearly as Stanifljur 6id+ The Prieft was • the man, and the King the beaft*, and ere that will be, my help will : ftand him in as much ftead as a pardon doth-after the Criminal is hanged. Laftly I wonder Kings will endure fuch abfurdities when they > might prevent it j let Rome make their Prieft lefs, and account Kings ■ greater, or if this fuperlative Greatnefs be eflential to the Priefthood, Ihumbly fubmit the refolution, whether it were not fitter fuch a Prieft- -hood (hould be abolifht than all Kings be thus made AlTes, fand with- -out impair of their Intelk&uals, and. without the .exemplary miracle..

wrought:--

jz Kings md Ewperours^not Serm. HI.

wrought on a proud Heathen, only by the pride and ingratitude of a Papal Clergy, be thus turn'da-grazing with beads.

This is the fum of Bellarmines three Arguments, from the Indecency

The Reafon °f tne tmn g-» an ^ this all the Anfwer I think them worthy of i ilnce his

why the pleas Eminency bath fet up fuch fear-crows, and would fright us with them,

are flighted in let us have liberty to deride them as men would the bug-bears that Chil-

therrt r en *~ et llp * - better Arguments for the caufe could (of this, or any

other kindj have been produced, the learned Cardinal would have

urged them, and then a better anfwer might have been "given. But a

puff will better blow away a feather than a mighty engin, and all the

colt and labour would be loft that were beftow'd to bring Cannon,

Spade, Mattocks and Engineers to overthrow a poor hutt, or cottage.

From thefe pafs we to the fecond fort of Arguments.

A Jure T>ivino, faith the Canonift, by Divine Right \- but the Canoniji 2. Sor^f who faith it bath the wit to let w fee^tbe Text^ for he takes not himfelf Dlvim, .'. bound in duty to cite it,and we deferve not the kindnefs that he fliould Anfwer. do more than he thinks himfelf obliged unto : Others of the fraternity

dilTent and think they have reafon to pretend the Immunities to be A Jure miria- Jure Humano; and until they agree how the Clergy among them came no anfvvered. by thefe Immunities we (hall not think it breach of charity or good manners to tell them,we wifh they came honeftly by fo rich a Commodity $ certainly Chrift never gave it them, nor do the more modeft pretend his gift, they are content with the collation by Popes Decretals firft, or next by favour of General Councils, ever lince the Papal Power grew too great for Kings and Emperours *, ever iTnce the one durft net contemn, and the other was Co hardy as to denounce Excommunications againft infringers of the Immunities Ecclefiaftical. Theie two will prove their Right to thefe Immunities in any place, and at any time where Power and Jnjuftice are too great to be called to account: And as good Right they have to thefe Immunities as the Pope and Councils could give them, and I hope you will believe the Pope and his Councils would not fail to invert their fwom ValTals with power enough to difturb the Civil power, and leiTen it, that the Monarchy of the Papal Church might more fpeedily and fafely be aggrandized i they have thefe Priviledges indeed from the Ringleaders in the Confpiracy to ftrengthen it againft the juft Authority and Soveraignty of Priuces. And now you clearly fee how honeftly they come by it, ask their fellows whether they be thieves ?

But a third Plea is from the Favour of Princes they enjoy thefe Immunities. True, the more is their ingratitude and fhame, they abufe that favour to the leffening of their Prince *, who hath too often had many occafions given him to repent his Grant,to reftrainhis favour, and to teach the unthankful Clergy more duty, by requiring more. What the Prince giveth they enjoy without our envy, or complaint \ let them keep within thofe bounds, and I will not difturb them. Finally to conclude

Serm. III. rightful Snbjetts to the Tope. " :

elude this point, now the Clergy Tin all places of the world where 'the' Prince is ChriftianJ) enjoy many confiderable Immunities Jure Humsno^ which Immunities they never had Right to claim, till the Prince had Will to give •, And which they may not expect to enjoy,when either abufe of them provokes the Prince to revoke thcm,or emergent incon-veniencies perfwade him to diminim or null. them. What is fo granted, is neither Immutable in its Conftitution, nor ever intended to the pub-lick prejudice of the Prince and State*, nor can it exalt the Clergy into a (late of abfolutencfs and non-fubjeclion to the Prince-, or if you would imagin a foft Prince fhould fo inadvertently, and in a tranfport of 7eal to the Clergy and Church, grant them fuch a Priviledg(as the K0-ntan Clergy right or wrong will pretend unto) yet good Statifts and belt Reafon will tell them,that the Grant being made to the prejudice of the Crown,it is neither good nature nor manners, nor juftice to require it of their Prince, whofe honour and dignity they are bound to con-ferve s Errante clave, the Infallible Decrees are null, fay fome Romanics* Errante Sceptro, Civil Grants to Subjects become Nullities. And fuch are the uncontroulable Immunities of the unfubje&ed Roman Clergy, to whom Princes had been lefskind had they forefeen what ufe would be made of their Royal favours, and to whom they are not lefs equal and ju(t,thoughfor their Crowns and Honour more refolved and prudent,in recalling the ungovernable Ecclefiafticks to that Subjection, which they ought in equal degrees and readinefs with other Subjects give unto their Prince, whether by afliftances from their Eftates,or by their Per-fonsi both being, as our TheGs averreth, under the Government of the Civil or Secular Prince.

After fo prolix Difcourie on the pofitive part of our Pofltion* I come to a briefer handling of the Negative parts of it, which was the fifth and laft thing I propofed in the method of our proceeding* And fo,

i, Confe&. The bigbefl Tower and Authority Ecclefiaftical^mfucb^U 5.General. lower than the Soveraign and Supream in all Matters Civil and Secular in rvbat man or body of men Jo ever it be pretendeded de jure to beyr vi 6c fraude it be found by Vfurpation to be. This follows from the former fuppo-iltions as they have been proved, and is evident enough in it felf: If the Clergy as to Eodies and Eftates be under the Civil Government, then it follows they are not as Clergy-men Soveraign, for he is no Soveraign in the fame refpect wherein he is under anothers Authority* thefe are in-confiftent:for Soveraignty and Supremacy fet the Perfon in whom they are, above all within the limits of his Jurifdiclion *, but Ecclefiaftical dignity, or the holy Character, leaves the Perfon on whoa) it is impreft, under the Subjection he was in before.

GiroUmo Gr+ j r i s poffible f though the cafe hath feldom happened) that a Sove-nal, was b rai & n P f lnce mav be a Clergy-man, or he that hath a right to a Sove-with the qua- rAI 'gnty may fucceed in" his Right after he hath-entred Holy Orders*, yet licy of Sovc- tne Powers are diftindl,and the Civil ufually moft efteem'd and retained raign, as while the other is laid by; as in Rome it fometimes happens among the Mo UCe °^ Ponces of the Red Hat, when of a Cardinal they are well pleas'd to be-Cxfdi,:'.p,n 1 2 com - Duke or Prince in Hereditary Principalities, defcending on them />. 151. " by the death of the former Heirs. A Soveraignty I know is annexed to

of 'Poland, and how little they owe to their Holy Orders, and the Priviledg of

Miurhlo Son Clergy ftated, Jure Diving or indeed Jure Eeclefiaftico. And notwith-

to the D. of (landing any fuch intervenient occurrence it ftill holds a truth, No

Savoy, re Clergy-man as fuch ? and in vertue of his Holy Orders is, or can be Jure,

Lady / f ° r * and of Ri & ht a Soverai g n and Supream, but is ftill under the Secular Wife.' Prince, and his Government in matters Civil.

Cafar Borgia

fecond Cardinal, murther'd his Brother, turn'd Soldier, was made General of the Church Armies;' received in dowry the Dutchy of Vahn^i •, and that by Marriage he might perpetuate the Dukedom in his FamilyJ guefs that this Duke de VaUntinois quitted his Cardinals Cap in time of A. lexander the tfltfe, who entred the Popedom 1492, and continued to 1502. Such like Metamorpho-f,s you meet with in the Match of the Cardinal Camillo, Nephew to Innocent the lotk. An.i6$$, or 3654. So Church-dignities were exchanged for Secular advantages with a Wife. Such like occa-f?on infpir'd a PafTion into Famphilio towards Donna Aldobrandina Princefs of Koffano and Heirefs of the Family,Vvho out-weigh'd all the Cardinals Ecclefiaftick concerns,though ftie married not this-her lover: As the Managements of Cardinal Mazarine, Tom,_i. ■part.2,.p.']$ i &c,

2. Confe<ft. Were the Tope (what his flatterers fay he is, and his Infallibility confirms) the Supream Ecckfiaftical Perfon and Head to thatftu-pendous body of Ecclefiafticks fand were this proved his Right by a better title than ever it was, or ever it will be), yet ftill. this cannot raife him to the dignity of Soveraign over Secular Princes or Kings.

For be *he Power whatever it is for its eminency, ftill it is an Eccle-iiaftical Power, and the Perfon in whom it is inverted derives it to him-felf not immediately and virtute Perfon*^ but mediate & virtute officii* or indeed Jure Ecclefu concejfo by a Right granted to the Churchy and by the Church to be convey'd on a fit Perfbm and fo the Perfon chofen by Thus Adrian the Church, receives not what Power his boundlefs ambition can grafp, tfb was re- b u t w hat Power the Church can beftow,which hath been proved to be bQk f irf f on ^ a P° wer in^riour to the Secular Power in all Secular affairs. It is a between n^j-Turc Rule in all. Cafes, Nihil dat quod in Je non habet. Therefore well and 1197. did Sancfo brother of Alphonfm the Jth. proclaims to the world the riff. FBwlis diculous Nothing the Pope gave him, proclaiming hiniy if he would Preface to con q»jer it, King of Egypt* and what his refentments were of fuch an ropiCh^Trea- idle conceit, when in requital of his Holinefs bounty he commanded fons,&c p.36. him to he proclaimed Caliph o^Brndas, on the fame condition of conquering

quering it. In brieftthe Pope, pretended Head of the S tate Ecclefiaftick de fatio^ is now a free Prince as he is Pope, and hath a Secular Power annexed to his Ecclefiaftical Office. But if Confiantine's Grant,and fome < other Princes bounty be a forgery, it is eafie to fay how their HolinefTes came by», and how honeftly they continue the poffelCon of fuch Power: And if prefcription of time and pofTelfion will not bar a Soveraign Prince his claim, there may arife fome brisk Prince in the Empire who may ftart a better title to thofe Dominions, and reduce the Pope to the Primitive decorum of Bifhop of the fir ft See •, requiring him to be content with what Immunities the Imperial Council (hall judg fit to allow him, fince in all likelihood they will be more than were ever given by Chrift to St. Peter^znd his real or pretended Succeflbrs. Let him whileft he can,retain his Temporal Soveraignty, and within his own Dominions be above all Perfons in all Caufes j yet this doth not flow out of his Ecclefiaftick Office immediately, diredrly, and per fe, as he is Bifhop, which is an order wholly of different nature to Secular Power and Matters. And therefore were he Univerfal Bifhop, yet his power would be but the power of a Bifhop, that is in Spirituals , and the engin of their own making cannot draw in Temporals in ordine ad Spiritualia. That was,as the Huntfmans dog in his younger days,nimble and hold-faft, but the Cur is now old, and his teeth worn out, and every free Prince now will (hake him off. They are weary of the cheat, and I hope will not let an llfurper indirefte & confequenter, take out of their hands that which God, Nature, Grace and Reafon, have direU'e & neceffario entru-fted in their hands.

^.Confett. The Clergy being proved in Body and Eftate as to Civil affairs under the Government of the Secular Prince*, No Clergy-man of what degree foever be be, nor any body of Clergy* men combined together^an abfolve the Subjefis of any Prince or free State from their Oaths of Allegiance. And if it be -pretended, he or they may do fo, the pretence vs wicked > and if the pretended Power be executed, the Subjett notwithfianding ti as much bound as ever, nay fomewhat more bound on this occafton, becaufe the Prince U in an apparent danger s out of which to refcue him,every good Subject ought to contribute his affiftance for his Princes fafety. The Excommunication, or the menace of an approaching Excommunication from fuch a proud pretender,may be juft reafon why Princes (hould require renew'd afTurance of their Subje&s Allegiance, and why Subjects mould give new inftances of their conftant duty, but it can be no reafon why Subjects (hould think themfelves free from their Obedience and Oaths. The condition of Princes through the multitude and weight of their affairs is of all mens the moft uneatie, when it is (the moft it can be) eafed by a ready and univerfal Obedience in the Subject, but how miferable would it be on fuppofition that their Kingdoms were at the

L 2 difjpo*

difpofal of a forreigner! How unfaithful are our Hiftorians, or how (hamdefs hath the encroaching pride of the Pope and the Papal Clergy been ! either they who write the (lories of Ages pa ft have mod injuri-©ufly dealt with their own and other fucceeding Ages, or the Papal power hath with might and main fet it felf to ruin the Regal and Imperial Power. Now what will become of the Maxim which pleaded itifly for the Ecclefiaftical power ? 'Tis retorted thus: All Authority appointed of God, is by him entrufted with Power and Authority fuffi-cient to conferve it felf, and effect its proper ends: But if a Bi(hop,who is a Subject, may depofe the Prince, and releafe thefworn Allegiance,the Power of the Prince is not fufficient to preferve it felf among Subject If the Bifhop be a forreigner, as the Pope is to all Princes, who doth excommunicate, and depofe, and releafe Subjects, then the Princes Power is not iufficiently qualified to preferve it felf againft (hangers and ufurping enemies.

In brief', Thofe that are Papal Bifhops, and were born Subjects, are equally with other Subjects, natural Leige-men to their Prince; for we have proved that the dignity of Bifhops doth not exalt them above the condition of Subjects: Now it is certain Subjects cannot abfolve their fellow Subjects ', none can loofe the bond which doth as muchtye himfelfas another^ nor can Rebellion acquit Rebellion in a Subjedh. Thofe Bifhops who being forreigners to a Prince, are always to be ■watcht as fufpicious, and moltly to be oppos'd as enemies, though Bifhops (as Popes are accounted ) can never be thought perfons to be intruded with a Power over Kings and Princes, whom they treat with no other kindnels than a man doth one whom he refolveth to overthrow or humble with the firft opportunity;So that as it is not in the Dignity and Office it felf,to convey an uncontroulable Power to a native Subject in any cafe over his Soveraign, fo neither is it in the Office to convey fuch a power to a forreigner > and both are a weakening of the Civil power to a degree of impotence that cannotdefend its Subjects, or preserve it felf, or attain the neceflary ends of Government.

4. Confett* If the Dignity of the Clergy be not fufficient to advance the Clergy-man high enough above the Civil Magiftrate fas hath been proved) in Civil Matters 5 7hen were the Tope Vniverfal Bifhop, and bad he rightful Power to Excommunicate ( which yet is not proved by any of his parafites, nor yielded by any ProteftanOijv* could he not deprive the Prince or King^fo excommunicated,of his Dominions in part or whole.

For in this cafe the Pope muft act as a Bifhop-, and this Officers it is a Spiritual Office, and the Rules of it are Spiritual, fo the effects and ends of it are alfo Spiritual, and ought to keep within thefe limits and bounds j but now, when (after admonition and intreaties prove vain) the Univerfal Bifhop fhould Excommunicate,he hath gone to the utmoft

that

that his Rule dire&s, or his Authority can enable him to \ the Bepofing of a Ring, the giving his Kingdom to any that have the hardinefs to attempt, and the fuccfft to gain it \ as it is wholly of a Secular nature, fo it is wholly forreign to the Office of any Bifhop. And it hath brought thegreateit confufion, wars, bloodfhed, and defolation into the Chri-Jlian World \ that by this we might guefs from whom this ufurped Power comes, iince we know there have been fuch direful effects of it, and thefe effects the natural and proper effects of fuch unjuft pretences. The Cenfure of the Church is an execution of a Spiritual Power, and was never appointed to leap fo prodigioufly high as with its foot to kick down the Crowns of Kings and free Frinces \ this (tranfitus de ge-nere ad genw) skipping from a juft execution of Eccleliaitical Power, into the Ufurpation of a boundlefs Power in Affairs Secular over Princes and Kings, is the moft infolent and intolerable preemption \ and which gives Gods Vicegerents in Civils, a juftifiable plea to hate and oppofe the pride and deligns of the Papal Clergy, who by this means have with a kind hand given their inferiour Clergy fo happy a lift, that the meaneft perfon in Holy Orders among them,is Jure & virtute Officii, stani flatus 0- -a better man than his Prince, whom he exceeds as much as a man ex- richo)itis. ceeds a bead, or God exceeds the Prieft, if you'l believe their flatterers. Amongft whom the Learned Cardinal Bellarmine (mifimployed in the v e p 0 ntifice Office of Mailer of the Ceremonies) does fet Kings below Bifhops 5 /#.i. ca$.j* Priefts, and Deacons too : fo glorious is this Roman Church, that Kings like our droffie bodies, ions of the earth, fall fhort of the Church-men as much as the body falls fhort of the Soul. Bravely fpoken! what pity is it that every Ecclefraftical Sacred Head hath not an Bellam.de Ui* -eftate and revenues to maintain his Grandeur as much in Magnificence c **-> cap.8. above Kings as their Office hath fet them : if fuch tranfcendent Honour be the erTecl: of Papal Ordination, our King and Parliament have reafon to continue the Prohibition againft the Subje&s of this Kingdom going beyond the Seas to take Orders. It is not fafe to have Subjects fo advanced, and I do not wonder that Rebellion in a Clergy-man of the Roman Mint is become fo fmall a Peccadillo, or rather thin'd into an in-vifible mift, and though the Prieft be vifible in the Rebellion and Trea-fon, neither the Traytor, nor Rebel can be feen or found : alas good men and precious! the world unkindly owneth not their Excellency, and they by natural propenfities (flowing from their conftitutive principles J do innocently afpire to a ftate equal to their Orders, which blind Here-ticks nick-name Rebellion, and jealous Princes brand as Treafon, and : fo the innocent Clergy f when they have the luck to be taken in it) are condemned and executed for Traytors. But the comfort is the enlight-ned Confiftory at Rome can fee and diftinguifh the Clergy-man quoad > fubjiantiam, innocent, nay meritorious *, it is the Prince or State which miitook him, and under the feparate accidents "and form of a Traytor

t bloodily

bloodily cut off the mans head. Dull Souls that will not be informed in the myftery of Tranfubftantiating Rebels as well as bread. Well,how-e're it is that their Clergy mud being judged by a fevere Secular Judg die (fubforma perduellium) in the unhandfome drefs of Traytors-, yet by the molt indulgent hands of his Roman Holinefs, the World (hall be informed of the error, and in compenfation for the hard ufage they met with be made as fubftantial and real Saints as ever the Pope made any : fo may Garnet be executed at Tyburn, but be St. Henry at Rome y and thofe that were Beautifeu'smd fetthe World on fire, and threat-Tied more prodigious Calamities to the World, are made Stars of great light and glory in the Roman heaven. Such unintelligible Do&rines,and fuch intolerable practices have attended the licentious frisk of the Bi-ifiop of Rome when t^S^s ^r*> he excommunicates and makes Kings and Princes his prey,and lin&tf\i kwv, feizeth and devoureth the prey, and is thus become jxe&wjTg x* i V-*i&'-> Chimera real: Which may not be too feverely imputed to levity in me, fince really I could not tell what Many have t0 ma ^ e °f hi m > f° r in his Fore-parts I rind the mouth of a Man, and compar'd it hear the words of a Father in admonitions, but when I have looked (Rome) to the down to the feet I fee the Paws of: a Lion, and his Talons always bloo-Monky that jy witH the prey under his feet torn to pieces, or deeply wounded } So I

l^L 1 ™^ ^ c ^ ear ly fee him in the Profpedt hiftory gives of him, their own GloiTary y oung ones to j. . *• , . , J •*

death, for juft reprefents him not much more to his advantage :

fo do the

Church-men who embrace every one with a Paternal affection, but in thofe embraces they that

receive them find their ruin. Jl NipotifnOy par. i. I. i. p.$2.

clement.Vmxm. p a pa fiupor Mmdi

Glol. v. Papa, Nee Vein es, nee homo, quafi neuter es inter nlrumque.

So of a well-conftituted Officer as Chrilt and Peter left him fif you'l believe them) he is made a mifhapen Moniter, and the wonder of the World ', and now in the unjuft claim of the Father of Lies draws deceived profelytes to worlhip him, (hewing them the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them, with promiie that as they merit by their good fervice to the Apoftolick-Chair, he .will give them a right, and when they can they may take polfeilion of his gift, for unto him pertain all theie things, and to whomfoever he willhegiveth therru and I afTure you it is neither Jure Divino, nor Jure Humano, but quafi Neutro, i.e. Jure Inferno.

5. Confetl. Hence it follows, That Emperours, Kings, Princes and free States, are not Rightful Subjefts to the Pope, or to any other fingle Ec-clefiaftkal Perfon, nor to any body of the Clergy-men, neither in Synods with Presbyterians^ or in Convocations with Epifcopal, n&r in pretended General Councils with Papifis, nor in the Confiftory pr Conclave with the Cardinals and Pope colletted together. He that defined the Office in his

Church

/

Church hath left thefe Officers under the Obedience of the Civil Ma-giftrate in all Civil Matters which concern the Government of their Eftatcs and Perfbns, In which caufe fo many have appeared, and fo clearly vindicated the Pvoyal Prerogatives and Soveraign Authority of Kings} not only Proteftant Writers, but among the Papifts themfelvcs many very learned Pens have afferted the Supream and Soveraign Power of free States, that it is become in mod Countrys a ridiculous Claim the Pope maketh, or any of his VafTals flatter him with,Thar their Prince is a Vaflal- and Subjedt to his Holinefs s and that is now become as long fince it fhould have been, a Trayterous Tenet and worthy of death,whichfwas in theheighth of Popifh Tyranny a necef-fary principle of the Papal Religion. How ill-natur'd foever the Children of that Church have proved,abridging their Father of his Power > I will not now enquires but might a (hanger to the Father and his Children fpeak a few words indifferently to both, I would adventure to fay, it had been juftice and honefty in the Ghoftly Father to have left his Children the Power and Authority which he gave them, who faid the Magifrrates were gods, and-then the Primitive kindnefs of Kings like ConftjHtine the Great would have enfured the favours and obfer-vances of Princes to the Clergy: But fince the Papal Infallibility hath almoft reduced this affair to this hard choice, Either that we mull have no Pope and Exempt Clergy, or no free and Soveraign Mbnarchs, I am eafily inclined to believe, the Secular Princes will rather chufe that the Ecclcfiafticks mould pan with their Immunities than that Princes (hould part with their Soveraignty >and how great a part of the Chriili-an Work! would joyn with them is not hard to guefs. The Soveraignty of the Pope is an Article of the Popes political Faith,but I verily think he hath more wit and care of his Soul than to make itan article of his Chri-ftian Faith : And if he will venture his foul,and the fonls of his fheepon gage that he may keep his prefent Grandeur, I am well fatisfied that he is not my fhepherd, and I am not a little glad-that there are fo many Papifts that do not make this an Article of their Faith. Free States and Kingdoms do know that Supream Soveraignty is not effentialto Cbrifts Vicar, Paters Succeflbr, orUniverfal Bifhop, that Exemptions of the Clergy are favours of the Prince and not natural and necelTary properties of the Office j and which is ill news for Ramejuve well con-itdered the diftindlion between being of Communion with the Church Gatholick, and with the Pope as fir ft Btmop, and being in fubje&ion to the Pope as to a Soveraign. They now are skilled in the Method of obferving the Church, and oppofing the Court of Rome. And though I know not what may (per Togtyile) come to pafs among men, and ; what King may make himfelf againlt all Pvight a Subject to the Pope,. yet I am fare no King or Emperour can ever be rightfully the fubjccl: of, the Pope, who at molt is hut Bifhop of the firf? See.

ser worn

SERMON IV

The POPE of ROME is ANTICHRIST.

V*y?*f-**-

2 Thefo. 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day ft all not come, except there come afal-ling awayfirfl, and that man offm be revealed, the fon of perdition.

4. Who oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above all that ts called Cod, or that is worflnpped : fo that he, as God, fttteth in the temple of God, fihewing himfelf that he is God,

5. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, J told you thefe things.

6. And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.

7. For the my fiery of iniquity doth already works only he who now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8. And then pall that wicked be revealed,whom the Lordflull confume with the fpirit of his mouth, andfhall dejlroy with the brightnefs of his coming :

9. Even him whofe coming is after the working ofSatanjvith all power 1 and (igns and lying wonders,

1 g. And with all deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs in them thatperifi : becaufe they received not the love of the truth, that they might befaved.

WE will firft give you an Account of the Apoftles writing here fo fully concerning Antichrift, and fo proceed to handling the Words. The reafon of his falling on this fubjedfc here, was upon the preaching of fome among them, who told them, that the coming of the Lord to judgment would be very fud-

dealy

denly, in that age and time in which they lived, upon which report they were in a very great fear and dread, V. 2. They were fhaken in mind, and this terrour and confternation of Spirit there is e*prefTed under a double Metaphor. 1. From a Sea-ftorm that tears theVetfel from the Anchor and Harbour \ fo much the word <r&Mvblnv«a here ufed doth import, which comes from ™'a«< which fignifies a Tempeft at Sea. 2. By 6p3®- taken from Souldiers, who by-a panick feararifing among them, puts them into a diforder and confufion, fo that they have neither head, nor heart, nor hand to ad: in a due manner ; So it was with the Iheffalonians, by reafon of falfe Teachers, who by their blafts and ftorms of falfe Dodrines, Eph. 4. 14. (hake men from their ftedfaft-nefs: they were at prefent under great diftradion and fear, from the falfe Teachers who did delude them j 1. By a pretence to an extraordinary Spirit, orVifions, and Revelations. 2. By Word and Preaching. 3. By Letter as from Paul, by which works they did exceedingly deceive them => and perfwaded them to believe that the end of the World was at hand.

Whence we obferve, 1. That falfe Teachers do ufe all p^ffible means d/td diligence, to prevail with perfons to believe their falfe Votlrines.

2. Falfe Teachers do fo far prevail with many, that they rent and tear them as with a tempejlnow wind, and put them into a confer nation of Spirit as by a panick, fear Jo M that they can neither keep to the Truth jior att according to it.

In the Words you have, 1. The Revelation of the greateft Enemy that ever was againfl Chrift and his Church, in the third verf and the eighth. 2. You have a full and large Defcription of that Enemy, by fe-vcral circumftances of time, place, &c. As alfo by feveral Characters and Names, by which this Enemy may be known from all other Enemies of Chrift that ever were, or mould be in the World. I (hall wholly wave their opinion, who contrary to the whole ftream of Interpreters, do take the meaning of this place to be concerning Chrifts Coming to deftroy Jerufalem, and them that crucified Chrift > and the Apoftacy to be the Chriftians breaking off compliance with the impenitent J ews ) and departing from them to t\\z Gentiles : and the Man of Sin here defcribed they take to be Simon Magus, together with the Gncfticks. But that this cannot be fo meant, is plain, from the Seafon of entring of the Man of Sin, &c. who was to be revealed, and upon his Revelation, there would follow an Apoftacy from the Faith before Chriits Coming to judgment. That which did fo terrifie xhzTheffahnians w r as this d that Chrift's fecond Coming was at hand s then the Apoftle tells them, that there was to be a great Apoftacy upon the Revelation of the Man of Sin, which was to be many years, fome Hundreds of years after this. As for Simon Magus and the Gno(lic\s , they were revealed before the writing of this Epiftle *, Hugo Grot. Dr. Hammond, &c. This Enemy is fet forth as if he were a fingle perfon, but it is'not fo to be taken

M in

in this place j for it is frequent in Scripture to fet forth a Body Politick, or a Kingdom, or State, by a particular Perfon or Individuum. In Van. 7. 1, 2,3,d^c. there be four Kingdoms, or Monarchies, which were in a Succeffion one after another in the World, deciphered by four-great Beads, which are interpreted to be four Kingdoms, verf. 17. or four Kings * and the fourth Bea(t is called the fourth Kingdom, ver. 23^ And the vulgar Tranflation renders verf. 17. four Kingdoms : So that each Bead ilgnifieth a multitude of men in a Succeffion, under one Government for feveral Ages', and fo confequently the Head and Horns fjgnifie the Power, and Sovereignty, of fuch a Kingdom for a long time in a Succeffion.

So we find, Rev. 12. 1, the date of the Primitive Apoftolical Church fet forth by a Woman in travel s and verf. d. 14, by a Woman in the Wildernefs. So Rev. 13. 11. the two-horned Beaft, which is the fame with the falfe Prophet , Rev. 10. i^^ and ip, 20, and 20. 10, cloth not fignifie a iingle Perfon, or a fucceilion of fingle Perfons ( fuppofe the Popes ) but a Body of Deceivers under one Head or Government. It is generally agreed on by Proteftant Writers, That the Pope as Head of that Antichriftian (late which is here defcribed, is pointed at in this place 5 or that the Papacy, Head and Members, in a Succeffion making up one Body Politick, is that Monfter which they call Antichrift. It is on all hands agreed on, That where-ever we find all thefe Characters, together with the Circumftances fet down in the Text, to concenter, that muft be The Antichrill,who was to be brought forth into the World before the fecond coming of Chrift. He tells us of One to come, a ftrange One, a mcnftrous One, fuch a One as never was before \ and that you may not be miftaken in this Prodigious One, he gives us the lively portraiture of him. The firft Let us now defcend to the particulars as they lye in the Text. Character by 1. Antichrift is defcribed by the Apofiacy which fhould arife in which hnn- t h e church upon the coming of this Moniler: He is an Apoftate, forth is the anc * ^ e cau ^" e °^ an Apoftacy: there was to be h 'Ator&eiA, a very great grand' Apo- Apoftacy before his full Revelation, verf. %. Apoftacy is taken i. Po-ftacy which litically, fo fome take it for a falling from the Roman Empire. 2. Ec-fkould attend clefiaftically, to fall from the Church or True Religion. 3. Figurative-*•" 1y, the Subject for the Ad juncl, meaning the chief in Place and Power,

that caufeth others to fall away \ as 1 Tim. 4. 1. There (hall be an Apoftacy, there (hall be fuch as fhall fall away, and caufe others fo to do.

In the two latter fenfes it is taken here > for the Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy, fet out by the Lamb with two Horns, Rev. 13. n. is the grand Apoftate and a caufe of the great Apoftacy of many, bycaufing by force and fraud to worfhip the Beaft and his Image, verf. 12,13,^. The time of this Apoftacy is a fpecial mark of Antichrft's riling, 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. This Apoftacy was to be in the latter times of the

fourth

fourth Monarchy, fet out by Fourty two Months, and One thoufand two hundred and Sixty days, Rev. 11. 2, 3. and chap. 13. 5. The A-poftacy of the Church from the Rule of Faith and Worfhip, by fpiritual Fornication is a ilgnal note of Antichrift, or the Antichriftian State, of which the Pope is the Head ', and his proper See is Babylon the Metropolis : And the Body which was to be ordered by this falfe Prophet as its fuprcmeHead, was, and is, the Beaft of Rome, with Seven Heads and Ten Horns, and Ten Crowns on his Horns. Rev. 13.1. This Apofta-cy as to the time, is upon the rifing of the Antichriftian Papal State, when thofe Doclrines of Demons, and forbidding Marriage and Meats, which are peculiar to the Church of Rome , came into the Church i the old Pagan Rom an. Empire was broken to pieces, and had its deadly wound, which afterwards was healed by the two-Horned Beaft , Rev. 13. 12. Framed into a likely Image of the former Pagan Beaft, by reafon of which, the vifible Worfhip of Chrift in the Church gradually was calf out, and the fpiritual Fornication of Saints and Angels, Pvdicks, Images, and fuchlike, which is renewed Gentilifm and refined Paganifm, came up gradually into the Church of Rome.

The Revelation of the Man of Sin doth appear by his rifing gradually, and the time of his rifing will appear by the Apoftacy from the Rule of Faith, Worfhip, and Manners % io that if we can find the Defection of the Church, we know one chief Character of Antichrift. Some begin the Apoftacy from the Primitive purity about 396. Many Popi(h crrours come into the Church. Wolph. in Centenar. Jerom. 3570. complains of the Avarice and Corruption of the Clergy, and ot the prohibition of Marriage and Meats. And Augullin 3^9. complains how the Church was fallen from her Purity. Wolphim in his Epiftle, and in his Book, Ah. ypo. and 400. brings in a large Catalogue of errours crepe into the Church, by which the times of the grand Apoftacy may be known : And it pleafed God tofpeak in a wonderful way from Heaven in thofc times, by prodigious Comets, An. 383, ' and 389. Alfted. CbroH. Comet. Thus was the Man of Sin gradually revealed, and the Apoftacy did gradually proceed. Indeed the Pope could not yet (hew himfelf in the full exercife of his Power in the Roman Empire, for the Civil Power of the Roman Empire would not bear fuch a competition as the Hierarchy of Rome \ and therefore the Roman Empire which is a Civil State, was to be taken out of the way, verf. d, 7, 8. It was to be removed from the Seventh Head, the Old Roman Beaft, as it was a Civil Government, and placed fomewhere elfe, i. e. on the Pope or Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy , which ufurps the Power of both Swords. This could not be done before the deadly wound was given to the Ce-farian family, which the idolatrous blafphemous Bead: was to fucceed : This is the Beaft which carrieth the Whore, Rev. 17.3. which could^ not be done till the Imperial Sovereign Power of Rome was broken, and tranflated to the Pope > then the Man of Sin was more fully reveal-Mi 2 ed,

$4 7$K Pop* of Rome is Antichriji. Serm. IV.

N

ed. Upon this ground, Je torn when he heard of the taking of Rome-by Alericws King of the Goths , expected the coming of Antichrift, Epifi. ad Agerncbiam, §hti tenebit f faith he) dt media fit & non intellige-rnut Anticbriflum appropinquate ? He that letteth' is removed, and {hall we not know that Antichrift is nigh? Soin prtfat. /. 8. in Ezecb.pafci-tnr anima & oblivifcitur^ &.c.

. Some ftate the beginning of the Apoftacy, and the Revelation of the Man of Sin higher, fome lower, but they agree in the main, That this Apoftacy was by the Pope, and upon the fall of the Roman Empire: Some will have his Revelation.to be about the time of King Pepin^ and CharkmaiHi It is true the Papacy then came to a great height, but the Church was very corrupt in Dodrrine, Worfhip, Difcipline, and Manners, and polluted with fpiritual Fornication after Saints, and Angels, and Images^ ckc, long before that time. So that we may infer, that if the Apoftacy came irv with the Pope or Papacy, as this did rife to a height, fo did the Apoftacy from the Truth, then this Character doth agree to the Pope, by which he may be known to -be The Antichrift. 2. The fe- 2. Tlve Second Character, by which the Pope is fet forth, fo as to be cond charact- known to be Antichrifh l.Hc is,o&p0?aK»-©- im ct^etfTtaiy h $ ©- 7ns avc*-* er is the fpe- ^ iah v . 3. 0 #VTtKlwv®-> v. 4. b avqia.®-, v. 8. The Man of Sin, the Son ficn'fican^ex- °^P^rxlition: By an Hebrew phrafe expreiling one that is a Superlative preflions ap- fupereminent finner, impietath corypbxus^ as fet. Molin. phrafeth him v plied to And- As we fay a Man of Blood, for a Man thirfting after Blood, or a cruel d*nft> bloody Man. The Son of Perdition, perditiftmus^ One (by an He-

braifm) fet upon deftruclion of others b the moft flagitious profligate Sinner, the moft inhuman cruel Deftroyer, to whom the titles of ApoHyon, and Abaddon do moft properly belong ■> He is actively an& pailively the Son of Perdition, Rev.ij.%. and ip.20. He is the great-deftroyer of Souls, verf. 12. He is the 0 MTtKttyL%v®"-> the great Enemy* of air Enemies of Chrift, though he is not called by the name of The Antichrift', yet here is a word with the Article prefixed to it, which' carrieth the like importance with it. He is the worft and greateft Enemy of Chrift, who under a pretence of friendfhtp and love to Chrift, doth ufurp and undermine his Offices ', He appears like a Lamb in his deportment, and (peaks like a Dragon, Rev. 13.11. 2. The Papacy is of all other Bodies Politick the worft, being fet out with fuch expreili-ons as have the greateft Emfbafis in them 5 It would be too great a buiinefs for a Sermon to give you an account of their Tyranny, Cruelty, Luxury, Rapacioufnefs, Avarice, Blafphcmy, Whoredom, Spiritual and Corporal', all the Abominations of the Three former Monarchies do meet in this Fourth, of which the Papacy is the lair edition, Rev. 13,2. That Beaft fet out there is the Roman Empire, as Papal not Pagan, as appears by the Crowns on the Horns : But the Pagan Empire had the Crowns on the Heads, £^.12.3. Now that wickednefs

in which fhofe former Empires did excel did meet in the Papal, Rev. 13.2. and therefore it is let out by the Lions mouth , the feet of the Bear, and the Leopard. He is fet out in his Type, Van. n. 28, jo, 31, 32. Or, he himfdf is kt forth C as lome think ) wholly againft the Covenant, expreffing an indignation againft it wkh all his might, fetting himfett againft the Sanctuary and daily Sacrifice. Gruteriis and others underftand it of Antichrift, and not of Antlochw. The Scripture when it cxpreffeth a perfon or thing in a iignal way, doth it by an affixed article as here, or by an abitraft : Here the article ftieweth an eminence of wickednefs •, fo the abftract, Cant. 1. 4. Heb. upripbtnrffesjzy which righteous perfons are fet forth} fo a proud perfon is fet out by pride, Jer. 50. 3. we render it, 0 you moft proud ! So fin for a great finner, Prov.13.6. So the Man of Sin iignifics the moft Sinful Man.

He is called the & *vonos> v. 8. That wicked one^ the moft lawlefs one,, breaking all bounds and bands, and cafting away the cords of Chrift, as they, Pfal. 2.3. that will not come under the yoke of Chrift, nor ftoop to his Scepter, that will not that Chriit mould reign, as Lul^ ip. 14. This boundlefs lawlefs one is therefore-fet'out by a moft unruly Beaft, Rev. 13. 1,2, 8cc. and by the Whore of Babylon, Rev. 17.1,2,3, &c. riding the Beaft and making the Kings to commit Fornication, with her, and making the Inhabitants of the Earth drunk with the. Wine of her Fornication •> This is the Mother of Harlots and abominations, drunk with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs, v. 5,6. This the lawlefs one is the Antichriftian ftate, the Man of Sin under another notion. Lawlefs, $ avo^Q-, as to Scripture,fo in point of Doctrine, Wor(hip, Government, and Manners ; as to Humane Laws and Pow-eis, being above them alh as to Oaths of Allegiance, &c. as to Exemption of his Clergy, and fuch like.

If thefe Epithetes which the Holy Ghoft gives to Antichrift, do all belong to the Pope or Papacy, then he may be juftly thought to be de-fcribed in this place.

3. The third particular by which Antichrift is fet out is the place, , >Is the Jace 2.4. he (Ttteth in the Temple of God \ there he exercifeth his Jurif- where he fit-didtion and Tyranny, and (hews himfelf God, i.e. in the Church, the eth and refi-placeofthe vifible external Worftnp of God, which is called the out- d ?*!V. % ward Court, Rev. II. 2. which is trod under foot by the Draconizinp- jj!t,;,u?iat* beaft,or Papacy,protaning the whole Worlhtp or God, and a new Gen- p r0 vcs the tilifm i therefore the outward Court is caft out, and forbid to be mea- Pope to he. fured in regard that lawlefs Monfter hath brake all bands, and will not Antichrift come under any Laws and Rules of Chrift, therefore they and their ^ r s Worftnp are caft out. The place where he fits is called, vaU , the Tern- $ e e Dr. whi-

ehsmier, Pet.Molhu Junius, &c. that write of Antichrft, and prove the Pope to be the Antichrift, from this place.

pie,

pkor Houfe of Gods Worftiip. So it is faid of the King of Babylon, That he rvill fit on the Mount of the Congregation, Ifa. 14. 13. i.e. Mount Sion, the place of Gods Refidcnce and Worfhip : So here the K.of Babylon he takes upon him to fit in the Tcmple,or Church of God, which is called, vctU> Epbcf. 2.21. 1 Cur, 3. rd. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Some will have it for the Temple of Jerufalem, that mull be the Seat of Anti-chrift, which is in the power of the Tur^ but this cannot be,in regard the other Characters will not fuit with the Turfy, but do fall in fuitably with the Pope. And fo Jerom takes the notion of v*U> in §ht£ft. ad Algefiam , and Augufl. de Civit. Dei, c. 19. he faith, Re-8w did fejfarum in Templnm Dei, &i rfo v&h t« 8e»> fo the Greek '-> Tanqnam ipfe fit Templum Vei quod eft Ecclcfia : As we fay in amicum, i.e. velut amicus. This may very well agree with the Papacy, who . pretend to be the Holy Catholick and the only True Church. So then the Pope fits in the midft of his Holy Catholick Church of Rome, exer-ciiing his Tyrannical Power over the people of God, fo that Mahome-*takf. cannot be the Church, they wholly renounce the name of the Church of Chrift.

But bow can the Antichriftian Synagogue where Satans throne tijbe cated the Temple of God <*

Refp. The Scripture fpeaketh of things as they once were, though they do not continue fo to be •,' and fpeaks it of perfons as they are in pretence and oatward profeilion, though they be not fuch as they pretend to be.Abigail is called the Wife of Nabal when he was dead,i Sam. 30. 5. And Simon the Leper though he were healed, Mat. 26.6. fo the City that was a Harlot is called the faithful City, Ifa.i. 21. It was called the holy Cityffoh.\.2 r.where they worChipped.lt was called the holy place, Mat. 24. 15. till the Defolarion by Vefpafim \ and Mat. 27. 53. the holy City y though they had turned the Houfe of God into a den of thieves, Mat. 21.1%. and the City was a bloody City that fylled the Prophets, Mat. 23. 37. B:f]des fometime the Scripture fpeaks of it quoad'opinionem homhium^ as they are reputed by men, 2 Chron.2%. 23. They Jacrijiced to the gods of Damafcus that they would help tbems they are called gods on that account; fo Jxdg. 10. 13,14. This'Charadter doth very well agree to the Pope, or Papacy, to prove it to be the Antichriftian-ftate here fet forth. The Fourth 4.He is fet forth by Self- exaltation : J^^Wa* \iri<iruvi& K%yoy.ivov Character is Mv\ and not only above all that have the title of gods as the Civil his Self-cxal- Magiftrates, P/*/. 82.1,6. Which have the title of gods by virtue of tation. the Authority that "God hath inverted 'them withal, 7^.10.34,35.

But alfo above the true God, by taking on him to do more than God himfelf « <?iC&vn&> quicquid eft Auguftum y whatfocver is held worthy the higheil degree of Civil Reverence zs is the Majefty of Kings. He at God } he takes on him the Honour due to God himfelf, and will be a-, dored by the higheft Power upon Earth. He that does all this muft

needs

needs be the Antichrift, but fuch things doth the Pope", kt him look to the conclufion.

Molift. in Vale. c.6. (hews how the Pope is called God, how they plead that he ought Co to be, whereof feveral of their own Writers, especially out of the Gloffa Extravagant.cum Inter. Which hath thefe words,Cn»-dere dominum Veum nofirum Papam, conditorem dill* DecretalU^ & ifiius y fie nonpotuijfe ftatuere ut ftatuit, hareticum cenferetur. It is Heretical to believe our Lord God the Pope the maker of the faid Decretal not to have power to Decree as he hath decreed. And Bellarm. /.i. de Pontif. fafth/fpeaking of the Popes Supremacy )Ecclefia feclufo etiamChrijh unum caput habere debet, The Church (fecluding ChriftJ ought to have one Head > this is the Pope which is Oecumenical Bifhop. So they attribute the Offices and Excellencies of Chrift to the Pope. They fay, He is the Father of all Chriftians, which belongs to Chrift, Ifa. p. 7. That he is the Teacher of the Church,and the Spoufe of the Church, the Foundation of Faith, the Lord of Lords, the chief Corner-ftone, univerfal Judg and Infallible", who is to judg all others, but to be judged of none. Thefe all belong to Chrift alone, and he that thus exalts him-felf, and arrogates thefe things to himfelf muft needs be AntichrinV Philip de Nicolai de Antichrifio, fhews how the POpe taking all thefe Titles to himfelf, provcth that he is Anfichrift. As alfo the ProteftanC Divines generally prove him to be Antichrift by this Character.

Some go further in this Argument, and fhew how the Pope takes on him to do more than God. It is frequent among. their Divines and Canonifts to fay, Paparn p^JJe difpenfare contra Apojlc~ -lum & contra vetus Teftamentum. That the Pope can difpenfe againft the Apoftles, and againft the Old Teftament. That the Pope can make new Simbols. That he can difpenfe with things forbidden of God. Bel. £4. de Penitent, c. 13. faith, Indulgently faciunt, ut pro ik poenti qi£ no-bit per indulgentits condonantur ', non teneamur prjecepto illo^de faciendk dig-nit pxnitentie frudibm\ That as to thofe penalties from which we are freed by Indulgences, we are not bound to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. Nay he goes further, L/&.4. de fummo Pont.Cy. Si Papa erraret pr£cipiendo vitia, vel prohibendo virtutes, ttneretur Ecclefia credere vilia ejfe bona, & virtutes malaf^ nifi vellet contra confeientiam peccsre\ If the Pope (hould err fo as to command vices, and forbid virtues, the Church would be bound to believe vices to be good and virtues to be evil, unlefs (lie will fm againft Confcience.

Thus blafphemoufly do they fpeak of the Supereminence of the Pope above God himfelf \ and as for all Civil Powers he is abfolutely free from them, and much above them all, Vid.text. Vecret. di\\. p6. c. 7. Satis evidenter odenditur a fecnlari potejiate non folvi prorfiis nee li-gari Pontificem poffejittem conjiat a Conflantino Veum appr-Uatum, cum nee Dewn ab hominibm jitdicari manifcliumfitj Since the Pope is god, therefore he cannot either be bound, or loofed by men. Their words are in the body of the Canon-Law fet forth by the command of Gregory 15.

An-, .

An.\ 5p i ."From this it appears that the Pope is above Scripture,Coun-"cils,Princes, and all Powers upon Earth, upon the account of his Di-* viniry It is common amongtt them at leaft to equalize the Popes Decrees to the Holy Scripture -, and that the Popes Decretals are to be accounted Canonical-, and that the Popes Determinations are to be preferred above the Scripture} with many fuch like blafphemies.- See D<r-cret, cum ghffli ed, Tug. Ann. i 5 10. Viji.19. &c.6, ~Dift.^o. And which is worft of all, they aifert the Scriptures are inferiour to the Popes Decrees. Vt fidem non facere, neq$ neceffttatem credendi inducere queant, m{x Papa per canonizationem qnam vocant, ivs autboritatem prim imper-tiat, Decret. 1,2. tit. 23. de prefumptionibus^ cbap.j. That the Scriptures have no Authority foas to procure belief of them, unlefs they can befirft canonized by the Pope. It is no wonder though the Pope utter-cth fuch Blafphemies, fince he is the Head of -that Idolatrous Beaft full of Blafphemies, Rev, 13. 5,6.

Since they will have the Pope to be fuch a Supream Head to the Church militant, as Chrift Qudadinflnxitm interiorem, fo he qnoad in-flaxum exteriorem VaUrin£& fidei, Bel. 1,2. de ConciU autboritate, c, 15. Since they will have him not only to be equal with Chrift, but above him j he being able to redeem Souls out of Purgatory, which Chrift never did, and is affirmed by them : Job, Turrecremata and others that licenfed the Revelations of Bridget, they let go that paiTage in that Book, Bonus'Gregoriw oratione fua, etiam injidelem C£farem elevavit ad altiorem gridum. By whFch it appears that the Pope hath done that which Chrift never did} and that the Popes Charity is larger than Chrifts, who prayed not for the World, Job, 17.6* but the Pope prays for the Damned. Since I fay, they will have their Pope with all thefe prodigious Blafphemies, fince they will have their Lord God the Pope thus lifting up his Head above Lucifer, let them have Him, and believe his Lies and Impofturesifince they reject the Truth whereby they migbt befived, let them believe his Lies that they maybe damned, v. 10 Ii. §jti Satanam non edit amet tun dogmata Papa, The Fifth f.Anticbrift is fet forth by the remnvensprobibens,by the taking that which Character by hindr^d out of the way ; the tl kat$xw> v.6. and 3 %&T\yj* v w yXtr^ which Anti- yl vn7(Ui Vt j n There was fomething that hindred the Revelation of ■Known Is the ^ ie ^ an °^ ^ l1 ^ which was to be removed. The Man of Sin could not taking out of be brought forth into the World till the Roman Empire was taken out the way that of the way, then that wicked One the Pope did rife up to that height, which hinder- t j ien Antichriftdid appear in his colours. There is a great confent a-mong the Ancients as to this thing ; and Jerome was fo clear and confident in this thing, that as foon as he heard of the taking of Rome by Alarich^ he prefently expected the coming of Antichrift. SccTertul, A4, de Refxr. r.24. Ambrof, in Comment, in Ezek. Cbryfoft. Com.in he. Augui. /.ip. deCiv.Vei, c.20. Among the Ancients they were fo 'confident of this thing that the Church did pray in her Liturgy, That the Roman

Empire

Empire might ftand long, that fo Antichrifts coming might be long \ lertullian Apolog. 0.32.39. So that the Roman Empire or Emperour, who was then in polTeffion of that Power Imperial , kept out that Papal power which grew out of irs Ruins. Harex*?, i* the fame as Poffidere, I Cor. 7. 30. otdyo^ovru, a\ ^ Kttrixovte* the Roman Empire being broken into Ten Kingdoms brought in Antichrift s fo lertuU £4. de Refurred. 0-24. Paul did not exprcfs the Roman Empire by name left he mould bring a Perfecution upon the Church. Jerom adAlgafiam, qu.w. Pet. in Molin. Vale, (hews in feveral Inftances how the Roman Emperours did keep the Bifhop of Rome from growing to that height, as he did upon their being removed out of the way.

Others take it to be meant oi the Roman Emperour himfelf, and not of the Roman Empire at all; for the Roman is not taken out of the way. but ftandsontwolegs, viz. the Empire of Turk/, and the Empire of Germany. It was the Emperour himfelf,which was Conftantine the Great, who removed to Conjlantinople^ then the ?3 h,atIx°v was taken away, The Grandeur of the Emperour and of Antichrift could not ftand together. AiToon as the Emperour departed from Rome^ Antichrift began to be revealed. For when all the Biftiops in the Chriftian World did meet at the Council of Nice^ the Bifhop of Rome (though requefted by a Letter ) came not, he pretended old age, and the weaknefs of his Body ; But Bellarmine telleth us the true reafbn was, it was not meet the Head (houId follow the Members, but rather that the Members fhould follow the Head \ and if the Emperour were prefent, it is likely he would fit above the Pope, which was not meet, he being the Spiritual Heads therefore he did abfent himfelf. Cotton on 1 J oh. 2.18. Though they differ as to the Emperour and Empire, to be that which hindred, yet they agree as to the Pope, that herofe to his height upon the removal of the one or the other out of the way.

•6. By the notion of a Myftery, as it ftands in oppotition to the My- 6. By the flery of Godlincfs, v.7. the Apoftle following the Hebrew way of ex- Myftery of preftion, fMv^tov th* dvo^iai, i.e. VoUrina improba vel Myfterinm im- In / < 3 u f ! t ^ probum, a wicked Do&rine or Myftery; for the whole Religion of^nd h£ Popery as to Faith and Worfhip is fo contrived by them as may moft rife and reign, conduce to the fuftaining and advancement of the Popes Power,and the gain and profit of the Clergy •, There we rind that to be written in the forehead of the Whore, (Rev. 17. 5. ) pvrfipov, as a principal part of her Name. Such is the hellifh contrivance of the whole Body of the Religion of the Papacy, (in which Satan never (hewed himfelf fo notorious an Impoftor, and Angel of Darknefs. though under the appearance of an Angel of Light) that it gained upon the whole'World exceedingly by the Pope, Satans Vicar, fet forth by the Lamb with two Homs, Rev. 13. n. who hath prevailed with all forts of men to receive the Mark of the Eeaft, and bow to his Image i v.i2,13,14. The Religion of Antichrift is carried on in a fubtle cunning way, elfe it

N could

could not be calkd a Myftery,ar,d a Myftery of Iniquity under the pretence of Godlinefs \ the great fa&ors in this Myftery are faid to be fe-ducers that fpeak Lies in hypocrifie, i Tim. 4. 1, 2. who have f*$f ?»*/*> a form of piety, which is the mantle to cover, the blacked abominations 2 Tim. 3. 1, 5. And Peter fpeaking of fuch Myftical Villanies, 2 Pet. 2. 1 2,3. tells us how privily they mould' bring in damnable Here-fies under the colour of truth. The Religion of Popery which is meer-ly to advance the honour and grandeur, profit and intereft of the Pope and his Hierarchy, under a pretence of fetting up the name and honour ofChrift, have by their Myftical art, and cunning fair plaufible ' deportment, undermined and overthrown the Religion of Chrift up and down the World. Cbamiev I.16. c.S. treating about Antichrift and (hewing how by their cunning, Hereiles are made fubfervient to him \ faith thus, Htc veto ft aliqua eft Antichrijii nota \ dicam audatter aut nullum ejfe Antichriftum, aut Epifiopum Horn, eum effe : This is a fpe-. cial note of Antichrift \ Tie fpeak boldly, That either there is no Antichrift, or the Bimop of Rome is he. 7. By the 7, gj the manner of his comings v. p, 10. his coming, *>. after he [ s

manner ^of reveaIed ) an ^ ^ iat which hindred is taken out of the way > his coming his coming, together with the influences that it had on the World, and fuch as pe-rifh. Hecometh k&t msyHM.n %*tclv£, ' ue , Satan will put'forth his utmoft skill in working Miracles by Antichrift. 2. \v ndm JWV« > *5 <rni/.H0Jt, /. e. his power to work after a wonderful manner, which God is pleafed fometime to grant even to the worft of men. He (hall work Signs or Miracles, for Signs are taken fo here. 3, Omm potential it is to be taken for varia potentia^ox a power to work varioufly. 4. T%«<r/ 4 fiu ^**> an Hebraifm, according to the letter prodigivs mendacity lying wonders, or wonderful lies. 5. $ sv sraVa *Wt» «£ ciftKiat, tv pro piTA vel <M, with all decehablenefs of unrighteoufnefs j there is a double Hebraifm faith Pifcator, Vnm in fignificatioue Synecdochica vo-eabuli injuftitU pr$ falfitate Jen mendacio •, alter in ufu nominti ejufdem, qmd^cum jltbflantivum fit, bic vim habet epitbeti. Under the name of unrighteoufnefs is covered all manner of falfhood and lies, by which they do deceive many, and would deceive the very Elecl: if they could, Mat. 24. 24. Then 5. w*f> w * w wAaw, for mh&n h\\y*t<n> U. \n$-jxf&Vi HypaJlage Heb. We render ftrong delufionpx the delufion of Anti-cbrift working ftrongly, fpecially coming under a Judicial tradition from • God. This Advent or coming of Antichrift here mentioned is not ta be referred to his firft Revelation only, but to his full Revelation, when his. Kingdom and Government (hall be fet up in its fplendor and power.

He Jhall come with aU the power of Satan. Satan is raoft famous for two things, he is Mor'dax &bomicida, Joh. 8,44. for he is an adver-fary to Divine Authority,and Mans Salvation ; and both thefe are eminently feen in the Pope/or he hath brought in falfe Doclrmes,falfe Worship,

(hip, and a falfe Religion into the Church •, and by this means he is the great murderer of Souls 5 for they are damned that follow his Delufions, as appears in the Text. Satan (hews himfelf a lyar when he puts men on a ralfe Idolatrous Worfhipinftead of a true*, fo all Idolaters are ly-ars Rom. 1.25. They changed the truth of God into a lie, &c. and therefore Idols are called lies, Amos 2. 4. fo Idolaters are faid, to m?ke lies their refuge, M under falfhood to hide themselves. But Satan never did impofe fuch a lye on the World as in the Idolatrous WoruYip of Rome \ there Idolaters and Lyars are put together, Rev. 21. 8. and 27. he that worketh abymination and a lye, they are put together *, and Chap. 22. 15. Idolaters and makers of lyes are put together again. v

Cum omni potentia -, fome take it of the power of both Swords, Ec-clcilaftical and Secular, which the Pope claims, but it rather refpe&eth that faculty and power which the Pope the two Homed-Beaft, Rev. 13. i2,\^,&c. doth pretend to, and whereby he doth work Wonders: The Signs and Wonders here fpoken of, are the ways and means, and weapons which Satan ufeth by Antichrift to deceive perfons to their deftrucliom this was the way which Satan took by Jannes and Jambres to deceive Fharaob and the Egyptians, 2 Tim. 3.8. thefe were a kind of types of Seducers which were to come in thefe laft times.

That this may appear to be a Character of Antichrift, the Papifts .themfelve? do grant that Antichrift is to be confirmed with Signs and Wonders, Snarez Apol. lih.i. a J. num. 12. Bellarm. de Tout.Ram. 1.3 . c.i 5. Sanders de Antichrifio, Vem. ip, 20, 21,22. If then the Popes coming be by Signs and lying Wonders, then he will come under that mark of Antichrift by their own confe(lions.

That Miracles have been at the firft promulgation of the Scripture is mod true for the confirmation of the DivineAuthorityof it,& increafing a belief of the Doctrine of Chrift 5 but after that the Gofpel is promulgated, there is no further ufe of Miracles : And therefore when the Scripture doth fpeak of Miracles and Miracle-mongers as here ; and Mar. 13.22. and Rev. 13.13. Mat.j.22. it is to be underftood of falfe Chrifts and falfe Prophets, who (hall come in the name of Chrift, and (hall pretend to marvelous things in his name, and (hall deceive many, and this is here brought in as a fpecial mark of Antichrift.

That this Mark is fulfilled in the Papacy, doth appear from them-felves, whoboaft very much of their Miracles, and the advancement of their Religion,and the confirmation of it by Miracles. The Legends of their Saints are full of Miracles, of St.Vominick, St. Francis, Saint Benedict, and the Images of the Virgin Mary, and other Saints in their Calendars fuch Miracles are called lying Miracles : 1. Becaufe they are for the confirmation of falfe Dodtrincs, of Tranfubfhntiation, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Adoration of.Iroages, and Relicks, See. Prayers for the Dead, and the Popes Supremacy, &c. a. Becaufe many of them are things meerly feigned to be done which were never

N 2 donc 5

\

g2 TfiePope of Rome if Antichrift. Serm. IV.

done, or if they were done, they have been brought about by the meer artifice of Satan, who is able to do things beyond the reach of men, by which he deceives ruch as will be deceived. 3. From the end of thefe Miracles which is to deceive men, Mar. 13.22. and here in the Text they are framed by feducers for fedudtion, and fuch as will not receive the truth wifh that love of it : v.i. They came with aU deceiva- ■ blenefs of unrighteoufnejs in them that perifh.

Their own Authors have fet down multitudes of Miracles : Baron. in his Annals : The conformities of St. Francis^ the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine, the Sermons of Dormi fecure, the Hiitory of our Lady by Lipfius, and BeUarm. de Officio TrincipU, I. 3. with feveral o-thers. So that by all this you fee this note will agree to the Antichriftian Hate of the Papacy. 8. By his far g. He is fet out by his fatal ruin, and utter deftru&ion, v.8. Here be tal Ruin. two p arts 0 f tn j s verfe. 1. The fir ft looks back on the verfe before, which fpeaks of the time of Antichrifts coming upon the removal of what hindred', this we have done with. But 2. this latter part points at the ruin of Antichrift, and how he (ball be deftroyed. The former part had refpeel to our Inftru&ion* the latter is for our Confolation in the-, downfall of fo great and publick an Enemy.

He fets down the principal efficient caufe of his ruin, and that is Ghrift at his coming : when Chrift comes to Cct up his Kingdom, and . to take to him his great Power and Reign, then he will deftroy And- . chrift j Van. 2. 44. #7.14,28. fpecially under the fifth, fixth, and ] feventh Vials, Rev. 16. from p. 10. to the end. You have the deftru&i-on of the Whore, chap. 18. the overthrow of the Beaft and falfe Prophet, ch.ip. from 17. to the end •, then you have the binding of Satan and the reign of the Saints on the Earth, ch. 20. 1, 2, &c

2. You have the infirumental caufe, the fpirit of his mouth. Here be two words to be cenfidered, 1. x Mct^»ffAh con\nmere\ which notes his -gradual confumption by the preaching of the Gofpel, Ifa. 11. 4. this is the Sword out of his mouthy Rev. ip. 15. By this Sword Chrift doth finite the Nations ^ his confumption is gradual as was his rifing, which was under the Trumpets, and his fall is under the Vials : the Preachers . of the Gofpel have been wafting, wounding and confuming him, fpecially fince the Angels with open mouth did declare againft him, Rev. 14. <5, 7, 8, 9. The Mjniiters of the Gofpel fince the Reformation began, have difcovered the Whoredoms, Impoftures, and falfe Do&rines of Rome, and the danger of having communion with Rome, and the defperatecondition of fuch as will not feparate from her, v.$ y io. Many a deadly wound have they given to Antichrift \ fo that he hath been wafting like a Snail, as Pfal. 58. 8. till he fnall come to nothing •, not by might, nor by power, Rev. 4. 5,7. but by the Word which he hath pretended to rife by,he (hall be deftroyed. 2. Here is x,*T&zyn<r&h which notes his utter deft ruction, by the brightnefs of Chrifts coming, when

he (hall come to take to him his great Power, at the founding of the feventh Trumpet, Rev. 11. 15. The Text mull be confidarcd under a double Capacity* i,As to his Eccleiiaftical ftate,and in his Spiritual Capacity as he is fct forth under the notion of a Whore, and falfe Prophet, and fo (hall be confumed by the preaching of the Word,and the Sword of the Spirit*, and this hath been doing thefemany years, and the work is (till carrying on by the Minifters of the Word. 2. He raufi be con-iidered in his Politick Secular Capacity, confuting of feveral Kingdoms under one fupream Head, which is the Pope •, fo he is fet out by the notion of the Beaft, Rev. 11. 7. & ch. 13. 1, 2,3. which Bead, the Whore, i.e. the Eccleflaftical Hierarchy of Rome rideth, Rev. 17.3. yet they both together make up but one Antichrift, as the Horfe and Man both together makes up but one Horfeman. Now Antichrift as to his Secular Capacity,he (hall be deftroyed with another Sword, Rev. 13.10. He that kjUetb with thefword JbaU be killed with thefword. So that the utter confumption both of the Beaft and Whore fhall be upon the little (tones riling into a great Mountain, which fhall fmite the Image on his ket^ and fhall break it to pieces, Van. 2. 34,35. This little ftoneis the Kingdom of Chrift, which hath been but Regnum LapidU hitherto, but then fhall be Regnum Monti?.

Perhaps it will be faid,That the deftrudHon of Antichrift(as hath been fhewed) can be no mark of Antichrift,by which he may be known,for all Enemies fhall be deftroyed by Chrift and by his Word.

It is true that Chrift will deftroy all his Enemies by his Word which cometh out of his mouth, Rev. ip, 15, Sin and the Devil are continu- -ally deftroying by the Word * but iince Antichrift is fet forth as. the greateft enemy that ever was,and fince the xAntichriftian ftateof it as it is in the Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy of Rome, together with the Beaft, Rev. 13. . 1, 2,&c. are the laft edition of the Fourth Monarchy, and it is on its Jaft legs in this ftate ? and it hath moft oppofed the Kingdom of Chrift beyond any others therefore the deftrudtion of this State as to the re-markabknefs of it fhall go beyond all other States and Kingdoms in the World. And therefore it is,that the Vials are prepared for this Enemy in a more fpecial manner beyond all others, Rev. 15. 1,2, &c. and cb.16. the feven Angels with the feven Vials pour them forth upon the Beafr, or fomething of the Beaft. Thus much hath been made good in the Papacy in a great meafure already, which may appear by the confeflion of Bell jt mine, who telleth us, (Lib.Vont.de Rom. 3. c.21.) That the Lutheran Herelle polTelTed almoft all Germany J)enmarl^, Norway,Suevi a ^ Gothia, Hitngaria, Vannonia, France, England, Scotland, Volonia, Bohemia, and Helvetia,and is got over the Alps into Italy. From his con-felhon you may perceive what a Confumption there hath been made of Antichrift. 9- EyMsFot

p. Antichrift may be known by his Followers, and the Livery which Retinae, and they wear, the black marks and brands upon then: backs, iv io, 11,12. their Live

Here

Here is a damned crew,the Retinue and Followers of Antichrift,having this fpecial mark on them, that they be fuch'as (hall perifh. Their Fio-perties are i. Negative, Ihey received not the love of the truth that they might be faved. 2. Affirmative, they have pleafare in nvrigbteoufnefr. 3. They are fet forth by fome paffive Properties which are penalties, 1. Internal, v. 11. ftrong delufions to believe a lye. 2. Eternal, v. 12. Damnation ; here be the black marks of Reprobation, by which Anti-chrifts Retinue and Followers are fet forth. We do not rind that any party of men are under more dreadful marks of Gods hatred than Anti-chrifts Followers. See Rev. 13. 8. there they be fet out by the Stigma of Reprobation, as perfons left out of the Book of Life. And chap.iJ c . p, 10,11. Ibey that rvorjhip the Beaji^ and receive bU mar]^ in their fore-bead, and in their hand, they jhall drinh^of the wine of the wrath cfGod, &c. and be tormented with fire and brim{ione, &c. And chap. 17. 8. there the admirers of the Bead are fuch as are left out of the Book of Life : The fame perfons are defcribed here by Paul. 4. They are fet forth by a fpecial ad: of God in a way of juft Judgment toward them •> i.e. his fending ftrong Delufions to believe lies, by a Judicial Tradition, and giving of them up to a fpirit of falfhood to their eternal perdition. All thefe which are followers of Antichrift, that wonder after the Beaft,and receive his mark, and bow to his Image, who clofe with Popifh falfe Doclrines inftead of the true.*, the Holy Spirit exprelTeth them by Ik % iH%Avio, 7/.10. i.e. Pertinaciter oblatum repudiarunt\ eft Meiafis,Bezo„ They are fuch as wilfully rejedt the true Dodrrine and Worfhip of Chrift, and pertinacioufly adhere to the falfe Do&rine, and the Idolatrous WorChip of the Pope : And moreover they pleafe themfelvcs much in thofe falfe ways of unrighreoufnefs, which are moll: deftruc/tive to Souls, and moftdifpleafing to God.

From all this it appears that the Pope is Antichrift. Indeed if but fome one or few Particulars did meet on the Pope or Papacy, we could not.argue from them that he were the Antichrift, but when they all meet in the Papacy, and generally by common confent of Orthodox Writers they faften thefe marks upon the Pope, he will never be able by all the skill he hath to efcape the vengeance of God which will follow him..on that account. Dr. TVhitahgr writing againft Antichrift, and proving the Pope to be the Antichrift, he names many eminent and learned men that have underftood this place, and thofe others in Daniel and the Revelation, of the Pope. He tells us of Wicklife (who declared the Pope to be Antichrift) who wzspio feculo dcUijftmus. And Luther affirms in his Writings the Pope to be Antichrift : He faith he is potijfimus Antichri[his, and that abomination of Defolation that ftands in the Holy place. Papa iVe eft Antichrift us, cum fit fpecialU procurator Diaboli, &c Non folum fimplex ilia perfona, fed multitudo paparum a tempore defeclionis Ecclefi£ :> CardinaliumJLpifcoporHm, & fuorum complurium aliorum,ed Anti-chrifti perfona compofita, monjlrofa, &c. Catalog. Tellium Verit. He adds

that

that he was a man, Spiritu Propbetico.& dono interpretandi Scripturis pre-dttus admirabtli. Then followed Feter Martyr,Bucer,BuUingerMdaniton, Brcntim, Calvin, Oecolampad'M, Mufculm, Beza, Gualter, lUyricus, Da-Hits, Junius, Gabriel Porvxol, Philip Morney, George Pacardus in Ve-fcriptione Antichrist, Catalogs Tejiium Veritatis^ Rivet, Crakentborp, TiUnw, Cbamier, Bifhop VJher in a Letter to Archbifhop Laud, 1635. All agree in this Thefis, That the Pope is Antichrift. And Zanchy though he differed fomewhat from his Brethren in this point, yet he faith in his Mifcellanies, Regnum Pap£, non nego effe Regnum Anticbrijli. And he thinks that the Pope is pointed in 2 Tbcf, 2. As for our EngUJh men we have many that have publickly tcftified the Pope to be Antichrift, as Mr. Fox in his Martyr0logy hath noted. The learned Martyr Walter Brute maintained it in a large Difcourfe. Richard JVimbleton in a Sermon preached at Pauls Crofs 1389. Sir Geofry Chancer in his Plow-mans Tale. Lucifers Letters to the Prelats of England, fuppofed to be writ-fen by Wiham Srvinderly Martyr. JFiUiam Tyndal a godly Martyr in his Obedience ofaCbrifiian man. The Author of a very Cbrijlian Bifhop and a counterfeit Bifhop, 1538. John Bale Bifhop of Ofyris in his Image of both Churches, <& templorum iUuftriam Britannia. Mr. Latimer, Mr. Bilney, Mr. Rogers, Sletterdon and others, Martyrs. JFiUiam Abbey Bi-drop of Exeter in his poor mans Library. Bifhop Jervd in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England. Mr. iba. Beacon in his A&s ofChriftand Antichrift, and Mr. Fox in his Meditations on the Apoca-lypfis. Mr. Brigbtman on the Apocalypfis. Bifhop Bilfon in his Book of Chriftian Subjection, and llnchriftian Rebellion. Dr. Robert Abbot Bifhop of Sarum,Dr. George Vownbam Bifhop of Derry,Dr.Beard, DxJViUet, Dr. Ful\, Dr. Sutcliffe, Dr. Shar*, Mr. Squire, in their fevera 1 Trea-tifes concerning Antichrift: Archbifhop Cranmer did avow publickly ** auc * e^i-the Pope to be Antichrift: Archbifhop Parker and Grindal avowed the dem credo ' fame: Archbifhop JFbitgifi when he Commenced Doctor at the Divi- juftum^iTe nity-Act i^6p, publickly maintained in the Schools, that Papa eftWe bonunvjjci Antichri[ius : And Archbifhop Abbot afferted the fame, with many o- Cu! Pa P a notti thersef our Enzlift) Divines, who have generally held and declared the l% dct man> * Pope to U Antichrift. _ ikSf'""

I might add the Convocation in Ireland 1615, the Parliament of England 3 Jacobin the Synod of Gape in France, feveral Statutes of i5 R.2.c.<$\ 25 Hen.S. c. 19, 20,21,28. Hen.S. c. 10.37. Hen.%.17. they tacitcly define t-he Pope to be the Antichrift. Then our Book of Homilies, fecond part in the S-ermon for JFbitefunday; and in the fixth Ser* mon againft wilful Rebellion determine the Pope to be Antichrift. The £ockof Common-Prayer for the Fifth of November^ ftileth the Pope: Papifis, and Jefuits a Babylvnifh, Antichriftian Seel; The Author of the Book called Eufbius Captivus, who declared againft the Pope as the Antichrift to his face, when he was brought before him to be-arraigned. ArchufiHS de crttt Antichrifti, Philip Nicolai, Chriftopber. Perec

Peueen

Tetter, &c. have faftened the title of Antichrift on the Pope. We find in ftory feveral times loud out-crys of the birth of Antichrift,-and ftill their eyes were upon the Pope. An: 1106. Prepergentti tells us that Pope Pafcbalps was going a Journey into France there to hold a Council, and he heard in his Journey, that it was the common report that Antichrift was born 5, whereupon he ftops his Journey and ftaid at Florence, but afterwards he went his Journey, defpifing the report, as coming from contemptible fellows : Though Baronhts tells us, They were perfons of no ordinary note who did report it. See Bernard Epift. 56. ad Gaud, fridum. Carnoteus, Epift. Sabellic. Ennead. 9. c.4. tells us of Prodigies that appeared about that time in the Heavens, a Camel of vaft magnitude, and in the Sea which over-Rowed the more an hundred paces : thereupon it was that the Bifhop of Florence faid, that Antichrift was born then in the year 1120: There was a Treatife fet forth in the name of fome faithful fervants of Chrift concerning Antichrift,in which all perfons are awakened to confider of Antichrift, which was manifeft in their age in the Pope and Papacy •, thereupon many did feparate from the Church of -Rome. : See Bernard Horn, 65, 66, in Cant. Between the year 1160, and 1170, the world being awakened as with a publick Herald founding a Trumpet about Aritichrifts then appearing.caufed a very great feparation of the Waldenfes and Albigenfes from the Church of Rome. By all thefe Teftimonies it appears what a general agreement there is and hath been among all that have had a favour of the true Re-. ligion upon their hearts , they have ftill agreed in this, though they have differed in other points, That the Pope is Antichrift.

From what hath been faid there be feveral things may be drawn by way of Inference, for our practice and inftrudtion.

1 Infer: From what hath been faid we may fee a reafon of the mi-ftakes of fome in their proving the Man of Sin to be the Antichri(t,and the Pope to be the fvlan of Sin, from fome places which do not fo properly belong to it.They have thought the fame Antichrift to be pointed at in Johns Epiftles, 1 Job* 2:18,22. and 1 Job. 4. 3. and 2 Job. 7. as here in Pauls Epiftle to the ^heffalomans :Some think the fame Antichrift to be fet forth by Jobn, as by Daniel, and Paul, and by Jobn in the Revelations, who deciphers Antichrift under the notion of a Beaft, and a Whore, and a falfe Prophet. The Antichrift pointed at by Jobn in his Epiftles hath relation rather to the prediction of Chrift, Mat. 24. 11, 23, 24. Mir. 13.21, 22. TbereJhallarijefalfe Cbrifts^&c. We have not the name Antichrift but only in Jobn y indeed we have 0 avtikiumoi v.\. a word equivalent; Jobn fpeaks of an Antichrift who was then in the World, and one prophefied of by Chrift to come fpeedily into the World. But Paul writes of one who was wholly to come into the World, and for whofe coming there were great obftacles to.be removed

firft.

firft. The Antichrifts coming in John is immediately upon a time which is called i^ath «£#> i Job. 2.18. And we know that fTnce he is come, it is the laft hour or laft time. This cannot refer to the lafr time which re-fpecleth the coming of Chrift to judg the World : This laft hour doth refer to the Jewim iiate, of which the laft glafs or hour was now running and their rural defolation was at hand. Then there were feveral who did pretend to be Chrift, and to come in his name $ there was Simon Migte^ and Carpocrates, and the Gnojiicks, of whom they were the heads which did pretend to Miracles, and Entbnfiafms, and did feduce many. Theft be the Antichrifts John fpeaks of in his Epiftles, which were to appear, at the Coming of the Lord to Judgment •, I do not mean his laft Coming to the judgment of the World, but of his Coming to the final deftru&ion of Jerujakm, and the Jewifh Polity and Nation by Fejpafian: of which Coming Paul fpeaks, Heb. 10. 25. That was the day approaching in which Chrilt came to deftroy that people: It is mentioned by James 5. 7, 8. which did draw nigh, for then the Lord Jefus was coming againft Jeriifilem. From the mifunderftanding of thefe places, and mifapply-ing them to Wrong purpofes, hath arifen the mifapprehenfions of the Pope's being Antichrift \ for though feveral things in thofe places in John's Epiftles do agree to the Papacy, yet the proper defcription of Antichrift is to be looked after in Pauls Epiftle to the TbeJJalonians^ &c. and in the Revelation, and in Daniel.

2 Infer. If the Pope be The Antichrift fet forth by thofe bloody characters ( as hath been feen )\ if this Body Politick, Head and Members, be the Antichriftian ftate, and this ftate is the Papacy, then it cannot be the true Church : It is true, Antichrift, Head and Members, are the counterfeit of the true Church, and of Chrift the Head, and therefore they cannot be the true Church. The Scripture ftill lets out the Antichriftian ftate in a flat oppofttion to the true,yet ftill under a pretence and colour of Faith in, and Love to Chrift : For Antichriftianifm is, myftica impietM, pietatit nomine palliata: A myftical impiety, under the cloke of piety } fo the Glofs. The falfe Church whereof the Pope is the Head, is fet forth by a double Beaft, Rev. 13. 1,2, — 11,12. Both which together make up one Catholick Roman Papal Church, the number of wliofe name is 666, verf. 18. And the true Church, whereof Chrift is the Head, is fet forth by 144000, chap. 14. i. the Square-root being 12. built on 12 Apoftles : But 25 is the Square-root of 666, and there Mr. Potter in is a Fraction in the Root, and one more too there in the Square-root j his 666. to let us know, that though the Antichriftian Church may feem as fair to fuch as look on it with human eyes, and 666, runs as handfomly as 144 s but the former is the number of a Man, the whole Church and her Religion, being made up of additions and inventions of men. The number 666, denotes the Apoftacy of the Church from the Standard of Truth. The Square-root of the Apoftolick Church being 12, and fo the Apoftacy lies generally in additions tathe Root and Foundation of

O ths

the Christian Religion •> they do not reft fatisfied in fundamentals of the Chriftian Religion delivered by the 12 Apoftles. The falfe Church is fet forth by the Whore, who pretends to be the Spoufe of Chrift, but is oppofite to the Virgin-company,Rex;.i4.4. that follow the Lamb. The Ecclefiaftical ftate of Rome, or Hierarchy, is fet forth by the falfe Prophet, Rev. 16. 13, &c. ip. 20. &20. 10. in a flat oppofition to the two Prophets, Rev. 11. 10. which are the fame with two WitnefTes, and two Olive-trees, and two Candlefticks, verf.%,^. Thefe reprefent the true Miniftry of Chriit which did prophefie, verf.6. till they fi-niflied their Testimony, z^r/T 7. Now whereas it is faid that they are a true Church, veritate entitatif, but not Moris \ they- yield the Caufe, becaufe the queftion is not whether they be true and real men and women which are members of the Church of Rome ; but whether they be members rightly qualified, as to their moral, and fupernatural Principles which makes them a true Church ?

How can that be a true Church, whofc Head is the Man of Sin, &. who hath all thofe black and hellifh characters belonging to him? Such a Church cannot be founded on the 12 Apoftles-, Therefore that cannot be a true Church, which hath the.Abaddon and Apollyon for the Heads. How can that be a true Church, which is fo oppofite to the true Church both Head and Members ?

3. Inference. If the Papal An tichriftian ftate, be fuch a Body, Head and Members ( as hath been (hewed ) then we may hence learn, i. our Danger, 2. our Duty. 1. Our Danger if we continue in that Church. It muft needs be a very dangerous thing for any to continue a member of that Church, or to have Communion with her : Such are under the energetical Influence and Seduction of Satan, and the Judicial Tradition of God, that fince they reject the truth in the love of it, they are given up to believe a lye, that they may be damned. They are under themoft dreadful commination, Rev. 14. 9,10,11. They are a people marked out for utter deftruction, as being rejected by him, Rev. 13. 8, and 17. 8. 2. We may learn our Duty to make hafte out of that Church. All fuch as keep up Communion with Rome^kt them hearken to that Call, Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her, &c. The Argument is taken from the Danger s this feparation is no Schifm, it being a feparation from that Church, which is Apoftatized from the Faith, and Truth of Chrift. As foon as ever the people of God came to be awakened, and that the light of the Gofpel began to fpring forth, they prefently faw their danger if they continued in that Church, and immediately performed their duty, and departed from her.

4. Inference. If the Papal Antichriftian ftate be fuch a Body as hath been (hewed, then it fhould be ferioufly confidered, how any living and dying in the Faith and Religion of that Church can be faved, Rev. id. 3. Every living Soul died in that Sea of Ordinances ( as fome take it J of that Church, which is as the Blood of a dead man\ as it

was

was ( Exod. 7. 17,18. ) when the Pvivers were turned into Blood, all the Fi(h died. The whole Religion of the Antichriftian Church is made up of falfe Doctrines, idolatrous Worfhip, fuperftitious Ceremonies, Traditions, and Inventions of men, by which they make void the Law of God, Matt. 15. 6. and fubvert the Truth of the Gofpel. How any ( holding their Religion as it is fo formed by the Man of Sin ) can be laved in it, I cannot fee. In all the defcription of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, there is nothing that hath any tendency to Salvation : Look on the Church of Rome and her Hierarchy as (he is fet forth by the Spirit of God, and it is ftill let forth in the mod black and odious colours of a Beaft with feven Heads and ten Horns, and by a Beaft with two Horns like a Lamb, butfpeaks like a Dragon ; Rev. 13. 1,2, & 11, 12, &c. And by the great Whore that rideth the Beaft, Rev. 17. 1,2, and 5,<5. Here is nothing but mifchief and ruine to Souls from this Church, as fet out by thofe Types, as alfo under the notion of a falfe Prophet, and Seducer of the Souls of people to their Perdition. Some of the Church of Rome have much doubted, whether the Pope and Cardinals C which are the Head and Pillars of their Church ) fhall any of them be faved* Boccatius brings in a Monk faying thus: Tapcts & Cardinales, & Epifcopos nm pervenire ad falutem per dotlrinam iftam y qttam palamvidemw, eos fervares fed aliam habere penes je, quam clan-culum obfervant, nee alivs facile communicant : quidpotuit verius dici^ eos per iftam, qu£ illis eft in uftt y non pojje firvari. Boccatius himfelf, looks on the Pope, and Cardinals, and Bifhops, according to the Doctrine they held forth to the World, as perfons which (hall never be faved •, unlefs as the Monk faith, they have fome other Doctrine which they keep to themfelves, in which they look for Salvation : He on all their Religion to be a meer Shew and Pageantry, and refined Paganifm. l'ie propound but an Argument or two to confirm this Inference.

1. They which lay the main ftrefs of their Religion, on the rotten foundation of thellniverfal Headfhip of thePope,and do believe it as an Article of their Faith, they cannot build their eternal Salvation upon fuch a weak foundation', there being no other foundation but that which is laid, Chrift Jefus, 1 Cor. 3.11, 12. But fo do they of the Church of Rome^ they built their Religion on this foundation of the Headfhip of the Pope, to whom they give what peculiarly belongs to Chrift, with Supremacy, Soveraignty, Univerfality, and Infallibility. They which rob Chrift of his Crown and Jewels, and put them on the Popes triple Crown for him to wear, and lay the greateft weight on this bufTnefs, they cannot be-faved while they reft there •, But fo do the Papills : Therefore. &c. the Tope fits in the temple of God, as God y 2 Thefi 2.4. and he is believed to have thofe excellencies which belong to Chrift. BeUarmine faith, The Pope is the llniverfal Spoufe of the Church: And Augnft. Beroius faith, He is is the foundation of Faith,

O 2 the

j C0 The Top^ of Rome is Anttchrijl.' Serm. IV.

the Caufc of Caufes, and Lord of Lords. And Baldus faith, He is the living fountain of all righteoufhefs, &c.

2. They which believe as an Article of their Religion , that the Church, or the Head of it is above the Scripture fas hath been fhewn before, and by my Brethren in their difcourfes ) they cannot be faved in that way > becaufe no Man can know certainly, where his Salvation is to be had, fince it is (by their Tenets) in the Power of the Pope, to alter or add, as he (hall think fit. The Pope fet out by the tWG-Korned N Bead, that fpeaks like a Dragon, Rev. 13. 11, Z7*a h the fame with the falfe Prophet, he takes to him the Authority of Chrift, and more than Chrift doth exercife, to make new Articles of Faith, to kt up a new Worfhip in the Church, and to impofe it upon all upon pain of death, banifhment, excommunication, Rev. 13. n, 12, i$^&c. This Beaft which reprefents the Hierarchy of Rome, exercifeth all the Power of the fir ft Beaft, verf. 12. which was given him by the Dragon : verf. 4. So that he isSatans Lieutenant and Vicar-General, efpecially in taking fuch a Power and Authority above the Scripture *, and this muft be believed as an Article of their Faith. Let fuch confider, how they can be faved in that Religion.

3. That Church which is caft off of God and muft not be meafured as refuting to come under the Rule of the Word, is fuch which none can be faved in •> But fuch is the Church of Rome, Rev. 11. 2,3. There is that Church ( u e. Head and Members, and all the Offices, and Ordinances, Inftitutions, Doctrine, Worihip and Government ) are all caft out, as falfe, as having no Authority, or the Stamp of Chrift upon them : Though they will plead anlntereft in Chrift, asM*^. 7. 22. yet -Chrift will utterly difown them •, though they will cry the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, &c. yet they are caft out, and given to the Gentiles to be troden under foot by the Gentiles. In regard that Home having Apoftatized from the Religion, and pure Worihip of Chrift, hath brought into the Church and publick Worfhip thereof, Pagan Idolatry under new names, of worshipping of Angels, and Saints, or Demons, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2. That Church which is thus caft off of God, and his pure Worfhip is caft off by them, as being like the Man of Sin, or being the Man of Sin, Head and Members j I do no*t fee how Salvation is to be had in that Church as fuch, thus difallowed by God, as you have heard : Therefore it is that the Churches of Chrift have caft her orT\ and as Bifhop White in his anfwer to the Jefuir, faith, we have caft off the Pope, and his Teaching, for no other Caufe, but that we.are allured he is Antichrift, and his Faith is Herefie. If their whole Church and Worfhip be caft out by God, as being under no Scripture-Rule \ then the true Religion, true Faith, true Worfhip, are not to be looked for in them, and by confequence, the Salvation of Souls is not to be expected from them.

5. Infer. If the Pope or the Ecclefiafiical Hierarchy of Home, be (hat Antichriftian (late which you have heard fet forth, and there is a My-ilery of Iniquity in their Religion and Worfhip, and they are under (uch black marks of reprobation, that do joyn with them in Communion, then it is fit that all Chrillians (hould be acquainted with the My-fiery of Iniquity in fome mcafurc, and (hould (tudy^asthe grounds of the true Chrif.Un Religion, 10 the feeming pretences, and falfe principles, and abominable practices of the Antichrillian Religion.

1. Wefhould be acquainted with them, kit we be deceived through ignorance, and overtaken with the devices of Satan \ which Paul men-tioneth, 2 Cor. 2. 11. and that we may be delivered from being plunged in the deeps of Satan, fpoken of Rev. 2.24. Are not the Nations deceived by them? Rev. 20. 3. Doth not the World worfhip the Dragon, and bow to the Image of theBeatt, or receive his Mark, or have the name of the Beaft, or the number of his Name ? Rev. 13.3,4,15, 16, 17. Do not the Kings of the earth commit Fornication with the Whore ? And are not the Inhabiters of the earth Drunk with the Wine of her fornication? Rev. 17.2. And all this becaufe they do not know the iropoltures of that Church in their Religion. Surely the Spirit of God would not have fet out this Church under the notion of the Man of Sin, and thofe feveral Beafts in the Revelations and elfewhere > but that it was intended we (hould know them to avoid them. How exprefs and punctual is Taxi, in fetting forth the Apollacy of the latter times ? 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. He fets out both the way of their deceits and the initruments. i. He tells us of feducing Spirits., 2. The Doctrine of Devils. 3. They fpeak lies in hypocrify. 4. They are under a feared Ccnfcience, and care not what they fay or do, to promote the Holy Catholick Church of Rome, as they call her.

2. W T e (hould itudy their Myfteries, elfe (if we (hould be called to furTer ) we dial) not be able tofurTer on a clear, and comfortable account, as they Rev. 11. 7. and chap. 13.7. They furTered becaufe they would not comply with the Man of Sin, in his Religion and Wormip, nor conform to them, nor have Communion with them, as they did, Rev. 13. 3, 4, 14, 15. Thofe in verf.j. furTered on that account.

3. We mull know thofe things, elfe we (hall not be able to joyn in the Triumphant Song of Mofes and the Lamb, upon the pouring forth the Vials on this Antichriftian ftate. They onlyftandon the Sea of Glafs^ having the Harps 0 God, and fing the,Song of Mofes, and which have gotten the villory over the Beaji, and over hU Image, and over his mar}^ y and over the number of hps Name, Rev. 15.2. they are perfons well feen in the deceits and impoituies of that Church.

4. The Saints and Martyrs could not have born fo noble a Teftimony agatnft the Man of Sin, in following the Lamb wherever he went,

&ev. 14. 3 i 4. And were and are at open defiance againft them, declaring their detection of their Religion and Worftiip, verf. 8. p> io»

un- -

unlefs they did well know what they did. Indeed thePapifts tell us we need not fearch into thofe things. The Rbemijis in their Annotations, on Afts 1.7. fay it is not needful to fearch into the times of Antichrift, &c. But Dr. Ful\ anfwereth them, that it is necefTary for us to know the coming of Antichrift as God-hath revealed him. But the Minifters of Antichrift would have no enquiry made of him, left they mould be found in See of Rome, the Weftern Babylon \ They would have us be ignorant of this point, and keep us in the dark, left we mould fee their frauds. Bellarmine de pontif. Rom.in prtfat. calls that point of the Pope, fummam reiCbriftiane, the very fum of the whole bufinefs of a Chriftian : And Malvei-ida de Anticbriflo, faith, he ftudied that one point twelve years. They count it a point moft worthy to be ftudied, but they would keep the World in d^rknefs and ignorance > left if their Impofturcs fhould be detected, they would be abhorred, and their whole Religion being found to be a mere Delufion, it would bean Execration. And that will come to pafs, by the difcovery of further light of the Gofpel, by which the prodigious enormities of that Church, and the pudenda of the Whore will be made manifeft to all the World 1 that ( I fay ) will come to pafs which is prophefied of, Rev. 17, 16. The ten horns --foali bate the whore, and make her de folate, and nailed, andjhalleatherflejh, and burn her with fire. They (hall Cart her as the mother of abominations i as a common ftrumpet throughout Chriftendom.

6. If the Papacy, the Hierarchy of Rome, of which the Pope is the Head, be fuch as hath been defcribed by Paul, then there can be no peace with Rome, no Communion with Rome: How can there be Peace faid Jehu to J or am, 2 Kings p. 22. as long as the Whoredoms of Jezebel are fomany ? What peace can there be with that Church which is the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth? Rev, 17.5. What peace can there be with that Body Politick, which is the greatefr enemy of Jefus Chrift upon earth ? What peace can there be between the followers of the Beaft, Rev. 13. 3,4, 15, 16, Sec, and us adorers and admirers, and the followers of the Lamb? Rev. 14. 1, 2,3,4. They are flatly oppofite the one to the other, the one having the mark of the Beaft in their right hand and foreheads •, the other the name of the Father, and of the Lamb. (To fome Copies have it ) written in their foreheads, who did own and publifh defiance to each other : So that we mayfay as it is^ 2 Cor. 6. 16. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? And verf.i^. 15. What Communion hath light with darknefs, Chrift and Beliak Chriftians and Antichriftians, Truth and FaKhood, the Church of Rome with the Proteftant Churches together > Biftiop Hall in his Book, No Peace with Rome, faith, Sooner may God create a new Rome, than reform the old. There was a reconciliation attempted by the Emperours, Ferdinand, and Maximilian > and Caf-

fander^

finder by their appointment drew a Projed, in which he (liewed his Ada CoUoeft judgment, but without fuccefs. Conftdtat. Cajfindri. It is faid, that at R*tisb$n. An. a meeting at Regenfpnrgb, there was an agreement made touching Free- J*JJ^ ^ will, Original Sin, J unification, Faith, Merits,Difpenfations, the Mafs, r dd pacts, pr*.

&c. but this held not. fat.

The chief faftours of the Church of Rome, are bitcerly fee againft all reconciliation. See B*//*ra. jfr Gr<#. & lib.irbit. He faith, that we embrace this opinion fo much the more willingly, by how much it difplcafeth our adverfarics, and efpecially Calvin. And Mildonat. in c. 6. job. was fo much abhorring from the Religion of the Proteitants maintained by Calvi^ that he faith, That though what lie held was the fame opinion with Auflin and others of the Fathers, yet he rejected it be-caufe it was held hy Cilvin.

7. If thefe things be fo concerning the Papacy as hath been faid.then there is matter of admiration and gratitude to all fuch whom God hath delivered from compliance with or conformity to, or Communion with that Church, of which the Pope, which is the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, is the Hcad,n>bofe coming rt after the workjng of Sjtan&:. v.p, Whofe MemberV:?re under his powerful Sedu<ftion,and~the judicial Tradition of-God to believe a lie to their own eternal damnation, v. 10,11, 12. Their condition muft needs be moll dangerous, who are. Members of that Church > and therefore it is the greater mercy to he faved'; from that Seduction which thoufands are under, whofe Names are not written in the Lambs booh^ of life, Rev. 13.8. & 17. 8.. They are under the black notes of Reprobation : To be faved from being of their Communion who worfhip the Bead, or his Image, and to be.of that company of the Hundred forty-four thoufand who are Virgins, and follow--the Lamb where ever he goes, is worthy of eternal Praifes. When we find fuch as are under the Seduction of the Man of Sin, the falfe Prophet, and the Whore, to be under the moft fearful comminations from God, Rev. 14.P, 10, 11. how they that drink of the Wrath of God, and in the pretence of the.Lord and his holy Angels for ever and ever \ Is it not matter of very great admiration and praifes, that wt (hould be faved from their fin, and (o delivered from their plagues.

8- If the Church of 'Rome, of which the Pope is the Head, be fuch a> Body, fo corrupt and abominable as hath been (hewed, then it is dangerous and pernicious, to retain any relick of the Man of Sin, that falfe, erroneous, idolatrous Church, in Doctrine, Worfnip, or Government, which they have pretended to be according to the Word of~ God, but have wrefted the Scriptures to. their own deftrudtion, as 2 Pet. 3. \6. It is dangerous to retain fuch cuftoms and. ufages in. the. Church, whereby we may Symbolize with Rome, How fatal feveral. things have been to the publick peace of the Church, which have beca's derived from Antichrift is too well known, from the diviflons, contentions, and perfections which have continued to this day. By thefe very means, the Papacy together with their Religion, have had a party,

a

ndi

and kept up an intereit among the Proteftant Churches, and alfo a favourable refpeft among many, who have had a fecret affection for the Pope and his Religion. Such will not have it that the Pope is Antichrift s and they will needs have it that the Church of Raw* is a true Church : And that (he is the Mother-Church, and that we ought to return to our Mother, with fuch like. What was the caufe that the Book of Articles of the Church of Ireland was called in, but becaufe they declare the Pope to be Antichrift, and the Church of Rome to be no true Church, and that the Lords day was wholly to be fan&ified. So Montague in his Apello adC<efirem. faid, The Pope or Bifhop of Rome, per-fonally is not The Antichrift, nor yet the Eifhops of Rome Succeffively. Dr. Heylin in his anfwer to Burton, maintaineththat the Pope is not Antichrift. Chriflopher Dove, and Robert Shelford were of the fame mind.

p. Hence it follows that theProteftant Churches are unjuftly charged with Schifm in departing from Rome: the Papifts charge us with Schifm becaufe we depart from them,and will not holdCommunion with themj though there was the moft juft caufe of this departure from them, i. In regard they are heretical in their Dodhine, and obfiinately perfift in it, againft all convictions to the contrary, for there have been attempts made to have healed Babylon, but (he would not be healed, Jer. 51. 8,p. therefore for fake her. Him that is an Heretic}^ re) M^&c. lit, 3.10. 2. When a Church becomes idolatrous in her Worfhip, as 2 Cor. 11. 16. then it is a duty to depart from them that depart from the Truth: upon Jeroboams defection and the peoples with him from the true Worlbip of God, there was a departure from them, by fuch as fet their hearts to feek the Lord God oilfrael. The Church of Rome became moil: corrupt and abominable in her Worfhip, elfefhe had not been fet out by the Whore riding the Bead, Rev.ij. 3. 3. When a Church becomes bloody, and tyrannical, and perfecuting her Members to the death, then there is j.uft caufe of departing from them. Look on the Church of Rome fet fortfi by the firft and fecond Bcaft, Rev. 13 .1, 2,— 1 i,&c. both which mafte up one Antichrift ^ fee how cruel and bloody that Church is : So whejYit is fet out by the Whore, Rev. 17. 5, 6. drunk with the blood of Sajnts, there is fignified a juft caufe of departure from her. 4. When a Church, groweth wholly corrupt and debauched in her Morals, very vicious and fcandalous in the lives of Governours and Members, then depart, 2 Tim. 3. V"5, there ip abominations,or thereabout,fpoken cf,of which many (hould be guilty, from fuch turn away \ though they had a form of God-linefs, fince they did deny the power of it. Lie make no apology that I have put your patience fo much to it, but this, That the Man of Sin, with whom I have had to do, is the moft unruly Bcaft that ever was, and bath put the whole World into a diforder and confufion. And though I have cxercifed your patience while I have been Preaching on this Bead \ yet I wifh and pray that your patience may not be put to it by this Beaft, as Rev. 13.7. But if it fhould pleafe God to let loofe this Beaft upon you, my prayer is, that it may be faid of you, as it was of them, verf. 10. Behold the Faith and Patience of the Saints. SERM.

« — . ■ - ■

S M

The SCRIPTURE to be read by the

Common People.

THE Controverfie before us is, Whether the Scriptures are to be read and heard, of, and by the Lay-people ? and whether they are to be tranilated into the Vulgar Tongues ? the Papitts deny, we affirm. My buiinefs will lye in three Propofitions.

I. That the People are to hear and read the Scriptures.

II. That therefore the Scripture is:the Word of God was written for them, and to them.

III. Therefore it is to be tranflated into Vulgar Tongues.

The firft is an exprefs Precept h the fecond is a reafon to prove the fir ft-, the third is an Inference from both.

And ferioufly when I have been mufing upon this que/Hon, I profels heartily I have been furprized with amazement, how fuch a Controverfie fhould arife amongft Chriftians rif Chriftians). Might not a man as well difpute whether a Carpenter mould have his Line and Rule to work by ? or a Soldier wear his Sword in the mid A of Enemies ? Shall I queftion whether the Air be neceffary fox Breath, ox Bread for Life, or the Light of the Sun for our Secular Affairs ? Sure enough the Word of God is all this, aMinod perfect, a Sword moll vidtorious^ Air mod fragrant, Food molt wholfome, and Light moit clear *, the Word of an Angel prccifely confidered, is no ground for Faith, nor Rule for life, duty, and worfhip. The Word of God read and heard (faith our Church) is fo great a good, that the benefits arifingtherehence are inex-preffible, unconceivable } the Bible (faith that painful, pious, learned Bi-fhop Hooper) Why, (faith he) God in Heaven, and the King in Earth hath not a greater friend than the Bible, in his Epiftle Dedicatory to King Edward the Sixth. But Khali fay no more of thefe, nor of any Prote-ftants, becaufe they are parties, and therefore their Teftimony,though mofi true,is not proper. This W T ord is for the Soul, and is not the Soul more than Life ;> this light is to give the knowledg of the Glory of God

P in

in the face of Jefus ChrifU and is not this infinitely beyond all our natural and civil concerns ? all thefe things here below, cither within us or without us arc fhort-lived and vexation, but this makes a Man wife, and that to Salvation,and that through the Knowledg of and Faith in our Lord Jefus.And aftef all this and much more that might be faid concerning this treafury of all Wifdom and Knowledg,fhall it beaqueflion . whether the People fo highly concerned in thefe things, (hall they hear or read the Scripture?this is to me is wonderful-, But the quefHcm is put beyond all queftion as to our adverfaries, 'tis defined, determined by the Council (sls they call it J of Trent in the negative, that the Lay* people Hull not read, or hear the Scriptures read, no, nor have a Bible in the Vulgar Tongue under great Penalties , nay, the Prieft reads it not in their publick Worfhip. The words are thefe, Si quti legere ant habere pr gfumpferit ; If any (hall prefume to read or have a Bible*, what then ? why,the penalty is this, abfolutionem peccatcrum percipere non pojfet •, he may not,nay he cannot,be abfolved from his fins,they exclude fuch a man-from remiiEon of his finsj it feems the reading of the Bible is a fin un* pardonable.The people are taught to believe, That what the Pope binds on Earth is bound in Heaven j fure then (I judg this muft be the fence of the Canon, (viz ) If a man that reads the Scripture, or hath a Bible in his Houfe comes to confeilion and is abfolved, that Abfolution is invalid *, he is not fubjetlum capaxjne doth ponere obicem, there is a bar lies in his way to hinder his Abfolution, and that bar is his reading or having the holy Bible. My reafon is this, though he had a thoufand Bibles, and did confefs it to the Prieft as his fault, he would abfolve him, and the Abfolution would (land good* fo that to have a Bible and read it, puts a man into the flate of Damnation, and no man can read the Scriptures but under the greateft penalty, fc. under the pain of Damnation. By this Trent Conciliabulum, Conventicle, yon fee,Wo be to the Bible, and all the friends thereof} Bened. Furret in his Preface to the Index, Lib. Prob.& expurg.tdls us, that Mifericordi* erga Dei librum ntillm locus eft ■■> There is no place of mercy left to the Book of God:Men fly from the Gofpel (faith he) in the Italian or Spanijh Tongue, Pefte citim, fafter than they would run from the plague of Peftilence.

But you will fay the Councils prohibition of the Bible is with a limitation, viz. If you have a Bible without a licenfe from the Bifhopv they do not forbid licenfed men the reading, and therefore wrong them not.

I anfwer, 'tis true they do (peak to that purpofe, I will not wrong them; but give me leave to do the truth and you right by telling you, that their pretence of a licenfe is a very flam^ a meer gullery , an abominable cheats as I (hall fnew you in its place.

Further, that this Book may not fpread abroad, theH/gh-Prieft and Elders in this Council ftraitly charge and command all Book-fellers and all Dealers in Books, that they fell not or any other way part with any

one

one of thefe Books to any perfon upon the forfeiture of the price of the faid Books, and to undergo all other punifhment according to the arbi-trium, will and pleafure of the Bifhop. I confefs this is drawn up very cunningly with much craft, as indeed all their Doctrines are expreffed with artifice and fubtilty. But if you read the Mandate of the Archbi-ihop of Toledo by the Authority otPaul the fifth, there the punifhment is this, fc. For the firjitime hejhallhe punifbed, fufpenfbne Officii, fufpen-fwnfrom hit Office, lofs of his trade for two years, banifhment twelve miles from the Town, ubi Bibliopolium habuit, for two years, and fined izoo Ducats , MiHe ducentorum Ducatcrum multta puniendus '-> this fcr the firft fault. But for the fecond time, ft reeidat, then ihcpunijhment to be double d,and othir pinifhments, ex Inquifitoris arbitrio eroganda, according to the will of the lnquiftor •, and all this, Si qui* habere aut emere vel ven-dere aufit •, if any dare befo hardy as to have, or buy, or fell a Bible, And thofe Traders that are not fo skilful as to underftand the Catalogue of Books prohibited, mud either take a man of skjUinto their Shop, oxjhut up their Shop-windows; for whofoever fhall offend in this cafe, though per negUUum, or ignorantiam, a pcena, nulla ratione exemptum />/',though they offend through negUVt or unskjlfulnefs JhaU not be exempted from punijb-ment upon any account whatfoever. And Paul the fifth by his Breve fub annulo ?j]catorvi dated at Borne, 1612, forbids all perfons, Ne legant aut teneant, that they (hould not read or hgep thofe Books under the punifh-ment of the greater Ex communication,and. other Cenfures \ but bring them by, a certain day to be prefixed by the holy lnquiiitor General, into the holy Office of the Inquifition *, and accordingly the faid Inquifitor in his Pontificalibus fpecifies in his Mandate this to be done within ninty days, all Books prohibited in the Index to be brought into the Office: Now a-mongft the Books in the Index, which are prohibited by Pontifical Authority, the Bible is the fpecial BooJ^ forbidden. And to make all fure as much as may be by men and others, there are towards a hundred of Latin Verfions of the Bible prohibited in this. Catalogue -■> and to be yet more fure that the Bible of all Books may not efcape, this lnquiiitor General by the Popes Authority doth call in not only Books prohibited in the Index, but Librum aut hbros in Regulis Generalibus comprehends; Bool^or Books comprehended in the General Rules. Now the four-th Geneial Rule Cobferve I pray) is made folely againft the Bible in any vulgar Tongue, they are not to be endured j nay againft any parts of it, as fuppoie fome of Davids Pfalms, or fome of Pauls Epiftles > nay, whether they be printed, or written, j?z^ excufa, five manufcripta\ nay, ^\\ Summaries or brief heads of the Bible ', my.flttaHtumvti hijiorica, although it be a Compendium of the Hiftorical parts of it, all is forbidden. And if any man of what calling or dignity foever, be he Bifhop or Patriarch, be he Marqwfs or Duke, (where is the Tradefman or Far-mer,or Gentleman now ?j if any of thefe fhall dare the contrary, they are retells to our Mandate, immorigeri, difobedient to holy Church, and

P 2 (hall

fhall be fufpect of Heretical pravity; and I promife you that is a fair way to the Inquifition *, i.e. the lofs of liberty, pains of the body 5 forfeiture of goods, and lofs of life ut plurimum.

Objecl:. But whatever you fay^ the Council doth permit reading the Bible . in the Vulgar Tongue,provide d yott have a licenfe.

Anfo. I told you before, this licenfe was a meer blind, a fallacy, a flam : But becauie I am in hand with my Author.and to ftay your fto-machs till I come to handle this in its due place, for prefent I will only tell you this, (viz.) , That Pope, Paul the fifth in his Breve lately quoted doth recal all fuch Licenfes. I will give you the fum of it, it begins thus, Ad futuramrei memoriam; Since as we underhand the Licenfes of reading the Bookj of Heretickj, orBooksfufpetledofHerefie, or Books o-therwife prohibited and condemned, /'there comes in the Bible) ; obtained under certain pretences^ do too much increafe in the Kingdoms of Spain, (in Kegnis Hifpaniarum), and underftanding, that there is more danger to the unlearned than profit to the learned, by, and from the [aid Li-cenfes^ we therefore upon whom the burden of watching over the Lords fiochjs incumbent, being willing to provide afeafonable remedy, and walking in the fteps of our PredecefTbrs Popes of Rome Cmark that for anon), we do annul, caffe, revoke, Irritamus & viribus penitus evacuamus, utterly makf void all fuch Licenfes, Faculties and Grants, and by the te-nour of thefe prefents we do decife and declare the fame to be caffate, void and null, eafque nemihi fujfragari pojfej granted by whomfoever, whether our Predeceffors, our Selves, our Penitentiary.Ordinaries, orBifhops whom-foever, and granted to what perfons foever, whether Abbots, Patriarchs Marqueffes, Du\es, or any other perfons Ecclefiaflicl^,or Mundane--, qua-cunque autoritate fulgeant, whether they have had their Licenfe by Letters Apo{fokcal, in form of a Breve under the Seal, or any other peculiar way to make the Licenfe firm and lafting, we revoke and annul all to the utmoft.

Non obftanttbus conftitutionibus, Ordinauonibus Apoftolicvs, any Con* ftitutions and Ordinations Apoftolical to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding, under the pains and cenfures of the Church to the higheji \ 6c in-vocato (1 opus eft brachio feculari, {i.e. under the penalty of a Jayl^ a Dungeon,a Faggot)-, and we command Att>Archbifhops. &c; to take care that thefe ourLetters be forthwith pub lifbed in allProvinces,C?ties,Di#ceJfesh abftfue alia requifitione els defuperfacienda, i.e. without demur-ring,difpu-ting, demanding why or wherefore. Here is fure work, not a crevife, a chink left unftopped. Do you not fee what care here is taken to fap-prefs all Licenfes, nay though under the Popes Seal> See what a roaring Bull here is, and what is your Licenfe now,Tpray> a Fig-leaf. In the midft of this Bceve his Holinefs gives a Mandamus to the Inquifitor-General, the Archbi(hop of Toledo to profecute this Breve to the ut-ir.o'i, not to fufTer any perfon though never fo great to have or keep, or seaclor buy, or fell a Bible \ v;hich accordingly he did execute,as before.

For

For other Books I am not concerned, for baftardly patches added to the Fathers, which are many.and cafhations of them, which are grofc; if 1 could 1 may not meddle with that affair. I only take notice of the Index Expurg. how thefe Fathers of Rome blot out, and command to be blotted out the fayingsofthe Ancient Fathers as they are placed in the Indexes xmd£ either by the Interpreters, or the Pubfimers of them : As for inftance, in Athanafius fet forth Grxco'-latin \ in the Index there was fet down thus,Scripture facr£ etiamplebi &Magijlratibm cognojeeud^^ Deh.itur. i.e. The Holy Scriptures are to be known even of the Com-mon-people,and the Magiftratesib^ot that out lay they: Agzm,Scriptura facra ita cl.tra efi ut quifque, &c. The Holy Scripture U fo plain that any one may underjiand-Mot that out.Five morefayings there are about the fuffici* encyof the Scriptures,and that they only are to be heard; Dele ant ur,b\ot them all out s thefe Sentences will puzzle young Students, confirm the Hereticks: But indeed the true reafon is they will difcover our wieked-nefs and heretics. So they deal with St. Auftins wosks,Bafile£ ex Officina Eroben. tnrgatorium non inveniri in Scriptura \ Purgatory not to be tound in the Scripture •, Debater, let it be expunged fay they \ and good reafon, for fuch paflfages will make your Kitchin cold. And fpecial order is given by thefe Fathers that care be taken to blot out atifaebpajfages , . Ex quocunque alio indict: fpecially 4th, Edit, there named, & ex aliis (I-milibus-, and Lib. 2. deBaptxont. Donat. there is thisfhort palTage, Non efi in Evangelio \ there is no fuch thing in the Gofpel, Dele, blot it out. So they ferve Chryfofiom, Bafile£ ex Off.c. Erob. 1558, Sine Scriptura nihil ajferendumj Scripture Divine omnibus, volentibus pervi.e & faciles^ Scriptitrarum Ietlio omnibus : Scriptures continere omnia, Scriptures legere, omnibus ctiani-, with fome others, as Apoftchrum Doclrina facilvs & omnibus pervia : i.e. The Scriptures are plain to the willing^ they are to be read cf all, even Artificers, the Scriptures contain all things necejfary, and the like*, away with thefe fays Holy Mother Church, blot them out every one, and good reafon, for open that door once, .then, farewell all. Hitherto we have had two Ads of the Pope and his Council, one to call in the Bibles condemned that were abroad •, the other to prevent their going abroad for the future, but all too late : Alas this would not do, therefore they take two other courfes ', the fir ft was this, The holy Synod decreeth that no man dare (audeat) io interpret or expound Scripture in another fenfe, fave *W,quam fancla mater Ecclefia tenuit, which holy Mother-Church hath holden, and doth holds whofe right it is Ycuias eft J to rchom it belongs to judg of the interpretation of the holy ScriptHre:a\though fuch interpretations were never uttered before,they that (hall oppofe this let them be declared by the Ordinaries, and punijhed according to the Statutes. So that if the Popeffor he is the Church,as you muft know) (hall aflrrrrfj 4 y ob.ti: \6. E :ipe oves^titt feed }riy Sheep ^ if he (hall fay that the meaning of that text is this','' that by thefe words our Lord Chrift gave to Feter an Univerfal Beadfhip over the Church, and in ordine ad

Cpiritn*

II o Th Scriptures to be read by the Cpmmon-feop'h. Serm, V.

fpiritualia^a Sovereignty ahfolute over all Kings to plant and pluck up, and that all this Power is given to the Pope as Peters Succeflbrj why then you are to believe it, you muft not take any other fenfe,though this be non-fenfe and never heard of before, that is all one.

So the fecond Council of Nice , quoted and approved by the Council ot Treat, countenanced by the Legats and Lies of Adrian the firft, proves Images to be wor(hipped,thus, No man lights a candles and puts it under a bit/he I, therefore the holy Images are to be placed upon the Altars', 0 res inconfcquens & riftt digna, (aid Carolus Magnus. But what is that, let it be never fo ridiculous and worthy to be hilled at -, you may not dare to take any other fenfe, you may not quarrel at the Inference, though it be monftroufly irrational \ if you do, they have two Swords, and with one they will cut you off from the Church, and with the other, fc: the Secular, they will cut you off from the Earths for the Church faith,That is the meaning of Ecce duo g/W;/,Behold here are two Swords ', the one (hall unchriftian you, and the other (hall unman you.

The fecond courfe the Council hath taken to help thcmfelves, is thisi They have added to the Holy Bible fdefpairing of any relief there) the Apocrypha, and make Tohim and Judith, and the two Maccabees, with the reft of the Stories of Bell and the Dragon, a Rule for Faith and Life, and whofoever (hall not take them for the Word of God, Sacred and Canonical, they curfe him, let him be Anathema } they fend a man to Hell, if he refufe Toby. They have alfo ftitched or patched to the Holy Bible their Traditions under.the name of Apoflrtical, containing mat-ters appertaining t? Faith and Life ', and thefe Traditions ( which are in fcrinik pettork Pap.e), under lock and key in the Popes breaft, they command under the pain of Anathema to be received pari PhtatU affetlu & reverentia, with an equal pious affection and reverence as we receive the Word of God. Oh horrible !

The firft of thefe courfes, viz. to oblige men to underhand Scriptures as'the Church \ i,e. the Pope expounds them, this is a reproach to the reafbn of Mankind > Bubalum eum ejje non hominem, it degrades men into brutes. The fecond goes higher, and is a reproach to the Soveraignty, Goodnefs, Wifdom, Faithfulnefs of our Lord Jefus.They do by this means horribly reproach the Apoftles \ for if the Administration of the Sacrament under one kind, and Invocation of Saints, Merit of works, W r or(hip in an unknown Tongue, with others > if thefe be Traditions as their learned men fay, and if their Traditions be Apo-ftolical from the mouth of Chrift, and dictates of the bleffed Spirit as the Council faith-, Oh then what an ugly and black reproach is here caft upon the Apoftles: nay, it is a moft prodigious blafphemy againft the Lord Chrift, and his holy Spirit, that the Apoftles (hould teach, and praftife, and write one thing to the Churches, and after whifper the clean contrary to fome others who (hould convey it by word of mouth to pofterity.

Any

Any man fees that thsfefour points of Faith which they would prove by Tradition are diredtly contrary to what the Apoltles preached and pradtifed, and wrote to the Churches. But this is not my bufinefs, I only touch upon this.

But perhaps you will demand upon what reafon the Council did thus telte? I Anfwtr, they tell you, fc cum experiment!) manifefium ft, 'tis manifeft by experience th it the fuffcrance of the Bible in the vulgar tongue, doth more barm than good through mens rafhn?fs\ Ergo rpe firbid it: A doughty reafon, no qucftion of it! as if fome Souldiers raftily abufing their weapons, therefore the General mould command, and that upon grievous penalties, and that when they are faced by their deadly enemies, all the Army to be difarmed. Should a Proteftant decree againft Prayer, becaufe Prayers of Papifts are blafphemous } or againft the ufe of the Lords Supper, becaufe the Mafs is Impious and Idolatrous? What decrees were thefe > Mull: Gods appointment beanulled, becaufe of mensabufe } Why did they not decree that men fhould be prohibited the ufe of the light of the Sun by day, and Moon by night, becaufe thieves and others abufe it? Doubtlefs fuch Decrees had not been fo irrational and mifchievous as this j for that light is for my body, for the face and converfe with man, for my Secular affairs, and but for a time: but the light of the Scriptures (which they forbid with a curfe) is for my Soul, for the face of jefus, for Spiritual concerns, and for Eternity.-The truth of the cafe is this, the experience of the Council was of that kind which Demetrius and the Craftfmen feared vvouId be theirs} if Paul be fiffered, down goes Diana, and our Market is fpoiled. I will tell you* as briefly and as fully as I can the (lory of this experience.

About the year 1516, the Friars are fent by Leo 10*/?. .abroad- with?

their Pardons to-raife money for his Holinefs, Indulgences for horrid:

Sins are fold at eatie rates. Into Germany come the Friars, Luther f who -

had fome years before quitted the ftudy of the Law, and applied him-

(elf to the clofe and daily ftudy of" the Scriptures, .and had been blefTcd

with fome tafte of the Rjghteoufnefs of Jefus Ghrilt, unexpectedly be-

gan to Air again it thefe Pardon-mongers yyet at firft very mildly, not:

limply againft the thing, but againft the impudence and covetoufr.efs-

of the Friars: the Friars fcomfully and publickly traduce Luther, he

takesheart, and begins to difpute, write and preach again ft them , this

fpark thus blown faddenly becomes a great flame. The Pope begins to

ftorm, and writes about this aflair to Cardinal Cajetan •, Cajetan difputes

Luther^nd quotes againft him the Bull oiCkment the fixth, which runs?

thus, JfWfr*f,una guttula, one drop of the Bh?d ofChriji had beenfuffici*

ent for Redemption, and firearns ofBlood came from bis Body\ all that Blood

which was over and above, Chrift had depofited as a precious treafure in the-

handof Vctex^Claviger fthe Keyrkeeper of Heaven/ and to his SuccefTorj

to be difpenfed, (i.e, to be fold^to Penitents •, and fo^i-kewife the fur~

plufage of the.Merits of the. Virgin hhry, and all the Saints, Jayqtm*

iuexhaufta condonandi materia, an inexhauftibleftore-houfe of Pardons.hu-' tber rclels the Bull by Scripture \j Frederick^ of Saxony (hews him favour, the Univerfity of JVitiemberg defends him 5 Fredericf^thc Duke.of Saxony lends him Cajetans Letter j Luther intreats the Controverfie may be decided in Germany •, the Emperour fummoned him upon fafe conduct to appear at VForms; accordingly he appears, there in the Imperial Af-iembly, and after in the Lodgings of an Archbifhop before tome other Princes-, he humbly but vehemently offers himfelf to be tried by the Scriptures, or evident Reafon *, he is banifhed Germany, and appeals to a General Council j the Pope fears a Council as the fhadow of death. All this and much more was done in five years, it was day-light all abroad in feveral places by this time-, the Gofpel had difpelled the darknefs of Popery without any great noife or buflle. The Council of Trent convened not till the year 1546, about thirty years after the Preaching of the Gofpel began, and was carried on by men of renown, for learning, piety and pains j the Council prohibits the Bible ob temeritatem^ for therajhnejs of men , but doth not tell us what men, nor in what. Our excellent and learned Tranflators in their Epift. Dedicat. to King James fay, that they expect to be maligned for their wor\^ by the Papifts^ becauje they defrre to keep the people in ignorance and darhnefs. Dr. White in his defence, cap. 51. faith, That from mens rajhnefs they difhoneftly^ naymoft difhoneftly,conclude the utter fuppreJpng of the Scriptures, not that they care bow they are ufed, (for never any men ufed them fo vilely as themfelves,either in applying, reviling, or corrupting of them^,but because they are mad at the Bible which difcovers their herefie.

And if ever they get power again,°tis probable f they may learn more wit by their experience, and Ro/w^-Papal may ferve the Book of God, as Howf-Pagan ferved the Oracles of the Sybils heretofore , namely, take it out of their Popim World, and chain it fa(t in the Vatican, there to beinfpe&ed only by a few Confidents, and to be expounded as the Pope pleafeth. Origen faid of old that the reading of the Scriptures rvaf the torment of the Devil ; fure it torments fome body elfe of later years, but in Origens time it was not fo •, the Bible burns the Devil, and the Pope burns the Bible.-

Thus we have feen the Council biting fore, but not opening much =, that is left to their Dodtors,whofe clamours have been loud and importunate, and their tongues fet on fire from beneath againft this holy Word from that day to this. They that do evil hate the light, the thief curfeth the Candle, the Malefactor would difpatch his Judg ; the de-fign of thefe Doctors is to make the moft found and fully perfect Scripture to be as the people at the. Pool of Bethefda, halt, blind, lame, withered. Alb. Pigh. a prime man (I promifeyonj gives this advice,They fhould (declamitare) often dxclrim againft the Scripture, and that Kheto-rick artifew, w$h Rhetorical artifices and flourishes complain of their difficulty, darklefs,fhorinefs,lamenefs^ imVerfeClions, blemijhes ', on t'other

fide

fide they ftiould ftrenuoufly contend for the necejfuy, authority, certainty, -perfection, clearnefs, of Traditions unwritten i and then 5 «^ negotio, no doubt they JhaU e a fly carry the day. And what Pighim advifed his fellows to do, he pradtifed himfelf fufficiently. Andradim a great ftckler in the Council, and a daring-man, takes the fame courfe, and good reafom for he confefTeth, That many and weighty points too of their Religion would reel and Ihggerjfthey were notfupported by Traditio ///.Orthod.

Explic. lib.2.

Canm a confiderable man Bifhop of the Canaries tells his fellows, That there is more force andflrength to confute Heretickj in Traditions,tbw in the Scripture. And after that he had wrefkd the Fathers, compared his adversaries to the Devil, quoting Scripture, alkdged Plato and Farguin to juftifie their practice, fpit his venom into the face of the Bible, and urged a non-fenfical argument, viz.Dzbo legem, I will put my Law in their hearts > Ergo, there are Traditions. I fay after this fluff he tells us the reafon of it, Jguorfum had (faith he) nempejmnem ftrme dif-putJtionem^&c.thzt well-nigh all difputation with Heretickf k to be decided rather by Tradition than Scripture : Lib.3. Com. loc.c.3. That is,in plain Englijh, we mud refolve our Faith and Practice in the things of God into the Popes breaft, rather than into the word of Jefus Chrift.

So likewife Briflow teaching his Scholar how to grapple with the Proteftants, teacheth him thus. That he muRfirft get the proud Hereticks out of thp weaj^andfalfe caflle of only Scripture, (do you not obferve his reverence? he calls the Scripture weak and falfe, Os durum & impium!) and bring him into the plain field of Traditions, and then the cowards will runh i.e. fet the Pope in the Throne, and Chrift at his Foot-ftool, and then no doubt of the victory. For you muft know the Pope hath the plenitude of all Power,to mint and ftamp Traditions, to allow Miracles, and to expound Councils and Fathers as he pleafeth, and then all is our own. Briflow ult. Mot.

lam weary of this, it wereendlefs to repeat.their Blafphemies in advancing the Papacy, and abufing Scripture. I will name but one Doctor more,when I have told you a Story out of a good Author. About the year 1523, feven years after Luther began to preach, they were fo mad againft the Scriptures, and fo vexed at the light, that they burned two Auftin Friars at Bruffels, only for this^ that they preferred the Scriptures above the Popes Decrees. There appears nothing elfe in the Hiftory, Cum in eo perfiflerent, damnatifunt capitis & exufli *, Sleidan. Commen. lib.4. Send men out of the World in fiery flames, becaufe they will prefer Chrift the Lord above the Pope! this is fomewhat hard.

^ The Doctor ( I meanj is Cofier the Jefuit, he in his Encbir. cap.i. divides Gods Word into three Pa*rts:The firft Part is that which be wrote himfelf in the two Tables. The fecond Part that which he commanded to be wrote by others^the Old and New Teftament. 1*he third Vatt,tbat which he neither wrote himfelf\ nor rehear fed to others% but left it to them to do

Q^ them-

themfelves, as Traditions, the Pepes Decrees, and the Decrees of Councils, And he makes this Application of his Diftincl-ion, that many things of Faith are wanting in the Wo former, (Very good, it feems God by him-felf, and by his Prophets and Apoftles gives out his mind defe&ivelyj •> neither would Chrift have hti Church depend upon them ; (Oh horrible da-ringnefs^)! The latter ( faith hej viz. the Traditions and Popes Decrees are the beft Scripture, the Judg of Controverts, the Expofitor of the Bible,and that whereupon we mufi wholly depend.Thzt is,blot out the Sun,and fet up a linking Farthing-candle, this is the defign. However you may obferve in a few words a great deal of blafphemy, and fome honefty: the Blaf-phemy lies in thefe particulars. 1, That God hath revealed his Will (hort and framing*, a horrid reproach to the glory of his Wifdom and Mercy! 2. That the Lord Chrift would not have us truft to his Word*, a molt vile reproach to his Care and Faithfulnefs over his own Houfc ! 3. That mufty, dufty Traditions, and the Fopes Decrees are the Word of God. 4. That the Decrees of men, of whom fome have been Ne-gromancers, Converfers with the Devil, Poyfoners, Murtherers, Adulterers, nay Traytors, Blood-fuppers, Ignorant, arej the Rule of Faith : The Honefty is in this, that he joyns hand in hand, together Traditions and Popes Decrees, and well they may, for they are brethren, and have one and the fame Parent. 2. In that he confeffeth that Traditions were not rehearfed or delivered from God by word of mouth > and therefore the Council of Trent put a fad and miferable blind and cheat upon Princes and People, while they fay that Traditions were either fpoken by Chrift, or dictated by the Holy Ghoft.

Left any man mould fay that thefe Do dors were private men,which is their common and laft fhift, I will (hut up all with their new Creed* Know then, that Paul the ^tb. fet forth a Creed of his own, confifting of Twelve Articles, added to the Twelve of the Creed, called the A-poftks •> out of which I (hall take only three, proper to my bufineis. The title of it is,The public \profejfton of the Orthodox faith to be uniformly dferved and prof fed. The fir ft Article is, The Apofiolich^andEcclefiaftical Traditions^ and other Obfervances and Conftitutions of that Church do 7 firmly admit and em! race.

2. Art. Alfi'ilse Sacred Scripture? do I admit according to that fenfe which our Mother tfje Church hath holden, and doth hold, whofe right it is" to judg cf the true fence and interpretation of the Scripturen

3. Art*. I do vow and [wear true obedience to the Blfhop of Rome, and *\1 other things likewifi do lundoubtingly receive and confefs, which are deli-mred, defined and declared by thefacred Canons and General Councils, efpe-ciallythe holy Council of Trent •- and withal I condemn, rejeel and accurfe aU things that are contrary hereunto > and all Herefies whatfoever condemned, r-ejefted, and accurfedby the Church. And this true Catholick Faith J will maintain inviolate to the laftgafpi and I will tafy care ofthofe which fiat be under me y orjucb as IjhaU have charge over in my cattingfo be holden r

tough*

tattght or preached to the uttermofl of my power ; thU Ipromife, vow and [wear. So God be help me, and his holy Gofp^l.

Thus the Bow is bent, and the Arrow upon the firing to' (hoot through the heart of the Scripture, the foundations of the Prophets and Apoftles muft be caft down, or clfe Babel will fall \ there is the origin* of thefe and fuch like out-ragious reproaches upon the Oracles of the blelTed God: Pafs over to the Ides of Cbittim, go to Kedar\ Did ever any Nation do this to their Oracles ? Did the Pagans ever do fuch indignities to the dictates of their Vruides ? or their Brachmans Z or the Turk* to their Alcboran ?

This Controverfie then, whether the People of God mould read and hear the Word of God, ('which would make a man wonder that ever fuch a queftion fhould be moved,the duty being fo folemnly enjoyned, the practice of It fo neceflary, the fruit of it fo profitable, which made David wifer than his Enemies, than his Teachers, than the Aged, better to him than all treafttres, fvoetter than the honey-comb.) I fay this Controverfie fhall through Gods affiftance difcufs and deliver you my thoughts upon it from the 1 JheJJl 5.27. that is my Text.

1 ThelT 5.27. I charge yon by the Lord that tkk Epijlle be read te^Lthe holy Brethren.

THis Text is a Constitution Scriptural, one of the true Canons of the Apoftles, directly oppofite to the Constitutions of the Pope, and the Canons of the Council of Trent,z$ we (hall fee by and by. It may be refolved into thefe parts ^

1. An Injunction to a Duty, that is Reading, thatitberead.

2. Thefubject or matter to be read, that is, this Epiftle. And by the fame reafon all the reftibr the wit of all the Jefuits in the World cannot frame an Objection againft the Reading of any,which may not be as well made againft the reading of this one.

. 3. The Object or Parties to whom,the holy Brethren, i.e. the People.

4. The Extent, to all, all the holy Brethren.

5. The Solemnity of this Injunction, Icbargeyou, not I befeech, or intreat, or I exhort, fas fometimes he doth), but I charge ^and that not (imply a bare charge, but the higheft that can be, and the only time that ever Paul did give this which is fo high, that none can be higher. He doth indeed charge Timothy folemnly, 1 Tim. 6. 13. but there it is, before Wt/opto fit*, in the pre fence of God; but in my Text it is tip Kue/op, i.e. vn rh Kv$tov> by the Lord h there it is ira&yyiface, prtcipfa, I charge, I command; but "here it is, ofx/£#, I charge, I adjure > ot K K a "> isjnramento obftringo j it hath the force of an Oath 3 and that undo* the

Q_2 curfe,

curfe, I adjure thee^ f faith the High Pried) to our Lord Chrift, Mat. 16. 6%. Ih^i^a <rip I adjure thee bythe living God tell us * implying an Execration in cafe of fpeaking falfly. The Apoftle Paul doth not deal with them in this place, obfecrando, as the Latins ufed to do, per Veos Deaf-que omnes, as fome think*, (yet even in that fehfe the words had been very vehement, and in cafe of failure of not reading would import vengeance on them for it), but here he deals execrando^ his charge hath the form of an Oath, obliging under pain of the curfe, and fo Dr. Ham-m$nd renders it: ^v^n in Hiphi\ is literally and critically to make fwearf.0 adjure *, and is expreiTed by Pauls • ogxi%a o . j Tbejp$.2j,l bind you under the curfe of God that this Epiftle be read. The Law con- -cerning this we have Numb. 5.21. where we have not limply an Exe- -oration, but there we have the Oath of Execration : Thus he upon Mat. 26. note 1.

The Text thus explained^ methinksj among fober men mould quickly decide the Controverfie-,For whether we mould obey the Lord Chriny or the Council of Trent ? Whether we mould believe Paul the Apoftle. fpeaking by the Holy Ghoft, or Paul the Pope fpeaking by a pack of Parafitesjudg ye : Which curfe of the two mould we dread, this of God in the Text, or that of Man at Trent ? Surely there is no difficulty to determine this point.

The words thus opened will to our bufinefs afford us three Obferva-bles •> 1. The ftate of the feries of Popes or Antichrift. • 2. His Cha-rafter. 3. His Confutation. h

1. Hisflatevsafiateaccurfed; I offer my proof thus^They that do not read the Scriptures to the People in the vulgar Tongue, according to the duty of their Office,nor furTer the people to read themfelves *, nay, that do prohibit them to have a Bible, and that by a fevere Law under a grievous penalty *, theft for fo doing are bound under the curfe of God j But Antichrift doth all this: Therefore the ftate of Antichrift is a cur-fed (late. The Propofition or Major is the Text,the Truth of God* the AfTumption is notorious, the Practice of Rome or Antichrift: The Con-clufion is regular andnatural.

Add to this the wo our Lord Jefus denounceth againft the Scribes and Pharifees, Mat, 23.13. becaufe they did Jhut up the Kingdom of Heaven. toolbar? ay the key of fytowledg. Luk. 11. 52. They neither went in themfelves jtoi•fuffered thofe that were entring to go in \ yet theft never fuppreiTed the Bible in their own Tongue, much lefs prohibited the reading of it by the People > neither did the Scribes omit the reading of it to the People. The Argument holds from the lefs to the greater j in both theft the Scribes w^re Saints in comparifon to the Popifh Doctors, and the non-expounding by far a lefs fin than the prohibition, and that by a Law under grievous penalty, nay death it felf, as it will appear anon,

2» # Here we have the marks of Antichrift, Van. 7. 24. (for it cannot

■ with

with truth and fenfe be underftood of any other), faith of him, Hefiatl think to change times and laws^ fc. of the mofi High. Paul giveth this mark of him, He (hall not only exalt himfelf above all Auguftnefs, (2*£**7/« ffi$<t<&> Auguilus fc. C£far, Act. 2 5. 2 1. ) not only above the Emperour and Princes, but 2 Tbef. 2. 4. Jhews himfelf as Gbd, fc. iff changing Laws Divine, and making new Laws, new Creeds to bind the Confcience » this mark is viilble in many particulars. But to my bull-nefs,thus •, The Lord Chrift commands the people to fearch the Scripture, the Pope commands no, no fuch matter. Cbriji commands them to fearch Mofts and the Prophets, the Old Teftament > the Pops forbids them to fearch cither Old, or New. Chrift faith, In them you tbink^ to have eternal life ; the Pope.faith the" contrary, There is more dagger of eternal death. Chrift gives this reafon, they tefiifie of me •-> the Pope faith, No, they are very ^ri^and obfeure, very fhort and difaive,x\\zxo.-fore no competent witnefs. Chrift faith, Let my word dwell in you richly *, the Pope faith, No, not dwell, no not in your Houfes. Chrift faith, teaching and admonifhing one another \ the Pope faith, Brabling and perverting one another. Chrift faith, Whatever you ds> in word or deed, do it according to my word \ the Pope faith, Do my word, obferve our Decrees, or elfelwill burn you. Chrift commands in my Text that this Epi- -Ale be read •, the Pope commands the contr?.ry,No reading, Chrift faith, „ To all the Brethren ', the Pope faith, No, not to any Lord, or D«%, or Prince i, (Francifcus Encjenas as learned a man as Spain afforded,was im-prifoned fifteen Months, expecting death every day, but marvelouily % delivered , only for prefenting the New Teftament in Spanijh to the Etnperoift Charles the Fifth;. Chrift faith, I charge you to read i the Pope faith, I charge you, you do not read. Chrift faith, I charge youun-der my curfe ? the Pope faith, I charge you not to do it, under the curfe of the Church. Chrift faith, I charge you under the pain of Hell-fire •, the Pope faith, I charge you do not under the pain of Hell, and the Stake in Smithfield too.

Thus you fee his mark, and 'tis the fame in many other Particulars ; • as for inftance, Chrift commands in the Supper, T>rin\ye all of this » the Pope prohibits it, Not a man of'youjhall drink a drop $ but that is ex- • centrical, now it is thebuilnefs of another.

3. Here we have the Confutation of the Popifh Doctrine and Practice^

and this arifeth out of the Premifes thus: If the Lord Chrift frequently

commands the reading of the Scriptures by the People, and folemnly

charged the reading of them to the People, then Popifh Doctrine and

Practice is falfe,"and wicked : But Chrift doth do fo i Therefore their -

Doctrine is falfe, and their Practice wicked. On the other fide-, If the

Premifes be true that Chrift hath commanded and charged this, then

the Doctrine and Practice of the Proteftants is holy, juft and good i

But Chrift hath fo done-.Therefore their Practice rs good.Obferve from

hence,That Popery is not only an addition to the Doctrine of Chrift fas

fome

fome pretend^ but an Oppofition, a flat Oppofition to if,and where it is an addition^ as in the great bufinefs of Juftihcation by the Righteoufnefsof Chrift alone, there the addition is a dejlrutfion •, 'tis fuch an addition as

• Agrippina made to the Meat of Claudius C£Jar^ fuch an addition as dc-firoys Religion, and poyfons the Soul. So thelnvocating of God, Me-rim & Interceflione, by the Merits and Interceffiori of Saints, and the formal Invocation of Saints and Angels, requeuing their opem & auxi-I'mm, ( very large words, and the very words of the Council}, entreating their help and ajjiftance s is not a bare addition, but horrid Blafphe-my and palpable Idolatry : For which things fake our famous Engli/h Divines have held the Church of Rome to be no more a true Church, than a Murder efs and a Whore can be a true Subjett, and- a true Wife s a Metaphyllcal verity is an idle whimfey in Moral concerns. And they have held alio, That a man living and dying a full Papift could not be faved > every one, faith he, may be laved from Popery, that is not the bufinefs, but whether he may be faved in it ? they fay, No.

In oppofition to thePopifh Do&rine this day, I have three things fas I have told you^ to aiTert. u That the Scriptures are to be read by, and to the People of Chrift. 2. That therefore the Scripture is Scripture, the Word of God was therefore written. 3. That it is to be f rarrfhted into the Moiher-tongue. The fir ft is a plain Duty and conftant Practice. The 2d. is a Reafon to prove if. The laft is a mani-feft Inference from them both 5 For if the Word of God were therefore written that it might be read to and by the People, then it follows of • courfe, that it is lawful, honourable, neceffary to be tranflated 5 for if the Shell be not broken, how can we come to the Kernel.? if the Trumpet give an uncertain found who (hall prepare himfelf to the Battel ? if the Stone be not removed from the Wells mouth, how (hall the Maidens draw Water ?

1. Of the fir ft, Col. 4. id. When this Epifile k read amengfi you jaufe it to be read in the Church of the Laod'iceans , and thziye read alfo the Epifile of Laodicea, Ephef. 3. 4. Whereby when you read ye may understand my knowledg in the Myftery of Chri(i. This Epiftle fit is very probable^) was written to all the Churches of Afia^ as that to Corinth was

* to all the Churches of Acbgia^ and it is likely the Epiftle to the Laodi-ceans f being one of thefe Churches ) was the fame with this to Ephefm: If any would fee more of it, he may confultDr. VJhers Annals, ad annum Chrifti 64. or Dr. Hammond upon Col. 4. n. a. All that we get by it, is no more than what we had reafon to believe before for the fubftance : ft. That this Epiftle was communicated to all the Churches of Afia > only it feems very probable that this Epiftle was inferibed to the feve-ral Churches by name, one by one. Now thefe two Texts throw Da-gon upon the threfhold : For obferve i.the Apoftle'takes it for granted, that they would read it •, nay, he commands them to take care that o-<hers may read, and that they read his Epiftle written to others. 2. He

takes

takes them for men of underftanding,hedoth not look on them as brutes. 3. Not only understanding more obvious Truths, but even the Myftery of Chrift \ he doth not tell them, thefe are hard, obfcure, they are not for, the vulgar, the rabble, the lay people, in whom there is not mens, confilium, or ratio, but a meer BeSua multorum capitum, a many-headed, and a mad-beaded Beafl. 4. He doth yield orfubmit his own understanding of that Myftery to the difcerning of thefe Epheftans. The third Text (hall be that of James in the Council ztjerufalem, A dr. 15. 21. For Mojes of old bath them that preach him, being read inthelSy&a-gogue every Sabbath-day: This was the old pradtife from ancient times, andjiittit, faith James. Again Atl. 13. 15. After the reading of the Law andtbe Prophets,the Ruler fent to Paul •, it being thecuftom of the Jew* ifh Doctors after reading to expound fome Scripture for the inftru&i-on of the People > fo the Ruler fent to Paul and RirnabM, and Paul preached, one would think this might fuffice.

The Teftimony of fuch a Council, the univerfal, ancient pradrife of the Jews in their Worfhip, pra&ifedby our Lord Jefus, Lu\. $.16. He went into the Synagogue as his cuftdme was oh the Sabbath-day, andjiocd up for to read. Again, the Lord Jefus often in his anfwers-to their queftions appeals to their own reading » very often this is his pradttfe ; tor inftancc, in the cafe of Divorce,M?Mp.3,4. Have ye not read that he which made them in the beginnin/,made them male and female} Andagain,for this caufe a man Jhallforfike father and mother, and they twain (hall be ons-: flejh. So when the Children cried, Hfanna, Have ye not read, faith he, out of the mouths of babes,&c. Mat. 21.16. and v. 42. Did ye never read in the Scriptures, the fijne which the builders refufed? and have ye not read in the Scripture fo much as this, JFljat David did when he was hungry, Luk. 6. 3. how he eat. the /h?w-bread, and they that were with him ? And have ye not read in the Law how. the Prieft prophane the 'Temple, and tfre, blamflefs? Mat.12.5. Very frequently he quotes the Scripture, but mentions not the Prophet nor the Section, they were fo well acquainted by reading, and hearing it read,tfiey knew very well the TextvThs Sadducees put a cafe out of the Scripture, M>fes faith if a man die^&c.hs tells t\\Qm,They err, not knowing the Scripture '•> anfwers their argument out of the Scripture, appeals to their own reading, Have ye nctre^d (faith he) that which was fpoken unto yon by God, lam the God of Ahra-* bam,8cc. Mat.2t.-3, 32. Pray obferve God fpake that to MfesCrtf-teen hundred years before they were born », and Chrift faith, God (poke it to them,then it did concern them to know it > then they ought-to ufe the means, then they ought to read, Have ye not read what God-fpaki to yon?%o when he fpeaks of the abomination (landing in the hcly place fpoken of by Daniel the.Prophet ; he doth not beat them off and tell them it is dark and difficult, no, but diredtly the contrary,, Lit him • thatreadeth, nnderftand, faith he, Mat. 24. 15*. And fa. is the. Wevela*-iiott f and furs Vaniel's Prophesy, and Johm Revelation asfi.tta. dirftcui-*-

tell pieces in the holy Bible), he is fo far from affrighting his People from reading of it as a thing unfit or dangerous, that he begins the Revelation with a Bleffing to the Reader, Blejfed is he that readetb,Rzv.i.$, Yea, but every one cannot read > why then, Blejfed are they that hear y but why read and hear ? why, that they may uuderftand and keep the Jay -ingsofthirBook^: the fealed Book with feven Seals is opened, and in the little Book the time determined is exprelTed by days, months, and years, and in every of thefe things there is an agreement to a tittle, we know not indeed where to commence •, and I think it is falix nefcientia, a profitable nefcience \ .but fure the Book is profitable.

I wonder with what face the Jesuits otRbemes in their Preface on their Annotations, could fcurriloufly feoff at the Hereticks for reading the Revelation j did they fet themielves on purpofe againft the Tefti-mony of Jefus Chrift ? They (the Proteftants.) read, and to fee out of pride of heart, and we know what fpirit they vaunt \ the Cantica canticorum, the Romans and the Apoealyps. Oh ye Jefuits what makes you to rage and revile, what harm thefe Books do to you! I guefs this is the reafon,the Canticles in a Heavenly way treats of the near Union of the Church t© Jefus Chrift, and her daily Communion with him by Faith, Love, Blef-iing, Prayer, Meditation and Obedience to him. Doth this offend you ? But why I wonder do you mention the Romans, as if it were fo great a fault for the People of God to read the Romans, avaun' impudence joyned with fpight and malice! had you no more difefetion but to tell the World in print, That, that Epiftle did torment you ? The truth is, that Epiftle heweth Popery all to pieces; their mincing Original fin, their curfed diftindrion of fins into Venial and Mortal, ( which one di-flindtion ruins more Souls than any one in the World, and brings them in more gain than any otherj, their Juftifkation by Works, their Doctrine of Apoftacy, Election conditional, with the reft are all confuted and confounded by that Epiftle.

Befides in 'Pauls numerous Salutations of the Saints at Rome in the'16. chap, he never mentions Feter, nof any-where elfe in the Epiftle. never mentions his care over them, or pains amongft them, nor their refpe<ft or duty to him*, a fhrewd fufpicion,and it is no way fit the People mould know fo much.

For the Revelation every one knows the reafon why they cannot a-bide that Book to be known and read-, for there is defcribed the great Whore, intoxicating Princes, and the Inhabitants of the Earth with the Wine of her Fornications '■> the City is fo plainly defcribed to be Rome, that every Reader prefently underftands it of the Papacy. And well they may, for the attempts of learned men to appl^he Revelation to Rome- Pagan are lighter than vanity j and the attempts of the Jefuits to accommodate it to an Antkbrift at Rome, three years and a half before the end of the World, is molt fabulous and ridiculous > and yet a horrible cheat in France, Spain, and Italy, and other places, where

the

the Papifts dwell, that Chymerical Antichrift goes for currant.

But to proceed, there are Scriptures yet behind, and they are principal ones,none beyond them*, perhaps you think what needs you prove it any more, it is as clear as the Sun ? I anfwer, I have told you my thoughts have been the fame; I have wondred how our Divines could be fo copious, fo laborious, £o exact in a point fo plain, till I contidered that it is one of the main points of greateft moment *, let this be for a wonder to us, that the Popes, the Councils, Cardinals, Doctors, men of parts, convenienced with all helps of Libraries, Arts, Languages, (hould cither be fo blind, or blinded as not to fee it, or elfc fo daring as to deny it, or elfe fo defperate, ("this is the cafe J as tooth and nail, by all means, flattery, fallacy, force, wreftings, perverting Scriptures, Fathers, Councils, to oppofe it, to difparage, to blafpheme it, and all to rob the People of God of it, and to make merchandife of their Souls ■■> for that is the meaning of that Text, Rev. 18. 13.

The rirft is that of Chrift, Job. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures \ the Context tells you that Jefus had healed the Cripple that lay at the Pool, the Jews cavil at him for carrying his bed, v. 10. he defends himfelf by the Command of him that cured him, v.i 1. he comes and tells them, f. the Jews, that it was Jefus which made him whole,:/. 15. Upon this the Jews fought to kill ]efus, v. 16. Upon this jefus began to preach to them, v, 18. to thelaft v. and in this 3^. v. he commands and exhorts them to fearch the Scriptures, as if he had faid,you will not believe me, though you fee my works,and I would not have you believe the Scribes to whom you give too much credence, between us both believe your own eyes, fearch the Scriptures. Mofes and the Prophets wrote of me. There is the firft.

Thefecond is that of the Bertans, That they fearcbed the Scriptures daily whether tbefe things were fo j and they are highly commended for it by the bleifed Spirit, they were more noble \ fAh the poor Rbemijls), yet they had their bell: wits, and did their bell endeavours, and many a year they were a contriving their AnnotationsJ,ho w are they confounded and puzzled here ! fomething they would fecm to fay 5 but 'tis worfe than nothing, becaufeit is nothing to the purpofe •, and indeed what can be faid ; a man had need to have a fpecial faculty in railing and carting mifts before fo clear a light i for this Text avows three things which are the very ftate of the Controveriie. 1. That the Scriptures were in the vulgar Tongue. 2. That as they were in their own Tongue,fo the Laity had them in their own hands. 3. That they did read them, and heard them read -, there was nothing of any Imperial or Pontifical Power to hinder them, no Monks nor Friars to difcourage them and impeach them too. The queftion being thus cleared^ add to this,.ere abundantly the practice of thefe Bertans which was fearch ing* and that daily,f/>f/£ Scriptures, for which they are commended, and that by God hiiufclf for fo fearching •> and any fober man would think it

R impoihble

impofllble for any to gam-fay it h left the people whofe Souls are precious and immortal in other Countrys enjoy the fame priviledges as the Berxans had, and rhen if they do not read and hear, and fearch, their deftrudtJon will lie at their own doors but if they be debarred and die in their fins through ignorance, if they perifh for want of knowledg, their blood will be required elfewhere. Wo be to the Parifh-Priefts, wo be to the Bifhops, wo to the Prelates, faid one of their own.

The third andlaftis that of Mofes in the year of releafe,JDe«f.3.11,12, i^Jfloen all IJrael is gathered togetber,men,women,cbildren^fervants, all the grangers within the gates', thou Jhalt read tbi* Law before them in their bear* ing. I fay nothing of the King, who is commanded to have a Copy of the Law, and to read therein all the days of bis life, Deut. 17. 19. Nor of Jojhua the Captain-General, the Law, the Bool^of the Law Jhall not depart out of thy mmth, but thou (halt meditate therein day and nighty Jofti. i. 8. Nor the Chamberlain of the Queen who was reading in hii Chariot the Booj^of Ifaiah, Acl\ 8. Nor Peters exhorting the Twelve Tribes to take heed to walk according to the Scriptures as a light, and a more fure word of Prophefie, than any particular voice from Heaven,though that was moft furealfo, 2 Pet. 1. 19. Nor Pauls bidding Believers to try all things, 1 Thef. 5. 19. which trial muft be by a Rule,which is the Word of Chrift, with which Rule they muft be well acquainted, or elfe they will be but forry triers. Thefe and many others I muft pafs over, and defire you to confider what you heard. The adverfaries to this truth know all this full well, but what care they for Mofes ? tell them xhntMfes took the blood and fprinkled the Altar, and read the Boo]^ of the Covenant in the Audience of the People, Exod.24. 6~,j. What care they for Mofes precept or praclice,or threatning ? for why, they aflert that Papa poteft difpenfare contra Mfen \ if you argue from the Apoftles, why then, Papa poteji difpenfare contra Paulum. To be fhort, a learned Frenchman (no Hvgenot) tells us, Dr. Gloffatour upon the Canon-Law avowed by the Rota in Rime, affirms that the Pope may difpenfe againft the Apijile^ again}} the Old lejiament, againft the four Evangelijis, againft the Law of'God; Review of the Counc. "Trent, lib.5. cap.3. To what purpofe mould I fturT my Difcourfe with Quotations, Papa poteft, the Pope can difpenfe, when we fee he doth do it, and it is fo determined by the Council with an Anathema to the gain-fayer in the bufinefs of Marriage, Can. 3. de Matrimonio, Siquis dixerit Ecclefiam nm poffe difpenfare in nonnullvs, &c. If anyfhaU affirm the Church cannot difpenfe in fome things forbidden about Marriage in Leviticus, let him be accurfed. If a man reply that thefe Marriages were abominable among the Heathen before Mofes was born, and for thefe (ins God caft them out,and therefore they were fins againft the light of Nature \ and by that reafon the Pope cannot difpenfe : pifh^ the Anfwer is eafie, Papa poteft difpenfare contra Rationed, the Pope can difpenfe againft Reafon. If you reply that Paul did deliver to Satan the Corinthian /or one of thefe Marriages prohibited i

ted \ the Anfwer x^Paulw nonpotuit, Viu\ could notdifpenfe, but Peter could. Thus you fee there is no defending of Popery in this and o~ thcr Controverfies,but by fetting the Pope above God.The damned Angels would be as God > but here is one that adts Superiority over ChriiT, who U God over all, bleffedfor ever, Rom. 9.5.

The fecond Point to be difeu fled is this,That the Bible bad never been but for the ufe of the people of God s God therefore commanded the Dodhines, Precepts, Promifes, Providences, Proprieties to be written for them; and therefore they are to read it, and to hear it read \ nay more as they were written for the People > fo by Gods appointment they were written to the People: therefore the People are not to be debarred from the reading, and hearing of them. A man that denies thefe Arguments muft be (to refrefh my felf with J. C/'s language), the firft-horn of impudence and non-fenfcality. The two Antecedents I (hall prove by parts ', the firft is proved by Rom. 15. 4: Whatfoever things were written before time were written for our learning \ and the bed learning too in the World, that we all through patience and comfort of the Scrips tnres might have hope j for our learning, mine and yours, ye Saints at Rome, Tent-makers, Artificers, Men, Women, Old, Youngs for your Learning, Faith, Hope, Patience, waiting upon God, keeping his ways, and comfort in fo doing, ftrength, courage to do, to fufter ^ and whatfoever things Doctrinal, Preceptive, PromilTory, Hiftorical, all written, all writ ten for yon, for your learning : Ergo, fure they may read them, and hear them. The next is Job. 20.31. But thefe are written that ye might believe that Jefus vs the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through h'tf name. This Gofpel was the laft written (out Books tell us) upon the requefl of fome Afian Presbyters for the good of the Churches. And againftfhe Ebionites^ and Ctrinthians, and fuch like who denied the Deity and fatisfadtion of our Lord Jefus 5 fure it was written for the Churches (and fo to all,to the end^and it was written for their Knowledg of, Faith in, and Salvation by our Lord ]efus : thefe are exprefly in the Text. So again, 1 Job. 5. what a Chapter have,we there, fofublimeand heavenly! yet in the 12. he tells us that thefe things are written to Believers, to all Believers, that they might know that they have eternal life,v.i$. And fo begins his Epiltle chap. 1. when he had fpoken fomething of their fellowfhip with the Father, and his Son Jefus Chrift, Thefe things (Taith he) I write unto you that your joy may be fuU, v. 4. Cbap.2. 12. 1 write to you little Children • > v.\2 to you fathers, ymng men, v. 13. The Epiftle is high, yet very plain jit treats of the BlelTed Trinity, Communion with the Father, and his Son Jefus Chrift, cleanfing by his Blood from all Sin, Remillion of Sins through his name, the teachings and witnefs of the holy Spirit, and treats of thefe things fo, that writing of them to aH forts for their good, together with the Doctrines written, is abundantly able to confound the Remans, and Poland adverfaries abroad and at home.

R 2 What

What need I mention any more, that of the King, Vent. 17.ip. he inuft write a copy of the Law, and it mull be with him, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all thofe words of thofe fiatutes t& do them. Jvjhnah muft have the Book that he may obfirve thofe precepts and profper, Jofh. 1. 8, £. It were endlefs to name all > I will form the Argument, and go to the next.

Thus it runs *, The Truths which God appointed to be written on purpofethat the People might read and hear for their Learning, In-iirudion, Faith, Obedience, Comfort, Joy i thefe Truths the People ought to. read and hear j But the Bible is the Eook wherein thefe Truths* are written for that purpofe : therefore they are to read and hear the Bible read one to another.

But -ily, as they were written for them- fo they were written to them, not to the Clergy, but the People efpecially. Rev. 2. 30. the Seven Epiftl.es to the Seven Churches written to them for their good : What tboufeefl, write in a Book^ and fend it to the Seven Churches in Afia } faith the Lord Chrift to John, Rev. 1. 11. So Jude v.i. So Peter his fecond Epiftle, I write unto you, in both which I flir up your minds by way of remembrance. Thus he writes to them and for them, 2 Epili.c.$. v. 1,2. So Paul^ to the Saints at Rome, to themat ; Corinth \to the faithful, in Ckrill Jefiis at Ephefus. So in the reft as every Child knows. Now when God gives his Truth by Infpiration,and appoints it to be written, as profitable to conviction, to conversion, to inftrudHon in righteouf-nefs, that his People may be throughly furnifhed to every good work and word > what audacioufnefs, what wickednefs is it for any finful man to interpofe and hinder this, and that by a Law, and that under a curfe> Shall fome mighty Prince flgnifie his Will to the People under him of the greateft concernment in the World for their advantage, and fhall any man ftand up and forbid them to read it, or hear it read, and punifh them with death for having.a tranfeript in their houfes > Search, and look into- ftories whether .fuch a thing.; was ever, done under Hear ven. Ambrofe faith that Scriptura eft Epiftola Vei ad creaturas h and behold here is one that opens his mouth againft Heaven,. and eftablKheth; wickednefs by a Decree, exprefly forbidding all men of all degree to, read or keep this letter. J&not this he to whom the Dragon gave his, Power, his Seat, and great Authority? to whom was given a mouth, {peaking great words and blafphemies,- and to continue two and forty months, Revel. 13. W r ell, the Argument is this,. They to whom God, appoints the Scriptures to be. written they are to read and hear, them* tead^But the Scriptures were thus written to the People; Therefore they. are to read them.

The.next thing is-to evidence our AfTertion by the judgment of the 1 Ancient Fathers •» but that feems needlefs, for their own do confefs that the Fathers to a man were of our perfwafion and practice. Claud* Ef-tenexm. a learned man.tells us of. himfelf, Equidem in Paribus Ortho-,

doxky

doxls per Dei gratiar,?,&c. Truly,faith he,by the Grace of God I have been

converfant in the Orthodox Fathers, and marvel very much (non potui

non mirari), that the cuftom of reading Scriptures by the People mould

now be accounted capital 2nd peftilent, which to the Ancient Orthodox

Fathers fee med fo commodious and profit able, Efpen. Com. in "lit. c t t.pag.

266. If it be (aid, That this Eifhop was before the Council of Trent,

and that poliibly if he had been in that Convocation he would have

teen of am mer mind. There were learned men there more excellent,

that might havfc better informed him. To this I anfwer, I will give

you one inftance for all, a little after that Council, and it is worth your

obfervation.

About the year 1 560, Bifhop Jewel preaching at Pauls-Crofs, before a very great and Venerable Affembly makes this offer, That if any man alive, or men whatsoever of the Popifh iide, could prove by any one plain fentence out of Scriptures, or Fathers, ancient Dodors, or General Councils, for the firft fix hundred years, any one of the feven and twenty Articles, which he there rehearfed, he would then yield and fubmit. Among thefe Articles the fifteenth concerns our bufmefs i it runs thus, If any one can prove by Scriptures, Fathers, Votlors, Councils, for the firti fix hundred years, that the <Lay-people were forbidden to read the word of God inthiir own ton^pe, I trill yield and fubmit. Great difcourfe ('you mult thinkj arofe upon this among all forts s for fuch a man ("indeed incomparable) to make fuch an offer fo feemingly daring, in fuch a place fo publiek, in fuch a way as in a publick Ordinance of God, before fuch an Affembly fo folemn and learned, great difcourfe there was no doubt. Some few months after he comes into the fame place, and remembers (he Audience of t his proffer wftn a great deal of Christian humility^ and-modeftly tells them, It was not vainglory or J"elf confidence ffor what was he >) but the vindication of Truth,the Glory of Chrift, and the Salvation of Souls that had engaged him in this bufinefs. Then and there he repeated the fame Articles, and renewed the fame proffer. Whifper-ings, cenfurings, railings there were great (tore in private concerning ham, but no man makes an attempt to anfwer him. The Bifhops Apology for the Church of England is printed, and tranflated into feveial Languages, difperfed abroad in France and Spain,z\)d other parts. One* of the many notable home-learned paffages I have tranferibed to our--purpofe. If we be Henticks (as they would have us called) and they be-Catholic]^, why do they not convince and mafter us by the Divim Scriptures,-. as Catholick Fathers have always done > Why do they not lay before us* how we have gone away from Chr.i\\, from the Prophets and Apofiles, and from the Holy Fathers? why are they afraid of this,\\hy fticl^they at this ? -1 pray yctt what manner of men be they which fear the judgment of Gods t ward? that are afraid of the holy -Scriptures > and do prefer before them eir own dieams. and cold inventions ? and to-maintain theip-cnvi %ra- » >o'!s, have defaced, and c.rrriftted.now thefe many hundred years* thz*

Ordi^'

'Ordinances of Cbrift and the Apoftles. This is fomewhat clofe and warm. Well, but (till here is a great (ilence * Dr. Cole date Dean of fouls) a man reputed learned, enters into a Letter-combate with him ', the Bi-fhop begs of him to give one Father,one Scripture, one Doctor. Geod Mr. Dr. (faith he) do net deceive the People their Souls be precious. The Dr. fends him back a taunt, a quibble,but never a word of Scripture,Coun-cil, or Father: he pretends he was afraid of forfeiting his recognifance; No, no, freplys the Bifhop) there is no fear of that, why (hould you fear the forfeit of your recognifance more for quoting Auftin and Chry* fojlom^ than for quoting Horace, and Virgil. At laft about five years after out comes Dr. Harding and his fellows, and when he and they (for you may be fure the main ftrength of Rome was engaged in this quarrel) come to make their reply to this fifteenth Article, the words arethefe, I will read them to you in their own expreilions^ That tlie Lay-people were then forbidden to read the Scriptures in their own longne, I find it not. This is honeft however, but then the next claufe is knavifh, Neither do I find they were commanded to read. Anf, The Fathers did not take upon them to command, but they prefTed the Command of Chrifbthat claufe was impertinent on purpofe to beguile theReader.The Fathers did exhort the People vehemently for reading, and rebuked them fharply for not reading. Give me a roll of Parchment as long as my arm, of the ordinary bredth, and I dare undertake a man (hall fill it full within and without with the Sayings of the Fathers to our purpofe in a (hort time, indeed the work is done already to our hands ', our Reverend Fathers have wrought hard with great judgment and fuc-cefs, we have (or might have) entred upon therr labours. Is it not a fault amongft us that we make no more ufe of fo fhining lights, I will name a few. Bifhop Jewel in his R?ply and Defence. Morton in his Appeal. Whita]^er deSc'riptura. Dr. White his way and defence. Cart-wright on Rhem. Pref. the Renowned Du Pleffts, and the great Chamier. What an abundance of Sayings of the Fathers have they quoted for the Peoples reading and hearing of the Scriptures within this hundred years and upward ! and none hath adventured to gain-lay them therein>that I know. But you will fay, Do not the learned Papifts (Tor there are learned menamongft them) give fome anfwer to the Scriptures you quote, and the old Dcdlors too > I anfwer,there be four Queflions I have to fpeak to, before we come to fpeak fomething of tranflating the Scriptures j and this Queftion (hall be the firft, the fecond is, What Artifices they do ufe to bring People out of conceit with the Scriptures-, the third is, What Objections they ufually bring againft us > the la(t,What may be the deiign in all this. And I (hall here make ufe of the Fathers.

Firft then, What have they to fay? I anfwer,to that Scripture, which is a principal one, J oh. j. 39. Search the Scriptures, they would fain have it to be the Indicative Mood, not the Imperative, to be a practice, not

zpre~

a precept. Poor menlthey would get little by this if it were fo, for, this pra&ice was lawful and commendable, and then Chrift appeals to the Scriptures in which they were pra&ifed, to which they did pretend > their own Dr. Bilhop Efpenccem thinks it a very great fhamc, that the Jews did pra&ife themfelvcs, and train up their Children in the know-ledgof the Scriptures, and Chriftians did neglect it. Yea, but they would willingly (hift it orT from being a Command, for then it is ftill binding, and People that have any fenfe of God, and their Souls, and any thoughts of another World will conceive it is their Duty, let all the Popes in the World fay what they will to the contrary. This is that which pincheth,therefore they would by any (hift or wriggle put it off from being a Commands but it will not be. The Fathers take the words in the Imperative, Vtinam omnes facer emus, Would to God riewouldaU do that which ii written. Search the Scriptures ; Origen in Ifa. Hom.2. tKtKivffif t$luraTt> he commands us, Search the Scriptures, Athanaf. Tom„2. pa^.2\%.Com. 1*jtq\yi cMw, when a Commandment is given let us obey our Lord. Bafil y Chryfjiom the fame, fo Iheopbylatl his follower the fame, M*etwv &<»* JWwrcui teaching of them how they might have the Word of God abiding in them: he faith, Search the Scriptures, Ibtopb.in loc. There needs no mores for Janfenim doth contefs it, Community quidemaccipitnr tit ft imperativi modi, 'tis commonly taken for a Command.'Non dicit legite,he doth not fay read, but fearclv, Non ha* ant Mm fed omnes, not this or that, but all the Scriptures, Law and Prophets, Cone. c.%6. in loc. So doth Maldjnate, Iheophylatl, Augujline, & omnes opinor prater Cyritum graves authores. All grave Authors I fup-pofe, except Cyril, take thefe words for a Command, In eo enim v'vs Tejimonii & gratia OrationU confijiit. Why fo, ad fuas ipforum Scripture mittit\ Chrift fends them to their own Bibles, In quibm omnem ill/ glo-riamfuam collocabant, of which they chiefly gloried. As if he ihould fay, Quandoquidem tantum Scriptures tribuitufince you afcribefo much to the Scriptures, that in them you thinl^to have eternal life, fearch the Scrip-, tures, and all things do well agree, they teftifie of me. Cbryfjft. & Eu-tbymiut bene adnotarunt non dicit legite fed fcrutamini, Maldon. in loc. So that this Text doth ftand for a Commmand from Chrift, and the countermand ftands (among others) for a brand of Antichrift. But foft, not Co hafty, Stapkton and others fay, Chrift there fpeaks to the Scribes and Pharifees.and thev were to fearch the Scriptures by their Off.ce; This they prove by ^.33. Ton fent unto John ; now the Scribes and Pharifees fent unto John, therefore to them he fpeaks. Anf The Chapter fpeaks not a word of the Scribes and Pharifees, but of the Jews', betides, the Scribes and Pharifees did not fend unto John but the Jews. The Text is exprefs, Job. 1. 19. 'The Jews fent Priejis and Lezites from Jerufalem to John.

As to the Fathers urging the Bible upon the People, they fay, 5 Tis true-, but fay they (SixmSenenfis,and others). Pains difpwfarunt, in-

dulfi-

dulferunt libertatem, AmJ. Out upon it,a meer forgery to cheat the fim-Y)\e,Venia& indulgentia locum non habit ubi non pr£cejferit probibitio ^That isCbamiers Anfwer,an Indulgence doth prefuppofe a Prohibition. How could the Fatbers indulge tbat that was never forbidden ? Was the -reading or hearing of the Bible ever forbid by the Fathers or Chriftian Magiftrates in their time > Indeed Antiocbw did burn it, and Julhn fcorTed at it, and Vioclefun did burn it alfo •, but of Chriftians never any did fo, the defiroyersand prohibiten of Scriptures are of another forf, they do like the Pagan Princes, Antiochus and Viockftan.

But they plead the Fathers j They fay the Fathers (as Jerom and An-(tin) fay the Scriptures are obfeure and hard to be understood ^ and from thence infer, That in the judgment of the Fathers the Lay-people mould not meddle with them. Anf. 5 Tis true,moft of them urge this, but very fophiftically, and indeed wickedly. Austin faith that the Scripture like a familiar friend fpeaketh thofe things it containeth to the heart, Vottorum & Indo&omm, of the Learned, and the Unlearned, Epifl.3. The Scriptures are eafie to be underftood, and expo'ed to the capacity of every Servant, Plowman, Artificer j fo Cbryfofiome, Cyril, Jerom, Ifidore, and indeed all to the fame purpofe. True they fay fas we do), That there are fome things obfeure to ftir up diligence, frequency, prayer. Some Scriptures are dark, therefore Chriftians muft pray more, and read more attentively, diligently s that is the Inference of the Fathers*, Therefore they muft not read at all} that is the Inference of the Jefuits. What fophiftry, how bald is this, fit to be hiflcd out of the company of rational men. Chryfjiome is moft earneft upon all forts, Artificers, Tradefmen, Men, Women, Young, Old, to be much in Reading and Hearing, anfwers all their fhifts, tells them that they have more need than others, than Students, than Monks, becaufe they are in the midft of many temptations. Our Divines cite him much, the Compiler of our Homilies, quotes fcarce any Father befides. What fay the Jefuits to this > why fome fay, He dealt like a Pulpit-man, not lil\e a Reader in a T)es^ like an Orator, not a Vifputant. Others, He was a vehement man. Others, Thar he fpake Hyperbolically \ that is, He fpake more than was needful. Whereas the truth is, The Angels would fooner want words wherewith to commend,than the Bible want worth to commend it felf. Put of all men the Rbemifls are moft impudent, who would make as if 'Chryfjiome were fo vehement only or mainly to take People off from Cards and Dice, and Stage-plays *, whereas Cbry-foftomes great bufinefs is to take them from their excufes of their Families, Trades, Callings; Rbemifts Preface to their Annotations, with Cartrvriqhts Anfwer, fee there at large. To conclude this, the Fathers fpeak of the Scriptures according to the Scripture •, viz,. That they are a Light, a Lamp •, a Light that jlrineib, that they give Vnderjtanding to the fimple ; If men fpeak not according to thtm it is becaufe there is no light in them, yet thefe men reject all. Some few are conftrained 10

confefs

confefs that in points generally to be believed the Scriptures are pjain i but yet they will not yield at any hand that they (hall come into the hands of the People, you (hall hear their rcafoos by and by.

The fecond Queilion is, what Artifices their Learned Men do ufe to debafe the Scriptures, that the Peopled may have a vile eftcctn of the«1 3 brine, them to difdain and loath them? I anfwer, many ways by Word and Deed ; firit by Word, Shall I fay they difparage them ? Sirre e-nongh, they blafphemc, they call them a dead Letter, a dumb Judg, Theologian Atramentariam, Inken Divinity j (do you hear* ye Quakers who were your Tutour ) a Lesbian Rule, a Nofe of Wax without the Pope ( faith Car, Hofiuf ) they have no more Authority thanJEfops Fables, non plus Authoritatis quam iEfopi Fabulas: Here is a Rabfhakfy whom the Babylonijb King hath preferred to a Red-Hat to blafpheme the Living Godi the fame man compares David's Pfalms to B<*/W*/,witha verfe out of Horace, Scribimm indoVxi do8iq;PoematapajJim; which the excellent Bi(hop Englifheth thus, we write BaUadesTag and Rag. Dr. White in the way tells us that Perefim faid,that he thought verily it was the Devils invention to permit the people to read the Bible •, Is not this enough to fcare and affright poor fouls from touching it, or attending to it ? Martin. Pen fins deTrad. p. 44. And Thyrr£us faith, that he knew certain Husbandmen pojftjfed of the Devil, becaufe being but Husbandmen they were able to difco>irfe of the Scriptures : Thyrr£us de Demoniac, c.21. Ibef. 257. Methinks here I have an idea of a Frier Preaching, that Reading Scripture U the way to be pojfeffed of the Devil.

2. By Deeds and Practice, and that many ways.

1. Tkey cry tip the good of Ignorance > they tell us it is more re-vpirdable to be ignorant than knowing, they require no knowledg of the things we pray for : The Jefuites tell us after a long harangue in Tome things impertinent, and in others very falfe, that devout People may, and ought, in their ancient right, ft ill ufe their Latin Prayers, Beads, and Primars as ever before, notwithiianding what Paul faith, in the 1 Cor. 14. And that they doubt not but it is acceptable to God, and available in all their necejjities ; nay more, that they pray with great confutation of fpirit, and with as great devotion and affection, nay often* times more than they that Pray in the Vulgar Tongue. Well, and. what Prayers be thefe > Why they be Prayers, Pfalms, and holy W r ords: They are the Pater Nojier, the Ave Maria, the Creed, Our Ladies Mat. tins, and the Letanies, and the like : Oh! the impudence of men, that have made their Faces harder than a Rock, to Print fuch things as thefe: Rhem. Annot. on the 1 Cor. 14. So alfo they, require no ability to pro-fefs their Faith, if they were to fuffer for it* if a Catholick called before the Commiffimers, bath courage to fay Yam a Catholic}^, he dtfendetb him-feIf Sufficiently ( though he can fay no more ) and that I will dye a Ca-tbolitkji But what if the Commiiiioners ask him a reafon of his Faith, he anfwers enough, by telling them that the Church can give them a rea-

S fon

fon of all their demands , Rhem. Annot. Luke 12. 1 r. They fay that Ignorance in moft things, is heft of all r — to kaow nothing is to kjion? all things. H ofi us.

. 2. They cry up to the skies an Implicite Faith C tlais is diftinct from the other, though near a-kin ) this is the Colliers Faith, and doth wonders. The Story is, the Collier was fick, and being at the point of death, he was tempted of the Devil what his Faith was ; the Collier anfwered, I believe and dye in the Faith of Chrijh Church : Being demanded by the Devil, what the Faith of the Church was, that Faith ( quoth he ) that I believe in \ and thus clearly bafled and non-plu{Tcd the Devil. He put him to flight faid Staphylw, I fhould not have believed this Story ( faith my Author ) upon the report of fuch a bafe companion zsStapbylns; but when I faw the fame conceit fet forth as gravely by Learneder Cleardes than that renegate (foBifhop Jewel calls him )$ then I conceived that the Colliers Faith was Canonized for thePapifts Creed: Thefe learned men were no lefs than Alb.Pigbw^ Hierarch. lib. 1. cap. 5. />. 38. and Ho fins cont. Proleg. Brentii, lib. 3. p. 136. with two other confiderablemen. Dr. Cole (hallconclude this, with what he did once conclude the convocation at JVeflminfier, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth : The Story in fhort is this. A Difpu-tation is appointed by the Council at JFeftminfter ("faith Fuller in his Hi* ftory ]; Nine Popifh Bimops and Doctors on that fide j Eight Prote-ftant Doctors on the other fide, Sr. Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper, Mo-deratour : The rirft queftion was about fervice in an unknown Tongue, the firftDay paiTed with the Protectants *, the fecond Day theFopifh Bifhops and Doctors fell to cavilling againft the order agreed on: ( Alas what mould they do, they could not now, Petere argument* ex officinti camificum \) They fell to faucinefs as well as diforder, the meeting is ditfblved, Dr. CoAfftands up and tells that honourable AfTembly, thus with a loud voice, Itellyou ( faith he ) that Ignorance vs the Mother of devotion: So faid the Valentinians of old > as Irtneus tells us, that the Ignorance of Truth is knowledg, lib. 2. c. 19.

3. They have one trick more to debafe the Scriptures, and dull the edge of peoples affections to them, fome of their Doctors write moll unworthy things of the Bible, as before*, thefe they applaud, thacfo they may inftil ilily and infenfibly into the minds of men by their Authority, a very coarfe efteem of the Word of God : As for example, Catbirinus reftifkth of Cardinal Cajetan, that he denied the laft chapter rf St. Mark fome panels of St. Luke, the Epijile to the Hebrews , the Epiflle of James, the fecond Epiftle of Peter, the fecond and third E-piiiles 0/John, and x\\t Epiftle of Jude* this Man they applaud very highly, call him the incomparable Divine, fill their people wkh high admirations of him, and then publifh in their Books thefe things •, and fc infill hydrops an evil opinion of the Scriptures : And if the Pro-teftants object this to them, they put it off, faying, he was but a private

9

vate DoCtor, what is that to their Church. The Priefts and Frier? tell the people what Hfius and others their admired men fay of the Scriptures, a darh^ lame, mute, dumb, firry Boo\\ and all this to diiparage the Holy Truth of God, and to keep poor Soul? in Ignorance, which they do by this means, both Pried and People. Their very Priefts underhand not their own Mafs-Books *■> A Young Man within thefe three Months, entered into Difcourfe with fome Priefts at Malaga, in Spain, he faluted them in Latin, and propofed fome Queftions in Latin to them, they underftood never a Word. Archbifhop Spotfwood tells us in his Hiftory of Scotland^ that the Cardinal perfecuted men in Angus, for reading the New-leftament: And 'tis faid the Ignorance of thefe times was fo great, that even the Priefts did thinks that tbeNew-Teft.i-ment was one of Martin Luthers Books, H. Se. ad annum 1544.. He tells us alfo of a great contention among the Church-men, whether the Pj-terNofler might be faid to the Saints> it was brought to the Univeriity, they, fome of the Doctors faid it might be faid to God formrtiter, to the Saints materialiter \ to God principaliter, to the Saints minus principaliter; to God capiendo (Irifte, to Saints capiendo large: The Doctors meet feveral times, and not agreeing, it was referred to a Provincial Synod to be decided. When the Synod convened, the queftion was agitated again, at laft it was refolved that the Pater Nofter might be faid to faints. Hif. Scot. Anno 1 553. 'Tis impoffible to conceive what a thick fogg, and mi ft of ignorance and darknefs was upon the Souls or. the people j I will mention but one Story from Dr. White upon his own experience, it is this \ he faw and learned ( dwelling among them ) how they faid their Prayers•> the Creed thus, Creezum zuum Vatrttm onitentem creatorum ejus anicum Dominum noli rum qui cum fins Virgini Mari£ crixus fix us Douche Tilati. and fo on, to Eccli Catholi re-miffeme peccaturum communiorum, ohliviorum bitamax\d turnam again. It would make a mans heart tremble C faith my Author ) at their moft horrid ignorance*, yet to hear them pronounce their Prayer it moves laughter, and lconfefs upon this account I durft not Preach it: In him you mav fee a great deal more of this pitiful fturf, The way to the True Church, in the Preface to the Reader. The Jefuit in his Anfwer calls him to an account for this; but in his Defence he tells the Jefuit that is the cafe of the better fort as well as the poor, they are all ignorant, and fay their Prayers much at one rate, and this faith he I will ftand to, if all the Seminaries in England had it in chafe : My experience of fome C faith he ) allows me to fpeak that the Ignorance is general. Defence C.12. He asked an Ancient W r oman what Jefus Chrift was \ She told him (he could not tell, but fure it was fame good thing, it would not have been with the Lady elfe in her Creed \ but no more.

4. Laftly, They take this way to put down the Scriptures, fin by deftroying and burning them, and thofe that love them: I will give three or four inftances, thefirft, King Henry the Eighth writes to the

S 2 French

x 2 2 The Scripture to be read by the Common-People. Serm. V.

French King for Licence to Print the Bible in EngUjh in Park, becaufe there was liore of Paper and good Workmen, as alfo to Bonner then Leiger in France to further it j this was by the means of Cromwell, at great charges it is effected !> but by the means of Gardiner and his fellows feized and burned openly in the Maulbert place in Park, 2500 Bibles burned at one fire. See Fox his Martyr, there is much more to this purpofe.

Upon the perfecution of the Duke of Guife againft the Protectants, it Amiens all the Bibles, Tejiaments, Pfalters, were fought for and openly burnt, at Troys the Bibles were all rent and torn in pieces, zt Ad-gees they openly burnt the Bibles in the Market-place i one fair gilt Bible was hung upon an Halberd, and carried in Proceflion, the Papifts laying, Behold, Truth hanged, theTruihof the Hugenots, the Truth of all the Devils, with much collected by Mr. Clarh^ in his Martyr qL In Ireland (* within memory ) the Bible was, dragged, kennelled, cut, torn, ftampt upon. Bifhop Jewel tells of a Martyr in Q; M. pleaded the Scripture before the Bifhop in his own defence > the Bi(hop turning to a Juftice faid, nay, it he prates of the Bible, we (hall never have done", habemus Legem, we have a Law (faidhe) and by our Law he ought to die. Rep. to Cole. John Porter a young Man, reads in the Bible fet up in Pauls by Bonner in the Lord Cromwell's time:, when Cram-well was dead, Bonner fends for him, accufes him for expounding the Bible to the people, Porter denies any fuch thing , Bonner fends him to Newgate where he is loaded with Irons, hands and leggs, and a Collar ofIron about his neck, by a friends means to the Keeper he is fomewhat eafed, and put among the Felons, whom he reproves, and inftrucls, being well acquainted with the Scriptures > he is complained of, the Bifhop commands him into the Dungeon, 'tis thought he was put into the Engine called the Devil in the Neck : In the night he was heard to groan fadly, in the morning found dead.

A poor Bookfeller in Avignion was burned to Afhes, for fet ting to fale Tome French Bibles, his defence worthy the reading, his queftions utterly filencing the Bifhop of Aix, with the reft of the Prelates •, they gnafhed upon him with their Teeth, and cried, To the fire prefently : He was led to his execution with two Bibles about his neck, one hanging before , the other behind, as (hewing the caufe of his condemnation } fo the good Man and the Bibles were burnt together. Fox Mar. H. 8.

A Woman of Sanfiy in France, was accufed by her Servant for having a Bible in her Houfe, in reading whereof was her whole delight > the Maid Servant complains of this to the Jefuites, the Jefuites complain to the Judges, (he was apprehended, and imprifoned •■> the Judges told her, if (he would confefs upon the Scaffold that (he had broken the Law, and caft her Bible into the fire, (he fhould have her life : We would have you (faidtheyj imagtn it to be but Paper, and you may

buv

Serm, V. The Scripture to be read by the Common-People. *33

buy another, only throw this into the fire to give the Jefuites content, thus they laboured to perfwadc her for the fpace of two hours: What aCcandal (hall J give faid (he to the People to burns Gods BookJ No certain* h 1 will never do it\ 1 will rather hum my Body than my Bible : Upon this foe was committed dote Prifcner, fed with bread and water, at laft condemned to be fet upon the Scaffold, her Bible burnt before her face | her felf to be ftranglcd, her body to be dragged through the Streets to adunghil, which was accordingly done.

A Woman in Ireland required by FitzPatrick^iolroYnhcv Bible, She told him that me would rather die than burn her Bible •, whereupon the Sabbath day morning after this, She and her Husband were cruelly murthered : But themurtherer, tormented in Confcience, and dogged fas he conceived ) and haunted with apparitions of them, with inward honour pined away. Cla. Mar. Fran. Ireland.

There is no end of thefe fad Stories, Dr. Story (hall conclude > Thou • prateft ( faid he to a Martyr ) of the Bible, bibble, babble, all is bib- -ble babble, thou {halt prate at a Stake. So much of the fecond Qje-ftion.

The Third is this, What Objections do they make againft reading, and having Scripture ? They are men of Learning, fome of them give fome Reafon for their proceedings.

Anfw. They do fo, and you (hall hear them fairly propofed, I will not wrong them.

The firft is this} Caft not holy things to D/>£J\ nor Pearls before Swine; therefore the People mufr not have the uCc of Bibles. Anfwer, Verily this Argument is fo horribly injurious to the wKdom and Mercy of God, and fo inhuman and barbarous to the rationality of Man, that one would think it were rather flanderoufly and defignedly impofed upon them, then propofed by them; But it is notorioufly true in all their Books : Harding and his fellows ailedg it in their Afwer to Bilhop Jewel. Hofius doth the fame alfo. The jefuites in their Preface to the Rhem. Annot. but more fubtilly and ilily 5 and are rebuked fufficiently by Mr. Car. Salmeron and Cojierus gives the fame reafon why the People are not to know the Church-Traditions, they muft be kept lockt and fafe in the Popes Bread \ the Pope is not to let the people know Traditions, or at leaft doth jjot, becaufe Holy things muft-not be thrown to Dogs. Canus doth [he fame, and becaufe he fpeaks out, I will write his words, Si Apoftoli quibus formvs facramenta ejfent confici-enda, quibufq-y ritibus adminiflranda, aliaq, id genus religions fecreta paffvn vulgo tradidiffent, quidejjet aliud q'uam adverfits Chrifti legem fantlum dare canibus & inter porcos fpargere marparitas } imo quid ejfet aliud quam omnia myfterii Chri\\ian<e FLedighnis abolere}nec enim my\\erium eft quod adpo-pnlares aures (ffcrtur, Hxc itaq\ -prima rath eft cur Apoftoli que dam fine fenpto tradidernnt > nempe, ne.-aut ab etbnicis irriderentur facra noftra ant

vulg&

vulgo ctiam fidelhim venirent in contemptum : The long and fhott is this, That the Apoftles did by word of mouth deliver the^fecrtts of the Gofpel tc fame men, and did not write and preach the whole of Faith and Duty to the Churches ■>> for if they had done fo, they had gone againfi the Com-T mand of Chnft, who faith, Give not holy things to Vogs, and caft not Tearls before Swine i> Can. Lib. 3. c. 3. com. Loc. Thus the poor People whofe Souls are immortal and precious, the People that are the Church of God, for whom Chriit died to redeem with his Blood, for whom, and to whom the Scriptures were on fet-purpofe written, mud have nothing} not the Scriptures, becaufe holy things mull not be given to Dogs, nor Traditions ( which alfo contain matters of Faith and Worfhip ) becaufe Pearls muft not be caft to Swine.

Mr. Hording and they with him tell us, that whereas the Hebrew Letters had no Vowels, the Seventy Elders only could read, and the people were kept from reading of it, as it is thought by the fpecial Providence of God, that precious (tones (hould not be caft before Swine, 'Reply to the fifteenth Article^ a notorious daring unt-Tuth, for whether they had points or not is not to the queftion ^ iure enough the people could Read, for they were expreily commanded to Wiite the Words of the Law: Veut. n. And they could Write a Bill of Divorce. Taulus Fagius faith , from the Kabbinr, that through the whole Countrey every Town had a School, and that in Jernfalem there were fome hundreds of Schools; And in fo many Schools was there no Scholar did know his Letters ? For him to fay they could not Read, and that by a fpecial Providence they were kept from it, and that, becaufe holy things mould not be caft to Dogs; What daring men are thefe ? But the truth is, they will adventure upon anything to ferve their own turn, by keeping the people in midnight doleful Darknefs.

Their fecond Obedtion is, The People will pervert the Scriptures, therefore they are juftly prohibited > the good Old Gentleman out of his Fatherhood, takes away the Knife out of his Childrens hands, they will abuiethemfel.ves and cut their fingers.

Anjw. This Objection is an Hundred year old,and Thirty to boot,and every-where among their Bifhops 3nd Jefuites to be found , but I flood amaied to read it of late, in a reply to Dr. S. It feems they think it is a very marp Argument : Alas, one of the .Martyrs in QjW. broke the edge of it, indeed batter'd it all to pieces. The Story in fhort is this} Stephen Gratwkh con vented before Dr. iFatfon Bifhop otlFincbejler, in St. Maries Overies in Southward tells the Bifhop of his cruelty, in taking away the New Tsftament from him, which he had for the health of his Soul, which all men ought to have for their Souls comfort', and fo he did treat them more like brute beafts, than Chriftian men : No ( quoth the Bifhop ) we will ufe yon as we will ufe the Child h for if the Child will hurt himfelf with the Knife, we will take away the Knife from him :

So

So bcciufe you will damn your Soul with (he Bible, you ftull not v have ir. My Lord quoth Gratwick, , this is a fimple Argument to maintain and cover year tin, are not you afhamed to make the Word the cauie of our damnation ? But if your Argument be good, you may take away from us our Meat and Drink, becaufc fome men do abufe them , and you may make an Argument to take away all other mercies as well as the Scriptures : My Lords, quoth IFincbeJhr, we lofe time, this fellow is perverfe, he fpeaks nothing but Sophiftry, we (hall get no advantage

linft him. Have at ye now, Wilt thou recant > I will pronounce fentence. There, there it is. Who (hall /land before this Argument ?

But if perverting Scriptures, be any reafon for the non- reading of tlumv then of all men in the World, the Popes, Cardinals, Priefls, Jefuites, fhould be prohibited *, of all men they fhould never touch a Bible, inftances are many : I will prefent you with a few. Dr. Harding and the Lovainifts with him argue thus s The Son of Man came not to delhr y, but to feek and fave that which is \ Ergo, in the Sacrament the Accidents of Bread and Wine remain without their Subjects. The Axe may not boaft himfelf agiinft him that lifteth it up* Ergo, no Man may dafeto judgthePope, if he leads thoufands of Souls to Hell i no Man may mutter, or fay, Do mine cm i? a facts. To the pure all things are pure, to the unclean all things are unclean i Ergo, It is not lawful for Prielts to Marry. Give not Holy things to Dogs, Ergo, Prayers mull-be in a ftrange Tongue the people do not underftand. I will fprinkle clean Water upon you-, Ergo, the Pried muft fprinkle the people with Holy Water. Chrift faid, Without me ye can do nothing ', Ergo, the Bi(l*op alone muft confecrate the Church. ?aul faith, the Rock was Chrift i Ergo, the Altar muft be of Stone. The Earth is the Lords., the round World, and all that dwell therein \ Ergo, the Ho ft "or Sacramental Bread muft be round. God made the Sun to rule the day, and the Moon the Night ', Ergo, the Dignity of the Pope is Fifty fix times bigger then the Emperours Dignity. The Thief upon the Crofs, repented himfelf of his Life } Ergo, the Pried at Mafs muft fetch a iTgh T and knock his Bread. Judas killed Chrift ', Ergo, the Prieft, muft ki(s the Altar. Take the Money in the mouth of the Fifh, and pay for. me. and thees Ergo, the Pope is the Head of the Church. Babylon is a Cup of Gold in the hand of the Lord \ Ergo, the Chalice muft he of Silver or Gold. Thus I have given you a full dozen of inftances, of their horrible abufing of the Scripture ; and if it were ferviceable 1 could furnifh you with a dozen more, the greateft abufers of the Scripture that ever were, and the greateft blafphemers that ever were, in applying that to ignorant finful men, which is peculiar to the Lord Jefus: As the Pope is the Light that cometh into the World',and the Am— bafladours of Sicilie thus fupplieate the Pope Tu qui tollif peccata mundl, Oh thou that takeft away the Sins of the World have mercy upon us \

Chi

Oh thou that takeft away the fins of the World, Dona nobis pacem, Grant us thy peace. And thefe Cwith much more that might be added; Ifaythefe illogical non-fenfical inferences, and blafphemous applications are afferted, by Bifhop Jewel at Pauls Crofs > and Chemnitim. Exam.

3. They Object, That the Reading of the Scriptures or hearing them read breeds Herefie, Therefore they ought not to have the ufe of them: This Objection is common amongft all their writers > the Council of Trent ( as was above faid ) faith that the Scripture do more harm than good •, what harm they do not tell, though they did refolve to prohibit them, and did fpightfully fpeak againit them *, yet in their Decree they durft fay no more than that they did harm in general, and they could not for (hameand policy fay lefs, for then they had not mentioned any pretence for their prohibition : Why did not they fpeak out and name the harm they did, by whom, in what Countrey, to whom, in what particulars > And all their ground is experience, cum experiment!) manifeftum ft \ But whofe experience is this > None fure, but their own they found and felt, and feared more would follow, that the Scriptures had difcovered to the World their Tyranny, Herefie, and Idolatry, their Pride, Covetoufnefs, Filthinefs, and innumerable Villanies: This was the experience, and this is the rife of their rage and enmity, and con-tinueth fo to this day amongft feme of them it may be feared to fpiteful perfecution againft knowledg.

Wo be to our Parifh Priefts, wo be to our Bifhops, wo be to our Prelates, faid a Learned Man of their own? yea, wo be to them indeed, they have not only taken away the Key of Knowledg, but they reproach it to be the key cf Herefie : Hercticks f faith Dr. Harding and his complices ) fuck in the venom of Herefie out of the Scriptures y ■Ergo^ if the people read the Scriptures, they will prove Hereticks. This is the common cry of them all, and Bifhop Jewel (hall anfwer them all, theconclufion is this ^ every Man may read the Jefuites and Priefts Books, but Gods Book they may not read •, every Man may read the Jefuites and Priefts Eooks without danger, but the Book of God they cannot read without danger \ would you know the reafon ( faith he J > the Reafon is this, Gods Book is full of Truth, and their Books are full of Lies.

The Scripture breeds Herefie, even as much as Light breeds Dark-nefs, or Phyfick Difeafes', yea, but men do pervert them ! that is answered before : Yea, but-now Heretics are abroad, therefore it is not fife ! And were there not Tradition-mongers and Herefies in Chrifts time f Were not falfe Teachers very many and in very many points, and thofe very dan-gerous and deftrucYivein the Apoftles time? Were there not fome that denied therefurredionof the body, andturnedall into an Allegory, of a rifing within us, then as well as now ? And of

late,

late the Familifts and Quakers? Did not fome deny the Deity of our Lord Jcfus, the Ebionites and others then,as well as the Socinians now > Did not fome let go the Head Chrift and introduce a wicked practice of Worfhipping of Angels,through the pretence of Humility, Holding not the bead, Col. 2. Were there none that did overthrow the foundation, (if making Chrift of none erTedr. will overthrow the Foundation then fure they did It) by Juftifkation by Works as a Iefs principal caufe. Certainly there were all thefeand others, yet the Apoftles did never forbid the People reading Scriptures, for fear they might be infected. As if an Antidote mould caufe or occation, (if you will have it Co) I fay occaiion an infedrion i the Apoftles did the contrary-, John bids them Try the fpirits '■> and Taxi bids them Try all things j and J tide exhorts them To contend earneftly for the faith delivered once to the Saints ; Tak^e unto them the fword of the fpirit which is the word of God, Ephef. 6. 17.

It is to little boot to light up a Candle where the Sun fhines} what fhould I name the Fathers, were there not Hereiies in their times > Doth not Irenjeus, and after him Epipbanius name them in numbers eighty? doth not Auftinzhev them and others.reckon up about eighty? Did they now forbid the People to read and fearch the Scripures > The clean contrary every one knows that knows any thing of them. Nay, they chide them becaufc they were not skilful: The Manicbees and He-retickj deceive the fimple, but if we had bur fenfes exercifed to difcern good and evil, we might eaftly refute them ; howfhal! we have our fenfes but by the ufe of the Scriptures and frequent hearing. Chryfoft. Hom.%. ad Heb. : Nothing can deceive thofe that fearch the Scriptures t for they are a light. Theoph. de L^zaro. *<P*v i%vV« ec<f,ij&$au, which Joining the thief is dif-covered i • xxIttm* (pAiAraa x) tudmra*. We nrnfi read the Scriptures^ omni i\udio^that we may be skilful exchangers ftrapezit^J to difcern between Gold and Copper. So Hierome long before Theophyl. MaUeo Scrip-turarum, &c. that we beat out the brains of Herefies with the mallet of the Scriptures, idem. It were tedious to tyth the Quotations of the Fathers to this purpofe. The Scripture breeds Hereiies •, Nay,(aith Iremus 1450 years fince to the mad, fantaftick Valentinians\ Hsc omnia contulit, Scc.The Ignorance of the word of God is the caufe of all tbefe Herefies. This the holy learned Father pithily difcourfeth in many Chapters,L/'&.4. efpe-cially from the 11th. to the ijtb. to confound the Marci&nites, Carpocra-tians and other Gnofticl^s, That // wm the fame God and Father Almighty Maker of the World then and now, and the fame Lord Jefus the Saviour both now and then.That Abraham was faved by faith in Chrift. Nemo cogno-fcit filium nifi pater, nemo cognofcit pitremnifi fit ins & quibufcunq\ filing revelaverit : revelaverit enim non folum in futurum ditlum eft, qua ft tunc inceperit verbum revelare Patrem cumde Maria natus,fcd communiier per tjtumtempus pofitum eft 1 ab initio enim filitis afftftens. fuo Plafmati reve-lat omnibus Patrem, quibus vnlt & qmd vnlt & qnemadmedum vnlt Pater

T &

& propter hoc in omnibus & ptr omnia unus Veus Paterjmus filius,& unus fpirituSj una fides & una JjIus omnibus credentibns in eum. Cap. 14. Propbeta cum ergo ejjet Abraham & videret infpritu diem adventusTDomini & P affronts difpufitionem, per quern ipfe & omnes frmiliter ut ipfe credidit^ credunt Veofilvari inciperent, vebementer exultavit, novit, quod Deo be-neplacuit fUmmfimm dileUum & unigenitum prsftare facrificium in noftram redemptionem, nb.4. c.13.

And he faith alio before, That the accurfed Hereticks Gnoflicks of all forts and names, did beget their Herefies and fpread them from the ignorance of. the Scripture, H£c omnia contulit e'vs ignorantia Scriptura-rum & difpofitionvs Dei: fc. in the Scriptures', Nos autem & caufam differentia Jfframentorum, & rurfum unit at em & confonantiam ipforum, in bis qu£ deinceps futur a funt refer emus, I.3 012.

But laftly, If the Scriptures muft not be read by the People, becaule they will prevert them, and engender Herefies, then of all the men in the World, Learned men, the Clergy, Popes, Cardinals, Jefuits, Priefts, Academicks, Minifters mould not read them, for he muft be a great ftranger in Hiftory, Primitive and Modern, and in common experience. Who doth not know,that thefe men in all ages have been the broachers of Errors and Herefies, the falfe Apoftles, the Minifters of Satan? the Gnofticks their Ring-leaders were they not learned ? Arrius, Pelagins, Pbotinus, Macedonius, and the reft i they were either Presbyters or Bifhops. Come to our times, look into Poland and Tran-fylvania w T ithin ihefe eighty years paft, the SocinuJJesJlnde L^e/zW, and "Nephew Fauftus, Crellius, Smakitts, Volkglius, and the reft > the Minifters of Tranfylvania were they Lay-people } Who did expound the ninth of Ifaiab and applied it to Hezehiab ? and the 53 Ifaiab and apply it to Jeremiah? or the fifth of Micab, and apply it to Zorobabel? Who invented fuch a trick as to fay thefe Texts might be applied to Jefus Chrift, and ought to be [q *, modo eminertiori, a villainous trick in it felf,and very apt to deceive young Students > Who are thofe that affirm, publickly affirm, That Abraham was not faved by Faith in Chrift ? are they Lay-men, they would take it very hainouily if a man fhould not fay that they w T ere learned men, admirable and incomparable men. Did the People in Holland revive and vent Pelagianifm?Do the People in England contrary to the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Church vent Pbotinianifm or Pelagianifm ? I have reafon to believe that brain-ftck Quakerifm did not arife from the People, but from learned Seducers, that have a myftery amongft them to do any thing, or fpread any faltity, fo it be for the advance of the Catholiek caufe. Sabbataria-nifmfos the Saturdays Sabbath. Antifabbatarianifm againft the Lords-day, Jure Divino. Anabaptifm hath rifen from and been fupported by men of Learning,

The fourth and laft Objection they snake, or that I (hall name, is the

obfeu-

obfeurity of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are obfeure and dark.thcre-fore the Lay-people (lull not read them. Thisalfo is a common thred-bare baffled Argument, how do they prove the Antecedent? Why, 7here are fame things dark, and hard to be underftoodin Pauls Epiftles.

Anf. Though there be fome few dark places in Paul and other Scriptures, yet generally they are plain, and there is nothing dark in thofe few places that concerns Faith and Holinefs •, but the fame is abundantly plain in other Texts \ fome places are obfeure, moft places are plain and facilc:Enr0,thc People mull read none at all \ this is the proper but moil abfurd Inference of the Jefuits. Some Texts are fomewhat dark, therefore the people (hould read the oftner, pray the more, compare Text with Text, confult and confer the more, be well skilled and fee-led in the Doctrines of Faith and Practice in plainer places the more. Thcfe Inferences are proper and natural, but that they (hould not read at all is fuch a wild doltifh non fequitur, that nothing can be more.

David faith, That they are a Light, a Lamp, that they enlighten the eyes^ give undemanding to the fimple : Yet how little was there of the Bible in Davids times, no more but the five Books of Mofes, and two or three other Books,and thefe raoftly Hiftorical •, what a light and glory mining is there now by the Accellion of Solomon, the Hiftory of the Kings, the Prophets, Evangeli(t$,Apoftles ? and yet (hall bold men reproach them, and fay, They are dark ? 'Twill be tedious to yon and me to quote Fathers in this Point j take two or three , Vniverft Scripture & Prophetic* & Evangelic*, fhnt in aperto •, & fine ambiguitate & fimiliter ab omnibus audiri poffunt: Prophets and Apoftles are without ambiguity , arid may be heaid '"underftood,) of all. Ireti£us lib.2. c.4.6. He difcourfeth againft the Valentinians, and the other Gno^iickj, who would pick out a myitica! meaning where it never was i and if that they met with any number, what wild work would they make with it' for their fantaftick JEones;vni\c\\ at the rate as the Papifts out of Tape oves collect the Popes Supremacy , and out of the Eighth Pfalm, Thou haft put all things under \m feet: i'c, Subpedibm Pontiftcvs Romani, under the Popes feet. Pecora campi i The beafts of the field •, that is, Men on earth, the fifh of the Sea*, that is, Souls in Purgatory. Volucres c£li, the birds of Heaven \ that is, the Souls in Heaven Canonized by the Pope, Go to, faith Ire,i*us to the Gnoftickf,wuh your wild notions : So fay we to our Ad verfaries, Scriptur* in aperto funt j The fenfe of the Scriptures is plain enough.So Clem. Alexand. perfwades the Heathen to leave their Fables, which are much like the Popifh Legends i and their Sfatues which they worfhip-ped with uncouth Ceremonies, like the Popifh Images j and invites them to Heavenly knowledg in the Prophets and Apoftles. Audite qui ejtis longe, qui eftls prope, nullvs celatnm eft verbum, lux communis innotefcit omnibus^ nulm eft in verbo CimmeriM _• The word is evident, the light fhineth, there is no darknefs in the word j Clem. Alexand. Orat. adhort. aaCentes. Whatfoever things are neceiTary are manifeft in the Scrip-

T 2 turesj

tares \ Chryjoft. Dr. Prideaux in the Chair was wont to tell us, that Scriptura eft obfcura in aliquibus cognofcendis a Theologo. Sed non eft ob-fcura in credendvs & agendis a Chriftiano : If the Scriptures be hid they are hid indeed to the Learned Papifts. How do they write and determine contrary to one another > How plain is Pighius in the Point of Juftification, and the Imputation of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, as alfo Gropper and the Divines of Colen^ and long before them Aquinas alfo? How dark and ignorant, and (huffing is the Council of Trent in that great Point ? Canus tells us that Cornelius Mus the Biihop of Bit onto did affirm in the Council of Trent, That Chriji in the Supper did not offer Sacrifice : Chtiftum in cxnci corpus fuum & fanguinem fuum non obtulijfe ;. Cririft did not offer up his Body and Blood at the Supper. A mo ft un-. doubted Truth,and that that throws.theMafs with all its attendants upon the face, it gives a deadly blow to almoft all of Popery ', and this. Cornelius was not alone in this point. But what fay the Fathers to it ? Canus tells us, That jure a Patribus & univerfis Theologls explofus eft. Cornelius and his opinion was juftly exploded and caft out by the Fathers y and all the Divines in the Council. They decree the contrary, and curfe the gain-fay zi.Canus undertaks to confute him,but indeed his Arguments are very watry and childifh, Can.in Com.hc.L12.c12.. There is fcarce an Article in which they do agree among themfelves,no not in the Point of the Popes Supremacy. Men receive not the Truth in the love of it,arid God juftly lets them wander in the dark and believe a lie h the darknefs is not in the Sun, but the eye is bleared and dim, the fault is not in the Object but in the faculty ■•> the Scripture is light, but we are dark.

Qbje£h But they do not prohibit men to read ft they have a Licenfe.

Anf. I told you before that this was a meer flam > and ifmen might have a Licenfe, yet it is and would be a meer Innovation, and a piece of Tyranny : But it is a very cheat, the Licenfes I have proved already are forbidden by Paul the 5. For the further difcovery of this,let us obferve what Clement the Eighth tells.us in his obfervation upon this Decree of the Council •, It is to be obferved (faith he) concerning this Rule of Pius the dfth. That no nen> power is granted to Bijhops or Inquifiiors to licenfe the buying, reading, or l^eping the Bible in the vulgar tongue. Seeing hi- . therto by the Commandment and Practice of the holy Roman and uni-verfal Inquifition, all fuch power of granting Licenfes hath been taken , from them j that whatfoever the.Pope and his Crew (faith Dr. White.) . might make a (hew of to blind the eyes of the World, yet in very deed , tiny meant no fuch thing as a Licenfe at ail.

Ledefiman hath written a Tract about this Qucftion, and he well un- [ derftoc?d their fenfe; he tells us, ghtamvvs aliquis bono animo.&c. Although r faith he) any man with an honeft mind (hall defire a Licenfe,, and fhall pretend that he defires it for Devotion, and the profit of his Soul: Si fe die at peter e bono animo \ yet that of our Saviour may be. anfvvered to him, Mat, 19. Ton m\ you bjiow not ivhat^ u k a fallacious

devotion r

devotion j a Zeal, but not according to kpoxvledg \ or rather it U a fpirit of divifton and error at all adventures ; Concedenium non eft \ no Licenfe is t> be granted. Nay more fand fomewhat dangerous too) Radix iftiws petitions eft berefis \ Herefie is the rife and root of fnch a requcft \ 'tis berefis interior 5 therefore they crave a Licenfe to read, becaufe they are fick of an inward herefie, (quia b£refi interiori labor'ant,) becaufe" they think the thing is necelTary i and it ought to be fo, at leaft it is more ex-pedient, and the contrary not to be lawful, Lib. de Led. S. S. Ling, vern. So that it fecms 'tis inward herefie for a man to defire leave to read the Bible. 'Tis inward herefie to think that the Council of Trent hath done any thing inexpedient in forbidding people to read under pain of non-abfolution, or the Book-feller to fell under fuch a Penalty. In the Taxa Cam. Apoftol. a man may buy an Indulgence for Incefl under 12 d. But if a man fell a Bible it is no lefs m 111ft than 1200. Duckets. The noble Morney (hall conclude this, Prifci patres.&c. the Ancient Fathers did chide the People for not reading •, the Council doth curfe them if they do read. Then, before the Art of Printing, Bibles were fcarce and dear, now they might have plenty and cheap. They laboured to open the eyes of the People of God } thefe endeavour to put them our, and to keep them in ignorance all their days. And now I pray judg what is become of your Licenfe ?

Gjueft.tbe. qtb. and laft. What Defign have the Papifts in all this ? Why do they thus vilifie, difparage,prohibit the Scriptures, when their Decrees are (amanifeftly repugnant to and confuted by Scriptures, the Old Fathers, and univerfal Praftice, and evident Reafon •, fure they have fome end that moves them to it.

Anf Yes, they have divers. Firft, They reproach the Scriptures as lame and inefficient, that they may advance their own Traditions : Traditions are not additions to the Word, faith Canus, §htin potjsfunt Verba Divina non aliter ac ilia qu£ facrti librti Script a funt: Lib.%. Com. he. cap, nit. So Hofius, Banues, Bellarmine, Cofter, Alpbonf. a Caftro, with. all the Herd fpeak at this rate h and indeed it is time for the Pope to make a new Bible, for the Bib-le of God is his enemy, and therefore they are Enemies to it => That* it, for it never fpeakj good if me. The: Pope mud beget Traditions, and the Jefuits to cozen the PeopJe rmut, name them Apoftolical.

The Monks of Hildebrands breeding were kept back from the Scrip--tures,to the end that their rude wits might be nourifhed with the husks of Devils,which are the cuftoraes of humane Traditions, (Siliquis T>£-moniorum qutjunt confuetudines,) that being accuAomed to fuch filth they might not tafte how fweet the Lord was. Bifhop VJher out ci" Waltram. Anfw. to Malonc. Hildebrand was a fittool for fuch a work, a Murderer, a Poyfiner 0$ fever al Topes, a Necromancer, converfed with tbe'Devil, threw the Hh$ into the fire becaufe it would not anfwer his demands; as the Oracles were wont to.do, SqqBAc, Eng.Vot* This

was

was the man that trampled Scripture, and advanced Traditions: And fo it came down from hand to hand, from Monks to Friars, from them to Priefts and Bifhops \ hence came the ungodly.practice of keeping the Common-People from reading Scriptures, that they might be drawn to humane Traditions, llfher ibid.

The fecond Reafon is to maintain their Pride, the Bifhops date, the Priefts imperioufnefs, to be accounted fome great ones i to be called Rabbi, and Magijier nofter, they keep away the Scriptures that the People may depend upoia them. I fear (fahhErafmits) that the People mult nihil attingere, that is in plain Englifh, Be fots and flocks, and brutes. 1 he reafon and ground of this is not fo much the danger the People may run into by knowledg/that is a forry but wicked pretence,J fed/hi refpeUu, they keep the People in ignorance r more than Indians^) upon their own account* viz. that they may be looked upon as Oracles^ that the People may refort to them as Oracles, and may ask them what is the meaning of this, or that, and they in a proud Magifterial way may anfwer, llnderfland thus, (fie fenti, fie loquere,) fpeak thus. To maintain their Pride and Statelinefs they make the People brutes to be led by the nofe, and not Men to be matters of Reafon.

The third Reafon may be this, If the light comes in,the moth eaten, braided ware w 7 ill eafily be difcovered ^ therefore you mull keep the Shop dark, if the People have the Scriptures they will quickly defert us. Of all men to this purpofe commend me to Petrus Sutor, Cum multa palam traduntur obfervanda : Whereas many thing are openly taught to be obferved, which are not to be had exprefly in holy Scriptures, will not the fimple people (Idiot £ h&c animadvertentes,) obferving thefe thing quickly murmur and complain ? Will they not alfo eafily be with-drawn from the Ordinances of the Church when they fhall find there if no Jueh thing contai^d in the word of Chrifi ? Pet. Sut. deTralat Bibli£ cap. 22. Indeed here is the nail upon the head -, or rather the fow by the right ear.

Dr. Harding gives this as one Reafon why the People muft not have the Bible : fc. They will defpife and make the Simplicity of thmChurch and of all thofe things which the Church ufeth as pap and mi\ to murifh her tender Babes withal: Hard. Rep, art. 1 5. That is, they will defpife that which God would have them defpife} fc falfe Worfhip. The People by the light of the Scriptures will defpife the an tick, mimick poflures, geftures, veftures in their fuperfiitious idolatrous Worfhip in an unknown Tongues therefore w*e will take a courfe, they (hall not have them : They will fee and know our Aves and Credo's to be no Prayers, our Ladies Letany, and Prayers to Saints, to be old Paganifm revived 5 They will efpy many a hole in, our coat, they will contemn holy Church, and defpife her pap ; and wefhall be made a fcorn. Indeed here is the ringer upon the fore, down goes Diana, In fhort, Bilhop -Jewel anfwers Harding thus : The People defpife nothing but what

fhould

fhould be defpifed, for they defpife nothing but Stiperftition and Ido-htry : ibid. But thefe are but private Doctors, therefore let us fee what the Pope himfelf faith in the cafe, there is a very confiderable paf-fage to this purpofe, and I rind it quoted by Dr. S tilling fleet, and Dr. Moulin, The Story is this:

The Bifhops meet at Bononia to confult with the then Pope, Paul the third,how the Dignity of the Roman Sec might be upheld, for now it began tototter:They offer many ways,at laft they came to that which they thought the weightieft of all h and therefore did propofe lad: which was this : viz. That by all means as little of the GofpeLtspcjfible might be, might be read in the Cities of his Jurifdiction, but efpecially us little at poffible could be in the vulgar Tongue ', and that little that was in the Mafs Jbjuld be fefficient, and that it mould not be permitted to any mortal man to read more j for as long as mm were contented with thai little, things wentweH y but quite otherwife fince more was commonly read. For this in (hort, is that Book (mark that) which above all others haveraifed thefe temptjts and whirlwinds with which we are almoft carried away j and in truth whofoever diligently confiders it and compares it with what is done in our Churches, will find them very contrary to each other, and our Doctrines not only to be different from it, but repugnant to it.

A very honefr, true and ingenuous confeiiion $ and indeed it is no hard matter to (hew to every man, even the meaneft capacity, how that their Doctrines fnot only their Practices,) but their very Doctrines are not only different but repugnant to the Sacraments, Lords-Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments : Here, here is the true reafon for which they do vilirie Scripture, the People are Lozch, they might meddle with their Meafures and Diftaffs \ they will vent Herefies, they are not fit, they will cut their fingers, the holy Father would fufferthem to harm themfelves't he will chew their meat firft, and then they (hall have their pap and milk, Thefe and fuch like are meer pretences, the true caufe is rendred by thefe Bifhops here at Bononia. This meeting fas I guefsj was about twenty years after Luther, that man of God, fas he is called) began to preach, and fome year? before the Council cf "Trent began, and the Council out-did their advice, for they advifed as little of the Go-fpel to be read as might be, in the vulgar Tongue*, but the Council-decrees they (hall have none at all, neither poor nor rich, neither man or woman, neither Prince nor Peafant, neither Clerk nor Lay-man mall read it or have it in the Mother-tongue v as if the fear of Cain in fome fort were upon them, that whofoever met them with a Bible fliould kill them. So much for this.

Nowlaflly to the third Point in this Controverile to be debated •, viz. That the Scriptures are to be translated into vulgar Tongues, into the Peoples Language h for we have proved already they are to read and hear them, and that therefore they were written by Divine appointment for them, and to them ? therefore they ought, to be tranila-

ted.

ted. For what am I the better for the Www-Bible, I know never a word > what would you be the better for a Welfk one, unlefs there be an Interpreter? Methinks the gift of Tongues, Aft. 2. fhould convince anyone-, gifts are for others, for the work of the Minijiry, that the Body may be edified, Eph. 4. by the gifts of Tongues did fo many Nations ', fome of Africa ,fome of Aft a, fome of Europe, hear the Apoftles fpeak the wonderful things of God in their own Language in which they were born. This was extraordinary as to the attainment, fince skill in the Languages hath been attained by ordinary means in the ufe of ftudy and prayer ^ and fo by Translations People have known by reading, hearing the great Myftery of Jefus, and Salvation by him in their own Tongue *, In gifts both ways,extraordinary then, upon a fud-den without -their ftudy, and gifts ordinary attained by means, fince God according to his Infinite Wifdom and Mercy made known his Will, his Grace for mans Salvation. So that I may fay of tranflating the Word, what Kentigem a Bifhop in Wales about the year 550, was wont to fay of Preaching •, viz. ihey that are againft Preaching Gods word, envy the Salvation of Mankind. So they that hinder tranilating fill , Hell.

VlphilM tranflated the Bible about thirteen hundred years fince into the Gothifh Tongue, he invented the Characters \ tranflated on purpofe that the Barbarous might learn the Myfteries and Truth of God, Vt diftercnteloquiaVei. Many, very many of the Goths were converted, and were Martyred by Athanaricm , becaufe they forfook the Religion of their Fathers, ft. Paganifm 5 they did embrace death for Chrift, Socr. Eccl. Hift. A4. 0,27.

Si.Hierom tranflated the Scriptures into the Dalmath\ Tongue,B^r-mine and Harding would feem to doubt of it. Hofws and Alpbonfxs a Caftro do both acknowledg it', and 'tis no wonder, for Hierome him-felf faith he did fo, in his Epifi. ad Sophronium, Hominibus lingu£ me& dedi \ and when Sophronius defired him to tranflate the Pfalms into Latin moft accurately, becaufe he would tranflate them into Greeks, he advifeth him there was no need ^ and quotes that of the Poet, In Syhas ne Ugna feras \ that is in Englijh^ Carry not coals to Newcaftle, or, caft not water into the Sea , there werefo many Translations into the Greeks that it would be fupernumerary. Ibid.

The fame Hierom tells us that at the Burial of Paula, fuch Companies came to the Solemnities out of the Cities of Pakfline as paffed a-gain, and that they did fing Pfalms orderly, People of feveral Nations, Hehr£o, Grjcco^ Syro, Latino Sermone, in Hebrew^ Gree^ SyriacJ^, and Latin } ad Euftoch. de Epitap % Paul*.

They that have Tranflated the Hebrew into Greeks, Numerari pofjunt, may be numbered, they were many", but they that Tranflated it into Latin are numberkfs, Latlni auttm mlio modo : Auftindfe DoU.Cbrift. Ub.i. c.i i #

Baft!

Bafil affirms that Translations were made into the Paleftine, Theb&ne, Phoenician, Arabick, and Lybian Tongues, in Epift. ad Neocefar. Chry-joftome the fame \ Iftdore faith into all Chriltian Tongues,^? EccleJ. Ojjic. cap. 10.

What fhould I fpeak of Aquila, Theodotion, Symmachus, Origen, o* the Syriaci^ of the New Teftament, which is very ancient> Tome afcribe it to Ma)\, for it is fo evident that Alphonfus a Caftro doth confefs it, Fatemur fjcros libros olim in lingua m vulgar em fniffe tranjlatos, We confefs that of old time the holy Books were tr an fitted into the vulgar tongue. I humbly conceive it is remarkable (fure I am to me it is fo; that God gave to Jeremy what the Jews fhould fay when they were in Babylon y not in the Hebrew, but in the Chaldec Tongue, for that Tongue the Babylonians fpoke, and not the Hebrew, and fo the Babylonians might underftand what they faid to them, Jer. 10. 11. Thus fhaWyef >y unto themjhe Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth, tbiyjhall pe» riflj, &c. 'Tis in Chaldee there, that is the Original. And fo likewife Daniel expounds Nebuchadnezzars dream to him in the Chaldee Tongue, and feveral Chapters in him are in Chaldee \ fo that here Chaldee is the Original. Ihavemufed fometimes why Daniel in writing the Historical part of his Book did not write it in Hebrew, feeing the things were paft and gone before he wrote, why mould he hiftonrie thofe great paf-fages in the Chaldee as he fpoke them, and not in Hebrew, unlefs it be this, that God would have us from hence obferve, That it is his will that men (hould know their own concerns in their own Tongue, that they themfelves might read and hear : What an irrational,bloody,abominable thing then is it in the Council of Trent to forbid the Tranfla* ting of the Scriptures on purpofe to keep poor and yet immortal Souls in ignorance •> there are none do thus that I know, but the Tur}^, the Grand Mufties at Rome and Conjiantinople in this are agreed. The Tur-kj(h Religion framed to fhed much blood, (ad fundendum fanguinem facia) dclighteth much in Rites and Ceremonies, and commands belief moil imperioully without any liberty to enquire what or why : Unde li» brorum quos fandros habent lectio plebi interdict eft, whence it is that the People are forbid to read their (holy) Book/, which very thing U a pre-fent and manifiji to^en of iniquity, H. G. de ver. Rel. 1.(5.

But let us go a little further in this. Eufebius in his Pr£p. Evang. /. 15* inclines to judg that Mofes was Tranilated into Greeks before the Perfian Monarchy. Numenius a Pythagorean Philofopher faid of Plato,xhzt what Plato wrote of God and the World,he ftole it out of Mofes, (thus when thieves fall out, &c.) and what is Plato but Mofes turned into good GreekJ But whether there were any Tranflation then, or whether they learned of the Jews with whom they did much and long converfe, f which is the more probable way of the two,J I mean the prime Philofopher Pythagoras, after him nigh ipo years Plato, and then Arijinle with o-tners, I do not determine; But fure I am (though men love to cry up

V the(e

thefe and negledt Mofis) that they were proud puddling Plagiaries or thieves.

Ptolomy Pbiladelphus caufed the Hebrew to be tranilated into Greeks, and received it with great Veneration when he heard the Law read in a Tongue he understood ; fee at large Jofephus Jew. Antiq. lib.12. c.1,3. other Tranflations there were that went under the name of the Septu-agint -•> this the Eunuch was reading in his Chariot, AIL 8. Luke fers it down according as it is in the Greeks T ran flat ion, and not in the Heb. Original. Philip expounds to him, and God blelTeth, the Eunuch believes in Jefus, is baptized, goes on his way rejoycing, a good Argument for Tranflation ^ yet that Tranflation of that Text which the Eunuch was in reading was nothing accurate,??* his humiliation bit judgment was takgn ajvay $ it is, he was taken from prifin or reftraint,and from judgment. Let us now fee a little what our Adverfaries do object againft us in this cafe. Fir ft they fay,

Obj. Ibis Iflwd hath continued in the Faith this 1300 years without Bibles till of late.

Anf. Very falfe, Conftantine commanded the Bible to be written and fent abroad into all Countrys, Kingdoms, Nations of his Dominions s whereof England^ov rather Britain was one. Adelftane King of England caufed the Bible to be Tranilated into the Englijh Tongue. Beda almoft a thoufand years ilnce Tranilated the Gofpd of St.. John into Englijh. Bifhop Jewel,Jobn TreviJ aJFullerfi.H.Beda faith,F/w Nations didconverfe with one Truth,eneBible,Britons,Engli{h.Pi^s.Seots,Latins.Hjec Infula qun-que gentium Unguis unam eandemque fcrutatur veritatis fcientiam^ Bed. lib. 1. Ecclef.Hift. Cedman Tranflated the Hiftory of the Creation, the Departure from Egypt, the Entrance into Canaan, the Birth, Death, Refurrection and Afceniion of Chrift, the Glory of Heaven, the Pains of Hell: DeDctlrina Apofiolorum^de terrore futuri Judicii, de ali'vs plu-tirnvs Scriptur* HiflorOsimultorum animi ad contemptum fxculi & ad appe± titum vit£ ccelefti* accenji fuere, Bed. Ecclef.Hift. (according to mine,,) lib. 4. c. 24. many men were mortified and made heavenly thereby, by Cedmans Tranflation. Suppofe they had none, what then, fliould they never have? time was they were Gentiles and Pagans, (hould they continue fo ?

Obj. 2. Tour Tranflations are faulty, Harding, Rhemifts.

Anfw. This is faid a thoufand times but nev«r proved, an untruth joyned with flander, fo Jewel-) afpiteful lie, fo Cartwright anfwers the Jefuits *, Shew themffaith he). T>xMartin did attempt it,but was laught at for his folly by his friend : The words may be fhort, but the fenfeis incorrupt.

Obj. 3. What f be Scripture Tranflated into a Barbarous Tongue \

Anf This makes a noife, Barbarous, barbarous, Vulgar Tongues, for Hoftlers, Tapfters, Sempfters, idle, loofe, fenfual, brutal men, this is their Rhetorick i but indeed it is a very rancorous, croaking noife*

Barbara

Barbara lingua eft qu£ nefcit landare Vominum, Bed. The Bible in any Language is holy, and the Language is hcly that knows how to wor-Ihip God, and blefs Jefus. What were the Canaanites ? what was Terab, Nab or,Abraham, before God called him? When Abraham came'into Canaan was not the Hebrew the Language of Heathens? was not the Greeks a Pagan Tongue > If Ikjtow net the meaning of the voice I [hall be a Barbarian to bim, and he to me, 1 Cor. 14. II. Pant calls every Tongue barbarous that is not underftood, and ib all the Prayers of the Papiits are barbarous, becaufe they are not underftood by the People.

To conclude, they allow no Tranflation but the old Latin, this the Council makes authentical, prefers above the Original-, it hath been mended feveral times, but yet crawls with many very great faults, a-gainft their knowledg on purpofe to defend their Errors and Idolatries. I refer to Chemnit. Exam. 1 part. deScr. Our learned Bifhop Mortons Appeal, Lib. 4. c.18. Seft.3. there it may be found.

Take an Infrance or two in Gen. 3. 15; He fhall hmife the Serpents bead ; Co the Hebrew, Co the Seventy Tranilate it. So the learned Pa-pills do acknowledg it* Yet in the lajft Edition kt forth by Clement the Eighth, the vulgar Latin read it, She > fc. the Virgin Mary, She (hzt breakjhe Serpents head. And this though it be a manifelt, nay a confef-fed corruption of the Text, yet is ftill referved by them, and no man in Writing, Preaching, Disputing, muft dare to ufe any other but this , and this they do againii knowledg, on purpofe to keep up their blafphe-mous, Idolatrous Worfhip; Here is their Reformation.

So in Exod. 34. 29, 30. they read thus, Ihtyfawb'vs face horned: Heb. fhining, as we read it > hereupon they picture Mofes with a pair of Homs,for which the Jews do horribly curfe the Chriltians^as though they thought Mofis to be a Devil.

So Heb. 11. 2i. they read it, Jacob worfhipped the top of his rod\ adoravit faftigium virg£ ; whereas in the Greeks it is, He worshipped upon his ftaff, at or upon bit flajf. And this is confeffed by their own men, Gr£ce fuper faftigium', fc. nixus baculo ejtK*-> Sa.jef. in loc. Though our Tianilatorsdealt honeftly,putting leaning in a dirTerentCharadter,becaufe it is not in the Greeks How do they cry out of Falhties ! no man can think what a Air the Image-mongers make for their Idolatry by this corrupt Tranflation of their Vulgar, that Ja^ob worpipped his ftaff\; they catch at any forry thing for advantage. So in their own Annotations upon Mat. 2. the Wifemen that came from the Eaft, they impudently and foolifhly call them the three Kings of Colen \ and how their Bodies . were tranflated thither on purpofe to keep the old trade of Pilgrimage and Prayers for the fake of Offerings > they durft not let the Bible go abroad without a keeper, their frothy foolifh falfe Notes.

Well, let us feriouily confider what a rich mercy we have that we . have it in liberty, purity,fafety in our Mother-tongue. How do Hierom, Auftin, and the reft of the Fathers, Lutber, Calvin, and our own Re-

V 2 formers *

formers ftrain for Expreflions to fet forth their Excellency, let us ne* be dull and ftupid \ let us abhor Popery that will maintain their Kingdom of Darknefs, though it be in darknefe of Souls , the ready way to everlafting darknefs.

Let us pray frequently for the life and fafety- of him that is Supream, and thofe that are fubordinate under him> Affure your felves thefe are matters of near concernment.

Let us pray that God would blail: Popery, that God would preferve us from if, if that fhould for our Gofpel-fins prevail,you muft lofe your Bibles, perhaps your Bodies too, unlefs you will adventure to lofe the Truth, and your Souls: allure your felves they have waded through the blood of men to deftroy the Word of God,and will do fo ftill j their ftrongeft arguments are Swords and Stakes,

Laftly, by Hearing, Reading, Praying, Meditation, let every one of us labour to be expert in the Word, Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures. To fUr up your hearts, conlider thefe Particulars: 1; The Author^ it is infinitely the belt, the mod holy, only wife God \ i 7im. 3, v.laft. 2'Pet.i.vJaft. it is feven times repeated in the feven Epiftles, Rev.2.%. cb. what the Spirit, the Spirit of Glory, of Holinefs, the Spirit of Truth faith to the Churches. 2. The matter* it is our Lord Jefus: here are the treafures, all treafures, of Wifdom, Divine Wifdom and Knowledge here are the Commands of God, full, plain, pure, everlafting i here are the Promifes exceeding great, free, precious Promifes, Yea and Amen in Chrift ', here are the Works of Gods Creation and Providence, which the Philofophers knew not. $. The Office of it, it is to inftrudt, to give underftanding, to convince of Sin, of Hell, of Jefus, 'tis to breed and encreafe Holinefs, Peace of Confcience. Laftly the end,to make us wife unto Salvation,through Faith in Chri/t Jefus; fc

mm

SERMON

d^ wfi**^ i/lu^h^

PROPOSITION.

The Scripture is a fufficient Rule of Chrifti-an Faith, or a Record of all necefTary Chriftian Do&rines, without any fupple-* ment of unwritten Traditions, as con* taining any neceflary matter of Faith, and is thus far fufficient for the decifion of all Controversies.

2The£ 2. 15. Therefore Brethren (land fajl and hold th& traditions which ye have been t aught % whether by word 7 or our Epijile.

THe Apoftle after he had comforted the Ttrejfalonians, he e #-hortetb them to Conftancy in the Truth, whatever Temptations they had to the contrary. The Comforts he propounded to them were taken, 1. From their Eleclion, ver.13. 2(y. From that Vocation, ver.14. His Exhortation is to Perfeverance : Therefore, Brethren^&c. .

In the words obferve, 1. The Illative particle [Therefore"} becaufe God hath chofen ,you and called you, and given you iuch advantages a* gainft Error and Seduction.

2. The Duty inferred, raxm, (land fajl '■> it is a Military word, you have the fame in other places, 1 Cor. \6.i%. Watch ye> ftand ye faji^&c: Jtyhef.6. 14. Stand therefore, having your, loynj girt about with-truthi The word intimateth Peifeverance.

3, The

3, The means of Perfeverance, Hold the Iradithns which you have been taught, whether by word or our Epiftle,

Where obferve, 1. The^tf; 2. The Objeft.

1. The AH, K§ATfiT%, hold with ftrong hand ', the word implieth a a forcible holding againft aiTaul ts 3 whether of Error or Perfecution. The Theffalonians were aiTaulted in both kinds *, the Heathens perfecuted them, andfome were gone abroad that began the My fiery of Iniquity, and were ready to pervert them.

2. The Objeft 3 which is propounded, 1. By a common and general term, the > Traditions which you have been taught. 2. By a Distribution, Whether by word or our YLpiftle.

I. The common and general term, \the Tn hi which ye have been taught^ there are two forts of Traditions, Humane and Divine\

1. Humane Traditions are certain External Obfervances inftituted by men, and delivered from hand to hand, from Progenitours to their Pofterity •, thefe'may be either be fides or contrary to the Word of God : 1. Befide the Word 5 as the Inftitutions of the Family of the Kechabites^ in the obfervance of which from Father to Son, they were fo exadt and punctual, that God produceth their Example to fhame the difobedience of his People, Jer. 35. 6,j. Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded m faying, Ye pall drin\no wine, nor build houfes, nor plant Vineyards, &c. 2. Contrary to the Word of God •, fuch as were thofe of the Pharifees, Mat, 15.2. Why tranfgrtfsye the Commandment oj God by your Tradition? Humane inventions in Religion are contrary to and deitru-dlive of Divine Laws.

2. Traditions Divine are either Heavenly Dodrins revealed by God , or Inftitutions and Ordinances appointed by him for {the ufe of , the Church. Thefe are the Rule and Ground

. of our Faith,Worffljip and Obedience. The whole Do&rine of the Gofpel is a Tradition delivered and conveyed to us by fit MelTengers, fuch as the A pottles were j 1 Cor. 11. 2. Now I praife you Brethren, that ye remember tne in all things, and kjep the Ordinances, Marg. Traditions, as I delivered them to you. So that holding the Traditions is nothing elfe but Perfeverance in Apoftolical Doctrine.

II.The Diftribution;! 'hat no cheats might be put upon them under any pretence > therefore, he h\xh,Whether by word, or our Epiftle s that is, by word of mouth when prefent.or by Epiftle when abfent. And he faith, not Epiftles, but Epiftle s asalluding to the former wrote unto them : They were bound to yield toboth alike credence and obedience s for whether in fpeakjng or writing,the Apoftolical Authority was the fame. To improve this Verfe for yourj^eneht, I (hall lay down federal Propofitions. 1. That whatever ajfurance we have of Gods prefervlng m in the truth,yet we are bound to ufe> diligence and caution \ for the Apoftle had faid, That God had chofen and called them to the belief of the truth \ and yet faith, Therefore Brethren ftandfaft. Firft, Reafon will tell us. That when we

intend

intend an End we mult ufe the Mftftf/.othcrwife the bare intention and defire would fuffice, and to the accomplishing cf any effect, we need no more than to will it % and then the iluggard would be the wifeft man in the world ^ who is fulfof Wifhings and Wouldings, though his hands refufe to labour 5 But common experience fheweth that the End cannot he obtained without a diligent ufe of the means, Prov. 13.4. The foul of the jluggard defreth and bath nothing but the foul of the dili* gent/hall be made fat \ that is, rewarded with the intended benefit.

2. The bufinefs in hand is, Whether Gods Election, Calling,or Pro-mife doth Co fecure the End to us, as that we need not be fo careful in the diligent ufe of Means. Such a notion or conceit there may be in the hearts of men, therefore let us attack it a little by thefe Confident

tions.

1. Gods Decree is both of Ends and Means i for all his Purpofes arc executed by fit means. He that bath chofen us to Salvation, bringeth it about by the belief of the Truth and Sanftification of the Spirit, 2 Thef.. 2. 13. And without Faith and Holinefs no man (hall feeGod,and efcape condemnation. God had allured Paul, Tbattherefoouldbenolofsofany mans life among them except of the Ship, Act. 27. 22. And yet afterward verf.$x. Paul telleth them, Except thefe abide in the Ship ye cannotbefa-ved. How could that AiTurance given to Paid from God, and Pauls Caution to the Mariners fland together? Doth the purpofeof God* depend upon the uncertain will and actions of men? I anfwer not as a caufe, from whence it receiveth its force and ftrength, but as a means appointed alfo by God to the execution of his Decree 3 for by the fame Decree God appointeth the event what he will do, and the means by which he will have it to be done s and the Lord revealing by his Word this conjunction of Ends and Means, there is a neceffity of Duty lying upon man to ufe thefe Means and not to expect the End without them, God intended to fave all in the Ship, and yet the Mariners muft abide. in the Ship ■> therefore what God hath joined together let no man fepz-rate : If we feparate thefe things God doth not change his Counfel, but, we pervert his order to our own deftruction.

2/)'. God that hath bidden us to believe bU Promifes, hath forbidden us to tempt hk Providence, Mat. 4. 7, Now wc tempt God, when we de-fire him to give an extraordinary proof of his care over us, when or* dinary Means wifl ferve the turn, or be ufeful to us.

3/y. Though the Means fecm to have no connexion with the End \ , yet if God hath in joined them for that End, we mult ufe them. As in the inftance of Naaman, God was refolved to cure him-, but Naaman. mu(t take his prefcribed way s though againft his own fancy and conceit, 2 King, 5. 10. W.iPro in Jordan feven times, and thy flefh JhaU come again unto thee, and then (hah be clean. Compare verf, 13, If the Prophet bad bidden thee to do fme greater thing, &c. So Job. 13. 6, 7: Peter muft fubmit to be wafhed, though he could not fee the benefit of it. So

Job. p. ($,7. the blind man mull fubmit to have his eyes anointed with clay, and wajb in the Pool of Siloams though the Clay feemed to put out his eyes rather than cure them •, and the Pool could not wafh away his blindnefs \ but Means appointed by God muft be ufed, whatever improbabilities are apprehended by us.

4. That when Gods Will is exprefly declared concerning the Event yet he will have the Means ufed $ as for inftance, 2 King.20. 5,6, 7. God was abfolutely refolved to add fifteen years more to Hezekjabs life yet he muft take a lump of Figs and lay it on the boil: Which plainly fheweth that no promife on Gods part, nor affurance on ours hindreth the ufe of Means, God will work by them, not without them.

5. In Spiritual things AiTurance of the Event is an encouragement to induflry, not a pretence to Jloth, 1 Joh. 2.27,28. Yeajhal! abide in bim \ and now, Little children abide in bim. The promife of Perfeverance doth incourage us to ufe endeavours that we may perfevere, and quicken di* ligence rather than nourish fe cur ity,or open a gap to carnal liberty, 1 Cor, p. 2(5. I run not as one tbat is uncertain ••> we are the more earneft, be-caufe we are allured the Means (hall not be unefle&ual.

2. Prop: Our duty vs to (land faft in the Faitb of Cbrift^ and profeffton of Godlintfs ,whatever Temptations we have to tbe contrary. [Stand fafi" being a Military word, it alludeth to a Soldiers keeping his ground •, and is oppofed to two things, 1. A cowardly flight; 2. A treacherous revolt.

1. A cowardly flight, implieth our being overcome in tbe evil-day,by the many afflictions that befal us for the Truths fake, Epbef.6.i$, Wherefore take to you tbe whole armor of God, that you may be able to withjiand in the evil-day, that after you have done all things ye mayftand. Their Temptation was the many troubles and perfecutions that befal them, called there the evil day. Their defence lay in the whole armor of God, which is there made of fix pieces, the Girdle of Truth or Sincerity, which is a ftrength to us as a girdle to the loyns ; the breaftplate of Rigbteoufnefs, or an holy inclination and deilre to perform our Duty to God in all things •, and the Shield of Faith, or a ftedfaft adhering to the Truths of the Gofpel, whether delivered in a way of command,promife or threatning •> the Helmet of Hope, or a certain and delirous expectation of the promifed Glory, the jhoo of the preparation of tbe Go/pel of peace, which is a headinefs to endure all Encounters for Chrifts fake, who hath made our Peace with God j and the Sword of tbe Spirit which is tbe Word of God : Now if we take this armor and ufe it in our Conflicts, what doth it ferve for ? to witbftand and ftand $ the fir ft is the act of a Soldier, the fecond is the pofture ofc a Conqueror •, here is whb-ftanding till the Field be won, and then ftanding when the day of evil is over. Here we make our way to heaven by conflict and conqueft,and hereafter we triumph.

2. A

2. A treacherous revolt, or yielding to the enemy by complying with thofe things' which are againft the Intereft of Chrift and his Kingdom for advantage fake, 2 T/;«, 4, 10. Dcmas hath f&rfakgn us and loved the prefent world. Backfliders in heart are the worft fort of Apollatcs, fuch as loie their aife&ion to God, and delight in his ways, and cfleem of his glorious recompences, for a little pleafurc, profit, or pomp of livings Sell the birth-right for one morfel of meat, Heb. 12. 1 5, \6. Some fail in their understandings, but moil mifcarry by the perverfe inclination of their wills', they are carnal, worldly Hypocrites that never thoroughly mortified the fleflily mind > prize things as they are commodious to the rle(h, and will favethem from fufferings. The byafs of fuch mens hearts doth eafily prevail againft the light of their underftan-dings.

3. Prop. The means of landing fa{t vs by holding the Traditions which were taught by the holy Jpo'iles. Here I will prove, 1. That the Doctrine of Chriftianity taught by the Apoftles is a Tradition. 2. That holding this Tradition by ftrong hand, when others wenld wreft it from us, is the means of our Perfeverance.

1. That the Dotlrine of Cbriftianity is a Tradition. I prove it by two Arguments j firft, Matters not evident by the light of mture^nor immediately revealed to us by God mud be either an Invention or a Tradition ; an Invention is fomething in Religion not evident by natural light, nor agreeable to found reafon, but is fome cunningly devifed fable, invented by one or more, and obtruded by various artifices upon the Belief of the World. Inventions in this kind were mans difeafe., not his remedy, Ecclef. 7. 2 p. God made man upright but they fought out many Inventions. As when the Philofophers fat abrood upon Religion, a goodly Cbym<era it was they hatched and brought forth ! Rom.1.21,22. *ihey became vain in tkeir imaginations, and their foolifh heart was darkened, and prof fling themfe Ives to be wife they became fools. Thefe Inventions little became the nature of God. Nor were they profitable toman, for ftill the great fore oi nature w r as unhealed which is a fear of deatb,znd the righteous wrath of God, Rom. 1.32. fo that neither mans comfort nor duty was well provided for : furely the Gofpel is none of this fort *, not an Invention of man, but a Revelation of God; and a Revelation not made to its in perfon, but brought out of the bojom.of God by Jefus Chrift, and by him manifefted to chofen witneiTcs, who might publith this Myftery and Secret to others. Well then, flnce the Gofpel is not an Invention, it is a Tradition, or a delivery of the Truth upon the Teftimony of one that came from God to inftrudt the World,or reduce it to hirmnot an Invention of m'an,but a Secret brought out of the bofcra of God, by our Lord jefus Chrift : Therefore 'tis faid, Hf^.2.3,4. How • JhaV we efcape ij we neghtl fo great Salvation, firfl fpoken by the Lord himfJf, and then confirmed to us by them that heard him, the Lord bearing

X them

them- witnefs,&o. Chrift delivered it to the Apoftles, and the Apoftles delivered it to others, 2 Tim.2.2. Thofe things which thou baft heard from, me among many witnejfes, ths fame commit thou to faithful m;n, whofhall he able to teach others alfe.The Apoftles received the Gofpel from Chrift, and the Churches, and Minifters from the Apoftles, and then delivered it down to others until it came to us \ which is the means of our believing the Truth, and confeiling the Name of Chrift. This Teftimony delivered and conveyed to us by the molt credible Means, and which: we have no reafon to doubt of 5 is as binding as if we had heard Chrift and his Apoftles in perfon: for we have their word in writing, though we did not hear them preach and publifh it with the lively voice, their Authority is the fame delivered either way. And that thefe are their Writings, appeareth by the conftant Tradition of the Church, an.d the acknowledgment of Friends and Enemies, who ft ill appeal to them as a public}^ authentic^ Record, and as they have been attefted by the Church r they have been owned by God, and bleiTed by him to the converting and fanclifying of many Souls, throughout all fucceifions of Ages•;■ And by this Tradition Chriftianity hath held up the head againft all' encounters of time, and the perfections of adverfe Powers have not fuppreiTed it •, nor the difputes of enemies filenced the profeflion of it: But from age to age it hath been received and tranfmitted to future . Generations^ though fometime.s at a very dear rate. And this is bin^ ding to us though we faw not the Perfons and Miracles by- which they-confirmed their MeiTage, and heard not the firft report. Yet the Vni~ verfal Tradition having handed it to us is a fufficient ground of'Faith* and fo we believe through their word, and are concerned in Chrifts Prayers, J'oh. 17. 20. for with them and their Succeflbrs (as to thefe necef-fary things; Chrift hath promifed to be. to the end of the world, Mat* 28. 20.

2/y. My next Argument is, Becaufe Chriftian Religion muft needs be a Tradition, partly becaufe matter of fad is the foundation of it, and it is in it k\i matter of faith : 1. Becaufe it is built upon matter of fall ^ that the Son of God came from God to bring, us to God y that is to fay, appeared in Humane nature, inftrudted the World by his VoUrine and Example, and at length died for finners, confirming, both in life and death the truth of bk Miffion, by fuch unqueftionable Miracles as mewed him to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the Worlds Now ar Teftimony,Tradition,or Report is necefTary in matters of faU, which of necedity muft be confined to fome determinate time and place. It was not fit that Chrift fhould be always working Miracles^ always dyr log, always riling and afcending, in every place, and in the view of every man ', but thefe things were to be once done in-one place of the World, in the ilght of fome particular and competent WitneiTes; But becaufe the knowledg of them concerned all the reft of the World, they were, by them to be attefted. to others *, matters offaU can only be pro-

ved<

vedby credible witntffes, and this was the great Office put upon the Apoftles, All. 1.8.21,22. and ^#.2. 32. ^#.3.15. All, 10. 3^,40,41. 2. As it is ratfffer 0/" Fail \ or the Dodtrine built upon this matter of Fall. We cannot properly be (aid to believe a thing but upon report and teftimony : I may know a thing by fenfe or reafon, but I cannot ta-lieve k but as it is affirmed or brought to me by credible Teftimony. As we are faid to fee thofe things which we perceive by the eye, or the fenfe of feeing, and to know thofe things which we receive by reafon, or fore demonftration , fo we are faid to believe thofe things which are brought to us by valuable teftimony, tradition, and report. As for in-ftance if any one ask you, Do you believe the Sun fhineth at Noonday ? You will anfwer, I do not believe it hut fee it: So if any one ask you, Do you believe that twice two make four, and twice three make fix? You will fay I do not believe it but kyiorvit, becaufe certain and evident reafon telleth me, that two is the half of four, and three of iix, and every whok confifteth of two halfs or moyeties ; But if he (hould ask you, Do you believe that the Sun is bigger than the Earth ? You will fay I believe it , for though your Eye doth not difcover it, nor doth an ignorant man know any certain demonftration of it} yet having the authority of learned men, who are competent judges in the cafe, you judg it a ra(h and foolifh obftinacy not to believe it. Apply it now to t\>e tnyjieries of Godlincfs revealed in the Gofpel, they cannot be feen with the Eye, for they are invifiblej nor found out and comprehended by any Humane Underftanding, becaufe they exceed the reach of mans Reafon, and depend upon the love and arbitrary will of God, Joh. 3. id. Yet you believe them, becaufe God hath revealed them to the Prophets and Apoftles •, and God being Truth and Wif-dom it felf, cannot deceive, or be deceived h and therefore you believe them with the certainty of Divine Faith, and do no more doubt of them than you do of thofe things which you fee with your eyes, and know and underftand by a fure Demonftration. The fenfe of feeing may be deceived,and Humane Reafon may errs but 'tis impoflible God (hould deceive or be deceived. It often-times falleth out that men do prefer the authority and report of a man whom they judg to be wife and good before their own fenfe and reafon J as for inftance, that man who by his eye judgeth the Sun to be lefs than the Earth, yet doth not obftinately Hand in his opinion , when he heareth a knowing and skilful Fhilofopher alTert the contrary ; Now if ree receive the wit-nefs of men the rvitnefs of God is greater, 1 Joh. 5. p. And this Teftimony of God is brought to us by his authorized Meffengers as the • ground of Faith ••> and what is that but Tradition. We believe in God by hearing of him, and we hear hy a Preacher, Rom. 10.14. Ordinary Preachers declare his mind to us, but the Extraordinary confirm it>thc common Preachers give us notice, but Cbrift and his Ap&ftles give us tjfurancc * and by their Teftimony and Tradition our Faith is ulti-mitely refolved into the Veracity of God. X 2 2/y. That

2 ly. That holding this Tradition is the great means of ftandingfaft in the Faith of Chrift, and the Confeifion of his Name. For in the Word of God delivered by Chrift and his Apoftles, there U fure dirt. Uion to walk by \ and fare promijes to build upon. For whatever they made known of Chrift was not afable } but a certain truth j for they had the" teftimony of Senfe, 2 Pet, 1. 16, ij. 1 Job. 1. 1,2, 3, 4. and fo could plead both the authority of his command, and the certainty of his Promife, and that with uncontrollable evidence i and without this Revelation there can be neither Faith nor Obedience, nor fure expectation of Happinefs. For we cannot trttjl God for what he hath not promifed, nor obey God in what he hath not commanded i nor in our difficulties and diftrefTes exfieft happinefs from him without his warrant and aiTu-rance. But by this Doctrine delivered to us we have all that belongeth to Faith, Obedience and Happinefs •> and beyond that the Creature can defire no more. 1. There can be no Faith till we have a fure Teftimony of Gods Revelation ; for Faith is a believing fuch things as God hath reveakd^hecaufe he hath revealed them. 3 Tis not Faith but fancy, to believe fuch things as God hath never revealed', nor is it Trnji and a regular Confidence to think, that he will certainly give us what he hath never promifed ", this were to lay us open to all manner of delufion : And therefore we are never upon fure and ftable ground , but by flicking to fuch a Tradition as may juftly intitle it felf to God. 2. Nor Obedience h for Obedience is a doing what God hath commanded becaufe be hath commanded it. The fundamental reafon of Obedience is the fight of Gods will, 1 Thef. 4. 3. 1 Tbef. 5. 18. 1 JP^.2.15. To do what God never commanded, or not to doit upon that account but for other reafonsis not Obedience, and in difficult cafes the Soul can never be held to its duty, till we are perfwaded that fo is Gods Will concerning us. Now to know his Will concerning us, we are often bidden to fearch the Scriptures, but never bidden to confult with the Church to know what unwritten Traditions (he hath in her keeping to inftrudfc us In our Duty. 3. No certain expe&ation of Happinefs. We are never fafe till we know by what Rule Chrift will judg us, that is, reward otpunijb men at the laft day : Now he will judg us according to the Gofpel y Rom.2, 16. 1 Thef 1.8. Obey the Gofpel, and you have a perfect Rule to guide you to Happinefs *, but if you neglect this great Salva-. tion, or be unfaithful in the profeffion of it a this Word condemneth you, and God will ratifie the fentence of it»

• 4. Prop. Thai wbileflthe Apoftles were in being, there were two ways--ef delivering the Truth, and that is by word of mouth and writing. So in the Text, Whether by word, or our Epiftle. The Apoftles went up and down and preached Chrift every-where '•> that needeth no proof, unkfs you would have me to produce the whole Book of the Alls of the Afe-jiles : But they did not preach only but mite>znd both by the inftinct of

the

the holy Spirit, who guided their Journies, and moved them to write Epifiles: For being often abfent from Churches newly planted, and He-reftes ariling, 01 fome Contentions, which could not be avoided among weak Chritiians, God over-ruled ihefe Occafions for the prork of the Church in after-Ages. Upon one occahon or another they faw a ne-cdfity to write ivcLyxn* tx av * Jade 3. It was needful for me to write unto you. As in the Old Teftament God himfelf delivered the Law with grent Majefty and terrour, and afterward caufed the fame to be written in Tables of Stone for the conusant ufe of his People. And the Prophets hiRitttered their Prophecies, and then wrote them : So the Apoftles hrft preached Evangelical Dodrine, and then configned it to wri-ting for the ufe of all Ages. And though all things delivered by them were not delivered in one Sermon,or one Epillle;yet by degrees the Canon of the New Teftament was constituted and made perfedl by the Writings of the Evangeli[is and Apojiles.

5. Prop: lhat now when they are long fince gone to God, and we cannot receive from them the VoUrine of Life by word of mouth, we muftjiicf^ to the Scriptures or written word. 1. Becaufe we are taught to do fo by Cbrift and his Apoftles. Chrift always appealeth to the Writings of the Old Teftament, both againft Traditions, which he condemneth, Mat, 15.2. and againft pretended Revelations, Luk. 16. 31. If they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfwaded to repent, if one jhould come from the dead. And the Apoftles (till have recourfe to this proof, Att. 26. 22. Witnefftng no other things than the Prophets and Mo-fes did fty Jhould come to pafs: And when they pleaded they were eye and ear-wimeffes, and fo their Teftimony was valuable; yet they fay ye have @i$xiili&v Xoyov,a furer word ofProphefie whereuntvyefhall do well t& takg heed, 2 Pet. 1. 19. Now how can we do better than to imitate thefe great Examples? 2. Becaufe thefe things were written for our fakes, 1 Job. 1.4.. Thefe things write we unto you, that your joy may he full. The Apoftles being to leave the World, did know the flipperinefs of mans memory, and the danger of corrupting Chriftian Dodfrine, if there were not a (lire Authentick Record left. Therefore they wrote,and fo fully, that nothing is wanting to compleat our joy and happinefs. . 3..Becaufe the Scriptures are perfeft»The perfection of Scripture is known by its end, and intended ufe, which is to give us a knowledg of thofe things which concern our Faith, Duty 2nd'Happinefs. 1. Our Faith inCbrift. If there be enough written for that end, we need not unwritten Traditions to.compleat our Rule : Now St. John telleth us he. . might have written more things, But thefe things are written that ye might believe in the Son of God, and have life through his name, Joh. 2c» -30,31. Certainly nothing is wanting to beget a Faith in Chrift', the Objecl is fufficiently propounded, the Warrant or Claim is laid down in the New Covenant, and the Lieouragtments to believe- are cftuirand

ftrottg* ;.

j 58 The Scripture fufficierft Serm. VI.

ftrong. What would men have more > Co that here is a perfect Rule, perfect in its kjnd, and for its proper ufe. 2. For our Duty \ that U furriciently provided for. The Apoftle telleth us, That the Grace of God, take it Obje&ivelyfot the Grace of the Gofpel, or Subjectively for Grace in our heznsfeachetb #/:if you mean Objective Grate, it prefcribeth, di-refietbj if of Subjective Grace, it perfvvaderh and exciteth what to do , to live foberly, righteoufly, godly, in the prefent w)rld, Tit. 2. 12. There are all the Branches of Mans Duty enumerated: Sobriety relateth to felf-governmenf, Righteoufly to our carriage towards our Neighbour \ Godly to our commerce and communion with God. Now in the Word of God what is there wanting, t,hat belongeth either to Worlhip, or Juftice, or perfonal Holinefs ? therefore certainly we need no other Rule s for it layeth down whatfoever Men are bound to do in all Ages and Places of the World, and in whatfoever circumftances God (hall put them: And fo it is fit to be the Law of the Vniverfal King and Lawgiver •, yea it is Co perfect, that whatever other way is fet up, it prefent-ly dafheth againft thofe notions that we have or fliould have of God and his Service, and Worfhip ; or it infringetb or pervertetb the liberty and nature of man. 3. For our Happineis^that Doctrine and Inftitu-tion, which is able to make us wife unto Salvation, is enough for us>but fo the holy Scriptures are faid to do, 2 Jim. 3. 15. lb on baft k>iown the holy Scriptures which are abU to make thee wife unto S alv ation,through the faith which U inCbrijl Jefus. Nay afterward, verf 17. The man of God vs by them made perfetl, and thoroughly furnifhed to every good wor^. If the Scriptures do thoroughly direct Men to know God in Chvift, and lave their own Souls,why fhould we look any further ? Now they do not only furnifh every private Chriftian with this knowledge but the man of God, who is to inftruct others, he needeth look no further, but is furnifhed out of the Scripture with all things necelTary to difcharge his Office. Therefore here we fix and reft, we have a fuffi-cient Rule, and a full Record of all neceflary Chriftian Doctrines.

Vfe 1. The life of all is \ Let us not feek another Rule than the Word of God. Papifts cry up Unwritten Traditions to be received with equal refpecl and reverence, as we receive the hory Scriptures? but you Brethren, ftandfaft, holding the Apoftolical Tradition : you cannot have it by word of mouth from them now \ therefore you muft (tick to what is written, or elfe you cannot preferve your felves from the frauds and irnpoftures of Antichrift. Thefe Apoftolical Writings have been received in all ages and times of the Church from the beginning > and all Vifputes among Chriftians have been tried by them:None were allowed good or fincere Chriftians who doubted of the truth of them. But becaufe we have to do with a People that will facrifice all to the honour and intereft of their Church«, and knowing they are not able to ftand before the light of Scriptures, have to the no little prejudice

dice of the Chriftian Caufe done all that they can to weaken the Authority ^ Sufficiency and Perfpicttityot them, that we might have no Religion without the Teftimony and Recommendation of their Church ; therefore I (hall refume the matter and declare it afrefli.

r. Mankind lying in darknefs, and in the fhadow of death, it was necefTary that one way or another God mould reveal his mind to them, that we may know, what belonged! to our Duty and Happinefs^ for our chief goad and lift end. Being altered by fin,we ftrangely miltakc things and put light for darknejs,an& darkyefs for light,good for evil,ar\d evil for go *d\ weighing all things in the ballance of the flefh which we. feek to pleafe. We contound both the names and natures of things, and wander in a maze of a thoutand perplexities-} therefore God in pity to Mankind hath given us a fure direction in. his Word, which vs a limp unto our fat, and a. light unto our paths, Ffal. 1 j^>. 105. Mark the words of Light and Lamps the ufe of a Lamp is by night, and in the day we. have the Light of the Sun', whether it be day or night with us, here we, are taught how to carry our felves. Mark again the words of?^//> and Feet, the one figuifieth our way and general courfe, the other all our particular atlhns\ fo far as Religion is concerned in them, we have directions in the Word about them. Befides- Mans condition is fuch that he needeth a Supernatural Remedy by a Redeemer, which depending upon the meer Love and free Grace of God cannot befound out-by Natural light left to usi for that only can judg of things necefTary,but not of fuch things as depend upon the. meer pleafure of God : Therefore a. Divine Revelation there muit be.

2. Since it is neceifary that God fhould fome way or another-reveal his mind to bis People »« it muft be done by Oracles, Vifions, Dreams, ol by extraordinary Mongers, who by word of mouth might convey it to us} or elfe by writing, and by. ordinary teachers, whofe lips maypre-ferve hftowledg in the Church. The former ways might furrlce, while God faw rit to reveal but a few Truths, and fuch as did not burden the Memory ^ and men were long-lived and of great fimplicity r and.the Church was confined within a fmall compafs of ground, and not liabh to fo many miferks-and changes as now in the latter ages: But when once God had fpoken to us by his Son,.thefe extraordinary ways-ceafed, Heb, 1.1,2. God who at fundry times and in divers manners fpa^e in tim<" paft unto ths Fathers by the Prophets, hath in thefe U{1 times fpoken u-nio m by hisSon.ks formerly God didfpeak woKvT§Qi*0s,]r\ divers manners,that is tofay,by Vi{ions 5 Oracles,Dreams^c.fo croAt/^5p^,at fundry times,by fe-veral ileps & degrees he acquainted the World with the Truths neceflV ry for man to know * delivering them out by portions,x\ot all together at once,till he came who had the fpirit without meafih,]oh.$ .34^theProphets to whom God revealed himfelf before by Vifions,Oracles, Dreams,or the Coming of the Spirit upon them had the Spirit c.<if.l7?«> by mea^ fare^ to,fit them fot fome £*r*«#&r crrand^or meffage^ on .which God

feral;

fcnt them. But when God Cent his Son out of his bofom to reveal the whole Dcdhine of Faith at once, and to declare his Fathers Will' with full authority and power, he fixed and clofed up the Rule of Faith. So 'twas not fit that after him there fhould come any Extraordinary Nun-tio^s and Embaffadours from Heaven, or any other fhould be owned as Infallible Meffengers *, but fuch as he immediately lent abroad in the World to Difciple the Nations: Therefore all former extraordinary Ways ceafed, and we are left to the ordinary Rule fratcd by ChrifL

3. Being left to the ordinary Rule it was neceflary it mould be taught not only by word of mouth, but committed to writing s forChriitis afcended into Heaven, and the Apoftles do not live for ever : And we have no men now that are immediately and divinely infpired •, and ordinary Paftors and Teachers cannot make new Articles of Faith, but do only build on the Apples foundation, 1 Cor. 3.10. or that divinely infpiredDotlrine which they delivered to the Church. Yea, that Do-ftrine cannot well be preierved from oblivion and corruption without Writing^therefore God accounted this the fafeft way. Thofe things that are only delivered by word of mouth, or from hand to hand,may eafily be changed, corrupted, or utterly loft. Certainly if you eonfider mans fl'th, treachery, levity, and the many vile afeUions which may eafily induce him to extinguijh or corrupt the Truth which is contrary to them , you will fee that it is necefTary that there fhould be a fure Authentic}^ Record, by which Truth and Error might be tried and diftinguifhed. Ye&, that the Church which is difperfed throughout the World might hive truth at hand, and particular Believers have this Doclrine ever by them for their comfort and ufe\ it being the property of a blefTed man to delight in the Law of God, and to exercife hirnfelf therein day and night, PJal.1.2. In fhort,while the Apoftles were living'twas good to take the Tradition from their mouth ; but now they are dead, we take it from their Writings. Surely if God faw fome Writing necefTary when thofe extraordinary ways (we fpake of before) were in ufe, and the Church of the Old Teftament was in a much quieter Hate than the Church of the New. I fay,if fome Writing were necefTary then, it is more necefTary now i, for the ChrifHan Church is more expofed to dreadful ftorms of% perfection, the deceits of Heretichs of all forts, efpecially to the frauds of Anti&hrift, which we are forewarned of in this Chapter s and are detected and difcovered by their contrariety to the written word.

4. This Truth being written,it is both afafe and a full Rule for us to walk by > it is 2. fife Rule becaufe it is written by the Apoftles and Evan-gelifts, holy men moved by the Holy G l> oft. The Apoflles did not lofe their Infallibility when they committed what they preached to Writing j the fame Spirit that affified them in delivering the Do&'rine by word of mouth, affifled them alfo when they delivered it by writing : and it is afidlandfujjicient Rule, becaufe it containeth all things which are necefTary for Men to believe and do in order to eternal life. Let them name

what

let them name what is neceflary beyond what is recommended there, or may be deduced from thence : yea it doth contain not only all the Effen-tial but alfo the Integral parts of the Chriitian Religion', and therefore nothing can be any part of our Religion which is not there. The direction of old was, If*. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Teftimony\ if they fpea\not according to this word, it vs becaufethere ii no light in them. Every thing was then tried by Mofes and the Prophets, and every thing muft be now tried by the Prophets and Apples, which is our foundation of Faith, JVor/hip, and Obedience, Eph. 2. 20.

5. That which we blame in the Papifts is, That they cry up a private, unproved, unwritten Tradition of their own, as of equal Authority with this fafe and full Rule which is contained in the Written Word of God. Their crime and fault may be confidered partly with refpect to the Ob)eU and Matter, That thefe Traditions are not indifferent Cuftoms^ but Ejf.ntial Points, necefTary to Faith and Chriftian PraUices and fo though a Chriftian be never fo thorough and found in his Obedience to the Word of God, and true to the Baptifmal Covenant, yet if he fub-mitteth not to thefe Unwritten Traditions, he wants fome Point necefTary to Faith and Praflice, and fo to Life Eternal •, which is contrary to Mark^ 16. 16, He that believeth and vs Baptized Jhall befaved, and he that believeth not (hall be damned: And Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal, to hjtorv thee the only true God* and Jefm Chrifi whom thou baft fent: Partly as to the Subjett,zs they make their »wn faction to be the only keepers of thefe things, and that nothing is to be owned as Apoftolical Tradition, but what is delivered as fuch by their Authority '■> which is to leave the Church to the Tyranny and Ufurpation of a corrupt Faction, to declare for Apoftolical Tradition any thing which ferveth their Ends and In-terefts, and for which no true Hiftorical evidence is produced. Now the unjuft and fraudulent Practices which they have ufed to promote this Ufurpation over the Churches of Chrift, render them of all men moft unrit to be trufted in this kind i partly with refpect to the manner, they will have thefe things to be received Pari reverentia & putatvs affeCtn s With the fame reverence and pious affection with which we receive the holy Scriptures \ and fo mans pofi is fet by Gods, and unproved Traditions equalled with VoUrins of Faith: their opinion is bad enough, but their prahice is worfe, for there they (hew they value thefe things more than the Scriptures •, as Superftition always aboundeth in its own things. Did ever any of their Doctors fay the fame things of Traditions which they take the boldnefs to fay of Scripture } Did they ever call them Pen andlnfyorn, or Parchment Divinity, a Nofe of Wax,a dumb Rule, an obfeure and ambiguous Vottrine : Thefe Blafphemies they vent boldly againft the Scripture, but did they ever fpeak thus of Traditions? and again their common People are a thoufand times better intruded in their Traditions than in the Votlrine of Salvation '•> they skill more of Lent, and Ember-week/, &c. than they truly underftand

Y the

jga The Scripture fujftcient Serm.VL

the Dcxftrine of Mans mifery and remedy: And call you this equal reverence and pious affeftion to the Scriptures and Traditions? Partly becaufe they would never give us a perfect Catalogue of Unwritten Traditions ncceflfary to be obferved by all Chriftians > it may be left they fhould amaze the People with the multitude of them, or elfe that the People may not know how many of their Do&rins are deftitute of Scripture-proof, and [o they plainly be difcovered to be impofers on the belief of the Chriflian World.

6. Though we blame this in Papifts, yet we rejecl not aE Tradition : i. Becaufe Scripture it felf is a Tradition, as we proved before, and is conveyed to us by the moft credible means, which we have no reafon to doubt of , the Scriptures of the OldTeftament were prelerved by the Jews, to whom were committed the Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 2. And Protefiants receive all the Books which they admitted into their Canon. And for the Books of the New Tefiament the Chriftian Church hath received them as the Writings of thofe whofe Names they bear, and by the confiantVniverfal Tradition of the Church they are tranfmitted to us i and we have no more reafon to doubt of them, than we do of Statutes and Laws made by Kings and Parliaments, who lived long before we had a being. Yea, we may be much more confident .as the matter is of greater weight and confequence, and thefe Writings have the fignature and (tamp of Gods Spirit on them, and have been blerTed by God to the converting and fendtifying of many Souls •> and have been delivered down to us by a fucceffion of Believers unto this very day: and by them Chriftianity hath been preferved in the World notwithstanding the wickednefs of it \ and hath held up head againft all the encounters of time. The perfections of adverfe Powers, have not fuppreffed it, nor the difputes of Enemies filenced the Profeffion of it i but (till from age to age Gods Truth is received and tranfmitted to Pofterity.

2. Becaufe the proof of Chriftianity depending upon matter of Facl:, chiefly Chrifts rifing from the dead, it can only be proved by a Tefti-mony, which in fo extraordinary a cafe muft be made valuable and authorized to the World by the Miracles accompanying it. Now the notice of thefe things is brought to us by Tradition, which being un-queftionable, giveth us as good ground of Faith as it did to them that lived in the Apoftles time, and heard their Dodrine, and faw their Miracles. Gods wonderful works were never intended for the benefit of that Age only in which they were done, but for the benefit alfo of thofe that fhould hear of them by any credible means whatfoever, Pp/. 145.4, Joel 1.3. PpiL 78. 3, 4, 5,6, 7. Thefe things were told them thatthey might fet their hope in God, &c,

3. Becaufe there are fome Do6hins drawn by juft confequence from Scripture, but are the more confirmed to us when they are backed with eonflait Church-ufage and practice; as Baptifm of Infants, Lords-day, Singng of Pialms in our Publick Worfhip, &c. 4. Be-

4. Becaufe there are certain words which are not found in Scripture indeed, yet agreeable thereunto, and are very ufeful to difcover the frauds of Hereticks, as Trinity, Divine Providence, Confubftantial Procef-fton of the Holy Ghoft, Satisfaction, &c %

5. We reject not all Church-Hiftory, or the Records of ancient Writers concerning the Providences of God in their days, in owning the Gofpel, which make much for our inftru&ion in manners, and arc helps to encourage us to put our truft in God.

6. Ther© are certain Vfages and innocent Cuftoms, or Circumflances common or facred, and other actions, which we defpife not but ac-knowledg and receive as far as their own variable nature and condition requireth, not rejecting them becaufe anciently practifed •, nor regarding them when the general Law of Edification requireth the omiflion of them.But that which we deteft is,That the Traditions of Men fhould be made equal in Dignity and Authority with the exprefs Revelation of God : Yea, that manifeft Corruptions and Ufurpations as making Rome the Miftrefs of other Churches \ and fuperinducing the Pope as the Head of the Vniverfal vifible Church, and the Viear of Chrifi without his leave and anointment \ and fuch-like other Points mould be obtruded upon the World as Apoftolical Traditions, and to be received with like Religious reverence as we do Articles of Faith fet down in Scripture : This is that we cannot fufficiently abhor as apparently falfe and deftru-<Sive to Chriftianity.

The Proportions drawn out of the Text in this Sermon are thefe. i. Whatever afTurance we have of Gods preferving us in the Truth, yet we are bound to ufe diligence and caution.

2. Our diligence and caution is to be imployed about this, that wc may ftand faft in the Faith of Chrift, and the profertion and practice of Godlinefs.

3. That the means of Handing faft in the Faith of Chrifi, and the profeiEon and practice of Godlinefs is by holding the Traditions which were taught by the Holy Apoftles*

4. That while the Apoftles were in being there were two ways of delivering the Truth by word of mouth, and Writing.

5. That now when they are long fince gone to God, and we cannot receive from them the Doctrine of life by word of mouth ; We mult ftick to the Scriptures or Written Word.

Y2 SER-

„ ■ i - ■' «■■!

SEA,^J1N VII -

Popery is a Novelty, and the Proteftants Religion was not only before Luther, but the fame that was taught by Chrift and his Apoftles.

Jer. 6. 16. Thus faith the Lord, fland ye in the way and fee, and ask^ for the old paths , where is the good way± and walk^ therein, and ye fiall find reji for your Souls : But they faid, we will not walk^ therein.

A LI Men in this World having for their Conftituent parts a 'fa) Vvyaeup Mortal Body (a), and an Immortal Soul, are parting out of H . &*?*s°. v this Life into another : Out of this, becaufe of the Mor- y }ff "in^erra'" tality (b) of the Body; into another, becaufe of the Immor* orimur, & in tality of the Soui. And all both good and bad are daily and hourly tra- terra moYi-velling to an everlafiing and unchangeable ftate,whofe Bodies (hall be mur > )f eve r-quickly turned into lifelefs dull, and their Souls enter into Heaven or unc j^rumus Hell, and be with God or Devil (c\ in Joy or Torment, when they affampti. come to their Journeys end i and according to the way they now walk ifirmrdin fefi in, fo it will be wirh them for ever : Thofe that walk in the way chalk- St - ^rtin* ed out by God, at the ead of this Life fhaU have the end of their Faith, (^f J?* ™° r rs and Hope and Holinefs, the Salvation of their Souls , but thofe that requiem, me* walk after the flefh, and in the ways of fin, (hall find Hell to be at the lior propter end of their walk. Therefore it is of Infinite concernment to all, to ob- "ovjtatem, ferve and do what is prefcribed in the Text, in which are contained ^Scumai^ thefe Farts following. tem . Mala

peccatorum mors.m mundi amiflfione, pejor in carnis feparatione, peflima in vermis ignifque duplici con-trmone. idmEpift. 105.

Z 1. The

I. The Duties that are enjoined, and they are two. Firft, to ash^ and enquire after the right way that leads to Reft and Happinefs s a Meta-(7) Similitu- phor (d') taken from a Man that is upon his Journey, and not well ac-itafo. /«*/"£ ^nted with the way to his intended place, ftands ftill and asketh, Faci'te uc via- Which is my way to fuch a Town, I am bound and bent for fuch a tores folent, Country ? and if I miftake my way, I lofe my felf, my labour and my U 4 dubitant » buiinefs :> and being directed doth needfully obferve what is faid unto qua eundiim ^ u anc j care f u ]iy remembers the marks that are told him,by which he (0 -I^N^n might conclude that he is in his direct and ready way. Sirs, this is JllDTuV" your cafe, you are bound for Heaven, you would all be happy when

Et iiiterro- Y ou die, anc **( y 0H m ^ a K e J mr ^ty, y oH lofe your felves, your Souls and gate, (Jiib. a- Bodies too, and God and Cbrift, and Happinefs, and all, and that for ever: lios fapienti- Stand'then,and earneftly enquire (e), whichJsyour way, and diligently ores. Va.ub.iti obferve what are the Marks whereby you might know that you are

Hzi^iU * n tne roa< ^ t0 a BlerTed, Glorious Life: and thefe in the Text are two..

Antiquis per Ffrfti It is the old Way > Seek not out new paths to Heaven, keep in

as iverunt the old Way that all the Millions of Saints now happy in the enjoyment

Abraham, Ja- of their God, went in: If you would get to the place where they be,

cb.jfac* Grot.. y 0U mu ft. g 0 t h e f ame wa y they did, xhe old Way that Abraham, and

' IJaac, and Jacob went > the old W T ay that Mofes and David, Peter and Paul, and aM the holy, humble, and believing, penitent People of God did go. ^? T n rc J S Secondly, It is the good Way as well as old\ for though Goodnefs was o&caiii, Jude before Wickednefs, yet every way that is old is not good (f)\ there z\ ii. i Job. is the old Way of Swearing and Lying, and Drxnkgnnefs •, there is the 3.12. G^.4.8. old Way of Hypocrifie, Impenitency, and Vnbelief } the old Way of and the old Whoredom, and hating Holinefs : This hath been the old. Way, but a 7m\ G pn2X<. kad one, and that leads to Damnation: If you be in this Way and but the way of hold on in this Way, and go forwards, and do not turn, and that Sin, though quichjy too, you will be in everlafting torments, and that quickly too. never (bold Stand then and fee that your Way be the good and the old Way. ito* tD HcU " Secondly, (g) The next Duty in the Text enjoined,is to rvolkjnthis (£) *ntrl")Sl ^ a y ^ ot ^ and good,when you have found ir,for if a man have the moft Per Metapho- exa # knowledg of his Way,& (hall fit down,and fhall fit down or Hand ram de vita, ftill, and not walk in it, he will never ccme to the place that Way doth moribus, & lead unto. The Way is pointed out by God himfeJf unto you } get up aftionibus. then, arife and wajk therein, and that with haft and fpeed > your Way Proptoa^no^n ^ to a long Eternity, the night of Death is coming upon you, be daily pofte externa jogging on, do not loyter in your way •, time goeth'on^herefore fodo ari cul you.

pam populi, jj. j n theText there is by what Authority (h)you are thm ftrillty en-quati errors j n y ne ^ t0 as fc for, and walk in the good old Way ; that is, by Divine nfam fans fo- Autltority. [Thus faith the Lord, ft and ye in the ways andfte,and as\,&c.~] perq-,admoni- It is the Lord that made thee, that doth thus command thee *, it is that

rasa Deo fue- Lord that doth preferve thee, in whom thou doll: live, and move, and tat, cttv.. ha£

haft thy being, that hath kept thee out of Hell all this while*, thou haft been going in the wrong way, and running in the paths that lead to deftru&ion and damnation > it is that Lord that can damn thee, when he will,and that can inflict the punifhments and plagues upon thee, that are due unto thee,for thy fin againft him '•> that could this day and hour cart thy Body to the duft, and thy Soul to Devils, that doth command thee to (land and fee,whither thou art going •, he feeth the way wherein «A thou art walking, and out of pity to thee, calleth after thee, faying, ^ Poor Sinner ! why art thou fofwift,and makeft fuch hafte in the way of Sin ? Why doft thou run with fo much fpced to a place of torment, as if thou couldeft not get thither lure enough, or foon enough \ whereas the Way thou walked in (except thou turn)will bring thee to eternal mifery, furely and quickly too ? Oh ftand and fee, whither thou art go-inglftand and fee that at the end of this thy finful walk thou wilt come unto a lake of burning Brimftone j to a doleful Dungeon, to a place of torment, and of utter darknefs! Oh fiand and fee, and look about thee if thou canft behold any that are going to eternal Happinefs walking in that way and road that thou art daily travelling in ! I therefore charge thee upon pain of evcrlafiing torment, as thou loveft thy Soul, or ever would ft be received unto everlafting joy and happinefs, go not on, turn back again > thou art out of thy way to Teft and glory, ftand then and a. c k, for the good old way and walk therein.

3. Here is tbeincouragement propounded, to ftir you up to ask for, ,~ ^„«. and walk in the good old way, and that is (i) reft for your Souls. Reft V-fjnQ infomemeafure, and from fome things for the prefent, and reft per- CDJ-tfSr? fedr and perpetual in Heaven hereafter for ever. Oh what ails the Ions $tt"i

of men to be fo mad upon their lufts and ways of fin, that though God Subito motes, doth threaten them with everlafting, reftlefs, and [hereafter] remedi- [ onc r It f ? t ?\ ,vo " lefs torments, will yet go on in the way that leads them thither ! and t ranfitive,rno-though God promiktha place and ftate of reft, and love, and life, if rit, vorutavit, they will turn their hearts and feet unto the ways that would bring P^ antiphra-them to it, will notwithftanding keep their finful courfe! which brings ~ n > quicvit \ to the next part in the words. -T.2.\(l?\%

4. 7be Obflinacy and wilful rebellion of Sinners, and their refolute pur- Scbindler;

pofe to the contrary (k). God commands you to walk in a good way,but (k) Hie figm-

you will not s he promifeth you reft and happinefs, if you will, but hcat Pr ?P'" i P ( i a

yet you will not * and doth threaten you with death and hell, and yet ^'jS

you will not. Oh the hardnefs of your hearts ! Oh the ftubbornnefs of quo minus

your wills ! how great is it, when the Precepts, nor the Promifes, nor fruerentur re-

the threatnings of the great, eternal God, will not make you bend, nor bus P r °fp e " s »

bow, nor buckle to his revealed Will! It is your own Will that will faS^ 110

undo you, if you perifh. It is your Will that is the great enemy and re- fpome fiiHTe

. mifcroSj quia

Deus propofuerat illis felicem (latum, ted comemptam foitfe hanc gratiam ab ipfo, idque pern-water, nam hoc fonant verba, ubi dicunt, non ambulabiavus, cdv'nu

2 2 bel

bclagairi.fi: the bleiTed God, againft his holy Law and Ways-, do not , plead and fay, thou canfl not walk in the good old Way, when the rea-(on is rather, becaufe thou wilt not.. It is not fo much your Impotency, as your obftinacy that you do not leave your flnful, and your wicked ways. You can forbear to fwear ,but you will not v you can leave your . drunkennefs, who compels you, who doth conftrain and force you >

DefnSSrub0 y0U can ^ ut w *'l not (lj ' w ^° P utS t,ne CU P ^° °^ cen t0 tn Y rnout h but firahitimquid f hine own hand, commanded fo to do by thy own will } Who turns de potentia thy tongue to curfe and to blafpheme the holy name of God but thy reprobati—. own w j]j > y^^q compels thy feet to carry thee to a Whore-houfe > Unde hcet a- j-^ t ^ Qu nQt vo j Llritar i]y mov e thitherward, and thou goefl, not be-poiTit gratiam caufe thou canfi not forbear, but becaufe thou milt not forbear to go > adipifci, qui Moreover, as thou cm ft leave many of thy wicked ways, if thou wilt, reprobatur a fo thou can ft fet upon abetter cqurfe of lite if thou wile. Thou canft: ^°A ""^c S° to ^ ermons if t ^ ou wilt,and thou canft confider of what thou hear-peccatum e ^ ^ tnou w ^ c * anc * tnou can ^ f a ^ down upon thy knees and pray to vel illudlaba-God if thou wilt i who doth hinder thee but thine own will? And tur, ex ejus if thou wilt not do what thou C3nft, is it not a plain cafe that thou libero arbitrio wou ]d e ft not do more, though thou couldeft ? .Do not plead that thou imdeTme-^ canft not, till thou haft done the beft that thou canft do, which yet rito fibi im- unto this day thou never haft done. If thou wert now a dying.czn{\ thou -puratur in fay, thou haft done thy beft, and the mod that thou couldeft do to leave cv\$zm.Aquin. t | ie way of fin, and to .walk in abetter way? thy own Confciencc..

f Art!i. H ' wouU condemn tnce > and tel1 thee that thou haft nor - The da V IS haft -

ning when it (hall be roundly told thee, in thy ear, thou mighrefthave been holy and fo happy, but thou wouldft not. Thou waft called to come to Chrift that thou mi-ghteft have lived, but thou wouldft not.. Thou waft exhorted to ask for, and walk in the good old way j but the reafon, why thou didjl not, was becaufe thou wouldefi not. And how, defervedly are they damned, that are wilful in their ways^ and are re-fohed that in the good way they will not walk.

The Text according to thefe Parts contained in it, would .afford fo -many Doctrines, which would yield matter for many Pradical Sermons, but muft all be omitted, becaufe lam limited to endeavour to make good this Polition, viz. That Popery is a Novelty , and the Prote-jlants Religion was not only before Luther, but the fame that was taught by Chrifl, and hi* Apples.

For the more clear and diftind proceeding in the handling of this Aftertion, I fnall caft what I have to fay (and can bring into one Sermon) into tins Method:

Pirft, I fbaUpremife fame certain Proportions for the betterftating of the matter in ban Jo

Secondly, 1 will give you a parallel or cornparipm of the DoUrines taught • ' by the Prophet t^ Chrift, .qH$ib\iApofvks, the iJoUrines of- the ProiefiantH &rRtf'fmed Churches, mi the Vo&ri/ies of"the- Papijis -, by which you

may

Serra. VII. Popery a Novelty. \6$

may cafily difcern, that ours is the old and true, but theirs a new and falfe Religion.

Thirdly, I will fhtw you that the fame Religion and Voftrine profejfcd and owned by the Protejlants was fairer Chrift and his Apoftles; btfcre Lu ther,f •*»£/**, *nd received by many.

Fourthly, / will give yw an account of fame of the material^ effenlial Point j of Popery., when tb r y firft fprunp up in the Churchy and when firji made Articles of Faith, with fitch jinftnefs that they (hould be accounted Heretick* that did not pr f fs to believe them, but would oppofe them •, that by their original and rife, you miy rightly conclude that the charge of Novelty laid upon the Popifh Religion is a juft charge.

Fifthly, I will make fome Practical Application of the whole.

The hrft part of the Method propounded contains thefe Eight Proportions.

Firft Proportion.

That the ordinary way in which lojl finnerf ftnce the Fall of Adam have been recovered and rejiorfd to Life and Salvation, as to the Ejfentials of the Covenant of Grace, in all ages hath been one and the fame (m;. For f.%)Ea quippe though God hath at fundry times and in divers manners revealed his fides juftos _ Will unto his Church, yet the Covenant of Grace rcaft out to fallen fervavit am £ man as a plank after fhipwrack) under various external Difpenfations, SosN.f.^Me-hath been the fame; under the Law adminiftred by Promifes,Prophefies, diatoris Dei fe Sacrifices and Circumcifion, the Pajchal Lamb, and other Types and Ordi- hominis Jefu nances delivered to the People of the Jews(n), all pointing at Chrift to Chriftl4ug.de come \ under the Gofpel bv the Preaching of the Word, and Adminijhati- Y ' ai ™-& «*»•■ on of the Sacraments. Baptifm. ai'dthe Lords-Supper, which is done in H eb. I; I; . Commemoration of the Death of Chrift, already paft. This way hath «nroAt^€p«* £ been the fame to Heaven all along through Chrift, fuccelhvely from ^^vT^jay Adam to our days', and will be the fame to the end of the World; which '*\. Q } m ^} ..

■ ' * veri SacrirtPii

we might learn from the excellent Harmony, per feci: agreement betwixt mu i t jp]j c ia the Doctrine of Mofes, the Prophets, and Chrift and his Apoftles; for variaq-, fgna thefe declaring the whole counfel of God Aft. 18. 27. did yet preach erant facrifi-no new Doctrine concerning Chrift and Salvation by him, but what £ia prifca Mofes and the Piophets did fay, and that alfo in reference to the Gen-^j™ 1 ^ tiles, as well as to the Jews, Aft. 26.22, 23. To believe on Chrift, to num pcr mu ^ love God above all, to repent, and mortifie Sin, to be fanclihed and ta flguraretur, renewed after the Image of God, to be obedient to the Will of Gocj. tanquam ver-hathbeen the good way from of old. The new charge in outward Ad- ^ s ™* ltis res miniftrations made by Chrift, and the Apoftles did not make a New lit W^feftj!^ way to Heaven, though the old Difpenfations then did ceafc, and give dio multum place to thofe appointed by Chrift, which with the Doctrines of the oommendatur Apoftles are retained in the Reformed Church, but are depraved, cor- Au 4 : f e chit: rupted and departed from by the Church of Romt^s will appear by the v "\ rr 1 * parallel of Doclrines. / •

Second

Second Proportion. Antiquity is not a msr\ of a true Church s a Church of a long (landing and continuance fucceifively from age to age might be a falfe Church : (o) Secunda The Church of Rome contrary to allreafon makes Antiquity a mark (o\ nota Ecclefiae whereby a true Church might be known \ and contrary to all Hiflory eftantiquitas; brags of her own Antiquity. But that which is a diftinguiftung mark Ecclelia^uam t0 difference one tmD S ^ rom another mud be found in (p) one kindjn ai adverfarii Pa- of that kind, only in that hjnd, and yet always in it; as a man hath two pifticam vo- feet, but thereby cannot be diftinguimed from fome other Creatures, c<tnt, eft ilia becaufe this is common to birds as well as men : So to be skilful in Mu-

ch : ftT*nfti- ^ ls P r0 P er on ^y to man > but not fo^nd in every man, and therefore tuit, & proin- no mark to know a man by, for one that is no Mufkian is a true and de vetuftior real man,as well as he that is: So alfo there might be fomething proper omnibus fe- to one kind of beings, and only to that kind, and to every one of that ^ s IJ} 1 ^' kind, but not always * as Laughter to Mankind only, and to every l conciL&Ecclef, onQ -> but not always s for though no Creature can laugh but Man, yet /•4. c.$. one is as true and real Man when he doth not ufe that adfion, as when

. jPoor / m he doth. Again, though Man only is endued with Learning of Arts convenit foli an( 3 Sciences amongft living Creatures, yet to fay this is a mark of a alicui fpeciei, Man, were to fay that molt Men in the \yorld were no Mens for the omnibufq-, il- mo ft are ll0 t fo learned, and the Men that are now learned, were not liuslndividuis a ] wavs f 0? anG | y et } ia j tnen tnc trLie anc j rea j nature of Men. But if

Tres notarum vou hh a Man * iatn a P ower or faculty to laugh, you then give a plain conditiones mark to diftinguim him from all others, becaufe this power is proper ponif, fyUtrifj. to Mankind only to every one of Mankind, only, and always \ and therefore i. Debent effe fa $ b e j n g a property of Mankind^and infeparable from any of that kind, connnmies! a difference to diftinguifh man from all other living Creatures might b: debent efie. taken from thence, befides the conftitutive fpecihcal difference. 2. Notiores,ea

re cujus funt notsc, alioqui non funt nota?, fed ignota?. $. Sunt infeparabiles a vera Eccleila. Dt Concil. & Ecclef. Lib,^ cap. 2.

By this plain familiar inftance the common and unlearned people, (to whofe capacity the defign is to accommodate this Sermon j might under-fiand fomething of the nature of a mark, whereby one thing might be known from another, and applying this' to the bufinefs in hand might make a judgment, that the PopiOi braggings of Antiquity, (alone con-fidered) will fall (hort of a demonstration, or evidence, that the Church of Rome is the only true Church, that hereby (he cannot prove her felf to be a true Churchy and that upon thefe two Grounds or Reafons.

1. Becaufe Antiquity is ftp arable from a true Churchy as the Church of God in Adams days was a true Church, and yet it was not then an ancient Church, when it firfi began \ and the Chriftian Church in the .Apoftlesdays was a true Christian Church, and yet it was not then an ancient Chriftian Church, no more than &n Infant newly born might be faid to be an old man, and yet it is a true man, though not old. .2. Becaufe Antiquity is not only feparable from a true Church, but

is

is alfo common to other things now as well as to a trne Church > yea,it might be fpoken of the Synagogue of Satan, for as much as Satan hath had his followers in the World for many thoufand years i and there have been many wicked and ungodly focieties of men, far more ancient than the Church of Rome, or any Pope the Head thereof. So that the Antiquity that the Church of Rome boafts of (but hath noO cannot prove it to be the true Church of Chrift, any more than the Synagogue of Satan. And that Antiquity, that indeed (he hath, together with her Spiritual fornication may evidence her to be an old bar lot,but not the true Church* for when (he faith, (he is fo old as to be the Mother of all other Churches, we can name fome Churches that (lie would have to be her Daughters to be more ancient than the Church of Rome ; but it is abfurd to-fay the Mother is younger than any of the Daughters.

Third Propcfition*

As Antiquity is not a mark of a true Church, fo neither is Ami* qttity a note of true VMrine^ for although all trath is more ancient than error (error being a corruption of truth) yet every Doctrine that is old, or of many hundred (q years (landing is not therefore true > for (q) Quodcim-there are old errors, and oldherefies, yea fuch as are more ancient than 4 ue . adverfus thofe that are peopzrly-and formally Popi(h Errors. There are the old Er- ventatem fa-*-rors and Herelies of Cerinthus, Ebhn, Arriits, and many more, of a f^efis etiam* fooner and-more early original, than the main Doctrines of Popery, vetns confue-.-that are eiTential to that Religion » and if we judg of Doctrines meerly tudo.Tertul. dt> by Antiquity, many Herefieshave the precedency before Popery. Since f"£, J^/*3*... then Wickednefs and Error can plead Antiquity of many Ages; it is plain that Antiquity U a praife or difpnije, according to* the nature of tbe-thing of which it k fpoken'-, if it be good, the older,the hitter j . if it be bad,, the older, the worfer\ continuance in Sin being an aggravation of it \, as an old Swearer, an old Drunkard or Idolater is worfethan one that hath lately taken up fuch wicked practices. Antiquity of Doctrine and (r) Cbnfoem-.: Worfhip without truth and purity being but (r) grey-headed Error 4? fine veri " and Sin, it fellows that the longer the Church of Rome hath embraced tate '. vct JJ flas ' fach Worfhip, and taught fuch Doctrines, (he. is not fo venerable for cypr. Efiftlad.l her Antiquity, as vile for her Iniquity, P/mpmm*:

Fourth Propofition.

Some of the Popijh Vo&rines, and fome parts of Popijh Wcrfhip are older ^ and of a longer jianding than fome other be* Rome was not built in one day Y and the body and -fyfteme of popifh Doctrine, as now it is held, was not finiuSed in one age. Popery came in by degrees, and Antichril* did rife to this height as now he is in in, (rep by ftcp. - The \^L\ ™*£„ (s) Queftion propounded by the Papifts to be refolved by the Prote- tione religio—

nis temper ifta fex demonftrari poffunt. 1. Au&or ejus. 2. Dogma aliqnod novum. 3. Tempus qno"» cxpit. 4. Locus ubi caepit. $. Qpis earn oppugnaverit. 6. Exigims aliquis caettis.vnde paulatim aliis accedentibus, c*peric Nihil autem horvim de nobis oftendere podunt, (fub. Haxeticii)j Itllam* d( CmiU & Ecclffylib,^ ca?.$.

iknis.-

xyt Popery a Novettju Serm. VII.

Hants, faying, Who was the firjlPope that brought in their Religion? and who was the fir^ that made all the Innovations we complain of? is ridiculous and abfurd, fuppohng that to be introduced into the Church by one man, in one age, which was brought in gradually, by many men, in many ages.

Fifth Fr op opt ion, Thofe things that are effential to our Religion, are owned hy the Papifts themfelves \ for they do profefs to own the Scripture to be the Word of God, and that it is certainly true •, but do add their own Traditions, things not contained in the Scripture, yet neceffary to Salvation, which we cannot receive. They own Chriji to be the Head of the Church, and fo do we i but they add and fay, That the Pope is the Head of the Universal Church alfo, but (b do not we. They own Baptifm and the Lords-Supper, fo do we \ but they add five Sacraments more, whieh we deny. They own that there is an Heaven and an Hdl, as well as we, but they

"^ ndo°ea *" use tfetC ^ at C ^ ere was a P lace diitinft ^ vom hoth, in which the Souls of func fnnplic*- Believers were before Chrifts death. And that there is a Purgatory, tcr neceffaria and a place for the Souls of Infants, dijUncl from Heaven and Hell, all Apoiiolos which we do deny. They own the Merits ofChri[l, and fo do wc > but coniuevifte they add their own Merits, which we deny ■> and fo in other Points. dkare^D^ ^° t ^ at tn e Controvert betwixt us and them is not, Whether what co, ilia omnia vve hold-be true and old,for that is granted by the Papifts themfelvesff J, Scripta efte ab as to the effential parts of our Religion, but about what they have in-Apoflolis,quae vented, and added to the true Religion. All our Religion is contained neceiforia^fe * n ^ 1£ Scnptnre, a ^d what is there, we own, and nothing elfe as ne-qu* ipfl pa- ce *f ar y r ° Salvation. The fum of our Religion is comprehended in the lam omnibus Ten Commandments\ Creed, and Lords-Prayer, which the Papifts alfo do vulgo prxdi- confefs and own. So that our Religion is pall difpute, and is in aman-C dt~VnT'jyf' ner & rantec * t0 us : But whether the Popifh Doctrines as fuch, be true Lib. a. cap'.ii, an ^ °ld> ls the very Controverfie betwixt us and them.

Sixth Proportion. From the former follows this, That there are more things effential to the Popifh Religion as fuch then there are to our Religion. .They do own our EiTentials, but we deny theirs. Thofe in which we and they do a-gree, are acknowledged by both to bs true and old => thofe in which vve differ from them, we truly fay are New.

Seventh Prop fit ion. The Reformation of the Church doth not confjl in bringing in of New things, but in cafling them out^ and paring- them off: It is a grofs mhiake that in the Reformation, in and fince Luthers time, the Church hath brought in new Doctrines, and rejected the old: But ( which is the truth^) hath caft away the new, and retaineth the old. Gold and drofs were mixed together, the jewel of Truth was hid under the filth of corrupt Doctrines, our Reformers kept the Jewel and the Gold, and cait the drofs and filth away. The Reception of the oldDottrine^ and the

Re-

Rejection of the New is that which made the Reformation. And if the Church of Rome would own what is in the Scripture, and no more, as neceiTary to Salvation, and would cut off the New, which they have added to the Old, we and they mould be of the fame Religion. Our Religion was perfedt and compkat before the Doctrine and the Wor-(hip of the Church of Rome, (as now it is) were in being •, and if you give a Coat to a Man, and he afterwards put fome pieces to it, long after it was a Coat, if you ask a Mendicant, or a Beggar in the ftreet, he may tell you, that is the New part which was put to it, after it was a per fed Coat.

Eight Propofition.

To kttow which U the Old Religion and the New, we mufl kgep to the Word (u) of God, as the rule and tefl thereof. What is not in the Word (u) Si ad <Ai-of God, no way, neither exprefly, nor by juft, immediate, neceffary con- vm . x traclltt " fequence i and yet is made neceffary to Salvation is certainly a New Re- originem ' religion \ though it hath been taught many hundred years. Thus all vertamur, falfe gods though long fince ferved and worfhipped are called New ceflat error gods, that newly came up, ~Deut. 32. 17. The Old Religion then muft hnmanus. be examined by trie Old Rule, the Holy Scriptures ; fo that to deter- ^l**' 1 mine this, we need not run to the Canons of the Church, the Councils of Men, to the Decrees of the Pope, to the Writings of the Fathers, which are all fallible, and of later Handing than the Word of God, as being before any fuch Councils, Canons,Confutations and Writings of Men, (ince the Apoftles time. When therefore the Papifts ask you, Where was your Religion before Luther > you might confidently anfwer, Where their Religion never was, nor will be found * and that is, in the holy Scriptures, which was long before Luther was, or the Tope either. But if you ask them, Where was their Religion in the Apoftles times, andjeve-ral hundred years after Chrift, you will put them hard to it to (hew you, nay they cannot do it.

The fecond General Head in the Method propofed, is to give you a parallel of Dodhines taught by the Prophets, Cbriji, and his Apoftles ; by the Protejiants or Reformed Church *, by the Papifis or the Church of Rome. The firft (hall be laid down in the very words of Scripture. The iecond out of the publicly Confefftons of faith of the Reformed Church in England, and beyond the Seas. The Third out of the Writings and Decretals of the Popes, Councils, Cardinals, and other Doctors approved by the Church of Rome. By all which the Three Things contained in this Pofition will be made manifeft. Firft, That the Dotlrine of Protejiants is the fame, that was taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, Secondly, That therefore it was long before Luther. Thirdly, That the Dottrine of the Church of Rome, differing from, and being contrary to the Docirine of Chrift and his Apoftles mnft be a very Novelty. But here I have not time nor room to make this Comparifon in all points of differing Docirine betwixt us and thern^ but (hall make choice of fome out of many, but

A a enough

enough eo prove the thing atferted. A Parallel of the Dodrines of Prophets, Chrift and his Apoftles, the Protectants and Papifts.

I. Concerning the perfection and fufficiency of the Scripture unto Salvation.

I. The Doctrine of the Prophets, Chrift and Apoftles concerning this Point:

Deut. 12.32. Whatfoever things I command yon, obferve u doit, thou {halt not add thereto, nor diminijh from it. Pfal. ip. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfeft, converting the Soul. Joh. 20.31. But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus U the Chrift, the Son of God, and that be-lievingyou might have life through his name. Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gofpel unto yeu^ than that which we have preached unto you, let him he accurfed. p. As If id be fore, fo fay I now again, if any man preach, any other Gofpel to you, than that yjtu have received, let him be accurfed. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that from a- child thou haft known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto SaU vation, through faith which U in Chrifi Jefus. i6\. All Scripture is given by Lffpiration of God, and is profitable for Doclrine, for reproof fir correction, for inftruclion in righteoufnefs. 17. That the man of God may be perfeft, throughly furnijhed unto all good worlds. Rev. 22.18., Verltejli-fie unto every man that bearttb the words of the Prophefie of this- Bool^, if any man fhill add unto thefe things, God jhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book^ 19. And if any man Jhall take away from the words of the Bool^ of this Prophefie, God Jhall take away his part out of the Bool^ of Life, and out of the holy City, and from the things, which are written in this Boo\.

II. The Doclrine of theReformecT Churches concerning the Perfection and Sufficiency of the Scripture unto Salvation.

(w) Church of ( w ) The holy Scripture containeth all things necejfaryfor Salvation \ fb Engl. Artie. 6. t y^ whatfoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to he required of' any man, that it fhouldbe believed as an Article of the Faith jr be thought requifite and necejfary to Salvation. i (x) It is not lawful fir the Church to ordain any thing, that is contrary to •*J Artie, 2o»Q 0 ^ s jp orc l : a^ i t 0U gyt not t0 decree anything againftthe fame, fo be-

fides the fame ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for neceffity of Salvation.

The whole Counjet of God concerning all things necejfary fir his own Glory,

mans Salvation, Faith and Life, U either exprejlyfet down in Scripture,or

(y) Affemb. by good and necejfary confequence may be deduced from Scripture } unto

Confeflion of w hich nothing at any time is to be added, whether, by new Revelations of the

Faith Spirit, or Traditions of men (y).

The Canonical Scripture, or the Word of God delivered by the HolyGboft,

and

and by the Prophets and Apoftles propounded to the world U the mofl perfect W Confcfiio: and ancient Philofopby^ doth alone perfeffly contain all fiety^ all rule of J? clv r er * s >. nta< life ( 2). '

The Reformed Church in France thus (<*)• " Whereas the Word ( a ) quum ' of God is the fumm of all Truth, containing whatfoever is requifite Verbum Dei 'to the Worfhip of God and our Salvation jwe affirm that it is not law- *? opinis ve-:c ful for Men or Angels either to add any thing to it, or take away any com piemen 1 /* c thing from it,nor to change any thing at all therein ; from whence it q^icquid ad c follows, that it is not lawful to fet, either Antiquity, or Cuftom, or a cultum Dei & 'Multitude, or Humane Wifdom, Opinions, Decrees, Councils, or telutem no-c Vifions, or Miracles, in oppofition to Divine Scripture •, but rather ^Seqthom!" ' that all things ought to be examined and tried according to this Rule, hibus, neque

"and what is prefcribed therein. ipils etiam

Angelis fas effe dicimus quicquam ei yerbo adjicere, vel detrahere, vel quicquam prorfus in eo immutare : Ex hoc autem efficitur, neque antiquitatem, confuetudines, neq-, multitudinem, neq-, Humanam Sapicnriam, neq; Judicia, neq-, EdiAa vel Decreta ulla, neq-, Concilia,neqi Vif!ones,neq;Miracula ? Scripturae illi Divina? opponere licere:Sed potius omnia ad ejus regulam & prafcriptum examinari & exigi oportere, Gallic, Confef. in Syntag. ConfeJ. p. 78.

The Belgick, Cocfelfion thus (b). " We believe that the Holy Scrip- 0>) Crcdimus " ture doth peifeftly contain the Will of God, and that whatfoever is g^urimT c neceflary to be believed by men, for the obtaining of Salvation, is jjei volunra'-

c fufficrently (aught therein. For when it is forbidden that any tern perfecte

fiiould add to it, or take away from it, thereby is abundantly de- complecti, & monftrated, that the Dodrrine thereof is mod perfect, ajid every g^™* u; way compleat. fcrotein con-'

fequantur,cre-di necefTe eft, in ilia fufFcienter edoceri.'— Quum enim vetitum ft,ne quis Dei verbo quicquam addar, aut detrahat, fatis eo ipfo demonftratur, Doctrinam illius perfect tffimam, omnibufque modis confunimatam elTe. Be/g. Eccltj. Confef Syntag. p.131.

Wmember. Confef. U) "That all Dodrrine -ncceiTary to be known (c)lnhzc

c by us in order to true and eternal Salvation is not contained in the Scn P rura no «

1 Scripture is fooner faid than proved. To add no more, by thefe it ncm Do ^ r j."

is evident that in this point the Reformed Churches do not only agree nam, nobis ad

among themfelves, but alfo with the Prophets and Apoftles, teaching v eram & per-

herein the fame Dodrrine that Chrift and they did, which was the thing P etuam faJu -

•—— videturfacilius poffe dici, quam probari* wittmb. Confef. Syntag. pig. 130.

III. The Dodhine of the Papifts concerning the Perfection and Sufficiency of the Scripture, fdi'sa f The Council of Trent declared (d) 9 "That the Dodrrine of the Go- aa-TridS-

r . . . . tina fvnedus-

perfpiciens hanc ventatem [Evangelii] & difciplinam contineri in libris Scriptis, & fnc Scripto

Tradmonibus Omnes libros tarn veteris quam Novi Teftamcnti Nee non Tradi-

"? n " !P( as ' tum ac * fidem, turn ad mores pertmentes, Pari pietatis affectu ac reveren-

tia fufcipic & veneratur. ConciL Trident. Seff. 4.

A a 2 «(pel

cc

cc cc

•.-.*•

17^ Popery a Noveltj. Serm. VIL

" fpclis contained in the Written Word, and in Unwritten Traditions, li and that they did receive and honour the Unwritten Traditions, whe-" thcr appertaining to Faith, or Manners, with the fame reverence and " holy affe&ion, as they did all the Books of the Old and New Tefta-"ment.

0) Et revera The Canon Law ^ aitn ( e \ " Tnat men <*o witn f uc h reverence re-tanta revcren- " fp e & tne Apoftolical Seat of Rome^ that they rather defire to know the tia apicera 'ancient Inftitution of Chriftian Religion from the Popes mouth, than P r ^. fatar ^P^ " from the holy Scriptures and they only enquire what is his pleafure,

omn« fufci- " and acc0rdin S t0 if > thc Y 0rdcr thdr Life and Converfation. Again,

ciunx. lit "(f) tnat tne [Popes] Decretal Epijilei are to be numbred with Canonical

antiquam cc Scripture.

Chriftian se

Beligionis inftitutionem magis ab ore pra?ceflbris ejus, quam a facris paginis, & paternis Tri-

^itionibus expetant: illius velle, illius nelle tantum explorant, ut ad ejus arbitrium fuam con-

verfationem & ipfi remittant, aut intendant. Corp.jur. Canon. Djfi. 40. fi Papa in Jnnot.

(f) Incer Canonical Scripturas Decretales Epiftolaj connumerantur. Corp. juris Canon* V$. 19; wp. 6,

Dr. Standijh in his Book againft Englifh Bibles faith, u Take from ct them the Englifh damnable Tranflations, and let them learn to give

as much credit, to that which is not exprefled, as to that which is

exprefled in the Scripture. feJMulta per- CO Melcbior Canus writeth, " That many things belong to Chriftian tinerefdocet] " Faith and Doctrine,which are neither plainly nor obfeurely contained adChriftiano-"inholy Scripture. And he doth give particular Inftances, "That rum fidem & « t h e help of the holy Martyrs (hould be craved by Prayer, and their quae ncTaper-" Memories celebrated, and their Images worfliipped, and fuch-like,is te, nee ob- " not taught in the holy Scripture, and yet the Catholick Church doth fcure,in facris " as firmly hold thefe and many fuch-like Doctrines as if they were writ-

literis conti- « ten m holy Scripture. Again he fays, "There is more efficacy for

!5 en a ur ' " confutation of Hereticks in Tradition, than in Scripture. Again,

Martyrum " Almoft all Difputations with Hereticks (hould be referred to the Tra-auxilium pre-" ditions received from our fore-fathers. cibus implo-

randum, eorumque memorias celebrandas, Imagines venerandas efle, in Sacrificio Euchariftiz iimul cum corpore fanguinem facerdotibus efle, & conficienrlum, & fumendum, &c. Sacrat liter* nufquam forte tradiderunt. At ejufmodi atq*, alia pleraq-, id genus, ita flrmitcr Ecclefia Catholica rctinet, ut ft facris codicibus fuiflent inferipta: Mtlcb. Can. he. Tbeolog. Lib.$. cap.%. Adde, quod ad confiitandos Hxreticos major vis in Traditione, quam in Scriptura eft.— Quorfum base tarn longo Sermone repetita ? Nempe lit inrelligas, non modo adverfum hxreticos plus habere Tradi-tioncm,quam Scripouram virium,fed etiam omnem ferme cum hxreticis difputatioHem ad Tradi-tioncs a majoribus acceptas efle referendam : ibid.

(b) Mukoque (h) Cardinal Hofim fpeaks out, faying, " The greateft part of the

maxima pars

Evangelii perrenit ad nos Tradition^ jjerexigwa Uteris eft Mandata; Nofius confef. Fid. Cathol.

taft.$2»pag.J$$-fo!,

"Gofpcl

<c Gofpel is come to us by Tradition, very little of it is committed to

" Writing.

By this, Reader, thou maift plainly perceive that the Doctrine of the Papifts in this, is exprefly contrary to the Doctrine of the Prophets, Chrift, and his Apoftles, and that the Doftrine of the Proteftants is the very fame with the Doftrine of Chrift and the Apoftles: compare them together, and thou will fee the agreement of the one, and the contrariety of the other, to the Doctrine of Scripture, and conclude that the Doctrine of the Reformed Church is the old and true, but the Doftrine of the Church of Rome, is both new and falfe Doftrine '•> And that what the RJbemifts on Gal. 1.8. fayjf is great pity and fhame that fo many follow Luther and Calvin, and fuch other lewd Fellows into a new Gofpel > is more true of, and better applied to the followers of the Popifti Dolors, or of the Rhemi(ts themfelves*, who on 2 T;«, 3. 16. fay, Ihe Heretichs upon thU commendation of holy Scriptures, pretend (veryfimply in goodfooth) that therefore nothing vs neeejfary to Juflice and Salvation hut Scriptures. And on J oh. 21. 25. few things an written ofCbrtftsAfif and Dodrine in comparifon of that which he did and fpakf, and yet the He-retickj **>$ needs have all in Scripture. Whereas the Evangelift faith not, That any thing is omitted of his Doftrine, but of his Afts: For though he fpake more words than be expreffed, yet all the Doctrines that he uttered in thofe words, is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament. The Apoftles preached nothing but that which was contained in the Scriptures, Aft. ij. 11. & 26. 22. Rom. 1.2. FnlJ^in loc.

II. Of Reading of the Scripture.

I. The Doftrine of the Prophets,Chrift, and Apoftles concerning the common Peoples reading and knowing of the Scripture.

Deut. 31. 12, Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy granger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that • they may learn and fear the Lord your God, and ohferve to do all the words of this Law. 13. And that their children which have not hftown any thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lordyour God, as long as ye live in the Land. Jofh. 8. 3 J. Ihere was not a word of all that Mofes commanded, which Jo-mua read not before all the Congregation of Jfrael, with the women and the -little ones, and the grangers that were converfant among them. Pfal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord, andjnhis Law doth he meditate day and night. Aft. 8.28.—— IVas returning and fitting in his Chariot read > Ifaias the Prophet. Joh. 5.32. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye thinks ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftifie of me. Aft. 17, 11. And thefe were more noble than thofe in ThefJalonica, in that they received the w»rd with all readmefs of'mind, and fe arched the Scriptures daily, wbe- -ther thofe things were fo. Ephef. 3. 4. Whereby when ye read ye may uiu

derftand .

derftand my kjtowhdg in the myftery of Cbrift, Col. 3.16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wifdom: 1 Thef. 527. I charge you by the Lord that this Epijile he read unto all the holy Brethren. 2 Tim. 3.15:

And that from a child thou haft hyown the holy Scriptures. Rev. 1,3.

Bhffed vs he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Fropbefie, and \eep thofe things that are written therein.

II. The Doctrine of the Protectants and Reformed Churches concerning the Peoples reading and knowing of the Scriptures.

■ Becaufe the Original Tongues are not known to all the People of c God, who have right unto, and intereft in the Scriptures, and are c commanded in the fear of God to read and fearch them,therefore they

' are to be Tranflated. All forts of People are bound to read it

j^The Word of God] apart by themfelves, and with their Families.

(J) Omnibus ^ " j t j s ] aw f u j f or a ]j men pr ivately at home-to read the holy

facras hteras « s • t pnvatim le- cc .. . r gere domi, & Jigion.-

r £ s c Scriptures, and by Inftrudtions to edirie one another in the true Re-

mftruendo 2-

dificare mutuum in vera Religione liceat. QonftU Htlvet. cap. 22.

III. The Doctrine of the Papifts concerning the Peoples having, or reading of the Scripture. (k) Cum ex- (lp " whereas experience teacheth, that if the Bible be every-where manSfeflum ' WIt hout difference, permitted in the vulgar Tongue, through mens fit, fifacra Bi- " u nadvifednefs, more hurt than good doth arife thereby, in this point blia vulgari c ^t the judgment of the Bifhop, or Inquiiitor be followed { that with lingua paflim cc the advice of the Parijfh-Prieft, or ConfelTor, they may grant the rea-(ine difarimr-w jj n g 0 f fa %\\>\ c ^ Tranflated by Catholick Authors, in the vulgar tur, plus inde " ^ an g UJ g e , to fuch as they fnall underftand, can take no hurt by fuch ob hominum c reading, but increafe of Faith and Godlineff. The which Licenfe let temeritatem, c them have in writing. And. if any prefume without fuch Licenfe ci-detrimenti, cc fa r t0 reac j or nave j^ unkfs they rirft deliver up their Bibles to the

us oririVac in " Qt^W? tnev ma y not nave tnc P ar d° n of their (ins. And the Book-parte judi- ''fellers, that without fuch Licenfe, (hall fell, or any way afford Bibles cio Epifcopi, "in the vulgar Language, (hall forfeit the price of the Books, to be autInquifito- "converted by the Bifhop to pious ufes, and be liable to fuch other pe-cumconfiiio* " na l^ es according to the quality of the offence, as the'Bifliop (hall Parochi,vd " think meet. confenorn,

Bibliorum, a Catholicis aucToribiis verforum, lecTionem in vulgari lingua eis concedere poffint, quos intellexerint, ex hujufmodi leftione non damnum, fed f dei atqj pietatis augmentum capere polTe, quam facultatera in Scriptis kabeant. Qui autem abfq-, tali faculrate ea legcre, aut habere, prxfumpfennt, nifi prius Bibliis Ordinario redditis, peccatorum abfolutionem percipere non poffint. Bibliopole vero, qui pr^dictam facultatem non habenti, Biblia Idiomate vulgari conferipta vendiderint, vel alio quovis modo conceffenin, librorum pretiuni, in ufus pios ab Epifcopo con-vertendum, amittant, aliifque pa^nis pro delicti qualitate. e/ufdem Epifcopi arbitrio fubjaceant. index. Lib. prohib. Rcg^L^.

Though

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Serm. Vir. ropery a Novelty. 179

Though this is not agreeable to the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apo-ftks that men mult not read the Scripture without a Licenfe from men, for fo what is-ibi&ly commanded by God 7 would be at the pleafure of others, whether God be obeyed or no, and fome liberty by Pope ?ius the Fourth doth teem to be granted for the reading of the Bible, to whom they pleafe, yet it is taken away fully by. Pope Clement the Eighth, mhisObfervation of this before alledged Rule, in thefe words. .

(I) cc It is to be obferved concerning this Rule of Tins the Fourth, vercendum eft that by this Imprellion and Edition, no new Power is granted to Bi- circa fupra (hops, or Inquifitors, or Superiors, to licenfe the buying, reading, fcriptam 'or keeping the Bible in the vulgar Tongue, feeing hitherto by the <l uarta m R. e -"command and practice cf the holy Roman, and Univerfal Inquiiition, yap aPit rS c the power of granting fjch Licenfes, to read or keep Bibles in the nullam per" 'vulgar Language, or any parts of the holy Ser/pture, as well of the hanclmpreffi-c New as cf the Old Te(tament,or any fums or Hiitorical Abridgments °. ncm & Ed i-" of the fame, in any vulgar Language, hath been taken from them > novo'tribu" " which inviolably is to be obferved. facultatem E-

pifcopis, vel InquiMtoribus, aut Regularium Superioribus, concedendi Licentiam emeHdi,legendi,aut retinendi fiiblia vulgari Lingua edita, cum hactenus mandato & ufu fanct* Romans & univerfalis Tnquifiti-onis fublata eis fuerit facultas concedendi hujufmodi Licentias legendi, vel retinendi Eiblia virl-garia, aut alias Sacra? Scripture tam novi, quam veteris Teflamenti partes quavis vulgari Lingua editas: ac infuper fummaria & compendia etiam Hiftorica eorundum Bibliorum, feu Librorum Sacra; Scripture, quocunque vulgari Idiomate conferipta : quod quideai inviolate fervandum eft,. Ind, Ub.fTobib, Ob^trvxt. circa. Ktg. 4..

■ Cm) Cardinal Betiarntine to the fame purp.ofe teacheth, <c That the 0") Populus ' People would get not only no good but much hurt from the Scrip- nonfolumnon-. " cures i for they would ealily take occauon of erring, both in Doft- ^^^1 ' rines of Faith, and in Precepts concerning Life and Manners. tuns, fed eti-

am caperet detrimentum : Acciperet enim faeillime occafionem errandi, turn in Doftrina fidei, turn :a m»-ceptis.vitae & morum. EdUv. de Vitb. D:i. Ub.i. ca},\%

VtreftM f quoted by Dr. While) faith, " Shaft no bounds be fef to po» pul3r, rude, and carnal men > Shall old men, before they have put off the rjJth or their mind, and young men that yet fpeak like children, be admitted-to read the Scripture ? I fuppofe verily''and my opinion tails me not) this Ordinance under the pretence of Piety, wasin-ven-' ted by the Devi!.

The Kbemijh Tranflators fti their Preface write in thefe words.. " Which Tranflatkmwe do nor publifh upon Erroneous opinion of ne--ceffity, that the holy Scriptures fhould always be in our Mother--''tongue, or that they ought,- orwere ordained of God to be read in-' differently of all.-:— —Or that we generally and- -abfolutely deemed if 'more convenient in it felf, and more agreeable to Gods Word and "Honour, oiediricuion of the Faith to have them turned into vulgar.

" Tongues

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CI

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iSo Voptry a Novelty* Serm. VII.

" Tonguts, than to be kept and ftudicd only in the Ecclefiaftical learned tc Languages.——-The wife will not regard what fome wilful People do "mutter, That the Scriptures are made for all men \ and that it is of " envy that the Priefts do keep the holy Book from them: Which fug-geftion cometh of the fame Serpent that feduced our firft Parents, who perfwaded them that God had forbidden them that tree of Knowledg, left they (hould be as cunning as himfelf, and like unto the Higheit; " No, no, the Church doth it to keep them from blind ignorant pre-cc fumption, and from that which the Apoftle calls, Knowledg, falfly (b cc called, and not to bar them from the true Knowledg of Chrift.——— * c She knoweth how to do it without cafting the holy "to Dogs, or " pearls to Hogs.

Bravely faid ! O the excellent art of the Mother-Church, that by keeping of her Sons and Daughters ignorant of the Word or God (the means of Knowledg) keeps them from blindnefsand ignorance ! Who ever thought that to keep People in ignorance had been the way to keep them from it > What pretty conceit is this that they bar the People from knowing the Scripture, and yet do not bar them from the Knowledg of Chrift > When Chrift bids us Search the Scriptures, for they are they that teftifie of him,

III. Of Religious Worjbip in a fytown 'tongue,

I. The Dodtrine of the Scripture concerning this Point. I Cor. 14.2. He that fpeafytb in an unknown tongue Jpeafytb not to men^ but to God, for no man underftandetb him > howbeit in the fpirit be

fpeakgth myfjieries. Read ver. 3,4,5,6,7,8, 9. So likfwife ye exceptye

utter by t)ye tongue words eafie to be underftood, bow Jhall it be kgown what is fpoken ? for ye (ball fpea\unto the air. v. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voice, I (ball be to him that fpeakgth a Barbarian, and he that fpeakgth (ball be a Barbarian unto me. 14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my fpirit prayeth, but my undemanding is unfruitful. 16. Elfe when thou {halt blefs with the fpirit,how JhaU he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, fay Amen, at thy giving of thanks, feeing he underftandetb not what thou fay-eft, 18. 1tban\my God 1 fpeakwith tongues more than you all, 19. Tet tn the Church I had rather fpeaf^five words with my underftanding, that by my voice I might teach others aljo, than ten thoufand words in an unknown tongue. Read alfovm 22,25,24, 25,26,27,28.

II. The Do&rine of the Reformed Churches concerning Religious

I Wor(hip in a known Tongue.

{VJAng.Artic. (n) "It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the

24. " cuftom of the Primitive Church,to have publick Prayer in the Church,

" or to minifter Sacraments in a Tongue not underftood by, the

"People.

(0) Becaufe

Co) " Becaufe the Original Tongues are not known to all the Peo- (o) Affemb. ct pie, who have right unto, and intereft in the Scriptures, and are com- c °nfcf. " manded in the fear of God to read and fcarch them, therefore they are cc to be Tranflated into the vulgar Language of every Nation unto " which they comt, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, " they might Worfhip him in an acceptable manner.--

(p) <l Let all things in the Church be done decently and in order, fl- (p)Omnia do

"nally let all things be done to edifications therefore let all ftrange center & or-

* Tongues keep tilence in the holv AlTemblies •, let all things be utter- g^fa 0 \".

" ed in the vulgar Tongue, which is underftood of all men in the com- n j a demq^ fi-

" pany. ant ad a?diii-

cationem, ta-ceant ergo omnes peregrine linguae in caetibus facris: omnia proponantur lingua vulgari, qua co in loco ab hominibusin caetu intelligatur. Confef.Hdvet. can. 22.

(q) "Contrary to the exprefs command of the Holy Ghoft, in the (<l) Contra " Church all things are faid and fung in a language which the People do ^s^nft^ 1 * " not underftand. prxcepTumaa

ea omnia di-cuntur & canuntur lingua, quam populus non intelligit. Confef. Argentinmf. cap. 21.

(r) cc What hath been already faid concerning the ufe of a Language (r) Quod jam " known to the common People, is to be underftood not only in finging dictum eft de " of Pfalms, but alfo of all the parts of the Ecclefiaftica! Miniftry ; ^ J; 1 ^ " for as Sermons and Prayers ought to be in a Tongue known unto the i nt elligendum u Church, fo alfo mould the Sacraments be difpenfed in a known Lan- eft non tan-lt guage 5 for though it be lawful for the fake of the Learned fometimes turn de canm u to ufe a ftrange Tongue, yet the confent of the Univerfal Church re~ Pf^lmorum, 4C quires [proves this] that the neceflary feivkes of the Church fhould omnibus par-" be done in the Mother-tongue. tibus Ecclefi-

aftici Minifte-rii. Sicut enim coneiones & precationes lingua Ecclefia? nota habendar funt, ita & Sacramenta. noto Sermone difpenfaoda funt. Etfi enim licebit aliquoties peregrina lingua propter hud'ofos uti, tamen confenfus Catholicae Ecclefiae hoc exigit, ut necefiaria Minifteria Eccielias ftant Sermone vernaculo. Coif if. nitttmb. de horis Canon.

(f) "Our [Minifters] ufe all diligent endeavours that they may ^Noftri om-

tcach in the Church and preach the Word of the Gofpel, without nem operam

" mixture of Humane Traditions h do read the very Gofpds and other nav * nt ' " c

' Scriptures in the Churches in the vulgar Tongue, and after do inter- gelii"\#mer^

" pret them" to, the People. miv.um Hu-

' ■ " x t manis Tradi-

tionibus, in Eccleiia clocenat ac pra?dicent,proinde ipfa Evangelia,nec non alias Scripturas, Lingua ▼ulgari in Templis legunt ', ac ita demum populo interpretantur. Covfef.bobimic. Artie.io.^

III. The Dodtrine of the Papifts concerning publick Religious Wor-(hip in a known Tongue.

B b " Although

•J

(e; Etfi MiiTa a) tc Although the Mafs containeth much infhudtion of the People,

dnfatTopulT " yet the Falhers thought it not .expedient that it (hould be every-

fidehs erudi- " where celebrated in the vulgar Tongue.

tionem : non

tamen expedire vifum eft Patribus, ut vulgari paflim lingua celebraretur. ConciU Trident. Sef. 22.

(«) Expert ( u ) « Experience teaching us wc have learned, what hath been the

ft n "d'diamus " ^ tult °^ t ^* s ' tnat ^* vmc Service in many places Tranflated into the

quid frudus. "Mother-tongues is faid, 11. is fo far that Piety (hould be encreafed,that

ea res attule- ;c it is much diminifhed thereby.

rit, quod in

plerifque locis officia Divina, in linguam vernaculam ad verbum tranflata decantcntur. Tantum

abeft, ut acceflerit ad Pietatem aliquid plus, ut etiam diminutum eiTe videatur. HQfua de Sacra

virnacule Ugtndo*

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CS

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The Rhemffls Divines on 1 Cor. 14. thus : c; We do not doubt but it is acceptable to God, and available in all neceffities, and more a-greeable to the ufe of all Chriitian People ever flnce their Converlloa to pray in Latin 0 than in the Vulgar, though every one in particular " underllandeth not what he faith : So it is plain that fuch pray with as great confolation of fpirit, with as little tedioafhefs, with as great devotion and arTedtion, and fometimes more than the other, (fuch of their own Church that learn their Pater-Nofter in their vulgar Tongue) " and always more than any Schifmatick or Heretick [Protefiants] in

"his own Language. —There is a Reverence and Majefty in the

" Churches Tongue dedicated in our Saviours Crofs, and giveth more "force and valour to them [Prayers] faid in the Churches obedience, than to others.——The fpecial ufe of them [Prayers J is to offer our *' hearts, defires and wants to God, and to fhew that we hang on him " in all things, and this every Catholick doth for his condition, whether he understand the words of his Prayer or not.——It is enough that they can tell, this holy Orifon to be appointed to us,to call upon God in all our defires, more than this is not neceiTary 5 and the Tranflati-on of fuch holy things often breedeth manifold danger and irreverence in the Vulgar (as to think God is the Author of Sin, when they " read Lead us not into temptation} and- feldom any edification at all.. To ^ conclude, forpraying either publickly or privately in Latin, which is "the common Sacred Tor>gue of the greateft part of the Chriitian c< World, this is thought by the wifeft and godlielt to be moft expedient, and is certainly feen to be nothing repugnant to St. Paul,

Reader, View over again 1 Cor. 14. and wonder at this Popifh in— folcnce, to fay, This is nothing repugnant to St. Pd<4*-

IV. Of the Authority of the fcripture.

I. Th- Doctrine of the Apofiles concerning the Authority of the

Scripture

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Scripture, that it doth not depend upon the Tcftimony of Men.

2 Pet. 1. 10. IVe have alfo a more fure word of Propbefie, whereunio

ye do well that ye tak^e heed, as unto a light thatfhinetb in a dar\ place* —-

21. Holy men of God fpaf^e as they were 'moved by the holy Gbofi. 2 Tim. 3.

1*5. All Scripture U given by infpiration from God. 1 Joh. 5. p. If we

receive the witnefs of men, the witnefs of God is greater, 1 The(. 2.13. Te

received the word of God which ye heard of us, not as the word of men,

hut as (it is in truth) the word of God t

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants, or Reformed Churches concerning the Authority of the Scripture.

(»O cc The Authority of holy Scripture, for which it ought to be (y) Affcmb. " believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the Teftimony ot any Man ConfeiT. " or Church, but wholly upon God (who is truth it felf) the Author cc thereof '•> and therefore it is to be received becaufe it is the Word of "God.

(x) " We believe without wavering all things which are contained (Y) omnia cc in the Scriptures, not fo much becaufe the Church alloweth and re- qu* Canoni-t; ceivcth them for Canonical, as for that the Holy Ghoil beareth wit-*j* **£|f ™*[ " nefs to our Confciences that they come from God, and have proof omn ] "aibica-a thereof in themfclves. tione credi-

mus •, idque non tam, quod Ecclefia eos pro hujufmodi recipiat & approbet, quam imprimis quod Spiritus fanftus in cordibus noftris teftetur a Deo perfecios e{Te,comprobationemq, ejus in feipfis habeant. Ce>jcjJ. Btlg. Artie* 5.

(y) * We believe and confefs that the Canonical Scriptures of the (j) Crcdimus

" Prophets and Apoftles, of Old and New Teftament, be the true & confitcniur

u Word of God, and have Sufficient Authority ftom themfelves, and Scr] P turas Ca-

"-not from men i for God himfelf fpake unto the Fathers, Prophets 0 mrn Prophc-

cc and Apoitles, and doth yet fpeak unto us by the holy Scriptures. tarum & A-

pofiolorum utriufq; Teftamenti ipfum ?erum effe Verbum Dei : & authoritatem furficienrem ex femetipfs, non ex hominibus habere. Nam Deus ipfe loquutus eft Patribus, Prophetis & Apoftolis, & loquitur adhuc nobis per Scripturas fan&as. Conftf. Helvet. cap.i.

(z Weacknowledg thefe Books to be Canonical, that is, we re- CO Hoslibros : ceive them as the Rule of our Faith, and that not only frcm the com- a £;^cimus

cc mon cwfent of the Chuich, but much rather from the TeiVimony and l!f :S an T"

cc • -j ' r* r r 1 i_ 1 o • • cos, ]d elt,ut

inward periwalion ot the holy Spirit. fldcinoitrse

„ , , , ., . normam &

Regulam habemus *, idq; non tantum ex communi Eccleila? confenfu, fed etiam muito magis ex Teftimonio, & intrinfeca Spiritus fancti perfuafione. Cotfzjj'. Gallic. Art. 4.

" As w; do believe and confefs that the Word of God doth (uf-" ficienrjy inftrudJ, and make the man of God peifecl. So we do affirm "and freely profeft, that its Authority is from God, and doth not de-

B b 2 pend

fa) Sicut ere- " P en ^ u P on Men 0r Angels. We therefore afFerr, that they which fay, diiriws & con- tt The Scripture hath no other Authority, but what it receiveth from fitemur Scrip-cc the Church > are Blafphemers againlt God, and wrong the true turas Dei fuf- « church, which always heareth and obeyeth the voice of her Bride-ftruo^&ho- "g r00m ancJ Paftor, but never challengeth to her felfa power to be minem'Dei " tne Miftrefs over it. (a) perfeftum

reddere ita ; ejus authoriutem a Deo efle, & nee ab homine vel Angelo pendere affirmamus & profkemur. Aflerimns itaq; quod qui dicunt Scripturam non aliam habere authoritatem, fed cam quam ab Ecclefia accepit, funt in Deum blafphemi, & vera? Ecclefi* injuriam faciunt, qu« Temper audit, & voci fponf* & Paftoris fui obfequitur, nunquam autem magiftram agere fibi arrogat. Confeff. Scotican. Art.i$.

(h) Quod a (fr) « Forafmuch as the holy Scriptures were given and infpired by SaCTaScripT " God himrdf > [ for this caufe Specially] that they might be underftood

turs tradita: "°f a ^ tne Y are reac * m our Churches in the vulgar Tongue.

& infpirsta?,

Hancq-, ob caufam pqtiflimum, ut ab omnibus inteHigantur, eas Ecclefiis noftns, lingua vulgar!,

«. [noitri omnesj Legunt & recitant.... -Confejf. Bohemlc, Art.i.

III. The Do&rine of the Papifts concerning the Authority of the Scripture.

(c) Creditum (c) Cardinal Bofius Frefident in the Council of Irent^ faith, "To eftEcclefia? " a sk, Whether more credit fhould be given to the Scripture or the

'Scrip^urarum- " Cnurc h * ls t0 as ^ Whether more credit (hould be given to the Holy pratfdio..— cc Ghoft, fpeaking by the mouth of the Church, or to the Holy Ghoft Teftimonio " fpeaking in the Scripture by the Writings of the Prophets and Apo-Ecclefiaj fi cc ftles The C k urc h [ s t0 t> e believed without the Authority of the

ct°u n r autorT " Scriptures. If Authority be not granted to the Teftimony of the

tas, nulla erit " Church, the Writings of the Evangelifts would be of no Authority,

eorum, quae

Scripta funt ab Evangeliftis autoritas. Hofius Confejf. Fid, Cath. cap. 15.

Hermanns fpeaks moft contemptuouily of the holy Scriptures infpired by the glorious God > faying, " When the Authority of the Church C1 leaveth the Scriptures, they then are of no more account then JEfops "Fables.

(d) Figh.de (d) Pighius treads in the Heps of the reft, concluding, "That all the away. ub.i. "Authority which the Scripture hath with us, dependeth ofneceffity £ f p : 2 MIh r " on the Church.

il] ilr Am W And fo doth Canus alTerting, "That we are not bound to take lib.z.cap.2. " the Scriptures for Scripture without the Authority of the Church. cc And fo do many more, whofe fayings we have not room to infert.

V. Of

V. Of the Judg of Controverfes and expounding Scriptures.

I. The Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles concerning the Judg of Controveriks and expounding Scriptures.

Mat. 22 . 29. J ejus anfwered andfaid unto them ("in the Controvcrfie about the RefurrectionJ ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 31. But its touching the Refurreciion of the Dead, have ye not READ that which was fpokfn unto you by God, faying, 32. 1 am the God of Abraham, &e. Act. 18.28. For he mightily convinced the Jews t and that publicity, Jhewing by the Scriptures that Jeftts was the Chrift. Act. 17.2. And Paul as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days rea fined with them out of the Scriptures. 3. Opening and alledging that the Chrift muft needs have fujfered^ andrifin again from the dead, and that this Jefus whom I preach unto you is the Chrift. See A&s 26.22.&

13.33-

The Apoftle teacheth that the Scripture muft not be expounded according to any private"interpretation, 1 Pet.1.20. and fuch is any Ex-poiltion that is not according to the Analogy of Faith, which muft be carefully heeded in Scripture-interpretation, according to the Apoftles Doctrine. Rom. 12. 6.

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants and Reformed Churches concerning the Judg of Controverfies and expounding Scripture.

(f) " The Supream Judg by which all Controverfies of Religion (f) Ajfanb; cc are to be determined,and all Decrees of Councils, opinions of ancient Contei1,

a Writers, Doctrines of Men and private Spirits are to be examined, 1C and in whofe fentence we are to reft, can be no other but the holy " fpirit (peaking in the Scripture.

(g) " We hold no other Judg in matters of Faith than God himfelf, ~ - ^ u declaring by the holy Scriptures what is true, and what is falfe, what Velvet, cap.2. " ought to be embraced, and what to be avoided. ty) Atfemb.

(h) " The Infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scrip- ConfeiT. cc ture it felf, and therefore when there is a Queftion about the true and (0 ConfefC "full fenfe of any Scripture, it muft befearched and known by other jg^d^notis^ " places of Scripture that fpeak more clearly. Ecclcfe

(i) " We acknowledg that Interpretation of Scripture only to be (O ConfefT. " orthodox and genuine, which is fetcht from the Scriptures them- Helvet. cap.2. " felves. So other Churches in their Confeifions. (h,) t^ber^de

facra Scripm-III. The Doctrine of the Papifts concerning the Judg of Controver- tura, & de. fies and expounding Scripture. Ecclefia.

(0 The Council of Trent decreed, " That none fhould interpret the ^^l£*

ras contra eum fenfum, quern tenuit, & tenet fanfta mater Ecclefia, cujus eft judicare de rerc fenfa & interpretatione Scripturarum faaftarmn ■ interpretari audeat. ConciLTrid. Sefa,

"holy

"holy Scripture contrary to the meaning which the holy Mother-" Church, (to whom it doth belong to judg of the true fence and inter-

cc pretation of Scripture ) hath held and doth hold.

Qm) Corpus (m) " For as much as the holy Church of Rome is fet up to the

jur. Can. Dift. " whole world for a glafs or example, whatfoever (he determineth, or if. c. enim- "ordaineth, ought by all perpetually and invincibly to be obferved. vero ' So their Canon Law.

Others of them to the fame purpofe: " All power to interpret Scripture, and reveal the hidden Myfteries of our Religion, is given from Heaven to the Popes and their Councils. We are bound to ftand to the judgment of the Pope, rather than to the judgment of all the

cc

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cc World befides.

" We do conitantly avouch all the Popes that are rightly elected to

cc cc cc cc

be Chrifts Vicars,—*and to have the higheft power in the Catholick Church, and that we are bound to obey him in all things pertaining

to Faith and Religion : All Catholick men muft neceffarily fubmit

their judgment and opinions, either in expounding the Scripture, or H other wife to the cenfure of the Apoftolick Seat •, and God hath bound "his Church to hear the chief Pallor in all Points, £Thus Andradm^ Alvarus FeUgius, Simancba. Whites way to the Church, ^.37.]

Bellarmine flicks fo clofe to the judgment of the Pope, that he had

as good fay, That if the Pope fay that black is white, or white black,

that darknefs is light, or that light is darknefs, we muft believe it, be-

caufehis Infallible Holinefs faith it, as fay what he doth in thefe words.

(n) To prove ( n ) cc If the Pope did err commanding Vices and forbidding Virtues,

the pope can- cc ^ (^[ lurc j 1 fa ou \& be bound to believe, that Vices are good, and

noe err, he u- cc Tr . ., . r n 1 j r • a r -~

fechthis/te- Virtues evl S unlets (he would iin againlt conicience.

ment. Si au- Is not this a notable faying, fpoken like a Cardinal ?

tern Papa er-

raret prxcipiendo vitio, prohibendo virtutes, tetieretur Ecelefia credere vitia eFe bona, & vir-

tutes malas, nifi vellet contra confeientiam peccare -ac ne forte contra conTcientiam agat, te-

netur credere bonum elTe quod ille praxipit, malum quod ille prohibet. Bell, de Vont. lib.^. ap.$.

% . , " r *j^ theKuleor ratth, as the raith ot the Church is the Kuie or bcripti (pi Gregor.de - -.-. . rrr , . , . r • r 1 r» • 1

va^ent.Analyf. (p ' Ana Gregory ot Valence puts in his laying tor the ropes judgment.

fidei,lib,8 c.i. " In the Roman Bilhop refideth that full Authority of the Church, when

(a) Corpus u he pleafeth to determine matters of Faith 3 whether he doth it with a

ftinl C]a o Dl " r Coundl > or without.

Si Pao^° Yea, the Canon-Law fets him lip for fuch an uncontroulable Judg,

" That if the Pope by his negligence or remifsnefsin his work, (q) be

c found unprofitable to himfdfor others;or if he fhould draw with him

tc innumerable Souls by heaps or troops to hell, yet might no mortal

; man be fo bold or prefumptuous to reprove him, becaufe he is the

cc judg of all, (,0 be judged by none.

VI. Of

1

Yl. Of the Head of the Vniverftl Church

I. The Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles concerning (he Head of the Univerfal Church.

Mat.23.8. But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Mafter even Chrifh^ anda } Jye are brethren. Ephef. 1.22. And hath put all things nndtr his feet, and gave him to be the Hi ad over all things tj the Church. 23. Which is his body, thefulmfs of him thatfilieth all in all. Ephef. 5.23. Cbrijt is the head of the Church, and he is the Savimr of the body. Col. f. I 8» Andhe f Chrift - is the head tf the body, the Church, 1 Cor. 12.28. And God hath fet fome in the Church, firji Apoftles, ficondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, &c. Epheii 4* II. And he gave fome Apojiks^and fome Paftors and leachcrs*

. Reader, obferve in thefe places where the Apoftie gives an Enumeration of Church-Officers, here is no mention of a Vicar of Chrift, or of any mortal mm being the Head under Chrift, of all the Churches of Chrift in the World, and is it likely that he would have omitted the chtefeft and moft principal Officer, that is elTential to the Church, if there had been any fuch } I can rind feveral Officers mentioned, but no Univerfal (though fecondaryj Head, if I have over-looked him, and thou rindeftany fuch, dome the kindnefs to come, or fend, and tell me that thou haft found him in the Apoftles Catalogue » which I could not fee mentioned neither exprejly, nor redullively.s not exprefly, that is*-plains not redudHvely, for to which of thefe (hould he be reduced ? to the Prophets? let me hear his Prophelies, and when any of them have been fulfilled : Befides, I know not that he pretends thereto. To be an Apoftie } Apoftles went up and down to preach the Gofpel, and were, not fixed to any particular State, which is-not the cafe of the Bifhop of Rome. To the number of Teachers, and Paftors > this is below the. Pope to be ranked amongft fuch, for he is the Paftor of Paftors. Befides in the Catalogue there are many Paftors, but I fee not one to be the chief and head of all the reft, and of the whole Univerfal Church. So. that in the Catalogue of the Apoftie there is no fuch thing, but is a.. non-ens, a meer Chimera, a fiction.

IT. The Doctrine of the Protefhnts, or Reformed Churches concerning the Head of the Univerfal Church.

h There is no other Head of the Church, but the Lord Jefus Chrift, '' nor can the Pope of Rome in any fenfe be Head thereof y all true Payors in what place foever they be placed, have the fame and equal' Authority among themfelves, given unto them under Jefus Chrift,the. only Head,, and the chief, and alone Univerfal Bilhop : And there- -c fore it is not lawful for any Church to challenge unto it felf, Domi—

i; nicn .

it

" nion or Soveraignty over any other Church.-—-The Bifhop of Rome "hath no more Jurifdiction over the Church of God, than the reft of ' K the Patriarchs, either of Alexandria or Antiocb have. (0 Confeff. T° this Dodrrine (r) fubfcribe the Churches of Helvetia, Scotland^ Helvet.cap.17. 2kfe'*5 Wittemberr, Bohemia^ &c. Confeff. Scoti-

cana Art. 16. de Ecclella. ConfefT. Belgic. Art. 29. Confeff. Wittemb. de fummo Pontifice. ConfefC Bohemic. Art. 8.

III. The Doctrine of the Papifts concerning the Head of the Church. O) Corpus, ( s ) " The Canon Law makes the Church of Rome higher than all o-

icret v*nl C ' 2 thers b y the Head *' a ^ming the Church of Rome to be the Head and Qs7. cap. ' " Prince of all Nations •, the mother of Faith *, that it had this Headmip Eeati.diftinct. <c not from the Apoftles but from the Lord himfelf, and hath the emi-22.C. Romana " nency of power over the ilniverfal Church, and the whole flock of

r^m fl p?hnt " Chriftian P eo P Ie > thc Hin S e and Head of a11 Churches, as the door turn habet. & "' dotn turn upon, the Hinge?, fo all Churches by Gods appointment glof. diftinct. (but where I wonder) "are governed by the Authority of this holy 22. c. Non. & <; Seat '<, the firft of all other Seats, without fpot or blemifh,or any fuch

6nafDiftin c C c thing * ^ Thats a Ioud one -l The Miftrefsof all other Churches, a 2i.c.quamus! " B^k and fpe&acle unto all men, to be followed in all things (he ap-i)id. c.Deniqi <c pointeth. '" Againft which Church of Rome whofoever fpeaketh any diftinct. 1 p. c. ,c evil, or endeavours to take away her Privilcdg is forthwith an Here-

enimvero. « t j c k. an d w hofo (hall refufe obedience to the Apoftolick Seat, is an

Diltin. 22. c. cc 11 •_„ ■ „ y . fir,

omncs.Diicin. Idolater > a Witch, and Pagan.

81. p. Greg.7. Reader, thefe are high and fwelling words, but the beft on it, js, it

c. fi qui. is falfe Dodrrine.

(O.Catechif. (t) The Roman Catecbifm propounds the Queftion, IVhatrve are to

EKpo^Svmb f bink,°f the BiJhop of Rome ? and anfwereth, the account and unanimom

Apoft. opinion of all the Fathers, (Oh horrible falfhood !) concerning him n?af 9

that this vifible Head was necejfary to the conftituting and freferving of the

Vnity of the Church.

Reader, thou mould know that this is a great caufe of divifion, not

of union > for many Churches have feparated from them, and continue

without communion with them for this, as well as for other Rea-

fons.

^ BeUarmine lays down this AfTertion j (u) The ?ope is immediately ap-

d e Condi?' P oint ^ b Cbrift, (but I wonder where) the Paftor and Head, not only of autorit. lib. 2: a ^ funicular Churches, but alfo of the whole Vniverfal Church tafyn toge-taf.i$i ther. But this is their fo well known DoCfoine by all, that I need quote

no more that do atfert it.

VII. Of Infallibility.

1. The Do&rine of the Apoftles concerning the Fallibility of Churches and Paftors. 1 Cor.

Scrm.Vir. Popery a Novelty. \ By

I Cor. 13. 12. For nm> we fee through a gbfi darkjy. Now Ihjiow

hut in part. Gal. 2. 11. But when I came to Antioch I withjlwd him (Peter the Popes pretended PrcdecefTbr) becaufe he was to be blamed, ' v and yet his Succcffor mult not be blamed) though through his negligence he (hould draw many to Hell, as before is (hewn.) Vcr. 12. For before that certain came from James, he f Peter J did eat with the Gentiles \ but when they were comejhe with-drew, andfeparjtfd bimfelf fearing them which were of the Circumcifidn. 14. But when I faw that they walked not tfprhhtfy according to the truth of the Gnfpel, I fid unto Peter before them all &c. Reader, from hence thou ifealft learn that the Succeflbr fo called, claimeth a greater Priviledg than his fuppofed predeceiTor had, for Vettr did err,but the Pope ("torfoothj cannot i yet Papifts call this Text a roue;h'Scripture, for it fo puzleth them that they know not how to anfwer it, Rom.i 1.18, ip, 20, 2 1. turn to it, ver, 22. Behold therefore the (Toidneft andfeverity of God \ on them fthe Church of the Jews) which / tfeveritf ; but towards thee (the Gentile 2nd Church of Rome amonglt them 5 goodnejsjftbou continue in his goodnefs. (as (he- \\ii\\r\ot)\otherwije thou jh alt be cut off. ( Where then is her Infallibility) > Revel'* 18.2. Babylon the (rreat is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of Devils, (and yet cannot err, no more may Devils), and the hold of every foul fpi-rit, fand yet boafts fhe is without fpot) and a cage of every unclean and hurtful birds (and yet is the holy Mother-Church, all this is hard to be reconciled.) Read alfo the fecond and third Chapters of the Revelation, what is faid of the Seven Churches *, and then look for good proof that Infallibility is fetled by Chrift upon the Church of Rome, above all other Churches,before thou believeft any fuch Priviledg to be granted

t0 IU O) Church

of Engl. Arr.

II. The Doctrine of the Protectants and Reformed Churches con- 19. cerning the Fallibility of Churches. W *f&3\

(w) * As the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have v«. 3" Erefe-" erred ', fo alfo the Church of Rome hath erred s not only in their living fa.Confef. Sa-

" and manner of Ceremonies,butalfo in matters of Faith. (x) When xon.de Ecclef.

IC General Councils are gathered together ( forafmuch as they be an Af- Confef. wit-fcC fcmbly of men,whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word £ mb ^' de

c of God) they may err, and fometime have erred> even in things per- ^ catechif.

c tainingunto God. Hereunto agree many other Churches in their Trident, in

Confeifions. (y) Expof. Symb.

Apoft. de Ec-

III. The Dodhine of the Papifts concerning Infallibility of the Teft.f&em'ift. Church. Annot. on

r z) " They teach that the vifible Church whofe Re&or is the Pope 1 Tim.i.i$.& c of Rome, never hath erred, never can err. f^v \V j 24 *

(a) Bellarmine affirmeth, " 1. That the Pope when he teacheth the Jkm,.Ponti£ whole Church can in no cafe err in things appertaining to Faith, iib.4. cap.a"

Cc a Z>Not

CO Ibid.lib.4. c (h) 2. Not only the Pope of Rome, but the particular Church of

^'J'i v\ R ( »ne cannot err in Faith. " (c) 2. The Pope of Rom: cannot err,

^L § not only in Decrees of Faith, but alio not in Precepts of Manners,

C/yibid.Iib.4. -' which are prefcribtrd to the whole Church, and are neceiTaiy to Salva-

dap.<5. ' tion, or in thofe things which in themfelves are good or evil.

u (d) 4. It is probably and pioully to be believed, that the Pope, not

only as Pope, cannot err, but as a particular per Ton cannot be an He-

* retiek. (This is a foul miitake, for feveral Pope? have been Heretkks

; in the judgments of fome of their Popes, Co that fome of them mull

(c) Idem, de " needs err, either Tome of them in being Hereticks, or others of them

Ecclcf.milit. a i n faying they were, if they were not J " By pertinacioully believing

hb.3. cap.14. « an y tfi j fl g t j iaf | s f a if ejCOntrar y t0 tne faith. 5. Saith he, (e) "Our

c opinion is, That the Church cannot abfolutely err, neither in things "abfolutely necefTary, nor in other things, which (he propoundeth to " be believed or done by us, whether they be expreily contained in the

(f) Idem, de " Scriptures, or not. 6. (f) In thefe two things, all the Catholicks

lib.4. cap.2. " ^° a g ree 5 fa That the Pope with his General Council cannot err in cc making Decrees of Faith, or general Precepts of Manners. 2. That '■} the Pope alone, or with his particular Council determining any thing c in a doubtful matter, whether he may err or not, ought to be obeyed. " by all the faithful. [A goodly Agreement \~\ (Y) Catholici (g) Becanitf gives the opinion of the Papi/ts, faying, 1.." That the tria docent, c Church is the Judg of Con trover lies.. 2. That the Rule by which &c. Becan. " tne church doth determine Controverfies, or give its definitive fen-farTs '* tence ' is not the Scripture only, but the Scripture and Tradixion to-

"gether. 3. That the Church according to the Rule (of Scripture and Tradition) pronounceth fentence either by the Pope, the Paftor of the. Church, or by a Council approved by the Pope, and both ways infallibly.

(h) Pigh. lib. (b) Figbiw alfo puts in his Judgment," That the Pope cannot any way. 4. Hier. Eccl. " bean Heretick, nor publickly teach Herefie, though he alone deter-cap. 8; " m i ae any matter.

But Reader, not with Aanding all this confidence of Infallibility, whether of Pop:, or Councils, or both, they are proved to have erred from the Hiftorical Narratives of their own Writers* B&ronim acknow-(ijSpond&n. ledgeth that Pope Uonorlm (i) was counted an Heretick, joyning .with-Epitom.Baro. tne UmoibcUtcs^ or thofe that denied two Wills in Chriit > and by their ?|; Genebr. own G en *brard (kj ; and by the Rhemifts, though fome of them go one. Chron. lib. 3. way, mi fome another to falve the Infallibility, yet in vain, when he pag.484. was condemned by : (l) a General Council, and- anathematized, with fix

COConcil; more holding the fame Herefie, and this when the Legats of Pope 6°aaT:TTur. dgatho were pre fen t y whofe Epiftles to Sergius^ &c. were produced Tom.2.p.9p2. and read in the Council, and judged Heretical, deitru&ive to.Mens r . c . . Souls and condemned to be prefently burnt, and fo they were. GondLp.591' Their own Baronim alfo gives an account of the Barbarous actings 6io 7 612, ' of

of Pope Stephen (ni) the Seventh, fcalled the Sixth) towards the dead (*») Ita furore body ot Formofus his PrcdecefTor, tor taking it out of the Sepulchre, ^ 1 CH ^°™ ict it clothed in its Tontificalibus in the Pontiricial feat, and after he had re ij ccreC) f cc [ derided it, took oft' its Veflments, and cut off three fingers, and call quod cxzftu-it info the River Tiber; and all that Formofus had ordained, he degra- ans rabies ded and ordained them again. This Pope (faith the Author) gathering fuadcr St, u* a Synod approved his inhumane taCt, which was condemned again by E p tmm Baton. Pope John the Ninth, as he had made void the Decrees of Formofus. pat. 2.^.247. And thus they can Decree, and others refcind and decree the contrary, and ad: worfe than Heathens, and yet not err any of them, in Faith or Manners, which to any mans reafon feemeth very flrange.

(n Beiides, MarceUinus was an Idolater; (0) Liberius an Arrian \ (^ jpf e Mar-Siricmfialixtus^Leo the p,and VafcbalU condemned Minifters Marriage. cdlinusadSa-Jobn the XXII held, That the Souls of the Wicked (hould not be pu- ^jjj" ^ nimed tiil the day of Judgment. John the XXIII. denied the Souls Ira- cr $f C a rc '"| mortality. John the Eleventh kept for his Paramour a famous Strum- q UC d & fecit, pet called Marozia. John the Thirteenth at Dice called to the Devil Cqran^. Concil. ror help, and drank an Health to him s lay with his own Mother,and pi*l*-his Fathers Concubine \ ordained Deacons in a Stable •, for Money (°) Libenum made Boys Bithops-, committed Inceft with two of his Sifters j at laft exfui^nhare-being found in the ad of Adultery, was ilain by the Womans Hus- t i cam ' pravi-

band. tatem fub-

fcripfifte, afe-rit Hieronimusiteftantur id ipfum alii quoque antiqui Scriptores \ ac deniq; Ipfe Liberius Scriptis Uteris ad, &c. Spondxn. Epitom. Baron, in Ann. 357.

(p) Pope Sylvefter the fecond was a Conjurer =, He enquiring of the , . Sy r vc Q rm Devil how long he (hould live ? was anfwered, Till he jhould fay Mafs s/cundum^Ben^ in Jerufalem \ in the Lent after as he was faying Mafs in the Chappel of dictum 9. Gre-Saint-C™//, he fuddenly fell tick, and remembring that that Chappel gorium 6. Gn-was called Jerufalem, he perceived how he was cotuened by the Devil. gwiMi-Wu* Before he died, he bequeathed his Soul to the Devil, and commanded ^no cardikk-his Cardinals, That after his death theyjhmld cut his body in pieces and fo u s . Sjlvtjftr 2; bury him. (q) Pope Hildebrand was a Conjurer, and enquiring of the inter ipfamor-Hoft f which they fay is the Body of Chrift), for an anfwer againft the jj» Jgjf^JJ. Emperour, becaufe it would not fpeak, be threw it into the fire and burnt -^{f '£ ^ it. For many WickednelTes he was Depofed and Banifhed. Pope Lc<? gum fibi ab-the Tenth, pleafed with the great Summs of Money which he had got fcindifv quas by Indulgences, faid to Cardinal Bemba, See what abundance of wealth Sjtmftcattdt we have gotten by this Fable of Chrift. And when he lay upon his death- £S32Si^ bed, the fame Cardinal reheaifing a Text of Scripture to htm, he re- (q)HiUebr*m plied, Array with thefe Babies concerning Chrift. Pope Nicolas the firft d^ (qui Grc-

goriits 7.) Confecratam Eitcharifliam in igntm projecit, Confuhns V/emonts contra Umicivn 4. Imp. Beno Cardi* nafis, qui & plura de hoc& aliis Romanis ?onltf. miranda narrat y qua mllm hifloriwxm tup PLiti*<* % ntc qnijq*m alius prodidit. Vidt. Iliyric; Catal. pag.219, 22o > 221, 223, &c:

C c 2 for-

forbade Marriage to the Clergy , faying, It was more honeft to have to d<s

with many Women privately, than openly to take one Wife. John the XXIV.

wasaccufed before the Council of Conjhnce for Herefie, Simony, Murder^

Poyfonings, Adulteries, and Sodomy <, which being made good againft

(y) Laurent, him he was Depofed and Imprifoned/r) Pope Eugenius the Fourth was

5uri. Concil. Depofed by the General Council at Bafil, for being a Simoniji, and guilty

Tom. 4. pag. QJ'Yerjnry, being a Schifmaticl^, and an obfiinate Heretic}^ It would

f/Wide.Luit- ma ^ e a * ar S e B°°k t0 8* ve an ac c° urit of the failings of Popes in mat-prand.lib.s.c. ters both of Life and Faith i but I have but little room allowed. Take 13: & Earon. two general Exprdbons of their own Authors,and then judg. (s) What Annal. ad An. ffc €n n , as the face of the holy Roman Church ? How exceeding filthy, when

dan — -Ex* 1 " ^ Je mo ft Patent, and yet the mofi fordid Whores did rule at Rome ? -and

quibusvideas their Lovers thruft in Peter 5 / Chair ? ,(t) Another fixt enough to the fediiTimam Popiili Religion, acknowledged that in this one thing that age was un-hujus tempo- happy, that for near one hundred and fifty years about fifty Pcpes did wholly ris Lcclelia? - ^ atpa yf rom t y e virtue of their Ancefiers, being rather ApotaUical £irre-

em ac } ail gular] and Apoflatical than Apoftolicah

912. And as the Church (if thereby underflood the Pope) hath failed, fo

(t) Genebrar. alfo if taken for General Councils hath alio failed, as is plain by this in Seculum Infallible Argument, in that feveral General Councils ratified by Popes decimum. In- nave decreed things contradictory, and that in matters of Faithv and hoc feculum fome of them muft neceflarily err, except contradictions can be rccon-exhauftum ciled, and both parts be true, which is impoilible. For example, the hominibus in- General Council of Conftance and of Bajil have fully afTertcd that a Qe-genio & Do- rcra ] Council is above the Pope, and is to be judged by them, and by five^edam 5 ( bcm may be depofed i in thefe words, Nat one of the skilful did ever claris princi- doubt but that the Tope was fub)eft to the judgment of a General Council, in pibus & Pon- things that concern Faith \ and that he cannot without their confent dijfolve tiheibus, in or remove a General Council, yea and that this is an article of Faith, m which deniuri me0 ^ without defiruclion <f Salvation cannot be denied, and that the Council is moria pofte- above the Tope, de ride, and that it cannot be removed without their own ritatis geilum confent, and that he is an Heretic]^ that vs again}} thefe things. Thus the f iC ; . Ho £ ^° Council of Bafil,o\vnQd by Pope Eugenius. And the Council otConjlance inuhcui- ^ confirmed by Pope Martin the Fifth, being perfonally prefent Ecctefa effet m ltt And 3 ec another General Council at the (w) Lateran under Julu — f ne ullo us the fecond, and Leo the tenth, exprefly decree on the contrary that bono fere Ton-

tifice.— Hoc vero u 10 infelix, quod per annos fere 150, Pontifices circiter 50, a Johanne (cl-

.licet S, qui Nicolao, & Adriano 2, fanctis fucceiTit, ad Leonem 9, ufq, a virtute majorum pror-

iu'z defccerintjApotafiici, Apofraticive potius quam Apoftolici, e tanto Pontificum numero,quinq-,

modo,& fatis tenuittrjaitdantur- &c. Gembrard, Chronol. lib 4. fag. $$2,553. (u) Primo definitur

quod generalis Synodus in fpiritu fanclo legitime congregata, generale Concilium faciens, Eccle-

f?am militantem repr&fenrans, poteftatem a Chrifio immediate habet, cui quilibet cujufcunqne

flatus, etiamfi Papalis exifiat, obedire tenemr in his qua? pertinent ad f.dem & ad extirpatio-

^nem fchifmatum, & ad gcheralem reformationem Ecclefias in capite & in membris. Secundo,

V,tclarat qucd qulcuriq; cujufcunq; dignitatis,^ etiamfi Papalis exiilat, qui mandatis aut praxep-

tis hujus tenet as Syncni, & cujufcunq-, alterius Concilii generalis .*——Obedire contumaciter con-

tempfcrit, nifi refpucrit, condigna? pcenitentix fubjiciatur Sc'debite puniatur. Tertio, declarat

quod

quod ipfum generate Concilium pro pmniffis, eaque concernentibus Congregatum fine ipfius confenfu, per nullum, qiiavis automate, etiamfi Papali dignitatc prafulgent, diftolvi, transferri,

aut ad aliud tempus prorogari poteft. H*c tria funt veritatcs fidei Catholica?,—quibus

pertinaciter rtpugnans eft cenfendus ha?reticus.~ (w) Cum etiam folum Romanum Pontifcem, xyro tempore cxiftentcm, tanquam authoritatem fuper omnia concilia habcntem, conciliorum in-dicendorum, transferendorum, ac diffolvendorum plenum jus & poteftatem habere, ex — Conciliorum confeifione manifefte conftet. Laurent. SmxIus, Concih Tom. 4. pag.62%. There was but one in all the Council, but gave his placet hereunto, that would not recede from the determination of the Council of Bafil: ibid. fag. 684.

the Pope is above a General Council \ till thefe two can be true, both of them, the Pope is above a General Council, and the Pope is not a-bove a General Council, the Infallibility of their Church (arid that even in a fundamental Point thereofj is laid in the duft. Let them chufe which iide they will, one did err.

VIII. Of the Catholic}^ Church.

I. The Doclrine of the Apoftles concerning the Catholick or Univer-fal Church.

1 Cor. 1.2. Vnto the Church of God which U at Corinth, with atl

that in every place call upon the name of Jefus Chrijiour Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one fpirit, we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or freehand have been all made drinl^ into one fpirit. Rev. 7. p. After this 1 beheld, and lo a great multitude which no man could number, of all Nations and kin-dreds, and people, and tongues, flood before the Throne, and before the

Limb. -See alfo Epbef 1. 10, 22. Ail. 2.39. Ephef 2. Iy. &* 3. 15. -

Ad. 2. 47. Mat. 28. if?. Mar. 16.1 y All.2.21. Rom. 1.16. Gal.^^i. AB. 13. 35?. Rom. 10. 4. Lttkt 13. 28. Act. 10. 35.

Reader, obferve that thefe Scriptures fpeak of the Church, under Chrift the Head thereof, (making no mention of owning of, or being joyned to, any mortal man, as their viiible Headj in which Church, (not limited or confined to the Church of Rome) there is Salvation.

II. The Doclrine of the Proteftants concerning the Catholick or 11-niverfal Church.

" The Catholick or Univerfal Church which is invifible, confifts of "the whole number of the Eledfr that have been, are, or (hall be gathered into one, under Chrift the Head thereof, and is the Spoufe, the " Body, the fulnefs of him that fllleth all in all.

The villble Church which is alfo Catholick or Univerfal under the Gofpel, fnot confined to one Nation, as before under the Law) (*")Corjf.GaH; c conliits of all thofe throughout the World, that profefs the true Re- art. 27, 28: "Iigion, together with their Children, and is the Kingdom of the Conf. Helve*.'

cc

I

■ Igia, Wittmberg, &c.

III. The DocVme of the Papiits concerning the Catholick or Uni-verfal Church. (y) Catechif. (y) The Trent Catechifm maketh that the only Church that is under Rom.inSymb. ^ p 0 p Ci excluding all others that fubmic not to him as the Vicar of F^Conci?. 1, Chrifh the fame in a General Council made it necefTary to Salvation, Lateran.abro- (*0 to be fubjed: to the Pope of Rome •, by Lto the tenth : Pope fius gat.pray.Mat. the fecond approved this Doctrine \ [" I came (a) to the fountain of fan&. Bull' « Truth, which the holy Doctors,——with one voice fay, That he can-

tem^ertper-" not ^ ** ved that noldetn not tne Unitv °f the nol y Church of Rome s L li" and that all thofe virtues are maimed to him that refufeth to obey

veni.

Quern fancti " the Pope of Rome, though he lie in fackcloth and afties, and fad and

doftores, cc pray both day and night, and feem in other things to fulfil the Law

voxXfabari" of God -""~ We learncd that the °^ Catholick and Apoftolical Church non poffcjqui " ^°^ R° me ) ls tne Mother of all the Faithful, out of which there is no

fanft* Roma-"Salvation.

nx Ecclefiae

non tenet unitatem *, omnefq} illas virtutes mancas efleei, qui (iimmo Pontifici obedire recufae>

quamvis in facco & cinere jacens, dies & noftes jejunet, & oret, & in ceteris videatur legem im-

plere, didicimus unam Ecclefiam Catholicam & Apoftolicam ffubaud. Romanarn) cfle ma-

trem omnium fidelium, extra quam non invenitur falus.~—~ Plus 2. Bui. Retra&ationum apud LwzM, Surlitm, ConclU Tom. 4. pag.$o6.

V

But Reader, doit thou think that God will damn any holy, humble and believing perfons, becaufe they are not fubjecl to the Pope ? hath God any where made fuch fubjedrion to him a condition of Salvation ? let them (hew it if they can. Or are there no fuch perfons in the World that are holy and believing, that do not fubmit unto the Pope ? There are many thoufands that know themfelves better than his Infallible Ho-linefs can know them, that know that to be a falfhood.

Neither doth Bttfjrmine vary from them in his definition of the (b) Bellar.de church ; (b) " That it is a company of men knit together in the pro-

ub d cap.2 ' " fdfion gF the fame Chriftian Faith, and communion of the fame Sacraments, under the Government of lawful Payors, efpecially of the x< Bimop of Row^Chrifts Vicar upon Earth. From whence it might be "eafily gathered (Taith hej who do belong to the Church, and who " do not. There are three parts fas he goeth on) of this definition of "theChurch. 1. Profeflion of the true Faith. 2. Communion of " the Sacraments. 3. Subjection to the Pope of Rome the lawful Pa-" ftor. By the firft all Infidels, Turks, Pagans, Hereticks and Apoftates u are excluded from the Church. By the fecond, Catechumens and Ex-" communicated perfons be excluded. By the third, all Schifrnaticks " that have the Word and Sacraments, but do not fubmit to the law-"fulPaftor, fthePope); but all others though they be Reprobates, " wicked and ungodly are included in the Church.

Mark this, good Reader, whether this founds like the ApoftJes Do-&rine before laid down> if men be never fo good, and holy, though

con-

converted, and believe, if they do not fubmit to the Pope as the Uni-vcrfal Head, they are no Members of Chrifts Church,nor can be favech and if they be wicked and ungodly, if they own the Pope they are included in the Church. Oh what an odious Religion is that,which damns all the Chriftians in the world befides themfelves! O what wretched diflembling is this-, to call their Church the nioft holy Church without fpot or wrinkle or any fuch thing > when the word might be and are owned as Members thereof, if they profefs fubjection to the Pope ! but however by this the Head and Members are conformable, and let them go together.

I X. Of Juftification: L The Doctrine of the Apoftles concerning Juftification* Rom. 4. 5. Now to him tbatvootketh not, but beiieveth on him, that ju-(lifietb the ungodly, bis faith i* counted for right e oufnefis. 6. Even as David difcribetb the bleffednep of the man unto whom God imputeth righteoup nefs without works, 7. Saying, Blejfed are they whofe iniquities are forgiven, and whop fins are covered. 8„ Bit {fid is the man to whom the Lord* will net impute fin. 2 Cor. 5. ip. Not imputing their trefpaffes unto tbem. 2 1. For he hath made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin, that we might be made the tigbteoufiufs of God in him. Rom. 3.22. Even the rigbte-oufnep of God, which if by faith of Jefits Chrift, unto all, and upon all that-do believe. 2 4. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Chriji fefur. See vet. 25, 28. and Tit. 3. 5,7. Rom. 5.17, 18, jo. Gal.2 . 1 6. Phil. 3. 0. Ail. 13.38,32. Ephp.2. 8,p.

II. The Doctrine of theProteftants concerning Juftification. We are accounted righteous before God, only for the Merit of our

Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift by Faith, and not for our own works ftyconfeC 'anddefervings. Helvet. 1.4.1$,

" Thofe whom God effectually calleth, he alfo freely juftifierh i not J_?• ca P A 5> 1 by infufing rightcoufnefs into them, but by pardoning their fins, and 6 7 lemic,ca Pv L by accounting and accepting their per fens as righteous j not for any Gatart. 12.22; c thing wrought in them, or done by. them, but for Chrifts fake alone. Auguft. art. 4.* w Imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Chrift unto them, they *- * 6 r " receiving and reiting on Him, and his Rightcoufnefs by Faith, which ^ g; art * 22/ > 3 •'Faith they have, not of themfelves, it is the gift of God. wittenvberg:

To this Doctrine confent the (c) Reformed Churches in Helvetia, art. $. B-jbenti.t. France, Belgia, &c. Bafil arte*?

III. The Doctripe of the Papifts concerning Juftification., nracft fola ^ '

1 (d) Juftification is not only the forgivenefs of fin, but alfo the peccatorum.-'"

reraiflTjo,fea&: : San&ificatio. & renovatiainterioris hominis per vokmtariam fufceptionem gratia? & donorum,*>"-<;, unica formalis caufa ejus eft juftitia Dei. &c. qua videlicet, afreo donati, renovamur fpiritu men- -rs noftrs, &c. Si quis dixerit homine* juftiftcari vel fola imputatione juftitia? Chrifti, vel fola i peccatorum remiffione, exclufa gratia, Sc charitate, qua in cordibus eorum per-Spiritum fanctum dimindatur,atq; illis inhsreat, aut etiarn gratiara qua juftirtcamur> efietantumfavorem Dei, ana?. thema fit. Concil. Trident. Sejf.6. Sanfli-.

<c Salification and Renovation of the inward man by a voluntary Suf. "ception of graceand gifts, whereby a man of unjuft is made juSt, and " of an enemy is made a friend, that he might be an heir according to " the hope of eternal life.-—-The only formal caufe of Justification is "the Righteoufnefs of God,not wherewith he himfelf is righteous,but " whereby he makes us righteous > namely, by which, being given to "us by him, we are renewed in the fpirit of our mind, and not only " reputed, but are, and are truly called righteous, receiving Righteoufc "nefsinour felves, every one according to his meafure, which the " holy Spirit imparteth to each, as he will, according to every ones cc own difpofition, and co- working.--—If any one (hall fay that a man "is juftified by thefole Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of ChriSLor in cc the fole remiilion of Sin, excluding Grace and Charity, which is fhed "abroad in their hearts by the holy Spirit, and is inherent in him, or <c that the Grace whereby we are juitified is only the favour of God, lee "him beaccurfed;

Reader, by this Council thou maift fee, how the PapiSts do confound Justification, and San edification together, and place it in our inherent Righteoufnefs i though thefe are not Separated, that any Should be justified that are not fanclified, penitent, and believing, yet they ure carefully to be distinguished.

X. Of Merit of good Work/ 1

I. The Doctrine of Prophets, Chriil, and his ApoSrles.

Ifa. 64. 6* AH our righteoufneffei are as filthy rags. Job 22. 2: Can a man be profitable unto God? 3. If it any gain to him that thou mafyft thy way perfect? ]°^3 5'7* V t^ 014 be righteous what givefjt thou unto bim? or what receiveth he of thy band? Luk. 17. 10. We are unprofi* tablefervants^ we have done that which was our duty to do, Rom. 8.18. Fsr 1 reckon that the fujferings of this prefent time are mt worthy to be compared with the glory that Jball be revealed in us. Alfo Pfal. 130. 5. €^143.2. Rom.4.2,/\.^,6. 1 Cor. 4.7. Eph.2.9.

II. The Doctrine of the ProteStants.

(e) ConfefT. " ^ e cannot by our beSt Works merit pardon of Sin, or Eternal Life . wittemb. de " at tne nar, d of God, by reafon of the great disproportion that is be-bonis open- " tween them and the Glory to come,and the infinite distance that there hus. " i s between us and God,whom by them we can neither profit,nor fatis-

Bohem. art.7- « ^ e f or ( | ie ^ oi 0 f our f ormer c m5 but when we have done all we

g, can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable Servants \ and

AuguSt, art.4." becaufe as good they proceed from his Spirit,yet as they are wrought & 20. tc by u § 5 they are defiled and mixed with fo much weaknefs and imper-

Bd Vet 'rt C l6 ' " fe&* on > tnat f * iev ca " not endure the feverity of Gods judgment. To Arpentinenf. tn * s Do&rine the Reformed Churches do fubferibe, (e) cap. to. III. The Dodhine of the Papifts.

" If any one Shall fay, That the good Works of a justified perfon are

"fo

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Serm. VII. papery a Novelty. ' 197

* fo the gifts of God, that they may not alfo be the good Merits of him ffj S j qu j s

Cc that is juftif1ed,or that he that is juftiried,doth not by the good works dixerit homi-

" which hedoth,by the Grace of God and Merit ofChrift (of whom he £m jufltfeati

"is a living Member; truly merit increafe of grace, eternal life, and (if ^"^Xia

" he depart in a ftate of Grace) the enjoyment thereof,and moreover alfo Deij ut noil

" increafe of Glory, let him be accurfed. (f) fmt etiam

bona jpflus juftificati merita, aut ipfum juftificatum bonis operibus, e^r. non vcre mereri augmentum gratia?, yitam xternam & ipilus vita? aeterna?, &c. confecutionem, atq-, etiam gloria? augmentum, anathema fit. ConciL Trid. SeJJ. 6,

"Mens works proceeding from Grace deferve or merit Heaven.——

c If the joy of Heaven be retribution, repayment, hire-wages for

<c works, then works-can be no other but the value, defert, prke,

" worth and merit of the fame. The word Reward in Latin or Greeks

c is the very ftipend that the hired Workman (g) or Journey-man (g) Rhemifts 'covenanted! to have of him, whofe work he doth, and is a thing e- on l Cor » 38 « qually and juiHy anfwering to the time and weight of his travels and works, rather than a free-gift, &c (h) it is mod clear to all not ( h ) Rhem. on

* blinded in pride and contention,that good Works are meritorious,and Heb * 6 ' I0 * the very caufe of Salvation.

(0 The Heavenly Bleflednefs which the Scripture calls the Reward (h Andrad. of the Juft, is not given of God gratis and freely, but is due to their orth - c *&?™'

' Works. Yea God hath fet forth Heaven to fale for our Works.

1 Ck) Far be it from us that the righteous mould look for eternal life, (kj Dean of c as a poor man doth for his alms, for it is much more honour for them Lovan Expli. " as victors and triumphers to polTefs it, as the garland which by their ^^T^t q 1 labour they have deferved. (I) Although the reflauration of Mankind (ij Bayus^e 1 be afcribed to the Merits of Chrift,'yet it * s not for Chrilts Merits Merit, ope-1 that our Works are rewarded with eternal life '•> neither doth God, rum hb.i.c.?.

* when he gives the Reward, look towards Chrifts deafh,but only to the c firft inllitution of Mankind, wherein by the Law of nature it was 'appointed that in the juft judgment of God, obedience mould be rewarded with life, as difobedience is with death.

(m) c A fupernatural Work proceeding from Grace, within it felf fa; Suarez.

* and of its own nature, hath a proportion and condignity with the Toi "* I 'i nT,1 °' ^Reward,and a fufricient value to be worth thefame.The Reward there- \*'& 1, ?*£'*' ^ fore is not given for Chrifts Merit, It muft not be denied but our & oportct;'

'Merits are true Merits, fo that the Works of the godly proceeding from Grace, have of themfelves an inward worthinefs, and are pro-c portionable to the Reward, &c.

The Papifts in this Point are not all of a mind, but many of them ' fwell with horrible pride, and think themfelves do deferve Heaven as well as a Journey-man doth his Wages, and cannot be brought to ftoop fo low, as to receive the higheft happinefs as the free gift of God.

XI. Of Wor]q of Supererogation.

I. The Do&rine of the Scripture.

Nehem. 13,22. And I commanded the Levites that tbeyfhould eleanfe

themfelves. Remember me 0 my God, concerning this alfo, and fpare me

according to the greatnefs of thy mercies. Luk. 17. 10. Gal. 5.17.

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants.

" Voluntary Works,befides, over and above Gods Commandments, <c which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught wkh-"outarrogancy and impiety, for by them men do declare that they do <c not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that " they do more for his fake, than of bounden duty is required, whereas w Chrift faith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded you, fay we are unprofitable fervants.

(n) ConfefT. Againit fuch Works are the Reformed (n) Churches alfo in Helvetia,

Helvetic. 16. France, Saxony, &c.

^Ym"' 20 ' UL The Dodrine of the Paptfs.

Sax. art. 3.17. -' (°) The fallings and fatisla&ory deeds of one man, be available Baf:l. art.io. 'toothers* yea, and holy Saints, and other vertuous perfons may in Belg. art.12. "meafureand proportion of other mens neceffities and defervings allot (0) Rhcmifts • unto them, as well the Supererogation of their Spiritual Works, as on 2 0 . . 4. cc t fa 0 fe t ^ at ^ 0 abound in worldly goods may give Alms of their Su-cc periiuities, to them which are in neceifity. Again, they expound 1 Cor. p. id. u But now preaching not only as enjoined me, but alfo as of Love and Charity, and freely without putting any man to coll, and that voluntarily and of very defire to fave my Hearers,I fhall have cc my reward of God, yea, and a reward of Supererogation, which is " given to them that of abundant Charity do more in the fervice of God " than theybe commanded.

But Reader, though a man might have more Money than he doth need, yet thou (halt not find a man that hath more Grace than he doth need, and he that cannot fatisrie for himfelf cannot impart fatisfa&ion to another-, for none can give what they have not5 and if we do what is no way commanded, w 7 e might hear, Who hath required this at your hands? and though Faul was not burdenfome to the Corinthians, yet he received from other Churches to do them fervice. So that all that is faid falls fhort to prove Works of Supererogation: Let proud Papifts boafl of doing more, while thou goeft to thy knees to lament, that when thou halt done thy moft and beft, haft done lefs than is commanded.

• «

XII. Of Religions Worfhip. I. The Dodrrine of Chrift and his Apoftles, that Religious Worfhip is due only to God.

Mat. 4.10. Thoujhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only.fljalt thou ferve. Col. 2.18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary

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humility and worfhipping of Angels. Rev. i p. i o. And I fell si his feet^ to worjhip bim, and be faid unto me, fee thou do it not \ 1 am thy fSow-fer-vantf-+'Wr(hipGod. Scealfo Rev. 22. 8,£. Act. 10.25. AsVazxwas curing in, Cornelius met him and fell down at hvs feet and rvorfhipped him. 2 6. But Peter tool^ bim up, faying (tand up, 1 my felf alfo am a man. Read alfo ^tf.14. 13,14,15,1s. Rom.ic.i^.

II. The Do&rine of the Proteltants. (p)Confcft.

" (p) Religious Worfhip is to be given to God, the Father, Son,and HelvCL Ct ^ "HolyGhoir, and to him alone, and not to Angels, Saints, or any o- Gall. art. 24.

ct ther creature. The acceptable way of Worshipping the true Gcd, Belgic.art.25.

"isinftitutcd by himfclf, and fo limited to his own revealed Will, that ^S^V; " he may not be Worfhipped according to the imaginations 'and devices s axon de in-ct of men, or the fuggettions of Satan, under any viiible reprefentati- vocation.^, "ons, or any other way not preferibed in the holy Scripture. In this the Reformed Churches do agree in their publick Confeilions. A fana^Svno-

III. The Doclrine of the Papifts concerning Religious Worfhip given dus 0 J ibtt8 to Saints, and their Reliqucs, and to Images. Epifcopis, &

((]) " The holy Synod of Trent doth command all Bimops and o- ceteris do-

tc the confent of the holy Fathers, ( this is failfe tooj and Decrees of ex Be Apofto-61 facred Councils, f which yet have decreed againit it J that they firfl hex Ecdefla? "of all diligently.inftrudt the faithful concerning the Interceffion and ™™? $ -JT 1 " ct Invocation of Saints, the honour of Reliqucs, and the lawful ufe of fiianae Reli-" Imager, teaching them that the Saints! reigning together with Chrift, gionis tempo-" do offer their Prayers to God for men, and that it is good and pro- ri b us recep-cc ritable, humbly kneeling to call upon them", and to run to their ™™\^aG-"Prayers, help and aid; for the benefits to be obtained from God confenfonem c ' through his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord,who is our only Redeemer and & facrorum

Conciliorwn decreta, imprimis de Sanctorum IntercefTione, Invocatione,Reliquiarum honore 8t legitimo Ima-ginum ufu,fideles diligenter iuftruant, docentes cos, Santos urn cumChriflo regnantes, orationes fuas pro honiinibus Deo offerrc, bonutn atque utile eFe fimpliciter eos invocare, & ob beneflcia impetranda % Deo per filiuin ejus, &c. ad eorum orationes, opem, auxiliumq-, confugcre; illos vero qui negant fanctos aterna felicitate in ccelo fruentes, invocandos e(Te, aut qui aHerunt, vel illos pro hominibus non orare, vel eorum, ut pro nobis etiam fingulis orent, Invocationem eiTe Jdoiolatriam, vel a^ugnare cum vcrbo Dei, adverfariq-, honori unius Mediatoris Dei & hominum Jefu Chrifti, vel uultum efre, in ccelo regnantibus voce, vel mente fupplicare, -impie fentire : Sanctorum quoqi Martyrum, &: aliorum cum Chriilo viventium fanfta corpora qua? viva membra Chrjfti fuerint, &: templum Spiritws fancti,.ab ipfo ad seternam vitam fufcitanda, & glorifkanda, a fidelibus reneranda erTe, per qua? multa beneficia a Deo hominibus prajftantur •, ita ut arfirman-t« fanctorum Reliquiis venerationem atq; honorem non deberi, vel eas, aliaq, facra monumenta a fidelibus inutiliter honorari, atq^ eorum opis impetranda? caufa fanctorum memorias ftuftra fre-quentari, danwandos ete, prout jampridem eos damnavit, & nunc etiam damnat Ecclefa. Imagines porro, Chrifti, Deipara? Virginis & aliorum Sanctorum, in templis prafertim habendas & retinendas , eifque debitum honorem & venerationem impertieEdam. coicil. triitnU Self. 25.

Dd 2 "Saviour >

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2eo Popery a Nweltj. Serffl. VII,

Saviour*, and that they are of a wicked opinion that fay, that the Saints enjoying eternal happinefs in Heaven are not to be called up-' on i or who do affirm, either that they do not pray for men, or that to pray to them, that they would pray "for us, yea each one particularly^ Idolatry, or contrary to the Word of God, or againft the honour of Jefus, the one Mediator of God and Men; or that it is a foolifh thing to make humble requeft in words, or in our minds to thofe that are reigning in Heaven. Moreover, " that the facred bodies of the holy Martyrs and others u living with Chrift, which were living Members of Chrift, and the cc Temple of the Holy Ghoft, which (hall be raifed by him to eternal life and be glorified, are to be worfhipped by Believers, by which God beftoweth many benefits on men. So that whofoever mall fay, that 'Veneration and Honour is not due to theReliques of the Saints, or u that thefe and other facred Monuments are without profit honoured [worfhipped! by the faithful \ and that for the gaining of their cc help the memory of Saints in vain is folemnized, are utterly to b2 condemned, even as the Church hath long condemned them, and doth now condemn them. Moreover, the Images of Chrift, the Virgin Mary, and of other Saints are efpecially to be had and kept in ; Churches, and due honour and Veneration to be given to them.

Again, (C It is beyond all doubt, that Believers according to the " cuftom always received in the Carholick Church fhould give to the "holy Sacrament, the Worfhip of Latvia, f Higheft Worfhip) which is " due to the true God. ConciL Indent. Sejf.i $. cap.*}.

The Popifh Doctors maintain of Images in general, that they ought t© be worfhipped with the fame Adoration as the thing reprefented by the Image. So Aquinas. The fame reverence is given to the Image of Chrift as to Chrift himfelf. Since therefore Chrift is worfhipped with Adoration of Latria (Higheft Worfhip due to God) it follows that his Image ought to be worfhipped with Adoration of Latria (or Higheft Worfhip due to God J

XIII. Of Tranfubftantiation.

I. The Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles, that after Confecration in the Lords Supper there is real Bread and Wine.

Mat. 26. 2t5, 27. Luk.22. ip, 20. 1 Cor. 11.23. The Lord Jefw the fame night in which he was betrayed took^ bread. 24. And when be had

given thanks hetook^ the cup—-faying, Ihti cup U the New 1c$ament

in my Blood. Mark Reader, after the bletfing it is called Bread. 26. As often as ye eat this bread, drink^ this cup* 27. Whofoever Jhall* eat this

bread. 28. Examine and eat of that bread. 1 Cor.io.it5. The bread

which we break}* it not the communion of the body of Chrifl. Adfr.20.7. Ihey came together to brea\bread % 11. And had broken bread.

II. The Dodtrine of the ProteftantSi " Tranfubftantiation Cor the change of the fubftance of Bread and

" Wine) in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy writ*

but

? but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the (^Qorf.Udv.

" nature of a Sacrament, and hath given cccafions to many Superltit'i- ,# arc ^ 2,& 2 *

"ons, and Idolatries, and is repugnant to very fenfe and reafon. CA9 '£ e £ u /

Which reafons have moved all the Reformed Churches againft the Do- char.Eafil.art.

drine of Tranfubftantion. (r) . 6. Scotican.

III. The Doclrine of the Papifts. art - 2U

(j) ^ If any (hall deny the Body and Blood, together with the Soul 0) Si quis ne-

"and Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and fo whole Chrift to be ^^e™*

"truly, really and fubftantially contained in the mod holy Sacrament chariftise Sa-

"of the Eucharift (Lords Supper) but (hall fay, it is there only as in a cramento

"fign, either figuratively or virtually, let him be accurfed. If any contineri,

" (hall fay,that the fubftance of Bread and Wine together with the Body I C r C Ln CaIl er '

c and Blood of our Lord Jefus Chrift, doth remain in the Sacrament of i ltC r corpus &

'' the holy Eucharift, and (hall deny that wonderful and lingular con- fanguinem,

" verfion of the whole fubftance of the Bread into his Body, and of un a cum ani-

" the whole fubftance of the Wine into bis Blood Cthe figures of Bread ma &divini-

c and Wine only remaining) which Converfion £change] the Catholick &. Ct s f •*'

1 Church doth mod fitly call Tranfubftantiation, let him be accurfed. dixerit in Sa~

crafanfto Eu-chariltii Sacramento remancre fubitantiam panis & vini, &c. negaveritq; mirabilem illam & fm-gularcm convcrfionem totius fubftantiaz panis in corpus, & totius fubftantiae. vini in (anguinem, &c Covcil. Tridtnt. SejJ'.ij. Can. i, 2.

XIV. Of Receiving both kjnds,.

I. The DocTrine of Chrift and his Apoftles, that thofe that have the Bread fhould alfo have the Cup.

Mark 14. 22, 23, 24. Luk. 22. i£, 20. 1 Cor. 10. id. dp 11.24*

XjJ^, eat^ 25. its oft as ye drin\ it. -2d. eat this bread^and drink^,

this cup —27. (hall eat this bread and drink^ this cup^—fo let him eat —

and drink^ofthis cup. 29. for he that eateth and drinkgtb.

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants.

The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people , for (t) Confer. c both the parts of the Lords Sacrament, by Chrifts Ordinance and Helv.i.art. 22--. c ^ Commandment,ought to be mmiftred to all Chriftian men alike. That |. ?' C,2I; "the People are to receive the Wine alfo/is the Gonfellion of Refoimed GalK^, a&? Churches in Helvetia^ Bohemia^ France^ &c. (t) ♦ Wifcembcap*

III. The Doctrine of the Papifts. 19. Belg". art.-The Council of Covjiince decreed, " (u) That though Chrift admini- ** S **P*- de

" fired, this Sacrament in both kinds to his Difciples,* and in the Primi- ^uft T^ five Church it was alfo accordingly received by Believers under both mifra, a?t.j,2, kinds [Bread and Wine,^ hoc tamen nm obftante, fnotwithftanding Of) ConciL

^Chrifts Inftitution, and the example of the Primitive Church) the Conftan:..

"Lay-people (hall have the bread only. Others that pertinaciouflv I? ° affirm otherwife are to be expelled as Hereticks. Alfo we command upon pain of Excommunication that no Presbyter adminifter it to the people under both kinds of Bread and Wine, The Council of

lienl-

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(w) Condi, Trent to the fame purpofe did decree, The taking away the Cup from

TrldiHt.Sejr.2i the p^p}^ („) notwithstanding Chrifts Inftitution, and admini-

uh h 2 > $• ft ra tion of it in both kinds, Ci having a power to alter and change, fo

" that they keep the fubftance of the Sacrament, as they judg molt pro*

fcC fitable for the receivers*, and though they confefs the Primitive

Church received both, yet the Church of Rome for grand and juft

reafons hath approved and decreed the Peoples taking of it in one

" kind only.

XV. Oftbs Sacrifice of the Mafs.

I. The Dodlrine of the Apoftle Paul.

Heb. p. 22. And almoft all things are by the Law purged with blood,

and without fhedding of blood there is no remiffwn. 2$. N&ryet that he

Jhmid offer himfeIf often, as the high Prieft cntreth into the holy place every

year with the blood of others. 2 6. (For then muft be have often Offered

fynce the foundation of the world) but now once in the end of the world hath

he appeared to put away fins by the facrifice of himfelf 28. So Chrifl

w,ts once offered to bear the fins cf many.---w-Heb. 10. 11. And every

Prieftftandeth daily miniftrin? and offering oftentimes the fame fa orifices,

which can never take away fins. 12. But this man after he had offered

one facrifice for fins, for ever fate down on the right hand of God. 14. For

by one offering he hath per filed for ever them that are janclifitd. 18. Now

where remifjion of thefe is, there is no more offering for fin\ Read alfo Heb.

7.23,24,25.2(5,27.

II. The Dodfrine of the Proteftants.

Confef.Helvet. " The offering cf -Chrift once made.is that perfect Redemption, Pro-1. art.22. & 2. " pitiation, and Satisfaction for all the fins of the whole World, both Ba^Uart. 6. original and a6rual, and there is no other fatisfaclion for fin, but that Saxon, art. 14. Cc alone. Wherefore the Sacrifices of MaiTes, in the which it was eom-Belg. art.55. "monly faid that the Prieft did offer Chrift for the quick and dead, to Wictemb.c.19 « nave reminjon of pain or guilt, were blafpherr.cus fables, and dan-

Bohcm. c. 15. u g Crons deceits. This is the Doclrine of all Reformed Churches a-

Auguitan. ae » . _ . r ... r , . , -

Miffa art.13. painft the lacrihceot the Mais, (x) •

III. The Dodrine of the Pa pi ft s.

(a) Si quis (y) " Ifcny {hall fay that in the Mafs a true and proper facrifice is

dixerit, in " not offered to God, let him beaccuifed. If any triali fay in thofe Mifianon of- " wor d s (do this in remembrance of me) Chuft did not inftitute his rum& pro- 6 * A pottles to be Prieft?, or that he did not orcfain, ih -cy and other prium facrifi- cc Priefts (hould offer his body and blood, let him be accurfed.

cium,

Anathema fit. Si quis dixerit, illis verbis, hoc facite in meam Commemorationem, Chriftum non inftituivle Apoftolos facerdotes 5 aut non ordinate, ut. ipfi aliiqi facerdotes overrent corpus & fanguinera fuum, Anathema fit. Si quis dixerit, Mifa? facriflciun: tantum eiTe laudis & grati-aruin ac'tionis, &c. non autem propitiarorium y vcl foli prodefe fumenti, neq:, pro vivis & de-&in#is, pro peccatis, poenis, fatisfadionibus, & aliis neceifitatibus oiterri deberc, anathema fit.

ConciL 'Tridmt.Siff.22. cU Sacrifc.Miffa, Can. 1, 2, 3.

c, Jf

-(.

c:

Serm.VII. Popery a Novelty. 203

If any (hall fay the Sacrifice of Mafs is only of praife and thankf-giving, or a bare Commemoration of the Sacrifice of Clirift upon the u Crofs, and not a Propitiatory Sacrifice, or that it profits him alone " that takes it, and ought not to be offered for quick and dead,for fins, " punifiSments and fatisfa&ions, and other neceliities, let him be accur-

"fed.

So in that part of the Mafs called the Oifertory,the Priefi: faith," Holy ct Father, Eternal and Almighty God, receive this Immaculate Hofr, M which I thine unworthy fervant, offer unto thee my true and living cc God, for my innumerable fins, and offences and neglects, and for all cc them that (land here about, and alfo for all faithful Chriftians, both c * living and dead, that it may profit-me and them unto Salvation, into <c eternal life. Amen.

Again, in the Mafs-book the Priefi: prayeth: "We befeech thee,there-fore moft merciful Father through Jejus Chrift thy Son our Lord, and i c do ask of thee that thou wilt accept, and blefs thefe + gifts^ thefe + prefents, thefe ho+ly Sacrifices immaculate, efpeciall'y thofc

: which we offer unto thee for thy holy Catholick Church, and

1 all them that a (lift here, for themfelves and for all theirs, for the

'Redemption of th:ir Souls, and for the hope of their Salvation.

' Which Oblation, thou, O God, vouchfafe in all things to make blefc w fed + Afcript, + Reafonable + and acceptable* that it may be made

' unto us the Bo+dy and Blood + of thy mod beloved Son. We pre- -

c fent to thy excellent Majefty of thy gifts and things given, a pure + c Hoft, a holy + Hofr, an Immaculate + Hoft, the holy Bread + of eternal

life, and the Cup + of eternal Salvation. We humbly pray thee,Al-

mighty God, command that thefe things be carried by the hands of . c thy holy Angels on thy Altar on high, into the prefence of thy Di-' vineMajefty, that we all who of the Partici+pation of thine Altar < [kjffes here the Altar ,] have taken the holy Bo+dv and Blood + of thy c Son, may be filled with all Heavenly BlefHings and Grace,— -And then the PriefiJor the Dead prays, " Be mindful alfo, O Lord, of thy 1 Men-fervants, and Women-fervants, \_naming their names that are deceajed, for whom friends or kindred vemld have Mafs^l " who have pre-c cceded us with the fign of the Faith, and who ileep in a deep of " peace.

View and confider this little piece which I have tranferibed, Reader, for thy fake, out of the Mafs-book. and then judg whether there be any fuch thing concerning the Lords-Supper in the Scripture ', and whether thefe be not new Doctrines and Devices. .

XVI. Of Worjbipping the Hj(1. I. The Do&rine of the Scripture concerning the Lords-Supper, where it is treated of, containeth nothing for the worfhippingof it > as te1t.26.26j.~j. Mar. 14.22,23,24. 1 Cor.11.2 4,25,26,27,28,2^.

II. The L

cc

CI

204 Popery a Novelty. Serm.VII.

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants. ftj ConfeiT. . "The worfhipping the Elements, the lifting them up, or carrying Saxadecafna " tJiem ab ? u . t *° r Adoration, and the referving of them for any precen-Dom. wit- ' ^ ec * Religious ufe, are all contrary to the nature of this Sacrament, tetnb. de Eu- Cc and to the Initiation of Chrilt. So fay other Reformed Churches in charift. Bafil; their publicJ^Confeffjonj of faith, (z) art. 6. IIL -r; he Do ft rine of the Pap ift s .

' (<*) C; Itis beyond all doubt that the faithful, according to the cu-

itlqidubitan- " ftom always rcceived in the Catholick Church[T^ U poorly begun of a di locus re- k*Mpd Council,) "may give in veneration the Worfhip of Latris^ linquitur,quin [Higheft Worfhip'] " which is due to God, to this holy Sacrament *, for omnes Chri- ,fc it is not the lefs to be adored, becaufe it was appointed by the Lord to fti fideles^pro cc ^ rece j vec j. f or we Relieve that the fame God is prefent in it,whom tholica Eccle- *'' ^ e eterna ^ Father, bringing into the world, faith, And let at! the Ante Temper ' get* °f God tcorfhip him. recepto, la-triae cultum, qui vero .Deo debetur, huic fanftiiTmio facramento in veneratione exhibeant, &c.

(&) Concil. Moreover the holy Synod doth declare 4 (b) "That with very great

Trident. SetT. -^c j^ e ]jgj on anc | piety of the Church was this cufiorn brought in, that

3. cap.$. cc every year upon fome peculiar holy-day, this high and venerable Sa- •

u crament with lingular Veneration and Solemnity mould be celebrated;

" and that it fhould in Procellions, reverently with honour and worfhip

ct be carried about through the ways and publick places.

XVII. Of Auricular Confffvn.

I. The Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles concerning Confeffion of Sin.

LH^.17.3,4. Jam^.16. 1 Joh.i.p. SeealfoPr0p.28.13. P/4/.3 2.5^. and 51.4, 5,,7> P, J 4- I n a ^ which places there is Confeffion of Sin to God, to the party wronged by us, and to oneanothenbut not a word of fecret Confeffion of all our Sins in the ears of the Pried,

II. The Doctrine of the Proteitants.

Cc) ConfePT. C ^ s cverv man is bound to make private Confeffion of his Sins to

Helvetic. 14. <c God, praying for the pardon thereof, upon which and the forfaking Argencinenf. " of them he (hall find mercy ', fo he that fcandalizeth his brother,or the S 2 °c n^fr " " Church °f God, ought to be willing by a private or publick Confef-Saxon. de' ' ^ on anc * f° rrow *° r ms h'n, to declare his Repentance to thofe that are Pcermentia.' " offended,who are therefore to be reconciled,and in love to receive him. Wittcmb. de So other Reformed Churches, (c) ConfeiTione. m The Do&rine of the Papifts.

(d) Conc'l ^ " ^ et ever y one both Men aRC * Women truly make Confeffion of

Lateran. 1 Van. " a ^ t ^ ie * r $ ms ar ^ ea ^ once a Y ear t0 tne ^ r own Priefy or fome other, si. " having leave firft frpm their own Prieft,elfe he can neither abfolvc nor

iC bind him, «

CO The

(e) "Theuniverfal Church to the great profit of Souls doth keep Q) Undc i«i ct thecuftom of ConfeKion in that holy and molt acceptable time of Lent, £ cc ""^ verfa m cc which alfo this holy Synod doth moll highly approve and receive, as ingentianima-cc pioufly, and with good caufc to be retained. rum fidclium

fructu, obfer-vatur mos ille falutaris,facro illo & maxime acccptabi-li tempore <3uadragefma.',quc!n morum,#r. Concil. Trident. Sijf.14. cap.$.

(f) "If any fhall deny Sacramental Confeffion, either to be inftitu- (f) si quis nested, or to be necefTary to Salvation by Divine right i or (hall fay the gavcritCon-

cc manner of making fecret Confeffion to the Prltft alone, is not in- * e flone m Sa-

"ftituted and commanded by Chrift, but is an humane invention, let velinftitutam' " him be accurfed., vel ad falu-

tem neceflari-am effe jure divino, &c. ConciL Tr/dent; SfjJ. 14. can. 6,

(g) " If any (hall fay that in the Sacrament of Penance it is not necef- ^ si -cc fary to remiiiion of lin, and that by Divine right, to confefs all, and dixerit h ct every mortal fin,that one can by all due diligent premeditation call to Sacramento " remembrance, even thofe that are fecret fins, and againft the laft pre. V^^cmix

c cept of the Decalogue, and the very circumftances which alter the peccatorum^

" kinds of fin,- let him be accurfed. necefTarium

non efTe jure Divioo confiteri, omnia & fingula peccata mortalia, &c. Concil. Trid. Scjf.14. Can^.

XVIII. Of Penitential SatUfaUion,

I. The Doctrine of the Scripture.

Ezek. 1 6. 6 1. Then {halt thou remember thy ways and be ajbamed.— —

62. Andl will eftablifh my Covenant with thee, 63. That thou, mayeft

remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becaufe of thyjhame, when lam pacified towards thee, for all that thou baft done, faith the Lord, And 36. 31, Te Jhall loath your felves in your own fight. 32. Not for your fakes do I thU. — •'-Be ajhamed and confounded for your own ways. See Hof. 14. 2, 4.

II. The Doctrine of the Proteftants.

1 Although Repentance be not to be refied in as any fatisfa&ion for CO Auguft.de "Sin,or any caufe of the pardon thereof, which is the a& of Gods free Confetfone. * Grace in ChrifH yet is it of fuch neceffity to all Sinners, that none pJ£f"tione & ''might expeel: pardon without it. So other Churches, (h) artic.de Sa-

III. The Dodtrine of (he Papifis. tisfaftione. (i) " If any (hall fay, that the whole punifhment together with the wi F^rub. de

^ guilt, is always remitted by God, and that the fatisfadion of the ^^^ e -

cc penitent is no other than the Faith whereby he apprehendeth Chrift Trident.

* to have fatisfied for him, let him be accurfed. Sell. 14. Can.

(kj " If any (hall fay, That God is not fatisfied for fins, as to tern- I2 * .

<c poral punifhment, through the Merits of Chrift, by the punifhments C^f^Lr

" «„U' uu 'n-i-Li.ii 1/-1 • 1 Indent, ocli.

wnicn he inflicts, and we patiently bear, or by iuch as are enjoyned I4 Cao , 3

E e "by

cc by. the Prieft, nor by thofe that we voluntarily put our felves unto s nor by Failings, Prayers, Almes-dceds, and other works of Piety tC and that therefore the bed Repentance is only a new life, let him be* " accurfed.,

Trl{ent nC Sefr. (l) " lf ™Y && { *Y > That the Satisfactions whereby Penitents 14.Can.14. #tC thtOKgh Jefus Chrift do redeem Sins, are not the Worship of God tc but the Traditions of men, thwarting the Dodhine of the Grace* " and true Worihip of God, and the benefits of the death of Chrift let c - him be aceurfed.

XIX. Of Venial Sifts.

I. The Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles.

Mat. 12.3d. 1 fay unto you that every idle word that men Jhall fpa\ , they jhaUgive account thereof in the day of judgment. Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of fin is death. See Rom, 5. |2„and Ifa. 5 j. 7,

II. The Dodlrine of the Proteftants.

(m) Confer. a As ^^ ^ nQ fin f Q f ma n but [ t <3 e f crV es damnation, Co there is no

4. Saxon, de * in 1° g reat 5 tnat lt can bring damnation upon thole that truly re-difcrimine "pent. So other Churches alfo. (m) peccatorum. H[. The Do&rine of the Papifts.

" Some Sins are venial, neither offering injury to God,nor deferving

"Hell, nor binding us to be forry for them, but may be forgiven by

'knocking of the breft, (n) going into a Church, receiving holy

(«) Aquin. " water, or the Bifhops bleiling, or crofting ones felf, or by any work

par.g. Qucfl. cc of Charity, though we never think actually of them. (0) Thofe

(I) Bdla-rm. " ^ ns which in their own nature are not contrary to the love of God,

Tom.3. de* 'and our Neighbour, as idle words, immoderate-laughing, thofe fins

amiftione gra- " that are not perfectly voluntary,as fudden motions of anger, &c. and

xix. Lib.i.c.3. <■<- are m tr [ v [a\ things, as flealing of an half-peny, &e. are venial fins*

" that is, do not turn us from God, and are eafily expiated, like unto

Idem. ibid. " a f|fght hurt, which doth not endanger life, and is eafily cured.

cap. 2*

XX. Of thefiate of Men after Death.

I. The Dodtrine of the Scripture concerning the ftate of Men after Death.

Luk. 23. 43. Verily I fay unto thee^ ihti day (halt thox be with me in Paradife. - Hcb, 12.2 3. And to thefpirits of ju(t men made perfeft. 2 Con 5. f. For we know that if our earthly houfe of'this. Tabernacle were diffol-ved^ we have a building of God, 8. Willing rather to be ahfentfrom the body and to he prefent with the Lord. Phil r. 2 3. Having a deftre to depart and to he with Cbrifii See alfo Mat. 7. 13, 14. Job.3.1%. Lu\. 16.23, 24. where and in other places, the Scriptures fpeak of two ways, one leading to. deftru&ion, the other to life. Two forts of men, fome that do not believe, and they are damned, fome that do, and they are faved, no third.

IL The

IT. The Do&rine of the Proteftants,

tc The Bodies of men after death return to duft, and fee corruption, cc but their Souls (which neither die nor fieep) having an Immortal fub-" fiftence, immediately return to God, who gave them. The Souls of '' the Righteous being then made perfect in Holinefs, are received into " the higheft Heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and tc glory, waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies \ and the Souls <c of the Wicked are caft into Hcil, where they remain in torments and / " utter darknefs, referved to the Judgment of the great Dc;y: Befides ^clv 2"^^ "thefetwo places for Souls fcpaiated from their Bodies, the Scripture Gall.ait, 24.' <c acknowledged} none. So the Reformed Churches alfo (p) in Helvetia, Saxon; art.u; France, Saxony, &e. (p) Auguft.art. 11.

III. The Dodrine of the Papifts. - Wuremberg;

(q) " If any (hall fay that after the Grace of Juitifkation received, (J) concil. c the offence is fo forgiven to every penitent Sinner, and guilt of eter- Trident.Sef.rf.-x nal punifliment fo removed, that there remains no guilt of tempor:/: Can.30. &De-c punifhment to be fuffered, either in this life, or the life to ccme in <*et. de^Pur-"Purgatorv, let him be accurfed. * ' ei " 5 *

By this Parallel of Doctrines you may eafily judg that ours is the old Religion, and the Religion of the Papifts (wherein they differ from us), is a new Religion '■> for they that do own, profefs and hold to the fame Do&rines and Worfhip that were taught by Chrift himfclf and his Apoftles, and no other fas to EfTentials at leaft) are of the old Religion '■> and thofe that forfaking and corrupting the Doctrine and Wor(hip taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, maintain and hold Doctrines not contained in the Scripture, but rifenup ilnce and contrary to it, are of a new Religion 1 , But theProteftantsdo the flrft, and the Papifts do the laft,as appeareth by the Parallel of Do&rines; Therefore the Proteftants are of the old Religion, and the Papifts of a new One. For that Religion which doth agree with theoldeft, and the only Rule is the oldeft and only Religion •, and if the Papifts will keep to the firft and ancient Rule, the Word of God, they muft be of our Religion-, if they will not, but add or diminifti, they will never anfwer to the charge of Novelty laid upon them.

So that their infulting and ridiculous Queftion fo often ufed, even till it is become odious and doth naufeate, Where was your Religion before Luther? f which is the fecond part of my Task),is plainly and fully refolved in the Scriptures, and in the Primitive Churches. And me-thinks learned Papifts fhould blufh and be afhamed, (that have or can read the Writings of the Fathers,and determinations of ancient Councils,) to propound fuch a Queftion -<, but they do it to amufe the common People that cannot read Gree\ and Latin Authors , and are not acquainted with theHiftory of the Church v whileft I am perfwaded they themfelves know better, and could refolve this queftion them-felves, if they would read indifferently and judg impaitially. But the

Ee 2 * People

People that cannot read the Fathers, Councils, &c. might be abundantly fatisfied, that our Religion is the old Religion, becaufe found in, and founded upon the Word of God * for all the Books in the World muft give place to the holy, fure, infallible Word of the raoft true and faithful God.

But though we (hew our Doctrines in the Scripture, yet the Quefti-on, Where was our Religion before Luther? (who began the Reformation in the year 1517O is put to beget jealouries in the People, that for many hundred years before him,our Doctrine and Religion was not taught nor profefled j and therefore call for a Catalogue of fuch as have taught our Doctrines fiom the Apoftles time fucceffively to the time of Luther > as they pretend they can do theirs *, and would bear the People in hand that the Church as now Reformed, and the Doctrines now received by them, are new and upftart things, and have not been (Ince the Apoftles times, or before Luther * the eontrary whereof, that there have been fuch Doctrines, and a Church owning them in all ages llnce they were preached by the Apoftles, will appear by tw r o Heads of Arguments* the, one taken a priori^ that fuch a Church cannot, (hall not ceafe, but always be in fome-part or other of the World \ the other a pofteriori^hat it hath not ceafed, but hath always actually been, and therefore before huther.

The firft, That it cannot, (hall not ceafe to be, taken a priori ftands firm upon thefe two grounds;, Firft, upon the promife of Chrift^ that is of Infallible Verity; Chrift hath promifed that the true Church which ? is built upon the Doctrine of the Scripture, and is conformed thereinto mould continue always, and not fail: That the Reformed Churches are built upon the Doctrine of the Scriptures, and are conformed thereunto, appeareth from the Parallel of Doctrines before laid down.. So that there is evidence from the Promife of Chrift, that the Church holding fuch Doctrines as the Reformed Churches do, did continue, could not fail* and there our Church and Religion was before Luther.

Secondly*, Vponthe ReUtian between Chriji and hU Church h Chrift is the only Headoi the Church,and theChureh the Body of Chrift. Chrift is the King of his Church, and the Church fubject to Chrift; Chrift is the Husband and Bridegroom of the Church,and the Church the Wife and Spoufe of Chrift * ftich a Church then could.not ceafe to be, elfe there would have been foma time in which Chrift would have been an' Head without any body upon Earth, a King without Subjects, an Husband and Bridegroom, without a Wife or Spoufe j all which are abfard, as to fay a Man is a Father that hath no Child. But in this the Controverfle doth not lie betwixt-jis, but which Church is this Body, Subjects, and Spoufe of Chrift, which by virtue of Chrifts promife and relation to him, could no'c &il or.ceafe to be, theirs,or fuch asithe Reformed Churches are.There is this groundfamong-others) on our fide. That Church which owneth. Chrift to be hcrpnly-Hsad, Husband and.K^ng, and no

other

other which owneth and profefleth fubjection to the Laws of Chrift, and no other as neceflary to Salvation, and worfhippeth the true God according to the Scripture, and no other, is the Body, Spoufe and Subjects of Chrift, that could not ceafe to be in any ages But fuch Churches as the Reformed are,do own Chrift to be their only Head, Husband and King, and no other, and profefs fubjection to the Laws of Chrift, and no other as neceflary to Salvation, and "worfhip God according t© the Rules contained in the Scripture, and no other. All which the Roman Church as Papal doth not do •, for they own another Head betides Chrift, as neceflary to Salvation, and profefs Subjection to tha Laws of another, befides the Laws of Chrift, and that equally with them, yea before them, though diftinct from, and contrary thereunto, and give Religious Worfhip to others befides the true God, and fo plays the Whore and Harlot y that we might conclude, that fuch Churches as the Reformed arc, and not as Papal, are the Body, Subjects and Spoufe of Chrift, which could not ceafe in any age to be, fince the Apoftles times, and there our Religion was, and Church too b:fore Luther.

The fecond evidence that there have been the fame Doctrines, neceflary to Salvation, taught all along fince the Apoftles fucceilively to Luthers times, is a polleriori, from the Writings of Men, and Hiftoiies of the Church, even fuch as are abundantly fatisfactory to us and undeniable by our adverfaries,that our Doctrines are not fo late as Luther. I had here prepared feveral things to be inferted concerning the Succef-fion of the Church from the Primitive times, to the age in which we live 1 , but becaufe I would not have this Difcourfe to fwell above the bounds of a Sermon, and underftanding that there is a Reverend Brother defired to treat of that particularly, to which I do refer you, I here omit them > yet the frequent demmd of Papifts, asking, JVhere rvM your Religion before Luther? and that part of this prefent Pofition, That it was before Luther, will not fufrer a total filence herein. Though this .is no real prejudice to the Truth of our Doctrine.or Religion, if we could not give a Catalogue of names that did hold and profefs them in all ages, fo long as we find them in the Scripture, nor could they for want there-- of be juftly charged, either with falfity or novelty ; for wh^t is in the Word of God is true and old, and what is not contained therein and made neceflary to Salvation, is falfe and new, though of many hundred years ftanding. That this is unreafonably required by the Papifts, no hurt to our Religion, as to the Verity and Antiquity of it, nor no caufe of Humbling to the common People, familiarly aflaultcd in this

point, and all becaufe not neceflary to be known, will appear by thefe

things following.

1. It is not neceffary to prove our felves to be men to* give an accotmt of all

the names of all the men that have lived before us, no, nor of anj of tltem.

It is Efficient hereunto that we can prove we have the fame Eflential

Con-

Conftitutive parts of Men as o^iTrtdicelTors had > that we have fuch * Bodies and fuch Souls a:, they bad, is a proot we are real M*n as they were, though we know nor the names of all the Intermediate perfons fuccefGvely by whom we have received our Beings from them : would not you laugh at one that would perfwade you, you are no Men, or that the Humane nature is a new thing,becaufe you cannet give a Catalogue of the names of Men jem Adim, or from Noah, from one age to another ? or would it not be fufficicnt proof of your Manhood that you have the fame Identity of Nature as Adam 01 Noah, and Men of former ages had ? So here; fo long as we can tell and are fure we own and believe the fame Dodrines that rhe Apoftles did, we are fure we are of the fame Religion as they were, though we could not give the names of the perfons that have from time to time profeiTed the fame, this is as if one fhould fay Melcbizedek did not fucceed his Progenitors, becaufe his Genealogy cannot be given. Ridiculous!

2. It Is not neceffary to tyow tbe falfnefs of any T'oftrine that we fbould kpow the names of the Heretickj that have handed them down from one age to another s but we know them to befalfe, by their being contrary to the Scripture.

3. We ktiow that the dilates of the Law pf nature are good and true,and ibat we have fuch a haw though we cannot give an account of the name of our Anceftors from whom we have received them.

4. A man might be an exa8 artificer , though he be not able to mention the names of tbofe that have been in all ages, that profeffed the fame occupation from tbe times of tbofe that did firfi invent them. So a man might be a good ChrifUan, and of the true Religion, and be ignorant of the many thoufands Chriftians that have been before him.

5. Without this knowltdp a man might love God, repent, believe and be faved, therefore not neceffary to true Doctrine, Religion or Salvation > elfe every unlearned Believer mull: be acquainted with all the Hifrories of the Church,and Fathers,and ProfelTors before him,which is impoffible.

6. If a man did know this, yet be might be damned, if a man could tell all the Writers,Preachers, Doctors and Councils that have lived this Sixteen hundred years he might go to Hell at laft. God will condemn men for being ignorant of the ElTential Points in Chrifrianity contained in the Scripture, and if they do not believe, nor are converted^ but not for being unacquainted with the Hiftories of the Church, and names of thofe that did prpfefs the true Religion in the ages before them.

7. Tbe Scripture never denieth that to be a true Church, that cannot, and becaufe it cannot fhew tbe fuccejfton thereof by Hiftories and Humane Writings.

8: The Scripture doth never fend us to Hiftories, Councils and Fathers to judg of true Do&rwe and Religion by, but to the Word of God. Where in Scripture are ProfelTors or Minifters either commanded to ftudy, and be fo converfant in all Hiftories, Councils and Antiquities as to be able

to

Scrm VII. ropery a Novelty. til

to give a Catalogue, who have taught or owned the true Doctrine in

ages before them?

D p. Ifhat deceitful dealing is this ? to deny the People the reading of the Scripture and acquaintance with them, and in fuch things commend Ignorance as the Mother of Devotion, and will yet call upon them to fay, Who taught your Doctrines before Lutherf as if it were more material to know who taught them,than to know therm or to be more skilled in the Writings of Men, than in the Word of God.

io. Tljey call for that from w on our fart , which they cannot give them-fihes for tbemfelves on their part. You ask, Who taught your Do&rines from the Apoftles times? and we retort your Qaefton,and who taught all your Dodrines from the Apoftles times > We know you can never (hew them. So that if we could not, yet we were even with yon. I know you pretend a large Catalogue of Popes '>, but yet you are greatly puzzled to give their Succeffion, when there have been feveral Popes together, and they that then lived could not know which was the right. B.it it you could give a Succeffion of Perfons, it profits nothing without a Succeffion of true ~Dottrine\ if you could mew a Succeffion defafto, you can (hew none de jure. That may be actual that may not be lawful. A\ thief may actually fucceed a true PoffefTor, and a Tyrant and Ufurper a lawful Prince, but not lawfully ^ this is llfurpation not legitimate Succeffion. We might fay therefore to your People as you do to ours. Is it fafe for you to continue in that Religion, of which you can give no account who have taught your Doctrines from the Apoftles times ? -for you cannot, no, nor your Doctors neither, no, though they call a Council and fearch all Records and Writings of men, as fhall be (hewn in the next General Head of this Sermon.

Yet this is not faid, as if we doubted of our caufe, if it were to be tried by the Writings of the ancient Fathers, or as if we could not mentioa multitudes before Luther that have taught and owned our Doctrines •, for there are many great Volumns and Cart-loads of Books ■■■ in which our Doctrines are to be found. To give a large rehearfal of their words on oat fide would be an endlefs work, and not to be crou-ded into a piece of one Sermon: yet a few fhall be picked out of many r fufficient to (hew that our Doctrines, in which we do oppofe the Doctrines of the Church of Rome have been taught of old.

What was the Doctrine in the firit hundred year from rhe Birth of Chrift is beft underftood from the holy Scripture •, and this is that Age and the Writings of the Apoftles are thofe Writings, by which the Writings of all other Ages mud be examined, as their fureft Rule, and ' that our Doctrines are there contained, and not the Doctrines of the Papifts as fuch i fee the Parallel before.

In the Writings of the Fathers that lived in the fecond hundredth year t we have many Teftimonies. In this Age the Bi(hop of Rome had not that Power as now they

chal-.-

challenge, as appears from a Letter of Eleutheriw Bifhop of Rome to (r) Fox. A#s Lucim King of England (r), who had fent to the Bifhop for the Roman & Mon.Vol.i. Laws, as they were framed in Religion, to whom is fent an anfwer by P« i$9- Eleutherim, Ye require of us the Roman Laws, and the Emperours to be fent over to you. The Roman Laws and the Emperours we may ever reprove, but the Law of God we may not* Ye have received of late through Gods mercy in the Realm of Brittany the Law and Faith of Gbrifi, ye have •with you within the Realm, both the parts of the Scripture, out of them by Gods Grace with the Council of your Realm takf ye a Law, and by that Law (through Gods fufferance) rule your Kingdom of Britain , for you be Gods

Vicar in your Kingdom. Afterwards, whofe Vicar you he in the Realm,

From whence is clear, that this Bifhop of Rome (i) challenged not the Supremacy over England, but acknowledg'd the King to be Supream Governour in his own Kingdom. (2) That he acknowledged the Perfection of Scripture for life and manners, when Laws fhould be taken from thence for the Government of a Kingdom. (3 ) That England received the Gofpel early, and not fo late from the Church of Rome as fomeof them boaft, nor at all firft from them but from the Grecians of ^138; the Eaft-Church W, as fome think.

Particulars would be abundance, but Brevity is one part of my task

in this prefent matter', I muft therefore take up with a Teftimony or two

<%Mren.adver. of the Dodtrine taught in this Age. (t) Irentus teftifieth that the fame

haeref. lib. 5. Truths of Apoftolical Doctrine were in this Age. (u) And that the

l (u) Eufeb C 2 Church that was planted through a great part of the World,even to the Ecclef. Hift: en d °f t ^ e Earth, by the Apoftles and their Difciples,received the fame lib.3.c.24. Faith that is contained in that which is called the Apoftles Creed-, and he gives-a Summary of Doctrines to the fame purpofe as in that Creed is contained. a^ud E |ufeb Unto'thefe times (w) Egefippus that lived in this Age, declareth that Eccl. Hift.* ^ Church of God remained a pure and uncorrupted Virgin.——More* Iib.4. C.21. over the fame witnefs gives a general Teftimony of the Doctrine in this

Age, coming to Rome he met with many Bifhops, of one mind and

Doctrine, faith, The Church of Corinth remains in the pure and right Rule of Dodtrine, and was comforted very much with their Doctrine.

Being come to Rome I ftaid there till Anicetm was (tailed Bifhop, in

all the Succeilion, and in every one of their Cities, it is no otherwife than the Law and Prophets, and the Lord himfelf did preach.

After the Apoftles many taught our Doctrines long before Luther: having but little room, I muft take up with the fewer Heads of Doctrine, and fewer Teftimonies under each Doctrine-, I had begun to give a Catalogue in every hundred year fince Chrift, but that being too large for this place, I laid it by, and give Inftances in thefe few following.

I. The

i

wr

Scrrn. V II. Jlftfb * \ Novdly. -, , y

I. The Perfection and Sufficiency of the Scripture to Salvation taught long before Luther,

(x ) Juftin Martyr^wko lived in the fecend hundredth year after Chrift, fx) JirftV Mar.

iteth, That the true Religion it contained in the writings of the Pro- * n Trypn. & phets and Apoftles, who have taught all things neciffary for us to knows we arcn * are not commanded to give credit to the Traditions and Doctrines of men,but ihofe Vottnnes which were pnhlfhcd by the Prophets^ and Chriji hnnfelf delivered \ all things are to !■ ought to the Scripture, and from thence are (y) ^'P^^ arguments and pro< : ftchui, fir if a man he never fo often asked, J*;** Jjjjj

bow many doth two times two ma\e r he wilijiil! fiy) four;, fo a ChrijUan bo Dei & Spi-difcourfing with others will always aHedg the Scripture, (y) And IrentUs, ritu ejus di-

" The Scriptures are perfect as fpoken and dictated from the Word of #£• Ir ™- ad-«o i juvc«;,:». ' ver.ha?r. lib.2.

"Godand his Spirit, cap 47

So Tfr/w//w«/a;An.Dom.2oo,e^c.writes, " I adore the fulnefs of the ^'Idoro

cC Scriptures. --Let Hermogenes (hew that it is written, if it be not Scripture ple-

u written, let him fear that wo appointed for thofe that add, or dimi'- mtudinem— "nifh. In another place, thus, (a) " We have the Apoftles of the ^ c p a t t um T efre> ct Lord for our Authors; which never brought in any thing at their ^^1 1S ^ " own will, but what Doctrine they had from Chrift, they faithfully cinatf non eft " delivered to the Nations| wherefore if an Angel from Heaven mould Scriptum, ti-

ct preach otherwife to us, we would pronounce him accurfed. To "l? 1 .^ il^

(b) this Objection [the Apoflles did not know alitor if they did, they did ^Sh^ rtot deliver alf] he replieth, "That both ways fuch reproach Chrift as tibus deftina-" if he had Cent Apoftles either unskilful, or unfaithful.——Again, " In turn. TertnL " matters of Faith, men muft argue no other way than from the Scrip- a& y er»Hermogi " tures. In mort, he lays down the Doctrines of this Age in a Confef- qI^^u 0 }?* fion of Faith, agreeable to (that which is called) the Apoftles Creed, mus authored and faith, They are not doubted of by any amongft us, but Hereticks. qui nee ipfi In the like manner fpeaketh Origen, (c) that lived alfo in this Age, of r ^icquam ex the Perfection of the Scripture : " In the two Teftaments every word fuo srbitrio, " that appertaineth to God may be required and difcuiTed,and all know- r^t, elege6 " " ledg of things out of them may be underftood •> but if any thing do rant'; fed ac-" remain, which the holy Scripture doth not determine, no other third ceptam a " Scripture ought to be received for to authorize any knowledg. And c j} r ift° Difci-rnore in other places *s and a large Confeffion of Faith alfo by him,and *„™ t f^ m Gregory Neocjejar, containing the Doctrines that we hold, (d) bus affignave-

nint. Itaque etiatnfi Angelus de coelis ahter Evangehzaret, anathema diceretur a Liobis. Idem de Prsic. Ha?retV

(6) Solent dicere,—non omnia Apoftolos fcifle, omnia quidem Apoftolos fcifle, fed nori

omnia omnibus tradidiffe j in utroq^ Chriitum reprehenfioni fubjicientes, qui aut minus inftru-etos, aut parum fimplices Apoftolos miferit. Ibid. Aliunde fuadere non poffent de rebus fidei nili ex Uteris fidei. ibid, (c) Id. ibid. Origin: in Levit. Hom.'$. Torn. 1. * Hom.2. in Hhrtmiam. (d) Magdeburg. Cent 3. p.34,35.

(e) Hierome that died An. 420. thus, " Whatfoever we affirm, we (0 Hieron: % ought to prove out of the holy Scriptures, the fpeakcrs words have in p &« 99:

F f not

"not fo much Authority as the Lords Command. (7) Nihil, • vel (f) Ambrofe alfo who was born about the year 333, is of the cautionis gra- f ame judgment. " We ought to add nothing, ho, not for caution to nos deberaus Gods Command \ for if thou doft add,or dimini(h,it is a prevaricating mandaro. Si " of the Command *■> the pure and ilmpje form of the Command is to

quidenimvel " be kept. Nothing therefore, feem it never fo good, ought to be

addas, vel de- « ac y e j (0 ^—-Therefore we ought not to add to or take away from ricatio quae- ''the Commands of God. And he is more large which I cannot (for dam videtur brevity) tranferibe. (g) Again, he faith, " Who (hall fpeak where the cile mandati, " Scripture is filent > Anguine (born ^.355.) fubferibes the fame pura enim & Dodrrine. (h) " In thofe things which are laid down plainly in the datfforma^" "Scripture, all thofe things are found which belong to Faith, or di-

fervanda.—■> "redtion of life. (i) " Let us not hear, this I fay, this you fay, but

Nihil vel quod <c let us hear,this faith the Lord $ there is Gods Book, to whofe Autho-b° num vi <j e " *rity we on both fides confent, believe, there let us feek the Church,

Si —Doc™ tC therc Jet us difcufs our cau ^ e - Let tno ^ e things be taken from amongft ighur nos c us which we quote, or alledg one againft another, but not from the prafentis le- " Divine Canonical Books 5 tor I will not, that the holy Church be de-ctionis feries " monftrated from the Documents of Men, but from the Oracles of

Sf^div!^ " God - A g ain > " Read us thefe thin gs out of the Law,out of the Proms debcre " phets, or Pfalms, or Gofpel, or the Apoftles Epiftles > read ye, and

mandatis,neq-, c we believe. Again, our Lord Jefus himfelf did rather judg that his

adderc. Ambr. " Difciples fhould be confirmed by the Teftimony of the Law and r °d : r'.ap it " P r0 P nets « Thefe be the proofs , foundation, and ftrength of our

fe) Sanctis' "caufe. Again, "Let no man ask me my opinion, but let us hear-

Scripturisnon " ken to the Scripture, and fubmit our petty reafonings to the Word

loquentihus, " of God. We walk much fafer according to the Scripture > Con*

r^ S ^ u £ tur * w troveiiles are to be determined by the Scripture.- Again, Iinfert

Gent.,1.2. c.z. " tne °P*nion of Ambrofe^ Jerome^&c. not for that thou (houldft think ' .. " that the fenfe of any man is to be followed as the Authority of Cano-

aperteinScri- Cc nical Scripture. Auguftine hath abundance more (in many places) of ptura pofita tc fuch-like Doctrine^and he was above a thoufand years before Luther. Funt,inveniun-

tur ilia omnia,qua? continent fidem morefq*, vlvendi.Aug.de Docl. Chrifl.Tow.$. L.2.C.9. (J) Non a&-diamus,h$cdico,h£c dicis,fed audiamus,haec die t dominus.Sunt certelibriDominici,quorumautori-tati,utriqj confentimus.utriq^credimus, — Ibi quaeramus Ecclefiamjbi difcutiamus caufam noftram; auferantur ilia de medio.qu* adverfus nos invicem,non ex divinis Canonicis libris,fcd aliunde reci-tamus \ quia nolo humanis documents, fed divinis oraculis fanctam Ecclef am demonftrari. idem de unit at. Ecc/ef. cap. 2. L eg it e nobis haec de Lege, de Prophetis, de Pfalmis, de ipfo Evangelio, de Apoftolicis literis} Legite & credimus. Idem. ibid. cap.6. Ipfe dominus Jefus difcipulos tefti-moniis Legis & Prophetarum confirmandos ef!e magis judicavit. Hsec funt caute noftrse documents, hac fundamenta, he firmamenta. Idem. Ibid, cap.16. Nemo ex me quadrat fententiam meam, fed potius audiamus oracula, noftrafq} ratiunculas divinis fummitramus afifatibus. Augufi. de Mor. EccLCath. cap.q.Tom.i. Per Scripturas Divinas multo tutius ambulatur. Controverfa ex eadem Scriptura terminetur. id. de ToJ. cbrifl. cap.S. Sententias Ambrofi, Hieronymi, &c. non ob hoc interponere volui, ut cujufquam hominis fenfura tanquam Scriptura? Canonic^ auftoritatem fequen-dum arbitreris. Id. Eptfi. 112.

Cbryfofiome

Chryfojhme alfo, that lived in the fame age, and died about the year 407, taught the fame Dodhine fo long before Luther, in this point, as the Reformed Churches now do.Thus he writes: (\)" Would it not be (JO J 1 ^' # u an abfurd and prepofterous thing, that when we have to do with men ^t^) %e M -" in matters or money, we believe them not.but count it after them i but ^rav t*n *• " when we are to judg of things, we are fimply drawn into their cpi-)*&", tied-cc nions s and that when we have the Law of God for an exadfr ru!e,ba- W H» *?> *f™' lance and fquare of all things. Wherefore I befecch and ihtreat you all, £g T0 ^^!Ife? " that ye matter not, what one or another thinks of thefe things j bur mm , <£p /* u that ye would confult the holy Scriptures concerning them. In ano- T&r.y[x&]G>v ther place thus: (I) " Thefe things which are in the holy Scripture are fyvjZ 0 ^'** "clear and right ^ whatfoever is necelTary, is manifeft therein. Many f*^* reu J more Teftimonies we might have from this Author, and others quoted J^L^a/f'^-in the Margent, (m) but Brevity forbids the tranferibing of their aj<: ^tav'I* words. To conclude this particular take the Teilimony of a Council, «V'£« lyybv (n) wherein are many witneihng together, that the Scripture is fo per- ***"/»* »* red: that nothing is to be added to it. Ambrcfe faid, "Anathema to * a » ,,A*

LC i • 1 111 I • i o • 1 r • 1 yPMU.QVCL Xa

him, that addeth any thing to the Scripture, or taketh from it, and y, A yoy<t, icov x all theBifhops faid, let him beaccurfed. And their own Canon Law, $&cov ri^a? (0) reciting the words of Cyprian, That the Scripture mull be followed, 7 ^ ^0" arid not Cuftom or Traditions* "IfChrift only is to be heard, jvt ^j^J^ * <c ought not to regard what any one before us thought was to be done •, J*/^ *&£? u but what Chrifl: that was before all did ; neither ought we to follow rav v/ffi> d-u the cuftom of men, but the truth of God ■-, when as the Lord hath ?W«* ^ 1? "faid by the Prophet Jfaias, In vain do they rvorfhip me, teaching the ^l*'% r *~ u commands and doftrine of men. And again, (p) u It is not lawful for ^/^^T u the Emperour, or any other pcrfon pioufly difpofed, to prefume any ^^ $/ f thing againtt the Divine precepts, nor to do any thing that is con- pwSr tavJ* " trary co the Rules of the Evangelifts, Prophets, or Apoftles. Then *>***!* wvp-their Writings muft be perfect, or we (hall often be at a lofs for chr^Horrr want of a Rule to direct us. All thefc and multitudes more taught this 12. in 2 Cor*, long before Luther. fij Tavta

l-A tW £■*&>»jfettpvy ^ivaxjuofj^r) ts )y ttvAytvaxTKO^ivi]. Idem. Tom. 1.398. H* Wa %*$% vtltfaylftip tKaMcfji^. Tdem. pag, 114. vide ctiam pag. 217.428. T& (jty 'Zvy.qwa rout y^dr $o~e fi^t&ojj Tdtfl afob7?ict'&n@JiMHv. Bafil. Mag. in Moral, lib. Sum. 72.cap.i. Vide ctiam eundem. Sum. So. cap. 22. & Homil. de Confef. fidei. & paiTim. (n) Concil. Aquileien. Surius. Tom. 1. de Concil. p. 477. (0) Corp. Jur. Can. Diftinct. 8. c. fj Solus. (?) Ibid. Diftinft. 10. c. non licet.

II: Thai the Teople ought to read the Scripiure.and therefore ought it to be tranflatcd into vulgar Tongues^ rvdi a Veftrine taught long before Luther.

F f 2 By

fyj ;Ax«<r«7« u B y Chryfpflome, (q) " Let the Word of God dwell in you richly, he

o>o/ irfi *6cr- ... doth not fay,only let it dwell in you, but in great abundance. Hear

(AiKoi^yv- "this ye worldly men, that have Wives and Children, how he comrade* Xa rral- ic it . ,' » ~ . 11 „.'. . . UUUI

ith

he

«ar« paA/ra your Souls. Ignorance of the Scriptures is the caufe of all evils. We sJJS^f ' &° to war w * tn out our weapons, how then can we be fafe } &c. K*t*K cl7&£< l n another place he inftru&ed the People, " That when they went from *H&t Itv- ' the Congregation to their Houfes, they fhould take their Bibles and y&\ *Wc«J <l call their Wives and Children to participate of the Difcourfe of the Wf **$* " things that were faid. And in another place, he exhorts them dili-W^7e"^§ entI y t0 attend the readin g °f the holy Scripture, "Not only when ^xaA^waV "they came to the AfTembly, but at home to take the* Sacred Scrip-Is* 0/ &cf]i- "tures into their hands, and this he doth by an argument drawn from xl/ ty >C\&&i « tne g reat p ro ft t t ha.t they may receive thereby. Elfewhere he alfo ^!w* T»* P " " mentionetn that the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Terfians, Ethiopians 4uy?fc. T«to an< ^ multitudes more, had the Doctrines of the Scripture tranflated Wjr/«y, <uti- into their own Tongues.

9V 7G>y Kflt-

cc

cc &'. cc

Chryfoft. in Coloff. Homil. 9. Item in Mat. Homil. 2. in Mat. Horn. 5. to this purpofe alfo, de Lazar. Horn. 3. in Genef. Homil. 29. In Johan. Homil. 1.,

filoa^ch % ^ e ^ e a ^° ^ y ^ a * nt ^ u ^ u ^ He -> ( r )- " Jt * s come t0 P a ^ s that the Iib.a'cap^.' " Scripture,wherewith fo many difeafes of mens wills are holpen,pro- . c< ceeding from one Tongue which fitly might be difperfed through c the world, being fpread far and wide by means of the divers Lan- . c guages whereinto it is. tranflated, is thus made known to Nations for their Salvation, the which when they read, they defire nothing t\Cc but to attain, to the mind of him that wrote it, and fo to the ' will of God, according to which we believe fuch men fpake. (sj Hof. de To the new Dodbine of Hofius Prefident 00 at the Council of Trent,

verb DC1 * hat a V^ff*™fitter fir Women than a Bible \ ' We will oppofe (t) the : (t) Theodo- Teftimony of Theodoret of the old practice in the Church in this point: m.de curand: " You (hall every where fee thefe Paints of our Faith to be known and Grcco. atfeft. " understood, not only by fuch as are teachers in the Church,but even lib. 5. cc 0 f Coblers,and Smiths, and Webftcrs, and all kind of Artificers i yea

" all our Women, not they only which are Book-learned, but they " alfo that get their living with their Needle, yea Maid-fervants, and " waiting Women \ and not Citizens only but Husbandmen of the " Country are very skilful in thefe things \ yea, you may hear among "our Ditchers, and Neat-heards, and Wood-fetters difcourfing of the "Trinity and Creation, &?,

III. That

III. Tbat Religion* Worfhip was net to be given to Images, or Reliques of Saints wm taught long before Luther.

When Polycarpus furTered, the envious Perfecutors not willing that his Body (hould be honourably buried, as the Chriftians were delirous to do, they moved the Proconful not to deliver to the Chriftians the Body'of Polycarp, left they leaving Chrift, fall a worfhipping of himv concerning which the Church of Smyrna (for I have not room for citations of particular perfons) in their (*) Epiftle to the Church at Pbilo- 00 Eufeb. milium, &c faid, This theyfaid, being ignorant of this that rve can never ^T^T^

forfakf Chrift, and tbat we can worjhip no otber \ for we worjhip Cbrift

as tbe Son of God, the Martyrs rve love as Difciples and fohwers of the

Lord,

O) About the time of Sylvefter fir ft, who was Ann. 3 14. a Council M Pwcuit,

was fofar from worshipping of Images that they would not have any g^^ ^fle Pictures in the Churches,left that which is worshipped or adored mould non debere . be painted on Walls. Alfo about the year 700, a Synod at Confianti- n c quod coli-nople (whom the Greekj call the Seventh,) did not only condemn tbe tur, autAdo-rrorfbip of Images, but alfo Images tbemfehes, and tbat tbey jbouldbe cafi ra ^Yd<Tin-out of Churches, (x) Gregory Eifhop of N£oc£farea (not the antient of "fJJ* ^7." that title, but another fince him), wrote a Book againft Images,which %nber, can.%6. was read and approved by this Council, and inferted into the Syno- (x) Illiric. dical Adts as a common Decree s in which Book there are Testimonies Cat . al - Teft ' of Scripture and Fathers againft the Idolatry of Images , and that they Vent.pag.73> would not allow any Image or Picture of Chrift, but Anathematized them that (hould draw his Effigies in material colours. Can. 8,p, 10, it, 12,13. and determined that there was one only Image appointed by Chrift, to wit, the BlelTed Bread and wine in the Eucharift [Lords Supper! which reprefent to us the Body and Blood of Chrift. The Second Nicene Synod was againft this, and for Images, and a Synod at Francfort againft the Second Nicene Council and their Images.

Pezelins gives us this account, That Leo the third,Emperour, called a Synod about the year 730, in which it was controverted, whether Images were to be worshipped, &c. the ilTue whereof was that the Fathers then prefent, (except only Germanus, and therefore refigned, and one Anaftafw was chofen in his rocmj condemned and fubferibed, . That worfhipping of Images and Relicks was meer Idolatry, contrary to the Scripture , and the Interceffion of Saints a Fable. TheEmperour ■ put the Decrees of the Synod into execution, commanded the Images to be brought into the midft of the City and burned \ and the Pictures on Walls to be whited over, and fo defaced \ and did write to Pope Gregory the third, (according to fome, the fecond) and commanded him, as he would keep in his favour, to do the like. After him his Son Conftantinus, called Copronymus, out of his zeal called a Synod at Byzwtium, Ann. 754. which is called the Seventh General Council, where were prefent 338 Fathers, where the Queftion being difcufled.

Whether

Whether it were lawful ihat. Images (hould [To much as j be in Churches; who receiving the Decrees of the firtt and fecond Councils of Conllantinople, Ephefus, Nice^ Chalcedon ; did determine with one con-fent, that all Images (hould as abominations be call away. Fezel. & Lampad. Mellific Hiftor. par.3. p*g-3 7-A 1 *

IV. That Invocation of Angels and Saints U unlawful was taught long before Luther,

By the Council of Laodkea which was about the year 364, according to Caranza, who relating the Canon I am to produce, tor \_An-gelos"] reads twice \_AnguUs~\ to evade the force of the Councils Canon, which he could not Hand before, for which tricks of Legerdemain their TranQations are little to be truikd to ••> let us take it in the Greeks Text.

tiVOA Xj *y/«r

Church of xv&ov Yi^av 'l«tf-S/ ffcirov* ih ifov ^ O-gio ^ HfahoheLTfeicL T§oftih$iv, Concil.

£od, and go Laodic. Can. 3 5. Codice Canonum EcclcT. univerf. Can. 13^."

and call upon

Angels, and gather Afiemblies, which are forbidden j if therefore any fhall be found giving

himfelfto this fecret Idolatry, let him be accurfed, becaufe he hath forfaken our Lord Jefus

C hrift, the Son of God, and hath approached to Idolatry.

The Papifts are fo humble that they will go to God, by having rc-courfe to Saints, to intercede for them 5 this we diflike. Who taught the contrary before Luther ? Multitudes. One of which becaufe it is fo {x) Solent ta- pat, I will tranferibe \ (z) Ambroje above a thoufand years ago con-men pudore demned fuch that vScdfucha miferable excufe^ in thsit they thinkji go to pafli negledi q 0 £ fry tbefe, as men go to a King by his Nobles. Go to^ is any man fo mad utTcxcufad- or f° unmin ^l H l °f hi* Salvation as to give the Kings honour to a Courtier i one, dicentes which if any do^ are they not right eoufly condemned as guilty oflreajon? per iftospovTe and yet thefe do not thinly tbemftlves to be guilty^ which give the honour of ire ad Deum, $y e name v j'God unto a creature^ and firfikjn? the Lord they adore their \\ ^vy rve- f e ^ ori? T ervants: ^or therefore do men go to the King by tribunes or Offxers^ nitur ad Re- becaufe the King is but a man^ and kvioweth not to whom to commit thefiate gem. Age, of the Commonwealth ; but to procure the favour of God* (from whom no-nunquid tarn thing is hid^ for he hrioweth the works of all men) xve need no fpobefman.hut demens eft a £ evmt m ^ nc [ ^ j or where fever fuch a one fa all fpea\ unto him^ he will

falutis fuse im- **fi*ir him. memor 5 ut ho-

norificentiam Regis vendicet Comiti, cum de hac re fi qui etiam tractare fuerint invent], jure ut rei damnentur Majeftatis ? & ifci fe non putant reos, qui honorem nominis Dei deferunt creature, & reli&o domino confervos adorant. Nam ideo ad Regem perTribunos aut Comites

ltur, quia homo uriq^ eft Rex, & nefcit quibus debeat Rempublicam credere. Ad Deum autem (quern utiq*, nihillatet, omnium enim merita novit) promerendum furfragatore non opus eft/ed tnente devota. Ubicunque enim talis locurutus foent ei, refpondebit illi, Ambrof, in Roman, a.

V. that

V. That there are but two -places for the Souls of men after death^ and

confequently no Purgatory was taught long before Luther. (a) Augujiine, born above a thoufand years before Luther, taught, (Y) Augufl.de " That there is no middle place for any, he muft needs be with the pec. Merit. & "Devil that is not with Chrift. (b) Again, "The Catholick Faith ™j^f " refting upon Divine Authority, believes the tirft place the Kingdom of k ue ft. Erang. " Heaven i and theftcond, Hell •, a third we are wholly ignorant ot. iib.2. cap.38. (c) Again, what Abraham faith to the Rich man in Luke, " That the CO Idem - . at * "Righteous though they would, cannot go to the place where the Macc d- Epuu-" Wicked are tdYmented > what doth it mean, but that the godly can ™° "afford no help of mercy, though they would, to thofe that be fhut " up in prifon after this life, that they (hould come out from thence, " and that through the unchangeablenefs of Gods Judgment. Again, " There is no place for the amending of our ways but in this life j for " after this life every one (hall receive according to what he feeketh u after in this ', therefore the love of Mankind doth conilrain us to in-" tercede for ilnners, left by pimifhrnent they fo end this life, that there "life being ended, their punifhment never end. (d) Another, " What- 00 Olympi--"foever ftate or condition, whether good or bad, a man is taken in °? or l ir \ Vv. tc when he dieth, fo muft he abide for ever, for he (hall either reft in cc eternal happinefs with the Saints and the Lord Chrift, or (hall be tor-"mented in darknefs with the Wicked and the Devil. This cannot be Purgatory, for the Papifts do not fay that the Wicked, or the Devils be in Purgatory but in Hell.

VI. That the Marriage of Mimflers wjs lawful, was taught long before

Luther.

Long before indeed \ for it is the fixth of the(fuppofed) x^poftolical Canons,owned by the Church o(Rome in thefe words/e)Let not a Bifhop (7) Cararrz. or a Preslyter upon pretence of Religion put away bti Wife \ but if he do Jet Sum. ConciT.' him be excommunicated, if he full perfifi therein, let him be depofed. P* *4 #

(f) The Council at Ancyra alfo did decree, That fuch as in their Ordi- 00 Concil. nation did declare their purpofefor te marry, if they did fo, (hnuld continue Ancyran.Can* 1 in their Ministry, (g) Another Council about the year 300 decreed, ^°- ^ 1C S "\ That if any (hould judg, that be ought not to partake of the Oblation from c i e £ ufl i ve rfJ* a married Presbyter, let him beacewfed. And the hrft General Council Can. 30. at Nice that had this under debate after Paphnuuw had delivered hisOOCodex judgment about it, did leave it at every Minifiers liberty to marry, or Can ' K cc{ fi[' , not marry as they (hould fee caufc, fh) which the Romanes Canon ^"^Concil. 321 ' Law doth alfo ftt down. Likewife this is fully ftated in the i'ixth Gene- Gangrcns, ral Council, lhat the lawful Marriages of holy men jhould be valid, but Can. 4.-wbofoever is fund diligent (hould no way be kindred from that office, be- W Corpjur? caufc of living with hU lawful Wife. Thenf re if any (haU pre fume contrary ?^t5^ to the Apoftles Rules to deprive any Presbyters or Deacons, of communion Synodus. with their lawful Wifes, let him be depofed. Well faid Council! and if

this

this could have been put into execution, the Pope would have been (f) Jus Canon, down long before now,or mended his tyrannical dealings; and yet this Vyn- £. r * m ' ftands in their (i) Canon Law,and they a6r quite contrary to it ^ here quondam in C ' ^ n B ^° m a nyCouncils,and fo many ancient lathers in all thtfe Councils Roman. I nee ^ not look for more, to tell you who taught this Dodtrine before

Luther,

W E?V xj ^^' Communion in both hjnds was taught long before Luther.

a{IQ- 7o7< Ignatius^ (k^) One bread U broken to all, and one cup diftrihuted

vtamv t *$W to all. And by Juftin Martyr, (/J They give to every one that is prefent of diujy w no- t j Je coH j~ ecrate d Bread and Wine, as Cbrijl commanded them. And by Cypri-

otoiifttvmn- an ( m ^ ^ 1VP ^ rQe i nv i fe f ^ em t0 ^ed their blood for Cbrijl in the Con-$n. Igmt.zdfefionof his name, if when they Jet forth to fight for him, we deny them Fhilad. f his blood ? how pal! we fit them for the cup of Martyrdom, if before we tO, A//p*a , 'J' admit them not by right of communion, to drink, of the Lords cup in bis ^aejhav y.i- ^ mrc ^° ? ^ n another place thus, (n) Becaufe fome men out of ignorance, l&kaQeiv ^ or fimplicity in fantlifying the cup of the Lord, and minijtring it to the Peo-cuxap/rnBu'- pie, do not that which Cbrijl the Injlituter thereof did and taught, I thought 7% *P f T® y ^ it both matter of Religion and necefjity to acquaint you herewith by Letters olV A.^ v **l that if any be held in that error, the lioht of truth being now difcovered to n&fifcoK&v ' 0im ) vt might return unto the root and beginning of our Lords Inflituti-l»iiTcLh%<u on,&c. Fully and plainly by Chryfoftom (o) "That the People have as tt ^ 70 l i }'*\ " good a title to the Cup as the Miniiter/ometimes and in fome things C * 1 2 in*fine. " tnerc * s n0 difference between the People and the Prieft, as in the par-(■m) Cyprian. tc ticipation of the dreadful Myfteries ; for all are equally admitted unto Epift. 54 : " them. In the time of the old Law,it was not lawful for the People to O). Cyprian. « eat 0 f thofe things of which the Prieiis did eat ^ but it is not fo now, fK l ^\ 6 1'' ct f° r °ne body is offered to all,and one Cup.

*k \ £t* Imuftthrufiin the Dodtrine of Leo the Great, who was a Bifhop of Tvsew uiTi- Rome, Ann. 440. and yet did count it Sacriledg, not to have the Cup X«V ©V (xel«- received by the People.He faith thus,fpeaking of the Manicbees^p)" And X*iyd§iyf> "when to cover their Infidelity they dare be prefent at our Mylteries, *XKd* V &) " tne Y * ocarr y themfelves at the Communion of the Sacrament, that

tv ffvpAv?*' " tne y ma y tne more ^ e] y ne kid> tne y take tne Bod y °f chrift

%*f\±i> j£ to- " with their unworthy mouths, but they altogether decline the drink-1*$iov tf. " i n g of the Blood of our Redemption *•> which I would have you to Cluyfo^in a k n0W t h at tne f e kind of men by this mark being made manifeft,who(e Ig> ' " Sacrilegious fimulation when difcovered, let them be marked,and by

Q>) Cumq-, ad " Priefily Authority be driven from the fociety of the Saints, &c. tegendum in-

fidehtatem fuam noftris audcant interefTe Myfteriis, ita in Sacramentorum Communione fe tem-perant, ut interdum tutius lateant j ore indigno Chrifii corpus accipiunt ; Sanguinem autem Rc-demtionis noftra? haurire omnino declinant. Quod ideo veftram volumus fcire fanclitarem, uc ▼obis hujufcemodi homines, & his manifeftentur indicris, & quorum deprthenfa fuerit Sacrikga fimulatio, notati & proditi, a Sandorum focietate, Sacerdotali auroritate pellantur, &c, iwi. dt Quadragtf. Serm, 4.

-Be-

Becaufe in Councils there are many witneiTes at once, let us hear them. The Council at Ancyra, though lv.it Provincial fyet as Caranzi faith was confirmed by the General Council at Nice J was according to Caranzi his Computation in the year of our Lord 308, did decree. Can. 2. That Deacons that had facrificed to Idols, Jh mid not deliver the Bread nor the Cup in the Sacrament. Whence it appears that in that age the Cup was given as well as the Bread. And the Council at Neo-cs-farea confirmed alfoby the Nicate Council, (To Caranza) Can. 13. did decree, Ihat the Country Pritfis in the preface of the Bifhop, or Presbyters of the City, Jhould not give the Bread, nor reach the Cup, but if they were ahfent they alone Jhould do it. At the General Council at Chalcedon con-(ifting'of 630 Fathers, the Seventh accufation brought againft lb a (q ^ c ^' d Bimopof Edvffa was, That there was not Efficient quantity of Wine pro- Su riuin,Tom. vided that thofe that did adminifler wcr? contained to go to the taverns 2 . AcL io. for more. But what need this complant, if the People were not to drink as well as to eat ^ this being a General Council, it feems that through the whole Church the Cup was given to the Laity j this was about the year 451. in the time of Leo the firm In the third Toletan Council it was decreed that through all the Churches of Spain and Galliciajhzt the Creed fhould be repeated with a loud voice, and the People make profef-fion of their Faith, before they receive the Body and Blood of Chrifi. At the . f T .-

Council of llerda, it was decreed, That the Clergy that deliver Chrifis £™ C1 -l:l ™£ Body and Blood, Jh^uld abjfainfrom all mens blood, even of their enemies. Magdeburg. One more Teftimony of one of their Bifiiops of Rome, full and good Cent.5.p.4<57. Protectant Docarrine, whichT find in their Decretals. The Dodfrrine oiGelaftus (r) who was Bifhop of RomefCor as yet there were no Popes * r + comperi-properly as now they ufe the word,) Ann. 4^2. thus, We have found mus autem, that certain having received a portion of the facred body, abfiain from the quod quidam Cup of his facred Blood, (being intangled with 1 kjiow not what fuperftiti- fumpta tatI _ on) let them either receive the whole Sacrament, or elfe let them be wholly tummo ."° . excluded from receiving, becaufe the divifon of one and the felffame My- portione a fiery can't be without grievous Sacriledg. Well faid Gelafius ! ye Papifts Calice facri that ask who preached our Do&rine before Luther ? in this point I fay cruoris abfti-Gelafius^ Bifhop of Rome i and he taught of old that the not partaking ne ^ t c ^. 1 in both kinds s is i. Superftition i 2. a maiming or halfing of the Sa- (quoniam 10 crament; 3. that it is grand Sacriledg. Was your Bifhop in his Chair nefcio qua when he did thus determine i and yet will ye neither believe that he fuperftitione did err, nor yet give the cup to the People, though he did infallibly j*°F entur ob " di&ate this to be a duty. Surely he did err in faying fo, or you do err fatcin iSacra-in not doing fo. menta perci-

piant, aut ab integris arceantur, quia divifio unius ejufdemq-, Myfterii fine grandi Sacrilegio non poteft pro-venire. Corpus jur. Cm. Deer it. pars 3. Dtfhci. 3, c. Comperimus autem.

VIII. Ihat in the Lords Supper after Confecration there U true and real Bread, and true and real Wine,was a Doctrine'taught by many long before Luther. G g By

(<) Hoc eft By leriullian, (s) " Chrift taking the Bread and diftributing it to his

corpus meum, « Difcipl£S ^ madc it his Body, faying, Ibk u my Body , that * (mark, porisraei.Tt-'f. ' l ^* s ^ a figure of my Body. By Attgufiine^ (*) who bringeth in our Sa-4dv.Marc.l4* viour fpeaking after this manner, u Ye (hall not eat this Body which. (t) Non hoc c ye fee, nor drink that Blood which they (hall (bed that will crucifie corpus quod c me : I have commended a certain Sacrament unto you, that beings duca^urreftts ' Spiritually underftood will quicken you. By GelsjiUf, (n) fayipg, & bibiruri " The Sacraments which we receive of the Body and Blood of Chrift, ilium fangui- " are a Divine Thing, by means whereof we are made partakers of the. nem,quem fa- * Divine Nature, and yet the fubftance or nature of Bread and Wine.

me crucirl? U1 " ^ ot ^ not cea ^ e t0 ^ e ' an( * m( ^ ee ^ tne image and the iimilitude of the. gent- Sacra- "Body and Blood of Chrift are celebrated in the action of the. mentum ali- " Myfteries. quod vobis

commendavi: Spiritualiter intellechirn, viviflcabk vos. An gift, in Pfal. £8. Qt) Certa Sacra-.

menra qua! fumimus corporis & fanguinis Chrifti divina res eft, -& tamen eiTe non definit fub-

ilantia vel natura panis & vini., Gelaji. de duib. Natur. in Chrift. contra Eaiychen.

(tv) Si ergo By Ambrofe^ (&) cc How can that which is Bread by Confecration

tanta vis eft "be the Body of Chrift? by the words of Chrift: What words of D mTnMefu " Chrift * ^Y which all things were made •, the Lord commanded and ut incipient **" tne Heaven was made i the Lord commanded.and the Earth, and the efic qua? non1 ' Sea was made. Seeft thou then how powerful is the W r ord of Chrift ? erant-, quanto c if therefore there be fuch vertue in the W r ords of our Lord to make magis 9F ra ~ u thofe thing> that were not, to begin to be, how much more power-SINT QUM " ^ ' ls h ,s Word, that they remain the fame they were, and yet be ER/\NT & in " changed into another thing ? aliad commu-

tentur ? . ^Tu ipfe eras, fed eras vetus creatura, poftcaquam confecratus es, nova creatura etfe

caepifti. —Sed forte dicis, fpeciem fanguinis non video. Sed habet fmiiiitudinem.—-Simi-litudinem precioii fanguinis bibis. Ambrof. de Sacram, lib.$. cap.$. edit.(miU) Paris, 152^

This Author doth acknowledga change, but not a Tranfubftantia-ting change, for he expreily faith, They be what they were. It was Bread and W T ine before, and therefore though fet apart for holy ufe, yet not changed into another nature. So as to fubftance, to ceafe to be what they were. And he giveth inftance in our felves, when converted there is a change, of old are made new creatures, but not by being changed into a new fubftance, but our Souls fet upon right Objects, &c. And when the Objection is made, But I do not fee Blood in kind. He rcplkth, But it hath the likenefs or fimilitude of it y and thou drinkcft that which hath the refemblance of the precious Blood of Chrift. This was taught then above a thoufand years before Luther by this Father. And fo it was by Cbryfojieme alfo, (x) Who faith, "If £0 Chryfoft. " j t j^ p~ r j| otiS f0 p Ut t | ie f e fiaHowcd VtiTels to private ufe, in which Is in Mat Tom. « nQt ^ ^ fiod of chri(} but the Myftery ot his Bo dy is contained

pour. «*. , . * p * -i

Mora. 11. therein,how much more, wc.

IX. That

IX. That the Bijhdp of Rome n\ts not the VniverfA Head of the Catholic^ Church, nor the Judg in whofe definitive fntcnce all were bound to acquiefce was taught long before LiHher.

Inthcfecond hundredth year after Chrift, there were fix Councils, "Provincial only, the caufe whereof was the difference about the Feaft cfEajier; hen.ats (y) Prefident of the Synod in France did write to (0 Eufcb. Vitior then Bifhop of Rome, and fharply reprehended him for going Hiftor. EcclcC about to fever from the Unity in Communion all the Churches of Afu \ \ 6 ^^^ which pleafed not all the Bifhops. So Fufibim. In the year 418 was ^ ap ^ the fixth Council of Carthage, which retiited three Popes one after another. About the year 450 the Council of Chalcedon withstood Leo then Bifhop of Rome in the queflion of Supremacy.

IUyricus upon his word affirmeth that he faw an Epiftle of the Ei-(hops of France and Germany 'written by Aventinus his own hand) to AnallapM Bifhop of Rome, and others of his Complices, the ftfm whereof was, To admonifh the Fope and thofe Bifhops of Italy that ftded with him, to let them alone, and not proceed to exercife their Tyranny over them, The whole Epiftle is to be found in IUyricus, Catal. Te\i. Verit.pag. 41.

The Bifhops alfo of Bclgia about the year %6o, did conteft with the Pope, whofe Epiftle to Pope Nicolas the tirft is taken by Il'yricns out of Aventinusjn the clofe of which EpifUe they declare that for the Caufes before mentioned : (z) "They would not ftand to his Decrees, nor (x) Hifce dc " hear his voice, nor fear his thundring Bulls. Thou condemned them caufs, cum

* that obey not the Decrees of the Senate. We alTault thee with fjf j^" 0 ^

" thine own weapon that defpifeft the Decree of our I^prd God, — ne q UC e diftis*

the holy Spirit is the Author of all the Churches which are fpread both tuis ftamus, " far and near =, the City of our God, whefe free Denizons we are, is ne( 3^ vocem " greater than that City which by the holy Prophets is called Babylon, tuam a SPofci-

" —which exalts her felfto Heaven, and doth falfly glory that fhe buUas"^? 38

tc never hath erred nor can err. truaq; tua ti-

Biennis ; tu cos qui Senatus Confulris non parent, impietatis condemhas.-— Ncs tuo te enfe jugulamus, qui

ediflum Forr/mi Dei noftri confpuis, Spiritus fanftus autor eft omnium Ecclef;aruni 3 qua lon-

ghT.me & Jatjffime terrarum orbis porrigitur. Civitas Dei noftri, cujus municipes fumus,major eft

urbe, qua? Babylonia a facris vatibus appellatur, qua? coelo fe aquat, neq^ unquam fe errafie,

aut errare pofte mendacicer gloriatur. Iilyric. Catal, 7eft. vtrit. (ex Aventin.) pag.2o.

Indovicw the Emperour, Son of Charles the Great, and the Nobles and Clergy in his time did not own the Bifhop of Rome to have that Headfhip and Power as now they claim and ufurp, when by his Authority,without any mention of the Pope, heaffembled rfeveral Councils', bciides others he called four feveral Synods fcr the Reformation o{ the Church of France, viz. at Mentz, at Far'n, at Lions \ and at Tholoufe, to enquire what was held anfwerable or contrary to the revealed Will of God, and wherein they departed from the holy Scripture. He was

G g 2 fo

Co famous for the Churches good procured by him, that Platim bewailing the mod horrible wickednefs of the Popes and their Clergy in

Catal p 8% ^ s ^ s > ^ at ^ e cr J^^ out ' ^ Ludovice, utinam nunc viveres. O Ludo-.

vicus I wifh thou vvert now alive, (a) ctmur^a ^ Hincmar Archbimop of Rbemes openly publifhed, * c That it was q^Proceres Uuot ^ aw ^ u l for the Inferiour Bilhops upon any publick or general oc-regni affirma- " cation to confult the Pope, unlefs they had firftadvifed thereof with re, inqnit, ilia " their own Archbifhops * that it was needkfs for Archbifreps to ex-nova & mau- « p e( ^. refokuions from the See of Rome concerning fuch things that are PapaVdit^bi " a l reac ty fentenced in holy Scripture, in the Councils, Canons and De-de jure Reg- c crees of the Church. And expounded thofe words, Tu es Petriu ,thou norum judi- " art Peter, thus» Upon this fure and folid ConfeiBon of Faith which cia fumere, C6 t ] 10u t^ft. rrau}fc, will I build my Church. And as touching the Power ^"J 0 ^^ cc of binding and looting he did write to the Pope himfelf, Leo the J^tb. pum & regera c . That that Power was paffed and derived from St. Peter, and from the die, &c.Hinc- cc reft of the Apoflles to all the chief Heads of the Church v and that mar. apud " §t # Peters Priviledg took place only where men judg according to the pfitf Cin ' 9 ' " ec I ult y of St- Peter, and is of force wherefoever that equity is ufed. Monet ponti- H Luther had now been born, (as he was not for many hundred years ficem ne tarn after J this would have been called Luthers Do&rine. temere ex-

communicationes pra?cipiat:—— Sed patiatur cau(as diligenti«s in fuis Provinces cognofci, Sc juxta Canenes dijudicari. Hincmar. Magd. ce.».$. p.524.. Luithperr Otgarius, Guntherus Colonien-£s, Thetgondus, Treverenfis, & alii Epifcopi Belgici graviter tyrannidem Rom. Pont, redargu-unt. Magd. Cent.9. p.338. item Ecclefise Grxcorum, & Imperatores contra Papain, vide Mag. con-tur.p. 340, 34r.

Likewife wh#n Leo the fourth encroached upon the Church of Germany, Luitbpert Archbifliop of Mence writing to Lewis King of Germany, fpeaksmuch againlt the Pope, faying, : That the Churches Head "did ake, and if fpeedy remedy were not taken,it would quickly diftil "upon the Members.

About this time 854,'the Church of Rome hid a fore mifcarriage,when

Pope John alias not being like to other Males, was great with Child

by his, rather her fervant,and going to the Lateran fell in pieces, a good device to provide for fucceffien, the Pope brings forth a Child •, but fince that time they have made a hole in Saint Peters Chair,that when a

new Pope fits down, the Puny Deacon mrght fearch of what before

the one Body of the Romifh Church had two Heads, the one vilible,the other invifible, but now the Head of that Church had two Bodies, ard both viilble. fa) Amulfbm Arnulpbks in a Synod held at Rbemes, (c) noted the Pope to be Anti-his Oration at cHrill: i faying, u What. O Reverend Fathers, what I fay think yo« *Ma%b St ant " him t0 be > which fitteth thus in a lofty Throne, in Puiple Robes, 3nd 16^.486,487', <; glittering Gold > Certainly, if he'be void of Charity, H ft al and puffed 488,43$.' ■ " up only with knowkdg, he is Antichrilt, fitting in the Temple of

, * ' "Godi

" God \ but if he want both Charity and Knowlcdg,rhan he is an Idoi j

" and to leek to him for anfwer is to enquire of Marble (tones. .

(d) Tbeopbylacl Archbimop of the B«k*r/**/,ex poinding thefe word?, l^uTls: [Vpon this Koei rritl I build my CWo7 : ]made no mention of the Pope of & j oh / 20# Rome, faying, '"That Confcifion that Peter made (hould become the -foundation of the Faithful, in fuch fort that every man that would " build the houfe mult nccefiarily put this Ccnfeffion for his Foundation. Of the Power of the Keys he faid, t: Though it were only faid

" to Peter, To thee will I give, &c yet that Power was once given to all u the Apoftlcs when hefaid, JVhnfe fintye remit, Jhall be remitted.

Famous is the Hiitory ofOtbo. (e) who aflembled a great Synod in f?J Magd.Cen-the Church of St. Ftterzt Rome, of Archbimops, and Bifhops in Rome, ?^' * & from MiVain, Ravenna, Germany., and France j to which Pope John the ^ &c> thirteenth would not ccmc, to whom a Letter was fent by the Empe-perour, that he would make his appearance to anfwer to the things of which he was accufed.f and thev were very (f) many and very hainousj (f) Johannes to which Letter he returned this anfwer \ " I hear fay you mean to create ^ J e ^ tJ °" "another Pope, which if you do, I Excommunicate you by the Om- quam or | ri(> " nipotentGod, that you have no Power to Ordain any, nor to defer nibusvacabar, M brate the Mafs- When this Letter was reading comes in the Archbi- & multa alia

(hop of Invert- and other Bifhops of Lorrain, Liguria, and Mmihi, auHitu mdig-. \ . r • « 1 riir j ^ ■ j r #. ( lv a na de eo di-

with whofe advice and counfel the Emperour and Synod lent this An- cuntur>

fwer, " That they made light of his Excommunication, and they would caran%, Sum. "return it upon himfclfj for when Jndtf had become a Murderer, he Concil. pag.

u could tye none but himfelf, ftrangling himfclf with an Halter.- 787.

Otho Depofed Pope John, and took into his hands the nominating and c " Jio ^ b ^h making of Popes afterwards. As yet Emperonrs were not come to \ n f oht cr [ m '^

wait bare-foot at the Popes Palace, nor to hold their Stirrups. nibus, honii-

cjdii, perjurii, Sacrilegii, Inceftus, a-liorumq-, ncfandorum fcelerQm 3 &c. Laitprand.afud Ban*, in Spond. Epicom; in annum 563.

(g) When the Pope Ann. 996, fent a Cardinal into France to Confe- c i) Glaber. crate a Church there jhe Prelates of France hearing of it, "Judged it to HSj"^ cc be Sacrilegious prefumption proceeding from blind Ambition, that he £ aront Anna-"fliould tranfgrefs Apoftolical and Canonical Orders, efpecially being les, Ann.cp; confirmed by many Authorities.

(h) Gregory The feventh ftri&ly forbidding Pricfts to Marry, writeth ry\ Adverts to the Princes of Germany, That they would not frequent the MaiTes of HildcbranM

Decretum ("quo magna feveritate Sacerdotum conjugiv.m damnabat'per uaiverfum Chriftianum orbem) in-tremuic tota fad jo clcricorum ; hominem plane hareticum, & vefani dogmatis efle clamitans. Ututclmu V0I.2. Generat.36. apud Magd. Cent.u^ p.339. Quod Sacerdotibus connubiis interdixit Rildeb. Pontifex, plerifq; Epifcopis novum dogma, omnium maxime peftifera harrefs, quae un-quam Chriftianum perturbaiTet Regnum, vifa eft. Quamobrem Italia?, Germanise, Gallia? Pontifi-ccs ; « > i %aitiebl contra pietatem Chriftianam,verbis, fa&is agere, facere decernunt^ eundem ambitus, ha>refeos,impietatis, Sacrilegii condemnaric. Avtkt. lib.5. Annal. lllyrh. Catal, «: Ifthg* cent 11. pag.389. ' Married

■

226 Popery a Novelty. Serm. VII.

Married Priefts: But yet the Bifhops in Germany did refufe to yield to this Decree, or to depofe thofe Priefts that were Married, defending themfelves by the Authority of the Scripture, ancient Councils^ and the Primitive Church '•> adding thereunto, That the Commandment of God y and humane necejpty did dire&ly oppugn the Popes Decree. They long continued to detend their Liberty, infomuch that feeing neither Reafon, nor Prayer, nor Difputation would ferve the turn; the Clergy confuting together what to do,fome advifed,not to return again to the Synod, others to return and thruft out the Archbifhop from his Seat, and give him due puni(hment of Death for his defervings, that by the example of him othersroight be warned hereafter never to attempt that thing any more to the prejudice of the Church,and the rightful Liberty of Mi-nifters. The Archbifhop fpake them fair,and bid them be of good hope, he would fend again to Hildebrand fthe Pope) and -they mould have what would content their minds *, willing them in the mean time to continue as they had done in their Cure and Miniftry. The next year the Pope fent Bifhop Curienfis as< Legate to the Archbifhop of Mentz.znd af-fembled again a Council, where the Clergy were commanded under pain of the Popes Curfe to renounce their Wives.or their Livings. The Clergy ftill defended their Caufe with great ccnftancy, in the end it brake forth into a Tumult, that the Legate and Archbifhop hardly e-fcaped with their lives. After this the Churches would chufe their Mi-nifters themfelves, and not fend them to. the Bifhops fthe enemies of Minifters Marriagej to be confirmed and inducled, but put them to their Office without knowledg or leave of the Bifhop.

The Pope did write alfo about this matter to Otho Bifhop of Conftance,

but this Bifhop would neither feparate thofe that were Married from

their Wives, nor yet forbid them to Marry that were Unmarried.

(i) So the (i) The Clergy of France did ftoutly oppofe the Popes Ball for the

Clergy of Excommunicating of Married Priefts that would not Divorce their

* r % ia ir m*" Wi ves > declaring their Reafons from the Word of God, from Councils^

Vol i pas. from the neccffity ofNature^nd refdved to lofe theirBenefee slather than Jut

227* -away their reives \ faying moreover Jf Married Priefts would not fleafe the

Pope, he muft call to Angels from Heaven to ferve the Churches, But if thefe

Clergy-men would not be at the Popes beck, neither would the Angels

in Heaven, I know not what other Angels may be.

In the Popes proceeding againft Henry the Emperour, he was oppofed by the Council at Wormes, in which were the Bifhops not only of Saxo-(J() inland** ^ but of all the whole Empire of the Germans.who did agree and cor-facerdos, lite- c j U( j e U p 0n ^ depoilng of Hildebrand, and Roulandus (j^) was lent to ris deferens, Rome, who in the name of the Council commanded the Pope to yield up abfqi omni his Seat, falutationis

honore, tibi (Hildeb. compellans, inquitj Imperator,—— & Italise, Gallia?, Germaniaeq; Epifcopi, pra?cipiunt, utte, munere quod aftu, pecunia, gratia occupafti,abdices. Non enim verus paftor, neq,pater, neq-, Pontifex es, fed fur, lupus, latro & tyrannus. [Brave QGW^XQUsReKlandX^Avwtin* Iib.5. An. Magd.Cent.n. p.425. .' This

This fame Fope was again judged and condemned by another Council held at Brixia, where were divers Bifhops of Italy, Lombardy and Germany, in which Condemnation is recited amongft other things, his Vflipping Authority over the Empcrour , and taking away and forbidding the Marriage of Priejis.

Towards the end of the thoufandth year (when there was again two Popes at once, Vrbane and Clement the third J William Rufm King (I) of rj^ VoXt A # s England would furTcr no appeal from England to the Pope of Rome, as it & Mon. Vol.i. was not lawful to do frcm the time of William the Conquerour. And p«24 2 » when Anfdm Archbifhop of Canterbury Appealed to Home, the King charged him with Treafon for fo doing ; All the Bifhops of the Realm, flood on the Kings fide againft Anfelm ; though Anfelm pleaded hard, faying, Should I forfwear Saint Peter, I jhould deny Chriji. But all the icit of the Bifhops difowned any Appeal from England fo Rome.

(m) About the year 1105, two famous Bifhops of Mentz recorded (V) ^fts & to be very virtuous and well-difpofed,were cruelly and tyrannoufly dealt Mon, Vol. 1. with by the Pope/their Names were Henry and Chrijhan)^Henry would P* 2 54» make no Appeal to the Pope, but (aid, 1 appeal to the Lord Jefus Chriji^ as to the moji high and juji Judg, and cite you ("the two Cardinals that had done him wrong; before his Judgment, there to anfiver me before the high Judg. Whereunto they fcoffingly faid, Go you before firft^ and vpe will follow after. Not long after the fame Henry died, whereof the two perfecting Cardinals having intelligence, faid one to another jedingly, Behold, he vs gone before, and we muli follow after according to our promife. A little after they both died in one day, the one voided out all his Entrails into the draug'ht;the other gnawing off the fingers off his hands, 8c fpit-ting them out of his mouth Tall deformed in devouring himfelQ died.

How the Clergy were againft the Popes Decrees that they (hould put away their Wives, or lofe their Livings, we might learn from a large Copy of Verfes made by an Englifh Author, concerning Pope Calixtut, for this.

0 bone Calixte, nunc omn'vs clerM odit te,

§heondam Presbyteri poterant uxoribus uti, 00 Afts & :

Hjc defiruxijii^ pojlquam tu Papa fuifli,&c. Won * 2 5 5 *

fO'About this time the Bifhop of Florence did teach and preach that Antiehrift was now manifeft, for which Pope Pafchalis did burn (V) Ibid. 2^4, his Books.

At this time alfo Hiftorians mention two more famous Preachers,Ger-hardus and Vulcinus Navarenfis, (p) who did earneltly labour and preach againft the Church of Rome, defending and maintaining that (?) Hlyri Pnyer was not more holy in one place than in another , That the Prpe was ( acaIcy S* Auticbrijfci That the Clergy and Prelates of Rome were Rejeds, and (he the very Whore of Babylon fpoken of in * u ? Revdjtions. Thefe two brought thirty more with them into En?land,who by the King and Prelates were all burnt in the forehead,and fo driven out of the Realm, and after that were llain by the Pope. At

(q) Fox. Ads A t this time alfo in the City oillwloufe (q Jthere were a great multitude & ^° n ' V of Men and Women whom the Popes Commiilioners did perfecute and condemn for Hereticks j of whom fome were fcourged naked, fome chafed away. One of the Articles they maintained was that the Bread in the Sacrament after Confecration was not the very Body of the Lojrd. Illyric Cat. In Germany alfo Robert Abbot of Vuits preached againft the Popes

Jurifdi&ion as to Temporal Domnion, interpreted that place, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rocl^will I build my Church, to be underftood concerning Chrift, &c* (r) Petr. Clu- (r) Befides thefe there was Peter Brnis, Ann. 1 126, and after him his niacenf. lib.i. Difciple Henry, Ann. 1147, in France drew many Provinces from the Epift. i.& 2. Church of Kome, preached againft Tranfubjiantiation, tbe Sacrifice of the Mzff) Suffrages and Oblations for the Dead, Purgatory, worjhippinrr 0 f Images, Invocation of Saints, fingle life of Pricjis.Pilgrimages,fuperfluous holy-days, Confer ation of Waier, Gyl, Frankjncenfe^ &c. The Pope and his Prelates they called Primes of Sodom, tbe Church of 'Rome they termed Babylon, the mother of fornication and confufron. This Peter Brtivs preached the Word of God among the People of Iholoufe for the fpace of twenty years with great commendation 2nd at laft was burned.

I mull but name Hmorius Bifhop of Augujla, who fet out the Iniquity and W T ickednefs of the Church of Rome to the life *, recited largely by Uu-pUff. Mift. of Iniq. p.2p4-

And Nordbertus, Ann. 1125, that protefied to Bernard, That Anti-chrift he knew certainly would be revealed in this prefent Generation. (s)Joh.Sarif And jWw of SarUbury (s) who vihting the Pope, was asked by him, bur. in Volicr. what men thought of the Pope, and of the Reman Church, who told lib.d. cap. 24. him to his face, They fay the Pope is a burden to all, and -almoft in-■DH-plefoif. to ie r able. And much more.

Did the Papifts never hear of the Waldenfes, or have they not been vexed with their Doctrine before Luther was born, that they ask where was our Doctrine and Religion before Luther ?

Did the Council of Conftance condemn the Doctrines of TVickJiffe and Hufs as Erroneous,and was there fuch a noife about them, and yet did not the Church of Rawf hear of our Doctrines (then owned by themj v before Luther ? they can never make us believe it.

ncs has fe&as ^ et Riinerius a Frier writing of the IValdenps, or Pauperes de Lug-qux adhuc duno fatisne them, who faith, fc Among all the Seels that are or ever Hint, vel fue-

runt, non eft pcrnitioiior Ecclefia? quam Leoniftarum ; & hoc tribus de cauf s \ prima eft, quia eft diuturnior, aliqui enim dicunt, quod duiayit a tempore Sylveftri; aliqui a tempore Apofto-lorum. Secunda, quia eft generalior, fere enim nulla eft terra, in qua ha:c fecla non f:t. Tertia, quia cum alia; omnes S?&£ immanitate Blafphemiarum in Deuni, audientibus horrorem inducunt, hxc magnam habet fpeciem pietatis, eo quod coram hominibus jufte vivant, & bene omnia de Deo credant, & omnes articuios qui in Symbolo continentur, folum modo Romanam Ecclcfam blafphemant & clerum, cui multitudo Laicorum facilis eft ad credendum* Raiw, covt. hctr. c.^.4.

" will

"will be, none can be more pernicious to the Church of God (he " means the Church of Rome) than that of Lions. And he giveth thefe three Reafons, (1) " Becaufe it hath continued a longer time than any, " fomc fay that it hath been ever imce the time of Sylvejhr, others fay " from the times of the Apoftles. (.2) Becaufe it is more general, tor " there is not almoft any Coimtry whereintp this Sedl hath not crept. "(3) Becaufe all others procure horrour by their Blafphemies againft " Gods this of the Lyonijh hath a great appearance of Piety,in as much "as they live uprightly before men, and put their truft in God in all "things, and obferve all the articles of the Creed, only they blafpheme <# the Church of Rome, and hold it in contempt, and therein they are "eafily believed by the People. A fair Confeilion of a Papift. So that you fee, they can tell, if they lift, where and when, and by whom our Doctrines were taught before Luther^ but they ufe this Qjeftion to beguile the ignorant People, Where wm your Religion before Luther ?

And Jacobus of Riberia acknowledged that the Waldenfes had continued a long time. The fir ft place (faith he) they lived in was in Nar-bonne in France^ud in theDiocefsot Albie^ Rhodes, Cabors,&c. and at that time there was little or no eftimation of fuch as were called Priefts, Bifhopsand Miniftcrs of the Church •> for being very fimple and ignorant almoft of all things, it was very ealie for them through the excellency of their Learning and Dodrrine to get unto themfelves the grea-teft credit among the People i and for as much as the Waldenfes difpu-ted more fubtilly than all others, were often admitted by the Priefts to teach openly, not for that they approved their opinions, but becaufe they were not comparable to them in wit. In fo great honour was the Seel of thefe men that they were both exempted from all Charges and Impofltions, and obtained more benefits by the Wills and Teftaments of the Dead than the Priefts.

Rainerius faith of them, that they had Tranflated the Old and New Teftament into the Vulgar Tongue, they teach and learn it fo well, that I have feen and heard (faith he) a Country Clown recite 'job word by word, and divers others that could perfectly deliver all the New Teftament.

The Doclrines that thefe Waldenfes taught before Luther^ are the fame that the Reformed Churches do now hold j (1) As that only the holy Scripture is to be believed in matters of Salvation. (2) That all things are contained in holy Scripture, neceiTary to Salvation, and nothing to be admitted in Religion, but what only is commanded in the Word of God. (3) That there is one only Mediator, other Saints in no wife to be made Mediators, or to be Invocated. (4) That there is no Purgatory. (5) That MaiTes fung for the Dead are wicked. (6) All mens Traditions to be reje&ed, at leaft not to be reputed as neceiTary to Salvation. (7) That differences of Meats. (8) Variety of Degrees and Orders of Priefts, Friers, Monks and Nuns. (9) And

H h fuper-

lyo Pdpery a Novelty. ." Serm. VIL

/EoeasSylvi- fuperfluous holy days. (jo) And Peregrinations with ali the rable-as,, Eohennca mtm Q f Rites and Ceremonies brought in by man are to be abolifhed. WalderV.um Cl l ) Tnat lhe Supremacy of the Pope ufurping above all Churches,and dognuabus. Kings $c Emperors is to be denied, f 12 ) That the Communion in both Fox A«!ts & kinds is neceflary to all People/13 )That the Church of Rome is very&z-Mon Vol. 1. bykn^nd the Pope Antichrift,and the fountain of aH'other/r^That the pag-2?9>3 C0 - Popes Pardons and Indulgences are to be rejected. C15) That the Marriage of Ministers is lawful, and fuch-like. Their Doctrines are related by JEnm Sylvius afterwards Pope, none of their belt friends. But the Englijh Reader might find them in the Book of xMartyrs. Luther lived and began the Reformation after the year 1500, thefe preached this Dodrine before the year 1200 j look and fee our Doctrine was before Lutber.

In the year 1200, &c. it would be endlefs to give an account of particular Doctors, that did oppofe the Dodfrine of the Church of Rome, and did maintain the Doctrines we receive.

I might mention Almarkus a Dc&or of Park that fu/Fered Martyr-CO Avent. °* crn *° r withstanding Altars, Images, Invocation of Saints, and Tran-iib.7. p. 54k fubttantiation.

Alfo Everard(u) an Archbifhop in Germany, in an AlTembly of Bi-ihops at Regenfpurge gave his judgment of the Bifhop of Rome. " Hilde-a brand ffajd he) under colour of Religion laid the foundation of the

" Kingdom of Antichrift. Thefe Priefts of Babylon will reign alone

cc they can bear no equal, they will never reft, till they have trampled " all thiwgs under their feet, and fit in the Temple of God, and be ex-"alted above all that isWor(hipped:He which is theServant of Servants "coveteth to be Lord of Lords,as if he were God v his Brethrens ceun-* fels, yea, and the counfel of his Matter he defpifeth. He fpeaks great u things as if he were God s in his breft he cafteth new devices where-" by to raife a Kingdom to himfelf^ hechangeth Laws and c.onfirms 4 his own j he defileth, plucketh down, fpeileth, deceiveth, mnrderetk "Thus that child of Perdition (whom they ufe to call Antichrift) in " whofe forehead is written,the name ofBlafphemy, I AM GOD', I "cannot Err j fitteth in the Temple of God and beareth rule far and "near. Was this Luther, that fpeaks fo like him againft the Pope? no, one born long before him, or elfe the Papiils would go too nigh to " fay, This Do&or had learned this from Luther.

The Preachers in Sweden publickly taught that the Pope and his Bi-fhops wereHereticks. It would be too long to give account, 'how the Pope was oppofed by Fredericl^the Second; and by John King of England a great while, though at I a ft he delivered the Kingdom of England and Ireland to the Pope, and Farmed them of him for a Thoufand Marks per annum', and afterward was poyfoned by a Monk', and' though he made this Refignation of thefe Kingdoms for himfeJf, and his Heirs for ever to the Pope, yet his Son and SueceiTor Henry

the

the Third made great Oppofition againd: •, as did the Lords and No- (*) Vox kfo blesinhis Fathers days, and have left a Lamentation upon record of ^ Mo n . y o!.r. that fad of King John, (w) Jfin/Zthca]

Ann. Domini 1220, acerrime infectatur Sacefdotes fui temporis, dicens, in eis nihil pietatis ac erudkionis comparere, fed pocius diabolicas turpitudines, omnium fpurcitiarum ac vitiorum monflruofita-tem, eoruin peccata non fimpliciter peccata effe, fed peccatorum monftra terribiIi{fima,cos non Ecclefiam, fed Eabylonem, Agyptum ac Sodomam effe j Pradatos non aedir'care Ecclefam, fed deftruerc, ac Deo illuderc, eoscum aliis Sacerdotibus prophanare ac polluere corpus Chrifti,&c. Lib. dt c»lLtione Bwficiorim*

But the Hiiiory of the Waldenfts now fpread far and near ftands like a Beacon on an Hill that all that do not (hut their eyes have clear light to fee that our Doctrines were taught in abundance of places before Luther, thefe continued in Vauphine, Languedoc^ and Gmenne, and iu all thofe Mountains which reach from the Alpes to the Yyrentan. They had fpread themfelves into Germany, where were a great many of their Preachers who at the found of a Bell preached in a publick place, "That " the Pope was an Heretick, his Prelates feducers, that they had no "Power to bind and loofe, or to interdict the ufe of Sacraments, and " told them that though they had not come, God would have raifed "up others, even of the very (tones, for to enlighten the Church by " their Preaching, rather than he would have furfcred Faith utterly to "have perifhed.

By this time they Ordained Preachers in Spain, which preached the fame Doctrine with them, and in Lombardy much multiplied. Yea in one only Valley called Camonica they had ten Schools. Another faith, that their little Rivers frreamed fo far as to the Kingdom of Sicily, and the only reafon of their futferings is faid to be becaufe they withdrew the fheep from the keeping of Saint Peter, and departed from the Roman Church. Do not you yet fee where any were that owned and preached our Doctrines before Luther ? Go then to JacJ^ Vpland (x) ( X ) vox A&s written by Geofry Chaucer, and anfwer his QuetUons , and ask this Mom Vol.i. queftion no more for fhame.

From the year 1300 the bloody Perfections and the great Sufferings of multitudes for the true Doctrine and oppofition to the .Church of Rome do prove what is fought after, except they imprifoncd and burnt fomany, they know not for what. For Satan (according to feme) being bound at the end of the firft Ten Perfecutions,and remaining bound a thoufand years, was now let loofeagain.Do they ask (till, Where was our Doctrine before Luther ? why, where Perfecution was raifed by Papilts before Luther; for why were fo rrnny Imprifoncd,. B mimed and Burnt, if they did not look upon them as Hercticks, and whom they fo call isnotorioufly known. Was not Conradus Hager Imprifoned for preaching again ft the Mafs, Johannes de Cafiilone, and Frawifcus de Arcatura, were they not burnt, and Hjybulus Martyred, and Johannes

Hh 2 de

de Rupefaffa Impiifoned for certain Prophefies againft the Fope> Did not Militrius a Bohemian preach that Andchrift was come, and was he not Excommunicated for the fame > Was not Occam Excommunicated, and his Books prohibited becaufe they difpleafed the Pope?

Brufhius relates that fix and thirty Citizens of Maguntia were burned (y) Vox. Acts for following the Doctrine of the Waldenfes, (y) affirming the Pope to U Mon. Vol.i. b e the great Antichrift. Alfo Majfeus recordeth of one hundred and P a g- $5°» forty in the Province of Narbon were put to the fire for not receiving the Decretals of Rome, befides them that fuffered at Paris to the nun> ber of twenty four, and after them four hundred burned for Hereticks. (%) Acts & (z> Was not Matthias Parifienfis before Luther that writ that the Pope Mon. Vol. 1. was Antichrift) And was there not an old ancient Writing called the <*22 2 ' Prayer and Complaint of the PWwjjz, containing many things againft the

Church of Rome f and Nicolas Orem before the Pope preached againft them.

Was not John JVickJiffe before Luther ? and did not he maintain the Doctrines that the Reformed Church now holdeth? and.a great com-pany of valiant defenders of the fame truths, twenty-five articles of (Y) Acts & Wickliffe you may read in the Book of Martyrs, (a) And may we not k6q.' Yea 45! le a ™ fomething by the (b) Laws then made in England that many here Articles of did oppofe the Church of Rome ; as Ann. 5. Rich. 2. In the year 1380, wicQiffcon- we re ad of a great number called evil perfons going about from Town demned in t0 Town preaching to the People divers Sermons containing Herefie IFconftancl. anc * notorious Errors (foPapiftscall our. Doctrines) to the emblemifh-Suyms in Con- ing of the holy Church. eil.Tom. 3.

p. 790. (J?) Acts & Mon. V0I.1. beginning in the proteftation to the Church of England. Had the Council of ' Confiance fo much ado with the Articles of Hufs and Jerome, who were charged with Articles againft the Church of Rome, and condemned and burnt by-the Council, and yet do Papifts know none that taught our Doctrine before Lather ?

And were there not many WitneiTes againft Popim Doctrines and

Afterters of ours from the year 1400? as JobnBadby, Nicolas laylet,*

Richard Wavftaff, Michael Scrivener, William Smith, Sec, Jihv Hufs,

Jerome of Prague; but why do I mention particular names, when there

were a great number of faithful Bohemians not to be reckoned, and

many other places. The Bohemians in this age, near to labour Caftle af-

(c) cochlens fembled themfelves together to the number of thirty thoufand , and

iib.4. ex £:>\- having three hundred Tables elected in the fields for that purpofe, they

^T^.Prote- received the-Sacrament in both kinds, (c)

ftant. evid. j n t ^ e Statute Ann. 2. llen.q.. In the year 1402 in England there (d) f'd) Ads & were man V Poachers of true Doctrine, which thofe times called new Mon. Vol. 1. Doctrines and Heretical, contrary to the Faith and determination of Proteftat. to the holy Church, [Rome foriboth.J It is recorded in the year 1422, the Church of tnat Henry Chichefly Archbifhop of Canterbury did write to Pope Martin iLngUni. ^ £f ( k t j iat { fe IC wcre f Q man y | n -England infected with the Hereiie

of

of Jftckjiff and H*/i that without force of an Army they could not be fupprefled.

Befides all thefe that have preached and owned our Doctrine long •ago, wc might fend fuch Papifts as ask, Where was ywr DoUrine befon L*ther , to the Churches in other parts of the Woild, as to the Greekj y the Muscovites, the Melchites or Syrians, the Armenians, the Jacobite/^ the Cophti, or Egyptian Chriftians , the Abajfmes and others, who though too corrupt in many things, yet do agree with the Reformed Churches in many Points wherein they with us differ from the Church of Rome, as is witnefled by David Chytreus, who travelled amongft many of them, and from his perfonal knowledg and converting with many that were amongft them > and by Letters from others, gives an account of the ftate of feveral Churches ; and by the confeffion of Faith in the Eaftern Churches, compofed by Crytopulus Patriarch of Confian-tinople, and others, as alfo by the confeffion of Papifts themfelves. 1 .Thefe Churches do deny the Popes Supremacy,that he is Head of the Church, and never did fubmit unto him as llniverfal Headstheir words are, It xvm never heard in the Catholic^ Church, that a mortal man, fiib-jeit to a thoufandfins fhould be called the Head of the Church ; but the Head of the Catbo\i\Cburtb it Jefus Ckrift. And much more they in their ( e j £/• $ Confeffion fay. (e) W£e t*^S

kKHJi6&vSpG><BOV SvifloV $ (JLVeltU§ *(JLttp]idl{ '(VOX** M$**MV *iyi&di T* SKKhtKTtCL<> &c. Confcf.

fidei, Eccl. Orient, per Crytopulm, cap.23. Item David Cbytram de ftatu Ecclefix, pag.21. PratuL Elencb. ha?ret. lib.7. p.202. Idem p.228.

The Grecians account Chrifts Vicar the Pope and the Latins, excommunicate perfons,Pr<i^o/»/. Of this opinion are the Mtfcovites,- the Armenians, &c.

2. Thefe Churches agree with us in rejecting the Apocryphal Book f . from the number of Canonical Scriptures, (f) Qfe Ecclef.

3. They give the Sacrament in both kinds ; they fay of neceffity they orient, per"

ift communicate in both kinds, fo that if any take it under one kind, oltop, cap. 7;

although a Lay-man, he is faid to fin, becaufe they fay he doth againft (&) Prattol.

E/ienc. iicCreTi

mu alt! Chrifts command. SoPrateolus, All partake of both kinds, the Bread

p. 202.

and the Cup, whether Eccleilaftical, or Lay-perfons, Men and Wo- Mtjiy** 1 3 * men. (g) navjis httji-

f * ^Af TA>V

yuMUKif. Confef. fid. Ecclef. Orient, cap.9.

4; They turn not the Sacrament into a Sacrifice offered for the quick 00 Ex Litur "

and dead, fum&'naf"-

5.They have no private MafTes,thefe both are teftified by Cbytrtus. (g) ti^nibus^o^

rninurn fide dignorum conftat, nee miffas privatas abfq*, communicantibus ab eis celebrari folere, necullam in eorem canone, facrificii corporis & fanguinis Chrifti pro redemptione vivorum fe mortuorum oblati, mentionem fieri, &c. David Chytr. de ftatu Ecclef. p. 14.

£. The

s

0 lm>AM$n 6. The Do&rineof Tranfubitantiation is not received amongft them ** wZ** f ^ ey C0n ^ s a tru ^ * nc * rcal Prefence in the Lords-Supper, but fuch I

^T4L«V^ 0neasFaitho ^ ereth ' nGtfuclias thedcvifed.Tranfubftantiation vainly

ijm-5 ag/s-S teacheth. (i)

ofj.th.oyxyi.'sVi

'fd.4l*jiari{* &c. ^yril Patriarch. Conftant. cap. 17. p.6o.

(kj Confef. 7* T^y admit not the feven Popifh Sacraments, they own properly

fldei Eccl. o- but three, Baptifm, the Lords-Supper and Penance, (k)

rient per QtU

top. cap. 5. #V 'Sytu rd *$$ 9tf\ti&<iM dvctyHsu* ^v^nexA TftA] fccttfiieiicL) kqiwvia ^

tavoia*

(I) Confef. 8. They admit Minifters Marriage. (I)

Orfem 0 ?/"' ^" T ^ e y ^^ P ur g atGr y* Ix W true tne ^V^ Church do believe that

& David 'chy-tnere * s a P^ ace diftind from-Heaven 3nd Hell, where fome departed

trans de flat. Souls are lodged for a while > their opinion is, That thofe-that lived

Eccl. p. 14. holily, and died in the Lord go immediately to Heaven, and the wicked

that die without repentance go preftntly to Hell '-> but fuch as are con-

verted'at the end of their life are in another place 5 in a middle condition

and for thefe thev pray, but yet they do not call this Purgatory. So

CbytrjzHs. And in their Confetfion they utterly deny Popifh Purgatory

for they affirm the punimment of fuch departed Souls that are neither in

(rri) t\\yH Heaven nor in Hell, vs not material, (m) neither by fire ', nor by any other

Toivov m \k- matter, but only from the affifiion and anguijh of their own Consciences re*

KhnviA tUu membring then what they did amifs while they were in this world. How-

twvav -to/- evertne y be far from the truth, yet they be far alfo from Purgatory

>XftW>«T ^ re * yox Afphottfuf faith, That it is one of the molt known Errors of

Zv h§yAviKuv, the Grecians and Armenians ,that they teach no place or Purgatory. &c.

f/W fid TUpO*

fj.yf]i f\ CfcMiKj OTTOlAi *V t?A)fO A fad cT/fi£ fal^lCO* Xj AVIAl >? W ffUVH^^iaf (SVfX^AthiffAf

Tx\olS CM <& [Al(JLVYHfKi&At T&V Off A CV T<W K0(S{JLO) (Jib )£1 KoyoV (JW^i Officii iW^L^AV. ConfeiT.

eadem cap. 20. Unus ex notifTimis erroribus Gracorum & Armenorum eft, quo docent nullum eiTe Purgatorium locum, &c. Alphonf. adver. hzref. lib. 12. p. 188.

10. Though the Greeks dote too much upon Images of Saints, yet (n) Oi^ $ fle- tne Y dirTer much from Papilis in this point ', for they areagainft making vh tov acre- any Image of God which the Pap : fls do in the li'kenefs of an old man \ eix&tfovjilv and to other Images they give irt^hj honour, but neither the Worfhip <foay>Ag\ m- of i atria nor Bulla: (No, fay they i God forbid, for thefe are only to

£«„--.--AJV be 8 lven t0 G ° d# (*)

dyiAis eJnofft -

fy l\y.h Tlw K&ffMtffOM AKW&y.iV : *KA7§di7lHfo « fvhlKh, CLKAyi) AVlOJi $ Qgp ufaa

*ryefa*Giv» Confefl. fid. Eccl Orient, per critop. cap.i 5.

:ii. They carry not the Sacrament in proceilion about the ftreets, (as the Papifts do to be worfhipped by them that meet itj except they

fend

fend it to the fifikv for fay they it was not given to be carried about the M 'Ou <fcr fhcets, butrcligioully to be received for the reraiiiion of fins, accor- J f 0 ^*^ ^" ding to the Word of God. (o) pvJJ!7fU

«M' W (JLOVOV 07CLV K0(JLi^i\cU &< OtKOV VO(TXvlo<> OTl V v/l&fcfl «U«y 7*7o fr* *ft*$i$\))cU </W

%S *Ka}h£v, &»? U& ivXttfrcoi (xfiixalcu h< &<piftP dfjcafliSy, rp Te £ $i<mo\iKa, p«//*7*. Con-fell. fcd. Eccl. Orient, per eundem cap.9.

12. They hold the perfection and fufrlciency of the Scripture, that (pYHr&A-ir is Sacriledft to add any thine to it, or take away from it, and contra- 7 tet M?w didt thofe that do. (fj IkkwU &i 1

t*< TOivToy 77 7o^aV}ct{> ihiyx* x) H.*ltL<pcti$£ . Confeii. fid. Eccl, Orient. cap.7:

13. Concerning the marks of the true Catholick and Apoftolical

Church they greatly differ from the Church of Rowe > the Confellion (?) Thaflh mentions four, and the laft they fay mod: ftrefs upon, wherein they $ 9tt.$if&\*9 teach the fame wirh us, namely that it faithfully and llncerely keep the •* K * W *' I< * Word of God, which God hath given to us by his Prophets and % t rSf xfifi-Apoitles. (q) Kas *&&*.&-

Q£cy fifiA 0 0 9s3$ «J(^6To «T/* X wpowffi *j ^nr'tKar. ConfeiT. fid. Eccl. Orient, cap. 7*.

14. They do not define the Catholick Church as the Romamfis do, by making it eiTential to fubmit to any one man as the Head of the whole, but the whole company of fuch as arc found in the Dodf.rine of Chrift, every-where difperfed, but knit together by the bond of the. Spirit is the Catholick Church. Cotifeffleadem cap.j.

By all this fReader) laid down in as little room as I could,thou maift fee, the harfh and uncharitable fpirit of the Romanijlj, to unchurch all thefc, who do profefs that they keep to all the Do&rines of the rlrft General Councils, - r) in which efTeritial Doctrines were ratified as ap- ^., «e^. ta ' -j^ pears by their Creeds, containing the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, £p&tug o/xs--(but the Mofcovites condemn and curfe the Romans as forfakers of the ptvutde 2u-Primitive Church, and breaking of the feven General Synods.; As alio !^J* J**** thou maift fee their impudence in asking where our Church 3nd Dod- ^f^°^ &t rines were before 1 .utheip; where there have been fo many Churches ^kwwjw* / ever (mcc the Apoitles times that have ( though not without many cor- %j0d \M%a»- ■ ruptionsin many things, yet J hHd to the effential Doctrines of Chri- T0 T*/*S «£«.--ftian Religion, and have not received thefe Dodhines of the Church ot fj£'^°^ ' Rome, which is but a little Church in comparifon of all the refUmonglt ca « : l ^ &q£ j whom our Religion was before Luther. feptera' Sync- -

dorura Grae-carutn. Scripts Bafilii, Chryfoftomi, Famafceni, eorumq; traditiones tanquam di.ina oracula 1 araplectantur, ad eaq^.de fide & Religione ipforum fcifcitantes remittunt, ex Uteris Coujizntm. add Viv. Chytr. de ftatu Ecclef. p^i.

Having

Having made appear that the Dodtrines of the Reformed Churches are the fame that were taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, and that 'by many after them long before Luther $ the next thing is to demonftrate that Popery it a Novelty \ this follows indeed by juit and good confe-quence from what hath hitherto been faid in the former parts of the method firft propofed to fpeak of this Portion in •> for two fuch Dodfrines as are fo contrary, yea fo contradictory, cannot both be true, and equally old ;> for Truth mud be before Error. But yet that Popery had not its being till many hundred years fas now framed ) after Chrift, I (hall pick out fome of the chief and moft material Points of Popery, fandifthefe fall the other cannot ftand) and give an account of the time when they fir ft came in i the reft whofe rife and original as to the particular time is more uncertain, though clear enough that they were not from the beginning, nor long, long after* will not need fuch large infifting on •> and yet in all I muft endeavour Brevity, which is a task that lyeth upon me, and pincheth me hard all along in fuch a copious fubjed: as this Pofition is.

Firft, I fir all begin at the head, ( which is indeed the head and heart of Popery) which though by that Age it hath, gray hairs are upon it, yet in comparifon of true Antiquity indeed, it will appear that their -head is both raw and green-and if the head be young the whole body cannot be olds and the Witneffes to give in their Teftimony of the minority of the Pope as Head of the Church as now claimed, are at hand, even fix feveral Councils, which have fo polled this head, and dipt his beard, that it looketh very young, and bear his age marvelloufly well, for look upon him in the glafs of true Hiftory and no man will believe that he is fo old as he brags to be.

Firft, my firft Catalogue of WitnefTes conGfts of three hundred and eighteen grave ancient Fathers affembled in the firft General Council fthat ever was fince the Apoftles timcs.J at Nice, in the.year of our Lord 325. In reading over the Canons of this Council, I fix upon two, which are fully and dire&ly againft the Popes Univerfal Soveraignty and Dominion above all other Churches ', the one is againft Excommunicate perfons Appeal in any Diocefs unto remote Churches > or being harboured or received by them in thefe words.

Concerning perfons Excommunicated, whether they be of the Cler-(s) Tli@jt 7$v gy or the Laity, (s) Let th'afentence be obferved by the Bifhops of every &Miv*v{\Tav Province, according to the Canon, which faith, That thofe which are ca$ y, wc ^tl a H' out by fome, jhati not be admitted by others. This Canon clips the Power S? a &re, 0I ~ r ^ e P°P e 5 an ^ ta ^ es awa Y h* s Jurifdiclion over other Churches i and %f Li K&i*3 was fo under flood of old is plain, becaufe when fome were Excomnau-

TAyyiivaVy xs&h iff tad* Ikathiv wtifyjAV Imewwruv xp*1«Va> w yvtoyw y7i rev xap'ova tqv Jtayo^iv f o¥TA, r*i v$* sTi$<w &Bi8Aw$f j^j ^V Mfav nn vrfork&cu. Codex

Can. Ecclef, Univerf. Can.$.

nicated

,

nicatcd in Afric\, and did run to, and were entertained by the Bifhop of Rome, the Cotineil in Africi^ did hold irregular, and did write to the Pope fo too, and alkdged this Canon of the Council of Nice, that he ought not to admit them whom they had Excommunicated*of" which more when I ecme to that Council.

The other Canon in this Council runs, (t) Let the ancient cupms> ob- ftjrdclo'^cuA tain [continue in force] which are in Egypt, Libya and Pentap Ik, that (J;* >^]ht», the Bifhop of Alexandria have power [authority, the Government] of ah Te ^ °J «>**-tbefe \ becaufe alfo the Bifhop of Rome bath the fame cuftom. Likewjfe alfo ™^ A/Ct ,-' in Antioch, and in other Provinces, let the_ Churches have their Dignities, ^ H) ^ fg 7 ^ fPriviledges, Prerogatives] pnfirvtd, [fecured] to them.--— *-—From c* «At&tp-thus much of this Canon we eaiily learn. Firft, that the Bifhop oiRome <?"* Www had not Univerfal Jurifdiclion over all the Churches, becaufe the Bi- J2J£f25 (hop of Alexandria was to have the fame Power, [i&wiai] Authority, Ifa^ZfJl : over thofe parts, and the Bifhop of Antioch in thofe parts, and otheis ikhM £ T £ in other Provinces, as the Bifhop of Rome had in thofe part?, which ^ tj f«m9_ could not be if the Bifhop of Rome were Univerfal, and they Provinci- c™™*™ ra-al underlings, for there is not like Power, Authority, or Equality in an ll^lj^ Univerfal and Provincial Bifhop according to their own Do&rine. Se- 3 ^^71 7 luj condly, we as eatlly fee, that what Power the Pope had, is not by this *ArnbxH&v, Council bottomed upon, and derived from the holy Scriptures, or fuc- *> =* t**s *** ceifion from Peter, but grounded only upon cuftom j, not a word is here K ™* t^x 1 ' of any Divine right to that power or place in which he then was,which Cha tJ^t&aji was far inferior to what he claimeth and ufurpeth now. For the firft Taut ejcxxgrf-three hundred year then, an Univerfal Head was a non-ens, not rifen, «<*—Codex nor acknowledged in the Church of God. Very good. 5j ai ?^ E f cc !? r '

Secondly^he next Catalogue of WitnefTes againft the Univerfal Sove- ^ # raignty of the Bifhop of Rsme, hath in it one hundred and fifty Fathers, aiTembled at Constantinople fwhich Caranzs faith, is one of the four Caranz.p.20©; principal Councils, and next after the Council of Nice, whofe Authority is already alledged,) about the year three hundred eighty three, (So Codex Canonum,) Thefe in their firft Canon did ratirie and confirm what was done in the Nicene Council,and would have it to be obferved with- * H y j* *^* out violation. Moreover (m) they did Decree, Ibat no Bifhop of any Di- ^mWrciy ocefs jhould go to any Churches beyond their own bounds, to meddle with hmtnicvrzs them, nor confound or'mingle Churches, but according to the Canons, the 7e "i \z&att' Bifhop of Alexandria (bould govern what belongs to Egypt j and the Bifhops *** *** A , 3} * l ~ nfthe Eafi only the Ea\}, reserving the Priviledges, [Dignities] by the Ca- J^^jvT wnsof the Council of Nice to the Church of Antioch \ and the Btjhops ef wyy£n9 t%*

etMefc j£l 7«< K&vbvctt Tap (jfy ttKizdLvJp^di #foVx0fl">P Tec If cuyvTlp poVop 0lMP0pJ*p ;

the Afian Viocefs, Jhouldgovern the Allan Viocefs only. And the Bifhops of

the Viocefs rf Pom us, what appertaineth to that Diecejs only •> and Jo the

Bijhops of Thrace, Jhould in Thrace. And that no Bifhop of any Viocefs

jhould go except he be called to Ordination, or any other Church-difpenfati-

ons. This Canon above written concerning Vtoceffes, being kept, it is mani-

■ fefithxt thofe things which appertain to each Provinse, foould be ordered by

the Synod of that Province (if they had faid, All, by the Bifhop of Rome

thellniverfal Head, it would have made their hearts to leap within

them, and made his Holineis fmile *, but alas! they carried it quite an-

other way, by the Synod of the Province.) according to the determinate

( w ) c * W @f j s p f the Nicene Council.— — (w) And in the next Canon they Decreed

Tmvrbhi&t ^at the Bijbop of Conftantinople, for as much as it is new Rome, fhould

I'TTiffKo^ov have the badges of honour next to the Bifhop of Rome. From this General

%XM ?& Council we learn, -nrfl, That they vote againft any one being Univerfal

wzurGtia, <f ^ He^ •, becaufe, fecondly, every Bifhop was to govern in his own Dio-

toT^ y>y.K ce ^> anc * n0 other was to meddle, except defired, with any Ecclefiafti-

%mUtLC7roy> cal matters in anothers Province. Thirdly, that the Bifhop of Conftan~

fia. to %vcu tmople is made equal with the Bifhop of Rome^ fave that his Worfhip

*$\ v4 \bid. ^ Ifhould have faid Lordfhip, but that they will not think high enough,

&m*i66. ali- but * cannot help it, thefe two Councils forbid me to fay Head,} fhould

ur Can. 3.. fit in the firft place, or before the other, which yet he might have done,

without Univerfal Jurifdid:ion» Fourthly, we learn that this honour

that they either had was not bottomed upon Divine Right, but becaufe

they were Bifhops in the Imperial Cities => but here is not a word, thou*

art Peter, &c. Peters Succeffbr, &c. Apoftolical Seat, &c. All this is

very good evidence that the Pope is not fo old as to reach to the times of

this Council neither.

Thirdly, the next Catalogue of Witneffes that yet the Bifhop of

Rome was not Univerfal Head confifxs of two hundred Fathers, afTemb-

!ed in a General Council at Ephefus in the year 431, ( fo Codex. Canon.)

Or as others 434, or thereabouts. This Council is fo full, that I wonder

how the Papifts Co many of them as have fet forth fo many Volums of

Councils could with patience write what fo much made againft them,

(x) V&py\A.& a nc [ y C t ^ 0 on j n their error challenging Headfhip from the Apoftles

va& t«« t»- t j mes# T ne Canon declareth the occafion of its Conftitwtion, in this

&lff{X iK £ manner, (x) Rcginus our fellow Bifhop, and beloved of God, together with

. &c. Codex. Can. Ecclef.Univerf. Can. 17 8. aliter Concil. Ephef. Can.S.

the

the holy Bithopf of the Province of Cyprus, Zenon and Evagrius 3 have declared to w a new thing, contrary to Ecclefiaftical Laws, and Canons of the bnlv Fatherj,and that which reacheth [concerneth] the liberty of all\where-forefmce common difeafes need the greater medicine, for M much as they do the more harm, the ancient cufiom not being followed > to wit (this new thing was) that the Bifhop of pttitioch had Ordained fome in Cyprus, as fome eminent for Religion coming to the holy Synod have both by writing and by their own words informed •, (wherefore it is decreed that J the Frefidents of the holy Churches in Cyprus fhall have thjf, without detriment and viola-tion of their right, according to the Canons of the holy Fathers, and the ancient cuftom, themfehesto Ordain godly Bijhops ', and this alfoJhaU be ob-ftrved in other Vioctffes and Provinces every wheref hat no Bijhop draw under bis Subjettion any other-Province, which was not bis from the beginning, or his Predeceffors j and if any Bijhop hath made fuch invafion, and by vio-I at ion \ ox wrong] made it jitbjett to him, he Jhat again reftore it; that the Canons of the Fathers be not tranfgreffed, lefi under pretence of Priefi-hoodthe arrogance [ox fwelling pride] of worldly power creep in unawares, and we infenfibly and by little and little lofe that liberty which Jefus Chrifl our Lord, the Redeemer of Mankind, hath purchafed for its with his own Blood, and given freely to us. It feemeth good therefore to this holy and general Synod, that the Rights which they have had from the beginning be fecured to every Province, pure and inviolable, according to the ancient cufiom s every Metropolitan having liberty to take a copy of the Ads for his own fecurity. And if any one Jhall take a Copy cmtrary in any thing to what is now determined, it pleafed aU the holy and Vniverfal Synod that it Jhould be void. Thus far this General Council unanimouily voted againft one Bifhops medling with , encroaching upon the Provinces of others j calling it a new thing, &c. How then was one Bifhop owned as Head over all the reft.

Fourthly, another Catalogue of fix hundred and thirty (Co Caranza,) aflembled in a General Council at Chalcedon in the year 451 therein their firft Canon ratifie and confirm all the Canons of the former Councils,fo that by the vote of thefe, they to this year are again ft the Primacy and Soveraignty of any one Bi(hop. In another Canon they determined, (y) lb at if any Clergy man had any difference with his own, or another r y \ E j j^ *> Bijhop, it Jhould be tried by the Synod of the Province \ but if there were yo^eiKh any controverfie betwixt a Bijhop, or Clergy-man^ and the Metropolitan of&esiyi J -*%X H the Province, he or theyjhonldgo to the Viocefan or to the fat of the Royal J&* * l f lGr> City of Conftantinople, and there have it tried. So then Appeals to Rome "^cwHrna-hereby are cut orTi and the fame is ratified again in another Canon of KQ ^ Q p m*g

«oAi©$ Sfoycv, xi W avtu fiKati&a. Codex Can. Ecclef. lluiverf. Can. 187. item Can. 195. ^ ■

I i 2 the

(vjJdJfA the fame Council. Again, they (z decreed, 7hat the Church of Con-0"p«0-£«a a- funtinople fljould have equal priviledges with Rome, that asthe Fathers •f Y*m '(June before them had given the Priviledg to elder Rome, becaufe it had the Em-JyicoTATco P lTe -> f° being moved by the fame reafon they gave the fame priviledges to ty'ovco iv\o- Constantinople, new Rome, thinking it reafon that the City which vs b$-yas xpiwje* noured with the Empire and Senate Jfauld be alikg advanced with old IrVh'wi^- Rome > in dfekfiffrkil matters. From whence it plainly follows, firft, Kcivaudu^ tnat what priviledg or precedency was given to Rome, was not by rea-irpioCtJav t? Ton of Peters fuppofed Chair, but becaufe it was honoured with Em-vrpicCyTie* f p.; re ^ fo that in the judgment -of the Ancients he had-no Divine Right. $** lKi /[ P a ~ Secondly, that /the Bifhop of Conftantinople was equal with the Bi(hop toT* I&xxw07- °^ R° me ,n *M things, as alfo were the Metropolitans of the Afian, as-ncoii 4 &s ThracianD'ioccCs, and of Pontic, then at this time he was not yet Uni-Ixelvnv y.iy& yer(al Bifhop.

*wi&m Fifthly. Another Evidence in this caufe is the Council held at Antioch

CodcT^a'ti. ' ln c ^ £ Y ear 34 T -> ( *° C°d ex Canon.) the occafion whereof was this: In Ecclef. Uni- the rime of Julius the firft, (a) Bifhop of Rome in the Eailern Church verf. Can.2O0. feveral Bifhops were Depofed for divers caufes by their Synods j which ^ £/ #- ^5" Bifhops went to Rome, acquainted Julius with their whole Eftate and 7 capit&cTroub!e ' 7«//'» writeth ro the Bifhops of the Eaft, telling them, Ibey & 26. Socrat. had done very ill to determine and conclude any thing againft: thofe Bifhops Jib.2. cap. n. without h'n privity. Which when they received, took the correction of Julius for a contumely, or flander, they fummon a Council at Antioch, there aflbon as they had affembled together, devifed an Epiftle by uniform confent of them all, wherein they bitterly inveigh againft Julius, and fignifie withal, That if any were banifhed the Church,and Excommunicatedby their Decree and Cenfure, it were not h'vs part to intermeddle, (b) 'E/ t?< nor to fit in judgment upon their Jentence, And did then Decree, (b) That \<7n<swn& if any Bifhop Jhould be accufed^ and the matter could not be determined by stj rl(Ttv t § jj^ the. Bifhops of the Province, fime pronouncing the accufed to be innocent, 0-vciTo* tvHTdLtfytt* to be guilty, for the taking up oj the whole Controverfie, the Metropo-cvy-CaJn <ifeX litan fhmld call others to judg from the neighbouring Province, and what % T * { l * !pa \ fhonld be fo determined jhould ftand firm. And in the next Canon, they vnv t»j 4v th j-j rafjfig^ ^at if any Bifhop was accufed, and condemned by aU the Bi-%iG*k'KM> $j fo°P s °f f ^ e P roz 'i nce -) an ^ ^-jhould with one' confent pronounce Sentence a-pXv dQ£w r gainji him i be Jhould no more be tried by any other. But the fentence of

xpnvv\xs> fy tUu ciy.'ptfCnTiistv <PuthvovTa; > ro (ZtCauaecu avv toU *? iTr&rilctt to nrnti' trcLtJL<ivov> Codex Can. Ecclef. Univerf. Can 93. E/ tU i-ar/V^o-w©- it*) thtiv iyy.K\\[j.dL<st ha-

TtiyOf)YI&eif-> Xff$&n XfiTO Taj/J^P 7$f iV Ty Z.'B&^xJLdL 6h(jKQ'BMV> 1?cLl>}i{ T6 aVfAQaVQl \AdJt

mcC\ civrlti i&viyacizi/ *\%p r p, ifvlov wmWi 'R&i iritis ^iKai^i^rcu > ctM^* yXvnv {SiCaxcp vlut ai)(j.(pcoyov >ffi &7 «? "iTTA^yju/ ZhaKhistov cJ'&Qtpa.o'iV' Codex Can. Ecclef. Univerf. Can-94. tpud Caranz. & Surium, Concil Anticciien. Can, ^14^ 15..

the Bijhofs of the Province Jhouldbe to al!purprfes valid. Clearly do they take away all Appeals to Rome, as the matter of the Canons, and the occation fif making of them doth fully dernonftr3te. And this Council was confirmed in the fixth General Conftantinopolitan Synod held in Irnl and by Pope VionyfiM, and fo harh the Authority of a General Council and Pope too, therefore with the Papifls themfelves fhould be authentick. Caranz. Sum. Concil. p.165. Euftb. libq. czp.24, (^25. Su-rius ConciL Tom. 1. pag.j,$9.

Sixthly. Another full Evidence that the Bifhop ot Rome was not owned as Univerfal Head is the flout oppofition made againft it fin their early afpiring after it; by iwo hundred and ftventeen Fathers affem-bled, (Augnftine being one, and Aurelim Prelident^ in the year 4ip, . (fo Codex Can. Ecclefi* African*.) The Controverfie then was this. Aphrim a Prielt in Africa, was for his fcandalous life Excommunicated, in an African Synod, hereupon he fled to the Bifhop o£Rome 7 who ab-folved him, and commanded him to be reftored to his place i and So-zimws Bi(hop of Rome to juliifie this, claimed a right to receive Appeals from all parts of the World, and for proof thereof pretended a certain Canon of the Nicene Council that did give it him h the Council not finding any fuch Canon in the Decrees of the Fathers at Nice, fent away Letters and MefTengers to the Bifhop of Conjiantinople, Alexandria and . Antiochy that they would fend to them the A&s of the Nicene Council, 2 a ft clofed and fealed up, becaufe they could not find a Canon which was alledged by the Legats of the Bifhop of Rome, from thefe they received feveral Copies, all agreeing, but in none of them what Sozimus had affirmed to be in them, that he was (hamefully by all the Council convinced of forgery, that he did greatly err, they all proved i for the Copies taken out of the Originals by Cyril of Alexandria, and by Atti-cut of Conjiantinople, &c. had no fuch thing in them >_ and the whole Council writing to Boniface, fin which Letter they call Sozimm a man of unhappy memory,; defired him to repel thofe that made him their refuge, both becaufe there is no fuch conftitution of the Fathers, which . hath at any time fo much derogated from the Authority of their Churches, as alfo becaufe the Nicene Council hath apparently left the ordering of all Infcriours to the judgment of their Metropolitan, and had -determined that all matters of Controverfie mould receive their finajl decition in the place where they began i for how can a Judgment given , beyond the Seas be good, where WitnelTes neceiTarily required in fuch cafes, cannot be prefent, either in regard of their fex, or age, or fome other Impediment.—Becaufe it is granted "to every one to appeal to the Councils of their own'Provinces, or to an Univerfal Council.--—Un-kU there mould beany one that can think that our God can infpire a juftiee of trial into any One man, and deny it to innumerable Priefts that are aflembled in Council ; and much more thefe Letters of the Council to Boniface, of Cyril of Alexandria, to the Council, and of At-

iiciss..

*?£2 Topery a Novelty* Serm. Vllv

tieus of Constantinople to the fame, and the Copies of the Nicene Council lent to them, and the Epiftle of the Council to Pope Celeftine, are in the end ot Codex Canon. Ecclef. African, and in Surius Tom. i.p.^SS.&c,, Thus much for their Letters,now for the Canons of the African Church againft the Headfhip of the Bifhop of Rome. In the \g. Canon, If any Btfloop be accufed, the accufr fhould bring hit caufe before the Primate of the Province. On. 23. That no Bifhop (houldgo beyond the Sea, nnlefs t ' ^ e ^ a ^ t ^ e con f ent °f *b e Bffivp of the firjl feat of every Province. Can.28.

nlicrz ^Vlfsi ^ Jt ^ res h teTS CO Deacons, and others, if they have complaint againfi <n?iisC\JTi&i their Bfops, the neighbouring Btjh'fsjhould hear them, and if they would xj 0/ JWo- appeal from them, itfhonld not be to the judgments of any beyond the Sea voit qoikqi but to the Primates of their own Provinces, or to a General Council, as was ■ m ' 1 f!f *"" decreed before concerning Bijhops, as for tbofi that Jhall appeal beyond the tv din '4y&-Sea, none Jball receive them into Communion in Africk^ So alfo Canon

<?iv ourtaui, 125

J'ivli [ip rjf 'Ape**? fi^a'ffttr «? KOiyuvltw. Codex Can. Ecclef. African. Can.28.

So far we fee that the Church of God did curb and retrain the ambition of the Bifhop of Rome, and (toutiy flood againft the invading endeavours of afpiring Antichrift. Yet will I add one more, ( and fo let the Councils pafs for this head i that is, againft the Univerfal Headland that is of a Council at Conjlantinople, in the time of Agatho Bifhop of Rome, which was about the year 673, or as others <58i, who did (manly fnub ("the pretended Mother, that is to give Laws to all others) by making a Law to reach as far, and to bind the Church of Rome, faying, (d) For as much as we uvderfland that in the City of Rome in time of (d) £uoniam Lent, they faft upon the Sabbath-days, contrary to the cujhm of the Church jntelleximus j t m w d ecree d in this Synod, that alfo in the Church of Rome, that Canon rum civitate fl 01 ^ ^ s °f f orce without violation, which jaith, if any of the Clergy Jhall be m fanciis found failing on the Lords-day or Sabbath, except one and that only, let him quadrigefima? be depofed, but if he be of the Laity, let him be Excommunicated. This the lejuniis ^n e- church of Rome in the heighth of their pride would hardly brook, but ;U;,i«ti./nr*> y° a f ee as f ar as tms tlmQ reacheth, many Councils knew no fuch thine ter Ecclefia- *san Univerfal Head, but oppofed the hrlt appearance ot it.

fticam confue-

tudinem traditam; fanfta? Synodo vifum eft, ut in Romanorum quoque Ecclefia inconcufse vires habeat Canon qui dicit: Si quis clericus inventus fuerit in fanfto dominico vel Sabba-ttio jejunans, pmer unum & folum, deponatur, fin autem Laicus, fegregetur. Surim in Con-oil. Tom.2. p.i 048. Condi. VU Constant. Cam $5. refer• antm ad Canon. Apoflol.66.

To

To thefe Evidences fetched from Councils I (hall add farther the exprelTed judgment of two of their own Bifhops, PrcdeceiTors of him, that firft got the title of Univerfal Hc^d^Pelagius and Gregory the Great, which two did fo exceedingly inveigh againft this title, God in his Providence fo ordering it, that the following Popes might be condemned out of the mouths of their PredecetTors j whofe fharpnefs of fpeich againlt this U fur pat ion, wa? cccafioned by John Bifhop of Constantinople, furnamed the Fafter, who did aiTume to himfelf the title of Univerfal Bifhop about the year <)8o.about which time Velaiius the fecond being Bithop of Rome, did write to all the Bifhops aflembled at Constantinople in a Synod called by John the Bi(hop of that Seat,fey in g, u That " they ought not to acknowledg John as Univerfal Bifhop, unlefs tliey "purpofed to depart awav trom the Communion of all other Bifhops : Moreover, faying, (e) ? Let no Patriarch ufe to profane a Title, for if^^^ " the chief Patriarch thoald be called Univerfal, the name of a Patri- yniverfalitatis " arch (houlJ be taken away thereby from all others-, but God forbid vocabulo un-"it mould ever enter into the heart of a Chriltian to aiTume any thing qium utatur, " unto himfelf, whereby the honour of his Brethren mould be debafed. gjj^JJJ^ u For this caufe Lin my Epi files never call any by that name,for fear left nivcrfalis^li- * by giving him more than is his due, 1 might feem to take away that c j tuI% p at riar-which of right belongeth to him. For the Devil our adverfary goeth charum no-about like a roaring Lion, exercifing his rage upon the humble and ™ cn ceteris "meek-hearted, and feeking to devour now, not the (heep-coats, but jSj^JJJ!^

" the very principal members cf the Church. For he (of reborn be i^ x y^ ^rf.

writes) "cometh near unto him of whom it is written, Ibis vs be which quam mente, "* King over all the children of Pride : Which words I fpeak with grief ]l0c f-bi vel a of mind,feeing our brother and fellow-Bimop Jobnjn defpight fwHj^XT bit reafns againft this Htad.) " of the Commandment of our Saviour, unc j e hooo..' "the Precepts of the Apefiles, and Canons of the Church, by this rem fratruirr • " haughty name, to make himfelf his (Antkhritts) forerunner.and here- lucrum irrmu-* by John goeth about (marl^ReaderJ to attribute to himfelf all thofe m ; erc J* "things which belong properly to the Head himfelf, that is, Chriit i, paPre^vldea? 5 "and by the llfurpariun ot this Pompous Title, to bring under histur,fcc*/**

" Subjection all the Members of Chrift. And that they ought to be- Cag. v;fl.$c.? r

" ware left this temptation of Satan prevail over them, and that they Nidlus patri— " neither give nor take this Title of Univerfal Bifhop. arcjarum,

This is a large Teftimony againft, and a full condemnation of both ' tj Name apd Office of Univerfal Bimcp,and this by a BifLcp cf Rome, before his SuccetTor had ufurped thefame.And I might ; nfer,either that the following Bifhops of Rome do greatly err in taking to themfelves this Name and Office, or elfe this Bilhop of Rome was fJIible and did err in a matter of Faith^made now by them neceffary to Salvation) let them choofe which they will (for one they muAj their Principles arc wounded by it.

After this Felagau (tot the Ufurper was not immediately after himj).

fuc-

U

fucceeded Gregory called tbeGreat^ about the year 590, at which time John the fourth of Confkantimpfc did (till perfift in claiming and maintaining his Title of Univerfal Bifhop > at which Gregory being much grieved and offended,writes to Conflantia the Emprefs againft it: " Call-" ing the exaltation of one man a defiling of that time, (marl^ bis rea-

({[dee^ be denied by the ex-

patienter fe- "altation of one mzntfermetb it tbe crooked name of UniverfalC/^andtan ratur, quate- "unfurTerable thing, and that by this arrogancy and pride is portended nus defpectis « that the time of Antichrilt is now at hand } and that John imitated omnibus,pra> « ^^ ^Lucifer) w h 0 making light of that happinefs which he had in & coepifco- " common with the other Angels, would needs afpire to a Angularity a-pusmeusfo- c bove all the reft. Andto tbe Emper'our writing faith, Ci That all thofe lus conetur cc who have read the Gofpel know well that Peter (mar\ Reader,) is not appcllari |- " called the Univerfal Apoftle, and yet behold, my fellow-Pric-ft John n harems 6 " ^ ee ^eth to be called the Univerfal Bifhop. I am now forced to cry out, fuperbia quid cc Oh the times ! and Oh the manners of men ! Europe is now expofed aliudnifi pro-cc for a prey to the Barbarian, and yet the Priefts who mould lie along pinqua jam «j n tne d u ft upon the pavement, weeping and rolling themfelves in Antichril 1^ " a fhes, J 0 feek after names of vanity > and boalt themfelves of their fignatur ? quia " new-found (this is a Novelty in the judgment of a Bijhop of Rome,^) and ilium videli- " prophane Titles. And in oppofltion to this prick of John he was the cet imitatur, fi r ft Bifliop of Rome that took this Title, the Servant of Servants, which qui fp re ^ !£ Title his SucceiTors in feigned humility ilill tife, though they ufurp the Angelorum Title °f Univerfal Bifliop, in oppofition to which he did fo ftile himfelf legionibus, ad and in exceifive pride have added to themfelves fince many pompous

culmen cona- Appellations. Again, faith the fame Roman Bifliop, " Now the King

tus eft fingu- « 0 f p r jde is at the eates,and which I dread to fpeak, an Armv of Priefts rumpere — - '' anc * Bilhops (lands ready to receive him h calls it afuperflitious and

Undeper om- "haughty name cf Univerfal Bifliop. Never may fuch foolery befal

nipotentem cc us; call an Univerfal Bifliop (very true,)zv\ Univerfal Enemy. And dominum ro- again, "I fpeak it boldly, that whofoever calleth himfelf, or defireth

feffrl P tem' 1S " t0 be caIled h Y others > the Univerfal Bifhop, is in his Elation of mind, pora permit- u the forerunner of Antichriit, becaufe that in like Pride he preferreth tatis unius " himfelf before others; Like, I fay, for as that wicked One would feem hominis elati- cc as God, above all men,fo will this Man exalt himfelf above all Bifliops. ^ e u ^ a u ^ n 'He plainly faith, "That none of the Biihops of Rome did ever afliime perverfo vo " ^at word of Singularity, &c. £. nd this fame Gregory writing to John cabulo ulium

quoquo modo praebeatls afTenfum, Sec, Oregor. Msg. nd Confront* M.4. .E^.34; Cunctis Evar* gelium Scientibus liquet,—quod Vetrm Univerfalis Apoilolus non vocatur, & vir fancriifimus confacerdo5 meus Johannes vocari Univerfalis Epifcopus conatur 5 exclamare compellor, ac dicere,

O temporal O mores !— & tatnen Sacerdotes,——yanitatis fibi nomina expetunt, & Novis

sc prophanis vocabulis gloriantur, &c,« Nullus Romawum Pontificum unquam hoc fngulari-

tads vocabulurn afTumfit, nee uti confenfit, fee Quis eft ifte, qui contra ftatuta Evangelica, contra Canonum decrets, Novum fibi ufurpare nomen praefumit? Idm, ibid, ad. Mamtim* Xfifr. $2,

of

CI i.

Serin.-VII. Popery a Novvltj. 24$

otConJfontirtople, (g) deals roundly and plainly with him, faying, u \Yhcn ( g ) q u \ ctiiin L thou waft called to the Oftice of a Bifhop, thou faidft, That thou wert indignum tc not worthy to be called a Bifhop, and now thou woiildcft have none a C JC fatckans,

Bifhop but thy felf. What wilt thou anfvtcr unto Chrift, who is ac ^u r p C c C r bo f °

u the true Head of the Univerfal Church, in that day of Judgment, fee- vocabulo ap-"ingrhat by this name of Univerfal thou feekeft to enthral all the Mem- pellari con-ct bers of his Body unto thy felf? whom do ft thou imitate kerein fave fentjas,—^-' only htm, who in contempt or thofc Legions or Angels, which were y . c ; ]o j c _ l " his fellows, fought to mount aloft ro the top of Singularity, where he CU rionis aft-

* might be fubjedt. to none, and all others fubjed unto him ? ringam: fancti

ante legem, fanfti fub lege, fancti Tub gratia, omncs hi perficientes corpus domini, in membris funt Ecclef x conftituti, & nemo fe unquam Univerfalem vocare voluit, &c. Idem ibid, ad JdhanSConfiantinop,

Efift. j8.

But did not he raife all this ftir, and make all this oppofition becaufe Johi had prevented him becaufe he had not this name and title himfelf, (h) fince as he is faid to be the befi of all the Bi'(heps of Rome that came < h ) Nu "^ d after him, fo the rverll of all that were before him. Let alone what his heart pfiff nTie d 0 _ and end was, and hear what he faith, writing to JLulogius Bifhop of mine propri-Alexandria^ (i) " You have been careful to advertife me, that you for- am caufam 'bear now to write unto any by thofe proud names which do fpring • j nc J0? " un-1 meerly from the root of vanity, and }et fpeaking to me, you fay [as j q e u m j n £ r i an i c you commanded],Let me I pray you hear no more of this word com- vindico ? & c mand •> for I know well enough what I am,and what you are > in de- non magis c ' gree you are my Brethren.and in manners you are my Fathers : where- cau f am . ornm-fore I commanded you nothing, only I advifed you, what I thought g^aufam U-fittctl to be done i and yet I do not find that you have perfectly ob- niverfalis Ec-: ferved that which I dehred to leave deepeft graven in your remem- clefla? ? idem c brance =, for I told you, that- you (hould not write in any fuch manner a£i Maurit. 1 either to me, or to any other, and yet in the very Preface of your Epi- ,\\ 1 indicare 1 He, you call me by that name of pride and vanity, Univerfal Pope Wcftra beati-c which I would entreat you to forbear hereafter,feeing that your felves tudo fmduit, 1 lofe, whatfoever you give unduly to another. For my part I feek to &c - Namdixi

* encreafe in Virtues, and not in vanity of Titles *, that addeth nothing "^ ™fa u ^' " to my honour, which I fee taken from my Brethren v my honour is alteri tale ali-: the honour of the Univerfal Church =, and the found vigor of my Bre- quid fcribere

1 thren.--— For if yon call me Univerfal Pope, you deny your felves to debcre,& ecce "be that which indeed you are, in that you call me Univerfal. But £ f^ tlone

6 God forbid, let us rather put far from us thefe words, which do puffq uanrac i' me .

' up to pride and vanity, and woundeth Charity to the death. ipfum qui

prohibui, di-rexiftis, fuperba? appellations verbum, Univerfalem me Papam dicentes, imprimere curaftis.' Quod peto dulciflima mihi fanftitas veftra ultra non faciat, &c. Idem Epift. lib.']. Fpiit.^o. ug. criam ejufdem de eodem Epiftolarum, Lib.4. Et>i(l. 26. & Ub.6. Epift. 5. & 24. & 28. & 30. & 31.

Kk ' This

cc

cc

This is that Gregory, Bifhop of Rome that was fo vehement in his writing againft the name and office of Univerfal Bifhop, that after his death the Romanifts would have burnt his Works had not one Peter a Deacon retrained them by affirming to them, That he often faw the Holy Ghoft in the form of a Dove titting upon the head of Gregory while he was writing of them. This is that Gregory that fo ear nearly cried down an Univerfal Bifhop, that Pope Gregory the 13th. could not anfwer but by giving this Gregory the flat lie. Plejfeus.

But what follows from that learned Authoritative confutation? but that the Bifhop of Rome is fallible and imy err ; for if Gregory the Great did ("peak truth, then Gregory the thirteenth did fpeak falfe, in faying his Doctrine was a lie. If Gregory the thirteenth did fpeak true, in faying the other did lie and that in a matter of Faith made neceiTary to Salvation, then did Gregory the Great greatly err, in a matter that concerned the Univerfal Church. Let them take which they will, their Infallibility lyeth in theduft i for it will much puzzle his Holinefs to reconcile the parts of a contradiction. Let him try his skill that both Gregories might in this be found true.

I have borrowed fome Paper to be a little the larger in this,both from Councils, and in tranferibing the words of thefe two, i; Becaufe this is the Main HEAD and Hinge of our Controverfies. 2. Becaufe tbefi two were their own, and yet againft them. 3. Becaufe it makes it plain that to fix hundred years the Bifhop of Rome was not Univerfal Head, for at that time it was declaimed by themfelves, as you fee. 4. Becaufe the Engl/Jh Reader that underftandeth not Latin Authors, might be fatisfied from their own mouths that Univerfal Soveraignty of the Bifhop of Rome is not fo old as to come up fo high as fix hundred years after

Chrift.

But when was this Title firft afTumed > and by whom was it firft conferred upon the Bifhop of Rom*, to be called Univerfal ? that you might know when and how he got up into the Chair.

You have been told before that Gregory the Great did write Letters to Maurice the Emperour in the Controverfie betwixt him and John of Conflantinople about the name Univerfal. This Emperour Maurice falling into diflike among the Soldiers, one Phocas a Centurion made himfelf Captain of thofe that did mutiny, and was afterwards by them proclaimed Emperour } Maurice feeing this fted away with his Wife and Children. Phocas was Crowned, and purfueth after his own Mafle* Maurice, overtakes him, flew his Wife and Children, or fome of them before his eyes, and afterwards caufed him to be murdered alfo. Mark that this PhocM was a vile Traitor, and a Murderer of fuch an excellent Emperour and virtuous Man, as Hiftorians fay, that Maurice was. A while after that Phocas was Emperour, Gregory that was Bifhop of Rome and oppofed the Title of Univerfal Head, departed out of this

life, and Sabinitn a malicious detractor of Gregory and his Works fuc-

/ cei^4

Serm. Vir. ropery a Novelty. ' 247

cecded him, and continued Bifhop of Rome fcarce two years.after whom fuccccded Boniface the third, about the year fix hundred and five, who lived not ('as Tome fay J above eight moneths, or as others but a year, after he was Bifhop of Rome; but in that time he obtained what he aim cd at ; for the Murther committed by Pbocat upon the Empercur Maurice, being not approved of by the Bifhop of Confiamino] ie, he fedefng to eftablifh hia.fclf in the Empire f gotten by blood, by the Frkndfhip of the Bifhop of Rome, Boniface making great offers of his fervice to Phocas, took this opportunity to defire of him that he and bis Succcf-fors after him, fhould be called Univerfal Head of all the Churches of Chrift, and that the Church of Rome thence forward fhould have the prcheminence, and be Head of all other Churches ; this murdering PhoCM, and this afpiring Boniface agreeing to help one another, the Bi- (h) Qvo tem-fhop to ftrcngthen htm in his Empire got by Rebellion •, the Emperour P°re intercef-Pbosas quickly grants that he fhould be the Univerfal and head-Bifhop j™^* m over ali Chriftian Churches. And this is acknowledged by their own 6)^0^^

Hiftorians. (kj eundem Tho-

cam In: p. atq-, Cyriacum Conflsntinofolitdnm. * Hinc igitur in Cyriacum T-bocas exacerbatus in ejus odium Im-pcriali edi&o fancivit, nomen Univerfalis decere Romanam rantum modo Ecclef am, tanquam qu« caput, efle omnium Ecclefiarum,folique convenire Romano Pontifici \ non autem Epifcopo CoijidntinopolitaiOy qui fibi illud Ufurpare praefumeret. Quod quidem hunc Bonifaciuw Papain tertium ab Imperatore Vhocx obtinuitte, cum Anaflifius Bibliothecarius, turn Paultts diaconus tra-dunt. Spondan, Epitom. Baron. Annul* in Annum 606,

From all w T hich you clearly fee, firft, that it was not till after the fixtb hundred year from Chrift that the Bifhop of Rome had this Title conferred upon him. Secondly, that he came not to it by divine right, not made fo by God, nor called and cbofen to it by a General Council of Fathers^ but by a 7raytor and a Murderer. The Pope giving his help to keep the llfurper in the Saddle, by way of requital this wicked and Tyrannical Emperour lifts the Pope up into the Chair. A couple well (Oh no mifchievoufiv) met to do Offices for each other, but both eminently injurious to others by their Ufurpations, the one in the State, the other in the Church.

As his Name and Office of Univerfal Bifhop is new, fo are thofe o-ther accumulative, pompous, and feme of them blafphemous Titles.not fit to be given to any mortal man. For of old it was not (o, fat Peter whofe SuccelTor he pretends to be had no fuch Names nor Titles, but ftiled himfelf a fellow Presbyter, 1 Pef.5.1. (I) And the Canons of the (Q*liri r <? African Church of old were that the Bifhop ofthe firfi Seat fthat was •oW? w J »*•&*-Rome) fhould not be called Prince cf Priefis, or head-Priefi^ or any fuch h\e <$** ******" name, but only the Bifhop of the firfi Seat. Car.tnza (m) in his Annotati- %Zi'%^yov on upon this Canon, faith, That the African Church could not give #/ U^df h

w TtivjoffOToir Ti 'BroTi, tLfatt povov fBttKo&ov <r &ttoTy\< &*See/>^. Codex Canon, EcclcG Atm. Can. $9. (m) Caranz. Sum. Concil. Carthag.3. Can.2$.

Kk 2 : Laws

Laws to the Univerfal Church, and therefore by this Canon nekher did nor could forbid the calling of the Eifhop of ilow^Prince of Priefts, &c. But they could Decree, That they would never call him fo, nor own him for fuch, which (hews that by them he was not fo advanced. But (i) Nee eti- their own Canon Law («) forbids that the Bifhop of Rome fbould be call-amRomanus e d Univerfal. And the fixth Council at Confiantinople (0) ratifying the PontifcxUm- vj LXree 0 f the 150 Fathers formerly afiembled in that Cicy, and of the appellandus. ^3° fibers affembled at Cbalcedon, did alfo agree with them and de-Viftijift. 99. c. cree,That the Bifhop ot Confiantinople (hould have equal Friviledg with nee eti am. the Bifhop of Rome, and have equal Power in all Ecclefiaftical matters 00 s :^ l!i l L in with him, only that he be the fecond fo the Bifhop of Rome, and after ^pa&ioA*.' theBimop of Confiantinople, the Bifhop of Alexandria (hould have the Concil*. con- next Seat, and next to him, the Eifhop of Antiocb, and next to him (funtiuop. Can. the Bifhop of Jerusalem, By all which appears that the Bifhop of Reme S 6 ' was not Head of all the reft, the Prince of Priefts, but that all the re-

fpecl that he had above the reft, was to fit down in the firft Seat,which is nothing at all to his Univerfal Jurifdidtion, and then he had not thole JusCanonic.i. Titles that now are given to him. 1. As Head over ail Priefts, as a Dift.0.c.ego. King is over his Judges. 2 . The Vicar of Saint Peters though now C * ivir^T' they fay not the Vicar of ?^r properly, but Vicar of Chrift properly 2! lurh cl-' and Succeffor of Peter. 3. Molt mighty Prieft. 4. That he hath all non. pars 2. Laws in the cheft of his breft. 5. Chief Magiftrate cf the whole cauf.25.qued* World. 6. That his Sacerdotal dignity as far excelleth Kings and Em-1. c. null. perours, as Gold excelleth Lead. 7. That all the Earth is his-Diocefs Ponttex^qui and he the 0rdinar Y of ^ men, having the Authority of the King of jura omnia in all Kings upon Subjects. That he is all in all, and above all. 8. If thofe Scrinio pect- things that I do, be faid to be done not of man but of God, what can ? TIS ^ cen " you make of me but a God > and the Prelates of the Church being ao. __SextI' countec * °f Confiantine for Gods, I being above all Prelates by this rea-Decree P. Bo- fon am above all Gods. r.ifac. 8. c. licet. <. Decret. lib.6. Bonifas. 8. in Proa?mio. 6. Diftinct. p5. c. duo. 7. Gk>f. inc.n. queft. 3. fi mimicus. 8. Decret. de Tranflat. Epifc, cap. quanto.

Likewife the Power of the Pope over General Councils is a new Power, it was not fo of old ; he had not the P0w.11 0^ calling Councils, but it did belong to, and was done by Civil Magiftrat( s.The hrft General Council of Ki-e was aftembled by the Authority of Confiantine the Great j the Second at Confiantinople was called by Theodofuu the elder i the Third at Epbepu by Iheodofm the younger \ the Fourth at Cbalcedon by Valeriiinian and Martian, &c. Hiftorians tell us that when once the fp) Eeclef. Emperours began to be Chriftians,from that time forward the Church-Hift. lib. 5. affairs depended upon them, and the greateft Councils were alTembled,

teTcaran*; anc * *° ^ are > 2t their appointment. (?) So Socrates. And the Counr Sum.Concil. c ^ 0I ~ Comiance, ( which Caranza (q) faith was General, and in the time p. 824, £25. of Pope John 24, which was after the year 1400, mark how lately,

and

and did depofe three Popes, Gregory nth, Alexander $tb, John 2\th.) M Primodc-and again in the Council of Bafil, which began in the year 143 i/maik ^—qTod itill how lately ), in both thefe it was decreed, (rj That a Synod bath its ipfa ' pote ft a . power immediately from Cbrift, which every one of what \\ate foever or digni- tern a Chrifto *y he be ', yea, even the Pope himjelf ought to be obedient, which if they be immediate not, but Jhali contumaciously contemn the Decrees, Statutes, and Ordinances y^^. 1 ^ U1 ~ of the Council, except he repent Jh all fuffer condign punifhment, though it be cunqucTatGs the Pope himfelf And this Council of Con\Unce was confirmed by Pope vel dignitatis, Martin the fifth, Seff. 45. and the other at Bafil by Pope Nicolas theetiamfi Papa-hfrh lis exiftat > °"

By all this it doth appear that the main efTential point of Popery is a tur &c ConCm meer Novelty, having not its original till after the fixth hundred vear cor!jlan.Sefa$. after Chrin\ and not got up to its full power till feveral hundred years & cone. Bafil, after this. So that I may fas Voetim doth) confidently affirm, that in S jj}'\ & l6 ' the firft fix hundred years, there was NO CHURCH, NO ONE^ Ig ' DOCTOR, NO ONE MARTYR, NO CONFESSOR, NO ONE FAMILY, NO NOR ONE MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, NEITHER IN THE WEST, NOR IN ANY OTHER PART OF THE WORLD, THAT WAS PROPERLY AND FORMALLY A PAPIST. What is then become of the ANTIQUITY of POPERY ? and this I bottom upon this foundation, becaufe there cannot be fo much as one [Formal] Papifr, where the Eftentials of Popery are not ; as where the EfTentials of a man are not, there is no man a-(ftually exigent, but the Pope as Univerfal Head is the EfTential part of the Popifh Religion, without which (according to their Dodlrinejthe Church is no Church, nor any one a Member thereof that doth not own him and fubmit unto him. Therefore the Pope not being till after the fixth hundredth year, fo long there was not one Papift - (formally and properlyj in the whole World. ( s ) Syrians

This being the main Pillar of Poperyl have infifted the longer to prove primus Sacer-the Novelty of it i for this falling, the whole Fabrick tumbleth down: dot ibus & DI-as therefore it is not neceflary that I (fiould be fo large in the refr, fo for t cr°annum 0 la-want of more room and paper I muft be confirained to contradt and lutis 388. but name what follows. conjugio in-

Secondly. The forbidding of Miniflers Marriage vs a tneer Novelty, For terdixic,—--as their own (s) Authors fay, Syricim Bifliop of Rome that lived about "^amm Gre-the ye^ar 388, was the firft that did forbid it; yet it was not then re- g 0Y a 7j ^ nn# ceived and practiced as a duty for them to abitain from Marriage, but 1074, connu-liberty of Marrying was never denied them till Gregory the 7. came to^mm adimi be Pope in the 1074, who yet was refitted, .as one that brought in aoccidentaHS new cuftom, never received before, and the Bilhops of Italy, (t) Ger- b us potuic. many and France met together, and for this decreed that he had done Polyd. VirgAi againit Chriftian piety, and depofed him, tor that among other things J*J**fe Yir * he had divorced Men and their Wives, denying fuch as had their Uw-J^ %u/ifc ful Wives to be Prietts *, when yet at the fame time he admitted to the cen t. 1It - ^ Altars,whoremongers, Adulters and Inceftuous perfons* Bettar- 389.

Ttt)%4uh.2dd. Bellarmine himfelf and other (u) Popifh Doctors do grant, yea he ii ci^oTf P roves ^ Arguments that by the Law of God it is not forbidden that cul. Tom. P i! Minifters fhould Marry, and that for many hundred years the Church Traft.27. So- of Rome permitted Gm^Priefts to have and dwell with their Wives, tus lib. 7. de Thirdly. That Religion* worjhipping of Images hath not been of eld in

Juititia Q.6. the Church of God, nor received and owned by Councils (for what parti-art. 2.in Be/lav? ' 1 r 11 • t ^l* i t • 1 . '„ de cleric, lib. ar P er * ons an<a hereticks in this point have done is not in this Ccn-

1. cap.18. troveriie fo much to be minded) norprattifed in the Church for fome hundred years after Cbrifc there U faffcient evidence. Bifhop VJher in his An-fwer to the Jefuits Challenge, iaith, It might well be concluded that Images were brought into the Church partly by lewd Hereticks, partly by fimple Chriftians newly converted from Paganifm. The Gnoftick Hereticks had Images, fome painted in Colours, others framed of Gold and Silver, and other matter, which they faid were the reprefentations (vo)TLnkY. I °* thrift, made under Pontius Pilite^ when he was converfant here a* Hift.1.7. cj8. mori g men ' a nd though Eufbiits (t*>) makes mention of the Images of Paul and Peter, and of Cbrili, yet there be calls it an Heathenifhct/ftom* ( JConc'I But they were fo far from worfhipping them in the Primitive times, BUbertin. ' r h at a Council (x) of ancient fathers did decree about the year 325 That Piclures ought not be in the Church , left that which is worfbipped or adored /hould be painted on walls. Which Law made by this Council fet (y) Ilia lex Melchior Canus (y) the Papift in fuch an heat, that he alone would con-dent imprU "d demn all t ^ em not only of imprudency but impiety lor fo doing, for verum etiam' ^ e P oor man cou Id-not other wife anfwer it.

impie,a Con- In the firft four General Councils there is nothing for the worfhip-cUioElibertln§ ping of Images, which reached to the year 451, and yet if they had Iat n e [}-^ been of that opinion they had had occaiion from what was done in the chiibas cams %-Hbertine Council, being about the fame time that the Nicene Council loc. Th'eolog. was , a nd before the other three.

lib.$. cap.4. And it fhould feem that they were not woi(hipped in the Church of

concluf.4. Rome it felf for fix hundred years after Chrifr, by the Epiftle of Gregory

ftjlndico du- ^ Q re3t ioSerenus Bifhop of/a) Marftil ] es, who had broken down Ima-dum ad nos , , \ . . . , ' , , . , r ill,<x

pervenifTe & es ' anc * ca " tnem out or his Church, when he perceived (cme to be-quod fraterni- gin to dote upon them too much, whom though be reproves for breaking of tasveftraqupf- themyet him he commends for h'vs Zealjhat nothing made with handj fhould ■

dam Imigin- / ?en?or jjj}pp e d. .you ought to reflrain the people from worjhipping of them

alVc^m^eaf- f ^ at ^ugh the people might have had them, whereby to gather the lyiow-dem Ecciefiae ledgof the Hiftcry, but might not fin in worjhipping the Vitture. Judg if it Imagines con- were likely that at that time Religious Worthip was given to Images at freg.it at( 3 ue Kome^whcn the Bifhop thereof condemned it for a Onful thing,and com-cu^dernze- men ^s others for being againft it. And though Cardinal Bellarmine lum vos, ne was of opinion, 7bat it is lawful to piclure God in the Church in tbejhape quid manu factum adorari poflitJiabuifTe laudavimus. Tua fraternitas,— ab earum adoratu populum pro-

hibere debuitj—& populus in Piftnra? adoratione minime peccaret. Grtg,Mag*fyif. lib.j. Ep.icp.

<f

Scrrn. VIF. ropery a Novelty. 351

of a mJ'rt, and the Holy Ghoft in the firm of a Uove, yet a greater and one

more ancient than he was againft it, namely, Pope Gregory the fecond,

(a) whofe Epillle is related by Paroniut upon the year 725, whence it fa) Cur tan-

feems there was no fuch Pi dure in the Church of Rome at that time, for jem patrem

faith that Pope, In the Church Cod it not reprefentedbefore mens ey?i, and mjn 0 ^ U ]^ U

that the Father of our Lord Jefiit Chriji is not drawn in coloursJbecaufe Gods fubjicimus ac

nature cannot be painted «tf, or put in fight. pingimus ?

Moreover at a Council of 228 Fathers held at Conftantinople in the quomam quis l r \ 11 j jl u „ r * ' lit non novi-

ycar 754, they were (olemnly condemned •, and when they were let up r mus Dc que

by the fecond Council at Nice in the year 7 87, were degraded again of natura fpett-their honour by the Council of Francjort in the year 7^4. anti proponi

(b) Durant purpofely fets himfelf to give us all the Councils that n ? n poreft ac have approved the v[c and veneration of Images ^ and faith, the firfi K?^^ , j that did was the fixth Council at Conftantinople (which was in the time ^ib; p „\ of Pope Agatbo about the year 673 ), and quotes the 83, but it is the ; j c , .«. 82 Canon, 1 c) where the Pidure of Chrift is commanded to be made in e c j no f^ r j f nr the ftupe of a Man, but turning to the place I rind plainly that this ftarhominis Canon doth not at all command any Worfhip to be given to if, but charatferem only as Hiitorical, that is nothing to the Popi(h caufe of worfhipping of ^niSi&ae™^ them. Another (faitfrhe) is a fecond Nicene Council, which yet was ce p S p rov ^te-787 years after Chriif, fo that this might pafs for a Novelty. ri'agno llatul

jubemusj ut per ipfum vcrbi Dei humiliationem inente comprehendentes, ad memoriam quoque ejus in carne converfationis, ejufque paifionis, & falutaris mortis dtducamur, ejufque quae ex eo facia eft nuuv do Redemptions. Cow. Con\lint. yi.C2n.S2.

Fourthly. The Vo&rine of'^Purgatory, by the confeilion of Papiils them- (d) Nemo fdves is ranked among the Novelties brought into the Church j for one ce " e dubicat of them faith, (d) N? true Believer non? doubts of -Purgatory, whereof not- an p u f £at0 JjL vpith\\anding among the ancient there it very little cr no mention at all. The urn f t,de quo Greeks alf to this day d) not believe that there it a Purgatory => let who will tamen apud read the Commentaries of the ancient Greeks, and fg fir at 1 fee^ hejhjU Prifcos, nulla find very rare fpeech of Purgitory^ or none at all. And the Latins did not all ^a-^" 3 ?'^ of them together receive the truth of this matter.but by little and little i nei- irentio- Ctd tber indeed wot the faith either of Purgatory or Pardons fo needful in the & Gnrcis ad. Primitive Church, at now it is. Thus far a Papift, and an ingenuous one nuRC **%S : too, which is rare to find, that will without Partiality fpeak the truth. ?' non 5 lt Which BiHarmine doth not ufe to do, for he faith quite contrary, That Scc.Job/vS^f, all the Fathers (e) bo b Greek and Latin have conflantly taught from the apud Polya*' Afojlles times that there is a Purgatory. And this Cardinal is in fuch a Virg.di i;-c\nt.. heat for Purgatory-fire, that he faith, That it is a VoUrine of Faith, fo *' fr f* s ilh -%-that he that dnh not believe it, (hall never come to it, (no harm if he do f/rmiar de-not,l fuppofe it is no defirable thing to be in pains no lefs tl-un the pains Purgat. lib.i;. of Hell, though (horter,J but (hall be always tormented in the flames of cap, 15. Hell. But the beft of it is, that it is but a Cardinal, not the Scripture that faith fo. But I will fet another Papift upon BeUarmines back, and

landing

(0"Alphorf. ^^ding betwixt the two let him fliitt for himfelf, and get out as well caftrol adverf. as he can, they are the words of Alphonfm •, (f) Concerning Purgatory ha?ref. lib 8. there is altnoft no mention made by the Ancients, efpecially the Greek Writers, titul. Indul- f or whkh roafon to this very day the Greeks m not btUeve that there is a Pur-

TTT kli de£ at0 *y.' * C * s true C ^ at man V °f c ^ e Fathers fpeak of a Purging-rire,both civitat. Dei, ln tn ^ s We, and after, but by the Purging-tire .in this lite they under-I1b.22.cap.15. Hand afflictions. So Augufiine, (g) We confefs that in this life there are

(th) Quia au- Purgatory pains, ai lofs of friends, and the calamities of this life. So

thoris noltn a jf 0 of a Purging-fire after this life, through which they make all Saints p^umus hoc Co P a ^ s ' hy wn i cn n *e th^Y underhand, the laft day of Judgment i but jam cceleftis the Popifh Purgatory is another thing, not invented in the days of Gre-muneris ha- gory the firfr, who did write in the end of the fixth age, faying, (h) benms,ut cum ]$ ecau f e ^ are redeemed by the Grace of our Creator, fo much we have of ftr^habitati- ^ eavenl y gifi* rfff when me are with-drawn from the habitation ofourflejh, one fubtrahi- we are prefently brought to the heavenly recompence. And though in the mur, moxad Writing of this Pope there is fome mention of Purgatory for fmaller coeleftia pra- c,j ns ^ y et j t ; s n0t tne f ame tnat t j ie p 3 pift s now affcrtj for in his Dia-

G^ U ?^ Bafhs ^ in R ivers » and

Tob 20. Wind ', and it was firft bottomed upon Viteons and Revelations,and fain-

(i) GregorXih. ed'Stories of departed Souls appearing to others in this life, two of 4. Dialog.cap. which I had Tranflated.but I rind they are top large for want of room) st J F 1 t0 k e iofeited '-> the one is to be found in (ij Qtegorks Works, the other Hiilor. lib. <'. m (Kl Bedes Hiftory in the year 671, and both in the Magdeburgenfes. cap. 13. But above 200 years after thefe pretended Vifions,the Council of A-

(t)Magdebuu quifgran (m) do (hew that this was not a general received Dodtrine,who Centur.<5* pag. fh ew now men are p Un i mec } a ft er this lite i, for they fum up all the pu-

69 *'£nTl'nL n * lmments inflicted by God for fin to this life, and they mention two (mi Capit. A- ways, but the third (fay they, after this life, is very fearful and terrible, quifgran.Cone, which by the moji juft judgment of God Jhall be executed, when he /hall fay, ad Papinum depart from me ye curfed into ever la/ting fire, prepared for the Devil and bis MifUib.i.cap. j^ e i f% ^nd vet f urt her, to difcover the Novelty of Purgatory, that it Bifhop ufher. was above a thoufand years but the opinion of fome particular men,and Anfw. tojef. not an article of Faith generally received s the faying of Otto Frigenfts Chall. p. i77« (n) writing in the year of our Lord 1146, giveth evidence: his words (n) EtTe apud k e tne f e < « j| 3at tnere j s j n g c jj a pj 3ce 0 f p ur g a tory, wherein fuch as

PurTtodum 11 " are t0 k e f avec * are either only troubled with darknefs or de-in quo falvan-" coded with the fire of Expiation, SOME do AFFIRM, (mar\ di vel tcne- Reader), all did not teach fo, nor the moff j " Nor, faith he, many, but bristahtum " fome only.

afficiantur^vel pif t hly. That the Popes Indulgences are a meer Novelty, that the Church igne deco °f God ^ or man Y hundred years knew nothing of > we need look no quantur,QUI- further evidence than the plain confeffion of Papiiis themfelveSjamongft SDAMafTerunt. V \hom 1 find Alphonfus making plain and full eonfeiiion, about thefe ottiyTrig. Xih. i n( j u ]gcnces and Popes Pardons, faying, u 7hatof at the matters treated apud eundem*. °J * n ' ; * whole Book^, there U not one that the Scripture is more ftlent in, w>\

Serm. VII. Popery a Novelty. -53

one that the ancient WriUrsfpeaJ^ lefs of (o) Though he would not have (o) Intcr om _ them therefore to he flighted,bee aufi the ufi ef them hath heen hut lately re- n J s rcs d e ceived hecaufe Cmark what he laith,J many things are kpown to pojterity^ quibus in hoc which the ancient Writers were altogether ignorant of. What need we rvo.n- opere difpu-der then, if this be fo in the matter of Indulgences, that awmg the Ancients "ft "j^ „,* there U no mention of them at all? really this did me good to read, for I rjUS apcrtc fa-love and like that men mould be ingenuous, and fpeak the plain truth. cr£ literae Yet when I read further, and faw that he doth acknowlcdg nothing for prodidermt,& it in the Scripture, nor in the ancient Fathers-, yet that thofethat/W light ^X^crlp-by them, or defpife them, Jfrould be judged heretickj, I thought 'twas too tores ^jxe-much heat in him. This Papift makes no attempt at all to go higher rint, neq-, ta-than Pope Gregory the fir ft, in the latter end of the fixth age, when The menhac oc-fatth) It iffaid that he granted fome Indulgences \ and from thence he ca ^" e ^^ Hides as far as the Lateran Council,* which was in the year of our Lord drflffdulgen-12 i 5, (fo Caranzt,) and from thence to the Council of Confiance un- tise J quod ea-der Pope John 24, which was after the year of our Lord 1400. So late* rum u(us i n and this is all the Antiquity that he doth pretend unto, from whofe con- EccIe ^ :a Vldc " feiiion we might fafely place this among the young Doctrines and pra- ccptus : quo-dices held and ufed in the Church of Rome* niam multa

But let us try another of them whofe bufinefs in his Book is to give funt pofterio-the firlt rife, and beginning of things, (p) Fie alfo attempts not to rife Ylhus not ^. higher than the fixth hundredth year, to the former Gregory-, but there a"fScriptures he rinds little to fatten upon, and therefore fleps prefently back to Boni- prorfus igno-

■face the 8, who he faith was the fir ft that brought in the Popilh Jubilee, raverunt

when he give Pardons to thofe that viilted the Apoftles Temples,in the Q^ d er §° year i3oo,which Jubilee he commanded mould be oblerved every hun- S^nc^o'dam dredth year. But when fifty years were almoft expired, Pope Clement contigeritde the fixth ordained this Jubilee mould be every Fifty year, for as much Indulgentiis, as mans age would not reach the hundredth year. Laftly, Pope Sixtus ut a P ud P r ^" the fourth if about 1471J or as my pre fen t Aathor 1475, brought it to de^mentio*

every 2 5. year ; and then (I pray thee Reader mark) the life of Pardons, £ t f, pro

which thy call Indulgences, began to be famrus, which Pardons for what Indulgentia-cJufe^ or by what authority they were brought in, or what they be good for, ruiri approba-cl tab trouble our Modern Divines to (hew. Reader, is not this a plain I 10 " 6

cafe? can we'deffre clearer evidence of the Novelty of the Popes Par- t^ftimonimn dons, by which he beguiles fo many Souls^nd gets fo much money in- apertumdefit,

% tamen qui

contemmt, hzcreticus merico cenfeatur, &c. Alphorf. de Caflro advsr.haref.llb.2. thai. lulu'lentiaz

(p)B : u oftavus.- primus omnium Jv.bilcum retulit, anno qui fuir Mccc falutis humanar,

quo pxr.; rum remiflfionem iis prsftabat, qui limina Apoftolorum viiitafient Idem autetu

Pontifex Jubilewn ccnteilmo quo^*, anno fcrvari mandavit. Quinquagefimo poll inftante anno

Clemens foetus fanxit Jubileum quinquagefmo quoque anno, cum a?tss hominis vix Tubileum ilium centum annorum attingere potiit— — Poflremo Sixtus ejus appellations quartus jubileum ad vi-getirrmm quemque anr.um reduxit, pri'mufque celcbravit, qui fuit annus McccclXX V falutis, ac ita . veniarum quas rndulgentias vocant, jam turn ufus Celebris eilecaepi*-, qua? qua de caufa, quavc «:x authoring iatrodu&a: fuerint, aut quantum valere videantur, noftri recentiores Theologi ea de re cgregie I.-.boranf, ego vero originero, quod mei eft muncris, quaritans, non reperio ante fuife, quod fciam, quam divus Gregorm ad (uas ftationes id pramii propofuerit. Volidor, VtiziU At In* •■:nt. rmm Ub-%. cap,i. L 1 to

(v) Mulcos to ms (rea ^f^ 5 a nd being fo much in the dark'himfelf, he cbnfults anc-forcaiTe movet ther to feek relief^ and the third faith/*?) It maybe many will put no great Indulgpntiis trufl to thefe Indulgences, becaufe their uje U but lately come into the Church c\ % "fS U ^' ** f° f mn ^ but a little while ago, to whom I fay, it U not certain

quod earum **b° fi r fi began them f^nd he can, doth, go no higher than the fixth hun-ufus in Eecle- dred year, and then he fpeaks Sparingly,) there was SOME ufe oftbem, fia vidcatur and doubtingly, for he gathers it only by conftquence. But this PopiQi Au-re centior, & thor whom before we cited," coRfeiling the Novelty of Purgatory, doth roTpud Chri- aIfo himfelf conclude, from thence follows the Novelty of Popirn Par-ftianos reper- dons * for faith he, (r) As Jong as there was no fear of Purgatory no man tus, quibus fought Indulgences, for all the account of Indulgence depends on Purgatory. ego refpon- If ym deny Purgatory, what need of Indulgences?. Indulgences began -after conftare ^cTo men Wcre f r ^ Jte ^ with the pains of Purgatory* Thus out of the mouths primum tradi of'thefe three Witnefles of their own we might let this pafs for one of cseperint, fuic the younger fort, and fet it amongft its fellows, tamcn, uon-

riullus earum ufus, utaiunt, apud Romanos vemftiffimus, quod ex ftationibus intelligi potcft.— (r) Quamdiu nulla fuerat de Purgatorie cura, nemo qu£flrit Indulgcntias, nam ex illo pendet omnis Indulgentiarum exiftimatio. Si tcllas Purgatoriirai, quorfum Indulgentiis opus erit ? Ca?pe-runt igitur Indulge tiae, poftquam ad purgatorii cruciatus aliquandiu trcpidatum eft. Johan,. Roffen. in Lather, ibid.

6. The like I may conclude of Prayer for the dead; for if Purgatory be but a late device, and Indulgences granted for their deliverance be but late, prayer for them to be delivered out of Purgatory, (which is fup-pofed in the manner of the Papifts prayers for departed Souls) cannot be of a longer (landing, as their Bifhop before quoted did rightly argue.

What might be alledged for the Antiquity of praying tor the Dead, ufed indeed in the Church formerly, is nothing to the Pcpifti prayers ufed now \ for it is mod evident, that they did not pray in relation to their being in Furgatory which they underflood not, nor do their prayers exprefs any fuch thing, but rather the contrary of their being at reft, which they could not have in Purgatory \ therefore whaffoe-ver prayers they were, or to what end, is not my work at prefent to enquire, till they be proved to be fuch as Popifh prayers for the Dead be, their piaying in this fort for them will itand /till among the youn-1 ger practices of the Church ot Rome.

7. As for the Novelty of praying to Saints , ^ardinal T)u-?cr?on fa man that would have found it, if there ha<i been asy fuch practice in the

^lfof^Po 10 - Prirn * five Churches) doth freely acknowledg (as Moiintus that traced ry, pag-gasl^ him in his Book affirmetrv that as in the holy Scriptures there U neither command nor example for the Invocation of Saints-, fo likgivife iit the writings of the Fathers, thit have written before the firti four Councils f which brings us to the year 45 1.) no trace U to be found of tbatlnvocatiin. The dittin&ion betwixt the' Saints IntercerBon,and the Iovocation of Saints ihould be carefully heededjforwh ether the Saints in Heaven pray for

the

the Church on Earth, and whether the Church on Earth might pray to (0 mar.dc the Saints in Heaven, are widely differing s that in the fir ft ages it was ™J?" "**

accounted Idolatry to invocate Angels was determined in the 3 5 Canon ^ 'Atybonf.de of the Laodicean Council before quoted. c&$yb adver.

8. To Jhew the Novelty of Tranfubftantiation ; that the fubftance of hxrcf. tit.Eu-the Bread "is not turned into the fubftancc of the flefh of Chrift, I need f™l\^f' not ftand long: for Scotns doth it for me, who faith, tbst tbp was not a chriflu^poft Voftrine of Faith before the Latcran Council, which wm in the year 1215, cxnam infti-(s) Which Behrmine taketh notice of and is offended at, and helps the tuerit,fc fuis matter as well as he can, in mentioning one Council, (and he names no .IP" 1 * 5 a< ?~ more, which he would have done doubtlefs if any had/been) and fub ut ' l( ! that is a Council at Rome under Gregory the 7, who was Pope in the year fpecie panis& 1073 s fo that with Bellarmines grave admonition of Scotus^xx. was above vim hocvenc-a thoufand years before that was madeaDodrrine of Faith in the Roman rabiie Sacra-Church it felt (t) But Alpbonfuszs to Councils rifes no higher than ^" t ™ m ^f the Lateran, according as Scotns did. in primkiva

p. The denying of the Cup to the People might be reckoned with the reft. EccJefia hu-forameer Novelty, having its rife in the Council of Confiance which be- JufaiodiSacra-gan in the year 1414, and there needs no other evidence, that this is an pjf r " c t " ni v -? 1 " Innovation, than the very words of the Canon, whereby it is denied to i^ us ^ u _ the People, which are, (u) Although Chrijl did adminifierthk Sacrament traq-, fpecie, in both kjnds^ and though in the Primitive Church the People did receive it tamen hxc

in both kinds, yet this cuihm israthnally introduced, tbatlhe People (hall co ? ru etudo ad

only takf the Bread, and we command under pain of Excommunication ]j qua pcr j cu j" a

that no Presbyter give it to the People nnder both ijnds of Bread and Wine. & fcandala,eft See Reader^tnough Chrift appointed both, though the Primitive times rationabiliter obferved both, .yetthefe fay they-fliall have but one,any thing in Chrifts mtrodncta, command, and the Churches practice for fo many hundred years to the ^tiTtan-contrary notwithstanding 5 for this it was called defervedly by one Con- ntmmodo f«b cilium Non-obftantienfe, inftead of Conjhntienfe. ftecie panis

The practice of the Church of Rome decreed by this Council is but rafeipiatur, two hundred and odd years Handing 5 and yet after this the Council or ^%\t rc J l fr Bap I granted the ufe of the Cup to the Bohemians ; and again the Cdun- ,;- D-cret. cil ot Trent denied if, fo that Popifh Councils can fay and unlay, do and GngJX Iib.3; undo, and that in matters of Faith, where diffenters mull beHereticks. tic.41.cap.10. and yet cannot err, and that's pity. W Primus

10. The Adoration of the Sacrament was after the VcUrine nf Tranf/tb- \onek\lcr) ft ant 1at ion 5 for the reafbn of their worlhipping of it, is becaufc it is qui fan^os changed into Chrifts Body and Blood;, the .firft then being new, the o- legator Cane-

11. The practice of the Popes canonizing of Saints U a new in: the confeffton of Bellarmine himfelf (x) who acknowledg that the firtt fed'' hi

Pope that he ever read of was Leoihc third,8oo years after Chrift. And the fame Cardinal faith, That no Saints might be pub. In vacated

LI 2 thai l

that are not Canonized by the Pope,put both together, and it will make a.clear confequence, that Invocation of Saints at leaft publickly was not for 800 years after Chrift, the Papifts themfelves being ConfefTors.

But whither do I tend ? to run over all Particulars controverted betwixt us and them would fooner fwell into a Volumn, than be contained in a Sermom I can therefore but name fome other Points, and let it be (hewn that for five, fix, feven hundred,yea fome for a thoufand years after Ghrift, that they were generally owned or received in the Church of Chrift, fuch as thefe added to the former.

12. The Infallibility of the Bifhop of Rome.

13. That the Church of Rome is the only Church, founded by God himfelf,or that the Church of Rome is the Catholick Church.

14. That there is no Salvation out of the Roman Church.

15. That all that the Church of Rome delivers is to be believed,whe-ther it be written in the Word of God or no.

1 tf.That the Pope or Ch. of R. hath Power 8c Authority to make Do6fc-rinsof FaithmeceiTary toSalvation,that are not contained in theScripture.

17. That the Pope of Rome alone, or his Council alone, or Pope and Council together are the Judg of Controverfies,to whom Appeals from all the Churches mttftbsinade, and all bound to acquiefce in their, or his Determinations.

18. That the Pope of Rome might judg all but be judged by none,nor be blamed though he leads Souls by troops to Hell.

19: That the Pope of Rome hath Temporal JurifdicSion over Princes, Kings and Emperours, todepofe them from their Thrones, difpofe of their Crowns, and abfolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance to their lawful Princes.

20. That the Pope of Rome hath Authority to difpenfe with the

Law of God, to make that lawful which God forbids, and that evil

which God commands.

21.That the Power of calling General Councils is inherent in the Pope.

22. That the Pope by himfelf, or Legats ought to be Prefident in

fuch Councils.

2 3, That all that General Councils do determine without his Authoritative Ratification, is of no force, but void.

24. That theScripture is imperfect and inefficient, containing in it not all things tfeceffary to Salvation,nor for the refuting of all Hettfies. 2 5. That it is not lawful to interpret Scripture contrary to the fenfe of the Church of Rome.

26. That rrae Church .doth not depend upon the Scripture, but the Authority of the Scripture, even quoad aw, upon the teftimony cf the Church of Rome. 27. That the Scripture ought not to be Tranflated into the Vulg.Tong.

28. That the common People are to be debarred from reading oft • Scriptures except they have a Licenfe from the Bifhop.

29. That the publick Service and Prayers in the Churchcught to be in an unknown Tongue,. 30. That

s

30. That there are feven proper Sacraments, Baptifm, Confirmation, Lords-Supper, Penance, Extream Unction, Matrimony, Ordination: Or that there are eight Sacraments of Order, as the Order of Porters, Readers, Exorcifts, Servitors, Sub-Deacons, Deacons, Presbyters and Bifhops \ to make indeed fourteen or fifteen Sacraments.

si. That the Sacrament of Confirmation is more worthy than the Sacrament of Baptifm, and is to be had in greater reverence, and accordingly to be done only by a Bifhop, when Baptifm by a Presbyter.

3 2. That private Mattes are lawful, and in them both Clergy and Laity to be deprived both of the Bread and Wine, except the Pried that makes it, by the reft only to be feen.

33. That the Eucharift when it is fent unto the Sick is to be adored by all that meet it, and thofe that do not, to be accounted Hereticks,and to be perfecuted with Fire and Sword.

34. That it is a Sacrifice for the Quick and Dead, for obtaining not only Spiritual but Temporal Bleilings, to be offered to God for Health, fuceefs in Battels, for their Horfes and their Hogs.

35. That a juftified perfon may truly and properly make -fatisfaclioa to God for the guilt of puniQiment, which remains to be expiated after the fault is remitted.

3<5. That the fatisfa&ory Works of the Saints may be communicated and applied to others, or that there are Works of Supererogation.

37. That Abfolution by a Prieft is fo neceffary to Salvation,that per-fons believing in Chrift are damned if they die before they be abfolved by a Pried.

38. That the Confirmation of Bifhops, and Inftitution of Arch-Bi-{hops by the Pall is to be fought by the Pope of Rome, from all parts and quarters of the World,'without which they are no fuch Officers, and cannot without Sacriledg execute their Office.

3p. That in Baptifm there is an Implicite Vow of Obedience to the Pope of Rome. 40. That the Decret. Epift. are to be reckoned amongft Can. Scripture..

4.1. That the Bifhop of Rome if he be Canonically ordained,whatfo-ever he were, is undoubtedly made holy by the Merits of St. Peter.

42. That every tranfgretiion of the Law deferveth not death, but that there are many fins of themfelves and in their own nature venial and deferving pardon, that the Blood of Chrift is not neceffary to wafh. them a»way,b«t may be done away with holy W T ater, knocking the breft, and by the Bifhops bleifing.

43. That Clergy-men are exempted from the Jurifdiclion of Temporal Lords in things Civil and Criminal, and that the Civil Judg cannot punifh Ecclefiaftical perfon?,

44-That the Rebellion of a Clergy-man againft the King is not Trca-

fon,or that it is meritorious to killPrincesExcommunicated by the Pope;

45. That good Works in themfelves have a proportioned condigni-

with the reward^ and are meritorious from their inward worthinefs,

to

to be worth the reward,as a Journey-man is of his wages for his labour. Paptfts themfelvs do acknowledg that the firft beginning of fome of their Dodtrines they cannot tell, and to fearch for the year when every Novelty was introduced is needlefs, all thefe that are named, are not in Scriptu.re,nor in the Primitive Church, fome not for 4, 5, fome not for ^,7,8, p, 12 hundred years,that I might conclude that Popery is a very Novelty, and doth vainly and fallly boaft of its Antiquity.

l.Vfi. 1. Is Popery a new Way, and the Religion of Protectants the aM Religion taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, then this is a fafe Way y and a fafe Religion i in it you may be justified, fandtified, and furcly faved. Ic is the old Way that Paul, and Peter, and Believers in the Primitive times obtained an everlafling Kingdom and Crown. Be not •frighted with the uncharitable and groundlefs Dodfrine of the Papifts, that out of their Church there is no Salvation. 2 ♦ Then it i< the vriftfi Way \ the folly of men (hews it felf in the new Wa s of Pi pery, and wherein they profefs themfelves to be wife, they are bee im< \cA%$ but in the old Way is manifeft the manifold Wifdom of God. $. Then it is thepurefi Way\ the nearer the Fountain the purer are the Str« arW* the nearer the Copy the fairer is the Writings the Church or Rome cloth vainly glory in Titles of Holinefs *, the mofi holy Pop*.* the holy Church, the multitude of Hily Days , holy Kites and Ceremonies, &c. that is holy and pure, that is confonant to the holy and pure Word of God. If you are to travel you would go the cleaneft way •> you are travelling to an everlafling itate.the old Way of Faith in Chrift.Repentance for Sin >in ward Holinefs and new Obedience taught in the Retormed Churches,agreeable to the Do&rine of Chrift and his Apcrftles, is the cleaneft Way that you can go in-,to keep a clean and pure Heart,a clean and pure Confcience,to have a clean and pure Conversation. 4. It is the neat eft Way j if you leave this Way, the further you go, the more you are out of your Way. You go about, you rnuit back again,or you go on to a place where there is no reft night nor day,but the (moke of their torment afcendcth for ever and ever. 5. Then it is the moil comfortable andmofi pleafant Way\ all the Ways of Wifdom are Ways of pleafantnefs, and all her Paths are peace. It might be ftrowed with outward tioubles,briars and thorns may be in this Way, but there is inward peace, and inward joy, and folid, fure and Jarring comfort to be found in it. 6 Then it is the mly Way \ The Way of Faith in Chrift, the Way of Regeneration and Holinefs, the Way of new Obedience and Perfeverance therein is the old Way to Heaven, and there is no other. If you will choofe new Ways your felves, or walk in new W r ays chalked out by othcrs,contrary to the good oldWay,you will lofe Gid and Chvift.and your Souls for ever. «

II Vfi. 1, Get a right understanding of the greatnejs of your mercy \ that you were not fiorn \n times and places of Popery, that you have Mini-fters to teach you il\c good old Way. &c rVjagiftrates to defend you therein >-ihat you are nor icd at a Stake for not receiving new Popifh Do-firinesjthat you have Eibles^nd not burned for having of them. Know

your

your mercy. 2.BleJsGfd for this mercy,when you underftandhow great it isjndeed uhen you rightly know it,and duly weigh it, you will blefs God that you were not brought up in Poplm darknefs and Idolatry,that you wcre*pt brought up to worfhip Images, pray to Saints,c&v.but God alonc.3. Pray to God for n? continuing of this ntercy to yo i d* to f$gr children after yov$thit Popery might never return,but the Generations to come might be taught the Proteftant Religion, that is, the good old Way "to Heaven. That your children ^and children* children might enjoy the Bible, and have the old Truths of God preached to them.For their fakes pray much, ^.Thtn wa'\in this good oil tvaj •, if you fee the Way to Happinefsand not walk in it.you will fall fhort of it. You might be Proteftants in opinion,and yet be for ever damned. A drunken Proteftant.a whoring Proteftant, a (wearing, impenitent, unbelieving Proteftant, fhall not be faved, becaufe in opinion he is a Proteftant. You might refufe to commit Idolatry in bowing to, and worshipping of Images, and yet go to Hell for making an Idol of your Money, and over-loving of the World. You might renounce the Pope as Head, and in judgaient own Chrift,as only Head of his Church,and yet be damned for not believing on him, choofing of him before all, nor loving him above all'.

Let all old corrupt things be done away •, As (1) your old }g»oran:e. (2") Your e!a s y Qi) Your old je!f-!ove. (4) Your old falfe peace. ($J Your old en-

mi: God and HoJinefs. (5) You mart be cut off from toe oldfiic\. In a

word. an but name a few of many that might be faid for the practical Improve-

ment of j crucne the old man,deftroy the body of Sin. For to keep your

pld h< ind yet think to go to Heaven is to look for a new Way of Salvation*

Let all things be new, none can walk in the old Way but who are new Creatures. Qi) Your Underflandings muft be new ; new valuations of Chrift. (2) Your Wills new v new Elections of Chrift. (i) Your Affections new. 1. New Love to God,to Chrift, his Ways, his People, his Precepts. 2. N;w Defires; Oh that I had God for my F^.iher, Chrift for my Lord and Saviour, Grace as aPledg of Glory. t,.::.w Sorrows, for walking in a way of Sin fo long, neglefting Chrift fo long, Swearing fo much, Praying fo little. 4. New Delights. $. Nsw Hatred. (4) A: Affections new, fo your Ends muft be new, Go.is Glory. $. New cam to ge% keep a good. Confcience, to live holy, die happily and to be faved eternally.

Except youjDe thus made new, you might know the good old Way, but you cannot walk in it \ which if you do not, wo, wo, a thoufand woes to you for ever. A Damned Proteftant ! How! a Damned Proteftant 1 that was tokl which was the good old and only Way, that lived under the conftant, plain and powerful ■ irking of the fame Doctrines that Chrift himfelf and his Apoftles did deliver. I pro-fefc your cafe will be worfer, and your torments will be greater, than the Heathen who might fay, Urd we never bad a. Bible, never heard of chrB,nor p/~ i -z r ty of solvation ; no Minifters were fent to as, no Gofpel prtached t9 us. Yea, worfer will be your cafe, and greater will be your damnation than of many amongft the Papifts rkat have not been fo plainly taught, fo frequently vilirucfed, fo faithfully warned, fo *4f-

}ty inert ated as you have been. You are not told, that IgnwAnct u tb of

Devotion, as they be, you are not kept from reading of the Scripture, as they be, but are pretfed, urged and exhorted to it. You have not publick Worfhip in an unknown Tongue, but by plain Language are you warned of Hell, commanded in the name o( God to forfake your old wicked ways; how eft have you been per-fwaded to come to Chrift, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! How long hath God waited ? and will you on in your wicked ways ftill ; in your eld courfe Gf Profanenefs and Lying, and Sabbath-breaking ? in your old courfe of carelefs Deleft of God, and Chrift, and your own Immortal Souls ? that's, an old Way indeed, hut it is not the good old Way. If you will go on, take your courfe, if you will not rum to the good Path, take what falls. But know that the Way of Sin leideth directly unto Hell. Proceed a little further, go on a little longer, and thou wilt drop into a bottomlefs pit, and be a damned wretoflf and take up thy everlafting lodgings wich the od Dragon, wiirh the old Serpen; and canft thou

here have reft ? Reft 1 how canft thou under the heavy load of Gods wrath ? Reft 1 how canft thou under the ftrokes of an angry, provoked and revenging God?

Thou

Thou canft not reft upon a bed of Down,when thy Confcience is feared,& God anTicl thee with the Stone or Plague, pr Burning Vive r,though all thy friends be round about thee,adminiftringCordials & Comforts to thee. And canft thou reft in a bed of flames, in a burning fiery furnace,in a place more;dreadful and more hot than is a veflelfull of boiling Lead, and burning Brimftone ; when thy Confcience fhall be awakened, the Worm gnawing within thee, the Devils round about thee, and an angry God above thee, and not one nigh thee to pity or relieve thee? For Gods fake,Sirs,and for your SOulsfake,as ever you would-avoid endlefs,& eaflefs,& remedilefs torments hereafter, walk in the good old Way of Faith and Holinefs, Repentance ^nd new Obedience now. And if you would now walk in-this good old Way, you.mall (ij be taken into a Hew Covenant. (2) And have new employment, better, more noble, more"profitable, more pleafant than ever yet you were engaged in. (%) You fhall be taken 'into new Relations to be the Sons of God, the Daughters of God, the Servants, People and Friends of God. (4) You fhall become a new Habitation for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ( 5) You will have ground of comfort when ydU come to die .Death is the old Way into another World } and if you walk in the good old Way while you live, you may be comforted, if you can appeal 1:0 God, having the witnefs of a good Confcience, and fay, Now Lord remember how I have walked before thee in the good path with an upright heart. And then (6) you mall enter into ,the New Jerufa-lem where you fhall have (1) Univerfal, total Reft. (2) Seafonable Reft. (3) E-ternal, and (4) Delightful Reft ; And that (i} from Sin, from the reigning, and conflicting power of Sin, from the guilt and in-dwelling of Sin. (2) Reft from the Temptations of Satamhe fhall never trouble nor difquict you more. Com-miiiion of Sin is now a burden to you, and temptation to Sin is now a burden to you, but the good old Way will bring to reft from both. (3") Reft from all Aifciicli-ovs from God upon your Bodies j now Sicknefs is a burden that makes you to be reftlefs,but then you fhall have an aking Head no more,paiiied Bowels,a fick Heart no more for ever. Q\.) Reft from all Troubles from men,no more imprifoned/perfecutedj reft from all their flanders and reproaches,&c. (5) Reft from all thofe holy Duties that are now as a means to bring you to this Reft. You fhall reft from Repentings and Mournings for Sin, from all the pains that now you are at to mortifie corruption ; though not from loving of God, delighting in God, and admiring of his Love, nay this your Love fhall be one part of your Reft. (6) Reft from all doubts and fears^znd )ealoufies of heart. Now you doubt, doth God love me ? do I love God ? is Chrift mme, and am I his? will God fave me ? pardon me? fometimes (thou faift) I hope he will, and that doth lighten my heart y fometimes I fear he will not, and that's a burden.Oh it is an heavy burden to my Soul,under which I cannot reft. But this good old Way will brmg thee to a reft where thou fhalt doubt no more,and fear no more. Canft thou doubt,whether it be day,when thou feeft the Sun doth fhine ? orthat fire is hot,when.thou feeft it burn,and feeleft it doth warm thy hand?no more fhalt thou doubt,when thoucomeft to the end of thy walk in the good old Way, whether God doth love thee, when thou fhalt bcfilled with his Love, and feel rhat he doth love thee, and fee to what a bleiTed place of reft, and peace, of fife, of light and joy, his Love hath brought thee to. (7) Reft from all T>?[mions j God fhall no more frown,no more depart, or withdraw from thee for ever. (8) Reft from all thy worldly labour* and employments-, when thou haft now wearied thy felf in thy calling all the day, thou takeft thy reft at night, and oh how fweet is reft when thou art weary; but when the day returns thy labour alfo doth return, and thy noble Soul by mean and low imployment (yet thy duty while thou art here} one in making Brichs, another P 'ins, one in working in wood^nother in SHI^oy Sifotr and Gnld^oor employment for . a Rational Som\by reafon whereof God hath few of thy thoughts, little of thy delight and love^and doth diftraft thee often in thy holy duties-, but this Way will bring thee to a Reft from all thefeywhen God fhall have all thy thoughts,delight and love. Stand then & fee which Ifche good old Way. Nay you do fee which is it, God hath fhewed it unto you,it is chalked,marked outiefore you^Reft you are promifed,and Reft you fhall find in walking in jr,But let none of you fay in words,or heart,by your practice, we will not walk therein,left you come unto a place of torment,where you NEVER fhall have REST. SERMON

i

t)I

SERMON VIII;

No Sin Venial.

4*^-

ROMANS 6.23. The Wages of Sin^ is Death.

IT was a Cenfure more true than fmart, which a late learned Pen, pj 0 ft or p r ^ {m publickly in this expreffion pronounced againft Popery, Roma- anxLcft, na Reli?io in quantum differt a noftra, e\\ mera Impofiura : *Ibe (now ^Roman Religion(as it differs from ours)vs a meer Cbeat,Juggle, or rkind of) Religious Legerdemain. And herein the Impofture of that Pveligion eminently appears, in that under the Varnifti of Cbriftian,moh\ of it feems calculated only for hooking in of worldly gained promoting of fecular advantage.What Rp.Senboufe (the CambridgCbryfoftom of his time) faith in his Sermon upon Afts 19. 28, concerning Demetrius and his Fellow Crafts-men,their crying of, Great is tbe Diana oftbeEpbeftans\ tbe Sbrines of Diana caufing their Shrieks fir Diana, and tbeir great Gain by ber, racing up tbeir great Cry for ber r {hewed tbere was dolus in Idolo, deceit in tbeir Contention for tbe Idol } may as truly be faid of the Romifh Gen. 44- ir > Demetrius, the Pope and the Popifh Priefts, their e3ger out-cry in the l?'. .'. ., Defence of the Points of Popery, it being not Chrift but Mammon, not a bf q . ar ™° 0 Piety but Money, not God but Gold, that ingagcth them in their advan- RomanaCuria cing of their Doctrines and Devotions. As Saint Ambrofe fpake of dedat;Ipfa Benjamins Sack , Sacco foluto apparuit argent urn , when tbe Sack, was manuum lm-hsfed, tbe Silver appeared ', refolve the molt of their Theology into that rkuVsanorf 1 " whereof'tis Conitituted,and Silver ("Gain T mean) will be found to be dona venduiv the chief Element of its Conftitution. Of this their own Writers are tur, nee pec-fitteft WitneiTes, whom I have cited in their own words', for proving c ^orum venia of this my Accufation. Mneas Silvius fafterwards Pope) informs us, SmSiScwv?' That tbe Roman Court gives nothing without Silver \ It fells (faith he) <j£ntas SilVi tbe Impofition of Hands, tbe Gifts of tbe Holy Gbojt , nir'vs Pardon of Sin Ep. $6*

M m given

Venalia nobis given to any but fuch m are weU-Monied. A Poet of their own faith, Templa.Sa- j*^ ^y t \ nm ^ Temples, PrUfts, Altars, Prayers, yea Heaven, and roialftcra" ^od bubfilfc are all ft to Sale fir Mmey, and that Rome gives Trifles Corona:,ignis, and tikes Gild. Another relates, That Romana permutath auri cum thura, preccs, plumbo. The Roman change, of Lead fir Gold, was grown into a Proverb, Coelum eft ve- Q. /t jy $ one y Tei gns at Rome ( thus fpeaks another J and mal^s that lawful MaxiuA z* f° r % ^ e ^ ? ^kb is unUwfulfir the Poor \ and fas he goes onj lay down ?i quid Roma but Money, and then that which was forbidden before as an heinous wickgd-dabit, nugas ntfs, (hall n^w le difpenfd with, and made no fin \ but without Money ^ dabic, accipic there m H no Difpetijation: and fas my Author Claudius Efpenfius mourn-dat^eu^Ro- ^ty F r0cec< ^0 x ' ioe VKe && e $ e€m great eft js to want Money •, and to have ma?'nunc fo- nothing, % the greateft piece of Barbarity among them j and (as that plain-la pecuni3 dealing Papift adds) to heighten their abomination, they allow their very regnat.B. A/i?- Clergy-men to dwtll with Whores and Harlots, and to beget Ba\lards for a tun. Eclog. 5. cnta m qJX which they do not only receive of the Adulterous, but even of In pro b' f '~' e G* nt * nem a >td Innocent perfons^ atiedging fir this, that even thefe might urn jamdu- have taken Whores aljq if they had pieafed. I blufh to tranflate what he dum ajbiit Ro- adds, namely, That Baftards, Thieves, Adulterers, perjured Perfons, are rnana permu- not only abjolvedfir Money, but admitted to all Dignities and Spiritual Be-tio, p.umbi ne fi ces • an d fir Money, Vifpenfations are granted fir Murders, though of auro. Dura. Presbyters, Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sifters,yea of Wives, nay,fir Witch-dt Sic, £;.;;/>;. crafi, Lie eft with the nearejl ofhjn ; and (which is moft amazing )/6>r un-1. 1. c. 6. cleannefs, Contra naturam cum Brutis, for the f not-to-be-named J Sin ef Regina rerum Beftiality. And Rivet tells us in his Caitigation of Pefra-Sancla the Je-pecunia, divi- r H f jfj at there came to his hands a Book, written by one TofTanus Dehvs tibus licitum J . ■ j x-n'^ v -r - u • l 1 o l '

facit qucd in P nHte ^ 15-0. at Paris, Cum Frivilegio, where in fol. 38, are taxed at a

pauperibus eft certain Rate^all Abfolutions in the Court of Rome fir murdering of Brethren illicitura. and Sifters, Fathers, Mothers, Wives, and for the carnal Itriowledg of a Claud. Efpr.s. j\J ayu Sifter or Mother, pro eo qui Sororem,Matrem carnaJiter cognovit.. in his l^Efr^adTit 37 P a £ c °^ s 7 e f lilU vapulans. Chemnitius in his Ex amen concerning Si fpes reful-' the Point of Indulgences, gives us a Copy cf Verfes written over the ferit nummi, Altar in a Popifti Cathedral, of which Verfes when I read them in quod interdi- Chemnitius, I could hardly fay whether they more proved my forego-"riE* ' n S Accufation of, or provoked my juft indignation againft Popery, that f^ 8c impune. Majier-piece of painted Atheijm. All the Verfes oi' that pitiful piece of Quod vetatur, Poetry, are too many to fet down, fome of them are thefe : numerata pe IJt tibi fit pxn£ venia fit aprrta crnmena,

euni3 Difpen Hie ditnr exponi Paradifus venditioni,

nuHun^f t• Hlc f* ljr t> e '&*•> '» C% 1 ° fa tuafdts,

peccatum ma Pro folo nummo gaudeb'vs in £there fummo]

jus, quam

nummis carere, uc Hie apud HoraHum £:. 2. Credidit ingens pauperiem vitium •, Se ut alter,/. 5. nunc ft Earbaries grandis habere nihil. Taya non excipit Presbyrericidas, paricidas, macricidas, inceftos, deniq; Contr* x*t«rm cam Brutis, &c. Efpn. in Tit. p. mihi 4-8, 4-0. Si nihil numera-•^ris, indifpenfarus manes^ Id—Clericos cum pellicibus cohabirare, liberofq; procreare fmunr, accepto ab eis quotannis cerco cenfu, atque adeo alicubi a continentibusj habeant, aiunt fi velinr.

The

Thefum whereof, and the reft, is but this, Lay down your Monty, and doubt not of getting up to Glory, The Romifh Jeroboam, I mean the Pope, fets up the two Calves of his golden Faith and Worfhip to preferve to himfclf his carnal Kingdom \ of which Faith and Worfhip,the greatest part is purely fubfervient to the Popes, either Coffer or Kitchin, and of which Kingdom, more truly than of War, Money may be faid to be the Soul and Sinews. If their Dodrines may be witnefles to prove fo clear an accufation, I might produce a far greater number than is needful to make up an ordinary Jury^by mentioning thofe of Auricular Confejfton,Pilgrimages, Penance, Images, Prayers for the Dead, Indulgences, Purgatory\ Sacrifice of the Mafs, Mtrits, Holinefs of places, breaks ing faith with Heretickj, the Popes Superiority over Princes, difpenfation rvitb Oaths \ and this before us, of Venial Sin. All thefe arrows, it they were not leveVd at the marj^of Gain, yet fure I am, they moft exadtly hit and center in it(ftrange they mould meet fo unitedly if (hot at rovers)y if you confult the generality of their Doctrines, moil of the Queftions in the Popijh Catechifm, may eaflly be reduced to this one, What (hall we get for our Paunches and Purfes} A Catechifm not compos'd by Peter the Popes pretended Predeceflbr (who though he faid, Silver and Geld have I none \ yet alio faid, thy Money perijh with thee) \ but by Judas rxisbag-

bearing pattern, in that queftion of his for betraying of Chriit, §1^^

dabiivs.? What will you give me} 'Twas ingenu©uily fpoken by a late Poet, when he thus vcrfify'd >

An Petrus Rom£ fuerit.fub judice lis eft

Simonem Rom£ nemo fuiffe negat. We are not fure that Peter ever fat

It Rome, but Simon did, w'are fure of that. ^ os <}ocemus

Simon, that Simon who barter'd and chaffer'd for the Spirit withMoney, communi is conltant Refident at Rome,whex* fome hundreds of years,in many thou- confenfu, pec-fandsof B3rgains,he hath been as fuccesful in felling to fools, as ever was cata q u * d «n, his Predeceflbr infuccesfulin his attempt to buy of the A pottles. Among homfnem ncm all their Doctrines of this earthen and muddy complexion, we (hall this reddere mor-day, more particularly produce this of Venial Sin, principally both/?* tis zterna?re-up, and Jhor'd up, that the pretended puniihment of thofe in Purgatory, um ^d tarn may be bought off by money; and that without any beholdingnejs to temporalis 011 the blood of Cbritl, provided the Purfe will but bleed freely, as drawn Be liar, e.t'dt by Romifh Priefts, the common Purfe4eeches, or religious Cnt-purfes of Pec. Vm. the Chri(tian World \ and from hence it was,that Sins, by Papifls call'd Nos "nanimi pardonable, have been rather termed fahable, vemlia not vtmalia^viiih conienfu a very fmall and venial alteration of the word venial. q U |^ mlUr-

I wonder not therefore that Bellarmine in his firft Chapter of Venial min:<s affirmac Sin, thus fets out, We teach (faith Bellarmine) by common confnt, That cotnmuni there are fome Sins which of their own nature, do not render a man guilty of °° n r^ ^°" eternal death,but only of temporal p unify <nent.To which Expredion or his." S£ ;; t £ t Orthodox^/;,\-/thus reply s.Nvs unanimi confenfu negamm iflud quodftdter- fca, c.i.

M m 2 minus

minus affrmat, communi confenfu doceri. We (Proteftants) deny with an unanimous confent,that which Bellarmine^rw/ is taught (among them) with common confent. My Work this day, is to declare my Concurrence with our Protectant Divines, in their denial and detefting the blafphe-mous Doctrine of Venial Sin. Only I cannot but mention as an encouraging entrance into this approaching Employment, the warinefs of BeUarmines Expreifion, in thefe words, Communi confenfu. docemw \ we teach by common confentfox he could not fay fas Dr.Ames his Anfwerer) Qua ratione we teach our Dodhine herein with unanimous confent. For "(as Medina-difhnguatur an aiT ; nent Paptft confeffetrO the Popijh Voftars are infinitely at odds', and male a morta- difagree among themfelves in finding out, how a Venial and a Mortal Sin li, non una differ. 3 Tis true the black Regiment, or rather the forlorn Adventu-eft fententia rers of the Antichriftian Army, ftrike home, and fpeak out for their Ge-Doftorum,fed nera j ^ Pope,and his Caufe in this Point. Bellarmine tells us,That fome finitumBoct- Sins are fo far from deferving eternal punifhment^ that God cannot punish ores. Medin. in them eternally without injufiice. Gregory de Valentia faith, That Venial i, 2. fl.88. a.i. Sin may be remitted without any infufwn of Grace. Sonnius ft lie Papift I raean;, That they deprve pardon. Althonfus a Caftro, That Peccatum ve-niale non valet privare gratia j Sin Venial cannot deprive of grace. And that wretched Andradius(the worft of the Crew),with his more devout Cum multi ex brother Bonaventure alferts,That for Venial Sins we do not Co much as need hacvita mi- R e p en tance. The Provincial Council of Meniz, dictate, lhat many de-fibus quidem P art *^** ^ife, free from Mortal Sins, and for lighter Sins they (hall never he ctiminibus damned \ and that it can hardly be underftood how God Jhould bejufl, Jhould immunes s le- he punifb any for Venial Sins -with eternal punifhment. And that Con-vionbus ta- e il' mm Senoncnfe declare?, lhat he who dies involved in Venial Sins (z-masis impli- mon g which it particularly mentions idle words, of which Chrift faith, cams, quorum We mufi give an account, and by which wejhall be condemned, Mat. 12.3 7.) tamen nemo, though he be unfit for Heaven, yet neither is it fit he Jhould go to Hell, as before ob plura, fa- a partaker of Grace, but is to be purged by the fire of Purgatory, out of Vl e d^^a* w hich he is to be delivered by the prayers of the living ; and that whofoever quotidiana, thinkj otherwife, is guilty of the Lutheran, Wiclevian and Waldenfian He-damnationem retical pravity.

aternam fuft- As f or that Council (if we may fo call the Conventicle) of Trent, it re-l ne -ji c •' n i° n quires that all Bifhops fhould ta\e care, that Prayers and the Sacrifices of the mveniri pof- Mifr, Jhould be devoutly offered for the dead, and accurately performed to fet, quomodo free them from the punifhment of Venial Sin. The fame 1 rent-A ffemb\y Deus (qui eft

in cmnibus & erga omnes jufuifimusj non injnflus videretur, ft non poft hanc vitam, per tempo-rales & non aeternas poenas, omnium compenfatio expectarctur. Bin. Tom, 9. c.46. p. mibi 322. Cum peccati tantum venialis reus, repente nonnunquam intereat, de omni verbo etiam otiofo rationem redditurus, nee illi pateat aditus ad Cceleftem Hierufalem, in quam nihil intrat co-in-quinarum; nee item Gehenna? fubjaceat, quippe qui gratia? ft particeps, ac posna? tantum temporalis debitor; ft ut primum purgetur ex iis qui geffit in corpore, falvus tandem aliquar.do fu-turus, f'c tamen quaf per ignem. Bin'. Tem.9. f.mihi 198. Curent Epifcopi ut fdelium vivorum furfragia, mrKaram fcilicet facrirxia, oraticnes, elcemofyna?, aliaque pietatis opera qua 5 pro fideli-bus defunftis fieri confueveruntj pie & devote font. Bin. Tom, 9. SefJ.2$. Cone, Trid, p. mihi-^9 & *-f.i4., c.j. f, mihi 389. clearly.'

clearly difcovers that they hold, that 'tis not neceiTary to confefs Venial Sins. 'Tis true therefore ras I faid),that thofe bored flavcs of the Pope, thus tearingly exprefs themfelves in the aiTerting of Venial Sin. But yet 'twas honeftly faid by Bellarmine however, That this Doctrine of the Veniality of Sin, is taught Tin the Antichriilian Synagogue.) only with a common Cnot an unanimous) confent. For the Iearncdft of the Papifts, as Vega, Altifftidorenfis, Almain, Azoriiu, Durand, Fijher of JxKbeiier, (who loft his Head for his maintaining the Popes Headfhip) but efpeciilly Gerfon Chancellor' of Park, liberally afTert that all *Si« it mortiferom or deadly, and that none is Venial, or deferving of Pardon : To all which I add that for the firft feven hundred years after Chrift, the Doctrine of Venial Sin was never taught by any Father,ox ~Doflor,ox maintained in any Council. Nor can Bctlarmine, after his ltricteft iearch into the Fathers nor could he, nor dares he name one of them that ever us'd the very name or word of Venial Sin. This being premifed as an encouragement to our conflict, namely that the heft Soldiers of the Enemies Army, are come over to our fide fa llgn of their enfuing overthrow,) you may take up the truth of this Doctrine concerning Venial Sin, either in an aitirmitive or negative Proportion (which you pleafej : If in an Affirmative, receive it thus s Every Sin is of its own nature morti- The main ferous and deadly, deferving eternal punijhment. If in a Negative, take Point. it thus \ Nj Sin defervespardjn-, or thus,Ni? Sin is exempted from deferving eternal death ■> or ('as 'tis ufually expreftj, No Sin is Venial in its own nature. In the difcuifing this great Truth, I (hall (God willing) did courfe,

f 1. Explication. By way of^ 2. Confirmation (.3. Application, I. In the Explication I (hall proceed by way of

1. Concefftm, or granting what is not to be deny'd.

2. By way of Negation, or denial of what is not to be granted^

that by "both, the queftion may be cleared, by being freed from the/gr of Popifi Objections. Nullum eft

1. For the rirft way of Explication, viz. of Conceffion, I grant, peccatum cu-

I. AH private offences of man arrainjl man, have a pardon from man due J u W uam in "fo them \ and that 5 ris Co, the Scriptures fully difcover, Ephef. 4.32. ale# ' chimkr Col.%. 13. Rom. i2^&% in requiring mutual forgivenefs. 'Tis well ex- Panflr. de pec. preft by Chamier, Ihere's no fin of any againil m, hut is Venial. But how vtnfjnibi 182; weak is BeHarmines argument from hence, to prove that VenialSins do Eadeni r 2ti°-not hinder God from loving us. If all offences (faith he) diffolve the "'^^^ love of Gad, by the fame rcafon Jhmld they diffolve love and friendjhip be- m i nus Deurrz

trveen man and man\ hut this they da not, therefore, &c, teneri peccata

hominibus re-mittere quia homines inimicos fuos diligere debenc, & injuria ipfis quoad vindittain condooarCi Ones, fcdfar. Lm. i-. V<n, [;:. p. 11.

I .an-

■266 No Sin Venial. . Serin. VIII.

Non eft a> I anfwer \ The confequence is not only falfe,but blafphemous, for the quum, homi- f av our of God, and the reafons for which that is preferved or diffolved neTofficia**- are n0t t0 *> e P arai leld witn the friendfhip of man, and the reafons for quari officiis which this is either maintain'd or deftroy'd. Nor are the Offices of hominum in man to man to be equaliz'd with the Duties of man to God and To nei-Deutn,itaque ther the offences. To make this plain, I argue, tXpSe I- From Popifh Principles.

nullum eft 2 ' From undeniable Realon.

peccatum cu- i. From Popifh Principles. For,

jufquam in i« Do they not conftantly declare, That though a man,be he never

ale^Tuiomi- fo hi & h > he neit her doth nor mould inflift great punishments upon his num in Deum inferiors for light and fmall offences,yet that God .inflicls grievous tor-nullum veni- ments upon his Children for the leaft, even Venial Sins, even the tor-ale j multa ments of Purgatory, not lefs than thofe of Hell, but only in duration Ha%fisfaten- (^ Y ou ^ bc\kve Bellarmine;) the leaft whereof (as Aquinas tells us,) is tlbus Papiftis. greater than the greateft in this life?

cham.Panjir. 2. Do not the Papifls grant that there are many kinds of offences dtptc.Ven. id. which do not deftroy Humane friendfhip (nor oughtj which yet exclude from Gods love ? As when a man out of a good intention of helping or benefiting his friend, proves hurtful or offenfive to him> this excludes not a man. from his friends favour i but when a man out of a zealous intention to pleafe God, doth offend him (as Paul did who thought be did God good fir vice in perfecuting the Church), he doth with Paul in that cafe, immortally, and deferve exclufion from the favour of God.

2. I argue from undeniable reafon : The fum whereof is this \Man offended by man hath caufes to continue ftill his love to man which God offended hath not. , i. Man by the bond of a Precept^ is bound to forgive man* but God

is not capable of fuch a bond.

2. Man offended, is a finite creature, and therefore offences againft him, are comparatively JmaV and inconfi durables but offences againft God are againft an infinite Majefty, and therefore infinite.

3. Offences againft Man are mutual, the offended to day, may be the offender to morrow ; but God never can wrong his Creature, no, though be hurts it j What iniquity have your fathers found in me ? Jer, 2.11.

4. Man offended may be,and perhaps hath been benefited by the Man offending., but to God no good of ours can extend.

5. A man offended, oft warns not the offendor that he fhould not offend or wrong him, but God hath a thonfand times admonifht, exhorted tntreated, threatned &gainft offending of him.

Second 2. I grant, though all Sins deferve eternal punimment, and though

ConceiJion. n o Sins are Venial, yet that all Sins are not equal^ nor do they deferve equal

ptnijhment. The Papifts would willingly faften this Stoical dotage

upon us, of holding the equality of Sin fas did the Jovinianifts of old)

in requital for our maintaining the damnablenefs of all Sin y but what

' -. . ,. they

they fay herein of us,isameer (landering of us. This Calumny Vurx- In eo cilvi-

us in his Eighth Book againtt our famous IVhitakgr (§>jantum tinmen!) "^.pcccara

hathcaft upon learned Calvin, That he held all Sins were equals becaufe J""^} on J^

be held all were mortal. The like alfo faith GautierM in his Chronological mortalia, &

Table of the fourth Age, where fpeaking of the Jovinianifls their ma- xternis digna

king all Sins equalhe impudently tells u$,Calvins Votfrine is conformable fuppliciis

tntbofe who held all Sins equal, becaufe it maker them all mortal. But blef- ^ r ^ Cf /^

fed Calvin both purgeth bimfelf from the Calumny, and confutes the whit.ih. Llb.B.

srgument on which 'tis grounded, in the third Book of his lnftitutions, Non parum

cap,\, by this invincible anfver\ Scio (faith he) quam inique Votlr in am conformis eft

tt'tiram calumnientur^ &c. I know how uniuitly the Papifts calumniate our ? . rina , a ~ -J ~ . i r- t, i- »■«•"■■■ 11 it r vmi, nolentis

Doftrtne; they J ay. By our mating au Sins mortal and damn able,we Jet up audire pecca-

the P iradox of the Stoicks, of the equality of Sins ; but (faith he) the very ta venialiaXed Doctrine of the Papijis themfelves will fully clear us j for I demand omnia defini-oftbem,Vo they not ackyowledg that among thofe Sins they call Mortal, there 5, ns mo ^ha. U an inequality, and that one Mortal Sin is greater than another,and there- ebron. fee. Ati. ftre they cannot charge me with making all Sins equal, becaufe I hold they Scio quam are al! Mortal. How is then the Doctrine of Equality of Sins, more to be inique Do&-fathered upon Calvin,t\\zt\ upon the Papifts themfelves ? 'Tis our con- nn * m na " c ftent Dodtrine,That Sins and their punifhments are «tf^«j/,though all iumnientur." Sins are Mortal, We teach, Though all Sins deferve eternal punifhment, Dicunt enim. yet not the fame degree of eternal punifhment, but fome a hffer degree paradoxum than others. Though all Sins deferve a punifhment extenfwely infinite, e,ie Stoico-yet not intensively equal. We agree to that old expreflion of a mi- catorum ^f" tins ardent nonnulli; the flames of Hell {lull be Iefs torturing to fome, qualitate. Sed than to others =, for fome,it will be more tolerable at the day of judgment fuo ipforura than for others'^ fome are beaten with more,others with fewer jiripes,. Luk. ore ? nu ^° *|e* 12. 47, 48. As among the Jews there were feveral degrees of capital ^ 10 convin "' punifhment for feveral offences, fo are there in Hell feveral degrees of Quscro enim, punifhment futed to the degrees of Sin. Of which truth the words of annon inter Chrift, Mat. 5. 22, are a clear proof, which tell us of the punifhment ea ipfa pecc^-inflicled by the Judgment, which was the Confeffm fingularum Civitatum, |"j* ^ mor * , the AfTembly belonging to every City, confining of three and twenty, ^y a jj 0 ma '_ by whom the punifhment inflicted was (according to the be(t Writers jus agnofcant bjfling with the Sword, In the fame Scripture next we read of the pu- ^ 0D igitur nifhment inflicted by the Councilor Sanedrim confining of feventy EI- P roriIlus %-' ders,for greater offences,which punifhment was Stoning, And laftly,there ^? e pecca^a is mentioned the punifhment of TUwa r?rt/?©-> call'd Hell-fire, which was qua? ilmul by the old Idolaters exercifed upon their Infants,w\\o were facririced in mortalia funt». the Valley of Hinnom : Chriit by the fimilitudc of thefe Earthly punifh- c *^?j?tf4»$* ments which paffed one another in fharpnefs 8c feverity,fetting forth the '**' * l 2'

K&erc eft eonfevTus 23, rirum {: ngularum civitatum j fummus autem ille Synedrion focatur. Kf i<sig>s poena 1 ufaatiiftma erat gladius. Cum autem fupra lapidationem, nulla poena in ufu T udaico evict, qn^fi*'-vit Chriflus aliunde nomen horrendi cruciatus, qui & gladiuaa & lapidationem excedcret, [ciU ■ Gibtnn* ignis. Grot, in loc.

degrees

degrees ofpunithments,in the place of the damned.This will yet be clearer, if we duly confider the cafe to which Chrift is fpeaking, concerned, Grot, in j n g w hj c h we ma y t h us underftand Chrift expreffing himfelf: Hereto-

Tres iracun- f ore tnm ^ ave ^ eeH deter^d from murdering others, becauje the Law com-dlx fpecies mauds that murtherers Jhould he cut off by the fword •, But I would have totidem facit you ta\e heed of anger, hecaufe that is to he punijht in the next world as Je-homicidn nerely as murder is punifht in this. But if any to his amer^ (hall add eviU hoc lethales fp ea fy n £> ^ e P a ^ be punijht with a greater punijhment *, as Stoning is a grea-omnes coram ter than that by the Sword. And if his evil-fpeaking be very grievous and Deo,licet im- hainous, he fhall fnffer more exquifite torments, fuch as thofe fuftained who panter. Dav. lvere y urn t in the Valley 0/Hinnom. See Grctius ori the place. And hereby

tv^/VT L°1 K ;r Bellarmines Cavil is anfwered, who to prove that all Sins are not Mor-Bellar. at amij. iir >n • t n 1

Grat.p.90,91. t2 h ar >d deserving eternal pumlhment in Hell, argues thus} Here are

Nonfolumqui f faif h he) tw> Temporal punishments lefs than that of Hell-fire\andbecaufe occidic, reus k e fa only guilty of HcU-fire.wbo breads cut into fuch an outragious anger d d CC1 0t " 1S ^ t0 ca ^ 1 ^ brother [oo\,therefore the ether degrees of anger are Venial Sins, nem fed qui as behtg only threatned with Temporal punifoments. But this erroneous irafcitur fine Sophijier perverts the true fenfe of this Text, not considering that the causa fratri true import thereof is this, That all the three degrees of anger here rren-fxo. Inn. /.2. t j one d by caw Saviour, are totidem homicidia, fo many murders fas Pa-Tres'hi era- reus fp ca k.O and that the three degrees of punifhment expreiTed here,are dus fupplicii three degrees unitts fpeciep<zn£*of one punifrment in hind and nature^ poenam flgni- which is eternal punifhment in Belt; and that a lefs degree of toimentin ncant Gfhen- jj^jj j s llri deritood by the Judgment, than by the word Council, and a "7.T17 ' lefs by 0*»«7 than by HeU-fir.e, and that all the three degrees of punim-Per C.onfli- ment here expreiTed by Chrifr, equally intend the punijhment of the dam-um,capitalem ned in Hell, though not in equality of punifhment to be inmcled on the peenam intel- offenders. Thus Irenms of 'eld interpreted this Text; Nor only (faith Iigitjper civi- ^ e ^ ^ y e g u jity ofkjUiKgto damnation, who kjlls his brother, but even he poenam fern- w ^° ** angry with him withsut a caufe. So Saint Anflin dt verbJ)omini\ piternam ani- OmMes cruciibuntur, fd minus ille, minus illes All fhall be tormented, ma? mortem v though fome more, fome kCs. Thus alio Btrradius and Maldonat, Bel-Mtelhgit. tannines ftWow-^ddits, (though not greater Sophiflers, yet better Ex-urn qui irafci- p°h*tors than Bellarmine) interpret this Text, ingenuoufly confeiEsg,-tur,&eum qui That by Judgment and Council as well as by Hell fire ,the eternal death of fratrem fuum the Soul is to be underftood, though with a gradual difference of the lev c ^^ m punifhment.

aDoellat^ea- 3' ^^ &M Conce/fion is this, Though no Sin be venial.but every Sin dem inferni djtjervts eternal deaths yet no Sin of its own nature neceffarily and infallibly poena,non ea~ damns, but the Sin againjj the Holy Ghojl. All other Sins may polfibiy be dum pcenae pardoned, Mat. 12.31. every Sin that admits of Repentance, is par-» r m^ocet^ donable. All Sins are remifible Jeclnfi finafa mp<xmte/!U& r'efpefiu, which Maldon. in are not followed with final impenitence ,/as is that again ft the H4y Mgt. 5. 22. Ghofi. Other Sins make a rn^n liable to death, this pertinacicufy opp fite to the terms of life. This is Wat Sin unto death mentioned 1 Joh.^.j6.1 7.

And

Serm.VIIT, Vo siH **#*'• ^

And hereby the argument of Eaily the Jcfuite for Venial Sin is obviated, who from this Scripture,which mentions a Sin not unto death, and a fin that is unto death \ argues, that feme Sins are of their own nature venial, and not deferving death, though other Sins are mortal, and ^deferve de3th. TistrueSt. JFo/^diftinguifheth between a Sin nut unto death; and a Sin unto death s but by both cxpreillons.he intends Sins morbiferous in their own nature ,and fucn as deferve eternal death. By the Sin not unto death, he undcrftands a Sin notwithstanding which, a man may avoid eternal death, and may be pardoned though it defrves eternil death > and by a Sin unto death he intends a Sin which whofoever commits, can never he pardoned, and therefore can never efcape eternal death^nd hence he would not have fuch a Sinner as commits it, frayed for. And that by the Sin not unto death he doth not mean a venial Sin that deferzrs not death, is plain from this very Text, where the Apoftle faith, lhat life fl;allhepven fir them that have not fin"d unto death,by the prayers of the faithfuljbut I defire to know why life fhould be given for him that fins not unto deatbjt his Sins were veni-il <k did not at all deferve death.Certainly the fin which the Apoftle calls a fin not unto death,had meritorioully taken away the life oftbeSoul,and fo cannot be accounted venial, but in fome kind mortal I and 'tis as plain from the Text, that by the Sin which is unto death, the Apoftle means not a Sin which is mortal, or only deferving <kath 7 as diftinguifht from Venial Sin', becaufe the Apoftle forbids the praying for him that commits that fin which is unto death. Now if the Apoftle forbids praying for him whofe Sin is mortal, as only deferving death, then it would unavoidably follow that none mould be frayed for that commit mortal Sins or Sin's deferving death, but only they who. commit Venial Sins \ which is contrary to Chrifrs, both Precept and Example, who both commands us to pray for Perfecuters, (and no Pa-pift can deny that Terfecution is a Mortal Sin.) and did himfelf, as alio did after him that BlefTed Martyr Stephen.pray for his Perfecuters. And (b clearly true is this, that Bartbolomtus Petrus a Papift, and ProfeiTor of Voway, in his Continuation of E/rw*j\s Comment on the Epiftles, on a d mortem i Job. 5. 16. ingenuoufly confefTeth, That by a Sin not unto death is to dicitur Apo be underitood, a Sin from which a man may arife by repentance, and that ftolo, quod eft by a Sin unto death, we are to underhand a Sin from which a man can mortale qui-_ never arife by repentance. And that a Mortal Sin may be faid to be not f^:^ p ^ I_ unto death, he illuftrates by the fpeech of Chriji concerning Lazarus's nitentia.Vide-Sicknefs. %h'vs Sickyefs (faith Chi iftj h not unto deaths namely,becaufe bitur hoc mi-Lazams was to be recall'd to life, and fo a Sin not unto death, is a Sin rum a l icu i> from which,and from death by which,a man may be recall'd h as a Sin ^ m d ordain unto death is a Sin from which,and from death by which, a man cannot m0 rtale dica*

tur non ad mortem cfTe •, fed memirmTe debet quod falvator Jom.w. dieebar, irifirmitss hasc non eft ad roertcm, cum tamen Xjz^r^ex eit mficmitate mortuus fuerfo f:c in propofito peccatum mortaie, ius vera pcenitcntia agitur, non eft ad mortem. Bartb. Pet. in 1 fob. 5. 16.

N n b?

Comp&ratio b £ recall'd. Thus al fo Lorinus and JujUnian both Jefuits expound this

hxc inter ; place of John > exprefly and fully. peccata,aptius

fit, intelligendo de peccato,non vcnialiXcd mortali. Loth, in he: Feccatum non ad mortem; non poteft peccatum fignificare veniale, cum enim dicat Johannes* Oranti pro peccato non ad mortem dandam efle vitam, plane indicat hoc peccatum non ad mortem, fpiritualem vitam adi-mere, quod fi fpirituali vita deftituitur qui tur, necefte eft. Juftin. in loo.

qui peccat non ad mortem, mortifero fcelere obilringa-

The fourth Coaceffion.

Rom. 8; i.

Vcnialia di-

4. My fourth Conecdion is this 5 Though no Sin be Venial in itrown nature^ and deferving of p*rdon\ yet this hinders not but that Sin is Venial by an extrinfick^cauje,namely, the grace and mercy of God in Chrifi. Though Venial Sins fas the Papifts call them) in themfelves are Mortal^ yet Mortal Sins through Grace are Venial. All the Sins of the Elett, and of thofe in xhtfiate of Grace, are, though in themfelves damnable, yet pardoned through Grace, and not damning. There vs no condemnation to them (faith the Apoftle) that are in Chrifi Jefus. Though the leafi Sin makes us guilty of damnation if God mould deal with us ftriftly, and fecundum legis rigorem, according to the rigour of the Law j yet the greatefl cannot cuntur pecca- c ff c Q t ^' ls guiltinefs of damnation, where mercy through Chrifi is con-non quod per ^ er '^ upon the molt unworthy. Sins in themfelves unworthy of par-fc venia dig- don, are Venial to the guilty, ex benignitate judicis, by the goodnefs of aa fuat. Sunt the Judg, and remiilible to the debtor, ex liberalitate Creditors, by the bounty of the Creditor. Though ex peccati natura, every Sin excludes from Salvation* yet ex mifericordia Dei, no Sin doth fo. Though Sin be not exempted from defert of punimment, quia vindicari non debet \ yet'tis exempted, quia Dens vindicare nolit. Though not becaufe it ought not to be punifhed, yet becaufe God through Chrifi will not pu-nifh it.

And hence, 1. It foliows,that as all the Sins of Reprobates are deadly, not only ex mtrito, becaufe of their merit \ but alfo ex eventu^znd in the event , becaufe no Sin is Venial in it felf, but only by Gods mercy \ So like wife, 2. That the reafon why the Sins of the Regenerate exclude them not from the favour of God, is not from their own nature, but meerly from Gods mercy^W Sins deferving that exclufion. Yea, 3. Hence it follows, that though damnation be actually inflicted upon Jomeiot their Sins, viz. Unbelievers^ex remifjion and falvation may be beitow'd upon others, notwithstanding they have committed thofe very Sins for whkh others are damned. To Unbelievers Whoredom is damning, and excludes them from the Kingdom of God, Ephef. 5. 5 •, and yet Davids Adultery excluded not him from that Kingdom. The murdering of Chrifi was imputed to Judas and Pilate^nd yet not to thofe A8.2. 23, 38. who flew Chrifi with wicked hands,whom Peter wills to repent, and be baptized, for the remiflion of fins. God pardoned Davids Adultery with Batbjbeba, but might not Antonies with Cleopatra j Lots Inceft

was.

ex benigtri tate judicis, remiflibilia debitori ex creditoris li-beralitate. Rivet. Tr. 4.

ft. *3-

was, Herods might not be forgiven. Solomons Idolatry was, and Jeroboams might not be remitted. Yea hence I fear not to aflfert, that grea-ter Sins may be pardon'd to fome, when fmaller may damn others: An idle word may deftroy 0«?,when Murder and Adultery may not another.

And this fully anfwers Bellarmines Argument for the Venialify of Sin. *Tis this, Ifall Sins be Mortal of their oven nature, and only Venial to Believers, becaufe of their Faith'-, then all Sins/hould be Mortal to Unbelievers, and Venial to Believers:But this (faith \\t)Ujalfe^ that all Sins of Unbelievers Jhould be Mortal^and at! Sins of Believers Venialfor if they be Venial ta Believers, then much more are they fotoVnbelievers, But why fo, O Cardinal > Becaufe ( faith he) the Sins of Believers are more grievous and hainoits than the Sins of Unbelievers, as being committed againft more light and love. Now this Argument is eafily anfwer'd by my fourth Concellion. 'Tis not falfe that Sins though fmaller in genere pecc^ti, in the kand of Sin, (hould be Mortal to Unbelievers, and greater Sins Venial to Believers \ for as they are Mortal to both of their own nature, fo by accident, through the mercy of God, pardoning to Believers both their fmaller and greater Sins, their Sins become Venial in the events which accident being deficient to Unbelievers in their finning , Nequa-qttam eorum peecata facit venialia, fed utfunt fimt mortalia \ It makes not their Sins Venial,but leaves them Of they are in themfelves Mortal, as Fideles gravi-learncd Tarem in anfwer to Bellarmine. We grant (as Gerard expref- us P^ ccantes > feth it), that the pardoned Sins of Believers are more hainous than thofe peccanti er g 0 of Unbelievers > but hence it cannot be infer'd, that fome Sins of Vn- mulro imgis believers are Venial: For that the Sins of Believers are Venial, 'tis not venialiter from the nature of their Sins, but from the meer Grace of God par- P e f can J m ^'

« cleles levius

doning, and not imputing their Sins', and therefore to all Unbelievers p ecca ' nres . fc their Sins remain fuch as they are of their own nature, that \s,Mortal or Btllir minus. MortiferoUf. This alfo Hops the mouth of that defperateor defpairing Refpondet Papift Cotton, who thus argues, to hold that all Sins deferve eternal pit- P *> W5 « &*pc-nijhment, and that none can live without Sin, if the ready way to drive e ^ j nte ]i e ^ men to the precipice of defpair, efpecially when dying (he (hould have U m per fe,ve-faid s 'Tis the ready way to drive the Priefts, thofe filly rum eft ex Quacks, into defp3ir of purging the Purfe with the pill of Purgato- accidentia ry) : But the anfwer is eafie,This Argument only becomes thof: quibus J^ordlam Dd Deimifericordia efl ignota^ (as Chamier fpeaks), who are Grangers to V enS delentis

non levia tan-mm,fed omnia peecata fidelium refipifcentiunr, quod accidens cum in peccatis inrldelium deficiat, ncquaquam ea venalia facie, fed mortalia Unit, ur funt fua natura omnia eorum peecata. Pareui contr.BeU.de amiJf.Grat.c.ii.Ccrtixm eftrenatos per peecata mortalia contra confeientiam commirTa, gravius Deum offendere quam infideles, quibus tantum cognitionis lumen, ac tantus benefciorum divinorum cumulus non obtigiti fed ex eo nondum inferri poteft, qua?dam peecata infldelium efie fua natura venidia-,quod enim rn renatis quxdam fat venialia, id non eft a natura peccatorum, fed ex fola Dei miferentis, & peecata non imputantis gratia. Ergo in non-renatis & inridelibus, omnia omnino peecata funt & manent talia, qualia funt ex natura fua, hoc eft, mortalia. Gerh. he. Com. de pec. aft. j>. 306.

N n 2 . the

the mercy of God in Chrift, and will not truft to it for Salvation. 'Tis not the fmalnefs of Sin,but the greatness of Chrift, that faves us. This pitiful Papift draws a damnable conclufion from a Divine principle. The principle is, No fin k Venial •, therefore (faith hej defpair •, but therefore lay we, believe, go out to Chriji for free remilfion through his blood whereby all Sin Mortal in its nature, is Venial to the Believer. And let me tell thee (O thou blind Papift) though thou finncit much in making Sin finally yet thou (inneft more in making my Saviour fo. I (hall conclude this fourth Conceffion, with manifeiling the confent herein of the Peccato non learnedeft of the Fapifts with our Proteftant Divines. Aquinas faith debetur poena 'Eternity of punifhment U due to every Sin of the wiregenerate, ratione con-aterna rati- ditionvs fubjetti, in refpedt of the Itate of him that commits it,who wants vftatis^fed™" *^ at Grace whereby Sin vs only remitted. And Cajetan upon thofe words ratione con- °f Aquinas, tells us,that Grace is the only fountain whence floweth remiffion ditionis Tub- of Sin, and nothing maketb Sin venial or remijftblefiut to be in Graces and K«i ? fcilicet t fo at nothing makjtb Sin irremijfible and not venial, but the being out of a

^maJfS-^5 °f Grace ' an ^ that which maketh Sin Vsnial or not Venialjs the [late venitur, per °f tbefubjefi wherein Hvs found. For if we refpecl the nature of Sin as 'tis quam folum in it felf, it will remain (without grace) eternally in (lain and guilt fit remifHo anc j fo w |i| fubjecl: the Sinner to eternal punifhment, and'is mortal. So 'i^Qa o!!™' that remiffibility or irremifjibilityof Sins twtji not be confidered according to-Art. $.'ad i. *be fins tbemfe Ives, hit according to thefuhjefts beingyr not being in theftate p. mibl 275. of Grace. Fifher Bihhop of Kochejhr, though a moft bitter adverfary to Sola gratia ell Luther, yet concerning the Vtniality of Sin, he thus fpeaks to Luther ±

remltffon™ ^ n ***** *^ at *** H ** Venial h ^ n merc y of God, I am, Luther, wholly of thy pcense. Re- mind. Azorius conkftcth^that the remijjion of Venial Sin k of a free and miflfibilitas, fupernatural benefit,and afforded to none that are not in a fiate of Grace. & irremiffibi-

litas tam culpa? quam poena? attenduntur penes {latum fubjecti, fcil. efTe in gratia vel non, flatui gratis convenit remiffibilitas polltive, flatui vero culpa? extra gratiam convenit irremiftibiHtas poftive. 'Cajet. in loc. praditl. p. mlhl 27$. Quod peccatuni veniale folum ex mifericordia Dei veniale fit, hoc ego tecum, Luthere, fentio. Contra Luther. Art., 32. Venialis remhTio peccati gratuitum & fupernaturale eft beneflcium Dei, nemini extra gratiam Dei conftituto peccatum veniale dimittitur. A%or. I \. c.xo. Mifi quia eft ab homine jufto Dei gratia & charitate prxdito commifum, perpetuo puniretur. A\or. l.$. c.$.

Thus far are our Concefjhns concerning the Veniality of Sin or our zd. Branch, of granting wnat is " oc to De denied, which was the ftrfi part of my Ex-Explhat. plication} I come now to the fecond Branch of Explication, which is to Agnofcimus be by way of Negation, or denial of what is not to be granted, quorundam yj iat w hich I peremptorily deny is this, What any Sins are exempted

quod dicitur f rom ^ e f e / vin ^ eter}tal punifhment, upon the account of any imaginary, or de alieno imaginable fmalnefs or levity of Sin.

corio funt -'Tis ingeniouily expreft by Learned Rivet m his Cathohcns Ortho-

libewles, flul-

titiam debitorum qui adverfus credjtorem fuum, judicium proferunt in propria causa, Certe reua-qui coram judicefuo culpam extenuat, cum res tota judici perfpecla eft, imprudenter valde fe gent, nee minus flulec facie, qui debitum fuum vel negat, vel minuit apud cum quiconvincere po-reft & cogerc. RhitJm.conir. Tr. quart, j^^.13, doxus*

dsxus, againft Baity the Jefuite upon this occafion, That there are fame who de alieuo corio flint liberates, cut large thongs out of an Hide that's none of their own. That Che means J of Gods mercy, who meafure Gods judgment according to their own rules and like foolifh debtors will he judges of their own caufe againft their Creditor. 7hat guilty Male-faftdr (faith he gravely) is unwife, who extenuates his fault before his Judg, to whom hk whole caufe U \nown\ nor vs it kfs imprudent to di-minifh our Sins before that God , who can both convincere & cogere, convince us of our debts, and compel us to make Jattifafiion. BeUarmine then and his Complices are none of the wifeft or honeftcft, who dictate to us,that fome Sins are fo light and little, that they deferve no eternal pu-nifhmcnt,but are Vtnial \ i. Some ingenere fuo, in their kind of Sin, as when the Will is carried out to that, which contains in it felf a hand of inordination indeed, but yet fuch as is not contrary either to the love of God or eur Neighbour,as an officious lie,or an idle word \ and that, 2. Some Sins are Venial ex imperfeftione'operis,by the imperfection of the nwrj^rand thefe (faith BeUarmine) are of two forts s I. Some 3re Venial ex furreptione, ^Id.BelUr. I.r. by their unexpected fiealtb and creeping into the Soul, and thefe are/W- ^ e am ifGrat. den motions o) lulls, anger, revenge, &c* which get into the mind before ^' ^' reafoncan deliberate, whether they are to be admitted omo\ and fo they are not perfeUe voluntaria, have not the full confent of the Will 2. Other-Sins are Venial by the imperfeUion of the matter, ex parvitate materiz y which are committed in a light and fmall matter ■> as the flealing of an half-peny , which neither hurts our Neighbour, nor deftroys Love. Againft thefe we oppofe, T\\tt there's no Sin but deferves eternalpunifh-tnent.per propriam naturam & inirinfecam rationem, by its own proper Vid: Mdk>. m-and intrinfecal nature. As the leaft drop cf water is water, as truly as ^ 2 '^ 88,a "J" the whole Sea, fo the leaft Sin is as truly Sin as the greatefH and the Durand^q.^.' ' leaft Sin according to the rigour of the Law deferves an everlafting pc- Dicendum nalty. The imperfection of Sin as to degree, takes not away from it c ^ uc docue-either the reafm of Sin, or the merit of penalty, as Medina, Azorm^ v ^^ > '''Yan< ^ liS% Durand,3ind others confefs. Azorius tells us from Durand, Vega,Ca]etan\ yt a "ven'ale That the Law of God forbids Venial Sins,even all Sin both great and fhial\ peccatum eft and that rhe Arguments of the Proteftants prove,that Venial Sin is a- Tdidem conga inft theLaw ofGod.To which I add,that it implys a grofs contradi&ion. tra . Ie S em ^ci, to fay that the leaft Sin fhouldbefaid to be a £i^and yet to be Venial and Icx^cTd* 3 deferve pardon h for if it deferves pardon, thex\'z\Co freedom from punifh- hibct & gra-ment, and if-freedom from pumfkment^ then it hath v.o guilty and if it V13 - &Ievja,id--have no guilt, then it is no Sin. Moft true is that fpeech of Alien- W 0 * adverfa*

ft J ?£, in his Lexicon Tbeoloricum s Nullum peccatum habet rationcm ad m J™ ar ^"' j • j o o jr t menf a com-

merendam veniam, imopotius demeretur \ bin as bin cannot dijerve to be probarunt.

pardoned, but it deferves nst to be pardoned. Nor can BeUarmine with bis Apr, infljfor,

Sophiftry prove, that the fmaU Sins before mention'd, are in their na- l 'f c -%-

U\:e Venial: 5 Tis little kfs than blafphemy what he dictates concern- s^Tit mc

ing a Sin Venial, ex genere fho, as an idle word y an officious lie y &c. that catum.

it

it is not againft zperfett and a rigorous Law ^ that the Law which forbids it,is not perfedtty <i LawMd hath notperfedlly rationem legys : But this is falfe f to fay no worfej: For that Law truly binds the Conicience to ■perform it, and therefore 'tis truly a Law \ and that it truly binds the Confcience,is clear, both bccaufe it is made by bint who hath jus leges con-dendi^a right of making Laws, and alfo becaufc it hath afanttUn,* threat, viz. the giving an account i and condemnation alfo, Mut. 12.31. And when Bellarmine argues that Sins which he calls venial ex furreptione, by S eot'oncm ^ ea hh into the Soul unawares, are not perfe.dt.ly voluntary y and there-exiftimamus f° re a *e venial, 1. 'Tis acutely obferved by the learned Chamier, That opponi, non a fin may be by furreption, or inconfiderateneS, and yet it may be voluntary voluntati, fed <j/y^ furreption not being properly oppofed to voluntarin-fs, but to election, ?J *9 d * l ?**V> when upon weighing of circumjiances a thing is chofen \ for it often falls out, oni cum om- ^ at f ^ e w $ ** carried to a thing, though by a fudden and inconftderate mo-nibus cognitis, Hon, as Peter denyd Chriji with his will, though fuddenly, and inconfide-penfitatifque rately, and yet thereby Peter committed a mortal fin : And though a Sin of •arcumltan- f UTre ption be not voluntary in the higheft degree,yetis it with a true and gitur denique-, proper confent, fas Ames fpeaks). 2. Eut befides, the nature of Sin, nam faepe ac- its formate or that wherein it conlifts, is not its voluntarinefi,but its tranf-cidit ut motu greffton of the Law. The Law 0/the Creator, not the will of the creature, fubitaneo, & j s t ^ Q £ u ] e 0 f r jght andwrong. Voluntarin.fiaggravates, but involunta-vduntas^pfa rinef excufeth not Sin. 3.'Tis excellently obferved by the learned Dave-ad aliquid fe- nant, That may be faid ta.be voluntary, not only which is committed with an ratur •, uc vo exprtfi and aUual witiingnefi, but that which vs not kindred by the will luntate Vttms when it is bound to hinder it •, but the will is bound to command its reafon, ? e ^itane* C & t ^ at ^fl j0u ^ be wakeful and watchful, tojupprtfiaVtbe motions of inordinate peccavit ta- conmpifence. 4. Further, doth not the Law prohibit and condemn all men etiam affeclions and motions^ whether deliberate or by furreption and indelibe-mortaliter: ratc^aud hence it was, ?.That holy Paul complaining of the Sin that dwelt Itaque & hacc jn ^^ Rom.7. ip. was affiled, not only for the deliberate motions offw, farreptionem hut alfo for thofe that were indeliberate .and involuntary ^ and would he fiunt, volunta- have mourned under them, if they had not been finful? To conclude ria funt, ideo- this, Doth not, iixthly, the furreption and indeliberatejr>a/i#g of depra-que& pecca- yec j mo tionsinto the Soul, proceed apravitate damnabili, from a dam-quasi pecca- nable *nd depraved principle of nature > muff it not then be finfwl and de-ta. chamier praved alfo > I. 6, c. 10.

Eft voluntarium non quidem in fummo gradu, fed vero & proprio confenfu, Ames-, Bellarm. Enerv: de pic. ven.pag. mihi 16. Voluntarium reputatur, non modo quod expreffa & actuali voluntatc committitur,fed quod ab ipfa voluntate non impeditur, quando tenetur impedire. Tenetur autera voluntas imperare rationi,ut pervigil fit in comprimendis omnibus inordinate concupifcentiae mo* tibus. Davenant Q. 31. Veterm. p, mibi^^^.

And when Bellarmine argues for the Veniality of Sin from thtparvitat waterU,iht fmalnefl and fliqhtnefi of the matter in which Sin is committed^ the dealing of an half-penny, or a pennytf wim he had remembred,

That

That according to this Dodhine, if Bellarmine fhould flea! a Feny from his poor Neighbour ten thoufand fevera) times, he fhould not yet after al!,commit a Mortal Sim fince if the Healing of one penny be but a venial vid. Varum Sin, ten thoufand Venial Sins cannot make up or amount to one Mortal Molin*m rn Sin. BeGdes,the fmalnefs of the matter in which a fin is committed, is n /^ Sicij ~ fofar from extenuating, that it often aggravates the fin committed i ^ m * as *cis a greater fin to murder a man for Sixpence than for an hundred pounds, to deny my ftarving Friend a peny-Loaf, than twenty Seam of Wheat s and thus Divines commonly aggravate Adams Sin by his breaking the Command of God in fo fmall a matter as was the forbid-den fruit'. And whereas Belhrmine tells us that the ftealing of an half-peny or a peny is not againft the Ljw, becaufe ( faith he) Lex non di-ferte probibet furturn oboli, Ike Law doth not exprefly mention any prohibition of ftealing an hilfpeny or a peny. What if I fhould ask Cardinal Robert, whether the Law any where exprefly forbids the ftealing or a that- -fand pounds > and whether the ftealing of fuch a Sum is therefore not' againft the Law, becaufe the Law exprefly forbids it not } Doth not the general prohibition of Theft contain under it, all the kinds of Theft ? Doth not this Command, Thou fhalt not [leal, forbid the ftealing of any* thing that is anothers, whether the thing be great or fmall ? even as the Law forbidding Adultery, forbids that Sin with any Woman, noble or ignoble, rich erpoor, bond or free. In the overthrow of Jericho it was not t * ^ exprefly forbidden to fteal a Babilonijh Garment, or two hundred Shekels ^ # 2 j •. of Silver,or a Wedg of' Gold^nd yet becaufe of the general prohibition A-chan dyed for ftealing that Garment, the two hundred Shekels of Silver, and the Wedg of God. Befides, that which violates one apex or tittle of the Law, breaks the Law and offends God. How deeply holy Ah* ftin was humbled for ftealing of an Apple, though ftoln when he was a Child, appears by his Confeilions. Surely in Bellarmines Divinity, A-dams taking but an Apple, and that from his Wife, was but a Venial fault. In Military Difcipline, a Souldier is hang'd for ftealing of a Trifle, or of what is of a very inconfiderable value. The ftealing of the leafi thing is againft zgreat both Command and Commander. And whereas Bellarmine argues, that the ftealing of fo fnjall a thing as an half peny t hurts mt our Neighbour, and therefore 'tis Venial and not forbidden h 3 Its anfwered, the Law forbids not only the hurting of our Neighbour, in forbidding to Steal, but it forbids the violation of Juftice too. The Law forbids inward luft, but how doth inward luji hurt our Neigh- *J°^ S ^-bour > God in his Commands refpeds his own purity as well as our m 0rta iiy*jft Neighbours utility. Further, 'tis evident that the veniality of a Sin felling their committed againft our Neighbour, cannot be gathered from its not Brother, hurting him * '•> for in many Cafes even Bellarmine will grant that a fin f JF*^JP againft our Neighbour is damnable^ though it hurt not cyr Neighbour him he ^$ at all, yea thougn it prove very profitable and advantageous to him.Takc highly advan*. an inftance in this true Stojy. A worthy Phyfician 5 fome years fince, ccd,

had

v Jd.7kf. Stdfr had a fcmale'Patient under Cure.to whom her leud Husband full gave the <nf.de pC'veru p ou ] Dif ea fe}and foon after,he gave her alfoa draughtofrankPoifon to kill rette^dicitur, ner ' 5 ^ lU tne P°y^ on meeting with the Diftemper,by its violent operation hujufmodi ' overcame the Difeafe, and cured the Woman : According to Bellar mines peccata non Divinity, he (hould not, by giving her the poyfon, have linned mortally pugnare cum becaufehe was not only.by his murtherous endeavours, not hurtful but veVTnon ex6 " ver y beneficial to his Wife. Still I follow Bellarmine, urging this Argu-peftorant, auc ment,That the Healing fo fmalla thing oppoftth not Charity to man^or Love expugnant to God. I anfvver,though a fmall Theft do not expeftorare or expwnare chantatem charitatem(as Doctor Davenant expreffeth it ) deftroys not Love 8c Cha-dtsedpug^" rit ^ f EC k dodi pugnare cum ilia prrfetta charitate^ oppofe that perfect nant tamen Love and Charity which the Law rcquireth > and it arifeth from that cum ilia per- inordinate lu\\ which the Law forbids,' and which is contrary both to fetfa charita- rn e Lqf and Love which the Law requireth. I'add herein lyes the im Tra™ If* £ reat mJi ^ e of Beilarmine in this point j in'that he judgeth of the na-oriuntur ab ture of mortal Sin by the exiinUim ofcharity, whereas it conflils in any ilia inordina- ftvervwg or declination from the Law of God, and Charity. And when ta concupif- BeUarmine argues, That prtcepta de minimis non funt pr-ipric prxcepta \ centra qua? eft Commands concerning the leafi things^ are not properly Commands : Befides legi divinae tnat ^ a nfwer I have formerly given, as to proving thofe Commands contraria. aremoft truly Commands,! cannot but here fubjoyn that fmart Fxpref-Vivznant. ubi fion of Gerard^vho tells Bellarmine t thus atguitig-$W«fe himfelf tvas deHci--fift' . v e nt in this Piece 0/BeIhrmines Sophijhy^ and thai Satan could not more

adverfarii ll )ecim fly b' ive covered his temptation to the eating the forbidden Fruity than quod peccati by faying^TuJh jhisisbnt a little Command, about a trifle, an Apple\ and naturam mor- indeed'til properly no Command at all. And truly I mould (ay^That Bellar-tiferam ex fo- m j }Je lT! |g| lt hive, taught Satan in this point, were it not that I look

charitatis "di- u P on ^ ltn ln tnis ^ an ^ * n c ^ e 8 reate ^ P arr °f ms Polemicks as taught, judicant, cum even to an high degree of proficiency, by that Schwl-Nhjler, both of ilia in quali- himfelf and his blackeji Society, I mean that of the Jefuits. As wild and bet declinati- wcz \ i is that Argument which Bellarmine grounds on that of Lnh. 12. te& tae^di- 5?* 7hou fhalt not depart thence JiU thou haii paid t,^ Lit mite. Lo; here vina feexe- ffeith Bellarmine) the laft mite can intend nothing bu fome finally venial rat. id. ibid, fin to be expiated in the Prifon of Purgatory.But this bold Sophifter per-* Gerard loc. verts this Text,and plays too faucily wirh aim^Terious and fevere Scrip-de^-'ec l9 * ture * For ^y ^ ie tffitehe or farthing wemuft' not underftandyw/, but Serpentina tne twnijbments dne to fins, and the mhuitifimas partes poenarum^ the diaholi p'ri- fmalleft parts of punimment in Hell. Thus the learncdfl of, even Po-

masvos homi- p£(h Expofitors, expound that place j ksBrugenfuzn&Janfenw, who

nes deciDien * ,.f..r

ris caiiiditas,

non poterat fpeciofiori fchemate pingi atque velari, quam quod primordialis ilia lex de non come-dendo arboris vetita?ihiftu, £z pra?ceptuni, de re minima ac proinde non perfede, & in rigorc pra?ceptum, cujus tranfgreff.o magnopere a Deo cu-retur. for* depec. ML c. 19. proprfin. Eicini

inus )mitix rigor* Brngwf. m Mat* $. 24

Serm. VIII.

No Sin VcnurL

■

/_

make, and that truly, the meaning thereof to be this, Xhonfhah in the fxffering\of ittrnalpunifhment, potnx l^ere extreme, quanta cxhibct e:Ur mm juftitU rigor \ Ihoujhah undergo the extremity and rigor of pun t

fromjuflice: So that the Prifbn there mentioned, ir. 58. is not meant of Purgatory, but of Hell (as Tcrtuh'ian cxprclly faith ) and utter darkjttp fas Scrm. Dotn. Augufline) and the payment of the tali mite of farthteg fas / J ine inWo.tt. 1. 1. expounds it ) imports as much, as nihil relinquetur impmiium 1 No part cf the pttnijhment jhali he abated, but the wicked [hall be there pun idled (as he expreiTeth it) ufque ad f*cem y to the drinking fhe laft drop and dregs of the Cup ox Gods wrath. 'Tis but a wretched (hift of Bellarmine, when he tells us that his venial or fefler fins, are not contra, but only prater legem, not againd, but only hefides the Law j by which didindtion, this blafphemous Sophiiter not only falls foul upon Andrew l. 4. dejuftif. de Vega, and other Papids, (whom he very roundly reproves for grant- c. 14. ing that venial fins are properly againfl the Law, telling them, That upon that Principle, they can never rnantain the pojftbility of a pirficl impletion of the Law, becaufc (as he faith) they can never get off cleverly from \* that Scripture,^ that offends in one it guilty of all) ; but which is worfc, j am . j. i 0 ; he audacioufly wounds the puriiy and perfection of the Divine Law, to videndum eft (hekcr his venial fins. Further fas that learned Baronim obfervesj jjlis quid re-were thefe venial CimW fins oi~ Bellarmine only befides, and not againfl the ^j"^ 11 ^! Law, we ought not to call them fins, but indifferent aclions, and foac- £> dicenti count them lawful ; for that which is forbidden by no Law is lawful, quicunque to-And further, if this Do&rine were true, he that abdains from Venial tarn legem fins,(hould do a work not of precept 9 but of counfel only,znd fo offuper- off™T Criar * m erogatjon^ihc Papids teaching that every good work not commanded by j n uno f a ^ U5 God, is a work of fupererogation : But how abfurd would this be to eft omnium iay, That by abdaining from a fin,a man'doth a work of fupererogation. reu s. Bellar. I (hall only add that Cenfure pad upon Bellarmine by Votlor Featlyjxho ^ J#f- h 4» faith, That here Bellarmine for faying fome Sins are not againft-but only i ar ^ m j e p ec; befides the Law, may well be accounted to be befides himfelf. And as for ven. p, $9. Cotton xhzt proud Papid, who tells us there is no proportion- between eternal death.and an idle word^nd therefore an idle word is*ltof to befbfeverely pnnifht i JL answer, That as the great and righteous Judg of Sin and Sin* ners, is fitter to judg of the proportion between the leaft Sin and eternal puxi/hment, than any we'ak and guilty Malefactor h So, the will of God forbidding any Sin under an eternal penalty, is a fufficient reafon of that penalty, and'makes the pnnidiment proportionable to the demerit of the Sin. I (hall only chaftife the intolerable infolence of this Popeling by asking him one quedion, and 'tis but this, What proportion U there between eternal death, and the eating a morfel ofFleJh in Lent, or a Womans fpinning a Yard of Thread on an holy day. If you Papids forbid thefe under pain of damnation (as you do), and that meerly becaufe the Church appoints it Co, ye blind Hypocrites, may not divine prohibition be allowed to make a proportion between a Sin, and eternal pu-

Not: affera^ riiffimfcaf^asswtfil] as^diat which is^ Hunine, yea Diabolical > in the latter, rnusftareras; 0 f which.expretlions I?am.not too fevere, as long as we hold, i 7*/«.. Wnfn^.nvnc i/M43..fo be Canonical. The fum.of all is but this \ The fmlnefs of Sin quodvoIunius, a ' re r s not the nature thereof. Its nature (lands in this, that 'us againjl. & quomodo the Law: If it be nit prohibited, 5 cis no Sin > If.it be, 'tis dannablebc volumus pro it greater or (mailer. I conclude this whole firft part of my Difcourfe, IwXrentes * ts £x P ucat ory part, with that holy and excellent advice of Ss.Auftin, hocgrave,hoc^2 * contr. Don Hum. Nm afferamnus ftaterasdohfas i &c. Let m. leve eft, fed not bring deceitful RjUanccs to weigh in them what we will, and haw* we will. affcramus di- according to our own pie a fare, faying, this Pi'heavy 5 this itr light j.but let uf ram d/scr^ f**^ a &* vine ^ dance tut of the holy Scriptures, and in them.let us weigh turis fanftis mr Sins, or rather let Uf jndg of them a* they are there Weighed... fc in ilia ap- I have faid what Iintended as to the Explication of this great Truth* pendamus the denial of Venial Sin, both as to Conation and Negation > I proceed peccata vcl 0 t0 t ^ r ecoH d Branch of my Difcourfe about this Point, and that is

rnino appenfa the Confirmation ot it.

recognofca- And my firft, and more immediately. Scriptural Argument (hall be

mus. Coit.Dih this;

nat. 1.6.

2d, Parts ^ffr I# N-o Fault is Venial in it felf, that deferves eternal death :;

But every Sin deferves eternal death ; Therefore no Sin in it felf is Venial.

The firft Proportion or mx)or is granted by the Papifts, who tell us that the nature of Sins Venialityfi&nds In its #0fdeferving eternal death* a-ad therefore no Sin is Venial that deferves eternal death.

The minor or fecond Propofition, viz. that every Sin deferves eternal, death, lihall-clearly prove by Scriptures and reafon.

i. By Scriptures > and I (halt name three. The firft is that which I named for my Text, Rom. 6.2$. The wages of Sin is death. The fecond is, Ezef^ 18.4. The foul that finneth fhall die. The third is that of T>eut. 27. 2 6. Curfed be be that continues not in all the words of this Law y €tc. To thefe Scriptures Betlarmine anfwers, but very miferably.

To that of Rom* 6. 23. The wages of Sin is death'\ BeVdrmine an-fwers,That when Paul faith, The wages of Sin is death ; 'tis only meant ef Mortal Sin, and thus is he to be underftood, The wages of Mortal Sin is death. But I anfwer, with as good, reafon,- in all the places of Scripture, wherein we are dehorted from Sin, he. may caft this jhameful glofs upon them, and fay, that we are in them, dehorted not from all 1 fet. 3.11. ££, ^ Lat on |y fc om M ar t a [ sin *, as when the Scripture faith, efchew evil i :

Belltrmine may add this g!ofs, and fay, we are not forbidden to fhun all 1 The£$, 22. ev -^ ^ ut on ^ kivui ev ii t And fo when Paul faith, abftain from all appearance of evil > that is,as Bellarmine expounds it, a b(hin from all ap-Rom. 12. $. pearance of Mortal evil* and Ram. 12.9. aUoor that which is evil \ i.e. Mortal evil j yea. when we pray to \>zdelivered from evil, that; with! Beffirmines comment y is only Mortal evil, not all fin. But further I would

ask

askany'Papift, only thcfe two eafie qucflions, i.Wkatiisihcimoanmg ef thtfe words, #0*1.6.23. [^^ w^/ <»/ fm is death?] The Papiff will an-fwer,bythefe words,theApoftlemcans£that\S/« dcftrves dejth.~]Lct,Bene- Scmpiterni did jujiinian the Jcfuit upon Kom.6.2^ fpeak for all, who.givesat thus, cmciatus pcc-by the dtfert offin\tternalpumfoments are hiflitted.i.l demand, What is the catl , merKO meaning of this word [mertal] when Bellarmtne thus expounds this Bf ^ e a t *£ ^ Text,the wages of [mortal] Sin is death? All the Papifts with Behrmine Rom^. juyi. readily anfwer, that the meaning of z mortal Sin, is aSitf that dtfsrves death. Now, Reader,be pleas'd to add to the Apoftles Propofition tht wages of fin is death, that is, Sin deftrves death, BeHarmines lixpotition, the wages of [mortal] Sin is death i That is, of a Sin that dtferves death, and Pauls Proportion will be turn'd into a grofs Tautology,znd be made to fpeak thus, Sin deferveth death that dtferveth death \ a wretched depravation of the facred Text, whereby they (hew that rather than they will renounce a grofs error,they will make the diyinely-infpired Apoftie, to fpeak grofs non-fenfe. Belldes, 'tis evident that in this iixth Chapter to the Romans, the Apoftledchorts the converted Romans from all Sini particularly, v.2. God forbid that we fhould continue in fxn \ and Iww Jhallwelive any longer therein. Now will any dare fo wretchedly to in* terpret Paul^ as to fay that the Ghriftians are here dehorted only from fame Sins, and not from all ? If any would offer fo to expound the Apoftle, I would inftantly flop his mouth by two Arguments taken. from theContext^wherein the ApoftledifTwadesfrom Sinv.3 : 1. By a . reafon taken from being baptized into the death of Chrifts now when wc are fo baptized, is not all Sin wafht away and deilroyed } And z. the Apottlc ufeth another reafon to difTwade from continuing in Sin, and that is, the confideration of their former yielding themfelvesto Sin ^ Whence he argues, They ought now as much to ferve Righteouptcfs as formerly they had ferved Sin, v.19 > whence 'twill follow, That as they had formerly ferved not only greater but fmaller Sins, fo now they ought to caft off the latter as well as the former.even all Sin whatfoever, Now if Paul by thefe two Arguments dehorts from all Stn^ why fhould he not then do fo by this next Argument, viz,, the ijfue of Sin, the wages of Sin is death ?

As to that place of Ezek. 18.4. The foul that finneth,it Jhatl die* BeUarmine anfwers, The Prophet only intends that thieat againft Mortal Sins, grievous and hainous abominations, not again ft JlnaHer Sins which he calls Venial. But he abufeth the Scripture, for the Prophet there fetting down the (landing rule of Divine Juftice, that none fhould die but for his own SinF, makes no exception of lejfer Sins from being within the compafs of that Commutation, not faying the Soul that grie-voufty fins, but the Soul that/**/, fhall die, Vniverfe didnm eft, 'tis unw vcrfally expreft as Parens notes > but to put all cut of doubt, that kffer as well as greater fins, are threatned to be punifht with death by the Prophet, 'tis phinfrom the ^i.verf* of that Chapter, where the Prophet

Ooa plainly

plainly declares his meaning to be of Sin in general without any rejfri-clion->Caft away from yju (faith he) ALLyour tranfgrefftons ,and make you a new hearty for why will ye die ? All Sins therefore which oppofed a new hearty are they commanded to call away, and are here clearly dif-covered to be deadly.

To that place of Vent. 27. 16. Curfed be be that confirmeth not all the words ■■■[ this Law to do them; Bellarmine ftill gives the old anfwer : By the words of this Law f faith hej are not meant the words of the whole Law; as if God had threatned a curfe againlt all Sins in general, but only of Mortal Sins, fome grojfir Sins of Murder, htcejl, Idolatry^ & c . But this is a curjed glofs put upon a Divine curfe \ for the words here ufed, the words of this Law, are the fame with thofe of Verfe the Sth. where the very fame expreiiion the words of this La»>,intend the words of the whole Law \ and evident it is that here all thofe Sins are intended which are oppofed to Legal Right eoujnefs, Do this and live i but fuch are all Sins in general. But the Apofile whom I ever took for a better Expofuor of Scripture than either Bellarmine or the Pope, leaves no place for difpute in this matter, who Gal. 3. 10. citing this very place of Deuteronomy, denounceth the Curfe,n©t againft thofe that commit fome grofs Sins again ft fome part of the Law, but againlt thofe that continue not in all things that are written in the book^ of thb Law *, i.e. thofe that commit any Sin whatever.

Thus I have made good by Scripture this Proportion, "viz. Every Sin deferves eternal death. I (hall now proceed to prove it by two Rea-fms \ the firft whereof is this:

Every Tranfgreffion of the Law deferves eternal death \ Every Sin is a Tranfgreffion of the Law: Therefore every Sin deferves eternal death.

The fecund Proportion, or minor, That every Sin U the tranfgreffion of he Law. } is conta'in'd in the exprefs words of Scripture, 1 Job. 3. 4. where Sin is call'd the tranfgreffion of the Law, from which every Sin is a fwerving, and thence hath its both nature and name alfo j and his g: J by the leamedit among the Papifrs, that all Sins, even Venial - -:nft the Law \ fo Durand, Gcrfn, Vega, Jzorim, Cijeta;^ with others; And Augutins old definition .of Sin, that 'tis dictum, factum concupitnm contra legem\ that Sin it that which is either faid, done, or difrdagahijl the Law, falls in with them, or rather they with it; and therefore BeUarmines dliYmCxion of fome Sins that are only prater, be-fide, and not contra, againji the Law is grofly falfe> for if all Sins are/Ir-Iden by, all Sins are contrary to, the Law.

The mi)or otfirjl Propofition,That every tranfgrefn-: of the Law deferves eternal death, ismofr certain : But I prove it thu<.

Whatever deferves the Curfe of the Liw, deferves eternal death '■> but every Tranfgreffion of the Law deferves the Curfe of the Lin : Therefore every Tranfgreilion of the Law deferves eternal death.

tl

The major or firft Propofition cannot be deny'd unkfs we will hold that the Curfe of the Law, only contains temporal evils, which is horridly falfe, for if that were true, then Chrift hath not delivered us from eternal death by delivering us from the Curfe of the Law.

The minor or fecond Propofition, That every Tranfgrefton of the Law deferves the Curfe of the Law, I prove from that clear and full Scripture. Gal. 2. 10. Curfed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the Boot^ of the Law to do them. According to the rigor of the Law, the leaft breach thereof makes us curfed, and this was the Laws unfupportable burden,that when we were bound to do ^things in the Law, and were unable to do them, we were yet, curfed for not doing

them.

2. MyT^c^reafon to prove that every Sin deferves eternal death

is this i

That which deferves an infinite punifhment deferves eternal death > but every.Sin deferves an infinite punifhment: Therefore every Sin deferves eternal death.

The major or firft Propofition is deny'd by none, there being no infinity of punifhment mention'd^r imagin 5 d,but in that cali'd in Scripture eternal death.

The minor or fecond'Propofition, that every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment, I thus prove :

If Chrifthld down an infinite price to redeem lis from every Sin^ then every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment 9 but Chrift laid down an infinite price to redeem us from every Sin :

Therefore every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment.

The confequence is evident, That if Chrift laid down an infinite price . fcr every Sin, - then every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment, becaufe it had been an unjuft exacting of punifhment upon Chrift, had there been required of him the laying down of an infinite price fox a finite evil^ that required only a finite punifhment to be inflicted for it.

The minor or fecond Propofition, viz. That Chrift laid down an in-finite price to redeem us from every Sln^ is undeniable by thofe that will < neither deny Scriptures nor Catechifms : For that Chrift redcem'd us by an [infinite price^ hath not only the confent, but'tis the ground of the comfort of all Chriftians. Infinitas perfont facit infinitatempre-tii, an infinite perfon made the price of infinite value. And that Chrift ■ laid down this infinite price for all Sins, is with the like confent and comfort embraced by all that believe the Scriptures aright, which a-bound in Texts that exprefs it, Tfal. 130. ult. He frail redeem IJrael fromatl.his iniquities. 1 Joh.1.7.1'^ blood, of jChriji ckanfeth from all Sin. Tit. 2. 14. He gave him ft If that he might redeem m from all iniquity. Hence Hf. 1 4. 2. 'twas a prayer of Faith, Takj? away all iniquity s and 1/^ 53.10. ihe Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all \ and Joh. i. if* r Ihe Lamb of God that tak^s away the fin of the World > and Mat.

I. 2 I*

Ml

?£a

life Sin >VavU} t

Sqrm. ViXi,

%t #&, >$S&1biU ffiwJfy people jrem* their fins \ from every Sin, and every Sin ; pe*fe&Jy,

,%di Arg>

My fecond Argument to.prove that no Simis venial, is this: Whatfoever is contrary to the loving of God with the whole hearty is pot Venial but Mortiferous •, JBut every Sin is contrary to the loving of God with our whole heart: Therefore every Sin is Mortal, .and fo not Venial, The firjt Proportion or majar is undeniable>becaufe he that laves not God with his whole heart, fins againft the exprefs words of thexom-mand, AZ/f.2 2. 37. And the loving.God with all the hearty iscalPd the great command, and is prefer'd before the love of our neighbour by Chri[l Mat. 2:2. 38, 3p. Since therefore there are many commands of love to our neighbour, which cannot be violated but we rnuft needs Sin mor* tallyfas the Papift? grant.),'•* will evidently follow,Thata tranfgreilion of the command o» loving God with all the heart, muft nee'ds he 4 MartaJ Sin.

Thc-./w-W.Proportion or minor, That every Sin oppofeth the loving of God with all the heart, and that whoever lins, loves not God with all the heart, is as true as the former.

Bellirmine therefore dares not here anfvver by .denying this truth ab-folutely s but by a lame and lamentable diftinclion, he anfwers her€, That to love God with all the heart, may be taken two ways:

1. To love God fointirely and perfectly as that nothing is prefer*.d before Gods love > and this love of God ( faith Bellarmine) is both the meaning of the command, and fuch alone alfo which Venial Sins do" not oppofe.

2. To love God fo perfectly as that a.man is (o.whoVy taken up witla the love.of God, that no fnful and vicious thought at any time can creep or fteal into a perfons heart: But f faith Bellarmine) fuch a love of God as/^i/, is not commanded in this life, and this love of God he con-feifeth is oppos'd by Venial Sins. For anfwer to this impious diitin&ion of Bellarmine, 'tis both moll falfe and frivolous.

1. As he tells us that 'tis not neceiTary to the love of God with all the foul, that all vicious thoughts be hindred from admiflton into a man ; for this is clearly oppos'd not only by St. Au\\in of old, but by others, Diiiges Deum even Papifts of late. St. Auftin tells us, That to love God with all the extotoeorde, t j je g on ^ ^ tQ con f er a llthe life, thoughts and underflanding upon him, from ma & ex totd w ^ om we ^ ilve them all, and to fujfer n$ part of the life to give way to be mente •, i.e. willing to enjoy any thing elfe, but whatfoever elfe comes into tlye mind to be omnes cogi-

tationes, omncm vitam, & omncm intellccrhm in ilium conferas, a quo habes ca ipfa quit confers. Quum autem ait toto corde, totS anima, tota menre, nuRam vitac rtoftra? partem reliquit, qua? vacare debet, & <juafi locum dare, ut alia re relit fniii fed quicqutd aliud diligendum Tenerk in animum, illuc rapiatur quo totius dikclionis. impetus currit. A*g*$+ lib.u ds VqcIl Cbri^ cap, 22.

frved

Non Praelati-one.

Non Admifii one.

Serm. VI 11.7 WlUfMt ^

/<«W is-to be carried thither. Vitior exprefTeth irtrius^ &mmK$*rtFmmTMXtt' burn with f ht a love to Gad, tbafnathing Jhottld creep into any-faculty noMtfjcrv cftheS>ul, that either diminish love to God, or carries tt a >ty neither J^jgJJ" r//& ifa/i-//* excellently thus, onM^.22. IntheVnd.rftmding no'fton monftrati uc H /<?£«• A/>/or Erwrs iV/fc? ^// nothing is to be willed contrary t)G)d. in 'pitiil prorfns-//»f R^ofc memory nothing is to be remembred whereby we m iy the lefs in ulUm ani-thinkofbim. ^*;>/.»thusalfo-, A man muftfi love God, ^^^^^™^' Mrf, Mtofubjetibhifelftobim, and follow the rule ofhis Comm and- ^ fuam t%> ments in all. things,y for wbatfocver is contrary to bis Law, is contrary to bis ^ DcuTT1 ^i-Love. letfionem di-

minuat aut

aHo transferat. VLl.'m Mar.i2.ln httt]lcd.u nullam relinquas errori locum: In vofonrate nihil vdiV iltt contrarium, in memoria tua nihil reminifcens quo minus dc illo fentias. Arfelm in Mat.22. tit dc ratione charitat*is,qu6d homo fie diligat Deum,utvelit fe in omnibus ei fubjiccrc,& rcgulam prx- -ceptorum ejus in omnibus fequi, quicquid enim contrariatur prarceptis ejus, trontrariacur chantax.. Tbofth 2da. 7da. Q.24. Art.12.

Alvarez, exprefly oppofeth Bettarmhte in thefe words => To Live God Diligcre De- -is- to admit nothing into the heart contrary to God. Theophylatl mod fully j urn eft nihil To love God with all the heart is to cleave to him with all the parts and fa- } n corde dk cnlties of the Soul \ to give our fe Ives wholly to God, and to fthj {t the nit- .

concran-

tritive, fenfitive, and rational ftculty to his love. Now according to um a d m it-thefe Explications of the Love of God, the haft Sits ( which Papiftsterc- Alvxee^ oil Venial) are contrary to it \ for in them there's not a pleafing ofLhh.6.AeAu*;-God in aH things, not a forfikjng of all things contrary to his Will ; yea in £'^' *' thefe Venial Sins there's an admiffan of a contrary and unlawful 'Ildvt °^ AyavrSiy ior-the Creature into the. heart, and not a total fubjetling thereof to^iyi^Z-God. > x««'™1 0<crl * :

TO «T/ct T<*>^

S«£, £ xaroT#ilHv» a£ 7& 3p**i/xw', x) t^k */?9>!TWK, xj fictfonriKM ftntwfvYapap - tti -, *>**•» «& $€*• Theophil, in Mat. 22.

Butfecondly, in every Venial Sin,^ there's the preferring of fomethlng . h'efore--God^ and therefore a manifett tranfgrejftng of the Law cf loving God. As to a formal and explicite preferring the Creature before God, fo as to account the Creature a more excellent Good than God is, this all thofe do not, that Jive in the groiTeft and moft mortal wickednefTcs, fas the Papifts acknowledge ibr men may live even in the h'airious Sin of Perfecution:, and yet think thereby they ferve and let up God: But. as to a virtual and interpretative preferring the Creature before God , this men do in the leaft Sinv they carrying themfel ves ft); as if the Creature were to be prefer'd before God, they fearing not for the love of" the Creature to offend God, and injurioufly to his Jnfrice, to break his Commandments. And how may a man be fiid to fhevv by his cirruge, more refpeft to the Creature than to God; if not by breakirg the Corn^ mands of God and contemning bfc will for the Creature. To (nun the dint of this Aniwer,the Papilis are forced to this wretched fotft> which %

280 No Sin Venial ' Serm.VIIL

plainly declares his meaning to be of Sin in general without any reflri-&ion\Caft away from you (faith he) ALL your tranfgreffions,and make you a new hearty for why will ye die ? All Sins therefore which oppofed a new hearty are they commanded to call away, and are here clearly dif. covered to be deadly. ' ,

To that place of Vent. 27. 26. Citrfed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them\ Bellarmine ftill gives the old anfwer : Ey the words of this Law ( faith hejare not meant the words of the whole Law ■■> as if God had threatned a curfe againft all Sins in general, but only of Mortal Sins, fome grojfer Sins of Murder, btceft, Idolatry, &c. But this is a cur Jed glofs put upon a Divine curfe •, for the words here ufed, the words of this Law, are the fame with thofe of Verfe the Stb. where the very fame expreilion the words of this L<u»?,intend the words of the whole Law *, and evident it is that here all thofe Sins are intended which are oppofed to Legal Right eoujnefs, Do this and live i but fuch are all Sins in general. But the Apoftle whom I ever took for a better Expofitor of Scripture than either Bellarmine or the Pope, leaves no place for difpute in this matter, who: Gal. 3. 10. citing this very place of Deuteronomy, ;denounceth the Curfe,n©t againft thofe that commit fome grofs Sins again ft fome part of the Law, but againft thofe that continue not in all things that are written in the boo\ of the Law \ i.e. thofe that commit any Sin whatever.

Thus I have made good by Scripture this Proportion, "viz. Every Sin deferves eternal death. I (hall now proceed to prove it by two Rea-Jons \ the firft whereof is this:

Every Tranfgrellion of the Law deferves eternal death \ Every Sin is a Tranfgreffion of the Law: Therefore every Sin deferves eternal death. ( 'Thefecond Proportion, or minor, That every Sin U the tranfgreffion of theLaw^ is contam'd in the exprefs words of Scripture, 1 Job. 3.4. where Sin is calPd the tranfgreffion of the Law, from which every Sin is a fwcrving, dnd-thence hath its both nature and name alfo} and 'tis granted by the learnedft among the Papifts, that all Sins, even Venial ziz^giifift the Law-) fo Vurand, Gerfn, Vega, Azorim, Cajelan, with others; And Auguftins old definition of Sin, that'tis dictum, factum ip concupitnm contra legem ;, that Sin is that which v$ either jaid, done y or

defrd againft the Law, falls in with them, or rather they with it; and therefore Bellarmines dli\ indtion of fome Sins that are cn\y prtter, be-ftie, and not contra, againft the Law is grofly falfe> for if all Sins are/^r-bidden by, all Sins are contrary to, the Law.

The major ox firft Propofition,That every tranfgreffion o£ the Law deferves eternal death, is moll certain : But I prove it thus.

Whatever deferves the Curje of the Law, deferves eternal death y buc every Tranfgreiiion of the Law deferves the Curfe of the Law : Therefore every Tranfgreffion of the Law deferves eternal death.

" < The N

The mtforot firft Propofition cannot be deny'd unkfs we will hold that the Curfe of the Law, only contains temporal evils, which is horridly falfei for if that were true, then Chrift hath not delivered us from eternal death by delivering us from the Curfe of the Law.

The minor or fecond Propofition, That every Tranfgrejfion of the Law deferves the Curfe of the Law, I prove from that clear and full Scripture. Gal. 3.10. Curfed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the Boo\, of the Law to do them. According to the rigor of the Law, the leaft breach thereof makes us curfed, and this was the Laws unfupportable burden,that when we were bound to do *tf things in the Law, and were unable to do them, we were yet, curfed for not doing

them.

2. My/fcWreafon to prove that every Sin deferves eternal death

is this i

That which deferves an infinite punifhment deferves eternal death > but every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment: Therefore every Sin deferves eternal death.

The major or firft: Propofition is deny'd by none, there being no infinity of punifhment mention'd-pr imagin'd,but in that call'd in Scripture eternal death.

The minor or fecond'Propofition, that every Sin deferves an infinite punifliment, I thus prove :

If Chrift laid down an infinite price to redeem lis from every Sin, then every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment; but Chrift laid down an infinite price to redeem us from every Sin :

Therefore every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment.

The confequenceis evident, That if Chrift laid down an infinite price . fcr every Sin, - then every Sin deferves an infinite punifhment, becaufe it had been an unjuft exacting of punifhment upon Chrift, had there been required of him the laying down of an infinite price Cox a finite evil, that required only a finite punifliment to be infliclred for it.

The minor or fecond Propofition, viz. That Chrift laid down an infinite price to redeem us from every Sin, is undeniable by thofe that will . neither deny Scriptures nor Catechifms: For that Chrift redeem'd us by aw [infinite price, hath not only the confent, but'tis the ground of the comfort of all Chriftians. Infinitas perfont facit infinitatempre-tii, an infinite perfon made the price of infinite value. And that Chrift laid down this infinite price Cot all Sins, is with the like confent and comfort embraced by all that believe the Scriptures aright, which a-bound in Texts that exprefs it, P/H130. w/f. He ftnll redeem Ifrael from allhU inlquuies. 1 Joh.1.7. 7&£ Mood ofjChrift ckanfeth from all Sin., Tit. 2. 14. He gave himftlf that he might redeem its from all iniquity. Hence Hf 1 4. 2. 'twas a prayer of Faith, Takf away all iniquity', and If a. 53. .10. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us alls and Job, 1. 1£, 7ty Lamb of God thxt takgs away the fin of the World > and bUt.

I. 2 f.

?2* me&fr&Mktt. SentJ.VIXT,

&:£&• >&&fhill}fiv2.kti people frcm-thejr fins > from every Sin, aad.every Sin;pe*fe&ly,

,%d. Arg> My fecond Argument to.prove that no Sinds venial, is this:

Whatfoever is contrary to the loving of God with the whole hearty is pot Venial but Mortiferous \ .But every Sin is contrary to the loving of God with out whale heart: Therefore every Sin is Mortal, and fo not Venial. The firfl Proportion or may* is undeniablevbecaufe he that laves not God with hk whde heart, fins againft the exprefs words of the.com-mand, hlat.,22. 37. And the loving God with all the heart, iscalPd the great command, and is prefer'd before the love of our neighbour by Cbrifi Mat. 2:2. 38, 3p. Since therefore there are many commands of love to our neighbour, which cannot be violated but we rou/t needs Sin raor* tallyfas the Papift* grant ^'twill evidently fol!ow,Thata tranfgreilion of the command of loving God with all the heart, mutt needs he .a MoitaJ Sin.

The/^WPropofition or minor, That every Sin oppofeth the loving of God with all the heart, and that whoever tins, loves not God with all the heart, is as true as the former.

Bellarmine therefore dares not here anfwer by denying this truth ab-fulutely \ but by a lame and lamentable didindion, he anfwers here, That to love God with all the heart, may be taken two ways: Non Prxlati- 1. To love God fo intirely and perfectly as that nothing is prefer^d one. before Gods love, and this love of God f faith Bellarmine) is both the

meaning of the command, and fuch alone alfo which Venial Sins do not oppofe. Non Admifll- 2 . To love God fo perfectly as that a.man is (owboFy taken up witla the love.of God, that no finful and vicious thought at any time can creep or fteal into a perfons heart: But flaith Bellarmine) fuch a love of God as this, is not commanded in this life, and this love of God he con-feiTeth is oppos'd by Venial Sins. For anfwer to this impious diitin&ion of Bellarmine, 'tis both molt falfe and frivolous.

1. As he tells us that 'tis not nccefTary to the love of God with all the foul, that all vicious thoughts be hindred from admiffton into a man $ for this is clearly oppos'd not only by St.Aujlin of old, but by others, Diiiges Deum even Papifts of late. St. Aufiin tells us, That to love God with all the extotocorde, t j je g on ^ ^ tQ COfi fe r a lltbe life, thoughts and undemanding upon him, from ma & ex totS whom we have them all, and to fnffcr no part of the life to give way to bt mente •, i.e. willing to enjoy any thing elfe, but whatfoever elfe comes into tix mind to be omnes cogi- .

tationes, omnem vitam, & omnem intellecrhm in ilium conferas, a quo habes ca ipfa qua? confers. Quum autem ait toto corde, totd anima, tota menre, nuftam vksc rjoftra? partem reliquir, qua? vacare debet, & <juafi locum d*re, ut aJin re relit fruij fed quicquid aliud diligendum Tcnerk in animum, illuc rapiatur quo totius dileftiorus impetus curat. A*grf* llb.\ % ds Dtftv. Cbrip* cap. 22.

frved

Sernr. Vlfl." KoSftrVwvdl. ?*T

Iwed, is to be carried thither. Vsfior exprefTeth ir rfius-*; &M*&jfofffl i WmwtM' bttrnwith p hn a lave to God, that nothing Jkould creep into any faculty tant^Dci v of the Sml, thateither diminifhethlove to God, or carries it a ty neither jR^^JJjJ* dp. Anfelncxcc\\cni\y thus, on Mat, 22. In the Vnd'erft inding no fthce JJXa^uV *f /<?£«• Uft for Error* in the JFiU nothing U to be willed contrary t>G)d '# nihil prorfns-/&f R7.^/c* memory nithing is to be remembred whereby we may the lefs in utlam ani-thin\ofbim. Aqxbt* thus alfo •, A man mullp love God, if with all the ^(iculmcm^ heart, as tofubjelt himfelf to him, and follow the rule of his Commmd- 7 "o d 7uam tv-ments in all.things., for whatfoever H contrary to hi* Law, is contrary to hi* g a p cuni ^i-],ove. « leftionem di-

minuac aut aHo transferat. F/77.in Jtajajfi imelleftu nullum relinqwas crrori locum: In votanrate nihil rclis-illi contrarium, in memoria tua nihil reminifcens quo minus dc illo fentias. Atfelm in Mat.22. Eft de ratione charitatis,quod homo fie diligat Dcum,ut velit fe in omnibus ei fub)icere,& regulam prx--ceptorum ejus in omnibus fequi, <juicquid enim contrariatur prxceptis ejus, contrariacur charicaxi.-; Ibom. sJa. id*. ^24. Art. 12.

Alvarez , exprefly oppofeth Betfarmine in thefe words ^ To love G*d piiigcre Fe- -is- to admit nothing into the heart contrary to Gid. Ibeopbylaft moft fully \ urn eft nihil To love God with all the heart is to cleave to him with all the parts and fa- j n corde di-cnlties of the Soul \ to give Qiir plves wholly to God, and to fob) it the ****!"* dlle< ? ic " tritive, pnfitive, and rational ficulty to his love. Now according to um ac j ni i t _ thefe Explications of the Love of God 5 the hall ■ Sins ( which Papiftsterc. Alvarey oil Venial) are contrary to it h for in them there's not a pleafing o/lab.S. de Aux;-God in all things, not a forfafyug of all things contrary to his Will j yea in ** v >G rgt; &hh -thefe Venial Sins there's an admifftsn 6f a contrary and unlawful 'J$&vc ^^J^^y 7 ^ the Creature into the heart, and not a total fubjetling thereof to^«a^ 5ao^u-

God. ■■ ya$ > t»]o *?i-'

TO cf let WW

'dyttwn tS, $6k. Theophil. in Mac. 22.

But,fecondly, in every Venial Sin,< there's the preferring of forne thing . before God, and therefore a manifeft tranfgreftng of the Law of'loving God. Astoa/or^u/ and explicite preferring the Creature before God, fo as to account the Creature a more excellent Good than God is, this , all thofe do not, thatlivein the groiTeft and moft mortal wicked neffes,. fas the Papifts acknowledge ibr men may live even in the h'airious Sin of Perfection- and yet think thereby they ferve and fet up God^ But, as tea virtttalznd interpretative preferring the Creature before God , this men do in theleaft Sinv they carrying themfclvesfo,« as if the Creature were to be prefer'd before God, they fearing not for the love of.: the Creature to offend God, and injurioufty to his Juftice, to break his Commandments. And how may a man be fa-id to fhew by his cjrrugs, more refped to the Creature than to God; if not by breaking the Chin* mands • of God and contemning hit will for the Creature. To fnun the: dint of this Anfwer, the Papiits are forced to this wretched ibift 3 which ^

is to anfweri That he who fins Venially, prefers not]the Creature before - God, becaufe he knows that Venial Sins will not diiTolve that knot of love and friendfhip between God and him. But what a pittiful ex-cufeis this for Venial Sin,'fin.ce (as Raronius well obferves, fag. ic6. de fee. ven.) They who commit Venial Sins, thinking thefe Sins will not diiTolve the favour of (iod, either think fuch Sins arc fo light and flight that they dejerve not the diiTolution of Gods favour-, or they think though they do deferve that diflblution, yet that God will deal fo gracioufly with them, as that for fuch Sins, he will not exclude them from his favour: If they think that they do not deferve the difTolutioa of Gods favour, they grofly err, yea grievoufly fin againft God,by judging their Sins to be light and little, and by a bold fixing of limits to Gods Juftice 5 as if God could not juftly punifh their Sins with that penalty which he tells us they deferve: But if they think that their Sins do deferve the difTolving of Gods favour, and that it is meerly from the Grace of God that they who commit them, are not excluded from it i the*» it follows,That they for the love of the Creature offending God by thefe Sins, prefer the Creature before God and his favour i for whomever for any Creature, dares do that which may juftly exclude him from Gods favour, doth prefer the Creature before the favour of God : Nor doth their knowledg that thefe Sins do not exclude them from the favour of God, when'yet they will commit them, extenuate or excufe their contempt of Gods favour, of which they are guilty, but con-trarily it aggravates that contempt jflnce though they know 'tis by Gods Grace and favour that their fmaller Sins do not exclude them from his Love and Mercy, yet they abufe the Clemency and Goodnefs of God to a licentioufnefs in Sin, which is almoft the higheft contempt of Divine favour.jmaginable. Arg. 3, My- third Argument to prove, That no Sin is Venial, or deferving to

be pardon'd, fhali be drawn from the nature offardon \ whence I thus argue.

An opinion that overthrows the nature ol Gods fardoning of Sin is impious and erroneous > But this opinion that fome Sins are Venial and deferve to be pardoned, doth thus overthrow the nature of Gods fardoning of Sin:

Therefore this opinion is impious and erroneous. The major otfirfi Propofition is evident.

The minor or fecond Propofition I prove thus: If pardoning of Sin defigns an"a& of free Grace and favour, in pardoning, \vhich God according to (iri& juftice^might not have done ; and if the Dodrine of Sins VeniAity and deferving to be pardoned,makes pardoning^an attofjufijee fo that God cannot but in juftice do ir^ then the opinion of Sins Veni-ality overthrows the DocSrine of Divine pardon :

But the pardoning of Sin defigns aira-ft of free Grace and favour which God rnigkt not, have done urilefs he had-pteafd; and the Doftfine '

'of'

of Sins Veniality makes the pardoning of Sin an a<ft of Juftice which God ctftftfo* but do •, therefore the Popifh Do&rine of Venial Sin,o\cx~ throws the Do&rine of Divine pardon.

The Major or firfi Propoiltion is evident, and will be granted by all.

The Minor oxfecond I prove thus in both its parts. As to its firft part, 'tis moft manifeft that pardon defigns an zdi of free Grace and favour s 'tis needlefs to multiply Scriptures ( which to do were moft eafie) in fo clear a point \ Epbef. 1. 7. Forgivenefs of fin according to b'vs grace. Mif er j cor d!j TfaL 5 1. 1. According to thy mercy blot out my tranfgrefliotu . 1 Tim. 1 . 13. donatus fum-I obtained mercy, (faith pardoned Paul.) B ^ a *

For the fecond part of the Minor, that the Doctrine of the Papifts a-bout the Veniality of Sin, makes the pardoning of Sin an ad of jufiice, which God cannot but do if he will do juftly, is no flander call upon the Papifts in this Point. J pray let them be judg'd in this cafe, by their # own confeilions. The Council ofMentz profelTeth fas we heard) That ^Tom. 9. they cannot underftand bow Godjhould be ju[i,ifbepunijh any for Venial Sins with eternal punishment. Sonnius, thePapiftl mean, tells us that Venial Sin is Venia dignum, Venial Sin is worthy of pardon. And Bellarmine, That they bold with a general confent, that Venial Sins m*ke not a man - . - « guilty of eternal death \ and he afTerts with intolerable blafphemy, That pun j re p ecc j. Godjhouldbeunjuflifhepunifht Venial Sins eternally; juftice requiring a ta venialia forbearance to punijh that offence which deferves not punijhment. From all poena sterna: which it follows, that Divine pardon is fo far from being an a6t of free Lib.i.di Ami]]: Grace in the account of a Papift,that when he recites hlsPater Nofterjt his r ' c * ^ Devotions agree with his Do&rines, he may rather fay, Lord pay us, than forgive us our debts.

My fourth Argument (hall be taken from Cbrifl bis rejetfing of this 4, ^rgi Fharifaical depravation of the Law of God, that fome commands of the Law, and fome Sins againft thofe commands are fofmall and flight that God will not require a perfect fulfilling of the Law,as to leffer and fmal-ler commands, nor the neceifary avoiding offuch Sins as are againft thofe fmaller commands. The words ofChriftare thefe, Mat. 5. 18. Till Heaven and Earth pafs away, one jot or one tittle fhall in no wife pa/} from the Law, till all be fulfiWd. The Lord Chn(i by thefe words,wherein he fhcws 'tis impoilible that any thing in the Law, though accounted never fo finally fliould pafs from it, but all rauft be fulfilPd with a perfect Satisfaction, oppofeth the Tharijeer, who taking it for granted,that there was neceffarily required to righteoufnefs and life, a perfefi fulfilling of the Law, and yet finding that it was impofftble to keep the minu* tifsimalegis, as to abftain from all finful inward motions in the mind and heart, from every idle word, &c, to have fuch a perfect conformity to the Law,that there mould be no lulling contrary to it, coyned this di(tinftion,that fome of the commands of the Law were/W/,amd fome great $ and though none could in thofe little commands againft finful motions of the heart, perfectly fatisfie the Law, yet if he kept the great

P p Command-

Commandments of the Law, concerning outward a&rand works of the Law,he mould be jutt before God',fJnce thofe Commands of fifth things were but little Commands, and therefore would not condemn arnan for tranfgreihng of them.provided that he perform'd the external works commanded in thofe great Commands, Now Chrifl vehemently denies Ghriftus for- that there are any commands of the havp fo fmall and minute, as that God' trmme negat j^^/^. no t m uch regard them, or of which in the flablifhing the righteoxfnefs-mandata in °f ^ e ^ an> b ( f 0re God,a man fhould give no account for the breaking of them, lege ita mi- but God would account him righteous whether he obflrved them or no. And nuta, qua?. therefore to (hew the necefiity of fulfilling the Law in the moft perfech Deus non and exa& manner, Chrill aiTures, there fhould not pafs from the Law ™nr!!m S^fm one jot or tittle thereof that mould not be fulfiPcUnot a jot, the leafi letter. quamvis non not a tittle,the leaft point, but was Jo highly accounted or by God,tnat impleantur, before they fhould pafs away without being fulnTd, Heaven and Earth non fit haben- fyouldpafs away. So that there was required to the fulfilling of the Law, ftataenda ** ^ at a11 tmn & s in it, even to the leaft apex or tittle,(hou\d be fulfill'd. To juftitia legis which Dodlrine of Chrifl: agrees that otMofes and Faul,Gal.^.io. who coram Deo: denounced a Curfe not only againft thofe who continued not in thtgreat lit itaq-, per- things,but in all things written in the Law: And of James 2.10. who faith, feaiiTimam jfhofoeverfhaH keep the whole Law* %&dyet offend in one, (hall be guilty cf onem, necef- a ^ » ar >d this one is here to be taken for any one. As Lu\. 15. 2. If he &riam. efte have an hundred (beep and lofe one, that is, any one. §0 Mat, 10.42. WbQ-, Chriflusoften- fever Jh all give a cup of cold water to one, that is, to any one of the lead da -!? C U r Um Believers, &c. So that unum, ane, is equivalent to quodlibet, ashere,<?tff r* 1 apicem" ) ot or tltt ^ e °f inc Law, that tetany one jot or tittle of the Lawjbatinot cadere pro- pafs away, but mufi befulfiVd, mmtiat, quod

non fit neceffe impleri. chmnit. r.$i. Harm. ^.337. mihi. Cujus praeftantiffima Commentaria in hunc locum opto itf infpiciant leftores. & perlegant.

5. Arg. My fifth Argument is taken from that macula, or (tain, or filth, that

every Sin, even the leafi and lightefl, leaves behind it. This ftain left Negari non behind the commiffion of every Sin, is by feveral confidered feveral poteft homi- ways : Either as zn'habitual averfion from God > or as an habitual difcon-nem vere ma- fortuity to the Law of God > or as the impairing of inherent Grace, (the nere pollutum ^ eaut y 0 f tne Soul), and the weakning of its a£ts '•> or as a greater habi-Venuh^quod tuc ^ c anG * inclination to Sin j In regard of fome, or all of thefe left up-femel com- on the Soul"" after the commiffion of any Sin, 'tis faid, that Sin defiles mifit,donec ab and pollute s, Mat. 15. 11,18. Rev. 22.11. and that every Sin is a fpot, eo^uitificeturj -fcphef. 5. 27. and filthinefs, 2 Cor. 7; 1. Jam. 1. 12. Ezf^.24.13. Ezek-peccato 1 veni- 3 6i2 5* anc * when 1 a man repents of Sin, and hath Sin pardoned to ali juftificatur, him, he is faid to be wafht and cleanfed, 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2 Cor.j.i. Ezef{. vere dicitur 36.25-, 33. And becaufe we are faid to be cleanfed, 1 Job. 1.7. from all ab eo emun- sin, therefore *tf Sins, even fuchas Papifts call Venial, leave a fpot and U\a 2d*^ ^ am U V 0U r ^ e ^ nner i cven as Vafquez the Jefuit confefTeth. Now fince P//P.139. c.4. there's this ftain and defilement befals us after every Sin, there follows

an

an exclusion for all Sin, from the Kingdom of Heaven^ into which no unclean

thing jhall enter, Rev. 21.27. and that Exclutlon Bellarmine tells us, is Lib.i.deaarif.

proper ro Mortal Sins', and indeed that which excludes from Heaven, Grat. cap.$;

mud needs deferve eternal death, and fo be Mortal, And that this Ex-

elufion is not to all, perpetual, 'tis not froirr the nature of Sin, nor from

the cleanfing virtue of any Purgatory~fire y but meerly of God in Chritt

pardoning and purifying.

My fixth Argument is taken from the Power of God, judly to forbid 6. Arg. the lead Sin under the pain of an eternal penalty. Now if God can judly prohibit the lead Sins, under an eternal penalty, then may he judly punifh thofe Sins prohibited, with that eternal penalty. And that God may prohibit the lead Sinunder an eternal penalty, is evident, not only becaufe the Will of God forbidding any Sin under an eternal penalty, is a fuf* ficent reafon of that penalty, and makes the punifhment proportionable to the demerit of the Sim but becaufe God hath aUuaVy prohibited under pain of eternal punilhment, things in themfelves lawful and indifferent, as abdinence from feveral kinds of Meats, Blood, &c. and therefore furely he may forbid all Sin under that penalty: Yea God in the Covenant of J^rj^jmade with ^*£r>»,a£tually prohibited all Sin under the penalty of eternal death : Which is evident, becaufe if God promised eternal life to Adam, upon condition of perfeti Obedience, certainly the commiilion of the leafl Sin would have made Adam liable to eternal death; for he that performs not the condition prefcrib'd in the Covenant, cannot obtain the reward, but contrarily deferves the punifh-ment appointed againd thofe who violate the Covenant •, But if Adam had committed the lead Sin, he had not performed the condition prefcrib'd in the Covenant, which was perfect O-bedience^ therefore he had deferved the penahy appointed againd the violators of the Covenant. And if the Covenant of W r orks bound not Adam to avoid every Sin for the efcaping of eternal death, then it bound him (as the Covenant of Grace binds us) to repent of Sin for the efcaping of eternaJ death, there being no remiflien of any Sin, or avoiding of eternal punifhment for it without repentance : But under the Covenant of Works there was no Obligation to repentance for Sin; for if there had been any Obligation to repentance for Sin, there mud have been a pronaife of pardon upon repentance ", but that's falie, becaufe the promife of pardon belongs only to the Covenant of Grace, pardon being only bedow'd through Chrid.

Seventhly, I argue from the Typical remifion of Sins in the Old Tefla- 7. Arg.

ment •, for they were then commanded to offer Sacrifices, not only tor

greater and more enormous offences, but for their lejfer Sins, as thofe of

"infirmity and ignorance, which the Papifts call and account Venial. As is

evident from Levit. 4. 2,12,13, &c. and Lev. 5. 17. Now thofe Sacri-

Pp 2 fices

*S8 No Sin Venial Serm.VIlL

Synopf. pur. fices refpedTed that only Sacrifice of Cbrift, by which at our Sins are ex-TheoI.de pec. pfated, as Chrift was made a curfefor us that he might deliver us from the **$?** curfe, Gal. 3.13; And from this ffaith the learned WaUus), Invite demonftratur , 'tis invincibly demonftrated, That every Sin of it fdf [$,

Mortal.

8. Arg. Eightly, I argue from the infinity o/m/thatis in every Sin, to its.

dtffert of an infinite punifhment. That every Sin is an infinite evil 3 is mod certain ^ I mean not that 'tis infinite intenfive, as to it felf or bulk, fas I may fay) for as the Sinner is but finite, fo Sin is a privation but of a finite reUitude; and if every Sin were infinite iR its intenftvenefs, all Sins would be equal. But yet two ways Sin is infinite: 1. Objective, becaufe committed againft an infinite Majefty. 2. Extenfive, and in refped of its duration, becaufe its flain and defilement teftfor ever, in regard of the Sinner, who cannot of himfelf repent. In like manner there's an infinite punifhment due to Sin, CI mean not a punifhment infinite tntenfwhs for a finite Creature cannot be capable of an infinite torture > but yet an infinite punifhment is due to Sinjtwo ways.as Sin was faid to be two ways infinite : 1. A punifhment is due to Sin, infinite Objeclive, by the Sinners being deprived of that infinite good, againft whom he hath here offended, and whom he hath here neglected and defpifed. 2. A pu-ni(hment infinite extenfive, in refpedfc of its duration for ever, becaufe the ftain contracted from Sin commited in this life, endures for ever i and therefore the wicked who continue for ever/^i,filthy and unclean,con-tinue for ever pet Confortio indigni, unworthy of ever having Communion with God. §£ui nunquam definit effe mains, nunquam definit effe mifer fe. he that never ceaieth to be evil, never ceafeth to be miferable. The molt Venial fault therefore,being an infinite fault, deferves an infinite punifhment. That 'tis an infinite fault, 'tis plain, becaufe 'tis againft the infi* nite Majefty of the Law-giver, and becaufe its flain of it felf, and withr out the mercy of God 3 endures for ever.

pi Arg. Ninthly, That all Sins, even fuch as Papifls czMVenial Sins, deferve

an eternal puHfhment is evident, becaufe the leaji Sins of Reprobates, idle wurJjjball he punift with eternal punifhment. That thofe leaf! Sins fhall'.be punifht eternally js plain from Ato.i 2.3 6,37. Every idle word that-menfhalifpe, L they {ball give account thereof in the day of judgment ; for by thy words'ibou Jhalt be)ufiifiea.,and by thy words thoufhalt be condemned. This condemnation here mentioned by Chrift, plainly imports an' eternal ■punifhment y for in the day of Judgment there will be no condemnation to a temporal punifhment. And that therefore the leaft Sins deferve eternal punifhment is evident, becaufe other wife the punifhment which fhall be inflicted for thefe $ins,would not be jufl, and proportionable to theijr demerit.

i . " Nor can the fapifts fluun the force of this Argument, by faying. That

'tis

'tis meerly by accident that Venial Sins arc punifht with eternal death, not in regard of tkemfelves,but becaufe of the condition of the fub)eU of thefe Venial Sins \ which Sins by accident in Reprobates cannot be repented of, becaufe they are joined with Mortal Sins that exclude Grace necef-iary to repentance : This pittiful fhift (I fay J will not at all help the Pa-piftss for thefe fmaller Sins ( which they call Venial) are of and by them-feIves the caufeof condemnation to an eternal punifhment, as is evident from this place, Mat. 12. 36, 37. where Chriji proves that an account lTiall be given of every idle word, becaufe by our words we Jhall be condemned •<> by which exprellion he manifeftly fhews,that thefe idle words of which he fpake,though Papifts count them Venial^ie, yet of tbemfelves a Efficient caufe of condemnation to eternal punifhment ; and befides, if it bQuvjttji (zsBeUarminc blafphemoufly fpeaks,) to punifb Venial Sins with eternal death, becaufe they deferve it notj and if a Venial Sin by its conjunction with a Mortal Sin in a Reprobate, is not made greater or deserving of a greater punifhment, but retains the fame nature that it had befbre,it will then unavoidably follow,(if of it felf and in its own nature k defrves not eternal punifhment,that as 'tis in a reprobate joined with a Mortal SinXit cannot deferve eternal punifhment,and by confequence,it is not punifht with an eternal punifhment •, for if it were, God mould pu-ni(h Sins beyond their defert. Nor can the Papifts come off (as Baronim well obferves) by faying, Though a Venial Sin by a conjunction with Mortal Sin,is not made more grievous and hainous, yet it is more durable by that conjun&ion > as having thereby an eternal duration of that {tain which follows it, becaufe without repentance, which by a Mortal Sin is hundred, there's no taking away of that (lain. This fubterfuge (I fay) is very infufficient ; for the faults in Reprobates, which Papifts call Venial, either in tbemfelves do, crdowfl* deferve eternal death •> if they do not deferve eternal death, then they arepunifhed beyond their deferr, ( which is blafphemy to fayj, If they do deferve eternal death, then that defert of eternal death is founded in the hainoufnefs of the faults tbemfelves i and eternal death is inflicted, not alone for the duration of the jtain of thofe Sins, but for the demerit of the offences tbemfelves ', to which the Scripture exprefly agrees,which teftiftes, that eternal punifhment in the day of Judgment, (hall be inflicted for thofe things done in the body. 2 Cor. f.io. (0^^.25.42,43. And hence *twas that Scotiis^ Biel, Vega, and Medina, becaufe they favv that if Venial Sins were punifht eternally, they mould be Co punifht becaufe of what they were in tbemfelves, and : '«their own nature, and by the demerit of the offence, labour to put ©fl all, by afferting, that the punifhment wherewith the Damned in■}!»!! art punifht for Venial Sins , isnot^rW, but temporal, Scot.mAXent; and thai itfha:' ajJength have an end, though their punifhment inflicted diftinft. 21, on them for Mortal Sins fhall laft for ever : But others of their own Fra- <*»• *• ternity, condemn this juftly. for an abfurd opinion, particularly their

great

Si vera fit great Vafqucz the Jefuit, thus confuting it; If (faith he) the opinion of lententia Scotus be true, viz. Jhatthe Venial Sins of Reprobates JhaJl not be punijht

pofie noTora- in W**™^ > lt *>MM°*>-> That rve may pray for thofe in Hell, that they re pro iis qui ma V be freed from the punishment due to their. Venial Sins, if that punijh-fu-nt in infer- me*nt after tbey have fuffered long enough, be by God to be takgn off, no, ut citius

folvantur a peena. debita pro his peccatis^ £quidem ilia tandem, poftquam fatis paflum fit, a Deo . dimittenda eft. P*gfo in la. 2d*. Dify. 141. c.2.

10. Arg % Laftly, I argue from the ridiculous abjttrdity ofthe Doctrine o^Veni-

ality of Sin, to the evmneoufnefs of it. The way,fay the Papijis, how Sins

Venial come to be expiated and removed, is either in this life, or in the

next; In this life by,) printing with holy Water, CojifeQion to a Priefl.jbeat-

ingthe Breajl, Whipping* fay'wg the Lords-Prayer, Crojfmg, eating no Flefb,

Confiteor, giving to the Church, &c. In the next life Venial Sins are only expiated

to, con- by the molt torturing flames of Purgatory, greater than any tortures

Conteror,oro; nere * n this life, yea as tormenting as Hell-rire, fetting afide its duration

Signor, edo, fas the Papifts fayj and oft to be endured many hundreds of years. I

dono,per hxc demand then, If in this life a Venial Sin may be expiated with a toy, as

Veniaha po- fp r j n k]j n g with holy Water, and Croiling, or the doing that which oft

is, and always mould be done with cheerfulnefs,- as giving Alms, and

yet in the next world it requires fo many years of torturing flames to

expiate it \ what is the reajon of this difference of the ways of expiating

Venial Sin, that here it may be done with a fport, and there it requires

fuch long and inexprejfible tortures in hre a thoufand times hotter than

any here in this world, and as grievous as the torments of Hell ? To

this queftion the Papifls anfwer, The Sinner is in the fault, who did

At ego rur- not by fo light and eafie a way, expiate his Sin while here he livedo here

fus qua?ro •, he neglected his duty, and therefore there he (marts for it. But then I

iftud pecca- demand again, was that neglect of doing his duty in this world a Mortal

turn fitne g^ Qr was f a y enia i $j n > jf a Mortal or damnable Sin, it mould have

Veniale'? Si carry'd the offender to Hells if a Venial Si a,, the difficulty again returns,

Mortale, in Why may it not be expiated as ealily as other Venial Sins are ?

Purgatorium

non venit-, fi Veniale, cur non eodem jure cenfetur quo reliqua Venialia. 1 Sadtel de vera peccat.

remif. p. mihi 60$.

Non refert an Having now produced what I judg'd fufficient for Confirmation of this uno quis ex- -Yruth againfi: the Veniality of Sin, I could add many Allegations out of caw t beati- me Fathers, which abundantly teftitic their confent with Proteftants,in tudine, an a this point. As our of Jerome who hath thefe words in quintum at Galat, pluribus, cum It matters not whether a man be excluded from hleffedmfs by one Sin, or by omnia firnili- more fi nce a U a H}^ exclude. Out of Nazianzen, Every Sin is the death of Hhmf'w Tat f ^ e S° 1{ 1* Out of Auqufiine efpecially, befides what I have formerly men-

Gxlit. Hct(rA dy.of\itL SAvafjot $ri 4>tot»k* Nazianz. in Orat. Funeb. in Mort. patris. Peccata parva fi contra nos collefta iWrint, ita nos oopriment,ficut unum aliquod grande peccatum. Quid intereft ad naufragium, utrumuno grandi flu&u navis obruatur, an paulatim fubrepens aqua, na* cm fubmergat. ^.Ep.108. tioned

tioned in this Difcourfe, who Epifi. 108. faith, 0//r /////? S}ns i if gathered together againjl us, will preftus down as much as one great Sin. What difference is there betw ten a Sbipwrack^caufed by one great Wave, and by the Water that finks the Ship, which comes into it by little and little. The fame Father, trail. 12. in Job. fpeaks thus, Little Sins neglecled, deftroy Minuta pecca-as well of great ones. But to avoid needlefs prolixity, I (hall but very ta " nc ghg a »-briefly difpatch this whole Difcourfe, with but naming the Heads of Traflf, i2.i*--thofe many Inferences from it, which have taken-me up much time elfe- Job, where. And thefe Inferences might be,

1. Speculative, and Controverfal.

2. Practical. 3 J. General,.

~ m , r Application,-

Firft, For Controverfal Inferences, "

I. Vi every Sin, even Venial, be damnable, as breaking the Law (as I# hath been proved; and none can live without them (as Papilts confefs)

'tis clear then, that now none can in this life perfectly"keep the Law,

Secondly, If no Sins be Venial^ but all mortiferous and damnable, and 2.

make us guilty of Eternal Death, then down falls merit ex condigno,

Merit by the worthinefs of 3ny works 5 tor to be guilty of death, and to

dejerve eternal Life, cannot ftand together.

Thirdly, Furgatoryis but a Fable, if no Sins be Venial s Why fhould ^

that Fire burn^ if it be not purgative} or rather, how can it burn, if it

have no Fewel>

II. The Pradtical Inferences, which are many, I (hall but name. Firft, If every Sin be damnable and mortiferous *, then Sin k of a

very hainous Nature. There's more malignity in an idle Word, and Injuftice againft God in a vain thought, than that all the World can expiate, more weight in it, than all the ftrength of Angels are able to bear.

Secondly, If the haft Sins are mortiferous, What then are the greateft? 2 ^ If a Grain preffeth tc/Hell > If an Atom can weigh down like a Mountain \ What then can a Mountain do > If whifpering Sins fpeak fo loudv What then do crying ones, Bloody Oaths, Adultery, Murder, Oppref-fion ?

Thirdly, If every fingle Sin be damnable, What then are all our Sins ? g Millions of Sins, Sins of all our Ages, Conditions, Places that ever we lived in, Relations } If all were fas Saint Auftin fpeaks) Contra nos Col-letla^ gathered into cne heap againit us, what an heaven-reaching moim- -tain would they make ?

Fourthly, If every Sin be damnable and mortiferous, God is to be)u- 4^. ftjfitd in thegreatefi temporalfeverities which he inflicts upon us. As God never punimeth fo feverely here, but he can pmijh morei Co he never here punilheth fo feverely, but we deferoe mor and greater feverities. Pains, Flames, Sword, PefUlences, thofe tonftirt infolefcentU generis hi -

mani^

W

mawfhote mowings down of fo many Millions,are all fhort of damnation deferved by Sin, God is to be juftified in fending fuch Judgments, as the Fire of London, and the Tempeft lately in Vtrecht.

5« Fifthly, They who inftigate others to Sin are damnable and mortiferous

Enemies to Souls. They draw to an Eternal Punishment. Soul-Murder is the greateft, and Soul-Murderers moft referable the Devil in carriage^ and (hall in condemnation. How deeply dyed are thofe Sins and Sinners that are dipt in the Blood of Souls!

6* Sixthly, 'lis no Cowardife to fear Sin. Of all fear, that of Sin is mod

juftifiable. D Tis not magnanimity but madnefa not valour, but fool-har-dinefs, to be bold to Sin. Surely, the boldnefs of Sinners, fince Sin defer ves Eternal Death, is not from want of danger^ but difceming.

7* Seventhly, How excufable are Minivers and all Chriftian Monitors

that warn againflSin. They bid you take heed of damnation. To warnsgainft which with thegreateft,is the mercifuUeft feverity.

&• Eighthly, How madly finful U it to be merry in Sin ! to make a mock, of

it ! What's this but to J'port with Poyfon, and to recreate our felves with damnation? If here men are counted to play before us, when they are finning, 'twill be bittermfl in the end. There's no Folly fo great as to be pleafed with the Sport that Fools make us, nor are any Fools like thofe that dance to damnation.

g t Ninthly, Vnconceivably great U the patience of God toward Sinners, efpe-

ch\\y great ones: Gods patience difcovers it felf eminently, in that he fpares damnable Sins, though he pes them, hates them infinitely more than we can do, is able to punifh them every moment, is infinitely the Sinners Superior, yea feeks to prevent their punifhment by warning, intreaties, threats, counfels •, yea, puts forth daily A els of mercy and bounty towards thofe who (In damnably > yea, he waits, and is long-furTering oftfeores, and hundreds of years, though this waiting fhews (not that he will always fpare,but) that we mould now repent. jo. Tenthly, 9 fis our Intereft to be holy betimes \ 'tis good, that as

much as may be of that which is fo damnable , mould be prevented. Shouldft thou be converted in old age, 'twill be thy extream forrow that it was fo late, though thy happinefs it was at all. Early repentance maizes an eafu Death bed, and makes joyful the lad Stage of our journey unto

il.

Eternal Joyes. i.Parvitas Eleventhly, No fmahxfi of fin fhonld occafim boldnefl to commit it,

materia ag~ i. In fome Cafes, the fnalnejl of the inducement to Sin, the flightnefs gravat. of the matter of thy Sin, aggravates the offence. To deny a Friend a

%l?? v *: n ' Cup of Water, is a greater unkindnefs than to deny him a thoufand tur. pounds; What, wilt thou nana with (jod for a trifle jmci damn thy Soul

g. Parvaviatn for &toy? wilt thou prefer &peny before God and Glory? 2. Small mumum ad 'sins are more diffeultlyfiwnned s A fetal! bone of a Fifh eafiiy gets in* ma !!r a " o to i\\<t Throaf, and 'tis hard to avoid it; And 3. SmaU Sins difpefe to niulta ftint ut£ reater "'> trie Wimbic mskes way ior the Auger. 4. bvts m<sny i though umm grandc finally

Serm.VIir. Xt.Sin VenUl *&

fmall, are a? one great ones An heap of Sands preffeth to death as well as a Sow of Lead h A Ship may fink by JFuter corning in at a Lea\, drop by drop, as well as when overwhelmed with a great Wave. As Auftin

fpeaks.

Twelfehly, I note, The great reafon why Chrili 'Should be dear to us. f 2,

Thou canft not he without him, no not for thy little, thyleafi Sins, and thofe of dayly incurfion.Oh ! that* this Doctrine might make you and me prize Chrift morels long as we live. Becaufe the Eeit cannot live without JhtaBSins, neither can they live without a great Saviour jnone of us can live without thefe fmaller Sins, fas the very Papifts grantj but oh that we may take a wifercourfe to get pardon of them, than they do, by our looking upon Godspity through Chrifts Blood, as out only Turgatory. The Iharipes (of old; faw that we could not live without breaking the Law in fmaller things'fas we have (hewn before) but let us more fhi-dy than they did, Gods defign in giving a Law which fain-Man is not able to keep. The Apoftle tells us Gods defign herein ', He aimed at Chrt^ Rom. 10. 4. who was intended by God as his end in giving fuch a Law which fain-Man could not keep; namely, that Sinners might feek after his Righteoufnefs, by feeing their own inability to keep it. How much do we want Chrift at every turn, for our fmalleft inadvertencies, impertinent, wandring thoughts, in the adjacent defedfo and defilements of our holy things! Lord, I want thy Blood, as often as I fetch my breath !

Laftly, I infer the happinefl of Believers under the Covenant of Grace, tylt, Exrigore Legit, the lead: Sins damn, and none of us but every day and in every duty, commit them j but here's the Comfort, we are delivered through Chrift, from that damnation which we deferve for all thofe unavoidable<lefe&s and evils, that attend the Beft in their heft obferving the Law of God ; we being loofed under the Covenant of Grace, from that rigid exjftion of the Law, which fuffers no Sin to go without Eternal punifiimerAt, and delivered by Chrift from the-necejfity ofaperfittand 'exaHfulftUin^the Law ofGod^ under pain of damnation* 'Tis true, the Law ftill commands, even Believers, perfect obedience, and 'tis a Sin in Believers under the Covenant of Grace, that they do not obey the Law of God to the utmoft perfection thereof; but here's our happinlfs,that Chrift hath obtained, that the imperfection of our Obedience {hall not iambus, but that out\£nperfe<5r. Obedience to the Law, (hall through him be accepted^ If inched there were only the Law and no Chrift, no Obedience but that which is abfoluiely perfeel, could be entertained by God ; but now, though by m the Law, perfedt Obedience be required, yet by Grace. imperftdfrf if fincerej Obedience is accepted;, For under the C0-venant of Grace, ftriftly and precifely un^er pain of damnation^ roe are only obliged to that meafure of obedience whicu kfujftble by the help of Grjtf' y av\d hence it is, that Chrifls Yoke is called eafie, which cannot be understood Mat. 11. eIcL of the Law in its rigor, but as mitigated by the Covenant cf Grace :

<L<^ That

That Yoke would not be cafie but intolerable , if it propounded no hope of Salvation, but under thar impojfible condition of perfedfc Obedience to the Law. And i Job. 5. 3. Hit commands are not grievous ; but fo they would be ? if their exactions were rigorous in requiring perfect O-bedience under pain of damnation^ us that cannot perform it: But for ever bleffed be God,that though our beft Obedience be imperfeftjet the perfeel Obedience of Chrift imputed to us, fupplies the dejeel of ours v yca,that our imperfect Obedience doth not only not damn us (though the imperfection (hereof deferves damnation according to the rigor of the Law) but that it is ordained fo be the way to our Salvation b I mean not its imperfection, but it, notwithstanding its imperfection. Reader, if thou art a Believer, till thy Love, to Jefus Chrift, prompts thee to a more futable Ejaculation, accept of this for a Concluiion of this whole Difcourfe. A faving 'Eternity^(Father of Mercy) will be fhort enough to fraife thee for Him, who hath delivered us from thofe many millions of Sins, the lea(i whereof deferve a dahtning Eternity : Dear* Lord J^fus^ who haft faved us from the leaji Sin that ever we had or did. help us to ferve thee with the greateft Love , that our Souls can either admit or exprefl. And as (through Grace y the guilt of the leaji Sinfhali not lye upon w \ fo neither let the Love of the leajhSinlodg within us. Thou who baji'jnade our J unification perfecl^daylyperfect what our Sanclification wants. And never {Lord) let us put limits to our thankful returns^ for thofe fatijfyingfufferings of thine^ thai kjtew no Bounds, no Meajure,

SERMON

a

, u •

.»?*

-—-

SERMON IX

Publick Prayer fhould Jbe in a Known

Tongue^^^

i COR 14. 15.

I will Pray with the 'Spirit, and will fray with Vn-

. derjianding alfo.

THe Spirit of God forefeeing, That in the latter dayes there *

would be an Apoftacy and departure from the Faith > and that impious and corrupt Doctrines, would be publifhed by Men of corrupt minds \ hath fo compiled the holy Scriptures, that from thence even thofe Errors which arofe long after the times of ?he Apoftlesmay be detected and confuted. With very good reafon, did lertullian fay, Adoro Scripture plenitudinem, I adore the fulnefi of the Lib. adv. Her-Scripture The Perfection and Sufficiency of it muft needs be granted m °gea. cap* by all that underftand it, and that will believe the Teftimony, which 22 ' it gives concerning it felf. 'Tis*prohtable *p3* ftftinuLkietv, nrpU 'ihty-X*i> for Voftrine and reproof. It ferves to inform and open the Eyes of the Ignorant, it ferves to flop the Mouths of Gain-fayers. Hence we may be furnifhed with both OrTenflve and Defence Weapons: and the Armour which is fetched from it, is iYilcd *& q^ka tk $u\U ; Jbe Armour or the Weapons of Light ,Rcm.i3. 12. And truly Sin and Error being but difcovered, that very difcovery, will have a great influence unto the mortification of the one;, and our prefer vation from the contagion of the'other;

I do not at all wonder that the Church of Rome fhould take away* the Key of Knowledge Open but that Door \ and that Command would more generally be obeyed, which you read Rom. 18. 4. Come out of her *»} people, that ye he not partakers of her Sifts, that ye receive not of her

Q^q 2 Thgues.

• Plagues. The Popifh leaders are very much againft the Scriptures being known, becaufe it makes fo much againft them, and fpeaks fo plainly againft their Doctrines*, ^and they are jealous left their own men upon ferious reading and confideVation might be brought to fay, Aut hoc non eft Evangelium, aut nos non fumus Evangelic* > Either this is not the Go-fpel, or we are not Gofpellers. Either this Word erf" God is not true, or ii it be true, then Popery is a mcer falfhood.

That there is fuch a great difagreement between the Scripture and Popery, jnight eafily be made manifeft in all the Points or Controverile* between the liomijh Church and Ours > we having departed from them upon this very fcore, becaufe they have reje&ed the \Vord of God \ and left that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints.

But the Point now to be infused on, is, The Language or Tongue, in which Prayer t}ut is^ubl^^mght to he made.

Hew near a kin is MymJS Babylon unto Babel of old in the Land of Shinzr ! We read that there»the afpiring builders Language wm confoun* ded, and they did not underfland one anothers fpeech, Gen. 1*1.7. and this Confufion ftoptthe building of that Tower.which was defigned to reach Heaven. In the Devotions of thtHomijh Church,the Prieft fpeaks bur>the People underftand not what is fpok;en„and^hrs is an impediment unto the Peoples Edification ? fo that their Devotions reach not Heaven, but are only afpeahjng into the air, 1 Cor. \\.?. and are as little regarded by God, as they are underftood by themfelves. The Proteftant , Churches, on the other fide, are for Prayer in a known Tongue* and

good warrant they have from the Apoftlehimfelf, who fays, I mil fray with the undetflanding \ and that in the Church he had rather Jpeal^ five words, i.e. a few words with his undemanding, that by his voice he might teach ethers alf>, than ten thoufand words in an unhriow:i tongue..

The Text informs us of the*Apoftles practice > which he propofes, furely not that we mould diilike it an"d refufe to follow him but for our imitation." Three things are here to be confiderM.

.1. Wha^s meant by Prayer? It muft be underftood concerning publicly

. . . . Prayer, or Prayer with others *> for the Apoftle in this Chapter where

precibiulee- tne Text ^ es * s delivering a Decency an fOrder, which was to be obfer-

rct, videri ved in the Pnblick AlTemblies i he fuppofes feveral perfons to be pre-

poITeta fuo fent, that might anfwer Amen to the Supplications and Thankfgivings propofito

gift of Pray?r which the Spirit beftows. This Exposition I find in Cbry-1 Epift. ad fijhnie, rr&S wnv'petit, 7*] 67 tJ y&m<s\j.&Ti. * Extraordinary abilities of Corinth. Prophecying and Preying were given after Chrlfts Afcenfion, and the

Million of theHoly Ghoft', and the end of all was the Churches In-creafe and Edification. Here'tis not amifs to add, That by comparing mother places with this, we muft grant, that praying in the Spirit, com-

prer

Serm. IX: Publick, Prayer Jhonld be in a known Tongue.

prebends a great deal more than the bare gift of utterance in this duty, whether extraordinary in an unknown, or more ordinary in a known Language. To pray in the Holy Ghoft, implys, and that chiefly, the having our infirmities helped by the Spirit of God s our Graces quick-ned =, our afTe&ions and deiires raifcd unto that firength and fervency \ unto which the Lord for his Son our Advocates fake has promifed fa-tisfaclion.

3. What it meant by Vndcrftanding ? This mufmot be referred to the Vnderjianding of the Apojile ; for 'tis difficult to fuppofe that He at any time did net underfland what himfelf did fpeak. But it -relates fa the Understanding of otherjs asvcrf.19. I had rather fpeaj^five words with my underjianding,that by my %oice I might teach others alp. To teach with the Undemanding, in the Apofties fenfe, is to accommodate what we fay to the Underlhnding anc^ Capacity of thofe, whom we teach.In like manner to pray with the Vnderdmding j is to pray fo,as that thofe whom. we pray with, may apprehend what we beg for at the throne of Grace, ^nd for what we return thanks unto God, elfe how is it poiiible they Ihould be edified >

Upon the words thus opened I build this Thefts-which I am to maintain: That Public^ Prayer U not to be made in an unknown tongue,but in fuch a Language as U uttderftood by the common People.- In Publick Prayer I include Confeflions of Sin, Petitions for Grace and Mercy, Intercellions for others, and giving of Thanks i which are uttered in the hearing of the Congregation : and I affirm,That all fuch Publick Worthip and Service is to be performed in fuch a Tongue as the Congregation is acquainted with. Hearken to the Apoille, 1 Cor. 14.16, 17. Elfe when tboujhilt blcfs with the Spirit, howjhall he that, occupieth the room of the unlearned, fay Amen at thy giving of Thanks, feeing he underftandtth not whft thoujayeii ? for thou verily givefi Thankj well, but the other u not edi* fed. Chryfoftome upon thefe words fpeaks thus, )ha>Tlw jh *<tiKov x4y«. By the man unlearned the Apoftle means the Lay-man •, even he muit underftand the words that are fpoken in Prayer, that thereby he may be edified.

In the handling of this Thefts \

Firft, I (hall give you the'judgment of the Church of Rome in the matter.

Secondly, Produce arguments to prove that Public^ Prayer ought not \o be made in an unsown Language.

Thirdly, I fhall make it manifeit, that Antiquity U utterly againft the Papifts in this bufwefs.

Fourthly, Ifhal! anfwer the Objections of the Romifh "DeUors '-, and fhew the weaknefs of their Arguments, which they urge for their Latin, and by the People not underftood, Service.

Fifthly, I (hall difcover the Myjlery> of iniquity in this Papal Dodrrine, which preaches upwind encourages to an ignorant Devotion..

Sixthly.

2g/8 . Public^ Prayer fiould be in a Known Tongue. Serm. IX*

Sixthly, Conclude with a Practical Application! In the firft place I am to give you the judgment of. the Church of 'Rome, And that they indeed hold that Publick Prayer may be made in* a Language that the People underftand not ; appears two ways.

i. By their general Prattice« Their Mafs-Book is in Latin, their Divine Servicc,and Offices, as they call them, are performed in the Latin Tongue. But this is certain, that the Latin Tongue is not now the Mother-Tongue of any Nation under Heaven. In former ages indeed 'twas fpoken in Italy. But that Nation has been fo often invaded and overrun by forreign enemies,efpecially by the Goths and Vandals ■> that there has been a great alteration in their Language;, the prefent Italian being vaftly.different from that Language which the Romans of old ufed. But though Latin be not underftood by the common People, yet in Italy and Spain, and Germany^ and France^ and otjier places, where the Pope governs and is obeyed, the Publick Service is Latin ; and to teach, that the People fhould underftand what they pray for', is declaim'd againlt as a piece of Hereile. ,

2. 'Tis not only the Practice of that Church to have Latin Prayers, nor the opinion only of fome private Do&ors, nor the judgment of a provincial or National Synod that thus it ought to be i but'that very Councii-of T«»*i which they (though without reafon) call Holy and Oecumenical, or General, does determine, that Prayer need not be made in a Vulgar Language. The words of the Council are thefe, Sef-fio. 2 2. capit.2 2.

Etfi Miff a magnam contineat populi fidelif eruditionem, non tamen ex-pedire vifum eji Patribus ut vnlgari lingua paffvn celebraretur. Though the Mafr do contain a great deal of inftruVuonfor the faithful people, yet it did mtfeem expedient to thefe Fathers that it Jhould be every where celebrated in a vulgar tongue,

Indeectafterward they command that the Paftors expwant aliquidjzx-pound (brnething, but finctfometbingts only mention'd, and not what, nor how much, and to be fure not all$ we may well fay,Hoc aliquid nihil eft\ This fomething is as good as nothing.- Moreover the ninth Canon runs thus:

Siquis dix.rit lingua tantum vnlgari Miff am celebrari debere^ Anathema

fit. JVhofever (hall fay that the MjJs ought to be celebrated only in a vulvar

language, Ut him be accurfed. Yo how a Pop4fh Council determines

that publick Prayer need not be in'a-khowa Tongue, and thunder*

out an Anathema sgainft thofe who are otherwife minded.

In the ftcond place follow the Arguments againfl the Papiils, which prove that Publick Prayer ought not to be made in a Language unknown to the People.

i. When Prayer is made in an unknown Tongue., the Name of God is taken in vain. .Aquinas (peaks of four ways of taking Gods Name : I. Ad difti confirmationem, when we call God to witnefs the truth of

what

what has been fpoken. 2. Ad San&ificationem, to thefanclifying and fiparating of a thing to an ufe that is holy '■>' thus the water in Baptifrn is feparated to a Sacramental ufe, by the Name of the Father, Son a'nd Holy Ghoft. 3. Ad opens completionem , \into the peiforming of any work which we undertake. Th\Q±David went forth againlt Golub in the* Name of the Lord of Hofls" wnofe Armies that proud Giant had • defied. 4 Ad confejftonem & invocationem, when we make confeihon of Gods Name before others, or call upon his Name our fclvts.

Now when thus in Prayer we take the Name of God into our mouths we muft remember the third Commandment, and how the Great Lawgiver has exprefly fignified, that be will not boldtbe tranfgrejfjrs gxilt-lefs. Tis the Hrft Petition in the Lords-Prayer, Hallowed be thy Name : But how can thofe that underftand nut the words of Frayer, hallow Gods Name ? How can their hearts and their words go together > and it they don't, the Worfhip is vain. Mat. 15.8, p. Ibis people drarvetb' nigh to me with tbeir mouth, and honouretb me with their lips, but their heartis far from me\ and in vain do they worfhip me. The People in La~ tin Prayers underftand not when Sin is confeited,nor when Pardon and Grace are asked,nor when praife is offered : How then can their hearts be fuitably arleded ? It follows therefore that the Lords Name is taken, and an Ordinance ufed in vain. Certainly the end ot-Oral Prayer is not attained in the Church of Rome. The reafon of*ufing words in this duty is that others may underftand, and join with us, and alfo that our own thoughts and hearts by the words may be kept more clofe to God, and intent upon his fervice •> but in both thefe regards Latin Prayers to thofe that underftand not Latin are juft as good as^none at all.

2. Prayer in an unknown Tongue is ignorant Wosfhip. The Samaritans were blamed by Chrift for worshipping tbey ktiew wt w/^Joh.4.22. And he fpeaks by way of reprchention to his Difciples, Te know not wbat ye afkj So that not only the Objedfr of Prayer rhuft be known, but like-wife the matter which we pray for. But in both'thefe regards the poor Papifts are miferably ignorant. Their Idolatry plainly (hews they have, not right conceptions of the Godhead. How like are they to the Heathen Romans of old,who before their Converfton to the Chriftian Faith., cbanged the glory of the incorruptible God into- an image made Uhf unto'cor-rnptible man, Rom. 1. 2 1. which is an evident Argument,*^ tbey are become vain in tbeir imaginations, and that tbeir foohfh hearts are dxrkried^ wr.23. The Papifts multiply Altars indeed, but upon all their Altars this Infcription may be written, which was upon the Altar at Athens, Ayvcos-ro eia>, They are dedicated to a God tbey hfiow not.

And as they know not the God they pray to, fo neither do they underftand what they pfav for. And what is ignorant Worfhip if this be nor., To mal\e unknown ¥ray?rs to an unsown God? Surely 'tis the will of God, we mould underftand what wepray, but the Papifts are wittingly, ignorant, and it abundantly d'ftkes them, if fo much time is but

wafted

SCO fublickiVrayerfioutdbe in a known Tongue. Serm. IX.

wafted in their Devotions, and fo many words are but pronounced, though they underftand thofe<words no more than a Parrot does the meaning of thofe words of ours which it has learned to imitate.

3. How can fuch Prayers* as are made in an unknown Tongue, be made in Faith? and yet Faith is fo n^elTary an ingredient in Prayer, that the Apoftle/ticks not to fay, Let nofVjat man, who asks not in Fakb, thinly that he jball receive any thing of the Lord^ Jam. 1.7. Wemuft believe that what we ask is according to the Will ot God j to this end "the Word which is the declaration of Gods Will ought to abide in us. Job; 15.7. If ye abide in me and my avords -abide in you^ ye Jball as\ trfyat ye tvift^and it Jball be done unto yon. There mull alfo in Prayer be'a relyance upon the Promifesof God, all which are lea and Amen in Cbrijh But how can we either believe that we ask according to the Will of God s or rclie upon thofe Piomifes which God hath made, if we know not what we pray ?

Faith in Prayer, which is true, always prefuppofes knowledg *, How Jball they caU on bim (fays the A pottle) in vehom tbey have not believed ? and howjloall they believe in bim of rrbotn tbey have not heard? Rom. 10* 14. He that underftands not the Tongue in which the Prayers are made,can-not certainly tell whether the Lord be preifed or blafphemed ', whether Grace be implored, or liberty beg'd to continue in wickednefs: Nay he cannot tell whether God-be prayed to at all. Hew then (hall a man in Faith be able to join'in fuch manner of "Supplications? And as this unknown Tongue is an impediment to Faith, fo when what is' asked is"not underftood.How can the Delires be lively ? Ignoti nulla cttpido: The Understanding muftapprefcencj the evil before that evil can be heartily deprecated; and be^onvincciof the good before the W r ill is brought to embrace it.

4. The deiign of Prayer, is not to work any change in God with whom there is not the leaft vaiiablenefs, neither fhadow of turning} but a. change in us \ that by Prayer we may be the better difpofed for the reception of what we ask. But how can Prayer which is riot understood be here available? When this Duty is rightly performed, it tends to the making of us more feniible of our guilt and vilenefs, cur needinefvand infurriciency •, and to the fetting of a greater edge upon our affections, towards thofe Spiritual and Eternal Bleffings which are promiicd in the New Covenant. \ and by thisjneans we are made more meet for the accomplifhment of thofe Promifes. But Prayer in an unknown Tongue leaves Men as it found rhem. And they tiiuft needs continue under their deadnefs, their hearts being firaitned and alienated from -God through the blindnefitbat is in them,

5. Though ro fpeak in an unknown Tongue was in the firil age of tie Chriftian Church a Miraculous Gitc, and ferved much tor the confirmation of the Chrifiian Faith. Yet unlefs there wtrt an interpret, of SO unknown Tongue was not permitted in the Publick Worftiip of God.

1 Cor. 14. 28. If there be no interpreter, let him l^eep fiUnce in the Churchy andlethimfpeahjohimfelf and to God. Surely then it plainly follows, that Prayer with the Unlearned fhould not now be made in Lit in, fmce skill in that Language is not now an extraordinary Gift, but gained by ordinary inftru&ion and induftry.; and the ufe of it in Prayer with thofe that know not the meaning of it, tends not to confirm Chriflia-nity , but to hinder true Devotion.

6. The ufe of an unknown Tongue in the Lords Service is exprefly denied to be unto Edification. The Apoftle gives this general Rule, Let all things be done to edifying, 1 Cor. 14. 26. and v.ij. he before exprefly fays, That the Unlearned vs not edified by Worship in a Language which he does not underftand,though the Prayers or Praifes be never fo excellent. The Papifts indeed that are devout in their way, may pofGbly irnagin they are edified by their L^/i^fcrayers ^ but they would do well to confider, that the Apoftle fpeaks very plainly, That an unknown tongue U not to Edification s and it concerns them likewife to fufpeel: their own hearts, which are fo deceitful, and to fear left Satan by de-lufory Affections, and a falfe Peace, impofe upon them. But kt us fup-pofe that they are really arretted at their Devotions j> certainly np thanks at all to the Prayer, the meaning of which they are utterly ignorant of.

Well then, (ince Prayer is to be unto Edification, itmuft be fuch as may be underftood by the People. The Spiritual benefit and advantage of their Souls is to be regarded in all Publick Adminiftrations. The A-poftles had indeed the gift of Tongues in the day of Pentecoft j but, which is very much to be marked, It was not that they might fpeak^ in an unknown, hut in a tyiown Language to the People. Therefore you read, that thofe Parthians and Medes, and Elamites, and the reft of them did fay, We do hear every one in the longue wherein vpe were horn, the wonderful worlds of God, Act. 2. 8, 12.

I might farther add, That it is repugnant to the very nature of Pub-lick Prayer,that it fhould be in an unknown Tongue. For the People all the while if they are at any, are at their private Devotions, though in the Publick AfTembly* while the Prieft in Latin is confeiling Sin, the Peoples hearts may be giving thanks for Mercy •, while the Prieft is asking for one kind of Bleiling,the Peoples Affections may be carried out after another. Thus there is not that agreeing together in what they ask, which Chriftfpeaks ofj> and which is neceffary in Publick Prayer.

7. The Apoftle having delivered this Dcclrine,that Prayer and Praife fliould be in a known Tongue.adds at the clofe of the Chapter> not only, That he taught the fame in all Churches of the Saints \ but alio. If any man thinly himfelf to be a Prophet, or fpiritual, let him ac\nowledg, that the things which I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord, 1 Cor. 14. 37. So much for the Arguments againft Prayer in an unknown Tongue.

R r In

In the third place lam to manifeft, That Antiquity is utterly againft the Church of Rome in this matter : the Papilts talk much of' the Fatners indeed \ but how drfobedient they are to them, and how much they dilTent from them, may "moil eafily be evinced.

And beeanfe the Council of Trent hath Anathematized all that are againft the Popilh Latin Prayers, I will fuppofe another Council, and ieveral of the molt eminent, and ancient Fathers Members of it ; and that I may deal the more fairly with our Adverfaries,l will fuppofe Come or their own moil noted and famous Do&ors,admitted into this Council i and that yet it may be the more regarded, I (hall fuppofe the Apo-Jtle Paul himfelf to be the Prelldent of it. " ~ '

The Fathers whom I (hall mention are fufiin Martyr, Origenfyprian, Ambroje, Auguftine, Hierome Eafil, and Cbryfoftome.

The Quefiion to be debafflr, is, JVhether Prayer is to be made in a known, or in an unknown Tongue ? Let the Fathers fpeak in order.

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On the day commonly called Sunday, AJJemblies are made of Citizens and Countrymen, and the writings of the Apojiles and Prophets are read: The Reader giving over, the Minuter makes an Exhortation to the People, per-fvading to the imitation and practice of thofe good things that are propounded. After this we rife ali.andpour out Prayers, and Bread and IFine are brought forth\ and the Minifier to the uttermofi of bis ability^ does Jend forth Prayers and Praifes unto God. and the People give their confnt, faying, Amen.

Behold the-Scriptures read even to Citizens, nay ^o Country-People, and Prayers made which they did underftand, and fay Amen to.

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jfouoL T4m Cbfi\tians in their Prayers ufe not the very words ('he means the Words in the GisigthaTjl of the Scriptures => but they that are Greeks do ufe the Greek^ Tongue, and thofe that are Romans the Roman Tongue j and Jo every one according to his Dialed, does Pray unto God, and praifs him according to hU ability, and He that is the Lord of every Language, does hear the Prayers which are put up to Him in every Language.

Cyprian De Or at. Domin. pag. (mihij $09. fpeaks thus:

AUter

Aliter.Oratc quam docuit Chrijlus, non igmrantia fila eff z fed & culpa \ quando ipfe pofuerit & dixerit, rejicitU mandatum Dei ut Tradit'nnem vejlram fiatuatU.

To Pray otberwife than Chriil has tJKght, if not only ignorance, hut * great fault fc for Ice has exprefly fiid, Te rejected the Command of God, that ye may eftablifhywr own Tradition. Now where has Chnit taught the -ufeof an unknown Tongue in Prayer ? 'tis but Routes Invention and •Tradition, and that not ot a very long (landing.

Ambrofe may be heard in the next place, in 1. ad Corinth, c. 14.

Si utique ad jedificandam Ecclefiam convenittf, ea debentdin qu£ intelligent audientes : nam quid prodtfi nt quit linguk loqnatur quam plus fsit, ut qui audit nihil proficiat ? . vi\

If ye come togetbir to edifie the Cburc^tbofe things ought to, bejp^en that the bearers may underhand; for what qjj* he profit the People, who jpeakj in an unsown Tongue to them? And afterwards the fame Father adds > There were fome , of the Hebrews efpecialy\ that ufed the Syriack, and the Hebrew Tongue in their Services } but thefe aimed at their .own.glory and commendation, not at the Peoples benefit. Though the H^rew. Tongue was that in which God of ord'utter'd the Law upon Mount S/Jw/.that which Mofes and the Prophets ufed > though the Syriacl^ was that La which our Lord himfelf fpake while he was upon Earth \ yet Ambrofe blames thofe that prayed in thefe Languages with thofe People who did' not undirftand them. After Ambrofe, let us hear Augufiine^ Enarrat. in Pfalmum 18.

Intelligere debemut, ut humaud ratione non quafi- avium voce cantemw'y hleruU, Pfittaci, Corvi r Pic£ , & bujufmodi volucres fepe docentur ah. homiriibws finare qu£ nefciunt: fcienter vera cantare non avi fed homini divin'd voluntate concejfum eft.

We ought to underjiand what we pray fir, that we may not like Birds , but lik^e men, fing unto Gad. For Blackbirds and Parrots, and Crows , and Pies, and fucb kjnd of Fowls, are taught to found forth what they under-fiand not : But to fing ("which certainly in the Pfalms of David includes Prayer and PratfingJ with urtder (landing, is granted not to a Bird, but to a Man through the good pleafure ofG>d.

From this Fathers words you may perceive, that the not-underftood Prayer of a Papift is likened unto the prating of a Pye, or Parrot.

Hierom,\vho was famous for his skill in Languages, and was himfelf a Presbyter of the Ancient Church in Rome, yet fpeaks after this manner, Prtfat. in Epifi. ad Galatas.

In Ecclefw Vrb'vs Romas quafi tonitru Coelefle audimus Populum reboan-tern, Amen. In the Churches of the City 0/Rome, the Voice of the People was like Heavenly Thunder, when they anfwered almi, Amen, at the end of the Prayers which they put.up unto God. ^

The People underflood, and gave their confent unto the Prayers which were uted in thofe days; but the prefent Church cSRome, Heu

R r 2 quantum

'-. .'.

304 Tublick. Prayer fiouU be in a known tongue. Serm. IX.

quantum mutatur ab itih ! Alas, how much is it altered from what it once was !

Again the fame Hierom fpeaks, Subfinem Comment, in Epiji. adGa-latas.

§)uod ant em Amen confenjum fignificet audient'vs & fit fignaculum verita*

t'ks ad Corinthios/>r/wtf nos docet, in qua Paulus ait,Cxterum ft benedixerit

'Spiritu, qnifupplet locum idiot£, quomodo dicet Amen fuptr tua benedi-

Uione, qttoniam quidem nefcit quid dicas : ex quo ofiendit non poffe idioten

refpondere Verum effe quod dicitur, nifi intellexerit quod docet ur.

Amen fignifies the confent of the bearer, and U a fealing of the Truth : Paul fays, Jf thou blefl with the Spirit, how (hall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned fay Amen at thy giving of thankj, jeeing he under •-ftandeth not what thou fayeft ? mkereby he declares. That the unlearned Man cannot anfwer^ that that rvlmb U fpoken U true } fince he does not un~ derjiand it.

Great Bafil, his mind you may know concerning the propofed Que-ftion, Homil. in Pfalmum 28. Having complained before that the Children of Men do not in His Temple give glory unto God, he adds }

\yt rcS GVivyLdLThA-*^]* M *} ^ vat Let thy Tongue fmg, and let thy Mind fearch the meaning of what U fpoken, that according to the Apftle , thou may eft flng with the Spirit, and fing with understanding alfo.

Chryfoftom agrees with the forementioned Fathers fully, Aoy. as in I Epiftm ad Corinth.

'l^iarlui rh te'tKoy hiy**^ tPefavvei £v\fo * (au^av ZyyAdLV <s®s\iAv*v r \<t>' ) qtm tI d^iui «V«V juw fvvc&Tca. Ta^e notice, fays he, how the Apoftle does always feel^ the Churches Edification. By the unlearned Man, Paul means the Layman, and Shews how this unlearned Perfon does fit/lain a very great Ufi^ when Prayers are made infucha Language^ m he through want of under -ftan-ditig ,'<" mt able to fay Amen to them,

I (hail add unto thefe parlages of the Fathers, a Conftitution of the Emperor Juftman, Emperors of old were reverenced by the Church, though now the Pope endeavours to Lord it over them. The Confti--tation i? this JoveL Conjiit. 123.

Jubemus c ines Epiioopos, &c. We command that all Bifhops and Pteshyters do celebrate the Holy Oblation, and Prayers uftdin Holy Baptifm; - not fyejlj'tg hvp, but with a clear Voice which may be heard by the People, that thereby the Minds of the People may be ftirred up with greater Vevoti^ on in uttering ih.e Praifes of the Lord God. And for this is cited t Cor. x 4. H>w JhaP the Vnlewned fay Amen^ if he does not nnderjland what if fpoken? And • htn iffo'ilows,. Jfth? Priefts negletl thefe things, the Judgment of God ayid'Chriil will fall on them ••, neither will we^ (ays the Empe-w ror, when we know it, reft and leave it unrevenged.

But now let us hear the Rcmifh Doctors themfelves fpeakingto the

Queftion. in Hand.

Cardinal

crm. IX; Public^ Prayer Jhonld be in a. known Tongue.

Cardinal Cajetan, Comment in i Epift. ad Corinth, c. 14. has thefe wordsi Ex hac Pauli Vctlrina habetnr, quod melius eft adedificationem Ec-cUfie, orationes publicas, qu£ audiente Populo dicuntur, did lingua commit-ni Clericls, & Populo , quam diet Latins.

From this VcLlrine of the Apoftle Paul it follows, lb.it it is better f§00e edification of the Church, that the publicly Prayers which the People hear, Jhould be made in that Language which both the Priefis and People under* ftand, than that they jhould be made in Latin.

Here I cannot chufe but cry out, Magna eft Veritas, great is Truth, and it will prevail ! Behold a Cardinal of the Romifh Church, fpeaks as plainly againft the Council of Trent-, as any whom they nickname Hereticks can.

The next Romifh Author is Nicolas de Lira, who gloffing upon the fame Chapter, fpeaks to the fame purpefe.

Si Populus intelligat orationem five beneditlionem Sacerdotis j melius re-ducitur in Deum & devotius refpondet, Amen.

If the People underhand the Prayer or Thanksgiving which is performed by the Prieft, their minds wi§ be brought the better and nearer unto God y and with greater devoutnefitbey wiU anfwer, Amen,

The third Romiili Doctor, (hall be the Angelical fas he is called^ and highly-magnified Thomas Aquinas, Commentar. in 1 Epiftolam ad Corinth, cap. 14. His words are thefe y

Plus lucratur qui or at & intelligit ; nam reficitur^ & quantum ad in telle* Hum, & quantum ad ajfefium.

He gains mofi who -prays and tmderftands the words wbich he fpeaks^ for he is edified both as to his undemanding, and alfo as to hU affedions.

Again he faith., Melius e[\ ut lingua qu£ bene die it, etiam interpretetur\ omnis enimfermo bonus eft ad edificationem fidei.

°Tis befi that the Tongue which bleffes, Jhould interpret'-, for good words Jhould be fpoken to the edification of faith.

Here we may with reafon fay, Bene quidem fcripffti Thoma. Thomas thou haft written what is agreeable to Truth. Thus the Fathers and the Popifh Dodlors themfelves have deliver'd their opinions, and al! are for praying in a known Language.

Nay I have read, and 'tis acknowledged by a Jefuit, Azoriits Inft. lib. . 8. cap.26, ex JEn. Sylv. That above fix hundred years ago, when the Pope did deliberate and confult whether he fhould grant unto the Bobe-. mians the ufe of the Vulgar Tongue in their publick Devotions •, there was heard a voice from Heaven, faying, Omnis lingua confiteatur ei \ v Let every tongue confefs unto God.

But now at laft let us be determined by the Apoftle Paulfhc fuppofed Prefident of the Council, and his mind I (hall give you in this Par a--^ phrafe upon his own words. J^*

I than\my Cod Ifpea^ with Tongues more than you all'-, but I had ra~ therfpeah^five words to be underftood by, and to edifie thefe that hear me,

than,

thin ten thoufand words in an unknown Tongue, If the Trumpet give an uncertain founds who (ball prepare himi"elfto the battel? and if I pray ^ and tb'fe tbat are prefent undtrftand net the meaning of the voice, bowjhalltbey wrjjl le with God? bowjhall they defend tbentf elves againji tbe ajfaults of the 4 Bw^ bow (hall they join in begging for Grace to overcome him? lam an Jtpojlle, and not a Barbarian, and 1 would net fpea\ words into tbe air^ but fo at to benefit tbem tbat bear me. I am unwilling the Publicly Worfhip of God (hould be expifed to tbe contempt and fcorn of Infilels ; or tbat they fijould cenfure it to be only tbe raving of mad-men, becaufe they know not tbe meaning of the words that are ufed. Our God is not tbe God of confufion, but requires a reasonable Service, and thefe commands concerning Prayer and Praifmifo as to be underftood, are bis commands. Every one who. is indeed fpiritual will be thus perfwaded : jbey xcho are otberwife minded are willingly ignorant.

You fee I have proved the Proteftant Doctrine out of the Fathers * nay, 'tis granted by Popifh Authors of very great name i and how plainly the Apoftle is on our tide, do but read and judg.

Let the Papilts now for fh a me ceafe their bragging of Antiquity. 'Twas certainly the manner of the elder and purer times to pray in a known Language. Thus prayed the Apoftles, thus prayed our Lord Jefus, thus prailed the Heavenly Holt at Chrifis Nativity, in fueh words as the very Shepherds underftood, Glory be to God in tbe Higbejl, en Earth peace, good-will towards men. Thus the Prophets prayed, and David the fweet-Singer oilfrael\ all his Pftlms we^e written in Hebrew, the Jews Mother-tongue. Thus fang Deborah and T>aral^, thus Mojes and the Ifraelites after their Miraculous Deliverance out of Egypt, and Pharaohs overthrow in the mighty Waters. Nay I mult add, there was a time when there was but one Language in the whole World > before the building of Babel, and then there was no unknown Tongue to pray in. In the days of Enos the Son of Setb the Grand-child of Adam, 'tis faid, Men began to call upon tbe Name of tbe Lord, Gen. 4. 16. And this muftof necetfity have been done in a Language which none were ignorant of. Surely then the Proteihnt Religion in this regard muft be acknowledged of fufficient Antiquity, fince 'tis as old as the old World, fince 'twas before the flood of Noah.

Jn the fourth place I (hall anfwer the Popifh Arguments to defend their Caufe > and (hall not fear to produce the very ftrongeft which I have met withal.

1. 'Tis Objected That the Apoftle does not fpeak in 1 Cor. ^.concerning the ordinary Divine Service,but concerning Spiritual Songs,which by an extraordinary Gift were utter'd, _ Anf. The Apottle does mention Prayer as well as giving of Thanks $ ^t and there is as much reafon .that the ordinary Service (hould be underftood,as the extraordinary > becaufe that which is ordinarily ufed, (hould by all means be to Education.

2.'Tis

Serm. IX. Pnbllck^ Prayer\JI)onld be in a Knorvn tongue. Soy

2. 'Tis Objected, That Prayer in an unknown Tongue is not con-^^* kib.2.^ demned, but Prayer in a known Tongue only preferred. Capiti? D ° !>

Anfw. Firjl^ Suppofe this, why does the Church of Koine pray after the worfe, and not alter the better manner of the two ? Secondly, I fay 'tis condemned by the Apoftle as not being for Edification > for he that could (peak in a Tongue, if he could not interpret, nor any Interpreter prefent, was commanded to keep fiknee in the Ajjembly.

3. 'Tis Objected, That of old the Inftruclion and Edification of tin Id. ibid. People was neceflary, and the ufe of Prayer was, that they might be InftruCted and Ediried : But now the end of Prayer is not fo much

<, the Peoples Inltrucffion and Edification, as the yielding to God tha,t Worftiip which is due to him.

Anfo. Fir ft, The Apoftles were as-careful that God might have his Worlhip, as the Papifts, nay a great deal more careful. Secondly, Dif-join not Gods Wormip and the Peoples Edification ', for he is belt Wor-fhipped infpirit and in truth. And the more the mind underftands, and the heart of the Worfhipper is afTedred, God is the more honoured, and the better pleafed.

4,'Tis Obje&ed,Tnat Prayer is- not made to the People but unto God, and he underftands all Tongues alike y and 'tis fufficient that the Lord "underftands what is prayed, though the People are ignorant. And this BtUamine does illuftrate by afimilitude. If a Courtier, fays he, mould . " *~

petition for a Country-man in Latin to a King, the Country-man might be benefited by the Latin Petition of the Courtier, though he mould not underftand a word; of it.

Anfiv. i. It might have been (aid, That God underftands all , Tongues alike in the Apoftles days as well as now •■> the Lord being then and novv.and always, equally Omnifcient. 2. The life of Prayer is not to inform the God we pray to, For he kjiows what things rve have wed of before we asJ^, Mat- 6, 8. but to make our felves more fenfible of our needs, and confequently more meet to be fupplied j but how can this be if Prayer be lockt up in an. unknown Dialed > 3. As for Bellar-mines Similitude, it will not hold. For the God of Heaven is not like the Kings on Earth, who will hear Petitions made by Favourites for perfons that make no addrefs themfelves : But He requires, That every particular perfon fhouldask if he will receive, and underftand what he prays for', and that he fhould have fuitable arTtdlions to the matter of his Petitions, if he will be heard and anfwered. Add alfo, That if a King mould forbid Petitions.in a ftrange Language, and fhould command that Petitioners fhould ufe a Tongue they underftand, that with the greater earneftnefs they may beg what they need s to fnch an one a Latin Petition would not be fo acceptable i But God has forbid the ufe. of an unknown Tongue : Therefore we may conclude, That the Popifr^ Lttin Prayers in an Auditory which underftand them not, are to very little purpofe. The People muji feek^andkyock^zs well as the Piieft, elfe

they.

gc8 Tublick^Vrdyerfoouldbe in a kttdwn Tongue. Serm. IX.

they Jhall not find^ elfe it will not be opened unto them, Mat. 7. 7.

In the fifth place I am to difcover the tendency of, and Myftery of Iniquity in this Papal Dodfrine, which encourages to Prayer in an unknown Tongue, and teaches People to be contented with an ignorant Devotion.

1. It gratifies exceedingly the lazy difpofition of -Men, who naturally like a liberty to reft in opere operato, in the work done, and cannot endure to be urged to the more difficult part of Religion, which lies in a conflict with wandring thoughts in duty ', in watching over, and taking pains with the heart, that it may be intent, confiderate and afFe^ ftionate in its applications unto God. I know the Papifts boaft of their aufterities in their Devotions j but thefe are external things, and who has required them at their hands ? And I may with good reafon affirm, That one quarter of an hour fpent in Prayer,where the very heart is engaged, and underftands what 'tis doing, and feeks the Lord with its

. whole defire, will be to better purpofe than all the Prayers by rote that are, or can be faid by a blind Papift, though he (hould live to the age of Metlmfelah.

2. This Dodlriae is a notable device to keep the People ignorant,and to make them more dependent upon the Priefthood > and hereby they hope more eafily to rule them. Thefe cruel Guides, as they take away the Bible from the People, which is the great means of Knowledge fo they will not fuffer them to cry for Knowledg, fo as to know what they cry. What a faithful fervant is the Pope unto the Prince of Darknefs! and what quiet poiTeilion does the ftrong man armed keep while the Gofpel is hid , and men pray for they know not what,and confequently obtain nothing!

3. Many Prayers may well be made in Latin meerly through fhame. When I read the Scripture, I conclude thePapiftsare afraid of the Light which (bines from thence, left it overthrow their black Kingdom ; and when I read the foolifh, nay blafphemous Prayers,which are made in the Church of Rome, I conclude they are afhimed the meaning of them mould be known. Thus they pray to the Virgin Miry.

San&a Maria, ~ \lt ® Saint Mary,

@'Ag totum orb em iUuminas. Jj \ Who Ml enlighten the whole world, &ht£ tuos fervientes exalt as* K JftWb-i doji exalt thy fervantj : .

Ittuminxtrix cordium. ft* jj Who doji illuminate hearts.

Fons mifericordiz. \ /( Who art the fountain of mercy.

Ab omm malo libera nos Domina. # \From all evil good hidy deliver ht.

To Saint Dorothy" they pray thus:

m

San&a Dorothea, 7 KO holy Dorothy,

Cor mttndum in me ere a* $ I A clean heart create in me.

Saint

Serm. X. VnhUck Prayer Jbould be in a known Tongue. $09

Saint Agnes is prayed unto to keep them in the Faith \ and Saint Georqt to five them from their Sins, that they may teft in Heaven with the Blefed for ever. Thefe Latin Prayers in plain Enghjb are moft wicked Blafphe-mies; and both Gods work and honour, which is peculiar to hirafelf, and dear to him, is (to the provoking of him to jealoufie) afcribed ani imparted to the Creature,

la the laft place I come to the Application.

VSE I.

Blefs the Lord that the Day-fpring from on high htth vifited this land of your Nativity, and that Popifh darknefs is fo much difpelled. How thankful were the Ifraelites, think you, for that Light which (hined fo clear in Gojhen, when Egypt was plagued with Darknefs, that was fo hideous and palpable > Neighbouring Regions, moft of them are blinded by Rome and Hell > and fee not the things which you fee, hear not the things which you hear. You are inftru&ed to whom Prayer is be directed, unto God > and in whofe Name, in the Name of Chrift, whofe Mediation and Interceffion is always prevalent. Supplications are made in a Tongue which you underftand > that you may be the more affected with what you pray for, and confequently have gracious returns to your Prayers from the God of all Grace. What caufe is here of Thanksgiving that Publick Adminiftrations are fo much more agreeable unto Ghrifts Inftitution* than the Adminiftrations of the Church of Romt.

Prayers being poured forth with fo much fervency ,and in fuch word* as all, even the meaneft,underftand v the Scriptures being read in a Lari- -guage which you know, fo as that the Book of God is not a fealed Book to you h Sermons being preached with fo much plainnefs and power. Finally, Sacraments being adminiftred,fo as that you may know how to. improve thefe Seals of the New Covenant, to the ftrengthning of your-Faith, the inflaming of your Love, and the increale of all manner of Grace: All this may well caufe you to cry out with David, Pfal. 84.1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles^ 0 Lord of Hofts. And one thing have^l: defired of the Lord^ that will J fee}^ after, that I may dwell in the bottfe of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to in-quire in hit Temple, Pfal. 27. 4.

VSE II.

If highly concerns you to fear and to pray againft theireturn of Popifh blindnefs. While Satan and his Angels are bufie and induftrious to . extinguifh the light of the Word, while Rome does join with Hell to-this end, that this Land may be again overfpread with Ignorance, Ido-litry^upeifUu-^Will-Worlhip s 'tis your wifdom and duty, while they ^ are plotting, to be counterworking by your Prayers. Oh cry unto the Lord tofccure his own Honour, and your Priviledges, againft thefe Enemies, which are fo great invaders of both. Beg with the greateft

S f earr.cft-

%lo THhlick^VrdyerJhonldbein a kpownTongue. Serm. IX,

earneftnefs, (and truly earneft begging was never yet denied) that the Gofpel may continue, and a^ypiritual way of Worftnp according to the direction of the Gofpeh and that Komes Emiffaries may never make Merchandize of your Souls, or the Souls of your Pofterity.

VSE III. Let the blind 2eal of the Papifts make you more frequent in your ac-ceffes to the Throne of Grace : Though they Worfhip ignorantly, yet how much do they Wor(hip ? as SuperfUtion is wont to urge men to abundant labour. But you that fee more reafon to pray than they, and have more encouragement from God, than ever they underftood , fhould be fhamed and quickned unto this Duty. The Papifts indeed, if they underftood themfelves, might well be difheartned, becaufe their Worfhip is Will-worfhip, not of Gods appointment, but their own Invention. But you fhould- abound in Devotion, for God will not be fought in vain as long as you leek him in his own way, and^ar labour Jhati not be in vain in the Lord, i Cor. 15.58.

VSE IV.

-

Takeheed of Diftra&ion in Prayer, and not-minding what you ask or what you are doing, when at the Mercy-Seat. 'Tis great hypo-crifie to be prefent only in body at the Sanctuary j the heart inthemean while running away after pleafures, covetoufnefs, vanity •, and this'ex-ceedingly provokes the Lord to jealoufie, and are you ftronger than He <* 1 Cor. 10.22. Pray, what's the difference between a Papift that under-fta&ds not b >and a tarnal Proteftant that minds not a word of what is fpo-ken in Prayer? • Or if there be any difference the Proteftant is in the worfecafej becaufe having the means oi Edification, he is the more without Apology, that heis not edified.

VSE V. Content not your felves with bare underftanding the words of Prayer.but know the Lord you pray to } be acquainted with his Power and Truth, and how he keeps Mercy for thoufands, and particularly for you, it youare fenfible of your fin and mifery, and are willing that from both He mould deliver you. Underftand alfo the worth of what you ask, that Spiritual and Eternal Bleifings being highly valued, your defires after them may be vehement, and you may wrefile with the greater itrength and refolution till you have obtained them.

VSE VI. Let 11 ndei (landing and Faith in this duty of Prayer be join'd together. The Popifh implicite Faith, to believe as the Church believes,that is,to believe they know not what, is a wretched piece of carelefnefs and .prefumption, and a mad venturing of the Soul,which is fo precious,up-on an empty found and title. But do you fearch the Scriptures,enquire what God hasfpoken> and firmly believe his words which are fo faithful and worthy o{ all acceptation. Let your Faith in Prayer be ftrong i> and be fully perfvvaded. that having fach Promifesas God has made, and

engaged

Serm. IX. Public^ Prayer fljould be in a kit own "tongue. %H

engaged himfelf to make good , and fuch an Advocate in Heaven as Chriit the Righteous > what you ask according to the Will of God (hall in no wife be denied. In a word know your duty and do it,and then conclude, As certainly as God if , Co certainly be will be a rewarder of them that diligently feej^him^ Heb. 11. 6.

TbomafMertwutEpiCc. Vunelfn. Apdl. Cathol. Patik. Lib'. 1. Car/. 31. De Vernac. precibus, pag.ioS. Non eft igitur quod in bac caufa, leftor^ hdttucinerti'-, neq^ enim te fugit Hoi prlmo antiquitatem novitati : Secnndo^dt-votionem fantlam & divinam, c&cjc & fanatic* fuperftitioni: r tertio, anim£ confolationem fpiritualem, rigid* ftupiditati: S^irto, infantU prndenti-sm: Shinto, torpori confenfum : Sextb, fiftit & ^ementitU pertculU comme-dapene iufinita: Septipio^facrofapUamdeniq^SpiritwiffinUi fapientiam^ human* ftultit it ac te merit at i anteponere. ■

There is therefore, Reader , no room for a miffake in thk caufofvr than canfi not hut kpoivjhat the Protectants prefer , 1. Antiquity before Novelty: 2. Holy and divineVevotion before blindC^nd properly fo called JfanatickJSuper-flit ion: 3. 7 he fpiritnal comfort of the Soul^ before rigid ftupidity: 4. Prudence before childifhnefs: 5. Confent before cardefhefs: 6, Almoft infinite, advantages before feigned and imaginary dangers : 7. 1bje boly veifdom oftbs Spirit of God, before the folly and rajhnefs of men.

■

m — ■! i' ■

Sfs SEE

;u \

■ i i»

SERMON X

The Teftimony of the Church is not the only, nor the chief reafbn, of our believing the Scripture to be the Word

Of God. / J^; $~^4^>

LUKE 1 6. 29.

They have Mofes and the Prophets , let them hear them.

AS everlafting BlcfTedncfs fmens greateft and moft defiraMc Good J is that which God only can befto w,and the Way to it that which He only can difcover : (Who knows the Lords mind like himfelf ? Who is fo Cure a Guide in the Way,as He who is himfelf the End ? Nature can neither dired us to, nor fit us for a Supernatural Happinefs.) So it is not only our intereft to feek it, but likewife to fee,Whether what pretends to be the Rule of our walking,in order to our obtaining of it, be indeed the right one ; which we can no otherwife be allured of, than by feeing that it be fuch a one as is given vis by him to whom alone it belongs to prefcribe us the Way, and who being infinitely good, as well as infinitely wife,will no more deceive us, than he can be himfelf deceived. Now the holy Scripture of the Old, and New Teftament, is that which we profefs to own as the Rule of our Faithand Life, in relation to our future Glory. It is then the wifdom of every Chriftian to enquire upon what account he receives this Rule,why he believes it, and fubmits to it, whether he bp perfwaded that it is of God, by God himfelf, or only by men v for if he can find indeed that he receives it upon the Authority of God,he may be fecure cf the Truth, and Sufficiency ot it > but if only on that of Men, they being liable to

mifxakes,

Scrra. X. Concerning the Authority of the Scripture. 3 13

miftakes may lead him into Error, and fo he can never be fure that what he owns as his Rule, is indeed the right one, and of Gods own pre-fcribing : Or admit it really be fo, yet if it be not received on right grounds, he will be expofed to innumerable fears, and fTudruations,and never walk comfortably, nor conftantly in his way, when he doubts whether it be the right, or a wrong one: The fuperftru&ure cannot be better than the foundatiomand a well-ordered and comfortable Conver-fation will never be the efTed: of an ill-grounded Belief. It is good therefore in the beginning of our Courfe to be fecure of our way, to fee both what we believe, and why j left otherwife, we be either forced to go back, orelfeuponas light grounds fwerve from the way, as we were at firft perfwaded to engage in it. Our great enquiry then in this Difcourfe will be, Vpon what account we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God? whether upon the Authority of God, or the Church i which I ground upon thtfe words, 'they have Mofes and the Prophets, let them hear them.

In this Parable, whereof thefe words are a part, we have an account of the different eftates of a wicked man "Dives , and a good man Lazarus, both in this life, and the other. In this life Dives had hi* good things , the whole of his happinefs,all the portion he was ever to enjoy» and Lazarus had hti evil things, all the forrow and mifery he was ever to endure. And in the other life, we have Lazarus in Abrahams Bofom, a place and ftate of reft, entered into peace * and Dives in Hell, a ftate of Ifa. $7. i* mifery, and place of torments; where finding fo great a change, and being deeply affected with his now woful condition, he is (though in vain) defirous, if not of releafe, as defpah tag of that, yet at leaft of a little eafe > and therefore addrefling himfelf to Abraham, he entreats him that Lazarus might be fent to dip but even the tip of his finger in water^ and coelhis tongue; but this is denied him as impoffible, ver. 26. Seeing that would not do, he defires, however, his torments might not be en-creafed by his Brethrens coming to him, whom we may fuppofe to have been his fellow-finntrs, and partakers with him in his riot,end luxury ; Or, if you will believe fo much charity to be among the Damned, his re-queft is, That Lazarm might be fent to them to admonifh them for their good, that fo they might be brought to a timely Repentance, e're they came to an untimely end, and then to endlefs torments. But this is denied him too as altogether needlefs, and unprofitable, ver.$ 5^ and he is told, That God had made fufficient Provifion for mem, given them the moft effectual means, whereby they might be brought to Repentance, in that he had given them his Written Word, Mops and the Prophets, by whofe Writings if they were not perfwaded to Repent.a Miracle would not perfwade thetrx, Lizarus rifing from the Dead would no more be believed, than Mofes and the Prophets, whofe Writings were among them \ and therefore to them Abraham fends them as a means fuffickftt for the end, pretended at leaft by Dives to be aimed at. they have Mofes

and

gr4 Concerning the Authority of" the Scripture. Serm. X.

and the Prophets Jet them bear them y As if he had faid, The Will of.God concerning thy Brechrens duty,and the Truth of God concerning future rewards as the great motives to it, are clearly enough laid, down in the Scripture^ and if they believe not thefe things, and are not perfwaded to Repentance upon the Authority of God in his Word, much lefs will they be moved by the Te/limony of one coming from the Dead. Hence I inter, lb it tbe Holy Scripture, or Written Word of God. k fuffcient in it felf, and mojl tjfellually able to convince men of tbe truth of tbafe things which ate contained in it. It was fo then, why not now?* Mofes and the Prophets were fo, why are not the ApoflJes and Evangelifts ? is all the whole Scripture grown 0/n/Teftament* and fo old as to be decayed $ when,and by what means did it lofe that Life and Power,that Authority and Efficacy it fometimes had > it had formerly more virtue to convince men than a Miracle it felf, and now belike it hath lefs than a Council* it could have done more, than a man^from tbe dead^ and now it can do lefs than a dead man, a finful Pope ! (for his Holinefs of Rome may be very wicked, the Papifts themfelves being Judges).

From the former Propofition it will undeniably follow, Tbat tbe Scripture U fufficient in it j elf to convince men of its own "Divinenefs, or its being it felf tbe Word of God, tbat being one truth it dotb fo ojten affert: The General muft comprehend the Particular,and. therefore if the Scripture be fufficient to fatisfie the minds of men as to all that it affirms to be truth, it muft needs be able to fatisfie them as to this too, that the whole of it is the Word of God.

But this our Adverfaries will not allow, and therefore inftead of taking it for granted, or refting on this fiiagle proof, we muft here put it to the Queftion, From whence tbe. Scripture bath its Authority ? er up-on what grounds we are to believe it to he the Word of God? If you will give the Papifts leave to anfwer, they will prefently tell you, Vpon the fole Authority of the Church, or, becaufe the Church declares it to be the Word of God, and that without the determination of the Church, it hath Surdif. apud very little Authority, or weight in it, and you are no more bound to believe chxmiir. the Gofpel 0/Mathew, than tbe Hiftory of Livy ; Nay, one fays plainly,

That but for tbe Church, you are no more bound to believe the Scripture than Efops Fables y and you may be fure the Man was in earneft, when you do but confider how many incredible things another of them .(at-ledged at large by our learned Wbita^er) mufterc up out of the Scripture, which he would fain perfwadethe World would never be believed, if the Church did not interpofe her Teftimony \ and yet as broad as the Blafphemy mentioned is, another of the fame Party minceth the Matter, and lays, the Words might be pioufly fpoh^n\ And if a private Dodror of the Church of Rome m3y thus tranfubftantiate Blafphemy in* to Piety, or make that pafs for Pious^ which is really Blafpbemous, I fee no reafon why a Pope might not add his Authority, and make it Canonical too. But that we may give, the beft Account of the Confn> veriie before us ; 1, Something

\

Serm. X* Concerning the Authority $f the Stricture. $ * $

i. Some things muft be premifed by way of Explication/or the better underftanding of Terms.

2. The State of the Queftion muft be laid down.

3. The Truth confirmed.

4. Popi(h Objections anfwered.

5. Some Application made.

1. For Explication of Terras, let us fee,

1. What we mean by the Scripture, By that therefore is underftood the Word of God, declaring his mind concerning mens Happinefs and

Duty, or teaching us what we are to believe concerning God, and r ^

how we are to obey him,as it was at firft revealed by^himfelf to the Apo-itles and Prophets, and by them delivered by word of mouth, and afterward for the perpetuity and ufefulnefs of it, committed to Writing as we now have it, in the Books of the Old and Ner» Teftament : So that the Word of God, and the Scripture are the fame materially, and differ only in this, That the Word of God doth* not in it felf imply its being written, nor exclude it, but may be confidered indifferently as to either', whereas the Scripture fignifies the fame Word, only with the addition ©fits being committed to Writing.

2. What is meant by Authority, when we enquire, whence the Scrip- camirodeVet* ture hath its Authority. Authority in this Builnefs is a Power of Com- bo Dei. manding or Perfwading, or (as fome phrafe it) Convincing, arillng

Trom fome Excellency in the Thing or Perfon vefted with fuch Authority. Whatever hath Authority defafto, fo far forth hath efteem and lionour, or reverence yielded to it, as whatever hath Authority de jure hath fuch efteem or honour of due belonging to it, and anfwering it as its correlate > and both the one and the other is founded on fome Excellency, fometimes of Nature (both in Perfons and Things,) (ometimes of Office and Dignity, fometimes of Knowledg, fometimes ofVertue and Manners,fometimes of Prudence (as in Perfons >) according to each of which a fuitable refpedfc and honour is due to the Authority therefrom arillng \ and as any Man excels in any of thefe, fo he hath Authority in that, though he may not in other Things. Thus he that excels in the knowledg of the Law , may have Authority in that, though he may have none in Pbyficl^ot Divinity, in which he may not excel: and an honeft Man, that excels in Morality, may on that account have the Authority of a Witneft^ though not of a Judfr. Now when we fpeak of the Authority of the Scripture, and ask from whence it hath it? we do but enquire, Whence it is, that the Scripture per-fwades, convinces, or binds us to believe it, or commands ustoafTent to it, as the Word God ? or whereon its Power of fo doirg is founded > whether it be not fome Excellency inherent in it lelf, or whether it be only fomething forrein and extrinfecal to it >

3. What we mean by Faith, when it is demanded, Why we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God > Faith, fo far as it concerns the

* underftanding

r

understanding (Tor in forae Afis of Faith the Will bears part) is an a£ fent yielded to fomething propofed under the appearance fat leaft) of Truth, built upon the Teltimony of another » and therefore according as the Teftimony is, for the fake of which we believe any thing accordingly will our Faith be : If it be the Teftimony of a Man or Men our Faith will be an humane Faith •, but if the Teftimony be Divine or we believe a thing becaufe God himfelf aiTerts it, we call it a Divine Faith. Only we muft remember, that a truly Divine Faith hath always God for its Author ; fo that three things concutf to the producing the ObjcAum] A& of fuch a Faith. I. The Truth believed, which is the Objed of

Obkftum for- lU 2 * Thc Teflimon y of God c °ncerng that Truth, which is the For-m i Ct mal Reafon, and Ground of this Faith. 3. The Efficiency of God

producing it, or working it in the Mind. Now when we fpeak of believing the Scripture to be the Word of Cod, we fpeak of a Divine Faith : A man may upon the Credit of his Parents, of his Minifies of a particular Church, or of the Church Catholick (if fuch a Teftimony can be had; believe the Scripturi to be the Word of God > but thc queftion will be, what kind of Faith that is, whether fuch a one as God requires him to receive the Scripture with >

4. What we underftand by the Church in the Queftion: The Church may be taken either for the Univerfality of Believers in all places of thc World, fo as to comprehend private Saints, as well as publick Officers People as well as Paftors, and thofe of former ages as weH as the prefent, Prophets themfelves, and Apoftles, and Pen-men of the Scripture; or we may take it for that part of the Catholick Church which lives together in the fame age call, it if you pleafe thc prefent Catholick Church comprehending in it all the Believers, People as well as Paftors, alive at the fame time, in the feveral parts of the whole World. Or el fe, we may underftand the Church in the Popifh fenfe, only for the prefent Church* and that too, for the Church of Kome^ which they call Catholick* and that again, only for the Paftors of it, excluding the People-, and they a-gain may be conftdered either feparately, or in conjunction, as meeting together in a -General Council, and that either by themfelves without the Pope, or together with him: Or laftly as represented by him, or virtu* aVy contained in him \ for this great name the Church , dwindles at laft into one only, man: But fare he is no fmall one that contains fo many in him , for if we believe the Papifts (not only, though efpecially the JHuits ) the Pope, in this Controverfie, is nothing elfe but the Church Catholick compacted, and thruft into a (Ingle perfon, in whom all thofe feveral Excellencies, which are fcattei'd among theMembers, do, as in the Head, colhUively redide. And fo the Catholicknefs they vaunt fo much of, is crowded into a narrow compafs, for thofe whether Paftors or Members of the Church that lived formerly are fir ft: cut oft^and the Church is reduced to the prefent age •, then the people Cas excrefcen-ciesJUre paredaway too, and the bulkinefs of the Church thereby lef-

fened.

Sertn. X. Concerning tht Authority of the Scripture.

fened, the Officers or Paftors only remaining', and yet thefe too muft be contracted into a Council, and that at la ft Epitomized into a Pope, who is but theEpitome of an Epitome,and fcarce Co much as a frnal! Synopfu of that Voluminous thing, the Ckuvcb, they talk fo largely of.

2. For the ftate of the Q^eftion, thefe things being premifed, take it thus > In fome things we agree with them, in fome we differ from

them.

i. In fome we agree:

That the Scripture of the Old and New Teftamenr, which we

317

1.

own ( who yet exclude the Apocryphal Books of one fort, or other), is the Word ofCod y is acknowledged by them, as well as by us.

2. Confequently, That it is in it Jeff true and of Divine Authority ? and that it doth not depend upon the Church as to that Authority and Truth which in Ufelf it hath, or that the Teftimony of the Church doth not make it to be true, or to betbeJVbrdof God<> the Papifts themfelves fat leaft the moft wary among them) will (be fure in words) grant: and therefore they have coyned a diftin&ion for the nonce *, they tell us,That the Scripture hath a twofold Authority, one in itfelf, as it is true, and comes from God ; the other in relation to w,as it binds us to receive,and believe it: The former of thefe they own to be in the Scripture, Antecedently to the Teftimony of the Church. The diftin&ion is vain, when all Authority is in relation to another, over whom either de fafto it is f or de jure it ought to be excrcifed. But let it pafs.

3. That every Chriftian is bound with a Divine Faith to receive the Scripture as the Word of God, they grant as well as we do.

4. That the holy Spirit hath a hand in mens believing the Scripture to be the Word of God, allow the Papifts their fence, and they will likewife yield no lefs than we. That the Faith whereby men own the Scriptures, (if it be a Divine one, as they fay it is), is wrought in the hearts of men by the Spirit of God, they do grant, and muft, unleis they will avow themielves to be Pelagians.

5. And laftly, That the Church allow us our fenfe, may be an help to us, and furtherance to our Faith in receiving the Scripture, as the Word of God, we will grant as well as they. That the Universal Concurrence of all Believers in receiving the Scripture, and the Teftimony they do, and in all ages have,in their way and capacity given to it, is a ftrong Argument to perfwadediffenters to fubmit to the Divine Authority of it,we eafily yield. And that it is the duty of the prelent Church, during its time, to labour to preferve the Scripture pure and intire, and to hold it forth to others, and endeavour to perfwade them of its Di-vinenefs, and fo to perform the part of a Teacher, we are willing like-wife to yield. And fo in a word we acknowledg the ufefulncfs of the Churches Teftimony, as an external help, and that by which fome benefit may be reaped by men at the beginning of their Faith i for it is the foundation of an humane Faith, and fufficient for the producing of

T t that;

gi3 Concerning the Authority of the Scripture. Serm. X.

that : And when a man harh fo far vie!dcd,as to receive the Scripture as Gods Word, though only on the credit of Men, yet coming arrerward to perufeand ftudy it, and look more narrowly into it, he may then come to fee betfer,and more foiid grounds/or his belief, and God working on his heart by the Word , he may come to receive it with a Divine Fauh, which at tirft he did only with an humane : As Job. 4. the men o{ Samaria who rirft believed Chn^: for the Womans words, did afterwards believe him, becazfe they heard himfelf. Thus far therefore there is fome agreement between them and us. So that the Qjeftion is not concerning the Otyetl of o:ir Faith, the thing to be believed,for both ac-knowledg it (in this bufmefs, 1 to be the Divinenefs of the Scripture \ nor concerning the Efficient caufe of that Faith, for both will own it to be the Spirit which works this Faith in the heart: But concerning the Medium.; or Argument whereby the Spirit works it, and fo the ground and foundation of our Faith, that which vs the formal rejfon why we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God,

2, This therefore is the thing wherein we and they differ \ fomething they affirm which wedeny.and fomething we affirm which they deny.

1. 1 hey affirm the Teftimcny of the prefent Church, (and that muft be of Rome only now > for they count that only the Catholick onz,tbat is of the Pajiors of it convened in a General Council,either with the Fope, fas fome of them fay, or without him fas others) cr virtually in him fas others) to be the only fufficient ground of mens believing the Scripture to be the Word of God'-, and {o tell us, That the Spirit bears witnefs to the "Divinity of the Scripture by the Teftimony of the Church, and makgs ufe of that as the Medium, or Argument by which he perfwades men to receive the Scripture as the Word of God, and that without that Teftimony or Antecedently to it,men cannot tyow, nor are bound to believe the Scripture fo to be. This we deny.

2. We affirm on the other fide, That the Teftimony of the Spirit of God in the Word it fe If witnefling it to be of God, by that ft amp and imprefs,or (which comes to the fame) by thofe notes and marks of "Divinity which evtry-.where appear in it^ U the immediate and principal, and a fuffcient reafon of our believing it to be the Word of God, and the Medium the Spirit ufeth in working Faith in us,or making us affent to the Divinity of the Scrip-ture. So that as the Spirit working inwardly in our hearts, moves as the Efficient of our Faith; fo the Scripture it felf in its own intrinfecal beauty, luftre, power and excellency,is that which moves us in the way of an Ob'y-Vi. or h-hdinm. to yield our affent to its being of God. By this the Spirit of God as the Author of the Scripture witnefTeth it to be of God, and by an internal application of this to our minds, induceth us to affent to its fo being. The Tefrimony of the Spirit in the Word is open, publick, general to all, if they have but eyes to fee it, whereas the inward application of it by the Efficiency of the Spirit is only to Believers.

This

This they deny; and this we (hall fitft ("though more briefly) pcove, and then difprove(a$ well as we deny) what they iflkit.

Arg. 1. The Holy Ghoft in Scripture calls us to the Scripture it felf, and Gods Authority only in it, (and not to the Church; for the fetling of our belief of its Divinity, and therefore in the Scripture it felf we have a fufficient Argument to move us to believe its coming from God. Ifa. 8. 20. we are fent to the Law and to the lc ! t'r,mny\ the Prophets generally propound wha'tthey deliver, meerly in the name, and on the Authority of God •■> their ufual ftile is, Thus faith the Lord , and, The word of the Lord'<> they do no-where fend us to the Church to know, Whether it be fo, or not, but leave it with us as being of it felf (that is, without the Teftimony of the Church) fufficient to convince us, and if we will t * not believe it, at our own peril be it. So in the Text, Abraham (that is indeed Chrift,whofe mind Abraham in this Parable is brought in fpea-king,) fends Dives Brethren to Mofes and the Prophets •, and our Saviour Chrifr, Job. 5.3^. fends the Jews to the Scriptures, bids them fearcb them, and fo ver. 4.6,47 ; and Luke AU.17. 11. commends the Beneans, > not that they fent up to Jernfalem to the Church there, or waited for a General Council to allure them of the Divinenefs of what was preached to them, but that they daily fearched the Scriptures, to fee if tbcfe things were fe. But all this would be in vain, our labour would be loll in fear-ching the Scriptures, and looking into them for the confirmation of themfelves, if there were not fomething in them fufficient to perfwade us of their having God for their Author, but at Jaft we muft have re-courfe to the Church to allure us of it. Why are we fent thus far about, it a nearer way be at hand ?

Arg. 2. Thofe Propeities which the Holy Ghoft in the Scripture attributes to the Scripture will prove the fame. It is light, ?rov. 6.2 3. The Commandment is a lamp, and the Law it light. Pfal. up. 105. A lamp to my feet, and a light to my path: A light Jhining in a dar\ place, 2 Pet. i.ip. and fure that which is light may difcover it felf. He that needs another to tell him what is light, wants eyes. Heb.q.. 12. It vs quicksand powerful, and/harper than a two-edged fword, it entersinto the Soul, and therefore by its own power and efficacy difcovers it felf to us as well as us to our felves. It is like as a fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock^ in pieces, Jer.23. 29. Solikewife, 1 C^r.14.24,25. and Pfal. 19.7,8. From both • which we may argue, That Word which convinceth mzn/judgetb them, makes manife\i the fecrets of their hearts > that again, which converts the foul, matyes wife the fimple, rejoiceth the heart, enlightens the eyes, is diffidently able to difcover it felf to be of God, though the Church (honld not give in her Tefrimony, but fuch a Word is the Scripture : therefore, &c. And further, Why may not Gods Word difcover its Author,as well as his Works do > If the Heavens declare the Glrry cf God, 'and the Fir mi- ^""^^r mehtflrews his handy w>r\, Pfal.ip.i. If even the leaf: Creatures preach bet hcrba God to us, they that bear not his Image on them, yet have fcrtie veftigii^ Dcum.

T t 2 feme

$20 Concerning the Authority of the Scripture. Serm. X #

forme footfteps of him,and much more his greater and more noble Works, the Glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth, and Man the moft excellent of his Creatures on Earth, (hew forth that Excellency in them, which manifefts it felf to be from none but God \ and he hath in a word, left fuch an imprefs of Himfelf upon his Works, as that they generally proclaim themfelves to be his. Why mould it be thought incredible, that God mould leave the like notices of Himfelf upon his Word, and ftamp that upon it which might plainly evidence it to be his? Nay, if Men do commonly make themfelves known by their Works, Writers by their Skill, Artifts by their curious Pieces •, if ApeUes could have drawn fuch a Picture, Yhiditt have cut fuch a Statue, Cicero have pen'd fuch an Oration, that any who had judgment in fuch things might have faid, Such a Man and no other, was the Author of fuch a Work \ furely then much more may God in fo lively a manner exprefs Himfelf in his Word, as clearly to notifie to us, that it is his. And.if any mould fay, God could have done it, but would not > I defire to know a good reafon, Why God who hath left us fo plain and confpicu-ous Evidences of his Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs on his Creatures, would not leave the print of Himfelf in the like manner upon his Word? Vid. Rob. Ba- drg. 3. Gods revealing Himfelf to us in the Scripture is the firft and ron. cont. higheft Revelation upon which our Faith is built,and therefore that Re-Turncbul. velation is fufficient to manifeft it felf to us, even without the Churches Teftimony. The reafon of the Confeguence is, Becaufe Faith (a Divine one fuch as we fpeak of J) being always built upon Revelation, whatever it be which is the firft Revelation whereon our Faith is built mud be fufficient to notifie it felf to us *, otherwife omr Faith is not founded upon any Revelation at all, if that Revelation needs fomething elfe which is not Revelation to give credit to it: Or if that which is the firft Revelation, yet needs another to make it manifeft to us, it is not it felf the firft, which is a palpable contradiction. And for the Antecedent, I thus make it appear: In the bufinefs of Faith, Either we muft come to fome firft Revelation, or we muft go on from one to another without any end : For either the Faith whereby I believe this Revelation, Tbattbe Scripture k the Word of God, to be Divine, is founded upon this very Revelation it k\^ viz. the Scripture, (which fo many times tells me it is of God), or upon fome other Revelation*, if upon this it felf, then I have what I would, that this is the firft Revelation whereon my Fakh is built: But if on another, I ask again, Muft I believe that for it felf, or for fome other, if for it felf, then that muft be the firft > if, for fome 0-ther : I (hall ask again, Ami to believe that for it felf, or for another, and fo there will be no end, no firft Revelation on which my Faith is founded, but I muft go higher, and higher, even in infinitum. Other Arguments might be produced to confirm what we aflat, and are by our Divines, but I intended brevity in thefe, and the truth we maintain will be more confirmed by what I am in the next place to fay againft the Papifts Affcrtiont 2.1 That

2. That therefore the Tejiimony of the Church U not the only fnffcient ground^ (nor indeed a fufficient one at all,) of our believing the Divinity of the Scripture, I (hall prove by feveral Arguments.

Arg. I: I argue from Ephef.2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets. The Scripture is the foundation of the Church, and therefore hath not its Authority, even in refpett of us fiom the Church, but on the contrary the Church hath its Authority from the Scripture, upon which it depends in its very being, and withoat which it is not the Churchy nor if built upon any other foundation > it hath no Authority but from the Scripture, none in it felf but as thence it derives it, and we know none it hath but as there we find it. And this is fpoken of the true Church, and not meerly the Church in the Popifli fenfe. If ever we would find out the nature and definition of the Church, we muft feek it in the Scripture, where alone it is that we fee it to be Gods Will to have a Church upon Earth,and by what means it is called, and of whom it is conftituted, and with what Power and Priviledges it is endowed. He that will queftion, Whether the Scripture be the Word of God will as eafily queftion, Whether the Churck be the Church of God i or,Whether God have any Church or not.Now if the Church have all its Authority from the Scripture, by which alone it is a Church, and known to be fo, how can it be with any reafon faid; That the Scripture hath its Authority, even as to w from the Church > For if the Church have no Authority but from the Scripture, than the Authority of the Church muft fuppofe that of the Scripture, and the Scripture muft beown'd, or the Church cannot be own'd s for who knows what, or which the Church is, but as the Scripture defcribes it to us> and fo the Scripture hath not its Authority, as to us , from the Church. For ban the Scripture both give Authority to the Church, and yet receive its own Authority from it > Can it authorize the Church before it be it felf authorized by it > Can it give the Church a Power to communicate Authority to it, and yet hath no Authority hitherto it felf? Nay, Can it be confident with common fenfe, that the Scripture fhoulcLgive the Church a Power to bind men to the belief of it,and yet have no Power injit felf to bind the Church to the belief of it ? Again, when they fay the Scripture hath its Authority from the Church, I ask, How (hall I know there is a Church > for if I be one that own no fuch thing as the Scripture (which the Church is perfwading me to believe) withal I own no fuch Society as the Church, and how will they prove there is fuch a one, but by the Scripture ? for I who am fuppofed to ac-knowledg no Church, do acknowledg no Authority it hath, and (hall not take its own Word: And yet if I grant there be a Church, How (hall I know that fuch a company of men as pretend to be the Churchy are really fo > \ (hall not take their own Teftimony, I am not fatisfied in their being witneffes to tbemfelves: And if they will prove themfelves to be the Church by the Scripture, then either the Scripture muft have)

Autho-

Authority <# fa >»£ before the Church, or elfe they prove one obfeure thing by another. If they fay there be certain ftgns and marks of the Church inherent in it, by which it may be known : Alas I know not thofe marks but by the Scripture which defcribes the ^Church. If they fay the Spirit witneileth by thofe marks that this is the Church,why may not I lay the fame of the Scripture, and fo that be known without the Teftimony of the Church to be the Word of God, as well as the Church to be the Church of God ? And yet after all this, granting this Society of Men to r^e the Church, yet How mall I know that this Church is Infallible > and if I know it not to be fo, I am not fo mad as to build my Faith upon its Authority. If they fay becaule it is governed by the Holy Ghoft; How (hall I know that ? for it is not obvious to me that it is : If they fay becaufe Chrift hath promifed that it mould i I ask, where?Wherc can it be but in the Scripture ? fure then the Scripture muft be owned, and have its Authority as to me pi their proof is invalid, and they do but trifle inftead of arguing.

Before I proceed to another Argument, let us examine what is excepted againft this. To this Text, Epb, 2.20. It is replied by fome of the Papifts-

Excep. 1. c That by Foundation is not meant the Scripture written by v the Apoftles and Prophets, but their Preaching,

Anf. But, 1. If that were granted,it would not prejudice our Caufe > what they Writ and Preached is the fame Truth, and differs noteflen-tially, but only in'the way of Delivery, one being-delivered to their prefent Hearers vh a voce^ and the other by Writing tranfmiftcd like-wife to Pofterity. Aft. 26, 22. Witnejftng, both to fmaUand great, and ^faying no other things jh an what the Prophets and Mofes did fay fhould come. So Att. 17. •

2. The Preaching of the Apoftles and Prophets did Lift but a while, whereas Paul fpeaks of the laftfag, perpetual Foundation of the Church.

3. If he fpeaks only of the Preaching of the Apoftles and Prophets, How comes he to joyn thefe two together ? for the Prophets were long flncedead, and their Preaching (if that only were the Foundation of the Church) could be the Foundation of that Church only, which lived with them, and heard them.

Excep, ' He meant therefore,fay fome to£ our Ad verfaries,the New-Te-'ftament Prophets,which Preached at the fame time with the Apoftles.

Anf. But that is not fo ealily proved.as faid,fbr though fuch Prophets are mentioned in fome places of the New-left amenta it doth not follow, That they muft needs be underftood here ^ for Why doth the Apoftle mention them only,-and not Evangeltiis too. nay Paftors and Teachers likewife, whom iie joyns altogether. Epb, 4. and who did at the fame time Preach the fame Truth which the Apoftles did? Befides that, we find by the Dodrine of the Prophets mentioned in the New-

leftament,

Te\\ament, the Truth Preached and Written by the Prophets under the Old c< inmonly underfiood. So Pet. 2. 1. 19. A mwe Jure Word of Prophecy. Hek ?. i.God jpaketo the Fathers- by the Prophets. So alfo, Rom. 1.2. and Lukg 1.70. The Apoltlcs under the New Te\\armrit, were the Chief that Taught, though Nerv-Te(lament Prophets, as likewife Evangelifts, Pallors, and Teachers did Preach the fame Doctrine '■> as formerly under the Old-Teftament, the Prophets that then lived were the Chief, though others befides, as the Levites, Chron. 2. 30. 22. did leach the good hyorvkdg of the Lord, '

Exccp. y But, fay they again, the Epbefians were not built upon Pauls c Writings, which were not then extant, but on his Preaching j and c therefore thefe other kind of Prophets rnuft be underftood,on whole 'Preaching (together with the ApoftksJ they were Built.

Anf. The Preaching the Truth or Writing it makes no difference, but ftill it is the fame Truth, which is the foundation of the Church, whether it be Written or Preached. And though the Ephefians were built on the W r ord as Preached by Paul, yet What hinders, but they might likewife be Built on the Word, as Written by former Prophets, whom though they could not now hear, yet they might Read > And Paul himfelf proves what he Preached by what the Prophets had Writ, that fo both the Word Preached and Written might be propounded to the Ephefians as one and the fame Foundation of their.Faith.

Excep. 2. c They fay, That by the Church in this Place is underfiood, c not the Paftors, but the People, becaufe the Paftors were they that c Preached :> and therefore if they were meant, it would follow, that 1 they (hould be Built upon Themfelves.

Anf. 1.It is molt abfurd to fay, That the Paftors and Doctors of the* Church are not Built upon the Doctrine of the Apoftles and Prophets,,. . Who ever heard of one Foundation for the Faith of the Teachers, 6c another for the Faith of the People > It feems then, by their own Confeili-on, the Pope and his Clergy are not Built upon the Foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets, and if they have not this Foundation, I am fure they have no better. The Faith of Paftors and People is the fame * and why is not the Foundation the fame too ? Are they lit to Build up Others in the Faith of the Scriptures, who are not.Themfelves Built upon the Scriptures > And it is idle to fay, they are Built on the Holy Spirit: for will they feparate the Spirit from the Scripture ? What doth the Spirit Teach but out of, and according to the Scripture? to be Led by the Spirit, and yet Built on the Scriptures, are very well con* tiftent.

Arg.2.\t is not abfurd to fay,That the Teachers of the Church are Built on the Doctrine they Teach, though Not as they Teach it.yet as They have . before Hcelved& believed it: Indeed ihey ought to -offer nothing to Others as the Foundation of their Faith, but what is the Foundation of their Own :nor te hazard the Souls of their Hearers upon any work Bottom,

than

than they would venture their own Souls. And it doth not follow,from hence,That they are taught by themfelves, or are a Foundation to themfelves, but only that the Do&rine they have themfelves Believed and are Built upon, they deliver it to Others, that they too may believe it and be Built upon it.

Arg. 2. The Doctrine delivered in the Scripture doth not, as to our receiving it, depend upon the Church, and therefore neither doth the Scripture it felf: the Do&rine of the Scripture, and the Scripture it felf, are really the fame, and differ but in an accident of being Written, or not Written. The fame Doctrines we have in the Scripture were pub-lifhed, and known before they were written, and they did not then depend upon the Authority of the Church, and why Should they now ? Doth the Writing of them make them of lefs Authority, or lefs credible, or lefs able to convince Mens minds than they formerly were > Upon the Authority of what Church did Adam^ Setb, Enoch^ Abraham^ &c. receive the Word of God, when it was yet unwritten ? What Council was there, what Pope to perfwade them of it ? And how come the fame Truths to have lefs Power and Efficacy to perfwade us, than them ? Will our Adverfaries fay the Patriarchs received the Word immediately from God himfelf ? True : fome of them did*, but what is that to the Church, and her Authority ? Or will they fay, thofe Patriarchs from whom others received the Word were Infallible? They will hardly be able to prove it. How came Abraham to perfwade his Wife to tell a lie, and expofe her Chaftity thereby for the faving of his Life, if he were Infallible? And how came other Patriarchs to allow Poly-Becan. Man. gamy if they were Infallible? And do not the Papifts themfelves tell C©ntrov. l.i! us that the Church of the Jews was not Infallible, and that Infallibility «• 3» is the peculiar Priviledg of the Gofpel-Church, the Promife of it being

made only to that ? And to come down lower, Mofes received many Things of the Lord, which were immediately received by the People, as the Law of the Pafsover, Exod. 12. and 24. 3. where the People prefently anfwer, That AH the words which the Lord had laid, they would da. Did the People themfelves (the Church in the Wildernefs^ A8.j.-i2.) give Authority to thefe Laws, or did the Council of the Elders do it ? We find nothing of their being convened together upon any fuch account, as to confider whether Gods Laws-mould be received or not: Or did they receive them on the Authority of any other Church ? If fo, which v as it^ where was it ? Or laftly, was Mfes an Old-left anient Pope, and the Virtual Church of Ifrael} Then by like that Church was Infallible as well astheGolpel, contrary to their own Dodtrine. That Mofes was infallibly Infpired in all that he commanded the People from Gcd, is fure > but that ever he preffed them to receive the Word of God on his own Authority, or any but Gods, can never be proved. If they fay that the People received the Word on the .account of the Miracles wrought by Mofes^ that is more to our purpofe

than

Serm. X. Concerning the Authority of the Scripture* 325

than theirs. And what (hall we fay of the Law written in Mens hearts?, on whofe Authority is that received ? it is the fame for fubftance with the Law written in thelVord , and muft there be the Teftirnony of tl Church to affure men that even this Law too is of God ? Or, if it b-. knowledged for its own light and power whereby it manifests it felt to be of God, Why may not the Law written in the Word be fo acknowledged too? But come we further down h O* whofe Authority were the Sermons of the Prophets, after Mofes\ time received ? When they fpoke to the People in the Name of the Lord, did they ever cite the Te/Hmony of the Church to vouch what they faid to be indeed from the Lord ? Or, did they ever feek the fufTrages of the high Priefts, and Governours of the Church to eftablifh their Doctrine as Divined their ordinary {tile is, Thut faith the Lord, not thus faith the Church '■> or the Church fays, That the Lord faith thus. Laftly, if we defeend to the Times of the New Teftament,we (hall rind the fame th^re : When our Saviour Chrift himfelf preached, what he (poke was as much the Word of God when he fpake it, as now that it is written h but neither did he refer himfeJf as to the Divinity of his Dodhine, to the Authority of the Church > nor did any believe it on that account. He did not refer it to the Church,for he did not receive Teftirnony from men, Joh* 5.34. No not from John Baptijl himfc]^ though of no fmall Authority in the Jetvijh Church, and generally taken to be a Prophet. Though Jobn^zs his duty was, did bear witnefs to Chrift, and point to him, Joh.i. This is the Lamb of God r &c, yet Chrift had no need of this Teftirnony, to make himfelf be received as the Mejfiab, or what he preached as the Word of God, as if the one or the other could not have been received without it: He therefore tells the Jews, Job. 5.36. That he had greater witnefs than that of Jobn \ firft his Wor^s, then his Father himfelf ver.37.-then the Written Word, ver. 3 p. Search the Scriptures, &c. they are they that tejlifie of me. All this while here is not one tittle of the Church, and its Teftirnony ••> and if that be the only means whereby men can be allured of the Divinenefs of the Word,How comes Chrift to overlook it ? And that they who believed Chrifts Do&rine did not believe it on the Authority of the Church is cleari for the Church of the Jews was generally corrupt, erred in many things, and therefore was unfits and it was, cfpecially as to its Guides and Officers, generally againft Chrift, and therefore unwilling to give Teftirnony to him •, it neither own'd him, nor his Doctrine h fo that they who received and believed Chrifts Preaching did it on fome other account than the Teftirnony of the then-pre-fent Church. If the Papifts (hall fay, they received his Dodtrine on the account of Chrifts own Divine Authority, I would.enauire How they came to know he had any fuch Authority? for that Ch ift was the Met fi-ah, and confequently had this Divine Authority, yvere fome of the Truths he preached. If they fay, That Chrifts Do&rine was received cither upon the account of his Miracles, or of its agreement with the

U U Scrip-

Scripture of the Old Teftamenf, they fay more for us than for them-felves, and either way defert their caufe. And ii' we look to the Apo-ftles that followed Chrift, and preached the fame Doctrine, we (hall fee that it was not received on the account of the Church, no more than commanded to the hearers thereon: Acl.2. upon Peters Preaching,three thoufand believed, they gladly received the word, ver. 41. they did not it feems, expect the Teftimony of the Church to tell them, Whether it . were the Word or not. ^#.4.4. we read of either five thoufand more, or fo many as made up the whole hvc thoufand. And A3. 3. the Samaritans receive the Gofpel on Philips Preaching, and afterward the Eunuch *, and (to pafs by others) the Ber£ans, and Jhejfalonians receive the Word, Atl.17. Of the former it is faid, v. it. That they received the Word with all readinefs of mind, and daily fearched the Scriptures, &c* Of the latter Paul teftifies, 1 Thejf. 2. 13. That they received the Word, not as the Word of Man, hut as it is indeed the Word of Gad, All this while here is no Church interpofing its Authority, or afferting the Divinenefs of what Peter or Philip, or Paul preached. On what account then did thefe People believe the Word preached by the Apoftles > On the Authority of the Church fay the Papifxs: But what Church? tc Why fays "a great one among them, fpeaking of the Ibeffalonians, the voice of Map e . tc j, m \ jpjs the voice of the Cburcb,when he preached to the 1heffalonians y

"and fo they in receiving the Word on Pauls Authority received it on ^ the Authority of the Church : Say the fame of Peter and Philip. Paul it feems then was the Church, or elfe how could Pauls Preaching be the voice of the Church ? What kind of Church then was Paul? was he the Church Virtual, was he a Pope, and was Peter and Philip, and the reft of the Apoftles and Evangelifts fo too ? A blefTed Church fiare that had fo naany Popes, or rather a miferable one, that either had no vifible Head, or had fo many. If they fay, Pauls voice was the voice of the Church,becaufe he was an Officer of it, by whom the Church publifhed the Doctrine (he believed and was to propagate : Paul was indeed an Officer of the Church, but yet made fo by Jefus Chrift himfelf, not an Apoftle of men, nor by man^ Gal. r. 1. And the Doctrine he preached was no c-therwife the Doctrine of the Church, than as it was the fame which the Church believed, but never taught it him *, for he received it not of men, neither was taught />, but by the Revelation of Jefus Chrift^ ver. 12. and therefore they might more reafonably have laid, That the voice of Paul was the voice of Chrift , the Word he preached being more properly the Word of Chrift who was the Author of it, than the Word of the Church who only received it of Chrift. But what will become of this fine invention of our Jefuit, if the Iheffalonians did not receive the Word on the Authority of Paul himfelf, whether in his fin-gle or reprefentative Capacity, (or call it as you pleafe; ? and fure they did not: For then his Authority muft be own'd,e're on the account of that his Preaching could be believed > but both Paul and his Authority

(what-

(whatever it were) was unknown to the Tbeffalonians when he firft preached among them, and therefore could not induce them to believe what he taught. The fame we may fay of the other Apoftles in their firft planting the Gofpcl, when they came to the Gentiles > they were unknown till they made themfelvesand their Authority known by their Preaching : And when they came to the Jews where they were known, yet they were not trufted, nor their Apoftolical Authority acknowledged, and Co it could prevail neither with the one, nor with the other till their Doctrine was firft believed.

Arg. 3. The Scripture hath its Authority in relation to us before the Church pafs its judgment concerning it, and therefore it bath not that Authority from the Church. This will appear;

1. By the Conceffion of the Papifts themfelves, who acknowledg, That the Church only declares the Scripture to be Authentick, but doth not make it foi fure then it was Authentick in it felf before that Declaration of the Church, which is only a pronouncing that to be, which was before. And if it be in it felf Authentick it is (6 to us too, that is, it hath in it felf a power of binding us to the belief of it, fo foon as we come to hear of it, whether the Church hath declared its authenticknefs or not.

2. If the Scripture hath not its Authority as to us before the Judgment of the Church, then either it mull be a private or publick Judgment of the Church which gives it that Authority: a private one it cannot be •> for when we fpeak of the Authority of the-Scripture as to us, it is underftood of all Chriftians every-where, and it is not fit that a private Judgment of the Church, or (which is the fame) the Judgment of a private Church mould give Laws to all the reft: Nor can it be the publick Teftimony, or that of the Catholick Church, for none fuch can be produced by the Papifts, from whence the Scripture hath its Authority j let them if they can (hew us the firft General Council that ever declared the Scripture to be the Word of God. The Council of Jerxfa-lem, Ail. 15. if it were a General one, is the firft we read of, and that toucheth not the Point in hand, doth not declare the Scripture to be Authentick, but takes it for granted. They that were there met cite the Scripture of the Old Teftament, and thereby own its Authority, but do not then firft eftablifh it^and Peter and the reft do the like in their Preaching, All. 2. 3. and dare the Papifts fay then, That the Old Teftament was not Authentick before this Council ? Had the Church hitherto no certain Canon,nor Authentick Scripture to be the Rule of its Faith ?

-After this Council we find no General one till that of Nice, and was the Church of God all this while too 5 for three hundred years, without the Canon of the Scripture ? To fay nothing that the Council of Nice it felf did never define which it was, but acknowledged it as already received.

3. If a Council meets to declare the Divine Authority tjf the Scrip-

U u 2 ture,

ture, we would know by what Authority it meets? If the fevera] Payors of the Church come together on the Authority and by the command of the Scripture it felf, then it hath its Authority before they meet, elfe it could not make it their duty fo to do : If by fome Revelation or impulfe of the Spirit without the Scripture, what kind of Spirit is that which acls in feparation from the Scripture f And if the Papifts will affirm this, let them no more call themfelves good Catholic^ but even the tvorft of_ Fanitickf.

Arg.\. The Authority of the Church is not more certain or clear as to «*,rhan that of the Scripture,and therefore the Scripture cannot have its Authority from it. That which proves another thing muft it felf be more clear and better known : But that the Authority of the Church is not better known to us than that of the Scripture will fopn appear •, for whatever Authority the Church hath, flie muft prove it either from her felf, or from fomething elfe : If from any thing elfe, it muft either be from the Teftimony of thofe that are out of the Church,but they know not the Church, nor any Authority it hath j or from the Scripture, but then the Authority of the Scripture muft be more known than that of the Church j or from the Spirit, but how will they make it out that they have the Teftimony of the Spirit for them, otherwife than by the Scripture, in and by which he is wont to bear witnefs ? If they fay the Spirit witnefTeth to the Authority of the Church inwardly , fo as to per-fwade the minds of Diftenters that the Church is the Church of God \ thisismeerly beg'd, and not proved, and yet will not fatisrle neither, for we ask not What is the Efficient Caufe of mens believing the Authority of the Church, but What is the Argument whereon that belief is grounded, and whereby the Church perfwades Men of its own Authority ? Or elfe on the other tide, if the Church prove its Authority from it felf, then the fame thing (hall be .proved by it felf: But yet I ask, What Judgment of the Church is it, whereby its Authority is proved ? They fay both the Teftimony of the Ancient, and of the Pre-fent Church. But how can the Teftimony of the Ancient Church be ,known, but by the Writings of thofe that formerly lived, The Books of Fathers, and Decrees of Councils? But.we would know how %ve ill all have greater affurance that thofe Books were written by thofe Fathers whofe Names they bear, and thofe Decrees made by thofe • Councils to which they are afcribed, than that the Scripture is the Word of God ? How came we to be more certain that Cyprian*spr Ah-fiin's Works were Writ by them, than that the four Gofpels were Written by the four Evahge1ifts,or Vanls Epiftles by him ? And if the Present Church prove its. Authority by.the Ancient Church, it muft prove it but to very few j for they are but few that ever faw, and yet fewer . that.ever read the Writings of the Ancients, and many perhaps have •never heard of them. And belides, the Ancient Church was fometime the Prcfcnt Church, and when it was fo, from whence might it prove

its

its Authority > From fome more Ancient no doubt, according to our Adverfaries difcourfe, it muft be, gut from whence did the ntft Church prove its Authority (for we muft come to a rirft) when there was none before it to prove it by ? Laftly, the Authority of the Pre-fent Church cannot be proved by the Teftimony of the Prcfent Church : For then it muft be either by a part of it, but that cannot be* for a part of the Prefent Church is inferior to the whole of it, and he that queftions-the Authority of the whole, will no lefs queftion that of a part > Or elfe, by the whole Churcb, and then the Authority of the whole Church muft be proved by the Authority of the whole Church , we muft believe She is the Church, becaufe She fays She is the Church.

Arg. 5. If we are to believe the Divinity of the Scripture, meerly on the Churches Authority, then that Faith can be but ah humane Faith, becaufe founded on no better than the Authority of Men : our Faith can be no better than its Foundation \ a Divine Faith cannot be built upon humane Teftimony ; but the Papifts themfelves are afhamed to own a thing fo grofly abfurd, as that the Faith whereby we believe one main Article of Religion,the Divinenefs of the Scripture, fhould be

but an humane Faith. deilam\ E<>

Excep. To this therefore they fay, That the Faith whereby we beque n S non " lievethe Scripture to be the Word of God is a Divine Faith, and built aliterloquitur, on the Teftimony of God, and that Teftimony is no other than the quam ft imme-Teftimony of the Church. We eafily reply, diate P^ r vi . fl "

Anf. 1. That the Churches Teftimony is no otherwife the Teftimo-™?wovh™Z ny of God, than as it agrees with the Word of God •, and when it doth fupematuraft fb we are to believe what the Church fays, not merely becaufe the modo rcve-Church fays it, but becaufe God fays it: And if the Church holds Iandi > nobis forth to me any Divine Truth,and Ifyield my alTent to it,merely becaufe.^"^ etur ' the Church declares it to me> though what I believe be a Divine Truth, yet the Faith with which I receive it will be but an humane Faith •, the Truth is of God, but my Faith is in Man\ Whereas if I believe any Truth becaufe God fpeaks it, though not by the Church nor any Officer of it, but fome private Perfon, yet my Faith is a Divine Faith, and the Teftimony of a private perfon (peaking what the Scripture fpeaks, is as really the voke of God as the Teftimony of the Church.

2. Someofthemoft ^earned of the Papifts themfelves make a great difference between the Teftimony of God, and of the Church s the former they grant to be altogether Divine, the latter modo qitoda'm^ after a fort Diviae 5. the former they reckon to be the primary Foundation otBeUarm: Faith," the latter but the fecondary 1 nay fome of them acknowledg that Eecan ' a P u ^ Faith which refts only on the Authority of the Church, not to be Di- jjlj/'i^?*" < vine v and fome the Churches Teftimony to he but the conditio fine <7»acanwl. 2. c,8; »o», the condition without which we cannot believe the Divinity of the Scriptures, which fure they would fcarce do if they thought the Teftimony of the Church, to be. the Teftimony of God ; And if the Teftk

mony

g$$ 'Concerning the Authority of tie Scripture. Serm. X.

mony of the Church be but in fitne fort a Divine Teftimony, the Faith ■which is built upon it can be bul \x\fome fort a Divine Faith : and if the Teftimony of the Church be but the ficoudary Foundation of Faith, How comes it to be (according to Stapkton) the Teftimony of God him-lelf, which fure they will allow to be the primary Foundation of Faith ? 3. Before they can evince the Teftimony of the Church to be the Teftimony of God, they muft firft prove the Church to beabfolutely Infallible, and fee they agree among themfelves about k, left we be ftil! at a lofs how to know what is that Church whofe Teftimony isthevoyce of God himfelf.

And 4. If I do but deny the Teftimony of the Church to be the Teftimony of God (as we doj how will they prove it ? By the Teftimony of the Church •, I (hall not take its word. Or will they fay it hath fuch Notes of its being the Voice of God in it, as thereby to manifeft it (elf to be his Voice ? They will get nothing by that, for I am ready to fay the fame of the Scripture. Or, Laftly, Will they prove it by the Scripture ? Then they plainly give away their Caufe, and own the Authority of the Scripture to be before the Teftimony of the Church.

Arg. 6. If we muft believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, only becaufe the Church determines it to be fo, then we muft believe all things in it to be of God for the fame reafon only : That Chriftcamc 1 Tim. 1. i$* into the world to five finners, that whoever believetb in him, jhall haveE-John 3. 16. verlading Life, &c. and all the Promifes of the Golpel muft be believed to be made to us by God, only becaufe the Church tells us they were, and the Truth of them, as to us, depends meerly on the Churches Authority, and fo all the comfort of our hearts, and the hopes we have of Heaven muft be primarily derived from the Authority of the Church, and ultimately refolved into it : What a cafe had we been in if it had not pleafed the Church to receive thefe Promifes into the Canon ? and SeethePapifts if the Papifts fay true, (he might not have received them j for ( as we Objections. (hall fee by and by ) it depends wholly upon the Church what Books (hall be Canonical, and what not, and by the fame reafon what parts of thofe Books h and confequently, whether all the Promifes of the Gofpel (hall be Canonical or not -■> and fo we ow all our Hope to the Churches Charity, and muft count her a good-natur'd Mother for not cutting off thefe Breads of Conjolaiion, but leaving fomething for her poor Children to hang upon, to keep them from perilhing. Belike it is the Churches favour that all the World is not damned. I am fure the belt Promifes in the Scripture, if .the Popith Doctrine take place, can afford but cold comfort. For if I be asked, What ground I have for my Hopes of Salvation ? I anfwer the Promifes of God. If I be asked again, Are thefe Promifes true > I anfwer, Yes. But how doth that appear ? Why, becaufe God made them. But how do I know God made them ? Well enough i for the Church fays he did. Here the Authority of the Church is the firft Foundation of all[my Hopes; And poor ones, €k>d knows,

they

/

_

they are, if no better grounded, and little comfort I am like (o have in them. It is to little purpofe to tell me, the Teftimony of the Church is not meerly Humane ■> for is it meerly Divine! If it be not, it cannot found a Faith which is meerly Divine: And when my Soul, and the everlafting Salvation of it, lies at (take, I think I am concerned to fee that my Faith and Hopes have a fure Foundation > and that I am fare none can be which is not meerly Divine.

Arg. 7. If the Teftimony of the Church is necefTary, and the only furficient Reafon of our believing the Divinenefs of the Scripture, then it will certainly follow, that no man who is out of the Church, can be called into the Church by the Scripture \ Which is pretty ftrange Doctrine, and yet I fee not how poftibly the Papifts can evade it * - for they that are called into the Church by the Scripture are perfwaded by the Scripture, and convinced by it that it is their duty to joyn themfelves p 1 ^^ 131 ?' to the Church : But this can never be if the Scripture be of no Autho- Gan ^ * ^ rity with them} whatever convinceth or perfwades a man muft certainly have fome Authority with him > and if therefore the Church perfwades men by the Scripture, that Scripure muft needs be received, and ownM ere they be joined to the Church; the Scripture being the very Reafon and Argument whereby they are perfwaded. The<2oncJufion will not be yielded to if the Medium from whence it is infer'd be not rirft gran-teds and in this cafe the Scripture is the Medium the Church makes ufe of in perfwading men to embrace her Society. .Thus it was in the beginning of the Gofpel-Church, Afts 2. Peter difproves the conceit fome of the Jtfrf had of him, and the reft of the Apoftles, that they were full of new Wine, by the Teftimony of Scripture, Joel 2. 28. Prophe-cying concerning the pouring out of the Holy Ghoft in the latter days. Then he proves the Refurrection of Chrift, by Pful. 16. %..&c. And his Afcenfion into Heaven, by Pjal. no. 1. And his being the Chrift promifed to David to be of the fruit of his Loins, by Pfah 132. n. And hereupon follows the bringing into the Church three thoufand of the Hearers, who When they heard thefe things, were pricked in their hearts, A&. 2.32. And foch. 3. How often doth Peter cut the Prophets, particularly, Mojes v. 22. > And Philip thusPreacheth to the Eunuch out of the Prophet Ifaiah, ch.%. And Peter again to Cornelius out of the Prophets, ch. 10.43. And Paul Aft. 13. where we find fome both Jews and Gentiles wrought on by his Preacbing,and brought into the Church. And was it the Authority of thefe Apoftles, that is, in the Papifts ftile, the Church, that perfwaded thus many > Alas, they that heard them did not once dream of their being the Church, and therefore did not believe on that account.

Arg;. 8. No Law receives its Authority of binding Men to fubje-dionto it, from thofe that are merely fubje& to it, and did not make-it v therefore the Scripture hath not its Authority from the Church, which is merely fubjed* to it as a-Law, and is not the Author of it,

The.

The whole Church is To, and not only Paftors but People i and if the Pope himfelf be not under the Scripture, as the Law by which he is to be ruled, well may he pafs for © avow, that wicked, or lawlefiOnt ipoken of 2 l^heffl 2. 8. True indeed, a Law may be made known by an Herald that proclaims it, but Who can fay it receives its Authority of binding the Subjects from, him, when he himfelf is one of them and as much bound to it, as any elffr? Allow the Church to be the Herald which Proclaims and Publifheth this Law, Muft She therefore give Authority to it } Put cafe, a Subject hear of a Law though not by an Herald, Is he not bound to fubmit to it, becaufe he did not hear it proclaimed ? Suppofe a Man come to the knowledg of the Scripture, lome other way than by the MinHlery of the Church, in the Popifh fence that is, the Paftors of it, as it is ftoried the Indians, and the Iberians did by the help of private Perfons, Is he not bound to fubmit to it ? Muft he fufpend his Belief till he have the Teftimony of the Church to at-* fure him that the Scripture is of God ?

"If it be faid, that a Law doth not bind till it be promulged, and "the promulgation of it is the Churches buimefs. I Anfwer \ God hath published his Law fufficiently in the Scripture,and to it all muft be fubjecl: to whom the Scripture comes, whether the Church further tells them that it is the Word of God or not> as in the cafe mentioned it was received and fubmitted to. I wonder how the Church was the Herald that proclaimed the Law of God to the Iberians, when they received it from a poor captive Woman. Stapleton ( before ) tells us, That when Paul preached to the Tbejfalonians his voice was the vo^|e of the Church 5 And I pray was this poor Woma is voice the voice of the Church too > By my confent let her even be the Church it felf, virtual^ infallible, a meer Pope Joan the fir ft. But further, if the Church pub-lifh this Law we fpeakof, and it doth not bind till publifhed by her, Upon what account did fhe her felf believe it when (he firft publimed it > ( Let the Queftion be concerning the Herald himfelf why he believes the Law which himfelf proclaims ? ) Doth the Church believe the Scripture to be che Word of God at all antecedently to her own pub-liuYing and propounding it to others, or not > Is her Faith wrought in her by the Teftimony fhe her felf gives to the Scripture, or by fome-thingbefore? Ifuppofe thePapifts will fcarce be fo mad' as to fay the former •> For what kind of Faith muft that be, wheii a man believes meerly upon his own Teftimony ? And how can the Church be the Church before (he believes > If they fay, theXhurches Faith in the Scripture was wrought in her before her own Teftimony concerning its Di-vinenefs, I would fain know what that is by which it is wrought ? If it be any thing in the Word it felf, or be the Teftimony of the Spirit, why may not I>or any man elfe believe the Scripture before the Church give in her Teftimony concerning it, upon the fame account that fhe her felf doth ? But if fhe believe the Divinity of the Scripture upon the Teftimony

mony of the former Church, I would know again, What better afTu-rance (he hath of the Teitimony of the former Church,than of the Scripture it felf, feeing (he can know it only out of the Writings of the Ancients? and whoever questions the Authority of the Scripture, may upon much better grounds queftion the Writings of Fathers, and Decrees cf Councils, as was faid before.

Arg. £>. They that believe not the Scripture to be the Word of God, when propounded to them as fuch, though they have not the Teftimo-ny of the Church to confirm them in it, yet Sin in their not believing it, and are therefore bound to believe it, antecedently to the Church's Teftimony (for if they were not bound to believe it, they (hould not Sin in disbelieving it) and confequcntly the Scripture hath its Authority in it fclf, and before the Teftimony of the Church-, and therefore not from it. That Men Sin in not believing the Scripture even without the Churches Teftimony, is proved from AU. 13. 46, 51, where Paul fhakes orTthe Duft of his Feet againft the Unbelieving Jews, and tells them they Judg themfelves unworthy of Eternal Life* See Aft. 28. 24. &c. where he declares their actual Unbelief to be the efTcdt.of their hard-heartednefs, which though it might be judicialthey being left of God to themfelves and their own Lufts, yet withal it was finful too, and contracted by themfelves. And will any Man fay, That thefe Jews in refullng the Gofpel did not Sin ? I fuppofe the Papifts themfelves fcarce will.. If they fay, as formerly, That Pauls Teftimony was the Teftimony of the Church •> I anfwer, Thofe Jews own'd no fuch thing as a Gofpel-Church, nor any Authority it had to bind them to the Belief of the Gofpel} and confequently could not own Paul as an Officer of that Church, his Apoftlefhip being merely a Gofpel-Office, which Man could not fubmit to who did not firft receive the Gofpel by which he was conftituted an Apoftle. If they fay, they might know him to be an Apoftle by the Miracles he wrought *, I anfwer again, That Aft. 13. when he Preached at Antiocb in Pifidia^ we have no mention of any Miracle he there wrought, yet fome both Jews and Gentiles believed, v. 42, 43. And therefore they neither received himfelf nor his Preach- . ing upon the account of his Miracles, nor could Miracles make it the Duty of the unbelieving Jews to fubmit to Paul as an Officer of the Gofpel-Church when no Miracle was wrought by him. If it be faid that he was known by the fame of his Miracles elfe where wrought which gave credit to him ; Then it will follow, that Paul was to be believed for his Miracles fake, as well as the Gofpel for his fake •, and thence again, That the Gofpel was not to be believed merely for Pauls own Autherity, but principally for his Miracles, it being for their fake that he himfelf was owned as having any Authority* and if fo, Either Pauls Authority was not the Authority of the Church, or the Authoiity of P*hI as the Church was not Supream, for that of his Miracles was a-bove it: That which procured credit to him was of greater Authority

X x than

than himfelf. Upon the whole it feems by this reply of the Papifts that' Miracles were the great ihing which procured credit to Pauls Preach-ing^and if they did, the Authority of the Church did not,unlefs,as before they made Faul and the Church the fame, fo here they will make Miracles and the Church the fame.

Arg. 10 It cannot be certainly known by the Teftimony of the Church, that the Scripture is the Word of God, and therefore it hath not, as to hs> its Authority from the Church. If it may be certainly known that the Scripture is the Word of God, by the Teilimony of the Church, then, Either it mult be by the Teftimony of the Universality of Eclievers, or of the Paftors > not the former, for fbefide that the Pa-pifis themfelves exclude them, and fay that the Scripture is to have Authority with them, but not from themj Either we (peak of the Multi-Vid. Thef.Sal- tude of Believers feparately and disjunctively, and fo they cannot give mur. credit to the Scripture,when they are all of them fallible and liable to Er-

ror : Or elfe all together and in conjun&iombut fo like wife they cannot certihe us of the Divinenefs of the Scripture, becaufe they never did, never will meet together to do it *, and we may ftay long enough ere we believe the Divinity of the Scripture, if we tarry till all the Believers in the World meet together to give in their Verdid concerning it. If we fpeak of the Church merely in the Pcpifh fence, for the Paftors of ity there will be as much uncertainty as in the other h for either we muft confider them feparately too,orin conjunction; if feparately, they are all liable to Error, and according to the Papiits themfelves they do all believe the Scripture on the Authority of the Church, and therefore cannot give Authority to it j if we confider them all together, when did^ox when will the Paftors of all the Churches in the WorM meet together to give their joynt Teftimony to the Scripture? And if they (hould, Why are we bound to believe them > They were not infallible fingly, nor can they be any more fo conjunctly, if all the fcveral parts of the integral, the Church, be liable to Error or Corruption, Why is not the whole ? But fuppofe the Paftors meet by their Delegates in a General Council, Will that mend the Matter ? Not at all that I fee j for it is not yet determined by the Papifts themfelves, where the Supream Authority, which {hould give Teftimony to the Scripture^ doth refide, whether in Pope, Council, or both •■> and fo we are left at uncertainties, and know not to whom to go, whofe word to take, but muft fufpend our belief of the Divinenefs of the Scripture, till it be a-greed upon among our Adverfaries, whofe Authority is indeed Supream and to be relied upon. Yet put cafe a General Council be the chief which gives Teftimony to the Scripture > How fhall we know that this Council hath not ErrM in determining the Scripture to be the Word of God ? Shall we know it by the Scripture J It is fuppofed we doubt concerning that, and fo its Teftimony is not valid •> Or by the Teftimony of the Church > Why, this Council is the Church it felf 5

which

which determines in its own Cafe, and fo we muft believe this Council hath not Err'd, becaufe it fays it hath not Err'd. If the Pope be the Church virtual, and we muft receive the Scripture on his credit, the fame Objection will be againft him, for How (hall we know he doth not Err ? By the Scripture ? But it is yet in Queftion 5 Or by theTefti-mony of the Church ? The Pope himfelf is this Church, and then we muft believe he hath not Erred, only becaufe he faith he hath not Erred. Laftly, Let Pope and Council both together be this Church, How fnalj we know they both together do not Err? Not by the ScriptureJ*for that is not yet own'd; n^r by the Teftimony of the Church, for Pope and Council together are this Church, and their Teftimony concerning themfelves is not to be received. And to conclude, How (hall we know that Pope and Council are the Church ? Not becaufe they themfelves fay fo, nor becaufe the Scripture doth, for that is not yet believed •, not by the Teftimony of the Spirit, for Why (hall that bear witnefs any more to the Church, that it is the Church, than to the Scripture, that it is the Word of God ? Nor yet by Notes or Marks inherent in the Church, for, Why may not the fame be allowed to the Scripture ? And how (hall we know thefe marks to be true, but by the Scripture, by which alone we can judg of the nature, and properties of the Church? And yet ftill it is fuppofed that the Scripture is not believed.

4-This may fuftice to (hew the abfurdity of the Popi(h Doclrine,!et us in the next place fee whit grounds they have for it, and how they -op-pofe the Truth : I (hall only fpeak to the chief of their Arguments, and reduce them to as few Heads as well as I can* any that would fee them more largely handled, may confult feveral of our Proteftant Divines, who fpeak more fully to this Point, than the (hortnefs of a Sermon will permit.

Oh). cc Either (fay they) the Authority of the Scripture muft be known by the Church, or by the Scripture it felf, or by the Teftimony of the Spirit", but it cannot be known either of the two latter waysjand therefore can only the firft. Firft, That it cannot be known by the Scripture it felf, they prove, becaufe neither the whole Scripture can be 1 proved by the whole, nor one part of it by another. For if a man x deny the whole Scripture it will be in vain to attempt the proof of c one part by another,when fuch a one doth no more receive the Authority of one part than of another : And the whole cannot be proved by the whole } for then the fame thing (hould be proved by it felf > and whereas that which is brought to prove another thing (hould it felf be more clear than that which it is to prove, in this cafe one ob-c fcure thing (hould prove another i or rather an obfeure thing be 1 brought to prove it felf, tor the whole Scripture cannot be faid to be ' more clear,or" better known than it felf. Before I propound the other part of their proof, I (hall anfwer to this.

X x 2 Anf.

CC

it cc

cc

tc cc cc cc

s

\

Anf. The Divine Authority of the Scripture may be known by the Scripture it felf. For,i. The Authority of one part of it may be proved by another part to thofe that do not deny the whole. Some there have been, and (till may be, who have received fome part of the Scriptures, and not others* to fuch we may prove that part which they deny .by that which they all. The Sadducees acknowledged the Five Books of Mi?/?/, but not the Prophets s our Saviour Chrift therefore when he had to do with them, did not cite the Prophefie of Daniel to prove the Refurre-(ftion of the Dead,but Mofis Wiitings,M^. 22. But when hejealt with others of the Jews who received the whole Old Teftament, Tie proved what he fpake out of other parts of it, out of the Prophets themfelves*, ancf fo bids them more generally fcarch the Scripture. Why may not we do likewife ? We mall fee how the Old and New Teftament prove each, other, fo that we may argue with men that acknowledg the one,fo as by that they allow, to prove that which they deny.

1. The Old Teftament is proved by the New, Lu\. 24. 44. Chrift divides the whole Old Teftament into Mofesfbe Prophets and the Pfalms, and thereby declares them all to be Canonical '•> that was then the ufual way by which the Jews did divide the Old Teftament. And here in the Text, Abraham fends Dives's Brethren to Mofes and the Prophets, And Job. 1 o. 3 4,3 5. Chrift mentioning a place out of the Pfalms^ bears witnefsto the whole Old Teftament under the name of the Scripture, The Scripture cannot be broken. And we rind particular parts of the Old Teftament proved in the New, Mat. 5. Chrift confirms the Law of M?-fes as to its Divine Authority, when he explains it, belide other places in which he fpeaks of fome particular Laws, Mat. 12. 42. and Luk^ 4. 26. and efpecially Heb. 1 r. fheHiftorical part of the Scripture is con^ firmed> and how many Teftimonies have we out of the Pfalms and Prophets every where, which do the fame. The twelve leiTer Prophets are at once proved by Stevens alledging them, Att.j. 42. where the Teftimony cited is out of Am»s\ but Steven mentions the Bool^of the Prophets, i.e. That Volume of the fmaller Prophets which among the Jews was reckoned as one Book.

2, The New Teftament is confirmed by the Old. For how often doth Chrift and his Apoftles prove their Doctrine out of the Old Teftament ? when they quote the Old Teftament, it is a good proof of its Authority to any that own the New \ and when by thofe Quotations they prove their own Do&rinc, it is a good Argument for the proof of the New Teftament. to them that believe the Old, as the cafe was of the Jews at that time* a«d therefore our Saviour Chrift refers them to the Old Teftament, particularly Mofis, Job.*,. 45,46. for the proof of the great Doctrine he held forth to them, That be was- the Mejjtab that (hould come into the World. So Peter, A&.%. refers to Veut. 18. to prove what he was preaching, A Prophet, ft'3 jII the Lordyoptr God raife up to you, &*c. The fame we may fay of the Types of the Old Teftament, that they confirm

firm the New, in which we find them fulfilled, if any fay, We find no particular confirmation of Ezzra, Nebtmiab, and Eftber, in the New Teltament: I anfwer, They are confirmed by our Saviour Chriit in his general Divifion of the Old Teftament,according to the Jervifh account, into the Law, the Propbets^ and tbe PJalmf, under which thefe Books were contained ', the whole Volume of the Holograph* going under the name of the Pfabns.

2; But now,what if wc have to do with thofe that deny the whole Scripture,^admit no part of it, How (hall we convince them that it is the Word of God > I anfwer,

i. Not by the Church, be fure-, for if they have no reverence for any part of the Scripture, they will have as little for the Church,which hath no being as a Church, but from the Scripture , and therefore it will be a moft vain thing to attempt a proof of the Scripture^ither in part, or in the whole, by the Church, which is as unknown in the nature of a Church, to them that queltion the Scripture, as the Scripture it fclf is.

2. We would prove the whole Scripture by the whole, as well as one part of it by-another. For as the whole fyftcme of Gods Works in the Creation proves it felf to be of God, and to have him for its Author, Ffil. ig>. i,&c. by all thofe eminent i^gns and* erTeds of Gods Goodnefs, Power and Wifdom which are to be feen in the whole: So likewife doth the whole Scripture prove God to be the Author of it, by all thofe figns and evidences of his Wifdom, Goodnefs, Power and Holinefs which appear in the whole, and manifeft it to be of God. Nor doth it follow from hence, That if the whole Scripture prove it felf, it is, as the Papitts fay,more known than it felf. [imply and abfolutelyjhou&h i4 fome refpe&s, it certainly may be fo, as a man in one refpeci may be more known than himfelf in another : A man when he hath given fome eminent proofs of his Learning, is thereby more known than without them he is; fo the Scripture tooconfidered with all thofe Evidences of Gods Goodnefs, Wifdom, Holinefs, &c. which appear in it, is more known than it felf when thefe are not coniidered. How do we prove the Sun to be the Sun but by the glory of its light, which fo far excels the light of other Stars? and is not the Sun confidered with its light more known to us than considered in it felf? How do we come to the knowledg of the nature of things in the World, but by conddering their Properties, Qualities,ErTe&s, &c. which plainly declare what their nature is-, feeing fuch Properties, &c, could not be but where fuch a nature is ? So likewife here,there are thofe Properties in the Scripture, thofe Excellencies which could be from none but God, and therefore make it appear that that Writing which hath thofe Excellencies in it is of God. To fp:ak of thefe diiiindtly is not my prelent buiinefs, not ha? ving to do with them that deny the Scripture.

2. " We cannot (fey the Papilts again,) know the Scripture to be the

c Word of God, by the Teftknony of the Spirit*, for either it is by the

" publick Teftimony, which is that of tfre Church, and if this be gran-

"ted,

a ted, they have enough •, or its private Teftimony, but then (they fay) " it will follow ', i. That our Faith in the Scripture is Enthufiafm. xc 2. That if the private Teftimony of the Spirit be queftioned, it cannot cc be proved but by the Scripture •, and fo the Scripture being proved " by the Spirit, and the Spirit again by the Scripture, we (hall run in a cc round, which is no lawful way of arguing.

Anf. To this I anfwer h That we know the Scripture to be of God by the publick Teftimony of the Spirit, but I deny his publick Teftimony to be his witnefling by the Church > it is indeed his witnefimg by the Scripture it felf when he witnefTeth it to be of God, by thofe Excellencies of it which evidence it fo to bei and this he witnefTeth to all that have their eyes open to fee it, and in that refpedt it may be called pub-lick \ and when he witnefTeth the fame thing by the fame means, in the hearts of particular Believers, and fo applys his publick Teftimony to private Confciences, enlightning and cabling men to believe upon his publick Teftimony i you may if you pleafe call that his private Teftimony. This clearly cuts off all that the adverfaries object, and no fuch things will follow, as they pretend, upon what we maintain. We know no other privateJTeftimony of the Spirit, but this particular application of his publick one i> and then I am fure there is no danger of Enthufiafm. For that is properly Enthufiafm when God reveals any thing to mens minds immediately and la an extraordinary way, and without the intervention of the ufual means whereby he is wont to make himfelf known to men,as in former times he did to the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apoftles, (and the Enthufiafm both the Papifts and we find fault with is, when men pretend to this which yet they have not:) But when God makes known his Will in an ordinary way, by the ufe of inftruments,and means for the conveying of Spiritual knowledg to them, this is riot En-thufiafm 3 as when Faith comes by bearingJiom.io. And fo it is in the cafe before us i when the Spirit witnefTeth to the hearts of private Believers that the Scripture is the Word of God, he doth it in an ordinary way, working in them a Faith of the Scripture, by thofe Arguments of Divinity, which are la the Scripture it felf,and makes ufe of them, as means to induce them to believe. As the light and brightnefs of the Sun is the Medium whereby it is known to be the Sun \ fo that Divine light and power which is in the Word, is the very Medium and Argument, whereby the Spirit (enabling us to perceive it) perfwades us th3t that Word is the Word of God. And I would ask our Adverfaries, Can a private man believe the Divinity of the Scripture meerly on the Authority of the Church, without the Spirits witneiling it to him by that Authority > if they fay, Yes, then they muft acknowledg that Faith to be meerlv humane becaufe not wrought By God j if they fay, No,(as they muft if they be conftant to themfelves in holding that the Spirit witnefTeth by the Church), then when the Spirit witnefTeth to the Confcience of a private Believer by the Church, why is not that Enthufiafm too > for when he

wit-

witnefTeth to a private Confcience by this application of his publick Te-ftimony, here is as much a private Spirit, and a private TefUmony as any we fpeak of i the only difference is in the Medium the Spirit ufcth in this private work, which they fay is the TefUmony of the Church, and we fay, is the Scripture it fetf 5 both of us agree that it is the Spirits publick Teftimony,but they call one thing fo, and we another. If they fay, That yet this is not Enthufiafm, becaufe here is no immediate Revelation,but means are made ufe of j I fay the fame of the Spirits witneiling to the Divinity of the Scripture in the heart of a private Believer,by the Scripture it felf, or thofe notes of Divinity which are apparent in the Word •, • this is no more immediate than the other, nor any lefs by the intervea-tion of means.

And for the other Confequent they would infer from the private Te-" ftimony of the Spirit, that then we (hall run in a round, and prove c; the Scripture to be the Word of God by the Teftimony of the Spirit, " and prove the Spirit again by the Scripture. There is as little fear of this as of the other : For we bring not the private Teftimony of the v d ~ B Spirit in our Confciences (againft which only this Obje&ion is made),or contraTurnebL his applying his publick Teftimony to us in a way of illumination and Camer.de ver. conviction of our minds, as the Argument inducing us to believe •, but Dei & Tnrre* that we fay, is his publick Teftimony in the Word, when he witnefTeth p in * jfc CE " its Divinity to us by that Excellency, Light and Power which is in the Word it felf, and makes ufe of that to perfwade us to believe. The Spirit indeed is the Efficient, of our Faith, or the Agent which caufeth ns to believe, enlightning our minds, and drawing cur hearts to con-fent to the Truth •, "but the Evidences of Divinity we fee in the Scripture, through the Spirits enlightning us, is the reafon or motive of our believing \ they move us to believe ubfedively, but the Spirit effectively. So that here is no danger of a Circle in our Difcourfe, or proving idtm per idem i for if I be asked, How I know the Scripture to be the Word of God > This queftion may have a double fenfe s for either it is meant of the power and virtue, rvhereby I believe \ and then I anfwer, By the Power and Efficiency of the Spirit of God opening the eyes of my tin-demanding, and enabling me to believe \ or it is meant of the Medium or Argument made ufe of, and by which, at- a Motive^ I am drawn to believe *, and then I anfwer '•> Thofe impreffions of Divinity the Spirit hath left on the Word, and by which he witnefFeth it to be of God,, are the Argument or Motive perfwading me to believe.Now when they ask hovp I know the Spirit who witnefTeth in my Confcience to the Divinity of the Scripture to be the Spirit of God } the Queftion is plainly. by what Means or Argument I am perfwaded that it is the Spirit of God, and then I anfwer by fhofe^propertiesof the Spirit which the Scripture mentions. And fo the Queftion, Howl know the Scripture to be the. Word of God ? either is concerning the Efficient of my belief of the Scripture, or elfe it is not to the puipofe, (for I do not alledg the Efficiency

ciency or inward operating of the Spirit, as the motive of my Faith),and the latter is concerning the Objettjve caitfe, or Argument inducing me to believe the Spirit to be the Spirit of God. The miftake is this, They would faften upon us, that we make the Spirit in his inward work upon our hearts to be the motive to our Faith, whereas we only make it to be the Efficient of our Faith.

To conclude this Anfwer to their firft Argument: Let. us fee if it may not be retorted upon themfelves. If the Churches Teftimony give Authority to the Scripture (as Papifts fay) then if a Man deny the Authority of the Church, How will they prove it ? For neither one part of the Church can give credit to the other,when the whole is questioned, nor can the whole Church give credit to it Sc)^ for then the whole Church will be more known than it Self. Or, if we ask, How comes the Church to believe the Scripture ? Is it by its own Teftimony? but fure it muft believe it ere it can give Teftimony to it: Or is it by the Teftimony of the Spirit > If fo, is it by the Publick Teftimony of the Spirit ? That cannot be '•> for according to them, that is no other than the Teftimony of the Church it Self, the abfurdity of which hath been already (hewn. Or if it be the Private TefHmony of the Spirit, then they by their own arguing, will run into Enthufiafm, as well as We. And indeed they do plainly run into a Circle in their proving the Scripture by the Authority of the Church, and the Authority of the Church again by the Scripture * for with them the Authority of the Church is the Motive or Argument whereby they prove the Divine Authority of the Scripture, and that again is the Motive or Argument by which they prove the Authority of the Church. And fo both the Church and the Scripture are more known than each other^ and yet lefstooj more known becaufe they prove each other, and rets known becaufe they are proved by each other. Here they are themfelves in a nooz, but it is no'matter-, the Popes Omnipotency can eallly break it, or the Churches Authority make her Logick Canonical, .though all the Arijhtles in the World mould make it Apocryphal.

Ob'], 2. cc It is neceiTary for us in Religion to have the Canon of

c Scripture certain, but this we cannot have otherwife than by the

c Churchy becaufe its Authority is molt certain, and the only one which

c is fufficient to remove all doubts concerning the Divinenefs of the

" Scripture out of our minds;, both becaufe God fpeaks by the Church,

c and becaufe the Church beft knows the Scripture:Sheis Chrifts Bride,

<c and therefore beft knows the voice of the Bridegroom > (he hath the

" Spirit of Chrift, and therefore can beft judg of his Word, and the

"ftileofit.

Anf. We deny that the Canon of the Scripture cannot be known but by theChurch,and the Contrary hath been already proved : The Scripture hath been owned and received where no fuch Judgment of the Church hath been. And it is as faifc that the Authority" of the Church is

the

the greateft and'moft certain j for (hat of the Scripture upon which the Church and her Authority depends, is above it. God fpeaks in the Scripture, and by it teacheth the Church her felf; and therefore his Authority in the Scripture is greater, the Authority of him that teacheth, than of thofe by whom he teacheth. As the Authority of a King in his Laws, is greater than that of an Officer that proclaims them. A King may by hisCounfel or Judges acquaint his Subjects with his Laws*, But will it therefore follow, becaufe he fpeaks his mind, which is in thofe Laws, by fuch Officers, that their Authority is greater than that of thofe Laws themfelves ? God fpeaks by the Church (the true Church we mean) but he fpeaks nothing by her but what he fpeaks in the Scripture, which (he doth only Minifterially declare to us', and therefore the Authority of God and his Law is above hers, who though (he publish yet did not make it, but is her felf fubjecl: to it,and by that Law only ftands obliged to publiffi it to others. And for what they fay of the Church's ability to judge of the Scripture > We anfwer, That She cannot judge of the Stile of the Scripture otherwife than by the help of the Spirit, and by the fame private Chriftians may judge too, and there be no means whereby the Church can know the Scripture to be the Word of God, but particular Believers may know it by the fame : And if the Church's Authority be fo great in our Adversaries Opinion, becaufe She can fo well judge of the Stile of the Scripture, How much greater is that of the Scripture, which is able by its Stile to ma-nifeft it Self to the Church?

Except. c But (fay they) we do not know the Voice of Chrift in the 'Scripture, but by the Churchy therefore her Authority is greater.

Anf. This is hoth Falfe and Inconfequent. Falfe, for it hath been fufficiently evinced that the Voice of Chrift may be otherwife known, and hath been too. Inconfequent, in that it follows not that the Authority of the Church is therefore greater than that of the Scripture: JohnBaptijl directed many to Chrift, and fuppofe without his direction of them and witneffing to Chrift they had never come to him, Will it thence follow that John's Authority was greater than Chrifts? The Church, we grant may be a mean whereby many are brought to the Belief of the Scripture, who yet afterward do believe upon better grounds, as being perfwaded by the Word it Self.

Ob], c We can no otherwife know the Scripture to be the Word of God, than as we know what Books are Canonical, and what not, what were written by Infpired Pen-Men, and what were not; but this we can know only by the Authority of the Church. This is proved becaufe fome Books which at firft were not received as Canonical, the Church did afterward receive, as Ecclefiafticw, Tobit, Su-fanna^ the Books of Maccabees, &c. The Epiftlc tc tlie Hebrews, the Second of Peter, Second and Third of John, and the Revelation. And Books which are not Canonical, are therefore not Canonical becaufe

Y y j 'the.

c the Church would not allow them as fuch} viz. The Revelation of c Paul, the Gofpcl of Peter, Thomas, Matthias , <$v. And Jaftly, Seme c Books written by Prophets and Apoftles are not Canonical, becaufe c the Church hath not determined that they are fo. Camera. dnf. To let pafs what a Leafned Proteftant largely proves, viz.

That it is poilible to know the Scripture to be the Word of God, and yet not know which Books are particularly Canonical, and written by Infpired Pen-Men j that it may be known that the Doctrine contained in thofe Books is of God, though it be not known whether it were, writ by fuch as were immediately Infpired themfelves, or had it from thofe that were. In the Primitive Times fome not only Good Men, bat Churches too, did deny fome of thofe Books to be Canonical which we now generally receive, and yet they did receive the Word of God, and the Docfrine contained in thofe Books, though they ouefHoned whether thofe Books themfelves were written by mch as were immediately Infpired or not. And do not the Papifts themfelves tell us, That the Canon of the Scripture was not eftablifhed for a long time after the ApofHes days, till it might be done by General Councils ? And yet fure the Church did in the mean time own the Word of God, and know the Voice of Chrift.

We fay then that it may be known which Books are Canonical and which are not, otherwife than by the Ch-urch, for the Church her Self knows them otherwife than by her Self, or Ber own Authority. When She declares them to be Canonical, She believes them to be Canonical, and her believing them to be Canonical is Antecedent to Her declaring them to be fo> She muft learn Her Self, before She can Teach Others : She believes them therefore to be Canonical, becaufe She fees tfie Stamp of God upon them, and that they are fuch as can be of" none but God. (The fame way likewife private Believers may know them.) And when the Church fees this Stamp of God upon a Book, She thence concludes k to be Divine, and then declares it to be fo.

. Excep. c But how then comes it to pafs, That fome Books of Cano* c Rical Scripture were not fo foon received as others, if all have fuch an * Imprefs of Divinity upon them ?

Anf. I anfwer j That thefe Notes of Divinity, which are fuilicient in all the feveral Books of Scripture to demonftrate them to be of God, yet may be more clear and illuftrious in fome than in. otherSj as Gods Power and Wifdom may be more apparent, and confpicu-ous in fome of His Works than in others of them : Or elfe it may be from the different degrees of illumination, afforded to different Per-ions, and in different Ages: When fome doubted of fome Books of Scripture, all did not, and they that did not, had a greater meafure of the Spirit, as to that at leaft, than others had. Now to their particular Proofs of the Minor Propofition in their Ax«

gumeats, We Aafvw paxticufculy^ i. That

i. That thofe Books annexM by the Papiits to the Old Tefiamcnt, and called by them Vtttterocanical' and by us no better fhll than Apocryphal; fuch as the Books of Maccabees, Efdras, Tcbit, &c< never were / received'inro the Canon by the Ancient Church, nor can they produce the Decree of any one Ancient Council wherein they were owned ) as for Modern Councils we matter them not. They fay that thefe Books were doubted of at rirfr, and afterward received. Belike then the Church at fir ft did not know them to be the Word of God j and if (he be the Bride of Chriif, who beft of all knows the Bridegrooms Voice, How came (he for fo long time not to know it ? Here certainly, in fpight of Infallibilityj the Church mud be in an Errour ? for if (he doubted of the Divinity of thefe Bocks, when yet they were really Divine, (he err'd in fo doubting i and if (lie did know them to be of God, and yet did not receive them, (he was more than erroneous, that is, (he bodi £M° was plainly rebellious. As for the Epiftle to the Hebrews, the fecond of NdS firma-, Peter, and thofe others which we all own as Canonical, though fome fitfcipimiu, ne» particular Perfons or Churches might doubt of their Authenticknefs, yet f«fl»** ^) m it doth not appear that all ever did. Some of the Papifts themfelves ^nmTw confefs that the Epiftle to the "Htbrews was generally acknowledged, veterumScript*-unlefs by two or three of the Latin Fathers; and Hierom reckons both mm Author it a-that.and the Revelation as generally acknowledged for Canonical. How- tem feqiuntes, ever when thefe Books were owned as Canonical, it was not on the ♦■f-j: *2**" bare Authority of the Church i For how came the Church her felf to tmrkimoniis acknowledg them > How came (he to know that they were written by nan ut Inter dum Infpfration ? Did (he believe it on her own credit > Or did (he not ra- de dpocryphis . ther receive them as Canonical, becaufe (he found them Canonical, w rt ^^ s d perceiving the (lamp of God upon them } and fure the fame reafon Dardea. might make us receive them, though the Church had not teftified concerning them.

2. To the fecond Thing they alledg, concerning the Revelation of Paul, the Gofpel of Peter, dec. or any Book written by Philofophers, or by Hereticks => Ianfwer, That if the Church did reject them, (he did do but her duty, and it will notfollow from her rejecting them, that there was no other way of knowing them not to be Canonical, befide the Churches difowning them. For upon what grounds did the Church difown them ? Upon her own Authority > Then (he rejected them becaufe (he rejected them, judged them not be Canonical becaute (he judged them hot to be Canonical. If (he did difown them becaufe {he„ faw not that Dignity and Excellency in them,which me fcw in the Books ?£ i9 *V\°f of the Old and New Teftament, and which might perfwade that they ^^cjtov* wer£ of God', fure then it was not meerly the Churches Authority *ytfa<A']ov (l which made them not to be Canonical;, and on the fame grounds that irMn % <ru. the Church rejected thofe Books, we likewife may do it. Sure I am Cl ^ •**%**' Eufebw reckons thofe Books not only as forged, but as fomeching wcrfe, T ^ M * r ' that is, abfnrd and impious. c * * 5 '

Yy 2 3 l ' when,

V.

3. " When they fay that fome Writings of the Prophets and Apoftles 11 themfelves are not Canonical, and therefore not fo, becaufe not ac-w knowledged by the Church to be fo. I Anjw. That fome things the Prophets and Apoftles might write as private Men, and not by the In-fpiration and fpecial direction of the Holy Ghoft, and fuch never were to be received into the Canon of the Scripture, nor were written with any intent that they (hould. But thofe things which they writ as Pro- -phets, and as Apoftles, by the immediate Infpiration and fpecial direction of the Spirit \ and for this end, that they might be the Rule of the Saints Faith, were all received into the Canon : If they deny this,Let them produce any fuch Writing of Prophets,or Apoftles not yet received as Canonical.For what they fay out of 1 Cbron.29.29. of the Writings of Samud Nathan 3cGad,Hcw will they ever make it evident that they were other than the Books of Samuel, written partly by himfelf while he lived, and partly by Gad and Nathan after his death > And fo likewife, 2 Chron. p. 29. the Writing of Nathan, Ahijih and Iddo^ and 2 Chron. 13.22. Iddo again, 2.22,30. Jehu, How will they ever prove them to be other than what we have in the Books of Kings ? It is true too,that mention is made of fome Writings of Solomon which are not in the Canon *, But how will it appear that they ever ought to be there, or were ever written for that purpofe ? As for any Writings of the Apoftles which are not in the Scripture, the chief infilled on is the Epiftles, as . . , they would have it,of Paul to the Liodiceans^ mentioned Coif. 4. which rre^k ''Ex. we ^ en y t0 have been written by Paul, nor will the words enforce any A&oJtwu ^ ucn tnm g > the Epiftle/raw Laodice* is one thing, and to Lao dice a ano-Bot Tp^ A*- ther : It is moft likely to have been fome Letter written by the Laodice-'oftxejeur^ ans t0 Paul, in which there being fome things that concerned the Geloffi-• ^lZ.T<uT ans, > tne Apoftle advifeth them.to read that Epiftle. Hierom faith of this de Script.' Epiftle, that fome do read it as one of Pauls, but it is generally rejected. Ecclef. * And for other Books which they mention, they have been as generally

difowned by the Church as fictitious, and not written by the Authors •jQj tmHfvp* w j 10 f e ^j a rn es they bear. The fame Father cafhiers feveral of them to-IuI?€T«4.Ibid. gether, that went under the Name of Peter, as being all Apocryphal.

Ob). 4. " We cannot confute Hereticks who deny the Scripture or " part of ir, but by the Authority of the Catholick Church, which receives ir.

Anfw. Thofe Hereticks that will acknowledg the Church may be confuted by its Authority, but not have Faith wrought in them \ they may have their mouths ftop'd, but not their minds enfightned by it. And though we may make ufe of the Authority of the Church with fuch, yet not as the chief and much lefs only, Argument to perfwade them of the Divinity of the Scripture '<> but even by the fame way, whereby Believers are perfwaded of it, may Hereticks be perfwaded too. And if ,ve meet with fuch Hereticks as pay no more reverence to the Church, than to the Scripture, we are in a fine cafe, if we have norther way , of

ac

Serm. X. Concerning the Authority of the Scripture. 345

of dealing with them, but by urging the Authority of the Church : furely they that deny the Divinity of the One, will not ftick to deride theTeftimony of the Other.

Ob). 5. To pafs by other Teftimonies they cite out of the Ancients, J^ 0 no !i cre " one they mainly triumph in, that faying of Aujhn, a That he had net Ji0j n ^ m ~ " believed the Gojpeljhad not the authority of the Church moved htm to it. Ecclefia* Ca-

Anftv. Auftin fpeaks when converted and Orthodox, of himfclf as tholicx eonj-formerly a hlamcbee, and fhews that he had then been moved by the t J 10V f rec Au ~ Authority of the Church to receive the Gofpel: when he was a Ma- Q T€( { erG m m & nichee he was an Heretick, not an Heathen, and fo might havefomee- commoveret iteem for the Church* or i^ he had no refpeft for the Church as the fir credidif-Church, yet he might ( even by the Confeilion of Papiftsthemfelves ) fem,&cora-fo far as he fa w the Confent of fo many Nations, and the Prefcription of ™?™ S "way fo long time, and other like Arguments in the Church to induce him to 9 f fpeatfng reverence it. nith that Fa.*

Vfe i. From what hath been fpoken wemay conclude-, 1. Themif- ti)er - See chief and danger of Popery as to this particular.Do&rine; How diftio- f^c u at nourable and injurious to God is this Doctrine of the Papiits, and how i ar ge.' deftru&ive to Religion ?

1. How dishonourable to God,for the Credit of his Word to depend upon the Teftimony of Men, and not to be able of it felf to difcover its Author >

1. A dishonour it is to his Wifdom, if he could not otherwife alTure Men of the Divine Original of the Scripture, than by having Men bear witnefs to it : If he knew no other way of certifying us of his Will, and. making known his Laws to us, but by the help of our fellow-creatures, who as well as we are fubjeft to thofe Laws. Can God make the Heavens declare his glory, and cannot he make the Scripture do it ? Can he makehimfelf\*anw£jf the judgments he executes , and not by the Sta- pfal. 9. 16, tutes he eftablifheth ? Can he (hew forth his Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs by the things he doth, and not by the things he fpeaks, and fomake his JVor^s praije him, but not his Word ? Nay, Can Men fo Pfal. 14$. 10, write, fo fpeak, as thereby to difcover themfelv^es, and what wifdom, or knowledg, or skiH they have, and cannot God do as much? Is God lefs wife and able than they are, or is he wife in fome things, and not in Mic. 2. 7, others } How came the Spirit of the Lord to be thus jiraitned, as to have but this one way of making known the Word, to us, and that fuch a_ one as he null be beholden to his Creatures for it ? It is certain that formerly he had other ways, And why hath he not now > How comes he jam. i, 17A to be lefs wife than he was! Sure if there be no variiblenefs in God,nor * fhxdow of turnings he muft be as unchangeable in his Wifdom as in any

other Attribute, and there can be no diminution of it.

2. If God can otherwife make known the Divinenefs of his,Word, than by theTeftimony of the Church, and yet will not, it looks (to fay no worfe} veiy like a reflection upon his Goodnefs, to leave men

a more uncertain way of coming to the knovykdg of his Will, and their Duty, when he could give them a more fare one \ to leave his people better helps againft their weaknefs and doubtings, than the uncertain Authority of a Man, or a company of Men, who may as eafily be deceived in the Teftimony they give, as others may in the Faith they yield to it. And if God did formerly give his people a better and more fure Foundation for their Faith, than the Authority of meermen, weak men, fallible men ( as hath been proved ), How comes his Goodnefs to fail now, and to be lefs to Saints under the Gofpel, than to thofe under the Law, or the Patriarchs before it ?

3. This Doctrine of the Komamfts greatly derogates from Gods Sovereignty, it degrades his Authority, and litts up the Church into his place j it doth worfe than make Princes go on foot, and Servants ride on Ecclef. 10. 7. Horfes. If what the Papifts teach in this Point be true, the Holy Ghoft is in a worfe condition than his Apoftle was, 2 Cor. 3.1. (who needed not Letters of Commendation to ox from the Churches ) he muft be fain to canvafe for the Votes of men, or feek their Teftimonials '•> God. himfelf cannot eftablifh his Laws without the Churches leave «, Jefus Chrift (hall not be King of Saints, not fway his Scepter, nor Rule his Houfe without the gocd-Iiking of the Pope and Council: What is this but what Terfcui* was (aid of old, Nift hominiVem placuerit, Dens non erit •, God muff be

concerned to pleafeMen, atleaft the Papifts •, for if he doth not, they know how to be quit with himj for then He (hall not exercife his Authority over them, not bind their C6nfciences,nct command their Faith, not prefcribe them their Duty, not govern their Lives the Church will not give their approbation to his Laws, and fo he (hall not be their Sovereign, he paU not be their God. What can be more injurious to Gods Supremacy than this Doctrine, which fubjecls the Authority of God in his Word to the pleafure of his Creatures ? What Sovereign Prince upon Earth will endure to be fo dealt with } to have the Authority of his Laws fufpended upon the Teftimony of thofe that publish them, of thofe that are themfelves fubjeel: to them ? I dare fay the Pope fcoms to have it faid that his Decretals have their force from him that divulgeth them, or his Bulls from him that Polls them up: He would not endure if he fent out his Orders to a Church, or Council, that they fhould fit upon them, and fubjeel them to their Judgment, and approve or difallow of them as they faw fit > He would expect that they fhould be received, and fubmitted to upon the account of his Stamp upon them, and Seal annexed to them. Why may not the Scripture be allowed as much, which hath Gods Stamp fo fairly impreired on k, and had the Seal of fo many Miracles to confirm it ?

2. This Dodrine of the Papifis is prejudicial, indeed deftruclive to Chriftian Religion, it leaves us only the name of Chriftianity and no more. What is all Religion if God be not the Author of it, and if the Papifts fay true, we can never be fure that God is the Author of

that

that which we call Chriiiian. This one Dcdhine of the Romifh Synagogue puts us into a worfe condition than the Jewifh one.is in, which hath Tome Foundation for its Faith and Worfhip, whereas this leaves none at all for ours.Ic is in a word moft pernicioufly contrary to,and de-irrudliveof a Chriiiian Faith, and Comfort and Obedience all at once. r. It is deftrudlive to our Faith. It leaves us no firm Footing for it, when it muft be/zr/r* founded upon, and hilly refolved into the Authority of Men •-> and we can never know the Scripture to be the Word of God, without either the concurring Votes of all the Chriiiian World to allure us of it, or at leaf} the definitive Sentence of a Pope or Council, and have no better affuranee of its being Divine, than their fay-f/. What can ruine our Faith if the undermining of it do not? And what is it to undermine it if this be not > It takes away the very Foundation of it, and inlkad of the infallible Veracity of the God of Truth, puts us oft with the uncertain Teftimony of fat leaf}) a Company of Fallible Men, who may every one of them be deceived, and therefore fo may we too, for Company, if we relie on their Authority. Indeed it leaves us little (if any at all; more certainty for our Religion than the Turks have for theirs *, for Why may not they as well require us to believe that God fpeaks to us in the Alcoran, becaufe they fay He doth, as the Pa-pifts require us to believe He fpeaks to us in the Scripture, merely be-caufe the Tope, or Council, fay fo? Nay, How little; difference doth thi'3 curfed Dodtrine make between the Great Myfteries of the Gofpel, the Articles of our Faith, and the ridiculous Fables of the Rabbines, or Abominations of Mahomet > For'if feme Writings are not Canonical Scripture, merely becaufe the Church ( that is, Pope or Council) hath not Canonized them, and fomcare becaufe it hath •, the Atfs of Peter* and the T\£velathn of Paul are not the Word of God, becaufe the Church* would not fo far Dignifie them, and the Epijtles of Peter and Paul are therefore of Divine Authority becaufe it fo feemed good to the Churclv to determine, Why might not the fame Church, if She had been fo* pleafed, have added the Talmud to the Scripture * I and the Alcoran too ? And they cannot fay, it is becaufe thefe Books contain not-only-innumerable Fopperies, but notorious Lies, unlefs they will eat their * own Words, and recede from one of their chiefeil Arguments, viz. That the Apocryphal Books they themfelves do.not receive, are therefore only not Canonical, becaufe the Church hath not received them, when the. reft, are becaufe She hath..

2. It is as deftrudlive to our Comfort. When our great Comfort proceeds from our Faith, fuch as the one is, fo will the other be too *,. an ill-grounded Faith can never produce a well-grounded Comfortr the Foundation being fliaken, the Building muft needs totter. What will become of that Comfort of the Scripture the Apoflle fpeaks of, Rom, 15.4. that Joy and Peace in Believing, v. 13. that Hope in-Gods Word David mentions, ffal. 1 ip. 81. and 13.0. 5, U we can no otherwife be

fure

Matth. 7,

Rom. 2. 10; 2 Tim. 1. 10. Coloff. i»i%. 2 Tim. 4. 8.

Concerning the Authority of the Scripture. Serm. X.

fure that it is Gods Word, but only becaufe Men tell us it is fo > How will our Hope and Comfort fail us, and our Hearts fail us, when we come to confider «> That that Teftimony of Man which is the ground of our Faith, and therefore of our Comfort, for ought we know will 5 fure enough may, fail us } How fhould we ftand if our Foundation finkunderus? If The Rain Jhould defend, ancL the Floods come, and the Winds blow, and beat upon us, What Shelter, what Fence (hould we have? How great would our F all be ? If Temptations (hould arife, and affault and (hake our Faith, How (hould we maintain our Comforts? Would it not be fad for Us, or any of Us to fay within our Selves > I have ventured my Soul, and its Eternal Welfare upon the Scripture, and the Promifes I there find, but How do I know that this Scripture is the Word of God > How do I know I am not miftaken ? Am 1^ as fure I am not deceived, as I am certain of being Miferable if I be ? Here is indeed a Company of Men that call themfelves the Church > but that is a hard Word, I never meet it any-where but in their mouths, and in this Booh^ which they have put into my Hands > and yet thefe arc the only Men that tell Me it is the Word of God. But What reafon have I to believe them > They fay indeed they are Infallible and cannot be deceived, but How (hall I know that ? They fay the Scripture fays fo > Suppofe it doth, What know I but they make it fay fo, and the Scripture, and they are agreed together to gratirie one another, and fpeak for one ariother > I fee not that they are the Church unlefs the Scripture makes them fo, and yet they tell me, that the Scripture is not the Word of God to me unlefs they make it Co, I know no Authority they have to bind me to believe them, but what this Book gives them, and they know none it hath to bind me to believe it, but what they give it. And thus I am quite at alofs, if either this thing called the Church be not honeft but will cheat me, or be not infallible but may deceive me*, How vain than, and flattering have all my Hopes been hitherto, how uncertain my Faith, how T deceitful my Joys and Comforts ! Farewel Glory , and Honour, and Peace \ farewel Life and Immortality \ farewel the Inheritance of the Saint's^ and the Crown of righ-teoufnefs \ fine things if I knew where to have them. How would you like this Chriilians > Do ye not even tremble at the thoughts of fuch difmal Temptations > What think^you then of the Religion of the Pa-pifts, which expofeth all that embrace it to fuch uncertainties \ It is no wonder they allow no certainty of Salvation to Believers , when they leave them at fo great uncertainties for the very Foundation of their Faith.

3. It is as deftrudtive to our Obedience as to either of the other. Gofpel-evidence is the-fruit of Faith \ and therefore fuch as is the Faith we have, fuch will be the Obedience' we yield : If our Faith be not right, our Obedience can be no better : a humane Faith is not fufficient to found our Duty to God upon, and that Obedience which proceeds

only

**

only from fuch a Faith, will neither be acceptable to God, nor available to us 9 and yet fuch is the Faith, and no higher which caufeth our O-bedience, if it be grounded only or fir/lly in the Teftimony of Man, and refolved into it. Without faith it is impoffible to fleafe God , and that Faith fure is a Divine Faith, fuch as refts on Gods own Authority: But if we believe the Scripture to be of God, only becaufe Men fay it is, that Faith cannot be Divine > and therefore nor the Obedience which flows from it acceptable. In this cafe the fame Teftimony of the Church which would be the Foundation of our Faith, would likewife be the caufe of our Obedience : We (hould believe Duty to be Duty, with the fame kind of Faith with which we believed the Command of it to be of God,and that would be no other than mens telling us that it is \ and fo the refult of all would be,thaf we muft obey God, becaufe they tell us he commands us to obey him, and fo we iirft (hew a refpedt to Men in believing before we (hew any to God in obeying him ; And then,not only we mult be beholden to the Church for theknowledg we have of our Duty, but God mull be beholden to her too for our performing of it.

2, How much a better Religion is ours than that of the Papifts ? We are the verieft fools upon Earth if ever we change our own for theirs.

1, We have more Certainty in our way than they have, or ever can have in their way. Our Faith is built upon no worfe a bottom than the infinite Veracity of him who is the Truth it felf, revealing himfelf to us in the Scripture of Truth, and not on the fandy Foundation of any Humane Teftimony: It leans upon God, not upon men > upon Ihus faith the Lord, not Thm faith the Church. Though we defpiie not the true Church, but pay reverence to all that Authority wherewith God hath vefted it, yet we dare not fet it up in Gods place \ we are willing it (hould bean help Co our Faith, but not the Foundation of it, and fo (hould do its own Office, but not invade Gods Seat, nor take his Work out of his hands \ that would neither be for his Glory, nor our own Security : Our Faith is a better than fuch a one would be : We receive it not from Churches, from Popes, from Councils, but from God himfelf s that cannot lye to us, and will not deceive us. If we are beholden to Men, Parents, Minifters, &c, for putting the Bible into our hands> and directing us to the Scripture, yet when we read it, hear it opened, and are enlightned by it, and fee what a Spirit there is in it \ When the Word eaters into us ( as the Sun-beams into a dark room ) and gives m light, Pfal, 119. 105. we fee its Excellency, are ravifhed with* its beauty, tafte its Sweetnefs, feel its Power, admire its Majefty 1 When we find it to be fuch a Word as fearchethour Hearts, judgeth our thoughts, tells us all that is within us, M that ever we did in ant lives, j 0 h a 4, 2 %, awakens our Confciences, commands the moft inward fpiritual Obe- v dience, fcts before us the nobleft Ends, and offers us the molt glorious Reward, an unfeen one, an Eternal one * Then w come to aeknow-

1 z tedg

Concerning the Authority of the Scripture, Serm. X*

fedg that of a Irirth Cod it in it, no meer Creature ceuld be the Author of ky and fo we believe it, net becaufe Men have Miniiterially led us to the knowlcdg of it, or havepeifwaded, or commanded us to receive it, or told us it is of God, but becaufe we our felves have heard, and felt him (peaking in it s the Spiiit (nines into our minds, by the Light of this Word, and fpeaks loudly to our hearts, by the Power of it, and plainly tells whofe Word it is > and fo makes us yield to Gods Authority in it. Take a Chriitian whofe Faith is thus bottomed, and overturn it if you can j you mufi firft beat him out of his Senfes, perfwade kirn he hath no eyes,no taite,no feeling, no underftanding, no affections, no reflection upon himfelf,no knowlcdg of what is done in his own foul, and fo indeed that he is not a Man, but a brute or a flock, e're ever you can perfwade him that the Scripture is not the Word of God. Whereas, on the other (rde,the Papiiis Religion is built meerly on Men, and their Faith hath no more Certainty than thofe Men have Infallibility. Ask them what is the great, nay the only convincing Reafon, why they believe the Scripture to be the Word of God : And they will tell you, the Churches Teftimony concerning it => they believe it becaufe the Church commends it,that is,the Pope doth fo,or a General Councilor fome-body they know not who , and here they are at a lofs already,forafmuch as they fill our ears with a great noife and dm of the Church, and can fcarce talk of any thing but the Church, tlx Church, yet they are not fo much agreed among themfelves, what this very Church is upon whofe Authority they build their Fairh, and would have us build ours \ In feveral Countries they have feveral Churches, feveral Supremacies, feveral Infallible/hips » A Council is the Church, and Supreme, and Infallible in France, and the Pope is the fame in Italy, and fo (amongft the Papifts ) if you do but change your Climate, you muft change your Faith toe* if you but Crofs the Alps, you muft tranflate your Faith, and fhift it from a Councils moulders, to the Popes : A ftrange var-iable thing you will rind it, which muft be calculated according to the Meridian you are in, and will not ferve indifferently for all places •> fo that you muft be fure to fix your habitation ere you can fettle your Belief, And yet if this were agreed upon, you would ftiil be at an uncertainty as to the Infallibility of whatsoever they call the Church > for you are like to have no thing but their own word for it > and if you will take it fo, you may> or if they prove it by the Scripture, they defert their Gaufe^ and own the Scripture as above them, and Authentick without them, and fa while they would e(kbli(h their Infallibility they lofe their Authority.. And fo to conclude, there is nothing certain, nothing folid among thenv nothing able to bear the weight of an Immortal Sou], nothing upon which a man can. venture his Everlafting Salvation. I'fee no fuck thing as a truly Divine Faith among them, unlefs it be therefore T>ivine r becaufe built upon the Authority of their Lord God the Tope. They sail, the Poge Efxkfi^Ca$Mk£.^m^em& : -S^onJum m 9 . In. the .Mate at the,

Ele&ion ofhira, they apply that to him which is faid of the Holy Ghoft John 14. 1 6. I will pray the Father, and be will fend you another Comforter. And in the time of Leo 10, It was difputcd in their Schools, among other Blafphemies, Whether the Pope were a mcer man, or quafi J)em, as it were a God •, and Whether he-did not partake of both the Natures of Chrift. Morn. Myjler. Iniqttit. p. 636.

Our Religion is more Comfortable as well as more Certain. Our Faith being built upon the Truth of God himfelf, and our Comfort upon our Faith, fo long as our Foundation remains immoveable, we need not fear our Superftru&ure. If our Faith have good footing, our Hopes and Comforts will keep their Handing. Faith in the Promifes is that from whence all the Comfort of our hearts, and our rejoycing in hope of the glory of God doth proceed r A Chriftians Joy is joy in believing, Rom * ** and his Peace the peace of God, and his comforts the comforts of the Holy Ghoft > but this can never be if our Faith be founded immediately on the Tetlimony of Men, and not of God, or we believe the Promifes of the Word to be made by God, becaufe Men tell us he made them. So long as we hold to the fare Word, we have fure Hopes, and fure Comforts, and no longer *, and therefore a Papift can never have any ftrong con-folation by his Faith, when his Faith it felf hath fo weaj^ a Foundation. How can they ever rejoice in hopes of Heaven, when they believe there is a Heaven with no better a Faith, than they believe a Pope or Council to be Infallible ? It is to little purpofe to fay,They believe there is a Heaven ( fay the like of other Articles ) becaufe God in the Scripture tells them fo, when they would not have believed one tittle of that very Scripture, if a Pope or a Council had not bid them believe it j for then their Hopes and Comforts are all refolvcd into the Authority of this Church ( what-ever it be ) as well as their Faith is > and both the one and the other refts not on the real Infallibility of the God of Truth, but on the pretended Infallibility of one fingle Prelate at Rome, or a Convention of them at Trent. From fuch aFoundationfor our Faith, •and fuch Comforters of our Conferences, The Lord deliver us.

By this you may gather what you muft do if you would be Papifts > you muft renounce your Reafon, and Faith too, if you would embrace their Religion» you muft enflaveyour Consciences to the Authority of Men, and fo put out your own eyes that you may fee with other Mens: you muft not be built upon the Foundation of the Apofties and Prophets, but of Popes and Councils, it may be of a fingle Pope, and fo hazard your eternal Peace and Welfare on the credit of a Man, who may be himfelf a Murderer, an Adulterer, a^Sodomite, a Necromancer, a Blafphemer, an Heretick v and may be fo far from being faved himfelf, that he may ( as fome Fapifts acknowledg ) carry whole cart-loads of Souls to Htll with him > yet ftill he is Infallible, an Infallible Murderer, -an Infallible Sodomite, an Infallible Sorcerer, 6cc. And you muft believe

2 1 2 him

him to be Infallible all this while,by himfelf or with a Councilor you cannot be faved among them. The Church to be fure you muft believe, and adore what-ever it be ( either reprefentative or^virtual), you muft not ask a Reafon for your Faith neither, but tamely fubmit to its tyrannical Dictates. And, if it mould ever come to this, Would it not be as bard a Chapter, as the third of Daniel > Would not Smithfield be as hot a Place as the Plain of Dura, if every one that would not fall down and worfhip this great Golden Idol, Holy Church, mould be caft into the burning fiery Furnace.

Vfe 2. And therefore to prevent this, and That your Faith may be firm, and immoveable, as Handing not in the Authority or Wifdom of Men, but the Power and Truth of God > That your Hearts may be full of Comfort, your Lives full of Holinefs, your Deaths full of Sweet-nefs, and That you may be more than Conquerors over all thofe Temptations whereby the Wicked one may at any time afTault your Faith > Befure to fee that it have a good Foundation *, fee that you believe the Scripture upon folid and lafting Grounds. Truft the Authority of no meer Man, nor Company of Men in the World, in a Bufinefs on which the Eyerlafting Bleffednefs, or Mifery of your Souls doth depend. Hear Mofes and the Frophets *, hear the Apoftles and Evangelifts *, We are fure God fpake by them, and they never Err *, as for Popes and Councils, we are fure they have Err'd, and fo may do again, and fo may your Parents that rirft Inftructed you. Matters, Teachers, Churches, all may Err, and though defatto they do not Err in this, when they tell you the Scripture is the Word of God ; yet they being but Men, and having no Promife of abfolute Infallibility, and being liable to Miftakes in other things, when you find that, you may come to que-ftion whether they were not miftaken in this too, and fo think you have been deluded all this while, and taken that for the Word of God, and Rule of your Lives, which is nothing lefs 5 and then you will either caft away your F^ith, or you muft feek a new Foundation for it •> and if you come in a Papifts way, and hear talk of Peters Succeflbrs, Chrifts Vicars, Catholick Churches, General Councils , Infallibilities, long Succeffions, Apoftolical Traditions, you do not know what kind of Spirit fuch Conjuring Words may raife up in you : You may be apt to think, the Major Part (as you will be told, though falfely, it is) muft carry it, and fo determine your Faith by the Votes of Men, that is, not fo much change the Foundation of it,as enlarge it : And whereas before it was built upon the Credit of a Parent, or a Paftor, now build it upon the Credit of a great Many, or a great One in the Name of all the reft '•> or if it refted before on a particular Church, now it (hall relie on that which you are told is the Catholick one. For my part, I (hall never wonder to fee ill-grounded Protectants, eafily turn Papifts: they are femi-Papifts already, and they may foon be wholly fuch*, they have a fope at home, and if they do aot like him, they may eafily exchange

him

him for another abroad; He that pins his Faith upon one Mans Sleeve may fbondoit upon anothers^ he is already a Church-Papift, and may foon be a Mafs-one. And therefore, to conclude, Whoever thou art, if thou have not formerly done it, Search thy fdf now ere Satan fift thee: try thy Faith in the Scripture that it may be approved \ fee whofe I-mage and Superfcription it bears, what Foundation it hath, what Answer thou can ft give to any one that asks thee a reafon ofit, nay, what anfwer thou canlt give thy felf. Ask thy felf, Why do I believe the Bible to be the Word of God > c How do I know it was not the Inven-c tion of Man > By what Arguments, by what Authority was I indu-'duced to give my affent to it? Do I take it merely on the credit of c thofe of whom I was born, among whom I was bred, with whom c I have converfed ? Is this a fufficient Foundation for my Faith ? Dare *1 venture my Soul upon fuch a Bottom ? Is this to build my Houfe c upon a Rock ? How near the Papifts am I come ere I was aware of it ? ' I fpit at them, and dene them, and yet ad: like them if not below ' them, and can fcarce fay fo much for my Faith as they can for theirs. If this be thy condition, To work a-new for ihame, and begin quickly too, and get thy Faith well fettled, and upon its right Bafts, or I dare fay thou wilt never keep thy Faith at the expence of thy Life, but rather turn ten times than Burn once. If thou haft therefore any regard to the conftancy of thy Faith, to the comfort of thy Life, the honour of God, or the Salvation of thy own Soul, labour immediately to get thy Belief of tjie Word better founded : Read the Scripture conftantly, ftudy it ferioufly, fearch it diligently, hear it explained, and applied by others, meditate on it thy felf, and beg of God an underftanding of it, and a right Faith in it \ that he would give thee an bean to perceive , D?"^ 29 ' 4 * and eyes to fee, and ears to bear '•> that he would Open tbine eyes to heboid ' 11 9* wondrous things out of bit Law ; that he would give thee his Spirit, that thou may ft Search the deep things ofGod\t\uX he would caufe thee to hear l Cor ' 2 * xo * his voice in that Word which thou haft hitherto taken to be His, and diredfc thy heart into the fureft Grounds of believing it. And be fure hold on in fuch a way of painful endeavours for the getting thy Faith fettled, till it be done, and what thou haft hitherto received on the account of Man, thou now believeft for the fa^e of God himfelf. I deny thee not the Teftimony of the Univerfal G^ijrch of Chrift in all Ages (To far as thou art capable of knowing it) z\ well as of the prefent Church, or any particular One to which thou art any way related, as an help to thees make the beft thou canft of it, only reft not on it: But efpecially take notice, if thou fee not the Stamp of God upon the Word, Characters of Divinity imprinted on it, as well as external Notes ac-oc ;panyingit> Confider the Antiquity of it, the Continuance of it, the Miracles that confirmed it, the condition of the Men that penned it, their Aims, their Carriage and Converfation, Gods Providence in keep-iag it, and handing it down to thee through fo many fucceffive Generations,

•rations, when fo many in all Ages would have bereaved the World of

it: And further, Confider the Majefty and Gravity, and yet Plainnefs

and Simplicity of its Stile, the Depth of the Myfteries itdifcovers, the

Truth and Divinenefs of the Doctrine it teacheth, the Spirituality of

the Duties'it enjoyns, the Power and Force of the Arguments with

which it perfwades,the Eternity of the Rewards it prcmifes.and the Pu-

nimments it threatens, the End and Scope of the whole, to reform the

World, to difcountenance and extirpate Wickednefs, and promote Holi-

nefs and Righteoufnefs, and thereby advance Gods Glory, and lead

Man on to everlafting BleiTednefs, &c. And be fure leave not off, till

thou find thy Faith raifed from fo low a bottom as the Authority of

Men, and fix'd on Gods own Teftimqny s till thou canft fafelyand

boldly fay, c I believe the Scripture now to be the Word of God, not

1 becaufc-1 have heard Men fay fo, but becaufe I hear God himfelf in this

* very Scripture bearing witnefs to it', his Spirit hath given me new

' Eyes, and enabled me to fee the Divinenefs of it: Ikpow andamfure

c That this is the Word of God, never mere Man fpake at fuch a rate,

\ never did the Word of Man woik fuch effects. The entrance of it hath

given light to my Soul which was before in darknefs, not knowing whi-

\ ther it went. How many glorious Myikries do I fee in it, what Pu-

* rity, what Spirituality, what Holinefs, &c. all which fpeak the W T if-dom, and Power, and Goodnefs, and Holinefs, and Truth of the

' Author of it ? What Sweetnefs have I tafted in it > -It hath been as the Hony and bony*comb to me : What Power, what Life., what ftrange ' Energy have I experienced in it ? What a Change hath it wrought in c me \ What Lulls hath it difcovered and mortified / What Duties hath it 'convinced me of, and engaged me in ! What Strength hath it furnifhed c me with ! How hath it quickened me when I was dead in Sin, revived c my Comforts when they were dying, actuated my Graces when they c were languifhing, rouzed me up when I was iluggim, awaked me : when I was dreamin-g, refrefhed me when I was forrowful, fupported c me when I was linking, anfwered my Doubts, conquered my Tempta-c tions, fcattered my Fears, enlarged me with Dellres, and filled me with jB'pet. x. 8. Joy nnfpeakable and fit$ of glory ! And what Word could ever have c wrought fuch effects, bat-that of the Eternal, all-Wife, all-Powerful c God ? And therefofe^ufJon his alone Authority I receive it,Him alone c I adore in it, whofe" Fower I have fo often found working by it. I

* durft venture an hundred Souls if I had them, and an hundred Hea-

* vens if there were fo many, upon the Truth and Divine Authority c of this Word 5 and fhould not (tick, not only to give the Lie to the

Such Titles <mo ^ Profound, and moft Kefolute^ and Invincible, and Irrefragable^ the Papifts c and Angelical and Serapbical Doctors, nay and Infallible Popes, fieod give rheir c Councils too, but even to fay Anathema to Angels themfelves, and Schoolmen. < Seraphims, if they mould tell me the Scripture were not the Word ' ' * of God. Christian, get but fuch a Faith of the Word as this into thy

Heart,

£&1. 19.

Heart, and then thou mayeft defie Scoffers, Atheifts, Papifts, and all their Works. If they deride thee, let them mock on ; thou wilt not eailly be laughed out of thy Senfes, nor overcom by Mens Jeers to dif-believe what thou haft feen and felt. If they will not believe as thou do/t, yet thou (halt never be brought to play the Infidel as they do j no more than ceafe to behold, and admire the glory of the Sun, be-caufe Birds of the Night, Owls and Bats, care not for looking on it , thou wilt never deny what thou plainly feed, becaufe others do not who have no Eyes. Sure lam, if they fee not what thou dolt, it is either becaufe they wink againft the Light, or look offfrom it, or God hath not yet in Mercy opened their Eyes, or hath in Judgment clofed thera up > If our GofeLbe bid, it if hid to them that are lojh z Cor « 4« 3>

.*

SER

£

SERMON XL

Whether the good Works of Believers be Meritorious of Eternal Salvation ? Nee.

Pialm 62. 12. Alfoto thee^ 0 Lord, belongeth Mercy: for than rendreji to every man according to his works

THere is fcarce any fin more natural to us than Pride, and no Pride worfe than fpiritual Pride j it was the condemnation of the Devil 5 and fpiritual Pride (hews it felf moft of all in thofe high and overweening thoughts we are apt to have of our own worth and excellency: Though when we have done evil we are filled with guilt, yet if we but think we have done well, we are tickled with conceit > one while we are confeicus we have offended God, another while we are ready to believe we have obliged him. We can fcarce be enlarged in a duty, pray with any life or warmth, hear with attention and afTcdion, but we are ready to take our Lords words out of his ^at. 25. mouth, and greet our felves with a Well done good and faithful Servant. And that too not only, as if the work were wholly our own, but as if we had deferved fomething by it. We commonly contend with the Papilts about the Antiquity of our Religion '•> they bear us in hand that { theirs is the more ancient > for my part, I readily grant it in this fenfe, that Popery, as to feveral of the chief points of it, is plainly the Religion of corrupt nature, and nature hath the (tart of grace in the beft of us. Men are generally born with a Pope in their bellies, and they can never be eafed of him, till fome powerful conviction of the infufficiency of their own righteoufnefs, and the impoffibility of meriting Salvation by it, like (Irong Phyfick make them difgorge themfelves, and bring him up: And if the doctrine of merits be in the Papifts only, their Faith, yet it is in carnal Proteilants, their Nature, and in Saints them-[dves^ may fbmetimes be their temptation. And therefore, Chriltians, though my pref nt bufinefs lie mainly with them of the Romith Re- The moft v r o-ligion '■> yet do not you look upon your felves as altogether unconcerned '■> ] £™ a ^ a e ulr ? lr j

fromSa-an was at his dying hour, when he was terrpred to hink that by his faithfulnefs in his Mi* liinry, he had mericed Heaven it felf. Vid, IvUlch. Adam, in vita Cnoxi,

A a a but

but remember that the fame Arguments which conclude diredtly again ft the Pope without you, may at the fame time be levelled againfi the Pope within you* And the truth of it is, that acquaintance with your felves and the conftitution of your own fouls, is the belt way to eftiblifh you againfi: the molt dangerous errours of Popery, and the better you can deal with that little young Antichriffc in your hearts, the better you will be able to defend your felves againfi: that great old one at Home . And that I may help you fo to do as God mail enable me, I have chofen this Text which I the rather fix upon, becaufe I rind it in the head of a whole fquadron of Scriptures, preffed by Bellarmine into the Popes fervice .* his Holinefs his Commiilion you know can compel any Scripture to maintain the Catholick Caufe, though againfi its own content. I (hall endeavour in the progrefs of my difcourfe, to refcue both this, and others from the injury of an involuntary warfare, in which they are forced to iight againfi: that truth, which God commiitioned them to clefend. If we look into die body of this Pfalm, we fnall nnd the royal Pen-man of it, once and again, declaring and profeffing his faith and confidence in God, and him only, ver. i, 2, 5, 6, 7: in defpight of all his enemies op-pofition againfi him, overwhofe power he doth triumphantly infult •ver. 3. as well as tax their malice, ver. 4. and perfwades others to the like fixisg "their faith on God, ver. 8. labouring to take them off from their falfe and ill-grounded confidences, whether in perfons or things, either as wicked or vain, ver. p. 10. and then lays down the reafons and grounds of the boldnefs of his faith, Gods power, ver. 11. and his mercy,7/?r.i2. one (hewing his fufficiency,and ability to overtop all thole enemies, and effectually to fave, the other his readinefs fo to do for all that do thus truft in him, and wait for him. The latter of thefe, Gods mercy, he fets forth by a moft eminent inftance of it, that moft glorious-retribution he makes to thofe that do believe and obey him. Alfo to thee 0 Lord^ belongeth Mercy: for thou rendereft to every tnan according to his wor\>,

And fo the words do both affert that great Attribute of Mercy in God,and prove it -•> the one in the former part of the verfe,T<9 theafi Lord belongeth Mercy: the other in the latter, for thm rendered to every man according to his work. The great day of recompenfing men according to what they have done in' the flefh, will be the moft- ample proof, and Illuftrious manifestation not only of the righteous, but merciful nature of God.

Enquire we here what is meant by Work, and what by rewarding men according to it.

1. By Work we are not to underftand barely one individual' wort 1

but (the lingular number being put for the plural) a plurality, or com-

pledtion of works, of the fame kind, which altogether make up one

_ integral work. All the particular actions men do of the fame kind

a*e but parts of. the great work they. are. doing, either for God, or

the

the Devil, and fo are all included in it. And the mifcarriagcs of Gods children, arefo many haltings in their courfe, fo many bunglings in their work, which are blemifhes in it, though not abfolute interruptions of it.

But if it be farther enquired, what kind of Work or Works is here intended ? I anfwer, good ones, efpecially •> for in the rewarding of them it is that Gods'gqdefnefs and mercy fo greatly appears, when it is plainly enough his jultice that is manifelkd in the recompenfing of evil ones. Or we may thus Paraphrafe the words', To thee O Lord be-longeth mercy, in that thou rendered to every man according to his work, not only evil to them that do evil and havedeferved it p but good to them that do good, though they cannot challenge it.

2. By rewarding men according to their works, (briefly, becaufe I . (hall meet with" it again) I underftand Gods recompenfing men according to the nature, or kind, or quality of their works: fuch as their works have been, fuch fhall be their reward, Rom. 2. 6,7, 8, 9. Who will render to every man according to bis deeds, *to them who by patient continuance in well doing feek^ for glory^ and honour^ and immortality , eternal life* But to them that are contentious^ and do not obey the truth^ hut obey unrighteoufnefs^ indignation andwrath^ &c. And fo the pro- .§&& tit reddk portion is between the kind of work, and the kind of reward. Where ^ucwqu )nxu the work was good the reward (hall be futable \ and where the work fo^maLm-was evil the reward will be anfwerable. Natural good the reward of tis: *dmnxs Moral, as natural evil the reward of Moral evil, Ifa. 3.10,11. If it be pezcatom, re? well with the righteous and ill with the wic\ed, who can fay but the re- V e * a * ?r^ ward is according to their works, though the righteous mans reward be 6tm q^apjt a thoufand times greater than his work ? Here is therefore a likenefs of Mmtf6i. quality between the work and the reward, but not a proportion of equality. %f&pr^U

Dotlr. The truth then w r e infer from the words thus explained, is /^f^X^Ta-this, 7hat the reward of good workj vs not deferred by them that receive litaiis^non pro-it : Or, That the bell of men by their beft works, do not merit the portio tquaii-reward that God gives them* If the confequence of this doctrine from ^htfrlft the Text be queftioned, it may thus be proved. That which is meerly Q t 6 -{J out of the mercy of the rewajrder, cannot be for the merit of the worker, Rom. 11.6. And if it be by grace^ then is it no more of works\ ctberwife grace is no more grace: But if it be of wo'rkj y then is it no more of grace ', otherwife work^ is-no more work* But thePfalmift here affirms, that the reward of good works is out of the mercy of the rcwarder ; and therefore it follows, that it is not for the merit of the worker. And fo I come to the butinefs in hand, to fhew you that good works do not merit eternal life, that being the reward fpoken or by the Pen-man of this Pfahru Here we mull,

1. Explain the terms of theQueftion.

2, Give you the State of it*

Aaa 2 .3* Con-

y

4°4 Good worhj not Meritorious of Salvation*. Serm. Xf>

3. Confirm the Truth.

4. Take off Obje&ions.

5. Make Application. * 1: For explication of the terms, it would be enquired into,

h "What is meant by good works? Anfw. Not to wrong our Ad-verfaries, they themfelvesdo generally underliand fuch good works as Mlarm. re- are wrou ght. by them that are furnifned with truth of Grace, or a fuper-quires to a natural principle futed to, and productive of fupernatural adtings: fuch meritorious good works as are the vital actions of the new man, the motions of that proceed^frotn .^ iv ' ine nature whereof believers are made partakers. And indeed thofe one who is wor &s which proceed not from fuch a principle can be but equivocally Amicus et gra- called good, as not partaking of the nature of that which is truly, i. e. tus Deo, and fupernaturally good : And of thofe only we are here to (peak', and not

mil viriute' of any ^ c ^ as are antece ^ ent t0 tne firft grace, or converfion of the Pe juftific/l. ^ eart t0 God. But when we fpeak of thefe good works, we mean not $. c. lo.Pet. 1.. only thofe of the fecond Table, works of juftice, Charity, Eounty, *» 4- . , though the Papifts like them bell, at lead when done to themfelves: alwayfaccom- *^j mu ^ neec * s ^ c emment ty good, which bring in good mony to, the panies Faith , P°P CS coffers, and good chear to the Priefts bellies : But we take them without which more largely and comprehenlively, for the duties of both Tables, and 110 , vvor k s are thofe too not only external, or fuch as are performed by the outward g^od C . Sft ITian5 ^ ut like wife for the inward actings of this fupernatural principle bona videatui which yet proceed no farther than the heart, fuch as the inward work-facere.-tamen^ ings of love, thankfulnefs, hope, joy, humility, patience, &c. And

Mi* fme fide i n a word, all that eood fruit of all kinds, which grows upon this f*ctt 9 nee bona ^ _i > s? • o r

Avg.mPC.31. 2 * "What we are to underliand by Meriting. What is the Original Signification of the words Mereri and Meritum I (hall not (land to enquire, but that which is mod in ufe in our prefent age, and which the Papifis for the advantage of their caufe make moll ufe of, is expreffed in Englifh by deferving and defert. But if we look back to former times, we (hall find thefe words taken in a far different fenfe by the Ancient Fathers, (to fay nothing of Heathen Writers) than by modern Papifts. The Fathers commonly take mereri^ to merit, for the fame as confequi^ obtinere^ to obtain,, or gain, and meritum merit* for an-y good work which according to Gods appointment is rewardable with eternal life: though in the. other, and more (tricl: acceptation of the word it be no merit, as not being truly worthy of the reward \ and fo to merit eternal life is in their fenfe no more than to do thofe things which are the way wherein eternal life is to be obtained. And this is evident in that they apply the word Merit to thofe actions in which any real Cnltom damonum dicuntur me* defert, or proper worthiriefs of the reward, can never be mitemporalia qxxJam foUthu. rationa]Iy imagined. Thus Auguflm frequently, one while deGivjt. Dei..1. $. G. 74. Ma J** o, m . cr\ -i rJj * *r .

ria concipere efr parere menit he tells us that the Worinippers ot Devils are laid to Mem

mm, qutm con(iatml,lm km- certain temporal comfortsiElfewhere^that the Virgin- Miry '../■» ■ • merited

Merited to Corceive,and bring forth Chrift. And again, that fffS^S ftS) Paul by (b many pcrfecutions and bhfyheaiicsjnerited to be fr * ^fatMbiis tt kla r called a chofen veffel. And yet again that the people of Ifrael fbcmiis, vis ele'fiinu meruit had a ftiff neck, for that they merited to be delivered from Murine Jj^fW tHeir bondage by fo many miracles. And I hnd a pafhge £ * ■ g^ ^ ^ cited of ^»jr/», which, it merit be taken in die prcient l/ # w l 3 ^] ^ [etyiwtdt-Popllh notion, all the world cannot reconcile to ^ fenfe. cem miraadis meruit tiberaa* Kuilis prjgcedentibus mentis per gratiam dei meruimus temi 11 dei fieri, By no antecedent merits,' we by the grace of God merited to become the Temples of God. And can a man merit without merits? deferve without deferts? If he have no merits properly fo called, he cannot properly merit to become the Temple of God , but without merits he may obtain this favour of God. And yet more itrange is that expreflion, whoever is the Author of it, which fome tell us is flill fung in the Roman Kitualls> where fpcaking of Adams lln, it is faid chamier. & to be Falix culpa qua tantum meruit habere redemptorem. An happy River. Orthod, ■ tranfgreffion which meritedto great a Redeemer. And will any believe Catho1, that Adams fin deferved fo well at Gods hands ? Was Chrifts coming into the World to redeem linners, the reward of fin, or the remedy againfb it ? and yet the reward of it, it muft be, if the word meriting be taken r^ ^^ in its proper fenfe. The fame way the word is taken by others of the Jntra1g .. on m , m . Fathers- If they, h e. the lfraelites (faith Ambrofe) did not merit ta come rutrunt, qu a into the land becaufe they murmured againft God: How frail we merit to mumwaxi funt come into Heaven, when we live fo /% the Heathen? And Cyprian fpeak- C ontr ^ f ^ n \> ingof Forcas being raifed from the dead, Jhe ( faith he) who ^i^^c^m menbU help to the afflified Widiws that they might live, merited to be called bac\ m:ir inirm] into life at the Prayers of Widows. In the fame Catachreffical way w£ differejtttr yin fometimes rind the wordufed in the vulgar tranllation,J/#. 11. 20. we ™ B m > & Ht read it, Ihat they might find no favour: the vulgar Hath it, that i&ey in j^Hcbr. might not merit any mercy. And Gen. 4. 13. My punifoment is greater ^ £ {jfoorar,-than I can bear. Our Margin reads it, Mine iniquity is greater than that Hhsvid:m Vat-it mav be forgiven : but the vulgar, Mine iniquity \i greater than that I i 7t * /»f *'/«*-fhould merit for give nejs. W hat can meriting in theie places iigmhe, but mru j t a \ z j t ] 9} obtaining a hgnirication very far differing from that in w T hich the Papifts ptitione vid.i-now take it ? Vfus is norma loquendi, Words are to be taken as they are mm reveev,. ufed j and who knows not that words have their modes and feahions, SSf- 9^* as well as mens habits and manners ? and fo thofe which are in fafhion Et non mi) ' i)m * in one age, are quite out in another, or taken quite in a different fenfe, tur ullam cle-and fometimes the Metaphorical lignirication of a word may be more mmiam. in ufe than the proper , and we. mail make (Irange confu-ilon in the na- Ml ) or ***P m ture of things, if thofe words which properly iignitie thofe things, be quamn ' always taken in their proper fenfe. I infift the more in this, becaufe it me)ear is all the Anfwer I intend to the Teftimonies of the Fathers, which the PapUls think to run us down with,

But*

men , ut X'.nix 8

- But to pafs from the word to the thing; if we enquire into the Pedigree of this darling doctrine of the Papifts, we may eafily derive it (to look no higher) from their Great-grand-fathers the Pharifaical Jews, from whom they have received a great part of their Religion: The Pharifees were for infallibility, and aMagifterial impofmg fpirit in matters of Confcience before the Pope was born r and the Rabbines were HJ-*7!5 for Tradition before there were any Papifts in the World: And as for

.DtfJiTTin Merits, Camero cites a paffage out of Maimonides^ where he fays, lhat Svnag lud.' & ever y man ^ at ^ his fin's ^ and every man his Merits^ and he that hath more Petr.Galetine. Merits than fms, isajufiman^ buthe that hath more fins than Merits is 1. i. c.j. a wicked man. And that learned Author, as well as others, is of opi-Camero in n j on t f iat t j ie Apoftle James hath,an eye to this errour of the Pharifees, oper. 1 70 ' wnen h' e &ys^ Chap, z* ver, i on lhat whoever offends the Law in one point Burgcns. spud M guilty of all.

E)rus « Others tell us of feven forts or degrees of Pharifees among the Jews,

TQin HQ one of which had its name from their profeiiing to do all mil that was Vbarfrxus an re 9 uire ^ °f them, or asking, Was any more yet to be done ? like the dicity quid de- young man, Mat. i£. 20. AU thefe have Ikgpt> from my y'duth^ what lac\ beofacenet fa- Im%1 And indeed we need go no farther than our Saviours frequent i/^//W,q.d, reflecrions upon them, and the Apoftles fmart difputations againft them, Tel'mwd °^q~ * n ^ e P°J nt °f juftirication. But from whence foever the Papitts have re-ficu Druf. de ceived this dodrine of Merits, thus they mannage it: Merit, fay they, is trib. Sea. Jud. twofold. One out of Congmity^ the other out of Condignity : The for-1.2. c. iz. & rner is a work to which the reward is not due out of juilice, but out of Tau" 1 "^ " f° me kind of decency, or cqngruity.i or as fome of them fpeak, out of Xuk. 18. 9/ & the liberality of the perfon who accepts the 'work •> fo that though the 16. 15. work do not really merit the reward, and is not proportioned to it, yet

Kom. 10. 3. there is fome kind of meetnefs or congruity'that it mould be rewarded. This kind of merit fome of them contend to be found in men while m Di Alvar; de their natural (late,, in relation to that grace which is afterward bellowed Auxii di'fp.59. on them, or wrought in them: But others of themfelves do as ftirly Franc. Cumel. oppofeit, and maintain that finners cannot even in this way merit the if! T * 2 * ?fe*• firfr grace, nor the pardon of their fins, and that believers when fallen tea?* S f rom S race ( as tne Y fuppofe they may) cannot merit their own recovery. , ' ' But this is not the Merit we are to fpeak of i> The.otheris that which is

di& 27/qA. out °f condignity, which, Vurand diitinguifheth into two kinds: One taken more largely for a work of that dignity or goodnefs which is ac-\ cording to Gods appointment required ink, that it may be rewardable with eternal life \ and that is no more really than the gracioufnefs, or fupernatural goodnefs of the Action, as proceeding from a fupernatural principle, and ordered to a fupernatural end, which we acknowledge mull be in every good work which is capable of a fupernatural reward, Fftaciio volnn- anc * IS t0 ^ e found m ever Y tm ty gracious a&ion. But there is a Merit tariapropterquam debetur alicin merces ex jttftitia, fie ut ft non rtiddattff 9 iUe ad qutm psrtinet reddtre, in* lefmh zt eft (impliciter acpoprie injuftus. Purand. ibid,

out

out of Condignity in a more ftricr. fenfe, which is defined to be Av a Unitary adionfr which a reward is due to a man out of Jufiice, fo that it cannot bs denyedhim without injuftice. Others define it much after the fame manner, viz, fuch. an action as hath an equality of dignity or worth in Wutum ex relation to the reward, which is therefore due to it out of juiticc. And patio, this is the merit we are to fpeak of, to fay nothing of that third kind fome add, Merit upon fuppoiition of a promife, as when a reward is pro-mifed to a man if he do fome work, which yet bears no proportion to that reward, and for which antecedently to the promife he could not challenge any, but fuch a promife being made, he may, and confequently (fay they J may be (aid to Merit.

The Queftion then is between us, and the Papifts, Whether the good t. Thertateof Wdrkg of believer /, fuch as God doth reward in the future life, d) truly r ' le Qljeftion. and properly dferve that reward, fo that it is due out of jufiice, and God jhould be unrighteous if he Jhould deny, or refufe it ? The modern Papiftf ' .

generally affirm it. The council of Trent fo lays down ' the judgment fy fr*™ ch*i~ ■ of the prefent Church of Rome, as to affert that good works do truly ft^, tanquam mirit eternal life^ and anathematize any that fhall fay the con- ca P lit i* mm*

tr . rr bra^ettanquxm-

>* -uiiisin palmi-

ies.in ip[os)u(li-tt

10

et

vitam tternamfuo ttiam tempore^ fi tamen in gratia decefferint, con[eqnendam, vcre promeruille oenAdn-tur. Sefs. 6. Cap. 16. Siquis dixerit bominis jitftificati bona opera it a cjfe dona Dei ut non [mi ttiam bona, ipfius'jrfifoati merita, ant ip[u>n pfiificatm bonis opcribus & non vere mtrtri augmenturn erattx vitam-etnnum, &c. Anathema fie. Can. 52..

And though thofe cunning Fathers fpeak fomewhat darkly, and Co involve things, blending truth with error, as if they defigned to make younger brothers of all the World bdide, yet the great interpreter of Counfel fpeaks more honeftly, that is more broadly, and plainly tells us, Andrei aeud That eternal bleffednefs vs no lefs due to the good worlds of good men, than Onmh'ii, ■ eternal torments are to the evil workj of wicked men. 'And that eternal life is fo the recommence of good worlds, that it is not fo much given of Coi freely, and out of Liberality, as it is out of debt : And that the nature of Merit and grace not being confident, the reward is to be reckoned not as of grace but-of debt. Now well fare Andredhcs for a plain dealing Enemy \ .it is a commendable quality in any, but a rare, one in a Papifl > the man faves us the labour of gueiling at the Councils meanings had all fpoke out like him, we (hould more eafily have underitood them, and fewer would have been deluded by them: And yet not to wrono-* any, other modern jefuits are no lefs rigid in the point than this Author* nay who among the Papifts do not aife.rt the -worthinefs: of -good- works in relation to the reward, though they axe not yet: agreed from whence

th>

A.

that worthinefs mould arife : Some fay as (Bellarmine tells Ratio meritt complete eft ex or- us ) -f rom the .promife of God engaging to reward them',

dinattont voljm'atis divin* fa h f f and t00 modeft, and j n d e d half Here-

villus atins ad premium, srot. . \ . r r ^ > • r ^ »

in Sentexr. e. i. did. 17. & ticks for their pains. Others lay irom the intnniick worth,

paulo poft. and excellency of the works themfelves, fetting afide the

^Uu voluntatis fa (Deus) or configuration of the promife. Thefe are the impudent

dinandojpfm ( attum bum hrdren of Holy church , fit Sons for fuch a Mother.

mm) ad premium, volutt ip '-••-, . - J .. . ,. \, ir ... . , . , .

faiffemmwn,qui[ecmdum!e And yet the Cardinal himfelf comes little behind them,

confideratHs abfque tali accy- if at all j he is of opinion, that the good works of righ-:tatune divina, [ecundum (in- teous men are worthy of Eternal glory, partly by reafon Mam)4itiam nonfat digntts f theirown proper goodnefs, and partly by virtue of Gods

tahpramio. .- * . l r ° . L J-c 1 • r • 1 r ^ • •

opera pflorum funt meritoria promife s yet »tf > neither (for he is afraid of fpeakmg

vitje et em cede condign a rati one too diminutively of good works) at if without Gods:

pacti, et operis Jim id non qui covenanting with the worker^ and acceptance of the work^

dmquodfinepactovel accevta did not it fiif y ear an anfwerable proportion to eternal

Uone non habeat opus bonum ;-ro • J r r r '. rJ t / . r , .

portion em ad vitam eternam. lift* but (only) becaufe, fettwg^afde the prom ft, God is

Sed quia nonteneturDens accep- not obliged to accept a good vpor\to eternal life, though it be tare, ad ill am mercedem opm €( j Ua i t0 /f# T 0 thefe we may add others, who fay good works

bmm i.*«'*w'M^ they are tinUa fanguine

mrcedi. mfi conveyio tnterce J . 2 / ■ ^ &

«V. Edlanxi. de juftif. I. 5. Chriffii, dip d in Chrilts blood, dignihed and commended c i~. by his merits, from which they receive virtue and power,

Vid. Catech. Rotr«p. 412. to be themfelves meritorious. And fo our bufinefs is to

fhew that good works do not on any account, either of themfelves, and their own internal excellency, or of Gods promife, or Chrifts Merits deferve eternal life. And fo we came to confirm the truth.

ii— -drfr I- Good works are rewarded meerly out of Gods mercy and Inter mercedem ° ■ j J

tt meritum eft g rac ^, and therefore not out of mans merit. What more oppolit than q.ndam refpe- Mercy, and Merit ? Tit. 3. 5. Not by workj of righteoufnefs, but of his ilus mutum &c. mercy he faved us. What a man doth really deferve by his works, can-22?!?** ^'V!! not be faid to be. given him out of-meer mercy and grace. But it is oppltitOnem ad frorn thence only that the belt works of Gods children are ever rewar-grat iam five 'do* ded with eternal bleilednefs. Thus the Text, To thee, 0 Lord, belongeth nam gra'uitam. mercy, for thou rendereji to every man according to bis wor\. Were not ]anfcn.Iprens. q q ^ { n fojte in mercy, the be ft Saint upon earth would fall (hort of a honnnis.c. -6. reward in heaven. ]ude 21. Lookjng for the Mercy of our Lord Jefus Chriji unto Eternal life. 1 Pet. 1.13. Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jefus Chriji. And Paul prays for ' Onefiphorus, 2 Tim. 1.18. 'that he might find mercy of the Lord 'E f si mw&s in that day, the great day of retribution. The reward then that thefe i wSwk low-rev Saints expecied, and would have others look for, is one given them out

Chryfoft. in Pfal. 130.

of

of Mercy. Men nev* need mercy more than when they come before Gods Tribunal, and even there when they look for the reward of their good works, they muft expedt it from the mercy of the Judge. So Ne-hemiab did, who after making mention of fome of his good works, and praying that God would remember him for them, chap. 13. ver. 14. he farther prayes that God would Jpare b?m according to tbe great nefs of bis tnercy, ver. 22. Now when is it that Nebemiab defires to be fpared,but then when he expects his works fhould be rewarded ? Gods fparing extends even to his judging. Gods remembring him for good, ver. 31. his not wiping out his good deeds, and his fparing him, all proceed from the fame mercy of God. But eternal life (fay the Papifts) is afcribed Ex& to Gods mercy, not that it is not truly, and properly the reward of mans Merits, but that thofe merits themfelves are the fruits of Gods ~ mercy. To which we may eafily reply, that if God do out of his mer- An l rv ' cy fave us, and out of mercy remember us.for good, and reward us according to our work, then it is clear that he doth not only enable us out of his mercy, to do thofe good works which tend to Salvation. It is one thing for a man to be faved, another thing to be put into a way of Salvation by being enabled to work for it. As it is one thing to crown a man for conquering,and another to give him weapons&teach him to right. God could not be truly faid to fave any man, if he only Neque fervatus (eft) tx mifere* gave him grace to work in order to it:Nor to fave him out cordia , cut tarn fiat poft earn of mercy;, if for all that mercy he muft full be faved by his rnifmcordjam mtffaria merit** i •, -V -i < .fii/i. f c 1 <.• ut pttit ilia ablaut his-pmimta.

ments,and without them,might tall ihort or Salvation. c uJL Panrh 7 IA c lA t 0 2 .

3 1 it • 1 -r r v-. 1 ii r ^nam.rancn. 1. 14.c. 14. iu.$.

Arg, 2. Eternal lire is the girt or God, and therefore is not deferved by our good works, Luk. 12.32, It is ,. ><A>W. your Facers good fiefure to give you tbe Kingdom Rom. g*g£ »$?& , *$ 6. 23, Ihe wages of fin is deatb^ but the gift of God is dignt retribuiw, quia merito eternal life. That therefore Eternal life is a gift none redditur deinde nt jnflitia team deny, that will not deny the plain words of Scrip man * de . humno f e ^tollerat * j ii * *u *♦ '11 r 11 J *t * j 11 bono memo, Sec. non e contrario ture: And that then it will follow, that good works do u tuUt,»ip\ndhm jajiitU vita.

not deferve it, will appear by the oppoiition that there is atema, fed Dei gratia vita tter-between a free gift, and a due reward : that which is of »<*• Aug contra Pelag. Epift.

£raceisnot of debt, and that which is of debt is not of IO *,\ ... • « • •,

t? , , /: \%u *t~ t . u r-j Malluit dictre gratia Vei vita

grace, Kom. 11.6. W hat I owe, I cannot be faid proper- aUrn ^ ut in b tcUjg eremus, non

ly to give, and what I properly give, I cannot be faid to pro mentis noftris veumnos ad owe. So that if God properly gives Eternal life, he can- vitam aternam, fed pro fua mi* not be faid to owe it, and if he do not owe it, I am fure ^f 0 ^^'^ AUg * dC we do not deferve it. So much we fee in the Apoftles grar ' Antithehs, the wages of finis death j death is truly and properly the wages of tin, as being deferved by us, and it is juftice in God to give us our defert. But he doth not fay, Eternal life is the wages of our righ-teoufnefs or works, but the gift of God, as being free, and altogether undeferved by us. '(Uaw«, St'pendium^ he alludes to the pay that was given to Souldiers in the Wars, and for which they had ferved. Lw^.3.14.

Bbb Be J

/

i±

tut?. % ±i. ^ e content with your wages *}*&&%*& *te»Uu Cp&t. But Eternal life he when they calls xfarw the free gift of God, fuch an one as is given, U^temc out had nothing to 0 f grace, as Souldiers fometimes were wont to have gifts, donativa pay he frank- largefTes, given them over and above their pay, as we know was the them°bocn? frequent pra&ice of the Roman Emperours to do, unto which it is not ixt&m* unlikely that our Apoftle may allude in the latter part of the verfe, as , \ , ; well as he plainly enough doth to their pay in the former. The Apoftle J^n'i'ST •» ^h not fay eternal life is your wages (faysTheophyladr) hut Gods gift^ 6*i *»d ™ &- for you receive not the compenfation, and remuneration of your labours* but %m \ tk$* al1 thefp things come by grace through Jefus ChrijL »•** ***«* Arg. 3.. Eternal life is given to believers by way of Inheritance, TJ^Jt^ 1 and therefore not by way of Merit, Eph. r. 14, Which is the earneft of tyiviro iv x &cu> our inheritance, Rom. 8. 17, If children, then heirs, heirs of God and c.aJi.R!ofli, eX ' joynt heirs with Chrift. Heb. 1. 1.4. Who Jhall be heirs of Salvation. This none can deny. And that it follows that if they be heirs of glory,they have k not by the merit of their works, we fee by Tit.. 3.5, 7. Not by works of righteoufnefs, &c. that being juftified by his grace we Jhould be made heirs, See. Gal. 3. 18. If the inheritance be of the Law it is no mere of prvmifi, but God gave it to Abraham bypromife. To have eternal life by the Law and by works, is oppofed to our having it by promife, and by inheritance.. And this may be farther confirmed > for if a believer merit his inheritance, then either he doth it by works done before his Adoption, which Papifts themfelves will not fay, who acknowledge eternal life not to be the wages of fervants, but the portion of children, and that merits cannot be in any who are not reconciled to God, and accepted of him : Or elfe it mutt be by works done after a man is adopted > but that cannot be neither, becaufe whoever merits, doth thereby acquire arighttofomethingto which he had none before, whereas every believer hath a right to the heavenly inheritance by his very Adoption, and before thofe good works be wrought, whereby it is pretended he merits Ixe^ it. Rom. 8.17. If children, then heirs, &c. But fay the Papifts, believers have a right to heaven by their adoption, yet muft merit the j£nfw* actual pofTetllorL of iu It is fubtilly diftinguifhed: as if an adopted perfon had not a title to the pofTefiion of the inheritance the very ririt moment he is adopted, or as if a man might have a right to heaven, and yet not have a right to the poffeillon of it. We acknowledge that obedience is required in a Son before he come to poflefs his Inheritance, yet that obedience though antecedent to his poflMng that inheritance^ is only the way in which he is to come to it, and the means whereby he is to be fitted for it^ but is not meritorious of it i there is no right to the Inheritance required by his obedience which before he had not, though-farther fitnefs for, and fotablenefs to it there may be. Tha Israelites; were to fight, and fubdue their enemies ere they poiTefifed the promifed Land, but their right to the poHellion of it they had before by the promife v and who can fay that they.were, worthy, of it meerly becaufe they fought forit> Arg. 4,.

Arg+ 4. Believers owe all to God, and therefore can merit nothing of him : they owe all to God, both as being his fervants to whom they arc bound, and his beneficiaries who have received all from him.

1. They are his fervants, Luk. 17.10. Say we are unprofitable fervants, 1 Cor. 6, 19, 20. Te are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; what that price is Feter tells us, 1 Fet. i.i8,ip. not corruptible things, gold, filver, but the precious blood ef Chrift, &c. All the Creatures are his fervants, becaufe made, and employed, and maintained by him : but believers are more efpecially his fervants , becaufe they are redeemed by him too, from being fervants to iin and Satan (by whom, though they were never rightfully Servants, yet they were held in bon-

dagej and purchafed by him to be his own poffeffion, his peculiar people, , . and to do his work, to be zealous of good work/, Tit. 2. 34. I fuppofe j, i£ MT * none can deny Believers to be as much Gods fervants, as any mans fervants are his, and that he hath as abfcjlute a dominion over them, as men ever can have over thofe which are theirs, being bought with a price as well as any. Now who knows not that fervants are fo their Matters, that they are not their own, not fui juris, cannot command •themfelves, not difpofe of themfelves, or their time, or their work \ all they have, and all they do is their Matters. Believers then being thus Gods fervants have nothing, do nothing but what belongs to their Lord, and 10 can deferve nothing at his hands by all the fervice they can do him, feeing they owe it all to him » who indeed deferves any thing for doing what he is bound to do, and deferves punifhment if fre do not do? And therefore if God rewards his fer trants, he doth it out of his liberality, and becaufe it pleafeth him to reward them, not that any thing is due to them > and if he never (hould reward them, never had promifed them a reward, yet ftill they being fervants were bound to do his work. Hence our Saviour in that 17. of Luke bids his Diiciples when theythave done all that is commanded them, or fuppofing they could and fhouM do all, yet even then to acknowledge themfelves to be but -unprofitable fervants, not only unprofitable to God, (fo much the Papitts will grantj but unprofitable to themfelves, in that being bound by the condition of fervants to obey their Lord, they could not deferve fb much as thank/, ver. 9, much lefs a reward. And fo in a word, if God give believers any thing it is grace, if nothing it is not injuttice. He that would deferve any thing of his Matter mutt firtt be made free i Manu-miflion mutt go before Merit.

2. Believers owe all to God becaufe they are his beneficiaries, and have received all from God, 1 Cor. 4.7. What haft thou that thou haft not received ? It U God that workgth in you to will, and to do of his own good pleafure* Phil. 2. 13. Not that we are Efficient of our felves, to thin\ any thing as of our felves, but our fufficiency is of God* 2 Cor. 2. 5. And indeed Papitts themfelves dare not in plain terms deny

B b b 2 it,

aA

it, but in words confefi it. And the more ancient, and Vullus autem homo prius fecit founder Schoolmen roundly affert, all the good we da pro Deo, i_p(e mm Veus in q*a : as wdl as en j oy t0 come f rom God . No man f ays ' libit motions et factions eft prt~ . . c . \ ' . , ~ j • j « A r • r r j i ** \

mus motor et factor. Bradw. ts before-hand with God in doing any thing for God, but God

de caufa Dei. p. 343. • him\jelfin every good work^ and motion is the fir ft mover

Et Mud quod fumus, et quodlia and doer. And, whatever we are (faith another) what-

bemus, five fint aclus boni 9 five ever we h whether good attions, or good habits, or the habitus, feu ufus, totum eft in r r 1 •* • 1? • ri t-i ;-x r *~ 1 r 1

nobis ex liberalitatedivha&ratis "ft of them, it is all in us out of the liberality of God freely

dante, et confervante. Durand. giving all, and preferving all. And yet another, All our

in Sent. l.i. dift. tn. q. *. good works and merits are Gods free gifts. He calls them Omnes operationesnoftr* et m { d . • h t 1 difputes agamrt the con-

7 -it a funt dona Dei.Gt egor. An- ,. . y c ' • • 1 1 • * 1 .

min. in Send. 1. diftinft. 17. dignity of merits, with this very Argument we have in

q. 1. Arc. 2. hand. And though it be true, that the good adtions we

Totum quod eft hominis bonum eft J 0 are ours as they are wrought by us, and come from us,

\?\nT n ' fum ' l ' 2 * q * y eta11 that is & ood in them is of God > and the y have no

more goodnefs in jjiem than what they have of him. Now then hence it will follow that men can deferve nothing of God, Rom. 11.35* Who hath firjlgiven to him , and it Jhall be. recompenfed to him again ? They that have not firlt given to God fomething which is their own, fomething which they never received from him, cannot oblige him to recompenfe them. And indeed it is contrary to common fenfe, that a man mould deferve any thing of another by giving him back what he received from him, and fo that God mould be a debtor

to us for thofe very good works, which himfelf hath Si mus dat anim* charitatm wrought in us. Thus fome of the Papifrs themfelves gratis donate vuilusdiceret quod e< Jf Cod, fays one, qives a foul gnrace, he gives it

exeo auod Deus donet aliquoa ~° 7 J j -v r \i , 1 r 1 1 ,1 ■ j-

mnJalicuufittiialttmfm*. f r * e b> and no man will fay that beeaufe he hah given him

neris debitor, ergo ex eo quod one gift, toe ows him another, therefore when God freely gratis dat ant ma charitatem, gives a foul charity, he is not confequently bound to give

non debttur confeqmttr eiiam it „i or)u Nay the other go farther, and ar^ue that the elorta. Anmrn. ubi lepra. Vid. & j 1 o ■> % a

Bradward. & Durand. ubi more good a man doth the more he receiv§^from God, fupra. (feeing it is of God that he doth that very good) and

therefore is fo far from obliging God by what he doth, that he is himfelf more bound to God. And indeed it is a clear cafe, that the more a man ows to God, the lefs capable he is of deferving any thing of God, but the more good a man doth the more he ows, becaufe the more he doth the more he receives, and confequently the belt Saints,-that do molt, feeing they likewife receive mod, mult needs owe moft •,. and therefore merit Ieaft. Indeed did they do their good works meerly in their own ftrength, and without receiving grace from God, fo that they could call their works purely their own, more might be faid in de^ fence of Merits i But when no believer in the World ever doth one jot of good more than what he is enabled by God to do, and which God works by him j it follows that full as his works encreafe, fo his receipts ejicreafe, and. as they grow, his merits Cto fpeakfo for QnceJ abate,

he

he being in every good work a new debtor to God for the grace whereby

j r g. 5. The good works of believers are imperfect, and therefore they cannot merit by them. How can a man merit any reward of the Lawgiver by doing that which doth not anfwer the Law, which requires not only good works but perfectly good ones ? He doth not deferve his wages that doth not do his whole work, and do it as he mould. Or how can a man deferve a reward by thofe works which deferve punirh-ment? Can he deferve the bleffing and the curfe at the fame time, and by the fame works ? But imperfect good works, though the imperfection of them be not actually imputed, and what is ^ood in them be accepted, yet as imperfect, and falling (hort of the demands of the Law, do deferve the Curfe \ for, Gal. 3.10. Curfed is every one that continues not in all that is -written in the foc\ of the Law to do it. And the perfection of good works as well as the works themfelves is one of thofe things which are written in the Law, Luk. 10. 27. Ihou fljalt love the Lord thy God with all thy hearty &c. Now that the good works of believers are imperfect, not only altogether, but each of them in particular, how clear is it to any that ever really exercife themfelves in thetn* Where is there the Saint in the world, but hath fome tins mingled with his good works > Who ever holds on in (b confiant a courfe of obedience and holinefs, but that the good he doth is interrupted with the mixture of fome evil } There is not ajuji man upon the earth that doth good, and fins not, fays Solomon Ecclef. 7. 20. And if we fay we have no fin we deceive our felves, and the truth is not in us, faith St. John, 1 Joh. 1.8. And David who was as holy as any Papift upon earth, fpeaks for himftlt, and all the world befides, that if God fhould marh^ iniquity, none could \\and, Pfal. 130. 3. And though our Adverfartes tell us here Exc?. that the intermixture of fome venial (ins, with the good works of the Saints, doth not hinder their perfection, nor meritorioufnefs, and that their tins are no other: that believers may as they walk toward heaven, have a little dull fall upon them, but do not wallow in the mire} that they do but turn aiide in Gods ways, not turn their backs upon them, • but halt in them, not forfake them, but fquint a little on the World, not turn their faces-wholly toward it. Yet rhis will not fuffice till they Anfn>> can folidly cftablilh thediitinction of mortal fins, and venial upon Scripture foundations, which they never can till they have made an Index ex-purgatorius upon the Bible itfelf, and Sentenced the holy Penmen of it as Authores damnatos, condemned them for making thofe fins mortal which they themfelves would fo fain have only venial. No nor after they have done that, till they can produce fome one Saint who hathlived all his days without ever falling into any one of their, mortal fins. Let them ranfack their whole Colledge of Cardinals, fearch all their Re* ligious houfes, examine Feters Chair it felf, and they (hall net find -one that dares fand Proteftants will not; pretend to be wholly without,

a!

out, or free from fome or other of thofe iins, which they themfelves .count Mortal.

And if we look to the good works of the Saints in particular, we (hall find fome defedtivencfs in every one of them 5 the befl proceed but from an imperfect principle > the new nature, which, in believers during their prefent ftate, is but in its growth, not come to its full maturity, it fhall be made perfect, and therefore is not yet perfect. God promifes that believers (hall grow in grace, Pfal. p2. 12,13,14. Tta righteous Jhall flourijh as the Palm tree, and grow likg a Cedar in Lebanon, They are commanded to grow, 2 Pet.3. 18. Grow in grace. It is their endeavour to grow, Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14. 7bey reach out to things before them, and prefs forward, &c. And it is their priviledge that they do grow, 2 Cor. 4. 16. Ibeir inner man is renewed day by day. And there is no time of a Saints life in which it is.not his duty to grow in grace i # the command obligeth them all as long as they are on this fide heaven.

But if grace were come to its full perfection, there would be no more need of growing in it, no more obligation fo to do. Befides, there is no Saint, but as he hath fome grace in him, fohe hath fome remainders of corruption too, fin dwelling in him, as well as Paul had, Rom. 7. 17, <the haw of the members as well as the Law of the mind, ver* 23. flejh as well as//>/m,~Gal. 5.17. As one principle which draws him off from iin, fo another, which inclines him to k j as one which puts him upon good, fo another which.makes him in fome degree averfe to it, as fome-thing which makes him do the work, and in fbmemeafure as he mould > fo fomething which checks and cools him, and makes him not do it altogether as he mould. Now from hence arifeth a double imperfection in the bell works of the Saints: One is a want or failing of that intenfe-nefs, or thofe degrees of goodnefs, that height and excellency of it which the Law of God requires '■> for where the principle it felf is not fully perfect, the actings of that principle cannot but be imperfect', the effect can be no better than the caufe: The other is the adherence of fome evil to the work, fome fpot or flain cleaving to it: as iin dwells in the fame foul, the fame mind, the fame will and affections with grace, fo it mingles it felf with the actings of grace » there being fomething of mud in the fountain, it dirties the ftream > theveffel having a tang, derives it t© the liquor that runs out of it \ there being fomething of venom in the flower, it infinuates it felf into, and mingles with that fweet vapour that comes from it: fo that upon the whole every act of a Saint is fome way or other defective, and blemifhed, and comes (hort of a legal accuratenefs, and therefore is not able to abide a legal trial: that any are at all accepted with God, it is upon the fole account of JefusChrmS 1 Pet.2.5. Him we find, Rev, 8. 3. offering incenfe with the prayers of the Saints, and his Type the High Prieft, Exod. 28. 38. Bearing the iniquities of the holy things which the children of Jfrael bal-lo&>_ed.in all their holy gifts* And fure then if the good works of believers

*

lievers are accepted for Chrifts fake, they are not rewarded for their own i their goodnefs cannot deferve a recompence, when their infirmities need a covering: their weaknefs argues their not anfwering the Law, and if they do not'anfwer it, they cannot deferve to be rewarded according to it.

Arg. 6. Believers need forgivenefs of fin, -and therefore cannot by all their good deeds merit life. That they need forgivenefs is plain not only by the former Argument, (in that there is no man fo full of good works, but he hath fome fins mingled with them y and there are no good works in this life, fo full of goodnefs, but they have fome mixture of evil too. J and by our Saviours command to pray for pardon, and that daily, Mat. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts. But likewife by the practice of the Saints in Scripture, Tfal. 25. 11. Van.?, ip. 1 King. 8. 34,3 d. and the practice of the Papifts themfelves. How many Pater Nojlers, zn&KyrieEleefons, do they daily fay ) The verieft Saints among them confefs their fins, and pray for pardon. The Pope himfelf, for all his HAinefs, and his pardoning other mens fins, yet confeffethhis own* Now if Saints themfelves need forgivenefs, how do they deferve Heaven I How cantheConfcienceof fin, and the merit of life confiit together? He that prays for pardon confeffeth himfelf a finner, and he that owns himfelf a finner, acknowledgeth himfelf to be worthy of death i and if he be worthy of death, how is he worthy of life ? If he deferve a punilhment, fure he doth not at the fame time deferve a reward * If they fhall fay y that they pray only for the pardon of venial fins, it fig nifies little j they had as good keep their breath for fomething elfe, feeing after all their feeking the forgivenefs of them, yet they mult be fain to expiate them hereafter in Purgatory : And if they do by their-venial fins deferve Purgatory, how do they at the fame time merit Heaven? And therefore either let the Papifts ceafe to pray for pardon, or to pretend to merit. To beg forgivenefs, if they do not: indeed fin, is to mock God, and to pretend to merit if they do, is to-mock themfelves.

Arg. 7. The good works-of believers are«not commenfurate and* equal in goodnefs, and value to eternal life, and therefore cannot deferve it. Common fenfe will evince the truth of the confequence. Who can fay that fuch a work deferves fuch a reward, if it be not equal in worth, and value to it, any more than that fuch a Commodity deferves fuch a price, if it be not of equal worth with it ? And Papifts themfelves grant as much h Aquinas makes the juft reward of a mans labour, and. Vfd.fr. *. q;;: the price of a thing bought to be both alike of Juftice, and requires an 114. Arc i^ equality wherever ftricl: juflice is. And that the good worksof the Saints are not equal to eternal life, unlefs they be grown better than they were in Pauls time, is clear by Rom. 8.18. For I reckon, that- the fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to he compared with the glory that fljall be revealed in us ; And if the furlerings of the Saints are not worthy of their

1

glory y fure none of their other works are* their fufferings, ( wherein they are not meerly pailive, but active too, for they cbufe to fuffer affli~ dions, Heb. n. 2 5.J being fome of the mod excellent of their works, £ xc ^ and in which moft grace is exercifed. The Papifts common Anfwer is, That the good works of Believers as they come meerly from them, and their free will are not .worthy of, or equal to .their glory, but yet that they are fo as they proceed from grace, a fupernatural principle in their' ■ Anfvo. hearts. But we have feen before, that that very principle though excellent, noble, divine as, to the nature of it % yet in refpedt of its degrees, is but imperfect, and therefore the actings which proceed from it muft needs be fo too > there being fuch a mixture of fin in the heart where grace is feated, it mingles it felf with the actings of grace in our works. And how then can we fay that an imperfect work deferves a full reward ? That the poor lame performances of believers are equal, to that, abundant glory, which God in his goodnefs hath prepared for them \

' Arg. 8. Believers cannot recompenfe to God what they have already received of him, and therefore cannot by all they do merit any thing of him. They that are debtors to God can by no means make him a debtor to them j when they owe him fo much, he can owe them nothing. Debt?*to God muft be difcharged before any obligation can be laid upon him. And that Saints cannot recompenfe God for what they have received of him, is clear by what was faid before, for they have received of him all they are, all they have, all they do, their being, their powers and faculties, their good inclinations, principles, actings. An*d what can a man return to God which may recompenfe him for all thefe } It is a known faying of the Philosopher, That no man can requite . q q ^ or his-Parents. And indeed if a Son cannot return equal to his Father for the being he hath received from him, though but fubordi-nately to God, muchlefs can he recompenfe God himfclf for that, and allelfe which he hath received from him. But deferring a reward at Gods hands, efpecially fuch a one as we fpeak of, is much more than meerly to requite him for what he hath done for us, and therefore fuch ,a reward, by all our good works we can never pofiibly merit. I conclude

this with that of Bradxvardixe, God hath given to and for Dm dedit homing & pro mifero man ■> rniferable captive man, man obnoxious to eternal homing & captivo , Flammis flames, himfdf made man, /offering, dying, buried, that perpetuis obligato, [eipfum incur- ] oe might redeem him, and he promifetb, and giveth him-natum, pafi.m, & fepultum, in far wMl u he • ed y man as bif f rewar A w i, ic y precium temporaliter redtmenaoi J .s r -..^ 1 J 1 J A 1 r -,

fro.mittit infuper & dat \dpfum wfinjtely exceeds^ any meer man ; ; And. confequently all

totum inpramiumfalicitir con- his power, all his holinefs, all his good works. What fumendo, quodexctdit qittmlibet Sainton earth can requite God for giving himfclf for him, pmm homineminfiniu. Bradw. and how then can he m£rit the en j oyment 0 f God > If the

z'erYfdomm q*i mefecM, ddeo firft be above his requital, I am fure the other is above his amori tuo mtipfitm totum, qui me defert.'

redtmifliydebto meipjum totum : imo tantum debeo amori tuo plus quam meipfum, quantum tu ts major me, pro quo dedijti uipfum y & cui promittk teipfum. Anfelm. apud Bradw. ibid.

Arg. p.

Arg. $?. He that defcrves any thing of another mud do fomething whereby that other hath fome benefit or advantage, for no man can be faid to merit at anothers hand, by doing that which is advantageous only to himfelf. But Believers, by all they do, profit themfelves, if any, not God > they bring no gain, make no addition to him,it is their own good, their own happinefs they farther and advance by all their holinefs and good works, but not God's, who is ftill, after all the good Works of all the Saints on earth for thefe 5000 years and upwards, the fame tie was before: All their mites have added nothing to his Treafures, all their drops nothing to his Ocean. Job 22. 2. Can a man be profitable to God as a man that is wife may be-profitable to himfelf? ver. 3. Is it gain to hint that thou make}} thy ways perfett ? And therefore it muft needs follow, that Believers by their good works deferve nothing of God.

Arg. 10. The Popifh Dodtrine of Merits highly derogates from the honour of God and Chrift, and therefore is not to be admitted. 1. It derogates from the glory of God j

1. In his Liberality, for God is the molt liberal giver, Jam. 1. 5. Every good, we fay, by how much the greater it is, fo much the more communicative it is, and God being the greateft good, muft needs be mofl communicative, moll liberal, and that too tofuch an height, as nothing can be conceived more fo. Now he that gives freely, is more liberal,more generous, more communicative, than he that gives out of debt, or on the account of defert, and therefore that moft free and liberal way of giving muft be afcribed unto God, as mofl: futable to him, and we cannot fay that God gives any thing to his Creatures out of debt, but we diminifh the glory of his liberality.

2. In his Liberty. It is a fubjedting him to his Creature. He that owsany thing to another is fo far forth fubjedfc to him \ the borrower is vrov. 12. 7 . fervant to the lender. He that gives all freely, is more free himfelf, than

he that gives only becaufe he ows it. And therefore if God be a debtor to man, and bound in Juftice to reward him> he doth not adt fo freely as if no fuch obligation lay upon him.

x. It derogates like wife from the glory of Chrift, becaufe from his yid.cham.tom. Merits. "Whoever merits any thing, acquires thereby a right to that urt.l.i^.c.io. thing which before he had not, either in whole or in part. A day-labourer hath no right to his wages, but by his work, and till his work be done cannot challenge it > and fo if Believers merit eternal life, they do by their works get a title to k^ which before their working they had not: and if they do by their works acquire a right wholly to eternal life, then Chrift hath not at all merited it -for them '•> if in part they merit it, then Chrift hath but in part merited it for them '■> and fomething there is in eternal life which Chrift hath not merited. And it is in vain 10 j? xc% fay that Chrift hath merited for the Saints a power of meriting, and that it is more for his glory to enable them to do it, than to do it wholly himfelf. For, befides that, the Papifts can never prove that Chrift hath AnjW*

C c c merited

L

merited any fuch power for Believers, it is really more for the honour of his bounty to purchafe all for them himfelf, than to enable them to it. As he is more bountiful who gives a man a great eftate out of. his own proper goods, than he that enables him to get an eftate by his labour and induflry..

Indeed Bellarmine fpeaks plainly, that God would have his children merit Heaven, becaufe it is more for their honour than to have it given them. De Jufiifi /. 5. c 3* So little is his eminency concern'd for God's glory, as jealous as he is for the credit of the Saints: methinks he might have remembred, that what is given to the one is taken away from the ©Cher > and if it be more for the Saints honour to have their inheritance by way of merit, yet it is more for God's glory that they have it as a gift.

Other arguments might be added, but I had rather mention enough than all. I have been larger in thefe, becaufe,. though fome of the more learned among the Papifts place the meritorioufnefs of good works upon fomething elfe than the intrinfick excellency • of them, yet this is the mof! popular and dangerous error among them > the vulgar fort not underftanding the dillindions. and niceties of fbme few Scholars, are more apt to believe their good works to be of their own nature, and for their own excellency meritorious. More briefly therefore of the reft: Bellarmine bears us in hand, that the compleat meritorioufnefs of good works arifeth from the addition of God's promife to them? fo that they which would not have merited eternal life other-wife, (though proportioned to it, if he may be believed) yet the promife being made, are truly worthy of iu'

Again!! this we argue v that if the acceflion. of the promife make good works to be truly meritorious, then it muft be either becaufe the promife makes good works better, more excellent and noble than they would have been, had no fuch promife been made? or elfe becaufe (which is this Cardinals notion) the promife obligeth God in juftice to reward them, which without it he were not bound to do..

1. But the addition of God's promife doth not raife the rate of good works? not ennoble them, nor add any intrinfecal dignity or worth to them, nor make them inthemfelv.es better than they would have been if fuch a promife had not been made, the promife being fomething extrin-fecal to the works themfelves, &c. From whence therefore they can receive no new degrees of inward goodnefs or worth, The proper formal excellency of a good adion arifeth from its conformity to its rule, die rightnefs of the principle from whence it proceeds, and to which it is directed: if therefore it proceed from a fupernatural principle, and be referred to a fupernatural end, and be in other things agreeable to its proper rule, which is the command of God, and not the promife s (for that though it be an encouragement to work, yet is not the rule of our working)it hath all in it that isneceffaxjto the cifence of a good-work,.

whether,

whether any promife be made to it or not. Indeed, the more high and intenfe the principle of Grace is from whence it proceeds, and the more directly and exprcfly it is ordered to its end, and the more exactly it is conformable to its rule, the more good, the more gracious it is i but the adding of the promife makes it not one jot more gracious, more intrin-fecally worthy: had God never made any promife of rewarding the good works of Believers^ yet they would have been as good as now they are. Nay 5 1 meet with a School-maa that fays, if the promife make Nee UUpr*. any alteration in the nature of a good work, it is rather by diminishing mi ff t0 f acit °? Ui from its goodnefs than adding to it h fo far as it may be an occafion of Tl^C^Jtl^ a mans acting lets out or love to God, and more out ot love to himieJr. operis 9 &per However did any new goodnefs accrew to a good work by theacceffion omnest)ns cir-of God's promife, it would follow, that the leaft good work of a Saint cm^ntUsin* (hould thereby be fo elevated and raifed in its worth and value, as to be LJ^ ' m )ms made equal to thegreateft> the giving a cup of cold water to one of bonum; facie • ChriiV's Difciples, lhould be equal to a mans laying down his life for mm intentio-• Chrift > for they which agree in fome third, agree between themfelves •> ne ™ *i***ft» (as the learned Bilhop Vavenant argues^ and fo if the giving a cup 6ff^ opt'lte-cold water to a Difciple of Chrift, be by God's promife made equal to m pare propter eternal life, dying for Chrift being no more, even after the acceition of Deum foittm, the promife, they muft be both equally good, and (in the Papifts ftile) nunc {* r ^ a It t t equally meritorious actions, becaufe both commenfurate to, and merito- ntributionsm rious of the fame reward. Nay, fuppofing God (hould promife eter- promiffam. nal life to a meerly moral work, which had no fupernatural goodnefs in zradw. de it, or to an action in it felf indifferent, yet that action, though not gra- Caii ^ D "'» ■ ciousin it fclf, mould be of as great dignity and value as any the heft G)ll c'onveni-and mofV fpiritual action what-ever *> for the belt action cannot be ima- unt in allq^o gined by Papifts themfelves to deferve any more than eternal life, and itrtt0 eonveni even a meer moral or indifferent one would by the help of the promife t nt J nt %^ deferve as much, and yet the Papifts acknowledg that none but gracious A.' ones can deferve it. And how abfurd would it feem in the things of this life, for a promife or contract thus to raife the value of a mans labour or «nony, above the due eftimation, and intrinlick worth of it ? Would it not feem ftrange,nay ridiculous to affirm, when two men buy two parcels of a commodity, of equal WGrth in themfelves*, but at unequal rates \ fuppofe the one at 100 /. as the full value, the other at 5 /. that the contract made between the buyer and feller, or the promife of the feller to let h!s Chapman have his goods at fuch a price, did raife the value of his rive pounds, and make it equal to the others hundred ? who would grant this? who would not fay that fuch-a commodity were in a manner given away, or the juft price of it abated, rather than the value of the mony ra fed ? It is a cafe here, and what our Adverfa* ries (peak of good works being made meritorious by the addition of God's promife^ is no lefs ridiculous and void of reafon.

Di

Ct c 2

Th^

2. The addition of God's promife of rewarding good works, doth not bind him in ftridt 'juftice to reward them. We acknowledg. that he is engaged, by his immutability and faithfulnefs, to reward the holi-nefs of his Saints, having once promifed fo to do ", but that is no more than4o fay, that God is engaged to adt like himfelf, fuitably to his own nature i it is agreeable to God, as God, to be faithful and true to his word > if he were not faithful, he could not be God, not to be faithful were to deny himjelf 2 Tim. 2.13. But it is quite another thing to be bound in ftricl juftice to render to men fuch a reward as he hath promifed. For the object of juftice being the equality of the thing.~given, and the thing received, and it being the bufinefs of juftice to fee to that equality, and that fo much be returned for fo much, God being bound by his promife to make fuch an equality of the reward to the work, argues imperfection in him ', for it implies that God is mans debtor, and hath received more of him-than hitherto he hath given him, or that a mans w 7 orks exceed all his receits, and all God's former bounty: in a word, that man hath done more for God, than God hath yet done for him, on the account whereof he is bound to give him more, (viz. the reward) that fo there may be an equality. And if this do not imply imperfection in God, what doth ? Befides, if after God hath promifed glory to a righteous man walking in his righteoufnefs, yet he mould net give it him, fuch an one could only fay that God did break his word, or a& contrary to his faithfulnefs, but he could not fay he adted unjuftly, or Si Dius dtce- did not give him as much as he received from him. If ("faith a Papift dent; in gratia himfelf J Codjhould not give glory to a man that died in a ft ate of Grace^ non dtretgtori- orfoould takg it away from one already poffejfed of it^ yet in fo doing he tZntitbrUm fhwld not he unrighteous. To conclude, juftice properly taken implies gufmtu tamtn an equality, and where equality is not, there cannot be juftice j but there mhil ny^am j$ no equality not only between God and man, but between mans work-facmt.Viirand. i n g^ ^d Gods rewarding* and it is not the addition of a promife that \!lTv.i\t e ^ er l eve * s tn£ reward to the work, or raifeth the work to there-jrt, 1. ward.

But, fay fome of our Adverfaries, good works become meritorious of eternal life, by being fprinkled with Chrift's blood, commended to God by his merks. We would willingly fee the proof of it 5 let them tell us, if they can, what it is which Chrift's merits do fuper-add to the goodnefs of the work whereby it becomes meritorious, when before, though truly good, it was not fo. We grant indeed, that as there is no goodnefs in our felves, fo likewife none in our works, which is not the erTedr of Chrift's merits? but fuppofing the goodnefs of them, we would know what it is that Chrift's merits do further add to them to make them meritorious. True indeed, the merits of Chrift do procure both acceptance and reward for the good works of the Saints, but they do not make thefe works intrinfecally perfect: they are the caufe why the failings of the Saints in them are. not imputed, but they do not remove

move thofe failings and weaknefTes from them. Nay more, Chrift's f . ' merits do no more make the good works of believers meritorio.us 5 than q^I cathol: Chrilt communicates to believers themfclves a power of meriting? but that can never be* a meer creature is uncapable of fuch a power: to merit is proper to Chrjit only, and cannot agree to any of his members"? the power of meriting eternal life coniifts in the infinite virtue of the pcrfon meriting anfwering to the glory merited > and therefore to fay that Chriir, by his merits, makes the good works of the Saints meritorious, is to fay that he communicates to themfclves an inhnite power, and to their works an infinite excellency.

To all thefe I add but this one general Argument. It is not lawful for men to trull in their own works, and therefore they do not merit any thing of God by them '•> for what reafon can be given why a man might not put confidence in them, if they really, deferved a reward of God, and fo were really the caufe of mans falvation? It is true indeed, the confidence of a believer, and his rejoycing in the goodnefs and fafe-ty of his fpiritual eftate, and hope of life, may be helped on by, and in a. fenfe proceed from his obedience and good works, becaufe they are an-evidence of his faith, and fo of his intereil in Chrift, acceptance with. God, and title to the heavenly inheritance j but this is quite another thing ; there is a vafl difference between a mans taking comfort in his obedience, as the evidence of his title to glory j and trufting in it, as that which gives him that title. Nebemiab, though he reflect on his good deeds, and comfort himfelf in them, yet expedls his reward on another account, Chap, 13. ver. 22, Spare me according to the greatnefs of thy mercy j and fo our Pfalmift in the Text, 'to thee belongeth mercy^ for* thou rendered to every man according to his wor\s : and how frequently, do we find the Saints difclaiming all confidence in their own holineis-and obedience, when they have to do with God and his judgment. ? But to defcend from the Saints to a Cardinal,. Bellarmine himfelf after his laborious difputes in defence of "merits, and for juftirication by works, in the very fame Chapter where he pleads for the lawfulnefs of mens Propter incet* trufting in them, at la(l hath this con<?lufion, Tbat^ hecaufe of ths uncertituci { nem P^ tainty of mans own right eoufnefs^ and the danger of vain-glory^ it is the •?* Jy*** 1 ** fafefi way for men to place their whole confidence in the mercy and goodnefs inanislhri* of God alone,. And if Bellarmine fay it is fafeft, I will fay it is wifeft, tatrffimm eft and the Cardinal doth but trifle -in contending fo much for the merit o^tQtamfldmam good works, and fo in a buiinefs of the higheff importance, putting men in .l ol . A D y , wpon a courie which he himlelt dares not fay is fate. benignitate >*-

Having faid thus much for the confirmation of the truth againfl the ponere.Dc Ji*r Fapiils, it is high time we give them leave to fpeak for themfelves, and nif -l - 5c * 7b hear what they can fay for the merit of good works in relation to the re- prop * 5 * ward of eternal glory.

Firtl therefore they tell us, that eternal life is in Scripture frequently Qhf i 3 . called a reward, Matt. 5.12. Great is your reward in Heaven 5 2 Johl 8>

But

But that we receive a full reward •, Rev. 22. 12. I-come quickly, and my reward is with me : and fo in other places. Now, fay they, Mere as & meritum, a reward and merit are correlates s fo that merit infers reward, and reward implies merit h and therefore if Heaven, which is given to believers., be the reward of their works, their works muft needs be the merit of that reward. Anfw. * • A reward may be taken either ftridrly,and properly,for that which is

given to a man not only on confideration of his work, but is proportioned, and meafured out according to it, and is in ftridt juftice due to him for it. And in this fenfe we deny that eternal life is ever in the Scripture called a reward h and let our Adverfaries prove it if they can. Or, fecondly, it is taken improperly and metaphorically, and then there is no fuch relation between it and merit, as the objedion mentions. lytfj Thus, Gen, 30. 18. God hath given me my hire, or reward, faith Leah, and yet who can fay that me merited a fon at God's hands, by giving her hand-maid to her husband? Pfal. 127. 3. 'the fruit of the womb is his reward \ and I wonder then what is the merit ? Indeed, what is reward in the latter part of the verfe, but the fame that heritage in the former ? ^o,Gen. 15.1. 1 am thy fiteld, and thy exceeding great reward. And will the Papifls iay that God himfelf falls under mens merit ? and yet fo it mud: be, if there be fuch a neceflary relation between reward and merit. Yet more fully,. Rom. 4. 4. To him that workgtb is the reward not reckoned of grace, hut of debt. Here are plainly two forts of rewards, one proper, and of debt* the other improper, and of grace. And therefore I conclude, that eternal life is called a reward in Scripture improperly, and metaphorically, and no otherwife than as any thing given to another on coniideration of fervice done, may be called a reward, though it be a thoufand times greater than the fervice is, or though it be not at all due to him to whom it is given \ as when a Mafter gives fomething to his ilave who hath done his work well, though he were not bound to it, his fervant being his mony, and being bound to do do his work, and do it well, though no reward mould be given him.

2. As eternal life is fometimes called a reward, fo it is other times •£ xc ^ called a gift, Rom. 6. 23. If it be here excepted, that it is properly cal-Anfc. ^ a rewar d> an< ^ metaphorically a gift: Camero anfwers, that that which is properly a gift, may metaphorically be caMed a reward, as if it Mfer.p.w*' be given on the account of fome fervice, as when a Mafter gives a gift to his fervant for doing his work, which yet (as before) he was not obliged to give > but that which is properly a reward, can by no means be called a gift, becaufea real prop r reward implies fomething worthy of it, whereby it is deferved, and the reward is a debt due in juftice to inch a work > and fo if eternal life be a reward, it cannot at alJb e called a gift, at leaft without an unpardonable catachrefis i whereas, though it be properly a gift, it may figuratively be called a reward, becaufe of fome xefemblauce to it, in that God rewards men with eternal glory after they

have

have done him fervice, though they were bound to have fervcd him, however no fuch reward were to be given them. And yet again, eter- chmUu de nal life is called an inheritance, as well as a reward ', and, fays a learned bon. oper. c 6* man, either both thefe names are given it properly, or both figuratively > or one properly, and the other figuratively j the iirft cannot be, for to he properly an inheritance and reward too, will imply a contradiction : who knows not that a reward properly taken is always deierved, but an inheritance is not v and fo eternal life, if it be properly both, mull be given to fome antecedent defert, becaufe a reward", and without it, becaufe an inheritance > and fo freely, and not freely i out of juftice, and not out of juitice. If it be metaphorically only called both a reward and-an inheritance, we gain as much as we need, for then it is not pro-pesly a reward, and fo not truiy deferved, the Fapifts themfelves being . judges. If one be taken properly, the other figuratively, *it may eafily be proved that the figurative fenfe mult rather be applyed to its being a reward than an inheritance, unlefs we will fay not only that eternal life is properly a reward, but believers are properly mercenaries', and if the Papilts are fo fond of their merits, that rather than fail they will^wn themfelves mercenaries, much good may it do them, we envy them. not the honour.

Several places they ailedge where the Scripture fpeaks- of believers as Ob], 2;.. worthy, of the reward : 2 7bef.i.<$. 7batye may be counted worthy of the ,„ Kingdom of God: Rev.3. 4. Ihey pall wa\with me in whit e^ for tbey are wlj%^i~£ worthy. Much ltrefs they lay upon the word worthy, and fo argue the OTXe ^ ™ e ' tZ -Saints to merit eternal life, becaufe they are faid to-be worthy of ^^CE3

it. o7J*£ni-«0"jy, ;

The wortbinefs fpoken of in fuch places, is plainly the Saints fitnels for, and futablenefs to, the reward of glory i> that difpoiition which God works in thofe whom he intends to gloririe: of which the Apoftle fpeaks, Col. 1. 12. Who bath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light: where the vulgar Latin renders if, §}gi dignos, nos fecit 7 though the Greek i™tv»r*fli lignifie no more than, as we. translate it, making meet, ox fit. And in how many other places is the fame word ufed for fitnefs, or futablenefs } Matth. 3.8. Bring firth fruits ^^ic^U wfc meet for repentance, that is, fuch as become thofe who truly repent, and /*•**"«*•■ yet the Greek hath it, worthy of repentance: and if we take it in the Popifh fenfe, what fruits are they which are worthy of repentance, fo as to merit it? not works before it, for they themfelves will not affirm, works wrought before the firft grace, to merit that grace, at lead by way of condignity. Nor can it be faid of works after repentance, for who is fo weak as to fay, a man may truly and properly deferve what he hath already, by. fomething which he doth afterwards ? Other places confirm our interpretation of the word, Eph.^.J. ibaty? waV^worthy-.. ef tbe vocation where-witbye are called i '&&mmi&&kt&fr0b is no more than to walk futably or agreeably to their, calling,. And FhiL 1, 27,.

Conjugio o£nea Veneris digni-tate fitperbo. Vi g.

Qhos quoniam cxli nondum dignamurho-nore.Ovid.

qui imprimis horore di gnus h.betur, vel pfnrimifit.

ciignum )udi' wr*. Suid.

424 GW Works not Meritorious of Salvation. Serm. XI;

. wemrrZluxtfxizvroXLriCi&cti, to have our converfation ww*/>vof the Gofpel, is no more, than as our translation, renders it, as becomes the Gofpel. And af<b(&*,, 2 Tbeffl 1. 5. which we render to count worthy^ is no more than dignari, to vouchsafe: and the fame ufe both of the Greek and Latin word is frequent in Heathen Authors, fo that nothing for merit in a proper fenfe can be inferred from it. Or, if dignity muft needs be in the cafe, the GreeH word will rather fignify, to dignify, or put honour upon another, than fuppofe any dignity inherent in him, or, if you pleafe fo to deal with a man, as if he were worthy, whether he be fo or not 5 and thus it will rather imply a kind of imputation of wor-thinefs to a perfon, than its being really in him.

Again, when the Samts are faid to be worthy, it is not to be tinder-flood of any fuch dignity in them, as anfwers to what the Law requires, or of an abfolute worthinefs of the reward, but rather of a comparative one j when they are faid to be worthy, they are compared with wicked men, in refpeel: of whom they may be faid fo to be '■> becaufe, although, in ftrid: juitice, they do not merit life, yet they are qualified for^:, and fuited to it, by having thofe holy difpoiltions wrought in them, which God intended to furnifh them with, in order to the enjoyment of fo glorious a recompence as he hath defigned them for.

Thofe places of Scripture are objected, in which the reward is faid to be given men according to the proportion and meafure of their works and labour: from whence they infer, that in rewarding good works, God hath refpedt not meerly to his liberality, or promife, or favour, but to the dignity and efficacy of the works themfelves h fo that as evil works do really deferve eternal death, good ones do likewife deferve eternal life. Anfa, The general anfwer to this Argument was laid down in the explica-

tion of the Text, viz. That God's rewarding men according to their works, is to be underflood of the nature and kind of them, not of the value and dignity of them, that they who do well, (hall fare well s and they that do otherwife, (hall be otherwife dealt with: it (hall be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked => there is a bletling for the one, and a curfe for the other. As for the particular Scriptures, they may be eaiily anfwered: fir ft., my text is brought in againft me, that God renders to every man according to bis tpor^ but it carries its anfwer along with it, that though God reward men according to their works, and fo give life to thofe that are righteous, yet it is out of meer. mercy he doth it: let but Bellarmine read the whole verfe together, and make the bed of it he can. ' And for Luke 6. 38. With the fame meafure you mete^ ft (hall be meafured to you again •> either it is to be underftood not of God's judging and rewarding men in the future life, but of mans judgment in this life > as if he had faid, as you deal with others, fo others (hall deal with you,- you (hall have fuch as you bring, and be paid in your own coyn; Or elfe, if it.be meant of God's judgment, yet it is of a judgment

of

Ob]. 3.

Bellarm. de JufHfic. I. 5.

of condemnation, not of abfolution, and fo is wholly impertinent to thebuiinefs in hand} Chrift doth not fay, do not abfolve others, left God mould abfolve you:, but, do not condemn others, /. e. rafhly, linful-ly, left God condemn you righteoufly *, and fo much feems to be implyed in the parallel place, Matth. 7.1, 2. 1 Cor. 3. 8. is alledged too, Every man (hall receive bis own reward according to bis own labour\ but to little purpofe '-> for the Apoftle fpeaks not there of the falvation of fome, and the damnation of others, but only of the difficulty of the falvation vf fome, who had built on the foundation, wood, bay, jlubble, verTu, 13, 14, 15. who, he fays, fhould be faved, yet fo as by fire: fome fhould be faved with more difficulty than others, yet all mould be faved. The othe other places they bring here (Matth. 16. 27. Reward every man according to bis works, Gal. 6. 7. Wbat-ever a manfoweth, tbat alfojhall he reap, Rom. 2.6. Who will render to every man according to bis deeds,) need no more than the general anfwer before given, which is confirmed by ver. 7, 8, p, 10. of the fame Chapter, which fpeak plainly of the kind or quality, according to which the reward lhall be given, not of the worth or dignity of them j and yet it is further allured by the laft place the Papifts alledge under this head, Rev. 22.12. Ti? give to every man as his work^Jhall be. This text is a Commentary on all the reft, for what is in the other places, x«t«t«^«, according to their works, is in this p T a:e, *« *« **><* aWSfcrai, as his work, jhall be \ that is, if a good work, eternal Yife > if an evil one, eternal death.

Thofe places are urged, in which eternal life is fo faid to be given to Ob). 4. good works, as that thofe works are the reafon why it is given them. The chief are, Matth. 25. 34,35. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, dcc.forlwasanbungred, &c. Rev. 7. 14, 15. Ihefe are they which come out of great tribulation, &c. therefore are they before the.lhrone of God.

The ftrefs of this Argument lies on thofe particles, for, therefore, Sec. Anfve. too flender twigs to keep the Popifh caufe from iinking. For they do not alwaies fignify a connexion by way of caufali'ty, or one.thing being the true and proper caufe of another, but only by way of confequence, or the following of one thing upon another \ the connexion of two things, whereof the one is Antecedent, the other Confequent: as if you fay it is day, for the Sun is up i you then afTert the Suns being up to be the reafon of its being day, and rightly too \ but if you fay, it is day, for I fee the Sun j you will not affirm your feeing the Sun to be the reafon of its being day, and your for will iignifie no more than that your feeing the Sun, follows upon its being day •, you prove well that it is day, becaufe you fee the Sun', but you prove it not by the caufe, but by the effect. If you fhould fay Popery is a wicked Religion, for it makes Treafon lawful, you fhew why it is a wicked Religions but if you fay . fome Papifts have been wicked wretches, for they have been convicted of Treafon, and hang'd for their pains •, you do not al •

D d d ledge

ledge their being convicted, and hang'd, as the caufe of their wicked-nefs. So likewife in the places urged upon us, when the reward is faid to be given to men for or becaufe they have done thus and thus, that doth not imply their having done fo and fo to be the proper caufe of the reward given them, but only the connexion between their work and their reward, their fo doing, and fo receiving \ i t tim. i. 13. PWfpeak-ing of his blafpheming, and perfecuting, fays he obtained mercy, becaufe he did it ignorantly in unbelief. And can any man fay, that PauPs ignorance and unbelief (allow that they might leffen the finfulnefs of his perfecution and blafphemy,) were the meritorious caufes of his obtaining mercy? Matth id. 2. When it is evening ye fay it will be fair weather ^for the skje is red. Is the rednefs of the sky the caufe of fair weather, or only an indication of it ? when therefore Chrift invites the * Saints to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them, &c. becaufe he was an hungred, and they gave him meat, &c. he doth not thereby ilgnirie that their good works were the meritorious caufes of their inheriting

that Kingdom, but only the Antecedents of />, and the Whirak. contra Vuraum. Quia Evidences of their title to it. And that is confirmed by fides faclis declarator, qua omnt- our Saviour's own words, in that he doth not meerly call

busnota fat, & m ™W § * £■ them to take poffeffion of it, but to inherit it, or take pof-(entaneum eft ex jams po ins r • u • j l - l r • i_ • r 1

quamfidejententiampronunciari. ieHion of it as heirs, and by right of inheritance, and

x\),^vo/*M(r«7*. confequently not in the right of their merits. And if he

AnUquam Cbriftus b<ec lanClo h ^ ^^^ thofc WQrks he mentions t0 have becn fhe me ,

rum opera commemorat vtras <y . . r c . . r . . . . . . .

'propria? lalutis caufas atthgit, ntorious caufe of their ialvation, he could (with Bellar-

&c. qnando enim beer edit atem miners good leave) have more clearly expreflfed it, and

ios adire jubet, Vei in cbnflo plainly told them, that they had merited the Kingdom, Adoption* omnem y4m* &fa- ^ he wag bound . • ^ tQ fce them f j j {n h f _ htts caufam babuit. £>uod enim , . > /

pre b*reditario aliqmpofidct, lemon of it, fo that it can no more be concluded from

id fuis operibus mini me mtretur. hence, that the Saints do, by their good works, deferve.

Turn quod fubjungit peratum hoc Heaven as their reward, than, if God fhould have faid to

litis fui(le regnm a jatfts mundi ^ Ifradit t th end f their f t years . tQward

fundamentis sternum Vet tlecti . ■ j J J o

enem omnibus operum mentis op Canaan^ Go in now, and pofleis the promiled Land,/or

ponit. Qd. you have been forty years in the wildernefs, and have been

expofed to many difficulties and hazards, that therefore they had thereby merited that Land. £ XCt If it be faid that Chrift fpeaks the fame,& as much of the good works

of the Saints as he doth of the evil works of the wicked, the fame word Anfw. for being ufed,i>er. 42, as well zsver. 35. I anfwer, that it will not follow from thence, that good works are as truly and properly the caufes of falvation, as evil ones are of damnation, there being fo great a difference in the cafe j and we do not.conclude mens wicked works to be the caufe of their damnation meerly becaufe of the Conjunction ufed by our Saviour in this place, but from the nature, of the thing it felf, and €ther Scriptures, which fpeak more fully to it»

or

As for that place, Rev* 7» take but the whole words together, and BeVarmine hath his anfwer, ver. 14. thefe are they that come out of great tribulation and have wajhcd their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, then follows ver. 15. "therefore are they before the Throne of God. Wherefore? becaufe not only they come out of great tribulation, but becaufe they have warned their garments, &c

Thefe places of Scripture are urged where eternal life is promifed to qu * good works, Mattb. 19.17. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments, ver. 29. Every one that hath for fallen houfes, or brethren, or fifters, 3ccfor my name fake, frail receive an hundredfold, andjhall inherit everlafibig life h fo 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinefs hath the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come-, Jam. 1. 12. Shall receive a Crown of life, &o Thus they may argue from fuch places as thefe : they that do thefe works to which eternal life is promifed, merit that life, but believers do thofe works, therefore they merit, &c

1. It is molt falfe, that they that do that to which the reward of life is Anfw* promifed, do deferve that reward \ for (1.) No man deferves that which is promifed to him, unlefs by doing fomething which is adequate and proportionate to the thing promifed, but, as before was declared) the good works of the Saints are not proportionate to eternal life, nor an-fwerable in goodnefs and dignity to it, and fo cannot deferve it. You may promife a man 100 /. for a days labour, which is not worth above two millings, and can it then be faid that he deferves your 100/ ? (2.) A promife may be made to a man for doing that which he is bound to do, though nothing were given him, as when you promife a reward to a llave, who yet was before bound to do your work, and then his doing it doth not deferve what you give him .(3.) Justification is promifed to them that believe, and repent j and will the Papifts fay that a man deferves to be juftiried by his Faith and Repentance ? a King promifeth pardon and life to a Rebel, if he lay down his Arms-, to a Robber, if he leave off his robbing '■> and can it be faid that fuch do deferve pardon or life for laying down their Arms, or leaving off their wicked courfes, . when they were bound however to have done it, and the Prince was not bound to hire them to it ?

2. To the min. propof. we anfwer, Eternal life is promifed to good

works, (fo to fpeak for once, though improperly, the reward being

promifed not to good works themfelves, but to them that do themj

either, (1.) In the tirft Covenant, or Covenant of works, and then

works are the fole and adequate condition of falvation, and a mans right

to it i but then thofe work^gnuft be every way perfect, and an fwerable

to the Law that requires thetru and thus the min. prop, is mod falfe,

that any believer on earth doth that to which eternal life is promifed >

for none do all they mould, and what they do, yet they do not as they

fhould. (2.) Or in the fecond, the Covenant of grace, as where the

Crown of life is promifed to them that love God, Jam. 1.12. and other

D d d 2 places

places of the like import*, but then it would be confidered,f i.) That life is promifed not to works alone, nor to works meerly as works, (for that is the very tenor of the Law) but as joyned with, and proceeding from Faith j> and then they are neither the only, nor the compleat or adequate condition of obtaining eternal life. (2.) That they, to whom this promife is made, are believers, fuch as are accepted in Chrift unto eternal life, even'before thofe works are wrought, and then their works are not at all the condition of their being entitled to life, though trie evidence of their title to it, and the means of fitting them for it, they may be, (as hereafter more. ). And fo we fay, that however believers do thofe things to which eternal life in the Covenant of grace is promifed, yet they are not entitled to it by their fo doing, and therefore do much lefs deferve it. This may furfke for the other places alledged. As for that of MattL 19. 17. It is manifestly a legal command fuited by our Sa-Galv. in he. viour Chriit to the queltion of the young man, who fought for life by Nef, mlv.is in- the Law \ our Saviour therefore accordingly anfwers him, and fends amm pfUtiam hj m t0 t j ie ^ aw , What good thing Jhall J do ? fays the young man', Keep r tlm?ilUm the Commandments, fays Chrift \ if thou wilt have life by the Law, ful-ad legem exi- fill the righteoufnefs. of the Law i> if thou art only for doing, do all that geret. whitak. God hath fct thee to do "> and this was the way to bring him to Faith, by convincing him of the impoftibility of fulfilling the righteoufnefs of the Law, (which he farther doth by the following command, go fell all thou baft. Sec. where he detects the young mans fecret covetoufnefs whereby he had broken the Law,) and that after all his endeavours after a righteoufnefs-of works, if he would at laft be faved, he mud quit his hopes of life by them, and look to Chrift alone for it, feeing elfe-whe.re it was not to be found. Obj. 6. They argue eternal life to be deferved by believers, becaufe it is given-

to them out of juftice, and that it is fo, they prove by 2 Theft. 1. 6, 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recommence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled, reft with us, &c. 2 Tim. 4. 8. A Crown of righteoufnefs, Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your worh^ and labour of love: and fo, Jam. 1. 12. Rev. 2. 10. and fuch like places. Anyw. G°^ &i ves eternal life to believers, not out of Uriel: juftice in a proper

fenfe, but out of that which we call juftice, or righteoufnefs of faithful-nefs, or conftancy *, and though he may be faid to reward both Saints and Sinners righteoufly, or out of righteoufnefs, yet not in the fame way^ or out of the fame kind of righteoufnefs ^ it is indeed righteous for God to recompence the labours and furTeriqp of his people, becaufe he hath promifed fo to do, and it is righteous that he mould act according-to his own determination and promife, but it is not fo righteous for him to do it, as that his recompencing them is formally an act of remunerative juftice. And when the Apoftle tells the Hebrews, that God is not-unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love, he, means nc mere,

thm

than that he is not unfaithful, not unconftant, he will not change, nor break his word. But is not the laft day called the day of the righteous Exc. judgment of God, who wilf render to every man according to his deeds * "^'fl*,*•**■ Rom. 2. 5, <5. The fame day, as it is called the day of God's righteous ' ^j^CwT judgment, Co is likewife called the day of redemption, Eph. 4. 30. And a day of mercy, 2 lim. 1. 1 8. 7he Lord grant that he may find mercy in that day •, and a day of refreshment, Ad. 3. 19. When the times of re-frtjhing [hall come. And as Chrilt is faid to come to judge the quick and the dead, 2 Tim. 4.1. So likewife to appear to the falvation of believers, Heh. p. 28. That great day therefore is properly a day of Mercy, of Redemption, of Refremmenf, of Salvation to Believers, and but figuratively a day of righteous judgment as to them, fo far as it hath fome re-femblance to a righteous judgment, becaufe God then gives eternal life with rcfpedl to fomething going before, viz. the obedience and holinefs of thofe whom he rewards, not as if it did really deferve that reward, but becaufe it is the way in which God hath determined to act $ he gives glory to thofe that have lived gracioully, hapjpinefs to them that have * , continued in the exercife of holinefs.

Lallly, they argue from thofe places of Scripture where God is faid Ob). 7, not to be an accepter of mens perfons, Rom<2. 11. For there is no rejpeel of per Jons with God \ Gal. 2. 6. God accepteth no mans perfons 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who, without refped of perfons, judgeth according to every mans wo)\ Hence, fays Cellar mine, refpsUing mens perfins is contrary to di-Jiributive juflice, as when a Judge gives a reward without merit,or a greater reward to lejfer merits, or on the contrary, therefore God, in giving rewards, confidcrs mens merits, and according to the diverfty of them affgns them their jeveral manfions in Heaven.

That God is no refpedter of perfons we grant, and that accepting Anfa>. mens perfons is contrary to diitributive juilice we grant too> but what is that to us, who deny that God's rewarding the good works of the Saints, is an a£r of diftributive juftice r* for it is (as was before proved J an adr of Grace', and accepting of perfons hath no place in rewards of Grace, though thofe rewards be never fo much above the deferts, or altogether without deferts in the perfons fo rewarded. They that la- Matth.2c^ boured but one hour in the Vineyard, received as much as they that had been all the day at work, which ought not to have been according to dillributive juftice, but well might according to Grace. What God' gives, he gives out of no flock but his own, and may he not do what be will with his own } What is it to Bellarmine, if God will give glory and blefTednefs to thofe that never deferved it of him * feeing he wrongs not others in what he gives to fome, and he receives nothing from any to distribute to any: what God gives, he may, if he pleafe, not give at all", or he may give out, and difpence to whom,and as he fees fit.

Several other Arguments Bellarmine brings to prove the merit of good works,.but-they are all of leiler confequence 3 and not like to prevail

with \

with any that can anfwer the feven already mentioned,which indeed arc the mod plaufible of any he brings, and the very feven locks wherein the great ftrengtb of this great Champion lies, and thefe being (haven off, (]& them grow again if they can) this Romijk Sampfon is but like another man. As for the tem'monies he brings out of the Fathers, you need not fear them, and I (hall not trouble you with them, having in the beginning given you an account in what fenfe they generally take the word merit, which makes nothing at all for the Papifts caufe. Only one Argument more there is ftill behind, which, though all the Papiftsconceal, I will not: you rind it, A£i.i$. 2 5. Te tyiorv that by this craft rpe have our wealth. I dare fay Demetrius fpeaks the very heart of BeUarmine » only he was a mechanick, and a fool, and fo uttered all his mind, whereas our Cardinal was a crafty Jefuite, and knew how to keep in his. But how to anfwer this Argument I know not, unlefs by granting the whole. That the dodfrrine of merits is a gainful doctrine, cannot be denied, when the art of meriting is fo liberal an art: It rirft replenimeth the Church-Treafury, which again, by the help of Indulgences, empties it felf into the Pope's Exchequer. Only thefe good works fuifer fome alteration in the exchange, and by I know not what kind of new ferment in their laft receptacle, what was merit in the Church Store-houfe, is in the Pope's purfe tranfubftantiated into metal, which puts his Holinefs out of a capacity of faying as Feter did, Gold

AVu 3. 6. andfilver have 1 none. The fum is this j the Doctrine of merits is no doubt a fundamental Dodtrine, Supererrogations are built upon it, Indulgences are built upon it, Purgatory it felf, and Prayers for the dead are built upon it, and, not to go fo far as the other World, how many good things in this life are built upon the foundation of Popi(h good works, many religious Houfes, and many religious Orders, many a fair Mona-itery, and many a ftately Temple, and many a fat Benefice. And who can fay but the foundation muft needs be precious, when the fuper-ltrudture is fo rich ? Well then may the Popifh Priells ftickle for the principal, when the interelt is all their own. Well may they contend for merits, as pro Aris & focis, as not only for their Altars, but for their Chimneys too, when it is the zeal of meriting that keeps their Kitchins warm. In a word^well may they facrifice to thefe nets, and burn incenfetj

Hah. 1. 16. t j je j} drags, when by them their portion is made fat, and their meat plenteous.

But here two Queries may be made.

Qu. 1. Upon what account are believers bound to the practice of good works, if they merit not by them ?

Anfw. Upon feveral, and good ones too: reafon enough we have to perfwadeus to thepra&ice of good works, though we place no merit inthem.

1. God's command is of it felf fufheient, though no other reafon could he given* He hath commanded us to be holy, 1 Pet. 1.15. Jo exercife

our felvcs to godlinefs \ 3 Tim. 4.7. To follow peace and holinefs \ Hebr. 12. 14. To put on bowels of mercies, kjndnefs, humblenefs of mind,Qcc* Col. 3. 13. To be ready to difiribute', willing to communicate \ 1 Tim. d". 18. And in a word, that they who have believed in God, Jhould be careful to maintain good worl{s\ Tit. 3.8. God is our Sovereign, his will is our rule, and our reafon v what he will have us do, we muftdo, and his command is fuflicient to make our adions not only lawful, but neceffary, not only to warrant us in the doing of them, but oblige us to do them. And we need not doubt but our adions will be as acceptable to God, which are done out of compliance with his will, as any that are done with a de-lign of meriting at his hands: Obedience will go as far as mercenari-

nefs.

2. Good works are the way in which God hath appointed us to walk

in order to our obtaining eternal life. They are via ad regnum, the path E*fi ad metm of life, the way to God's Kingdom, the work we are to do ere we re- nunquamperye* ceive our reward, the race we are to run ere we be crowned. Though ^^w^f-God fave us not for them as meritorious caufesof his faving us, yet thofe m ur,via tamer* that are capable of doing them, he doth not ordinarily fave without non efi caaU them. Eph, 2.10. We are his workjnanjhip created in Chriji Jefus unto mt ** Whitak. qpod works which God hath before ordained, that we jhould wal\ in them , Heb. 12. 14. Without holinefs no man Jhall fee the Lord, Though eternal glory be not Cas hath been proved) properly a reward^ nor God's giving it an ad of drift juftice, yet God hath (we acknowledge^) determined to give it,per modum pr£mii> after the manner of a reward, in TWifH that he will not give men the glory he intends them till they have done him fome fervice, not treat them as Conquerors, who never fought his battel => not refped them as faithful fervants, who have been iluggards or loiterers. The falsification of the Spirit as well as belief of the truth, muft go before Salvation, becaufe God hath from the beginning chofen us to Salvation by the one as well as the other, 2 "fheff, 2.13.

3. Thepradice of good works is a fpecial means to ftrengthen and encreafe good habits in us j the actual exercife of Grace heightens the principle of Grace, doing good is the ordinary way whereby we grow better i while we employ our talents we add to our ftock * we get Grace while we ad it, and lay up for our felves by laying out for God. Adive Chriltians are generally the mod thriving Chriftians, they gather by Mattering, and are enriched by their very expences. The more humility men ad, the more humble they grow > and the more love they exercife, the more love they have. As the more we ufe our limbs, the more agile and nimble they are ^ and the farther a river runs, the broader it fpreads.-

4. Good works fit us for the reward: it is by them we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Cola.12. Though by Faith we are entitled to that inheritance, becaufe we are the children of God by Faith in Jefus Chriji > GaL 3. 26. And if children, then

heirSj

heirs, Rom. 8.17. Yet over and above our title to it, there is required

L:ike 15, i n us a fuitablenefs to, and ritnefs for it. The Father of the Prodigal

rirft embraces and kifTes his poor returning fon, and then puts the robe

upon him, the ring on his hand, and fhooes on his £ett i he rirft pardons

him, and then adorns him, and at laft brings him into his houfe and feafts

him i, he fits him for his entertainment ere he brings him to it. God's

pardoning a tinner is one thing, and his fully faving him is another j his

receiving him into favour, and receiving him into heaven *•> his giving

him a right to the inheritance, and giving him the actual poiTeilion of it:

the rirft is done in a tinners juftification, the other in his final falvation:

Qptratiodixina but between thefe two comes in a third, which is God's working in him

necijfaria eft, a ritnefs and meetnefs for that falvation, which meetnefs conhfts in a tem-

quia mwaii no; p £r 0 f {pj r it agreeable to, and capable of fuch enjoyments as are expe-c?ortet,&no- ^^ , am j fe^ n ^^ ^ ^ Q ^ ^-^ Q £ qj 0j .„ Anc j ^ vas Cnatmas . J > . f „ . J

e ffix 9 priufquam deed, it we look into it we (hall find, that there is not only a congruity

purticipes tffe that they who are to be made happy, fhould rirft be made holy, (in that

poffimus cceie- j t W ould be unbefeeming the wifdom and holinefs of God toTb^f hem

$ im ^nll' enjoy him, who never loved him > or crown them with everlafting blef-

nabis nihil eft fednefs, who never prized or fought it) but a neceflity too, in that uri-

aiindqaam holy fouls have no capacity for true happinefs, meerly natural hearts are

fumtiain- not fuited to a fupernatural good > heavenly enjoyments are above the

Tnumfpiritu- reacn °f fenfual creatures, and the faculty, till elevated, and raifed by

ale five intdii' Grace, would be fo much below its objedr, that it could take no delight

gendwifivefa- in it. Now grace or holinefs in the heart, is that very temper I fpeak

cien'dum,five 0 ^ wn i.ch makes a man capable of, and fit for glory 5 a fupernatural prin-

j'/w^DaverT" c ^ e ^ or a f u P ernatura l happinefs > and though God begins this frame,

inprimmad', an< ^ infufethfomething of this principle in the work of regeneration,

CoiovT, yet it is further ftrengthened by the exercife of grace, and a courfe of

good works, which we therefore fay do lit men for Heaven by encreafing

Grace in them, wherein their ritnefs coniifts. Mens abounding in good

works is the way to heighten thofe graces from whence they proceed,

and the heightning their graces is the ripening them for their glory.

And though God himfeif, as the Author of all Grace, is the principal

Agent in carrying on this work of fan edification in them, and he who

2 Cm. <.«;. doth gradually rvorh^ them for the glory he intends them, yet they them-

•x,xn-ipyz?<s-<u, felves having in their new birth'received a new life, and new power from

r J m tx lH ll n r ru ~ God, fc f ar a sthey are active in the exercife of Grace, (which under him

mam Camero tnev are ) f° ^ ar hkewife they are adive in preparing themfelvcs for Glo-

ajkd\icxih ' ry, and therefore deeply concerned to live in the daily exercife of good

x*rp,*£tdw w 7 orks, as the means of preparing them for it.

fcxod.%§. 35. 5* Good works bear witnefs to the goodnefs of our Faith, they evi-

]er. 31. i8,is. dence it to be true, and of the right kind, not counterfeit, not fophifti-

Acfi agimus. cate# And therefore we are greatly concerned to maintain good works,

that thereby we may be able to alTert our Faith again ft a quarrelling oon-

fcience,or an acculing devil, which otherwife we fhall never be able to

/ do*

<lo. Vv c acknowledg that only to be a true juftifying Faith", and To of the right ilamp, which purifies th$ heart, Act. 1 5. 9. IVorly by love, Gal. 5. J, encourageth, and promotes,-and produceth holinefs, and Jhetvs ftffejf by works, Jam. 2. 18. So that if Faith be the root of good works, good works are the fruit of Faith i and how then (lull we know the root bur bf the fruit ? So that as if the Devil or Confcience charge us with difobedience to God, and breach of his Law,and that therefore we are liable to the curfe of the Law, we plead in our defence, that though we are not without iin, yet we are not without Faith neither '■> though wc have offended God, yet we have believed in Chrift.' foif we be accufed of hypocrifie,or unbelief and told that we have not received Chrift by Faith, and therefore are liable to the woe of the Gofpel,we then produce our good works, a courfe of holinefs, as the undoubted figns and evidences of the reallity and power of our Faith ■: and in this fenfe we may fay, that as we our felves mult be juftiried by our Faith, fo our Faith muft be juftiried by our works.

6. Hereby they further our aflurancc, and help on our comforts. The great comfort of a Believer comes in by his Faith, Rom. 15.13. And therefore ufually fo much comfort a Chriftian hath, as he hath evidence of the truth and fincerity of his Faith. •While it is uncertain to him whether his Faith be right, he can have little comfort in it v little joy and peace in betieving,whi\e he knows not whether he really believes or not. The fame we may fay of other Graces, fo far as they conduce to the con-folation of a Chriftian, a believer can enjoy little comfort in them, if he perpetually doubt of them i> while he fufpects himfelf to be, an hypocrite, it is no marvel if he tafte not the fweetnefs of fincerity. Now our good works (as before) give evidence to the truth of our Faith, and Co like-wife to the iincerity of other graces, as habits are known by their actings, and we judg what a fountain is by the ftreams that come from it. And therefore they that defire the comfort of Grace, muft be diligent in the exercife of Grace > they that are concerned for their own peace and joy, are confequently fo concerned to live, and act, as that they may attain that end. Befide, we might add, that the applaufe and commendation of a fanctitied Confcience, upon the performance of good works, and that inward fecret delight which is ufually the concomitant of gracious actings, (which, fo far as we are renewed, are grateful to that new nature which is within us) is no fmall $art qf aChriitians pleafure, and therefore no weak inducement to_-diligence and conitancy in inch a

courfe. ;boJ . foirh

7. We are bound to the practice of good works, that fo we may be conformed to God and Chrift. Chrift, when on earth, went, about doijt% g<W 3 Act. 10. 38. He did not only abound in holinefs,but activity •> had not only a fulnefs of habitual grace in hirp^^ereby.'^ was.always in.a. fitnefs and readinefs to do ^6od,butdi^caatiiU,ially;exef^iie himfelf in it, and that he did, not only that he might Fulfil the La^f, but give us an

E e e exan>

example, and fo for the imitation of believers, as well as fatisfaction of divine juftice: We therefore are commanded, fo to wal\ even as he alfo walked, i Joh. 2. 6. And the Apoftle Paul bids us he followers of God, Eph. 5. i* And Peter, be holy in all manner of converfation, (and fo practically) *j he who hath called us is hly 7 iPet. 1.15. And our ^viour Chrift bids us he perfect as our heavenly father isperfett, Matth. 5. 48*. It is'our perfection to be like God, not in Infinitenefs, Immenlity, Independency/Attribute? wholly incommunicable to us, unimitable by us, but in righteoufnefs and holinefs > this was our primitive perfection irr innocency, and will be our final perfection in glory *, and ftill the more. we encreafe in righteoufnefs and holinefs, the more perfect we grow, be-caufe the more like God i and the more good works we do, frill the more we go on in grace toward perfection and conformity to God. Men generally look on it : as a defirable thing to be like God in oneway or other: let but thofe dehres be regulated, and carried toward that likenefs to him, which they may attain, and ought to feek, and that will be inducement enough to the practice of good works, as the mod proper means to bring them to that conformity.

8. Good works are the end of good principles. God gives us grace that we (hould exereife it, puts a price into our hands that we {hould ufe it. Exereife is the immediate end of habits. We are not to look upon grace as an idle quality, a dormant principle, fomething to lie by us, and be. fluggifh within us. It is not to be as a candle under a.bufliel, but on a candle-flick > not as mony hoarded up, but laid'out. And the more w T e exereife it, the better, becaufe fo much the more we anfwer God's end in beftowing it upon us.

£. Laftly, God is moft glorified by our good works, Joh. 15. 8. And . therefore we are the more to abound in them.. The more the excellency and beauty of grace appears, fo much the more God is glorified, and the exereife of grace doth moft of all difcover the beauty of it. Holinefs is but God's image,.and if the image be fo ravifhing, what then (will men infer J is he that is refembled by it ? if there be fo much luftre in a beam, what is there in the Sun ? Grace in the creature is but the expref-fion or imitation of fome attribute in God to which it anfwers, and fo the more grace we act,& the more good we do,fo much the more we de-4>#*V clare what excellencies are in God, or in Peter's phrafe, (hew firth his virtues^ 1 Per. 2. p. So that good works are the moft effectual way of glorifying God, becaufe the molt convincing demonftration of thofe perfections which are in God.

And is not here reafbn enough for the practice of good works ? Is it nothing that God hath commanded them, that they are- the way to glory, and fit u$ for glory, encreafe grace, and difcover grace, help on our comforts,, and promote God's* honour, unlefs withal we merit Heaven by £hem> and oblige God to reward us for them?

Us* 2 *

Qtu 2. If good works are not truly meritorious, why then, and upon what account doth God reward them ?

Anfa>> 1. Becaufehe hath promifed fotodo, and he is conftant and unchangeable, and will not be worfe than his word.

2. Becaufe of the love he bears to, and the delight he takes in holi-nefs, and thofe good works which are the fruits of it. Ihe righteous Lord lovetb righteoufnefs, Pfal. 11.7. God delights firft in himfelf, and next in that which comes neareft to him, and molt refembles him, as ho-linefs doth, the actings of which in good works, is but the beaming out of his image in the foul 3 and it is not ftrange that God mould delight in his own image. Befide that, good n>orkj are God's works, they not only refemble him, but come from him, and then well may he delight in them, and that he may (hew how much he doth fo , he bountifully rewards them. • .

3. To encourage men to the pra&ice of them, by the hopes of the reward. Though obedience be our duty, even without confederation of the reward, yet^to enliven our defires, and put more vigour into our endeavours after it, he fets the Crown in our view, and allures us that if we abound always in the wor\of the Lord, our labour Jh all not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult.

Something from this Doctrine we may learn for our information in Ufe« the truth, and fomething for our inftrudtion as to duty.

1. For the former, we fee here,

1. How much the beft of Saints are beholden to the Lord Jefus Chrift, for purchafing life and glory for them, which, by all their good works, they could never have done, though they were a thoufand times more than they are. Had not Chrift made the purchafe* they could never have received the inheritance: had not he laid down the price, they could never have had a title or pofTeffion. They might work their hearts out of their bodies, ere they could work their fouls into Heaven. All the grace they ever have, or act in this life-, could never deferre the leaft degree of glory they receive. So fair an Eftate, lo rich an Inheritance, fo weighty a Crown, fo tranfeendent a BlefTednefs is fit only for fo great a Purchafer as the Lord Jefus Chrift to.buy out. They might as well purchafe a Kingdom in the World with a tingle penny, as cver-lafting Glory with all their good works. What-ever title they have to a future happinefs, what-ever hopes of it, what-ever reft, and peace, and joy they expedr. in it, they owe all to Chrift, and are his debtors for all. They owe him more than a whole eternity of praifes will ever recom-pence. How miferable would the beft of Saints have been, if Chrift had not merited for them ? How mould they ever have obtained eternal -life, got a place in Heaven, or indeed have efcaped everlafting burnings, had it not been for Chrift's undertakings ? When they had been working and labouring all their days, they would have loft their labour at lair. They might have prayed, and heard, and given their goods to feed the

E e e 2 poor,

poor, and their bodies to feed-the" flames, they might have done all they could, and differed all their enemies would, and yet have fallen fhort of a reward^ One tin committed by them, would have done more to fhut Heaven againft them, than all their good works could to open it to • them. '

2. How unreafonable is their pride ? how unpardonable is their-folly that boaft of, and put confidence in their own good works > That ever men mould think God to be their debtor, and that they have him iri bonds to them ! That-ever they mould have .fuch high thoughts of fuch pitiful things as their own works/ Sure they have little knowledge of themfelves that have fuch great conceits of themfelves j know little of their ill deferts, that think they have any good ones j they have cheap thoughts of God's grace and. ChriiVs merits, that do fo magnify their own performances. T>avid y and Paul, and all the ancient Saints were of another mind •, they durft not abide God's trial, nor confront his judgment with the choicelt of their works,-..They be-like were Saints of a leiTer (he, and their graces and good works of a lower allay : our Pcpifh Saints have over-top'd them in holinefs, are Giants to them: Suarez and Vafquez have got the ftart of Job and David, and have

Job, 9.T $. and found out a way to Heaven unknown to all that went formerly thither. 40. 4. Jacob, peer man, counted himfelf lefsthan the leafirof God's mercies^ but

Tjd. 143. t. thefe count themfelves worthy of thegreateft of them. The 24 Elders., Rev. 4.1 a Cafl down their Crowns before him that fits on the Throne in token that they had received them from him 5 but Papifts feern to do -fo,they think they have won them, and therefore may wear them \ and inftead of giving Glory, and Honour, and thanks to him that liveth for ever, they take them to themfelves, at leaft (hare them with him. The Lord tells the Ifraelites, De.ut, $. 6,. lhat he gave them not that geed Land to pojfefs it for their righteoufnefs, fpeaking of the earthly Canaan but thefe audacious merit-mongers think that even the heavenly one is given them for theirs. Great Saints no doubt they are, and well deferve to be canonized, when (if you will believe them ) they deferve to be faved..

3. And yet. more egregious is their folly, in expecting advantage by the merits of others, and thinking to eke out their own righteoufnefs by borrowing of their neighbours. If no gocd works of the Saints merit any. thing at God's hands, then the Popiih Treafury is quite empty, and his Holinefs is a meer bankrupt, Supererrogations fail, Indulgences fail, and there is no borrowing from Peter to fupply Paul, If the beft have no merits at all, fure they have none fuperrluous, none to fpare. The wife Virgins, \Matth, 2 5. have no more oil than will ferve for themfelves, and are not they foolifh ones that think to accommodate their friends ? and they yet more fooliih that hope to borrow of them ? The Scripture fpeaks indeed of a fuperfluity of naughtinefs in mens hearts ? but it. no-where fpeaks. of a.fuperfkity of goodnefs in thek

hearts

hearts or lives A redundance of merit we acknowledge Chrilf, uu r fiarcbable riches, all fiilntfs\ but woe to them that fcck for the like redundance of merit among men. Ask the old Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apoftles, to lend you fome of their merits, and they will all tell you they never had any of their own, they were all beholden to Chrift, and to him you mult go as well as they » the Church llore-houfe cannot furnifh you. <

2. For inftrudlion in point of duty: learn hence,

1. To be humble, and acknowledge the infufficiency of all you do, to deferve any thing at- God's hands. Own your fclves as unclean things,

and your righteoufnefs as filthy rags. Do but ftudy your hearts, the I.a. 54. & workings and killings, the inclination and temper of them > lludy your actions and ways, the beft as well as worii j, your duties, and choiceft fcrvicesi and ftudy God's Law T , the purity, holinefs, fpirituality, and exteniivenefs of it '•> what it forbids, what it requires, how far it reaches,. and compare both together, and then be proud if you can, boa ft if you can, truli in your own works if you can i and, in one word to fay all, be, Papifls if you can.

2. Learn to admire the grace of God in rewarding your works:' it is much that he accepts them, and what is it then that he rewards them £ It is much that he doth not damn you for them, (feeing they are all denied, and have fomething of fin cleaving to them) and what is- it then that he crowns them }. You would admire the bounty and munificence of a man, that mould give you a Kingdom for taking up a ftraw at his. foot, or give you an hundred thoufand pounds for paying him a penny-tent you owed him: how then fhould you adore the rich grace, and tranfeendent bounty of God in fo largely recompencing fuch mean Services, in fettinga Crown of Glory upon your heads, as the reward of thofe works you can fcarce find in your hearts to call good ones ? you will even blulh one day, to fee your felves fo much honoured for what you are amamed of, and are confeious to your felves you have deferved nothing by. You will wonder then to fee Qod recompencing you for

doing what was your duty to do, and what was his work in you j gi- Cummus•■■coro*-ving you Grace, and crowning that Grace, enabling you to.do things V! mc ^f n ?"3 acceptable to him, and" then rewarding you as having done them. Take COYonat quam* heed therefore now of rivalling God's grace, or. ChrilYs merits, of in- mantra fa,. verting his praifes, and afcribing any thing to your felves which belongs Auguft. contra* only to him* - Set the Crown upon the right Head => let him have the Pela 2* £ ? 7 ^ honour of the work, that hath done it,, the glory of your re- 5 * ward that hath purchafed it. Say with your felves, What am I, and what are my fervices, that ever God fiould thus plentifully reward them ? I never pray'd hut lfimi > d,never confejfed fin, never beg^d pardon ofit,ftrengtb ' againji it, bur I did at the fame thne commit it \ I never heard a Sermon^ , received a Sacrament, did any good duty, but with fome mixture of cold-uefi, deadnefs, dijhaftednefs, I never had any Grace but what God gave

me^

me, nor atfed any but what be fiirr^d up in me. - All the good I ever bad or

did,I received from him, and therefore I owe all to him. lam a thoufand

ways his debtor, for my life and being, for the good things of this life, for

the means and offer of eternal life, for the knowledge of his will, convihion

of fin, reftraint from fin, the change of my heart, the reformation of my ways y

the graces of his Spirit , the priviledges of his children conferred upon me:

I am bis debtor for all the evils he bath delivered me from, all the good he

hath offered me, wrought in me, done by me. And doth Godtakg fo much

notice offucb poor things ? Will he indeed reward fuch wea\ endeavours^

fuch lame performances ? Muft I live in Heaven, that never deferved to live

on earth ? Muft I wear the Crown ofRigbteoufnefs, who never deferved any

thing but the punijhment of mine iniquities ? Muft eternal glory and honour

be my portion, who have deferved nothing better thanjhame, and everlafring

iech. 4. 7. contempt ? I have nothing to boaft of, nothing to glory in* I muft cry Grace,

Grace. All I have, and to eternity am to have, is Grace. The foundation

of my Salvation was laid in Grace, and fo will the top-ftone too. It was

Grace fent Chrift to redeem me, and Grace will fend him at I aft fully to

„fave me. I have received all from God, and therefore ~defire to return the

praife of all to him : It is but juft that all (bould be afcribed to him, from

whom all came. ^

3. Labour fo to exercife your felves in, and to good works, as yet to put all your confidence in God's grace. I do not go about to cry down ' good works, or difcourage the practice of them, but take you off from confidence in them ? nor to diflwade you from that exercife of holinefs whereby God may be glorified, and your fouls advantaged, but that fin-ful reliance on your own righteoufnefs, which is God's diflionour, and your lofs. Be as holy as you will, do as much good as you will, abound as much in the work of the Lord, and walk as circumfpedtly and clofely with God as you pleafe, (and the Lord make you abound more and morej only, if you value your comforts, if you love your fouls 5 if you are concerned for God's glory, take heed of putting any the leaft confidence in what you do, or-expecting to merit a reward by your moil laborious working. It is the great art and wifdom of a C^riftian4:o joyn the exercife of Faith and Holinefs together, and yet diftinguifh their different relations to his-falvation j not to give fo much to the one, as to exclude the other \ but fo to believe, as, mil to own the ufefulnefs of works i and fo to work, as to fee the neceility of Faith: to believe like one that had no works, and to work like one that were to be faved by his works. In a word, to be diligent in good works, but not put confidence in them, and fo to acknowledge their neceffity in their place, but not their meritorioufnefs. He is a believer of the right (lamp, who neither contemns Chrift's Law,nor dishonours Chrift's Grace,but is alike an enemy to Antinomian Faith, and Antichriftian works.

fr you do trull in your good works, your beft duties and fervices j consider that,

i.Jf

1. You do but lean upon a broken reed, build upon a Tandy foundation, which will at laft fail you,difappoint you, undo you. What a defeat will it be to exped to be faved by your merits, when, at lafr, it appears you have no merits \ to fancy your felves worthy of a reward, when it appears you have been worthy of nothing ? And as fure as the Scripture i; true, you can merit no more at God's hands by all your fervices, than a debtor can of his Creditor, by paying him fome (mail part of what he owes him > and your very confidence in your works will bereave you of any benefit by Chrift's merits: Chrift: alone muft be trufted in, relied on, and glorified by you. You mult not think to be parcel-Saviours with him i either he will be your only Saviour, or not at all your Saviour i your only righteoufnefs, or not at all your righteoufnefs: if you divide Chrift's honour, you lofe his help^ your works cannot be your righteoufnefs, and Chrilt will not s and fo you will lofe the things you l J°h. ver. 3, have wrought,by thinking to gain too much by them 5 mifs of the fub-ihnce while you catch at the fhadow.

2,. However you truft in your works while you live,you will not dare to do it when you die. When men come to die, and clofe the eyes of their bodies, ufually thofe of their minds are moll open, and as their reflections are then molt ftrong, fo their profpedr. is moft clear. The nearer they are to death, and judgment, and eternity, the truer apprehenilons they have of thenu they then belt fee how holy the Judge is .how impartial his fearch, how righteous his fentencei and how do they fear him then, with whom they made fo bold before ? How doth the confidence of their lives Ihrink at their death ? Alas, they did not think either God fo ftridtas now they believe him, or their goodnefs fo imperfect as now they come to hnd it. They fee the neceffity of grace, which before they flighted > and the infufficiency of works, which before they idolized. ^ Mercy is mercy indeed to a dying man, and works are but works, and not merits. Let me fee the face of the Papift, that, when he is coming to the higheft tribunal, dares trufl to his good works, and put in his claim to the Crown of Glory upon the account of his merits, and tell God to his face •> Lord, I have done all thy will, and done it as I jhould *, or if I have fallen Jh or t in fome things, I have out-done it in others : I have heard fo many Majfes faid,fo manyVatex nofters, and Ave Maria's, obfer* vedfo many Canonical hours, made fo many Confejjions, done fo many Penances, given fo many Alms, gone fo many Pilgrimages, fafted fo many Lents, mortified myflejh with hard lodging, and harderpblows: and this is as much as Heaven is worth '•> thou art now a debtor to me: I have done my worJ^, I challenge my reward, let juftice be done me, and the Crown be given me.. I asl^ no more than I have laboured for, and deferved at thy hands. It is but juft that I Jhould be joynt heir with Chrift, feeing I have heen joynt Purchaser with him. I am perfwaded there is not the Papift upon earth, unlefs he be moft bruitifhly ignorant of the Nature and Law of God, and of his own heart^that will darain a dying hour thus to be-

fpea;

fpeak him. And how fooliuh is it for men to boaft of that now, which they will not dare to boaft of then* and build upon a foundation in their life, which they muft be forced to relinquish at their death ? Remember, Chriftians, there is a time to die, as well as to live i a time to be judged in, as well as to a<3: in > a day of recompence, as well as a day offervice: and therefore bethink your felves before-hand", fee your confidence be rightly placed. Expedt your falvation from him only now, from whom you will expedt it at laft ^ and put your fouls into his hands now, into whofe you would then moft willingly commit them; fet afide -your works, though not as • to the practice of them, yet as to your confidence in them. Eye Chrift alone as to the bufinefs of your juftification, acceptance, reward* Labour for fuch a Faith in Chrift, and free Grace, as will fupport you under the weaknefs and imperfections of your prefent righteoufnefs, and encourage you againft the terrors of approaching death. In a word, fo believe and hope now, that you are going oh toward Eternity, as you would do when you are flapping into it.

SERM.

■ i - ■

SERMON XII-

The Dodrine of Juftification is dangeroufly corrupted in the, Roman Church.

Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace , through the Ke-

dem^tion that is in Jejus Chriji.

TH E -Apottle, in thefe words, f and the following^) gives an exacl: account of the Dodtrine of Juftirication, dictated to him by the Spirit of Truth. And this will be the beft ground wc can proceed on, to difcover the errors by which it is corrupted. That is our prefent bufinefs to which I haften, only rirft opening the words by a brief touch upon them.

Being jujiifie d~] To be juftiried, is to be freely accepted of God as righteous, fo as to have pardon and title to life, upon the account of Chriit's righteoufnefs. We cannot be accepted as righteous, till we be acquitted from guilt. The-Apoftle defcribes Juftirication by remiiiion of {Ins, Rom. 4. 5, 6. Anc> being accepted as righteous, we are accepted to life. (The. Apoftle calls it Justification of Life^ Romans 5. 17, 18, 21 .) This is upon the account of Chrift's righteoufnefs. We cannot be juftiried upon our own account* for fo we are condemned,and cannot but be fo, nor upon other account but Chrift and his righteoufnefs^ fox there's no juftirication without righteoufnefs •, and none fuf-iicient but that of Chrift, which the Apoftle includes in the Redemption that is in Chrift Jefus.

Freely by his Grace ] The Lord juftifies by his Grace, and this acts freely. That which moves him is called, lit. 3.4. x?»?-6t»? ?i\*v3-?a>7rU, Kindnefs and Love, which, ver. 7. is Graces (that being juftiried, t» iKuvixzetriy by his Grace) fo Juftirication is x«-e> l ' T i x *> the free gift, Rom. -5. 1 6. <t/2*.^v \v x*e«Ti, the gift by grace, ver. 15. This grace, as k is free mercy, 10 it acts like it felf, Atp«& freely, (the word ufed, Mat. 10.8. fv ? <xv \>AU~i> freely ye have received itj he gives it freely to thofe who have no merit todeferve it : there is none inus> what there was, was in Chrift. It is

Ibrougb the Redemption."] Redemption is deliverance by a price, or valuable coniideration. This price was the bloud of Chrift ver. 25.

Fff Rom.

Rom. 5. £. Eph. 1. 6, 7. His death, Rom. 8.33,34, His obedience, Rom, 5. i£. His righteoufnefs, wr. 18.. We may view the Text diftin&ly in three parts..

1. Believers are juftified.

2. Freely by his Grace.

3. Through the Redemption that is in Chrift.

Againft each of thefe the Papifis have advanced feveral errors of pernicious confequence > and thereby dangeroufly corrupted the whole Doctrine of Juftification.

1. That a finner may be faved, the Scriptures declare that he mud be both juftitied and fandtified: the Romanifts, as if one of thofe were but requiiite, call that Juftification, which in Scripture is Sandi-fication h and that which in Scripture is juftification , they admit not, as- diftincl: from inherent righteoufnefs.

The Apoflle Paul, who molt infills upon the Doctrine of Juftification, delivers thefe two as diftincl: things. 1 Cor, n. and. elfe-where. He. afcribes Juftiiication commonly to the bloud of Chrift, as in the. Text, and Rom. 5. 8, p. Sandtification to the Spirit of Chrift, lit. 3. 5.

However the Papifis promifcuous ufe of the words might be tolle-

■ rated, if they did not confound the things, and contend that we are

formally juftified by that which is the form and effence of Sancrificati-

on, viz. inherent righteoufnefs. The danger is that which the Apoflle

would" have the Jews avoid, when he exprelTeth his hearty defire that

they might be faved v Rom. 10.13. For they being ignorant of God's

right enufhefs, and going about to eflablijh there own righteoufnefs D have not

fubmiitcd themfeiv.es to the righteoufnefs of God. The Papifis trull: to

their own righteoufnefs for acceptance and life, and will be juftiried, in

the fight of God, by that which indeed is imperfect and culpable, and

fo liable to be condemned j and being convinced that they cannot be

.juftiried by an imperfect righteoufnefs, therefore they will have their in-

a Quid diceba- herent righteoufnefs to be perfect, a not fo per fed: as it will be iHHeaven,

mus-pftitiam but fo as to be free from b tin, and to anfwer the demands of the Law,

-&-chant at m £ nce t ^ Q y know other wife it would not juftifie them. And this fancy of

l^eM^cftam* a ^ m ^ s perfection.runs them into many abfurd and pernicious con-

compar attorn ceitS.

d'untaxat ad it-

lampatrU nputandum efi. Domenicus a Soto dc nat. & grat. L. 3. cap. 4. p. 154.

b The Council of Trent calls it ftfiitiam candidam & immaculatam y Sejf. 5. 67. In the Trent Ca-techifm it is Divina qualitas in anima inharens- qua ammarum vejtrarum omncs maculas delet ea (chart-W.) Jiqitidm> eft veriffima, plcniffmUy perfettijjima, )uflitia 7 Bellarm. dc Juftif. L. z. c. 16. p. 8o5.

For they are hereby obliged to maintain,that no corruption in their na-; tures, ( after BaptifmJ no averfion to God, no inclination to evil, though

cmbitus iufti- habitual and fixed, has any thing of fin in it. No, nor any c vicious ha-

tt<e contranus * J ° ' J

eft habitus injuftiti*, quia non.slt peccatiw fed viuutnfx mails atfibus wkraftm, quale etiam in ju/tifica-

tis.

Corrupted in the Roman Church.

443

lis rcperiri potefl, ibid. p. 8cj. Difpofttio vd'hibitus aaquifttus Vitium eft, non peccatum, tie amijf. pat* L. ?. c. 19. p. 337. U/ffm ftquidem legesprxcipiuntvd probibent aelits non habitus. Mclch. Camjsrff ;«-w/j. p 870,

bits acquired by (request acts of fin > all is Chiefs that is in the firal,

when Grace or Charity is once therein. And fo there's no need of mortification, no poiiibility of it: for there is nothing of fin in them to be mortified, no habit or difpolitioni natural or acceflary, upon which the charge of fin can be truly ijxod. And as they leave no need of, no place for mortification > fo after they have difcarded the Scripture Jufti-fication, to make way for a Sandtification to juftifie them j they deal no better wkh that neither. Whether it be taken for the firit rife of Holinefs, which is properly regeneration i> or for the growth and increafe of it, which is the Sandtification that the Scripture calls for commonly undef this notion fthey will have it to be a-fecond JuftificationJ. As for the firft'SancT:ification,by their principles, it excludes all iin, and is, fo far, perfect or nothing, and fo indeed it is a meer cbimtta, fuch a thing as God never gave, never promifed, as no meer man on earth ever had > Job. 1. 18. Yet this and nothing elfe muft juftifie them, and make them worthy of eternal life: and thus they will be juftified, and faved by a meer fancy, or nothing.

As for growth and increafe in Holinefs, ( which is the Sandtification that the Scripture makes fo necefTary, and calls for with fo much importunity) this they make fuperfiuous and unnecefTary. No man needs de-fign or endeavour it i for what needs he look after more of that which he hath already in d perfection ? They have it in fuch perfection, as there is no culpable defect in it \ it is no tin to have no more, ("elfe it would not be fufficient to their Justification) and what neceflky is there to labour for that which it is no iin to want ? Their Dodtrine of Juftification by a rightcoufnefs of their own inculpably perfect, obliges them to hold, that what Grace they receive at firit, though in the very lowed degree, is all that God commands, and makes neceffary ("if he commanded more, the want of more would be culpable). So that every degree of Holinefs or Charity above the leaft of all, is only s, fub cpufilio^ meer matter of d ^f !a mrn r counfeH which they may negledr without contracting-fo much as the piuUttimir-guilt oi a /venial fault. perfeltd -- fufft-

cit ant em qui-libit gradus charitatis ui qnis [ervet verbw, i. e. pr'aceptX Domini, Eellarffl. de Yurgat. 22. c. 3* p. 1381.

e Si nonpeeco (ex fententii S. ThomaeJ ft amem Deum nift uno gradu amor-is y arte non teneox in rl amplius amare: implicat enim contfadifih/ism, q.iod non peccem, non faciendo quod fautjt tejjeor : ergo ft didam alteram gradum amoris, amo plus, quam teneor t atq\ eo modo facio aftHfflfapererrogatibms, at Con-fit. Ed'arm. de Monach. L. 1, c. 13. p. 1161.

f Nee ulU (leges) divine conftdtoria etiam advenialt obligent. Navar. manual. C. 25-, n«4p. p. 564. & c. 21. n. 43.- Silvcft. [urn. verbum inobid. Ss. 2.

Thus all progrefs in holinefs is hereby fuperceded: after the firft fcep they {in not, though they never make another* And all the de- .

F f f 2 . grees

grees of holinefs above the loweft, are unneceffary, they may be without' < all of them, fafely and inculpably. In fhort, if the want of all other degrees, but the lead of all, be a {in j if the loweft degree of all be not righteoufnefs in perfection: by their principles, they are not jufrified,and cannot befavedj and fo the main ttrefs of their Salvation lies upon a grofs and palpable delufion ? that fuch a righteoufnefs is perfect, as is turtheft of all from perfection, and in a degree next to nothing.

Secondly, they feem tomclude remhTion, of iins in Ju unification, but it

is not that pardon which the Gofpel offers, but another thing under the

difguife of the fame word. And particularly, fuch as lies crofs to every

part of the Text. Their pardon is not an act of God, abfolving,a guilty

g cbarttas cul- perfon upon the account of fatisfaction given -, but an act g or confe-

^aUumlmm ^ uent °^ ln ^ u ^ Grace or Charity within us, abolifhing fin, and not

propriumjcenm otherwife taking away theguilr,but by taking away the being of iti

autem toilet

pr opna [atisfattoria qua ipfa cbari'tas impcr at jholhtm. deVurgat. Lib. z. c. 3. p. 1 381.

The bed account I can give of it, in brief, is this, collected out of their chief Authors. They obferve in (in the fault and the guilt j and the guilt either as it is the defert of lin, and the offender worthy of punifhmenn or, as it is an obligation to punifhment, and the iinner bound to fuffer it. The former is, with them, b reatus citlp* > the latter reatus pxn* : and all this is taken away by Charity, or infufed Grace.. /.The fault in fin is the avsrf.on^ or the fouls turning away from God: but Charity, or inherent Grace, brings it back again, and joyns it to him, h Kiatus culpa, and thereby the fault is remitted. Now the fault being gone, by, vertue. qui eft diinuas of inherent Grace, the guilt muft vaniili too: for where there is no edii^indignitas f au ] t) tnere \ s no defert of puniihmenn and where there is no defert of

fifumpcsnaT ' lt * ^ cre can ^ e n0 obligation t0 lt * $° ^^ i^Ccd Grace having kft Rams pvnajd Cm no being, by neceffary ^confequence the guilt is taken away together edordinatio with it. Accordingly Bellarmin? (hews particularly how this Charity foeokligano ta k es awa y a ]j t ^ belongs to fin, the averiion from God, the frain of v ^^Eefl'arm." m ^ ^ ie defert of puniihment, and the obligation to it: and the fum of deamijf.grat. all is this../ The formal effect of habitual Charity is the abolithing of. L. 5.c v i9p. iin : and with him and others, remiffion of fins, and infullon of Grace,, fV* , ' are but one and the fame m motion \ whereof thefe are the two terms > gmiamnmit* as lt 1S m ^ e drffufion of light, and the difpellingof darknefs. titttr culpa, tol-

litur averjio anima a deo in quantum per gratidm anima Veo con'pingitur. Aquinas 3.q.8'$.*rf.4. idea ex boa. dicitur culpa mortalis remitti quod per gratiam toUitur averfio mentis a Deo } ad primum artitr. 4. que(i. 8$.

k Per confequens fimul tollitur xeatus pozna^ id. ibid, non poJfunt y non tolli, ft donum illud pracefferitj fays Bellarmine of the guilt and offence of fin, de Juftific. L. 12. c. 16. p. 8o5.

1 Habemus primum effeffum formalem juftitia, id eft Charitatis habitualis, divinitus infu[<e t e(fe de mc« dio tollere, ac deitye peccatum> id. ibid,

mid* ibid, L.i.cz. p. 166, And Soto (ifar/iqufato) de nut, &grat, L. 2,c* 18. p.no,

So.

g

Corrupted irrthc Roman Church. 44,5. '

So that this Doctrine leaves tinners no hopes of pardon in this life, or for ever: for hereby fin is not pardoned, till by inherent Charity it be quite expelled, which is not in this life : or till the (inner be rendred hot worthy of punilhment, meetly by vcrtue of fuch Charity, which will never be.

However, thofe who underftand what pardon is, by the light of Scripture will foon difcover tr>at this is not the Gofpel-pardon j to go no farther than the Text, it clafhes (as I fajdj with every part of it. For, tirit, by their account, Pardon is by a phyiical, or fuper-phyfical ad of Charity within us: whereas the Jirft word in the Text, frauuijumi) . ihcws that pardon in Juitirication is a judicial adt of God towards us. The perpetual ufe of the word in Scripture afllircs us of this: it implies a judicial proceeding, and is fet oppofite to condemning or acculing. For a Judge to acquit one at the Barr, accufed in order to condemnation, is not to qualirie him, (that would be to prevent mi(demeanors for the future) but to difcharge from what he is accufed of, as pail: nor can they give any inilances in Scripture of fuch ufe of the word as will bear their notion. Indeed, it is againli the ufage of the World, and common fen&% that a man (hould be faid to pardon one, by induing him with goccL > qualities. Secondly, the pardon in Juftirication is free. A gift of un--deferved Grace fas the next words exprefs itj. But their pardon is not free, neither in it (elf, nor in that which they make the rife of it" (inherent Charity). They deface the freenefs of it in both, by a conceit" , • of their own merits and fo transform it into another thing than the. . pardon of the Gofpel is, which (hall be made apparent when we come to the fecond part of the.Text. Thirdly, the Gofpel-pardon is intirely. through the redemption that is in Chrilt (as the next words reprefent it J: But their pardon excludes'this redemption, or leaves it but a minute and remote influence into it, if any at all.

The Lord, by Chrilt's undertaking, is moved to (hew mercy to fin— ners j he (hews it.by infuling Charity into their hearts, this takes away, the fault or.being of iin, and that being gone, the defert of puniihment vanifneth, and by confequence the obligation to it. So s we muft pafs. feveral ftages before we can difcover what the redemption of Chrilt hath - to do in the pardon of a (inner h and when we have gone Co far, may beat a lofs too, as they order the matter: but that will better be (liewed in. the M propofal. _ . P(CM dami

Moreover, though they will have their pardon do more than meer tft maxima pee* remitfion can do > yet they make it fall (hort of that which is mo(t pro- ^n*w,-- omnis. per for pardon to do. It quite dilTolves not the obligation to punifh- ril™j£ g c a r tG *~

ment, c'iitur fatten hac pcena damni qua eft omnium maxima, Aquinas in 4 Di(t. 10.41. art. 2. vid. Bellarm. de Vurgat. L. i.e. 14. Si ibi tft virus ignis, erit omnino acerrimus; cum ad hoc folnm fit inflitfttus, ut fit inftrumtntnm )$iti* diving fi non fit ignis virm r .mt~(iliquidhorribiliHS } q^aU Dins farm potuit, quiprntiw fum in &w aftendcrt-^////V,.p, 1400. -

nientj but leaves the (inner, when he is faid to be pardoned, to fufTcr, as if he were condemned. He muft, for all his pardon, be damned to a temporary hell, (for fuch is their Purgatory) and there he muft be pu-nifned in the fevereff manner and meafure, with the greateft fuffering of all, as- to lefs fthe want of the viiion and fruition of God ) and the moft exquillte tortures, as toferfe, o fuch as are equivalent to the torments of hell i and all this it may be for ioo or ioco years, they know not how ° —* ut n[i ,' * on S; A ^ ^ e pardoning mercies of God, and the redemption of clicxtn^pa- ^rift, P cann ot fecure him from this. Sure this pardon looks nothing nccHU qua In- ^P ^ e remiiiion, as condemnation. enda reft at fol

culpa nmiljlmim eft ilia ipfapmafenfuS^ qnam in G:h;?:>:a piti debuiffet peccator, rcmota folum £t emit ate im it pmnit.

p The Pope fflirc his Holinefs has left him no mercy} can do it when he lift ; Silveft. [urn. v. Vapa q 6.fi^Kfratur u cram pojjit fpoliare Vur gator ium pro lib:to [ho : dico quod no'n voluntate jita precife fed medimte i:lo infinite tbtjauro But he is wife however, and confiders if he ihould fpoil Purga:ory, he would fpoil fomething eife, which is more regarded at Rome than another World.

Thirdly, what we faid laft, refpedts thofe fins which- they call mortal j but there is with them another fort of (ins which go under the notion of venials,and which in number exceed the other vaftly and incomparably. And thefe (ins by their Doctrine are not pardoned, or need no pardon i> and fo Juftirication, the free Grace of God, and the redemption of Chrift, are excluded hereby, as needlefs, and unconcerned in them.

The pardon in ]uftification frees the finner from eternal punifliment •,

but they teach, that thefe fins (all of them together^) deferve -not eternal

punifliment: q God cannot juftly infiicSt it for them. It is not due to

them.. If the guilt of all the (ins in the World, of this fort, were

charged upon one man > or if there were no covenant or promife of God

tor pardon, fays their great Cardinal, (i. e. if there were no Gofpel, no

Chrift ) yet a finner could not be punifhed for them eternally. So that

there is no place for, no need of the pardon of the Gofpel as to thefe

fins. Then for the temporal punifliment of them, the tinner either

muft, or may fuffer it himfelf, and fo fatisfy for it: if he may fatisfie for

k? Negamits - ^ there's no need of pardon : if he do fatisrie for it, there is no place

(fe Dam jufte for pardon. He that fufTers what punifliment the Law will have in-

pnirepeccstum faded for his offence, neither is nor can be faid to be pardoned, r So

Vmveriatt' r ^ at P^nty by tne ^ r Dodtrine, venial iins have not, or need not pardon

p^na omnium of any fort, either in refpedt of eternal or temporal punifliment.

gravijfima qua

tjl mors aterna. Bellarm. de amiff. grat. L. i. c. 14. p. 92,. etiamfi omnia peccata venialia, fimul col-

tigerentur in unum, nunquam efficerentid, quod facet unw Lethale id, ibid.C.13. p. 91. Etiamfi nullum

-tjjet patlum Vet nobifcum de remifjione pcena adbuc tamen perfpicuum efj'et, pse'eatum vsniak ex fad nature

non inducer e r eat urn poena Jempiterna id, ibid. C 4. p. 9$.

• 1 Hon enim remittitur quod totaliter panitur, Bellarm. de Furgat. L. 1. c. 7. p. 1359.

And

/Aquinas a a. q. i>8 d>f. 4. jfravir-Enchir. C. igi n, 18. t Cajetan. /««. ^f?i. ambitio. u Aquinas ibid. q. 13?, ^r/-. 5. x Cajetan. z£/d. v. g«/<i, e^ v. imunditia. y N&var. ibid. C. 1 $.;?. 2. c^C.at.».i. zl/. C. 14. n <. Caje-tan. ibid, v eleemofyn. a Lopez inflruff, confc. C. 41. p. 117. e^Sylveft. [urn. v 'y.iramjnt. 1.48. fr Jacob rff Graff <&£//". tfaK. L.2.c. 5 1 . n. 10. t Svlveft. r^i^. v. maliti.2,\). 170. ti id ibid. v. Mafpbtm. q. 5. ^.Domini foto de ;///?,-<#• j//r. L. 8. q. 2. art. 3. p. iSfjifoi d Z.-J /'y/V/. L. 5. q. i.arr. 8.

Corrupted in the Roman Church.

And yet thefe venial fins, which need no pardon, arc many of them for their quality, great and heinous j for their number, far the greateic of all. As to their quality > their Cafuifts (who arc dictators in this buiinefs) make what iins they lift to be venial. Whereas, by their common reckoring, there are feven mortal fins* even divers of thefe, by their handling, are Ihrunk into fmall faults. They make /covetoufnefs and prodigality two, t ambition, u vain-glory, x gluttony and y drunkennefs, (if it do but half bruititie a man,) z> the neglect of the publick worfhip of God, (of all worfhip indeed which can be truly called (b,) and the a negre'dt of charity and mercy to men \ (except in fuch cafes which rarely or never fall outj)^ alfo common fwcaring, c great irreverence to the Divine M-ije-ity, */abhorring of divine things, yea divers forts oi e bJafphemy/and perjury, gmurder,with others of like nature to be but venial faults. They ailigri feveral waies wherein the higheft impieties again fi: God, and greateft out-rages to men, may pafs under this gentle notion, and [o need no pardon. This might be clearly (hewed, out of the writings of the leading men amongftthem, of feveral orders, and fuch as have the chief conduct of their confeiences, (though the Jefuites were Jeft ourj, but it requires a large difcourfe, and I muft not here digrfcfs a little.

And, as thefe fort of (ins are great other wife, fo, that they are the greateft of all for number, is no queftion. Their Church enjoyns but confeilion once a year, and prefumes that any wicked perfon may give an account, in a little while, to his ConfefTor, of the mortal lins he commits in a whole year: but of venial (ins no account can be given, being fo numerous, that they^are beyond remembrance or notice. So that by their Doctrine there aie very few fins, in comparifon, that need pardon, and fo few, that need either the free Grace of God, or the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. Thefe corruptions are dangerous and evidently . damnable % I have inlifred the longer thereon, becaufe in this point (about pardon) the Romanics are conceived to come ncerer the truth and us than I fear they do indeed.

Proceed we now to the fecond part of the Text, (freely by his Grace,) When the Lord julliries a (inner, he does it mod freely. It's an act of meer Grace \ it's no way due to us before he vouehfafe it. He owes it, not, but gives it, when he is no way pre-ingaged by any defert in us. Merit in us is utterly inconfiftent with this gracious act. Thefe two are opposite in their nature '•> and the Apoftle plainly expreffes the oppolition, Rom. 11.6. and 4. 4. If it be due by vertue of any act or work of ours, it is debt i if it be debt^ it is not grace, the grace of God herein is no grace. If by grace, then it is no more of n>orks y otberrpife grace is no more

' grace i

grace \ but if it be of workj^ then it is no more grace, &G Now to him that worhgth, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. The ApofhVs difcourfe cannot be anfwered with reafon, nor evaded with any confcience. And yet the Papifts will prefumptuoully croud merits of all forts into Juftirication. And by this, means too, they corrupt this Doctrine dangerouily and intollerably : they do it againft all evidence of Scripture > they do it to the foul defacing of the glory of free grace^ and the redemption of Chriji : they do it with great hazard to their own fouls. For if they will not be juftitied freely, if they will Hay till they deferve it, they are like to be condemned. Yet they will venture, and Ncccfit gra- fiick not to afcri.be all that they include in their feveral jufhrications to tid,fi?wnda- fome fort of merit. Inherent grace, and pardon of iin, to congruous

^TdEhTrd- rnerit ' tic ' ]e t0 S lo 7> and.increafe of Grace, (which they make a fecond demur, Aug. juftirication) to merit of condignity. Bpil% 105.

Aquinas hfmfelf, Manifeftiw eft qaodomne merit nm rtpugnat gratia quiaut /1poftolus,Rom, 11. t, i. 4.4.

art. $6.

Inherent (which they call juftifying ) grace, and count it (after

a Seff. 6. Cap.7. the a Council of Trent) unanimouily the formal caufe of juftirication, by

their Doctrine, falls under merit. They mince it indeed, calling it

merit of congruity, but it is big enough, how fmall fo-ever they would

have it feem, to bid defiance to the grace of God in the Text.

Ijiere are fome preparatory works which (they fay) muft go before bVid. concil. Juftirication b as dogmatical Faith> fome forrow for (in, fear, hope, &c. Trident. Sf//". to which juftifying is due in congruity, though not in juftice ^ and this ' c ' * dunefs they exprefs in the definition of congruous merit. It is, fays

Navar. Rafter Aquinas and their common glofs) c a good humane a£f 3 manus bonus °f°^ e without the grace of God to which fpiritual or temporal reward is in fdftusabali- fome refpstl and congruity due. Now if juftifying grace be due on our quo, extra gra- account, before -the Lord vouchfafe if, he gives it not freely, but only turn Dei ex- p a y S w hat he owes, and is before obliged by us*?o let us have \ dand quaLm con- Carmine fiys this merit is not founded on the promife of God, but in gruiw?, & [c- the worth .and dignity of the work-x Chudum quid -debeiur a'iqaa merces fpir it nails vet temporalis, ut fentit gloffa. Encbirid. pra'u I. 7. «. 3. p. 40.

-d £>uod objicisbatur, meritum de congruo non fundaxi in dignitate operis fed fola promijfioxe Dei, re-foondtmus, cmtrartum e(fe verum; and a little after, tios exiftimamus potiusfundari merit/m de congruo, Jn aiiqua dignitate operis, quam in promifflinn. De J nit ifie L. 1 c 21. p. 753.

eDe natura & This fort of merit is generally owned by the Romanifts. e Soto tells gr f'h z '^' us it is afTerted by Sc'otus, Vurandus, Adrian, and in a manner all the liiriaiz.q.ic?. School Doctors, whom they call Nominals, (and this is one diviiion of gf cm s^Tho- their School's). He / fays alfo, that Aquinas (the leader of the other mas, 2 Snt. d.

27, 28. Opinionem communem infequutus affirmafftt twm quod homo ex naturalibus pojfet [e difponere ad gratiam, turn quod di\po(itio ilia, (pj mcritum de congruo. Soto ibid. p. 66.

divifion)

\

Corrupted in the Roman Church. 44.9

divifion) following the common opinion, affirms it likewife, though he

would have us think that he afterwards retradled it. But Bellarmine

g not acknowledging any fuch retraction, together with Aquinas^ reck- g Magr/ter fen-

ons up to us, by name? the chief of the Schoolmen as of this perfwa- ^trarum, St. .• Thomas, Bo-

li0n * naventur,Sco-

tus, Durandos, Gabriel, and others, depenitentia^ lib. 2. c. 12. pag, 945.

S. Clara tells us it is certe communis et recepta [ententia Scholar um T>:ns natnra grat. Problem, 21.

P. 125.

It's true, there is fome difference among them about the name: Some would not have it called Congruous Merit i but all, as i Bellarmin^Vega, i 3£«pd attinet and after him / Santta Clara tells us, agree in the thing. And it is the adca ^ Qltc os 1 thing, not the word that is fo injurious to the Grace of God, and where- fffJfl^deLfi in the corruption and the danger lies, and therein they confpire. nomine meriti

&c.dejuftif. . I. i.e. 11. P. 751. k Rifle advertit Vega, de re, noneft inter Voflores catholicos quan-o. \ luq^ de nomine folum eft quaftio anjadtbeant vocart meritumde congrnoSan&z Clara, ibid\ P. 1 *

I need bring no particular teftimonies, to (hew, that by their Dodrrine, pardon of fin falls under this fort of merit: For pardon and inherent Grace are by them involved together, and made one and the fame mo- • tion '■> and I have (laid the longer on that which is evidence for both, be-caufefome queftion, whether this congruous merit be commonly owned by their Writers. I think it might as well be queftioned, Whether the proper merit of condignity be their common dodrrine i for there are fome among them who dillike this, and fcarce more the other, fo far as I can compute the numbers. *

As for the other particulars (Title to glory) included in the nrft, and ~ . increafe of Grace, which they call a fecond Juftirication, the Council of bomo'pnoTerl 'lrt;:t has made it an Article of their Faith, That good works are truly fuabona quate-meritorious of botiJpmd denounceth thofe accurfed who deny it \ and nus movente their Writers unaniiriouily iince underfiand it to be merit of condignity, D ?°f a ^ a f tir t y

4 rv'• 1 r 01 1 r -L • ^ c ■ r* 1 v ^tam <ettrnarn

as 0 Aquinas expreit it bcrore. So that there things are due from God c [ g m &» m m . upon the account of their Good wcrks in ftridt juiiice, and not alone Hatur, ipfum in congruity. It is not my bufinefs to argue againlt their Dodrrine of et j am v^'ne et merit, only let me fueeefc this which the Text leads me to. chant at is aag-

1 heir opinion ot merit makes the ipecial Grace and mercy or God dicendumtH needlefs: For if a man by what he doth can make heaven due from God n.q.i 14. art: in point of Juftice, he needs not his Mercy to fave him, fo long as he is 85. fure the Lord will not be un juft > he is not concerned to regard whether or not he be gracious and merciful. As in a like cafe, when a mans caufe requires nothing but Juftice, if he be fure the Judg will do him Jufrice, there is no need at all to be beholding to him for his mercy. Thus Grace and Mercy being excluded as needlefs and fuperfluous, all oblige-ments to love and gratitude, to all ingenuous obedience and worihip, are £*

taken off, and all fenfe of Religion like to be razed out of the fouls of

G g g men.

men. I may forbear telling you that this is of dangerous tendency.

Come we to the third part of the Text, The Juftification of a (inner is, Through the Redemption that is in Jefus Cbrift.

That Dodrine quite overthrows the Juftification of a (inner, which removes from it this redemption i but fo doth the Popifh Dodrine, and thereby tends to make Chrift of none efTed. For without that redemption, he is not, he cannot be the Saviour of any man. Their errors here ftrike deep, and tend to undermine the foundation of Chriftianity. Let me give you an account hereof in refped of the fatisfadion, the merit, and the application of this redemption.

i. The fatisfadion of Chrifi is unneceiTary, by their Dodrine, there is no need of it for the juftifying of a imnen he may be pardoned and freed from eternal punifhment without it. For if the pardon of fin be ^M'nfb"^ the aboliming, and utter extinguifftingof it, as they teach, p and it be c.% P. 782/ ky infufed Grace or charity, that lin is thus abolifhed, as dark r by the initio, approach of light, and one contrary by natural confequence, at the pre-

Dicere T>tnm f ence of another (which is their Dodrine, if I under (rand it) > then there ^urTmnumtn was n0 more requiiite to free a iinner from guilt and liablenefs to eternal trorlm toilere, puniihment, but only that Chrift fhould purchafe for him habitual grace. komniis eft vc-. Now to purchafe this, his merit would ferve, and there would be no need cm mmflionti 0 f fatisfadion /. And there are thofe who feem to acknowledg the for-r"f m "> wh ^n they deny the latter.

lib. z. c, 19.

P. 1 u. Omnino idem plane valet, reccata. effe tefta*, atque fublata ejje, et nulla pror[us relic!a. Peverens difput. 3; in Kom> 4- Admonemm (peccata)dimidi ejj'e, non folum non' impu f ari, non folum non funixi, Sed penitus etiamtolli,peniiits fccleri, Maldonat. in Mat. 6.11. p. 145; r Quo ft- ut gratia graum fa-liens ex diametro opponifurpecca'o atque adeo formaliter per modttm contrarietafts expellat ipfum ut author efi, S.Tko. 12. q. 1 «3 art. l - Soto ibid^ p. 109. Bellar. ibid. c. 2. p. 766. s Mi quod mmtum eft fine fadsfattione it e contrario, id. dt Purgat.lib. 1. c, 10. p. 1370.

Then as to the temporal punifhment, they leavl no place at all for

Chrift's fatisfadion i> this is quite excluded here, (though this punifiV

ment be no lefs in their account than the torments of hell, eternity ex-

cepted): the (inner mult, or may, fatisfie for himfelf, and therefore

Chrift did not fatisfie : otherwife the Lord would take payment twice

for one debt, and require double fatisfadion for every fin, and puni(h it

ultra demeritutn, more than it deferves, which would be cruelty : yea

he would not be fatisfied when he had fatisfadion, which would be un«

V* . reafonable. Nor is this my inference-only, they do as good as acknow-

%aupnpma kdg e ft« ; For they grant that Chrift did not fatisfie for % temporal pu~

etiam temforali

quatenus gratiam prabttper quam ipfi nos Domino [atisfadmits, Bellarm, dt poznitentia, 1.4. a$.p.io^. &-de Purgat.Li.c.10. non quod immediate ipfae'jus [atisfattio toilet pan am temporalem nobis debitam, fed quotomediate earn tollat, quatenus videlicet, ah eagratiam babemus, fine qua nihil- valmt noftra [atisfa-fcio?f. i%6?

ni0unenf 3

nifhment, but mediately \ by procuring grace for tinners, that they might fatishe for themfelves. And if he fatisfied no otherwife, he fatisfied not at all \ no more than I can be faid to travel 100 miles, when I do not itir out of doors, becaufe I help another to a horfe, who performs fuch a journey.

Thus, by their Dodtrine of Juitification and Pardon, the redemption of Chriir, as to fatisfadtion made thereby, is reduced in a manner to nothing. For venial 11ns, to which, they fay, temporal punifhment only is due \ they cannot with any reafon pretend that fatisfadtion by him is necefTary. For mortal fins, (a fmall parcel of the infinite multitude of venials confidered), habitual grace (which Chrift might merit,though he did not fuisfie) is fufficient to abolifli fault and guilt, and fo to procure remilTion^as to eternal fuffering.

Or, if habitual Grace were not fufficient for this, yet ftill they make the redemption of Chrift inefficient, and fo no fatisfadtion. For not-withftanding all that he hath done and fuffered, the Lord is not ap-peafed to thofe that believe \ he will puniih, he will inflidt the torment of hell, for a time at lead \ how long, none of them can tell '■> but, without quettion, (they fay) till his juftice be fatisfied, till that be done by themfelves, which Chrift alone can do, and that will be long indeed, and not end but with eternity. So that it is plain by their principles, that the Lord is not yet fatisfied by the redemption of Chrift ? it was not as much as juftice required, it was not enough, and fo could not be fatisfadtion. And therefore a BeHarmine concludes fuitably enough to a TeriiZ tame* their principles \ that of the feveral opinions which are amongft them modus vidttwr concerning Chrift's fatisfadtion and mans; this is the moft probable, that pd&Uiou

there is no aclual fatisfadtion but one only, and this is ours. , f??*%!*.0?*i:~

__, r , . , . • ir 1 1 * '1-% -n • 1 turn jit attualis

2. The merit 01 this redemption is alio by their Doctrine made un- [atisfatth &

tie

•) p --

demption, if men can, and do merit Heaven j for merit is the worth of what it is faid to defcrve,it mud be (by their computation) c equal or proportionable in value to it. Now if Chrift bring the worth of Heaven;, and we muft bring the worth of it too i, the Lord lets none have Hea- c in op ere bo-yen till he have double the value of it, till he receive twice as much for *o ex gratia it as it is worth ; fo that Heaven,, upon this account, will be a very V o:l ^ m fo hard bargain, however the Lord declares it. to'be a gift. M&Zhali-

tas ad fr<zmh* urn vita 4/ctffe, Eellarm. de Jnflijic. Z..5. c. 17. o£q:i»Lem valorem co?idignitatis bab.nt i Vafquez,

There is no avoiding this, but either by making the merit of Chrift needlefs, or the merits of men. The Papifts in this cafe choofe rather to make the merit of redemption unneceffary. And indeed, f when they think it advifable to fpeak outj they fay exprefly that there is no

G g g 2 • need

need of the merit of Chrift, that we may h thus Vafquez (one of theiir

moft eminent writers J d feeing the merits of a juft man ( faith he) do

condignly merit eternal life, as an equal recompence and reward ^ there

is no need that any other condign merit, fuch as is the merit of Chrift,

mould intervene that eternal life may be had. But how then mull we

under/land them, when they tell us that Chrift did merit eternal life for

us f They inform us by their Dodtrine of Satisfaction: as Chrift fatis-

fied for the temporal puniihment due to fin mediately, by procuring

grace to fatisfje for it our felves: fo he purchafed life for us mediately, e

in that he was worthy to obtain grace for us, whereby we. merit life our

klves. But, by this account^ he did not merit life for us at all, no more

than he ca.n be faid to confefs or repent of our fins > bccaufe he obtained

dcum opera grace for us to confefs and repent thereof our felves. This is but to

jufli mereantur own the merit of redemption, as a Telagius owned the grace of God *,

vitamatemzm wnen h e fe^ } t was g rac e., for him to form us with wills able to adt fuf-

"immvulm ^ c i ent ^/ 5 an ^ perform the office of grace without it.

& premium :

non opus eft interyentu alterius meriti condigni^ quale eft meri'um Cbrifli,ut eis reddatur vita, aterna, in

prima fzcunda, q. i ¥4. Di[pu\ zir.c.2,, n. 39.

e Nunquam petimns a Deo per merit a Chrifii ut nofiris dignis optribns & meritoriis reddatur merces ater-tia vita: fed ut per Cbriiium deiv.r nobis gratia , qua poffemus digne banc mercedtm prgmereri, id.ibid. They ufe this illuftration ; A Farm being given to a fon he may by the commodities reaped out ©f-that Farm, buy any thing that it frail pleafe his Father to fet to fale. D. Bifhop in Abbot of merits. P. 640.

a They faid (as Augufline reprefents them) Pojfe fufficere natwam humanam qua condita eft cum li-kero'arbitrio: eamqye e(fe Dei gratiam, quia fie conditi fumus, ut hoc voluntate pnffimus. De geflis contr. PeJag. c. 3$. And Jerom^ adctefiphontem, p. 1$%. Ita Dei gratiam ponunt^ut nonper ftngula opera, ejus nitarmr & rcgamnr auxilio, fed ad libtrum referent arbitrium, ut in eo Deo referenda fint gratia, q:iod talis ties condiderit, qui noflro arbitrio pofjimus & eligere bona, & vitare mala : & non intillignnfi(la dicen-S(s quod per os eorum intollcrabilem bla[phemiam Diabolus fibilet.

Befides, fecondly,. their principles do not allow them to fay, that we have inherent grace by the merit of Chrift. And that being with them the formal caufe of Jultification *> if it was not procured for us by his redemption, this is quite excluded from being interelTed in juftifying us. And indeed all the intereft of Chrift's redemption in our juftirication Cand falvation tooj is reduced by them to this one point, bis ptr chafing inherent grace for us^ fas appears by the premifes). So that if this be d.ifclaimed, there will be nothing afcribed to Chriff.

Now it cannot be expe&ed, that while they profefs themfelves Chri-ftians, they (hould, in plain terms, make Chrift a Cipher, but they do it by confequenee too plainly. Their other principles render ChrifVs meriting inherent grace for us, to be needlefs: and fure he would not do and furTer fo much for a needlefs thing. By their Dodtrine of congruous merit, a man deftitute of inherent, (or (as they call it) juftifying) grace, may do that w 7 hich will make it due to him from God. Now that which a man can make due to himfelf, needs not at all the merit

of;

of Chrift to make it due. The Lord will certainly let him have his due, without the mediation of any other merit.

Yea, if we fhould bate the word merit oc debitum, or dunefs too, (as Soto would have it) i> yet if a man can do that upon which jultifying grace will neceflarily and infallibly follow, there is no need that Chrift iheuld purchafe it > for it is altogether unneceflary that Chrift mould merit that for us, which w 7 e can make fure to our felves, fo as to have it neceffariiy and infallibly. Now that a man can do thus much, to make fuch grace fure to hirn, the Dominicans (the beft friends thai* the grace of God can find amongft the Romanifts) do affirm -■> Dominions a-Soto fa principal, and the leading man amongft themj alTerts it, and that upon the exprefs teltimony of Aquinas fwhole conduct they are wont in their divinity to follow as Angelical) b out of neceffity^ not that of con-Jiraiut, but that of infallibility i Grace is given, to btm that prepares him* j elf fir it J byfome help of God. They hold, that when a man doth his endeavour, God will not deny him grace, (there's their c congruous merit) and think they falve all, by faying, this endeavour mutt be from divine afliftancei but Pelagius acknowledged , that no lefs than they and Augn'line, with other his oppofers, take notice of it: yet becaufe he would have grace to be given according to merits ("though by merits was underiiood, not that which deferved it, but any thing done by a tinner, in refpect of which grace is given, as d Bellarmine, confeffethj ; they condemned him, as evacuating the redemption o[b£b'dexne-Chriit,and the grace of- God, , *V«* n \.

onis,[ed tamtn ivfallibilitatis deter gratia, fe, per auxtlium Dei praparantj, de nit. & grit. Lt,. c. 13. p. 165. And this divine affiftance, others of them fay, a graceiefs perfon may merit, Prof, ft0 longe probabilius qi-ci pet opsra. bona morali r, quibai ali qui s ante accept an: gratiam faceret quod mora liter pot eft/eat en us

primam gratiim ex congruo ilium mthrt, quatenus conveniens, & congruum eft, ut cum talis facit, q turn in illo ftatu moraiiter poieft; Dens etiam przftat id quod fuarum eft partium, hoc eft ei ho mini auxilia aclualia eugeat,quibus adjutus poffst facilius gratiam con fe qui, atque adeo coxfequdtk) ft ftbi non at-fit. Gregor. dt valent.l. dt grat. drain, pais 4. c. ult.

c : ?r per bona opera facia extra cbaritattm meretur de congrua primam gratiam, ibi e(l eniiK q

dam cosgruitas, quia facit quod in fe eft, Bonavent. i. Dift. 27. n. 39.

d De gratia & lib. a^bitrio, I. 6. c. 5. p, 65.9. Gratiam autcm fecur.d^m merita nostra, dari int. ligunt patres cum aiiq.>.idjit proprius virib-.'.s,ratione cujus detur gratia, -etiamft zonfil ilium merit andigno.

In fine , if a man by their principles could not merit juftifyin^ grace for himfelf: yet frill, by their Doctrine, there would be no need of Chrift's merits: For they teach that any other juft man e .^ may merit it for him de congruo , and do fo much on his behalf, g r «»j«/2

quis altcri 1 < • nri primam gratiam, Aquinas, prima fecund* q. 114. art. Bellarminc will have, this paft all doubc. cut cert urn eft, non poffe unum alteri ex condigno gratiam promereri, it a non dubinm eft, poffe id et : gruo ft-.ri. De Juftiftcat. 1. $• c. m p. 969. Bonaventure will have this to be meritum d;;;i:, 1 Dift. 4 '. n. 8, Et digr.it as cum indignitate ficut cm vir juftus meretur pccUiori primam gratiam digniUts ■: i parte viti ).ifti, z Dift. 17. n. 39.

as

as it would be indecent and incongruous to the bounty of God, to deny him grace. And this is enough to make him fure of it infallibly \ feeing the Lord is as far from acting undecently or incongruoufly, as he is from dealing unjuftly.

I need not tell you thefe errors arc dangerous h unlefs you need be told that there is danger in making Chrift fignirie little or nothing in the Jultifying of finners.

The lad thing propounded is the application of this Redemption, i.e. of the bloud of Chrift, or-his obedience or his righteoufnefs, (for thofe are ufed by the Apoftle, as terms of the fame import). If we be accepted as righteous, it muft be upon the account of fome righteoufnefs , we have none of our own that can acquit us before the Lord's tribunal. That of ours will neither fatisiie for what is paft, nor ferve us for the future i it cannot of it felf be a good title to life, which has in it juft ground for condemnation. The righteoufnefs of Chrift is alfufficient for all the exigences of our condition. But that it may be our Juftifi-ca ti on, (2u?w. 5. 18.J it muft be our Righteoufnefs: and how can that 3 ilobisvtro £> e ;> we need no other man to tell us, than Bellarmine himfelf", a Ihe communicator r m 0/" Adam (favs he ) is communicated in fuch a manner- as that which Tiemeomodorfuotrpzfti cm " e communicated , that is by imputation, lr tne Cardinal communicm had not been a meer fervant to his bypotbefis, he would have followed .potefi id quod this fo far as the reafon of it leads him > and then it would have brought to'*' ™*ma- ^ im t0 ac knowledg n0 kfe °f tne righteoufnefs of the fecond Adam iioaent.Dea- tnan °f tne nn of the hrft : both are paft, and no other way to com-■miff. grat. L. 5. municate what is paft, but by imputation.

■ c.i7- H3-* This imputation is it which they will deny, and yet cannot but con-fefs. And in their great Champion., we may fee manifeftly the evidence of truth ftrugling with the power of intereft and prejudice '•> and prevailing fo far as to force from him three or four acknowledgments of

b ve pflific.Lz. this imputation, in that h difpute, where he fets himfelf with all his c.in.p.Tt$. Ss. . , 4 r r I . r

quarto njdli- might to oppofe it.

tur, &C.10. 1 here are thefe feverals coniiderable, about the imputing this righte-

f.79S..Ethoc oufnefs : firft Subftituticn 5 Chrift fatisried in our ftead, i. e. He tendred

^onmeUet that which was due from us. Secondly, Acceptance? the Father ac-

IJisnobildi- ce P^d what Chrift performed in our ftead, as performed on our behalf!

cmt t nobis im- Thirdly, Participation * 5 we have the fruits and advantages of his un-

pttiafi tbrifti dertaking, no lefs than if we our felves had fatisried. Now, the firft of

^writTc *m r ^ e ^' tne Romanifts aflert, the third they acknowledge and the fecond

.nobis donwtur they cannot deny,.unlefs they will deny that the Father accepted Chrift's

& applicentur, perfedt performance, on the behalf of thofe for whom he undertook it

ac fines ipfi by his own appointment. And as this performance, fo ftated, is that we

fnl°s &tngll mean 5 by ChrilFs righteoufnefs: fo this acceptance, as declared in the

Ss. njpondeo& Gofpel, in reference to thofe-that believe, includes all that we mean by -

.sf. hac i^itur imputation. Nor need we contend for more, than they cannot, with-

f4fa,&c. out fomething like blafphemy, deny, viz* God's acceptance of Chrift's

fatisfa&ion. Then

Then doth God impute the righteoufnefs of Chr'ift to a believer, when he accepts what Chrift performed tor him, as if he had performed it. As we fay, then a Creditor imputes the payment of the,debt to the debtor, when he accepts of what the furety pays for him, as if ^ e y himfelf had paid it. There is ground enough in Scripture to ufe this Matth6 for illultration at leaft.

And by the light hereof, a a mean capacity may fee a clear anfwer to a without Ief~ the greateft objections made by the Papifts againfl Chrift's rightcouf- fening the dif-nefs imputed, uObj.lt Chrilt's rightcoufnefs be truly imputed unto us, ferenre be-then we might be called, and accounted redeemers of the World. Anf tvv \ xcd 7jv 5 He might as reafonably fay, the debtor may be called and accounted the 1T)en t S - a f ur e-furety, becaufe the furety's payment is accepted for him,2.0£j. If Chrift's cy as to either rightcoufnefs be imputed to us as if it were ours,then we ought to be ac- Wl11 fcrvc our counted as righteous as Chriil. Anfiv. He might as well argue, the pur ^ -debtor is as rich as the furety, becaufe the furety pays his debt, 3.0b], If * n by the righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to us, we may be faid to be truly righteous => then Chriit, by our unrightcoufnefs imputed to him, may be''truly called a (inner. Anfa. Which is jufVas if he mould fays If the acceptance of the furety's payment acquit the debtor 5 then the furety, becaufe the debt is charged on him, (though he contracted it not) is . as bad a husband, and as much a bankrupt as the debtor.

I need bring no particular arguments for this. All the Scriptures, where there is mention of ChriiYs dying for us, his fuiTerings, cleaniing . * us with his bloud, his obedience to death, &c. (Hnce it cannot be denied but all this was well pleafing to God, and accepted by him, as it was performed on the behalf of believers) are undeniable proofs, that his righteoufnefs is imputed.

And it is a wonder to me, that any who acknowledg the fatisfaction of Chriit, mould have the confidence to fay, there is no evidence for this imputation, in the fenfe expreffed j but their caufelefs prejudice againft the word, makes them it feems fo fullen, that they will not take notice of the things we mean, though they meet with it every where in Scripture. B: j4:fi;.L7:

In fhort, (I fear I have tranfgreffed already, and muft omit much of c. 2. i^pjnfr what I intended) j if Chrift's righteoufnefs be not imputed, it is not fromhiscpmi-accepted i if it be not accepted, it is not performed, and fo there will be c^rteVqdtur no fatisfadrion, no redemption in Jefus Chrift. This is Bellarmine's «* chip )4i-own inference when he is difputing againft Oftand&r i to deny God's ac- tiam Dens non cepting Chrift's righteoufnefs for us, (which is by the premises his im- *u*P*U™™& putingit to us) is to overthrow the whole myftery of mans redemp- m \ txt & nT fi tion and reconciliation. quts vdit :o>

Vfe.. For Application.Let me admonim you, as you tender the honour turn myfterium of Chrift, and the comfort and happinefs of your fouls •, to receive and /J^hnis prefervethe Doctrine of Juftification pure and untainted, as the Apoftle & rem { ii&m delivered it. Beware efpecially of the Popith corruptions, whereby tmis twtard

they

they have adulterated, and wherewith they have overwhelmed it. Whereas it is, as delivered in Scripture, the foundation of our hopes^ and the fpring of our comforts: they have made it a link, into which a great part of their other corruptions do run, and fettle •> or thefource from which they rife, and are fed. I might make this good by an account of particulars: but thofe I have touched already are too many. They tell you, to be juftiried, is to be fanctiried, and fo fanctiried, as to need no further fandfirication after the rirft infuiion: no growth in grace, no increafe of holinefs, no progrefs therein, nor mortification neither, no need of, no reafon for it. Their principles are fo indulgent, as to free you from fuch trouble. But then you mufr not take notice of the many commands of God which enjoyn thefe, and make - them neceflaryi nor of the hazard that attends fuch neglects. They will allure you there is none under the notion which they reprefer.t them.

They tell you, you mult be juftiried by your own righteoufnefs, and that a perfect righteoufnefs within you '■> that's it you muft trull to •, and if you think much to be juftiried, as never any tinner in the world was > and know not how to compafs a righteoufnefs abfolutely perfect within you: they will inform you, that any degree of charity, the leaft, the weakefr, is righteoufnefs in perfection. Thus you may be juftiried in their way, if you will but have patience till your inherent righteoufnefs in this world be perfect and fpotlefsi or till the lowed degree of it be abfblute perfection. If you think it impofhble to be juftiried upon fuch terms i they will tell you there is nothing more eafy. Any of their Sacraments will help you to it j for they all confer juftifying grace, and that by the rneer external act. You may have it, though you never mini what you are a doing, when you are at Sacrament, to get it. An eaiie way to Heaven indeed, if it were as eafie to be faved, as deluded.

They will have you believe that their Doctrine of Jufrification is that which, we mult approve, fines it includes pardon", and \ f et they have no pardon by their Doctrine, while there is one fpeck of fin in their fouls: and fo not in this world, and the other is no w T orld for it. And though they fancy, that fault, and ftain, and defert, and the very be^ ing of (in, is abolifhed when they have pardon •, and will have none.that "is not lawful: yet are they not pardoned for all that, but plainly condemned, and into infernal fires they muft go, and be there tortured, fatter they are fo fully pardoned J till themfelves have fully fatisiied, and paid the utmoft farthing. And if they cannot do that, which Chrift only can do, viz* fatisrie the juitice of God for all forts of iins, as to part of the punifhment due to fome, and the whole punithment due to others. Their Purgatory will prove Hell, everlaflingnefs not abated: and they will rind themfelves damned eternally, and caft into Hell, who, by the r Doctrine, were betrayed into that ftate, under a pretence of being

ing punifhcd there a while, in order to Salvation. And if the demerit of fins, which they call venial, prove greater, than they believe ("without and againft Scripture) they are in Hell, while they dream they are but in Purgatory \ for the partition between Hell and Purgatory, is but the diftinclion made in their fanlies, betwixt mortal and venial fins, as to their demerit.

Thus are they in danger to be pardoned, and no wonder, fince there is not one iin in rive hundred, which, by their Dodfrine, needs Chrifr or his blood for its pardon \ there's no need of the blood of fprinkling for the infinite numbers of their venials. They have a fprinkling of their Paw ,:^ n ,, . own will lerve, an holy water conjured into luch divine powers, as to u m qui eft if-wafn away a world of lins, fault and punifhment both. This is the feltus aqua be-fountain (one of them) which themfelves have opened for fin and un- nsi jicl* fine cleanncfs i. and the other opened by Chrift may be (hut up, unlefs there \]a a &}lnfti-may be fomeufeof it for another fort of ilns, but thofe very few, in tatis confertur* comparifon. Non poena.* cut-

Indeed, it is the intollerable injury they offer to Chrift, his redemp- P^ m ^odojed ti($n, and the free grace of God, which makes their Doctrine of Juftiti- \ r Xtbiihs efl cation moft intollerable. To ftrip the redemption which is in Jefus culpas quoq\ Chrift, of its merit or fatisfadtion, without which it is no redemption: veniaUs remit-to make the mercy of God needlefs, or the free exercife of it impoilible, *J?\ ,. and his grace to be no grace j is the way not to be juftified, but con- nus , Ds Sacr ~ demned. This is to feek pardon of former offences, by new crimes, as pars 1. p. 751. if one would not receive a pardon without interlining it with fomething of treafonable import againft him who offers it. Yea, it feems an attempt to blot cut of the pardon all that is pardoning? and to affront and deface that upon which all the .hopes of a condemned finner de-pendsj and without which no flefh can be juftified. When ever the Lord jultifies any, he doth it freely by bis grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift; they that will not be thus juftified, are in danger 0 be condemned.

H h h SERJVI

-\

SERMON XIII

God not to be Worshipped as reprefented

by an Image. , /p\/i

^Tps not lawful to give Religious Worfhip to any Creature whatfoever.

y Tis not lawful to make an Image of God.

*7h not lawful to Worjlnp God, as reprefented by an Image, or to direfl our Worfhip of him to an Image*

^Tps not lawful to Worfhip Images, by doing it corporally, cvs Idolaters do , though we pretend to keep our hearts to God.

The Papifis prefumptuoufly leave the fecond Commandment out of the Decalogue.

MAt. 4. 10. Then faith Jefus unto him r Get thee hence, Satan y for it is written, Thou Jhalt Worfltip the Lord thy-God) and hjm only Jhalt thou ferve.

TR E eleven firft Verfes of this Chapter 3 contain the Hillory of the Combat, or Conflict between Chrift and Satan \ and in it you may take notice of thefe Particulars. 1. You have the preparation to the Combat, v. 1,2. ihen was Jefks led up of the Spirit into the wildernefs to be tempted of the Devils and when he had fafted forty days and- forty nights , he was afterwards an bungred. 7hen, that is, immediately after Chrift had been baptized in an extraordinary manner , and folemnly declared by a voice from Heaven that he was the beloved Son of God, in whom he wvs well pleafedh and after the Heavens were opened unto him, andhefaw the Spirit of God defending like a Dove, and lighting upon him, and was/#tf of the Holy Ghoft, as §U*Luhg records it, Lukf^u Then (thanhat is

imme-

immediately after this) be was led up of the Spirit into the wildernefs ts be tempted of the Devil. We fhould have thought that the next news might have been of his taking a folemn Journey to Jerufalem, and in the Temple there publickly to have declared, that he was the great Do-dor and Prophet of his Churchy and that they were accordingly to hear him: but God's thoughts are not as our thoughts ; the Text tells you, then, that is, immediately upon this, be was led by the Spirit into tbe wildernefs to be tempted of tbe Devil.

2. You have the Combat or Conflict it felf, from the third Verfe to the eleventh: the Devil takes an occafion hereupon to fet upon him, and to afTault him with thefe dreadful temptations. The rirft temptation, or afTault, you have Verf. 3. If thou be the Son of God 7 command that thefe-ftones be made bread: As if he had faid , There was a Voice pre-fently from Heaven, that thou art Gods beloved Son , in whom he is well pleafed? but if fo, is it likely that God fhould take no further care of his own Son whom he loved, than to expofe him to the want even of necellaries tor the prefent life ? To that, either thou art not the Son of God^ and that pretended Voice from Heaven is but a delullon •> or if thou beeft fo, let it appear by making of this Miracle, Command that thefe ft ones be made bread. The reply or anfwer made by our Saviour to this temptation, yoti have Verf. 4. But be anfwered and faid, It is written^ Manjball not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth cut of the mouth of God: where our Saviour (hews, that this was a notorious Impofture ; and a fallacious way of reafoning, that either he mutt perilh in the wildernefs with famine, or elfe he mutt prove himfelf to be the Son of God by working a Miracle, and commanding Hones to be made bread : for, It is written^ htm Jhall not live by bread alone, but by every word thatproceedetb out of the mouth of God. This temptation not taking efTed", and the Devil foiled and non-plutt by the force and dint of the Scripture, he makes a fecond afTault upon him, Verf. 5, <5. Then the Devil taketh him up into tbe holy City y and fettetb him on a Pi-nacle of the Temple, and faith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, caft thy felf down, for it is written, He (hall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they (hall ben thee up, left at any tune thou dajh thy foot againft a ftone. I know that St. Lu\e obferves not the iame order in the recording of thefe temptations, as St. Matthew doth, but it is likely that was the third and latt temptation , when Satan had that rebuke given him by our Saviour* Get thee hence, Satan, for immediately upon this, Verf. 11. the Devil leaveth him, and Angels can: y and miniftred unto him-, and therefore I call this the fecond aflault or tem-tatic The third and the latt temptation, or afTault, which fecms to be molt dangerous, you have Verf. 8, 5?. Again, the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and jheweth him all.the Kingdom* of the World, and the Glory of them, and faith unto him y All thefe things will I give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worfiip me. In St. Lu h ^e,

Hhh 2 Chap.

Chap. 4. 6. he pretends a reafon for it, And the Devil faid unto him., All this power will I give thee, and the Glory of them, for that is delivered 1 unto me, and to whcmfoever J will 1 give it. And Verf. 7. If thou therefore wilt worfhip me, all. {hall be thine. But the Devil was a Lyar from' the beginning, and there were three notorious Lyes in this pretence of the Devils: 1. All this power will I give thee, and the Glory of them\ whereas he had no fuch Power or Glory to bellow. 2. The fecond was, Tor that is delivered unto me: but God never made the Devil the Heir of all things, but his own Son. Heb. 1.2. He hath in thefe laji days fpohgn unto us by his Son , whom he hath appointed Heir of all things. 3. The third was, To whomfocver I will, I give it: as if Satan could give the Kingdoms of the World to whom he pleafed, a power which God hath referved "for himfelf, and hath not conferred on any Creature whatfoever. Daniel 2. 20, 21. Blejfed be the Name of God for ever and ever, for Wifdom and Might are his, he changeth the times and the feafons, he removeth Kings, and fetteth up Kings. We read that Satan is fome-times transformed into an Angel of Light, 2 Cor. 6. 14. but here he would be transformed into God himfelf i as. alfo in that which follows, namely, that he would be adored and worshipped => If thou therefore wilt worjhip me, all jhall be thine: or, as you have it in the Text, All thefe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worfhip me. Now in thefe words you have the reply or anfwer that our Saviour makes to this temptation 5 Then faith Jefus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Ihou ffjalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only Jhalt thou ^ firve : where you have two things coniiderable : 1. You have fome-thing premifed , or fomething prefatory unto Chrift's anfwer, Get thee hence, Satan \ which may beunderftood two ways: 1. Either as Vox deteftantis, a Note of abhorrence and deteftation, of the Devils horrible impudence and blafphemy, in that he would have Chrift to fall down and worfhip him : or, 2. As Vox imperantis, a word of power and authority , commanding him out of his prefence, Get theejience, Satan, and thereby fufficiently declaring himfelf to be the Son of God, which was the thing in queftion : the Devil had twice put an if upon his Son-fhip, Verf. 3. If thou be the Son of God, command that thefe ftones be-^ made bread: And Verf 6. If thou be the Son of God, cafi thy felf down:

Now our Saviour will have this to be out of queftion, <md therefore' commands him to be gone, Get thee hence^ Satan \ and the-next news is, Verf 11. Then the Devil leaveth him, and behold^ Angels came and miniftred unto him. 2. You have the anfwer it felf, for it is written^ Thou'Jhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only Jhalt thou ferve. Where again you have two things to be taken into Conlideration: 1* You have our Saviours urging Scripture in the cafe, It is written : The Word-of God is armour of proof again/1 Satan and his temptations, and hence the Apoftle makes it one main part of the Chriitian armour, Ephef.6: 17. Take the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit^ which is the

Word of God , and our Saviour makes ufc of this Sword in the Text, It is written but wherefce Veut.6.1 %. Thou (halt fear the Lord thy God,andferie him\ and Dcut. 10.20. Thou jh alt fear the Lord thy Godjrim (halt thou ferve, and to himjhalt thou cleave: where I would note, that our Saviour doth not quote the very words that>are in Vcuteronsmyjt is faid thcrc,Tboufljalt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, our Saviour fays, Thou Jh alt worjkip the Lord thy God, andhim only Jbalt thou ferve : and yet notwithfranding,/* is written?! bou Jbalt worjhip the Lord thy God-,and him only (halt thou ferve. And I would the rather take notice of this, becaufe there are a generation -of men amongft us, that tell us, upon occalion, that we do not fpeak Scripture-Language, and their reafon is, becaufe we do not fpeak Scriptures-words: But, Friends,take this for a principle,If we fpeak Scripture-fence, though not the very words of Scripture,yet we may be faid to fpeak Scripture-Language '. Thus our Saviour here fpeaking Scripture-fence, (peaks-' Scripture- Language,!* is written. Fear is a word of great latitude and extent, and comprehends in its felf that homage,and honour,and reverence, that we owe to God> and therefore our Saviour calls it \Vorfhip,and fays, It is written, Thou Jbalt worfhip the Lord thy God,&c. Thus it is alfo in the 1 like cafe, if the word perfon be Scripture-fence, it is Scripture-Language: if the word Sacrament be Scripture-fence,it is Scripture-Language. 2 .Yoir have the Scripture that is urged "in thefe. words, "thou (halt wwfhif the Lord thy God, andhim only (halt thou ferve. Satan would have our Saviour to fail down and worfhip him : our Saviour replies, It is written, Thon Jbalt worfhip the Lord thy God; and him only fcalt thou Jerve : and the mean--• ing and import ot it is this, that which is proper and peculiar unto God, ought not to be given unto any. Creature whatsoever : but Worfhip is* fo , and tl srefore ought not to be given to any Creature whatfocver-Satan i. a Cieature, and if there -were no more in the cafe than that, even that is reafon fufficient why he ought not to be Wor(hipped : Then-jaith Jefits unto him^ Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou flj alt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only Jbalt thou ferve. Thus I have 1 given you an account both of the preparation to the Combat or Conflict between Chriii and Satan , as alfo of the Combat or Conflict it 1 felf i thirdly, you have the iiTue of the whole tranfadtion between Chriii:' and Satan, Ver£ 11. Then the Vevil leaveth him^ and heboid Angels'came • and minijlred unto him.

My Text contains theanfwer, or the repulfe that was given by our Saviour unto Satans third and lafi: affault '> Then faith Jejus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou jhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, andhim only fhalt thou ferve.

The Proportion that I would commend unto your Confident ion' from the words, is this, That Religious Worjhip-ought not to he given to frapp* any Creature whatfoever : or thus 5 God alone is, and onght to he the Ob-jefl of Lfligions Worfhip* I fay, God alone is, and ought to be;the Ob--jeft of Religious Worfllip •' Honour and Worfhip is Gods due and right,

and

4^2 * God not to be Worflipped as reprefented by an Image..

and irreligion is a piece of wrong and injuftice % and indeed, if divine honour was not given to God as his due and right, worfhip will be a part of benevolence from the creature unto God.

i. In the profecution of this point, I (hall, by God's afliftance, ob-ferve this method, i. I (hall give you a brief defcription of worfhip, andthew you what worfhip is.

2. I (hall lay down fome diftindions for the due dating, and the right underilanding of this propoiition.

3. I fhall endeavour to prove the propoiition, namely, that religious worfhip ought not to be given to any creatures whatsoever \ or that Cod alone is, and ought to be the object of religious worfhip*

4. And the fourth particular (hall be the Ufe and Application.

1. For the rirft of thefe, I fnall endeavour to difpatch in a few words i, namely, to give you a brief defcription of worfhip, and (hew you what worfhip is.

Worfhip is that honour or reverence that we give unto a perfon, or being, regard being had to the dignity and excellency of that perfon or being that is to be worfhipped > and it confifts of three Ads.

1. An ad of the mind, whereby we rightly conceive of the dignity and excellency of that perfon or being that we worfhip.

2. An ad of the will, w T hereby, upon occafion, we are ready and wil-/ ling to pay all offices of refped to that perfon or being.

3. An ad of the body, whereby we exprefs that refped or honour that is in our minds, unto that perfon or being, by fome outward one of bodily ad, as promotion, uncovering of the head, bowing the knee, or the like ^ and this is all I (hall fay to the firft particular, what worfhip is.

2. Our next work is, to lay down fome diftindions for the due dating and right underilanding of this propoiition h namely, that religious worship ought not to be given to any creature whatfoever j or that God alone is and ought to be the objecl of religious worfhip : as,

1. We muft diftinguifh between our works, and religious worfhip; now, although religious worfhip ought to be given to God alone, yet civil worfhip may, and ought to be given unto creatures: this is a duty from Inferiors to their Superiors, from Children to their Parents, from Servants to their Mafters, from fubjeds to Kings and Magiftrates > thefe Gods muft have civil w 7 orfhip: thus it is faid of Judah, when Jacob on his death-bed blelfed the twelve tribes, Gen, 49. 8. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren jhallpraife i> thy hand Jhall be in the neck^ of tlfine enemies i, thy fathers children Jhall bow down before thee: Judah's honour was to weild the Scepter ? and therefore the reft of the Tribes his Father's children, in a civil fenfe, were to worfhip him, and bow down before him : thus, when Jofeph came into the prefence of Jacob his Father, it is faid, 48.12. That be bowed himfelf with his face- to the earth i this was civil woiihip.

And

And indeed, this worfhip confidered apart, and in a feparate way, feems to be proper unto the creature, and fo not fit to be given unto God. If any fhould fay, but is not God to receive all honour, and glory, and worfhip j and if fo, why (hould civil worfhip be excluded ? I anfwer, becaufe this is not the way to honour God : if we fhould worfhip God no otherwife than as we worfhip a creature, this would be to blafphemc him, under a pretence of giving him that honour that we owe him. We «may obferve even amonglt the creatures, that the homage or honour that we give unto the creature, hath alwaies refpedt unto the greateft excellency of that creature j as fuppofe a King were . prefent, a Vuke, or a Marquefs, or an Earl \ if a man (hould give him only that refpe<ft that is due unto a Vuke, or a Marque/}, or an Earl, this were . in effedi to degrade him of his Kingly power : if we give only the honour unto God, that a Creature may challenge as his due, this firikes at the very God-head it felf, and we do, what lies in us, to degrade him of his fupremacy and tranfparent glory.

2. We muft diftinguifh between inward worfhip, and outward worfhip: there is inward worfhip in Faith, and Love, and Hope, and Fear, and other elicit adrs of the mind , this is the inward homage that we owe unto God: and then there is outward worfhip, which conlilts in the outward expreffion of that inward homage and fubjedtion that we. owe to God, which is done as you heard before, by fome outward one of bodily adr, as proltrating, uncovering of the head, bowing of the knee, and the like. Now, though the worfhip of God confiits mainly and principally in the former > for there may be a pretence of outward homage and reverence, and yet nothing of worfhip s as the Souldiers bowed the knee to Chrift, and yet mocked him, Matth. 27. 29. yet outward' worfhip is necefTary i inward and outward worfhip doth mutually depend upon each other : he that doth not pray, nor read, nor hear, nor receive Sacraments, doth neither love God, nor fear him, nor truft in him. And belides, outward worfhip is a moft effectual help and af- . flitance unto the principle of inward worfhip, ftrengthening the habit of it, and exciting of it unto all futable actions: for though bodily exer-cife y as it is fingle, and divided from the heart, doth, as the Apofile &ith) profit little: yet when it joyns with it, it profits much, and makes us far more lively in the fervice of God, than otherwife we lhould be ; and we may rind by experience, that when we pray only inwardly in our fpirits,we have not that life and enlargement in our minds and affections, as when we alfo pray outwardly with the voice j and upon thefe and fuch like grounds, it is advifed by fome, that prayer, though fecref, fhould be vocal, becaufe it excites affection, and quickens devotion : thus, though inward'worfhip be the main of worfhip, and that which may moft properly be called worfhip \ yet outward worihip is necefTary : the fecond Commandment hath a fpecial refpedt unto outward worfhip, namely, that we perform unto God that outward worfhip which he hath

appointed

appointed in his Word. And that which the Devil would have of our Saviour here, is outward Worfhip, All tbefe things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worfhip me. If any (hall pretend that it is External Veneration that they give unto other things betides God, whereas that which is inward, and which may moft properly be called Worfhip, they refer ve for God : the vanity of fuch a pretence will appear, if we confi-der, that it is not a neceffary requifite unto falfe and idolatrous Worfhip, that the inward devotion of the mind fhould jccompany the external adoration of the body : for if fo, it will follow, that a man being commanded under a fevere 0 penalty, might give outward adoration to any Image, either of the true on falfe gods, and yet beguiltlefsi and who duril ever fay fo V

3. We wilt take it for granted, that Religious W r or(hip admits of degrees, namely, that there is Religious Worfhip in an higher degree, and Religious Worfhip in a lower and inferiour degree: for,I fuppofe,that the Veneration and Adoration that our Adverfaries of the Church of Rome give untD Images and Reliques, and things of that nature, is not Civil, but Religious, though in a lower and an inferiour degree. Now this being taken for granted, I affirm, That God, and God alone, is and ought to be the Objedr of Religious Worfhip, in the latitude of it > and that Religious Worfhip in the loweft and moft inferiour degree, ought not to be given unto any Creature whatfoever, and that will appear from thefe following Coniiderations.

1. It appears from the words of the Text, ihou /halt worfhip the Lord thy God\ and him only Jhalt thou ferve* Now if we are to Wor-•fhip God alone, and ferve God alone, thai God^ and God alone is and ought to be the Oh]eU. of Religious Worfhip \ and Religious Worfhip ought not to he given unto any Creature whatfoever. If it be Objected, That the Text doth not fay, Thou (halt worfhip the Lord thy God only, but him only (halt thou ferve; that there is indeed an honour and a fervice that is due unto God alone, which to give unto any Creature would be Idolatry. Him only ihalt thou ferve ;_ but there is a Worfhip which is due unto the Creatures according to their refpeclive Excellencies, as to Saints, holy things, and holy places, and we may worfhip them, though we may not ferve them: but if this were the fenfe of this Scripture, the Devil might have excepted againft the anfwer made by our Saviour as infufficient: he might have faid, Thou mayft worfhip me, though thou mayft not ferve me : and that this Scripture did not forbid all W T orfhip, yea that fame Religious Worfhip might be given to a Creature in a lower and inferiour degree, though the Supreme W T or(hip might not 5 and all that he defired of our Saviour was, lhat he would fall down and worfhip him : that it was inferiour Worfhip^ though Veligious^ which the Devil required of Chrift, is plain, for he acknov 1. dges God at the fame time to be his Superiour, and the Giver of that pc ■ .. hlch he laid claim to 5 Luk. 4. 6. And the Devil faid unto him^ AH tb/s power

will

God not to be Worjhippcd as reprejented by an Image. aS<

will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that it delivered unto me, and unto whomfoever I will I give it: And yet that is the Worjhip which Chrift faith God hath forbidden to be given unto any Creature* and our Saviour difcovcrs his abhorrence and deteftation of any thing of that nature, Get thee hence, Satan, for it U written, ihou jhalt worflrip the Lord thy God, and him only ftwlt thou ferve. Nor was it the fcope of our Saviour to give countenance to any fuch diitindtion as this, as appears from that place of Scripture which is here quoted, Deut. 6. 13. Ihou Jhalt feu the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and jhalt ftp ear by hU Name. Verf. 14. Te Jhall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you. Where Mtfes doth not diftinguifh between the Worjhip that is due to God, and that Worjhip which may be given unto the Creature > but defcribes the Worjhip which ought to be given unto God, and to God alone, and which ought not to be given unto the gods of the Gentiles: and betides this ought to be taken into Conlideration, w T e do not tind the word only in Deuteronomy annexed either to the fear of God, or to the fervice of God. Now would it have been fairly and ingeniouily done by any that lived under the Old Teftament Difpenfa-tion, to make this glofs upon the Text ? It is true, we mult fear the Lord our God, but not him only \ and ferve him, but not ferve him • only : fo that our Saviour add the word only for Explication fake => and indeed if God be to be worfhipped at all, and ferved at all, for the fame reafon he only is to be worfhipped, and he only is to be ferved: fo that our Saviour doth not only recite this Text in Deuteronomy, but he doth it with advantage, when he tells Satan, It is written, Ihou Jhalt wor-fl:ip the Lord thy God, and him only (halt thou ferve. Worjhip is called Religious, becaufe it binds us to God, and to God alone : and where-ever in Scripture it is faid we mult worihip God, we mult always under-Hand it thus, we mult worfhip him alone. Thus the Angel in the Re-relations, Chap. 15?. ic. where he tells John, that he muft Worfhip God > the meaning is, that he muft Worjhip God alone. Ffal. 29.2. Give unto the Lord the glory due to hn Name j and then it follows by way of explication, Worjhip the Lord in the beauty of Llolinefs. D Tis faid of job, Chap. 1. Verf. 20. lhat he aroje, and rent his Mantle, and fell djrvn upon the ground and worfhipped : Nothing is faid of the Object unto whom he did diredr his Worjhip '•, the Objecl of his Worjhip is not expreffed, but underllood, and prefuppofed ", if he fell down and Worfhipped in a religious manner , it is to be taken for granted that he Worfhipped God.

2. It appears yet further, thatGW, and God alone is and ought to be ■ the Objecl of Religious Worfhip, and that Religious Worfhip ought not to be given unto any Creature whatfoever, becaufe God hath expreily forbidden us in Scripture the Worshipping of Angels, Col. 2.18. Let no nun beguile you of v>ur reward, in a voluntary humility, and Worfipping ff Angels. The Apoitles fcope in this Chapter is to difpute again it

tHofe Corruptions that were creeping into the Ghriftian Worfhip, thefe : fometimes he calls the traditions of men, the rudiments of the world, and mt after 'Chnft, Verf. 8. and the commandments and doclrines cf men, Verf 22. And amongft other Corruptions, he cautions them againft Worshipping of Angels. Now if Religious Worfhip might be given-to a Creature, then to thefe glorious Creatures> but this, according to the Apoftles" fenfe, is fuperftition, and will-worfhip.. So Verf. 23. Which things have indeed a jhevp of wifdom in wM-reorfmp, how the Church of Rome owns and avouches the Worshipping of Angels, which the Apoftle forbids. 'Tis true indeed, the Papifts , in their Worfhip-ping of Saints and-Angels, give the Saints the pre-eminence : 'Tis by their means,' fay they, that Indulgences are given out of the Churches Trcafury , or rather put to fale '•> they having not only merited their own Salvation, but fome of them at leaft fupererogated for the good of others, in that they have done more and greater things than are enjoined in Gods Word: And this is an honour, that, according to their Principles, isnot, nor ought to be given to the bleffed Angels.

But how extravagant fbever the fancies of thefe men are, or may be yet I (hall aver, That if Religious Worftrip might be given to any Creature, then unto thefe Glorious Creatures-? and that not only becaufe they never finned againft God, as the Saints have done, but alfo becaufe unto their care and tutelage are committed God's holy ones, and they' are fent forth to minifter for them that are heirs, of fzlvation, Heb. 1. 14. But we read not of any fuch employ affigned by God unto the Saints departed.

If any fhould fay the Worfhip of Angels forbidden in the Scripture, is the Supreme Worjhip that is proper unto God alone, and to give this-, indeed unto the Angels, would be Superftition and Will-worfhip, but not Religious Worjhip in an inferiour degree: What an horrible bold perverting of Scripture is this ? and who can reafonably imagine,that the Apoftle Paul , when he knew that the W r orfhipping of Angels was not only good and lawful, but highly commendable, fhould yet in the ge» nera»l condemn the Worshipping of Angels without any diftindlion at all made in the cafe.

And whereas it maybe faid, that Su Paul doth net in the general condemn the Worjhipping of Angels, but the Worshipping of Angels as Mediators, fo as to exclude Chrift : for the Apoftle adds, Ver£ ip. And not holding the Head. It is true, the Apoftle doth fo: but then we mull know, that Religious Worftiip, though in an inferiour degree given to an Angel, is inconfiftent with holding the Head, Chrift, As a Wife that gives the honour of her Husbands Bed unto another, (and all religious and divine refped is no lefsj) denies him to be what -fhc : A\$ him, though fhe call him Husband never fo much. The reafon urged in the fecond Commandment againft falfe Worfhip, is, that God is a jealoHs God; now we mult understand it thus? he is jealous 7 not only.

kik

left he fliould not be honoured as God, but he is alfo jealous left he fliould not be honoured as one God: for as by the Worshipping of him we acknowledge him to be God, fo by the incommunicablenefs of that Worjhip to any Creature, we acknowledge him to be one God.

And yet that there may be no miftake in this matter , we deny not, but that good men, when Angels have appeared unto them in a vifible fhapc, even when they have known that they have been Angels, have given honour to them, and it may be bowed down before them: but then it is granted on all hands, that the fame external gefture may be adapted and fitted to the Worfhip that is Civil, and that whicj} is Religious : and it lies upon our Adverfaries to prove, that the honour or Worjhip given unto them was Religious, and of the very fame kind that we give unto God, but in an inferiour and lower degree. We read of Abraham, Gen. 18. 2. that be lift up his eyes, and lo, three men flood by him •, and when he fare them, he ran to meet them from the 'tent-door, and bowed himfelf toward the ground: but that this was a Civil, not a Religious refpedr, appears by the entertainment that he offers to make for them, Verf. 4. 5. Let a little water I pray you be fetched, and wajh your feet, and'reft your felves under the tree, and I will fetch a morfel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts : Indeed afterwards he knew one of them to be the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is called Jehovah in that Chapter, and might Worjhip him with Religious Worfhip. But this doth not in the lea ft contradict our Principles, nor the Text, for God muft and ought to be Worjhipped, though we muft Worjhip the Lord our God, and him only muft we ferve : Unto which I might add, that the Servants of God under the Law, had a fair occafion offered them to invoke and Worjhip Angels , which we have not under the Gofpel, becaufe they frequently then appeared unto them in the likenefs of men, which they do not to us i and yet we never read that the people of God under the Legal Difpenfation,did invoke them, or pay -any religious refpedt to them. David Jaw the Angel that fmote the-people^ 2 Sam. 24.17. yet did he not in theleaft apply himfelf to the Angel, or Worfhip him, but made his addrefs unto God j David fpafy unto the I ord , when he faw the Angel that fmote the people, and faid, Lo I have fnned, but thefe Jheep, what have they done ?

3. It appears yet further, that God alone is, and ought to be the Ob-je£i of Religious Worjhip, and that Religious Worjhip ought not to be given to any Creature whatfoevw , becaufe Religious Worfhip , though in the low eft and moft inferiour degree, is fuch that neither Saints nor Angels durft own or receive: We read how that the Devil would beWordiip-ped, but Saints and good Angels would not? and I {hall give you two inftanccs for this, the rirft of a Saint, and the fecond of an Angel.

1. The rirft inftance I (hall give you is of a Saint, namely, that of Teter, Act. 10. 25. As teter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and, worjhipped him: but Verf. 2d. Teter tool^ him up,

I i i 2 fiying,

faying. Stand up, I my felfalfo am a man. The Argument is this : No man is to be worjhipped > But I am a man\ Therefore I am not to be worfhipped. Nor is it reafonable to believe , that Cornelius would give Religious Worihip in the higheit degree, which our Adverfaries Jay is proper unto,God alone, unto St. ?eter\ for it is faid, AUu.io. 2. That Cornelius was a devout man, and one that feared Cod with all bit boufe, and one that prayed unto God alway. Nor can it juftly be imagined, that • a. devout man, and one that feared God, and one that prayed unto God alway, mould give Religious Worfhip in the higheft degree, which they call Latriam, unto St. Peter, when he knew he was. God's Minifter, and not God,.

2. 9 The fecond Injtance that I (hall give you, is of an Angel, Rev. ip. IO. I fell at his feet to w.orfhip him i and he faid unto me, fee thou do it not, I am thy fellow-fervant, fee thou do it not : hereby is iigniried unto us the heinoufnefs of this fin •» as if he had faid, beware what thou.dofo God forbid that a.creature fhould joyn in co-partnerfhip with God in his worihip \ worfhip God, fee thou do it not ;> a fpeech fomething like that, j^r.44.4. Ob do not this abominable thing that I hate, ver. 3. Tfbey went to burn incenfe, and to ferve other gods, whom they k^new Jiot \ and God-cried out, as it were with a fhriek, Oh do not this abominable thing that J hate : thus in the like cafe, when John fell down at the feet of the Angel to worfhip him, the Angel refufes it with abhorrence and detection, S-ee thou do it not j and he gives this reafon for it, I am thy fellow-fervant: and the argument is this> No fervant of Chrift ought to be worshipped, but an Angel is a fervant of Chrift, therefore an Angel is hot to be worshipped : fforfhip God, as if he had faid, God, and God alone is the.object of religious worfhip, and lam thy fellow-fervanf, worfhip God: the Angel in this feems to point at that worfhip which Is called dulia •, why. fhould dull a be given to him, that is <t»aoc ? It is an horrible wickednefs to ferve, and worihip thy fellow fervant \n a religious mar.r ner: I am thy fellow-fervant, worfhip God: fee again to this purpofe, Rev. 22. 8, p. I John faw thefe things, and heard them j and when I had heard, and feen, I fell down to worfhip before the feet of the Angel, which Jhewedme thefe things : ver. p. T^hen faith he unto me, fee thou do it not for I am thy fellow-fervant, &c. worfhip God. And whereas fome pretend that St. John took the Angel to be God, and would have wor-fhipped him with latria, which is proper to God alone h and therefore the Angel fays, fee thou doit not: this is a meer ground lefs fancy of their own, and not to be made out by the leafi: iota or tittle in the Text > and befides, it is very much that Saint John fhould be miilaken twice in the cafe a for he was twice repulfed by the Angel, and Su John calls him exprefly an Angel '•> ver. 8. I fell down to worfhip before the feet of the An^ gel, and the, Angel bids him worfhip God: by which is intimated, that St. John's miitake was not in the perfon. but in the worshipping of thx gerfon j for that religious worihip* though in the loweft 3 and mofl ii>

ferior.

ferior degree, is fuch, that neither Saint nor Angel durft own or receive.

4. It appears yet further, that God, and God alone is and ought to bo. •

the object of religious worfhip,and that religious worfhip ought not to be given to any creature whatfoever, from the coniideration of the nature -of worfhip it felf, together with that God that is to be worshipped : re • ligious worihip in Solidum, as well in one degree as another, is due to God, and proper only unto him.: as there is no proportion between God and a creature, becaafe there is an infinite diftance between the one and* the other => fo it follows, that if it were poilible, there (hould be an infinite difproportion between the honour that we give to God, and the. honour that we give unto a Crcarure. And lince the Divine Excellency doth differ in kind from that which is, or can poilibly be in any Creature, it neceffarily follows, that the Worfhip and Honour that is given unto God, ought to differ in kind from that Worfhip and. Honour that we give unto the Creature: fo that to give the fame Worfhip unto God and to the Creature, differing only in degree, is in effect, to fay, that the Creature is but in a degree inferiour unto God. Unto which I might

add,

5. In the-fifth place, That if Idolatry confifts only in giving Rcligi^ ous Worfhip in the higheft degree unto a Creature , then the Arrians are falily charged with Idolatry by ancient and modern Divines, for gw ving Religious W T orThip unto Chrift, who, they fay, is but a Creature^ though the belt of Creatures: I fuppofe that even our Adverfaries them-* felves make no fcruple to charge Arrians with Idolatry : Now it is not eafily to be imagined, how the Arrians mould give Latriam^ or Religious Worfhip In the higheft degree unto Chrift, whom they profefs to be a Creature, and not Gcd > and if Religious Worfhip in an inferiour degree may be given unto a Creature, why then are they charged with Idolatry ?

Unto which I might alfo add, That this will ju/tirie at leaft many of the belt and wife ft of the Heathens in their Superftitious and Idolatrous practices, many of the Heathens Worshipping the true God by falfe mediums : for inftance, the men of Athens, Act. 17.23. As 1 pajfed by, and beheld your devotions 3 I found an Altar with this Inscription , 1 Q TH E V NK NO WN G.O.D : whom therefore you jgnorantly tp&r-flip, him declare I to you '■> and yet the Apoftle* charges them with Su> perftition, Verf. 22. I perceive that in all things you are too fuperjlitious: the Altar was dedicated unto the fame God that Paul preached, and yet even in this they were tooTuperltitious.

Thus I have endeavoured to clear this great truth unto you, That God, and God alone is and ought to be the Object of Religious Worihip j and, That Religious Worfhip ought not to be given unto any Creature whatfoever. If itbefaid, That Religious Worfhip upon 00 canon hath been given unto a Creature x as fox mftaiice, upon Gods ap*

pearin>

pearing unto Mofes in the Burning Buih, Exod. 3. 5, God (aidunto Mo-fes, Draw not nigh hither, put off thy (hooes from off thy feet , for the * place whereon thoufiandeft is holy ground. And thus the Israelites were to

Worfhip before the Ark, even by the appointment of God himfelf, Tfal. f y p. 5. Exilt ye the Lord our God, and'worfhip at his footfiool, for he is holy. Now if To, how is this a truth, That God, and God alone is the-Objedr of Religious Worfhip \ and. That Religious Worfhip ought not to be given unto any Creature whatfoever ? For the removing of this difficulty, I (hall fay two things.

i* That in whatever place God is pleafed to manifeft his fpecial and extraordinary prefence, that place, during that time, may be faid to be holy, or to be fandtiried } and thus it was in the cafe of the holy ground, Exod. 3. 2. "the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fame of fire, out of the mid[l of a Bujh. Now that this Angel of the Lord was God himfelf, appears Verf. 4. When the Lord faw that he turned a-. fide to fee, God called unto him out of the midji of a Bujh : upon this the Lord faid, Draw not nigh hither , put off thy Jhooes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou ftandejl is holy ground. And fo alfo as for the Ark, God had promifed his fpecial prefence there, and to commune with hU people from above the Mercy-feat, from between the two Cherubims which were upon the Ar\ of the T^ejlimony, Exod. 25. 22. And hence God is Yaid to dwell between the Cherubims, Tfal. 80.1. Give ear, 0 Shepherd of Ifrael, >thou that leadeft Jofeph like a flock^, thou that dwelleji between the Cherubims, fhine forth. And hence the Shewbread that was placed upon a Table before the Ark, is faid to be fet before God, Exod. 2 5. 39. Ihou (halt fet upon the Table Shewbread before me alway \ and this Bread w T as therefore called panis facierum, the Bread of faces, and pavis pro-pofitionis, becaufe it was placed before the Ark. But I ihall add, that there is no place under the Gofpel that can be faid to be holy upon tl'e account of God's fp:cial and extraordinary prefence : if there be any fuch, let our Adverfarics fhew us where it is, and give usTufficient proof of it, and we will frankly comply with them, and grant that place to be holy and fandfified.

2. Thefecond thing th^t I fay is this. That although Mofes was to put off his fhoots becaufe the place whereon he flood was holy ground, yea, and that refpedt was given to the ground becaufe of God's fpecial and extraordinary prefence in that place, which was llgniried by putting off the fhooes. (Take this for granted) •> yet how doth it appear that the refpedf given to the ground was Religious, or that Religious Worfhip was given to the ground ? Oh, fay our Adverfaries, becaufe it was holy. Grant it, the ground was holy, hut muft it therefore be worfhipped religiouily? If you form this into an Argument, it runs thus: Whatever is holy, ought to be worfhipped religioufly: But the Lord tells you the ground was holy > Therefore it ought to-be worfhipped re-ligiouily. But who fees not the weaknefs of the firft Proportion,

namely,

namely, That whatever is holy ought to be worfhipped religioufTy > Aaron was holy, and*the Priefts under the Law were holy , but yet we read not that they were worshipped religioufly, or with Religious -Worth ip, cither living or dead, much lefs did they worfhip their Garments, though they alio were holy. We have, or at lead we ought to have a refped for the people of God , as fuch , as they are religious and holy perfbns 7 and yet it doth not follow from hence, that therefore they are religiouily to be worfhipped ? Yea, the people of God. are holy, if compared with the holy ground it felf, in an eminent and tranfeendent manner : for after God, i. e. after the image of God, they are created in righ- -teoufnefs and true bolinefs: the ground was only capable of relative holi-nefs, but the people of God are enriched and beautified with inherent holinefs > and are fandiried, not only in a way of external Relation as the ground was, but inwardly, and inherently in their lives they are fan-dined throughout, both in body, foul and fpirit 5 and yet they are not to be worfhipped with Religious Worfhip.

As for that indance concerning the Ark, that alio is called holy, Pfah cp. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God,'and worflnp at his footflool, for be if holy, fo our Tranilation renders it', or as it is in the Margent of the Bible, for it is holy : which way foever you render the words, it is much at one to our purpofe, for although the Jew T s worihipped God at his Footftool, or before the Ark, which was his FootfooJ, yet it doth net appear that they worihipped his Footftool, no not with Religious Worfhip in a leiTcr or inferiour degree. The Ifraelites might worfnip God before the Ark, and yet not worfhip the Ark : thus the Wife-men worfhipped Chrift wrapped in Swadling-clbaths, laid in a Manger > but yet they did not worfhip either the Cloaths or the Manger : thus thofe that : fung Hofanna to the Son of David, Hofanna in the highefl^ worihipped Chrift riding upon an Afs , but they did not worfhip the Afs it felf: whatever refped therefore was given to the ground, or to the Ark, it doth not appear that it was religious: i( any be oiTended with the word Civil, and take it to be too low a word in a cafe of this nature, by my cunfent we will not be angry about words, let them call it, if they pleafe, Supercivilis j or if they will but acknowledge that it was not the - fame Worfhip for kind that we give unto God, the itrife, as far as this goc c , (hall be at an end, and we (hall be beholding to them for a better w T ord, when they (hall be at leifure to furnifh us therewith.

We may take notice from hence of the Superftition and Idolatry of Vfe'i, the Church of Rome > in giving that Worfhip that is proper unto God, and unto him alone, unto other things h and here I (hall not fpeak to the Idolatry of the Church of Rome in the latitude ©f it, but take occa-hon to make mention of their worihipping of Saints, and their wor(hipping of Images.

i« Their worshipping of Saints. Our Adverfaries tell us, that we do them wrong when we fay that they give that Worihip unto the Creature,

that is proper unto God, and do frankly acknowledge that if they did fb, they fhould make a Creature a God, and by confequence be guilty of Idolatry. But how they will or can acquit thcmfelves in this particular, for my part I cannot underiland : for actions, or geflures, or words, directed to any Creature, that doth imply that Creature to have any of God's incommunicable Attributes, and Divine Perfections, do quefrion-lefs give that honour to the Creature which is proper unto God \ and this is done by thofe of the Church of Rome : for inftance, when thou-, fands of Papiits in thoufands of'places at one and the fame time pray unto Saints, and in particular to the Virgin Mary, doth not this fuppofe the Saints, and in particular the Virgin Mary, to be Omnifcient, and Omniprefent ? And are notthefe fome of God's incommunicable Attributes, and Divine Perfections ? And is not the Omnifcience and Om-niprcfence of God one main ground of Religious Worlhip > And is not God to be invoked every where, becaufe he fees and hears whatfoever is done upon the Earth, and is prefent in all places >' I will, faith the Apoitle, iT/?k.2.S. that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. We have no reafon to lift up holy hands to a Saint, unlefs that 'Saint was every where: And whereas fome pretend that the Saints may fee all things in God in fpeculo deitatis, in the Glafs of the Deity '■> this Glafs hath long iince been broken by the hand of the Learned, nor is there any thing elfe like to be feen by it, but the rafnnefs of fome bold perfons, who dare to fport with Divine things, and afpire unto a wifdom above that which is written , the Scripture net in the leafl making mention of any fuch thing: yea, the Humanity - of Chriii himfelf, though perfonally united unto the Divine Nature, did not pretend to hi for our Saviour fpeaking of the Day of Judgment, doth freely and openly declare to all the world, Marl^i^.^. Of that day and that 'hourkjtoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven t neither the Son, hut the Father: Nor can the meaning-be that the Son knew not of the Day of Judgment in this fenfe, namely, fo as to make it known unto the world, for in that fenfe the Father himfelf may be laid to know nothing of that day and hour, when he is plainly excepted in the cafe, Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no net the Angels which are. in .Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. . And feeing ope-rari fequitur ejje, and every being doth exercife its Operations in fuch a way as is fuitable to its nature and eiTence, it is an hard matter to conceive that a finite Creature can be capable of infinite knowledge," and exercife it accordingly : but I (hall not infill upon this, becaufe it is to be managed by another hand: however, I (hall take my liberty to add • hereuntotwoConfidev&tions, and fo pafson.

i. We Proteflants acknowledge that we have an honour for the bleifcd Apoftles, and Martyrs, and Saints, and upon occation give them their due.praifes, and celebrate their memorials: but thofe of the Church of Iv-tfWf, whililthey would molt fupeiititioully give them that honour

that

1 r

that is due to God, mod unrighteoufly deny them that honour that is due unto themfelves. Is it an honour to the Prophets, Evangelifts and Apo-frlcs, to fupprefs what they writ, faid and did, from the greateft part of the Chriftian World ? When our Saviour fays upon occadon of a wo-mans bringing a Box of pretious Oyntment, and pouring it upon his head as he fate at meat, Mat. 26. 7,13. Ihat wherefoever this Go/pel jhould be preached, therejhould alfo this that this woman haddone^ be told for a memorial of her. The Apoitle's counfel is, Jam.'y.io.lafamy Brethren, the Prophets, who have fpokgn in the Name of the Lord, for an example of fuffer ing afflidion , and of patience. Now is it an honour to the Prophets for the generality of the people to be kept in fuch grofs ignorance of the holy Scriptures , that it is a wonder if millions of them know what kind of perfons the Prophets were, and whether there were fuch that ever lived in the W r orld ? Is it an honour to the Saints departed to aver, that tor fome time at leaft , and it is hard to know how long, that they fuffer the fame pains and torments for fubftance that the damned fuffer in Hell, and that all this time they are deprived of the Beatifical Villon of God's bleiTed prefence in the other World ? Abfolom had rather die than to live in exile, and not fee the King's face, 2 Sam* 14. 32. Let me fie the Kings face ^ and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. And is it a fmall matter for the Saints, for many Generations, to be (hut out of the prefence of their heavenly Father, and ba-nilhed from his light, who is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords ? Thus the pretended honour that thePapifts lay they give unto the Saints, vanifhes into Air and Smoke.

2. That although we have an honour for the bleiTed Apoftles, Saints and Martyrs, ye*t we dare not give them Religious Honour, no not in any degree whatfoever j for this is due to God, and proper to him alone: when we attribute that to a Creature which is proper and peculiar unto God, we make that a God. Thus Jacob to Rachel importunately dejiring Children, Gen. 30. 2. Jacob's anger was kindled againfi Rachel, and he faid, Am I in God's ftead, who hath with-heldfrom thee the fruit of the womb ? Thus alfo when Naaman was fent into Samaria to be cured of his Leprolie, and brought a Letter to the King of Ifrael from the King of Syria to thatpurpofe, 2 King.^.6. Saying, Now when this Letter, is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith fent Naaman my fervant to thee , that thou mayj} recover him of his Leprofie. Verf 7. It came to pafs when the King of Ifrael had read the Letter y that he rent his cloaths, and faid, Am J God, to kill and to make alive y that this man doth fend unto me to recover a man of his Leprofie I Thus it is alio in the cafe of Worfhip, if we give that Worlhip to a Creature that is proper unto God, we make it a God. EaW. 34. 14. Thou (halt worfhip no other gods^ and the reafon rendred is this, For the Lord whofe Name is Jealous, is a jealous God. God's Name is Jealous '■> and why is his Name fo } why is his Name Jealous ? Becaufeas men are made known and diitinguiihed

Kkk by

by their names from, other men , fo God is made known by his Name ]ealous, and diftinguifhed from other gods, from falfegods: falfe gods

• were not jealous, though their Lovers and Worfhippcrs went a whoring after other gods: if they worfhipped them, and feryed them, all was Well enough, they were not jealous. But the Lord our God is a Jealous God, and will not admit of any Co-partner or Rival in his Love, in his Worfhip j Ihou (halt worship the Lord thy God ', and, him only {halt that-ferve. Thus much for their worshipping of Saints.

2. The fecond thing I ihall mention is their worfhipping of Images$ this is expreily forbid by the fecond Commandment. Exod. 20. Ihou Jhalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any likenefs of any thing that is in Heaven above , or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the Water under the Earth-: ihou jhalt not bow down thy felf to them, nor ferve them. That God had a fpecial regard to Religion in this Commandment, is plain.

1. Becaufe.it is faid , We are not to bow down our felves to them,. nor ferve them.

2. Becaufe this Commandment belongs to the firft Table 3 which concerns God's Worfhip and Service ,- and the Papiits are tranfgrcilbrs of this Commandment, for they make unto themfelves* Images, and fair down and worfhip them.

And whereas it is urged, That fuppofe the Worfhip of the true God ; by an Image were forbidden by the fecond Commandment, it would follow indeed from hence, that it was unlawful to worfhip God by an Image, but not that it was Idolatry. This is but a pretence \ for to give religious- refpeel: unto any Creature whatfocver , is Idolatry: now that the Worfhip given by Papifts unto images is religious, appears, becaufe they tell us, that the worfhip of an Image Hays not there, but is referred or carried to the Prototype , or thing reprefented by it 5 and therefore mult of neceffity be the fame in kind that is given to Cod himfelf: for he that tells you, that he doth it but improperly, indire&ly, in this or that manner, acknowledges he doth the thing, and only tells you

• the. manner-how 5 and if the manner doth not deftroy the thing, then it remains frill the fame kind of Worfhip, and for all thefe diftinclions it. is Idolatry. And beiides , to comply with any way of Worfhip which is not of Divine appointment and inftitution , is not onfy a tranfgreflion of the fecond Commandment, but ought to be accounted one kind of Idolatry > and the reafon is this, becaufe hereby we give the honour unto a Creature, which is proper only unto God : for as God alone is to be worfhipped, fo again he alone can appoint the way or means whereby he will be worfhipped : And this is fo lignally a part of his Sovereignty and Authority over his Creature, that implicitely, and by way of interpretation, we make them our God unto whom we fubmit in any way or kind of Wcrfhip, which is not of Divine inftitution. And hence the Sfraelites ar£ faid to worfhip Devils, JUfv/f.17. 7. They fall no more offer

weir-.

their Sacrifices unto "Devils , after whom they have gone a whoring. Not that the Devil was at beft directly the Object of their Worfhip, but becaufe he hath a great itroke in bringing into the World all kind of falfe Worfhip, and men in conformity hereunto pay him that obfervance and homage that is proper unto God, and in that refpect may be faid to Worfhip the Devil.

Our Adverfaries plead for themfelves, that they worfhip not a falfc god, nor the Image of any falfe god, but the facred Images of Saints and Angels, and the bleffed Virgin Mary, and the like, and that adoration mult and ought to be given to thofe, and that for their fakes whom they reprefent: but if religious refpect or honour be given to an Image for the fake of him whom it reprefents, this is an unqueftionable Argument again ft the worshipping of Images : for feeing it is certain that no Religious Worfhip is due unto the Saints themfelves, much lefs may it be given to an Image for their fakes.

And here I (hall take an occalion to give you an account of what the Council of Trent fays concerning Images, SefT. 25. Ihat the Images of Cbrijij and of the bleffed Virgin-Mother of God, and other Saints, are to he kept and referved , efpecially in Churches, and due honour and veneration to he given to them, (by honour and veneration I fuppofe they mean more than civil ) not for that any Divinity or Virtue is believed to be in them, for which they are to be worshipped, or that any thing is to be asked of them, or any confidence to be placed in them, as was antiently done by the Heathens, who put their trujt in Idols, but becaufe the honour which is exhibited to Images is referred to the Prototype,or thing reprefented by them: So that by the Image which we kjfs , and before which we kneel or put off our Hats, we adore Chrift, and reverence his Saints, whom the faid Images reprefent. Thus that Council. Now let us fee whether the Jews might not have had the fame or the like plea for thepurgingof themfelves from Idolatry in their worfhipping the Brazen Serpent in Heze-kjab's time. When the Brazen Serpent had not that healing Virtue unto which it was dellgned by God at rirft, might not they have faid that they gave due honour and veneration to the Brazen Serpent, not for that any Divinity or Virtue was believed to be in it, or that any thing was to be asked of it, or any conridence-to be placed in iu but in memory of thofe great and wonderful Cures that had formerly been wrought by it, and that by the appointment and inftitution of God himfelf, and what they did, was rather in honour to God, than unto it 5 and whatever veneration was given to the Brazen Serpent, it w r as for God's fake, and was ultimately to be refolved upon him. Let the Papifis look to it,whether they have a better plea for themfelves in their pretended due honour and • veneration that they give unto Images, than the Jews had for their Idolatrous practices.

If any fhould fay, But doth not Nature teach us , that the honour "or •dishonour done to a Picture or Image , reflects upon the perfon reprc-

Kkk 2 fented

fented by it ? Is it not an iionour to a Prince to kifs his Pi&ure, and a diihonour to abufe it, or deface it } And therefore is it not an honour to God to do the like, and to give due veneration and adoration unto his Image ? For anfwer to this, take into your Coniideration thefe following particulars.

i. That it is fuppofed by this Quereft, that an Image or Picture may be made of God, which ought to be denied, and not taken for granted: Efay 40. 17. All Nations before him are as nothings and they are counted to him lefs than nothing and vanity: And it follows, Verf 18. I'd whom then will ye liken God? or. what likenefs will ye compare unto him ? And why mould we make an Image of God that is not like him ? But our Adverfaries tell. us, That Images or Pictures made with reference unto God, may be confidered two ways: In a proper fenfe, as if a man fhould conceive God to have eyes, and ears, and hands, and other bodily parts as we have, and reprefent him accordingly by an Image » and this our Adverfariesthemfelves acknowledge to be an infinite difparagc-ment unto the Divine Nature., becaufe God being iniinite and inviiible, can by no means be reprefented as he is in himfelf by any corporeal like-nefs or figure: Or in a metaphorical and allufive fenfe , ^as reprefenting fuch things as bear a certain analogy or proportion tofome Divine Properties, and thereupon are apt to raife our minds to the knowledge and contemplation of the Perfections themfelves v as when God appeared to * Daniel as the Antient of ~Days^ this was to manifeft his-Wifdom and

Eternity h and the Holy Ghoft as a Dove, this was to lignirie his Furity and Simplicity. Now, fay they, to make an Image of God in this fenfe, is no way diihonourable to him, becaufe it is not made to reprefent the Divine Nature by an immediate or proper fimilitude , but by analogy only, or metaphorical fignihcation: and thefe Images are uflially called by way of diftindtion Symbolical Images of God. Unto which we fay,

1. That the making of any Image of Godis forbidden in Scripture ; Vent. 4. 1 5,. lake good heed unto your felves, for ye far? no manner of ft-militude in the day that the Lord fpake to you in Horeh out of the midft cf the fire h Verf. 16. Left ye corrupt your felves 0 and make you a graven. Image ^ the fimilitude of any figure^ the likenefs of male or female: where God did not forbid them the making of the Images of falfe gods, or that any veneration or worfhip mould be given unto them \ this is plain from the Text, Te faw no manner of fimilitude •■> the meaning is not that they faw no fimilitude of any falfe god, but of the God that fpake to them in Horeh h whereupon the Lord gives them this caution, T^ake ye therefore good heed to your felves, left ye corrupt your felves, or make you a, graven Image , the fimilitude of any figure^ Sec.

If it be faid, That they were to take heed left they corrupted themfelves by making an Image of God, in a proper fenfe, as is before explained, but they were not forbidden to make a Symbolical Image of Godj It is replyed : i» I-

' i.I demand,Where there is any ground in that Text for fuch a diftin-drion between a proper and a Symbolical Image of God } The words of the Law arc comprehenfive & general,?^ heed left you corrupt your felves, or make you a graven Image,tbe fimilitude of any figure: and the reafon ren-dred byGod isSoryoufajv no manner of fimilitude in the day theLordfpake to \cu in Horeb M?ixk,\\o manner of (]militude,no not fo much as Symbolical. 2. Such an Image of God is forbidden, that we arc to take great heed to our fclves lelt we corrupt our felves in the making of it: Now there is no fuch great danger for a man to reprefent God to himfelf by an Image in a proper fenfe, as if God had eyes, and hands, and feet, as we have, at leatt fuch are not in danger that are any thing acquainted with the holy Scriptures, which expreily tell us, that God is a Spirit, and that he will be worshipped in fpirit aytd in truth: 'Tis to be reared indeed, that the poor ignorant Laity 'amongft the Papiftsmay be in fome danger by this means : but knowing perfons amongft the Proteftants, even thole of the Laity, are not. If it be faid, it is true, the people of Ifrael faw no luhilitude on the day that God fpake to them in Horeb, but afterwards God made himfelf known to them by outward figures and limili-tudes 5 to Darnells the Ancient of Days, to our Saviour in-the lhape of a Dove", and be(ides,the parts and members of man's body,are fometimes in Scripture afcribed unto God, as eyes, and hands, and feet, &c. -and why may not we reprefent God as he hath been pleafedto reprefent himfelf ? To this it is replycd, That God may, as he pleafeth, make known himfelf unto his people by fome viiible tokens of his extraordinary prefencc^ But then conlider,

1. That which God was pleafed to do fometimes for holy reafons beft known unto himfelf, is not the Rule of our actions, the Word of God -is a Efficient Rule, and the only Rule h and if we would know what iin is, and what duty is, we mull take our meafures from thence; That in matters of Wor(hip we may tin , in imitating God himfelf otherwife than he hath commanded in his Word ", We have a famous inrtance for this mJerobojm^iRQg.12.32. Jeroboam ordainedafeafiin the eighth month', on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feajt that is in Judah i and yet ycu fee he is branded for this by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures.

2. We never read that Mofes and the Prophets took care that any Figure or Image mould be made of God, no not a Symbolical Image i and it is very itrange that they Should be {'0 much wanting to themfelves, and to the Generation wherein they lived, if they were fuch excellent helps to Devotion, as fome pretend.

3. Though God fometimes by outward Figures and Similitudes gave notice of his extraordinary prefenee, yet it was to perfons eminent for holiuefs, and of great and lingular wifdom in Divine things, as Abraham, Mfes, Daniel, and fuch like Worthies, and fuch as were able to give a right judgment of things of this nature : but when God fpake unto the people in Horeb out of the midft of the fire, they faw no manner

of

God not to be iPorfiipped asreprefented hy an Image.

of fimilitude , left they might corrupt themfelves in the making of a graven Image, and might have grofsand carnal notions concerning God: And indeed I cannot but wonder at our Adverfaries , when they call Images Lay-mens Books, or the Books of the unlearned : Had the ufe of Images been appropriated to the more knowing and learned perfons, it would have been more tolerable , there might be fome pretence that fuch pcrfons might from fenfible and material reprefentations be raifed up to divine and heavenly meditation, even of things furpaffing fenfe: but to conceive that the vulgar and ignorant fort of people, (and the generality of people are fo, and ought to be fo according to the Pcpifh •Principles) I fay, to think that they who are in a manner made up altogether of fenfe, mould be taught to worfhip an infinite, fpiritual, invi-lible Being , by fixing their eyes upon finite corporeal Objedts of fenfe, feems to me to be the firft-born of incredibilities.

And whereas it is faid that we cannot conceive of God but by forming Ideas of him in our minds, which are fo many Pictures and Reprefentations of God : this is true > but then withal we mult confider, that thefe Forms and Reprefentations of God in our fancies , arife from our natural conftitution, from our finite and corporeal nature, and ought to be bewailed, and therefore is.no argument for worshipping God in any corporeal Form h for this may betray us fo much the more to grofsand •undue notions and conceptions concerning God \ nor are our imaginations to guide our understanding , but our underitandings muft re&ifie and regulate our imaginations.

4. Thefe outward figures and iigns of God's fpecial and extraordinary prefence, continued only for a time, and for fome extraordinary fervice for which God had defigned them, and then difappeared > and it is ab-furd for any to think, that which was by peculiar and extraordinary dif-

- penfation, mould become a conflant and ordinary rule unto all Generations.

5. 'Tis true , that the parts and members of man's body are fome-times afcribed unto God in Scripture •> as eyes*, and hands, and icet y &c. but it is ridiculous from Tropes, and Metaphors, and Figurative ExpreiTions, to form an argument for Pi&urcs and Images: fc* if fo, we may reprefent God as the Sun, as -a Fountain, as Fire, as a Rock* and Chrilt as an Hen with Chickens under his Wings j for thefe are •afcribed to God and Chrilt in Scripture i and yet I conceive that Papifts

themfelves would not givcany countenance to Pictures of this nature, ilnto which might be added, that it is not likely that we fbould be mif-led into errour by fuch paffages as thofe, when the Scripture elfewhere tells usexpreily that God is a Spirit: but thefe pretended Images of God Ipeak not 5 nor give us any notice of our danger. Yea, in thofe very places of Scripture, at leali fome of them, where eyes, and hands, and feet are afcribed unto God , we may find enough to prove that God is infinite and mcomprehenfible ; for inftance , when it is faid that Heaven

is God's 'Throne, and the Earth his Footftool, where at firfr vkw it fiems to be inlinuated , as if God had feet, and madeufeof the Earth as his Footftool ;> yet if We ferioufly conilder the whole as it is afcribed unto God, we (hall rind that it plainly enough fpeaks God to be an infinite Being: for when it is faid, that the whole Heaven is God's Throne, and the whole Earth his Footftool, it would not only be abfurd, but mon-ilrouily ridiculous for any to conceive,that a body like unto mans fhould be capable of fuch qualifications, as at the fame time to make Heaven its Throne, and the Earth its Footftool. So when God is faid to deliver Ifrael by a mighty hand, and aftretched-out arm, there is no man can underhand it thus, as if God ftretched forth his Arm out of Heaven upon the Earth for the deliverance of his people, but that by God's Arm is meant God's Power , and that it is called his Hand or Arm improperly, and after the manner of men ; thus the holy Scriptures have well provided for the people of God againft errours and mi/takes concerning God. But how the pretended Images of God may acquit themfelves in. this particular, our Adverfaries mould do well to advife : An J therefore let me caution you in God's Name, left you corrupt your felves in making any graven Image of God h and I do it fo much the rather, becaufe men have a great fancy to have a God that they may fee with their eyes,.. or at leait fome vifible rcprefentations of God '-> for they think if he fhould be out of fight, he would be out of mind alfo. And hence Pa-pifts, and Popilhly affected perfons are mere for being-at Mafs, than for hearing of a Sermon j they had rather fee their God, than hear another fyeak eloquently of him > and therefore take heed left ye corrupt your felves in this kind. And this is the rirft thing that I would fay to this-enquiry, Whether it be not an honour to God that due Veneration and Adoration be given to his Image or Picture , namely, that this fuppofes tliat an Image or Picture may be made of God, which we deny.

2. The fecond thing that I would fay by. way of reply to this enquiry, is this, That civil honour may be paid to the Images of Kings and Princes, but it doth not follow from hence that the Images of Chrift and oif the /Saints may have a religious refpect paid fo them : the. Images of Kings and Princes are civil things, and therefore may have civil honour ^ if the Images of Chrift and the Saints were facred, as the other are civil, there might be fome colour for what they fay', but that they are facred: or holy, is to be proved , and till then we leave it to our Adverfaries to • take it into confideration.

3. That it is granted that the abufe or the defacing of the Image of a Prince, redounds to (he diflionour of that Prince whom it reprefents j but I hope no indignity is offered to a Prince by breaking apieces thofe. Pi&ures that he had exprefly forbidden fhould.be graven, or painted, or made, and that under a fevere penalty ; indeed the abufe of thofe things that are of divine Inftitution, as of the Elements in the Sacrament of the Lord^s Supper, or the Water in Baptifm , doth redound unto God

him?-

himfelf ■> but what is this to an Image of mans devifing ? and that not only without any warrant from God, but exprefly againft his will and commandments ? If a man fhould break apieces , or throw into the fire the Coin that comes into his hands that is falfe or counterfeit, though it had the Princes Image or. (lamp upon it', yet it would be no ■ difhonour to the Prince to deal fo by it, but rather a piece of homage and reverence to his Authority.

For the further clearing of this matter in controverfie between us and our Adverfaries of Rome, concerning the Veneration and Adoration that they fay may be given to Images, we will eonflder that Images may be worfhipped two manner of ways.

1. Terminative, that is, when people terminate their worfhip on an Image, as if it were God, without looking any further than it h and this is likely to be the fin of the more brutifh fort of the blind Heathens, and of many ignorant Papifts to this day', and this kind of Idolatry is forbidden by the firft Commandment, this is plain upon this ground-s If the firft Commandment exprefly enjoins us to have no other gods but Jehovah, then to worfhip an Image as God is forbidden by this Commandment; fo that by making a graven Image in the fecond Commandment , and falling down before it, and worfhipping of it, fomething elfe mult be underftood than the worfhipping of it terminative as God > and therefore

2. Images may be worfhipped relative, and with refpedt to the true God •■> and in this fenfe our Adverfaries of the Church of Rome would maintain their worfhip of Images: now this alfo is unlawful, and forbidden by the fecond Commandment. In this fenfe the Papifts in our days are guilty of Idolatry, and the Jews of old were guilty of Idolatry '■, for the Jews, at leaf! many of them, did not worfhip the Images them-feives, but the true God by them ", and tins will appear by inilances out of the facred Scripture.

1. The firft inftance that I fhajl give you, (hall be that of the Golden Calf, of which we read Exod. 32. That the worfhipping of the Calf was Idolatry, is plain .1 Cor. 10- 7. Neither he ye Idolaters, as were fome of them, as it is written, 7he people fate down to eat and drink ^ and mfe up Jo play ^ where the Apoftle refers to the peoples worfhipping -of the Calf, Exod. 3 2. 6. They rofe early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings % and the people fate down to eat and drink^ and rofe up to flay •, and yet the Israelites did not fall into the Heathenifh Idolatry by fo doing, that is, they did not worfhip the Calf as God, but worfhipped the true God by the Calf I know the Papifts with great bitternefs inveigh againlt the ProteOants for teaching of this Doctrine', nor do I wonder at it i for what is like to become o\ the Po-pifh darling principle of worfhipping the true God by an Image \i the Israelites, for doing the fame thing according tothejudgmc it ot God . himieif, were Idolaters ? Now therefore that fyhich will be, proved . : s

this,

God not to be WorJIripped at reprefented by an Image. " 481

this, That the Ifraelites did not worfhip the Calf as God, but the true God by the Calf-, and that will appear by thefe following Confide-

rations.

1. Becaufe the Calf was dedicated and confecrated to the fervice of the true God, as appears, by what Aaron faid and did in that cafe, Exod. 32.5. When Aaron faro it, he built an Altar before it, and Aaron made Proclamation, and faid, To morrow is a Feaft to the Lord, or unto Jehovah j and Aaron ufeth the Name Jehovah, that he might make the heft of a bad matter, that the people might not terminate their Worfhip on the Idol, but on the true God. And our Adverfaries feem to yield to the force of this Scripture , when they do acknowledge, that Aaron perhaps, and fome of the wifer amongft the MraeKtes, might not be fo fottifh as to worfhip the Calf as God : but.they mould confider alfo, that Aaron did not fpeak (b much his own fenfe, but by this means would give notice to the people how to regulate and order their devotion i, and if they would be fo mad as to worfhip the Calf, in fo doing, they fhould have refped unto the true God, unto Jehovah, and worfhip him by it i and accordingly he makgs Proclamation, and fays, 7o morrow is a Feaft to Jehovah.

If it be faid, the Idol was called by the Name Jehovah, and therefore they worfhipped that as God •, we reply, That this is gratis di&um faid, but not proved : for Aaron doth not fay, To morrow is a Feaft to the Calf Jehovah, but, To morrow is a Feail to Jehovah : and fuppofe it were fo, that the Calf was called Jehovah, this may be underftood of that religious Worfhip and Honour which they gave unto the Calf, which is fo proper and peculiar unto God, that either that is God which we thus worfhip, or elfe we make it Co. Pfal. 106. 19, 20. 'tis faid of Ifrael, Ihey made a Calf in Horeb, and worfhipped the molten Image : thus they changed their glory into the fimilitude of an Ox that eateth Grafs : The meaning is not, that the Ifraelites thought that God in his Nature and Being was like unto an Ox* 5 but by giving the Calf religious honour, by worfhipping the graven Image, by giving that glory which is due to God unto an Ox , they did in a fenfe change their glory into the fimilitude of an Ox that eateth Grafs. Thus when Ifrael is charged with faying, Jer. 2. 27. to a Sioc\, 'thou art my Father •, and a Stone, Thoi^ haft brought me forth j this is not to be underftood fiddly > furely they had been groffer Stocks than thofe that they worfhipped, if it entred into their thoughts that a Stock made them , or was their Father, or a Stone brought them forth, but becaufe they gave fome.religious refpect to thofe Stocks and Stones, they did in a fenfe change the Glory of God into a Stock, and into a Stone i and by interpretation, fay to a Stocky , Ihou art my Father h and to a Stone, Ibou haft brought me forth.

2. It further appears, that the Ifraelites did not worfhip the Calf it felf as God, but the true God by the Calf, as by what Aaron faid, fo by what the people faid, Exod. 32, 4. Tbefe be thy gods, 0 Ifrael, which

brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt. Now though they fay gods becaufe the word in the Hebrew is in the plural number ; yet according to the ufage of the word in other places of Scripture, we mufi: underhand by it one God, and fo the Scripture expounds it elfewhere, Neb.. $. 18. Ibis is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt: They called the Calf God by an ufual Metonymy, by giving of the Name of the thing fignified unto the iign 5 as the Images of the Cherubims are called Che-rubims, Exod. 25. 18. and the Images of Oxen are called Oxen, 1 Reg. 7. 25. fo then the meaning of this Scripture is this, T'hefe be thy gods^ 0 Ifiael 5 that is to fay, This is the fign and token of the prefence of thy God, O Ifrael, that brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt. And indeed had the Calf been God, according to the notion of the idolatrous Heathens, the Calf would rather have kept them in Egypt, than have brought them out of Egypt: for look, as thofe of the Church of Rome have their tutelar Saints, fome to preiide over fome Countries, and fome over others > fome to be helpful and ailiflant in one cafe, and fome in another : fo the Heathens had their tutelar and topical gods 5 the gods of Egypt the-mfdves would not fiir out of Egypt, much lefs were they like to bring Ifrael from thence : the Heathens thought that the whole World was of too large a compafs for one God to take care of, and therefore their notion was, that feveral Countries had ftveral gods j yea, feveral placesit may be in one and the fame Country, had feveral gods > t j£beirgods (fays the Syrians of the Israelites) are gods of the hills, 1 Keg.. 20. 23. (poffibly collecting the fame, from the Jews ufual facrificing in high-places J and not the god of the plain, Let us fight againft them in the plain, and furely we Jhall be jironger than they. It is likely that one god cannot be the god of the hills, and the god of the plain 5 and hence it is that the people that the King of Affyria lent to the Cities of Samaria, and placed there, are faid not to know the manner of the God- of the Land, i. e. the God of Ifrael, as diftindt from the God of Judab, z^Reg. 17.25/ Thefe were the notions that the Heathens had of their gods •, and therefore if the Ifraelit.es were fuch grofs Idolaters as our Adverfaries pretend they were, how could they fay, 'thefe are thy gods , 0 Ifrael, that brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt ?

3. It appears yet further, that the IfraeliteS did not worfnip the Calf it felf as God, but the true God by the Calf, from that Text of Scripture, AVx. 7. 41, 42. They made a Calf in thofe days, and offered facrifice unto the Idols, and rejoyced in the rvorhj of their own hands. Verf.42. Iben God turned, and gave them, up to worftrip the Hojl of Heaven. It is feid, that facri flee notes the higheft piece of Won nip and Devotion r this is faid, but it is more than evident that the Israelites had a refpeel: to the true God , even when they, offered facrifice unto the Idol: for it is faid, when the Ifraelites offered facrifice unto the Calf, that God gave them up to worfhip the Hoji of Heaven. Now if their Idolatry had confined, in worjhipping the Calf as Godj it.wiU.-be found to be more grofs

arid

and abfurd than to worfhip the Hoft of Heaven, at leaft it could not have been an aggravation of their fin that they worfhipped the Hoft of Heaven, above their worfhipping of the Calf, which is St. Stephen's fcope in this place : the meaning therefore of this Scripture is this, that becaufe they corrupted the worfhip of the true God in worfhipping of the Calf, contrary to his command , therefore God in judgment gave them up to the worfhipping of thofe that were not gods, namely , the Hoft of Heaven.

But is it notfaid, That they for gat God their Saviour ? Pfal. 106.21. and doth not this imply that they had renounced the worfhip of the true God, and worfhipped the Calf as God ? I anfwer, No i this muftnot be underftood as if they did not remember God at all •, no, nor yet the great things which he had done in Egypt: but they are faid to forget him, becaufe they were not mindful of his PreCepts, and had no regard unto his Laws > and particularly that Law > Ihou Jhalt not make to thy jelfany graven Image. They alio do not obey God, that do not as they ought remember God j and in this fenfe the Ifraelites are faid to forget God, not becaufe they worfhipped the Calf as a falfe god, but tranf-greffed, in worfhipping of the Calf^ the Law of the true God.

But what need had the Ifraelites of the Calf, as a tign of God's pre-fence going before them, when they had already the Pillar of Cloud by day, and the Pillar of Fire by night, deiigned by God for this very end > But what trifling is this ? What need had they to long after the <}arlick and Onions of -Egypt, when God had provided for them Manna, the food of Angels, bread from Heaven ? What need had David to contrive the death of his good fubjedt Vriah , and after this to marry Bathfljeha his W r ife ? Yea , what need have the Papifls themfelves of Crucifixes, when they have the Sacraments of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, Memoirs of Divine appointment and inftitution of ChrijVs Death and Pafiion ? Would it not be ridiculous to fay they had no need to do it, therefore they did it not ?

And fuppoling that the people ihould be fo ftupid, as fome pretend they were, as to think that there was a Divine Virtue inherent in the Calf s yet this doth not prove that they worfhipped the Calf as God; for if fo, the Jews might conclude that the Hem of Chrift's Garment, and the Handkerchief and fhadow of the Apollles were gods, becaufe a Divine Virtue feemed to go forth from them : yea, and the Brazen

rpent might be thought to have been God , becaufe the fmng Ifraelite 1 1 nealed by looking up to the Brazen Serpent.

\nd whereas it is urged that the Ifraelites ferved the gods of the E-gypians whilft they were in Egypt , Jofh. 24. 14. Now therefore fear the Lord, a ^d ferve him infincerity and in truth^ and put away the gods which your fathers ferved on the ether fide of the flood, and in Egypt: And the Scrii :ure (peaking oflfrael, tells us, EfaL ic6.19. They made a Calf in Horeb 0 and werjkipped the molten Image. In anfwer to this, we fay,

L 11 2 That

That it is not unufual for, God to charge a people going on in ways of wickednefs and difobedience, with that which is fuitable enough with what they do, and the intention of the work, though far enough off from the defign and intention of the Worker : Thus the Apoftle telb us, That Covetoufnefs is Idolatry, and that there are fome that make their Belly their God , and yet the perfons concerned far enough off either from profeiTing or deiigning any thing of this nature. Thus the Ifrae-lites made a Calf in Horeb , and worjhipped the molten Image , becaufe they gave religious worfhip to it, though their defign and intention was far different from the Idolatry of the Heathens, thatworfhipped Idols, or falfe gods. Thus I have endeavoured to clear the ririt initance that may be given of the Jews committing Idolatry by their worshipping of Images, though they did not worfhip the Images themfelves, but the true God by them h and having been {o large, in this, there needs but a few words to be fpoken to the reft.

2. A fecond in fiance may be that of Jeroboam , in his infamous fin in fetting up Calves at Van and Bethel^ whereby he madelfrael to fin : Now it was not Jeroboam's delign to withdraw the people altogether from the worfhip of the true God, or the worshipping of thofe Calves as gods, but to worfhip the true God by them > and that for thefe Rea-fons.

i. The great defign of Jeroboam in this, was, that he might fecure the Ten Tribes unto himfelf, fo that they might not think of returning to unite themfelves any more to the Houfe of David^ which might pof-iibly come to pafs by their going up to Jerufalem , as appears from I King, 12. 26. Ayid Jeroboam faid in bis hearty Now Jhall the Kingdom^ return to the Houfe of David. Verf. 27. If this people go up. to do facri-flee in the Houfe of the Lord at Jerufahm^ then (hall the heart of this people return again unto their Lprd^ even unto Kehoboam King; of Judah^ and they Jhall kjilme, and go again to Rehoboam King of Judah : and hence that faying of his, Verf. 28. It is too much for you to go up to Jerufalem j as if he fhould fay, Ye may worfhip God nearer home..

2. That it was not Jeroboam's defign to withdraw the people altogether from the. worlhip of the true God, will further appear, becaufe the Idolatry of Jeroboam is diftinguifned from the Idolatry of the Heathens abroad that wor(hipped falfe gods, yea from the Idolatry of their Idolatrous Kings at home, as that of Ahah, 1 Keg. \6. 30. And Ahab thefon of Omri did evil in the fight of the Lord- above all that were before him : fo that Abab's Idolatry was more heinous than Jeroboam's i and what other reafon can likely be rendred for- it than this, namely, Ahab's fetting up of falfe gods ? for. whereas it is, pretended that AhaFs fin was greater than Jeroboam's , becaufe Ahab's fin was the worth ipping of ma-, iry gods, whereas Jeroboam's iin was wor {hipping the Calf: as he is a. greater and. more heinous finner that commits Adultery with mariy^ than he that committs it but with one* This is but a pretence, for it.

remains.

remains to be proved, that the Ifraelites did at any time, yea in the word of times , altogether renounce the true and living God, but in their conceit, yea and in their profeffion acknowledge the true God frill: and hence it is that you (hall read, that Abatfs Prophets that were the Prophets of Baal, did yet Propheile in the Name of the Lord, 1 Re^.22.1 1, AndZedekjah tbe fon of Cbenaanab made him boms of Iron, and be faid, Thus faith tbe Lord, With tbefe fljalt tbou pujh tbe Syrians until thou have cpnfumedtbem: and Verf.12. AH tbe Prophets propbefiedfo,faying,Go up to Ramoth-GHead and profper, for tbe Lord will deliver it into tbe Kings band. So that the difference between Jeroboams and Abatfs Idolatry lay here \ Jeroboam*s Idolatry confided in worfnipping of the true God-by an Image , but AhabS Idolatry was not only in worshipping the true God by an Image as Jeroboam's did, but in worshipping other gods be-(ides him, namely, 2W-gods.

3,. A third inftance might be that of Micbab and his Mother, Judg, 17. though his Mother made a graven Image , yet that it was for the. worshipping of the God of Ifrael, appears by the whole dory : fhe pro-fciTes, Verf. 3. that fhe had wholly dedicated the lilver that was to make a graven Image and a molten Image unto the Lord i and Micab himfelf confecrates aLevite for his Pried, viz. feeming thereby to have refped: to the true God in the worfhip he had defigned, and when he had done fo, he profeffes, Verf. 13. Now hyow I that the Lord will dome good, feeing 1 have a Levite to my Prieft: yet upon this account his Mother and himfelf alfo were Idolaters.

As we may take notice of the Su perdition and Idolatry, fo of the Vfe 2,. fraud and treachery of the (^hurch oiRome, in leaving the fecond Commandment, or at lead the far greated part of it, out of fome of their. Books : for this I mall mention their Roman Catecbifm , authorized by the Council of Lrent, and Publifhed by the Edidt. of Pope. Pius the Fifth, where, fpeaking of the fird Commandment (for Papids make tirit and fecond to be but one) they recite it thus, Ibou Jhalt bave no other gods before me, Ibou jb alt. n^t make to thy Jelf any graven Image, and (imply the red with an &c As alfo a Book called Manipulas Curatorum, containing in brief the Offices ofPrieds, according to the order of fevem Sacraments, by Cut do de Monte, written Anno Vom. 1333. where the fecond Commandment is wholly omitted. As alfo a Book called Opuf-culum Iripartitum de Pr£ceptis Vecalogi de Confejjione, & Arte Moriendi, by John Gerfon Chancellor of Paris. Now this is an horrible piece of fraud and treachery, and accordingly difowned and decreed by the Re- • formed Churches.

Now 7 for the further clearing and more didincr. underftanding of this matter, it will become us to take into Consideration, that this is granted on all hands, that there are 'fen Commandments of the Moral Law, called therefore the Decalogue ■■> and that thefe 1'en Commandments are divided into Two 'fables i but how many belong unto the Firft Table,

aad.

and how many unto the Second, that indeed is a queftion. The ?ro-t eft ants, or thofe that may be called Calvinifts in oppofition to the Lutherans, afcribe Four Commandments to the Firft 'table , and Six to the Second: The Fapifts and Lutherans making the Firft and Second Commandment to be but one, afcribe 'three Commandments to the Firft liable, and Seven to the Seconds and to make up the number of Ten, divide that which we call the Tenth Commandment, into two, the one Tlxou jhalt not covet thy Neighbours Houfe, and the other, Ihou jhalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-fervant, Sec. Now this diftin-<5rion of the Commandments, together with their prefumptuous leaving out of the Second Commandment out of the Decalogue, is not allowed by the Churches called Reformed, for thefeReafons.

i. Becaufe by this means they facrilegioufly takeaway a Commandment of God, relating to his Wormip and Service : for as by the rirft Commandment we are forbidden to worfhip falfe gods, or the Images of falfe gods h fo by the fecond Commandment we are forbidden to worfnip the true God in a falfe way, or after a falfe manner ^ and in particular the worfhipping of Images, or the worfhippingof the true God by an Image. Now they of the Church of Rome being aware of this, and that they might have a covert for their Idolatrous Worfnip, make the rirft and fecond Commandment to be but one, and prefum-ptuouily leave the fecond Commandment out of the Decalogue.

2. That fuppoilng the fecond Commandment (for fo we fay it is) was only an Appendix to the firft, and an Explication of it, yet it is an horrible prefumption to leave this Explication out of their Books, and particularly out of their Catechifm. The Law of God ought to be made known unto the people, perfedt and entire, as it was delivered by God himfelf: Surely God hath not given to any, no not to the belt and wifeft amongft the fons of men, the power of a Deleatur, with reference to his holy and blelled Law. And if that which we fay is the fe-cond Commandment, may be razed out of our Books becaufe k is an Explication of the rirft , by the fame reafon we may blot out the whole tenth Commandment out of the Decalogue, becaufe it is an Explication of the whole Moral Law, and efpecially of the fecond Table, according to the notice given us by Chrift'himfelf, Mat. 5.28. I fay unto you, that whoj'oever tyo\eth on a woman to luft after her , hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And whereas it is urged, that in the rehearfal of the Commandment, our Saviour himfelf doth not keep exactly to the words and fyllables as you have them upon record, Fxod.20. nor to the fame order as Mat. 19. 16. when one came to Chrift, and faid to him, Good Mafter, what good thing may I do that I may have eternal life ? Our Saviour anfwers him, Verf. 17. If thou wilt enter into life, bgep the Commandments > and Verf. 18. When he faith unto him, Which? Chrift anfwers, thou jhalt do no murder : thou jhalt not commit adultery: tboujhaltnotfteahtbow

(halt

God not to be Worjhipped as reprefentedby an Image. 487

fhalt not bearfalfe witnefs : and Verf 1 p. Honour thy Father and thy Mother. And thus Mofes reciting the Commandments , iaterferts fomc-thing when he fpcaks of the fourth Commandment, Vent. 5. 12,13, 14 15. Keep the Sabbath-day to jantlifte it , as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, &c. Verf. 15. And remember that thou waft a fervant in the Land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand, and by a fir etched-out arm j therefore the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day : All this muft be acknowledged i but then there is a difference between doing this fome-time , and upon occafion, and to do it frequently and delignedly j and where there are but Ten Commandments, mod facrilegiouily and irreverently to deprive the people of one of therm

3. No fufficient reafon can be rendred, why that which we fay is the tenth Commandment, iliould be divided into two , but rather that it is one, and no more v and that the purport and fcope of this Commandment is, to forbid the coveting of any thing that is our Neighbours : and if we may take the boldnefs to make the coveting of our Neighbours Houfe one Commandment, and the coveting of our Neighbours Wife another, we may by the fame reafon make another of coveting our Neighbours Servant, and another of coveting his Ox, or his Afs, and fo make twelve or thirteen Commandments, or rather as many Commandments as the things are that we covet. In a word, the Papifts wilful declining the printing and publishing the fecond Commandment for the peoples ufe, doth give any impartial Obferver fufficient caufe to fufpedt that they themfelves take it to be againit their caufe 5 and fuppoiing that it mould be granted, that three Commandments belong to the firf t Table, and feven to the fecond, yet it looks like a piece of fraud and unfaithfulnefs to fupprefs any thing of the Law, concerning which our Saviour tells us , that not one Iota or tittle of it: fhall fall to the ground.

Is this, Learn from hence that there rs a fweet harmony, and fuitable- Vfi 5.-nefs, and correfpondency between Divine Truths delivered unto us in the Old Teftament, and in the New. Mofes in Deuteronomy teacheth us, to fear the Lord our God, andfervehim: our Saviour in St. Matthew teaches us, that we muft worjhip the Lord our God, and him only muft we ferve. Take the Word of God, whether you confider the Old Telia--ment or the New, the incomparable iitnefs and proportion of the Truths and Doctrines contained in them one unto another, is one great-Character of the Divinity of the Scriptures j and therefore thofe Do-frrines that are urged as matters of Faith , and yet have no fuitablenefs and correfpondency with thofe Principles which are owned and acknowledged to be Divine Truths, but juftle with them, and maybe contider-ed apart, and in a fcparate way from them, are to be fulpecled for delu-iions and miftakes. 1 fhall take my liberty here (though not defigned for the management of that fubjeci ) to inftance in the Doctrine of

Tranfuh-

Tranfubftantiation : We tell our Adverfaries, that if we deny our fenfes in thofe things wherein it is proper for them to give a judgment, (as we muftin cafe we believe that the Sacramental Elements, after Confe-cration, are tranfubftantiated into the very Body and Blood of Chrift) then all Religion will fall to the ground, we cannot certainly know either what we read, or what we hear \ nor could they that lived in our Saviour's time, certainly know that there was fuch a perfon living upon the earth > and all the Miracles that he wrought, for ought they knew, might be Deluiions, and a meer deception of their fenfes: fo that if fenie was not to be believed, Chriftianity it felf mud have fallen to the ground. This cannot be denied: but then they fay that this one in-ftance of Tranfubftantiation ought to be excepted from the general Rule, and ought to have its place apart, and in this particular cafe our fenfes ought to be over-ruled. Now this, amongft other things, makes the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation to be fufpe&ed, becaufe it hath not a fui-tablenefs to other matters, whereby the Verity of Chriftian Religion was proved and made good unto the World. Look as it is in other .cafes, confider the work of God, there appears a marvellous correfpon-dence between them > the World hath its.parts fo united one to* another, that neither the Heaven, nor the Earth, nor any of the Elements can be taken away without the ruine of the whole : And thus it is with the Principles of Chriftian Religion, and efpecially the great Truths of Chriftianity > take away one, and you in a manner take away all the reft. For inftance, The Do&rine of the Trinity hath many Principles of Chriftianity that fall in with it, the Incarnation of the Son of God falls in with it, the Death and PaiTion of the Son of God falls in with it, the Satisfaction of the Son of God made unto Divine Juftice falls in with it: But you may take away the Dodhine of Tranfubftantiation, and all the Principles of Chriftian Religion will remain unfhaken, yea untoucht, the Dodtrine of the Sacraments not excepted : the Sacrament of Baptifrn will not furTer in the leaft by it, no nor the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper its fe\[) for if Bapti'fm be a Sacrament without Tranfubftantiation, why may not the Lord's Supper alfo ? ■ But this I take notice of only in irqnfou, and by the way, and fo pais on* %Jfe±. Let this caution us againft Superftition, and all Falfe-Worfhip: It is

the great Intereft and Concern of the Church of Chrift, to keep the W T orihip of God pure and uncorrupt. 3 Tis to be acknowledged that Satan is a great enemy to the Truths of God, as well as to the W T orlnip of God j yet his deiign is rather that the Worfhip of God be corrupted, than the Truths of God be perverted : for he knows that it is poilible for Religion to be depraved in fome points, and yet many ma^ keep themfelves from defilement, and may not be tainted with the errours of the place where they live, or the Church unto which they do belong, provided the Worfhip of God be kept pure and uncorrupt: but if once the -Worfhip of God bejpubliekly corrupted by Superftition and Idolatry,

it

L.

God not to be Worftipped <tf reprefented by an Image. 4§2

it is next to an impoflibility if the infection do not fpread over the face of the whole Church, and by confequence there can be no Communion with that Church without fin '■> and hence the great bufinefs of Popery is coming to Mafs. It may be fome Papifls, at lealt fuch as are moderate, may allow you to adhere to fome Proteftant Principles, if you will come to the Mafs > but that is indifpenfable.

As this lhould caution us againit Falfe-Worfhip in the general, fo Vfe 5. againit worfhipping of God # by an Image in particular. God is very jealous left his Worfhip mould be given unto Images, and hence none of theCommandmcnts are grounded upon his jealoulie but the fecond,which is againit Images,and we are very pi one to Superftition and Will-worfhip in this kind.God exprelfeth himfelf molt largely in the fecond and fourth Commandments, becaufe men are more than ordinary inclinable to be tranfgrefTors of thefe two : A man is eafily counfelled that he mult not kill, that he mult not Ileal 5 but that God is to be worfnipped only in that way which he hath prefcribed in his Word, and that the Lord's Day, the Chrilh'an Sabbath, is to be kept holy, this may be enforced upon us, and we had need of line upon line to further us in thefe Duties , as where the Tyde is wont to run, and bear up with greater force and violence than is ufual in other places, the banks that are made for the preventing of the breaking in of the watcr,had need to be made fo much the higher and the ftronger •: And whereas it is faid that Idols may not be worlhipped, but Images may? it is high prefumption to diftinguilh where God hath not: the fecond Commandment tells us, that we are not to make to our filves any graven Image , or the likenefs of any thing \ and it exprefly forbids us, to fall down before it, and worfhip it: and furely it mull needs be of dangerous confequence in thjngs that concern God's Worfhip and Service, to endeavour to elude the force and power of any Law of God by a diltindtion of our own deviling*

Is to counfel you to keep youc felves from Idols , thus St. John, Vfe 6 1 Job. 5.21. Little Children, keep your felves from Idols. Idols, what are they > Some will tell you, that there is this difference between an Image and an Idol: An Image, fay they, is a reprefentation of fome-thing that hath a real being and exillence , an Idol, of fomething that is feigned, and hath no being but in the minds and fancies of men j and that is the meaning, fay they, of that place of Scripture, 1 0.8.4. ^ kjiow that an Idoljs nothing in the World; but this is a ftrange miftake : It is true, the Apoltle fays , an Idol is nothing ^ but how ? not in refpedt of the matter of it, for fo it is fomething, Gold, or Silver, or Stone 5 no, nor in regard of the thing rcprefented by it ,.for an Idol doth not always reprefent things feigned, 'and fuch as have no exigence but in the imaginations of men, as Sphynxes, Tritons, Centaurs, and the like, but many times things that are real, things that are in Heaven, and things that are on Earth,, as they are mentioned in the fecond Com ,

mandmcnt. Nor is it to be imagined that amongft thofe multitudes of

M m m I mages

- V

4$o God not to be WorJInpped as reprefentedby an Image.

Images which were worfhipped by the Heathens, but that fome of them at leaft might reprefent fuch things as had a real being and exigence • and yet all fuch as were worfhipped by them, are expreily by the Apofde called Idols, iCor. 12.2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto thefe dumb Idoh, even as ye were led: but the meaning of the A-poftle is this, an Idol is nothing in point of virtue and efficacy, nothing at all conducing unto Salvation \ and in particular, that it hath no power at all either to fandtirie or to pollute thofe meats which were offered unto them, of which the Apoitle fpeaks in that Chapter. An Idol is faid to be nothing in the fame fenfe as Circumciiion is (aid to be nothing and Uncircumcilion nothing, 1 Or. 7. 19. that is , in point of virtue and efficacy •, and fo the Apoftle explains himfelf elfewhere, Gal. 5. 6. For in Chriji Jefus neither Circumcif.on availeth any thing, nor Vncircum-c'fwn, hut Faith that worketh by love:. the *o for male of an Idol confifts in this, that it is religioully worfhipped, infbmuch that which was no Idol before , immediately upon its being worfhipped becomes an Idol; Thus the Brazen Serpent, that was no Idol before, upon its being worfhipped became an Idol: Thus it was with the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, when the people worshipped them, and burnt incenfe to them they became Idols.

Now the counfel that I give you , or rather St. John, is this, Keep your fehes from Idols : They that would not be Idolaters, muft keep themfelves from Idols, from all things that may be enticements to *that fin : in the Commandments where a iin is-forbidden, all enticements and provocations to that fin are alfo forbidden. When God fays Jbott Jhalt not commit adultery , the meaning of this Commandment according to the Exp.oiition that our Saviour himfelf makes of it, is, that we muft not look^ upon a woman to lujl after her. And Solomon fpeakin^ of an Harlot, gives this counfel, Trov. 5.8. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her houfe : And holy Job, made a covenant with his eyes, not to think^upon a Maid, Job3i. 1. \V hen God would forbid the fin of injuftice, fee how he expreffes it, Veut. 25. 13. Thou (halt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a fmall, It was a fin for a man to have a great and a fmall weight in his bag \ and why fo? Suppofe a great and a fmall weight were found in a mans bag, he might fay, How doth it appear that I have fold Wares by one weight, and taken up Wares by another ? But God would not have them lay fuch a {hare before themfelves, and therefore forbids them to have in their bags divers weights, a great and a fmall: So it is in this cafe, when we have a caution given us againft Idols, Little Children, keep your fehes from Idols. The Holy Ghoft feems to meet with a. fecret Objection that might be made by fome: We hate Idolatry , but yet to have Images to put us in mind of God, and to quicken our Devotion, provided we give them not religious Worfhip as others do , we hope there is no harm in this.. Yes, there is; you muft not only keep your felves from Idolatry,

but

but you muft keep your felves from Idols. Thofe of the Church of Rome charge Proteilants as if they had a mind to abolim and root out of the minds of men, the memory of the blefTed Apoftlcs, (^onfeffors, and Martyrs, by inveighing againft facred Images, and holy Reliques: but this is juft as if a man fhould take upon him the boldnefs to fay, That becaufe God buried the Body of Mofe*, in a Valley in the Land of Moab, and no man bjiowetb of his Sepulchre to this day, Dcut. 34. 6. that God's defign in all this was to blot out the Memorials of Mofes from the face of the whole Earth.

Let us pray unto God, that he would famifh all the gods of the Earth? Vfe 7. famrfhing of Idols is a Scripture-phrafe , Zeph. 2. 11. The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will famijh all the gods of the earthy and men. fhaH worfhip him. The Pfalmift fpeaking of God's Providence over his Creatures, tells us, Ffal. 145. 35. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their meat in due feafon : but an Idol is none of God's Creatures, an Idol hath eyes and Cees not, ears and hears not, mouth and and taftes not. But you will fay, How then can God famifh them ? Thus: If we would know what it is to famifh the gods of the Earth, then we muft confider what their meat is j their meat is that Worfhip, and Service, and Honour, which is given them by the fons of men i Now when God is made the fole Object of Religious Worfhip, when men turn from dumb Idols to ferve the living God, and him only, then God famifhes the gods of the Earth, takes away their meat from them, and then men mall worfhip him, and let all good people fay, Amen. So be it.

Mmm 2 SERM.

SERMON XIV

Proteftants feparated for Chrift's Names fake.

Luke 6. 2 2. Bleffed are ye when men foal/hate you, and when-

they flail feparate you , and ftall reproach you, and cad out your Name as evil for the Son of man's fake.

o

Ne of the main defigns of the Doftrine of the Gofpel, is to unite men one to another, and to- tie them together with the tirongeft bonds and ligaments imaginable. To this pur-pofe it does not only forbid the doing of any wrong unto others, but it prefcribes Rules for the curbing of our pjUYions when provoked by them. Nay, it peremptorily enjoins, under the fevered penalities, that we fhould forgive the offences done again!! us, and love the perfons of them that do them. And that we might think it our great-eft concern thus to do, it combines and gathers all, who have any hope £ c, '4-4j5» toward God, into one Body, which is called the Church, who are jointly to profefso/*? Faith, and to perform one Worship, and to ferve one Lord : the Ligaments whereby, this Body is united and tied together, being the Sacraments, for this end alfo appointed by Chrift. .

Who being the Lord of all, is yet pleafed more efpecially to relate to this Body, as its Head, for Direction and Government, and to influence-it by his Spirit for life and motion. Now it being full as monftrous for one Head to have two Bodies, as for one Body to have two Heads. So far forth as any have hoped for Salvation by Chrift, they have alfo pretended to belong to that One Body, of which he is the Head and Saviour.

In thefe pretenfions the Church of Borne comes not behind any, but with as much paiTion, and as little reafon as they of old, whom the Pro-lerem.7.4. phet fpeaks of, they cry out too, the 'temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the 'female of the Lord are thefe. Nay , fo unreasonable are they in arrogating to themfelves the priviledge of this Body, that they challenge (as the Donatifis before them) to be the whole, and not a part of It ? confounding, for to fave this their purpofe, things fo difcrepanc as the Catholich^ and Romijh Churchy (that is, the univerfal and a particular

cular Church) and at laft the Church and the Pope too are with them but one and the fame, all others being but Cyphers, and mccr Inligniri*

cants to him.

And this I account none of the lead reafons to fufpedr that they have no part nor Jhare in what they fo much pretend unto : for 'tis too too apparent that they have not that mind and fpirit that wa c . in Chrilr. (Now 'tis not continuity but animation that makes the feveral farts to become one 'Body.) And as the fame foul that acts in the head, ads in every individual member belonging to it: fo the fame Spirit which was in Chriit, is alfo in all , that as living members belong unto him. Eur, alas, where is that meeknefs and gentlenefs, that love and charity which our blefled Saviour fo much expreffed himfelf, {o earneftly recommended unto his Difciples j nay, which he made the Teft of their really being bis ? Though the Church of Rome yet retains the calling of Chriit J0H.13.35. Lord, Lord, it is evident in this they do not his will. They (till cry, Hofanna to him , and yet really Crucifie him , at leaft in his Members. They are not the followers of the humble JESVS, but of the proud Pharifees, from whom our Saviour foretels that his Difciples ihould furTer 5 but fuch fufferings as were as little to be declined, as they were hardly to be avoided, being the high-way, though a rough one, to blifo and happinefs: Bleffed are ye when menjhall bate you.

In which words are remarkable,

1. Suffering foretold ^ in which the Sufferers alfo are defcribed. which is the fuhjeci in the Verfe, viz, fuch as men (hall hate r and fepa-rate, and reproach, &c.

2. Their ft ate or condition declared, or encouragement propofed unto fuch, (which makes the Trtdicate) BleJJed are ye, &c,

0

In the former there are three things confiderable.

1. What it # that ChrijFs Difciples and followers (hdWftfffer i they (hall be hated, feparated, reproached, and have their Names caji out.

2. For what caufe they fhall fuffer thus i» for the Son of Marfs fake.

3. From whom it is that they Juffer y from men, when men JhaU hate you, &c.

I (hall begin with the latter, as being firft in the words of the Text y F \ om , **•* and intend to pafs it over with fome little reflection at prefent upon SJ^aJ it. Men here are not contidered as in honour, by reafon of the Image of Homines,' i. e, God, and their conformity unto God 5 for fo they continued not: but impii1 ir.iraici men is terminus diminuens, a term fynonymous with World, which our doatlpxinea, Saviour fpeaks of elfewhere h denoting fuch as are put in contra-dilHn- r 0 ' h ™ g ' lg dionunto them that are chofen out of the World. It refle&s their joh'17.14. 5 fnU and degeneracy upon them. Nay , they whom Chriit's Difciples-

fuflei

fuffer moft by, are commonly fuch as make profeffion of fearing and fer-ving God too > unto whom light indeed is come,but they love darknefs and (b they become bruifed with a double fall: thus by their choice and pra&ice, being fuper-added to that of their nature* and whatfo-ever they pretend to the contrary, (as St. Jude fpeaks of them) they are twice dead. There is no enmity like that of Brothers : our Saviour himfeIf furTered from none fo much as from his Friend and Difciple Judas, and his followers fince have endured mod in all Ages from fuch as profefs (as well as they do) to be retainers unto him.

But I (hail pafs this at prefent without any other Obfervation, as alfo the fecond part, or the ft ate and condition of the fufferers fpoken of in my Text j only you may here of them«, though briefly, in the Application. what it Is The two former branches (in my propounded method) of this firft

7ipUs'Tcm P art bcin 8 fuch as l intend t0 & raft m y enfuin S D *£ourfe upon, give me j k afr m leave, though e poftliminio, to come to a nearer fearch into them > and

at the rirft view, in the former of them, four remarkable particulars foretold, which the Vifciples of Cbrift were to fuffer: viz.

mind, I. Hatred.

2. Separation of them, as not worthy of Humane Society, but moft unworthy to partake of Church-Communion.

3. Reproach,u^on whom they might vomit up all their Gall without the charge and iin of hitternefs.

4. The cafting out of their Names, as fuch they would fcorn to be reckoned amongft in their fervice of God.

1, Hatred.- This is the root, the bitter root of the following bitter fruits: there would be no feparating, no reproaching them, no cafting out of their names , were it not for the hatred they bear unto them. Now Hatred is a difplicency at, and averfion from things or perfons as evil ;> and nothing doth make men feem more hating and hateful to one another , as when they ad by a contrary principle : for fo far at leaft as they have fuch a principle in them, they judge not, they arTedr. not any thing alike, but what one calls good, the other calls evil > and what this counts evil, the former efteems as good.

And this muft needs be acknowledged to be true in the cafe of the Text, drift's Difciples and the Pharifees , his Church and their Per-fecutors, are adred by a contrary principle > in the one is the feed of the Woman, in the other the feed of the Serpent > and where thefe meet, 001.3.15. though in the fame (Rebeccas) Womb, they will ftrive and ftruggle againft one another.

Our Saviour affigns this as the true reafon why the World hated him, l and mould hate his Difciples after him, Jok 17.14. becaufe neither he, nor they were of the World.

Now

Now this Hatred, though its feat be inward, and it be many .times hidden i yet its effects are outward and obvious, none of all the paili-ons being more active than love and hatred are 5 and therefore our Saviour no fooner had fpoken of the Pharifecs hating of his Difciplcs, but he prefently adds, they will feparate you, and reproach you,

Becaufe I intend not fo much to infift upon them, I (hall fpeak but a x> xemaehth word of the Reproaches which Chrift's followers muft bear from the men in my Text. Hatred being in their heart, 'tis no wonder that reviling is in their lips i> for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh , # and fomething they muft fay to juftiHe the perfections and mifchiefs they heap upon others : for there are none (who have not put off all humanity) but would willingly have Reafon and Equity on their

fide.

Thus they taxed our Saviour himfelf that he was a Wme-b'ibber, a Luke 7 54, friend of Publicans and Sinners *, nay, they would not Crucifie him till they had charged him with blafphemy. Thus they calumniated the Mark 14.64. Apoltks for being filled with new Wine, for turning the World upfide Afts z. 13, down, and for deftroying the Law, &c.

Neither was it better in the immediately fucceeding Ages: What did not the Pagan-World reproach and upbraid the Primitive Ghriftians with ? What fecret and abominable wickednefs did they not charge upon their private meeting together to ferve God > No Epidemical Di-feafe r or Publick Calamity befelthe Empire, or any Nation in it, but it-was attributed prefently to fome ( forged ) wickednefs of the Chriiti-ans. And it had been well if they had fuffered from Pagans only : but, alas> they fuifered no lefs from Brethren, (if I may call them Brethren) fo that a Heathen could obferve, That no Beafts were fo cruel one to ano- Hunni?iu?s ther as Chrijlians were. • Ma ret! I nus

But in this laft Age of the W r orld we have the dregs of all, and the Papifts act over again upon the Proteftants all the Outrages which were ever heaped .upon any in the forementioned initances : theircalumnies againfl their Doctrine, their revilings of their Worihip, their reproaches of their Perfons, not only living, but even dead too, I could fill Volumes withal: What Jhall be given unto thee, or what ftall be done unto thee, 0 thoufalfe tongue ? Pfil. 120. 3.

But becaufe they proceed further, fo muft I: They do not only (hoot out their lharp arrows, but difcharge their murdering-pieces at us > nay, their malice is not confined to, or fatisfied with the mine of the body, but as if it were too mean a facrifice to their fury, they do what in them lies, ( and according to their own principle they efTeit it) to deftroy the foul too 5 for they (hall fep.irats you, and cafi out your Names.

Which brings me to fpeak to the other fruits the Text mentions of stparaioti the hatred born toCbrifs Difciples and followers, and which this Dif-coutfe mainly intends \ They (hall feparate you from their company, Thefe latter words are added by the Tranflatcrs to compkat (as they

thought)

thought) thefenfe j but it being as clear without them, I (hall no farther take notice of them.

Some make the Separation here fpoken of, to be meant only of a Pa-Lucas Erug. in Jitical or Civil Separation, and their Glofs is, In carcerem aut exilium locum. trufirint, they (hall banifh you, or c aft you into pr if on > as if the impri-

foning or banilhing of them, or at leaft declining to trade orconverfe with them, were all that was intended here.

This mull: be acknowledged an evil and a mifchief, which they that obey the Commandments of God, and hold the Faith of Jefus, have met with, and which was forefeen by St. John, Rev. 13.16. that 0 they who would not receive the mar\ or name of the Beaft, Jhould not buy nor fell* But the word here ufed a>o&«w«v, they jhall feparate.hzth a further im-Beza m Ioccm p or ^ anc j j m plj es a Separation from their Synagogues, and Publick Wor-Joh.itf.2,. fhip, and is the fame with &tww*>»V« toww, they fhall caft you out of their Synagogues, mentioned by St. John : which I the rather incline to think to be the meaning of this place, becaufe alfo in the antient Canons the fame word dw&Zt£n» is fo often repeated to this purpofe, i. e. when they would by their Cenfure fufpend any from Church-Communion *> and then they who were thus cenfured, were afterwards called ahftenti^ denoting their being held off from Church-Fellowfhip, and the Cenfure its felf came at length to be called, 7'he lejfer Excommunication.

4 r \ ■ n £ ° Ut ^ ut our '& vm & e li$ teems to explain this belt by what he adds, ihey Oj tmi NAims.j^ a jj ca jj. out y 0ur Names i as 'tis faid of the blind man who fo conftantly

profeft Chrift, that they cafl him out, Joh. p. 34. And 'tis to be obfer-ved, that u&wn, or they Jhall ca(i out, here in the YrediViion, is efl^xw there, or they did cafi him out in the fulfilling of it, the fame word being made ufe of by either Evangelift.

As for cafting out their Names , it refers to a known cuftom amongft the Jews, of keeping an exad: account of all the Names of thofe who defcended from them •> not only their 'Tribes and Families, but every individualperfon was enrolled, as by evident places in Scripture could be readily made to appear. Now to have their Names caft out, or cut oif from this Catalogue, was to be accounted no longer for Jews, or amongft the then People or Church of God, but to be reputed thenceforth as uncircumcifed, or as one of the Gentiles, that is, out off the Pale of the Church , and out of the Bond of the Covenant with God. We might illuftrate this from a cuftom which they had amongft the Romans too » when any were for their mifdemeanours to be Disfranchized, the Cenfor expunged, blotted out, or cut off their Names out of the City-Rolls , and they might not after that enjoy their City-Priviledges, neither were they thenceforth to be accounted as Citizens.

The fum that this amounts unto, is, That they who would embrace, and hold faft the Faith delivered by our Saviour, mould be fo far from meeting with that love and refped: which they ought to be entertained withal, that they ihould on the contrary be Separated and Excommunicated,

communicated, put out and accurfcd, .and that by them who fhall take upon them to be the Governours of the Church.

That this was fulfilled in the fir ft breaking forth of the Gofpcl, and in the very dawning of that day, we have evident tcftimony in Scripture to prove it by > but having in part formerly mentioned it , I ihall now only refer you to it.

This was certainly a very great Engine, by which men were not only kept off from attending unto the means of their Gonverfion, and caufed . to (hut their eyes againft the light that did mine fo powerfully round about them: but in cafe it had. broken in at any time unawares upon them, it was a molt cogent Argument to keep them from owning and chcrifhing of it: for as St. jfoJw obferves, chough many belkved*n bim\ Joh.i 1.4*,. yet becanfe of the Pharifees, (who fwayed mod in their Sanhedrim) they did not confefs him, left they mould be put out of their Church i and for this very reafon, if Ntccdemus will come to Jems, it (lull be only by night.

Now it is a known Rule, that Scriptura Prophetica fepius impletur, one and the fame P'rophecy may refpedf divers Ages, and be fulfilled in divers times ? the fame Prediction being frequently mentioned in Scripture with an "m **»*«&*, that it might be fulfilled upon divers occafions : but I mult not now divert to inftances.

3 Tis evident that this Prediction intimated here in my Text, is no more to be reftrained to the Apoftles themfelves , or the Church at that time, or immediately after, than any other foretelling of futfefing per-fecution in this World is to be, or than any promife of ailiftance and deliverance whatfoever.

It hath been realized indeed with a witnefs in our, and in our forefathers days. The Church of Rome, who pretend to be the only Church • of God, and Spoufe of Chrift, hath feparated us from them, and hath caft out our Names •■> fo that this day thefe words are fulfilled , 'they Jhall feparateyou, they (hall caft out your Names.

But by reafon that as it is not the punishment , but the caufe which fbecaufe Pptbe makes a Martyr 5 fo it is not the fufTering barely of thefe things which ^f^i^-jjC-. fpeaks any to be the true Difciples of Chrift. Let us therefore enquire J^ \ . into the caufes a'ftigned by our Saviour in my Text for which his Difciples (hall be thus dealt with. And here we meet,

Firft, with a pretended caufe, They (hall caft out your Names as evil, i. Tin pi nend* they (hall faften (as much as in them lay) all manner of calumnies upon ed mft. you i and report of you, not as indeed you are, but as they who hate you would have you thought to be : they will pretend that their fepara-tingof you, and not converling, efpecially in the Woifhijp of God with you, is not what they would willingly have done, but what they were neceflitated unto by you> who : (as they alledge) have broached new Vb-ttrines, and withal receded from ancient Cuftoms, &c.

That this is true in either inftance, is too apparent ; the Pharifees

N an charged

charged the Apoftles, and the Church of Rome do charge the Prote-ftants, with whatfoever they think likely to make them odious.

Some of them doubtlefs do this out of a kind of integrity of their hearts, fcparating, excommunicating, nay killing of them, as a deferred puniihment for the evil they conceive in them, or to have been committed by them*: this proceeds out of that blindnefs and ignorance which is io common unto all in the things of God i but especially as it is further contracted or encreafed by them, or inflicted by God upon

Rom.1. 18, ?4 them, for their not embracing truth in the love of it , or holding it in unrightsoufnefs : Thefe may be thought indeed to have believed lyes, and that they were perfwaded that they did God good fervice in thus defpite-fully uiing thole that did wor(hip him in fpirit and in truth , as is intimated in a parallel place, Joh, 16.2.

Eut as to others, the fuppofed evil in the matter that Chrift's followers are charged with , is but a pretended caufe of their being fo evilly dealt withal i not only as we (hall fee hereafter, in that they did. not de-ferve it, but becagfe alfo that they who fo feverely inflidt thefe Cenfures, . are fat leaft many of them) not fo zealous again \x any. opinion^ or practice v/hatfoevcr as 'tis evil, that is, as it is againil the manifeit truth, or revealed will of God , or as it is difhonourable to God, or deftrudtive to the fouls of men : for if they did fet themfelvesagainft any thing as evil indeed, they would fet themfelves to oppofe all evil j and in that proportion too in which it is evil, a quatenus ad omne^ &c. He does not truly hate one fin, who does not hate all (ins : as he hath no. averfion from one Toad or Viper, as a Toad or Viper, who can take another up into his hands or bofom. Hatred is (as the Philofipher fays) *&: w yV@-,

'Matth.23.14. a g ain fi $ °f a kind, or againfr none of that kind. So that I cannot think that the Tharifees who were fo notoriouily guilty of Rapine and Extortion, and could fwallow Widows houfes, (hould ftrain at the imagined faliity of the Apoftles Do&rine, or the furmifed corruption in the Go-fpel-Worlhip •, there being efpecially fuch fair footfteps for either in thofe very Writings which they acknowledged the Rule of both. Neither can I believe that the Church of Rome, who can licenfe, without any re-, gret or fcruple, Stews and Whore-houfes, and can difpenfe with Rebellion and Inceft, and what not ? that thefe mould be the men who are truly zealous for the Iruths and Worjhip of God, as fuch , or that they fhould fet themfelves fo much againfc the DccTrine which the Frotefiants profefs,. or againlt the w r ay of worshipping of God which they ufe, be-caufe they are falfe or impious, for then they would be againft all impiety, efpecially amongft themfelves. But the true caufe of the averfion of the generality of them from our opinions and practices, is, becaufe they agree not with their Interefts and Lufts, and are not confiltent with their Profit and Grandeur: or, if you will, our Saviour here affigns the real caufe., viz. It k for the Son of man's fake*

The

This is that which is at the bottom of all, *tb fir Cfctft's fake, fcr 2 -^ rcalcaufe their refpetl unto him and his Infiitutions , his Truths and Ordinances, f° r nl ^ cb thi y that his Vifciples fufrer. Would they not fo much coniider what he ''" er ' hath enjoined and commanded, but follow their pretended Guides with blind obedience, they (hould be as when the ftrong man armed kept the houfe, all in peace.

In a matter Co obvious I will not enlarge to difcourfe concerning this defcription of our hleffed Saviour here ufed, Son of man > 'tis known to be one of the Names or Titles which he was pleafed to denote or de-fcribe himfclf by => who, though he wasGW hUffed for ever, vouchfafed to take upon him our nature , and to become man for us: thus conde-fcending to us both in the name and thing, that we might know that it was he in whom that Prophecy was fulfilled, Vnto us a Child is horn, Efay 9. sz. unto us a Son U given, &c. And by this means he did in the higheft man-ner recommend himfelf, and truths, his WiU and Worship unto us. Ic is far his fake, i. e. for their love and faithfulnefs, their refpecl and obedience unto him, that they who believe truly in him in all Ages do fuffcr. Would but the Jpoftles have forborn to preach in his Name\ would they have obferved the antient, but antiquated Rkes of the Jewifij Church, they might long enough have kept in amongft them, and ihould not have been perfecuted by them : So w 7 ould the P rot eft ants not. rega d the mind and will of God , nor the Dc&rine and Institutions of Chriil, but let-the Church of Home add or take away at its pleafure, they, fhould not have been, nor now need they be, cafi out by them.

This is that which I (hall more ftridly confine my felf unto, though all along I have intended to lay a Foundation with fuch Materials as might fuit the intended Structure.

The Church of Rome charge the Troteftants with Schifm, as rending and dividing themfelves from the true Church, which, as they tell us, they themfelves only are.

• I (hall pafs by all the other reproaches they lade us with, though very heinous and innumerable j it being a common matter with them (as with the Pagan Perfecutors of old) to put the fincere 'Profeffort of the Truths of God into Beads Skins , allowing them to have fcarce a humane (hape, that any who would might the more eagerly bait and worry them to death.

But as for their imputation of Schifm unto us, we may well aver, that of all men they have leaft reafon to charge us with it upon divers accounts, but efpecially becaufe they themfelves have put us from them : they have feparated us, and caft out our Names, and to this day thefe words in my •Text are verified concerning us. And is it not hard to be accufed forgoing from them, who put us away, and caft us from them by force f But they ferve us as they did the Waldenfes, whom they plundered, robb'd, and (hipped of all they had, and then by way of deriiion and contempt called them Pauperet Lugdunenfes, The poor -men of Lyons,

N n 11 2. about.

SCO Troteftants fcparated for Chrifi's Names fake. Serin. XIV.

about which City thofe famous Profeffors of the Truth were formerly molt numerous.

I fuppofe that the matter of fact cannot-be doubted of, and that none will queftion whether the Frotefiants have been, or are thus dealt withal .by the Church of Rome ;> for I might bring a whole Cloud of 'VvitnelTes to prove it. All the Martyrs who have fuffered any ways under them, are, in their ordinary courfe of proceedings, caft out, and Excommunicated by that Church, before they are delivered over to the Civil Magiftrate to be condemned and executed •> and fuch as they cannot get into their hands, or where by the favour of Laws, or tendernefs of Princes, the Inquisition cannot obtain, the Council of Irent anathematize and curfes howfoever. And the Bull ds Qtna Domini goes farther, for in that the Pope not-only Excommunicates all who in the way which they call Herefie, worfhip the God of their Fathers, but he accurfes all them too, who do any ways favour them, though it be hut by giving civil refpetl, or a necefary alms unto them \ fo exteniive is their Charity. Little reafon have we then to expect that which they fo much boaft of. Good Works from them.

To pafs by their exquifite torments, and more than barbarous cruelties cxercifed upon the bodies of Chriftians, (whilfl: they willingly fuffer Jews in many places to dwell quietly amongft them) fo directly contrary to the io much gloried in Primitive Church, who could not endure thofe Bifhops whoperfwaded the Emperour to putHereticks to death: and to be fure vaftly differing from the mind and fpirit of the meek JESVS, who would not at the inftance of his Difciples deflroy the truly both Heretical and Schifmatical Samaritans by fire, though otherwife too he was inhumanly treated by them.

There may feem fomething to be pleaded for their Church-Cenfures,

as if they were but the cutting off gangrenated and dead Members for

iC r < < 13 ^ ie k etter preferving of the reft of the body. And as if they did this too

in obedience to that Apoftolical Precept of delivering fuch unto Satan,

and fo putting away evil from amongji them. But what is this to their

interdicting of whole Kingdoms, in which there cannot be fuppofed

£rrrnnel-Sa ^ ewer thoufands (and they full out as innocent as any in Nineveh) not

Aphorifmis in K novpin g ^ oeir right hand from their left. By which Interdicts (accor-

turbo Inter- ding to their own Authors J) all Divine Offices and Service of w r hat kind

dictum. foever was forbidden throughout the whole interdicted Territory. None

might preach or pray, or adminifter the Sacraments amongft them, whilfl:

the Interdict: lafted \ the whole Region being by it put out (as they

termed it) of the Communion of the Church , and all that died therein,

during that fpace, how long foever, believed by them damn'd for ever.

This (not to mention its effects in other places) lafted in England, as

• Matthew Paris records, in King John's time, fix years and an half, In

which fpace it is thought there died in this Land above fix hundred thou-

faud men, women and children: And mull: all thefe neceflarily eternally

pcrilh, becaufe that the King and Pope were at variance with one another > with which matter the poor Commons had little to do, neither could they intermeddle without rebelling againft their Sovereign.

And what does the cafting out of the inceftuous perfon, or the holding of an objlinate (inner as an Heathen or Publican , make for the feclu-ding fo many millions of Protejlants from their Church, and putting of them by that means (at leaft as they furmifej into a ftate of inevitable perdition ?

Efpecially when as the Protejlants with one confent do believe all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets, which St. Paul A ^ s 1 ^ x , thought a fufficient Apology for himfelf, when he could, not receive the traditions of the Elders: they believe no lels, all that the Apoftles and Evangelifts have declared •-> they willingly embrace the three antient Creeds, accounted by the Primitive Church fufficient Te(ts of approved Christianity : they delire to live in all good Confcience towards God and men j and to give to every one their due in the place into which God hath put them.

Neither can we reafonably be charged with obftinacy, being very de-firous to be informed better in any thing in which through miftake as men we might have erred. We pray to God daily that he would enlighten us, and give us to fee the marvellous things in his Word. We delire to be thankful unto men, who God is pleafed at any time to make inftrumental for our further information in any of his Truths, or, our Duties. Now 'tis Obftinacy only which is the dead flejh of Herefie or Schifm, and makes that Gangrene incurable, and the part afTedted with it to be fawn off, and contentedly parted withal.

But yet for all this we are not Scepticks neither h we know whom and what we believe 5 and we refolve , by the Grace of God, to continue in it: and if they call our Conftancy, Obftinacy, may they call it fo (till, rather than that we mould depart from it. We fhould be loath to pin our Faith upon any mans fleeve, be he Pope, or who he will. If St. Paul himfelf, or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gofpel unto us, than Gil. 1.8. that which we have received, he is, and mult be accurfed\ a fufficient caveat, one would think, againft (wallowing at all adventures whatfo-ever may be recommended to us upon the bare Topick of Authority, and not enquiring into the merit of the caufe, the nature of the thing propounded, whether right or wrong, true or falfe. Henceforth an Ipfe Dixit, fuch an one faid fo, or fuch a Pope defind it thus, will be but a pitiful excufe at the Day of Judgment for any falfe way. I rauft forbear touching more upon this firing at prefent, being' willing to join IjJ'ue about our being parted from the Church of Rpme, from the caufe af-iigned in my Text, viz. Hhe Son of Man^s fake'

Which words I (hall conhder with a more particular relation to tne feveral matters in Controveriie betwixt us and them i and it may be reafonably hoped, that if we have Cbriji's Caufe and Honour on our iide

m

r. Tm Prote-

cts art (tpi- j n MatteiS 0 f Fait h

rated for

502 Protejiants feparated forChri&s Names fake. Serm. XIV.

tn thofe very things for which they feparate us, and cafi out our Names we may be reckoned ftill amongft his Vifciples j and the Church of Rome as well as the Jewijh Church j may juftly be reputed amongft. the Perfe-cutors here foretold of.

And this we may deduce from the following Scheme.

1. It is for the Truths of Chrift s the Doctrine own'd , preach'd,. and recommended by him, that they thus deal with us.

2. It is for the Purity of his Worfbip, becaufe we would ferve God. according to his own Will, and not according to their Will-worihip, that they thus abhor us..

3. It is for his Authorities fake, becaufe we dare not take the Government from off his Shoulders j nor pay that refpedt to any frail man, which is only due unto him who is God bleffed for evermore : or if you will, ft is becaufe we dare not worfhip the Beafr, that they ferve us thus.

To Turn up all in one j it is for the Vindication of Chrift in all his Offices, that we endure thefe Indignities at their hands.

The difference between us and the Church of Rome is.moft important

Matters of Faith i it is indeed fuch, and fo great, that we willingly

'chrift^Truths acknowledge, as thty feparate us for not-being of their mind, fo we are

jffy.[ moft willing not only to be 'parted, but to part from them, for their not

being of God's mind : for what fellowjhip can light have with darknefs /

or what Communion-hath Chrift with Belial? 2 Cor. <5. 14,15.

3 Tistiueon our part, that we would not for every mf-perfwafion in the things of Religion, part with any ones Communion : as every man hath a foul of his own, fo he cannot but through common frailty, different meafures and means of knowledge, have conceits and opinions different from others about almoft any fubjecft. And though every truth is worth the embracing, yet betwixt Truths themfelves there is as great a difference as there is between Farthings and Guineys '■> which, though they be both Coins, yet are of a very difproportioned value.

There are by the confeflion of all fome Fundamental Truths , and by confequence. there muft be fome Fundamental Errours. It is a Metaphorical Epithite, taken from Buildings, for as Buildings cannot frand if the Foundation be removed or taken away j fo the Church , which is iTim. 3.15- called the Houfe of God , cannot ftand neither if it be removed from thofe faving Truths, upon which, as upon a Rock, Chrift hath founded T^tus 3. io. it. And therefore the Apoftle, who fo earneftly blames the judging and condemning one another in leffer matters, yet would have us to reject fuch an Heretick, (after the firft and fecond admonition) who holds any thing contrary urtfo thefe.

Now we cannot be juftly charged by the Church of Rome with any po-ptive Errour that can fo much as ftrike at the Foundation: nay, (he believes what we believe concerning God--, one in EJfence, three in Terfons: She^ackaowkdges with us the Ferfon, Natures, Suffering^ Refurre&ion

ah

and Jfcenfwn ofChrifl , and all the other Articles of the Creed. She charges us only with Negatives, becaufe we cannot admit all fuch Doctrines as (he injurioufly obtrudes upon us as matter of Faith : this is indeed the Apple of Contention betwixt us ■> and becaufe we dare not B/,%HallV allowed approve of every Vitiate of the Fope, ox Definition of the now Feace-ma^r. Roman Church as an Oracle of God, we (land accurfed by them. ■ To point at fome few injiances in Head of many,

Do we believe that the Scriptures are a Rule for Life and Manners ? I( concerning fo do they : but what they give with the one hand, they take away with the Scripture. the other, in that they make Traditions, and the Determinations of their Church, necelfary to be received with the fame reverence that Scripture is to be received withal: fo that Scripture, which in word they dare not deny to be the Rule , in deed they make it nothing lefs, defaming it what they can, as jhort, imperfeU, and obfeure; nay, forbidding the reading, or having of it in a vulgar Tongue, where they may. • Whereas we may well aver, that no Art or Science whatfoever was fo fully and plainly taught by any Book in the whole World, as our Chriftian-c ailing, and the true art of living and dying in the faith ofCbrift, and in the favour of God, is taught us in his Word > the cfKnww, or things in it that are hard to be underftood ,. being matters of lefs import to the welfare of our fouls. As for thofe Truths whereby Life and Immortality is brought to light, there need not (b much GlofTes and Commentaries to undcritand them by, as to bring an humble and teachable mind unto them.

We believe that our Saviour Chriji is the Mediator betwixt God, and j. concerning man: they fay that they believe the fame tooi and becaufe Scripture is ^ Mediator-fo cxprefs concerning it, they dare not deny but that he is the only Me- & 1 ? °* c " u ** diator : for the Apotile fays as well that there is but one Mediator, as 1 Tim.i.$: he fays that there is but one God, and Jefus, thefe two indiiTolvably together. And yet for all this the Church of Rome can give away ChrifTs Mediators place with a nice diftinction at one blow, aifigning new Advocates unto us, as often as they pleafe to canonize any. And left it fhould be too much for our bleffed Saviour to be our Mediator by his Redemption, (which for good manners in the known diitindtion they leave unto him ) they have fet up another Propitiatory Sacrifice befides that at his Pailion, which their Friefts do offer every day for the living and for the dead: Nay, they will not let his Blood purifie us from our fins, but Revel.1.5. have found out a Purgatory, in which our fouls mult be purged by their own furTerings after death. *

We fay with the Apoftle , that we are faved by Grace, Ephef. 2.8. 3- concerning which the Papifts will not deny in down-right terms, but they will add **' lomething to it, which (hall make this Grace to be no Grace before that they have done '•> either interpofing the pr£vifion of our' good works without Grace in the purpofe of God before the World began, or fome ygood difpofition in us, exciting God to beftow his Grace upon us: which

Grace

Grace being well improved by us, meriteth no lefs than Glory at his hands for us. Whofoever Ms to fearch this to the quick, will rind that there was never a prouder Opinion held by any of the children of men than this is i hence flow not their fatisfitlory ivorks only, by which they pay fufficiently unto God whatfoever is owing unto his Juftice by them '■> but they hold alfo works of Supererogation, whereby they de-. ferve more than they need for themfelves, or know well what to do with, and therefore they put it into the Treafury of the Church, for < the avail of thofe who by Money and Mijfes can take it out. The Pba*

Luke 18. ii. rifee was modeft who faid in the heighth of his boafting, Lord, I thank thee : if any of them would fpeak this opinion out, he would lay, Lord-thou mayji thanh^ me,

I .will pafs by multitudes of inftances of the like nature, and will

Tkefe truths are content my felt" only with thefe, as being fuch as I judged molt mate*

[kndammal. r j a j ^ an J f uc h, as refpecl: the very Foundation j and therefore their Errours concerning them mult of necciTity be of very bad confequence. For,

I* Scripture is the Foundation of the Doclrine- of Salvation and the Church is faid in this refpecl: to be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apoilles, Epbef.2.20. that is, the Church is built u'pon the Doctrine which was delivered by the Apoilles and Prophets > a good Parallel to underiland that fo much controverted faying of our Saviour by,

Mattli.id.i8. <Up on this Rock^ I will build my Church, to be meant of Chrift's building his Church upon the Doclrine, and not upon the Perfon or Succef-fors of St. Peter.

2. Our Saviour thrift is the Foundation of our Salvation its felf, m that he purchafed it by his death, and prepares and preferves it by his lifei in which refpecl: the.Apoille tells us, that none can lay any other Foundation than that which is laid, which is Jefus Chrift, i Corinth. 3. ii.

3. Grace is the Foundation of the Application of this Salvation, in that all the benefits which Chrift hath purchafed for us, and ajl the

f ^ \vorks which anfwerably thereunto he works by his Spirit within us,

are all founded upon Grace , upon which only they depend, the hearts of believers being hence faid to be eftablijhedby Grace, Heb., 13.^.

Now if they undermine or take away thefe F oundation-'truths from us, let them take all: 'tis howfoever obfervable that the Proteflants O-pinions in thefe cafes mud needs be fafe : for furely neither the Word of God, nor the Son of God, nor the Grace of God, can be reafbnably challenged with any infufficiency, that they fhould need the Additions and Inventions of men to make them fuccefsful, in that efpecially which they are chofen, and appointed unto by God. If God thought his Word to be fufficienf to enlighten us, his Son to redeem and intercede for us, his Grace furlicient to ian&ifie and keep us unto Salvation, we are content with his choice and allotment,- and do not envy others who pretend to

have.

have more : but it is to be feared that they who grafp at more, do lofe all. And we would rather have our Names caft out by them, for not adding to the Word of God, than that for our additions unto it, God (bould add unto us the -plagues that are written in it. Rev.12.1p;

Neither may we be fo much taken with the Truths which in thefe and other particulars the Church of Rome do retain, as that for their fake we lhould fwallow the Errours which they mix with thofe Verities i and that rather than to be feparated from their Communion, we might fubfcribeor afTent to all the other Articles that are propofed by them s that were to do evil that good might come of it, Befides, this retaining of fome Truths, do ftand them in good (lead to put off many Errours the better by. Few could vend defective Wares, if they did not fhew fome that were true made together with them. We know that falfe or counterfeit Money will hardly go off alone j neither is Poyfon ordinarily taken iingly, or by its felf, but mixed with wholfom Food \ and by that means it deceives the fooner, and fpreads the farther.

Were there then nothing but this, that we muft believe all that is determined, or that fhall be determined by the Church of Rome, (for-they have lately made > and may ftill make new Articles of Faith) or elfe we muft be accurfed by them; we are rather to undergo all their Separations and Excommunications, than to afTent to untruths, or feem Two things tie-to believe lyes. Whofoever they be that propofe any thing to be be- Mffwy to be pro-lieved by us, we may juftly expect that they fhould prove one of thefe ™* b ^ w two things unto us. Either ouThtthltis

1. That the Article propofed by them to be believed is part of the Faith propofed. once delivered unto the Saints : Or

2. That there may be novo a new Faith,

The former of thefe, as to the points in controverfie, they will ne- 1. That it w&$ ver be able to prove \ and that makes them fpeak fo (lightly of Scri- once Slivered pture, becaufe they know it is not for their turn : betides, if that we t0 theSams * muO contend for the Faith that was then delivered , we mull contend agairrft the Traditions, and all the fuper-added Definitions of their Church, fo far at leaft as they are contrary unto it, and reduce all again to the old'Teft of the Law and the Teftimonys which we w T ould gladly do, but that they dare not abide by , but call out to the Fathers and Councils, though in vain, for help.

As for the latter, viz. 7he making of a new Faith. Whofoever makes 1. or that w anew Faith , muft make a new Hope for us too > and from them that m*y have a new propound another way unto us, we may expeel another Heaven for us j Val tht for God's Heaven muft be attained in God's way. Yet this new Faith was attempted to be made and propounded by fome of them? witnefs the Tivangelium sternum which the Fryars made, and the Pope favoured. In which new Gofpel they affirmed that the Go/pel of Cbrift was not the Gofpel of the Kingdom , and that the Old and New lefcament

O 0 o had

Gen. 49. 6*

z. We are fepi-ratedforChnfl's inflituted worships ja%e.. 3011.4.240

Zeph.3.^

1 King. id. 18.

Matth.i$ 9. Jerem.3.14.

Ezek. 13-30.

Trotejtdnts feparated for Chriff's Names fake. Serm. XIV.

had loft their force, or fhould foon lofe it: the time they fet is now expired above four hundred years lince.

But this device not fucceeding, they have fince been more referved and cunning: Not down-right and all at once, but indiredtly and by degrees endeavouring to bring us to this their purpofe 5 on the one hand decrying Scripture and revealed Truths as much as they can, and on the other hand magnifying as much thofe things, whofe truth and gcod-nefs ( if they have any ) are only derived from their Churches Recommendation. One paffage of Cardinal Hofius muft not be forgot, who affirmed, That were it not for the Churches Authority interpofed in the cafe, Scripture were no better than JEfops Fables. 0 my foul, come not thou into their fecret: and unto their ajjembly mine honour be not thou united.

The difference between the Proteftant and now Roman Church is as conliderable about Religious Worftiip. They feparate us, and cajl out our Names, becaufe we deiire to keep to the purity and fimplicity of Wor-(hip, lb often commanded by God , and fo highly recommended by Chrilt 9 and they on the other tide do add. in matters of Divine Worfhip according to the inventions of their own hearts, and the humours of every fanciful Pope.

Now this we are the more careful about, becaufe that they who worfhip any thing belides the true God , or who worihip him any other way than according to his own appointment, are in the fecond Commandment declared by God to be Haters of him, i. e. in a more eminent manner than any other iinners whofoever. We rind alfo Will-worfhip to be fuch a Leaven , as that (where it is join'd with otherwife right and well-directed Devotion) it leavens the whole lump, and makes the whole but one continued provocation in God's account. Thofe that fwear by the Lord and by Malcham, are efteemed as if they had not fworn by God at all, but by Malcham only. As wicked as Ahaz is recorded to be, he is not charged for not retaining the Altar of the Lord, but for bringing another Altar from Vamafcus, and placing of it by God's Altar at the Temple of Jerufalem.

One would think that wafhing of hands , and the wearing of broad Thyla&eries, were matters fo indifferent, as that they could not be dif-pleating unto God v efpecially when commanded by the Church, and recommended too by 'tradition : yet our Saviour affures us (though they thought to pleafe God the better by them) it made all the reft of the Pharifees Worfhip but vain and unacceptable. .

Worihip is indeed, the Marriage-Duty which the Church of God is to pay unto none but unto him, who is married unto her \ and God hath declared himfelf to be a Jealous God , and that he will not permit any Creature to partake that Marriage-rite together with him. Hence it is that Idolatry is fo often called Adultery, and a going a whoring from God j and in this, amongft other things, to be fure they agree: that

as

as amongft men for every fault, though heinous ones too, there cannot be a reparation between man and wife, but for Adultery there may i fo God is pleafed .not to give a Bill of Divorce to any Church or People for anyi*a fo much as for Idolatry. When once they become over-fpread with thaHin, then it is that God fays unto them, Lo-ammi, Te are not

my people, HoCi.p.

If we mud then either be bidden by the Church of Rotne to depart from her for not worlhipping what (he pleafes, and as (he lifts, or that God (hould depart from us, (by the with-drawing of his Word and Spirit from us) and biA us to depart from him, becaufe we did not wormip him according to his prefcribed Will, (but preferred man's will before his will) it is ealie to determine which we fhould moft dread, and labour to avoid. Nay, let 'them again and again bid us to depart from them here, that God may not bid us to depart from him hereafter. Their Cenfure of Excommunication is lighter than the fmall duft in the balance, if compared with his Sentence of Condemnation.

I know that this Harlot, with the adulterous woman in the Proverbs, Chap. 30. 20. rvipeth her mouth, and faith, I have dons no wickednefs. Yet I ihall take it for granted, that if (he giyes and requires Religious or M" 10 2 - &-Divine Worlhip to be given to any Creature, (be is guilty of Idolatry, c"" Aruc-V or elfe there is no fuch thing as Idolatry in the world: this being con-feffedly the worft kind of falfe Worfhip, and that for which God gave the Heathens ever unto fuch ftrong delufions, and vile affetlions, Rom.i.

25,2(5.

I (hall not infilt upon the particulars of Divine Worfhip j which is either internal, the worfhip of the heart > or external, the worfhip of the body. Faith and Hope are the homage which the heart pays unto God. It believes in him, as true and faithful* and hopes in him, as good and gratious in the higheft degree. Adoration and Service are the tribute which the body owes unto God. Now I could eafily evince that the Church of Rome gives any , or all of thefe to Creatures: for whilft they pray to Saints, (whether real or imaginary ones) theymuft hope and believe in them > for how can they call upon them in whom they Rom. 10 14. have not believed? And whilft they proftrate themfelves before their very Images, whilft they build Altars and Churches, and keep Feftivals, or obferve days unto them, they give them whatfoever the outward man is able to perform to God himfelf.

Yet all this Worfhip they think that calling of it by another name ; (<r»xsi*) they can )uftihe.

Not to in(ilt upon that which hath been fo often proved by 0 Tiers, that the words dW* and x«V* are promifcuouily ufed, and that if there be any diiference f*uu imports the more fervile offices of the two. A-las ! the common people break the Cobweb-thred of fuch nice diftin-ftions, which they are not able to skill of s and, as fome amongft themfelves have feared, fall into down-right Idolatry.

Ooo 2 But

Wot daring to But x*V<<* its felf, or that worfliip which they acknowledge to be Sfffl *?' ww Divine , and of the bigheft kind which can be given to God him-

or i m h felf: yet,

i. To the Crofs. i. Tl ey give it to the Crofs, as Aquinas andBonaventure (who are fueft^ P a ' tainted amongft them) and a many others, do affirm. And Aquinas Bonaveot. * " 4 P roves that the Crofs may be adored with Divine Adoration, becaufe 3. Sent, dift.p. they put .the hope of their Salvation in it: and to that purpofe he < H« cites an Hymn of that Church, wherein it calls the Crofs, Its only

hope.

Not tofpeak of CrofTesas they are painted or carved, unto which alfo they give the fame honour:. though it is more than probable that as they are ufually made, they do not fo much as refemble the Crofs upon which Chrilt furTerecL

But granting that the true Crofs upon which Chrilt fuffered may be worshipped, (which yet we abhor to grant) may they not be miitaken. in the Wood of that Crofs ? . It is certain there is more Wood worshipped for the W T ogd of the Crofs, than Simon of Cyrene (or their Giantlike Saint Cbrijlopber) could ever bear. And in fuch a cafe when they worfliip a piece of ordinary Wood , ( and perhaps without its due figure to inhance it) themfelves muit grant that they are Idolaters. But iu ppofing that they be not miitaken , it is a wonder that, they ihould have fuch a Veneration for the Crofs, and Spears, and Nails by which Chriit furTered, vvhillt that all Chriitians have the other Inftruments of his fuffering (as Judas and Mate are) defervedly in fo great an Execration. z. To the Hrf. 2 ' They adore the Hoft-, that is, the confecrated bread in tbe Sacrament of tbe hordes Supper, and that with a Vivine TForfhip , the very fame which they would give to God , or Chrift himfelf. And the Concil. Tri- Council oflrent do accurfe all that think this ought not to be done, and dent. Sett 13. fa^ t j ie Sacrament ought not thus to be worshipped. It is ftrange what ^ ap ' 5 ' they fay, that a Prieft Ihould make his Maker \ but it is ltranger yet, that

as foon as he is made by him , he ihould fall down immediately, and worfhip the workmanmip of his own hands: which made Averroes fay, that he never faw fofoolijb a,Secr of Religion as the Cbriftians were, who viith. their teetb devoured tbe God tbey bad adored. So that to ex-cufethemfelves from being Idolaters, the beft plea they do ufe proves them worfe than Canibals: for thefe devour but men like themfelves: the Papiits, if we believe this their excufe, do devour tbe flejh of tbe Son of God..

It is not my intention to fpeak unto that monftrous and truly fence-

Concil. Tr> } e f s 0 pi n i 0 n of Iranfubjlantiation : but fuppoiing of it to be true, yet

dent. Seff.7. ti ie Church of Rome, holding the intention of tbe Mini,ier to be necejjary

towards tbe efficacy of every Sacrament \ (and by confequence that unlefs

the Prieit whilft he (peaks thofe rive tranfubitantiating words, Hoc eniin*

eft corpus meum 0 do intend by them to change the Bjtead into the Body

; of

of Chrift, &c» that then there is no change wrought by them :) what a miferable danger of Idolatry muft all the people be in, in the mean while } They certainly cannot tell the mind of the Pried: "■> and if he be not intent, as too often they are not, upon that butinefs, all that worfhip that Heft mult be molt grofs Idolaters, were all the opinions of their Leaders granted them to be true.

3. The lalt in[tance that I will give of their Idolatry, Hull be in their 3, f$ the Vir* worfhipping of the Virgin Mary : they call this worthip which they give gin Mary. unto her faytyx^ and they make it a middle fort betwixt the other two formerly mentioned : but they might call it, if that they pleafed, J^-\<t}gtU •, for they fay unto her, and attribute unto her more than unto Chriit himfelf. Nay, they Fetition her to command her Son by h?r Motherly Authority \ little conlidering that (he her felf called him God her Luke 1.47.. Saviour, though according to the flefh he was her Son.

Now though this, and much more which might be faid, do very plainly prove that their worfhip hath got the Flague-fpot of Idolatry upon it, and therefore that it is by no means to be meddled withal i yet they are fo devoted unto it, as that they have commanded all fuch paf-fages to be left out in the Editions of the Fathers, which fpeak for A- Index Ex-doration as due, or to be given only unto God. Nay, the very fecond §||J* ^f/!* 1 . Commandment hath notefcaped them , but they have put it out of the number of the Commandments, that they of their Communion might not be fclf-condemned when they reflect upon it.

I know that fomeamongft them do few other fig-leaves together to hide this their nakednefs, but in vain : for how can there be a fub-ahemj or fubordinate Religious TForJhip , unlefs there be a fubordinate Deity too 1 There are , and ought to be degrees of Civil Refpects, which are given diverfly unto men, according to the various degrees of Worth or Authority in the Objects, unto whom they are paid : but the Honour or Worlhipof God , and whatfoever is due unto him as God, can no more be fhared by the Creature, than his infinite EJJence andMajefty from which it flows. Neither will it ferve their turn that they fay mey do not worfhip his Image with the fame mind and arTe-dtion wherewith they worfhip himfelt > no more than if an Adulterefs fhould plead that though fhe proftitutes her body unto others, yet me does it not with the fame degree of arTedtion wherewith fhe embraces , her Husband only. Gregory de Valens makes the hardeft fhift of them Libro 2. d t R. all to excufe-this fin, by faying, that there is a lawful as well as an un- dol.Cap 7. lawful Idolatry. And acknowledging that they do uft the former: we (hall taKe his Confeilion that they are Idolaters: but neither he, nor any other can ever prove' fuch a contradiction (in adjeao) as a lawful Idolatry. Well may they hold Concupifcence to be no tin, who hold any Idolatry to be kwrul.

We can meet with no fuch Vijiinclions, nor ground for them neither ♦ in all the Word of God : but this we rind there., that there is no agree- t c<r.£.ili7

pit

ment betwixt the "temple of God and Idols : and that where Idolatry is we are hidden to depart, and to be feparate, whether we might be retained or no. Whatfoever then we do or fuffer in this caufe, it is for the Son of'Man V fake j who himfelf taught us to anfwer all Objections and to repel all temptations unto this fin, by alledging, Lhou Jhalt wor-Jhip the Lord thy God^ and him only Jhalt thou ferve^ Matth. 4.10. and by his beloved Difciple hath bidden us to keep our fdves from Idols 1 J oh. 5. ult. 5. It is for It is for Chrift's Authority and Sovereignty's fa\e that we are Jepara-

chi& j Sfivt' tcd^ and have our Names call out by the Church of Rome. Would we j] ; |^^ J ^S; butmagnirie their ufurped power, we might fwear,curfe and blafpheme, waled. commit Whordom and Inceit, and what not ? and yet be accounted

true Sons of their Church. Had St. Paul but cryed up their great Diana the Ephefians had not been offended with him i had he been btherwife as vicious as he was virtuous, or as prophane as he was holy.

We are willing for to obey them that have the rule over us in the Lord: but ftill fo as that we may keep and maintain our fealty in tire unto him who is over all. We are ready to fubmit to Governours under him in Church and State: but we muft remember that we and they too are under him. The Legiilative and Soverign Power is incommunicably in Chrift, and cannot be parted withal by him. Who fhould give Laws ■ to bind our inward man, but he that can fearch and try it^ and can take cognizance of the performance or breach of his Law by it, and can pu-.nifti or reward as he rinds caufe }

Neither does the Infallibility which the Church of Rome alTumes, lefs derogate from the honour which is due unto Chrifr, it being a J ewe I of his Crown. I mall not enquire where the now Roman Church do make the fubjett of this Infallibility, (for they are not agreed upon it amongft themfelves) whether it recides in the Pope, or in a General Council j or if the Pope be infallible, whether he be fo in matters of Faith, or in matters of Right only. We deny either, to one or to all of them.

Fallibility cannot be removed out of the mind, no more than Mortality from the body of any. They go xquis pajfibus, and are both iixed to that ftate which all men are born in, and they cannot put either of them off, no more than Humanity it felf. Nay, could there be an Vniverjal y or truly Oecumenical Council , which there never was lmce the Apoitles times j yet every Member of that Council being but fallible, the Council it felf could not be infallible. Not to mention any particulars, which might be initanced in, which though determined by Councils and Popes, yet are antiquated, and rejected by the Papifts themfeives.

3 Tis obvious that0#* Pope hath frequently contradicted another, and

one Council hath thwarted the other •, aod furely they were not on both

fides in the right. How much fafer is it to obey God's beloved Son y

m who beingtheexprefs Image of the Father, is Imth it filf, and whom

•we are bidden for to hear? it being the Character of a true Sheep of

Chilli's

Chrift's Fold that he will hear his voice , and not the voice of Joh,io.3 )5 . Grangers.

In obedience then unto Cbrifl it is that we dare not thus become fir-vants unto men. Though we may go and earnest may not believe and dif-believe as they plcafe: Nay, we cannot do it if that we would : For the IP ill hath no fuch power over the Vnderftanding , as to make it think or believe what it lifts to be true or falfe. The Will can fa the Underitanding upon acting on what Objedt it pleafcs, but it cannot make the Underitanding concerning any Objed: think what it pleafeth, its power over it being only quoad exercitium , and not quoad fpecifi ^

cationem.

Now this makes the Government of the Komijh Church to be the mod infupportable tyranny that the World hath ever known. Other Tyrants have been content with their Domination over their Vaffals Bodies and Eftaces: nothing will fatisrie thefe but to domineer over the Souls of men too •» and we meet with the fouls of men reckoned amongli their Merchandize, Rev. 18. 13. And well may they fo be: for the greateft Traffick amongft them is for mens Souls.

And whereas God declares that he gives us bis Commandments for our Deut.6.24, good always, though he hath an indifputable and uncontroulable right over us, yet he commands us nothing barely that he might exercife his Domination and abfolute power that belongs unto him: but all his In-flitutions and appointments are fuch , as in their own nature would be advantageous to us, were they n«t enjoined by him '■> there being nothing that accomplifhes and perfects man more than Holinefs and the Image of God \ which his Injunctions (in every inftance) do tend only to promote.

But alas! what are men the better for multitudes of Obfervations in joined amongft the Komanifts ? They themfelves cannot fay that there is any goodnefs in them, but only what they derive from the Authority that enjoins them : And if that Authority (hould forbid them, or command other things contrary unto, or at lead divers from them, they would then be reputed of another nature by fuch who contend fo eagerly for them : though we have reafon to believe that they call good, evil , and evil, good j yet that they can make evil to be good, or good to be evil, is incredible unto us.

Yet thefe pitiful little things, which they can make for good or bad at their pleafure, they are more earned: in, than for all the great things in the Law. Tranfgreilions againft the Law of God written in our very hearts and natures, and tranferibed thence into our Bibles, meet with Kttleor no cenfure amongft them : but to doubt of any of their Churches Definitions, or to difobey any of her Commands, (in thofe things which never came into God's heart to enjoin) is amongft them a moft unpardonable fin. So that as men have been obferved to love their Books ( being the Ilfue of their Brain and Studies^) more than their

Children,

Children, the fruit of their Bodies : thefe men dote upon their own inventions and imaginations, more than upon any thing, though by God himfelf recommended unto them.

And as it ordinarily happens, the mifery of the people is attended by

i Cor.p.M. the iniquity of their Leaders : for is this to become all things unto all men, to make their Flock become whatfoever they pleafeunto rhem ? Is this

2. Cor.io.8. to cx.ercife their power (according to their CommilTion) for Edification ? Does it not impeach the Wifdom of God, and the Faithfulnefs of Chrift, to make more things necefTary to be believed and pradrifed than # were commanded us in the Word, or told unto us by the Son of God ?

Is it not againji the Rule of Charity , (that Bond of Perfection) to lay fuch heavy yoaks upon others, as they would not have, were they Dif. fenters, impofed upon themfelves i Does it not occailon Vijfimulation and Hypocrifie in men (and there is fin enough every where) to require of thofe in Communion with them, to affirm or deny, to pra&ife or ► forbear in the things of God, every thing according to the humour of their prefent Rulers , and efpecially upon fuch ftvere penalties ? For^

Rom. xc.p, rnerly whofoever confefs'd with their mouth the Lord Jefus, and believed in their hearts that God had raifed him from the dead, might he faved: And though this was fomewhat en-larged in the-Creea\ (commonly called the Afoftles Creed) what is that to fo many Volumes of Decrees and Councils (the late ones efpecially of their own contriving) which the Church of Home enforces a fubmiilion unto ?

* Cor. it. 28. St. Paul, who had the care of all the Churches upon him, efpecially he

Gal. z. 7,8. had the Gofpel of the Vncircumciflon committed unto him, (fo that it is a wonder the Popes have not claimed to be his SuccefTors, it is more for their purpofe than to be St. Peter's, whofe line was amongft them of the Circumcilion) this bleiTed Paul having undoubted Apoflolick Autho-

Rom.14.3. rity, would not prefcribe to the Church of Rome, whether all jhould obferve a day or no, or whether they (hould all eat flejh or no, though no pretentions of Vnifrmity would be wanting on the one fide or on the other. Nay, he was fo far from oppofing any unnecelTary burden, that

Ga!.$.T. he commands his Galatians to ftand fafi tn their liberty. Were there

more of his fpirit in the world, we might have lefs (hew, but more fub-llance in Religion.

It is a forry comfort that is left us, that notwithstanding the Churches Commands, we may think the things commanded us as indifferent in themfelves as we will,provided we do but obferve them on the account of their Churches Injunction. For whilft we are pinched , and perplexed with fears of the unlawfulnefs of their Additions, we are apt the more to fufpedi that Church to be but a Step-mother unto us, who will call: us out of her care and family for fuch things, which fhe, thinking to be indifferent, might without prejudice relax her Commands concerning them: but we, thinking that our Father hath determined or com-* memded other wife 3 cannot yield her our Obedience in them. Is not

this,

this, as much as lies in that Church, to deftroy them for whom Chrifl died ? and to be fure it is far from endeavouring (which yet is her duty) by all means to fave fome.

It is our unfpeakable comfort in the mean while., that he whom we ferve, and who is our Trince and Saviour, hath a Goodnefs towards us, anfwerable to his Tower over us : the one without the other would but fpeak us as miferable as now we may be happy. Chrijl in all his Commands did not conilder only the •« ^o-^jttw, but the -to av^dmnv, he did not enjoin us all, which as God he might have done > but he commanded us fuch things only which we, as men, could bear, and might be benefited by.

As for the power which the Pope alTumes unto himfelf, to difpenfe with the Laws of God } it is far above whatfoever our blelTed Redeemer adumed, who profefs'd that he came not ta dejlroy the Law, but to fulfil Mat. $.17. it. But thus the Pope fulfils what was prophefied concerning him, that he fhould oppofe and exalt himfelf above all that is called God. 2 Thef.2 4. ~*

Yet this opinion of the Topes or Churches Authority, (though fome-what diverfiriedj is fuch a darling opinion amongit them, that could we believe and pradtife all that their Church propounds, or commands at prefent, unlefs w T e will become dMtfcu <s*\oi, fuch voluntary Slaves as'to let our ears be bored, and henceforth never to queition their dictates j nor difobey their future Commands, it would not avail us towards any Communion with them : for (faith BeUarmine) whofoever will not be fid by Peter , that is, learn of him and h'vs Succejfors (the *?£ verbo Dei, Topes) as judges and Determiners what he is to takf for matter of Faith, r t p?\ and what is the fenfe of the Scripture, is none of ChrifCs Sheep. And the very Form of their Church (which makes it Antichriftian as much as any thing) coniifts in this manner of Government. This is the Center of Unity : from the Pope as ordinary Paftor of the Univerfal Church, as from the Head, all life and motion is conveighed unto every individual Member.

But fuppofe this Authority or Power to be more dirlufed , and to be ;

fubjedlcd not in the Tope alone, but with his Confijiory, or Council ', yet we cannot think that they will ever yield ought unto us, had we truth or right never fo much on our fide: for whilit they hold their Church to be infallible, and that (he cannot decree amifs in any matters of faith, or .practice, we can never rationally hope for any redrefs. For fo long as they maintain their Churches Infallibility, they will not alter nor re-fcind any one thing, (were it to fave the whole WorldJ) for if they do, their Churches Infallibility is gone for ever *, and it is by that Craft that they have their wealth.

This then being the cafe between us, and the Church of Rome, that fhehath feparated us, and cafe out our Names, not for any opinion or practice that (he can charge us with contrary to the Word of God, or the Duty of Chriftians 5 but rather for keeping the Commandments of-

P P P Go:}.

Mat. $.11,12

Joh.9.35.

Tratefiants feparated for Chriii's Names fake. Serm. XIV.

God\ and the Faith of J ejus. We may rejoice and be exceeding glad (as we are bidden) that we are thus reviled and perfecuted for the Son of Man's fake : for not only our reward jhall he great in Heaven, but here on Earth too. For as our Saviour found the blind man after he had been caft out for confelfing of him, and imparted unto him a more full knowledge concerning himfelf \ fo Chrift hath found the Proteftant Churches, and afforded them his prefence and care, communicating his Light and Love unto them •■, and nothing is more to be bewailed than that thfcy have not been anfwerable unto fuch mercy towards them. We may truly fay that God hath turned their curfe into a blefling unto us : That' Brutum fulmen ( their Thunderbolt of Excommunication ) hath not hurt one hair of our heads, much lefs hath it entredinto our fouls. For Dr. Hammond zslhomas de Curfelis in the Council of Bafil did well obferve, though (of Sckifm.') Chrift fays, whatfoever thou (halt hind on earth, (hall be bound in Heaven , he doth not fay, Whatfoever thou (halt affirm to be bound pall he fo. And as the Excommunication of the Jewifh Sanhedrim, denounced againft Chriifs Difciples, brought them fo much nearer unto their Lord and Mafter, and aliened the Jews themfelves, removing them fo much farther from the Kingdom of Heaven : fo do all unjuft Cenfures unite us to the Apoitles, &c by this conformity with, and participation of their furTerings.

As for what the Church of Rome doth fo frequently triumph in, and How out of the thinks to fcare us with, viz, ihat out of the Church there U no Salvation: church there is It is to be confidered,

no Salvation. j xhis to be true indeed of the Catholic\Church. Taking it not as

they do, for all them, and only them that are under the Paftorfhip of the Pope, but for all the real and living Members of Chrift : for they only are truly his Body, that are enlivened by his Spirit. Thus the A-poftle joins them together, Epb'ef.4.^. 'There is one Body, and one Spirit j and elfewherehe fays, that unlefs the Spirit of Chri[i be in you,you are none of his.. As every member of the Body, and only the members of that Body are a6red by the fame Soul *, fo is it in the myftical Body of Chrift too: And it is the concern of all to obtain the Spirit of Chrift, and to live the life of Chrift, without which they cannot obtain Salvation by Chrift, who is the Saviour only of his Body.

2. We acknowledge that it is every ones duty to join himfelf unto, and not caufleiTy to depart from a vifibh Church that profeffeth the Faith, and keepeth the Inftitutions of Chrift: Everyone ought to enquire where it is that this great Shepherd feedeth, and mabgtb his FlocJ^ to reft i and every needlefs departing from fuch a Church, does endanger Salvation, in that it makes a man truly guilty of Schifm , whith is a great fin againft Charity, fo highly recommended unto us: as alfo in that fuch an one withdraws himfelf from thofe Societies an3 Meetings. Matth.i8.io, unto which Chrift hath promifed his prefence , and God beaows his

bleffing*

3. But

Rom.8-9-

Cant. 1.7.

Il

3. But where this Cannot be obtain'd, or is not finfully neglcdted or refufed , one may he faved without being joined to any vifible Church whatfoever. If a Pagan, or a Jew , that is imprifoned in a Country where the Chriftian Religion is not profefs'd, (being by reading or conference through the goodnels of God brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to profefs it, living anfwerably unto it) though he fhould die before that he could come to enjoy Church-Communion, we have no reafon to doubt of his Salvation ■> our Saviour having told us, Ibat whofoever believeth in him hath eternal life. Joh.6.40."

But more particularly as to the Church of Rome: for fo we call them what vet thin^ that profiling to hold the Chriftian Faith , are united in fubje&ion and co " cc ™ l "i the obedience unto that See, and do acknowledge the Pope their Univerfal ° Hrc ° l Paftor. When we call them a Churchy we mean no more than that they are a fociety or company of men, who ma\e profeffion that they are Chri-ftians. Thus the Laodiceans are called a Church , Rev. 3. 14. though they were wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked •, m

and we do not read of a found part amongft them. Thus God himfelf calls the Ten Tribes his People,titzx their defection, byreafon of Circum- Hof.4. 6. cifwn which they yet retained, and their being the Oif-fpring of Jacob. 9

In this fenie foundnefs. of Faith is no more effential to a Church, than health is to a man. And as a man-that hath the Plague or Leprofie is ftill a man, though to be iliunn'd : fo they may be thus a Church, though by all means to be forfaken. But as they themfelves take a Church for a company of true believers joined together in Communion, fo they are no Church, their Faith "being far from the Faith of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

As for the Succeffidh they fo much (land upon, and a Lawful Miniftry Yoeir Succtjfm only to be found amongli them. No Church in the Chriftian World broken. hath ever had fo many Interruptions, fufficient to deftroy, according to their own principles , the lawfulnefs of their Miniftry. How many Schifms hath there been in that Church? one of which alone lafted about fifty years: in which fpace there was not one perfon in all their Communion but w r as Excommunicated by one Pope or other, (the right Pope being ever he that had moft force or fraud) not to mention the Simony and Herefie which fome of them were fo notorioufly guilty of s and any of thefe are fufficient to break the Chain of Succeilion amongft them. For I hope that they will not allow an Excommunicated perfon to have a power of Ordination.

But beiides this, they who are ordained by any amongft them, not being ordained to the work of a Minifter, to preach or teed the Flock of Chrift, or to ferve him in the holy things of his own Inftitution, but to facrifice the Body ofChr/jifor the living and for the dead > how can they be <jofpel-Mini{hrs r This certainly is not a Gofpel-Minijlratinn, (nor hath fo much as a {hew of it) but 'tis a repetition rather of the Jens cruelty. But to prevent further Objections and miftakes, we grant,

Ppp 2 1. That

Tivo things j. That the Church oiRome was a very famous Churchy whofe Faith

granted to them, ^as fpokgn of throughout the whole World. Thus the feven Churches of Afia^ at leaft fome of them, were eminent and praife-worthy : but they can challenge no priviledge from what they have been, left the Jews themfelves come in with their pretenfions too, (who were once the only Church and people of God.) There is no greater flench than that which comes from a humane JSody, when the Soul is once withdrawn : Nor is there any thing more abominable in God's account, than that Church or Society (call it what you will) from whom the Spirit of truth (who formerly did inform and enliven it) is departed.

2. We grant that the Church of Rome had precedence before all other Churches: but I would not be niiftaken *> it hath had precedence before them, but for very many Centuries no fuperiority over them \ and this precedence which they had, was only becaufe Rome was the Imperial Citfi and Seat of the Empire. And 'tis molt like that for this caufe the ' Epijile to the Romans was put before all the other Epiftles: the place in

whicji that Church was gathered, and the perfons probably of which it did coniilt, being more eminent and confpicuous than others. But when Conftantinople came to be the Seat of the Emperour, and made, and called New-Rome , it contended for that very precedency > and to this purpofe it is remarkable that the Patriarchates and Viocefes into which the Church-Government was then divided, did anfwer to the partitions and diviiions under the Civil Governours in that Empire : which did make indeed the Ladder for the Bifbop of Rome to clime unto this height by* what they far- As for their Pretenfions to the Fope^Vniverfal^ Faftorfhip, and Supe-tker prttend un-x l0r lt y over all Churches, they had need to produce an Authentic}^ Fa-tent for it j what they have already (hewn , making nothing for their purpofe. But I (hall wave any farther difcourfe upon that fubjed, becaufe it is out of my fphere at prefent \ as alfo although we fhou'ld grant the Church otRome all her Pretenfions, &c. yet upon fuppofition, Firfr, 'that Jhe is corrupted in her Votfrine and JVorfhip. And which hovefoe- Secondly, "that fhe excludes and anathematizes all that do npt )o$n in JtrvTbenurn* t^ofe corruptions with her » (both which particulars have been proved.) We may fatisfie our felves in being parted from them , and anfwer all that they can fay with thefe two Conclullorrs. For two rta i. God never did require of us to join with any perfon or Church in their

l ons * fms \ much lefs that we fhould fin in order to the obtaining of Salvation

at his hands. God's Rule is, That we fhould not do evil that good may come of it* And were the Communion with their Church never fo ufe-ful, yet if it cannot be had without finning, it mud not be had at all. If the terms or conditions of Communion with them have any thing of fin in them, they had as good tell us that we fhould fly in the Air, or count the fands on the Sea-fhore, and in cafe we did not, that then they would not receive us into their Communion \ or that being in, they

would

i

would caft us out. For fuch things as arc morally impnflible, (as an af~ fent to any errour, or a confent to 2ny faffe worfhip mult needs bej are as unreafonably required of us % as any thing that is naturally impnflible could ever be. ' And if on this accdunt there be a Rent from them, the fault is in them that require fuch things at our hands > as, being contrary to the mind and will of God, cannot be done by us. We being innocent, nay commendable in the forbearing of them, (as the innocent per-fon is in the cafe of a divorce) mud needs be free.

2. It is fometimes necejfary to for fake avifible Church. Nay mdre, it may be neceflary to believe and ad diretlly contrary to the Authority of the prefent Church, Thus the Jews were bound to believe our Saviour for to be the Meflias, and to hear and obey him in all things, though they were forbidden fo to do by the High Priefts and Rulers, who, we know, determined concerning Chrift that he was a Seducer and a Blafphcmer. Yet what would not the Church of Rome give to have fo clear and full a Tefti-mony for her definitive Power in all Controverfies,as that Jewijh Church had derived unto it from G^himfelf ? I*eut.ij.% p.

But God never parted with his Sovereignty which he hath over all men : and where his mind and will is evident, that muft be a Law paramount unto us, though it mould be never fo much gain fa id by any other. All other Superiours arc fubordinate unto him, who is the only Lord in chief ? nay, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And as thofe Souldiers Rcv.19 i5. do but their duty, who out of a fenfeof their fworn Allegiance to their Prince, will not join with their Commander in the betraying of a Fort or Town : fo if we dare not betray the Truths of God, nor the Souls of men unto the will of any whomfoever, we doubt not but that God does approve of our fidelity unto hirn, and will fay'unto us at the lalt, WeU done, good and faithful fervants.

And thus I have gone through fome of thofe many things which we have to plead for our feparated condition from the Church of Rome, whom we have fo long , fo undefervedly fuffered under. But though they have nothing for us but Execrations and Curfes, Fire and Faggot, yet let us return our bittereft Lamentations over them , and heartieft Prayers for them. It is a Lamentation, and/hall be for a Lamentation, that fo many millions of pretious fouls are walking in paths which lead to the chambers of death. Oh that we could pluck them as Brands out of everlafting burnings. One means only I would caution againft, viz* Our becoming theirs in hope to make them ours. I might obferve how God hath blafted all fuch endeavours, and that they have more ftrcng-theneci. their hands, and weakned ours, than all the Weapons or Arguments that ever were ufed by them : and above all, God hath expreily commanded us to come out of her, and not to partake of her fins. But if Rev. 18.4. by our careful and faithful inftrudting, our meek, charitable, and holy living, we can gain any of them, we fhall hide a multitude of fins, and James $ u!r= our labour flail not be in vain in the Lord*

la

Application." In the mean time if we (hould fuffer ftill by them for well-doing,

the Text affords us Confederations enough to fweeten fuch a fuffering

condition unto us.

three ConfoU- i. In that it is but from men : When men fhaU bate you. Now we

tory inferences, know there is a Nil ultra, an utmoft that men can do. 3 Tis but to the

Body, and it is but in this World.

2. It is for the Son of Man's fxke that we thus fuffer * and if he had required greater matters of us> would we not have done them ? I am fare that he hath deferved them at our hands: befides, thefe do turn for d Tejlimony unto us of the Truth of his Doctrine, .whofe words we rind fo exactly fulfilled amongft us unto this day. Not to fpeak of the

a Cor. x. ?i Confolation which JhaU abound by Chrift in at them in whom the fufferings of Chrift do abound.

3. Chrift hath pronounced fuch fafferers blefTed : Bleffedare ye.

1. 'TisChrift's Judgment on our cafe and condition. And he, we may truly fay then, kes not as man fees. What bleflednefs in the opinion of men can there be to be bated, feparated, reproached? &c. But

2. It is not a bare opinion (though his could not be erroneous) that we are blefTed, but it is ChrirVs effective fentence: his dicere is facere. Chrift doth make them bkffed whom he pronounces to be fo •, and he can make a bleffed Perfecution. If be blefs, who can curfe ? or if they do> he can turn their Curlings into Bleflings. Well may we then con-

Pfal. 100.18. elude with the Prayer of the Pfalmift, Lord, let them curfe, but blefs thou*

SERM.

SERMON XV.

Invocation of S^ntsand ^jigels, unlawful.

Rom. id. 14. How then Jkall they call on him in whom they

have not believed <?

MY bufmefs being to fhew the fin and folly of the Papifts in praying to Angels and Saints departed , I thought this Scripture would be a fit Introduction to it. This Text alone in the learned VJher's opinion (a) will put an end (a) in anfwer to this Controverfie amongfl thofe that lift not to be contentious. I t0 a challenge fhall not dilate upon the Context, let it fuffice to tell you, that the fcope ^. ade . h y a ]«-of the Apoftle is to prove, that there was a neceffity of preaching the ["'^ T * re ' Gofpel to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews. ' He had (hewed before that * ' there is no difference betwixt them, that the fame Lord over all^ is rich unto all that call upon him , that the Gentiles calling upon him fiould be faved by him : hence therefore he infers, that the Gofpel muft needs be pycacht to them, for as it follows in the Text, Hon? Jhallthey call on him in whom they have not believed ? and bow (Jial! they believe in him of whom they have no} heard ? and how Jhati they hear without a Treacher ?

His way of arguing is fuch as Logicians call Sorites, Rhetoricians a Gradation , and 'tis very forcible and demonitrative. So alfo is his manner of fpeaking, which is by way of Interrogation, which is the more convincing becaufe it carries with it a kind of an appeal to the per-fons fpoken to: the Interrogation here is equivalent to a Negation i How Jhall they call upon him^i.e. they cannot call upon him,'tis not poilible ncr practicable^ in whom they have not believed? the Original is,f £J on whom (*0 %e hi* sa,'. there mult be a believing on him as well as in him, whom we invocate ■>> T&J ™' i. e. there mult be a fiducial trufting and relying upon him. All Supplication is founded on Faith , none implore his favour on whom they have not fome reliance h we petition no others here on Earth, we mult direct our prayers to no other in Heaven. Whoever is the Object of our prayers. mu:t like wife be the Objed of our truft. Now'tis God alone, ( who is diftinguifht into Father, Son, and Spirit) fn, or on whom we mull believe, 'tis to him therefore, and him only that we

mull

muft pray. He's accurft in Scripture that trufteth in any other, and (b is he that religiouily worfliips , or invocates any other but God alone. If Chrift himfelf were a meer man, and not God as well as man, we mould fin by believing in him, or by worshipping and calling upon him. 5 Tis" one Argument whereby we prove the Deity of our bleifed Redeemer, that the Scripture doth every where reprefent him as the Ob-)C& of Faith and religious Invocation.

This Foundation being laid, I come Cwithout farther prefacing) to raife or build upon it this enfuing Propofition.

The Propofi i'b e frattice ofrtbe'Vafijts in fraying to Angels and Saints departed

is very blame-worthy and abominable in the fight of God,

tion.

In the handling hereof I (hall firft fhew you that this is the practice of the Papifts to pray unto Angels and Saints: fecondly, that their fo doing is very blame-worthy and abominable in the light of God.

i. This is the Papifts practice. To the end I may not falily charge or accufe them, I (hall in the tirft place fet down the Dodtrine of their Church about this matter, and that as it ftands recorded in the Council

of Trent. Thus then that Council hath determi-

(c) Saniiis una cum chrifto ngnmi ned, (c) "That the Saints reigning with Chriir

»», & omtcnfs pre>hmimbm offmnti « d offeri thdr fo . jj

bash vonum at am utile eft jupphciter cos cc , i & r ii i if • * /

invocan , & ob benificia a Deo impetran- § ood and profitable humbly to invocate them,

Ar, per fill urn ejus Jejum chriftum , qui " and that we may obtain benefits of Gcd,

joins noftcr Redcmptor & Salvanr eft, « through his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord, who is

&£££?sJt' auxWm:>e :: our f on,y ^ cdeemer and s frvi° have re -

• , courfe to their prayers, aid and alliance. 'Tis

invocandi [ant Sanfti eo pod pro folate true, here's nothing decreed about the Invoca-

bominum freces afjidue faciunt mltaque ti of Ange i s (though that be alfo their com-

eonm memo & gratta in nos D:m cor. n.- \ i l -< r • ^ r . .

fen bifida \ Rogati peccatorum venUm mon practice) but here s a poiitive Prefcnption

nobis impetran! & couiliant nobis Dei about the Invocation of Saints. : Tis good and aritiam. V. plura in Catechifm. ex profitable (fays the Council J) humbly to invo-Decrec. ConciL Trident, pomif. juiTu cate them ^ tQ ^ recourfe tQ ^ prayer$ .

who befides their praying for us, are fuppofed to afford fome other aid and ailiftance to us > and what mould that be ? why to confer Grace and Glory, and every good thing. That this is intended, will appear, if you confider in the next place thofe forms of prayer that are in common ufe amongft them. And here I (hall not in-itance in thofe pieces of devotion which are muttered in private corners or Clofets, but in fuch as are read or fung in their publick Churches or ArTemblies. In the Breviary, or Hours of Sarum, (which was in greV rcqueit here in England before the Reformation) I tind many pretty itrains of Devotion ; fometimes to all the Quire of Angels in general, fometimes to this and the other Angel in particular j to Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, whom they dignirie with the Title of Archangel. But

in

in that and in other Breviaries , they are far more liberal of their prayers to the Saints 5 though they are made a little lower, yet the devotion of the Papiits is carried a little higher to them than to the Angels : to thefe, and to their prayers, aid and ailittance, they are more particularly directed, (as you heard) and accordingly they pradtife. Ot thefe they don't only deiire that they would pray for them, (as fome of their later Writers, mincing the matter , do pretend) that indeed would be lefs culpable, though altogether, as we (hall fee, unwarrantable: but thefe they formally invocate , and pray unto, and that with the fame (hew of Devotion which they ufe to God himfelf. To thefe they build Temples, ered Altars, burn Incenfe, make Vows

and Promifes, &c (d) Thefe they dignihe . (<0 s.claudi defoUtorumconfoUto^cap^ ... r vi T-.i J a ».* mL <.« tivorum liberator , returreclio mortuorum,

with the fame Names, Titles and Attributes hmn C£mm j auditu J s SHrdoYHm% [anitor

as they do our Saviour himfelf? and of thefe Unguidorum, tutor na«fragantinm y z-ia man*

they ask the fame blcflings and favours as they tim , (aim omnium in u (perami urn , &c*

do of God, and which are beyond the power Hor - Sec - uf - Rom > 6 ' die J unii -

of anv meer Creature in Heaven or Earth to , \ *-i • , fl ,■ ~ ,, ■

u ! ' " , T . ii .i (e) Qbtatt ApoftoliVn (olvite me a pec-

give. CO In particular they pray unto them ca ) is \ deftndlte Y m a p(S J s in r crni j £ dt

to enlighten their eyes, to increafe their vir potefiate umbrarum. con(ortate me, & ad

tues, to pacirie their confeiences, to pardon regnum aumum me fezducite. Omnes San-

their (ins, to comfort and fave their fouls, &c. f * Engines Dei t adjuvate me, ut habeam

:". > . r -n h • 5 rc\ u l bonam volnntatem cordis, corporis Samta-

'Tis a poor plea of Belarmine s, (j) whereby te ^ c ^ iiatm ^ & po[i m ( um vita > m ^

he attempts to defend fuch prayers, that though societatem ptrpaux beatitudinis. Ibid. the rends themfelves may feem to imply more

than a meer praying to the Saints to fray for us, CO Dc Sanct. beat. 1. i. c. 17. yet that's all which they intend. To this pur-pofe alfo a later Writer delivereth himfelf: 'lis

not, fays he, (g) the dead words, but the in- (g) Cath. no Idol. p. 402, 404. vention of the Speaker that animates them, that

ma\es them to be a Prayer. And again "5 its the fenfe that maJ{?s the words to be prayer, and not the bare characters or letters , and that the Churches fenfe is no other but to defire the Saints to obtain for us the blejjtngs exprejl in thofe forms, is manifejl from her frequent intermixing that ufual form of Pray for us, and from her publicly Vocrrine as declared in the Council of Trent, and inculcated to all the faithful in their Catechifms. To all which it may be replied, That many ufe thefe Prayers who never were inftrudted concerning any fuch Interpretations of them. And from whence (hould men learn the fenfe of your Prayers, but from the known iignification of the words ufed in them? If their Leaders did mean as fome of them fpeak and write for the better colouring and gilding over this abomination, why don't they all this while reform their Bretiaries, and Forms of Devotion, and fo frame thePe- ^j Dr SttU titions or Prayers therein , that they may be a little accommodated to Un£jlea\ i.io-this fenfe that they would feem to put upon them ? (h) A learned tatty of the pcrfon fpeaking to this verv cafe, brings the Papiits to this Dilemma: ^ hlirch °f

CLqq Ihofi* 0 ™*?' 1 * 6 '

ihofe, fays he, of the Roman Church that ufe thefi forms, and that according to the known fenfe of the words, either they do well or ill in Jo doing : if they do ill, then their Church is guilty of intolerable nealivence in not preventing of it: if they do well , then their Church allows of more than hare fraying to Angels and Saints to pray fir them.

It muft be con fed the Church of Rome hath laid allele fome of her old Breviaries and Offices, yet becaufe they were formerly allowed and enjoined, (he muft be accountable for them, until (he confefs her errour and mifrake.

Before I pafs this Head, let me (hew you one thing in their practice that deferves a particular remark '■> and that is the hyperdulia (as they call it) or the tranfeendent fervice and worlhip which they bellow upon the Virgin Mary. Her they falute and call upon under the terms of the Qujen of Heaven, the Gate of Glory, and Fountain of Mercy, and Mother of all Grace: She is zGoddefs, Saviour eft, Advocateft, Me-dicatrix, Emprefi, and what not ? For her they have many par-* In ov d ^ cu ^ ar Offices, * and to her they direft more prayers than unto God bythePoftors hi m felf. To on? Pater Nofter they are taught to fay ten Ave Maries j of Sorbon, I which being five times faid,~ makes one Kfary, or Chaplet of Prayers: find this pray- arid to the end they might not be deceived in their tale, they fay e* t( Ma!y' M t ^ iat ^' ^ ominK K C lt ma y fce one of our Ladies Chaplains) did invent only Succour.my tne u & °f ^ ea ^ s - Of her their approved and renowned Doctors affirm lips an bound many incredible things j as (i) that She being the Mother of the Son of God, to publifo no o- who doth produce the Holy Gbojt, therefore all' the Gifts, Virtues and Gra-*tr f b $ th* ces °f f % e hloly Ghoji, are by her hand adminiflred to whom Jhe pleafeth, the head of the whenjke pleafeth, how jhe pleafeth, and as much as fl:e pleafeth. They Serpent bath teach that (lie is (k) confiituted over every Creature, and whofoever doth been brmjed, the [? 01V fa ^y 1ss unt0 Jefus, doth fall down alfo and fupplicate his Mother \ fh' Powf*^ * f° f ^ at f ^ s Glory of the Son may be judged not jo much to be common with boundlefs. utto *&* Mother , as to be the fame. (]) That She ajjumes to her felf of the thee I confefs my Omnipotency of her Son,as much as jhe pleafeth, and that jhe comes (m) be-fins, into thy ■f ere t ) oe Q 0 \den Altar of Humane ~Ke conciliation, not interceding only, bur ms foul, come corNm anding, a Mijbefs, not a Servant, (n) They- tell us, lhat the

unto Mary, ye

vchich have tbirft, pray unto her, that with her water (he will wa[h away the filthinefs of your fins, &c. Q) Miter efi filH Dei qui producit S.S. ideo omnia dona vhtutis & gratis ipfiws 5. S. quibm vult, quan-do vult, qaomodo vult, & quantum vult per manum ipfim adminiftrantur. Bernardin. Senenf. Serm. 6i. arcic. i. c. 8. (k) Conftituta eft [uper omnem creaturam , &quicuJqu Jefu curvat genu, Matri quoque pronus fupplicat, & filii gloriam am Matre non tarn communem jadico quam eandem. Arnold Cam. trad, de laud- Virgin. (1) Ipfa Vn Mater de Omnipotentia filii fui , cui eft innixa quantum vult fibi ajfumit. Euft. Marial. part. n. Serm. 2. (m) Accedit ante annum human*' reconc'diationls altare, non folum rrgans fed imperans, Vominanon anciUa. Damian. Serm.i. de Nativic. B. Mar. (n) Dedit F; Virg. Rex regum Pater calefiis drmidium regni fui, quod fignlficatum efi in Hefier rjgina, &c. Sic Pater ceeleftis cum habeat )ufthiam, & mifirectrdiam, tanqiiam potior a regni fui bona , )uftitia fibi retenta wife) ecordiam Mutri Vtrgini conceffit. Gab. Bret, in Canon. Miffse, Left. 80. Si quis fentit fe gravari a for0 jtiftiti* Dei, appeUet ad forum miferecordU Matris e)m. Bernardin. de Euftis Marial. part. 3. Serm. 3. in Excellent. 4. & Pare. 5, Serm. 7. in Excellent. 5.

Hiftory

Hiftory of Ahafuerus in Efther, was a Figure of God's bejhwing half bis Kingdom upon the bletfed Virgin i that having Juftice and Mercy , as the chief eft Goods of his Kingdom, he retained Juftice to himfelf and granted Mercy unto her. Hence if a man find himfelf aggrieved in the Court of God's juftice, he may appeal to the Court of Mercy of his Mother, Jhe be-ing that ihrone of Grace whereof the Apoftle fpeakftb in the Hebrews, Let us go boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive Mercy, and find Grace to help in a time of need. -

In reCPedofher thev fay, (o) God after a (o) Propter B. Virg. J)eus quoammods in rejpeaoj per, wcy wy, v s j oblmtur nobis quam nos ^/.Bernardm-

fort is more bound to us, than we are to htm. g£ « Scrnh 6l \ ttm T . (p) She in fome refpett did greater things to q ? ^ VIhs f ecit De0i Id . ibicT. God, than God himfelf did to us and all Mankind. Co) She only faid, Be that is mighty (q) Tu fecifii ma)ora d qui poms eh hath done great things to me : but of her we &e. in Euftis Marial. part. 6. Serm. z. mav Cav She hath done greater things to him

i , ■ - i * FovfV,Pr tV»^v tp]] ns fr^ 77?it (Y) Licet ft (ub)dlcL Veo in quantum cnv» that is mighty Farther they tell us, (r ) 1 bat <, J f ^ ri / t JJ n m dulm \ n quMtum $

though jhe be fubjea to God, in as much as Jhe ^ ^ u par> l2> Serm v

is a Creature j yet is (he faid to be Supenour,

and prefer >d before him, in as much as _ (he is his ^ j m mtris impera fo it & ^ m fi !io

Mother. Hence they call upon her in a Mo Domino noflro Jc[u Cbrifto. Bonavent. Cor.

thers right to command her Son CO. Yea, in B. M. Virg. Tom. 6. Rom. Edit, A. 1588-

our Ladies Pfalter, which is made in imitation *' Pf™> Z» be **™? ? f« lix P*"?'*:

V.\Z 7 t.^t i xt c r J • P ians foltrti JM* Matris iwpera redemptoru

of David's Pfalms, the Name of God is every ' 0ra [mlicit ^ pracipe !llb ^ mter , H ift. fee.

where expunged, and the Name of the Virgin char. Auguft. de Commem. B, M. Virg. Mary put in its place. Our Lord is changed

into our Lady.- In ftead of (In thee 0 Lord,) it is, In thee, 0 Lady, I put my truft, let me never be confounded. In ftead of (Let the Lord a-rife,) it is, Let our Lady arife^ and let her "Enemies be fcattered. In ftead of (0 come let us fing unto the Lord,) it is, 0 come let us fing unto our Lady, and make a joyful noife to the §hteen of our Salvation. The . very rehearfal of thefe things is enough to make your ears to tingle, and your hair to ftand an end. Oh how patient is God in bearing with the provocations of the Papacy !

2. The fecond thing to be confidered is this, that this practice of thePapifts is very blame-worthy and abominable in the fight of God. A little reflection upon what hath been already declared, might ferve for confirmation hereof, and be in ftead of a thoufand Arguments with alUhofe who have the leaft Zeal of God's Honour remaining in them. However, (ex abundanti) I fhall attempt the proof of what I have propounded, by (hewing you, that this practice of the Romans i s :> • ,

1. Unfcriptural. It hath not any warrant from the Word of God : ' Tis Unrcr, P*J

this is acknowledged by the moil ingenuous amongft themfelves.

(0 Bannefws confettQth, that it is not taught in the holy Scriptures, nei- [$ slncloTL

aendos tuque exprejfe neque involute S. Litera decent. 2. Qu. j- Artie. 10. Lib. u

Qq q 2 titer .'

theY exprefly nor covertly, that Trayers are to he made to the Saints. Bel-fa; Dc Beat, larmine tells us, (u) It was notjhe manner under the Old Teftament to Sanair. c. s 9* fay, Holy Abraham, pray for us, dec. For which he gives feveral rea-fons, as, Ihat the Fathers were then jhut up in prifon, and did not fee (w) In 1 Tim. God, Sec. Salmeran fays the fame, and withal adds, (w) That there is *• p dl I put / 7 / nothing expreft in the Gofpels, or the Epiftles of the Apoftles touching th'u rid c 1«; TuaV matter * & would have been hard, fays he, (x) to enjoin fuch a thing on Tom 2,. in di- the Jews, and the Gentiles would have thought that many Gods were-put fput. Tho. 41. upon them inftead of the many Gods they hadforfahgn. And if they had Sea: 1. V. Ec- not themfelves confeft, they might eafily have been convinced that there chyrid. fuo are no footfteps at all of this practice in the holy Scripture. In all the , (x) Durum B°°k of God there is not one precept for praying to Saints, nor any erat id Jadaeis example of any one of God's people that ever made fuch a prayer, nor percipere, & any promife that fuch a way of praying (hall be accepted, nor any pu-Gentibus da- n iih men t threatned in cafe it be neglected. The Scripture every where pucand? mill- ma ^ es God t0 ^ ^ e on ty Object of Prayer and Invocation: how ma-tos fibi Decs, ny hundred Petitions or Prayers are upon record there, and not one of Sec. Saimer, ut them put up to any other ? When the Lord taught his Difciples, and us fu f; CtoW**' in them to pray, he directs them to fay, Our Father which art in Hea-rvben 'infirm, 'to ven ' The Scripture often expreffeth this duty by the term of praying have recourfe to only, without any mention of the Object : When you pray, ufe not vain the prayers of Repetitions: When thou prayed, enter into thy Clofet, Sec. And hereby living Saints > 'tis intimated, that Prayer in matter of Religion can fignirie nothing t'k fervent pray- e ^ e ^ ut P ra Y m g unt0 God j it is not Prayer if it be dire&ed to any other* trs of fuch were

prevalent, why were thy not directed to the Patriarchs and Prophets, to the bltjfed Virgin, to St. Steven and St. James, and other early Martyrs of the Church, whoje Prayers it fterns by the Church of Rome are highly, meritorious, and far more prevailing ? This fhonld have been the rather inculcated, becaufe it was novel practice, and never a fed by the Roman Church 5 and therefore they had need of an exprefs to encourage them to fuch Devotions. Dr. whit by'1 Difcourfe of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, p. 18&.

This being the cafe, the Popifh pradice muft needs be an abomination. God will allow of nothing in his Service and Worfhip but what he himfelf hath inftituted. 3 Tis a faying of Bifrop Vavenant^ (y) §S<* ? n Cy) That all the necejfary parts of Religious Worfhip do fo depend upon the verbo non fun* ^7/ 0 f God revealed in his Word, that whatfoever is.not founded in his

denw divin* w , h coutrary t0 Us Will. To this purpofe alfo is that of St. Amu-voluntati ad' ,. > , J . f r r . r 1 j rr • •

verfentur. Dav. \hne, (2) Veumfic colere oportet quomodo jeipjum colenditm ejje pr&cipt:

Deter. Qu.44. We ought fo to worfhip God as he hath appointed himfelf to be worfhipt. {7J De Con- jj ear wnat tn€ Scripture it felf fays, Vent. 12. ult. the Ifraelites are tent Evangel. ^0^ f rom u f m g tne religious Rites and Cuftomsof the Heathens in the worshipping of God i how then ? in what manner mult they worfhip him ? Whatfoever thing he commands they muft obferve to do, they may not add thereto, nor diminijh from it. To all which may that of our Saviour be added, Mat. 15. 9. In vain do they worfhip me, teaching for DoUrines the Commandments of men : ue, preiling mens Traditions in the room of Chrift's Infiitutions* One

One thin<* more may be contidered under this Head, that the wor-

[a) exiim adorations mis Be It jr. lellos triuwph ten ibott {halt rvorfoip the Lord thy God, and him only foal t tbnuferve. I am not ignorant of the Popifh diftincftion betwixt \dg*U and <r«xff** i the former they fay belongs only to God, the latter may be applyed to the Creature. But how often have they been told and convinced, that thefe are ufed reciprocally both in facred and prophane Writ? (b) and 0) £>ujdfi& fome of themfelves have been fo ingenuous as to acknowledge it. He ml **"&**** that firft coin d this diftindtion,was no Critick in the Greek Tongue (c), YatrUmdulta^ nor did he ever intend it in the Popilh fenfe. He himfelf confefleth, que contha ? that both the one and the other belong only to God : Ihe one is due to certe plurimis him as be is our Lord, the other as he is our God. Nor when our Savi- at WU^j™*'"' our uttered thofe words, was he delired of the Devil to defer that fer- ^ic. Scrfr!'in vice to him which they call the fuperiour and higheft Worthip, nor did Litan.2.Qu.i7 he pretend to be God himfelf, but only to be his Minifter, and to enjoy v « p -du Nj ou

. M •, , 11 r-y-»i -1 f 1 «. . ,-> . tin /-t*» nnvir

Vina me, OUlUn, JUI ** u mirn./t, j-ijuvi, jrj*** wjiyjij, *uz JL.-JII+ HJJ WI/U-, CjUIU) \J\XIX

and him only jhalt thou ferve: the word only is not in the Old Teftament iTnyiAprparum Text (d), where it is recorded', but our Saviour puts it in to (hew that ^™^ 7 ; God, and none but him, is the Object of Religious Worfhip and Service. ConcPctitian, Hence 'tis alfo that an Angel chides the Apoitle John for offering Reli- U. c.28.Core gious Service to him: See thou do it not, fays he, Rev.19.10. and 22.5). Fauft. l.zo. I am thy fellorv - fer v ant: the word is (>Va\©-,) I am thy fellow in ^V* i( dull a, he rejects that kind of Worfhip which, the Papiils fay belongs to Saints and Angels. And then it follows, JVorjhip God\ he is the only Object of Religious Worfhip. Don't worfhip one that is thy fellow-fervant and Worthipper.

2. This pradtice is irrational, 'tis not (x«#wi \otlgtUj a rational fer- 'Tls irrationaL vice: there is nothing more abfurd ■> the abfurdity of it appears in thefe two particulars.

1. Confider their incapacity to hear the Prayers that are directed to them. 'Tis own'd on all hands to be ridiculous and irrational to pray to them that cannot hear our prayers. The Text fays> Hotv Jhall rve call on them in whom we don't believe ? and I may add, How (hall we call on them who can't hear us I That this is the cafe of the glorified Spirits, is evident, becaufe, r. They are not Omniprefent, they are circumfcrib'd and finite Creatures, and can be but in one place at once. I dare affirm this of the Virgin Mary her felt: And how then (hall the hear the prayers of 100000 perfons, who it may be are praying to her at one and the fame time, fome of them in this Hemifphere, and fome in the other > and it the can't hear, I doubt me (he can't help thofe that are fo much devoted to her fcrvice* 2. They are not Qmnhpercigieuty

if they (hould hear what men fay with their mouths, they cannot per-(€) Vltrumqut ceive or underftand what men fay in their hearts. Now the mod of our hoc ragomm Prayers, (ej efpecially in our private Devotions, are meerly mental, llitsHmitibtis^ t j ie are r C0Kce pt H j*animi) fuch as are conceived in our hearts and tm aptur, plus minds * 5 yea, the molt acceptable Prayers coniift many times in thofe flak q>.am cffa- fighs and groans which are never uttered; To fay the Saints and An-iu. Aug. Ep. g e i s are p r ivy to thefe, is to deirie them. There's never a meer Crea-,*.' ture in Heaven but will confefs (as David doth in another cafe) that

(O job 14.21. f uc \ 0 knowledge is too painful and too wonderful for him. This is an in- , r cle^M.' 2,0 * comm unicable property and perfection of God, fo Solomon affirmeth, liai. 62/16. 2 C-b?on. 6. 30. Ihcu only tyoxveft the hearts of the children of men. jigufi. dun It is difputed whether the Saints in Heaven have any knowledge at Mortui xefci- a ]] 0 f humane affairs on Earth : many wife and learned men are of an fdnuTwid a- °P m * on t0 tne contrary, and fo the Scripture it felf feems to be (f). iant vivi,etiam This we may affirm with the greateft confidence, that they have no fuch to urn filii. knowledge as is neceifary in this cafe, they can neither hear nor under-A ?*(r' Lau< !-' ftand the Prayers that men offer up unto them, nor (which is alfo re-leaVirUoc. 1 " ^^0 with what mind they offer them, whether inlincerity or in gracdift. ' hypocriiie.

v. Gratian. The Papiils themfelves are greatly divided to this day about this mat-

Gloff.m 13 qu. ter^ and can neither fatisfie themfelves nor one another, how the glori-fius °decura ^ faints come to have notice of our Supplications: (g) many nice pro monuis and curious Queftionsthey have > as, Whether the Souls of thofe they ci 3 Si rebus pray to be prefent or abfent ? if they be prefent, then whether it be re-vivennurrun- a j]y or v j rtua ]ly } if they te abfent, and have information from others, mx mortuo- t ^ len whether it be from the Angels, or from God himfelf ? or if k be rum, &c. if from God, then whether it be by particular revelation from him, orby x (fays he) jo the beatifical Vifion of him ? Thus thefe 2><^/-builders are confounded great and f a ' 2nc { diftra&ed > they agree (as I hinted before) that the Saints in Hea-

mous Patriarchs A , j J °. j ., ^ ir . . ,

as Abraham ven mu ^ ® c ir >aae acquainted with our Prayers, or elie in vain are they

and Jacob did invocated: but how they come at it, non convenit inter omnes, fays Pi-not anderftand n eUo^ all are not agreed about it. Some of them are much taken with hfrvibtmrtd a conce i t 0 f aLooking-glafs in the face of God, wherein thofe bleffed tolerity hotv ' Spirits have a full view of all things pail, prefent and to come: this is can it 'be that a pretty Notion, and 'tis pity that it hath no more univerfal reception: the dead fbould but alas, (this Speculum Irinitatis vel Veitatis) this Looking-glafs in at all ta\t no- q oc j' s f ace or effence, was broken in pieces long ago , and now fome vini or inter- of their own can fee nothing in it but the folly and rafhnefs of thofe that meddle with invented it, without any warrant in the Word of God. Cajetan, aflifting them ? Gabriel , Durandus \ Scotus , Occam , and a many other great f C ) See Doctor Natfaes, will not be beholding to this Imaginary Glafs. Nor will that white'* Ve- : Text, In thy light we (ball fee light > nor that faying, (qui videt viden-finct of the true tern omnia is videt omnia) He fees all things that fees him who fees all rsay to the true- tri i n g S . eflablifh the belief of it. If it were fo, that he that feeth God, chinch, p-105, fceth whatev£r is in Go ^ anc j whatever God feeth,. then the Angels

that

that always behold his face, and look up to this Glafs,would never have ftoopt down to pry as they did into the myfteries of the Gofpel, and. needed net to have been informed by the Church about the manifold Wifdom of God : then they would not be to feek concerning any future events, no nor be ignorant of the day and hour of the Ia(r Judgment.

2. Confider what manner of Saints many of them are, whom the Papiits folemnly invocate and pray unto : they are fuch whofe Saintfhip, nay whofe exigence is very questionable. Caffander fone of their own party) makes this complaint, (b) that the people do now almofv defpife (h) Confiit. de tbe old Saints, arid ferve witb more affetliontbe new, wbofe bolinefs is lefs *rric.religionJs i certain i yea, tbere are fome of them, of whom we may juftly doubt wbe- C J?\ ** m ff}i* tber ever tbey lived in tbe world, 1. They call upon fome of doubtful $**% ' Uj ' Saintthip or Holinefs, who in ltead of reigning in Heaven, are frying it may be in Hell. He mud be of an eaiie belief, that can be certainly perfwaded that every one whom the Pope Canonizeth , and putteth into the Lift of Saints , is fo indeed. The Romanics them-felves (i) acknowledge that in a matter of faVt bis tnfillible Holinefs may (») Tb, Jj bemijiaken, and that tbere may be an err our in tbis very bufinefs ofCanoni- c ^ ttari -> zation. And fome are ftrongly of opinion that the Pope was out when he Canonized Tbomas Becket Archbilhop of 'Canterbury, and commanded the people of England, annually to celebrate tbe day of bis pajjion, and that by Prayers to bim tbey fbould endeavour to merit tbe remiffion of their fins. Now this Tbomas, for ought that can appear in his Hiftory, and that as related by their own Writers,^) was a proud Prelate,2md a Rebel 00 M*brigtxf; to his Prince: One that had fet the whole Nation in a flame to defend cU r l?'/**"' z ' the Popes quarrel againlt the King, and when he died was rather the AwaLad <Z. Pope's , than God's Martyr, feeing he died not for the Faith of Chrirt, 1163. but for the Defence of the Popi(h Tyranny and Ufurpation. ^Tis a good diveriion to read his Hiltory as it's fet together by Doctor Patrick^ in his Reflections upon the Devotion of the Roman Church, there you may rind what a kind of Saint he was, and what Devotions the people by thoufands paid to his Shrine. Yea, the people were fo devoutly affected to this new Saint, that in refpect of him, they fcorned to have but little Coniideration of the bleffed Virgin, or of Chrift himfclf: for there being three Altars in the Church of Canterbury, one to Chrifr, another to the Virgin Mary , and a third to this Su Tbomas, the Offerings at his Shrine came to about a thoufand pounds, when thofe to the Virgin Mary came not to five pounds, and to Chrift nothing at all. The people were the more encouraged in their Devotion, becaufe of the lying Legends and fabulous Miracles that were reported to be wrought upon thofe that did invocate and pray unto him. One pleafant ftory may not be omitted, and it is of a little Bird chat was caught to fpeak, and could fay St.ihomas. It happened that this E rJ fitting out of his Cage, was feiz'd by a Spar-Hawk, who being ready to devour it, tho

Bird

fO ?$iv> H Bir4 cryed St. 7^cmas 7 St.Tbomas(l): whereupon the Spar-Hawk fell

Tw^pjon. c * own ^ cac ^ an< ^ f ^ e P rett Y Bird was faved alive. Now, fays a devout Author , ( and doubtlefs his inference is frrong and concluding) if St. Thomas of his great Grace beard and help this -poor Bird, much more will he hear a Chrift ian man or woman -that cries to him for help and JucC'iur.

Let me in fiance but in one more of their Saints , ( the Papifts will be very angry if they hear I call his Saintlhip in queftion) and that is St. Francis the Founder of the Francifcan Order, He's no ordinary perfon with'them: his Admirers parallel him with Chrift, in the Prophefies that were before of him, in his Birth, Life, Temptations, Dodtrine, Miracles, and what not ? This and a great deal more may be read of him in his Book of Conformities, which was not long

Cm) A/Cisfo. || nce ( m j publifht with allowance. Of him, (n) one fings, Qui

(j\) T&felUne. Yrancifcus erat nunc tihi Chriftus erit.

Francis he was won't to be, Now he (hall he Chrift to thee.

(o) Eonaven- Another great perfon (o) fworeat Taris, it was revealed to him of Tw?Q™ti aS God ' that St *J ohn ( b y the Angel that had the Seal of the living God p'iced under his m the. Revelatioy) meant np other than this St. Francis: yea, fuch is yiclare. their efteem of his InterceiTion, that they prefer it to Chritfs, and fay,

(Chriftus oravit^ & Francifcus exoravit) Chrift harii pray'd, Francis hath obtain'd.

And yet who fo reads the aforefaid Book of his Confoimities, and Bonaventure of his Life , and other Chronicles and Records of him under the Papifts own hands, will foon find that he was a ftrange kind of Saint, nay, that he did a multitude of things hat argued him deltitute of common fenfe. What will you fay of a man that (hall preach to (p) wadding, Birds and Beafts,and falute them kindly with faying, (p) Brother ZW 5 and ^.1112,11.30. Brother Beaft ? What if you mould fee a man taking up the Lice that 5 1 fall from his Garments, and putting them on again, for fear it may be

^7annf c iis Zlt °^ wr onging or diilodging thofe poor innocent Creatures ? What can be raid for cutting his Garments in pieces, and then giving them away ? unlefs it were that he might give to the more. What will you fay to his tumbling in the mire } unlets it were a ilgnificant C -jremony. And to his making Crucifixes of Morfar as Children do es of Dirt, with his own hands ? Once more, what (hall one think his making a Wife of Snow, and of his embracing her to allay his ami and luftful heat ? Thefe, with many more fuch ridiculous a&ions, (hew him to be a Bedlam brain-iick Creature i and though by me he mall be no farther cenfured, yet I fee no reafon why he fnould be Sainted, much lefs why he (hould be fo blafphemoufiy magnified and adored. 2. They invocate fome that are of dubious .^uence, as well as

holinek

holinefs. As they have many fufpedted , fo they have many feigned or fabulous Saints in the Church of Rome. What Chrift faid of the Samaritans, may as truly be faid of the Romanifts , Ihey worjhip they know not what, yea they hjiow not who. Who would imagine this people fhoufd be fo blinded and befotted as to wor(hip and invocatt imaginary Saints ? In the aforefaid Breviary or Hours of Sarum, (q) I rind (ti Et fic.ufum St. Chriftopher prayed unto whom they (uppofe to have been a Giant of himaflum ' a prodigious ftature •, Mantuan fays (r) he was many Ells high. Lu- (r) L.i.Fafor. dovicHS Vives fays, he faw a Tooth of his bigger than his Fift. Of him it is reported that he carried Chrift over (marinum flumen) an Arm of the Sea, and at laft became his Martyr, as well as his Bearer. Another Office you may there rind to the three Kings of CoUen (f), who are in- (Q hot. [ec. vocated by the Names of King Jafpar, King Melcbior, and King Bat- *(w Sanm & thazar, and are intreated by the King of Kings whom they merited to fee f ec u f um Roman, crying in his Cradle , to companionate their Suppliants in their miferies. (t) A farther Office may be there feen for the mod holy Vrfula, and (r)r.Brcv % the eleven thoufand Virgins , her Companions, who were all Martyrs. Rom - nf*™*' The Hiftory of thefe Virgin-Martyrs is variouily reported by their own h^.Yi*//** Authors, the mod agree that they were killed at CoUen by the barbarous f eCt 1{ r, ' ant j q , Hunns , where they were all interr'd, and many of their precious Re- Ecc. Rom. liques are referv'd to this day i and it did not a little encourage them in their Martyrdom, that Chriit had fent his Vicar amongft them, Pope Ciriacus , to abfolve them from their (ins, and to die a Martyr with them. Others indeed report otherwife concerning them, and we He-reticks in fuch uncertainties mult be excufed if we doubt whether ever there were any fuch number of Virgin (u) Martyrs or no, and do think 00 ft tkeGol; the Church of Rome ridiculous ( to fay no more at prefent) in confer- den Lt i end ring on fuch Imaginary Saints Religious Worfhip and Invocation. I Lond!A*i$<2. could in (lance in many more fuch like Popifh Saints, (w) as the Seven the company u Sleepers, who flept in a time of grievous Perfecution 362 years, and wade 26000' afterwards in the Reign of Jheodofius awak'd, and are defervedly wor- y £ Buv 'J ec -fhip'd (one would think) in the Church of Rome. Anil St. Longmus j^ &. ^Tr^ (x) the Souldier, that with his Lance piere'd our Lord Jefus upon the Smpnk.i$n Crofs, and being alinoft blind, with the fparkling of that Blood, imme- ( x ) B^v.Rom. diately received his light, and believed j and being inftrudted by the am< ^ ^ imu Apoftles, forfook his Military Profeliion, and lived thirty eight years I<; ' a Monadick life in Capadocia j and was at lad martyred for the Chri-ftian Faith.

Whoib confults the Roman breviaries, will meet with many more of this fort > yea, with fome that their own Authors call Symbolical Saints, which yet are worfhipped and invocated with the greateit formality; but enough of this fecond particular, that 'tis an abfurd and irrational fervice.

3. This pracT:ice is Idolatrous. The Romanifts are much offended 'Tisldolatrons at this charge: Any man (y) (lays a late Writer) of common nafmy}. 0 °

Rrr would ^ vm%

r

530 Invocation of Saints and Angels, unlawful. JSerm. XV.

would thinly it were as eafie to prove Snow to be blac\, as Jo innocent a praUice to be Idolatry. • But it may be he is mjftaken. It is agreed on all hands that Idolatry, in the proper norion of it, is a giving that worfhip and fervice to the Creature, which is due only to God : yea, though (YRom.i.15. mcn worfhip God, yet if they worfhip a Creature alfo, they are Idola-cZtonTfed ters ' ' The A P oftk (&) re P roves th °fe that tPorfhifpd the Creature prJtcrea Crca- (™e£ *** *w»**0 be fides the Creator. And this was the Idolatry of thofe turns coluerunt that Shalmanefer fent to inhabit Samaria, (a) they feared the Lord, and fie jwe^ ?[&-femed other, or their own gods. Now that the Papifls give religious Gaf/. 1 C ° r ' 3, worfhip. to Saints and Angels as well as unto God, is evident by their Wiftn.17.33 own profeffion and practice: only they think they may help them-

felves out with the aforelaid di&inclion of (b) 732 fervir^ modo verba *&&*»+ mo- (b) Latria and Dulia , the verity of which we do verbo h* 7S m indiffmntur fit verfum. nave a ] rea a y feen. To the fame purpofe is that Conferluc./i. 8. cumDeur.6.13. & 10.20. j :a; n. ] r^ > cr s , ; . Wl

iccmAft. 7.6,7. cum Gen. ij. i£ idem dilhndion of theirs, of fupenour and abfolute Septuag. indifferenter verterunt , per vocem Worfhip as due to God , and inferiour and re-xtfrfX** reddiderunt, Exod.4.23. & 23.15. lative Worfhip as applicable to the Creature*

Dcut.tf.13, & 10. iz 20. & 11, 13. Jofh. whereas if, by inferiour and relative, thev 24. i«. ludeao.itf. Pan. 6. 20. per vocem . ,. .' ' n . . V y ^

Adreddiderm Deuc. 13. 4- Judg. 2. 7. ™ can r religious Worfhip , as they muft do if iSam.7.3. & 11.11,20,24. 1 King.16.31. theyfpeakto the thing in queftion, then we 1 Chron. 28. 9. Pfal. 2. n. & 100.1. cum anfwer , that there is no foundation for any mitts atiis. Laurent. Valla. inAnnotjuis foch difjindlion in the wkole Book of God. in c. a. Maltha. Evang.fule probat mbiltn- A -, . ■■, ,j , af > , , A . . l VJUa « terefe inter «**&«»& xdj*/'« r idqut fretm And it would have ftood the Amans m great authoritateprincipim Grtcorum. Head if it had been then invented , for by the

help of fuch a diftindtion they might eaiily have enervated the force of the Apoftle's Argument, whereby he proves the Deity of Chrift, becaufe the Angels of God are enjoined to worfhip him. To this they might readily have replied, That the Text intends a religious W T orfhip of an inferiour degree, fuch as may be given to the mofl excellent Creature. If the Socinians now get this by the end, they may thank the Papifts for it.

Here let it be farther confidered', that the Adoration and Invocation

of Saints and Angels in the Church of Rome, is not only Idolatrous,

but it is in imitation of the old Pagan Idolatry, and a manifeft reviving

of their Dodrrines of T>£mons, which is foretold in Scripture as that

which fhould fall out in the laft days amongft the degenerate and apo-

ftatizing Chriftians. - So the Apoftle tells us in 1 Tim. 4.12. "That in the

(e) The Geni- latter times feme pall revolt from the Faith , giving head to feducing

tive f**iMvion t Spirits, and (Akkun&iMug JbujMviw) Dotfrines of Devils, or Demons '•> that

l pafiivelyfartbe 1S > ( c ) Oodtrines which they are Objects, rather than Authors oL

object of tbefe Doctrines concerning Demons, as Dodrines of Baptifm and of laying on

Doctrines. See of hands, and of the Refurreixion of the Dead, and of Eternal Judgment^

thS Aft Heb,<5, are Dodtrines about and concerning all thefe. Now what thefe I>£mons

Tit.*. 10. Gal" were, an d what the Heathens Dodtrine about them was, may be read

2*io.jfo[.M*di. a* large in Mede's Apoftalie of the Latter Times> (a Book which the

Papists

Papifts never cared to meddle with) there the Author hath made it ma-

niieft, that the Gentiles Idolatry, and Theology of" Damons, is reviv'd

and re-infore'd in the Church of Rome. They fancied that their Da~

mons were an inferiour fort of Deified Powers , that flood in the midft

between the Sovereign gods and them. The Sovereign gods they fup-

pofed fo fublime and pure, that Mortals could not, might not approach

to them : therefore they introduced this middle fort of Divine Powers

to be as Mediators and Agents betwixt them.

* Thefe Demons or Mediators were fuppofed * Platonici opinantur quodDamomMt*

to be of two forts, fome were the fouls of men diator " San ^- ™" r . D "s & homines per

who were Deified after their death 5 the Cano- *T A f g ^g" ***{" *™*« ******

nizing of Heroes and deceaied Worthies is an- Dhi qui calefies femper babiti y & qui in

cient indeed, 'tis older than the Papacy: Rome cesium vocati. cic. de legibus, l.i.

when 'twas Heathen had a cuftom to Canonize

their deceafed Emperours, and call them Divi

or Saints too. We read of Divus Auguflus as

well as of Divus Auguftinus. Another fort of

Damons (d) they had, which were more fub- (d) Vh.ta.rch. de defect, oracul. ApaleiusC

lime, which never dwelt in mortal bodies, but Sancias eft & [uperius aliud, au^fliufqae

-were from the beginning always the fame. This ?1?T*? ge ™% ft *"K *l m ?t ° —

r 1 r c %* j t_ ri r pedibus & noxibus Uberi. Ex bac judhmiori

lecond fort of Damons doth fitly anfwer to v*mor,m copiaautumat Plato fingnlis homi-

thofe Spiritual Powers we call Angels, as the bus U vita agenda tcftes & cuftodes fingalos

former fort doth to thofe which with us are ###*•*

called Saints. To thefe Damons they built „ ,£*<% Vm "» M 0»f£ 1*11% J*SL „. . 1 • r 01 • it-, J i. pat eras hbaie Jovi precibuquevocate Anchi-

i emples ? their Images, Snrmes and Relicues, f en rwitorem.

they religioufly adored : fo that in many re-

fpe&s the Pagan Idolatry was a pattern of the Popifh Idolatry, the one is exactly parallel with the other, it hath a great affinity to it, and its very foundation from it. I know that it will be objected that thofe Damons or inferiour Deities of the Heathens were the fouls of wicked Men and Devils, whereas thofe who.are invocated and adored by the Komaniits are the Spirits of juic Men and Angels. To which I anfwer That though in that refpecr there be a difparity, yet the Objection hath no force, becaufe the Idolatry of the Heathen did not lie in making an ill choice of the Damons they wor(hipped, but in giving that religious * Worfhip to a Creature which was due only to the Creator. Let him be a good or a bad Angel, a juft or a wicked perfon , fo long as he is a Creature, 'tis Idolatry to defer religious Worfhip or Invocation to him.

Before I conclude this point, let me give you the opinion of one of their own way upon this matter : his words are thefe: (e) Many Chri- 00 MM chri -ftians do for the moftpan tranfgrefs in a (rood ttiinv , that they worths the *'**? in n b *'

Vivos VJvafae mm alihr venerar.tar ' quam V'am nee video in multis quid fit difaimtn iJ!i '

mm de Sanctis, & id quod Gentiles patabant de Viis fuis. Lud. vir. noes in Aug. de civk. Dei 1 8.

f, 27. Edit. An. 155;. , fc

Rrr 2 He-

He-Saints and She-Saints no otherwife than they worfhip God j nor do I fee in many things wherein their opinion of the Saints doth differ from that which the Heathen had of their gods. What Proteftant Heretick could have fpoken more plainly ? To carry on the allufion, confider how the Heathen had their Tutelar gods for Countries and Cities 5 in like manner the Papiits have rheir Saint-Patrons for particular Places and Nati-* ut May urn ons > as * St. George for England, St. Patrick^ for Ireland, S. David for Latiificnos te Wales, St. fames fof Spain, St. Dennis for France, Sec. The Hea-Swfj*^' tnen did appropriate particular Employments and Offices to their Damons or Deities > fo do the Papifts to their He and She-Saints: only (as one obferves ) the Superftition and folly of new Home in this exceeds that of the old, that they could content themfelves, with JEfculapius^ ■ only in all matters that related toPhyiick and Difeafes « but thefe have almoft as many Saints to invoke, as there are Maladies to be cured s one " %\ s' Aga i| ia * ^ a * nt ls &°°d ^ or ^ ore Breafts (gX another for the Tooth-ach (h), a nia. P ° ° tnu "d for Feavers (i), a fourth for Inflammations (1^), and fo on. Nay, (iy S. SigT- in fome cafes they will not trull: themfelves in the hands of one Saint mund. alone 5 as for initance, in cafe of the Peftilence they join St. Koch with (yS. Anthony g n Sebafiian for furer aid. The Heathen were wont to invoke Lucina in the Pains of Childbirth, but the Papiits think St. Margaret to be the better Midwife \ and St. Nicholas now in their eiteem hath as rrachj or more power in the Seas than ever Neptune had. ' TiS v, ll -|? ri0US 4" "^is practice is injurious unto Chrift. It intrencheth upon his OYg&d tam Mediat ° r Y Office, and doth manifeftly rob him of his (I) Royal Prero-p v opiumchiifti gative, which is to be the one, and only Mediator betwixt God and quam hdi-eca- man. Hear what the Apoille fays, 1 lim. 2.5. "there is one God, and turn apud Drum one Mediator betwixt God and man , the man Chrift Jefus. One exclu-tlZ^ytJ ' lH lively., one, and but one. In this Office Chrift hath no Sharers or Pait-AmbroO in ners. As God is but one , and there is no others to the Mediator is Pfal.39. but one, and there is no other. The Papifts may as well fancy many

Vro quo nulliis f u bordinate gods, as fubordinafe Mediators betwixt him and us. lam ipfe'plo mni- n0t ignorant of their diftin&ion, how that there is but one Mediator of bus, hie mm Kedemption, but there are and may be many Mediators of t Intercejfion. -uerufque Medi- T.o which I anfwer, That the Scripture knows no fuch difference or ater eft, tag. diftin&ion of Mediators j and in Chrift they are one and the fame thing °, L. 2.' V^Tnd m tms ^ e intercedes that he hath fatisrled for us, and 'tis in coniidera-in the fame tion of his death that God receives us into his favour. And if the di-place; The mu- ftin&ion be admitted, the word between (in the Text forecitedj doth fa'*h % aytr f 9 evidently (hew that he rather fpeaks of a Mediator of Interc.llion : for the Mmkrs ' tls improper to fay that Chrift is a Redeemer between God and man >

which yet labour upon the earthy ought fo afcend up to the Head, which is gone before into Heaven, in whom we have the rtmiffion of our fins. For if St. Paul were a Mediator, the other Apoftles would be fo alfo, and fo there would'be many Mediators, which would not agree with that which Ufewhere he faith, That there is one Mediator between God and man. '

and

and yet that we may know that he doth not intercede for us only by his Prayers^ but by his PaiVion and Merits alfo, 'tis added, Ibat he .acme himfelf a ran font for us: and in the 1 Jhhn 2. 1. when Jefus Chriit the righteous is fpoken of as our. Advocate, 'tis presently added, that Ik is the -propitiation for our fins j which (hews that his Interccffon coniifts in his being a propitiation for fin. Ibe High Prieji under the Law was a Figure or Type of Chriit in this refpeel, for he was Typically a Mediator both of Intercellion and Redemption. There was no other ordinary Mediator of Intercellion but he j and hence it is that he went alone into the Holy of Holies to offer up Incenfe unto God j he had no Partners with him in his Office. So jefus Chriit is entred alone into the Holy Place not made with hands, to wit, Heaven it felf, to appear in the prefence of God for us. In the Tabernacle of this World, (as it was in the rirft Tabernacle) there you may happily find many Priefts whom you may employ as Agents for you with God i but in the fecond Tabernacle, which is Heaven , there is but one High Pried that hath to do in that Holy Place, but one Agent do deal with God for you. There is but one Advocate admitted into that Court to appear for you, and plead your Caufe. 'Tis neceffary for the conftituting of an Advocate or IntercelTor for us in Heaven , that he be Commillionated and Deputed by God unto that Office =, he mult not arrogate or take it upon himfelf, unlefs he be called thereunto. Now this Qualification doth fuit with Chrift and no other \ no Saint or Angel had ever any Corn-million or Deputation from God for this fervice j to which of the An- • gels or Saints did he ever fay, Sit thou apmy right band, receive the De- -votions and Petitions of-Sinners on Earth, and prefent them to me in Heaven ? I have read indeed that Angels are deputed to be their Guardians and Miniilers, but not to be their Advocates and Mediators.

One thing I would add which deferves our Confideration, that thefe Pophh DiiHn^uifliers do make the Saints in Heaven to be their Mediators of Redemption , as well as Intercellion : for no Petition is more frequent in their Offices to the Saints," th^n that by their Merits, as well as Prayers, they might obtain fuch and fuch blellings here, and eternal Life hereafter. If it would not tire you , I could treat you with many .' fcores of inlcances: For a tafte , let me give you a piece of a Prayer to one Etheldred an Englifh Saint, and 'tis in thefe words: (m) Lool^, 0 ( m ) q om(s mojt Gracious Virgin, upon our troubles which rve dtfervedly fiittain, and San fit & Sun-by the Merits and Interce^ion of thy holinefs , both appeafe the anger of' &f D&fifwt* the Judge whom we have offended, and obtain that pardon which we have ur -J cl ^a° not deferved. But above all, commend me to one of our Country-folk, vcftrdpervenirc and that is the honeft man I named before, even St.Thomas Beck^et,whofe valtam ad.-.-blood thev fuppoied of old to be as Sovereign as Chrilt's himfelf. 'Tis *'!"? *?**?**"

Hor* fee. uf. Rom. Per tk* Sunditatis mititd & intsrceffionss iram )kdicis placa quam vffindimns* Ere\^ Sarurn, fol, xqq,

net

not enough to pray (as they do) that by (n) hU Merits and Prayers they

^ „!!*! may be tranflated from Vice to Virtues •, *W from the Prifon to the Kino-exoramm ut e- J . J J _ • 7 .. o • i r <-. ^.^

j^ mentis & dom j this they hope tor from more ordinary baints : but as tor St. Tho~

-precibusavitils mas^ they pray, (o) that by his Blood they may climb to Heaven^ as he ad virtutu, & jj as j one i^fore them. Now judge by what hath been faid, if the Saints feramr'aJTeg- ke not made Mediators of Redemption, as well as InterceiTion.

num.Brex.Szr.

in Tranfl Tho. 7 Julii. (0) Tu per Thowa fangninem quern pro U impendit , fac nos Chrifte [candere quo

'Thomas afendit,

By that fame Elood Thomas for thee expended,

Chrift, raife us thither whither he's afcended.

Jefu Chrifte per Thoma vainer 09 .Qua nos ligant relaxa feeler a, Ne Cajftivos ferant ad infer a^ .Hoftis Mundm vet carnis opera.

Dens patitur [e tnifencorditer reconciiiari propter merita & htercefftones Sanllorum^Colonienf in [ho Am-tiidagm.

I fhall have done with this Head, when I have obferved one thing more, (for the fake of which I fhall never be reconciled to rxsme) that is, they don't only degrade our Lord Jefus Chrift, and bring in Partners upon him in his Office of InterceiTion, but they difparage him too , and report that * he being a Judge as well as an Advocate, is more , inclined to feverity ', that we may expedt more pity and companion from his Mother, and the other Saints, who are more difpofed to mercy than he is. Yea , I have underftood that in fome of their Churches they have pictured Chrift frowning and cafting darts at finners, whom they make to flee from him as if they were afraid of him s and then the Virgin Mary is brought in as (hrowding of them, and interpoiing betwixt him and them. Oh unparallel'd wickednefs ! Oh ye vile and wretched Pa-pills / Have you never read what is reported of Chrift in the Scriptures of Truth ? that he is a merciful and faithful High Prieft , one that hath companion on poor fmners, as having himfelfbeen toucht with the feeling of their Infirmities. Is this your dealing with him, to difgrace as well as to difplace him ? What mean your great Doctors by telling the World, that the InterceiTion of the Saints is more available than Cp) H ^'^v his ? that (p) as he wrought greater Miracles by the Saints than by him-fciSfaui* ^> ^° often-times he (heweth the force of their Interceffion more than c. i.salmer. in his own. What was his meaning who upon this Queition, (Whether Ep. j. ad Tim. it be better to pray to God by Chrift alone, or by the Saints I) deter-termined it thus , Oratio fufa per Santlos melior eft , 'tis better to do it by the Saints \ But 'tis time to conclude this part of my Dif-c6urfe, which was to prove , the practice of the Church of Rome in

praying

* Chriiius non (olum advocates eft fed & )udex cuniia difcuffarus^ it a quod nihil inul-tum remanebit. Cum itaqne vix )u(lus ante cum fa [ecurus , qnomodo peccator ante earn ianquam advocatum acced' ret ? ideo Veus providit nobis tfe Advocata , qua mitis & juavis eft in qua nihil invemtur afperum, Amonin. part. 4. fumma TtiuL 15.

c. 2.

praying to Saints and Angels to be blame-worthy and abominable in the light of God.

It remains now that I examine the Pleas the Papiils have for this Popifli Pleas pracl'c:. You'll fuppofe they have fomething to fay for themfelvcs in for Invoca ti°a this bdialf, and fo they have. I (hall not wittingly conceal any thing of Saints * of force, which is urged*or pleaded by them. You have undcrftood already that they don't pretend the warrant of God's Word for their fo doing. Thofe of them that have endeavoured to find this practice in the Scripture, have fumbled fo lamentably that others of their own party are afhamed of them. Who can forbear fmiling to hear it in-ferr'd, that becaufe the rich man prayed Father Abraham to fend Lazarus to his aid, therefore 'tis lawful to invocate the Saints, and to dc-fire their aiMance ? There is one Text of Scripture which feems to patronize the Invocation of Angels, and 'tis fhrongly urged by fome upon that account, and that is in Gen. 48. 16. there Jacob fays, lbs An* ge I which redeemed me from all evil, blefs the Lads. Thefe words of Jacob (fays a learned Writer) are not fpoken to an Angel, but of or concerning an Angel (q\ and the fpeech is Ornriv not w&rky^w) by way C°) Mwtag:,-: of wifli or option, not by way of prayer or fupplication. But the true j" 7'"*' of anfwer is this, That by the Angel in that place we are not to under- Sa^ts'/p?^. 0 fland (Angelus Domini, but Angelus ~Dominus~) an Angel of the Lord but the Angel that is the Lord, (r) The Lord himfelf gees under (r) Mjl.gr. that Name in Scripture, He's called the Angel of the Covenant, and the irai ^3-9-Counfel of God. The Lord was the Angel with whom Jacob before had wreftled, and he was the Angel whom Jacob here invocatcd. He prayed him to blefs his Nephews, to whom he had faid a little before, I will not let thee go unlefs thou blefs me, and that was not a created Angel, but Jefus Chrifl: the Creator of Angels.- (f) The fame Jefus is ® V - Atfl3n -the Angel fpoken of Rev. 8. 3. who is faid there, to fiand at the Altar Adrian 0°260 with a Golden Cenfor, and to have much Incenfe given him that he (hould The Patriarch offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was faob joined before the "throne : This mud be underftcod of our High Prieft the Lord r ; one , with Go * Jefus Chrifl: It is He only that ofTereth or prefenteth our Prayers with who ^^ the Incenfe of his Merits upon the Golden Altar , /'. e. upon himfelf, wot dehorn for unto God for a fweet fmelling favour (t.) this e*ufe be

But what they want in the Scripture, they fay they have in the Wri- i* Ued r A W T tings of the ancient Fathers for the jufdfying of this practice, (u) Bel- dmlfa* ^

larmine fays, that all the Fathers, Greeks and Latine, teach that the Saints "'feftttbtbe r-are to beinvocated. (w) Salmeron, (x) Stapleton, and others fpeak ther tom - *■ the fame Language. Thefe kind of men, fays Bifhop VJher, have fo [**fe\* m ~

tU"S Vicca Haytno, &c. of this mind, (t) Ephef. 5. 2. Heb. 4 . 14. & 9. 14 & 13. 10. 15. N,? created Am el is fufficient for this , to receive and offer up the Prayers of all Saints, (uj Omnes Patrcs Graci & Latini docent SanCios effe invocandos. Bell, de Eccl. Triump. I. "1, c. 6. (w) Salmer. in 1 Tim. i. difp 7„ (x) Staplet. fortr. p. I, c. $. jo, Azor, In(l» Moral. Tom. 1. Lib. p. c, 10. f *

imtred

%%6 -Invocation of Saints and Angels^ unlawful. Serm, XV.

inured their Tongues to tal\ of the Fathers, and all the fathers, that they can hardly ufe any other form of fpeech j and having told fuch tales as thefe' fo often over, at I aft they perfwade themfelves they are true indeed. The fame learned perfon in his Anfwer to a Challenge made by a Je-fuite in Ireland, hath this paffage : However our Challenger (fays hej gives it out, that Frayer to Saints was of guat account amongji the Fathers of the Primitive Church for the firft four hundred years after Chrifl, yet fir nine parts of that time I dare he hold to fay, that he is not ahle to produce as much as one teftimony out of any Father whereby it may appear that any account at all was made of it: Nay, he makes it evident they were all againfl it. They that are defirous to be farther informed in this matter, may do well to confult his Quotations out of the ancient Fathers, which he hath faithfully given his Reader, and there he will (z) V. VaJUl rind them in words at length, (z) The like good fervice is done to difput. adverf . m y j ianc | ^y others. I could, if there were room for it, rill many Pages tas nligiafi ob- w ^ apP 0 ^ Testimonies and Citations, but that would fwell this ):tto traditio- Difcourfe too much. Take two or three for a tafte. nem, L. %.&p.

340. ad p. 582,. Pet. du Moulin de novitate Vapifmi. Dr. ¥ tret's Anfwer to Spencer, Sect, z, from p. M7. to p- 285 John Polyander'i Refutation of a Popish Epiftle concerning the Invocation of Saints. JZxm.Concilii videntiniper Martin Chemnit'mm^fiellum contra Hardingum, whita^cr contra Duraum,Scc,

Ignatius fwho flourimt about the 140 year of our Lord) in his Epi-

(a) 'ai jmp^'vot f t ] e t0 t h e fhiladelphians, thus writes: (a) Tou Virgins have none hut 7r& l?§u\fj%f Jefus Chrift alone hefore your eyes in your Frayer s, and the Father of Jefus feP *£'£*£. c hrift. It Teems that Chriilians in his time did not fo much as look to, x&e. ignat.Ep.6. or call upon the Virgin Mary her felf. To the fame purpofe is that of

(b) Mora srg?- Origen, (b) We muji pray to him alone who is God above all things. To i~™&2" ^ k*Pt 4ft &? muji pray, who is the Word, the only Son of God, and the tr&i%-n<T£%a firjl-bom of 'all Creatures. The Writings of that Father are mil of evi-^S^L?^" c ^ ent Tcmmonies againfl: this practice , but I have promifed brevity i .irtinms ur a eg. only kt me add this pafiage of his, That we ought not to worfhip our feU ^ n n 8 ^ nt ,V Cel " low-w or (kippers , to pray to thofe that pray themfelves. Athanafms dem iibro, P .38r, wrote as much as he about this matter, and his contending with the Arte Tom!^. 1 conn ria ™ & ave ^' m occ aG°n f° r ^ : Tne Y maintained that Chrift was a mger •ccifum,\.8. in E- Creature, and yet they prayed to hirm and he on the contrary afferted, pift.adRom.c.io That if he were creatcd he muft not be invpeated. (c) to God alone,

«&wt >9 tSto Wot kj flwfoi ayy^oi, &c. in cat.;, cont. Arrian- V. orat.4. Or'genl.8, cenr. Celfum, p. 43 2 j 433* hath this pafiage, which for the greater profit to fome Readers I put into Englifh. if Celfus will have us to procure the good will of any others after him that is God over all, let him tonfidtr,.., that as when tbebody is moved, the [hadow thereof doth follow it ; fo in lil>e manner hazing God propitious to w> who is over all, it followeth that, we [ball have all his friends, both ingtls and Saints, loving to us, for they have a fellow-feeling with them that are thought fit to find favour with God. Neither are they only favourable unto fu:h, but they yeo)\ with them alfq that are willing to do fervice unto him, who is God over all, and are friendly to them, and pray and intreat wth them : fo as we boldly fay, that when men which with refolution pi opofe unt > themfelves the bed things,do pray unto God, many thoufands of the facred powers pay together with them nnfpol^n to. "A*\«7*j nvSj^vleu. V. Cyril, in Joan, c 16.

faith

Serm.XV. Invocation of Saints and Angels, unlawful.

faith he, it helongeth to he worjhipped, and the Angels themselves are not ignorant hereof: for although they excel in Glory, yet they are Creatures^ and are none of thofe that are worjhipped, but of thofe that worftjip the Lord. And again, Becaufe Jefus Chrift is not a Creature, but is begotten of the very fuhfiance of the Father, and is by Mature the Son of God, therefore is he worjhipped.

So much for Greek Fathers, the Latine Fathers were of the fame mind. c fertullian , who lived about the beginning of the third Century, he tells us, (d) 'That fuch and fuch things he might not pray for from any other but from him of whom he tytew he Should obtain them, be-caufe it is he who alone is able to give, and I am he for whom they muft be obtained, being his fervaut who obferve him alone. Novatianus, (whofe Book of the Trinity is added to Tertullian's Works) he fays, '(e) If Chrift be only a man, why is a man called upon in our Prayers as a Mediator ? feeing that the invocation of a man is judged of no efficacy to Salvation. Why alfo is hope repofed in him, feeing hope in man is ac-curfed? A#icLagain, If Chrifi be only man, how is he prefent being called upon every where ? feeing this is not the nature of man, but of God, that he can be prefent at every place. Ambrofe in his Funeral Oration upon Iheodofius the Emperour, hath this paf-fage, ( f ) Ibou alone, 0 Lord, art to be invocated, 2hou art to be intreated to make up the want of him in his Sons. Augufiine in his Confeffions thus prays unto God, fg) 1 confejs and tyiow my foul is defied, but who fhatt cleanfe it ? or tG whom elfe*ft)ould I cry befides thee ? And again, (h) Whom Jhould I find that mtght reconcile me unto thee ? Should I have gone to the Angels ? with what Prayer ? with what Sacraments ? Many endeavouring to return unto thee, and not being able to do it by themfelves , as Z hear, have tried thefe things, and have fallen into the defire of curious Vifions, and were accounted worthy of Ve-lufons. The fame Father aiTerts, CO That in the Catholich^Church it is divinely andfingularly delivered, That no Creature is to be worshipped by the foul, but he only who is the Creator of all things. And again, f k) Jtfus Chrift is the Prieft, who being now entred within the Vail, alone there y of them that have been partakers of flejh, doth mai^e Intercejfion for us ■■> in figure cf which thing, amongfi that firfi People, and in that firfi Temple, the Prieft only did enter into the

Sff Holy

537

(d) H<ec ab alio or are non poffum, qttam a quo me Scio confecuturum,qM-niam & ipfe eft quijolumpraftaty &c. Apolcgecic. c.30.

(e) Si homo t ant urn mo do Chri[iws % quommodo adejl ubique invocatm, cum bxc hominls natura non fit fed Dei, ut adeffe omni loco poffit, &c. De Tri-nitate, c.14.

CO Tu jolm Domine invocandus es, tu rogandm ut turn in film reprefentes.

(g) Uabtt Anima qux offmdant oculos tuos, fed quis mundabit tarn t aut cui alt en prater te clamabo. Con-felT. 1.1. c.$.-

(TO Quern invenirem qui me re-conciliant tibi ? an enndum mihi fait ad Angelos ? qua prece ? quibus Sa-cramentis? Multi conintes ad te re-dire, neque per feipfos valentes, ficut audio , tentaverunt hac & inciderunt in defiderium curiofarum vifionum, & digni habiti funt il/ufionibas. ConfeiU L 10 c.42.

CO Divine & fingularit'Y in Ec-clefia Catbolica traditur, nuliam Crea-turam colendam efje animce fed tpfum tantummodo rerum omnium C\\eatorem* De quaruit. Anima?, c.34.

Ck) Chridus Sacerdos eft qui ny.-c ingreffus in intniora veli , folus ibi ex his qui carnem gefliverant intc-pzUat pro nobis '-, in cu)us rei figura. in illi) prima Populo, & in illo primo Templo unus Saccrdos intribat in San-eta Sxnclorum, pnpulus omnis for as (iabat , in Pkilm 64.

Q) Non fit ^ Holy of Holies^ and att the people flood without. Once more, (1) Tfbe-nobis religio worjhipping (fays.he) of men that are dead, jhouldhe no part of ourKe^ mrimrumquil li 2> im > heca »fc if they lived pioufly, they will not feek, that hjnd of ho~ 1 fi pie vixerum nour > they are to he honoured therefore for Imitation^ not to he adored fo) tales non qua- Heligion. rant honores^

&c. Honor andi ergo funt propter imitationem,non adorandi propter religionem. Aug. de vera religions, c. 55. £hi [applicant mortuis rationem hominum non tenent. Lact. Info, divin. 1. i. c. 18,

(^)oratio qua Thefe are fome of thofe many Teftimonies which are found in the ftmiJonfrhni Writin g s °f^ Ancients. I mall add but one more faying of him whom non porefi dele-I taft mentioned, (and it's worth our notice:) Cm) The Prayer (fays-je feccatum,fed he) which is not made by Jefus Chrift, not only cannot blot out fm, hut it etiam tpfa fit f e ff a lfo is fin. If any jhall fay that there are fome pafTages in Am-Piah/ca. IU krofe, AujUn, and other Writers near that Age, that favour this opinion or practice of invocating Saints : I anfwer, That if it be granted 5 vStti t] y iU we ma ^ 7 8 at * lcr this from it, That meer Humane Writings are no Foun--corrupted by the Nation °f our Faith, nor can any certainty be had from thofe who fpeak. Romanifls, and or write with fuch inconftancy. * Farther it is confeft, that towards many fpuriitts the end of the fourth Century, this Leaven dirfufed it felf in the Church. m fowTm The occaa ° n ma[n] Y Cas^ome upon good grounds afhjm*) was this. ' fathered upon The Chriftians of thofo times did greatly reverence the memory of the the Fathers^ of Martyrs, and did often refort to their Sepulchres, and there offered up which 1 could their Prayers unto that God for whofe Caufe they laid down their g ftances any Jd Lives * An< ^ becaufe God was pleafed to give gracious anfwers to thofe fome in this ve- Prayers, and to do many wonderful things for the honouring of that ry cafe. The Chriitian Profeilion, which thofe Worthies maintained unto the death '•> deifying and in- therefore fome began to imagine that all this was done at their fuit and ™ints\elan to me diation : yea, fome affirmed that the Martyrs themfelves appeared appear in the to divers that were relieved at the places of their Memorials. He that church \ome- would fee more of the rife of this practice , let him confult Chemnicius

"what early, the

grounds whereof were mofl flrange reports of wonders (hewed upon thofe who approached the Shrines of Mar* tyrsy and prayed at their Memories and Sepulchres* Devils charmed, Vi(ea[es cured, the Blind faw, the Lame wallet, yea the Bead revived, &o. which the Doctors of thoje times avouched to be done by the power -and prayers of the glorified Martyrs, and by the notice they tool^ of mens devotions at their.Sepulchres *, though ■ at fir (I thofe devotions were directed to God alone, and fuch places only chofen for the fiirring iPof'\eal and fervour. But whiles the world flood in admiration of thefe woJiders, men were foon perfwadedto call on tboje Martyrs as Patrons and Mediator s,by whofe power with God,and notice of things done on earth, they thought that fhefe figns and miracles appeared. Mede\ Apoftafie of the latter times. Circa A.D. 370. per Bafil. NyHen. Nazianz invoc.Sanct. inpnblicos Ecclefia conventus invehi coepit. Hi primi fuerunt qui earn ex privatis & Monacfyorum devotionibus in Ecclefiam invtxerunt. Cum enim in Rhetorum Scholis edw-cati, eloquentia laudem affectarent, orationes panegyricas declamatoriis flofculis & Khetoricis Apo(trophis y & qua [rater ea ad figuram Tr&GvwmiUv pertinent, it a exomarunt,ut opiniomm-, de comprecationibus & an--xiliis Sanblorum, qua Origenir tempore apocrypha & priuata erant, tanquam publicum dogma in immenfum .exaggerarent, & ad compellationes eorum, quoniam memoriam celebrabant, orationes converterent j atqm ita figuram orationis ad formam invoca'ionis declinarent. Cu'y.is tamen exempla nee ex Scriptura, nee ex vetuliiori&puriori Ecclefia habebant. Circa Auguflini tempora materia ilia invoc. Sanctorum inciditin poe-tas,qui invocationes Mufarum, Damonum &' Hero urn poetica imitatione & licentia ad Martyres tranftule-pnL Circa A.D^oo e addita.& infertaerat Litanise.a Greg Magno, V.plurain Chemnic.£xam..CTrid.

iu

in his judicious Examination of the Council of Trent. The progrefs of it, together with the oppoiition it met with in the Church of God, is not unknown to thofe that have lookt into the Hiftory of thofe times. Although therefore thePopifh invocation of Saints be ancient in refpedt of fome of their other Innovations, yet 'tis novel in its felf, and in re^ fpeel of true Antiquity. I (hall conclude this Head, when I have ihewd you, that not only particular Fathers, but whole Councils have condemned the pradtice in queftion. The Council of * Carthage was * Concil. Car-againft the invocation of Saints , and the Council of Laodicea did cen- tlia §-3« fure the invocation of Angels. In the 3 5 Canon of that Council, it was thus determined : (n) Ibat Cbrijiians ought not to leave the Church < n ) '0» «f« x&c-of God, and go and call upon Angels, and make Meetings, which are things £X«v ^™~ H . forbidden'. Ifany man therefore be found giving himfelf to this fecret **» •£&**$£ r Idolatry, let him be accurfed S becaufe be bath forfakfn the Lord Jefus a ™hlJS£*r\\ Cbrifl the Son of God, and hath applied himfelf to Idolatry. Theodoret owd^m ™>»«v (in his Expofition of the Epiftle to the Coloftans) doth twice mention fe*coSu£ this Canon, and declare the fenfe of it. Upon Col. 3. 17. Co) The A- dic - Can - 35-tolile f faith he) commandeth to adorn our words and deeds with the Com- (°) **t«**w4»« memoration of our Lord thrift , and to jend ttp lbankjgiving to God and » « a««</W* the Father by him, and not by the Angels. The Synod of Laodicea fol- IJ™^ ; i ™ lowing alfo this Rule, and depring to heal that old Vijeaje^ (viz. Angel- jro9<§- Sse*rf-worfhip) made a Law that they (hould not pray unto Angels^ nor forfake ^J^^'l tv'. our Lord Jefus Cbrift. And on Col. 2. he adds, (p) That this vice con- •%&*" ayfawi tinued long in Phrygia and Pifidia, for which caufe the Synod (affembled ^ ¥Jtt% in Laodicea the chief City of Fhrygia) forbad them by a Law to pray unto $S iwh %eg Angels j> and even to this day among them and their borderers, there are co' n ruk C eundeS Oratories of St. Michael to be feen. (q) Oecumenius after him hath much in cap. 2. uit. the fame words upon the fame place. (p) "&&m &

y'av to s-9-©- &>? x) cV A*Q<hv~iU owocftiv xa\v<rti t£ T&cntvcu etypkWt x} n&T8^£ruii Sec. (q) OeciUTien M.S. in C0I.2. V. Not. ad Origenis Libros cont. Celfum, p 485. Auguftine calls thofe Heretic^ that were inclined to the worfoip of Angels, DeHaeref. c $9. Epiphanius [peaks of a fort of Heretic fa (called Collyridians) fom the Collyrides, or Ca^es, which they ujed to offer to the Virgin Mary. Thife he at large refutes, and fays that neither Elias, nor John, nor Thecla, nor any of the Saints is to be worshipped* And again, God will not have the Angels to be worshipped, m'uh lefs her that was born of Anna. And again, Which of the Prophets have permitted a man to be worfliipped^ that I may not fay a woman ? Ike buffed Virgin is a choice Viffel indeed, but yet a woman. Let Mary he in honour, but let the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Gho(i, be worshipped. Tk« Mae**' w&U iryrxwuTv, Let no man worfhip Mary. Again, Mi p*>t7w -nVj &c. Let none eat of this err our touching holy Mary *, for although the tree be beautiful,, yet it is not for meat : And although Mary be mofl excellent, and holy, and to be honoured ; yet (he is not to be worshipped. Again, She was indeed a Virgin, and honourable, and not given to us (or adoration, but one who did her felf worfmp him, who was born of her in the fiefh. Epiplian. Hsref. 79, p 44^ 447,448. There alfo he exhorteth Chriftians to put en a mun-li^e mind,and to beat down iurawwr f&rixv tj/twi the madnejs of thefe women. For it feems in thofe days it was the womeni Herefe, though now it hath obtained amongfl the Romanics, both males and females. Gregory NyiTen again(t Euncmius, 1. 5. hath this excellent pafj'jgc; we are taught to underfland, that whatfoever is created is a different thing from the Divine Nature', and that we are to worfhip and adore Mo'v&« t *jctx;tw pvV-*?, that Nature only which is uncreated,- whofe charau-cr is this, Thai it neither at ajfy time began to bs, r.or ever fhall ceafe to be. The Spani'Jj Inquiftprs, Anno 1584. too^ cart the word (onlv) fhould be blotted out, Chryfoftom in his third Homily on the firff-Chapter to the Hebrews, tiatB this faying ; why do you gape after Angels ? they are

' S f f i vants

"5*0 LivcfCulhnof Saints and Jrz //, tmlu&fat. Serin.XV,.

• ■; tbeSpwif o)/, and j'! [er.t : r. : ■ ■ \' i i **r fj^w. ^ ; ;^' [lorn. 18. <?.»? tfcf £/>//?/? ?<? the

naps, he fjys r Unto w\ >m foil! tbon flee ? whom wilt thou call upon b fight for; andhelp' thee ? (ball Abraham ? bathe mil not hear thee. Shall it be to theft Virgins? but they alfo fhall impart'none of then- 0)1 unto thee. Shalt thou call upon thy Father or thy Grandfather? b:>t none of them is able to releafe or . . -■. Tbefe things covfidered, worfbip and pray to him alone who hath the power to blot out thine

Obligation, and quench that flame. Again JAom 9. on the Epiftft to the Coiolfians, he tells us, That the Devil envyiig the honour we haze to addrejs our [elves to God immediately,, hath brought in the [ervice of Angels. The Ancients were generally of opinion, that (hi Saints are not admitted in'o Heaven, and a clear fight of G-d, till the lift day; this is con ft ft by Stapleton, Defenf. Eccl. Author, cone. Whitak. I. i. c. z. Terrullian, (fays he) Ircnaeus, Origen, Chryfoftom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, TheophylacT, Am-brofe, Clemen?, Romanus, Bernard, ice. did not affent unto this fenttnee, which now is defined as a Doctrine of Faith, That the fou!s of the rigb'eous enjoy the fight of God before he day of Judgment, but did deliver the contrary jentence thereunto. And iffo, they could not be of opinion , by Beliarmine\j own Cor.-ce/fions , that men on earth (boKid invacate them, as the Komanifts now do. V. Origen. in Rom. 1. 2. $>. 47i. Aug., Tom, 8. in Pfal. z6.

Seeing then the Scripture, and the ancient Fathers , are no Friends to this Popilh Invocation now in queftion j I am the lefs concerned about thofe other reafons which they fometimes urge in behalf of it. Neverthelefs I fnall confider thofe that are molt considerable, that feem to have the greateft force in them.

Arg. 1. They argue from the lawfulnefs of deliring the Prayers of juft men here on Earth : this is, they fay, our,daily practice '•> nothing is more ordinary than to intreat the Prayers one of another : the Apo-ftle writes to the Romans^ Epbefians, Coloffians^ anddeiiresto be ailifted by their Prayers. Now if we may intreat the Prayers and InterceiHons of juft men on Earth , much more then of juft men made perfect in. Heaven.

Anfn\ 1. There is not the fame reafon for both \ becaufe the. former is required and warranted by the Word of God , and not the latter. Again, the living may be made acquainted with our defires and wants,, and not the dead j we have no way of informing them, or communicating our minds to them: they that fuppofe it, cannot agree (as W as-faid before^ about the way and manner of it. Other reafons may be ailigned why living Chriftians mould pray one for another, which won't hold in this cafe. Hereby they are made fenfibleof each others wants, iufferings and infirmities •, as alfo there is an increafe of mutual and brotherly love, which is a necefTary bond amongft Chriftians. But this is not all.

2. There is a vail difparity betwixt the Papifts praying to the Saints in Heaven, and the Proteftants deliring of the Prayers of juft men here on Earth. This may eafily be difcerned by any that have not a mind to deceive, or to be deceived. When we delire others to pray with or for us, we don't make them the Object of Prayer and religious Invocation 5 nor do we reckon them as our Mediators, but as our fellow-fuiters. See this in an inftance. One man goes to his Minifter, or godly Neighbour, and tells him his condition, and then defires him that he would drive together with him earneftly in Prayer to God for

him,

Scntt. XV. Invocation of'Saints and Angels , unlawful. j^r

him, that he may he fupplicd in the things that he (lands in need of. Another applies himfelf to one that is in Heaven, (cr it may be that he fuppofcth to be there) and with great devotion he proitratcs himfelf before him, for it may be his Image) and' then he prays, Ob bleJJ'ed St. Francis or St. Dominick, LogI^ down upon thy poor Supplicant, take pity on wf, a miferable finner •, I commend my bedy and foul to thee \ ajiji me by thy merits, fill me with thy graces , bring me to ever Lifting bap-pinefs. Save me now and in the hour of 'death>, &c. I would fain know whether the practice of thefe two be one and the fame: nay, whether there be any proportion or likenefs betwixt the action of the one, and of the other. Take the holiefx man now living in the world, (and if you believe the Church of Home , there be fome that have holinefs enough, and to fpare ) and let this man have fome of that religious Wormip that is deferd. to their female (not to fay their hdlitiousj Saints i as for inftance, St. Katharine, St. Margaret, St. Brigit, St. Barbara St.Vrfulz, or the like: that is to fay, let a Temple be built, and an Altar erected to him, let his Image be fet up, and the people enjoined to fall down before it , burn Incenfe to it, &c. kt Vows and Supplications be made to him T and that in feveral places, and in the ufual forms: I fay, let this, orfomethinglike it, be done to the holieitman living, and I am confident the Papitfs, yea the Pope and all his Cardinals would with one mouth.condemn it, and fay it were blame-worthy. and abominable.

Arg.2. This practice argues reverence and humility \ (r) r cis pride (Y) Pfmtif and arrogance to make our addrefTes" to God immediately. Here we DtiptrfmNM* feek to the King by the mediation of his Courtiers; much rather lhould ?™'*„ S J f „Z we go to God by the niterceition ot thole that are his Favourites in ) orem humility

Heaven.. ttmJicW: videre

t(i in Centurione. Salm. in I Tim. i. Difput. 7. Seel:, ulti

Anfw. This pretence or (hew of humility feems by that Text in Col. 2. 18. to have a main hand in the rirft introducing of Angel-Worfhip. And of this opinion is an ancient Writer, (f) who fays* (f) p^™** «ft** Ihev advifed of old the Invocation of An frets upon this pretence^ that the fK-*yfopvb * God of all things was invijwle and inaccejfwle, and that it was fit we ^ew^^a*!*-jhould procure his favour by the means or mediation of Angels. It was lhcodor - in by this very. Argument that the Gentiles of old defended their Vgmon^ Worlhip. This I have already hinted, and an ancient Father doth plainly alfert it, (t) lhat the Heathen Idolaters , to cover the Jhame (c) Solent ta< of then neglecting of God, were wont toufe this miferable excufe, tbat mr LP uclorer f. by thefe they might go to God, as by Officers we go to the King. Dei mi fir a ut:

excufitione, di~ centes per i(los pojje ire ad Deum* feat per Comites pervenitur ad Kegem. Atnhrof.' in c. 1. ad Romans

But the fame Author proceeds to difcover the vanity of this pretence.

'00 A l^ nun ~ I fhall give you his own words: (u) Go to, (faith he) k there any man quid tarn de- ft mad or unmindful of his Salvation, as to give the Kings honour to an m <!ut {alV'Tiiix Officer ? Whereas if anyfhallhe found but to treat offuch a matter, they immemor,utho- are juftly condemned as guilty of a great offence againft the King, And norifictntiam yet thefe men thinly themfelves not guilty , who give the honour of

Regis yindica q q £ s Name to a Creature , and leaving the Lord, adore their fehw-Cer-comitt ? cumde ±111 .7 • a l jjj r 1 i. ,

4iac re k sui va;tts ^ <ts though there were any thing more that could be reserved to God,

etiam traciare For therefore do men go to the King hy tribunes or Officers, becaufe the {mint inventi, King is but a man , and kjtoweth not to whom he may commit the ft ate of 1 ureut *£!-.?' the Commonwealth. But to procure the favour of God, (from whom no-ti*. Et ifli fe thing i J bid, and who kgows the wor\s of all men) we need no Spokes-man, non put ant rcos but a devout mind, qui honorem no-minis Dei defer unt Creatura, & relitjo domino confer ves adorant, quafi fit aliquid plus quod fervetur Dee. Nam & ideo ad Rogem per Tribunos ant comites itur, quia homo utique eft Rex, & nefcit qui bits debeat rtmpub. credere- Ad Deum autcm (quern utique nihil latet omnium enim merita novit) [uffragatore non-opus eft, fed mente devota. Ambrof. ibid. when (Jays Chryfoftom) thou baft need to Jue unto men, thou art forced fir ft to deal with Door-keepers,and to intreat Parafytes and Flatterers, and go a long way about ; '<fin q 7v 0s5 x&v TOiSTsv i$tV) fee. But with God there ?j no fuch mbtter; without an inter ceffor he is in-treated; without money, without cofl he yieldeth to thy prayer. It fufficeth only that thou cry in thine heart, and bring tears with thee, and entring in (iraightways thou may ft draw him unto thee. Serm. 7. de Pee-nitent. Tom. 6. p. 802. Edit. Savil. -And in another place, "Ogjt ymuxis $i\oto$Uv, &c. Mar^, fays he, the Philofophy or reifdom of the woman of Canaan, [he intreateth not James, [he befeecheth not John, neither doth (lie come to Peter *, but bra^e the whole company of them, faying, J have no need of a. Mediator \ but taking repentance with me for a Spores-man , I come to the Fountain it jelf. For this caufe did he ta^e jflefk, that I might ta^e the boldnefs to fpeak to him. 1 have no need of a Mediator \ have thou mercy upon me. In dimiffun. Chanaan, Tom. 5. p. 195. Edit. Savil. Again, in his fifth Sermon on the eighth of Matth; God (faith he) will not grant us fo much of his grace at the request of them

which pray for us, as wheji we our /elves pray unto him. —« In praying for our felves we do more.

with God than when others fray for ws. ■ He put o§ f the C^wzzn'itiih wo man when his DifcipUs prayed

fir htr 0 and heard her when floe her felf prayed, and faid, Be it unto thee as thou wilt.

I {hall conclude my Anfwer to this Plea of the Romanics, by pro-

pofing one thing to their confideration. Sup-pofe a * King (hould grant to all his Subjects, the poor as well as the rich,. free accefs to him, promiiing a redrefs of all their grievances upon the only mediation of the Prince his Son \ and the Prince again fhould by open Proclamation invite all freely to come to him, and proffer himfelf to be their Mediator, pro-mifing he will not in any wife rejed: the mean-eft of them. Would it be arrogance in any to accept of this offer > nay, would it not be the higheft prefumption to take another courfe ? to apply to the King by the mediation of this or the other Courtier \ The cafe is the fame here, But I haiten to the third and laft Argument*

* Si rex conftituerit certum intercefforem r,on volet ad fe caufas per alios defer) i. Ita cum Chridus fit conftitutus Pontifex & In-terceffor cur quarimm alios. V. Auguftin. 1. 8. de Civitate Dei.

Vhxrifaica fuperbia e[i velnojira vel alio-rum hominum merita Deo in oratione oppo-nerg. Chemnic.

4rg.$. The

cc

Serm. XV. Invocation of Saints and Angels^ unlawful. 543

Arg.^. The third Argument is taken from the fuccefs of fuch Prayers. This is infilled on by a late Author,

and he calls it, (n>) A convincing Argument. {7V) CathoI# no ldo] ,^ p ^ ^ Certain it is (faith he) that many and great 415. Vudla quadam cbfejj'j, adducla fuif ad Miracles have been wrought by God upon Ad~ Capdlam B. V. i% antiqua Oeiingen nbi cum

drePTes made to the Saints , that thofe who call l " anla "»t*™f ,& nvoemtur mijcmor-

•V r r , ; ; • i j j dia auxdium & liberatio Vei Faim, Villi

upon them are heard, and obtain what they de- & s . s. viabolus nihil fait motus. Cum ve-

fire. He gives feveral inftanccs , and if the ro Laura. Litania de B. Maria inchoaretuv

Reader pleafe, I'll tranferibe one of them : 'tis ^ m demnmSaunas cxpit in obfeffa turbari,,

a ftory of what happened to one St. John Va- t™ZL nZ^f? %"• *!*$*' **

- ' , , rr o c tt • 1 J*s, imagine B. Maria armta impolitic capitf

majcen, about the year 728. • He is known pMa obftffa, &tumviak cxpit cxdamare,.

" (faith he) to have been a flout AfTertor of Ah mutter quid me calcas& caput meim con-" the Veneration of holy Images i and when u * s > &c - Narratio Martini Hengerii, " the Emperour' 1 !^ Jfauricus raifed a Perfecu-

" tion (fo he calls it) for that caufe, he wrote divers learned Epiitlcs c c to confirm the faithful in the Tradition of the Church. He was then cc at Vamafcus, where the Prince of the Saracens kept his Court a»d "highly in the favour of that Prince forhisWifdom and Learning c The Emperour Leo, not knowing otherwife how to execute his fury c againft him, caufes a Letter to be forged, as from Vamafcen to him, %c and to be tranferibed by one who could exactly imitate his hand: " the Contents whereof were to invite him to pafs that way with his " Army, with promife to deliver the City into his hands. This Letter cc the Emperour (as out of friendfhip to an Ally, and dctefration of c: the. Treachery) fent to the Prince of the Saracens ■•> who no fooner 16 faw and read it, but in a brutifh pailion commanded the right hand " of Damafcen (which he fuppofed had writ it) to be cut off. Ditlum cc Factum, a Word and a Blow 7 $ his hand was (truck off, and hung up • " in the Market-place till Evening, when upon petition that he might "have leave to bury it, it was commanded to be given him. He takes " the hand, and in ftead of laying it in the ground, joins it to his Arrn, " and promoting himfelf before an Image of our Bleffed Lady , which he kept in his Oratory , humbly befought her interceffion, for the re-ftoring cf his hand, that he might imploy it in (etting forth her Son's <c praifes, and hers. This done, fleep feized on him, and he beheld "the Image of the Bleffed Virgin looking upon him with a pleaiing " afpecl:, and telling him that his hand was reftored. Which when he " awaked he found to be true, and a fmall circle or mark only remaining in the place where it had been cut off, toteftifie the truth of the " Miracle. This is recorded, it feems, by John Patriarch of Jerufa-lem, in the Life of this St. John Vamafcen.

Anfw. Do the Papitfs indeed think that this (and fuclilike pretty ftories) is a good Foundation for the practice now in quelrion ? What if a man fhould be in doubt of the truth of this, and other relations of this -kind ? We know of whom it is faid, That bis coming is (x)' after (x) sThef.a.^.

cc cc cc

the working of Satan , with all power , and figns^ and lying wonders. If I might advifc, the Pope mould put forth a Bull for the prohibiting, yea for the burning all their Legends and Hiitories of feigned Miracles : they don't gain, but lofe greatly in their reputation by means thereof. Yea, what if I (hould fay the Chriftian Religion fuffers greats ly in the World upon this very account ? How have Jews and Infidels been hardned in their unbelief of the Gofpel, and of the Miracles that -Chrifr and his Apoltles wrought for the Confirmation of it ? and all by reaion of thofe Fables , and lying Miracles that are obtruded upon the World by thofe of the Church of Rome. Repent, O Rome > repent in time of the wound that thou halt given to Chriftianity upon the (core of thefe Fables and Forgeries.

3 Tis worth our notice, and may ferve as a farther Anfwer to this (y) The Apo- pfca^ what Mr. Mede offers (y) in his Treatife before-cited, ihat the 1* ,. the Gentiles U&mon-worjhip did enter into the World after the fame manner^ \ ' it was frji infinuated^ and afterwards eftablifhed by Signs and Wonders

of the very feIf fame hjnd\ fo that the Idolatry of Saint-worfhip U in this refpeti alfo a true counterfeit of their Idolatry of T>£mons. He brings in Cbryfojhm affirming that the Vtmons of the Gentiles wrought Miracles for the Confirmation of Paganifm, and the Pagan Idolatry. 7hey of ten-times by their skjll cared Vifeafer , and refiored to health thofe' that were fick. What, (fays he) (hould we partake therefore with them in their impiety ? God forbid. He cites Eufebius alfo to this purpOfe :

cc When (fays he) thofe wicked Spirits (mean* mtfti ft vera eft Dmnitas Chrifti ; cc • thofe fhat were wor[hipped d th

H eft ea> qua cegntta , ad bonum ains re cc ° rT * \ r i • n t «n

fn-metur fyuhitr nt falja remncittw , com, names otVtmoJtjJbvr mankind brought oft

fma imprimis ilia omni ration? , qu* de c to a deifying of the Dead, they infinuatcd

Hufcens fab nominibus & imighiibus mor cc thcmfelves, and helpt forward- their errour

Uorum qKibujdamfrnis & miracults, & cc , ^r motions i n thofe Statues, which o Y acutis. fidcrn dtvwitatis operatic. Tertu!. ,, ; 9 , , T , r ' _ *

Apo!. ad Gene. cap. n. in fine. were confecrated to the Honour of the De-

" ceafed, as alfo by Oracles and curing of lC Difeafes: by means of which the fuperifitious and credulous people cc took them to be fome Heavenly Powers, and gods indeed i fome-" times to be the Souls of their deified Worthies. And thus (faith he) the Earth-Neighbouring T><emons, which are the Princes of the Air, thofe Spiritualities of wickednefs, and Ring-leaders of all evil, were on all hands accounted for great gods. And farther he adds, That the M:mory of deceafed Worthies was celebrated with great fervice, the feature of whofe Bodies the dedicated Images in every City feem'd cc to reprefent, but their Souls the wicked Daemons counterfeited by " working many wonders. Let me fhut up this anfwer with the faying

(a) 'WjLet. Q f a laborious and learned perfon, his words are thefe : (a) If it be ob-in his oynop. r 3 . *

Papifmi^p.437. Ex [olis miraculis, fine tefiimoniis verbi Dei, nonpoffe ullum- dogma probari nee hoc titulo debere recipi ipja [crip, difene te^atur^Vcm. 1 $ Chemnic. Exam. Cecilius faith of the Damons of the Heathens, Dant cautelampsriculiy morbis Medelam, opem miferis, folatim caUmitatibus, laboribus leva-wwrMj.Mimit.p.7. jetted

cc cc cc cc cc

jelled ihat many have frayed to the Saints, and particularly to the Virgin Mary, and have obtained their requefts , and therefore fuch prayers are available. We anftver, 'that is no good Argument which is taken from the event: for fo Livy writeth^ that Romulus prayed to Jupiter, ihat he would ft ay the flight of the Romans, that he might keep off the Sabines, and it was effelled. Pliny alfo reporteth, that one Helpis feeing a rampant Lion come againft him, prayed to Bacchus, and wm delivered. Like as the praying to Heathen gods is not juftifed by the fttbfequent effeUs, no more U the in-vacating of Saints, Sec.

Come we now to a conclufion. I defire in the clofe of all that thefe three particulars may be coniidered.

1. That this Difcourfe doth not deftroy that Communion of Saints which is the common belief of all Chriftians. It is levelPd againft the Invocation, not againtt the Communion of Saints. Jerufalem is fome-times put for the Church Militant on Earth, and fometimes for the Church Triumphant in Heaven, to fhew that both make but one City of God. The Church below, and the Church above, are two parts of one and the fame Catholick Church , whence it is that thofe who are fancliried, and called on Earth , are faid to be come to the fpirits of jult men made perfect in Heaven. So the Apoille tells the Hebrews, that they are brought by the Gofpel into a bleiTed Society, with God the Judge of all, with Jefus Chrifi the Mediator of the new Covenant , with an innumerable company of Angels, and with the fpirits ofjitji men mads perfecl. Both thofe that are already made perfecl, and thofe that (till abide in a ilate of imperfection, are fellow-Citizens, (as he elfewhere phrafeth it) and have mutual fellowfhip or communion one with another. They have mutual relation to one Father, and Children of the fame Father have mutual fellowfhip amongft themfelve*: they have mutual union with one Head, and Members of the fame body have mutual communion one with another : they have their animation by one and the fame Spirit, as all the Members are animated by one and the fame Soul: that Spirit which dwells in the Saints on Earth , doth bear them company into Heaven.

If it be demanded wherein this Communion coniifieth which is be- ® r '"Z are tween the Saints above, and the Saints below ? I anfwer, It conflfts ^%hnf!™ke-mainly in mutual arTedtions and communications one to another. The tber the 'saints Saints in Heaven rejoice at God's prefervation of his Church on Earth •> P^y for us, and that fo many of their brethren and fellow-fervants are daily fitted for ,r *l f *' y *' Heaven , and tranilated thither, whereby their bleffed Society is in- t bem I it froze created. The Saints above may alfo pray and intercede for thofe be- thing fo tyo* low: for though the Papifts confound thefe two, (as they do other *&attbts* ; nts things) to wit, the Intercellion and the Invocation of Saints, yet there / Hf ** ei h is a wide difference betwixt them : (b) And there be who allow T them thing to b*m to pray for us, who yet will not admit of our praying unto them. (See what w muft lxcv.6.10.) But then they fay that this*Interceffion of theirs is for the d,lcn ^: ' iV ' /, •

1 t t Lnurch

Church in general, and not for this or that Member in particular, whofe csfe or perfon it's mo ft likely is not known to them. On the other fide the Saints on Earth they pray- for the Refurre&ion of the Bodies of the Saints in Heaven, that in Body as well as in Spirit they may be perfected and glorified. Yea, this is one fenfe of that Petition in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdom come. They likewife praife God for the reft they enjoy in Heaven, that they are delivered from this valley of tears and trouble. Theyalfo groan, and that earnefily , to be glorified with them and to be tranllated into their condition and company. Above all, they fet them before them as their examples , walking in their godly fteps h being followers of them as they have been followers of that which is good* Though they don't invocate them, yet they Rudy to imitate them, which is the higheft honour they can put upon them. This is that which the Apoftle requires in the Epiflle to the Hebrews, when he bids us, to be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the pro-mifes.

2. This Difcourfe ferves to excite Chriftians to be much in calling on him in whom they believe. To be frequent in praying to God in the Name of Jefus Chrift. lake (fays James J the Prophets for an example of patience, and of filtering ajfUllion. Take, I fay, thePapifts for an example of prayer, (fuch as it is) and unwearied devotion. It was die advice of a good man to his friend, that he would fpend as much time every day in prayer and meditating, as he did in eating and drinking. It were well if we fpent as many hours everyday in the fervice and worfhipof God, as fome of them do in ferving and worshipping the Saints We may receive inflrudtion from Oxen and Affes, and other bruit Creatures, and fo we may from the blind Papifts.. Go to the Ant, thou Sluggard; and go to the Papift, thou flothful Chriftian : He hath his Canonical and fteted hours for his devotion , he's diligent in turning over his Beads, in pattering over his later Nofters and Ave Maries, and will admit of no avocation. How then art thou to be reproved , who neglecl-eft prayer to God from day to day ? How many prayerlefs families and perfons are there in this Nation ? Chrift fays, 'Ibe Ninevites foall rife up in the Judgment againji the Jews, and the Pa-pills will rife up in the Judgment againft many Proteitants, and condemn them. The charge of Eliphaz againft Job will lie more rightly againft many a one in the midft of us i you'll find it in Job 15. 4. he fays there, (c) Arguitur 'thou caflefi off fear, and refiraineft prayer before God. (c) Some read the Job quod ml- worc j s tnus Thou multiplied prayer. The word notes (as one ob-

tiioqiiiovzL bat- r 1 . t • v i • • r n

tologia u[us ell. * erv es,) tne cutting or dividing a thing into imall pieces or portions,

Eold VXaryi which is indeed to multiply it. And 'tis as if he (hould have faid, Thou

in locam. doit mince thy prayers, and cut them out into many fmall fhreads, as if

thou didft hope to be heard for thy much fpeaking. Such were the

Devotions of the Pharifees of old, and fuch are the Devotions of the

Eapifts- their SuccelTors D to this day* Their Collects and Litanies are

full.

full oivainRepetitions, the fame things over and over again. But take the words as they are in our Tranllation, ihou rejiraineft prayer before God; and then they note either a total forbearing, or a partial diminishing of the duty : fome don't pray at all, others pray but feldom > both come under this reproof of retraining prayer. Remember who commands you, to pray always and to pray w'.thout ceafing. Refolve, Header, whoever thou art, upon more frequency and fervency in this duty. Let an hour, or more, every day be fet apart for fecret prayer \ and be fure, as Eli as did, (d) to pray in payer. The Papiits and (<*) r^r^ others fay prayers, but do thou pray in prayer to God. 'Tis recorded of ]^^\°' (e) Luther that he prayed every day three hours, (eafque ad ftudia } e j v. Vic-* aptijfimas) and that when he was moil: fit for fuch a fervice : Go thou Theod. invira and do likgwife. e J us 3 ud £ e

Sex boras Comno, totidem dei legibus earns, quatuor otabis , Epu- Co ° f dvt W M jv j , a. r - n i - ' ■ rz ..£ .to tour hours in

lifque duas \ ghsod Juperejt jacris ultro largire cam&nis. King Alfred a d ay f or X hk

divided every day into three parts, he allowed eight hours to his devo- extrcife. tion, eight to his employment, and eight to hisileey and refe&ion.

3. This Difcourfe may have this farther fruit, to beget a did ike, yea a deteftation of Popery. One would wonder that a man in his right fenfes fhould ever become a Papift. Their opinions many of them are not only unfcriptural, but irrational, a man muft offer violence to his reafon if he complies with them. I might give many inftances, confi-der thefe two '■> the one is praying for the Dead , the other is praying to the Dead. We cannot help the Dead by praying for them, nor can they hear us when we pray unto them. Yea, the Popifh Religion is not only ridiculous, but Idolatrous. There is a fivefold Idolatry which we charge upon the Church of Rome, 1. The worfhipping of the Crofs* 2. The worfhipping of Images. 3. The worlhipping of Relickj. 4. The worfhipping of the Elements in the Eucharift. 5. The worfhipping of Saints and Angels.' Well may (he be called the Whore of Babylon, yea that great Whore, and the Mother of Fornications, and Abominations of the Earth. The Church of the Jews did not forfake the true God altogether, only (he would worfhip him in Calves and Images, and how often for this reafon is the called;a Whore, and an abominable Harlot ? The Church of Rome is a worfer Strumpet than ever (he was 5 a deep Ditch (he is , may none amongft us be fo far abhorred of the Lord as to fall into it. Dearly beloved Ccuntry-men, Flee from Idolatry ; this the abominable thing that God hateth. Popilh Idolatry is as bad orworfe than Paganiih. I (hall conclude this Sermon as the Apoille John doth his ririt Epiftle, Little Children^ keep your felves from Idols. Amen.

Ttt

.«.•

SERMON XVI

/IU**^

No Works of Supererogation.

Luke 17.10. So Ukewife ye^ when ye pall have done all thofe

things which are commanded you , fay , We are unprofitable fervants , we have done that which was our duty to do.

T

He Truth that at this time lies before me, both to prove and

improve, is this, SCfjat trj£re are not any OTojta of &\u

pererogatton* On that account I have pitcht on the words Coherence. .ML, read, which are an Apodofis, or Epiphonema, the Inference

or Conclusion which our Lord Jefus draws from his preceding Parable.

The Parable begins Verfe 7. Which of you, having a fervant plowing, or feeding cattel , will fay unto him by and by when he is come from the field, Go, and fit down to meat ? Verf. 8. And will not rather fay unto him, Make ready wherewith I may fup, and gird thy felf, and ferve me till I have eaten and drunken. Verf. p. Both he thank^ that fervant be-Taraphrafe* cau f s ^ e ^ ^ oe ^° in ^> s ^at were commanded him? I trow not. Verf 10. So A./*x©~, q. Ukewife ye, when ye jhall, &c.

£uhk, a Jim ^ Doth he thank that fervant ? rz K\u> <k»v ? ; or if you will, that cap-urn* 7*b C T~ tive 'fl ave -> Cwho is wholly at his foot anddifpofe) as if forfooth by his (lave. Servus obedience he had done hisMafter a freekindnefs and favour, to which a fervando, he w T as not obliged > Hath that Vafial in itridtnefs of juftice obliged his lervi primum Mafter? and is hisMafter bound to look upon himfelf as obliged to return e captivis fatfi fa ValTal thanks, and to reward him for doing the things that were quibus jure* commanded him ? I trow not, i Jh™, I think, fuppofe, judge not. Nei-belli eos occ»- ther the perfon nor the fervice do in truth deferve or merit any thing, no diliccret. Vof- no t fo much as thanks, nor can in juftice claim it. The RanfomedVajfal

c\*l corrda- his A1] > his Ufe > SpiritS > Stren § th > Service ? A11 that he is > hath > can d °> turn, «fton*n»£ •, fuffer, are his Mafters, not his own, and therefore wholly and folely at

oppofnum, his abfolute difpofe and command.- Doth he then thankjhat fervant ? I

^JSl£ 5 ik trorp noU True * n( ked, though the great God owes us no thanks, yet

\\&$*z©" 9 in infinite grace he is pleafed fo far to Jioop beneath himfelf, as to give us

Gal. 3. *8. t fj an ]y

thanks for our obedience, and to befpeak us in fuch a condefcending language as if indeed he were beholden to us. 1 Vet. 2. 19. rZro &&?, ibis is thankworthy , if a man for confcience toward God endure grief filtering wrongfully : i. e. God accounts himfelf hereby gratified as if were and even beholden to fuch furTerersi this, being the lowejl fubje-drion , and that being the higheji honour men can yield unto their Maker. God will thank fuch. Nay more, look into that amazing Scripture, Luke 12. 3d, 37. and read it, if you can without an extafie: If a man ferves, and his Lord comes and finds him watching too, and intent upon his work^ what will his Lord do ? he will gird himfelf and ferve him. 0 (iupenda condefcenfio! 0 ftupenda dignatio! fays one on the place. But know, though thefe two Parables feem parallel, their fcope vaftly differs. What a diligent Servant may humbly expetl from his bountiful Lord is one thing, viz. That his labour (hall not be in * vain, * 1 Cor-15 $8-or unprofitable, but plentifully rewarded. That's the fcope of Luke 12. And what the mod diligent Slave can jujlly challenge from his ab-folute Lord and Patron is another , which is the grand fcope of the Text. Doth'he deferve, or may he juftly challenge any the lead: reward, yea bat fo much as bare tbankj ? I trow not. So lil^wife ye,

&c+

When ye Jhall have done all thofe things which are commanded you, fa) 'Ot*v otih^tt. The learned Glafius obferves, that in thefe words our W'Ot*v> parti-Savicur doth not iniinuate that any man arrives at that finlefs perfection ^J2J^ in this life , as to do all thofe things which God commands: for how p 0 p Qiaifi. much foever we have done, it will appear upon a juft balance of account, (mm. ?acr.L$, that we have done lefs than we ought, and are much Jhort of our duty. TraCt.i. can.$> But Chriit fpeaks here conditionally, and fuppnfes only what he doth not ajj'ert or grant, q. d. if it were pofible for them to do all things that were (b ) commanded by God in his holy Word, to do all that pood that God re- ^ rT < * V7 '* T ^f i '

V . xx« I/O IF n.1 J It 11 *"n*VC5?7tt VU.IV) -

quires, Micah 6. a. to walK exactly according to that good, acceptable omnu,qx£ p*-* andperfeVx will of God, Rom. 12.2. Heb. 13.21. All thofe good things, ags, edicl^ I fay, which God prescribes in his Word, and not fuch as fond men de- jn 1**&*) ff*ci m

• /•••• 1 c 1 t J ri 1 r i • • to. [tint vo'oiSt

vife, either out of blind Leal , or upon pretence of good intention, a ^ rla OY ^ 0 without the warrant of the Word, Matth. 15.^. Ifai.25p.13. 1 Pet.1.18. m m inftw.* Rom.10.2. Joh.i<5.2. 1 Sam.i5.2i,to 24.

Supposing then that you have done all thefe things, (c) -mifa-n, and (c) v*t»skd<» that with utmoft Art and Indu(iry , as a man would do a curious piece ofP'rfp proprie Wo)\, which he intends to expofe as his Mafterpiece to the raoft curious qu'X'artilqia-

view of all Obfcrvers, Well, and what then ? Then fay ye, We are Utatihm omo.

unprofitable fervants. When God lookt back on the W r orks of his a ttwc qnatisl— hands, and faw every thing that he had made, he did, and might moft ^ cl ° *.*** H 1 '

• m r -niii J r r> l. ceo, qui nm fa-

juftlyfay, Behold, it is very good, Gen. 1.31. But as tor you, when cit Ja tmw \ m

ye have done your utmoft, fay ye, We are unprofitable fervants. — Yes, ci,atqutut cv-fay the Papiils,'/^)' fi indeed, but this is only out of humility and mo- [pictaw* facit defy, for ye are not really unprofitable To whom we giye this (hort Vo $ l £ ^ ' l '

reply, ^'

nriles,abapriv.

utiles-) commo-dum. ,

(t) Ah H7K, piaidm>f<eiidm fait,}ob I5-t£.

(0 T&v &%v£is9

wild, are alit-no obftrtilm [am cportet me.

Yhere are not any Worhj of Supererogation. Serm. XVf.

reply. Chrift doth not hear teach his Difciples the art of mo deft lying and that to God himfelf, to fay one thing, and to think another. No without queftion we are to fay fo, and that from the heart, and in faying fo, we fpeak the truth, and nothing but the truth. We are indeed un-■profitable fervants, fuch as cannot merit the leaft good at the hand of God by our bed obedience.

(d) Unprofitable, «xipfo> Tis well obferved by fome Critickj, that this w T ord is of the fame import with that Rom. 3.12. they are become unprofitable, A;cj«a3ii«r, fo the Sept. render Tfal. 14.3. 8c 53.3. The word in the Original (e) *[n7RJ, They are become abominable, pntidi facli funt \ fo far from being profitable, that they rather ftin\ in God's Noftrils. Nay farther, 'tis the fame word that is given to that wicked and ilothful fervant that was caft out into outer darknefs. Caft out that ([) unprofitable fervant, Mat. 25. 3d. To (hew us, faith one, what our merit is, if God (hould be fevere, Tfal. 143. 2.

In the I aft place, our Saviour fubjoins the reafon why he would have us heartily to acknowledge our felves unprofitable fervants, and 'tis this, Becaufe if we had, or could have done aUthofe things, &c. we had then done but that which we ought to do s that, and that only, that, and no more than was our (g) duty to. do, and on that account the Lord by a juit right might exad: and challenge it at our hands. We owe all obedience poilible to God as our Creator, Pfal. 100.2,3. 8c 33.8, £. The higheit obedience is our debt, and it is no matter of merit to pay a man's debts. How good foever any man is, he is no better than he (hould be h and what good foever any man hath done , he hath done no more than was his duty to do both to God and man. On this account, faith our Saviour, if you could and (hould do all thofe things, &c.^

From the words thus opened, I infer thefe two Conclufions.

I. they, who in their Obedience attain to the greateft heighth which is poftible in this life, fall (hort of much which in duty they are bound to do.

2. Were it poftible for the heft of men perfeUly to keep the haw of God, yet even thefe fuppofed perfett. ones cannot in the leaft oblige God, or merit any thing from the hand of his juftice*

Thefe twoPropofitions folidly rixt, and/zt/y clifcharged, may through a fmile from Heaven prove effectual for the battering down of one of the topmoft Pinacles of the Komijh Babel, viz. their proud Dodrine of Supererogation. 1 Conclusion. ^M of the firft. 'they, who in their Obedience attain to the greateft: heighth which is poftible in this life, fall ftjort of much which in duty they are bound to do.

Queft. 1. But what is every man in this life in duty bound to do ?

Anfw*

Anfiv. Every man in this life is bound to full conformity, in the whole nan to the righteous Law of God, and to entire, exatl and perpetual obe-Hence thereunto. The Law of the Lord is perfitl, Pfal. ip. 7. and requires the higheft perfe&ion both of ptrts and degrees \ and that

1. In the frame anddifpofition of the whole man, foul and body. It eaches all the faculties, motions and operations of the inward, as well s the words, works and gelhtres of the outward. Man, as God's Crea-ure is bound to love the Lord his God with all his heart, foul, mmd, right, and jirength, Dent. id. 5. Mat. 27. 37, to 41. Luke 10. 26,27. Hie firft bublings of rafh anger, are no lefs forbidden by this Royal .aw, than cruel Murther, Mat. 5. 21,22. A Luji peeping out of the ye, is no lefs a violation of this Spiritual Law, than an unclean aci, I erf. 27,28.

2. In the performance of all thofe duties of holmefs and righteoufnefs vbich he oweth to God and man. Ifrael mult hear all God's Commandments, Itatutes and Judgments, that they might learn, and keep, and do thefn, >#f.5.i,2,3,3i,33. He hath (hewed thee, Oman, what is good, truly nd acceptably good : , and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee ? urely fomething, that in the balance of the Sanctuary down weighs tkou-ands of Rams, and ten thoufands of Rivers ofOyl, nay, is more acceptable han the Idolatrous facriheing of a firil-bom Son, namely, 7i do jujily, 0 love mercy, and to walh^ humbly with thy God, Mic. 6. 6, 7, 8. Holy' W/ writes after this Copy , but could not reach it > 'twas his exercife nd endeavour, though not his attainment, to get and keep a good Con-Yience void of offence , both- towards God, and towards man, AVts< 4. 15.

3. In this univerfal performance of all obedience, the Law requires the '■tmofl perfection in every duty, and forbids the lea\\ degree of every fin.

Vho fo fhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, i. e. wil- James 2. 10. ingly, conftantly, and with allowance trom Cor.fcience, though but in he leafi tittle, be is guilty of all, i. e. is liable to the fame punifhment, :ands upon no better terms of hope and acceptance with God ; than if e had done nothing*

Objecl. But what^s all this to Believers ? Ihey are not under the Law, ut under Grace, Rom. 6. 14.

Anfw. 1. True Believers are not under the Law as a Covenant of ^orkj, fo as to be thereby either jnjiified, Gal. 2.16, Acl. 13. 35?. or wdemned, Rom. 8.1. Gal. 3.13.

2. But yet they are under the ConduVt of the Law, viz. as it is a. lute of Life, informing them of the Will of God, and their Duty, and loth at once diretl and bind them to walk accordingly. See what high pprehenfions Paul had of this Law, Lhe Law is holy,and the Command-vent is holy, jufl and good, Rom. 7. 12. His dear affeVtionto it, I de-ight in the Law of God after the inner man, Verf. 22. His faithful ob-hvance of it, With the mind I my felf ferve the Law of GodfVert 25*.

Copies

Copies out a great part of it, and prefents it as a Rule to the Romans to walk by, Rom. 13. 7, 8, 9. and to other Churches, 1 Cor.j.z^ Gal. 5. 14. Ephef.6. 2,3. James calls it A Royal Law, the Law of God, the King of Kings, and Jefus Chrilt the King of Saints. It hath a Kingly Author, requires Noble Work, gives Royal Wages , a Law of .Liberty, which if ye (hall fulfil, if ye have refped to the whole duty and compafs thereof, yeJbat! do well ', and but well, Jam. 1. 25. &2.8. Thus the Beloved Difciple backs the Authority of the Law, 1 John 2. 3? 4,7, 8.

ObjeU. But hath not the Lord Jefus in the Gofpel dijfolved this Obligation ?

Anfw. Yea, Co far is Chrift in the Gofpel from diffolving, that he much ratifies and (irengthens this Obligation , Matth. 5. ij 5 18, ip. J came not to deftroy, hut to fulfil \ in this Chapter clearly expounds it, elfewhere molt ftri&ly enjoins it, Matth. 22.37, t0 44- Lukg 10. 26,27. M^ 12.33. ^^ g° es deep * n tne ca f e > an( * re je#s the thought of it with the decpeft averfation, Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through faith ? God forbid: yea, we eftublifh the Law.

Thus you have heard what every man in this life is in duty bound to do: namely, perft8ly,mt9t}y,exa&ly, perpetually to keep the Commandments of God: That's his duty. In the next place, let us fpeak to his Ability, or rather utter impotency to perform this duty.

2. T^hey who in their Obedience attain to the greateji heighth which is poffible in this life, fall jhort of much which in duty they are bound •to do.

Since the fall of the firft Adam, our common Head and Reprefenta-tive, no meer man defcending from him by ordinary Generation, in this life ever was, is, or Jhall be able, either by himfelf, or by any ftrength of Grace received, perfeUly to keep the Commandments of God , but doth daily break them in thought, word and deed.

1. Since Adam's fall True indeed, the firft Adam in his eftate

of innocency had a power, perfonally and perfectly, to "keep the whole Law of God > but not fince, neither he, nor any that naturally fpring from his loins. 'Twas the dream of the old Felagians, that man was fo little bruifed and impaired by Adam' s fall, that even dill by the meer power of Nature he could perfectly keep the whole Law. If fo, what means the Apoftle, Rom. 5.12, 17,18, ip. 1 C0r.15.21, 22. By AdamS (in were all made unrighteous , fubjedt to death, judgment, condemnation -, and therefore fuch unrighteous, judged, condemned Creatures as we are all by Nature, can never perfectly fulfil a righteous Lav/.

2. No meer man: none that is a man and no more.-— No man defcen-ding from Adam by ordinary Generation. True, the only Mediator between God and man, the Man Chrift Jefus, was able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God, and did fo. Conceived he was without

fn, Luke 1.35. "Lhb. 4. 15. Anointed with the Holy Ghoit above mea~

fare,

fure, Joh. 3.34. Holy, harmlefs, undefiled^ feparate from pinners, Heb. 7. 26. Came on purpofe to fulfil the Law, Mzf. 5.17. and did perfectly fulfil it, Tfal.tp. 7,3. H<?£. 10. 5, to 11. Mat.^.ij. Johnij.^.

But then he was #0* * * meet man, He was G04/ as well as man, Rom. * % kmi&rttiQ* a. x. Col. 2. p. God incarnate, the Eternal Word made Flefh, John 1. **&*» M J.

D th J: 1 rill t ^ r> * ' -^ *"**' ™ >"W K

14. manifejted ihthe t lejb, 1 1 im. 3.10. But no meer man. «ft»^a»VV«.

3. Nitf *# ^/j /?/h We grant, that when the Soul comes to be in- f lem * c ° n * tlt: -roWdQznd admitted a Free Denizen of the Heavenly Jerufalem , (he ' z ' c ' 1 ' [hall £t down among the Spirits ofjuft men made perfect, Heb. 12. 23.

but not till then. When the Saints come to the meafure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrifi, Ephef.4.13. When they come to fee God as he is, and (hall behold his face in Light and Glory, then, and not till then they (hall belike him, 1 John 3.2. Then indeed they (hall fee God face to face , hut here only through a glafs darkly, 1 Cor. 13. 12. then prefentcd a glorious Church , not having fpot or wrinkle, Ephef. 5. 27. But whilft here, like the Moon at Full, not without our fpots.

4. Net able perfectly to kgep the Commandments of God.

There is indeed a twofold perfection afcribed to Saints in this life.

1. A perfection of f unification. Saints are compleat in Chri{i their tfead and Surety, Col. 2. 10. They are perfectly jujtified, never more foible to Condemnation, Rom. 8.1, 33,34. Heb. 10.14. Joh. 5. 24.

2. A perfection of Holinefs or Sanctification '■> and this fo called,

1. In regard of its ejfenttal or integral parts. Thus when we fee an Infant, that hath all the parts of a man, foul, body, all its members: ve fay, this is a perfeel Child. Saints, even in this life, have this begun )erfettion of holinefs. They are begun to be fandriried in every part, in bul, body, fpirit, throughout, though every part be not throughout fan-frried, I'TbeJf. 5. 23.

2. In regard of defires, intendments, aims at, and endeavours after \radaal perfection. They deiire, fiudy, labour to be per feci:, as their heavenly Father is perfeel, Mat. 5. 48. They forget that which is behind^ mdprefs forward towards the mark^, Phil. 3. i2 5 13. Terfetlion, which vill be their reward in Heaven , is their aim on Earth \ and, as God iccepts the will for the deed, 2 Cor. 8.12. fo he'exprejfeth the deed by he will, and candidly interprets him to be a perfeel man, who w T oukl >e perfect, and deiires to have all his imperfections cured".

3. In refpeel of others, comparatively perfeel* Thus, when one man sfickjy and weak, and another man is very ftrong, we fay the ftrong man lath perfeel health compared with him that is fickjy and weak, and yet th* trong man hath not fuch perfect health, but he hath alfo the principle of ick&efs in his body, and fometime may be ill, and indifpofed. Thus Sloah was perfect in his Generation, Gen. 6. p. Lot among the Sodomites, Job in the Land of Vz> Job 1. 1. Thus Saints in Scripture are faid to *sperfect^ when compared with thofe that were openly wicked, cr but penly holy •> faid to be men without fpot, compared with thofe that were

U u u eithes

either all over-fpotted with filthinefe , or only painted with Godlinefs. Thus thofe that were fironger in Knowledge and Grace, laid in the Scale with thofe that were weaker * men with babes, i Cor. 2. 6. Fhil.^ % 15. Jrleb. 5.14. are faid to be perfect.

4. In refpea of Divine acceptation, an Evangelical Perfection, a Perfection oifincerity and uprightnefs , fuch, as love our Lordjefus in fin-cerity, Ephef.<5. 24. Such, as are not gilded, but golden Chilians \ not painted Sepulchres , not whited Wah \ not men of an heart Qd an heart. Thus God to Abraham, Gen. 17.1. Walk before me, gnd be 'thou perfect,, or upright. Aarons indeed in this, that they carry Vrim andihummim, Light, and Ferfedion, orVprightnefs, engraven on their breafts, "Exod. 28. 3c. on whofe lombs you may, with God's approbation and leftimonial, write an Afa's Epitaph, 2 Chron. 15. 17. Never-thelefs, notwithstanding Afa his feveral flips, yet his heart was perfea with his GoddXl his days.

5. hi refpeVi of degrees, to which nothing is wanting, nothing can be added to ma\eit more compleat. When the Sun is not only rifcn, but got to its full Meridian and Zenith. Thus, when we fee a Child that was born perfed: as to parts, grown up to mans eftate, fo that he (hall grow no taller, wax no ftronger: this we call Ferfedion of degrees*. And thus no Saint in this life, is or can be perfect, as to include all the

^Veccatim t(l, degrees of holinefs, and to exclude all, even the leajl taint of tin. * And,

u^'s° n fj% if there be but the leaft £ radual defe( ^ the Law is not perfectly fulfilled. debet'vumifor Now that no man is in this life fo perfedr, &c. appears, f/r, quam effe h In this, 7hat there is not one injianceto be given of any one, even

dibtt. Aug. ce the moft holy man that ever breathed on God } s Earth, that was fo holy and ? e «> perfect as to be freed from having fin in him. O the blots that we find

in the beft of their Efcucheons! Noah at once betrays his internal and external nakednefs. Abraham, the Father of the faithful, equivocates more than once. Mofes, that converfed with God mouth to mouthy the great Secretary of Heaven, is guilty or. unbelief, and fpeaks unadvifedly with his lips. What fhall I fpeak of David, Hezekjah, Jofiah, f*h 0 fe Stars of the highe(i Magnitude ? As for Faul, even after he had been wrapt up into the third Heavens, hear his groans, his heart-piercing, groans, K^w.7.24, 0 wretched man that lam, who jhall deliver me? and free confeilion of his imperfection, Fhil. 3. 12,13,14. Not that I have already attained, or were already perfect, Sec. As for Feter con-Oal.2.11,1 a. cerning his perfection, read, but with fear and trembling, Matth.26. 6p. to the end 5 and when thou hail mingled tears with him, draw a finger on his fear, and go, and ask His holy SucceJJor, that moft humble Servant of Servants the Pope, whether he, or any of the Scarlet Robe under him, dare compare with thofe truly golden ones for holinefs , notwithstanding all their drofs ? and if not, what becomes of their proud dream of gradual Perfection *

2. How many exprefs Scriptures are there ', that pove, that no man is

perfectly

perfectly holy in this life ? Solomon gives us three, 1 King. 8. 46, There is no man that finneth not. Ecclcf. 7.2c. There is not ajuftman upon, earth that doth good, and finneth not: q. d. If you would look for a juft one that doth good, and finneth not, you mult look for fuch an one in Heaven, and not upon Earth. The learned and judicious Dr. Man- ^ r - ^ UhtQn on ton hath an excellent Note on this Text, viz. The Wife-man doth not ^^P'35 1 -fay (imply, that finneth not > but, that doth good and finneth not ■■> that is, that iinneth not even whilil he is doing good. Our very Wine is mixed with Water \ our befl Silver with Drofs. Our fofteil Lawn hath its Lift, our fweeteji Honey its Wax and fling. Farther yet, he throws down his Gantlet, and proclaims a Challenge to all the World, to enter the Lifts with him, Prov. 20. p. Who can fay, I have made my heart clean? Who can ? why many, caji and do, Pharifees, Papifts, Quakers. True, many may fay fo boldly, proudly, falily, but who can fay Rom. 3 9, to fo truly ? I am pure from my fin. If we fay that we have no fin, we de- 2Ij ^ i 5* ceive our felves, and the truth is not in us, 1 John 1. 8,10. If we fay that we have not iinned, we make him a lyar, and his Word is not in us. The Dodrrine of the Catharijis is a lying Dodtrine. Even from this Scripture it plainly appears, that that man is not perfect, that faith he is perfect, for as much as it faith, that he, that faith fo, is a lyar, and one that is To far from growth and perfection, that the Truth it (elf, the Root of the matter, is not in him. None in this life are abfolutely freed and exempted from (inning , Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend a!!. All of us offend in many things, in fome things at bert. The bleffcd Virgin her felf had her flips, Luke 2. 4^. John 2. 3,4. for which fhe is taxed by Chrift himfelf. We offend. We includes himfelf, though E ^ eb EccI -an Apoitle of fuch eminent holinefs , that he was called the Juft. Job H lz ' c ' u p. 2, 3, 20. How Jbouldman be juji with God ? or as Broughton reads the words, How can man be juji before the Omnipotent <? Juic, /'. e. by an inherent righteoufnefs before God. If he will contend with him, he can- Job 15. 14,15. not anfwer htm one of a thoufand. Man is not able to maintain his caufe and to hold his plea with an holy God. Hence it is, that that man after God's own heart, wholly waves God'sTribunal of Juitice. O enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, Lord •> he doth not fay, with an Enemy, a Rebel, a Traytor, an Impenitent Sinner ^ but with thy Servant, one that is devoted to thy fear, one that is confecrated to thy fer-vice, one that is really and indeed quantus, quantus eji, totus tuus, Pfal. 143.2. q. d. Lord, if the holielt, pureft, be(t of men fhould come and Hand before thee in Judgment, or plead with thee, they mult needs be caft in their caufe j If thou, Lord, (houldji marl^ iniquity, alas, who fiiallfiand? Pfal. 130.3.

3. It is utterly impcffble in this life perfectly to keep the Commandments of God , becaufe the beft of Saints in this life are but imperficlly fandti-iied. The principle ot Grace within them, which is the Fountain, is but imperfect, and therefore" the jhreads of obedience can never rife

lluu 2 . h'lher

higher than the Fountain. The Root is tainted, and the Sap and Branch therefore the Fruit cannot be perfe&ly found. While the Tree is partly evil, the Fruit cannot be wholly good. As to the great Grace of Faith what great reafon hath Chrift to fay to the beftof Saints, as more than once to his Difcipies, 0 ye of little Faith? Matth.6.$c. &8.2d. & 16.8. Where is the man of fo much brafs and impudence, that dares avouch he loves God with that degree of intenfcnefs that he ought to do? that he loves God here with as railed, tranfcendent, fuperlative flame o

, heart, as ever he (hall do, or can hope to do in Heaven ? Love always

attends on knowledge : I cannot poffibly love that, which I do not fyiow. 'Tis the eye that muit affect the heart. Ignoti nulla cupido. Nor can the degree of my love exceed the degree of my knowledge. It may indeed link beneath it, but never fwells above it. Now cur knowledge of God

< in this life is imperfect *, We kyow but in part, we fee through a Glafs,

and that darkly, 1 Cor. 13.9,12. and therefore cannot love with all the heart, foul, mind, ftrength. More than this, there are remnants of lin abiding in every part of Saints, and perpetual luftings of the flefh againfl the fpirit, fo that they cannot do the things that they would, Gal. 5.17. A Law in their members warring againft the Law of their minds, and leads them captive to the Law of~ fin , Rom. 7. 18,23. They have a Clog at their heels, fin that eafily befits them i Heb. 12.1. Lufts within them, that war againft their fouls, 1 Vet. 2.11. There is indeed

* Habit at, fed in every man , even in the holieft living, a curfed root of *bittemefs,

von regnat * which God doth indeed more and more mortifie , but not nullifie in this

7omh\L/j°l 3ife ' This like the Iv y in the Wall 5 cut ofFthe s tump, Body, Boughs,

Jm quodamms' Branches of it, yet fome firings or other willfprout out again, till the

do, fid non jx- Wall be pluckt down. This, this is that Cohquintida, that Death in

■ ^ l ' m '[ j ' tne P ot ? tnat Fly-blows all their Graces, leavens all their Comforts, taints

\y*lus\)>Mum anc * blends all their Duties. Hence proceed the iniquities of our holy

twin- Bern, things, Exod. 28. 38. This is that, that is able to turn the High -Priefts

in Pfal.90. "Robes into Rags, his Incenfe into a Stench. Hence came the humble, but

Serm.icv true com ^i a j nt 0 f tne Church, All our righteoufnefs , in themfelves, as

ours, are as filthy rags, Ifai. 64. 6. Mark, we do not fay as the Papifts

fallly charge us, that all that a Believer doth is fin : but this we fay, a

Believer fins , for the greateft part, in all he doth. The Wor\ of God's

Mala mea pwe §prit upon us, and the Motions of his Grace within us, are pure and

mea funt: bona h°ly : but yet, as clean Water pafling through an unclean Pipe, receives

auum mea nee a tincture of that uncleannefs \ fo finfulnefs cleaves to our holieft Acli-

pnbona fiivt, ons ^ we t [ ie Inftruments being-finful. Needs muft the Muficl^ be inhar-

mc mea [unu mon i OUS5 when all the Strings of the Lute are out of Tune.

Inference, * s f ^^ a Trutn * * s tne Moral Law of God fo perfed, fpiritual, jutt,

and good ? Doth it indeed require and exadt fach perfonal, perfect, and perpetual Obedience ? Muft good, only good, all good, and that in the moft intenfe and higheft degree, be done, and that from a Divine Principle, the Spirit, Faith, Love, in a right manner, according to the Divine

vine Word and Will, and to a Divine End, the Glory of God * And was there never a Saint yet in the World, that was meer man, that ever did or could exaUly do what this Law requires, but fell far fhort of their duty ? See here then the certain downfal ofDagon before the Ar\. Be-* hold here that arrogant Popifij Doclrine of Supererogation, bowing, ftoop-ings foVing at the foot of the Truth and Word of God. Let him that hath an Ear, hear and judge. Tell me, if the belt of God's Saints, doing their beft, fall fhort of much which in duty they are bound to do, is it poflible for a Popifh Shavelling to fupererogate, i. e. to do, yea piouily, acceptably, and preterpluperfedfly to do, far more than God requires ? They are not afhamed to tell the World, That 'tis not only poffible, but facile and ealie for a true Believer exalily to keep the whole Law of God, and not to fail a tittle. Alas, Paul was a man of low attainments, when he whines out his 'E« <rx\al7m?(&> \ya a*3-e?>?r(§K And David a Dwarf Rom.7.14. to thefe Goliahs. He indeed (lands wondring and trembling on the fhore of the Ocean, and cries out, I have feen an end of all perfection, but thy pfal.119.9^: Commandment u exceeding broad : A great deep, an unfearchable gulf, an Ocean without bank^ or bottom. But as for them, with their very Spoon they'll lave it. Alas, 'tis an eafielezp into the Chair of perfect- Vid.v'd. Cha-on '•> that's ,a Mark and White for Souls of a lower alloy. But greater mier Tom.£.-Souls are born for greater fxploits. Such Eagles as they, fcorn to catch • 4 * at Flies, but fly at Stars. Nay, 'tis not Heaven it felf, at lcafi: nothing lefs than the eleventh Orb of the Empyrean Heavens, can give a proportionable Treat to their afpiring Souls. 'Tis for poor penitent Publicans and Sinners, to pleafe themfelves in doings through Ghriit's ftrength, • what the Lord requires 5 nothing becomes thefe Worthies lefs, than doing more than ever entred into God's heart to command them. O the jiupendious pride of Lucifer, and of hearts poiTefTed by him. Well, my Brethren, I would not be thought to envy and pine at their triumphant Honour. Only give me leave to conclude this life, with this Epipho-nema: viz. l.hofe that will perform an Obedience that God never commanded, what can they expect lefs, than an Heaven, that God never created? But here the Papiji adts the Parthian, and fights flying, viz. makes • his Objections.

Objedf. 1. Doth God enjoin the Creature that which is impoffible ? That were unjuft, and would highly intrench on God's goodnejs.

Sol. This Arrow was long iince taken out of Pelagius his Quiver. To which we reply as Aujiin did : What is [imply and abfolutely impoffible in it felf, God doth not impofe upon the Creature. But what apoitate Manhimfelf hath made impoffible to himfelf, voluntarily, and meerly by his own default, that the great Lawgiver may, and doth jujily impofe-: And this impollibility no way impeacheth God's goodnefs, becaufe the linner hath wilfully contracted and brought it on himfelf.

If a Prodigal Spendthrift hath, by his Luxury and Debauchery, utterly difabled himfelf to pay his Debts, may nor the wronged Creditors

demand.

demand their due, although the Prodigal cannot pay ? What though the Sinner hath loft his Power, vince.this is done wilfully and wickedly ? certainly God may juftly demand his Right.

Objeti. 2. But did not Chrift come in the flefh for this end, Ihat we might be able fully to keep the Law in our own per fins, that the righteoufi nefs of the Law might be fulfilled in us i

Sol. Mark, The Scripture faith, In us, not by us. Chrift came, iom. . 4. t j, at t ^ e Rjgh teou f ne f s 0 f the Law mould be fulfilled for us, and in us i. e. imputatively, but not by us per finally. The blelTed Jefus our Head and Reprefentative, and Surety in his own Perfon whilft here on Earth did fully obey the Law, perfectly conforming to it in all its holy Commands. Now this his moft perfedt Obedience is made over, reckoned and imputed to his Members, Horn. 5. 19. as if they themfelves, in their own perfons, had performed it. The Laws Righteoufnefs is not ful-Rom. ic 5. filled in them formally, fubjedtively, inherently, ox per finally, but legally, and imputatively, they being in Chrift as their Head and Surety , and fo Chrifts Obedience becomes ours by imputation,

Objetl. 3. But we rind divers Saints in Scripture recorded for perfett men ^ Noah, Job, Caleb, &c.

Sol. But were they perfeft with a finlefs perfection ? If you'prove not that, you do but beat the Air. We eafily grant a Perfection of parts, we utterly deny Perfection of degrees, fuch as admits not the leaft taint of defect or iin. We fay, that men may be very eminent in Grace but yet even then not exactly conformable to the Law. An Evangelical Perfection we admit, 'tis no more than fwcerity. A Legal Perfection we deny, that in this life is an impoilibility.

Objefi. But the Romanifts flee an higher pitch, and not content with perfett performance cf what is commanded, they tell us, they can, andde do more: Crying up their Evangelical Counfels, as they call them, for rare things indeed, and fuch as far tranfeend Moral, or Evangelical Precepts. He that gives ear to thefe Counfels, and follows thefe, is a Saint indeed, and doth indeed do more than God requires. Chamier.Tom. Sol* But what are thefe Evangelical Counfels, that are diftinci from 3 r^r' 6. Evangelical Precepts? BeUarmine, Alphonfus and Platus, concur in their Defcription of an Evangelical Counfel j, and they thus decipher it: It is Chrift''s commending only, but not commanding a good wor\; which, if not done, doth not at all expofe to condemnation i but if done, merits a greater degree of Glory \ a Coronet at leaft in Heaven. A Counfel differs trom a Precept in matter, fubjec/r, form, and end. The matter of a Precept is more facile, and eaiie : But that of a Counfel more hard, and. difficult. Obedience to a Precept fprings from a Principle of Nature > but Obedience, or liftning to a Counfel owes it ielf to none, but a fit-pernatural Principle. To obey a Precept is good, but to conform to a Counfel much better. But then for the fub)eh. AH are bound to obey Evangelical Precepts b but only fome few choice feledt Privadfs of Heaven

ven are concerned with Evangelical Counfels. The firm alfo differs. A Precept obliges by its own proper Power and Authority to Obedience, but a Counfel leaves it in the breafi and liberty of the perfon to whom its given, whether he will follow iu, yea or no. Laftly, they differ no lefs in their end. The end , or effecf of a Precept is a reward to him that obeys, punishment to him that doth not: But the end of a Conn-fel is a greater reward to him that obferves it, but not the leaft punifi-ment or frown on him that negle&s, and not obferves it. But are there indeed any fuch Evangelical Counfels contra-diftindt from Evangelical Precepts ? Yes, fay the Papijis, and to that end charge us with thefe three Texts, which, they fay, do all prove that there are fame Evangelical Counfels which fall not under a Command.

Ohjici. 1. Mat. 13.8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, fome an hundredfold, fome fixty fold, fome thirty fold. Here, faith Bellarmine , the Lord compares the Church to good ground, whereof one part brought forth an hundred, another fixty, another thirty fold, and he alleadgeth the Authority of Hieronymus, Cyprian, and Jujiinfox this interpretation of this Parable: .viz. That Chrilt doth here diftinguilh between the different merit of chafte Marriage, Widowhood^ and Virginity j and that Virginity is a greater good, and more meritorious in the lightof God, than either chajie Widowhood^ or Conjugal Chajiity. But this, faith Bellarmine, is an Evangelical Counfel . only, not a Command : for what God commands not, and yet commends, and prefers it before other things, he doth, without all doubt, counfel only, and advife.

£6/. 1. But what Reafons do thofe Fathers of the Church give for this interpretation ? Here Bellarmine is filent.

2. Let their own Maid mate anfwer for us, and Truth. A Chrifio tan-turn propofitum fuit, ut doceret omne femen, &c. Chrift's intent here was only this, to teach us, that all feed which fell on good ground did fo multiply, that that which brought forth the leaft increafe, produced thirty fold, even fo much , as none but the belt and molt cultivated ground was wont to bring forth : that which brought-forth mod., an hundred 5 the middle good-ground, ilxty y and if this be the genuine fenfe of the Text, what doth it make for Bellarmine in the lead:, feeing fruitfulnefs in hearing the Word, a'nd enjoying of Ordinances, doth no ' kfs belong to Precepts, than Counfels ?

Ob)eU. 2. Mat. 19. 21. Jefus laid unto him , If thou wilt he perfeli, go and fell that th <u haft, and give to the poor, and thou Jhalt have treasure in Heaven, and crnie and follow me. Here, faith Bellarmine, an Evangelical Counfel is plainly diftinguifht from a Precept. The Precept we have in his anfwer to the young man's queftion, Good Mafter, what good thing (hall I do, that I may have eternal life ? viz. Keep the Commandments •■> There's the Precept, Verf. \6. 17. and to obey, that is fufficient for Salvation. But then he fubjoins, If thou wilt be perfetl,

$60 there are not any Work* of Supererogation. Serm. XVI-

/. e. faith Bellarmine, if thou art not contented with bare Eternal Life, but doft afpire unto , and breathe after a more excellent degree in that Eternalize, Then go, fell all, &c. Here's the Counfel.

Sol. i. In thefe words drift doth not give any Evangelical Counfel in the Papiits fenfe. For

1. No greater reward than bare Eternal Life is propofed by Chrift to him. drift only faith to him, Jbou Jhalt have treafure in Heaven ', which phrafe is common to all thofe, to whom the hope of Eternal Life is propofed : Mattb. 6. 20. Lay up for your fejves treafure s in Heaven. Now a bare Heaven, according to them, is not a fufficient reward for the Obedience of an Evangelical Counfel.

2. We utterly deny BeUarmine^s Glofs on thefe words, If thou wilt be perfeU, i. e. if thou afpire to an excellent degree in Eternal Life : but rather thus, If by the Obfervation of the Commandments here thou wouldjl obtain Life Eternal hereafter , 'tis neceffary that thou (houldft beperfett in thy Obfervation of them. But thou art not perfect, and therefore, in that way, thou canft not hope to obtain Eternal Life. Waft thou perfed, thou wouldft go and fell all thou halt, and give to the poor, but this thou wiknot do. The Perfection then that our Saviour intends, is a Perfection of Grace in this Life, not an higher degree of reward in the next. And that appears,

i. In our Saviour's anfwer to him, Mar. 10.21. One thing thou lackejl: and Lukg 1$. 22. Here our Saviour gives check to his vain boailing.

2. When he was gone away forrowful, mark what our Saviour adds, A rich man fhaU hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Verf. 23. He doth not fay, Shall not obtain a Golden Coronet, or a greater degree of Glory j but plainly, He (hall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whence it follows, that this young man, becaufe he did not follow our Saviour's counfel, was in danger tf lofing Eternal Life. Now the Pa-pifts aiTert, That he that refufeth to hearken to an Evangelical Counfel, lhall incur no punishment \ and let themfelves be Judges, whether exclusion from Heaven be no puniihment.

Objefi.%. 1 Cor. 7.25, 26. &c. Paul counfels, but doth not command Virginity and Continency to the Corinthians.

Sal. 1. It doth not follow, that becaufe Paul faith, I give my judgment, therefore he doth not command. Compare this with 2 Cor. 8.10. Herein I give my advice , yvKplw & rxruifiJbtH. This was concerning •Almfdeeds ;> and do any Papiits number Exhortations to them among Evangelical Counfels ? Or will they admit Marriage' to be an Evangelical Counfel ? and yet Paul advifeth to it, 1 Cor. 7. 2. To avoid Fornication, let every one have his own wife.

2. Evangelical Counfels have always a greater reward in Heaven propofed to the Obfervers of thsm. Read the whole Chapter, and fee, whether Paul holds forth a more Glorious Crown to Virginity, yea, whether

ther he doth fo much as barely promife Eternal Life to it.

3. Evangelical Counfels are not backet with the intimations of lempo-ral Commodities, as thefe are here, Verf. 2<5, 28, 34.

Let this fuffice for the firfl Conclufion. 1 proceed to the fecond.

2. Were it pojjiblefor.tbe befi of Saints perfectly to keep the Law of God, 2 Conclufion, yet even tbefe fuppofed perfeel ones cannot in tbe leaft oblige God, or merit any thing from the hand of his Jufiice. When-we have done all thofe things which are commanded us, we are ftill unprofitable fervants to our Sovereign Lord, we have done but tbat which was our duty to do. As to Merit, properly and firiclly fo called, it is the jujl defert of a voluntary atlion, whereunto a proportionable reward is due out of Jufiice, Jo tbat if it be not given, an injury is really committed, and he, to whom retribution properly appertainetb, Jhould be really unjuft if he did not exaclly compensate. Some of the Papifts foar very high in this point, Tapperus m and tell us roundly , that good Works do not only merit in refpedt of Explic. Artie. God's Gracious Covenant, but in regard of the worthinefs of the Works l ' ovan Tom.2, themfelves : And that God, for the greater honour of his Children, ' would have them to get Heaven by their Merit, which is more honour a-hie to them than to receive it by God's free gift. 'Tis not for fuch high-born Souls as theirs humbly to expedr and obtain Everlafting Hap-pinefs, as a Beggar doth his Alms ", but to attaque Heaven by ftorm, to enter upon, and poffefs it, as the juft reward of their Works, and to ride triumphantly through it as Conquerors. Others of the Papifts feem Bell, de juft. more modefi, and they tell us, that the Saints do merit indeed, but then 1-5 c. 1^,17. their merits are fubordinate to Chri(Fs merits y nay, fay they, they are derived from them, for Chrift hath merited for us the power and grace of meriting: And therefore this Doctrine of Merit is far enough from obfeuring the Glory of Chrift's Merits : It rather argues the wonderful efficacy of them. 3 Tis no blemifh to the Sun, that the Moon and Stars mine with a borrowed Light from it. Fruitfulnefsoi the Branches is no difparagement to the Vine. The dependent and fubordinate efficacy of fecond Caufes, is no detraction from the All-fufficiency and Omnipotency of the Hrft. But for all thefe fugred words and fair pretences, we fhal! endeavour to make it evident, that fuch a fanlied merit of pardon of iin, and eternal life, even by our beft works, is an ungrounded, novel, un-neceffary, impoilible hdrJon.

1. Wholly ungrounded on the Scriptures. That ChriiTs Merit hath .purchafed for us Grace for the performance of good Works, we readily grant: but that he hath merited that we might merit,we utterly deny,as being a thing unheard of in the Writings of the Prophets and Apoltlc?.

2. Novel j 'tis a new upfiart Opinion, fo fays that Milieus jejuit.i-rum, the incomparable VJher. In former times of Popery, the ordinary Inftru&ion appointed to be given to men on tbeir Death-beds, was,. That they Jhould lool^ to come to glory, not by their owtrMerits, but by the Virtue and Merits of ChrifVs PaiTion > and faze their-whole con-

Xxx fidena

» c

fidence in his Death only\ and in no other thing, and interpofe his Death between God and their fins. This made William of Wickham, Founder of NewColledge, profefs, he trufted in Chriit alone for Salvation* and Charles the Eighth did the like when he came to die i and Bellarmine bimfelf, when he was at the brink, of Eternity, to profefs, lutiffimum eft, &c. give me a drift, rather than all other pretended Merits whatever.

3, An unnecejfary fitlion. Hath Chriit a fulnefs of Merit, and that of infinite value, to purchafe Reconciliation and Acceptation both of our Perfins and Services , together with an Everlafting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven ? Yea or no ? If it be denied, 'tis eafily proved out of Van, 9. 24, 26. Col. 10. 19,20. Job. 17. 2. Heb. p. 12, 15. If it be granted , that the Merit of Chrift is of infinite value, and that

Entia non (unt by it he hath purchafe'd in the behalf of his Members a full right unto

^'mMm. Eternal Life and Ha PPinefs \ if Chriit hath merited (ox us perfection, and. fine * cey i . £ u j ne f s Q f Q race anc { Q] or y - w hat necejfity is there that we our (elves

fliould do this again ?

4. *2*/ impojjible. We cannot poffibly by our #*/£ Workj merit Eternal Life. We are faved by Mercy, not Merit, Rom. 3. 20. and K0W.4. 2,4,5. by Grace^ not of Works, Ephef. 2. 8,9. lit. 3.5,6,7. and if by Grace*, by Grace alone , not by W r orks , no blending of Grace and Works together, Rom. 11. 6. To evidence this, let us but duly confi-der the xizczttaxy Ingredients of Merit, and apply them to the beft Worlds of the beji of Saints. To render a Work properly and ftriVily meritorious of a reward, 'tis necejj'ary that

1. There Jhould be fome equality, proportion^ and fuitableneft between tbe'Wor\ and the Reward. But is there any equality betwixt the enjoy* ment of God in Heaven, and our im-perfetl Works on Earth ? If I pre-fent my Prince with an Horfe or Dog, and he requites me with a Lord-Jhip, will any man fay I have merited that Lordfhip ¥ Of all Works none comparable to Martyrdom: but yet what compare between a Crown of Thorns here, and a Crown of Glory hereafter ? 2 Cor. 4.17. not worthy to be named the fame day, Rom.$. 18.

2. 7fc# tbeWork^ done be profitable and advantageous to him of whom any thing is merited. But can a finful man be profitable unto God ? Job 22.2, 3. and35.7, 8. Can a man, he doth not mean an ordinary, lick-ly, wea\, frail man, but a man at his beft, a man in the flower and perfection, not only of his natural abilities, but in the richeft Furniture and Array of his acquired and infpired Perfections. Take this man, a man of thefe Attainments and Accomplifhmeats, and can he be profitable to God ? can he bring any advantage, gain or profit unto God ? Be he never fo £0/)/, never fo righteous, doth the Lord receive any advantage by him, fo as thereby God is his Debtor^ and become beholden to him ^ No, no. The beft of men cannot oblige God. The great JEHOVAH isperfecl'm himfelf and therefore cannot receive any addition: he is

felffufficient ,. and therefore needs no addition. Holy David humbly acknowledges this, Tfal. 16. 2. My goodnefs extendeth not to thee: u e. I am not able to do any good which reacheth to thy benefit, or increafeth thy happinefs. Exod.19.^

Objeft. But is not the Church of the Jews called God's peculiar trea- Deut.$i.p. fare ? and is there no profit in a treafure ?

Sol. Yes. Tliey are called his treafure, not becaufe they profit him, but becaufe he proteUs them, as a man would his treafure that is moft dear to him,

Ob)eUx. But is not the glorifying of God an advantage to him ?

Sol. Our glorifying of God adds no more to him, than the reletting Glafs doth to the moil beautiful Face. It only Jhews what God is, it doth not add to what God hath : Nay, at belt 'tis but a dufty cracky Glafs, Mat. 5. 16. A little Taper adds more Light to the Sun, than all men do or can to God.

• 3. That it be a Wor)^ that is not already due. Doth any man deferve an Eftate for that Money whereby he difcharges an old Debt. That which is our duty to do, cannot poilibly merit when 'tis done. We cannot oblige either God or man by perfuming our Obligation. All the Works we can do for God, are deferved by him. Hath not he created us ? Doth he not every moment uphold our Souls in life ? Hath he not redeemed us, and fo is infinitely before-hand with us every way ? Dare any fay, that God doth not deferve that they fhould do the utmotl they can for his Service and Glory ? If he doth, is it not Pride and Impudence to pretend merit from God ? Thus our Saviour argues in the Text, where he proves, that, becaufe the fervant had done no more than was his duty to do, therefore he did not merit in doing it: Wheny^have done all, fay , We are unprofitable fervants, we have done that which was our duty to do. He that hath done all thofe things that are commanded him, is a man indeed, a man of worth, a man of men: but where to be found on Earth ? But let it be granted , that he hath reacht to the utmoft ■ line of the Command , he is yet an unprofitable fervant, he hath done but his duty. A man of worth he may be, a man of merit he is not, he cannot be. There neither is, nor can be any good Work acceptable to God, which God hath not commanded. Of all other Works whatever his Query is, Who hath required them at your hands ? Ifai. 1.12. and if it be commanded, then it is due to God *> and if fo, then by giving that to God which is his due , we do not merit, no not fo much as thank/, Lu^e 17. $, 10. We are not our own, we are the Lord's. We arc bought with a.price, we owe our whole felves for our Creation and Redemption, 1 Cor. 6, 20. and therefore we ought to gloritie God in our Bodies and Souls, which are the Lord's. If we our S elves,cux Bodies and Spirit* are the Lord's, much more are all our Services his. If the Per-fon be anothers, all the work that is or can be done by him are his too.

4. That, what good Wor\s we do, be our own. A man cannot merit

X x x 2 by

r

5 64 'There are not any Works of Supererogation. Serm. XVK

by giving that to another, which he had from him to whom he gave it* A King's Almoner merits not by diftributing his Sovereigns Alms. No'w every good gift, and every perfed gift, is from above, Jam.1.17. What hath, or doth the beffc of Saints, that be hath not received? 1 Cor. 4.7. ' Is it not the Lord that worketh in them, both to will and do \ Phil. 2, 12, 13. Do not all Works that are good, as they are good, proceed from his Spirit ? Are they not the Fruits that fpring from that Divine Root } Gal. 5.20. Ts not Repentance his gift ? Ait. 11.18. and 5.31. Is it not given to us both to believe and to fuffer ? Phil. 1. 2 p. Without him, can we , of our felves, do any thing? Joh. 15. 5. Nay, can we fo much as tbinkji good thought of our felves ? 2 Cor. 3. 5. Is it not he that works all our workjfor us, and in us ? Ifai. 26.12. And therefore certainly by them God cannot be bound to beftow more upon us. Durandihl.'-. Hence : , Durandus , to the great regret of Merit-mongers, with much Sen. diit. 27. zea j anc j f tren gfh 3 impugns and contends againft the merit of Con-dignity.

5. Ihat it be not mixt aud tainted with fin. That Adtion which needs a Pardon*, cannot deferve a Reward. Can that, for which we de-ferve Hell, and Eternal Death, jnerit Heaven, and Eternal Life ? Now as good Works are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with fo much weafytefs and imperledrion , that they cannot endure the feverity of God's Judgment, Ifai. 6^.6. Gal.^.ij. Rom.^. 17,18, Pfal. 143.2. and 13c. 3. All our Graces are imperfect, all our Duties are polluted > and therefore Hand in need of Favour, Grace and Acceptation : and where then is their merit ?

Object. 1. But is not Eternal Life called a Reward? and doth not that firongh prove merit ? Mat. 5. 12. Great is your Reward.

Sol. 1. Compare Scripture with Scripture, and then judge. - Is not Eternal Life laid to be the Gift of God ? Rom:6. 23. Can a free Gift be deferved or merited ? Again, is not Eternal Life called an Inheritance? Rom. 8. 17. Gal.4.7. Ephef. 1.14,18. Col.1.12. Can the fame Eflate be mine by Inheritance, and by Purchafe ?

Yes, fay the Papifts. The Glory which Chriit had,, was his by Inheritance, for he was Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. and yet 'twas his by Purchafe too : He dearly paid for it, PhiL2. 7,8, p^ 10.

True, but this was in divers refpecls, becaufe he had two Natures: As he was the Eternal Son of God, it was his Inheritance, and belonged to the Manhood only as united to the Godhead. As he was Man, he might, and did Purchafe it by what he did, and fuffered in the flem. But in Saints there are not two Natures, nor any ground of pretence for Purchafe.

2. Doth not the Scripture clearly fpeak of two kinds of Rewards, of Grace and of Debt ? and withal affirms, that the Reward that God gives to good men, is meerly of Grace, not of Debt, Rom. 4. 4. Bellarmine tells us it may be of botho

No,

Kos The Apoftlc utterly forbids that: If it be of Grace, then is it no more of works, Rom. 11.6.-—4. 4, 5.

Obtjetl. 2. But God gives this reward to men, for working in bis Vine-* yard, Mat. 20. 8.

•Sol. True, but ftill the reward appears to be of grace, dCe why mould he that came in at the laji hour, receive as much as they that had born the heat and burthen of the day ? ver. 12.

Objed.3. But God is faid to reward men according to their workj'-> according to, /. e. according to iheproportion of them, and that implies merit, Kev. 20.13. 2 Cor. 11.15.

Sol. I mull demur to this glofs on thefe Texts, and that,

1. Becaufe, lince God is pleas'd to reward in us his own gifts and graces, not our Merits, as Bernard [peaks, He may ftill fyep a proportion, and to them to whom he gave-more grace here, he may give more glory here-after, and yet there is no more merit in this additional reward, than in

the reft.

2. I may as well conclude, the blind men merited their fight, becaufe Chrift faith, Be it unto you according to your Faith, Mat. 9. 29. as we may gather Merit from this phrafe, accordingtoyour worlds.

Objetl. 4. Good works mentioned, as the Caufes, for which God gives eternal Life, Mat. 25.3 5. Come ye bleHed, &c. for I was hungry, and ye gave me meat,8cc

Sol. Paul did not think this a good Argument h for though he knew that it wasTaid of Abraham, Becaufe thou haft done this thing, I will blefs Gen.12.r6 1% thee: yet he flatly denies the merit of Abrahams works, Rom. 4.2, 6. Gati'%. 5. And, when he fays of himfelf, I obtained .mercy, becaufe 1 did it ignorantly, 1 Tim. 1.13. who can imagine that he means that his ignorance merited mercy* The King faid, I forgive thee all thy debt, be**-caufe thou defiredjl me, Mat. 18. J2. Did his meer asking deferve it ?

Objetl. 5. Good men own°d by God, as worthy of the Kingdom of God, 2 ThelT. u 5. Rev. 3.4.

Sol. Thefe are faid to be worthy, not as the Labourer is worthy of his Luke 10. 7. hire, Mat. 10. 10. J Tim - 5-5 ^

1. But Comparatively, in refpect $f other men, that are moll un- l ' worthy.

2. By Gods gracious acceptation of them, in, and through Chrift, Adts 5. 41. Mat. 22.8. But otherwife the holieft of Saints have ever judged themfelves moft unworthy of' the leaft of God's mercies. So far have

they been from proudly thinking themfelves worthy of eternal life. Ma"'8^8 ^ A worthinefs of frtnefs and meetnefs for Heaven in Saints we acknow- Luke 7. 6, 7, ledge, as the word $&k is rightly rendred, Matt. 3. 8. and yet it is God's 2 Thef. 1.2.' grace alone that gives the Saints this fltnefs \ Col. 1. 12. 'Tis God j^jj' T * z " % alone that makes us thus meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the zXhilxlti Saints in light* 'Tis therefore no lefs than impudence to pretend to col. 1. 12. mq&t from God by it: and if yet any will be fo audacious as to boaft

of

of their own worth and merits let them be pleafed to anfwer the Apo-file's clofe, and cutting queftions> i Cor. 4, 7. Who makgtb thee to differ ? and what haft thou, that thou didft not receive ? now if thou didft receive it, why doft thou glory as if thou didit not receive it? life 1. Infer. 1. If then \egaA,finlefs Perfection, and merit for our felves by

our belt works, notwithftanding all its plaufible pretexts, Hands convi-cled, and caft, what (hall we thinly of workj of Supererogation ? what inrollerable arrogance, boldly, and without a blujh to affirm, that divers of tbe Saints bave not only merit enough topurcbafe eternal life for them-felves, but a great deal tofparefor tbe relief of others. This felf-advan-cing, and heaven-daring Doctrine of works of Supererogation, what felf-fearching foul is there that looks not on it as the higher! ftrain, two or three notes at leaft above Ela, indeed fuch a note, as not the holieft Teraphim, Seraphim, Arch-Angel, durft ever yet pretend to reach to, no not in their high eft Halelujahs. Supererogation ! both the word and thing point out to us theTcf Round of the Popifh Arrogancy. Or if you pleafe, you may look upon it as the grand Bellows of the Topes Kitchin here, and of his comfortable importance, his moft beneficial Laboratory, vrz. Purgatory, hereafter.

The Papifls jumble in this Dodrine among the croud of feveral

other ungrounded, unfcriptural, novel, and abfurd opinions. And, that

you may fee that it is much beneath thefe grand Sophy*s, vel delirare, vel

infanire, nifi cum ratione , thus they ered their Babel. A Lanfcape

Pav.'m C0I0C whereof is exadly drawn by the skilful pencil of the truly Reverend and

I,z 4' 'LearnedVavenant.

1. Firffc then they readily acknowledg and declare, that God-man Chriji J efts did fully fat isfie the Juftice of God by his offering up of him-felf' after ifice for fin, and that by that Sacrifice did fully expiate the fins of Believers. A truth this written with a Sun-beam. ' But then with the Text, you muft take the Popifh Comment too. . This fatisfadion and expiation, fay they, is to be underftood only in refped of their guilt of mortal fins, and of their eternal punilTiment due thereupon,, bit not at all in refped of their temporal punifhment. As for this, they are wholly \ek to themfelves, either to fink^ or fwim > and notwithftanding all that Chrift hath done, fuffered, purchafed, pro-mifed, Believers are ftill liable to it, and that not only in the prefent World, but for fome time, at leaft in the next, i, e. in Purgatory. To follow them ■*.&£*&*& ftep by ftep.

1. As to that pretty new-coin d diftindion between the full remiffion Culpam re- of the guilt of lin, and yet inflicting of the' punijhment after the pardon dud'er'^Lm °^ t ^ ie ^ / ^« Tell me, what is guilt} is it not a liablemfs and being non imp'urari bound over to punijhment? Is-it any thing more or lefs: therefore if the ad pcenarn guilt be taken away, of necefiity the punijhment muft be taken away Durand. 1.4. alfo* All puniftiment refillts from guilt, and from guilt alone, $rd

there-

Serm. XVI. There are not any Works of Supererogation. %6j

therefore if there be a full expiation of that, the punifhment muft needs ceafe, let the kind of it be what it will. If a im be remitted, pardoned, forgiven, it cannot in equity be punijhed. All punifhment in order to fjtisfaclion of iuftice is utterly inconfifient with the nature and tenor of . remiffion of fin. 'Tis a great and known mixim, In fublata culpa^ tollitur Exempto rea-&pxna •, and backt by the concurrent testimony of the Ancient. The & poena Tw truth is, to affirm the contrary, is to make remiilion of tin a meer Bauble, de Bap'. V 5. or rather a 'taunting jeer, or Hinging Sarcafm. As if a Creditor (hould nnrvyxff*™* fay to his Debtor, poor foul, I freely forgive thee all thou ovvelt me, only chryf.honu 1 * I mull throw thee into a Dungeon full of Scorpions and Serpents, and 8. ad Rom. thefe muft fting and torment thee years without number \ but for thy comfort, know, that 'tis not for the millions but mites thou oweft me. Purgatory-i\xe is not for mortal but venial 1ms, little peccadillo's. Or as [[ a Judge or King mould caufe an 0 yes to be made, and then proclaim a free and gracious pardon to a defperate malefactor, or rather to his own prodigal, rebellious Son > thus,'Son, I do, before Men and Angels, and in the face of the whole World, freely forgive you all your debaucheries, rebellions, treafons, I frankly quit you from the guilt of all your bloody crimes, only I remember fome little incogitancies ,fome flight flips of your youth i and thefe I mult not, cannot pardon. For thefe therefore, fuch is my tender companion, you (hall only be ftretch'd, and held on a Rack^, thrown on a burning Gridiron, feed on flames of Sulphur, and have plentiful draughts of icaldmg-/^^.— O brethren, what humane ear could bear fuch fiabbing language ? Mutato nomine de Papicolis narratur fa-hula,

2^. Hath not - Chriji by his perfeU Obedience and Sacrifice of himfelf Vere Chnftus

fully Catisfied the iu'iice nf his Father, and puchafed perfea reconciliation? con;im\n>can n 1 1 j c 1 1 r r 1 a j do nobitcum

By the obedience ot that one man, the iecond Adam, are not many^ even f lne cu jpa

all elected, converted, believing, penitent lrnners made righteous before poenain, & God} Rom, 5.i£. Hath not Chrilt by one offering perfected for ever them culparii folvir, that are fandlitied ? Hehr. 10.14. D °th not the Blood of Chrift through- ^ P^ 01 ; ly purge our Confcience from the guilt of dead works as well as filth? Heb. p. 14. Hath not Chrifl: loved us, and given himfelf for us an offering, and a Sacrifice to God for a fweet fmelling favour to all gracious intents and purpofes ? Eph. 5. 2. Did not Chrift by his dezthfinilh the tranfgrejfion, and make an end of iins ? Hath he not made perfea reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlafting Righteoufnefs } Dan. p.. 24, 2d. Col. 1. \p, 20. Rom. 3. 24, 25,26.

3. Where do we find in the whole Scripture, any the leafi hint cf fuch a-refiriBion or limitation, that Chrift hath fatisried for ete-rnal and not for temporal punifhment ? Did he not bear the one as well as the other * If a: 53.4, 5. Surdy he hath born all our griefs, caried all our forrows 3 is wounded for all our tranfgreilions, bruifed for all our iniquities, the chaitifement of our whole peace was upon him, and by his jiripes only we are fully healed. The indefinites in the Text cleaily include.

elude an univerfal. Cbrifi his own felf bare all our fins, that is, the guilt and punifhment of them in bis body on tbe Tree, and therefore doubtlefs takes oiT from the (inner what he bare in his own perfon, i Vet. 2.24.

4. But tell me, Papifts, fuppofe you laid your ear clofe to that fiery

dungeon of Purgatory, and fhculd there hear elected Believers, fuch for

whom Chrift hath eternal love, and particularly died, and fuch as are

truly regenerated and adopted i (far none but fuch are there, according

to your felves): Suppofc, I fay, you heard an Afa, an Hezekjab, a Je-

hofaphat, a Mary Magdalen, nay one of your own moll holy Popes, (who

all have had their little flips, venial fins at lead:) yelling, howling, crying

out with Dives, wo is us, wo is us, for we are tormented in this flame.

And, though they cannot, dare not in the leaft murmur again ft, or jm-

patiently complain of God, (that were a mortal fin, not committable in

Purgatory) yet might they not without offence complain to God in

. fuch language as this: Ah dear father, the Father of thy deareji Son

our only Surety and Saviour, who now tits at thy right-hand, and where

one day we jhall fit near him \ wert not thou be that didft mod freely

and faithfully promife us, when we were on earth, to blot out all our

fins as a cloud, and our tranfgreflions as a mift? Ifa. 43.25. To cover

them with the robes of thy Son's Righteoufhefs > Pfal.32. 1, 2. To

taft all our fins into the depth of the Sea} Mtc.j. 18,19. Not to impute

our trefpafles ? Rom. 4.8. Yea, though they were fought for, that they

Jbould not be found} Ifa. 26. Never to mention them more } Ezekj 18.

22. Nay, never to remember them more r* Jer. 31.34. Ah dear Father,

were thefe indeed thy promrfes, and didft thou in our life-time, by thy

Spirit, feal to our Confciences the faithful performance of them ? and

is this thy performance of them? Is this thy kindnefs. to thy friend ?

as once Rebeccah, if it be fo, why are we thus } Gen. 25. 2,2. Is all thy

promifed mercy come to this ? O coniider and fee whether there be any

forrow greater than our forrow, which is done unto us, wherewith the

.Lord himfelf, our Father, and not the Divel, hath affli&ed us, in the

day of his fierce anger. True indeed, our mountains are buried in the

depth of the Sea, but our molehills fink us', all our talent-debts are

paid, but we lie, and rot, and burn, and die, for fome little fees. Tell

. me, Papifts, if you heard fuch a complaint as this, would it not make

your bowels to wamble ? would you not be apt to bid 'em bufh, and be

Hill, for fear, left it fhould be nois'd in Gath, and blab'd abroad in the

ilreets of Askelon \ left that on the other iide of the wall, in Hell,

(which,.you fay, (lands.but the next wall to Purgatory), a damned Caitiff

ihould hear it, and fay, Aha, aha, thus would we have it j, thus,, oh .thus

Jet all thofe beferved,and faved, that, while they lived on earth, believed

on, and were obedient to a crucified^ Jefus. In one word, for God to

.elecr, redeem, regenerate, jufttfy, adopt, fanUify, accept, promife, fwear,

and to do yet much more for pardoned finners on earth, and yet in a

vindictive

VindiUive way, in order to the fatisfaltion of Juftice, thus to puni(h, what is it lefs than the higheft contradiction ?

Objett. 1. But we muft not think the learned BeJIarmine will be fo ea- Bellarm. de fily muzzled: bark^ he will and mud, though bite he cannot. If Chrift, P«g.l.i.c.i». faith he, fatisfied for all the fault and puniihment, why then do wefuffer fo many evils after the remijjion of guilt ? Doth not God Jay many evils on pardoned perfons ? Was not Mofes pardoned as to his ra(h anger, but yet muft die in Mount Nebo for his trefpafs ? Deut. 32.48. &c. The Ifraelites pardoned, but yet punijhed, Numb. 14. 20,21, 22,23. David pardoned , but yet the Child muft die, and the Father ilabb'd through the Child's loins, 2 King. 12.14.

Sol, 1, Thefeare not properly and ftritlly punijhments. True, materially they look like fuch, and may be owned as fuch, but not formally. Fatherly Chaftifements they are, Legal Funijhments they are not: Medicinal, but not Venal: Rhubarb, not Poifon : Lancets only, not StiUetto's : Ligaments, not Halters. They do not come from God's VindiVxive Wrath, nor doth he in the leaft delign them for the fatisfaUion of his Juftice '■> but they proceed from other caufes, and are deilgned for other ends. They are the Hues of his Paternal love and tendernefs, Heb. 12. 5, 6, Rev. 3. 15?. To make them more fenflble of the evil of fin, Jer. 4, 18. To prove their Graces, Veut. 8. 16. To purge their Confciences, Jfai,2j.p, Refine their Spirits, Zecb.ij.p. 1 Pet. 1.6. and to fa

avi

their Souls, 1 Cor. 11.32. 2 Cor.\. 17. For God thus to afflict and punifh, may very well ftand with pardoning Grace \ but to punifh under any notion of fatisfaUion, fave only that of Chrift, cannot.

Objeft. 2. Death is the wages of fin, Rom. 6. 23. and yet the righteous, though all their fins are forgiven in Chrift, are not delivered from death.

Sol. 1. At the raft day they Jhall be delivered from death it klf 3 1 Cor. 15.26,55.

2. In death, are delivered from the fling and curfe of death, 1 Cor.i 5, 56. Heb.2.y<).

3. In that they die, this is out of God's love, Ifai. 57. 1,2. 2 King. 22. 20. And that becaufe,

1. It frees them perfetlly from fin and mifery, Epbef. 5.26,27. Rev. 14.13.

2. It makes them capable of further Communion with God in Glory, which they then enter upon, Luh^e 23. 43. Phil. 1.23.

Thus much as to their firft AiTertion, we proceed to the fecond. II. They tell us, That/of the preventing or removing of thefe temporal punijhments both here and in Purgatory, (notwithftanding the fulnefs of Chrift's fatisfadtion and merit) there muft be humane fatisfactions made to God by Relievers themfelves, and that for themfelves or others. At this hole creep in a world of Popijh Vanities : Hence fevere Penances^ frequent Fajiings, late Vigils, tedious Pilgrimages, bloody corporal &#-

Y y y ings,

ingf, voluntary Toverty. All thefe are Humane fatisfactions before death. After death, Majfes, Tray erf, Dirges, Indulgences, Tar dons, thefe for them that at their death are pinion?d up, and carried bound to Turgatory^ and this only for venial fins, fuch as break no fquare at all betwixt God and Souls, fuch as do not deferve the lofs of God's favour, nor exclusion from Heaven to Turgatory, I fay, whofe flames, and exquifite torments differ nothing from thofe of Hell but only in duration, the one being but for a time, the other everlafting.

As to this-rine device of Humane fatisfatlion by Believers for them-felves or others, we demand,

i. In drift's Humiliation, Was there a fulnefs, an all-fulnefs of fa-tisfaftion, to make an ample amends to God's enraged Juftice, vea, or no ? If it be denied, doubted, or difputcd, by the Socinian/or Pa-piir, we thus prove it. The fulnefs of drift's fatisfadf ion is,

i. Moll clearly typified in the Old 'Tejlament, in thofe three famous in-ftanccs, the burning of the Sacrifices by fire from Heaven, Lev, 1.9. Jndg. 6. 17, 21. 2Chron.y. 1,3. and made them afcend towards the place of God's glorious poffeiTion. The vompleatnefs of the daily bloody Sacrifice, Exod. 29. 40. The fweetnefs of the things required in the Meat and Drink-Offering, Exod. 29. 40. Lev. 2. 2,1 5. All thefe Types of the fulnefs of Chrift's fatisfa£tion.

2. Tlainly afferted in the New Teflament, Ephef. 5. 2. drift hath given himfelf for us, an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a fweet fmel-ling favour. Wherein obferve thefe two things :

1. Ihe Sufficiency : An Offering and a Sacrifice to God,

2. The fragrancy and acceptablenefr unto God of the Offering and Sacrifice of Chrijl. Chrift's Offering and Sacrifice of himfelf was as acceptable unto God, as the fweeteji Odours are unto mens fenfe of fmel-ling.

3. Really evidenced by CbrijFs Exaltation, as an evident fign or to\en thereof. Chrift was thrown into the Trifon of the Grave, as our Surety, for our fins, and no poifibility of delivery of him thence, but by paying the utmoji farthing we owed unto God's Juftice. But now, as the Prophet faith, He was taken from Trifon and Judgment, Ifai. 53. 8. raifed from the dead, taken up into Heaven, placed at God's right hand, 1 Cor* 15.4. Mar\ id. 19. there admitted into the glorious exercife of an Authoritative Intercetlion, Heb. 7.25. A moft convincing Argument that he hath paid off all our debt, given full recompence to God's difpleafed Holinefs, fafheientfatisfaftion to his Juftice provoked by our fins. Hereupon that of our Saviour , John 16. 8,10. The Comforter will convince the World of Rigbteoufnefs, becaufe I go to my Father : i. e. The Spirit mall convince the World, not only that Chrift was righteous, or innocent in his own perfon, and therefore unjuftly numbred among tranfgref-iors \ but that there was Rigbteoufnefs enough in him for the justification of the whole World of his Eleli: and the Argument whereby he proves

it,

it, is, Becaufe 1 go to my Father. Our iins and God's Jufticc would have kept Chrift ftill in his Grave, and never admitted him into Heaven, till he had fulfilled all Righteoufnefs: u e. till he had performed all the Duties, and fuffered the whole curfe of the Law as touching the fubltance thereof, for thofe for whom he lived and died a Surety. On this it is that Paul firmly grounds his triumphing confidence, and bids defiance to Sin, Law, Death and Devils, Horn. 8. 33,34. with Rom.

42 5-

4. Plain, From the infinite Worthinefs of his Perfon *, and that whether you confider Chrift's Humiliation under the notion of a Price , or Sacrifice.

1. As a Price which he paid for us , of great and ineftimable value, by reafon of the Worthinefs of his Perfon. The precious Blood, of Chriit, 1 Pet. 1. i8,ip. the Blood of'God, ^#.20.28. A full, and fufficient Price of ranfom, Pfal. 130. 7, 8. From the guilt and dominion of fin, from the curfe and rigor of the Law, all fteps and degrees of Salvation, from all fins, all evil that is in fin, all the fad and miferable confequents and effe&s of fin. And a fufficient Price of Purchafe to obtain love, kindnefs, life, righteoufnefs, favour and acceptance, together with all the gracious and glorious fruits thereof.

2. As a Sacrifice, which he offered for us, an all-pleafing Sacrifice, by reafon of the Infinitenefs of his Perfon. By one Offering for ever perfected thofe that are fanllified, Heb. 10. 14. The great acceptahlenefs of this Sacrifice unto God, proceeds from the Dignity of the Priefl Offering, the Eternal Son of God, in whom"God was; infinitely well-pleafed, Mat. 3. 17. From the Sacrifice offered, the Blood fhed was the Blood of God, Adr. 20. 28. From the Altar on which 'twas offered, the Divine Nature, Heb. p. 14. Tell me then, is there in Chrilt's Humiliation an aH-fulnefs of fatisfadtion to Divine Juftice, yea, or no ? If fo, What need then in the leaji of this fig-leaf of Humane fat'ufiUion? To what purpofe do we light up 2. dim Taper, and a fmoa\y Candle, when we have before us the clear and full light of a mid-day Sun? If Chriit 5 s fatisfadion be of infinite price, why may it not ferve for the expiation of the guilt of Temporal, as well as Eternal punifhment ? If there be an aU-fuffciency in ChrifVs fatisfadion , what need the fitpple-ment of ours ?

Objetl. 1. Did not Paul rejoice in his fufferings for the Churchy and fill up that which was behind of the affli&ions of Chriji in his flejh, for his Bodies fa\? which is the Church f Col. 1.24.

Sol. A great difference betwixt fuffenng for the good of others, and fatisfying for- the fault■ and guihoi others. A Paul may do the former, a Chriit only can do the latter. And this was the fie caufe of Paid\ -reyoycing , the great benefit that accrued to the Church by i > fufferina. True indeed, Paul is faid to fill up, &c. not as if there were any thing lacking 01 dtfetiive in the fufferings of Chriit, Heb. 10. 14.

Y y y 2 <a.id

and 7. 25. but by the differings of Chrift our Spiritual means, not Chrift perfonal, but Chri\\ myliical, that is, the Body Chrift, or true Believers, i. e. Chrift in his Members, who are ufually called Chrift, Ail. p. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 5. Heb. 11. 25. When Chrift had done fuffering in his Per-fon, he left it as a Ifg^cy to his Members, that they fhould fuffer with him, and for him, All.9. 16. and 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3.12. Well then, Taul fuffers for the Church : but how ? fo as to fatisfie God's Juftice for them ? Ob no. Taul rejedts this fenfe with indignation. Was Taul crucified for you? 1 Cor. 1.13. But as he is faid fometimes to furTer for Chrift, 2 Cor. 12.10. not furely to fatisfie for him, but to glorifie him 3 fo he fuffers for the Churches edification, and e[lablijhment, and fo he elfewhere explains himfelf, Thil.i. 12. 2 Tim.2. 10. Hence it is 5 that 2 Tim.2.p. he is faid to labour in the Word even unto bonds. Nor doth Tajd think by his fufterings to redeem others from their fuffering, but by his example to excite them to the fame confiancy : wherefore he faith, he fuffered all things for the Eledf, not that they mould expedt fatisfatlion for their fins in the merit of his fufferings, but that they might obtain the Salvation that is in Chrilt.

Objecl. Here the Tapijis gravely reply upon us, Not to fupply tbe wants or defetls of Cbriji's fatisfatlion, but to apply it unto us, D Tis one of the Inftruments ordained by God , for the application of Chrift's fatif-fadtion to us in the taking away of Temporal punifhment.

So(. Quid verba audiam, (hew us the leajt tittle of ground for this Harangue in the Book of God.

1. A new fatisfatlion no more required to apply the fatisfadtion of Chriit, than a new Death, Redemption, Refurredtion is, to apply the Death, Redemption, and Refurredtion of Chrift.

2. By their own limitation and reftriVxion of the ufe of Chrift's fatisfadtion. They limit the ufe of C brijF s fatisfatlion, to the taking away the fault only, and that of mortal lins alone, and eternal punithment due for them i and how then can Humane fatisfadtion apply the fatif-fadtion of Chrift for the taking away of Temporal punifhment ?

3. Thefe pretended Humane fatisfadf ions are no Tnjlruments of application of Chrift's fatisfadtion : for fuch Inftruments are all Ordinances of God, branches of his fForfhip, fo are not the pains of Turgatory, Be-fides, all means of applying the fatisfadf ion of Chrift, proceed from the Grace, mercy and favour of God j pains of Turgatory trom God's Juftice, and are of a deftrudtive nature.

3. Thefe pretended Humane fatisfadtions are very injurious unto, and derogatory from Chrift's fatisfatlion , in that

1. Tbey make Chrift } s fatisfatlion to be imperfed, in that it adds thereunto a fupply of Humane fatisfadtion.

Object. So far from derogating from the Dignity of Chrift's fatisfadtion, as they rather make to the greater Honour thereof, becaufe itderiveth all our power of f*tisjying from Chrift's fatisfatlion, 'Tis no derogation

from

from God's Omnipotency, that he works by fecond Caufes > that in working the greateit Miracles , he makes ufe of the meaneft Servants. No impeachment:, but rather an honour to Chrift's fatisfatlion, to have it advanced fo far, as that by virtue thereof the Members of Chrifl: are madei/z/>^£ Satisfiers of Divine Juftice.

Sol. One tittle of Scripture-proof for this, or elfe the Proteftant's Negation is as authentic^ as the PapijPs Affer.tion.

2. It communicates to man power of fat isfying y which is the peculiar and incommunicative Prerogative ofChrifi alone. This appears from two grand fruits of Chrift's fatisfadtion, proper and peculiar thereunto, viz. Redemption^ and Reconciliation.

1. Redemption. Chrift alone hath redeemed us, Gal. 3.13. Now if Redemption be not communicated, ergo notfatitfattion '-> for Redemption is founded on fatisfadtion. Now Papifts themfel-ves acknowledge no Mediator of Redemption befides him, Heb. 1.3.

2. FuUandperfetl Reconciliation with God^ Rom. 5.10. Col.1.21,22.

Thefe and like places to be underftood exclulive. Reconciled to God y iCor.5.19: i.e. only by Chriit's Blood and Death, Jfai. 53. 5. No Chaftifement ^^ii, whatever, beiide that of his, can pacihe God's wrath againft us, or can ifai.38.17. procure our peace with him. Papifts acknowledge, that nothing which and r. 8. iinful man can do or furTer, is able to purchafe the return of God's favour and friendship: fo then if mens bell works and greateft furferings cannot reconcile us unto God, neither can they fatisfie the Juftice of God, becaufe Reconciliation of God to man follows fatisfadtion to his Juftice > and if God be once fu'Iy and perfectly reconciled, no place for any other puntfhment, thouzh but temporal, becaufe the Friends of God, and Members of Chriit cannot be condemned.

Object. Bit Hum me fitisfafihns are to us very confiderable, Bonus odor tucri. The va\\ and tweet promts, the large Incoms and Revenues which thefe bring to the D fpenkrs of them. This Fabula meritorum, (like that Fabula Chrifti , as one of their Popes faid, and he fpake like him-felf) is not eaiily to be parted with. Methinks I hear their good Bro- -ther Venietrius , clapping them on the fhoulder , and crying, Euge^ Made Goon, N'ble Souls, go on and profper. Alas, Silver Shrines for the ^reat Diana are in danger, yea her Holinefs her felf is in danger 5 and not 1 he, or not fo much Jhe, as we, Our Craft is in danger to be Jet at nought, Ail. 19. 24 &c.

Sol. Pardon me. it here I make no reply, but ingenuouily confefs, With that Learned and Worthy Brother, in his late excellent and fmewy Dr. Jaccmb, Trad: on Rom. 8. that I cannot anfvver it. But, this being taken away y I ajfure my felf . faith he, th'A Controverfie would foon be at an end. 'Tis the fatisfying ot corrupt men in their pride and avarice , and filthy lucre, rather, than the fatistying.of a pumfhingGod , that is at the bottom of this Controvertie.-

Thus, much as to. the fecond Romilh Pofition,

III, 1'her^

$7$ There are not any Works of Supererogation. Serin. XVI.

III. There have been, fay the Papifts, now are, and ftill will be in the Church fome eminent and tranfcendent Saints, fuch as the Virgin Mary John Baptiil, St. Peter, St. Paul, Ignatius Loiola y St.Vowinic, St. Francis and many fignal Martyrs and ConfciTors, that) by the aililting Grace of God vouchfafed to them in this life, and the wife improvement of their own free-will, have been enabled perfetlly, and ferfonaV.y, and perpetually to keep the whole Law of God\ and by this, have merited Eternal Life for themfelves, and greater degrees of Glory: Nay more, not only fo, not only done all the good which the Lord required, or only juft fo much as the Law demanded \ not only given the Lord good meafure, preiTed down, and ihaken together, but even running over, i. e. by lending an obedient ear to God's Evangelical Counfels, which are things of greater moment by far with Papifts, than God's Moral Precepts, they Condi, Tnd. ^ ave even done more than the Law demands, more than was needful to Bdl dAuiiif. ^ e done by them for the obtaining of Eternal Salvation, and have fuf-lib.4. c.io. fered more grievous torments than their (in deferved: and by both, have mo ft plentifully merited for others. The vanity and rottennefs of this third fuggeftion, I fuppofe I have fufnciently evidenced in the proof of my frji and fecond Proportion, and therefore haiien to the next AiTer-tion of the Papifts, which is,

IV. Ihefe redundant and over-flowing meritorious actions and fufferings cf eminent Saints , being mixed and jumbled together with the fuper-abundant fatisfatl.on of Chrift, (concerning which Clement dth tells us that one drop of ChriiVs Blood was (urficien r for the Redemption of all Mankind, as if all the reft might have been well fparedj) are, fay they , depofited in the Churches hands as a common Steely and 7rea-Jury.

fifthly and laftly, 1'he Key of this Church-Treafury is committed by God to the whole and fie care anddijpofe of his Holinefs the Pope himfelf the whole Treafury to be difpofed of by him and his Delegates, and to be applied to poor, penitent, aud contrite tinners, that fo by the P.)pes Bull and Indulgencies they may enjoy the benefit of thofe merits, and be delivered either from Cburcb-Cenfures on Earth, or the pains of Purgatory^ next door to Hell.

To both thefe I fhall briefly fay but thus much, Et rifum teneatis ami-ci ? or rather, Quis t alia fadd* temper et a Lachrymis i This, this was Luther. the thing that firit raifed the Spirit of that German.Elijah, to put his life into his hand, and in the itrength of his God to go out agamic the Romijh Goliah. Pope Leo had gratified his dear Sifter Magdalene with a large Monopoly of German Pardons. Aremboldits her Factor was a little too covetous, and held the Market too high. The heighth of his overrated Ware, ciufed the Chapmen, and among the reft, Luther, a little more narrowly to impedf their worth , and they were foon found to be, what indeed they are, a novel, and irrational va.iity, -an upirdrt Opinion i not kr.own faith Cornelius Agrippa^Polidore Virgil, and Machiavel,

to

to the Churches, till the year 1300. in Boniface the Eighth his days, who was the firlt that extended Indigencies to Purgatory, and the rirft that devifed the Jubilee , which is indeed the Mart or Market for the full uttering of them.

But to let pafs the Novelty, do but ferioufly weigh the fmfulnefs of this Opinion. 'Tis grounded on a fuppofed merit in Saints. Now merit is that which purchafeth a thing de novo, which we had not before, and to make that due which one had not before, but may now layjuji claim to. If fo, how deeply derogatory is this opinion to the fulnefs of Saints merit, to purchafe all reconciliation and acceptation both of our perfons and fervices, together with an everlafting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, Dan. 9. 24, 25, 26. Col. 1.19,20. Joh.17.2. Heb.9.12,15, If the merit of Chriji be of infinite value, and that by it he hath purcba-fed in behalf of us his Members a full right unto eternal life and hap-pinefs, then their good works do not make the fame newly due. If they make it any way due, either in whole, or in part: If in whole, then Chrilt hath merited nothing for them h if in part, then fomething of eternal life there is, which Chrilt hath not merited: either way there is a manifeft derogation from the merits of Chrilt.

As for that Ignh fatuus of Purgatory, I refer you to the learned Labours of my Reverend Brother, that in this Book profeffedly treats of that fubjedf.

I have done with the felf-advancing Papift. A few words more to the felf-abhorring Reformed Protectant, and I have done.

1. Be fincerely careful to maintain and praUife good works, and that Vfe 2. Ex--with all your might, even to the endoi your days, lit. 3. 8. Dorcas hortation. . was full of good works, Aa. 9.36. Yea, provoke cne another to love, and to good works, Heb. 10.24. Let not this thought, that you cannot, when you have done all, either merit, or fupererogate by them, tempt you to negleVx the holy, faithful, humble, conftant performance of them. Do them then, but do them for necejjaryufes, for the noble ends by God prefcribed. Not for this end,as if by them to merit or fupererogate^, leave that deiign to thtPharifaical Papiit. But in all your Obedience, adtive, pailive, aim direclly,

1. At the evidencing of the truth, and livelinefs of yrur faith, Jam. Operd mn funt 2.18, 22. To jhew your faith by your works. Abraham's faith was eiu f a \P°? a j}~ made perfect by his works. Not as if Abraham's faith received its w T orth, a ^ p gum y>^ value and perfection from his works, but made perfedt, /'. e. made puns [*nt ma-kpown and difcover ed, as God's ftrength is faid to be per felled in our n jf e & [ ationes ^ weakpefs. «Or thus, his faith co-working with his obedience, was l****'***^^ made perfect, i.e. bettered and improved, as the inward vigour of your

fpirits is increafed by motion and exercife.

2. At the manifeitation of ycur thankfulnefs. Thus David, Pfal. 11 6. 12,13, What JhallIrender unto the Lord for all his benefits towards

me ?

me } I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of i Pet.1,9. Lord. To Jhew forth the praifes of him, who hath called you oui i Pcc.r.5,to 11 .darknefs into his marvellous light.

3. At the firengthening of your ajfurances of God's fpecial love towa you. Hereby ye Jball know that you know him, if ye keep his Comma

ments, that in you verily the love of God may be perfected, and t hereby you may know that you are in him, 1 Joh. 2.3,5.

4. At the edification of your Brethren, that your Zeal may provoke 7 many, as that of the Brethren of Achaia did thofe of Macedonia, 2 (

^.2. Let your light fo jhine before men, not that they may magr you, but glorifie your father which is in Heaven, Mat. 5. 16,

5. At the adorning of your profejjion of the Go/pel, and flopping the mouths of adversaries, Tit. 2. 5, 9, to 13. 1 Tim. 6, i. 1 ] 2.15.

6. Chiefly and principally at the Glory of God, iCor. 10. 31. your Conversation be fo honeji, that, whereas they fpeak againft you evil doers, though their Corruptions accufe you, their Confciences r acquit yon, that they may by your good workj which they jball behold, 1 rifie God in the day of vifitation, 1 Pet. 2. 12. Phil. 1.11. Joh. 15 Gloririe God, I fay, whofe workmanlhip you are, created in Cbrifi

Jus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that ye fhc walk in them, Epbef.2. 10. thatfo, having your fruit unto holinefs, may have the end, or confequent 4 not the merit of your works, 7 eternal life, Rom. £.22.

2. As, when you have done all, you are but an unprofitable fervs and therefore muft not prefume to come to God in the opinion of y own worthinefs, yet be not afraid to come to God becaufe of your unn thinefs. The worft of men fhould not keep off from God becaufe ti are unprofitable, iince the bell cannot profit him. If we have done mp t it is nothing to the Lord ', and if we have done nothing, it is no bai the Lord his doing much for us. God will not turn us back becaufe bring him nothing > nay, he invites us to come without any thing, 7 55.1. without money, or money-worth.

3. When you have done all, and are moft fully laden with gc works, beg earnefily of God to work, and keep in you low and hum thoughts of your felf, of all you do or fuffer for him. They, of wh< God hath the higheft thoughts, have the meanejl thoughts of, and ] the lowed rate upon themfelves. No man ever received a fairer Cet ficate from God than Job did, Job 1. 1, 8. None likf him in the earth. perfeVx and an upright man ", and yet no man could think or fpeak m< humbly, and undervaluingly of himfelf than Job did, Job 42.6. abhors himfelf, and repents in duji and ajbes : And Job 9. 15. Wh< though I were righteous, yet would I not anfwer, but I would ma fupplication to my Judge. And Verf. 20,21. Though I were perfe -yet would I not fyiow my foul, I would defpife my life.

To make and keep thee bumble under thy greateft attainments: Vfe 3. Dire*

1. Often Ur\ up and confider the infinite parity and holinefs of God : Uion. the more we kjtow God, the more bumble we are before him. Job 42.

5, 6, Now mine eye bath feen thee, i. having now a clearer and more glorious manifeftation of thee to my foul than ever : I now perceiving thy pure Holinefs, Wifdom, Faithfulnefs, Goodnefs, as if they were corporeal Objedts 5 and I faw them with mine eye 5 on this very fcore aMjorring my felf in duji and ajhes,

2. When thou haft done all, Remember ft ill, that thy ability to do good workj * s mt at &V from thy felf, but from the Spirit of Chrift, Joh.i 5.4,5. 2 Cor. 3. 5« Ezek. 3d. 26, 27. A continual gale and influence of the holy Spirit neceflary to bring thy richly-laden Soul into its Fort, Phil. 2.13. and4.13.

3. When thou art at thy Non ultra, in thy very Zenith of attainable Excellencies here h Remember that all thy acceptation at the hand of God, both as to perfon and performance, depends wholly and folely on the blejfed Jefus, and thy peculiar inter eft in him, Ephef. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2.5. Exocfc. 8.28. Gen. 4.4. Heb. 1.1. 4. and 13.20,21. 2Cor.8.i2. Heb.d.io. Mat. 25. 21,23.

Zzz SER-

1 1 11 . 1

SERMON XVII

The Popifli Dodrine, which forbiddeth to Marry, is a Devilifh and Wicked Do-drine. dL 0**^ ^^fofr

I Tim. 4. i, 2, and.part of the 3 Verfe, Now the Spirit fpeak? eth exprefly , that in the latter times fome fnall depart ftom the jaith ^giving heed tofedncingfpirits^and doBrines of devils ', fpeaking lyes in hypocrifie, having their conferences Jearcd with a hot iron, Forbidding to Marry.

He Church of Rome hath been in her day as famous and truly worthy of Renown, as any Church which we read of, either in Scripture or Eccletiaftical Hiftory: I mean in the Primitive days of Chriitianity, whilit (he retained her Primitive Faith and Purity. Her Fame was great and growing, even whilit the Apoftle Paul was alive, who writing unto her, giveth thanks unto God for her, l.hat her Faith was fpken of thorowout the whole World ■ Horn. 1. 8 e This Church had the advantage of being feated in the Mi-fkefs-City of the Earth, where the Court then was of the chief Empire 5 unto which refort being made from all parts of the World, the moft of which at that time were fubjeel and Tributary unto Rome ••> her Faith and Obedience unto the Gofpel of Chrilt fo openly profeiTed, fo generally known and taken notice of at home, was fpread abroad, and carried far and near by llrangers in their return from Rome into their own Countries. Then the Church of Rome was truly Apoitolical, being built upon the Foundation of the Yrophets and Apojlles , Jefas Cbrift himfelf being the chief corner ftone^ Ephef. 2.20. And fo long as fhe kept this Foundation, her building was of Silver, Gold, precious Stones; fo long fhe. did fnine with true Lultre and Glory, But in procefs of time this fo famous a Church did decline, and by degrees degenerate, fo that at length fne became.an infamous Apoitatical Church, and the feat

of.

Serm.XVII. The Popip DoUrinc, which for biddeth to marry\ fckc, 5 79

of Antichrift hjmfelf, the greateft Enemy, next the Devil, which Chrift hath in the World. When (he left her Foundation, her glorious Build-in<* of purer Metals and precious Stones, was changed into infirm and courfe Building of Wood, Hay and Stubble, which is under the curfe, and whofe end is to be confumed with Fire: Then her Golden Head fell off, and was ftrangely metamorphofed into Feet of Iron and Clay, which the Stone hewen out of the Mountain without hands will dafh to

pieces.

This Defection and Apoftacy of the Church of 'Rome, was forefeen, and foretold by the Apoitle Vaid in this Epiftle to timothy, as al(b molt plainly in his fecond Epiftle to the IbeJJ'alonians. In the Text he that runneth may read a true Defcription of the Apoftate Church of Rome ■: Now the Spirit fpeaMgth exprefly, that in the latter times fome pall depart from the faith, giving heed to feduzing Spirits, and DoBrines of Devils, fpeakjng lyes in bypocrifie, having their Consciences feared with a hot Iron, forbidding to marry, &c.

The Church of Rome doth alTume to her felf to be Ihe Houfe of God, the Church of the living God, the Pillar and Ground of irutb, fpoken of Verf. 15. of the former Chapter. If it mould be granted that (he was fo at the rlrft, and when the Apoitle did write this Epiftle, although he fpake not of her in particular then, but of the Chriftian Church in the general, of which (he was a part \ methinks fince her Corruption and Apoitaiie,iince her great Degeneration into Antichriitianifm, (he might apply unto her felf (fure I am that others do with firm reafonj) what is afTerted and foretold in the Text, which in every particular is very ap- , plicable unto her. Now the Spirit fpeaketh exprejly. By the Spirit^ we are to underftand the Spirit of God, who fpeaketh expreily by the mouth of this Apoitle, a man full of the Holy Ghoft, whereby he was infallibly guided in what he here writeth and foretelleth. Or the Spirit fpeaketh expreily, that is, in fome other place of Divine W r rit, faith Learned Mr. Jofepb Mede upon the place : and he inftanceth in Dan, 11. 3<5,37,38,3p.which he interpreted! and accommodateth to this Scripture, That in the latter times \ The latter times is fometimes taken for the laft Age of the World, which includeth all the times of the Gofpel •> but I rather think by the latter times we are to underftand the latter Age of the Chriitian Church, which mult be removed fome considerable time from the times of the Apoftle, and [q is fuitable to theApoftefie of the Roman Church. Some thall depart, &c. Hereby, faith Mr. Mede, we are not to underftand a fmall number, but only the exception of fome particulars: thus fome is of the fame import with many in Scripture ufage, Job. 6.60,66, compared with 64. Rom, 11. 17. 1 Cor, 10. 7,8, 9,10. Some JhaJl depart from the Faith, that is, they (hall depart from the Dodfrine of Faith, and thus the Papifts do moit.groily, as in many other, fo particularly in their Do&rine of Justification by works, fo corrupt, and contrary unto the Doctrine which this fame Apoille

Z 2 z 2 taught

taught in his Epiftle to the Romans. Or fome (hall depart from the ..Faith, that is, faith Mede, they (hall break their Oath of Fidelity unto Chrift, that in and through him alone they ihould approach and wor-fhip the Divine Majefty i and he interpreteth this Apoftafie to fignifie no other than Idolatry, according to the ordinary acceptation of the word in the Scripture, which the Church of Rome above all Churches is guilty of. Giving heed to feduring Spirits, and DoUrines of Devils, By feducing Spirits, faith Calvin, is meant falfe Prophets and Doctors, who boaft of the Spirit of God, but are acted by Satan, who is a lying Spirit in their mouth, as i King. 22.22. By Doctrines of Devils, faith the fame Author, is meant the Deviliih Doctrines of thefe Hellifhly infpired falfe Prophets. Prophetas aut DoUores intelligit, quos ideo fie nominat quia Spiritumjaaant. Satan aliquando Spiritus efi mendax in orepfiudo-Prophetarium, ( DoUr'mis Damoniorum ) quod perinde efi acfi dixijfet, attendentes pfeudo-Prophetis & Diabolicis eorum dogmatibus. Calv. in locum. Thus the Papifts are under ftrong delufions, in their giving heed unto, and belief of thofe Lyes, and falfe Doctrines at firft forged by the Devils in Hell, and vented afterward by the Mouths and Pens of of their Minifters upon Earth. Mr. Mede interpreteth the <frfo<r>&\i«* cte^v/ay, to be Doctrines not, of Devils^ which they are the Authors of but of Demons , as the word iignirieth , or concerning Demons, as the inferiour Deified Powers were called by the Gentiles, whom they thought a middle fort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign and Heavenly gods, and mortal men \ whofe office was to be Agents- and Mediators between the Heavenly gods and men, whofe original was the Deified Souls of worthy men after death , and fome of a higher degree that never were imprifoned in Bodies , unto whom they confecrated images. Pillars and Temples, adoring them there and their Reliques: And he te.lleth us, that the Doctrine of Damons comprehends in moft exprefs manner the whole Idolatry of the Myftery of Iniquity, the Deifying and Invocating of Saints and Angels, (thofe middle Powers between God and mortal men) the bowing to Images, the worshipping of Croffes as new Idol-Columns, the adoring and templing of Reliques, the worfhipping of any other vifible thing upon fuppofal of any Divinity therein 5 what Copy, faith he, was ever fo like the example., as all this to the Doctrine of Damons ? And is not this now fulfilled which was foretold, Rev. 1 1. That the fecondand outmofi Court of the Temple^ (which is the fecond ftate of the Chriftian Church) together with the Holy City, (hould be trodden down, and over-trampled by the Gentiles (that is, overwhelmed with the Gentiles Idolatry) forty and two months ? The Parallel may be read at large in that ingenuous piece of Mr. Mede's, called, The Apojiacy of the latter times, upon.this Text in Timothy; and I am very prone to think that he hath more fully expreifed and explained the mind, of the Hofy Ghoft in this place, than any that went before him*

The.

The fecond and third Verfes of this Chapter, do fet forth the quality of the psrfons , and the means whereby this defection fhould enter, fpeakjng lyes in hypocrite , or through the hypocrifie of Lyars, this the fame Author applyeth to the Popifh Doctrines, which hath obtained, 1. By Lyes of Miracles*, 2. Fabulous Legends of the Acts of Saints, and furTeringsof Martyrsj 3. Counterfeit Writings under the name of the fir ft and bed Antiquity. Having their Confciences feared with a hot Iron. And who, faith Mr. Mede, could have coined, or who could have believed fuch monftrous fluff as the Popifh Legends are ituffed with, but fuch as were cauterized, paft all feeling and tendernefs both of Conscience and fenfe it felf ? Forbidding to marry. The applicablenefs of this to the Papifls will appear in what I have now to fay, and my Difcourfe mud be confined to the latter claufe of the Text, Forbidding to marry. From which the Qtieftion which I am to fpeak unto is this, Whether the Popijh Doftrine which forbiddeth to marry be a devilijh and wicked DoCtrine ? This I affirm, and this, through God's help, I {halt prove > and that my proceeding herein may be the more clear , I mall, 1. Show how far the Popifh Doctrine doth forbid to marry : 2. Prove that their Doctrine which forbiddeth to marry, is a devilifh wicked Doctrine: 3. Anfwer the Arguments which are brought for this Do--ctrine : Fourthly and laftly , I (hall {hut up my Difcourfe with fome

Ufes.

1. How far the Popifh Doctrine forbiddeth to marry.

Firft Negatively, this Doctrine doth not forbid all Marriage 5 and yet this I may truly fay, that Popifh Writers fpeak fo difgracefully and contemptuously of Marriage in their Argumentations againd the Marriage of fome, that if all were true which they affirm , it would be unlawful for any as they hope for Salvation, to link themfelves in the bonds of. Matrimony.

Secondly and Pofitively^ the Popifh Doctrine forbiddeth the Marriage of the CIergy., particularly of: Bifhops, Priefts and Deacons, and of all that enter into Holy Orders: and not only of all thofe men who are employed in the fervice of the Church and Miniftry, but alfo of all thofe Women and Virgins who have vowed Continency, and have entred themfelves into Nunneries. Befides what is generally aliened by the Popifh Doctors who write of this point, the Canon of the Council of *lrent, which the Papifts univerfally do fubfcribe unto , and own for infallible truth , is plainly this : Ex otlava Sejfione ?rid. Con. Can. p. Si quis dixerit, Clericos in facris Ordinibus conjiitutos r vel Regulates Cafti-tatem folenniter profeffos , pojfe Matrimonium xontrabere, contraftumqite -validum ejfe, non obfiante lege Ecclefiaflica vel voto y & oppofitum nil alittd ejfe quam damnare Matrimonium, pojfeque omnes contrahere Matrimonium^ qui non fentiunt fe caftitatis (etiamfi earn vaverint) habere Vonum^ A* nathema [it j cum Deus id rette petentibus non deneget^ tiec paiiafur ws fipra id quod poflumus tent arty " If any fay, that the Clergy, who have

ci received

I

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5

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CC

cc cc cc

'The Popifi Do&rine> which forbiddeth to marry, Serm.XVII.

received holy Orders, or Regulars who have folemnly profeiTed Cha-(iity, may contract Marriage, and that fuch contract C notwithftand-ing the Eccleiiaflical Law and their own Vow) is valid i and that the cc contrary AiTertion is no other than to condemn Marriage > and that all (although they have vowed Chaftity) may contract Marriage that do not find they have the gift of Chaftity., Let him be accurfed '■> for as much as God will not deny this gift unto thofe who rightly feek it, " neither will he furTer us to be tempted above what we are able.

The Popifh Ecclefiaftical Laws admit none into facred Orders before they folemnly vow Chaftity, or (as they interpret it) abftaining from Marriage : And it is required of Nuns that they folemnly vow to pre-ferve and perfevere unto death in their Virginity, or fmgle eftate, without any regard unto any unforefeen necefiity for Marriage ? and amongft all the Difpenfations that are granted by the Pope , amongft all the Indigencies which he makes fale of, to allow groily moral evils, abfo-lutely forbidden by the Lord, no Difpenfations or Indigencies are granted by him for the Marriage of fuch as are under this Celibate Vow, although they are not able to contain, and although God doth command fuch to marry. I (hall do the Papifts no wrong in faying that they account it a greater crime for Ecclefiaftical Perfons to marry, than for them to commit Fornication or Sodomy. The learned Chamier doth give feveral in (lances of Popifh Writers to this purpofe, viz. Hofius, who doth defend the faying of Pighius as not only trite, but pious, that a Prieji through the infirmity of the flefh falling into the fin of Fornication^ doth fin lefs than if he fhouldmarry j and tellethus, that although this Afi-fertion feem foul, yet the Catholicks account it mofi honefi. Keprehenditur Pighius qui nonvere magi*, quam pie, firipturn reliquit, minus peccare Sacerdotem , qui ex infirmitate carnis in Fornicationem fit prolapfus *> .quam qui nuptias contraxit, 'furpis videtur h£c oratio, contra, Catholicis honeftijfimum. HoimsConfeffionis capite 56. Cofierus, who doth aJJ'ert that a Prieji who doth fornicate or nourijh a Concubine at home in his houfe, although he be guilty of great Sacriledge, yet he doth more heinoujly offend if he contrail Matrimony. Sacerdos fifornicetur, aut domi Concuhinam fo-veat, tametfii gravi Sacrilegio fe obfiringat\ Gravius tamen peccat, fi, con-trahat Matrimonium. Coflerus de Lsetib-Sacerd. Cardinal Campegio, who doth aver > that for Prieiis to become Husbands, is by far a more heinous crime than if they jhould keep many Whores in their houfes. Quod Sacer-dotes fiant mariti multo ejje gravius peccatum, quam fi plurimas domi meretrices alant* Cardin. Campeg. apud Sleidan. Commentar. Libro Quar.o. Matthias Aquenfis, who doth profefs his opinion, that fuch •ppho marry after their Vow of Continency, do offend more than fuch a one as thorough Humane frailty doth deviate, (as he terms it) which in plain Englifh is, who through the power of burning lull is unclean with a hundred divers perfons. §{ui pofi continentig voturn, devovet poteftatem corporis cuivis mulieri magis offendit, quam ifie qui humana fragilitate de-

viaret

viaret cum centum diverts perfonis. Matthias Aqucnii?. Our Molintus tellcth us, that by the Rules of the Roman Church, a S'oc' miy exercife the Priejlhood, and by that abominable vice doth not run into irregtiPariiy^ •whereas Marriage is judged altogether incompatible with J acred Orders : and he quotes Navarrus, faying, Ihe crime of Sodomy is not comprehended among}} the crimes that bring irregularity, and giveth Lveral rcafons for it. Mo I in. Novelty of Popery, Booi^y. Chap. 5. And no wonder, when John Cafa A-rchbifhop of Benevent, and Dean of the Apostolical Cham-ber, printed a Book at Venice in defence of Sodomy. Sleidan faith that hervrote a Sodomitical Book^-> than which nothing more foul could have been thought upon by man \ neither did he blujh to celebrate with praifes that moft filthy fin^ too much kpown in Italy and Greece. Me quern diximus, Archiepifcopus Beneventanus^ libellum conferipfit plane Cinxdum, & qui nihil fiedius excogitari psjfit •, nee enim puduit eum, fcelus omnium It -ge turpifjimum, fed per Italiam nimis notum, atque Grxciam, celebrare landibus. Sleidan. Com. Lib. 11. p.652. This was that Cafa by whom Francis Spira was feduced to revolt from his Profeffion, the caufe of fuch hideous terrours of Confcience afterward, and fo miferable an end. It is evident then that the Marriage cf the Clergy, and of all under the Celebate Vow, is forbidden by the Popifh Dodtrine.

2. The fecond thing is, to prove that the Popifh Dodtrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy , and of all under the Celibate Vow, is a deviliih wicked Dodtrine i and this I mall do by feveral Arguments.

Arg. 1. That Doctrine which is a falfe Dodtrine, and contrary unto the Word of Gcd, is a devilifh wicked Dodtrine: But the Popifh Dodtrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, is a falfe Dodtrine, and contrary unto the Word of God : Therefore it is deviliih and wicked.

All fuch Doctrine as is falfe, is deviliih, the Devil being the Father of Lyes, efpecially of lying falfe Dodtrine, whereby he doth blind the eyes of them which believe not, and corrupt the minds of them who are his Children and followers ■> likewife that Dodtrine which is contrary unto the Word of God, is of the Devil, who'is the greateit Enemy which the Word of God hath, becaufe of the great mifchief which the Word of God hath done to his Caufe, and the Intereft of his Kingdom. And be fure that all fuch Dodfrine as is devilifh, is wicked > the Devil being fuch a foul and w T icked Spirit, as is wholly void and empty of all moral good, and from whom nothing but wickednefs doth proceed.

If there be any queftion, it will be of the minor Propohtion, which is this, That the Popifh Dodfrine which forbiddeth the marriage of the Clergy, *nd of all under the Celibate Vow, is a falfe Dodfrine, and contrary unto the Word of God.- I need no other proof that it is fa!fe 5 than that it is contrary unto the W T ord of God [ this WokI proceeding

from

from the Fountain of Light and Truth, I mean, from God who is all Light, and with whom dwelleth no Darknefs at allj who is Truth it felf, and with whom it is impoffible any lye or miftake mould be found, The chief thing then that is to be proved is this, That this Popifti Doctrine is contrary unto the Word of God. And this will appear in that

1. This Doctrine forbiddeth that which the Word of God alloweth :

2. This Doctrine forbiddeth that which the Word of God in fome cafe commandeth.

1. The Popifh Doctrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy , and of all under the Celibate Vow, forbiddeth that which the Word of God alloweth. And this is evident in that,

1. The Word of God alloweth Marriage, and maketh no exception of the Clergy, or any under the Celibate Vow. That which God did at ririi inftitute and appoint, furely the Word of God doth allow : Marriage being God's Ordinance, none will deny that it hath God's allowance •■> and that the Word of God maketh no exception of the Clergy, or any under the Celibate Vow, is plain, becaufe the Popifh Writers can bring no Scripture in the whole Bible which maketh fuch exception i no Scripture that doth this directly, is urged by any of them : what firm Scripture-confequence they may plead, will be leen when we come to fpeak to their Arguments for this Doctrine. In the mean time it may be evident unto all, that the Scripture alloweth the Marriage of all, without fuch exceptions as the Papifls make , by one clear Scripture which admitteth of no contradiction by any other, f&£. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable in <*//, and the bed undented i but Whoremongers and Adulterers -God will judge. All that are-unclean without Marriage, fuch as Whoremongers j all that defile the Marriage-hed, fuch as A-dulterers, are guilty of a fhameful and great God-provoking fin, for which God will judge them, ( if they before do not make their peace with him , and forfake fuch wicked practices ) and puni(h them ever-Jaftingly in Hell: But Marriage is honourable, and therefore lawful > and that not only in fome, but in all without any exception.

2* The Word of God is fo far from excepting the Marriage of the Clergy, that it doth plainly allow the Marriage of fuch perfons.

1. In the Old Teftaraent- times the Prophets, Priefis, Levites, and all thofe which attended more immediately the fervice of God, and at the Altar under the Law, were allowed to marry. Abraham^ who was a Prophet and Prkft in his own houfe, did not take Sarah to be his Wife without God's allowance, otherwife furely God would not have fo ilg-nally owned his Marriage, as to make promife of the bleiTed Seed unto him hereby. Rebecca was a Wife of God's chuiing for Ifaac. God never blamed Mofes, that great Prophet, for marrying Zipporab j neither was Aaron faulty becaufe he had his Wife and Children. Ifaiab, that Evangelical Prophet, was married, and had Children too in the time of his Prophecy., which the Scripture in the recording of it doth

not

not impute to him for any iniquity. The Priefts and Levitcs generally did marry? and however fome of them are reproved in Scripture for divers tins, yet Matrimony is never in the leaft charged upon them for any crime. If then fuch, whofe office and employment under the Law was to adminifter about holy things, did marry, and might do it without any finagainft God: by parity of reafon, Minifters and all thofe of the Clergy , who adminiikr about holy things in the times of the Gofpel, have allowance and liberty without any offence to God to make ufe of Marriage. The reply of thePapills is frivolous, and fcarcc worth mentioning : the.chief thing that they reply unto, is concerning the Marriage of the Priefts and Levites, who, they fay, had their courfes to attend the fervice of the Temple and Altar, and that then they were to feparate from their Wives , which was at that time as if they had none: whereas the Clergy now are to attend the fervice of God in their work continually, and therefore ought to abftainfrom Marriage altogether. But belides that they can never prove that the Priefts and Levites did feparate from their Wives in the time of their courfes i what will they fay unto the Marriage of thofe Priefts and Levites, who continually and daily did adminifter at the Altar before the divifion of them into courfes, namely, before the time of David ?

2. In the New Teftament times Minifters have a plain and exprefs allowance to marry , as will-appear by two or three places of Scripture.

The firit Scripture which doth allow the Marriage of Minifters, is 1 Cor. p. 5. Have rve not power to lead about a Sifter, a Wife, as well as other Apoftles, and as the Brethren of the Lord, and Cephas < The words are written by the Apoftle Taul, who himfelf was an unmarried man, as he telleth the Corinthians in the feventh Chapter of this Epiftle > yet in this Chapter and Verfe he doth aiTert his power which he lawfully might have taken to lead about a Sifter, a Wife, which in another phrafe is the fame as if he had faid, to marry : And hegiveth inftance in the • "ufe which others of his Function had made of their power, not only other Minifters, but other Apoftles, yea and the chiefeft of the Apoftles, the Brethren of the Lord, and Cephas, that is, Peter himfelf, of whofe Wife and Marriage the Scripture doth take notice of in morethan.one place. If then lbme of the Apoftles did marry, and the other Apoftles had power to do the like , then any Minifters of the Gofpel have the fame power and allowance to marry : this confequenee is plxin and undeniable, becaufe the Apoftles were Minifters of the Gofpel ^ and what was lawful for them as .Minifters, is lawful for any other Minifters i and it is as plain in this Scripture that fome of the Apoftles did marry, and that others had power to do the like. The great exception of the Papifts againft this Scripture, is, that this word tranilated Wife is^v^, which they fay iigninetha Woman, and therefore that the leading about a Woman doth not imply Marriage: and they interpret the meaning of th s

A a a a place,

place, that the-Apoftles had power to lead about Women to be helpers to .them, as our Saviour had Women following of him, who did mini-fter unto him. But befides that the ordinary iignification of this word is Wife, it may be evident to an unprejudiced mind, that it mud iignirie Wife, and nothing elfe in this place, becaufe of the word Sifter ufed before it, of which the word^x* is exegetical, or explanatory : for all truly believing Women being Sifters , that the Apoftle might be under-ftood what kind of Sifter he fpeaketh of, he addeth ^w^, which cannot be interpreted with good fenfe Woman, unlefs there had been Sifters who were Men and not Women. How could-the Sifter whom the A-poftle had power to lead about,be diftinguifhed from other Sifters whom he did not lead about ? were they not Women as well as fhe ? Therefore the iignification muft needs be Wife, and hereby the Sifter he had power to lead about is diftinguiftied from all other Sifters whom he did not marry. If any (hould further reply, that fuppofing the word y»tu& to iignirie Wife , the Apoftle might (peak not of taking a Wife himfelf but of leading about the Wife of another to be his helper. 1 anfwer That the Apoltle fpeaketh of fomcthing wherein he had power, and which he did not make ufe of, and this in reference unto Women was Marriage : but as to other Women, he did lead fome about, and they were helpers unto him > as for inftance, PrifciUa, who with her Husband A quit a failed with Paul into Syria, A&. 18.18. and he calleth them his helpers in Chrift, Rom.16. 3. and in the fecond Verfe of the fame Chapter he commendeth Phebe to the Romans, becaufe (lie had been the fuc-courer of many, and of himfelf alfo •, and Verfe 6. he greetetrr Mary who had beftowedmuch labour on him. The Apoftle then frequently making ufe of the help of other Women, and here fpeaking of the power which he had to lead about a Sifter, a Wife, which he did not make ufe of, it muft be needs underftood of his leading about a Wife of his own, or x>f his Marriage, when the Apoftle faith , Have we not power to lead about a Sifter, a Wife? Two things are implyed : 1. That he did not. lead about a Sifter, a Wife '<> that is, that he did'not marry, for he had Sifters to be his helpers as hath been (hewn. 2. That he had power to lead about a Sifter, a Wife, or that it was lawful for him to marry •, this Interrogative implying a ftrong Affirmative i and this power which he had he proveth by the Marriage of other Apoftles, and exprefly of Peter : for if the great Apoftle of the Jews, which was Peter, was married i, then* the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, which was Paul, might marry too : and if the Apoftles themfelves, the moft eminent Minifters, might marry ■> then it is lawful for any other Minifters to do it, who are their Succeffors in the Minifterial work.

Another Scripture which giveth allowance to the Marriage of Minifters, is Tz>. 1. 6. If any be blamelefs, the Husband of one Wife, having faithful Children, not accufed of riot or unruly. The Apoftle is here fpeaking of the Elders or Minifters which were to be ordained in every

Cit y>

City , as in the former Verfe \ and in this Verfe he fheweth how fuch as arc Minifters fhould be qualified, If any be blamelefs, the Husband of one Wife, having faithful Children : here the Qualification of blamelefs is ufed in Conjunction with the Husband of a Wife, and the father of Children, in the perfon of a Minifter. It is evident then that a married Minifter may be blamelefs \ and one that is a Spiritual Father, may be a Natural Father too without any offence unto God. Indeed if a Miniiter fhould have had at that time two Wives together, as the cuftom of the Jews was of old, this would have been orTenfive unto God '•> but to be the Husband of one Wife then, was, and frill is inotfenfive in Minifters.

The third Scripture is like unto this, liim. 3.2. ABifhop muft be blamelefs, the Husband of one Wife, &c. Verf. 4,5. One that ruleth well his own Houfe, having his Children in fub)et\ion with at gravity: (For if a man kjtow not how to rule his own Houfe, howjhall he take care of the Church of God?) Verf. 11. Even fo mufi their Wives be grave, not flanderers, fober, faithful in all things. Verf. 12. Let the Deacons be Husbands of one Wife, ruling their Children and their own Houfes well. It was not without fpecial Providence that Minifters fhould have this Qualification affixed once and again unto them in their Fun&ion, that they muft be Husbands of one Wife \ which is not fo to be underftood, as if they muft of neceflity be Husbands, or cKc they muft not be Mini-fters > but that if they be Husbands it muft be but of one Wife at one time : fo that though the Scripture doth not command all of them to marry, yet it doth not forbid any , but alloweth every Minifter to marry, fo that he taketh not many, or more than one Wife at a time. The Papifts are forced to wink hard to keep out the light of thefe places, and they are greatly put to it to find out fhifts for the evading the plain and clear truth, that Minifters have allowance by thefe Scriptures to marry. Some of them expound the meaning of the words, Ihe Husband of one Wife, to fignifie the Paftoral charge of one Church, unto which a Minifter hath relation as a Husband to his Wife: but this cannot be the meaning, becaufe the Apoftle doth here diftinguifn between the Houfe of the Minifter where he is the Husband of one W T ife, from the Church ' of God •, and the Children of the Minifter by this one Wife which he is to rule over, cannot be underftood of Spiritual Children, but of Natural Children, as is plain in the fourth and fifth Verfes j One that ruleth well his own Houfe, having h'n Children in fubje&ion with all gravity: (For if a man kyow not how to rule his own Houfe, how Jhall he take care of the Church of God?) Others interpret the words, Ihe Husband of one Wife, to belneant of what the Minifter to be chofen was before he entereth into this facred Function, not that he hath liberty for one Wife after he engageth in the Miniftry \ and therefore the Papifts, if they admit any married perfons to this high Fundtion , they force them to abandon their Wives. But this cannot be the meaning of the Apoftle,

A a a a 2 becaufe

becaufe he fpeaketh not of fuch who have been the Husbands of one Wife, but of thofe that are fo: and as they mull be blamelefs, vigilant, fober, and retain the other Qualifications there required after they are Minifiers •, fo they may retain their Wives too, there being not the leaft hint given in this Scripture, or any elfe, that Minifters muft pur away their Wives when they become Minifters. Amongft the caufes of ' Divorce in the Scripture, this be fu^e is noneo and when God hath joined Minifiers and their Wives together , what Humane power may lawfully put them afunder ? Yea > on the contrary the Apoftle fuppo-feth in this place that Minifiers fhould live with their Wives, by his Directions, 1. In general, in reference to their own Houfes, of which the Wife as- well as the "Children are a. part, whom he would have to rule well. 2. In particular, in reference to their Wives, whofe Qualifications he fets down, that they fhould be grave^ not flanderers, fiber, faithful in all things , that they might be the more meet helpers of their Husbands in their Work, and the better Examples to the Fleck v and fure then this doth imply that Minifters may/ yea ought to live with their Wives after they become Minifters. Thus the Popifh Doctrine forbiddeth that which the Word or God doth allow.

2. The Pcpifh Dodtrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy, and all under the Celibate Vow, forbiddeth that which the Word of God in feme cafes doth command. And the cafe is this: When imgle or unmarried perfons, although they apprehend that they might bring moil Glory unto God in their tingle eftate , upon fuppofition that they had the gift of Continency *, yet really do rind themielves to be.without this gift, after they have earneftly prayed unto God for it, after falling, felf-denial, watchfulnefs, and diligent ufe of all means to keep under their body, arid'notwithstanding all this they do feel in themfelves fuch .burning lulls as do defile their minds,difturb them in the fervice of God, and endanger their commiilion of the Im of fornication as they have . opportunity for it, and meet with any temptation unto it, in fuch a cafe it is the exprefs command of God that fuch perfons fhould marry, for the quenching of thofe burning lufts> and the preventing of that filthy and abominable fin of fornication. This is plain, 1 Cor.j. 1,2. It is good for a man not to touch a woman : NevertheleJ's to avoid fornication, let every man have \m own wife , and let every woman have her own huf-band. If the man be in danger of fornication, let him have his- own wife ■> if the woman be in danger, let her have her own husband > and when is it that they are in danger ? it is when they cannot contain, this iuppofeth the ufe of means, otherwife the word would not have been cannot contain, Verf. 8,£>. I fay therefore unto the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I: But if they cannot contain, let them marry j for it it better to marry than to burn. Now this may be, and too too often is the cafe of fome of the Clergy, and others under the Celibate Vow '•> all which perfons > without the exception of

this

this cafe, the Popiuh Doctrine doth forbid to marry \ therefore the Po-pi(h Doctrine is contrary unto the Word of God , in forbidding that which the Word of God commandeth. I know the Canon of the Council of Trenty to evade the force of this Scripture, doth aflTcrt, 7 bat God will not deny this gift of Continency unto tbnfe rvbo rightly feek^it i neither will be fuffer us to be temped above what we are able. Unto which I anfwer, That God will not deny any gift which he hath promifed unto thofe that rightly feek it : But the Papifts will never prove, while their eyes are open, that God hath abfolutely promifed the gift of Con-tinency unto all thofe that diligently and molt rightly feek it. Whatever gifts are neceffary unto Salvation, God hath abfolutely promifed unto thofe that rightly feek them: But this gift of Continency in a iingle eftate is not numbred by the Scripture, and therefore ought not to be fo by any amongft thofe gifts: for if fo, then none could be faved' that are without it 3 and hence it would follow, that all who are married Ihould certainly be damned, which the Papifts themfelves will not affirm. This gift of Continency God doth beftow upon fome of his Children, but not upon all his Children : when the Difciples fay unto our Saviour, Mattb, ip. 10. if the cafe of tbe man be fo with bis wife, it is not good to marry \ our Saviour anfwereth, Verf. 11. AH men can-not receive this fajP&g, f av ? they unto whom it is given* And the Apoftle fpeaking of this gift, telleth us, 1 Cor.j. 7. I would tbat all men were even as I my felf (that is, unmarried^) but every m.in hath bis proper gift of God, one after this manner , and anotber after tbat. By all men^ which our Saviour fpeaketh of, and every man, which the Apoftle Paul fpeaketh of, we are to underftand not all and every One of the Children of the World.but all and every one of the Children-of God,all thofe can- • not receive the faying to be without Marriage. When God in Conver-iion doth work a change in their Souls, he doth not alter the Confutation of their Bodies^ and there are fome both Men and Women,although truly religious, yet are of fuch Conftitution of Body that they cannot contain without Marriage, they cannot receive the faying to be without ■marrying, and withal without burning. Some of God's Children have a proper gift of God to live charily in a fingle eftate, and others have a proper gift of God to live chaftly only in a married eftate. If then the gift of Continency be not a gift which God hath in common promifed unto all his Children that rightly feek it, as it is plain that it is not, then the Council of Trent doth aflert a falfhood , That God will not deny this gift unto all that rightly feek it, if they mean by rightly feeking, diligently feeking, for God often-time doth deny it unto fuch feekers: rf they mean by rightly feeking, feeking in faith, I deny that any can feek this gift in faith abfolutely, becaufe there isnoabfolute promife of it* and fo it is true, that God will not deny this gift to thofe that rightly feek it i and it is falfe, that any can- feek it rightly, that is, in faith, abfolutely. .

What

What the Council doth further aiTert, 'that God will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able, is true, becaufe it is the exprefs Word of God: but it is not rightly applyed here. God will not fuffer his Children to be ttmpted above what they are able, by affliction > neither will he fuffer them to be tempted above what they are able unto fin, no not to the fin of fornication > but then it muft be underftood* upon fuppofition that they make ufe of all lawful means for the prevention of this nX and one both lawful and commanded means is Marriage, without which fbme of them may be tempted above what they are able unto it, fo as to be overtaken by it, and live in the practice of it.

I have done with the firft Argument, which being the chiefeft and moil comprehenfive, 1 have been the largeft in the handling of '•> I (hall be more brief in the reft.

Arg. 2. That Dodtrine which under the (hew of Piety doth lead unto much lewdnefs and villany, is a devilifh wicked Doctrine: But the Popifh Dodtrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, under the (hew of Piety doth lead unto much lewdnefs and villany: Therefore this Doctrine is a devilifh and wicked Doctrine.

Whatever it be that leadeth unto much lewdnefs and villany, is devilifh and wicked, I John-$..8. He that committeth fin is of the Devil, he is lead to k by the Devil: he is of the Devil, that is, he is a fervant of the Devil, or a Child of the Devil, Joh. 8. 44. Te are of your father the Devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do. But when any are lead unto much lewdnefs and villany under the (hew of piety, they are lead by the Devil hereunto more efpeciallyi therefore that Docfrrine which under the (hew of piety doth lead unto much lewdnefs and villany, muft needs be a devilifh wicked Doctrine. Thatfuch is the Po-pith Dodbrine, is evident.

1. The Popifh Doctrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, hath a (hew in it of piety 5 the pretence of fuch prohibition is , that thefe perfons forbidden to marry might be the more mortified, chafte and holy, that they might be the more free from worldly cares, and more at liberty to addidt themfelves unto the fervice of the Lord without diftradtion. Here is a fair fhew of piety, not in an ordinary, but in an eminent degree.

2. This Popifh Dodtrine doth lead unto much lewdnefs and villany^ namely, unto Fornication, Adultery, Inceft, Sodomy, Murder, and the like lewd practices, which have been the produdt of this prohibition to marry. But becaufe I would not have this Argument V 1 bigger than the former , I-(hall referve the proof of this to the Ufe of Information concerning the devilifh wickednefs of the Popifh Church*

Objea. If it be faid , That there are and have be£n many of the Popifh Clergy eminent for their Chaftity. . That the uncieann-: lie , of fome

1 cannot

cannot be charged upon the generality. That whatever lewdnefs any of them have been guilty of, it is not the proper effect of this prohibition , but proceedeth from the wickednefs of mans heart. I an-fwer.

Anfrv* i. Some may be eminent for Cham'ty in the eftcem of men, that fecretly are guilty of the bafelt filthinefs in the light of God \ and fuch of them as really do abltain from grolTer pollutions, fome may thank their Conrtitution more than their Vow that they arc retrained. But if it mould be granted, that fome few of them do deny themfdves, and keep under their bodies that they may poffefs their vciTels in fandti-rication \ yet this doth not invalidate the Argument drawn from the woful effect which this prohibition to marry hath upon fo many others.

2. If we cannot charge the generality of the Popifh Clergy with the grolTer tins of Adultery, Fornication, Sodomy, and the like \ yet why may we not without breach of Charity imagine that their own Confciences will charge them fufficiently herewith, i. When the moft of fuch (Ins which are committed by them are done in fecret. 2. When fo many of thofe (ins are come to light, and their own Hifrorians do accufe them thereof. 3. When fo many of their Popes themfelves, their Fathers and Examples, have been guilty fogroily. 4. When Indigencies for Stews , for Sodomy, for Priefts keeping Concubines, have been fo generally granted. 5. When their Principles do encourage unto fuch fins. All which I (hall make-evident in the Ufe.

3. It is true, that the lewdnefs of the Popifh Clergy doth primarily proceed from the wickednefs of their own hearts > and it is as true, that their prohibition to marry doth lead unto this lewdnefs. If a River have but two Chanels to run in, he that dammeth up and ftoppeth the courfe of the River in one of thefe Chanels, may be faid to lead the River into the other Chanel: Even fo, when the Conftitution of fome mens bodies is fuch , that their burning deiires will have their courfe and vent, and cannot be quenched except by Matrimony or by Adultery, either by their own Wives, or by ilrange W r omen \ fuch as prohibit Marriage, and cut off the ufe of the only remedy in fome perfons againfl Adultery or Fornication, they do lead hereby unto the practice of thefe abominable fins, and others as abominable, which are the attendants or confequents of them.

Arg. 3. That Dodtrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of any, that hereby they may merit the Kingdom of Heaven , is a devililh wicked Dodrrine : But the Popifh Dodfrine which forbiddeth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, forbiddeth the Marriage of fuch, that hereby they may merit the Kingdom of Heaven. This will appear by what Chsmnitius doth aflert and prove out of their own Writings: Vont-ificii quando de cauja pnali Virginitatis, feu eglibatur dif-pttant , quo concilio^ quo fine & proper quam caufam fufcipendus vet

fervandus

591

'**

fervandus eft c&libatus^ palam docent, Ideo fufcipiendum & fervandum efte ctlibatum quia fit fatlfaUio pro peccatis, & meritum falutis & vita atern*. Albcrtus Pighius in Controverfia 14. *de votis Monafticis exertis verbis dicit. IUa ehgimus ea opinione & confidentia , quia exiftimamus illis Dei gratiam & benevolentiam, promereri. Item Monaftice affumitur a profit entibus quia creditur valere ad fatisfadionem pro peccatis. Pe-trus a Soto in Confejfione fua Catholic4 dicit. Virginitatemfeu Cxlibatum coram Dei tribunali magni meriti, quia fit fatisfa&io peccatorum maxima & meritum vitt <etem£. Chemnic. Exam. Cone. Trid. Se[. 8. op. 1. InquibusCaf Sec. p.p>io. Itemp.11. Fingunt Fontificii fe per Calibatum fupererogare -> Ideo Conjugium vocant ftaium Imperfetlionis C£libatum vero ftatum perfellionis , & propter ittam perfuafionem fui me-rita & fupererogationis opera vendunt, communicant & applicant aliis qui Junt in ftatu imperfedionis. Him Bemhardinus fingit Monachos & SanUimoniales fubftantialibus fuis votis non pro fuis tantum peccatis^ verum etiam pro fundatorum, & aliorum benefaUorum peccatis fatisfacere* The Papifts (faith he) when they difpute concerning the final caufe of Virginity, or the Celibate Vow, for what end, and for what caufe itjhould be taken and kept, they openly teach , lhat therefore this Jhould be done becaufs it is fatisfadJon for fin, and doth merit Salvation and eternal life. And he citeth Pighius , faying, lhat fuch Vows do merit God's grace and favour, that they are of force to fat is fie for fins. And Petrusa Soto * in thefe words, That Virginity, or the Celibate ftate, is of great merit

before God's tribunal, becaufe it is the great eft fatisfatlion for fins^ and doth merit eternal life. And he telleth us, the Papifts feign by this Celibate ftate, that they fupererogate, and that therefore they call the Conjugal ftate a ftate of imperfection, but the Celibate ftate a ftate of perfe&ion, and their meritorious works they fell and apply to others. And he citeth Bemhardinus, who doth affirm, That Monks and others under this Celibate Vow, do fatisfie hereby not only for their own fins, but alfo for the fins of their Founders and other Benefatlors.

Now the Dodtrine of Merit in man of eternal life, is devilifh and wicked } which will necefTarily infer that the Do&rine which introduced this,, and which propoundeth this as its chief motive and inducement, is<levilifh and wicked too.

That the Do&rine of Merit in man of eternal life, is devilifh and wicked, I -(hall (hew in three Proportions. 1. It is deviliih and wicked to affert that any really good works which God hath commanded, are meritorious of eternal life. 2. It is much more devilifh and wicked to fay, that works of fupererogation, fuch as the Papifts make this Celibate Vow to be, are thus meritorious. 3. It is molt of all devilifh and wicked to affert the Celibate Vow (which really is, efpecially to fome, a great fin) to be thus meritorious.

1. It is devilifh and wicked to affert that any really good works which God commandeth are meritorious of eternal life => becaufe, 1. This

kdidcth

leadeth back unto the Covenant of Works. 2. This proceedeth from ignorance. 3. This leadeth unto pride and boafting. 4. This cafteth a difparagement upon the Merits of the Lord Jefus Chriil.

1. This leadeth back unto the Covenant of Works, the Tenour of which is, Do this and live. Such as hope for life for any really good works which they do, they fall orf from the Covenant of Grace , and they fall back unto the Covenant of W r orks, which will prove altogether infuflicient for life unto any in their lapfed eftate, Gal. 3.21. If . there had been a Law given which could have given life , verily righteouf-nefs Jhould have been by the Law* Therefore fuch are bewitched by the Devil and his Intiruments, who, forfaking the way of life which God hath appointed by the promifes of Grace in the Gofpel, do look for life by any of the works of the Law. And hence it is that the Apoitle in the beginning of this Chapter doth blame the Galatians for their folly and fafcination in their feeking righteoufnefs and life by the merit of any works i and he proveth by feveral Arguments that this was attainable only by Faith.

2. This proceedeth from ignorance: fuch as hold really good works to be meritorious of eternal life, they are either ignorant of the imperfection of fuch works, or they are ignorant of God who requireth the moft abfolute and exadt perfection in the works , for the fake of which he will give eternal life. Such as do not fee the defects and imperfections of their belt works, are unacquainted with themfelves, and the itriclnefs of God's Law 5 and they, who are without the Spirit to dif-cern this, their works (whatever they may think of- themj are fo far from being perfect, that they are not really, fpiritually and acceptably good in the fight of God : And fuch who imagine a meritorioufnefs in imperfectly good works, in works mingled with fin , (as the beft works of the belt men fincethe fall arej they are unacquainted with the infinite Holinefs and Righteoufnefs of God, which would engage him to puniih the molt holy men for the tins of their moft holy performances, had they not intereft in the perfect Righteoufnefs of Chrift by Faith. But the god of this World (namely, the Devilj) hath fo far blinded the eyes of his Children the Papifts, as to keep them ignorant both of God and themfelves too, in his perfwading them that any of their works are meritorious of eternal life.

5. This leadeth unto pride and boafting, Rom. 3. 27. Where is boajl-ing .«? it is excluded. By what Law ? of works ? Nay, but by the Law of Faith. Chap. 4.2. For if Abraham were juftifted by workj, he hath whereof to glory. Such as alTert the meritorioufnefs of life in really good works, they affert Juftirication by fuch works, there being a Concatenation between the one and the other* and hence doth arife boafting, and the glorying of pride, which tin being the Condemnation of the Devil, he is the great Promoter of it, and Prompter unto it in his Sub* jedts the Papilts, by tilling them with arrogant thoughts of the mento-

B b b b rioufntfs

rioufnefs of their works, whereby they facrifice to their own Nets, and rob God of the Glory which is due to his Name.

4.. This cafteth a difparagement upon the Merits of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as if there were either no Merit, or but an imperfect Merit of eternal life in his Righteoufnefs. If Chrift's per feci: Righteoufnefs be alone meritorious of eternal life and happinefs, (as the truth is) then there is no need of our Righteoufnefs to merit this life =, although there be need upon other accounts, namely, by way of gratitude to the Lord by way of evidence to our felves of our ilncerity, and to prepare us for eternal life. But if our Righteoufnefs or good works (however imperfect) are meritorious of eternal life, (as the Papifts affirm) then there is no need of Chrift's Merit and Righteoufnefs, and the Papifts could well enough fpare him, fuppoiing they might be happy by the merit of their own good works. But I queftion whether Chrift will fpare them in another fenfe, when he cometh to reckon with them for the contumelies and difparagements which they have caft upon his Merits by this devilifh Doctrine concerning the meritorioufnefs of good works, whereby they gratirie the Devil (Chrift's great Enemy) unto the ruine of their own Souls. And if it be devilifh and wicked to aiTert the meritorioufnefs of really good works,

2. It is much more devilifh and wicked to aiTert works of Supererogation to be meritorious. Works of Supererogation, according to the Papifts, are fuch works which we have no precept for, but for which: there are Evangelical Counfels, in order to the attainment of more than ordinary perfection h and by thefe works the Papifts affirm that a man or woman may merit not only for themfelves, but alfo for others j and fuch a work they aiTert this of the Celibate Vow and ftate to be. The devilifhnefs of this AlTertion will appear in that,

1. There are no fuch works as works of Supererogation : for thofe works which the Papifts fo term, are either good or evil > if evil, they are beneath thofe which are commanded > if they are good works, they are commanded, otherwife they could not be good works, their good-neis ariflng from their conformity to the command. Whatever work tranfgreiTeth the command, is tin •> whatever work tranfgreiTeth not the command , is duty, and fo cannot be a work of Supererogation^. TUnto which Argument I may add another, That if all men fall ftiort of their duty, they cannot do any work of Supererogation which is more than their duty: the former is fo great a truth, that every truly humble Chriftian will acknowledge > and therefore the latter will follow, that there can be no worksof Supererogation, which none but a proud Pa-pift will aifert.. What the Papifts plead as to Evangelical Counfels, when they have proved them to be more or other than Evangelical Commands, fome queftion may be made of the rirmnefs of my Argument j this they will never do. f

2. And.

2. And if there be no fuch works of Supererogation, be fure there can be no merit in them, no not for themfelves that do them, and much lefs for others : the Scripture is clear againit the meritorioufnefs of all good works which are commanded, Luk. 17.10. So likewife ye, when ye have done all tbofe things which are commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fervants, we have done that which was our duty to do. And if thofe works which are commanded be not meritorious , much lefs can thofe works be meritorious which are not commanded : and if the beft works cannot be profitable to our felves by way of merit, much lefs can they be profitable by way of merit unto others. I have fometimes wondered that any of the Papitts that are learned fhould be fo far befool'd and deluded by the Devil, as really to believe that there can be fuch works of Supererogation , whereby men make God their Debtor for more than he doth or can pay to themfelves, and therefore that he is obliged to pay it unto others upon their account j the ArTertion being fo horribly impious and abfurd, fo dilhonourable unto God, and fo derogatory unto Jefus Chrift.

3. But thirdly, It is of all mod devilifh and wicked to aiTert the Celibate Vow and ftate (which really is, efpecially to fome, a great fin) to be meritorious of eternal life." I have already proved that it is a fin for any to vow and live in a Celibate ftate, who have not the gift \ and yet the Papifts, being taught by the Devil, do affert that this is meritorious. I grant indeed that it is meritorious of eternal Death and Damnation y but to fay it is meritorious of eternal Life and Salvation, is as much as if they (hould fay that the wages of fin is eternal life, which none but the Devil can put into the minds of any to imagine, when it is fo contrary unto reafon, and the exprefs words of the Apoflle.

Arg, 4* That Doctrine which is a Badge or Character of Antichrift, is adevililh wicked Doctrine: But the Popifh Doctrine which forbid-deth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, is a Badge or Character of Antkhrift: Therefore this Popifn Doctrine is deviliih and wicked.

The Badge and Character of Antichrift is devilifh and wicked, An-tichrifc being called in the Scripture,- the wicked one, the man of fin, the f,i of perdition, 2 TheiT. 2.3,8. He ftileth himfelf Chrift's Vicar, but he is Chrift's great Antagoniit '■> and though he be called Holy Father, by fuch as are of the Romifh Church, yet he is indeed the firhVborn fon of the Devil: He is called in regard of his power the Bead that afcendeth eut of the bottomlefs pit, and goeth into perdition , Rev. 17. 8. and is defcribed to be full of Names of Blafphemy, Verfe 3. and his coming is faid to be after Satan^ with all power, and figns, and lying wonders, and with all deceiveablenefs of unrighteoufnefs, 2 Thelf. 2. 9, 10. Antichriit then being infpired and acted by the Devil, and fo fraught with wicked-nefs, that Doctrine which is a Badge and Character of him, muft needs be devLli(h and wicked* Now that this Popifh Doctrine' which forbid-

B b b b 2 deth

deth the Marriage of the Clergy, and of all under the Celibate Vow, is the Badge and Character of Antichrift, is evident in the Text. As the Scripture doth foretel that Antichrift fhould arife in the latter times, fo it doth give feveral Characters whereby Antichrift might be known when he fhould make his appearance in the World, that the true Church cf Chrift might be aware of him : And as there are feveral plain Characters of Antichrift together in 2 thejf. 2. from the 3. Verfe to the 13. Verfe > fo the fame Apoitle doth give feveral Characters of the fame Antichrift in the Text, all which are applicable unto the Roman Papacy, or Church of Rome, as I have (hewn in the explication of the Text,among(t which Characters this is one, "that it forbiddeth to marry. The Reply of Popifn Writers unto this Text, is this, That the Prohibition of Marriage here fpoken of is the Prohibition of all Marriage, whereas they do not for-bid all Marriage ; and that the Apoftle hath here a refpecl unto the Mani-chees, who condemned Marriage itfelf For anfwcr unto which, 1. There is no fuch thing in the Text as Prohibition of all Marriage \ and it is certain that fuch who forbid the Marriage of fome, do forbid to marry, 2. St. Au\\in telleth us , that the Manichees did not forbid the Marriage of all, they allowed the Marriage of them which they called Auditors although not the Marriage of them which they called Elecl ; therefore by all that the Papifts can fay, they cannot ftave off thisCharacler of Antichrift from the Roman Papacy..

This fhall fuffice for the proof, that the Popijh Doctrine which forbiddeth to marry, is devilijh and wicked,

3. The third thing I am to do, is to anfwer the Popifh Arguments which they bring to prove the unlawfulnefs of the Marriage of the Clergy, and fuch who are under the Celibate Vow.

Arg. 1. Their firft Argument is drawn from the uncleannefs which they affirm to be contracted by Marriage, fuch as the Clergy,znd all who are more immediately devoted unto God, mult abftain from : This they endeavour to prove, 1. By the Levitical uncleannefs, which we read of Lev.i 5. and the fpeech of Abimelech unto David, iSam.21^. 2. Such as are married, they fay, are in the fleih, therefore unclean, and fo cannot pleafe God, Rom. 8. 8. 3. They argue that if fuch as would give themfelves to prayer and failing, muft abftain for a while , 1 Cor. 7. 5. and that becaufe of the uncleannefs herein j then Minifters who give themfelves wholly to the Miniftry of the Word.and unto Prayer, muft abftain altogether, and therefore they ought not to marry, becaufe of the uncleannefs they will hereby contract, which is unbefeeming their fa-cred Function.

Anfw. 1. There is no uncleannefs or unholinefs in Marriage it felf, or in any ufe thereof, which is evident, becaufe Marriage was inftituted in. Paradifi, in the (rate of man's innocency j and Marriage being God's Ordinance, muft-needs be holy, becaufe all God's Ordinances are fo. Moreover, the Scripture calleth Marriage honourable in. all, where the

Bed

Bed is undefilcd by Adultery, jHf^.13.4. and if Marriage be honourable in all, then it is holy, (for every iin is dilhonourable) and therefore it is not unbefeeming the molt facred Function. \\ hen the Apoftle doth exhort, 1 T/^4. 3, 4. that every one (hould kvrnw borv to pojjefs his vejjel in fan^if cation and honour, it is not by abftaining from Marriage, but by abjiaining from Fornication. Adultery and Fornication indeed do both wound and train the fpirit, as well as pollute the body ; but there is a real innocency, holinefs and chaitixy in Marriage \ and the ufe of it according unto God's Ordinance.

2. The Papifis will rind it difficult to prove that there was ever any Levitical uncleannefs by the ufe of Marriage, that Scripture in Lev. 1 5, fpeaking of fomething elfe , as will appear unto fuch as read, and feri-oufly weigh the place. What they urge from Abtmelecb's fpeech unto' David, will appear not to be uncleannefs by the lawful ufe of Marriage, for then it would have been unlawful for the married Priejis continually to eat of the hallowed bread , which who will fay they were not allow-' edtodo? but Abimelech's fpeech was either concerning the unlawful ufe of women, or of their coming near their wives in the time of their reparation. But beiides this, and more which might be faid, did not modefty forbid, if the Papifts could prove Levitical uncleannefs to have been herein, which they cannot do j yet what can thence be argued, the Levitical Law being now abrogated ? can they fay that which rendred the Jews in thofc days legally unclean, doth now render Chrifiians morally unclean ? May we not from hence argue for the Marriage of Mi-nijiers, rather than rind any (hew ot Argument again ft their Marriage ? For if the Priejis, notwithstanding this Levitical uncleannefs, which the Papifts do here underftand, did marry without fini how much more may MinUters without fin now marry , when all Levitical uncleannelfes are at an end ?

3. It is a grofs mif-interpretation of Rom. 8.8. to appty it untc married perfons, as if they were the perfons fpoken of by the Apoftle that are in the flejh, and cannot pie afe God. Who will or can upon Scripture-grounds fay, that all married Chripans, though never fo holy and un-blameable in their Converfation. are in the flefh }■ Can none pieafe God that are married ? Hence then it will follow , that no married perf ns can be faved, becaufe none in the flefh, none that do not pieafe God, (hall attain his Salvation. But furely the Papifts will not damn all married perfons* however they may deal with ours, furely they will fpare their own.

4. As to their inference from 1 Cor. 7. 5. becaufe fuch as would give themfelves to fafting and prayer, muft abftain for a while, therefore^Mi-nifters muft abftain from Marriage altogether, is fuch a non fequiuir, as the Schools will hifs at. 1. The Apoftle makcth no fuch inference all along the Chapter againftthe Marriage of MinUters, but Onthexontrary prefcribeth Marriage as the duty of ali who cannot contain. 2.. There

is

is a great difference between the abftaining which the Apoflle fpeaketh of, and the not marrying which the Papifts plead for i although the A-poftle exhorts married perfons to feparate themfelves by confent for a time, that they might give themfelves unto fafting and prayer, yet in the fame Verfe and breath he bids them to come foon together again, left Satan mould tempt them for their incontinency. And who can rationally infer hence the duty of Minifters to abftain from Marriage? 3. The fafting and prayer here fpoken of, which calls for married persons abftaining , it is fafting and prayer upon fome extraordinary occa-iion, either publick or private, when the Bridegroom is to come forth of his Chamber , and the Bride out of her Clofet, as Joel 2. 17. and not of ordinary prayer and feeking of God: And unlefs Minifters were always to be engaged in folemn fafting and.prayer, there is no fhew of reafon why from this place they (hould be obliged not to marry. And why may not the Papifts as well argue, becaufe marriedperfons are to abftain from eating, that they may give themfelves to fafting and prayer', therefore there is uncleannefs and evil ia eating', and that Minifters who are to give themfelves unto the Miniftry of the Word and prayer, ought to abftain from eating altogether ? for this will follow as well as the other.

Arg. 2. The fecond Popifh Argument is drawn from 1 Cor, 7.1. It is good for a man not to touch a woman. And Verf. 8. I fay therefore unto the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as J. If it be good for the unmarried and widows to abide in a fingle eftate like unto the Apoftle, then fay they, it is evil for fuch to marry ^ and therefore the Clergy mould abftain from this evil.

Anfw. 1. If it were an evil of fin for the unmarried and widows to marry, then it would not only be unlawful for the Clergy, and all under the Celibate Vow to marry , but it would be unlawful for any Chriftians whatfoever to marry, becaufe all ought to abhor, refrain, and flee from that which is an evil of fin: And where is the concernment of Minifters more than others in this Scripture ?

2. That may be good for fbmc, which is evil for others: a fingle eftate may be good and beft for fuch as have the gift of continency, and are perfwaded in their heart that in this eftate they may moft glorifie God j whereas this eftate may be evil for fuch as are- without this gift, or in likelihood may moft glorine God in a married eftate.

3. It may be good at fome time not to marry, namely, in the time of the Churches perfecution \ and all that have the gift at fuch a time, fhould chufe the Celibate eftate, that they might be the more ready both to do and furTer for Chrift , and be the more free from temptations to Apoftacy: and the moft that can be faid of the good here fpoken of, is, that it is the good of conveniency, not the good of abfolute duty \ unto which is oppofed the evil of inconveniency, not the evil of fin. Indeed it is an evil of inconveniency, and an aggravation of calamity to

be

be married in times of perfection, for Jhcb, faith the ApoAIc, Verf.28. of this Chapter, Jhall have trouble, that is, greater trouble than others, in the fle/b: but it is the duty of all to make choice rather of this evil of greater trouble and inconveniency, than to expofe thcmfelves unto the evil of fin by uncleannefs and incontinency.

4. The ApolUe is fo far from afTerting it to bean evil of fin for any in the word of times to marry, that he afierteth the quite contrary when there is a neceflity for it, \ex[.^6. If need fo require, let him do what be will, he finneth not, let them marry. And Verf. 38. So then he that giveth her in marriage doth well. It is plain then by all to be feen, that the Popifh Argument from this place is frivolous, and that it carrieth no fhadow of good confequence in it againft the Marriage of the Clergy.

Arg. 3. The third Popiili Argument is drawn from 1 Cor. 7. 32, 33, 3 4. But I would have you without carefulnefs: He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may pleafe the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may pleafe his wife, 'there is a difference alfo between a wife and a virgin : The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, how (he may be holy in body and finrit y but foe that is married careth for the things-of the world, how foe may pleafe her husband. The Argument from hence in reference unto Miniflers is this: Minifters above all others are warned to take heed of entangling themfelves with the affairs and cares of this life, 2 linr. 2.4, and being devoted unto the Lord more immediately by the Office of their Miniftry, they ought always to care for the things which belong to the Lord, how they may pleafe the Lord. And becaufe Marriage doth engage in the former , and taketh off from the latter, as this Text doth intimate, therefore they ought to refrain Marriage.

Anfw. 1. It is not univerfally true, that all who are unmarried do care for the things which belong to the Lord, how they may pleafe the Lord, and that hereby they are taken off from minding and caring for the things-of the world. As to the latter , who intermeddle more with fecular affairs than many of the Popifh unmarried Clergy ) Why do any of them exercife Temporal Jurifdidrion, if their Celibate Mate be in order to free them from worldly cares and buiinefs ? As to the former, if fo be that Adultery, Fornication, Murder, Sodomitical uncleannefs, and other vile practices be pleafing to the Lord, there are and have been many Popes and Popifh'Bimops, many Priefts, Jefuites, Fryars, and other unmarried perfons under the Celibate Vow among the Papifts, that with great induitry have cared for the things which belong unto the Lord 7 . how they may pleafe. the Lord, as I fnall make evident in the life : But hereby they will be found to have taken care not onlyof the things of the world, but of the things of the nefh, how they may pleafe the flelh, and the things of the Devil, how they may pleafe the Devil, whofe fervants and children they-are,

2,, Neither..

2. Neither, fecondly, is it univerfally true, that fuch as are married do care for the things of the world, chiefly, fo as to negledt the things of God , as inftance may be given in the holincfs of many married perfons, which the Scripture doth take notice of. It is faid, Gen. 5.22. That Enoch walked with God, after he begat Methufalah, three hundred years; and begat fins and daughters. Abraham, who is called the Friend of God\ Mofes, unto whom the Lord fpake face to face \ Samuel, who was fo highly in favour with God \ David, who was a man after God's own heart ; Ifaiah, Ezekjel, and almoft all the Prophets, were married perfons : and we hardly read of any in the Old Teftament that were famous for integrity and 2eal for God, but they were fuch as were married. I have alfo given inftance already in the New Teftament-times of married Apoftles, and did not they care for the things that belonged to the Lord, how they might pleafe the Lord ? And how many Minifies are there now in the Conjugal ftate , as eminent as any others whatfoever for their holy and Arid lives ? Will not many of them fay, that their Wives have been fo far from engaging and entangling them in worldly cares, that on the contrary they have proved real helpers of them, and have taken off in a great meafiire the burthen of thofe worldly cares, which lay more heavy upon them in their fingle eftate ?

3« It is granted that Marriage is often-times an occafion of more worldly care than a fingle eitate '•> and that fingle perfons, who really are endowed with the gift of continency, have ordinarily the advantage of moil: freedom from perplexing trouble, and thoughtfulnefs about the World, and for attending upon the Lord with the leaft diftra&ion > yet fuch fingle perfons as are without trie gift are expofed unto more cliftracrion , and that which is worfe, unto fo much fin, fuch burnings of luiiful defires, that they cannot attend upon the Lord acceptably, without the ufe of the remedy which God hath provided againft incontinency.

4. Men may care for the things that belong unto the world moderately, and labour to pleafe their wives in the Lord fubordinately, and not tranfgrefs the bounds of their duty , yea to negledt this would be their fin h and yet at the fame time they may care for the things~that belong to the Lord , how they may pleafe the Lord chiefly :^ for if the one had been inconliftent with the other, the A pottle would have forbidden Marriage abfolutely, it being the abfolute indifpenfable duty of all, and neceffary unto Salvation, that they labour chiefly to pleafe the Lord : but the Apoftle profefleth the contrary, that concerning Virgins he had no command from the Lord , Verf. 25. that is, to forbid them from the Lord to marry i but in cafe of neceility he lets them know that Marriage was their duty. Yet becaufe both men and women are more-prone-to exceed the bounds as to worldly cares and diltradrion in God's fervice when married , eipecially when full of Children, and little in the world to provide for them, or in a time of perfection , then in the.

lingle

fingle eftate, endowed with the gift h therefore he doth exprefs himfelf thus as we read in the Scripture urged. But none can infer hence, that it is the will of the Lord thatMinifters fhould not marry, who though they be devoted to the fervice of God more immediately, and ought always to care for the things that belong to the Lord , above all others to pleafe him, may do this in a married eftate, as hath been lhewn '•> and if there be any Argument in it againft Marriage, it is an Argument againft the Marriage of all Christians, rather than againfi the Marriage particularly of Minifters , the perfons the Apoftle writing unto, and unto whom he gives the advice in this Chapter, being not Minifters, but ordinary Chriitians amongft the Corinthians. The uttermoft that can be argued from this place in reference unto Minifters, is, that fuch of them as are unmarried, and have the gift of continency in the time of the Churches perfecution, or in fuch circumftances of their condition in the World, that by Marriage they are likely to be plunged and incum* bered with more worldly cares and diftradtion, and to be kfs ferviceable unto the Lord in a married eftate, than they are in the fingle i that in fuch a cafe they ought to continue fingle, fo long as God doth continue the gift unto them: but this is no Argument for the Popifh forbidding the Marriage of the whole Clergy.

Arg. 4. The fourth Popifh Argument is drawn from 1 Tim. 5.11,12. But the younger widows refufe, for when they have begun to wax wanton againft Chrift, they will marry, having damnation , hecaufe they have caft off their fir ft faith. Now the interpretation of, and the arguings of . the Papifts from this Scripture, may run thus: 1. That there was a fo-ciety of Widows maintained by the Church, more immediately devoted unto God, who were to continue in fupplications and prayers night and day, as Verf. 5. and that thefe Widows were under a vow to continue in their fingle eftate unto their lives end, that they might be the more fit for their employment > and this vow was their rirft faith, fpo-ken of Verf. 12. becaufe they entered into this vow when they were firft admitted into this fociety. 2. That fuch Widows as after this vow did marry, they waxed wanton hereby from Chrift, and had damnation upon the account of their cafting off this their rirft faith, or breaking their Celibate Vow. 3. That if Widows, then Virgins too might be gathered into focieties to fequefter themfelves from all w T orldly affairs, for the more immediate fervice of God, and enter into the fame Celibate Vow, 4. That the Clergy of all ranks being by their Office devoted more immediately unto God, they ought to'enter into the Celibate Vow, which they iinpofe upon all in their admiffion into facred Functions. 5. That all who have made this Celibate Vow, if afterward they attempt to marry , they incur the penalty not only of deprivation fro'na men, but alfo of eternal damnation from God.

Anfo. 1. We grant that there was in the Primitive times a number of Widow* devoted more immediately unto the fervice of God, whom

C c c c the

The fopifiDo&rine) which forbiddeth to marry, SerffluXVll.

the Church did maintain , and who were to be qualified according tot what the Apoftle doth mention, Verf. p, 10.

2. It is as eaiie for us to deny, as for them to affirm, that thefe Wi~ dows did enter into a Celibate Vow upon their firft admiflion into this number, this Scripture making no mention of any fuch Vow, and therefore they can never prove it.

3. By the firft faith here fpoken of, it is more rational to underftand it not of any Celibate Vow, but of their Vow in Baptifm, (which is the firft faith of Chriftians) whereby they were devoted unto the fear and fervice of the Lord all their days s and this, by their wantonnefs from Chrift, or lafcivious practices, and turning afide after Satan, fpoken of Verf. 15. they did call off, and for this they had damnation.

4. We deny that the iin of thefe Widows lay in their marrying, but in their wantonnefs and breach of faith with Chrift, otherwife the A-poftle would not have given direction that thefe younger women (although received into this number) mould marry, bear Children, guide the Houfe, and give no occaiion (through wantonnefs) to the Adver-fary to fpeak reproachfully, as he doth Verf. 14. That the Apoftle fpeaketh of younger women of the number , it is evident, becaufe he faith that fome of them had waxen wanton from Chrift, had caft oif their firft faith, had turned afide after Satan > and therefore he doth direct concerning the reft of the younger women, to prevent thefe evils, • that they mould marry '■> and furely he would not have direct ed them to this, had it been a fin, and had their Marriage it felf been a cafting off of their firft faith.

5. If we mould fuppofe (although we do not grant) that by the firft faith is meant a Celibate Vow h yet it doth not follow from hence, that either Virgins or younger Widows have leave from God to enter into fuch a Vow: for the Apoftle doth ftraightly charge that no Widow for the future fhould be admitted into this number under threefcore years old, at which years there is no fuch danger of their falling into wanton practices, Verf.#. and younger -Widows he would have refufed, Verf.n. And what plea then can there be from hence for the fociety of Nuns,. and their Celibate Vows, when moll; vi them are young at their firft admiflion ?

6. "And if there can be from this place no good plea for younger women to enter into Celibate Vows, much lefs can there be any hence for the Celibate Vows of the Clergy.

7. Therefore it is finful for any, efpecially younger men or women, to make Celibate Vows, when fuch Vows may not be in their own power to keep i and fuch who have rafhly made them, it is a greater fin for them to keep, when they have not the gift of continency, thao-to break them by holy Wedlock 3 which they may do without the penalty of eternal damnation*.

Arg. Jfc

Arg. 5. The fifth and hft Popilh Argument is drawn from Authority. Bellarmine, after fufficient weaknefs betrayed in his Scripture-Proofs, doth annex, 1. The Teftimony of divers Councils, Eaftern, African, Italian > French, Spanijh and German. 2. The Teftimony of divers Popes or Bifhops of Home. 3. The Teftimony of divers Fathers, both Greek, and Latine. Should I repeat all which he maketh thefe to (peak, I mould weary both my felf and the Reader •, and how infirm his Argumentation is from hence, will appear in the- Anfwer.

Anfw. 1. It is well known by thofe that are vers'd in Councils, and have written on this fubjed:, that the Councils of Ancyra, Nice, Gan~ gra and Trull, (the moft ancient which Bellarmine and other Papifts do cite) do not really favour this Popifh Dodtrine. One Canon of the Council of Ancyra hath this paflage in it, u£*am fan ^sWvkx, dec. All Deacons that are eftablifhed in their Charges, if they have declared that thiy have need to marry, and cannot remain as they are , let them remain in their fervice after they are married: and let any judge whether this could be confident with a general Prohibition of the Marriage of the Clergy. The Council of Nice indeed did decree, That no Bijhop, Fref-hyter or Deacon, fhoidd have any women in their houfes except Mother, Sifter, or Aunt > therefore they were prohibited, faith Bellarmine, the having Wives, and fo ought not to marry : whereas it is evident unto all that are unbyafled by prejudice, and make an impartial fearch into the Records of that Council, that this Prohibition did not (hut out the Wives, but unmarried Aifociates, from the Houfes of Ecclefiafticks that were (ingle, for the prevention of fcandal by Fornication, which (ingle perfons living together, efpecially in their youth and privacy, might be tempted unto.

Let us fee what Socrates in his Eccleliaftical Hiftory doth relate concerning the Tranfadions of this Council about this point j which we mall find to this purpofe: Some would have brought in a new Law, to for*-hid the Clergy to cohabit with their Wives \ but Paphnutius a Confeffor, and although unmarried himfelf, flood up and vehemently cryed out, Ihat Marriage was honourable, congrefs with the Wife chafte, and therefore did counfel them not to lay fuch a heavy yoJ^e upon perfons in holy Orders which they could not bear, and hereby give occafton both to them and their Wives to live incontinently: upon which fpeech of Paphnutius the Council did both approve, andpraife his fentence, made no fuch Law, but left it to every mans liberty to do what he would in that point. Socr. Lib. 1. Cap. 11. Sozom. Lib. 1. Cap. 23. Here we fee that this Law (now efta-blifhed amongft the Papifts) is called a new Law, it was never Enadted before, and it was only a Law which fbme would have brought in, and therefore was not Enadted then: it was called a heavy yok*, and not being found by that Council to be Chrift's yoke , it was laid afide. The Council of Gangra, (all whofe Canons the Council of 'Irull doth approve of) -hath this Canon: "e« fci tutx&nfo* dec. If any make a difference

C c c c 2 of

of a married Prieft , as if none ought to partake of the Oblation when he-doth the fervice, let him he Anathema. I might give other inftances of paflages in other Councils, which Bellarmine doth make mention of, to (hew how he doth corrupt many of their fayings, in favour of this Doctrine j but I refer the learned Reader unto Chamier\ anfwer, and to Jumus^s Animadveriions upon T>el f armine''s Controverfies. It is moft certain, ( if Hiftory may be believedj) that the moft ancient and moft authentick Councils, according to their molt authentick Copies, did never ( like the Papifts) forbid the Marriage of the Clergy , whatever fome of them may fcem to do in the corrupt Tranilations of them, and falfe Glofles upon them by the Papifts : the Canons of fome particular Councils, or rather Popifh Synods of latter date, are of no.great llgniri^ cation in the proof of this point.

2. The Teftimonies which Bellarmine bringeth of Popes, or the Bi-fhops of Rome, carry no weight: It is acknowledged by the moft, that Pope Syricius rirft did forbid the Marriage of the Clergy, but what he did was very unjuft: hear what Junius doth (ay of it: Syricius contra Verbum Vet & jus naturale ipfum voluit ifludcoelibatus jugum Ecclefi-afticis imponere, & juris ignorantia, & JuperjHtioJa cacozelia. Syricius againft the Word of God, and the Law of Nature it felf would needs lay the Celibate Law upon Ecclefiaftickj through ignorance and fuperjiitious Zeal. I fhall readily grant, That the Bifhops of Rome, efpecially of latter years fince the Apoflacy of that Church unto Herefie, Antichrifti-anifm and Idolatry, have been generally againft the Marriage of the Clergy : but wherefore hath this been ? Not out of true Zeal for Cha-ftity^ and the purity of all in facred Orders, as is pretended > but out of carnal Policy, for the enriching of their Church hereby, and the prc-ferving of its Revenues , which might be too profufely expended and alienated in the providing for Wife and Children.

3. The Teftimonies which are brought out of ancient Fathers for the moft part are cither corrupted, or they do not militate againft the Marriage, but againft the incontinency of the Clergy > and the purity which the Fathers (peak of, as requiilte in perfons of that Function, is as well confident with a married, as with a iingle eftate, and more ordinarily to be found in the former, than in the latter. But if fome of the Fathers were againft the Marriage of Ecclefiafticks, this doth not prove the unlawfulnefs of fuch Marriages, unlefs it could be proved to be fo by the Word of Godi and this the Papifts can never prove unto fuch who do look into the Scriptures with an unprejudiced mind, when they are fo plain and clear for the univerfal lawfulnefs of Marriage without any particular exceptions.

Vfei. Here you may fee the devilifh wickednefs of the Church of Rome ; it would both ijpend too much time, and. carry me belides my purpofe too far, to kt forth the wickednefs of this Apoftate Church in the full latitude thereof > I (hall only fpeak of the wickednefs which this

Doctrine

Doctrine that forbiddcth to marry, is the occafion of. There are three woful effects which this wicked devilifh Doctrine hath produce.l :

1. Wicked Indigencies of their Popes : 2. Wicked Principles or" their Jefuites: 3. Wicked Practices both of their Popes and others under the Celibate Vow.

1. The Popes or Bifhops of Rome, however feverc again ft the Marriage of their Clergy, yet they have given Indigencies for Whoredom, Sodomy, and fuch like moft foul abominations. Hear the complaints as well as acknowledgments of Ffpenceus, a Writer of their own, Lib.

2. Cap.7. Ve Continentia\ his words are thefe: Pro puro mundnque ccelibatu fucceffit impurus & immundus concubinatus , ut quod elegance de perfecutione , cap. 29. Conquer ebatur D. Bernardus, latere, nee pre multitudine queat, nee pre impudentia querat: bee inquam tolerantia at-tius radices egit, permiffu alicubi fitb annuo cenfu cleric is at que laic is cum fuis concubinis cohabitare: §hiid utinam faljo & imerito extaret inter Gravamina Germanic > adeoque etiam continentibus ad vmnem cenfum per-folvendum coatlis, quo foluto iis liceret, vel continentibus vel incontinentia bus effe. 0 rem execrandam ! In Jiead of the pure and clean Celibate, there bath fucceeded an impure and unclean Concubinate, which, as Bernard elegantly complainetb in bis 25? Cbapter concerning Perfecution, nei-tber can be concealed, it is fo frequent, neitber dotb feek^ to be concealed, it is fo impudent : this Toleration or Indulgence bath got firm footing, both the Clergy as well as Laity having permijjion given unto them to cohabit with their Concubines, upon the payment of a yearly fum of money. And I wifb that thefe things were falfty and undefervedly extant amongjl the Grievances of Germany, who complain that even fuch as are continent are forced to pay the annual Rent \ which being paid, they are at their own

choice whether they will contain or not, whether they will have a Concubine, otherwife called a Whore, or not. 0 execrable wickgdnefs ! And the fame Author in his Comment upon liitus, doth further acknowledge in thefe words : Epifcopi, Archidiaconi & Officiales plerunque dum Vicece-fes & Farxcias obequitant , non tarn facinorofos & criminum reos pxnis & correCtionibus a vitiis deterrent, quam pecunia emungunt & exugunt turn Clericos, turn laicos > & bos cum concubinis, pellicibus & meretriculis cohabitare, liber ofque procre are finunt, acc.epto abiis certo quntannis cenfu atque adeo alicubi accipiunt a continentibus '■> babeat (aiunt) ft velit, & quoties enim quifque talis, (cum tales tamen tarn multi funt) hndie ali-. ter punitur ? Bifhops, Archdeacons and Officials, do ride about their DiocejJ'es and Parishes for the mofl part, not to deter the wickgd by corrections and punijhments from their vice, but to draw out and defraud both ■ Clergy and Laity of their Money, whom upon the payment of a yearly Revenue, they permit to cohabit with Concubines and Whires y and to procreate Children. And this Revenue they receive in fomeplaces of the Continent, for he may have a Concubine cr \V\me (fay they) if he pleafe. And bow often are fuch Priefts as keep Whores (although fo many) punijhed

othe^

otherwife ? There is a Book lately publifhed by Anthony Egans^ B. D. late ConfefTor-General of the Kingdom of Ireland, and now Minifter of the Gofpel according to the Reformed Religion. The Title of it is this, Ihe BooJ^ of Kates now ufed in the Sin-Cuftom-Roufe of the Church and Court of Rome, containing the Bulls, Difpenfations and Pardons for all manner of villanies and wickednefs, with the feveral fums of Moneys given and to be paid for them. Page 13. there are thefe Difpenfations for Prieils and others under the Celibate Vow: A Prieft or Fryar having lain, or carnally finned with a Woman of whatfoever fort or degree whether a Nun, or Kinfwoman, or a Relation, or with any other whether married or fingle, whether within the Bounds or Cloifters of his Monafiery or elfewhere, whether the Ahfolution he made in the Name of the Clergy or no, it gives him power to exercife his Function, and to hold his Livings and that together with the Inhibitory Claufe, he paying 36 1. $> s. and 6 d. And if befides this there be an Absolution for Buggery, or for unnatural fin committed with bruit Beafts, a Difpenfation, together with the Inhibitory Claufe, will come to po\. 12 s. id. A fimple Ahfolution for the fin of Buggery,^ or the fin contrary to Nature, that is to fay, with bruit Beafts together with a Difpenfation, and the Inhibitory Claufe, is %6\. p s. A Nun having played the Whore very often, aut intra aut extra fepta Mona-jierii, within or without the bounds of the Monaftery, is to be abfolved and rebabilited to hold the Dignity of her Order for 3d 1. 9 s. An Ahfolution for one that kgeps a Whore at Bed and Board, with a Difpenfation to hold a Benefice, is 4I. 5 s. 6 d. Prideaux telleth us of Tope Sixtus the fourth, 'that he made a grant unto the Cardinal of Lucia to ufe unnatural lufts for three months in the year, namely, June, July, tftfiAuguft: but whether the Cardinal had the Difpenfation gratis, or paid a fum of money for it, the Author doth not relate. This is that Pope who built a Stews at Rome of his own co(t, and well might he do it, when the Popes do receive fuch Revenues from fuch bafe Houfes. See 'Cornelius Agrippade Vanitate Scientiarum , Cap. 64. Lycurgus and Solon (faith he) thofe Heathen Law-givers, eretled public)^ Stews *> but that is no marvel, for of late years Pope Sixtus the fourth builded a goodly Stews in Rome, ihe Corinthians, Cyprians, ^^Babylonians, did encreafetheir Revenue by the gain of Stews, which in Italy alfo at this day is no unufual matter '-, for Whores ef Rome do pay weekjy to the Pope a Julio, the whole Revenue whereof in the year doth often exceed twenty thoufand Duckgts. Hence it is that one of their Poets doth complain,

Roma ipfa Lupanar Reddita\ nunc facia eft tot-o execrabilis orbe,

Xi That Rome was become a Brothel-Houfe, and grown execrable 4C throughout the whole World.

The

The Pope indeed will not allow of Marriage in his Clergy, but by his Indigencies he doth make proviiion for their fiefh, that they may fulfil their lulls by Fornications and all manner of uncleannefTes, which may bring in filthy lucre into his Coffers. Thus concerning the wicked Indigencies of the Pope.

2. The wicked Principles of the Jcfuites is another effect of this Po-pifh Doctrine which forbiddeth to marry. The Jefuitical Doctors pretend to more Sanctity , Learning and Subtilty than others > let us fee what fome of their Principles be, and Positions in their Hating of Cafes of Confcience concerning uncleannefTes. I (hall refer the Reader only unto a Book called, Ibe Myftery of Jefuitifm, fee Vol. i. p. 14.7. Father Bauny hath this Affertion as it is-cited out of his Theolog. Mor. trac.4. de poenit. p«5?4- It is lawful for perfons of all qualities and conditions to go into the places of common pro(\itution, there to convert finful women, although it be very probable that they will commit the fin there them-felves , nay haply though they have found by frequent experience that they are drawn into fin by the fight and infinuations of thofe women. "Who feeth not that this Affertion doth give encouragement unto the unmarried Popiffi Clergy to run upon occasions, and manifest temptations unto the fin of filthy Fornication ? For who are more fit, may they think, to convert thofe finful women, than Eccleliaflical perfons ? But for fuch to go into places of common proftitution to do it, is both fcandalous for any, efpecially for Minifters, and dangerous kit them-felves be entangled and defiled hereby. But the Jefuite relleth us, they may venture into fuch places, although it be probable they will, and though they have been often drawn into that foul fin hereby 3 and what is it that they can plead for the lawfulnefs of fuch practice ? it is only this, their directing their intention to convert finful women , and may they run into their embraces that they may convert them ? may they venture upon a probability of being drawn by them unto this lin, that without any probability of fuccefs they may draw them from it ? and when they have been often enticed and overcome, may they put their foot again into the fnare ? are fuch like to perfwade others to repentance and chaftity, who have been often unclean in fuch places themfelves } * But let us fee further what other of their Doctors fay: In the Additio-nale, pag. 96. Efcobar doth affert, *that a man who hath the reputation of being extreamly given to women^ doth not commit any mortal fin in follici-ting a woman to condefcend unto his defres^ when he doth not intend to put his defign in execution. This Doctor goeth a ftep further, the former giveth allowance to go into places of common proftitution, Co that the intention be ihz converlion of iinful women '■> and this telleth us that it is no mortal iin to follicite women to be naught, if a man can but hold • off .his intention from the thing: but who is there that is extreamly addicted to women, and doth follicite, though he doth not actually intend the thing, till he knows the mind of the party, but if there be a

compliance.

The PopiJ/j DoBrine^ which forbiddeth to marry ^ Serm.XVII,

compliance, that will forbear and withdraw himfelf, as Jofeph from hrs Miftrefs ? May lecherous Mafs-Priefts follicite women to lewdnefs without mortal fin f Who can deny this to be devilifh wicked Dodtrine? But although the Jefuites Principles do lead their Clergy to Fornication and Adultery, yet they would have them cautious that fuch impure fadts of theirs may not be known, fi non cafte, tamen carte. If they do not live chaftly, they would have them fin warily i> and therefore they allow mod horrid wickednefs for the concealing fuch fhame. P. j p. Caramuel afTerteth in his Fund. Theolog. Fund. 55. Se&.j. "that it is doubtful whether a religious man having made ufe of a woman, may not kjll her, if fie offer to difcover what faffed between them. This Do-dor doth make a doubt whether it be not lawful for their Priefts to commit Murder that they may conceal their Adultery. But what if the woman the Pried is naught withal, be a wife, and (he reveal nothing, but her husband cometh unawares upon them, and difcovereth the fadt ? fee what Efcobar. faith in fuch a cafe, cited pag. ^4. out of his Tradr. Theol. Tradt. 4. Exam. 6. Cap. 5. An Ecclefiaffic\ furprized in Adultery , if he kjU the womans husband whom he hath abufed in his own defence, is not for- that irregular. Here the Dodtor doth favour not only the murder of the wife if (he reveal, but alfo the murder of the husband if he refilt h and although the Marriage of Eeclefiafticks doth make them irregular, yet their Adulteries and Murders do not fo, but they may according to thefe Principles continue in their Function, not-withftanding fuch horrid abominations. You fee what provilions the Jefuites make for themfelves and others of the Romifh Clergy, for their encouragement, reputation and fafety in their practice of the fin of Adultery: but do they take no care for the poor forlorn Nuns, who are mewed up in Cloifters, and are under the fame Celibate Vow with themfelves ? The great danger is, when the Priefts and Jefuites come amongft them, of their proving with child, and fo of their difcovering their own iliame : is there no provifion in this cafe ? Yes, thefe kind Fathers have a Principle which may be of ufe to fuch , to encourage them with a nan objiante to this danger unto lewd embraces. See Addit. p. ip. Egidius Trullench. in Decal. Tom. 5. Lib. 5. Cap. 1. afTerteth, That it ts lawful to procure abortion before the child be quic\in the womb, to fave a Maids life or reputation. I (hall add but one Portion more concerning the liberty which the Jefuites give unto the mod impure perfons to communicate immediately upon their confeilion, pag. 88. Mafcarennas 'frail. 4. de Sacr. Eucharift. T)ifp. 5. Cap.'], doth afTert, 'that either a fecular perfon, or a Priefl being fallen into any kjnd of impurity whatfoever, nay though fuch as are againft Nature, may, without fo much as the leaf: venial fin, (nay, are to be commended for it if they do) communicate the very fame day after they have made confeffjon thereof lhat the Confeffbr ought to advife his Penitent to receive the Eucharift the .very fame day that he is fallen into fuch crimes , and that the Vow or Refo-

lution

lution any one might have made not to come to the Lord's Table in that condition, were null. Thus if the Jefuites acknowledge that a wound and defilement is contracted by fome grofTer impieties and impurities ; yet they can, according to their principles, quickly lick themfelves whole by their Confeflions, and warn themfelves clean by their Communicating i and what is this but an abominable profaning and polluting of the holy Sacrament, and an opening a wide door to all manner of Keen-tioufnefs? The Harlot could fay unto the young man, Prov. 7.12. 'this day I have payed my vorvs, and (0 the was fitted for her wickednefs. And if unmarried Ecclefiafticks by Confeffion and Communicating can fo eafily wipe off their guilt and filth, what encouragement muft this needs give them to return prefently again with the Dog to his vomit, and with the Sow that is wafh'd to her wallowing in the mire ? That the Jefuites are not belyed by the Author of the Myftery of Jefuitifm, in thefe and other grofs Principles and Alfertions which they hold, may eafily be known by fuch as will confult their Books in print, out of which they are extracted : I confefs I have not confulted all of them, not having them by me i but having perufed his Citations of Efcohar , whom 1 have, and rinding him faithful there, I doubt not but he is faithful in the reft.

3. The wicked practices both of Popes and others under the Celibate Vow, is another woful effedl of this Popim Doctrine which forbiddeth to marry. And here I may well premife, that many thoufand lewd-nelTes and foul abominations are and have been committed by Popifh Votaries fo fecretly, that they never faw the light, neither have come abroad unto the notice of the world, thefe works being works of dark-nefs which fly the light, and fhrowd themfelves as clofe as may be in dark corners, thofe who are guilty endeavouring all they can to conceal their rilthinefs *> which however at the laft day of revelation both of mens fins and God's Judgments, will be made known and expofed to the .view both of men and Angels, when the Lord will bring to light the hidden workj of darknefs^ and make manifeji all the counfels of the heart-1 Cor. 4. 5. Yet the wickednefs of fome Popes and their Clergy in this kind, hath been Co notorious, that their own Hiftorians have not thought fit to be altogether iilent herein > and, as was faid before, their lewd-nefs could not be concealed, it was fo frequent:, neither in many did it feek to be concealed, it was fo impudent. It would fpend more time than we have to be together, yea, although we (hould ftay here on this lorg Summers day till dark night, to enumerate the inftances that might be given of the uncleannelTes of Eccletiaflicks in the Church of Rome. I (hall mention only a few of the molt remarkable amongft many other, and begin with the vicioufnefs and rilthinefs of the Popes, whofe Title of Holinefs, and feverity againft Matrimony, and impoling the Celibate Vow upon others, one would think fhould oblige themfelves unto more than ordinary mortification of flefhly lufts, and exemplary chaftity: but

D d d d we

we (hall find by fearch into the Hiftory of the Popes lives, that they have generally been exceeding faulty as to women, and all forts of filthy lufts. Tlatina doth complain that Riches had made the Church wanton, and Vice had no reftraint. Pope Sergius the Third had his Sweet-heart Marozia, that famous Strumpet, who was the Miftrefs of his affe&ions, and had no fmall Government in the Church, of whom in wicked A-du.ltery, as Luitprandus doth record, he begat John the Eleventh, who afterward by his Mothers means got the Popedom. Baronius doth acknowledge that in thofe days the power of Harlots did fo far prevail, that they both removed Popes rightly appointed, and alfo thruft in violent and wicked men into their room at their pleafure. By this Maro-zid's means alfo it was that Ociavianus (Son to Albericus) obtained the Popedom, called John the Twelfth, who, as Baronius doth relate, amongft other wickedneifes, was accufed in a Synod for abufing the Widow of Rainerins, for his filthinefs with Stephana his Fathers Concubine, with Anna a "Widow and her Neice. This is that Pope who ca-ftrated divers of his Cardinals becaufe they favoured Otho the great > but if himfelf had been fo ferved before he was made Pope, pollibly he might have been more chafte : and yet whatever liberty this Pope took himfelf to commit Fornication and Adultery, he would not give liberty for Marriage to his Clergy, which God doth allow, for he fends over an Inhibition againft Priefts Marriage into England, which at that time caufed no fmall ftir : At length the hand of God was remarkable in the cutting off this Pope > for being taken one night in Adultery with another mans wife, he received fuch a wound in his Temples, that within the fpace of eight days after he died of it. Pope Gregory the Seventh (faith Frideaux) had-his Minion Matilda, who left her own Husband to live with this holy Father. This is that Gregory who caufed the Emperour Henry the Fourth, with his Emprefs, and Son, to come bare-footed in the cold Winter to his Caftle at Cannuunm, and there to wait three days farting before he couid have .audience, which at length was obtained by the Mediation of Madam Matilda. Tlatina doth relate that in Pope Honorius the Second's time, one Amulphus was put to death at Rome for his bitter invieghing againft the pomp, luxury and lafcivioufnefs of the Clergy , before whom he propounded the poverty of drift, and his integrity of life for their imitation. It was from this Pope that John Cremenfts was fent over Legat into England, to diffolve the Priefts Marriages, but in the great heat of his urging his Commit flon, he was found in bed with a Whore. Good man! he would have all to live chaftly without W T ives and Matrimony, and he came over from 'Rome to (hew them an example. Pope Martin the Fourth kept the Con-cubine of his Predeceffor Nicolas, and removed all Bears from his Pa-lace, left the beholding of them mould caufe his Sweet-heart to bring fcrthaBear> fo fearful was he, that his bruitifhluft:would produce a bruitifh oif-fpring. Pope Beneditt the Twelfth is recorded: to have-

bought

bought a beautiful young Woman of her Brother with a great fum of money, that he might make ufe of her. Pope Sixtus the Fourth before-mentioned, who built the Stews at Rome, and allowed unnatural lufts to the Cardinal, would not wholly deny himfelf, especially in thofe lulls which are more natural, for he had his Concubine Tyrefia, for whom he provided Shooes covered with Pearls. Pope Innocent the Eighth had many bafe Children, gave a^great Dowry with his Daughter fheodorina: Mantuan hath thefe Verfes on him:

Otto Nocens pueros genuit, totidemque puellas, Hnnc tnerito poteris dicere Roma patrem.

The fignification of which is, that this Nocent (not Innocent) perfon, had begotten eight Boys, and as many Girls, and therefore deferved the name of a Father > but I iuppofe none, except the Papifts, will fay that he was a holy Father. Pope Alexander the Sixth did fucceed him in the Papacy, and his Hiftory doth record that he exceeded him in lewdnefs and Adultery j on whofe Daughter there are thefe Verfes:

v * ■

Hie jacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine, fed re Thais, Alexandri Filia, Sponfa, Nurus.

Lucrece by name here lies, but Thais in life, Tope AlexandV Child, Spoufe, and Sons Wife.

This Pope had two Baftards, a Son, and this Daughter Lucretia, whom he married unto this Son, and afterwards abufed her himielf \ and it is itoried of him, that to compleat his other wickednefles, he gave him-felf unto the Devil. Pope Julius the Second was not much better, who abufed two ingenuous Youths fent by the Queen of France to be bred in Italy. Pope Clement the Seventh was fo infamous, that becaufe of his own lewdnefs, and that of his Court, this Diirick was written:

Roma vale, vidi, fatis eft vidijfe, revertar

Cum Leno, aut Meretrix, Scurra, Cin*dus ero.

Vile Rome adieu, I did thee view, but hence no more will fee^ Till Pimp or Punck^, or Jade or Spade, I do refolve to be.

Taul the Third proftituted his Sifter Julia Farnefia to Alexander the Sixth, that \\t might be made Cardinal h committed Inceft with his own Daughter Conjlantia, poifoned her Husband that he might en,oy her the more freely j was naught with his own Sifter, and taken in the Adt by her Husband i and betides his Inceft, he is recorded to have been a Necromancer, and from this Pope's piety came the Council of Trenu

Dddd 2 Pope

Pope Julius the Third was not inferiour unto him , who gave his Car-* dinals Hat unto a Sodomitical Boy whom he had abufed : This is that Pope who faid he would have his Pork (forbidden by his Phyfitianj in defpight of God ', and maintained he had more reafon to be angry for . the keeping back his cold Peacock Pye, than God had to cart Adam out of Paradife for eating an Apple :■ fuch ablafphemous as well as luxurious Wretch was he ! Thus Prideaux. I (hall add but two inilances more, of two famous Women, one a Pope, and the other a Popcfs: The Woman-Pope was Pope Joan, who fucceeded Leo the Fourth, fate in the Papacy two years and fix months, fuppofed to be a man, until at length being with Child, (he fell in labour in the midit of a folemn pro-ceilion, whereby her Sex and lewdnefs were difcovered together : hereupon there was an Image of a Woman with Child fet up in the fame place, where the Pope was delivered both of her Child and her Life: Ever fmce the Popes when they go to the Laterane fhun that Street, although the nearer way, in abhorrency of the fadr, and memory thereof! There was moreover a Chair of Porphiry-ftone kept in the Laterane, with a hole in the midft to try the Sex of the new-eleded : No lefs than fifty Popilh Waiters teftifie the truth of this Hiftory concerning Pope Joan. The other Woman was a Popefs, as the Pope himfelf called her, namely^ Donna Olympia, the Sifler-in-law and Miitrefs of Pope Innocent the Tenth, who was perfectly at her devotion, not only in his younger years, and whillt he was Bifhop and Cardinal, but alfo in his elder years when he was Pope, and fo continued until the very lad : the Hiftory we have at large, written in Italian by Gualdi, and tranilated kito Englijh 5 the Book is called, Ihe Life of Donna Olympia Malda-chini, who Governed the Church during the time of Innocent the 'Tenth. In the Preface of the Book there is this paiTage : By the great example laid before us, they mu[l needs confefs that the Church-men of the Roman Taith will do any thing with a Woman hut marry her. I (hall refer the Reader unto the Hiftory, which relateth the great familiarities between this Donna Olympia and the Pope, having been too long in relating the vicioufnefs of his Predecedbrs, although I have parted by many perfons and things which might without wrong be fpoken concerning them. I mud add fomething concerning the rilthinefs and uncleannelTes of the Popifh Clergy, 'and others under the Celibate Vow. Flatina doth re-' cord, that in Pope Gregory the Great's time there were fix thoufand Infants Skulls found in a Fifh-pond at Rome > and what did this fignifle, but theWhordoms and Murders which this Celibate Vow was theoc-eafion of ? Nicholaus de Clemangis, a Popifh Archdeacon, who lived and flourifhed in the year One thoufand four hundred and feventeen, he wrote a Book , De corrupto ftatu Ecclefia, wherein he taketh notice of the vicioufnefs of all fort of perfons, befides the Pope, that were under this Celibate Vow. Cap.12. Concerning the Cardinals, thele are kis words :. Nee enumerare void eorum adult eria, ftupra p fornicationes

qwbusi

§erm.XVII. is a devilifl) and wicked Do&rive. g X 5

(jnibus Romanam Curiam infeftant , nee referre obfcoeniffimam illorum fa-mi lit vitam, a dominorum tamen moribus nullatenus abfonam. I will not relate the Adulteries, Rapes, Fornications, whereby thefe Cardinals do pollute the Court of Rome, norfet out the moji filthy life of their Family, not at all diffonant from the Manners of their Majiers. Cap. 19. Concerning the Prelates, he thus writes: Qui totos in aucupio, & venatu dies agunt, qui nodes in conviviis acuratiffimis, & chords cum puel-is effotminati infomnes tranfeunt, qui fuo turpi exemplo gregem per devia abducunt in pr£cipitium. Ihe Prelates fpend whole days in fowling and hunting > and being effeminate, they fpend whole nights in dancing and fports with young women, and by their filthy example lead their Flocks out of the right way upon a precipice. Cap. 20. He calls the Regulars Fbrios , incontinentijfimos, utpote qui pajfim & inverecunde prolem ex. Meretrice fufceptam, & fcortam vice conjugum domi tenent. Ft bosCa-nonicos aliquis vocabit, qui fie ab omni Canone feu Regula funt abalienati ? Drunkards, and moji incontinent perfons, who ordinarily andjhamelefly do kgep Whores infiead of Wives and Children by them at home in their houfes* And who will call them Regulars wlw walk^ by no Rule? Cap. 21. Of the Monks he faith, §htanto magis continentes, magis obedientes ejfe de-bebant minus vagabundi, & e Claujirorum feptis rarius egredientes in publicum •, tanto ab his omnibus rebus licet eos videre magis alienos : pro labore defidia, pro continentia & <equitate, libido & fuperbia invafere* Ry how much the more they ought to be continent and obedient, by how much the lefs they ought to wander about, and go forth into publicly from the bounds of their Cloifiers j by fo much the more we may fee in them a contrary carriage and courfe unto thefe things : in Jiead of labour, Jloth i in jiead of continence and jufiice, luji and pride hath invaded them. Cap.2 2» Of the Mendicants he writes, An non hi lupi rapaces funt fub ovili imagine lath antes, qui more Sacerdotum Belis in fuis penetralibus , oblata devorant mero & lautis epulis cum non fuis uxoribus, licet fepe cum fuis parvulis, avide fatiantes, cunVxaque libidinibus,quarumtorrentur ardore, polluentes ? Are not thefe Mendicants ravening Wolves under the form of Sheep, who like tl>e Friejis of Bell do devour what is offered, with others Wives and their own little Ones, greedily fatiating themfelves in retired places with Wine andcoftly Banquets, and defiling all things hy their filthy and burning lufts ?. Cap. 23. Concerning Nuns and their Monafteries, he thus exprefTeth himfelt: Ve his plura dicere verecundia prohibet, ne non de cottu Virginum Deo dtcatarum, fed magis de lupanaribus, • de do-lis &- procacia meretricum , de ftupris & invefiuofis operibu? dandum fir-monem prolixe trahamus. Nam quid obfecro aliud funt hoc tempore puel-larum Monafleria nifi quxdam. Non dico DeiJanSiuaria, fed Veneris pro-ftibula, fed lafcivorum & impudicorum juvenum ad libidines explendas receptacula ? ut idem hodie fit puellam velare, quod & publice ad fcortam dum exponere. Modefty doth forbid to fpeah^ more concerning thefe, left in fiead of fetting forth a fociety of Virgins devoted unto God } wefhouldds-

fct'ibc

the Toftjh DoUrlne^ which forbiddeth to marry\ Serm.XVH.

fcribe a S tews,and ffeak^of the deceits and wantonness of Harlots, of Rapes and incestuous workj. For what other are the Monafteries of young women in thefe times, than execrable Brothel-boufes of Venus, than the Receptacles wherein immodeft and lafcivious young men do fulfil their tufts ? and at this day it is the fame thing to put a Maid into a Monafiery , and pub* lickjy to projlitute her, or put her forth to be a Whore.

We fee what kind of perfons Celibate perfons were formerly > how well they kept their Vow of Chaftity, as one of themfelves acknowledged ', and have we reafon to think they are grown better of later * years ? We fee what they have been in other Countries \ let us alfo fee what they were before the breaking off the Romifti Yoke in our own Xand. In King Henry the Eighth's time a fearch was made into Monafteries and Religious Houfes concerning the Life and Manners of thefe Romifh Votaries > and we (hall find in Speed's Hiftory of Great Britain^ a Catalogue of vicious Celibate perforis there found out, their Names and Crimes. In Battle-Abby fifteen Sodomites. In Canterbury eight Sodomites, and one that kept three Whores. In Chichefter two Sodomites , in the Cathedral Church one that kept thirteen Whores. In ^Windfor-Czft\z twenty rive Whores were kept amongft them. In ShuU &/W-Monaftery nineteen Whores were kept. In Brijlol the Abbot kept four Whores. In Mayden-Bradly the Prior kept five Whores. In Bathe-Monaftery one had feven Whores, and was a Sodomite. In Abingdon-Monaftery the Abbot had three Whores, and two Children by his own Sifter. In Bermondfey-Monattery John White Prior, called the Bull of Bermondfey, had twenty Whores. Fuller in his Hiftory of Abbies doth relate this ftory: One Sir Henry Colt of Neither-Hall in EfTex, much in favour with King Henry the Eighth for his merry conceits, fuddenly iooh^leaveof the King late at night, promifing to wait upon his Grace early the next morning. Hence he hafined to Waltham-Abby, being informed by his Letters that the Monk/ thereof would return in the night from Chefhunt-Nunery,#^w they had fecretly quartered themfelves j Sir Henry pitcht a Brickcfial! (wherewith he ufed to take Deer in the Forreft) in the narroweft place of the Marjh, where they were to pafs over, leaving fome of his Confederates to manage the fame* Ihe Monkj coming out of the Nunery, and hearing a noife made behind them, and fufpefting to be difcovered, put out the light which they had with them, whofefeet without -eyes could find the way home in fo ufed a -path •, making more hafte than -good jfeed, they ran themfelves all into the Net: 'Ihe next morning Sir Henry Colt brought and prefented them to King Henry, who often had feen fweeter, but never fatter Venifon, I might add many more inftan-ces had I room and time , but I lift not any longer to rake in this Dunghill, being wearied my felf in the fearch, I fhall draw towards a condition, fearing left I fhould trefpafs upon both the patience and mo-^efty of my Reader. If my Subject did not naturally lead unto this difcourfe concerning the kwdnefs and wickednefs of thefe Celibate perform

Serm.XVIT. is a devilijh and wicked Doftrim. fa -

Tons, and if I did not apprehend that fuch difcourfe might be of ufe, I would have patted by thefe things in filence.

Vfe 2. What hath been faid concerning the wickcdnefs of the Church of Rome, occafioned by this forbidding to marry, I hope may be a fuf-hcient caution unto all of you to take heed, and move you to abhor both the principles and practices of this corrupt Church. Indeed if any of your hearts be fet upon rilthy lulls, and the moll abominable unclean-neffes, and your Confciences are ready under our Reformed Religion to moleft and trouble you too much, io that you cannot without fecret lafhes and flings within profecute your hearts defires, and gratirie your vile affections : If you have a mind like Swine to wallow in the mire of the moft nafty nlthinefs, and to get Indigencies for fuch practices, I would advife you to turn Papifts, I know no better way that you can take to fear and cauterize your Confciences , that you may (in with the -lead controul. And you of the Female Sex, if you delire more fecretly to be naught, and to vail all with a Religious Cloak, you may acquaint your felves with the Priefls and Fathers of this Church, who though they will not marry, yet they will ftrain hard but they will gratirie fuch an inclination in you? and to flop the mouth of your clamorous Con-fciences, they will give you forthwith an Abfolution, yea and admit you unto the Communion. But if you would deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lulls •> if you would live foberly, rightepufly and godly in the \. World, as the Word of God, and Grace of the Gofpel doth teach > if you defire to be fan&ified here, and faved hereafter, abhor Popery, come not near the Tents of this wicked Church, left you perifh with them in the mine which the. Lord will certainly bring upon them, Drink not of the Cup of Fornication which the Whore of Babylon would put into your hands? Receive not the Mark of this Bead upon your foreheads: Read and confider one Scripture , which fpeaketh of thofe which turn Papifts, fufneient to arTrighten all from admitting and embracing this Religion by the fearful confequences thereof 5 the place is, , Rev, 14.^, 10, 11,12. And the third Angel followed them, faying with a loud voice , If any man worjhip the Beaji and bis Image , and receive his mark^ in his forehead, or in his hand, the fame Jhall drinks of the Wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation^ and he fhafibe tormented with fire and brimfione in the-prefence of the holy Angel f, and in the prefence of the Lamb h And the fmoah^ of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever : And they have no refl day nor night who worjhip the Beaji and his Image, and whofoever re* aiveth themar\ofhis Name;

Vfe 3. Laflly, you that are married Miniflers, and live with your Wives in holy Wedlock according to God's Ordinance h Value not the Popiih Doctrine or Decrees which forbiddeth your Marriage : So long as God is for it, no matter who they be that are againft in fo long as God's Word doth allow it a no matter though the Pope doth forbid r&

£ 16 the PopiJJ) DoUriW) which forbiddtth to mwryfoc, Serra, X VII,

Only let it be your endeavour to put to filenee the ignorance and per-verfenefs of fooliih men, by being blamelefs, as well as each the Huf-bands of one Wife: Above all others, you that are Minifters, and have Wives, fhould be as if you had none in regard of all inordinacy of arTe-dton towards them » and let it appear unto all, that although married, you chiefly care for the things that belong to the Lord, how you may pleafe the Lord. You need not care, or be concerned at the barkings of the impure Papifts, like Dogs who bark at the Moon 9 fo long as your Conventions do mine.

SER-

SERMON XVIII-

The Nature 3 Poffibility, and Duty, of a true Believer attaining to a certain Knowledge of his Effectual Vocation, Eternal Ele&ion, and final Perseverance to Glory.

2 Peter I. 10. Wherefore the rather , Brethren, give all diligence to make your Calling and EleUion Jure ; for tf you do thefe things y yon pall never fall.

THat I may the more effe&ually difcharge the Duty incumbent on me and the more fully confute that pernicious Er-rour of the Church of Rome ■•, which hath declared, c lhat Cone Trld. # a Believers ajfurance of the pardon of his fw> is a vain and ^ 6 ' C -nn " 'ungodly confidence : It being (fay they) impoifrble for any perfon to n ; s p eC cato-" know that he is now pardoned, much kfs that he (hall continue and per- rum eft vana fevere in the ftate of Grace '■> I have made choice of this portion of Scri- & onini P' e " pture, as the Foundation of my prefent Difcourfe. Wherein it mufi be S^?" 1 ' 1 ' considered , that although Controverfial and Polemical Treatifes are Bellar.de Juft. ufually large and/////, yet the few moments allowed for our prefent deli- Hb.3. cap .3. very, and the few Tages allotted for the printing of this Difcourfe, ne- Plltnus H^re-ceiTitates me to manage things in a very contracted manner: So, as I e^ 0 ™™* FMe-muft give you but only hintr of fome Arguments on our fide, and alfo i e s eam'nori-muft rather obviate and prevent , than formally, anfwer all our Advcrfa- tiam habere ries Ob)eUions. Avoiding all unneceffary Amplifications, and popular ^ e ^ ua S ra ^ Illuft rations, which might make our ftile more fmooth and plea fan t, I (|^"J t jjj (hall only deliver what may rationally convince your 'judgment \ leaving remifla efe the exciting of your Affetiions to the more immediate Influence of the peccaw. good Spirit of God.

Briefly then, the words I have read are an earned: Exhortation to r } s : r J^ s f nd an excellent Duty, dlv f n °f the

J ^ _ words,

E' c e e In

In which Exhortation, it wilL be very much to our purpofe to con-i. The per/on fider : i. The Per/on that gives the Exhortation : 2. The Perfons to exhorting^ Pe- w hom it is given : 3. The Matter exhorted to: 4. The Motives in-forcing. The Perfon that gives : xhortatfcn, is the Apoftle Peter, r. One much one eminent. 1. For his frequent Temptations: 2. For his great falls tempted. by thefe Temptations: 3. For recovery after thofe falls, 1. Peter was-

a perfon fubject to frequent and violent Temptations unto fiir-> at one Mattji 10.23. time the Devil had fo transformed himfelf into an Angel of light, that he had almoft thereby transformed Peter into an Angel of darkjtefs: Peter thought he acred the part of a Saint and Friend to dilfwade Chrift: from going to Jerujalem •, but Chrift intimates that Peter acted therein the part of a Devil, when he faid to him, Get thee behind me, Satan : Luke 22* 31*. at another time, the Devil deilrcd to winnow Peter as wheat, and you

know how he was lifted in the High Prieft's Hall. '%. One foully Peter was one that being tempted, had greatly mifcarried, and fain falling by tern- j nt0 g r0 £ £ n . f or y QU £ Q nQt 0B |y reac j 0 f j^ ^iff em hlifig, and of his

Gjd*2.i2 15. t0 ° great complying with the fuperftitious Jews in their Ceremonies in this m deny and Worfhip, but appearing like a down-right Apellate renouncing of not but that the Chrift, and forfwearing any knowledge of him, Matth.26,2,^. Re Tope ma)1 be t jj at fl^jj co^fy^ t h e experience which Peter had of Satan's power and iou ' fabtilty, and of his own impotency and wea\nefs, ( both which Conlide-

rations might afford Arguments againlt the poilibility of AfTurance) may at rirft wonder that Peter mould ever attain to any AlTurance himfelf 5 much more that he mould be the Author of fuch an Exhortation 2 One newer- as this to others. But Peter (as he had experience of Satan's malice, of ed from tempt a- his own infufficiency, fo he ) had experience, 1. Of the prevalency of

'ed that Peter's Faith might the act. 2. He had expe-iorrow and repentance for Luke 21. 3.2. his great fin \ and hence Tin part) it is, that Peter is molt tit of all men to encourage weak Believers again it their delpairing and defponding fears, and to put them upon endeavours after AlTurance: moreover, Peter had received a Command from Chrift, that when he mould be converted, (u e. recovered from his partial Apoftacy) he mould endeavour to ftrengthen his Brethren, and probably 'tis in obedience to this* Command of Chrift that he is thus earneft in this Exhortations' The perfon The Perfons to whom the Exhortation is given, are called in the exhorted, true Text Brethren •, by which Title is not only expreffed every true Belie-Uirs * vers Dignity, who is a Brother to the very Apoftlcs themfelves, (which Fraternity is infinitely more Jeiirable than that Baftard Nepotiirn which feme Komiih Cardinals boaft of)- but alfo by this Compilation the truth of their Graces is declared,. For the Apoftle had before defcribed Verf. 1. them to be, 1, Such as had obtained like pretious faith with himfelf.

Verf. 2, 2. Such as were indued with faving Knowledge, t j. Such to whom

vile / G°d had communicated all things pertaining to life and godlineft.

4. Suca.

:bid;

K Cer. Sept.

Sertn.XVIII. The words opened. 619

4. Such as God had called to glory and virtue. 5. Such to whom God Verf. 5. had given exceeding great pretious prom/fes. 6. Such as were made partakers of the Divine Nature. Lafily, Such as had cfcaped the pollutions of the world through luft.

Thefe are the perfons who although they had obtained pretious Faith^ yet had not attained certain knowledge of their own fpirifual ftate, but were in a pofftbility, yea in a very great preparation thereunto.

It is an abominable falfhood which Bellarmine boldly reports that we Bell, rfe Juft. teach, that except men have AiTurance, they are not true Believers, or lib.3. cap.3. • (hall they ever be faved : This is an impudent calumny : for if any particular perfons abroad have thought that a fpccial and full pcrfwahon of pardon of their iin , was of the ciTence of Faith , let them anfwer for it "> our Divines at home generally are of another Judgment: Biihop Davenant de Davenant and Bifhop Frideaux^ and others, have (hewn the great dif- Ccr -37» ference between Fides and Fiducia , between Recumbence and AiTu- ^^ nr cauI ' ranee i and they all do account and call AiTurance a Daughter , Fruit and Confequent of Faith > and the late learned Arrorvfmith tells us, that God Tact. Sac. [.u feldom beftows AiTurance upon Believers till they are grown in Grace i for (faith he) there is the fame difference between Faith of Recumbence^ and Faith of AJJurance^ as is between Keafon and Learning. Reafon is the Foundation of Learning , fo as there can be no Learning if Reafon be wanting, fas in Bealts) in like manner there can be no Afjurance where there is no Faith of adherence. Again, as Keafon well excrcifed in the ftudy of Arts and Sciences arifes to Learning j fo Faith being well exercifed on its proper Objeil , and by its proper Fruits^ arifes to AiTurance. Further, as by negligence, non-attendance, or fome violent Difeafe, Learning may be loji^ while Reafon doth abide > fo by temptation, or by fpiritual iloth, Affurance may be loft, w 7 Mle faving Faith may abide. Laftly, as all men are rational^ but all men are not learned h fo all regenerate perfons have Faith to comply favingly with the Gofpel-method of Salvation, but all true Believers have not AiTurance.

The Believers in the Text were in a frate of Salvation , but wanted AiTurance : hence, 3. TheApoftle puts them upon diligence to attain 3. The matter it h which acquaints us with the matter exhorted to: where obferve, of Exhortation. 1. The matter ultimately intended^ viz. The making of their calling and election fure. 2. The means fubferviently diretled to^ viz. The • giving diligence to attain it. 3. The order of directing their diligence, /?r/r, to make their calling, and fecondly ' their election fure > for no man knows anything of his election further than he is alTured of his being effectually called..

4. The fourth and lad: part of the Text affords us the Motives by which 4- Tht Mot'msl the Exhortation is enforced , which are , 1. Either imply qd in thd'e *• **}&*& words, Wherefore the rather v'and if you look back upon the two next preceding Verfes, you will find in them a double Argument, 1. Ab

E e e e 2 utilL

VcrC 8. unit, from the fruitfulnefs that accompany AfTurance, If thefe things be

in you and abound, they tnakg you that you fa all not be barren or unfruitful in the fytctfrledge cfthe Lord Jefus. 2. Ah income-do, from a double danger, 1. Of growing more and more ignorant of Spiritual Truths, M*H» He that lacketh thefe things is blind, (the word fignifies purblind) pur-

blind perfons do fee, but they &zonly things near at hand: many true Believers are weak Believers > not fo ftrong-fighted as Abraham was, Joh._8. 56. that could iceChrijFs day afar off: unaffured perfons are notable to Yerf. 0. look fteadily to thofe things that are to come. 2. There is danger of

more frequent falling into actual fin : For although God will not fuffer ' them to fall into any habitual cufiom of fin 3 yet they are very apt to forget that they were purged from their old fin, and fo are fo much the 2 Pet.2.2 1, • more ready to return with the Dog to the vomit, and the Swine that was rvaftjed to the wallowing in the mire: not that any truly regenerate perfon doth fo 5 but) there is a moral tendency in fpiritual floth and lazinefs to procure fuch Apojlacy ••> 2. which is farther alfo intimated in this 10 Verfe, 2. Motive ex* where you have the Motive expreffed in the Text it felf, If you do thefe prtfi'cd. things, ye Jhall never fall: that is, live you in a diligent exercife of fa-

ving Faith till you come to AlTurance, and God will make good his own 1 Per ;> 1. $.' ^ promife, that you Jhall be kept by the power of God through faith unto Sal-fir^kqfoi fX vatlon > Perfeverance being defigned, decreed and promifed by God in the ciun'tur'ergo behalf of,all thofe that he hath effectually called, and did eternally irnunes funt a elefi* perlctilo ea- y ne W ords thus opened, afford us thefe two "general Prop'ofitions.

dendr. Cal. m

joe.

The firfti£enerM That it is the priviledge of a true Believer, that it is poffble for him

1 "gropjlttw. j to make his calling fure for prefent, and thereby to become affurcd

of his eleUionpafc, and confequently of his per]"everance unto glory

to come*

Yhefecond^nt- That it is a Believers duty to give all diligence to make his prefent rdPropJition, calling, pa ft election, and future perfeverance fure .

The firft general Proportion doth branch it felf into three fpecial Proportions.

1. That 'tis poffible for a true Believer to make his calling fure. 2. 'Tis polTible thereby to know he was eleUed, 3. And by both to become affured that he fhall perfevere unto Glory. The firft. fpecial I begin with the rirft fpecial Proposition, That 'tis poffible for a Be-Tropfition. fever to make his calling fure: Here 'tis neceffary that two things be. Explication. undertaken and performed ; 1. Explication: 2. Probation. 1. what is an Two things are to be opened; 1. What is underftood by our calling ; tffe final cajl. 2. What is meant by a fure calling.

§luefl. 1. What is to be underflood by our calling ? Jnfwf Calling ftri&ly taken is an a<3; of a perfon declaring his defire 1 of

of another perfons approach and accefs to him : Thus the Centurion

tells Chrift, that he could fay to one Servant, Come^ and he cometh ; Luke 7. 7:

and thus Chrifr bids the Samaritan-woman call her Husband, and come John 4, i5.

to him.. But the word more largely taken, is ufed for any declaration

of the will of one perfon to another, where compliance with that will

is required. Thus 'tis faid, that Jacob called his Son Jofeph^ when he de- Gen. 47. s£

clared his will to him.fayingsBary me not in Egypt^and he mads bimfwear:

and in this large fence God is faid to call a Sinner, when he reveals his

own will, and a Sinners duty ; as when God calls him to repentance

to faith, to holinefs, 'tis the work of God to make known his pleafure

and 'tis the duty of men to comply therewith.

The word here our calling, is nomen participiale, and 'tis taken not 'aUively for our calling upon God, as when 'tis*fometimes put for all that worfhip which we perform to God, as in that phrafe, Then began men Gen 4* 2 -to call upon God: but 'tis taken pailively for God's calling of us, the l Cor * *' Zt " nature of which act is fully exprelTed, 2 c Iheff2. 1^,1^. But we are bound to give tbankj unto God always for you, Brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe God hath chofenyou from the beginning to Salvation through Sanclification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth whereunto you were called by our Go/pel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jefus. That which I would have you obferve at prefent from hence, is this, that the peaching of the Gofpel, and the revelation of God's will therein, is God's call; Co the Apoftle faith, Ye were called by our Gofpel, /'. e. our preaching of the GofpeL But here we muft diftinguifh that the call of God in the Gofpel is two-fold: 1. In word only: 2. In word and God's call 0 f

power conjoined j fo Taul diftinguifbes in 1 Tbeffi.K. Our Gofpel\ tvpQ kinds.

J 1 1 Z. ir j • 1 i 1 ^V „ '• In word

came not unto you in word only , but aljo in power and in the holy Gboft on [«

and in much affurance. Now according to the different means which 2. in word and

God ufes in calling, fo there follows a different fruit, fuccefs, or confe- f ower botb -

quent of God's calling.

Hence it comes to pafs, that God's call fometimes Is■ ineffectual, and HMV''*fffi8&

fometimes effectual, fo the fame Apoftle plainly declares in 1 tbeffl 2, al > or e * e B»<£

33. For this caufe than\we God without ceafing,- becaufe when ye received

the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of

men, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God, which effectually worketb

in you that believe. Obferve hence, that 'tis the wor\ of God's Spirit

in the heart, fuperadded to the Wordoi the Gofpel, as fpoken by men,

that makes any call effectual: without this inward work, God may call, p rov,i«i

and the Soul will never anfwer. But when the Spirit co-operates with-

the Word, the.Souls of the Elect become obedient unto God's call 5-

they fo hear his voice as to lives there is then an enlivening, yea, a crea- Joh. 5,

ting power appearing therein.. I grant there is a fort of men ariiing

among us, that feoff at this great work of Regeneration, and deny the

infuilon of principles or habits of Grace \ but we have not to do with

thefc men (at this time} who have totally fain from the Faith, and are

greater.

greater enemies to the Crofs of Chrift than the Papifts themfelves. Sure rhe fndgmyt I am , that Thomas Aquinas , that famous perfon whom the Church of °f T ; A ^^ as R° me have Canonized for a Saint, tells us, that fince there are fome men b&tfafGHce. indued with fuch habits which cannot be attained by the power of Na-1. 1. cL$i- ture, ( becaufe by them fome men are fitted for the end of Salvation ) Ar. 4. therefore 'tis neceiTary that God be owned as the immediate Infufer of

i<Q 12. Ar.4. tne ^ e na Wts. And he further adds, that a* God produces fome natural effects without the help of fecond caufes, (as health is fometimes bellowed without the help of Phyilck) fo God infufes habits of Grace without and beyond the power of Nature. And whereas this learned perfbn fore-faw that fome men might hereobjed, that God's infulion of thefe habits into fome perfons and not into others, doth plainly prove difcrimi-nating Grace \ (which Dodtrine of late hath been denied and derided by the Socinians and fome others ) therefore this Angelical Dodror s.Qji. Ar,4, makes his Confeffion plainly , that he for his part doth own dtferimina-N a ° n ini 5 u . us ** n g Grace h and that he doth firmly believe, that God (agreeable to ciua?ia U equaH- n * s own w i^om, an d for reafons referved to himfelf ) beftows more bus pneparat. Grace on fome, than upon others: And that though it be moil agree-, able unto Man's nature, that habits fhould arife from frequent aVxs, and much exercife, yet God may, and doth work^fuch habits of Grace in fome Men, which Nature cannot work \ and therefore he concludes that they are fupernaturally produced. I have given you the opinion of this Author about an effectual call the move fully, becaufe I am.conh"dent, that had fome men (who oppofe the infufion of habits) been old enough, or diligent enough to have perufed the Writings of fuch a perfon as nomas Aquinas, before they had divulged their own fond Notions and Opinions, they would (out of a kind of ambition to be accounted 2aw4*>m, like-minded with fuch learned men) not have made fuch an open feoff and derition of difcriminating and effectual Grace > wherein they do not only contradict the exprefs words of holy Writ, but alio oppofe the Do-Chryfortotr), ftrine of the molt learned of the Fathers and Schoolmen, and that with Auguftine, a moll: bold, as well as blind confidence,

Bernard, see \ mu ft b e g pardon for this (hort (but neceiTary) digreflion, becaufe EtengrTnTuT '^ s tn * s e ^ e< ^ ua ^ work of God's Spirit in regenerating the Soul by infu-de certiiu. * f m g °f habits of Grace, which diftinguifhes an internal erTe&ual call of Gratia?. God , from a meer external and ineffectual one \ and this is the thing

which is chiefly intended in the Text, to be made jure, viz.

That it might be known whether or no God hath fo called thee by

his Word, as that alfo he hath wrought in thee by his Spirit '■> whether

God hath illuminated thy understanding, and inclined thy will, fo as

thou haft complyed with God's will, and haft anfwered his call > whe-

.Can.1.4, ther when God did draw thee, thou didii run, after him > whether when

$£v-3.%0« God did knock^at the door of thy heart, thou didji open to him j whether

z Cor.uio, .when God did intreat and perfwade thee to be reconciled to him^ thou

didil confent > whether when he did wco thee, he did alfo win thee ;

whether

whether when he invited thee to the Wedding-Supper of bis Son, thou Luk.14.18. didftmakew excufe or delay,, but didft accept, and welcome, the offer of the Gofpcl with faith and love : all which if thou didft do, it did arife from the power of an inward call, being fuperadded to the outward call of the Word ; the very effence of an effectual call confiding in the Spirit's regenerating the Soul, and giving a new heart, (which is 2 Pec.1-.4i Scripture-Language) or in the Spirit's infuiing of new principles and habits of Grace, (according to the phrafe of the Schools J) fo that now by calling here in the Text, you mud underftand an inward effectual change wrought in the heart by God himfclf in the work of Conversion and Regeneration , or the Spirits infufing of habits of Grace into thy heart.

§hceft. 2. What is meant by Jure calling, or wherein coiifiits the na- uvbat Is man? ture of Aflurance > b ) I** " ll iH-

Anfw. There is a double certainty of an effectual calling: 1. One, certitudo du^

the certainty of it in it felf: 2. The other, the certainty of it «#- plexcbjecti f 0 Uf0 vcl fubje&i rti

1. Our calling is fure in it felf, fo foon as ever God hath effectually vcl ^ Qi ' called us, whether we kjiow it, or fyiow it not: God may effectually call, and we may have furely anfwered God's call, and yet we may not be fure that God hath fo called us, or that we have fo anfwered 5 but yet our calling hereby is made fure in it felf \ and this the Schools call, Certitudo Objecli, the certainty oitheObjelu

. 2. Our calling is fure unto us , when we know that God hath effectually called us i and this the Schoolmen call, Certitudo Subjecli, the certainty of the Subjeft: the word in the Text fignihes firm, fiable, b<&J*v. fteady, and fixed, and fure •> either, 1. as a Bui I ding is fure that hatha good Foundation 5 2. or as a Conclufwn is fure that is drawn from cer- Thus Plato in tain Premifes : in like manner our calling maybe faid to be fure, 1. ei- Tnn.-/*/ffr,tfrf ther when it hath the efficacy of God's Spirit as its fure Foundation h P ,J> *" / or, 2. when it hath the evidence of proper fruits, which are as good the mod firm Premifes or fure Arguments, from which we may conclude cur felves ^ tl) %-> and r to be effectually called. 3£w^Sw£

That the Text hath refpect both to Subjective as well as Objective bnng. certainty, is beyond all difpute with confiderative men : for the perfons here exhorted (as I have (hewn) were true Believers, and confequently their calling was fure in it felf before the Exhortation was here given to them to make it fure > and therefore the Exhortation mud chiefly refpecl: fibjeclive certainty, as fomething to be fuperadded to objective certainty. Hence when Bellarmine would (from this Text) prove Ju-ftification by works, becaufe in fome Copies the words are read thus, Ctameir'PS • Give diligence to make your calling fure <# n&m %w, by good works \ f irat Tom. 3* the moil learned Chtmier anfwers him, That granting the words be L^Scap. fo read, (Beza owning that he had feen fuch a Copy) yet 'cis very ab-fvrdand illogical for Bellarmine to argue that mens perfons are therefore

ftihed -

£24 -the Nature of Ajfurance. Sertn.XVTIK j

juftified by good works, In Foro Vivino, (as the Jefuite doth contend) becaufe (according to this Text) mens calling may be 'juftifiedox made fure by good works In Foro Confcientit: for this there is no colour from thefe words, becaufe when Vocation is faid here to be made fure by good works, 'tis (faith Chamier) to be underfrood primarily and properly of fubjedive certainty s ut conjlet ejfe efficacem, & ut ejus certitudo often-datur figno proprio nempe bonis operibus, that it may appear to be effectual, and its certainty may be manifefted by its proper figns, namely, . by good works, and in that fenfe we alfo own that men may bejuftified » by works, i. e. declared fo in Confcience: but by a fure calling in the Text, is chiefly to be underftood a calling affuredly known by the fub-jed to be an effectual and faving calling. See Beza and Calvin on the place. •Subjective m- ^ ow this fubjedive certainty is two-fold: 1. Perfed: 2. Imperfed. tainty is of two Perfect fubjedive certainty is when a thing is/<5 known, as it cannot be 'kinds. better known j or when the fubjed is fo certain of the truth of a thing,

a. v erf eft. as t ^ at k e cannot be mo re certain of it, becaufe he hath not the leaft ig-3, mp j . n ' orance c f the thing , or the leaft doubt concerning it: this is perfect certainty. But here are three things to be noted : Let it be coniidered, Mte 1. There is x « There is no fucb thing as this perfed fubjedive certainty in this 710 pcrfetf cer- world, perfed certainty is only to be found in perfed men, and 'tis tainty amonpft f 0 jjy t0 f a y an y men are p er £ed, or that there is any fuch thing as perfecl [Cor 120 kjtorvledge in this world: The Apoftle faith, We \norvbut in part , and therefore it is impoffible that we mould be certain any more but in part, Me ?.o Some that is, imp erf eel ly certain. 2. Another thing which! would have our impetfetf cer r Adversaries confider, is, that imperfed certainty, though imperfed, yet tamty is prefer j t ma y ^ iTUS an d proper certainty, and is in many cafes to be accounted ain y ' more than conjectural or meer opinionative knowledge. For inftance, we ]«b 11. 7. are told by God himfelf, that no man can find out the Almighty to perfection \ and the molt holy men in the world have iome Atheifm remaining in them \ yet 1 hope many men have a true and certain knowledge of God, although no man hath a perfed knowledge of him : fo a man may have a true and certain knowledge that he is eiTedually called, al-%. Jmpeyfill though he hath not a perfect knowledge of it. 3. Let it be coniidered,-certain y ha'h that the nature of imperfed fubjedive certainty, is always fuch a know-thtfe four pro- ledge as hath thefe four properties : 1. 'Tis built upon, or drawn from ■prties. mo\k certain proofs and evidences \ and therefore , 2. It is fuch as doth

prevail againft all irrational doubts '-> and, 3. It is accompanied or followed with proper fruits of undoubted certainty, (notwithstanding a mixture of ignorance , and fome imprejfed or indifcourftve fears which may confilt with it 0 4. 5 Tis iuch as God doth own for true and proper affurance in holy Writ. 1. VourAd up- 1. When knowledge is built upon rational ajfuring evidences , then it on affurini evi- cught to be accounted certain knowledge, notwithftanding fome irratio-dmas. m i an£ j maccomta bi e doubts may arife. A man that walks upon the

Leads

Leads of a very high , but very ftrong well-built Tower, incompafled with Battlements, doth know rationally that he cannot fall i (and he is aot rationally in any fear of falling ) but yet when he looks from that heighth, he hath irrational fears imprefTcd upon him '■> and yet fuch fears as thefe hinder not, but that he is ft ill certain that he (half not fall, becaufe he can rationally prove that he cannot fall; Thus a perfon allured of his effectual calling by good evidence , is really and properly certain v although poflibly when he looks down from the beightb of future ex-' pelted Glory, into the Bottomlefj-Pit of mifery, (from whence he hatli efcaped) fome Indifcourfivc or irrational fears and doubts may be im-preffed upon him, which may lejfen y but not dejiroy afTurance.

2. When afTurance is actually itrongcr than diffidence, and doth cer- 1. Trtvtilini tainly prevail againft diffracting fears, then it is to be accounted certain over fj*"*** afTurance , though it be ftill imperfetl: the truth, and the degree of a nxi a Believers afTurance, doth hold proportion to the truth and degree of his

Grace h and by this proportion of one to the other, they do very much illuftrate each other. Thus, firfr, there is an analogy between Grace and AfTurance, in this, that as Grace may be true, although it be not p'erfeft '•> fo may AfTurance be true AfTurance when imperfeVt. Again, as where Sin reigns , there is no Grace i fo where Doubting reigns, there is #0 AfTurance : but as when <3to.ee prevails, 'tis accounted true Grace h fo when AfTurance prevails over Doubts , 'tis to be reckoned true AfTurance. Laftly, where Grace is perfect without Sin, (as in Heaven) there AfTurance will be perfect without all doubt, and not till

then. .

3. When a true Believers imperfect afTurance is accompanied with ?• followed

the proper fruits of true afTurance, 'tis then true afTurance. Such fruits £^/ l^lrl-as thefe: 1+ Inward peace and fat is faction of mind, the feaft of a good ranee. Conference. 2. Joy in tbe Holy Gboft. 3. Power and ftrength over Phil.4.7. temptations. 4. ViHory over tbe World. 5. Inlargednefs of heart in Gal5.11. tbe love of God. 6. Veligbt in his ways. 7. Ready obedience to his j£om?ia will. 8. Patient bearing of the Crofs, and rejoycing in tribulation, pfal.40.8. 9. Freedom and boldnefs ofaccefs to tbe Throne of Grace, 10. A Spirit Job i.it. of Grace and Supplication. 11. Vependance upon God in all fiates.]*™' 1 '*' 12. Great expectations from him. 13. All willingnefs to go hence, QaU.6. and a deftre to be dijfolved. When afTurance is accompanied or followed zac.i 2. iqy with fuch fruits as thefe, (and the atflirance of many a Believer is thus BfijU**-8. attended) although it be not perfect, yet it is true and proper afTu- ph,l,1 2 3*

ranee.

4. That afTurance which God bimfelf owns as true and proper afTu- 4* Owned k ranee, and is called fo by the Spirit of God in Scripture, is to be acknow- Go ^ an * i* ledgcd by us as fucb. God hath given divers names to a Believers afTurance, which fpeaks it properly to be fo. 1. 3 Tis called mmfacnt, a fure perfoafwn j St. Paul faith , that be was perfwadsd that neither life nor

death, &c Jhouldfeparate bim from tbe love of God, Rom.8.38. 2. 3 Tis

Ffff called

called yx£n% certain h^iowledge: St. John faith, Hereby we hjiorv that we are in him^ i John J. 5. 3. 'exs^©-, an evident probation'-) fo a Believers/!^/? is called the evident proof of things not feen, Heb. II. 1. 4. 'tt^-i?, a fubftantial prepolfciHon of Heaven \ fo Faith is alfo called by the fame Apoitle in the fame place. 5. D Tis called * \r& p«e«, a fblnefs of alfurance both in Heb. 6. 11. and Heb. 10. 20. 1 Iheff. 1. 5. A Believers alfurance is owned by God, and faid to be full, although Cm Controvert notperie&v So that the Controveriie between us and Rome is not, ft™! 1 *. 3 orre u Whether perfcU affurance be poilible, but whether certain aiTu-f bi p YQm ranee be poffible; that is, whether a well-grounded, prevalent and infix-/>•>■, not the op- entizl affurance be not attainable. BelLrrmine grants Believers may fifi' affuranci of^hivc a con;cc~iural hope *, we fay true Believers may attain to proper &Be_tf£ver, affurance: Theirs ^rant an affurance of fancy > we contend for an aiTu-rance of faith: Theirs is an affurance of opinion '•> ours an ailurance of knowledge, I confefs the Philofophick Schools have divided all Argumentation into Dernonfiratrje and Opinionative , and they divided all knowledge into perfect fcience, or meer conjedture '■> and hence arofe two forts of Philofophers amongit them: 1. The a^^Wi, Dogma-tins, who thought themfdves^frffu/y certain of every thing, and doubted of nothing, but were as infallible as the Pope in his Chair. 2. The ^iy.nnci. a kind of feekers that did fcftrain their affent, and doubted of all things j like the Popifh Laity that are kept in the dar}^, and are taught to be blind : but the Proteltants are of an elective kind of Divines, who know a middle w T ay between both extreams, and therefore we do maintain a pciTibility of certain knowledge, while we own an imperfection alfo 5 there being various degrees of a Believers certainty, and of his affurance, and yet the loweit of them is more than moral conjecture or Jn eertimdine opinion. Bellarmine himfelf is forced to grant that there are three denes quafi gra- grees of certainty > and although he doth not admit a true Believers d sT knowledge of his erTedtual call into any of thofe degrees: yet I (hall Beliarm fib.de prove anon that a Believer may attain a very high degree of certainty Jjf.3. c^p.i. therein.

z. Our contra- 2 * ^ ut ^ et lt De obferved in the fecond place, that our Controverfie is verfie not about not about words or names of things: the Queition is not, Whether a words or names. Believers affurance is to be called certitude fidei, or certitndo jiduci*, or Jufti fecuritas certitudo fcientiz \ whether an alfurance of faith, or an affurance of con-? on!S !°5?I , fidence, or an alfurance of knie or of knowledge, for indeed it is not contra fe la- properiy any or theie j but an ailurance mixed, and anting partly from furgere con- faith, partly from confidence, and partly from knowledge both of rea-fpicir,ad men- f on an J { Qn &.

dentiam rcdi't *" ^ mav ^ e ca ^ ec * an a Jfi irance of confidence, in as much as the de-& fcitquod ' greeof analfured Believers faith and knowledge muft be fuch as ex-cumeosadver- eludes all rational and prevailing fears and doubts, according as I have fames fuperet, a l rea dy (hewn.

MoraUap.'^.' 2e ^ rna y ^>^ called an affurance of faith a from that fpecial intereft

that

that faith hath therein, in as much as no Believer can attain to aflu-ranee of Salvation, that doth not firft Fiducially and by way of Application believe thofe peculiar Declarations of God's Grace and will in the Gofpel, which are the Foundation of a Believers Salvation and Aflurance i more efpecially thefe three Fundamentals. 1. The way of Sal- ■ vationby Chrift. 2. The nature and properties of faving Faith. 3. The certain perseverance of true Believers to glory.

2. 3 Tis called an affurance of Faith, in as much as there muft be an aftual complyance with the way of Salvation by an explicite exercife of faving Faith upon Chrift Jefus > a Believer demeaning himfelf towards Chrift, as towards the Mediator of the New Covenant.

3. It may be called an affurance of knowledge, in as much as every allured Believer muft rirft know what are the iigns of true Faith,, and fecondly, muft know afTuredly that the ligns of true Faith are in himfelf:

4. It may be called an aflurance of fenfe, in as much as a Believer knows not only by way of rational proof, but alfo by way of fpiritual, internal, and experimental fenfe, that the work of God's Spirit hath been effectual in a faving manner upon him : All which I mall veririe and make good by feveral Arguments , in the order and method following.

.For proof of this rlrft Propofition, I fhall'firft argue from the Con- 2. Probation, cejfionsoi our Adverfaries, that is, from fome fpecial Articles of their l - ^rg. from VoUrine^ which (although we do not grant them to be true in them- ^d Am da of felves, yet they) do afford fufficient Argument for Cent/dun of a Pa- t y jt church of pift in our prefent cafe i evincing that it is pbffible for a Believer to ,at- Rome. tain to aflurance of his being erTe&ually called.

The firft Dodtrine of theirs which we fhall take notice of, is this *, r . v^i[h vo-They grant and affirm that a Believer may be affured of the pardon of firine, that a\-his fins , by extraordinary means, by fome immediate revelation, i. e. i ! i ran:e * s Pf either by a voice from Heaven, or the Million of an Angel fenc from f/^y ' thence > but they deny it to be poiUble to know this by ordinary means, v a -i.e. by the revelation of God's will, and of man's duty in Scripture, a with reference to eternal life, although the Mind of man be favingly '" . , illuminated by the Spirit, and although Conference be enabled thereby to t"^ £' '\! compare a Believers heart and life with the Rule of the Word. Now I would fain know how St. Anthony, St. Galla, or St. Francis, (who fBellarmine faith) were extraordinarily affured) could be/o well affured by a voice fuppofed to come from Heaven, (which may be fubjecr. to many delufions of phanfie , and to divers cheats and impoftures by Men or Devils, efpecially when heard by one iimple perfon onlfj as by the voice of Chrift Jefus , who was fent of God to reveal the Rule of life, and by the voice of a tnan r *t own Confcience, atlifted by the Spirit enabling a Believer to difcern his agreement with that Rule- I grant^ that God gave teftimony unto Chrilt Jefus by a voice from Heaven : but

F f f f 2 obferve,

^

628 the Vojfjbility of Aflkrance. Serm.XVUI.

* atth.3.19. obferve, 1. This voice was frequently repeated: 2. It was given in the loir 28* near i n g of multitudes : 3. God did fpeak nothing from Heaven immediately, but what he had tanta mount, fpoken before in the Scripture: Joh.5 29. Hence it is that Chrift appeals not to this voice, but bids men fearch the Scriptures^ for they teftifiedof him \ and when Chrift tells his followers loh.5.3^ a ^ am 3 tna t God had given teftimony of him, he makes mention of the worlds that the Father had enabled him to do, but makes no mention of . his voice.

And as for affurance given hy Angels, it mud needs fall fhort of the

affurance given hy the Sprit of God: for the A pottle fuppofes that*an

6*1.1.8. Angel from Heaven Ci* e. Satan transforming himfelf into an Angel of

light} may preach falfe Doctrine, and be accurfed i which is blafphe-

my to fuppofe of the Holy Spirit. Hence alfo our Saviour intimates in

Luke id.29. the Parable of Dives, that the Writings of Mofes and the Prophets in

Scripture, are much more convincing and affuring, than the words of

one arifing from the dead, or one fent from Heaven. If men may then

be allured in Bellarmine^s extraordinary way, they may much better.be

allured by the ordinary way revealed in Scriptures.

* FopifoDocIr. The fecond Popiih Doclrine is this, They fay that one man may.be

riat h one n?**, aflured of anothers Salvation,,but that no man can be affined of his

tfanotbersSal- own : ^e ^°P e declares tnat ne was ^ ure ofBellarmine's Salvation when

vauon, but nst be Canonized him for a Saint, but Bellarmine was not fure of his own

tfbjs oven. Salvation himfelf when he died > for his own Nephew relates that he

Marcelliniis trembled at the thoughts of death y and that when fome ftanding by

dellred him that he would pray for them in Heaven, he anfwered, That

for his part he knew not (when he was juft expiring) whether ever he

Jhould come there. Now of all forts of men the Church of Rome ought

to grant affurance poflible to Believers themfelves, when as the Pope

hath declared himfelf to be fo infallibly fure of the Salvation of fo many

millions whom he hath Canonized,

■%.Pop?[h Do fir. 3. xhey fay that the Prieft or ConfefTor can give affurance by his bare

can %?tft word > but den y Go ^ s Word t0 be an y 8 ood g roun(1 of a ^urance: Bel-ranct by hu l armi >te faith, that after Confeilion, the Prieft by the word of Ahfolution r/ord, bat.God doth give fuch evidence of juftifying Grace, as there can he no miftakg cannot do it by therein \ thefe are his very words: here he mentions Confeilion as a help to affurance > yet afterwards he makes affurance to depend wholly on Ab-ConfeiHo pee- folution : for he faith it may often happen that a man may confefs/hp nftentis & ver- or none of his fins, and yet the Prieft may ajfure him of pardon, and he luim^folven- 0U ght fo to believe. You fee here that the Prieft can give affurance, GrauVTuftiS an ^ affurance of faith alfo > but with him the Word of God can give no cantis praftica affurance at all, much lefs of faith. The Jefuite will acknowledge & effic2c;a ad- that fome dar\ conje&ures or opinions may be built upon the Word of non'psffinr^ Goc * 5 k ut no affurance > for he boldly, impiouily and blafphemoully Bell, de Pcen. Lib. 1 Cap. 10. Facie poteft accidere ut viz. minimam partem fuorum erim.r.uni Quis aperiar ? & tamen yere abfolvitur, &;ceno abfolutus crediiur* Eel!»dePoeB. Lib,3 e Cap.2i.

firift

Serm.XVIII. The Tojfibility of Affurance.

nelius fhould have disbelieved what Simon Feter fpake to him in the vel opinionc Name of God, and mould have believed Simon Magus whatever he fpake NTtunrur.EclU in his own or the Devil's Name- Let all men judge whether if the f. € JMV Ll ^-3* Prieft may give affurance by his word, whether God cannot do it by his Word much more infallibly.

4. They fay men may attain to perfection, and yet not to affurance : 4 PopifiDodr. the words of Soto are thefe: 5 Tis pofiible for us fo in this life to fulfil the J* %£* Wm whole Law of God, and the Precept of Love, that we may avoid all JMion^/not and every mortal fin i (by mortal fin, he means (as Luidamus inter- ajjurance. pretsj whatever may leffen or violate our friendftrip with God.) Now

if men may be thus perfect, certainly then they may know that they are thus perfect, otherwife they could be perfect without perfection i it is ; therefore a contradiction to fay that men may be perfed, and not aflured.

5. The Church of Rome fay that men may attain to works of merit ^o^Dottr,. and fupererogation: I ask whether works done ignorantly and without r ^ W* ' n and knowledge of rule or end, can be meritorious X Whatever acl: is blindly ye t not know and cafaally performed, is fo far from being ^meritorious adr, as it is tbq are pncere,-not a moral ad of obedience or fervice: If then men could perform any

work of merit or fupererogation, they muft: know firft that they are fin-cere and accepted of God as upright, before they can imagine that their works fhall be rewarded as meritorious. Yet our Adverfaries teach, that men cannot be affured of acceptance, and yet they may not only be perfed, but may be more than perfedt, ( fo fupererogation implies ) that is, that they be righteous over much, or they may he not only good, but too good, (which we will grant in the proverbial fenfe) they mean by it, that men may be fo righteous and fo good, as to purchafe pardon for a thoufand of other linners, and yet may remain unaffured of their own pardon. Is not this flrange Doctrine ? Would you then know the reafon why the Church of Rome holds thefe abfurd opinions, and feek to maintain that both parts of a contradiction are true as in our prefent cafe they do, (and I could evidence it by many more instances) to fatisfie you about this fpirit of contradiction , I-mall" at once open the whole myftery of iniquity, and give you a Golden Key whereby you may unlock their more hidden contrivances > a Key of more worth than any of thofe which the Pope holds in his hand, or wears at his girdle •, by which he opens the Ireafures of all his inflaved Vaffals at his pleafure : the print of our Key you have drawn by the A- Pictarem qu:^ poltte Faul, 1 Tim. 6.3, 4,5. whither I muft remit you ; only let me ^ um ducunc

tell vou, thtt-the more vou fearch into die Romim Religion, the more ,ll: ' ^ c '. Tho ?

.".' count gain goa--

linejs , who thinly the Oracles of God are given to no other end tut to firtit th'dr Avarice, and imafnti A&Ruigicn by ibctr own pofip, Caly. in 1 Tisi, 6, 3, 4,- 5.

^jo The Tojjibility of Affurance. Serm.XVlII.

you will find it calculated only for gain, Affurance is therefore denied by them to be ordinarily poilible, becaufe could the Laity attain to it Without the extraordinary amTiance of the Prieji, the price of Pardons Itdulgettcies and Abfolutions would exceedingly fall: but although with them the Scripture be an inefficient thing, yet Money allures all things•> and at Rome you may buy (if you be rich enough) not only affurance but p:rfeaio>t, and power of merit , and workj of fupererogation, and what not ? but no more of this. j2 Arg, From My fecond Argument to prove that 'tis poilible for a Believer to at-. t /^j i } U t ta * n t0 a certam knowledge that he is erTe&ually called, (hall be from mly Scrnt&e z ^ c Nature, Vfe and End of the Holy Scriptures : If Scripture be a good »bicb an - ' Foundation of affurance , then affurance is pojjible ^ but Scripture is a datu good Foundation of- affurance upon a double account \ i. As the matter on o; affurance. rev ealed j 2. As to the manner of revelation.

*• ** U f\ - i» Scripture is a good Foundation of alfurance, if you conilder the "-- G y' a '.l matter of Scripture-revelation j the fum and fubftance of all Scripture-of Go.i in revelation, is the ma>ufe\\ation of Cod's Grace in Chrift Jefits unto fin-fbrifa nets \ viz, that God fo loved the world, aj that he gave hi: only begotten

SotLy that whofoever believes in him Jhould net perijh, bat ham ever lofting //yX 5 Job. 16, or in fewer words, By Grace we are fazed through faith and that not of our fives, 'tis the gift of God, Ephef.2.8. or in one word Grace is the chief matter of Scripture.

Now Go£s Grace, as it is revealed in Scripture, is a good Foundation of affurance upon two accounts: i. As it is free Grace: 2. As it is engaged Grace, i.s . > , i. The Scriptures reveal the Grace of God in its freenef, and fo it Vi ' s f rei affords a good Foundation of affurance: were finners to be juiuned by workj, or by their own merits, affurance were impoffible, but it is by Grace that we are fived, i. e. by the merits of our Mediator . God freely accepts of that expiation which Chrift hath made by the facritice of his own bloud upon our account. The Papifis that hold Jufrification by works, mufi neceffarily deny the poiTLbility of affurance : for it Jufriri-Jam.1 io. cation were by works , then if a Believer fhould keep the whole Law % and fail but ot one particular, he were guilty of all •-> in that cafe there-Jam. 5.i. fore no man could attain to affurance, for in many things we iffend all. Rom.£.14. But bleffed be God, Believers are not under the Law, but undei Grace: Now Grace accepts (for ChrilVs fake) fincere obedience, w 7 here no perfect obedience can be performed. Where-ever fin is neither deliberate or habitual, it c.mmt weaken a Believers evidence 5 neither ought the imperfections of Believers to hinder their affurance, becaufe the Grace of God in Chrift is free, accepting fatisfaclion from Chrift. 4. scrhtu'e ■ - 2. The Grace of God revealed in Scripture is a good Foundation of 5 G f lci affurance as 'tis engaged Grace, that is, as it is Grace revealed in a Cove-nant or Promifi: Grace as to any merit of ours is free, but as to the pro-wife of God it is engaged i and as affurance were impoffible were not

Grace

Grace free, u e. were Believers ftijl under a Covenant of worlds i fo af-furance were impoillble ftill if Believers were under no Covenaitt-D'iC-penfation at all. Believers could have no hold of Grace, (were it never fo (xec in it felf) had not God given us affurance of his Grace in the Covenant, and bound himfelf by promife. I know fomemen do highly magnirie the effential goodnefs and kjndnefs of God as the ground of a natural faith. I grant that this Divine benignity and goodnefs doth afford feme letter hope or expectation of pardon , but it gives no flid ground of affurance. The effential bounty, goodnefs and mercy of God, is like a deep and wide Ocean, upon which the mind of man may (as a Veffel at Sea) bear it {e\i up in a calm\ but if a florm arife, every wife Pilot will make towards the (bore, or to a fafe Roc^ becaufe 'tis there only he can find good Anchor-bold: Grace in a Covenant, or in a conditional promife , may feem to be Grace bounded and limited i but yet hope even there hath better anchorage than it hath upon God's general Grace and Philanthropy, which may bear up the Soul in a calm, but afford little peace to an unquiet mind : 'Tis the Kock^ of our Salvation revealed in the promife^ that only can ftay that Soul which is once throughly awakened and convinced of guilt. Now the Scripture doth reveal God's Grace engaged by Covenant to accept for ChrijFs fake all thoie that do depend upon his Son's merits, and obey his Commands by an effectual faith.

3. And that is another thing revealed in the Word, viz. The na- 3. s'mft&riw ture of that faith by which Believers do obtain an intereft in God's ve / ls &**?*** Grace through Chrift i and upon this account the Scripture is a good 1^^%-Foundation of affurance, in as much as, 1. It reveals certainly and un- if ever attains doubtedly that by faith in Chrift we have an intereft in God's moft free an inttrtfl in and promifed Grace. 2. That it reveals certain and undoubted marks c ' r ' r ^-of the nature of true faith in Chrifr. If then a Believer be by the Word ?J ° / l *' t %. informed that through faith in Chrift he may certainly obtain par- J xirri i.' don of iinj and if he be zKgfufficiently therein taught how to discover unfeigned from feigrice caith by thofe certain *e*™'e** or >vi>e*tf>*-n* which are laid down in the Word v what can hinder the poilibility of a . Believer's affurance ? Efpecially if you (hall consider in the fecond ^ 7 ; J? msmtr place the manner of Scripture-revelation , which proves it to be a good 0 f scripture-Foundation of affurance, in that it is, 1. full, 2. plain, 3. affuredly di- revelation vine, 4. deiigned for affurance. ^TJpllr-

1. Scripture-revelaaon of the way of life is /WZ/ > chat is, all things a ^fion ofaffa-neceffary to be known both for Salvation and for the furtherance of af- ranee, furance, are fully revealed, fo as there is nothing wanting. J 0 * 1 1 ?•**•

2. All things are revealed plainly, clearly, and fo inteVigibly, as that the loweft capacity may reach and know the will of God fo far as concerns Salvation '•> and he that \s s bttmble and obedient, may underftand Joh.7.:-whatever is neceffary to be known concerning Salvation or sl$u-

ranee ^

J AU:

%3 ' the Vojfibility of Affurance. Serm.XVItL

3. All things are abundantly allured to us to be of divine Authority, God having been pleafed to fet the Seal of Miracles to the Patent of every AmbafTador fent by him , and have attefted the Commiffion of every Pen-man of Scripture, as appears Heb. 2.3,4. But I do omit t£e full proof of thtfufficiency, perfpicuity and divine Authority of the Scripture, becaufe it is (b abundantly done by others in the Difcourfes annexed.

A fourth property of Scripture-revelation is this, that it was revealed to this very end that men might attain to affurance thereby \ fo we are frequently told by God himfelf, viz. That whatfoever things were written^ were written for our learning, that we through -patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15.4. And left any one mould think that the Spirit of God by hope doth only underftand a conjedtoire, Bellarm. lib.3. (as Bellarmine interprets the place) the Apoftle John doth tell us, that Juft. cap 3. the exprefs defign of his Epiftle was, that thofe who believe might not only hope, but know they had eternal life, 1 Joh. 5.12. and Chriit himfelf tells Believers that he fpoke all thofe things that they might have joy y and that their joy might be full, Joh. 15. 11. and the Author to the He~ brews gives us this very account, why God did not only makf a Covenant Heb.6iS. of Grace, but didalfo confirm and ratine it by an Oath, namely, 'that chrift is Fun- Believers might have ftrong conflation, or affured comfort. From all datnentum which 'tis evident Believers have a good Foundation of affurance in and SerjFunda- h tne Word. And moreover 'tis evident that the Word was defigned mentum Quo. for this end. Now the Rule is mofl true, Veus & Natura nihil moliun-

tur frulira, God and Nature defign nothing in vain.

^ Arg. From As God hath given Believers a good Foundation of affurance in the

the name of Word, fo he hath given them fuffieient help and power rightly and af-

wdpownof" faredly to build upon that foundation, in as much as he hath indued

Con[cimt. them with fuch faculties as are able to obferve, difcern and judge of their

regular building upon that Foundation : that is, God hath enabled them

to diicern certainly whether their heart s^nd lives agree with the rule of

faith and manners. If God had creafc ofche Sun, but had denied men

eyes, no man could have known the path which he walks w> &* have

difcerned the end which he aims at: but God hath given both light ftream-

ing forth from the Word , and he hath given the eye of Confidence, that

Ephef. §. 8. by both thefe men might come affuredly to know that they are called out

of dartyefs unto light, and that they wal\ in that narrow way that leads

Mat. 7.14. to life, becaufe they always make Salvation the conftant white and mark

of their way. The Church of Rome perverts all true Religion at once,

and deftroyeth all rational obedience to God's command, as well as they

do undermine all the befi joys and comforts of a good man's life, while

turner faith, they deny that any man can know affuredly what it is which he chufes

that jf there j Qf fo; s p or ti 0 n y or what he doth moflly profecute, or what is the chief bent,

err our in Rome but their denying the foffinlity of affurance, all mtn ought to ftjeH totmunion -with them. Xuther in Gen 41.

franpe

frame or complexion of his heart, or what is me tenour or courfe of his life and converfation j whereas there are/h* perfons living that bear not about them in their own breads a convincing Argument from the tefti-mony of Confcience, how much the general Converfation of fome men do depart from the Rule of the Word, and how near other men (in the tendency of their lives) do approach to it. The di&ates of mofl men's Consciences do tell them, how great a difcerning they have of good and . evil, and alfo of the nature of their own atiions: No man can i>e wholly ignorant of the Law of God which is written in his own heart > and few men who live under the preaching of the Gofpel, but are confeious of the ftrivings of the Spirit of God with them, and they know in what inftance they have complied with its motions, and againft what calls thereof they have {lopped their ears : How much more then may every true Believer certainly know the faving work of God upon him ? If an unfanttified perfon cannot wholly be a ftranger to himfelf furely then the man that dwells much at home, that frequently defcends into his own heart, that fummons his own Soul to appear before him, and to come to trial, this man cannot eafily be ignorant what agreement there is between the Rule of God's Word, and the method of his Converfation. BeUar-mine doth much urge that Text of the Prophet, Jer. 17. 5?. the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and defrerately wicked, who can know it ? If no man can kpow his heart, (faith the Cardinal) then none can attain to ajfurance. But we anfwer:

1. That though an unregenerate heart which is defperately wicked be deceitful, and not to be known, yet fo are not the hearts of true Believers.

2. The Queftion is propounded of one mans knowing the heart of another, but not of a mans knowing his own \ fo Feter Martyr and others upon the place.

There are three Offices of Confcience which it is able todifcharge, and thereby it doth exceedinglypromote a Believers aflurance.

1. There is in Confcience .jwftffAvj by which power it is able to eye its Rule.

2. 2t/v«'<Ai<nc, a power to compare man's actions with the Rule.

3. KeiTic, a power to pafs fentence or judgment either of condemnation, whereby it doth »*T*y&?, accufe i or of abfolution ,* whereby it doth &w\Gy«r, excufe, astheApoftle fpeaks Kww. i»

Confcience is both a Judge, a Witneis, and an Executioner upon the tryal of man's heart and life.

1. Confcience is a Judge? I will not fay it is a King to give Law, ?• Confcience is but it is a Judge to try and to pafs fentence according to Law: Hence fagtoLw!' the Apoftle John doubts not to fay that the voice of Confcience is one l ]oh. 3.19,20, and the fame with the voice of God ; Hereby (faith he) we know we it. are of him in truth, and Jhall ajjure our hearts before him j if our hearts condemn -us, God is greater than our hearts, and kpowetb all things j but

G g g g if

if our hearts condemn us not , we have confidence (even) before Cod; that perfon that is acquitted at the Bar by a Judge, ading according to . Law, needs not fear to appear before the King himfelf on the Ihrone. ». tvnjtimt a 2. Confcience difcharges the Office of a W itnefs \ St. Paul calls it a mtnefs as to vvitnefs, Rom. p. 1. I fpea\ the truth in Chriji^ I lye not, my Confcience matur of faff* fr ear ;„g w ; tne j} • an j g^ John gives it the fame title, 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth hath a witnefs in himfelf Heathens could fay., Confcien-4 tia mfrfe teftes, Confcience is a thoufand witneffes: but the Apoftle fpeaks yet more, when he joins the Spirit of God as a co-witnefs with our fpirits, Rom.%.16. "The Spirit it felf beareth witnefs with our fpiritj, that we are the children of God, 3. confcience is 3. Confcience is a Rewarder or Punifher according to the nature of an y^ r ^ °[ the fentence which it pronounces: . if Confcience doth accufe, no fuch ling talmma f ev€YS Tormentor as Confcience is, as is evident in the inflances oiCain, given. and Judjs, and Spfra •, it Confcience doth acquit, no fuch Comforter and

zCor.i.iz. Rewarder^ this (faith Paul) is our rejoycing, the tefiimony of our Cou^ Prov. r 5.15» fcience, dec* no fuch joy, no fuch feaft , as the joy andfeafi of a good- Con* Prov.14.14. fcience. Well may it be faid, that a good man is fatisfied from himfelf: This bread is often eaten in fecret > 'tis hidden Manna, and is fo much Frov.9.17. the more pitafant : this is joy that a granger meddles not withal, and is Prov.14.10. fornuch the more fecure ', the new name and the white ftone none kyow

brtt thofe that have them, even the fons of confohtion.. 4 Arg. Btcaufc 4. Affurance is poiTible to be attained becaufe it hath been attained,. it hath bun at- a b ej[e ad pnjfe valet confequentia. 1. Job declares his affurance in that lobiG.**. he faith, He lytew that his Redeemer did live; h\t, (emphatically his r not ancthers Redeemer) his Redeemer as to eternal as well as temporal \t\i. ±6. concerns > fo he defcribes him, He Jha-ll ftand on the earth at the latter

day, (the day of refurre&ion) after worms had devoured his shjn and his ftefh , then mould he fee him owning and receiving of him into Glory, Job 19. 25,2d. 2. David alfo was fo affured of his intereft in God , that he with allured confidence requires Salvation from God's KaL'i-i'£< 150. hand j I am thine, (faith he) therefore fave me. 3. Another inftance of affurance we have in Hezekjah, who could appeal to God on a deathbed, lhat he had walked before Cod in truth with aperfed. heart, and had done that which was right in God's fight \ and 'tis evident his aifurance was good, for God accepts of the appeal, and declares it to be true, Ifai. 38.3,4. But the molt convincing inltance is that of. Paul, in the 8. Rom. 38. where he. declares fo great a Plerophory of aifurance, that he was perfwaded neither life, nor death, nor any other thing jhould Jeparate-himfrom the love of God t The P\omanifts do variouily excruciate them-Srapleton, felves to evade the force of this Text, feme of them fay the Apojlle fpeak^ Yaiquef. only of a conjectural perfwaiion, but Pareus proves that the Apoftle ne

ver ufeth the word ^Vh^**, 1 amperfwaded, (with reference to his own" Salvation) but he intends full affurance by it: fo in 2 Tim, 1. 12. I tyow whom I have believed^ and am perfwaded ( that is, I am affured )

that

that he is able to keep that thing 1 have committed to him unto the great day. God's power is not an objeft of conjecture, but of knowledge and ^ affurance. i Others of that Church fay, that although Paul was affined J?jJJ?JJ that not any Creature could feparate him from the love of God, yet he was not fure but he might feparate himfelf by the apoftacy of his own will. Of thefe men the learned Chamier doth well demand, Whether panftrar.Ca-the Apoftles Will were not a Creature \ and alfo, Whether God cannot thol- Tom.3. by his own power keep out mils to himfelf, after he hath made us of Llb,I * % unwilling to be a willing people. For notwithftanding there may after converiion remain a natural power in men to alienate their hearts from God, yet by Chrjlt's Mediationand the Spirit's fuperintendency in true Believers, there remains no moral-power actually to do it. And further, fince no Creature can do any thing towards our feparation from God but by our wills, 'tis folly ("faith he) to think that the Apofilc doth not include a Believers will, when he faith, No Creature Jhall fe* par ate a Believer from God. Bellarmine, to avoid the Text, runs to LiS. de Juft.3. his old refuge, and grants that Paul was truly allured, but it was by an Ca P-5-extraordinary revelation , which no other Believer can ordinarily attain to: The folly of this evafion I have already in part detected 5 two things more I defire may here be conlldered. 1. That when any perfons have declared {in the Scripture) their full afTurance, they have fpokgn of it not as of a thing of extraordinary revelation, but as of a thing of evident probation* 2. That_v# they have fpoken of their affurance as of a thing of as great certainty as can be deiired. . For the proof of both thefe, I fhall inltance in the Apoftle John, who often after ts his affurance : but, I. He reckons it not grounded upon immediate revelation , but upon rational evidence and probation, his words are thefe, 1 John 2.3. Hereby (« ti-m) we lyiow (faith he) that we know him, if we keep his Commandments : and again, 1 John 3. ip. Hereby (the fame word is here ufed again) we know we are of him in truth, and fhall affure our hearts before him : you fee, in both places he ipeaks Argument atively^ not by way of • Revelation •-> and yet obferve, 2. That his affurance was full and pong, for it is expreffed by words importing as great affurance "E, ™V. yritr-as can be expected, fivaVw^ &» tywVjtfty, fcimus Quod novimus, Wetytow *?^ J ,-•*•*? that we h^now him \ and in the other Text the emphafis feems greater, \f$^sJ2^ Hereby we know we are of him in truth, and we kyow we Jhall affure our ™™{A j ™ w hearts befre him ; fo that you fee many Believers have attained to affu- 1 Joii^.ip. ranee, and therefore 'tis poilible.

'Tis polfible to attain to affurance , becaufe God hath defigned our 6 A) g> .F™** affurance in the inftituting of thefe Ordinances, which do properly tend tbe ln ft lttitt0 "> to the begetting and increafmg of affurance : that is, God hath therefore ^To/sbl' confirmed his promifes and the Covenant of his Grace by viiible figns and Sacrammu feals, for the begetting and promoting our affurance of his love and fa- Rom.4.11. vour to us: There could be no greater reafon of the inftitution of cjr-cumcifion and the Faffhyer under the Law, and oiBaptifm and the Lord's

Gggg 2 Snpper

Supper under the Gofpel , than God's intending thereby the giving all neceffary and ufeful helps and furtherance of fubje&ive afTurance. Hence Rom.4.11. it is that the Apoftle Taul tells us, 'that the promise and the bleffing was furs (injt felf) to Abraham long before he was circumcifed. It may then be enquired, to what end was Qrcumcifion inftituted } The fame Apoftle tells the end was, that it might be a ground of greater afTurance h for fo he faith, Abraham received the fgn of Circumcifwn, a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith jvbich he had being uncircumcifed: Now unto this feal of Circumcifion under the Law> the feal oiBaptifm anfwers in the Gofpel i and as the linking of the Blood of the Fafchal Lamb on the door-pofls of the Ifraelites, gave farther ajjurance (after the promise was made) that the de-ftroying Angel mould not fmite the firft-born of any lfraelite ', fo the In-fHtution of the Lord's Supper was intended for a begetting the greater afTurance in the heart of a true Believer fhzt God will not deftroy him for the fake of the Blood of his Sonthzt is thereby reprefented'-> both Sacraments being intended as Seals of the Covenant of Grace more vifibly ratifying thereof to fenfe, and confirming Faith thereby. Moreover, God in the Sacraments doth confirm a Believer's Faith, in as much as he doth therein, by his Minifters, make a more particular and perfonal Ofkr and Application of his Grace to every ttue Believer. In the Sacraments there are to be coniidered, 1. The Confirmation \ and, 2. The more fpecial Application of the benefits of the Covenant of Grace •, and by both thefe a Believers Faith is ftrengthened, and his afTurance is promoted. It is one Argument that Becanus the Papifi: ufeth again ft the poiTibility of afTurance, viz. becaufe God hath not by name declared to any perfon that his fins are forgiven , any where in Scripture: but this Cavil and Objection we have already obviated, and told you that all univerfal and general Proportions do include lingular and particulars: It is no where faid, that Thomas or John (hall not do-any murtber, or (hall not fteal i but the command is as binding as if they had been named •, the cafe is the fame in Promifes as in Commands: but we might anfwer (fano fenfu ) farther with St. Bernard^ That in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper there is an a&ual Exhibition and particular Application made of the Grace of God , whereby all true Believers are perfinaUy and attuallyin-vejled into that Grace by a diretl and immediate ajfurance given. The Domino pall:- Father explains himfelf thus : The Prieft (faith he) in the Eucharift ° ni ns^Itv^ 111 " ^°' L k as lt were mve ^ ^ e Reaver with an afTurance of pardon, as fome veflir? fuos de m £n a * e invefled into an Eflate by a Rod or Staff, or as a Woman is in-Gratia fua vefkd into an actual intereft in her Husband's Eflate by her Husband's curavir, &c. putting a Ring upon her Finger > or as a Canon is invefkd by a Book

Dom ^erm ? P ut * nt0 ms ^ an ^ > or as an A ^ ot * s mv< ^ e d by a Staff. We do not

' fay with the Papifts, that the Sacraments do actually confer Grace by

Orterunt non v j rtue 0 f t h e external application : but we fay that in the Sacrament

nan* &"obf e" t ^ iere 1S an a ^ ure d offer of Grace made to every Receiver, and unto all Ll a # true Believers they do fign^feal and ajjure a certain and undoubted intereft

in

in pardon. Belfarmine faith, That after the receiving of the Sacrament, Poft reccp-um as he calls it, of Abfolution, very many Believers have, and all Belie- S f^fmiTddi-vers ought to have a certain and confident alfurance of pardon of iin : Jm liabent, C & In which words of the Jefuite, I defipe three things to be obferved: habere de-t. How openly and plainly Bellarmine contradidts himfelf. 2. How he btm fiducix hath incurred the Anathema of the Trent-Council And, 3. How he ^'rem'tlL^e hath conceded what we plead for. 1. This admired Dodtor takes li- peccatorum. berty to contradidt himfelf, (as fo great a Scholar may much better than Bell, lib.3. de another,) for if you confult his third Chapter of his third Book of Ju- J^"- Ca P 2 -itirication , he there tells you that it is a grofs errour to fay that any Be- ^'^^ "j?^ liever can have any fuch fure knowledge of their own Grace, fo as that c ft, potfe Fi-they can (by an affured Faith J determine that their fins are forgiven : deles earn no-but in the fecond Chapter of his third Book of Repentance, now quo- * ,na . m 5iaberc ted-, you fee that he had faid before that after Abfolution many Believers cert^Fidefta-have, and ought to have an affurance of Faith that their fins are forgi- tuant fibi re-ven: if thefe things be not contradictions, I know not what are : fome m »fa e(Te peo of his Friends would help him, by faying that there is difference be- car *' f^.'r 1 ^* tween an ajfTured Faith in one place, and an alTuranceof Faith in ano- cap.2. therj or between certafideftatuere,znd fiducU certitudinem habere jfany Fides eft Fi-one (hall ib diitinguiuh '■> he will but farther difcover his own folly, be- d «ciae Funda-caufe (certitudofiducit) alfurance of Faith is (of the two) more large ™ en . tam > Fi-and comprehenfive than (certa fides) which we tranflate fure. Faith, dei aftus. Affurance. or Confidence doth always fuppofe fure Faith, or certain af- Prideaux fent, as the ground\ root and foundation thereof. There may be Faith Lsclio 7. where there is no Confidence, but there can be no Confidence where there is no Faith : He that therefore faith , That 'tis poffible for a man to be ajjuredly confident of the pardon of his fin, doth contradict him that faith, 3 Tis not poffible for any man to believe his fins are pardoned. Bellarmine by faying both thefe things doth plainly contradidf himfelf. 2. But we (hall wonder at this the lefs, becaufe in the fecond place we may obferve that he makes bold to contradict in moft exprefs terms his moit holy Council of Trent > the words of which Council I quoted in the entrance of this Difcourfe h wherein they declare that (certhudo fiducie) affurance of Faith, or alTurance of Confidence (tranilate it as you pleafe) concerning pardon of fin is vain and impious: but Bellarmine faith that many Believers have (and all ought after Abfolution to, have) this (certitudinem fiducia) affurance of faith or confidence, call it by what name you will, yet the contradiction is direct: the fame word being ufed by the Council and by the Jefuite. Now who can by any difiincSion reconcile thefe two contradicting Pofitions ? and therefore I fuppofe none can free our poor Dodtor from the Anathema paffed upon him by the Council, For my part, I always thought a Council to be more infallible than the Tope, (though I will try before I will truft either of them) I am therefore confident the Pope did err when he made a Saint of this Cardinal, who we rind accurfed by the Council.

3. But

3. But we Proteftants ought to pardon and abfblve the Jefuite from this

Anathema , pronounced for his contradicting the pretended general

Council, frnce he doth not in thti contradidt the truth, but doth grant all

Peccator in fe- that which we plead for, even almoft in the very words and terms by which

na pC£ 2H re ?" the Proteitants them felves exprefs it j for there is little or no difference

cfuifium e pof- between the very phrafe which I have quoted out of Bellar miners iecond

fit cerca fidu- Book of Penance , and the very words of his Adverfary Chemnitius in

cia ftatuere his Examen , which are thefe , That a true Fenitent, or one that adts

fibi reimiTa true Faith on Chrilt, may by an attired confidence determine that his fin<?

<£K- «e pardoned.

men,tdSelT.d. I fhaN conclude this Argument with thit note, that if it be granted that after the pretended Sacrament of Fenance and Abfolution by a Frieft a Believer may become allured of the pardon of his fin s he may much better conclude his fins to be pardoned after the right ufe of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper , which was defigned to be a Seal and Confirmation to his faith, 6 Arg. Becaufi The fixth Argument is this, 3 Tis poflible for a Believer to prove that Z l41in°f b aU l ° * ie is ei ^ ec ^ ua ^y cailec *, by all affuring evidences •> and therefore 'tis pof-afjuringtvidtn- **ble for him to attain to a certain knowledge that he is erTedrually called. ccs. There are three, and but three forts of alluring evidences: 1. Demon-

ftrative Argument: 2. Unerring fenfe: 3. Infallible Tefu'mony. Now 'tis poiTible for a Believer to prove that he is effectually called by all thefe feveral forts of evidences. *. By Demon- 1. By Demonftrative Argument, that is a Tkmonftration which flra ive Aryi- proves either the being and exiftence of a thing by its infeperable and di-ftingu}Jhing ejfe&s, or proves the nature and kind of a thing by the fpe-cial and elTential properties of it. Now a Believer.may prove that he is effedually called, or that he is regenerated, and that the Spirit of God hath infufed the habits of faving Grace into him, 1; From the Fi r ft ? by peculiar, proper, and diftinguiming effedts of infufed habits

%Xltl\fbi>l of faving Grace: theeffedts of all habits are their refpeVtive acts \ and sf'-Grace. although all forts of gratious atls do not prove habits of true Grace, yet

God hath declared in his Word that there are fome aUs> and fome exer-cifes of Grace, which do demonftratively prove infufed habits of Grace and do evidence an effectual call h this is proved by 1 Tbejf. 1.3. compared with Verfe 5. In the 5 Verfe Faul tells the Thejfalonians , That the Gofpel came not to them in word only, but in power alfo, and in the Holy Ghoft, and much afjurance: that is, he tells them they were erTedrually called : but how may this be proved ? what evidence is it built upon ? See Verfe 3. he proves it by two things: 1. By the indwelling habits of Grace, viz. Faith, Love, and Hope : 2. By the diitinguiihing adts of thofe Graces, viz. working, labouring and patience 5 remembring (faith the ApollleJ your worh^of faith, your labour of love, and patience of hope. Nov/ in the fame manner (as Faul doth) 'tis poiTible for many true Believers to prove Demonftratively alfo the truth of their Grace. 1. They

may

may prove the truth of their Faith by its wo)\; the ApoCik James faith, r. Tb? wo.\ of that works do flew, or (as the words fignifie) demonftrate thc-truth of f * ilh * ^°^ Faith : *!/ forts of works do not prove Faith to be faving, but fome works J 2 " 1,2 "' do manifeft it > and by them 'tis poffible to prove an effectual call. I will name (and I mud: but name) fome works of Faith, which are all as fo many Demonstrations of true Faith. 1. Prizing the Lord Jefus . Pct 2 ~ above all things , Tbil. 3.8. 2. Receiving him in all his Offices as offered in the Gofpel, John 1.8. 3. Victory over the World, 1 Job,\.<\. 4. Quenching of Satan's fiery darts, Epbef.6.16. 5. Purifying of the heart, Ad. 5. p. Where-ever thefe works or effects of Faith are, there certainly is faving faith.

2. Love may be demonftrated by its labour, that is, by its exercife and 2 * \ a bm of peculiar fruits and effects. The word labour of W, mentioned by the A 7 ^?™' r - ^^;, poftle, is uied not to fignifie any irkjdmnefs or burthen that love feels, for j Theft. 1.3. nothing more delightful and pleafant than the worl^oflove'hxxt to intimate the diligence^ conftancy^ and univerfality of loves exercife: where love to God is iinccre,there love commands'the hcartj the intereft of God in fuch fouls is fuperiour to all other Intereftsi hence God's Commands are not 1 Joh5, grievous •, and this is a property of love, that demonftratively proves it to be the work of the Spirit in an effedrual call: if the Apoftle John had any Logick in him, he thought this to be a Demonftration, That he that hgepeth hisWord^ in him verily (i.e. certainly, undoubtedly) is the love 1 }oh.2.$>-of God perfected j that is, Evangelically compleat and fincere. The nature of true love is fuch, that it will make it felf manifeft 5 if men would deftgn to conceal it from others^ 'tis difficult to be hid , but for a man to hide it from himfelf it is impoiTible : the confideration of which {oxccs'BeUarmine to confefs^ that love to God, or charity, is a moftcer-BeIl.Eib.4; tain note whereby alone the Children of God may be diftinguijhed from 5"ft;. Ca P , / i*/ the Children of Satan. Thus again while our Adversary oppofes the r a ^U artlfc-poflibility of affurance, he doth contradict himfelf, and molt fully grant ma not a, £&& it to be pojfible, becaufe there are confeffedly fome certain marks and ftit Dn a fi'.u^ iigns of the Children of God i and by thefe fruits they may be known : Viab fl we have inftanced in two Graces of faith and love \ we (hall inftance but in one other, viz.

Hope: this Grace may be demonftratively proved to be wrought by the 3- tbtfA'ma^ Spirit in an effectual call, by that diftinguifhing effect or confequence of °> b0 ^ it, (which the Apoftle mentions alfo in the fore-quoted place) viz. a conftant , patient fubmijfion to the Will of God, in parting with any or all the enjoyments of this life , and in bearing whatever ajiiciion God in his Wifdom fhall think fit to try a Believer with. I do not fay that either hope or patience^ when feparately taken , but only in conjunction one with the other , are certain figns of true Grace : there is a great deal of pre-Jltmption or falfe hope in the World ;> but falfe hope is never followed 'with felf-denial^ or with an intire resignation to the Will of God^ fo as to forfake all and to follow CKrift, On theother hand, there may be

fome kind of patience which may be nothing but a Stoical apathy^ and a

fenfeleffnefs under fufferings, or only a blind boldnefs to engage with

difficulties. Now this often-times arifes from pride, not from Evange-

Our jdvzYJaYies lical hope, nor from a fenfe of intereft in the love of Chrift. Now

grant a certain- we j 0 not f av t | iat f uc j 1 h 0 p e or patience when fo divided are certain Ar-

liifeforT'mull g um€ nts of Regeneration, but they are only fo in conjunction ; and we grant a certain-"fay that patience, b>^# 'tis a fruit of GofpeUhope, 'tis then an erTed of ty of Faith ; the Spirits work, who hath infufed that hope as an habit of faving f°J scripture Grace i and 'tis Demonftratively proved to be fo, becaufe this hope (peakoflotl ls °f tne ^" ame nature as faving faith , and it hath many evidences which thefe as one certainly manifeft it to be faving: i. This hope purifies the hearty i Joh. Grace, and the 3.3. 2. This hope rejoicetb the heart y Rom. 5. 2. 3. It allures the

nmfiZifii heart > Heh ' 6 ' IJ > l *' 4 ' !t fayes the foul > Kom ' 8i 2 4' Now thefe both to believe effedls are able to diftinguifh preemption from right hope, and alfo Ar-

and hope. gumentatively to evidence an effectual call.

2. From the 2. 'Tis poflible to prove by Demonftrative Argument that the Spi-~

uTofilvtn' rit of God hath infufed the habits of Tavin ? Grace int0 the heart b y the

habits. fpecial and efTential properties of thefe habits. There are four proper-

ties of fome alls , which do prove the exigence of habits '•> and do evidently (hew, that thofe ads and exercifes do flow from principles or ha-bits, either, 1. naturally, or, 2. acquired, or, 3. infufed j and the All thefe proptrm f° ur properties are thefe : 1. Facility and promptnefs, or preparednefs ties arecompre- toad:. 2. Delight and pleafure in ading. 3. Vniverfalityzsto the bended in1 thofe objedt about which it ads. 4. Conftancy as to -continuance in acting. Pfal.T^ fvn Now 'tispoilible for a Believer to difcern that the exercife of his Grace i"QHJ a free hath all thefe properties, and thereby he may demonftratively prove hjrit, nri that his Graces are habitual, and confequently that they were infufed in V/rh lT''t an enre( ^ u al call, (for I have proved that they cannot be natural or ac-TMaimon more <3 Lure d habits) and therefore they muft be infufed , that 'tis poflible for Nev. a Believer to attain to thefe properties, and to difcern them> I fhall briefly

prove (although I could be large) in the inftance of David, who attained to, and difcerned, 1. A facility and readinefs, a fixednefs and preparednefs in the exercife of his Grace, as you may fee Pfal. 108.1. and 2. unerring TfaL 57.7. 2. A joy, delight, and pleafure in ading or doing the Will fenfe. Tte Lord 0 f God , TfaL 40. S. and Pfal. up. 16, 35, 47, 70, p2, 143, Verfes. mug is TILed 3' ^ n Univ erfaHty in his Obedience, and in that refped which he had •withfenfe, even t0 a ^ God's Commands, TfaL up. 6. 4, A conftancy and continu-the very Ele- ance (not as to every particular, but as to the general courfe) of his O-mcnts : Eft in bedience, Tfal.j^. 25. TfaL up. 44,117. That other Believers may cuUro & in- atta i n t0 tne ^ ame properties as David did, none can deny h and that camoEIemen- they may difcern them as David did, can be as little denied > and thereto, [nftin/tus fore'tis poilible to prove an erfedual call by demonftrative Argument* qu .' da S ^ at "g 2 - 'Tis poilible for a true Believer to prove that he is erTedually called by

Ver irate. T>>e Pythagoreans thought it equal cruelty to cut off the branch of a tree, as to breal^ the leg of an Ox, or the arm of a man, affirming that all trees wire indued with fenfc. Diog. Laert. de vitas PhiJ.

an

an unerring fenfe. Every kind of life is indued with a fenfe proper to its nature > for there is a certain connexion between life and fenfe s and the mote high and noble any principle-of life is, the more clear and per-fpicuous are the fenfations and perceptions of that principle. The fa fes of the animal life are evident, and the perceptions of the rational life are more difcernable than they j but no fenfe fo quick and clear as that of the divine life, becaufe the principle thereof is more high and noble. Here poifibly a halfwitted Pretender to Keafon, will cry out, That to difcourfe of fpiritual fenfes and the perceptions of the divine life, is to fpeak nothing but Entbufiafm, and things which none underitand. I anfwer , Mounfieur des Cartes was far enough from Enthuiiafm i yet Carrefius dc that Matter of Reafon builds all his Pbiiofipby upon a principle of in- Met!lGd °-ward fenfe, viz. Cogito ergo fnm, I tytoiv Itbink^, therefore I kjtorv 1 am. And he farther tells us, That the Idea, or inward frnfe of a God, is the befi Argument to prove there is one. Again, I ask were the Philo-fophers of old , Plato and Ariftotle, Enthuiiafts, who agreed in this, that all men are naturally endued with a double faculty of difcerning ? one they called, facultas </W'to*, a difcourlive faculty \ the other, f&-cultas >o»wt«i, an intelle&ive faculty \ by the latter of which, fome truths Ariftot.Iib. %; fthey/aid) were intuitively and diredlly fee *>*-raXc}s, not by augmenta- l'oft. cap. ult. tion, but by internal fenfe '•> and this all men know and acknowledge who are felf-acquaintecr in any meafure. And agreeable hereunto the Spirit of God is pleafed to reprefent the perceptions of the divine life by expreffions of fenfe , as of feeing the Juft One, Ads 22. 14. of hearing, and learning of the Father, John 6. 45. of fmelling a favour and fvpeet odour in G ofp el-rev el ations , 2 Corinth. 2. 14. of tdfting that God is good, Pfalm 34. 48. of touching and handling the Word of "truth, 1 Joh. 1.1. Now as 'tis folly to ftrein Scripture-allufions too far, and to take its Metaphors in the literal and proper fenfe ; fo 'tis madnefs and grofs ignorance on the other hand to think that by thefe exprefions the Spirit of God did not intend to inform us, that every true Believer doth as truly difcern jpiritual objects by an internal fenfe, as any man doth difcera material objeds by his bodily fenfes.

I mall inihnce but in three afts of divine fenfe, whereby 'tispomole Three acts §f for a Believer to prove fenfibly that he is efTe&ually called. M?» thereby a

I. Many Believers do feefuch a light breaking in upon their under- ^Z^thTL U ftanding , as doth manifestly declare it felf to be the efpecial work of effectually God's own Spirit h for by two properties the teaching of God's Spirit called. maybe dijHnguiJhed from the common teachings of men, or from the ^Vj»fctniti^ fole convidions of a natural Confcience: 1. By the clearnefs and fulnefs \uumminilis of this light •, when the Spirit co-operates with the Word, then a Be- underfia*dty, liever in God's Uglit fees light, as the Pfalmift phrafcth it, he fees eye Pfal.3f.9-to eye, as the Prophet Ifaiah cxprefTes it, Ifai. 51. 8. Divine light is full, and defends deep, and enters far into the minds of men j Wifdona enters the foul , Pxov. 2. 4. .Godjhines into the heart, 2 Pet. 1^ i-p. And f

H h h h hence

hence truth is faid to be wrote, Heb.%. 10. to be engraven, 2 Cor. 3. 3. to be fealed, Job 33.1 6. on man's heart and foul. 2. By its influence

Rom. 1. on praaice ; no truly divine teaching is or can be detained in unrighteouf-

nejs i and hereby 'tis difringuifhed from common teaching j Sun-light is difiinguifhed from Moon-light by its brightnefs, and by its warmth aifp , a mcer natural conviction is like a flafh of lightning in the night, which makes a fhort difcovery of fome objects, but vanithes before a man takes one frep of his journey: but when the Spirit teaches by the

Pfal.11c.1c5. Word, the Spirit makes the Word a light to a Believer's feet, and a lamp to his paths ; that is, it becomes a practical light, and hereby 'tis alfo known to be effectual.

2. He feels a 2. A true Believer feels a divine fot»et prevailing upon his will, Ihin^Tpen y&ich ^ e P r oves to be fupematural both by the exceeding greatnefs of

his »///.* it in its principle, and alfo by the mighty working of it in its effeds : The Apoftle Paul defires of God that the Ephefians might know that they were crfedrually called , and that they might alfo know the hope thereof, in Ephef. 1.18. And in Verfe 15?. he declares how this might be obtained, namely, 1. by difcerning the exceeding greatnefs of God's power toivards them that believe, (that is in its principle :) 2. by dif-. cerning the working of this mighty power in them that believe \ that is, :<zJU?xm hi the crfecls thereof. God's power exercifed upon 3 and towards Be-

-. TO

/***&&•£ «fc- lie vers, is faid here in its felt to be great '•> nay more, 'tis greatnefs ; far-ht&sricm&uo*- tner yet, tis greatnefs of power \ higher yet, tis exceeding greatnefs of T^J^f t!£ power: Can this power be put forth upon man, and man be wholly in-9* icryf^ auTO. feniible thereof } 'tis impoilible h efpecially if you add the. other conli-Ephtf.i;i9. deration of the-effects that are wrought by this power in Believers^ iuch Cap.t. v.i. as thefe, the quickning of life-lefs Sinners, and the raifing of them from Cap 4.v.i3,'4 the dead ; the renewing of the fpirit of the mind \ the putting on the new man, which is created after the image of God in Chrifi Jefus> in rigbte-eufiefs and true holinefi : thefe ilgnal effects which a Believer cannot but (cd^ do as certainly prove an effectual call, as the work of the old Creation do prove the exigence of a God j or the Miracles wrought by Chrifi, did prove him to be the Son of God, 3. He Utha 3. A true Believer hath a fpiritual tajie of God's love and favour, ®Ph* l » ia / $ f anc ^ °^ t ^ e £ 00 d' de f f of his wa Y s 5 an d by it he is able to prove that he is of LYfandhis horn °f Go ^-> according to that of the Apoftle, 1 Pet. 2.1. But BeHar-79ays. ' mine here*doth object, That Hypocrites and Apofiates are fuppofed in

EelhrmineV Heb. 6. to have a tafie of the good Word of God. I anfwer, 1. An UebT" ^ H yF ocrite ma Y have a tafte of the Word, but 'tis but a tajie; whereas J [wend? a true believer drinks fo deep of thefe waters of life, that they become a Joh.4.14. well of living water fpringing up to everlafting life. 2. Although a Hypocrite may have fome tafte of the fweetnefs of the Word •■> yethe always tafies a greater fweetnefs in the World: but 'tis contrary in Be-Ffal. 19.10. lievtrs \ David tafted the Word to befweeter than Honey, and more pre-Mac. 13. zo,i j^. cious than much rine Gold. The ftony ground received indeed the Word

with

%

with joy zt flrit, but parted with it again, rather than undergo the for-, rew of perfecution. 3. An Hypocrite may talte fome fwectncfs in the promifes and priviledges of the Word, and the gifts of the Spirit, but not in the precepts of the Word , or graces of the Spirit: Simon Magus Aft.8.18,19. would part with the World, and give Mwney for the miraculous power of the Spirit * but he regarded not the fanhity of the Spirit, or (>£&&'-*Wtoits Laws \ but a-Believer thinks that in the very keeping of God's Pfah19.11. Commands there ii great reward •, and David profejfes his delight to do the will of God : fo that by thefe, and many other ads of fenfe, (which 1 muft not name) a Believer is able to prove that he is effedtuaVy called, and and that certainly, and without errour or miftahg ■' For

the Rule holds good in the due exercife of fphituai as &rifi is 1 certain and tin ring ex -• well as bodily fenfe, That Senfus non fallitur circa pro- **f» **^*4 f fc TV £»?/*« -prium objeaum i ,S«(/<? cj*»a/ ££ deceived about its pro- ^^J, «,v w ht**\ud , ^er ^Zye'^r: bodily fenfe is fo certain, as that Chrilt him- mm muft belinie his eyts: \:\e felf appeals to it i in a proper cafe, Reafon difcerns that as tbe MUffi** dealt with Sam-Spirits have neither flefh or bones, and Chiiitbids his 5"; ^Ztil^ ° : '\° W Ti?

rl. r . . . r , • r r 1 r t i ' » that we might grind in thur MilL

Difciples to exerciie their /*#/<?, and to feel that he or bring grid to it: tile* the vha-

had both. From the certainty of outward fenfe, we r//e«, ]oh.9.2§. that would per-do f»<?/f juftly reject the Dodrrine of Iranfubjiantiation: f wad * the man bor * blind, that h* The Receiver fees bread, feeU bread , /metis bread, ^ttul^t&^Z, fades bread, and yet the fenfelefs Prieit would have 0/ his fight* men believe that 'tis flefh. But a PcZp/Jt will tell you, that there may be difceptio vifus, a miltake in fight and fenfe, both ex-ternal and internal, I anfwer, The evidence of fenfe in general is certain and unerring, (although there may be fome miftake in particular ads of fenfe) upon two accounts: Firft, Becaufe the caufes of particu-lar errours may always be known to be, 1. cither the ill difpoiition of the Organ, as in a Jaundice-eye ? or, 2. the diltance of the object, as the apparent fmallnefs of heavenly bodies V or, 3. the different medium through which the object is beheld, as a ftarT half in water and half out feems crooked. Secondly, Becaufe by much experience, obfervation and guidance of reafon , men have been able to form and eitablifh certain Rules whereby to redtihe all thefe miftakes. Tn like manner (by the Guidance of the Spirit) God hath given in his Word moft certain Rules whereby men may know from whence the mijiakgs of internal fenfe do arife, and in what manner, and by what means they may be corrected. From all which I may fafely conclude, that as there are certain Sciences built upon the certainty of bodily fenfe, (as Opticks, and many other Mathematical Sciences) notwithtlanding particular miftakes in fome acts: fo 'tis poflible by experience and obfervation, together with the Guidance of the Word and Spirit^ for a Believer to prove, 2 Peer. 19. that his fpiritual fenfe doth not err, and confequently that he is erfe&u-ally called.

H h h h 2 In

3. By infallible I n the laft place, I fay, 'tis poiTible for a Believer to prove that he is

"yYmf th£ effeduaI1 y called > b y infallible teftimony of the Spirit: this fort of evi-

^ m ' dence, by Authority or Witnefs, Logicians call Argumentum artiftciale,

an artiiicial Argument i> but in our cafe 'tis Argumentum certijjimum, a

Dcut.17.^. moft certain proof: for if God hath faid, That in the mouth of two or

three humane Witness every word is eftabltjhed, that is, made Jure i how

Heb.6.13. much more fure is the evidence that is given in by the Spirit of God,

who cannot lye ?

This ttflimony Now the teftimony' of the Spirit of God, is either written in the

either written, Word, or real in its Wor\s : -How far the written teftimony of the Spi-

§rrtai:)bejredl J " lt ln Scripture (which is ©sojw&r®*-) is a foundation of affujance, I

ttflimony is it- have already declared : The real teftimony of the Spirit is two-fold":

tber, 1. Mate- i. Material, mediate, and only objective, viz. When the Spirit of God

Ual /i r>f} laU ky tne work of fandtification wrought in a Believer, doth thereby af-

0). ive. £ orc j to a Believer objectively (and mediately by the fruits of the Spirit)

matter of proof or evidence,, whereby he may evince, by argument, that

he is effectually called. This fort of evidence I have alfo already fpo-

». '. ken to s therefore'tis yet another kind of teftimony of the Spirit that

w!diiti*aud if- * wouldhere more efpecially in lift upon *, namely, the efficient, imme-

kcieyt, diate, and formal teftimony of the Spirit of God. Several Divines call'

it by feveral names, but they all underftand one and the fame thing, that

there is a witneffing work of the Spirit, diftincl: from the regenerating

work, and from the fan&ifying work thereof, is evident by that plain

Rom.S.id. Text of the Apoftle to the Romans , where he faith, 'that the Spirit it

felf beareth witnefs with our jpirits , that we are the children of God :

Three things Where obferve, 1. The tefles? 2. The teftimonium $ 3. The. modus te-

1. The witr Firft, obferve the WitneiTes \ thefe arc two: x. The Spirit of God: ruffes. 2. Our own fpirit: Thefe are two diftinU, WitnefTes, and we ought al-

ways to confider them as truly and properly diftind:: For as the Spirit of God is really and perfonally diftinguithed from our fpirits y fo the act of the Spirit in witnefling is as truly diftindt from the ad: of our own fpirits. A Believers own fpirit doth fometimes prove, and may witnefs actually and truly its effectual call ■> and yet the Spirit'of God may at that time fufpend its immediate teftimony, fro bic, & mine. Now Hot rl aJw all thofe things which can be really feparated, are to be coniidered as di-*jf^**' hli X ftind, even then when they are conjoined j and that the teftimony of «*n tz mivft* t ^ e §pj r j t 0 f q 0( j j s diftindfrom the teftimony of our fpirits, is evident

from the words themfelves, being duly coniidered: for. the Apoftle-

faith, Tha«t the Spirit it feIf witnefTeth with our fpirits. * but of this

more, after we have.coniidered, i. Tbeteflim.o- 2 « The teftimony, or the thing witneiTed 5 which is this, That we, ny or tbingmt- are the fons of God j which phraie comprehends, 1.. A Believers Kege-nejfcd. neration. 2. His relation, of an adopted fon of God. 3. His.partaking;

of the divine nature^ or being conformed to the Image of Chrift, 4. His

obtaining

Serm.X VIII. The Vojjibility of Ajfarance. 64 5;

obtaining of a right of co-inheritance with (Thrift. Now Regeneration, and an ejfetlttal call, (I have (hewn) are one and the fame thing: the matter of this teftimony therefore , witnefled both by our fpirits, and alfo by the Spirit of God, is this, That we are effectually called.

3. The manner of witnefling is-expreiTed by the word Zq^ttptipT) 3- *&} mamit the Spirit doth co-witnefs, which cannot be meant (as fomewduS^ wm ^ have it) only of the Spirit's ufing the faculties of our mind injhumen-tally, (as a Scribe ufe*th a Pen as his Inftrument to at tell any Writings) 'Tis true, that the Spirit of God doth bear witnefswith our fpirits, that is, by our fpirits, in as much as our own faculties are employed mre-ceiving and difcerning the teftimony of God's Spirits but yet we mull be careful that we do not confound the aft of God's Spirit with the aSs of our own faculties in this teftimony: for fo we (hould alfo confound the diftin&ion of the Witneffes themfelves-, and we fhould hardly efcape confounding the diftinction that is between the Spirit's objellive or mx-terial teftimony, and its efficient and formal teftimony. For avoiding of which, and for opening of the manner of the Spirit's immediate wit- opwd in th, netting, I delire that thefe things maybe confidered. **-**ir\

1. That the Spirit of God when it is- faid to witnefs with our fpirits, ^ J^^ not is not to be fuppofed to give its teftimony by any external voice or words, voice \ jphits ■ but it gives even its immediate teftimony by fome worl^ox operation upon f? ca { the la »; the mind of man. That all forts of fpirits can exprefs themfelves to ^ r fjf?* H fpirits without words , is manifeft in the acknowledged converfe or com- ^ region, ' munion that is between Angels amongft themfelves, good Angels with

good, and bad with bad s as* alfo by the fuggeftions of good Angels and Som Pbikf*-bad Angels upon the minds of men v as alfo by that which the Scripture J ,*J ** v *' Hn ' faith of mental or unexprejfed unuttered prayer, in Rom. 8. 26. and by v [hew the way the inftance of Hannah. If created fpirits can' exprefs themfelves to whereby the fpirits without words, much more may the Eternal Spirit j xtvtd\ himfelf drills and s?'^ to the mind of man how or as he pleafes. He that created the faculties ™£**-e9*vtrfc ■ of man's mind', can put them into aft and^ exercife by what ways or Ezek.38.io, means foever he pleafes : He that knows our thoughts before we thinki them, can caufe us to think^ox kpon* whatever he pleafes to imprefs upon them.

2. As all the Revelations of God's Spirit are harmonious^ and confo- r. ? Tis by rath- ■ nant one with another^ fo are all the Workj'o£ God's Spirit always**^ c'towftim± agreeable and- concording, ft>as one work-thereof deftroys not another'

work of the fame Spirits and thence it is, that God having endued' men with faculties of judging and difcerning of truth by its proper evidences, doth never caufe the foul of man-to believe any truth , but he' gives them a ground oxreafon of its belief. I do not fay that he gives'-always a, reafon of the thing, but he gives a reafo'n of our belief: the'-fitfernatural works of the Spirit, do-not deftroy,"buvreftore^xid i pe*f-cl' Nature, .. Now the natural way of convirion of-man's mind v being by-evidencing the %&fqn of things,v hence, when the- Spirit-convinces man- .

'60 The Toflibility of Ajjurame. Serm. XVIII.

of any thing, he doth (as it were,) by Argument. The Spirit of God convinces men of righteoufnefs, and of pardon of {in, in the fame man* rier that it convinces of fin, and its guilt, which is by way of Argument, as the word &&i& doth tignirie, in Job. 16. 8. Hence Faith alfo Beb.i:. i (which is wrought by the Spirit) is (aid to be tktyyes * g*^*^, the Argumentative evidence of things not feen. I hope no man is fo weak'as think that the Spirit convinces by verbal exprejfion of the terms of three Proportions of an Argument i but yet it doth fomething equivalent thereunto. For, 3. "fis by fte- 3. The proper work of the Spirit in giving this teftimony, is toillu-rial llluminar minute the mind of man, both in a greater degree, and to another end than it did illuminate it in its prji work of Cmverfion : In Converfion, the objefts revealed are tboft, that, being once difcovered, do engage the foul to put forth the dirett aft of faith * but in this witneffing work, the Spirit: reveals tbofe objects that by their difcovery do enable the foul • to exerciie the reflex aft of faith 5 and withal the Spirit doth immediately ajjrft the mind of man in its aft of reflexion upon the work of fanftirica-tion formerly wrought by the Spirit.

You may underhand both the nature and diftinfiion of the Spirit's te-ftimony , how it is different from the teftimony of our own fpirits, by this fimilitude : Suppofe a purblind perfon r reading a fmail print by the light of a farthing Candle , by which he knows, and is able to tefiifie truly what is written in that Book which he fo reads i yet whence con-fiders how apt he may be in thofe cireumflances to miftake, he ftill doubts comparatively to what he knows: when a skilful Oculifi hath repaired his fight, and hath by GlaiTes magnified the Characters of the Book, and hath let into the room the beams of the Sun, which were before withheld. Thus the work of the Spirit is to affifr, out faculties, and ftreng* then them > to irradiate and illuftrate its own vpor\ of ianftification, and alfo to bring in a fuller light from the Word, making it fpeak more clear and full: by all which the Spirit of God may be faid to give a different and dilHnft tefrimony from that which our una0ed faculties, or gradualjy unenlightened minds could give of themfelves. Qu-ft 1 vh l ' **" lt k° as kecl Why this aft of the Spirit of God is called a <rc-isfbis clllcd'a witneffing wjth our fpirits? I anfwer, Firft, becaufe the Spirit adds its -co-wi sffs/ fpecial aililtance to our fpirits, in all and every exercife of our faculties, about their giving in their testimony. In particular, 1. It irradiates the mind \ and, 2. It more emphatically reveals to the foul the truth of the promife, that every one that believes (hall be faved i 3. It more fully makes known its own work, and lhews to the foul by good evidences that it doth believe i 4. It ailllis the reafon of man more convincingly to draw the conclusion, that therefore it (hall be faved : And in this manner the Spirit witneiTes to every Propofition of the alTuring Argument. Secondly, and more efpecially, the Spirit is faid.to witnefs with our fpirits, becaufe the nutter witnejfed by the Spirit of God, is the feme which

is witneffed by our own fpirits-, and this properly fpeaks it to be a co-wit-nefs j for it witneffes not only in the fame manner, but it alfo witneffeth the fame matter which ousipirits do witnefs.

2. If it be demanded, How a Believer may be aflured that the Spirit Queft. 1. n*w. doth certainly witnefs with our fpirits? I anfwer , he may be aflured is a Bt ' lnv r hy two things: 1. By ttoktflmxd diftin^uijhing light that accompanies ^'fitdotV^ the teftimony of the Spirit^ which doth manifejt it felf fo as to over-bear $hnt[i ? all doubts and dilutes both about our fiiritual eftate , and about this teftimony it felf: juit as the light of the Sun doth not only dijhver other things, and reveal them > but doth manifeft it felf by its felf-evidencing property, which is able to convince every beholder* 2. By the harmony and agreement that is between the teftimony of the Spirit of God, and our fpirits > juft as we know the teftimony of our fpirits to be certain and true by its agreement with the Word > except all thefe three agree in one, there can be no full certainty : but a Believers afiurance is always confirmed by the concurring teftimony of thefe three: 1. Of the Word, 2. Of Confcience, and 3. Of the Spirit, all witnefling one and the fame thing. 1. The fure Wordoi God lays down certain ligns and marks of true Grace, and witneffes thefe ilgns to be good evidences. 2. Then Conference, or our own fiirit witneffes that thefe figns are found in a Believer, 3.' Then God fuper-adds the witnefs of his own "°^ v ^^fff Spirit, which enables us yet more fully to know the things which are OT v */*?»Gox«* freely given us of God: And now what doubts can remain ? 'Tis true, ChrjiofL ia we are bid to try every fpirit, and we have a way to try them by, viz. Rom the agreement of their teftimony with the teftimony of Scripture and ' Confcience: although there may be fuch things as **&***} or Mock-Suns, and fometimes the Glory of the true Sun (which yet is a prodigioufly rare inftance) is not able to diftinguifh it felf from4ts Apes j yet in this very cafe (by the Rules of Calculation) an Aftronomer is able to diftinguifh the true Sun from the falfe, fo that the Science of Aftronomy is never a whit the lefs certain : 'Tis fo as to the Spirit's teftimony \ 'tis certain that by the Word and Confcience a Believer may infallibly prove the teftimony of the Spirit to be true, and not falfe, becaufe there is and muft be an univerfal agreement between all thefe three.

Our Adverfaries have (many of them) endeavoured to enervate the fingle, teftimony of Scripture, becaufe of the myfterio/tfnefs of Scripture, as they call it. Others feek to debilitate the teftimony of Confcience^ becaufe men are apt to be partial. Others would weaken the teftimony of the Spirit, becaufe 'tis apt to be miftaken. But fhould-we grant that none of thofe three Witneffes were feparately fufHcient, yet when they-are conjoined, from thence there doth arife an undoubted affurance, Although the ftrength of one Tillar,or the foundnefs of the Foundation alone not prove-a Houfe to be well built j yet the ftrength of #// The Pilfers, and of the Foundation confidered together, do fully prove it to be ftrong. What if one fingle Souldier be not fufficicnt to fecure a Fort

yet

'6^8 He that knows that he is efeUually catted, Serm.XVlIF.

yet may not many Souldiers do it ? How much then do our Adverfa-ries trifle, while they feek to engage one fingle Combatant as no good Witnefs of afTurance ? but they dare not kx& our Army in the face: Eeb.n.i.. Behold, we are comparted about with-a Cloud of Witneffes *, Jet them di.fpel this Cloud if they can. Although no man can be made fure of the time of the day by a Dial that hath no Figures upon it h and although a blind man cannot know the hour when there are Figures upon the Dial > and although one that hath good eyes, and feeth the Figures yet cannot know the time if the Sun fhines not: yet from hence it doth not follow, but that if there be a concurrence of Lines and Figures, of Sight and Sun-Jhine together, and the Dial be made, and placed by in* fallible Rules of Art, it will then certainly evidence the time of the day. Jn like manner the Graces of God's Spirit imprinted on the heart the eye of Conference open in examination and obfervation, and the light of the Spirit as the Sun-{hine, thefe three concurring together, and all of them agreeing with the Word, which is the ftanding Rule of judgment , by which all the other are regulated and ordered > I (ay, from hence arifeth a demonjhative, undoubted, and infallible certainty \ and this concurrence being poffible, 'tis therefore poffible for a Believer to attain to an aflured knowledge that he is effectually called. -z.mdal fro- \ proceed to the proof of the fecond fpecial Propofition, That'tis *t lofTbUfor poffllefor a Believer who is fure of his effectual vocation in time, to be of. cm that is af- fared alfo of his eleUion in eternity. I (hall need to be but brief in the fared of Us cat- proof of this , having already in part.proved that there is fuch a thing as lingjo be tfort*■ fp ec j a i anc j discriminating Grace, whereby one call of God proves effect h!s]temal ® ml -> anotner mU Now our Adverfaries themfelves gra nt, that if God iUttions proved doth exercife a difcriminating Grace in fpecial effectual vocation, 'tis ne-from the nature ceffary that he (hould eternally decree to exercife that fiecial Grace upon of election, and thofe perfons from eternity. The proof of this Propofition will depend %Z]rT u P°n thefe two Arguments.

'hath thereon, If an effectual call doth depend upon God s eternal election, as upon

Arg.i. An cf~ its necejfary caufe, then he that knows that he is effectually called, may

fefitual call dt- know he was eternally eleUed \ (no man of reafon will deny this Confe-

Kll UeStonZ] Q Hence -> anc * therefore I need not prove it.) But an effe&uall call doth

upon its nccef- depend upon God's eternal election, as upon its necejfary caufe > and

.fary principal therefore he that knows the one, may alfo know the other : this I fhall

caufe* p rove f rom f ome pj aln anc j ex p re fs Texts of Scripture > fee Ephef i, in

the beginning of which Chapter you have the nature of election opened

in all its caufes and properties, (which I muft not particularly name) in

brief you may obferve that according to the Apoftle's defcription t\\Qxc-

o£ y eletlion is that decree of God, whereby out of the meer good pleafure of

his own will, he did eternally chufe fome certain individual perfons out of

the Gorritpmnafs of mankind, unto the infallible attainment of Grace here,

iind Glory hereafter. Now if this be the nature of election, viz. that

Cxace (or an effectual jcall.) was thereby eternally decreed to be conferred

and

Serm.XVIU. may know that he was eternally elected. £49.

and bellowed i it will then neccffarily follow, that Grace, or an ei! dual call, doth defend upon election as its caufe : which is plainly exported, Verf.4. where Holinefs and blamelejjnefs (which are infupe-rable properties of an effectual call) are fa id to be the effects of God s eletlion and choice. 'Tis a very good note of 'Thomas Aquinas^ T. A. Sutn.K who obferves that love and choice in God doth very much differ par-Qj^s-from love and choice in men: for love in men (faith he) doth not caufe lovelinefs in the beloved, bat men ririt difcern a lovelinefs, and this caufcs a love and choice \ whereas God rirft cxercifed a free love in his eternal election , predestinating the way and means of farther manifftation of his love, and then in time he effetts his own purpofe, making the objects of his love to become lovely, by his renewing his own image upon them in an effectual call. Agreeable hereunto is that exprelTion of the Conn- * alcs n ^ a ^' ac cil of Orange, God loved us not as we are by our defert y but as he defigied F *"*V ^ U C S S to make us by his gift. He that would rightly underftand the relation jpf, us dono vocation in time, hath unto election in eternity , and he that would non quales fu-know the dependance which that effect hath upon this caufe, mult rirft nuis . no £ ro coniider, that although all the decrees of God are in themfelves-but one j£ C Q^ n .?".." ilmple act of God's will j yet as to humane apprehenfion many men have conceived that there are three dijiintl alls of the Divine Will comprehended in his decree cf eletlion. 1. *&**•&, a choice, or a feparating and tingling out of fome individual perfons to be the objects of his love. 2. Fe?'3s»K, apurpofe, or an intention and defign of beftowjng faving Grace in effectual calling of thofe chofen ones. 3. ?&'<>&* h-'^ a Pre-defiination , or a pre-determination of bringing thofe called and gracious perfons unto Glory. I (hall not here meddle with the Controverfie which is agitated about the priority or precedency of thefe two kit acts of the Divine Willi only you mult coniider, that asthe^c/veof God, whereby he purpofed to beftow both Grace and Glory, was truly in k felf but one eternal ad of his Will, (and fo there could be no priority of time amongft them) fo we ought not in our Conceptions to diftinguifti C between Glory and Grace , as if one were defigned as the end , and the **£**i G other as the means , (which is too common a miltake:) for in truth, p^tton'N Grace and Glory differ only as lejfer and greater meafures of the fame Gov. thing i and therefore we fay, that God's abfo lute and inconditionate purpofe effectually to call fome perfons,* and to give them Grace, palling by others, doth declare the whole nature of"God's decree of election, in as much as the fiUViion of the objects of God v s love , and alfo the nature both of the aVi and end of his love, are all comprehended in that one pur- -pofe of effectual calling, which the Sal marten Divines do (lie w more Thef.Salm.de fully in their explication of eletlion: all which being duly coniidered, do elcft, Lib»u abundantly manifeft that vocation in time 3 was a molt 3fTured effect of Lcc -*?-3°-eletlion in eternity, according to that oiKom. 8.23. where almoft in exprefs words our calling is faid to be the effect of Cud's puzpoft * and agreeable alfo is that of 2 thejf. 2.13,14. where fanctificathn and faith

wrought in an effectual call, is declared to be the fruit of being chofen from the beghtm&g: We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, Brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe God hath chofen you from the be-ginning to fxlvatim, through fantlifcation and belief of the truth where-unto he called you by our Gefpel, to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jefus Cbriir. * Obicrve here 3 firft, that God hath deligned to beftow Grace and Glory on fome men : Secondly, that God actually accom-pliiheth his defign by effectual calling of thefe perfons j i.e. by working of faith , or a belief of the truth, and of fanclirication in them : Thirdly, that the original and primitive ground or caufe of an eiTeclual call, is God's eternal eleclion and choice of them. Therefore doth the Spirit bring the Elect into the ftateof Sons, becaufe God hath prede-itinatcd them to the adoption of Sons. The Spirit is the immediate caufe of Regeneration ■» but that the Spirit works other wife in one per-(on than it doth in another, is the effecl of eternal election; And there is always fo certain a dependance which an effectual call hath upon eleclion, as that they are* fometimes put for one and the fame thing, Rom. p. n.

Secondly, We prove that all thofe that know they are effeclually 2 jig.■ Vocation called, may know that they were eternally elected, becaufe effectual "itlli'L 'as'lts ca ^* n fe depends upon God's eternal election as its rule or me a fur e\ that rait 'or miafurt. i% effectual calling (as to the perfons called) is commenfurate with the objtdhe matter of God's eternal eleclion : my meaning is this, that all thofe, and only thofe perfons that were eternally elected , fhall be effectually caled\ and therefore whoever tyiows that he is effectually called, may knew he was eternally elected. The very effence of an effectual call conliits, as 1 have fnewn, in the Spirit's working of faving faith m to fe whom it doth calh but the Spirit works faving faith in all the elect*, Kcd &fc&i'ieu t- and only in them , this is plainly manifell: in A&s 13.48. As many as 001 *** 7^ r ^r were ordained to eternal life believed j fo many^ and no more, as were «,c!y. £; ordained, or fore-determined: if the word be tranilated fire-dijpofed,

(as fome would have it) it mult be meant of God's difpoiing, not of man J s difpoiing himfelf. Some men talk much of a tempus congruum, a rit feafon for Converfion > but the Decree of God depends not upon our predijpofition, but upon God's eleclion, as appears in the inftance of 2jukJ^£bXoJm, Saint Paul, who being a chofen veffel, was converted when he was in %T 0 f A cJ \ e ' the heighth of his persecution. The working of faith depends fo much upon God's eleclion, as that faving faith bears the name of the faith of God's eletl, Tit. r. 1. it being proper only to them. Moreover, it appears that only thofe that are elected (hall be effectually called, becaufe

***** c*»* only the eleel lhall be faved : it is exprefly faid, That all thofe who is

Roman Sena J . r ■" ' . ■ J J

to** called Pa- n^mes are not written in the booi^ of tije, Jhali he ca\t into the lake that tres eonferipti burns with fire and brimfione, Rev. 20. ult. It was the cuftom of old to write down the names of perfons defigned to places of Honour in Books or Regijlersi hence the Spirit of God compares God's eleSion of per

fons

fons to Grace and Glory, to that known cuftom : in allufion unto which alio Sc. Paul faith that the names olEuodius, and Syntiche, and Clement, Phil 4.3. were written in the bool^of life ^ and Chrift bids his Difciples rejoice that Luk.io.to. their names were written in Heaven » u e, that they were elect: on the contrary, the non-elect are faid not to have their names written in the LamFs book^of life, in Rev. 13. 8. and Rev. 17. 8. and the doom of all inch is to be cait into the lake of rire, for thefe (lull never be called effectually here, or faved eternally hereafter.

I know Socinus and Crellius , and fome others, by the bool^ of fife, do undcrftand the Scripture, wherein God hath declared that all peni- Ep'frop. tent believers (hall be faved, and all impenitent and unbelievers ihall be Yofftius,fcc. damned i and confequently (fay they) all believers have their names written there j but unbelievers have not their names written,in as much as they come not under the Qualifications written in the Word. But to this I anfwer : i.That by the Book of life muit be meant God's eternal decree, not any declaration made by him in time : for the non-elect are defcribed, Jude 4. to be men, iru.\tu~ir&w&i*tW<* tfe ™™ ** *eW, of old ordained, or eternally decreed, to this condemnation, as Bifnop Dav. ^fl ***** ,J^l obferves: and on the other hand, the eleM are faid to be faved, and called <Pb%uaJv.n& with an holy calling, not according to works, but according to his purpofe X&^ «*"»"» and grace which was given in Chrifi Jefis before the world began. 2. A- Humerus clc-gain, in the Book of Life, there was an abfolute election of perfons re- ftommeftDeo corded, and not a conditional Declaration of qualities declared : for by ccrrus •, non names ( in all the fore-quoted places ) are underftood perfons, as ap- ^"^Ved utf" pears by many other Texts of Scripture, as Numb. 1.2. by taking the eietfus Scp;a> number of names, is meant the number of perfons, every male by pole: definitus. So All, 1. 15. the number of names, that is, perfons, were about an bun- Sse ^> Aq.par. dred and twenty : and Sardis had a few names, that is, a few perfons -ru}'f}t * d'e~ that were upright, Rev. 3.4. In vain therefore do either Papifts or So- terminate nm~ cinians feek to divide thofe things that God hath conjoined, viz. eter- btr as deft, nal election, and effectual vocation j which'havethat relation one to 7 °°° ™ hnh another, as that he that knows one, knows both : for if vocation de- t oBaaliK'nz pends oft election as its necefTary caufe, and as its adequate rule and 19.18/144000 meafure, I hope I (hall not need to prove the confequence, (Ince all men /w/^Rev.7.4. grant that thofe things that are commenfurate, and of equal extent, do necelTarily make each other known.

He therefore that would make his election fare, may do it by making his calling fare h and that is the order he mull proceed in : for although God at firft chufes, and then calls '■> yet we mud firjl know our calling, and then our election : God defends from love to choice, from chufng to calling, or to infufing of the principles of faving Grace, then to fanBifying, or adding of greater meafure of Grace \ but in the trial of Rom.8 2?, ourftate, and in our evidencing of our interejl Jri QoA s rove, we muff afcend from fantlifuation to vocation\ and from vocation to eledion : Election is as the Spring-head of all confequent acts of Divine love '■> he

I i ii 2 that

that would find the fountain, muft begin at the ftream, and fo trace it

upward to its fir ft fourfe: Election is (as the root ox feed) hidden, and

unknown in it felf > he that would k&ow the nature of a Tree, let him

not uncover the root, but let him obferve the fruits, for by- them it may.

I iter GratUni bed be known. Weak eyes may better behold the beams of the light

porcnnioc 3 " re ^ £c ^ re ^? tnan by looking on the body of the Sun, which many having

umum inre- prefumed to do , have loft their fight wholly : and fo it comes to pafs,

reft,quod pra> when men fearch directly into the decree of election, without considering*

cMlinario eft t h at [ t j s better and more eaiily manifefted by an effectual call. It is not

K'u'ot ©ratfa ^ aw ^ ul * or anv man t0 1°°^ * nt0 tn * s Ar K-> or t0 attempt to read the verb eft ipfa Law of God s eternal, purpofes, as they are there locked up in his de-fionar.o, Aug. creesi 'tis fumcient that we may fee the tranfeript of them written on de piitd. cap. our own ncar t ; Secret things belong to God, but revealed things to us Dent ti 21 and our Children. No man mult enter into the Council Chamber, that he may know the will of his Prince \ but mud wait for its difcovery in the published Proclamation. Mordecai underftood little of the King's Efthe.r 6.10. love to him,' when Ahafuerus confulted what fhould be done to the perjon whom the King delighted to honour -•> but he well knew that he was a favourite when he faw himfelf cloathed in Royal Robes, and beheld the King's Signet upon his hand: fo when a Believer finds himfelf cloathed Rev. 19.8,14. with the white linen of the Saints, and hath once received the Seal of " l ' 1Zi God's Spirit, he may fafely conclude that God from eternity decreed to honour him here, and glorifie him hereafter.

Let me therefore for a clofe of this fecond Proportion, give all Belie-vers the fame counfel that Elihu gave to Job, and Job's friends, Defire Job 3<.2o. not t j oe njght^ (j, e , p r y not into the dark fecrets of God's decrees) but remember thou magnifie God's workj which thy eyes do behold; i, e. the fruits and confequences of thofe decrees appearing in an effectual call 1 'Tis boldnefs to break ope the Seal of a Decree, till thou halt read thy Name wrote in the Superfcription \ Election is Love under a Seal of fe-crefte, but an effectual call opens this moft fully, and evidently makes known the purpofe of God from eternity,

third facial The third fpecial Propofition, which remains to be proved, is thi?^ Troplfrthn. 'that all true Believers that do ajfuredly h*iow they are called, and were defied, may alfo kjtow they fhall per fever e unto glory. Many have been the Difputes concerning the poflibility of a Believers falling from Graces but moft of the Arguments that are ufed with defign to prove the pojji-bility thereof, will fall to the ground if the Queftion be rightly Hated,. To which purpofe I lhall in the firft place lay down fome premifes, and which may obviate the Arguments and Objections of our Adverfaries V and then give you our Arguments to prove the Propofition. When we fay then that fome Believers may affuredly know that they fhall perfe-vtre, and that they-(hall, not fall from Grace, we dopremife, that,

Fiihv

Firft, We do diftinguifh between Grace actively taken for God's fa- ' ?ri*rft vourto us, (Gratia gratis dans, as the Schools call it) and (Gratia **&'**?&*' gratis data) Grace paillvely taken , Grace wrought inns, f which is {ibut ca^a the effect of the former 0 for it is not from the nature of Grace paf effeftus vcl freely taken, or from Grace inherent in Believers , that they do perfi- ,ux in So!e& vere, and not fall away ; but it is from the nature of that Grace fadtive- J^Bn iv-M Jy taken) that dwells in God's bofom i this is the ground that Believers decaufa Dei perfevcre to Glory, as 'tis clearly exprelTcd by Chrift himfelf, Job. 15.1. lib.*, cap.13! tie having loved^his own which were in the world, he loved them to tLr end.

Concerning this atlive Grace of God, we do diftinguifh between the i VnmjL exercife of it, and the manifejlation of that exercife : We deny not but God may feem to be angry j but yet we fay he never cafts off his people, or forgets to be gracious. The Sun may be muffled for a time in a Cloud, yet fome heat will be communicated during the time it is hid, Ncbuchacincz-and in due time the beams of light will break through, and difperfe the zar ln ^ P°fl c J r " Cloud alfo. Chrift may ftand behind the Wall, yet then he will fhea> f^olm himfelf through the Lattice, and in time the W T all of Separation alfo (hall Canc.2. be broken down. God may correct his Children , but will not disinherit them.

Concerning Grace in us, (pailively taken) we do diftinguifh between 3 Prtmife. atts and habits of Grace. No man did ever fay, that a truly regenerate perfon cannot omit the performance of iome ails of Grace which formerly he performed, and is ftilI bound to perform : but this we fay, Actio ptrver-that the habits of Grace are never loft, or wholly eradicated h and we " cu r fides dg»* fay that thofe adtsof Grace which were interrupted, do abide in their fT^—^' principle, and will again exert themfelves when opportunity is afford- GratTa &4fl ed : 'tis one thing to fall in the way, another thing to deviate from the way: 'tis one thing, femel recedere a pietatis tramite, to take a ftcp awry from the path of. holinefs, another thing, femper difeeder e a pietatis via, to forfake the ways of God wholly > a Believer may be guilty of thefirft, not the fecond.

Again, we diftinguifh between a {hew of Grace, and true Grace : 4 F'rtwfa there are feveral inftances- in the W r ord of God of perfons falling from a Jhew of Grace, Demas, Judas, Saul, Hymeneus, fell from hypocrite-irtto open propkanenefs and impiety : but no fincere perfonever fell from ; true Grace. Paint may be foon wafht off, when a healthful, beautiful Chariws q-complexion will abide; aBriftol-ihne is foon broken, but a true Diamond ( l e P eidltu -' r will abide the fmarteft ftroke. Many ProfelTors have fuffered^/>™c/» "er'a 1 cSrila'' I as to faith, and others have loft their firft love > but 'tis fuch faith as had Anfel.de Con-no root, like that of the ftony-ground, and fuch love as had no principle^ cor - prafcien* • 'twas only a pafllon and tranfport,.. and fuch hot love may be foon cold, & P r ~ dd \ Common pre is foon e xtintl , bututhe /rr^of the Sanctuary never went •'Rev?.?/'' 4 >ff M.1T.13U?.

• k

#54 The certainty of the Saints per/ever trice. Serm.XVM,

-$ Vrmij. As for thofe Texts that Bellarmine urges , that the Jufi do fall f even

times a day, Frov. 24. \6. and that in many things we offend all, Jam.3.2. the very words themfelves carry a full anfwer to his Objections : for if

Vide Aug. de the jufi fall feven times a day, 'tis fuppofed he rifes as often '-> and if in

cor. & Grac. man y things we offend all, then 'tis in fome but an offence or a ftumble not a final falling : there is difference between foils and falls, and there is difference between falling into fin, and lying in fin\ there is difference between receflton from Grace, and excifion of Grace i the firfi is poilible to happen for a time to a Believer, but God will neve%frffer the fecond to come upon him: for although a Believer may fall, yet he falls only as Cork^ fallsinto the water, which may for a time be immerfed, but it will rife again, and get aloft '•> but an Hypocrite falls as Lead into the water which links and rifes no more. Having premifed thefe things, I proceed to the Arguments, which evince the perfeverance of all that are effe&ually called unto Glory.

1 Arg, From Firft Argument is from the immutability and unchangeablenefs of

fil^Tccts' God ' s ?Hr P°f es and Decreef - l have already proved that God did from Puree. before the foundation of the World decree to make fome particular per-

fons the objects of his love, and that thefe perfons were fore-ordained of God to be effectually called in time, and to be glorified in eternity : Now the gifts and calling 0} God are (faith the Apoftle) without re feu* ■Horn, u.29. ta nce, «y.i-&[Ax*T*, fuch as God never can or will repent of. There is a necefTary connexion between every Decree of God, and its full execution and performance : all the powers of He'll are not able to breaks by force , nor all the fubtilty of the Jefuites of Rome able to diflblve or untie by skjll,thzt ftrong and necefTary connexion of all thofe linkj of that Golden Chain that is drawn forth in that fore-quoted Rom. 8. 2^,30. Foreknowledge, or Election, Vocation, Juftification and Glorification, are infeparably conjoined •> fo that whoever hath hold of one of them, hath hold of all •, and he that kpowetb one, kjioweth all. The Apoftle in Rom. 9. 11. doth fully afTert that God did exercife Sovereign difcriminating Grace in his eternal Decree of Ele&ion j and withal he declares the immutability and unchangeablenefs of that Decree: mark his words: The Children (faith he) not being yet born, neither having done good or evil that the purpoje of God might jiand, not of him that work/, but of him that calleth, it is faid, The elder Jhall ferve the younger, &c. God's purpofe muft ftand, ^, mult remain fteadfafr, zsBeza, or confirmed, as Callalio tranilates it: The Decrees of God are compared to Mountains ofBrafs, Zech.6.1. unremoveable, becaufe fituate in the eternal Will. Conilder the expreilion ufed by Samuel, 1 Sam. 15/ip. The Strength of Ifrael will not lye nor repent, for he is not as man that he jhould repent. God is ilrength it felf, and able to prefcrve all his Decrees made in eternity : the word H2J tranilated Ilrength, may alfo be translated eternity or vidfory ■•> intimating the victorious power that accompanies eternal Decrees. See Aug. Confeff. Lib, 1. Cap. 6. God loves

with

with an everlafting love, ^r. 31.3. and he works with an invincible power, Jf*i. 14. 27.

Secondly , I argue from that fpccial knowledge that God hath of all 1 Arg. Gttfs thofe that he hath built favingly upon the right foundation , the Lord knowledge 9/ Jefus Chriit. God is no foolifh Builder , to lay the Foundation, and lhc tU j ll i rn not carry on the Superftrudture > and this is the Apoitle's own Argu- gr "> l "'

vera/tce.

merit, for the perfeverance of Saints, in 2 Tim. 2. 15?. where the Apo-file having obfer^^the Apoitacy of fome non-ekdt perfons, adds, Ne-verthelefs the fiMmtion of God jiands fure, having this feal, The Lord kjtowetb who are his. Amonglt many other ufes of a Seal, this is one, that it gives ground ofajfurance : Now the Apotfle therefore ufeth that expreflion of God's knowing of his, that from the coniideration there- * Cor. 3. ik of, Believers might have greater confidence, that they being God's Husbandry , and God's Building, God will never futfer them to be removed, and that becaufe he kpowrs them i which phrafe iigniHes thefe fix things.

1. That God did fore-know them , fo the word is ufed, ^#.1 5.18. For God to Known unto God are all his ways from the beginning of the worlds i, e. ^?'' fa 1 "*** God did from eternity fore-know and decree whatever fhould in time l' :l0 rv a&' income topafs: now this isa ground of the Saints perfeverance, viz. That 18,

God did fore-know the eledr, or decree that all thofe that he (hould effectually call, fhould bejuftified, fanUifred, and perfevere unto Glory, as I have already (hewn from.Row. 8.

2. To know, fometime fignifies to own in a peculiar manner, fo A- i Vtculiarly to #20/3.2. God (peaking to his people Ifrael, faith, That he kyewtlxem oven,Amoi$z+ above all the families on earth. God knew Egypt, and Babylon, and i«vn Moab, and Edom, but he did not know them to be his peculiar people &cix.*6.tqi above others a but fo he did know Ifrael. Thus thole that God hath

elected, and effectually called, God knows them as his fegullah, his peculiar people, and this is a Seal that they (hall perfevere.

3. To know in Scripture, fometimes iigniries for God to approve of, 3. w-affMft and to delight in, Ffal. 1. 6. The Lord knows the way of the righteous : of, and deb God knows the way of wicked men, but fo as to cttrfe it,it mail perifh; but ni) . ■ v " God knows the way of thceletl, and of thofe that are erfeclually called, fo as to approve of it, and delight in it j and this is a Seal, alluring them that they (hall not perijh, but perfevere in their way to Glory.

• 4. To know , is to overfee and take care of, as a Shepherd knows his 4- r '^ Sheep, Jo Joh. 10. 27. My Sheep hear my voice, and I k>iow them, that *£ -r^; is, I take care of them: Chrift is fuch a Shepherd as he himfelf de-feribes, that if he hath a hundred Sheep, and one of them go afiray, he "Luke 15. 4^5. leaves the ninety and nine, and goes after the loft Sheep till he find it And this is alio a ground of a true Believers perfeverance, that if through non-attendance, or inanimadverfwn, or through the violent perfecutrm of roaring Lions or Wolves they dray from the Fold, vec Chrift reduces them again,

-. To

-.$. To deliver 5. To know, is to deliver from, or at lead: to fupport and fuccour in from, or to (uc- afllidtions , trials and temptations, Pfal/37. 7, I will be glad (faith itrtrTals If$£ David) a?«/ rejo/c? in thy mercy, for thou baft considered my foul in trou-itions and urn- ble, and baft \nown my foul in adverfity : that is, God did both fupport pmiqns, him in afHidion, and deliver him from it in his own time. 'Tis an af-

Pfal.$7.7. furing Seal of the perfeverance of Believers, that God will not fuffer 1 cor.10.13. t j jemtQ fo e tempted above wbatthey are able: or elfe witb tbe temptation

will make a way to efcape, that they may bear it. ^^^ t.ro peach and Laftly, for God to know fometime, is as muchlRbr God to teach infiruft, to en- anc { enlighten \ fo the Apoftle ufes the phrafe. Gal. 4. p. How is it, that lighten and m~ a j\ eT y 0il have been \nownof God, ye turn again to weak^and beggerly ele-\ ' ' 4 ' 9 ' ments ? The Galatians had been taught of God, but feducing Teachers would have brought them to join Jewifh Ceremonies with Gofpel-Wor-- u . m *P » now tne Apoftle wonders at the very thought of fuch a thing;, up-impnffiHe to de- on tnis ver Y account, viz. becauie they were kpown ot God, i.e. favmgly ceivt the cleft, enlightened by him. 3 Tisa moft affuring Seal of perfeverance, to have Match. 14.24. been rightly enlightened by the Spirit of God, which is here called, a being known of him: fo that you now fee the Saints perfeverance grounded, as in the firft place upon God's election, fo fecondly upon his knowing of Believers in a fpecial manner. 3 Arg. Terfe- The third Ground of a true Believer's perfeverance, is from the na-vcrance ground- ture of God's Covenant. Perfeverance is one Article of the New Cove-ed upon the ve- nant mat Qod hath made with the eled, the terms of which are thefe : covenant*. * * will, faith God, makg an everlafting Covenant with them, I will not Jer.^r 40. turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, The mercies of an ^ *^ & a ^ not depart away from me. God hath absolutely engaged God's covenant that eledt Believers lhall not depart from him, that is, not iinally, be-artboth 1*00-1* caufe in an erTe&ual call he will put his fear into their hearts * they may T d ^ T?' wan der, but not depart ^ they may in fome ads deviate, but they (hall J:lncl'kons[ y fo not he hackiliders in heart ; and the reafon is, becaufe though there may Sepr.' tr&n(l&te be a tendency in them to turn away from God, yet God (lands engaged Ifai. 5 5.3. not to turn away from them : hence that expreilion of God to the Pro--r er phet, They fay, if a man put away his wife, and fhe go from him, (hall

he return to her again ? fhall not that hand be greatly polluted ? but thole haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, faith the Lord. God .faith con- God will not permit that to be done by men , which he may do himfelf cemhi his po- m tn [ s ca f e ^ anc | t h e rea fon is , becaufe God can purge an adulterous [lid tfifrMls heart, wn i cn lt is not in the power of man to do : rather than the Mar-1 have Iten his riage-Covenant between (Thrift and a Believer lhall be diffolved, God fins, jxnd I will will put forth his mighty power, to make and keep the hearts of Believers heal them, Ifai. faithful a nd loyal to him. What a clear and full promife of perfeverance foil! 10 i7. 1S that al-fo revealed by Chrift, in Job. 10. 27. My jheep hear my voice, I }{now them , and they follow me '-> 1 will give to them eternal life, they fhall never perifh, neither fhall any manpluckjhsm out of my hand ? Both the Father and Son fiand engaged by promife to preferve eled Believers

unto

unto life Another exprefs promife of perfevcrance we find in 1 Cor. 1.8,<?. Hejhall confirm you to the end,tbat ye may be blamelefs in the day of our Lord Jefus : God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jefus Chrifl our Lord. All thofe that are called have the promife of a molt faithful God to preferve them blamelefs, even to the day of the Lord, and therefore they (hall pcrfeverc.

A fourth Ground of their perfeverance is the (lability of the Cove- ^Ar^Vmm the nant of Redemption, or the certain performance of every promife made nature oftfa mutually betwe^B the Father and the Son, between the Lord of Ihjis and Coyendnt of the Branch, when the Council of peace was betwixt them both, mentioned fl dem W°» »' in Zach. 6.12,13. When the Father and the Son agreed about the Re- m \r ts mi de be* demption of fain man , there were many Articles of this Covenant and tv>i&±thi Fa-Council of peace mutually confented unto, fomeoi them relating to the tber an ~ l ' ;c wo)\oi Redemption it felf, others relating to the reward of the Redeemer, on ' as you may read in Ifai. 53. Now this was one promife which the Father made unto the Redeemer, viz. That he (hould not die in vain, but that he jhould fee of the travail of his foul, and foould be fatUfed, Verf. 10. Now (hould true Believers finally fall, Chrifl Jefus (hould not attain that fatisfaViion which is here promifed. The Mother is not fatisried with an abortive birth ■•> nor would the Hebrew women have been fatted if their children had been murthered as foon as born i neither can Chriit be willing that thofe for whom his foul was in agony (hould finally perijh ; The end of ChriiFs differ ings was not only to bring forth fins unto God, but alfo to bring thofe fons unto Glory': Now (hould Chriit fall fhort in this latter work', firft, he could not (according to the Author to the Hebrews) be a perfect Captain of Salvation : For it did become him for whom all things, and by whom allthings are, in brino\~ ing many fons unto glory, to ma\e the Captain of Salvation perfeti through fujferings, Heb. 2.10. Secondly, Chrifl: could not be able in the day of Judgment to fay as it follows, Verf. 13. Behold, I and the children •which Cod hath given me. But Chrifl: is a perfeel: Saviour, and will at that great day fay to God as he doth in John 17. <5, 12. Thine they were, and thou gaveji them me, and they have kept thy word: I have h^pt them, and none of them is lofi but the fin of perdition. In which words there is not only intimated a Covenant , and an Agreement between the Father and the Son about the Redemption of the eleel, but there is alfo exprejfed in them the faithful discharge of the mutual agreejnent on both iides •, fo that not one of thofe that were God's by election , and intrufred in Chrift's hand by donation 5 (hall be loll: fjidas was cherefore a fon of perdition, becaufe given only externally, and not eternally into Chrifl:"s hand.

us, that the Father did bear him always : fo that if I prove that Chrift bath prayed for the perfeverance of Believers, I (hall thereby prove their s?e Amefii certain perfeverance. I befeech you therefore contider a few Verfes of Coron.Coiloq. the 17 Chapter of John, and you will rind that in Verfe £. Chrift ex-*f" prefly tells us, that He did pray for all the elect, and for them only y'

and Veife 11. he tells us, that perfeverance was the very matter of the petition which he put up, Holy Father, keep them through thy Name j and Verfe 15. he explains how he would have them kept, namely, from the evil^ or from all evil: And left any one fhould fay*hat this prayer was made only for fame few that were then called, Chrift adds, Verf 20. that he prayed for all that fhould believe, or be effectually called at any time after •, and as perfeverance was fundamentally petitioned for, fo Chrift (upon that Foundation) doth carry his petitions higher, for Verfe 21. he prays for them that they might attain a higher degree of union with himfelf\ and Verfe 22. that they might attain a Ukenefs of glory with himfelf^ and Verfe 23. that they might attain to be loved, as he himfelf rvas loved of the Father. Now if all thefe petitions which Chrift made for all the eledt (hall be infallibly granted, (as 1 have proved they fhall from ChriiTs own*words) then it doth necejjarily follow that all the eledt fhall perfevere unto glory. And yet I [hall add one thing more for a farther Confirmation of this Argument, viz. That as the perfeverance of Believers is fecured by the prayer which Chrift made for them when he was on Earth , fo they are yet more fecured by the intercejjioa 'Ei; to ™o<n\k. that Chrift makes for them now in Heaven, The Author to the He-

uttermofi all all true Belie-fidem,fed pec- vers fhould not perfevere to glory) by this ftrong Aigument, Becaufe he cavic centra ever lives to make intercejjion for them: as he prayed on Earth, fo he prays ejus confefT.cv j n \ r io aven ^ anc | w {\\ ever n ve to pra.y for them. I conclude this Argu-Lap in Exod. nierit tn us : If Chrift's prayer were effectual to keep Peter from final falling, and to raife him up when he had fallen foully ; if it kept the habit of his faith from failing, when it failed in the act •, upon the fame account the faith of every Believer is certainly fecured (as to its principle) by the prayer which Chrift did make for him on Earth, and now makes for him in Heaven.

My la ft Argument for the Saints perfeverance fhall be taken from the

confrant inhabitation, arid powerful inoperation of the Spirit of God in

and upon the hearts of true Believers: Believers are the Temples of the.

Holy Choft, and God lives in them, and walkj in them. The Spirit in-

fufes Grace, and he 3.K0 atluates Grace in them, and this preferves and

k^eps them from falling. Not the Grace wrought, but the Spirit workjng

Grace, doth* preferve Grace. Every prudent perfon will fecure the

place of Habitation 5 the Spirit of God dwelling in Believers, &c. doth

fuper-intend their minds by a conftant i:;jf'eclion ovex them: Chrift af-

]oh.!4.)<5,i7. fures BelieverSj That be would pray the Father, and he fhould give them

another

t.i; to iri&Khse. mar. ^nrui manes ror tnem now in sneaven. 1 ne Autnc ch% ne ^ ans brews doth molt fully prove that Chrift is able to five to tht non perdidit that come to God by him, (which h£ihquld nibt be, if a

P

6. from tht in-habitation and inoperation of the Spirit. J Cor.3.1 6. z Cor. 6. : 6.

another Comforter that Ihould abide with them , viz. even the Spirit of

truth that jhould dwell in them. If the Spirit of God abides and dwells

in Believers for ever, then they cannot finally fall: The work of the

Spirit in Believers is an abiding rvork^, or an abiding anointing i it Set Gregorys

abides in them , and it caufes them to abide in God. In the great work rfe . Va!v> in

of Regeneration, the Spirit doth infufe radicated and fixed habits of pr ^ an \„

^ o ' r ... . i 1 j cuQdx Aq. q.

Grace, and it w T orks iuch a principle as continues and abides for ever: ^, Hence it is called an incorruptible feed , 1 Pet. 1. 23. and a remaining feed, 1 John 3. p. Moreover, the Spirit of God is faid to cftabliih Believers unto 5aVation , in as much as it is given as a feal , and earned thereof into our hearts, according to 2 Cor. 1. 22, 23. Now he that efta- 'o Cv&yndp* blifceth us with you. and hath anointed us. is God. who hath fealed us, *''■ and given us of his Spirit in our hearts. Obferve here, rirlt, that all a*«t§- w -»7< true Believers are confirmed and eftablifhed , and therefore they (hall ****"*" perfevere: fecondly, that the way of God's eftablithing them is by God's pouring upon them a holyUhdtion,or the anointing of his Spirit: thirdly, that this anointing gives fecurity in the nature of a Seal, and an earneft j ,.,. ... „ a Seal both obliges the Infurer, and alfo manifefts the AfTurance 5 an p/^ pr 2 tii earneft doth fo much alfo, and more, for it implies alfo fomething gi- perfol.«ra Be-ven in prefent pofTcilion: GocMfcorking true Grace by his Spirit, fecures za in l°c us of Heaven as he fecured Ifraelof Canaan, by giving them Efcol, fome Clufters of Canaan's Vineyards in the. wildernefs, which was a kind of Livery and Seizon, as when polTelTion of an Eftate is given by a Twig or Rod. God's giving of his Spirit is called his giving of the firft- A ^^if" fruits, Rom. 8. 23. thereby indicating our allured full Harvelt, where-of this is an actual part: all thofe mult needs be allured of Glory, who have a poiTellion of Grace j and this feems to be the Argument of the very Text, viz. If ye do thefe things ye lhall never fall > why ? becaufe hereby an entrance jhall be adminifired to youinto the Fverlajiing King- 2 Pet 1, dom. PoiTellion is the belt afTurance , 'tis eleven Points > now by the Spirits indwelling in Believers , they have a kind of prepolleiiiou of

It remains now only that I fpeak to the fecond general Proportion 'rha Believers included in the Text, Ihat it is the duty of every Believer to give all dili- duty to giv. gence to make his calling, eleVuon and perfeverance fure. This Propofi- Hgence to ma'^e tion being of the nature of an Inference draw T n from the former Pro- ¥* ca Ui n £>&C' polition, and being alfo rather matter of practice than of controverlie,' I lhall but briefly, and by way of Application fpeak unto it: yet here alfo the great Goliatiot the Phililtines Itands in our way i for when Bel-larmine is no more able to maintain the impollibility of attaining affu- Nemo tenerur ranee, he then retreats to thisfecond redoubt, and tells us, that no man f^ " ab ^ H J Jam is bound to gain this alTurance, although perchance he might poflibly dfiicm^tiamfi attain to it if he would labour after it. I mult with as few words as forte poflit may be drive him out of this hold, and we lhall draw towards a con- hab«e,Bel. cluiion. I lhall therefore prove, that it is a T.. rs duty to give dili- r^L • % *

K k k k 2 ge;:ce

gence to make his calling, election and perseverance fare, from a double neceility incumbent upon him. NeccfFnate I. 'Tis a Believers duty from the neceffity of the command: there

pracepti. can fo e no plainer or more exprefs command than the words in theTexti Heb.6.11. and a parallel place with the Text is that of the Author to the Hebrews. We deiire (i. e. in God's Name we require) that every one of you do ' fhew the fame diligence to the full affurance of hope unto the end. Brethren, I might have ufed it as a ftrong Argument for the poilibility of attaining alTurance, becaufe God hath fo ftridrly enjoined us to erTecl: it: for nemo tenetur ad impiffibile, that no man is bound to impoflibili-ties, is a true Rule, taking it of natural impoflibility. Now there is nothing more clear than that we are bound to endeavour after alTurance, by virtue of God's precept, which is fo full as that many other duties are therefore enjoined becaufe they are necefTary means for our attaining alTurance. Thus we are commanded, i. To fearch the Scriptures h 2 Com 3.$, 2 . To fearch and try our ways ■•> 3. To fearch and examine our hearts. The end of all this fearching of the Word as the Rule, and of our hearts and lives, as the things to be regulated by the Word, is but that we might come to an affured knowledge of the agreement or difagreement that is between them. dfc

2. Many duties are enjoined Believers, becaufe 'tis fuppofed diligence hath been given, aid affurance thereby attained. Such as thefe, a Believer is commanded, 1. To come with boldnefs and humble confidence to the Throne of Grace. 2. To rejoice in the Lord always. 3. To give God glory by believing. 4. To tell others what great things God hath done for their fouls, jf. To comfort one another, and ftrengthen the faith of one another ? all which duties are commanded, becaufe the atraining of alTurance is rirft commanded, and that rirft command is fup-Gal.4.^. pofcd (by thefe other commands^ to have been obeyed: for no man

can come in the Spirit of adoption, and Cwith a filial confidence) cry, Abba, Father, who rirft knows not himfelf to be a fon by the image he bears. No man can rejoice in the Lord as he ought to rejoice, till he Luke 10.10: knows his namefte written in Heaven, becaufe the Law of God is written in his heart. How can a Captive triumph, or a Man in Chains dance ? How can an Hebrew-fow^ be fung in Babylon, in a ftrange Land ? Again, when it is required that we fhould live in perpetual adoration of Divine Goodnefs, and in admiration of Free Grace, and that we praife, and blefs, and magnirie the Name of God, giving him Glory by believing, this fuppofes that we do believe, and alfo that we know we do Neh.8.10. believe : For 'tis the joy of the Lord that gives us ftrength to do his

• Will, and doth enlarge our hearts to fpeak good of his Name.

2. Diligence is The fecond Argument, proving it the duty of Believers with dili-

necefjarypecef- gence to endeavour after alTurance, is, becaufe this diligence is neceffary

necejfitate medii, as a necciTary means. Here I defire you. to confider

thefe two things: 1, That diligence is a neceffary means for attaining

affurance.,

aiTurance. 2. That aiTurance is a neceiTary means for the effecting fome ends which we are bound to accomplifh i but are fuch as without a certain knowledge of our intereft in God, they arc-not poiilbly attained.

1. Diligence is a moft proper and neceiTary means for attaining afiu- 1. Djlflmt rarce. Faith of adherence (as one fays) comes by bearing, but Faith ' mt J*\ t0 * am Df aiTurance comes not without doing. In God's giving tirit Grace, we ^

are truly paffive ^ but before God .caufes all Grace to be in us, and to lbound , he makes us adtive and diligent: both in the direel adr of Faith and alfo in the reflex adf. of it, it may be faid, that adi agimus, tve adr. being adred h yet there is fome difference between our living, and moving, and having our being in God : for as the Child ows the Hrfi principle of its life wholly to God and its Parents, wherein 'tis svholly pajfive in it felf, but (afterwards) the exercife of thofe principles depends upon God's enabling of the Child to put forth thofe adfs that properly flow from a vital principle -■> Co firft-principles, or the habits of Grace are (as I have already fhewnj infufed by God alone, but the ads and exercife of Grace are from God's concurfe with our faculties and powers. We are bidden to work-out our Salvation with fear and 2 Pet.2.13.: trembling, notwithstanding it be moft true that Godworkj in us both to wiH and do of his own good pleafure. You fee a juft acknowledgment of God's Grace may be conjoined with a clear revelation of maris natural bower before converfion, and of a Believer's moral power after regeneration, and both of them enforcing and engaging unto the greateft diligence , even from their conjunction and concurrence : for thefe things are very harmonious in themfelves j 'tis man's ignorance or peevifhnefs :hat divides^the'th'mgs that God hath conjoined. Acknowledgment of Free Grace in its power^ efficacy, and difcriminating prerogative, when inly confidered, doth moft effectually put us upon diligence. Men can saiily reconcile thofe two Texts, where in one place 'tis faid, the hand Erov.io./. . }f the diligent makes rich* in the other, the biding of God maketh Prov 10 lz -rich , men underftand thefe things as they concur in natural things, I :hink they might as well be underfiood as relating to fpiritual riches, q 0 ] iZ . w riches of aiTurance, diligence with God's bleiUng being a proper means ;or gaining aiTurance.

2. AiTurance is a moft proper means fdfr the more fpeedy attaining ^. /ffr:net a riany excellent ends, which without it are moft difficultly accomplifhed : P °t

md here I might enumerate many particulars \ for indeed there is Ui1 °

'carce anyone adr. of Grace that can be (in any meafure or debtee) f Jo gr<aci veil exercifed by a perfon ignorant of his fpiritual eftate, as by him who Non expt t '{hows that relation which he jbands in to God, neither is any duty fo uc fi°*inei ^vell-performed before aiTurance , as after that God hath fealed to a Be- cer r,Jf ' ;n(m lievcr the paraon of his iin. But I muft mention only fome confluents prfa ordinarfc rf aiTurance, fh manyas may ftop the mouth of that Rabjheka, Beliar- nahcant. I p, whofc laji Argument againft aiTurance is this, ibat 'tis net eonps- '-'"• * -

CuO.

me

'tis the duty of true Believers Serm. XVIII.

nient that men attain to ajfurance ordinarily of the truth of Grace m their hearts •, and his reafon is , becaufe it tends to carelejfnefs and (loth. And Petrus a Soto faith, That it if not only moft humble, hut moil J'afe to doubt of the Grace and favour of God. For Confutation hereof,I (hall inftance in three efTedls or confequents of true affurance , which are of great irnport,but are difficultly obtained by thofe that want affurance.

i. A more compleat Vidtory over the actings of remaining fin and corruption j this is much furthered by affurance. 'Tis with Believers as it was with the Israelites, they bowed down under the Oppreffion of Egypt fo long, as they deftairedoi deliverance '•> but when God had affu-red them of his love and favour, and had given them a promife of bringing them forth from bondage^ a new ftirit immediately came upon them and they fuddenly vindicated themfelVes from ilavery : they oaft off their OppreJJhrs Toke, and went forth to liberty, not leaving one hoof behind them. Thus deftondent perfons, (who nourifh their own fears) like Ijfachar may couch down between thefe two burthens, i. fight of guilt, 2. and fenfe of ftrong corruptions i but when Gofpel-grace appears , and a fight of the fouls intereft in the flrength and power of Chrift is once manifeft, prefently the foul lifts up its head, and breaks this yoke off from its neck, and bids defiance to its old tufts , and goes forth conquering and to conquer. Our Adverfaries do indeed fpeak evil of the things they know not, and becaufe they want this experience,

Afts i $. that affurance doth moft effectually purifie the heart > and are ignorant

that he that hath the moft affured hope, does moft induftrioufly defign to

x Joh.3.<5. purifie himfelf as God is pure : therefore they blafpheme this moft facred Truths they deny Scripture \ and (were it not for (name) would ac-cufe Chrift and his Apoftles (Peter and Paul) for Libertines, as the Pharifees fometimes did. But was it not ChrifVs common method, firft to fay to afrlidled fouls, Tour fms are forgiven, and then take up thy bed and walkj And again, did he not firft fay, Thou art made whole, and then,hid, (in no more ? Chrift's opinion Cor rather his certain knowledge) was this, that the fenfe of forgivenefs was the moft potent principle of love and obediences Chrift teUs us, that Mary Magdalen therefore loved much, becaufe much was forgiven her. H Paul underftood

Tic.x. 11. an y tmn g of Gofpel-principles, it was his Dodhine, that the more clear the Grace of God doth appemr, the more effectually it doth teach to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live fiberly, righteoufly, and bolily in this prefent world. Our Adverfaries forget that affurance is attainable by none but true Believers: now 'tis impoilible that true believers fhould turn the Grace of God into wantonnefs. We affirm, that this new name, and the whke ft one, is never given to any but thofe that are partakers of the new yiature, to fuch as are regenerate. God firft principles the heart with holinefs , and then (miles upon it \ and for a holy perfon to know that he is fi, can be no occafion to difobedience. I ask, Who is more obliged, or who feels the obligation to obfervance moft cogently ?

gently ? The Son who knows his near relation, and knows his Father loves hirm or the Servant that hath great reafon to doubt thereof? God's Spirit feals none butthofe.it hath inmcafure fanftified\ neither would God reveal his love, but that he kyows the conftraining power of it. Fear is a weah^ and impotent principle, in comparifon of love: the Apoftle faith, Tbc Law was weak^, the terrour of its curfe weakened and infeebled Rom.8.5. the hands of thofe that fhould have obeyed it: but the Gofpel-Declaration of Grace is mighty and prevailing, becaufe it comes in the power of love. Terrours may awakgn, love enlivens : terrours may almofi per-fwade, love over per/wades. Felix may tremble, and remain unconverted: Zacheus hears of certain Salvation, and makes hafte to come down, °* crint cura and receives Chrift gladly. Legal terrours may move arTeclions, and not bQ ^ rc7(iC i. ftorm the paiTions > but they make no change upon the will, and therefore there is no faving or through work effected j # (as when a party of Souldiers on\y florm the Out-worhj of a Garifon, they are foori, again repelled ) but the Gofpel takes the heart, the main Fort, upon friendly Articles, and voluntary furrender, and the foul becomes a molt willing tributary and Jubjetl to its new Governour. Fear may force and offer violence, and commit a rape upon the heart, but can efTedt no Contrail or Marriage-Covenant, for that is wrought only by love, and tbat in its cleareft evidences and manifeftations. 'Tistrue, the Papifts (who are. great enemies to Marriage) will here be ready to object , that often-times affedtions cool after Marriage % which were ftrong before \ and fo it may happen after a Believer's knowledge of his intereft in Chrift.

I anfwef, that the A'poftate Church of Rome (to which the Spirit of Amat ! l!e noft God gives the title of the great Whore, and of the Mother of Fornica- !, matU r £^L Ul tions and Adulteries both Spiritual and Civil) doth much delight to eaft merito.-all the blemilhes (they can) upon the jiate of Marriage, civilly or j}i- Amat fine fine ritually conlidered > but more innocent perfons do know, that intereil qui cognofcic did never lejjen love, nor the knowledge of intereft abate affetlion, but »jr e a pr j nc ;l rather increafe it: all perfons find that relation hath a ftrange influence pio, Ber, c\i, upon men's minds to endear thofe objects that might other wife be but 107. little taking. Sure I am that a Believer's knowledge that his beloved is bis, and he is h'n beloveds, is found by experience to lay the moft Jirong. and cogent Obligation upon him to loyalty and faithfulnefs unto the the Lord Jefus: for, as to him that believes, Chrift is precious ■> fo, to him that kyows he believes, to him Chrift is fo much the more precious, even the chiefeft of ten thoufand.

2. Asaffurance furthers our love to Chrift, (and fo gives power over 2 . factory r fin) fo it gives ftrength to overcome the world, and all the te\i ptations ot temptation of it, of what kind-foever , be they either, Firft, on the right hand, viz. ta ™ orl <t- . the fmiles, flatteries, allurements and inticements of the world j Ai'fu- ]' a;i ^ r:nceof an intereft in God very mueh facilitates our con que ft over all thefe. The fore-fght and profpedl of Heaven , carries the foul fo high in its contemplation of Glory, as when itlooks clown upon worldly enjoyment:.,

ioytnents, they appear fmall, little , and very inconfiderable. Mofes, fleb.11.i3. tifter God had afjured him of his love, and had caufed his Glory to pafs before him , how did hefcom to be tempted with the bait of being reckoned and accounted the fon of Pharaoh's daughter ? He refufed to be called the fin of Pharaoh's daughter, and chofe rather to fuffer affitlion with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleafures of fin that are hut for a feafim^ efleeming the reproaches of Chrift greater riches than the treafures <f Egypt, Whence arofe this bravenefs and true greatnefs of mind ? The Text tells you, He had rejpett to the recompence of reward. He knew-An?. lib. Cos- the reward was great, and his title to it good. St. Auguftine tells of fdl t,. qimn himfelf, that after he had attained afTurance of God's love and favour, !" a . ve . € J^ e he was To ravimed therewith-, as he could not but cry out with a holy rcre &c ^ exclamation, Oh how fweet is it to he without the worlds fweets, fince I enjoy all fweetnefs in God! Ihofe things that once 1 was afraid to lofe 7 • 1 now let go, and want with joy, hecaufe hereby I enjoy thee the more* 2. Temptations 2, As to temptations on the left hand, viz. The worlds frowns, en tkleft band, threats and perfections, how little doth an allured perfon regard them } ' 1 Cor.4.16. they are all now accounted and conlidered as light and momentary affli-tfions, becaufe they are known to wo)\ a far more exceeding and eternal Hcb.10.34. weigirt of glory. We read of true Believers that endured the foiling of their goods with joy j to (urTer with patience to tome is very hard, but to others 'tis joy, even when they fall into divers temptations j, out who are thefe ? the Spirit of God tells us, that they are thofe that kpow within themfelves j mark, within themfelves, (i. e. by inward evidences, and the teftimonyof the Spirit witneiTing with their fpirits) that they have a better and more enduring fubjiame in Heaven'-, thefe can both forego and undergo cheerfully whatever God requires of them.- Ex-'Visec a pud ce ^ en ^ is the faying gf St.Cyprian '•> ihere lives in us, faith he, thejhength nos fpei im- and power of an immoveable faith > and hence it is that amongft all the mobiljs virtus mines of this tumbling and rolling world, our mind bears up, and our pa-& tirm!ias,&c. f' ience always triumphs, hecaufe our fouls are fure and fecure in reference

mone de pa- t0 f ^ e eterna ^ l° ve °f G°d-

tientia. 3. AiTuranceof our Salvation procures Victory over the fear of death.

3. Over. the fear Old Simeon with Chriji in his arms could pray for a difmijfion hence. He

0; death. t j lat \^th gotten good evidences in his bofom , and the Spirit's teftimony

of the pardon of his fin fealed upon his Confcience, will join with &/-

meon in this his petition. Until aflurance be attained, 'tis impoffible

'1-kb.i. 1 $. but that men Jhould all their livens long be \ept in bondage through the fear

of death : but an allured perfon can wifli for death, and fay with Paul,

Sn .2 Cor. ^.t. Cupio dijfolvi, I deiire to be diffolved. AfTurance carries the foul to the

I M°'Tlyjf t0 P of Pifgah , and from thence a Believer (as he hath a general view of

' b ,.,1 ^h'-^ :r e the whole Land of promife, To by the eye of an aiTuring Faith hcj) is

^ijolvid^yv? able to c[py bis own lot and portion in Heaven and Glory i andean he •

haveimlding be unwilling to go through Jordan (or the Chanel of the Grave.) to

g; Gon eternal tQ ta k e p 0 jj?jj] m thereof?' As the leaji degree of true Faith takes away

the

the fting of death , becaufe it takes away guilt; fo Plerophory of Faith breaks the very teeth and jaws of death, by taking away the fear and dread of it. When Evidences of an Eftate are once fcaled and attcftcd, men are not afraid of that Turf and Clod, which (whilft it denies their hands) gives them Livery and Seizon of large Revenues. When a true Believer knows his intereft in thofe eternal Manfions of Glory to come, he 'is not troubled that his Cottage of Clay muft flrft be pulled down : The nature of death to a Believer is quite altered from what it was, and it feems to be another thing (in his prefent apprehenfionj differing much from what he once thought it to be. It once appeared only the wages of fin, but now it appears as the reward of patience: It was once thought the beginning of forrow, but now the end of fin, and the confummation of grace. To a dejpairing perfon death appears like a grim Sergeant haling to prifon ^ to an affuring perfon it ads the part of a Majler of Ceremonies ^ who introduces Foreigners into the prefencc of the great King. Death holds forth a Crown to an allured perfon ', it holds forth an Ax to a defpairing perfon > fuch a change doth aflurance make. I mall therefore add no more but the words of Cyprian y who difcourfing of c y? r '^ dc death, hath thefe words : Beloved, faith he, the Kingdom of Heaven is begun already inns in joy and peace: there is no place left for fear, or doubting, or forrow : he only can fear death, that is unwilling to go to Chrifi '■, and none can be unwilling to go to him, that kjiow they Jhall reign with him.

And thus I have abundantly {hewn how inflrumental affurance rs for the increafe of fanclification, and obtaining a more compleat vidtory over Sin, the World, and the fear of Death -•> and I have thereby confuted Bcllarminis grand Argument againft afTurance, as if it tended to licen-tioufnefs. The reft of his Objections and Arguments I have alfo fuffr-ciently obviated ? Co as I hope every considering perfon will be able (from what hath been fpoken) to defend the truth, although the ftile (of ne-ceflity) hath been more concife than might have been defired: yet I hope thofe that are intelligent will be fatisfied with the matter of Argument therein contained , although I have been forced to abbreviate my Dif-courfe. I mull make but Tittle other Application, than, i. To defire "ft 9 you to change the Arguments by which I have proved the neceflity of diligence, kito Motives to put you upon the practice : 2. I (hall conclude \^Zj" n ^ 6 with fome neceflary Directions for the better attaining to afTurance. an & mr ,-1. Give diligence to make your calling more fure in it felf, by adding in it [■■ . unto faith, virtue* unto virtue, tyrowledgeh unto knowledge, temperance, Vocatio«(l-and the reft of thofe Graces here mentioned by our Apoftle. Although £!S°c..*!5^r now your calling may be jure and Javing, yet it may be msre ajjured: the p emennim Promifes were fure fcefore Chrift's coming, yet he is faid to confirm t^men adhuc them, and make them more fure, Rom. 15.8. A Believer, the more ^jO*** t. he grows in Grace, the more effeftnal is his calling made \ and the more ^ x ca ' fure it is in it felf, the more eafily may he attain to his alfurance of it. i 5 .

L 111 The

The more effectual it is, the more vifible and confbkuous always is a Be* lievers call. Little Grace may be trus Grace, but little Grace is next to no Grace i and therefore we^Grace is feldom difcerned: jult as thofe Motes ox.Atoms fas-they are called J which are (mail -particles of duft, (and fly abroad in the Air) are true Bodies, but they are invisible Bodies: thus while Faith is but as a Grain of Mitjiard-feed,: it may be true, Lul;e 13.18. but it will be hardly ken. When love to God is (as a fmall fl>ar\ of fire covered with a heap of afhes) (mothered with too great a mixture of fenfual and carnal affecfions, it is not eafily difcovered or found without fetich' fearch: but Faith grown up to a Tree, and love blown up to a. flame, cannot be hid, for thus they render themfelves molt viable and manifest. That poor woman that had loft her Aew 1 *, (her Luke 1 $.^4.. Groat) was forced 1 to light her Candle, and feeep diligently her hvufi, ajtd to Icoh^long before the found it, becaufe it was but'a dram, a very fmall piece, i had it been a Talent , or Shekel of the Sandtuary, it would have beem more eafly found : Let the print be true and exad, yefif fmall, 'tis often not legible, especially to wea\ eyes : If you would attain to aifurance, labour' to make your calling more fure in ii.felf,. by growing eminent in Grace. % DiYtUion, 2. Labour to make it fure to your {elves, by attaining to, and living

maty it fare to in the exercife of thofe Graces that are properly and more efiecially affurhtg J* UY J €lve Lfy Graces. The Spirit of Godin Scripture hath declared that a Believer's fraces. ' * affkrance of Salvation depends upon the exercife of three alluring Graces. 1. iix^eo^w^?, a lull aifurance o: knowledge and tinder-fianding. 2. nx»e?t°&* mafat, a full aifurance of faith. 3. r^ne^e** -? i\^^ a full aifurance of hope. *.\ :

1. A full affu- *• Labour for full aifurance of knowledge: When St. Paulis deck-* ranee of foow- ring to the GoloJJians, how much he deftred that the Believers tf/VLaodicea ledge, Col. 2.2. might have their hearts comforted and ajfured, he reveals the way of at-o-tt ^y^tfeu' taining this, .to be by attaining oil 'riches -of fall affuraHce of nnderftand-cujtfs, «Vrf»na ijjgi which phrafe implies : two things: -1. That alL thofe-things be ttoe^J'f euiu^f known upon which a Believers affarance and comforts are built '•> and Bspfyrptftv&c, anc [ t [ ie |' e fundamentals are many : there are fever al. OeA^V&s or P r£ ~ cognita , feveral) things irmft be foreknown and underfiood before aifurance can be attained j as y 1. You mult labour to know the way of Redemption and '"Salvation by xhcMtdi^ztionoi Chriit. 2. You muff know the way of a perfons obtaining dm■inter l tiin that Mediation 5 that is, you muft know that Faith' (effecf uaily .owning of Chrift as ■■ Mediator, • and deporting it felf towards him as fuch) doth .by virtue of the New Co-rt it We venant obtain an intereit in that Mediation. 3. You muft know- by

rr.nre Fnndj-

knowledge,. implies a clear and dijltna a wfcdgweM of \\\ itheie, with reference.to a Believers wdl-biuh ai;d grmn^i4 camffrri-s :. Verbai'fenftt?

& hiitfoditis cbHtiotant' affelUim & <?ffefium. Scripmre-phrafis of Jhtfi and i^W^^y-imply a fuitMe atf&ftions and-alfo fuch f/frfo as are proper and agreeing:' there mule not therefore be only a jpecHlativ?notion, but alio an influential and practical Application of this knowledge for the founding of a flu ranee thereupon: there mult not be only 7 wtr„, tottaqftl^3 not only knowledge, but acknbwlegment, asat toltows in tfte (atife Verfe. '

2: Labour for full aflurance of : Faith?: -Now this implres^hefr four 2. TV/4; things, (which' I muftbut name, -as in the'former direction.) "> 1. La- -ranee of faith, bdur for full affent urito the truth of Go(pchrevelathn. 2. For full con- Heb.10.i2-. fent unto .QpfptX-rnetbod, terms, conditions and commands-. -5.' .For full depend'mtce' upon' Gofyd-Grace. 4! For full expmenceot -GofpohObS-dfrnce, or the Obedience of ¥Wh : ; All thefe are' -included in'- ¥#M ftt aflurance of Faith, wherewith the Apoftle exhorts Believers to draw near to God, Heb.10.22. and every one of thefe adls of Faith mult be attained and put in practice before aflurance can be attained.

3. Labour for full aflurance of hope. And this fuppofes two things: l^tM ajfuranee

Firft, an acfual explicite confidering of the grounds of our hope, ora^"^>

laying a good foundation: all faving hope is rational and well-built. iCJ ' ,II#

Hopes Anchor (in a Believer) holds not by the itrength of a Spider's

Web, as the Hypocrites hope doth i but it holds by the itrength of a

three-fold Cord, not eafily broken5 it holds by the evidence of, 1. Te-

iiimony, 2. Senle, and 3. Reafon. Bellarmine (fondly adhering to Duplex eft

the Philofophical 'definition of hope,"and) departing from the Scrfp- certkudo, al'a

tural ufe and acceptation of the word hope, (which is the ground of y oIu ntacis,alia

many errours in the Church of Rome) denies that reafon and hope can !!-jL^? us: &

(C n , -, r ii i « iri 1 ••>/»« vjaetur not*

coniift together h and confequently denies alio that there is any fuch poile certitu-

thing as full aflurance of hope, but when he is urged with that plain dinem intelle-

Text.in Heb. 6, 11. where Believers ai'e exhorted to give diligence for at- ^ us cu . m fp e .

4aiding-ftill aflurance of hope, (which fuppofeth that a full allured hope quo^fdm^' 8

is in the hrft place built upon good evidence and proof.) The Jefuite noshabituros

in anfwer to this, doth molt egregioufly trifle, and doth nonfeniically di- non fperamus,

ftingitifo between the certainty of the will in oppoftion to the certainty expefta-

of the undemanding $ although every Tyro knows, that the will is no T^de lift

fubjecf of certainty, nor can there be any certainty of will j'eparate from cap.i 1.

the certainty of the underftanding : and yet more ridiculous is the Je-

luites Argument, whenne tells us, that what wc have reafniio nope

for, we do not hope for it, but expeel it: the folly of which diftinction,

between hope and expectation ) "I need not fay any thing further to* it,

than to a fibre you, that the Apofilc Peter was wholly ignorant of Betmr- 1 Fee. 3.17.

mine's Lrgick, when he exhorts Believer's to be ready to give Xoy» m& r

cV vfjuy i ■ • - ■ ^ a reafon of the hope that was in them. But, Secondly,

the phrafe ('f<» aflurance of hope ) fuppofes an actual building of our

hope upon thefe good grounds, or an actual conclulion from ratio

principles, that we axe pardoned, and (hall be faved ; 'tis one thing to

co n tide r

U% 'Vis th duty of true Belhvers,&c. Serm.XVIH,

confider the ground/ of fuch a conclulion, another thing to conclude

a&ually from thofe grounds. AfTured hope (as it is accompanied with

rational evidences, fo) 'tis accompanied with right ufe of right reafon

to draw the inference: weak hope fometimes (a&s as Children will

Dick 6dcspa- do) \% grants the premifes; and yet denies the conclusion > butftrong hope

rata ftmt ^ accompanied with a full power to infer the affured conclulion from

■* Tp^mthnfa tho& ajfured premifes, which thofe afore-named alluring Graces did lay

fervantur.Bcr- down. Knowledge faith , Whoever believes , (hall be faved \ Faith

»ard.Serni,§o, faith, Teter doth believe, therefore Hope faith Teter (hall be faved. And

this Hope is that which will never make alhamed, becaufe hereby the

love (^God.4s\(hed abroad more abundantly in our hearts\by the. Holy

Gfieft given unto us, Horn. 5. 5. Let every man thctdox&ms probe bis

dBaU, 4« 1 vm work^ an ^ then hejhall have rejoycing in himfelfr and not in another.

' i» uttma iiii i *m *m**shi*mmmm

e«WWfr wmh

\

SERMON XIX.

Of Indulgences, &

4*-**~Af

Heb. X. * 14.

For by one Offering he hath perfeSed for ever them that are fan&ified.

TH £ Apoftle gives the Reafon, why Chrifl hath now no more Offering to make, no more Suffering to endure, For^\ i. e. be-caufe, by one Offering^ i. e. one in ffecic, in oppofition to the four kinds of Legal Oblations before mentioned; and one in numero 9 in oppofition to the repeating of them every year. q.d. By Chriftsonce offering of himfelf, he hath perfected,'] i. e. all things are confummate, there remains nothing to be done, for the fatisfying Divine Juftice, and our Reconciliation with God. Chrift. hath once fatisfied, and that for ever,"] u e. to the end of the World, and that which fhall be of valueto Eternity; plainly, Chrift by his Death hath com pleatly done the work once for all, for them that are fanttifed; ] i. e. either thofe that are fepa-rated from the world in Gods Purpofe and Decree, plainly, the Elect; or them that arefandified^] i.e. thofe that are renewed by Grace,and con-fecrated to be VcfTels of Honour unto God. In fhort, Chrift hath not fo purchafed Remiflion of fins, as to leavefome Satisfaction to be made by themfelves, or others ; No, he hath perfectly fatisfied for them, and perfectly expiated all their fins. Which if fo, then from this, as well as from other Scriptures, fairly refults this Propofition: That,

Papal Indulgences arc the worft of Cheats, and abominably injurious to Chrift and Chriftians.

tXxx My

My work here, is to rake in the very Sink of Papal filthinefs. There's no head of Divinity that is not mifchievoufly hurt by this putrid Plaifter. 'Twasnot without Gods fingular Providence, that the detecting the Pageantry of that Flefh-pleafmg Religion, began here; for herein their feeming tender mercies are real cruelties.

To evidence what I afTert, I (hall inmy poor manner endeavour, i. To> r fhewyou what the Indulgences are which we juftly condemn : 2. The

unfound Hypothefes upon which they ftand: 3. Demoli(h the main. Thefis: And, 4. Raife fomc profitable Inftru&ions above excepti-on. Vo S 1 ft *' ^ tts k e g* n w ' tn tne Name and Definition of Indulgences, which: difp! pa^t fe- ( ta P a ^ s by more tnan 00 thirty different Opinions among themfelves,) cund.p.287. I (hall give you in Bellarmines own words; after he hath, like a wary Sed.2. Champion, attempted to reconcile, or excufehis owndifTenting party-

b BelUrm. (£) in the clofe of his eighth Chapter, he gives us this entire Definition, Difput.Lugd. v j^ Indulgence is a \udicial Abfolution from the Guilt of Punifhrnenu de indulgen. owing to Godwin the penitentiary Courts given over ana above the Sacra-lib.i.c.8.p. 24. ment^ by the Application of the Satisfactions which are contained in the s Id.c. i.p.p. Treafure of the Church. He had before told us,(c) that the-CW<^,and the Schoohy call Indulgences the Remijfions of Punijlwent, which often remain to be endured after the rermffion of fault s^ and Reconciliation obtained in the Sacrament of Penance; which Pardons the Popes ufe to grant, at certain times, and not without fome juft and reafonable caufe, out of their Fatherly gentlenefs, and condefcenfion towards their Children, pitying their infirmity. This is his, and Tie at prefent wave any interfering defcription. Lets then examine the Hypothefes of this profi? table ftruclure.

II. The unfound hypothefes (or fuppofitions,) upon which they build this profitable Struclure, are fuch as thefe: Tie name four of them.

1. That when the fault is pardoned, the punifhment is not pardoned, but there remains an Obligation to punifhment, which is changed from Eternal to Temporal, for which God mult be fatisfied, either by patient bearing his ftrokes, or by undergoing the Penance injoyned by the Prieft, or by laborious works freely undertaken, fuch as Prayers, Fading, and; Alms; or by Indulgences.

Now the Quagmire-Foundation of this Diftinclion may thus appear, both by TefKmony, by Reafon, and (which is more than both thefe) by Scripture: I need but touch upon each, it being done more largely by a d Marc. Mt. ketterhand; and therefore I will produce but one Teftirnony,and that is of rle rSl the-Archbifliop of Spdatro : u In Pardon todiftinguim (d) between Fault lia.$. e c.8.n,i! "and Punifhment, fo as to feparate them, is a moft vain thing, and not e Fran. Turret-" to be admitted, efpecially in refpeft of God.

tm.de Sacisfac. For reafons, " 'lis againft the Nature (0 of the thing, that there chr.perfec. a fhould be Punifhment where there is no Fault, take away the Caufe |^ q °; n ' 24, ? and the Effect mult ceafe. What BeUarmim faith, that the Houfe will

" ftand.

\

" ftand; when the Carpenter that built it is dead, doth not infringe what

« we arftrm; for we fpeak here of a Meritorious and Moral, not of an

" Efficient and Phyfical Caufe. Wheras it is further faid, A Ring may

"pardon a Malefador, and yet enjoyn him to make fatisfaclion; I an-

" fwer, The King and the party offended are different perfons, the King

" may not give away anothers right, we muft not confound the Court of

" Heaven and the Court of Earth. I might adde, 'tis againft the ordina 3

c * ry manner of fpeech, to fay a Judge pardoneth a Malefactor, whom he

"punifheth. 'Tisagainftthe Jufticeof God to punifh one fin twice. Tis

^"againft the Mercy of God, to be reconcil'd to a firmer, and totor-

" ment him. But beyond all this, 'tis againft the Practice of Chrift y what

"Temporal punifhment did Chrift lay upon (/) Mary Alagduhr^ upon /[.uk.7.43.

«(g ) the Paralytick, the (/?) greatDebtour. g Mat.9.2.

2, A fecond falfe hypothefis is this: One (?) Righteous man may fa- **?at, ^^4"' tisfie for another, and there are fome that need no fatisfaction for them-]££' ^ felves, and therefore theirs may go for others, e.g. If Peter fait for Paul, *

then Paul need not fait, but God pardons him the punifhment, which he mould have fatisfied for by fading, &c. The groundlefnefs of this Hypothefis may be thus evidenced.

Jefus Chrift hath perfectly fatisfied for our fins, and therefore men are not bound to fatisfie in part for themfelves; fit) Chrift is the Pro- k.* Joh.2.2; vitiation, (/) our Redemption, (m) God was in Chrift reconciling the I iCor. 1.50. World unto him/elf, not imputing their trefvaffes unto them. I need name m 2 Cor ' * 1 ^ no other Text than that I am difcourfing or: (n) By one Offering he hath nHeb. 10.14. perfected for ever them that are fanttified. To fay, Chrift fatisfied, that our Satisfactions might be accepted, and ours ctepends upon his, (0) this ° Am.SadeeU is to illudeScripture, ^.Chrift once fatisfied, that we might alwaycs^Jp^^j^j fatisfie, Chrift perfectly fatisfied For us, that he might imperfectly fatis- p7j &c. fie In us; Chrift hath fatisfied for Eternal punifhments, but doth fatifie for Temporal when Believers themfelves fatisfie. O excellent way of anfwering! Again, if men muft in part fatisfie for their fins, then they are not freely pardoned j but how eafie is it to multiply exprefs Scriptures ; (/>) take notice but of one Epiftle: Jufiified freely by his Grace, p R om , 3. 24 ; To him that worketh, is the rewardnot reckoned of Grace but of Debt. 4.4.

If by Grace, then it is no more of Workj.&c. Now if none can fatisfie for l *■»

themfelves, then they cannot fatisfie for others, ((f) Jf thou be wife, thou q Prov.^.u. Jhait be wife for thy J elf $ but if thou fcorneft, thou alone fioalt bear it. But, mould we fuppofe what can no way be granted, how can they fpeak of the Communication of mens good Works, while they explode the Imputation of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, and fcomfully call it a putatitious judication ? But more of this in the next.

3. A third abfurd hypothefis is this, That the fuperfluous fatisfactions of Chrift, and eminent Saints, are laid up in a Treafury, to be laid out for thofe that want.

The abfurdity of this is manifeft more wayes than I have time to

tXxx 2, men-

,• ?Uc. Thef. mention, (r) befidethe abfurdityor Parcelling out tltc death of Chrift, Salm,part. 2. t0 apply one part of it. to one ufe, and another part to another ufe; p.72. qq. whereas all and every part of it is offered and applyed to every Believer; Tis further abfurd to divide that which is fufficient, from that which is fuperfluous, when what is infinite is indivifible; and to fay, that one drop of the Blood of Chrift, .isefficient for the faving of a thoufand Worlds, and to reckon all the reft fuperfluous, and not fo much as one perfon faved by ft, that would, not have been faved without it, what can be more abfurd and blafpherrious ? I would further enquire, whether under the Old Teftamerit, Believers were bound to fatifie God for Temporal puniftiments ? if they were, let them prove it; if they were not, then God dealt more mercifully with them under the Old Tefta-ment, than with Believers under the New; and the Satisfaction of Chrift not exhibited, is more efficacious than fince his exhibition. Once more, if the Satisfaction of Chrift be more than enough, what need the addition of Humane Satisfactions ? they fay, left they fhould be in vain. So then, 'tis no matter though Chrifts Satisfaction be in vain, Saints muft. not lofe their glory ; 'tis no matter with them though Chrift lofe his. In their account, Chrift and Saints muft fhare the work of Redemption be-, tween them; Saints muft be our Priefts, our Sureties, we muft believe in them, and place our hope in their Satisfactions; but before we do fo, tis advifeable, to folve this Doubt, Whether the Treafury of Saints fuperfluous Satisfactions be Infinite or Finite ? if Infinite, then they are fufficient to redeem the World, 1 which I think none hath impudence to affirm; if Finite, what fecurity may we have, ere we part with our Money, that the Treaftfry is not exhaufted, upon the laige Grants already made ? but they* 1 tell them the Bank is inexhauftible ; In the next place therefore let's confult the Treafurer.

4. The fourth tottering hypothefis is this, That the Pope hath the chief power of difpenfmg this Treafury to thofe members that need it. '

Though I might turn.offthis with that trite Maxim, That which hath; no Being, hath no Accidents*, if there beno-fuch Treafury, there need be no controverfie about the difpenfmg of it; and though I might befpeak them to agree among themfelves, whether hath greater power, the Pope . or a Council, before they.quarrel with us about what themfelves are not agreed : And though I may well fuppofe, that the Popes Supremacy sfbef. Salm. i$ already confuted^ t& (0 what a fair

ibid.p.8i>&c. pi v ide ni i M they make, of t¥e. .Sa/isfa&ion of Chriftj while, they allow, every' TPneit to difpofe of it for the pardon of'faults, .^nd of eternal pu-nlmmehts. ; but referve the difpofal of that part of it to the Pope, whereby to-^ardon temf^l punimmenjts ? How egregioufly alfo do they trifle, ^e ; ^y: ( di^n^i be£ween ;: £^##^ andthe Paynem of Satis-, fafctioru Satislactfoh th'ey fay, Was made by Chrift an$ Saints, > but the; . parent of^is, by,the,P ; qpe^-tl)at was doneiong; fwce, this is ft ill ,111 . ■'% doing,

doing; as if the fatisfaclion of Chriil were like a fumme of Money lay J up in a C heft, to be layd out uponoccafion : Whereas we know no other Gofpel treafury, but what is difpenfed by the Spirit of God, by the Word and Sacraments. (0 ft & the Gofpel that is the power of 6W; Rom. 1.15,17 mno Salvation, to every one that beiicveth,-.- and Therein is the Righte-oufnefs of God revealed. But I thai] fpeak more to this in my next Attempt to overturn their main Thefis, which is this.

That the Pope through the fninefs of Apofolical power, may grant a wofl full Pardon by Indulgences : This is exprefs'd molt, fully by Clement the fixt, (#) whofpeaketh thus: " Of that infinite Treafure that i{ Decret. Gi.au "is obtained for the Church Militant, God wouli not have it to be laid Tott. 2. cx-c * up in a Napkin, or hid in a Field, but hath committed it to Peter, that rrav,coir '* Ii % 6C bears the Keyes of Heaven, and to his SuccelTor-Vicars on Earth, 5,c,2,p ' 552 ' u to be wholfomely difpenfed upon fit and reafonable Gaufes, fometimes. "for the total, fometimes for the partial RemifTionof temporal Punifh-a ments, both generally and fpecially due for Sins, to be mercifully ap-<* plyed to the truely penitent, and confefs'd.

In the Anatomy of this Thefis 7 I fhall endeavour to difcover thefc things, viz.. i.The fafenefsot it j 2. The Novelty of it ; 3. The Con-traditions ink; 4. The Cheats of it; 5, It's Injurioufnefs to Chrift;. 6. Its Mifchtef toChriftians.

Firft, To convince you of the falfenefs of this Fofition, I fhall firft give you plain Scripture-proof, That there's no pardon of fin but by the Mercy of God, through the Blood oi Chriit, received by. Faith, t In whomf EpheCi.7. we have redemption through his blood 3 the forgive nefs of fins, according to the riches of his Grace, (at) Being jufitfied by Faith, we have peace x Rom. 5, r; with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Qyywho fhall lay anything /^ Rom. 8.33.. 54 the charge of Gods Elefc i It is God that jufiifieth ; who is he that con--demneth ? it is Chrifi that died,8cz. Many more Texts might be al-teadged, but T had rather fay onely what is enough, than all. But our Adverfaries pretend alfo to Scripture-warrant, though DurandQC) con- z&randJ^k fefTeth, that concerning Indulgences there can but little be faid upon cer- p'™^' 3 * tainty, becaufe the Scripture doth not fpeak expreffely of them 0 for that which is faid to Peter, Mat, 16. 18. / will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatfoever thou flialt. binde^^c* is to be-understood of the power given unto him in the Court of Pcenance, and it *is not clear that it ought to be underftood of the granting Indulgences: But Beltarmine faith, (^) " Although Indulgences be not warrant? a deiridnfg. I.. iC ed by particular Scripture, yet they are in general by the power of 2 * c,i0 *P'4$« u the Reyes,--- and they may be warranted by Divine Authority,knowa a by Tradition of the Apoitles: (By the way, let me obferve, I do not remember, that ever I read any.thing in their Authors about the Popes power in any kind, but this Text is v prefs'd into the feryice of their de-ilgn, though orr'inarilv, to as little purpofe.as any Text in the Bible,) but-Scripcurcs"they baring, le'ts examine-them a little. They argue from

thofe

biQox^V tf 10 ^ words of the Apoftle, (b) ye ought rather to forgive him, and

&c. comfort him, dec. in fhort, The Apoftle gave Indulgence, fo may the

rthe Pope. There's enough in the Text to anfwer their Allegation, e.g. i. Paul never limited a time for his Repentance, that it mull be fomany dayes or years. 2. Paul took no price to pay his Debt out of the Corinthians Worksof Supererogation. -3. The Penitent gave no Money for his Indulgence. And, 4. Which is more than all the reft, he faith ver. 10. To whom ye forgive any thing, 1 forgive alfo. This is no way to c<Chem. exam, be endured, (c) that -the Pope hath no more power to forgive any thing ^ nc ^ rld,p * than other Priefts j I doubt not, but rather than yield that, they'l let go

dQol 1.54. ^at Text. Another Text they urge, is, (d) my fufferings for yon,

and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Chrift m my ftejk, for his Bodyes fake, which is the Church. Upon which they fay, that Paul fatisfied for the fins of other Believers, and by this means did contribute to the enriching the Churches Treafury of Satisfactions, which the Pope difpofeth of by Indulgences: But this is prefuppofing their Opinion, not proving of it. They grant our Expofition of the Text to be eVaitkin Joe. right. (0 i. That Pauls Afflictions are the Afflictions of Chrift, i.e.he £>.uo 3 i2i. ftjffered them for Chrift, for the Name of the Lord. 2. They made up the laft part of the Apoftles task, being the remainder of the Afflictions Tie had to fuftain. 3. They contain an illuftrious Evidence of his gratitude towards the Lord, that as Chrift hadfuffered for his Salvation, he fuffered in his order for the glory of his gracious Mafter. So that here's not a word of Satisfactions, or Treafury, or Indulgences. Another Text f2Cor.8.U. ^ e y ur £ e IS > (f) that your abundance may be a fufplyfor their want % that their abundance alfo may be afupflyforyour want, <j. d. The Church of Jerufalem was poor, and abounded in Merit, the Church of Corinth was rich and wanted Merit; take but the plain meaning of the Text, and that will refcue it from fuch an abufe: The Corinthians received the Gofpel from fome of the Jewifo Church, and therefore they ought to relieve their Neceffities. Befides their wrefting of Scripture, they argue from that Article of the Creed, The Communion of Saints, therefore ihofethat neither do, nor fuffer what they ought for themfelves, are to be ftrpplycd out of what others have done and fuffered more than they need. Is not this a Confequence of the largeftfize? may they not by fuch arguing prove every thing out of any thing ? Briefly, the Church is called a Communion <of Saints-, becaufe, 1. They are all Members of oneMyfticat Body. 2. All the Benefits of Chrift are communicated to every Believer, they are all called, juftified, fanctified, faved. 3. They are to do all Offices of Charity one for another, while in this world ; but what's all this to works of Supererogation ? Let this fuffice for this firft particular, and the rather, becaufe the proof of the reft will alfo prove this. Therefore,

Secondly, Indulgences are a Novelty; the ancient Church neither faiew nor pra&ifed any fuch thing. That they may not fay we /lander

them,

it it

Serm. XIX. Of Indulgences. 6$?

them, hear their owu Authors. Cajetan who was employed both as Le-gat and Champion againil Luther begins thus : (g ) u If certainty could t Cajit* opufr, 4C be had concerning the beginning of Indulgences, 'twould help us to Ton,I Tr ; "fearch out the truth; butbecaufe no written Authority, either of the vC,I, P 4 u holy Scripture, nor of the ancient Greeks or Latme Doctors, hath a brought this to our knowledge; but this onely,from three hundred years, 'tis written concerning the ancient Fathers, that bleffed Gregory inlHtuted the Stationary Indulgences,^. Which mould we grant, (though let them tell us where to find it in his Writings) 'twould not prove them very ancient. And ^^fl/Tjhimfelf, as that Italian quotes Jiim, (for I have him not by me) acknowledged, (/?) That till people h Pol)d.viri?i. were frighted with (the Bug-bear of) Purgatory, no body minded In- y C [5"J ,n \ diligences, and that he likewife acknowledged to be but of late years, p. fojhilSia* To convince thofe of Novelty who (lander us with it, Tie give you a brief Hi ftorical account of them, how they crept in, and to whatamon-ftrous height they rofe, tiH they were fo top-heavy, that their fall broke-off feveral branches of that Tree (z) which ovirfpread the Weftern/Dan.4.:i,&c-. Churches.

The Difcipline of the ancient Church.was fuch, that they did neither lightly nor fuddenly re-admit unto Communion thofe that denyed the Faith, or facrificed to Idols in timeofperfecution, or thofe that at any time fell into Herefie, or any other fcandalous wickednefs.; till the Church was fatisficd in the truth of their Repentance, to evidence which, they required fuch publick, vifible teftimonkrs, fuch as they judged might molt probably fpeak the grief of their heart for fin, the ferioufnefs of their defire or Reconciliation, and their full purpafe of amendment. The manner of their Repentance was thus, as (kj Nicef horns relates it: k Kicepb. hiiL\ "After 'twas look'd upon as burdenfome for the Offender to confefs his.^^ik1 *-" fault publickly as upon a Theater, they chofea Minifter that was holy, ^ 2 f 8,p * 279 ' "prudent, and fecret,to whom thofe that had offended might open their ' * "cafe, and receive directions what to do, that their fin might be par-"doned. The Novatians took no care of this matter, for they refufed " to communicate with thofe that denyed the Faith in the perfecution of " Decirn ; and 'tis faid, This Rite was inftitutedfor their fake, that they a might be reftored upon their Repentance. There was a certain place " appointed for the Penitents, where they flood with a dejected countc-" nance, greatly bewailing their fin, till what they might not partake of, " was ended,.and then they threw themfelves at his feet that adminiftred ;■ "then he that was appointed to direct: them, ran to them, and mourn-cc ing with them, lay down upon the ground, and the whole multitude of f the Church ftood about them, with many tears lamenting over them ; u then the Minifter rofe up, and bade the Penitents to rife, and praying " for them as the matter required,difmiffed them; then every one betook u himfelf to what was enjoyned him, to macerate themfelves by Faftings, *; and Watchings ? and frequent Prayers, and Abftinence from Delights;

" which:

""which when they had performed, they were received into Communion: cc this they did to keep the Ordinances pure, and the Church from Re> "proach ; but I think (faith he) that the Church is fallen from that ancient, venerable Gravity, and hath by little and little departed from " that accurate Difcipline. The Church prefcribed Rules for Repentance VomT r!-M'n' , ' accorc ^ in S t0 inQ variety of Offences, (/) fomefor the fpaceof feveral r o:ni'tVp.:'c 5 3- dayes, others for feveral years., and others during life, allowing the Bifhop

coKiL Z4nc --m. t0 a ^ ate or ac ^ e t0 ^ e timQ en J°y ne 4 as he faw occafion. (m) Twas judg-can^'s 6nfLo' s e d convenient in all cafes to try their Repentance, and if the Penitents, **i!b£ 1 Jr. did by their fear, and patience, and tears, and good works, demonftrate Ton*.i.j>>75.ee the unfeignednefs of their Converfion,. they were to be more gently dealt ; v; ^.\vith.(«) But they ,as wife Fhyficians,ftillimpofed fit remedies^'/^. Hum-.i, t ?.!bid. bling Exercifes to the Vain glorious; Silence to the Bablers ; Watching v'b *z/.Totr.». to the Sluggards ; hard Labour to the Slothfull ; Fatting to the Glutto-Reg.fuCdifput. nous, &c. And in thofe things that were impofed, (0) we are not fa 504*60^ C< much to confider the Length of the Time, as the Depth of the Grief,' q^£*ji.Enchi, f uc ft as ma y f at isfic4t>e Churchy (pray mark that, it is the Church, in the "miho 3.p.'jT" truth of their Repentance, ) not Gods Juftice, fo that they might chal-r BrjiUbidK^. lenge a Pardon, (p) We are firmly to believe,'that the purging away br$y ite fp.ad in- 0 f f ln j s ^ onQ j^y t h e Blood of Chrift, through the greathefs of Gods

Mercy, and the multitude of his Companions. But they were oneiy

enormous finners, upon whom the ancient Church impofed feverities,

to evidence the truth of their Repentance; let Auguftine fpeak for

q jiv.g. de rtiii. all, (q) who mentions a threefold Repentance : Cf The firft before (r) Bap-

pTi^&^fc^ "tifm, which is Converfion, when a man repents of his former Courfe

Vc. 1. "of Life, and gives wp himfelf to live in Newnefs of Life, and upon

i g :». li thefe they impofed no Ecclefiaftical Cenfures. The fecond was, (s) a

" daily Pvepentance; and for fins of daily incurfion, we are taught to

" pray, Forgive us our Trefp^Jfes^ &c. of thefe the Church took no no-

" tice. But there's a (f) more grievous and mcurnfull R epentance, in the

managing of which, Offenders are properly call'd Penitents; this is a

c - grievous thing, but that the Almighty Phyfician can cure fuch; but

" c ' O my beloved (fliirb he) let no man propofe this kind of Repentance

"unto himfelf; if he have fallen, let jiimnot defpair, but let no man

„ ic venture upon fin in hopes of Repentance. So that you may fee, that

whoever will be at the pains to compare the Satisfactions of the Papifts

with the Satisfactions of the Ancients, they will find them far different.

u ckem-Exam'-la fhort, (//) "They never ufed them as neceffary for the Pardon of fin,

one. trid. "neither did they hold, that thefe Satisfactions muft be made in this

p.72$.& icqq-6C Life^ or endured in Purgatory, which two things if you takeaway,

" you overthrow the Tables of Indulgence-felkrs; but they enjoyned

" them, 1. That the Name of God might not beblafphemed among

"the Heathen, as i^ the Church were a Receptacle of Belialifts,

u where they might fe wi:h Impunity. 2. That they might not par-

e of other mens Sins, 5. That others might not be infected, for

'< fin

i c -

" fin is a catching Difeafe. 4. That Offenders might be more feelingly <c convinced of the greatnefsof their fin. 5. That they might do what c - was ppfTible to pull up fin by the roots, &c Whereas the Papilts now, as the degenerate Church of Jfrael formerly.! They eat up the f Huf.4.a. fin of my People, and they fet their heart on their iniquity. The Patrons of Indulgences look at their gain ; the Ancients, when they abfolved their Penitents, exhorted them to fin no more, but to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of Life, they put them upon the exercifeof the contrary Vertues, but there's nothing of this in Papal Indulgences. In a word, the Ancients carryed on a defign of Heavenly Intercft in their Severities, and the Papifts of Earthly in their Indulgences. But the Severities of the Ancients were by degrees mollified. Our learned Coun-trey man gives us the Canons of a Council, in the year 786. where in the laft Canon 'tis decreed, (#) That if any one dyed without Penaace x S\r HeitSpeL and Confcffton, he fiould not be at all prayed for. (where then were In- Condi. Brie* in dulgences as fince granted ? ) But he gives us the Canon of another Coun-cm - Calc > :uth -cil, in the year 96*. Where the Council clofeth the Penitential Canons with (y) four concerning the Penance of Noble-men^ ( they fay exprcjfely y idem Cam* in the laft Canon, that poor men are not to have any fuch priviledge,') there net iati fub they give this direction for him that is enjoyned Seven years Fafting : E -& :ro &'■&*' Let him (fay they) for three day es have twelve Companions to faft with him, i.e. to eat nothing but Bread and Water, and Herbs, and let him fomewhere elfeget [even times one hundred and twenty men, to faft every one for him for thofe three dayes, and fo he will faft fo many fafting dayes as there are in the whole [even years. But if yet this be too much, they may have Relief by the Provifion before made (z) for thofe that are ^1 can> fick; is it not enough to make a Great man fick,to put him upon three ! ,p ' 473 * dayes Fafting ? which if it do, for snepeny, he may buy off a dayes Faft-ing, and for thirty fallings a years Fafting. Is not this fair ? But yet this comes not neer the later Markets. But I mud not multiply particulars; when they had Churches to build, Hofpitals to endow, Bridges to repair, or the like, then Indulgences were granted to fetch in Money: And even then while thefe good works were propofed, Gregory the o/h

(a) decrees, That the Aimfgatherers appointed, be mode ft and difcrcet abecrei.Grat. perfons, that they lodge not inTaverns or unfitting places, that they foTam- 3. Dr not profufe in their Expences,8tc. Becaufe (faith he, pray mark his ^^^fii?" words, ) by the indifcreet andfaperfluons Indulgences, which fome are p.Tg^.' not afraid to grants the Keyes of'the Church are co temjed^' andpceni-

tential Satisfaction is enervated; and therefore he fet limits to the granting of them. But notwithstanding all the little checks they met "with, they were more freely granted in the year of Jitbile. In the year j 300.

(b) Romface the $%. in.tituteda Jubile every Hundredth year, wherein h B«//.?;\ v.t^,, he granted not only a full, buta wftfuM pardon of all fins, to all thofe Tojn.i.p.204. that in fuch a time lliall vifitthe Churches of the Prince of the Apoirles

at Rome. To me the beginning of the Bull feems confiderable, that

+ Y y y grounds

686 Of Indulgences. Serm.XIX.

grounds it upon a Report that great Indulgences were granted (though no body knows when nor where) to the Vifitors of thofe Churches. Well, but though there never was any fuch thing before, yet now this eafie way of Pardon is broach'd, 'tis pity the time fhould be fo feldom; Cle. cCUcon.vn. mcnt * e ^ lxt CO therefore in the year 1350. upon the prayers of the Pont.p.903. People of Rome, reduced the Jubile to every Fiftyeth year, and for fo doing, he doth not go upon Report, but founds it upon the Law of Mo-d Idem p.pp3. fes. (d)Vrbane the fixt, reduced it to Thirty three years; and Paul eBullar. mag* the fecond (e) gives the Reafonof kyfejc. he providently confidcred, Tom.i.p.4oi 3 men do not live fo long as formerly, and defired that very many more 4 02, might receive benefit by them, &c, which when he hath done, as alio

how that Reduction was confirmed by Martin the fifth, and Nicholas the Fifth, he then exprefeth his greater Kindnefs in reducing the Jubile iciacon. v't. t0 every 25th year 5 zn& Alexander the fixth,(/")intheyear 1500. en-i > o»»/.p.i343. larged the Jubile to thofe that could not, or neglecled to come to Rome. And thus I have (though with omiting more than I have exprefs'd ) g Review of brought them clown to Leo the 10'^ Qj) who exercifed fuch an excefftve the Conned of p 0Wer j n this matter, that there is not (faith Ranchiti) a good Catholick p^249*. 5 ' C ' U DUt * s forry fork. Take the matter of facl from that excellent Hiftorian hThuanJjlftor. Q^Thuanm, who wrote onelythe Hiftory of his own time, and there-Li.p.13. ' fore might well be more exacl-.. cc In the year 151 s. Leo the tenth, a. Le man giving himfelf to all Licentioufnefs, by the mitigation of Cardinal ct Lorenz.o Puccio, a turbulent man, to whom he afcribed too much, that €C he might from all parts fcrape up Money for his vaft Expences, hefent <c his Bulls of Indulgences through all the Kingdoms of the (Papal) Chri^ cC ftian World, wherein he promifed the expiation of all fins, and Eter-<c nalLife; and there was a price fetwhat every one fhould pay, ac-ic cording to the grievoufnefs of his Sin. To which end he appointed Col-4C Ieclors and Treafuries throughout the Provinces; adding to them, "Preachers to recommend to the People the greatnefs of t'he Benefit: ct thefe by Sermons artificially compofed, and by Pamphlets.openly pub-* lifhed, immoderately extolled the Efficacy of thefe Indulgences. Thefe u Bulls were executed with too much Licendoufnefs in many places, but "efpecially in Germany ; where thofe that farmed them from the Pope, li did lavifh out their power of drawing Souls out of Purgatory, fhame^ " lefly fpending it every day in Whore-houfes and Taverns, at Dice, and r< lC moil filthy ufes. I fhall forbear to infift upon the abominable Exprefli-

ons of thofe that preach'd up thefe Indulgences, fuch as this, vfc. That there is no fin fo great , hut that if a man fl^onld (which is imfoffible) de- fiopir the Mother of God, he might by Indulgences be pardoned both Fault

iC^m.Exam. an ^ Runifhment. K , Chemnitim (1) mentions feveral ftories, to whom I Conc.TrjtZ.fr ' referre you; and fhall fomewhat more largely aquaint you with the very 744,745. words of fome of the Hundred Grievances of the Princes of the Roman Empire, alTembled at Noremberg, in the Years 1522, and 1523. The third, fourth, fifth andfixth Grievances,are unto the Title of The Burdens

of Papal Indulgences : (kj " Their third Grievance is about the Incrcafe k Fafceculm ct of the intolerable burden of Indulgences, when under the (hew of Piety, rerum txP***? ct for the Building of Churches, or an Expedition againft the Turks, the ^ arum 'f r ''' ct Popes fuck the Marrow of their Eftates; and which heightens the Im- 17h ct pofhire, by their hireling Cryers and Preachers, Chriltian Piety is banilh'd, while to advance their Market, they cry up their Wares, for ^'the granting of wonderfull, unheard of, peremptory Pardons, not oncly cc of fins already committed, but of fins that (hall be committed by thofe "that are alive, andalfo the (ins of the dead— So that by thefale of ccthefe wares, together with being fpoy I'd of our Money, Chriftian piece ty is extinguifhed ; while any one may promife himfelf impunity, upon <c P a Y^ n g the rate that is fet upon the fin he hath a mind to commit: hence Whoredoms, Inceits, Adulteries, Perjuries, Murders,Thefts, &c. and "all manner of wickednefs, have at once their Off-fpring. Whatwic-<c kednefs will mortal men be afraid to commit, when they may promife "themfelves licence, and impunity of finning, while they live, and for a cc little more Money Indulgences may be purchafed for them after they u are dead? Efpecially the Germans^ who are of a credulous temper, and eafie to be perfwaded by pretences of piety, and a (hew of Religion. A Fourth Grievance was this, That the Indulgences-were fold "for Defence again!! the Barbarians, but the Mouey was laid out to "maintain the Luxury of Kindred, and to advance their Families.-— "The Fifth was this, That the Pope, and the reft of the Bifhops and cc Pillars of the Roman Church have alwayes fome Cafes referved, for cc which you muft make a new Bargain, and pay more Money, or no Difpenfation. The fixth was this, That if any one have wherewithal! "to pay, he may not onely be indulged the prefent tranfgrefTion of thefe <c Conftitutions (about referved Cafes) but they may be permitted to "tranfgrefs them for the future; whence thofe that are difpenfed with, cctakeoccafion to commit Perjuries, Murders, Adulteries, andfuch like cc wickednefs, which all fprings from the curfed Covetoufnefs of fome c; Ecclefiafticks. I might ad.de more out of their Seventh Grievance, about the Stationary Preachers of Indulgences, of whom the Princes complain, that they devour the very Blood and Marrow of the poor, "and themfelves live in more than Sybaritical Luxury and Delights. But Tie tranfcri.be no more of this; I w T ould not indeed have tranferib'd fo much, but that the Book whence I have it, is but in few hands: And that what I have faid, may not be tedious, I'le refrefh you withaftory. (/) A Noble-man told Teceliiu ("the chief Publican of Indulgences)that Ichmmt&s he had a mind to commit a very heinous fin, and he defired prefent P-745* Pardon of that future fin: Tecelim for a great fumme of money gives him the Indulgence, the Noble man pays down the Money, and receives his Bull: Afterwards, the Noble-man took occafion in a certain Wood to rob Tecelius^ and break open his Chefts of Indulgences y and v/hen Tecelius threatned him with all manner of Curfes, the Noble-man

+ Yyy 2 • (hewed

fhewcd him his Bull of Indulgences, that he pay d fo dear for, and laughing at him, told him, this was the Sir. that he had a mind to commit when he was fo fully abfolved. 'Twould drive out this Difcourfe into too great a length, to (but particularly) mention the feveral Conferences-, Difputations, Writings i Diets, that pafs'd for above twenty years, ere the Council was afTemhled at Trent, and to mention what was done there at feveraf times for above twenty years more, e're they fo much as attempted to debate the bufmefs of Indulgences, and when 'twas at-m Hiftory of tempted, how they durft (m) not meddle with that Fiftula, but muffled the cnunal of U p a Decree about them, the laft day of their Seflion, (#) in which De-T*mJ.2pSlpi cree t ^ e y ac k now l ec lge, Snch abufes in them, that give the Her sticks

E'VtJ'vii.g. ( as tnc Y ca ^ us ) occa fi on t0 blafpheme them \ and they acknowledge fuck

p.433. m'ci(ed gains in the fate of them, that is very much a caufe of abttfinv

Chriflian People -, and they acknowledge affo other abufes, through Su-

perftition^ Ignorance, Irreverence, and otherwife, which they referre to

be reformed by the Pope, who they fay hath alone power to difpenfe them.

And to give us a demonftration what we may expect: for the reforming

of the Abufes of them, themfel'ves break the Law the fame day they

ojfil} of the niade it ; # Cardinal (0 _4/<5ro«f as chief Prefident, granted to every one

£owil.l.8ii. that was prefent in the Seflion, or had afiifted in the Council, a plenary

Indulgence ; when they had but then decreed, that the fole difpenfing of

them belongs to the Pope. But Tie fay no more to the Hiftory of Indul-

gences.

Thirdly, The next thing I am to fhewyou, is, the Contradictions of

them ; and herein I fhall take Bellarmine for their Oracle, and give you

a gleaning of Contradictions in five things he faith about Indulgences.

pBeilarm.de viz.. To an Authentical Indulgence, there muftbe,(/>) 1. Authority in

jfiM£.l,i.i\u. the Giving. 2. Pietyintiie Caufe. 3. A State of Grace in the Receiver.

* c '? 4. The thing pardoned is, not the Fault but the Punifiment. 5. The P#-

mfhment pardoned, is neither Natural, nor thofe that are inflicted in any

outward Court that is contentious, whether Ecclefiaftical or Secular.

Now do but obferve fome few (of many) grofs Contradictions about all

thefe, e.g.

1. As to the Authority of granting Indulgences: He faith, that Chrift in giving the Keyesto Peter and the reft of the Apoftles, gave to them the Power of Order, and to Peter the Power of Jurifdittion -, fo that the Pope holds from Peter a peculiar Power of Jurifdiclion ; every ordinary Prieft may pardon Sin, deliver the Soul from Hell, but he cannot difcharge them from f^/wr*/Satisfactions. How many Contradictions there are.in this, I cannot fay, but pray take notice of thefe.

Firft, The Keyes were given equally to all the Apoftles* therefore notfoto Peter \ I queftion not but this,hath been-evidenced to you in a.former Exercife.

Secondly, What a.Cqntradiction is it to fay, the Pope cannot pardon the P v enance enjoynedby a Prieft 3 and yet can pardon -what is required

Serm. XIX. Of Indulgences. gg^

by God ? i.e. he cannot take off the fentence of an Inferiour Court, but he can take off the fentence of a Superiour : As if a man mould fay among us, A Justice of the Peace cannot difch irge a man from the Stocks, that is fet there by a Conftable, but he can give a man a Pardon for his Life, that is condemned by the Judge. Whereas this is obvious to all, that no-inferiour Judge can take off the Sentence of a Superiour. What will not thefe men dare do, that dare cry up the Pope to be Superiour to God himfeif ?

2. As.to Piety in the Caufe. The pretended Caufesare fuch as thefe: viz,. The Building of Churches, the endowing of Hofpitals, the making of Bridges, the Warring againft Infidels or Hereticks* or fome other A efts of Charity.

Firfi, This contradicts the Scripture-Conditions for Pardon of Sins; but what care they for Scripture ?

Secondly, Where's Piety in the Caufe, (<?) when the Pope upon the q MonVn. m-day ..of his Coronation, fitting upon a Throne let upon the top of the velty ofPopery flairs of St. Peters Church, throws Indulgences among the people, as P-4^5-one would throw ahandfullof Farthings among a Company of Beggars, to fcrambie for them* catch as catch can? Burdoth^y fay, that piety is in. the Caufe? the real Caufe is to get Money. I know Bellarmine is very angry with us, for charging this upon them.- but let them anfwer their own Authors in this matter. Matth. Panfunf tells us, that when feveral were drawn in, under Innocent the fourth, unto the Holy Warre, the Pop^ compell'd them to redeem their Vows: (r) Leo the tenth, r Review of gave out Indulgences for the repayring of St. Peters Church, whereas ijr ? oin,Cil °f Julius his predecefTor left an infinite Treafure to that end, and the Money ' ef \ I p ' h92 gathered by Indulgences was laid out about the Palace of the Medici in Florence, much of it diftributed among the Cardinals and his Minions > and the Indulgences of Saxony, (J) he gave unto his Siller Magd.dcne, s ffiflor. of the wife unto Francefchetto C/'&oBaftard Son of Innocent the 8 r h; byreafon Counc.ofTrtnti of which Marriage this Leo was created Cardinal at the Age of Four- p * 5 ' teen years. But what need I, mention particulars? See but the Taxa. Canceilar'iA Apoftolica, and there you have the feveral fummes fet upon the feveral fins ; Tie name fome few, (0 viz. For the carnal knowledge t Tax* Cancel of his Alother, Sijier, or other Kin [woman by B-.ood or Marriage, or Apoji.fol. 3*5,, his God mother, five Grojfus ( Groffas is neer about a-. Groat of our 37>3 8 >4*' Money, but Tie reckon it high enough) five Sixpences. For the de-fiowring of a Virgin (6grof.)Jix Sixpences,. For Perjury, (6^r.) fix *

Six-pence s. For a Woman that drink* any Potion, or doth any other aft J *

to deflroy her live-child within her, {%gn ) five Six-pence s. For him that k^rfs his Father, Mother, Brother, Sifter, Wife,(D.L.carl. 5. ) one Crown an* five Groats. And in the Table for difpenfing about Marriages, when the Rates are ftated for the firft andfecond degree, there is added, Note diligently, that Fat ours, and Difpenfauons of this kind are not to be granted to the Poor 5 and the Reafon is given, becanfe they

arc ;

are not ( i.e. not capable of paying for them) therefore they cannot be ti Voet. Selec. comforted. Voetius (it) tells us, That the Papifts he convers'd with, de-Difp.part.2.$. nv t h at ever there was any fuch thing, or any fuch Book, and fay, we f 9 Efpencam m flander them : Whereas Efpencemi tells us, that it was openly fold, Thum.c.i.digr. and he tells us fo with this Remarque: % Fis a wonder, that at this time, £• P'479» in this Schifme, that fuch an infamous Index of fuch filthy and to be abhorred wickednefs is not fupprefs'd, ('twas printed at Puris, in the year 1520.) there's neither in Germany, Switzerland, nor in any other place where there's a DefeEbion from the Roman See, a Book^ more to their Reproach ; and yet (faith he) it is not fuprefsdby the Favourers of the Church of Rome, it teacheth and encourageth to fuch wickednefs, as we may be afraid to hear named, and a price isfet to all Buyers. Is not this enough to (hew the piety oi them ?

3. The third requifite is, The Receiver of Indulgence muftbeinthe State of Grace. Tis ordinarily faid, they mull: be confefsd, and contrite, though others deny the neceflity of it ^ every way here's a fwarm of Contradictions. Tie name one or two.

Fir ft, They deny, that any one can know, whether he be in a ftate

of Grace or not: pray unriddle me this; The Decree about Indulgences

faith, that Indulgences are very profitable to Chriftian people, and

*<eoncil. Gene- damns thofe that fay otherwife: And the fame (at) Council damns thofe

rai.& Provin- that fhall fo far own their Chriftianity as to affirm their Faith to be cer-

dal.Bin.Edit- certainly [avin<r. But Tie quit this, and requeft you to confider the

.Jo^ld: next.

Sef.6.caiw5, Secondly, Whether is there any infallible Evidence of a Perfonsnot itf^.&c, being in a ftate of Grace ? if there be > what is it ? Will the living and dying in all manner of mortal fins, fuch as Blafphemy, Witchcraft, Murder, Inceito Adultery, Perjury, reckon up all the wickednefs that you can in the World, will thefe fpeak a man to be Gracelefs ? Indulgences provide for a full pardon of all thefe fins: The ftationary Indulgences of the City of Rome, that is, the Indulgences annexed to every Church, granted to thofe that vifit them, amount to a Million of Years, (togra-tifie Beliarmine for telling me why they grant fo many, I will not make any Observations upon Gregories Dedication of the Church of Late^ ytchemnh. ™n-> ()0 when he gave as many dayes of Indulgence, as there fall drops Exam.Tp.739. of Rain, when it rains without ceafing for the fpace of three Dayes and three Nights; and when Gregory feared, left the Treafury of Grace would be emptyed by that profufenefs, Chriffc appeared unto him, and told him, He was willing he fhould grant more Indulgences, for the people had need of them; but I will take Beliarmine s word, that he hath not read this in any Author he likes, and for the reafon beforefaid lie let it goe.) I might reckon up an i&numerable company more in feveral places : But now why fo many years ? a man can do Penance in this World no longer than he lives, and their Purgatory they fay lafts uo longer than the Day of Judgement; what ufc is there then of fo many

■W 4. 4? W •" •II*

millions

Serra.XIX. Of Indulgences. $ r

millions of years of Indulgence ? Bdlarmine(\ thank him) tells me, (0 " We cannot deny, but that fome are bound by the Penitential Ca- z BdUein-«'nons to fome thoufands of years penance; for if to every deadly fin ^/.i.c.9,. " there be due by the Canons fo many years Penance, as to fome three, P' 2 *-< c to fome feven, &c. then he that hath accuftomed himfelf to Perjury " and Blafphemy almoft every moment, and moft frequently commits " Murders, Thefts, Sacriledges, Adulteries, without doubt the Popes had refpeft to fitch as thefe, when they gave Indulgences for ten or twenty thou[andyears. So then, if they commit all the finsbefore mentioned fo often, that the Penance 'due for them would amount to millions of years, yet they need fear nothing, they are provided of Indulgences, they (hall go to Heaven as fure as the Pope has the Key of it. Well, let's lay thefe things a little together: He tells us, Thofe that receive benefit by Indulgences, mull be in the ftate of Grace , and he alio tells us, that without doubt the Pope had refpecl (great kindnefs certainly) for thofc that accuftome themfelves to Perjury and Blafphemy almoft every moment, and mod frequently commit Murders, Thefts, Sacriledges, Adulteries, &c. Now then, either Indulgences profit thofe that are not in a ftate of Grace, or thefe Belialifts pafs for Saints with their infallible. Judge ; either of which is an abominable contradiction.

4. As to what is pardoned by Indulgences. He faith, the Fault is never pardoned, but the temporary Punifhment. Here I have two Qiie/lionG to ask, and one Story to tell, and all from themfelves.

Firfi, What mean thofe Claufes ufual in Indulgences, of pardon of Fault and Punifiment i .

Secondly, What fay they to denial fins, they are Faults, and there they grant both Fault and Punifhment, are pardoned. But to let thefe. pafs, I le give a (lory that fmells rank, out of St. Francis his Conformities, (a Folio fluffed with as prodigious Lies as ever Paper wasftained with,) among other Whiskers take this about Indulgences : (a) iC While a Liber conftr,. ,c blefTed Francis flood in his Cell at St. Marys de Portmncula, and vk. B. &Se--"moft: fervently prayed to God for Sinners, there appeared an Angel ~ ra T f} - Pa , n " of the Lord unto him, who bade him go to the Church, for there Chriit, J^Wrc D "and bleffed Mary, with a great multitude of Angels expeded him; NJmpr.BonoK. " he prefently went, who when he faw Chrift with his Mother ftanding i$po. p. 193, * cc at his right hand, and a great multitude of Angels, he fell upon his l $9-"face for Fear and Reverence, and then our Lord Jefus Chrift. faid to "him, as he lay proftrate before him and his Mother, Francis, thou Lc and thy Companions are much folicitous for the falvation of Souls; Ask " what thou wilt about the Salvation of Nations, and the Comfort of "Souls, and the Honour and Reverence of God, becaufe thouartgiven 64 for a Light to the Nations, and a Reparation of the Church : And he " lay a while as rapt up in the fight of God, but at length when he " came to himfelf, he begg'd Indulgence for all and every one that came J c to that place* that entered into that Churchy of all their fins univerfally

"and.

■

"and generally of all their fins, of which they had made Confeffion to cC the Prielt, and received his Command; and hebefought his bleffed " Mother the Advocate of Mankind^ to intercede for the Grant of this: " The moil bleffed and moll humble Queen of Heaven being moved " with the Prayers of bleffed Francis r prefently began to fupplicate her "Son, telling him, it became him to have regard unto the Prayers of ?' bleffed Francis his Servant. His Divine Majefty, prefently faid, It is " a very great thing thou haft asked, but Brother Francis thou art wor-" thy of greater things, and thou (halt have greater things, but I will " that thou go to my Vicar, to whom I have given power of binding "and loofing in Heaven and in Earth, and from me, ask of him this Indulgence. Whereupon he took his Companion Brother Majfew y and "" went to Pope Honorius, and told him, that he had repaired a Church " to the Honour of the bleffed Virgin, and he defired that he would " grant Indulgence there, without Offerings, who anfwered, that can-cc not conveniently be done, for he that receives Indulgence, rnufi put to Cc his helping hand-, but tell me,(faith he) how many years Indulgence " wouldft thou have ? He anfwered, I will, that whofoever comes to "this "Church, confefs'd, and contrite, and abfolved by the Prieft as he rt ought, that he be abfolved from Fault andPunifhment from the day of " his Baptifm, unto the day and hour of his entring into the Church afore-" faid, and I ask it in the behalf of Chrift who fent me to thee: The <c Pope faid three times publickly, It pleafeth me that thou have it, "So bleffed Francis bowed his head, and went out; which when the C( Pope faw, he called, O Simpleton, whither goeft thou ? what dofl c< thou carry away of this Indulgence? Francis anfwered, your word is " enough-— Tie have no other Inftrurnent, let Bleffed Mary be the Paper 1 "Chriftthe Notary, and Angels the wimefles, <£r.--- Miracles are related by the Dozen to confirm this Indulgence, He mention but one: c Upon the day of Indulgence, (thefirft of Anguff) Brother Corradm " faw the Bleffed Virgin with her Child in her Arms, and the fweet Babe, *3f-fe a child' u* ^ w j t hout intermiffion, with his own hands blefs all the People wM <>'■ that were out of Devotion prefent, and imparted to them his Grace.

Well, you fee here, both Fault and Punifhment pardoned by Indulgences» and yet Indulgences can onely pardon the Puniffunent: Reconcile thefe.

5. A fifth (and the laft thing) I fhall name, of what is fruitful! of Contradictions is, the kind of Punifhments that are pardoned by Indulgences 5 BelUrminc faith, they are neither Natural, nor thofe that are inflicted by any contentious Court, whether Civil or Ecclefiaftical. bThef.S.ihn. If this be fo, then there's nothing forgiven, for (&) what fufftrings jW.2-f.77..?:.. more are there to be pardoned, but thofe that are Natural or impofed? *«%. }f an y iri ore were due for fins, without doubt God would inflict them

upon the Damned ; But God inflicts no other upon them, Therefore, &c. But Bcilarmne tells us, they are thofe Punifhments that are inflicted in

the

the Penitentiary Court, which we voluntarily fulfill, to which we are '

no way compelled, but by the Fear of God, and the ftingings of our Confcience. Pray who gives the Prieit power to inftidt any punifh-ment upon thofe whofc fins are pardoned ? Bit if we are bound in Confcience, and in the Fear of God to perform them, how dare the Pope releafe them? But pray let's again confider, what are the PuniiTimcnf; ufually inflicted ? They are Prayers, and Alms, and Falling. Muft not that be a famous Church think you, where Fading and Prayer arc Pu-nifhments, and as it were layd in the ballance with the pains of Purgatory, which pains are as grievous as the torments of Hell, bating the Duration ? Let them never boafl more of their Devotion nor Charity • they are with them Penalties, with us Priviledges ; we arcfo far from giving any thing to be excufed thefe Duties, that we would not be hired out of the performance of them: Should any of our Miniiters but preach fuch Difpenfations, we mould account them the Devils Apoltlcs, (c) ^c2 Cor n i~. celt full workers. What! teach men how to fell themfelvesto workwic-kednefs, and then how to purchafe Heaven with their wages of unrighte-onfhefs ! O my Soul enter not into their fecret. But in fhort, we under-itand neither the Grammar nor the Divinity of pardoning, (A) of Re-d cbamier.VinR. pentance, .who think there's nothing but Sin or Punifhment that needs a scobs'. 24 ' C ' Pardon. Andthuslhavefhewcdyoufome of their Contradictions. The next thing I promised to fpeak to, was their Cheats, and I may well be brief r here, for what is all that hath been fpoken of,but a grand Cheat ?

Fourthly, The Cheats of Indulgences will be Notorious, bring them \

but forth into the Light, and every one may difcern them. I need produce but a pattern, for they are all of a piece.

How (hall a man be fure he is not cheated of his Money, when he cannot know what he buyes ? And how can a man know what he buyes, when they are not agreed among themfelves what they fell ? (?) e.g. e Eeu.itinduig, They arc not yet agreed, whether an Indulgence be a Judiciary abfolu1 1,0 -^1 9 -tion, or a payment of-the Debt by way of Compenfation of Punifhment out of the Treafury, or both, (I may adde, or neither, e're I have done 'with this particular ;) Could they get over this, here's another difficulty in the way, viz.. What Bond is loofed by Indulgence, i. e. what fins, what Punifhments are we any way freed from ? though Bellarmine (as you have heard) fay, Without doubt the Popes had refpeft to the word of men, yet he himfelf elfewhere faith^(/^ That we are neither ab- /Tdemcj.p.Ji; folvd nor folvd from the Guilt of any fault whether Mortal or Venial', by Indulgences. Amonp feveral Reafons given, (g)Y\z name but one : a Ri1yf , crli p inm As a dead member receives not Influence from the other Members of the ^coio^.Tom.i. Body that are living, fo he that is in mortal fin. is'as a dead Member, P ' ,K ' and receives not Indulgence from the Merits of living Members. I know Bellarmine faith, (h) The Saints cannot merit for others, but they may hBdi d* Ind. ' fatisfie for others, there being in the Attions of the Righteous a double ,I,c,a Value, namely, of Merit arrd Satisfaction ; (though the Diftimftion is every way a Nullity, there being neither Merit nor Satisfaction, but let

j-Zzz that'

thatpaft for the prefent-) Without controverfie (faith he,) one mans Merit cannot be applyed to another : yet by his favour, Hadrian, though he fpeaks lefs than Bellarmme in other things, hefpeaks more in this -

i Q^iUe sa- f° r ^ e ^ a * tn ' (0 ^ e tnar * s * n mortal fin himfelf, may merit for another,^, cram, in 4.lib. He calls faying for the Indulgence, meriting of it; and I think well he fent.foJ.itf3. |m y^ f or ^ ^ one y ] s W ell worth it. I might adde, they are not yet 4ldcmfo].i*2, agreed what is meant by (kj) a Tears Pardon^ whether 360 dayes of Penance, or onely ail the Failing dayes in the Year. If the former, what s meant by that ufual Claufe in Indulgences for fo many Years, and fo many Q^arentines^ or Forty dayes of Penance, befides thofe that are contained in the general account of the Year ? They are not yet agreed about the Value and Efficacy of Indulgences, whether they are worth what they pretend, or not : Some do not ftick to fay, their holy Father may do by his Children, as a mother by hers, that promifeth her Child an Apple if he will do fuch a thing, but when he hath done it, fhe doth not give it. Neither are they yet agreed, whether they may not be effectual, though the Condition of them be not performed. But why do I enquire into thofe things that will not bear a Scrutiny ? I have faid enough to evidence, that neither Seller nor Buyer understand the Ware of their Market; and thefe two things more may be enough to prove them & Cheat. 1 Bfr*'»t.dc Tn- I. When Bellarmirte (/) faith, They are all agreed > that an Indul-dji-.i.f.c.ia.f. gence is not valid, unlefs the Caufe be Juft; and he names feveral things muft concurre to make it juft; but concludes, it belongs not to the Popes Subjects to judge, whether the Caufe be juft or un juft; they ought Amply to account it juft: And inftanceth, how the Pope may grant the greateft Indulgences, upon the light eft Caufe *. e.g. When a plenary Indulgence is granted to all thofe that ftand before the Doors of St. Peters Church, while the Pope upon Eafter-day folemnly bleiTeth the People. We count this Condition ridiculous : O no ( faith he elfewhere ) they thereby (liew their obedience to the Pope. Is that it? Mark this I pray you: By this Doctrine, a man may live in Difobedience and Rebellion againft God all his dayes, and at laft fo far obey the Pope, as to go fee a fine Shew, without parting with any onefin,andhefhall be faved. Who ■nTfcef.i.!i« but thofe that zxzgiven(m) up to ftrongdclufions to believe alye } canbe-** Keve this?

II. Neither thofe that grant, nor thofe that receive, nor thofe that plead for Indulgences, dare themfelves truft to them; wi-nefs the fo-iemn Services performed for them after their death, yea for the Pope himfelf. Now thofe that plead for the validity of plenary Indulgences, when they are ask'd, What need then of Funeral Obfequies ? they an-fwer, Some fins may be forgotten, &c. What! and yet the deceafed hath had their /#//, their plenary, and their mo ft full Indulgences! What thefe mean, take from one of their infallible Oracles, Hadrian the fixth, in his Book that was printed at Rome in the very time of his Papacy, i »*4r*an &ai. ^ fo this is as it were out of the Chair: He M tells us, that a Full In(

dulgence 1 .

diligence refpecls Penance injoyncd for mortal fins 7 a Plenary Indulgence refpecls Penance injoyned for mortal and vernal fins ; and a Moft Full Indulgence refpecls the Penance that might have been injoyned for mortal and venial fins. Toilet almol a hundred years after, gives us a little more light into that gradation of Indulgences, and tells us, (v) That 0 mm. Utttni a Full Indulgence refpecls the Remiflion of the Punifhment injoyned; a * ac ^* , * 7 /; Fuller Indu'gence refpecls that Puniftimcnt that might have been injoyn- ' cd according to the Canons ; the Fulleit. refpecls that Punimmeftt which may be required by the Divine Judgement. Now then, if Indulgences pardon all manner of fins, mortal and vernal, all manner of Repentance that God or Man can require, and all manner of Punifhment that God or Man can inflicl, and yet thofe that receive 'thefe Indulgences, when they are dead, need the fame means for Pardon, that thofe do that never had any Indulgences:, doth not this evidence, that the chief Patrons of Indulgences do in their own Confciences believe them to be a Cheat ? I fhall next mew you how they are injurious to ChrijL

Fifthly, Indulgences are injurious to Chrift, and which is to me con- -fiderablc, they are mo ft injurious to Chrift, where they feem mofl to honour him j what they fpeakof Chrill with the greatell reverence, is at the bottom full of falfriood, injustice, and blafphemy. e.g. They fay, One drop of the Blood of Chrift was enough to redeem the World : Doth not this AfTertion put an ineitimable value upon the Blood of Chrift ? Examine it a little, and you will find, that. Judas-like, they betray him withaKifs: For,

1. This takes (f>) away the Neceflity of Chriits Death .which the Scrip- p JJfp^ 6 ture doth fo often inculcate. What need the Son of God undergo fuch a painfull, ignominious, and curfed a Death, if one drop of his Blood was fufficient ? How can we believe that the Father, who delighteth not in the death of a (inner, would delight in the cruel and curled Death of his molt innocent, onely begotten Son, if it were not neceflary for our Redemption? Can we think that God, who will not puni(finis damned Enemies beyond what they deferve, would exacl a punifhment of his Sonfo much more than there was need ? Is the Death of Chrill fuper-fluous ? I dare not fay of the Captain of our Salvation, as David faid of the Captain of the Ho:t of Ifrae ', Dyed Abner as a Fool died ? No, Death was the Debt, and fuch a Debt muit. be the Payment, as may pay the Debt, and that by the Sinn r, or (through Grace) by his Surety.

z. If we drop oftheBloodof Christ be fufficient, and'all the reft to be layd up in a Treafury, and the Satisfactions of Saints likewife added ; then there needs more to redeem us from Temporal Punimments, than from Eternal wrath, and Chri t is not a compleat Saviour; than which nothing is more abfurd in it felf, nor more reproachful! to Chriit: To prove this, 'tis eafie to multiply Scriptures, but to produce their own Authors-, at preftnt Tie name but one, who exprerTely tells us (a) That q c < r fi ,r rovn -

t 1 t 1 r r 1 n 1 '• Opi.lc tit in«

it, is onely Chrift, With the Father, and the Holy Ghujt, that can with dule£< 1.191. plenary Amhoruy grant aU manner of Indulgence from Faxlt and Pn- c '' nf:d -58 -

tZzz 2 tHfiaent,

nijhment, anditis Cbrifi alone that can grant fo many thoufand thousand years of Pardon, as we find in fome Popes Grants • for no Temporal Punifiment can endure the thoufandth part of that time.

Sixthly, Indulgences are abominably injurious to Souls : They came tjpnh infttuft. in upon the declining of piety , and they(r) are the product of the later Hiftor.theoi.iib. and worfer times. The plain truth is, Indulgences do in the Nature of the thing promote wickednefs, for 'tis onely wicked men that need Indulgences -, thofe that they account Saints, do fo much more than they need, that their fuperfluous good Works constitute a Treafury for others: Sure then we may reckon, that their midling fort, though they have no Satisfactions to fpare, yet they have fo many, they need not be beholding to others; fo that 'tis onely the worft of men that necdlndul-s Kcvicw. lib.s.'gence, and what can (j) "More oblige them, to redouble their Crimes, ci.ra 5°. "and mifdemeanours, to abandon themfelves to all manner of vice and tc lewdnefs, than to be fure, that all the fins they can commit (hall be for-"given them? yea, to have them pardoned before-hand, in having In-ci dulgences for fins already committed, and to be committed; with this "exprefs Claufe [_be they never fo hcynous f ~]? Alarcm Antomus de ciefM.S.n.i's. i? ff W*$M may (/-) well fay, That Indulgences are one of the great Se-p,24o. crets of the Papacy, they are famous 6 old-mines, out of which a great

power of Gold hath been figged for the Apofrolicai See, — but they have utterly baniflied true Repentance from the PopiJJ) Churches, N^~ oNoveiy of varrus goeth further, ( if I may credit P. D. Alarm's (*) quot tion of popery, ub^.c him, I having not the Book by mc) for although he was the Popes Pe-*' ? a67, nitentiary, yet when he writ for Indulgences, he could not abftain from

faying, The Grant of them is odiou:, becaufe the Collectors fef\ not the good of Souls, but the Profit of Money, &c. In fhort, what wicked man is there that gives any credit to their Doctrine of Indulgences, but will gratifie his Lulls, that he may have the pleafures of both Worlds? For according to that Doctrine, There's none but Fools and FrtcndUfs can mifs of Heaven. But enough, enough, and more than enough, of this niifchicvous Doctrine.

Let's therefore in the -laft place, trye whether it is poflible to make any good life of fo bad a Doctrine.

life i. Let them henceforth be afimmed of their abfurd Reproaches

of the Reformed Churches, as if they were not pure enough, or firili

enough for them : What Doctrines have we, that the Devil himfelf can

charge us with, like theirs of Indulgences ? Thofe dayes are paft with

9 Mat.i'c'2'4. them, wherein 'twas harder for a * rich man to enter into the King-

dome of Heaven, than for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle ;

for now thofe need never doubt of Salvation: 'tis for fuch dull Souls as

f. /< v.6.~ .8. wc are r t0 nar P upo n f^ch harfh firings as thefe; (*) They that truft in

.'.■•'at! 16. 26. their wealth,, and boafl themfelves in the multitude of their riches • none

of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ran fome

for him • for the redemption of their Soul is preciousf and it ccafethfor

cver^c. And that other word of Chrift, What is a man profited, if he

Pali

flail (l^in the whole World, and lofe his own Soitl ? or what flail a nan give tn exchange for his Soul? We dare not anfwer thefe Scriptures with that Interpretation of Prov. 13.8. which he doth that gloflcth upon Girfon, in the forccited place, The ranforn of a mans Ife are his riches • as if a man need do no more but pur chafe an Indulgence, and all is well. We like the Apoftles counfel better, (y ) Let every man trove his 0wnyG.1l 61 £,<; tfirifj) and then fl.i.'l he have reuyciftg in himfelf, and not in another-, and that for the very reafon which the Apoftle gives, For every man flail bear his own burden. We are neither to be proud of being better than o-thers, nor trufl to lhare Benefits with thofe that are better than us. p&) The Wife Virgins had no Oyl to fpare, when the Foolifh had their K Mat^$^,^ Oyl to feck. We blefs God, that we have a Chriit. to trull to, and not any that may, like (4) Hcrmanmu,hz many years wofhipped for a Saint, \ v fff[\ i V '*' and then his bones dug up, and burnt for an Herctick, by that very Bom-face who appointed the firll Jubilc, and that with a Angular refpeel to the vifiting the Sepulchers of the Saints : Commend which you will, whether his wor (hipping or his burning of the Bones of any they call Saints, we think he might well have acknowledged withf/0 E/tgeniw, That h c.b ? . Tom. what hey he had of opening and faulting- through his folly he did not pru- ' 5 --' f' 4 -'".' £ e * dently make nfe of it. Our common people can read in their Bibles, that «iictrg*rj.. they are (c) Fools which make a m cl^ of fin, playing with it both in the c p f0 v.i4.o. Commiflfion and Expiation: but we dare notdofo: we dare not play the Mountebanks m Religion, to make fome whiffling about the Conference, and thenltupifie it with a Cheat: We ingenuoufly confefs, we have not better eileem of Indulgences, than had the Citizens of Pragtte 7 (d) who put the Indulgent-Merchant into the fame Cart with fome com- d ebtmti.t.^zm* mon Whores, about whofe breads they hung the Papal Indulgences, and p * 74 '' fo drew him and the Whores with the Indulgences hanging about their necks, cxpofing them to fcorn through every ltreet of the City5 and then took the Bulls of Indulgences, andpublickly and folemnly burnt them. Such honour may they meet with wherever they come,

Vfe 2. He no longer forbear acquainting you with that by way of Life, which you might well expec/r. in the opening of the Doctrine, viz,. To ftatc,how far Go \ may be faid to punifh fin after he hath pardoned it. We deny not but thofe whofe fins arc pardoned, meet with many bitter Calamities in this world, but the queftion between the Papifts and us is, Whether they are punifhments of fin (e ) properly fo called • we grant they are c x>titem d* materially Punifhments, but not formally, i.e. the fame things when fuf- pj* a -* r«isfir. fered by wicked men are puniflments^ but to them they are onzly fatherly * rt^ chaft ifements,wot judicial pumflments , wholfom Medicines,wot PenalExc- r t ,arIim » cations? e.g. A Malefactor hath his hand cut off for finking in a Court of Judicature, that's properly a punifhment; an innocent Pcrfon hath his hand cut on^becaufe 'tis gangrcn'd, that's not a puniflrment but a k^ndnefs. Plainly, xpuniflment \s properly to fatisfie Revenging Juftice, a Judge (as fuch) hath no refpecftto the Offenders repentance^but God alwayes (f) chaftr-/Heb.i fcth for oar pro fit,that we might h.partakers of his holinefs, We deny not

but

it

p F.i. ct. Catli Oich. t o;v. :.

*3

Of Indulgences. Serm. XIX,

but God chaftifeth for fin,but the queftion between the ? Papifts and us, is not about the impulfive Caufe, but the jf ?/**/, i. e. Whether God in punifh-, inghis Children/do it to fatisfie his Juitice with another fatisfaction befides that he hath received by the death of his Son. The fhorteft and the plained Anfwer to ths Qyeition, will be to clear up thofe Scriptures which they

• ? Sam.12.14 P rc ** s * nt0 tnc ^ r fcrvice. They urge David's cafe, (/>) Becaufe by this deed thou haft given great cccafton to the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme, the child--jb all fire ly dye. We grant, that becaufeof Davids fin, hisChile! dyed, but we deny 'twas properly a Punifhment. Nathan makes a plain difference between the punifhment due to David for the (in which is par-

r-vcr.j 3. donedj ' Q he Lord hath put away thy fin', thoujhalt nof die,) and the Difci-pline, whereby he would take off the fcandal of wicked men -, God as it were put off the perfon of a Judge, and affumed the perfon of a Father. Whereas they fay, David prayed againit it,and therefore 'twas a P unifh-nicnt; the anfwer is eafie : The fick man begs of his Phyfitian, that he may have no more naufeous phyfick, no more corroding Planters, drc. . are his Medicines therefore punishments ? God would cure David, and prevent ethers from taking encouragement to fin by his Example; to this end God makes ufe of dreadful! Phyfick, yet 'tis but phyfick. The like may be faid

j^Numb.12.14 to Miriams cafe, who was (truck with Leprofie, k God would have her to be afhamed, and repent of her molefling his Servants in the difcharge of their duty. But there are other inilances of pardoned perfons, (truck with Death for their Offences, of whom they jeeringly ask us, Did God ftrike them dead that they might mend their Lives ? e.g. Afofcs and Aaron^to

lNumb.2o.2J. whom God faid, ! Yefixl not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Ifrael, becaufe ye have rebelled again ft my Word,&c. I anfwer, their death was not properly a Punifhment, but matter of Induction to other Believers; There's a lingular Myftery in Mofes his death, to teach, that the Law brings not into the Heavenly Canaan, that muft be done by Chriit: That of the Q.d Prophet, to whom the very perfon that deceived him faid from God, m Forafmr.ch at thou haft difohcyed the mouth of the

Lord thy Carkafe fljall not come unto the Sepulchre of thy Fathers; and

when he was gone, a Lion met him by the way, and few hm : God by the Threatning brought him to Repentance, and by his Death warns us to take heed howwefwerve, though never fo little, from his Command: There was his own Amendment to Salvation, and the Profit of the Church by fo memorable a Monument of Gods feverity. But what need I fpend time in particular Instances, while the Scripture fpeaks of Believers in general, that Death is to them a Priviledge, not a Punifhment ? And Death it feifis* inventoryed among their Treafures, that whenever or however it feizeth upon them, 'twill be their Gain, i and matter of Triumph, f In 1 Cor.15" $5. a word therefore, this dear Christians would I charge upon you, Above ail things fecr.re your Reconciliation with God, and then practically learn to anfwer Gods Ends in all your Chaitifements and Tryais -, fet your felves to hate Sin, to be exemplary in Holinefs, to live in the continualexercife and growth of Grace, till God tranflale you to ^lory.

" 3. Thirdly,

[pit Ktng.13. 21,22,24.

*iCcr.3-22.

4 Phil.I.2!.

3. Thirdly, let's blcfs God for being delivered from the devilifli De-lofions of that Religion. Religion did 1 call it? how do they forfeit the the very Name, while they indultrioufly ftrive to make men Atheifts, that they may make them P'aftfis f and what bait can be more alluring, than that they can afford them indulgence at fo cheap a rate? Their Seraphi-cal Doclor tells 113 of fome n Indulgences granted to help to build fome n hnawQ, r n Church, or the like, thofe that gave a peny towards it, mould be pardon- Tom'lTji*^' ed the third part of their Repentance, and for another peny another third part, and for another peny the laft third part; fo that for 3 d. for three half pencc,faith iAltiJJiodorenfis • and arm ng other proofs for the value of f kh\fii»d in Indulgences he brings this., That the Head oijohn the Baptifr. was given to scnt.i.4.«dA the Damofel,by which Damofel is meant the Church of the Gentile s-fo that ' the Church of the Gentiles -hath the Head oijchn, i. e. the Head of Grace, therefore (he may grant Indulgence to her Subjects: A profound demon-ftration.So that he may be difcharged from the troublefom work ofRepen-tance^this the Seraphical Doctor thinks to be falfe and ridicuIous,and therefore he thus refolves the value .of Indulgences: In refpect of him that grants them, they are ofas.much value as he fayes they are •, but in refpeel: of him that receives them, they are of more or lefs value, according as he is difpofed : So then, if they are fit for none, they are worth nothing. Angles t reckons up fix other Opinions, but all fuch as will rather torment than f ^jgfa "n fatisfie an awakened Confciencc. Oh ! what a miferable plunge mull that ^ aftum| W«*-. Soul be in, that truiting to Indulgences, commits Sin with greedinefs, and imMg.p.Kij,."' never confidering till he comes to die, he findes too late, that the large/l Indulgences are onely valuable according to the difpofitionofthe Receiver, and fo he that rnoft needs them, mall have leaft benefit by them. Some of the very Popes themfelves have beenafhamed of thefe Cheats, and would have recalled them, but his Kindred oppofed it, with the fame Argument 0 PUt'ina d<r «)t. that Berretrhu did PM ? ;1 By this Craft we have our wealth. In fhort, B ,njfac 9 -^ i7J -though they tell tii, that Pope Gregory delivered Trajan out of Hell, yet ^ A ^* 1 ^- 2 5»-we dare trult to none but Chriil, to deliver mfrom the wrath to come, and we blefs God that we have no other to trull to. We had rather now cry to God for Mercy, than too late cry out in our Mifery, <* Good God upon , } M«\^im. de -what a frail Spiders Web doth h an £ the v aft weight cfPayd Omnipotent Do ^ 't> ld -pa 4£.. ey ! Now we feel with a vengeance the Pope is not infallible. But He clofe n all with what may be more profitable, than fuch fruitlefs complaints.

4'y In the laft place therefore, I would ferioufly caution you againft that Mock-R'e-J'gion, which fc little elfe than an Engine of carnal Interest. As you love your Souls,rake heed of al! finfull tendencies, of either Head, Heart or Life, rowards rhole pernicious Doctrines, of which this is one of rhechief. I freely confefr, I fcenocaufeof fear, ("the Lord keepM-ts from all confidence in any ftrength of our ©wn,J that ever rhat Religion fhali reign in the Confciences of thofe that have been once delivered from ir; but 'tis an eafie matter to perfwade thofe that are of no Religion, to be of rhu-t Religion. How many are there that walk in darknefs in this Noon-day light ? and "'tis an eafie procefs from Ignorance to Errcur, and to be devour too in that Religion where Ignorance is the Mother of it. How many are there, rhat will rather part with Heaven than with *kcir Lufh? an eafie te.mtuaticn mult needs grofclyce them to chat Religion that pi-o-

ffiifethi

mifeth Infallibly to fecure both. In fhort, Indulgences are the fofceft Arguments for delicate finners, andthelnquifition the mofi: cogent Argument for the rcfra&ory: To prevent therefore the Charms of the one, and to eftablifh againft the knocking Argument of the other, I fball only commend thefe two things to you.

Firft, Donotmakelightof Sin, and you can never be a Friend to Indulgences; +^«l.Ae Cmt. j. AugH fli, le fp ca k s nke himfclf, when he faith, >T*mtft difficult to find out,and m*,(l 146*. C# dangerous to define what fins they aye for which we may have Indulgence by the Meritsof the Saints our Friends \ he profeffeth, He could not bybit fearch come to the knowledge of them; and the LefTon he would learn and teach from it, was this, To .avoy'i all Jin, andnot at alltotrufl to the Merits of others. We may cry out concerning tills Do&rine, Withourcontroverfie great k the Myflery of Vngodlinefs ! I grant there is a great contro-verfie betwen them and us abou:: it, but yet when Iconfider, that I do not find two of them of a mind, but that they every one charge one another with fomcthing faulty in their particular Sentiments about them; and their darling Council, before they rConc.Trid. made the Decree about them, r cenfured all the Money-gatherers upon them, to be s«fl" 2 i.e. 9. p. Incorrigible, and that they had no hopes of their amendment; I need not fear to fay, 401 Without controverfie great is the Myflery of Vngodlinefs. For one who is himfclf guilty of

5 Uq*i*. Suppi. mortal fin, * at his pieafure to grant to as many as he pleafe,guilty' of the moft prodi-3 part, q.itf. arr. g] 0ll - villanies, as large Indulgences as they can defi-re, if this be not to encou rage and 4»p.J3. ^ propagate wickednefs, what is ? I would therefore commend this to you, Look upon 1 BdUnn. io. g-a ro ^ e nQt 0Ile jy t j le greateft, but Tije onely Evil, and that not fo much as « the leaft «Heb.Q.22. can be pardoned without the Blood of Chrift; and that as ever you expetl: benefit by + 2 Tim. 2^19, + Chrifl, you mult, depart from Iniquity, and that whofoever faith, * we may venture x Rom.2 8. ' to ^° ev ^ rf 3at i 00 ^ ma y com ^ h'' s damnation is )uft. Whofoever therefore makes the Remedies fo light, fo eafic, fo obvious, doth not onely leflen but takes away the terror of the Difeafe, and brings it into contempt. I would therefore with all poflfible importunity begg of you. to fet your felves againft every fin •, watch againft the temptations, occafions, and firft rifings of fin. Be as fhy of fins of Omiiiion, and Male-admini-ilration, as of open wickednefs •, and then Indulgences will be no temptations ro you to alter your Religion ; then the Jubile fnext year) which Pfeudo-Catholicks efteem as Z thepleafant Phantajies of Popery, the Refuge of Sinners,the Grief of Purgatory, the Ter-x chaM'ur.Vznft.^y of perils, the Mart ofRome, and the Triumph of the Pope, will be no more to them Tum.?.1.24^.^ t j lan a g ar} h 0 l im ewFair. Do you ftudy the Doctrine and Practice of Faith and Re-5 n u J p 7 $ J 4 ° P emance -> am * y° ul abhor re all fellowfbip with this Doftrine of Devils.

n ' " p ' Secondly,*Make life of your Bibles, and while you do fo, youl neither be wheadled

rtPfal 91. 4.6. nor frighted out of your Religion.Let but Scripture-truth be yomQ^fiield and buckler, * and you need not fear this Romijh Pcftiltnee that wallas in darknefs, and you may alio

iry a

in a cloth, and throw itbehmd the Ephod ;but, my brethren,rake it out, there sncr:e

likeir; bold faff the form of found words,which the Scripture teacheth, infiitb andhve,

cl TertulM rcfur. which is in Chrij} Jefns^wcX you can never be feduced ', for there (d) can be no Herefies

cam.c.ii.p.4'7- but by the mifunderftanding of Scripture, (e) which we are not to hear onely with our

e & adverf.Gr.o- Ears,but with our Minds. I take h to be a good way to prevent the perverting of Scrip-

. ftic.c.y.p. 5?5 ture, whenever a Text is alleadged for the proof of a Doftrine inqueftion, firft layby

that Doclriue,and fe.vch what is the genuine meaning of the Holy Ghoft in that place,

and then confider what the mind of the Holv Ghoft is in that queftion. But Tie net be

tedious, Bellarmine is the perfon I have moft oppofed, Tie make a fair offer, vi£ to be

determin'dby his decifion of the Queftion, if they will ftand to what he hath left upon

Record, which is as applicable to thishufinefs as to that about which he wrote ir, vi^.

(BelUrm. &e a- ^j-^ ^ oncern ' {n ^ t f Jo f e things which dependupon the Divine Will, we are not to afferi any thing

wf5 $ A l; l rx but what God himfelf bath revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Do but ftand to this, and

ttC. HP. 6,C. J. tt r J I

p. J45 Farewell Indulgences.

SERMON XX,

/

01

SERMON XX.

There are But two Sacraments under the New Teftament. /,^ n

frj/LSMLQ^ /^

Prov. 30. 6.

Aclcle thou not unto his words^ left he reprove thee : and thou be found a lyar.

TH E independency of Proverbs informs us, that we may fpare the labour of reflections upon the Context; feeing every Proverb is big with its own fence, and fully comprehends its owa defign and reach.

The words now read unto you as the Ground and Meafure of this Morning Exercife, are weighty as to their Charge and Arguments.

1. The Charge is here imperative, born of Authority, and brought into the fight, to bound the daring Ufurpations of afpiring fools. The throne of God ought not to be invaded by the Sons of men; nor mull: a Peerage in his Empire be ufurped or claimed by diftant mortals, whofe policy and fafety 'tis to be Auditors and Scholars, and not Dictators in the matters of Gods Kingdom. The bell man is only fwdufyos ro aaas «Wwj and <pu0"«^«Ao<,as Ariflotle fpeaks, and therefore (as he faid, £*a7/^/ yivofJUiSn <®?U w S*v$ /W/fyfe, Plutarch <sfei JWc/k//*. ' So ^U 7°" %*fo gaMfyv (Zirfw in refpecl: to God, whofe abfolute Property, and unlimited Prerogative by any thing but the blefTed harmony of his own infinite Perfections, together with his own Omnipotence, Omnifcience, Holinefs, and Allfufficiency, being both matchlefs and incommunicable, do fpeak him fo fitly and undoubtedly our Owner, Governourand Father, as that obfervance and obfequio.ufnefs muft unavoidably more become us than bold pretences to his Throne and Scepter. Gods words are like himfelf, fuch glorious Emanations of his own Majefty and Excellency as will neither fuit nor bear the mean additions of afpiring Man.

Aaaa All

All men are Subjects, and muft %€t by their derived Authority and Com-mifllon. Gods words are like the Sun moving in sdiftinft and proper Sphere,and Scorning the acceflions of our more dim and languid Lamps. All that put in their claims for Legiflation in Church or State, are under Law for what they impofe and fpeak, and are to be prefented to the Barre of God, inanfwer to this univerfal Summon, viz.. Give an account of thy Stewardship, for thou waft but a Steward, and muft be no longer fo. Adde thou not therefore f<? his words, lefihe reprove thee.

Quere I. What are thofe additions that are not forbidden to us here i Is every thing a fin fall Addition that is not found exprrffely in the Words of God ?

i. Words that explain the fence, and force, and ufefulnefs of Gods words, are not forbidden here, Nth. 8.8. Letters, fyllables and words, are not the mind of God, farther than their Signification reaches. Words are the vehicles of fence; the Indices of the heart. Till they are known and opened, we are but Barbarians unto others, i Cor. 14.11. There is no Commandment tranfgrefs'd. by a true Explication of thofe words, whereby God fignifies his mind. And to acquaint men with the proofs and characters, whereby it may be manifeft, that this is God's mind, is none of thofe additions which God forbids to make unto his words.

2. Exprefs determinations of times and places in particular, for the difcharge of fuch incumbent duties, as muft be done in general, and cannot be difcharged in particular, without the fixing of time and place. Mow can AfTemblies meet together, or publick Worfhip be difcharged, till a particular time and place be both ftated and known ?

3. Pertinent and diftin<ft Applications of general Rules unto particular Cafes, and confequently fuch exprefs Reafons and Arguments, as fhall prove them pertinent and jmproveable, as to the cafe in hand. Faftings and Feaftings, Prayers and Praifes, Almes, Forbearance, Silence and Speaking, are in the general attended with Lawes impofed upon all} but quoad hie & nunc, the calls and circumftances of emergent Providences muft ftate and fix the Cafe, and fhew the Duty in its Season.

4. The Modes of Worfhip may vary in their frame and ufe, and may be under circumftances order'd fo to doe; and yet the Precept of my Text obferved. I may be bound to preach, or praife, or pray* |But yet the Subject, length or method, and the peculiar words and phrafes may be varioufly determined by prefent choyce and order.

5. The ufe of natural or accejfory Helps, no'wayes deftruftive, but fubfcrvient to our ftated work, may be determined to beufed, and yet this Law remain inviolated. I may ufe or forbear my Notes, ufe all thofe helps that are at hand, and find out words acceptable.

6. Whatever ir?ay commodioufly prefcrve, promote and quicken due Purity, Truth and Order, and is no wayes inconfiftent with Gods Laws,

1 and

and the true interefi:, ends, credit and harmony of Chriftian Godlinefs,in all Its Exercifes, comes not within the cenfure of my Text,

What is -it that we mnft not adds unto theft words of God > I anfwer, r\„ w , thefe things. ^ crc *"<

i. Nothing as God's which is not His: As Articles of Faith, new points of Doclrinc, Promifcs, Thrcatnings, Prophecies, Revelations, Traditions or Miracles, pretended to be of God, that are not fo > either as to God's Errand or Operation.

2. Nothing to vye with God's revealed Truths or Lawes, as to Authority or importance. For this is to ufurp the Throne of God, and claim a Peerage with abfolute Supremacy.

3. Nothing that favours of fuch additional Supplements, as feem to argue God of Ignorance, Imprudence or Negligence. For this is to turn Accufersor Upbraiders of tljie Holy One,as guilty of defecls, mifcarriages and miftakes.

4. Nothing that does deftroy the End, or contradicts the Errand, or tends to weaken the awfuil and fuccefTerull Influences of the Words of God. For this referres to nothing but difappointment and disturbance of the noble Ends and proper Courfe of Lawes and Government.

5. Nothing that builds what God deltroyes, or ruines what God de-figns exprefTely and refolves to build. The wife and righteous Governour of the World is moft impatient of fuch contradictions. When God takes down a Ceremonial frame of Worfhip, to clear his way to better difpen-ftttions; then to cloud his Heavens with Pompous Inftitutions, is to diilurb and vex the Eyes offpiritual Worfhippers, even with theduft and rubbifh. of what was taken down and thrown afide. Thus alfo the Commands of God mult notbe render'd void, through Mens Traditions, Mat. 15.2—9.

6. Nothing that makes a wrong (Sonftrudion of God's words. Falfe Glofles, and-corrupt Interpretations of the Truths of God, are vain and bold Additions. Can we imagine that thofe words can fignifie God's mind, which have no fence in them nor ftated import, before the Pope and Councels have fet their ftamp and feal upon them ? Are they bound to conftrue right, or are they at perfect liberty to make the fameEx-preflion true and falfe at pleafure ?

7. In one word : Nothing that fuperfedes, or is co-ordinate with, or derogatory to God's words, inDoclrine,Government and Worfhip-or prejudicial, burthenfome, or unprofitable unto the purity, peace, and • order, Edification or needfull Harmony and confolation of Souls and Churches, ftrong or weak.

What are thofe Reafons that are produced in my Text as Dijfwafive Quere 3. from thefe Additions ?•

1. The Cafe mull: be debated; the word us d in the Text comes

Aaaa z from

"4 There are but two Sacramenti Serm. XX.

from HIP that fignifies to difpute the Cafe, and debate the matter by Argument. God pondereth all the wayes of man. All claims (hall be enquired into. Bold Ufurpations and Afpirings muft be reflected on with a Oiio jure hoc fcciftu. God will never prodigally dirTufe his own Prerogative. Others muft act by deputation and deriv'd Authority- and both their Com-miflions and Difcharge muft be produced and canvafed in open Court. He that will bring every thing into open Court, will not forbear enquiries after thofe that fo audacioufly ufurp his Crown and Scepter, and florin his Throne. Therefore we muft carry as within the Profpect of that great Tribunal, where our precarious Allegations muft abide the teft.

2. The Guilty will then be expofed in open Court. God will be Con-querour in Judgement, and it will appear a Crime unanfwerable, to have the Broad Seal counterfeited. Wo to all the bold pretenders to the in? fallible Chair, whofe Claims are larger than their Right and Warrant. If Aaron and Miriam found it fo coftly to challenge Mofes or a Peerage. with him, what will become of thofe who will not fuffer God to abide Greateft and undifturbed in the Throne; when Majefty appears to vindicate Supream Authority from all thofe bold invafions which the ufurp-ing Tyrant of Gods Church hath made ? It's vigorous luftre will make his bold pretences like a thin Exhalation, to mek away and vanifh. Supremacy is a tender thing, and to build Stubble, W T ood and Ha^upon the beft Foundation, will be found no mans Gain. What's the Chaffe to the Wheat ? The- Word of God is tryed, and may be trufted to; but lie that leans upon the Reeds of Egypt, will make his confident Recurs bencies at leaft afluredly preparatory unto his moft fhamefull Fall, He that's found a Lyar at the BarreofGod, cannot efcape the fmarteft centres, and moft fevere reflections that ever yet aftonifhed and amazed Delinquents. God will not patronize the lyes and forgeries of any fwell-mg or afpiring bubbles. Creaturf s muft know their diftance and the Truth. 'Tishere our Reputation is the moft tendered things and he that is found a Lyar here, as fpeaking from God, that which is not of him, and that as for God> which really is againft him, muft then expect a very, round difcharge from God. Hence then let us take occafion to enquire,.

Qq££€ 4. Whether Baptifme and the Lords Supper be the only Sacraments of ike Covenant of Grace under the New Teftament ?

1. We fhall pafs over now the Confideration of thofe words in Greek, and Hebrew which Bellarmine layesfo great a weightupon, as D^I^Q* ' LZTpn. and KH,and nVs, afign y Gen. 17.11. rendered by ™^«oy, *pe*^V> Rom. 4,11. dvTnv7tov> I Pet. 3. 21. varcc/VJ^a, Heb. 8. 5. 9.23. pvweAov, Latine my fieriurn quod aliud exiflit^ alind fignipcat^ from whence it is alfo called ovy.fa\ov. All which words being of larger or more reftrained %ufication > maybe.applyed to- more orfewer things at pleafure. .

X Nor

2. Nor need we dwell upon the Covenant of Grace, feeing it is agreed on all hands to be a Contracl: betwixt God and Man, through the Mediation of Jcfus Chrift, for the Return and Reconcilement of fmncrs to God; and fo their Juftification, Adoption, Sanclification and Glorification; And by our fpeaking of the Sacraments of this Covenant, we pre-fcind the thoughts of Sacraments in Innocence. And as in our Gofpel-times, this Covenant is publifhed in its laft and belt Edition and Im-preflion, and hath been fealed and ratified with the blood of fprinkling, and as the Teitament of our dying Friend, exhibited to the World by the Lord himfelf, and thofe commifllonated by him, Hcbr. 2. 3,4. And' held forth plainly, powerfully and fucceiTefully, without the vail and burthens of its former Difpenfations under the Legal Oeconomy : So are we to confider here what Saraments and Seals are annexed to and fixt upon it, waving all former Sacraments as to their Frame or Number.

3. Therefore the Term Sacraments well opened andapplycd, muft clear and end the Controverfie in this Article. And here we mud pre-mife, that the term is unfcriptural, not written in it, but derived elfe-where. And fo we muft enquire after fuch things as thefe. 1. How many things in Authors are fignified by the Term. 2. How far it may be applicable to more than thefe aflignecl in the Queftion, and fo how far the Controverfie lies more in words than things. 3. Wherein it is only applicable to-thefe two. 4. What are the Arguments and Reafons of the Papiils, whereby they prove the number of them to be feven • and fo give them their Anfwer. 5. Why the Proteftants afTert but two. Which when they are well difpatched, may better fhew the truth and meafures of the Cafe in hand before us.

Firft; As to the various ufe and acceptation of the word) I find the word Sacrament ufed in thefe feveral fences.

i. It's taken for that Pledge, Pawnor pignus which they that fought did leave in the hands of their chcif Prieffc during their fight, when the fight was ended, the Conquerour took his , own, and the other, in pcenam injufia litigationis? loft his,, and it* was devoted to the Treafu-ry. Farro. Lib. 4. de Ling. Lat. And this Pledge was called a Sa T " crament.

2\ It's taken for that Oath quo quis facris interpofitis obligatur. And this-Oath or Obligation was S^o-amentum^ in that it was obligatio Nh-minis & Religioms interventu confirmata ; and hence, Sacr amentum military•y for fuch as were lifted by Oath,and bound to continue till the War was done. So Veget. lib. 2. de re militari. Thus attojerom calls the Oath of Hippocrates upon hisDifciples Sacramentum^ Tom. i.Epift.adNe-pot. devit. Cleric. & Sacerdot. and Juvenal in his Sat. 15, calls the very wilites, Sacramento rogatqs^ Sacraments themfelves.

Trtmia nunc alia attfr emoluments net mm. Sacrawntorttw, ^—-

3. HencQ

yo6 There are but Two Sacraments Serm. XX.

3. Hence probably it is, that our Votum BaptifnmU was called Sacra* a Jerwi. Tom. mentum : (a) As Recordare tyrocinii tin diem^ quo Chriflo in Baptifmate 1. Epft. *• a* confepultits in Sacramenti verba jurafti-.

We vh. jL 4* Sometimes it is taken for no more than a meer arcanum or Secret: Ika r. Thus the Sacrament of Incarnation, and often in this fence have you Sa-

cramentum in the Vulg. Latin. Van. z. 18, 30. 4.6. Epb. 1.9. 3. 5, CoL 1. 27. 1 Tim. 3.16. Thus any thing of occult and facred fignifi-cation, as Parables, Types, in things or Perfons, &c. they may be called Sacraments, zsjerom ubi fupra. And then our Number may exceed a Septenary.

5. Sometimes it is taken for the Sign, the thing fignified, and the Action, inward and outward, and the word it felf, whereby God commands the Signum propter rem fignatam.

6. Sometimes it is taken for any facra rei jignum. And thus there may be as many Sacraments, as there can be Signs of holy matters by words or things.

7. Moft to our purpofe it imports our Dedication of our felves to God, by Vow, exprefs'd by folemn Ceremony, fignifying a mutual Covenant betwixt God and us, and his reception of us.

Secondly, As to it's Application to the Cafe in hand. Let us enquire, How far it may be accommodated to more than two; and then, How far only tothefetwo, Baptifmc^xA the Lerds Supper. Which take as foil owes.

1. If it be true what Bellarmine aflerts, that it fuffices as to the Nature of a Sacrament, that it is a fenfible Sign, let the fenfe be what it will; then I confefs, there are more Sacraments than two ^ for every Word and Thing may be a Sacrament, that may be feen, or felt, or heard, or tafted. Then can neither of thefe two be a nngle Sacrament, but each hath many Sacraments in one. Then Penance, Matrimony, Orders, Confirmation, &c. are truely Sacraments. Then Books and Sermons witi be Sacraments. Yea, our very Words and Actions in all our joynt Approaches unto God, will mutually be Sacraments from each to other: • But did not all the Sacraments of the Old Teftament confift of vifible Signs? Is there no difference betwixt the Preached Word and Sacraments as fuch ? Did Ghriffc adminifter the Sacrament to all he preach'd or fpake unto ? How is it that St. Auftin makes the Word and Elements to conftitute a Sacrament ? And do not Sacraments require a Confecra-tion ? If not, what makes the Elements a Sacrament ? If they doe, then what muft confecrate the words of Confecration ? and fo in infinitum. Andlaftly, Did the Councel of Flore nee determine aright or not, when in their Definition of a Sacrament they did diftinguifh the Matter and Form each from other? If they did, Then a fenfible Sign barely as fuch is not a Sacrament: For if it were, then could it not derive its Sacramental life and Nature from Chrifts Inftitution .• For, its own aptitude, if men had pleafed to ufeit, and determine it, had been fufficiently productive

du&ivc of its Sacramental life and Nature;. If they did not, what confidence can we.put in Councils that have miftaken in fuch weighty Cafes ? The truth is, at this rate of fpeech they have fecured their feven, and made fufficient room for twenty thoufand more.

2. Jf Sacrament only import a Secret, then Babylon it felf becomes a Sacrament, Then Types and Parables, and all the Intrigues of Church and State are Sacraments, and fo whatever needs Interpretation.

3. If by a Sacrament they mean the fhadowing forth byfigns of any thing of a facred Nature,then there are more than feven. Then all the Fur-

^ niture of the Tabernacle and Temple,aftd all the inftituted Rites of Alofts mud have been Sacraments, and panratione all Gofpel-Ordinances, In-ftitutions and Tranfaclions.

4. If by a Sacrament they mean all dedicating Signs, then there may be more than two. All Signs of Dedications unto Office and Relations, as well as all intire Chriltianity, may be called fo. Thus if I lift my Hands or Eyes to God, or folemnly fubferibe an Inftrument whereby I give my felf to God in any fervice, I make a Sacrament and receive it.

5. If by a Sacrament they mean, the Signification of a Vow or Pro-mife in any kind to God : Thus Orders, Confirmation, &c may be called Sacraments, and the fignification of every thing I undertake for God, as Mafter, Servant, Subjects or Sovereign, may be called fo; nor (hall we fay there are no more than two.

6. If by a Sacrament they mean fomething of Divine Inftitution, as expreflive of fome facred Undertaking and Relation, I fhall yet grant,, there are more Sacraments than two. Thus Matrimony, Orders, Confirmation, Penance, and extreme llnftion too, as dated and intended under thofe circumftances in Jam. 5. are Sacraments.

7. If by a Sacrament they mean fomething in fome refpecls of the fame nature* ufe and ends, with Baptifme and the Supper of the Lord, It fhall grant there are more Sacraments than two. All Offices and Relations bind to respective Faithfulncfs. Confirmation is the frefh owning of the fame Obligations whicVi Baptifme laid upon us. I am called to regular Penance by boththefe Sacraments. I may remember Chrift by reading, fpeaking, &c. I may fignifie my owning of my Covenant, and may tenew it by Faffing, Praying, and Profefling many wayes.

8. If by a Sacrament be meant fome fignifications of the Grace of God. to me 7 both Relative and Real,fo there may be more Sacraments than two.. Thus every Ordinance, Providence, and thing* exprefTive of Gods Grace

to me, may bear the Name of Sacrament. All helps, encouragements k " and advantages for Heaven andHolinefs, do clearly fignifie Gods Care and Kindnefs to me. Thus the Apoftles Miniftry may be a Sacrament, as a clear indication of Gods kindnefs to him.

9. There are fome Sacraments of Order that may be truelyfuch, as. Holy Orders, Matrimony; and of Office, Civil, Oeconomical and Eccle-fiaftical, whofe root may be the Covenant of Grace. But Sacraments of Christianity import fomething more. Thirdly,,

Thirdly, As to its more restrained and intended ufe, a Sacrament is a ftated Ceremony ordained *by Chrift, made up of vTible Signs; whereby our hearty dedication, and full confent to all the terms and tenders of the Covenant of Grace, and Gods acceptance of us thereunto, is fig-nified, folemnized and ratified by God and us, according to the Proportions and Injunctions of the New Teftament. Which when it is proved, wi-!l make it manifeft, that either their afTerting of Seven is a moft fhame-full and abufive noife, both of provoking and dividing Words 7 or elfe of deep and dangerous miftakein Things, and too weak to bear their 7V/-dentine Anathema, Now if we view the whole defcription in its parts, we muft confider thefe things, to ftate and clear the Cafe in hand, i. Whether the whole was not intended in the firfl: ufe and accommodation of the word Sacramento the concerns of Chriftianity ? 2. Whether all this be not included in Baptifme and the Eucharifi ? 3. Whether it can be poflibly included in any of the five Sacraments befide ?

1. Therefore, as to the firft Ufe and Application of it, to the Cafe in hand, 'tis clear it was thus ufed by Tertullian, and by him applyed to Baptifm: For fpeaking**/ Martyr es, about their folemn Abrenunciation which was made in Baptifm, and about other Interrogations propofed at the.fame time; Vocatis (faith he) ad militiam in Sacramenti verba refpondimm,8cc. And thence (faith he ")did the whole action receive Us Name. And fo adversks Praxeam r Fides,in Patrem, F ilium & Spiritum

.fanttnm fecundltm Chriftianorum Sacramentum, &c. Which muft at leafh oblige us to, ^nd influence all fuitablenefs of fpirit and practice to the facred Trinity, according to their feveral %<re« and Relations to

us, according to Rom. 6. 3. 6. And on the fame account the Greeks

called our two Sacraments Myfieria, and the -Church generally understood the word in this fence, in oppofition to the Heathens initiation of their Difciples into their Idolatrous Religions; and thus the Ancients write of only two Saeraments^as Tertullian, Juftin, Iren&us, &c. Though Tertullian mention indeed Unction, and Impofition of hands, deRefur. Cam. yet doth he not relate them as diftinft, but as appendent Ceremonies, to Baptifm. Thus alfo Cyril of Jerufalem intends the fame of Chrifme. The time would fail, to fpeak of Dionyfim, Ambrofe, Sec. And it is manifeft, that the Doctrines of the feven Sacraments were not ftarted, till broached by Hugo and Peter Lombard, from whom the Papifts at firft fuck'd it 5 and terribly have they improved it, to bring about their molt mifchievous Ends.

2, As to the fecond, that this defcription doth fuit the Eucharifl and Baptifm, is no difpute. Whence Bellarmine himfelf reflecting upon Chemnitius, whoafTerted eight things as conftitutive of a Sacrament, in that fence that Baptifm and the Euchariftare fuch : As, 1. Avifiblema-

. terial Element or Sign. 2. A Divine Inftitution of it. 3. And that Command in the New Teftament., and inftituted there. 4. And this to the Ecd of the World. 5. Attended with a Promife of Grace. 6. And

this

this annexed to the Sacramental Sign, and cloathed therewith even by divine Ordination. 7. And this Promife comprehending all the benefits ofoi.r Redemption in clofe and full Relation to eternal Life. 8. And all this flgned, fealed, offered and applyed vtrtiite Dei, to all that entertain thefe Sacraments by Faith. Hence Be liar mine inftead of denying the truth and full Propriety of this Application, attempts to prove them applicable unto Penance, and thence would argue it to be a Sacrament.

3. As to the third, whether the other five can be as trucly and fully calied Sacraments with equal correfpondence to thefe eight particulars, this mud be tryed by an equal ballance, and true examination of all particularly : And therefore the five Sacraments which muft be brought unto the tell, are thefe. 1. Confirmation. 2. Extrcn e Vnllion. 3. Ala-trmony. 4. Orders. 5. Penance, which is transferred unto the lafl, to introduce the refidue of my Work.

1. As to Confirmation. What Elements are made the vifible and proper figns ? By what Institution is it ordained ? and by what Promife of Grace, with refpecTt to Pardon and Eternal Glory, is it encouraged and annexed ? Or wherein will they fix its common and adequate relation and proportion to the two great Sacraments ? What is their Confirmation (by Chrifme on Infants) for the receiving of the Holy Gholr, but an audacious Apifh imitation of miraculous Operations by the Apoftles hands ? Nor can their equivocal juggles about the Promife of the Spirit relieve them in the Cafe, if the gift thereof as fanclifying and comforting, of equal neceflity and extent to all times and Christians, be diftinguiili ed from its miraculous and extraordinary Operations and Difpenfings, which was to be appropriated to that fealing Age, both as to Chriitians, and extraordinary Officers and Circumftances.

2. As to Extreme Vntiion? grounded upon Mar. 8. Jam.^. when they can prove that thefe things are to be referred to ordinary and per-

\ petual Ceremonies in the Church throughout all Ages, and not to the ^extraordinary circumftances and Ceremonies of a Sealing day, wherein 'tis necefTary that the Gofpel be fealed and proved by Miracles at its firft introduction into the world, they are more like to win the day, and prove their Unc/tion Sacramental. But do not their own Waidenfis, Al-fhonfm e Caftro, and famous Eft ins himfelf conclude, that James and MarkJ^zzk of Miraculous Cures? Were not the parties to be anoynt-ed, ftricken and held with great Difeafes, partly contracfred and deferved by grievous Provocations, and partly inflicled to illufrrate that miraculous Power which was then on foot. What though there be fomewhat of analogy betwixt bodily difeafes, and fin it felf, yet certainly Oyl had been more proper to the vitinm than the reattu of their fins: An analogy is requifite in a Sacrament, and the Promife Jam. 5. is of Remiflion, and Oyl that may have fome Analogy to wounds, bears little or none to fpots, or guilt of punifhment.

3. As to Matrimony? who made it a Sacrament under the New Teira-

B b b b rnenc ?

>

ft

710 There are hut Two Sacraments Serm. XX.

ment ? Or what is there in the Ordinance to make it anfwerable to the thing ? and if it be a Sacrament, yet 'tis but ceconomical, and it is no more divine than as it is an inftituted Relative ft ate by God; and fo is the'Covenant betwixt Matters and Servants: And thus the Inauguration of a King may be a Civil Sacrament. But a Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace is made compatible to all Believers : But this is not fo, but the Prieftmuft be barred from this Sacrament, left it impair his Purity. But they alleadge, it is called a Myftery, Eph. 5. 31. and have not the Woman and theBeaft the fame Name? Rev. 17. 1. yea, doth not Ca-jetan affirm this place no argument that Matrimony is a Sacrament ? Aware 'tis like he was of that which followes clofely in the Text, vit. I fpeak^vfChrift,&c. What trifling fubtleties do they (the Papifts) ufe toamufe the World, as if they did defign to be more ftudious to walk in darknefs, than to prevent or heal the wounds and breaches of the Church. '

4. As to Orders. Though this may be a Sacrament of Order, and truelyfo, yet is not that commenfurate with a Sacrament of Chriftianity. Ail are not Minifters that may be pofTefs'd of prefent GraCe, and have a title to Remiflion of fins and everlafting Glory. And it feems fomething odde, that one Sacrament of the fame Covenant, fhould make men un-capable of another. As alfo that two different Sacraments inconfiftent on the one hand, fhould have the fame fign. And it is yet more ftrange, that this fhould be equal to Baptifm and the Eucharilt, and yet mould want a vifible Element for its fign.

5. And as for Penance, (as far as God requires it, and ftates its ufe and nature) doth not Baptifm relate and bind us to it ? Is it not Baptifm of Repentance for the Remiflion of fins ? What is the external Right ? And where is the acceflion of the Word unto the Sign whereby itmufi be made a Sacrament ? What is there in this Penance commenfurate with Baptifm.

Fourthly, As to their many Reafons amongft the Schoolmen for their Septenary number, let them name any thing fubftantial, that is not reducible to thefe two Sacraments. Their feptenary number of different Conditions, or Vertues, or Diftempers; thefe two Sacraments will comprehend them all: for they contain what is fully fuitable to every ftate urges to every vertue, and tends to cure our fpiritual diftempers ; and what need we Seven of theirs, when Chrift hath inftituted Two to do the work ? But let us confider what they fay. We will infift upon the Reafons therefore, whereon they would eftablifh the Septenary number of their Sacraments, and anfwer them.

1. They tell us, that the Number [even is famous, and of frequent ufe and ftricl importance in the Scriptures; as Aarons Garments put on by his Sons feven dayes, the Attonement for the Altar feven dayes, Blood fprinkled feven times, Naantan warning feven times : Thus 'tis a number famous in Expiations, and other wife 5 hence now r Eliphaz, muft take

feven

Serm. XX. under the New Tifiamonf,

feven Bullocks, and feven Rams, and go to Job, cb. j r i. v, 8. Seven Gifts of the Spirit, and thus feven of the Apocalyptical Seals, Trumpets,* Since rh Starres, &c. To which I anfwer. Tis wonderful), they took no ^ no* w "tingo tice of this too, that the number of feven commenced from the com- Head * ha pleat finifhing of Nature as to its Order and Exiftence, and Gods rejting p^^hr from his Labours ; all which was done within a Septenary of dayes, ma- on this vC , king the firft week as it was in the beginning, thing.

2. Were this digefted into an Argument, thus it would run/ What-eTer Number is of famous ufe and mention in the Scripture, muir, be the Number of Sacraments, under the New Teflament, of the Covenant of Grace. But feven isfuch a Number, &c Ergo 'Tis the

Number of Sacraments, and confequently, there are feven. And what if the major Proportion be denyed, will they not be forely exercifed to prove it ? what if we charge the Number in the Minor, and fay, that One is the Number of famous ufe and frequent mention^ will it not then be found, that whatfoever anfwers this Medium for One, will do their work for feven ? I mean to anfwer it. How many Ones are ufed and mentioned £^.4.4,6? One God, Chrift, Faith, Baptifm, Church, Spirit, Hope, Heaven, &c. What do they think of two Lights or Luminaries, two Tables of the Law, two Cherubims, two Covenants, two Commandements ? What do they think of Twelve Patriarchs, twelve Tribes, twelve Apoftles, twelve thoufand fealed, twelve Gates, &c ? Are thefe therefore Twelve Sacraments? and fo of other Numbers. Now if this Argument be followed clofe, they mud: be brought to this, That either this is no Argument for their Number of Sacraments, or that their Number mud rife and fall according to what Number we fhall pitch upon, and fo there may be one, or two, or feven, or twelve Sacraments, &c. and fo in what fence, and why fo many and no more. And farther, thus the Reafon would prefs as hard for feven Sacraments under the Law asGofpel: and as to Expiations and Confecration, do not two Rams, two Goats, two Turtle-doves, or two young Pidgeons, bid as fair for only two Sacraments, as feven of other things can bid for feven Sacraments? And thus much for this Argument fetcht from the congruence or apt agreement of Numbers.

2ly 5 Let us take notice of thofe Arguments which Aquinas brings for the proof of feven Sacraments. Part. 3. Queft. 65. Art. 1.

1. The Analogy or Proportion betwixt Natural and Spiritual Life. And here 'tis worth enquiry, whether all thev fay be not intended in thefe two. 1. For the Effe per generationem: This is defignedly in our Bap-tifm, which is the Laver of Regeneration, confidered relatively, as we are baptized into new Relations, to which our cordial acceptance in capable fubjecls (I mean the adult) is abfolutely necefTary before God; and a ProfefTion thereof (probably ferious) before the Church. And whether this be Grace or no, let it be confidered for the doubting under its proper head. And as for thofe that talk of inward, real, fubjeclive

Bbbb 2 Grace,

ji2 There are but Two Sacraments Scrm.XX.

Grace, by the Application of the outward Elements, and that this Grace is in the Elements, theymuft afTert this to be wrought at the rate of a Miracle; which,when 'tis proved to be wrought by proper,neceiTary,in-ilituted Refultancv from the Sacraments, fhall be affented to. And I be-lieve they will find it hard to prove fubjective Grace wrought by the Sacraments themfelves, otherwife than by moral objective Influence. And whatever elfe is wrought, is done by fome diitinct Operations of the Spirit, even as 'tis done when the Word of God is made to work effectually. And as for the reft, the fame anfwer will ferve them all. As Increafe in Confirmation, Nourifhment in the Eucharift, medicinal reparations of the Iapfed by Penance, removal of the reliques of Difeafes by Exercife and Diet, to which they make Extreme Unction to be analogous 0 Orders in relation to publick Exercife, to compleat vital Perfection ; and Matrimony for the propagation of an holy feed. For thefc I would fain know, whether the two Sacraments which w 7 e plead for and they own, do not referre to all thefe things, in that they bind us to, and in their kind help us in all that is pretended as defigned by the other five ? And as for Confirmation, doth it bind us to, or feal to us any thing new* cftft-incl materially from Uaptifm ? Or is it not rather (orderly difpenfed) the renewal of the Baptifmal Covenant.

2. As for what is alleadged by way of remedy, againft diftempers, or m relation to thofe diitinct Graces and Vertues wherein we are concerned. Both are confidered, and abundant Provifions againft the one, and for the other, arc made in thefe two Sacraments, fo far as they are proper to Christianity as fuch. And fo fpeak all Chriftians as fuch, to be concerned in them. And if any thing falls out to fome that is not incident to all, 'tis fit that it be referred to its proper head, in Order, or Prudence,-or the like. And if they will contend about the name of Sacrament, let them have it, provided that in things they will diftinguifh (and let us understand they do fo) betwixt what is a Sacrament of Order, and what is a Sacrament of entire Chriftianity. And that they will explain their own T r idem me words, CataHTL, Epit, Cone.in Cone. Trid. Seff. 7. cap. 3. da Sacram. ingener. See Retinoids againft Hart-) in his Confer, chap. 8. div. 4. p. (mihi) 6c2.

And having now difpatch d the point of the feven Sacraments (about

which I could have fpoken more, but that 1 care not for thofe Contro-

verfies that are made fo intricate by a refolved efpoufing of words and

phrafes, whofe fei^pe is arbitrary and- undetermined ) amongft which,

Penance was transferred unto the laft, it will not be amrfs to make fome—

fhort reflections upon the Popifh Doctrines- of Humane Satisfactions,

which they make a branch of Penance, and with Contrition and Confetti -

on to be constitutive of it,

eon .it- Trfdem. The Councel of Trent afferts it falfe and alien from the Word of God,

StjT.id. Cap.%, t0 f a y 7 Tptm the fault is never remitted by God, but the whole Punifh-

y it%ithh^ J ' mQnt * s Phoned £°0- And fo. the Trent. Doctors ftriking harmony with

• the.

the Roman Catechifm afTert, That when God forgives a Sinner, he yet forgives not all the Punifhment, but leaves the party by his own works \ ? \™'™ t £* w to fatisfie till it be wafhdaway \ and thefe works are all good Actions Head Impart of inward or outward, proceeding from Vertue, as Cunfeflions, Almes, Fail- ZSwm Urgeift ings, Prayers, Sufferings in this Life, or in Purgatory : and the things l '« l Uuii con-that we fatisfie God for by our good works, are x. Temporal Punifh- £552 with*' ments. 2. The Rcliquesof fin. 3. The fault it felf. 4. The fame Pu- '" ome Grief nilhment wherewith the Damned are afflicted, Eternity only being ab- Siom^'here* ftracled from them. And here we muft confider, 1. How they dtftin- "P 0 "- *° r d , ±li guifa 2. What they conclude, and fo how far they come to us, and jj« & «/«&?* wherein we part. *'*"!"« *° {t }*

■ n ' r- 1 ■^•Vi« /•»■ 1 1 tti • • ir ami Fully har.ii-

Firit, For the Diltinetions \ they are upon three Heads principally. . i e d by o^ers m (1.) They . diitinguifh upon Sin : and they tell us, that it is confidered thu^xenwfc* here, as 1. Either before Baptifm; or 2, After Baptifm. 1. That before Baptifm is either Original or Adual: and 2. That after Baptifm is confiderable either in (1) Relation to its Objecl: molt immediately concerned, which is either 1. God, or 2. Man; (though in the general notion every fin againft Man is againit God too, whofe Lawes are broken by our Irregularities as to our felves, or one another}) and then as in relation to its (2) Quality or Aggravation, 'tis either venial or mortal : And here you muft confider, 1. The Fault, 2. The Stain, and then 3. The Punifhment; which we transferre to be confidered as the next Head of Di.tinclions: where we (hall confider it y and to the other part,.'tis thus-replyed.

1. Sin is confiderable in the general Notion as a tranfgreflion of the Law of God. Now the Law is transgtcfs'd in reference to either our Hearts or Adtions. Sin in the Heart is confiderable as to (1) Its Derivation into the Heart or Nature of Man, by Original tranfmiffion to all the children of apollate Adam : Or, (2) its Interest and in-dwellings in the Heart, and corrupting prevalent influences upon it. And fo here we mud diitmguiffi betwixt, 1. What God doth as an offended righteous Ruler-in a courfe of Punifhment, making fevere and juit reflections upon' our Nature becaufe of the violation of the Law of our Creation : And, 2. What is done by Man as under the circumffance of his Primitive Forfeiture and Difeafe, which our Parents firit mifcarriage brought into the world. And then we fay, (i)God juftly might and did withdraw that Spirit of Hoiinefs from Adam which he by finning thruftaway, and left him in that ataxy and diforder which man fo willingly threw himfelf into,-fo as that he had no Hoiinefs and Reclitude to tranfmitt to his Pollc-rity. And, (2 ) Apoilate, and thereupon corrupted Adam cou T d not communicate a better Nature to Poiterity than he had himfelf. Nor, (3.) Was God bound in Governing Juitice to fet his Seed under fuch comfortable Circumftances as he did fet himfelf: And (4) the rather becaufe the. Miferies of all his Seed was part of the Punifnaient which was due to-him • even as their Hoiinefs and Felicity ought to- have been a powerfull

motive

There are but Two Sacraments Serm. XX.

motive, and mould have been a fure reward to his Obedience, and continuance in his due Integrity. Now 2ly, As to its in-dwellings andin-tereft in the heart, and dreadfull Influences upon it, they ftill abide in fome meafure, and are owned and acknowledged in our Baptifmal Covenant, wherein we do accept of the Spirit as our Sanctifter, which he could not be unlefs we were defiled.and acknowledged our felves to be fo. Nor can we any more conclude the perfection of the Sanctifkation of our Natures, by our being baptized into the Holy Ghoft, than we can conclude our perfect Glorification and Salvation by being baptized into the Father and the Son; all being to be wrought and perfected in a way of gradual motions, proficiently, anfwerably to thofe healing Rules and Remedies that are before and with us, tobeobferved and improved by us. And as to fmfull actions, they are the products of our finfull hearts; and we promife to prevent them (as much as in us lies) for time to come, even as we do profefs and exercife Repentance for what is paft and gone. And here our Covenant-clofures, and anfwerable Converfations afterwards, are no further fatisfactory unto God, than as they anfwer his commanding will, as our Obedience to him, and as the performed Conditions of our Salvation which God hath made fuch.

2. Sin in relation to its Object, is either againft God or Man; con-fifting either in doing what we ought not, or not doing what we ought, and as we ought to doe, with reference to all thofe circumftances and relations in which and under which we ftand as to God and Man, either our felves or others; and on both thefe we fhould or do reflect with an anfwerable frame of fpirit thereunto, as far as our mifcarriages have been and are known to have been committed againft God or Man, or both. And here Qby God,] I mean the facred Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft: and thus our fins before and after Baptifm are the fame as to their formal Nature, (viz,; they are tranfgreflions of the Law of God whenever they are committed) although by fome accelTary circumftances they may differ in degree : And thus 'tis true, that to break the Laws of God after thefolemn Vow of Baptifm to the contrary, is worfe than to do it before, and may require fome fmarter Difcipline and Repentance, in that the Obligation of a Vow that is made (andfuchatolemu Vow is Baptifm) doth greatly aggravate the fin ; and hence, 'tis likely, did arife that primitive Penance impofed upon ProfefTors lapfed after Baptifm into Heathenifm, or other fcandalous mifcarriages, in order to their own Recovery and Eftablifhment, the fatisfaction of the Church about the ufefuli truth of their Repentance, with reference to their re-ftauration 5 the vindication of the Purity of Chriftianity, againft the Calumnies of others; and the prevention of the Revolts of others ; and fo the quickning of all to regular Care and Watchfulnefs about their per-feverance and proficiency in Chriftian Growth and Godlinefs j that fo thereby it might be manifeft in the eyes of all about them, how much the Rules and Difcipline of Chriftianity did fecure, promote and

quicken

quicken all Righteoufnefs, Sobriety and Godlinefs, at the highefl rate in the world.

3. Sin in relation to the ftrength and meafures of its Malignky, and as it referres to the Quality of our ftate, is either confiftent or incon-filtent with the ftate of faving Grace. And here it is not fo much to be confidered what is lawfull or unlawfull, as what is poflibie or impoflible to be in a truely Regenerate Heart. Tis poflibie, a good Heart may not do every thing that is required of him, and yet it is unlawful! to let the lea/1 thing be by him neglected. I have yet met with none that dare declare and itand to it, That there hath never been the lead remifnefs or neglect that by fheir utmoft poflibie care could be prevented, fince they were fijril converted unto God; but all, in everything they do with God, and for God, dread to be dealt with according to their beit. performances in exact proportion to their merit. We do depend upon Chriils Merits and Interceflion, and ufe his Name to beg our pardon for Irregularities even in our holieft performances ; and certainly the ferious Heart will dread to complement with its God. And therefore when the Papiilstalk of venial and mortal fins, and tell us that Mortal fins can have no fatis-faction but from Chriit, but Venial fins may be fatisfted for by ourfelves j let them but freely tell us what they mean. 1. Is any finfo venial as that it cannot merit the Wrath of God hereafter, by any Law which he hath made? Is not the tranfgreflion of Gods Law the formal Nature of fin? doth not that very Law pronounce every delinquent worthy of Death ? is not Death the indication and execution of divine difpleafure ? Is not Death comprehenfive of all Miferies, as it was Hated in the fanction of the firlt Law? Are not fins dignified from their Object? a gentle ftroRe when given in Anger, though in its nature it be but little, yet if given to a Prince, receives another rtamp and character ; and as to God, if the matter be great, there is no difpute but the fin is great, as Blaf-phemy, &c. if it be final!, the fin is great, becaufe the great God is denyed his will; although his claims were mean and eafie as to the matter of them. Did God bid us do fome great thing,* would we not do it ? how much more when he commands what is but fmall for us to do, would not the neglect favour of great contempt even in a fmall affair? 2.Do they by venial fins mean fuch as do not prove our full revolt from God, becaufe 'tis poflibie fuch a fin may be committed by one that yet doth hold to God as his great and only End and Reft ? why then We own as well, as They, that every fault and flip proves not a perfon to be forthwith Gracelefs. 3. Do they by vernal fins intend fuch fins as do or maybe pardoned upon Repentance, Faith, and New Obedience ? if fo, it will put them forely to it to mention any fin, though never fo hainous in its nature (the fin againft the Holy Ghoft excepted) which a right hearty, practical Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jefus, &c. may not obtain. the pardon of ; and in this fence no fins are mortal but thole which unavoidably bring the Soul fo Hell at laft, and that through final Infidelity

and.

'There are but two Sacraments

Serm. XX.

and that through final Infidelity and Impenitence : and hence we fhall the better under/land what can be meant by thefe fins being tobefatis-fied for by us, and in what fence they may be fo. For if they mean, that the Blood of Jefus was not needfull to make them pardonable upon thofe-terms, propofals and conditions of their pardon, which God hath tendred in the Gofpel} Chrift is apparently contemned and undervalued : But if they mean, that the pardon will not be had unlefs the Conditions be performed by us, it is moft true; and if they mean fomething clfe, they muft declare and prove it to us.

(2.) As for the Things for which our Satisfaftions mull b'e made, they tell us, they are, 1. Temporal punimments ; as (1) AlItheMife-ries of this Life in relation to our Bodies, Goods or Name. (2) Death it felf. (3) The pains of Purgatory, which are lofs and pain, the fame with Hell it felf in Kind and Nature, though different in Duration, and it may be fomething in Degree. For as to the Eternity of pains in Hell, 'tis but an Accident thereof; and for Subltance we muft fatisfie : For the Eternity thereof Chriit. is refponfible, who hath made them temporal that they might be removed by our fatisfa(ftions. And then we mult fatisfie 2. For the Reliques of fin: 3. For the Fault it felf: And 4. For the Punifhment of the Damned in Hell, if the Eternity thereof be but ab-ftraded from it. To which I anfwer,

1.-Whoever is concerned to make Satis ^acTion, is confidered either in relation to Property as a Debtor, &c. or in relation to Law as a Ma-lefacTour. Now as to the cafe in hand, as Sinners are looked upon as Debtors, fo they relate to God as their Proprietary and abfolute Lord of his own \ and fo they may be Iook'd upon as having taken, or detained from God fomething that is not theirs but his, which yet he might have parted with, and yet do him felf no hurt •, or elfe fomething which they have neither right unto 7 nor can God part withall without his prejudice or dammage. If in their former fence the thing be taken, 1. Then Satisfaction demanded from Our felves, or from another, rather refulted from Gods Will than from his Wifdom. For it had been no incongruity for God to have retreated from his Right, where neither his Truth nor Wifdom is concerned to forbid it; for who can blame a Creditor for want of Goodnefs, (when there wants nothing elfej in that he doth forgive a Debtor ? 2. Then there was no need of Satisfaction in the Cafe. God's fingle Power could have recovered his own again. 3. For God to have his own again was all that he could look for. In that he had no prejudice but the mecr alienation of his own again, and that not fo much from his Property as his PofTefTion : For no mans Apoltafie from God could rob God of his title unto the Man,for that is too fait and abfolute to be changed. And if God be only concerned as to his PofTefTion ; when his Goods are come again into his own hands, no greater Satisfaction can be made, 4. When God hath all his own again, there can be no-thing left to make him Satisfaction with, feeing God hath a right to all

that

that we can do as our Proprietary, and ever had, and could never juftly be denyed it. But fecondly, if you take the matter in the latter fence, a, fomcthing is taken or detained, unto Gods real prejudice and dammage. i. Then alfo Gods Omnipotence could have repaired his lofs. But, 2. Nothing can poffibly impoverifh God, whofe abfolute and infinite Happinefs and Riches are nothing but himfelf, whofe Property is abfo-lute^ and his Omnipotence its full fecurity. But now, if our fins fpeak a relation to a violated Law, and fo God be confidered as a Ruler, then we muft mean, that we mull compenfate that injury which in the courfe of Government we have already done to God, by the difhonour we have done him in contradicting Gods righteous Will, breaking his Laws, and disturbing or diflblving his fixed courfe in Government} or we mult do fomething elfe that (hall as well fecure the Governours Honour, an • fwer his Ends and Will in Government, as our deftruction for our folly can amount to; and what that is, we f ofllbly may under/land hereafter, as the Papifts do interpret and intend it.

2. As to the things for which thefe humane Satisfactions are required, they are it feems, (i) Temporal Punifhments. But, i. Is it not ftrange, the Punifhment mould be born in our own Perfons, and in its kind too, and yet that fatisfaction mould be made at the fame time too ? Is it good fence to fay, that there muft be, Redditio e)ufdem^ the payment or re-ftoring of the fame thing exacted, which is the bearing of the Penalty, and yet at the fame time doing or bearing aquivalemu, fomething proportionable and in lieu thereof. 2. As for the Pains of Purgatory, I mail leave thatto a better Pen, that is concerned in that head; and thither I referre the Reader. 3. As to Death itfelf, are voluntarinefs, and Patience fatisfactory here ? if fo, for what ? Is it the ftroke of Death ? why is it not then difpenfed with, and fo we made immortal, to fcape that dreadfull blow ? and further, why may not fuch a frame of patience and fubmiflivenefs prevent the ftroke ? what makes them fatisfactory ? is it becaufe they are pleafing unto God ? then Enoch fatisfied for his death, and therefore fcaped it, Heb. 11. 5. and yet another.doth as truely fatis-fie for death, that bears it, as he that bears it not. 4. As to thofe other Punifhments in this Life, th£ holieft man may have them all, and oft-times feels them more than he that never was folicitous to pleafe his Maker, or make him fatisfaction. It is not at the choyce of any, whether the punifhments that God inflicts fhall be born or no; and Nature teaches men to choofe the gentleft ftrokes; and if the furTerings of this Life be not voluntary, undue, ^equivalent, they make not compenfatory fatisfaction. 5. As to thofe Reliques of fin, what fatisfaction are they capable of, diftinct from their being purged away bythe Grace of God in the due ufe of proper Means, and from our Releafe as to their binding of us over to the wrath of God, and the due fentence of his Law ? 6. As to the Fault it felf, how, and in what fence is it capable of our fatisfaction ? Can any thing make it true, that I was never guilty of the fact 1 did ?

C c c c THas

That a Sinner hath been a Sinner is an eternal Truth, after delinquencies and faults committed. Can any thing make it true, I ought to have done what I have done amifs ? can any thing make it true, that what was done amifs never deferved the wrath of God ? or that it was not juffc and fit, that he who broke the Law of God mould dye? Can any thing make it warrantable, that I mould break the Law of God, or fafe for me to do it y when God faith it is not? And when you have confidered in Sin ; the fact and faultinefs, and the chargeablencfs of both upon the Sinner, and the truth of all, and have prefcinded thefe in the confideration of its bein<* fat sfied for by us \ you will find it can in no fence be capable of fatis-faction, but as to our being purged from its commanding, or releafed from its condemning power. And can I do any thing for God that can be as gratefull to God, as it would have been to him that I had never fin'd againft him? or can anything be done by me that can do equal fer vice to my Rulers will and honour, and the due Ends of Government, with, my perfect Innocence and Obedience ? or can I do any thing for God, that in ftrict proportion of de.fert can merit any being cleanfed from the ftain and blemifh which a fault hath left upon me ? If not, then let the Papifts tell me in what fence a fault can be capable of our fatisfactions, that (hail keep it from connoting, either U Punifhment, and fo it is no further pardoned.than the Punimmentis remitted, or 2. Purgation,and then it doth import no more than being fanctified or reformed : From whence it follows, that their fundamental Maxim is a precarious though confident Affertion and Conclufion, or an ambiguous Cheat, viz.. That they that fay, that the Fault is never remitted by God, but the whole lunifliment is pardoned too } fpeak that which is falfe, and in no wife owned by the Word of God. For, 1. Tis evident, that nothing can make an Act that was finfull when committed, clear from the charge and cenfure of having been a fault y and in this fence, fmfull Actions are incapable of Remiflion, and therefore forreign to the cafe in hand. 2. If they mean hereby, (I mean by a Fault remitted) the extirpation of a> finfull Principle, and prevention of the fame finfull Action or mifcarriage in kind; and fo that this may be in many who are not excufed from the ]uft inflictions of miferies of Life, and pains of Death. 'Tis granted, that the beft men alive are not unjuftly dealt with, if they be vifited wkh the Punifhments ofLife and Death, becaufeofthe Garden-quarrel,, and thofe corrupted Natures which were derived thereby, together with our perfonal delinquencies. 3. But if they mean,by the Remiflion of a fault, God's taking off thofe Punifhments, and difcharging from the fentence of the Law, whereto the Fault had bound me, the remiflion of the Fault and punifhment are of the fame extent.

(3) They diftinguifhupon fatisfaction, and fay that fatisfaction either doth relate to rigorous juftice, or to gratuitous acceptance. (1.) The former cannot be made by any thing but, 1. What is our own; 2. What is undue 5 3. What is of equal dignity and value. And thefe things ( fay

they)

they )cannot be attributed to any but Chrift himfelf, who alone can Dc* varia reddere. But then (2) the latter Satisfaction is by Gratuitous Acceptance, and fo, by the favourable Condefcenfion of the offended Ruler, men may fatisfie as far as God will give them affilting and accept ng Grace; and thus what with the Spirits help by inward Grace, and the tincture of the Blood of Jefus by Gods Grace upon our works to make thenr fatisfie, we being one with Chrift our Head, and communicating of his fatisfaclion for us, derive that merit from him into our works, which make them fatisfaclory \ which works being the works of the Spirit^ and coming thence, derive a certain infinity and equality, whereupon enfues the Grace of Evangelical Councels, whereby we are exhorted a»nd perfwaded to what we are not commanded, and thereupon jt followes, that we have fomeching that is our own, and undue to God, and therefore fatisfaclory, and the more eafily fatisfaclof y becaufe of the third Grace of Remifiion, which removes the Eternity from the Punifh-ment, and makes it temporal, that fo our fatisfacftion for it may be more poflible and eafie. So then, that may be done by Grace for fatisfa&ion, which in ftricft Juftice is impoflible \ and then do but confider what 1. God enjoyns you to ; as vehement and intenfe Contrition, and this will do your work for Death and Purgatory, outward laborious works, as Faftings, Prayer, &c. as alfo Almefdeeds. 2. Confider what may be enjoyned by others, as the Priefts enjoyning the vifitings of Shrines of Saints, fo many Ave's and Pater Nofter's, and other Penance. And 3. What you may do yourfelves, by voluntary Pilgrimages, Faftings, Scourgings,Sackcloth,Weepings,Prayers in fuch Numbers and Meafures, and all other feverities by felf-puni(hmcnt j and fet upon thefe with an intent to fatisfie, and the punifhment of your Sins will be revers'd •, becaufe thefe things are more than you are bound to do, or God required of you. I pretermit the points of Indulgences, Purgatory, and other mens Satisfactions, for they are the Bufinefs and Employment of better Heads and Pens, engaged in this Morning Exercife. ' And as for Treafuries, and the Popes power to difpenfe them* I think if he can do it, he is bound to pardon all on Earth, and releafe thofe in Purgatory; and lives in mortal fin if he love not his Neighbour as himfelf: And I believe, were he in Purgatory, he would thank thofe kindly that would releafe him quickly; and then the Precept binds him to do as he would be done by. But on the other part, thefe Reflexions may fuffice which follow.

1. SatisfaHion is defined by the School-men, by a voluntary Reddi- Alteinfl. in tion of fomething equivalent, otherwife undue ; ( for fo the word fatis Lexko Gabr. doth import, and fatisfaU:ion fignifies fomething that is fufficient) and $fi\ lb - ? M * 2 * fufficiency imports an equal correspondence of that whfch is returned, to s^hJSL z. that for which it is returned, and that both in Benefices & Poems, in™, i,lib. 4. Benefits and Punifhments: And hence it followes, that he who returns lefs for fin than Divine Juftice doth exact:, doth not fatis fie, although he doe to the full what is enjoyned him by his ConfclTour. Though yet he

Cccc 2 doe

doe dliquam fcenamfeccato fuo debitamfelver e^ foluturnsin futuro qnrd And the fame minks inymUum eft, & faintum in frafenti • yet even here they are not A \ g l 6 !' c °y\\ agreed in the Cafe. For though thofe mentioned in the Margent aiTerfthis afcer^Thatthe Doctrine, yet others fay, that Satisfaction is not to be made by fome-Prieft can im-thing otherwife undue; as Durand. d.ij.qtt.i. Cajet. Trafr. dc Sa-fonere pro fa- tisfatt. q.i, and Anglef. in flores Que ft. fart. prim. Que ft. de Satisfatb. v. "tlmTllTS mthl ' )2 53 concludes, That works otherwife due rat tone Pr<tccpti, as alias debita, commanded, if they be done in Grace, are fatisfactory for the Pains of and for their Purgatory; and Martyrdome is his inftance, and he tells us, that he is differences injurious that prayes for a Martyr to him ; and this he makes to be the ofthifDoftrin fence °* Ca ) etan ancl Durand. But to addrefs our felves unto the Cafe ofSatisfaa.fee in hand : Satisfaction being the doing of fomething that is fufficient, hath Whites way to a relation to either, i. Commutative Juftice, relating as to perfonal the churchy Debts or Injuries; and here the ground of his demanding Satisfaction P< J g- r 33- tnat i s wronged, or Creditor, is his own perfonal jtift Intereft and title to "what he claims, and the juft Meafures of our Satisfaction are to be fetch'd from both the juft intrinfecal value and worth of what we are to make him fatisfaction for, and alfo its relative worth to him whofe lofs by the abfence of x his own proper Goods, and all the dammage that accrues to hinvthereby, muft have its equal compenfation from him that is Debtor or Injurious, unlefs fome other accidents (as the Debtors inability, or Creditors diftance, or the like,) make it impoffibJe to make this fatisfaction; and then, nemo tenetur ad impojfibile. Or ? 2. It relates to Distributive Juftice, as the wrong which doth require our fatisfaction may relate to Law and Government \ and here the Rulers Honour and the Ends of Government, muft give and ftate the Meafures of our Satisfaction ; for in the whole, our Satisfaction^ truely fuch, muft bear proportion hereunto; and then whatever (upon the whole) doth exceed the bounds and claims of Gods Propriety, Excellence, Authority and Beneficence, and all that merit which doth and muft refult herefrom, cannot be called undue, and therefore amount to fatisfaction in the ftrict fence. But in a comprehenfive and large fence, God may be faid to be fatisfied in feveral fences. 1. As his Will is pleafed by doing what is demanded . of us under our prefent orfuppofed Circumftances, and thus we fatisfie his will as far as we doe what he commands us. 2. By Reparation of the Governing wrong and injury that is done him; and thus that fatisfaction which muft anfwer the wrong that is already done by our Apa-ftafie from God,ts and can be only made by Chriit. But that injury which would enfbe from the Impunity of Delinquents, (here I mean fuch Delinquents as finally reject the Remedy that God hath given them by Chrift) muft be compenfated by their own bearing of their deferved and entailed Penalty; and thus God is fatisfied againft their wills by their effectual tranfrnifTion to their deferved wracks and tortures. Or, 3. By perfect innocent Obedience to the whole Law; and they that challenge, let them maintain, pofTefs and prove it, or 4. By a full anfwering of Gods

vindictive

vindictive Juflice, by fuffering here what is equivalent to the full latitude and importance of their deferved punifhments in Hell • and where is that felf aufterity and difcipline here in exercife, or poflibly to be met with, that is equivalent to God's revenging llrokes and wrath in Hell ? Who hath an Arm like God, to ftrike like him ? Or who would if he could, afflict himfelf at the proportionable rate of Gods omnipotent revenge, whenas the profpect of ChrinVs approaching Cup had fuch im-preflions on his Heart and Countenance ? But we pafs on to the next

Head.

2. Satisfaction is here fpoken of under a double Notion and Relation, and fo divided into, ( 1) That which referres to ftricl and rigorous Jufticc, or (2.) To Gratuitous Acceptance. In the former Chrifl: only is concerned, as only capable of making it j becaufe what Chrifl: did, and was to do as fatisfadtory, was 1. His own, 2. Vndne, 3. And of equal value and dignity. But in the latter, our capacity is large and good. And here we have, 1. The matter of our poflfible Satisfaction. Some things voluntary ; Pilgrimages, Faftings, &c. Some things enjoyned (1) By God, as vehement and intenfe Contrition, laborious works and Almef-deeds, &c. And (2) By the Prieft, as the vifiting of Shrines of Saints, fo many Aves and Pater-Noflers^ with other Penance. And then we have, 2. The Grounds and Means whereby our voluntary and enjoyned works arc ripened into fuch Dignity and Value as (hall make them fatisfa&ory ; Namely, ( 1 ) God's condefcending and accepting Grace. (2) The tincture of the Blood of Chrifl:, our Union to him, and communicating of his Satisfaction, from whence our Works derive their Merit. And, (3) The inward workings and aflifting Grace of the Spirit, by which our works proceed from inward vertue, and fo derive a certain Infinity and Equality. So that now the door is widely open to Evangelical Counfels, to which you are exhorted and perfwaded, but not commanded.

1. Then let us hence confider, How far Chrifts Satisfaction doth extend it felf, and fee what room there is left for Humane Satisfactions, that fo we may the better find and fix them, and fo confider them more exactly in their proper Place and Office. And (1) They here acknowledge, that the Matter of Ch rifts Satisfaction (befidesits being undue, and his own) is of equal dignity and value 5 but then I ask, with what is it of equal Dignity and Value ? Is it not with the injury which he as Governour received by the Apoftafie of his Creatures ? Or with that Recloral gain, which he would otherwife get from their deftrucjion, or both ? What injury could God be capable of, but contradicting his governing W ill, ecclipfing of his governing Honour, and preventing or ob-ftrucling his noble Ends in Government, whereby it was made and rei> drcd unbecoming God.to place his heart upon,and distribute his choyceft Bleflings to the Sons of men, in fuch methods, and upon fuch terms, as might make his Subjects juftly think, he was grown regardlefs of his I i Honour^

Honour, Laws and Government. Revolted man muft either"be deftroy-ed or faved; if he be ruined, the glorious explications of Godsincom-prehenfible Love and Wifdom, by pardoning Grace and Mercy, in fuch confiftency with his Truth and Holinefs, had been prevented, together with fuch wife fupplantings of Sathans Projecls,Hopes and Triumphs, as Now he is effecting in his Gofpel-methods; and the Revivals of Religion in an Apoftate Tribe. Had man been faved immediately, without the execution of Gods violated Law upon him, and any equivalent con-fideration in the Cafe, the glorious Effects and proper Demonftrations, and fo all fuitable and ufefull apprehenfions of governing Juftice, Wifdom, Holinefs and Truth, fo dear and proper to the Ruler, had been prevented j and both their Honour and efTential Exigence had been ex-pofed unto the jealoufies and fufpicions of his Subjects; the Truft and Title of a Ruler had not been anfwered by its due adminiftrations and difcharge; Hopes of Impunity had been ftarted, notwithstanding after mifcarriages, to the great prejudice of Laws and Government, and fuitable Obedience thereunto. -Arid hereupon, nothing amounts to fatis-faction that brings not things unto this Iffue, Thatfinfull and Apoftate Mans Salvation mail as much fecure, promote, and fpeak the Harmony and Honour, of Gods whole Name as Governour, and all his Ends in ^Government; as mansdeftruction. (2) They muft acknowledge, that Chrift hath only and effectually fatisfied his Father thus far, by what he did and fuffered, as that Repentance, Faith and New Obedience, are by the Covenant of Grace made the Conditions of our full Recovery and Salvation, fo as that they who fulfill the Conditions of the Gofpel fhall reap the Bleffings of it. (3) Nor are they able or ready to deny, that all affifting and accepting Grace, and all the Means of Grace fub-fervient thereunto, only refult and iffue from Chrifts fatisfaction.- Nor (4) Will they fay, that any thing in Man without refpect to the Redeemers Satisfaction, and the Fathers arbitrary, companionate and condefcend-ing Grace, could have deferved of God to be accepted as a fufficient ground for readmiffion to his favour, or a fufficient compenfation of our demerits. For, what Chrift did was needlefs, if the great Ends thereof could have been anfwered and attained by us without it. They dare not fay, that God was bound in Jufticeto accept of that without^ which now is made acceptable by Chrifts Satisfaction. (5) Therefore the Meritorioufnefs and availablenefs of their fuppofed or afferted Humane Satisfactions, muft (in their judgements) be derivative froraChrift, and that affifting and accepting Grace that comes, muft be upon the reckoning of Chrkts Satisfaction. (6) Whatever is commanded by God in Chrift upon the penalty of otherwife forfeiting all the Benefits of Chrifts Satisfaction, and our Eternal Happinefs thereupon, can be no further called Satisfaction, than as our ftated Doing of what is commanded as our Duty, and as the Condition of our Salvation performed by us 5 which can no further' merit our Impunity, than as God hath

promrfed

Serm.XX. under the New Tcjlament. -25

promifed and entailed that to and upon what is required of us.

2 l Y> Let us confider, what this Satisfaction by gratuitous Acceptation doth amount unto, and in what things we are to fix it. And, (1) Whatever is accepted or acceptable, is cither fo from its own intrinfecal value, and then as fuch it cannot be acceptable beyond its worth; or from its llfcfulnefs and Aptitude unto its Ends. I know a little in another fence may be accepted as a tedimony of thankfull refentments of favours, or an acknowledgement of difrance, duty, fubjectibn, &c. but this is not to the Cafe in hand, is [[acceptable*] but as expreflivc of the temper and purpofe of the Heart, were but the ability anfwerable to the heart? And then we mult confider the Nature and Degree of its mediate ufeful-nefs; asalfoits confidency with other means at hand, or instituted; for if it cannot be ufed, but fome better Means, and more gratefull to him that is mod concerned in the End that mud be profecuted and attained unto, mull: be neglected, it cannot be acceptable. And hereupon 'tis worth confidering, how far their voluntary or impofed Satisfactions juftle out thofe needfull Exercifes and Duties that in Society mud be done, and all thofe exemplary and Encouraging Influences which we are bound to give to others by our own chearfufaefs, praife and joy in the poneflion and improvement of what we doe and may enjoy with God, and for him: Or it mud be judged acceptable from fome clear and. grounded Tedimonies and affurances from God, either mediate or immediate, that he will accept our voluntary Offerings as Satisfaction; and under the difcovered Notion and refpecls in which the Ruler tells us. they (hall be accepted, we mud ufe and offer them. Now it is plain, that whatever God exacts from us, is to be referred to either his Authority, and foit mud be done as Duty; or to his Wifdom, and fo it mud be done by vertue of that proper tendency it hath unto its End, and then the End mud give the juft proportion to the Action, and alfo< Duty cannot be avoyded in the Cafe. For fhould Gods Councelsbe-neglected, we make reflections upon his Wifdom, and tell him, That: though he hath advifed us to fuch a way or courfe, yet we have difcovered another courfe as good; and if we quit Gods councel and efpoufe our own, we practically tell him, that our way is better; and then that: will prove drange Satisfaction* and humane with a witnefs., .that hatfv contempt of God and his Advice invifcerated in it 3 or wrapt up in its. bowels: Or it mud be referred unto his Holinefs, and fo it mud be ex-preflive of his Image upon our Hearts. And what Relation the matter of meer Humane Satisfactions have hereto, (befides that (hew, Col. 2.2 3.) it will be hard to prove: Or it mud relate unto his Covenant, Companions, Grace and Love, and fo be performed as its Condition, and then that doth import Command, and fomething more. And therefore, (2) Gratuitous Acceptation doth hold out fomething in the very Name. and Notion, that might mod judly be refufeable even as Satisfaction, andfpeaks a retreat in God from what he judly might demand, though

Satisfaction.

Satisfaction were admitted and concluded on; which they themfelves allow, by their diftinguifhing it from that Satisfaction which hath refpect to rigorous Juftice. (3) Many things are excluded from being Satisfaction, from the confideration of their being commanded, as things that mud be done, as ever we hope for Life and Glory; As 1. Whatever hath a true and proper reference to Gods Glory, 1 Cor. 10. 31. And 2. Whatever doth promote, become, and is expreflive of our univerfal powerful Love to God and Man, Mat. 22. 37, 40. And 3. Whatever as to the Matter of it is true or honeft, juft or pure, lovely, or of good report, and that hath either prayfeor vertue, Phil. 4. 8,9. it is a comprchenfive claim. 4. Whatever is proportionable or fuitable in Meafure and Circumftances,to our Abilities, Places, Gifts, and Offices, 1 Cor. 7.17. 1 Pet. 4.1 o, n. And thus to Fear God, and keep his Commandments, is the whole of Man, and in thefe things muft he b5 tryed for Life or Death at laft, Ecclef. 12.13. And now when thefe things are difcharged, there will be little left: for Satisfaction-work; and I believe it will put them forely to it, for to- name any thing under prefent circumftances, that is materially worthy of a Man or Chriftian, that can efcape the Claim and Difcipline of thefe Commandments,.efpeciaily if you take in that comprehenfive Text, Tit. 2. 12. and well confider the fpecial indifpenfible Duties of every Relation, in Families, Church, and State, and alfo what we are bound to doe to credifChriftianity, and to promote its' intereft, influences, and repute, to the Recovery and Salvation of all about us. Thefe things fhall be accepted by Gods favourable Condefcen-fion, in order to our everlafting Happineis on the account of Chrirt, as readily, heartily and effectually, as if we had never finn'd, or fatisfied for our fins our felves, notwithftanding all former Laws, and provocations to the contrary. Duty difcharged is gratefull to God, and Gods commanding Will is fatisfied, as far as things commanded are performed. And the fulfilling of federal Conditions do fatisfie and are available to the enftating of us in Covenant Rights and Priviledges, as far as the Co-, venant of Grace hath made them forcible and pleadable to thefe ends. uo works of And no other fatisfactions can be, in whole or in part, neceflary and avail-ours could joyn able to procure this Covenant of Grace, and make the mercifull, mo-chrVdid C un - derate, gracious conditions thereof required of us, to be performed by dertakc and do : ^ f 0 pleadable and effectual to their Ends in our Recovery and Salva-l°n^ s lS of k fcif tion, as Chrift hath made them. And they, if they would leave their entire,compieat Clouds^ and face us in the open light, might fee, that Satisfaction, if *n uccc c u . j_{ uman * e5 ^{q^ t h ev ta lk of fo much, cannot be found in fence, if any thing be meant thereby, fave pleafing God in doing his Will, and an-fwering thofe Propofals, and fulfilling thofe Conditions on which we may attain and reap the Benefits of Chrifts Satisfaction; which Conditions would not have done our work, had not Chrift by vejtue of his Satisfaction deferved and obtained of God to give us Life upon fuch low and gracious terms ) and how then can they find another fence or place for

Satis-

Satisfaction by their works ? let them but freely tell us where it lies, that any works of ours can be fatisfactory, and for what they can be fo ; As tothefirft, wherein their value for Satisfaction lies, let them deal freely with us. Is it by fomething derived from Chrift or not ? if not, they had been as available as now they are, if Chrift had never dyed for us * 7 for the fubftance of eternal Ptinifhments may now be done away, and their Eternity had been nothing without their Subftance; for the Eternity of that which is not, is but ameer Chimera.; And as to Death, that uni-verfally and unavoidably entailed ftroke on all, Patience and Voluntariness would have Satisfied, but for what ? not for the ftroke, for that is born, and who would fatisfie for what he cannot efcape by Satisfaction ? is it not hard to pay fomething equivalent, and bear the ftroke withall ? for Satisfaction is notej^fdem but equivalent is •> and if it be fomeworfc punifhment, he that deitroyes the Subftarice of the Punifhment, need never fear the Eternity thereof, although there mould be no. Satisfaction • but this will need no further confutation. If then the value of our works for Satisfaction be derived from Chrift, it is either done by his Allowance, or by his Ordination, or by meer Advice :, if by meer Allowance, this is no more than Lawfulnefs byJbare permiflion; and if this be enough to make a Satisfaction, then every thing neither commanded nor forbidden will do the work: And this abTurdity needs no loads, it being unable to bearitfelf} but if it be by Ordination from Chrift, where is the Order? what is the place and quality thereof? is it inftrumentally califal ? then let them fhew wherein. Is it as a Condition constituted in a Covenant-way ? where then is the Covenant that can make it fo, and hath entailed this Promife on it ? Is it by meer and bare Advice ? if fo, all councel doth refult from skill, and wifdom, and kindnefs too, in either reality or pretence : If therefore fuch works be inexpedient means, there is no Friend-fhip nor Wifdom in the Cafe; for nothing can be advifed by Wifdom that is not advifeable in the cafe; for this mult be refolved into Will, not Wifdom : Sic vo'.o,fic ]ukeo ; and then it ceafes to be at our liberty, be- -caufe it is commanded : And if it be expedient in the Cafe, 'tis either fo by ab r o'ute Order, and then Neglect is finfull; or proper Tendency, and then God hath made it fo; and Chrifts advice is the difcovery of his Fathers will, and then Gods Authority makes it Duty, and our great and abfolute Concernment makes it neceffary ; and thus, arbitrary can it no longer be. For I am bound to take the moft proper and expedient courfe and way to bring about my beft Concernments and Defigns, as far as they are laid within the compafsof my utmoft poflible Knowledge. And therefore, here Iriam under Duty and Commandment ftill; and if I can ferve God better by Vows of Poverty, Chaftity, &c. or any other Evangelical Counfels, than otherwife: the Male of the Flock ought to be offered up to God, and given him; and 'tis aftrange courfe for Satisfaction, to take a meaner and more improper courfe, when other wayes are mademyDuty. I cannot be allowed to fatisfie for Punifhment by the

D d d d neglect

neglect of Duty, or by rernXnefs in it. Nor can it be imagined by me, what references the impofed vifiting of the Shrines of Saints, or fucha Number of Aves or Pater Noftcrs, can have to compenfatemy faults to God, feeing Apoftate and depraved Man had rather travel far, and fay a many Prayers (as being truely and apparently a more eafie task, and in the eyes of wicked men readily taken fo to be) than to leave fins and fall to thorow duty here, or bear the flames of Hell for ever, yea or in Purgatory, were there fuch a ft ate and place. Nor are thefe courfes likely to prevail on others for timely, univerfal and effectual Reformation and Converfion. And for the fecond, for what they can fatisfie ; this will bring us to confider the fecond general head.

Secondly, -What they conclude either by Concejfion or JDenyal. And here they grant that Chriit hath fatisfied for fins before Baptifm, Original and Actual; for mortal fas after Baptifm, for the Eternity of Punifh-ment, for our former incapacity of making Satisfaction, which is de-ducible from this, in that they make fuch grace fo neceflary to our capacity of making Satisfaction, as could not come upon us unlefs Chrift had fatisfied before, namely, 1. The Grace of Juftification, whereby the Spirit dwells in us, makes one with Ghrift, and interefted in his Satisfaction, from whence that merit is derived into our works, that makes them to be Satisfactions too, though in 'relation to another head, viz.. Gratuitous Acceptation. 2. The Grace of Evangelical Counfels, whereby fomethihg \s rendred undue from'us to God as being not commanded. 3. The grace of RemiiTion, making eternal punifhments temporal, to make our Satisfaction eafie, and then 'tis plain, our vernal fins and temporal Punifhments may be fatisfied for together, and with eafe and great fuccefs by us.

To this I anfwer : All this hath been confidered before, and anfwered, and therefore my weary thoughts and Pen fhallclofe with fome Reflections upon temporal Punifhments and Satisfactions for them; and therefore (pafling by Purgatory, as confidered by another) temporal Punifhments are either fuch abfolutely, are entailed 1 Upon ^//, as Death, and 1 that isconfiderableastoitsftiokeosfting: Or, 2. only upon/0^, and that as either confequent upon their own mifcarriage in a natural or legal fence J or meerly refulting from the wife but arbitrary Providence of Godr And thus my replyes are thefe. (1) Nothing that Chriil hath done, or Man can doe, can make us hope, conclude or think, the ftroke of Death can be avoyded, Rom. 5. 12. Heb. 9. 27. Job 30.23. For God hath no where promifed that. (2) As to the Sting of Death, Covenant grace and Faithfulnefs, through Chrifl, can only pluck out that. Reflections upon Grace and Faithfulnefs at a dying hour, can only make our Souls triumph over their forrowes, fears and jealoufies, through the Apprehenfions of our approaching Judgement and Retributions in an eternal State. Nor can I think that any will find relief at laiHrom Pilgrimages, Shrines and Scourges,^, if this Grace and Faithfulnefs be wanting. (3) As to

b b b Q Strokes

Strokes confequcnt upon our own mifcarriagcs, through our intemperance or imprudence, or mifdemeanours in reference to the Lawes of of God or Man. Our Temperance, Providence and Innocence through. Gods good hand upon us, may prevent them as to their ftrokes, and full Repentance,Faith andHolinefs may poffibly allay, if not remove their bitternefs and ftrokes. (4) As to the Strokes that come by the arbitrary Providence of God, as the beft men may not fcape them, (o Cove-nant-Faithfulnefs fhall not lofe by them.

. And thus you fee by what is faid already, the fence and grounds of what is controverted betwixt the Church of Rome and Us about this head of Humane Satisfaction, and thence you may gather what to fay to what this Controverfie may be fummed up in : The fumme whereof lies in thefe following things, which they afTert. As,

1. That all thofe Afflictions and Temporal Chaftnings which God inflicts on men with reference to their Graces, Sins, and exemplary ufe-fulnefs, are true Expiations of, and Satisfactions for their fins paft to Divine Juftice. To which 'tis anfwered, 1. God fatisfies himfelf \\\ what he doth, in that his ftrokes are grounded, proper, and fucceffefull to his Ends, £0 fhew his Name, to execute his Laws, and fo prevent all inconveniencies to his Name and Government. 2. They that endure thefe Strokes, and make*a right improvement of them, do fo far fatisfie God, as fatisfaclion may fignifie their pleafing God, and anfwering his Ends in Difcipline. 3. As far as this Improvement and regular bearing of Gods Difcipline is a Condition of our efcaping that fmarter wrath which former fins deferved, fo far the fulfilling hereof (hall fatisfie God, that-is, anfwer his commanding and covenanting will fo farre. But, 4. It is Chrifts Satisfaction only, and not any proper Merit in our furTer-ings, as antecedent thereto, or abftracledly confidered therefrom, that makes our fufferings of all kinds, and our carriage under them, available to thefe comfortable Ends and Iffues of being pardoned and accepted.

2. That good Works, expreflive of Repentance, Piety and Gratitude, and tending to promote Religion, Mortification, Self-denyal, &c. or preventive of further ftrokes and Judgements, are truely fatisfaclory to God for fin. Anfw. No further than as they, 1. Pleafe God's ruling, his commanding and covenanting will (in which fence God is fatisfied but only as he is pleafed: ) And, 2. As Chrift is confidered in the cafe, to make them acceptable and available to obtain our Pardon and Recovery, and final Blifs, by what he hath done and fuffered and obtained for us. •

3. That Penance impofed by primitive Chriftians upon thefcanda-lous or Apoftate, in order to their Cure and ReadmifTion to the Church with their confent, and to their fatisfaclion, and other Chriftian Ends, is now made a Satisfaction for their fins to Juftice. Anfw. God in Chrift, and for his fake, is fo fatisfied, (that is pleafed) with our Repen-

Dddd 2 ■ tance.

tance, as our Obedience to his Command, our complyance with his Covenant-terms, our qualification in ftateand temper for his further Image, Favour and Prefence, and all the Favours that conduce thereto, and re-fult therefrom, and as our difguftings and bemoaning what hath been done amifs,and preventing the lamentable Confequences, of Impenitence, to both the Church and unbelieving World, as that where it is duely ex-ercifed and cxprefs'd towards God and Man, in fuch works as ordinarily and in fpecial Cafes and Circumftances, become Repentance, as that it fhall fuffice on their parts under Chrift for their reftoring to what their Scandals and Apoftafie bereaved them of. But it is only Chrift that hath deferved that our Repentance through Grace, and only Grace, (hould reach thefe Ends and Benefits.

The fumme of all is this, when we have abftra<fted the Humane Satisfactions of the Papiftsfrom what God hath made our Duty, and the Condition of our Salvation, or from what is*due to the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, from us as Creatures, Subjects, and delivered Sinners by Price and Power, to be trained up according to the Methods and Afliftan-ces of Gofpel Laws and Grace \ and fo from what I am bound to do to fatisfie my injured and endammaged Neighbour, offended Governour, and the Church of Chrift, according to the Institutions, and for the ne-ceffar y, and by God and Chrift enjoyned Ends and Intereft of the Gofpel; how narrow and ufelefs will Humane Satisfactions appear to be ?

And thus I have gone through this Task,asthroughly,as Gods breaches on my Family, my manifold Diverfions, great Diftractions, mean Abilities, and (lender Furniture, arid other Hinderances would admit of; and with my clofing words, and to my laft gafp (if fenfible fo long) muft I bewail the miferable ftate of Church and World, that muft be fcanda-lixed, diiturbed, and divided, by wanton Fancies, prurient Wits, proud hearts, and finifter defigns, in having Dodrines clouded or fophifticated with dark and doubtfull words and phrafes impofed on them.

SERMON

7 7 9 :

SERMON XXL

There is no Tranfubftantiation in the Lords Supper.

I Cor. XL 23, 24, 25..

For I have received of the Lord that which alfo I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jefts, the fame Night in which he was betrayed, too/{.Bread. And when he had given thanhj he broke it, andfaid, Take, eat, this is my Bocly, which is broken for you 5 this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner alfo he took^ the Cup when he hadfupped y faying, This Cup is the New Tefiament in my Blood, this cU ye, as oft as ye drmk^ it, in remembrance of me.

GO D hath exalted Man above all Creatures of tne vifiblc World,, in giving him a Being capable of Religion, and thereby of Eternal Life and Happinefs in the enjoyment of himfelf. And: to tne end that God may make himfelf glorious, in making loll Man happy,he hath in infinite Wifdom and Grace given us his writtenWord,to a Jn «. be a perfect Rule of that Chriftian. Religion, (a) by which we may obtain ^ erte pf JtA Eternal Life and Happinefs in God by Chriil ; in which Word he hath/im n Scrip.. not only revealed this glorious Happinefs to us, and brought Life and tVira ^ nvei ^ tl ^ Immortality to light, through the Gofpel ;(&) but alfo told us, what gives r f*J ^Jfa™* us a title unto, and fits us for, and the way that leads unto the full %o£*-fidem,morefque.

feflionofit. uivendi, Aug,

And therefore what tongue can exprefs the defperate madnefs and folly il^S?"" 3 of thofemen, who forfake the good Word of the Grace ofGod,(c) for ajj b 2. cap. 9-.. Religion that hath no other Foundation than the words of lying men. 3 2 jf m# fc *

And fuch is the Popifh-Religion, which as it is Pepiih, is devifed only c Aft. 20.324,

by.

by Devils and Men, to feed lufts, and to ferv« a carnal and worldly Interest, and tends to the Damnation of millions of Sou's.

Their Dodtrine of Tranfubftantiation in the Lords Supper, which I am now called to bear witnefs againft, isoneofthe chief Articles of this Religion ; and if this falls, their Idolatrous worshipping their Hoft, their moit abhorred propitiatory Sacrificing Chrift in their Mafs, their Sacrilegious robbing the People of the Cup, and a great part of their Religion muftfall with it; and yet by the Grace of God, I (hall in this en-fuingDifcourfe make it appear, that Tranfubftantiation is fuch an hideous Error, that the very nature and clear Confequences of it do crye a Pfal. i37« 7- of the true Chriftian Religion, as they cryed oijerufalern, (a) Rafe it, rafe it, even to the foundation thereof.

I fhall therefore fall immediately to my work, which is to prove two things:

i. That there is no Tranfubftantiation in the Eucharifl or Lords Suffer ; and take notice, that I do not queftion but the name Eucharifl , hath been anciently, and may be ftill fitly given to this Sacrament, but ' I (hall choofe to call it according to Scripture, the Lords Suffer, it being better known among us by that Name.

2. That it is Idolatry in the Pafifls to xvorfhif the confecrated Bread, though they think^it is turn d into the Body of Chrift.

>Jow becaufe in thefe words ( with thofe in the three Eyangelifts, Matth. 26. 26, 27,28. Mar. 14. 22,23, 24. Luk,£2. 19,20, which I would be understood to take into my Text) the Inftitution of the Lords Supper is fully and clearly delivered from Chrift to his Church, and becaufe thefe words do carry us in a right line to the Author, and Nature, and life, and Ends of this Ordinance; and are the true Standard by which we muft try all Doctrines, and Opinions, and Practices touching the Lords Supper: and alfo becaufe our Adverfaries pretend to receive their Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation from Chrift in thefe words: I have therefore chofen ther#for the moft proper Subject of this Difcourfe.

And herein I fhall proceed in this method.

1. I (hall briefly acquaint you with the true Doctrine of the Lords Supper, taught by Chrift in thefe words.

2.. Acquaint you with the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, which the Papifts pretend to receive from Chrift jn thefe words.

3. Prove that there is no Tranfubftantiation in the Lords Supper. " ' -

4. I fhall make Application, and therein prove the fecond Proportion, vft. That it is Idolatry in the Pafifls toworJJnp the confecrated Bread, though they thinks it be turned into the Body of Chrift.

Firft, I fhall give you a brief and plain account of the Doctrine of the Lords Supper, taught us in thefe word, in fix particulars, which J fhall further improve in the following Difcourfe.

1. Jefus

1. Jefus Chrift hath in infinite Wifdom and Love appointed Bread and Wine for this Sacrament -, this Is evident, by thofe words, Jefus ttok Bread* and he took^the Cup, wherein was the Fruit of the Vine : Our dying Lord being about to imtitute and adminifter the Lords Supper, in Order thereunto he folemnly took. Bread and Wine.

2. It is the Will of Jefus Chrift that Bread and Wine be bleffed and confecrated by the Mini.ters of theGofpel, this Bread and Wine muft be changed from that common ufe, which they had before Confecration, by being blefTed to a holy and fpiritual and Sacramental ufe: This appears by our Saviours practice recorded in the Text, Jefus too\ bread, and blcjfed it, and he took^the Cup and gave thanks : The word iuKoyfiw, tranflated bleffed, and Iv^/wro*. tranflated gave thanks, do herefignifie the fame thing, and do affure us, that Chrift blefTed the Bread and Wine, which obligeth all Miniiters in this Cafe to do-the fame} and therefore > faith the ApoiUe, 2 Cor: 10. 16. The Cup of Bleffing which we blefs,

and the Bread which we breaker— meaning the Bread of blefling, which we blefs and break -, for both were blefTed by our Saviour, and are to be blefTed by his Minifters, and are thereby made bleffed Bread, and bleffed Wine.

3. It is the will of Jefus Chrift, that this blefTed Bread be broken by his Minifters ; this was a holy Rite, or Action of Chrift, recorded by the three Evangelits, and by St. Paidm the Text, which tells us, he bleffed the Bread, and brake it ', from which Sicred Rite, Expofitors conceive, that this Sacrament is cal'd breaking of Bread, Alt. 20.6. and it is clear, that our \Saviour made this Bread, as thus broken, tofignihe the Body of Chrift, which is broken for us ; and therefore faith the Apoftle, It is broken Bread that is the Comnunion of the Body of Chrift, 1 Cor. 10. 16. And though I cannot flay to quarrel with the Papits for lighter matters, yet take notice of their bold Superltition in affronting Chrift herein, by making their Bread into little round Wafers, and not breaking it, but putting it whole into the mouths of the Communicants.

4. Jefus Chrift hath appointed that this bleffed, Bread, and bleffed *Fi^,beadminiil:red to Believers \ this is clear by our Saviours example mentioned in the Text, which tells us>that the Bread which he too 1 ^ and bleffed, and brake, he gave to his Difciples \ and the Cup which he tooh^ and kleffed, he gave to them. Jefus Chrift adirriniftred the blefTed Bread and blefTed Wine in this Sacrament.

5. It is the command of Jefus Chrift, that Believers do take, and eat, and drinks this blefTed Bread, and blefTed Wine ; for Chrift gave and admintftred them with a command to take, and eat, and drink them; the words are clear, Take, eat, drinks ye all of it ; which Command the Difciples obeyed, and did take, and eat and drink the bleffed Bread and' Wine which Chrift gave them; and fo we fee this blefTed Bread and Wine paffing from Chrift to his Difciples ia the Lords Supper, and eaten

and

and drunk by them: And therefore Chriftians be fure to hold faft thefe two things in the Lords Supper.

(r.) Never yield to part with the Bread and Wine out of the. Lords Supper, for they are bleffed, deftroy them not; for a bleffing is in them ; all the Bleffings that come from the infinite Love of God in Ghrift by the Covenant of Grace, for the Salvation of Believers, are in this blejfed Breadj and blejfed Wine, and if ye lofe the Bread and Wine, ye lofe thofe bleffings as conveyed by them.

(2.) Take and eat, and drink this Bread and Wine as the Bread of Bleffing, and as the Cup of Bleffing, take the Bleffing that is offered with them y for it is the Bleffing that makes this glorious Feait of the Lords Supper.

6. Jefus Chrift hath declared the ufe, which this Bread and Wine are bleffed, and confecrated unto} in thefe words, This is my Body, or this is my Body which is given, or broken for yon. This Cup is my Blood of the NewTeftament, which is foe d for many-, &c. or, this Cup is the New Teflament in my Blood.

Thefe words declare two main Ufes, whereunto this Bread and Wine are bleffed and confecrated.

(1.) To be Sacramental Signs, to fignifie and reprefentto us Jefus Chrift crucified, and all the Benefits of his Death; for the words do clearly fpeakof Chrift crucified, and that with refpecl to us. This is my Body which is broken for you ; this Cup is the New Te (lament in my Blood which is Jhed for yon. And by Faith, whereby the Heart doth affent to the truth of thefe words, we do in this Ordinance difcern the Lords Body broken for us, and his Blood fhed for us, and have our Souls filled, and fuitably affecled with the holy knowledge ar.d remembrance, and contemplation of Chrift crucified for us.

(2.) To be a "Seal to confirm the New Teaftamerit or Covenant of Grace, whereby Chrift and all the Benefits of .his Death are conveyed to Believers ; this* appears by thefe words, This Cup is the New Tefta-mc?it, &c. and by the Apoftles Explication of the words, This is my Body,— this Cup is my Blood. 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Cup of Bleffing which we blefs,is it not the Communion of the Blood of % Chrift ? and the Bread which we breaks, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chrift f Teaching us plainly, that by this bleffed Bread and Wine> there is a Communication of the Body and Blood of Chrift, and of all the Benefits of his Death, which Believers are made partakers of in the Lords Supper; and therefore we are commanded to take, and eat, and drink this bleffed Bread and Wine, for this ufe alfo; which we do, not only by feeing Chriit. crucified as here reprefented to us, but alfo by accepting, and receiving, and feeding upon him by Faith as he is here offered to us, to be the mod glorious Feaft of our Souls. And although it is the great Duty of Believers to fee and feed on Chrift crucified, as revealed and offered to us in his Word, and by other Ordinances, yet this is proper

and

and peculiar to this Ordinance ; for Believers to fee and feed upon him, as he is reprefented and offered, and £iven in the appointed ufc of Bread and Wine.

And thus I have given you a plain and brief account of the Doctrine of the Lords Supper taught us by Chrilt in thefe words ; and for your confirmation in the truth thereof, I fhall commend three things to your ferious confideration.

1. That for the Matter of this Feaft, the Papifts cannot with their Tranfubftantiation declare it to be greater, or more, or better than we do without it: For we fay, Here is Cnriil: and all that is purchafed by his Blood j' here is all that is revealed and conveyed to us* from the infinite Love of God, by the Covenant of Grace ; here is God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft in Covenant with us, to pardon our Cms, and to bring us through Holinefs unto Eternal Life and Happinefs in Heaven.

2. For the Guefts, or Communicants, we declare them to be the holy Society of true Believers, who are in Union with Chrilt as his blefied Bride, and Spoufe, and Members.

3. We further declare, that all the glorious things ofthisFeaTt, are fo far really prefent with thefe Guefts, that their Souls do truely feed upon them, and are feafted with them, but there is noneceffity of a local prefence of the Objects of the Soul with the Faculties, to make up this Feaft; but Believers are here feafted by the remembrance ofChrifts Death, which is above 1600 years paft, and by their hopes of Glory in Heaven, and at the Day of Judgement, which is to come; and in fee ing by Faith the crucified and glorified Body of Chrift in that place and Order which the Scriptures reveal it to them, though his bleffed Body be at a local diftance from them. And fo according to this Doctrine you fee fufficient reafon in all thankfulnefs to acknowledge, that the Lords Supper is fuch a Feaft as is for the honour of the great Jehovah^ to entertain his beloved Children and Friends withall on Earth, till he call them to feaft for ever with him in Heaven, without the life of Bread and Wine.

Secondly, I proceed to acquaint you with the Popifh Doctrine of Tranfiubfiantiation, which the Papifts pretend to receive from Chrift in thefe words : This Tranfubftantiation is declared in the Councel of Trent thus.(^) That by the consecration of the Bread andWine^ there is made a| c^al.Tr'u a Converfion of the "whole fubfiance of the Bread, into the fubftance of dent. Seff. 13. the Body of Chrift, and a converfion of the whole fubftance of the Wine frf^.4. car. 2. into the fubfiance of his Blood, which converfion the catholic^ Church doth fitly, and property call Tranfubftantiation. jindifany fhall fiiy, that in the Sacrament of the Encharift, the fubftance of the Bread and Wine do remain, and fiall deny this wjnderfull and fingular converfion of the whole fiithftance of the Bread into the Body, and of the whole fubftance of the Wine into the Blood of Chrift, the/pedes of the Bread and Wine

E e e e * only

only remaining) which conveyfion tjpe catholicity Church doth very fitly call Tranfubftantiation: Let him be accurfed.

But, foith Solomon, Prov.26*2. As the bird by wandring, and as the Swallow by flying, fo the curfe caufelefs fliall not come ; And therefore let them curfe, but Lord blefs thou, Pfal. 109. 28. For in defiance of their brutifh Execrations, I do with deteftation deny this monftrous, and blafphemous Doclrine, and do therefore proceed to the

Third particular, to prove, That there is no Tranfubjlantiation in the Lords Suffer, which I fhall prove by thefe following Arguments.

Firft Argument. The Scripture is not for Tranfubftantiation in the Lords Supper, buc is fully againft it, and condemns it; we have only the words of Papifts for it, but there is not one tittle of the good Word of God for it ^ but although there is no Ordinance of Worfhip more fully and plainly delivered from Chrift in the Scriptures, than this of the Lords Supper, yet therein is not the leaft Foundation for Tranfubftantiation, but God faith in effecT: of it as he did of that abomination of the Jews, Jeremy j. 31. —which 1 commanded not, neither came it into my heart; and if it came not into Gods heart, God forbid that it mould ever come into our hearts.

That the Scripture is not for, but againft Tranfubftantiation, will appear by examining thofe Scriptures, which our Advcrfaries alleadge for it -, and they are principally thefe two, viz.. The words in the Text, This is my body, this cup is my blood: and J'oh. 6. where our Saviour hath a large Difcourfe of eating hisflejh, and drinking his blood : NowIfTiall vindicate both thefe Scriptures from the fence of the Papifts, and make it appear, that there is not in them the lead warrant for Tranfubftaa-tiation.

I.fhall begin withfhe flrft 7 which they chiefly infill upon; and here take notice that their whole Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation is contained in thefe feven particulars, all which they pretend to prove from thefe words^

* Sententia conv ^ • j y Q j ^ > %s \,\ 00 ^

rmintsnon tulum J J^ r J *-,,. • i ,

Thcoiogofatn t. They fay that conUcration or the Bread and Wine is made by

•thefe words only, (a)

terum patn-.m, 2. That by vertue of thefe words, the fubftance of the Bread and

£ h aOc >lUs C v°e n r?* Wine are tUI * ned int0 the Bod Y and Blood ° f ChriI1 : and this is thdr

bis. hoc eft Tranfubftantiation.

H[^cIt meuil1, 3-. That after thefe words are pronounced by the Prieft, there is no fanguis mem fubftance of the Bread and Wine remaining in the Lords Supper. Belhrm.de . ^ j nat tfofpecies or Accidents only of the Bread and Wine do remain

tapX' in the Lords Su PP cr > and thefe do fl g nifie the Spiritual Feaft, and are

b Bellarm. de efTential to this Sacrament, (b)

ExchaY.lib.4. 5. That by vertue of thefe words, the very material Body and

^' 6m 'lf I Blood of Chrift are locally and corporally prefent in the Lords Sup-

Self^calt. P c *> and are contained under thefe [pedes or Accidents of Bread and

cah.i. Wine, (c )

6. That

6. That with diets fpccies or Accidents of the Bread and Wine, the true, material Body and Blood of Chriir. are taken into the Mouths and Stomachs of the Communicants, and corporally eaten and drunk

by them, (d ) d Bdlarm. de

Vlt. That the plain and neceflary fence of thefe words, This ismy EiichlY l,b ' » body> is this, viz.. This Subftance contained under the Accidents of Bread ca f ,lu and Wine, is my Body. (<?) . i B 1 U '"?\ dc

Now I fhall make it appear, that all thefe are Popifh Inventions, con- cll!\\ % trary to the mindofChrifl: in the words, and for that end I fhall fpeak briefly in confutation of each of them.

(i.) To the firfl I fay, that Gonfecration of the Bread and Wine is not made by thefe words, This is rhy body y this cup is my blood-, but it is made by the Blefling of the Bread and Wine by Chrill and his Mini-fters.

i. That Confecration is not made by thefe words is evident, becaufe thefe words do fpeak of Bread and W T ine already confecrated, or elfe they cannot be true; for it cannot be faid truely of any Bread and Wine in the World, this is the Body, and this is the Blood of Chrift, but only of blefTed and confecrated Bread and Wine.

2. That confecration is made by the blefling of the Bread and Wine is alfo manifeft; for it is by the Blefling that they are made blefTed Bread, and blefTed Wine, or elfe the Blefling was in vain, and Chrift and his Minifters were not heard in the Prayers and Thankfgivings which they offered to God for a Blefling on thofe Elements; but if men would be concluded by Scripture, the Apoftle doth fully decide this controverfie, I Cor. 10.16. 'The cup of blefling which weblcfs, is it not the. communion of the blood of Chrift ? &c. where we fee plainly^that it is the blefling of the Bread and Wine which makes them the Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift.

(2.) They fay, that by vertueof thefe words, This is my body, this cup is my bloody the fub fiance of the Bread and V Vine are turned into the Body and Blood of Chriit, which converfion they call Tranfubftan-tiation.

I referre you to all my Arguments againft Tranfubftantiation, to convince you of the faifhood and odioufnefs of this fence, only here take notice, that this cannot be the meaning of the words, for the words declare what the Bread and Wine are, viz.. what they fignifie, and not what they fhall be when thefe words are pronounced, for it is not faid, Let this Bread and Wine be turned into the Body and Blood of Chrift, but This is my body^ this tup is my blo'od\ which words being an affirmation of a Truth, do affirm and report that which was a truth before the words are fpoken, and not that which by the fpeaking of the words mud be made true.

(3.) They fay, that after thefe words are pronounced by the Prieft, there remains no fubftance of the Bread and V Vine in the Lords Supper^

Eeee 2 This

This is fuch a prodigious Errour, that they may as well fay, that God would have all men turn Infidels and mad men, and go out of their fenfes to become Chriftians: but I fhall here only give you three Rea-fons againft this Opinion, whereunto I (hall adde more in the following Difcourfe.

i. If thefe words destroy the fubftance of the Bread and Wine out of the Lords Snpper,then Jefus Chriit did by thefe words fruftrate and make voyd his own bleMing of the Bread and V Vine ; and fo did crofs his own will in praying for the BlefTing, and his Fathers will in granting his prayer, for according to this Opinion, when Jefus Chriit. by Prayer and Thankfgiving had blefTed the Bread and Wine, he prefently utters words which makes them neither Bread and Wine, nor blefTed; and thus they make Chrift curfe his own bleffing.

2. That Bread and Wine are in the Lords Supper, appears, becaufe Jefus Chrift himfclf did in this Ordinance adminiiter Bread and Wine to his Difciples, and that with a command to them, to take, and eat, and drink Bread and Wine; which command the Difciples obeyed, and did accordingly take, and eat, and drink them: for proof of this, weigh the words: Jefus took^Bread^ and bUffed^ and brake, and gave to his DifapleSj and fetid. Take, eat, this is my body : In like manner he took^ the enf and gave thankj, and gave it to them^ faying, Drink^ye all of ? it,

a EelLirrr.Je for this is my bloody dec. Now Bellarmine (a) himfelf faith, " That it EuJiarMA, « cannot be doubted, but all thefe words, He took Bread, he blefTed and uaKi i. u bnuke^ and gave to his Difciples ; referre to the fame matter of bread

Cc which was in his hands. Seeing then that in our Saviours adminiitra-ticn of the Lords Supper to his Difciples, which is the ftanding Rule and Pattern to all Miniiters and Chriftians to the end of the world, we find Chriit himfelf adminiiiring bread and wine, and fee bread and wine pafliiig in this Ordinance from Chriit to his Difciples, and Chriit commanding them to cat and drink them; for what he gave, he commanded them to take and eat and drink; and they did accordingly take and eat the Bread, and take and drink the Wine. What prodigious folly and wickednefs is this, to deny that Bread and Wine are in the Lords Supper ?

3. The Apoftle Paul himfelf doth no lefs than three times call it Bread after confecration, and likewife tells us, that the Communicants do eat the bread, and drink the cup. See v, 26, 27,28. For as oft as ye eat this

bread^.anddrinkthis€uy\ Whofoevtr fhall eat this bread } ard drinks

this enf of the Lord, — Let a-man examine himfelf and fo let him eat

'of that brtad^ and drinks of that cup. See Chriitians how the Papifts do contradict and quarrel with the blerTed Apoitle : Paul faith, that the Communicants do oft eat this Bread, and drink this Wine in the Lords Supper: The Papiits fay, that they never eat bread, nor drink wine. Paul iaith, W 7 hofoever fhall eat this-bread, and drink this cup: The Papifts Sty* No man-doth ever eat this bread, nor drink this,cup. Paul faith,

Let

L

TW

Serm. XXL in the Lords Supper. ^ j~w

Let him eat this bread, and drink this cup : The Papi.ls fay, Let him not cat this bread, nor drink this cup. See, I fey, the difference I etwixt God and the Apoitle on the one hand, and the Pope and Papi ts on the other hand; and choofe whether ye will believe, for if God be to be believed before the'Papifts, there is bread and wine in the Lords Supper.

There are feveral Objections which the Pa pills make again! this lad Reafon, I (hail onely inftance in two of the chief of them.

i Objeft. The Scripture calls it bread, becaufe it was once bread, as after Alo/es his Rod was turn'd into a Serpent, it is Hill called a Rod, Exod. 7: 12. and after the water was turn'd into wine, yet it is ft ill cai'd water, Job. 2.9. So fay they, after this bread is turned into the body of Chrift it is itill cal'd bread, becaufe it was bread before this converilon was made.

An/w. The Scripture calls the Serpent a Rod, becaufe that which. was then a Serpnt was before a Rod; and the Wine is called Water, becaufe that which was then wine was water a little before; but Chrifts body never was bread, and therefore there is* not the like Reafon to call it bread.

'2 Objett. The Scripture often calls things not from their Nature, but from their outward Appearance to us. So the Angels, that appeared to utibraham in the Likenefsof Men are called Men, Gene/ 18. and fo becaufe this hath the outward appearance of bread, therefore the Scripture calls it bread : This is Bellarmines Objection. (<*) a Bellarmde

sinfw. As the Scripture calls it bread before confecration, becaufe it EucarM 1.. is fo, and hath the true Nature an^ Properties of bread, foit calls it wfcH* bread after confecration, not because it is like bread, but becaufe it is bread ? for confecration doth blefs the thing confecrated, but. neverde-ftroyes it: and therefore this Objection is vain* becaufe thefe Angels never were Men, nor had the beings of men, but only appeared in the Iike-nefs of Men; but this had the true fubftance of bread before confecration, as our Adverfaries grant, and hath the true fubftance of bread after confecraticn, as we have proved,and for that Reafon both before and after the Scripture calls it bread.

(4.) They fay, that the /pedes or Accidents only of the bread and wine remain in the Lords Supper, and thefe do fignifie the body and blood of Chrift, and are efilntialto this Sacrament: by /pedes or Accidents is meant the colour, fmell, fweetnefs, length, breadth, moyfturc, &c. of the bread and wine, and thefe, fay they, ye fee, tafte, feel, fmell, eat and drinjj, but ye do not fee, nor tafte, nor fmell, nor touch, nor eat, nor drink Bread and Wine. - I fhailonly at prefent fay two things againft this Opinion.:

1. This as our Divines well argue, is a plain contradiction, for the eftence and being of Accidents is to be inherent in the Subjecls which they are Accidents of j. or elfethey fubfift by themfelvesj. and fo are nor

Accident!

;s

Accidents but Subftances; to inftance in the prefent cafe: If there be whitenefs, and rednefs, and length, and breadth, and heavinefs, there mull be fome fubftance that is white, and red, and long, and broad, and heavy y or elfe the communicants muft in the Lords Supper folemnly eat, and drink white, and red, and long, and broad, and heavy nothing.

2. There is the fame Reafon to deny that the accidents of Bread and Wine do remain in the Lords Supper, as to deny that the fab fiance of them do remain there, for if thefe words, This is my body, this cup is my bloody do deftroy the fubftance, certainly they muft deitroy the accidents too, for they are pronounced over the whole blelTed bread and Wine, and make no diftinclion between the fubfiance and accidents, but fpeakthe fame of both together. And therefore I (hall here expoftulate this cafe with our Adverfaries thus : when our Lord Jefus bleffed the brea dand wine, didheblefs^y/^y?^^ with one kind of bleflfing, and the accidents with another ? did his blefling on the Subftance deftroy it, and the fame blefling on the Accidents preferve them ? Or vv&en Chrift faid, This is my body, this cup is my blood, can they perfwade themfelves, that he therein faid one thing of the fubfiance, and another thing quite contrary of the accidents ? So that by vertue of thefe words, the Subftance of bread and wine is turned into the body and blood of Chrift, and the Accidents of bread and wine are preferved without the fabslance, and appointed to fignifie his body and blood ; or if by vertue of thefe words the [ubfiance be deftroyed, by vertue of what words are the accidents preferved, and confecrated to a ufe quite contrary to the ufe of the Sub-itance ? If they fay, Their fenfes tell them, the Accidents remain there, we fay and mall make it appear, jjiat their fenfes and ours alfo tell us and them, that the fubfiance with the accidents remain there alfo, and if Faith muft conclude againft the fenfes in the cafe of the fubftance, why mufl: it notalft) conclude again:!: the fenfes in the cafe of the accidents f but if again t Scripture, and Reafon, and Senfe, the Papifts will ufurp-a , Power to keep and deilroy what they pleafe in this Sacrament, let us

keep our Lords Supper, and let them take their Popes Sapper,

(5.) They fay, that by vertue of thefe words, the very material body and blood of Chrift are locally and corporally prefent in the Lords Supper, and are contained under the Accidents of Bread and Wine.

I might plead many Arguments again'! this, but I muft remember tV-at I am limited in my work, and fhall therefore give you onely one Argument to convince you of the falfenefs and madnefs of this Opinion, and that is this. *

Arg. If thefe words ^This is my bodyjhis cup is my bloody c. # do make the body and blood of Chrift to be locally and corporally prefent in the Lords Supper, then his Body crucified and dead upon the crofs, and his Blood there fhed out of his veins, are locally and corporally prefent in the Lords Supper. Obferve Chriftians where thefe mens Principles lead them j I know our Adverfaries do confefs, that the body of Chrift is no

where

where found dead fince his Refurre<fHon,and therefore faith Bellarmine, (<*) God doth not caufe, nor ever mil canfe to all Eternity, that the Body *£*"' p 0 "' of Chrift be any where found dead-, yet I fay, it doth neceffarily follow •" > t -c."u" this Doctrine, that his body is found dead upon the Crofs, and his blood ^''h^V there fhed in the Lords Supper; for if thefe words do make his body and "•?•">■•. ■•■ ».' blood locally and corporally prefent under the fpeciesof bread and wine H:ll f rw - ds as they affirm, then it mud: be his body and blood as thefe words do ex- J?L *,' ^ preffely declare, this is my body broken for you, this cup is my blood Jhed for the Remiffion of the fins of many \ which words do clearly fpeak of his body crucified, and dead,, and of his blood fhe4 upon the Crofs; and thercTore the Apoftle do:hteach us, that in this Ordinance we do jhew forth the Lords death; fo that nothing can be more clear, than that by this Doctrine the bread and wine are turned into the dead body of Chrift, and into his blood (lied upon the Crofs, and that his body crucified and dead upon the Crofs, with his blood there fhed, are locally and corporally prefent under the Accidents of bread and wine : And fo by this Doctrine, Cnriftsbody w^s really and actually dead upon the Crofs, and fo prefent under the Accidents of bread and wine, when at the firft Institution and Adminiftration of the Lords Supper, he faid, This is my body given, or broken for you ; and this is my blood JJjed, &c. And aifo in defpite of the Apoftle, that faith, Rom. o. 9. Chrift befn? raifed from the dead^ dieth no more; his body muft be dead upon the Crofs, and as fo dead, muft be locally and corporally prefent in the Lords Supper, under the Accidents of bread and wine, w'aenfoever or wherefoever this Sacrament hath been, orfhall be adminiftredfince his Refurrection to his coming to Judgement. And moreover, it muft alio follow from this Doctrine, that the very material Crofs 0:1 which Chrift was crucified, and all the Inftruments of his Death, muft be locally and corporally prefent at the Lords Supper, and the very Souldief that pierced him 'muft be there prefent, piercing his fide with a Spear; yea, the very hour of his Death, though fo many years paft, and the place of his death, fa many miles diltant, muft be prefent in every, time and place the Lords Supper is adminiftred. Chriftians, thefe confequences are not forced, but thefe, and an hundred more fuch wild contradictions do neceffarily follow this Doctrine, as appears to any who will but grant, that which cannot be denyed, viz.. That thefe words, This i& my body which is broken for you, this cup-is my blood find for many, do directly point at the body of Chrift crucified and dead upon the Crofs, with the manner, and all the instruments and circumftances of his death, as recorded by the Evangelifts in the Hiftory of his Paflion.

(6.) They fay, that with thefe fpecies or Accidents of bread and wine^ the true material body and blood of Chrift are taken into the mouths and ftomachs of theCommunicants,and corporally eaten and drunk by them.

I have tjiree things to fay againft this odious and barbarous Do-(fifine.

x. It

i. It aflerts that which is impoffible.

2. That which is unprofitable both to Soul and Body.

3. That which is impious and flagitious.

Firft, This Opinion afTerts a multitude of impojfibilities and contra-dittions, and that in a very great and weighty point of Religion; now that ye may underftand the ilrength of thefe kind of Arguments, take notice, That when two things are affirmed that are altogether inconfiilent, fo that one of them fully deftroyes the truth of the other ; and if one be true, the otRer mult neceflarily be'falfe \ this is an impoflibility, or contradiction •, as to affirm, that the fame man is dead and alive at the fame time, is a contradiction, becaufe he cannot be dead of a natural death, and live a natural life at the fame time. Now I fay in this Opinion of corporal eating the body, and drinking the blood of Jefus Chrift, is a multitude of moft horrid contradictions, which are found in three .cafes.

1. In the cafe of Jefus Cbrisl, his eating and drinking the Lords Supper, for our Adverfaries agree with us, that Jefus Chrift did eat and drink the Lords Supper.

2. In.the cafe of the DifcipUs, at the firft Adminiftration of this Ordinance.

3. In the cafe of all Communicants ever after.

(1.) In the cafe of Jefus Cbrift, his eating and drinking the Lords Supper; I mall here onely inftance in three plain and groffe contradictions.

1. That Jefus Chrift, did with his body eat his own whole body, and yet his body continue as it was before whole and uneaten, and fo the fame body was eaten and not eaten at the fame time, and the Eater and that which is eaten is every way the fame, and that which was eaten did eat the body, which was the Eater of it, in the fame Action, and at the fame time.

2. That the fame [acred body of Jefus Chrift was in all its dimen-fions and proportions, fitting at the Table in the view of his Difciples, and yet was at the fame time in his own mouth and ftomack, and fo either this one body of Chrift was multiplyed into two, viz.. one within the other -, or elfe the fame whole body, and flefh, and bones, was in-clofed in a little part of his own body.

3. That Jefus Chrift did drink his own precious blood, and that the fame material blood of Chrift-was fhed, and was in the cup, and did pafs out of the cup into the mouth and ftomach of our Lord, and yet at the fame time his blood not fhed, neither did-move out of his veins. Thefe are moft filthy, odious, and hideous contradictions.

(2.) There are many contradictions in the cafe of the Difciples, who by th's Doctrine are faid corporally to eat and drink the material Body

and Blood of Chrift, at the Inftitution and firft Administration of the Lords Supper: For cither they did cat and drink his body and blood, as he was then alive, before his death; or as dead and crucified with his blood fhed on the Crofs; or as glorified in Heaven, or as all thefe together. Now in every one of thefe there are many horrid contradictions.

I; It they fay, that they did eat and drink his body and blood as he was alive before his death, then there are thefe two contradictions therein.

Fir ft. That his whole body was fitting at the Table with his Difci-ples, and alfo in the Mouths and Stomachs of his Difciples at the fame time, and fo every Difciple had the fame whole body in his Stomach, which they all faw fitting before them at the Table.

Secondly, That his Blood was (Tied out of his body, and taken into the mouths and ftomachs of his Difciples, and yet not fhed but continued within his own body at the fame time.

2. If they did eat his body dead and crucified upon the Crofs, and and corporally drink his blood there fhed; then his body was dead and crucified on the Crofs, and dead in their Stomachs, and alive at the Table at the fame time.

3. If they did corporally eat his glorified body, and drink the blood of his glorified body \ then his body was glorified in Heaven after his death, and as fuch was in the Difciples Stomachs, and yet at the fame time was upon Earth in the ftate of his Humiliation before his death.

4. If they did eat his body and drink his blood as alive, and dead and glorified, and fo confidered altogether 7 then his body was really alive before his death, and dead upon the Crofs, and glorified in Heaven, and in all thefe cafes, in the Mouths and Stomachs of his Difciples at the fame time. Thefe and many fuch blafphemous Contradictions are in the Difciples corporally eating the body, and drinking the blood of Jefus Chrift.

(3.) There are alfo many plain and horrid contradictions in the cafe of all Communicants eating and drinking the body and blood of Chrift, under the fpecies of Bread and Wine, fincethelnftitution and firft Admini-ft ration of this Ordinance. I (hall only inftance in this one.

That one and the fame body of Chrift which is a finite being, fhould be wholly in Heaven, and at the fame time wholly under the Accidents of Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper, wherefoever it is adminiftred, and no where elfe in the World, and that this one body in Heaven fhould be wholly prefent with thefe Accidents, in all the Mouths of the many thoufand Communicants in Rome, Sfain, France, England, and in all other parts of the World where this Sacrament is adminiftred; doth fpeak as many Contradictions as there are communicants in the world, and all as impoflible, as it is for the fame particular man to be preaching in a Pulpit at Rome, and at the fame time to be preaching the fame Se/~ mon in all the Pulpits of the World. And thus I have fhewed you, that

Ffff this

this corporal eating the Body, and drinking the Blood of Jefus Chrift with the fpecies or Accidents of breadand Wine, is impoffible.

Secondly, It is unprofitable, and doth neither good to Soul nor Body. This appears by our Saviours words, Joh. 6. 63.—- Theflejh prcfitetb nothing.—- That is, the corporal eating the flefh of Chrift profiteth nothing-and^that this is our Saviours meaning, is evident; becaufe it is the defign of our Saviour in the foregoing words, to fhew the Neceffity, and the great Profit and Advantage of earing and drinking the body and blood of Chrift fpiritually by Faith; theNeceflity hereof is exprefTed, Ferf. 53. Except ye eat the fie'fi of the Son of man, and drink, his blood, ye have no Life in yon -, and this (faith Chrift) is Profitable, as the Means of our Union with him, Verf 56. He that eateth my flefh, and drink^th my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him -, and is alfo profitable to Eternal Life, and Happinefs, Verf. 54. Whofo eateth my fle\h,anddrinkethmy blood, hath Eternal. Life, and I will raife him Hp at the lafi day. Now the Jews were ftartled at his words, under/landing that he meant a corporal eating of his flefh, and therefore fay they, Verf.^z. How can this man give us his flefh to eat r This was fuch a Miftake as that of Nicodemns, Joh. 3.3,4. who when our Saviour fpake of the Neceflity of being born again, he wondered, and faid, How can an old man be born f can he enter the fecond ture into his Mothers womb, and be born ? And the Difciples themfelves understanding our Saviour in that grofs and carnal fence of corporal eating his flefh, were offended, and faid, v. 6. This is an hard faying, who can hear it ? And therefore Chrift explains his words, tf. 63. It is the Spirit that qmckeneth, the FleJJ)profiteth nothing • the Words that I fpeak^ unto you are fpirit, and are life :' That is, my words

as you miftake them for a corporal eating my flefh, and drinking my blood, are not true; for the eating my flefh fo profiteth nothing, but that eating my flefh, and drinking my blood by Faith in a fpiritual manner, will make you bleffed for ever ; and fo my words which I fpeak of this matter, are Spirit, and they are Life; and hereby it is manifeft to all but fuch who ftudy to corrupt and pervert the Scriptures, that our Saviour himfelf tells us, that corporal eating his flefh, and drinking his blood, is altogether unprofitable. And I fay it neither doth good to Body nor Soul.

1. It doth no good to the body, for it doth neither gratifie the Palate, nor allay or fatisfie hunger or thirft, nor turns into any bodily nourim-ment, and fo hath no ufe or property of bodily food.

2. It doth no good to the Souls, either of the Wicked, or of the Godly.

(1) It doth no good to the Souls of the Wicked, as our Adverfaries themfelves confefs ; and yet they will have this glorious body and precious blood, of Chrift to be taken corporally into the bfefphemous mouths, and into the open Sepulchres of the'throats of Swearers, and into the

beaftly

beaftly mawcs or ftomachs of Drunkards and Gluttons; and within tho rotten bodies ofWhoremongers and Harlots, and there to lodge nil the Accidents of bread and wine be digeftcd, and then to remove no body knowes whither, leaving the curfed Inhabitants no better than he found them.

(2) Neither doth this corporal eating the flejh y or drinking the blood of Chrift do any good to the Souls of the Godly, it kills no Sin, begets or quickens no Grace, yields no comfort, and indeed is not defireablc to any wife and holy Christian, who never hungers and thirfts to have the body and blood of Chrift in his mouth ana itomach: Neither is it Chrifts way by entering into the mouths, and going down into the fto-machs of his People to feed and feaft their Souls} but Chrift is fpirt-tually formed in their hearts, Gal. 4.19. and the Spirit doth glorifie Chrift in them, J oh. 16. 14. and by the word and Sacraments their fouls are feafted with the remembrance of his death, and with feeing him by faith crwnedwith hdnonr and glory in heaven, Heb.2.9. and in their joyfull expectation of'all the benefits of his death and refurregion, and inter-ceflion in the holy and blefled world; but the bodies of believers (hall never meet the body of Chrift till they meet the Lord in the air, and fo to be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thef.q.. 17. but for this doctrine of the corporal prefence of Chrift in the mouths and ftomachs of men which the frantick Papifts would make us believe, it is a doctrine fitter to make our hairs ftand an end, than to feed our fouls, and is good for nothing, but to make the Popifh Religion odious to all wife, and fober Chriftians.

Thirdly, I have this further to charge on this doctrine, that it teacheth a practice moft horribly impiovu and flagitious : for to feed on mans flefh, and to drink mans blood was ever accounted a moft barbarous tranfgref-fion of all the rules of piety and humanity, and therefore this muft be the height of that kind of impiety, to eat the facred flefh, and to drink the precious blood of Chrift in a corporal manner, which the Popifh Can nibals teach men to practife; and which they pretend to prove both from the Text, and from J oh. 6. Againft which odious fence, holy Anftin pleads the fame Argument, which I now ufe, fay ing, {a) <c If there be a * Augu/u* Do. u Precept forbidding Sin, and commanding Good, it is not then a figu- ^ ,in ^ c 3 hri J ia * "rative fpeeeb, but if it feem to command a horrible, wickednefs, or "5,16. * • c forbid that which is profitable, then it is a figurative fpeech; and he u gives this Example in J oh. 6. % 3. Except ye eat the fie jh of the Son of u Man— This (faith he) feems to command a moft heinous wickednefs, l } and therefore it is a figurative fpeech, commanding us to communicate "with the fufferings of our Lord, and fweetly and profitably to lay up * L this in our memories, that his flefh was crucified, and wounded for us.

But the Papifts proceed in their Blafphemy, and are not afhamed to fellus,that if Dogs, or Mice, or Rats, or Worms,do eat the confecrated Hoft, they dp therewith eat the body of Chrift ; and therefore accord- ^cn**!?!* ing to their Wifdom they haVe provided in their Mfflal, (b) That if Rats, £*/<c?i«#»i,

Ffff 2 or

744 There is no Travfubjlantiation Serm. XXL

or Worms, do eat the body of Chrift, they mud: be burned ; what for Hereticks? becaufe their fenfes took it only for Bread ? but if their Hoft be not God, why do they worfhip him with Divine Worfhip? and if he be God, why will they call their God into the fire?

And Tho. Aquinas their Angelical Doctor, as they call him, (and of whom they tell us this tale, that his Doctrine of the Sacrament was confirmed by this Miracle ; a Wooden Crucifix miraculoufly faluted him with thefe words, Bene fcripfifli de me Thoma, Thou haft written well of me Thomas) doth affert and plead for this dirty Ribauldry, fay-tjiqui*. fum. ing,(c) That it doth no more detract from the Dignity of Chrift to be So'Lt \ U * ft eaten by Dogs and Mice, than his being willing to be crucified for our Sins. A goodly Argument for fuch an acute Schoolman; as if becaufe Jefus Chrift in the ftate of his Humiliation was willing to be crucified for our fins, therefore in the ftate of his Exaltation, he is willing that his glorified body in Heaven (houldbe eaten by Dogs and Mice: but thus they talk, as if their Doctors had fate in the Council with Devils in the Gates of Hell, to debauch the Faith of Chriftians, and to difgracethe body of Chrift.

Laftly, They fay, that the plain and necefiary fence of thefe words* This is my Body, is this, this fubftance contained under the Accidents. ofBreadismy Body.

What I have already fpoken to the former particulars doth fully conclude againft this fence -, and yet I {hall here adde^wo things againft it.

i. That this fence is inconfiftent with their own Doctrine. 2. That it is repugnant to the true, and plain, and neceflary fence of Chrift in the words, (i J That this fence is inconfiftent with their own Doctrine, appears W two particulars.

i. In their forcing two different, and both falfe fences on thefe words, This is my body, viz,, this fubftance contained under the Accidents of bread is my body, and thefe Accidents of Bread do fignifie my body 7 andfo the word This mud both mean, this fubftance, viz. Chrifts body, and. alfo thefe Accidents of Bread, and the word # muftbothbe^ properly andeffentiaily my body, and is figuratively and fignifieattvely the Sign of. my body. Ei , lUrm ^ I know Bellarmine (d) fometimes^ grants, that it is truly moft abfurd, E.char, lib i. to fay that by the word This, is meant thefe Accidents: yet the fame ca P-'' • bellarmine tells, (e) " That the Accidents of Bread and Wine do fignifie

?£ 4 E cap a ^ V * e fpi^itual Feaft, meaning as he explains himfelf, the body and blood u of Chrift, and that the Accidents of bread and wine, as well as the body 44 and blood of Chrift, do pertain to the efTence of this Sacrament: Now ^^that they force this fence oa thefe words, is clear, becaufe all their pretended Miracles in the Lords, Supper, whereof the preferving the Accidents without the Subftance is one, arewitLthem effected byvertueof

thefe

* • .

thefe words, and alfobecaufe Confecration, one Effect whereof muft be to confecrate the Accidents of bread, to fignifie the Body ofChriit, is irk their fence made by thefe words : So that it is evident, that they diftort thefe words, This is my body^ to both thefe fences, this Subftance contained under the Accidents of bread is my body; and thefe Accidents of bread do fignifie my body; which are fo inconfiftent, that all the Rope of Popes, can never be able to tie them together.

2. This fence is inconfiftent with their Doctrine, which teacheth, that thefubfrance of the bread is turned into the body of Chrift by vcrtue of thefe words : And faith hdlarrmnc, (/J in the laft moment when all thefe / r f Fl,cha words are fpokcn, then this Converfion is made; now to fay, that the " cap * Converfion of the Bread into the body of Chrift is not made till all thefe words are fpoken, and yet to fay, that the firft word this, doth demon-ftrate Chrifts body, are plainly inconfiftent.

(2.) I proceed to prove, that this fence is repugnant to the true and plain, and neceiTary fence of Chrift in the words : for which purpofe obferve that excellent Rule of holy Auguftine, (j$ "It is as manifeft an ? ^n*& »** " Errour.in the explication of jcripturetotake figurative words proper- ftj^ivf 1 *' "ly, as to wreft thofe wore* which are properly fpoken, intoaTropi-u cal or figurative fence: By both which wayes of perverting the holy Scriptures, multitudes of Herefies have troubled the Church of God. And this Doctrine of Tranfubftatiation, with all the mifchiefs in Doctrine,, Worfhip and Practice, which attend it, proceed from the Papifts interpreting thefe words, This is my body, in a literal and proper fence, which muft be underftood in a figurative fence g The hinge of the prefent con-troverfie is turned upon thefe two words, this is ; now I (hall make it appear, that by the word this is meant this Bread, and that by the 'vord is r muft be meant, is a Sign, or doth fignifie, and fo that the true fence of our Saviour in the words is this, viz.. This bread is a fignof my body^ or-this bread doth fignifie or reprefent r/.y body.

That by the word this, is meant this bread, appears by three Rea-fons.

1. By the Order and Courfe of the words, by which it is plain, that ©f that bread, which Jefus took, and blefTed, and brake, and commanded his Difciples to cat, he faid, This is my body.

2. Becaufe Jefus Chrift faith exprefTely of the Cup which he took,, and blefTed, and gave and commanded them to Drink. This Cup is the. New Teftament. So fay Luke and Paid in the Text; therefore we muft conclude, that of the bread, which he took, and blefTed, and brake, and gave, &c, he faith in effect, This bread is my body.

3. St. Pauls Interpretation of the words may fully convince all, that the word this doth demonftrate the Bread, 1 Cor, 10.^. The cup of bleffing which vpe b!efs } is it not the communion of the blood of Chrifl ? the bread which vpe breaks is it not the communion of the body of Chrifl ?

which fpeak the fame thing though in other words, as this bread is the

body

IdocIv of Chrift, this Gup is the blood of Chrift; fo that it is clear, that by trie word this, is meant this bread.

Secondly, Hence it foilowes, that the word #, cannot be taken pro-

perly, but muft mean, is a fign, or doth fignifie or reprefent y it cannot

be taken properly, for bread and the body of Chrift are two Subftances

eflentially different, and therefore it cannot be properly faid, that bread

5ifjJSK« d ! is eflentially Chrifts body, (a) But this is a fure Rule, that when the

propric prxdi- word is ftands between the fign and the thing fignified, then it muft mean

€ttur ' is a fign, or fignifieth, or reprefenteth. And this is the prelentcafe, the

blelTed bread is a fign of Chrifts Body, and therefore the meaning of

Chrift muft be, This bread fignifieth or reprefenteth my Body, according

irfOfdamM*' to tnat known faying of Anguftwe : Qj) Chrtfi doubted not to fay, This

Manicb. nb. u. is my body, when he gave the fign of his body.

diccrc, U H." n eft Obferve yet further, That whereas there is no Example in all the corpus meum, Scripture, of a Sign being turned into the thing fignified, yet it is very cocoas fH). dar " ordinary in Scripture-fimilrtudes, to give a thing the Name of that where-unto it is likened y J am. the Rofe of Sharon, and the Lilly of the Valleys, Cant. 2. 1 am the living bread, Job. 6, lam the door, Joh. io. lam the true Vine, Joh. 15. All thefe faith Chrift of himfelf, but is he therefore turned into a Rofe or Lilly, or Bread, or Door, or Vine} no, the words taken literally and properly, are blafphemy; but the meaning is,' he is like thefe, as to the particular cafes whereof he fpeaks.

So the Scripture ordinarily gives to Signs the Names of the things fignified, Genef. 40. 12. The three branches are three dayes, v. 18. The three baskets are three dayes ; and of fuch things we have a multitude of Examples. And thus the Holy Ghoft gives to Sacramental figns, the names, of the things fignified by them. Crrcumcifion is cai'd the Covenant, whereof it was a Sign and Seal, Gen. 17. 13. the Lamb is cal'd the PaiTeover, Exod. 12. 11. and fo in the Text the bread is cal'd Chrifts body, and the wine his blood, becaufe they are Signs, and a Seal to fignifie and convey Chrift, with the benefits of his body broken, and of his blood fhed for us. And thus I have proved, that this Scripture is not for, butagainft Tranfubftantiation, in all the branches of it.

The other Scripture which they alleadge for Tranfubftantiation, is our

Saviours difcourfe of eating his fle jh, and drinking his bloody in Joh. 6.

c BtUnrm. ie And Bellarmine (c) pretends to prove that Doclrine from v. 51. of that

Eschar, lio. i. . % r f i e i r «~.i

cap. 5, 6. chapter, almoft to the end of the Chapter.

To this I fay, that I do readily grant, that the flefh and blood of Chrift here fpoken of, which include the benefits of his death, is the fpiritual matter of the Feaft of the Lords Supper ; and that Believers are here required to feaft their Souls by Faith on the body and blood of Chrift, and on all thej&enefits of his death, in all thofe waves which God is pleafed to offer it to them: And therefore though the Lords Supper be fince inftituted, yet they are bound by this Scripture to feed on the body and blood of Chrift in that Ordinance, in the appointed ufe of bread and

wine.

wine. But yet this Scripture alfo is fully againft Tranfubftantiation,and the corporal prefence of the body and blood of Chrift, under the Accidents of Bread and Wine, and the Communicants eating and drinking the fame 5 and this appears by thefe three Reafons.

1. Becaufe as I have proved, our Saviour tels us, that his flefh, viz.. the corporal ea ting his flefh profiteth nothing ver, 63. %

II. Becaufe the eating the flefh and drinking the blood of Chrift here fpoken of, is of abfolute neceffity to falvation, ^.53. Except ye eat the flejlj efthc fon ofman^and drinkjois blood ye have no life in you^but though none can be happy who do not eat tKb flefh and drink the blood of Chrift in the fence of this Scripture, yet our adverfaries do not deny, but many have eternal life who never eat and drank the Lords Supper.

III. Becaufe Eternal life is certainly fetied and entaii'd on all thofe who do eat the flefh and drink the blood of Chrift in the fence of this Scripture, ver. $4. Whofo eateth myflejh, and drihketh nyblood^hath eternallife y and I mil raife him ptp at the laft day ; and yet the Papifts tell us that wicked men may corporally eat the flefh and drink the blood of Chrift ; fo that the Popifh eating the flefh and drinking the blood of Chrift, and that eating his flefh and drinking his blood, which our Saviour here fpeaks of, are as farre different as heaven and hell.

2. Argument. It is impoffible that this Tranfubftantiation fhould be in the Lords Supper, this is evident by the nature of the thing : for who fo understands the nature of this a<ft of Tranfubftantiation, and the terms thereof, viz,xhe bread and wine,which are the things that are turned, and the body and blood of Chrift into which this bread and wine are turned, muft clearly fee that as hereby the bread and wine muft be taken away, fo the body and blood of Chrift muft be hereby made and produe'd: and therefore in their tetany of the Sacrament they doe invocate it thus ; pa-nis omnipotent!a Dei car'0 fatlus miferere nobis: O Bread which by the Almighty power of God art made flefh have mercy upon us, implying that the flefh and body of Chrift is made by this Tranfubftantiation, and thus by this blafphemous contradiction they make the fubftance of the glorious body of Chrift, fo long fince born of the Virgin, to be the birth of this prodigious monfter of Tranfubftantiation; now I fay it is impoffible to make that which was made before, to do that by an a el which was done before the aft, its impoffible for the effed: to be before the eaufe, and its impoffible for bread of a few hours old to be turn'd into the fubftance of the body of Chrift, which was continually of the fame fubftance for above a 1 coo years before.

And therefore though thefe blafphemers fecm devoutly to adore the Almighty power of God, which by this converfion hath wrought/?«-pendumfupra omnia miraculum , the mofr ftupendious of all miracles, as they invocate it in the fame Lettany of the Sacrament; yet all in effect that they can fay is this, that the great God out of his infinite love to his Church hath in this blefled ordinance of the Lords Supper by many aftonifhing miracles done juft nothing, and thus they moft pro-

phanely

u

748 There is no Tranfubftantiation Serm. XXL

phanely abufe the fearfutl name of God in afcribing a work to his dread-full omnipotency, which is beneath the power of his meaneft creature, viz.. to make that which was made before, which indeed cannot be a work of any power at all. I know fome learned men of the Church of Rome do undertake to decline this impoffibility and contradiction, and yet to defend this, doctrine of Tranfubftantiation as defin'd in the Council * BeiLrm. de °^ Trent, and therefore Bellarmine with many of his brethren the Je-tuchar. hb. 3. fuites to avoid the aforefaid impoffibility 3 explaines this action of Tran-ca?# l8t fubftantiation thus, that the converfion of the bread into the body of

Chrift, nonejfe -produliivamfed adduUTtvam, that it is not fach a conver-u fion that produceth the body of Chrift, for that was extant before, c< but it is fuch a converfion, whereby the body of Chrift which was before in heaven, is now (yet without any local motion from heaven) made prefent under the accidents of bread in the Lords Supper. But whilft their champion by another contradiction (in making the fame body of Chrift, which is in heaven to be under the accidents of bread on earth, and yet without receiving any new being or moving from heaven to earth ) pleads for Tranfubftantiation, he deftoyes both the name, and natureo{ it: He deftroys the name of it, for that converfion, which he fpeaksof, may becald a Defubftantiation or defiruttion of the bread, and a translocation, or tranffofition of the body of Chrift, whereby it is placed where it was not before, but can by no means bear the name of Tranfubftantiation , which (faith the Council of Trent) the Catholick Church doth very fitly and properly give it.

Again he deftroyesthe nature of Tranfubftantiation, for in every fub-ftantial converfion, whereby one fubftance is turned into another, the latter is alwaies produc'd, and receives being upon the deftruction of the former, as when Mofes his rod was turned into a ferpent, Exodj^. bad God only deftroy'd the fubftance of the rod, andfet a Serpent, that was extant before in the place of it, this had not been a turning the rod into a Serpent. So when at the marriage-feaft, John 2. Chrift turn'd water into wine, had God only deftroyed the fubftance of the water, and fet wine that was extant before in fome wine-fellar, and plac'd it in the water-pots, this had not been a turning water into wine; but the true fubftance of the ferpent, and the true fubftance of the wine were by thofe miraculous converfions made and produc'd, and fo if the true fubftance of the bread and wine be miraculoufly turn'd into the fubftance of the body and blood of Chrift y as the Council of Trent will have it, upon the deftruclion of the fubftance of the bread and wine, there muft necefTarily be produc'd the fubftance of the body and blood of Chrift, as the erTedl and product of that converfion: and notwithftanding all the noife which our adverfaries make in the Chriftian world, about this matter, they muft either anert this monftrous impoffibility, and contradiction, or difclaim their own doctrine of Tranfubftantiation.

3 Argument. This doctrine of Tranfubftantiation 'deftroyesthe Lords Supper, my reafon is, becaufe'this doctrine takes away thofe facred figns

of

Serm. XXI. in the Lords Supper, «, g

of bread and wine, which God hath appointed to be of abfolute ncccfli-ty to the being of this Sacrament, and if thefe be taken away there is no fuch thing as the Lords Supper in the world.

Our Adverfaries grant, that its neceifary to the being of a Sacrament, that there be a fenfible, and facred fign, and that rrru/t fignifie a facred and holy thing, and this fign mutt be of Gods inftitution.(rf) a 1 ^ m - M-*.

Now the fign or figns in this Sacrament of the Lords Supper, muft be ?*' ■' art ' 1 ' 2, one of thefe three things.

i. It muft be either the body and blood of Chrift.

2. Or it mult be the accidents of bread and wine.

3. Or it mult be true bread and wine.

1. It cannot be the body and blood of Chriit, for thefe are not fenfi-ble, and they are the things fignified, and therefore they cannot be the figns.

IL It cannot be the Accidents of bread and wine, though Bellarmin % as I have (hewed, makes thefe to fignifie the body and blood of Chrift, and fo to be efTential to this Sacrament; but this cannot be, for two Rea-fons.

i. Becaufe, as I have proved, the accidents without the fubftance are nothing, and fo can fignifie nothing, and therefore can be no fignes.

2. Every Sacramental fign muft be (as our adverfaries confefs) of Gods inftitution, now God never ordained the accidents of bread. And wine without the fubftance to fignifie the body and blood of Chrift; if he did, either they muft be confecrated to this ufe by virtue of thefe words, this is my body, this cup is my blood, &c. or thefe words mufl declare them to be of this ufe, but our adverfaries dare not ftand to either of thefe, for then they muft yield, that the meaning of thefe words is, thefe accidents of bread and wine are fignes of, or do fignifie the body and blood of Chriil, but that by the word this is meant thefe accidents, BelUrmin as I have fhewed,denies, and that the word #, doth denote is a fign or doth fignifie, they will by no means admit, becaufe it doth juftifie our fence of that word, as fpeakingof the bread and wine, and overthrowes all their Difputations to prove that the word &; mud not be taken in a figurative but proper fence, and indeed overthrowes th^ir whole Do-drine of Tranfubflantiation. So that it s manifeft, that neither Chris's body and blood, nor the Accidents of bread and wine can be the Signs in this Sacrament.

3. It remains therefore, that the true bread and wine, mull be the only facred and appointed Signs of *he body and blood of Chriit in the Lords Supper} and that therefore the Papilhin deftroying the bread and wine, do utterly deftroy this bleffed Sacrament, and tear off this facred Seal from the Covenant of Grace, and rob the Church of God, of the body and blood of Chriit, and of all the benefits of his Death, as fignified and conveyed to them by this Ordinance.

4 Argument. Thofe Miracles which the Papilts affirm to be wrought

Gggg . by

by Tranfubltantiation in the Lords Supper, are all falfe and feigned. Ed purfuance of this Argument, I (hall

Firit, Repeat fome of thofe Miracles which are faid to be wrought

by this Act of Tranfubftantiation. Secondly, Prove them to be falfe and feigned.

(i.) I mall only repeat Four of their pretended Miracles.

i. That the Subftance of the bread and wine is turned into the body and blood of Chriit, and yet his body and blood were extant above a thoufand years before the bread and wine were in being.

2. That the Subftance of the bread and wine is deftroyed, and the Accidents made to remain without the fubftance, and yet no fenfible difference made between the natural Properties of this blefTed bread and wine, and all other bread and wine in the world, wherein the Subftance continues with the Accidents.

3. That at the firft Administration of this Sacrament, the Body of Chrift fhould be in all its com pleat parts, head, arms, limbs, and all his flefh and bones at the Table, and there feen and to be felt, and yet the fame body, at the fame time in the mouths and itomachs of his Difciples, and they not have the lcail fence of it.

4. That the fame body of Chrift fhould be glorified in Heaven, and at the fame time, be in the mouths and itomachs of all the Communicants in the world, and be with thofe Accidents of bread, wherefoever they are, and no where elfe, and yet not move from Heaven to Earth, nor. from one place of the Earth to another, and itill be one and the fame body.

(2.) I fay, thefe and all fuch are feigned and falfe Miracles, as appears by thefe fix Reafons. •

i. Becaufe, Though they are pretended to be the ftupendious and miraculous w-orks of the Almighty power of God, yet are they no Miracles at all, but impoflibilities and contradictions, as I have proved, and fo are nothing, and are not works of fo much power as for a Worm to creep, and a Grafhopper to leap.

2. Becaufe, No Miracles were ever wrought upon fenfible Creatures, but the change made by them was difcerned, or at leait difcernible by the fenfes of men, for whofe fake they were wrought: The Serpent which Mofes his Rod was turn'd into, the Wine which the W r ater was turn'd into,, and all the Miracles wrought by Mofes in Egyp^ with all other fuch Miracles recorded in Scripture, not one excepted, were perceived by the fenfes ; and fo if one fenfible Creature be turn'd into another fenfible Creature, that which the former is turn'd into muft be made fenfible, or if a fenfible Creature be turn'd into an infenfible, that which isfo turned mult pafscut of the reach of the fenfes, and become infenfible. And therefore there is no fuch Miracle wrought as is here pretended, becaufe here is fenfible bread and wine, and the fenfes of men

do

do fee, and handle, and tafte 4s plain bread and wine, as there is any in the world.

3. Bccaufe God never fettled fuch a Power on any order of men, for everyone in that Order, to have in all Ages a conftant power to work Miracles, and yet by this Doctrine ofTranfubftantiation, every Pried doth carry about him a power to work more and greater Miracles than ever were wrought by Chriir. and his ApoiHes.

4. Becaufe God never fet up any itated Ordinance in the Church for the working of Miracles, ncr bound himfelf upon any mens ufing any Scripture words, alwayes to work Miracles; and yet the Papifts will have God alwayes bound to work Miracles, upon every Prints rightly pronouncing in the Lords Supper thefc words, 7 his is my body,

5. God never gave men a power to work Miracles on the glorified body of Chriil:: Mofes had power to divide the waters.of the RedSea % Exod. 14.11. and Jofrua had once power to fay to the Sun and Moon, Sun ft and thou {till upon mount Gibe on, and thou Moon in the valley of A)elon, JoJJj. 10. 12. and the Difciples had power to caft out Drvils y Alatth. 10. 8. and Chriil: tells his Difciples, Math. 17.20. If ye hive Faith 06 a grain of Muftard-feed, ye fhall fay unto thU mountain, Re-move hence into yonder place, and it (hall remove : but for every dirty Prieft to praclife fuch a miraculous power upon the glorified body of

• Chriil, as upon the ufing of thefe words, This is my body, to call it to be locally and corporally prefent in all the mouths and ftomachs of all the Communicants at the Lords Supper; is fuch a Popifih Dream, as exceeds all the fanatick Enthufiafmes in the world, but can never be reckoned in the number of any true Divine Miracles.

6. All thefe pretended Miracles are of noufe,and to no purpofe, as to the. ends of this Ordinance ; but without them we have the body and blood of Chriil, with all the benefits of his Death reprefentcd, and communicated to us, and fo do attain all the ends of this Sacrament in the appointed ufe of this blefTed bread and wine.

5 Argument. The Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation is falfe, becaufe all the fenfes of all men in the world do teftifie, that bread and wine remain in the Lords Supper after Confecration, and this teftimony is true : 'That all the fenfes of all men in the world, who are in their fenfes, and know what bread and wine are, and have them fo placed that the fenfes may perceive them, do teftifie that this is bread and wine, is notdenyed ; but that which is denyed, and I am to prove, is, that this Teftimony of the Senfes is true, and that I prove by thefe four R^afons.

1. Becaufe by this testimony a man hath the fame evidence, that bread and wine remain in the Lords Supper after confecration, as he hath that there are any vifible or fenfible Creatures in the world \ for if when a man fees, and toucheth, and tads, and fmells bread and wine, and hears the wine poured out, he cannot truely know, and upon his knowledge by his fenfes, truely fay, that what he fo fees, andtaftes, and toucheth,

Gggg 2 and

75*

and fmells, and hears, is bread and wine; he cannot upon his knowledge by his fenfes truely fay, that there is a Sun, or Moon, or Starres, or Men, or Birds, or Beafts, or Trees, or Stones, or Earth, or Water, or any bread and wine in the world; for the fenfes cannot give him a more full and fure evidence of the being of any of thefe Creatures, than they do of the being of bread and wine in the Lords Supper.

2. Becaufe, if the teftimony of the fenfes be not true, then all that Religion which is founded on Gods manifefting himfelf by the Creatures, to the Underftandings of men, in the ufe of their Senfes, is not a true Religion, but is quite extinguifhed out of the world, and fo there is no Law of Nature binding men truely to know, and love, and prayfe God, as he is manifefted in the Creatures \ and then it is no fin at all for men to take no notice of the glory of God, which the Heavens, and Earth, and Day, and Night,- declare to them, Pful. 19. And then the Apoftles words are not true, in telling us, That the eternal Power and Godhead are clearly feen^ being nnderftood by the things that are made^ Rom, 1.20* For if by the ufe of cur fenfes we cannot know, that thefe things are true, then we neither can, nor are bound to know and honour, and love the Wifdom, and Power, and Goodnefs of God in them.

3. If the teflimony of the Senfes be not true, - we have no certainty of the Chriftian Religion; for we cannot know there is a Bible, or letters, er words in it; or that there is a Church, or any fuch Society of Believers, or that there are Minifters, or Sermons, or Sacraments in the world, for all thefe are perceived by our fenfes.

4. If our Saviours Argument was good, to prove that by his flefli and bones-) perceived by the fenfes, he was no Spirit, Luk, 24. 39. heboid my hands and'my feet) handle me and fee. Then this Argument is alfo good, behold, handle, tafte and fmell, and thereby judge if there be not a fen-fible Subftance, and this particular Subftance of bread and wine in the Lords Supper.

There are two main Objections which the Papifts make againft this Argument, which I fhall anfwer, and fo proceed.

1 Objett. Senfes do not indeed erre in their teftimony of their own Objects; but Accidents only,and not Subftances, are the Objeclsof the Senfes, and therefore the teftimony of the fenfes concerning Subftances is not to be trufted. .

j4nfw. If fo, then we can judge of no Subftance in the world by our fenfes, and we cannot know but we are only in a world of Accidents, vi& of Colours, a#d Smells and Sounds, &c. and our underftandings cannot perceive by them, that there are any Subftances in the world, much l'efs difcern betwixt one fubftance and another, but every man by the ufe of his fenfes perceives fenfible fubftances by means of the accidents inherent in them, orelfe no man can fwear in judgement any thing concerning any Man, or Beaft, orHoufe, or Lands, or Goods, neither can there be any civil converfe among men in the world.

lObjeft,

zObjett. Senfe mud yield to be corrected and over*ruled by Faith, and Gods Word muft bebelieved before our Senfes.

Anfw. i. This isbutaPopifhtrick,to hide the truth of God; for it is not our prefent queftion, whether we muft believe God or our Senfes, but whether we irtuft believe the words of a company of cheating Papifts, or believe God fpeaking to our underftandings by Scripture, by Reafon, by the Creatures, and by our Senfes, and by all thofe things which are witneflfes of his Truth to our Souls.

2. We do in this matter give Faith its due place in our Hearts ; for our Understandings do here perceive bythatufeof our Senfes, which God hath made them for, that here is Bread and Wine ; but that this Bread and Wine are bleiled to fignifie, and convey to us the Body and Blood of Chrift, this we afTent unto by Faith ; and by Faith we do difcern the Lords body, and bloody in the ufe of that Bread and Wine which wc difcern by our Senfes: And thus we own both the Truths of God,^/*.. That there is Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper, and that Chrift crucified is therein prefented to our Souls in the ufe of them, and fo we give both Faith and Senfe their due place and ufe in us.

3. Wc believe, that the Truths revealed to our underftandings by the vifible Creatures, in the ufe of our Senfes, are as the Apoftlefpeaks, the Truths of God, I?om.i.2$. And that it is a Truth of God, that the Creatures we fpeak of, are Bread and Wine, becaufe we under/land by our fenfes, that they have the nature, and all the Properties of Bread and Wine, and we know that the God that cannot he, cannot fpeak a Truth to our underftandings, by the Creatures, and by our Senfes, and then deny and contradict it by his Word to our Faith.

It may now be expected, that I mould here give you an account of the Doctrine of the Ancients in this matter, but to this I fhall only fay thefe three things.

1- That this is undertaken, and I doubt not, is effectually performed by a Reverend Brother, whofe work aflignedhim is to prove the No -why of Popery, both in this their great Article of Tranfubftantiatiorr, and alfo in other Popifh Doctrines, to whofe Difcourfe I referre you for fatisfaction herein.

2. That I do profefs to honour the ancient Fathers in the Church of God, who have in their feveral Ages been faithfull witnefles to this, and other Truths of God reveal'd in the Scriptures -, and I do rejoyce in my hopes of being in the fame blefled Body of Chrift with them: but I have chofen to infill: on thefe Arguments, which I hope to defend, knowing that all that the Scripture, Reafon, and Senfes do fpeak, God fpeaketh by them ; but I cannot fay of all that Juftin Martyr, Tertuliian, Cyprian y Ambrofe, Auftin, Hierom,&c. do fpeak, that God fpeaketh by them j and if it had hapned, that any of thefe men had contradicted Scripture, Reafon and Senfe (could their Opinions have been as old as the Devil in-Hell) t wouidfay with the Apoftle, Gal. 1.6. Whatever they mre,

it waketh' no matter to me, God accept e'th no wans Per/on, for God and his Truth muft not be tryed by the Judgements of fallible men.

3. That the fame Doflrine which I have delivered, had its beginning from Chrift, and hath palfed from him by the Scriptures, through aU true Antiquity, is fully proved by Biftxop fewel, Bifhop Morton, Cra-kenthorp, Molin, and Albertinm, and many others, who have faid more in this cafe than I have either time or ability to fpeak, or than would be fit for this Difcourfe; and it is as manifeft that the Judgement of the ancient Fathers is againft Tranfubftantiation, as it is that there were fuch perfons, and that their writings are extant in the world; infomuch, that had they lived under Popifh perfections, they would have burnt thofe very men on Earth, and curfed them to Hell, whom they canonize for Saints > and vainly and impiouily crave their Intercefhon in Heaven.

I mall yet anfwer two Objections, and then conclude with a brief Application.

i Objett. The Pope and his Council have determined that Tranfubftan-tiation is in the Lords Supper, and we muft believe them, a Chemmtim Anfxv. Chemnitim (a) hath told them, that it is the Confeflion of Sco-exam. Condi. tm y Cameracenfis and others, that neither Scripture, nor the Opinion Trident. 0 f tne Ancients, compell us to believe the Doclrine of Tranfubitantia-

b Bellarm. de tion; and Bellarmine (b) confefTeth, that what Scotm faith, is not impro-Euchar.lib.$. bable, y&L. That there is no exprefsplace of 'Scripture compells us to ad~ cap* 2 3* mit Tranfubftantiation without the declaration of the Church. And fo

after all their Difputations and Curfes, and blood-fhed, and deluding fo many Souls; we muft believe this Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, becaufe the Pope and his Council have faid it. But how (hall we be infallibly alfur'd, that God doth tranfmit his mind and will to us by the Pope and his Council ? or where doth God command us to go to this infallible Oracle the Bifhop of Rome, either fingly, or conjunctly with his" Council, to be concluded by him or them, in matters of Faith? But alas! what a dreadfull cafe is this, that a whole world of precious Souls muft have no better a Foundation for their Religion and Salvation than this, viz.. That we muft all believe the Papifts, and that we muft believe them for this Reafon, becaufe they tell us we muft believe them; but if they will damn their Souls in believing one another, let us labour to fave ours by believing the God of Truth, fpeaking to us by his Word.

zObjctt. Thefe words, This is my Body, Ike. are the words of our dying Lord, and to his Difciples, to whom he would not fpeak darkly in Figures; and they are the worcte of a Teftament, and of a Law; and exprefTed in intire Proportions, all which require Plainnefs, and to be fpoken properly, and not ia dark figures: Do not thefe feem plaufible r 11 m de Qkje&ions, and cunningly devisxl to trepan poor Souls into Errour ? Zucbar. lib. i. Why thefe are Bellarmines Objections, (c)

c4< 9, Anfwl i.. They thenafelves are forced to corjfefs, that the words, This

cup

Scrm. XXI. t'd the Lords Supper. --j

ffKp is my blood, &c. which are the words of our dying Lord, an! to his Difciples, and words of a Testament, and of a Law, and an entire Proportion; are yet fpoken in a figurative fence, which overthrowes all their-pretended Reaibnsfor a proper or literal fence of the words.

2. Words are not therefore dajk, becaufe they are figurative, for figures often do explain, and not darken the fence of words; I confefs a Trope, a Figure, a Metonymy, a Synechdoc're, &c. are hard words to vulgar ears, but you mult know that thefe are words of Art, which Learned jnen have wifely invented, but they are grounded on the natural way of mens exprefiing thcmfelvcs, in their*ordinary and familiar language : and therefore even Children, and unlearned men that cannot read, do ordinarily fpeak, and underftand the Language that is fpoken . in Tropes and Figures, though they know not what Trope or Figure to reduce fuch expreflions unto; for Example, If a man fay, drink off this Gup or Glafs 5 or as he looks on the Signs in the Streets, faith, This is a Swan, and this is a Lyon; or faith of Pictures in a Chamber, This is Alexander, or Cafar \ or faith of a written Parchment wherein he hath fignified his Will, in bequeathing his Eftate, This is my Will; all this is plain and eafie, and familiar language, and yet few underftand the Tropes in thefe Expreflions: And fo the words, This is my body, this cup is my blood, are plain and intelligible words, though few underftand the Names of thofe Tropes or figures, which they are fpoken in.

3. Whereas the Papilts pretend to give a proper or literal fence of thefe words, yet their fence to juftifie their Tranfubftantiation is fofull of monftrous and blafphemous contradictions, and fo dark, that neither they themfelves, nor others understand them : Sometimes the word this rnuit fignifie thefe accidents \ fometimes this fubfiance contained under thefe Accidents: But this fubltance mult neither be the Bread nor Chriits Body, but an individaum vag/im, and though the word this applyedto afubitance doth alwayes determine and demonft rate the faid fub/tancc, yet here they make it to fignifie fuch a vagrant, that all the world knowes not where to finde it. And in like manner they rack the word is, which mud fometimes mean is properly and effentially, when it fpeaks of the Accidents, fometimes is made, fometimes is tranfubftan-tiated, and one (a) will have it to denote all thefe: And thus they tor- a Cornell us m ture this plain Scripture, toferve their odious Doctrine of Tranfubflan- i^oTii '* tiation; and when they have done all, they have nothing but the word of a blafphemous Pope, and factious Council for it.

Vfes. Six Inferences.

1 Inf. That it is Idolatry in the Papifts to worfhip the confecrated Bread, though they think it is turned into the Body of Chrift. I mould here fpeak to two things. 1. That their worfhipping the confecrated Bread, is Idolatry.

2. Thafi:

2. That their thinking it to be the Body of Chrift, doth not excufe them from Idolatry.

(i.) For the firft, I fhall briefly fpeak to three things, i. Acquaint you with their DoCtrine herein.

2. Acquaint you with their P rattic e.

3. Prove that their praiftifing this Doclrine is Idolatry.

X; Their Doctrine is declared in the Council of Trent thus. (^) That

it is an undoubted Truth, that all Chriftians ought AConciirridentScjf.il cap. $.-N ■ lius t0 pi ve the fame Worfhip to the Sacrament of the

itaque dubicandi locus rehnquuur, cun r 2 'n 1 • i i • ^ ,,. ,./. , .

omnes chnfti fidcies, pro more «n ca- Euchariit, which they give to God himfelf, and that thohca Ecdefia fcmper recepto. utnae if any deny this, let him be accurfed.

culcum, qui vcro Deo deb-tiK, hunc J _. * 7 .. "- - . c . . ,

fiRaiffimo Sacramento in vencracionc 2. Iney practile this Doctrine, tor in their Ro-

■?£?* quis dixeric in fanSo Eu. «*» Miffal > £? Pri f S a« taught tO lift Up the Hoft,

charifti* Sacramento cbnftum uni S c and to worfhip it themfelves, thrice linking their

Sr«5£ 2Stf&ffifl&£ breafts, and faying, O Lamb of God, that takejiarwy

randum: ncque m proceffionibus, fe the fins of the World, have mercy upon us. And

£t£fa tt rtT.'™ * k "SfeiSSu among many inftances that may be given of their Ido-

ncm, & foienniter circumgeftandum, latrous practice herein, I (hall only give you this :

vel ncn publice ucadoretur populo pro- w T _ .i J. -(1 ^/-ssl „«. r ., • / :«. .„„„ :«*

ponendum, &> ejus adoratoKsWe ido " In the year 1666. at Lyons m France, it was m-latras, Anathema fie. " iHtuted, that a company of devout perfons taking

ct their turns, fhould perpetually day and night adore * c the holy Sacrament, fome of themalwayes kneeling before it in a cer-u tain Church chofen by them : And in a large place more fpadous than u Lincolns-Jnne Fields, London, cal'd Belle Conr, the Sacrament was eC expofed on a rich and magnifick Altar, (fet on a high Scaffold) to be <c adored by all the Town together; and there were about thrcefcore <c thoufand people on their knees together, worfhipping it; the moft glo-u rious Triumph that ever was feen, (faith a Jefmte in his late defcription <c of this Gky.) And thus do thefe poor deluded wretches folemnly give that Worfhip to Wafers which is only due to God himfelf. 3. That this practice is Idolatry, appears,

Fir/1, By all that I have faidagainft Tranfubflantiation; for feeing the fubftance of the Bread remains, as I have prov'd, the PapiiVs worfhipping this Bread, muft needs be grofs Idolatry : For the Council of Trent makes TranfubfkntiatiGn to be the ground and reafon of this folemn b£* r .i. ca%* Adoration. (6) And its a known faying of their own Cofterus to this 4»5."' purpofe, That if by Tranfubftantiation the Bread be not turned into the

Body of Chrift, their worfhipping the Hoft is the greateft Idolatry in the world.

Secondly, It is grofs Idolatry to dve that Worfhip to a Creature which is only due to God ; and yet thefe men-fall down unto, and worfhip, and call upon this Bread ; as a!) Believers fail down unto, and worfhip and call upon God: Their practice herein is much like their Idolatry in worfhipping their graven Images, irntioned Ifa. 44. 16. 17. He burmth fart thereof ? "in tin pre, with 'far: thereof he eateth flejh \ he

rofteth

rofteth the reft, And is fatisfied,yea he warns etb himfelf, and faith, Aha J am warm, I hazfefeen the fire, and the refidue thereof he maketh a G$d even his graven Image, he falleth down unto it; aud worfuppcth it, and praycth unto it, and faith, Deliver me, for thou art my Cod • in like manner cto the Idolatrous Papifts by this Bread, part thereof they take into their mouths, and grind with their teeth, and eat it, and part of it (as in the cafe of the Rats and Worms eating the confecrated Bread,) they caft into the fire and burn it, and part thereof they refervc for their God, and carry it about, and fall down to it, and worfhip it, and pray to it, as to their Saviour, to fave them from their fins.

(2.) I proceed to prove, that the Papifts thinking this Bread to be the Body of Chrift, doth not excufe them from Idolatry : This h evident, for God's Law being fufficiently revcal'd, mans wilful ignorance thereof cannot extinguish the Obligation of it, nor alter the nature of that fin which is a breach of that Law -, the Heathens worfhipping the Sun is Idolatry, though they think it to be God; fo the Papiits worfhipping the Wafer is Idolatry, though they think it to be the Body of Chrift with his Soul and God-head; as to kill the Saints of God, is murder and perfection, though the enemies may think they do therein God fervice,

Joh. 16. 2. #

•2 Inference. Hence fee under what Characters we are to look upon the Papiits: We are told what Names fome of their Flatterers have given to fome of their Popes. In the Council of Later an, it's faid 0 the Pope : All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to thee ; and Pa-normitan faith, the Pope can do all things that God can do. The Am-bafladours of Sicily cry'd to one Pope, Thou that take ft away the fins of the World,have mercy upon us; and faith a Bifhop in a prophane quibble of Pope Leo, Behold the Lyon of the Tribe ofjudah, we have waited for thee (O moft blejfedhco)to be our Saviour. See Brightman on ReveL 13.3. and we know his Holinefs is the Name given him by the Papiits ; and the Romifii Church doth arrogate the Name of the only Holy Catho-lick Church. But if we will give the Papifts a Name from their Religion and Pradice, we muft give them three characters.

Firft, They are an Idolatrous People, as appears by what I have now faid, and as is made known to you by more Arguments from other hands -, and therefore we need not ^envy their Grandeur, and Kingdom upon Earth, feeing the Apoftle aflures us, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. That no Idolaters have any Inheritance in the Kingdom of God.

Secondly,, They are a moft uncharitable and cruel people j and though their School-men do ingenioufly plead, that Charity or Love is the moft excellent of all Graces, and meafure the worth of other Graces, and the evil of all fins by Charity; yet are they a moft inhumane and barbarous People: and this is not only evident, by all the blood of the Saints, that lies crying at their doors for vengeance, but alfo that they will have all men curfedfcnd damned, who will not in defiance of God, and Scripture,

H h h h and

and Rcafon, and Senfe, fay that Bread is no Bread, and who will not believe that the God of Truth doth fpeak all the hideous contradictions in their Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation; as if having ufurp'd the keyes of Heil and Death, they had decreed that all Believers fhall be damned, and that none but Atheifts and Infidels fhall be faved.

Thirdly, A perjured people, in that they impofe, and many of them take this Oath. "I N. N. do fwear, that this converfion, which c the Catholick Church doth call Tranfubftantiation, is made in the Eu-"chariit, without the Belief of which no man can be faved. What horrid Perjury is this, to fwear that Bread is no Bread, and Wine is no Wine, and that all the contradictions in the Doctrine of Tranfubitantiation are true, and that all are damned who do not believe the fame.

3 Inference. Hence we fee, that there is no Communion to be had with the Church of Romej for except we will all renounce our prefent Christianity, and profefs that we are no Members of the Church of God, tift we are in union with the Pope, and fo proclaim our felves, and all Christians in the world, who are not Papiits, to be a generat on of difTembling Knaves, and except we firft turn Atheifts, and believe that God fpeaks lies and contradictions we cannot turn Papifts.

4 Inference. Hence fee what a dreadfull flavery it is to be the fervants and {laves to the Devil, who engageth his fervants to debauch their Confciences, and rack their wits, and to fpend the*r precious time, and parts, and Learning, to fpread and defend Nonfence and Lies. BelLr-

bEfifl*Sexto $. yum (^jtfaithj he fpent fifteen years about Controverfies in Relic ion: A fearfull thing, that a man of fo great Learning and parts mould waite a great part of his Age, and much of it in contradicting God, and the Truth, and himfelf; but though I will not judge any one that is gone into the Eternal World, yet I would warn all to take heed efpecially how they venture to fin in print, left their Books fhould be fpeaking for the Devil on Earth, when they themfelves are tormented with the Devil in Hell.

5 Inference. Be faithfull to the Truths of God, and let them not be held in unrighteoufnefs in your judgements, but let them rule in your Hearts and Lives; if Truth prevail to make you holy, then though Seducers may make Merchandize of your Eftates, yet they fhall never make Merchandize of your Souls; but if you will not love the Truth, and walk in the Truth, all our Arguments cannot fecure you from the Temptations of the Devi] and Seducers, nor keep God from being angry with you, and from giving you up to ftrong delufions to believe lies.

Vlr. Biefs God for your Religion, that your Religion comes from the Grace of God by his Word, to make you holy here, and happy hereafter, and not from the Devil and Pope, to feed your Lufts, and damn your Souls, and to make you goe ignorantly and quietly to Hell •

and

and blefs God that you have in this Nation the true Doclrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which as I faid in the beginning of this Difcourfe, fo I fay again in the Conclufion, is clearly and fully delivered from the mind of Chrift in thefe words, and which hath been fealcd by the blood of thofe blefled Martyrs in our own Land, who have been facrificed to death for the fervice of your Faith, whofe Blood was of more value than all the Popes that ever ufurped Supremacy over the Church and Body of Chrift.

Hhhh z SERMON

SERMON XXII.

The Right of every Believer to the blefTect Cup in the. Lords Supper.

0. • 0^Ju^ A^

Matth. XXVL 27,28.

And he Uok. the Cup, and gave thanks, and gave H to them, -faying, Drinks je all of it. For this is my "Blood of the New Tejiament, which is fied for many,for the Kemi\fion of fins.

TH E declared Will of God being the mod certain and happy Rule of mans practice, efpecially in thofe Duties which have no Foundation fave in Divine Revelation ; it is the greatefl Arrogance and Affront to the Wifdom and Will of our Law-giver to con-tfadiS him therein: But when Our bleffed Redeemer hath in his Institutions plainly confulted our Benefit and Comfort? when he hath ftooped fo low, to raife us up fo high } to crofs and correct him therein, is the ilrangeft folly and ingratitude that is imaginable.

Yet hereof we have a fad In fiance in the prefent Church of Rome in the- bufinefs of the Lords Supper0 where nothing can be more plain than our Saviours Inftitution on the one fide, nor more palpable than their Corruption of it on the other : wherein is evident the lamentable Degeneracy ot the Humane Nature, together with the power of Prejudice, and the mifchief of a wilfull Obftinacy? efpecially when accompanyed with the worldly Intereft of Profit or Honour.

It hath been indeed the more ordinary humour of that Church, to invent and adde burthenfqme fuperrluities to other of Gods Ordinances, but they whofe Confciences will permit them to adde, will eafily adventure alfo to diminish when it ferves their turn ^as appears in their denying

to,

Serm. XXII. The Right of every Believer,&c. j6\

to Gods people the one ImI/ of the Lords Supper, to wit, the facred Cup, againit the dream of Scripture, and all Antfiptity.

The vindicating of this blefTcd Ordinance of God is my prefent work, and I cannot have a better ground to butklupon ; than the words of the holy EvangeliB which are before you. Wherein you may pleafeto confider,

i. The Connexion [_And~\ i. e. having immediately before taken bread, blcjfedity and delivered to his Difciplcs, in like manner he now takes the Cup. \

2. The Narration, (i) Of what our Saviour did. The ordinary A ft ion* of Princes are obferved; with what careful! Reverence then fhould we ponder this Extraordinary Action of the King of Heaven, efpecially when he was at Death's door ? Three things he did, i. He took^the Cup. 2. He gavethankj. 3. He gave it to them. It was the Practice of the Jews, unto which certainly Our Saviour had regard herein, at the end of their Feafts, for the Matter thereof to take a Cup of £• F "£- m ' Wine, and after a fhort Thanlzsgiving to drink a little thereof, and fo exlulbh.' the Cup pafTed round the Table, and this they termed, a Cup of Thanks- UU-* 0 Vf% giving. This Vfe he was pleafed to tranflate and fanftifie to beta facred Rite at the Lords Supper to the end of the World: As he did adopt their wajhing of their Profelytes in the institution of Baptifm.

(2) Here is an account of what Our Saviour faid ; when, if ever, his lips were like. Lillies dropping fweet-fmelling Myrbe. Where there is cam. $. 19,

Firft, A Command, [_Dnn'^ye all of if\ wherein you have,

1. The thing commanded, [Drink of it,~] that is, (by an ufual figure)

of the Wine contained in this Cup : or, as fame 7ranflations read [Drinks Dutch* out of it. ] •

2. The Perfons intended, {_ye all~] that is, alt ye my Difciplcs in the fir/1: place; who upon occafion of celebrating the Pajfeover (they being our Saviours ordinary Family) were then alone with him at the Table. But forafmuch as he commanded them to do th/s in remembrance of him, that is, when he was dead, and the Apoftle Faul declares, that this Sacramental AcTion mail continue untill he come, avid that by all that are 1C0r.12.mtb fmllifled m Chrifl Jefm, that are able to examine themfelvcs, therefore lCor - n* 2 * the T All ~\ in the Text muft neither be confined to the Perfons of the ApojVes, nor to them that fucceed them in any particular Office, but concludes all that are adult Difaples of Jefm Chrifl to the end of the

world.

Secondly, A Re afon,ox Argument to urge the due participation thereof, drawn from the Sacramental Nature of that Cup. For this (to wit, the Wine contained in this Cup) is my blood of the New Teflame «f .Or,(as the. Evangelill Luke, ch. 22.20. delivereth \i)This Cup is the New Testament in my blood, thot is, the New Covenant fealed with my blood. For neither the Cnp,noY the Wine ink, nor the bloodof Chrifl: is properly^the New Covenant or went j but by this that is contained in this Cup, the

f So the word

moft commonly taken: and fo moft properly in this place as the Epithet [New'] which is adjoyned, evinceth.

Heb. 9.22.

.JUtaldonat* in loo

The Right of every Believer Serm. XXII.

New Covenant which is fealed and confirmed by the Blood of Chrift is kept in remembrance. He faith in effedt, As Covenants ufed to be confirmed by the jhedding of bloody fo do I by my Blood feal to you a New t Covenant, far better than the Old, which demanded perfect Obedience and denounced the Curfe for defect thereof; but this promifeth Remiffi-on of fins \ and a Covenant far clearer, than when it was adminiflred under the jhadowes of the Law, which hereby are abrogated. And therefore drinl^ye all of this, that have an inter eft in that Covenant, and that have need of this blood.

And this Blood is illuftrated, (1) By a necefTary Ad]untl to it, name-iy, this Cup doth reprefent my blood [which is JhedQ which cannot be exemplified by eating the blood with the body, but as fried out of the veins -, for without {bedding ef blood there was no remiffion. And this Our Saviour expreffeth in the prefent tenfe [is Jhed 1 to afTure his Difcj-ples then, that it would certainly and fuddenly be done, and to afTure all true Believers now of the reality of it, though it be paft, as if it were now in doing.

(2) By the Finis cui, or the Per fans for whom it is fhed [ for many] fo this Evangelift, and the next, that doth epitomize him: To fhew, 1. That he dyed not for himfelf, but for others; Or perhaps 2. By this reftrain'd ExprefTion to exclude Judas • Or rather, 3. This Blood is not only fhed for you Apoftles, but for abundance more. Which the Evangelift Luke, and Paul after him, exprefs in other terms, and fay, my blood *Jhed [for you"] that each of them might apply it to themfelves. So that all Believers for whom this precious Blood was fhed, have an undoubted Right to drink of it.

(3) By the Finis cujus, or the End for which this Blood is fhed, and that is expreiTely [for the remiffion of Sins'] This Lamb of God came, and lived and died to take away the fins of the World. For though Sin was fat is fie d for by Jefns Chrift, and fo we are faid to be redeemed ; yet becaufe no fatisfaclion was made by m, therefore we are faid to be remitted. So then whofoever can triumph in the -benefit of Remiffion of Sins, hath a juft right to drink of this Cup, which feals the New covenant, and the forgivenefs of fins.

From thefe words thus explain'd i lay down this Affcrtion or Dottrine:

Docft. That every adult Believer hath an undenyable Right to the Blejfed Cup in the Lords Supper.

In the handling Of which Truth, I fhall briefly,

1. State the Question.

2. Prove the Pofition.

3. Refute the Objections.

4. Make Application.

For

For the right fating of the QucHion you may obferve, I.

1. That our bufinefs is not, to debate, Whether a man may or may not receive Chrift, and all his benefits under one Element in the Lords Supper • for we acknowledge, that this may be done by the Spirit of God working Faith in the heart, as with,fo without either of them.

2. We undertake not to prove, that To partake of both Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper is abfolutcly neeeffary, and that to falvation. We affirm, that they/?/ ritual eating.of Chnfts body and blood is abfolutcly neccfTary; but there is not the fame neceffity of feeding upon them Sacra* entally; and accordingly, that it is the wtlfullneglcll, notthe/>z-ev:table defeel thereof, that is damnable. The Divine command doth indeed impofe a Neceffity of Obfervance in all cafes, where his Providence doth not fuperfede the fame ; and therefore they that unwillingly are depriv'd of this intire Ordinance may efcape Hell, but they that willingly neglect it, cannot cfcape guilt. We onely conclude, that there is the fume neceffity of communicating in the one Element, as in the other.

3. Our afferting the Believers Right to the Sacred Cup, doth not urge y. ., ~ an Obligation upon fuch as are naturally or irremediably difabled from enc [ a e (j e 'f„jjg participation thereof. If in an Infant there be an incapacity to difcern qu& Pin n the Lords Body ; If there be an incurable Antipathy to the taite of Wine ; ^ahsw acci-Ifafter receiving that facred Bread, Death come between the Cup and i um ^ mn w* the Lip, or the like; as our Doctrine obligeth not to Impoffibilities, fo™j%ff^*" ec all Laws that do intend a general Obligation, yet do admit of fome ex- injm^ulas per-traordinary and particulars exceptions, efpecially when the Law-giverM'/ fed gene-himfelf (as in fuch cafe he doth) creates the hindrances. Thus many have r r "/"f. r cor ^' a rightfull Jntereft (Jw ad rem) in things, whereof they never !^YC.j-ifcoB(L?t. {Jus in re) the rightfull Pojfeffion.

4. Our Doctrine is, That both parts of the Lords Sacrament, by Artie. 30. Chrifts Ordinance and Commandment ought to bemmiftred to all Chri- r „ jtian men alike. That Chnfts Aiinifers ought to take and breaks the C ap. L "* * bread, to take the cup, and to give both to the Communicants. That , rr Believers do receive what is given to.them by the Lords Mini ft er, and do Ct /j e vet * eat the bread of the Lord, and drinkjhe Cup of the Lord; That Both *

parts of the Sacrament are given to the Laity in the Lords Supper, be- $^"1 ' C ^ e ^ % caufe the Sacrawtnt was mjiituted, not onely for fome part of the Church, <£r c . to wit,the Briefs.

5. We affirm, That no man can yifily infringe this Right, or deny

to adult Believers this bkjfd Cup. That the Cup of the Lord is not to c V* 3°-

be denyed to the Lay people. That the denyal of the Cup to the People is c . 2 o. ^ *

contrary to the Inflitutionof Chrift. That they are difallowed that with-

hold the One kjnd,to wit, the cup of the Lord, from the faithfnil; yea, they Confejf./j e l vc ^

fin gricvoufy againft the Lords Inftitution, which faith, Drinkje all of c ' 21.

it, which he did not fay jo expreffely of the Bread. That no humane An- C.nftff.Aupnfi.

thority ought to forbid the Appointment of Chrift, and the meft received

cuftorn of the ancient Church\ One

One would wonder, how fo clear an Inftitution mould ever come into queftion; fomc few Superfluous perfons, and fome Hereticks did long agoe choofe to communicate in one kind, but they were ftill corrected by Orthodox Councels. And afterwards, Com ^ m ZJ^i^cTZ out of fear of fhedding the blood of Chrift, there

tumin odo corporis lacn pomone a ca« i • 1 i_ i r • i t-i , t- i

lice f>crattcruoris abftment, qui pro. were Jome that being loth to lole either Element, did C&BS^-^S&t: uft to dip the confecrated Bread in the Wine ; and cramenta percipianr, awt ab mrcgns this fome Councels did aliOW tO perfons that Were in •

z J%™£t^&0*™~ firm - But ! £ was &ont fourteen hundred years after nitcnon poccft. Gdwf. pup. dft.i.dc the Inftitution, before ever any publick contradiction conf«*. un^r . was ma( j e thereunto. And then the Councel of Cm-

c.nrii. Turatunf. fiance, then that of Bafil, and laftiy that of Trent, forbad the ufe of the An. 1414. ^.^ nQt one [y to the People, but to the PrieftsaKo; except to him 4nVi$4s". onely that for the time officiates. They at Con fiance fay, Though Chrift did admmiftcr this venerable Sacrament to his Difciples under both the S$. 13. \inds of Bread atid Wine, yet notwithftanding this, the cuftom of com^ municating under one kind only is now to be taken for a Law. Again, Though in the Primitive Church this Sacrament was received by the faithfull under both kjnds , yet mtwithftanding this, the cuftom that is introduced of communicating under one kind onely for the Laity, is now to be taken for a Law. They at Bafil not many years after being warn-Jo. Gerfon. e( j ^ a £ ear , /e dman, who was imployed to put a better face on fo foul ^' a matter, left out thofe ft range and prefumptuous Notwithft-andings;

and thus made their Canons or Decrees, That the Laity, as alfo the Clcroy who do not confccrate, are not bound by the Lords command to receive both kinds. Again, The Church hath power to order how the Sacrament fmll be miniftred ; and, fo that people do communicate ace or din <r to the appointment of the Church, whether under one or both kinds, it is fufficient for the Salvation of the worthy Receiver. Then come they at Trent, and notwithftanding all the inftancesof Chriftian Princes^ and the Arguments of great Divines there to the contrary, They declare, Scff. 21. That the Laity and Clergy that do not confecrate are bound by no divine Precept to receive the Eucharift under both kinds ; and do Ac-cur fe all thofe that affirm the contrary. Again they declare, That though at the beginning of Chrift ianity both kinds were frequently received, yet: that cuftom {for good Re a fens') being ahered, the Church now approves of Communion in one kind,, which cuftom no ma-n can lawfully change, Without the Authority of the Church-, and do Accurfe all fitch as do affirm, that they do erre herein. And this is the true ftate of this matter, and thus we fail at Variance. [j And now you you fhall fee the Proof of our Dollrrine and Pcfnion,

which is the Second thins incumbent on me, and that will be fufficiently done by thefe Arguments.

Arg. 1. Prom the Inftitution of this Sacrament, and our Saviours Command annexed thereunto. For Sacraments depend meerly upon their

Inftitution y

Inftitution ; hence doth their Being refult, and upon this their matter and fignification do depend. The Inftitution with^tbe Element ?vakss the Sa- vid.Cyrian rp. crament, and fo the only Rule and Balance for them rxiuft needs be their - v a •/• Inftitution. This being the Ground of this Ordinance, no Min or \An-gel may violate under a fearfull Curfe. And indeed, if mens will or wif-dom might alter and change the Revelation of God, nothing would abide firm in Religion. Tis true, the Laws of Men may be corrected or annulled", becaufe they forefee not their Inconveniences $ but Our Saviour (certainly) when he appointed this Ordinance, well knew what was ne ceflary and ufcfull for his Church to the end of the World. And for this Reafun the Apoftle Paul, when fome diforders were broken into the• . Church of Cvrintb'm theufeofthe Lords Supper ," he recalls them to the Domino, r Inftitution, and endeavours by that ftfaight Rule to rcciifie their Irregu- ^IzvlllT' larities, I Cor. 11.23. For J have received of the Lord,8cc. By which quamab cotra-place it is evident, that there is no fuch way to obviate any miftakc which eiSTpieh 22" in after-times creeps upon Gods own Ordinance, as by going back to wtus cfrc qui ' the Spring, by considering the Inftitution : Infomuch as the fame Apeftle q U " e m ^ u f |,: for their violating Chnfls Inftitution in their admniftration of this Or- ab Author*. dinance, faith, 1 Cor. 11. 20. This is not to eat the Lords Supper. iSr. xiJ

Now you may plainly fee Our Saviours Inftitution in this Text, Atr.i. 26. 27. And he took^the Cup, ahd gave thanks, and gave it to them, faying, &c. And in Luk. 22. 20. the Evangel?ft comes with a !ihv;;fe. Likewife alfo the cup after Supper; &c. that is, As he gave the Bread, in like manner he gave the Cup. They have an equal ground in their firit Inftitution ; and fo ought to be given to, and received by the Faithful, the one as well as the other. What Cbrift hath joy ned together,no man ought to put afunder.

1

fhall give the fubftance of trie Oppofttion which is made to this Branch

Be!!

arm. dc

of this Argument. To the Antecedent,One faith, That Cbrift did infti- E L . c h ar .'r 4 . tute many things in the Church, but not with a deftgn to oblige every man c. 2$. to the ufe ofthem j it being fujficicnt, that fome in the Church c*> one Eft'winl. 4 thing, and fome another. That God in infti tutmg of Marriage, did not dift. 11. f. 8* intend to oblige every one to marry.

To this I anfwer, That the Defign of our Saviour is beft known by the command which did accompany the Inftitution, which is, Drinkjye all of it; and by the Vfe the Cup was exprefTely defigned unto in the Sacrament, which was to keep in remembrance his Death, and his blood-jhedding therein; both which relating to all Believers alike, do majte it plain, that the intent of the Inftitution was to oblige all Believers.

Others do fay, That though Christ didinftitute this Sacrament in both kinds, yet the Church bath power to alter bis Inftitution ', allcadging^ that ^n- r • the like was done in the cafe cfBaptifme, which being appointed to be ad" fut.art. 16. mini&red in the Name of the Esther, Son, and Holy GhosT, was after- Lutheri. Wards done onsly in the Name of the Lord Jefpts,Kd. 19. 5. ' To which I anfwer •, That the Holy Choft doth not in,the place fpeci-

I i i i 6ed

fied, defcribe the manner how Baptifm was celebrated, but ftieweth that they there were baptized in the Name (that is, according to theDoclrine and Appointment) of the Lord Jefus. It no more intends, that they were baptized onely in Chrifis Name, than St. Pauls ftiling himfelf the Servant of Jefus Chrift, excludes the Father and the Holy Ghoft. And thus Pfams Bill, it is underitood not onely by the Ancients, but by divers of the learnedft p. 1605. ex 0 f t h e R on3an Church themfelves.

Eftius'm 1.4. To make fure the confequent, That our Saviour did inftitute this Sa-d. 3. 5.4. crament in both kinds for all Believers, I adde hereunto the command of .Fabr.Paulur. 0 ur Saviour at the Inftitution of it, Matt. 26.27. Drinkjye all of it. n 9 'n't j -2 Cor% ll ' z % ^^ 5 d° y e as °ft ns )' e 4' i' fI K it. The Inftitution is Dog-tramdift. 4'. mal ^ ca U layes down the Law; but this is preceptive, and charges the art. 6. Execution of it. Which Command could not be termnated in thofe pre-

fent Apoftles, but extendcth to all Believers to the End of the World ; for fo faith the Apoftle, by fo doing, ye do ftnw the Lords death till he come. And without doubt, if one of the Elements be fequeftred from Believers, then mult by the fame reafon the other alfo; for the Apoflle faith, After the fame manner alfo he took^ the cup, and delivered it, and commanded the fame ufe of it, juft as he had done before of the Bread.

I (hall not itand upon that Obfervation of the exprefs mentioning of HAW] when the Cup was given; the like not added when the Bread was delivered: as if our Saviour had on fet purpofe added that word, to confute the Sacriledge which he forefaw would be committed about it. It is fufficient, that here is a plain Command to all that had.eaten the Bread, to drink in like manner of the Cup. And if this do not indifpen-fibly o.blige both the Apoftles there prefent, and alfo all Believers after them till Chrift come again ; there is no ground for the adminiftring of either Element to any whomfoever at This day, which is direclly con-•iCor. m, trar Y t0 the Apoftles Inference horn hence, and to all mens fentiment,

that have not quit both their Religion and Reafon. Jac.A Sim- Ard yet behold what Subterfuges they that would be mad with Rear/a; fer.7. de fon have found out to avoid our Lords Command. Fir ft, they fay, This folen.^corp. onely, imports a liberty given hereby, fach as that, Increafe and?nultiply y u which layes no Obligation upon every one to marry for the increafe of, the

Suare^. D'i(v.W° r ld. Or as others, This is onely an Invitation, fnch as that, Receive 7 1. de Sacr. ye the Holy Ghoft; but no command.

Which Comments do not onely deprive the People of the blcfTed Cup, but do releafe both Minifters and People from both Elements; for (the Fate of both being juft the fame) where there is no Command, or Law, there is no tranfgreflion. And were it but an invitation, yet as they manage it, it is not very civil: For the Prieft faith, Drink^ye all of it, and when he hath fo faid, he drinks it all himfelf. If it be faid, That all others did drinl^in and by the Apoftles ; and now do drinks in and by the Trie ft : It mult needs follow, that in their eating,.all others do eat, and then there t& no need of either.

Obu

Ob). 2. They fay, That this command did onely concern them that were Bettarm. dc prefent, or at fur thefts that it onely concluded with the Apojlles their Enchar.lib. 4. Succeffors. CA h 2 5«

Anf. A poor Refuge. For then [take? eaf\ onely concerned them alfo; and fo they give the other Element to the people without any warrant. And fo alfo will they exclude even their Priefts themfelvcs that do not adminilter, from the Cup ; whereas for all that, they pretend to be Succeffors to the Apoftles ; for the A potties at that time did not admini fer, and fo did rather reprefent the People, or Non-officiating Miniilers, than any elfe. But we affirm, whoever fucceeds the Apojlles in their Faith, though they fucceed them not in their Office, have a Right to the blood of Chriit in the Sacrament; forafmuch as they all have a right in the New Covenant or Teftament, whereof that Cup is a Seal, and are all commanded to drink it in Remembrance of his Death, till he come.

Ob). 3. They fay, That this is an Affirmative Precept, and therefore Cajetan in rcr-binds not alwayes, but when there is- a necejfuy ; but in the Church curiam 7/.;o<q.3o. of Rome there is no fuchnccejfity, for there they are all content without arc * l2 ' it.

Anf. But to this we anfwer. The Command for confecrating the bread and wine is alfo affirmative, which yet to omit, they hold a crime ; fo alfo is the Precept of receiving trie Bread affirmative; yet oy this Rule there would lie no Obligation from the Precept on any, in either of thefe cafes. Affirmative Commands do alwayes binde, though not to the performance of them at all times: and it were a ftrange way to evade them by making a Law on Earth, that none mould defire to fulfill the Laws ef Heaven.

Ob). 4. They alleadge, That our Saviour faid not at the giving of the Eftiuf I.4. d\ft. cup, Do this', nor the Apoftle Paul, But as oft as ye drwk^it; that is, u.s. 7. when ye do drink^ it, do it in remembrance of me : and this they triumph B e U" rm * & c in, as a wonder full Providence of Cod in fo describing it.

Anf. But the anfwer is eafie, 1, This word {as oft as) is alfo applyed to the Bread, as well,and in the fame manner as to the Cup; As oft as ye eat this bread, anddrink^this cup. 2. The Command of Doing this is clearly implyed in faying [_ as oft as ye do it ]: for he that commands to do it worthily, doth imply a Command to do it. And, 3. If Do this were not included in {as oft 04ye do it) there would be no ground to adrainifter the Cup to any Perfonat all in the Church.

It remains then, that by vertue of our Saviours Inftitution a Rioht accrues, and by vertue of his Command an Obligation lies upon Believers to partake of the bleffed Cup in the Lords Supper.

Arg. 2. The fecond Argument is taken from the Example and Appointment of the Apojlles. Their Example is plain, Mark^ 14. 23. And they all drank^ of it. Though the Blood of Chriffc was yet in his Body \ yet they plainly followed the Inftitution, and flood not upon the Notion

liii 2 of

?68 1 he Right of every Believer Serm. XXir.

of concomitance. And left any mould fay, that their drinking of that Cup gives no Right or Ground for us to do the like, I adde conjunctly therewith, the direction and appointment of the great Apoitle of the Gentiles, i Cor. 11. 25. This do ye as oft as ye drink^it, dec. where drinking of the Cup is joyn'd with eating the Bread five or fix times in five Verfes-together.

.And this Order is confiderable, if we mark 1. From what hand the Apoitle received it, which you may fee Verf. 23. For I have received of the Lord) that which alfo I have delivered unto you. Could he have had it from a better and furer hand i This he received of the Lord, let others ccnfider of whom they have received the contrary :- yea, this came from the Lord Jefas when he was in Heaven-, they that bring another. Doctrine, furely had it delivered from Hell. 2. Mark unto whom this Order is directed • and thefe were, the Body of the Church of Corinth, not the Minificrs onely : yea and not onely to that Church, but to all that in every place call upon the Name of Jefm Chrifi our Lord, as you may fee 1 Cor. 1. 2. And though every thing in thatEpiftle was not intended for every one, yet this mult, needs be intended to regulate all thofc that were guilty of that diforder, or in danger to be corrupted by it; and thofe were the ordinary Members of that Church, and others gw t cathoi. after them. % And He was no Novice that thus argues from the 2 8-h Verf ©-rib. p. 11?. |^ e t k at j s k ounc | t0 examme himfelf, is bound alfo to drink of that Cup ;

but not the Minifters onely, but the People are bound to examine them-felves; they therefore are bound to drink of it. And, 3. Mark, to what End the Infiitution is here defcribed and urged, which though it was not to prove this point in queltion, yet it was to regulate another diforder, which was grown among the Corinthians; and this he doth by reducing them to the firfi Standard ; and therefore cannot be imagined to be either Btiurm. dc defective or fuperfltious in his Defcription. It is but weakly faid, that the iuchac,u.c.i 5. tyofile did not crmmand this Practice, but delivered it ; whereas he delivered the command of our Saviour Chrifi, and that is enough.

I find but two Objections worth the naming againit this Argument. M' in ] i 0^ 1 >- *• That the Apofile doth leave the Cup m fome indifference, for "i

d.u.f. 7. ff/xuch as he faith once, verf. 17. IVhofoever fiiall eat this bread \^or~\

(for fo it is in the Greek^) drink this cup of the Lord unworthily.

Anf. But it is mod evident that this (or) is ufed here in a copulative fence; onely that word was fitter here, not to «#**> the two Elements, which the Kpoftle had bound together by fo many Copulatives in the Text, but to fhew that an equal care and reverence mould be (hewed in both. It is as if he had laid, If a man do either eat the Bread or drinks Match iis.&cjheCup unworthily, he is guilty. And of this genuine acception a multitude of Inftances may be given in the Scripture.

Ob). 2. Others do grant, that it was the cufiom at Corinth, to ce* Szimere tom. 9- lebrate this Sacrament in both hinds, but they fay, that this prefcribes «a& 34 no ,. t0 others 2 for that the Church may abrogate fuch a cttBom npea

Serm. XXIL to the blejjed Cup in the Lords Supper. j£

Jefficient Reafcns, her Power being not inferiour to the Apoftlcs.

Anf. But to this we fay, That this was the Rule that St. Paul received from Jefus Chnft, and which he left: for the Direction of the Church of God urn ill Chrift fiiatl come. And this was then the Pratt ice of the Vniverfal Church : and themfelves grant, that no man .can difpenfe U(i%H o I. In the Lawcs of Nature, nor 2. In Articles of Faith, nor 3. In the t'? rr,,s ' Sacraments of the New lfjrament. f u .

It remains then, th.it according to the Example and appointment ofthe Apoftles, who % were guided by the holy Ghoft himfelf, the Sacred Cup was-as plainly intended for all Christian men as the holy Bread.

Arg. 3. The Third Argument is taken from the proper End of this Ordinance of the Lords Sufper -, which is to keep up the remembrance, or to jhew the Lords Death till he come, 1 Cor. 11. 25, 26. They who are bound to the End, are alfo bound to the Means. Every adult Believer is bound to fhew the Lords death, which is the End-, therefore every adult Believer is bound to partake ofthe Cup in the Lords Supper, which is the Means to that End. For fo the hpoftie faith expreflely, vcrf 25. This d% ye as oft as ye drinkjl in remembrance of me, and verf. 26. as

eft as ye - drinks this Cup, ye doe fiery the Lords Death till he

come.

Now although our Saviours choice of this Means*for this End, befuffi-cient to evince the Neceffity and Eitnefs thereof, where it may be had ; yet ex abundanti it is eafie to (hew the fame from the thing it felf. For the Death of our Redeemer coming with the pouring out of his Blood, how can that Death be fhewed fufficiently without drinking that Cup poured out in the Sacrament? For the breaking of the Bread doth in no wife reprefent the effufion of the Blood -, that mull be done by commu-ricating in the Cup.

'I ftnde but two Pleas entred againft this Argument, and they are thefe.

Ob]. I. They fay 7 That QDo this] referres not to the Peoples drink: Ckftun. ubi tng of the Cupj but to the Ministers confecrating it, whereby ChriBs j^'p^ Death is fufficiently fiewed. Or as others, Thefe words did confecrats R » -

contr.

themtobe PrieftSj andfo enable to celebrate this Ordinance. . zx cJu ' '

Anf. That the words [ Do this 3 are a fufficient ground for the Ministers confecrating and distributing both the Elements, is very true; but that hereby they were conit-ituted in that Office, is wholly groundlefs. This being another bufmefs Our Saviour was now about, and there being more plain and formal pafTages otherwhere in the New Teftament Manh. as 19, for that purpofe. And then, as to the other conceit, that this onely obli- ^ b ' 2o " 2I> geth the Minifter to confecrate both Elements -, it neither ftands with reafon nor conttruttion of fpeech, to make that Interpretation of it. Not with Reafon of the thing for how fhall the People who are here directed, (hew the Lords death by the Priefts confecrating the Cup ? Not with good conftrullion } for the bleffing and delivering being mentioned

, 77° r ^ e R? ght of every Believer Serm. XXIL

" or fuppofed before, [_ Do this ] mud: needs referre to both; or if but to

the one, rather to the latter, than the former. And if the Minifter muft

deliver both, the People then are bound to receive thern.

Eftius in J: 4. Ob). 2. They fay again, That enher of the Elements are Efficient to

d. 11. f. 8. commemorate the Death of Chrift; inafmuch as it is fatd of either of them

apart-) ye do hereby Jhew the Lords death.

Anf. It is eafily granted, that we may commemorate the Death of Chrift by either of them, yea without either of them : but we urge, that they were both instituted to this end, and therefore that it cannot be fuffi-ciently (hewed by one of them. He that faith neat is defined for the maintaining of life, denyes not drink^ alfo to be requifite to the fame end : Yei though we mould grant, that the blood might be received in the Bread 5 yet by fuch receiving, the Death of Chrift by the effufion of his blood for us, could in no wife be fhewed forth : which being the principal End of the Sacrament, it is the Peoples Duty as well as the Mini-fters to do it, and that till our Saviour come again.

Arg. 4. The Fourth Argument is taken from the Peoples Right in the

Thing figntfcd by the facred cup in the Lords Supper. And this is us'd

by our Saviour himfelf, Alat. 26. 27, 28. Drink^ye all of this [Tor]

this is my blood, &c. So that look what benefit a man would be robbed

of, in being deprived of Chrifts blood; that comfort he is robbed of,

Cut fi^natum that is deprived of this Cup. And that a Right to the thing Jignified, cre-

eifignum. ates a Right to the Sign^ is fo great a Truth, that the Apoftle Peter

grounds his Practice upon it, where there was no exprefs Rule. Can

Aft. 10. 47- any man forbid water to thefe that have received the Holy Ghoft, &c.

It is true, where there lies a prefent incapacity to receive the outward

Ordinance, for want of a requifite Condition that is annexed thereunto

( as there is in Infants, and fuch like, that cannot yet difcern the Lords

Body, nor examine themfelves,) in that cafe, their Right is fufpended: but

no mortal man can lawfully forbid to thofe that have an intereft in that

which the Cup fignifies, the liberty of Drinking of it.

Now what is fignified and exhibited by the Sacred Cup ? the Apoftle faith, 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blefflng which we blefsj is it not the communion of the blood of Chrift I And every Believer, that hath a right to the Body of Chrift, hath alfo a right to the Blood of Chrift: They that have Union with Chrift by Faith, have a clear right to the Communion of his Blocd. Again, in the Inftitution, Luk. 22. 20. This cup is the si quoriefcunque j\r cw Teftament m my blood 3 which is:Jhed for you. For whorrTthe Blood ll^chfiftu'ir.is JJ)ed y to them the Cup muft be given ; and the rather, in that it was rcmiffioncm appointed to aflure a poor Believer thereof; who may fay, Doth the Fundnu^Tcbc'o Covenant of Grace belong to me ? was his blood fhed for fuch a poor ilium Temper f lnner as J am ? Now J ejus Chnft comes in this Ordinance tofealani ie^'perpeccata apply to every particular Soul the general Promife and Mercy; and in m.hidjmktan- prT e cl. faith, Behold [inner, this Blood was (lied for thee, for the remiffion

tonftct.dtf.i. of thy Jm.

There

There are but two, and they very weak Objections found againft this

Argument.

Ob). 1. They fa^, That Abflemous perfons that candrinkjio Wine, EelUrm. dc that Infants within the Church, yea that all men have a title to Chrifis Euchar. I.4. blood, in that he fied it for all men -, and yet thefe may not partake of c ' 25 * the Cup in the Lords Supper.

Anf. ThisObjcttion was prevented before, byobferving, that in the cafes of Infants and abstemious Perfons, 6Whimfelf hath by his Providence at prefent hindred them from participation hereof, and that by a natural incapacity : And for any others out of the Church, as they can pretend no right to his bloody till they acknowledge his Perfon, fothcy cannot difcern the Lords Body or Blood, or examine themfelves.

Ob). 2. They tell us, That they who have the thing figmftd, need not sALvm. dt to finve fo much about thefign; he that hath the Money promifed by the Euchar. 1. 4. Bond, is not folic it ohs at all for the Bond. c > 2 7«

^/yT*This inded is the ready way to cafl: ofTall Sacraments and Ordinances at once; but our Saviour that knew our weaknefsof Faith and Love, did institute both thefe external Elements to ftrengthen and comfort us. We are made partakers of ChrLr. by Bapufme, by the Word, by Faith ; but infinite Wifdom and Love did concurre to appoint this method for the Churches good -, and who are we to correct our Bleffed Saviour, or to intimate that his Institutions are needlefs ? %

Seeing therefore that to all true Believers doth belong the thing fi^ni-fied by the Cup in the Sacrament, and that by Gods Ordinance ; no man can or ought to forbid them the Sign or Seal thereof.

I might eafify multiply Arguments, from the facred Nature cf Tcflame nts, efpecially of this New Tcflament, which was fealed with the Blood of the 1 eflat or. For though it be but a mans Covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man difannulleth or addeth thereto, Gal. 3.75.that is, no man can do it without the greateft injury and facriledge : how much greater is the injury, that is offered to our Saviour, who faid, This is the Cup of the New Te (lament in my Blood, which is Jlied for you.; and who did bequeath both the fign and the thing fig infed I

As alfo ffbm t'^e unwarrantable Alutilation, that they who withhold the Cup, do make in the Sacrament. For it is not an inure Sacrament, when one integral part is wanting • no more than a man is a perfect man, when one Arm or Eye is defective j Nature alwayes ordaining thofe parts to be dou' le, though both ferving to the fame ufe ; and implying thereby, that their Operation is more compleat in both, than it can be in one ondy : And with the like Wifdom (no doubt) our Bleffed Redeemer appointed thefe two Elements of Brea, and Wine for theintirerefrefh-ment of the Soul. But efpecially when one £ffemud part (as the Cup is, being part of the matter) is taken away,one may truely fay, This is not to eat the Lords Suvpc;. And befides, nothing is more plain than Chri,ts intention to appoint zrefebrion to the Soul like that of the Body, all men,

knov.

know, that this is by drink^as well as by meat ; the one whereof quenches thirft, and the other repells hunger, and therefore both thefe mull be ufed to fignifie a perfect Feaft or refrefhment, fuch as om Saviour provides for his People.

I had alfo thought to have fpread before you the univerfal and uncon-trouled Prattice of the Church of God from the Apples time for 1300 years and more downwards, for the ufe of the bleffed Cup by all true Believers in the Lords Supper \ And notonely of their ufe thereof, but of their arguments for its ufe. Atleail I intended to have produced one undoubted Teftimony in each Century of years to have.witnefTed hereunto; butonely, that this would fwellthis Difcourfe beyond the pre-

Cattmt, cribed limits, and that it is done already by many learned men. Thus

toharl'l.8. e mucn mali office for the fecond Thing, to wit, the proof of our Doctrine

c. 9. or Petition.

Before I come to anfwer the Objections made againfl: this

Aquh.\n 1 Cor. 1.1. Doctrine^ I mould have fet before youthe Confeflioms of the

Efttus m 1. 4. d. n.jr. 7. Adverfe Party: where very many learned men do acknow-Tfjlet. in J on. o.annot. 27. . 1 v , /1 . / < . . . . _ 0 . , :

. r , , ledge, both the tint Inltitution and primitive Practice to be 111

^"/?iSf;S both Kinds i but having heard already the verdicl brought

ejfe, ex multorum fatith- in for us herein by one of their own Councels, I fhall onely

rum Scriptwjs didifcimus. a dde the Ohfervation of a molt, fober and learned Perfon^ that

A!ph. iCaftr.adv.HzreC y [VQ ^ anc | ^ied j n fa Communion of the Church of Rome,

im. dc Euchat. w ho writes to this purpofe. "Concerning the Adminiltra-

c<t{r«rd. confuk. <t t } on 0 f ^g Holy Sacrament of the Euchariftj it is fufficiently known,

co, that the Vniverfal Church hath to this day, and the Wefiern or £0-

a »;*# Church for above a thoufand years after Qhrift (efpecially in their

tC folemn and ordinary difpenfing of this Sacrament) given both Bread

" and Wine to all the Members of Chrifts Church, a thing that is mani-

u feft by innumerable teftimonies both of the Greeks and Latine Anci-

"ents. And they were induced fo to doe, fir ft by the Inltitution and

"'Example of Chrift, who gave this Sacrament of his Body and Blood

" to his Difciples, then reprefenting.the Perfons of Believers, &c. And

after, " Wherefore it is not without caufe, that the beft and moft learned

u Catholicks do moil earneftly defire and contend, that they may receive

"the Sacrament of Chrifts Blood together with his Body, according to

Cc the ancient Cuftom continued in the Univerfal Church for many

"Ages.

Behold-here an acknowledgement fo plain and full, that I wonder with what countenance men canrefift fo manifest a Trutr^ and withhold it in uwighteoufnefs. And yet here they muiler up the beft ftrength they have, and will not yield an inch of what they have once eftablifhed, be it right or wrong. We fhall reduce their Objections that are either alleadged in their Councels, or produced by their Writers to thefe Four heads^ which III. is the next thing to be done.

1. Pre

1. Fretence of Scripture.

2. Pretence of Reafon.

3. Pretence of Reverence*

4. Pretence of Authority,

The Scripures which they produce for Communion under one kind, OLjcft. 1,

are fuch as thefe.

(1) The Types and Figures of the Eucharifi in the Old Teflamcnt, Beffhrm, dc figmfie eating under one Jtiad} As the Tree of Life tn Paradife , The Euchar. I. 4-Pafchal Lamb-, The Manna", The Shcw-br&ad', The Sacrifices, where L ' 2 ^ thefiefl) was to be eaten, but the blood was not drunk-

Anf. The weaknefs of this Objection would be obvious, if it were put into an Argument; but it is not worth that trouble. It is fufficient to anfwer, i. That none of thefe were Types or Figures of the Lords Supper, and fo their whole force is ioft in reference unto that. For Types are fhadowes to reprefent the fubftance, but it is uncouth Divinity, to make one Figure the Type of another. And our Saviour is plainly cald the Pafchal Lamb, and calls himfelf the Mannah that came down from Heaven, &c.

And, 2. If there were fome Types that onely intimated eating, yet there were others that doe imply drinking alfo. Was there a tree of Life in Paradife ? fo are there Rivers of Paradife. Was there Bread from Heaven? fo were there Waters flowing from the'Rock,. And divers of the Fathers will produce a clearer figure of both, than any of thefe, and that was of Melchizedek^, who brought forth both Bread and Wine to feaft faithful Abraham. And the Apoftle tells us \ As they did x cor.To-2,$» ail eat' the fame fpiritual meat, fo they all drankjhe. fame fpiritual drinks, and Chryfofiom faith upon it, As thou eat eft the Body of our Lord, fo In he, they did eat Manna ', and as thou drinksfl the Blood of our Lord,fo they drank^the Water of the Rock- To them he gave Manna and Water, to thee he gives his Body and Blood.

(2) The fecond Pretence of Scripture is from Joh. 6. where Qhrifi Beftarm. dc faith, verf. 41. I am the Bread which came down from Heaven. And Euch.l.4< c 2 4' verf. 50. This is the Bread which came down from Heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not dye. AhdvQxt. 51. If a man eat of this Bread, he fhall live for ever. By all which pajfages he teacheth one kind to be fufficient to falvation, ejpecially when in the fame chapter verf. 11. our Saviour multiplyed the Bread, but not the Drink \

Anf. 1. Though divers of the Ancients did apply this Scripture to the bufinefs of the Sacrament, yet properly it cannot intend that ; the Sacrament not being inftituted till above a year after this difcourfe of his : but plainly enough by Bread he means himfelf-. It was He, not the Sacramental Bread that came down from Heaven. 'Tis a fpiritual feeding on him by Faith, notmeerly partaking of Bread in the Sacrament, that will make a man live for ever. And he fpeaketh fo often q£ Bread, onely in

Kkkk pur-

purfuance of the Manna which he had begun to fpeak of; as in Joh.^. he purfucs the fame thing under another fhadow, to wit, of water, to the Woman of Samaria.

2. But if this place were meant of the Lords Supper, we cannot have a ftronger .Argument for the neceflfity of the cup therein, than from verf. 53. whcreChrift faith, Except ye eat the flefi of the Son of God, and drinkhis blood, ye have no life in you ; the like verf. 54, 56. And then for the Miracle, as there is no ground to affirm, that that Miracle had any myftical reference in it to the Lords Supper -, fo if it had, we might inferre as well, that his multiplying the Wine, Job. 2. in Cana, doth as ilrongly prove, and both alike, that we muft communicate in Wine onelv.

J

Belli™, de Eu- ^3) The Third pretence of Scripture is from Luk. 24. 30, 31. Where * 4 ' it is faid, that Our Saviour as he fate at meat, took Bread, and blefTed it-, and brake, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanifhed out of their fight. Here, fay they y was the Sacrament y here was onely breaking of Bread', here could be no partaking of the Cup, fur that he vanifhed immediately out oftheir fight. Anf. 1. Here is no diretk proof of the Sacrament: No faying, This

Eftius in lib 4- is my Body, Do this in remembrance of me, which they grant to be ne-

<J.«.$. 11. cefTary to a Sacrament. In other Scriptures, as Mat. 14. 19. & 15. 36. where there was no thought of a Sacrament, Our Saviour took Bread,

vid. Suarer. and gave thanks, and gave it. Nay, here is great probability to the con-

d.fp.71. de sacr. trary. f or this was j n an \ nn ^ their meeting and eating there not at all intended Sacramentally, no Wine confecrated (which the Opponents fay, is necefTary. ) That their eyes were opened, and they knew him in the breaking of bread, is no proof that it was the Sacrament -, but rather, that then they did more ftedfaftly look upon h m -, and that breaking of Bread noteth the time when, not the caufe by which they knew him ; or

r>. cartbufid*. pofiibly by his ufual manner of Giving thanks, and breaking cfthe Bread,

in ioc. they difcerned who he was. And according to the fence of this Anfwer, do

\*m%.csL&\ fpeak many learned Expositors even of their own,

2. Though it fhould be granted, that here the Lords Supper was ad-miniftred, yet it is apparent by t>he former anfwer, that here is no full defer ipt ion of the Celebration of it: So that the Cup might as well be given though not exprefs 'd, as that thofe Difciples did drink at their meal, though no fuch thing be there mention'd. Neither is the Relation of an Example in an Extraordinary cafe, fufficient to cancel a direcT Precept and cleer Example with it. The found ufe of the Notion of concomitance would here do well, to wit, that if this Phrafe do denote the Lords Supper, then both kinds (by an ufual Synechdoche) are meant, when onely one is mentioned.

/^rw.dcEuch. (4 J The Fourth Pretence of Scripture is from AcT. 2. 42,46. & 20.7.

1.4. c, *V where it is [aid, The Difciples continued in the Apoftles DocTrine, and Fellowmip, and breaking of-Bread And that they were daily breaking

ing Bread from houfc to houfe. And that they met on the firft day of the week, to break Bread. In which pUccs the Lcrds Supper is difenbtd only by breaking of Bread, not a word of the Cup.

Anf. 1. It is not certain that under thefe expreflions is meant the Celebration of the Lords Supper, (the more inconfiderate they who aifeel t£ * term the Lords Supper nothing but breaking of Bread, when the Scripture hath given it a more fpecifical and honourable Name) for fomeof of the Learned undcrftand fcveral of thofe places, of diitributing their gdjfl j^K provifion to tnofe that were in want, or of their common refection to- "''"*' ° c ' gether Their omry union (faith Chryfofi. ) was with the Apoflies not tnicc.Scrm. 6. only in Prayers, but alfo in Dolirine and civil Convtrfanion ; Or eife of their Agapa or Love-feafts, which were frequently held at the end of their . Jcmblies.

2. But if any of thofe places do point out the Lords Supper, we an-fwer, that by a common Sv^tchdoche, the one kind is put for both; nothing being more ufualin Scripture, than to denote a compleat fufte-nanceby eating of Bread, I fa. 58.6,7. Luk. 14.1. which may the rather convince our Opponents, in that their Councel of Con fiance, as they urged none of thefe places to this purpofe, fo they expreiTely yield, that this Sacrament was both instituted and ufed in the Primitive Church in both kinds : and it mult, be a clear and certain evidence, that mutt crofs the Institution. Some few more Scriptures are pretended, but being wholly inconfiderable to this purpofe, I think not worth the anfwering.

The Second Plea that is brought for Communion in one Kind, is from ObjecT:. 2. a Pretence ofReafon. For, fay they, the whole Effence of a Sacrament Bt]Urm dc Eu _ is comprised in one Kind', and whole Qhrift, who is the Fountain of all char.l.4.c. *». Grace ( both his Divinity and Humanity being now infeparably united together) is by way of Concomitance, his blood being nqw in his Body, f'%* r J*u. Euch -exhibited in one Kind; fo that there is no fpiritualFruit to be reaped by id. c . *j. both, that is not to be received by participating of one kind ; and therefore there is no need of both,

Anf, 1. We deny that the whole EfTence of the Lords Supper is comprized under one Kind; for there is neither the whole Sign, the Cup being wanting, which fignifies Chriits Blood; nor the whole thing fig- Bonavtm. in lib. nifed, which is fuch anintire refrefhment of Soul, as Bread and YVineJt." i'.q *.' are of the Body. The Lords Supper is the Sacrament of Chri/ts Body and Blood; but Bread is not the Sacrament of Chr ills Body and Blood; therefore Bread alone is not the Lords Supper.

2. The Doclrine of natural concomitance^ prefuppofeth Chrifts Natural Body to be contained carnally under the form of Bread, which will not only be denyed,but plainly difproved. Where Chrifts natural humane body is, there we grant, his Blood, and Soul, and Divinity alfo are, but that Body is now only in Heaven.

3. They who urge this Conceit, yet do grant, that by venue of the *•

Kkkk 2 Sacra-

**f«fo.p.J.q.7*« Sacramental words, only Chrifts Body is contained under the form of cmpus-chrifti Bread ; and then we conclude, that whole Chrift. is not therein Sacra-nQn t n[*rT% rKenta ^}' thrifts body is not Sacramentally fignified by the Wine; nei-i'yzclt vmi. ncc ther is the Communion of Chrifts Blood in this Sacrament, a work of Na-

mc?: U a htcr Cr fuW ure ' ^ Ut depends oieerly on the Inflitution and Prcmife ofGhrift, and fpecte panis. to be meafured thereby.

^e"nuTire a r Cr /h- ^ Though his Body be now accompanyed with blood in Heaven, watur chViftus, yet this Sacrament was inllituted tofhew the Pafiion of Chrift when he f"^, r e ^ b uc was on Earth, which was with the pouring out of his blood • and blood dwibfis'fptete- poured out of the veins cannot befaid to accompany or be conjoyned 4pi«!'D."w! e ^ to tne kody. ° ur Saviour would reprefent himfelf here not as a Lamb, id. *. but a Lamb facrificed, and therefore the blood is fevered from the bo-

dy : As the Money is not a Prifoners Ranfome, while it lies in the Cheft, but when it is paid; fo the blood of Chrift as jhed, is our Ranfome. And though now his bhrTed body and blood cannot be fevered afunder, yet ^fdjfp^ai- tne Sfcga* of them are by his own appointment fevered, and no man caa c. 2. ' drink the blood of Chrift in eating of the bread. The bread vpe breakjs

ilia camcn, qua the communion of his body, and the cup we bleffe, is ftill the communion eft m U ajor.s a me' of his blood. And themfelves affirm, that their Efficacy is but commen-jrfti, tum ratic- furate to their Signirlcancy, and it is manifelt, that the bread doth only nfs*dc S JSci n onis, 0 fignifie the body of Chriit, the wine only his blood. tumracioncHdei ^ Though no more profit were to be received by partaking of one aftua a iis Cn tum kind, than of both (which yet fome of their own deny, who fay, that: ratione fumpti- more Devotion is raifed, more i^/^excrcifedjand a more compleat r^-f Z\ s ^Tx ? tiik>tf.yrefiiment obtain'd by both than by one ) yet more humble obedience fan 4. q. ii. i s exprelTed to the will of the Law-giver 7 who appointed both, and there-So'vufque^- ' ^y flic wed- the ufe and need of both.

Object. 3. The Third Objection that is made againfl the peoples ufe of the Sa-

£*// de Ewch crec ' ^up, is Pretence of Reverence to the Blood of Chrift, which by the

4, c. 24. promifcuous ufe of the Cup-, might eafdy be fpilt; efpeaally where there

is but one Difpenfer of the Sacrament , and many Communicants', that it

would be loft en the long Beards cf the Laity, that being kept long-, it

. would grow mufty; and that to impropriate it to the Clergy, Would at the

fame time preferve a great Reverence both to it and to Them alfo in the

eyes of the Vulgar. * 4

Anf 1. God forbid that any of us mould conceive, or exprefs any thing irreverently of our dear Redeemers Blood; no nor of the outward fign thereof. But doth not this Objcliicn reflect upon the Author of this Sacrament, that did fo inititote it, and upon all the Ancient Church that fo ufed it, and yet fuch danger in it ? yea, who communicated, and that in great numbers, at the leaft, every Lords Day ? And may not the facred Bread fall down and perifh in like manner ? But this pretence many of 4##br. Cone, the Fathers in their own Trent-Conned fmiled at; well knowing that jtid. y.5.85. ^ e Church for above. athoufand years in her greater!: itraits and perfecu-

-dons.

>

tions, kept up a due reverence together with the conftant ufe of this Sacred Cup.

2. But the fecond fart of the Objection is not fo eafily anfwered; namely, that by this reftraint, the honour of the Clergy, who are one time or other partakers of it, may more mine forth. For it is eaficr to anfwer ten arguments, than one corrupt affection. But this is the wrong way of contracting Reverence and Refped -, for men thus to feek^ their own Glory, is not Glory; nor can any man expect:, that God will blefs thofe methods, that do fo plainly crofs his will. And indeed this very thing, the derates honour and that fraud fear of being thought fallible in any thing, left Truth mould get further ground, together with their ill-natiirednefs, that therefore will deny a thing, becaufe others defireit, are the greateft reafons of the prefent Church of Rome for this their Sacriledge.

•. The Fourth Pretence they have, is of Authority, They fay, That the Object /L eufiom of communicating under one kind, being rationally introduced, and long cbfcrvedj the Chmch having now a greater liberty, than the Church ^ <rtg C bad under the Law-y though flie have nofower to alter things of a Aloral, but only fuch as are of a Pofitive nature, hath fixed it as a Law in feve-ral Councils, and therefore it is to be fo received and obeyed. And in cafe of difobedience, the fecular Arm is to be called in, which one of them Gerf. confejfes in this cafe to be the mofi neceffary Argument.

Anf. 1. That fuch a cuftom of communicating under one kind is crept into fome part of the Church, is certainly true -, but that it was ratio-ft ally introduced, or hath been anciently uted, is certainly falfe. For how can that be ufher'd in with any reafon, which is directly againfl Chrifts command ? whenas a»lfo every fucceeding Councel is afhamed of the grounds their Predeceflbrs went upon, and one might referre it to any man that is not drunk with prejudice, whether there be one good Rea- VlJ - £**&$* fon for this alteration among all the number. And that it hath been for a ST^oif" longtime ufed, is fo falfe, that Authentick Writers in every age of the Church ftand ready at a callto evince, that the ordinary and publick. celebration of this Sacrament was ftill in both Kinds. The Roman caufe being moft indcfenfible in this point, even by their own ufual Weapons.

2. The Univerfal Church of God hath no Authority to prohibit what God commands. In alterable circumftances, (he may wifely andmo-deftly ufe her power ; but to change the Teftamentary Inftitution of Chrift her Lord and Husband, (he will not dare. What the Mafler commands, the good Servant will not forbid. St. Paul faith, the Church is fub]el~t to Chrtftfind therefore may not oppofe her felf to Chrift: for that ( as Aug.} he alwayes determines aright* but Ecclefiafiical Judges, asContr.Crefi men, are often miftaken. The Minifters of Chrift are indeed the Diffen-1.2. c 21. fers of the Myfteries of God, but not Z^r^ to difpenfe with them and. alter them at their pleafure, but muft difpenfe them according to Chrifts

Inftitutior

Institution. And then for the Churches liberty, it confute in having fewer and more eafie Ordinances than under the Law, and Grace to make her members willing to perform them; but it confifts not in an uncontrolled power to adde,alter, or diminifh the Inftitutions of Chrift. He that breakz eth the leafi command? and teacheth fo? hath no place in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Roman Prieft may not alter or omit one Ceremony in the Mafs? andmuft they adventure to omit this facred Symbol of Chrift's appointment ?

3. The Determination of the Church ofRome -is nothing to the Vni-verfal Church 0 being not a fourth part thereof, nor having any Jurif-Conc. Nic. Cal- dicTion over other Churches by any Law of God. Thefe pretended iedon Ancyr, Councils that have fo boldly determined againft the plain Word of God See Dr. Feat- nave a ^° nere * n oppofed former Councils.; in which cafe Tht^fehes ley's Grand tell us, that if Councils" are at odds with one another, and their Defi-

being there, nor wholly approved by the Romamfts themfelvcs, who Bellarm. de do f° me °f tnem protefs, That it did decree again ft the Order of Na-concil. c. 7. turc? manifeft Scriptures? and all Antiquity? in other Cafes, and who Alb. Pightus. t h en would heed them in this ? The like may jurtly be faid of that at t Hu)us~con~ f Bafil ; fave onely, that they were more kind than their Succeflbrs were alii nihil eft j n g rant jng upon fomc Conditions the Cup to the Bohemians.

'batum rift*' Anc * tnus y° u ^ ee tne utm °ft ft^ngth of our Opponents in this po'nt. quadam difpo- A heap of meer Pretences? neither grounded on Scripture, Reafon or jimnes. circa Antiquity, but meerly fupported by feeble Arguments and ftrong Power.

benetija. Con-

cilium vero ipfum reprobatur in Cone. Lateranenfi ult. Sel 1 . 11. Bell, de Cone. c.7.

IV. I now proceed to the Fourth thing promifed, and that is fome Appli-

cation of ail this to our felves.

^J e *• See here the Abundance of our Saviours Love and Care towards his

Church. He was not content onely to dye for us, but he ordained for our comfort this thankfull Alcmonal of his Death ? and that on purpofe to help our Faith and Comfort; and to this end appointed not onely his flejh? but his blood to Jbe given, that if one fend did not fufficiently quicken and ftrengthen us, the other mould be prefently applyed. to perfedt that good work in us. For he knew that we were dull of Ap-prehenfion, and hard to be wrought upon. To fee his Body bruifed for a poor Sinner, that may work compunction, and ered: a daggering Faith; but to fee again his Blood, wherein is a mans life, poured out; and to drink this alfo as an alluring Pledge that b? dyed in the finners ftead, how will this fill the believing Soul with joy and comfort! The Blood of God, that will furely expiate the fin of Man. To fupport a poor Beggar with a piece of Bread, that's kindnefs; but to quench his

thirft

thirft alfo that's double Mercy. This is the Mercy of our Redeemer.

He calls, Come, eat of my Bread, and then drinks of the Wine that I have mingled. Not onely, Eat O Friends, but, faith he, Drinke, yea drink, abundantly, O beloved. O Love without companion ! the fame Hands that have been lift up againffc him, the fame Mouth that hath dishonoured him, fhall yet tafte that Blood, one drop whereof is of more value than Heaven and Earth, When Alexander the Great was married to Statira the Daughter of Darius, he had fix thoufand Guefts, and gave to each of them a Gup of Gold; but here are more Guefts to be ferved, and richer Gifts that are beftowed. Here our dear Redeemer opens a wide Fountain for a world of finners; and 'tis onely Wafi and be clean. That blefTed Truth is unquestionably here confirmed, I J oh. i. 7. The Blood of Jefus Chrifi his Son cleanfeth m from all fin. Thus he hath chofen by Two things, wherein it is impoffijpl-e to lye, to exhibit a bleeding Saviour to cure a bloody Sinner.

See here the frefumftuom SacrHedge and Jn)uftice of the Church of Vfe 2, Home. To corrupt Cnrifts laft Wilt and toferve his Family by the halves. To darken fo clear an Inftitution, and defeat fo plain a Command. How will our dear Saviour refent fo great a wrong ? He fo free in fiedding his Blood, they fo cruel in refufing it. He fo carefull to make and feal his blefTed Teftament, they fo ftudious to deface it. The Mafter of the Houfe appoints fuch provifion for his Children, the Steward withholds the one half, and then thinks to appeafe tKeir Appetites with Di-fiintlions. He that takes fo kindly a cup of cold water given to a Difciple, muft needs take it unkindly when his own Cup of Blejfmg is denyed them. What Article of Religion can befafe in fuch hands? what intelligent man will imbark himfelf in fuch company, that will overturn all Scripture and Antiquity to eftablifh their Conceits ? that will privily tax Chrifi: himfelf of weaknefs, and openly wrong his whole Church at a blow. t

Indeed if this Device had had any tendency to promote Love to God or true Piety; if it had been bred and born in the Church time out of mind, their zeal and fondnefs for it might the fooner be forgiven: But to ftrugglefo hard for a Tenet that can no way pretend to promote true Religion, a Tenet that was never publickly own'd in any Church for 1400 years; to deny the Wine in the Sacrament to the People, and yet the very Veffels ftill extant in fome of their Veftries, by which they conveyed it to the Peoples Mouths: To make fuch a bare-fae'd Error tantamount to an Article of Faith, and then to Accurfe them from Chrifi:, that (hall endeavour after his Bloody what fhall we fay to thefe things? yea to fay, as one of their Cardinals did in the Col- £?^ ?' An ^ el ' ledge, that to yield the Cup to the Laity, was to offer them Poyfon T J.j d * p° $ n , c ^ inflead of Phyfick,, ( he had not forgotten that vpretched Monk that $ ernaY d. poyfon'd a Chriftian Ewfermr with the Cup at the Sacrament)^ to de-#<w.6/

clare,

clare, that to ask the Cup favoured of Here fie, and was in ftiort a Kk ^p Verce } lt mortal fin, as fome of them faid in the meeting at Trent. Thefe things %ft.Conc.TM. ^0 raife their Guilt to a very great height, and would inforce all con-p. 637. ' fidering men to blefs themfelves from fuch a Society.

The ufual Refuge of thefe men, when they are baffled by the Scrip-tures, is to fhelter themfelves in Tradition, under Councils, or among the Fathers; but in this pint the more ingenuous of them do confefs that all are againft them, and the more impudent make but feeble Defences from them. Divers of their own Bifiops in the very Councel Ferdinand of Trent, argued and voted for the Truth. Several Princes of that Re-Enrperour. ligion interceded for it, and afforded the Cup to their Subjects; and a D °Qt6avaria. S reat Prelate, when no good would be done therein, writes to Cafar, that S.of Poland, no relief was there to be expeded, where Voices were alwayes num-Vudhhim Ep. ber'd, never weighed. And is not the force of Truth very great, when it Quuif]. Ep. ad extorts an Approbation, even from the Party that oppofeth it ? And it is Maximil.2. not | on g f mce a Conceflion of both Kinds was lignified to this very Nation, Cambden Elt^. on condition that we would come over to them: Thus God himfelf fhall P a g- 5P. not h ave R j s w j]] 5 un lers withall they may have theirs. . -

And yet this is that Church which fo many extoll; that is fet out by fuch alluring Beauty, and wherein Xo many blind Soulds are hearded : A fit Religion for thofe that refolve to have none} and for fuch Children who will renounce a true Father to obey a falfe and cruel Mother.

life ? See here the F oily of fuch among us, who deprive themfelves i both

of the Sacred Bread and Cup in this Ordinance. While we are vindicating one part of this Sacrament how many are fleighting the

whole ?

1. Some do live in this fin of Omiflion out of an Atheiftical and profane Principle^ having no fence of Duty, or Confcience of Religion at all. ThepTable of the Lord is contemptible to them. Thus many hundreds and thoufands of Adult perfons never did once tafte of thefe Go-fpel-dainties. Jefus Chrift faith, Take, eat, this is my Body; Brinkjye all of this Cup of Blejfmg -, but they flatly refufe their Redeemers Com-mand. Alas poor Souls ! will ye never have any need of him ? Can you fatisfie the Juftice of an offended God, by your own imperfect Righteoufnefs ? with what face can you crave Attonement by that Blood which you have defpifed ? how can you be ever cleanfed by that Blood which you have refufed to drink? Bethink your felves, the Blood you contemn is nobler than any that runs in your veins. It is the Blood of the Son of God, to whom the ftouteft of you myft flee firft or laft: and if you now turn the deaf ear to his gracious calls, how juftly may he refufe your cries in the day of your mifery. Be wife therefore-i and kjfs the Sonne y lefi he be angry -, and ye perijh in

the way.

2. Others

Serm. XXII. to the bleffed Cup in the Lords Supper. * * y%j

2. Others neglect this Ordinance out of a fupine Negligence, nei. ther knowing their Duty, nor caring for any of thefe things. One would wonder how ftupidly men do hear their Duty prefs'd upon them in this particular j not at all concern'd. They hold their Eftates and Credits by another Tenure. Lands and Houfes pafs not by the Covenant of Grace, nor are fealed with the Seals thereof. They imagine that to prepare for, and partake hereof, will fomewhat dif eafe them, and oblige them to the difficult and dreaded work of Self-examination and Godly Sorrow', and fo they flecp quietly in this notorious difob'edience. Hunger will hafte to Meat, Guilt to Pardon, Pain to Eafe, Sorrow to Comfort: but where there is no fence of the former, there is no hafte to the latter. O that fuch would read and confider that fearfull fentence in a like cafe, Numb. 9. 13. The man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbear eth to keep the Paffe-over, even the fame Soul Jliall be cut off from his People, becaufe he brought not the Offering of the Lord in his appointed feafon, that man ftattbear his Sin. And never imagine that Grace or Comfort will be found in Chriit, without the ufe of his own Ordinances, nor the End attain'd without the Means. .

3. Others do frequently deprive themfelves of the Lords Supper for the fake of fome (in or other, (if the truth were known) which they are loth to leave. Thus Stomachs that are clogg'd with noyfome humours, quite take away the Appetite. If anger, malice, envy, unruly pailions; iffenfual delights be cherifhed within, or be not heartily hated and mortified, there will be no room for the Blood or Grace of Jefus Chrift. But ( Sirs ) do you mean to live, and confequently dye in thefe fins ? what then will become of you ? If you do defire to leave and conquer them, why do you avoyd the means ? will any of thefe fins excufe your prefent OmifTions ? not at all. One fin can never excufe another. What Child or Servant will be excused from coming to meat when you call them, by faying, their hands are unclean, and they have no inind to warn them ? Do you conceit that there is more real fweetnefs in your fins, than in Chrift ? in the filth and dregs of the world, than in the Maker and Glory of the World ? Tafie and fee how good the Lord is, and let the Love of Chrift con-ftrain you to your undoubted Duty.

4. Others again do deprive themfelves of the Lords Supper out of afuperftitioiu Fear of approaching to it \ the rather, becaufe the Scripture faith, that the unworthy Receiver becomes guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lordy and withall eateth and drinketh his own damnation. Now a Religiom Fear there ought to be, which mould not oner ly oblige a man to prepare himfelf for this Ordinance, but for every other. If it were a well-governed Confcience that ruled them, it would maketh-un as carefull of Praying and Hearing, as of Communicating \ and-it is molt certain, that whofo cannot rightly partake, can neither

Li 11 rightly

^gx * The Right of every Believer Serm. XXII.

tightly pray nor hear. And the Danger of mifcarriage is much the fame in the one is in the other: for, to have the Word become a favour of death, and a mans Prayers to become fin, differs nothing in effect from being guilty of Chrifts death, or of eating judgement (which that word doth properly import) that is, deferving Gods Anger, and the effects of it to a mans feif.

A grievous fin, this unworthy Receiving, (no doubt) but not unpardonable, nor fuch as mould difcourage the weakeft child of God from fincere Endeavours, and then a chearfull Communicating. For this Sacrament was never intended to Jeal our Perfettion, but to help our Irn-perfettion. If a Wife were lovingly invited to feaft with her Husband, or a Child by a Father ; would it not lay an imputation of an unfuf-ferable feverity in the Husband or Father, or elfe of fecret guilt, ignorance, or want of love in the Wife or Child, to refufe to come, left they mould not be duely qualified? Even fo in this cafe, Our Bleffed Redeemer mofllovingly calls us to his Supper; what other conftruclion can be made of our refufal, but that either he is rigorous, or we faulty. In this cafe we cannot do better than like wife Abigail, i Sam. 25. 41. 42. when David fent to take her to him to wife, Jhe arofe and bowed her felf on her face to the Earth, and faid, Behold, let thy handmaid be a fervant, to wajh the feet of the fervant s' of my Lord. Here is a due fence of her own unworthinefs. But in the next Verfe; She hafted and arofe, and went after his meffengers, and became his Wife. Keep up a due fence of your own unworthinefs, but let not that hinder you from going, when he calleth you. If you perifh, yet perifh in a way of Duty. How many do we meet with, on their Deathbeds grievoufly troubled in Confcience for their neglect herein ? If you are unfit for the Lords Supper, you are unfit to dye; and how dare you live in a condition altogether unfit to die ? O remember, that fringing Scripture, Jam. 2.10. If a man keep the whole Law % and yet offend in one pdint, he is guilty of all.

Vfi 4. Laflly, Let us all take care to improve this^Legacy, the blejfed Cup

of Chrifls blood. That this point lye not, like grounds long in fuit, barren and unprofitable. While there is fuch Aickling for the Sign, let us ftrive after the thing fgnifed. Shall we contend fo earneftly for this Jewel, and then not wear it ? (hall we venture fo hardly for this water of Bethlehem, and then pour it out when we have done? O no, let usfqueezeall poflible vertueout of this Sacred Cup; let us go up by the ftream, to the Spring; hiving opened the Shell, let us feed upon the Kernel. Let us remember Chrifts bitter Death and Paflion for us. Is thy Heart impenitent ? fteep it in the blood of this Scape-goat. Is thy Faith weak and fainting ? Here's Senfe to help thy Faith. Apply *> the mouth of thy Faith to his wounds, and be notfaithlefs but believing. Is thy Confcience unquiet ? bring it to be there fprinkled with the merit

Serm. XXIL to the blejfed Cup in the Lords Supper.

of his Blood. Are thy fins as many as the fands ? his blood is as large as the Ocean, to overflow them all. When this blefTed Cup is poured out, let thy eyes pour down a flood of tears mixed of grief and joy: To fee fuch a Perfon pouring out his life by thy procurement, this ftiould melt thee with grief: To fee the Price paid by that Blood for thee, fhould lift thee up into a trance of joy. When thou takeft that Cup of Salvation, think, What jhall I render to the Lord for this his benefit to me ? Who is this that omes with died Garments from Bozrah ? how glorious is he in his Apparel! How bitter was his Paffi-on! how fweet his compaflion to poor Tinners! Be ye lift up, O my everlafiing doors, and let the King of Glory come in. Bring him into thy Soul, and there feed upon him by Faith, and let his fruit be fa-voury t&thy tafte. Inward Communion is the Crown of an Ordinance. It is the Cup of the New Teftament in Chrifts blood, which was fiied for you., receive it with Reverence, receive it with Thankfulnefs, receive it with Application, remember his Death, remember his Love more than Wine.

Let us not onely defend the Truth, but improve it. If we feel no vcrtue or comfort in the blood of Chrift, we ftiall be tempted to throw away the Cup as well as others. When we find no marrow in the Bone, we throw it away. He that profits by Ordinances will beft value them -j he that is refrefh'd by Wine, will never cry down the Vine; but a formal partaker will eafily be weaned \ and when the Children do but play with the drinkr the Father may juftly take away the Cup from them*

783

SERMON

SERMON XXIII.

Ghrift crucified, the onely proper Gofpel Sacrifice. J/ ^ ' . //^^

Hebrews X. 12.

But this man after he had offered me facrifee for fins for ever, fate down at the right hand ofGod^

TH E defign of the Apoftle in this Verfe, with the Verfe foregoing, is to fet forth the Excellency and Perfection of our Saviours Priefthood, and his one Sacrifice, above the Levitical Priefthood, and the Plurality of Sacrifices by them offered under the Law.

This he doth by comparing them together, and byfhewing wherein they agree, and wherein they differ, that fo he might clearly illuftrate the preheminence of the one above the other.

Their agreement confifted, ( 1 ) In their Office, they were both Priefts: (2) In the Administration of their Office, they both did facrifice.

Their dfagreement confifted in thefe things following :

Firft, The Levitical Priefthood confifted of a Plurality of Perfons, therefore verf. 11. called Priefts, which, by reafon of death, had many SuccefTors, But the Evangelical Priefthood confifted but of one fingle Perfon, our Lord Jefus, called in the Text, this man.

Secondly, As the Levitical Priefthood confifted of a Plurality, fo did their Sacrifices; for they were alfo very many, and therefore called (verf. 11.) Sacrifices. Now you muft underftand the Apoftle there fpeak-ing not only of a Plurality as to the Number of them? but like wife as to

their

Serm. XXttl. proper Go/pel Sacrifice. -g-

their feveral Kindcs, for they offered not onely feveral forts of Beafts, as Bulls, Lambs, Goats ) but of Birds alfo, as of Turtledoves and yoi.ng Pigeons, &c. But the Sacrifice which Chrift offered, was but one as to the Kind, which was that Body which was prepared, Hcb. 10. 5.

Thirdly, The Levitical Sacrifices- were oftentimes offered } (verf. 11.) but the Sacrifice of Chrift was but once offered.

Fourthly, The Levitical Sacrifices could never take away fin, verf.i 1. but Chrift by his one Sacrifice, once offered, took away fins for ever • that is, took away fins fully and everlaftingly • and herein it is, that the tran-fcendent Glory of thcGofpel Sacrifice, out-fhines all the Legal Sacrifices, as much as the Sun doth all the Stars in thdir greateft hiftre: for all thofe Sacrifices could never take away fin, which this one hath done perfectly.

From the words thus opened, I mail gather thefe four Propositions.

1 Prop. That Chrift crucified is the onely divine and proper Sacrifice

of the Gofpel.

2 Prop. That the Sacrifice of Chrift is hut of one Kind.

3 Prop. That this one Sacrifice of (thrift was bitt once offered.

4 Prop. That this Sacrifice of Chrift once offered, was fo compleatly

efficacious, as that it took^away fins fully and for ever.

The firft Proportion opened.

That Chrift crucified is the onely divine and proper Sacrifice of the Gofpel.

lierel (hall explain, Firft, Why I fay it is divine: Secondly, Why a proper Sacrifice: Thirdly, Why the onely proper Sacrifice of the Go fpel.

Firft, I call it a divine Sacrifice, becaufe its Inftitution and Appointment is of God: Let the matter of a Sacrifice be never fo excellent and precious in the Eyes of Men, yet except God hath legitimated and fanfti-fied it by his Appointment, it would prove but an Abomination in the Eyes of God. As fuppofe one mould offer up the Fruit of his Body for the fin of his Soul, which is a kind of Sacrifice, than the which there is nothing a man can more highly value, and more hardly part with, which yet Abraham was ready to have done in his lfaaczt Gods Command, whereby he did wonderfully fignalize his Faith, and obtained favour with God. But when apoftatized Ifrael effayed to give a like teftimony of Honour to a miftaken Deity, the Lord by his Prophet Jeremiah doth not onely charge them with Idolatry, but likewife with the Kind of Sacrifice that they offered, which was of their Sons and Daughters, of which he faith, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they jhould do this abomination. So that every Sacrifice that hath not the ftamp of Divine Authority to legitimate it, is not to be accounted of

as

786 Chrift crucified the omly Serm. XXlIf.

as Divine, or of any worth or acceptance with God. But now I fay, that this Sacrifice of Chrift crucified, is of Divine appointment, and fo a Divine Sacrifice : This is clearly aflerted by the Apoftle, Heb. 10. 5, 6,j. Pfal. 40. 6. Wherefore^ when he cometh into the Worldyhe faith », Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldeft not y bat a Body haft thou prepared me. v. 6.-In Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for fin thou haft had no pleafure : Then /aid ly Loy I come , (in the Volume of the Book^ it is written of me) to do thy will) O God. Mark that; Chrift took up a Body, in order to be facrificed, inftead of all Legal Sacrifices, and this in complyanceto the Will of God, which he farther explaineth verfi 10. By which Will we are fanttifiedy through the offering of the body of Jefus Chrift once for all.' The fumme of what the Apoftle faith is this, That God would be fatisfied with no Sacrifice but that of his Son, and that with this Sacrifice he would be pleafed, and therein would accept of all that fhould believe. The Conclufion is this, That becaufe Chrift was crucified at the appointment of God, (as I have proved) therefore I call Chrift crucified a Divine Sacrifice.

Secondly, I fay further, that Chrift crucified, is not onely a divine but like wife a proper* Sacrifice, and that for this Reafon: Becaufe the moft eflential Properties of themoft perfect Sacrifices under the Law, which were thofe that were Expiatory, I fay the Properties of fuch kind of Sacrifices agree to this of Chrift crucified.

There are Four Properties of an Expiatory Sacrifice, all of which I

fhall fhew you, do agree with this of our Chrift crucified. 1. The firft Property of fuch a Sacrifice is, that it be of fome Uvino-Creature flain and its blood fhed, and offered up unto God ; this is fo evident to any that hath but any knowledge in the Laws of God concerning the Nature of his Sacrifices that it will feem a needle is matter ro adde any thing for the illuftration or proof thereof. Certain it is, that the Holy Scriptures, both in the Hebrew and in the Greek, ufe fuch words for a Sacrifice as do include a {laughter in them; the one being fnj the other 3v«'a- and the Apoftle throughout this Epiftle, fpeaking of Sacrifices, whether they were of Bulls, Goats, or Lambs, he all along maketh mention of their Blood fhed, which cannot be but with their flaughter : fo that there is nothing more evident, than that flaying and fhedding of blood is the Property of an Expiatory Sacrifice. Now it is as clear, that our Chrift crucified had this property, for he was nailed Hands an'» feet to the Crofs, and through thofe wounds bled to death; befides, when dead, die remainder of his Blood ifTued from his fide, pierced with a Souldiers Spear: this blood thus fhed, the Apoftle Peter calls precious bloody and withall calls it the blood of a Lamb without ble-mifijj therein alluding to the facrificed Lamb under the Law; of which fhadow Chrift the Lamb of God facrificed under the Gofpel is the fub-ftance. From what hath been faid, it is evident that this firft property of an Expiatory Sacrifice, doth fully comportwith the death of Chrift.

2. The

2. The fecond property of a Sacrifice, is that it was offered to God for'the Expiation of Sin : This was the End of the Levitical expiatory Sacrifices, as the Apoftle tells us, Hebr, 9.7. when he faith, Into the fecond Tabernacle went the High-prieft alone, once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himfelf and Errors of the People; which is as much as if he had faid, That the blood of thofe Beafts he had facrificed, he took with him into the Tabernacle, and there offered it to God for his own and the peoples fins. Now though he tells us, Heb. 10.4. that it is not pojfble for the blood of Bulls and Goats to ta'ie away fin : which feems at firft fight very harfti, that thofe Sacrifices that were appointed to be offered for fin, and yet that they could not, when offered, poffibly take fin away. But let the Apoftle anfwer for himfelf, as he is belt able, which he doth Heb. 9. 9. compared with the 13th V erf In the ninth verfe, he tells you in what fence they could not take away fin : There were offered (faith he) gifts and facrifices, that could not make him that did the fervice perfect, as pertaining to the Confcience. The meaning of which words I (hall rather give you in the Paraphrafe of Learned Dr. Hammond, than in my own; which are brief, full and plain. u Thereby, (faith he} is meant, That all thefe Legal Performances will " not be able to give any man confidence to pray unto God, to bring <c himto Heaven, or to obtain for him the pardon of any wilfull orpre-" fumptuous fin in the fight of God, or free him from any fin that hath u wafted his Confcience, or give him grace to purge himfelf from fuch "fin. In all thefe refpecls thofe Legal Sacrifices could not poffibly take away fin. But you will fay, In what fence did they take away fin ? The Apoftle will tell you, verf. 13. If the blood of Bulls and Goats fanbli-fieth to the purifying of the flefl). He had told you before, that they could not make perfect as pertaining to the Confcience ; but now he faith, as to the flejh, thofe Sacrifices did purifie, and fo in a fort did take away fin. By flejh is here meant, the Outward man confidered in his External priviledges as to his Judaical Church-ftate, of which Privi-. ledges this is the fumme, viz.. Communion with that Church in External Ordinances of Worfhip, from which upon every Ceremonial Un-cleannefs the Jew was excluded, but upon offering up of a Sacrifice for his cleanfing, his fault was pafs'd by, and he was re-admitted to his former Communion , and thefe were the Errors of the Priefts and the People, from which upon their offering of Sacrifices they were cleared. And now you fee the Objection removed, and yet the Property of an Expiatory Sacrifice cleared; and that is, that it was offered for the taking away of fin. And now let us apply this Property of a Sacrifice to Chrift crucified, and fee whether it doth not thereto agree.

I fay therefore, that anfwerably Chrift was as a Sacrifice crucified, and therein offered up to God for the Expiation of fin. This is fully affertedby the Apoftle, Heb. 9. 14. How much more (hall the blood of Chrift 7 who through the Eternal Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to

God %

s

God, purge your Confcience from, dead works, to ferve the living Ced : That is, if the Sacrifices of the Law fo far availed as to the purifying of the flefh, the Sacrifice of Chrift maU much more avail to purifie the Confcience; that is, fo perfectly to fettle and quiet the Confcience from the fears of the wrath of God for fins committed (which are the dead works the Apoftle fpeaketh of) to this end among the reft, that the Tinner thus quieted, might ferve the living God, not flavifhly, for fear of Wrath, but from Love, as becometh a gracious Child, whom his merciful! Father hath fo freely pardoned through the Sacrifice of his own Son. The confideration of this Verfe, with that of the Text I am fpeaking from, is abundantly fufficient to clear, up thefecond Property of an Expiatory Sacrifice to belong to Chrift crucified, which is this, That every fuch Sacrifice was offered for the taking away of fin.

3. A Third property of an Expiatory Sacrifice is, that it was to be offered up by a Priefl ordained of God to that end. To this very end (faith the Apoftle Heb. 8.3.) was the High-prieft (under the Law) ordained, to offer gifts and facrifees. So that hence it is evident, that no Sacrifice was to be offered but by a Prieft thus ordained: And was it not for Sauls preemption in this Kind, that loft him his Kingdom > 1 Sam.

13-9. *$>•*♦*

Well then, if every Expiatory Sacrifice muft have a Prieft to offer

it, fo had our Chrift crucified •, for it was a Sacrifice offered up to God by himfelf our onely High-prieft, being appointed to that Office by God. That Chrift was appointed by God to this Office, is manifeft from Pfal. >II0. 4. The Lord bath fworn, and mil not repent, thou art a Priefi for ever after the Order of Melcbizedel^. That this is meant of Chrift's being by God defigned to this Office, is clear horn Heb. 7.17. where the Apoftle applyes this Prophefie to Jefus Chrift. But farther, as from what hath been faid, it doth appear, that Chrift is a Prieft ordained of God, fo likewife it doth further appear, thatthis our High-Prieft was he that did offer up himfelf as a Sacrifice to God, if you confider John 6. 51. The Bread (faith Chrift) that I will give, is my fie fo, which I will give fir the life of the world. Now this flefh was given in his Death, which was given by himfelf when he voluntarily offered it up unto God in that mo;t holy Sacrifice. So in Heb. 7. 27. it is faid, Chnfb offered up himfelf-, Chrift was not onely the Sacrifice, but the Sacrifices So Heb. 9. 26 Now once in the end of the World, hath he appeared, to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himfelf. Nothing more plain, than that Chrift in thefe places is to be underftood both as Prieft and Sacrifice.-

But it may be objected, How can Chrift be faid to facrifice himfelf, whenas he did not kill himfelf, or fhed his own bloody for he was apprehended by Order from the High-prieft, led away as a Prifoner, ar* raigned and condemned unjuftly,and in a violent cruel mannercrucifiedby Ksjnaiicious Enemies; He did not flay himfelf,but was flain by the Jews.

Ianfwer 3

I anfwer, Though he did not flay himfelf, (for that had been Self-murder, which had been a fin that had not become this fpotlcfs Lamb ; but) yet this is evident, that he did offer up himfelf to be flayn by them, in complyance with the Councel of his Father, and in complyance with all the Prophecies of the Old Tcftament, that foretold, he mult be cut off forihe People. O fools (faith Chrift to his doubting Difciples J and flow of heart, to believe all that the Profhets have fpuken: Ought net Ccfrifi to have fuffexed thefe things f Ought he not ? That is, was it not his DLty, in complyance with his Fathers will, who had defjgned him thereto, and foretold this his designation by his Prophets. But from the Hiftory of the Manner of his Death, it is very clear, that Chrift did very readily offer up* himfelf as a Fittim to be (lain for the fins of his people. For firftj he knew when he went his laft Journey to Jkruftleju, that his hour was come, and yet he went up, John 12. 23. Th:nhe knew alfo, that Judas at that time defigned to betray him, but he was fo far from feeking to prevent it, that he rather feems to haiten it, when he fayes to Judxs, what thou doeft, doe quickly. Then again, when his Enemies came to apprehend him, he fought not to efcape them, but going forth, J oh. 18.4. faith, If ye feek^Jcfpu of Nazareth, 1 am he. And when he was in their hands, he could, (as he tells them) but pray to his Father, and of him obtain an Army of Angels to his refcue, but would not \ for having received a Body for to facrifice, and the hour of offering it up being come, he moft willingly furrendred himfelf to his Enemies for the (laughter : And this is agreeable to what he fayes, J oh. 1 o. 15.18. I lay down my life for the flieep, no man taketh it from me; that is, not againft my will, but I lay it down of my felf. And thus it became our High prieft to doe, wh had the Sacrifice of himfelf to offer by himfelf. And thus I have fhewn, how the Third Property of an Expiatory Sacrifice belongs to Chrift: crucified, It was to be offered by a Prieft ordained by God, and fuchan ordained Prieft: was Chrift, who at Gods appointment offered up himfelf.

4. The Fourth Property of an Expiatory Sacrifice regularly offered, is, that it was of ufweetfavour unto God; that is, it was highly pleafing, and graciouily accepted of by him. This is evident from what God himfelf hath faid, concerning fuch Sacrifices, Ltvtt. 1.9. The Prieft fiall barn all on the Altar, to be a Burnt-offering of a fweet favour unto the Lord. This is repeated again and again, verf. 13. 17. Now that this Sacrifice of Chrift crucified might in no cafe fall fhort of thofe Legal Sacrifices, the Apoftle, Ephef.^. 2. doth apply the very fame Property to this Sacrifice of Chrift, in thefe words, Walk^in love, as Chrfi alfo hath loved us, and hath given himfelf for its, an Offering, and a Sacrifice to God, for a fweet-fmelling favour. And certainly, there was never any thing in this World acted to a greater Satisfaction to the moft: High God, than this of Chrifts dying for finners, of which God hath given this teftimony, that he hath fo highly exalted him, as.a Reward of thefe

M m m m his

his Sufferings, according to the Apoftle, Philip. 2.8,9* Being found in fajhion as a man r he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto death % <ven the death of the Crofs : wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every Name, that at the Name of Jefus every knee Jhottld bow, &c And what fignifies this Hpnour God hath heaped on him for his Sufferings, but that this his fufferiag death was highly pleafing, and of a fweet favour to him. Thus have I in Four things (hewn you how evident it is, that Chrift crucified is a proper Expiatory Sacrifice, as having all the effentially neceffary Properties of fuch a Sacrifice; which was the fecond point in the firft Propofition to be cleared.

There is one thing more in the firft Propofition to be cleared up and proved, which is, That Chrift crucified is the Onely proper Gofpel Sacri-fee.

I fay, it is the onely proper Sacrifice of the Gofpel, Firfl , That I might exclude all Judaical Sacrifices, which till Chrift* were of God, both commanded and accepted, butfincehis coming, and fince he hath offered uphimfelf, all thofc Sacrifices are now abolifhed, God taking no longer any pleafnre therein, Hebr. so. 6. In Burnt-of firings and Sacrifices for Jin thou hadfi no plea fire : Then faid J, (that is Chrift) / come to do thy Will } O God$ that is, to facrifice my felf: In this latter he hath pleafure, but not in the former, which are therefore taken away.

Secondly, I call Chrift crucified the onely proper Sacrifice ^ to exclude the RomtjJj Ala fife, which thofe pretended Catholicks would fain- have us believe to be a proper Sacrifice, and the very fame with that of Chrift crucified, but how groundlefty I mall fhew afterward.

Thirdly, I call it the onely proper Sacrifice, to diftinguifh it from feve* ral other improper Sacrifices under the Gofpel, as that of doing good and communicating, of which the Apoftle faith, With fuch Sacrifices Go ft is well-plea fed, Heb. 13. ,16. Such is that of devoting ones body to the Service of God, called Rom. 12..1. a living Sacrifice, foisthatof offering Praife, Hebr. 13.15. Thefe I acknowledge have the name of Sacrifices under the Gofpel, but there is no man doubteth, that they are improperly and onely by way of Allufion fo called : For as a Sacrifice i$ a Holy thing offered up to the Lord, fo is doing Good, devoting ones felf to Gods Service, and offering Praife to God, holy things alfp, and fo metaphorically called Sacrifices; but in thefe Performances, there is no flaying, or fhedding of Blood, or making Attonement for fin, which were neceffary to fpeak them proper Sacrifices. Thus much (hall fuffice for the clearing up of the third and laft part of the firft Propofition^ which now I conceive I have fufficiently proved, That Chrift crucified, is the onely divine and proper Sacrifice of the Gofpel.

The

The Second Propofition,

That this Sacrifice is but of one kind.

Such is part of the meaning of the Apoftle in the Text, when he faith, But this man when he had offered one Sacrifice ; he means not one only in yiumber, but as to the kjndi of this latter I (hall now fpeak.

It is well known that trie Sacrifices of the Law were of divers kinds

of Beafts, as Bulls, Goats, Lambs; and of Birds, as Turtle-doves and

young Pidgeons. But the Sacrifice of the Gofpel is but of one kind,

. which is the Blood of Jefus, which through the Eternal Spirit was offered

up {o God.

But it may be asked, Why the Sacrifices of the Law were of divers forts, fince they were to fhadow forth the Gofpel Sacrifice, which was to be but of one fort or kind ?

I anfwer, It might be for this Reafon : Becaufe that the Gofpel Sacrifice was to be of that abfolute Perfeclion^ both as to its Matter as well as Ends, that no one kind of Legal Sacrifice could fully reprefent; and therefore it was, that feveral forts of Creatures that had very different qualities, were elected and appointed by God ; to typifie out by ^arts, what was fummarily comprehended in that one Sacrifice of Chrift. As when God appointed the Bull for the Sacrifice, fince that Creature hath an excellency of ftrength fuperiour to any other Beafl of the Field, it might be to fhadow forth the very great ability of our Lord Jefus for this undertaking. Then again, there was choyce made of another fort of Creature, which had not that eminency of Strength as the Bull, but was fuperiour in Meeknefs and Innecency \ fuch was the Lamb, to fet forth that remarkable Meeknefs and Innocency of our Saviour in the fa -crificing of himfelf, of whom the Prophet faith, He was led like a Lamb y to the flaughter, and as a Sheep before the fhearers was he dumb, he opened not his mouth. So alfo was the Goat called out for a Sacrifice, not fo much, to fignifie any Quality of Chrifrs own Perfon, but rather the Nature and Qualities of thofe Perfons in whofe ftead he dyed, which were Sinners ; for as the Goat is noted to be a Bead: of a very luftfull nature, and of as ill a favour, fuch alfo are finners, full of ftrong and loathfome lulls, of a very ill favour in the Noftrils of the Holy God. Now Chrifl being to reprefent the Perfons of fuch 1 in whofe ftead he dyed, was therefore typified forth by this Sacrifice of a Goat. To adde to thefe, there was alfo facrificed Turtle-doves and young Pidgeons; now this is obfervable of this fort of Birds, that there are no Birds fuperiour to them in Love and Faithfulnefs to their Mates; by which might be fha-dmved forth the incomparable Love and Faithfulnefs of Jefus Chrifl: to his Church, whom he loved, and bought with his own Blood: Never was Turtle-dove fo tender of, andfaithfull to his Mate, as Chrift: hath been aird is to his Church. So that all the qualities of thofe feveral forts of

Mm mm 2 Legal

j$2 Chrifi crucified the onely Serm.XXHL

Legal Sacrifices meeting in our one Sacrifice of Chrift, they were fit in conjunction to be his Type, and did more compleatly difpjay the Nature of his Sacrifice, than if but any one of them had been appointed for that ufe. And this I conceive is the Reafon why the Sacrifices of the Law were of divers forts, and yet they were all but the Type of one fmgle Sacrifice of the Gofpel. Thus have I briefly illuftrated the fecond. Propofition.

The Third Propofition.

That this one Sacrifice of Chrift was but once offered. This is clear to them that confult thefe following Scriptures: Rom, 6, 10. He dyed unto fin once, Hebr.7. 27. He needeth not to offer up facrifices, firfi fir his own. fins, and then for the Peoples; but this he. did once, when he offered up himfelf, Heb. 9. 26. But now once in the. end of the world hath he appeared, to pnt away fin by the facrifice of himIelf, Verf. 28. So Chrifi was once offered to bear the fins of many, Heb. 10. 10. By the which will we are fanttifiedy through the offering of the Body of Chrift, once for all. 1 Pet. 3.18. For Chrifi hath once fujfertdfor fins, the ]nfi for the Hn)nfi, Now certainly, the Holy Ghoft would never have layd fuch an Emphafis upon the Angularity or One-nefs of Chrifts Sacrifice, as apparently he doth in thofe Scriptures now named, were it not for very good and very great Reafon, and what is that but to fignifie, that this one Sacrifice, once offered, was every way compleat, and fufficient for the full obtaining of all the Ends of a Sacrifice.

v That this. Sacrifice once offered, was fufficient, I prove thefe three wayes.

Firft, Becaufe it was as often as God required. This commandment (faith our Lord )-have J received of my Father, that 1 Jhould lay down tny life for my finep, and tal^e it again, Joh, 10. 15, j 8. Hence it is certain, that his Father would'have him lay it down once, and then to take it again: But was it his intent he fhould take it again to lay it down again ? not fo; for then, fince he hath not yet come to die again* it would be our duty to expect him a fecondtime to die for us; but this we expect not, indeed he will cornea fecondtime, but(as-the A pottle faith) without fin; that is, not to bear again the punifhment of fin, as he did in his once dying : but then he will come to falvation ; that is, to perfect that falvation to his Saints, for whom he purchafed it by his once dying. But our Saviour puts us out of doubt in this particular, inafmuch as he hath told us, he wilt die no more, Rev, 1.18. / was dead, but J am now he that liveth, and behold I live for evermore; which he could not have faid, but that he knows,* that his Father requires no more deaths at his hand than what he eath already payd.

Secondly, This once was fufficient, becaufe it was as much as the Law

required.

required. The Law Was to Adam, That if thou eateftef the forbidden Tree^ thou fltalt die the death threatned, was but once to be executed 5 and therefore Chrift being the finners Surety, could not be bound to pay more than the finners debt, this is clearly and fully afierted by the Apoftle, Heb. 9.27. As*> is appointed (that is, by the Law) unto men y once to die r and after this to judgement ; fo Chrilfc was once offered to bear the (Ins of many ; that is, Chrift was once facrificed to take off that Curfe of once dying, that by the Law was threatned to the finner. The Law being thus compleatly fatisfied by Chriftsthus once dying, it was a very needlefs matter upon this account for Chrift to die a fecond

time.

Thirdly, Chrifts dying once was fufficient, becaufe it was as much' as the Sinner needed.

This will be beft underftood, if we take an Account of the finners

wants.

(1) It is evident, that by fin the Holy God was provoked to Anger j and therefore the finner wanted a Reconciliation, which this one Sacrifice once offered hath procured, Ephef. 2. 16. Chrift hath reconciled both (that is, Jew and Gentile) unto. God in one. body, bytheCrefs; t! at is, he (by his once offering up himfelf in Sacrifice to God) hath made the? believing finners peace with God, whether he be Jew or Gentile.

(2) Again, the finner hath forfeited his Life to the Juilice of God, by fin; anfwerably, Chrift by his once dying hath difcharged the Law of' Death, andprocuredfor.the Believer a glorious Rcfurreclion to an -Eternal Life.

(3) Again, fin had blinded and hardncd the finners-Mind-and Coi> feience, as to the things of God, fo that he became fo utterly unable to help himfelf, that he neither knew the Law of God, or if he had known it* he was not able to fubmit himfelf to that Law, being at enmity there^ to. But Chrift by his one Sacrifice once offered, procured anew, gracious and everlafting Covenant, one of the principal Promifes whereof is, That God will put his Laws in their Minds, and write them in-their Hearts, Heb. 8.9. that is, he will fo enlighten their minds, and fanclirle their hearts, as that they mail notoneiy know, but readily obey him in whatever he commandeth : Now this Covenant and this Promife, is the Purchafe of this one Sacrifice once offered.

(4) Laftly, Sin had got into the finners Confcicnce, and fo fired it with, the-fla fries of Guilt* and allarum'd it with the Threatnings of the Law, and fo affrighted it with the wrath of God, that the poor finner could find no eafe or quiet: But this once offered Sacrifice hath fo purged the Conference from dead works,-(f/^. 9.14.) that the Soul finds it felfat eafe, that it caa ferve the Lord without diltraclion: For being fully perfwaded (that fia being pardoned, and God at peace through this blood) that it fhall never fall under Condemnation, it hears no more of the boyfterousftorms*>f the taw-andConfcience, but enjoyes a great Calm all ifcsdayes..

Now

ttaw if Chrifts once offered Sacrifice hath both fatisfied God, anfwer-ed the Law, and every way fupplyed the finners lacks, it cannot be imagined, what room fbould be left for a repetition of the fame Sacrifice. And therefore, being we are affured, that Chrifi was to do nothing impertinent and in vain, we are upon the fame ground affured, Thar he was to befacrificed but once \ which is the third Propofition.

The Fourth Propofition.

That this Sacrifice of Chrifi once offered, was fo ferfettly ejficacio-us, as to take away fins fully and for ever.

This Propofition is clearly contained in the Text: For when it is faid, This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for fins for ever, the words {_for ever ^\ are certainly to be referred to the Efficacy of this one Sacrifice once offered; for it there ftands oppofed to the inefficacy of the Legal Sacrifices, of which he had faid verf. i1, they can never take away fin-, the meaning is, That what all the forts of Sacrifices often offered under the Law, could never doe, that this one Sacrifice of Chrift once offered under the Gofpel, hath done perfectly to the Believer} that is, hath not left one fin unpardoned, but hath taken away every fin ever-laftingly.

i. I fay firft, it was fo efficacious as to take away all fins to the true Believer, fully and compleatly; nor can the Apoftle, Rom. 8. 33,34. mean anything lefs, when he faith, Who fliall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Eleft f It is God that iufiifieth, who is he that condemneth ? It is Chrifi that dyed. Certainly, if there is no Judge to be found in Heaven or Earth that can juftly condemn the Believer, then there is no Sin that the Believer ftands guilty of, but all muft be pardoned : For was there but one fin unpardoned, there would be found Judges enow to condemn him. But whence is it that the Believer becomes fo fecure ? The Apoftle tells you the Reafon, and that is, Chrifi hath dyed. Again, this may farther be confirmed from Alls 13. 38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore, Brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenefs of fins, and by him all that believe, are jufi/fied from all things (that is all fins)/row which ye could not be ]ufiified by the Law of Mofes: The meaning is, That through the Death of Chrift is preached the Remiffionofall fins, from which ye could not be freed by alhhe Sacrifices of the Law of Mofes, what thofe Sacrifices could not doe, that the one Sacrifice of Chrift once offered, hath done fully.

And not onely fa, for as his one Sacrifice once offered, took away or procured the pardon of all fins to the Believer, fo it took them away forever. This it hath done by procuring the fecond Covenant,.which hath this Promife, Heb. 8. 12. / will be mercifnil to their unnghteoufi nefs, and their fins and iniquities J will remember no more: To remem* ber them no more, is as much as if it had been faid, They fhall be ever-

laftingly

Serm.XXHI. proper Gofpel Sacrifice. j q *

laftingly forgiven, fo that not one of them (hall ever rife up to the Condemnation or the Believer. The Conclufion is this, That if aH fins arc eternally pardoned to the Believer, upon the Merit of this one Sacrifice once offercd,then is this Sacrifice a molt compleat and efficacious Sacrifice, nor doth the Believer itand in need of any other Sacrifice, no nor of the repetition of this very fame Sacrifice, which is the fourth Propofition, and is now (I conceive) fully proved.

Having thus cleerly and briefly confirmed the Proteftant Dothme concerning that great Article of the proper Gofpel Expiatory Sacrifice, which doth highly concern every Sinner to nnderitand, without which it is impoffible for him to know how or which way he may attain to the Remiflion of his Sins, and the Salvation ofc his Soul : I come now at length to take a view of the Fomifi) Doctrine, concerning their vain, impertinent, blafphemous and idolatrous Sacrifice of the /,/afs. I call it vain and impertinent, becaufe by the one Sacrifice of Chrifi: once offered on the Crofs, God is fufficiently fatisfied, and the Sinner fufficiently fecured : To what end then ferves their pretended Sacrifice of the Mafs ? I call it bUfphemom, becaufe fo derogatory to the Sacrifice of Chrifl:, as if Chriils Death on the Crofs was not fuflficient without the Auxiliary of the Mafs to make an Attonement for fin, and fave the firmer. I call it Idolatrow, becaufe they have made it ameer Idol, not onely worfhipping and adoring Sacramental Bread and Wine as their true Saviour, but in trufting therein for falvation as in Chrifl himfelf, than the which there was never any thing invented by the Devil himfelf, that was more Idolatrous.

But before I fhall give you my Arguments againft. this Popifh Doctrine of the Mafs s being a proper Sacrifice, flnce I write principally for the information and eftablifhment of our weaker Brethren, I fhall firfl tell you what is meant by the Mafs, the Doctrine whereof thofe cruel bloody Papifts have formerly endeavoured to impofe on the Faith of your Fore-fathers, with Racks, Prifons, Iron Fetters, cruel Mockings, Faggots and Fire, and which afluredly they would by the fame methods of favage-nefs, inftead of Arguments, endeavour to impofe on you, if ever the Lord mould be pleafed to give you up into their hands for tryal, which the good Lord in mercy prevent.

Know then, that what we Proteftants call (according to Scripture) the Lords Supper, that the Papiffs (according to the Tradition of men) call the Mafs.

But this is not all, for we differ from them not onely in the Name, but in the Explication of the Nature of the thing it felf. as thus:

We Proteftants hold, that in the Lords Supper after Confecration ? there remains real Bread, and real Wine. But the Papiffs believe, that after the Confecration, or after the Prieft hath pronounced thefe words, This is my Body, and This is the New Teftament in rr.y Blood, Csrc. that the Bread and Wine are by a certain Miracle tranfubitnntiated into the very fame flefh and blood wherein Chrift fuffercd on the Croft,

Iganv

A;

Again, we Proteftants believe, that this Sacramental Supper of Bread and Wine, is a figure of the real Sacrifice of Chrift crucified, appointed by Chrtil for the remembrance thereof, aud fo we doubt not to cal! it a figurative Metaphorical Sacrifice. But this will not fatisfie the Papifts, for they believe, that this Bread and Wine is fo changed into the very fame Body of Chrift which was nailed to the Crofs, and into that very Blood that he there fried, and that confequently it is a real proper and true Expiatory Sacrifice for our fins, as that of Chrift crucified on the Crofs; which is certainly the meaning of the Cor.ncil oiTrent, in thofe words of the Decree concerning this point. Speaking of the Mafs, fay they, Ck]m Ob'atione Deum cffeplacatuw, & pcemtenti*. donnm concedere, & peccata omnia demittere : i. e. That upqp the offering of the Mafs, God is pacified, and Repentance, and Rcmrflion of fins given. And what can be faid more of the Vertue and Efficacy of Chrift himfelf crucified ?

In the next place, we Proteftants. believe, that in the receiving this Supper, as with our Bodies we eat real Bread, and drink real Wine, fo -our Souls by Faith do feed upon the real Body and Blood of Chrift, that was once offered in Sacrifice for the reconciling us to God, for the Re-.mifllon of fins, and the Salvation of our Souls, which benefits we by Faith apply to our felves, for which we blefs and praife Ood, who hath gracioufly beftowed them on us, for the merits fake of that one Sacrifice of Chrift once offered. But the Papifts believe, that not onely their Souls i>y Faith, but likewife the mouths of their Bodies, do eat and drink in the 'Mafs, the very Body and Blood of Chrift, as really as if they had eat him off from the Crofs, or drunk in his Blood as it hTuedoutof his pierced hands, feet and fide. In a word, the Papifts have turned the Lords Supper into an abominable Idol, and take the Bread and Wine to be the true and real Redeemer of the World, and do as devoutly worfhip and adore it, as we do the God-man Jefus now at the right hand of the Majefty on high -, which is Idolatry with a witnefs.

Having now fhewed you what the Romjh Mafs is, I now come to lay down thofe Arguments which I (hall draw from the precedent difcourfe, by which I will prove, that this Mafs is no proper Gofpei Expiatory Sacrifice, which the Romjh Church believes it to be. The general Argument is this:

If the one Sacrifice of Chrift crucified, once offered on the Crofs, if the onely divine and proper Sacrifice of the Gofpei, as I have proved, then the Mafs is no divine proper Gofpei Sacrifice,

The Reafon of the confequence is this, becaufe the Mafs is another thing, of a very different nature from that of Chrift crucified ; and therefore being not the very fame-thing, it cannot be the very fame Sacrifice ; and if it be not the very fame, it cannot be a proper Go/pel Sacrifice, becaufe that onely (as I have proved) is the onely proper Gofpei Sacrifice. This is fo evident, that I fee no pofllbility of evading the force ofitsReafon.

That

Serm. XXIIL proper Go/pel Sacrifice. g7

That then which remains to be proved, is this, That the Mafs is not the very fame thing, and of the fame nature with that of Chrifi crucified, and therefore cannot be thejame Sacrifice.

In this very point lies the very heart and life of the Controverfie betwixt us ani them, as is evident from the words of the Decree of the TVraf-Council, which are thefe: Idem ille Chnftus in hoc Mijja Sacn- Ub.6. pa. < fie to incruentc immolatur, qui in ara cruris, cruentc fcfe obtidit, una ffiftor.Conci eademque cxiftcnte hoftia, eo qui nunc Saccrdotum mimfierio offert, & qui feiffum tunc in cruce obtulit, fola offcrendi divcrfa. The meaning whereof in fhort is this: That there is no real difference betwixt the Sacrifice of Chrift on the Crofs, and Clmit. in the Mafs; it is the very fame in both, onely differing in the Reafon of Offering ; for in the Crofs he offered himfelf immediately, in the Mafs he offers himfelf by the Ministry of his under-Priefts.

So then, fince the whole controverfie lies on this one point, all my Arguments fhali be level'd againlt this their ftrong hold.

This then I (hall prove, That the Mafs is not properly the very felf-fame Sacrifice with that of Chrift crucified on the Crofs.

i slrg. The Mafs cannot be thefame Sacrifice with that of Chrifton the Crofs, becaufe Chriit crucified was a Sacrifice of Gods appointment, and fo Divine, which I proved in the firft Propofition 5 but fo is not the Mafs, for God never appointed it for a Sacrifice, therefore it cannot be the very fame: for were it the very fame facrifice, and yet never appointed of God to be a facrifice, as Chrift crucified was, then one and thefame Sacrifice might be appointed of God, and yet not appointed of God, w T hich is a contradiction. That the Mafs ; which we call the Lords Supper, w r as appointed by the Lord Jefus, for the remembrance of that one Sacrifice once offered on the Crofs, I deny not. Nor do I deny, that the Mafs is a proper Sacrirc: by the Authority of Humane Tradition ; a like Authority to that of the Pharifees^ by which they would not eat except they wafhed, or by which they thought it lawfull to be cruel to their Parents, in not relieving their wants, under pretext of their Corban : But I deny i: to be a Sacrifice by any Authority from God, or his Son Jefus : This was inge.nuoutly confeffed by Ataides Lit- ' ■ fitantu one of thcTrent- Council, who yet was itout enough in his belief of its being a Sacrifice by Apoffolical Tradition, as he fayes, Pro certo concludendum, Dottrinam earn Apofio'icam effe Traditionem j this I mention to fhew he was a Papift. cL But (faith he) whoever goes about ^' 6 - P a -444> • e to prove it fuch from Scripture, doth but as*it were goe about to build -*£&#* ic Caltles in the Aire. His words are, Verurn autem hoc folidum Argu-mtntHM debilit^ri ab his, qui acrid fibi firuunt, e facra Serif tura id elicere frit fir a conantibns, quod nufquarn ibi reperitur, atque adverfariis vcritatis calumnia violanda anfam pnnbentibiu , dum rident eos arena, lax a ac inftabili <zdificare. So far he. I know hereby he difgufted the Council, but that's nothing to me, fo long as he fpeaks words of fober-

N n n n nefs.

nefs, I value him not a jot the lefs, nor his teftimony. But have they any Scripture wherein the Mafs is directly called a Sacrifice ? No; they pretend not thereto: but they fay there are many places of Scripture from whence it may be directly gathered, the examination whereof I fhali referre to the conclufion, for it were too long a bufinefs to fpeak to them all in this place. At prefent I conclude, that if they have no ground from Scripture to conclude it a Sacrifice, that then they have no ground to believe it fuch by Divine Authority* but fuch ground we have to believe that of Chrift crucified to be a Sacrifice,, therefore they are not the very fame Sacrifice; at leafl they have no ground to believe fo : But as I faid, for the proof of its having no Divine Authority for its being a Sacrifice, I referre to the clofe.

2 Arg. The Mafs cannot be the fame Sacrifice with that of Chrift crucified at Jernf^lem^ becaufe Chrift there crucified was a proper Sacrifice, as I have proved.in the firft Propofition ; but the Mafs cannot be a proper facrifice, therefore it is not the fame, and fo no Gofpel facrifice *, the reafon of the confequeiice is this, that if the Mafs is an improper facrifice, and Chrift crucified a proper facrifice, and yet the Mafs and Chriil crucified were one and the fame facrifice, then the one and the fame facrifice of the Gofpel would be both a proper and. an improper facrifice, which is a contradiction. That the Mafs ( if it be a Sacrifice) is not a proper facrifice, I prove by thefe fou* following Arguments.

{Arg* i.JA proper Expiatory Sacrifice hath this property, it corifiils of fome living creature flain, and its blood fhed and offered up unto God. But the Mafs confiis of no living creature flain, and its blood fhed and offered up to God. The former I have proved in the firft Propofition : The latter I prove from the Papifts own confeflion. For they fay not, that Chriil is flain, and his blood fhed in the Mafs : and therefore in the fore-quoted Article of the Council of Trent, they fay, that in the Mafs, Chri. fiw ixcrueme immolatur, that is, they acknowledge the Mafs is a facrifice without blood. Which is abfurd in the nature of the thing ; for we may as well conceive of a Fire without heat, as a facrifice without blood, for as heat is of the EfTence of fire, fo is blood of an Expiatory Sacrifice : Befide, it is flatly contradictory to. that faying of the Apoftle, applyed by him both to the Expiatory facrifices of the Law, and that alfo of the Gofpel; of both which he faith, Without fliedding of blood there is no remiflien, Heb. 9.22. Yea, fay the Pa pills, but there is, in contradiction to the Apoftle, for the Mafs is a facrifice Expiatory of fin • and yet therein there is no Remifiion. This is the firft.

\Arg. 2.) The Mafs can be no proper Expiatory facrifice, becaufe it wants the fecond Property of fuch a facrifice, which is this, that every fuch facrifice takes away fin, and if it be a proper Gofpel facrifice, it takes away fin by vertue of its merit. But the Mafs is no fuch facrifice that takes away fin: The former I have proved in the firn; Propofition. The latter I thus prove: The Mafs is not a Gofpel facrifice expiatory

of

of fin, becaufe, if Chrift hath by his one facrifice, once offered, taken away fin fully and everlaftingly ( as I have proved;) then is there no fin remaining for the Mafs to expiate. Sin as to the Curfc is the Gnners \ )cbt, Chrift hath payd that debt, in his being once offered, to the utmoit farthing ; for thereby, as I have proved, God was fatisficd, the Law dif-charged, and the finner perfectly relieved : fo then, if there is no fin left for the Mais to expiate, it's impoffible that God (that appoints nothing . in vain) mould appoint the Mafs as a facrifice to no purpofe. And there-re I fay,it is no proper facrifice.

( Arg. 3. ) The Mafs can be no proper Gofpel facrifice, becaufe it hath no Pried aff gned of God to offer it. The reafon of this confeqv.ence is, becr.ufe as I have proved in the firft Proportion,, that both the Legal, and alfo the Evangelical facrifice was by Gods fpecial appointment to be offered by a Prieit and none clfe. But the Mafs hath no Divinely appointed Prieft to offer it as a facrifice y which is thus proved. If the Mafs hatifany Pried: appointed of God to offer it as a proper facriBce, this Prieft muft either be the High prieft, which is onely Jefus Chrift, or fome other inferiour Priefts, delegated by Jefus Chrift as his fubftitutes: But the Lord Jefus doth not offer the Mafs in facrifice here on Earth, in his own perfon, for he is in Heaven, and the Mafs is offered on Earth* nor indeed do the Papifts fay fo much y for their belief is, that Chrift offers himfelf now in the Mafs, Ssxerdotum Minifierio 0 by the delegati-tion of his Priefts on Earth. But this cannot be true, for thefe Rea-

fons.

Firft, Becaufe there isnotfo much as the name of Prieft throughout the New Teftament, given to any fuch fubordinate Officer of Chrifts Church. We read indeed of Apoftles, Evangelifts, Paftors, Teachers, Elders, Presbyters, but not of Priefts : and this indeed the Jefuite Lo rims confeffeth, in AL~ts 14. 22. de Sacerdote. Abhoc abflinet Novum Tcftamentum, ut maghpr&prio antiqui Legis Sacrificiij concede i.e. I grant, the New Teftament abftains from the word Prieft, as more proper to the ancient Sacrifice of the Law. Indeed the Apoftle Peter calls the body of the Church a holy Pricfihood, to offer up fciritual Sacrifices, as prayers and pray fes, and themfelves unto God, which are all improper Sacrifices, and fo« is their Priefthood improper alfo; but of any proper inferiour Prieft, we read not fo much as of the Name fas I faid) in the New Teftament.

Secondly, Chrift hath appointed no fuch inferiour Prieft to offer him up as a proper Sacrifice in the Mafs, becaufe there is no fuch thing given in Commiffion by Jefus Chrift to any Officers on Earth, to offer up a proper Sacrifice. Indeed we read, Chrift fent them to teach and baptize, to feed the flock, and to rule and govern them in the Lord, &c. but not a word of offering up any proper facrifice. Some indeed of the Papifts urge, Hoc facite, Do this in remembrance of me, for to warrant them herein, but others of them art afhamed of fuch an Interpre-

Nnnn z ration,

tation, as I fhall fhew afterwards. But if (hoc facite,) Do this^ is as much as, Sacrifice this in remembrance of me, then all to whom Chriil faid Do this^ muft be underftood to lie under the Command of facrifking this, andfo inftead of making fome Priefts, we fhould make the whole Church proper Priefts, for they are all bound to' eat and drink the Sacramental Body and Blood of Chrill:, in remembrance of him: but I know they are not willing to make their Priefthood fo common.

But yet again, there can be no inferiour proper Priefts designed by God to offer up a proper Sacrifice under the Gofpel; for if there be, they mud: be either after the Order of Levi, or of Aielchifcdcc. Not after the Order of Levi, for that is no Evangelical, but the Legal Prieit-hood; nor after the Order of Melchifedec, for that only is appropriate to the perfon of our Lord Jefus, Heb.j.i . And if any inferiour Church Officers fhall prefume.to aflame tothemfelves a Priefthood after that Order, it is but reafonable (upon demand J that they fhould fhew us, that they have the qualifications of that Order, which are reckoned there by the ApofHe, as he muft be fuch an one who is a King as well as Prieft, vcrf. i. then he mull: be without Father, without Mother, without defcent, having neither beginning of dayes, nor end of life, made like unto the SonofGod, and whoabideth aPrieft continually. Such a one indeed is Jefus Chri/t, but fhew us fuch another on Earth, and we will believe him to be of this Order; but untill then, we will be excufed from believing any fuch inferiour Priefts after that Order 7 and if there be none fuch, then is there no fuch proper Gofpel Prieft; and if there be no fuch proper Gofpel Pried, then is there no proper Gofpel Sacrifice for fuch to offer.

The Papifts much deceive themfelves, to think that the Gofpel Mini-fters execute this our Melchiftdccs Priefihood on earth; for as Alel-chifedec the Type had no fuccefibr or delegate to officiate in his room, fo neither hath Chrift in this great Act of his Prieflhcod, which lies in 'offering up of a proper facrifice. And indeed, to what purpofe fhould he have any fucceflor in this acl: of his Office, fmce his one facrifice once offered, hath been fufficient to pardon the fins of the whole world, upon their Repentance, and Faith in him; and fince he is now ever living in the Holy of Holies, as our High-pried, to make interceffion through that fame blood for us?

From what hath been faid, it is evident, that under the Gofpel Dif-penfation there is no man or men whatever, appointed by Chrift as proper Priefls, therefore there is no proper facrifice on Earth to be offered, and confequently the Mafs is no fuch facrifice; for certainly, if he had ordained fuch a facrifice, he would not have been unmindfull of ordaining a proper Pried for its Oblation.

(Arg. 4.) The Mafs can be no prober Sacrifice Expiatory of fin, be-caufe it is not of a fweet-frnelling favour unto God, which (I have proved) is a property of every facrifice rightly offered.

That

Serm. XXIII. proper Gofpel Sacrifice. gci

That the Mafs is not of a fweefi-fmelline favour unto God, I prove, Fir.fi-, Becaufe it derogates from the All-fumcicncy and Perfection of Chriit's one Sacrifice once offered on the Crofs, as if that without the Mafs could not expiate fin, and favethe believing finner • fuch a Derogation as this is blafphemy againir. the Sacrifice of the Son of God, making it lefs perfect and efficacious than indeed it is : But a blafphemous facrifice is not of a fweet favour unto God, therefore the Mafs is no proper facrihee.

Secondly^ The Mafs is an Idolatrous facrihee, therefore no proper facrifice of Gods appointing, as being not of a fweet-fmelling favour unto God. That it is Idolatrous, is evident ; for what elfe is making, a piece of Bread and a Cup of Wine the Redeemer of the World, and relying upon the Oblation thereof unto God, as upon the Redeemer of the World, for Life and Salvation. Such Idolatry as this is fa far from being of a fweet favour unto God, that it is as all other Idolatry an abomination to him.

I know their reply is y But if this Bread and Wine be truely the Son of God, then isit no Idolatry: which is as good an Anfwcr as if the Heath en condemned for worfhipping a Stock or a Stone, fhould reply, But if this Stock or Stone be really and truely God, then are we no Idolaters. But fay the Papifts, their Caufe and ours is different; for when they fuppofe their Stock or Stone to be truely God, they have no Revelation for what they fay; but when we fay this piece of Bread is turned into God-man, we have a Revelation. Well; and what is this Revelation ? Why this : Hoc eft corpus me urn, This is my Body. But how ii you are miilaken, (as we confidently believe you are) in taking a Figurative Expreflion for a proper Expreflion ? Then you are Idolaters without doubt. But what a fad condition are thefe poor men in, in the mean time, that have nothing to fecure them from damnable Idolatry, but the Interpretation of a very ambiguous Text, and I am confident therein, that they are miilaken.

Thus I have finifhed Four Arguments, to prove the Mafs is no proper Gofpel Sacrifice.

I return now to fuch fort of farther Arguments, with which I began, to prove that the Mafs is not the fame Sacrifice with that of Chrift crucified, which is the only proper Gofpel Sacrifice, and that therefore the Mafs is no proper Gofpel Sacrifice.

a 3

Arg. The Mafs is not a Sacrifice of the fame fort or Kind with that of Chrift crucified, and therefore it cannot be the fame facrifice, and ii it cannot be the fame, it cannot be a proper facrifice of the Gofpel; for the proper Gofpel Sacrifice is but one, or of one kind, as I have proved in the fecond Propofition.

That the Mafs (if it be a Sacrifice, as the Papifts fay it is) is a facrifice of a different nature or kind from Chrilt crucified, I prove thus :

Firft, Becaufe the Sacrifice of Chrift on the Crofs, was the Sacrifice* of that very Body that was born of a Virgin ( and not of a piece of Bread) by the overfhadowing of the Holy Ghoft; but the Mafs (by the Papiits own Confeflion) is the Body of Chrifi made of a piece of Bread, not born of a Virgin, by the confecrating words of a Prieft, and not by the overfhadowing of the Holy Ghoft : Now is it pofTible that one and the fame body can be born of a Virgin, and not made of a piece of Bread, and yet be made of a piece of Bread, and not born of a Virgin; or that one and the fame body can be begotten by the the overfhadowing of the Holy Ghoft, without any confecrating words of a Prieft, and yet be produced by the confecrating words of a Prieft, and without that fame overfhadowing of the Holy Ghofto by which he firft received his body ? Is it not a contradiction ?

Again, The Body* of Chrifi: facrificed on the Crofs had blood, *nd» blood which was Hied; but the body of Chrift in the Maffe fheds no blood, by the Papiffsown Confeflion: For-they fay the Mafs is Sacrifiaum in-cruemnm, an unbloody Sacrifice; now can a bloody Sacrifice and an unbloody Sacrifice- be the very fame, or of the very fame kind ?

Once more, The Body of Chriit. facrificed on the Crofs, had the fhape and proportion of a Man, it was a Body that had head, hands, fides, feet, at their due diftances as other humane bodies have. But in the Maffe there is no fuch Body of Chrift, in a like fhape and proportion ; for the Maffe is a Wafer about the bigncfs of a milling, that is not capable of any fuch dimcnfions, fhape or proportion, that belong to an humane body. This doth {o puzzle them, that it is a wonder to fee into what con-fufions they run, when they are put upon explaining how the body of Chrift, with his humane dimenfions and proportions, can be contained in fo fmall a thing as a Wafer. Some fay, it is there with diftinclion of parts as it hung on the Crofs: Others think, that is not likely, but they conceive Chriils Body is in the Wafer as the Soul in the Body, that is, Tot a intoto, & tot a in qualibet parte, that is, the whole Body of Chrift. in the whole Wafer, and the whole body of Chrift in every minute part of the Wafer: and what is this but to make Chrifts Body as a Soul, a meer Spirit, or elfe to make as many bodies of Chrift in every Wafer, as it is divifible into parts, which will be almoft if not altogether infiinite. Others, to mend the matter, fay, that Chrifts Body is in the Wafer after the nature of other Bodies j that is, it is aliquid quantum, but yet this quanftjm is fine wodo quantitative, which is as abfurd as the reft , for thefe will have Chrifts body there,to be fome Jong,broad,deep thing• but yet that it is long without length, and broad without breadth, and deep without depth; and if this is not to put on a brazen face and to talk Non fence impudently, I know not what is. If any (hall confider thefe three differences (to mention no more) betwixt ChrilsBody on the Crofs, and Chrifts Body in the Mafs fas the Papifts hold it to be) and yet will believe it is one and the felf fame body, and the very felf fame

facri-

Serm. XXIII. proper Coj : lerifice.

facrinee, without any real difference; I fee not why . na< n i lieve the veryeft Impoflibilities, and groUeil Figments that the man can poflibly conceive.

But certainly, thofe three differences are fufficicnt to men in their wits, to fpeak the Sacrifice of the Mafs (if it be a Sacrifice, as they have it,) to be of a very different kind from that of Christ on ofgfj

and confequently to be no true, proper Gofpel Sacrifice; becaufe (as I have proved ) the tri:e proper Gofpel Sacrifice is but of one kind. I would clear up this by a fuf>pofition of a like cafe. Suppofe feme pcr-fons pretending to fome great and infallible knowledge in the My/teries of Nature, mould (hew us a little, white, round thing like an halfpeny Ball ( for I will put that inftcad of the little round Popifh Wafer ) and mould witK as great confidence endeavour to impofe upon our Understandings, as the Papifts do on our Faith, that this little round white thing is a Man and that it hath flefh, blood and bones, with allthedi-ftincl: members of a Man. Upon this, we examining the thing as far as cur Senfes and Reafon can judge, we find it looks like a Ball, the cover upon the touch feels like Leather, the infide feems to our feeling, as if it were ftuft with hair or faw-dufl:, withal!, it hath the lightnefs and every other quality of a Ball.- Certainly, if thefe Impollors mould be able by their confidence fo far to prevail, as to perfvvade us that it is-a man, yet furely, we mould fay, if it be a man, it is another kmd of man than we are. So fay I, fuppofe we mould grant, that the Popifh little Wafer is the Body of Chrift, and a Sacrifice; yet certainly it is another kind of Body, and a Sacrifice, than that which was offered on the Crofs: And (as I faid) if it be but admitted to be a Body and a Sacrifice, but of another kind, it is certain it cannot be the proper Gofpel Sacrifice, which I have proved already to be but of one kind, in the fecond Proportion.

4 Arg. The Mafs cannot be the fame proper Gofpel Sacrifice with that of Chriit. on the Crofs ; becaufe. Chriit on the Crofs was facrificed but once, but the Mafs hath been (by the Papifts own confelTion)offered as a Sacrifice above a Myriad of times.

That Chriit the true proper Gofpel Sacrifice was offered but once, I have proved in the third Proposition. That the Mafs hath been, and is offered a numberlefs number of times, the Papifts will not deny. Now fee what a contradiction follows : If Chrift crucified, the onely proper Gofpel facrifice, x was and ought to be offered but once, and the Mafs \s the very fame Gofpel proper Sacrifice that is and ought to be offered infinite times; then may one and the felf-fame Gofpel facrifice be offered but one time, and yet infinite times; which is as much as to fay, it is but once offered, and it is not but once offered.

Nor can they fhift off this contradiction, by telling us, that Chrifts Sacrifice was but once offered with the fhedding'of his Blood, but it may be often offered without fhedding of blood ; I fay this will not ferve

them,

them. Firft, Becaufe a bloody facrifice and an unbloody facrifice cannot be the fame: Nay, Secondly, I fay, that an unbloody facrifice is a contradiction 'in urminis^ for there can be no proper facrifice without (heddding of blood. Laftly, I fay it is a diftin&ion without any grounded difference, for tjie Scriptures do own a facrifice of Chrift with the fhedding of blood, but owns no facrifice of Chrift without fhedding of blood.

5 Arg. The Mafs cannot be the fame Sacrifice with that of Chrift crucified, becaufe Chrift crucified was a facrifice that expiated fin fully, and took it away for ever, as I proved in the fourth Propofition. But the Mafs is not a facrifice of that efficacy, therefore it cannor/be really the fame with that of Chrift crucified. This latter I prove-thus : Firft, Becaufe the Mafs takes away no fin as a Sacrifice; for if Chrift onthe Crofs took away all fin from the Believer everlaftingly, (as I have proved in the fourth Propofition, that it hath) then is there no fin left for the facrifice of the Mafs to expiate. Secondly, The Mafs doth not take away fin fully and for ever ^ for if it did, why is it fo often repeated as it is by the Mafs-priefts, who like the Priefts of Levi ftand daily miniftring} which (as the Apoftle faith) was an Argument that thofe Levitical Sacrifices were weak, and could never take away fin, and by a parity of Rea-fon, fo muft be the Mafs; if it be a Sacrifice, it mu'ft be a very weak one that cannot remove fin, and therefore is fo often repeatedly them. I conclude therefore, that the Mafs is not really the fame facrifice with that of Chrift crucified, and therefore no proper Gofpel Expiatory Sacrifice. And thus I clofe up my Arguments againft the Mattes being a proper Sacrifice, all cf them drawn from Heb. io. 12. whence I took the rife of my Arguments, and with which I fhall fhut them up. But this man, after he had offered one Sacrifice for fin} for ever? fate down at the right hand of God.

The Popijl) Arguments for the Maffes being a proper Gofpel Expiatory Sacrifice^ propofed and anfwered.

Let us now fee what they can fay for themfelves, in the vindication of the MalTes being a proper Expiatory Sacrifice.

Arg. 1. Their firft Argument is this : Melchifedec was a Type of Chrift, but the Bread and Wine Melchifedec brought forth (w hen he Gen. 14.11. came out o&Sodcm to meet Abraham) was a real proper Sacrifice, therefore the Bread and Wine in the Mafs, or (as we fay) in^the Lords Supper, is a proper facrifice.

Anf This is wonderful farfetch'd, but as it is, let us confident.

I fay then, Firft, It isbutbegg'd, when they fay, that the Bread and

Wine that Melchifedec brought forth, was a proper Sacrifice, for Firft,

the Text calls it not ^ nor was it of a nature capable of being a proper

Expiatory

Expiatory Sacrifice, for that Bread and Wine had neither life to lofe, nor blood to fhed, which had been necefTary to conititute it fuch a faeri-fice. It is faid indeed Melcbifedec brought forth Bread and Wine, but it is not faid he offered them up or facrificed them : And certainly, to bring forth Br s ead and Wine is a phrafe more fuited to an Entertainment, and fuch moft likely this was, if we confiderthe Occafion of his bringing them forth, which was in his meeting of Abraham returning from the fpoyl of the fpoylers of Sodom, it's likely he brought them forth for the refrelhment of the tired Viclors.

Again,- If there had been any fuch myftery in this Bread and Wine of Melchtfedec, as to typifie out the continuation of our Heavenly Melcbifedecs Sacrifice in the Mafs, is it likely that the Apoftle in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, when he is defignedly unfolding the Old Teftaments Types of Chrift and his Sacrifice, and then alfo when he fingles out Mel-cbifdec as an eminent Type thereof, and fa yes much concerning the Priefthood of that Melcbifedec, and of its likenefs to that of Chriits, as he doth Heb. 7. I fay, is it likely in that place he would have faid nothing of this Bread and Wine, if it had been fuch a confiderable Type as the Papifts would make it to be ? And yet whoever confults that place, will not find one iota in it, nor in the whole Epiftle, relating to this fame Bread and Wine; nor doth Augufline take any notice thereof in his Comment on that Text. I conclude therefore, tjiat this Text ferves them but as a wooden Legge to a lame Caufe, which they ufe for want of a better. •

Arg. 2. There is another Argument they urge to prove the Mafs is a proper Sacrifice, and it is from Malacb. 1. 11. The words are : From the rifing of the Snn^ to the going down of the fame, my Name fliall be great among the Gentiles, and in every-place Incenfe ftneyread, but falfly* a Sacrifice ) flail be offered unto my Name for a pure Offering. Now, fay they, this being a Prophefie of Gofpel-times, there mull needs remain fome Sacrifice with the Chriftian Church, that may be offered up in every place, which Sacrifice can be onely underftood of the Mafs, for there is ne're another Sacrifice under the Gofpel that can ftand in competition therewith.

Anf The Anfwer to this is as eafie as the burning of Hay and Stubble ; for the force of their Argument depends on a falfe reading of the Text; for it is certain, that the word "K?|?9 which they tranflate Sacrifice, fig-nifies not Sacrifice but Incenfe, as it is in our Englijli Tranflation. Now fee the weaknefs of their Argument; Incenfe fhall be offered every where, therefore the Sacrifice of the Mafs fhall be offered every where, now who knowes not that Incenfe is no Sacrifice?

But if you ask, what may the Prophet mean by thefe words ? I anfwer, That by Incenfe he means the Prayers and other fpiritual Oblations of the Chrift tan Church, but efpecially Prayers, according to that of Revel, 5, 8, The font and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb,

Oooo h-winp-

having every one of them Harps and golden Vials, fall of Odour /, which are the Prayers of the Saints: By Odours is to be underftood Incenfe which is odoriferous; thereby fignifying how fweet and acceptable the Prayers of the Saints are to God. Now wherever Chrift hath a Church, there he hath thefe praying Saints; fo that this Prophefie is exactly fulfilled therein, without the Manes being a Sacrifice.

Arg. 3. Their other Argument is this: The Types and Shadowes of Chrifts Sacrifice, under the Law, were proper Sacrifices, as thofe of Bulls and'Goats, &c. Therefore the Sacrament at the Lords Supper (or the Mafszs they fay) mult needs be a proper Sacrifice, elfethe Legal-Types will be more excellent than the Evangelical Type or Sacrament.

Anf I anfwer, this Argument halts downright, both in its. Antecedent, Confluence, and in the Reafon of the Confequence.

(1.) As to the Antecedent, which ought to have been Univerfal, which k is not \ for alLthe Old Teftament types of Chrifts Death, were not proper Sacrifices, for the Brazen Serpent lift up on a Pole in the Wildernefs, was a Type of Chrift crucified, and fo applyed by Chrift himfelf, Job. 3. 14. But the Brazen Serpent was no proper Sacrifice, which had no more Life to lay down nor Blood to fhed than a Brafs Nail hath, and therefore utterly uncapable of being a proper Sacrifice. Now ( fay I) if but this one Type of the Law might reprefent Chrift facrificed, and yet it felf be no proper Sacrifice, by a parity of Reafon may the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper be a Shadow of Chrift facrificed, and yet neither the Bread or Wine be a proper Sacrifice.

(z.) Then for the Confequence, it is as unfound as its fellow, for it-follows not, that becaufe the Types of the Law were proper Sacrifices, reprefenting the proper Sacrifice of Chrift crucified, therefore the Sacraments of the Gofpel, fhadowing forth the fame Chrift facrificed, muft be proper Sacrifices alfo; becaufe that Baptifm is a Gofpel Sacrament £s well as the Lords Supper, and may typifie Chrift warning us from our fins in his blood, and fo be a fhadow of a Sacrifice; and yet I know none that fay that Baptifm is a proper Sacrifice.

(3.) As for the Reafon of the Confequence, that is very weak alfo, which is this, that if the Lords Supper be not a proper Sacrifice as well as the Legal Types, that then there is a greater Excellency in the Legal Types than in the Gofpel Sacraments; and why fo ? Becaufe, fay they, proper Sacrifices are more excellent than meer commemorative Signs.

To this I fay, the Legal Types compared with the Gofpel Sacraments fall under a three-fold confideration.

i. If you confider them abfolutely, as to the Nature of the things of wmeh they confift-: The principal Legal Types of Chrift confuted of the left and Blood of flain.Beans; under the Gofpel, the Sacraments that fhadow forth Chrifts Death, and our Benefits thereby, confift of Bread, ie and Water, Under this confideration^ there is no greater Excellency

Serm.XXW. proper Go/pel Sacrifice. g :7

cellency in thefe Types one above the other, than there is In the Nature of Bread, Wine and Water, above the Flefh and Blood of /lain Beafts.

2. They may be confidered with refpeel: to the Sacrifice .'of Ghriffi crucified, whom they all (hadow forth; and in this rcfpccl they arc equal, for they all were reprefentative of the very fame Chrift crucified.

3. Lastly, they may be confidered with refpeel to the different times with the different advantages or difadvantages that refpeel their differed: Adminiftrations •, as the Law-types being before Chrift was crucified, or the Gofpel clearly or fully preached, by reafon whereof thofe Types did more faintly and obfeurely (hadow forth this glorious Sacrifice of Chirift crucified, which the Gofpel Sacraments do more perfpicuoufly perform, by reafon of that clear Gofpel Light that accompanies them -and it is upon this account that there is a tranfeendent Excellency in the. Gofpel Sacraments above thofe Legal Types, becaufe hereby is more fully reprefented the incomparable Love of God to Tinners in giving his Son to dk for us, and thereby-to purehafe for us that full Remiflion of fins, and that glorious Eternal Life, with all other Gofpel Priviled^es : So that Gofpel Sacraments cannot but influence our Minds and Hearts with more Light and Heat, and inravifh our Souls with more Joyes, than pofiibly the dark Types of the Law could doe. I fay therefore, upon this account it is that the Sacraments of the Gofpel tranfeend the Sacrifices of the Law, and not as the Papifts idly dream, becaufe the Sacrament of the Gofpel is a more excellent proper Sacrifice than all the Sacrifices of the Law. And thus much for anfwerto their third Argument.

Arg, 4. They have not done yet, in the next place they argue for the MafTes being a proper Sacrifice from 1 Corinth. 5. 7. The words are thefe. Targe out the Old Leaven, that ye may be a Neve Lump, for even Chrifl our Tajfeover is facrificed for us ; therefore Let us hep the Feafi not with Old Leaven. Hence, fay they, if the Apoftle in this place fpeaksof the Feaft of the Mafs, and withail fayes, that therein Chrift our PafTeover is facrificed for us, then is the MafTe a proper Sacrifice.

Anf. To this I reply, Firft, It cannot be proved clearly, that the Apoftle in this Chapter, or thefe Verfes. is fpeaking of the Lords Supper, or MafTe, as the Papifts call it. Or Secondly, if that could be proved, it follows not, that therefore the MafTe is a proper Sacrifice.

Firft, It is not certain that the Apoftle fpeaks any thing in this place of the Lords Supper. For though he mentions a Feaft, yet it is very doubt-full what kind of Feaft he here means, for it may be onely a metaphorical Feaft j and fo Tar&ns and Dr. Hammond feem to underftand it-that is, the continual Jubilee of a Christians Life, which confifts of the Delicacies of Sincerity, without all Leaven of Hypocrifie, and of rhe

Peace and Joy that thence do arife, than the which there are no Feafts fo delicious. Or Secondly, whether by Feaft here he means the Love-Feaft, (that carries that title in Scripture, and fo doth not (as I remember) the Lords Supper, throughout the New Teftament) which I think probable ; for I find the Apostle Jude taking notice of this Love feaft, upon a very like Occafion to that of the Apoftle in this place to the Corinthians, as mjude 12. The Apoftle there is complaining of a fort of men that had crept into the Church, and thereby were admitted to the Churches Love-feails, who made no other ufe thereof than to fatisfie their Luxury, feeding themfelves (as he faith) without fear : Of which perfons, and of which practice, he faith, Thefe are fpots in your Feafts of Charity ; anfwerably the Apoftle Paul is in this Chapter to the Co-rinthians, (fpeaking of the inceftuous Corinthian") exhorting the Church to caft him out as old Leaven; and one Reafon is, that they may be able to keep the Feaft without fuch old Leaven as this Corinthian y who by his prefence was likely to leaven others, by a fecret Infufion of that Principle, that fuch kind of Inceft (of which he was guilty) was very law-full, and thereby might endanger others.

Having faid thus much, to fhew how very doufatfull it is to underftand of what Feaft the Apoftle there fpeaks. Let us now grant, that by Feaft is here meant the Lords Supper, yet it follows Hot that therefore the Mafs is a proper Sacrifice, for the meaning of the Apoftle will be only, rhis, that fince Chrift our PafTeover hath been facrificed for us/ Xv&v&n , and thereby hath ( according to Ephef. 5. 25, 27. ) fanctified a Church to himfelf, that he might prefent it glorious, not having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing, that it might be holy and blamelefs j therefore (faith he) for this caufe I exhort you to caft out this inceftuous Corinthian from among you, and with him all other Leaven of Malice and Hpocrifie, that thereby as becoming a Church fanclified by Chrifts Sacrifice, ye may keep the Feaft of the Lords Supper in a pure and fincere manner, anfwer-able to thefe holy ends of his being facrificed for you. And what now I pray, is in all this to prove this Feaft a Sacrifice ? for the Text fayes not, that this Feaft is our PafTeover facrificed for us^ but that Ghrift is our Paffeover that hath been facrificed'for us, as the Greeks word l*3v<an fhould be rendred, of which this Feaft can be but the Commemoration, according to the Inftitution, where Chrift faith, doe this in remembrance of me, and thus much for anfwer to their fourth Argument.

Arg. 5. In the next place let us confider their Argument for the MafTes being a proper Sacrifice, drawn from the words of the Inftitution. As. firft they fay, when Chrift^faid in the Inftitution* Bo this in remembrance , .- of me, he meant, Sacrifice'this: Bellarmine thinks he hath found out a c7p. V 2 f demonftration of the point in the words (Boe this) Cerium eft, (faith he) frobari Sacrificium Mijfa his verbis ( hoc facite ). And why fo I pray ? They tell us, becaufe in fome places the words doe and make are ufed to fignifie Sacrifice : -As Lew. 15. and 1 Kings 1 8/ 2 3?

Anf But how weak and vain a Reafon is this, to build a demonstration upon ? That becaufe that in fome places of Scripture where the Context fpeaks expreffely of facrificing, and the Priells are commanded to doe or make the Sacrifice ready; that therefore in this placc > (where the Context fpeaks not any thing of a Sacrifice, to which (Doe this) in •this place is to be referred) it mould fignifie Sacrifice this, is a confe-quence (I had almolt faLd ) ridiculous. For if Doe this in thi's place mift be taken for Sacrifice this, becaufe Doe this in fome places fignifies fo much, why mud not the fame words in every place where they be found fignifie the fame, and then fee what abfurditics will follow: As when Gideon destroyed the Altar of Baal, the men of the City faid, Judges 6S9. Who hath done this f The meaning mud be, Who hath fa-crificed this, and fb the pulling down of fyials Altar mud be the fame with facrificing on it. Again when Chrid faith to Judas, What thon doefi doe quickly, Chriit mull thereby mean, Judas, goe facrifice faickfyj as {(Judas his betraying of his Mader, and felling him for thirty pence, was a facrificing Adl ? what can be more abfurd ? But what mould I lay any more thereto, this Interpretation is rejected by fome of their great ones. Efiius the Jefuite faith, by Doe this, the Scripture means not Sacrifice this-, his words are, Quodverbum (Facere) Jit idem quod fa-crificare quomodo nonnidli interpretati funt, prater mentem Scripture. And fayes their learned Maldonate, Non quod contendum UludFcrbum (Facite ) Mo loco idem fignifie are quod Sacrificare ; as much as if he had faid, I believe Doe this, fignifies no fuch matter as Sacrifice this. If then fome of their own acknowledge the weaknefs of this Argument, no wonder then if we reject it.

Arg.6. But they have another Argument from the words of the In-flitution, which is this. When Chriit fayes of the Bread, This is my Body broken for you ; and of the Cup, This is the New Teftament in my blood, fiied for Remiffion of fins; they thenceargue, Where there is a Body broken, and Blood fhed for remiflion of fins, there is a proper Sacrifice -, But in the Mafs or Lords Supper there is the breaking of Chrifls Body, and the (bedding of his Blood for the remiflion of fins: Therefore

Anf ThePapifts themfelves will fave us the labour of anfwering this Argument, being rightly dated, as thus: Where there is a proper breaks ing of a Body, and a proper fhedding of Blood for remiflion of fins, there is a proper Sacrifice; this is ttue: But in the Mafs there is a proper breaking of bread, and fhedding of blood : This mould be the Af-fumption, which they themfelves deny ; for Snares the Jefuite denies any proper breaking of the Body in the Mafs; For, (faith he) breaking in the proper and drift Acceptation, fignifies a dividing of the body into parts, but there is no fuch divifion of parts in th'e Mafs, Befides, the Church of Rome hath left out of her Mafs the word (broken) ufed in the Inftitutioa •, an&Janfenw a Papift gives the Reafon why it,is left out,

JSfe ejfet locus abfurda intelligent i&, qua quis exiflimare pofflt verefranop corpm Chrifti \ that is, leaft any mould abfurdly think, that Chrifts body could be truely broken. And as to any proper fhedding of blood in the Eucharift, Bellarmine himfelf difowns it, faith he, Sanguis Chrifti in Miff a non reipfa egreditur de corpore. So the Jefuite Cofter : The true effufion of blood (faith he) which is by feperating it from the Body, was onely on the Crofs, in Cap. 9. de Sacrificio. 'And this is as much as any Proteftant can fay, in diifolving this Argument; for if breaking, and fhedding of blood in the Supper, is to be taken improperly, then is the Supper but an improper Figurative Sacrifice, reprefentative of the true . proper facrifice, which we Protectants grant.

Arg. 7. The Jaft Argument that (I fhall take notice of,) they urge for the Mafs its being a proper^Sacrifice, is from 1 Corinth. 10. 21. where, fay they, the Apoilie is comparing the Table of the Lord with the Altar of Devils, and the Supper of the Lord with the facrifices of Jewes and Gentiles 0 now, fay they, if the Table of the Lord is as the Altars of yews and Gentiles, and the Supper of the Lord or Mafs is as the facrifices of Jews and Gentiles, then is the Mafs a proper facrifice, becaufe the facrifices of Jews and Gentiles were .proper facrifices.

Anf. Firft, whereas it is faid, that the Apoftle here compares the Table of the Lord with the Altar of Devils^ that is falfe; for the comparifon is made betwixt the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils; now who knowes not that ther,e is a great difference betwixt a Table and an Altar, for on the Table the Worfhippers did eat, on the Altar they did facrifice ; and who ever faid that Eating was a facrificing Acl ? nay the Pa-pifts themfelves will not dare to fay, that Eating of the Mafs is a proper facrificing Acl, except they have a mind to confecrate all the people Priefts, for they all eat of the Mafs, and yet none may lawfully facrifice but Priefts.

Again, whereas they fay, that the Apoftle doth here compare the Lords Supper to the Sacrifices of Jews arid Gentiles • this alfo is falfe, if you confider the Sacrifices of either Jew or Gentile in the moft proper and ftricl: acceptation thereof: for the Sacrificesofboththeoneandthe other ftridly taken, was that part of the Beaft that was offered.up-unto God or Devils on the Altar, and not that part which either the'Priefts or Offering people did feed on upon their Tables-; though by an improper way of fpeaking, thofe parts that were eaten may be called Sacrifices, becaufe they were parts of thofe Beafts, fome parts whereof were truely and properly facrificed on an Altar. That the meaning therefore of the Apoftle in this place may be cleared, I fhall give you the plain fence of the Text, and not in my own, but in a Paraphrafe of \£t aides Lufitanm, one of the Council of Trent. Quod Paulus dicit de participandp Sacriftcio Jud$orum & de mensa Damoniorum, ft accidie ant mt ritus a Deo per Moyfen inftituti, & qui ah £thnicis inter facri-ffcandamadhibitij non inae effct Ewhariftiam effe Sacrificium. Not urn

<Jfe

effe apud Moyfen in facrificiis votivis, tot am vittimam fuijfe exhibit am JDco 7 atque unam partem ejus igni abfumptum y qua erat Skerificium : tx eo quod erat reltquum, partem fuijfe Sacerdotis, & alt crura partem ejferentts, utrumque partem ft am comediffe quicum ipfi collibitumMkt • neque id vocatum facrificare y fed faenficatum pamcipare: Idipfum Ethnicos imitatoSj etiam partem eam y qua in Altari noti abfumebathr a nonnullis vcndifolitam, atquc banc effe menfam y qua non efl altare. Perfpicuum ergo Vault ft afkm bunc effe, Sicut Hebrai partem earn man-ducantes^qua ad efferent em fpeliab at nempe facrificii reliquias participes fmnt altar is j ty- Ethnici adeundem modum, itanos comedentes Eucbart-ftiam participare facrificium cruets. In Englifhthus : When Paul fpeaks of partaking of the Sacrifice of the Jews, and of the Table of Devils, if thofe Rites (as they are inftituted of God by Mofes 1 and accommodated by the Gentiles to their Sacrifices) be rightly confidered, it will not thence follow, that the Euchariir. is a Sacrifice: For it is to be noted, that when Mofes fpeaks of fuch Sacrifices that belonged to Vows, he ] declares, that the whole Fiitim or Beaft was to be brought before the Lord, one part of which was confumed by Fire, which was the Sacrifice \ of the other parts that were left, they were divided betwixt the Frieft and the perfon that offered, both of which did cat their fevcral parts as it beft pleafed them ; but that eating was not called facriflcing, but partaking of that which was facrificcd. This very cuftom the Gentiles imitated, for that part of the ViCtim that was not confumed on the Altar, by fome was wont to be fold, and is that which Paul calls the Table, which is not an Altar. The perfpicuous meaning of Paulis, That as the Jews eating of that part which belonged to the Offerers, they „ thereby became partakers of the Altar; fo we eating of the Eucharift, do thereby partake of Chriit. crucified. Thus he: The fumme whereof is this, that the Apoflle doth in this Difcourfe of his to the Corinthians r prove, that he that did eat at the Table of Devils, did thereby declare, that he rcligioufly owned and worfhipped thofe Devils as Gods, to whom part of that Beaft. of which they did eat, was facriheed, and that therefore he advifed them as all Chriftians, from a participation of thofe Feafts, which he fayes is inconfiftent with our Eating of the Lords Table, which fignifies that we own that God to be our God, to whom (not what we eat is facrifked, but) to whom Chrift was facriflced for us, a remembrance whereof is by Chrifts appointment to be had in his Church in this Supper; but this doirh not at all prove the Supper to be a proper Sacrifice, any more than that what the Jews or Gentiles did eat at their Tables were proper Sacrifices. And thus I have anfwered their molt material Arguments the Papifts have for the proof of the Maffes being a Proper Sacrifice.

From the whole Difcourfe, let us make this improvement:

Firflr, Let us be awakened hereby to obferve what the Apoftle John

hatbp

hatlf cautioned us, when he faith, Little children, keep your fefoesjrcm Idols ; For certainly, there hath not been a more abominable Idol ever invited than this Popifh Mafs, wherein, to the difhonour of our Lord Jeft, a piece of Bread is made the Saviour of the World, and a proper Sacrifice for the pardoning of the fins both of the Living and the Dead. And that which aggravates this kind of Idolatry is, that they make Jefus Chrift the Inftitutor thereof, and the Holy God to be the Former and Fafhioner thereof, by the miracle of Tranfubftantiation.

Secondly, Let us hereby be awakened into Refolutions to keep clofe to Jefus Chrift our great High-prieft, our only Sacrifice, and IntercefTor at the Right Hand of God ; from whom fo many thoufand Souls have gone a whoring under the great Apoftafie, after this filthy Idol. Chrift facrificed on the Crofs we know, and Chrift at the Right Hand of God we know, but Chrift made of a piece of Bread, and again facrificed in the Mafs we know not. You are certain Chrift was once crucified, and that that once was enough to make your Peace, and fave you} look not after any other Sacrifice, for doubtlefs, as the Apoftle fayes, there re-mains no more Sacrifice for fins.

Thirdly, Blefs God night and day that hath kept you from this Apoftafie, and pray God night and day ftill to keep you, efpecially in thefe times, when there are fo many Seducers come abroad, to withdraw yo« from Jefus Chrift to this dumb Idol.

Many other things I might have added, but it is high time to make an End.

SER^

+*

SERMON XXIV.

Purgatory a Grouridlefs and Dangerous Dodrine v/ ^_ J^ /,,?

i Cor. III. 15. But he himfelfpall be favedf jet fo as by Fire.

m

THis Text, fayes Bellarmine, is one of the molt difficult, and yet Llb - *« c « 5- # mod profitable of the whole Scripture, in that from hence the piirg ' Catholicks conclude two great points again/! Hereticks, that of Purgatory and Venial fins..

But as hard as the ApoftlesTextis, this fort of Catholicks in drawing fuch profound* Notions from it, feem hard enough for the Apoftle and his Text too; and I am much miftaken, if Paul would not have been alike puzzled to have underflood Them, as they are at a lofs to fpell out the meaning of Him; it is not every one, nor may be, anyone of that fimple Age was aware of fuch a thing as Pugatory or Venial fin.

Auftin it feems was of Bellarrmnes mind, as in the fame place he quotes him, that this was one of the hard fayings that Peter probably obferved in Pauls writings, which we fhould take heed of wrefting to our own deftruclion. Auftin belike was wary, but others have ventured to bring it to the wrack, and made it fpeak according to their mind, as referved and clofe as it was, they will teach Paul to fpeak plain, plain Popery ere tliey- have done. And it is ftrange to confider how many hard Texts even in this obfcure matter they pretend to have for them, though in our Controverfies with them, we mult wholly confine to plain ones: But thefe Magicians, in imitation as it were ofMofes, that eminent Man of God, are altogether for bringing water out of the

P p p p Rocks;

i

Rocks \ if a place be hard in it felf, they think it will be too hard for us, and like a Mill-ftone they caft it upon us, urging us to give an evident fence, or admit theirs ; and while we are heaving to extricate our felves, they hope for this advantage over us, leifurely to retreat from us, and before we overtake them agen, to prepare frcfh work of the like kind for us j but it is a daftardly Enemy that declines the open Field, and fights only for the Hedges and holes of Rocks, that it is greater difficulty to follow, than overcome them. To proceed :

An hard Text this is confeffed to be, whereon we crave liberty to fufpect they may be miftaken, and to fufpcnd our Faith till we have made examination.

But however a very profitable Text it Is, if it affords r uch Doctrines as forementioned, worth many thoufands by the year, Fie warrant you; for however fome diffemble the matter, on thefe fuppofitions it is, that Maries and Indulgences go off at the rate they doe : if Souls went forthwith to Heaven, they would not care a pin for them \ if forthwith to Hell, they would defpair of Benefit by them : But the Opinion of Purgatory Ed!. I'tb. 2.C.2. makes them precious, efpecially fince, as isfaid, That Souls there are de Purg. defective in merit, and cannot further merit in that fate them fives ;

they muft needs, on this fuppofition, reckon themfelves more beholding to them that will impart of their Oyltothem; and in hope to partake of their Spirituals, can do nolefsthan leave them a good (hare of their Temporals.

And to make them the more willingly give down their milk, Aquinas P tells them, That the Priefts Prayers, Majfes, &c. profit them when art. 2. ' ^ea ^ by vertue of what they did themfelves while alive ; you may guefs his meaning, The Pried mould profit him when dead, as his Purfe had Sutfl.qu.7i' profited the Prieft when alive; and elfewhere headdes, That Prayers Art. 12, are more effectual for us if we are particularly remembred, than if we

are more generally recommended ; well, it is but meet that the Prieft mould be particularly remembred, that particularly remembers us, and that fomething mould be done, to rub up his memory of us in particular when we are gone : If gain be godlinefs, as fome have fuppofed, certainly, this Docftrine of Purgatory is a prime Article of Religion; for all Experience as well asReafon teaches us, that it is a very profitable Doctrine.

The Saints in Heaven are high and rtout, they will give us nothing; the Damned in Hell are a poor or furly Rout; the one do's not need our prayers, the other does defpife our prayers; we mull: threaten men with this prifon of Purgatory, or they will never pay their debts to us, but rather than lye and rot there, we may eafily conclude, they will compound with us here.

But for clearer procedure, it will be neceffary to (hew, i. What the P apt ft s do me an by Purgatory, 2. Whether any fitch thing is probably meant in this Text,

3, Whether

SeTm.XXlV. and DMgmw De&rhtc, Q t m

3. Whether the Word of God does any where give ground for foeh * conceit , With that cogency efpeciaily 3 as that we fjould receive it for an Article of Faith.

4. / fiiall briefly confider ( as they defcrve) their Supplementary Ar-

guments.

5. Shew what ground there is from Scripture to disbelieve any fuch thing.

6. What evil conferences there are of the Receipt of it.

7. And la fly, I fin all give you the genuine fence of the place , and improve it.

(1) What do the Papifts mean by their Purgatory f

Anf. That there is a purgation of our Souls preparatory to their im- proteftanw mediate enjoyment of God, we freely grant to them, and that both in Purgatoiy. refpect of Guilt and Filth; and many waves we afTign whereby this is done; eminently by the Blood and Spirit of Chrift, hereby filthy wretches indeed are faid to be cleanfed, 1 Cor. 6. 9,10,11. Chrift was thought to have done this work effectually, what one way, and what another, Heb. 1.3. and he reckoned fo himfeif, as appears by his fitting down ; his coming therefore was foretold,-as with Fire and Water, that are the great cleanfers amongft us, Mai. 3.2,3. Moreover, as Inftruments that are effectual through him, this purging work is afcribed, fometimes and in fome part to the Word, Joh. 15. 3. Purifie them by thy Truth, thy Word is Truth ; at other times, and in another refpect to Faith, Alls 15.9. Purifying their hearts by Faith ; fometimes to Afflictions, whence is that comparifon Pfal. 66. 12. we went through fire and watery fo Afflictions are called, as being frequently ufed for our purging and clean-fing: fuch a Purgatory we Protefiants allow of; and are free to tell, that the place of it is this World; and that the Remainder of Sin, which flicks to the beft of us while alive, is concluded in death; whereby the Body is incapacitated, and all its morales well as vital Actions termi- : nated; and wherein the Soul is perfected by the immediate Vifion of God and Chrift, into whofe Image it is hereby changed, according to pfefent Experience, 2 Cor. 3.18. and after Hope, 1 Joh. 3. 2. Wejhall be like him , for we foal I fee him as he is.

But this will not ferve our Adverfaries turn, let us then hear and examine their Notion of Purgatory.

Bellarmine tells us in general, That it is a certain place , wherein as ... , in a prifon, Souls are purged after this Life, that were not fully purged Ca $\ here, to the intent they may enter pure into Heaven. Let us inquire of him a little more particularly, 1. Where this place is ?

He tells us, that the Church has not defined it, and that there Ar» Ibii* eight feveral Opinions about it ; Fancy you fee is fruitful!; here is ee'n every one his tale, but fuch variety cannot but much pleafe our company,

Pppp2 yea

yea and the Customers too ; for if they like not one, they may take the Lik.2.c?e Furg. other. But the generality of the Schoolmen will have it in the bonds of c ' 6 ' the Earth, on the borders of Hell ; but be it where it will, I hope I (hall

never come thither; and, as I fuppofe they that thus inform us, had not been there -, but all things are within the ken of the fagacious Schoolmen.

2. Who are to goe thither ? Bdl lib z. Eight Opinions alfo are reckoned up about this : Some thought all defurg.c, i, men, good and bad ; others, both Men and Devils; others all and only Catholic^, ( alas poor Hereticks ) and fo he goes on to the full number, charging one or more Fathers with each of them; and yet all but the !aft were out, as he concludes in the clofe of that Chapter $ whereby L underftand, that the Fathers are of no Authority, except when they fpeak • for one; and fowe as well as they will be content to be determined by them.

But what at length is the true Opinion ? fd.ibid. That Purgatory is onely for them that die with Venial Sins, or that

depart, Cum ream poena, cnlpis fuis remits. This is crabbed Lattine, you will pardon me, if I cannot ftreight Englifh it, I was aImofl tumbled before at Venial fins, but my Author helps me to underftand what Lib. 1. c.i i. he means by them ; finch as are worthy onely of a Temporal pumfiment. ds Fu-gy Thefe are petty kind of fins, but that Notion I pafs over, as like to be examined by a much better hand: That which do's moll: puzzle me is this Reatm Poena, This guilt of Punijhment that remains when the fault is pardoned ; and this Difficulty I think not eafie to get over: For what is Guilt without refpecl to a Fault? and what place has punifiiment after Pardon ?

But this is the beft Account we are like to have of what is to be purged m This Purgatory ; fomepitifull little fins, or fuch that were pardoned before ; in effect I perceive, that perfons that goe thither need only to be a little poliiifd over. They are detained in that Prifon for fome few Farthings, that Chriit. when he payd their debts left on the fcore (alas for Km, he was fo poor ) and for this they and their Friends mull: make a purfe, and fo they may go out; if they have good helpers, that will go Pilgrimages, fay MaiTes, or procure Indulgences for them, they may go out fo much the fooner, but if all lyes upon themfeives, they muit tarry longer; and thank themfeives that by their Bounty they obliged ao body they left behind them to merit a fpeedy Releafe for them; ('tis likely by this to go very hard with poor Folks and Churls) and to fright perfons into a readyer complyance with them, the Grievoufnefs of the puriihment is fet before them, Fire is the bell that can be expected by them, and therein they may lye frying till the Refurreclion, in fome thoufand years fearce making an Expiation. I /# #2r * And k is fpecially remarkable, that perfons are not judged thither.) Fut&* * that, the Fomes of fin may bt wajhedy nor for any-evil habits, that they .

maf.

may be amended^ but purely that their leffcr debts (that Chriit it fecms had forgot, or was not able to difcharge) may by their perfonal PuniJIj-ment, and their living Friends Piety and Prayers y be fully payed.

And thus much for their Notion of Purgatory, as to its Place and Purpofes.

(2) The Second thing to be inquired into is, Whether it is this PopiJJt Puro-atory^ that Paul means by the Fire in our Text ?

For my part I can hardly think it is,* in that I find Paul fuch a ftranger in all his Writings to their Notion of it ^ Venial fins -, Pumflment after Pardon^ Humane Sat if ail ions by tranjlation of ones works to another^ (when indeed no one has half enough for himfelf ) Prayers for the Deadend. the like,whichare Perquifites of their Purgatory,he (good man) feeming utterly unacquainted with.

But he talks of Fire; and there is Fire in their Purgatory ; what then? Are there not many Notions of Fire in Scripture ? is not the Word, the Spirit, Afflictions, frequently fct out Hby it ? This they will not deny; there is no neceflity then of interpreting this Fire by that of Purgatory ; yea there is a great probability of the contrary :

1. In that it is certain, that the whole of Paul's Difcourfe here is a Metaphor, and it is likely that it is metaphorical Fire, that this metaphorical Stubble and metaphorical Builder is in danger of. {

2 . Whereas Fire is twice ufed before, • it is evident, that it is not there to be underltood of Purgatory-Fire, and mud be fo confeffed by them-felves : and therefore it h unlikely having other Fire at hand, he mould run to Purgatory to fetch Fire, unfefs he had been a Difdple of I gnat ins j. that can never kindle Fire enough.

For inftance, of the Fire v. 13. it is faid, that it jljall try every mans

\ whereas Papifts will yield, Purgatory is not for tryal of mens

' V bsj they are tryed aud found flight before any one comes thither;

noi agen, is Purgatory according to them, for every one, the very good

and the verybad come not thither 3 therefore this cannot be underftood

of Purgatory-Fire.

Agen, the Fire whkh in the beginning of our Text is faid to burn fome mens works, is the fame with the Fire that tryed them, for therein Tome are exprefly faid to abide ^ and others to burn.

Moreover, their Purgatory Fire acts on Perfons, this on Works, and fuch works as we cannot imagine how a material Fire mould touch, un-■Iefsit can,as they fay. .comedere fecundas notiones\ for thefe works, as is. clear by the Context, are corrupt Doctrines.,

And what reafon is there in this laft claufe to alter the Notion of Fire-? One would eafily conceive, that the Fire which the Builder efcaped^was. the fame with that which burnt his Works, for we hear of no other that he was in danger by. And if any Fire here fpoke of, mighs be fuppofed to be unieritood

meta-

metaphorically, much more this laft, in that it is brought in with fuch fignal notes of companion, «to »*, yetfo as by Fire.

You fee then, that this Text that looks fai reft for their purpofe of any in all the Book of God, is fo far from a Cogency, that there is notfo -much as a probability of its meaning any fuch thing: Hitherto then we muft be excufed from receiving this Do&rine as an Article of Faith to Lib. i. c. i$. be believed on pain of Damnation, as Bellarmme urges it; for we fee de Fiag. no tolerable grounds to take it up for an Opinion. There is fuch a deal of force to be ufed to thefe worcte, to make them fpeak to the Popifh purpofe, that we may perceive them loth to own it ; and for my part, if they fpeak no plainer, they (hallftandby a while, till we have examined other witnefTes.

f3) Let us enquire, Whether the Word of God does arty where give ground for fuch a Conceit-, with that cogency cfpecialiy, as that we fhould require it as an Article of Faith ?

The principal Texts they ufe either dire<ftly or indirecftly, as tending to this purpofe, I fhail briefly examine.

Gen. 3.24. The firll I am fure they can think on, (and that you will fay is far fetch-

ed,) is Gen. 3. 24. where God is faid to have placed a flaming fword to keep the way of the tree of Life ; this flaming Sword, fay fome of them, was a witnefs to finners, that they muft pafs through Purgatory into Pa-radife.

Anf. If we mind the fcope of the words, that Text rather feems to have fignified, That by the old way of Works there was no entrance into Paradife; for this Sword is faid to be placed to keep the way of the tree of Life, leaf man by eating of it jhruld live for ever • and fo makes rather againtl Purgatory, that feems a part or an Appurtenance of the old way of Works.

But a flaming Sword feemed a good Weapon, and they were willing to take it into their hands : and indeed their great Argument for all their peculiar Articles, has been Fire and Sword.

2 Mice. 12. But to leave this Sword in the Cherubims hand, let us make a leap to

2 Maccab. 12. which is the alone place Bdiamine pitches upon in the Old Teftament, as convincing in this matter; of all others he fpeaks very

Lib.i.c.3. de {lightly, however Fathers have made ufe of them, as if they were fuch,

^ ur i" qu<z folurn probabiliter fuadent, and hereabout I fhall have no controver-

fie with him, I think he has given them their full due. 7 ;-j The place then to be confidered, is 2 Maccab. 12.43, &c. where

Judas Adaccab&M) (as Bellarmine quotes him) is faid to have gathered twelve thoufand drams of Silver, andfent them to Jerufalem, to be laid out in Sacrifices for the dead-, and the glofs of the Author, he addes, That it is a piom and awholfom thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loofedfrom their fins.

Whence he iaferres, 1. That the dead may be loofedfrom their fins,

and

Serra. XXIV. and Dangerous Do&rine. g rc ,

and therefore there is a Purgatory : 2. Thar Prayers and Sacrifices doe profit the dead. Three other Inferences he draws, the leaft of which is, That Purgatory and Prayers for the dead muft needs be an Article of Faith.

This text is their Hercules Club, that knocks all dead : other texts render it but "probable, this it fcems makes it clear and necefTary to be believed, that there is a Purgatory. - j4nf. To this we reply a great many things.

1. As to the matter of facl that is recorded oVjudas, that he did raife a cirtajnfumme of money (thougnnot 12000, but 200 drams, as the Greek Copy reads it) and fent it to Jerufalem to buy Sacrifices, 1 will not difpute againft it, he might doe it, probably did it, and in his circum-ftances had good reafon for it; but that he did it pro mortnis, or for the Relief of the Dead, that is Bellarmincs forgery : the text fayea onely, pro peccatoj for the fin, viz. left being a notorious fin, the Living fhould be plagued for it; and that this was his cafe, appears by v. 42. They prayed that the fin might be blotted out, and Judas exhorted the multitude to keep themfelves dv*p*>?d7Xt, free from the fin , feeing the pumjh-went of them that had committed it ; and this is an Interpretation of his facT, that agrees to the letter of the Text, and the Analogy of

Faith.

2. As for the Authors glofs ( what a piece of piety it is to pray for the dc> d) we are not much concerned in it} for whoever was the Author of it, whether Jafon or his Abbreviator, (as may feem 2 Maccab. 2. 24.) and however good an Hiftorian he was, we own him for no Prophet; -nor did the Church of the Jews ever look upon his Writings as Canonical, asPapifts themfelves confefs; though Bellarmine fayes the Chri- f£ j fP 4 ^ ftian Church did, he gives (lender proof of it: Auftin indeed fayes, It

Was received of the Church not unprofitab'y^ provided it was foberly read\ where he feems to caution againft fome dangerous pafTages in it, by which unwary Readers might.be prejudiced, as much as the more wife profited.

But the Author himfelf acquits us from any veneration of him, by his courting his Readers favour ever and anon, and defires their pardon at 2Macc.2.2:; leaft, if any thing had been faid amifs, which are condefcenfions below 2Macc » 2 ' 2 ^ the Spirit of God, or any Author infpired by it.

3. If this Author had been good, and the Jews there had prayed for the Dead, the Papifts Inference of Purgatory, according to their own principles is weak: For it feems alfo by their Faith, that people may be prayed out of Hell"; though this they will not grant for ordinary, left.it mould fpoyl their Purgatory \ yet two Inftances they very confidently give of it, which fpeaks a potfibility: One of Trajan a bloody perfecutor, upon the Prayers of Gregory ; of which Damafcen fayes, the whole Eaft and Weft were witnefTes: And the other of Falconilla a Pagan Woman, by the prayers of St. Thccla. And if thore was need of

• ^ny

any more fuch fluff, the Scull of a certain Gentile Prieft told Macarius y that its owner was delivered out of Hell by his Prayers; and here is as good Authority, as our Adverfaries will bring by and by for their Purgatory : Though I muft confefs, thefe Inftances, as going again/I the hair, do not over-cleaverly go down ; for though they hugely advance Prayer, they quite race Purgatory; to make up therefore differences Suppl. V { - "i l - between the combatants on each party, Aquino* tells us, ( and he feems ajt..$. to moderate well, like an Angelical Dodor,) That they were not finally

fent to Hell, bi.t according to their m prefcnt merit ; and that probably they were firft raifed to life, and fo repented ere they were tranjlated to Heaven, and alfo that- this was not by common Law^ but fpecial privi-ledge, an Att'as it were of Chancery. But however it was, if one late Penitent, though but one, is thought fufficient to prevent every ones defpair, two fuch instances of damned perfons recovered to grace, are ground enough to encourage Prayer for all the reft.

And if Fathers would make thefe fantaftick arguments Authentick, it-was- eafie to give many that fpeak probably, as if they half believed fuch a thing, as the pofTibility of a deliverance from Hell. Origeh goes a great way beyond us. ; let us hear what Auftin fayes, that they would n J Ht p.^ make their great man for Purgatory; Aquinas denyes not, but that it tfu& ' ^ vas hi s fey^ B §i That Suffrages did profit the dead either for a full oh-

folnticn, or more tolerable damnation: Both which mud referre to their ftate in Hell \ there is ho proper Damnation in Purgatory, and Remifli-on is faid to be granted before they go to Purgatory; onely an imaginary guilt remains there, that may be properly enough purged in an imaginary place, by an imaginary Fire, fuch as (for ought we yet hear of Purgatory) that feems to be.

And thus I conceive the force of this Text is fully enervated, the facl being (he wen to have been mifconftrued, the glofs not duely authorized, and the Inference not firmly grounded.

We muft- now pafs into the New Teftament, and there the mod likely Marth. ia. 22. Texts feem to be Math. 12. 22. where it is faid of the Blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, that it fliall never be forgiven', neither in thisWorld^ nor that which is to come -, hence conclude they, that fome fins are forgiven in the other w r orld, and therefore a Purgatory.

Anf. 1. I deny the Confequence, for according to their Opinion; as you have foreheard, Purgatory is for perfons whofe fins are already forgiven.

2; The Original is, #n wto»-.«m»w, neither in this Age, nor the Age to come; where the prefent Age may lignifie the judaic^ fate, wherein Grace wasftreighter; and the future that of Chrifts Kingdom, wherein it was expected larger. Thus age to come is often took, as probably Hch.6.%. and according to fome -readings, I fa. 9. 6. Chriit. is called in ftead -lafiing Fat her 7 »t$£ ts (Jghkeffa awv*?; the Father of the

But

But if this will not be admitted, 3. Let Matthew interpret himfelf. by what he fayes in the foriiicj verfe, where he tells them without this Exaggeration, that it Jhail m be forgiven; and to omit Fathers, let me only rcferre them to his Brfr ther Mark^j Mark 3. 29. where it is (imply rendred, that he hath never for givenefs, but is in danger of\ or obnoxious to Eternal J- i-tioru w oqzsjv '(x H c ^ T ° v <foSv& both the former Ages are here wrapt up in tne one of Eternity, as it were to correct the Popiih nicety.

AnotherText they make ufc of, h Mat. 5.25,26. where we are ad Mat.$.:$V$& vifed, to agree with our advtrfary quickly, while in the way, left the Advcrfary deliver us to the Judge , and the Judge to the Officer ■, and we be caft into Prifon-, for we flail by no means come out thence, till we have fay'd the utmoftfarthing.

Here alfo Papifts do fee, Venial fins in the Farthings, Humane Satisfactions in the Pay, Purgatory in the Prifon.

But that no fuch things can with any Congruity be hence inferred, you, may obferve,

1. That it is queftionable, whether this is any Parable, or looks any further than the Civil differences between us and our Brother, which we fhould fpeedily take up among our felves, by the common Rule of Equity, and not fuffer needlefly to come before the forenfick Judges, where we may expect utmoft feverity; the Context inclines to this, and fo this Text is expounded by ChryfoftemJTheophylaLl and Hierom.

2. If a Parable; on that account, by the common Rule of the Schools it is not Argumentative, efpecially in an Article of Faith.

3. Its Scope muft be intended, and not every particular word wracked, and that feems to be only this, That we fhould make our Peace with God in this Life, and as foon as we can, in that here we may expect Mercy; whereas, if we put offmatters till we come before Gods Tri-bunal,we (hall be dealt with in all feverity, God will not abate us an Ace then, he will exact the utmoft farthing; he will not then hear of Remifli-on, or Compofition, that we are like to go to eternal perdition \ the Prifon is Hell, and there is no relief from the \jintill^] for the impoffibi-lity of the Condition makes that but a bare Suppofition, and it is all one with never : as to which Refolution of the matter, we have Abettors, fome of the moil: confiderable of the Popifh Doctors, Maldon. in loc. Tolet. in Luc. 12. Janfen. Concord. Evang. • -

A further Text Bellarmine layes great ftrcis upon, is 1 Cor. 15. 29. x Cort x * A f* What flail they doe that are baptised for the dead? if the dead rife not at all, why are they then baptiz.edfor the dead.

This we muft confefs is a difficult place indeed, and has wrefted many great wits ; but Papifts think, that byway of requital as it were, they may wreft it, and by Baptifme understand all their voluntary fervices for the dead, fuppofing hence that they may thereby profit the dead, and

Qji q q confe-

confequently, that there is a Purgatory, wherein they are detained, till by thefe means they are relieved.

Anf i. Their Notion of Baptifm is perfectly new coyned, for though Afflictions which in the Old Teftament are frequently fet out by Waters, are fometimes in the Gofpel couched under this Name of Baptifrr, Mat. 20. 22. yet Prayers, Alms, Sacrifices, and fuch like voluntary fervices. were never ftxexprefTed, nor with any pretence of Reafon can be thereby underflood.

2. If this was granted, Purgatory could not be hence inferred, for this Baptifm whatever it was, referred to the Refurredion of the Body, as a typical reprefentation of that, whereon it is made ufe of, for Confirmation of the Faith of that; whereas Purgatory according to them is onely for the Relief of the Soul , that were we wholly at a lofs for the pofitive meaning of the Text, or fhould we be out in our guefs at it, they could reafonably take no advantage of it; for to whatever it ferves, it ferves not to their purpofe, the Body and its Refurrecftion, and not the Soul and its Purgation being concerned in it, as by the Context clearly appears.

But however, to take Occafion to explain that very puzzling Text:

1. Some referre it to a corrupt Cuftom took up by the Cennthians and Alarcionites, of Baptizing a living perfon imtead of his Friend which was dead, which Paul makes ufe of to their Conviction, without his own approbation. Let this have what weight it will with others, Imuftpro-fefs it little fwayes with me.

2. Others think this Baptifm referres to the warnings that were ufed about the dead, which fhewed hope of their Refurreclion, otherwife why mould they make fuch a doe about the Bodies of them: Of this* Cu;tom we hear fomething Atts 9. 37. but then we mull: take Baptifm here in the middle Voyce, and read the Text, Why do they baptize, or ufe Wajlrinos about the dead. Let this Notion go as far as it will, I know no hurt in it.

3. According to others, Baptifm may be here took for Sufferings, and fo this Claufe may be much the fame with what follows in the next Verfe, Why fland .vce in jeopardy ? Why do we thus expofe our Bodies, if they fhall never be restored to Life ?

Let me adde a Fourth Notion, that takes Baptifm in a literal Sence, and fuppofes an Ordinary Figure of one Number for another, where there is fpeech of the dead; and that the meaning is, If the Dead rife not, what (hall become of us and our Baptifm, that are baptized into J ejus who is dead, for if the dead rife not, as he there fayes, Chriflisnot rifen, and confequently our Gofpel and hope is vain ; and thusbyafmall difpenfation with Grammar, which the Apoltle does not exaclly tye s himfelf to, we have a plain and fafe meaning of this difficult Text • however in regard of its difficulty, I mould judge it very improper, to make it the Balis of any new uncouth Article \ I would rather ufe it for confirmation

firmation of one that was otherwife fufficiently bottomed, and would keep to the Apoftlesfcopein the Application of it, till I had its fuller and furer interpretation ; and that certainly is, to confirm us from fome-thin^ in ufe among us, of the future Refurreclion.

The laft Text 1 (hall mention, that is of any probability, is 1 Pet. 3.19. 1 Pet. $ where Chriit is faid by the Spirit to have gone and preached to the Spirits in Prifotij that were panefimes difobedient in the dayes of Noah.

This Prifon they dream is Purgatory, and it feems that there is preach-mo in it too, but to what purpofe, if there be no repenting or changing of Eftate, as every where Papifls confefs there is not in Purgatory ? and I fuppofe while the Scripture fpcaks of the fo great wickednefs of the world before the Flood, they will not think that the men of that Age went generally to Purgatory, and therefore Chrift might have had but few Auditors, if he had gone thither to have preached to them.

The plain meaning of that Text is, that Chrift by his Spirit in Noah did once preach unto that Generation, whofe Spirits are now in hold as Criminals for their then difobedience, of which preaching of Noah, and the flrivings of this Spirit, we hear, 2 Pet. 2.5. Gen. 6. 3.

But to fuppofe Chrifts perfbnal going into thofe dark Regions, to preach the Gofpel to Spirits fo long departed, is a ridiculous Fable, and deftrudtive even of their own Notion of Purgatory; that reckons the pre-fent Life the Way, the Race, and that hereafter is no opportunity to obtain Grace, but fatisfie Juftice.

Such ftiifts then they are put to, that right or wrong will take upon them to defend a bad caufe j and yet as little as thefe Scriptures I have quoted make for them, and as much as in truth they make againft them, they are their chief Weapons: If I mould mention feveral others, I could propofe no other defign than to fhame them; but it may be they will fay, Doe that if I can; I fhall however forbear, in that it may be an harder task than I am aware, for fome folks have Whores Foreheads, and will not be afhamed.

(4) Let us now briefly confider their Supplementary Argument s\ which ordinarily are from thefe heads.

1. Reafons.

2. Fathers.

3. Councils.

4. Confent of Nations. %. Revelations.

I. Let us hear their ftrong Reafons for a Purgatory, and the firft I Reafins. find to be this:

Firft, In that fome fins are Venial^ and onely worthy of a temporal Pu- Be u # j e PiiY g % nifimtnt-i audit is Jojfibk a manmay depart out of this Life onely wthcai.Li.

Qjiqq z thefe

thcfc, T her fore it is neceffary that they foould be purged, and expiated in another. Reafon. Secondly, When Sinners are reconciled to God, the whole Temporal

Punifiment is not alwayes remitted with the Sin, and a man may die before he has difebaraed it, and therefore in the other World he mufi make * it Mp ; and hereon a Purgatory feems neceflary.

And thefe are all the Reafons Bellarmine gives us, butadde what I fhafi confider under the following diitincl: heads ; and by this you'l fee upon what lame legges this great Dodrine ftands: For,

1. We utterly deny any Sin, to be in this fence I^eni&l, having learn'd out of the Scriptures, that the wages of fin, one as well as another, is death, Rom. 6. 23.

2. Though we allow of Fatherly Chaftifements that God layes on his people here, for others example, and their^ own amendment, as a

?v. 3.19. fruit of Love rather than Juitice; we understand nothing of a proper punifhment by way of perfonal Satisfaction that is required of us, when God has pardoned us ; having learnt, that God does Abundantly pardon where he pardons, I fa. 55. 7. and having confidence that Chrift has fully fatisfied, where he has undertook to fatisfie, by one Sacrifice Perfecting for Ever them that are fanclified, Heb. 10. 4. and that there is No condemnation to them that are in Chrift, Rom. 8. I. And we reckon it a'b-fur-d, that we mould be Ioofed in refpecl of our Greater fins, by the fufferings of another, and held for our {lighter Peccadillo's to make fa-trsfacftion in our own perfons; we cannot conceive why Chrift that payd the pounds, mould grudge the pence-, after he has payd our Debt, he fhould fufTer us to lye for Fees. If there was a mectnefs we fhould fmart for any of our fins, one would expect it rather for our^r^r ones • but the Goodnefs that pafTes over them, will not difparage it felftotake notice of little things; but we afTure our felves where it fets on Forgive-nefs, it will make clear work, forgiving iniquity, tranfgrejjion andfin^ that all Glory may be to God.

3. Wefuppofe the wife Providence of God do'sfo far fubferve his Covenant, that no furprizal fhall happen to them int:refted in it, to cut them fhortofthe full benefit of it, and that God will continue them in this Life, tiil he has fitted them for a better ; otherwife David was out in his Notion of Gods Covenant, that reckoned it ordered in all Thino-s and fare, 2 Sam. 23.5. and we are abufed in what we hear of his exacl and accurate Providence, Matth. 10.29, 30. If this be all Bellarmine s Reafon for a Purgatory, to catch thofe of God's people that fhall drop out of his providential hand, that they may not quite fall into Hell, he may content himfelf, God is not fo carelefs of his own matters, or People, as-he would make him; his Fruit drops not off the Tree of its own accord, that there fhould be danger of its falling before it was ripe; but he gathers it in convenient feafon, fo that there is no need of a Purgatory^ wherein it fhould lye mellowing. You fee by what we have

replyed.

replyed in thefe three particulars, how /heightened they are forRca-fon., that they mull extenuate the Defert of Sin, leffen the Merit of Chrift, and reflect on the wife Providence of God, to have any fhew of one ; and I mutt profefs, had I haefitated at the Do&rine of Purgatory before, fuch Reafons as thefe for it, would have confirmed me in the disbelief of it \ 'Tis time to defert that Faith^ where J cannot be a Be-liever^ without being alfo a BUfphemcr.

II. Their Second Argument is from Fathers : As to which I briefly Fathers. reply, that upon Examination I find fome falfe Fathers impofed, others falfly quoted, others falfly applyed to what they never intended, as was -»

eafie to give instances, were they not from other hands fo abundantly mi-niftred.

And further I find, (as is faid of a certain people) that they fell powder to Friend and Foe, whereby a great noyfe is made, and a great fmoak is raifed, in which a man may foon lofe his Religion, but I pity the poor man that is to feek it among them.

And herein I acknowledge God very good to his Church, difcoura-ging her by this Humane uncertainty from pinning her Faith on Man, and directing, her to his infallible Word, on which alone fhe can fafely and reafonably fettle; and fuch an Obfervation I conceive put the Spoufe on that particular Inquifition after Chrift himfelf, Cant. 1. 7^ Tell me^ ( 0 thou whom my Soul loveth, ) where thou feedeft, where thou make ft thy flocks to reft at Noon ; for why (J)ould J be as one that turneth afide (or fitteth Vailed after the manner of Harlots) by the flocks of thy Companions ? That Church that would keep it felf chafte, muft be aware of wanton Shepheards, how it fits down by them, or daltyes with them, and keepclofe to Chrift, that it may be delivered from them; and that Church or Society of men is a Strumpet, that draws a Veyl over its. own Eyes, not caring to diib'nguifh between Chrift and his Companions;. that liftens to every ones Voyce, and receives every ones Embrace; Chrift s jl)eep know his Voyce^ and follow him 1 and a fir anger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the Voyce offtran-gers, Job. 10.4,5. And a Stranger he is, and a ftrange voyce he has, that (peaks not according to what is written, and fo he fhould be looked on by you, Gal. 1. 6,7,8,9.

I fpeak not this to difparage the true Fathers, but I fear, as by the Deut. 34. 6> body. of Aiofes, (if he could have found it, or Michael would have Je- t U( j. 9 . liveredit,) the Devil had adefign ofimpofingupon Ifrael, fo under the x name of divers upright and eminent Fathers, the Deceiver of the Na-tions,and his Prophets,have obtruded upon the World many grofs Super-ftitions and corrupt Doclrines, whereof it is but needfull we fhould take caution, efpecially if there appears to us the Ghoftofan ancient Father, long dead, and hid from former Ages, and raifed by we know not what Inchantments of later Jmpollors, fpeaking things diflbnant to the Analogy of Faith j as is the cafe-in refpeel of divers of thofe Fathers the Papifts

urge-

_

urge us with, as Dyonifius, Clemens, Ephrem, &c. But unfverfally it is a good Rule, to beware of Men, and have your eye to the Word of 2 Tim. 5. 17- God, which is able to inftrucj you to every good work. Councils* III. They pretend alio Councils in the Cafe.

To which pretence I reply, that we find none of Antiquity or Uni-verfality to move us in the matter; nor for ought appears, was it ever induftrioufly handled till the Council of Florence, not much upward of Bell, de Rom. two hundred years, as BeUarmine himfelf feems to grant ; on occafion Pont. lib. 4. of Pope John the 22th. being impeached of Herefie, as believing c ' I4 ' the fleep of all Souls till the general Refurreclion, he plainly tells us,

that he believed fo, while it was law full for him fo to doe without danger of Herefie, for the Church had 'not then defined what in that cafe was -to be believed. .And consequently the divifion of our dead Saints into "thofe in Heaven and in Purgatory, even according to him, was not determined in any antecedent Council; and we are not moved by an Article of Faith that is fo novel ; our Creed was compleated ioco years fmce, whereas it feems this great Article of Purgatory is not of 300 years (landing ; for before then we might fafely have believed all Souls quiet enough. And the truth of it is, this Opinion did prevail, as an Opinion, among feveral of the Ancients, and was probably the true foundation of thofe Footfteps of Superitition that we find among them in reference to the Dead } yet though this Foundation by the Popifh Church -it felf is raced, the Popifh purgatory, upon the Superftruclure of ftraw that the Ancients laid thereon, is principally founded, as in ail their Trea-tifes of that Subject may be obferved. Confent of IV. The Fourth Argument is, from general Confent of Nations • and Nations. nere Bellarmine reckons up the Hebrews, the Mahumetans, and the

Lib.^depm-£. Heathens.

€ - llt I had expected he would have brought in the Greeks alfo; and it may

be fuppofed he took that for granted, in regard he had quoted fomany of the Greeks Fathers in the former Chapter, that for ought I perceive fpake good Greeks, if that would end a controverfie ; or however, fay our Neetericks, the Greeks differed in this point heretofore, they agreed to it in the Council of Florence ; where the Greeks Emperour Paleologus, and jofeph the Patriarch of Conftantinople, with divers^Greek^Bifhops were prefent-, and gave their confent in the difputed point of Purgatory.

In anfwer to this, I reply only two things, (for I am loth to Iofe the

Grceks,\ muit confefs, being fo confiderable a Body of Chriftians.)

... 1. That Bellarmine does yield the Greeks to befufpecled at leaft of

Depuri t .1. j^ ere f ie in this bufmefs, and the Armenians alfo, and brings in Aquinas

as of his mind; and yet further feeds his fufpition from the proceeding

of the very Council of Florence, whence later Writers would perfwade

us of their being right for the bufmefs.

2. Whatever was done by the Gw^Bifhops in that Synod, the reft

of

C. 2.

of the Greeks Churches difowned when they came home, and interdicted them all Christian Burial for their pains -, and a fatal Council this is Symfm. noted every way to have been to the Greeks, -for in it the Patriarch dyes, prefently after the Emperour, and within fourteen years after, Conjtan-t mo fie is took by the Turks, the Emperours Brother (lain, the Greei^ Empire diflblved, the Chriltians ofthofe parts inflaved, and gave thereby to find their Purgatory in this world.

As to their pretenfion to the Hebrews as being for Purgatory, they have (hewed their proof, 2 Mac. and it is needlefs further to difprove them.

For the Heathen, efpccially the Poets, I think we may grant feveral of them,as Abetters, and I fuppofe Fathers of this profound Notion.

As to the M.ihumetans alfo I will not much difpute, nor wonder if I find Purgatory in their Alcoran, fince Sergim the Monk was one of the Authors of it.

And on recollection* of the whole, this fpecious Argument of Confent of Natians rcfults, in the fweet Harmony of Turks, Papifls, and Heathen Poets -, and like enough, if we would trace them, they agree in more points than this, and herein let them glory on, while we comfort our felves in our redemption from our vain Conv erf at ion received by Tra- . p _ T , 0 ait ion -from our t at hers.

V. 'The Fifth and lad Argument is from Apparitions ; and here I might Apparitions* tell you abundance of pretty ftoryes, were it worth the while.

But as to thefe I mult frankly fay, that if they had been true, (whereas the generality of them fmellof fiction,) and if there had been ten, where we hear onely of one, it would have made this Doctrine more fufpicious \ it feems hereby the intereit of Hell to promote fuch Fancies; Thefe Phantafms, Ghofts, or what elfe you will call them ? were never, as I find, allowed Preachers, nor do any of the Monks record that they lhewed them their Orders, and it is obfervable, they came with different (lories, fome defcribing a Popifh Purgatory, and others as it were a Turkifli Paradife ; but God has directed us to Mofes and the Prophets, Lu ^ l6 > 2 ?» and upbraided inquiring for the Living, of the Dead. So that I look on *&• $• , 9* all of this Nature as diabolical Delufion, and the heeding of fuch things as a great declenfion from God, and the very precipice unto all fuper-ftition. And now let Papifts further brag, that they have not onely Turks and Heathens, but even Hell it felf of their mind:

But we have followed them too far in their Fopperies, let us briefly inquire,

(5) What gro mid there is from Scripture to disbelieve any fuch thing as Purgatory '?

i. The Scriptures mention onely a two-fold State of Perfons depart- Scripture ed this Life, placing fome in Heaven, and others in Hell; and according- b ^y c „q° ly allure the Good by the Hopes of one, and fright the Bad with the p ur g acorv ,

Threats

Threats of the other, never felting before us for Encouragement or Discouragement any Third ftate after this Life; Mat. 16. 16. He that believe th and is baptised, [hall befaved, and be that believeth not, JJjallbe damned : and leaft Sophifters mould except, that he fayes not he fhall prefently be faved, but by the intermediation of Purgatory, we find it elfe where, even in words of the pe/f^expreiTed, J oh. 3. 36. He that btlieveth on the Son 0 hath evcrlafting Life; and on the contrary, the ViYath of God is [aid to abide on him that doth not.

2. The Scripture makes onely a two-fold divifion of Saints, in refpecT of place, dividing the whole family into them on Earth, and them in Heaven y Eph. 3.15. Therefore none that are under his Fatherly Love and Care, can well be fuppofed elfe where.

3. The Saints that undoubtedly knew the mind of God, have not onely been allured themfelves, but have affured one another, that on their bodily death, they Should goe forthwith to Blifs: whence is that, 4o me to dye is gain, I defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, Phil. 1. 21. And agen, 2 Cor. 5. 8. We are confident I fay, and willing rather to be abfent from the Body, andprefent with the Lord; fo the converted Thief expeded and was allured, ( when he had no time to make perfonal Satisfaction, as the PapiitS require) This day ft alt tkoubewithme in Para-difc, not Purgatory ; there to be fure Chrift is not ; and where he is, there you may all along obferve, they expect to be, and that immediately ; Lazarus is no fooner dead, but he is feen in Abrahams bofom, which fure was a place of Reft ; and in general, they are pronounced bleffed that dye in the Lord, as re fling from their labours, Rev. 14. 13. And left this fhould be reftrained to Martyrs, and the former to eminent Saints, {Jack as the Thief for inftance) we hear it, that good men, without ex-

Ifa, $:.T-.2' ception^ are taken hence in pity, that they may be freed from prefent evil, and go to reft after their hard labours; which certainly implyes not, their being caftinto Purgatory-fire, if it be fo fierce efpecially, as it is painted.

4. The Scripture fpeaks of Chrift as having fully Satisfied, and of Believers as being intirely fancTifred, and thereon at peace with God, and as rcjoyeing in hope of the Glory of God, looking on all the Afflictions that remain as flea-bitings, little momentany things, which they would not certainly have fpoke fo contemptibly of, if they had thought they might have layn fome thoufand years in Purgatory-flames: No, they reckoned onely of the Sufferings of the prefent time, not dreaming of any afterwards, but on their Juftif cation by Faith concluded of their Peace with God. And agen, they are fpoken of 'joying in God through

Rem. 8.18. tbeit Lord Jefm Chrift, by whom they had Now received the ytttone-om 'J'ji t ment; they did certainly expecT that God had no after-reckoning for them; their fitting, looi^ on God, fpoke evidently they thought not of further Severities from him.

5. The Scripture fpeaks of God as thrcnghly pardoning upon our

repenting;

repenting \ Ezck. 18. 22; All his Tranfgreffions that he hath commit ted, they flail not be mentioned unto him. Heb. 8. 12. 1 wtllbe mercifull unto their -unrighteoufnefs, and their fins and iniquities I will remember no more } whereas he would remember them with a witnefs, if he fhould throw them into that dark Prifon, till they had made in their own perfons an Expiation, by fuch fuiferings as are not to be parallel'd on Earth.

6. The Scripture fpeaks exprefly of this. Life as our Way and onely working-time, and that in the night of Death no man can works, and J 0 h. 9. 4. moreover, that every man flail receive according to what he hath done in

the Body, 2 Cor. 5.10. He and not another, Done and not fuffered; in the Body, while Soul and Body were together, and not what the Soul mould doe apart ; and indeed, what is done out of the Body, is not the act of the man, andfo can tend neither to his good or hurt, andconfe-quently, what the Stulis fuppofed to fuffer in Purgatory, can no wayes be imagined Expiatory for what was done in the Body, as Papifts them-felves in effect grant, (in denying that there is any Merit) and thereby yield their Purgatory a fantiftical and infignificant thing.

7. And laftly, if there was fuch a diftrefs incident to the Souls of Believers after death, no doubt but God would have appointed fom-ething for their relief; but no Sacrifice do we find under the Law that referres to the dead, or any one Office appointed or performed by any Ancient Saint under that difpenfation, that can probably be applyed to fuch a purpofe ; whereas every Minute cafe was refpected,and from All unclean-nefs carewas taken we might be purged -, but the Dead, God feems willing fhould be deferted, not only by his paffing them over, but charging us, as it were, to make as little adoe as may be about them, we defile our felves by touching of them, and are difcharged thofe poenances that natural Superftition had ingaged the Nations in* in reference to them: Dent. 14. 1. Ton flail not cut your felves, nor n-ahe any baldnefs between your eyes for the dead; and to the fame purpofe more fully, Lev. 19. 27, 28. This care we find taken to prevent much Ceremonie, fuch especially as carryed a fhew of feverity, and feemed likelyeffc (according to the Popifh Notion) to have profited the dead \ but nothing in its fiead does appear instituted for their relief; which file nee freaks, That perfons removed into the other world, are either happy above our Help, or miferable beyond it: The Seventh day under the Law, was the day that Numb. 19.1-perfected their cleanfing, and what was not clean then, we hear not

when it fhould be clean \ by which probably was typified, that the time of Life was the time of Hope, and what was neglected in that term, was not to be repaired unto Eternity.

Thus much for Scriptural Arguments againit, this Doctrine of Purgatory.

But I forefee a fhrewd Cavil, which yet I am afhamed to concern my felf about, it has fo little in it; but on the fame account I might have let all alone. Let us then hear it; Why,

R r r r We

8;o Purgatory a Grounilefs Serm.XXIV.

Cavil. ^ e have brought never a pofitive Scripture, that fayes, There is no

fuch place as Purgatory, and an huge Out-cry is on fuch Occafionsta-

E. w. Fro*. k en U p againft our Negative, way of arguing againft a Do&rine that

^ksV'%. they pofirively profcfs.

***'.. ' Anf. i. This old Father had laid fomething, if he had told us, they had pofitively proved it j but pofitive Profe/ficn without proof (methinks) mould not priviledge any one from anothers as-pofitive Negation? if I may fo phrafe it. And truely on their p:rt it lyes to have given us pofitive and exprefs Scripture for Purgatory, that would-impofe it on us as a pofitive Article of Faith to be believed on pain of Damnation, which how they have quitted themfelves in, may be obferved in the obfcure and impertinent Allegations before inftanced in.

2. It feems abundantly fufficient for ^fufpenfion of Faith , (which is our cafe, J that we fee, and are able to (hew, that there is no Foundation for it, which is that I think he calls our Negative way of Arguing.

3. It feems abfurd to provoke- to pofitive exprefs Scripture againft every particular Chimaera that may come into mens heads, a thoufand y^ears after the Scriptures were writ} for fo, if any man mould afTert, (efpecially if many mould agree to it) that Mahomet is a true Prophet, or that the Moon was a Milftone, or whatever elfe can be fuppofed more unlikely} I am bound to fubfcribe to it, except I can bring particular, pofitive, exprefs Scripture againft it. It has alwayes been the prudence of Law-givers to direct their particular Laws againft Faults in being, left in forbidding all that might be, they might teach fome, that never elfe would have been \ God has walked in the fame wifdom he infufed into them, and it hosfufficed him particularly to condemn what wasparticu-

x larly practiied againft'Faith and good Manners, leaving general Rules for the Tryal of after Emergencies. Yet,

4. In the Scriptures we have quoted, there is that pofitively afferted, that gives us good Foundation pofitively to conclude, that there is no fuch place as Purgatory.

For if Chrift has fully fatisfied, and God fully pardoned, and gave opes! to his people,that on their departure hence, they fhail be immediately glorified, (all which has been fully by pofitive Scriptures prove'd) we may pofitively conclude, that other Satisfactions are not required, rhe Saints (hall not be fo feverely punifhed, nor their Expectations at Mat rate delayed, as in the Doctrine of Purgatory is afferted. And thus we have done with our Dotlrine pofitive.

(6) What evil Confequeuces are there of this TtoQrine of Purgatory, J ie where it is received, and, whereon it fiwiddnot be received t

I have forehinted fome, which I (hall.briefly recapitulate, and adde a rew others.

1. Hereby the Freenefs of Gods Grace is difparaged, and he is repre-r ented an hard Mailer to them that fear him.; contrary to the Notion he

has.

has every where given them of himfelf, and his defi^n of mfinuatir.g intd the good Opinion of them, as one mainly tender over them : Goo make them believe, that he was affliCtedin all their Afflictions, and angr with them that layd an hard blow, or continued an heavy hand upo them, though it was but for feventy years. But in this Doctrine of i } rogatory he is reprefented as of a far other temper; and that when men have done their worft with them, they iriall not fcape fo, but hew have his pennyworths out of them, and a thoufand years exquifiteT ments fhall not fuffice fome of them; which is to dam the good Opinioi his Saints (on his Sons Report) had conceived of him.

2. Hereby the Fulnefs of Chriitsfatisfaclion is denyed, and Faith in him much difcouraged. What confidence indeed can be put in him, if he fhould leave us thus in thejurch, and force us to feck other Friends, when we have moft need of him.

3. Hereby the horrid Nature of Sin is leflened, in that any thing that we can furTer in a little time, or our Friends can doe over and above their own Duty, is reputed a juft fatisfaclion for it, or any the lea t Remainders of it.

4. Hereon Humane works and helps are over advanced, and many a piece of Superftition and Will-wor(hip introduced, and a pack of de-ceitfull Priefts diverted from their proper work with the Livinj, and e cc j, p. 5. vainly occupyed about the Dead, that have no more a portion for ever

in any thing that is done under the Sun.

5. Hence Bad men are lefs carefull to prepare for Death, fince a great part of their bufinefs may be done by other hands when they are gone.

6. Hereon Good men are e'en afraid to dye, for it feems a terrible thing to enter into this Purgatory, where efpecially their coming out depends fo much on mans Sincerity, whom it is hard to tru/lwhen one is gone; and his Reward is come. They that know the difficulty of Believing in Chriir, mufl needs be more {heightened to place any comfortable confidence in a Friers prayers and MafTes, that (if he be faith-full while he live,) lives not for ever to make Intercefiion, or make up his Satisfaction for him.

From all which I conclude, That the Dodrine of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead, as if G . T , n . c thereby their afflicted, tormented Souls could be relieved, is a Cor- c j u f IC ruption of lamentable confequence to the Church, and a pernitiousfnare to Souls.

But fince there is no fuch Thing as a Furgatory after this Life, 1. Let us purge and prepare our felves as much as we can in this Life, making ufe of ChrLts Blood, Spirit and Word to that purpofe, ^ jl ' and freely fubmitting to, and complying with prefent Afflictions in their defign this way, confidering, That Chrifi gave himfelf for us 1 that he

R r r r 2 might

wight redeem m from all iniquity, and purifie nnto himfelf a peculiar people zealous of'good works. Let the fire of holy zeal burn in your breads, fince the Fire of an after-Purgatory, is not like to kindle on your perfons.

2. Let this cut off all vain hopes after death from them that have neglected Salvation-work in life, confidering that there is no relief for them hereafter, but to Hell God will immediately fend them, Pfal. 9. 17. Confider this ye that forget God, and unpreparedly expofe your felves

Pfat 50. 22. j 0 n { s hand, for he will tear you in pieces, and there jhall be none to deliver you ; or yet further to fpeak to you in the Pfalmifls words, Pf 49.6,7,8. They that trufi in their wealth,, and boaft then.felves in the multitude of their Riches, none of them can by any means redeem his Brother, nor otve to God a Ranfom for him -, For the Redemption of their Soul is preciom, and it ceafethfor ever.

3. Let this chafe away needlefs Fears from good people at the point of Death, for when they have drunk that Cup, they (hail tafte no more bitter to all Eternity, Sorrow and flghing fiat! flyaway, and ever lafling Joy pall be upon their heads.

4. Let what has been faid commend the Proteitant Doctrine m denying Purgatory, as aufefull wholforne Doctrine, while we live, and alike comfortable to them that have lived well, and learn'd to rely on Chriit, when they come to dye.

(7) \j&Sy,lct me give the genuine fence of this pi ace, and improve it, and this will force a more particular refpect to the Context.

1. The Builders are generally understood, (in a wayofEminency at leaft) of the Doctors of the Church} though I will not contend, if any fhall comprehend alfo their Difciples that iliall build their Faith upon the Doctrine which they have delivered.

2. The Foundation that is built on by both Builders is fuppofed the fame, The Lord Jefiu Chrifl, fuch as-own him, are as to the main Chri-ftian \ they on all hands are yielded to broach damnable dedrines indeed, that deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1.

3. As to the Materials that are fuperftructed on this Foundation,though fome of our Adverfaries are contentious about them, and will (againil all fence) fuppofe by Gold and Silver to be meant good Works, and by Hay and Stubble Venial fins, ( which is a perverfion of the very fcope of the Text) yet hereabout we are.prctty generally agreed, that at leafl properly andflrflly, the Apoftle fpeaks of Doctrines, and by Gold, Silver, and precious Stones, are meant a Superstructure fuitable to, and worthy of the Foundation, lik? precious Faith, that in the Whole Building there

wt. maybe a proportion: And by Wood, Hay and Stubble, (as Alapide phrafes it ) we underfiand, Dottrina incerta, frivola, pampofa, ph.dzra-ta,euricfa, inut'dis; an uncertain, frivolous, pompous Doctrine, that has more (hew than fubftance.} that is cf a bafe, earthy, rotten, moulding,

perifhirrg

Serm. XXIV. and Dangerous Dottrwe. g^g

perifhing Nature, that is a blemifhto the Foundation, and deftroys the Uniformity of ChriiHan Religion; and makes a meer Nebuchadnezzars Image of it, part Gold, and part Clay; that can never cement or hold long together: And by thefe lail Builders, or rather Dawbers, I under-ftand eminently the Popiflj Dodors; Chrift. they fcem content mould lye for the Foundation, though fome will tell them, it is but a Nominal Chrift that they lay there nether, for the itrefs of their Building islayd on other things, while they make ufe of his Name; and we muft be beholding to our felvcs, and I know not what Saints, for our Salvation, though He bears the Title of car Saviour. Yet grant it, that they make Chrift their Foundation, what incongruity is there between that and their fupentruction ? To in fiance :

Chriit is King\ this they pretend to own, a golden foundation : But pfal. 2. & They muft raign. This in effeft they infer re ; a wooden, dirty, dungy Superftruclion. If you ask wherein they do fo ? I anfwer, (1) In difpen-fing with Chriits Laws, which they do at pleafure. (2) fn making New Laws equally obliging Confcience under pain of Damnation; this they have done with that Arrogance, that we may finde Ten of theirs to One of Chrifts, as will appear by comparing their Voluminous Decretals with his Gofpels, and his Servants Epiitles. And laftly, in taking upon them to Authorize as it were and infurce his Laws, as if they had their binding power, not fo much from Chrifts Inftitution, as the Popes Declaration : nor in this can they pretend Subftitution, unlefs they could fhew us his Commiflion, walked by his Directions, or exprefTed more Subjection. That Scripture, in regard of the Popes Arrogance, both in refpect of Ghriit and his People, may well be applyed (as undoubtedly it belongs) to him ; that as God, he fitteth in the Temple of God^ftiewing bimfilf that he is God, 2 ThefT. 2. 4.

Agen, Chri \ is Prophet ; a good Foundation \ But we muft ultimately hear and heed the Pope; a ftrawy fuperftruction, and a perfect degrading of Chriit by implication; fee whether we bring againft them a wrongfull accufation : Things are not to be believed becanfe Chrift faid them, but becanfe the Church of Rome avouches them ; the very Scriptures themfclves,and every particular Article of Faith, according to them, have their Credibility, not from any character that Chrift has put upon them, or Seal that he hasfet to them, but as the Church votes them, fo we muft believe of them : This is more notorious than that we mould need to bring in particular Authors of theirs; and what is the meaning of this, but while they give Chrifk the Name, to ufurp to themfclves the Office of inftructing and inlightening the world; it may be no Here fie to disbelieve what Chrift has faid^ as was fore-noted in the intrance of Pope John 22th; but he that fufpends Faith to anything, or dares think contrary to what the Pope (forfooth) and his Council have inftamp-ed with their Authority, he is an intolerable Heretick, and fit onely for Hell.

Once more, They will not ftand with us about Chrilts being Priefi^ wherein they feem to own the Foundation 0 but ftreight joyn with him fuch a frye of their Sacnficuli, as if they much doubted his fufficiency ; hence aifo weare taught by them to multiply Sacrifices as well as Priefts, Hcb. io. 14. as if he had not by that one he offered, for ever perfected them that believe y we are put on perfonal Satisfactions, directed to others Inter-cemons, all wayes are devifed to affront him in this Office, while they pretend to own him.

And by what in thefe particulars has been inftanced, is evidenced what it is to rear a ftrawy Super^lruclion on this golden Foundation, wherein the Papifts of all men are no.torioufly guilty.

4. By the Day that fhall declare every mans work, the Papifts will have meant, asin their Tranflation is read, the Day of the Lord0 by which fome of them underftand the Day of the general Judgement • though others will admit a more particular Judgement, and with good Reafon , for if good and bad works were not declared till the day of theuniverfai Judgement, and the fiery Tribulation of that day, the Fire of Purgatory would go quite out, for there would be no place for that: But it is confefTed on all hands, that the generality of Greeks Copyes, read onely the Day, not the Day of the Lord', and that it is not Ixwhc^ n v\yk%£\ as that great Day is wont to be expreffed, but onely, n npfity; Therefore hereby I am inclined to understand fome brighter feafon of the Gofpel, and day, in refpecl of its Light, to diitinguim it-from the former times, which were a kind of Night, wherein thofe Myits had arofe, that the Light and Heat of this Day mould fcatter and chafe -, according as was foretold, iThcJf.z.S. That this wicked one fliouldbe revealed, and that the Lord foould con fume-him with the S fir it of his Mouth, and dfftroy him with the brightnefs of his coming, which word we find has been regarded, and that wicked one and his Works ( however by the advantage of former darknefs he and they were concealed) have begun to be revealed, confumed, and we hope, as the day grows brighter, to fee utterly deltroyed. For as the Day growes in Light, we may expe<ft - it to increafe in Heat, that it (hall be tormenting, through its violent fcorching, to them that for their evil and odious works have alwayes affected darknefs andfhadt, Rev. 16. 8,9.

5. We are hereby lead further into the under ft anding of the Fire after mentioned, as a Concomitant of this day, wherein every mans work, that is, Words and Faith, fhould be tryed, all adulterate works con-fumed, and fuch like workers damaged and greatly endangered ; and this Fire I under/land partly of the Word of God, which I findfoex-preffed, Jer. 23. 29.' Is not my Word like Fire ? and fo acting, Jcr. 20. 9. His Word in my heart was as a burning Fire,Jhut up in my Bones; partly I underdand it of the Spirit, that mail blow up this Word, and a&uate ituntqa greater vigour, making it to burn fiercer, as Bellowes doe in-rage our ordinary fire, to which there feems an allufion, I fa, 30.33- the

breath

%

Serm. XXIV. and Dangerous Docirhft. L

breath of the Lor alike a flream of Brimflvne doth kindle it ; and in regard of the inflamations that are made in the Heart by the Spirits enforcing the Word, it may be called a Spirit of Burning, 1fa. 4. 4. And yet further I conceive, great and grievous Tribulation's may be a third ingredient of this fire, and all to make it yet fiercer and fiercer, that it may be effective for the various purpofes for which it is fent, probation, purgation, or confumption, according to the plyablencfs or obiri-nacy of the Objects it.meets with.

When this fire mail be kindled, and at this rate quickened, true and fatfe Doctrine (hall be diilinguifhed, the one cleared, and the other condemned ; and fo each mans works manifelled.

This premifed, what remains is eafily explained.

His Work may be faid to abide, whofe Doctrine fhall be approved, and he fhall receive a reward; prefent, in the further fatisfaction of mind he fhaft receive by the Spirits confirmation and confolation of him, as to what he has preached, profefTed, or believed ; and future, in the peculiar Glory he may expect, as having found Grace to be faithfull in all times : This John exhorts the Elect Lady to look to, that both he and fhe might receive a fill reward, 2fohnS.

7. His Works are faid to be burnt, that yields to the burning Light of that day, that fubmitsto the Convictions of the Spirit, and quits his former Errours ; fo Chritt. is faid to ume to dejlroy the workj of the Devil, by the rnanifcft.aipn of hwfelf, 1 J oh. 3.8. That is, to burn them, as

here, with the brightnefs of his coming -, and fo the Sons of Levi were wj. 2. 2 2. purified; by his burning up their drofs, and leaving them thereby a pure mafs; it is, I'm furc, no uncouth Notion we give you, when we interpret this burning of their works, by a purification that fhall pais upon the Builders, in their feparatioii and confumption, through the Spirits efficacious and clear Conviction. But,

8. How is the Builder hereon faid to fuffcr lofs t It may feem his Gain.

Anf. Yea, and it will prove fo, as LofTes often doe, even as the Mariner accounts it, when by the lofs of his Lumber he faves his Treafure, by the lofs of his Goods he faves his Ship, by the lofs of his Ship he faves his Life; But whatever he does gain, Lofs ftill he is reckoned to fuftain. So in the prefent Cafe, he that on the Spirits Conviction quits his former Errours, gets the knowledge of the Truth, gets Favour with God, which are far better things than what he has parted with. Yet inafmuch as thefe things might have been eafier and cheaper had, than (it may be) he comes by the*m, and in that by a kind of force, as in a Fire or Shipwrack, to fave himfelf he parts with them ; they may bear the Name of a Lofs, as Paul reckons the parting with his Rightcoufnefs, though it was in order to the winning of Chrift, Phil. 3. 7,8. Thofe things that were gain to me, 1 counted lofs, yea donhtlefs, J count a[l lofs, I bnve fujfered the fofsof all things, &?> .

Arid .

83 6 Purgatory a GroundUfs Serm. XXIV.

And in the prefcnt cafe, whenever thefe refufe-works are burnt, we may reckon up fome Lofs, as (may be) the lofs of Time, the lofs of Labour, the lofs of Reputation, the lofs of Preferment, the lofs of Life; fo fome have found in quitting their corrupt Opinions, but the pro-mife is, He that lofetb his Life for my Name, flail find it 7 Matth. 10. 39.

o. From hence naturally refults the interpretation of our Text, [_But he himfelf flail be faved, yet fo as by Fire,~\ that is, by. yielding to thefe Convictions, and quitting his falfe Opinions, even as when a mans Houfeison fire, if he leaves his Goods, leaps out of the Window, and hafles away, he may favehis own perfon with the lofs of the Reft \ but if he obflinately refill the fire, in zeal to fave his Subftance, he may perifti himfelf: In like manner, if when this Spiritual Fire do's fall from Heaven upon our fpiritual Hay and Stubble, we furTer it to prey thereupon, and content our felves to efcape with our own Lives, giving up thefe Idols of our Hearts, and inclining our felves to embrace Gods Revealed Truths, we may fave our Souls with fome little fcorching. But if we go about to quench this Fire, and fupprefs its Light, with refolu-tion to fave this pitifull fluff; we may poflibly preferve that, but more « than hazard the everlafling burning of our own Souls by it. For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againfi all ungodlmefs and nnrighte-eufnefs of men, who hold the Truth in unrighteoufnefs ; and to them that are contention* 3 and obey not the Truth, but obey 'Unrighteoufnefs^ indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguifl will God repay on every Soul of them.

And this I fuppofe is the genuine meaning of the place. Ob]. But our Adverfaries will be asking, What Pope, what Council fayesfo? by what Authority will we inforce their receiving of this fence ? . jinf. To which I anfwer in two particulars :

1. I note the Commentaries of Popes and Councils, however good

they be at it, are very rare things, and come not to every ones hands;

one may guefs them choyfe Jewels, that they keep them fo clofc ; though

they are a fpightfull fort of Folks, if they onely know the Mind of God,

that they fo rarely apply themfelvcs to open the Word of God.

• 2.I fuppofe there is Authority in the Textfufficient to bow our Minds

to read it with meeknefsj and without prejudice; and being confident

of this, I am lefs folicitous for the Authority of the Comment. For in

our giving the fence of Scripture, we pretend not to have dominion over

* any ones Faith, that we fhould come with Serjeants and Bailiffs to arreft

any ones confent without his due conviction to it but it fuffices us to

propofe with Fidelity, what on our beft fearch and moll ferious prayer,

feems likelyefl to be the mind of God, and commend our felves and

fence to every mans Confcience in the fight of God0 and he that hath an

Eye to fee, let him fee 7 but he that will flutter out all the light that is

brought

Serm. XXIV. . and Dangerous Doctrine. _ £;7

brought to him, becaufe it is not fct on a Candlc-ilick tint likes him, let him lie in darknefs, if he affe&s it • but let him think of the blackn of darknefs that may be referved for him, as' a juft puniftiment defpight of Light. This has been thought 4 meet Recommence fur flich ^ '■ Err our.

Briefly then, aslpromifed, to improve this genuine fence, rmprorc-

1. By way of £.v/?^/o»ofProteJi:ants Charity, wherein Papifts much , gloryrEven Wc,fay they,ho\d that they may be favedjWc doe.butobfervc in what Cafes : 1. In cafe of 'invincible Ignorance -, and thus we hope well of many a devout Soul that dyed in their Communion, in the night of Popery, and had not Means or Opportunityes to know better -, their walking in all known Duty, and Repenting even of unknown iniquity, might commend them to Gods infinite mercy; but (till this is onely our Charity, a Relyance on which, except we had better Judgements than they think we have, makes not for their fafety. 2. In cafe of their Reformation in complyance with after conviclion -, and thus wehaveiike hope of Turks and Pagans, and this I am apt to think is almoft generally expected, fince the day of Gofpel Light has begun to dawn, and much more as it grows brighter and brighter, and its beams dart hotter and hotter upon their Confciences : Let the Learned of themefpecialiy look to it, for however it goe with the Ampler fort, that are fo of Ne-ceflity, they will harcHy efcape, Perfons and Works too; but if they abide together, now the day of the Lord is begun, and his Fire goes forth, they are like to be burnt up, and perifh together. And it is not cur Charity, nor (may be J Gods Mercy, that will relieve them, while Chriirs Merit, in defpight of all the Conviclions of his Spirit, is thus flighted by them. '

2. By way of Call to ingenuous Papifts,. to clofe with this way that is difcovered for their Salvation, by quitting their ftrawy and wooden Superftruclions, and giving up all their vain Inventions to their fir ft Conviction •, I would not have them prevent it, nor delay upon it; it is dangerous abiding in Babylon,when it is day, retaining the works of darknefs, when it is light ; when you do hear Gods Call, (and hearken for it) Come out from among ft them, left ye partake of their Plagues : or to ap- R ? ply what was faidto Lot, Gen, 19. 17. Efcape for your l<fc, looi^mt behindyou, neither flay in all the plain, efcape to the Mountains, lcjiyqj$

be confuted.

3. By way of Caution to unw r ary Proteilants, that (may be) hold the Foundation; look alfo to the Superitruclionj take heed of itrange an'i uncouth Opinions, and when you have imbibed them, be not over-tenacious of them, but give them up Itreight to Convicftion, and itand not on the lofsof Reputation, the quitting them may be the onely means of thy Salvation. For though there may feem no great evil in thy Opinion, thy obftinacy in adhering to it, when fufficient Light is given to fee the

Sfff folly

j

folly of it, may in continuance become the Sin againil the Holy Ghoft, that will never be forgiven.

Conclufion. To conclude, I read, Att. 19. 19, 20. Of many that had ufed curious Arts, which brought their Books together, and burnt them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thoufand pieces of Silver, fo mightily grew the Word of Cod, and prevailed. A remarkable inftance indeed of the power of the Word : That Scholars fhould be wrought on to burn their Books, their Books of curious Arts, that got them probably their Credit -, their Books of fuch a value. And the truth on't is, to accommodate our prefent cafe hereto; mens own Notions and Fancies are dear to them, when no outward advantage follows them, [_ Qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit, ] but much more when their Intereits are twifted with them.: Yetmethinks, their Souls (hould be much more precious; and for their fakes, I befeech ail concerned in the former charge of foelifij. Builders, that they cad away their Idols of Silver and of Gold, to the Bats and to the Moles , ai&U befeech God in the behalf of Rome, and all that partake with it in IS unmeet and unworthy Superdructions, though on the common Foundation; that on the warm Application of the Word, they may feparate from their workj, led as the fire grows hotter, they be confumed with them. A blefTed Bonfire it would be, to fee their Works all burning, and therein blef-fed, as it would tend to their Souls faving. But oh! my heart mif-gives me; if Gods Word fo far prevail for their Conviction, what means that crackling Noyfe I hear, of Fire .and Brimftone prepared for their • Deftruclion ? Rev. ij. 16. & ch. 18. v. 8.

Ceafe frighting one another with your Purgatory flames, that are but imaginary • and fly the Fire of Gods Wrath, kindled at his Jealoufie, that is like to prey upon you unto all Eternity.

SER-

SERMON XXV.

The Vifibility of the True Church.

Matth. XVI. 18.

And I fay alfo unto thee, that thou art Petei\, and upon this Roch^ I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell pall not prevail againji it.

OUR BlefledLord being within the Territories of C&farea Phi-/*'pp*(neer Lebanon and the Fountains of Jor^tf, where Philip the Tetrarch of Ituraa and Trachonitis had his Royal Seat or Throne) was pleafed to put two Queftions to his Difciples; i. Whom did men commonly fuppofe him to be ? 2. Whom more efpecially did they judge and acknowledge him? To this demand, Peter in the (a) a Petrus ex name of the reit ( for our Lord propounded the queilion to them all) re- perfina omnium

plies and confefTes him to be the true MejUah, the Son of the living jP^ohrum^ r , JJ ° &c. Hieron. m

God. ~ ^ ] oc# Tom. j.

Upon this glorious ConfciTion, our Lord and Saviour, p. 30.

1. Pronounces a heavenly blemngto Peter, v. ij.

2. Acquaints him and the reft prefent, that upon himfelf whom he had confefTed to be the Son of the Irving God, not only Peter, but his whole Church mould be firmly built, 'v. 18.

3. He makes a Promife to him and the reft, of Minifterialpower, v. 19. which he performed unto all, when he breathed on them the Holy Ghoft, Jch. 20.22,23.

In the 18 th verfe, befidesthe Preface \_And 1 fay alfo unto theef\ we have three principal parts.

I. Encomium Petri, or a Laudatory Testimony, bef? owed upon Pe-ur 3 and in him, upon all, of .whom he had demanded anfwer j Thou art

Sfff2 Peter,

:

Peter, &c. In which our Lord does not nowfirfi give him that Name,

for that was done before, fok, 1.42. where our Lord told him, that

thenceforth he mould be called Cephas or Peter (which is by Interpreta-

Gcn. 17. $• tton a icone) as God of Old had declared concerning the name of Abra-

* 2 ' :3 ' ham and Ifrael, and as EU&abeth about the Name of her Son John.

fjiJ^RhcK {a this denomination of Peter, there is amanifeft allufion to the foliow-

Tfaa,i,c>ti ~. j n g worc j Sj by an elegant Paranomafia or mfeuniMiaw. Thou art Peter ,

whom I have formerly called <by the n^me of a Stone, to note thy being

built upon that Foundation-ftone, that Rock of Ages whom the Father

hath layd in Zicn..

II. A Declaration of our Lord concerning his Church* which he compiles to a Houfe, Palace, or City, wherein obfenre*

t. The Foundation of this Building, On this fiffii, rcprefenting him whom thou hall: confefs'd.

2, The Architect, / mil. build.

3, The Edifice, My Church. Not any particular Church exclufive to others ; but the whole Church Cathohck. This Text affigns no diploma or Priviledge to the Church of Jemfalem, Amiochy Conftantwoyle, Car-thagc, or ancient Rome, or any other particular Church, otherwife than as parts, and parcels of the whole Church; or as there may have been found in them, fuch as by lively Faith and found Doctrine were built upon Chrift,: the onely true and living Rock, the fure and precious Foundation of his Church. As to the timeing of the Verb: I mil build, that no way excludes the ancient Fathers before our Lords Incarnation, who

~kb. 11. 15. all dyed in Faith, and without whom we are not made perfect; but notes v.crf.. 4®. the* continuation of this divine work in building up the Church, till the

Top-itone be laid: in the end of the World, with Acclamations of Grace.

It pre-fignifies the enlargement of the Church among the Gentiles, by

the Miniirerial Edification of the Apoftles, according to that famous 2&cb. 6.12,15. Prophecy in Zechary, of the latter times, when they that are afar off,

mall come and build in the Temple of the Lord, confonant to the tenor

of the whole New Teftament.

III. The Perennity or Perpetuity of the Church. Our Lord addesa Promife as ftrong as the Foundation itfelf, for the Mouth of the Lord

_rP'£t. 3.10. hathfpoken it-. That his Church (hall be wonHmentum are ferenmus, more durable than Heaven and Earth: for they (hallpafs away with great Noyfe, the Elements melt, the Earth, and the works therein fliall'

■ _ be burnt up: The Foundations of the Earthly Mountains may be fet on,

fire : JEtna,' Vefwoim and Heclamzy vomit out their burning bowels.

/>SqT1 Z2 ^ 6t The Channels of the Sea may appear, and the inmoft Caverns of the

World be difcov.ered ; nay the foundations of Heaven may be moved,,

7-srf. S. and make, and its. Pillars tremble, when God'is wroth : But the Church

of God fttall perfiit and endure againftall aflaults, againfl: all oppofiti-

ons. imaginable. For 'tis his Church, again!! whom all created power is

(& 5# -ft but. weaknefs r their machinations and contrivements a thoufand times

more

more frail than the moit delicate and tender Web of a Spider. The

Waves that foam againlUhis Rock, dafh themfelves in pieces, and (as Hof.io. 7.

the Prophet elegantly,) they are cut oiYas Foam upon the Water, as

Bubbles (pufft up with fwclling Pride aud Animofity again!!: the Church)

fuddenly fubfHe, and (brink into the bo feme of their primitive%atcr.

The Gates of Hell (hall never prevail again't it. The glorious Building

of the Church, afTaulted it may be and ihall be, but prevailed upon or

demolilht, never. Like Mount Zion (he (hall never be moved5 nay, Pfal.125. 1.

me cannot be moved, for the Higheft himfelf hath eftabliflVd her, there's pfoj. g-5 .

her inward (lability: And as to the repelling of all external force and

fury, as the Mountains are roitnd about Jerufaltm, fo the Lord is round ^ 12 5 2 *

about his people for ever. The Church (hall never be extirpated out of the

World. The Rain may defcend, the Floods ruth, and the Winds roar

and beat upon thisHoufe; but it (lands inviolable againfr. all weathers Mar. 7.25.

and dorms, fork is founded upon the Rock. Enemies may fret awhile,

fume and boyle in the brine of their own Anger, and (like Bpdiesmo-

leftedwith (harp and corrofiv e humours) becomefelf-tormenters, at lait

are emacerated> wafted and diOTo'ved. Tis Wifdomit felf, having hewn Prov I#

out her feven Pillars hath built this Houfe,truely deferving the honourable

name of S. Sophia, (more than that magnificent Structure at C on ft ant i-

nople) the Temple of Sacred Wifdom.

The farther Explication of the words may be referred to the handling of this Pofition or main point deducible out of the bowels of this Text;

That the Lord Jefu$ Chrifl, the Eternal Son of the living Godj is the Cbfcrv.. onely Foundation of his Church, and.the preferver ofits duration in fome meafure vifibly throughout all Ages,

Wherein three things are to be difcuffed, in-.fuch a method as a Textual Sermon may admit.

1. We are to treat of the Church of Chri(t,what it is, and whereof it confifts.

2. Of the Foundation of the Church, that it is .Chrift, and Ghrift onely.

3. Of the Duration and Continuance of the Church upon this glo-rious and ftrong Foundation, in fome ftate of Vifibility through all Ages. Though fometimes it may appear more confpicuous, and fometimes iefs. As the Sun may be fometimes Ecclipfed, and that totally to fome places in the Terreitrial Globe, though in it felf never extinguifht, nor its radiant beams wholly withdrawn from all parts of the Hemifphere at the preciie time of the comple'at interpofure of the Moons body. Sometimes he may be mantled in a Sable Cloud, and that for many dayes together; fometimes he may have driven his Chariot to vifit our Antipodes j fometimes his vifible Diameter is larger, and fometimes letter:, fometimes he warms our Zenith, and fometimes comforts the Antarti^k Pole. Neither

is

J

is the Queen of the Night a lefs fit refemblance, being much more variable in her Phafes and Appearances. Such hath been the Fate of the Church of God: Now direfully Ecclipfed by bloody Perfections, Then fhining out the more illuftrioufly; Now clouded with thick vails of Error and Hfcrefie, Then vigorously conquering by the bright Rayes of Truth. Now dim and dusky by the thick Foggs and Mills of Superftitious Ceremonies, Then more beautifull and Orient in her naked fimplicity, and Apoftolical Luftre; being cloathed with the Sun, and a Crown of Twelve

Rev. 12.1. Stars upon her head.

(1) As to the firil, What the Church of Chrift is f We find it here compared to a Houfe, to a itately Palace, or Princes Manfion, or Caftle of Defence, built upon an impregnable Rock : Nay, 'tis the Houfe of

ilim. 3.15. t h e Living God, typed by that ancient fumptuous Temple of Solomon.

Tfa sfi.' l ' Sometimes 'tis refembled to a City, to the City oi David, founded and

Mfc.4. r. built upon the renowned Mountain oiZion, which fhadowes forth both

VC'46. 1. its Duration and Vifibility. But the Metaphor, as a Vail or a Glafs, be-48.5. ing hid afide; as under the Notion of a quick Rock, we contemplate

Rev. 2U2. tne one ty begotten Son of the Living God, fo by the Regular and well-polifh'd Materials of the fuper-impofed building, we are to under/land

1 Pet. 2. $. the lively Stones mentioned in Peter, which coming to him b^ Faith, are built up into a Spiritual Houfe. Such as compofe tjie Structure of the Church are the adopted Children of God. The learned of the Reformed Churches have a little varied in Expreffions, but agree in the Subltance. That the Church of God is a company of Holy Perfons, chofenof God from Eternity, in Chrift, unto Eternal Life. The Church confi/ts of Men, not of Angels, and therefore muft be Vifible : They are Holy ones, not Hypocrites or profane perfons, who may fometimes thruft. into the Communion of the External Vifible Church. They are fuch, who in Gods due time are called out of the World, by the Miniitry of the Word, and the inward Efficacious Grace of his Spirit. Let's fumme up thefe particulars in that Declaration which the Church of England hath exhibited

^'Homilies of to list.

the Church of Q" The true Church is an Univerfal Congregation or Fellowship of

^'mrf U ^ 0 ^ s f aitn ft^ anc * k' e( ^ P eo PJ e > built upon the Foundation of the Apo-the Sermon " fM es an d Prophets, Jefus Chrift himfeif being the Head corner-Stone. for Whir-Sun- "And it hath alwayes three Notes or Marks, whereby it is known: «V« ic Pure and Sound Doctrine; the Sacraments miniitred according

" to Chrifts Holy Inftitution; and .the right ufeof Ecclefiaitical Difci-" piine. ~]

Upon the particular Branches of this Description, I muft not enlarge, onely acquaint you at prefent, that I fhall here treat of Tome peculiar points, referring to that true real Church of ChriiF whereof our Lord fpeaks in this Text: Such, as being founded upon him by Faith, ce-

* Theft." T2«

Aft. 2d. 18. rnented to him by Love, worfhips him in Spirit and Truth; againft which Joh.4.24. all the Powers of Darknefs fhall never prevail -, but (hall continue fuc-

. ceflively

L .

cefTively throughout all Ages here upon Earth ; fometimes fhining more clearly, otherwhiles more obfeurely, yetalwaycsin fome noeafurcw-fible and difcernible by the marks of true Doctrine, Worfhip and Difci-pline ; and at length fhall be wholly tranflatcd to Eternal Communion with Chrift their mod glorious head in the highelt Heavens.

(2) As to the Foundation of this Church, we afTert that Jefus Chriil is the Rock, the folid and oncly Foundation whereupon 'tis built, which may be demonftrated, 1. Negatively or Exclufively as to all others. 2. Pofitivcly as to Chriil: hiinfelf.

I. Excliifively. No other is, or can be admitted for the Rock or Foundation of the Church. <&7 TOt/77* tu 7ivr<>& On r/w'jfingle, individual Rock will I build my Church. No other can communicate in this high and fu-pereminent Honour.

Ob]. But fome may fay, Does not the Pronoun in the Text relate molt properly to the next Antecedent, Peter } and not to Chrift. Is it not more genuine ?

Anf. 1. This Grammaticifme will not conclude. For, 1. 'Tis commonly otherwife in many other places of Scripture, as Gen. 10.12. Job. GlaJf.Grr.m. 8.4.4. Heb. 12.17. -A®'. 19.5. and particularly, Mat. 26.26. If in Sa€1f M^ .,.7. that Enunciation [_ This is my Body, ] This fhould be referred to bread, 2 ' Cath ' " the immediate Antecedent, then (as the learned obferve) there's an end of their Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation: If they will prelsfuch a Grammatical Nicety upon that as upon this Text. But zdly, Though the Name of Peter be found neereft in words, yet 'tis alfo obferved, that the Per-fon of Chriil: in molt, proper fence and relation ftands nigheft to the Rock upon whom Peter was built, and who had received that Denomination from his Confeflion of the true and living Rock, the Son of God, the Chriil, v. 20.

A. 2. But laying afide that Grammatical contefr, let's fhew, That Peter was not, could not be the Rock whereon the Church is built.

For, 1. Peter was but-a Man. Now no meer man can fuftainthe wrath of an infinite God, or Redeem the Church by his Blood. The Apoftle determines him to be.God, who hath purchased the Church by Act.'20.a& his own blood; and the Author to the He brews declares, that the fame Perfon who had by himfelf purged our fins, is fet down on the right hand fJc ^- *• ?• of the Majefty on high-, the fame to whom the Father fpeaks, Thy VeifcS. throne O God is for ever and ever y that Higb-prieft who is entrcd within the Fail\ that 50?/ ofGodj who is pajfed into the Heavens. Such a one c j^ \I^-became us, who is made higher than the Heavens. Chriil the Head ofch. 7. 25; the Church, who is alfo the Saviour of his Body, and gave himfelf for it j Eph. 5.23.25* who loved as, and wajhed us from our fins in his Blood. He v. 1.5.

2. Peter was a Frail mortal man. But God had his Church, and that built upon this Rock, before ever Peter was born, and continued after his Death and Funeral. God the Father had laid this Foundation, ID^O ID^O, Fimdamentnm lnndatum>> this ftrong Foundation, long 1 ^ 28 *: 1 **

before

before Efays time; which the Chaldee Paraphrafe GlofTes thus*

$_]T).nX-\^J ^pn im ^Q', t kelKin% the Powerful! King, the

ftrong and terrible. 2 And Rabbi Solomon expreflfely, The King Meffiah^

that he may beta Zion a Stone of Munition and flrength,~_ asPetrtu

GalattnA.^ Gatatinui recites out of him and others of the Rabbins. The Prophets

g. 2\* ^ of Old, as well as the Apoftles, built upon this Foundation. Betides,

Ep 2 * 20 * when Peter came upon the Stage, he goes off again; and when Peter

. dyes, mud the Church perifh? The Foundation being gone, the Build- ( ing muft needs tumble, neither does our Lord any where fpeak of, or J promife to any Succeflbrs fo great a Priviledge to ftep into his room, to lye in the Foundation, and to be the fuppofed Atlas of his Church > and were it fo, then Peter perfonal muft be difmifsd.

3. Peter was a finfull man, and that by his own Confeflioh, {_ Depart from me, fori am a finfu'I man, O Lord"} and this was acknowledge,

Mar. 16.22,23. after that our Lord had called him by the name of Peter. Nay more than fo, Peter erred in Faith about the Death and Refurredion of Chrift, and

M 6 our Lord rebuked him fharply, as being under a tentation of Satan ,

nay, he thrice denyed our Lord. But becaufe fome would apply the Promife in the Text, to a Performance after the Refurreclion, the Holy Scripture (as if on purpofe to obviate thefe futilous Objections) fets

Gal. 2. 14. it down that even then he did not h$$n7m££v> hot walk uprightly in the Verfe 11. Gofpel, and Paul withftood him to the face, becaufe he was to be blamed. Shall" we then think, that the Church was founded upon a finfull

Heb. 7. 16. m an ? fince fuch a High-prieft becomes the Church, who is holy, harm-

1 Pet. 1.19. | e f s ^ un defiled,andfeparate from finnersj a Lamb without blemifhand fpot.

4. Peter determines the Point himfelf, and expounds the Prophecy in Efay of Chrift, and he himfelf do&rinally layes down Chrift for the true

1 Pet. 2.4.5. andonely Foundation in the Zion of the Church j difallowed indeed by

6,7. Pharifees and the proud builders of Babel, but approved of God, and

Aft. 2.22. folemnly preach'd by Peter ztjerufalem, and unanimously attefted by

Verr.14. a jj the Apoftles, and recognized for the onely true Foundation of the

CI1.4.11,12. ch urcn> yj[\] any then, that fo admire and adore Peter for their own

ends, yet dare to gainfay him to the face, and force him into the Foua-

dation, fo flatly againft himfelf?

5. Peter asmeer Peter, could never viclorioufly grapple wkh the AfTaults of Satan; he had been finally and fatally foiled, had not Chrift prayed, had not this Rock fuftained him. The Church mull have a Foundation againft which all the Gates of Hell can never prevail, and which infufes Vertue and invincible confiftency into the Building it felf; as if a quick and living Rock mould infpire and breathe into the ftones of a Palace fixt upon it, fome of thofe Mineral Eradiations wherewith it felf is endued, to preferve it from mouldering and turning into duft. The Church muft have a vital and quickening Foundation, that it may not Eph 2.21. only fta#d againft impetuous windes, but be a growing Temple, and increase

creafe with the Incrcafc of God. The Church hath fuch potent, fubtle, Col. 2. 19. and furious Enemies, that (he needs ftrength from the mighty God of Gci Jacob-, the Shepherd, the Stone of Ifiael] oncthatisftronger than that Luk. 11.21,2a, infernal ftrong man armed • a Lion of the Tribe of Judab, that can tear Rev. 5.5. that Lion of Hell in pieces.

Since then Peter was but a meer man, a frail, mortal man, a fixfull man, weak and impotent to refill the Powers of Darknefs, and one that abfo-lutely rejects any fuch honour from himfelf or any other, as abhorring fuch derogation from the Glory of his and our molt blefTed Saviour 5 let's inferre that [this RockS] in the Text, can in no wife be meant of Pete r, or any other of the Apoftles. And that this was the fence of the ancient Church, I might abundantly prove; let it fuffice to recite but two or three teitimonies.

Cbryfojiom on this Text, Vf on this Rocl^ expounds it nm^j tn m?i chtrf«fim 9 tom 7t;V ouoKoyi&z on the Faith of ConfefTion, i. e. upon Chrift, in whom thou \ t ? m^ A ' believe!!, and whom thou hail confefTed. And let Chryfoftom explain UL in H omii. r. himfelf: " £» wWy &n 71* Yltfgo), uts y& 6fa tw etK-3-^Tw, dh?C &n tyv 7n$iv n/\v :n P« rr ec<fh Icwto iwhweur aMfb^m He [aid not upon Peter, for he did not build * 0,n ,p 9 ' 9 ' bis Church upon a Man, but upon the Faith of himfelf . ~]

In like manner Ambrofe, or his Contemporary, upon the 2 d of the '£$$'p^hli:' Ephefians, citing this Text, [ Super if am Petram, hoc eft, in hie Cat ho- Edu - p < rJ "> 6? -lic& Fidei Confeffione ftatue fideles advitam."} Vpon this Rock^, that is, upon this ConfefTion of the Catholick Faith, do I fix, fettle or build Believers unto Salvation. But of all, none more clear than Auftm, in his ..- in Sermons upon Matthew ; £ Super banc Petram quam confejfus es, i. e. Matifc scrm.i^ fuper meipfum 1 7 ilium Dei vivi, &c fuper Me adificabo TV, non Me ftp er l2 nn 'i°r r " 3 8, TV, &c.~\ Upon this Rock whom thou haft confefTed, 1. upon my felf the Son of the Living God, &c. I will build Thee upon Me, not Me upon Thee. Again, in his 124 th Treatife on John, [_ Super banc Petram quam W. Traft - ' J 4. confejfus es, &c. Petra erat Chrift m fuper quod fundame?numetiam ipfe Tom. 9. p.^z. adificattts eft Petnu. ] Upon this Rock which thou haft confefTed, &c. the Rock was Chrift, up >n which Foundation even Peter himfelf was

10. m

built. Again, in his 1 o h Treatife upon the Epiftle of John, \_ Super banc w-Traa Petram, &-c. fuper banc ftdem, fuper id quod ditlum eft, Tu esCbriftm Tom.?, p%4?'. Filim Dei vim, &c. ~] Upon this Rock, &c. upon this Faith, upon that which had been fpoken of ( i. e. by Peter) thou art Chrift the Son of the Living God. So that when Ah ft in or other of the Fathers explain this s° Sixt -2 - '? Rode, by this Faith,-or this ConfefTion, we fee they underftood it Ob- caur 4. qV. c' jecftively of our blefTed Lord, the Son of God. Many more might be IO,co) l8j >~-cited, butlhaften.

Obj. Some have replyed, That though Peter be not the main, principal and efTentiai Foundation of the Church, yet he may be admitted as a Secondary, a Vicarian, a Minifterial Foundation, without detriment to the Honour of Chrift. •

A. 1. I anfwer, this Secondary Foundation, is an abfurd diftinftion,

Tttt and

*

846 7k Viftbiliiy of the true Church. Serm.XXV.

and contrary to the very Nature of a Foundation.- Whatever is laid upon Vtruv.I'.i.c. the Foundation, is a Superstructure or part of the Building. Fitruvim^ 3. & 5. & I. 3. t u c g ranc i Maftdr of Roman Architecture, taught his Rowanifts no, fuch fond language, when he mentions Foundations in three feveral places 5 nor Barbqrtt^ upon him, nor 'Palladim, Let's pafs then from Artificial to the. Metaphorical or Spiritual Buildings, for whofe fupport Scripture fupplies us with no fuch Additions, or Coagmentati; ns with the main Foundation. If any mould urge out qf Paul, that the Ephcfians were Eph. 2. 20. built upon the foundation of the Apoltles and Prophets; itmuftbe underlined of a Doctrinal foundation, not an EfTentiai: for Chrift himfelf is exprerTely there termed the Ccmer-ftone, the a*3s* dz^miduo^ the grand Maflie ftone, that fills up the whole area^ and reaches to all four Vcrfe 21. Corners, on'whcm folcly all the Building, ^a%, the whole Building is fitly framed together. The Apoftles indeed did lay this foundation and 1 Cor. 3.11. no other, and the Ephefian Saints were built upon this foundation of the Apoftles, it e> which the Apoftles did lay, and fo 'tis call'd their foundation, architeclonice, or by a Metonymie. They preaching the Doctrine • of Faith in Chrift, did lay down for the fole Rock this great and fun-K damental point (though rejected of the Jewijh Builders) that there is

Aft.. 4.12, no other Name given under Heaven among men^ whereby we muft be faved.

2. Again, This their fecondary Foundation, (which we fay is Doctrinal onely ) mud: be co-extended to all the Apoflles and Prophets, by the Plumb-line of the fame Text; and therefore their laying of Peter for the onely foundation, though but Secondary, will fink as in the Moorifh ground by Tyber, and will prove no fingle foundation at all; for all the other Apoftles are joynt-heirs of the fame preheminence. 1 Holy Paul, (fpeaking of fuch a Doctrinal foundation,) fayes, that he preach'd the

&cm. K.20. Gofpei where Chrift was not named, left he fhould build on another mans foundation.

3. Hence it appears, that the preaching of the Gofpei of Chrift, is all the Foundation that the Apoftle pretends to, viz., to a Doctrinal laying of Chrift,. as the true foundation of his Church. Paid was but a workman, a Labourer dexteroufly handling his Evangelical Inftruments, and

TsCor. 1-5 10, Peter was no other: Nay, Paul teftifies, that he laboured abundantly,

more than they all, in laying this foundation, and building upon it: for

fo (fayes he) we preach'd, and/0 ye believed. No other Foundation can

3>Coi . - ilt any r,?a7i%y, he fpeaks it-?mw* & 4?nU$@?i both exprefTely and ^ex-

r m cl'ufively, <$£9> to xsyjjfom prti.er quod yzttum vel pofitum eft. ' N© other

V2l !,"« l^l' betides it. UvJiv f£» f^ovv $\pw aJ'Xe**, None between us and Chrift, as

Chryfofiom gloiles it, and proceeds.3 &v y> ymrawn a&cvv, tvfow ArnKKv/Mc^t »

kM 70 iuK^ttrnv* If any thing interpofe between us and Chrift, though in

the leaft, we perjfh prefently.

4. Again,' If Vete* had been any fuch Secondary Foundation, furely @al: r* 12. Haul, who received the Gofpei by the Revelation oijefm Chrift 0 would,

. nay,

nay, muft "have excepted him from the reft of the Apo r r.!cs, or at \:\!\ have conjoyiiwd him with Chnft, and hwc laid (ingle ■■ ?.. . p | immediately upon him. But this is Kaifran Doctrine, and to be found no where but in the fained Acls or Revelation of .P../:/, which Qei % condemned for Apocryphal.

To conclude then, fince our blefTed Lord and Head of the Church hath declared »no Vicegerent, being a Spiritual King, the Son of the Living God, who fearches the Hearts and Reins, and is O-huprcient by his Rev'. 2.2 Divinity, and promifedtobe with his Church in all Ages, byv-.r.uc of his Spirit; He needs no Vice-Roy, has inltituted or appointed ncjne; l * 28 ' 2 '" and Peter exercifed and performed no fuch Office^ but calls himfelf ii/p- 1 fee. 5.1. v$&0v7i§®' J (as 'tis in the Greeks) a Fellow-presbyter^ with fuch as feed the .Flock of Chnft ^ fince Paul and John make all the Apoftles equal in Rcv « 2I « r 4-Preaching, and laying down this Foundation, the Doctrine 4t Faith in Cbrifty the Son of the Living God: Let us then fairly lay Peter afide, without any diminution to his Apoftolical Honour, which we greatly reverence, and look upon him as perfectly equal (pari cenforno^.as gi \* Cyprian fpeaks) with the reft of the holy Apoftles, and let us with ail c , pr< de Adoration and Joy, behold Him, (whofe Shooe-latchet Peter was not SimftPrill worthy to loofe,) as laid by the Father in Zion, and firmly believe in him MtnftLPau*. as the Son of the living God, whom Peter confefs'd to be the Rock, and * e f*ifi?****! preach'd him up in the face of the Elders of Jfrael, for the onely Foun- p. I p3. dation of the Church. Aft ' 0 lu

If Peter then be not the EfTential and Perfonal Foundation of the Church, (which were Blafphemy to alTert:,) if the Secondary Foundation be a Nullity, Then down falls all the pratended SuccciTors of Peter, whether at Cafarea in Paleftine, or Antioch in Syria, or any of the Cities of Pont us zndlefter Aft a ; much more their wooden Seat at Rows (as Baronius fhapes it) A, 45. n, 11. as the furtheft, fo the weakeft' pretenders to fucceed the Apoille of the CircMuncifiom Nay although it Gal 2.7,$. were granted that he were at Rome, which fome Learned men ftirHy deny -, though he might fufler at Rome, whi'ch others out of Jeritu and Lyra infinuate to be a mifinformation, and that he was crucified by the Jews -, Thefe things impair not our caufe 7 fmce Peter had no more pOw • er than any other of the Apoftlcs, and therefore could tranfmit no more* to his fuppofed SuccefTors. For'tis a ftated Rule in their own Canon-Law, Nemo plus juris m a! inn? transfer t, tftumfihicowpciit \ None can p.. \ u ..s 79 transferre that to another, which he hath not himfelf: And that other -. Decretal for a SuccefTor, Is qui in yas ftuccedit alterim-, eo \nre, quo xlle, uti debebit, I > He that fucceeds in anothers Right, muft content himfelf with the Right Keg. 46 of his PredeceiTor.

II. Pefitively. That Chrifl our holy and blcfled Redeemer, is the onely True and Real Foundation and Reck of the Church. Other foun-dation can 1:0 man is laid, wh:ch is Jefus Chrifl. Pie is iCor. 3. it.

that Elect and, precious Corner-ft one, on which all true Builders doejEfph/L-ao*

T c 11 z aedific

1

sedifie the Church of God. Being rooted and built up in him, and ftabliuV Col. 2.7. ec j j n tne faith. To this, the Apoftle Peter brings in his clear evidence Ifa. 28. 16. To whom , as the Foundation laid of God,_y? coming as living ft ones are 1 Pet. 2. y l4 tf t ti p a fpiritual FJoufe. Parallel to this of a Foundation, is that other

Metaphor of a Head, taken from the Natural Body; In which refpect Rom. 12.5. Chrift is every where declared to be this glorious Head of the Church. i \ V \ l l' 2 ^' & e * s the head of the Churchy and Saviour of the Body. As the Head 13 V'i$. ftrictly conjoynedto the living Body; fo between Chrift and the Church $.23. there is a Sacred and intimate Union. As the Head by the feveral con-Col. 1.18,24. j u gations of the Nerves, propagated from the Brain and fpinal Marrow

derives thofe curious volatile and vital influences, for the acluatin^ of

the feveral fenfes, and for the Rule and Government of the whole Body Heb. 5. 14. j n a }j j ts mo tions : So doth Chrift vivifie and quicken the fpiritual fenfes,

inftruft,<PKde and govern every member of his fpiritual Body the Church.

To confirm this a little, and pafs to the third branch of the Text.

1. God the Father gave Chrift to be head over all to the Church, and Eph.i.21,22. exalted Him far above all Principalities, and hath put all things under Ifa. 28.1 6. His feet. God laid Him in Ziw for a Foundation, and no other: The Pfal. 48.8. Church is the City of God, and he hath eftablijh'd it for ever. It's built Pf. 87. i, 5. U p 0n fo s foundation in the holy Mountains, and the Higheft himfelfwill Pfal. 118 22, eftablifh her. The head-ftone of the corner fixt in Zion is of the Lords

23! doing. And as the Foundation, fo the whole Edifice of the Church is

1 Cor. 3. p. ItyjithfjtM 3w • the building of God.

2. Chrift in the Text-builds his Church upon no other than himfelf, &* 78t>r&i on this Rock^will I build my Churchy and Chrift being the Son

Heb. 3. 3.' 0 f God, is more Honourable than Mofes y becaufe he builds this Houfe of the Church.

3. The Spirit of God fits no other for a Habitation of God, but This Eph.^2.22. Church built upon This Foundation; heincreales no other with divine

and heavenly growth but This.

4. Such a Foundation mult be laid i againft which the gates of Hell fhall never prevail; but Chrift onelyis fucha Foundation. Beciufehe

Toh. 14.19. lives, the Church lives alfo. No meermancan perform this function. Peter falls not finally, becaufe Chrift prayes prevalently; Paul ftands

2 Cor. 12.9. ftoutly againft the buffets of Satan in the Sufficiency ofChrifts Grace Rom 8 27 anc * P° wer - Ariel all the Saints are victorious and triumphant, and more

than conquerours through him who loveththem, and fingthat %fovmw> in his Name, and wave the Imperial Standard, the flag of Triumph, like that of Con ft amine ^ Sub hoc vinces, in the Sacred words of Paul, 1 Cor. 15.57. Thanks be to God y who give•th m the Victory through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Since then God the Father hath laid no other Foundation, and Chrift builds upon no other, and the Spirit Influences and quickens no other; fince no other can fupport and defend the Church: Let's pronounce them bleffed whom God hath joyned, and let none dare to im-pofe or con joy n another, at their Eternal peril. Tis an Idol-foundation

tion of their foolifh brains ; our glorious Lord will not give his Honour to another.

(3.) We are now in view of the Third and laft Branch of the Text; The Duration of the Church of Chrifi, in fomc itate of Vifibility throughout all Ages; fortified by the Promife of Chriit, that the Gates of Hell fhall be fuccetTelefs in their Attempts againit it.

The Church as it is built on Chriit, as far as it coheres and (ticks clofe to this Foundation, by that virtue communicated to it from the intimate connexion with, and union to Chrift, can never be diffolved and .perifh. Neither can external adverfe Power demolifh it, or fecrct Subtlety undermine it, fo as to render it altogether invisible ', and therefore it mult and (hall fo per fill, throughout all Ages. We have here three parts confiderable,

1. The Churches Oppofites; tmkcu''k£* The Gates of Hell, or of Death and Hell. I fhall not dwell upon the Niceties of thefe terms : Let it fuftke, that they fignifiethe infernal Powers of Darknefs, and all that are animated or infpired by them with fubtle counfels, and irritated into cruel Machinations, and warlike Agitations againit. the Church. Not onely open. Perfecutors, but cunning Hereticks do build the Gates of Hell, and difcharge their Artillery again;! the City of God. As Ongen ongen in Hztthi fpake of March n, Bafilides, and Valentmm, thofe ancient Hereticks, \i£\\£l ■ '%/>« Tiihlw (owJbunozty, that they built feveral Gates in the City of Babylon ; fo may we fay of Nero, Trajan, and Dioclcfian, the ancient Perfecutors, they mounted their battering Rammes, and managed the bal-Jifta fulminates, they fhot their enraged Arrowes againft the Church of God, and their followers have been no lefs fedulous, though as unfuc-ceflefull to this very day.

2. The grandia Molimina, their great Undertakings They fhall put forth all their ftrength and policy -, whatever the Lion and Serpent can ' entwine together; what a cunning Julian could contrive, or a fierce Maximiniu execute againft the Church; whatever the wit, malice and power of Earth and Hell, could with moil inflamed rage either enter-prize or atchieve, hith been carryed on to the utmoft, but all in vain.

They imagine a vain thing againil the Lord and his Anointed. The Plal. 2.1, 2. Church like her glorious Head fhall never fee corruption, though all the puiffance of the adverfe City march into the Field againft her. The Egyptian City of Deflruciion (to allude to that in Efay) fhall attempt, } ft-1 9-18-but all (hallprove ineffectual, for the Name of this City is Jehovah- Ezek. 48.35* Sbammah, the- Lord is there. The Ghurch hath been affaulted vi & -arte, by open force and fecret fraud; but no Weapon formed againfv^ 2 " $4* 1 7> Zion fhall finally profper.

3. The Churches Duration-, fhe mud and fhall continue till all the Enemies Arrowes are fpent, their courage daunted, and their City

ruined and laid in afhes. For the Lord will miferably deftroy thofe wic- Mjt 2 MM*« ked men, and our blefled Saviour proves-it out of the- u&h Pfalm. pfa ] # u q m2 2+

For

i

ike Visibility of the True Church. Serin. XXV.

Zech, 12.3-Ban. 2. 34,35

Note 1

Note 2.

pfal. 45. ii; Joh.4.23.

12. 25.

Rev. 14.12.

For the. St one which the Builders refnfid, is become the head of the corner. Whofoever falls upon ffojftone fhaii be broken, and oh whomfo-^ver it falls, it fhall grinde him to powder. This is that burdenfome ftone in Zechary. This is the Stone with Seven Eyes engraven upon it; The Stone cut out of the Mountain, that fhall fill the whole Earth.

For the handling this Third part of the Pofition, the Churches Duration in ail Ages, it's necefTary to know this Church by tliofe' Notes and yp$W&m that have appeared as notable Characters of the true Church in all Ages, againft which the Gates of Hell have fet their principal Batteries, and thereby to evidence and prove its continual Duration and Viability.

Since then, the Church is built upon Chrift, the Rock of Ages • fince Chriit is the onely Head and Bridegroom of the Church, he the onely chief Shepherd, and fince that which makes the intimate Union between Chrift and the Church, is Faith wrought in the Hearts of all the true members by the Spirit of Chrift: This may be one Note:

1. That wherever this Doclrine of J ufife at ion by Faith in Chrifl has been maintain d and (incerely defended, there hath been vifibiy the True Church of Chrift. And it might be amply evinced, that this Heavenly Doctrine hath been conferved in all Ages, againft all the furious AfTaults of its Enemies.

2. Since Jefm Chrift_, the onely Head of the'Church, is her glorious Lord, the Son of the Living God, he ought to be worfiipt by her. He is thy Lord, and worfiip thou him j and this Worfhip muft be performed in Spirit and Truth. But here, becaufe all the three perfons in the Divine EfTence, are one God, I fhall confider this Worfhip, as terminated Objectively in God EfTential ; and fince that this moft Holy and Glorious God, abhorres Idolatry, andworfhippingofhim by Idols, Images, Pictures, or any other Symbol to reprefenthim, or by which, (as helps to Devotion ) to accend and inflame the Heart in Worfhip 5 this may be fet down as another Note of the true Church, which keeps the Commandments of God in point of Worfhip mentioned before, v. 9. And indeed, in refpect to worfhipping of God by Images, confifts the very EfTence and Formality of the Second Commandment. The Firft being de Ob)eclo cultus; That God is the true and onely Object: of Religious Worfhip, the Second is, de modo & mediis.cultis: That God who is exceeding Jealous of his own Glory, detefts and abhorres to be wor-(hip'd by the Intervention of Idols, and to prefentany Adoration before them, though men may excufeit^nd profefs that God is the ultimate term of their Worfhip. But thefe things I muft leave to be more amply infifteduponbyfuch whofe peculiar Province it is'to handle them more distinctly : But,-fo.*-.far 'tis neeeffary here to ufe ar.d improve them ar critical snarkj Mad ^ir^of itb^ftu^; Church; tire onein point of Doctrine

* the other in paint of VV or (hi pui The true Church'of Chriit hath in all times . according to the holy Scrirtur.es 3 . born a Teftimony to thefe two gran

point ...

c

J

Serm.XXV. The Vifibilily of the True Church. ' 5 5 f

points, and I mail endeavour to prove it as to both. There be other points I confefs, and very material, whereby this Truth might be exemplified, but I chofe thefe as Cardinal.

I. For the Point of J uft if cation by Faith.

This particular is befl worded in Scripture Language, to which all mull: adhere. Though mens fentiments may vary in the Explication, yet I think it mod fit to lay it down in the words of holy Paul, indited by the Spirit of God.

That a nan is jufified by Faith, without the Works of the Law : R 0 m. 2.28. They have no Ingredicncy into our Justification before God. If they had, it were not by Grace, andif by Gnce, then it is no more of Works; and Rom. 11.6. this Work of free Grace proceeds on to Salvation it felf. For by Grace E . are ye five d through Faith, and that not of your felves, it is the Gift of God. JSfot of Works, left any \ fiouldboaft. Not by Works of Rig hte- Tic. 3.5,7. oiifnefs which we have done,'%:c. Being justified by his Grace. That which the Apoitle had fet down privatively before, here he fetsitdown negatively, as in that to the Galatians. A man is not juflifiedby the Ga h 2. 16. Works of the"Law, but by the Faith of Jefm Chrift,&£. Now whereas their Cardinal and others, would have Paul to exclude the Works of ^-^-J^M the Ceremonial Law, not the Works of the Moral Law, or the Gofpelj \ . that cannot (land; for then we fhould ftill be justified by Works : But the Apoftle puts Works and Faith in a Diametrical Oppofition ; and after that he himfelf was in a Regenerate Eftate, defired to be found ph jj inChrift, not having his own Righteoufnefs, which is of the Law, but that which is through'the Faith ofChrifl, the Right eoufnefs which is of God by Faith; and that though he were confeious of nothing by himfelf, yet herein he was not justified. Yea that Works done with Faith, iCor. 4.4.-Ex Ratione Operum, upon the account of Works, do not juitifie, as the R/ vet c.ontrov* Apoflle amplifies it in the cafe of Abraham; no nor Faith it felf as a Trah,^.q.\o\\ Work, but~as it apprehends the'Lord Jefus Chrift, and yet the Apoitle P- 25 5« charges Titiu to affirm conftantly, that they which believe in God, muft'be Rom ' 4* care full to maintain good Worlds, for thefe things are good and profi- y n ? V table to wen. They are necefTary to Salvation, though they have not a .formal Ingrediency into our justification. The holy Apoitle profefTes, that Gal. 2. i_, by this Faith in the Son of God he did live,and in this Faith he would dye ; defiring to be found in no other at the appearing of Chrift. This was Phil. 3.9, c the ancient Faith of the Primitive Apo/tolical Church of Chriit, and the good Old Way of the ancient Roman, On this Rock Chrifl: hath built his Church, fc. on himfelf by Faith. This is Artictl^s ftintisatque ca-dentis Ezclefia, The grand Article, w.hich being maintained, the Church L; ' : flburifhes; Being rejected, (he perifhes.

I might here, out of every Age of the Church finceour Lord, produce clear Evidences for this Doctrine of Paul, dictated by the Spirit of God". I might mew its prefervation by the ancient Fathers, and how attested by Tome of the Councels ; by whom it may appear in what.

Cquu--

§5 2 The Viability of the True Church. Seim XXV.

Countries this Apoftolical Doclrine was taught and embraced. By Hillary in France, Ambrofe in Lombardy, Chryfoftom in Syria and Thrace i Jerom in Paleftine, Auftin in Africa, Bafil in iejfer Afia, and many more. But not to fweU the Difcourfe too largely, I (hall onely exhibit two or three Teftimonies in diftant Ages, of Clement, Ambrofe or his Contemporary, and Bernard; after whom this Truth glittered forth in Scuhcu Annai. *e Confeffions of the Waldenfes, in the Docftrine of Wickliffe, and mined Pi'* i. forth mofl glorioufly more and more till the great Reformation ap-

peared.

Let's begin with Clement, who was ovyx&risi &c. contemporary ji>^M^«r. wit j, Peter and PaH ^ ^ as fyifhanitu accounts in his Difcourfe of the voi. i. Edir. Herefie of the Carpocrafians). He in his firft Epiftle to the Corinthians, Pcuv.1622. fpe^s difertly to this point, [} f? iceuffi JiKtutsjueSx ZJi M $%pep&&

Clenuxd Corintb. c*$ia£-, tiwvisiw* » &JtTt!kkt$, h ijflav, cov y^TH^aaa^i^ hi oncnm KO.§<ft'ctt, ctAAa i Edit. Jun. p. J)d f >m<&w J? jfc 7juvrtLS tv$ <i<® diwos o 7rav7Vii^a,izt)^ £s&$ UlKcucoezv. w %.<&> dbta, &$ t«< aawct; r ctiaveov. Apw- J PFtf ^rtf #of jujriped by our Jelves, nor ^ J«r Wifdom, Vnderftanding, Piety, or Works *£&'£ iv* JW<? wrought in Holinefs of Heart; but by Faith, by which God' Omnipotent hath juftified all from the beginning ( of the World,*) unto whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Let Ambrofe fucceed, who flourifh'd at Millane, or whoever was Author of thofe Commentaries, he was coaeval to Damafw, and was much of the fame Age with Ambrofe ; Bellarmin judges him to be, Hilar, Diac. de Script. Eccl. p. 98. And he declares this expreffely on that Rom. 5. 24. Text, Being juftified freely by his Grace : Quia nihil Optrantes, necvi-ambrofe Edit, cem reddentes, fola fide juflificati funt, dono Dei. They are faid to be col'"ill?* f r€e ty V&ifecl, becaufe working nothing, nor rendring any Duty or Service, are juftified by Faith alone; it is the gift of God. And this by Faith alone, he four times repeats in his Expofition upon the fourth Chapter. ' 6fittlm iR cc f Nay Gratian in the third part of the Deere turn cites him thus. Gratia tit con fen-. c.9$. Dei in Baptifr.ate non requirit gemitum, non planclum vel cpw aliquod, Ed-.c. Ro™*. coi. r €e j f 0 } am fidem, cjr omnia vratis condonat. The Grace of God in Bap-we fee Ambrofe tifm requires not Mourning or Lamentation, or any work but Faith a-uiTe^tobTthe l° ne -) anc * ne f^cly'forgives all. Where the new Glofs indeed fet forth-Auchor of the by Greg, i^.fayes, that Gratian took this citation out of the Ordinary commentary Qi 0 f s ^ no t out of Ambrofe himfelf, whofe words on the 11* to the c.i 1 coi. 18^2! Romans are, Nififolam ex cordeprofeffonem, Except a ProfciTion one-Tritbctn. de ty from the Heart'. Which is true; but it feems hereby, that both Strabns script. Ealef. the Author of the Glofs, and Gratian, took the mind of Ambrofe more clearly than thefe new Gloflators.. For before, Ambrofe fpeaks of the Jews, their returning to Faith, and after ufes thefe words, Hocdecrevit ut folam hdemponcret per quam omnia yeccata abolerentur. God decreed this, that he might appoint Faith alone, through which all fins might be aboliflied. So that now we have Ambrofe and Strabm, and their own Gratian, all agreeing in this Doctrine of Faith alone. Here, though

thefe

thefe Commentaries byfomeare not judg'dto be genuine to Ambrofe, yet fince they are cited by Strabm, and the Synod of Paris, A. 825. vao. 655.and Gratian, and urg'd by Romamfls in their own Caufc.they ought not to reject them. For 'tis a Rule in the Canon-Law, Quod pro fe quis in due it, &c. What teftimony any bring for thcmfelvcs, they ought not to reject when brought againft them, Dift. 19. c. fi Romano-rum, However we may put Hillary in his room, m Cart. 8. m Matth. expreflfely. Fides fola jujhficat,That Faith alone juftifies, Ed, Bafd. 1523.

The next (hall be the Teftimony of Bernard, of France, who dyed in Rem. in Cat* the year 115 3. who exprcfles himfelfthus: Tarn validm ad juftifican- tic.Seft^ 22. dum, quam multm ad ignofcendum, Quamobrcm qmfquis pro peccatis 1 ' I3J compunttus efurit & fitit )uftitiam, credat in te qui jufiificas impium, & folam wftificatus per fidem pacem habebit ad Deum. tf He is as pow-£t erfull to juftirle as to multiply pardon. Wherefore, whoever being ife. $5 . 7 . " under compunction for his Sins, hungers and thirfts after Righteouf-cC nefs, let him believe in thee who juftifieft the ungodly, and being jufti-« fied by Faith alone, he (hall have peace with God. And then he proceeds to exhort to Holinefs by eying and following of Chrift. And otherwhere, Credens fola fv&zhominem pojfe falvari, cumdefiderio per- Epift* 77« *• ciptendi Sacramentum, &e. Si mors anticipet,8cc. "Believing that a ! 94' a ' 4C man can be faved by Faith alone, with a defire of receiving the Sacra-<c ment, &c. If Death (hould prevent, &c.

I (hall not expend more time with further Allegations of the Ancients, or any particular difcuflion of thefe, or of that famous Canon of the An.^lB.Juftel-Council of Carthage, or that other of Orange, c. 5. & 6. under Leo 1. HCdd. Can. neither (hall I recite the Teftimony of learned t Bradwardine, ox the Ecc1, A $ XK ' ancient Confeflions of Faith fet forth by the Waldenfes. I might (hew \'ve*'caufi that this Doctrine hath been held by the faithfull, in all Ages, confonant Dei, 1 1.04$. to the Holy Scriptures: Unto which the Church of England hath given P- 392. a full and ample Atteftation, both in her Articles and Homilies: " Who- Canon. 2,6,46, "ever preaches contrary to thefe Articles is to be excommunicated, 5 *• An* 1604* Canones 1571. Tit. Concionatores, p. 20. Which are the Teft and Touchftone of the Soundnefs of the Members of this Church. Of the J■»ftficatiou of Man, the 1 i th Article: "We are accompted Righte- AmcIc , , com: * c ous before God, onely for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jefusp©^ is 6 *- and "Chrift, by-Faith, and not for our own Works or Defervings. Where- p p r ^ td l571 ' " fore that we ar,e juftified by Faith onely, is a moft wholfome Doctrine, u and very full of comfort; as more largely is exprefled in the Homily " of Juftification. If we look then into the Homilies, we finde, that after this Doctrine isafTerted, and proved by Scriptures, andfeveral of Book of H0mHili the Fathers ; it's added, "This faying,that we be juftified by Faith one-»" < h « fe cond "ly, freely and without works, as being unable to deferve our Juftifica-^0" of saivad. 11 tion at Gods hands, &c. and therefore wholly to afcribe the Merit and ° n > g *i'' 4 {»-4< Deferving of our Juftification unto Chrift onely y and his moft precious ,^5, p , 1*,°

Uuuu blood-

u blobd-fhedding. This Faith, the Holy Scripture teacheth: This is the

"ftrong Rock and Foundation of Chriftian Religion. This Doctrine

" all old and ancient Antlers of Chrifts Church do approve : This Do-

u ctrine advanceth and fetteth forth the true glory of Chrift, and bcateth

"down the vain glory of man. This, whomever denyeth, is not to be

"compted for a Chriftian-man, not for a fetter forth of thrifts Glory,

" but for an adversary to Chrift and his Gofpel, and for a fetter forth of

" Mans vain-glory. Bleffed be God for this excellent Sermon of the

Church of England, which all good Chriftians doe ex animo reverence

# 99 \,t m h\t- and embrace. To which a perfon of great Note may well be admitted

ficaaonf ? . J ^c". t0 br ' n g * n a Glofs or Comment. As for [neb as hold with the Church

at the end of his of Rome, that we cannot befaved by Chrift alone, without Works \ they

polity. \6i2. j Q notom iy ly a c i rc le of Conference, hut dircttly deny theFoundati-

?• 5 1 ?* on of Faith ', they hold it not, no not fo much as by a Thred. And again :

That Faith alone juftifieth, by this fpeech we never meant to exclude either

Hope or Charity from' being alwayes joyn'd, as infeparable Mates with

Faith in the Man that is juftified-, or Works from being added as necejfa-

ry Dutyes required at the hands of every juftified man ; but to fliew that

Faith is the onely hand which putteth on Chrift to Juftification. Which

agrees with that known faying : Fides fola juftificat, fed non foluaria.

Faith (lands alone in the Work of Justification, but is alwayes attended

with the fanctifying Fruits and Effects of the Spirit of God. And thus

Ah ft in reconciles Paul and James. Auguft.lib. de diverfis qu&ftiombm,

CoL 599. Tom. 4. 1569. Baf.

Jfift Cone N° w to conclude : What fa yes the Convention at Trent (as Henry

Trih.^hl 6 ^ ^oi France term'dit) to this Scriptural and Apoftolical Doctrine of

the Reformed Churches. Truely, they proceed no higher, than to curfe

Scff.6.Can. f ucn as fay, men are Formally juftified by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift,

i.e. EfTentially, purely, and exclufively -, which they explain in the very

next Canon, and curfe them again, who fhail fay, that men are juftified

by the fole imputation of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, &c. And they curfe

them again Can. 12. that (hall fay, that juftifying Faith is nothing elfe,

than a trufting of the Divine Mercy, forgiving fins for Chrifts fake, &c %

Seff. 14. c. 8. Nay, they tell us, u It becomes the Divine Clemency not to forgive

" us our fins, without any Satisfaction; i. e. of Ours. To which thev

lb, Van. 12. annex a curfing Canon againft fuch as affirm, "That the whole Penalty

c< - is alwayes remitted of God together with the Sin, and that there is no

cc other Satisfaction of Penitents (required) than Faith, by which they

cc apprehend Chrift: to have fttisfied for them. By thefe and the forefaid

• Teftimonies, all may fee what is the Doftrine of Holy Scripture, of the

Primitive times,and the fucceeding Ages of the Church, (which might be

abundantly amplified in Teftimonies,) and what is the Doctrine of the

Reformed Churches, and of ours in particular, and what is the Doctrine

of the Romanics-, how oppofite, how contradictory. But let us defcend

*o a fecond inquiry, and that is about a great point of Worfhip.

II. Con-

II. Concerning the Worfhip of God by Images.

Let us now (hew, that the Church of God, confonant to the Holy Scriptures, hath in all Ages given notable teftunonies again.t Idolatry, and the Worfhip of Images, or of God by Images, as being flatly againit the Second Commandment. As Faith is that Bond and Ligament which unites the true Church and every living Member thereof, to Chrift their Head; fo pure Worfhip is the Honour, and Reverence, and Obedience which the Spoufe of Chrift. renders to her Lord and Husband, who will Ik- 4- 8. not communicate his Glory to graven Images. Idolatry is compared to Whoredom in Scripture, that diflblves the knot of Marriage. God fent rfa. 50.1. a BiU of Divorce for this caufe to the ancient external Church of the Jcr. 3.8. Jews, and exprefTely upon this account denounces againft her, that Jhe Ho f. a , 2m was not his Wtfe ; and will God (think you) fpare any particular Gentile Church, guilty of fo fearfull a Crime; having annexed that high Argument of his Jealoufie, againft fuch as violate the Second Commandment, and reputing them as haters of him, and whom he will judicially vifit with great deteftation ?

For the Exhibition of this point, how the true Church of God hath in all Ages held clofe to the Inftitutions of chafte and holy Worfhip, in Spirit and Truth: I might tranferibe testimonies out of all the Ancients, that were the Luminaries and Columns of the Primitive Church, down along till Gregory the Great, and after his time alfo many notable and pregnant inftances through the very depth of Popery, both of Empe-rours and Church-men, that did ftoutly refill that growing Abomination in the world. I fhall, (to avoid prolixity) mention fome of the Councils that have determined againft this point, and draw to an IiTue.

That of Elvira neer Granada in Spain, celebrated An. 305. (as Ba- c •, «... . ronius thinks ) is peremptory in the cafe, and I fhall defire to cite it out n ° u ^ y 'can! zL of Agobardns, becaufe of that his ancient teftimony about the year 830. & 41, to the truth of this Canon, which runs thus: Ah orthodoxis patribus Baron *A n 4°& definition eft Pillar as in Ecclefia fieri non deberm, nee quod colitur & ado- n ' 3?* ^i 0, ratur in parietibm depingatur. " It is enjoyned by the Orthodox Fathers, /4r."i $05. ' "that Pictures ought not to be in a Church, nor let that be painted on ^.254. f* the Walls, which is to be worfhipt and adored. It were vain to fpend time, to fhew how Albafpinam and others, fhiftand fhuffie about this Canon. Let that good old Bifhop of Lyons, Agobardus, living k> many hundred years nearer the time, give his fence upon it: Cc Let's keep P*2 51,252. <c the Kings High-way; the Apoitles, the Matters (or Teachers) of the " Churchy they have taught it, &c. Let God be adored, worfhipt, reve-u renced; let us facrifice to him alone, either in the Sacrament of the " Body and Blood, or of a contrite Heart, &c. Let's look upon a Picture p. 2$f. <c as a Picture, without Life, Serife and Reafon. So likewife, if we fee " winged Angels painted, or the Apoftles preaching, or the Martyrs Ct fuffering torments, we can hope for no help, &c. Wherefore, to avoid u this Superftition, the Orthodox Fathers, did rightly determine, &c. 3

Uuuu 2 in

J

Jvo.carnot.de-in the Canon aforefaid. The very fame is extant in Ivo, onely ne put cretA.^.c. 40. f or nec ^ an d f 0 'tis read in Six t us Senenfis and Bur char dm : And that &xt!sen?Pbl. ^l°^ ar ^ underftood this Canon aright, againft any Religious Wor.-1.5. Amm. 247. ^P t0 De g* ven t0 Pictures and Images, he further addes : a Neither Burchard.\.$. "let their deceitfull craftinefs run to their old ftarting holes, to fay, that c * 3 V P j 85,b# " they do not worfhip the Images of the Saints, but the Saints themfelves,

2<l" r ' P * '*( *• e ' ^ tne I ma g es ) f° r G°d cr * es out > J W*7/ not give my glory to

" another , nor my praife to graven Images,£cc. Nay further, foftricl:

Were the good Fathers of that Synod aforefaid, that they would not fuffer

any Idols in their Houfcs. To conclude, the Authenticalnefs of this

Synod muft not be queftiond, fince feveral of its Decrees are recited by

As TritbemlMGratiavj whofe whole work is confirmed by Eugenins the 3d, and by

c ffir £ S i/ < / r others fucceeding, canoniz'dfor Church-Law, and the Government of

p. 7 2. a. and Eccleiiaitical Courts.

finally by Greg. But let their confirmation be how it will, it is a notable teftimony 13. in his Ro- againft them, even in that Age \ and however Sixtm Senenfis and Ai-mnn Edition. y a jyi mm would evade, as if it were decreed againft the Heathens Images and Pictures, as in the 1 ith Canon of the 1 2$ Council of ToleM, that's but a weak fhift: for, was it ever known, that the Chriftians brought the Pictures or Statues of the Heathen Gods into their Churches ? No, no; the Fear was of a New kind of Imagery, and of Worfhipping of God, and our Lord, and Saints, and Angels, by Reprefentations and Pictures; which at length obtained dreadfully, to the high difhonourof God, contempt of his Commandements, the ruine of the Eaftera Empire, and fearfull Judgements on the Weftern. iHweden An- It were too long to trace, what direfull ftkresand commotions were n^/ : p.2g2.b. { n the Eaft, about the time of the Second Council of Nice, and what Edl ^' Lon £ S :„ excellent teftimony was given againft it by the Council of Frankeford, } 'r>unelm. anc * the four Books of the Emperour Charles the Great, the Synod, Gen-

mtoxi

col. in. Lond. til. ac Parifisnf. &c. and by the Church of England, in an Epiftie writ-J ^5 2 * ten to Charles by Alciunm, in the Name of the Princes and Bifhops of

f Rainold. de our £, a nd, execrating that Idolatry, as |! Hoveden and Simeon of Durham idol Ecdef. te jyfi e . g ut notwithstanding all Oppofition, how it prevailed in every *V(k'e Anfwer ^S c > ^M at laft it was finally ratified at Trent, and what eminent witnefs to the Chal- hath been all along raifed up by Godagainft it; thefe things being mat-lengein/re- ter of Fa&and Story, would rife to a juft Treatife, and many things re-hnd.' lating to it, being amply handled by f Reynolds, Vflier, Mede, and Dail-

jtfede, A-pofta- ^ g, Cm famous in their Generations, who have skilfully handled the um/s eIa " Cr -Sword taken from. behind the Ephod. I fhallcometoa clofe of this Pa-Vailly'de ima- ra g ra ph, onely recommend to your diligent Reading, thofe excellent gin/bus. Homilies of the Church of 'England, againft the Peril of Idolatry; which

Homilies of if well read and digeited, I hope by divine blefling may prove aSove-t-he Church of re |g n Antidote againft the creeping Cancer of Romi[h Idolatry. But I Engl asainft f U pp 0 f e tn j s w j|} £ e the Subject of a compleat Pofition among thefe Exer-j&htrl. c ^ es ? anc * therefore at prefent fhall enlarge no further. And now let us

haften

hailen to fome Inferences or Conclufions flowing from this Text and Point, of Chrifi being the onely Foundation of his Church, enduring throughout all Ages, united to him by their moll holy Faith ^nd adhering to him by holy and pure Worfliip.

I. From what has been hitherto treated of, we may learn which is the c ,, true Church of Chrifi, and where it hath fubfifled and been prefervcd in ^"

all Ages, and how todifecrnand knowit, and the true Members thereto belonging, viz., By its being built upon Chrifi alone, the firm Rock and Bafis of its Conititution. Such are to be owned for Living Members, who acknowledge Chrifi, the Son of the Living God, to be the true and onely Head of the Church ; fuch as are built upon Chriil, and the Eph. 2.2_v Doctrine of the holy Apollles and Prophets; Such as adhere to the Scriptures, and receive and refufe things as they are proved or rejected by Scripture: to whom both Peter, and Paul, and James, and all the ApoJlles writings are equally precious: that dare not advance Humane Traditions, into a parity of Honour with the Divine Writings of Scripture, dictated by the Spirit of God; which teaches by what Notes and Characters to difcern the true Church of God: (Not like thofe abominable Wretches, who finding Paul fo directly level'd againfl them, Sir Edw.Sands^ thought of cenfuring his Epiflle as favouring ofHerefie, and the Author Survey of the for a hot-headed perfon:) That tremble at fuch Devices, and dare not ^f 0 " 1 "// 2 try the Church by glorious and pompous Vifibility, Univerfality, and Edit. Lond. continual fucceflion of Bifhopsin one place; looking upon them as falfe 1537-and counterfeit Notes: But by pure Scripture Doctrine, by Sacraments rightly adminiilred, by Adherence to Chrifi alone for Righteoufnefs and Juilifkation in the fight of God, by Spiritual and Scriptural Worfhip, and fuch like. We deny not, but firmly hold, that the true Church of Chrifi hath been alwayes in fome meafure Vifible. Vifibilis,licet non omnibus vifa. Capable of being feen and known by fuch whofe Eyes are anoynted by Scriptufe Eye-falve. Indeed if that were true which we find in the Roman Catechifme fet forth by the Authority of Trent, con- Catechifm*. cerning that Article in the Creed about the Church : Prsecipue in hoc 1 *: 0 ™'?' 7 ?-articulo n Ecclefia bonorum fimul & malorummultitudmem, &c. fignifcat. ' ^ That the Church in this Article doth principally fignifie the multitude both of good and evil: Then indeed there might be fome tolerable Plea for-the Splendor and Perfpicuity of the Church in moil Ages. But when we confider the fharp Perfections raifed againfl the Apoflles and the Primitive Church by the Jevps^ and againfl their SuccefTors by the Gentile Pagan Empire, fo fierce and terrible, that Dioclefian doubted not to. erect Columns of Triumph over Chriflianity, among the Arevaca inQ Ccones ^. Spam\ which fome take to be remembred in Arevacco neer Madrid 7 mifm. 4°-ad with thefe Infcriptions, Nomine Chriflianorum deleto ; and in another, Her ad. Ant,. Superfiitione Chrifii ubique deleta. fc. The Name of Chriil: being ex- l57 ^' iinct, aad the Superftition of Chrifi being every where abolifht: Or

when

when we reflect upon the Ap/o^aw*, the Violence of the Brians againft the fincere Embracers of the holy Doclrine of Peter, That Chrt/l was -the Eternal Son of the Living God, and fo notably determined by the firft Council of Nice : Or when we call to mind the aftonifhing Tragedies, afted by the Papal Power for about 1200 years, againft fuch as have kept clofe to the fame Apoftolical Faith and Purity of Worfhip • We may well take up the Threnodia, or Lamentations of the Apoftle, Heb. 11.37- concerning the Church under the Syrian Princes: They wandred about in Sheep-skins, and Goat-skins, &c. of whom the world was not worthy ; They wandred in Defarts and Mountains, in Dens and Caves of the jfiUriuscwtr* Earth. True is that of Hillary; That the Church did meet with the Auxentium, Apoftles, intra ccenacula & fecreta, in chambers and fecret places: />.282. \vho afterwards fighing out his complaints againft the Arians; Male

p i%6 Ecdefiant Dei in Tettis fiLdifici'ifque reveramtm: You do ill to reverence the Church of God in ftately Buildings, &c. Montes mihi & Sylva & Lacm funt tutiores : I count the Mountains, Woods and Marfties to be Glofi more fafe: And as the Glofs cites him, Potiks in Cavernis Ecclefiam delitefcere, quam in primariis fedibm eminere. That the Church is rather to be found lying hid in fecret Caverns, than to be eminently con-fpicuous in principal Sees. But not to heap up witneiTes *, the teftimony of the Church of Eng-homlly, pare i an ^ i m that notable Homily againft the Peril of Idolatry, may fuffice 3-P'7 2 «^4 rr, once .f or all, out of Eufebius and Auftin. "That when ChrifHan Religion was moil pure, and indeed golden, Chriftians had but low and u poor Conventicles, and fimple Oratories, and Caves under ground "called crypt*, where they (for fear of Perfecution) aflembied fecretly tC together. And fo it hath continued more or lefs during the Papal Dominion, according to the Prophecy, That the Woman, i.e. the Church, ftev. 12. 6, 14. fhould recede into a Wildernefs-ftate for 1260 years from the taking up of Confiantine into Heaven.

The true Church of Chrift, confuting of all its Members, (the greater

- part whereof is Triumphant in Heaven, and the reft Militant upon Earth,

Bp- of Cov. & on which account onely is it to be genuinely called CatboltckJ) cannot

Licir. Graihi p r0 p er j v De ftyled Fifible to the Eye of Senfe, but ( according to out

Impure, p.9. ancient c ree d) to the Eye of Fatth. We believe there is fuch a Church,

2 Tim. 2.19. all whofe true Members are certainly and onely known to God. For

what Eagle-fighted Angel can fearch the Heart, and pofitively determine

the truth of Faith in that fealed Fountain, whereby the Heart flowes out

in ftreams of Love unto Chrift ? Againft fuch a Soul, againft a Society

compofedof fuch heavenly Members, againft fuch a Church, the Gates

of Hell fhall never prevail. But againft a catholick, external, vi/ibly

glorious Church, the Gates of Hell have fo far prevailed in many Ages,

that fhe hath been reduced into a very low and gloomy Eftate; as me

tech. 1. 8. was in the Vifion of Zechary, when the Man riding upon a red Horfe,

* v ' ftood ftill among the Myrtle-trees that were in the bottome, by night,

Our

Serm. XXV. the Visibility of the true Church. gro

Our Lord promifesthe Churches Exiftency, and its perennial Duration, throughout all Ages, and his own prefence among his Myrtle-trees, in a dark bottomc, and his walking among his golden Candle-flicks in the deep Night of Adverfity,but not its Glory and and Perfpicuity • not Triple Crowns, and Eminencies. Peter never came forth fhining with precious Stones, and gliikring in Silks, and overlaid with Gold, and prancing on a white Palfry, guarded with S\vitz.ers, and hemm'd in with a crowd and Ber »* fo Cpif. Noyfe of Servants; as Bernard accofts Eugenics the 4^ telling him, In ?• Eug ' *'4* thefe he fucceeded the Imperial Conftantine, and not Peter. Our Lord ' 42 never promifed fuch Glory and Splendor; thofe fine things become ano- ^ cv# l8# l6 ther kind of Creature in the Revelations,

The true Church hath ufually been as indigent of Silver and Gold as Aft. 3. 5. the true Peter \ yet hath been preferved in all Ages from Extremity and Ruine. Some particular Churches, fome members of the true and m-vifible catholick Church, whereof Chriil is the Head, have been alwayes marching along the howling Wildernefsofthis Wor'd toward Canaan. The Church hath been moftwhile in a troublous and defert Eflate, few EUms of Palm-trees to fit under, or Fountains in which to wafh her fa-cred Eyes \ yet as to Purity of Worfhip, and the Food of Heavenly Manna, (he hath alwayes enjoy'd fome Mofess, fome Pallors to feed Rev * I2 ***' her in the Wildernefs, fuch as have Prophefied to her all along. Her Faith in Chriil:, and chafle Love to him, hath been clearly difcerned by none but his holy Eye -, efpecially in times of general defection from the Truths of God, when as to her fecret Communion in Ordinances, none but fuch whofe Eyes are clarified in the Chryftal dreams of holy Scripture, have been able to difcern her. But there have been fome few times, when very Balaams having climbed up into the Mountain of Con- Numb. 24. k templation, and (tood upon a Prophetical Rock, and looking toward this 5> &

Wildernefs, have cried out in an Extafie, upon a fight of the glorious beauty of the Church, How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Jfrael! as Gardens by the Rivers fide, as the Trees of Lign-aloes, which the Lord hath planted, as Cedar-trees befides the Waters. The Church hath been alwayes vifible in fe 5 God hath left no Age without a witnefs of the pure Word difpens'd, of the two Sacraments duely adminillred, and of Spiritual Worfhip and Order managed in a comely Apo/lolical manner, without the garifh drefTes of Humane Fancies, and Inflitutions; which are the onely proper Notes, Marks and Characters, where the true Church hath been and is, and where the faithfull Paftors are to be found, who (land in ti&Counfcl of God. But Jer. 25.25. who can help, if blind men cry out, they fee her not ; or fuch as want the Optick glafs of Scriptures, and call for a gay, fplendid, fenfual Appearance of glittering and coflly Ceremonies ? whofe Ears fill'd with Temple Mufick, their Eyes raviflvd with (lately Pictures and Babylo- Ezek. 23. 14*. man Images pourtrayed with Vermilion, and their Noftrite perfumed with the rich Odours of Arabia cry ■Qv£Tiwf>inm x t)Qihm, Thefemfh-of the Lord is here. Was

Was not Nebuchadnezzar* Image dedicated with great glory, fet off with Conforts of Mufick, and attended with numerous Worfhippers ? Alas, this univerfal confent, grand Acclamations, copious AfTemblies, uninterrupted Succeflions in mitred Habits, Splendour, and Pomp, and Luk. 17.20. Grandeur, are not the tokens of his Kingdom which cometh not with A&. 25.23. Obfervation, or as Agrifpa and Bernice, ^aw toaaSk wrjxmat> with lately and fplendid Prefence. Heathenifme and Turafme may plead for a Luk. 12.32. Suffrage in fuch cafes. Chrifts Flock is a little Flock ; In this World ye Joh. 1 6. 33. flail have tribulation, fayes our Lord ; and in many tribulations we mufi .A&..14. 22. enter into the Kingdom of God.

Now here I might, out of feveral ancient Records and Monuments, fhew the Succeflion of fome parts of the true Church of Chrift in France, in the Alpine Valleys, and in Britain, and elfewhere in the Eaft ; where true Doctrine, (and for the main, true Difcipline and Worfhip) hath been preferved all along, though fecretly for the moft part, and not with External Glory and Splendor: But that would infringe upon the difpatch of the remaining Corollaries. 2 Corollary. H. This Text, and Doctrine thence deduced, difcovers oMfalfe pretending Churches, from the true : fuch as lay any other Foundation than Col. 2. 19. chriftthe Son of God- fuch as hold not the Head; fuch as build not upon the Doctrinal Foundation of the holy Apoftles and Prophets, can-Uilar. conn, not be true Churches of Chrift. Let good Hilary be Judge ; ■ Quifquis Anxent. p.282. Chriftum, qualis ab Apoftolis eft pr&dicatm, negavit, Antichrijius eft. He is the Antichrift whoever denies Chrift, qualis fuch as he is preached by the Apoftles. Then fuch as are-departed from the Doctrine of the Apoftles in Fundamental Points, are counted by Hilary, Antichriftian

Mendax eft Anti-

& falbisnegat. Opera

la alind loquitur, aliud

agit. Quis enim malm non bene vult loqui ? Antichrift is a Lyar, who

profefTes Jefus to be the Chrift with his mouth, and denies him in deeds.

therefore a Lyar, becaufe he fpeaks one thing and does another. The

Works fpeak, and do we require Words ? For what evil man will not

fpeak well. And again : Qu&re ab Arianis, Eunomianis, Macedonia-

jd. Traft. 6, ^js, confttentur Jefum Chriftum in carne veniffe, &c. Quid ergofacimiu ?

P* & 2 V unde difcernimus, &c ? Nee nos negamus, nee illi negant, &C. invemmus

fattis negare; Ask of Arians, Eunomians, Macedonians-, they con-

fefs Jefus Chrift to be come in the fie(h,&c. what (hall we do then ?

how fhall we difcernhim? neither we nor they deny it; we findethat

Tit. 1.1*. they deny him in deeds : As the Apoftle faith of fuch, They profsfsto

know God, but in workj they deny him. Qu&ramus in fatlis, non in lin>

\ RainMs, g H i u L ets f ee k it in their works, and not in their tongues. If we exa-

™l ua ^ er * mine their Creeds, they profefs to believe all the Articles, and more

cr7{anthrp y tpo t but yet in all his three Offices they evacuate the truth of their pre-

Wotm, &c. tended Credence, as the II learned have abundantly evinced; W hich being

true,

true, then their own rule in the Canon-Law condemns them: Cert am eft quod is committtt in legem, qmlegis verba completions, contra lefts nin- Rez-Jur. 98. tnr volant at em: It's certain, that he trefpaffes againit the Law, who 6Decret ^ E $•' embracing the words of the Law, practifes again!! the mind of the Law. For by their traditions they have^made the commandmdnts of God of Mat. u. 6. none effect. So true is that which Ambrofe, or fome Ancient under his Amljrof. m name, thunders againft fuch ; Qjitcquid non ab Apoftolis traditum eft, l Cor - 4- -fcelenbas plenum eft : Whatever is not delivered by the Apoftles, is full l8 ^ 2 ' of wickednefles. But before we enter the particulars of this Enquiry, we mult conclude, that the queftion in hand ought not to be determined by particular Doctors of this or that Communion. It is not what an Eraf mas, or a Caffander, or an Efpencaas, or Ferns, do teach; nor what a Bellarmine, a Starlet on, a Scioppius, a Pighius, nor what the Spanijh Divines in fome cafes at Trent, or the French Divines in point of Supre- . macy, and defence of the Pragmatical Santtion -, nor wherein the Tbomifts and Scotifts, the Dominicans and Jefaites, do conflict *• That were an incongruous method, either to difcern their minds by, or to accommodate any Syncrctifmes, or fallacious Vmms : Thefe are but perfonal Opinions, they'l fland to none of their Doctors. But what Councils and Authorized AfTemblies, what ConfeflTions and Catechifmes, compofed by their direction and warranty, have determined ; there lyes the Rule of Enquiry, and therefore I mall here touch upon no Authorities or Citations, but fuch as are found in the Canon-Law, the Council and Catechifm of Trent, their MifTals, Bulls, and Determinations from the Chair. As for others, but obiter & per tranfennam, as collateral proofs, or confirm'd by Papal Edicts \ or fuch Authors as have pafs'd the tryal of their Purging Indexes, fetout by their own Authority. Let's then proceed to fome Enquiries in this Affair.

(i.) Is. that a true Church of Chrift that determines Fundamental Doctrines contrary to Chriffc and his Apoftles, that builds upon another Foundation than Chrift ? That they have affumed Peter for the onely Head of the Militant Church, might be abundantly proved : Infomuch, that if Princes and Emperours doe but perform their duty as keepers of both Tables, how greatly are they offended ? As wtien Charles 5. took to himfelf fome Spiritual Jurisdiction, how does Baronim exclaim, g arotlt a jAnn* as if he fet up another Head of the Church, pro monftro & oftento, as a 1097. n, 23. portentuous Monter; which might with much more truth be retorted upon themfelves in refpect to our Lord, whom they rob of his Glory when they afcribe it to Peter. Let but Peter be imprifoned by Agrippa, how does the fame Baronius cry out, Magno fane terramota- Ecclefia Ann.^.v,^ Chrifti tunc concuti vifa eft, cam ipfa Petra in Ecclefia fundamento locata, tanta agitatione qaajfari confpiceretar : The Church of Chrifl truely then feem'd to be fhaken with a greit Earth-quake, when the very Rock placed in the Foundation of the Church, was feen to be fo forely fhaken. It feems Peter was the Rock placed by Chrift for the

X x x x Foun-

Foundation of the Church \ But let's look a little further. Clemens in his firft Epiille to James the Brother of our Lord, written to him after c-fd\ar.thorp the Apoitle was dead, (as the learned Crakanthorp hath proved,) which is connccisp.4".f et f ort h a t Bafil, zhdbyTmrian and others, and is extantin the firft rjfr'hn^'-ris, Tome of the Councils, and ratified by the Canon Law, which fpeaks ijVg.f.}2£ thus: Simon Petrus, dec. vera Fidci merito, & Integra Pradicationis So7.*&°Our!<5. obtentu, fundament urn ejfe Ecc efia deftnitus eft: Simon Peter by the v, i.c.5. & cauf. merit of his true Faith, and hiving obtained it by his fincere preaching, If.BaVr.^om. is defined to be the Foundation of the Church. The Divinity tranfeends the Latin in Barbarifme -, But it feems by the Forger, that it was our Dift. ..ao.c. 1. Lords doing, confonant to after Popes averting the fame, cc That he com-?.J3°. "mitted to Peter, the blefled Key-keeper of Eternal Life, the Laws

JH/hi* c.7.r" tc b° tn °^ tne Earthly and Heavenly Empire. And again, treating of no. tdir. Ron. peter ; Hunc in con fort inm mdividiia unitatis ajfumptum, idcjuodipfe tYAt voluit nominari,dicendo, Tu es Petrus, &c. ut aterni adificatio Tem-pli, mirabi'i muneregratia Dei in Petri foliditate confifteret: This per-fon being taken into fellowfhip of individual Unity, ( O fearfull ! ) he would have him called that which he was, faying, Thou art Peter, eye. that the building of the Eternal Temple might confift in the folidity of Peter, by the wonderfull gift of the Grace of God. This needs no Glofs. But the learned Glofiators upon the common Extravagants, after they have expounded- Cephas to fignifie a Head, they proceed: Si* f Tr'" p*Edi^' CHt %n C6r f ore mztcriali eft ponere caput unum^ invito funt omnes fenfus fen plenitudo fentiendi \ Sic in Ec cleft a mil it ante (ne fit tanquam corpus monftruofum, ft duo h^beret capita) eft tantum ponere nnum caput-, vi'Z, Rom. Pontificem, in quo eft plenitudo poteftatis, & author it atis, &c. As in a material Body there is but one Head placed, in which are all the Senfes, or a fulnefs of Senfation -, fo in the Church militant, (left it mould be like a monftrous Body, if it have two heads) there is but one Head placed, viz.. the Roman Bifhop ; in whom is the Pulnefs of Power and Authority. And Boniface%\in Extrav. Comm.l. 1. c. 1. de Majority Jgitur Ecclefta unim & unica, unum corprn^ unum caput, non 4feta r <ipi-t a, qua ft monftrum,Chriftus, viz,. & Chrifti Vicarim, Petrus, Pei>iqpie Succejfor, &c. ' Therefore, of the one onely Church, one Body, one , Head, not two Heads, like a Monfter, fc. Chrift and Peter, Chrift's Vicar and Pet erj.SuccefTors. By thefe DocTrines we are now clearly illuminated, that as to the influence and Government of the militant Church, Chrift hath excluded himfelf from Headfhip, left the Body fl ould be monftrous, with two Heads. Such fearfull and tremendous points are taught South of the Mountains. But the truth is, they fpeak of them-Jbh.7.ia. felves, andfeek their own Glory -, and not Chrifts, whofe Commandments they have annulled and evacuated by their many Additions to and STov" ao.* J 2 " Su D ft ra '&i° ns f rom hi s - They would feem indeed to retain all, onely »ev.22."i8. a< ^ e f° m€ ? but whofoevcr addes as well as detracts, is lyable to the Gal * s< 8, Qmfc of God: for hereby they ftain the Glory of the Divine Law, as

iafufifc

Serm.XXV. The V'tfbilily of the True Church. gz.

infufficicnt and imperfect, and more especially when they ad.le Fun .la-mental Points upon peril of Damnation ; when they frame new Articles of Faith, as Pope Pius the 4.'^ hath done. -Articles are Principles, and therefore indemonftrable, except by Scripture : Now when new on^ are added, de fide, extraneous to the holy Scriptures, nay repugnant in fuch mighty and weighty matters, can any man alive, that is not deep in the golden Cup- fedately believe the true Church of Chrift to be there ; When, 1. They require firm Faith in the Traditions, Obfervations, and >*": Conftitutions of the Church of Rome : And, 2. Tye all Churches to their ?«£"'* fence of the Scriptures : And, 3. To hold Seven Sacraments to be in- P'cfeffiuui touted by Chrift: And, 4. The Trent Doctrine about Justification: fidc '' 5. The Propitiatory Sacrifice in the Mafs: 6. Tranfubftantiation : 7. Purgatory : 8. Invocation of Saints: 9. Adoration of Images: 10. Indulgences : 11. The Roman Church to be Miftrefs of all Churches, and the Bifhop thereof Chrifts Vicar : 12. And all things in the Canons and Councils, but efpecially of Trent ; and in the conclufion, Hanc veram ca-thoticam fiderr, extraquam nemo falvus cjfe poteft,&cc. profiteor & ve-raciter teneo 3 &c. Youmuft profefs and truely hold this to be the true catholick^Faith, without which none can be faved.

But for the eafing of mens Minds in thefc and the like particulars, they cry up the Immenfity of their Power, and Priviledge, to difpenfe with Scripture and Apoftolical Doctrine. Indeed there's great need that fhould be well proved; and the Canon-Law has done the deed. For in the firft place, It is pronounced ex Cathedra, from the very Chair of Peter' Subeffe Romano Ponttfici omncm hitman am creaturam* dtclara- E*tr«».j , #mj.i <<

< <w» f 1 (]C \j ' r

mus 3 dicimus, diffiminus dr pronunciamis, omnino ejfe de neceffttate fain- &bbed*p;j tis : Pope Boniface the 8 h, hath very well exprefs'd it in his definitive J^JV* c : l ' : ''' Sentence: "We declare, affirm, determine, and pronounce, that it is e f>b-fuT*.mti "altogether necejfary to Salvation, that every humane creature be fub- Zf-^\! b : " ject to the Pope of Rome. Is not this Doctrine wonderful! clear in Holy Scriptures, and obvious in every Page ? But left we fhould miftake the places, wefhallbe help'd out with fome difpenfations as to Scripture.

The Glofs upon Pope Nicholu his Refcript to the Bifhops 0$France, ca*r. • j. 9. 0.4. exprefTeiy fayes, Contra Apoftolum dtfpenfat -, That he may difpenfe a- c -: -R,J gainft the Apoftle, and againft Natural Right, ^nd again, upon an Edict of Pope Jidartins ; Sic crop Yapa difpenfat contra Apoftolum : So then, Dp.. ? 4 c . 1?. the Popedifpenfes againft the Apoftle. And Greg. 13. addes a Note P-iSc -out of Aquinas, Nan eft abfurdum quoad, jus pofitivum: It is not abfurd as to a pofitive Law. And again, Secundum plenitudinem po- Decretai j, rir teftatis de ]urepo[fumus fufta \us difpenfare: Where the Glofs addes, S-.m-ciJ..*;^ Nam contra Apoftolum difptnfat, Or contra Canones Ap oft dor urn : Item contra Vet as Teft amentum in Decw.is : According to fulnefs of Power, we can of Right difpenfe above or beyond Right: For he difpenfes a-gainft the Apoftle, and againft the Canons of the Apoftles, and againft

Xxxx 2 the

J

864 The Viftbility of the true Church. Serm. XXV.

Mac. 5. 32. the Old Teftament, in Tithes. Our Lord determines Marriage not to

& 19.9. b e diflblved, but in cafe of Whoredom * but Greg. 3. orders, If a Wife

1 8. cof 2*1 <5" ' ^ e ^ xm i a d debituw, t\\tr\)ngalis mtbat magis, let her Husband marry

Rom. 12.17. rather, qui non pcteft contmere. Our Lord teaches, not to reftftevil,

Mar. 5. 39- but Innocent 4th teaches, Vim vi repel/ere, & mennque gladmrn, q^c. aU

Sext. decretal, terum altero ad]nvare; To refill force with force, and help out one

Ttt. Hi c. 6. Sword with another. I might fhew it in the cafe of'Oaths and Vows

'jy-a'^ and feveral others, as, If a Prieft commit Fornication, though by the'

cot 520.' Ct 5 * Canons of the Apoftles he ought to be depofed, yet by the Authority

of Sylvefter,- let him doe Penance for ten years, &c. But enough of

this.

Lets proceed to fhew their Power in the point of Subtraclions, m fome particulars.

Firft, As to the Holy Scriptures, let's obferve feveral points.

1. They fubftitute the Vulgar Latin Translation to be the Authentick Word of God, inftead of the Original Hebrew and Greek : Of which

fitft. otcard;- an Author of their own attefts, That the Roman Church permits not the na s > *' 4 ' Scriptures but in Lattin. But we need no further witnefs than the Sancli-ScjfJ. 4. on of Trent, which appoints and declares, That the Old Vulgar Edition,*^, mould be ufed for the Authentic.il, in publick Lectures, Difputes, Preachings, and Expositions, and that none dare or prefume to rejecl it upon any pretenfe.

2. The Common People are not to read them. Indeed P/7/j 4th, in the fourth Rule for the managing of the purging Indexes of Books prohibited according to the appointment of Trent, grants to read them, if tranflated by catho ick^ Authors, and leave had from the Prieft or Con-

]:ib?Ke b g^ ]0 ' fefr ° r ' elfc n0t> SinCC SS they fay ' St ?a fi m f me di f crmine firtoif-tantur, plus inde oh hominum terneritatemdetrimenti quam utilitatis oriri.

If they be commonly permitted without diftinclion, more detriment rifes than profit, through the rafhnefs of men. But in Clement the 8% cbf.in Reg. 4. his obfervation ton that fourth Rule, this facuty or licenfe of readier™. 1640. i n g or retaining vulgar Bibles, is wholly taken away, and concludes, adcalce^Con- Q^ 0 ^ q U id em inv i 0 Ute fervandum eft, Which is to be kept invio-

lably. Condi. Tad. 3. They muft be received and underilood according to the fence of Seff. 4.-S: Pit the Roman Church: Cu)us eft \udkare de vero fenfu & interpretatione 2. Bullafitper Scripturarum [anttor 11m : In whofe Authority it is, to judge of the fence

jorm. warn, .*. J . r 1 tt 1 r • tJ r • j \ c a 1

projeJT. fidei, anc * interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. It s laid or Avecroes, that he

Art. 2.' anoynted Avicens Books with Poyfon, in defign upon him^ and what

caufe we have to fear the like from their Commentaries, let the Learned

judge. Butbefides, fince the Later an Decree of the Popes Superiority

to a Council, we are in the dark what their Church is; but Paul the

platinm Paul Second expounded it to poor Vlatina, as himfelf relates. Torvis nulls

2.1.22c.a. Edit. r ■ • <■> r r ■ ■ • . a . . rt • r ■ ,'

P " me ajpictens,oiz. ac ft nejerres omnia ^ura m bcrinio pectorisnojtri col-

Ice at a ejfcjftcfvat [entemia 5 loco cedar.t omnes, cant quo volant, nihil eos

moror)

Serm. XXV. The Viability of the true Church. So"

r/joror \ Pont if ex fum, mihique licet, pro arbitrio animi, aliorum alia & refcindcre et apprcbrare: Let it be Engliih'd by the Abbots Verfion • n ft- r << r " Know ye not that I am infallible, and carry all their Judgements and nuls ' r# l22 * " Reafons in the Cabinet of my Bread. I confider no mans Perfon, I am <c Pope, and 'tis in my Power to null or confirm their Acts, as I think good ct my felf. This cafe is manifeir..

4. They equal the Canons and Traditions to the Scriptures ; Pari pictatvs affelbu ac revcrentia fufcipit et veneratur. They receive and ^ -, „ reverence the one with equal pious affection as the other: And for this D^fcio.ca \ infhe Canon-Law we have ample testimony. All the Sanctions of the c. 3. coLili .Apoitolical Seat, are to be received, as if confirmed by the Voyce of holy Peter himfelf; and although the yoke impofed by that holy Scat, D f' l9 ' c ' r * be fcarce tolerable, yet let us bear and endure it with a pious Devotion: ' And if any man fin againit. them, Noverit Jibi veniam denegari, Let him D/ '^' ] ?' c> *• know, that pardon (hall be denycd him. Again, Nullifyejl> yetW^fyjfif'^p^ vet pojfe tranfgredi Apofolic* fedis pracepta : It is lawfull for none, fo 1610! & Synod. much as to will, muchlefs to be able to tranfgrefs the Precepts of the tow.p.47. Apoilolical Chair. Again, The Popes Decretal Epiitles are expreflely Fram f' l6co * reckoned among Canonical Scriptures. Inter quas fane ill* fint quas />//?. I9 c 6 Apojlolicafcdes habere, et ab ea alii meruerunt aceipere Epiftulas : Among col. 107* which furely thofe Epi/lles are to be, which the Apoitolical Seat receives, and which others have deferved to receive from thence. Further, the Violation of Canons they ftate it to be Blafphemy, and a fin againft the Cauf. 25.3,1, d Holy Ghoft. Nay, as to fome Difcipline, and the ancient Inftitution of P co1 - *8p7-Chriltian Religion, Tanta Reverentia apicem Apoflolic* fedisornnes fufpi- ~. a aunt, Pit magis, occ. ab ore pracejjoris ejus quam a jacris paging, &c. w /."2<o expetantytke. With fuch Reverence do all look up tothePinacle of the Apoftolical Seat, that they rather receive from the Mouth of his Prede-ceflbr, than from the holy Scriptures. So that the matter may well be reduced to the Edict of the Jcfuites at Dole, mentioned by Sir Edvc. SuEdw.Sanjs Sands, having thus effectually deprived the People of the holy Scrip- Survey of Re-tures; to avoid all further contefts and troubles in Religion, forbid any ^% ,n t,:ic talk of God either in good fort or bad. Thus we muft bid adieu to holy '^' 23 u Scriptures, and (asoriefayes) embrace their holy Trumperies. For if any man defire to know which is the true Church; how fhould he know it but one'y by the Scripture. Auth. Op. ImperfeCt. in Matth. Horn. 49.

Secondly, They take away the Cup in the Lords Supper from the. Chriftian People, and that with a Non-obslante. Licet Chriftus pefi. clnc'tl. Con* cosnam inftituerit, &c. Although Chri/t. did after Supper ordain, and ad- flam. Sejf.11. uiinifter to his Difciples in both the Elements of Bread and Wine, this f : S 1 ** Crii " Venerable Sacrament, tamen hoc non ob ft ante, yet neverthelefs, the Au- 2 ' thority of Sacred Canons, the laudable and approved cuftom of the Church, hath kept and doth keep, &c. & habenda eft pro Lege, they

pafs it into a Law, to communicate in one kind, and pronounce fuch to

be

ti$6 The Viability of the'Trm Church. Serm.XXV

be dealt with as Hereticks, that oppofe this new Law made in defiance

of Chriil, and the Primitive Church. What a Church is this, that puts

a Barre to Chriil! Pray refolve how blefTed and obedient a Spoufe

this is.

Mat. 19.5,6. Thirdly, Though our blefTed Lord and his Apoftles, commend Mar-

1 Cor. 7. 2. ridge as the Iriititution of God, and honourable among all, and thefor-

1 Tm \}' 2 * bidding of it repulfed, as theDo&rine of Devils; yet there s founder

Heb. 1'$%? Advice it feems to be found in the Canon-Law: "Priefts Marriage is

■ v J <c not forbid by the Authority of Law or Gofpel, or of the Apoitles, Ec-

■ Caw.26. Q.2.C. , , r r * 1 ■ ■ J- ■ * \ r 1 r • 1 t

i.col. 1021. clejiajtica tamen lege pemtm inter-dicitur, yet by Lccleiiauical Law it

Dift. 82.C. <. cc is utterly forbidden. And they may commit Fornication, and not be

coJ.530. depofed, and their glofs gives this fatisfying Reafon, -Quia %odie fraoi-

Cauj. aj.q.i.c, liora funt corf or a noftra qttam olim cram ; Becaufe our Bodies are now

9. col. 2084. adayes more frail than they were of old: And though, to take a fecond

Wife, Secundum prxceptum Apoftoli eft, That's but according to the

fLtcenta J p rsece pt of the Apoitle, Secundum veritutis autem rationemvcrc Eorni-quia pcenam <T r ...__ r i , r ^ 1 •■ • • ^ . .

umporalem catt0 e r h Yet according to the account or Truth, verily it is Fornication/>rfr/e^n- on: Seddum permittente Deo publtce et lie enter comrmttiiur, fit honefta T' r e ^ aU ^ Fornication But when it is publickly f committed, and with licenfe, by

L Allv^, ,1 the permiilion of God, it becomes hone ft fornication. And for Adultery not temporal ».,-■•* , i_ •' «* • -k / i * » . *

puniilimenc. its counted among the idler crimes. De adulterm vero et alnscrimi-

Glojf.ibid, nibrn, qu<z funt minora. A Bifhop may difpenfe with his Clerks. More

DecretdXi.it of the like ftuffe may beread in Pelagiushis Refcript to the Bifhopof

j.dice4-.col £i ore??C€i> anc i Reafon rendred, Quia corpora ipfahoninum defcctrum\

Becaufe the very Bodies of men are grown weak. And if a Clerk em-foLilt'/' 7 ' b race a Woman, it s to be expounded to blefs \\QV,cauf. 11.7. 3.C.14.

col. 1223. But for thefeand the like cafes, the Tax of the Apoftolical ffrtttc.xn Tir. Chancery gives the richeil Reafons, where anything is difpens'd with °^ik l .%'irf '&* Money: A Book wherein (faith Efpenctus) thou may'ft learn more • s<j8 and the wickednefs than in all the Summifts and Summaries of all Vices; fet forth C imL?n g F a ifac. m the dayes of Pope Leo the io^i who made that infamous Reply to rerun. 178. Cardinal Benbus, Quantum nobis ac noftro catui profuit ea de Chrifto ^ ,,i ? T Re [ fabula, fails eft feculis omnibus not um : Its known well enough to all r.7<?7 Ages, how much that Fable of Chriit. hath benefited us and our Society.

v.iitra, of the . Well might the Abbot of Vrsbcrg cry out, Gaude mater noftra Roma, &c. h. w *o?<wtaf 5 Rejoyce, O Rome, our Mother, for the Cataracts of Treafures are open-p. joviM. ed in the Earth, that Rivers of Money may flow in to thee : Rejoyce rpv^hron.^ over t k e iniquity of the Sons of men, for thou receiveft the price for a V \6o9, " Recompence of fuch great wickednefs.

Fourthly, For Prohibition of Meats. Whereas the Apoftle tells us, 1 Cor. 10.2$. Whatever is fold in the Shambles, that eat, a sluing no que ft ion for Con-Col. 2. \6. fcience fak* ; and let no man \udge you in meat or drink^ For God hath 1 Tim. 4. 3,4.created them to be received with thanksgiving, of them which believe,

and know the truth, and nothing to berefufed. Such as believe in God,

and are acquainted with the truth of his holy Word, make no fcruple,

. as

as thofe who /peak. Lies *» Hypocrifie, and are feducing Spirits. But the i 1 im. 4.1 2. Canon-Law commands Failings, as a tenrhpart of time confecratcd to qm». \ p «r. 1 God out of the whole year, and againllour eating of Flefh, afTigns a ( fMcc pregnant citation out of the Apoftle , Bon'tm eft ZHnum non bibcre & '° '' 6? carries non comedere: It's good not to drink Wine, nor to cat Flefh. But ^S'.i'jV. C " *• the connect words arc left out, which referreto Offence in the Primitive times. But I fhall not further touch this point: their Precepts and Practices ftand oppoiiteto the.Holy Scriptures • but how wholfom to the Body to appoint their grand Faits, and abitinence from Flefh, in the Spring, let Fuchfiusz learned.Phyfi.ian be Judge, out of Soranus and Mcnicin.hKs Hippocrates. Qjtod verno tempore minimi fit ]e)unandam : VVe ought'° a -:,Ci i ? * leaft of all to fall in the Spring-time. And after he hath urg'd his Argument, he clofes \ Romanum Fonttficem non folum ejfe nntichriilum, &c. That the Roman Bifhop is not onty Antichrist, in dating a Doctrine contrary to Chriil, but A tiatrum, contrary to Phyficians \ to appoint a Fait then, and forbid flefh; when they have unanimoufly taught, we ought to eat more largely, and abitainfrom Fifh. But it became the Man of Perdition, not onely to deftroy our Souls but our Bodies alio, by his Decrees, and our Purfesalfo,(imitating 'Peter in fifhing for Money at the Sea of Galilee, Matt. 17.27. ) we mut buy of him leave at that time to eat Milk, and the like Viands.

But to flnifh this Paragraph; of fucha Society as adde -to* fubtracl from, difpenfe with, and over-rule the Laws of God; what mould all the fober and pious ju ge, but \\ hat the Scripture hath Prophetically de-cipher'dthem to be, and what the Church of England hath determined \^ Church of concerning them \ that fince they have fbrfaken, and daily doe forfake England, in the Commandments of God, to erect and fet up their own Constitutions, the %* part of we mny well conclude, according to the Rule of Auguftme, that the !^ e Sfrfn011 Bishops of i^r, and their adherents, arc not the true Church ofChrif, ^ 'I'f.Tzj. much lefs then to be taken as chief Heads and Rulers of the fame, Who- b. foever, faith he, do difTent from the Scriptures concerning the Head, although they be found in all places, where the-Church is appcoted, yet are they not in the Church. A plain place 5 concluding directly againit the Church of Rome.

(2) Is that the true Church of Chrift, that pollutes the Worjhip of God by Idolatry ? Why is this Sin fo often called whoredom in Scripture ? Does not Whoredom diflblve the bonds of Marriage, by our Lords own 2 Cor. 5.16, determination? Did not the Lord give up the ancient lfraelmd Judah, and difavow them from being his Spoufe, under the name of two notable Ezck. 23.4*. Whores, Aholah and Aholibah: and if we rightly confiderthe Rcze'a-tions, we find alfo this to be the very caufe, why the Name of White is branded upon the forehead of a certain Congregation that was to appear in the World after the diflblution of Rome lr/penal- and therefore God fent the Saracens and Turl^ aeainft them, with flings both in Head and tayl, both in the EaiiandWeit, but yet they repented not of their Rev. p. 2c, 21$.

Idolsj

Idols, &c. This is that Generation which layes flumbling-blocks, both before Turks, Jews and Heathens. For hafte, I le inftance but in a few. Among the Four great Offences and Scandals, which the Grand Seignior Count Serines told the German AmbafTadour he took at the Roman Religion, one was, charafter, that they made their God in the Church; another, thatthey eat him in />-*°7« the Eucharift. What would he have faid, had he heard of theEmpe-

?ff !p '^' rour Henry the 7th, his being poyfoned out of the Sacrament Cup, by fperg.^.2 /• a Gtte ipfj 0 { the Popes Faction, or as Dr. Donne expreffes it more ear-Nauder.iW' m fr\y, To poyfon their God, that they might poyfon their Emperour? m°arrr p 91 But how 8 reatl y the Turks are incenfed againft Idols, the Alcoran al-Aicoran.c.10 moft every where difcovers, and Hottinger, Sands, and others. As for 11,12,16* &c. the Jews, how greatly they are fcandalized, we may obferve even in Hottinger, the Elder times, when the Second Council of Nice was fain to give a folemn fame, p. 60. though a forry anfwer to them, [_ ww (pofcifc 0 Koy><; % b/i\Ki^p^ tw Sands,?. 54. \<rt>&hh, &c.] Verily, it was a terrible word, giving command to Jfrael, Synod. Septim. jfot to make any carved Imaged &c. and yet afterward to command rf * 4 '^Bum Mofcs to make Cherubims, yet not as Gods, but for Rememoration ^millrdi onely, err. Not to obferve at prefent how they fhift off the Second lmag.ip.6S. Commandement, as if belonging to Ifrael onely; nor what they further reply about the framing of Images, not to be ultimate Obje&sof Worfhip, but onely commemorative helps of Devotion: That which I would principally take notice of, is, that even then at the firft folemn and judicial publication of Image-doclrine, how greatly the Jews were provoked and offended; who were fo exact in the abhorrency of Images, Hottinger. )ur. that they counted it unlawfull to look up to an Image in Civil ufe ; and Heir, p. 336. f or b a d the very Art of Painters and Statuaries : Nay, fo nice and curious, Jflf.p.41. that they fcruple to pluck out a Thorn outoftheir feet, or gather up Money carnally fallen, left they fhould feem to ftoop down in refpecl to any Image in fuch a place; and as to the prefent indelible continuance View of Re- of the fame hatred, Sir Edw. Sands hath given a large account; and how I'tghn In the they call Popifh Churches, becaufe of the worfhip of Images in them, • Weft ' r\Ennn rV2, The Houfes of Idolatry, or flthineffes, with fome re-

jktnbeci com. markable Obfervations out of their Authors, may be feen in the Learned Judtot,proleg. Hombec^ his Treatife againft the Jews.

p. 17. and the As to the Pagans or Heathens, I might enlarge, but I mail onely re-learned £. f erre tQ a ft or y of the Americans, who being vex'd at the burning their RomTnCH/nfj wooden God, by Mr. Gage-, replyed, That they knew it was a piece of tfuUitasjp.^ wood, and of it felf could not fpeak, but feeing it had fpoken (as they Gage, Survey were all witneffes) this was a Miracle whereby they ought to be guided, of the Weft- and they did verily believe that God was in that piece of wood, which Jnd/esj.i-j^ (fince the fpeech made by it) was more than ordinary wood, having God himfejf in it, and therefore deferved more Offerings and Adorations than thofe Saints (i. e. of the Spaniards) in the Church; who did never fpeak unto people. And to this may be annex'd, fince it touches upon Saint-Worfhip,) what Santta Clara infmuates, as a Reafon why there's

no

Serm. XXV. The Viftbility of the true Church. gg .

no Precept under theGofpel for Invocation of Saints, fc. Lead the con*

verted Gentiles fhould believe, that they were again reduced to the *•«»* rt«*

Worfhip of Men, ( tcrrigenarum) and according to their old ciiftomc,^;,^ 4 ' 1 '^

fhould adore Saints not as Patrons but as Gods. To conclude this point, <* iav« SanftJ

finccGod hath fo fevcrely forbidden the Worfhipping of his Divine Ma-

jefty by Statues, Pictures, Sculptures or Images, and in all Ages given

ample Evidences of his wrath again!! fuch Worfhippers : Since the true

Chriftian Religion by means of fuch titular and nominal pretenders to it,

is greatly vilified and obftrucled in its progrefs, as to the fincere Con-

vcrfion both of T^rk^, Jews and Heathens ; we may eafily difcern where

that dangerous Society refides, that commit Fornication with Stocks and

Stones, termed by the Church of England, in her excellent and zealous

Homilies again!!: Idolatry, fC A foul, filthy, old withered Harlot, err. thatHomiiy o( - thr

" under/landing her lack of natural and true beauty, and great loathfom- church of /

* nefs (which of her felf flic hath) doth after the cuflom of fuch. Harlots, St&KJ t

li paint her felf, and deck and tire her felf with Gold, Pearl, Stone, apds?y ftrh « p f t,lt ■

" all kind of precious Jewels. ° 75 . b . A ' ry ' !

(3.) Is that the true Church of Chrift, that out of her own Invention, intermixt with Jewijh and Heathenifh Cuftoms(as might be fpeci-fied out of Blofidm, Polydore Virgil, and others) hath patch'd up a pompous Worfhip, and bottom'd now upon that grand Fundamental of the JPofes ^Hthority, which (as 'tis faid 0$ Jeroboams?) is devifcd of, their own t Kj n g. |rlaj», hearts, and in comparifon to the Inftitutions of Chrift, and Scriptural, Apoftolical, Primitive practice, is as it were but a Novelty, and of Yefter-day. As to which., the Hiftory of the Church in moft things gives us a precife account of their particular Rife and Genealogy ; in the reft, we may evidently prove by the primitive Adminiftrations, that then they were not, and afterward find, when they were m ufe and practice; though the exact moment of their intrufion be not determinable: Since they did, fenfim fine"fenfu, fecretly creep in, by the fubtle artifice of fome, and the fequacious temper of others; and likewife, that the barbarous times of the Goths and Vandals, making fearfull havock of Learning, and the rare Monuments of Antiquity, hath deftroyed many Records. But however, there are great heaps of Rubbifli and Soil, that might eafily be fented up to their original Stable : Let's but inftance in a few. The ufe of fine Linnen, Prayers in odd Numbers, Sanctuaries, Wax-candles, Worfhip towards the Eaft, Ember-dayes, Confecrationj, and the Bacchanalia, and other Feafts turned into the prefent Feftivi- p»/w. v'nv. ties; their Origine, and multitudes of others, may be obferved out of B * f,,53i * Poly dor, Innocent 3. Durandw his Rationale^ and Duram-us de RitibHS, 1 ™"™*'^^ RuftrtH* Tmtienfis, Gavantus^Gratian, Ivo, Blondus, and many others. 15j4.Sc. Give me leave a little to enlarge upon one Conflitution of the greateft momenf, becaufe 'tis a Fundamental amongft them, fc. The Decree of the Later an Council under Leo the io^h, whereby the Popes Authority was fully fettled, and whence he became exalted above a Council, and

Y y y y Infallible?

Infallible, and to be adored; as 'tis in the Ceremonials Romanum 1. i. Tom. 4. P «t. t.P* 5 1 « , & t 3 -p. 2 B6. and 'tis this: Solum Romanum Rontiflcem pro tem-consii. Latcr«n.,jp#B exifientem, tanquam Auttoritatem fuper omnia, Concilia haben-KoavV 5 ./ : ' tem^dec. mantfefie con flat. It clearly appears, #-<;. that the i^tf» 14 Kai. jan, Bifhop folely, for the time being, as having Authority over all Councils. And then, p. 12 i. Cum de necejfuate fahltts exiflat omnes Chrifti fidcles, Romano Pontiflci fubejfe : It is necejjkry to Salvation, that all Chriits faithfull ones mould be fubjecT to the Roman Bifhop. This was determined the 14 Kal. Jan. 1516. within the compafs of the fame year An^T'i*™* 1 ' wnere * n Luther began to aftault them, as may be obferved out of Sent-tetm his Annals. Whence we may note, what a profound Queition that is, when they demand of us, Where our Religion'was before Luther f when as themfelves do date the Commencement of the greateit point and Pillar of their Religion, viz.. The Dockine of Infallibility, within the fame year wherein Luther arofe; putting the Hay and Stubble of their infallible Judge, into the Foundation of the Church. Whereas, one of Hift.caridifuis, their own could boldly and freely aflat, cc That though the Catholicks u accufe them of pinning their Faith upon Luther and Calvin, which is eC falfe: for neither Luther nor Calvin inftituted any new Religion. When they ask, Where was ours? we anfwer, Where theirs is not ; fc. Inftituted by our blefled Lord, preached by the holy Apoftles, fet forth in the facred Scriptures, and praclifed by the Primitive Churches, and preferved all along by fome notable Confefibrs of the Truth in every Age, to our prefent times. But theirs indeed, as it now ftands, built upon the Later an and Trent- Councils, in their main Fundamental, is but a meer Novelty, darted up in the very dayes of Luther; and in other things wherein they diflfent from us, is but of later invention, in comparifon with the Primitive Apoftolical times. And in how many grand and weighty particulars (befides their acceflbry and gaudy Ceremonies) they dififent from Scriptures, forfake the Apoftles, run contrary to the Sanctions of ancient Councils, might be at large educed out of Authentick Records, aud demonftrated to be but a Novelty.

Ob]. But are there not feveral things found in the Reformed Churches that are of the fame ftanding, and favour of equal Novelty, of which it may be faid, Nonfic ab initio^ It was not fo from the Beginning.

A. To which it may be replyed, That 'tis the duty of all Reforma-

com"on-°pray- tlon h t0 come upexa&ly to Scripture, and what is not done at one

cr. time, in levioribw aliquot, in fome fmaller matters, may be performed

Bernard in can- at another. The ingenious Bernard glofifing upon that of the Canticles^

fl^-Tal 38 ' [_0 thou fairefi among Women,2 fpeaks thus; Pulchram, non omni-

mode quidem,fed pulchram inter mulieres earn docet, viz. cum diflinHione^

quatenus ex hoc amplius reprimatur, & fciat quid defit fibi: He calls

her Fair, yet not altogether, but faired among women, fc. with a diilin-

clion -, that hence fhe may be fomewhat the more checkt, and know

wherein fhe is defective. There's no Church under Heaven perfectly

beautifull,

Serm. XXV, The Vifibility of the true Church. 871

beautiful!, that remains for Glory, when Chrift will prcfcnt her to himfclf E.ph. <.-■.. without fpot or wrinkle. If but pretended Watchmen take away her fpcfc Cant. 5- 7« ted Vail fhe'lbegladofapurer. Fas cjl & ab hojlc dec in : Its wife lorn to learn by the reproof of an Adverfary. But as to the grand fundamental points, we unanimoufly agree; we lay no other Foundation than the Rock Chrift Jcfus, and ferioufly profefs the Scriptures to be our perfect Rule} and if any will teach us wherein wefwerve, we are ready to yield Obedience to the Laws of Chri.t. icuhat (as the learned Crakfr. . r f

thorp determines) thofe pcrfons, as Ircnsm, Juftiv Martyr, and Cy < wyan, &c. though in fome things they might erre, yet becaufe they thought thofe things to be taught in Scripture, which they made their Guide, and were ready to reform upon Eviction out of the Koly Scriptures they no doubt dyed in the Faith: But he teaches the contrary of thofe'that hold the Popes infallible Judgement in Caufes of Faith, for that's none of God's Foundation, whereupon to ground our Belief or

practice.

(4.) Can that be deemed a true Church of Chrift fucccffively in all

A°es, that varies from it felf? contradicts it felf, makes Decrees quite contrary to precedent times, and that in matters of Faith ? And lithe r «ffci. Philofopher faid right, that there is no medium in a perfect Contradict i- [ -*J. on • ifthe one be true, the other is equally as falfc; what fhali be deemed of fuch a Society, that in the great matters of Faith have determined quite contrary, befides many other things of grand importance? Truth is alwayes Homogeneal, confident and invariable. But here's Pope a-gainft Pope, Council againft Council, one Society, Order and Fraternity against another : where fhall a poor Chriftian (ft(Iere pedenS) fix his Refolution ? Ifthe former be true, the latter are undenyably falfe; ifthe latter be true, in what a cafe were the Fore-fathers of Old ? in what (rate did they leave the world ? how might this amaze the drowfie and in-chanted world, did it but awaken to mufe ferioufly on this point onely ? Have not Popes from the Chair determined againft each other, and that in matters of Faith, and other weighty cafes ? How Sylvcripts and Vigi-litis claflVd and conflicted, in that grand point of the three Chapters agitated in the fifth general Council, is at large fet forth by the Learned Cral^amhorp. Did not Pope Agatho determine quite contrary to Pope cy«Kc«uiirb> V'teilipu in the fame cafe, as may be obferved in comparing the Actions ? * <7 '' * of "the fifth and fixth Council. Stephen the Gftha abrogates the Decrees of r rd ; p ' 2% ' . Formofos, digs up his Body,and cuts offthe.two fingers of his Right hand, r.tl'Zh™ which are ufed in Confecratrons ; Andheaddes, Poflcaferefcwpcr fcr-vata hdc confaetudo fit, at A tin prior urn Pontificam fcquentes ant in-frintrerent ant omnino tollerent ; That afterward this Cuftom wasalmoft alwayes kept up, That following.Bifhops did either invalidate or utterly take away the Ads of their PredeceiTors : Of which he gives Inftances cng. r ( -in Rowamu, Thevdotx*^ Joltn 1 d.i and Sergws. I Greg. 1. determines him -: • to be Antichriftian, and to biafpheaSne,- that fltould arrogate the:

Yyyy z Name

Vlfl. 19. c.$. Name of Supreme over all other ; and calls him the King over all the col. 107. children of Pride. But his Name-fake Greg. 4. depofes every one, co! 120! C ' *" C^*' r/w//<e //*<e afoW proftratvu, cVc.] whofoever does not obey the Apo-•fFafcic. re- ftolicalSeat; and Nicolas 2. pronounces him without doubt for a Here-rum expet. tick ; and that worthy perfon Greg.y.or HiLdebrandfas fet out by f Ben-BjM.i.M* m the Cardinal, and others,) ftigmatizes fuch with the Brands of Idolatry, %'lwDecm Witchcraft and Paganifme, Quifquis dum Chriftianum fe afferit, fedi $ part! de fri- Apoflolica obedire contemnit j Whofoever aflerting himfelf for a Chri-mat. f. 1 §3. ftian, contemns to obey the Apoftolical Chair. Again, Coelejiine 3. de-Vecretal. Lz.. termines againft a Divorce between Chriftians and Infidels, but Inno-cd.i2i6? 1 ' cent 3- determines the contrary. Again, Pelag. 2. had commanded, IbA.A.c.6. tnat tne Sub-deacons of Sicily fhould abftain from their Wives, but col. 1^6, Greg. 1. fayes 'tis durum & incompetens, hard and inconvenient, and Cauf.27.q.2. allowes the quite contrary; and the Glofs addes, That the Statute of c ' 2 ?'c ( f i '\" 1 ' Pelagim was againft the Gofpel. There are multitudes of Cafes might col i&u* C ' 1 ' ^ e added, 'wherein they made no fcruple to refrind, abrogate, and decree contrary to their PredecefTors. But I fhall (for hafte fake)Ypeak a little of the variance of Councils alfo. * R r, • The Council of Con fiance determines thus : JEy? de necefftate falutis, Eptftoia Sm- credere Generate Concilium habere fupremam Autoritatem in Ecclefia : iali ad urn- It is of Neceffity to Salvation, to believe that a General Council hath fu-verfos cbrifli prcme Authority in the Church* yea over the Pope himfelf: And this is frleles. ratified by Pope Martin the Jfh, as the Fathers of Bafil fet it forth to

all the world; and yet you have feen before, how that the Later an Council hath determined the quite contrarry, ftating it in thofe very words, That it is neceffary to Salvation, that all Chriits Faithful! ones fhould be fubjecl to the Roman Bifhop, and in that very point, as having Authority over all Councils, €m %Tom,2- The Council of Orange, in many Canons,and that of Milevis,ox Melci r . 340' a. in Numidia, neer Algier, and the African Council (commonly fo called) p. 285. b. determine againft Free-will. The Council of Gangra (now Congria) P. 3°5-a - by £*-,£ River Halys, determines Anathema to fuch as refufe to commu-Gangu comil. n } cate w i t h a married Prieft. But thefe things are contradicted by Trvit. Can. 4, &c ►p{ ne jjj^e m ight be (hewn about Romes Jurifdiclion, and communica-

Par ' S wn%- tin § tne Cu T to the Peo P le > the Conception of the BUffed Virgin, and

lira? ' feveral other Points, which would fwell too large: Neither will time

admit the feveral varieties and ConfefTions to be recited out of Augnftin

of Tarracena, found in Gratia* j nor the private Oppofitions of their

„ it Doctors, in numerous cafes, collected by a Reverend perfon. I fhall

Pencilf conclude this Section with an Obfervation about the Holy Bible it felf;

Rome. whofe former Editions not fatisfying Sixtus 5. fet forth a new one, rati-

fied by his Edicl, An. 1589. Then comes Clement 8. A. 1592. with another Breve, commanding another new Edition to be received with equal Veneration, and the contemners of it expofed to new Imprecations and Curfes; and yet thefe two Editions of the holy Bible, differ in

two

two thoufand places, and fome fo material, that they strife to flit con-'

traditions, which is made evident by Dr. James, in his Bellum Papale,

and the Edicls themfelvcs, (becaufe the Sixtine Bibles are hard to come

by) are at large fet forth by the learned Amama. So that if their Popes Amama Am

decretory Sentences in matters of Faith, their Councils in points neceffa- barb > h n - 4 ro -

ry to Salvation, their Doclors in great and important concerns of the ^'* 7 ' * 8, *•

Church, their very Bibles (fuch as they will permit) in multitudes of

places egregioufly differ one from another; where (hall a Chriitian fix

his mind, in Inch a Society, under fuch grand uncertainties, contradictions

and Oppofitions one to another, in the high and momentous Concern*

ments of Eternity and the other World.

(5.) Can fuch claim the Honour of being a true Church of Chrifl, which impioufly derogate from the EfTential Honour of God and of Je~ fus Chrift ? that exalt a finfull man unto the Dignities and incommunicable Excellencies of the Divine Majefty ? I trow not: But fuch there . are, who highly pretend to Chrift. and his holy Church, and yet dare to open their mouths in ftrange and fcarfull Expreflions, in their Canon-Law, when they magnifie their Roman Prefident: QHe is faid to have a Decretal.Gretf heavenly Arbitrement, he changes the Natures of things, &c. he can p. /.i. Tn.j. make any thing of nothing. In what he wills, his Will itands for Rea- c-h&& fon -, neither may any fay, Why dofi thou fo I which is by Job applyed M 9» 12. to God. He can make Juftice out of In juftice, by correcting and chang- £>//?. 96. c.7. ing of Laws, and hath the fulnefs of Power.] They alledge, that the Decretal, L u Pope was called Godby Confiantine ; and again, Not Man but Godfe7 "* 7 * c ' 3* parates them, whom the Roman Bifhop does, who bears the Viceroy- ^' iliip of the true God in the Earth, ( but that never was nor can be a* JtoiZfiJ proved). Again, To believe that the Lord our God the Pope, the Enactor col. 153. of this Decree, could not fo determiners heretical. Again, It's Idolatry, D/fl. 8i«c. i<« Paganifme and Herefie, not to obey the Roman Seat: not one Iota of col -5i7.&<#/?• his Statutes mud be dilputed. Again, Chrin: profefTes himfelf to pre- Ip j c '{* gl °^' fide under the Faith and Name of Peter, &c. and although he lead in- _ '^ 7 ' 7 numerable People by Troops to Hell, (pxprimo Mancipio Gehenna, i.e. f^Tit'i+c!' Diabolo, fayes the Glofs,) there to be eternally beaten with many (tripes, ^.gloff.coU^. yet none mud reprove him,&c. And to name no more, The common Cauf. 24. q. 1. Extravagants, treating of Chrifts Power and his Vicars, the Glofs upon Ct l --&Js-col. Pope Boniface, fet out by Greg. 13. addes this, Ncn videretur Domi- l8 35 # nns difcretus fuijfe, ut cum e)us reverentia loquar, nifi nnicum pofife f xtrav ' Co J r ' talem Vicarium reliquiffet qui h<ec omnia pojfit: u The Lord would not j^rf, fatal 1. " feem to have been difcreet, that I may fpeak with reverence of him, un-c - lefs he had left fuch an onely Vicar behind him,who might do all thefe <c things. Whofo defires to know more of the like tremendous matter, may perufe Ranchinm his Revtewofthe Council of Trent, an Author *' W T t

c { F , . ' Council oj

of their own, and many others. Trent, p.ii

(6.) The fixth and latl Inquiry is, Whether that can be a true Church, that perfecutes them to the utmoft, yea and upon that very account,

count, becaufe they teach, profefs and maintain the holy Doctrine and pure VVormip, which was left by our blefled Lord and his Apoftles, in the holy Scriptures ? And this is not an accidental thing, falling out now and then when cruel ones fit in power, for 'tis by Principle: To co no higher than Trent, what great points of Primitive Chriftianity a're fmitten with terrible Anathemas ? Nay, what fmaller differences are

corfcii. rriient. made obnoxious to the fame indignation ? as to fay Marriage is no Sacra-

scfT.u. can, i. ment? an ^ that it does not conferr Grace; or to fay the Church cannot difpenfe with the degrees ofConfanguinity, or Affinity in Leviticm 5 or to fay that Matrimonial Caufes belong not to Ecclefiaitical Judges, &>c. or if we enquire all the Caufes that ftate men guilty of Herefie ; what guilt would millions be involved in at that Tribunal ? To deny the Supremacy of Rovers abfolute Herefie 5 and Fins thefecond has determined ' it to be Treafon end Herefie to appeal to a future Council. In what a cafe ftands the Galilean Church ? Now in thefe and all other points they will be Judges in their own Caufe ; though fometimes they have averted, That "\ ' what touches all, ought to be approved by all, and Nicholas 1. and C<z-lefline 3. profefs'd, that even Reafon itfelf teaches, that our Enemies muft not be our Judges \ and the Canon-Law expreffely, That the Pope

Cauf. \6. q.*. himfelf muft not judge in his own Caufe : Yet they proceeded at Trent^

c 1. giofr. though the Clergy of feveral Provinces were abfent, and fome Chriftian Princes difavowed it. Now what becomes of perfons thus determined againft and excommunicated ? why the Canon-Law difpatches the matter

cau r . »i'. q.j. r fpeedily i Non arbitramur, ckc. We do not efteem them for Murderers, who burning with zeal of the Catholick Mother-Church, fhould happen to kill any that are excommunicated; and befides, Hereticks are reckoned in fo black a Catalogue, that Faith is not to be kept with them; and although Molanus and others feem to differ, that's but a private Opinion, they but plow upon the Ocean, and write upon the Sea-fands, fo

ptjctaal. 1.5. long as it ftands in force in the Canon-Law. Abfolutos fe noverint, &e.

lite °' l6 ' Co1 Let them know that-they are abfolved from the Obligation of Fealty,

Homage and all Duty, whoever were held bound by any Covenant,

ftrengthencd by whatfoever band, to fuch as are manifeftly lapfed into

*enci'.a>nft&t: Herefie: and the Council of Co nflance hath defined, That the fafe con-

s<&<9. r . 5 z ;.•'''• duft 0 f Princes granted to fuch, ought to be no barre to Ecclefiaftical Procedures; Quocnnque vinculo fe aftrinxerint j By whatever Band they have obliged themfelves. And then let's obferve a ruled Cafe laid down

Rf n r,r.^ 5 . in the fame Canon-Law : Fruftrk fibi fidemquis foflulat^oLC. In vain . 859 does any man require Faith to be kept to himfelf by him, to whom he re-

fufeth to keep the Faith plighted by himfelf. Now what brave work would thefe things make in the world, fmce all the Reformed Churches knit* ccer.s per jj e p ro fjrate unc jer the Thunderbolts of the Roman Capitol ?' Firft cenfu-red for Hereticks, and then no punifhment is fevere enough: What will become of Chriiiian or of Humane Society, if any Church differ from their Sentiments ? And what fad Havock has been made in the Earth,

the

the red lines in the Annals and Martyrologies of moil Churches, abundantly tellifie; even for fuch things as arc confmvint to the holy Scriptures. How unmanly and brutifh; to ufe Blowes inilcad of Reafons! yea, how devilifh, to perfecute men for keeping the Commandments of God! They are of the feedof thcred Dragon, Rev. iz.ij. Howvain, to think to conquer mens fpirits by Croziers turn'd into Swords, and Keyes into Guns ! Perfecution indeed may turn fome, but 'tis into Hypocrites; that man's never gain d, but e^afperated. That's a declining Caufe that can't fupport it felf by the fame means by which it was at firfl propagated. Did the Apoftles fo, whofe lines ran to the ends of the Earth, and conquered fo great a part of the Roman World to Chrifl by ^ ^ t % nz Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God? Good Bernard hid once to Eugemvu, what do you ufe a Sword for, you are commanded to iheath it, ( as Peter) do the work of an Evangelitt, and feed the Sheep ? n**. Our Lord did not bid Peter feed his Sheep with Iron and Steel, or his Lambs with t willed Wire; though Bar omits faid, Peters Miniflery hath two parts, To feed, and to kill. Hifl. of the Quarrels of Fenice y p. 65. That Pallor fhews weaknefs in Policy, that takes wayes to incrcafedif-fenters; as Polydore could obferve, that the Churches troubles under K^ 0 *^*** Pagan Emperonrs, fo increafed the numbers of Believers, that they were at length more fufpecled for their Multitudes, than their Religion. The more lfrael was afflicted in Egypt, the more they multiplyed and grew, Exod. 1. 12. Rome never lofl ground fo fall, as fince they ufed the filly Engine of Perfecution to gain it. Mankind is not devoid of Humanity, and Chriitianity has Nobler Maxims than Phalaris 0 fuch as flow from that p; a i. 45. 3. Prince of Might, Elect, who bids the world learn of him, for be is meek^ and Lwly i who rebuked the~ApoiUes for defiring that fire might defcend upon the Samaritans, Luk. 9. 54. and fo is his blelTed Church a flight of Doves* and a flock of Sheep, who by the generous power of the Spirit of God in Converfion, doe Ponere id bruti, lay down the brutifh Tyger at the foot of the Prince of Peace, and, of ferocious and favage by Nature, become mild, meek and peaceable, forgiving and forbearing one Eph. 4. 32. another, becaufe God for Chrifls fake hath forgiven them. Col. 3.12 12.

But how unhappy are they that leave the Polls of Wifdom, and take SancTuary at the Gates of Hell, and adde this Note, (befides Purity of Doclrine, V Vorfhip and Difcipline) whereby the Church may be known, (Gz* Its perilous and troublefome (late, and fhew to be of the world : As our Lord foretold, In the World ye fiiall have tribulation, Joh. i5. but in meyefhall have peace. VVhere Hawks and Wolves do haunt, there's Dove-coats or Flocks of Sheep neer. So that if any ask, Where our Church was of old ? Reply, Where Perfections tryed their Faith. They know well enough where it was, they need not ask us: Tis but reading their own Records, their Rubric*, their Scarlet RegiHers, and they'l eafily difcern, by the Scriptural points for which holy menfuffered,

a fufficient mark and evidence of the true Church-Lex's

Let's then briefly recapitulate and conclude, That fmce there are to be found fuch as in fundamental Doctrines determine contrary to Chrifl and the blefTed Apoftles, fuch as by Idolatry have broken Covenant with God, and give even the Worfhipof Latvia to 'Creatures, due to him i Cor. 6. 9. alone; can fuch without Repentance and Reformation enter into the Rcv.14.10,11. Kingdom of Heaven ? fuch as form a Worfhip to God out of their own 2I * 8 * Inventions and Novelties, fuch as contradict themfelves in very mate- ■ rial and important matters of Salvation; fuch as blafphemoufly derogate from the Glory and Honour of Jefus Chrift ^ fuch as pefecute them who profefs and endeavour to follow onely the Apoftolical Rules, and the confonant practice of the primitive Churches ? Though they may pretend to a Unity and Uniformity, yet does it not refult into a League and Confpiracy againft the Truth ? The Ship of the Church is in danger to fplit againft fuch a Rock as this: Can we judge fuch Societies and Communions to be true Churches of Chrift; and not rather confent with the Determination of the Church of England^ to the contrary ? z^part 7 HomiL for Whit-Sunday.

If Cbavles the Great, Alciiinus^ Agobavdus, Bevtvam, Bevnavd, Abbot Joachim-^ Petev de Vinets, Mavfiliui^ D antes, Bradwardin, Petvarcb, J\4anman,Gev[on, Clemongis^TbeodovicHs de Nyem. and the compiler of Fafciculns vevum expetendarum, and many others down along the darker times, might bring in their fuffrages in various points; It might be juftly feared, that the late Abbot Cualdi would be acquitted from rafhnefsia , . ,. concluding that, c< Amongft all the Churches fmce the Beginning of the / * t zT ' " Wcdcl' there has not been found that unconftancy and confufion as in "theChurch of Romero many Antipopes, Schifmes, Herefies, Contro-" verfies, Confufions, Sufpenfions, Perfecutions, fo many falfe Opinions, "Scandals, Tyrannies, and inteftine Quarrels, as there. But we will rather turn thefe complaints into unfaigned prayer for their Salvation/and wifti them no more hurt than to our own Souls, that the great God would 2 Tim. 2.2$. g« ve t k em R e p entance to the acknowledging of the Truth.

9 Corollavy. HI. Since thofe are true marks of the Church of Gcd, which the Church of Fngland hath exhibited, and have been infomemeafure infilled upon} we'may conclude, that the people ofGod in Bvitaln (blefTed be his holy Name) are in the happy pofTefTion of the true Apoftolical Doctrine and Worfhip, according to the holy Scriptures, and confonant to what the true Church of God hath held in all Ages, fince the Lord Heb. 3.1. JeJfus, the Apoftle and High-prieft of our ProfefTion, hath left this Heavenly Commiffion of the Father with his Church.

It were no difficult task (onely of labour) to fhew out of our own

Monuments and Antiquities, and from the VVritings and Records of

feveral Ancients and Moderns, that Bvitain was not converted by fuch

iftiw* de san- as came from Rome , but by others that came hither in the Reign of 77-

fiis 1.1. ®^°- berius, end fuch as attended Jofephoi Avimathea fentoutof Gaul by

5 ? S! */ 'fhiUp. 1. That Philip preach'd theGofpel in Gaul, JfidovHs, and our

ancient

■

ancient Nennius, and Freculfus, do attcft. That Jofeph of Arimathea u\ de s c n r r. came into Britain to preach the Gofpel, is exceeding probable ; unlefs J w ,

to fuch whom no ancient Teftimonies, Records or Traditions doe favour U.c4.p,44g.' or relifh, but fuch as gratifie their own private Fancies and Dcfigns: Yea, feveral agree that he came at the inftance and by the direction of Philip. If-the Charters and Muniments fet forth in Monafticon AngU- mom*. Angi canum -, if the Charter of Henry the 2d, granted to the Abby of Glaften- Vo! ! -r »s. bury, which our Annalift John Stow fayes he both faw and read, and Sir $$«* Annab Jo^tf Pr/'cf, in his Defence of the Hiftory of Britain recites (verbatim) ? in part; wherein our King declares the feveral Grants of his Britijh and S c jj{J dc * n , cc Saxon Anceftors, which (fayes he) Diligentcr feci inqmri, & coram me v j er « r jroord. pr<zfentari& legi: I caufed to be diligently fearchedi out, to be prefent- p.?.*7.7*». ed and read before me; where the very Deeds of K. Arthur, and Ken- spin*? condt wa'cha. Pagan Prince, are mentioned, and in feme of them that place is *£° i rp 2 , a Frecalled the Mother of Saints, the Grave of the Saints, and that it was $*»*.?• 17. & firft built by the very difciples of Chrift themfelves : If thefe be not p ] 1 ^ pu}t enough, let Capgrave ipeak, mentioning the Ac/ts of Arthur and Melkin cawtvt&t j -of Avalon, or Isiaftenbury, who lived before Merlin, an Author not ut- ^ h Ar> f * I9: * terly to be contemned, efpecially by fome, as having refcucd feveral Memorials from the Grave of Oblivion : Let Bale as teftific, delivering Ral - p- \ 5- B * f: many things from Leland, one employed by King Henry 8. in fearch- ' ing the Antiquities of Britain, and out of Fleming, Scroop, and others ; uund Aflm. yea Leland himfelf, in his aflertion of King Arthur : Not to mention u rc r b j MS v fuch as have been of later date, as Polydor Virgil, and Harding, Pitfe- Anno'*?. ' 4 ° us,&c. According to thefe it appears, that what work Jofeph per- M^ rp,, J J formed in Britain, was by the Recommendation of Philip out of Gaul, lJl and not from Italy. But yet we may afcend higher, and (hew, that the feeds of Chriftian Religion were firft fown in this Ifland 26 years earlier, fc. in the latter end of the Reign of Tiberim : For thus writes Giid#excdie. our ancient Gildas, £both of Poly dors Edition, and Joffelins,~] Tempore, Ip^&'edit?' nt fcimns, Summo Tiberii Cefaris, &c. radios fuos primum indu'get,i.e. Joan.jofleiftt, fua pracepta Chrifltu: "Chrift firft indulgeth his Rayes, i.e. his Pre- p,9 b * l5 ^* li cepts, in the latter end of Tiberius C<efar, as we know.] This tefti-mony of Gildas Badonicus is alfo confirmed by Gildas Albanim, in his f« Martyroi. Tracl of the Vi&ory of Aurelins Ambrofe, as fome relate; but how- Vo, , -p1 ^-ever, let's take the former Gildas his time, whereof, though fome of ours Dr M«fa p.p. have in fome meafure debated, yet let us a little further examine it. f'^ of Co J*

-ri^ in r rr' 1 r 11 • r 1 • grand impolt.

The lair year of Tiberius renin An.Chr. 37. as Pctavius one of their p.jj. exacTeft Chronologers ftates it; who brines Peter firft to Rome A. 42. f"'Vf, r°fi* and fets him in the Chair An. 43. But the Britains receiv'd the Gofpel p. 304. five years before his coming to Rome, and that while Peter was yet (in the Year 37.) at Joppa. But if Baronius his account be true, (who has Aa.9.1©. but a fma 11 Faculty at Chronology, or Aftronomical Calculations, efpecially of Eclipfes, fo necefTarv to an Annalift, befidesthe truth ofhisal- „ . '

1 - • Nil* -r> 3 -r, * 1 r 1 1 • x* -/» 1 Barott. Anna'.A.

legation j) he brings Peter to Rome. An.^ % but fettles his Epifcopal 44 mi ; :j.

Z z z 2 Chair

yd. aa Ar.r.r.. Chair there, An.^. If this be true, the Britain s receiving theGofpel n.^8.& a.4). ^ ^ mvSk then anticipate Peters coming to Romejtevcn years, and M^an scom^ erecting his Seat, and ordering a Church there, eight years. Again, Ma-y. 16.71 rianm Scotus brings him to Rome, Aft. 47. and then Bntains_Qon\ 7 tr-

flon antedates theirs by ten years. But all this and much more that might be urged, lies upon the Suppofition of Peters being there at all, which Marfa. defer, many of the Learned greatly queftion. For MarJUuts of Padua argues Picis, P . io 7 . that Peter was not there, and that Paul was the firft Bimop of Rome. id. k But thefe things impeach not ou~Caufe at all, forafmuch as all the

Apoftles had the fame Commiflion with parity of Honour and Power.

If then the Britifi Church were planted before ever Peter came to Rome, let's call to mind that ancient Rule, Omnes Ecclefia huic fub-jecla manent a quo inftitnta font: All Churches remain fubjeel: to him, (*. e. in his Succeffors) by whom they were inftituted. And this is not fo much a private, as a publick Sanction of the general Council of Ephe-fm, in the cafe of the Cyf riots; who having received the Faith from Barnabas, yet were much molefted by the Bi(hops of Antioch: Concerning whom the Ef he fine Fathers made a Decree, aud extended it to Aft* corcii. all Churches: Niilhts Epifcoporum,&CQ. aliamProvwciamqu&nonantea apd'camT-"* ' & a binitio fait foa, fob foam^&c. manum trahat: u Let no Bifhop ioi. Edit. « bring under his power another Province, which was not his before, and cmcH e hefin " from the beginning.] This is yet more infilled upon by Zonaras, in £jnttff 9 p.t$. his Comment upon the 8'h Canon of that Council, and by Balfamon in Edit. Par. \6ii. \{ is s c holea\ and whatis there fpoken of Cyprus, fome have applyed alfo B*if*n. insynd. t Owf upon the fame ground: but it's not time to difcufs that, or of ri ? .paTis,itf2o. other Provinces. Surhce this Canon to our cafe; That iince Britain re-Coroi; as. ceivedthe firft glorious Light of true Faith from other Difcipies of our gAuiQp.i Lord, and not from Peter, and was converted fome years before ever

the common Tradition of Peters coming to Rome can be cleared : This Rule totally exempts us from all Jurifdi&ion pretended by them ; fince we are (upon thefe grounds) evidently reducible to fome of the Afian or Greeks Churches, in refpeel: to the ancient Rites of \,Vorfhip, con-Btti.uix.-.fAiK cording with theirs, and oppugnant to Rome. This was the Quarrel between the Britijh Bifhops, and Auflin the Monk, as Venerable Bede relates, in mult is, in many things, but efpecially in the celebration of Eafter, and Miniftration of Baptifm. This troubled the North Britifft .B>,i t wJ.%i. Churches -, about which very thing the Synod at Whitby was called, spcim. concii.p. ^^ 66 ^ and there Hilda and her aflbciates averred their cuftoms from John, Philip, Polycarp, &c. of the Eaftern Communion. Neither were ^&£^bi *efe matters wholly filenced as to the Weljh Britaim ■, till the year 762. 5?. &. More might be faid alfo about Lucius and Ethelberts times, that the laffc

efpecially was but an attempt to yoke the Britijh Churches under the Dominion of Rome y which they ftoutly refilled. And it might be evidenced, that Chriftian Religion was initiated among the Saxons before

hUflin

Anftin the Monk arrived. For Queen Berth* enjoyed the B of

Chriftian Worfhip, by the Miniftry of Lmdhardns a Bifhop, fent with : <-

her out of France, and it was celebrated in a Rrttijh Church dedicated to S. Martin, in the Eaft-fide of the City of Canterbury, and built in the

time of the Romans, as fome others were which Auftin had leave to re-

i pair.

But fay, i. We received our Light firft from Rome, (which is falfe ■) and grant, 2. The Dominion of P eter tobo. Univerfal ; and yield, 3. The Bifhop of Rome to be his undoubted SuccefTor ; and that, 4. There arc no flawes in the Old Chair; and that, 5. This B.fhop is inverted by Chriil with all the Priviledges of an Apoftle; which are all precarious and begg'd: Yet, if they apoftatize from the Doctrine and Faith of Peter, mult all other Churches be cenfured for feparating from them who fe pa rate from Ghriffc, from Peter and from Paul ? We profefs to hold unfeignedly with Old Rome, whatever it held according to Pauls iPet.5.13. EpiiHe to the Romans, nay and with the Church in Babylon, ( pombly h Ba&vt.v;*-neer Memphis,) in whatever they retained of Ptw^Doctrine: When they are return'd to Peter and Pauls Doctrine, &c. then let them treat with us -, but elfe, if any depart, that old Maxim mould be refrelh'd, Caufa, non SeparatioSchifmaticum facit: 'Tis not Separation, but the Caufe that determines Schifme. They are Scbifmxtickj that depart from Peter, Conftit. Apoftol. 1.6. c. 4. And another not to be forgotten ; \_D11m Ecclefia habet Paftorem H Arctic um vcl Schifmaticum, vacare intelligi- g.^.Titj.K :i>" : tar .-3 While a Church hath a Heretick or Scifmatick for its Pallor, it's Par -to be counted Vacant.] In which cafe what fhall be faid to their own Genebrard, who affirms, That Fifty Popes in Succeffion, foralmoft one Ger.ebrsrHChrca. hundred and fifty years together, were either ApotaHici, vel Apoflatict, u - Ann -? c *-totiiis quam Apofiolici: Irregular or Apoftates, rather than Apoftolical. r Pope Marcellmm faid, He could not fee how they could be faved, who were advanced to the Papacy, Onnphr. in vit. Mar cell. I fhall not here enlarge upon any of their irregular Intrufions into the Throne, the Fighting and Blood-fhed (mentioned by Ammianus') at the Election of Da- ^ )1J!an] ,. rs-.afiu, nor their perfonal Vices and Herefies, nor the Infeffion of the * Chair by that Learned Dame, unkindly mentioned by Laonicus, and L : -» !C m chi\-uncomfortably revived in our Church-Homilies : When thefe points are c ^ (w fl l **. rc " duely and ferioufly weighed, what caufe the Reformed have had for a ed. coi.Aliobn Seceffion and departure from them, to the Glory of God, to the Reve- l6 ' 5 -verence of Peters Doctrine, to the Comfort and Peace of our Confcien-ces; let the GV^Churches, or any other that maintain Scripture-Do- scrm^fn^wnfr-(trine and Worfhip, nay, let all in other parts of the World that own ("und-y : f.iscathe true God, be Judges.

But to draw to an end : How greatly ought we to refound his Praifes, who hath in all Ages, through the depth of the darker!: times, conferved the true Faith and Doctrine all along, and of his great Mercy conveyed to us authentick Teflimonies and Evidences, notwithftanding the Bar-

Zzzz 2 barifm

barifm and Violence of feveral Ages againft the Truth. Nay, it might be (hewn, that God hath not left us without a Lamp of Teftimony to the moft material Points, even herein Britain; but that it would arife to a little Chronicle, not proper for this Place and Time, but obvious to be obferved^ in the feveral Hints and Reflections upon what they called Er^ rours, in feveral publick Synods in this Ifland, even till the time of Wtck^ liffi, when the Truth broke out more glorioufly, and Hill fhincth in great Luftre, blefTed be his moft holy Name.

4 Corollary. j y Hath Almighty God, of his infinite goodnefs, fo gracioufly hither-

to preferved his Church, and beftowed upon the Reformed Countreys. his moil holy Bible, tranlhted with great care and diligence out oft~e Sacred Originals into our Mother-tongues, and poured out that Grace to endeavour to Reform, according to his Heavenly Direclions therein recorded; let us give the more earneft heed to the things which we have

„ , heard) left at any time we jhould let them flip, and hold faft that which

we have received from Heaven, that no man t&k$ away our Crown. Let's take heed of Wantonnefs, of refilling or abufing the blefTed Gofpel, or any way walking unworthy of it, leit God provoked by our Unho-

Rev.5.11. linefs, mould remove the Golden Candleftick into Corners, or to other Nations. Let's take great heed of creeping corruptions, and of thofe Communions that erre in Faith, departing from the Head, from the Scriptures, from the Doclrine of the Apoftles, from Purity of Worfhip, left if we partake of their Sins, we be involved alfo in their Plagues. Come out of her, mypeople , fay es the Lord; and having been obedient to the Heavenly Vifion, let us keep our Garments unfpotted ; that men

Rev.18.4. fee not our fhame, as we love the Salvation of our Souls, and the Glory of the Son of the Living God, the onely true Bafis and Rock of his

Rey.15.15. ^ church. Let's heartily pity, and earneftly pray for fuch as are yet Judi-* 0i * dally hardened to believe a Lye.

5 Corollary. V. Since our bleiTed Lord hath built his Church upon himfclf. who

is a Rog\ flowim with Mdk and Honey, then all true Believers being fixed upon this amiable and lovely Foundation laid in Zion, mould fweetly unite in holy Love together, being rooted and built up together Col.s.7* in him. Let not thefe living Marbles, pohfht for Solomons Palace, dafli

againft one another. Let not the Sheep of Chrift pufh each other.

Quis teneros mihi fafcinat agnos f Who hath bewitched you, Ofooli'h Galatiansl Thefe unnatural buttings (as Shepherds obferve) prefage veryftormy dayes. Shall Rofes that grow in Sharon, gam each others tender fides, and the Churches Vines turn Brambles ? When fome Troops fn an Army fight not againft . the Enemy,: but give fire at their own Regiments, is it not a notorious fign of Infatuation, or Confpiracy againft their Native Prince ? Shall a few Externals engage fpirits in mutual heats and conflicts, to the laughter, fcorn, and hope of the Adverfary j who will joynwith one part for a while, that they may devour both at laft, and blow up thofe inteftine

heats

Serm. XXV. the Virility of the true Chunk (

heats into a flame, at which they'l joyfully warm their hands ? Mildncfs and Mecknefs is the Glory of a Chridian ; and the way to gain Brethren to our Opinions, is by ponderous Arguments and iwect AtlccTions. Naturalills obfervc, that Fifh will never be taken by a bloody Net j and when Sheep bring forth Lions, 'tis portentuous of Tyranny. Its utterly AEfi impoflible in our lapfed Elt.ate, to make all of a Mind, and a moil improper Means, to propagate Opinions by Violence. Socrates treating Socrat.Eech of the Divcrfitics about Eaftcr, and other Rites, in an excellent Chap- *#•*$.*•*** ter tending to Chridian Union, fayes, kJi-xtz &&< iavrtf Asywimv, That A , they by no means difTuciated from one another, and thatthofe who con-fent in the fame Faith, may differ in Rites and Ceremonies, and that the'" ApofHes gave no Precepts about fuch matters, but left all to their free liberty^ and again, bewails &ch as in his-time counted Whoredom in- p.rfcp, different, but ltrove for fuch Feafts as for their Lives. Neither may we forget thofe golden fayings of blelTed An ft in : [ ImcrmtnabiUs eft ifta Au &*Q-E} contentio gene r an s lites, non finiens queftionef: fit ergo una fides, &c. etiamfi iff* fidei unit as quibufdam diverfis Olfervatiombm celebratnr, quihm nullo modo quod in fide verum eftjmpeditur : "This Contention is "endlefs, gendring to ftrife, not putting an end to Queftions : let the Faith, " therefore be one, &c. although the Unity of Faith be celebrated with Cc certain diverfe Rites, by which that which is true in the Faith, is no cc waves hundred.] Ail the Glory of the Queen is within; thofe outward pfaLi^ Rites are oncly the Embroydery of her Garments, which may be of various Colours. The Dove of the Church may have her Wings covered FfaU&i$ with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow Cold. The fame Army may have diverfity of Banners, and yet fight unanimoufly and vi&orioufly under one and the fame General. Wc agree in the main, and whereto we Phil. 5.15/ have already attained Jet's walk by the fame Rule^smd mind the fan; e thing, Gal.5.i6. and if any be otherwife minded, God may in time reveal even that unto them. There wiil never be Peace in the Christian World, fo long as fcrupulous Externals are by proud and foolifh perfons prefs'd with equal rigour to many Subitantials and Fundamentals.

So far are fome pious Spirits from this fiery temper, that they are not without hope offeveral in farre different Communions: But ifsny among ours fpeak or write more mildly, favourably and foftly, of fome of theirs, 'tis not to be underftood of fuch as finally perfift in the high and fundamental points of difference ; but of them that privately whifper and figh among their Friends, Sic dicer em in Scholis,fed tamen {maneat<7j..r inter nos*) diverftm fentio, &c. non poteft probari de facris Uteris, &c. i e p. p. 242^ a So I fpeak in the Schools, butyet(let that be kept private^ I think Edit. 1609, " otherwife, and that it cannot be proved out of Holy Scriptures. Of fuch as fincerely cry out with the Cardinal, Tutifftmum eft fiduciam to- ^ llxdc . "•'•{• tarn in fola Dei mifericordta & benignitate reponere. If s fife ft to caft „2-5V'/ all our Confidence on the Aiercy and Benignity of Godonely: To ad- 1628.

here to the precious Blood of Chriit alone, without Works, There be

fome

i

&2 The Virility of the True Church. Serm. XXV.

fome even in Babylon of his People, to be called out in the Day of Vengeance, Rev. 18.4. Such as are in heart ours, and as to the Cardinal of?! ^ /Ccntl6 . Point of Juftification, dye in the Reformed Religion; fuch as Pighim >. 501.' (though otherwife bitter,) as Fergerizu, Gerfon, Ferti^jMJtnM? r sxA

Father Paul the Venetian, and many others. 6CoraUary. VI. In the fist and laft place. All the true living Members of the holy Church of Chrift, may be greatly comforted from this Text and Doctrine ; for though the Church will never be fully quiet and at reft, while the Gates of Hell ftand undemolifht, but will be itill expofed to furious Aflfaults, to boyiterous waves, tempeftuous ftorms, direfull perfections, and fecret undermining Herefies, to their Molimna and Blandimema : Sometimes to fierce Oppofitions and flattering Inticements, and fome-times to both together, yet herein flands the Faith and Patience of the Rlv.i?. 10. Saints. Therefore all gracious Christians muft be content, andrefolved to exercife themfelves in thisfpiritual Warfare, and by fervent Prayer call down Auxiliary help from Heaven, whereby the invincible and omnipotent God is humbly implored, and Legions of holy Angels fent in for affiftance. Yet,

(1) Let holy Souls be comforted in this, that no Weapon formeda-m44*l7' galnfl Mount Zion Jhall finally proffer. The Virgin Daughter of Zion hath defpifed them, and laughed them to fcorn, the Daughter of Jerufa-lem hath f oaken-her head at them. For as the Golden- mouth'd Preacher chrjffl, Serrr. expreffes it, Tw Bikod-rDcLu dvm \%imvg>oiv 0 J)cL(6q\q$> Tiiif Ji iKKhmew ht iJnPerticoft. 'i$hA^ Satan hath emptied his quiver, but hath not hurt the Church. Tom.$-p.9 r i9- By how much the more the Enemies rage againft her, byfo much the Ed. sZton. more t ^ t true profefTors of Piety and Faith increafe: Not unlike the Vine, that growes the more fertile by pruning, or as the Palm, that rifes the more ere<ft after weights and preflures -, and although in time of trouble, like fome Plants that (hut up their Flowers upon a ftorm, yet afterward difplay their lively and lovely colours more Orientlyto the face of the fhining Sun. The Church of God, though (he be not alwayes fo openly vifible, as that all the World mail cry Hofanna to her fplendor and glory, yet fhe growes more numerous, holy and ftable, by her troubles : Her Enemies may feem for a time \y} HV > valere. but fhall not x^v^iv, pra-valere, as 'tis promis'd in the Text; to be potent and ftrong, but fhall never fubdue and vanquifhher. They might believe Chrift, and fpare their trouble. They may vires exerere, put forth their utmoir. power, but the Gates of Hell, (*<&> porta Adorns^) of Death and the Grave, fhall never attain to, or compafs fo deadly a ftroke, as fhall extirpate the Church in any Age. Nay, the Wifdomof God hath ever turned their Policies into Folly, and their PuiiTance into Cowardice. They have ofren - been forced to fuck up the Cockatrice-Egges that they have laid, and felt the keennefs of their own recoiling Arrowes. They may open, but fhall Kevi2.is : \5. never be able to fwallow the Church : They may cafi: out floods, but mall never drown her ; as he faid of ancient Rome, Merfa profunda,

pulchrior

Serm.XXV. 7 he Viability of the true Church.

pulchrior evenit: Caft her in the Sea, flic dives, anirifes again with licr face wafht from fpots, and looks more beautiful). 1 he Church may I prefs'd for a while, but fuppieiVd never. The Archers may float fortly at her, but her bow [hail abide in ftrengtb* God will have a church to endure to the Worlds end, in fpight of all the privy Leagues and Confederacies that are contrived in, or all the Forces and Powers that ilTuc from the Gates of Hell. Herplace of defence flail be the Munition of [f a . „ 1<5 Rock*, and all the Nations that fight againfi Ariel flail be a* the Ifa.i .-. dream cf a Night Fijion.

(2) 1 he Church after all Aflauks and Conflicts, in fine, (hall be com-pleatly victorious and triumphant} (he will joyfully furvive her Enemies, and behold their Funerals. Let holy Souls rely upon this promife in the Text, and improve it in Prayer for their comfort and fuftentation} for the mouth of the Lord hath fpoken it. The Nations flail fee it and be con- Mich.7. i5. founded at all their might, &c. They flail licl^the duft like aferpent, and move out of their holes like worms of the earth', they flail be afraid of the Lord our God, and fear becaufe of him. There is a time, and it haftens, that this Rock (hall dafh them in pieces, and they flail become like the cb'affe of the Summer-threfhing-fioores, and the wind flail carry them away, and no place be found for them. There is a glorious time a coming, (rampantur ut ilia Rom&,) when the Stones of this Temple fhall be laid with fair colours, and her Foundations with Saphirs, her Ifa.^.i Windowes with Agates, her Gates with Carbuncles, and all her Borders with pleafant Stones-, when the falfe Rock of the pretended Peter (hall like a Milftone be flung into the depth of the Sea, and her gaudy /Edifice (hall melt into foam, and be diflipated among the Waters. Then (hall one of their own Prophecies (I mean of the Irifl A/alachy,)bc furely Meffingbam fulfilled} Civitas fepticollis diruetur, & Judex tremendus judicabitpo- * lor 'J c Z' f pulum fuum: "The feven hilled City (hall be ruined, and the terrible e *' r '' J " Judge (hall judge his People. Or rather that of Obadiah : Saviours ob ad. v.2:. flail come upon Mount Zion, to judge the Mount of Efau, and the Kingdom flail be the Lords.

v (3) In the meantime, let the Church of God be comforted alfo in this, that the bread of fupport (hall be given her, andtheiv^r of con- rfa.33.15. folation (hall be fure. Out of this Rock of Agesflowes a River of living waters, the flreams whereof flail make glad the City of God. Nay, with pfaLifc*. Honey out of the Rcck^flall they be fatvsfed, while wandring in the Wil 81.16-

dernefs toward Canaan, and at laft tranfported to the City of the New Jerufalem, which is above, where there's fulnefs of joy, and pleafures pfal.i$.ir. for evermore ; where they (hall be abundantly fatisfied with the Fawe ft p^j 6 g of that Heavenly Temple, and (hall drink in the Rivers of the Cceleftial ' TPJTU E den. , Ejenig tli£m

FIWJS.