A Dangerous Plot Discovered, To the reader – Table of contents
¶ To the Reader.
ALthough, I hauehave no delight in making a Preface: for I ſee not any great need of it: yet I here preſent thee with one, becauſe, Cuſtome calls for it. In this Preface, I will adviſe thee of ſome things, even of ſuch (and no more) as ſhall helpe thee, to make the better vſe of the enſuing Diſcourſe; which, I will doe alſo with as much brevitie as I can. Firſt know, That, this Treatiſe was chiefly intended for my owne ſatisfaction, but is now publiſhed for the benefit of others. The manner of handling the poynts in it, is ſcholaſticall; and it might be no other; becauſe the things themſelues, and the partie oppoſed, require it. Beſides, this courſe of writing is profitable for thee; for thereby, 1. The matters in queſtion, are layd before thee nakedly, and, as it were, in both ends of the Ballance. 2. All impertinent Diſcourſes are prevented, and all raylings avoyded: ſo as, now thou haſt nothing to iudge of, but the matter it ſelfe. I hauehave directed my Diſputation against both of Mr: Mountague his Bookes; The Gagge, and the Appeale: becauſe the whole evill, could not be found out, in any one of them alone. All the ſentences, and ſeverall paſſages, in this Diſcourſe, pretended to be collected, and framed out of Mr: Mountague his Bookes, are truly, and plainly, and ingenuouſly collected, and framed according as they are in his Bookes themſelues. If any errour be committed in them, it ariſeth from the greatnes of their number, or from his obſcure manner of ſetting downe his intent. It may be, ſome will account the publiſhing hereof to be needleſſe: becauſe others hauehave done ſo much already, as is fit to be done, in this buſineſſe. I anſwer; The publiſhing hereof, is to good purpoſe: For, many witneſſes to the truth▪ giues the greater glory to it, and procures a freer paſſage for it, amongst men: Beſides, I doubt not, but, by this Diſcourſe, the Reader ſhall be put in minde, of ſome things, which he would hauehave forgotten, or not obſerved, in the Bookes that are publiſhed already. Laſtly, None of this kinde▪ hauehave beene publiſhed already: For herein, more poynts are handled, then were touched in them: and, theſe which are diſcuſſed in this, are framed in another manner, and doe tend to an end, which they did not. I hauehave concealed my name: not becauſe I am, (or hauehave cauſe to be) vnwilling it ſhould be knowne: But becauſe, I deſire to foreſtall perſonall quarrells; ſo frequent with Mr: Mountague: And, becauſe, I ſuppoſe, the annexing of my name hereto, is of no great vſe vntounto the Reader; for as much, as he must receiue ſatisfaction, in the poynts of faith, from the divine teſtimony, not from any humane authoritie whatſoever. One thing (onelyonly) remaines: That is, That, I intreat thee, to ſeeke for ſatisfaction, and an aſſured ground, for thy faith, in the preſent queſtions: For, it is thy dutie ſo to doe. The Ap…ſtle Iude doth exhort that we contend, for the faith, once given to the Saints. If thou ſtandeſt an Idle beholder, not regarding which end goes forward: what wilt thou ſay? How wi…t thou anſwer it vntounto God? Wilt thou ſay, This ſentence of the Apoſtle Iude, is not a Commandement? I anſwer; the Ap…ſtles phraſe, and manner of ſpeaking, will then refute thee: For, every ſuch exhortation, is either a Commandement, or preſumes a dutie alreadie commanded other-where: as wee may ſee by the like places of Scripture, 1 Theſ. 4. 2. 2 Theſ. 3. 12. Wilt thou anſwer, That, it is no Commandement vntounto thee? …he…e words will then reproue thee alſo; for, they are extended vntounto all men, without limitation: And that Epiſtle is called a generall Epiſt…e. Wilt thou ſay, it is an affirmatiue Commandement; and▪ therefore it may not, binde thee at this time: becauſe ſuch Commandements doe n…t binde to all times? I anſwer; Thou canſt not be free from this Commandement, (even) it th… time, vnleſſe thou canſt find, ſome part of the div…ne Revelation that ſhall free thee: For, Thy ſelfe canſt not free thy ſelfe there-from: ſeeing thou art to be at Gods diſpoſe: not at thine owne choyſe. Therefore, If thou wilt fancy to thy ſelfe, this, or that reaſon, to exempt thy ſelfe from this Commandement, thou art no other, but, the man that ſayth: A Lyon is in the way, I ſhall be ſlaine in the ſtreets. Laſtly, when wilt thou then thinke thy ſelfe bound by this law, if thou be free at this time? Is not the faith of God now at the …take? Doe not the Foxes out of their holes, ſeek to eat vp the Lor… Vine? Does not the Bo…re out of the Fo…reſt labour to root vp the Lords Plant? Now, now, therefore is the time, yea, high time for thee to take thy ſelfe bound by this law of God, or never. Wilt thou imagine, that thou ſhalt not giuegive an account of thy neglect of this dutie? Surely, then thy thoughts are moſt vaine; for, canſt thou forget the Lords voyce, that ſaith, Ariſe, O you dead, and come vntounto Iudgement; and ſha… we come to Iudgement, and not account with the Lord▪ Beſides, canſt thou forget that voyce, which ſaith: Every man ſhall giuegive an account, for every idle word▪ much more, for every fruitleſſe deed? I ſay, this thy negligence is a …ee… ▪ becauſe it is voluntary, thou doeſt chooſe to be negligent. It … fruitleſſe, becauſe, no good comes of it, vntounto Gods glory, or thine owne ſalvation. Wherefore, I will conclude, fould thy hands no longer together, like the ſluggard: giuegive thy eyes no reſt, nor thy eye-lids no ſlumber; ſpare for no labour; grutch not for coſt, till thou be ſetled, and grounded vponupon the Rocke of Gods revealed truth: ſo ſhalt thou ſtand in the perillous time, and be readie to goe into the Bride-chamber, when the Bridegroome commeth. And, this is all I will ſay to thee.
For thy furtherance, I hauehave annexed herevnto,
1. A Catalogue of the erroneous poynts which are contained in his Booke, and the places where they are.
2. A liſt of the heads of every Chapter in the Booke.
His poynts of the Popiſh Faith, are theſe which follow.
1. THe Church is Iudge in Divinitie queſtions, that be in Controverſie.
2. We receiue the deciſions of the Catholike Church, as the dictates of the holy Spirit. cap. 2.
3. The Church repreſentatiue, cannot erre in poynts of faith. cap. 4. at the beginning, and num. 2. pag. 12.
4. There ever was, and will be vponupon earth, a viſible Church, vntounto which Complaints may be made. cap. 5. at the beginning, num. 4. p. 26.
5. The Church of Rome, is a true Church of Chriſt, a part of the Catholike Church, which wee profeſſe to beleeue in our Creed. cap. 6. at the beginning, and num. 7. p. 37.
6. We grant the generall being, working, and concurring of Free-will with Gods grace: after preventing grace, man doth freely renounce the calling of grace, and freely runne. cap. 7. p. 53.
7. Iuſtification conſiſteth in remiſsion of ſinnes primarily, and grace infuſed ſecondarily. cap. 9. pag. 83. cap. 10. num. 17. &c.
8. Both remiſsion of ſinnes, and grace infuſed, are the acts of Gods ſpirit in man cap. 9. p. 83. c. 10. num. 23. &c.
9. A man (yea the Elect) may looſe the habit of grace cap. 11. p. 37.
10. Sinne is mortall, and veniall.
11. The habit of grace is common to the predeſtinate, and not predeſtinate. cap. 12. num. 2. & 3.
12. Every child duly baptized, is thereby put into the ſtate of grace and ſalvation. cap. 12. num. 11. p. 55.
13. Mortall ſinne onelyonly diſobeyeth Gods law. cap. 12. num. 17. p. 64. & 65.
14. A man habituated by grace, may commit mortall ſin. cap. 12. num. 17. p. 63. & 64.
15. There is no difference between the Church of Rome and ours, in the poynt of Reall preſence. cap. 13 p. 81. The onelyonly difference betweene vsus, is about Tranſubſtantiation. cap. 14. num. 2. p: 82. 83.
16. The pictures of Chriſt, the bleſſed Virgin, and Saints, may be ſet vp in Churches. Reſpect is due, and honour given Relatiuely vntounto them. They may be vſed for helps of pietie: To repreſent the prototype: Inſtruct the vnlearned, renew remembrance. cap. 15. p. 94. & 95.
17. A man may doe more then he is tyed vntounto by any Law of God. cap. 17. p: 107.
Theſe workes are left to a mans choyſe; They procure reward to him that doth them, and he that doth them not, is without danger of puniſhment therfore. cap. 18. num. 2. p. 109. They are to be found in Virginitie, and wilfull Povertie. cap. 18. num. 12. p. 120.
18. Finall perſevering in obedience, is the inſtrumentall cauſe of mans ſalvation. cap. 20. num. 27. p. 161. 162.
The poynts of the falſe Faith of Arminius doe follow.
1. I Conceiue of predeſtinatiō, that it is Gods act of drawing them out which tooke hold of mercy. cap. 19. p. 126. 127. cap. 20. num. 3. & 4. & num. 7. p. 139.
2. Man being prevented by grace, he putteth to his hand to procure augmentation of that grace.
Man being drawne, he runneth as his aſsiſtance, his owne agilitie and diſpoſition is. cap. 7. p. 53. cap. 8. num. 22. & 23.
The heads of every Chapter, are as follow.
MAiſter Mountague hath corrupted the faith of our Church cap. 1.
The point of the Iudge of Controverſies
propounded. cap. 2.
diſcuſſed. cap. 3.
The poynt of the Churches not erring cap. 4.
The poynt of the Churches perpetuall viſibilitie. cap. 5.
The Church of Rome, is a true Church cap. 6.
The poynt of Free-will
propounded. cap. 7.
debated. cap. 8.
The poynt of Iuſtification
propounded. cap 9.
argued cap. 10.
The poynt of falling from grace
propoūded. c. 11
argued. cap. 12.
The poynt of Reall preſence
propoūded. cap 13.
debated. cap. 14.
The poynt of Images
propounded. cap. 15.
diſcuſſed. cap. 16.
The poynt of Workes of Supererogation
propounded. cap. 17.
diſputed. cap. 18.
The poynt of Predeſtination
propoūded. cap. 19.
debated cap. 20.
The Concluſion of the whole, claiming Maſter Mountague his promiſe cap. 21.