Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Floating text 2 · Popish error 7 – Popish error 14

Canterburys Doom · Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Floating text 2 · Popish error 7 – Popish error 14

p. 2047. That Crucifixes, Images, and Pictures of Christ, God, Saints, may bee lawfully, profitably uſed, ſet up in Churches, and …ught not to be demoliſhed, or removed thence.

HOw zealous the Archbiſhop with his Confederates were in defence of Images and Crucifixes in Churches, how forward to introduce and ſet them up in their Chappells, Churches, Cathedralls Houſes (confirming this Popiſh poſition by their practiſe contrary to our Homilies, Statutes, Writers) and how extreamely violent hee was againſt ſuch who did by word or deed oppoſe them, hath beene already at large demonſtrated in the premiſes, eſpecially in the caſes of Maſter Sherfield, and Mr. Workman: We ſhall therefore proceed to late authorized Bookes in juſtification of Images, Crucifixes lawfulneſſe and uſe in Churches, or elſewhere.

Biſhop Mountague in his Gagge p. 300. Writes thus of Images; Images have three uſes aſſigned by your Schooles; ſtay there, goe no further, and we charge you not with Idolatry; p. 205Inſtitutionem rudium: comme…orationem Hiſtoriae; & excitationem de votionis: you and WEE alſo give unto them. P. 317. Images in his time were much improved, yet not unto Adoration; Honour, Reverence, and reſpect, was given them to bee bookes to the ſimple and ignorant people. Pag. 318. 319. The Pictures of Chriſt, the bleſſed Virgin, and Saints may be made, had in houſes, ſet up in Churches; Reſpect and honour may be given unto them; The Proteſtants doe it, and uſe them for helpes of Piety, in rememoration, and more effectuall repreſenting of the Prototipe: but quatenus? You ſay they must not have Latria, ſo we; you give them Dulia: I quarrell not the terme though I could; there is a respect due to the Picture, ſigne, reſemblance, monument of great men, friends, good men, Saints, Chriſt: If this you call Dulia, we give it too: Let practiſe and doctrine goe together, we agree.

Which he thus proſecutes in his Appeale, pag. 250. Saint Gregories doctrine concerning Images farre from Popery; now had the Church of Rome gone no further in practiſe or precept, then that which Saint Gregory recommendeth, our Church I ſuppoſe [for ſo our Doctrine is] would not blame them, not have departed from them about that point: happily furious ones in our Church would proceed, but they are ſingular Illuminates. Pag. 253. Nor are they utterly and abſolutely unlawfull for any Religious imployment. Our ſtricteſt Writers do not condemn or cenſure St. Gregory for putting upon them that Hiſtoricall uſe of ſuggeſting unto, moving or affecting the minde even in Pious and Religious affections. For inſtance, in remembring more feelingly, and ſo being empaſſioned more effectually with the Death and bloudſhed, and bitter Paſſion of our SAVIOVR, when we ſee that ſtory fully and lively repreſented unto us in colours or work by a skilfull hand. And I know not the man that is made of humane would, but when he readeth in this booke his Tragicall indurance for man, will reflect upon himſelfe, and his owne Soule and Conſcience, with a lively reprehenſion of mans Sin; GODS love CHRIST'S endeared charity, in undergoing theſe unknown ſufferings for our ſake.

Pag. 254. But it hath diſtaſted ſome that respect and honour ſhould bee given unto them: Strange, &c. unleſſe men would have them pulled downe in all places, demoliſhed, ſtamped to pouder. The ſetting of them up ſuffering them to ſtand, uſing them for Ornaments, for helpe of memory, of affection, of rememoration, cannot be abstracted to my underſtanding from reverence and honour ſimply in due kind. P. 257. Give them no Latria and we agree. p. 258. The Church of Eng. condemneth not the Hiſtoricall uſe of Images: The Homily that ſeemes to condemne all making of Images, is to be underſtood with a NOTE.reſtriction, of making them to an unlawfull end. Many paſſages therein were fitted to the preſent times, and the condition of the people that then were, &c.

In his Orig: Eccleſiaſticarum, Pars Poſterior, Londini 1639. pag. 102. hee writes more boldly and plainely, concerning Images in theſe words.

Intuitum enim & Invitationem Imaginum non est cur quiſpiam, ut mihi videtur, improbet, aut condemnet, nos certe non obloquimur, non obmurmuramus. Ping…te, ſequemur, ſculpite ſuspicimus, Abrahami ſacrificaturientis Imaginem, Chriſti in Cruce pendentis Paſſionem, Typum illum, hoc complementum [quis negat] nos imitamur in Eccleſiis noſtris, intuemur libenter, & uſurpamus oculis, ex intuitu ad foreign commouemur, & ad deteſtationi conjunctam, foreign de peccatis noſtris in Judaeos vehementius inflamamur, Christi paſſionem tormentis compatimur, & ſimul in memoriam revocamus, non fuiſſe dolorem ſicut dolorem ejus: cujus illa, ut Graeci in ſuis Liturgicis loqunntur foreign, vocem illam dolorificam expreſſerunt; Deus meus, Deus meus ut quid me dereliquiſti? Atque hinc ab intuitu isto inuitati, ad Amandum amore nostro, amorem illius excitamur, qui propter amorem noſtri, ut Auguſtinus loquitur, ſemetipſum foreign, exinanivit, cum in Plenitudine existens Deitatis, quod habet ſanctus Leo, plenitudinem accepit naturae humanae. Et factus obediens ad mortem, mortem autem Crucis, foreign tantopere foreign: Haec & hujuſmodi nemo noſtrum negat, ſaltem negare nemo poteſt, ex intuitu efficacius ad animum & intimos cordium affectus deſcendere: eoque magis commendantur, in uſu poſita quotidiana, quo, tardiores cum ſimus, ad haec magnalia Dei recolenda pluribus indigemus & efficaciſſimis adjumentis.

Ibid, p. 104. 105. He proceeds thus. Chriſtianis licet fabricare omne genus Imaginum, & ſimulachrorum; Spiritum ſanctum ſub ſpecie linguae diſpertitae; in figura Columbae depingi, potuiſſe; de mente Patrum: Chriſtum quoque hominem vel in Agni foreign &c. tam certo liquet, quam ſolem meridie lucere. Dei autem Patris foreign fingi poſſit Image, non perinde liquet, cum non nulli velint, nuſquam illum ſub ulla fig…ra apparuiſſe p. 206apud ſaeculum prius: quod ab alijs tamen contra aſſeritur, ut veroſimilit erè Daniele: ubi Antiquus diorum, & Edius hominis deſtincti commemorantur: antur: Civilem autem uſum, as moralem ſtatno ad intuitum, ac Iavitationem. Succeſſerunt tempora cum frequentius in Templis locaremur: ſed tantum ad intuitum & invitationem. Tempora illa laudamus & imitamur. Permittimus Sanctorum Imagines quicun que eas formare voluerit, tam in Eccleſia quam extra, propter amorem Dei & Sanctorum ejus; adorare prohibemus frangere vel deſtruere eas non permittimus: haec illi, ITAET NOS: And p. 103. Si quis Sancts alicujus expreſſam Imaginem, beatae puta Virginis, Petri, Pauli dedecore afficiat, illum ego foreign optaverim, ac ſuae impudentia, ac temeritatis paenas dare, quod OPTIMONOS EXEMPLO aliquoties vidimus in Puritanos quoſdam animadverſum. Hee proceeds thus, Pag. 174. Sub pretextit reformata pretatis Deum, Eccleſiam, pietatem, per nefandiſſima ſacrilegia everſis ub…cunque Monaſterijs, Templis, Sacrarijs, & redactes in fiſcum maximis reditibus emunxerunt conſtanter religoſi Nebulones, &c. And in his Antidiatrib: Pag. 24. 27. 30. Haeretici nequaquam a te cenſeri debemus foreign, aſſeramus enim diligenter & cum cura Petri, Pauli, beatae Virginis, Sanctorum aliorum innumeras imagines, praeſertim vero Ieſu Chriſts Redemptoris Crucifixi, etiam in Templorum criptis & lararijs, in perietibus & feneſtris, quas tamen non a loramus. Tantummodo taxamus in imaginibus foreign, uſum & utilitatem non ſollicitamus ullo pacto: Christiani omnes adoramus Chriſtum Imagine & Simulacro. An verò ad intuitum & Invitationem constituerentur in lccis Sacris, & Sacratis conventibus destinatis, ſunt qui negant ex Origine, Arnobio, Minutio Faelice, ſed non perſuadent.

Sir Tho. Ridley in his View of the Civill Law, printed at Oxf. with Annotations, 1634 p. 52. and 192. Hath theſe paſſages added in the Margin concerning the erecting of Crucifixes in Churches, That which followeth in the Euchologe diſcovereth the forme & manner of ſetting up the Crucifix which the Law called foreign. Then the Crucifix muſt bee ſent to the place where the Church is to be erected, and there the Biſhop by whom it is conveied ſaith the forenamed ſervice, and when he maketh the Conſecration, the Croſſe muſt be ſet up behinde the holy Altar, &c.

Doctor John Pocklington in his Altare Chriſtianum, licenſed by the Archbiſhops Chaplaine by his owne ſpeciall direction, hath theſe paſſages, juſtifying the placing of Crucifixes upon the Altar, and againſt demoliſhing Images, pag. 143. The Croſſe of Chriſt alwayes uſed to ſtand upon the Altar. Chriſtians had no other Images in their Churches, Preter quam Crucis ſignum ſuper Aram, ad Ortentem verſum; erigerent ut mentem oculoſ que in caelum, ubi Pater eſt omnium expinſis manibus: but only the Croſſe of Chriſt w^ch ſtood upon the Altar. And it is not alſo ſaid, that the Altar which ſtood in former Princes times continued in Q. Elizabeths Chapell with the Croſſe upon it?

Pag. 87. Beſides the Altar ſo furniſhed, there are to be ſeene, many goodly Pictures, which cannot but ſtrike the beholders with thoughts of Piety and devotion at their entrance into ſo holy a place; as the Picture of the Paſſion, and likewiſe of the holy Apoſtles, together with a faire Crucifix, and our bleſſed Lady and St. Iohn, ſet up in painted Glaſſe in the Eaſt Window, juſt over the holy Table or ſacred Altar: ſo that I muſt needs ſay as I think all good men beſides will, that who ſo lives in his Lordſhips Dioceſſe muſt be condemned of great impiety that wil deſert his Lord and not follow him uſque ad Aras, Pag. 139. The Magiſtrate may proceed againſt Delinquents that Violate the Lords Table ſtanding Altarwiſe, or breake or deface the Picture of Chriſt, or of the Saints in Church-Windowes or Croſſes, and the like, upon the Statute, if any ſhould ſo offend (which God forbid.)

I ſhall cloſe up this with Francis Sales, his Introduction to a devout life; where he intimates to us what uſe we ought to make of Pictures and Crucifixes, P. 158. Sometimes kiſſe reverently his bleſſed Image, and ſay unto him, theſe words of Jacob, I will not leave thee, untill thou give me thy bleſſing, Pag. 159. Stirre up thy heart with corporall geſtures of outward devotion and proſtrating thy ſelfe upon the ground, laying thy Armes a Croſſe before thy brest, Imbracing his Image, &c.

8. That the Pope, or Papacy is not Anti-Chriſt, nor Anti-Chriſt yet come.

BIſhop Mountague in his Appello Caeſarem determines thus, Page 140. 141. That hee (the Pope) is Magnus ille Antichriſtus, is neither determined by the publique p. 207Doctrine of the Church, nor proceed by any good Argument of private men. I profeſſe ingeniouſly, I am not of opinion that the Biſhop of Rome perſonally is that Anti-chriſt, nor yet the Biſhops of Rome ſucceſſively are that Anti-chriſt.

Doctor Heylyn in his Moderat anſwer to Henry Burton thus ſeconds him page 126. The Pope not Antichriſt, for any thing reſolved by the Church of England, Page 127. 128. 129. You tell us that by the Doctrine of our Church in the Homilies and elſe where it is reſolved, that the Pope is Antichriſt: Your elſewhere, I am ſure is no where. Saint Iohn hath given it for a Rule, that every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God, but is that ſpirit of Antichriſt, whereof you have heard, &c. So that unleſſe you can make it good, as I thinke you cannot, that the Pope of Rome confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, you have no reaſon to conclude that hee is Antichriſt.

Chriſtopher Dowe, in his Jnnovations unjuſtly charged, writes thus, Page 53. To the third, That the Pope is not Antichriſt: I anſwere, that though many of the learned of our Church (eſpecially at the beginning of our Reformation, when the greateſt heat was ſtricken betweene us and Rome) have affirmed the Pope to be Antichriſt, and his whole Religion to be Antichriſtian, and that ſome Bookes exceeding the bounds of Moderation in this point have paſſed a broad, & that with the licenſe of Authority, yet to them that calmely and ſeriouſly conſider it, it may not without good reaſon be diſputed as doubtfull, whether the Popes or any of them in his Perſon; or the Papall Hierarchy, be that great Antichriſt which is ſo much ſpoken of.

Robert Shelford in his five Treatiſes reſolves thus, Page 284. That Rome at this day is not the Beaſt is manifeſt, becauſe the Pope there now ſheddeth no bloud, Page 293. That the Pope is not to beheld for Antichriſt, I prove from Saint Iohns deſcription. Who ſoever is not of Antichriſts ſpirit, cannot bee Anti-chriſt, But the Pope is not of Anti-Chriſts Spirit, therefore he cannot bee Anti-Chriſt, Page. 297. The Church hitherto hath neither declared the Pope nor any other to be the great Antichriſt. Therefore as yet he is to come: 299. And were there no other Argument to free the Pope from being the Antichriſt among the Fathers, this is ſufficient, for that he maintaineth Images. Yea the very ſubject matter of his largeſt Treatiſe is this, and thus intituled. That the Pope is not Antichriſt, and that Antichriſt is not yet come. One of his Bookes of this Subject he preſented to the Archhiſhop, who received, yea reſerved it in his Study, without check or contradiction; and was ſo farre from diſliking this Opinion, that he gave ſpeciall Command to purge all paſſages out of old and new printed Bookes, which either directly J tearmed or intimated the Pope to be Antichriſt, or that man of ſinne, and repealed the Articles of Reland, for defining him to be ſo, as we ſhall hereafter manifeſt.

9. That there is a Purgatory, and Limbus Patrum.

CHriſts Epiſtle to a Devout Soule, P. 130. But when thou art come to perfection, and prayeſt, lying proſtrate at the feete of my Majeſty, thou ſhalt deſire to ſatisfie my Juſtice with that ſmall ability which reſteth in thee, and ſhalt offer thy ſelfe for my Glory unto PVRGATORY, and to ſuffer for the fulfilling of my will, whatſoever it ſhall be my will to lay upon thee, and the fulfilling of my will, ſhall pleaſe thee more then the eſcape of Pudgatory.

Mountague his Gagge Page 176. They Quarter out Hell into foure Regions Hell of the damned, Purgatory, Limbus Jnfantum; et Limbus Patrum, This diviſion, be it granted them, page 278. Gods Kingdome is not ſo narrowed, but that he might well have more places then one, Recepracles, Repoſitories, reſting places for the Righteous. Which he thus proſecutes in his Appeale, page 236. Heaven ſo ſpatious, extended, ſo capations, is not, nor hath beene ſo narrowed in, wherewith that there p. 208cannot be divers Deſignations, Regions, Habitations, Manſions, or Quarterings there page 237. They (the Fathers) were not in Hell, but as they were not there, ſo were they not likewiſe in Heaven, ſtrictly taken for the third Heaven that receptacle of the Righteous now together with the glorified body of our Saviour, page 238. For that place was not then ſtantibus ac tunc fitting or accruing to them, ſuch a Royall habitation the None-ſuch of God, did not befit their then inferior ſtates and conditions.

And in his Appar. P. 476. Communem eſſe Patrum ſententiam aliorum que doctiſſimorum Scriptorum noſtrae aetatis et Confeſſions, ſanctorum aminas ante Chriſti reſurrectionem non fuiſſe in Caelo. Hieronimi teſtimoniae ſunt innumera, ante adventum Chriſtiomnes and inferos ducebanturunde Jacob ad inferos diſcenſurum ſe dicit; et Evangelium docet magnum Chaos interpoſitum apud inferos: Nota quoque ut Samuelem verè quoque in inferno fuiſſe credas et ante adventum Chriſti quamvis ſanctos infernt lege detentos, locum eſſe ait qui lacus vocatur, et abiſſus, in qua non erant aquae; in qua animae recluduntur, ſive ad paenas P. 135. Obijciunt, nullus tertius locus indicatur in Scriptura preter infernum dimnatorum et Caelum: Reſp. Licet non indicaretur in ſcripturis alium eſſe locum tertium, non tamen inde ſequeretur non fuiſſe tertium, quia multa ſunt quae non indican tur in ſcripturis.

Many other paſſages of like nature might be added, but theſe ſhall ſuffer.

10. That there are Canonicall houres of Prayer, which ought to be obſerved

THis is the ſubject matter of Doctor Cozens his privat Devotions, or HOWERS OF PRAYER printed three or foure ſeveral times one after another, & digeſted into Canonicall houres; the practiſe whereof he not only there pleaded for, but … wiſe afterwards introduced in Peter Houſe in the Vniverſity of Cambridge … mong other his Popiſh Innovaſions) as was atteſted upon Oath by Mr. … and others.

The Archbiſhops owne private Manuſcript Devotions under his owne … ſeiſed by Mr. Prynne in his Chamber at the Tower, were all digeſted into Canonicall houers, in Imitation of the Houres of our Lady and other Popiſh Treatiſes of Devotion, as was manifeſted by the Booke it ſelfe, from Page 1. to 75.

Doctor William Watts, in his Mortification Apoſtolicall, printed at London, 1637. Page 47. thus Juſtifies the uſe of Canonicall houres. For this purpoſe the night was devided into Canonicall houers, or certaine times of riſing, to Prayers: At midnight will I ariſe to give thankes unto the, ſaid the man after Gods owne heart. Mark here that he praiſed not God lying, but uſed to riſe and doe it, at other houers the Saints may ſing a loud upon their Beds, and the ſpouſe may ſeeke her Chriſt in the Bed by night, but when a Canonicall houer comes (of which midnight was one) David will riſe to his devotions: thus did the Apoſtles 100. At midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and ſung praiſes unto God, The morning watch was another Canonicall houer, and this David was ſo carefull to obſerve, that he oft times waked before it, &c.

11. That men have Free-will in Actions of Pietie.

BIſhop Mountague in his Gagge determines thus, Page 109. Man hath freewill in Actions of Pietie, and ſuch as belong unto his ſalvation. For the concurrence of grace aſſiſting with freewill: The correſpondency of freewill with Preſcience, Providence and predeſtination, is much debated in your owne Schooles, Page 116. Our concluſion and yours is beth one, we cannot deny freedome of will; which who ſo doth, is no Cathelique no nor Proteſtant. Which he thus ſeconds in his Appeale, Page 75. 76. The Queſtion of p. 209freewill is a point of very great obſcurity, fitting rather Schooles then popular eares, or auditories, if not, what meane thoſe many diviſions amongſt men touching freewill, the nature, ſtate, Condition of it ſince Adams fall, the Concurrence and Cooperation thereof with Grace, Page 99. There is freewill, Man prevented by grace, aſſiſted putteth to his hand to procure Augmentation of that Grace, as alſo continuance unto the end in that grace, Page 95. Thus having with as great diligence as I could examined this Queſtion, inter parts, of freewill, I doe ingeniouſly confeſſe, that I cannot finde any ſuch materiall difference betweene the Pontificians, at leaſt of better temper and our Church. So he.

Shelford in his five Treatiſes Page 203. writes thus. The order for freewill, is for man; to which becauſe it is the Higheſt, God added his ſpeciall grace, And by this man travelleth, either to his home of happineſſe, or to his home of heavineſſe. He proceeds thus. Page 211. Herein ſtands his liberty and freedome to doe what he can, and will what he will in the way of Grace and goodneſſe, wherein God will ayd him to go beyond himſelfe, pag. 105. O bleſſed Charity if thou haſt this roote in thee, thou ſhalt comprehend this bredth and length, heigh and depth, and thou ſhalt with theſe holy Saints ſay, If I had beene in their Coates or had their occaſions, I would have done as they did.

I ſhall conclude with Index Biblicus, printed at London. 1640. Liberum arbitrium etiam post lapſus in homini manſit, &c.

12. That we are juſtified before God by Charity and good workers not by faith alone.

SHelford in his 5. Treatiſies, pag. 109. reſolves thus, The fulfilling of the Law juſtifieth: but Charity is the fulfilling of the Law, Ergo it juſtifieth: Where the Aboſtle preferreth Charity to juſtifying faith, he compareth them in the moſt excellentway, and it is moſt manifeſt, that the moſt exeellent way is in the way of our juſtification pag 120. Bona opera ſunt efficienter neceſſaria ad ſalutem.

Gredere Iustitia eſt omnis et una ſalus.

At non ſit olim tam malis ſemita nunquam.

Heroum laſſos duxitad aſtra gradus.

Sed labor et virtus.

Chriſtopher Dowe, in his Innovations unjuſtly charged, pag. 124. We muſt put all that we can, we muſt not fly to naked imputation, not by faith only, &c. pag. 127. Fr. 4 Sancta Clara, that good workes are effectively neceſſary to ſalvation, which poſition was intended and maintained in oppoſition to the Enemies of good workes, of whom ſome deny their neceſſity, others allowing their preſence as requiſite, deny that they conduce any thing to the furtherance of ſalvation.

Sancta Clara, his Deus, Natura, Gratia pag. 158. Hic pax facillime ineunda; ſic etiam D. Montacutius articulum be fide recte explicat, pag. 159. Ecce igitur plane & plene convenimus: Doctiores Proteſtantes tribuunt juſtificationem noſtram habitui justi…ae non ergo fidei Jmmo haec noſtra poſitio ſolemniter Cantahrigiae in Com tijs anniverſarijs pro actu doctor ali hoc anno currente menſe Iulio agitata eſt, pag. 181. Sanè nulla hodie reperi etur differentia in Confeſsione Anglica, & ſanctiſsima Confeſſione Trid. nihil in Articulis Hamptoni enſibus in oppoſitum ordinatur, ut patet Art. 9. de Iuſtificatione iunde Montacutius in ſuo Appello, Caeſar…m Cap. 6. expreſſe probat, Doctrinam noſtra …ſaltem ſecundum gradum hujus latitudinis, ab ipſis teneri, &c.

13. That there are Merits, workes of Supererogation, and Evangelicall Councells.

BIſhop Mountague his Gagge pag. 153 Good workes therefore ſaid to be meritorious are ſoon underſtood to be ex cord…gno: which that a worke may ſo he theſe p. 210conditions are required, That it bee morally good, freely wrought by man in this life, in the ſtate of Grace and friendſhip with God, which hath annexed Gods promiſe of reward: all which conditions I cannot conceive that any Proteſtant doth deny unto good workes.

Which he thus backes in his Appeale, pag. 203. The ſence of the word, which was but to procure, to incurre, to purchaſe, major eſt mea iniquitas quam ut veniam Merear, than that I may purchaſe or procure pardon, pag. 214. Touching Evangelicall Councells, I know no doctrine of our Church againſt them, pag. 215. So I ſay ſtill I know none: I doe believe there are and ever were Evangelicall Councells, ſuch as Saint Paul mentioneth in his Concilium autem do: ſuch as our Saviour poinred at, and directed unto in his. Qui poteſt capere capiat, ſuch as a man may doe or not doe without guilt of ſinne or breach of Law.

Shelfords five Treatiſes, pag. 120. Virtutum ſancta & ſpecioſa caterva ſalutem: Divino ex pacto, quam meruêre, dabunt, p. 130. And to this belong the Councells of the Goſpell which goe beyond the precepts of the Law, of which Saint Chryſoſt. ſpeakes, &c. CHRIST commanded nothing impoſſible inſomuch that many goe beyond the very Commandements, who ever did this: he forth with anſwers? Saint Paul, Saint Peter, even all the quire of Saints. Laſtly as Chriſts ſpirit and grace gives ſuch power to goe beyond the precepts, &c. pag. 189. By his Councells which goe beyond his precepts, (becauſe God hath given man free will to doe what hee can in the ſtate of Grace for the ſtate of Glory) he ſhewes him ſome exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection and to improve the common reward of glory for the next life; as, ſell that thou haſt, &c. Theſe are Gods Councells, which of the Primitive Church were put in practiſe, but in our times they are put off with a non placet, pag. 146. Object. The very beſt workes of the Saints are uncleane impure menſtruous and mortall ſinnes, therefore it is impoſſible for any man to keepe the Law. Anſ. They that ſay ſo cannot be excuſed from extreame blaſphemie.

Francis Sales, pag. 7. 8. Devotion then provoketh us to doe with joy and delight all manner of good workes, although they bee not in any ſort commanded by Gods Law, but onelyonly commended unto our free will, by his Councells and holy inſpirations, Pag. 375. Thy poverty (Philotheus) hath two great priviledges, by which ſhee can make thee rich in merits and deſerts.

14. That the Law is poſsible to be fulfilled, and Perfection attainable in this life.

SHelford Pag. 141. A Treatiſe ſhewing that Gods Law now qualified by the Goſſpell of Chriſt, is poſſible, and ought to be fulfilled by us in this life. p. 122. That there is a fulfilling of Gods Law in this life, Iames 2. 10. whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole Law, &c. here therefore is a generall and abſolute fulfilling ſpoken of p. 127. Chriſt hath merited that the righteouſneſſe of the Law ſhould bee fulfilled in us: therefore the Law is not impoſſible to be fulfilled for us, pag. 130. Chriſts ſpirit and grace gives power to goe beyond the precepts, pag. 139. If God ſhould command things impoſſible, he ſhould be more cruell then a Tyrant, pag. 147. The unregenerate cannot poſſibly fulfill the Law, pag. 149. But Gods Sonnes and ſervants are able to fulfill it, p. 189. By his Councells which goe beyond his precepts, he ſhewes him ſome exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection.

Chriſts Epistle to a devout Soule, pag. 240. A Rule for ſuch as labour to attaine to Perfection, &c.

Francis Sales His Introduction to a devout Life, pag. 19. There are many degrees and exerciſes of devotion which eaſily lead ſecular perſons to Perfection, St. Lydia and Saint Chrispin were perfectly devoute in their open ſhops, &c. pag. 334. Charitie only placeth us in the hight of Perfection.