Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 60 – Section 61
60. Paſſages obliterated concerning Predeſtination, Gods Decree and Reprobation. See Election, page 303.
IN Maſter Ward's Comentary on Mathew, in the writen copy fol. 172. this clauſe is expunged. How is the Kingdome of God attained unto? Firſt, the foundation of it is the eternall love of God. Secondly, from this love proceedes the Decree of Predeſtination. Thirdly, from this Decree followes Redemption wrought by Chriſt. Fourthly, thence followes the Promiſes of the Goſpell, applying Chriſt to our hearts. Fiſtly, and laſtly, followes Faith, which apprehends both the Promiſes and Chriſt.
What reaſon can there be that God ſhould prepare veſſels unto diſhonor? How can God create men to deſtroy them? I Anſwer. Neither is reaſon dumbe here, but can ſpeake ſomething in Gods behalfe: viz. Firſt we for our food kill Sheep, Oxen, Birds and Fowle, who never wronged vsus; yea, for this end we fat and cram them, although we did not create them. How much more then may God deſtroy a creature which he hath made, and for his glory paſſe by a man who hath infinitely offended him? Secondly, Artificers often make peeces of worke and breake them againe, for the praiſe of their skill and Art, why then may not the Lord doe ſo? Obj. God gave nothing unto man but a being, therefore it was unjuſt to doe more unto him, then to take away his being. God who created man of nothing or of earth, might juſtly have reduced him againe to his firſt matter, but not make him worſe then he was: now to be damned is much worſe then not to be. I anſwer. Artificers and Craftſmen make veſſels for their owne ſervice, yea even to ſerue for baſe offices, and that for a long time, yea even for ever, if they and their veſſels could endure for ever. And therefore why ſhould we diſpute againſt God? Saint Paul durſt not doe it, Rom. 9. 13. &c. What reaſon is there that God ſhould condemne us for Adams fault? Reaſon anſwers, That for treaſon againſt the King, the Father is beheaded, and the children diſinherited; yea, becauſe old Wolves and Foxes endanger and injure us, therefore we kill the young ones that never harmed us becauſe they are of a ravenous nature alſo, and will doe hurt if they live; why then ſhould we plead againſt God? &c. See more of this Sect. 25. concerning Election.
In Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 91. l. 12. after theſe words, Saint Ambroſe doth warrant it, ſhould follow this large diſcourſe of Predeſtination, which the Licenſer hath totally expunged. I will not be peremptory in ſo perplex a Queſtion as is Predeſtination; I will ſay as I conceive it, and ſubmit me to your cenſure. In the great Councell in Heaven (why name I heaven? heaven was not yet) God meaning to make manifeſt both his juſtice and his grace to the world, which he purpoſed to create in time, for the glory of them, both out of the whole maſſe of man, ſelected ſome, and refuſed the reſt: whom his mercy pretermitted thoſe his juſtice predeſſigned unto damnation, but whom his love elected, thoſe his grace ordained to finall ſalvation: The Tragick Poet could ſay, God whom he loveth, he ſaveth; what then his grace fore-purpoſeth, his power in time effecteth, and his wiſdome manages and marſhalleth all the meanes; ſalvation onelyonly is the end intended by his grace, but the meanes are many, that might come between: Grace hath a golden chaine of many links, ſalvation the laſt, but ſo faſtened to his fellows, that it cannot fail; adoption, redemption regeneration vocation, juſtification, ſanctification: adoption to the right and title of Gods ſonnes, redemption from death, regeneration by baptiſme, vocation by the Goſpell, iuſtification by faith, ſanctification by the ſpirit, all theſe Paul hath omitted, and named but the laſt, both as the moſt comfortable, and to which all the reſt doe purpoſely tend: Damnation is the doome decreed to the reprobate; Gods juſtice ſentenceth them, but how and in what order, I liſt not to diſcourſe, for offending of weak conſciences: For the execution of which ſentence, there was ordained death and hell, and ſatan, and the evill day; death to attend them, hell to enjoy them, ſatan to torment them, and the evill day to judge and deliver them; The Elect alſo doe deſerve that doome; Gods curſe is juſtly incurred by their ſinne, but Gods goodneſſe travelled with good, which decreed they ſhould be ſaved: Aske me not the Queſtion why God Almighty dealt not equally with all? It is already anſwered; God is juſt as well as gracious: Had he ſaved all, where then were his juſtice? had he damned all, where then were his grace? Reply not in thy reaſon, that God had he ſo pleaſed, might have been both juſt and gracious, and yet have ſaved all: for Chriſt who ſatisfied his Father for the Elect, might alſo have ſo done (had he pleaſed) for the Reprobates: Alas! beſides, why made God choice of thee, and not of me? I muſt anſwer with Saint Paul, O homo tu quis eſt, Who art thou O man, that preſumeſt to plead with God? hath not the Potter power to make veſſels of his clay to what uſe himſelfe liſteth? As clay is to the Potter, ſo is man to God; he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. This project of Gods gracious love hath cauſed the Scripture by elegant Antonomoſie to caſt the name of it upon the meanes of it; Chriſt called not onelyonly a Saviour, but ſalvation; Mine eyes (ſaith old Simeon) have ſeen my ſalvation; yea not Chriſt onelyonly, that procured it, but the Goſpel alſo that proclaimes it; it is called Gods ſalvation, Acts 28. 28. for the Goſpell is the word of it; Paul cals it ſo, and Chriſt is the horne of it, old Zachary cals him ſo, a project worthy, &c.
61. Paſſages purged out againſt popiſh Purgations of ſinne by other meanes then Chriſts blood, and againſt Purgatory.
IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons, page 23. l. 13. After theſe words Gregory Naz. the Lycenſer hath expunged theſe lines following; Satisfaction's a Purgation too, a Popiſh one: the Almes of the living effectually purge for the ſinnes of the dead. The Saints interceſſion, I thinke another too: the prayers of the dead for the ſinnes of the living; and why not their blood too as well as Chriſts? Tu per Thomae ſanguinem. Beckets blood is not ſo dry a drug as Chriſts; happily it will worke better. Indulgences are another, the Popes too, he hath a great facility in that kinde of phyſicke. The Maſſe another, a ſtrong purgative. Paul ſaid, all purging is by blood; the Maſſe hath none, tis incruenta hostea (themſelves ſo tearme it) an oblation without blood. A ſuppe of the Chalice, or a kiſſe of the Pax, offering to an Image, or creeping to a Croſſe, Pilgrimage, Oyle, Holy-water, purgers of ſinne; all, I thinke, all Popery is a purge: What meane the Priers flagellant, who whip their bodies, but to purge their ſinnes with their own blood, ſet ſcourgers to be ſelfe purgers, happily they will not be beholding unto Chriſts The Prophet ſayes, By his ſtripes we are healed, but they thinke they are by theirs: ſhall I preſſe theſe purgers with this fourth tearme of my Text, per ſimetipſum, by himſelfe, they will flye unto the ſecond, and ſay, Paul ſaid not, he had purged. All ſay ſins before Baptiſme are purged by him, but thoſe we act after it muſt be purged by others: by the Pope, the Prieſts, our friends, or our ſelves, by pardons, penance. Maſſe, good works: New Romaniſts old Montanistes: even Aquinas himſelfe puts but Originall ſin onelyonly to Chriſts purging, Actuall to the Maſſe; But you heard what point before, that Saint John was Paul's Paraphraſt 1 John 1. 7. he ſaies, The blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſinne; but yet that Almes purge ſinne, they find in Tobia's Hiſtory, whence they may ground good manners, but not faith; but Solomon ſayes it too, Prov. 15. 21. and that book is canonicall: that book, but not this verſe; it is a baſtard Scripture, foiſted in by ſome forgery; the Hebrew Text hath it not.
Ibid. page 200. l. 16. after unworthy of Christs preſence, theſe words are put out: they will rather goe to Purgatory.