The Life of William Archbishop of Canterbury Examined, Chapter 5

The Life of William Archbishop of Canterbury Examined · Chapter 5

p. 63CHAP. V. The Canterburians avow their embracing of the Popish heresies and grossest errours.

THE nature of heresie is so subtilized by our faction, that so farre as in them lies, it is now quite evanished in the aire, and no more heresies are to be found on the earth. With the Socinian p. 64Remonstrants, they exeeme all … controverted this day among any Christians, from being the Subject of heresie: For they tell us, that the beleefe of the doctrines uncontroverted by all is sufficient for salvation. aa… cites from Causabon these words: Put by controversies these things wherein all sects universally do agree, are sufficient for salvation.And howsoever some of them will bee content to count the Socinian Arianisme and Macedonianisme to bee true heresies; yet, as we shew before, and all of them do clearethe Popish errors of this imputation. Alwayes not to strive for words, our assertion is, that the grossest of the Roman errours which in the common stile of Protestants, wont to goe for heresies, are maintained by the Canterburians for Catholick truths. For to … this, cast over the bookes of Bellarmine, and see if his grossest tenets bee not by them embraced. In his first tome, his errours about the Scriptures imperfection, and doctrinall traditions, seemes to be most weighty. In his second, besides these already named, his defence of the monastick vowes of Limbus Patrum and Purgatory are very palpable. In the third, his ascribing too little to the Sacraments of the old Testament, and too much to the Sacraments of the new, his making all infants in baptisme to bee regenerate, and all nonbaptised to bee damned, his corporall presence of Christs body on the altar, his sacrifice of the Masse, auricular confession, extreame unction, are very grosse corruptions. In the last tome, his errours about faith, justification, merit, free-will, are among the chiefe. In all those, consider how farre our party is long agoe declined to the left hand.

p. 65Begin with Scripture and traditions: The reformed They joyne with Rome in … up traditions in prejudice of Scripture.Churches in the harmony of their confessions lay all down one common ground, for their mutuall consent; the Scripures absolute perfection, without the helpe of any doctrinall tradition: Hogh me once this pillar, the whole edifice of the reformation must fall. To batter downe this fort, the Papists plant two Engines: One that there is divers Apostolicke and ancient traditions, both rituall and dogmaticall, which beside Scripture with a divine faith must be firmely beleeved: An other, that Scripture must not be taken in any sense by us, but … wherein the ancient Fathers of the Church have understood it, or the present Church do take it. In both these very dangerous corruptions our party joines with Rome: They glory bb… anti. d. …. …. sect. 2. Things that have been generally received in the Church of Christ are … to have been derived from Apostolicall tradition, without any speciall mandat left in Scripture for the doing of them. Praying directly towards the East is conceived to be of … condition, why may wee not conclude the like of … up the … along the …? Many things come into our minde by a successionall tradition, for which we cannot finde an … command, which yet … ought to entertaine, …; of which traditions there are many, which … retaine their force among us in England. This Church (the Lord … thanked for it) hath stood more firme for Apostolicall …, than any other whatsoever of the reformation. Samuel … sermon, p. 15. We yeeld that there are Apostolicall traditions rituall and dogmaticall, which are no where mentioned or … the Scriptures, but delivered by word of mouth, by the Apostles to their followers; for some of which these are reputed the number of Canonicall books, the Apostles creed the baptisme of …, the fast of Lent, the Lords day, the great festivalls of Easter and Whitson day, beside these we …, there are and have been many ancient … traditions, from which as foundations grew those noted practices of not fasting on the Sunday, of adoring towards the East, … before the altar, of signing the baptised with the crosse, of exorcising the party baptised, and putting a white garment upon them, of receiving the … fasting, of mixing water with the wine, of sending it to such as were absent, of eating the confecrate bread in the Church, or carrying it home, of crossing themselves when they went out, or when … went in, when they went to bed, or when they rose, when they sate downe to meat, when they lighted candles, or had any businesse of moment to doe, that ceremonies and rites of this nature are … the power of the Church to ordaine, we generally grant to our adversaries. White on the Sabboth, page 97. The reformed Churches reject not all traditions, but such as are spurious, …, and no consonant to the holy Scripture, but genuine traditions agreeable to the rule of faith, derived from the Apostolicall times by a successive current, and which have the uniforme testimony of pious antiquity, are received and honoured by us. Now such are these which follow the historicall tradition, concerning the number, integrity, dignity, and perfection of the books of Canonicall Scripture, the Catholick exposition of many sentences of Scripture, the Apostles creed, the baptisme of infants, the observation of the Lords day, and some other …, as Easter, …, &c. baptising and administration of the Supper in holy assemblies, the service of the Church in a known language, the delivering of the Communion to the people in both kindes, the superiority of Bishops over Priests and Deacons in jurisdiction, and power of ordination.and triumph above all other reformed Churches, that they doe embrace doctrinall traditions, for which in Scripture there is no ground; And of this kinde they reckon out some of great importance; such as are, the baptisme of infants, the sanctifying of the Sabboth, the Apostles Creed, the giving of the cup to the people, praying in a knowne tongue, our knowledge of Scripture to be Scripture, the names and number of the Canonicall bookes and their distinction from Apocrypha, of this kinde they maintaine p. 66large as many as Rome. For at the first word they speake to us of six hundreth. cc… p. 396. … tur in Scripturis infantes batizari, aut in coena Domini sub utraque specie communicantes participare. 600. sunt ejusmodi in rebus sacris à Deo institutis, … mandatis & usurpatis ab Ecclesia, de quibus possumus pro …, nihil tale docet Scriptura, Scriptura haec non aedicat.Among these traditions, which wee must embrace with an undoubted faith: They reckon up the authority of Bishops above Priests, prostration before the altars, worshipping towards the East, crosse in Baptisme, crossing of our faces at all occasions, the standing of a crucifix upon the altar, and what else they please to urge, for which they can get no Scripture warrant. To this head they referre the very customes of the Popish Church in latter times, for which they have no syllable in any writer let bee in any Father: ddMon. orig. p. 276. Nihil est memoriae proditum, quod ego quidem sciam … apud vetustiores, sive historicos five …, probabile tamen est … receptam … de traditione vetustiore, aut scriptis … vetustioribus nunc deperditis dimanasse. Montag. apar. 389. Ad me quod attinet, si … sanctis patribus per illa tempora inventum, primo & …, nulla traditione priore commendatum, nullo usu veterum, ne quidem vestigiis leviter …, … per … annorum decursum ad nostra usque tempora sine contradictione …, non video cur non foreign & foreign vim suam obtineat & authoritatem. Absit enim ut … Ecclesia vel in rebus de facto, & Ecclesiasticis … diu aberraverit. Ibid. p. 382. Meminerimus … olim statuisse cum applausu de hujusmodi consuetudinibus, si legem expostules scriptam, nullam invenies, sed traditio praetenditur autrix, consuetudo …, & fides observatrix. Et Irenaeus, quid autem si neque … nobis Scripturas, nonne oporteret … traditionis. Idem antig. p. 42. That author saies no more then is justifiable touching traditions: for thus he …, the doctrine of the Church is two waies delivered unto us; first by writing, then by tradition from hand to hand. Both are of alike value or force unto piety.Yea, all the injunctions of the p. 67Bishops must bee Ecclesiastick traditions, whereto the conscience must submit no lesse then to the precepts of God. eeWhite in his examination of the dialogue … not only this testimony of …, Etiamsi Scripturae authoritas non subesset, totius tamen orbis in hanc partem consensus, instar praecepti obtinet, … & alia multa quae per traditionem in … observantur, authoritatem sibi scriptae legis …, but also that of Eusebius, … in sanctis … decernitur, id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui: And this of Bernards. Sive …, … homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit, pari profecto obsequendum est cura, pari reverentia …, ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo. …. pag. 31. Sensum Scripturarum ex patribus & doctoribus Ecclesiae …, traditum & conservatum in Ecclesia, & approbatum, quidni pro tali traditione agnoscamus, in … veritate acquiescendum, & à qua minimè … sit.In the meane time Scripture must bee stiled the booke of hereticks, ffMontag orig. p. 353. Eusebius de Severianis hereticis loquens, …, … Prophetis & … utuntur sacrarum Scripturarum sensus & sententias, ut nostri solent puritani & novatores pro suo arbitratu interpretantur. Mon. orig. p. 318. Neque enim insanire solent sine Scripturis haeretici & mir … casdem ad suos foreign, solent applicare defendendos persusdendosque.a Lesbian … ggMont apar. 382. Non ut nostri … quibus … est foreign resipit & foreign, & ideo … est vel ut amant … reformandum ad Dei verbum, hoc est ad Lesbiam plane regulam ipsorum cerebrositatem amussitandum.In no controversies no not in Sermons any use may bee made of it, except so farre as wee can backe our deductions from Scripture, by consent of the ancient Fathers, or present Church.hh… p. 129. The godly and learned Fathers of our Church, give strick charge to private preachers, that they preach nothing in their preachings which they would have the people … to beleeve and observe, but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the old and new Testament, and that which the Catholick Fathers, and ancient Bishops have formerly taught and collected from thence. White upon the …, … 12. The holy Scripture is the fountaine and living spting, containing in all … and abundance whatsoever is necessary to make Gods people wise unto salvation. The … and unanimous … of the true Church of Christ … the primitive ages thereof is the …, or a … pipe to derive and convoy to … generations the … water … in the holy Scripture. Ibid. From … he saith, Injuriam nobis …, nos … solam … esse … & judicem … siarum …, … & Spiritum …, … … p. 14. The Ecclesiasticall … reporteth of … and …, that in their studying the holy Scriptures … collected the sense of them, not from their owne judgement or presumption, but from the testimony and authority of the ancients, who had received the rule of the true intelligence of Scripture from the holy Apostles by succession.

p. 68In our most important controversies anent faith, In the doctrine of faith, justification, fulfilling of the Law, merit, they are fully Popish.justification, fulfilling of the Law, merite, &c. they teach first, that faith is no more but a bare knowledge, and naked assent, that in the nature of it there is no confidence, no application at all, that the soules confidence and application of Gods promises, are the acts onelyonly of hope and charity, that justifying faith is the Catholicke faith, a generall assent to the articles of the Apostolicke Creed, that particular personall applying faith, is but presumption and fantasie. ii… pag. 46. This one faith is called by Divines the Catholike faith, contained in the three Creedes of the Apostles, Nice and …. The false faith is contrary to this, the private faith, or fancy rather, by which men beleeve to be saved by themselves that which is the mother and nource to vice, an enemy to all good life; & that this is not the Catholick faith, shall appear, because that faith hath not a special object, as a mans selfe, or Gods speciall favour to this or that particular man, which is hopes object, but Catholick object, which is the whole first truth, and every member of Gods book, as the school teacheth, this faith goeth but to the truth and esse of divine things. Faith giveth these truths a being & substance in our mind, but after hope layeth hold on them in the wil and affections, and applyeth them to our selves, & charity goeth in unto them. The Apostle saith, that he who commeth to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that … him, not a … of me or thee, as if the article of … were personall. Idem pag. 106. In the love of the heart lyeth the greatest apprehension. The greatest meane of our apprehending of him, is by charity, which layes hold on him in the will and reasonable affections. … Collect. 82. Applicatio ex parte hominis; non ex alia ratione procedit, quam ex amplexu amoris & desiderii. Ibid. pag. 97. … Deus hanc spem, & … hujus spei ….Againe, they teach that justification is ascribed by the Apostle to faith onelyonly, by way of beginning inchoative, because assent to the truth of God, is that first vertue which the chaine of all other vertues, whereby wee are compleatly p. 69justified, for common, doth follow. kk… collect. p. 69. Inchoative per … justicfiat Deus, dat …. propter Christum cognitionem, ex cognitione fidem, ex fide spem sive …, ex fiduciacharitatem, ex chatitate adhae sionem, obediendi & complacendi desiderium, ex isto desiderio meritorum … salubrium applicationem, ex … applicatione sanctificationem, seu observantiam mandatorum, ex istis omnibus in actu scilicet consummato just …, ex illa salvationem quae omnia quum … per canalem Dei gratiae, ex fide tanquam ex principio seu radice, per connaturalitatem omnium ad fidem, & adse invicem …, quaecunque ab aliquibus … ad fidem, tanquam ad omnium originem referenda sunt, & in hoc sensu arbitramur Apostolum. 3. ad Rom. vers. 28. locutum fide homines justificatum … scilicet per fi lem … ex … suis operationem.3. That Charity is the forme of Faith, and that to it, the act of Justification is much more reasonably ascribed then to faith. llShelfoord pag …. Charity is called of Schoole Divines grace it selfe. It is that law of the Spirit which freeth from death and sinne. It is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience. It covereth a multitude of sins, It will not suffer them to appear: Without … workes are dead, as well as faith and other vertues. Hence the Schoole … charity the forme of vertues. Ibid pag. 106. Faith converteth the minde to God, but it is love that converts the heart and will to God, which is the greatest and last conversion; for we never seck anything till we desire it. … conversion is begun in the minde by faith, but it is only halfe conversion, yea no conversion of the whole man, except the love of the heart (where heth the greatest apprehension) follow it. we see salvation by faith, but we obtaine it not, till we seek it by … desire. Wherefore I conclude, that for as much as charity is the most near and immediate cause of our conversion, that it is also the most pretious grace of God for our good, and the greatest mean of our … him is by charity, which layeth hold on him in the will and reasonable affections, … his must be the greatest meane of our justification. Ibid. p. 109. The sulfilling of the law justifieth, but charity is the fulfilling of the law, where the Apostle … to justifying faith, he compareth them in the most excellent way and it is most manifest that the most excellent way, is the way of our justification & conversion to God.4. That Saint Pauls justification whereby wee stand before the barre of God is nought, but our conversion and sanctification by our inherent righteousnesse. mmShelsoord pag. 107. Justification & conversion to God is all one. Idem. …. 102. Charity is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience. Montag. …. pag. 142. A sinner is then justified when he is made just, when he is transformed in minde, tenewed in soule, … by …. … in … answer for Hall to Burtoun, is not only content to exeeme the … justification from all blot of a fundamentall error, but … also to make all our … in this point to be but a jugling about words; yea, at last he seemes to … with the Counsell of Trent in anathematizing our doctrine: For thus, if I remember well, doth he speake. If any man shall … that men are so justified by the sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse, or by sole remission of sinnes, … they are not also … fied by inherent grace or charity, or also that the grace whereby we are justified is only the favour of God, let him be accursed, and let him be so indeed for me. You will say this is nothing but meere jugling, I grant it, … yet it is not the direct deny all of the foundation, for here is both remission of sins, and imputation of Christs righteousnesse included, which though it be sufficient to justification in the Protestant sence, yet in the Popish sence, wherein … is also required, it is not sufficient.5. That p. 70the fulfilling of Gods Law to us in this life is both possible and easie, that if God did command us any thing which were impossible, hee should bee both unjust and a tyrant.nn… pag. 121. That there is a fulfilling of the Law in this life: Iames teacheth, if you … the … law, you doe will. Were Gods Law no possible to be …, the supposition should be idle, … fit for Gods word, a caption unbeseeming a man … by divine inspiration. To the keeping of this we must strain our soule, we must not flee to a naked …, where is required our conformation. He hath predestinate us to be conform to the image of his Son. He hath fulfilled the Law and so must we too. Ibid. pag. 127. Christ hath merited, that the righteousnesse of the Law should be fulfilled in us, not by faith only, or by sole imputation, as the ignorant understand it, but by our actuall walking in the divine precepts. Ibid. pag. 136. To binde a man to things impossible, were a wrong both to nature and grace, therefore the schoole verse …, … viri non … Deus ulla …. God can no more in … now require impossibilities at our hands, then he could at first at …: Neither doth he, if we beleeve S. …, who saith, I can doe … things by Christ, who hath loved me. Ibid. pag 139. If God should command things impossible, then should he be more cruell then a tyrant, who … not offer to exact of his Subjects such a tribute which he knowes cannot be …: It is tyrannical and cruell, and therefore impossible to God to require the ability which he himselfe took away, and of those too that are his friends, and in league with him. Ibid. pag. 147. To say that the very best workes of the Saints are uncleane, …, mortall sins, is extreame blasphemy. Can the workes of the holy Ghost be impure? The least addition of evill in a good worke makes it sinfull, because Bonum est ex integracausa, malum ex … defectu. White on the Sabboth, pag. 157. … those sayings, as from S. Austine, Neque impossible aliquid … potuit Deus … justus est; neque damnaturus est hominem pro eo quod vitare non potest, quia … est. Execramur blasphemiam eorum, qui dicunt aliquid impossibile homini à Deo esse praeceptum.

p. 716. That not onelyonly manyidoelfulfill the Law without all mortall sinne, but sundry also doe supererogat by doing more then is commanded, by performing the counsels of perfection, of chastity, poverty, and obedience: oo… pag. 184 By his … he informeth us of all the meanes that leads toward life eternal by his counsels, which goe beyond his … (because G O D hath given man freewill to get what he can in the state of grace for the state of glory) he shewes some exceeding meanes to grow to this lifes perfection, and to improve the common reward of glory for the next life, as sell what thou hast and give it to the peore, and … shalt have … in …; here wee have counsell to change temporall riches for eternall, which are better. 2. Wee are counselled to change permitted fleshly pleasures for heavenly pleasures, where it is said, qui … capere …. 3. Wee are counselled to deny our selves and our lawfull libertie, to follow Christ through the worlds difficulties; these are Gods counsels which in the primitive church were put in practice, but in our times they are put off with a non placet. Ibid. p. 129. Of the counsels of the gospel which goe beyond the counsels of the Law. S. …. sayes foreign Christ hath commanded nothing impossible yea, many have gone above his commandements.7. That our good workes doe truely deserve and merit eternall life: pp…. appeal. p. 233. The wicked go to enduring of torments …, the good to enjoying of happinesse without end; thus is their estate diversified to their deserving, … p. 120. setteth downe the comitiall verses of Cambridge which in merite goeth as farre as …, … & speciosa …, salutem divine … dabunt. … p. 18. goes yet further, that our workes are as true efficent causes of our salvation, as our wickednesse can be of our damnation, as we heard before. Montag. …. pag. 153. That a worke may be said to be meritorious, ex …, these conditions are required, that it be morally good, that it be freely wrought by a man in this life in the estate of grace and friendship with God, that it have annexed Gods promise of reward. All which conditions I cannot conceive that any Protestants doth deny to good workes.8. That our obeying the counsels of perfection doe purchase a degree of glory above the ordinary happinesse, qq… p. 198. In that blessed estate there are degrees of joy and glory, a starre differs from another in glory, some ground bringeth foorth thirty, some sixty, some a hundred fold. To this agreeth S. Gregory, Quia in hac vita est discretio operum, erit procul dubio in illa discretio dignitatum, ut quo hic alius alium merito superat, illic alius alium retributione transcendat. And S. Cyprian, in pace coronam vincentibus candidam pro operibus dabit in persecutio ne purpuream pro passione geminabit; Certēt nune sin guli ad utriusque honoris amplissimam dignitatem, accipiant coronas vel de operibus candidas, vel de sanguine purpureas. Here shineth Gods justice in distributing rewards according to the variety of his owne grace in this life bestowed, and Christians works by their own free wil to the best end imployed, and because there are certaine excellencies of workes in overcomming the greatest difficulties, therefore the scoole after the former demonstration argueth priviledged crownes which they call … to bee due to them which have conauered best to Martyes for overcomming persecutions, to virgins for conquering the …, qnd to Doctors for putting the Divell to flight from their flockes:All this lately is printed by the faction, neither that onelyonly, but (which to us seemeth marvellous) when great popular grumblings and sundry publicke challenges hath beene made against the authours of such writs. These whom Canterburie p. 72hath employed to apologise for the worlds full satisfaction, hath not yet beene pleased to disavow any of those writers, nor to expresse the least signe of their indignation against any of their abominations, rr… … 127. For Shelsoords booke whatever is in that mentioned should not trouble you, if he ascribe a speciall eminency unto charity in some cerraine things, it is no more then … taught to him by S. Paul, who doth preferre it, as you cannot but choose to know, before faith and hope: nor doth he attribute our justification … in any other sence then was taught him by S. Iames M Dow p 52. And I believe if M. Shelsoords justification by … be well examined, it will prove no other then that which S. Iames saies, yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onelyonly, and I would demand of any reasonable man, whether the expresse words of that … may not without aspersion of popery be even openly and publickly maintained, if there be no sence obtruded upon them which may crosse S. Pauls doctrine, which M Burtoun can never prove that they did whom he charged with that assertion.but rather by sweetning all with excuses seeme to vent their desire to have all swallowed downe.

In the doctrine of the Sacraments, from Bellarmins In the doctrine of the sacraments see their Popery.third tombe, they tell us first, that the sacraments of the old testamenr differ from the new, that the one confers grace, the other foresignes grace to bee conferred, that the same distinction must be holden betwixt Iohns and Christs baptimse. ssMontag. orig. p. 72. de circumcisione quaeritur quamgratiam … & primo ponitur non … quod … verum sacramentum veteris politiae in statu legis & …, ideo esse operativū illius gratiae qua ab. luuntur … ut fit in baptismo novae legis. 2. Si quaeratur an ut baptismus … & … quae figurat … olim peccata visua sacramētali ex institutione divino opere operato, … operantis aut alio quovis modo abolere & mundare poterit, qua de re sunt diversae sententiae. Hereafter he hath brought at length the Fathers, to prove that Sacramēta veteris testamēti non causabant gratiam sed cam solum per … Christi … esse significabant, nostra vero & gratiam continent & digne suscipientibus conferunt, … closes, inanes … illae disputationes & acerbae contentiones … lorum, quae apud scholasticos & doctores nonnullos ventilantur, quas sopitas optamus nos. Ibid. p. Baptismus Joannis rudimentarius ait Damascenus: imperfectus, & isagogicus, …: ut & lex vetus, … novum baptisma post illud necessarium inquit Augustinus, post Johannem baptizabat Paulus, post hereticos non baptizat Ecclesia, Christi baptismo actu remittebantur peccata, non remittebantur actu post Iohannis. Then in his owne words, quid ergo? An dabat gratiam baptismus ille; … visum non nullis perperam omnino, nam ubi tum foreign baptismatis Christi & Sacramentorum novi faederis, quibus foreign gratiam … quam significant, preparatoriè hoc agebat non foreign in spe tantum cum re ipsa in Domini baptismo illud …, ab … sententia quae est … omnium antiquorum, si Calvinus recesserit cum sequacibus, aetatem habent, ipsi respondeant, privati cujuscunque hominis foreign non est communi protestantium sententiae ascribendum. Obtineat ergo per me Tridentinae synodi canon primus sessionis septimae: Si quis dixerit baptismum Iohannis habuisse eandem vim cum baptismo Christi anathema sit.2. They tell us that all baptised infants as well reprobat as elect are in baptisme truely regenerat, sanctified, p. 73justified, and put in that state wherein if those who are reprobate and thereafter damned should die, they would be infallibly saved. ttMon. opeal p. 35. We … aught in the Liturgie earnestly to beleeve, lest it should be left to mens …, that … hath received favourably these infants that are baptised. And to make this doctrine … more sure against our novellists, it is again repeated in the …, that it is certainly true by the word of God, that children being baptised have all things necessary forsalvation, and if they die before actuall sin, shall be undoubtedly saved, according whereunto all antiquity hath also taught us Let this therefore be acknowledged to be the doctrine of our Church. White against the … p. 95. avowes it as the doctrine of England, that all infants baptised have the holy spirit, & are made the children of God by adoptiō, pressing that of S. … of all infants baptised. Quid dicturus est de infantibus parvulis qui plerique accepto in illa aetate gratiae sacramento, qut … dubio pertinerent ad vitam aeternam …, si continuo ex hac vita …, sinuntur crescere & nonnulli etiā apostatae sunt. Albeit this same White makes this tenet in his conserence with Fisher to be the judgement only of Papists and Lutherans pag. 176. They differ from Lutherans and … first, in that they … the grace of sanctification only to the elect. 2. In that they deny externall baptisme to be alwayes effectuall at the very … time when it is administrate.And on the ot her hand they avow that all those who die in their infancy without baptisme, by whatsoever misse, by whosoevers fault, are certainly damned so farre as men can judge: For baptisme is the onelyonly ordnary meane which God hath appointed for their salvation, which failing, salvation must be lost, except we would dreame of extraordinary miracles of the which we have no warrant. wwCant. relat. p. 56. That baptisme is necessary to the salva tion of infants in the ordinare way of the Church (without binding GOD to the use and means of that Sacrament to which hee hath bound us) it is expresse in Saint John, Chap. 3. Except a man be born again by water he cannot enter, no baptisme, no entrance, nor can infants creep in any other ordinare way. And this is the … opinion of all the ancient Church infants are to be baptised that their salvation may be certain, for they which cannot helpe themselves must not be left only to extraordinare helps of which we have no assurance, and for which we have no warrant at all in Seripture, …. p. 66. I can shew you of none saved ordinarly without the sacraments in regard of our Saviours exception in the 3. of Iohn, Except a man be born againe of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven. Montag. orig. p. 397. Adeo huic usui inserviunt aquae ut si tollatur lavacrū aquae alieni a Deo & soedere promissionis aeternae excludantur illi in tenebras exteriores, cum edicto divino … sit nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto non introibit in regnum coelorum. … hoc elusum a novatoribus, sed & Christi divinitatem ab haereticis negatam … utrumque in contemptum Dei & dispendium animarum.3. That the manifold ceremonies of Papists in baptisme and all other sacraments are either to be embraced as pious p. 74ancient rites, or no to be stood upon as being only ceremoniall toyes. xxSamuel Hoards sermon supra, puts crosse in baptisme and sindry other ceremonies of it among his rituall traditions. Montag. …. pag. 16. vestis alba oleum, sal, lac, chrisma, additamenta quaedam sunt ornatus causa. Ib. p. 15. Cum concilio quodam nupero non veremur profiteri ceremonias à majoribus hominibus religiosissimis usurpatas quod ad varios pietatis usus valeant & exercitia quaedam fint quibus mens externarū rerum sensu & significatione ad divinum cultum … Deum attrahitur in Ecclesia retinendas & ubi abrogatae fuerant restituendas esse statuimus. Andrews stricturae, p. 13. Chrisme, salt, candles, …, signe of the crosse …, and the consecration of the water, those being all matter of ceremony, are therefore in the Church power on good reasons either to retaine or to alter,For their tenets in the sacrament of the supper, wee shall speake anone of them in the head of the masse. 4. They tell us that our dispute about the five bastard sacraments is a plaine logomachy. yyAndrews …. p. 11. The whole matter about the five Sacraments is a meer, foreign5. They tell us that not only infants after their baptisme but even men baptised in perfect age who before baptisme gave a sufficient count of their faith, yet they may not bee esteemed full Christians while they have received confirmation by the imposition of hands, and that alone by a Bishop. zzPokling altare p. 65. And because the competents were persons of full age they received also confirmation by imposition of hands … pleni … inveniantar.About the orders, they tell us that they agree with Papists in their number, that the reason why they want their Acolits, sub-deacons and the rest, is but their Churches poverty: zzzzAndrewes …. pag. 12. The five orders is a point not … the standing on, while the revenues of the Church were able to maintaine so many degrees it cannot be denyed but that there were so many, but by the Churches owne order neither by commandement nor example of Scripture, but what is this to the present estate of the Church scarce able to maintaine two?Which can scarce well maintaine the two p. 75orders of Priests and Deacons. But which in their questions is worst of all, they side here with the Papists in giving to all the Protestant Churches a wound which our enemies proclame to be mortall, fatall, incurable. They tie the conferring of ordours by a full divine right to the office of Bishops, they avow that the lawfull use of all ordination and outward ecclesiasticke jurisdiction is by God put in the hands of their persons alone. Other reformed Kirkes therefore wanting Bishops, their Ministers must preach, celebrate the Sacraments, administer discipline not only without a lawfull warrand, but also against the ordinance of God. When they are put in minde of this great wound given by them to all other reformed Churches, they either strive to cover it with the figtree leaves of an imagined case of necessity which never was, or else plainely to passe over it as immedicable. No marvaile if the Bishops of England refuse to admit without a new ordination, these who has beene ordained in Holland or France, and they make no scruple to admit without new orders, these who has beene ordained at Rome. &c.&c.… antid. sect. 3. p8. Let the Bishops stand alone on Apostolicall right and no more then so, and doubt it not but some wil take it on your word & then plead accordingly, that thingsof Apostolicall institution may be laid aside. When Bishop Andrews had learnedly asserted the … order to be of Christs institutiō I have heard that some who were then in place did secretly interceed with King … to have had it altered, for feare forsooth of offending our neighbour Churches. …. 3. …. p. 195. Dixi abesse ab … aliquid quod de jure divino sit, culpa … vestra non … injuria temporum, non enim tam propitios habuisse Reges Galliam vestram in Ecclesia reformanda quam habuit Britannia nostra: Interim ubi dabit meliora Deus, & hoc quoque quod jam abest per Dei gratiam suppletum iri. Relatum inter hereticos Aerium qui Epiphanio credat vel Augustino necesse est fateatur, & tu qui … Aerium quo nomine damnas? An quod se … consensui universalis Ecclesiae. Idem qui sentit an non itidem se opponit ac eo nomine damnandus erit Montag. …. p. 138. … jus & autoritatem ita credimus annexam Episcoporum personis ut a nemine non episcopo ordinato & consecrato possit aut debeat adhiberi, … ordinationem vel … omnem pronunciamus quae non a legitimo & canonico more … quod … se … & non missi ingerant caelesti … & …, viderint … quid sint responsuri olim summo sacerdoti cujus partes usurpant, … nostros non aliorum … vocationes. Yea, not only they tye ordination and jurisdict on to the person of Bishops, but of such Bishops who must of necessity shew the derivation of all their power, from the Pope as was shown before.6. In Matrimony they will keepe not only the Popish Sacramentall words and signes, the Popish times of Lent and other dismall daies, except the Bishops give their dispensation, but also they will have the p. 76whole matrimoniall causes ruled by the Popes …, yea, which is more, they avow that the Cannon-law by Acts of Parliament yet unrepealled stands in vigour amongst them.aaDew p. 184. By his favour I must tell him that neither the law of God nor of the King disallowes the use of the old Canons and Constitutions, though made in the time of Popery and by the Pope or Popish Prelats, which are not contrary to the law of God or the King: If hee desire proofe of this, let him consider whether the Statute 25. Hen. 8 19. do not say as much as I affirme, which having regulated divers things touching the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction. At last the statute concludes with this … Provided also that such Canons constitutions, ordinances, and synodals provinciall being already made not repugnant to the lawes and customes of this Realme, nor to the hurt of the Kings prerogative royall, shall now still be used and executed as they were before the making of this Act, till such time as they be viewed, searched, or otherwise ordered by the said two and thirty persons or the more part of them according to the tenour of this present Act. It followes then that till these thirty two persons determine otherwise, old Canons may bee still executed and retaine their ancient vigour and authority, and when that will be I know not but as yet I am sure it hath not beene done.

Except in some few things which are directly opposit to some late lawes of the land and that Cannon-law they will have extendit as far downe as the very Councell of Basile. bbFemall glory, pag. 128. With this pious and gratefull ordinance, I conclude the visitation of our incomparable Lady, … meanes the act of the late Councell of Basile, which ordained a festivall for that visitation.And as far up as the constitutions of the first Popes. cc… altar pag. 52. There is mention madeof the dedication of Churches unde …, An. … 12. and under …, 154. under Calixtus 221. And before them all in Saint Clemence his Epistles. These testimonies of Roman Bishops the Centurists doe suspect: Where the doctrine and decrees of Popes, and those in the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy Catholicke Church, it … great boldnesse in three or foure men to condemne and to brand their authority with the ministery of iniquity.Which divers of the Papists themselves acknowledge to bee supposititious, yet our men will defend them all, and with them the Canons ofthe Apostles, the constitutions of Clemence and all such trash.ddLaurence, Sermon, pag. 18. the Apostles in their Canons, and these too, which are undoubtedly theirs. Montag. apart. pag. 390 Ex antiquissimis illum … principem & primariae authoritatis, … erat Apostolorū foreign & … nimerum foreign non preteribo, quem licet delicatuli nescio qui, ex … parte contendentium falsi postulant, & tanquam falsarium foreign Nos tamen ipsius foreign quosvis suscipere patrocinium audemus, doctissimum post virum Turrianum.

p. 77In the sacrament of pennance they … first, that auricular confession was evill abolished, and is very expedient to be restored. eeWhite on the Sabboth in the preface. There might also my reverend good Lord, be a very profitable use of some private of pasturall collation with their …, for their direct on and information in … spirituall duties, such as was, private confestion in the ancient Church: Now the Presbyterian censures by their paralogisme taken from abuse have with such loud and impetuous declamations, filled the cares and possessed the mindes of many people that they are exceeding averse from this soveraigne and ancient medecine of consolation, prevention, and curing of the … of the soule. He approueth that of Gerardus, Privata coram Ecclesiae ministro confessio, quam auricularem vocant, quamv is non habeat expressum & peculiare mandatum … non fit absolutae necessitatis, tamen cum plurimas praester utilitates & disciplinae Ecclesiasticae … sit non postrema publico Ecclesiae consensu recepta, ideo nequaquam timere vel negligenda vel abolenda, … piè & in vero Dei timore, praesertim ab … qui ad sacram synoxin accedunt usurpanda. M. Sp. Sermon printed with approbation. p. 18. Confesse as the Church directs, confesse to God, confesse also to the Priest, if not privately in the … since that is out of use. … saith a devout Bishop, it is almost quite lost, the more pitty.2. That God hath given a judiciall power of absolution to every Priest, which every one of the people is obliged to make use of, especially before the communion by confessing to the Priest all their sins without the concilement of any. ffDew p. 35. It cannot be denied, but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest, it were very strange, if our Church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution, and prescribing the forme to be used for the exercise of that power upon confession, should not allow of the private confession. M. Sp. Sermon page. 16. Since the Priest can in the name of God forgive us our sinnes, good reason we should make our confession to him: Surely God never give the Priest this power in vaine, he expects we should make the best use of it we can. He requires we should use the meanes we can to obtaine that blessing; now the onelyonly meanes to obtaine this absolution is our confession to him …. p. 19. If we confesse in humility with griefe and sorrow for them, if we confesse them faithfully not concealing any (Ibid) p. 15. There is another confession that would not be neglected. He that would be sure of pardon, let him seek out a Priest, and make his humble confession to him: for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving sins hath delegat the Priests here upon earth his judges, and hath given them the power of absolution, so that they can in Gods name forgive the sinnes of those that confesse to them. But is not this Popery, would some say, Now take the counsell that is given in the eight of Iob, Aske the Fathers, and they shall tell thee: aske then S. … on Esay, and he will tell thee, that heaven waites and expects the Priests sentence here on earth: For the Priest … on earth, and the Lord followes the servant, and when the servant bindes or looses here on earth, clave non errante, the Lord confirmes it in heaven, words, saies he, so cleare for the judiciall and formall absolution of the Priest, that nothing can be said more plaine.3. That God in the Heaven will certainly follow the sentence of the Priest absolving on earth. g 4. Beside a private confessor, it were very expedient to have in every congregation p. 78a publick penitentiarie, who in the beginning of Lent on ashe-wednesday might in the Kirk sit in his reclinatory, and sprinkling dust on the head of every parishioner, enjoyn them their Lent-pennance, whereby they may truly satisfie Gods judgement for their sins, and in the end of lent or Shrif-thursday before Pasche give his absolution to those who have fully satisfied. hhPockl. alt. pag. 57. The Bishops made an addition to the Ecclesiastick canon, that in every Church a penitentiarie should be appointed to admit penetents in the Church, after they have done publick pennance. This kind of confession … abolished in the Church of …, how beit the confession, whereof Tertullian and Cyprian speaks, was never abolished, but did ever continue in the Greek Church, and in the Latine likewise: And to this purpose a solemne day was set apart for taking of publick pennance, for open faults, by imposition of hands, and sprinkling of ashes, namely Ashwednesday. This is the godly discipline whereof out Church speaketh, and wisheth that it might be restored. And as Ashwednesday was appointed for penetents to receive absolution. This absolution they took upon their knees by the imposition of the Priests hands. Ibid. p. 63. and 67. The Competents beginning on Ashwednesday in sackcloth and ashes to humble themselves, they were all Lent long purged with fasting and prayer: They were to stand barefoot on sackcloth, and watch on good Fryday all night. How fand a thing it is, saith …, to thinke to carry away with us the … of sinne, and not first of all to pay for our commodity. The Merchant before he deliver his wares will look to your coyne, … soulptilis, ne rasus, that it be neither washed nor shaved; and doe not thinke but the Lord will looke well to your repentances and turne it over and over, before ye receive …. The Church caused those to take so strict pennance, that by their great humiliation they might make some amends for that liberty which some took to sin. Ibid. p. 24. Our Churches are a glory to our religion. To the … elongeth the … lavaiorie and …, … heating confessions. Shalfoord p. 126. If the Just shall transgresse while they are within the law they are bound to make satisfaction by pennance, which is, … Ibid. pag. …. The law is oft broken by sins of omission and commission. I answer, as it is oft broken of us, so it is as oft repaired and satisfied, and so all is made whole againe, and so he is, … quo …: he riseth againe so oft as he falleth; either in number or vertue our sins of commission are repaired by repentance, our sins of omission are supplied by prayer.Extreame unction, if reports p. 79may be trusted, is already in practice among them, but howsoever, they avow in Print their satisfaction with the Papists in this point, if so be the ceremony be no made absolutely necessary.iiMontag. antig. pag. 267. That sacramentall unction is not to be used to the sick, use it if you will, we hinder you not, nor much care or enquire what effects ensue upon it, but obtrude it not upon us as in … of the Sacraments in the time of grace.

Anent the Monastick life, consider how farre our They are for the recrection of monasteries, and placing of Monks, and Nuns therein as of old.men are from Popery, they tell us first, that the putting downe of the Monasteries in England by Henry the eight, let be by other Protestant Princes else-where, was a worke exceeding impious, and very prejudiciall both to the Church and Crowne: kkMontag. orig. p. 303. In Ecclesia anglicana sacerdotes … magis gaudere, & soleant & debeant immunitatibus, tamen & frequentius & exuberantius, & libentius quam laici decimarum decimas, subsidia, annatas primitias, solvunt principi, ut vel inde … discerni possit quantum detrimenti regiis accesserit … per illam desolationem monasteriis invectam per importunum Henrici octavi rigorem, & per parliamentarias impropriationes. Ibid. p. 384. Quales quales reformare potius, & ad normam veterum reducere debebant, foreign non quod factum facinore flagitioso, & foreign fuerunt ad haras, altaria ad lupanaria transferenda, sed reprimam …. Ibid. p. 174. Sub pretextu reformatae pietatis. Deum, Ecclesiam, pietatem, per nefandistima sacrilegia, eversis ubicunque monasteriis, &c.2. That the Monks for the paterne of their orders have the Prophets and the Apostles, and specially Iohn the Baptist: llMontag. orig. p, 370. … primus hanc viam insistebat, illum … ut in aliis sequebantur … & …. Ibid. p. 382. Ejusmodi vitae genere … jecisse fundamenta monasticae vitae, cum illustrissimo Barono non abnuerim.3. That their habits to their very tree-shoone hath Scripture warrant: mmMontag. orig. p 369. … & interula & tunica, & quocunque amictu vestiebatur, de camelorum pilis id gestabat vestimentum, ut ipsa asperitas ad virtutem patientiae animum exerceret, nec princeps hoc institutum … …: ab omni retro antiquitate Prophetarum filii Elias, … alii … ute bantur, quin & positum in more qui rem quamcunque persuadere vellent, habitu ipso se componerent ad … rem efficacius insinuandam. William … sermon p. 20. The sackcloth and ashes they received from Daniel and the Ninivites, and to live according to a … rule, and order from S. Mark and other Apostles. so saith Cossian Ibidem p. 28. Those if you censure for willworship or superstition take heed ye condemne not the authors of them, even our blessed Saviour, with his Prophets and Apostles. Ibid. pag. 44. Whereas our blessed Saviour hath forbidden shooes to his Disciples, he was herein obeyed by the Primitive mortifiers, sandals were meere solls tyed with strings:4. That the Virgine Mary was truely a Nunne, and that the Nunnes this day are much to p. 80bee commended for the following of her paterne: nnFemal glory page 22. The same author affirmes that there she lived a … Nunne. Ibid. 23. Let us then imagine that this holy … confined her body to this sacred solitude, that shee might the more freely enjoy the inconceivable pleasure shee tooke in her … Virginity. Ibid. page She was a votary never to know man. Ibid. page 148. You who ply your sacred Arithmetik and have thoughts cold and cleare as the Cristall beeds you pray by. You who have vowed virginity, mentall and corporall, approach with comfort, and kneel downe before the grand white immaculate … of your snowie Nunries, and present the alsaving babe in her armes with due veneration:5. That the present Carthusians, Franciscans, and the rest of the Fraternities are very good and holy people, worthy in their very orders of Monastick life of our imitation: ooIbid. page 236. Many holy orders also are of this sodality as the …, the …, the Franciscans, …, and many other. If these examples of pious and worthy people will not move us, &c.6. That their barefooted processions through the streets, that their Canonicall houres of devotion, at midnight in their Cloisters, that in great festivall Eves, their going at Mid-night, with confluence of people to Towne-churches is all commendable service.ppWilliam Wats sermon. page 3. … Bishop of Vienne did not uncannonically, to appoint a solemne … of three daies fast, and to make a Letany to be sung in a barefooted procession. …. page 20. To goe barefooted, they received from David and Esaias. …. page 45. … maketh goers barefoote to be imitators of Apostolick spirited people. Ibid. page 48. In the third, fourth, and fifth ages, are examples plentifull of the nightly processions of the Christians; yea, they went from their houses in the Cities to some of their Churches in the fields, singing Psalmes all the way through the streets in the hearing of the Gentiles. Ibid. Minutius Felix mentioneth necturna & … sacra. For this purpose the night was devided into Canonicall houres or certaine times of rising to prayer, whereof midnight was one, the morning watch was another Canonicall houre. I … notwithstanding our devotion serveth us not … the Prophets and Apostles, and the Primitives, yet we will forbeare to take part with the old Hereticks in reprehending them. Ibid. Before a greater Festivall all the devouter sort of Christians constantly repaired to their Churches at midnight.

p. 81In the head of Purgatorie and prayer for the How neere they approach to Purgatorie, and … for the dead.dead, thus farre long agoe are they proceeded, first, they avow openly Limbus Patrum, telling us, that the Saints before Christ were not onelyonly not in heaven, but truely in an infernall place, even in a lake, where in one nooke the godly were in peace, and the wicked in torments, that Abrahams bosome was here, betweene which and hell a certaine gulfe made but a tolerable distance, that Iacob, Samuel, and David, and other of the ancients were mourned for at their death, because their soules went not to heaven, but truely to a kind of hell: their minde in these things, as their custome is, they propone in the words of some Father, that by the shelter of their authoritie they may keep off their owne head the indignation of the people: qqMontag. orig. pag. 286. His qui in carcere erant spiritibus, hoc est defunct is, suo fato & inferno addict is praedicavit, quo in loco Puritani, & novatores spiritum, non animam Christi intelligunt Ibid. apar. p. 476. Communem esse patrum sententiam, … doctissimorum scriptorum nostrae aetatis & confessionis, sanctorum animas ante Christi resurrectionem non fuisse in Coelo. Olim (inquit Chrysostomus) ad infernum deducebat mors, sed nunc assumit ad Christum. Ideo dicebat olim Iacob, Deducet is senectutem meam ad infernum cum lachrymis Ideo olim lugebantur mortui, at nunc cum Psalmis & hymnis efferuntur. Hieronymi testimonia sunt innumera, ante adventum Christi omnes ad inferos ducebantur; inde Iacob ad inferos discensurum se dicit, & Iob pios & impios in inferno queritur …, & Euangelium docet magnum chaos interpositum apud inferos, & revera antequamflammeam illam rotam, & igneam rompheam ad … fores Christ us … one reseraret, clausa erant caelestia, Nota quoque ut … quoque in inferno fuisse credas, & ante adventum Christi, quamvis sanctos … lege detentos: locum esse ait, qui lacus … & abyssus, in qua non erant aquae in qua animae …, sive ad poenas.Again they tell us that Christ before he opened heavens gate to any soule, he went first downe, and loosed the soules in prison: yea, if yee beleeve M. Maxwell (who hath written much for the drawing of our Church the factions way) hee went downe to the lowest hells, and delivered thence a number of Pagans such as Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, and a world of mo: p. 82rrMontag. a par. pag. 476. Postquam eo descendit, Christus, inferorum claustra perfodit, diripuit, vastavit, spoliavit, vinctas inde animas liberando. M. Maxwels demonstration, pag. 9. Whether the places of Scripture wherein mention is made of our Saviours spoyling of hell, and leading captivitie captive, may perhaps be understood of his powerfull & mercifull delivering from hell, of some of the soules of vertuous Pagans, as of their Philosophers, lawgivers, governors, kings, queens, & other private persons renowned for their wisdome, prudence, fortitude, temperance, bounty, chastity, justice, mercy; and generally for their civill carriage, & morall conversation, … as were Hermes Trismegistus, Zoroaster, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Homer, Phocyllides, Theognis, Epictetus, Cicero; and such as were Hercules, Thesem, Cyrus, Solon, Lycurgus, Aristides, Simon, …, Epaminondas, Tarrina, Camilla, …, Panthea, Penelope, Artemisia, and others the like: for my owne part, I do professe such love to those vertuous wights, for their vertues sake, as I had rather condemne twentie such opinions as that of Limbus patrum, than to damne eternally the soule of one Socrates, of one Cyrus.. Our maine pillers against purgatory they hew downe with the popish axes: when wee reason that Scripture makes no mention of any third place betwixt Hell and Heaven; they reply, that there are many things whereof Scripture makes no mention. When we reason that Scripture makes mention expressely of two places for soules after death, they use the popish distinction, that after the resurrection there is but two eternall places, but that before the resurrection there may be three temporall: ssMontag. apar. …. 135 Objiciunt, nullus tertius … indicatur in Scriptura praeter infernum damnatorum & coelum. Resp. Licet non indicaretur in … esse alium locum tertium, non tamen inde sequeretur non fuisse tertium, quia multa sunt quae non indicantur in Scripturis. Locus ille Matthaei 25. Loquitur non de loco aut statu animarum ante Christum, sed de statu & loco finali post finem saeculi, cum … tantum erunt absque dubio hominum societates sempiternae.4. When papists urge upon us prayer for the dead, they will not contradict them; yea, they commend oblations in the Lords Supper, and prayers there for the dead in particular.ttAndreus stricturae, pag. 56. Anent offering and prayer for the dead, there is little to be said against it, it cannot be denyed but it is ancient. Dow. pag. 56. That the ancient Church had commemorations, oblations, and prayers for the dead, the testimonies of the Fathers, ecclesiasticall stories & ancient Liturgies do put out of all question. Pokling. alt. p. 83. Commends that Canon whereby a Priest after his death was ordained to be punished, for making another Priest his Executour, with this paine, that at the altar for such an one, non offerretur, nee sacrificium … dormitione ejus ….