Christ against Antichrist: Or, a Reply to the League-Makers betwixt Protestancy and Popery, lately come abroad into the world, attempted of old by Cassander, Bartholomeus, Nervus, Seravius, Modestus, renewed by Johnstons Rejoynder, and now clad with thread-bare Arguments. Theophil. saith of Rome, Behold here how cheap the Devil buys Souls. No Peace with Rome.
WE grant Maximilian and Ferdinand, set the forementioned at work, in order to peace; that the one, viz. Papist, might remit his pride, the other his peevishness; but the Chief Landlord of Souls and Consciences, teaches us to set asunder Worships of divers natures, as mingled seed, as not only dangerous, but damnable; and however some have beaten their brains to hammer out peace, yet could not, yea in Conscience, but make the breach more wider; such Labyrinths having no end, such sinks of Errour having no foundation. No pen can reach, nor brain expiate throughout those Cells of wickedness, from which Arminianism, Free-willers, Socinians, and what not, have had their birth. Yea, there have been cridled; into which they return as into the vast Ocean. However our League-makers are dipping their pens in the gall of bitterness, yet shall it avail nothing, but verifie that Distichion, and accomplish the pouring out of the last Vial, upon all the Limbs of the Beast,
Proposition, A foundation of Religion is over-turned two ways, either flat terms, or by consequence. Popery and Arminianism comes in the last way, proclaims, believes all the Articles of Faith, yet denies the meaning of each Article; razing not only the Integral, and accidentals, but the true meaning of the word as the Basis. As 1. The various senses of the word, says our Pamphleteer, doth not unhinge material Articles, nor on them do we build any Fundamental Truth; why then do the Papists, as the Scripture, could or would impower them, bend their wit to draw the Popes Temporal Sword out of Peters Scabbard, and to fish for his Vicaredge with Peters nets, taking the help of the Limbeck of the Jesuites, making the right of Church and State lye under the Popes girdle, unhinging the very Fundamental Article of Justification, scorning to cloath themselves with a coat of Christs Righteousness; yea, scarce Aristotles Morality, but kill, murder, and destroy such truculent practices are mercenary duties, no Truce, no League, no Covenant, keep either to God or Man. In reference to Protestants, witness their own Patriots, Vasquez Alvarez, but read farther, Sphanhemins Contract of Chamier, Lombard Senten. If we shall view the Monuments of Cruelty, the Heads, Hands, and Bloody Spirits, wherever they get power, doth call alowd.
Proposition, We allow thee will no strength to any Spiritual good, till revived by preventing Grace, the Leaguemakers mitigates thus. The Papists and Protestants both compare a Man, after the fall to a Prisoner; the Papist says he's only bound, the Protestants say, he is not onely bound but dead also; both attribute the power of coming out to God; what danger in either Opinion. Answer, If the Physitian give me a Plaister, and leaves me to apply it to my wound, if I will, I impute the cause of my deliverance to my self, and yet there is much betwixt a dead man and a sick man; her errours are wrought like [Page 12]Serpents eggs,; for if she taught not Concupiscence, the inmost garment of the Soul; the first it puts on, the last it puts off, were no sin, she could not affirm any man could perform the Law; and if she laid not with another hand, the sandy foundation of Free-will she could not deceive us, they filthy rags of thy unrighteousness. 3. She plunges her self again in the pit seeing a cure, not following the star of the Scripture; the Papists say, Inherent Righteousness, the Protestant Imputed Righteousness; the Papists mean Grace, Charity, &c. at most Evangelical works, or duties, habitual Righteousnes or good works, actual Righteousness, not so formally but our deservings; the L. M. reconciles thus: both grant its the Blood of Christ that delivers what are we concerned whether another pay the debt, as the Protestant, or we our selves as the Papists say? But the debt of Justice is not payed, till it come out of the hand of Christ; the Cautioner the principal must not compare; yea, we differ upon the matter, for its nothing but their bits of duties, at the most, which they would soader with Christs Righteousness, which avail nothing out of their own place. I know they make a tergiversation, and tells us, Opera tinct a sanguine Christi. What is this to half the Righteousness of Christ, as Bradwardane says. Half to man, the other half to God, or flatly deny Imputed Righteousness, as some black-mouthed fellows lately do even among Protestants, scorning at acquaintance with God. 5. We come to the instrument applying the wound. The Papists grant to Faith a share, but include works in the same Category. The League-makers speak very plausibly, both agree its by the blood of Christ we are saved; the odds is only in the branches whereby we hold: the Protestants lays hold of a sure one, Faith in Christ, the Papist of both Faith and Works; now this cuts the sinews of Faith, altogether looking upon it as a meritorious work; or at the best, an Evangelical Duty, altogether [Page 13]mercenary, but we have a eye to it, as a condition, or hand touching the Alms, not binding God to our Merits; its nothing but free love, far surpassing the Fathers love to a Child: Gods Free grace so abounding, that the Justice of God cannot be known; so Salvian, a famous Presbiter in Messalania. Justificat fides sola sed non solitaria. Our Antagonist takes advantage most bitterly to determine most sad conclusions generally upon all Protestants, by reason of their promiscuous conceptions of the applicatory nature of Faith. If there be any offence taken, there is none given; we call it our selves, say they, Instrumental cause, which always has one Physical influx upon the effect, for to tearm it a passive instrument, there is no such thing can have being in nature; and if you will grant the name of a condition, formally so taken, making Faith and Repentance concomitaneous and coaetaneous, those radical Graces being all sown at once, though some of them peep above the ground before another. All Orthodox Writers agree, whom God justifies, them he sanctifies; so runs the Golden Chain of Election, Rom. 8.13. So that Spiritual Sanctification, as the Antinomiah dream, only believer, live loose if thou wilt, only be in Christ, sin if thou canst, are the fiery balls of Antichrist; what if we shall grant all demanded, this doth not infer any coefficiency in or with works. If in the least we shall put them in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and give them that fair but false name, works of Supererrogation, what relation there may be betwixt our works and our Salvation, (what influence they have thereunto be determined, shall after and through grace be determined.) Some grant the same relation to illustrate it, betwixt the mean and the end; the Scripture points forth, as ye sow ye shall reap; because one of these Doctors doth in express words so much confess, (though maintaining Faith directly, and formally resolves it self in the Church) That the works of a Regenerate [Page 14]man, upon which the main state of the controversie depends, are of themselves worthy, and God will retalliate and pay all such; but postpones such a common action of Eternal Life to the Divine promise; and therefore, say they, God is not bound to recompence such, if we look upon his Attributes distinct from his Covenant: yea, also abstract from it, Puteanus Summa Theologiae. Quest. 115. Artic. 1. Drob. 5.
In vain therefore do the Papists raise dust, proclaiming to the world notorious lies, which are there refuge, as if it were our Principle, not to approve and encourage the works of the faithful; we grant and approve of a blessed harmony, betwixt Faith and Works; yea Works and Eternal Life. Yet no casual relation, but a relation of orders, such respect as Mean has to an End. This in a sober sense, not in a captious; nay, as instance, I have fought a good fight of Faith, henceforth is laid for me a Crown of life; the fight is needful to obtain the victory, the victory, in order to obtain the Crown. Nor can we say, the conflict of it self produces the Victory, the Crown according to promise is freely given.
What madness would it be in any Rational man to impute the cause of a lights entrance to a chamber, to reckon (I say) to the demission, letting down, or pulling up of the broads, and yet the world knows, letting down of the broads is, Conditio sine qua non. That the light of Life, the light of Grace, and last the life of Glory may enter in; those broads of darkness, Atheism, Ignorance, Formality, must all be pulled up: and this is the sound Doctrine amongst all Orthodox Divines. Yea, Ludovicus le Blanc de Justitia. amongst rational men and Christians, where the name Protestant has not been used, without holiness we shall never see Gods face in mercy.
Concessions we grant farther, though God doth highly approve of the works of the Regenerate, yet we are not to understand them, as if God of themselves did so impower them properly to effectuate Eternal Salvation; yet herein can we, nor shall we not, robe those noble actions in the sight of God, of their just value, and proper operation, proportionable to their sphere, being as means natively tending to their end, which is Eternal life and Salvation, consequently following upon Gods appointment, and his gracious promise. So very solidly do the Doctors of the Reformed Churches speak the truth in calm terms, denying denominatively good works to be the proper cause, in a strict sense, of our Salvation; why, because they of themselves do not immediately reach the effect, Gods gracious promise mediating betwixt; yet in a more larger, though improper sense, with all our Soul and heart do frame this concession if it would make a reformed Catholick; honour them with the name of causes efficient of our Salvation; but thus, nay as an efficient cause, in general is described, by all the Philosophers; and so morally has a name thus, that in general to be an efficient cause, whatsoever, in what ever way, has an operation and concourse into one effect. Davenant 39. all we deny, and from that the word of God, a meritorious efficiency, or properly so taken, against us is excepted; what can be more clear from the Word of God, that Eternal life is the reward of good works. But Reader know, to such a reward for which we now dispute, there must be those two ingredients absolutely. 1. That there be a proportion of equality betwixt the labour and the reward, and that by the exact law of Equity it be so distributed, so all our works shall be thrown over the bench-bar of Heaven.
And further, we adde this one concession, if it can avail, though there may not be a proportion of Equality, or poize [Page 16]or valour, yet as one tearms it, a proportion of convenience, such as is betwixt the seed and the fruit, the sower and the reaper, &c. Amongst things of the same order, flowing from the same principle, having some connexion among themselves; Grace is glory begun, Heaven upon earth. A famous man explains it further thus, that word (according) holds out all and every relation amongst two things, betwixt the good works of just men and eternal life; good works being a certain moral good, life eternal, a physical good, and so both agree, though they be not of the same kind; and so worth and dignity admits of a twofold sense, one consisting in a relation of justice, as the workman is worthy of his wages; another consisting in a certain convenience of nature, facite fructus penitentos dignos.
Proposition, It's not only our, but the worlds wonder, what hath infatuated the great persons of the earth with this man of this sin, whose life and fortune he still projects, considering what singular advantages doth accrue to their own interest, in trampling upon the man of sin; how does he clip the feathers of honour, yea dethrones the greatest of Princes, Platina, Sabellicus, Krantz, l. 5. cap. 7. the Senate of Cardinals did not scruple to invest themselves with the power to choose and refuse Emperours at their pleasure, as plainly appears by Hildebrand Electing of Ralfe, displacing of Henry, under which that horrible Idolatry of worshipping and carrying about of Bread came into the Church, kneeling to the Bread god. Henry stoutly, as became a Magistrate, resisted, and ramcountred them with the point of the Sword of Justice. Though for a long time he submitted too much, but perceiving how the pulse of the Senate, like to the Treachery of that Prelate Thurstan, betraying Gospel, King, and Countrey, to the Popes hands, he must needs now declaim himself an open enemy to all such pestiferous [Page 17]persons, for which there is nothing but fire and fagot, grievous Wars against him, Excommunicating, Deposing, displacing, choosed a new Emperour, to whom he sent a Crown of Gold, with this Motto,
What Tumults, Combustions, Devastations of Churches and States, have they been actors of? what dreadful villany, under the colour of honesty, have they learned of the Devil, as one reporteth; how Satan prescribed some rules to the Papists for the better defence, when questioned upon the meaning of [...], Anselme. Hermolaus. Barbarin.
Proposition, Our Pamphleteer leads us now to salute this Brother a miscreant creature, an Arminian Heresie, to over-turn Gods Eternal Blessedness, Will, Wisdom, Providence, and consequently his whole Essence; it shall not suffice them to write their Panegyrick Theams in beating of their paradoxical brains, dipping their quills in the blood of Gods Innocents, as their old Mother Babel attempted to pull God out of Heaven: we must render all the habits of Grace, and the Spirit of God superfluous; Advance the Throne of Free-will, into the Throne of Free grace; cut the Throat of Souls and Life. If God was avenged for the blood of Jezabel, much more for the blood of Abel; and this is all their colour of honesty, and picture of lawfulness; they are, say they, only useful dispositively, and by no co-efficience, the efficient being helped by the habit, in taking away the impediment; yea increasing the vertue of the agent, though not as a natural quality, yet doth the habit influence into the very act which the natural power do choose; but best of all, with good ground we deny all active concurrence in natural abilities to the generating grace in the heart, at the first infusion of grace into the Soul, Durand. and this Pamph. only a passive capacity, for in this neither the [Page 18]holy Ghost, works like a natural Agent, nor man as a moral Agent, in the production of material forms, brought out of the power of the matter, resulting from the inherent qualities of the Subject diversly compounded, and ripened by one external Agent, as those Agents working in the generation of second qualities, arising out of the different mixture of the first, both which, the qualities, the qualities of the subject, concurs with the outward Agent, in producing the effect. But this is all the infusion of the Soul into the body, into whose conception and creation it confers nothing; so that the whole pack of Moral Vertues, so Christionized, cannot kindle a spark of this heavenly fire; though they would make us believe, that a saving interest were nothing, but a dogmatical assent of the will: for say they, we place Faith in two distinct faculties, to flow from two divers principles; but these are not distinct faculties who have dictinct actions: the Understanding essentially including the Will: And if the Memory be not a distinct faculty, because the mind sufficeth, no more are the Will and Understanding. Their object being on the truth and goodness of the same thing: Christ and his Bible being as essentially good as true! in order to the practical use of those former debates spirits, being hot and toiled, travelling throughout floods of errour. Let's solace our Souls in the contemplation, yea application of those fundamental Truths, called in question by Spirits, who know not whither to rest; posting throughout Hell and Earth; and this we shall do, in denying of some inferences, and then consider the Controversie, absolutely and resolutely, before ever a Papist had a being.
Inference first, what sad distemper attend, yea, possess, the spirits of those men, fluctuating betwixt wind and wave, airt about as the weather cock goes; travail hell over to purchase a Proselite, and make him seven times a [Page 19]child of the Devil, than one of themselves. How does Satan sute the tentation to their necessity; yea, every way qualified to their inclination, what ever may be his search, scrutiny, yea knowledge experimental and revealed. Yea, further (revealed) from God, as a Judge to some; yet still doth God challenge the first room in the Soul, he having that only Prerogative to know the Heart by external Symptomes. The Devil strangely reads the mind of Man, and knows best whether, when, and how to sow his seed: one a stranger to the work of Mortification, another grapling after this ship wrack of the world, looses the life in purchasing the means of life; another of one unestablished spirit, when natural parts and gifts possibly swell, yet empty of the grace of God, the Devil sits down upon the mans lips, orders his pen, frames his tongue, and almost weapons against the God of Heaven, yea otherwise sink him upon the sand-bed of presumption, or chatter him upon the rock of despair. Luther one day spreading his case before God, in recapitulating his Trespasses, Satan threw into his Chamber a paper, containing dreadful aggravations, to which he shortly replyed, I will honour thee for the fire, who came from him, who would adjudge me into eternal torments by dreadful forgeries. If God shall sugar our cup amongst many bitter Ingredients, the enemy shall be sure to drop some poyson.
Inference, O let principle and practice go hand in hand, the pride of some, the peevishness of others, cannot let some recover, when engaged in a sad practice; I am sure their master did never show such pattern; Christianily doth Augustine say, Errare possim, haereticus esse nolo.
Inference the third, To tamper in the matters of God, how dangerous is it? but to dispute the Fundamentals of Godliness, how near damnable is it? either of two he must speak, the Language of Ashdod, or the Language of Canaan. There is not a third half way to Rome, shall not [Page 20]serve our turn, though hundreds huddle themselves under the notion of Protestants, yet by practice declare themselves Protestant-Atheists, or Protestant-Papists, putting to their hands to give Gods Ark a wrong touch, Temple ruines, calls for Temple vengeance. Yea also acute wits, intoxicating their brains into crabbed and ticklesome subjects, have their spirits hell hot, drive on most furiously, which did sadly puzzle a profound pate, in too much daubing, which otherwise might have produced to the world a notable wit, as Vorstius. But we come closely home, have not we sufficient warrant to take our Fathers Silver Trumpets and sound to Europe, no peace with Rome, where to the satisfaction of all rational men, without the least breach of Charity, I shall illustrate and confirm that Position in serious sadness, a Papist qua Papist, so living, so dying, cannot be saved; and this is satisfactory from Reason and Religion, if the Lord permit the basest of them, if a zealous Papist entering the Chair of God, by a miscreant Priest, to deifie a man, in robbing God of his Prerogative, in pardoning or punishing,
We are somewhat sensible, that multiplicity of Arguments, pungently applying exhortations, cannot prevail with a deluded Soul, the one perhaps may have weight with a prophane person; we therefore address our selves to Gods Tribunal, for the farther confirmation of all who love the truth. In the name of the Son of God, we arrest Souls under the wrath of an Eternal God, who from self-respect, self-honour, or worldly profit, shall bring the truth of Christ in composition (with a penny) of the world, the basest of all his slaves; to which perhaps the limbs of the least may probably entice; be it known, the hinge of the Controversie depends now upon Salvation and Damnation, from which men scarcely shall retreat when engaged with this Romish Fouler, and bloody Edom. Cruel as [Page 21] Esau, his Apparel dyed with the blood of Saints: Alas! too much proof for it, so long as men hope to be gainers by Christ, so long they will follow joyfully, as if the truths of God were not momentous, they turn Religion into a drudge. Christ could not be rid of sensual Belly-gods, so long as he fed them with loaves, Joh 6.25. profit and preferment will make a man hear diligently, profess openly, preach painfully, till preferments choak both Preachers and Professors; what doth this speak they are all, but sublunary Soul? villifying a celestial interest, all men seek their own, Vix queritque Jesus propter Jesum, and as the Proverb, do not diligere Christum in Augustino, its only Christ for Augustines sake, love to the Benefice, Preachers and Professors labour, but the spring of life says, I love Augustine because of Christs Image, which love scruples not upon difficulties in prosperity and adversity. Though most professors now, would have two Summers in one year, Heaven here, and Heaven hereafter; Yet Christ who had a right to Heaven, by both Blood and Birth, could not have it without Blood and Blows, its not got without stroke of Sword, saith one speaking of affliction; yet in all this the way of Free-grace is nothing ragged, Christ himself straws to glory, as with pleasant flowers, it is but a bed of Roses to the Believer. Inference the fifth, and that for direction as a general rule, all the Scripture is not delivered in Aphorisms, or Canons, which occasion stumbling of many ignorant Souls, when Satan, with some shadow of the word of God, drives home a tentation, takes hold of them presently, as instance that of Extream Unction, Pennance, Purgatory, all the Fopperies of Rome for our safeguard here, take this one argument for all; why would we not sacrifice our first-born with Abraham, but no farther, this being sufficient. Now in one word, to exhaust all the reason of a Souls declining from the way of God, deficiency in holiness, truth and holiness being [Page 22]inseparable, and reciprocally, which produces so many Sects; the want of this, persons without the habit of Faith, are Christless persons, duties without the exercise of Faith, are duties out of Christ; what wonder then Souls can never steam Heaven wards, but blind reason, deluded fancy, enthusiastical injection is their Pilot.
Reader, travail one hour to the Sanctuary, and to the ballance thereof.
- 1. Thy Principle, whether from Heaven or from Earth.
- 2. Thy Practice.
- 3. Thy Profession.
- 4. Thy Graces, Faith and Patience of the Saints.
- 5. Thy Conversion in the work of Conviction and Compunction.
- 6. Thy decay in Grace, My soul melteth away with heaviness, Psal. 119.
- 7. Thy experiences and manifestations of Divine Love, time, year, day, month, upon the Sabbath-morning,
to record every week all the passages of Gods Providence, but much more the enjoyments of his own person, all which God will try, Amos 9.9. Behold I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel, like as corn is sifted in a seive, yet shall not a grain fall to the ground.
Inference, read that of 1 John 5.1. Beloved try the spirit, whether they be of God or no, put Preacher and Preaching to proof, a Crape profession will not do; their Leaders caused them to erre, and those that were lead of them are fallen into destruction; when Satan glides into Pulpits, and sow his fair coloured seed of Free-will, universal redemption, universal grace, objective and subjective; he sets the Soul upon the very threshold of Heaven, but never further; how with specious pretences, promising peace, and nothing but war, safety and nothing but ship-wrackt; Salvation, and nothing but Damnation, which that very Learned man, being the Chariot-driver of this League now intended, could never effectuate; read his own words.
George Cassander his Legacie, being himself ordered by the Emperour to compose the Quarrels of the Church. Consultation, p. 57.
YEt I cannot deny, but in the beginning that many out of a godly zeal and care, were driven into a sharp and severe reproof, of certain manifest abuses, and the principal cause of this calamity of the Church, is to be laid upon these, who being puft up with a vain insolent conceit of their Ecclesiastical power, proudly and scornfully rejected them, who modestly admonish them for their Reformation. Wherefore my opinion is, That the Church can never hope for any firm peace, unless the beginning, which have been the cause of the distraction; that is, unless those which are in place of Ecclesiastical Government, to remit something of these too much rigour, and yield somewhat to the peace of the Church; but above all, to hearken to the Prayers and Admonitions of godly men, and to correct manifest abuses, according to the rule of Divine Scriptures, yea of the Antient Church, from which our Cardinals, Prelates in Doctrine and Discipline, have swerved. This we present to your Majesty, begging without partiality, that ye would sift the Clergy-men, those Asses who ride with Golden Bridles, when Princes walk on foot; from which we infer, what peace, when they have razed the Fundamentals, can we expect: for says another, Bishops, to the end that they might get Proselites, the Pagans permitted them to intermingle many of their Superstitions with Christianity, Clowis 1 Christian King sent a Crown of Gold to B. Hormisda, 513. content that they should change the name of those false Deities, into the blessed Martyrs; its ever proper to Errour to retain what has affinity with it self; and forasmuch as [Page 24]that pagan people had extream veneration for their Prelates, the same way did it tickle Apostatizing Ministers. Nay, we may take a further reflection, look Tertullian in his Chapt. 7. for Christians, Tell me where is your Religion, where is that reverence due by you to your Fathers, into whom ye are become exceeding unlike; in your Habit, in your course of life, in your Manners, in your Opinions, and finally in your Language. Ye still applaud Antiquity, and yet engross Novelty, as much as ye can deviate from the laudable institutions of our Ancestors, ye retain that which is of no value, stopping the Channels of life, and streams of Salvation; stopping the Ministers of Christ, in discharge of their Message; the Devil has sitten down upon that mans lips, who would shut his Brothers. But let us view that pious and judicious practice of the Bishop of Lincolne, Robert Groasthead, containing the Reasons of his Non conformity to Pope Innocent; maintaining, That hindring of Preaching is the sin next Devilism, Paganism, Antichristianism, Mat. Par. Ann. 12.53. p. 871.
Let's yet take a look of the rise, progress, and success of those Ceremonies, scattered amongst Reformed Churches, Ann. 2007. was very fruitful; for besides they retained many things that proceeded from the Jews; the Pagans also incorporating themselves into the Christian Church, intermingled various Pagan Rites, having infinite number of Superstitions in their very ordinary converse. Christians were promiscously conversant with them, not only in the same City, but in the same House, at the same Table, notwithstanding they resolve to be acknowledged for Christians; and for the evidence of their Faith, they introduced the sign of the Cross; and forasmuch as it was judged ignominious, Origen. Hom 3. in Psal. 39. Cypr. 1. de Haeret. Baptiz. they formed that badge in their Foreheads, going into, or coming out of their Baths, lying down in their beds, and rising [Page 25]from their Tables, they thus marked themselves; yea Satan gains ground even upon account of Martyr dome very honourable, and those who were prisoners for the truth, by a frequent intercourse of Letters, did maintain a correspondencie with the Church; erroneous persons to purchase more credit to their Errours, and Delinquents to cloak their knavery, sollicited the Martyrs approbation, they having influence by Letters, interceded with the Church, that they would admit such penitents into their Communion; but sadly did they abuse the facile nature of the Martyrs, by over-importunate solicitation, or mis-information, &c. Now this is only the intercession of the Saints, and how much it differs from that which was afterward introduced, ye may judge; the man of sin mounting the saddle, every one making a Ladder to Heaven.