A Brief survey of the old religion which may serve as a guide to all passengers, yet members of the militant church desirous to know & keep, among divers wayes, the old-good-way to Heaven ...

CHAP. L.

6. SIxthly, that inherent justice, the righteousnes of works, is the formal cause of justification in Gods sight; (Concil. Trident. Sess. 6. Can. 9.11.14) exclud∣ing the righteousnes of faith, the imputed justice of Christ, apprehended, applied & by faith made ours as inherent; yet not so much for that being in us, as for our being in Christ, which is indeed the true cause of our justification. This is a new Doctrine, plainly against Scripture & the testimonyes of many Fathers as aforesaid: never so determined in the Church nor made an article of faith, before the Trent Coun∣cil, as some of their own acknowledg. Neither was this dis∣tinction & manner of speaking of this high point of Iustifica∣tion ever used or received by our Ancestors, for one thou∣sand four hundred years after Christ.

7. They teach now that good works are not only necessary, (which is true) but that they merit grace of congruitie be∣fore justification & eternall life deservedly after. (Bel lib. 5.

de just.). Which is a new Doctrine never taught nor recei∣ved in the Church for one thousand years after Christ; but broacht by the late curious school-Divines (if they may be so called, whose works savour more of Philosophie than Di∣vinitie) & now maintained for the greater benefit of Churchmen. Yet some of the wiser sort, Bernard & Bellar∣mine by name, think it the fasest course to relinquish our own merits, still be doing good works & rely upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.

8. That some sins are in their own nature veniall (Bel. lib. 1. de a miss. gra. c. 2.) as done not against but beside the law, binding over the actor to some temporall not eternal punishment. A new Doctrine, directly against Scripture, wholly unknown to the Primitive Fathers, never mentioned so far as I have seen, in any of their works, nor received in the Church till about seaven or eight hundred years after Christ.

9. That images ought to be set up in Churches & worshipt with the same worship, due to the persons represented by them. (Bel. lib. 2 de imagin. Sanct. c. 22.32.35.). Which is a new Doctrine, never taught by any that I remember before Aquinas. Images I find have been much abused both by Gentiles & Iewes; used they were by Christians historically & in private houses about the year 380. after Christ; publikly & in Churches in the year 400 with great opposition; but that they should be worshipt privatly & publickly, was never re∣ceived till the year 788 after Christ, in the second Nicean Sy∣nod. Condemned & forbidden by others of more worth & greater authority, both before & after. As for Pilgrimages, & running from one part of the world to another to worship relicks & images of Saints (now made a part of the old reli∣gion & meritorious, meethink reasonable men should be ashamed so grosly to gul the world) was spoken of about 300 or 320 years after Christ, never fully practised till 600. So long can the envious man be content his tares shoul lye hid, so he may be sure to reap his harvest in the end.

10. They hold it not only lawful but pious & profitable to pray unto Sants. (Bel. lib. 1. de sanct. beat. c. 19.): Which is a new Doctrine, sometimes questioned doubtfully whether

such a thing might be done, never taught in the Church for four hundred yeares together, & then only practised as the private devotion & will-Worship of some, never publickly till five or six hundred years after Christ: therefore it is, that we can neither read command or example for it in the Ca∣nonicall Scripture, nor genuine works of the Fathers. So the Canonizing of Saints; a thing any one may obtain for money, (no poor Saints in their Kalendar) & yet burn in hel, was never used in the Primitive Church, nor in the Roman Church 880 years after Christ. So new are their gilded toyes, admired by many silly men & women.