EptfllcofS. Paulto Tittú?. CHAP.I.I 5. they had neuer beetle defiled. DoEfr. The eflateofaChrifliart is a moll honourable eflate ; becaufe his perfon is pure in the fight ofGod, mien whileft he liueth here vpon earth. And this cannot otherwife be, teeing fuch a one beeing predetli- nacedunto life, is alto iuftified and fan&ified : by the forrnetafwhich a firmer is perfeElly freed from the guilt and curie offinne: and by the lat. ter imperfeély, and in part from the reliques and feruice of finne : the former, in that the blood ()flailsChrift fprinkled vpon his confcience, c1rinfethhimfrom all finne : the latter , in that the fpirit of fanaification waibeth his heart withpore waters vntill it be Beane. Nowwheras fome may thinke, they haue inough confeffed to indite fincere Chrillians of blafphetnie, cr herefie at the leatl,as hauing opinion oftheir ownepuri- tic, with a Pharifaicall defpifingofothers : laying with the lewe , ftand aloofe,for I.smmore holy then thou: or with the Pharifie, Lord Ithank! thee, Iam not as this man , &c. let themknow ,that weteach, and true beleeuers hold , that their puritie is neither their owne , and fo in theit" owne account: but onely in regard , t. ofGods wafhingof their robes in the bloodof the Lambe : and a. of his gracious acceptance of them fowafhed as pure and cleane. Farre is the true beleeuer from the damna- ble conceit ofthe Catharif1s( whomeinour language we tearmePu- ritans ) who following Novato:, his berefie, were alto called NN(ovati- ans , who thought that the life of a iu(l man is to be made vp with- out finne,fpot, orwrinckle, or elfe theChurch could not beblade vp of them. Farre allo fromthat accurfeddoctrine of the Papiffs, who are in.. deede Puritan heretiks, and the right fucceffors of Iouinian,Ebion,Pe- lagius; in that they affirme , that in the regenerate after Saptifine, there is nothingwhich hath the reafon of finne, or which God can hate : that they are able to fulfill all the commandements , yea, and doe more then fo:that they haue deuout men and women that can merit life eternal for themfeiues and others:that men may &mufl expe& their'faluation from an inherent righteoufnes.Why fhould wenot then abhorre there here- tical) feducers vnder this ticle;teeing they tread the'faine flops ofthe old Puritane.heretikes,the memoryofwhom let it beaccurfed for euer. No, no,the beleeuer is taught daily to pray,Lordforgiuevsour debts: andwith the Publican , Lord hatemercie on mee a firmer: he aecounteth his owne righteoufneffeas afiainedclout : well knowing, that if he fhould chal- lenge righteoufneffe from himfelfe, that hit owneclaathes woulddefile him : yea,let them takemuch fnow and - nitre, yet ofthemfelues can they neues becleane; but that Cliritl becommeth as purgingfire , andfullers fopevtntothem; Now ifany yet thinke it vnreafonable'ro afcribe both puricie and impuritirro the fkt'ne foule the anfweris,theScripture hath 283 Chrre,bui Bans are pu Pnm,ans. c nor L'n" "ash2Le !u(ìiciaviacoris. non compre- (Thum' r.tob.r.7. E"I''3645' Eta.65,5. Luk.is.rs. EPh.s.n. audes No. vadancmimdi rcdicerc,qui cedicer ,bu mundns efies, hoc Colo verbo immundus fie. res5 Ambrofde pnJ.t c,o. Luk.18.rl. Malac.;.a. to ht
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