themselves in their Translations of Scripture follow sometimes the Greek sometimes the Hebrew and somtimes neither but other extravagancies yea and often our Vulgar Translation as they finde this or that or a third or fourth most convenient for them Secondly we tell them that we hold it more wholesome for us to drink the water of a pure stream then of a troubled fountain for that all learned and impartiall men know the Hebrew and Greek Originals to have been by Jewish Rabbins since St. Hierom's time and Grecian Hereticks altered and corrupted in many places whereas our Vulgar Edition is held in most parts thereof to be the same which that great Doctor at Pope Damasus intreaty corrected in the new Testament according to the Greek and translated in the Old out of the Hebrew by St. Austin in sundry places Lib. 10. de Civit. dei cap. 43. highly extolled thuâ— also mentioned by Doctor Whitaker against Reignalds Hierome I reverence Damasus I commend and the work I confesse to Pag. 241. in cap. 1. Luc. v. 1. be godly profitable for the Church So as Beza himself is inforced to confesse our Interpretor to have translated the holy Books with marvelous sincerity and religion And Pelicanus in his Preface on the Psalter which in our Edition is not St. Hieroms affirmeth the Interpretor thereof to have expressed the Hebrew Text with great learning and fidelity not doubting him to have been some propheticall person And many other cheif Protestants have highly commended the whole Edition generally used in the Church as Doctor Covel against M. Burges hath affirmed for 1300. past whereas Protestants with sharp and virulent censures mutually condemn each others translations Zuinglius for example and very justly condemneth Luther for having in his German Bible changed and left out not onely words but whole Sentences And Oecolampadius his Bible printed at Bazil is censured by Beza to be a sacrilegious corruption of Scripture Betwâ—en himself also and Castalio like censures have passed and been published of their different versions with greater bitterness then beseemed Christian Doctors Carolus Molineus condemneth Calvin and saith that in his Harmony he maketh the Text to leap up and down as he pleaseth Broughton hath noted multitudes of errours in all our English translations and King James in the conference at Hampton-Court affirmed plainly that he had never amongst them all seen a good one and judged that of Geneva to be the worst amongst them So full of incertainties are these new Doctors in the total summe as I may say of their Religion wholy depending upon the true knowledge of Scripture For that in their opinion no point or practice of Faith is to be admitted which is not expressed or gatherable by a clear and immediate consequence out of Scripture a tenent which shall be by me afterwards in every controversie disproved In the mean time to their pretence that St. Hierome denyed those very Books to be of a sacred and infallible authority which they have rejected from the Canon of Scripture I Answer first that St. Hierom as a private Doctor might easily erre in his opinion of these Books before our Churches Canon was fully declared and accepted Secondly I Answer that when Ruffinus objected this unto him In Apologia 2a contrâ— Russinum he called him Sycophant and said that he had onely uttered what the Jews not himself thought of those Books and professed to translate Judith because the first Nicene Councel had declared the same to be canonical albeit the Jews then denyed it to be so Neither doth it make much against the sacred authority of those Bookes that the Jews admitted them not into their Canon of Scripture because all or most part of them were written since Esdras composed their Canon and who can doubt but that Christs Church might better from them Apostles than from the Jews come to know true Scriptures And whereas some Protestant Divines pretend against those Books because they were not written in Hebrew as though no Scriptures could be written in any other tongue I can tell them here also that it hath been discovered and confessed of late even by Protestants themselves that the two Books of Machabees were first written in Hebrew and so was Ecclesiasticus which S. Hierom testifieth himself to have seen in Hebrew bound up together with the Proverbs of Solomon As for the absurdities pretended by our Adversaries to be found in those Books of Tobias Judith and Hester many of our chief Divines as Canus Bellarmine Serrarius and others have cleared them and shewed no lesse difficulties to be found in other confessed Books of Scriptures That some ancient Fathers also when many forged Scriptures were extant not distinguish'd from canonical writings doubted of or denied the authority of some Books admitted by us is an argument that proveth over much or just nothing for that we know many undoubted parts of Scripture have been questioned in a likâ— manner the Churches Examen having in time discovered the verity of them And albeit no one of those Books denied by Protestants wanteth the testimonies of antient Fathers to prove the said sacred Authority yet are there two of them in former times especially so approved Sapientia and Ecclesiastiâ—us the first of them was written as St. Hierome witnesseth in his Preface on the Books of Salomon by Philo a Jew long before our Saviours time wherein he compiled the Sentences of Salomon not conteined in his own Books but by tradition other wise conserved this Book is cited for true Scripture by S. Hierome himself yet with this restriction Cui In c. 8 12 Zacha. iae in cap. Esaiae in 18. Hâ—â—râ—â—iae tamen placeâ— librum recipere if any man will receive this book and without it in his latter Writings for then perchance he saw the Canon of Scripture more fully declared St. Ireneus Apud Eusebi um li. 5. Hist c. 8. l. 5. 6. stomatum bomil 12. in Leviti cum lib. 8. in epist. ad Romanos Heâ—â—si 63. homilia 33. 34. in Math. also long before him cited it for sacred so did St. Clement of Alexandria so did Origen so did S. Athanasius in Synopsi orat 2. contra Arianos so did S. Basil lib. 5. contra Eunomianos so did S. Gregory Nissen in testimoniis ex veteri testamento cap. de Nativitate Christi ex virgine so did S. Epiphanius S. Chrysostom S. Ciprian S. Hilary in Psal 127 S. Ambrose li. de Salomone cap. 1. S. Austin and others highly extolling the Book as Exhortatione ad martyrium teaching all sorts of vertue under the generall notions of Wisdome and Justice and conteyning in the second Chapter thereof a clear Prophesie of our Saviours Passion killed by the Jews because he made himself the Son of God c. which alone is sufficient to prove the divine authority of this Book Ecclesiasticus also was written by Jesus the Son of Sirach in
A LEGACIE left to PROTESTANTS Containing Eighteen Controversies viz. 1. Of the Holy Scriptures 2. Of Christs Catholick Church c. 3. Of the Bishop and Church of Rome 4. Of Traditions needfull c. DOWA Printed 1654 To the Reader THese ensuing Controversies were found in a learned mans study dead nine years since and commended to the care of a Friend who dyed soon after him or otherwise they had been printed long since with the foresaid Title by the Author himself prefixed uâ— to them desiring not to have his name or any dedication added unto them but this That many learned Freinds had read and approved them that he heartily wished they might help to convert unto the true faith of Christs Catholique Church such Protestants as should read them which I wish also his Friend Whilâ—st he lived T. B. A Table of the severall Controversies 1. OF the Holy Scriptures pag. 1. 2. Of Christs Catholick Church in generall not colourably now among Christians the first part pag. 14. The second part pag. 30. 3. Of the Bishop and Church of Rome pag. 48 4. Of Traditions needfully added into the Canon of Scripture pag. 69 5. Of Protestancy begun here in England under Queen Elizabeth pag. 82 6. Of the holy Eucharist pag. 92 First part concerning our Saviours reall presence therein ib. Second part pag. 101 7. Of honouring Saints and praying to them pag. 109 8. Of reverencing of Saints Reliques pag. 116 9. Of holy Images kept and honoured by us pag. 120 10. Of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead pag. 131 11. Of Sacramentall Confession pag. 135 12. Concerning the number and effects of Sacraments pag. 145 13. Of Free-will pag. 157 14. Of Calvins Solifidian Justice pag. 16â— 15. Concerning the merit of good Works pag. 169 16. About the possibility of keeping Gods Commandements pag. 177 17. Of Feasts and Fasts Apostolically ordained and neglected both by English Calvinists and Independents pag. 183 18. Concerning praedestination pag. 191 THE First Controversie Of the holy Scriptures WHerein our Adversaries do notoriously wrong us and make simple people believe that we Catholicks yeeld no more authority to sacred Writings then our Church alloweth them Whereas we firmly believe them to have been inspired by God and therefore attribute a divine and infallible authority unto them when they are sufficiently declared to be such and truly Expounded unto us For without the former condition to wit an undoubted knowledge of them no man can securely rely on any doctrine contained in them and without the latter condition of being rightly understood all Heresies have been formerly and may now also be drawn pernitiously from them So as about these two points our Adversaries and we chiefly and indeed only differ They for example Calvinists especially for a certain knowledge of them rely upon-their own private Spirit and an imaginary light shining to all faithfull Readers of them no lesse clearly distinguishing true Scriptures from false then light by our eyes from darknesse is discernable by us which internall light is a meere Chymaera say we and other great Protestants with us by Calvin purposely devised to accept or reject what Scriptures he liked and interpret them as he pleased without any authority to controle him which is as St. Austine told Faustus his Manichean Lib. contra â—um 13. c. 5 Adversary to take away all authority both of Church and Scripture licensing every man to believe what he lifteâ—h Whereas we Catholicks for a certain knowledge of true Scriptures rely upon the exteriour and infallible tâ—stimony of Christ's Church by himself warranted unto us when he commanded us to heare and obey such as he appointed therein to govern and guide us no lesse then himself And whereas Calvin deemeth it a thing very inconvenient and against the Majesty of Scripture to be subjected to mens judgements about declaring the sacred authority thereof we say no and prove it to be no more inconvenient for Scriptures then for other points of Faith to be made known by the Church's testimony unto us And if the holy Scriptures have been written by men divinly inspired and guided in the penning of them as assuredly they have been why may they not also by men assisted by the holy Ghost be made known infallibly unto us especially sithence they cannot give testimony of themselves as Hooker and other chief Protestants Lib. 2. sect 14. Lib. 2. sect 4 7. Lib. 3. sâ—ct 8. have proved because if part of Scripture should give credit to the rest that very part might be doubted of likewise Unlesse besides Scripture there were something elsâ— that might assure us which he acknowledgeth to be the authority of Christs Church Insomuch as Egidius Hunnius a cheife Colloquio Ratisbonen si Lutheran Divine and sixteen others with him at Ratisbone before sundry Princes of Germany were by Gretzerus and Tanner Catholick Divines inforced to admit the Church's testimony and historicall tradition as they câ—lled it altogether needfull for an undoubted knowledge of Scripture as heretofore many forged Scriptures have been rejected and others approved by it Albeit they proceed not conformably therein by not admiting into their Canon all Books and parts of Scripture so approved For if the Churches testimony be false in declaring some Books surely it cannot be certain in declaring others and so we can receive no infallible assurance from her Turtullian notwithstanding prescribeth Lib. 1. praescript c. 6. this for an undoubted truth that what the Apostles preached and Christ revealed unto them cannot be testified unto us but by the Churches which they founded and St. Austine so affirmed the same as he saith He Tom. 6. contra Epist fundament cap. 5. would not believe the Gospel were it not that the Church by her authority commended the same unto him So far was he and other Fathers from dreaming of Calvin's inward light communicated to all faithful Readers of Scriptures wherein the Lutherans might claim an equall share with him as his Companions and so they might agree about their Canon of Scripture as now they do not nor with any antient Church before them Lib. 33. contra Faustum cap. 6. Whereas St. Austin speaking of our Canon which himself amongst other African Bishops had declared in the third Councel of Carthage as St. Innocentius the first had done before him and many both Popes and Councels Epist ad Exupâ—rium have done since those Books saith he by the consent of Christian Churches and Bishops of them succeeding each other downwards from the Apostles have been warranted for true Scriptures unto us and are onely denyed by you speaking then of the Manicheans as we doe now of Protestants few in number and lately risen because they make not for your Doctrine And whereas they provoke us to the Originals to wit the Hebrew and Greek Texts of the old Testament and seek by what means they can to disgrace our Vulgar Edition We answer them first that they
Hebrew and translated by his Grand-childe into Greek as appeareth by his short Prologue before it worthily called by some Authors Panaretes a receptacle to wit or store-house of all vertues fit to instruct all sorts of Persons and containing as I have said of Sapientia Salomons dispersed Sentences diligently by the Author collected held by some also to have been one of the 72. Translators and divinely inspired to write this book cited for Scripture by St. Clement of Alexandâ—ia by Origen Lib. 1. paedagogi c. 8. hom 8. in numer homil 1. in Ezechiel Oâ—at 2. in Julianum by S. Cyprian de opere Elcemosina by S. Athanasius in Synopsi li. de virginitate by S. Basil in regulis disputatis responsione 114. by S. Gregory Nazianzen by S. Epiphanius heresi 76 in Anchorato by S. Hilari by S. Ambrose by S. Chrysostome by S. Austin and sundry in Psal 144 lib. de bono mortis c. 8. other chief Fathers yet able to prevaile nothing at all with men heretically swayed to the contrary So as the Nicene Councels Decree about the Book of Judith is slighted also and regarded nothing at all by them The second Controversie Of Christs Catholick Church in generall not colourably now amongst Protestants The first Part. FOr a good beginning of this Controversie I wish my Reader if he be no Catholick seriously to consider with himself how much it importeth him to finde out Christs true Church and to make himself a member thereof because a Christian man saith S. Austin ought not to fear any thing more than to be separated from Christs mysticall body for that so he remaineth no more a member of him nor can he be quickned with his holy Spirit nor receive any Li. de unit Ecclâ— Light or Life of Grace from him they remain not saith St. Cyprian with God who live not concordiously in the Church of his Son for should any out of the same fry in flames that Death would be no crown of Faith but a punishment of infidelity such may be killed but not crowned This Church was to be that Hill cap. 1. of our Lord prepared on the top of mountains which Esay spake of raised above other hills whereunto the Gentiles should flow as a Sea saying unto each other come let us ascend unto the hill of our Lord and to the house cap. 54. of Jacob to wit Christ and his Church c. willed by the same Prophet to inlarge the place of her Tents to spread out the Curtains of her habitation for that she should increase on the right hand and on the left and cap. 60. that her Seed should possesse the Gentiles that her gates should be open day and night and never shut that the people might enter continually into her that Kings should be her cap. 42. nursing Fathers and Queens her Mothers c. And it cannot be doubted but whatsoever is spoken in the Psalms and Prophets in a hundred severall places concerning the propagation greatnesse glory and continuance of Christs Church and Kingdome here on earth wherein all Psal 71. 2. Princes to the ends thereof were to adore him and Nations serve him hath been and shall be accordingly fulfilled To say therefore as commonly our Adversaries print in their Books and preach in their Pulpits that this once glorious and Catholickly dilated Church of Christ hath fallen away from the true faith and service of him by becomming Antichristian Idolatrous and abominable in her Rights and Superstitions some say 800. some say 1000. some 1360. years together yea and to have declined in her Doctrines from the very time of the Apostles first Planters thereof and onely Enarrat in Psal 101. to have remained in a few hidden Believers of Protestancy but not daring to professe it in our Churches is as S. Austin termed it a most false temerarious blasphemous and witlesse assertion contradicted by many plain Predictions of the Prophets Promises of Christ himself shewing that this City built upon a hill cannot be hidden that this Tabernacle of God placed in the Sun to illuminate the world with the heavenly Rayes of her doctrine cannot be obscured That the bloud of Christ once shed to redeem souls shall never for that purpose be fruitlesse and un-effectuall That Hell gates shall never prevaile to overthrow that building by himself on a rock firmly established against them That Gods Covenant made with men to save the world by his Sons death and passion should never be frustrated and made void by any power of the Devill or wickednesse amongst them Because God himself speaking thereof saith thus The heavens shall Esay c. 9. vanish away like smoak the earth also shall â—remble and wear away like a garment but my salvation shall last for ever and my justice shall never fail and again saith he I will place my tabernacle amongst men and be their God and they shall be my people and the Gentiles shall know that I am their Lord when my sanctification shall be for ever amongst them Daniel likewise speaking of Christ saith That his power shall be an everlasting power and his kingdome shall never be broken or taken from him Cap. 2. Micheas also speaketh most plainly of Christs Church whereunto cap. 4. all people shall flow and our Lord shall raign over them for ever Our Redeemer saith Esay shall come and remove all iniquity from Jacob and this saith God shall be my league my spirit which is in thee speaking to his Son and the words which I cap. 59. have put into thy mouth shall not depart from it nor from the mouth of thy seed nor from the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever Which Texts so plainly proveth the continuance of Christs Church and the truth of heavenly Doctrine therein remaining to the worlds end as Calvin himself in his Exposition thereon writeth thus Here God promised that the Church should never be deprived of that inestimable blessing of being still govern'd by the holy Ghost and maintained in the truth of heavenly doctrine because it would have little availed us to have had the Gospel once preached or the holy Ghost for a time onely given unto us unlesse he remain continually with us c. Wherefore our Lord promised here to remain still with his Church and to have a care that it shall never be deprived of true Doctrine which being Calvins own words may well serve to shew his plain contradictions in other places about the Churches having faln away for many ages together from the truth of heavenly doctrine first planted in her and to prove likewise that all pretended reformers of her catholick and ever continued faith have been impostors onely and produced nought else but hereticall innovations from the first to the last of them For if Christ had a will and power to build this house of God and firm foundation of truth as St.
So as men may truly say with St. Paul of these men that sowing in the flesh they reaped corruption And if in the mean time you ask them who dispensed with their Vows that of Chastity in particular whereby they were doubly tyed to live continently most of them at least Priests and religious Persons Luther forsooth will tell you for his part in a whole Book together Lib. dè votis that the law of Christ is of Faith alone and bindeth no man to the observance of Vows as not warranted in Scripture unto him Peter Martyr also in a like treatise will make you believe Lib. de â—â—eâ—â— bat â—oâ—â—â— if you list that Vows are Judaical observances and belong not to Christians Zuinglius will answer you that St. Paul dispensed with all Vows of Chastity sufficiently by saying It is better to marry than to burn And Calvin more cholerickly will tell you that Continency ordained In harmonia ad cap. 10. Matt. in cap. 7. 1. Epist ad Coâ—inthios for Priests was an Antichristian Tyranny and Vows of Chastity the Divels nets to ensnare soules pronouncing with great Authority all Christians to be free from the observance of them But St. Paul was not of these mens minde when he pronounced such Widows as had given their faith to 1 Tim. 5. the Church of living chastly and married afterwards to have acquired damnation to themselves and the Apostles as Saint Epiphanius testifieth Heresi 61. taught it to be grande scelus a hainous crime to marry after Chastiâ—y vowed unto God The same also is expressely Can. 6. defined in the great Councel of Calcedon St. Basil likewise and St. Austin on these words of the Psalmist Vow you and render your Vows to God affirm the same and many other chief Fathers have taught that the observance of Vows rightly made is both a natural and divine Obligation seconded by all Schoole divines in that Assertion and particularly St. Chrysostome Epist. 2. writing to Theodorus a faln Monk St. Austin also unto Armenterius one of the same stamp expresly affirm the very thought of wiving after their Vow of Chastity to have been sacrilegious and sinfull in them Concerning their manner of reforming our Church divers great Authors have observed that Luther began not the same in an Apostolical way as a Sheep amongst Wolves but rather as an inraged Woolf seeking to devour the souls and bodies of men together as when for example against Tom. 2. Jenensis 132. the Bishops of Germany he published this roaring Bull Now you Bishops and maâ—ked Devils look to your selves for Martin Luther will publish a Bull of Reformation which will trouble you whosoever shall help to destroy you and root out your Authority are true Christians and Gods Children c. and contrarily such as seek to defend and maintain you are damned persons and Imps of the Devil c. So as presently upon the publication of this Bull the Clowns of Germany armed themselves and invaded the Territories of Bishops not sparing likewise some tâ—mporal Lords supposed to favour them but with such ill successe as more than a hundred thousand of them are said to have been slain in sundry places by troops of expert Souldiers sent against them so little pittied by Luther afterwards as he would have them killed like Dogs without mercy because they had somewhat exceeded his Commission whose railings in the mean time against sundry great Princes and our King Henry the eighth amongst them onely for being opposite to his new Doctrine were scurrill filthy ribauld and wholy unbeseeming the tongue or pen of any Christian man and much more of an Apostolical Person and his especial hatred to the Pope and Church of Rome was such and so impotently expressed by him as should it said he be decreed in a general Councel that Priests might marry I for my part would think him more holy that Tom. 2. Jenensis 214. kâ—pt a Whore or two and would not marry then do as the Councel permitted him and I would counsel all mine to do so Calvin also began his Sect with Rebellion at Genua as the same also was Vide Gasparem Valenbergium cap. 8. maintained in France Scotland Poland and other places and so did Zuinglius with war against his own Country wherein himself was killed and many other armed Ministers with him so unlike were they at their first coming to Apostolical Persons The Vocation likewise of these new Evangelists was neither immediately from God nor mediately from men by any orderly lawful Hâ—b 5. succession from Pastors before them against that of the Apostle No man assumeth honour or spirituall government unto himself but called as Aaron was So Christ glorified not himself to be our high Priest c. and as he was sent by his Father so sent he his Disciples saying unto them As my Father sent me so do I send you And this mission hath been by a continuall succession of Pastors In Locis communibus classe 4. cap. 20. still continued in the Church So as like Theeves they enter not by the doore who intrude themselves into Ecclesiastical Offices and charge of Souls without it Wherefore Luther himself speaking of such as stole into the Office of Preaching being not lawfully sent examine saith he whether they can prove their Vocation for God never sent any man but either by others lawfully called or by miracles able to prove their Vocation no not his Son himself And Writing to the Senate of Melhuse he repeateth the same Doctrine and concludeth that wheresoever God changeth the ordinary maner of calling he alwaies miraculously testifieth his Mission Let then our Adversaries according to this rule tell us whether they were sent mediately by men or immediately Lib. de neâ—essitate reformandi Ecclesiam ad Carolum 5. by God to reform our Church Calvin I know writeth that he and his fellows in a pure zeal of glorifying God and saving Souls were inforced to depart from our Church And Beza affirmeth it to have been lawfull for them to follow an extraordinary calling when no ordinary was to be found or scarcely any But with these answers they satisfie not Luthers demand where are those Miracles wholly necessary to testifie this immediate Vocation Hath now for these hundred years past any Protestant Minister cured so much as a lame Dog to prove his Vocation Wherefore Doctor Seravia in his Defence against Beza writeth thus That Vocation which is immediately from God is never without Miracles and extraordinary signes done in proof thereof For that it is a thing full of danger and all sorts of Hereticks albeit never so absurd may claim it in a like manner and rely upon that alone no man ought to thrust himself into Ecclesiastical Offices Wherefore Bullinger writing against the Anabaptists You pretend saith he to be sent as the Apostles were prove your Vocation by signes and miracles which you will never do wherefore
of it more in a generall Councel than in the Pope who hath authority to call and confirm it is an extravagant opinion of some divines and hath little colour of truth in it especially considering that sundry great and general Councels not following the Popes sentence and directions given either by their Letters or Legats in them have perniciously in their Decrees and scandalously erred Whereas it cannot be proved that Popes alone have in their doctrines so failed Neither hath it in former times been held necessary for resolving doubts in matters of faith or for condemning Heresies risen against them to have a generall Councel presently called but Popes alone have commonly performed that Office acknowledged by chief Fathers in all ages to belong unto them so as amongst many others which might here to that purpose be instanced by me St. Hierom writing to Pope Damasus about admiting 3 hypostasies in the deity or not because that word then was of a doubtfull signification tell me saith he whether I shall admit them or not as a sheep I ask help of my Sheapherd I know not Vitalis I refuse to believe Mâ—lesius I am joyned to your beatitude alone c. And in this kinde of language have other antient fathers written to severâ—l Pâ—pâ—s to have quâ—stions and doubts of faiâ—h resolved by them which they would not have done had they not believed our Saviours prayer that their faith should not fail to hâ—ve been heard for them by his eternal Father and that a peculiar assistance of the Holy Ghost was promised unto them The fourth Controversie Of Traditions needfully added into the Canon of Scripture OUr Adversaries under a specious pretence of following in the Doctrine and practice of Faith Gods word alone contained in Scripture seek to overthrow amongst Christians all true belief and Religion for admitting what scriptures they list themselves and interpreting them as they please is in effect to have a Religion of their own making no lesse absurd than if in Kingdomes and Common-wealths Subjects were permitted to interpret laws of themselves without admitting Judges to determine of them or any authentical Declaration of them so as every man may to his own advantage in suits and controversies expound them and defend any cause how bad and unjust soever it be by them And that pretence of Protestants to believe nothing which is not either expressed in Scripture or by a clear immediate consequence gatherable from it is a false brag and purposely devised to exclude the Churches teaching and deceive ignorant people unable to note how ungroundedly and without sence many times texts of Scripture are cited by them to prove their own and impugn our doctrines insomuch as the Catholick and learned Pastor of Chaventon a place alotted unto the Hugonits neer Paris hath in sundry Volumes discovered the fraudulent proceedings of Protestants about maintaining points of their Religion and particularly shewed that no point thereof can be without false Glosses of their own convinced out of Scripture For example when S. Paul affirmeth all scripture divinely inspired to be profitable to teach to correct to instruct in justice that the man of God may be perfect He doth not say as our Adversaires falsly gather from this place that scripture alone can make him perfect in the knowledge of heavenly truth for that revealed and unwritten doctrines may serve likewise to increase this knowledge in him as when S. Paul willed the Galatians to stick firmly to cap. 1. his doctrine by writing or preaching delivered unto them and exhorted the Thessalonians to keep those traditions which either by his Epistles or by 2 Thess 2. speech they had received from him praâ—sing the Corinthians for observing such precepts as he had given unto them When also against Apostolical and certain tradition they urged those texts wherein our Saviour reprehended Pharisaical and wicked doctrines teaching plainly observances against the Law of God sometimes also vain things and of no moment their arguments are meer fopperies and prove nothing against unwritten doctrines such as are the Creed of the Apostlâ—s the translation of the Jewish Sabbath into our Sunday the Feasts of Easter and Pentecost antiently observed not for the celebration of Jewish but Christian mysteries and many other Feasts and Fastâ— kept in the Church from Apostolical tradition the Baptism of Children the matters and forms of Sacraments and many other doctrines and practices of faith not expressed in Scripture Where in the mean time I will ask those mâ—n is it either plainly expressâ—d or by clear consequencies gatheâ—ablâ— from Scripture that the Commandements of God are impossible to be observed that men have no free will to do good or evill that the justâ—st men do mortally offend in their best actions that there is no inherent justice or sanctification in us by heavenly graces communicated unto soules cleansed from sin but that all are holy by Christs justice alone apprehended by faith and imputed only unto them that each faithfull man is by an Act of faith to believe that he shall be saved no lesse surely than Christ himself that Christ dyed for none but the Elect and that others were to have no share in the fruit of his death and passion for us that Christs body and blood are not really and corporally present in the Sacrament but by saith onely that Sacraments of the new law are signes and seals of faith onely no graces are communicated at all to such as receive them and many such Protestants Tenents bâ—sides which have no true ground at all in Scripture for them And in this pretence of gathering and proving the faith out of scriptures onely they imitate many anciâ—nt Hereticks before them So Maximus the Arian as S. Austin in his first In principio book against him recounteth rejecteth the word Homousion because it was not expressed in Scripture and so did Epist 174. Pascentius as the same father recounteth and as S. Gregory Naziâ—nzen relateth of Eunomius he was wont to ask his Christian Adversaries why they did name a God meaning the Holy Ghost not mentioned for such in scripture making so saith he the sacred Act. 3. writings of God a cloak of their impiety Acasius the Arian in the Councel of Selevica used the same words and so did Eutiches in the Councel of Constantinople under Flavianus asking the Fathers therein assembled in what scripture they found expressed that cap. 6. Christ had two Natures conjoyned in his Person neither could he be drawn from those words commonly used by Protestants I follow onely the scriptures and regard not the Fathers Exposition Lib. de natura de gratia cap. 39. of them The Pelagians also as S. Austin citâ—th their words made profession to believe no more than Anathetisma 7. what they read in Scripture So did the Iconomachi or Image-breakers in the second Councel of Nice and the Albigenses said the same to S. Bernard Hom. 66. in Cant. as
himself recounteth So did the Wiclifests as Waldensis citeth their words and proveth it still to have been the custome of Hereticks to cloak their Novelties under a specious and fraudulent pretence of imbracing onely the Lib. 2. de doctrina fidei cap. 9. Scriptures by themselves falsly expounded which is as there he saith to follow their own judgments and not Scripture consisting as S. Hierome told the Luciferans not in the words but in the true meaning of them an adulterated sense being no lesse harmfull than a forged letter to be imbraced So as this learned Author demanded well of Wicklif Why said he should we believe your lately devised Interpretations of Scripture to prove your Heresies more than you believe all the ancient Fathers and Doctors of Christs Church in all places of the world and ages before you for if you tell us that they were men and might erre I may answer that you are not Angels or Doctors sent from heaven that Christians now after 1300 years should learn a new Faith and Exposition of scripture from you wherein also you differ no lesse among your selves than you have done from all antiquity before you as having no certain rule of Faith to determine differences between you And those very Scriptures out of which you pretend to gather your Faith wholy neither are nor can be but by the Churches testimony certainly notified unto you for as they cannot give testimony unto themselves nor any one part to the rest so as Calvins inward light pretended to be given unto all faithfull persons for the knowledge of them is a meer fancy as elswhere I have proved And whereas Protestants affirm that we have in our Church many vain and unprofitable traditions yea repugnant unto Scripture yet in their authority equalled by us unto them they do herein affirm many untruths together for that with us all Traditions are not equal in their authority and such as are truly Apostolical and have had their origine from the Apostles are we say of no lesse authority as the Church retaineth a memory still of them than if they had been by their first Authors written and we have certain rules whereby they come to be known infallibly by us The first is taught by S. Austin in these words that point or practice Lib. 4. contra Donat. of faith not taught in Scripture nor decreed in Councels yet ever retained by the Church is rightly believed to have from Apostolical authority descended to us such is the Baptism of Children c. The second Rule is this if any point of faith hath been unanimously taught by the holy Fathers and yet not mentioned in Scripture it may be securely imbraced as an Apostolical tradition such is the perpetual Virginity of the mother of God the number of the Gospels c. The third Rule is if any thing hath been practiced and believed still in the Church which could not be at first by humane authority introduced and established it is to be thought to have come from the Apostles such are the matters and formâ— of Sacraments their number and the proper effects of them prayer for the dead c. The signe of the Crosse used in Baptisme and other such religious customs which if as things of light moment they should come to be neglected saith S. Basil and not regarded the Lib. de Spiritu Sancto belief and practice of the Church in points of greater moment would totter also and become weakened in their authority sithence the Gospels themselves are not more certainly than by the Churches tradition and authority confirmed unto us Tertullian with S. Basil teacheth such traditions and Lib. de pudicitia de coronam clitis so doth S. Ambrose S. Austin and many other chief Fathers even such as lived with or neer the Apostles themselves as S. Dennis S. Ignatius S. Irenaeus S. Justin Martyr Origen and S. Cyprian blamed therefore by the Calvinists 2. cent cap. 4. 3. cent c. 4. for this doctrine Eusebius also affirmeth Hegesippus a disciple of the Apostles themselves to have wrote five Books in a simple stile but with great sincerity of such traditions as had been left to the Church by them against Calvins impiety peremptorily after his manner and proudly condemning for sacrilegious and superstitious all external rites used in the Service of God and not expressed in Scripture Yet we finde that himself in the order of his Genevian Congregation hath many new rites and ordinations of his own appointment no where mentioned in Scripture presuming so of a power in himself above the Apostles themselves to ordain them for that his must be imbraced and theirs condemned and deemed sacrilegious albeit Lib. 3. â—4 never so authentically testified unto us Perchance he had never read or little regarded that important question which antient Irenaeus proposed about Traditions and verities of faith believed by all good Christians yet not expressed in Scripture What saith he if the Apostles had left no Scriptures at all behinde them ought we not to have followed the order of Tradition which they left unto those Bishops unto whom they recommended those Churches which had been founded by them and to speak no more hereof even now in our time we know many barbarous Nations to have received by their preaching the faith of Christ and to persevere holily therein flying and detesting all Heresies contrary in any sort unto the same who as wholy unlearned never had any Scriptures at all but onely stick unto the Traditions which were at first by the Apostles themselves delivered unto them And if such Traditions as are now in our Churches retained and observed for the order of divine Service and decency therein to be used should be accounted sacrilegious and abominably superstitious as Calvin would have them The use for example of sâ—cred Vestments the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme Prayers said at the burial of the dead bowing at the name of Jesus and other like Ceremonies that admonition of S. Pauls would come to be neglected charging the Corinthians to do all things honestly or in a seemly 1 Cor. 14. manner and according to order in the Church as we can prove from assured testimonies the Primitive Christians did during the fiâ—st hundred years after Christ in their publick sinaxes or meeings at divine Service and Sacraments together recounted by S. Dennis of Areopagita in his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy in the 2 or 3 chapters together by S. Justin Martyr in his second Apology for Christians to Antonius Pius the Emperour and by S. Ignatius insinuated plainly enough in many places of his Epistles by Tertullian also in his book â—â— pudicitia and other fathers living in or near unto the age of the Apostles And such Ceremonies as are by Calvin so rejected and condemned in the publick order of divine Service are thus by S. Austin approved in such things as are not determined in Scripture the customs of Gods Church
lost or spent their lives in the service of him moving us by their very sight to a like practice of Piety Fortitude and other virtues eminent in them So as in honouring their Reliques we magnifie chiefly Gods graces in them Wherefore S. Ambrose speaking of Nazarius and Celsus bodies then found out newly by him and freshly as it were bleeding in their wounds why said he should not faithfull people honour their bodies sithence Devils do feare them which once with torments they afflicted Wherefore I honour that body which honoured Christ under the sword and which shall raign in heaven with him So as it is a notorious untruth of the Centurists first and of Calvin after Câ—nt 2. c. 3. l. de necessitate reformandi ecclesiam them when they affirmed the custome of honouring Reliques not to have begun in the Church during the first five hundred years after Christ for that Cajus living in the age next unto Lib. 2. Historiae c. 24. the Apostles as Eusebius recounteth told Proclus his Cataphrigyan Adversary that he could shew unto him in Rome the trophies of the two Apostles Peteâ— and Paul honoured by Christians And the Chuch of Smyrna in their Epistle of S. Policarps Martyrdome disciple to the Apostles themselves wont for edification to be read in Christian Churches according to S. Gregory Turinensis recounteth how the Jews got his body to be burned into Ashes and thrown into a River that his Reliques might not be honoured by Christians as were in that very age the De viris illustribus in Ignatio remnants of S. Ignatius bones gathered and sent unto Antioch as S. Hierome recounteth Eusebius likewise relateth De viris illustribus in Ignatio l. 7. cap. 14. great honours done to the body of Marinus by Christians and how miraculously Apphianus his dead corps was brought out of the Sea and cast on Lib. 8. c. 14. Lib. 13. praeparat Evangelit â— cap. 7. shore to have due honours yeelded unto it as being meet saith he elswhere that Gods Friends and Championâ— should have at their Tombes honours yeelded unto them Orat. in Theodâ—siâ—m Oâ—at in Julianum Catechesi 18. Saint Basil in sundry places teacheth this honour to be due unto the Reliques of Saints and so doth his Brother S. Gregory Nissen S. Gregory Nazianzen likewise and S. Cyril of Hierusalem S. Hierome also against Vigilantius particularly mentioneth how solemnly Samuels body was brought in time of Areadius out of Jury into Thracia with a continual procession of Bishops Priests and People honouring the great Prophet in his Reliques untill they brought it to Calcedon St. Et Homiliis de S. Babild S. Ignatio Iuliano c Chrysostom in many of his Homiles ad populum Antiochenum mentioneth great honours done unto the Reliques of Saints And Saint Austine in a whole Chapter together recounteth those great miracles which he had seen done at S. Stephens Reliques all condemning by their testimonies the contrary doctrine Lib. 22. de civit c. 8. of Protestants detesting destroying and defacing in several manners Saints Reliques whereas David telleth us that God will keep all the bones of his Servantâ— The Nineth Controversie Of holy Images kept and honoured by us AMongst other Heresies anciently condemned in Christs Church this against the Catholick use and veneration of Images hath been by modern Hereticks pernitiously again revived and fitly served them to make us with ignorant Persons seem guilty of Idolatry by yeelding as the antient Painims did a divine honour to stocks and stones and praying unto them as if they could hear us in which imputations they do slanderously and notoriously bely us abusing many waies simple Persons hearing and believing those assertions against us First for example holy Images representing Christ or his Saints or some other Mystery of faith are falsly called Idols by them for that an Idol according to S. Paul is nothing in the world meaning according to the person or thing represented by it to wit a God or something else made onely by imagination and Fancy Whereas the incarnate Sonne of God his blessed Mother Saints now glorified in heaven are in our Images or Statues represented still or such Mysteries of faith as were in the great worke of our Redemption really performed for example a Crucifix representeth Christ as he hung upon the Crosse painfully nailed unto it and dying for us more movingly so objected to our eys than if that sacred Mysterie were by an ample discourse declared unto us In which true sence St. Gregory called Images the books of unlearned Persons for this and other mysteries of Faith represented in them And our Adversaries must be stupidly absurd if from Scriptures themselves they learne not to distinguish Images from Idols in their proper signification Christ for example is oâ—t aid to be the Image but not the Idol â—â— the Father the mâ—n to be the Image not the Idol of God And there are many places wherein the word Idol in place of Image could not be but absurdly abusively used And who but can blasphemously affirm the two Statues of Cherubins in the inmost tabernacle covering with their wings the Arke and propitiatory Tâ—ble to have been Idols And whereas our Adversaries object against us that we cut off the second Commandement and divide another into two because our Images aâ—â—â—oâ—bid in it they bely us because in ouâ— Bibles the holy Tâ—xt is no lesse inâ—â—râ— than in theirs onely in our Cateâ—hi mâ—s and books written for the instruction of common Christians and Children amongst them we print not that which they call the second Commandâ—ment and we affirme to be a part and eâ—plication of the fiâ—st commanding particularly the Jewes not to make the likenesse of Calves or any thing â—lse least then prone to Idolâ—try they should yield divine honour unto it by adoring it as God himself of which now there is no danger among Christians and so no use of that part of the first Commandement and even Calvin himself Exod. 20 in his explication thereof is inforced to grant that all sorts of Images or Statues are not forbidden by it And it is well known to all learned men that many holy Fathers have as now we do divided the Commandements the ancient Hebrew Text having no division at all in it In the meane time concerning that reverend respect which is yielded unto Images by us First it is not absolutely due or given to the materiall Images or Statues themselves but as holy Persons and mysteries are represented by them unto which our minds and intentions in beholding them â—re carriâ—d So that in such acts the Imâ—ge or Statue is respectively honoured for the person or mystery represented in it and they are likewise honoured in them In which sense Sâ— Basil said Rex dicitur regis imago non duo Reges the image of a King is called the King nor is he and his image called two Kings nor is the honour divided
incite and move us to doe them and assist us so in the performance of them as neither our will without grace nor grace without our will doth any thing ever free and never enforced in them Both these liberties of our will in naturall and supernaturall actions so declared may evidently be gathered from a hundred cleare places of Scripture Moyses for example to instance Deuteron 3. here some few of them speaking unto his people I invoke heaven and earth saith he that I have proposed unto you life and death benediction and malediction choose therefore life c. Joshua likewise said to the same people cap. 24. thou hast thy cboyce choose this day what pleaseth thee and whom thou wilt serve chiefly on which words Calvin l. 2. instit cap. 2. n. 7. cap. 3. n. 10. unmindfull of what he had taught in other places against Free-will and the very name thereof hatefull unto him saith God gave them this liberty of choosing that being tyed by their owne wills they might blame onely themselves if they performed not what they had chosen God likewise proposed unto David 2 Reg. 24. three sorts of Punishments for his sinne of Pride in numbring his people and bad him choose which of them he would And elsewhere David saith of himselfe I have chosen to be an â—bject in the house of God rather than to dwell in the Tabernacles of sinners Because I have spoken said God to Isâ—â—â— 65. his people and you have not heard me but did evill before me and have chosen what I would not have you done for this therefore c. like to this Speech was our Saviours cry unto Hierusalem Math. 13. and S. Stephen told the Jews that they ever rejected the Holy Ghost which without freedome in their wills they could not have done insomuch that St Augustine in his Book of grace and Free-will heapeth more than thirty pregnant places of Scripture together to prove this Catholick point of Doctrine so evidently gatherable from reason it self and experienced daily both in our selves and others as S. Irenaeus truly affirmed that a man is Lib. 4. c. 9. 29. not to be accounted reasonable who will deny the freedome of mans will without which he could neither be Lib. 1. 6. 5. justly damned nor saved Tertuâ—ian against Marcian proveth that man loft not the liberty of his will by sinne and that the likenesse of God ingraffed in his nature chiefly therein consisteth And Origen in these words and Homil. 22. inn Numeros now O Israel what doth thy Lord God ask of thee writeth thus let them blush at these words who deny the freedome of mans will for how could God ask any thing of men if they had not power to offer it unto him and to omit the like testimonies of Other Fathers S. Augustine in three Tom. 7. whole books together of Free-will cleareth this Controversie for saith S. Hierome where necessity inforceth Lib. 2. contra Jovinianum nec condemnâ—tio nec caroâ—a est men are neither damned nor crowned The fourteenth Controversie Of Calvin's Solifidian Justice AS Calvin absurdly denyed Free-will proved against him in my former controversie so hath he not lib. inst c. 14. num 9. 10. 11. shewed himselfe a Christian Doctor in many Tenents about the manner of our Justification averr'd taught thus plainly by him First that before God our best actions are not onely void of merit but mortally also defiled and sinfull in the justest persons ibid. c. 17. 18. c. 3. n. 10. Secondly that the holiest Souls are never clensed from sinnes by any interiour graces insused into them but onely by Gods mercie they are not unto the elect imputed to damnation Thirdly that good works are as fruits of faith gratefully by us performed but concurre not in any sort to our salvation and that faith alone withont them doth justifie u8 ib. c. 11. â— 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. c. 2. n. 1. 9. 10. and by this faith heâ—mâ—aneth not that whereby revealed verities are believed by us little valued by him but that particular faith whereby each elected person is to believe and firmely to perswade himselfe that he is beloved of God and sure to be saved defined by him to be a certaine assurance of enjoying eternall life freelie by ib. c. 2. n. 38. 40. lib. 4. 6. 17. n. 2. Christ promised and interiourly by the holy Ghost revealed and signed unto him And in his farther declaration thereof he confesseth that many heretofore lib. 3 c. 11. n. 13. 14. meaning the holy Fathers conceived and taught that by faith and good works together men were c. 14. n. 16. justified in Gods sight But we say this justice to be gained by faith alone and that it cannot stand where good workes are valued and joyned with it or confided in even such as are spirituall and best performed by us Which doctrine was an heresie in the Apostles time and condemned by them as St. Austin affirmeth lib de fid opeâ— c. 14 chiefly gathered then as it is now from an ill understanding of hard places in S. Paul's Epistles which unlearned and unstable persons saith St. Peter depraved as they do other Scriptures to their owne perdition Which Heresies so anciently condemned ought now also to be banished from all Christian hearts saith the same Father as tending to make them carelesse to live well And when S. ad Rom. 3. 5. Paul said I think a man to be justified by faith without works he meaneth not works by the faith and grace of Christ holily performed but works of the Law which the Jews were apt to glory in even after their conversion to Christ as if by them they had merited farre above the Gentiles to be called by him Which false perswasion St. Paul doth refute in them Neither are the Apostles saith St. Austin St. Paul and St. James contrary to each other when the one affirmeth a man to be justified by faith without works the other teaches faith without works to be dead and worth nothing because the one speaketh of works done before faith in Christ and the other of workes by the grace and faith of Christ duly performed Which true explication of so great a Doctor and by many other ancient Fathers embraced Calvin in his wonted l. 3. instin c. 21. num 10. 1 Cor. 13. modesty calleth subterfugium ineptissimum a most foolish evasion albeit St. Paul in confirmarion thereof saith that if he had all faith able to remove mountains yet if he wanted charity it were nothing for saith he in Christ Jesu neither Circumcision nor Prepuce availeth any thing but faith that worketh by charity And if Calvin had â—scribed our justification to this faith he had taught true doctrine But his particular faith and certaine perswasion which every one must have that he is one of Gods elect and that Heaven is no
far surpassing mans wit to be conceived making God not onely Author of mens damnation but of those sinnes likewise for which he condemneth them and so consequently a greater Tyrant than ever was amongst men or can be imagined First against plaine authorities of Scripture wherein God is said non Ps 5 volcns iniquitatem no willer of iniquity but a hater of the wicked and all Sap. 14. Ps 44. their impiety That he loveth Justice and hateth all iniquity That his eyes are cleane and cannot approve evill That he delivereth men from temptations but tempteth no man Habac. 1 Jacob 1. Secondly against the light of Faith and Reason together by changing the nature it selfe of Sinne and making it a holy worke as bâ—ing done according to the will of God inciting and moving men unto it taking so away all difference between good and evill actions by making the greatest sins of men Gods especiall works and destroying the high attribute of sanctity in God whereby all his Counsels Will and Works are said to be holy as ever conformable to the highest rule of rectitude his own wisdom to wit and goodnesse which he cannot go against without denying himself in any wicked will or action done by him So as Eusebius said well he amongst Lib. 6. de praepâ—rat Evangilicae men must certainly be the wickedest that will affirm God to move men to commit Adulteries Rapines and other Sins because if this were so not men but their Creator himself should be chiefly Author of sch sins â—nd men not blameable at all in doing them as inforced by him to commit them which seemed so hellish a doctrine to the Magistrates of Bern Calvins next neighbours as under great penalties they have forbidden their Pastors to hold or teach it And Amandus Polanus chief Professor at Basil hath written a whol book against this execrable doctrine And Graverus a chief Lutheran Divine hath in a particular Treatise proved Calvins whole doctrine of Predestination impiam esse absurdissimam to be most wicked and absurd Jacobus Andraeas Luthers successor at Wittenberg hath made the like judgment In Epitome Colloquii Montis gradensis thereof and so have the Tigurin and Bernian Divines in their several confessionâ— of faith Bullinger likewise himself hath particularly impugned it besides other Authors c. And against Calvins horrible doctrine that Christ died onely for the Elect without any benefit at all intended for others by him Hemingius hath written a book intituled De gratia Vniversali of Universall Grace wherein he proveth by many clear texts of Scripture that Christ was sent by his Father to redeem the whole world to save all mankinde to take away the sinnes of the world to call sinners to cleanse them with his blood c. that his death was in it self sufficient to redeem all men made for that purpose by themselves ineffectuall And that nothing can be more certainly and plainly testified in Scripture then that great graces have been given unto many who notwithstanding are damned because they did not rightly and perseverantly make use of them God is good saith S. Austin and Lib. 3. in Julianum de articulis illi fa. so impositis he is just he can save some without any merits because he is good and he cannot without demerits condemn any man because he is just ejus praedestinatio nunquam extra bonitatem nunquam extra justitiam est his predestination ever includeth goodnesse and justice he knoweth before they are done the good and evill actions of all men yet so saith S. Fulgentius as he predestinateth Lib. ad Nonymum the former and the latter are permitted onely by him And this is true generally that he is never angry with any man untill he hath by his iniquity provoked him And when he is said to be Author of evils in Scripture it is to be understood of penall evils and punishments of such as have offended him when likewise he is said to have hardned Pharoahs heart and caused the Egyptians to hate his People to have commanded Simei to revile David these and the like maner of speakings are to be understood not only of permitting such persons to will and do wicked things but of withdrawing also for just causes the light of his grace from them and suffering the Devill more powerfully to tempt them ordaining still to his own greater glory the wickednesse of them Let us not therefore concâ—ive so hardly of him who is mercy goodnesse it self that the onely chief cause why he permitteth mens sinnes to be this that he may punish the Authors of them for albeit amongst other reasons S. Paul assigneth this for one yet are there other causes to be yeilded for his permission as to leave men to the freedome of their own wills to shew greater mercy unto them after they have offended him that his Sons merits may be usefull in his Church by being applied to the remission of mens sins by Sacraments for that purpose ordained by him whose incarnation was by Adams sin as the Church singeth on Easter Eve happily occasioned Blessedly therefore permitted by God not absolutely willed or decreed by him as is by Calvin falsly and wickedly affirmed from whose patient loving and mercifull proceedings towards Sinners here in this world after they have often and hainously offended him we may well gather how far he is now and ever he hath been from hasting his judgments or delighting himself in executing the rigour of his justice on them according to Calvins doctrine against which we Catholicks deny not Gods Predestination and Reprobation of Souls to be chief parts of his generall Providence over Creatures to their severall ends directed by him but acknowledge that by the sormer all ordained to salvation are certainly saved by him and by the latter others are no lesse certainly damned the one is an Act of Gods mercy freely and graciously without any desert at all unto some a-above others afforded by him and the other is an act of Justice and a will to punish such as have offended him that is the Origin and Source of all blessings and meanes of attaining salvation for us in this life prepared as St. Austine hath defined it The other is the cause not of sin as Calvin affirmed but of all pain and punishment due to it that is of Gods free election not supposing any good in our selves before it but this other is neither decreed nor inflicted by God all goodness mercy but for some evill formerly committed Those were not more worthy or better disposed to be chosen by God than these other who made themselves worthy by their ill deeds to be damned by him As those by congruous effectuall graces are holpen unto their lives end to attain Salvation so these others want not sufficient graces helps to be saved with a free liberty of their wills to make use accordingly of them God for his part doth most seriously exhort command by threats likewise and promises seek to draw sinners unto him out of a will to save them so as it must be imputed unto themselves when for their sins they justly deserve to be damned by him And to conclude this doctrine as a crown is prepared according to the merit of such as are freely predestinated chosen so are punishments prepar'd inflicted on those who are reprobated not chosen as by wicked facts they have deserv'd them And herein consists the abyssall depth of Gods mercy to ward his elect that in a like estate of damnation incurr'd by all mankind he will have mercy of some to save them and not of others according to his high pleasure without any wrong at all done to them This doctrine destroyes the dilemma or mad arguument of some careless of their eternall salvation Either I am predestinated or not If I bee sure I am let me doe what I will to be saved If I be not let me live never so holily sure I am to be damned because nether part of this collection is true for if thou art predestinated to glory it must be by living well and serving God as thou should'st do and if thou failest in doing so thou mayst assure thy self that thou art predestinated nor canst thou have any hope to be saved And if thou art not predestinated thou shalt I deny not certainly be dâ—mried but it shall be for thy owne sinfull life which thou mightst have ordered otherwise by Gods grace not denied unto thee and so have come to be predestinated and saved And this free election and predestination of some and not of others to grace glory increasâ—th true piety in holy souls by perfectly subjecting them to the high will and pleasure of God and relying on his grace make them with fear and trembling work their owne salvation and strive as St. Peter willeth them by living well and doing good works to make sure their election not presuming of their owne forces or merits but solidly grounding themselves in an humble confident hope of Gods gracious love and goodnesse for his sons sake and by his inexhausted merits procured for them Leaving his secret judgements unto God himself with love and veneration and without overcuriously diving into them so resolved that during their life whatsoever shall happen unto them afterwards they will strive as they can by the help of his grace to please love and serve him FINIS