b Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his owne burden it had bene his part to make it plaine first that the burden there spoken of is to be vnderstood of temporall afflictions Secondly if it be so to be vnderstood he should againe haue told vs how it followeth that those afflictions must necessarily be taken to be satisfactions Thirdly if they be satisfactions it would haue bene considered how this place standeth with the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome which the Apostle saying Euery man shall beare his owne burden that is if we beleeue M. Bishop shall satisfie for himselfe doth notwithstanding appoint one man to beare the burden and satisfactions of another If euery man beare his owne burden why doth the Pope pretend by his Pardons to impart to one man the satisfactions of another or if the Pope doe thereby impart the satisfactions of Saints and Martyrs to the helpe of those that want why doth Maister Bishop tell vs that of temporall satisfactions it is said that euery man shall beare his owne burden But thus he is wont to cite texts at all aduenture be they with him or against him all is one they helpe to fill vp a booke and that is enough for his purpose But the meaning of those words plainely appeareth out of the circumstance of the place The Apostle labouring to withdraw men from iudging and condemning others and from iustifying themselues by measuring comparing themselues to them whom they condemned wisheth euery man to consider himselfe in himselfe to make triall of his owne worke not to content himselfe for that he seemeth to himself to be preferred before another but to endeuour without comparison to others to be approued in himselfe To this meaning are these words c 〈◊〉 ◠Let euery man proue his own worke then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another For reason hereof he addeth for euery man shall beare his owne burden as if he should say It concerneth not one man what another is the burdening of another shall be no disburdening of thee what is amisse in him he shall answer for himselfe but looke thou to thine owne burden for whatsoeuer it is thou shalt answer to God for it The burden then which the Apostle speaketh of is as Thomas Aquinas saith d Tho. Aquin. in Gal. cap. 6. lect 1. Onus reddendae rationis c. in die iudicij the burden of our reckoning account to be made vnto God at the day of iudgment and his words are to the very same meaning as elsewhere he saith e Rom. 14.12 Euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God So that M. Bishops argument falleth out in the end to be this Euery man at the day of iudgement must giue reckoning to God for himselfe Therefore Christ hath left vs to make temporal satisfaction to God for our owne sinnes Thou must take it as it is gentle Reader for he can make it no better then it will be denie his argument and he hath no more to say 3 W. BISHOP Nay saith M. Perkins we must then be new Christes and Redeemers and Priests of the same order with himselfe Nothing so but hauing grace from him we may in vertue thereof satisfie not for the crime it selfe or euerlasting punishment which is linked with it because that would require an infinite vertue but for the tēporall pain of it one indued with grace may satisfie for the measure of stripes must not exceede the rate of the fault the punishment then resting vnsatisfied being limited a creature may pay it And that the Reader may better perceiue what we meane by the temporall paine let him consider that in sin are two things the one is the turning away from God whom we offend the other is the turning vnto the thing for the loue of which we offend as for glory lust lucre or such like the sinner transgresseth now when he is by the grace of God conuerted his turning away from God both the sin and the eternall paine due vnto it are freely through Christ pardoned but for the pleasure which he tooke in the sin the man himselfe is to satisfie and so according vnto the greatnesse of that his pleasure he is to do pennance R. ABBOT M. Perkins gaue argument and reason of that which he said but M. Bishop like a reasonlesse man without giuing any reason affirmeth that againe against which M. Perkins argued He rightly alledgeth that no part of the Priesthood of Christ can be said to haue passed from him to vs that to make satisfaction for sinnes whether temporally or eternally is a part of the Priesthood of Christ and therefore that it is not a thing passed from him to vs to make satisfaction for our sinnes Againe to attribute that to vs for which and by which Christ is Christ our Redeemer high Priest is to make vs Christes Redeemers and Priests for our selues But to attribute to vs to make fatisfaction for sinnes either temporally or eternally is to attribute that to vs for which and by which Christ is Christ our Redeemer and high Priest It is therfore the same as to affirme vs to be Christes Redeemers and Priests for our selues M. Bishop answereth ridiculously and childishly Not so but Christ hath satisfied for the eternall punishment which required an infinite vertue as for the temporall paine it may be satisfied by vs. But what is here for exception to our collection that sith the name office of Christ of a Redeemer and Priest standeth in satisfying for sinne therefore if we be said to satisfie temporally for our selues then as Christ is our Christ Redeemer and Priest in respect of satisfying for the eternall punishment of our sinnes so we are Christs Redeemers and Priests for our selues in respect of making temporally an attonement for our selues But that it belongeth to the Priesthood of Christ to make attonement for temporall punishments is plaine in the law where we reade that the plague being begun the high Priest in figure of our high Priest Iesus Christ maketh attonement for the staying of it a Numb 16.46 Take the censer saith Moses to Aaron and put fire therein of the Altar and put therein Incense and go quickly to the Cōgregation and make an attonement for thē for there is wrath gone out frō the Lord the plague is begun He did so the plague was staid The like we see in the plague that followed vpō Dauids numbring of the people b 2. Sam. 24.25 he offered burnt offerings peace offerings and the Lord was appeased towards the land and the plague ceased frō Israel And hereby we vnderstād that all the sacrifices of the law wherin c August Enchirid cap. 33. Singulare sacrificium Christi cuius erant vmbrae omnia sacrificia legis prophetarum Christ was alwaies set before them had a respect of appeasing the wrath of God not onely for euerlasting
cause in confession of sinnes to ioyne themselues with other men euen as the Prophet Esay elsewhere doth d Esa 6.5 Wo is me I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell in the middest of a people of polluted lippes But saith M. Bishop if he had reckoned himselfe in that number he had lied in saying There is none that calleth vpon thy name because he immediatly calleth vpon him in most vehement sort As if they in whose name the Prophet speaketh might not without a lie by wordes of the present time deplore the vniuersall neglect of calling vpon God which had beene amongst them as Daniel acknowledgeth and for the most part continued still though God had stirred vp some of their hearts now to make supplication vnto him or as if they that did pray might not finde in themselues that faintnesse and want of heart and spirit as might cause them in this behalfe to accuse themselues vnto God We cannot doubt but that there were manie faithfull and godly amongst the Iewes in that time of their desolation yet in those faithfull and godly there was that default to be found as that God sayd of them e Esa 51.18 There is none to guide her among all the sonnes that shee hath brought foorth there is none that taketh her by the hand of all the sonnes that shee hath brought vp In a word the Prophet in saying There is no man that calleth vpon thee might note a publicke contempt of calling vpon God without exception against himselfe as where he saith f Esa 59.4 No man calleth for iustice no man contendeth for truth and such like and yet could not say We haue sinned vve haue all beene as an vncleane thing without intendment of himselfe Last of all he alledgeth that the best learned among vs quoting Luther and Caluin on this place doe confesse that this sentence cannot be alledged against the vertue of good vvorkes What Luther saith vpon the place I know not not hauing the booke at hand but g Assert artic 31 otherwhere he doth alledge it against the vertue of good workes Caluin giueth his opinion that it doth not so properly serue to that purpose but his reason is of lesse waight then that it should take from vs a proofe in the verie words so cleere and pregnant as this is But if Luther and Caluin on our side doe denie it let him take h Pigh controu de fide iustificat Pighius and i Ferus in Mat. cap. 20. Ferus of his owne side confessing and acknowledging that this place doth make against the vertue of good workes both of them alledging it for an argument against the perfection thereof Or if they beare no sway with him let him heare them whose authoritie hee may not well disclaime Origen saying thus k Orig. in Rom. cap. 3. Quis vel super iustitia sua gloriabitur cùm audiat Deum per Prophetam dicentem quia omnis iustitia vestra sicut pannus mulieris meÌ„struatae Who vvill glorie concerning his Righteousnesse seeing he heareth God saying by the Prophet All your Righteousnesse is as a cloth of a menstruous vvoman Hierome thus l Hieron in Esa cap 64. Quicquid videmur habere iustitiae panno menstruaâ—e mulieris comparatur By thy mercie vve shall bee saued vvho by our selues are vncleane and vvhatsoeuer Righteousnesse vve seeme to haue it is compared vnto a menstruous cloth Saint Austine alluding to the same place sayeth m August soliloq cap. 28. Nos omnes quasi pannus menstruatae de massa corrupta immunda venientes maculam immunditiae nostrae in frontibus portamus c. Whatsoeuer hee toucheth that is vncleane by the lavv it shall be vncleane But vve all as the cloth of a menstruous vvoman being come of an vncleane and corrupt masse do carrie in our foreheads the blot of our vncleannesse vvhich from God that seeth all things vve cannot hide thereby acknowledging that blot remaining in vs which must needes staine whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs. But Saint Bernard is most frequent both in affirming this staine of all our Righteousnesse and in applying this place to the proofe thereof n Bernard in Fest omn. sanct serm 1. Quid potest esse omnis iustitia nostra coram Deo Nonne iuxta Prophetam velut pannus menstruatae reputabitur si destrictè iudicetur iniusta inuenietur omnis iustitia nostra minus habens What can all our Righteousnesse be saith he in the sight of God shall it not as the Prophet sayth be reputed as a menstruous or defiled cloth and shall not our iustice if it be strictly iudged be found vniust and scant And in another place o Idem de verb. Esa serm 5. Nostra siqua est humilis iustitia recta forsitan sed non pura nisi fortè meliores nos esse credimus quà m patres nostros qui non minùs veracitèr quam humiliter atebant Omnes iustitiae c. Our base Righteousnesse if it bee any is right perhaps but not pure vnlesse haply vve thinke our selues better then our fathers vvho no lesse truly then humbly sayd All our Righteousnesse is as a defiled cloth Againe in another place he sayeth likewise p Jdem in dedicat eccles ser 5. Ipsae iustitiae nostrae omnes ad lumen veritatis inspectae velut pannus menstruatae inueniuntur All our verie Righteousnesses beeing looked vpon by the light of truth are found as a menstruous cloth Againe q Idem de verb. Apost Qui gloriatur c. Perfecta secura gloriatio est cùm veremur omnia opera nostra c. Et cum Esâ—ia Propheta omnes iustitias nostras non aliud quâ—m pannum menstruatae reputandas esse cognoscimus Our perfect and secure reioycing is vvhen vvee are afraide of all our vvorkes as holy Iob vvitnesseth of himselfe and vvith the Prophet Esay doe knovv that all our Righteousnesse is to be no otherwise reputed but as a defiled cloth Hereby then let M. Bishop now vnderstand that M. Perkins dealt no otherwise but dexterously in the handling of this place and that that which the Prophet Esay spake did so concerne the faithfull of that time and place whereof he spake as that they haue true application to the faithfull of all times and in all places because no reason can bee giuen why the faithfull of one time should so speake but by the same it is enforced vpon the faithfull of all times 4. W. BISHOP 1. Cor. 4. But he will amend it in the next where he proues out of Saint Paul that a cleare conscience which is a great part of inherent iustice can nothing helpe to our Iustification I am priuie to nothing in my selfe and yet I am not iustified thereby Here is a verie pretie peece of cosinage What doth the Apostle say that he vvas not iustified by his cleere conscience nothing lesse but that albeit he
f Aug. in Psa 83 Fides nidus est pullorum tuoruÌ„ in hoc nido operare opera tua the nest wherein we are to lay our workes that we may hatch them vnto God Faith is g Prosp de voc gen l. 1 c. 8. Fides bonae voluntatis iustae actionis est genitrix the mother of a good will and iust and righteous conuersation Our faith in Christ is h Aug. in Ps 120 Christus in corde vestro fides est Christ in vs and i Ambr. in Luc. l. 1. c. 21. Mihi sol ille caelestis mea fide vel minuttur vel augetur that heauenly Sunne is either impaired or increased vnto me saith Ambrose according to my faith In a word S. Austin telleth vs that k Aug. in Joan. tract 49. Vnde mors in anima Quia fides noÌ„ est Ergo animae tuae anima fides est faith is the soule of our soule what is that to say but the life of all our life It is faith then and not charitie that giueth influence to all the rest euen to charitie it selfe as faith increaseth so other graces are increased as faith decreaseth so other graces decrease the life of faith is our life the strength of faith is our l Cyprian ad Quirinum lib. 3. cap. 43. Tantum possumus quantum credimus strength if our faith be weake there is nothing else wherby we can be strong Therfore M. Bishop goeth much awry yet no otherwise then he is wont to do in assigning to charitie to giue the spirit of life and influence to faith when as it is by faith that we m Galath 3.14 receiue the spirit which is the author of all spiritual life and grace on which all our state dependeth towards God 24. W. BISHOP The fourth reason if faith alone do iustifie then faith alone will saue but it wil not saue ergo M. Perkins first denieth the proposition saith That it may iustifie and yet not saue because more is required to saluation then to iustification Which is false for put the case that an innocent babe die shortly after his baptisme wherein he was iustified shal he not be saued for want of any thing I hope you will say yes euen so any man that is iustified if he depart in that state no man makes doubt of his saluation therfore this first shift was very friuolous Which M. Perkins perceiuing flies to a second that for faith alone we shal also be saued and that good works shall not be regarded at the day of our iudgement Then must those words of the holy Ghost so often repeated in the Scriptures be razed out of the text God at that time wil reÌ„der vnto euery man according to his works But of this more amply in the question of merits R. ABBOT Tertullian rightly saith a Tertul. de poenit Horum bonorum vnus est â—itulus salâ—s hominis criminum pristinorum abolitione praemissa the saluation of man is the one title of all the benefites of God forgiuenesse of sinnes being put in the first place If saluation be the whole and iustification but a part then more is required to saluation then to iustification because more is required to the whole then to a part Vnder saluation we comprehend both iustification and sanctification in this world life and blisse eternall in the world to come The first act of our saluation is our iustification but God hauing by iustification reconciled vs vnto him goeth forward by sanctification b Col. 1 12. to make vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light To iustification belongeth only faith to sanctification all other vertues and graces wherein consisteth that c Heb. 12.14 holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. His exception as touching infants dying after baptisme is very idle They are not onely iustified by forgiuenesse of sinnes but also sanctified by the spirit of grace neither is there any man iustified to the title of eternall life but the same is together also sanctified to the possession thereof and therfore hath more to saluation then onely iustification But as touching the verie point his minor proposition is false We say that we are saued also by faith onely according to that that before I alledged out of Origen that d Origen in Ro. cap. 3 sup sect 21 for faith only Christ said to the woman Thy faith hath saued thee Hath saued thee saith he as a thing alreadie done according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture in that behalfe For so it is said of Zacheus e Luk. 19.9 This day saluation is come to this house So saith the Apostle f 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued vs and called vs with a holy calling g Tit. 3.5 of his owne mercy he hath saued vs. The reason whereof is because in iustification as I haue sayd our saluation is begun and in that we are iustified we are saued Christ therein being giuen vs and in him the interest and title of eternall life thenceforth by that right onely to be continued and performed vnto vs. Being then iustified by faith alone we are saued by faith alone the gift of sanctification to holinesse and good works being necessarily coÌ„sequent not as by vertue wherof we are to be saued whom the Scripture pronounceth to be already saued but as the processe of Gods worke for accomplishment of that saluation whereto in iustification we are begotten and in way of inheritaÌ„ce intitled by faith alone We are saued by faith alone saith M. Perkins because faith alone is the instrument whereby we apprehend Christ who onely is our saluation Where obserue gentle Reader what M. Bishop maketh of that speech that for faith alone we are saued and that good works shall not be regarded at the day of our iudgement Os impudens Where doth M. Perkins say that good workes shall not be regarded at the day of our iudgement What a Doctor of diuinitie to lye wilfully to lye What is this but meere varletrie to abuse his Reader not being carefull haply to looke into M. Perkins booke but taking it vpon his word But if thou haue M. Perkins booke I pray thee to looke to the obiections and answers set down in the end of this question of Iustification which M. Bishop hath vnhonestly left out and there in the answer to the sixt Obiection thou shalt find these words In equitie the last iudgement is to proceed by workes because they are the fittest meanes to make triall of euery mans cause and serue fitly to declare whom God hath iustified in this life By which words thou mayest esteeme how little faith or credite is to be yeelded to this wretched man who doubteth not here with manifest falshood to affime that M. Perkins saith that good workes shall not be regarded at the day of our iudgement And by the same words the solution is
casting her with violence into the sea neuer to rise againe And you most noble King in whom God hath turned the period of time which threatned alteration and danger to our state gouernment to the further strength and establishment thereof and hath lifted your throne far aboue the thrones of your royall Progenitors and hath made you in a manner the ballance of the Christian world consider that it is vndoubtedly for some great work that in his prouidence he hath so disposed it and thereto apply those singular ornaments and endowments of the mind wherein you excell all that haue bene before you God hath made your Highnes able to espie and discerne the conicatching deuices of those bastard Catholik seducers we assure our selues that in your self in your royall posteritie it shall be found to the great aduancement of the faith and kingdome of Iesus Christ Wherein that our hope may not be frustrate we most humbly beseech almighty God to put into your Maiesties heart not to be too secure of them who account it a martyrdome to die for the murthering of Christian Princes and in the shedding of your sacred bloud would think themselues to haue gained the one half of their desires content perhaps by instructions for a while to temporize and to make shew of meaning no harme till the memory of their late villany being somewhat ouerblowne they may be the lesse suspected but hauing already giuen to vnderstand what your Maiestie shall looke for at their hands if oportunitie should second their designes The Lord auert and turne that iudgement from vs and n 1. Sam. 25.29 bind your Maiesties soule in the bundle of life with the Lord your God that your eies may long behold that noble Impe of grace the branch of our hope together with the other branches of your royall line growing before the Lord to the further dismay and terror of your enemies and the greater securitie and assurance of the church of Christ As for the seruice which according to your Maiesties commandement I haue here performed albeit it be far from that perfection which the weight of the cause requireth yet I doubt not but it is sufficient to shew on whether part the truth is to be found and to iustifie the proceedings of your Maiesty against the cauillations of wilfull men desperatly shutting their owne eyes that the light of the Gospel may not shine vnto them Whatsoeuer it is it most humbly craueth your Maiesties acceptance and royall protection and fauour whereto with all loyall duty I recommend it and your Highnesse selfe to the protection of the most high God whose cause it is that is defended thereby Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect ROB. ABBOT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GEntle Reader thou wilt I hope impute it in some part to the condition of the time that I giue thee this answer not altogether so well featured and shaped as thou haply wouldst desire it Though it be a fruite that may seeme to haue bene long in growing yet as the case standeth with me the length of time hath but serued to bring it to his greatnesse and therefore howsoeuer it commeth forth with defiance to the aduersaries yet I confesse it seemeth to me not so throughly digested and seasoned as I would haue wished it to content thee In this defence of Gods truth the things that are specially to be respected against the importunitie and aduantage of our aduersaries are strength and expedition I haue had care as the matter would permit to satisfie thee in both these respects and let my care herein obtaine pardon of thee if I seeme vnto thee to faile in some complements otherwise If thou thinke this my answer needlesse because another man hath already taken paines therein thou must remember that no mans priuate preuention could yeeld me dispensation to be free from doing that which publike authoritie required of me I doubt not but in the reading of either it shal appeare vnto thee what spirit it is wherewith these Romish factors are led in their opposition against vs and that it is not truth and sauing of soules whereto they bend themselues but onely the vpholding of their faction whether by truth or falshood by right or wrong it skilleth not so that that may be performed That thou mayst the better see and iudge of all I haue inserted the whole text of Doctor Bishops booke altogether condemning that falshood and guile which he hath vsed towards M. Perkins and they al vse in their pretence and shew of answering our books in that they neuer set downe the copie of that to which they answer Which policy serueth them to blind the Reader and to gaine libertie to themselues to conceale and dissemble what they list to peruert to vilifie to falsifie and by absurd imputations to calumniate without being controlled As our fidelitie and good conscience of the cause which we handle manifestly appeareth in that we neuer forbeare to publish our aduersaries bookes to the world when we haue adioyned an answer to them so their guilt and guile is manifest by the contrary for that they feare to put forth our bookes with their answers as doubting least the bookes being at hand should bewray and shew the vnsufficiencie of the answers As for Master Perkins booke being loth too much to increase the greatnesse of the volume I haue forborne to put it in the rather for that the substance thereof for the most part may appeare by that that Master Bishop hath set downe and where he faulteth I haue taken occasion in my answer to declare if not the words yet the summe and effect of it the booke it selfe also being easily had by any that is desirous more exactly to compare them The authors conceit for the forme and maner of that work was greatly to be approued and whereas it hath had the liking of very many for the briefe and plaine deliuery of our controuersiall grounds they shall see now that it was not without cause that they caried so good opiniō of it inasmuch as the malice of an enemie out of their many large volumes can find so little matter of waight and substance to say against it I doubt not but it had bene well that in some places he had giuen it some better strength but it is to be considered that as the midwife iudgeth better of the birth then the mother that trauelleth with it and in gaming the stander by sometimes seeth more then he that playeth so it is in writing of bookes that the Reader and examiner seeth sometimes a defect where the busied and intangled minde of the writer obserued none and therefore of welwillers and men indifferent it is to be expected that that which it somewhat vnperfectly deliuered in one place be no impeachment of that which is sufficiently fenced and fortified in another Thou shalt finde it gentle Reader to haue bene so written as that Maister Bishop is faine to vse
thou shalt find in it the marrow and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrow roome And reade it ouer as it becometh a good Christian with a desire to find out and to follow the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partialitie whether Religion hath better grounds in Gods word more euident testimony from the purest antiquitie and is more conformable vnto all godlinesse good life and vpright dealing the infallible marks of the best Religion and spedily embrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faults in printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was printed farre from the Author with a Dutch composer and ouer seene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the printing of this part was finished I heard that M. Perkins was dead I am sorte that it commeth forth too late to do him any good Yet his worke liuing to poyson others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary R. ABBOT IF you had respected the glorie of God M. Bishop it should haue appeared by your respect to yeeld soueraigne honour and authoritie to the word of God God is in heauen and we are vpon the earth we haue no knowledge of him no acquaintance or dealing with him but by his word Therein we seeke him and find him therein he speaketh vnto vs and thereout we learne to speake to him If we haue the word of God God is present with vs if we be without the word of God God himselfe is absent from vs. Therefore by our honour and obedience to the word of God it must appeare that we truly and sincerely intend and seeke for the glorie of God Hereby it appeareth that you M. Bishop in this your booke haue not fought for the glorie of God but rather to glorifie a Extrauag Ioan 12. Cū inter in glossa Credere dominum Deum nostrum Papam sic non potuisse statuere c. haereticum censeretur your Lord God the Pope as your Glosse of the Canon law most blasphemously hath stiled him You haue in this worke of yours vsed all maner of vntruth and falshood to vphold and iustifie his wicked proceedings against the word of God Whatsoeuer God hath taught vs whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered all is nothing if your Lord God the Pope and your master Bellarmine his proctor generall do say the contrary Howsoeuer simply and plainly they speake yet they meane not as they speake if the Pope and Bellarmine will tell you another meaning As for your talent we take it to be greater in your owne opinion and the opinion of your fellowes then it is indeed But whatsoeuer it is you haue abused it to the wrong of him that gaue it not to edification but to destruction not to fortifie any in the faith but to nourish and harden them that depend vpon you in error and misbeleefe not to leade any into the right way but to intice men to b Prou. 2.15 crooked wayes and leud paths which c Ch. 7.27 go downe to the chambers of death and the end whereof is confusion and shame not to withdraw men from fancies but to draw them to other fancies from fancies in conuersation to fancies in religion that so being fed wholy with fancies they may perish in the end for want of true food And indeed men that wander in fancies are the subiect for your malice and trechery to work vpon Many that liue in the oportunitie of the knowledge of Christ yet neglect and despise the same The light shineth into their eyes and they regard it not God offereth himselfe vnto them and they say in their hearts We haue no delight nor pleasure in thee Therefore being emptie and voide of truth they lie open to be filled with error and lies and hauing vnthankfully withholden themselues from God God by iust iudgement giueth them ouer to the hands of impostors and deceiuers that it may be verified which the Apostle saith d 2. Thess 2 1◠Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they may beleeue lies that they may be damned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Your friend of good intelligence and iudgement that thought it very expedient that you should take in hand the confutation of M. Perkins booke spake thereof haply as Caiphas did of the death of Christ meaning it one way which was to fall out another way I doubt not but it will fall out to haue bene very expedient which you haue done because you giue hereby occasion of discouering your false doctrine and of iustifying the truth of Christ which M. Perkins was carefull to maintaine I doubt not but many by this occasion will take knowledge of your corrupt and trecherous dealing your patching and shifting your cosening and deluding of men and will discerne the weaknesse and absurdity of that bad cause which with glorious and goodly words you labour so highly to aduance As for your commendation of M. Perkins booke it is but the imitation of some vaine-glorious captains who to grace their owne victories do set out to the vttermost the aduersaries power and prowesse thinking their glory to be the greater by how much the greater men shall conceiue the might and valour of them to haue bene whom they haue ouercome You dreamed of a victorie here and you thought it to be much for your commendation that your aduersary should be deemed of as great strength as any is to be found amongst vs. But we would haue you to vnderstand that the Church of England neuer tooke M. Perkins booke to be a warriour in complete harnesse or a chalenger for the field but onely as a captaine training his souldiers at home where he wanteth much of that munition and defence wherewith he should endure the brunt of battell He wrote it very schollerlike indeed for an introduction onely to the true vnderstanding and iudgement of the controuersies betwixt vs and you but knew well that it wanted much that might haue bene added to giue it ful and perfect strength You haue taken hereof some aduantage as you conceiue and yet how pitifully are you distressed many times both to vphold that which he obiecteth for you and to answer that which he alledgeth for vs. Now if for the compiling of his booke he bestirred himselfe as the Bee going into other mens gardens for the gathering of hony into his hiue yet he made no Rabbines of them to take any thing for hony because it grew in the garden of such or such a man but vsed carefull and aduised consideration of that which he wrote esteeming the weight of his arguments and of his answers that he might
be very many of ours vvho say that all things that vve do are done by the helpe of God By this acknowledgement of grace Pelagius deluded the Bishops of the Easterne Churches before whom he was conuented and by that meanes was acquitted and dismissed as hauing taught nothing against the truth For as Augustin noteth b August epist 95. His audius verâ—is thommem Dei gratia adiunari Catholici antistitâ—â— nullam aliam Dei gratiam intelligere potuerunt nisi quam in libris Dei legere populis Dei praedicare consueuerunt When they heard him confesse the grace of God they could imagine no other grace but what they were wont to reade in the booke of God and preach to the people of God Which grace by this occasion the same S. Austin in diuerse and sundrie places defineth to be that c Ibid. Gratiae qua Christiani filij Dei sumus Et postea Qua praedesiinati vocamur iustificamur glorificamur whereby we are Christians and the children of God and being predestinate are called iustified and glorified d Epist 105. Qua iustificati sumus vt homines iusti essemus whereby we are iustified to be iust men e Epi. 107. Agnoscamus gratiam quae facit proasse doctrinam which maketh the doctrine of God profitable vnto vs f Cont. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 13. Vt non â—stendat tantummodo veritatem verumetiam impertiae charitatem whereby he doth not onely shew vs the truth but also inspireth loue g Ibid. cap. 30. Qua iustificamur id est qua charitas Dei diffunditur in cordibus nostris c. whereby we are iustified that is whereby the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs h Cont. 2. Epist Pelag lib. 4. cap. 6. Haec est gratia Dei bonos faciens nos whereby we are made good i Cont Pelag c. vt supra cap. 10. Istam aliquando fateatur qua futurae gloriae magnitudo non solum promittitur verumetiam creditur speratur nec reuelatur solum sapientia verumetiam amatur nec suadetur solum omne quod bonum est verumetiam persâ—â—ad tur wherby the excellencie of heauenly glorie is not onely promised but also beleeued and hoped for nor wisedome onely reuealed but loued and euerie thing that is good is not onely aduised but fruitfully and effectually perswaded This onely grace and no other did they vnderstand to be the grace of Christ whereby as touching the worke of our saluation God is all in all whilest of him and by him meerely by his gift we are whatsoeuer we are towards him so that although k De grat lib. arbâ—t cap. 16. Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit vt velimus c. Certum est nos facere cùm facimus sedille facit vt faciamus c we will and we worke and we walke and we runne yet it is God that worketh in vs to will and to worke and to walke and to runne and in all these things we haue nothing but what we haue of him that there may be no exception to the Apostles question l 1. Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou haue receiued it why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not receiued it But this grace Pelagius could by no meanes endure he thought it absurd that all should be ascribed to God and therefore would needes deuise a course of grace that might giue way to the Free will of man The contriuing of which course if we duly consider from point to point we shall see that it most fully correspondeth and accordeth to that doctrine of grace and Free will which is now taught in the Church of Rome onely the specialties thereof their schoole diuines haue directed them to expresse somewhat more distinctly then he hath done And first they tell vs of grace preuenting exciting and stirring vp whereby saith the councell without any desert of ours we are called that by his grace raising vs vp and helping vs we may be prepared to returne to our iustification Where we are to note M. Bishops errour in his owne principles who sundry times calleth the grace of first iustification * Of Iustification sect 32. Of Merits sect 1 c. the first grace forgetting that there is a former grace to which he himselfe referreth their workes of preparation and here bringeth the councell describing it as precedent to iustification But of this preuenting grace Costerus the Iesuite saith that m Coster de lib. arbit Haec gratia praeuenitas non est illa quae in anima nomina inhabitans usstuÌ„â—onstituâ—t filium Dei efficit sed impulsus tantùm motio sp sancti adhuc foris degentis qui stat ad ostrum eordis pulsans nondum admissus ad eius domicilium it is not that that dwelleth in the soule to make a man iust but it is onely the impulsion and motion of the holy Ghost being yet without and standing knocking at the doore of the heart not being as yet let in This he expresseth by the comparison of a friend finding a man in a deepe pit as before was sayd and perswading him by diuerse reasons to be willing to be pulled out Therefore Bellarmine saith that n Bellarm. de grat li arbit lib 6. cap. 15. Nihil est aeliud nâ—si suâ—sio quae non deterâ—t nat voluntatem sed inâ—linat per moduÌ„ proponentis obiecti it is but onely a perswading which doth not determine the will but inclineth it in manner of a propounding obiect This grace Pelagius describeth in this sort o Pelag apud a August cont Pelag. Celest lib. 1. cap. 10. Operatur in nobis velle quod bonum est velle quod sanctum est dum nos serrenis cupidit itibus deditor mutorum more animalium taentummede presentia diligeÌ„tes futurae gloriae magnitudine praeâ—â—orum pollicitatione succendit dum reuelatione sapientiae in desiderium dei stupentem suscitat voluntatem dum nobis suadet omne quod bonum est He worketh in vs to will that that is good to will that that is holy whilest finding vs giuen to earthly lusts and like bruit beasts louing onely present things note that he excludeth all former merits as the councell doth he enkindleth our minds with the greatnesse of the glorie to come and with promise of reward whilest by reuealing his wisedome he raiseth vp our astonished will to the desire and longing after God whilest he perswadeth and exhorteth vs to all good things And againe to the same purpose he saith p Ibid ca 7 Adiuuat nos Deus per doctrinam reuelationem suam dum cordis nostri oculos aperit dum nobis ne praesentibus occupemur futura demonstrat dum diaboli pandit insidiat dum nos multiformi
a conuiction of guilt of death incurred thereby and yet could yeeld no remedie against death being afterwards b Heb. 7.18 disanulled because of the weaknesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof so farre should we be from thinking that of the ceremoniall law it should be sayd Do this and thou shalt liue The yong man demandeth of Christ c Mat. 19.16 What good thing shall I do that I may haue eternall life Now looke of what law our Sauior answereth him as M. Bishop hath cited before d Vers 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements of the selfe same law doth he answer another to the same question vpon recitall of a briefe of the commandements e Luc. 10.28 This do and thou shalt liue namely of the morall law to which it hath reference f Leuit. 18.5 where it is first spoken as appeareth by that that followeth for declaration of it Of which also it is rehearsed by g Ezech. 18.11.13 c. Ezechiel the Prophet and is by the Apostle Saint Paul further alledged to shew the difference betwixt h Rom. 10.5 the Righteousnesse of the law and the Righteousnesse of faith Moses saith he this describeth the Righteousnesse of the lavv that the man vvhich doth these things shall liue thereby i Gal. 3.12 The lavv is not of faith but he that doth these things shall liue in them Of which law he saith k Rom. 3.20 By the lavv commeth the knowledge of sinne that it saith l Cap. 7. ver 7.16.22 Thou shalt not lust that he consenteth to it that it is good that he delighteth in it as touching the inner man that the m Cap. 13. v. 9. Gal. 5.14 summe thereof is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe all which doe vndeniably point out vnto vs the morall law as both n August de spir lit ca. 14. Saint Austine and o Hieron epist ad Ctesiphont Saint Hierome out of the same and such like places haue expresly affirmed Of the same law therefore he saith p Gal. 3.10 So manie as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euerie one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do them And because no man continueth in all he concludeth hereof q Ver. 11. cap. 2.16 that by the law no man is iustified in the sight of God that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified Now of the selfe same law doth he say that which M. Bishop hath cited for the cutting of his owne throat r Cap. 5.4 Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law thereby teaching vs to resolue that Iustification by Christ and Iustification by the worke of the law cannot possibly concurre in one Now whereas the Apostle for auouching Iustification onely by faith in Christ taketh it for a ground that no man fulfilleth the Righteousnesse of the law M. Bishop that he may be wholy thwart and crosse vnto him affirmeth that by the helpe of Gods grace men are made able to fulfill the law to be iustified thereby Against which assertion to proue that the Righteousnesse of the regenerate and faithfull is not such as that it can answer the iustice and Righteousnesse required in the law M. Perkins alledgeth the common confession of all endited by the Prophet Esay Å¿ Esa 64.6 All our Righteousnesse is as a menstruous or defiled cloth For if the Righteousnesse commaunded by the law be most exact and perfect and no righteousnesse is performed by vs but what by our weaknesse and corruption is blemished and stained then can no righteousnesse of ours satisfie the commandement of the law But M. Bishop answereth that the Prophet speaketh these words in the person of the wicked of that nation and that time and therefore that they are madly applied vnto the righteous Where a man would wonder that he should be so mad as to imagine that prayer to be vttered in the person of wicked men or that wicked men should make mention or any their Righteousnesse vnto God And as for the time it fitteth not the age wherein the Prophet himselfe liued but was prophetically written in respect of a time long after succeeding He foresaw in the spirit the desolation of Ierusalem and the temple and that whole land and thereupon putteth himselfe into the person of the faithfull and maketh himselfe as one of them that should liue at that time This is verie apparent by the Prophets words t Vers 10. Thine holy cities lye wast Sion is a wildernesse and Ierusalem a desert The house of our sanctuarie and of our glorie where our fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are vvasted This prayer then was to serue for a direction to the faithfull that then should be to make their mone vnto God and to intreat mercie at his hands And very answerable to this propheticall prayer is the prayer of the Prophet Daniel made presently at that time For whereas M. Bishop to proue that the Prophet speaketh in the person of the wicked alledgeth those words u Esa 64 5. Lo thou hast bene angrie for we haue offended and haue euer bene in sinne the Prophet Daniel likewise saith x Dan 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly y Vers 7. O Lord Righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame z Vers 10. We haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his wayes c. And whereas he alledgeth the other words a Esa 64.7 There is no man that calleth vpon thy name and standeth vp to take hold of thee the Prophet Daniel in like sort saith b Dan. 9.13 We haue not made our prayer before the Lord our God Both of them say We haue offended We haue sinned We haue not prayed as shewing plainely that they so spake of other men as that they implied themselues also Nay saith M. Bishop that is but the manner of Preachers and specially of such as become Intercessours for others who vse to speake in the persons of them for whom they sue Where he maketh the holy Prophets and seruants of God as verie hypocrites to God as he himselfe is as if they tooke vpon them to accuse themselues to God when they intended nothing lesse But to driue him out of this hole the Prophet Daniel saith of himselfe that in that prayer c Dan. 9.20 he confessed his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his people and why should Daniel the Prophet be sayd to confesse his owne sinnes and not the Prophet Esay or those iust and faithfull in whose person Esay spake Nay both the one and the other spake out of the true affection of the faithfull at all times who alwayes find in themselues defects and defaults whereby they find iust
How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice Heb. 11.7 which is by faith What faith had he That by Christs Righteousnesse he was assured of Saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of iustice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans What faith he was iustified by let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith Rom. cap. 4. hath these words He contrarie to hope beleeueth in hope that he might be made the father of manie Nations according to that which was sayd vnto him So shall thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne bodie now quite dead whereas he was almost an hundreth yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthened in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to do therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Lo because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was iustified The Centurions faith was verie pleasing vnto our Sauiour who sayd in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israel What faith was that Marrie that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed S. Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highly rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Math. 16. Then that our Sauiour was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great Secretarie of the holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell These things Iohn 20. saith he are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth verie well Rom. 10. saying This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from death 1. Cor. 15 thou shalt be saued And in another place I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vaine What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the Creed is that iustifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in Saint Paul nor any other place of holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we apply Christs Righteousnesse to our selues and assure our selues of our saluation is either a iustifying or any Christian mans faith but the verie naturall act of that vgly Monster presumption which being layd as the verie corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humilitie and deuotion can they build vpon it R. ABBOT What the reason was why M. Perkins here propounded no obiections of the Papists M. Bishop might haue conceiued because he had a Chap. 3. Of the Certaintie of Saluation before noted and confuted the best that are alledged by them If he had not so done yet it should not be likely that he had therefore omitted them because he knew not how to answer them because this which M. Bishop bringeth for their principall reason is but a verie weake and simple reason The thing that he would proue thereby is that iustifying faith is that Catholike faith as he calleth it whereby we beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed He abuseth the name of Catholike faith whereby hath bene wont to be imported the true and sound doctrine of the Catholike Church comprised in bookes taught in Pulpits and schooles professed by the mouth which a man may preach to others and himselfe be voide of iustifying faith Thus Vigilius saith hauing discoursed of some points of doctrine b Vigil cont Eutych lib. 1. Haec est fides professio Catholica quam Apostoli tradiderunt Martyres roborauerunt fideles hucusque custodiunt This is the Catholike faith and profession which the Apostles deliuered the Martyrs haue confirmed and the faithfull keepe vntill this day Iustifying faith is the priuate act of the heart and conscience of the man that is iustified which though it be grounded and built vpon it yet cannot but absurdly be termed the Catholike faith But M. Bishop perhaps by Catholike faith meaneth that iustifying faith whereby he and his fellow Catholikes must hope to be iustified By which meanes he hath matched the diuel with himselfe and his Catholikes and hath made him a Catholike For if it be the only faith of a Catholike to beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed what hindereth the diuell to be a Catholike seeing he beleeueth and to his griefe well knoweth that all is true that is reuealed by God This is that which we rightly call historicall faith the obiect whereof is the word of God in generall and it is no more but credere Deo to beleeue God in that which he speaketh which is incident to diuels and damned men This historicall faith is presupposed and included in iustifying faith but the proper obiect of iustifying saith is c 2. Cor. 5.19 God in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe or the promise of Gods mercie to vs in Christ Iesus whereby we do not onely beleeue the promise in generall to be true but do trust in God and expect good at his hands according to that promise for Christs sake This faith therefore is called d Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 the faith of Christ that is whereby we beleeue in Christ and is further expressed to be e Act. 3.16 faith in his name f Rom. 3.25 faith in his bloud Of which S. Austin saith g August in Ioan. tract 35. Fides Christi est credere in eum qui iustificat impium credere in mediatorem sine quo interposito non reconciliamur Deâ— credere in saluatorem qui venit quod perterat quaerâ—re atque saluare c. The faith of Christ is to beleeue in him that iustifieth the vngodly to beleeue in the Mediator without
to bestow his grace vpon vs as I haue shewed a Sect. 21. before Therefore he doth not direct the words of S. Paul onely against merits but simply against works that he affirmeth b August li. 83. quaest 76. Vt nemo meritu priorum bonoruÌ„ operuÌ„ arbitrotur se ad donum iustificationis peruenisse Dicit posse homineÌ„ sine operibus praecedentibus iustificari per fideÌ„ Dicit de operibus quae fidem praecedunt a man to be iustified without workes precedent or going before that he teacheth that not for any good worke past a man attaineth to the iustification of faith that a man is not iustified by workes that go before faith meaning by faith not a faith which is before iustification but the faith in which our iustification is begun as appeareth very plainly by that that he saith in another place c Jdem de verb. Apost ser 16. Si iustitiae nihil habemus nec fidem habemus Si fideÌ„ habemus iam aliquid habemus iustitiae If we haue no righteousnesse we haue no faith but if we haue faith we haue also some part of righteousnesse alreadie And thus perpetually he excludeth all workes going before iustification from being any causes thereof and still maketh iustification the beginning of all good workes so as that d Idem epist 46. Sine illa cogitare aliquid vel agere secunduÌ„ Deum vlla ratione omninò noÌ„ possumus without the grace of God which with him is no other but the grace e Epist 105. Istam gratiam commendat Apostolus qua iustificati sumus vt homines iusti essemus whereby we are iustified we can in no sort thinke or do any thing according vnto God Of M. Bishops vertuous dispositions before iustification he neuer speaketh word nor euer giueth intimation of any such nay he condemneth the Pelagians for affirming the same as we haue seene in the question of f Sect. 5. Free will 33. W. BISHOP Now to his second reason If you be circumcised Gal. 5. you are bound to the whole law Hence thus he argueth If a mâ—n will be iustified by workes he is bound to fulfill the whole law according to the rigour of it That is Paules ground But no man can fulfill the law according vnto the rigour of it ergo No man can be iustified by workes He that can apply the text prefixed vnto any part of the argument Erit mihi magnus Apollo Saint Paul onely saith in these words That if you be circumcised yee are bound to keepe the whole law of Moses Maister Perkins That if a man will be iustified by workes he must fulfill the rigour of the law Which are as iust as Germains lips as they say But M. Perkins sayes that it is Saint Paules ground but he is much deceiued for the Apostles ground is this That circumcision is as it were a profession of Iudaisme and therefore he that would be circumcized did make himselfe subiect vnto the whole law of the Iewes Of the possibilities of fulfilling the law because M. Perkins toucheth so often that string shall be treated in a distinct question as soone as I haue dispatched this R. ABBOT The force of the sentence alledged that a Gal. 5.3 he that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law dependeth vpon the verse going before and that that followeth after He saith before b Ver. 2. If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing by one particular giuing to vnderstand what was to be conceiued of the rest that c August cont Faust Man lib. 19. cap. 17. Certa pernicies si in huiusmodi legis operibus putareÌ„t suam spem salutemque continerâ— it was certaine destruction for them to thinke that their hope and saluation was contained in such workes of the law because thereby they were secluded from hauing any benefit in Christ Which as he hath namely spoken of circumcision as being a speciall matter then spoken of so he saith it in the verse after of the whole law d Ver. 4. Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace If then in any part of the law a man seeke to be iustified he is thereby voided of the grace of Christ Being abandoned from Christ and his grace he hath no meanes of iustification and saluation but by the law He cannot be iustified by the law but by perfect obseruing of it because it is said e Cap. 3.10 Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do them What then is said of circumcision belongeth to all the workes of the law He that seeketh to be iustified by the workes of the law he is bound fully and perfectly to obserue the same and if he be any where a trespasser he cannot be iustified by the law And rightly doth M. Perkins say that this is the ground of that which the Apostle saith of circumcision as he shall well perceiue that obserueth how through the whole Epistle he disputeth generally against iustificatioÌ„ by the law to disprooue the doctrine of the false Apostles vrging for iustification circumcision and other ceremonies of the law Therefore in the words alledged this argument is implied He that wil be iustified by the law is bound to fulfill the whole law He that seeketh to be iustified by circumcision seeketh to be iustified by the law he is therefore bound to the perfect obseruation of the whole law As for that which M. Bishop saith that circumcision is as it were a profession of Iudaisme it is a very idle and sleeuelesse answer For what is Iudaisme but a profession of iustification by the law the Iewes f Rom. 932. seeking righteousnesse not by faith but as it were by the workes of the lâ—w Circumcision therefore is a profession of iustification by the law against which the Apostles ground is as hath bene said that he that professeth to be iustified by the law doth tie himselfe to obserue it without any breach being by the law guilty of death if he be found to transgresse in any sort Now that there is no ablenesse in vs to fulfill the law so as to be iustified thereby it shall appeare God willing in the place where Maister Bishop promiseth to treate thereof 34. W. BISHOP M. Perkins third argument Election to saluation is of grace without workes wherefore the iustification of a sinner is of grace alone without workes because election is the cause of iustification Answer That election is of grace without workes done of our owne simple forces or without the workes of Moses law but not without prouision of good works issuing out of faith and the helpe of Gods grace as shall be handled more largely in the question of merits R. ABBOT Here M. Bishop to answer the argument auoucheth a plaine point of Pelagianisme that Gods election is vpon foresight of
de proposito Dei firmior suppetit securiorque gloriandi ratio c. NoÌ„ est quòd iam quae ras quibus meritis speremus bona praesertim cùm audias apud prophetam Non propter vos c. Ezec. 36. Sufficit ad meritum scire quòd non sufficiunt merita c. Merita habere cures habita data noueru fructum speraueris misericordiam Dei c. Perniciosa paupertas meritorum penuria est To what end is the Church carefull as touching merites which hath a more sure and secure ground of reioycing by reason of the purpose of God It is not for thee to aske by what merits we hope for good things seeing thou hearest by the Prophet Not for your sakes but for mine owne sake will I do it saith the Lord. It sufficeth for merite to know that merits are not sufficient Be carefull to haue merits when thou hast them know them to be giuen thee but for fruite thereof hope for the mercie of God The waâ—t of merits is a pernicious pouertie Thus vnder the name of merites he commendeth the hauing of good workes and our care to be rich therein shewing that it is a pernicious want to be destitute thereof and to be men fruitlesse in the Church of God But yet when we haue them he teacheth vs to conceiue the vnsufficiency thereof and to rest the expectation of the fruit and reward thereof onely vpon Gods mercie who hath promised to performe it not for our sakes but for his owne sake and so fully bereaueth them of that nature of merite which M. Bishop doth assigne vnto them Thus doth he euery where giue vs to vnderstand his mind g Ibid. ser 61. Meritum meum miseratio domini My merit saith he is the mercie of the Lord. h Ibi. ser 73. Opus habent sancti pro peccatis exorare vt de misericordia salui fiant propriae iustitiae non fidentes Euen the Saints haue need to intreate for their sinnes that by thy mercie they may be saued not trusting to their owne righteousnesse And againe i In Psal Qui habitat ser 1. Periculosa habitatio illorum qui in meritu suiâ— sperant periculosa quia ruinosa Dangerous is the dwelling of them that trust in their owne merit it is dangerous because it is ruinous k Ibi. ser 16. Hoc totum hominiâ— meritum si totam spem suam ponat in illo qui totum hominem saluuÌ„ fecit This is the whole merite of man to put his whole trust in him who hath wholly saued man Many other such like speeches of his might be alledged whereby M. Bishop may well take occasion to bethinke himselfe whether he haue not done S. Bernard wrong to make him a patron of the doctrine of merits which the Church of Rome now maintaineth Let him duly consider whether he haue done well to take a little aduantage of a scrap of a sermon and to vrge it contrary to the whole drift of the Author in that place and his perpetuall doctrine other where For conclusion we are assaulted with a whole generall Councell that saith neuer a word against vs. The Arausican Councell saith l Concil Arausic cap. 18. Debetur merces de bonis operibus si fiant sed gratia quae non debetur praecedit vt fiant Reward is due for good works if they be done but grace which is no due goeth before that they may be done Euen so say we we also confesse that there is a reward due vnto good workes which God taketh vpon him to owe vnto vs but we say it with that limitation that before we haue heard out of S. Austin from whom that Councell boroweth almost all that they haue set downe that m Supra sect 17 God hath made himselfe a debtor vnto vs not for any thing that he hath receiued of vs but by promising all things vnto vs. It is due then to the worke not simply in respect of the worke it selfe or for the merite and worth thereof but by vertue of the promise that God hath made to them that so worke And thus we are come to an end of M. Bishops antiquitie which we may see doth pitifully faile him in that out of all antiquitie he could bring no stronger proofes then he hath done his doctrine of merits being expresly thwarted by the most of them whom he hath brought for defence of it But as touching Antiquitie gentle Reader for thy further satisfaction and the better arming of thee if need require against the fraud of these vndermining Sophisters it shall not be amisse to aduertise thee thus much that as we do so did the auncient Fathers vpon diuers occasions speake diuersly of good workes and both their speeches and ours are always to be weighed according to the same occasions When there is cause to set forth the true and proper cause of our saluation they referre the same as we do to the free grace and mercy of God and wholly to his gift they vilifie as we do the workes and worth of men and acknowledge that there is nothing in vs in the confidence whereof we may offer our selues to God nothing in strength whereof we can stand before God or whereby we should merite and deserue any thing at Gods hands Here workes are considered meerly as they are and as God instrict and precise iudgement findeth them to be and therefore are pronounced of accordingly But when occasion requireth to speake only of good works and of the end thereof and we look no further but to inforce a conscience of the way wherein God hath called vs to walke to that saluation that he hath promised or when we haue in hand to commend any speciall point of godly and vertuous conuersation we presse the same with all instance as the Fathers do we shew how necessarily God requireth the workes of our obedience how graciously he vouchsafeth in mercie to accept them how he hath promised of his bountie to reward them We forbeare not to say that eternall life is the stipend of our warfare the hire and wages of our workes that God hath not appointed heauen for idle persons and loiterers but for such as labor for it that because God rendereth heauen we must haue that whereto it is to be rendered if we haue not there is no heauen for vs. We say it is a crowne or garland win it and weare it it is a haruest labor for it if thou wilt enioy it it is a field of treasure if thou wilt possesse it thou must purchase it Such kind of speeches euery man may obserue who is either a hearer of our sermons or a reader of our bookes Now if any man will hereof conclude that we teach the merit of workes it is his ignorance and mistaking and he doth vs wrong We teach what followeth of what we teach the dependance and consequence of good life and eternall life of the work and
only We take it then for granted as indeed it cannot be denied that the Apostle here intended those things that are written but we wold heare an argument to proue that the Apostle meant any thing further that is not written If he might vse those words of those things that are written what hindreth but that he might vse them of those onely M. Bishop cannot proue that he did not so but we proue that he did so because in the next Chapter he telleth the same Timothy n 2. Tim. 3.15 The Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus Therefore M. Bishops proofes come much too short to giue vs any assurance that S. Paule by traditions vnderstood any thing but what is to be learned by the Scriptures 17. W. BISHOP The second argument for Traditions is this to beleeue that there be so many bookes of holy Scripture and no more and that those be they which are commonly taken so to be is very necessary to saluation now this is not to be found written in any place of holy Scripture but is receiued only by Tradition wherefore it is necessarie to saluation to beleeue some Tradition M. Perkins answereth that the bookes of the Old and New Testament be Scripture is not beleeued on bare Tradition but by the bookes themselues on this maner Let the man who is endued with the spirit of discerning reade the bookes and consider first the author of them who is God then the matter contained which is diuine the maner of speech which is full of maiestie in simple words lastly the end aymed at which is Gods honor and by this meanes he shall discerne any part of Scripture from the writings of men whatsoeuer Reply A wise and deepe obseruation I warrant you and well worthy a graue Author Let vs examine it briefly first he will haue his man endued with the spirit of discerning who shall indue him with that spirit M. P. seemeth to say that euery sheepe of Christ hath his spirit But S. Paule * 1. Cor. 12. teacheth plainely the contrarie that some certaine onely haue the iudgement to discerne And touching this matter of discerning which bookes are Canonicall which are not not the learnedst in the primitiue Church would take vpon him to discerne which they were three hundred yeares after Christ was left vndefined by the best learned whether the Catholike Epistles of S. Iames and Iude the second of S. Peter the second and third of Iohn and his Apocalypse were Canonicall or no as is confessed on all parts hath then euery Christian this spirit of discerning when the best Christians wanted it Who more profound more skilfull to discerne than that subtill and sharpe Doctor S. Augustine and yet the Protestants will not allow him the true spirit of discerning which bookes be Canonicall For he in diuers places of his workes * De doct Christ cap. 8. 18. de ciuit Dei 36. lib. 2. cont Epist Gaudent 23 holdeth the bookes of the Machabees to be Canonicall Scriptures and expresly proueth the booke of Wisedome so to be * De Praedest Sanct. 14. and yet our Protestants will not admit them See therefore how foolish and vaine his first rule is Come to the second His second is that he who goeth about to discerne whether the booke be Canonicall or no must consider the Author who is God If he must at the first take God to be the Author of the booke what needes any further labour it must needes be Canonicall that hath God for the Author This mans wits were surely from home when he discoursed thus and therefore it should be but folly to stand vpon his particularities let this one reason in generall serue to confute him all this manner put together serueth onely to helpe particular men to discerne which bookes are Canonicall who may easily after their diligent inquirie erre and be deceiued in this point because euery man is a lyar * Rom. 3. And if there be no more certaine meanes to assure them of this which is the ground of all their Religion then euery particular mans discretion and iudgement then out of doubt their whole Religion is most vnwisely builded vpon meane mens inuentions and discretion who also for the most part do neither vnderstand the language in which they were first penned nor the vsuall phrases of Scriptures translated that I say nothing of the figures parables prophecies and controuersies which seeme to be and many other difficulties and yet these men need not doubt hauing learned some halfe dozen lines of Master Perkins but that reading any booke they shall be able presently to discerne whether it be Canonicall or no. A goodly mockerie Men were not so taught in the Primitiue Church but the most skilfull and wisest in discerning Canonicall books trusted not vnto their owne iudgement but leaned alwaies vpon Apostolicall Traditions So did Cerapion an auncieni holy Writer as Eusebius reporteth reiect certaine bookes set out in the Apostles names because they had not receiued from their Predecessors any such The like doth Clement of Alexandria * Cap. 11. and that famous Origen * Cap. 19. of the same booke who obserue the Ecclesiasticall Canon as he had learned and receiued by Tradition So doth he deliuer his opinion of the foure Euangelists and other bookes of Canonicall Scripture and not relying on his owne wit which was excellent or learning which was singular in all manner of languages and matters That S. Augustine was of the same mind may be gathered out of these words of his * Lib. 35. cap. 6. Contra Faustum Of what booke can there be any assurance if the letters which the Church propagated by the Apostles and by such excellencie declared throughout all Nations doth teach and hold to be the Apostles should be vncertaine whether they be Apostles or no So that he maketh the declaration of the Church descended of the Apostles to be a sure pillar to rest vpon for the certaine knowledge of Canonicall Scripture and other spirits whatsoeuer if they follow not that rule to be reiected so farre is he off from encouraging euery sheepe of Christs fold to take that waightie matter vpon himselfe as M. P. doth And what can be more against the most prudent prouidence of the diuine wisedome then to permit euery one to be a iudge of the books of Canonicall Scripture For if al those books no other shold passe currāt for Canonical which any Christian taking vpon him the spirit of discerning would censure to be such then away with all the old Testament because diuers esteemed it to proceed of some euil spirits as witnesses Freueus * Lib 1. cap. 20. 21. 22. and Epiphanius * Haeres 6. 6. Yea not onely all the old must be abrogated but all the new also because it hath many falshoods mixed with the truth as some presuming greatly of their spirit
Thomas Aquinas his braines who seeing that that which he was to say for their other vowes could not well hang together if the promise of baptisme should be taken for a perfect vow hewed and pared the definition of a vow that it might be fitted for his turne Azorius the Iesuite telleth vs that e Azor. lib. 11. cap 14. Baptisma esse votū propriè dictum veteres Theologi cū magistro videntur sentire sed probabilius est quod scholastici alij tenent the auncient Diuines as also the Master of the Sentences seeme to thinke that baptisme is a vow properly and truly so called but saith he it is more probable which the rest of the Schoole-men hold Thus against the iudgement of the ancient Diuines they frame all things as they list and we must take euery of their blinde sophismes to be a certaine rule of truth But we refuse them to be our masters and chuse to follow that which the Church before them hath followed accounting all those things the matters of our vowes to God which were figured by those ceremonies and sacrifices which were vowed by the law euen all the spirituall sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing and al good works whereby we honor and glorifie almightie God all which according to our state of life we promise to God in baptisme and therefore do account that promise a vow because it containeth the spiritual substance of those ancient vows The compiler of the book of Sentences in S. Austins works hath frō one or other gathered this sentence f Sent. apud August to 3. in fine Quisquis benè cogitat quae voueat Deo quae vouendo persoluat seipsum voueat reddat Hoc exigiur hoc debetur Whosoeuer well bethinketh him what to vow to God and what in vowing to pay let him vow himselfe and pay himself This is required of God and this is due to God If this be the right conceit of a vow then the promise of baptisme is a vow and it is not true which M. Bishop saith that there is no vow properly so called of necessary duties because we vow that which God requireth and which is due to God Albeit for conclusion I am to aduertise thee gentle Reader that we make not the matter of vowes to consist onely in necessary duties that is such duties as God namely requireth of vs but that sometimes we vow those things which rest vpon our choise and whereof in particular we are commanded nothing For albeit God require thankfulnesse and dutie for the mercies which we haue receiued of him yet he hath not precisely set downe that by way of thanks a man should always do this or that but hath left the deuout and thankfull minde to cast and consider which way he may testifie the affection of his heart by doing some good worke whereof he hath vnderstanding by the word of God that it shal be acceptable vnto him Thus a man though not bound to it yet may vow to do seruice to God in the ministery of the Church and being a minister conceiuing his seruice in this or that sort to be profitable to the Church may by vowing himself thereto abridge himselfe of that libertie which otherwise he might enioy So may a man vow a part of his goods to the poore as g Luke 19.8 Zacheus did when as by no commaundement he is vrged so to do The like may men do for the building and endowing of Schools Hospitals Colledges and such other godly charitable vses when yet these things by precept are not necessarily layd vpō them Yea neither do we question but that a man vpon good grounds and so long as he shal not therby be h 1. Cor. 7.35 intangled in a snare may priuatly vow vnto God a single life to the end that he may the more commodiously apply himselfe to the seruice of i Mat. 19.12 the kingdome of God this vow being conditionall only so far as it shal be seconded with the gift of God and so long as it shal stand with peace of conscience towards him In these such like is the true imitation of the outward ceremony of the law wherin men were at their liberty whether to vow or not works wherof generally we haue warrant by the word of God but whereof in particular there is no necessitie imposed vpon vs being left vnto vs at large thereby freely and voluntarily to exercise our zeale and deuotion towards God Wherin notwithstanding we are to remember that caution that Chrysostome giueth k Chrysos in psal 49. Si quis autē exactè perpenderit etsi minimè promittatur virtus tamen ei debetur Id Christus fignificans dicebat Quae debuimus facere fecimus If a man exactly weigh the matter our vertues are due to God albeit they be not promised or vowed which Christ signifieth when he saith We haue done that that was our dutie to do For seeing we are bound l Luke 10.17 to loue the Lord our God with all our hart with al our soule with all our mind with al our strength we must conceiue that though nothing be directed vnto vs in particular as touching the necessity of such or such a worke yet in the generall we do nothing therein but what we owe to God because whatsoeuer is within vs or whatsoeuer is without vs we owe all to him Yea and the vow of our baptisme doth after a sort containe all these other vowes in that being there consecrated wholy to God we vndertake thereby to take all occasions and oportunities to do honor vnto God As for popish vows being as they are for the most part brainsick idle fancies such as whereof neither in the general nor in the particular we haue any testimonie from God that they are accepted in his sight they are onely apish counterfeits of those legall and ceremoniall vowes but do no way carrie the true resemblance of them nor that life of spirituall worship and seruice that was shadowed thereby 2. W. BISHOP The second point of our supposed consent is that Vowes were some part of Gods worship in Moses law but are not so in the Gospell which we also deny M. Perk. proues his assertion thus Vows belonged to the ceremonies of Moses law but all those ceremonies are abolished by Christs passion Ans That Vowes in thēselues were no part of the ceremonies of Moses law but true parts of the worship of God in all estates as well in the state of nature and the Gospel as in Moses law but this point M. Perk. handleth againe in the first point of our difference where it shall be discussed Thirdly he saith that speciall vowes may be made in the new law to performe some bodily exercise for some good end as to fast to taske our selues to prayers or study of holy Scripture and such like but many rules must then be obscrued that we vow an honest thing agreeable to
h Luk. 12 21. So is euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God Wo be to them that are rich in this world and are not rich in God but a man may be rich in this world yet rich in God also by acknowledging spiritually his owne pouerty in himself and receiuing all things of Gods mercy Seeing therefore a man may be rich according to this world and yet none of them to whom Christ saith Wo be to rich men surely nothing hindereth but that a man may be rich and yet may be one of those poore whom Christ pronounceth to be blessed and therfore M. Bishops argument is idle and proueth nothing lesse then that Christs sentence is to be vnderstood of voluntary pouertie so that still it remaineth good that the vow of pouerty and beggery is the voluntary casting away of the blessing of God and the vndertaking of his curse 20. W. BISHOP Thus M. Perkins his texts of Scripture against pouertie failing him he fetcheth about another way saying that it is a rule of the holy Ghost He that will not labour namely in some speciall and warrantable calling must not eate * Thess 2. Ans I allow both the text and the glosse and find nothing there against religious persons whose calling is speciall perfect and therefore best warrantable not so saith he because they giue thēselues to prayer fasting What a profane stupiditie is this Is not a life giuen to prayer and fasting agreeable to the wil of God and lawes of his church albeit many religious men do ouer and besides very great seruices to Gods church in preaching teaching and writing of most learned books But suppose they did nothing else but fast and pray did they not very well deserue their sustenance yes much better then they which trauell all the yeare about the prouiding of it For in vaine do men labor if God blesse not their worke with seasonable weather which he doth rather at the prayer and instance of such good innocent soules that are to be fed with it then for the Plough-mans owne labors sake And if by their fasting watching and such like afflictions of their bodies they do partly satisfie for our superfluous pampering of the flesh and teach vs by their good example to bridle and correct it do they not deserue at our hands bodily sustenance And who better performes all duties of the second table then they being most obedient to all their superiours and not hurting their neighbour in life person or any maner of their goods And so in their seuerall callings offend no honest men and do much good both vnto the Church and Common-wealth R. ABBOT If S. Paul whē he said a 2. Thess 3.10 He that wil not labor let him not eate did take praying to be laboring then the Messalians had as wel to answer for themselues as the begging Friers because they took as great paines in praying as the begging Friers cā do yea those idle loiterers concerning whō the Apostle speaketh had sufficient to answer for them selues that there was reason for them to eate because they did pray Surely M. Bishop is a good proctor for such thriftles drones who wil be content to pray apace as much as the Friers do if that may be reckned a labor for which to require their meate But praier is a cōmon duty seruice of all callings not a distinct labor of any one Till M. Bish blotted this paper I think it was neuer read that praier fasting was a calling saue only in the conceit of those Euchites or Messalians of whō I spake albeit they indeed fasted not But wheras M. Perkins saith that men liuing apart giuing themselues only to praier and fasting do liue in no calling M. Bishop because he cannot proue the contrary beggeth it What a profane stupiditie is this saith he Is not a life giuen to prayer and fasting put in as it should be only to prayer and fasting agreeable to the wil of God and lawes of his Church You should not haue asked the question M. Bishop but haue proued it so to be because therin stood the question which it was your stupidity not to see The argument propoundeth to you that it is necessary for euery man to labor in some calling that he may haue according to Gods ordināce wherof to eate It alledgeth that to liue apart to be giuen only to praier fasting is not to labor in a calling and do you answer al with Is it not so To make vp the matter he addeth that many religious men do ouer and beside very great seruices to Gods church in preaching teaching and writing of most learned books Ye say wel M. Bishop such mē because they labor may iustly eate but these matters are accidental and their vow religion may stand without them and therfore the matter is not answered by them I admit that which he saith but there might here worthy stories be told of the preachings of their Friers of all sorts But M. Bishop himselfe knowing that this is but impertinent goeth on Suppose they did nothing else but fast and pray did they not very well deserue their sustenance If they did nothing but fast pray it should be with them according to the Apostles rule because then they should eate nothing But now beside fasting and praying they eate also which the Apostle sayth they should not do because they do not worke They fast a little that they may eate enough and there is no idle lozell but would be content with their fasting so that he may haue their diet otherwise In a word M. Bishop may keepe his opinion to him selfe but the Apostle sufficiently teacheth vs that because they labour not therefore they do not so well deserue sustenance as they who labour all the yeare for the prouiding of it As for the blessing of God it dependeth not vpon the prayers of such who haue no warrant for the state of life wherein they pray and the ploughmans prayer is more acceptable to God then theirs because he followeth that rule of life which God hath taught who neuer prescribed any rule of Monkish trade Good innocent soules saith he whereas by all stories it appeareth that there hath not bene a more stinking vermine vpon the earth euen some of their owne men haue discouered them so to be But M. Bishop is not satisfied vnlesse to folly he adde blasphemie saying that they satisfie for our superfluous pampering of the flesh Impious man Christ is the satisfaction for our sins what haue we to do with the satisfactions of wretched men who damnably sinne in those things wherein they take vpon them to satisfie for others sins And what M. Bishop is there any superfluous pampering of the flesh to be found amongst you Alas how haue ye deceiued vs all this while We thought that you had bene nothing but spirit and that superfluous pampering of the
a maintainer of the true faith be must needes be a scatterer He could not be of Christ that refused them that tooke part with Christ and therefore must be of Antichrist In this respect he renounced Vitalis Milesius and Paulinus because n Erasm schol ibid. they were all either knowne or suspected to be partakers of the heresie of Arius and therefore very deceitfully doth M. Bishop alledge that he would not set vp his rest with his owne Bishop Paulinus who was no meane man but the Patriarch of Antioch as hereby to adde a superioritie to the Bishop of Rome when as there was otherwise so apparant cause why he should refuse so to do In all this therefore Hierome saith no more of the Bishop and Church of Rome then he might haue said of any other Bishop and Church professing true faith and doctrine as the Church of Rome then did but very farre was he from teaching or intending any perpetuall necessitie that all Churches for euer should conforme themselues to the Church of Rome And that he neuer had any such meaning let it appeare by himselfe when being vrged with the example of the Church of Rome he answereth o Hieron Epist. ad Euagr. Quid mihi profers vntus vrbis consuetudinem quid paucitatem de qua ortum est supercilium in leges Ecclesiae vindicas What dost thou bring to me the custome of one citie why dost thou maintaine a paucitie or fewnesse whence hath growne proud vsurping vpon the lawes of the Church He had said a little before p Ibid. Si autoritas quaeritur orbis maior est vrbe Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue CoÌ„stantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanis eiusdem meriti est eiusdeÌ„ sacerdotij Potentia diuitiaruÌ„ pauperiatis humilitas sâ—l linuorem vel inferiorem EpiscopuÌ„ non facit caeterùm omnes Apostolorum successores sunt If we demaund authority the world is greater then the citie Wheresoeuer a Bishop be whether of Rome or of Eugubium whether at Constantinople or at Rhegium whether at Alexandria or at Tanes he is of the same worth and of the same office of Bishopricke Power of wealth or basenesse of pouertie maketh a Bishop neither higher nor lower but they are all successors of the Apostles Thus he spake purposely in derogation of the Church of Rome charging the same with proud domineering ouer the lawes of the Church affirming the authoritie of the Churches through the world to be greater then the authority of the Church of Rome attributing to euery Bishop of whatsoeuer place equalitie in office with the Bishop of Rome because all are alike successors of the Apostles Yea and to shew that the Church of Rome receiued no more by Peter then other Churches did by the rest of the Apostles he saith in another place that q Idem adu Iouin lib. 1. At dicis super PetruÌ„ fit datur Ecclesia liceta idipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti claues regni coelerum accipiant ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur the Church is built vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is equally grounded vpon them Whereby it plainely appeareth that Hierome neuer meant to make the Church of Rome any such perpetuall Mistris and ruler of other Churches as M. Bishop dreameth her to be Yea but S. Ambrose further saith I desire in all things to follow the Church of Rome But why did M. Bishop giue ouer there not adde also that that followeth r Ambros de Sacram lib. 3. cap. â— In omnibus cupio sequi Romanâ—m Ecclesiam sed tamen nos homines sensum habentus ideo quod alibi rectiùs seruatur nos rectè custodimus I desire saith he in all things to follow the Church of Rome but yet we are also men that haue vnderstanding and therefore what is more rightly obserued otherwhere we also iustly obserue the same S. Ambrose being Bishop of Millaine not farre from Rome sheweth that he yeelded a reuerend respect vnto the Church of Rome but yet professeth that things might be better in other places then they were at Rome and that his Church of Millaine had vnderstanding to iudge what was fit aswell as the Church of Rome and therefore that they held not themselues tyed by any necessarie dutie to the example thereof but would do what they thought more rightly performed in any other Church Now then what shall we thinke of M. Bishop who thus shamefully seeketh to blind his reader by alledging one part of a sentence for his purpose when the other part thereof expresly crosseth that for which he alledgeth it And thus much concerning M. Bishops answer to M. Perkins Prologue For the rest I will God willing follow him in like sort steppe by steppe according to his owne words in more honest and faithfull manner then he hath dealt with M. Perkins and that in such sort I hope as that the meaner learned shall vnderstand that the learning which he would teach them is naught and the more iudicious shall be able to iudge that it is a very bad cause to which the marrow and pith of many large volumes can yeeld no better defence then he hath brought CHAPTER 1. OF FREE WILL. 1. W. BISHOP THat I be not thought captious but willing to admit any thing that M. Perkins hath sayd agreeable to the truth I will let his whole text in places indifferent passe paring off onely superfluous words with adding some annotations where it shall be needfull and rest onely vpon the points in controuersie First then concerning Free will wherewith he beginneth thus he saith Free will both by them and vs is taken for a mixt power in the mind and will of man whereby discerning what is good and what is euill he doth accordingly chuse or refuse the same Annot. If we would speake formally it is not a mixt power in the mind and will but is a free facultie of the mind and will onely whereby we chuse or refuse supposing in the vnderstanding a knowledge of the same before But let this definition passe as more popular M. Perkins 1. Conclusion Man must be considered in a fourefold estate as he was created as he was corrupted as he is renued as he shall be glorified In the first state we ascribe vnto mans will libertie of nature in which he could will or will either good or euill note that this libertie proceeded not from his owne nature but of originall Iustice in which he was created In the third libertie of grace in the last libertie of glorie Annot. Cary this in mind that here he granteth man in the state of grace to haue Free will R. ABBOT MAister Bishop here dealeth as iuglers are wont to do who make shew of faire play when they vse nothing but
legerdemaine He will not be thought captious and yet for two whole pages here in the beginning is nothing but captious His â—â—â—ing the text of M. Perkins his booke to passe whole in places indifferent is nothing but a dismembring and mangling of the text His paring off onely of superfluous words is the paring off of such arguments and authorities as he knew not how to answer His adding of annotations the sophisticating of his reader with idle and friuolous corrections His resting onely vpon points of controuersie the wresting of those things to controuersie whereof there is no controuersie at all M. Perkins defineth Freewill to be a mixt power of the minde and will of man whereby esteeming what is good and what is euill he doth accordingly chuse or refuse the same A little to please himselfe hee giueth a snatch at this definition of Free will as not formal enough onely to shew himselfe more formall then wise the definition being more fitly expressed then that which he hath put in place of it and he honestly is content because it is more popular to let it passe Whereas M. Perkins in his first conclusion affirmeth in the first estate of man as he was created a libertie of nature M. Bishop giueth thereof this learned note that this libertie preceeded not from mans owne nature but from originall iustice wherein he was created as if he should say that the shining of the Sunne proceedeth not from the nature of the Sunne but from the light of it whereas the light is a part of the nature of the Sunne as was originall iustice a part of the nature of man being the a Ephes 4.24 image and likenesse of God in which and according to which he was created And to say that Free will did proceed from originall iustice is wholy against himselfe because it must thereof follow that in the fall of originall iustice must needs be implied the losse of Free wil which cannot stand without that from which it doth proceed so that man in his fall must necessarily be sayd to haue lost his Free will But he should rather haue sayd that God gaue vnto man Free will as the steward and disposer of originall iustice and righteousnesse and as b Tertul adu Marcion lib. 2. Libertas potestas arbitrij quasi ubripens emancipatia deo boni the ballance to turne either to or fro the benefit that God had put into the hands and power of man In the third estate of man as he is renewed M. Perkins affirmeth libertie of grace Carry this in minde saith M. Bishop that here he granteth man in the state of grace to haue Free will As though either he or any of vs had made question thereof who all acknowledge by the Gospell that it is the worke of Christ c Iohn 8.36 to make vs free d Rom 6 18. free from sinne e Cap. 8.21 free from the bondage of corruption that in holinesse wee may bee seruants vnto God Nay that the reader may the more cleerly conceiue the truth of this whole matter we deny not Free will in any estate of man For it is true which S. Austin saith f August de ciuit dei lib 5. cap. 10. Necesse est esse vt cùm volumus libero velimus arbitrio that whatsoeuer we will we will the same by Free will because the will is not subiect to compulsion but willeth alwayes freely and of it owne accord or else looseth the nature and name of will Which freedome of will by originall institution stood indifferent either to good or euill yet was not to continue so but vpon election once made to be free onely in that whereto of it selfe it should betake it selfe free onely in euill if it should apply it selfe to euill free only in good if it should make choise to continue therein Therefore the Angels which kept their originall habitation and estate haue their g Bernard de grat liâ— arb Angeli sancti ita sunt boni vt non possuit esse â—â—ali Free wil by Gods election and grace stablished in goodnes so that it is not inclineable to any thing that is euill But the Angels which sinned and abode not in the truth haue their Free will by it selfe and of it selfe h Ibâ—d praeuaricatores angeli ita sunt mali vt 〈◊〉 non valeant esse boni obdured and hardened in that that is euill so that it is not at all appliable to any thing that is good Man therefore by sinne hath not lost Free will for by i August cont 2. epist Pelag. lib. 1. cap 2 Liberum arbitrium vsque aâ—â—o in peccatore non perijâ— vt per illud peccant maximè omnes qui cum delectatione peccant lib. 3. ca. 8 Non nisi ad peccatuâ— vâ—let Free wil it is that now he sinneth yea and can nothing but sinne But this Free will that is thus free in sinne hath no freedome at all as S. Austin in sundry places expresseth to righteousnesse and to the seruice of God vntill it be rectified and made free by Iesus Christ no freedome or power at all but what is newly and meerely k Idem de peccat mer. rem lib. 2. cap. 6. Ipsum liberum arbitrium ad dei gratiam hoc est ad Dei dona pertinere non ambigens c. the grace and gift of God Therfore hauing affirmed the freedome of the will to sinne he addeth that l Cont 2. epist Pelag. l. 3. cap. 8. Ad iustitiam nisi diuinitùs liberatum aduitumque non valet to righteousnesse but as it is made free and helped of God it auaileth nothing m Ibid. lib. 4 ca. 8 Quid mihi obiâ—â—dâ—s liberum arbitrium quod ad faciendam iustitiam liberum non erit nisi ouis fuerit Qui facit igitur òues homines ipse ad obedientiam pietatie humanas liberat voluntates What tellest thou me of Free will saith he which to the doing of righteousnesse shall not be free except thou become a sheepe of Gods he then who of men maketh his sheepe euen he maketh the wils of men Free to the obedience of godlinesse n Epist 107. Liberum arbitrium ad diligendum Deum primi peccati granditate perdidimus antea Gratia nostrum ad de linandum à malo faciendum bonum liberatur arbitrium We lost free will to loue God by the greatnesse of the first sinne saith he but by grace our will is made free to decline from euill and do good So then we do not deny Free will to be righteousnesse but yet we haue regard to that caution which S. Austin giueth against Pelagians and Papists o Ibid. si verè volumus defenders liberum arbitrium non oppugnemus vâ—de â—ic liberum if wee will defend Free will aright not to oppugne that whence it is made free What p Cont. 2. ep Pelag. l. 4