workes good or euill that God foresaw he should do he is deceiued likewise and the former difficulties return vpon him For the most iudicious and learned in the Church of Rome are of the same minde Touching election there are e Magist 1. d. 41 ibi Occham Aâ—im Camerac Capreol Dur. Mayro alij Bell. de gr lib. arb l. 2. c. 10. Valent. tom 1. p. 364. Tolet. in Rom. 9. few but grant it is of the free mercie of God without any respect to our merits f Tract de Praedest l. 1 p. 38. And Catharinus saith the contrarie is Pelagianisme and deserueth to be hissed at Touching reprobation the opinion is more currant that it should passe vpon the foresight of sinne which God beheld in the wicked But this in reprobation negatiue especially is also crossed by the g Altisio l. 1. c. 9 qu. 1. 2. Arim. Dur. Camerac Capreol vbi supra Tho. contra Gentil l. 3. c. 161. 163. lect 2. in Rom. 9 chiefest Schoolmen that euer writ and h Bell. vbi supra c 16. Valent. tom 1. p. 404. Tolet. vbi supra the Iesuites themselues shrinke from it Ariminensis saith No man is reprobated because of the euill vse of his freewill or finall resistance of grace which God foresaw in him i Part. 1. q 23. art 5. Dominus Bannes confuteth them that hold otherwise and saith that considering the reprobate absolutely there can no cause or reason of their reprobation be giuen on their own behalfe But all the effects of reprobation are ordinated to this one end to shew the iustice of God and his mercie towards the elect Our aduersaries therefore communicating with vs in our doctrine touching the cause of reprobation are as guiltie of making men carelesse thereby as we 50 But I wonder most what should driue this Iesuite to say we make God the authour of sinne I know he might heare and reade the imputation laid vpon vs by k Posseuin bib select l. 8. c. 11. Bellar. de amis grat l. 2. c. 3. the Iesuites but it is very strange any man of vnderstanding should not discerne the foolery For I chalenge any man that listeth to trie it let him shew if he can that the Church of England holdeth any more touching this matter then the Papists themselues haue expresly written Occham saith l 2. q. 5. lit k. God is immediatly the first cause of all things produced by the second causes But of things euill he is the mediate cause in that he produceth and preserueth the creature that is the mediate cause of euill And m 3. q. 12. lit yy againe if we speake of the sinnes of commission not onely the will of the creature is the efficient cause of euery such act but euen God himselfe who immediatly causeth euery act And if you reply that then God should sinne by causing an act of such deformitie as the will of the creature sinnes when it causeth such an act I answer that God is debter to no man and therefore he is bound neither to cause that act nor the contrary nor yet not to cause it but the will of the creature by Gods law is bound not to cause the act and so consequently sinnes by doing it To the very same effect writeth n 2. d. 34. q. 1. art 3. Gregorius Ariminensis o Pag. 126. ad 7. addeth further that some Doctors of his time affirmed that albeit the sinfull act were of God yet the sinne was not which saying saith he may haue a good sence not by conceiuing the deformitie to be any thing distinct from the act which is not caused of God but vnderstanding that although the sinfull act be of God yet as it is sinfull it is not of God who doth nothing against that which right reason iudgeth should be done Cardinall Cameracensis p 1. q. 13. art 1. pag. 193. saith Many solemne Doctors confesse that God is the cause of sinne and that he can cause and will sinne Medina q Bartol Med. in 1 2 q 93. art 6. pag. 496. saith A sinner when he sinneth doth against the will and law of God in one sence and in another not He doth indeed against his signified will and against his precepts and prohibitions which by a figuratiue speech are called his will but against the will of his good pleasure he doth not nor against the effâ—ctuall ordination of God In the same manner r Mayr 2 d. 43. q 1. Duran 2. d. 37. q. 1 1. d. 46. q 2. Altisioâ— l. 2. p. 79. Feliâ— in decal pag. 69 Tâ—o in 9. Rom. write others and such as are busiest in accusing Luther and Caluin touching this point yet by strength of argument and euidence of the Scriptures are driuen to say Å¿ Bann 1. part q. 49. art 2. That no sinne falleth out beside the will and intention of God t Bell. de amiss grat l 2. c. 13. but that by a figure he commandeth it and exciteth men vnto it as a huntsman setteth the dog vpon a hare by letting go the slip that held the dogge God therefore not onely permitteth the wicked to do many euils neither doth he onely forsake the godly that they may be constrained to suffer the things done against them by the wicked but he also ouerseeth their euill wils and ruleth and gouerneth them and boweth and bendeth them by working inuisibly in them And not onely inclineth euill wils to one euill rather then another by permitting them to be caried into one euill and not permitting them to be caried into another but also positiuely he bendeth them by inclining them to one euill and turning them from another occasionally and morally c. Let our aduersaries looke well into these speeches and they shall finde we say in effect no more and if they will expound ours as gently as they do their owne there will appeare no difference 51 For we hold first in generall that u Ps 5.4 Habb 1.13 â—â—h 3 5. Zach 8.17 eccl 7 31. lac 1.13 God is not the author of sinne but the diuell and mans owne corrupt will the contrary whereof we defy as blasphemy Next more particularly we beleeue that God willeth nothing that is formally sin as he willeth that which is good but hateth it raâ—her whence it followeth that he inspireth it into no man neither doth he create any corruption in our will which was not there before but forbiddeth it absolutely x Esa 30.21 Rom. 2.15 within vs by the light of his Spirit y Deut. 27.26 without vs by the commandement and the first entrance of sinne into the world and the continuance of it in the world was by the voluntary action of mans will corrupting it selfe God infusing no euill into it That which he doth about and concerning sinne are three actions First as the vniuersall cause of all things z Act. 17.28 he sustaineth
Is it our doctrine of predestination Why you shall see presently the learned of their owne side teach it as we do Is it because we deny free will why they belie their owne knowledge they know we deny it but onely in part Is it because we teach God is the author of sinne why i Suar. Opusc l. 2. c. 2. their owne Iesuites confesse The Protestants know well that God intendeth not that which is formall in sinne himselfe nor inclineth the will of man that he should intend it Or is it finally because we hold some fatall necessitie constraining the will of man that he cannot do otherwise then he doth that so all care and consultation should be to no purpose Why we teach the contrary These and such like being malicious and base imputations deuised by men in their fury and desperate aduentures against vs to seduce the ignorant and to make our cause odious which euen their owne people would embrace if they knew it 44 For first touching Predestination we hold according to k Rom. 9. Eph. 1 4.5 1. Thes 5.9 2. Tim 2.20 1. Pet. 2 8. the Scripture that God from all eternitie before the world was made hath not onely foreseene all things that could be or should be vpon his appointment or permission but also by an vnchangeable decree hath fore-ordained all things and persons to certaine determinate ends for his owne glory and that neither the Saints were elected in Christ to infallible and perseuering grace and eternal glory for their foreseene righteousnes nor the reprobate refused or not elected to the same for their foreseene wickednesse but both the one and the other were predestinated to those their seuerall estates according to the couÌ„sell of Gods own will which was not moued therunto by any thing that he foresaw in the parties but most freely decreed it according to his owne pleasure and absolute dominion that he hath ouer the creature And this decree of Gods will is the first and highest mouer of all other wils and things in the creature wherupon l Prâ—ma radix contingentiae rerum est voluntas diuina efficacissima ad faciendum res non solum quantum ad substantiaÌ„ sed etiam quantum ad omnem modum ipsarum quantuÌ„ ad fieri quantum ad esse See Tho. 1. part q. 19. ibi Caiet Capreol 1. d. 38 con 2. the smallest and most contingent or casuall things also that fall out depend as vpon their vniuersall cause whose influence into the second causes directeth produceth inclineth and ordinateth them to their effects not by inforcing theÌ„ as the will of man for example by any naturall necessitie or constraint but by inclining them to worke according to their condition m Deus ita voluit vt effectus egrederentur à causis secundis secundum modum ipsarum D Bann part 1. p. 333. f. so as the said effects shall proceed out of them according to their owne manner as a contingent effect shall go forth of a contingent cause and a free effect issue out of a voluntary and free cause This is the summe of that we hold touching predestination and the influence thereof into the actions of men 45 Whereby it is plaine that whatsoeuer we hold against freewill yet do we not lay the bondage thereof on Gods predestination but vpon Adams fall which is the proper roote and foundation whence that impotencie that is in our will ariseth For the decree and prouidence of God began not after Adams fall but before and yet we thinke Adams will was perfectly free which sheweth our opinion to be that freewill though we want it may well stand with Gods predestination because Adam in his innocency had it yet was ruled by Gods predestination And therfore our aduersaries bely vs when they say our opinion touching predestination maketh vs deny freewill for we thinke indeed our will is moued effectually by Gods will in all our actions which being the most effectuall and vniuersall cause of all things qualifieth our will and inclineth it to the action yet doth it not follow hereupon that therefore we thinke our owne will hath no freedome but onely that the freedome thereof dependeth vpon a former freedome which is the freedome of Gods will And if we hold further as some Diuines do that Gods will determineth ours and his decree floweth into all the effects of our will so that we do nothing but as he directeth our will and purpose yet this excludeth not our owne freedome neither maketh God the author of sinne nor implieth any ineuitable necessity in our doing The reason is because God moueth not our will violently nor inforceth it but leaueth our inward motiue within our selues that stirreth it vp which is the act of our vnderstanding whereby we iudge the thing good or euill that we will or nill For in the proceeding of our will first the minde apprehendeth some obiect and offereth it to the will then vpon the full and perfect iudgement of the vnderstanding the liberty of the will concurring or going therewithall the will followeth or refuseth it as the vnderstanding iudgeth it good or bad And so this act or iudgement of our vnderstanding is the roote from whence the free choice of our will ariseth in such manner as whatsoeuer it be that goeth before the act of our will or setteth in with it to incline it as Gods will doth as long as it destroyeth not or inforceth this practicall iudgement of reason the liberty of our will is not taken away And herein standeth the true * Concordia liberi arb cum diuina praedest concord betweene Gods predestination and mans will that the free and immutable counsell of Gods will goeth indeed in order before the operatioÌ„ of our will or at least together with it and determineth and circumscribeth it but forsomuch as it neither inforceth our will nor taketh away our iudgement but permitteth it freely to leade and perswade the will it expelleth not our liberty but rather cherisheth and vpholdeth it For wheresoeuer these two concurre freedome from violence and necessitie and the full consent of reason there is the whole and true reason of libertie 46 Neither could I euer perceiue that our aduersaries durst directly gainsay this For it is a conclusioÌ„ in their schools that n Gabr. 2 d. 28. notab 2. Anton. Sum. Moral part 1. tit 5. c. 1. §. 8. no second cause can worke without the agency of the first and the first cause floweth into the effect of the second cause more then the second cause it self doth and thereupon God being the first cause of all things the effects of second causes whether they be naturall or whether they proceed from freewill are more subiected to God then to their second causes Yea o Almain Moral tract 1. c. 1. they write that the first cause is not onely the cause of the effect produced by the second cause but also the cause
haue him say so For t Ioh. 5.39 our Sauiour himselfe refused not to haue his doctrine tried though he were better then the Church neither is it vnpossible for a priuate man to espy an error in the teaching of the best Church that is in which case he may iudge the Church and his iudgement is to be preferred as u Panormit Gerson whose words you haue Digress 15. nu 10. some Papists themselues deny not And out of question I thinke the most learned and discreet Papists to be wholly of this mind in that many of them haue called in question againe things already determined by their Church thinking the same that we do that it is not sufficient to make an end of questiōs vnlesse we be also sure the end is good For it is an ordinarie thing with the Iesuites and schoolemen of these dayes to expound the decrees of their Councels cleane against the originall meaning thereof which sheweth they mislike that which was decreed and helpe themselues with the fauour of the glosse against the text So the Councels of Lateran and Trent haue determined against the communion in both kinds forbidding the cup yet Ouandus a late Frier x Breuiloqu in 4. d. 9. prop. 6. pag. 221. writeth that all things duely considered that may fall out it were better to permit the cup then deny it and more grace is giuen in both kinds then in one And y Refert Bel de iustifica l. 3. c. 3. Catharinus the Bishop of Compsa maintaineth against the Trent Councell that a man by faith may be assured of the pardon of his sinnes whereas that Councell z Sess 6. cap. 9. determined the contrary And Sixtus Senensis a great clearke a Bibl. l. 1. p. 33. hath reiected as Apocrypha the seuen last chapters of Hester b Sess 4. which the Councell of Trent approued for canonicall Which these men would neuer haue done if they had thought it any iniurie to their Church to examine her teaching 5 And whereas he obiecteth further that the Church is a company of men wise learned vertuous and guided by the spirit of God and therefore it is rashnesse to iudge of their teaching I answer that this ill befits him and his cause for c Digress 16. nu 4. I haue shewed that his Church consisteth rather in the Popes sole person thē in any great company and the definitions thereof follow not the learning or vertue of any company but the Popes bare will who by the confession of all learned Papists may both erre and be as vitious foolish and vnlearned as any other And therefore the Church with her prerogatiues can do a Papist no good vntill they be taken from the Pope and giuen the Church againe Next though the company which is the Church be wise and learned c. yet are they no wiser then Christ and his Apostles whose teaching was examined neither can we know them for such till we haue tryed their teaching For d Iob 32 6.9 wise men see not all things at all times and the child with reuerence may admonish euen his father And though our Sauiour haue promised the assistance of his spirit to his Church to leade it into all truth yet in what sence that is e §. 14. nu 4. 5. I haue declared alreadie and the Iesuite may know it is not in his sence by this signe that the very persons and particular Churches to whom Christ meant those words had their errors for all that But supposing the Churches doctrine by vertue of some such promise be indeed absolutely exempted from all error yet may the same be examined and iudged of because till that be done it cannot of vs be knowne to be so For no man saith we must proue things already certaine but that we must not beleeue them to be certaine till we haue proued them And if the true Church cannot erre in any point then it standeth all men in hand to examine which is the true Church that so they may betake themselues vnto it and let him giue you a sound distinction and say directly what presumption it is against the Church and why an iniury to examine her doctrine more then it is to trie her vnitie sanctitie antiquity and succession Or if it be no wrong to make triall of these things which yet she hath by vertue of Christs promises why should it be amisse to make triall of the former which he dareth not for his life say is hers any properlier or fullier then they § 31. But you may perhaps obiect that in Scripture we are willed not to beleeue euery spirit but to examine and trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and that therefore we must examine and trie the spirit of the Church I answer that S. Iohn doth not meane that it appertaineth to euerie man to trie all spirits but in generall would not haue the Church to accept of euery one that boasteth himselfe to haue the Spirit but willeth that they should trie those spirits not that euery simple man should take vpon him thus to trie them but that those of the Church should trie them to whom the office of trying the spirits doth appertaine to wit the Doctors and Pastors of the Church which almightie God hath put of purpose in the Church Vt non circumferamur omni vent◠doctrinae Ephes 4. and that we may not like little ones wauer with euery blast of those that boast they haue the Spirit So that this trying of spirits is onely meant of those spirits which men may doubt whether they be of God or no and then also this triall belongeth to the Pastors of the Church But when it is once certaine that the spirit is of God we neither neede nor ought doubtfully to examine nor presumptuously iudge or it any more but obediently submitting the iudgement of our owne sense and reason we must beleeue the teaching of it in euery point Now it is most certaine that the spirit of the true Church is of God as out of holy Scripture hath bene most euidently declared and therefore our onely care should be to seeke out those markes and properties by which all men may easily know which particular companie of men is the true Church which we ought not to examine and trie but in all points obediently beleeue The Answer 1 The words of the Apostle are Dearly beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 Whence we gather that it is the dutie of euery man to examine the doctrine that is taught him But the Iesuite answereth two things first that Saint Iohn biddeth not euery man do this but onely the Pastors Whereto I answer the words are plaine enough that he speaketh indifferently to all men that euery man for himselfe though not by himselfe but by the rule of Gods word should try the spirits For he directeth his Epistle
for the most part also neglecting such exercises of religion by praier contemplation and repentance as of right ought to be ioyned with the outward abstinence yea they place and practise fasting e Dicimus quod de essentia iciunij quoad mo dum sunt duo scil vna comestio in spacio 24 horarum abstinentia à carnibus quis lacticinijs Llamas Sum. Eccl. p. 390. onely in forbearing flesh and things coming of flesh on certaine daies allowing themselues in steed thereof not onely fish which is as good as flesh but that which is daintier wine conserues sweet meates and such like in as great measure as can be as the experience of this our countrey sheweth among such as are Popishly affected 3 And suppose we had omitted all fasting indeed and allowed no time for it yet some Papists would haue borne vs company herein that so themselues might be guilty of breaking fasting daies as well as we For f Catharin adu noua dogm Caietan p. 262. Caietan holdeth It is no where commanded but onely by custome was brought in and is necessary neither for the seruice of God nor the loue of our neighbour Wherin though we refuse his iudgment yet touching our putting away the distinction of meates and daies we are not to be blamed For what libertie or loosenes can possibly be imagined to proceed froÌ„ eating flesh more theÌ„ froÌ„ eating of fish sweet meats spices other things finer theÌ„ flesh which the g Tho. 22 qu. 147. art 6. 7. 8. Llam method part 3. c. 5. §. 24. 26. Church of Rome alloweth And how may it be conceiued to be such disorder on a Friday or in Lent or on a Saints euen to eate butter or egs or a bit of vndainty flesh when they that are busiest in controlling it the same daies will drinke strong wine and other drinkes and eate confections of better stuffe and warmer operations Or why should a man be censured for eating his meate on an Ember day that fasts carefully and zealously vpon any day without respect of difference Especially h Fran. Victo relect 9. de temperant p. 132. our aduersaries confessing There is no kinde of nourishment either of plants or liuing creatures but by the law of God and nature we may lawfully vse it Nothing can be obiected but the precept of the Church for i Rational l. 6. c. 7 nu 22. p. 268. Durands reason is too grosse that fish is eaten and not flesh because God cursed the earth but not the waters in that his spirit moued on them But what such authoritie hath a particular Church to make a generall law against that which God and nature left at large and what such iurisd ction hath Rome of late obtained that it should forbid that which the Church in old time permitted 4 For k Theoâ— epit diuin decret c. vlt. Niceph l. 12 c. 34. all antiquitie can witnesse that in the Primitiue Church fasting was held an indifferent thing euery maÌ„ was left to his owne mind therein * Laxus ac liber modus abstinendi ponitur eúctis neque nos seuerus terror impellit sua queâ—que cogit velle potestas Prâ—d Cathem hym 8. no law binding him to this or that maner as l Comment in Act. c. 13. quem refert Catha adu Caiet p. 262. Caietan confesseth Montanus a condemned hereticke being the first that euer brought in the lawes of fasting from whom the Papists haue borrowed them For Irenaeus that liued 1400. yeares ago m Euseb hist l. 5. c. 26. Niceph. l. 4. c. 39. testifieth concerning the keeping of Lent in his time that some fasted before Easter one day onely some two daies some more and the vnitie of faith was well maintained notwithstanding all this varietie n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom 2. de ieiun p. 135. Basil mentioneth onely fiue daies And Socrates o Hist l 5 c. 22. writeth how it was obserued one way in one place and another way in another They in Rome fasted three weekes onely and excepted Saterdaies and Lords daies The Illyrians and Greekes sixe weekes Others began seuen weekes before Easter yet so as they fasted but a few daies of all that time The like varietie they obserued in meates For in some places they eat no liuing thing at all some onely fish some fish and foule some dry bread some would eate no berries or egges and some not so much as bread For in these matters the Apostles left euery man to his owne will p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. l. 1. c. 11. Spiridion the Bishop of Cyprus though he kept Lent yet was it but vpon certaine daies that he fasted and when a stranger came to him vpon one of those same daies he set swines flesh before him and eat thereof with him Yea q Câ—ropâ—lat de 〈◊〉 sic p 118. iâ—i Pacius annot p. 322. graec they kept a Lent before the feast of Christs natiuity also which we do not And touching Saterdaies r Ignat. ep ad Philip. Sext. Syn. in Trul. c. 55. some vtterly condemned fasting that day yet Å¿ Aug. ep 86. other obserued it And t Haeres 75. Epiphanius thought it an Apostolicall tradition to fast Wednesdaies and Fridaies excepting those betweene Easter and Whitsontide which yet the Church of Rome obserueth not And as for Ember daies and Saints euens we finde no vse of them for fasting till of late times And touching this whole question of fasting dayes let it be marked what t Ep 86. ad Casulan pa nò ante finem Saint Augustine writeth to a friend of his If saith he you aske my opinion concerning this matter I find in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and all the new Testament that we are commaunded to fast but what dayes we must fast and what dayes we must not I find it not determined by any commandement of Christ or his Apostles So that if we be faultie because we fast not after the Romish manner then themselues are likewise faultie because they fast not after the Primitiue order there being no greater reason why they should condemne vs for neglecting their fasts then why we should condemne them for neglecting the fasts of the auncient Church nor any cause why our libertie in the vse of meates and dayes should be taken in worse part now then the same libertie vsed of old in the Primitiue Church when these things depended vpon the will of him that fasted 5 And possible our accusers breake fasting dayes in the same maner that we do For first they eate as often and as good as we do when they fast Next they haue dispensations u Dispensati ieiuniuÌ„ non frangunt Llam metho pag. 395. which exempt them from fasting so commonly and of course that any man may see the Pope defined fasting by meates and dayes for no other cause but to vtter his pardons
why the second cause produceth such an effect Shall we from these speeches conclude against them as the Iesuite doth against vs that man therefore hath no freewill and that he cannot do otherwise then he doth and that God is the author of sin And yet no Papist aliue can shew any doctrine or writing of ours that more vehemently insinuateth such conclusions then these speeches do for they ascribe vnto Gods will an absolute soueraignty ouer ours to moue determine and restraine it and the actions thereof which is all that we say and the verie point the Iesuite cauilleth at 47 But it is obiected that if our will be no freer then thus how can it be possible we should do otherwise then we do for God moueth and inclineth it yea determineth and limiteth it I answer that if the saying our will is limited by God giue any occasion of danger our enemies that accuse vs are as guiltie thereof as we For these are their words besides that I haue set downe immediatly before p Occham 1. d. 38. quem sic refert Alm. c. 1. that when our will produceth any act it is not in the power thereof at that instant not to produce it q Almain Moral c. 1. tract 2. That the will can do nothing but God will haue it so to do r Vall. de lib. arb queÌ„ refert Chemnit loc tom 1. p. 440. That there is no power at all in our will but Gods will worketh and effecteth all things Å¿ Dom Ban. 1. part q. 19. art 10. That God determineth our will by his immutable counsell c. t Aâ—im 2 d. 26. q. 1. That all men need the speciall helpe of Gods grace to do any thing that good is This determination of our will by the gouernment of Gods will goeth as far against free-will as any thing that we say and therfore if our doctrine leade men to be carelesse and desperate how will they excuse their owne The meaning therefore is not that God by his prouidence infuseth any constraint into the mind of man to inforce it or any error to seduce it or imposeth any necessitie to binde it but onely that he inclineth and ordereth it to worke freely that which he hath foreseene and determined for his own glorie and besides his preseruing the facultie thereof moueth and applieth it to the obiect and worke that it willeth or nilleth Which maner of inclining I thinke no Papist will deny For Thomas u Contra. Gent l. 3. c. 89. saith Man cannot vse the power of his will but so farre forth as he worketh in the power of God x Ib. c. 91. And all our choise and will is immediatly disposed of God And y Bell de lib. arb l. 3. c. 18. the Iesuites confesse that whether men will or no yet can they not peruert the order of Gods prouidence set downe from all eternitie to do at any time that which God absolutely will not or not to do what he absolutely willeth Which words you see restraine all our libertie to Gods pleasure and exclude not the precedencie of his will to determine ours Yet are not our actions made necessary thereby so that we cannot do otherwise then we do because Gods will is the first mouing cause willing no effect in the creature of absolute necessitie but according to the condition of the second causes and no effect is called necessarie of the first and remote causes but onely of the second and nearer as z Tho. cont Gent. l. 1. c. 86. l. 3 c. 72. Capreol 1. d. 40. art 3. concl 3. the Schoolemen teach in this question 48 By this that I haue said you may perceiue that though our aduersaries take vpon them to be great patrones of free-will yet when the matter cometh to scanning they are forced to subiect it again to Gods prouidence as much as any Protestant doth and their so doing is lyable to the same difficulties that the Iesuite obiecteth against vs. For a De gr lib. arb l. 4 c. 11. the Iesuites say Man is not holden to haue freewill in choosing and consulting because he can do it of his owne strength but because the cooperation of God being allowed he can do it And b Greg Arimin 2. d 26. q. 1. 2. the best learned Schoolemen they haue thinke Our will vnable to any good till God send his speciall grace thereunto Shall I now conclude they debarre all care in consultations and make men desperate because the wil is vnable when grace is wanting and we can do nothing of our selues till God inable vs If I should my conclusion were the very same against them that theirs is against vs that is to say wrongly inferred c Vide Dom. Bannes 22. qu. 10. art 1. pag. â—90 lit c. For though I cannot by mine owne strength rise vp from sinne nor do any good till Gods grace preuent my will yet an earnest care whereby I deliberate is that meanes which the spirit vseth to preuent me and therefore if I will be saued or reclaimed from sinne or confirmed in grace I must admit deliberation as the first motion that God casteth into my minde for the effecting hereof and not stay till I finde some violent and sensible compunctions inforcing me but accept euen that small motion of care and consultation the which to cast away is to reiect Gods offer inuiting vs to our vprising Next though we haue no power to conuert our selues yet all men haue power to vse the outward meanes and libertie to heare the voice of Gods word and spirit inuiting them to consider of their estate which is sufficient to make them vnexcusable if they resist it God worketh some things in vs without vs some things in vs and with vs some things in vs and by vs. In vs without vs good motions which by his spirit he casteth into vs as we lie plunged in sin whereby he awaketh vs and biddeth vs thinke of our vprising In vs and with vs a good will to receiue those motions and not to resist the spirit In vs and by vs all such good workes as the motion of his spirit teacheth vs to do And thus in the greatest bondage of our will we make roome for care and consultation euen in spirituall things otherwise then the most of our aduersaries do in c Whereof reade in the next Digressâ—â— 62. their doctrine of the merit of congruitie whereof d Bav de viâ—â— imp l. 2. c. vlt. one of themselues saith truly They go not the right way to worke who aspiring to walke after the spirit place the hope of a better reformed life in the commadement of the law and freedome of their owne will 49 Or if the Iesuite according to the common error among the vulgar of his side imagine we make men desperate and carelesse in their actions because we teach no man is elected or reprobated because of his
not away the iudgement of our owne reason nor constraineth vs but so directeth vs that we alway in chusing or refusing follow the direction also of our vnderstanding our will hereby is left free as if a man inuite me to a banket he is indeed the first mouer of my will thereunto and he leadeth me by the hand towards the place and in a sort determineth my will to that house rather then to any other yet for so much as I allow of his motion and finde reason in my selfe to go I go freely and with full libertie though this freedome is not from all necessitie but from coaction onely And so we describe freewill to be the operation of the will in chusing or refusing whatsoeuer the full and perfect iudgement of our vnderstanding offereth which iudgement going before is sufficient to make the will free because where it is there is no constraint Others contrariwise dispute our will to be free not in this respect but because it is subordinate to no necessitie For man say they hath such a soueraigne dominion ouer his actions that what he doth he not only doth vncoÌ„strained but he absolutely may and can do otherwise * Voluntas a Deo determinata non liberè sed necessariò agit Bellar. de grat lib. arb l. 4. c. 14. § Deinde being no wayes constrained by Gods will But such an absolute freedom there seemeth not to be for I haue shewed before that Gods will is aboue ours and sloweth into it and moueth it and determineth it whereupon it followeth that our will of infallible necessitie must needs be moued and determined for Gods wil cannot be in vaine And this is allowed by many of our aduersaries though some others condemne it For Alphonsus defining free will saith k Aduer haeres l. 7. verbo Gratia there is a libertie which is opposed against necessitie or more truly against coaction because some things are necessary which yet are done freely though necessarily but not of constraint or violence and of this libertie we call mans will free And l Altisiod l. 2. tract 11. pag. 70 Anton. part 1. tit 4. c. 2. § 7. others shewing how free will standeth in libertie from necessitie yet define that necessitie to be nothing else but compulsiue and externall constraint whereby it is like they thinke the will is no otherwise free but from compulsion Againe m Almain Mor. pag. 2. they say God by his concourse determineth the action of mans will whereupon the will cannot but worke and yet is free n Dom. Bann part 1. q. 19. art 10. because it followeth the iudgement of reason which is the roote of freewil And as often as the act of willing ariseth from this roote of iudgement it is alway free And o Tom. 1. lib. 1. art 1. c. 25. p. 41. Waldensis writeth that great clearks in his time did place this precedent necessitie which is the cause that the thing is in humane workes and that it flowed from Gods wil. Which sheweth that they thought our wil is not freed from necessitie but coaction onely And finally those speeches of theirs p Anton. part 1. tit 4. c. 2. Our will is inclined changed determined by God he maketh that one inclination shall succeed another q Tho. contra Gentil l. 3. c. 89. Man cannot vse the vertue of his owne will but so farre forth as he worketh in the power of Gods will r Bellar. de grat lib arb l 3. c. 18. And as a man by deuice should let birds flie and yet causeth them all to go to such places as himself wold so doth God rule the will Å¿ Ib. l. 4. c. 16. yea moue and apply it to that it willeth I say these and such like speeches cannot be cleared so but they subiect the will to necessitie as much as we do 55 This being the nature of our will the next point to be enquired is touching the strength thereof which is not alike in all actions For the things whereabout the will is occupied are of three sorts naturall ciuill and spirituall naturall and ciuill things concerne this life onely but spirituall things touch the life to come and therefore mans will hath not a like power in them all By naturall things we meane such as appertaine to all liuing creatures for their exercise and preseruation and of their natures as to eate drinke sleepe moue themselues and such like By ciuill things we meane all humane actions tending to societie and the outward gouernment of mans life which the light of nature and vse of reason leadeth vs to as speaking buying selling going this or that way the learning and practising of a trade or profession whereunto we also referre morall things that is the gouerning of our externall actions and members according to the rules of outward discipline without the inclination or consent of the conscience renewed as the exercise of all ciuill vertues and many externall workes in their kind appertaining to Gods worship to be temperate bountiful faithful in word chast courteous to speake and heare things good and honest to go to Church t Rom. 2.14 Act 23.1 Phil. 3.4 Psal 50.16 2. Tim. 3.5 in things of which kind man hath naturall freewill that he can voluntarily follow what his vnderstanding sheweth him and apply himself thereunto by chusing or refusing And in this point we all agree u Habere quidem hominem liberum arb ad actiones ciuiles externas quae spectant ad coÌ„muneÌ„ conuictuÌ„ societatem hominum docuit Luther Melanct. Chemnit alij passiâ—n Valen. to 1. pag 1058. b. as our aduersaries confesse But we set downe three limitations first x Mat. 10.29 Iac. 4.15 Exod. 35.31 Esa 54.16 that our will in all these things needeth Gods generall helpe to moue and apply it to the worke without which helpe the bare facultie of our mind can do nothing for vnlesse he sustaine the power of my will and apply and direct it I cannot so much as put a morsell of bread to my mouth Secondly this generall concourse of Gods helpe being granted y Esa 26.12 Ier. 10.23 yet we can will none of these things perfectly but in much weaknesse and are often hindred by reason our nature through sinne is depraued whereupon the mind is obscured with error the iudgement corrupted with blindnesse the affections disturbed the will distracted and the reason hindered by Satan and vncertaine obiects Thirdly in the smallest things that are and wherein our libertie is greatest z Mat. 10.29 Nu. 22.18 yet the will of God going before determineth ours that we can will no more then God pleaseth These limitations are also consented to by a Biel. 2. d. 28. lit n. Bellar. de grat lib. arb l. 4. c. 4. 11. Ban. part 1. c. 19. art 10. our aduersaries and so in things naturall ciuil and pertaining to morall discipline we haue
freewill 56 But in spirituall things concerning the saluation of our soules the case is otherwise for the manifesting whereof we must consider that there are two states or degrees of our life The first is called the state of sin containing that part of our life which is before regeneration and iustification in which state they are which are not iustified till God call them and then they enter into the second degree called the state of grace because then the grace of God freeth them from the bondage of their former corruption Now the question is what power mans will hath in spirituall things so long as he abideth in the state of sinne and whether by the strength of his owne will onely without faith and the speciall helpe of God he be able to yeeld obedience to Gods law or to do any thing auaileable to the pleasing of God and the sauing of his soule We answer negatiuely that he is not because b 1. Cor. 2.14 Eph. 4.17 his vnderstanding and iudgement in such things is starke blind and c Gen. 6.5 Rom. 8.7 the will by nature is turned from God that it can follow nothing but that which is euill and repugnant to Gods will d Rom. 7.14 8.8 whose law being spirituall cannot be obeyed by such as are carnal liuing in the flesh but e Rom. 14.23 Eph. 2.5 Col. 2 13. Gal. 3.10 Deut. 6.5 all that they do is sin til the grace of iustificatiō come and renew them And although God call none thereunto but by meanes and secondary causes yet these causes are the inward light of the spirit and the outward preaching of the Gospel the wil of man being meerly passiue in the first act of conuersion 57 But the Papists hold otherwise whose seuerall assertions against this doctrine I wil briefly collect and set downe in order that you may see what they ascribe to mans wil in spirituall things in the state of vnregeneration and view the differences betweene vs. But first I must put you in mind that the warier sort of them in words seeme to ioyne Gods grace with our will to helpe it in all such actions as they hold it can do in this state require the ayd thereof as if without it they would grant it could do nothing So f De grat lib. arb l. 6. c. 4. in titulo Bellarmine saith Mans will in things appertaining to pietie and saluation can will nothing without the assistance of Gods grace yea g Ib. § Nos tres the speciall assistance And somtime they reuile vs for charging them with the contrary but this is but a fetch to deceiue the ignorāt and a dram of their wit to make their Pelagianisme go downe the easilier For h Gabr. 2. d. 28. lit l. n. Ockā 1. d. 17. q. 3. ad 2. Altisiod l. 2. pag 70. many require no such assisting grace as shall appeare and some say we need it not as if freewill were absolutely vnable without it but of Gods liberalitie it is infused into the wil being disposed before to make it will the more easily which was the very heresie of Pelagius They define this grace to be no more but the generall helpe which we need in naturall things and such as the very Pagans haue They maintaine the merit of congruitie wherein of all hands it is confessed there is the influence of no special grace it only consisting in doing that which is in our owne power and i Actus ille tanquam dispositio praecedit gratiae infusionē Gabr vbi supra going before the infusion of all grace at least in nature Yea the Iesuite himselfe that seemeth so religiously to ascribe the power of our will to Gods grace k Bella. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c. 4 § Intra hos censureth certaine Schoole-men because they had writ that the generall influence of Gods grace being admitted yet no man by his naturall freewill could do any good without his speciall helpe and contrary to that he said before writeth expresly l Lib. 6. cap. vlt. Man before all grace hath free-will not onely to things morall and naturall but euen to the workes of pietie and to things supernaturall The which kind of proceeding how it can be reconciled with that they pretend touching the vniting of Gods speciall grace with our will it passeth my vnderstanding to conceiue for they are contrary And this was necessary to be obserued in the dealing of our aduersaries because this shew of words that Gods grace must go with our wil is the veile whereby they hide their deceit and the vizard that couereth their Pelagian faces that the ignorant should not know them and carieth so good semblance of reason that as Saint Austin said of the like words vsed by the Pelagians we would receiue them without scruple but that they speake them whose meaning is wel enough knowne vnto vs. Now I wil set downe what they ascribe to freewil in the state of sinne 58 First that thereby a man may auoide sinne when he is tempted to it which the word of God m 1. Ioh. 5 4. 1 Pet. 5.9 Eph. 6.11 ascribeth to grace onely Biel n 2. d. 28. lit k. saith Freewill by it owne nature without the gift of grace can eschue euery new mortall sinne and the habits of grace infused or attained cooperate with the will to helpe it to will delightfully readily and easily and no otherwise And that this is a common opinion among the Schoole men it appeareth by Ariminensis o 2. d. 26. pag. 95 who confuteth it And p Bell. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c. 7 the Iesuites say that for the ouercoming of tentations so that no sinne be committed they do not alway require Gods speciall helpe properly so called that is to say internall illumination and his supernaturall motion but any help whatsoeuer 59 Secondly they hold that a man by his owne naturall strength can know and do that which is morally good according to the morall law and precept of true reason and wherein there is no sinne q Greg. de Val. to 2. pag 815. b. idem Bellar. l. 5. c. 4. 9. One saith Some morall works of the easier sort may thus be done when no great temptation riseth against vs. But this is nothing r Bella. l. 5. c. 14. Another saith Man in the state of corrupted nature hath freewill touching things morall and ſ Lib. 6. c. 15. before any grace come to him he hath a remote and vnperfect power to do the works of godlinesse otherwise it cannot be conceiued how mans will should actiuely concurre to the workes of godlinesse And yet further they say t Scot. 2 d 28. Dur. ib. q. 4 Abulent Mat. 19. q. 178. All the commaundements that are naturall may be obserued throughout the whole life of man without the helpe of Gods grace onely by the strength of nature and all
42.11 Mortall sinne Digress 38. See Sin Monasteries were first throwne down by Papists 42.10 Of vile report in their time 42.12 The testimonies of diuers old writers touching the liues of cloisterers Digress 45. A bragge that the Papists make touching the order of Bennet 42.13 N NEcessitie of good works expounded and handled Digress 34. Notes of the Church See Church O OBscuritie of the Scripture not so great as the Papists obiect Digress 8. Why they make folke beleeue they are so obscure Digress 9. See Scripture Occham the Schoolman 50.35 Onely faith See Faith onely Opinions Variable exceedingly among the Papists 35.21 The saying that they vary not in dogmaticall points answered 35.19 Originall sin No agreement among the Papists touching the nature of it 50.17 Originall text of the Bible is the Hebrew and Greeke which is free frō all corruption 6.11 and 35.3 P PAinter The Painters iest 38.6 Painting Christs armes for what vse 40.35 Papists famous for controlling reiecting censuring and purging one another 44.14 An example of their impudent deniall of all antiquitie 44.15 50.18 They wipe our names out of bookes 45.2 Papistry is a complete doctrine of liberty and a meere witty deuice for the maintenance of their ambition and pleasure 43.3 and Digress 46. A new religion 48.1 Pardons when and how they came in 50.8 They release all satisfaction 40.33 The treasury whence they rise nu 34. A view of long pardons granted for short seruice nu 35. Penance The Papists cannot tell whē it was ordained nor by what Scripture it is proued Digress 55. Peter receiued no more power ouer the Church then the other Disciples did disputed 36.12 inde The Papists are not agreed how his supremacie is proued or what it containeth 36.39 inde Pope made iudge of our faith 5.8 and ouer the Fathers 44.11 His iudgement was not receiued as the rule in the primitiue Church Digress 25. but be was resisted ibid The Papists themselues will not yeeld to his iudgement 36.8 Manie Popes deposed nu 8. What kind of men they commonly are nu 9. He was tyed to his owne prouince in the primitiue Church 36.26 He may erre See Erre He calleth him selfe S. Peter 36.38 Popes what kind of men how they haue bene chosen 55.9 Manie at once nu 10. The liues of some of them described 57.9 How the Popes sinne is excused 57.11 Popes succession He is not S. Peters successor Digress 29. If the Pope be not effectually proued to succeed S. Peter in the conceited primacie all Papistrie will fall 36.24 Prayer in Latine misliked by some Papists 35.20 Long pardons promised to short Prayers 40.35 Predestination Our doctrin touching this point is belyed by the Papists 40.43 The doctrine thereof layed down n. 44. It imposeth no naturall necessitie vpon the second causes ibid. The reconciliation of it and Free will nu 45 46. The Papists make the will of man as subiect to Gods decree as we do num 46 47. It is not for works foreseene num 49. Presidencie ouer Councels belonged not to the Pope of old 36.29 Priests power to remit sinne denied by learned Papists 35.20 This power handled Digress 55. Their mariage allowed in ancient times 47.4 The foulenesse of their liues noted in the Papacie 38.5 A sillie Priest that beleeued all was true that was printed 42.8 Purging of bookes the Papists practise 35.18 Puritanes That name doth properly belong to Papists 40.19 Q. QVestions of faith must be decided by the Scriptures Digres 3. No end of Questions among the Schoolemen 35.21 R. REading the Scriptures forbidden by the Papists 2.3 The lay people did reade them in ancient time 47.3 Rebaptization a point wherein there was much contention 36.4 Reprobation not for works foreseene 40.49 Religious men Orders See Monks Resolution of our faith See Faith Romane Church How the world in former times communicated with it 46.2 The Greeks refuse it ibid. How it increased 47.1 When the faith of the ancient Roman church began to be altered into that which now is therein 50.4 inde Resistance made against the change nu 5. One meanes whereby it may euidently be demōstrated that the Romane Church hath changed the old faith nu 15. A full demonstration of the resistance made in all ages against the Romane Churches alteration Digress 52. The obiections that are made against the catalogue are answered nu 40. The Romane Church altered the faith by little and little how it is meant 51.3 How the Fathers praised the Romane Church 56.1 How the faith of the Roman Church grew 58.1 The Papists absurdly call the Catholicke Church the Romane Church 13.3 Rule of faith is certaine 3.1 Such a rule is simply necessarie ibid. but not reuealed to all ibid. It hath fiue properties 4.1 The Scripture is it ibid. and the Papists cannot denie it 4.6 How we call the translated Scriptures the rule 6.1 The rule is easie though some meanes be needfull to learne it 7.2 and 8.10 How the doctrine or teaching of the Church may be called the rule 13.1 See Church S. SAcrament Seuē Sacraments merrily prooued in a Sermon at the Councell of Trent 8.15 How the Sacraments are a marke of the Church See Church Sacrament in one kind against antiquitie 35.11 and 47 7. In both kinds best 35.20 Our doctrine touching the Eucharist layed downe and how Christ is present therein 51.10 The Papists haue no certaintie of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament 47.9 Saints What kind of Saints the Protestants haue 39.1 and what kinde the Papists 39.2 41.1 Obiectiōs against the Popes canonizing of Saints 39.3 The Papists claime kindred of manie Saints that neuer knew the Popish religion 42.1 Saluation A man may be assured thereof 35.20 by what meanes 40.39 The Papists not able to denie this 41.10 Sanctification of life absolutely necessarie to saluation Digress 34. Satisfaction What kinde of Satisfaction we require and teach Digres 39. and what kind the Papists ibid. The true state of the question touching Satisfaction 40.28 Note what the Papists teach concerning the Satisfaction of our workes nu 30. Our workes satisfie not nu 31. The Papists play with their Satisfaction nu 33. Pardons release all Satisfaction num 30. A view of the Papists vncertainties and contradictions in this question of Satisfaction num 34. Scripture The people allowed to read it in ancient times 47.3 The Scripture is a letter sent from God to man 62.2 The Papists forbid the reading of them 2.3 and disputing of them num 4. The knowledge thereof needfull num 7. They are easie to such as haue the meanes 4.2 It onely is the rule of faith 4.1 and 10.1 and 34.1 The true cause why the Papists disable the Scripture from being the rule Digress 4 It must be Translated See Translations It is not obscure 7.2 Digress 8. but onely in two cases 8.1 How the sence thereof is attained 8.2 It containeth all things needfull nu 3. Why learned men varie