to set downe the difference in doctrine betweene the church of Rome and vs concerning those Sacraments which we acknowledge to be instituted for Sacraments by God which is indeede my especiall purpose that in few wordes the Reader may take a view both of the one and the other I haue thought good very briefly to note vnto you two or three points wherein in the generall doctrine of the Sacraments we iustly dissent from them because they do dissent from the word of truth Wherein my purpose is not to enter into the darke and daungerous subtilties of the Schoolemen who herein agree not among themselues but onely to point vnto the plaine trueth and the falshoode contrary to the same VVhat a Sacrament is what is the effect of it or what it worketh how many Sacraments there are THE PROTESTANTS What a sacrament is A Sacrament is an externall signe instituted appointed of God to bee vsed in his Church by the receiuing whereof euerie faithfull man and woman is assured of eternall graces I knowe that this word Sacrament may be taken more largely and is sometimes especially by saint Augustine and after his time but this is the true definition of a Sacrament in that sence that we vse it for the two Sacraments vsed by vs in our churches And though we call it a signe yet wee say withall that it is a very effectual and as I may so call it a powerful signe A powerful signe to increase or strengthen faith to strengthen and increase our faith make vs take more sure hold of the promises the perfourmance whereof the Sacraments do as it were seale vp in our hearts neither doeth the sacrament worke this or hath this effect in respect of any vertue that is included in these visible signes but because God hath appointed them to be the seales of his promises as the Apostle witnesseth of circumcision Tertull. De Poeniten Rom. 4.11 of Baptisme For as the seale beeing set to the writing doth assure him to whom the writing is made of the perfourmance of such couenants as therein are contained and yet not because of the print in the waxe but because it is known to be his seale who hath made the couenants with him euen so the Sacraments do serue to confirme and increase faith in the faithfull not because there is any such power in those visible creatures which are the externall thing in the same but because we are assuredly perswaded that God hath appointed them to that end And as the Sacraments doe thus serue to strengthen and increase our faith Profession of our faith so thereby also doe we make profession of this our faith and in token that we haue this perswasion setled in our heart wee come to receiue such Sacraments as God hath appointed to testifie betweene him and vs of his graces towardes vs. And for this cause when the Eunuch desired to bee baptized Phillip answered Act. 8.36 37 If thou beleeue with all thy heart thou mayest Nay the Sacraments are but vnprofitable to them which without faith doe receiue the same Mar. 16.16 but hee that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued We therfore do not teach the Sacramentes to be but bare signes as some would make the simple to beleeue but that they are such signes as God hath made to worke effectually by the power of his Spirite in the hearts of the faythfull to assure them of Gods good graces Nowe of such Sacraments as in the beginning I haue defined wee haue but two How many Sacraments there be that is to say Baptisme wherein we are entred into Christs family and the Supper of the Lorde wherein we are nourished in the same For although the people of Israel had many representations of Gods fauour towardes them to assure the faithful of sanctification and iustification yet Circumcision was commaunded without exception Gen. 17.10 to all the males in whō also the women were consecrated to the Lord and the eating of the paschall Lamb belonged to al the congregation of the children of Israel Exod. 12.47 whereas their other ceremonies were for the most performed by the Priest And in like maner although wee may haue sundrie visible signes of inuisible grace yet such sacraments as the sacrament of Baptisme the Supper of the Lorde neither the scriptures nor the fathers for 400. yeares after Christ did acknowlege any other than those two For as for Saint Augustine he taketh the word Sacrament so largely that hee accounteth for Sacraments many thinges that are not by the Papists themselues accounted Sacraments THE PAPISTS BVT the Papistes doe define a Sacrament to bee Concil Trid. Catechis A thing subiect to the senses which by Gods institution hath power both to signifie and to woorke Holinesse and Righteousnesse So that by this it is easie to vnderstād what vertue and efficacie they will giue to the Sacraments Yea it is by Bellarmine plainely confessed that they teach a Sacrament to haue that strength of it selfe De Sacram. lib. 1. cap. 11 that it can sanctifie and iustifie And that wee may the better vnderstand what they meane hereby De Sacram. lib. 2. cap. ◠with one consent they teach and Bellarmine by name that the Sacraments doe woorke these things without either faith or any inward motion So that their meaning is that the very worke it selfe of receiuing the Sacrament euen by vertue of that sacramentall action Bellarm. de Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 2. doth giue to the receiuer grace How blasphemous this doctrine is may appeare first because they doe manifest wrong to the spirit of sanctification in ascribing vnto these visible and externall creatures whereof the Sacraments doe consist that which only gods spirit can worke in vs by putting into our hearts Ierem. 32 4◠the feare of God Ierem. 31.33 Ezec. 36.25 Rom. 15.9 and vniting his lawe in the same and purifying our hearts by faith And therefore is this spirit called Holy or the spirite of sanctification because it onely can make holy Secondly to giue vnto the Sacraments power by the vertue thereof to iustifie is iniurious vnto the bloud of Christ which precious ransome is able onely to take away sinnes and to make vs appeare iust and righteous before God Then also this doctrine is absurd as may be prooued in a word or two If it be true that the Papists teach then did not our Sauiour Christ teach vs the true vse of the Sacrament when he said Doe this in remembrance of me for hee shoulde rather haue said Doe this to sanctifie and saue your selues But to thinke that Christ taught vs not the true benefite of the Sacrament is too grosse wickednesse Therefore is it verie absurde to ascribe that vertue to the Sacrament or outward signe Secondly if the Sacrament doe giue grace as they say or if it do sanctifie or iustifie of it selfe then the infantes that die before
they can sinne actually because they are baptized must needs be saued although they bee not of that number which God hath chosen vnto himselfe before the foundations of the worlde were laide Which to affirme is nothing else but to tie our saluation Ephes 1. not to Gods grace in electing in Christ whome hee would but to such externall meanes as haue alwayes beene accounted but helpers to our faith as the Apostle teacheth by the example of Circumcision in Abraham Ro. 4.10 11. but no workers of saluation And to be short how agreeth this that they say that the Sacrament hath strength or force to worke Holinesse or Righteousnesse with that which they also say That infants when they are baptized De Sacram. Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 11. haue not any new motions or inclinations like vnto the actions of faith and loue If the Sacraments worke not in them such effectes who haue not anie actual sinne to let or hinder how shal we think they work in others that are stroÌ„gly assaulted with the lusts of sin Therefore let vs not ascribe such working vnto them but vnto Christ who is made vnto vs righteousnesse and holinesse 1. Cor. 1.30 As for the number of seuen Sacraments two of them wee acknowledge with the Fathers of the Primitiue church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper As for the other fiue either they haue no commaundement in the word or no visibl signes or to be short no warrant in the word or Primitiue church to bee such Sacraments as the other two are Although wee deny not but the things haue had and many of them yet haue their godly vse in Gods Church Of the Sacrament of Baptisme CHAP. 11. THE PROTESTANTS WE acknowlege Baptism to be as it were a Gods-peny and earnest of our entrance into Christes family Wherein wee are both fully assured that by the blood of Christ which is figured by that water our sinnes are so washed away that they shall not bee imputed vnto vs and also the promise of that spirite of regeneration whereby wee growe to be new men is sealed vp in our hearts so that therein the faithfull are ingraffed into Christ to be made partakers of al his treasures and namely that hee may bee vnto vs sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 And as therin our faith is thus norished so is it also a publike testification and witnessing of our profession so that wee doe not only beleeue with our heart vnto righteousnesse but also shew that wee are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for that cause wee weare that badge of our profession and cognisance of our religion THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome lest we should constantly beleeuing the promises and vsing the Sacraments according to Christs institution take sure hold of Iesus christ and to acknowledge our saluation to bee by him onely in whome the word and Sacraments send vs to seeke it teacheth vs that the very Sacrament of it selfe hath such force and vertue as that it doth extinguish and quite abolish Andrad Orthod Explic. lib. 3. not onely the daunger and condemnation the rewarde due to sinne but also the verie corruption of the same And on the contrarie that the verie infants that die before they bee baptised Bellarmine de purgat lib. 2. cap. 6 haue their place of torment appointed vnto them where they must bee purged So that as they giue the power of killing sinne in vs vnto the Sacrament which onely belongeth vnto Christ Rom. 6. so in this latter point they doe in a manner make Christ scant able for to saue without the sacrament and teach sinne by other meanes than by Christ only to be purged De sacr baptism li. 1. ca. 4 Now the first reason whereby Bellarmine wil prooâ—â— that the Sacrament of it selfe hath such force of thâ—◠〈◊〉 doth worke in vs holinesse and abolish sinne and therefore that without it no man or woman can be saued is that place of saint Iohn Ioh 3.5 Vnlesse a man be borne againe of Water and of the Spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of God And for the better credite of his assertion he telleth vs De peccatorum merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 30. that saint Augustine in his first booke of the merites of sinnes and the forgiuenesse thereof the thirtieth chapter doth shew that these wordes are not a commandement but declare the means of saluation as though saint Augustine would make the Sacrament as necessary to saluation as meate for our life or physicke for recouery of health for these are the examples alledged afterwardes by Bellarmine But he belieth that learned father for hee hath not any such thing in that place although indeede hee handle that place of scripture largely there But first before I enter any further into the consideration of this point lest I should bee mistaken as though I accounted the Sacrament of no necessitie I affirme it to bee so necessarie that if it may bee had according vnto Christes institution and any man or woman shall wilfully refuse the same by this their contempt they doe wilfully cut off themselues from the body of Christ and so make themselues vncapable of such graces as God in Christ bestoweth vpon his But if otherwise any man woman or childe being desirous to enter into the felowship of the holy couenant and to be incorporated by that Sacrament into the presence of Christ shall die or depart out of this life before they can attaine thereto God forbid that we should thinke either so vncharitably of them as to iudge them vnworthy of Gods mercy or so hardly of God as that hee would alter his eternall councell for want of this external sacrament or so slenderly of the vertue of Christ his blood as that without this water it can not wash vs from sinne No doubt many died in the wildernesse before the Israelites came to the land of promise that had not the sacrameÌ„t of circumcision and also afterwards by all likelihoode in Babylon The thiefe vpon the crosse of whose saluation we make no doubt was not baptised Yea the order that God vseth in sauing vs doeth teach vs that without the Sacraments we may be saued Rom. 8.30 Ephes 1.4 because that election or predestination goeth before calling whether it be internall by the spirit or externall by the word and Sacraments Therefore wee must either imagine Gods election not to be certaine which is blasphemous or else that all that are elect are saued although they haue not oportunity to receiue that externall seale of Gods couenant Therefore I say that Baptisme is very necessary and in any wise to be vsed and receiued of them that may according to Christes institution haue the same But we detest that doctrine of the Papists that teacheth it to be so necessary that whosoeuer is not baptized can not be saued whereupon they permit lay men yea women to baptise whereas the
regiment they haue no iust cause to complayne vnlesse it bee that of her tender and euill rewarded clemencie and gentlenesse shee suffereth such daungerous popish snakes so neere her bosome euen in all partes of the Realme so vntouched and almost vnregarded wee I say seeing with our eyes and dayly hearing with our eares of these pestilent and brutish and most vnnaturall practises and manifest daungers doe not humble our selues before our God in fasting and prayer Why doe wee not followe the infinite examples of the godly of all ages and the good practise of our neere neighbours on euerie side almost in such present perill to proclaime a fast that with the Niniuites wee might crie mightily vnto God Ionah 3.8 But as our enemies haue forgotten that they are men and casting off all humane nature are become more brutish than beastes in their practices and shame not of anie thing that they can doe so that they may worke wickedly enough so wee on the other side doe not consider that through our sinnes we haue deserued all these shakings of Gods roddes ouer vs and threatnings of his wrath And that is the cause that wee seeke not by publike fastings and prayer to make a publike conuersion vnto God agaynst whome so publikely wee haue sinned God moue the hearts of them that are in authoritie to rowse vp themselues at the length to thinke better of their duetie in this poynt and of our common saftie For surely hee that was angrie with his owne people Esa 22.12.13 because When hee called to weeping and mourning and baldnesse and girding with sacke-cloth They continued in their carelesse life that before they led so that hee sayd that Iniquitie should not bee purged 14 but by their death howe can hee but punish and that seuerelie so little regarde in vs of his so manie and manifest proclamations of his conceyued anger against vs. And thus would I with one breath if I could both moue our godly Magistrates as occasions are offered to make this our realme better acquainted with this most Christian and godly exercise and also let our aduersaries see that it is not fasting that we speake agaynst but the abuse thereof that we iustly reproue Why then we confesse that fasting is good and commendable it is a most godly and necessarie exercise to bee vsed But not euerie abstinence is true fasting First we see the true vse of fasting is not in the popish church For the godly did ioine fasting and prayer togither not thinking that outwarde humiliation to be of it selfe a thing that God regarded but it was vsed and practised that they might be more apt to pray as wee may see in the examples that the Scripture ministreth vnto vs. And therefore saint Hierome writing vnto Demetrias sayth Epist ad Demetr that Fasting is not it self a perfect vertue but the foundation of other vertues And most plainly saint Chrysostome Hom. 29. in Genes Prayers must alwayes goe with fasting And afterwards You see that fasting standeth in neede of this helpe And in another place Hom. 10. in Genes he seemeth not to make any great account of their fasting if it be alone But the papists do say that it doth appease Gods wrath and that it meriteth forgiuenesse of sinnes For this is their common doctrine and this doth master Bellarmine endeuour to proue De bonis operibus in part li. 2. ca. 11. The children of Israel saieth he fasting with Samuel appeased God and got the victorie ouer their enemies In deede there is once mention of fasting in that place 2. Sam. 7.6.8.9 But the storie sayth that Samuel promised to pray for them whē that they wept for that he meaneth when hee sayeth They drewe water meaning out of their hearts they fasted and confessed their sinnes and so little they regarded the merit of their fasting that they could not satisfie themselues therewith but they also desire Samuel to pray yea that hee would not cease to crie vnto their God for them Samuel offered a sacrifice and prayed for the Israelites Marke then howe deceitfully maister Bellarmine hath dealt in this place The people wept in abundance confessed their sinnes craued Samuel his prayers to God for them he offereth sacrifice and prayeth to God to appease his wrath yet master Bellarmine like a subtile sophister to make men beleeue that that is the cause which in deede is not speaketh nothing of all these meanes that they vsed to intreate God but onely of fasting as though that onely had turned away Gods wrath and yet wee see by the storie they made least account of it but especially of praying Neither is this a good argument They did fast and God deliuered them therefore their fasting merited this their deliueraunce His seconde proofe is out of the example of Achab who may in deede bee a good patterne of popish meriting 1. Kin. 22.27 29 for he continued wicked still But hee is in this much like as faithfull as the other For Ahab rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath fasted and lay in sackecloath and went softly as men vse to doe in heauinesse So manie tokens of sorrowe or feare did Ahab shewe and yet master Bellarmine could see nothing in him but fasting And in the storie of the Niniuites Ionah 3.7.8 which is the thirde example they put on sackecloath sate in ashes fasted but farre otherwise than the Papists doe and therefore what is this to their fast cried mightily to God turned from their wickednesse and God sawe not their fasting onely their workes but master Bellarmine can see nothing in them but their fasting In deed in his fourth example which is the storie of Hester there is no mention in the place cited by him Hester 4.16 of anie thing that was done but Hester commanded a fast But shall we imagine that they did not otherwise humble themselues but onely by fasting nor seeke to intreate God by prayer as though this fasting could deserue that they desired God forbid For in the ninth Chapter hee saieth they did not fast onely but pray also Hester 7 3◠But as before I sayde because they did these things and God deliuered them doeth it followe that all the workes that they did merited their deliuerance Master Bellarmine can neuer proue that argument Much lesse then shall hee be able to teach that fasting alone could merit And that is it hee would proue and in deede that hee should proue or else hee proueth nothing to serue his purpose Iudith 4.9.10 ◠12.13 14.15 They fasted likewise in the storie of Iudith but they also prayed earnestly put on sackecloath sprinckled ashes on their heades afflicted themselues maruellously offered burnt offerings continually and the peoples free gifts crying vnto the Lorde with all their power Lastly he alledgeth out of the Prophet Ioel Ioel. 2.12 Turne to the Lord with fasting weeping and mourning What then will he conclude of
receiueth only them that acknowledge the bishop of Rome to be their head If then they dare not affirme the pope to be the head of them that are in heauen I trust they will not from henceforth charge vs to be iniurious to the church of Rome if we affirme it not to bee the true catholike church If they reply that the church may bee called catholike in other respects than in that only which I haue mentioned I graunt it But the question amongst vs in deed is whether the church of Rome be the true catholik church which euen by our creed we are bound to beleeue Which the papists affirm therfore would haue the world to imagine that we despise the catholike church which is mentioned in the creede when we vpon iust causes depart from that Romish church which hath set it selfe these many yeares against Gods church As for the principal arguments wherby they would proue that they say do nothing touch the catholike church which is the thing in question but only the state of the church in this life and therefore are not worthie the repeating But among other absurdities which they are forced to grant for to defend this their vntrue assertion this is blasphemous although they all defend it That some of the members of Christes bodie shal not be saued As though there were not vertue inough in Christ to quicken all them that are grafted into him whereas in truth He that hath the sonne hath life That is also absurd that if the wicked and reprobate bee of the church of Christ as they say theÌ„ they are members of two bodies for they are of the church malignant as they must needs confesse which is as false as that one hand may belong to two men Lastly how absurd is it that the catholike church should acknowledge the Pope for her head Shee is a citie or house she can therefore haue but one foundation shee is a fruitfull Vine shee can haue but one roote she is a Doue she can haue but one mate shee is Christs bodie she can haue but one head shee is the Lambs bride she can haue but one husband The fouÌ„dation of this house the roote of this Vine the mate of this Doue the head of this bodie Eph. 1. 5. the husbande of this wife is Christ Although most impudently the Bishop of Rome and most blasphemously doe take vppon him to be the husbande to that wife also C. quoniam de Immunitate 6. or else to take Christs wife from him We saith hee being vnwilling to neglect the vpright dealing or iustice of vs and of the Church our spouse What greater blasphemie than this can there be Saint Paule sayeth 2. Cor. 11.2 I haue prepared you for one husbande not for two and he nameth him to be Christ who though he bee absent yet is he also present absent in flesh but present in power and spirite and so will he bee alwayes with his Math. 28.20 Iho. 14.16.17.18 euen vnto the end of the worlde So that the church hath no neede of that ministeriall head that cannot bee but in one place at one time seeing Christes spirit is his Vicar in his church Ter. prescipt which can be in all places at once as the church is scattered in many places through the whole world That the catholike Church mentioned in the Articles of our beliefe is not visible or to be seene CHAP. 7 THE PROTESTANTS BEcause the Catholike Church mentioned in the Creed is that heauenly Ierusalem that is mother of vs all Gal. 4.26 and comprehendeth as S. Augustine saith not onely that part that wandreth vpon earth Enchir. ca. 56. froÌ„ the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same but that also that is in heauen And the company of Christians for the time in earth is not the vniuersall Church but is only a smal part therof In the preface to his booke of Images as Sander a papist coÌ„fesseth It followeth that that Church which is spoken of in the Creed is not that small flocke that waÌ„dreth here in this world And so consequently that that catholike Church because the farre greatest part thereof is in heauen and so not to be seene cannot bee seene of vs. And for that cause are wee taught to say I beleeue the holy Catholike Church but things that are seene are not nay cannot be beleeued For faith is the ground of things that are hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things that are not seene Therefore either must we denie I beleeue the holy Catholike Church to be an Article of our faith or else must it bee confessed that the Catholike Church is inuisible THE PAPISTS BVt that whorish Romish Church which hath nothing to commend hir but an outward painting that consisteth of worldly glory wher as the glory of Christs true spouse is chiefly inward and a shew of succession in the chaire of them that were knowne to be good men Psal 45 5â— but not in their faith and godlinesse least that men should seeke to know the Church by the word which is that only infallible mark that our sauior Christ giueth Iohn 10.3 4 5.27 Ephe. 2.20 De vnitate Eccles cont Petil. ca. 10 and likewise Saint Paule to the Ephesians and Saint Augustine doeth highly commend the same so that if hee erre from the true Church seeing Christ hath giuen him so good a marke of her he confesseth himselfe to bee too blame for it Least that I say men should occupie them selues in this word written seeking to finde the Church there this seducing sinagogue doth beare vs in hand that the true Church must be glorious to the eye and easie to be seene and that there is no other Catholike Church but such a one And then they knowe that there is not in all the worlde such a one that maketh so faire a shewe to bee found but onely that of Rome which is liuely described by Saint Iohn Reuel 17. in the Apocalips And although this is a common principle in the Catholike Church and in euery bodies mouth That the Catholike church is visible which Campion in his third reason and Turrian against Sadeel Camp rat 3. doe manifestly affirme Yet I know not how it commeth to passe that euen the greatest pillars of poperie do not so much as define the Catholike church and deale as I thinke in this question verie fearefully as may appeare not onely by Melchior Canus in his fourth booke Loc. Theolo de eccle milit â—â— b. 3. cap. 12. but especially by Belarmine who appointing a whole Chapter for proofe of this point yet dareth not in the verie title of the Chapter set downe that is in question that is to say that the catholike Church is visible for so they say but onely this is the title of that chapter that the Church is visible Which if he meane it of particular Churches we say
together two into one flesh Then if we wil speake properly of marriage it is the ioyning together not of minds or heartes onely but of bodies also Yea li. 1. chap. 5 De Sacram. matrim and it is confessed by maister Bellarmine that such marriages as haue not copulation are but a maimed and vnperfect Sacrament and that Priestes may so be married And howe his fellowes will take this at his handes I cannot tell that they who count themselues most perfect should not bee admitted but to that vnperfect Sacrament whereas the common sort and knowne sinners might bee partakers of the perfect Sacrament But let them order those matters amongest themselues But saint Basil perchance would admit them to the vse of marriage since maister Bellar. doth permit them to marry De vera Virginitate so that they abstaine froÌ„ the vse of it For saith he since the reason of the minde directing hath manifestly ioined their hearts in respect of some necessitie worthily doth the vnitie of bodies to which they are knit folow those hearts so vnited wherin this lerned father seemeth to me to be of that mind that there is no cause but that whosoeuer may in heart be ioined vnto another as to his wife may also in bodie bee ioyned with her And so if it be lawfull for them to marry and to continue married Cap. 5. as Bellarmine confesseth it is also lawfull for them to haue the vse of marriage as saint Basill here saieth But what is the reason why they stande so much in this matter Are they not men haue they not infirmities Can they who this day finde themselues to be voyde of such assaults as are the fruites of wanton lusts promise to themselues that they shall bee so to morrowe likewise and so to continue also Let no man deceyue himselfe in that foolish imagination no body can assure themselues of anie such thing it is a rare gift of God All men cannot receiue this thing Mat. 19.11 1. Cor. 7 7 17 De monac li. 2. cap. 31 but they to whome it is giuen If it be a gift of God as Bellar. confesseth it is too much presumption for vs to be so bold to promise it as though it were within our owne reach If it bee care it is too much wickednesse and too great occasion of offence for the church of Rome to require it so as they doe of all their cleargie Yea but they teach this as a doctrine that needes must bee beleeued De Cler. li. 1 cap. 21 and with a full consent and namely Bellarmine That they haue the gift of continencie that will And againe That there is no man that cannot liue continently if himselfe will Of this doctrine of free will I shall God willing speake more largely hereafter But now for this bolde and grosse affirmation I am verily perswaded that it neuer could haue come from any man vnlesse either his minde were blinded with ignorance that hee saw not the trueth of his owne estate or his heart were either possessed with such a senselesnesse that it could feele no sinne or else so bent to resist the truth that he would not yeeld to it although hee knewe it For what can bee found in the scriptures more common than the falles of the godly the faults of Gods seruants their complaints their sighes yea their teares because of their sinnes Shall we say they sinned willingly or that they walked not carefully in their wayes S. Paul then wil proue vs to be liars who for his part doth testifie To will is present with me Rom. 7.18 19 but I finde no way to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Wee see saint Paule would faine not haue done euill but yet hee did it Shall wee say we are stronger than hee was Then are wee fooles and knowe nothing of our owne weakenesse For this cause Paule willeth the yonger widowes not to vowe chastitie or striue for it 1. Tim. 5.14 but to marrie and doe such dutyes Yea and if the scriptures should not teach vs this let vs but looke into our selues and considering indifferently and without partiality how subiect we are to sinne we must confesse that if the Apostle had cause to sigh wee may iustly tremble â—â— d quake for feare If hee complaine and mourne wee may in bitternesse and anguish of soule crie out for his weaknesse shall bee founde strength if it bee compared with our readinesse to fast And yet I confesse that God will giue grace to them that aske it and let them that seek find so that they aske and seeke in such sort as they ought to doe and such things as are necessarie for them to walke in their calling But to aske that we should not stand in need of that helpe and remedie agaynst sinne that God hath prouided or that wee should liue a more angellicall life than hee hath appoynted vs to doe is to tempt God in asking without our warrant and therefore without fayth and to despise that measure of grace that God hath vouchedsafe to bestowe vpon vs. The treasure is great that wee who are Gods ministers doe carrie although in earthen vessels that the power might bee of God 2. Cor. 4.7 and not of vs. It is inough for vs if the Lord keepe vs so 〈◊〉 his great goodnesse from falling that we bee not dashed in peeces and bee a reproch to this excellent worde of life So that wee honour him and glorifie his name in what estate of life so euer it be whether single life or mariage it maketh no matter Gods will be done and Gods name be praysed for it Well then we see beggers must be no choosers but looke what hee hath appointed vs to haue let vs bee heartily thankefull for it and craue Gods good spirite to direct vs in that way Seeing then it appeareth I trust that neither to liue vnmaried without burning in lust is in our power neither yet it is needfull that anie should striue for that vnlesse hee see that God hath giuen him that gift let vs yet further consider what it is that they so much mislike in mariage Cens col diall 3 Ad Himer They say that it doeth open a doore vnto wantonnesse and putteth fire to all lustes And as Pope Sericius sayeth for such to marrie is nothing else but to liue in the flesh yea in pollution and that they cannot please God Censur col dial 3. Yea blasphemously doe the Iesuites of Colen call it the life of Sardanapalus for a Priest to marrie But more like to the saying of a plaine Atheist is that saying of that man of Colen that a man were better to haue a hundred harlots one after another than one wife And our countrey man Doctour Smith in his booke of vowes and single life D. Smith Obiection 8 is not ashamed to
for I trust this is sufficient for answere to the argument Which also is an answer vnto his fift argument which is this Arg. 5 ca. 18 In the scripturs many things are forbidden and commaunded and without free will that were in vaine which is all one with the fourth argument De gratia lib. Arbit c. 2 But because master Bellarmine doeth prooue this argument and that very strongly as himselfe saieth because saint Augustine vseth that very reason to prooue free will I must needes speake a word of that place Seeing therefore saint Augustine hath said in the place alleadged in the former argument that precepts are needefull though they can not bee kept And now he saith if there be not free will precepts are in vaine It seemeth that there were some amongest them to whome he writeth that thought that Gods grace did so worke in men that they shoulde doe nothing at all themselues for he complaineth of some Cap. 2. that when grace was defended though free will was denied Therefore hee teacheth them that although wee be made partakers of grace yet we are not without nay rather wee haue free wil. But what manner of free wil Haue we that free will that hath power and strength to doe good and abstaine from euil No In Enchirid. cap. 9. Saint Augustine confesseth that to bee lost Man not vsing well freewill lost both himselfe and that What then A will freed from that bondage vnto sinne wherein it was A will that nowe hath a loue and liking of that is good and not altogither delighting in euill as before it did And indeed in vaine are exhortations to them that are not so freed from euil that they haue at the least a plkasure in good things Well may exhortations and instructions be to their confusion but to their comforte they shall not bee This then is is the meaning of that place that God speaketh to vs in vaine in the scriptures if we be but as stockes and stones not hauing so much as a delight therein and hauing this willingnes God must also by his grace inable vs or els we cannot fulfill our will The sixt argument is like the rest Arg. 6. ca. 1◠It hath no necessarie consequence God maketh promise vnto vs vnder condition that we shal obey him therefore either we are able to obey or els it is saith Maister Bellarmine a mockery and not a promise Not so Maister Bellarmine For in such conditional promises it is not declared what we can doe but what we ought to doe and what in respect of the excellency of our creation may iustly be required of vs and what we must doe before we can be perfect And because Maister Bellarmine thinketh it so scornefull a thing that God shouln make promise vnder such condition cannot bee performed of vs I would he woulde consider with himselfe where is the cause why we cannot performe it Is it in good No for he requireth nothing of vs but that hee gaue vs abilite to doe if wee had kept vs in that estate Is it in our creation No we were made good Is it in the lawe But that is pure iust and holie Is it then in our selues Yea truely For in Adam wee are all sinners and by sinne robbed of that power to keep the law and performe such conditions as once before we had If then the impossibility of keeping the conditions is by our owne fault God may iustly require of vs that debt which hee knoweth wee were able to pay when first we became his debters We see then that it is neither a good argument to say God promiseth vpon condition therfore wee can perfourme the condition for the condition doeth but shew what we ought to doe or what marke we must aime at yea and what wee must doe in the end neither absurd that he should require that of vs now which once we could haue performed and might still haue done if wee had not our selues bin in fault But thus wee might reason truely God maketh vnto vs many and great promises if we obey him therefore we must striue to obey him striue I say by prayer by meditating in Gods lawe and by all godly exercises And God would haue vs indeede by such meanes to stirre vp our selues to attaine to the promises And because the promises belong but to the godly and not to the wicked we will easily confesse that there is in them a willingnesse to obey But yet not free will because it is hindred by tentations without and within themselues and by it owne weakenesse So that be they neuer so willing yet they can not obey but euen as they are led by Gods good grace In psa 109. enarratione It is no great matter saith Augustine that God made his Sonne to shew the way since hee hath made him the way it selfe that thou mightest goe by him ruling thee that goeth by himselfe For in deede wee can not walke alone in those wayes wee are as babes that cannot goe by themselues Arg. 7. 8. His seuenth argument as also the eight argument is in a manner the very same with the first ca. 20. 21. Deut. 30.14 and neede not be answered againe But yet I will touch that place of Deuteronomie whereupon he especially resteth for the strength of the seuenth argument and for interpretation whereof he inueieth against master Caluine Moses saith or God by Moses The word is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart By which words master Bellarmine saieth Moses telleth vs that this woord is easie to keepe and therefore that we haue free will M. Bellarmine is but too bolde in a bad cause and too ready to speake more than hee can prooue That which he had said before This commaundement is not hid from thee Verse 11. neither farre off he prooueth in this place because it is in their mouth and heart so that they need not seeke far to get it The Chalde paraphrase can finde no free wil in these words Chris expounds these words of the cōmandement that it is easie to be had without trauell by sea or land Chrysost in Rom. ser 17. not once dreaming of the easines of performing or doing it but most plainly saith Theophilact Vpon the Romanes the tenth Gods commaundement O thou Iew is before thy eies neither shalt thou need that thou mayest find and inioy it either to clime vp in to heauen or go down into the deepe It is at hand and nearer vnto thee Beholde it is euen in thy mouth and in thy heart For God by his lawe hath shewed thee all things How impudently soeuer therefore master Bellarmine dare affirme that Moses speaketh there of the easinesse of keeping Gods lawe yet the circumstance of the text and the iudgement of the Writers alleadged especially of Theophilact is flat against him Rom. 10.8 And to that end doth the Apostle saint Paul apply it also to
that al the temporall punishment is not alwayes pardoned with the sinne And the Iesuites of Colen say that this commeth often to passe And so they all teach that not alwayes but often it is so But this is a very doubtfull doctrine for the afflicted conscience that would faine finde comfort and release of sinnes But so must it alwayes be nothing but doubting nothing but wauering so long as wee trust to our owne satisfactions No quietnesse and securitie but onely in Christ But because I haue spoken else-where of our satisfactions or workes how little auaileable they are I meane not to stay vpon this point But for the example of Dauid which is alleadged both by Allen 2. Sa. 12.14 maister Bellarmine and the rest whereby they chiefly indeuour to prooue that punishment may be inflicted the sinne being pardoned it maketh little for them For seeing there are in sinne two things as themselues will confesse the verie corruption it selfe and the danger or condemnation that followe◠h it the condemnation being taken away by forgiuenesse of sinne yet the corruption or infection of sinne still remaineth as before hath beene taught in the three and twentieth chapter The cause of chasticements Esa 48.10 God therefore sometime chasticeth his seruants to humble or reforme So he chasticed the Iewes Sometime to trie and prooue them whether their hearts bee right or not so did hee prooue the Israelites in the wildernesse fortie yeeres Deut. 8.2 Sometime to glorifie his owne name and for example to others as in the storie of Iob appeareth Then they can not reason thus Dauid was afflicted therefore it was to satisfie for his sinne For God wee see may send affliction for many other causes and not that wee might satisfie any thing by temporall punishment But master Bellarmine replieth against this answere out of the very wordes For there it is saide 2. Sam. 12.14 Because thou hast caused the ennemies of the Lorde by this thy deede to blaspheme the childe that is borne to thee shall surely die Where he noteth the cause saieth master Bellarmine why Dauid should be punished True but not thereby to satisfie for that he had done But that the enemies of God seeing the chasticements that God laieth vpon his children and how that Gods iudgements begin euen at his owne house and with his owne deare seruants 1. Pet. 4.17 they may the rather looke for his heauie wrath if they turne not to him And thus much for the right vnderstanding of the place But what is this to purgatorie for Dauids sinne was mortall and therefore could not be helped by purgatorie by their own doctrine De purgat li. 1. cap. 9. for M. Bellarmine saith they al agree therin To what end then doe they bring in Dauids punishment for a mortall sinne to shew howe God will take away veniall sinnes or howe doth it folow Dauid was here punished for his sinne therefore all men here or else where must be punished But to handle this question as briefly as I can master Bellarmine himselfe doth handle it doubtfully Iren. lib. 5. and so vncertainly yea and as Irene speaketh so vnconsequently and so euil agreing with it selfe that he giueth iust cause to suspect the truth of it Where the place of purgatorie is they haue not yet agreed Bellar. de purg li. 2. c. 6 Cap. 6. but are of eight sundrie minds And although in the first booke of purgatorie master Bellarmine hath alledged sundrie fathers for proofe of it Cap. 1. yet in the second booke he telleth vs that they are not agreed of it who shall come thether Some will haue all but Christ neither will exempt from thence so much as the virgin Marie others are of another minde But who must satisfie for them that are in purgatorie De purg li. 2. cap. 17. only he that is iust Why then where shall they finde priests to serue the turne For they are cōmonly as bad as who is worst And the time will scarcely serue them to recken vp their owne Li. 2. cap. 10 de purgat much lesse shall they be able to satisfie for others sins Other doubtes also there are which M. Bellarmine speaketh of but cannot certainly resolue Is this doctrine to be receiued as catholicke of so manie points whereof euen the greatest Doctours among them do disagree No certaine place no certaine people no certaine proofe of it What should we doe with such an vncertaine religion especially where so little good commeth towardes vs and so much of our goodes goe from vs For onely veniall sinnes they tell vs Veniall sinnes onely taken away in purgatorie can bee taken away by purgatorie But for such small faults because they doe not as the Papists would make vs bebeleeue turne vs from God they can tell vs manie mo easie remedies Holie bread holy water giuing a little almes pardons Pilgrimages Pater nosters and Auies And to bee buried in a Monkes Cowle and bootes it is a soueraigne remedie for such things or else they lie But one thing I cannot but muse at that in this life these veniall sinnes maie so easilie bee satisfied for as they all agree and yet after this life their torments shoulde bee so grieuous as they report them to bee For maister Bellarmine bestoweth a whole Chapter to proue the paines of Purgatorie to bee most bitter De purgat li. 2. cap. 1◠and that no torments that are in this life may bee compared with them Can a little holy water wash them awaie heere and must the fire be so sharpe that must burne them awaie else-where But I thinke I knowe nowe the mysterie of it The more that mens sinnes are heere mittigated or the lesse grieuous that they appeare vnto their iudgement the lesse carefull will they bee to satisfie for the same heere or rather to auoyd them and will liue more securely But when vppon their death-bed they shall finde anie conflict of conscience and can finde no rest then must they giue much for Masses and Trentals then must the bellowes of the Priests false and lying tongues blowe the fire of purgatorie vntill they haue made it so hote that a great peece of that which hee hath left behinde him and shoulde serue for the maintenance of wife and children must bee bestowed in the slaking of that great heate and the quenching of that tormenting and vnsatiable fire De purgat lib. ◠cap. 3. Now for his proofs of purgatorie out of the scriptures they haue either so little waight or are so obscure and so wrested from their natural sense that the simplest if without partialitie they could weigh them would find them too light to satisfie their consciences to be perswaded of the truth of that doctrine The two first the one of the Machabees 2. Mac. 12. Tob. 4. 1. Sam. 31.30 2. Sam. 1.12 the other of Tobie are out of the bookes that are not Canonicall and