auerreth That the only Catholike fayth quickneth sanctifyeth giueth life excluding not any workes but the false beliefe of Heretikes Origen vpon the third Chapter to the Romans and S. Chrysostome in his booke of Fayth and the law of Nature attribute Iustification to fayth alone without the outward accomplishment of any externall worke or without the precedent obseruation of the law whether it be externall or internall according to Vasquez both exemplifying in the theese vpon the Crosse so that among all the Fathers whom they obiect no one giueth sentence on their side 20. Finally besides these authorityes and the former common obiections one the Aduersarie yet reserueth as his sole Achilles and properly belonging to this place that our pious and godly workes are outward tokens only and manifestations as whitaker calleth them of inward righteousnes but not the causes which augment or make vs more iust for as the tree is not made good by the VVhitak in his answer to the 8. reason of M. Campian fol. 254. fruites it beareth but only declared and knowne to be such no more can a iust man become more iust by the fruits of good workes which he produceth but only be discouered and knowne to be iust because as the fruits presuppose the goodnes of the tree from whence they spring and do not make it good so good workes prerequire iustice in the worker and cannot concurre to constitute Matth. 71 v. 17. Maldon in c. 7. Matt. him iust Whereupon Christ compareth the iust man with a good tree which bringeth forth good fruits and cannot produce euill the wicked to an euill tree which shooteth forth euill and cannot bring good I answere with Maldonate first by retorting the argument vpon my Aduersaryes If by good works we cannot be made but only knowne to be good it followeth by necessary consequence that by euill works we cannot become euill but only declared and signifyed to be such So Adam being once a good tree planted by God either could not degenerate and bring forth the euill fruits of sinne as he did or by sinning was not made euill or worse then before by iniustly transgressing the Commandment of God became A differeÌ„ce betweene naturall and morall causes necessary to be noted not indeed vniust but was only marked figured with the notes of iniustice which cannot be affirmed without plaine impiety Secondly I answere that there is a great difference between naturall and morall causes as euery Nouice in our Schooles can instruct you Naturall causes by their good or euill effects are neither made good or euill better or worse as the fire waxeth not more hoat by the heate it casteth nor the stocke of the vine in it selfe more fruitful by the outward braÌ„ches it spreadeth abroad but these only demonstrate the fruitfullnes of the vine or heate of the fire Morall causes do not only worke well or badly because they are good or euill but by vvorking vvell or euilly they grovv good or euill become better or vvorse As vvee do not only liue temperatly because vve are teÌ„perate but by many acts of temperance become Arist l. 2. de mori c. 1. Ibid. c. 2. VVhitak l. 1. 8. aduers Duraeum August l. de fide oper c. 14. in psal 31. S. Thom. in Gal. 3. lect 4. Ambr. in cap. 8. ad Rom. Beda in c. â— ep lac temperate by the like dayly go forward increase in temperance For sayth Aristotle As by building builders by singing to the harpe men arriue to be cunning harpers or musitians so by doing good things men become iust by temperate things temperate by valiant exployts valiant Likewise by accustoming our selues to contemne and endure things fearefull and to be dreaded fortes efficimur we grow stout couragious Therfore although the tree which is a naturall cause of budding fruits receaueth not from them any sparke of life or increase of goodnes yet the iust man who is a morall cause in acheiuing good workes is more quickned in spirituall life and perfected in iustice by achieuing of them 21. Then they vrge out of S. Augustine That good workes go not before the iustifyed but follow him that is iust Out of S. Thomas Workes are not the cause that any one is iust before God but rather the executions and manifestations of Iustice. The like out of S. Ambrose Venerable Bede others I answere they are manifestations and remonstrances of the first iustice of the first infusion of grace as S. Thomas expoundeth himselfe and so they follow and are not the cause S. Thom. in c. 2. ad Gal. that any one is iust in that kind yet this withstandeth not but that they perfect and increase the infused iustice as true meritorious and morall causes thereof which is all that we require all that the Oecumenicall holy Councell of Trent hath enacted touching the Iustice of our works quickned with the seed or watered with the due of Gods celestiall grace The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFTH BOOKE THE XXII CONTROVERSY DISPROVETH The Protestants certainty of Saluation against D. Whitaker and D. Abbot CHAP. I. SO deep and vnsearchable are the iudgements of God so close and inscrutable the inuolutions of mans hart his foldes so secret so many his retraytes his search so weake in matters of spirit so hidden and vnknown the operations of grace the feares the doubts the anxiety so innumerable which the best belieuing Protestants and Ministers themselues feele in their consciences as I am wonderfully astonished at this arrogant speach that they should be all infallibly assured and vndoubtedly certaine of their saluation and my astonishment is the greater when I read the sentence of God and Eâ—â—â—â—â— 9. v. 1. 2. verdict of the holy Ghost passe against them in these tearmes vncontrollable There are iust men and wise and their workes are in the hand of God and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred but all things are reserued vncertain Prou. c. 20 v. 9. for the tyme to come And who can say my hart is cleane I am pure from sinne Where Salomon doth not affirme as Venerable Bede noteth vpon that place That a man cannot be but that he cannot certainly say or know himselfe to be pure from Beds in eum locum Eccles 5. v. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot in his defence c. 4. f. 330. 331. c. Calu. l. 3. instit c. 2. §. 38. sinne Likewise Of sinne forgiuen be not without feare or as whitaker readeth out of the Greeke Of expiation or pardon be not secure To the first of these three testimonyes M. Abbot replyeth with Caluin his Maister That by outward things by thinges that are before our face a man knoweth not whether he be beloued or hated of God howbeit he may otherwise infallibly know it But this answere cannot be shaped to the latter clause of that sentence All thinges are
haue giuen him to will and to runne if contemning his vocation he had not become reprobate Iudas was 〈…〉 reprobate Origen notwithstanding Orig. l. 8. in ep ad Rom. Chrysost hom 16. in cap. 9. ad Rom. Chrysost hom 4 de laâ—d Paul ad fin Concil Arâ—usican â—ap 25. writeth of him that it was in his power if he wold to haue equalled in sanctitie S. Peter and S. Iohn Pharao was a reprobate of whome S. Chrysostome auerreth that God did what lay in him to saue him who if he were not saued the whole fault was his owne He also teacheth that euery one if he endeauour may arriue to the holines and perfection of S. Paul To which effect it is defined by the Arausican Councell that all the baptized Christ ayding and cooperating with them are able if they will labour faithfully and ought to fullfil the things that appeartaine to saluatioÌ„ 5. In like mannerâ— that the Predestinate may forfeit their saluation loose their grace and be damned we need not seeke any other proof then the testimonies of holy Writ For S. Paul an elect witnesseth of his owne person I chastise my body and bring it into seruitude least perhapes when I haue preached to others my selfe become a reprobate 1. Cor. 9. 27. Sap. 4. 11. Eccles c. 31. 10. Apocalyps 3. 11. 2. Pet. 1. 10. VVhitak cont 2. q. 6. cap. 3. Fulk in c. 6. ad Roman sect 2. 5. Of another it is testified he was taken away least malice might change his vnderstanding and fiction begiule his soule therfore he might haue bin altered and deceiued if he had not bin preuented by God Of a third it is said He could haue transgressed and transgressed not haue done euill and did not 〈◊〉 Iohn in the Apocalyps exhorteth the predestinate to perscuere coÌ„stant least they be frustrated of their hope Behold I come quickly hold that thou hast that no man receaue thy crowne And S. Peter Wherfore my brethren rather endeauour that by ' good works you may make sure your vocation and election But these thinges haue bin sufficiently proued heertofore in the 24. and 25. controuersies 6. The eight heresy falsly supposeth that Predestination according to the whole chaine and lincke of euery effect which followeth theron is altogether of God in so much as neither our iustification saluation nor any execution of his will in this kind dependeth of the sacraments of the Church or of our good Works as their instrumentall or meritorious causes but of Gods election as Whitaker auerreth of his promises and Christs merits And Fulke Neither Baptisme nor any works of Christian religion cause iustification but Baptisme is a seale good workes fruites therof Again the Elect work willingly to their saluation c. but they do not therby deserue their saluation for saluation dependeth vpon their election Howbeit the holy ghost in his sacred Word directly teacheth that by Baptisme and other Sacraments we are truly a Marc. vlt. v. 16. saued b Tit. 3. 5. regenerate c Ioa. 3. 5. new borne d Tit. 3. 7. iustified e 1. Corin. 10. 17. incorporated to Christ f Ioan. 6. 56. made one with him he with vs. That by g Act. 8. 18. theÌ„we receaue the holy Ghost h Act. 2. 38. obteine remission of our sinnes i 2. ad Tim. 1. 6. inhereÌ„t grace k Ioan. 3. 5. entrance to the kingdome of heauen l Tit. 3. 7. Aug. in ps 7â— are made heires of euerlasting life Therfore they are true causes of our iustice and instruments of our saluation To which Saint Augustine subscribeth setting downe the differeÌ„ce betwixt the sacrameÌ„ts of the old law and of the new in these words Some sacraments there are that giue saluation others that promise a Sauiour The Sacraments of the new Testament giue saluation the sacraments of the old Testament Gregor l. 6. c. 3. in prim Regum promised a Sauiour And S. Gregory Outwardly we receaue the sacraments that we may be inwardly replenished with the grace of the holy ghost 7. Likewise the execution of Gods predestination is often furthered and effected by the prayers of Saints or other holy men vpon earth as S. Augustine testifieth If Stephen had not prayed the Church had not enioyed Paul Besids Perchance there are some heere predestinate to be graunted by our prayers Moreouer he exhorteth vs to correct all sorts of Aug. ser 1. de sanct Aug. de bon perf 2. Timoth. 2. 10. 1. Timoth. 4. v. vlt. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 1. Corinth 9. Ther shold be noe iudgenunt at all sayth S. Augustin if men sinned by the will of God Aug. tom 7. ad artic sibi falso impositos artic 10. sinners because correction is a meane that the predestinate may obteine their designed glory The same is also taught by S. Gregory Prosper and others and is grounded on these words of Scripture I susteine all things for the elect that they also may obteine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with heauenly glory For this doing thou shalt saue thy selfe others By good works make sure your vocation and election So runne that you may comprehend Therfore by running we do comprehend by running we winne the goale of eternall felicity Or if we do not if saluation dependeth of gods election and not of our good endeauous damnation dependeth in like sort of his reprobation and not of our misdeeds the doome pronounced by God against the accursed in the latter day is not for their sinnes as the causes of their perdition but the true cause therof is the will of God his eternalll will which in Protestants conceit vndeseruedly reiecteth and abandoneth them Let the Scriptures theÌ„ be false the generall iudgment peruerse the bookes of conscience brought foorth in vaine their euidences reiected the sentence of our iudge reuersed and called back by you as not deliuering the right cause of mans eternall torments in brief let heauen and earth faile and your phrensies only take place 8. The ninth heresy which springeth from that bastard Fulk in ca. 3. ad Rom. sect 4. root of making God the authour of mans destructioÌ„ setteth abroach the contrary wills which M. Fulke assigneth to God to wit his reuealed and secret will For either he supposeth they are two distinct wills allowing that sacrilegious disunion and diuorcement of affection in our true soueraigne God which Tullie disalloweth as the roote Tull. l. 2. de nat Deorum of dissention euen in his false and heathenish Gods and as he distinguisheth his will so he must deuide the vnity of his nature he must needs confesse one God abhorring sinnes the other approuing them with the viperous Manichees Or doth he meane there is but one wil which as reuealed detesteth sinne as secret and hidden liketh well of it then let him tel me how he liketh or decreeth those thinges with his secret purpose which he hath openly forbidden by
out remitted taken away separated from vs. How do they then abide Orabiding not how do they destaine the brightnes of succeeding grace Can the banished darknes ouercome the conquering and preuailing light The oldnes cast off defile the newnesse brought in by Christ The destroyed guilt Ezech. 30. v. 25. Rom 6. v. 6. Act. 3. v. 19. â— Luc. 7. v. 48. Ioan. 1. v 29. Psal 102. v. 12. or death of sinne infect the beauty of restored life Let S. Paul be iudge who speeking of some sanctifyed persons who before had beene fornicatours drunkards idolatours affirmeth These thinges some of you were but you are awashed you are sanctifyed you are iustifyed 3. Now if these faythfull Corinthians were not such as they had beene before if the spots of their fornication drunkenesse idolatry and all other sinnes were cleansed and washed away by the guift of sanctification or true iustification created in theÌ„ how durst you giue the checke 1. Cor. 6. v. â—â— to so great an Apostle and say their sanctification is tainted with the loath some touch of their abyding puddles Salomon auerreth Wisedome will not enter into the malicious soule nor dwell in a body subiect to sinne much lesse will ioyn league and be corrupted with the filthines of sinne Christ Sap. 1 v. 4. cannot accord with Belial nor the Arke of our Lord with the Idoll Dagon no more can sanctifying grace stand togeather 2. Cor. 6. v. 15. with mortall sinne for what participation hath Iustice with iniquity What society is there betweene light and darknesse Marry M. Abbot will contract a society between them at least 1. Reg. 5. in some low degree to which purpose he sayth Doth not Philosophy teach that contraryes are incompatible only in their 2. Cor. 6. v. 14. extremes But hath he quite forgotten or did he not rightly vnderstand of what contraryes that was meant The Philosophers speake of some positiue not of priuatiue coÌ„traryes Abbot in his defence c. 2. f. 171. whereof the one is the habit the other the priuation of these no Logicke or Philosophy euer taught they could reside togeather in the same subiect in any remisse degree as one cannot be both dead and aliue bereft of sight and enioy it also at the same instant such contraryes are infused grace and mortall sinne therefore they cannot comply in any measure the one with the other for a deadly crime howsoeuer it be resisted and curbed of his raigne which is al you pretend to linke it with grace yet so long as it formally dwelleth soiourneth in man it must needes denominate and make him a sinner for euery forme giueth the formal effect to the subiect it informeth If a sinner a slaue to sinne starcke dead to God wholy bereft of his fauour truly hated and abhorred of him throughly vncleane and deseruedly guilty of eternal damnation therefore he cannot possibly at the same tyme by any sparke of grace be aliue to God enioy his fauour be accepted and beloued of him be truely cleane and Medina iâ— 1. 2. q. 113. art 2. Caiet ibid Vasq in 1. 2. disp 10. 4. c. 4. 51 worthy of his kingdome The soule which by sinne is the aduoutresse of the Diuell and thrall of Sathan cannot be also the spouse of Christ and the adopted child of God vnles it be by such vnequall shares as that which is the Diuells by true possession of inherent sinne you will account to be Gods by outward clayme of imputatioÌ„ only and make the Prince of darcknes too strong an armed man to be presently cast forth by the King of heauen 4. The Fathers likewise so much abhorre this diabolicall Luc. 11. v. 21. Phrensy that the Diuell should haue any part in vs who are renewed in Christ or that the tainture of our contagion should staine the sanctification wrought by Chrys ho. 40. in â—5 â— ad Cor. S. Basil in psal 23. August tract 9. in ep Ioan Hier. l. 3. cont Pela Euseb de corp sang Dei Niss l. de perfec homin forma Macar l. de lib. arbit VVhitaker in his answere to Campians 8. reason Fulk in c. 4 ad Ephes sect 2. Abbot in â—is 4. c. sect 10. VVhitaâ— vbi supra Aug. l. 6. 〈◊〉 Iul. â— â— him as they contrarywise teach that our inward renouation euer expelleth the dregs of mortall and sometyms also venial default which I inuincibly proued in the precedent Controuersy and maketh our soules as S. Chrysostome sayth more pure then the beames of the Sunne so amyable to God as he sitteth according to S. Basil in the shining soule making it as it were his throne for which cause S. Augustine calleth that internall sanctification the beauty of our soule S. Hierome The purity of our soule Eusebius Hidden purity Macarius A certaine hidden or mysticall garment of heauenly beauty But Protestants do answere how beautifull soeuer that grace may seeme it only declareth quoth Whitaker the good will clemency of God towards vs it is the effect not the cause of our Iustification This renouation sayth Fulke is only begun in this life and not perfected These beames quoth M. Abbot are too dimme and darke to iustify vs in the sight of God for that righteousnes that iustifying grace they place with Whitaker in the free mercy and fauour of God who reconciled vs to himselfe in Christ that according to them is in God only and not in vs vnles it be by meere imputation but I will manifestly proue first that our inward renouation is perfect and pure from the staine of sinne though not from the defects and infirmityes which haue sprong vp from sinne secondly that grace by which we are iustifyed is inherent in vs and not in Christ thirdly that that inherent grace or inward iustice doth truly instify vs before the face of God 5. The first is testifyed by S. Augustine saying Grace doth now perfectly renew man so far forth as it appertayneth to the dâ—â—â—â—erance wholy from all sinnes not so farre as it belongeth to the freedome from all euills Againe In Christian baptisme perfect newnes and perfect health is attayned from those euills by which we were guilty not from these with which we must yet combate least Ibid. c. 7. Augu. de nat gra c. 42. Augu. de gra Christ l. â— c. 30. De sprit literae cap. 32. Lib. de nat grat cap. 63. we become guilty speaking of charity by which this renouation is made he sayth Charity it selfe is most true most plenteous most perfect iustice The second is also warranted by the same S. Augustine who expresly affirmeth The grace by which we are iustifyed not to be Gods gracious and extrinsecall fauour but his charity diffused into our harts by the Holy Ghost who is giuen vs and this charity not to be that by which he loueth vs but that by which he maketh vs louers of him Likewise by this only charity
true Iustice consisteth Remission of sinnes sayth he it selfe is not without some merit if fayth do get or impetrate it neither is the merit of fayth none by which fayth he sayd Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and descended iustifyed by the merit of faythfull humility And in the epistle next following But if any man shall say that Fayth doth merit the grace of working well we cannot deny it nay we willingly confesse it c. They therefore that haue fayth by which they obtaine iustification through the grace of God haue arriued to the law of Iustice Likewise in another place This confession sayth he meriteth Iustification 5. The Centurists taxe Tertullian Origen S. Gregory Nissen S. Ephrem S. Hierome for fauouring heerin our doctrine Tertullian say they seemeth to hould that good workes do both goe before and follow fayth for so he auerreth of Patience And in his fourth booke against Marcion he affirmeth the chief cause of Zachaeus iustification to haue been in that he not knowing fullfilled the precept of Isay breake thy bread vnto the hungry In like manner Origen in so many places I cyte their owne wordes ascribeth to workes the preparation to saluation and cause thereof as in his Commentaryes vpon S. Matthew Such truely sayth he as do professe their fayth in Iesus and do not prepare themselues by good workes to saluation are resembled to the foolish Virgins And in his homilyes vpon Iosue The habitation or dwelling of God in vs he attributeth to our merits that is to our merits of congruity as S. Augustine taught whome I cyted before Then they reprehend and labour to refell this saying Cent. 4. c. 10. Colum. 953. Nissen l. de vita Moys Cent. 4 c. 4. Colum. â—94 Ephrem l. 2. de compunct cor cap. 8. Cent. 4. c. 10. Col. 1249. of S. Gregory Nissen The grace of the holy Ghost dwelleth not in man vnles be first mortify in himselfe the force of sinne They accuse S. Ephrem for teaching that Contrition doth merit remission of sinnes Wherupon they reiect this as one of his blemished places Who doth not admire that God by the teares of this short space forgiueth sinnes and that we gauled with the sore of a thousand woundes he at the eleuenth houre cureth vs by teares Againe When he hath healed vs he rendreth the reward of tears S. Hierome also they blame because in his commentary vpon the prayer of Ieremy Nimium tribuit contritioni he attributeth too much to contrition they blame him likewise for houlding That Cornelius receaued the holy Ghost by the works of the naturall law by which Abraham Moyses and other Saints were also iustifyed What S. Hierome there meaneth by receauing the holy Ghost and whether Cornelius were S. Basil reg 224. ex breuior Greg. hom â— in Ezech. iustifyed before the comming of S. Peter I referre my Reader to the expositours vpon that place and certaine it is that S. Basil S. Gregory do insinuate that the almes prayers and other morall good workes which Cornelius wrought were acceptable preparatiues to moue God to mercy and to communicate vnto him the grace of inherent Iustice Which preparation Prosper expresly acknowledgeth and freeth it from the heresy of the Pelagians Prosp l. de lib. arbitr ad Ruffin Beda in hunc locuÌ„ saying that they did not vnderstand that preparation of Cornelius to be made by Gods grace as we do And Venerable Bede out of S. Gregory affirmeth of the same Cornelius He knew God Creatour of all but that his omnipotent Sonne was incarnate he knew not and in that fayth he made prayers and gaue almes which pleased God and by well doing he deserued to know God perfectly to belieue the mistery of the Incarnation and to come to the Sacrament of Baptisme S. Augustine also thus Because Aug. l. â— de Bapt. c. â— whatsoeuer goodnes he had in prayer and almes the same could not profit him vnles he were by the bands of Christian society and peace incorporated to the Church he is bidden to send vnto Peter that by him he may learne Christ by him he may be baptized Wherby it appeareth that all these allowed his preparatiue workes to deserue in a manner by way of congruity the iustifying grace of the holy Sacrament of Baptisme 6. It is bootlesse to demur any longer on the recitall Rom. 4. Ioan. 20. v. 29. Matth. 8. v. 10. 15. v. 8. Luc. vltim 25. Marc. vlt. v. 14. of other sayings in a point so cleare which Protestants themselues could neuer gainesay vnles they would haue vs worke like stockes and stones or like brute and senseles creatures without freedome and election in the most noble and supernaturall act of our fayth wherein they place the summe of our spirituall life For if that be free as the Holy Ghost declareth it to be commending the fayth of Abraham and of many other that belieued rebuking the incredulity of such as belieued not which he would not haue done if it had not beene in their power to belieue or not to belieue Then it must needs presuppose a pious affection of the will to go before and bend the vnderstanding to assent vnto such hidden misteryes as he imbraceth not only because that alone can affoard it the dignity of freedome but also because the vnderstanding being not inclined by nature nor drawne by the euident sight S. Thoâ— 2. 2. of the obiect nor otherwise inforced cannot possibly as S. Thomas the oracle of Deuines reasoneth giue assent to darke obscure and ineuident articles vnles it be bowed and determined by the force of the will which force and Concil Araus c. 5. Concil Tol. 4. c 55. refer c. de Iudaeis dist 45. August tract 26. in Ioan. Ambr ad Rom. 4. in illa verb. Ei autem quioperatur c. inclination the Arausican Councell tearmeth Initium fidei ipsum credulitatis affectum the beginning of Fayth and the affection it selfe or desire of belieuing And for this cause the fourth Toletan Councell sayth Mentis conuersione quisquis credendo saluatur By the conuersion of his owne mind euery one belieuing is saued S. Augustine recyting many thinges that man may do not willingly immediatly inferreth but belieue he cannot vnles he be willing S. Ambrose To belieue or not belieue is the part of the will for he cannot be forced to that which is not manifest Origen No man is depriued of the possibility of belieuing for this is placed in the arbitrement or choice of man and in the cooperation of grace S. Clemens Alexandrinus The kingdome of heauen is yours if you will c. it is yours if you shall only be willing to belieue Which wordes the Centuristes quote and with their proud and audacious pen censure as Origen ho. 2. in diuersa loca sacrae Scripturae Clement Alexan. in paren Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 59. Iraen Col. â—8 apud Centur. erroneous As also the like of
wit Christ is truly iust before God by Iustice worthy of heauen therefore he that doth iustice is also iust before God by the like iustice or els the similitude S. Iohn maketh is wholy defeated 1. Againe S. Iohn in both places compareth him that worketh iustice and increaseth therein to the peruerse wicked sinner who still continueth heaping sinne vpon sinne but he that walloweth in the filthines of sinne waxeth more filthy not only before men but also before God by hoording vp wrath and extremity of torments against the day of wrath and indignation Therefore he that goeth forward in the course of Iustice augmenteth the same not outwardly in the eyes of men but inwardly in the sight of the highest by increasing heere his treasure of mercy and reward of glory heereafter which S. Paul punctually confirmeth As you haue exhibited your members Rom. 6 â— 19. to serue vncleanes and iniquity vnto iniquity so now exhibite your members to serue iustice vnto sanctification Lo heer sanctification is all one with iustice or it is as Hugo sayth the Hugo in illum locuÌ„ stay or confirmation of Iustice. Besides they that proceed externall workes of iustice increase the summe thereof and become more gratious vnto God euen as when they were subiect to sinne by continual often sinning they Theophil in â—um loc Tertul. de resur carn c. 47. Orig. l. 6. in e. 6. ad Rom. Chrys ho. 12. in c. 6. ad Rom. Ambr. in hunc loc Cùm hic salus illic damnatio operetur augmented their wickednes waxed more odious and detestable in his presence For those words to serue iniquity vnto iniquity are vttered after the Hebrew Phrase which signify as Theophilact noteth as it were an addition of sinne to sinne the like addition is after required of Iustice to Iustice as Tertullian Origen S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose expresly interprete the Apostle of such addition and increase of Iustice by which we obtaine saluation saying He hath commanded vs with the same measure or degree of diligence to serue God with which we serued the Diuell whereas we ought more obsequiously obey God then the Diuell because heere saluation there damnation worketh Heerupon the law of God his very Commandements are tearmed our Iustifications Would God my wayes might be directed to keep thy iustifications My soule hath coueted to desire thy iustifications I was exercised in thy iustifications It is good for me that thou hast humbled me that I Psal 118. v. 5. Vers 120. Vers 48. vers 71. may learne thy iustifications And why is this But because the obseruation and keeping of his law doth make vs truly and perfectly iust because it doth quicken reuiue and giue life to our soules which cannot be without perfect Iustice gratious allowable before the throne of grace whereof the Psalmist in the same place is also witnesse Ibidem v. 93. I will not forget thy iustifications for euer because in them thou hast quickened me And Ezechiel When the impious shall turne away himself from his impiety and do iudgment and iustice he shall Ezech. c. 18. v. 27. viuificate or make his soule to liue 2. Likewise S. Paul auoucheth He that ministreth seed to the sower will giue bread also to eate and will multiply your seed will augment the increase of the fruits of your iustice 2. Cor. 9. v. 10. Theophil in buncloc Anselm in bunc loc Where the Apostle resembleth almesdeeds to seed which sowed in the hands of poore and needy persons yieldeth increase of grace sayth Theophilact in this life and glory in the next or they are compared to seed which he that once soweth twice reapeth according to S. Anselme The fruit thereof abundance of temporall goods in this world of heauenly in the world to come Which supposeth it to be the increase of true iustice and of such whereunto the glory of heauen is due as the very Text it selfe declareth both in this and in the former two places Heere the wordes immediatly before are He distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remayneth Ibid. v. 9. Rom. 6. v. 21. Apoc. 22. v. 12. for euer In the sixth Chapter to the Romans after the forementioned exhortation it is added You haue your fruit to sanctification but the end life euerlasting In the two twentith of the Apocalips the wordes ensuing are Behould I come quickely and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Therefore by conference of places and connexion of the Text it euidently appeareth that the Apostle spake of the going forward in true Iustice before God for no other remaineth for euer to no other euerlasting life and reward of glory belongeth For this cause S. Paul prayeth for the Collossians that they may walk Coloss 1. v. 10. worthy of God in all thinges pleasing fructifying in all good workes Euery word strengthneth our cause that we fructify in good workes and in workes pleasing God worthy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God as the Greeke Text more plainly openeth Salomon Feare not to be iustifyed euen to death because the reward of God abydeth for euer Where although M. Abbot out of Caluin contendeth that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokneth ne differas do thou not procrastinate or delay yet it also signifyeth ne cesses surcease not leaue not off And S. Augustine Eccles 28. v. 23. Abbot c. 4. sect 36. fol. 541. Ang. in speculo ex vtroq Testament ex Ecclesias 1. Pet. 2. v. 2. readeth ne verearis feare not according to our approued vulgar translation S. Peter As infants euen now borne reasonable milke without guile desire you that in it you may grow vnto saluation the * Lâ—â—haije â— Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apost Syriacke hath that in it you may grow to life Both translations import that by going forvvard in vertue vve dayly grovv and increase our saluation our life of grace vpon earth our right and title to the life of glory in heauen vvherupon S. Augustine sayth We are iustifyed but that iustice it selfe increaseth when we profit and go forward Thus he 3. But because the cauilling Protestant will hardly be satisfyed with this expound O Augustine expound yet more playnly what iustice it is in which we increase He telleth you That we proced and increase in that iustification in which we obteyned remission of sinnes by the Aug. ibid. lauer of regneration in that by which we receaued the Holy Ghost in that wherof we haue some part by Fayth some beginning by fayth in that we profit from day to day that is augmented partly by Hope but most of all by Charity as by the most supereminent way demonstrated vnto vs by the Apostle by which our fayth is circumcised and discerned from the fayth of the Diuells And in his second booke against Iulian Iustification in this life according to
S. Fulgentius Because God by foreknowledge saw the sinnes of men he dictated the sentence of predestination S. Prosper The grace of God did not forsake the reprobate before they foresooke him and because he foresaw they would soe doe by voluntarie defection therfore he inrolled them not in the catalogue of the predestinate Otherwise irreuocably to purpose mans endlesse paynes before the fore sight of his default in that necessarie and vnauoydable manner as Protestants teach is as far beyond the immanity and barbarousnes of other tyrants as eternall death exceedeth temporall or the paines of hell surmon◠the torments inslicted vpon earth Neyther is this immanity any thing lessened whether that slauery or thraldome wherby the reprobate are enchayned to mischeife commeth from the corruptiō of sinne as Fulke holdeth Fulk in ca. 11. Math. sect 1. Caluin lib. 3. institut cap. 23. § 8. or from the decree of reprobation which is the wil of God necessarily inferring the things decreed as Caluin also auerreth nor yet is that cruelty lessened by the slime of originall infection from whence you conuey this necessary slauery First because that taketh not place in the deuills who were reprobate not withstanding in the like sort with men Secondly because you teach reprobation to haue been decreed before the preuision of original sin Thirdly for that you depriue the reprobate of freewill in respect of all other actuall sinnes for which they are supposing that absurdity without all right and equity eternally tormented 7. Moreouer this infamous doctrine maketh almighty God not only cruell and barbarous but wicked also and vniust For S. Augustine speaking of the infected Aug. epist. 106. ad Paulinum masse or corrupted lump of humane nature out of which he deliuered some leauing others saith If that masse were so between both that as it meriteth no good so it deserueth no euill not without cause should it seeme iniquity that vessells of dishonor should Fulgent lib. 1. ad Monim cap. 21. be framed of it S. Fulgentius cōformably saith If when man was created of God he was so in his present worke good that in his predestination he should be euill without doubt he was to be euill by the worke of God by whome he was predestinated to sinne whervpon he inferreth that God shold haue in himselfe the origē of iniquity he shold be author of euill his iustice should become iust with other like Atheismes with which our Reformers are Ibid. c. 22. incombred although they giue out that God doth soe to manifest his power glorie and almightines because if the meanes be ill the end cannot be good or if it could it implieth contradiction his power should achieue any thing which crosseth his mercy and impayreth his iustice he cannot decree that to the glory of his name which derogateth from any other attribute or perfection of his nature Then what glorie can redound to God by that ignominious act of abandoning his creatures without their desert Or what mercy on the other side by decreeing mās fall into sinne that he might after rayse him vp What mercy by making him miserable to the intent he may haue mercy on him For he that is sincerely mercifull according to S. Augustin had rather there were nothing for him to pitty c. then to wish men wretched to the intent he might pitty them Aug. l. 3. Conf. cap. 2 8. Againe if God determined to create the reprobate to proclayme his power as he doth the elect the shew the riches of his mercy both originally flowing from his Echlus in Chrysopasso praedest cent 3 nu 52. Psal 144. v. 9. Eccles 15. v. 22. will and purpose it must needs ensue as learned Eckius notably disputeth that there should be many more chosen to blisse then abandoned to damnation because god is more prone to mercy then to iustice to doe good then to procure euill Our Lord is sweet to all and his mercies or commiserations are ouer all his workes he desireth not a multitude of faythlesse and vnprofitable children Therfore the huge hoast of the reprobate surpassing by so many degrees the small number of the elect proceed not from his mercifull wil but from their owne way ward and rechelesse disposition in which he foreseeth they will finally persist and depart this life 9. Besides these detestable errors which attend on the aforsaid phrensy of our Sectaries there is yet another reason à priori why God can not reiect cast away any Rom. 9. in such sort as they affirme because reprobatiō is as act of hatred as the Apostle doth insinuate but God of himselfe cannot hate his owne workes vnlesse they be defiled Aug. lib. 1 ad Simplie 9. 9. 2. with sinne God as S. Augustine Writeth hated not Esau a man but Esau a sinner that is he hated him not in that priority in which he ordeined to creeate him a reasonable man but in that after-sight in which he foresaw the contamination of his sinne Thou sayth the Wiseman vnto Sap. 10. 25 God louest all things that are and hatest nothing of those which thou hast made for thou didest not ordayn or make any thing hating it Yea he himselfe doth not only loue whatsoeuer he hath made but ingendreth in all creatures the like loue to their of spring he teacheth the Tyger to fight the Lyon to prey all beasts and birds to venture their liues in defence of their yonge ones What sauage mind then can thinke him so sauage as to hate and destroy the works of his owne hands without any cause or default of theirs Beza in tract theolog is meruailously perplexed with this argumēt and after much a do rather blasphemeth then answereth it What doth the author of nature so much degenerate from the course of nature as not to beare to his owne the affection he begetteth in all creatures to their of-spring Do you thinke that he doth communicate the perfection of loue which he hath not or by communicating it to others looseth it himselfe both wayes you detract from Gods infinite goodnes Do you thinke he naturally loueth that which he eternally hateth or cherisheth as his owne what he abandoneth as none of his Both wayes you approue a contradiction in God 13. Lastly if God hate the reprobate and determine their ruine before they be seen to be euil whence shold that art of hatred arise Not from the person hated for he we suppose deserueth it not nor yet from God he is vncapable of any such act he is the Ocean of charity wel-spring of loue Deus Charitas est God is charity he is ◠Ioan. 4. 8. loue it selfe Therfore as no clowd of error can arise from the prime origen of truth no sparcke of folly from the Oracle of wisedome so no streame of hatred can flowe from the fountaine of loue Hate then his creatures God cannot by any act of hatred which shold be in himselfe but only by
was an hungred and you gaue me to drinke c. Get you away froÌ„ me you cursed c. I was an hungred and you gaue me not to eate I was a thirst and you gaue me not to drinke For this cause the Apostle Matth. 25. v. 34. v. 41. 1. Cor. 4. v. 17. Tertult l. de râ—sur carnis c. 40 in Scorp cap. 13. Aug. ep 105. Chrysost hom 3. de Lazaro auerreth the sufferances of his life to win or cause faluation Our Tribulation which presently is momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs where for worketh our Protestants corruptly translated heretofore prepareth albeit they haue since corrected it because it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is potently or forcibly worketh In liew whereof Tertullian readeth perficiet in nobis shall perfect and accoÌ„plish in vs an eternall weight of glory yet not physically as the efficient but morally as the meritorious cause which winneth and purchaseth the laurell of be atitude as sinnes procure the bane of endles misery Whereupon S. Augustine Euen as death is rendred for astipend to the merit of sinne so is euerlasting life as a stipend to the merit of iustice And S. Chrysostome By good workes we deserue heauen as by euill hell THE SECOND CHAPTER IN WHICH The same is strengthned by other reasons authorities and the Obiections satisfied THE third Argument to support the merit of workes is drawne from those places of Scripture which testify the singular valew prerogatiue of Almes-deeds Tob. 1â— v. 9. and Eccles 3. v. 33. Prou. 25. v. 27. Pro. 16. v. 6. Dan. 4. v. 24. that it deliuereth from death purgeth sinnes maketh vs find merit and life euerlasting Giue almes and behold all things are cleane vnto you By mercy and faith sinnes are purged By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed Redeeme thou thy sinnes with almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore which place by the Protestants former and by their later translation set forth by commaundement of his Maiesty is thus adulterated Breake of thy sinnes by righteousnes For although the Hebrew or rather Chaldeack word Peruk of Perak the roote signifieth sometime to breake in pieces to deuide to rend in sunder and also to redeeme yet neuer properly to breake off or cease to do couering by righteousnes as our sectaries wrest it not extinguishing by almes deeds as the Verbe inforceth the remaynes of sinne But albeit the Chaldeake word had beene ambiguous as in no indifferent mans iudgement it is in that place yet the Latine word Redime redeeme at least the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no other natiue signification then ransome or redeeme thy sinnes should haue taken all doubt and ambiguity away had those Protestant translations syncerely followed the originall fountaines as they pretend 2. The fourth and last reason is insinuated in holy writ in these very textes which commend some vertuous and heroicall actes as better in themselues more gratefull vnto God then others although both the faith be equall inhabitant grace by which they are wrought 1. Cor. 7. v. 38. â—bidem v. 39. 40. Matt. 19â— v. â—1 For so S. Paul sayth He that ioyneth his virgin in matrimony doth well and he that ioyneth not doth better Likewise speaking of the widdow Let her marry to whom she will only in our Lord but more blessed shall she be if she so remaine In like manner to distribute all our goodes to the poore and follow Christ is of it selfe more perfect then to enioy the riches of the world and bestow them in his seruice Yf thou wilâ— be perfect go and sell the thinges that thou hast and giue IoaÌ„ 15. v. 13 to the poore c. To sacrifice our liues in testimony of our faith is more precious in the eies of God then to releeue the poore with a cup of cold water Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends In so much as there is some valew some worthines in the act of Martyrdome which is not in almesdeeds some dignity in voluntary pouerty which is not in rich liberality some excellency of merit in virginity beyond the degree or holines of wedlocke wherein least our aduersaries should wrangle that they are more excellent and worthy only as they are signes of greater faith both our Sauiour and the Apostle speake absolutely without any condition of greater or lesser prerogatiue of faith Therefore the thinges considered in themselues are better more grâ—tefull and meritorious all other circumstances being equally weighed For as conditionall assertions cannot be absolutely In conc Mediolan Ambros Epist 81. Ambr. ibid. ep 8 c. Aug serm 143. de teÌ„p Diuersa specits claritatis quia diuersa suÌ„t merita charitatis Centur. 5. c. 4. col 518. Aug. l. 3. de peccat meritis Contur c. 4 4. col 301. Amb. l. 2. ad Marcel Cent. 3. 4. col 86. Orig l. 10. ep ad Rom. Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 192. Cbrom in concion de Beat. Cent. 4. c. 10 col 1250. Ierom aduer Iou. Cent. 3. c. 4. col 86. Tertul l. de Ieiunio Cent. 2. c. 4 col 64. vnderstood no more can absolute and irrestreyned be expounded conditionally vnles we peruert the ten our of Gods sacred lawes and shake the whole fabrike of diuine oracles in peeces Whereupon very religiously S. Ambrose Bassian and other Bishops without any condition of more feruent faith absolutely auouch Mariage is good by which the posterity of Irumane succession is propagated but Virginity is better whereby the inheritance is gotten of our celestiall Kingdome and the succession is found out of heauenly merits Also the same S. Ambrose with Bassian and the rest a little before It is a wild and rusticall howling to awaite or looke for no fauour of virginity no prefermeÌ„t of chastity to be willing promiscuously to confound all thinges to abrogate the degrees of diuers merits and bring in a certeine pouerty of celestiall remunerations S. Augustine You see that clarity is promised to the bodies of Saintes and a various lustre of clarity for the various merits of charity But of him S. Ambrose Origen Chromatius S. Hierome Tertullian and S. Ignatius the Apostles Scholler I alleadge no other then the words of the Centuristes It is apparant say they that Augustine was of this mind that Virgins deuoted to sanctimony haue more merit with God then the faithfull married folkes For because Iouinian thought the contrary that they haue no more merite this he reprehended in him Ambrose to insolently pronounceth of the merit of virgins Origen maketh virginity a worke of perfection Chromatius extolleth voluntary Pouerty and sayth that by the merite thereof the riches of the heauenly Kingdome are obteyned Hierome de striuing too much for Virginity is somewhat vniust or aduerse to marriage Tertullian attributeth merit to Fasting It appeareth out of the Epistles of
of colours but only white the most true natiue colour so our Reformers admit all manner of Doctrine and in this present all sorts of Confession but that which is most important and beneficiall for their soules 1. They allow the Confession of sinnes to God in generall 2. The Confession of some sinnes in particuler to a learned Minister to receaue comfort and direction from him 3. The Confession of certaine enormo us crimes publikely made in the sight of the congregation for their satisfaction and terrour of others 4. The Confession of priuate iniuries to the party offended to be reconciled to him But the Confession of all particuler faults to a lawfull Priest to receaue pardon and absolution they vtterly disauow Wherein to proceed more perspicuously they chiefly deny three principall points First the power in Priests to absolue from sinnes Secondly the necessity of sinners to confesse Thirdly the necessity of numbring euery particuler offence All which notwithstanding I will clearly deduce out of that soueraigne Commission Christ gaue to his Apostles when breathing vpon them he sayd 2. Receaue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee forgiue they Iohn 20. v. 23. are forgiuen and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retayned For by this passage it is euident that authority is giuen to the Priests of Gods Church not only to preach the Ghospell and denounce retention to the impenitent remission to the Sparkes P. 323. Fulke in c. 20. Ioan. sect 4. 5 Math 28 Mar. 16. Ioan. 20. penitent belieuer as D. Sparkes D. Fulke with their adherents perfidiously wrest the words but absolute power is granted vnto them as the Vicars and Vicegerents of Christ truly to remit and pardon sinnes 1. Because commission to preach was giuen before in S. Matthew S. Marke 2. That was extended to all Teach all nations this is restrayned to some alone who submit their faults to the keyes and censure of the Church Whose sinnes yee remit c. 3. Forgiuenes of sinnes in heauen is not alwayes annexed to the Preachers exhortation it is to the absolution of the Priest if no obstacle hinder it in the party absolued 4. The Preachers voyce declareth on earth what God hath already persormed in heauen but heere quite contrary God ratifieth in heauen what the Priest by his mynisteriall power pronounceth vpon earth The Iudgment Hila. Can 26. in Mat. Chrâ— hom 5. de verbis Isa Vidi Dominum or sentence on earth sayth S. Hilary goeth before that which is giuen in heauen Heauen sayth S. Chrysostome borroweth principall authority of iudging from the Earth So as it cannot be the meere vocation to preach but some other extraordinary and singular Iurisdiction which our Sauiour here bequeathed to his Apostles 3. A Iurisdiction signified before by the power of keys which are chiefly giuen to magistrates and rulers of Cittyes not to betoken thinges already locked or vnlockt but to open and shut as occasion requireth A Iurisdiction for the due exercise whereof the Sacrament so a Aug. l. 2. cont Parm. c. 13. Greg. l. 4. Com. in l. ReguÌ„ c. 5. Calu. l. 4. Instit c. 19. S. Augustine and others tearme it of Ordination was instituted b Chrys hom 85. in Ioan. Greg. Niss ora de lap Isa 44. v. 12. Cyr. lib. 12. c. 56. in 10. Atha ser in illaverba Profecti in pagum Hier ep ad Hedibi Bafil quaest breuib inter 288. Leo ep 91 ad Thâ—oâ— Pacian ep 1. ad Sym. pro. Ambr. de poenic l. x. c. 2. 7. Chris l. 3. de Sacer. Spirituall grace infused the Holy Ghost purposely imparted and imparted after a speciall manner of insufflation or breathing on them to denote that the breath of his Priests pronouncing the words of absolution should disperse and dissolue the mists of sinne according to that of the Prophet Esay I haue disolued like a cloud thy sins This ceremony then was vsed to declare the effect of extinguishing sinne the Holy Ghost was giuen to manifest the cause by whom it is abolished For as S. Cyril sayth It is neyther absurd nor yet inconuenient that they forgiue sinnes who haue the Holy Ghost For when they pardon or retaine sinns the Holy Ghost pardoneth or retayneth sinnes by them and that they doe two wayes by Baptisme first afterwards by Penance 4. Lastly that this rare prerogatiue graunted to Priests was not only by the mystery of the word to declare but by the authority of the keyes to forgiue sinnes many other of the Fathers directly teach S. Athanasius tearming it Power giuen by our Sauiour to Paiests to loose sinnes S. Hierome S. Basil S. Leo Pacianus haue the like S. Ambrose expresly proueth this authority in Priests of remitting sins against the Nouatians cuen ouer them to whom they denyed the ministery of absolution albeit they graunted the benefit of preaching S. Chrysostome extolling the dignity of Priests aboue Kings and Angels amplifyeth the same after his fashion with this goulden streame of wordes They that inhabite the earth and conuerse thereon to them comission is giuen to dispense those thinges that are in heauen To them that power is giuen which Almighty God would not communicate either to Angell or Archangell For to â—hem it is not sayd whatsoeuer yee shall bind in earth shal be bound in heauen c. Earthly Princes indeed haue also authority to bind but the bodyes only but that * Sacerdotum vinculum ipsam eâ—i im animam contingit atque ad caelos vsque peruadit c. binding of Priests which I treate of toucheth the very soule it selfe and reacheth euen to the Heauens In so much as whatsoeuer the Priestes performe beneath the very same Almighty God doth aboue and the sentence * SeruoruÌ„ sententiam Dominus confirmat of the seruant our Lord doth confirme And what is this truly elso but that the power of heauenly things is graunted by God vnto them Whose sinnes soeuer sayth he yee shall retaine they are retained What power I beseech you can be greater then this The Father gaue all power to the Sonne but I see the same power deliuered altogeather by the Sonne vnto them Wherefore as Christ had a speciall power of pardoning sinnes distinct from his power of preaching so had the Apostles to whome he gaue al power committed vnto him as S. Chrysostome auoucheth and our Sauiour himselfe witnesseth when before he imparted this authority he mentioneth his owne commission Ioan. 20. v. 22. saying As my Father sent me I also send you 5. The power of Priests to remit sinnes being thus established it remaineth I declare how Confession to a Priest the second point which our Aduersaryes deny is heerein implyed M. Fulke sayth Neither doth it follow of M. Fulke in c. 20. Io. sect 5. any necessity that men are bound to submit themselues to the Iudgment of Priests if they haue authority to forgiue sinnes But S. Augustine more ancient more holy more
Paul sayd God was in Christ 2. Cor. â— v. 19. reconcyling the World to himselfe because he reconciled it to himselfe by Christ by the obedience and labours of his manhood Or if he take this reconciliation as made by God without the interposing of a third person as one may by himselfe reconcile his enemy vnto him then I say this was no act of mediation but an act of Gods mercy as much belonging to the Father as to the Son So I acknowledge the workes of authority which M. Field loco citato Field mentioneth to be the workes of Christs Diuinity but not the workes of mediation not proper to the Son of God but common to all the persons of Holy Trinity agreable to that principle ratifyed by all Deuines Indiuisa sunt opera Trinitatis ad extra The workes of the Trinity outwardly Field in his 5. book of the Church c. 16. f. 52. M. Fields reply sauoureth too much of Arianisme produced indiuisibly proceed from euery person 14. D. Field replyeth Though their action be the same workedone by them yet they differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the manner of doing For the Father doth all things auctoritatiuè and the Sonne subauctoritatiuè as the Schoolemen speake Thus he writeth and still dippeth his pen in Arian poyson For yield that the diuine nature of the Sonne of God worketh in a different manner from the nature of the Father there must needes ensue some difference in nature some diuersity of wills otherwise it cannot be conceaued how the Tho. 1. p. â— 19. art 4. same indiuisible essence how the same vnchaÌ„geable wil which is the cause of all thinges should change and alter in manner of working 15. Secondly if the Father and the Sonne differ in manner of doing these outward actions towardes vs their Creatures then they are not both as the Deuines tearme The three persons of holy Trinity are but one beginning or author of thinges them Vnum principium One sole origen or beginning of thinges but the Father causeth and willeth them one way the Sonne another the one createth quickneth and giueth life in this sort the other in that Which is nothing els but to rake vp the ashes of old dead and buryed heresyes to giue way to the Manichees and other followers to maâ—â— diuers Creatours and Beginners of thinges Yet because you affirme the Schoolemen bolster this errour name I beseech you what Schoolemen they are Who vnles he were an Arian presumed to write that the essentiall and externall actions for of them we now speake which the Father and the Sonne essentially produce are different in manner of doing Who in respect of these workes euer vttered those wordes which I quake againe to repeate the one did them auctoritatiuè the other subauctoritatiuè What Is the Sonne according to his God-head an inferiour instrument or vnderling to his Father The Oracle of S. Paul recordeth Christ Iesus when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall vnto God and shall this Phil. 2. 6. Sectmates blasphemy take place that he hath power and authority to worke vnder God He answereth his meaning is not the sonne should be an instrument or vnderling Field ibi to his Father but that he receiueth the essence he hath and power of working from the Father though the very same that is in the Father only differing as he noteth before in subsistence 16. Is this M. Field the part of a Christian to sprinkle your writings with words of blasphemy and powder them ouer with a holesome meaning Hath not our learned Soueraigne King Iames worthily condemned Conradus Vorstius that egregious Hereticke for the like abuse K. Iames in his declaration concerning his proceedings in the cause of D. Contradus Vorstius pag. 36. Gen. 19. 24 doth not he teach it vnlawfull to vse in these great mysteries any other phrase or manner of speach then such as the Church hath alwaies vsed How dare you then in his kingdome vnder the sheild of his protection how dare you diuulge in Print such venemous speeches such pestiferous words howbeit you seeke as Vorstius did to strow and couer them with a sugred sense For I confesse the sonne of God receiueth his essence as begotten of his Father and so may sometime by denomination or appropriation of speech be said to work by power receiued from his Father as in Genesis it is written Our Lord raigned from our Lord. But for one person to mediate to another is not only required a different denomination but a reall and substantiall difference a distinction an inferiority in the very essence it selfe in such manner as I haue often inculcated Also I confesse the persons of holy Trinity differ in Subsistence differ to vse the termes of Art in Personall Notions or Notionall Relations Yet hereof to infer an vnder-power or different manner of producing outward and essentiall workes this I say is either to make some diuersity of natures with the accursed Arians or giue scope to the Manichees to establish not a double only but a triple God or threefold cause of things created Now if you tremble to support such wickednes as your words enforce to what purpose was that sacriledge breathed forth How answere you the obiection of the vnity of the works of the Diuine Persons how make you the same action a worke of mediation in one and not in the other 17. For you ought to know good Syr if you dare vsurpe the title or challeng the dignity of a Deuine that albeit the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost ioyntly cooperate and accomplish the workes of authority you mentioned as they are perfectly subsisting in three Persons really distinct yet they performe them not primarily or formally by their personall properties by which they differ but by their will and vnderstanding in which Hâ—â—r de Gandauo quodl 6. q 2. they agree and not by them if we speake precisely as they are Notionally but as they are essentially taken that is as they are one absolute and the same in euery person It was I confesse the errour of Henry de Gandauo that the Nationall knowledge and loue of God did practically Molina in 2. par q. 36. â— 4. disp 2. 5. 6. Altifiod l. 1. summ c 30. Greg. Arimin 1. dist 22. q. vnica Valenâ— in 1. par disp 2. q. 10. punct 5. de person Spiritus Sancti Sâ—oc l. 2. â—st 1. q. 1. produce all outward creatures yet far was he from your impiety far from imagining so maine a difference as to attribute thereby a worke of submission subiection mediation to one person which is not in the other 18. The holy Ghost as the Deuines teach proceedeth from the Father and from the Sonne as they incoÌ„municably subsist by their different relations yet not according to their difference but according to one single or common vertue of spiration which is the same in both In
Aug. de vtil credeÌ„ cap. 17. â—hem Test in ca. â— â— ad Thessal flourisheth still The Heretikes to vse Saint Augustynes wordes in vayne barking round about it Not the heathen Emperours as the Authour of the Rhemes Testament excellently noteth not the Gothes and Vandals not the Turke not any sackes or mâ—ssakers by Alaricus Attila Burbon and others not the emulation of secular Princes were they Kings or Emperours not the Popes owne diuisions amongst themselues and manifold difficultyes and dangers in their elections not the great vices which haue beene noted in some of their persons not all these nor any other endeauour or scandall could yet preuayle agaynst the Sea of Rome Which is a cleere demonstration of Gods diuine prouidence in preseruing the Apostolike seat of his Vicar generall Saint Peters Successour in that holy place and not at Antioch nor at Ierusalem where the succession of the Apostles haue beene interrupted by Schismes infected with Heresies and vtterly ruined by barbarous enemyes 27. Finally it is a tradition vncontrolable that the Pope succedeth Peter and whosoeuer denyeth it gaynsayeth Hystories Chronicles and Recordes of Prelates from the Apostles tyme in which the Bishops of Rome are euer enrolled in the Catalogue of Peters successours and not by them alone Tertullian Optatus Saint Augustine with diuerse others deriue the lineall succession of Popes by name from Peter And in the daies Tertull. l. de praescri Optatus l. coÌ„t Parm. Aug. Ep. 165. ad Generosum Reynold in conference 1. diuis 2. fol. 10. 11. Leo the Great about 440. yeares after Christ it was so far from being called in question that in the common phrase both of Him his Successours and their Secrecretaryes all thinges appertayning to the Bishops of that Sea bare the memory stampe and tytle of Peter They as Mayster Reynolds my Antagonist trauelleth to declare grew to be Saint Peters Their prerogatiue a Leo Epist 45. Saint Peters right Their dignity b Ibidem Saint Peters honour their greatnesse c Ep. 87. serm 1. in Anniu assum suae Saint Peters reuerence Subiection to them d Ep. 87. subiection to Saint Peter A message from them e Ep. 24. an Embassage from Saint Peter Thinges done in their presence f Ep. 4. thinges done in Saint Peters presence Lands and Possessions giuen them g Platin. de vit Pon. in Ioan. 7. giuen to Saint Peter Their Territoryes and Lord-ships h Pope Innocent the third extra c. per Venerabilem qui filij fint legitimi Saint Peters patrimony Their Reuenewes i Abbas Vrsperg in Chron. Hen. 5. Onuphr de 7. vrb Eccles in pal Latera Saint Peters Royalities Their goodwill k Greg. Regist lib. 4. epist 34. his sauour Their communion l Lib. 7. epist 69. his peace Their indignation m â— latin de vit Pon. in Greg. 7. his curse Their signer n Popes in their letters sub annulo Piscatoris c. his ring Their Chayre o Pope Innocent the 4. extra cap Maioris de bap eius effect his Sea c. These and the like speaches which M. Reynolds in an ill cause setteth downe to deface I in a good changing some of his spitefull tearmes doe heere repeat to countenance the truth of the Roman Bishops chiefe preheminence and true descent from Peter Wherein the common stile of the Court and consent of all men iointly agree which I the further vrge to satisfy Mayster Bilson in this and euery one of the three thinges he required to introne the Pope in his Supreme dignity if the grace of God may preuayle with him to take satisfaction from one who although he impugne his errors yet loueth his person and earnestly wisheth all his good parts may be once conuerted to the aduancement of his honour from whose rich treasury they are deriued 28. And with this my wel-wishing vnto him I would heere make an end if Maister Reynolds petulancy Reyn. c. 6. diuis 3. f. 216. Cassio in Chro. Rhegi in Chron. l. 2. Ado breu Chri. â—â—tat 6 in controlling the report of all ancient writers could be passed ouer in silence For albeit he acknowledgeth Saint Peters aboad at Rome yet he denyeth that there he was Bishop or that he held there his seat 25. yeares affirming to recite his wordes is sufficient to bewray his pride and temerity Cassiodorus Rhegino Ado and all the Ecclesiasticall Hystories haue erred in saying that Peter did abide at Rome fiue and twenty yeares Which errour they were carryed into by Eusebius or whosoeuer first reported it A malepert assertion But as saucy is that which followeth where to wash the fault from Eusebius he layth it on Saint Hierome and then to disburden Saint Hierome he loadeth Damasus the Pope of Rome For first his coniecture Reyn. c. 6. diuis 5. fol. 218. is that these words of Eusebius Chronicle Peter continued Bishop of Rome preaching there the Ghospell fiue and twenty yeares were not written by Eusebius but interlaced by Hierome c. Now Hierome sayth he might receaue it from * In Pontiâ—icali Damasus Bishop of Rome on †Hieron â—p 11. ad Age. l. 2. cont Ruffin as Reyn. quoâ—eth them whome he attended as a Secretary And Damasus was not so voyd of all affection but he would be content to aduance the credit of his owne Sea by helping it to be reputed the Bishoply Sea of Peter Lo how he reiecteth Eusebius discrediteth S. Hierome disgraceth Damasus reproueth all Hystories 29. Are these all whose credit he impayreth Not so The Epistles and writings are quoted of aboue two and thirty Bishops of Rome who liued within the first 300. yeares after Christ maintayning the Popes Supremacy he answereth They are Counterfeits all Then Innocentius Leo Gelasius Vigilius Pelagius and Gregory Reyn. c. 8. diuis 3. Ibid. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 6. fol. 550. are recorded for the same He replyeth The prayse which they giue the Sea of Rome doth so exceed the truth that it beareth euident makes of their affection Is his sawcinesse yet at an end No Saint Cyprian Saint Leo Saint Hierome Saint Chrysostome Saint Maximus Isidore Theodoret Saint Gregory and Saint Bernard are alleadged some for Peters some for the Popes prerogatiues or of the Roman Sea Will you read his seuerall answers note the print of Hereticall pride 20. Saint Cyprians authority he reiecteth with Reyn. in the Preface to his 6. conclus fol. 607. Reyn. c. 1. diuis 2. fol. 17. a curteous Congy saying Pardon me O Cyprian I would belieue thee gladly but that belieuing thee I should not belieue the word of God But Saint Leo whome God with myracles and the Generall Councell of Calcedon three tymes honoured with the tytle of Holynesse him I say he more roughly handleth and discardeth in this manner I doe freely without curtesy of tytles and accepting of Persons professe that I mislike
and replenished with grace through the merits of Christ haue notwithstanding their former sins truly abiding in them or no Your answere is That sinne in it selfe and in it owne nature continueth such that setting aside the pardon it were sufficient still to make him guilty Is not this to flye from the question to destroy the supposall to forsake the helpe and defence of your clyents For example I conuince a Sectary of grosse ignorance open repugnance and contradiction in his writinges if some Atturney after excuse him thus that set aside his ignorance set aside his maleparte and flat contradictions no such foolish or repugnant saying hath beene diuulged by him should not he deserue a good fee at his handes The same doe you deserue who speaking of the regenerate pardoned of their sinnes doe proue them sinnefull setting aside their pardon Howbeit these wordes that follow may challenge the fire rather then a fee. The pardon acquiteth Abbot in the place aboue cyted the man but yet it cannot alter the nature of the sinne it setteth a barre against the effect but take away the barre and the cause is as strong as it was before So he As ill as Proclus worse then the Messalians Proclus held that sinnes by Baptisme were not cleansed but couered the Messalians taught they Abbot ibidem were shaued clipped and pared of M. Abbot auoucheth them not pared but barred curbed hindred only like a violent stream whose current is stopped not water dimished Proclus added take away the couer and the sinnes appeare M. Abbot affirmeth take away the barre and the cause is as strong as it was before Wherefore if they for that blasphemous doctrine were iustly censured amongst the rancke of Heretiks shall not he receaue the same doome who is returned guilty of the same if not more deeper heeresy Beare with me M. Abbot I write not this to touch your person whome for your good parts I honour loue but only to refell these errours which zeale of truth and desire Abbot c. 2. sect 1. fol. 171. of your safety moueth me to hate And so with your good leaue who are also willing that truth should preuayle I go on The pardon say you acquitteth the man but it cannot alter the nature of the sinne No doth it not alter the nature of sinne when it taketh it away blotteth it out and extinguisheth it quite as I haue shewed aboue Doth it cancell in man the guilt of sinne and not alter in him the nature of it For we speake not heere of the destruction or alteration of sinne seuered and abstracted from the subiect in which it inhereth because in that sort sinne is not altered neither in this nor after this life not altered as I may say in the Saints of heauen the murder and adultry K. Dauid committed the vsury of S. Matthew the theft and other faults S. Augustine bewayleth in his bookes of Confessions are truely thefts vsuryes murders and adulteryes if we conceaue them apart in the nature of sins yet when God of his mercy pardoned and forgaue them he did not only alter the nature but expelled the bane of the for named offences 16. Againe how ouerthwartly doe you write the pardon acquiteth the man and setteth a barre against the effect for Abbot in his defence cap. 2. sect 1. if it set only a barre it acquiteth him not if it acquite him the barre is needles to no purpose at all And who did euer heare sinnes banished from the soule taught to be stopped or barred from raigning therein The Phisitian who hindreth or abateth the furious increase of his patients disease cannot be auouched to free him from it or if he free him if he acquite him they wrong his art and abuse his patient who should contend that a stop onely is layd a barre applyed against his sicknes which once remoued the rage therof will be as great as euer The like wrong do you to our heauenly Phisitian the like iniury Abbot in his defence c. 2. and abuse to vs his patients when not without contradicting your selfe you peremptorily vtter that he hath set but a barre against the diseases of our soule acquited by Field in his 3. booke of the Church c. â—6 Abbot in his defence â— c. 2. pag. 176. Perkins in his Refor Catho p 37. his pardon or rather cured by the salue of his heauenly grace 17. The last euasion our Reformers vse to auoyd the vnanswerable proofes aboue alleadged is That Originall sinne by Baptisine looseth his dominion looseth his command is abated and the strength therof broken because it rageth it preuaileth not as it did hauing receaued a deadly wound and being resisted condemned by vs. Faire wordes but let me scan the sense and meaning of them let me know whether this sin bereft of his raigne and dominion abated by this mortall wound doth loose thereby either the whole or any part of the deformity with which it blemisheth your soules not the whole for then the whole fault were cancelled as the Scriptures and Fathers define against you not any part for it is indiuisible it cannot be seuered into parts or if it could why should one part be vtterly extinguished and not the other God is magnificent and liberall in his guifts he neuer bestoweth vpon vs any mangled or broken fauours The author of the booke of true fayned pennance attributed to S. Austine sayth It is the crime of infidelity Author de falsa vera poen apud Ang. c. 6. to expect from God halfe or imperfect saluatioÌ„ How then can he be so imperfect as brokenly by peece-meale to pardon one the same default partly in this partly in the life to come S. Thomas our Angelicall Doctor teacheth it impossible in them that are pestered with many grieuous offeÌ„ces to haue any one forgiueÌ„ without the rest And can one part of a deadly crime which hath no parts S. Thom. 3. par q. 86. art 3. be washed away according to your new Theology the other remaining But if neither the whole nor any part of the foule impurity be abolished then I may draw to an end and leaue my Aduersaryes branded with this note of reproach that they haue been dipped as they say in the water and bathed in the bloud of the Sonne of God yet no staine of vncleanes no wart of deformity no wrinckle of sinne hath that most soueraigne and celestiall lauer taken from their soules an infinite price hath beene offered and no true redemption procured no true saluation or perfect deliuerance from the bondage of Sathan And therefore as S. Augustine vpon a quite contrary occasion scornefully pursued the ancient Pelagians so Aug. l. 3. contra Iâ—l c. 3. I may now prosecute them with these his wordes Trudg â—n trudge on and of your followers say as you are wont In the Sacrament of our Sauiour they are baptized but not saued ransomed but not deliuered
places The same S. Paul writing to the Corinthians sayth As we haue 1. Cor. 15. v. 49. borne the image of the earthly let vs also beare the image of the heauenly but the Image of earthly Adam we haue truly borne by the deadly impression of internall and hatefull sinne Cent. 3. c. 4. Column 48. therefore we must truly beare the figure of Christ by the beautifull stampe of internall and acceptable grace as Origen cyted by the Centurists doth plainely insinuate and the Apostle likewise confirmeth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynes of Ephes 4. v. 24. truth behold we haue not the new man imputed vnto vs but we put him on vs formed and created not in signe and sanctification but in iustice and holynes of truth and that according to God Besides it is sayd We are buryed with him by ad Rom. 6. Baptisme to the end that as Christ did rise from death so we may walke in newnes of life Vpon which wordes S. Augustine auerreth Aug. in Enchir. cap. 52. That as in Christ there was a true resurrection so in vs there is a true iustification Whosoeuer then detracteth from the truth of our infused iustice detracteth from the verity of Christs resurrection and whosoeuer impayreth the perfection of this darkneth also the glory of that S. Chrysostome commenting vpon that passage of S. Paul aboue cyted You are washed you are sanctifyed you are â— ad Cor. 6. v. 11. iustifyed sayth He sheweth that you are not only made cleane but holy and iust Illuminated and made perfect sayth S. Clement of Alexandria Of old made new of humane diuine sayth S. Gregory Nazianzen Which are most euident testimonyes Clem. l. 1. Pedago cap. 6. Nazian ora in san bap for my purpose yet to leaue no place of tergiuersation to wrangling Sophisters I will further corroborate this chiefe and fundamentall article with other most cleare and irrefragable arguments 8. That grace and renouation is perfect entire and not the effect but the true cause of our iustification by the VVhitak l. 8. aduers Dutaeum very consent of our Aduersaryes which absolueth vs from sinne endueth vs with purity and holynes in the eyes of our Creatour engrafteth vs into Christ vniteth vs vnto God and giueth vs life in him maketh vs his adopted children entitleth vs to the right and purchaseth the inheritance of our eternall kingdome All this is wrought not by any other precedent cause but by that inherent Rom. â— v. 4. iustice or infused charity which God deriueth into our soules therefore that maketh vs truly righteous and iust before the Tribunall of his highnes First it cleanseth vs Ibid. v. 7. from our sins as S. Paul to the Romans defineth saying We are buryed togeather with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 8. v. 2. Tertul. l. de resur carn c. 46. Basil de spir san c. 15. Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 22. Lib. de lib. arbit c. 14. 15. 16. de sprit liter 8. 17. What death but the death of sinne of which it immediatly followeth he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne to wit is released and absolued from sinne by the newnes of life wherin he resembleth the resurrection of Christ Againe The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from the law of sinne where Tertullian insteed of deliuered vseth the word manu misit hath set free like a bound man enfranchized and set at liberty by the benignity of his Maister S. Basil explicating the former place sayth The spirit infuseth liuely and reuiuing force recouering our soules from the death of sinne into a new life And S. Augustine the later writeth thus The law of the spirit of life in Christ hath dissolued the guilt of concupiscence procuring remission of all sinnes who doth also often testify that the law of the spirit of life is the grace of the new Testament written in our harts Secondly it doth not only expell the mists of sinne but garnisheth also our soules with the lustre of vertue as I haue already conuinced in my first encounter against M. Abbot which cannot be interpreted Ephes 1. v. 4. of signes of beauty grateful to men who pierce not into the closet of our soule nor behould the light and brightnes therof mentioned aboue Therefore it must Ioan. 15. 1. Cor. c. 12. v 26. needs be expounded of the purity splendour and holynes it displayeth before the face of God according to that of S. Paul He chosevs that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity that is by meanes of his habituall charity harboured in our brests 9. Thirdly this inward renouation doth truely incorporate vs in the mysticall body of our Lord Sauiour Coloss 3. v. 13. Gal. 3. v. 17 Rom. 8. v. 11. Aug. de spir lit c. 29. Rom. 13. v. 13. 14. it engrafteth vs like liuely branches into him our true vine it maketh vs the body of Christ and members of member Doinge on sayth S. Paul to the Collossians the new man him that is renewed vnto knowledge according to the image of him that created him To the Galathians as many of you as are baptized in Christ haue put on Christ. And how haue yee put him on but as the same Apostle testifyeth By his spirit dwelling in you Wherof S. Augustine sayth By the spirit of Christ incorporated made a member of Christ euery one may inwardly affoarding increase accoÌ„plish works of iustice Besids that very word to put on Christ often vsed in holy Write doe on the armour of light doe yee on our Lord Iesus Christ according to the Hebrew * Indui haebraicâ— laâ—aâ— Isa 61. Chrys in 1. c. ad Gal. in c. 3. ad Rom. Cyril l. 9. in Genes Hieron ad Pamach Rom. 6. v. 10. 1. Cor. 6. v. 17. Ioan. 14. v. 23. 1 Cor. 3. v. 16. 17. 1. ep Ioan. c. 3 v. 24. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 16. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 17. Rom. 6. v. 11. Augu. de verbis Apostol ser 18. 28. l. de ciuit Dei c. 24. phrase and allusion to the long gownes of the Iewes signifyeth great plenty and aboundance of grace sanctity and iustice with which they that put on Christ are inwardly clad as it were with a rich and gorgeous robe which doth not only couer the nakednes but wholy adorneth the temple of our soules with heauenly rayes of incomparable vertues Therefore Isay calleth it The vestment of saluation the garment of iustice or coate of ioy as the 70. Interpreters or vestment Iesus as other translate it wherof read S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Hierome 10. Fourthly by this inhabiting grace a true vnion is made a league is contracted betweene God and vs We liue to him Are one spirit with him
He loueth vs maketh his aboad with vs as in his holy temple In this we know that he abydeth in vs by his spirit which he hath giuen vs. He that abydeth in charity abydeth in God and God in him where he speaketh not of weake or impure but of complete and perfect charity For it followeth in the next verse In this is charity perfected with vs that we may haue confidence in the day of iudgment Besides Thinke you also that you are dead truly to sinne but aliue to God in Christ Iesus our Lord. Therefore S. Augustine often calleth the Holy Ghost dwelling in vs or his charity diffused into our harts the Life of our soule by which we truely liue to God 11. Fiftly it aduanceth vs to the dignity of Gods children You haue receaued the spirit of adoption of sonnes wherin we cry Abba Father Againe See what manner of Charity the Rom. S. v. 15. â— Ioan. c. 3. v. 1. Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the sonnes of God To which end S. Iohn Damascen declareth how God infuseth into our soules certaine diuine and supernaturall qualityes wherby we receaue a diuine and supernaturall kind of being are partakers of the diuine nature preferred to be Gods and children of the highest Neither is there any former Ioan. Damas l. 4. de fide c. 4. Rom. 8. v. 9. Ephes 1. v. 14. Rom. 8. v. 17. Tit. 3 v. 5. 6. 7. cause of our vnion with God whereof this spirit of adoption may be tearmed an effect for S. Paul sayth If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not this by any thing whatsoeuer going before Hence we deduce the sixth prerogatiue of this inward renouation that is our clayme to the kingdome of heauen therefore it is tearmed pignus haereditatis the pledge of our inheritance because the sanctity grace which the holy Ghost worketh in vs affoardeth a certaine hope and morall assurance of our future glory as the Apostle by way of gradation excellently argueth in this manner If sonnes heires also heires truely of God and coheirs of Christ. Likewise God according to his mercy hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the Holy Ghost whome he hath powred vpon vs abundantly by Iesus Christ our Sauiour that being iustifyed by his grace we may be heyres according to hope of life euerlasting 12. Peruse these wordes O yee Sectaryes ponder the sense and meaning of them and stoop at length to the voice of truth so often sounded forth by this great Apople and trympet of heauen for he sayth 1. That we are Ahundâ— Grecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron saued by this benefit of renouation but nothing can be the formall cause of our saluation but true and perfect iustice Therefore we are made by the grace of Baptisme perfectly iust 2. Not outwardly by imputation but inwardly by the holy Ghost powred vpon vs. 3. And that not sparingly by peece-meale but abundantly richely or bountifully as the Greeke largly or copiously as S. Hierome readeth 4. And to no other effect then that iustifyed by his inward grace we may be heires in hope of life euerlasting And S. Iohn concludeth that without this renouation No man can enter the Kingdome of heauen signifying thereby that it is Ioan. 3. â— 5. not the effect or signe without which we might enter but the true cause of our entrance not weake and halting but true and entiere iustice because it is true iustice sayth S. Augustine to which eternall life is due 13. The last priuiledge ariseth from the former that Augu. ep 205. paulo ante medium ui debetur vita aeternaver a iustitia est Rom. 8. v. 20. 11. Aug. l. de spir lit cap. 29. it purchaseth also the resurrection of our bodyes and crowne of our eternall felicity If Christ be in you the body indeed is dead because of sinne but the spirit liueth because of iustification And he that rayseth vp Iesus Christ from the dead shall quicken also your mortall bodyes because of his spirit dwelling in you Note this causall addition because of the spirit dwelling in you which S. Augustine aduisedly obserueth and accounteth our Resurrection in flesh to immortality meritum spiritus a deseruing of the spirit which goeth before it in iustification as in a meete conuenient and congruous resurrection So that two wayes it doth properly merit the glory of immortality both for that it is giuen before hand as a pledge earnest Ioan. 4. v. 14. Cyril in â—um loc Theoph. ibid. or right thereunto supposing the benignity and promise of God as also because it doth produce good workes which do condignely deserue and augment the same therefore called by S. Iolm according to S. Cyrils and Theophilacts interpretation a fountaine of water spriging vp to life euerlasting that is a celestiall fountaine of purifying grace copious in it selfe and ouer flowing with the riuers VVhitaker in his answere to 8. â—â—ason of M. Campâ—on and in his â— booke against Iâ—â—raus Abbos in â—is defence â— 4. sect 3. of sundry vertues which wafte vs to the haueÌ„ of eternal rest But if all this be not sufficient to iustify vs before God what is required to atchieue that happines heere vpon earth if the diuine grace and supernaturall quality which worketh in vs all the forenamed effects be not gratefull and pleasing in the eyes of our Soueraigne What I pray you is acceptable vnto him Marry sayth Whitaker and M. Abbot that which is so perfect as satisfyeth the law of God I see your windings first you answered that the grace which inhabiteth in vs is defiled Then that it is not perfect not iustifying grace at least not such as iustifyeth vs in the sight of God Now not such as satisfyeth fullfilleth the law Well you trauerse much ground but to little purpose for S. Paul S. Augustine and diuers others manifestly teach that by this grace of Christ by the sweetnes of hiâ— loue we fullfill the law of God which by feare and terror we neuer could do whose testimonyes I shall alleadge in the Controuersy of keeping the Commandments intreating my Reader to peruse them there whilst I pursue my victory and follow the chased enemy retyring now for succour to the castle of holy Scripture where Whitaker VVhitak in his answere to 8. reason of M. Camp fol. 224. 2. ad Cor. 5. vers â—1 Calu. l. 3. instit c. â—◠§. 230. seeketh to fortify himselfe with that saying of S. Paul Christ was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him Heerupon he inferreth that seeing Christ was not truly really made sin for vs but by imputatioÌ„ so we are no otherwise made righteousnes in him which argument Caluin also most eagerly presseth reserueth as his vnconquerable or last refuge in the Rereward of his obiections yet it is preseÌ„tly at
proposition is taught by the Apostle that we receaue by Christ more then we lost by Adam Aug. tom 3. de Gen. l. 6. c. 21. Aug. l. dâ— spir lit cap. 21. Iraen l. 3. c. 20 Cyril l. 1â— in Ioan. â— 25. and subscribed vnto by S. Augustine saying We receaue not the immortality of a spirituall body which man had not but we receaue Iustice from which by sinne man was fallen And in another place he affirmeth in the inward man renewed by the grace of Christ that iustice to be written which fault had cancelled By S. Irenaeus who teacheth that the SoÌ„ne of God was to this end incarnate that that which we had last lost in Adam of the Image and likeness of God we might recouer in Christ Iesus By S. Cyrill Patriarch of Alexandria the nature of man to be sanctifyed is to be reformed and renewed by participation of the spirit according to the first image that inuested with that first grace we may ouercome the raigning sinne adhering to diuine charity and wholy giuen to the study of vertue and so the law of the flesh being vanquished we may preserue inuiolable the beauty of the image imprinted in vs. 3. Doctour Abbot ouer-borne with the weight of this reason and poise of some of the former auctorityes Abbot â— 4. sect 13. fol. 431. plainely affirmeth that Christ came to restore the inherent Iustice we lost in Adam yet so as he beginneth but doth not perfect it as long as we continue in this life and therfore inherent Iustice is not such in any men heere as that therby he can be found iust in the sight of God Yes you cannot deny but that Adams iustice before his fall was such as it made him iust in the sight of God but these Fathers contest that we partake by the merits of Christ that iustice from which by sinne man was fallen that which fault had cancelled yea sayth M. Abbot we receaue the same not really but in hope Neither Abbot lol citato will this serue your turne for in hope we possesse the immortality of our bodyes of which notwithstanding S. Augustine affirmeth we receaue not the immortality of a spirituall body c. but receaue Iustice therfore we receaue this really and not only in hope as we do immortality Besides he testifyeth this iustice to be giuen when man is renewed by grace which not only the holy Scriptures but your selues also confesse to be really performed euen in this life S. Cyrill auoucheth the like with whome Irenaeus agreeth in such perspicuous tearmes as no shift can be deuised to expound them otherwise Andreas Vega vbi supra 4. The second reason insinuated by the fornamed Vega is that one and the same thing can neuer be both the efficient and formall cause of the same effect The Sunne for example cannot be the cause of heate and be the heat itselfe which is produced but the Iustice of Christ is the cause of our iustification and that by producing iustice in vs for of his fullnes we al partake more or lesse according to the measure of his donation Which cannot be meant of imputatiue iustice which without limitation or proportion of measure is equally referred to euery one therefore of inherent wherof Christs iustice being the efficient cannot be also the formall cause or if it be how is it also the free fauour and mercy of God as Protestants VVhitak in his answere to 8. reason of M. Campian fol. 228. likewise vnaduisedly teach How doth Whitaker auouch We acknowledge no other iustifying grace then the great and free mercy of God whereby he did elect and predestinate vs in Christ before all eternity vnto life euerlasting And yet he sayth a little after This obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs and apprehended by fayth is that righteousnes of ours which you enquire after Ibid. fol. 229. What Is the obededience of Christ all one with the mercy goodnes of God the humility of him that obeyeth with the greatnes of him who is obeyed Or do such diuers causes both worke the same formall effect I need not wonder at your ignorance in points of diuinity who are so little seene in the principles of Philosophy 5. The third reason is the diuine grace with which we are heere iustifyed vpon earth is the same which shal be heereafter crowned in heauen for the reward of glory is there proportioned to the small pittance of iustice or 2. Cor. 9. v. 6. great measure of grace which heere we obtaine He that soweth sparingly sparingly also shall reap and he that soweth in blessings of blessings also shall reape Now the haruest of celestiall iustice which we shall heereafter enioy is not imputatiue but such as shall inhere and beautify our soules therefore that which is heere either infused by God or which we purchase by our good workes is likewise in herent and dwelling in vs. 6. The fourth reason if by the iustice of Christapprehended and applyed vnto vs by fayth we be formally iust we should all equally participate the perfection of iustice one could not be more holy righteous and iust Ioan. 14. v. 2. Hiero. l. 2. aduers Iouin 1. Cor. 15. v. 41. 42. â—eild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 30. fol. 140. then another and consequently because according to the proportion of iustice the crown of glory is assigned there should be no distinction of glory no difference of reward in heauen contrary to that of Christ In the house of my Father there be many mansions of the Apostle One glory of the Sunne another glory of the stars for starre differeth from starre in glory so also the resurrection of the dead And wheras M. Feild auoucheth That from imputed righteousnes which is equall in all men no imparity of ioy can flow c. but from the imparity of inherent righteousnes it is that there are so different degrees of ioy glory found among the Saints of God that are in heauen he auoucheth two thinges which countenance our doctrine the one directly that our iustice is inherent the other coÌ„sequently that this inherent iustice is perfect entiere cleane from al impurity and wholy pleasing to God otherwise it could not deserue any reward at his handes it could not be renowned honoured nor yet admitted into that pure and immaculate kingdome into which no defiled thing can enter 7. Fiftly the Iustice with which baptized infants are endowed by the water of regeneration is not the extrinsecal Iustice of Christ apprehended by an act of fayth which sucklings depriued of reason cannot haue but they are iustifyed as M. Feild with vs auerreth and striueth to wrest the meaning of Luther with the habits or potentiall habilityes of Fayth Hope and Charity but according to S. Augustine Feild in his 3. booke of the Church c. 44. Aug. l. 1. de peccat merit c. 9. God giueth to the faythfull the most secret grace of
Charity good workes or vertuous life agreable to his fayth Therefore Maldonate had great reason to coÌ„mend this as an excellent place against all them that hold Fayth alone to be sufficient for saluation 4. The second argument is taken out of S. Iames his Epistle which was as S. Augustine sayth specially directed against the erroneous maintainers of only Fayth and contayneth many passages cleane contrary to our aduersaryes assertion as if a man sayth he hath fayth but hath not workes shall Fayth be able to saue him Likewise Fayth also if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe And Yee see that by workes a man is iustifyed not by fayth only Whitaker replyeth that S. Iames treateth of an idle faygned fayth But this is euidently false for he treateth of the fayth of Abraham much renowned in holy Scripture of that fayth of his which was consummated by his works which togeather with works did iustify him before God which must needs be a true fayth for a counterfeit fayth had neuer beene commended by the holy Ghost nor byn sayd to be consummated by workes much lesse could it iustify before the face of God Againe what needed the Apostle labour so much to proue that a faygned and counterfeit fayth nothing auayleth to the gayning of Saluation when none of those Christians against whome he wrote euer imagined any such matter And demaunding thou beeleuest that there is one God how could he haue answered thou dost wel if with a counterfeit Fayth he had belieued which had been rather hypocrisy then well doing Another euasion therefore both he Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot deuise that S. Iames speaketh of Fayth outwardly professed which declareth vs iust in the face of men not of inward fayth whereby we are iustifyed before the sight of God But by the same argument this is also refuted for the beloiuing in God is inward fayth Then Abrahams fayth there mentioned was iustifying fayth in the â—ight of God that alone did not iustify him but workes consummated they perfected not another but the same Aug. l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 26 l. de vnic Bapt. c. 10. Cyril l. 10. in Ioan. Chrys hom 2. in Gen. hom 2. in ep ad Philemon Hier. in c. 5. ad Gal. tom 2. in Apol. ad Pammâ— c. 2. Aug. l. 83. q. q. 76. Aug. l. de fide operi c. 14. iustification therefore they also perfected the iustification before God or fayth alone performed it which the Apostle denyeth And thus S. Augustine S. Cyrill S. Chrysostome and S. Hierome vnderstand S. Iames of true Fayth which they also teach not to be auailable to saluation without other vertues Likewise it is cleare that S. Iames taketh Fayth in the same sense S. Paul did when he taught that a man is iustifyed by fayth for which cause S. Augustine noteth that he tooke the same example of Abraham which S. Paul vsed purposely to disproue the peruersity of some who misconstruing S. Paules meaning pleaded the sufficiency of fayth alone of which see S. Augustine in his booke of Fayth and Workes where he auerreth that because this opinion of only fayth sprung vp in the dayes of the Apostles therefore S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Iude in their Epistles directed their intent specially against the same earnestly auouching that Fayth without workes auaileth nothing By which it is manifest that S. Iames the rest spake not of the outward profession but of the inward fayth and beliefe of the hart to which S. Paul with charity attributeth iustification or els they all roued from the marke and disputed in vaine or S. Augustine the most faythfull Herald of all antiquity vtterly mistaketh the scope of their intention 5. My third argument I frame in this manner The Protestant who by fayth is iustifyed may after fall into fornication adultery and other damnable sinnes or not He will not seeke to perswade vs that he cannot fall into any sinne for that were to broach a new the Iouinian heresy which S. Austine S. Hierome haue long Aug. ep 29. de haer c. 82. Hier. l. 1. coâ—t Iou. since buryed in the lake of hell Fall then he may as experience teacheth of sundry forward Protestants Ministers also arraigned condemned for their villanies in this kind Wel theÌ„ suppose they may sinne I aske whether falling into these horrible crimes they loose their true fayth which they had before â— retaine it still To graunt that they loose it is to make all sinners not only grieuous offenders but either Atheists Heretikes or Infidells also for he that is bereft of Fayth must needes be infected with Atheisme Heresy or plaine Infidelity It is to deuide and separate them from al vnion with Christ and to cut them off with Wicliffe from being members of the Church it is to depriue them of the patronage of Christs imputed righteousnes or not imputing their sins and to make them sinne like misbeleeuers to death and damnation for Christ couereth not the sinnes of any according to them but of the faythfull only it is against the common axiomes of Fulke Whitaker and their followers who ween that true fayth once gotten can neuer be lost the print thereof according to Caluin can neuer be blotted out of the harts of Gods elect To hold that they still retaine their true fayth notwithstanding they wallow in Cahâ— l. 3. instit c. ◠§. 11. these sudds of vncleanes that their fayth alone doth iustify them is to hold that they still abyde in the state of saluation and may inioy the kingdome of heauen if they should chance to depart in that wretched case which is quite contrary to the Apostle Do not erre neither fornicatours nor seruers of Idols nor aduowterers nor the effeminate 1. Cor. 6. v. 9. 10. nor the lyers with mankind c. shall possesse the kingdome of God I know the iuggling they vse to delude this argument is that in thes sinners fayth is darkned during that tyme like the Sunne ouercast with clouds like the fire couered with the ashes like the tree in winter bereaued of her blossoms But all these exampls warre against them for the tree in winter is truly a tree enioying her vegetiue life the fire raked vp is perfect fire the Sun ouerclouded looseth not the beames of his naturall light although they be hindred from shining vnto vs. Therefore the darkened and Caluin in An â—id ad Canonem 28. sess 6. in Concil Trid â—ffirmeth Particulam aliquam vitiae fidei manore inter grauissimos lapsus couered fayth of the adulterer is true fayth perfect in the nature of fayth looseth not any motion of life or beame of grace which is due to fayth and if that alone be sufficient to iustify remayning in the adulterer it affoardeth to him the benefit of iustification and by necessary consequence also of saluation for no winter barrenes no embers or
k Chrys hom 7. in 2. ad Tim. feruour of Charity destroyeth all thinges The l Gregor hom 33. in Euang. fire of Charity burneth and consumeth the rust of sinne Only m Aug tract 1. ep Ioan. Abbot c. 4. sect 22. Aug. despir lit c. 17. Aug. l. de nat gra c. 63. qua vna iusti sunt quicumque iusti sunt Abbot c. 4. sect 22. fol. 477. 478. Charity extinguisheth sinnes Which places I more willingly and diligently cyte because they cannot be passed ouer with that common answere which the Aduersary vseth That Charity is the chiefe and principall vertue for outward vse as the instrument of Faith for mouing or stirring abroad Fayth the only vertue which worketh our iustification For that which is the life the health the beauty of our soules is not the outward instrument but the inward quality which iustifyeth vs before God that which vniteth weddeth vs vnto him maketh vs his friendes conuerteth and conformeth vs vnto him couereth our iniquityes extinguisheth our sinnes that which is the head life of Religion the spirit which quickneth the louer cannot be a signe or effect but the cause the soule of iustification Which intrinsecally iustifyeth sayth S. Augustine By which one Charity they are iust whosoeuer are iust 7. Besides if Charity as M. Abbot confesseth Giueth the outward and accidentall mouing and working to fayth c. is the performance of all dutyes recommended vnto vs both to God and men that is touching all externall actions of righteousnes or iustice it cannot be denyed but that Charity also is the inward guift the heauenly quality which maketh vs iust for so we see in all both naturall and morall thinges the faculty which giueth external power and ability to worke is the inherent forme vertue or accident which worketh within For example the grauity or heauynes which causeth the stone outwardly to descend and couer the center is the innate property which indueth it also with inward heauines The quality which affoardeth power to the fire to warme and send forth the ardour of heate abroad is the inward accident which maketh the fire hoate and ardent it selfe In man that which enableth his body to stir moue that which ministreâ—h ability to performe all externall offices and function of life is the inward soule the internall life which quickneth the body In morall affaires the habit which facilitateth vs outwardly to exercise the actes of temperance is the vertue it selfe which maketh vs temperate That which readily exciteth and stirreth vp the souldier to enterprises and exployts of valour is the inherent valour which incourageth his hart Therefore in thinges supernaturall that which rayseth and eleuateth vs externally to accomplish the workes of iustice is the internall vertue the internall iustice wherby we are iust And seeing Charity ministreth power euen in our Aduersaryes opinion to atchieue all outward dutyes acceptable to God Charity also must needes be the ornament it selfe and splendour of our soules which maketh vs acceptable For as Vega wittily argueth from Vega l. 7. in Conâ— Trid. c. 2â— the deriuation of the word If whitenes maketh white wisedome wise valour valiant Faciet nimirum Charitas charos Charity vndoubtedly shall make vs deere and gratefull vnto the highest Hence it is that Charity is the heauenly spring or spirituall fountaine from whence the riuers of all good workes the streames of all vertues Gal. 5. cap. 2â— August tract 87. in ep Ioan. receaue their purity and perfection whereupon the Apostle S. Paul as S. Augustine teacheth when against the workes of the flesh he wovld recommend vnto vs the fruit of the spirit he beginneth with this The fruit sayth he of the spirit is Charity and the rest be receiueth after August ibidem as flowing and depending of this head which are ioy peace long animity benignity goodnes Fayth c. For who doth solidely reâ—oyce that loueth not the good from whence he ioyeth Who can haue true Abbot in his defence cap. 4. Hier. in c. 5. epist ad Gal. Aug. loc citato August tract 5. in ep Ioan. Haec est margarita pretiosa Charitas sine qua nihil tibi prodest quod cumque habueris quaÌ„ si sola habeas sufficit tibi Aug. ser 50. de verb. Domini peace but with him whome he vnfeignedly loueth Who is long animous in good workes constantly perseuering vnles he burne with louing Who is benigne and mercifull vnles he loue him to whom he exhibiteth mercy Who is good except by louing he be made good Who is profitably faythfull but by that fayth which worketh by loue So that not Charity as Abbot dreameth from fayth but fayth it self I meane liuely Fayth and all other vertues deriue their chiefest dignity and preheminence from Charity For what other vertue sayth S. Hierome ought to hold the primacy among the fruits of the spirit but Charity without which other vertues are not accounted vertues and from which all things that are good take their beginning 8 Worthily therefore I returne againe to S. Augustine our good maister so often commendeth loue as if that alone were to be commanded without which other good things cannot profit And in another place I take this to be the margarite for which the merchant is described in the Ghospell who found one pretious stone and sold all that he had to buy it This Charity is that precious margarite without which whatsoeuer thou hast it profiteth nothing which only if thou hast it sufficeth thee Likewise add Charity all thinges profit thee take away Charity other things auaile thee naught a Aug. ser 42. de temp Charity is the light the oyle which surpasseth all other vertues b Aug. tract 17. in Euang. Ioan. By Charity only the law is fullfilled c Greg. hom 38 in Euang. Charity is the nuptiall garment which adorneth our soules d Ruper Hugo Card. in eum locum Charity is the fire-tryed gould which maketh vs rich with al celestiall treasures e Chry. de incomp Dei nat hom â— Richard de sanct Vict in psal 44 Charity is the Queene of vertues f Richard in eum locum Chrys in psal 232. hom de Char. The mother and mistresse of heauenly vertues g Augu. serm 42. de tempor By which the soule is happy and blessed that deserueth to haue it It is the height and consumation of spirituall life Origen I thinke that the beginning or ground worke of our saluation is Fayth the increase or augmentation Hope the perfection and top of the building Charity S. Clemens Clemen Alexand. l. 2. Strom. Aug serm 20. de verb. Apost Cent. 4. â— 4. Colum. â— 92. Ephrem l. de vera poenit c. 1. Cent. 5 c. 4. Colum. 505. Sedul in c. 5. ad Philip. of Alexandria Fayth precedeth Feare rayseth the building Loue doth consumate or end it S. Aug. The house of God by beliefe is
these three meanes is Aug. l. 2. in Iulian c. 8. imparted vnto vs. First by the lauer of regeneration in which all sinnes are remitted Then by wrastling with vices from whose guilt we are absolued Thirdly when our prayer is heard by which we say forgiue vs our trespasses Finally S. Iames Do you see that Iac. 2. v. 24. by workes a man is iustifyed and not by fayth only which as I haue declared aboue cannot be vnderstood of outward Gen. 15. v. c. Rom. 4. v. 9. but of inward iustification before the face of God of that wherin Fayth doth iustify yet not only not alone Of that wherein Abraham was iustifyed when it is sayd of him Abraham beeleued and it was reputed to him to iustice the chiefe place which D. Whitaker M. Abbot and their confederacy so often alleadge for their true iustifying and internall VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot in his defence c. 4. VVhitak in his preface to the reprehens p. 4. Cent. 2. c. 4. Colum. 71. Sciendum est esse eam adulterinaÌ„ Fayth In so much as many of the Lutheran and Zuinglian Protestants either traduce that saying of the Apostle or discard the whole Epistle out of the Canon of holy Scripture by reason he disputeth heere so mightily against them For this moued Luther to account it no better then an Epistle of straw in comparison of the Epistles of Peter and Paul as Whitaker after impudent denyalls was constrayned to confesse by finding an old edition wherein Luther disgorged that blasphemous paralell that poysoned speach which his whelps the Magdeburgian Centurists licking vp after him cast forth in this manner It is to be vnderstood that that is a bastard or an adulterous Epistle Among other reasons they alleage this Because against Paul and against all Scriptures the epistle of Iames ascribeth Iustice to works and peruerteth as it were of set purpose that which Paul argueth out of Genesis that Abraham was iustifyed by only fayth without workes and auoucheth that Abraham obtayned iustice by workes Rom. 4. Gen. 15. Cent. 2. c. 4. Colum 71. Cent. 1. c. 4. Colum 54. Pomeran ad Rom c. 8 Musculus in locis coÌ„mun c. de iustific num 5. p. 271. Vitus Theod. in annot in nouum Testam p. vltim Illiricus in praf Iac. Rom. 4. And in the first Century The Epistle say they of Iames swarueth not a little from the Analogy of the Apostolicall doctrine whereas it attributeth iustification not to only Fayth but to workes and calleth the Law a Law of liberty 4. Pomeran another Lutheran of singular fame among them accuseth S. Iames of no lesse then three notorious faults heerin First of making a wicked argument Secondly of concluding ridiculously Thirdly of cyting Scripture against Scripture Wolfgangus Musculus also a famous Zuinglian rebuketh S. Iames That he alleadgeth the example of Abraham nothing to the purpose c. He confoundeth the true and properly Christian Fayth which the Apostle euer preacheth with that which is common to Iewes and Christians Turkes and Diuells c. and setteth downe his sentence so different from the Apostolicall doctrine The like is affirmed by Vitus Theodorus once preacher of Norimberge and by Illyricus a great Sholler of Luther who ioyne with vs against their owne sect-mates the Caluinists and all English Protestants in these two poynts First that S. Iames cannot be expounded of fayth outwardly professed but of the inward Christian fayth Secondly that Fayth alone doth not iustify according S. Iames but workes also in the same sense as S. Paul attributeth iustification to Fayth Therfore Luther boldly confesseth a contradiction betweene them which cannot be Luth. in collo conutualib latin tom 2. de libris noui Test. Idem in c. 22. Genes reconciled Many saith he haue taken great paines in the epistle of Iames to make it accord with Paul as Philip endeauoureth in his Apology but not with good successe for they are contrary faith doth iustify faith doth not iustify c. In another place he hath these wordes Abraham was iust by fayth before he is knowen such an one by God Therfore Iames doth naughtily conclude that now at the length he is iustified after this obedience for by works as by fruits faith and iustice is known but it followeth not vt Iacobus delirat as Iames dotingly affirmeth Therfore the fruites do iustify From whence we also gather that the spirit of our English Reformers is different from the spirit of Lutherans from the spirit of Zuinglians and so one of them a lying spirit in a capitall point in receauing the epistle of S. Iames for Canonicall and conteyning the true doctrine of the Apostles which they contemnâ— as apocriphall and varying from the Apostolicall doctrine in a substantiall article of fayth 5. But these things I leaue and come backe againe to my former discourse After the example of Abraham he confirmeth it with another of Rahab saying Also Rahab the harlot was not she iustified by workes receauing the Messengers Rom. 4. putting them out another way And then he coÌ„cludeth for euen as the body without spirit is dead so also fayth without good works is dead From which words these consequences may be manifestly drawn First as the body is a true body depriued of the spirit of life so fayth may be true fayth bereft of the life of Charity although dead fruitles without vigour force or actiuity to iustify as the body is dead without Iac. c. 2. v. 25. the soule SecoÌ„dly the spirit is not any outward effect only or sign of life but the true inward forme which giueth life to the body no more are works the effects only as Whitaker Ibidem v. 26. calleth the manifestations of righteousnes but the true causes also therof They do as Hugo commenteth vpon that passage by the works the fayth was consumate perfect Faytlr declare it augment and consumate it Yea they giue it the life VVhitak in his answere to M. Camp 8. reason Huge in illum loâ—uÌ„ Iac. c. 2. v. 22. efficacy both of the first and second iustification for if we vnderstand by workes the spring or fountaine from whence liuely workes proceed whch is Charity they formally impart to Faith the first life efficacy of Iustice If other actions operations which flow from Charity they meritoriously attribute the second life of iustification which is the augmentation perfection and full accomplishment of the former S. Ambrose interpreteth them of the fountaine and first life explicating those words of the Apocalyps I know thy workes that thou hast the name that thou liuest thou art dead He hath the name that he liued that Ambr. in c. 3. Apo. is the name of a Christian but he was dead because he had not the works of fayth which is Charity c. as the body is dead without the soule so also if all good things we seem to haue they are
in his 5. conclusion fol. 656. still and stand in doubt of saluation wherwith M. Reynoldes slaundereth vs. For the probability or morall certainty which we acknowledge ought not to trouble the peace of our Consciences nor anxiously distract much lesse torment the quietnes of our mindes It is a probability intermixed with feare and nourished with such comfortable VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum and stedfast hope with such filial loue as banisheth all combersome anxiety all wauering doubtfullnes all seruile base and troublesome solicitude That which Whitaker so eagerly presseth against Duraeus Try your owneselues if you be in the fayth proue your selues know you 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. Cornelius Cornelij à Lapide in eum locuÌ„ not that Christ Iesus is in you vnles perhaps you be reprobates is interpreted as Cornelius declareth out of Theophilact of Christs aboad not in euery particuler person by iustifying grace but in the Church of the Corinthians by power miracles conuersions and other externall gifts wrought by S. Paul and to the tryall of this his presence he exhorteth them by the remembrance and consideration of the workes acheiued among them and not to try their iustifying fayth vnles it be by some probable tokens 9. The obiections of the second kind which ascribe Ioan. 3. v. 36. â— Ioan. 5. v. 13. Rom. 10. v. 9. Rom. 9. v. 33. Ioan. 3. v. 15. 16. Ioan. 6. v. 35. the certainty of saluation to fayth are these He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting They that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be safe He that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded nor perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer To which I answere that these generall promises which assure life and saluation to the beleeuer are vnderstood conditionally if he beleeue as he ought with a true fayth working by charity and he is sayd to haue euerlasting life because by Cyril in Ioan. 3. fayth he hath entred the gate and way which leadeth thereunto or hath receaued the seed thereof the pledge right and title vnto it by the spirit of adoption or diuine filiation imparted vnto him He is promised also to be saued conditionally if he perseuere in that state to the end after which many other vniuersall sentences of Scripture Ioel. 2. v. 3â— Rom. 10. v. 13. Prou. 1. v. 28. Matth. 7. vers 8. Iac. 4. v. 3. are to be expounded It is written Whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued and contrarywise Then shall they inuocate me and I will not heare them Christ sayth Whosoeuer doth aske shall receaue Contrarywise you aske and receaue not the reason he subioyneth because you aske amisse that you may consume it in your concupiscences Therefore these generall sentences whosoeuer inuocateth or beleeueth shall be saued are to be construed also with this promise If he inuocate and beleeue with true fayth sincere affection and purity of life as it behooueth him to do 10. Secondly whereas many causes concurre to the Hebr. 5. v. 9. Rom. 8. v. 24. Eccles 1. v. 27. Tob. 12. v. â— workes of Iustification or saluation the holy Scripture sometyme attributeth it to one sometyme to another To obedience He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation To Hope By hope we are saued To Feare The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne To Almesdeeds Almes-deeds deliuereth from death because ech of them if nothing els be wanting is sufficient to saue vs and so fayth acheiueth our saluation if we be not defectiue in other things required thereunto or rather because it is the first supernaturall habit origen or roote of life which springeth and bringeth forth the liuely motions of all other vertues and for this cause our iustification is more often assigned to fayth then to any other vertue neuertheles if it fayle dye or be lost as in the next Controuersy I shall proue it may be it procureth not the health of our soules to which it was ordeyned 11. The last troupe of their misapplyed sentences which retyre vnder the standard of Gods care and protection Ioan. 10. v. 27. 28. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c 3. Ioan. 17. v. â—0 21. Matt. 24. v. 24. Rom. 8. v. 30. 1. Cor. 1. v. 8. for security of saluation are My sheep heare my voice c. and they shall not periâ—h for euer no man shall plucke them out of my hands Christ prayed for the faythfull that they might be all one with him and no doubt obtayned it affirmeth it impossible for the elect to be induced into errour Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustifyed and glorifyed He confirmeth and strengthneth them vnto the end I answere heere is a new throng of witnesses but no euidence brought in our Protestants behalfe For they are all veryfied of the elect in generall that they shall not perish but be preserued and glorifyed in the end into their harts he striketh his feare with them he maketh his euerlasting couenant but heer is no word or syllable that this or that man in particuler is one of them he may be in the number of such as are outwardly Matt. 20. v. 16. Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apostol called For many are called but few elect He may be also inwardly iustifyed for a tyme which yet S. Augustine auoweth to be vnknown to him but that he is one of the happy band of those who are called according to the purpose and eternall election of God is an inscrutable mystery fit and expedient sayth the same S. Augustine to be Aug. tom 7. de corr gra c. 13. hidden in this place where elation and pride is so much to be decaded c. That all euen those who runne may feare whilest it is concealed who shall ariue to the goale 12. In like manner to answere the authorityes of the Fathers foure obseruations are carefully to be noted Nazian in orat conso in grand Ambros serm 5. Bernar. ser â— de annuÌ„ August tract 22. in Ioan. First that they auouch vs certaine of Gods grace as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth Certaine of saluation S. Ambrose Of remission of saluation S. Bernard Of finall perseuerance S. Augustine to wit conditionally if we keep the commandements if we striue manfully against vice euen to the end c. Secondly they speake sometyme of the certainty of hope and confidence not of the certainty of fayth or of the certainty only of humane fayth by probable coniectures not of diuine and supernaturall Thus S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Gregory in the places heere quoted Thirdly they say that we are infallibly
ep 29. iudged be found vniust and scant For vniust it is meted with the iustice which is wholy infinit scant in comparison of that Likewise when he sayth That our iustice is right but not pure c. for how can it be pure iustice where fault as yet cannot be wanting he denyeth it to be pure he sayth fault cannot be wanting because it is most commonly conioyned with veniall defaults which although they hinder not the true nature and perfection of iustice yet they darken the luster and brightnes thereof and are lyable to the seuerity of Gods heauy punishment Whereupon S. Augustine Wo be to the laudable life of a man if it be examined without mercy To the other passage of this renowned Doctour where he affirmeth most perfect charity which cannot be increased is to be found in no man in this life we grant it to be true This clause which followeth And as long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it tought to be is of vice of which vice it proceedeth that there is no man who doth good and doth not sinne is to be vnderstood not of formall vice or faulty sinne but of that which is an infirmity weaknes and defect of nature from whence it groweth that there is no man who doth alwayes good and neuer sinneth at least venially sometyme Thus S. Augustine interpreteth August ibid. himselfe a litle before saying Who therefore is without some vice that is without some fomite or as it were root of sinne After which manner I haue shewed aboue in the second Chapter of Concupiscence that not only he but Vlpianus Aug. in l. de perfect iusti◠c. 15. Pliny and Cicero vse the name vitium vice for any defect either in nature or act In the same sense S. Augustine taketh the word peccatum in his booke of the perfection of iustice where he hath these wordes It is a sinne when eyther that Charity is not which ought to be or lesse then it ought to be Otherwise August de spir lit c. vlt. he would haue crossed and contradicted what he auouched before in his booke de spiritu litera That if our loue of God in this life be not so great as is due to his full and perfect knowledg it is not culpae deputandum to be imputed to any fault By sinne then in the former place S. Augustine meaneth a defect only or falling from the brimme of perfection yet no culpable sin So also many prophane writers vse the Plautus in Baceb Si vnam peccauisses syllabam Tull. 2. Tusc Quod in eo ipso peccet cuius profitetur scientiam 1. Ioan. 1. v. 8. Iac. 3. v. 3. August tract 1. epist Ioan. l. de nat gra a. c. 36 38. word peccare to sin for erring and doing amisse in any act or faculty as Plautus sayth If thou hadst fayled in one sillable and Tully If a Grammarian shall speake rudely or he that would be counted a Musitiā sing out of tune he is the more to be blamed quod in eo ipso peccet that he erreth or cōmitteth a banger in the thing it selfe whereof he professeth the skill To Origen to S. Hierome and to the rest of S. Augustine and S. Bernard which Protestants obiect I neede not frame any particuler reply The three last generall answers to the Texts of Scripture sweep all the dust away which they deceiptfully gather out of these or any other of the Fathers writings 4. Lastly it is obiected If we shall say that we haue no sinne we seduce our selues and the truth is not in vs. Likewise In many things we offend all I answere both these places are vnderstood of veniall sinnes as S. Augustine expoundeth them which often creep into the purest actions we do and from which we are seldome or neuer wholy free yet they distayne not the purity of our vertuous actions they are not intermingled with the morall bonity therof but extrinsecally accompany it abating the cleare beames of our soule without defyling the pure action whose adherents they are an assertion manifest amongst Deuines August ep 29. 50. l. de virg cap. 48. 49. l. 4. cont 2. ep Pelag. c. 10. Bonau 3. distinct 3. part dub 1. which Protestants conceauing not run into diuers and those pernicious absurdityes Secondly S. Iohn is interpreted also by S. Augustine of the fomite of sinne which euery man hath how perfect soeuer he be yet he doth not meane that that fomite is properly sinne but materially or the effect or cause of sinne which interpretation of S. Iohns words S. Bonauenture imbraceth and addeth a third exposition that S. Iohn doth not teach no man to be at any tyme without sinne but that no man can say to wit assuredly affirme without reuelatiō that he hath no sinne wherein Lyranus and Hugo Cardinalis agree with him but Caietam vnderstandeth S. Iohn of no sinne neyther actually committed nor originally contracted heertofore This no man the Virgin Mary only excepted as hath beene els where declared can auouch without seduction of his hart without he make God a lyar who sent his beloued Sonne into the world to cleanse vs from our sinnes 5. I proceed therefore to the third Caluinian dotage that all first motions or prouocations to euill are truly sinnes albeit we vanquish them which I haue heere refuted in the Controuersy and second Chapter of Originall sinne and somewhat touched in the Controuersy of Free-wil where I haue shewed that S. Augustine accounteth it a meere madnes and such a barbarical phrensy Seneca l. de mor. Aug. tom 7. l. de na gra ◠67. that man assaulted with temptations should sinne against his will as he sayth the very Poets sheepheards learned and vnlearned yea al the world doth witnes it to be false Seneca a heathen could write Away with all excuse no man sinneth against his will And It deserueth no prayse not to do which do thou caust not But S. Augustine agayne shal decide this matter with a sentence able to seale vp the mouths of Protestant Ministers and quyet the harts of all faythful Christians Whatsoeuer cause quoth he there be of the will impelling it to offend if it cannot be resisted it is yielded vnto Idem tom 4. in expos quarun propos prop. 17. Tom. 7. cont Pela l. 2. circa finem Chry. cited by S. Iohn Damas q. 2. phrall c. 27. Eccles 5. v. 2. c. 18. v. 30. without sin but if it may let it not be yielded vnto there shal be no sinnne committed What doth it perchance deceaue a man vnawars Let him therefore be wary that he may not be deceaued or is the deceit so great as it cannot be auoyded If it be so the sinnes therefore are none for who doth sinne in that which can by no meanes be escaped Likewise not in the euill desire it selfe but in our consent do we sinne Moreouer In as
reason of the hatefull obiect he discouereth in them he doth so punish and abandon them as men are wont to do the thinges which they hate Thus that infinite goodnes that sea of loue hateth and reprobateth such as he foreseeth by the determination of their will Fulgen. l. 1. ad Monim iustly to deserue it otherwise he cannot possibly exercise any hatred or decree of damnation against them according to this of S. Fulgentius It is well known that the wrath Aug. l. 3. in Iulian. c. 18. of God cannot be auouched but where mans iniquity is beleeued to haue gone before And the like of S Augustine God is good God is iust he may deliuer some without good deserts because he is good he can damne no man without evill deserts because he is iust The reason is because to deliuer his elect is an act of mercy which presupposeth hath for her proper obiect Misery wherin al mankind was enwrapped by original sinne but to condemne or depute to punishment is an act of iustice which must needs argue a fault in him Fulk in c. 13 Matth. sect 2. that is punished because as S. Augustine saith God is not A reuenger before man be a sinner Therfore we conclude that he may predestinate vs independently of our merits but he cannot reprobate any without the preuision of their demerits 11. The third heresy is that God purposely intendeth Fulk in̄ ca. 6. Math. sect 5. in c. 1. ad Rom. sect 10. in cap. 11. ad Rom. sect 5. not only the eternall damnation of the wretched but their very obduration blindnes final irrepentance and other enormous crimes by which they are plunged into that hopelesse calamity God hardeneth quoth Fulke the wicked not as an euill author but as a righteous iudge not by bare permission or suffering but by with-drawing and with-holding his grace and deliuering them into their ownelust or into the deceipt of Sathan In which deliuery he graunteth an action of God as his wordes both heere and elswhere import not only to the meteriall entity wherunto we also confesse Gods generall concourse but to that formall obduration or precise formality of contempt and hardnes to which we only allow his sufferance or bare permission or els why doth he alwayes exclude this permission of ours or seeke to excuse God that he concurreth as a righteous iudge vnles he meant that God actually concurreth as a righteous iudge to the same specificall degree of willful resistance or malicious purpose of abiding in sinne to which man cooperateth as an euill actor els to what end deuiseth he that distinction that sinne is against Gods reuealed will not against his secret will vnles he speake of formall sinne for the materiall entity is not against his reuealed will but only the formall obduration or culpable blindnes therfore he supposeth that God sendeth the spirit of errour and giueth the wicked ouer to a reprobate sense by speciall concourse to the very malice it selfe of their sinfull obstinacy 12. It is also a principle of M. Fulkes that God appoynteth before hand not only the end but also the meanes by which men come to that end but the meanes of damnation Fulk in cap. 27. Act. sect 3. are finall impenitencie and other foregoing sinnes therfore they in his diuelish opinion are preordeined by God To which effect writeth of certaine Iewes who refused to imbrace the fayth of Christ forthat they neither would nor could be willing to beleeue because they were reprobate Fulk in cap. Ioan. sect 〈◊〉 making reprobation and consequently Almightie God the cause of their infidelitie willfull peruersitie aboad in sinne For whosoeuer captiueth others without their default in such a bewitching thraldome as they necessarily sinne and cannot auoide the bondage of sinne must needes be the author and cause of their sinnes but thus doth God with the reprobate he according to Fulke before any desert foreseene of theirs before he seeth the propension inclination or any concurrence at al of their will ordeineth them to destruction by his immutable counsell which cannot be repealed then supposing that vnchangeable will and ordinance irreuersible they haue not left them any power to repent or grace to belieue but they are vnauoidably chayned to the fetters of Prosper in respons ad obiec 11. vice vnauoidably carried from vice to vice therfore God O most execrable Conclusion which necessarily followeth out of these our Sectaries premisses God I say though I feare to say it is the cause and only cause of Note that it is al cne Whether God inforce or necessitate men to sinne in repect of making him author of sinne all their incestes murders other abhominable vices 13. Against which I only oppose that excellent answere of S. Prosper If to the deuill it should be obiected that he were the author he the prouoker to such villaines he might I ween acquit himselfe in some sort of that calumnie and euince their owne will to be worker of those mischiefs For though he were delighted with the furie of the delinquents yet would he proue that he * inforced them not to sinne With what follie then or with what madnes is that referred to the appoyntment of God which cannot be wholy ascribed to the deuill Who in the detestable acts of offenders is to be thought the egger on of allurenients not the causer of their wills Therfore God predestinated none of those businesses to be done nor the soule that wil liue wickedly and beastly did he prepare or prouide so to liue Thus S. Prosper you see how dissonant from M. Fulke yet Fulke was not the first broker of these atheismes for looke what he writeth in this kind he coppied Caluin l. 3. instit c. 23. sect 4. 8. out of the originall of Caluins Institutions where Caluin sayth It is not meete c. to assigne the preparing to destruction to any other thing then to the secret counsell of God The whole band of the wicked cannot comeyne nor endeauour nor do any mischiefe but so far as God permitteth but so far as he commandeth Then discoursing of Gods concurrence vnto Calu. l. 8. instit c. 17. §. 11. sinne he hath these words I speake not heere of Gods vniuersal mouing wherby as all creatures are susteyned so from thence they take their effectuall power of doing any thing I speake only of that especiall doing which appeareth in euery speciall act In another place If the blindnes and mades of Achab be the iudgement of God then the deuise of bare sufferance is in vaine A litle after Calu. l. 2. Instit c. 4. 2. Calu. l. 1. Inst c. 18. §. 1. auouching That God blindeth the eyes of men striketh them with giddines maketh them drunke with the spirit of drowsines casteth them into madnes hardneth their hartes he immediatly addeth These things also many doe referr to sufferance as if forsaking the reprobate he suffred
Come yee to me all that labour c. that is al that are burdened with any kind of sinne as Cassianus excellently interpreteth it which apparently sheweth that God hath a true antecedent primacy and conditionall will wherby he desireth the saluation of all both men and Angells giueth them also grace to which if they cooperate as they should he is ready to procure their future happines and haue an effectuall will to saue them God sayth S. Chrysostome doth much desire and couet the saluation of vs of those men also whome for sinne he damneth S. Augustine All men if they will may beleeue may turne from the loue of visible and temporall things and keepe the commandements because that light to wit the grace of God illuminateth euery man that cometh into this world Likewise he prouideth aqually for all God saith S. Cyprian as he accepteth no person so no age for asmuch as to the attaining of heauenly grace he yeldeth himselfe with euen-ballanced equality a like to all And S. Prosper Gods helpe by innumerable meanes eyther hidden or manifest is affoarded vnto all and that many refuse it it is attributed to their owne fault 17. The fifth heresie not distinctly vttered but perniciously inuolued in the precedent is that which derogateth from the vniuersality of Christs death and passion For as God in Protestants opinion will not haue all men saued so Christ according 〈◊〉 them dyed not for all but only for his elect We by the warrant of holy scripture constantly teach that how be it euery one doth not truly and effectually participate the benefit of Christs death yet that he offred a sufficient ransone for the full redemption of mankind by which he pacified the wrath of his eternall Father and obteyned whatsoeuer helps were necessary in his behalfe for the remission of their sinnes and perfect reconciliation vnto him Therfore the Apostle calleth him the Sauiour of al men especially of the faithfull Of all men disbursing a price sufficient to defray the whole debt of sinne especially of the faithfull because they 1. Tim. 4. 10. are effectually also ransomed and saued therby Likewise There is one God one also mediatour of God and men Man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a redemption for al. Moreouer Christ died 1. Tim. 2. 5. for all And lastly he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the whole worlds S. Irenaeus Our Lord hath restored vs into freindship by his incarnation being made the 2. Cor. 5. 15. 1. Ioan 2. 2. Iron lib. 5. c. 17. Ambros ser 8. in Psal 118. mediatour of God and men propitiating truly his Father for all Which S. Ambrose most perspicuously auerreth The earth is full of the mercy of our Lord because to all men is giuen remission of sinnes Vpon all the Sunne is commaunded to rise and this Sunne indeed ariseth dayly vpon all but that mysticall Sunne of Iustice arose vnto all came for all suffered for all and rose agayne for al and if any man beleeue not in Christ be defraudeth himselfe of the generall benefit as if a man shutting the window exclude the beames of the Sunne the Sunne did not therfore not rise vnto all because he defrauded himselfe of the heate therof but as much as pertayneth to the Sunne he keepeth his prerogatiue it is the imprudent mans fault Aug. tract 92. in Ioâ—â— to debarr himselfe the comfort of the common light S. Augustine Christ shed his blood for the remission of all mens sinnes and so died for the saluation of all S. Prosper We haue laboured to proue that Prosper l. 2. de vocat gent. c. vlt. the grace of God is at hand or ready for all with equall prouidence truly and generall goodnes but by diuers meanes and vnequall measure because eyther hiddenly or manifestly he is as the Apostle sayth the Sauiour of all men and cheifly of the faithfull c. For affirming that he is the Sauiour of all men he hath approued the goodnes of God to be generall ouer all sortes of men but adding â— ad Tim. especially of the faithfull he sheweth that there is some part of mankind which by merit of faith inspired by God is by speciall benefits promoted to high and eternall saluation THE SECOND CHAPTER IN WHICH Some other Heresies are comprehended and our Sectaries cheife obiections fully answered THE Sixt Heresy cleerly auouched by Fulk in ca. 9. ad Rom. sect 2. in cap. Ioan. sect 3. in 9. ad Rom. sect 7. in cap. 27. Act. sect 3. in cap. 12 Ioan sect 3. Aug. lib. 1. de lib. arâ— c. 1. Idem lib. 6. contra Fortunat Manich disput 1. Idem lib. ver relig c. 14. M. Fulke is the deniall of free will in the Reprobate saying The reprobate haue their will free but from coaction to sinne it is thrall and slaue bound to sinne and not free Pharao had his will free from constraint but yet slaue to sinne Whence it followeth that the ProtestaÌ„ts God is not only tyrannical in punishing without default and vniust in causing the impenitency of the faithfull as hath bin shewed before but so wicked also as he only perpetrateth sinne not the sinners themselues Not they because we sinne not as S. Augustine teacheth but by freewil Likewise He that is forced by necessity to do any thing doth not sinne And then Man consented by his will to the persuasion of the peruerse Angell For if he had done it by necessity he had not bin guilty of sinne but the reprobate are bouud by necessity to the thraldome of sinne therfore they commit no sinne at all Secondly no man is faulty by doing that which is not in his power to shunne or decline For who saith the same S. Augustine offendeth Aug. lib. 3. de lib. arb cap. 18. in that which can by no meanes be auoided but the reprobate according to you cannot auoide the slauery of sinne nor any way decline alter or resist the decree of Gods reprobation so absolutely enacted by him as it dependeth no more of mans will then the forme which the potter giueth to the clay dependeth vpon the will of the clay which it hath not Therfore they are vnblameably carried by the necessity of sinne and consequently do not sinne but your sinfull God is the sole worker of sinne who only concurreth freely to sinne as the potter is the sole cause that the vessel is framed crooked or straight For when two causes cooperate to the same effect one necessary another free a mad man for example with a man in his right wits sinne is neuer attributed to the cause which necessarily but only to that which freely worketh not to the mad and crazed but to the sound and perfect man 2. So in this present because the reprobate necessarily offend and God only moueth persuadeth freely and actiuely contriueth both the euill intention and self deformity of sinne to him alone and
v. 10. Ecclesiast â—6 v. 15. Matt. v. â—2 Matth. 20. v. â— Ier. 31. v. 16. Rom. 2. v. 6. ad Corinth 3. v. 8. Apoc. 22. v. 12. Abbot in his defence c. 5. sect 14 fol. 686. Fulk in ca. 3. 1. ad Corinth sect 2. In â—p 4. 2. ad Tim. sect 4. in c. 25. Matth. sect 6. to all thy mercyes in the Chaldeake it is My merits are lesse then all thy mercies which thou hast shewed to thy seruant And in Ecclesiasticus All mercy shall make a place to euery man according to the merites of his workes And although the Greeke hath only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his workes yet that importeth the same with the Latine as I shall shew hereafter and the Scripture witnesseth in those places where eternall life prepared to good works is entitled merces a reward or hire which must needes be correspondent to merit or desert Be glad and reioyce because your reward is very great in heauen Call the workmen and pray them their hire Let thy voyce cease from weeping and thine eies from teares because there is a reward for thy worke God rendreth or giueth reward to the iust according to their workes according to their owne labours 3. Our aduersaries make answere to these and the like argumentes First that heauen is called a Crowne a reward secundum quid and in a respect simply and absolutely it is only a gift because it is giuen according to grace according to mercy not according to desert or merit But we reply that although the originall from whence it proceedeth be grace and mercy yet that grace being communicated vpon this solemne bargaine couenant or promise of rewarding our workes performed and dignified therewith it must of necessity include a dignity in them For euery reward hath an absolute and intrinsecall 2. ad Tim 4. Matt. 20. v. 4. v. 13. 14. Aug lib. de saÌ„ct virg c. 26. Hie. l. con Iou. Chrysost Theophil Euthim. in eum locuÌ„ reference to some proportion of worthines or merit Heere is a true and absolute reward therefore a true and absolute merit For which cause the reward is termed a Crowne not only of grace but a Crowne of Iustice due vnto vs by a certaine right of title of iustice Friend I do thee no wrong c. Take that is thine and go Where he speaketh of the day-penny by which S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome Theophilact and Euthymius vnderstand the Kingdome of heauen and yet he stileth it his to wit his by couenant his by iustice and not only by gift vpon the same ground S. Paul calleth God a iust iudge in rewarding our workes God is not vniust to forget your workes 2. Tim. 4. ad Heb. 6. 10. Fulk in c. 4. 2. ad Tim. sect 4. Abbot in his defence â— 5 sect 1. 4. 4. The second Answere which D. Fulke D. Abbot and the residue of their fraternity returne hereunto is That the reward is due by couenant and so a debt in respect of Gods promise not of our desert Likewise God rendreth heauen say they as a iust iudge not to the merit and worthines of our workes but to the merit and worthines of Christ imputed by faith vnto vs. These be the guilty shiftes they deuise to entaile all vpon Christ and vpon Gods promise which he by those meanes most bountifully vouchsafeth to communicate vnto vs. For although it be true that the diuine promise and Christs Iustice be necessary to enable vs to merit yet they are not the chiefest thinges which God regardeth in rewarding our workes For the Promise is the same the Imputation the same equally made and attributed vnto all but the Remuneration is diuers in equally assigned more or lesse correspondent to the slacknes Matth. 1â— v. 27. â— ad Cor. 3. v. 8. ad Gal. 6. v 7. â— Ibidem v. 9 or industry of our labours The Sonne of man will render to euery one according to his works Euery man shall receaue his owne reward according to his owne labour What thinges a man shall sowe those also shall he reape For he that soweth in his flesh of the flesh shall reape corruption but he that soweth in the spirit shall reape life euerlasting So that the seede the price and proper cause of euerlasting life is not only fayth nor the promise of God or merits of Christ alone but also our good deedes of piety and deuotion which heere we sowe vpon earth For the Apostle goeth forward in the same Apoc. 22. v. 12. Fulk in â— ad Cor. 3. sect 2. Caluin 3. instit cap. 18. §. â— 7. place Doing good let vs not faile for in due time we shall reape not fayling Therefore whiles we haue time let vs worke good to all Behould I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to euery maâ— according to his workes Fulke reading this phrase so often repeated in holy Scripture graunteth that euery one receaueth the crowne of glory according to his workes according to his labour yet not according to the merit of his labour which others more plainly explicating allow it giuen to our workes as signes of our fayth not as causes meritorious of the same But the latin text of Ecclesiasticus hath that very word according to the merit of our workes Eccles 16 v. â—â— which necessarily implieth a meritorious cause Besides holy Writ affirmeth That we receaue the crowne of blisse as the reward wages and hire of our labours therefore according to the merit of our labours For hire wages and reward haue mutuall correspondence and inseparable connexion with merit in so much as heauen â— ad Cor. 9. v. 24. Mâ—â—â— 11. v. â—2 Matt. 13. v. 45. Aug. in Psal 93. prope finem Basil in hom quam scripfit in initium Prouerb Clem. Aâ—â— in paraenâ—â— is proposed vnto vs as a goale or price to be wonne by running as a Kingdome inuaded by force as an inestimable gemme prized at the rate of our best indeauours as a treasure to be bought by the value worthines or condignity of our workes the true meritorious and morall causes thereof In the race all runne indeed but one receaueth the price So runne that you may obteine The Kingdome of heauen suffreth violence the violent beare it away Againe The Kingdom of heauen is like to a merchant-man seeking good pearles hauing sound one precious pearle c. sold all that he had and bought it S. Augustine Euerlasting life and rest is salable and bought by tribulations for Christ S. Basil We are negotiators or merchantes who trace the Euangelicall path purchasing the possession of heauen by the workes of the commundements Let it not repent you to haue laboured it is lawfull for you if you will to buy most precious saluation with a proper treasure by charity and fayth which truly is a iust price 5. Moreouer I demonstrate it irrefragably in this Syllogisticall manner
When soeuer such proportion is kept in recompensing the labours we achieue as to greater labours greater crownes to lesser lesser rewards are alloted Thē the crownes and rewards are giuen in respect of the workes done not as signes and conditions but truly according to the merit of our labours as causes of the rewardes But this proportion is obserued by our Soueraigne Iudge in remunerating the good deedes of the Iust which flow from his grace Therefore he rewardeth them not as signes but as causes of our heauenly blisse according to the worthines of their merit The maior is cleere for what other then the dignity of the worke doth God regard in ballancing the measure of them The worthines of Christs merits imputed by faith that is not our owne labour not the thinges we do in our body for which we must receaue eyther good or euill as the Apostle writeth that doth not dignify one aboue another but equally as hath beene sayd is referred to al. The promise which God maketh vnto vs If God had his eye leuelled at that alone it were as much broken in a little as in a greater as faythfully kept in recōpensing a small as in a weighty matter Therein he looketh not to the greatnes of our endeauours but to the fidelity of his owne word in fulfilling whereof the equality of recompensation the proportion of workes the repayment of seruice the reward of labours cannot be as the Scriptures so often insinuate the principall markes aymed at by God Further our vertues are rewarded as worthy of their hire but the promise of God begetteth not any worthines or dignity in our workes more then of themselues belong vnto them For as our Schoolemen teach He that shall Gab. Vasq in 1. 2. tom 2. disp 214 cap. 5. others ibid. in q. 114. D. Tho. promise a Lordship or Dukedome in behalfe of some meane seruice or peece of money of small value doth not thereby enhaunce the price of the coyne or estimate of his obsequious seruice but the estate which is giuen in lieu of that plighted faith although it require the performance of the seruice or payment of the money as conditions necessary to oblige him that promised yet it doth as much exceed the rate of the one and desert of the other as if no promise had beene no couenaunt made at all Moreouer the Deuines proue that if God should threaten to punish with eternall paine an officious lye or other light offence that sinne should not mount thereby to the heynousnes of a mortall crime nor be worthy of more punishment then of his owne nature it deserueth wherefore if the commination and threatning of greater torments then sinnes of themselues require doth not augment the guiltines of their default or change a small sinne into the enormity of a greater neither can the promise of aboundant remuneration increase the dignity of our workes to which it is promised nor the remuneration it selfe be called a reward weighed forth as S. Gregory Greg. Na. orat in san Bap. extrema Nazianzen affirmeth in the iust and euen ballance of God nor equally imparted according to our labours as the Holy Ghost often pronounceth but a free gift liberally giuen through the gratefulnes and fidelity of the giuer vnles besides the promise some worthines or value in our works be acknowledged to which an agreable reward be correspondently assigned 6. The Minor that God obserueth due proportion in 2. ad Cor. 9. v. 6. Clem. Alex. l. 4. strom Matth. 10. v. 4. recompensing our seruice more or lesse conformably to the diligence or slacknes thereof is also manifest by the sundry textes already quoted That euery one shall receaue accordinge to his owne labour And by this of Saint Paul He that soweth sparingly sparingly also shall reape and he that soweth in blessinges of blessinges also shall reape Which Clemens Alexandrinus also gathereth out of these wordes of S. Matthew He that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receaue the reward of a Prophet and he that receaueth a iust man in the name of a iust man shall receaue the rewards of a iust man both receaue rewards yet not both the same but seuerall and vnequall according to the seuerall sanctity of their persons and inequality of their merits whome they receaue Hence the conclusion of my Syllogisme without checke or controle is ineuitably inferred That seeing Almighty God portioneth forth a greater or lesser share of glory answerable to the greatnes or slendernes of our workes as the hire wages or reward of them he truly remunerateth our pious endeauours not as sequells of faith not as meere gifts of grace but as precedent causes or condigne desertes of eternall life Which when our aduersaries gainsay they make our soueraigne God an accept our of persons and not a iust and vpright iudge quit contrary to these texts of holy writ 2. ad Timoth. 4. v. 8. ad Rom. 2. v. 11. 1. Pet. 1. v. 17. Act. 10. v. 34. For acception of persons is a vice directly opposite to distributiue iustice as when a Iudge bestoweth a reward where there is no precedent merit or when he giueth a more large reward then the dignity of the merit in any sort deserueth But God truly recompenseth the labours of his seruants and recompenseth them with due proportion of greater and lesser reward therefore he either presupposeth in thē the diuersity of merits or he violateth Aug. ep 46. ad Valent the lawes of distributiue iustice In so much as S. Augustin◠might well say If there be no merits how shall God iudge the world For take away them and take away Iustice take away iudgement take away that article of our Creed that Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 7. Another Argument or Enthymeme I frame in this sort The sinnes and euill workes of the reprobate are not eternally punished eyther because they are signes of their infidelity or by reason of Gods commination and threates which he promulgateth of punishing them with euerlasting torments But for that they be of themselues the true cause of damnation merit Gods wrath be iniurious and offensiue to his infinite goodnes Therefore the vertuous actes and good deedes of the elect which flow from the streames of heauenly grace are not only recompensed as fruites of faith or in regard of Gods promise made to reward them but because they be true and proper causes thereof because they be pleasing and acceptable in his sight and do deseruedly purchase and merit his fauour The consequence is inferred out of the words of Christ who attributeth after the same manner and with the same causall propositions the crowne of heauen to the pious workes of the iust as he doth the punishment of hell to the hard and vnmercifull hartes of sinners saying Come yee blessed of my Father possesse yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I