faciunt peccatum The children of God both love and doe iustice but the children of the deuil both loue and do sinne and againe Manifestum fit studium bonorum operum effectum esse preaestinationis It is manifest that studie to liue well and to doe good workes is the effect of predestination and an hundred such like places the same author hath which I let passe for brevitie sake neither doth anie other of the learned amongest vs hold contrary to this doctrine nay all the pulpets God be thanked found out and extoll the praise of good workes yea which is more to be admired of the papistes who thinke so baselie of our religion wee affirme the good workes of the regenerate to be so acceptable in Gods sight that he will not suffer the least therof to be vnrewarded further we teach affirm in our religion that the regenerat childrē of God cā not cōtinue in gods favour vnles they detest sin striue against the concupiscence of the flesh do good works yet further we auouch cōstantlie that none cā beleeùe truly in Christ which doth not love Christ which doth not emploie his whole care studie industrie to doe the will of Christ and to keepe his commaundements And that this is the faith and doctrine of the Church of England verie manie God be thanked for it haue left to their posteritie livelie testimonies of the same wherof I will onelie name one who as hee did inwardlie in his heart beleeue the gospell so did he outwardlie in his life professe it and after his death confirme the same with a most charitable and christian testimonie of immortall memorie I speake of that honourable and zealous christian Sir VValter Mildmey the late foūder of a most famous colledge in the vniuersitie of Cambridge which he tearmed not after his owne name as the greater part vseth but Emanuell that is God with vs giuing vs to vnderstand therby that as hee beleeued and loued God so he would testify the same to al posterities by that worthie act as by the effect and fruite of a liuelie faith Now then how doe we differ from the papistes herein Zanchius shall answere Atque hic est vnus ex praecipuis vsibus bonorumoperum quod ijs non tanquam salutis causis sadtanquā effectis predestinationis fidei tum nos tum proximi certiores fimus nostrae electionis eoque salutis And this is one of the chiefest vses of good works that both wee and our neighbours are assured by them of our election and salvation not as by the causes of salvation but as by the effectes of predestination and of faith But the papistes will say if good woorkes cannot merite glorie nor iustifie wherefore then must we do them I answere that we must liue well and doe good workes for the loue and dutie we owe to God and because so is his holie will and good pleasure so saith the Apostle in these words ipsius enim sumus factura creati in Christo Iesu in operibus bonis quae preparavit Deus vt in illis ambulemus for wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them so then we thinke as reuerentlie and esteem as worthilie of good works as doth anie papist in the world for we grant that none can be saued or sanctified without good workes and further that none is truelie iustified which hath not good works yet for all that do we constantly affirme and that by the authoritie of holie writte that no man is or can be iustifyed by vertue of his good works the error of the Papistes consisteth in this that they do not distinguish betweene sanctification and iustificatiō the truth of our doctrine which is the verity grounded in the sacred scriptures is this that sanctificatiō iustificatió are inseparably vnited in one the same subiect in eodē instanti tëporis nōnaturae as the scholes speake that is we are freelie iustified sanctifyed also in the same instāt of time but first iustified in prioritie of nature for example fire and the heate are both at one and the same time though fire be before in prioritie of nature that is though fire goe before as the cause of euerie thing is before the effect of the same and as fire is not before heate in time and yet the cause of that heate so is our iustification not before our sanctification or our inherent iustice in time and yet is it the cause of our sanctification of our inherent iustice and of all the good workes we doe which thing if the papistes would once seriouslie observe they would not differ from our opinion in this behalfe vnlesse they haue fullie resolved to oppose themselves desperatlie against the truth The 12. Preamble VVHo so euer will but euen superficiallie consider the vncertaintie of popish doctrine shall thereby without further discourse find svfficient matter to abhorre and detest the same as most friuolous most ridiculous most irreligious For example in the sacrament of the altar as they terme it if certaine questions be propounded vnto them the best learned know not what to answere but so simply and so sottishly as euerie child may espie the follie of their doctrine If anie papist can truely and without blushing say the contrarie let the same be notifyed by his ansvvere to these my briefe demaundes 1. First I demaund how they excuse the people that adore with diuine worship the thing eleuated ouer the priestes head at Masse from idolatrie from heresie from false beleefe For if either the Priest want intention to consecrate vvhich often chaunceth by reason of vvandering imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth any vvord of consecration then by popish religion the thing adored is but pure bread so the adorers thereof become idolaters vvorshipping a peece of bread for the euerliuing God And if the people either refuse to adore or doubt if they may adore they are deemed heretiques ipso facto for their pains because as the Popes disholie canons tell vs he that but doubteth of Romish definitions concerning faith and maners is an heretike 2 Secondlie I demaund what it is that the priest receiueth and deliuereth to the communicants when he hauing 40. breads before him supposeth them to be but 38. or 39. and so intendeth to consecrate no more for beyond the priestes intention consecration cannot extend as all wise Papistes graunt neither is his intention more limited to one bread then to an other and therfore can no more consecrate one bread then another 3 Thirdlie I demaund which part of the host as they terme it is the popish made God when the sacrificer intendeth indefinitelie to consecrate the one halfe of the said host and how there in adoring they can avoid idolatrie 4 Fourthly I demaund howe many gods or how many times God is made in
and do not conclude necessarilie For our faith is grounded vpon revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical scripture but not vpon revelation of anie other writers if anie were made vnto them Thus saith Aquinas Out of whose words I gather First that the authoritie brought from man is ever insufficient 2 I gather secondly that that ground whereupon we must build as vpon an vndoubted truth is onelie and solelie the authoritie of the scriptures 3 I gather thirdlie that mans reason may never be vsed to establish any point of doctrine 4 I gather fourthlie that the fathers are to be read reverentlie and their authorities to be vsed as probable reasons but not as necessarie demonstrations 5 I gather fiftlie that feined romish revelations are not authentical And consequentlie that all revelations divulged vnder the name of Saint Bridget and others are either meereillusions or of small force and which can yeeld no sound argument in matters of faith Victoria in verie briefe wordes vttereth this point effectuallie Licet in hoc omnes conveniant non est tamen mihi certum Although saith he all agree in this yet doe not I make it certaine Navarre singeth the same song in manie places whereof I will recite onelie one Tum quod fundamentum principale ipsius est quod communis tenet oppositum quodip sum etiam ipse assero sed non obstat quia a communi recedendum quum pro contraria est textus velratio cui non potest satis bene responderi Because also his principal ground is that the common opinion is to the contrarie which thing I my selfe also graunt But that is not of force for we must renounce the common opinion when there is either text or reason which can not be sufficientlie answered In fine their owne glosse in their decrees reiecteth saint Augustine roundlie in these words Cum enim salva sua pace Augustinus non bene opponit istis it a dormit avit hic Augustinus VVhere saint Augustine by his favour doth not well obiect against this and so Augustine here was a sleepe Loe when the fathers speake not placentia everie beggerlie popish glosse reiecteth them at pleasure And yet must wee vnder paine of excommunication admit their authoritie when they seeme to make for poperie albeit they speake never so flatlie against the holie scriptures yea their late councell of Lateran chargeth all preachers vnder paine of excommunication that they expound the scriptures according to the old doctors received in the church of Rome The Corollarie 1 FIrst therefore since the ancient fathers may erre and have also erred de facto 2 Secondlie since Saint Augustine admitteth the opinion of fathers no further then they agree with the scriptures 3 Thirdlie since that which is holden of the greater part of the fathers is often false and disagreeable to the truth 4 Fourthly since the papistes them-selves preferre the opinion of one before many Fiftly since Caietanus Canus Navarrus and others doe al roundly reiect the common opinion when it disliketh them 6 Sixtly since their owne glosse maketh no accompt of S. Augustine when he speaketh not placentia I conclude that it is a sufficient motive for me to renounce the romish religion as false erroneous and pernicious doctriue Thus much of the eight Motive The X. CHAP. Of Traditions vvritten and vnwritien THe Papistes beare the world in hand that many things necessarie for mans salvation are not conteined in the written worde and consequently that none can be saved but such as beleeve their unwritten traditions VVherein that trueth may plainly shewe it selfe after mine accustomed manner I put downe conclusions The first conclusion THe written worde or holy scripture conteineth in it selfe everie thing necessary for our salvation For proofe of this conclusion S. Paul writeth unto Timothie in this manner Quia ab infantia sacras literas nosti quae te possunt instruere ad salutem per fidem in Christo Ie su Because thou hast knowne the Scriptures from thy infancie which are able to instruct thee to salvation through faith in Christ Iesus Now if the scriptures be able so to instruct one as hee may thereby attaine his salvation it can not doubtlesse be denied with reason that euerie thing necessarie for mans salvation is conteined therein For which cause the Apostle addeth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable to doctrine to redargution to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect prepared to everie good worke In which wordes the holie vessell of God Saint Paul confirmeth that which he said before to wit that the holie scripture is able of it selfe to instruct vs fullie vnto salvation And the Apostle declareth this by an argument drawen from the sufficient enumeration of those partes which are required vnto our salvation and withall he commendeth the scripture of the sufficient cause end and vse thereof The cause is in that he saith the scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say given by the inspiration of God The vse is foure fold whereof the two former pertaine to doctrine the two latter to life and manners 1 For first it is profitable to the doctrine of faith and holie obedience 2 Secondlie to the refutation of errors contradictions and false opinions 3 Thirdlie for the correction of abuses as wel publique as private 4 Fourthlie for instruction vnto righteousnes that is to leade a godlie and holie life The end is that the man of God to wit hee that is the true worshipper of God may be sounde perfect and most absolute furnished in ail kinde of goodnes which being so we must needes confesse if we will not obstinatelie denie the manifest truth that the scriptures containe all thinges necessarie for christian doctrine and for the full accomplishment of eternall life Neither will it helpe the papistes to answere as their wonted maner is that the greek vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth everie not all so as the Apostle should say not the whole scripture but everie scripture For first everie scripture is not so copious or fruitfull as it can afford vs all those goodlie affects which saint Paul here rehearseth Againe the selfe same greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed for the whole by saint Paules owne interpretation in another place of holie scripture where he hath these expresse words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if I have all and the whole miraculous faith so that I can remove mountaines but have not love I am nothing In which place the papistes can not possiblie interprete the selfe same greeke word though they would never so gladlie but for all the whole because otherwise the sense would be most absurd as which would prove saint Paul to speake of everie kinde of faith and consequentlie of
doctrine Thirdly the three condicions required for the legitimation of Popish Pardoning concurre as sweetely in delivering all together ioyntly as in delivering one by one severallie His inordinate affection of lucre is convinced in this that albeit he can with one onely pardon set open the gates of Purgatorie and so set all the prisoners at libertie yet will he not extend that compassion to them but taketh this course with them that they shall appoint Pia Legata by their last willes and testaments for Masses Diriges and Trentals to be said yeerely or rather perpetually if their abilitie will extend so farre with which Masses Diriges and Trentals his pardons shall concurre and so deliver them by discretion By reason of which ungodly pollicie we may this day behold with our eyes so many altars erected so many Churches sumptuouslie decked so many Priestes richly maintained especially in Saint Gregories Church at Rome For which Masses Diriges and Trentals huge summes of money are given daily yeerely perpetually not for the Masses formallie concedo but yet formally for the Priestes paines and materially for the Masses constanter assero The 5 Conclusion THE foundation of the Popes pardons is wicked blasphemous and derogatorie to the most pretious blood of Christ shed for mans redemption This is the proofe of this conclusion the Pope and many of his popish Doctors tell us that the foundation of their popish pardons is this Thesaurus meritorum Christi Sanctorum eius the treasure of the merites of Christ and of his Saintes For say they not onely Christ but many of his Saintes also suffered much more then was due for their owne sinnes which workes of supererogation or satisfactions they call the treasure of the Church and because say they Gods Saintes did not applie those their superaboundant passions to this or that person the Pope therefore must make application thereof at his pleasure as one that hath Christes full authoritie or plenitudinem potestatis being his Vicar generall upon earth And here note by the way gentle Reader that for the execution of this Vicars office there be ever in Rome two Vicars generall and one substitute Vicar whereof two neither preach teach or execute any priestly function usuallie but the poore substitute must doe all that is done So in my time Gregorie the foureteenth was Vicar generall to Christ si dijs placet Cardinall Sabello Vicar-generall to Gregorie and our Goldwell sometime Bishoppe of Saint Assaph substitute to Sabello which poore Bishoppe tooke all the paine and had the least gaine For it is not the usuall maner of Popes and Cardinals in these latter dayes to say Masse to preach to teach and so foorth I speake of Cardinals resiant at Rome but to joyne living to living benefice to benefice promotion to promotion and which is more absurd in their owne religion to be so lordly Abbots or rather so idle Lubbards that they will take and snatch all the commodities of the whole Abbeyes unto themselves and neither graunt sufficient foode and rayment for the Monkes nor competent allovvance for the necessarie maintenance of the house it selfe for their Masse Mattins and service Such is their charitie to their neighbors zeale to their office reverence to their own religion This is also true as if any Papist wil deny the same his owne breath will witnesse against him For to omit others S. Laurence and S. Pancratius their Abbeyes and Churches are so poore and beggerly through the pilling and polling of Cardinals their Abbots that when priestes come thither to say Masse as the usuall manner there is they can neither finde wine nor candles without money which default when any one obiecteth as a disgrace to their profession and Religion the poore Monkes answere in this manner Alas we can not doe withall my L. Cardinall hath all the living and alloweth us a small portion not able to fill our bellyes But to leave this digression and to returne to the scope and matter in hand this foundation of pardons to be the superaboundant merits and satisfactions not onely of Christ but of his Saintes also holdeth Thomas Aquinas Dominicus Soto Sylvester Pryeras Antoninus and others Sylvester hath these wordes Ratio quare valere possunt indulgentiae est unitas corporis mystici in qua multi supererogaverunt admen suram debitooum suorum multas tribulationes iniustè sustinuerunt patientèr per quas multitudo poenarum poterat expiari sieis deberetur quorum meritorum tantaest copia quòd omnem poenam debitam nunc viventibus excedunt praecipue propter meritum Christi The cause that pardons are of force is the unitie of the mysticall bodie in which many have supererogated in the workes of penance to the measure of their owne demerits and have sustained patiently many uniust tribulations through which the multitude of paines might be purged if it were due unto them of whose merites there is such plentie that they exceede all paine due for those that nowe be living and especially for the merite of Christ. This is the testimonie of Sylvester and Aquinas their angelicall Doctor proceedeth further and sayeth thus Christus poterat relaxare ergo Paulus potuit ergo Papa potest qui non est minoris potestatis in Ecclesia quà m Paulus fuit Christ could pardon therefore Paul could pardon therefore the Pope also can pardon as who is of no meaner authoritie in the Church then Paul him selfe was So then à primo ad ultimum by Aquinas his doctrine the Pope can doe as much as Christ. He can make the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to walke the blinde to see and the dead to arise to life which I must first see before I beleeve it howsoever their holy Aquinas write and yet should this follow necessarily if Aquinas his reason were good And doubtlesse this which Aquinas here attributeth to the Pope is not farre from the peculiar marke of Antichrist but I will not nowe stande upon that point VVe see evidently the foundation of Popish pardons confessed by the best learned Romish doctors which manner of establishing popish pardons to be blasphemous and derogatorie to the blood of Christ I proove many and sundrie wayes First by the testimonie of holy writte Advocatum habemus apud Patrem Iesum Christum iustum ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris VVe have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes And as it is said more significantly in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the attonement and reconciliation for our sinnes it is he through whome we are accepted of God Of him onely saide the voyce from heaven This is my beloved Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whome I am well pleased Againe Si autem in luce ambulemus sicut ipse est in luce societatem habemus ad invicem sanguis Iesu Christi