that sainct Paule sayeth that a man is iustified by fayeth and not by the vvorkes of the lavve vvhich is all one as if hee had sayed that a man is iustified by faithe only and not by good vvorkes But to this I ansvvere that if sainct Paule had sayed that a man is iuste by faithe and not by vvorkes adding noe more then Luther had had some argument but hee sayeth not soe but only that a man is iuste by faites and not by the vvorkes of the lavve excluding only the Iudaicall sacramentes and ceremonies vvhich he calleth vvorkes of the lavve and vvhen in other places he excludeth vvorkes he meanethe the selfe same vvorkes Rom. 4. Gal. 2.3 or else those vvorkes vvhich proceed not from faithe and grace suche as vvere the vvorkes of the gentils Nether is faithe sayed to iustifie bicause that only iustifieth but bicause it is the beginning and ground vvorke of iustification or bicause it concurreth to iustification or bicause by that faithe vvhich iustifieth is vnderstood not a naked faithe but a faithe ioyned vvith charitie and good vvorkes such as saint Paule speaketh of vvhen vvriting to the Galathians hee excludeth the vvorkes of the lavve Gal. â— saying that in Christe Iesu nether Circumcision is of any vvorth nor the Prepuce but faythe vvhich vvorketh by charitie Vvherfore sainct Paule is so farre from thinking that only fayth iustifieth that hee auoucheth that if hee had all the fayth in the vvorld and so great a faithe that hee could moue mountaines 1. Cor. 33. yet if hee had not charitie hee vvere nothing And if Luther and Caluin bicause scripture sometymes sayeth that faithe iustifieth vvill therfore inferre that faith only iustifieth then bicause scripture sayeth that by hope vve are saued and that blessed is the man that hopeth in God Rom. â— Psal 83. I vvill inferre that only hope iustifieth and bicause scripture also affirmeth that the man is happie that feareth our lord Psal 111. I vvill conclude that feare only iustifieth Or if they vvill ansvvere that hope and feare are sayed to iustifie and to make man happie bicause they concurre to iustification and happines the same I vvill say of faithe to vvit that it is sayed to iustifie not bicause it only iustifieth but bicause vvith charitie it concurres to our iustification For to charitie allso is attributed our iustification and more then vnto faith For as Christe told saincte Marie Magdalen that her fayeth had saued her so he sayed that many sinnes vvere forgiuen her bicause she loued much Lue. â— and Scripture attributeth those effects to charitie vvhich are necessarilie linked vvith iustification As for example Mat. 22. Rom. 11. Col. â— 1. Tim. â— charitie is called the fullnes of the lavv the end of the lavve the obseruation of the lavv and the bond or knot of perfection Charitie also is sayed to make vs children of God â— 10 â— Rom. 3.1 Pet. â— 1. 10.4 by it the holy ghost is sayed to be diffused in our hartes charitie is sayed to hide and couer our sinnes and to make God to dvvell in our hartes Sainct Ihon pronounceth boldly that vvho loueth his brother by charitie is in the light 1. 10. â— and that vvee are translated from the darkenes that is of sinne to the light that is of iustification bicause vvee loue our bretherne Ibidem c 3. c. 4. yea hee sayeth that vvhoesoeuer loueth not remaineth in deathe And againe euerie one that loueth is borne of God By vvhich it is plaine that ether charitie is allvvayes ioyned vvith the grace of iustification as S. Th â— 2. q. 210. â— 1. â— Thomas sayeth or that it is all one vvith the sayed grace Sâ—â—t 2. d. 26. Our ibidem as others saye and so is the formall cause of iustification and then faith only concurrethe as a disposition as hope also and feare doe At least heÌ„ce it follovveth that only faith iustifieth not bicause hee that hath not Charitie as saint Ihon sayeth remaineth in death and if a man haue all the fayth in the vvorld as saint Paule sayeth vvithout charitie hee is so farre from being iuste that he is nothing and no body Supra Novv vvheras they saye that faithe only iustifieth but not vvithout charitie and good vvorkes bicause it can not bee vvithout them it is another absurde heresie â— Cor. â—â— For saint Paule vvhen hee sayeth that if he had all the faythe in the vvorld and yet haue no charitie hee is nothing supposeth that faithe may be separated from charitie 〈◊〉 2. And S. Iames supposing that it may be vvithout good vvorkes sayeth that faithe vvithout good vvorkes is dead and diuers parables as of the corne Mat. 1â— ibidem Mat. 22.25 and cockle in the same barne of good and bad fishes in the same nette of good and bad gestes at the same supper yea of the sheep and goates also argevve that men maye bee in the Churche by faithe and yet be badde Christians for vvant of charitie and good vvorkes vvhich the good Christians haue Yea reason teacheth that it is one thing to beleeue and to knovv our dutie by faithe and another thing to doe our dutie Yea if there vvere no other argument then the euil life of Lutheranes and Caluinistes vvho bragge that they haue true faithe and yet liue most viciously it vvould conuince them that faithe if there bee any in them may bee seuered from good vvorkes and ioyned vvith euil But to come to a conclusion if faith only iustifie then it follovveth that the gappe is opened vnto all vice and villanie For vvhen they come to the definition of this faithe vvhich only iustifieth Supra they say that it is an assurauÌ„ce by vvhich vvee are fully persuaded that Christes iustice is ours by vv ch faith also they saye Christes iustice is so applyed vnto vs that it is ours and couerethe our sinnes and maketh vs appear iuste in the sight of God Out of vvhich doctrine I deduce this argumente If faith only iustifie then if vvee retaine that faithe thoughe vve commit all the villanies in the vvorlde they can not hurte vs bicause so longe as vvee hold that faithe vvee are iuste and so the gappe is opened to all vice For if a man bee once persuaded that faithe only iustifiethe and that this faithe is noe other thinge but an apprehension that Christes iustice is ours if hee persuade him selfe that Christes iustice is his as hee must bicause Caluin and Luther affirme that euery man must beleeue so if hee vvilbe a Christian then needs hee only care to retaine that faithe and apprehension For if that only iustifie then retaining that hee is assured that he is still iuste though hee commit all the sinnes in the vvorld and so by this doctrine he hathe good leaue to sinne And for more confirmation of this argument it must be noted that Luther and Caluin affirme that Christes
coÌ„teÌ„ned Li. 2. doct Christ c. 6. knovvledg hardly gotteÌ„ is highly priced And therfore as S. Austine noteth the holy ghost in scripture hath prouided easie things to satisfie our honger obscure places also to take avvay lothsomnes Bicause our vnderstaÌ„ding vvith easie things only vvould be soone cloyed vvith obscuritie only vvould easilie be deterred Thirdly this difficulcie imprinteth in our memorie the vvord of God more deeply For as the iroÌ„ is more harde to receue impression then vvax or vvater yet keepeth it more firmly so that vvhich vve learn hardly vve forget not easilie Fourthly it controleth our high-clyming and deep searching vvittes maketâ— vs to acknovvledge the vveaknes of our intellectuall eye-sight vvhich if it bee so dim ne that it can noe more susteyne the blazing spleÌ„dour of naturall verities theÌ„ can the night-crovves eyes the beames of the sonne much lessâ— can it behold vnlesse it be by a glimse and glimmering the splendent rayes of supernaturall verities revealed throughe the darke veale of holy scripture Fiftly this difficultie increaseth merit and deserte vvhen so constantly vvee beleeue those verities vvhich in scripture are rather vealed them reuealed Sixthly this difficultie preserueth scripture from prophanation and is the cause vvhy euerie one can not babble of scripture as they do of easie thinges and as the heretiques of this tyme do bicause they imagin scripture to be easie Seauenthly it hides our sacred mysteries froÌ„ ê“phane infidells vvhoe are noe more vvorthy of this diuine knovvledge then are the beastly svvine of preciouse pearles Orig. li. 1. in Leâ—it Eightly as Cirill or rather Origen very vvell obserueth these obscure phrases and figures vvherin the diuine veritie is cladde are as it vvere a seemly habit vvhich graceth the vvorde of God and makes it seeme the better vnto our vveakish eyes For more are vve delighted to see the veritie of the sacred Eucharist vnder the figure of Manna and of the Sacrament of Baptisme in that shadovve of the redde sea then if vve savve the same sett forth to ourvevve in bare vvordes though neuer so playn But novve let vs see vvhat our ghospellers can saye to this experience and reason by vvhich I haue proued scriptures to bee hard and difficile It is true sayeth Luther scriptures are in many places harde but vvhere they treat of thinges necessarie to saluation there are they playn and perspicuouse Is it true Luther that so me partes of scripture are harde Supra then must thou eate that vvorde of thine in vvhich thou sayedst Ego de tota scriptura dico nullam eius partem obscuram dici volo I say of all scripture I vvill haue no part of it called obscure And vvilt thou stand to it that vvhere scripture treateth of thinges necessarie to saluation ther it is plain and easie I aske then of thee vvhether the doctrine of Baptisme bee not necessarie to saluation And if thou say yea then is some parte of scripture vvhich treateth of thinges necessarie harde and difficile for othervvise Caluine vvould neuer haue cauilled so much about those vvordes of Christ Io. â— Vnlesse a man be borne agan of vvater and the holy ghoste Is not the doctrine of the blessed Sacrament necessary to bee beleeued And yet vvho seeth not hovv many diuerse expositions the ghospellers haue deuised vppon those fevv vvords Mat. 26. Luc. 22. This is my bodie Is not the doctrine of iustification necessarie And yet it is so obscurely set dovvn in scripture that Osiander a voucheth Ex Bol to 3. l. 3. l. 2. de Iustif initio that amongest the confessionistes there are tvveÌ„tie different opinions about the formall cause of iustificatioÌ„ and euery one is deduced out of scripture At least they vvill graunt mee that the doctrine and fayth of the blessed Trinitie and of Christes diuinitie and humanitie is of necessitie to bee beleeued yet the Ebionites Arrianes Nestorians Eutichians Valentinians Monothelites and Appollinaristes vvho helde diuerse heresies concerning the Trinitie and IncarnatioÌ„ proued theÌ„ all to their thinking out of scripture Vvhich is a signe that scripture is not easie for vvher al is playne all men commonly aggree and if scripture vvhere it speaketh of those mysteries vvere perspicuouse they vvould neuer haue banguered so grossely in expounding them But rather then my aduersarie vvill stand out he vvill bee content to play smalle play If sayeth hee thou bee a good GraÌ„marian all vvill seeme easie vnto thee And vvas not I pray thee S. Austin vvho read Rhetorike in Millan vvas not S. HieroÌ„vvhoe vvas excellent in all the three tongues a Grammarian They vvere They vvere and yet they coÌ„fessed as I haue declared that scriptures vvere full of difficultie Yea in England our ministers haue the Bible in English and so haue no need of any helpe of Grammer and yet can they not aggree about the scriptures meaning Yea in all sciences it is one thing to be a grammarian another thing to attayn to the knovvledg of the science for many a school maister in England can constrevv Aristotle vvhich yet can not vnderstand him and if grammer vvere sufficieÌ„t then after grammer vvee should need no studie nether in diuinitie nor philosophie nor any other science And to vse no other argument then experiens let our GraÌ„marians in Ingland after they haue constrevved the psalmes tell me vvether they do yet vnderstand the psalmes But my aduersary vvill shevv that hee is not tongue tyed and therfore vvill not bee put to silence If sayeth hee you confer one place vvith another one vvill explicate another This is another starting hole vvhich hee hath found out But this also is but a poore shifte For although one place conferred vvith another many tymes giueth a great light to both yet doth it not so allvvayes fall out For diuerse haue conferred the same places and yet haue gathered diuerse meaninges yea somtymes conference of places augmenteth the difficultie and maketh a shovv of contradiction vvhich before appeared not Novv gentle reader thou vvouldst think that this man vvere satisfied or else that his mouth vvere stopped but yet he desireth one ansvvere more and if that vvill not serue he vvill ether yeeld or hold his peace If you pray to God sayeth he to illuminate you he vvill reveal the meaning of scripture vnto you or if you haue the spirit be not carnall but spirituall or if you be praedestinate you shall finde all as playne in scripture as the kinges high vvay This ansvvere is so poore that it vvell argueth that our aduersarie is put to an harde shift and to a last reply bicause in this ansvvere hee declareth ignotum per ignotius an vnknovven thing by that vvhich is more vnknovven As for example I vvould haue him to assure vs vvhether that vvee expound scripture rightly or vvrongly hee telleth vs that if vve praye as vve ought to do or if vvee bee of the electe or if vvee bee spirituall
as diuersly interpret scripture as you may moralize those fables Others calle scripture a nose of vvaxe bicause it may be vvrested and vvried euery vvaye vvhich comparisons although they bee odious and litle beseeming the maiestie of scripture yet are they true if by scripture you vnderstand the bare letter of scripture vvithout an assured interpretour as the Reformers doe For the baâ—e letter of scripture is so ambiguous may haue so many senses and meanings that it may be applyed to vvhat you vvill may be already hath been vsed for the proofe of the moste absurde heresies that euer vvere But vvhilest they alleage the bare letter of scripture for coÌ„firmation of their doctrine vvel may they so delude the vnlerned but men of learning and intelligence are vvel assured that the bare letter is no more scripture then the body of a man is a man For as the soule is the life of the body that vvhich maketh a man so the sense is the life of the vvorde and that vvhich giueth scripture life esseÌ„ce being Com. ad Gal. Vvherfore sainct Hierome sayeth that The ghlospel is not in the vvorde but in the sence not in the barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the vvords but in the roote of the meaning Let not therfore out Reformers vaunte in their pulpits that they trye their doctrine by the touchstone of scripture nether let them insulte ouer Catholikes as though they relyed only on mens decrees and Popes Bulles for if they giue vs the letter of scripture vvith the true meaning vvhich is the formal cause and life of the vvord vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God and preferre it before all the decrees and vvritinges of Pope and Church but take the true sense from it and it is no more scripture then is a man vvithout a soule bicause as the same body may be the liuing body of a man and a dead carcas also so the same letter vvith the true meaning is the vvord of God vvith a false meaning it is the vvord of the deuil As for example those vvords of our Sauiour The father is greater then I Io. 1â— taken in the right sence that is according to Christes humain nature are the true vvord of God but taken in the meaning of the Arrians vvho imagined Christe a creature inferiour euen in person to his father they are noe vvord of God but of the deuil vnlesse you vvill graunte heresie to be the vvord of God The reason of this is bicause vvords are vvordes in that they are signes of the myndes meaning and do explicate her invvard conceipt and consequently that is Gods vvord vvhich explicateth his meaning and diuine conceipt but if it explicate the mynd of the deuil or of his ministers such as all heretikes are then is it not the vvord of God but rather of the deuil Vverfore vvhen the letter of the scripture is ioyned vvith the right meaning then do vve graunt though men vvrote it that is is the vvord of God bicause it explicateh his meaning vvho spake vnto the holy vvriters in that meaning and directed their hartes and handes in the vvriting of the same Isa 1. In so much that God sayeth to Isaie Heb. 1. Behold I haue put my vvords in thy mouthe And saint Paul saieth that God diuersly and by diuers meanes spake in tymes paste vnto our forfathers in the Prophets that is in the mouche of the prophets puttiÌ„g in their mouthes that vvhich they vvere to speake and directing their hands to vvrite it For as the vital spirit of man frameth his vvordes in his mouthe and giueth them their meaning so the vvords of the prophets and other holy vvriters vvere framed in their mouthes by the spirit of God Vvhich is the very cause vvhy diuines saye that God vvas the principal speaker and vvriter of scripture and that the Prophet Apostle or Euangeliste vvas his instrument and as it vvere the pen mouthe and tongue of God Psal 44. Praefat. in Mat. 1. Li. 7. conf â— vlt l â—â— Ciuit. c. 38. Hom 10. in â—exam in that he vvas guided directed by him and his holy spirit Vvherfore Dauid vvho vvas one of these vvriters sayeth that his tongue is the penne or quill of him that vvriteth svviftly and saint Gregorie and saint Austine affirme scripture to bee the venerable stile of the holy ghost and saint Basil sayeth that not only the sense of scripture but also every vvord and tittle is inspired by the holy ghost Vvherin a difference is put betvvixte scripture and definitions of the Church Pope or Councels Bicause these are assisted by the holy ghost only that they may define the truth and so the sense of a Councells definition confirmed by the Pope is of the holy ghost but it is not necessarie that euery vvord or reason in a Councell proceed from the holy spirit of God and therfore diuines say that in a Councell that thing only is necessarilie to be beleeued vvhich the Councell of set purpose intended to define But as for other thinges vvhich are spoken incidently and as for reasons vvhich the Councel alleageth they are not of that credit although vvithout cuident cause they are not to be reiected And this is the cause vvhy the ancient fathers do vvay and ponder euery vvorde and tittle vvhich interpretours of the Councels canons or definitions do not Vverâ—ore as I sayed let them not charge vs vvith contempt of scripture for our opinion and estimation of scripture is most venerable if it be in deed scripture yea vve auouch that in it selfe it is of farre greater authoritie then is the Church or her definitions bicause though God assiste both yet after a more noble manner he assisteth holy vvriters in vvriting of scripture bicause he assisteth them infaillibly not only for the sense and veritie but also for euery vvord vvhich they vvrite and euery reason and vvhatsoeuer is in scripture vvheras he assisteth the Pope and Councell infallibly only for the sence and veritie of that vvhich they inteÌ„de to define but nether for euery vvord nor for euery reason nor for euerie thing vvhich is incidently spoken as is already declared And yet vvee say also that although scripture of it self be greater then the Church and indepeÌ„dent of her bicause not from her but from God it hathe authoritie and veritie yet the Church is better knovvn to vs then scripture and therfore though she make not scripture yet of her vve are to learne vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is noe more disgrace to scripture then that faint Ihon and the Apostles should giue testimonie of Christe bicause they vvere better knovvn then he though his authoritie in it selfe vvas greater theÌ„ theirs not depeÌ„ding of them yea the reformers euery one in particuler be he a Cobler is according to their doctrine to iudge by his priuate spirit vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the
of sinne and the bondage of the deuill Ser. 197. Domin l. post Trinitatem For as saint Austine sayeth Christ novv hath tyed the deuill in a chaine so that he can no farther tempte vs then vve can resist barke he may tempte he may sollicite vs he may but byte he can none but those vvhich vvill vvillfully cast them selues vvith in his reach Vvho novv is so vngratefull as not to acknovvledge this benefit Vvho vvill arrogate vnto him selfe the name of a Christian vvho vvill not also acknovvledge Christ for his redeemer Dare novve the reformers deny Christe the title of a redeemer they dare not Yet by their doctrine they make him a most absurd redeemer and so more dishonoure him then if they had denyed him this title alltogether For they saye that there is noe iustice but Christes iustice noe good vvorkes but his vvorkes noe merit but his merit noe satisfaction but his consequently that Christes passion vvas our iustice our merite our satisfaction Out of vv ch doctrine they inferre first that nether there is any inhereÌ„t iustice or sanctitie in maÌ„ nether is there any necessarie bicause Christes iustice is ours by imputation l. 〈◊〉 Inst c. 11. §. 2. Luth. in 2. Gal fol. 29â— and that is sufficient So sayeth Caluin and to him subscribeth Luther as shall appeare by their vvordes vvhich shal be related and refuted in this selfe same booke as also in diuers chapters of the seuenth booke Secondly they gather out of the same doctrine that good vvorkes are not necessary bicause Christes vvorkes are ours and they are sufficient vvhich doctrine I shall laye open in the same booke and first chapter Thirdly hence they inferre also that noe lavves ether humaine or diuine can bynd vs in conscience bicause Christes passion vvas the ransome vvhich freed vs from all lavves Fourthly that vvee are bound to noe satisfaction bicause Christes satisfaction vvas sufficient Fiftly that noe sinnes nor euill vvorkes can hurte vs bicause Christes iustice being ours noe sinne can make vs sinners vvhich doctrine shal be set dovvne in the same booke Sixtly that noe hell nor iudgemeÌ„t remayneth for vs bicause Christes iustice being ours sinnes can nether bee imputed to vs in this life nor punished in the next And in these pointes they saye that Christian libertie consisteth So that Christe according to these doctours opinions hath redeemed vs from the slauery of sinne bicause his iustice being ours noe sinne can hurte vs hee hathe deliuered vs from the yoke of the lavve bicause noe lavve can bynd vs hee hathe deliuered vs from hell and the deuill bicause hovvsoeuer vve liue if vvee beleeue that Christes iustice is ours and our satisfaction and payment the deuil hathe noe povver to punish vs in his Hellish prison bicause Christe hathe suffred the payne devve to our sinnes before hand Vvherin the discreet reader may easily perceue vvhat an absurd Redeemer they make Christe to bee For if Christe hathe redeemed vs from the slauery of sinne bicause noe sinne can hurte vs then dothe hee open vs the gappe to all manner of sinnes and outrages For vvhoe vvill care for sinne that is persuaded that Christes passion is so imputed to him that noe sinne can hurte him If Christe hath redeemed vs from the yoke of the lavve bicause noe lavve novve can bynde vs in conscience then dothe he giue vs the occasion to transgresse freely and contemne bodely all maÌ„ner of lavves and ordinaÌ„cies If Christe hathe deliuered vs from hell bicause hee hathe payed the punishemeÌ„t deâ—e to sinne and requireth noe other satisfactioÌ„ at our handes then doth hee in a manner egge vs forvvard to all vice from vvhich noe man vvill absteyne if fear of hell do not bridle his vnruly appetites and keepe him in avve And so Christes passion vvhich vvas a sacrifice to abolishe sinne is a cause of all sinne and Christe vvhoe came to redeeme the vvorld from sinne filleth the vvorld vvith sinne and so is an absurd redeemer so to redeeme vs from sinne that hee inuiteth vs and eggeth vs forvvardes vnto sinne So they make Christ not vnlike to that father vvhoe seing the excessiue expences of his prodigall sonne dothe not commaunde him to vse more thriftines but payes before hand to all disers cookes Inkeepers and merchauntes all that possibly hee can loose at dise or lauish out in apparell or consume in banquetting vvherin hee doth nothing else but inuite his sonne to all vnthriftines vvhoe needes neuer to care hovve hee spendeth vvhen all his debtes are payed before hand For so the ghospellers saye that Christ perceiuing that vve could not keepe the lavve freed vs froÌ„ all lavves and seing that vve could not auoyd sinne imputed his ovvne iustice so vnto vs that noe sinne can hurte vs and knovving that vvee vvere not able to satisfie for sinne hee abode the pain him selfe and vvould haue none required at our hands And in so doing vvhat else hathe hee doone but opened the vvide gate to all licentious libertie vice iniquitie Hovve farre more reasonable is the opinion of the Catholike Churche vvhich affirmeth that Christes passion vvas not our formall iustification nor satisfaction but only the meritorious cause of our redemption and saluation vvhich deserued for vs at Gods handes grace by vv ch together vvith our cooperation vve may be saued and redeemed For as vve fell by our ovvne vvilles into captiuitie so Christ thought it good that by our ovvne vvilles together vvith his grace for vvithout grace vvee may fall but vve can not rise again vve should rise vp again and vvinde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and the tyranie of the deuill So that Christ hath redemed vs from the seruitude of the lavve not that the lavve by ndeth vs not but bicause Christ hathe taken avvay the heavinesse of the lavve and by his grace vvhich he giueth vs hathe giuen vs force easilie to fulfill it vvhich othervvise vvould haue tyraÌ„nised ouer vs in coÌ„maunding more theÌ„ vve should haue beene able to haue performed Christ also hathe redeemed vs from captiuitie bondage of sinne not bicause noe sinne can be imputed vnto vs but bicause his passion hathe deserued grace for vs by vvhich vvee maye dispose our selues to iustification vvhich is a resurrectioÌ„ from sinne to nevvnesse of life and by vvhich vvee may auoid sinne vvhensoeuer vve are moued there vnto Christ also hathe freed vs from the tyrannie of the deuill and captiuitie of Hell bicause he hathe procured vs grace by vvhich vvhen the deuill by him selfe or the vvorld or the fleshe prouoketh vs vve may resist maugre all the force of hell Christ also hathe satisfyed for our sinnes not bicause his passion vvithout any cooperation on our part doth suffice for so as is proued the gate vvere opened vnto all iniquitie but bicause his passion had obteyned grace for vs vvith out vvhich vve could not satisfie for the least veniall sinne and by vvhich if vve cooperate vvith it in