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
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
S. Luke confirmed by S. Paul And yet our Sacramentaries reiecting the agrement approbation of them al endeauour to interpret it by far more hard hidden passages Others do not only misconster but vtterly deny most apparent places vndeniable testimonyes For is there any thing more often inculcated or more largly amplifyed by the Prophets then the glory of the Messias and benefites we were to receaue by the comming of Christ Is there any thing more euidently expressed by the EuaÌ„gelists then his genealogy his natiuity his humane pedegree from the line of Dauid Yet Faustus the Manichee had his eyes darkned as S. Augustine testifyeth with presumptuous arrogancy that he sayd Searching the Scrippures Aug. lib. 16. con Paust cap. 2. 14. lib. 12. c. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. I find there no Prophesyes of Christ The Prophets fortel nothing of him the Ghospell mentioneth not his temporall birth or procreation from man Howbeit sayth S. Augustine he euery where auoucheth himselfe the sonne of man But as Faustus was thus blinded and would not see a mistery so cleare what if Protestants be blinded in an article of Faith no lesse cleare and perspicuous We found not in Scripture the predictions of Christ neither do they discerne the Aug. ep 165. ad Donat Church of Christ as plainely described as Christ himself For in the Scriptures sayth S. Augustine we learne Christ in the Scriptures we learne the Church And then How doe we belieue we haue receaued out of the diuin writings Christ manifest Aug. epist 48 ad vinâ—eÌ„t Rogat â— vnles we haae also receaued from thence the Church manifest Truly we haue receaued it so manifest as all Nations see it all nations flocke vnto it all reuerence and obey it by the direction of Scripture only they see it not who would be ignoraÌ„t of nothing by their search of Scripture They see not I say the Catholike vniuersall Church visibly dispersed thoughout all the world lineally descended from the Apostles infallibly assisted by the spirit of God c. often recommended in holy Write vnto vs. 16. Secondly I might alleadge the copiousnes of Gods sacred word how some one 〈…〉 is often tymes so fruitfully impregned that as it is deliuered by the diuine Math. 7. v. 18. Interpreters of many true litterall senses so it is brought forth by priuate expositors with the vntimely birth of sundry heresyes Let that sole text of S. Matthew serue for an example A good â—ee cannot yeild euill fruits c. For by this a Hier. l. 2. aduers Iouin Iouinian vnderpropped his fornamed fancy That a good and iust man could not produce the fruits of sinne The Pelagians b Aug. l. 2. de nup. concup cap. 26. from thence concluded That the good sacred tree of Marriage that the pure and faithfull married couple cannot â—ngender euill Children infected with the contagiou of originall sin Others c Aug. l. 1. de grat Christ c. 18 of that crew by the force of the same wordes and those that follow Nor an euill tree yeild good fruits peruersly inferred That the good tree of Free-will might of it selfe without Gods grace procreate the fruits of goods works as the euill tree blossometh the fruits of euill Others d Aug. l. 3. cont lit Petil. capâ—â— 44. either Pelagians or Donatists picked from thence That a good Priest could not minister wrongfully the Sacrament of Baptisme nor an euill Priest rightly Out of the same clause e Hier. â—â— coÌ„ment ad hunc loc Aug. in disp 2. cont Fortunat the Manichees strained their impious dotage That some men were good by nature could not be euill some euill by nature and could not be good From whence also the Caluinists gathered two pernicious heresyes The * See both these obiections proposed answered in the 21. 27. Controuersy one That man being an euill tree hath no freewill to be conuerted to God ayded by his grace nor to cooperate thereunto before he be iustifyed The other That as the fruits do only declare the goodnes of the tree and do not make it good or bad so the vertuous and pious workes of the iust are meere signes and remonstrances but no true causes of their inherent iustice If this short heauenly saying through the rashnes of willfulmen hath bred so many false constructiours alâ— which notwithstanding were bolstened with other the like misapplyed passages how can Protestants presume to ayme aright at the marke of Truth in all questions controuerâ—ed by this vncertaine rule of expounding Scripture by Scripture alone 17. Thirdly I might produce the diuersity not only of the literall but of the literall and figuratiue speaches and demand of our Aduersaryes how the Collatours should discerne the one from the other when the words should be literally when figuratiuely vnderstood Origen was more skillfull in tongues more diligent in reading more wise in obseruing the course and connexion Basil hom 3. in Hex stâ—â— in Gonesim of Scripture then euer any Protestantâ— and yet S. Basil noteth him of grosse ouersight in imagining figures and Allegoryes in the first of Genesis in lieu of the letter â—estorius on the contrary side was dazelled with the letter instead of the figure in that speach of S. Iohn Dissolue Ioan. 2. v. 19. yee this Temple and after three dayes I will rayse it againe Whereby he contended that the Sonne of God only dwelled in Christ as in his Temple Marcions stroue for Rom. 5. v. 20. Ioan. 1. v. 14. Philip. 2. v. 7. Haeb. 4. v. 15. Rom. 8. v. 3. Matth. 3. v. â—â— the pure letter where S. Paul writeth The law hath entred that sinne may abound Munichaeus dreamed of a figure where S. Iohn sayd The word is made flesh that is as he proued by conference of sundry places in the habit likenes and similitude of flesh The Iacobits were illuded with the grossnes of the letter when they baptized or rather seared with burning yrons their sect-mates in their foreheads because it is written in the 3. of S. Matthew He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire Eutychius the Patriarcke of Constantinople was beguiled with the inanity of a figure when impugning the corporall resurrection of our flesh he expounded of a subtile spirituall and ethereall body that which S. Paul spake of a true naturall 18. And the matter is the harder not to be mistaken heerein because some tyme in the selfe same sentence one and the selfe same word ought here properly there metaphorically be expounded as learned Maldonate wisely obserueth Mald. in eum loc Matth. 8. v. 22. Ioan. 3. v. 13. in that saying of Christ Let the dead bury their dead or not to depart from the chiefest articles of fayth of which I haue hitherto spokeÌ„ The like is shewed in S. Iohn No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended from heauen the Sonne of man who is
touching Christ so high so inexplicable so farre aboue the reach of the Iews were not necessary if not for euery particuler member yet for the saluation of the body of the Church 8. Moreouer to draw to some particuler issue First to belieue the Scriptures themselues the Ghospell of S. Iohn the Epstls of S. Paul al the books of holy Writ is necessary to saluation which notwithstanding we only know as S. Augustine teacheth by the Tradition of the Church Secondly to belieue imbrace the true sense of Scripture is necessarie to saluation which as S. Ambrose S. Ambser 25. 34. Iero Epist ad Mar. Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 12. Ierome S. Cyprian accord we are vndoubtedly taught by the Traditions of the Church Thirdly to beleeue the baptisme of Infants Fourthly the pepetuall virginity of our Blessed Lady Fistly the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son Sixtly The celebration of the Feast of Easter vpon a Sunday Seauenthly the Father to be vnbegotten Eightly the Sonne to be consubstantiall is necessary to saluation and yet where do we learne them but from the Traditions of the Church For although the substance of some of these points be Rein. c. 2. diuis 2. p. 51. 52. darkly insinuated in Holy Writ as M. Reynolds answereth to the latter instances and others reply to the former yet the precise termes and cleare explication the Aug. Ep. 174 â—â—n Max. Ari subuersion of errour and light of our profession we read not expressed as S. Augustine argueth in the diuine Scriptures 9. Lastly to be able to conuince heretikes is necessary to the saluation of the Church yet Tertullian and Vincentius Field l. citato Euseb l. 5. histor Lirinensis with whom D. Field also closeth herein shew that they cannot be refuted but by Tradition By which the same Tertullian repressed the Marcionists Irenaeus the Valentinians S. Cyprian the Nouatians Epiphanius the Apostolikes S. Hierome the Heluidians S. Augustine the Donatists and S. Athanasius which other Doctours of his Epiphani haer â—1 Beza con Trinitar Vvhitgift cont Cart. Barlow in the conference p. 10 13. p. 68. Beza epist Theol 8â— p. 334. 335. tyme the Arians Yea the Sectaries themselues at this day to refell their Aduersaries runne to the supply of vnwritten Traditions Beza against the Trinitaries Whitgift against Cartwight our Protestant ministers in the conference before the Kings Maiesty against the Puritans where by Tradition they proue Confirmation Absolution the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme and the like Beza addeth that without the tearmes of Essence Person Nature Property c. borrowed from men the blasphemous Arian Nestorian and Eutichian heresies cannot sufficiently be reproued In fine all you who professe the exact following of the written word against the same written word imbrace the Tradition and practise of the Church The word of God commaundeth vs to abstaine from bloud and strangled meates which all Christians obserued fot some hundred yeares togeather you contrary to the word of God contrary to the primitiue Church Act. 15. v. 20. Exod. 31. v. 17. Iere. 17. v. 24. Field l. 4. cap. 20. presume to feed on these forbidden meates only warranted by our Tradition The word of God commaundeth Saturday to be the Saboath-day of our Lord and to be kept holy as an euerlasting couenant you without any precept of Scripture to vse D. Fields owne words chaunge it into Sunday only authorized by our Tradition 10. Diuers English Puritans oppose against this point that the obseruation of Sunday is proued out of Scripture Act. â—0 vers 7. Out of the acts of the Apostles where it is said In the first of the Saboath when we were assembled to breake bread out of the first to the Corinthians In the Saboath let euery one of you put apart with himselfe out the Apocalips I was in spirit â— Cor. 16. v. 2. in the Dominicall day Haue they not spon a faire thrid in quoting these places If we should produce no better for Purgatory prayer for the dead inuocation of Saints the like they might haue good cause indeed to laugh Apoc. cap. â— v. 10. vs to scorne for where is it written that these were festiuall dayes in which those meetings were kept Or where is it ordayned they should be alwayes hereafter obserued Or which is the summe of all where is it decreed that the obseruation of our Lords day or of the first of the Saboath should abrogate abolish the sanctifying of the Saboath which God coÌ„manded euerlastingly to be kept Not one of these is expressed in the written word Notwithstanding such stuffe as this others bring to proue the Baptisme of infants also out of Scripture to wit Circumcision was ministred to infants but Baptisme succedeth in the place of Circumcision therefore Baptisme ought to be ministred vnto them Sure a subtile kind of reasoning Calu. l. 4. instis c. 16. §. 16. §. 6. 7. by which it followeth that women ought not to be baptized nor children neyther before nor after the eight day But women sayth Caluin are of the sanctified seed of Israel they are comprehended in the couenant made to Abraham They are so And are now in the new law conteyned therein as much as they were in the old How chaunceth it then they may not in these dayes be made heires of Gods promise without the Sacrament of Baptisme as well as in those without the seale of Circumcision if you haue no better auctority for baptizing female infants then the abrogated precept of Circumcision which neuer could oblige their sexe at all 11. M. Field wisely coÌ„sidering the force of these replyes Field l. 4. cap. 20. weake oppositions of his fellow-Ghospellers leauing them coÌ„plyeth with vs so far in this point as if the dregs of their foule ingredients had not filled his Pen he might haue beene graced with the name of a Catholike writer We admit sayth he first the bookes of Scripture Canonicall as deliuered by Tradition secondly the chiefe heads of Christian doctrine contained in the Creed thirdly the forme of Christian dostrine and distinct explication of many thinges somewhat obscurely contained in Scripture c. fourthly the continued practise of such thinges as are not expressed in Scripture fifthly such obseruations as are not particulerly commanded in Scripture Among these and the former he reckoneth the fast of Lent the Baptisme of Infants and Obseruation of our Lords day he addeth also some few leaues after That many other thinges there are which the Apostles doubtles deliuered by Tradition Such is the force of truth as is often breaketh forth out of the mouths of her enemyes 12. Well then if the sense and explication of many obscure places of Scripture if these chiefe heads and articles of our beliefe if diuers practices obseruations and sundry other things not decreed in Scripture are to be learned by Tradition euen by the testimony of
10. c. 30. Euseb l. 7. hist cap. 14. Calu. lib. 1. Inst c. 11. the picture of the glorious Virgin Mary sent by Eudoxia from Hierusalem to Pulcheria the Empresse placed by her in the Temple she built at Constantinople Of thousands mentioned by Tertullian S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostome S. Augustin S. Basil Sozomenus Nicephorus Eusebius who for many profitable causes haue euer allowed the Images of Saints to be painted in Churches hanged on Altars carued in Chalices or embrodered in vestments to the open shame and rebuke of Caluin who resolutly writeth That in the first 500. yeares after Christ there were neuer any Images in Christian Churches 11. The first vtility and profit is an easy and compendious manner of instruction For that which is slowly Greg. l. 7. Ep. ep 9. l. 9. ep 9. Niss orat in Theod. instilled by other senses that which by many discourses is deliuered in wordes and with laborious study gathered out of books is all in an instant with curious delight presented to the eye by the message of the eye conueyed to the soule where through the quicknesse and viuacity Chrys orat quod vet non Test vnus fit mediator 7. Syn. act 2. 4. Greg. l. 7. Ep. 53. of that noble messenger whatsoeuer is brought the soule more liuely apprehendeth and more surely entrusteth to the store-house of the mind Which S. Gregory the great knew right well when he tearmed pictures The bookes of the vnlearned And S. Gregory Nissen when he sayd The silent picture speaketh in the wall and profiteth very muth 12. The second is to increase the loue of God and his Saints to enkindle in our harts the coales of deuotion which S. Chrysostome felt when thus he wrote I loued a picture of melted waxfull of piety S. Gregory Nissen felt the like who as it is rehearsed in the 7. Synod Was often wont to Basi orat in S. Barlaam Paulinus Ep. ad Seu. Salust orat quae incipit Falso quaeritur de natu lâ—utarch Arnol. Ferro in â—ita Caroli 8. weep looking on the Image of Abraham sacrificing his Sonne Isaac And S. Gregory our Apostle sought to stir vp the same in Secundine the Abbot to whome he sent the picture of Christ and sayd I know thou longest for our Sauiours Image that gazing on it thou mayest burne the more with the loue of thy Lord God 13. Thirdly they execute moue and with secret eloquence vehemently perswade to the imitation of their vertues whose noble acts we see depainted Which commodity not only S. Basil S. Paulinus c. but Plutarch Salust and other Heathens obserued Admirable is the history of Charles the eight King of France who ouercomming a towne in Italy was ouercome himselfe with the beauty of a yong betrothed bride And vvhen he determined to let goe the reynes to the slauish appetite of his vntamed lust in a chamber vvhere the Image of the Blessed and euer-vnspoted Virgin hanged the modest Damsell earnestly entreated him for the chastity of that pure and immaculate Mother of God which the Table represented she might reserue to her spouse her honour vnstained and bed vndefiled the King casting his eyes in an happy houre vpon that chast picture and vpon this humble suppliant was presently inspired with the heauenly guift of such vnexpected continency as leauing her vntouched yet enriched with a Princely dowry restored her her husband her parents and allies to their former liberty 14. Great was the force of this sacred Image which so luckily enfranchised so many captiues in such diuers manner captiued one in the thraldome of his owne vnbridled passion others in the bondage of a warlike coÌ„querour For a conquerour indeed he was rather then a captiue farre more renowned for the victory ouer himselfe then for the conquest of others But as chast picturs Teren. in Eunucho breed chast desires so immodest vnciuill monuments cause many vnchast and wanton motions Contrary aspects haue contrary influences which moued Aristotle Arist l. 7. Pol. 17. Xenop in Cyrâ— Damas l. 4. Orth. fi c. 17. Zenophon two memorable Philosophers to prohibite vnto children al obscene tables naked Images of their Gods 15. Fourthly they renew the daily memory of Christ and his Saints It often chanceth sayth S. Iohn Damascen when we thinke not at all of our Sauiours death by the sight of his crucifyed Image the memory of his holsome Passion is reuiued in vs. Whereof we haue a very profitable example fresh in memory In the booke written of her life c. 9. p. 57. and fit for my purpose in the life of the vertuous and holy Woman Saint Teresa of Iesus which she relateth in this manner One day going to my Oratory I saw a picture which was brought thither to be kept hauing beene borrowed against the solemnizing of a certaine feast it was of our Sauiour full of wounds and so deuout that so soone as I looked vpon it I Marke what modâ—ns the â—ight of a Picture stirred vp was exceedingly troubled to see him in that case for it represented very well what he suffered for vs I was so much grieued to thinke how vnthankefull I had beene for those woundes that me thought my hart was pierced through and I cast my selfe downe by it with great aboundance of teares beseeching him that he would once giue me strength neuer to offend him any more Thus she prayed recommended her selfe eftsoones with great deuotion to S. Mary Magdalen one while intreating her to obtaine pardon for her otherwhile crying out to Christ saying in her hart That she would neuer rise from thence vntill he graunted her request O what effects did this prayer work What darknesse did it expell What light did it infuse How cleane did it wash and purify her soule and all by the outward meanes and help of a picture Whereupon she testifyeth I verily belieue it did me good for I profited much Pag. 57. Pag. 59. Cyr. Alex l. 6. con Iulianum Salutare lignuÌ„ c. ad recordationem omnis virtutis inducis from that day forward c. and for this cause was I such a friend of pictures Miserable are they who through their owne faul depriue themselues of this benefit it appeareth very well that they loue not our Lord for if they did loue him they would be glad to behold his Image Glad to behold the holesome wood which as S. Cyrill of Alexandria sayth putteth vs in mind of all vertue 16. The fifth and last profit I will now recite is to honour them whose Images we keep For the reuerence giuen to Pictures redounds to the Originall as S. Basil affirmeth and the deuotion of our vertuous and religious King â—anatus confirmeth who tooke the Diademe he vsed to were on his head and crowned therewith an Image of Christ crucifyed which in his dayes was deuoutly reserued Henry Hun. hist Angl. l. 6. in the Church of
oblations for the dead to relieue soules temporally afflicted in penall estate And this is it which I haue established by the former places of Scripture now I fortify by the testimonyes of many renowned witnesses both of the Greeke and Latin Church 10. S. Chrysostome writeth It was not without good cause enacted by the Apostls that in the Celebration of the reuerent Mysteries a Commemoration of the dead be made for they knew that great profit and much commodity redounded therby vnto them M. Fulke confesseth these wordes of S. Chrysostome in two distinct places and malepartly replyeth in both first he sayth Chrysostome must pardon vs for crediting him Secondly he answereth Without any good ground he affirmeth this memory Tertul. l. de coron miâ—it Cyp. lib. ep 9. Ioan Dam. orat de defunct Athattas Nys a. pud eundeÌ„ Aug. de verb. Apost ser 32. Idem in Enchiridio câ— 109. to be of the Apostles decree Without ground then Terullian S. Cyprian S. Iohn Damascen S. Athanasius and S. Gregory Nissen testifyed the same Without ground S. Augustine sayd It is not to be doubted but the dead are holpen by the Prayers of the holy Church and by the holesome sacrifice Againe without ground he wrote Neither is it to be denyed but that the soules departed are relieued by the piety of their friendes when for them the Sacrifice of our mediatour is offered or almes is giuen Without ground did a Euseb in vita Constant. Constantine the Great Desire to be buryed in a famous Church that he might partake the benefit of many deuout prayers after his decease Without ground b Theod. hist Eccles l. 5. cap. 25. Hier. epist ad obitu vxoris Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei c. 23. de cura pro mort c. 1. 50. ho. hom 16. Dionys Ec. Hier. c. 7. Tertul. de monoga Chrys ho. 32. in Mat. ho. 41. in cap. 15. 1. ad Cor. Paulinus ep ad Delph Epis Aug. de verb. Apost serm 32. in Ench. c. 110. Idem lib. 50. hom hom 16. Theodosius the younger Prostrated himselfe at the Reliques of S. Chrysostome and made supplication for the soules of his Parents Arcadius and Eudoxia Without ground S. Hierom Commended the piety of Pammachius who not with lillies or purple roses but with the odours oyntments and balme of Almesdeeds refreshed the venerable bones and ashes of his deceased wise knowing that it is written As water quencheth sire so almesdeedes extinguisheth sinne But if the soules departed be thus ayded and comforted by our workes of charity they are in some state of need to vse S. Augustines wordes in someplace of distresse or penall affliction for their former defaults 11. Therfore S. Dionyse teacheth our prayers auaile them to this end That God may remit the sinnes which heereby frailty they committed That the dead may obtaine some ease or refreshment sayth Tertullian That they may purchase some rest or repose sayth S. Chrysostome That their soules may be sprinkled with some droppe of refreshment sayth Paulinus That our Lord may deale more mercifully with them That they may haue sayth S. Augustine more full remission or more tollerable damnation to wit more tolerable punishment in the place of affliction in which they are banished for a while the sight of God vntil as the same Doctour discourseth The due correction of fire hath burned out what the guiltynes of the fault deserued 12. Moreouer the foure sorts of commem orating the Dead which M. Field specifyeth the Church equally made for all who reposed in our Lord for Patriarches Prophets and Martyrs She assisted them in their passage prayed for their consumation gaue thankes for their victoryes and for imitation recounted their names and tryumphes But besides these S. Augustine mentioÌ„eth another Aug. tract 84. in lo. kind of Commemoration behoofull for them for whom it was offered saying Therefore at the table we do not so remeÌ„ber Martyrs as others departed who rest in peace that we may also pray for them but that they may pray for vs. 13. S. Cyril Archbishop of Hierusalem recordeth it Cyr. Ieros in Catech. Mislag 5. his words in Latin are these Maximum â—redentes esse animaruâ— iuuamen pro quibus offâ—rtur obsecratio sancti illius tremâ—ndi quod in altari posituÌ„ est Sacrificij Epiphan bar 75. Extat in 5 â—â—m Chrys Aug. in â—nchyr c. â—â—0 more plainely saying Ouer the Host it selfe of propitiation we inuocate God for the common peace of the Churches c. for Kings for souldiers c. for the sicke and for the afflicted and in summe for all that need help c. After we make mention of them that are departed first of Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs that God by their prayers and intercessions would vouchsafe to accept of ours Then for the deceased Fathers and Bishops In fine we pray for all who haue departed this life amongst vs thinking it a most great help or ease of their soules for whome the obsecration is offered of that holy and dreadfull sacrifice which is placed on the Altar The same appeareth out of Epiphanius and out of the Greeke Liturgy extant amongst the workes of S. Iohn Chrysostom where there is an expresse distinction made betwixt the Sacrifice of praise offered for the Patriarches Apostles Prophets Martyrs and the supplications made for others which S. Augustine also excellently describeth When the Sacrifices sayth he of the Altar or whatsoeuer other almesdeeds are offered for all the baptized departed for those that be perfectly good they be thanksgiuings for such as be not very euill they be propitiations for them that be passing naught although they be not any helpes or refreshments of the dead they be some comforts and consolations of the liuing 14. Behould M. Field the Sacrifices and Prayers of the Church are not only thanksgiuings and grateful remembrances but Propitiations also for dead for them that are not of the worser sort Which you could not find in your hart to gainesay in your answere to M. Higgons who espying a triple difference betweene the Comendation of the dead vsed by the Protestants from that which was practised by the ancient Fathers As 1. Higgons booke 1. part 1. c. 2. §. 6. p. 38. That theirs was at the Altar which ProtestaÌ„ts haue not 2. Theirs in the holy Sacrifice which Protestants admit not 3. Theirs with intention to relieue the dead wheras ProtestaÌ„ts haue no such intention You M. Field to this latter difference deceitfully reply The Fathers did not intend to releeue all them they remembred at the Altar no more do we And who auerreth that they did Field in ap pen. x. part fol. 20. Aug. l. 21. de Ciuit. Dei c. 24. 27 item l. de cura pro mort cap. 1. de verb. Apo. serm 32. Field loe citato fol. 20. 21. Nyss in orat de Baptismo Aug l. 22. de ciu Dei c. 10. Dionys Areopa de Eccles
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
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
man iustifyed by Fayth The second act of comfortable assurance doth not as he sayth actiuely iustify but finding the thing done certifyeth and assureth vs of it the first doth but impetrate obtaine and procure it by way of request no act can he assigne betweene the first and the second therefore no act of fayth can he assigne whereby he may be formally iustifyed On the other fide I thinke the Protestants petition which humbly intreateth for acception and fauour must needes proceed from fayth For how shall they humbly ad Rom. â—â— v. 14. intreate How shall they inâ—ocate in whome they haue not beleeued Beleeue then they do before they intreate and yet they are not iust therefore Fayth alone doth not iustify but only by way of impetration by stirring vp our affections and exciting our will to craue and desire it which with S. Augustine and the whole schoole of Catholike August ep 105. de praedest Sanctor c. 7. Deuines we willingly imbrace And to which M. Feild must at length retire for rest and safeguard or els well canuased he is driuen to the wall which way soeuer he turneth 10. The fifth argument which I meane to prosecute is of the regeneration of young baptized Infants who Feild in his 3. booke â— 44. fol. 179. cannot be iustifyed by an act of special fayth because they can haue none as M. Field accordeth with vs but by the habituall qualityes or inherent habits of Fayth Hope and Charity therefore all others are iustifyed by the like because the same spirit of adoption the same title of diuin Augu. l. 1. cont 2. ep Pelag. â— 7. c 21. l. 1. deÌ„ pecc meri c. â—â— ep 157. Marc vlt. v. 16. Act. Apost c. 8. v. 37. filiation the same new birth and regeneration in Christ the same seed of life the same formall cause of iustification is in euery one of these faythful in euery child of God in euery state whatsoeuer as S. Augustine teacheth 11. Likewise when the Adulâ—i or such as arriue to the vse of reason are baptized fayth is required as a necessary disposition for them worthily to receaue the grace of Baptisme therefore our Sauiour sayd He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued And S. Philip to the Eunuch desirous to be christned answered If thou beleeue withall thy hart thou mayst But the Fayth which Christ the fayth which Philip exacted before Baptisme was no doubt true perfect fayth that fayth which togeather with the SacrameÌ„t was sufficient to saluation and yet that fayth alone did not iustify or if it did it remitted them their sinnes it regenerated and implanted them in Christ acheiued before all those heanenly effects for which that holy Sacrament was ordayned in vaine then was it instituted in vaine was it after applyed No say you it is after applyed as a signe or seale of regeneration as the outward pledge of adoption Rogers art 27. VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum fol. 675. Calu. l. 4. instit c. 24. §. 3. Calu. ibid. as an addition to confirme and ratify the promise of God to establish vs in the fayth thereof But this pledge seale and addition is not requisite in the behalfe of God for his truth sayth Caluin is by it selfe sound and certaine though and cannot from any other where receaue better confirmation them from it selfe Neither is it needfull for the ignorance as he fancieth and dulnesse of Protestants for their speciall affiance being as they bragge certaine knowne and infallible iustifying fayth giueth them more assurance of the remission of their sinnes and promises of God applyed vnto them then any outward signes or additions whatsoeuer Againe the performance 2. Pet. 1. v. 10. of good workes to which S. Peter exhorteth the word of God heard or read is more apt and efficacious to excite and stir vp our Fayth to confirme vs therin then the dumbe elements of water bread and wine which you only vse Besides the Scriptures and Fathers attribute vnto Baptisme not only the force of a signe or seale to Tit. 3. v. 5. Ioan. 3. Ephes 5. 1. Cor. 6. Ambr. l. â— de Sacraâ— c. 4. Leo. serm â— de natiuiitat Clement Alex. l. 1. paeda c. 6. Basil l. c. de spirit sant cap. 15. Hier. l. 3. cont Pelag Hilar. in psal 65. Tertul. l. de Bapt. c. 1. Dion c. 3. Eccles Hiera p. 1. Nazian in sanctum lauacrum Aug. in psal 73. l. 19. in Faust c. 13. Iren. l. 4. cont baer c. â—0 Chrys bo 17. in Gen. Orig. bom 3. in Gen. Epiphan baer 30. Basil l. de spir sanct c. 14. Euseb Caesar l. 1 demon Euan. c. 10 â— bistor c. 1. Emisbom in Sabb. post 1. Domin Quadr. Ambr. â—p 72. ad Iren. in cap. 4. ad Rom. August ep 19. ad Hier. tract 41. in Ioan. q. 25. in â— Numer ratify grace but the true efficacy of an instrumentall cause to iustify and cleanse our soules from the filth of sinne therefore sound and entiere fayth which goeth before as a preparation necessary doth not worke the effect but the Sacrament which is after ministred Whereupon it is tearmed not the pledge or token but the lauer of regeneration by which we are borne a new are cleansed are washed from sinne So S. Ambrose also sayth of the baptized By this fountaine he hath passed from thinges earthly to heauenly from sinne to life from fault to grace from defilement to sanctification S. Leo The power of the most high which made that Mary brought forth a Sauiour doth make that the water regenerateth the beleeuer S. Clemens Alexandrinus tearmeth Baptisme the grace perfection illumination and lauer by which we are washed and wipe away sinnes S. Basil S. Hierom S. Hilary and Tertullian haue the like 12. S. Denis S. Gregory Nazianzen and other also of the Greeke Fathers call Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminationem illumination because in Baptisme man is illuminated and enlightned with the fayth of Christ he receaueth the fellowship or society of the first and increated light and the beginning or head spring of all diuine and celestiall illustrations as the same S. Denis affirmeth S. Augustine assigneth this difference betweene the Sacraments of the old and the new Law that they promised a Sauiour these affoard saluation that these are greater in vertue for profit and vtility better They according to S. Irenâ—us S. Chrysostome Origen Epiphanius Eusebius Caesariensis and Emissenus S. Ambrose and S. Augustine were signes and shaddowes only euen Circumcision in the opinion of some their chiefest ceremony which betokned the verity of our Sacraments yielding and exhibiting Grace And S. Basil sayth that the Baptisme of Basil hom 1. de Bapt. Christ giueth the Holy Ghost which the Baptisme of Iohn did not giue 13. Which it hath pleased also our mighty Soueraigne K. Iames in his answere to Card. Peron fol. 32. in Latin fol. 20. in
be that can neuer according to you worke your iustification and yet they all speake of a fayth which by Charity profiteth by Charity iustifyeth 2. And if S. Augustine may construe his owne meaning he expoundeth himselfe to meane of the same fayth not to profit without Charity which hauing Charity Augu. l. 15. de Trin. c. 18. worketh by loue so discerning it from that fayth with which the Diuells beleeue tremble But that fayth which worketh by loue that which is so distinguished from the fayth of Diuels is euen in our Protestants opinion true Fayth True fayth then may be but profiteth not without loue of which loue S. Augustine writeth thus in the beginning Aug. ibid. Nuâ—â—um est isto dono excellentius solum est quod diuidit inter filios regni aeterni filios perditionis aeternae VVhitak l. 1. aduers Duraeum Abbotc 4. August ibidem Dilectio igitur quae ex Deo est diffunditur in cordi bus nostris Dei charitas per quam nos tota inhabitat Trinitas VVhitak l 8. aduers Duraeum August l. de nat grat c. 42. Ibid. c. 70. August tract 5. in epist Ioan. of that Chapter No gift is more excellent then this it is the only thing which maketh a difference between the sonns of the euerlasting kingdome and sonnes of eternall damnation And he affirmeth not that of any outward difference or externall diuision of iustification in the sight of men which is another subtile deuise of the Aduersary but of the internall before the face of the highest for he there concludeth of the same gift of Charity The loue therfore which is of God and is God is properly the holy Ghost by whome the Charity of God is diffused into our harts by which the whole Trinity inhabiteth in vs. But the inhabiting of the Blessed Trinity the infusion or dwelling of the Holy Ghost in our soules is not any outward signe distinguishing vs in the eyes of men but an inward seale or hidden stampe of our harts truly iustifying in the sight of God not imperfectly nor defectiuely only as Whitaker Snake-like finds another hole to creep away stopped vp in my former Treatise of Iustification but intierely perfectly Therfore S. Augustine auoucheth of Charity in another place Ipsa Charitas est verissima plenissima perfectissimaque iustitia Charity it selfe is most true most full most perfect iustice And Great Charity is great iustice perfect Charity is perfect iustice Likewise Only Loue discerneth betweene the sonnes of God and sonnes of the Diuell And a little after They that haue Charity are borne of God they that haue not are not borne of God Enioy whatsoeuer thou wilt and only want this it profiteth nothing other things if thou wantest haue this and thou hast fullfilled the Law 3 S. Paul sayth In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auayleth ought nor prepuce but Fayth that worketh by Charity Gal. 5. v 6. If Protestants would stand to the determination of the Apostle this exposition of his were inough to instruct them that the Fayth which he so often commended before the fayth to which he attributed our iustification is not as they imagine sole fayth but fayth formed with Charity and that Charity is the vertue which giueth fayth it selfe motion and actiuity towards iustice and saluation But M. Abbot and his Complices interpreting Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 22. Perkins in his reform Cath. c. 4. 1. Tim. 1. v. 5. ad Col. 3. v. â—4 Rom. 13. v. 10. 1. Cor. 13. Abbot c. 4. f. 475. 476. Scripture according to their owne fancy will haue the Apostle to teach that Charity is the instrument of Fayth for mouing stirring abroad yet that fayth by it selfe doth wholy iustify which is notwithstanding refuted by the Apostles plaine discourse prouing Charity to be the end perfection and accomplishment of the Law Therefore not the instrument of fayth or inferiour to it but the chiefe and most excellent of all other vertues without which fayth it selfe profiteth nothing comparing it there with Fayth and Hope he affirmeth maior autem horum est Charitas the greater of these is Charity Wherfore to retort the argument in behalfe of Charity which M. Abbot vseth for the patronage of Fayth Seeing with God we cannot thinke that the greater is accepted for the lesse but rather the lesse for the greater not the Mistresse so to speake for the hand maydes sake but rather Abbot c. 4. sect 22. â— 474. 475. protesteth that neuer any translatour could light vpon this the band-maid for the Mistresse sake we must needs make fayth sayth he cleane opposite to the Apostle Charity say I conformable to the Apostle not the hand-mayd not the instrument but the Mistresse the chiefe and principall cause for which fayth is acceptable to God in the way of iustice as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import which signifyeth a hidden energy and inward efficacy force operation which Charity ministreth vnto fayth for the performing of vertuous deeds And the Syriacke Interpreter putteth it out of all doubt who maugre M. Abbots protestation to the contrary readeth it heer passiuely haimonuto deme thgameno ve kuâ—â—o Fayth which is made perfect or consumate by Charity Thus Guido Fabricius passiuely also translateth it Fides quae perficitur fayth which is perfected by Charity Fabric in â—â—s booke dâ—dicated to Henry the third King of Franâ—e prinâ—ed Ann. 1 503. laâ— c 2. v. 26. S. Iames explicating what kind of perfection this is calleth it the perfection of life and resembleth sayth without workes that is without Charity the fountaine from whence good workes proceed to a dead corpes without life soule or vitall operation therefore as the soule is not the instrument of the body but the true forme and principall cause which giueth life and motion vnto it so doth Charity likewise vnto Fayth not that Charity is the essentiall forme of Fayth as it is a Theological habit for so it hath her proper forme distinct from Charity but that Charity first aduanceth it to the state of perfect vertue to the preheminence of iustice giuing it the true forme life of iustification to which fayth only disposeth and maketh way before Secondly it affoardeth it the dignity of true and proper merit by giuing vs the spirit of adoptioÌ„ whereby our workes are meritorious and gratefull in the sight of God Thirdly it directeth and leuelleth it to a supernaturall end ordayning all our actions to the honour of God This is the life actiuity and operation which Charity communicateth to fayth to all vertue Abbot c. 4. sect 23. fol. 494. also To auouch as M. Abbot doth that fayth any one of these three wayes is either the seat or fountaine of spiritual life the nest wherin we lay our workes that we may hatch them the mother which breedeth and begetteth them vnto God is Ibid. sect 26. f. 48â—
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
dead if Charity be wanting S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome Ambros ibidem Aug. l. 83. q q. 76. de fide oper c. 14. 15 praes in psal 3â— Chrys ho. 3. in c. 1. Gen. expound them of the works which flow from Charity and so they are true causes in way of merit of the second life which is the increase and consumation of iustice 6. To which purpose I remember an argument with which a Priest taken prisoner in Oxford once vrged D. Rauies then Deane of Christs Church after pretensed Bishop of London to proue that good workes taking them in the former two senses heer specifyed truly concurre to all kind of iustice His first Syllogisme was this Omnis iustificatio est ex fide viua Omnis fides viua ex bonis operibus Ergo omnis iustificatio est exbonis operibus In English thus Al iustificatioÌ„ proceeds from liuely Fayth All liuely fayth from good Workes Therfore all iustificatioÌ„ proceeds from good Workes Doctour Rauyes answered by distinguishing the Minor proposition thus Omnis fides viua est ex bonis operibus concomiâ—anter concedo cooperanter nego That is all liuely fayth proceeds from good workes concomitantly as a figne which accompanyeth it not cooperantly as the cause which worketh and effecteth the same Against which distinction the Priest replyed in this manner Vita non concomitatur sed cooperatur ad substantiam rei cuius est vita Sed bona opera sunt vita fidei viuae Ergo non concomitantur sed cooperantur ad substaÌ„tiam fidei viuâ— In English thus Life doth not accoÌ„pany or concomitate but worke or cooperate to the substance of the thing whose life it is But good workes are the life of liuely fayth Therefore they do not accompany or concomitate but worke or cooperate to the substance of liuely fayth M. Rauies not knowing against what proposition he shold contest yet ashamed either to yield or say nothing denyed flatly the argument with this exception habet enim quator terminos it hath foures termes And when the disputant replyed it had but three the Deane could not be drawne to assigne any fourth terme or discouer any fault in the Syllogisme but dismissed the Priest from his lodging brake off the disputation without any further satisfaction either to him or the auditory Which I leaue to the scanning of the iudicious Reader and will support the mayne Controuersy I haue in hand by some other suffrages of antiquity besides those I haue heere and there interlaced in explaning the Texts of Scripture 7. Origen As often as we sinne sayth he we are borne of Zabulon that is of the Diuell Vnhappy is he who is alwayes engendred of Zabulon and againe very happy who is alwayes borne of God for I will not say that this man is once borne of God but Orig. hom 9. in Isa by euery worke of vertue the iust man is euer borne of God And if you demand how He telleth you euen as heÌ„ that offendeth becommeth the slaue of Sathan more wicked and detestable before the face of God S. Augustine Hast thou money August serm 20. de verb. Dom. secund Matth. c. 3. Psal 1â—1 bestow it by bestowing money thou increasest iustice For he dispersed he distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice abydeth for euer Be hould what is diminished and what increased that is diminished which thou art to dismisse that is diminished which thou art to forsake that is increased which thou art to possesse for euer Could he write more pregnantly for vs But it is labour lost to cyte more authorityes The Centurists haue gathered innumerable to my hands whose wordes I will only repeate to checke our Protestants with a double argument at one instance with the testimony of the Father and acknowledgment of the aduerse part that he giueth in euidence vnanswerable on our side 8. In the first hundred yeares you haue heard what they write of S. Iames. In the second flourished as they Cent. â— c. 4. Colum. â—4 recount them Ignatius Theophilâ—s Antiochenus Serapion Papias c. Clemens Alexandrinus Quadratus Aristides Dionysius Corinthus Bacchylus Iustinus Irenaeus and the rest Of whome they auouch The article of iustification they haue not vnfolded clearely inough they haue ascribed more then they ought to the workes of the iustifyed which proceeded perchance from the errour of the false Apostles concerning the necessity of workes to Prefat in Centur. 2. dedicated to the most illustrious Princes Iohn Frederike the second Iohn Albertus c. and placed insome editions before the second bookâ— of the first Century Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 60. 61. Clem. in paren l. 6. strom Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 60. 61. Theophil l. 2. ad Autolic Niceph. l. 3. histor c. 15. Gent 2. c. 10. Colum. 169. 170. 171. Cent. 3. c. 4. Colum. 79. 80. 81. saluation The Martyrdome of Saints they extolled with such incredible prayses that some began to thinke them expiations or appeasements of sinnes Then they censure by name Clemens Alexandrinus for contradicting himselfe in writing thus Let it not repent you to haue laboured It is in your power if you will to buy most precious saluation with your proper treasure with Charity and Fayth of life which is truly a iust price which God doth willingly accept c. He placeth square and complete iustice in the perfection of vertue and to that he accommodateth the imputation of Abraham c. The like altogeather hath Theophilus Of set purpose he sayth that God created man free and of his owne arbitrement which yet might be excused if he added not these thinges which follow God hath communicated a Law and holy Precepts vnto vs which if a man obserue he may attaine saluation and rysing may purchase an incorruptible inheritance Besides He seemeth say they either to haue beene wholy ignorant or not to haue sufficiently explicated the word of the Ghospell for he doth plainely affirme that man by the obedience according to the Law may procure saluation and life euerlasting to himselfe And yet they obserue that Nicephorus accounteth this Theophilus the sixt Bishop of Antioch to whome S. Luke dedicated his Ghospel the Actes of the Apostles and themselues commend him for his learning zeale and constancy and report him to haue beene A writer of many excellent workes a propugnatour of the fayth and vanquisher of many heresyes the lesse are they to be credited when they after accuse him as wholy ignorant of the word of the Ghospell 9. In the third hundred years they reproach Origen the authour of the Homilies vpon the Canticles Methodius Tertullian and S. Cyprian for the like errour and first affirme of them in generall They attributed vnto workes iustice before God c. So Origen with full mouth declameth of the iustice of Iob. He only pronounceth him to be iustifyed for his vertues Orig. l. 1. in Iob. and legall workes
c. He also thinketh some whose fayth is enobled with no accesse of works may indeed be * To wit infants and such as by Baptism or contrition being iustifyed are preuented by death before they can accomplish any good workes Method serm de resurr Cuius fragmentum extat apud Epiphan l. 2. tom 1. Tertul. l. aduers Iudaeos Cent. 3. c. eo Colum. â—40 saued but attaine not to the height of the kingdome or liberty which say they what is it other then without works no man to be perfectly iustifyed And the Authour of the homilyeâ—in Cantica maketh a double iustice one of Fayth another of Workes and truly to ech of them â—e imputeth saluation c. Methodius seemeth to hold that we are iustifyed by the obseruation and fullfilling of the naturall law which is performed by the ayde and help of Christ Tertullian sayth The Saints were iust by the iustice * Done by grace and fayth in Christ Cent. 3. c. 4. Col. 80. 81. Cypr. l. 3. ep 25. Serm de eleemos Tob. 4. v. 11. Eccles 3. v 33. Ioan. 5. v. 14. Serm. de eleemos Cent. 4. c. 4. Colum. 292. 293. Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 292. 283. of the law of nature He attributeth to satisfaction remission of sinnes teaching nothing in the meane tyme perspicuously of the fayth in Christ or of free remission of sinnes as almost no where doth he either touch plainely inough or handleth very slenderly the article of the Ghospell and iustification With which errour Cyprian yieldeth to descipline or strict obseruation of good life That it is the guardian of hope the retentiue or stay it maketh vs alwayes remayne in Christ continually liue in God and to arriue to the heauenly and diuine promised rewards c. So he professedly teacheth sinnes committed after Baptisme by almes deeds and good workes to be abolished At once sayth he in Baptisme remission of sinnes is giuen dayly and continuall doing of good after the imitation of Baptisme imparteth the indulgence and mercy of God which he endeauoureth to proue by words of Scripture as by almesdeeds and fayth sinnes are purged As water extinguisheth fire so almesdeeds sinne also by the saying of Chryst Behould thou art whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing befall thee he reasoneth that by good workes saluation had is to be kept and lost to be recouered 10. In the fourth hundred yeare they reproue for the same cause Lactantius Nilus Chromatius Ephrem S. Hierome S. Gregory Nissen S. Hilary S. Ambrose and Theophilâ—â— Alexandrinâ—â— Some of their words I will set downe as they are recorded by the Centurists the rest I omit for breuityes sake Lactantius say they auerreth that God giueth eternall saluation for our vertues labours afflictions torments c. Lactant. l. 7. c. 27. l. 3. c. 9. Chrom in conc de beatid Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 301. Voluntariam paupertatem suo merito diuitias regni caelestis acquirere ait Eadem cent col 192. l. 8. comment in Isa EadeÌ„ cent Col. 293. Ambr. l. 10. ep ep 82. Qui sunt hi Preceptores noui qui merituÌ„ excludunt iâ—iunij EadeÌ„ cent col 293. Theoph. Alexand. l. 3. Pasch Cent. 5. c. 4. Colum. 504. 505. 506. 507. 508. 509. 510. c. 10. colum 1008. Chrys hom 6 in c. 1. Ioan. c. 4. col Cent. 5. c. 4 Colum. 504. Chrysost hom 20. in e. 2. Ioan. eadem cent 506. Cyril c. 18. in Ioan. Eadem cent c. 4. col 505. citant Aug. it a dicentem l. 2. de peccat merit c. 3. 4. c. haec de Aug. cent 5. c. 4. colum 507. 508. To serue God sayth he is nothing els then by good workes to maintaine and preserue iustice Chromatius attributeth so much to voluntary pouerty that he auerrâ—th the riches of the heauenly kingdome to be attayned by the merit thereof Hierome sayth It is not inough to haue the wall of fayth vnles fayth it selfe be strengthned with good workes S. Ambrose What saluation can we haue vnles by fasting we wash away our sinnes When as the Scripture fayth fasting and almesdeeds deliuereth from sinne Who are therefore these new Maisters who exclude or deny the merit of fasting Is not this the voice of the Gentils saying Let vs eate and drinke c. Theophilus Alexandrinus Such as fast that is imitate in earth Angelicall conuersation through the vertue of abstinence by a short and small labour gaine to themselues great and eternall rewards 11. In the fift age are traduced by them in like manner S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Leo S. Augustine Theodoret Sedulius Prosper Hesychius Primasius Theodulus Saluianus Maximus Salonius Thalasius Marcus Eremita Eucherius and Paulinus For in the beginning of that Paragraffe of Iustification thus they write Most of the Doctours of this age ascribe also too much to workes in iustification and acceptation of men before God c. Chrysostome speaketh of many wayes or kindes of iustification c. Chrysostome is an immoderate Encomiast or prayser of humane workes For this he sayth Let vs endeauour withall our forces to attaine saluation by our owne good workes c. Againe Is it inough to life euerlasting to belieue in the Sonne No truly c. Cyrill also contendeth that fayth alone sufficeth not to saluation but fayth and workes Augustin attributeth sometyme too much too workes c. He recyteth some testimonyes by which he proueth euill workes to condemne good workes to merit eternall life As out of the first to the Corinthians the sixt Chapter Out of the first to the Galathians out of the ninetenth and fiue and twentith of S. Matthew Theodoret contrary to himselfe affirmeth Theâ—d quest 63. in Exod. ita asserunt de Theod. cent 5. c. 10. col 1008. Prosp l. 1. de vit contemp c. 19. Cent. 5. Col. 505. that only fayth is not sufficient to saluation but it needeth workes Prosper sayth Neither workes without Fayth nor fayth alone without workes doth iustify Hitherto the Centurists 12. And yet they are not singular in condemning all these Doctours of the Church Pomeran once Superintendent of Wittemberge sayth In the books of the Ecclesiasticall Doctours seldome shall you find the article of Iustification purely expressed not certes in the bookes of Athanasius A little after Touching Iustification they write at a venter whatsoeuer coÌ„meth in their mind Then he concludeth You ought not to beleeue the Fathers because out of the same mouth they blow both heate and could Chytraeus another Protestant complaineth that not Chytr l. de stud theol only Basil and Hierome but most of the Fathers either very sleightly touch or darken and depraue with politicke opinions concerning the iustice of the law the speciall doctrine of the Ghospell touching the grace of God and Iustice of fayth which is the chiefe and proper patrimony of the Church Schnepsius one of the same fraternity sayth Augustine neuer vnderstood the true and settled Schâ—â—ps
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
4. Gen marked with g doe well shalt thou not receaue againe And if thou doest ill shall not thy sinne forthwith be present at the Dore But the lust or appetite thereof shall be vnder thee and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it 10. Heer M. Whitaker heere M. Fulke heere you see that neither man since his fall nor Cain fretting with malice is enchained in the fetters or Necessarily subiect to the Captiuity of Sinne but sinne is rather subiect to him he might if he would raigne ouer it as S. Ambrose S. Bernard and Rupertus gather out of the former speech And will M. Whitaker now will his Rebellions faction beleeue the Apostles beleeue Christ will they beleeue this Oracle of God No They rather venture to peruert and falsifie the same forcing it to be spoken of Cains dominiō ouer Abell not ouer sinne And in liew of those words The lust thereof shall be vnder thee c. they guilefully trāslate Also vnto thee his desire shall be subiect and thou shalt raigne oūer him with this Gloze in the Margent The dignity of the first borne is giuen to Cain ouer Abell 11. O pernicious O sacrilegious Adulterers of holy Writ What connexion is here Thy sinne shall be present at the Dore c. And thou shalt rule ouer Abel What Texts What Pererius l. 4. in Gen. c. 4. ver 6. 7. Aben Ezra in Haebr comment in hunc lo. Aug. l. 15. c. 7. de Ciu. Dei Hier. quest haebraic in Genesim Manuscripts What Copyes What Originalls What Comments What Scholies haue you for this Translation The Latine deliuereth a quite contrary sense as you haue heard The Greeke of the seauenty Interpreters cited by Peterius and allowed by S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Augustine conformably readeth To thee is the conuersion thereof and thou shalt rule and master it The Hebrew hath thus vnto thee is the appetite therof and thou shalt beare rule ouer it that is ouer sin as Aben Ezra a great Rabin commenteth vpon this Text affirming it to be a meere forgery to expound it otherwise And S. Augustine reprehending in the old this vile corruption of our new Manichees saith Thou shalt beare sway ouer it What Ouer thy Brother God forbid Ouer what then but sinne With whom S. Hierome Because thou hast Freewil I warne thee that sinne haue not the Soueraignty or Maistership ouer Iustin in Apolog. ad Imperat. Antoniu p. 31. Orig. bom 12. in Nū thee but thou ouer sinne 12. To these two excellent Lights I might ioyne many other both of the Greeke and Latine Church who although they allude not particulerly to this place yet strongly defend the liberty of Free-will I haue now in hand S. Iustin Martyr Vnlesse man by Free-will were able both to eschew dishonest things and follow good and vertuous he were without fault as not being cause of those things which are Hilar. in Psal 2. done after what sort and manner soeuer But we teach that mankind by free arbitrement and free choice doth both well and ill Origen handling that passage And now Israël what doth our Lord require at thy hands but only to feare him c. Let them be ashamed saith he at these words who deny Free-will How should God require vnlesse man had in his power what he ought to offer to God requiring S. Hilary To euery one of vs God hath permitted liberty of life and iudgment not tying vs to necessity on my side S. Augustine of whom Caluin aboue all other chiefly vaunteth The Diuine precepts themselues should not profit Aug. de gra l. Arb. c. 2. Idem l. 2. contra Faustum c. 5. Man vnlesse he had free liberty of will c. And against Faustus the Manichee We put no mans Natiuity vnder the destiny of Starres that we may exempt the free liberty of the will by which we lead a good or bad life according to the iust iudgement of God from all bond of necessity The same freedome also from the seruitude of sinne he proueth by innumerable places both of the Old and New Testament as Be thou not vanquished Rom. 12. Psal 31. Prouer. 1◠Psal 35. Psal 77. of euill Doe thou not become like vnto a Horse or Mule c. Refuse not the Counsels of thy Mother He would not vnderstand that he might do well They would not receaue discipline And infinite such what do they shew quoth he but the free liberty of humaine will 13. M. Fulke replyeth that S. Augustine doth defend Fulke in c. 12. Mat. sect 1 in cap. 25. sect 5. the liberty of Free-will against the enforcement of Nature the Manichees fayned not against the Seruitude of sin which he and his Mates vphold But he cannot thus escape For S. Augustine disputeth not against the ground but against the deniall itselfe of Free-will vpon what ground soeuer it be denied Therefore although the Protestants dissent from the Manichees in the cause of Mans captiuity the Manichees Fulke vbi supra affirming it to proceed from Nature by creation of the euill God the Protestants according to M. Fulke not from Nature but from the free and sinfull fall of Adam yet in the effect it selfe and captiuity of our will they fully agree and S. Augustine fiersly impugning fighting against that wherein they accord with the same forces battereth the Protestants with which he beateth downe the wals of the Manichean Aug. l degrat l. arbit heresie Let the Reader peruse that one booke Of Grace Free-will S. Augustine dedicateth to Valentine and he shall perceiue all Protestants as sore annoyed with his shot as the Manichees themselues and that his maine Discourse driueth as mightily against them as the whole power and strength of the other Fathers whose writings many principall Sectaries indeauour to disgrace for being too fauourable in defence of Free-will 14. Caluin saith All the ancient writers except Augustine Calu. l. 2. Instit c. 2. §. 4. Melanct. lib. de loc com Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 55. Ibid. Col. 58 Cent. 2. c. 10. Col. 227. or 221. according to another edit c. 4. Col. 59. Cent. 3. c. 4. Col. 77. Tertul. l. 2. aduers Marc. l. de exhort castitat de Monog Orig bo 9. innum hom 12. in eosd Cypr. l. 3. ep 3. l 3 ad Quirinū c. 52. Methōd in ser de Resurrect Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 291. printed at Basil 1562. D. Hūfrey Iesuitis part 530. who notwithstanding is as opposite to him as any of the rest either exceeded wauered or spake intricately of this matter Melancthon Presently after the Infancy of the Church by Platonicall Philosophy so he tearmeth the liberty of Free-will Christian Doctrine was defaced And a little after Whatsoeuer is extant in Commentaries altogether sauoureth of this Philosophy The Magdeburgian Centurists writing of the two hundred yeare after Christ Although this age say they was neere to the Apostles yet the doctrine
themselues haue also arriued The third is perpetually without intermission withall the forces and powers of our soule to be actually carryed away with the supernaturall streames of loue This only is proper to the Saints in heauen and not axacted by God of any mortall creature besieged with the infirmityes of flesh and bloud in respect of this our iustice on earth yea the iustice and perfection of S. Paul is tearmed vnperfect it is an image or shaddow of vertues it may be sometymes touched with the spots of vncleanes and therfore of this Philip. 3. v. 12. 1. Ioan. 1. v. 5. only the Apostle auouched Not that now I haue receaued or now am perfect yet in regard of the former two degrees he arriued to perfection and was already perfect euen by the phrase of holy Scripture which speaking of the first degree sayth He that keepeth his word in him in very deed the Charity of God is perfected Of the second it is also written If Matth. 19. v. 21. thou wilt be perfect go sell the things that thou hast and come and follow me By these degrees therefore of perfection all the obiections may be easily warded which our aduersaryes bring either out of Scriptures or Fathers as when they affirme our Iustice to be imperfect defiled with the touch of impurity they speake of the first degree soyled with the dust of wordly cares and too often distayned with veniall defaults When they exhort vs to greater perfection that is not to the common of all the iust but to that singuler of the mortifyed and feruent persons finally when they teach that we can neuer be perfect in this life it is true in the last acceptation of the word according to the third degree heer specifyed Which triple diuision of perfection keepeth the aduersary at such a bay as he knoweth not whither to turne him how to escape or what to mutter against it THE XXVII CONTROVERSY WHEREIN Our good workes are acquitted from the spottes of sinne against Doctour Whitaker Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot CHAP. I. THIS calumniation is euery where so rife and frequent amongst Protestant writers as M. Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 44. 45. 46. VVhitak in his an swere to the â— reason of M. Camp f. 250. in the translation whereunto is added in brief marginal notes the summâ— c. Abbot spendeth many Sections to attach his owne paynes and endeauours iustly all other mens good workes wrongfully yea perniciously with the guilty stayne of sinne and M. Whitaker vndertaking the patronage and approbation of that drunken sentence of Luthers All good actions be sinnes if God be seuere in iudgement they are damnable sinnes If he be fauourable they â—e but small ones auoweth Luther sayd this and he sayd it truly for in euery action of a man though neuer so excellent there is some fault which may wholy marre the action and make it odious to God if that which is done be weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice 2. But if Luther sayd truly then as Duraeus most pithily argueth against M. Whitaker the Apostle S. Paul sayd not truly If thou take a wife thou sinnest not theÌ„ S. Peter sayd not truly Doing these things you shall not sinne at any time VVhitak ibid. fol. 251. 1. Cor. 7. v. 28. 2. 2. Pet. 1. vers 10. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 8. 1 Ioan. â— v. 9. 1. Cor. 3. v. â—1 Matth. 6. v. 22. Luc. 11. v. 36. August l. 2. qq Euang c. 15. Maldon in c. 11. Luc. Matth. 5. v. 17. S. Iohn sayd not truly For this appeared the sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell If there be no worke which is not diuellish and sinnefull he sayd not truly Euery one that is borne of God committeth not sinne Neyther did S. Paul wel to compare good workes to siluer gould and pretious stones nor did the Prophets and Apostles well to exhort vs to good workes Christ did not well as Cardinall Bellarmin prosecuteth the argumeÌ„t saying If the eye be simple thy whole body shal be lightsome and If then thy whole body be lightsome hauing no part of darknes it shal be lightsome wholy and as a bright candle it shall lighten thee Where by the eye S. Augustine and others vnderstand the intention of maÌ„ By the whole body Maldonate expoundeth all his facultyes by the whole absolutely of which it is also sayd the whole shal be lightsome he interpreteth all his human actions which proceed froÌ„ the powers faculties of the soule All these sayth Christ flowing from the iust and leuelled by a right intention to a good end and obiect are so bright as they inlighten the whole man so pure and vnspotted as they haue no part of darknes no blemish of sinne to destaine them For which cause he calleth them in another place light So let your light shine before men c. Matth. 5. v. 17. 3. Lastly if Luther sayd truely God himselfe sayd not truly writing of Iob In all these things Iob sinned not with his lips neyther spake he any foolish thing against God And in the next Chapter he calleth him A right man fearing God Iob. c. 1. v. 22. Iob. 2. v. 3. departing from euill and retaining innocency Whereby it is euident that Iob in all his troubles committed no sinne neyther in thought word nor deed not in word because he sinned not with his lips not in deed because he departed from euill not in thought because he still retayned innocency in his hart And if we follow the Hebrew Text all this may be gathered out of the former words of the first Chapter For the Hebrew addeth not with his lips but without restriction absolutely readeth Iob sinned not or as our Protestants translate In all this did not Iob sinne Which Origen and the Grecians according to Pineda reférre to his Origen in his commeÌ„tary vpon Iob. Pineda in â—um loc Nihil peccauit Iob coram Domino Psal 16. v. 3. Psal 7. v. 9. 1. Tim. â— v. 17. 18. Matt. 5. v. 17. cogitations to wit that he entertayned no euill thought or cogitation against God but iudged wel of his goodnes and the 70. Interpreters subscribe hereunto who read in all these things which hapned vnto him Ioâ— sinned not at all in the sight of our Lord. The like King Dauid affirmed of himselfe Thou o Lord hast tryed me in fire and there was no iniquity found in me Therefore albeit he otherwise offended yet at that tyme he was cleane from sinne as also when he sayd Iudge me o Lord according to my iustice and according to my innocency Moreouer some workes of the iust are pronounced by the holy Ghost to be good God giueth vs all things abundantly to enioy to do well to become rich in good workes That they may see your good workes and glorify your Father which is in heauen And yet they could not be good nor commendable in
Gods sight much lesse pleasing sacrifices to him as in the precedent discourse hath beene shewed if they be defyled with sinne 4. M. Abbot answereth Therefore good works being touched and infected with the contagion of sinne before they can please God must haue some meanes to take away the guilt imputation of the sinne c. which Christ doth perfuming them with the sweet Abbot c. 4 sect 44. fol. 578. 579 incense of his Obedience But how doth Christ take it away By abolishing or not imputing the contagion By not imputing sayth Abbot but thus he taketh away according to them the filth of adultery of murder of sacriledge and all heynous crymes from the beleeuing Protestant And are those sinnefull workes thereby made gratefull hostes and acceptable sacrifices pleasing vnto God No sayth he agayne Our good deedes are not sinnefull workes Are they not What is that guilt then of contagious sinne which must be taken away before they can please God If they be not sinnefull no contagion of sinne is to be pardoned by not imputing if they be sinfull then your sinneful acts inherently in themselues sinnefull by not imputing the guilt of contagion become gratefull pleasing and acceptable vnto God Neyther can M. Abbot any way cuade by his frequent and worm-eaten answere that the action we do is not sinnefull because it is in substance a good Ibid. â—7â— worke and the fruit of the good spirit of God and the default and imperfection is only an accident to the worke Nor Whitaker who to the same purpose replyeth in his answere to Duraeus VVhitk â— in his answere to Duraeus l. 8. pag. 698. We meane not that good workes are sinnes but that they haue some sinne mixed with them For it followeth not that siluer is drosse because it hath some drosse mingled with it Seeing our dispute is not heere of the physicall substance which in euery action euen of murder theft and the like is transcendentally good or in genere Entis to vse the Philosophers tearmes but of the morall bounty or deformity of a worke which if it be tainted with the mixture of any euill how accidenttally soeuer it cannot be good sith it is true which Dionysius teacheth Good ariseth from an entiere cause euill from euery defect So that Whitakers example which Abbot also alleadgeth Dionys de diuin nomin c. 4. par 4. Bonum ex vna tota causa malum ex multis particularibuâ— que proficiscitur defectibus of gold or siluer mingled with drosse is nothing to the purpose because there be two materiall substances really distinct heere we question of one morall act which admitteth no distinction there although one metall be mingled with the other yet by seuerall veynes in seuerall places they are so incorporated as the siluer is not drosse or drosse siluer heere the same act flowing from the same will aymed at the same end must be both good and bad pure and defiled siluer and drosse which is impossible For as it inuolueth contradiction that one and the same assent of vnderstanding should be at the same tyme both true and false in the agreement of all Philosophers and Deuines so likewise it implyeth that one and the same acte of the will should be ioyntly at the same moment good and euill laudable and vituperiall pleasing displeasing vnto God Wherefore if euery action of it owne nature be euil no worke of ours can be in substance good as M. Abbot would haue it none excellent as Whitaker pretendeth but the most excellent must needes in it selfe be wholy marred wholy odious vnto God wholy and substantially naught howsoeuer by outward acceptation it may seeme beautifull and fayre Not so say they for our good workes are not wholy euill not hatefull not sinnes but infected quoth M. Abbot with the contagion of sinne We say not quoth Whitaker to marry a wife is sinne Abbot VVhitak in the places cyted aboue but that they who marry wiues intermixe some sinne in that good action But you say that that intermixed sinne may wholy marre the action make it odious to God if that which is done be weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice Therefore you say that the action of it selfe is wholy euill wholy marred altogeather odious vnto God and hatefull of his owne nature vnles you beleeue that an action weighed in the ballance of diuine iustice becometh thereby worse more odious and abhominable then of it selfe it is and that our supreme highest Iudge who iustly condemneth the wickednes of man maketh it more wicked by the seuerity of his iudgement 5. Moreouer from whence creepeth this spot of sinne into that good and lawfull action of marriage Not from the will of taking a wife for that is laudable no sinne according to the Apostle not from the substance of the act for that M. Abbot also alloweth to be good not from any other accidentall circumstance of end tyme place or person for I suppose they be all guided by the rule of reason How then is sinne intermixed in the good action of marriage By the same act which inseparably draweth the stayne of corruption with it or by some other adioyned The desire of taking a wife for a good end in such as may lawfully marry is free from all sinne as by a wicked intention to which it is ordeyned if by the same one and the same action is both good and euill a sinne and no sinne agreable to reason and disagreable consonant and dissonant to the will of God the often refuted vnauoyded implicancy which you incurre If by some other act or vicious intent either this intention is principall and the cause of marriage as to marry the easier to contriue the murder of his wife or some other then the action of marriage is not good but impious wicked and detestable or it is a secondary intent and followeth the desire of marriage so it cannot vitiate the former good desire nor be termed a sinne intermixed therewith which albeit obstinate and ignorant aduersaryes can hardly be drawn to confesse yet will I make it so cleare as they shall not be able to deny Let vs take for example the act of louing God or dying for his sake what mixture hath it or slyme of euill any stayn that ariseth from the obiect beloued or will which loueth it Not from the obiect for that is infinite goodnes without all spot or blemish therefore no blemish can be intermixed with that act as it tendeth to so pure an obiect nor from the will of louing it for no feare of excesse no danger of impurity can possibly flow from desiring to loue the fountaine it selfe and mayne sea of purity not from the mudd of distraction not from the scumme of vaine glory not from the froath of pride which sometyme may accompany that heauenly loue for as it is impossible the act of loue should be an act of distraction vanity
in their power by Gods helpe to Basil Orat in illud Attende tibi Chrys ho. 8 de poenio Aug. tom 7. denat grat c. 6â— Hier. ep ad Damas de expos Symboli keep them Therefore to quit the soueraigne goodnes from this merciles cruelty the Fathers vniformely define That it is a wicked thing to teach the Precepts of the spirit cannot be obserued S. Basil Accuse not God he hath not commanded things impossible S. Chrysostome We stedfastly beleeue God to be iust good not able to command things impossible hence we are admonished what we ought to do in things easy what to aske in things hard and difficile S. Augustine S. Hierome accurseth their blasphemy who teach any impossible things to be imposed by God vnto man Which argument hath beene handled heertofore in the CoÌ„trouersy of Free will where the Aduersaryes cauils theretunto are reiected The like impiety it were in God to cooperate with vs in such speciall manner to affoard his heauenly grace his supernaturall ayde to the keeping of his Commandments if we transgresse and sinne in keeping of them For as our August de pec mer. remis l. 2. c. 5. great Doctour S. Augustine teacheth To commit sin we are not ayded of God but to do good things or wholly fullfill the precept of iustice we cannot vnles we be ayded by God Marke heere that by the ayde of God we may not in part but wholy fullfill the precept and that in fullfilling it we do not sinne because thereunto we could not be holpen by God To which my aduersaries cannot shape their worne-out and thrid-bare reply That our obseruation our loue of God Abb cap. 4. sect 44. for example is no sinne but a good deed by acceptation For as I haue often answered God cannot accept that for good which is in it selfe naught and sinnefull but it is good in the Abbot ibid. sol 579. originall of grace from whence it proceedeth Explane your selfe a little better whether you meane it is perfectly or imperfectly good Graunt perfectly and you go on our side yield only imperfectly and you stand at the stay you were before perhaps you imagine that it springeth perfect from the fountaine of grace and after receaueth a blemish from the weaknes of flesh You imagine amisse for the same indiuiduall morall act which once is enriched with the dowry of perfection caÌ„not be after impouerished with any basenes of vice Or is it partly good as it is wrought by grace and partly euill as it runneth through the conduct of depraued nature No such matter the thing contradicteth it selfe as hath beene often signifyed neither is nature the conduct or pipe but true cause of the act in which there is not any part good assignable to grace distinct from that which is ascribed to man but the entiere action perfect or lesse perfect is wholy assigned to mans freewill wholy thereunto ayded by grace as the characters which the scholler frameth by the Maisters guiding of his hand are not seuerally drawne fayrely by one and rudely by the other but the same fayre or deformed rude or well fashioned are wholy from both Which forceth M. Abbot from that incongruous shift We Abbot cap. 4. sect 44. fol. 579. by our corruption do disgrace that which proceedeth holy and pure from God In like manner he is ferretted out of his other berry-hole That the action is good in the will and endeauour of Abbot ibid. the person by whom it is done For the will is weake the endeauour mean the person cloathed with human corruption who if he may will and endeauour that which is good then some good may proceed from a fleshly man perfect and entiere free from all spot and blemish or els the will and intendment is no better then the worke and VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Camp VVhitah l. 8. aduers Duraum Abbot cap. 4. sect 44. fol. 578 this assignement of goodnes which you make to the will is a meere shew or treachery to cloake the badnes of your cause 2. Lastly you say although you place it not in order last that the duty we obserue is in substance good Well I am contented with this but see you recant not for heere I haue that the substance at least of louing God the substance of euery obseruation of the law which we achieue is perfect and entiere able to satisfy the will of God able to make vs acceptable vnto him Yes say they If he fauourably looke vpon it and impute not the fault but if he Abbot c. 4. sect 47. fol. 596. should strictly narrowly deale with vs he should haue iust cause of reiecting vs in the doing thereof Forbeare these ifs ands and come to the point Is the substance of the action done entierely good in it selfe or no abstracting from the fauour or dislike of God whose indulgence or seuerity VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. CampiaÌ„ being extrinsecall doth not make the substance of the worke better or worse It is not so good as it may endure the try all of the precise and perfect rule of righteousnes truth This is not the question but whether it may stand with satisfaction of his law It cannot stand with it in such full complete and absolute manner as that nothing at all may be added thereunto Neither is that the thing demanded who euer dealt with such slippery companions Must I still put you to the torture to draw out the truth My question is whether the substance of the act satisfyeth the obligation of the law Let vs heere what you say to this They answere as heertofore It is short of that which the law requireth it cannot be such VVhitak in his answere to the 8. reason of M. Câ—mplan and lib. 8. aduer DuraeuÌ„ Abbot cap. 4. fol. 60â— as it ought to be as long as the flesh lusteth against the spirit there can be no such entiere good in vs. Alwayes a man doth lesse then he ought to do I thought you would flinch from your word but I pursue you also flying The act then of louing God is substantially short of that the law requireth substantially lesse then it ought to be and not only lesse of that which ought to be by perswasion or counsaile but by precept binding to more vnder payne of morall sinne therefore the substance of this lesser act is not morally good but mortally defectuous substantially faulty a deadly sinne and true transgression of the law to which God cooperating must needs cooperate in particuler manner to the accomplishment of sinne Protestants are bound to surcease from louing praying or endeauouring to performe those mortall crimes and bound to performe them because God commandeth them as I further demonstrate by this dilemma Either God commandeth the complete perfect fullfilling of his law which Protestants teach no man in this
sect 2. sect 7. In. cap. 28. Act. sect 2. affirmeth that sinne proceedeth from Gods direction purpose counsell commaundement that he draweth moueth boweth and necessitateth thereunto Then Fulke addeth that God reprobateth whome he wil c. not vpon the foresight of any demerits And the reprobate haue their will free but from coaction for to sinne it is thrall and slaue Moreouer Gods election and reprobation 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 In another place The execation of the Iewes is to be attributed to themselues that obstinately refused to see and to God who iustly punished them with that blindnes that they could not see Many heresies are heere inuolued which I will particulerly vnfould manifesting withall our Catholike doctrine 2. First it is the heresy of Symon Magus of Marcion of Vinc. Lyr. cōtra pro. haer nou cap. 34. Iren. l. c. 20. Euseb l. 5. cap. 19. Aug. ber 46. Florinus and the Manichies that God is the authour of sinne It is true that God concurreth to the meteriall entity or act of sinne although not any way at all to the formality of sinne to the deformity of the fault For these meerely proceed from the defectuous operation of mans free-will not from Gods generall influence which S. Thomas exemplifieth and declareth by the vertue of the soule in man or mouing power which enableth the Cripple S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 79. ars 2. in corpore Sap. 11. v. 25. Sapien. 14. v. 9. Haba 1. v. 13. Ier. 19. c. 5. to stirre and moue vp downe yet it causeth not him to moue lamely or haltingly but that wholy ariseth from the defect of his limmes hence it is that God can neuer be sayd to be the willer or worker of sinne much lesse to purpose or intend it For the scripture teacheth that he hateth noting of that which he doth And yet of sinne and the sinner it deliuereth The impious is odious to God and his impiety Thine eies are cleane from seeing euill and thou canst not looke towards iniquity They haue built the high places of Baalim c. which I commanded not nor haue spoken of neyther haue they ascended into my hart Thou art not a God that wilt iniquity Thou hatest all who worke iniquity God is no tempter of euill he tempteth no man All this our Sectaries will admit but how that he tempteth no Ier. 19. v. 9 man willeth not iniquity as an euill authour but as a righteous Iudge God worketh not quoth Fulke as an euill authour of sinne but as a iust iudge The same one thing sayth Caluin but not for the same one cause not for the same purpose or end Psal 5. v. 5. ibid. v. 7. Iac. 1. v. 13. Fulke in c. 11. ad Row sect 5. Caluin l. 1. instit cap. 18. §. 4. l. 2. c. 4. §. 21 ad Rom. 3. v. 8. Aug. in Enchirid c. 22. 3. God I wis is much beholding vnto you whom after you haue coupled with the Diuell in determining causing sinne you excuse his and condemne the others intention but how will you excuse S. Paul who forbiddeth euill to be done that good may come therby els a man might lawfully steale to relieue the poore or forsweare himselfe to saue anothers soule which the whole Church of God vtterly condemneth because that which is in it selfe naught and euill as sinne is cannot be vested with any good circumstance to become thereby honest and good for so S. Augustine teacheth that a lie cannot therfore be at any time commended because we lie sometimes for the safety of others It is then a sinne but veniall c. And to the like purpose Tully sayth It is no excuse of sinne if in thy friends behalfe thou sinne although the obligatiō of friendship and purpose of pleasuring a friend be good Therfore you cannot iustify Cicero lib. de Amicit. Gods intention supposing he actually cooperateth vnto sinne Or let vs yield you may let it be he worketh not as an euill authour of sinne but as a iust Iudge Let it be his counsaile his end his purpose be holy good yet thence we haue that Fulke in c. 11 ad Rom. sect 5. Caluin lo. citato he is authour and worker of sinne c. For he must of necessity be authour of that which he determineth purposeth effectually worketh Cease then those ourcries those exclamations of yours That we belye we slaunder your professours in appeaching them of making God the authour of sinne for we neuer attached them in those termes That Ecclesias 49. v. 25. he should be the authour or worker of sinne with a sinfull intention or mischieous purpose Of this diabolicall phrase neither Marcion nor Simon Magus nor Florinus was euer accused the enemy knoweth how to couer his poysoned cup with more pleasant spices he teacheth you to guild your Creatours intention that you may graunt his fact for which you are condemned A fact so repugnāt Plat. dial 2. de repub to infinite Goodnes as not only the wiseman auerreth inspired by the holy Ghost Al the workes of our Lord are exceeceeding good but Plato by the glimse of naturall light God only is to be called the cause of good thinges but of euill thinges it Mercurius Trismeg in Poem ◠cap. vlt. S. Basil hom 2 in exam bom 9. Quod Deus non fit author malorum Tertul lib. 2. contra Mar. cap. 14. S. Grego l. 19. mora c. 31. Dion cap. 4. de diui nom Aug. cap. 105. Amb. l. exam cap. 8. becometh vs to seeke out another cause besides God And Mercurius Trismegistus From God the maker no vncleane no euill thing can proceed Our Catholique writers auncient moderne more closely pursue and vrge the same S. Basill Tertullian S. Ambrose S. Gregory Neither is there in God sayth S. Dionyse nor from God any euill Iniquity sayth S. Augustine which most vpright or inflexible Verity reproueth he knoweth how to condemne not how to do Malice sayth S. Ambrose riseth from our selues not from God our creator c. he desireth it shold be rooted out of the mindes of all men how can he thē ingender it 4. For it were a very preposterous yf not tyrannicall course to punish in others that which himselfe by thē performeth An impotent and deceiptfull proceeding to intend iustice and accomplish wickednes as Protetestantes feigne their God to do who ayming at vertue worketh vice proposing truth venteth heresies either because he cannot fashion his worke answerable to his purpose which is impotency or purposeth one thing and worketh another which is deceipt or will haue the same formall worke which is of it owne nature euill sinful and eternally punished in others to be good holy laudable as achieued by him which is no lesse then inhumanity and fiercenes in any other then a
Caluinian God Because our true and soueraigne God who is essentially good yea goodnes it selfe if it were possible for him vpon any proiect neuer so holy to purpose or desire euill yet that intended euill he could not do being essentially opposite repugnant to his nature The good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite nor the tree of life the blossomes of death No contrary sayth S. Basil can be engendred by his contrary For neither Matt. 7. is life wont to breed death nor darcknes affoard beginning to light nor doth sicknes cause health And S. Gregory Nissen The good Basil hom 2. in hexa Gregor Niâ—â—eÌ„ hom 2. in Eccl. man out of the aboundance of his hart vttereth not euill thinges but such as are agreable and conuenient to his nature how much more doth the fountaine of goodnes dispense from his naturall bosome nothing that is euill It is impossible from the well-spring of purity any mudde of vncleanes from the splendour of the sun any moâ—e of darcknes from the center of rectitude any line of obliquity from the only rule and square of all actions any detorted worke oraction should be drawne to how good a purpose or holy an end soeuer it be directed yet this proceedeth not from any imbecility or weaknes but from the power it selfe and omnipotency Ambr. l. c. Ep. ep 37. of God in so much as we may auouch with S. Ambrose This impossible thing is no signe of infirmity but of vertue power Maiesty Likewise S. Augustine God is omnipotent c. Aug. li. â— de symb ad catechu c. â— how many thinges can he not do yet he is omnipotent and therefore he is omnipotent because he cannot accomplish these thinges For if he could die he were not omnipotent if he could lye if be deceaued if dâ— vniustly he were not omnipotent because if this were in him he were not worthy to be omnipotent Which reason conuinceth also that he cannot as a righteous Iudge or for any good purpose lye deceaue do euill or work any sinne For if his purpose and intent be good why doth he not contriue and execute it by some good vertuous honest meanes Is it becaause he will not cannot or thinketh not of it choose which you will For one of them must needes be the cause Wil he not It is waÌ„t of goodnes Can he not It is want of power and omnipotency Thinketh he not of it It argueth ignoraÌ„ce and inconsideration Plato l. 2. derepub To which effect it is recorded in Plato That man may haue some profitable inducement to lye because he cannot otherwise compasse his designed plots but nothing can moue God thereunto For nothing can he approue which he cannot effectuate by the best meanes he listeth Fy then on these pernicious and hellish dotages that God is the causer of heresies the contriuer of sinne Fy on them that thinke God yoke-mate with the diuell in the accomplishment of sinne to atchieue his holy designes 5. The second herefie by part interlaâ—ded in the former partly expressed in other passages is that euen as the diuine pietie of his own accord predestinateth some to glorie so he reprobateth others from all eternitie purposly intending their damnation Fulk Gods election and Fulk in c. 9. ad Rom. sect 21. ibid. sect 5. reprobation is most free of his owne will not vpon the fore-sight of the merits of eyther of them Then Pharao was a vessell of wrath ordeined to destructioÌ„ his reprobation was for the glorie of God and antecedently inteÌ„ded and appointed to that end Caluin Caluin l. 3. cap. 12. §. 5. ibid cap. 23 §. 4. 7. 8 9. Decretum quideÌ„ horribile faâ—eor To some eternall life and to some eternall damnation is fore-appoynted He likewise affirmeth that Adam and his posteritie fell by by Gods decree which he confesseth to be an horrible decree yet ordeyned by God Gods election I let passe because it tendeth to good it requireth not the preuision of workes but for reprobation which is the deputation of man the only image and similitude of God vpon earth to eternall punishment for this to be done without any fore-sight absolute or conditionall of his demerits and being done that man hath not power to escape or free will to auoide the sinnes which lead him head-longe to destruction is more then Barbarian more then NeroniaÌ„ cruelty because euery punishment iustly taxed presupposeth an offence but both men and Angells in that priority considered are free from all offence free from ill desert therfore to preordain those harmles and noble creatures to euerlastinge torments which of necessitie they must incurre before the preuision of any misdeed is such wild sauage and outragious Caluinisme as I know not whether it hath euer sound liking in the thoughts of any but some hereticall and Fulkish Caluinists Certayne it is that the Predestinats were longe since coÌ„demned for the like assertions and one Godescalcus a monke of Rhemes at a Synode of Magunce a cittie in Germanie See Frâ—doard lib. 3. c. 13. Serraen l. 1. rerum Mogunt c. 33. Baron an Domini 400. 818. Conc. Araufic c. 25. Ezech. 18. v. 32. c. 33. v. 11. osee 13. v. 9. Sap. 1. v. 13. 2. Pet. 3. v. 9. Aug. lib. 6. Hypogno Chrysos hom 3. in Genes hom de interdict arboris ad AdaÌ„ quae habetur post hom in Genes Eulgent li. ad Monim Prosper in lib. respons ad Gaâ—loruÌ„ capitula sub 〈…〉 in â—â—nt super cap. 7. Yea the Arausican Councel anathematizeth both them our aduersaries in these words We doe not only beleeue any to be predestinate to euill by diuine power but if there be any who will beleeue so great an euill with all detestation we pronounce them accursed 6. The Prophets and Apostles cry out I will not the death of him that dieth sayd our Lord god I will not the death of the impious but that he conuert from his way and liue Perdition is thine o Israell only in me is thy help God made not death neyther doth he reioyce in the perdition of the liuinge Our Lord is not willing that any perish By which sentences of holie writ it is most euident that the reprobation and destruction of no creature is absolutely and antecedently intended by God but only consequently coÌ„ditionally presupposing their obstinacie in sinne and finall impenitence which he from all eternity foreseeing deputeth them accordingly to their deserued punishment God sayth S. Augustin punisheth the reprobate because he foreknew what they wold doe but created them not to be punished S. Chrysostome For this end he framed euery creature and fashioned vs not that we perish nor to torment vs with punishments but to saue vs. And els-where It is manifest that God wold not haue Adam sinne who before his fall did fense and arme him Adam could haue obeyed which he wold not because he chose rather to yield to the diuill
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
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
Christ by water and the holy Ghost in the regenerate it is wholy cleansed and washed away against our Protestants who stifly contend Originall sinne to be an inheritable peruersnes an vniuersall corruption spread ouer the whole man and defiling him in all parts powers both of body and soule Whereby from the head to the foote he is so ouerwhelmed as with an ouerflowing of water that no part of him is free from sinne Neither doth this prauity in their opinion euer cease but like as a burning fornace bloweth out flame and sparkles or as a spring doth without ceasing cast out water So that peruersnes neuer ceaseth in vs but continually bringeth forth the works of the flesh In so much as whatsoeuer we thinke speake or labour to effect is stayned with the floud of this infectious streame and which is worst of al they affirme this cankred corruption to cleaue so fast vnto vs as it can neuer be scoured forth not by the oyle of grace not by the strength of fayth not by the pretious bath of Christs sacred bloud not by any help of vertue or fauour from aboue as long as coÌ„cupiscence the law of the flesh which perseuereth vntill death according to them is formally sinne inordinatly resisteth or stubbornely rebelleth against Greg. de valent 12. disp 6. q. 12. tom 1. Field in his 3. booke of the Church c. 26. f. 131. Feild ibid. Abbot in his defence cap. 2. VVhitaker l. de pecca origin the law of the mind 3. Whose grosse absurdityes concerning this point chiefly spring from these three heades of falshood first that Originall sinne doth nor formally consist in the losse or depriuation of any iustice grace or perfection euer restored by the merits of Christ in this earthly warfare as we maintaine but in the defect and want of the whole righteousnes which Adam enioyed before his fall The property whereof according to M. Field is to subiect all vnto God and leaue nothing voyd of him Not any inordinate appetite not any contrariety betweene the flesh and the spirit which still abyding Originall sinne also remayneth Secondly that this Originall righteousnes was essentially required to the integrity of Nature Thirdly that all declinings and swaruings from that perfect subiection vnto God and entyre coniunctioÌ„ with him which grace worketh are sinnes and decayes of natures integrity and consequently that concupiscence being a declyning from that entier subiection c. is truely and properly sinne Thus they We againe otherwise teach that the former disorders be defects woundes and decayes of Nature but not properly sinnes which that I may more clearely demonstrate I will briefly declare from whence our concupiscence or rebellion naturally ariseth what Originall sin is and what was the originall Iustice of our first Parents before they fell or felt in themselues those dangerous coÌ„flicts 4. Great was the felicity and thrice happy was See S. Iohn Damas l. 2. de fide ortho cap. 11. S. Greg. in prol 3 psal Poenit. Pererius l. 5. in Genes the state and condition of Adam at his first creation when being framed in the terrestriall Paradise by the immediate hand of God he had his soule beautifyed with grace or inherent iustice his vnderstanding endued with the perfect knowledge of all naturall and supernaturall misteryes his will rectifyed by the loue of God and strong bias of his owne inclination directly carryed to the mark of vertue he had the inferiour powers of his soule the motions of his flesh subiect vnto reason the sterne of reason pliable to the spirit the spirit alwayes obedient vnto God he had no ignorance no errour no perturbation of passions in his mind no inordinate concupiscence no Aug. l. 14. de ciuit Dei c. 26. rebellion in his flesh no propension to euill no difficulty to good No corruption sayth S. Augustine in his body no trouble or distemper by his body bred or ingendred in his senses no Read Pererius in Genes l. 5. de statu innocentiae and Gab. Vas quez in 2. 2. q. 8. dis 131. c. 7. intrinsecall disease could breake from within no extrinsecall hurt was feared from abroad perfect health in his flesh and all peace tranquility raigned in his soule There were the admirable effects this the sweet harmony which Original iustice caused betweene the flesh and the spirit Now whether these extraordinary priuiledges flowed from iustifying grace which was formally all one as the best Deuines accord with Originall Iustice or whether they were caused by the seuerall habits of sundry vertues infused to this purpose or whether some of them proceeded from the sweetnes of diuine contemplation or from the speciall care and prouidence of God I will not heere dispute only I say they could not be any naturall propertyes springing from the roots of nature because in some thinges they eleuated and perfected nature far aboue her naturall course in others they stooped bridled and restrained the maine current of her naturall desires and sensuall appetites as God supernaturally suspended the heat Originall iustice no naturall property but a gift supernaturall of fire in the furnace of Babylon or as he tempered and asswaged the naturall and irreconciliable fiercenes of the wild and sauage beastes in the Arke of Noë neither of which could proceed from nature the one being as I say aboue the other repugnant thereunto for who can think that the dowry of grace is the right of nature or that the gift of immortality is essentially due to a morall body or that contrary qualityes should not naturally resist and oppositely fight the one against the other Who can think that Adam and Eue our first progenitours were essentially iust a prerogatiue only due vnto God or dismantled of that iustice were impayred yea changed in their essence And so not the same after as before their fall in parts essentiall The righteousnes therefore which they lost especially the chiefe and formal part was a diuine accident or heauenly quality not essentially required Feild in his 3. booke of the Church chap. 26. which M. Field misdeemeth to the integrity of nature for that implyeth if nature be taken as it ought to be distinct from that which surmounteth nature but supernaturally added to the perfection thereof and with this couenant imparted to Adam that if he had not trespassed it should haue beene perpetually propagated and transfused Augu. de peccat merit remis l. 2. c. 22. l. 13 de ciuit Dei cap. 13. to his posterity But he transgressing and disobeying the Commandment of his Lord and Maister was iustly plagued with the disobedience of his flesh his hand-mayd vnto him a reciprocall punishment so S. Augustine tearmeth it of his disobedience vnto God Hence proceedeth the rage of concupiscence the commotions of the inferiour and baser parts rebelling against the superiour the auersion from good the proâ—esse to euill hence the disorder of passions the infirmityes of the mind
the diseases of the body famine sicknes and death it selfe 5. And although Original sinne be now the cause of all these euils yet it doth not properly consist in them all but in the priuation of that prime grace by which the soule of Adam was enriched adorned and conuerted vnto God For as Originall righteousnes included these three prerogatiues or triple rectitude to speake in S. Thomas language first the vnion of the mind with soueraigne goodnes secondly the subiection of the inferiour powers of the soule to reason thirdly the like subordination of all the members of the body to the soule yet it did truely and principally reside in the former and contayned S. Thom. 1. p. q 95. â—â—t 1. the later two as accessaryes or dependants thereof So Originall sinne which is only knowne by his contrary habit is truly formally nothing els then the voluntary priuation of the same Originall iustice which ought to be in vs as it maketh the soule deformed blemished Feild in his 3. booke c. 26. and auerted from God Wherefore seing this want and priuation is taken away by Baptisme and the whole grace as it cloathed beautifyed and adorned the soule entierly restored the whole guilt of sinne is forgiuen the formall cause or true essence of Originall iustice recouered againe by the passion of Christ and the other deordinations the remaynder of concupiscence are only the effects or punishments of the precedent fault and not any true and proper fault For if man had beene created in the state of pure nature as the Philosophers thought he was and many Deuines against M. Feild teach he might be because it inuolueth no contradiction neither in respect of the creature nor Creatour Then I say he should haue beene pestered with the same inordinate concupiscence and rebellion of the inferiour parts as now he is but then it had been a meere infirmity langour or fayntnes of nature growing out of the matter whereof man is compounded and not any wound or punishment also of sinne as in our case it is The reason appeareth for as man in the state of pure nature must haue been coÌ„pacted of two diuers and repugnant natures of soule body flesh and spirit and consequently of a corporall and reasonable of asensuall and spirituall appetite which could not chuse but maintaine a perpetuall warre of contrary and repugnant desires it being naturall to euery thing according to Philosophy to couet that which is conuenient and sutable to it selfe so the sense euen then would hunt after sensible pleasant delight-some obiects and the spirit would seeke for spirituall the spirit would often checke restrayne and bridle the pursuit of Aug. de pec merit remis l. 2. cap 4 de nuptijs concup l. 1. c. 27. l. 13. de Triâ— c. 10. contra Iul. Pelag. l. â— 1. retract c. 15. sense and sense would likewise hinder weaken and repine at the heroicall workes and endeauours of the spirit Thus the winds of diuers opposite passions the fluds of contrary inclinations would naturally striue and resist one the other yet as in that case this contrariety had beene no sinne but a sequele a disease a feeblenes of nature so now the same abiding in the regenerate from whome the dregs of all impurity are cleansed it is only according to S. Augustine left as an exercise of vertue to wrastle against or as a punishment of sinne and not as any true or proper sinne Which by two irrefragable arguments I conuince in this manner Ezech. 36. v. 25. Mich. 7. v. 19. â—01 lasâ— v. 12. Ioan. 1. v. 29. Psal 50 v. 6. Whatsoeuer filth or vncleanes our soules contracted by the sinne of Adam is wholy washed away in Baptisme by the grace of Christ But the filth or guilt of concupiscence descended from Adam therefore it is clean abolished by the vertue of Christ The Maior or first proposition is euery where testifyed in holy Writ by the Prophets and Apostles who often witnes that there shal be left no sinne in vs after we are once new borne in Christ for he shall cleanse vs from all our iniquityes he shall drowne our sinnes in the bottome of the sea he shall discoast them from vs as far as he East is distant from the West he taketh away sinnes blotteth them out wipeth them away dissolueth them like a clowd he shall forgiue the iniquity to the house of Iacob and this is all the fruit that the sinne thereof be taken away But none Isa 44. v. 22. Isa 27. v. 9. Ad Rom. 8. v. 1. Hier. in Com. in hunc locuÌ„ Ad Rom. 5. v. 19. of these Prophesyes not one of these assertions were true if the guilt of concupiscence still lurked in the soule of the regenerate It were not true which S. Paul teacheth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus to wit Nihil damnatione dignum nothing worthy damnation as S. Hierome commenteth vpon that place if any damnable sinne remayned in them Not true which the same Apostle auoucheth As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made iust if we be not as truely iustifyed and purged from the drosse of sinne Psal 50. v. 9. Ad Ephes 1. v. 4. ad Collos 1. v. 22. ad Ephes 4. v. 22. 24. ad Colos 3. v. 9. ad Rom. 6. ad Ephes 5. 2. ad Corinth 6. Chrys ho. 40. in 15. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the merits of Christ as by the fall of Adam we were infected therewith 7. Secondly King Dauid speaking of the purity of the soule cleansed by grace sayd Thou shalt wash me and I shall be made more white then snow S. Paul writeth that the iustifyed are holy and immaculate that they cast off the old man and put on the new that they liue in Christ are light in our Lord temples of the liuing God Therefore free from the darknes free from the impurity death and idolatry of sinne for what participation hath iustice with iniquity what society is there betweene light and darknes what part hath Christ with Beliall what agreement hath the temple of God with Idolls Only God sayth S. Chrysostome can deliuer from sinne which in this lauer of regeneration he effecteth he toucheth the soule it selfe with grace and plucketh from thence the rooted sinne he who by the fauour of the King is pardoned his cryme hath his soule still defiled whome Baptisme washeth not so but he hath his mind more pure then the beames of the Sunne and such as it was when it was first created Which testimony of his so euidently discouereth the spot of Originall guilt to be quite abolished as the Magdeburgian Protestants censuring this place doubt not to say Chrysostome speaketh of the efficacy of Baptisme very dangerously And yet he speaketh no otherwise then the word of God and generall voyce of