2. I haue spokē in the answere vnto his secōd argument But heere it appeareth that such heretikes did then trouble the church Last of al not al the vehemēt speeches of the fathers are to be taken or vnderstoode as they sound but they must be warely red and wisely examined by the touchstone of Gods word And then it will appeare that the Fathers either may well bee taken or iustly refused And thus hauing I trust in the iudgement of the indifferent Reader sufficiently confirmed the trueth answered the Scriptures alleadged to the contrary and shewed some causes why the fathers should in this point be read with good aduise and iudgement it now onely remaineth that I lay open the absurditie of that shift wherein they trust much and which indeede is the chiefe strength of their cause For being pressed with the testimonies out of scriptures especially out of saint Paul which plainely testifie that we are iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 without the workes of the law first they deuised this answere that S. Paul speaketh of the ceremoniall laws that we are iustified without them but not without doing the works of the law morall or of the commaundements But this being so vntrue an answere that master Bellarmine himselfe is ashamed of it De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 19. and reasoneth against it Master Bellarmine bringeth another answere namely that the Apostle speaketh of the workes before faith So that he would haue the wordes of the Apostle thus to sound Wee are iustified by faith without the works of the law that were done before we beleeued And for the credit of this interpretation he would faine father it vpon S. Augustine and S. Ierome De gr lib. arb ca. 7. de praedest sinctor cap. 7. In praefat ps 31 Ier. ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos but most vntruely as he that examineth those places shall easily see that S. Augustine and S. Ierome in those places doe not so expound those wordes of saint Paul neither giue vs anie rule so to expound them Neither yet doe Chrysostome Ambrose Theophilact or Primasius vpon those words either in the third to the Romans or second to the Galathians so expound it Rom. 4.4 Or yet S. Ierome vpon the Galathians And in the Epistle that he writeth against the Pelagians to Ctesiphon he denieth that those words may be vnderstood of the law ceremoniall but concerning this exposition which master Bellarmine bringeth there is no word As for the reason that Bellarmine hath out of S. Paul to prooue this his exposition let vs consider of it Vnto him that worketh saith S. Paul the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt Therefore saith M. Bellarmine he speaketh onely of those workes that are done by the power of free will without grace How little S. Paule dreamed of free will hath in the former chapter beene declared And that hee doeth not in these wordes expound what he meant before by the workes of the lawe the text it selfe prooueth For hauing said that Abraham beleeued God and that was counted to him for righteousnes therevpon the Apostle inferreth that if he had beene iustified by workes his iustification had bin of debt not of grace So that he doth not heere expound his former wordes but beginneth in this fourth chapter an other argument by the example of Abraham being already iustified and a holie man to prooue iustification by faith without workes euen by forgiuenesse of sinnes or couering them And as I haue shewed master Bellarmines interpretation to stand vppon no good ground but that the place aledged maketh against himselfe so that which we gather out of S. Paules words to be the most true meaning namely that workes neither before nor after our first iustification as they call it can merit the circumstances of the place do proue the whole course of his doctrine He instructeth the Rom. Galath in this doctrine who were already become christians already were iustified He doth not only shew that the works of the law do not iustifie but telleth vs that the nature of the law is to make vs to know sin Rom. 7.7 Rom. 4.15 to cause wrath euen after we be iustified And S. Paul himselfe teacheth so much in that he counted al that was in him to be but losse yea dung That he might win Christ Philip. 3.8 9 be found in him not hauing his own righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Marke heere how the Apostle saint Paul in these wordes which were written almost thirty yeeres after his conuersion still relieth vpon the righteousnesse that is by faith and he calleth it Gods righteousnesse and refuseth that which commeth by workes and that he calleth mans righteousnesse Now of this which is said I trust I may thus reason Saint Paul excludeth from iustification not only the works that are done before we beleeue but also the works which we afterwards doe therefore master Bellarmines interpretation is not true If then workes cannot iustifie as hitherto I haue taught wee may say with saint Augustine Wo bee euen to the commendable life of man Confess lib. 9. ca. 13. if thou Lord setting mercie aside examine it For Enarrat psal 109. as he saieth in an other place Whatsoeuer God hath promised hee hath promised to them that are vnworthie that it shuld not be promised as wages for good works but grace according to the name of it should be freely giuen Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. O therefore that all men that with Saint Augustine I may wish that godly wish would know themselues and they that reioyce Ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos would reioyce in the Lord. For this onely perfection is left to men that they knowe themselues to be vnperfect as truly and godlily saint Hierome writeth Of iustification by Faith and what Faith is CHAP. 26 THE PROTESTANTS ANd this Iustification which by our workes we can not deserue yet by faith we do obtaine Not because our faith can of it selfe worke any such effect What faith is But it beeing a liuely and certain perswasion of our heart and conscience that God for Christ Iesus his sake forgiueth vs al our sinnes and in him accounteth vs holie and righteous doeth thus iustifie vs not as that that worketh our iustification but as that which apprehendeth and taketh holde of that righteousnes that Christ hath wrought for vs. And so by faith he being made ours is vnto vs wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption And being thus iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ THE PAPISTS BVT our aduersaries because they like not that Christ shoulde bee the onely salue for our sores neyther will they haue faith to bee the hande that applieth this soueraigne medicine
holpen and then we maie conuert our selues to iustifie our selues Andra. Orth. expl li. 4. and haue in our owne libertie some part of our saluation Yea this corrupt estate of man euen before his regeneration Andra. Orth. expli li. 4. they compare to a man who is so hindered by fetters that he cannot goe but coulde goe well enough if hee were not fettered Euen so man hauing these bondes loosed wherein he was tied hath as free a will to doe good as euer had Adam before he fell for as I haue saide it needeth but to be stirred vp holpen Andra. ibid. Yea they are not ashamed to affirme that partly free will and partly grace are the efficient cause of applying the minde to goodnes diuiding and parting that woorke which God only doth challenge to himselfe betweene God and man If then we wil beleeue them mans free will is not lost No he hath by nature strength to doe wel and freedome of will to please God were it not that the corruption of nature were as it were fetters to hinder him in his holy obedieÌ„ce S. Paul belike said not truely when he said we were dead in sin Eph. 2.5 We were but asleepe say they And what neede we be born againe Ioh. 3.3 as Christ teacheth vs we must be It is a needelesse matter say they It will serue the turne if our old euen our owne will bee but stirred vp and holpen So that that renuing whereunto the Apostle so much exhorteth vs is more then needeth Yea our willes being so stirred vp holpen if we giue credite to that they teach Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 6 Bellar. de gra li. arbit li. 3 cap. 3. Iohn 6.44 are frankely and freely mooued to good What shoulde wee then care for that drawing without which no man can câ— me to Christ And yet God saith he must take away our 〈◊〉 hearts he must giue vs a hâ—â—â— of flesh a soft heart that may receiue his graces â—â— e a new 〈◊〉 a new spirit for that old will not serue the turne Maister Bellarmines first argument whereby he will pâ—â—â— e that man hath free well is 〈◊〉 in effect We 〈◊〉 not of 〈◊〉 but of well so that we may choose whether we will 〈◊〉 or not therefore we haue free wâ— ll It is falâ—â— that he saith we 〈◊〉 not of necessity but of well For although that were 〈…〉 Adam in respect of his sinne that it was simply voluntary for I speake not of Gods eternall decree yet by reason of that corruption that we hâ—â—â— from him Rom. â— .23 and cleaneth vnto vs Wee are so led captâ—â— e vnto the law of â—â—â—â— e and haue in vs such a fountaine of 〈◊〉 that we may truely say wâ— th the apostle we are carnall and folde vnder sinne And thâ— s necessity of fâ—â—â— ing is in vs by reason of that frowardnes of our will Which although it be so reformed in the regenerate that they haue a will to doe well yet because the old man will dwell with vs euen so long as we carry this mortal body and the new man wâ— ll neuer be wholy put on vntill the old man be put off there will euer be in vs a repâ—â—â— ing against good reaâ—â—â—â— s to euil So that although it be true in some respect that we sinne of will because we are very reader willing thereto yet is our will drawen with the cordes or chaines of iust and concupiscence that it cannot but sinne And therefore Saint Paul doth very aptly call concupiscence A law in the members because of the necessity of obeying it And therefore on the contrary I may tâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Rom. â— 1â— The godly are led captiue vnto the law of 〈◊〉 therfore they câ—â— not chuâ—â— whether they will sinne or 〈◊〉 but because of 〈◊〉 corruption they 〈◊〉 sinne Hâ— s second argument is thâ—â— If there be oâ—â— free will 〈◊〉 made then 〈◊〉 â—â—â— eâ— no point for reward or punishment First for the punishment of the worked we do confesse â— oâ—â— that they haue free will to do euill and also iustly deâ—â—â—â— e the punishment that is lawe vpon theâ— Thus farre then 〈◊〉 agree And also for the other part which conceiâ— eth the godly 〈◊〉 as true that if you take away free will you take away the reward that the worke might merite or deserue But we pleade Gods promise not oâ—â— deseruing his mercy not our 〈◊〉 â— s shal be shewed by Gods grace hereafter For we know that as heere we haue 〈◊〉 good thing in vs but that wee haue receiued it of has 〈◊〉 grant so heereafter wee shall haue no glorie 1 Pet. â—â— but of heâ— onely â—â—â— cy Who hath kept vs by his power vnto saluation through faith And therefore although we â— e â—â—â— full and so can not deserue the reward that wee looke for yet God is faithfull who hâ—â— h proâ—â— sed and therefore it is a rightâ—â—â— s thing with him to giue vs rest with him Thus then may I reason The reward of our good workes is not giuen in any respect of our free will therefore if free will be taken away yet that reward is not taken away His third argument If it were not for fire will Arg 〈◊〉 all should be good or all should be bad yea and that all aâ—â— ke good or euill Which argument is answered by experience it selfe and therefore needeth no long confutation For themselues will confesse that iâ— the Infidels there is not free will but a seruile will And yet amongst there some were better some worse Yea some among them came so neare being good Iob. 3. 3â— that some Papists thought they might be saued And yet free will they could not haue because the Sonne hath not made them free Arg. 4 ca. 17 De corrept grat cap. 2 His fourth argument Take away free will and in vaine are exhortations rebukings praises dispraises commandements councils admonitions c. Which argument S. August answereth for vs They are that men may know what they should do And as he writeth of the Lawe that it is necessary to be giuen although it cannot be kept so wee may answere of these things that master Bellarmine speaketh of De perfect iustit contra Celest His wordes are these Why should not this perfection bee commaunded vnto men although no man in this life attaine vnto it For a man shall neuer runne well that knoweth not which way to runne And how shoulde that bee knowen if by no precepts it should be shewed Thus then I reason Saint Augustine saith that precepts must be giuen although they cannot be kept therefore although man haue not free will to perfourme that is commaunded yet commaundements are necessarie In Cantic serm 50. And Saint Bernard saith God doeth by that meanes humble vs. As for other vses of admonitions I will not now speake of them
will serue the Lorde As if a man would say now choose whether you will professe the Gospell or Poperie His testimonie out of Ecclesiasticus Eccle. 31.10 Who might offend and hath not offended or doe euill and hath not done euill I maruell bee so much commendeth thinking it vnanswerable Whereas if it proue any thing it is but that which we neuer denied namely that the wicked haue a free will to euill Now that which he alledgeth out of saint Paul is too absurd Neuerthelesse he that purposeth firmely in his heart that he hath no need but hath power ouer his owne will c. What are these wordes to free will The power that here he speaketh of is if he performe his purpose without inconuenience to his daughter as may appeare not onely by Primasius and Hierom of this place Primasius Hieronimus Tho. Aquin. but also by his owne friend Thomas of Aquine who sheweth that then he hath power of his owne will when hee knoweth his daughter hath a purpose to continue a virgine So that in effect this is his argument His daughter doth not hinder his will for keeping her a virgin therefore hee hath free will in himselfe to doe good or eschew euill Of the strength of which argument let maister Bellarmines owne friendes consider His last place out of the scriptures is verie like this As euerie man wisheth in his owne heart 2. Cor. 9.7 c. He speaketh of the contribution to the Saints You must sayeth saint Paul giue willingly Therefore sayeth maister Bellarmine you haue free will Wee confesse that the regenerate haue a willingnes to do good and eschew euill and this the apostle would haue in them But doeth this prooue that they haue free will And thus farre for their arguments for free will out of the scriptures Out of the fathers master Bellar. bringeth many proofes And although there be iust cause to suspect manie of them in this question because they could not so easily forget that which in the schooles of philosophy they had learned yet that it may appeare that they haue not so generall a consent as they bragge of it is not amisse somewhat to looke into and to examine the proofes Bellar. de grat lib. arbit lib. 5. cap. 25. that out of them they bragge But maister Bellarmine would make a man afraide to heare his crackes Hee braggeth alwayes that his armour is of the best proofe that can not bee pearced his arguments such as can not be answered And first commeth in Ignatius Epist de mag whose wordes are so vnanswerable that maister Bellarmine seeth no way but to denie the Authour But let maister Bellarmine quiet him selfe we will admit the authour The effect of that he alledgeth out of the first place is that looke what men doe choose that they shal haue and after If a man do wickedly he is a man of the diuell so made not by nature but by the will of his minde Then let vs see his argument Looke what men doe choose they shall goe into the place of that they choose whether it bee life or death so sayeth Ignatius therefore saith maister Bellarmine men haue free will The force of both his places is this and the argument that can bee gathered out of the same men haue will ergo they haue free will And are these his vnanswerable arguments That which hee alledgeth out of Dionysius Areopagita although hee make as great bragges of it as hee did of the other yet it neuer so much as mentioneth free will De diuinis nominibus li. 4. cap. 4. part 4. In deed he saith If a man might not resist sinne hee were lesse to be blamed But if hee that is good giue strength which as the holy Scriptures teach doeth giue things conuenient simplie to euerie man c. That God giueth conuenient strength to them which with humilitie seeke it but what doth this gift of God prooue that wee haue free will It rather ouerthroweth it For if we haue not strength but by his gift then we haue it not in vs or by free will As for Clement of Rome because himselfe dare not speake much for the trueth of that witnesse I let him passe Then commeth in Iustine the Philosopher and martyr whose words for free will maister Bellarmine taketh to be so plaine that he saieth maister Caluine neither doeth nor can feigne anie thing that will carrie any shewe of an answer What neede we to feigne Master Bellarmine that haue the truth for our warrant We leaue faigning to painters poets and papists who loue alwayes to make a shew of that that is not If we consider the occasions why the ancient fathers did write in such sort their meaning will bee pliane enough And that may appeare by Iustinus Martyr here alledged He saith I grant Apolog. ad senatum Apol. ad An. That if men haue not free will to shunne euill and doe good they are not to blame for that they doe and deserue neither reward nor punishment Thus in effect hee saieth in the places alledged We neither denie the authour in this place to be Catholike nor his woordes in his sense to be true But because there were some that beeing deceyued with that which the Stoikes taught concerning that fatall necessitie whereby all things were done as though man could not choose but do the euill that he doeth and that he were by this fatall necessitie compelled thereto in respect of the necessarie consequence of causes and thereby made man to haue nothing to doe in the workes that himselfe did but that hee were euen forced thereto without his owne will as stone or wood is laide in the house onelie at the pleasure of the workeman without anie disposition in themselues one way or other because I say that some hereby did denie all will or inclination in man to good or euill as not onely Simon Magus and the Manicheis of whom maister Bellarmine speaketh but also the Bardesanistes Cap. 35. Cap. 6◠of whome Saint Augustine writeth in his Booke of herisies who ascribed all mans conuersation to destinie and the Priscilianists who because they make all their actions to bee ruled by the Planets thinke that they sin against their will and therfore doth not Iustin onely but other of the godly fathers speak so plainly as they seeme to doe in defence of free will Not because they thinke that man hath such ability being once renued by grace that he can doe what hee will as the papistes teach but they only impugne these Stoicall opinions that affirme that man doth of necessitie euill or good And that this is the meaning of Iustine the Martir by his owne wordes doth plainly appeare because in both the places alleadged by maister Bellarmine he setteth himselfe to reason against thē that would haue men thinke that all things were wrought by desteny Against the which he on the other side reasoneth that if men had
Truth and Falshood Or A Comparison betweene the Truth now taught in England and the Doctrine of the Romish Church with a briefe confutation of that Popish doctrine Hereunto is added an Answere to such reasons as the popish Recusants alledge why they will not come to our Churches By Francis Bunny sometime fellow of Magdalen College in Oxford GAL. 1.9 If any man preach vnto you otherwise than that ye haue receiued let him be accursed LONDON Printed by Valentine Sims for Rafc Iacson dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the white Swanne 1595. To the right worshâ—â—full Companie of Ironmongers in London Francis Bunny somtime their Scholer wisheth increase of knowledge and zeale of the trueth with abundance of all spirituall graces heere and a happy life with God elsewhere IF the children of Ruben and Gad Numb 31.21 2â— might not setle theÌ„selues to rest ease til the Lord had cast out his enemies froÌ„ his sight but that they should sinne against the Lord and their sinne should finde them out for it is great reason that they that haue one inheritance promised should take paines together to get the same and put from it their common enemies then how much more shal God finde vs guiltie if so many and mighty enemies seeking by al meanes possible to keepe vs and our brethren from the possession of the trueth here and so from that spiritual Canaan and heauenly Ierusalem else-where we seeking our quiet estate and contenting our selues with our owne happy life do not our indeuour to scatter and confound according vnto our place and calling the common enemies to our saluation When the children of Ruben and Gad Iosh 22 1â— and the halfe tribe of Manasseh had builded them an altar in their countrey for a remembrance that they were to be accounted Israelites although Iordan parted them from the other tribes and the rest of Israel had thought that they had builded it to offer sacrifices vpon the same the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered them together at Shiloh to warre against them For they thought it to be euery mans part to oppose theÌ„selues against Gods enemies and to be forward in defence of his glorie Seeing theâ—â— fore a common cause requireth common help and they that â— he not keepe a good watch in the place that is appointed vnto them and in their calling doe as much as in them lieth betray the cause Matth. 25.30 and such as doe not occupie their talent shal be Cast into vtter darkenes as vnprofitable seruants I haue thought it good according to my slender skill and simple talent to oppose my selfe against our aduersaries in defence of Gods glorie and the truth euen against them who are both the most dangerous enimies to our soules health and the continual disturbers of all common wealths The first they indeuour by their false doctrine the other by their most perillous and endlesse practises Insomuch as of the troubles that are this day in the world the Cardinall of Loraine seemeth to haue made a true confession euen in the councell of Trent For our sakes brethren saieth hee is this storme risen therefore cast vs into the sea Indeede not for their sakes onely Gentil exam concil Trident. sess 22 lib. 4. but by their meanes are these troubles come vpon this part of the worlde Nowe the multitude or malice of our enemies must not discourage vs from doing our duty but how much more they increase in number so much the more diligent should we be and their crueltie and malice should increase our courage against them But in vaine doe wee withstand them with our tongues and pennes if the Christian Magistrates doe not put to their helping hand who haue also their du y to do in the church of God as wel as they to whom the ministery of the word is committed Moses Aaron the prince and the priest were brethren to teach vs what mutuall help the one of them must make to the other Kings and Queenes if they forget not their dutie must be nursing fathers nurces to Gods church Psa 49.23 They must cherish and norish it they must loue and defend it And as idolatrous princes the slaues of antichrist haue one mind â—â— ocal 17.12 and shal giue their power authoritie to the beast and shall fight with the Lamb 13 as we see it is come to passe in these our dayes euen so should all godly Princes and Magistrates be ashamed that zeale of Gods glory and loue vnto his trueth should not knit them as fast together and make them as willing to maintaine the good cause as superstition ambition and malice preuaileth with the wicked to make them so 〈◊〉 bornly to striue against Gods vndoubted word Such princes 〈◊〉 in scriptures commended vnto vs as haue beene ready to maintaine trueth set foorth Gods word and regarded the sinceritie of the same and haue on the contrary withstoode superstition put downe idolatry and compelled their people vnto the seruice of God both according to the first and second table of the Commandements And on the other side it is left as a staine vnto the memory of others that they did not take away occasions of idolatry and remoue such stumbling blockes out of mens wayes If then we could in such a godly consent as the Prophet Sophonie saith serue the Lord with one shoulder the ciuil magistrates Zophon 3.9 by the sword we by the word they by correction if neede require we by exhortations they by punishments we by threatnings remembring that both the one and the other must one day make an account of our stewardship and answere for our defaults then I doubt not but God would blesse our godly labors with great increase of knowlege and godlines But as in the end of this treatise I haue made some exhortation vnto magistrates to consider of their dutie in this point so haue I also thought it my part to maintaine to my power Truth against Falshood euen Gods word against mens inuentions And for this cause haue I taken this trauell to set downe the summe of that that we teach especially in such matters as are principally in question amongst vs and on the contrary what our aduersaries teach concerning the same Which I thought to be necessary because our doctrine is many times by the aduersaries slandered especially before such as are ignorant as though it were far otherwise than in truth it is And that the truth more easly may appeare what is taught by them and vs he that listeth may see with little labor euen as it were at one view both our opinions Neither do I vndertake to set downe all that we teach concerning those articles but onely the points that doe especially belong to the controuersies that are betweene vs. Then also haue I set downe the principall arguments whereby they confirme their doctrines and indeuour to confute them Wherein especially I
remained of the sacramēt Origen also reporteth the same Which they would not haue don if they had thought as do the papists that it had beene transubstantiated into Christs body or else that it had beene as heere they affirme a sacrament although it be not receiued as Christ commaunded it should be Seeing therefore these men that would seeme pillars in the church of Christ doe picke quarrelles at his ordinance and make exception to his commaundement and all to writhe their neckes out of his yoke and to free themselues from his lawes like lewd seruauntes which will not frame themselues to doe that which woulde best please their maisters but that onely which they must bee forced to doe whether they will or not let vs nowe see how in the second point they do seeke to peruert the verie decree it selfe that Christ set down concerning this matter to make men beleeue that hee meant no such thing as in trueth he did The second part of his assertion is that it is not ordered by the word of God what shall be done in that point This is an intollerable boldenesse Doth not our sauiour Christ take order as well for the cup as for the bread Doth not he that saieth Take eate say also Drinke ye all of this If any man will answere as Bellarmine doth in one place De Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 27. that they were not both giuen at one time and therefore that properly to speake the Supper of the Lord consisteth but of one kind he should plainly declare that he hath rather a desire to contend than to knowe the trueth For what is it to vs how long time was betweene the one commaundement and the other so that we know that both the one and the other is instituted of Christ Yea the Apostle saint Paul very plainely telleth vs 1. Cor. 11. that the order both for the cup and the bread is deliuered to him of the Lord That which I receiued of the Lord I deliuered vnto you And then hee sheweth Christs institution for the bread and also the cup. But with full mouth and one consent they tell vs that that commaundement belongeth to the Apostles onely and not to all the disciples And yet saint Mathew saith Math. 26.26 he gaue it to his disciples Yea and Christ commaundeth Drinke yee all of this And hath not saide concerning the bread eate ye all of this although wee deny not that euery one hauing prooued themselues should eate of it But seeing God hath giuen a more expresse commaundement vnto all for the cup than for the bread why should they rather restraine lay men from receiuing the cup than from the bread Againe doeth he not say to all them Drinke yee all of this to whome before hee saide Take eate Yes verily for the text is plaine both in the Euangelists and saint Paule But the bread must be giuen to al they confesse therefore why not the cup also And that which saint Paule wrote concerning the vse of the Sacrament it is plaine he wrote vnto all the church of Corinth not onely by that place which Kemnitius alleadgeth 1. Cor. 1.2 To all that call vppon the name of the Lorde and that hee writeth vnto the church of Corinth De Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 25. which Bellarmine doeth seeke to answere rather least he should seeme to say nothing than that in truth he saith anie thing worth the setting downe but also by the punishment that followed the abuse of the sacrament For this cause many are weake and feeble amongst you and many sleepe Which came vpon them not that did eate of that bread onely but also that drunke of that cup vnworthily And it cannot be imagined that either the ministers were so bad at that time so generally that so many of them would haue offended therein or if the fault had beene in them the Apostle would more particularly haue reprooued them neither were they then so many in one place that it could haue beene truely saide of them that many are weake and many sleepe or are dead Therefore whereas many were punished amongst the Corinthians for vnworthily receiuing both the bread and the cup and this word Many cannot as I haue prooued be there referred to their Teachers onely it followeth that this punishment was amongest the lay men as well at the last as amongst their ministers and therefore that the lay men in the church of Corinth receiued the cup. And thus much of that wicked assertion wherein they doe affirme that it is lawfull for the church to alter this part of Christes institution and also to take away the cup. Nowe to a second and as wicked a proposition as the other Wherein they teach that it is needelesse to be receiued in both kindes And to prooue this Bellarmine taketh some paines in three whole chapters De Euch. lib. 4. cap. 21 22 23 In the first two he sheweth that the whole sacrament may be receiued vnder one kinde and therefore in the last hee teacheth that no more good is to be gotten of the sacrament vnder both kindes than vnder one And although we can not allowe of that concomitance as it is termed that is that inseparable coniunction of the body and blood vnder either of the signes which especially hee prooueth in the first chapter of those three namely the one and twentieth that the whole substance of a sacrament is found in either kinde as hee teacheth in the two and twentieth chapter yet if we should grant those two points that which master Bellarmine would conclude in the three and twentieth chapter can not follow For what if Christ may bee wholy receiued vnder one kinde Yet it should not follow that vnder one as effectually he may be receiued as vnder both For as before I shewed his death is more liuely represented by the bread and his bloudsheding by the wine And that which more effectually representeth it is more profitable than that which lesse representeth the same And it is too much sawcinesse so to controll the wisedome of God that when hee saith Drinke yee all of this which is a plaine commandement any foolish man dare say It is to no profite it can do you no good As for the causes that are alleaged by Gerson and other why the popish church thought good to take away the cup from the lay people they are so foolish and friuolous that a man would think rather that they iested than spake in earnest But what cause soeuer man can pretend to alter that which Christ hath ordained it doth but testifie that he thought not Christ wise enough to preuent such inconueniences as hee by his wisedome hath prouided for Seeing therfore the church cannot forbid that that God commaundeth whatsoeuer causes they will pretend and if they might yet the causes set downe by the Romish church either are blasphemous or at the least friuolous it is a sure way for vs rather to regard
will the commentaries and expositions of the most ancient Fathers Cyril Chrysostome Augustine Theophilact and others they shal not finde that any of them haue out of this place taught the sacrament of penance The words themselues teach vs that God hath giuen vnto his church authoritie and power to preach forgiuenes of sins to them that are of a contrite and broken heart and the danger of sin to the impenitent as Peter Lombard himself one of the first establishers of this Popish sacrament confesseth saying that God hath giuen to the Priests power To binde and loose that is Lib. 4. dist 18 Non aâ— tem to shew that they are bound or losed Which is agreeable to that that S. Luke of our sauiour Christ saith Luc. 24.47 that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Ierusalem As for any particular reckoning vp of sins which they call Confession auricular or forift in the eare of the Priest without which secret Confession saith Andradius Orthod eâ—plic lib. 8. pag. 658. This diuine sacrament could not long haue beene kept or as for Satisfaction that should be wrought for our sinnes by vs or our meanes these things can not bee gathered out of the wordes alleadged Nay if that authoritie committed to the ministery wherof saint Mathew and S. Iohn speake be to be expounded by the words of saint Luke Matâ— 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 as I haue shewed that Peter Lombard doth Popish shrift and satisfaction are quite ouerthrowen thereby seeing that this losing is the preaching of the forgiuenesse of sins in the name of Christ that is not for any Satisfaction that wee can make but in respect of that Satisfaction that Christ hath wrought It is therefore a wonder to see how boldly and confidently out of this Text they will auouch that out of these wordes are plainly prooued the actes of the absolued Bellar. de poenitent lib. 1. ca. 10. that is Confession and Satisfaction which must needs be in him that is loosed to be from his sins Is this to preach forgiuenesse in the name of Christ Secondly I finde not in the primitiue church any such doctrine of that their sacrament of penance as nowe is taught Indeede they required Confession but especially to God as throughout the auncient fathers wee may see and namely in Tertullian his booke of repentance which is by the Papists violently drawne in to bee a witnesse for them but can say nothing that will doe them good in this cause And although the fathers doe also sometime allowe of Confession to man and that priuately yet did they neuer teach such necessitie therof as that without it sinnes might not bee forgiuen or that the mortall sinnes for those onely must bee reckoned in Christ cannot bee forgiuen vnlesse the Priest haue them declared vnto him Marke the writings of the Fathers howe farre vnlike they are to the bookes of our Popish Cleargie and Romish writers in our dayes Tertullian Anibrose Augustine and others haue made whole bookes of this title De paenitentia of penance or repentance Chrysostome also hath made of that matter eleuen Homilies yet out of these auncient fathers this Popish doctrine of the sacrament of Penance cannot bee prooued but that the teachers thereof are forced here and there to get some peeces of sentences to make some shewe of proofe And this verie shadowe of proofe is good enough to deceiue the ignoraunt and such as delight in darkenesse as the likenesse of men made of stone or other stuffe set vpon the toppes of castels and holdes make the enemie in the night afraide for they think they are all men in deed which in the day when they may bee viewed doe easily shew what they are namely stockes or stones If Saint Ambrose had knowen any such Sacrament might not he writing two bookes of that matter I meane of repentance especially against the Nouatians who denied vnto such as offended after baptisme any hope of pardoÌ„ although they repeÌ„ted might not he I say haue had from that sacrament of the church if the church had then knowen any such sacrament a strong and vnanswerable argument against Nouatus or his followers for denying a Sacrament of the church yes verily But he vsed no such argument because there was not then any such Sacrament Nay the matter was not agreed vpon many hundreth yeares after Saint Ambrose his time For as it appeareth by Gratian de poen dist 1. c. quamuis who liued about the yeare one thousand one hundred and fiftie the matter was not then agreed vpon but there were many and diuerse opinions whether confession and satisfaction were necessary for this Sacrament some affirming others denying it and Gratian saith that on both opinions there were wise and godly men and therefore hee leaueth it indifferent Which could not haue beene if that their Sacrament of penaunce had before beene perfected Therefore as Andradius doth truelie gather out of that historie of auricular confession banished out of the Church of Constantinople by Nectarius Orthod expl li. 8. pag. 663. for a villanie committed by him that was appointed to heare confessions that therefore they were vsed of olde although most falslie he teacheth that it beganne with the christian church and as vntruelie applieth it against Kemnitius who denieth not but secret confession hath of olde beene vsed but not as in the popish church so if it were a thing to bee forbidden by man we maie boldely saie it was not ordaâ— ned by God but by man it was abolished as appeareth by the ecclesiasticall history And whereas Andradius saith Socrat li. 5. cap. 19. that the sacrament of penance began wiâ— h the christian church Socrates in that place is directlie against him who telleth vs that it beganne after Nouatus his heresie was published which was about the yeare of our Lorde 220. For because the Nouatians would not communicate with them that denied their profession in the persecution raised by Decius the bishops therefore agreed amongst themselues and appointed some one to whom they might acknowledge their sins So that heere we see against Andradius that that confession which being viewed is not like the popish shrifte is more then 200 hundred yeares yonger then the Christian church Moreouer as of al other sacraments so of this also the papists teach that it doth giue grace and worke that grace that it doth signifie Bellar. li. 1. de paenit cap. 10. which grace is then when the outward signe is vsed powred by God into them that receiue the said signe In which respect as I take it is that grosse absurdity set downe by Roffensis Artic. 10. cont Lutherum That a sinner commeth oftentimes with faith and without grace to the sacrament who assone as hee hath receiued the sacrament both he and his faith by grace are quickned To say nothing of this popish paradox and far from al true
commaund that ceremonie to bee vsed so neither did himselfe practise it any more but that once as may appeare in sundrie places where hee authoriseth his Apostles to preach without breathing vpon them And nowe for laying on of handes which many times the Apostles vsed wee haue not only the testimonie of manie in the popish church that thinke it not to be the principall outward signe in this sacrament but thinke the giuing of a chalice with wine and the couer of it with bread to be more essentiall and effectuall but also we see that there is no commaundement giuen to the Apostles for it and therefore neither doe they commaund it to be vsed as a thing so necessarie that it may not be omitted And whereas we acknowledge this ceremonie to haue sundrie vses first in respect of the church the partie ordained is by that ceremonie notified vnto the church secondly he is confirmed thereby in his calling put in minde of his dutie and assured of his vocation by this common approbation that hereby the church sheweth Thirdly thereby the church doeth testifie as it were before God their sincere dealing in their election and consecrate him to the seruice of God Lastly the Godly vsed manie times in praying for others to lay their hands vpon them Bellarmine in the place aboue named bestoweth some paines to proue that praier and laying on of hands are two distinct things which is not denied To be short the summe of his argument is this it was vsed of the Apostles therefore it is so necessarie that it cannot be omitted We answer that that ceremonie had good vses but yet might be omitted Because our sauiour Christ did neither vse it nor commaund it And to thinke that he omitted anie substantial point of religion or that the Apostles would account as simply necessary any thing not vsed or prescribed by Christ is to absurd And whereas they proue the promise of iustifying grace to be made by Christ vnto them that receyue this their sacrament of Orders I wonder that they see not how that both many are iustified that neuer entered into their Orders many also that haue had and haue their greasing and scraping are as wicked men and so by likelihood as far from this iustifying grace as Turkes or Iewes And so it easily appeareth that this second thing required in a sacrament namely that it should seale in vs the promise of iustification hath not so much as anie likelihoode to bee in this their sacrament of Orders The third thing necessarie in a sacrament is Gods commaundement wherin they confesse their want and that they haue no commaundement But yet because God did giue grace with laying on of the Apostles handes 1 Tim. 4. Bellar. de ord sacra li. 1. ca. 2. therefore they take it as commaunded of God If this bee a good argumente God gaue g od successe to it therefore it is commaunded of God many strange partes in Sampson Iehu and others will prooue to be commaunded of God but that is most false as the Papists themselues will confesse God did not onely prosper Phinehas Numb 25 in that which he attempted against Zimrie and Cosby but commended the fact also and graciously rewarded the same but yet he had no commaundement for so doing Therefore although God may bee saide in some sort to like of that to which he giueth good successe yet no man can thereby conclude that God hath commaunded it But rather on the contrary we may thus reason The laying on of hands was neither practised by our sauiour Christ neither commaunded by him or his Apostles therefore that ceremonie is not of such necessitie but that ordination may bee without it Yea but Christ is not tyed to the sacrament sayth master Bellarmine and therefore can giue the effect of the sacrament without the sacrament Cap. 2. li. 1. hee can make Priestes without laying on of handes That hee can so doe wee confesse but that hee dealeth so in the institution of sacraments all the Papists in the worlde will neuer bee able to proue for in them we see that all things are most plaine the outward signe the promise the commaundement nothing in them hidden nothing doubtfull But because himselfe dare not well rest vpon that answere hee concludeth that seconde chapter with another aunswere for hee telleth vs that it may bee that Christ did lay his hands vpon them whom he made ministers Is this good dealing Doeth not this manifestly bewray the weakenesse of their cause when such friuolous coniectures are the chiefe strength of their cause As for the Fathers whatsoeuer out of them they doe alledge cannot prooue that which they take in hande namely that the sacrament of Orders is a sacrament like to Baptisme and the Eucharist For all men must confesse that these two sacraments which wee acknowledge to be common to all Christians are farre vnlike in that point to that popish sacrament which belongeth but vnto a fewe And euen in this consisteth especially the true vse of Baptisme and of the Eucharist that they should be genenerall testifications vnto the whole church of Gods graces and seales of his promises and pledges of his loue and fauour And therefore the fathers sometime call Ordination a sacrament yet it followeth not that they take it to bee a sacrament in the proper sense but in that sense onely as they call manie other things Sacraments which the Popish Church doeth not receyue as Sacraments De Sacrat ord li 1. ca â— But say they the Fathers compare Ordination with Baptisme For Bellarmine maketh great reckoning of that argument The fathers may be so in some respect because the sacrament of Baptisme cannot be reiterated no more must he that is once ordained to the ministerie seeke to be ordayned againe for euerie action that he performeth in his ministerie but hee is once for all appointed thereto But what is that to the nature of the sacrament which must by a visible signe assure vs of inuisible graces So that athough Ordination be like to Baptisme after a sort yet is it not like to Baptisme in that it by a visible signe doeth assure vs of inuisible graces but onely because it is not to bee reiterated no more than Baptisme is And thus wee see the weakenesse of this argument Ordination is in some poynt like to Baptisme therefore it is a sacrament in such sort as Baptisme is Thus then I trust it appeareth howe weakely they proue Ordination to be a sacrament who haue neither scriptures Matt. 28.19 nor fathers for the same But if they could prooue that Ordination which Christ vsed to bee a sacrament what is that to Popish Ordination Christ sent the Apostles to preach Goe teach all nations but by their ordination the popish priests Receiue power to offer a sacrifice The Apostles executed their commission which Christ gaue them as appeareth in the Acts and their Epistles And the popish priests on
not will or choice in themselues to doe things we should neither deserue punishment for euil doing nor haue reward for well doing Thus haue I truely faithfully deliuered vnto thee good reader the cause that maketh this and other of the ancient fathers especially before Pelagius to write so plainelie for free will De fide Or. thod li 2. cap. 7. As also may wel be gathered out of Damascene For when as yet there were none sprung vp that did attribute too much to free wil as afterward the Pelagians did but there were on the contrary many that did wholy take al wil from man no maruel if they did wholy oppose themselues against the daunger which they sawe present before their eies And therefore they did teach as they did to whom also we giue our right handes of fellowship and consent in doctrine Gal. 2.9 What wee say of mās will as Iames Cephas and Iohn did vnto Barnabas and Paul For we also doe teach that man though by his fal he lost his freedome of wil to him and his posterity yet his wil he lost not but still had it and hath it Whereby very readily and willingly he runneth vnto euil But hauing his wil renued by Gods spirit it is then good so much as it is renued it loueth good and would faine do it Ad Bonif. cont◠a. 2. e◠i st Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 18 and in that sence wee also saie with saint Augustine that it is free that is willing and readie but yet not free that is not able to performe that good which we would by reason of the infirmitie of our new man the corruption of our nature and the manifolde intisementes and tentations whereby we are withdrawen from holy obedience And now if the first fathers did not so plentifully set forth mans weakenes as they did his wil or power to do things it is no maruell because they neither knew Pelagians nor papistes but them that erred in the contrary opinion And this being wel considered of maie serue I trust to answere to whatsoeuer they can alleadge out of the fathers for free wil may teach vs that they cal it free not as it is able but as it is willing to do good eschew euil De corrept gra cap. 2. De gra libero arbitrio lib. 2. cap. 9. And therfore saint Augustine saith Men are driuen to the ende they should doe not that they should doe nothing And for this cause saint Bernard saith That a man may not be called or can indeed be good or euill vnlesse he be willing And saint Ambrose or whosoeuer wrote the bookes of the calling of the Gentiles There is no kinde of vertue that may bee had either without the gift of Gods grace or the consent of our will But of an infinite number of such like places let these few be sufficient to teach vs that they ment not to extol the power of mans wil but to lay the fault in man if he refuse the graces offered and to stirre vp men willingly and readily to receiue them and stedfastly to keepe and holily to vse them And thus much generally for the true vnderstanding of all the testimonies of the fathers that are alleadged by maister Bellarmine not only in his fift booke Cap. 25 26 27 28. de gratia libero arbitrio but also those other that he hath in his sixt booke where he especially handleth the question of free wil Cap. 11. in things appertaining to godlines Whereas before he indeuoured to proue it in moral vertues But because that in the former he did lay the foundation of that which in the sixt he teacheth and al belonged to that end Namely to the question of free wil which in this chapter I am to handle therefore haue I thought good to answere in this one place whatsoeuer he saith tending to that end As for his foure arguments out of the scriptures which he bringeth in the sixt booke Cap. 10. the answere to them I trust may be gathered of that is already answered Sauing only that the first and third require a more special answere For his second argument in this sixt booke is al one with the fourth in the fift booke And his fourth and last in the sixt is like the first in the fift booke His first argument in the sixt booke is taken especially of the word Cooperarii Worke men togither with God for so the greeke word doth signifie not Fellow-helpers 1. Cor. 3. as the common latin translation hath as though God could not without vs worke Wel let vs see his argument We are workemen togither with God therfore we haue freewil say they But we may more iustlie conclude on the contrary therefore we haue not freewil as the papists teach it selfe able to doe good or auoide euill For that is it that is in question We willingly confesse that we being regenerate haue a willingnes to good and a mislike of euil but we say that we cannot performe this our good desire And therefore seeing we cannot worke but as workemen togither with God it is most euident and plaine that our will hath not that power that the church of Rome teacheth it to haue to be freely moued to good And therefore wel saith S. Augustine That we will God worketh without vs De gra li. arb t. cap. 17. but when we will and so will that we also doe he worketh togither with vs. But without him either working that we may will or working with vs when we will we haue no power to the good workes of godlines And by this also appeareth the answere to the other argument which I saide was not before answered We are saith M. Bellar. holpen by God in praier or in any good worke therefore we haue free wil. If we remember how they teach that a man being once holpen and stirred vp by Gods grace is afterwards freely able to doe good hauing his wil thus reuiued or rather vnfettered a mā would not thinke M. Bellar. to be in earnest in such argumentes Suppose you should vndertake to beare a burden far heauier then you could carry and another much stronger than you taketh it vp and beareth it you also laying your hands to the same to helpe as you can Wil you say you are able to beare it because your hand also touched it Euen such is our ability in keeping Gods commaundements Or as children when they are first taught to goe Their mother lifteth them vp that they maie put their legges forwarde holdeth vp their coates that they be no hinderance to them yea helpeth them to step forward There is nothing in the childe but only that it would faine goe but it hath not strength to perform it Is it now any reason to say the child is able to goe because the mother doth thus helpe it No no seeing Gods helpe is such that he worketh both to wil and to
doe well Gen. 4.7 shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sinne lieth at the dore And when he telleth vs that in this iudgement God shal be the rewarder he armeth vs against hipocrisie seeing that he who cannot be corrupted with bribes nor deceiued with ignoraunce of the cause shal examine the worke And yet for the comfort of the Godly we must also know that hee accepteth of their worke not according to the imperfection of the worke it selfe but according to the spirit of regeneration which hee hath wrought in them that worke it And so because the fruit commeth from a good tree he accounteth the better of it Therefore if he crowne in vs our merites he crowneth nothing but his owne giftes as saith saint Augustine Thus then we see Li. 50. Homiliarum Homil 14. there is not any necessity in this argument God rewardeth the good worke with glory and immortality therefore the worke hath merited that rewarde And this is the answere also to his thirde argument out of these wordes of saint Matthew Matth. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you c. For I was an hungred and yee gaue me meat c. We confesse that God rewardeth good workes and that is all that canne be proued out of these wordes But this reward is not giuen in respect of the worke but chiefly in regarde of Gods promise And the rather also it is accepted because of that spirit of regeneration from whence the worke commeth But in the place alleadged by him out of the reuelation he dealeth not sincerely For thus doth hee cite it These are they that came out of great tribulation Apoc. 7.14 therfore they are in the presence of the throne of God 15 But saint Iohn hath thus set it downe These are they that came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes and haue made their long robes white in the bloud of the Lamb. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God Not because they came out of tribulation but because they did wash their robes in the bloud of the Lamb That is in the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord as saith saint Augustine Deceitfullie therefore did maister Bellarmine leaue out the true cause of their being in the presence of God In apoc Hom. 6. that he might for fortifying of his errour set downe that which was no cause of their being with God for the true cause Seeking rather by Sophistry to beguile than with sound learning to teach His fourth sort of places are such as speak of the iustice of Gods iudgement and out of them he maketh this argument God in iustice rewardeth good works therefore good workes are meritorious Maister Bellarmine doth as many euill Captaines doe that deceiue the Prince who when they haue not men enough of their owne against the muster will borrow some souldiars of some other to make out their number but when they encounter the enemie their borrowed souldiars are not there to fight for them or to doe any seruice they were but borrowed to make a shew in the muster Euen so falleth it out with maister Bellarmine He maketh a shew of many proofes But of al these which are brought in heere there is not one that proueth directly that God in iustice rewardeth good workes He proueth by them especially that Gods iudgement is iust which we deny not but say with Ieremie O Lord are not thine eies vpon the truth Ier. 5.3 And therefore these testimonies are to that effect that were the testimonies alleadged in his second argument ◠Thess 1.4.5.6 and are there answered The effect of that he saith in the two first places is this It is a token of Gods righteous iudgement ◠Tim. 4.7 ◠that he dealeth well with the Godlie To this end also is that out of saint Paul to Timothy I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord that righteous iudge shall giue me at that day We neuer denied either God to be a righteous iudge or his iudgements to be iust What then will our aduersaries inferre Must he therfore iudge according to the worthines of our worke Iob. 9.3 Psal 130.3 God forbid For if God woulde dispute with man hee were not able to answere one thing for a thousand And if the Lord should straightly marke our iniquities who should be able to abide it And therefore now there is no way for vs but to make our humble suit vnto God as doth Dauid Psal 143.1 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified And yet he is iust yea and so iust that he will not suffer sinne vnpunished But rather then he should not be satisfied for the same to the vttermost he gaue his sonne to satisfie for the same euen to make recompence for vs. So that our sinne the punishment whereof our selues could not beare is punished to the vttermost in Iesus Christ And by this satisfaction which Christ hath made for vs we may stand without feare before Gods iudgement seat and plead not guilty Because that he in whom God is well pleased hath paid our debt And seeing that Christ hath once made satisfaction for our sins it were against Gods iustice to punish vs for the same And thus we see how Gods iustice in iudgment is an vnspeakeable comforte to our consciences assuring vs that God looketh not vpon vs in his iudgment as we are in our selues but as wee are belonging to his sonne Christ Neither yet doth he weigh the merite of our workes but how they are made acceptable through Christ who hath merited by his death passiō eternal life for al them that beleeue in him He looketh not I saie what we haue done but what Christ hath done And it is iust he should so doe for he was content to take him to be our suerty And this is also for the vnderstanding of the fourth place alleadged by maister Bellarmine Heb. 6.10 For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke In which place Gods righteousnes is taken for his truth and faithfulnes in keeping promise that he is as good as his word and will rewarde euery good worke that is done for his sake but not for the merit of the worke but for his owne mercy That which is alleadged out of Saint Iames answereth it selfe Iames. 1.12 if M. Bellarmine had not stopped S. Iames his breath too sone Blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life saith S. Iames. But it followeth which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And of this master Bellarmine saith nothing And yet saint Iames saith plainly that that which they receiue it is
according to promise And out of the reuelation Apoc. 2.10 Be thou faithful vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life How can he proue merites out of it Is this a good argument I will giue thee therefore thou hast deserued it Two or three places more he there alleadgeth but out of that I haue said it is easie to answere them His fift sort of places are such as promise to good workes eternall life And out of them he reasoneth thus Promise of rewarde for a worke doeth make that he that doth the worke maie bee saide to merite his rewarde That the reward is due but yet not deserued I shewed before in the answere to his first argument and I need not heere to repeat it His sixt argument is taken from those places that speake of our worthines and are of two sortes 2. Thess 1.5 Luc. 20.35 For two of them namely that That yee maie be counted worthy of the kingdome of God and that also They shal be counted worthy to inioy that world and the resurrection of the dead doe answere themselues For that may be accounted worthy which of it selfe is not so in truth As in our workes is seene which are accounted of not as they proceed from vs but as they are presented before God in the name of Christ and their imperfection couered with his perfect obedience The other two places seeme more pertinent to his purpose but yet being rightlie vnderstood prooue nothing for him The first is in the booke of wisedome which booke although it is not Canonicall yet because the place alleadged seemeth like vnto the words that he alleadgeth out of the reuelation they may both receiue one answere Wisdom 3.5 Apocal. 3.4 God proueth them and findeth them worthy for himselfe The other place is They shall walke with me in white for they are worthy First that this worthines doth many times signifie an aptnes or fitnes it cannot be denied Who saith Salomon can iudge 2. Cron. 1.10 this thy great people worthily Where by worthely he meaneth not as they deserue for they were a stubborne and bad people many times but as is fit or meete to gouerne them And so the Apostle willeth vs to walke worthy of God worthy of our calling worthy of the gospell that is as becommeth Gods children them that are called and fit for the professours of the gospell And this fitnes is said to be in vs in respect of the new man that is begun within vs not in respect of perfection that we doe or can attaine vnto And yet if we should indeed be worthy we must be perfect which heere we cannot be And in this sence you see his argument hath no necessity Men are worthy of loue that is fit to loued therefore they haue deserued it for this fitnesse is not of themselues Secondly although we be called worthy in respect of our election in Christ or in respect of the fruits of the spirite which God commendeth in vs although they haue their wants that we might not be discouraged but go on forwards in the wayes of godlinesse yet this argument will not hold We are worthy of loue therefore our workes haue deserued this loue or made vs worthy For our worthinesse hangeth nothing vpon our works but that God wil vouch vs to be so esteemed But in respect of our works we must confesse with the prophet Dauid Psal 53.3 There is none that doth good no not one And therefore we must pleade euen the best of vs mercy and forgiuenesse not merite or worthinesse Super Cantic ser 61. My merit saith Saint Bernard is the Lordes mercy neither am I without merite so long as hee is not without mercie His seuenth argument is grounded vpon those places of scripture that say that God accepteth no persons But must he needes therefore respect the worthinesse of the worke If there be with him no difference betweene Iew and Gentile bond or free male or female must merites needes be established I haue often said that God respecteth vs and our workes but not for our goodnesse but for his mercy sake For this must needs be true that S. Paul teacheth vs according to the consent of the scripturs that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Rom. 3 2◠Therefore as saith S. August let mans merits be silent which were lost through Adam De praedest Sanct. ca. 1◠and let the grace of God through Iesus Christ raigne as indeede it doth raigne Now for the Fathers if I should answer to euery testimony alleadged out of them it would be too long especially considering how largely I haue already handled this question Onely thus much woulde I admonish the christian Reader that when he readeth them he should remember they be but men Dial. 3. Impatib And if Theodoret said truly of the doctrines of the church the decrees of the church are to be prooued and not to be pronounced in maner of a iudgement then how much more should we reiect whatsoeuer any men speake without a good warrant Then also as they were men so were many of them great Philosophers might somwhat perchance smel of that infection speake more of mans worthines than had bin expedient for christian religion Aduersus Hermog Orat. 21. In so much as not without great cause did Tertull. cal philosophers The patriarchs of heretikes And G. Nazian cōpareth the subtilties of philosophy which he saith came vnhappily into the church vnto the whips wherewith the Aegyptians did scourge the Israelits Ser. de Arian In which kind of reasoning the tongue fighteth the words are speares the speech is the sword there is no end of contention all the day long as the same father saith in an other place And no maruel for the Philosopher is gloriae animal De anima euen the creature of glory as Tertull writeth No doubt therfore but they might be somwhat caried away with her intising words especially to thinke wel of that thēselues do Thirdly as I haue said in the former chapter the absurdities of thē that did teach that God moued man wrought in or by him as a workeman might do in or by a stocke or stone they not hauing so much as will thereto made the fathers to speake more not only of mans freewil as before I taught but also of the reward of them that worke according to the same And that this did the rather moue the fathers to speake somwhat too largely vpon this matter vnlesse they be warely red it may be gathered euen by that place that M. Bella. out of Origen alleadgeth Lib. 2. in Rom. in ca. 2. first saith he let heretikes be excluded that say that the nature of soules is good or bad let thē heare that God wil reward them not according to their nature but according to their merits Now cōcerning the vnderstāding of these words Rom
also that we should performe to no other but to him those seruices and offices that are due vnto God amongst which inuocation or praier is one Secondly that commandement which more particularly toucheth this point Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee is flatly broken if we doe call vpon any other Thirdly the prophet Dauid doeth seeme to make it a property belonging to God only to heare our praiers Thou that hearest our praiers to thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 And therefore if wee will be heard we must pray to God only Fourthly Cont. Arian Orat. 2. Athanasius proueth Christ to be God because he is praied vnto in distresse Whose argument had not beene good if any other besides God might haue beene praied vnto Fiftly faith only belongeth to this life so that the Saintes haue it not in the life to come De iustif li. 2. cap. 4. 7. as maister Bellarmine himselfe affirmeth very truely but praier without faith auaileth not and How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Therefore the saints after this life cannot pray for vs or at the least their praiers cannot auaile Sixtly as it is not an office laid vpon the saints to pray for vs in all the scriptures so they regard nothing in the life to come but only Gods glory as may appeare by the exercise of singing praise to God only as in the Apocalips manie times is ascribed vnto them So little care they haue of their owne priuate estate much lesse of our affaires but of those things only that belong to gods glory Thus then we see concerning this first point in controuersie concerning praier that we must not pray vnto any creature but to God only De beatitud Sanct. li. 1. cap. 19. Popish argumentes for inuocation Gen. 48.16 But yet let vs see how M. Bellar. wil proue that we maie praie to the creatures Iacob saith of Iosephs children The angell that deliuered me from all euill blesse the children therefore Iacob praieth vnto the angel That which there he calleth the angel is God as appeareth not only by the words because before he called him God but also Chrysostome expounding this place vers 15. In Genes Hom. 66. Iob. 5.1 not once naming the angell maketh him to aske al these things of God And that which he alleadgeth out of Iob is of like force Call now if any will answere thee and to which of the saints wilt thou turne for many of the Hebrews vnderstand this of the saints that are aliue as if he had said what good man is of thy mind or wil take thy part Some expounde this place of the angels but so as they make Eliphaz to aske this question to whom amongst the angels Iob wil turne scoffingly As if he had said if thou shouldst aske of them it were in vaine they would not answer thee But howsoeuer it is it is certaine that heere is no mention of inuocation or praier vnto the angels Philippus Presbiter in Iob. but rather as it seemeth by Phillippus Presbiter vpon this place a taunting reproofe of Iob if he beleeued not Eliphaz his words But howsoeuer it is expounded heere is no good argument for inuocation or praier vnto angels For the Godly haue often turned themselues vnto the angels but not to pray vnto them As for that that Moses said Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy seruantes Exod. 32.13 respecteth not the merits of these fathers but the promise made to them as in that place appeareth for it followeth To whome thou swarest by thine owne selfe and saidst to them I wil multiply your seede Which words doe plainely burden God with his promise made to them Neither doth that which maister Bellarmine alleadgeth out of Theodoret proue any thing ◠o the contrary For he saith that Moses vsed the helpe or defence of these patriarkes And why not rather in respect of Gods promise which we know hee is able and ready to performe then of their merits Theod. quest 67. in Exod. So that if there were any inuocation or praier to them as there is not it is onlie a request that God will remember them and therefore this place belongeth not to the matter now in question but if there were any praier vnto them we see that it cannot bee concluded out of this place that Moses would haue God to regarde their merites But maister Bellarmine will helpe the matter with a testimonie out of the Psalmes Lord remember Dauid and al his kindnes Psal 131.2 There saith maister Bellarmine Salomon praieth in respect of his father Dauids merits but the word vpon which his whole argument dependeth that heere is translated kindnes may be trāslated Affliction And S. Hierom trāslating the psalms according to the Hebrew doth so translate it And how can he thinke with such vncertaine proofe to make good so bad a cause But I hasten to that argument that coulde neuer yet be answered for so maister Bellarmine saith And it is this We may desire them that are aliue to pray for vs therefore we maie pray to the saints that are departed If maister Bellarmine had not liked so well of this argument I should not haue thought it worth any answere For to praie one for another whilest we are aliue is both warranted and commaunded of God but to praie to them that are gone wee haue neither commaundement nor promise And there is greate difference betweene praiers which the papists woulde make to them that are dead and such requestes as the godlie haue made or we may make to them that are aliue to praie for vs. But maister Bellarmine will strengthen his argument by remoouing the causes that maie hinder this inuocation or rather their intercession for vs. First if wee saie they will not praie for vs hee answereth they haue greater loue than they had and therefore they will But what manner of loue they haue to vs ward is not described in the Scriptures And therefore we cannot of that their loue which is vncertaine gather any certaine argument But sure I am their loue towards God and our sauiour Christ is so great that they will not rob either God of his glory or Christ of his office of mediation And they cannot pray for vs because as before I haue shewed euen out of maister Bellarmine that they want faith And whether they know that we pray or not it is vncertaine As for the wrong that is done vnto God if any but he be praied vnto which maister Bellarmine imagineth to be the fourth let why they cannot pray for vs he answereth that if that be any hinderance to Gods glory Coloss 2.23 it also is against Gods glory that they who are aliue should request other to pray for them Which his answere how foolish it is the very wemen and children maie easily perceiue how the one hath commandement the other must
saint Augustine by this prison meaneth hell De salut docu cap. 64 from whence the sinner shall neuer come Now what is this to purgatorie The fift place alledged by master Bellarmine is out of the same chapter Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother c. Here master Bellarmine gathereth out of S. August that all these punishments belong to the life to come Then also that there are three sorts of sinnes De ser dom in mont li. ◠He might also haue told vs out of S. Augu. that in Gods iudgement anger that is the least of these sinnes deserueth hell But that maketh against purgatory and therefore he would not see it And it is most certaine that our sauiour Christ there teacheth vs that the cōmandement Thou shalt not kill is sundry waies broken Neither can out of these words be gathered that there must be satisfaction after this life which Bellar. would proue Moreouer he reasoneth out of S. Luke Make you friends of riches of iniquitie Luke 16.9 that when you shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations If by friends in this place we should vnderstand the saints yet it maketh not for purgatory as may appeare For in this argumēt there can be no necessarie cōsequence The saints must receiue vs into heauen therfore we must go by purgatory but the saints cānot neither must they haue that honor giuē to thē that they shuld receiue vs into the euerlasting habitations Mat. 25.34 it is Christ that must say Come ye blessed He must giue that inheritance that hath bought it with his pretious bloud or else a man may giue it vnto the wicked that shall neuer come there or to such as out liue him neither of which can bee there to receiue him By al which reasons it appeareth that in those words our sauior Christ doth but allude vnto such as whilest they haue ability doe make others their friends So would hee haue vs whom God hath made his stewards with well vsing of our riches to please God that hee also of his gratious goodnes may shew mercy to vs. Luk. 23.42 Seuēthly Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome saide the thiefe that was put to death with Christ therefore saieth maister Bellarmine he thought that sinnes might be after this life remitted So that this is his meaning as the papistes would perswade vs remember me that is let me be praied for when I am dead Vers 43. But they doe not remember how Christ promised he should not come in purgatory but be with him euen that day in Paradise His eight place He loosed the sorrows of death so it is in greeke Act. 2.24 but M. Bellarmine that hee might get an argument out of that place woulde haue vs reade the sorrowes of hell It is not worth answering because hee must alter the wordes or els he must haue one argument fewer than hee looked for His last place himselfe misliketh and thinketh it not to proue any thing for them and therefore I will not speake of it Now for their argumentes out of the fathers hee that will but indifferentlie consider of them shall finde the fathers to be in this point verie vncertaine And the question being amongst vs whether purgatory bee a catholicke doctrine wee haue not to regard what they in their priuate and doubtful opinions doe set downe but what with one consent and constantly they teach Seeing therefore that neither the fathers with one consent teach it neither themselues knowe well what to saie of it as in many places of maister Bellarmine his two bookes of purgatory may appeare I wil conclude with that golden saying taken out of Gelasius a pope We reade that Christ raised the dead Causa 24. Q. 2. ca. legitur but that hee absolued such as died in error wee doe not reade And afterwardes speaking of the authority of binding and loosing giuen in those words Math. 16 1◠Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon earth shall bee loosed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth c. Gelasius thus inferreth In earth saith he for he that is dead being bound he said not that he should be absolued or loosed An abridgement of Vincentius Lirinensis with some obseruations vpon the saide Author CHAP. 32. NOw in steede of a conclusion vnto this treatise of controuersies I haue thought good to draw into a briefe summe that booke of Vincentius Lyrinensis against heresies which is so much alleadged against vs. Whom because they so confidently produce against vs in defence of their cause I take his authority to be so much the stronger against them that euen by the iudgement of their owne witnes for so they recken him they may bee conuinced of newnesse and falshood in their doctrine and of vntruth in challenging to their errours the name of catholicke faith and to themselues of catholicke men or women But before I come to the treatise it selfe that we may the better vnderstand vpon what occasion he so greatly accounteth of the ancient tradition of holy men for the interpretation of the scriptures first wee must perswade our selues that this learned father coulde not bee ignoraunt of that way to finde out the true meaning of the scriptures which the godly fathers a little before his time had set downe namely by conferring one place with another and by waying the circumstances of the place it selfe As S. Hillary de trin li. 1. Ambr. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. Hierom vpon Esay 19.1 Basil in reg breu quaest 267. Chrysostome vpon Gen. hom 12. And saint Augustine in many places haue plainly taught Neither yet must we imagine that Vincentius contrary to that which himselfe teacheth throughout this whole booke would that this his rule shoulde bee accounted the onlie way to finde out the trueth of Gods worde and that which so many before him with such a ful consent haue taught vs shoulde bee reiected Therefore it is cettaine that his meaning is to such godly waies as others before him haue vsed for trial of the truth to adde this also as a rule that may bee profitable and doe much good if it bee vsed wisely and truly considered of And the rather did hee teach vs this way because the Pelagians so boldly and confidently preferred their newe doctrine before the ancient faith whereof this authour complaineth fol. 15. And Nestorius condemned all that were before him as if they knew nothing in comparison of himselfe as wee maie see fol. 54. For this cause Vincentius teacheth vs in this his booke which hee therefore calleth Commonitorium an admonition or caueat to auoid the new deuises of priuate men and to holde fast the ancient faith of the vniuersal church And yet although Vincentius Lyrinensis did then see that that which was then catholicke and auncient it was also true and therefore that then it was a good rule to trie doctrines by yet the argument of the Church of
haue too good experience heereof For meekenesse some call it but I take it to bee an excessiue want either of care or courage in the Lordes cause hath brought these countries to that passe that the sinnes of the countrey as murder whoredome thefts and spoiling do abound more than euer they did for many yeeres As for recusants not men onely and women but euen in sundry places the children also either may not or will not come at the church And that more is and to be wondered at there are that dare reprooue them that will perfourme that duety And yet the church of Rome hath not much to brag of this their plentifull haruest as in many of their bookes they doe for it is full of filthy weedes For euen the better sort of them rest vpon I knowe not what name of conscience without any reason of their religion or ground of their faith And they being deceiued through their ignorance doe fall into the pit which false teachers as ignorant almost as themselues haue made to catch thē in And though amongst thē that do professe religion there are too many that doe know too little yet for them to seeme to haue a better perswasion in religion than the common sort who haue scarce so much knowledge as the common sort hath to ground their religion vpon is a great skorne Yea many there are whose conscience as it is thought will serue them some to take their neighbours horse cow oxe or sheepe by stealth some to beare with and winke at such as doe such things and yet their conscience will not suffer them to come to the church Others haue conscience that will suffer them to liue in continuall whordome and to lead a most filthie life euen almost in the sight of the sunne but to shew themselues dutifull to God and man it will not suffer them Seeing therfore that as in a sore if the surgeon forbear to search it to the quicke it doth but corrupt and putrifie so in this our malady nothing hath so much increased the same as too much lenity there is now no other way to mend that is amisse but by some due punishments to beate downe the pride of the obstinate and to restraine their insolencie I meane not that life or limme of anie should be touched for religion only vnlesse perchaunce the word of God expreslie doe commaund it for as mildnesse hath been a precious ornament to her maiesties person So I am well assured that it hath beene as a strong pillar to vpholde her estate Prou. 20.28 For mercie and truth preserue the king and his throne shal be established with mercie yet would I haue manie pittied rather than one That is that one or some few should rather be punished than whole multitudes by too much gentlenesse should be imboldened to follow that which is euil Neither are the punishments for religion by our law of such qualitie as that there is iust cause to complaine of the rigour of the same although the papistes that they may seeme to haue a great number of martyrs and confessours with manie a loude lie crie out against the crueltie that is vsed amongst vs. Restraint of libertie only would not in the late time of persecution in Queene Maries daies haue beene thought crueltie when most sharpe and vncomfortable imprisonments and in the ende cruel death was thought too little for them that could not be charged with any thing but onely dissenting in religion from the Church of Rome The paiment of a little money would then haue beene thought an easie redemption for the libertie of conscience and these are the most grieuous punishments that our lawe in such case hath set downe And that these chasticements should nowe with some seueritie be executed it is high time when as so many vpon a meere will or to please some other will not sticke to reuolt from that holy profession which once they followed Yea it seemeth vnto me a necessarie policie that that penal statute against recusants should more seuerely be executed not onely to haue the greater treasure in store for the necessarie defence of the realme but also to withdrawe from hollow hearted subiects that wherewith they do either vnmeasurablie inrich and furnish themselues against that euil day which so long they haue looked for or in the mean time relieue bad persons to be trumpets of rebellion For howsoeuer those lying spirits blow it abroad that catholiks for so they falsely tearme them are in most cruell maner persecuted in England for religion yet it is most certaine that there are an infinite number of knowne and stubborne recusants among vs that feele no smart at all Which thing also I would wish that by some meanes they might bee made publikely to confesse therby to confute and confound the shamelesse slaunders of their lying masters And such as are imprisoned can not iustly complaine of want of anie thing necessarie vnlesse it be libertie They are not forced to lie vpon the ground or to sit vneasilie in the stockes They are not loaden with boltes and fetters or anie other way cruelly handled as many good men were in the dayes of our late persecution No no we willingly leaue those cruel torments to the bloudie papists to that purple Harlot that sitteth at Rome who is euen drunken with the blood of the saints and hath a delight to torment and make hauocke of the people of God Lib. 2. To such as Dinothus in his storie of the warres of Fraunce speaketh of For hee reporteth that when the papists that sauage generation had woonne Aurasia they spared no sexe no age no estate no not sucking babes they deuised new those cruell torments for to kil only cannot suffice that catholike humor And towarde women when they were dead they passed the limits I will not say of christianitie or of humane modesty but they shewed themselues more beastly thā beasts And that they might the rather be incoraged impudently to commit all these excesses they had a fit watchword for their purpose which did both shew their meaning and with what spirit they were guided which was this I curse god thrice O catholike watch word It seemeth they were at defiance not with good men only but with God also Of like beastly cruelty also and shamelesse despiting of the dead bodies the same authour writeth in the verie latter end of that his second booke euen such as anie man excepting Romish catholiks would be ashamed to commit But the more shameles in crueltie that they are the more like them selues For if we will beleeue euen their owne stories we shall find that they alwaies made litle accoumpt of that which is pretious in Gods sight Such crueltie I say beseemeth that popish crue but we hate and detest the same We are content if they be not dangerous to the state that they liue at ease and in libertie also so long as it confirmeth not themselues in their errour
so especially such great blasphemies as this as hath with it a manifest contempt of God and his worde bringeth for the most parte a generall destruction Prou. 8.15 If Princes therefore bee Gods lieutenantes and supply his roome as indeede they doe if by him they beare rule as Salomon affirmeth it is their dutie to watch all opportunities to reforme if it maie be or else to roote out their maisters enemies and to imploy their whole power in defence of his glorie who setteth them in honour establisheth their authority subdueth vnto them their subiectes giueth peace in their lande when neede is if it seeme good to him vanquisheth their enemies to bee shorte without whom they haue no power Let it neuer bee saide that in a lande wherein the gospell is so constantly and zealously professed and by so many godlie lawes established it shall bee lawfull for some seduced but very selfe-willed folkes such as recusantes are for the most parte to reiect it without all feare of punishment or for a prophane crew such are these Atheistes to blaspheme God without controlement If wee loue the truth let vs with courage set our selues against the enemies therof If wee feare God truely let vs also feare to bee partakers of their sinnes that will not acknowledge him But priuate persons that allowe or doe not reprooue Magistrates that doe not refourme such sinnes are partakers thereof Rowze vp your selues therefore O Christian magistrats be zealous in his cause that is so louing to you Be faithful vnto him that neuer deceiued any that trusted in him Beate downe sinne maintaine the trueth cherish the godlie against all popish heretickes against all prophane Atheistes that such as doe euill may feare and know that Magistrats beare not the sword for naught Rom. 13.4 Thinke it to be the best pollicie to serue the Lord sincerely For so Moses teacheth the Israelites but his lesson is not of many politickes well learned Keepe therefore saith he and do them for that is your wisedome And that it is no wisdome to be colde or carelesse in Gods cause Deut. 4.6 for it procureth his wrath for Cursed be he that doeth the worke of the Lorde negligently Yea and when God will haue his iudgementes sharpely executed Ierem. 48.10 Cursed be he that keepeth backe his sworde from bloud And as those are accursed that doe not execute those sharpe iudgementes of God against his enemies so shall not they bee free from wrath that are too remisse in inflicting of gentler punishmentes when occasion requireth Serue the Lorde therefore and he wil saue you Defend his cause and he wil defend you Rest not vpon your owne strength or pollicie do his wil faithfully and he will not faile you So shal you bring safety and quietnesse to your selues and Gods blessing vpon your people Whereas on the contrary if such despisers of God and his trueth be not in some reasonable sort brideled and reformed God is by such want of zeale prouoked the offendours by such remisnesse are incouraged in their euil and manie not euill persons are much discouraged from their dutiful obedience to God and man The Lord therefore open the eies of our christian Magistrates and giue them wisedome that they maie see and wisely consider of these things The Lorde I say by his holie spirite worke in their heartes so earnest a zeale to Gods trueth that they may as in duty they ought seeke sincerely to maintaine the same and to growe not in knowledge onlie and outwarde profession Psal 78 7â— but in practise also and holy conuersation That as Dauid did feede the people according to the simplicity of his heart and guide them by the discretion of his handes so they may walke euery one in their place and calling vprightly and with a sincere hearte before the Lorde to guide their people in the good waies to bring them to the wholsome pastures that they and we their subiects may with one heart serue Christ our Lord here and raigne with him else-where to whom with the father and the holyghost be al honor and glory now and for euer FINIS