doubt it for reuelation and miracle I am sure he can shew none because the miracles of his Legend which is all he can pleade concerne not him that neuer had them and yet he thinketh his holinesse and the holinesse of his people is a good marke of the Catholicke Church It is false therefore that he saith No man by his outward workes without miracle can be certaine he hath faith or charitie For c 1. Ioh. 3.7 Saint Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous as God is righteous And Saint Iames d Iac. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works And our blessed Sauiour e Mat. 7.16 By their fruites ye shal know them f Luc. 6 43. It is not a good tree that bringeth forth euill fruite nor an euill tree that bringeth forth good fruite For men gather not figs of thornes nor grapes of thistles A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill And if charitie cannot be proued to be present by our workes because it is a thing hidden secretly within vs then no cause can be proued or knowne by the effects and no physitian can know the inward state of the bodie by the outward signes which were absurd And the word of God calling vpō vs g Mat. 5.16 to let our light so shine afore mē that they may see our good workes and h 2. Pet. 1.10 bidding vs thereby to make our election sure and promising an abundant entrance into Christs kingdome to all that follow vertue temperance patience c. should deceiue vs if when we had taken paines in so doing we could not be assured that our workes arise from faith without which faith no worke were good nor could minister any argument of our saluation to vs. 4 Our workes therefore being not founded on mens traditions as popish workes are nor directed to a false end but done according to the direction of the word and for the glory of God in the faith of Iesus Christ without any opinion of perfection either to iustifie vs or to merit or satisfie thereby are good workes and infallibly secure the doers that they haue true charitie and are the true Saints of God though they haue no miracles nor other reuelation then this of Gods spirit renewing them For of such workes our aduersaries themselues say i Tho. lect 4. in Gal. 3. They are the execution and manifestation of our righteousnes Yea the Diuines of Colen affirme expresly against that which the Iesuite here saith k Antididag Colon. pag 30. that we rely not principally vpon our inherent righteousnesse because it is vnperfect but thereby as by a certaine inward experiment we are certified of the remission of our sins who feele and proue in our selues such a renouation of our spirit and that the perfect iustice of Christ is imputed to vs and that so Christ by faith dwelleth in vs. In which words affirming the experiment and certificat that Gods children haue within them and the feeling of their renouatiō and Christ dwelling in them by faith all which they say ariseth from their workes they make it plaine how false and friuolous it is that the Iesuite assumeth that no man without reuelation or miracles can infallibly know whether he haue true faith and loue or not And I will make it yet plainer in the Digression following Digression 43. Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and are in the state of saluation 5 For to the place of Eccles 9.1 I answer first the Iesuite hath misalledged it For the Hebrew is thus No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before him And I care not though his Trent-vulgar-latine be as he alledgeth it for the Hebrew is the onely authenticall text and not the Latin whereof themselues haue a base conceit though the Councell of Trent haue canonized it For Dominicus Bannez l In 1. par The. q. 1. art 8. dub 4 reporteth that since this decree there are not wanting many great men in the Church of Rome that take vpon them to correct and censure it and say the interpreter missed it fouly in many things And himselfe is of the same mind and acknowledgeth that being at last conuinced by his owne experience he iudgeth the Hebrew text vncorrupt What vanitie therefore is it in our aduersaries to alledge a translation which themselues despise as corrupt and vicious Secondly to the words I answer that Salomon doth not say that No man can simply know the loue or hatred of God to him but in a compound sence that No man can know it by the outward euents of this life the which hindereth not but it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods spirit renewing vs as Catharinus himselfe a Papist expoundeth it and this is it that we say m Rom. 5.5 Gal. 4.6 Gods loue is shed in our hearts and made knowne to vs by the holy Ghost 6 To the place of Prou. 20.9 I say briefly that it proueth euidently against the Iesuit that no man can keepe Gods commandements because he cannot make his heart cleane from sinne but it toucheth not the assurance of grace because grace is and infallibly knowne to be where the heart beginneth to be cleansed though yet as it neuer shal be in this life it be not perfectly cleane For we are not assured that charitie and faith dwell in vs by this that our hearts are perfectly cleane for then the text had bene against vs but by this that they are free from hypocrisie and begin to be cleansed and dayly increase therein 7 The manner how we know we haue grace and shall be saued is by the meanes of the holy Ghost whose worke it is to assure vs the which he doth first by producing in vs the effects of sauing grace and predestination which is the constant reforming of our life within and without Whereupon it followeth that he which giueth himselfe effectually and stedfastly to a godly life may infallibly be secured thereby of his saluatiō because God whose promises are infallible n Rom. 8.13 Heb. 5.9 hath vowed saluation to all such Next by infusing or inspiring into vs the motion of assurance and by inclining our heart to giue consent to the promises of the Gospell The which inspiration is a supernaturall work of God created in vs by the outward meanes of the word and the inward operation of his Spirit consisting in a certaine knowledge and feeling that we haue of Gods good pleasure toward vs when once we truly beleeue And as the eye in seeing hath a certaine propertie annexed that it knoweth it seeth so faith and grace in whom soeuer it is hath this condition that it knoweth it selfe to be such and it not onely
Christs merits yet by this that I haue shewed it appeareth they meane no lesse and are our enemies in this question for no other cause but for that we beleeue it not knowing wel enough we teach true repentance and satisfaction as I haue described it though we thinke our workes haue no power to expiate nor the Priest authoritie to enioyne them nor a pardon any vertue to absolue vs by applying any satisfaction to vs. 31 Wherein we do iustly both reprehend and refuse them as vile and sacrilegious blasphemers of the crosse of Christ climing vnder m Procul dubio enim magnopere à peccato reuocant quasi fraeno quodam coërcent hae satisfactoriae poenae Conc. Trident. ses 4. c. 8. sub Iul. pretence of bridling men from sinne after him n Esa 14 14. that said I will ascend aboue the height of the cloudes and I will be like the most high For first o Esa 53.5 Psa 32.2 Heb. 1 3. Rom. 8.1 1. Pet 2.24 the Scripture attributeth our whole redemption and reconciliation to Christ wherein is included our deliuerance both from sinne and punishment Inasmuch as there is no sinne or punishment so small but the breach and curse of the law containeth it p Rom. 10.4 2. Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 which Christ took vpon him to satisfie And to ioyne our own penance with this satisfaction maketh two satisfactions the one that Christ did the other that our selues do whereby God shall be made vniust in punishing one sinne twise ouer Or if as some say the satisfaction be but one it is Christs so we satisfie not or ours and so Christ satisfieth not or Christs and ours both and so we diuide the honour with him which is blasphemy 32 Next a worke before it can satisfie must haue three qualities which are so necessary q Suar. tom 1. disp 4. sect 6. that Christs owne obedience could not haue satisfied his Father without them First that it be our owne goods and not the gift of God For his free gift cannot tie him to reward it euery time it is vsed and all our good deedes r 1. Cor. 4.7 2. Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2 13. are the free gift of God we being vnable to do them by our owne will or power Next that it be due no other way which our workes are not for Å¿ Eph 2.10 Luc. 17.10 we are created to walke in them and if we had neuer sinned yet we owe them all to the law of God and it is madnesse to thinke that may satisfie an offence which was due to the law if the offence had neuer bene done Thirdly that it be of equall proportion with the trespasse Which no worke is because no worke is of infinite goodnesse as t Peccatum veâ—â—â—lâ—e eâ—t insi â—â—tae mâ—â— iae Alm 〈◊〉 Moral tract 3. c. 2â— euery sinne is of infinite wickednesse and euery punishment due to sinne of infinite effect if it be not staid The Protestants therfore haue reason to disclaime all confidence in such works as the ancient fathers in all ages haue done For Chrysostome u Homil. de Philogo saith If thou depart from thy former sinnes with all thy heart and truely promise God that thou wilt turne no more to them he will require nothing else for any further satisfaction And x In Luc. 22. ser 46. Ambrose I haue read of Peters teares but his satisfaction I read not And y De domo inter c. 1. Bernard This is a condigne satisfaction to amend our liues and when they are mended to sinne no more 33 And I do not beleeue the Papists in good earnest hold their satisfaction of such necessitie though sometime they speake zealously for it when the pardoner wanteth money For then their Church would neuer haue z Aperta est in ecclesia â—anua poenitentiae redemptionis Baro. tom 11. an 1055. n. 9. opened her doores so wide to let satisfaction out and pardons in which is a signe she loueth the price of a pardon better then her doctrine of satisfaction And the opening of this doore letteth in more libertie then the Protestants refusall of satisfaction specially as the Popes vse to open it For a Theod. à Niem de â—cism l. 1. c. 68. pag. 29. it is written of Boniface the ninth That he sent into diuers kingdomes his treasurers with pardons and Buls who extorted thereby very great summes of money from the simple people that in some one Prouince they would get together an hundred thousand Florenes releasing all offences whatsoeuer without any penance and dispensing with all irregularities For it is a ruled case b Suar. tom 4. disp 50. sect 3. inde Henriq summor l. 7. tract de indulgent That all satisfactory punishments may be released by a pardon and c Tax Cancell apostolic the Court of Rome hath an order containing the price to be paid for all kinde of sinnes murther incest parricide sodomy sacriledge c. Aquinas d Supplem in 3. part q. 25. art 1. saith Christ might release the fault without any satisfaction and so might Paul therefore so may the Pope Yea e Magist l. 4. d. 17. § Quid ergo Boz de sign eccl l. 16 c. 7. they hold a man may be released without a pardon also by contrition and humility of heart Panormitan f De poeâ—itent remiss c. Nouit qui. saith A man may be inwardly so penitent and contrite that he shall need no satisfaction at all but may be absolued presently without any penance doing And another g Glossator Panorm c. licet de poenit remiss saith He hath heard of many Diuines that a sinner may be so sorowfull for his sinne that without any other satisfaction in this world and without any liberalitie of his Prelate or punishment in Purgatorie he shall obtaine eternall life through the great mercie of God Thus they that so zealouslly reprehend vs for teaching repentance and faith in the sole merits of Christ against humane satisfaction are driuen to the same point themselues and yet will not confesse it 34 The which truth in all ages hath so preuailed against them that labouring by their conceit of satisfaction to obscure it yet could they neuer agree in teaching it nor for their liues offer vs any certaintie but dazled therewith like birds in the snow or as the Sodomites smitten with blindnesse at Lots doore they know not which way to go Onely they agree in this to raile at the Protestants but what they would haue vs beleeue themselues know not For by what workes must we satisfie h Paludens 4. d. 15. One answereth by none that are otherwise due Yes saith i Nauarr man c. 3 nu 4. another If a man do them not onely to pay his debt thereby but also to satisfie as if our intent could giue the worke any other condition then the law requireth And who
horses a Bishop of ten yeares old and made Bishops for mony He put out his godfathers eyes cut off his Cardinals members one mans tongue he cut out and maimed two Cardinals more cutting off ones nose and anothers hand t Anton. chro part 2. tit 16. c. 1. § 16. Fascic temp an 944. Baron ann 964. n. 17. in the end as he was committing adultery with a mans wife he was sodainly slaine by the diuell and died without repentance 10 I could giue the like exaÌ„ples of many more but Alexander the sixt that was Pope about one hundred yeares ago shall serue the turne Machiauel u De Principe c. 18. writeth of him that he did nothing but play the deceiuer of mankinde he gaue his mind to nothing but villany and fraud whereby to deceiue men * Onuph vit Alex. vi Guicci hist l. 1. He got the Papacie by Simony buying the consent of the Cardinals that after smarted for it The king of Naples signified to the queene his wife with teares when he heard of his election that there was a Pope created who would be the bane of Italie and of the whole commonweale of Italy y Stultissime PontificeÌ„ creatum exitio tandem cunctis futurum non falsi vates denuntiarunt Onuph the which was also the generall conceit of all men Guicciardin z Lib. 6. saith He was a Serpent that with his poysoned infidelitie and horrible examples of crueltie luxury and monstrous couetousnesse selling without distinction things holy and profane had infected all the world a Lib. 1. His manners and customes were dishonest little sinceritie in his administrations no shame in his face small truth in his words little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions All his actions were defiled with vnsatiable couetousnesse immoderate ambition barbarous crueltie He was not ashamed contrary to the custome of former Popes who to cast some colour ouer their infamy were wont to call theÌ„ their nephews to cal his sons his children and for such to expresse them to the world b Lib. 3. The bruite went that in the loue of his owne daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candy and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her father who as soone as he was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and maried her to the Lord of Pesere but not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall he dissolued that mariage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of S. Peters keyes c Lib. 6. Onup It was among other graces his naturall custome to vse poysenings not onely to be reuenged of his enemies but also to despoile the wealthie Cardinals of their riches And this he spared not to do against his dearest friends till at the last hauing a purpose at a banket to poison diuerse Cardinals and for that end appointed his cup-bearer to giue attendance with the wine made readie for the nonce who mistaking his bottle gaue the poisoned cup to him was thus himselfe dispatched by the iust iudgement of God that had purposed to murder his frieÌ„ds that he might be their heire 11 I am afraid I haue bene to bold in medling with these matters For the Church of Rome hath a law within her selfe d D. 40. Non ncs glos §. quiâ— enim that it is sacriledge to reason about the Popes doings whose murders are excused like Sampsons and thefts like the Hebrewes and adulteries like Iacobs e Qualis qualis autem fuerit Sleidanus sacra mentarius haereticus dignus non fuit qui illum reprehenderet Sur. comment an 1547. saith thus of Sleidan because be reported such like matter of Paul the third as Guicciardin doth of Alexander And our aduersaries thinke whatsoeuer their Popes be yet such sacramentarie heretickes as we are be not worthie to reproue them and therefore the good and courteous reader shall be at liberty whether he will expound my narration as a reproofe of the Pope which were dangerous or as a bare report of the conceit which all men euen his best friends haue of his Popes which I make for no other intent but to shew that Luther liued died an honester man then anie Pope of Rome in his dayes For Guicciardine f Lib. 16. saith the goodnesse of the Pope is then commended when it exceeds not the wickednesse of other men that we may know how rare a thing it is for the Bishop of Rome to be good The which when our aduersaries see they should desist from their veine of railing against vs and by holding them close to the argument they should maintaine their cause or else for euer hold their peace § 58. But how shall one preach truly at least in all points nisi mittatur vnlesse he be sent of God But how should we know that Luther or Caluin or anie other that would needs leape out of the Church and leaue that companie wherein was vndoubted lawfull succession and by succession lawful mission or sending from God How should we I say know that these men teaching new and contrarie doctrine were sent of God Nay certainly we may be most sure they were not sent of God For since almightie God hath by his Sonne planted a Churâ—â—â—n earth which euer shall be vntill the worlds end and hath put in his Church a visible succession of ordinarie Pastors which he will alwayes with the assistance of himselfe and of his holy Spirit as hath bene proued so guide that they shall neuer vniuersally faile to teach the true faith and to preserue the people from error we are not now to expect anie sent from God to instruct the people but such onely as came in this ordinarie maner by lawfull succession order and calling as S Paul saith Heb. 5. Nec sibi sumat honorem sed qui vocatur â Deo tanquam Aaron to wit visibly and with peculiar consecration as his was Leuit. 8. to which accordeth that which we reade 2. Paralip 26. vers 18. whereas Azanas said to Ozias the king Non est tui officij Ozia vt adoleas incensum sed sacerdotum hoc est filiorum Aaron qui consecrati sunt ad huiusmodi ministerium Egredere de sanctuario c. Which bidding when Ozias contemned and would not obey he was presently smitten with a leprosie and then being terrified feeling the punishment inflicted by our Lord he hastened away as in the same place is said By which place doth plainly appeare that it doth not belong to anie other to do priestly functions as to offer incense or sacrifice to God or to take vpon them authoritie to preach instruct and teach the people but onely to Priests called visibly consecrated for this peculiar purpose as Aaron and his children were For though the priesthood of the Pastors of the new law be not Aaronicall yet it agreeth with the priesthood of Aaron according to S.
thought this a fit course Dionysius Alexandrinus h Niceph. l. 6. c. 8. said of himselfe that he vsed somtime to be occupied in reading the writings and treatises of heretickes though it something polluted his mind with touching their vncleane opinions because he reaped this profit therby that he might the easilier refell them and the more execrate detest them If any will take vpon him to confute me the lawes of Christian conference specially in the points of faith bind him 1. to do it temperately abstaining from railing and reproaching 2. perspicuously that I may certainly know his meaning 3. honestly that what I say be faithfully set downe and what I proue my sayings by be not dissembled For I affirm nothing that concerneth the cause but I proue it either in the text by reason or in the margent by authoritie which I would not haue dissembled or according to an vsuall trade taken vp of late among them traduced with taunts and outcries as if it were false alledged vntill it appeare to be so indeed Which if he performe I shall thinke my lot the better to haue met with so profitable an aduersarie And so wishing the good Reader that with loue to all men and reuerence to Gods truth and care to leade a sanctified life he would pursue the cause of religion I take my leaue beseeching our Lord Christ by the power of his spirit to make way for the truth in all our hearts Amen A Table of the seuerall matters and questions handled and disputed in this Booke The first number signifieth the Section noted with this marke §. The other following the first signifieth the numbers of that Section VVhere the number is but one there the whole Section is meant THe true faith is absolutely necessarie to saluation 1. 1. No part of our faith stands vpon tradition 1. 2. Infolded faith is not sufficient without knowledge 2. 1. 7. There is a Rule whereby the true faith may be knowne 3. 1. This Rule is not visible and knowne to all men without exception 3. 2. The properties belonging to the rule of faith 4. The Scriptures translated into English are the rule of faith and how 5. The true reason why Papists deny the Scriptures to be the rule 5. 7. 8. The Scripture ought to be translated into the mother tongue that the people may reade it 5. 9. Touching the certaintie and truth of our translations and how we know it 6. The last resolution of our faith is into the authoritie of the Scripture 6. 9. 10. Our English translation is purer then that which the Papists vse 6. 11. The obscuritie of the Scripture disableth it not from being the rule 7. 1. All matters needfull are plainly laid downe in the Scripture 7. 3. Why the Papists pretend the obscuritie of the Scripture 7. 7. Whence it is that the Scripture is obscure 8. 1. The Scripture is vnderstood by it selfe and how 8. 1 2 3. How we are assured of the true sence of the Scripture which is it among many sences 8. 7 8. The true cause why men erre in expounding the Scripture 8. 13. Our faith is built on the Scripture not on the Church 8. 17. The Scripture is perfect containing all things 9. How I know this Scripture to be the very word of God 9. 5. All things needfull are fully comprehended in the Scripture 9. 9. The Papists hold that the sence of the Scripture varieth with the time 9. 11. Againe touching the errors of men in expounding the Scripture 10. The place of 2. Tim. 3.16 proueth the all-sufficiencie of the Scripture 11. How priuat men priuat cōpanies may see the truth against a multitude 12. By the Church the Papists meane nothing but the Pope 13. 2. Whether and how the Church of God may erre 14. 1. Tim. 3.15 expounded how the Church is the pillar of truth 15. The Protestants do not say that the true Church at any time failed was not 17. 1. The state of the question touching the visiblenesse of the Church 17. 2. The Protestants say no more touching the inuisiblenesse of the Church then the Papists themselues in effect do 17. 3. The arguments are answered whereby the Church is proued to be alway visible 18. inde The true faith is a sufficient marke of the Church 24. 2. The arguments against this are answered 26. to 31. 1. Ioh. 4.1 proueth that it is lawfull to examine the teaching of the Church 31. One Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke are not the marks of the Church 32. What the vnitie of the Church properly is 33. 1. The Protestant Churches want not true vnitie 33. 2. Gods true Church in all ages hath had some contentions 33. 4. inde The Protestant Churches haue the true meanes of vnitie 34. 1. What kind of vnitie the Papists haue 34. 1. 2. The Church of Rome vseth the Scriptures most despitefully fiue wayes 35. 3. The present Roman Church is departed frō the ancient primitiue faith 35. 9. The Church of Rome wanteth vnitie and liueth in manifest contention demonstrated 35. 16. The Popes authority was not receiued of old as the foundation of vnity 36. 2. The very Papists themselues do not yeeld to the Popes determinations 36. 5. The Popes supremacie is no sufficient meanes to preserue vnitie 36. 10. The places of Mat. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.15 handled at large shewed to make nothing toward the Popes authoritie ouer the Church 36. 11. inde The Primitiue Church acknowledged not the Popes supremacy foure experiences 36. 26. The Pope may erre euen iudicially and be an hereticke 36. 32. It is vnpossible to proue that the hope is S. Peters true successor 36. 36. No certainty among the Papists how the Popes supremacy is proued 36. 39. A place of Cyprian alledged for the supremacie answered 37. 1 2. The Protestants Church is truly holy and how 38. 1. Certaine words of M. Luther expounded 38. 2. Outward holinesse no proper and essentiall marke of the Church 38. 3. The vnholines wickednes of the Roman Church demōstrated 38. 4. inde What Saints the Protestants haue in their Church 39. 1. Canonization of Saints by the Pope a ridiculous conceit 39. 2. 3. The doctrine of the Protestants induceth not to libertie 40. 1. inde Fasting how the Protestants and how the Papists vse it 40. 2. Auricular confession or shrift iustly reiected 40. 6. Necessitie of good workes taught and defended by the Protestants 40. 11. Touching the merit of workes 40. 12. Touching mans power in keeping the commandements 40. 18. Whether all the good workes we do be sinne 40. 22. The distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall 40. 26. Satisfaction how taught by the Protestants and how by the Papists 40. 28. A short view of long Pardons 40. 35. The doctrine of Iustification by Faith only expounded and defended 40. 37. Predestination how holden by the Protestants 40. 43. What is the roote of Contingencie 40. 44. Freewill and Gods
common heresie of his Romane church maketh the matter of the Scriptures obscuritie so dangerous I wil demaund of him by the way how our reasons to the contrary may be satisfied For first the Scripture it selfe in euident places calleth vs to it g Ioh. 5.39 Esa 8.20 bidding vs search it and seeke to it and h 2. Pet. 1.19 compareth it to a light shining in a darke place yea i Hebr. 12.5 to the voice of a father speaking to his children and when men vnderstand it not k 2. Cor. 3.15 it saith a vaile is laid ouer their hearts not ouer the scriptures and Christ l Ioh. 10.27 saith his sheepe heare his voice and m Luc. 16.29 the rich glutton was told that his brethren if they would escape damnation should heare Moses and the Prophets which had bin to no purpose if they could not haue vnderstood them when they heard them 4 Secondly he can name no one necessary article of our faith but the word teacheth it as plainly as himselfe can as that there is one God three persons a generall resurrection and iudgement that Iesus is the Sauiour of mankind c. Bellarmine n Illa omnia scripta esse quae sunt omnibus necessaria De verbo Dei l. 4. c. 11. saith All those things are written that are necessary to be knowne of all men o Scripturis nihil notius Ibid. l. 1. c. 2. neither is there any thing better knowne then the Scriptures so saith p Rock pa. 193. Et Contaren de potest Pont. pag. 227. Luce meâ—idiana illustrius ostensum puto ex diuinae sapientiae vocibus Saunders We haue most plaine Scripture in all points for the Catholicke faith And in all controuersies the Papists with whom we deale crie plaine euident manifest Scripture 5 Thirdly all other questions at the last are determined by the Scripture the Fathers expositions are examined by it and q Greg. Val. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 1. the Church receiueth testimony from it so that the finall resolution of all things dependeth vpon it which could not be if of all other things it were not the best knowne for things are not tried by that which is obscurer but by that which is plainer 6 Last of al what meant the Fathers of the Primitiue church so much to report this perspicuitie for r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept pag. 25. Clemens Alexandrinus saith The word is not hid from any it is a common light that shineth to all men there is no obscuritie in it heare it you that be far off and heare it you that be nigh Austin Å¿ En arrat in Psal 8. saith God hath bowed downe the Scriptures euen to the capacitie of babes and sucklings that when proud men will not speake to their capacitie yet himselfe might Chrysostome and his scholler t Lib. 2. ep 5. Isidorus Pelusiota writeth the same u Homil. 1. in Mat. saith The Scriptures are easie to vnderstand and exposed to the capacitie of euery seruant and plow-man and widow and boy and him that is most vnwise x Hom. 3. de Laz. therefore God penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fishermen tent-makers shepheards neat-heards vnlearned men that none of the simple people might haue any excuse to keepe them from reading and that so they might be easie to be vnderstood of all men the artificer the housholder and widow woman and him that is most vnlearned yea the Apostles and Prophets as schoolemasters to all the world made their writings plaine and euident to all men so that euery man of himselfe onely by reading them might learne the things spoken therein Iustine Martyr a Dialog cum Tryphon pag. 213. grae commel saith Heare the words of the Scriptures which be so easie that it needs no exposition but onely to be rehearsed This was the perpetuall and constant iudgement of the auncient Church far from the Iesuites paradoxe that the Scriptures be so obscure and beyond the peoples capacitie that they can reape no instruction by them for the Fathers with one consent teach the contrary and yet you see the confidence of these new Romane diuines It is euident in it selfe b Bristo Mot. 48. saith one of them to any man not quite forsaken of God that the auncient Fathers make most plainly for vs c. The field is wonne c Campian rat 5. apud Posseâ— biblioth select l. 7. c. 21. saith another if once we come to the Fathers they are ours as fully as Pope Gregorie the thirteenth Their prisoners they may be but not their patrons either to erect them Seminaries as d Surius comment rerum in Orb. gest anno 1572. did Gregorie the thirteenth or to maintaine the doctrine which in those seminaries they learne and teach Digression 9. Declaring that the Papists haue reason to hold the Scriptures be obscure and hard because the articles of their religion be hardly or not at all to be found therein 7 And withall the Reader may here very opportunely be put in mind that these men haue good reason to beare the world in hand the Scriptures be very obscure because indeed the Popish religion is obscurely or not at all found therein that not the vnlearned onely but the skilfullest clearkes of their church haue much ado to find some points thereof and some they confesse cannot be found there at all And haue not these men good cause then to challenge it lustily of insufficiencie and obscuritie I haue touched alreadie the confession of Andradius that many points of their faith would reele and stagger if traditions stayed them not And that you may know the meaning of this confession to be not onely that they haue no expresse Scripture for them but also no collection from the Scripture Eckius e Enchirid. c. 4. writeth The Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture or can be proued out of the Scripture And Costerus the Iesuite f Enchird c. 1. hauing deuided Gods word into three parts that which himselfe writ as the tables of the law that which he commaunded others to write as the old and new Testament and that which he neither writ himselfe nor rehearsed to others but left it to them to do themselues as traditions the decrees of Popes and Councels c. concludeth that many things of faith are wanting in the two former neither would Christ haue his Church depend vpon them this latter saith he is the best Scripture the iudge of controuersies the expositor of the Bible and that whereupon we must wholly depend iust as Staphylus g § 2. nu 6. said before of the Colliars faith 8 Thus they sticke not to name diuers maine articles as for example h Tho. 3. q 25. art 4. Canis catech titul de praecep eccles nu 5. the worship of images
appeareth by d Ep. 109. lib. 7. the epistle of Gregorie to Serenus and e De inuent l. 6 c. 13. Polydore a Papist confesseth All the Fathers condemned the worship of Images for feare of idolatry Afterward the second Nicene councel brought in the worship also f Act. 7. decreeing notwithstanding that no image should be adored with Latria diuine honour but at the last g Part. 3. q. 25. art 3 4. Thomas of Aquin h Ses 25. and the Trent Councel i Fr. Suar tvm. 1 disp 54 sect 4. Vazqu de adorat l. 2. c. 4. expouÌ„ded so by the Iesuits taught that diuine honor also should be giuen to them Here we see three alterations in one point the bringing of Images in the reuerencing them with ciuill honor the adoring them with diuine worship 14 The fift example shall be in the article of iustification For Thomas k Lect. 4. in Gal. 3. writeth that no workes either ceremoniall or morall are the cause why any man is iust before God For workes are not the cause that man is iust but the execution and manifestation of his iustice because no man is iustified with God by his worke but by the habit of faith infused This doctrine of Thomas is proued to haue bene the faith of the Romane Church in his time by this that he was made a Saint therein and was as l Studiosus impendio pontificum Fr. Vict. rel 1. de potest Eccl. p. 41. they say of him exceedingly deuoted to the Pope yea m Henriquez sum moral proaem the fift Doctor of the Latin Church and the light of all the world who brought all Theologie into a briefe summe c. Yet n Ses 6. the Councell of Trent is varied from this decreeing that mans owne inherent iustice is the formall cause of his iustification and that we are not iustified by faith since which time the learned men of that Church haue left Thomas in the point 15 Many other examples may be giuen of their inconstancy and no doubt they could be content to alter much more if the feare of losing their credit with men did not restraine them as their owne confessions now and then vnawares breaking out from them giue probabilitie We acknowledge freely o Biblioth sanct l. 8. pag 365. saith Sixtus Senensis that there are many faults in our Latine edition of the Bible which yet the Church hath left therein lest the faithfull whose eares haue alwayes from their infancie bene inured thereunto should now be offended with the noueltie of an exact correction And concerning the Communion vnder one kind p Fr. Ouand 4. d. 9. prop. 6. one of them saith that All things duely considered it were better to grant the cup then to denie it And touching the adoration of Images with diuine worship q Bel. de Imag. li. 2. c. 22. Sâ—ar to 1. disp 54. sect 4. the learnedst among them that euen themselues hold it yet thinke it not fit to be vttered in common talke or sermons before the people but rather the contrary that they ought not so to be worshipped And whereas to take away the odiousnes of this opinion that yeeldeth the honor of God to an Image r Cathar lib. de Imagin ador concl 6. 7. Peres de tradit part 3. some would haue them worshipped with a worship inferiour to that which is giuen to the first Samplar and Å¿ Holk in Sap. lect 157. Durand 3. d. 9. q. 2. Picus Mirand apol q. 3. some would haue no worship at all giuen to them but onely men should vse them to stirre themselues vp to the worship of the Samplar by kneeling before them this is misliked by othersome t Vazq de adorat l. 2. nu 415. who thinke it could be propounded to the people with small fruite yea it were foolishnesse to speake it So that we see the learned in the Church of Rome can hold nothing so absolute but some of their fellowes vary from it and what is propounded therein as matter to beleeue and practise is misliked among themselues the most being readie to receiue alteration in some points or other whensoeuer occasion should bring it in Digression 24. Touching the contentions among the learned of the Church of Rome and how the Papists liue not in that vnitie that is pretended 16 They which know Rome and Papistry are sufficiently satisfied in this matter onely some ignorant persons whom the cunning handling of such as this Iesuite is hath got into their possession will beleeue no discord to be among them But were we all so blind that we could see none of this contention yet their noyse outcries in schooles Councels pulpits and consistories one against another would make vs heare it the clamors of the conteÌ„ders resouÌ„ding in our eares no lesse then the noyse of two armies when they ioyne battell or as the old philosophers of whom u Lucian in Timon one saith merrily that with the noyse of their disputations they so filled the eares of Iupiter and made him deafe that he could not heare their praiers In whose roome x Schol. in Lud. Senec. de morte Claud. §. Facilius inter Philoso saith Rhenanus himself a Papist haue succeeded a Gods name Scotus Aquinas Egidius Romanus and others whose contentions are no lesse then that which was among the Philosophers that herein they may seeme aboue all things to resemble the old Academicks Stoicks and Peripateticks For first y See Auentin anal Boio l. 6. pag. 407. they haue the families of the schoolmen wherin euery one professeth his particular sect-maister Thomas Scot Occham or Durand where both masters and scholers haue spent their life and writings in nothing else but opposition against each other that it is truly spoken of them THERE IS NOTHING DISPVTED OR AFFIRMED BY ANY ONE OF THEM WHICH IS NOT GAINSAID BY ANOTHER Thus the Dominican and Franciscan Friers spent with their partakers whole ages in quarelling about the conception of the virgin Marie and thus the moderne Doctors of this time contend about euery thing depending in controuersie betweene them and vs hauing no certaintie among theÌ„selues what they may say against vs so far forth that I * An offer made to the Papists for the triall of the questions betweene vs. offer to make demoÌ„stration hauing done it partly already throughout this treatise against any that will deny it That there is no one point denyed or affirmed against vs wherein they vary not among themselues and if any Papist will alledge or set downe what he thinketh is the truth in any question or exposition of Scripture controuerted betweene vs I will name him againe a learned Papist either old or new that saith the contrary which is enough to show they haue no vnitie 17 This may also be confirmed by their writing one against another z His sermons printed with the booke of his answer to
be more edified they want therefore this fruit Thirdly touching Latin Seruice Thomas Aquine and Cardinall Caietan u in 1. Cor. 14 hold it is better for the edification of the Church to be in the vulgar tongue Fourthly touching the power of Priesthood to remit sinne x 4. d 18. §. Non autem the Master of Sentences and y Fr. Victor relect 1. de potes Eccl. sect 3. others with him hold that onely God forgiueth sinne and the Priest bindeth and looseth onely by declaring them to be bound or loosed himself working no spirituall effect Fiftly touching shrift z De poenit d 5 in poenit gloss Panot ibid. the Canon Lawyers say it was not ordained by Christ but taken vp by an institution of the Church and Michael Bononiensis a Expos in Ps 29. saith It is not needfull for our iustification or the pardon of our sinne and Caietan b 3. Tho. q. 80. art 4. holdeth A man by contrition without any confession is made clean a formall member of the Church 6. Touching iustificatioÌ„ by our own righteousnesse Th Aquin c In Gal. 3. lect 4. saith No workes either ceremoniall or morall are the cause why any man is iust before God For works are not the cause that man is iust but the execution and manifestation of his righteousnesse because no man is iustified with God by his works but by the habite of faith infused And againe d In Rom. 3. lect 4 1. Tim. 1 lect 3. he saith The Apostle sheweth iustification to be wrought by faith onlie there is in the workes of the Law no hope of iustification but by faith onely Seuenthly touching the imputation of Christs holinesse for our iustification and the apprehesion thereof by faith Pighius e Bell. de grat l. 1. c. 3. de iustific l. 2 c. 1. holdeth that there is in vs no inherent righteousnesse whereby we may be iustified but f Controu Ratispon contr 2. pag. 47. edit Paris 1549. that we are iustified in Christ not by our owne but by the righteousnesse of God and Christ interposing his iustice betweene his Fathers iudgement and our iniustice so we present our selues boldly before Gods tribunall not onely seeming but also being iust and the reason why our righteousnesse is placed in the obedience of Christ is because we being incorporate into him * Nobis illi incorporatis acsi nostra esset accepta ea fertuâ— ita vt ea ipsa etiam nos iusti habeantur it is imputed to vs and by the same we are accounted iust And the Diuines of Collen g Antididagm Colon. pag. 29. A booke written by Gropper of whom the def of the Cens saith he was the rare man of our age See his commondations in Sur. comment An. 1547. p. 424. say We are iustified by faith as by the apprehending cause such a faith as without all doubting assureth vs of the pardon of our sinnes through Christ whereof notwithstanding it behooueth vs to be assured by the testimony of the holy Ghost through faith and after the same manner we are iustified of God by a twofold iustice as it were by formall and essentiall causes whereof the first is the perfect iustice of Christ not as it is without vs abiding in him but as the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs. This righteousnesse of Christ thus imputed to vs is the principall cause of our iustification whereon we must chiefly trust and stay our selues Eightly touching the certaintie of a mans owne saluation h Enchirid. Concil Colon. tit de iustif c. noÌ„ habes ergo the same Diuines of Collen write thus We confesse the truth is that to a mans iustifiâ—ation it is required that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that they which truly repent haue their sinnes forgiuen by Christ but that his owne selfe also hath forgiuenesse through Christ by faith i Innoc. Gentill exam Con. Trid. The same was also preached openly by Marinarius a Frier at the Trent Councell Ninthly touching merits k De iustif l. 5. c. 7. idem Waldenâ— tom 3. de Sacra c. 7. Bellarmine saith In regard of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and because of the danger of vaine glory the safest way is to put our confidence in the sole mercy and goodnesse of God 10. Touching the sacrifice of the Masse Cornelius Mus l Sixt. Senen bâ—blioth sanct lib 4. a Bishop so famous for his learning that he was a Preacher at twelue yeares old and all Italie ran after him defended m Fr. Sua. tom 3. d. 74. s 2. that Christ at his last supper offered no sacrifice at all 11. Touching the Apocrypha it is cleare n Lyra Hugo Caâ—et Sigonius and others that many deny them to be canonicall Scripture 12. Touching the communion vnder one kinde Ouandus o 4. d 9. Pro. 6. saith It were better to allow the cup to the people then to deny it and lesse hurt would grow by yeelding then by detaining it 13. Touching mariage p 4. d. 26 q 3. quem refert Ioh. Capreol ibid. Durand held it was no sacrament and Canus q Loc. l. 8. c. 5. saith it is none vnlesse the Priest by solemne words of the Church do it And r Tolet. Sum. cas l. 7 c. 21. that which some Papists call heresie that the innocent party may lawfully marrie againe after diuorce is affirmed by Å¿ Comment in 19. Mat. Caietan and t Annot in Caiet l. 5. Catharinus 14. Touching freewill Ariminensis u In 2 d. 26 p. 103. denyeth that a man can will any thing that is good by nature without the special helpe of Gods grace and Alphonsus x Lib. 9. verbo Libert holdeth our wil is free from constraint but not from necessitie 15. Touching the descention of Christ into hell y In 3. d 22. q 3 Durand and z Apol. qu. 1. Picus Mirandula deny it affirming that he descended not properly and in substance but onely by effect in that without any locall motion the power of his death reached thither By these few examples you may coniecture how well they agree that thus are diuided about the principal articles of their faith and nothing can be so generally or certainly receiued but some or other among them deny it 21 And to manifest this contention yet a little more you shal see what a number of opinions they haue among theÌ„ concerning any question which themselues moue in Diuinitie For example whereas in the Sacrament they thinke the substance of bread and wine passe away the formes or accidents onely remaining the question is in what subiect or substance these accidents abide Some say they remaine separated without any subiect this is the opinion of Occham Biel Cameracensis Maior and the Nominals Some that they obtain a way wherby to exist of themselues this is the opinion of
kings gift calling him to the place implieth both So is it in our sanctificatiō which is the way that leadeth to the kingdom that God hath freely giuen vs and the dutie which that gift calleth vs to and therefore necessary in it owne kind and order no otherwise Which the Protestants holding do not teach thereby that men should neglect good workes but the contrarie they onely thinke them not necessary or requisite to our iustification for the satisfaction of the law because herein nothing concurreth with the merit of Christ or can do as many learned Papists themselues confesse and the ordinarie sort of people that now misconceiueth our doctrine in this point when they vnderstand it as I haue laid it downe will not denie Digression 35. Touching the merit of our workes and what is to be holden thereof 12 Next the Iesuite accuseth our doctrine of good works because it denieth the merit thereof For answer whereunto we beleeue assuredly our good workes shall be rewarded both in this life and in the life to come yea farre beyond that which they are worth onely we deny their merit that is to say we thinke this reward is not giuen for the merit or desert of the worke but of the meere grace and mercie of God for the merits of Christ Wherin we haue not onely the Scripture and ancient Doctors but the most skilfull and learned Papists that euer liued on our side t Exod. 20.6 The law saying the reward is of mercie and u Rom. 8.18 the Gospell telling vs The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glorie in the life to come 13 That which the Papists meane by merit is this which I set downe in their own words and let the reader iudge whether the Protestants haue not reason to refuse it Andradius x Orth. expl l. 6 saith The heauenly blessednesse which the Scripture calleth the reward of the iust is not giuen them of God gratis freely but is due to their workes yea God hath set forth heauen to sale for our workes The Deane of Louan y Expl. Artic. Louan tom 2. art 9. saith Farre be it from vs that the righteous should looke for eternall life as a poore man doth for his almes for it is much more honour for them as victors and triumphers to possesse it as the garland which by their labour they haue deserued Bayus z De merit operum l 1. c. 9. saith That although the restauration of mankinde be ascribed to the merits of Christ yet it is not for Christs merits that our workes are rewarded with eternall life neither doth God when he giueth the reward looke toward Christs death but onely to the first institution of mankind wherein by the law of nature it was appointed that in the iust iudgement of God obedience should be rewarded with life as disobedience is with death Suarez a Tom. 1. in Tho. 3. d. 41. sect 3. §. Secundo oportet saith A supernaturall worke proceeding from grace within it selfe and of it owne nature hath a proportion and condignitie with the reward and a sufficient value to be worth the same The reward therfore is not giuen for Christs merit The merit of Christ cannot be made our merit therefore neither can our merits haue the power of meriting from Christs merits or any more worthinesse then they be ordained to haue of themselues It must not be denied but our merits are true merits so that the workes of the godly proceeding from grace haue of themselues an inward worthinesse and are proportionable to the reward in the same manner as if we conceiued a man to be iust and worke well without the merits of Christ as many thinke of the Angels and of man in the state of innocencie Thus the merits which the Protestants denie are not the reward of good workes but that inward condignitie which our aduersaries place in them whereby they thinke God is bound to reward them yea without any respect to the death or merits of Christ This we hold a detestable opinion because it abrogateth the Gospell and setteth on foote the couenant of workes 14 Beggers asking for almes shew their wounds but Papists will haue vs shew our merits and not aske heauen as an almes for Christs sake but challenge it as due for our workes sake but what saith one b Marc. herem de his qui putant se ex oper iustif He that doth good seeking reward thereby serueth not God but his owne will Origen c Ad Rom. l. 4. c. 4. saith I can hardly beleeue there is any worke that may require the reward of debt Austin d De gr lib. arb c. 9. writeth We must vnderstand that God bringeth vs to eternall life not for our merits but for his owne mercie And Bernard e De Annunc serm 1. That the merits of men are not such that eternall life should be due to them of right or that God should offer men iniurie if he did not therefore bestow it f In Cant. ser 61. The mercy of God is my merit g De grat lib arbit The things which we call our merits are the nurses of our hope the prouocations of loue the signes of our election the forerunners of our future happinesse the way to the kingdome not the cause why we raigne And Gregory himselfe who was a B. of Rome h Super. Ps 7. poenit saith It is one thing for God to reward men according to their works and another thing to giue the reward for the workes themselues When the Scripture saith according to our workes the qualitie of our workes is vnderstood that the reward shall be his whose the workes are for vnto that blessed life wherein we liue with God can no labour be compared no worke likened seeing the Apostle saith The suffering of this life is not worthy of the glorie of the life to come This that these fathers haue said is it we also say for our selues answer our accusers Now I know well enough a witty Romanist deuoted to contention can inuent some fine distinction to make these men speake good Romane Catholicke whatsoeuer they meant let him do vs the like fauour making the same distinction for vs that he will do for Austin Bernard or Gregorie and we shall be as good Catholickes as they 15 Moreouer it is diligently to be obserued that howsoeuer our aduersaries contend for their merits yet the learnedst and most iudicious among them disauow them teaching people at their way-gate to renounce them and holding that which I haue said to be the sounder doctrine so did Anselme the Bishop of Canterbury 500. yeares since teach the people to die in this faith i Refert Hos confes Petrico◠1. c. 73. confessing Lord I set the death of Christ betweene me and my bad merits and I offer his merits for my owne merits which I should haue but haue not
his hand who is the end of the law for righteousnesse to all that beleeue And the Papists teaching the contrary haue filled themselues ful of detestable presumption and hypocrisie and pestilent contempt of that righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ Seeke not i Marc. Herem de lege spirit saith an old Heremite the perfection of the law in mans vertues for no man is found perfect in it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The perfection thereof is hid in the crosse of Christ I end the point with Saint Austins speech k Retract l. 1. c. 19. All the commandements are holden to be kept when that which is not kept is forgiuen Digression 37. Whether the Protestants thinke whatsoeuer we do is sinne 22 l Answer to the book of Engl. iustice pag. 183. Our aduersaries confesse there is no hatred so capitall and deadly as that which ariseth from the contrarietie of religion This they speake out of their owne practise whose hatred against vs hath deuised and layd to our charge more lies then themselues beleeue truths which trade of lying and coining whensoeuer they lay away that very houre they shall be silent hauing no occasion to speake against vs if they will speake the truth For we do not hold that whatsoeuer we do is sinne as the Iesuite chargeth vs but that we hold is this m Math. 7.17 12 33. 1. Cor. 13 2. Heb. 11.6 first that euery work not directed to the right end which is the glory of God nor arising from the right cause which is faith is sinne and displeasant to God what shew soeuer it make before men as the workes of Gentiles and other vnregenerate men And herein not onely the Fathers hold with vs by n Sic que cleemosynae reiunia operaque pia infidelium peccata esse affirmant quia non sunt ex fide Idque Augustin multis in locis videtur docere ante cum Origenes Tolet. in Rom. 14. annot 15. the Papists owne confession but the Papists themselues Gregorius Ariminensis o 2. d. 38. art 1. d. 36. saith It is truly spoken that a worke is then vertuous or morally good when according to all the circumstances required it is conformed to true reason and euery morall action not so conformed is euill and vitious as if it want the due circumstances of the end c. The like say p 1. d. 1 q. 1. lit h 3. q. 12 lit yy solut 3. Occham and q Moral c. 11. tract 1. Almaine that nothing is a good deede vnlesse it proceed from the loue of God whereupon no worke of infidels is a vertue c. So that hitherto they condemne vs for that which themselues confesse to be the truth 23 Next concerning the workes of the godly done in the state of grace we do not say whatsoeuer they do is sinne but onely that sinne cleaueth to it and in part blemisheth it whatsoeuer it be as water running through a miry channell is mudded and wine put into a fustie vessell is changed thereby The which pollution yet we do not thinke either maketh the work lose the name of a good worke or put the doer into the state of damnation as a work that is formally sinfull wittingly committed doth by reason God for Christs sake forgiueth the imperfection and reputeth it good for that parts sake which himselfe worketh And as water mingled with wine in part delayeth it and yet receiuing the colour and tast by the mixture the whole is called wine so our naturall corruption mingling it self with the good that Gods spirit worketh in vs blemisheth it in part and yet being ouercome thereof the whole is called and reputed a good worke 24 The Scripture teacheth this plainly for r Exod. 28.35 God gaue the high Priest a plate of gold to weare on his forehead with the holinesse of Jehouah grauen in it that he might beare the iniquitie of the offerings the holy offerings of the people to make them acceptable Å¿ Apoc. 8.4 And Iesus Christ is faine to mingle the smoke of sweet odours with the prayers of the Saints when they go vp to God What better workes then the sacrifices of the synagogue and prayers of the Church Yet we see they had need to be purified afore they come into the iudgement of God Yea Chrysostome t Hom. 19. ad pop Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith of our praiers that such negligence and careleâ—â—â—â—esâ— groweth vnto them that we could not liue one day if God should straightly examine them To will is present with me u Rom. 7 18. saith Saint Paul but I find * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no power throughly to perform that which is good And he that beleeued in Christ yet cried Lord helpe my vnbeleefe For as a Scriuener teaching a child to write though he leade his hand yet the writing beareth witnesse of the childs imperfection so God by his spirit writing his law in our heart yet hath not giuen vs so great perfection but that the best workes he teacheth vs beare witnesse of our naturall infirmitie so farre that Saint Austine x Confess l. 9. c. 13. is of minde that wo be to our commendable life if God remouing his mercie should rip into it and y De ciuit Dei l. 19. c. 27. saith All our righteousnesse standeth rather in the remission of our sins then in any perfection of iustice 25 And it is the spirit of contention that chargeth this doctrine with making people carelesse to eschue sinne For what can more encourage vs to weldoing then when we consider the mercie of God that will not impute the imperfection of our obedience to vs but supply what is defectiue out of the treasurie of Christs perfection and as long as out of a good hart and an vnfained purpose we striue without fainting to serue him he is readie not onely to pardon vs but by exercise in sanctification to leade vs to more perfection And if our aduersaries thinke the merite of their workes and integritie of their holinesse be such a spurre to prick them forward z As this Iesuit himselfe disputeth § wherein yet by their owne confession they may be deceiued we are contented to relie on the promises of the Gospell a Rom. 8.1 which assure vs there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit by reason the law of the spirit of life in Iesus Christ hath freed vs from the law of sin and of death Which hope including Gods acceptation of that we can do his pardoning that we cannot do Christs mediation for that I can and that I cannot do the holy Ghost vniting my worke and his together I hope is more to be trusted to then such a Pharisaicall perfection as may deceiue vs and by their confession that labour in it is subiect to error so
tying vs to repentance and amendment and patient bearing of the crosse though we do not thinke the doing hereof is it that answereth and explateth the iudgement of God due to our sinne but onely serueth as a condition subordinately required that we may be partakers of Christs satisfaction Thus the Papists themselues o Sum. Rosell v. satisfactio somtime describe satisfaction p De dogni c. cl c. 54. out of Austin to be the cutting off the causes of sin and the stopping of the wayes that suggest them and q Bavus de indulg c. vlt. sticke not to grant there is but one satisfaction onely to God euen that of Christ and we do not properly satisfie but only do some thing in respect whereof Christs satisfaction is applied to vs. Satisfaction to God thus described we confesse and thinke our selues blamelesse though we admit no more because we haue some Papists on our side herein And touching offences against our brethren we thinke it necessary that we satisfie such as we haue offended by confession restitution suffering punishment as the case shall require yea we beleeue r Iob. 36 8. Act 1â— 22 liâ— 2â— Heb. 12.6 that God in this life by temporall afflictions punisheth not onely the reprobate but euen his owne children whose sinnes he hath remitted thereby to humble and mortifie them and exercise their faith and whole sanctification by opening their eyes This is it we hold touching satisfaction wherein we acknowledge an absolute condition of working and suffering but deny the merit of the worke so done and beleeue no vertue therein ordained to expiate our sinne 29 Now compare this with that which themselues say and so you shall see the point they quarell at Å¿ Sess 4. sub lui c. 8 Câ—tâ—ch Râ—m traâ—â—â—â—e â—â—â—isfacâ—ione The Councell of Trent defineth that when God forgiueth a sinner yet he forgiueth not all the punishment but leaueth the party by his owne workes to satisfie till it be washed away t Greg de Valent tom 4. disp 7 q. 14 punct 3. Bell. de poenit l. 4. c 6. Herinq Sum. l. 5 c. 19. n. 8. The workes whereby this satisfaction is to be made are said to be all good actions proceeding from vertue either inward or outward all penance enioyned by the Priest at confession as praier almes and fasting and al the sufferings that befall men either in this life or in Purgatory The things which by these workes we are supposed to satisfie God for are holden to be u Bellar. coÌ„muâ—â—ter oâ—â—es the temporall punishment x Câ—nciâ— Tâ—â—d Catech. Ro. vbi sâ—pr the relickes of sinne y Tâ—â—peâ— expl art Loâ—â—aâ—â— 6 Vega 〈◊〉 c. 36. the fault it selfe yea z Tâ—â—â—h â—e poenit 4. c. 1. Caâ—â—t 1. qu. 4. de contâ—â—t the same punishment that should be suffered in hell excepting the eternitie Caietan a 21. qq Quoli quâ—â—â—â— saith The canonicall punishment enioyned by the Priest for satisfaction includeth the punishment which is due to sinne before the presence of Gods iustice And Gregory of Valence b Vbi 1. â—â—a punâ— 1. § Quod si vero writeth The recompence made by satisfaction respecteth not only the temporall punishment that is to be paied but some part of the offence also and the wrath of God which by the said recompence must be turnâ—d away The thing that giueth the workes their condition to be satisfactory c Rhem. Col. 1.24 they say is Christs grace but they adde that the passion of Christ and they together make but one masse of passions our sufrings applying the medicine of his merits to vs. d Bell. de purg l. 1. c. 1◠§. Tertius tamen Not that his satisfaction it selfe taketh away the punishment due to vs but in that it remoueth it so farre forth as we haue grace from thence to make our owne satisfaction of power The plaine meaning whereof may be knowne by two other speeches of theirs The first is e 3 d. 19. art 2. concl 5. Biels Though the passion of Christ be the principall merit for which the grace of God and the opening of heauen and the glorie thereof be giuen yet it is neuer the sole nor totall meritorious cause but alwaies there concurreth some worke of him that receiueth the grace The second is f De purgat l. 1 c. 14. Bellarmines That a righteous man hath right to the same glorie by a twofold title one of the merits of Christ by grace communicated to him and another of his owne merits Which he could not haue said but that he thought our owne workes to be satisfactory and effectuall as Christs are and able to do the same that his death can 30 So then the Papists condemne vs in this point because we beleeue not the merit of our workes and their vnion with Christs sufferings for the satisfying of Gods iustice due to our sinnes but thinke Christ satisfied for all both sinne and punishment and our owne workes are no more but dispositions or conditions whereunto God hath tied vs vpon other termes And what they thinke more then this that I haue touched the Lord knoweth but they speake desperatly g Soto Palud Caiet Ruard nonnulli ex recentioribus quos refert Suar tom 1. d. 4. l 9. That a sinner by the grace of God may satisfie for his sinne condignly and equally and by that satisfaction obtaine pardon Caietan h In 3. Tho. q. 1 art 2. ad 4. dub saith For so much as Christ the head and we the members make one mysticall person therefore my satisfaction being conioyned with Christs satisfaction is made simply equall as it is the satisfaction of a mysticall person yea sometime it is greater then the fault i Tom. 1. disp 41 sect 3. §. Vltimo tandem Suarez saith When the soules in purgatory obtaine remission of punishment not by pardons or suffrages * Quae potius est solutio quaÌ„ remissio poenae quia fit per coÌ„dignam satispassionem for so much as then it is by a condigne suffering of the whole punishment there is no reason why it should be an effect of Christs merits because there the man hath paid God as much suffering as he oweth him There be finally k Scot. Duran Biel. quos refert Suar. tom 1 disp 4. sect 11. some that hold a man by the power of nature without grace may be able to satisfie for veniall sins expell them These meÌ„ in their ordinary books made for the people to reade l Hopk memor tract of satisfact â— 1. sometime no doubt to conceale their impietie speake bitterly of vs for saying they teach a man may satisfie by his owne naturall power and in the state of sinne and for the fault of sinne and the eternall punishment as well as for the temporall paine which satisfaction is equall to Gods iustice and vnited with
according to the spirit Neither when we say faith onely do we thinke that the faith whereby we are iustified is alone and without loue and works any more then he that saith the heate onely of the fire burneth meaneth thereby that the heate is without light but we hold that iustifying faith is alway accompanied with workes as the Sunne is with his light and trees with their fruite and causes with their effects though the workes themselues iustifie not but being the effects of iustification haue their proper vse to sanctifie vs which is a condition in his due time and order necessarily required to saue vs as well as iustification because as I said God bringeth no man to glory by iustifying him alone but by sanctifying him also for whom he electeth them he calleth and iustifieth and sanctifieth both 41 And this is it we meane by saying our sinnes are not imputed or we are iustified by faith onely whereat as often as our aduersaries wonder they should be put in mind of that which Erasmus told them long since This word Only which now adayes they shout at so in Luther is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers For Saint Ambrose t Comment 1. Cor. 1. saith This is the worke of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued WITHOVT WORKES FREELY BY GRACE ONELY receiuing the pardon of his sinnes Chrysostome u Hom. 7. Rom. 3. saith But what is the law of faith Euen to be saued by grace here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not onely saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring FAITH ONELY Basil x Hom. de humil saith This is true and perfect reioycing in God when a man is not lifted vp with his owne righteousnesse but knoweth himselfe to be void of true righteousnesse and to be iustified by FAITH ONELY in Christ Comment 2. Eph. Theodoret y saith We haue not beleeued of our owne accord but being called we came and being come he exacteth not puritie and innocencie of life at our hands but by FAITH ONELY he forgaue our sinnes Bernard z Cant. ser 22. saith Whosoeuer is touched with his sinnes and hungreth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in God that iustifieth sinners and being iustified by FAITH ONELY he shall haue peace with God Thus the Fathers in their time spake according to a Rom. 3.28 4 5. Gal. 2.16 the Scriptures whereupon we ground our selues whose words can no way be so wrested but they will yeeld our very opinion and plainly shew that in this point they held the same thing that we do 42 And out of all question our aduersaries themselues in times past haue thought it the truth For Aquinas hath left b Rom. 3. lect 4. Gal. 3. lect 4. written that workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by workes but by the HABIT OF FAITH infused yea IVSTIFICATION IS DONE BY FAITH ONLY And c Iac. 2. the ordinary Glosse Abraham was not iustified by the workes he did but by FAITH ONELY his oblation being a worke of his faith and a testimonie of his righteousnesse But Gropper with the Diuines of Colen d Antididagm pag. 29. speake more fully that By the faith of Gods word working in vs contrition and repentance and other workes of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine preparatiue and disposing cause but by faith whereby without doubt we firmly beleeue our sins to be forgiuen for Christ we are IVSTIFIED AS BY THE APPREHENDING CAVSE So God iustifieth vs by a double righteousnesse as by formall and essentiall causes whereof one and the chiefe is the perfect righteousnes of Christ not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same being apprehended by faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse And this imputed iustice of Christ is the chiefe and speciall cause of our iustification whereunto we are principally to rely and trust 43 And thus we see the Protestants doctrine of onely faith and the not imputing our sinnes vnto vs was thought sound diuinitie among our aduersaries themselues till within these threescore yeares that the Trent Councell began to looke asquint at it which was no maruel for it is an ordinary thing that a man marrying a latter wife looketh strangely on his owne children had by a former yea giueth his land from them to their yonger brethren though once the time were when he was of another mind And so no wonder if the Church of Rome now begin to turne away her louing countenance from her former faith when she hath about her so many brats of latter opinions begotten by the Friers and Iesuites her new louers that would haue no nay Otherwise faith onely is a doctrine that might haue inherited her mothers lands euen this day in Rome had she not in her widowhood played the wanton And yet seeing in auncient times it was holden in the dayes of the Church of Romes first husband our aduersaries for reuerence of their schooles and credit of the Doctors should handle the matter as gently as might be and not so intemperatly reuile their mothers elder sonne calling it as this Iesuit doth a doctrine drawing men to leudnesse or as e Rom. 3.22 the Rhemists do a new no-iustice a fantasticall apprehension nor as f Whright art 9. another doth a Solifidian portion nor as g Apolog. ep sect 8. another doth a desolation of order a doctrine against a common wealth because such foule words as these will touch the Scripture it selfe and all the ancient Fathers and many Romane Catholickes as well as vs and they that are so lauish of their tongue in vsing them if they take not good heed may chance to haue his hap that threw a stone at a dog and vnawares hit his step-mother Digression 41. Intreating of Predestination and Free-will as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their doctrine concerning these points doth neither make God the author of sinne nor leade men to be carelesse of their liues nor inferre any absolute necessitie constraining vs that we cannot do otherwise then we do 43 In the last place he mentioneth our doctrine touching Predestination and Freewill as if thereby we led men to be carelesse in their actions because as this Iesuit vrgeth it God hauing predestinate all things mans free will is lost thereby that he cannot do otherwise then he doth but God himselfe is the author of sinne Wherein he sheweth his vnsatiable desire of contention and that besides h Pâ—â— 30.15 the graue the barren wombe the earth and the fire which neuer say I haue enough there is a fifth thing as vnsatiable as they the contentious spirit of an aduersarie neuer satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what is the point they mislike
mankind and vpholdeth his being yea the being and mouing of all his actions good and bad so that no man could either moue to an action or haue being himselfe if God sustained not Whence it followeth that * The Schoolemen call it Substratum peccati pars materialis quae subest ipsi malitiae the very positiue act called the materiall part of sinne whereunto sinne cleaueth is of God in the same sort that all other actions of the creature are Secondly a Esa 6.9 Ioh. 12.39 Rom. 9.18 2.5 1. Sam. 2.25 he withholdeth his grace being bound to no man and leaueth the wicked to themselues wherupon it followeth that their hearts harden and they cannot but sinne the maner how he hardeneth is not by creating the sinne as he doth grace in the elect but by denying them the power of his grace which should mollifie them and by offering them sundry obiects which they conuert into occasions of sinne and ruine whereby they stand exposed to the temptations of Satan and haue neither power nor will to stay themselues Thirdly he ordinateth the sinne which is nothing else but the directing of it in such maner as he pleaseth that it proceede no further or otherwise then his good pleasure willeth Sometime he restraineth it that it shall reach no further then he willeth sometime he turneth it to another end then the person doing it thought of sometime he maketh way for it to passe to punish one sin with another And this is all we hold touching this point and I dare vndertake to shew euery parcel thereof in the Papists owne bookes as I haue said already And therefore their writing that the Protestants make God the author of sinne are but clamors and verball quarels arising from malice For they may vnderstand if they will that when we say God willeth or worketh sinne and positiuely ordaineth it or any such like we meane not this of Gods formall will but of the three inferior actions that I haue here briefly touched whereby he gouerneth it Digression 42. Againe touching Freewill wherein the doctrine of our Church is methodically propounded in euery point compared with that which the Papists hold that the seuerall questions betweene them and vs and the maner how and where they rise may be seene distinctly set downe 52 When we speake of freewill the question may be laid either touching that freedome which man had before his fall in the state of innocencie or touching that which remaineth with vs now in the state of corruption Concerning that which man had before his fal there is no question but he had a perfect freewil both to good and euill the which was naturall to him and giuen him with his creation by the strength whereof he had power in himselfe to perseuere in grace because the grace whereby he might perseuere was in the power of his will Onely he was created mutable that is such as albeit he were euery way perfect yet he might fall from that perfection if he would and he needed the generall helpe of God to preserue his nature and to moue him to his actions the which he had from the instant of his creation to his fall neither of which impaired the libertie of his will but rather perfected it In this matter there lieth no question for it is a Tho. 1.2 q. 109 ar 2. ad 1. Arim. 2. d. 29. art 1. a Schoole point that man before his fall needed the influence of Gods grace to moue his wil which he had 53 The question is touching our will now in this corrupted nature And we are all agreed that the facultie or power of mans mind called the will is not lost by his fall no more then the parts of his body are but the controuersie is about the NATVRE first and then the STRENGTH of it And touching the nature of our will we hold two things first that although Adams will by nature was free as wel in things spirituall concerning God as in things naturall concerning this life yet ours is not so but in things spirituall it is stark dead till God create spirituall life and libertie in it and so that freedome it hath is in it by grace and not by nature By nature we haue power to will naturall things but till grace come there is no facultie to will heauenly things concerning the sauing of our soule or once to mind them This is the first point and the Papists dedenie it saying that will by Adams fall was not extinguished or lost outright but onely maimed or weakened and left destitute of that which guided it and the grace of God approching doth onely heale it againe or as it were waken it out of sleepe and they liken it to b Andr. orth l. 4 Salm. Rhem. in Luc. 10.30 a man wounded that still hath life in him though physicke and cure bring perfect health And c Bell. de gra lib. arb l. 6. c. 15. § Dices quom the Iesuites hold that before any grace come it is free to do good but this freedome is as it were bound and stopped till God giue it power As a man hauing the sight of his eyes yet seeth not till some sensible forme come which forme is not the cause he seeth but that which perfecteth the sight And d Bell. de grat pâ—â—m hom c. 5. 7. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c. 13. § Decimus they write that all our naturals are as whole in vs as euer they were in Adam and we onely want a supernaturall gift to guide them which he had To this purpose e OcchaÌ„ 1. d. 17. q. 2. lit c. they write that it exceedeth not the facultie of mans nature to do the acts of charitie which may euen merit at Gods hands and f Andrad orth l. 3. that all the workes of the very Gentiles are not sinne and g Gabr. 2. d. 28. that by doing what is in our owne power euen by nature without any grace we may merit Gods grace of congruitie as I shall shew hereafter The which assertions of theirs shew what they hold touching the nature of our will namely that euen by nature afore any grace come it hath some freedome to good but if God do but preuent it then it is able to do much more Wherein we refuse them because the Scripture saith h Col. 2.13 a naturall man is dead in sinne and i 1. Cor. 2.14 perceiueth not the things of Gods spirit neither can know them for they are spiritually discerned 54 The second point touching the nature of freewill is that as some Diuines thinke it standeth not in freedome from all necessitie but from all externall constraint For I haue shewed before that Gods will ordereth and determineth all wils from which determination no creature is free but they all depend on God and can do nothing but what he pleaseth yet for so much as this will of God taketh
not away the iudgement of our owne reason nor constraineth vs but so directeth vs that we alway in chusing or refusing follow the direction also of our vnderstanding our will hereby is left free as if a man inuite me to a banket he is indeed the first mouer of my will thereunto and he leadeth me by the hand towards the place and in a sort determineth my will to that house rather then to any other yet for so much as I allow of his motion and finde reason in my selfe to go I go freely and with full libertie though this freedome is not from all necessitie but from coaction onely And so we describe freewill to be the operation of the will in chusing or refusing whatsoeuer the full and perfect iudgement of our vnderstanding offereth which iudgement going before is sufficient to make the will free because where it is there is no constraint Others contrariwise dispute our will to be free not in this respect but because it is subordinate to no necessitie For man say they hath such a soueraigne dominion ouer his actions that what he doth he not only doth vncoÌ„strained but he absolutely may and can do otherwise * Voluntas a Deo determinata non liberè sed necessariò agit Bellar. de grat lib. arb l. 4. c. 14. § Deinde being no wayes constrained by Gods will But such an absolute freedom there seemeth not to be for I haue shewed before that Gods will is aboue ours and sloweth into it and moueth it and determineth it whereupon it followeth that our will of infallible necessitie must needs be moued and determined for Gods wil cannot be in vaine And this is allowed by many of our aduersaries though some others condemne it For Alphonsus defining free will saith k Aduer haeres l. 7. verbo Gratia there is a libertie which is opposed against necessitie or more truly against coaction because some things are necessary which yet are done freely though necessarily but not of constraint or violence and of this libertie we call mans will free And l Altisiod l. 2. tract 11. pag. 70 Anton. part 1. tit 4. c. 2. § 7. others shewing how free will standeth in libertie from necessitie yet define that necessitie to be nothing else but compulsiue and externall constraint whereby it is like they thinke the will is no otherwise free but from compulsion Againe m Almain Mor. pag. 2. they say God by his concourse determineth the action of mans will whereupon the will cannot but worke and yet is free n Dom. Bann part 1. q. 19. art 10. because it followeth the iudgement of reason which is the roote of freewil And as often as the act of willing ariseth from this roote of iudgement it is alway free And o Tom. 1. lib. 1. art 1. c. 25. p. 41. Waldensis writeth that great clearks in his time did place this precedent necessitie which is the cause that the thing is in humane workes and that it flowed from Gods wil. Which sheweth that they thought our wil is not freed from necessitie but coaction onely And finally those speeches of theirs p Anton. part 1. tit 4. c. 2. Our will is inclined changed determined by God he maketh that one inclination shall succeed another q Tho. contra Gentil l. 3. c. 89. Man cannot vse the vertue of his owne will but so farre forth as he worketh in the power of Gods will r Bellar. de grat lib arb l 3. c. 18. And as a man by deuice should let birds flie and yet causeth them all to go to such places as himself wold so doth God rule the will Å¿ Ib. l. 4. c. 16. yea moue and apply it to that it willeth I say these and such like speeches cannot be cleared so but they subiect the will to necessitie as much as we do 55 This being the nature of our will the next point to be enquired is touching the strength thereof which is not alike in all actions For the things whereabout the will is occupied are of three sorts naturall ciuill and spirituall naturall and ciuill things concerne this life onely but spirituall things touch the life to come and therefore mans will hath not a like power in them all By naturall things we meane such as appertaine to all liuing creatures for their exercise and preseruation and of their natures as to eate drinke sleepe moue themselues and such like By ciuill things we meane all humane actions tending to societie and the outward gouernment of mans life which the light of nature and vse of reason leadeth vs to as speaking buying selling going this or that way the learning and practising of a trade or profession whereunto we also referre morall things that is the gouerning of our externall actions and members according to the rules of outward discipline without the inclination or consent of the conscience renewed as the exercise of all ciuill vertues and many externall workes in their kind appertaining to Gods worship to be temperate bountiful faithful in word chast courteous to speake and heare things good and honest to go to Church t Rom. 2.14 Act 23.1 Phil. 3.4 Psal 50.16 2. Tim. 3.5 in things of which kind man hath naturall freewill that he can voluntarily follow what his vnderstanding sheweth him and apply himself thereunto by chusing or refusing And in this point we all agree u Habere quidem hominem liberum arb ad actiones ciuiles externas quae spectant ad coÌ„muneÌ„ conuictuÌ„ societatem hominum docuit Luther Melanct. Chemnit alij passiâ—n Valen. to 1. pag 1058. b. as our aduersaries confesse But we set downe three limitations first x Mat. 10.29 Iac. 4.15 Exod. 35.31 Esa 54.16 that our will in all these things needeth Gods generall helpe to moue and apply it to the worke without which helpe the bare facultie of our mind can do nothing for vnlesse he sustaine the power of my will and apply and direct it I cannot so much as put a morsell of bread to my mouth Secondly this generall concourse of Gods helpe being granted y Esa 26.12 Ier. 10.23 yet we can will none of these things perfectly but in much weaknesse and are often hindred by reason our nature through sinne is depraued whereupon the mind is obscured with error the iudgement corrupted with blindnesse the affections disturbed the will distracted and the reason hindered by Satan and vncertaine obiects Thirdly in the smallest things that are and wherein our libertie is greatest z Mat. 10.29 Nu. 22.18 yet the will of God going before determineth ours that we can will no more then God pleaseth These limitations are also consented to by a Biel. 2. d. 28. lit n. Bellar. de grat lib. arb l. 4. c. 4. 11. Ban. part 1. c. 19. art 10. our aduersaries and so in things naturall ciuil and pertaining to morall discipline we haue
c. 9. pag 131. that the power Imperiall dependeth vpon the Popes authoritie and is subordinate to it and that the Pope hath power to remoue reuoke correct and punish Kings whose secular gouernment is not meerly necessary or expedient but when the Church cannot and this they say is to be holden with the right faith as the naturall morall and diuine law of God This is a peece of the present faith of the Church of Rome the execution and practise whereof affoordeth her such store of Martyrs in euery kingdome But that you may see how vainly they brag of their vncontrolled antiquitie marke what Waldensis hath left written almost three hundred yeares ago he b Tom. 1. p. 196. lib. 2. art 3. c. 78. saith The regall power of Princes is not by our mother the Church vsed to be set behind the priestly power as if it were nothing of it selfe but sprang from it and were the second after it They erre he saith that affirme the roote of earthly power hangeth so much on the Pope that by his commission the execution of the same is deriued to the Prince Thus he writeth in that booke which he calleth the DOCTRINE OF THE ANCIENT FAITH that we might see the Church of Rome holdeth some things which in the records of her owne Court are noted for Nouelties and late incrochments against the ancient faith 10 The first restraint that euer was made of Priests marriage was by Siritius the Bishop of Rome 380. yeares after Christ For before that time it was beleeued and practised that Priests might haue wiues as all other men and Siritius was the first that euer forbad it The first part of this which I say that before his time maried men exercised the ministerie is proued before Digress 49. num 4. and is further proued by the confession of our aduersaries themselues For Alphonsus c Aduers haeres verb. Sacerdot haeres 4. writeth that in the Primitiue Church it was obserued that he which was maried might be promoted to priesthood though it were not required of him that he should first be maried And he addeth that this custome preuailed till the times of the Nicene Councell The second part that Siritius was the first that forbad maried Priests appeareth first by the decree it selfe extant in d D. 82. plurim the Canon law next by the confession of our aduersaries For e Inuen l. 5. c. 4. Polydore affirmeth it and the Glosse vpon the f D. 84. Cum in praeterito Glos §. Qui sacrameÌ„ Canon law saith Siritius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siritius Priests might contract mariage g Index Expur pag. 308. nu 26. This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it is cleare against the Papacie but Nauclerus h Tom. 2. generat 13. pag. 537. saith in effect as much that Siritius commanded Deacons to be continent And Clictoueus i De continen sacerdot c. 4. Quem refertâ— Bellar. Greg. Valent. writeth that it is a commaundement of the Church first brought in by Siritius that maried men should not be ordained Priests vnlesse from that time forward they would containe Here he confesseth that Siritius brought in that k Greg. Valent. to 4. d. 9. q. 5. p. 5. § 1. p. 1571. a. which the Iesuites thinke to be the chiefest thing whereunto the law of single life bindeth Thus Siritius began the matter but yet l Inuen l. 5. c. 4. saith Polydore it could neuer be effected that their mariage should be taken away till Gregorie the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. The which thing when he attempted in Germanie as m Sigeb anno 1074. Lambert pag. 201 207. Auentin annal l. 5 Naucler vol. 2. generat 36. Baron an 1074. n. 37. Sigon reg Ital. l. 9. anno 1074. the stories with one consent record he was resisted as one that brought in a new custome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth n Pag. 448. that in those dayes Priests had wiues openly as other men had and begat children their wiues being called by a seemly name Presbyterissae o Pag. 460. And when the Pope forbad them mariage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdome And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germany and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as had their lawfull wiues to be Priests when yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whoremongers adulterers and incestuous persons Let any man iudge if it had bene possible the Bishops and Cleargie of Italy France and Germanie should thus bitterly haue censured and withstood this doctrine of Hildebrand if the Church had receiued it alwayes before 11 The Images of the Trinitie p Posseâ—in biblioth l. 8. c. 16. Vasq adorat l. 2 disp 3. c. 3. Bellar c. 8. which the Church of Rome now vseth and adoreth came not in of seuen hundred yeares after Christ For q Can. 82. Carranz ibi the sixt generall Councell holden anno 687. forbiddeth the making of the holy Ghost in the likenesse of a Doue and r Apud Baron an 726. pag. 87. Gregorie the second liuing anno 726. in an Epistle to Leo Isauricus writeth that in his time they vsed not to paint or represent God the Father Vpon which words Baronius hath noted in the margent that AFTERWARDS the custome grew to paint God the Father and the holy Ghost in the Church If it grew afterwards then it was not vsed at the first 12 So likewise the beginning of all image worship was in the second Nicen Councell for Å¿ Act. 7. Zonar tom 3. pag. 95. Geo. Cedren Compen p. 387 that decreed it Whereas but a little before when Serenus a Bishop in France in detestation thereof had cast out of a Church and broken certaine images Gregory the Bishop of Rome t Lib 7. Ep. 109 wrote vnto him The zeale which you had that nothing made with hands should be worshipped we commend but we are of mind that you should not haue broken those images for painting is therefore vsed in Churches that they which are vnlearned might by sight reade vpon the wals that which in bookes they cannot Your brotherhood should therefore haue spared the breaking of them and yet withall haue kept the people from worshipping them that such as are simple might haue had meanes whereby to come to the knowledge of the story and yet the people not sinne in worshipping the picture Which words shew that howsoeuer he fauoured the historicall vse of images which we deny not to haue bene brought into the Church before his time
Papists as deepe in breaking fasting daies as the Protestants ibid Fasting was an indifferent ceremonie in the Primitiue Church ibid. Lent fast was holden diuersly ibid. Fathers and Doctors are not the rule of faith 23.1 They may erre ibid. The Papists boast that the Fathers are on their side 44.4 They had their errors 44.5 We are not bound to euerie thing that they haue said but may sometime lawfully dissent from them 44.7 The Papists themselues do it ibid. The state of the question touching the authoritie of the Fathers 44.8 Who the Papists meane by the Fathers nu 9. What they meane by all the Fathers consenting in one nu 10. The Pope vshers the Fathers nu 11. The practise of the Papists in reiecting the Fathers nu 11. 12. Forefathers how farre forth to be followed 61.2 What is to be thought touching our forefathers that liued and died in the times of Papistrie 6â— 4 Freewill denied by Papists 35.20 All the questions touching freewil laid downe in order as they rise with their true states Digress 42. The want of freewill debarreth not consultation 40.48 How it is reconciled with Gods praedestination nu 45. What freewill is and wherein it standeth nu 54. Free-will in naturall and ciuil things expounded nu 55. No freewill in spirituall things till grace come nu 56. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 57. Some learned men in the Church of Rome thinke freewil to be Pelagianisme nu 61. The will of man concurreth not with Gods grace in vprising from sinne nu 64. The Papists doctrine to the contrarie nu 64. The efficacie of grace dependeth not on our will ibid. What freewill man hath when he is regenerate nu 65. Frier how defined by Lincolniensis 50.32 G. GOd not the author of sinne 40.50 See Author of sinne Good works necessarie to saluation Digress 34. They are to be excluded out of our justification but not out of our sanctification ibid. They merit not Digress 35. The Protestants do not say Good works are sinne Digress 37. Grace The Papists meaning expounded when they say Mans wil without grace can do nothing 40.57 The Papists teach that a man of himselfe can do good before any grace come ibid. Man cannot dispose himselfe it is grace that doth it 40.63 What that is that maketh grace effectuall 40.64 A man may infallibly know if he be in grace Digress 43. Greeks They haue as good outward succession as the Romish Church hath 55.2 Gropper the Cardinall A storie of him 55.7 H. HIerome of Prague a good man Holinesse no note of the Church 43.1 The holinesse of the Romane Church disproued 38.1 The places of Luther and Smidelin answered that are obiected against the holinesse of the Protestant Churches 38.2 The holinesse of the Protestants doctrine is iustified 40. ad 49. What holinesse the Protestants lay they haue 41.1 Complaints made by Papists against the vnholinesse of their own Church Digress 31. A man may infallibly know if he be truly holy 41.3 and Digress 43. Honorius a Pope that was an heretick 36.34 In that cause of Honorius you haue an example how the Papists denie all authorities 44.15 I IGnorance in matters of faith is commended by the Papists 2.5 Images not allowed of in ancient times and their worship forbidden 47.5 They are a new deuice 35.13 The Papists are not at one among themselues touching the first that rejected Images 50.5 Images of the Trinitie when brought in 50.11 Image worship when it was first brought in 50 1â— 51.5 The Papists are deuided among themselues touching the adoration of Images 50. 16. They worship stocks stones as the Pagans did 51.6 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse for our iustification is acknowledged by Papists 35.20 What this imputation importeth 40.41 Indies not conuerted by the Iesuites 48.2 but vtterly rooted out by cruelties vnspeakable which are touched at large Digress 50. The Protestants religion was in India afore the Papists knew them 48.3 Iudge of controuersies is the Scripture Digress 3. Papists will be iudges in their owne cause 5.7 The Pope is made iudge who is a partie 5.8 The iudge of controuersies assigned by the Papists falleth into the â—ame difficulties that are layed against the scripture 34.2 The Papists will not stand to their owne iudges 30.4 35.15 Iustification is by faith and not by works 35.14 20. Digress 40. What iustification is and how it is distinguished from sanctification 40.38 K. KEeping the commaundements See Law of God Keies giuen to the rest of the Apostles as wel as to Peter 36.12 They import not the supremacie euinced by disputation 36.16 inde Digress 30. What the keyes of the Church meane 36.18 Knowledge very commendable in the people 2.7 Great among them of the Primitiue Church ibid By what meanes the elect know and are assured of their owne saluatioÌ„ 40.39 L. LAtin prayers and seruice misliked by some Papists 35.20 against antiquitie 47.2 Law of God No mans righteousnesse can satisfie it Digr 34. No man can keepe it Digress 36. Why giuen when no man can keepe it 40.21 The Papists say absurdly that the coÌ„mandements are easie to keepe and a man may liue without sin 40.19 Lay people ought to reade the Scriptures and to haue them translated See Scriptures and Translations Lay men haue bin made Bishops 5.11 LegeÌ„d The miracles recorded therin are of no credit 42.2 Nor the Legends themselues 42.7 Lent fast not holden in the Primitiue Church as now it is 40.4 Libertie Our faith is falsly charged to be a doctrine of libertie 43.2 Luther His calling is iustified 52.5 59.2 And his writings 57.3 And his life and death against the malicious reports of the Papists Digr 57. Those reports are touched ib. M. MAriage no sacrameÌ„t 35.20 The mariage of Priests not restrained in ancient times 47.4 When the restraint began 50.10 Marks of the Church See Church Virgine Mary The Papists say the Church was in her alone when Christ died 17.3 Masse not offered by Christ at his last supper 35.20 When it began 50.14 Merits renounced by Papists 35.20 and 40.15 Merit of workes none 40.12 and 14. When that opinion began 50.13 The Papists hold it and what they meane by it 40.13 The diuers opinions that are among the Papists touching merits 40.16 Merits of Christ how farre they go by the Papists doctrine 40.13.29 Merit of congruitie what and how holden in the Church of Rome 40 62. Miracles not now needfull 12.6 Their proper vse 42.4 The time when the Church had them and the end why 41.4 The miracles that the Papists stand vpon are of no certaine credit 42.5 inde The Gentiles had as good miracles as the Church of Rome hath 42.6 The Legendaries tainted for whetstone liers 42.7 Incredible reports in the Legends and some also in the ancient fathers 42.8 Morall works what 40.59 Touching naturall freewill in things morall ibid. Monkes of ancient time not like ours of this time 41.3 and