giuen to nature which belongeth to grace that cannot be without eminent danger But whatsoeuer we haue done in the point this I am sure of that our aduersaries are gone too farre euen by their owne confession There haue not bene wanting Diuines in our times d 22. p. 390. saith Dom. Bannes who haue giuen too much to freewill and the power of nature and while they thought to eschue the error of Lutherans they fell into the proud heresie of Pelagians And * Et 393. to make men free they haue made them proud filled them with sacriledge This is the truth For freewill hath of it selfe either some strength though small or none at all If any then Christ said not true without me ye can do nothing If none then where is freewill and the cooperation thereof with Gods grace I will end the point with Saints Austins complaint e De verb. Apost Ser. 2. Vnthankfull men to ascribe so much to weake wounded nature true it is that man when he was made had great strength of freewill but by sinne he lost it But f Sixt. Senens praefat l. 5. Staplet de Iustif l. 2. c. vlt. our aduersaries thinke Saint Austin went too farre in this question attributing too little to mans will § 41. In the Romane Church I confesse there be some bad and sinfull folke For the Church is called nigra formosa blacke and faire Cant. 1. because in it are mixed good and bad as out of diuerse parables of our Sauiour I proued before but there are two differences betwixt the sinfull which are in the Romane Church and among the sectaries And first of those that are among the sectaries there are none truly Holy of which as of the better or more worthie part their Church may be denominated and termed Holy as the Romane Church may be It may perhaps be that diuers of them abstaine from grosser sinnes as swearing backbiting stealing c. and that they do sometimes many workes morally good as giue almes erect hospitals liue at least in outward shew in modest and moderate sort but alas these be not sufficient or certaine signes of sanctitie all this and perhaps much more we may find in the heathen Philosophers These outward actions may proceed from naturall and sometimes from vicious and sinfull motiues and consequently may be verie farre from true holinesse which must proceede of true charitie without which charitie to distribute all that one hath to feed the poore or to giue ones bodie to burne doth nothing profite 1. Cor. 13. The which charitie must proceed de corde puro conscientia bona fide non ficta 1. Tim. 1. The which things being most inward and consequently hidden and secret cannot sufficiently be shewed to be present by those outward actions Nay they cannot be infallibly knowne of the partie himselfe for Nemo scit vtrum amore an odio dignus sit quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum Pro. 20. but are reserued to him onely qui scrutatur corda to wit almightie God and it cannot be perfectly knowne of vs who haue them truly and consequently who be truly Saints vnlesse it please him to reueale it by miracle or some other certaine way vnto vs. The Answer 1 To proue we are not the holy Church of God the Iesuite obiected our sinfull liues as if we had bene of worse conuersation then the professors of the true faith could be But forsomuch as he wisely foresaw that if we fell to comparing the liues of one another his owne Church would receiue as much disgrace thereby as ours and his argument bent against vs in the discharge would recoile vpon himselfe and roll in the fall vpon the heads of his owne people because they are as bad and sinfull as their fellowes therefore now he answereth that difficultie by assigning a difference betweene the people of his Church and the people of ours in this point and the difference he saith is this that although in his Romane Church there be some bad and sinfull yet all are not so whereas with vs there are none good but all are wicked A proud and ridiculous bragge but yet I answer it True holinesse consisteth in the concourse of the righteousnesse of iustification and sanctification The former of iustification is wheresouer Christ with all his merits is imputed and apprehended by faith for the pardon of our sinnes and accepting of vs againe to eternall life a Rom. 4.11 3.24 This is called the righteousnes of faith and they which haue it are truly holy thereby and our Church teacheth it against the Church of Rome that hath renounced it and so depriued her children of all true holinesse The second of sanctification is when we bring forth fruites worthy of amendment of life not walking after the flesh but after the spirit And we affirme that in our Church this also is ioyned with the former though we all confesse it be in great weaknesse and farre from that perfection which we desire and such as walke in it b 1. Ioh. 3.7 Mat. 7.16 12.33 Rom. 8.9 Gal. 5.22 Eph. 5.9 2. Pet. 1.5 are proued thereby to be truly holy 2 Against this externall righteousnes of our sanctification the Iesuite obiecteth that though we abstaine from grosser sinnes and do many good morall works c. yet this is no certaine signe we are holy for this and much more may proceed from sinfull motions and be found among the very Gentiles Whereto I answer that this were a good argument against vs if we had no righteousnesse among vs but such as he hath herein described For this morall holinesse is no holinesse indeed neither do we thereby declare the holinesse of our Church but say the good workes done among vs proceed from faith and loue and are directed to the glory of God according to the rules of sanctification and so are sufficient to testifie for vs. And we grant as the Iesuit requireth that many great and plausible workes of moralitie may proceed from naturall yea sinful motiues and that therefore there is no true holinesse vnlesse it proceed from charitie grounded on a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained but we adde withall that the workes of our Church proceed from this charitie and thence receiue their condition of holinesse 3 And how doth the Iesuite know the contrary because he saith so confidently the holinesse found among vs ariseth not from charitie What is the ground whereupon he saith so He answereth true charitie a good conscience and faith be things inward and secret and therefore cannot by our outward actions be shewed to be present nay he saith the partie himself without reuelation or miracle cannot be sure he hath them The which if it be true I desire him to answer plainly how he knoweth his owne good workes proceed from faith and charitie and by what meanes he will demonstrate it to me that
haue seen affirme we may know it by our good desire comfort of minde and good workes Scotus g 3 d. 23. pag. 46 saith As I beleeue God is three in person and one in essence so do I also beleeue my selfe to haue faith infused whereby I beleeue this Dominicus Bannes h In Tho. 22. p. 359. c. saith Euery one that beleeueth seeth that he doth beleeue And i 1. 2. q. 112. art 5. Medina with whō he and k Caiet ib. Ban. vbi supra others consent saith A Christian man by the infallible certaintie of faith which cannot be deceiued certainly knoweth himselfe to haue supernaturall faith Vega l Refert Greg. de Valent to 2. pag. 957. saith Some spirituall men may be so certaine that they are in grace that this their assurance shal be free frō all feare and staggering m Dom. Soto apol c. 2. Others hold that a man may attaine to that certaintie of his owne grace that he may without all doubting be as sure thereof as he is that there is a citie called Rome And some hold n Catharin assert apolog the very certaintie of faith as we teach and define it Next touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life they say o Medin vbi supra pag. 630. I would haue euery beleeuer certainly to hope he shal obtaine eternall life Doctor Stapleton p De iustifie pag. 341. saith We leaue not a sinner hanging in the middest of wauering doubtfulnesse but we place him in good and firme hope when once his conscience witnesseth with him that he hath truly repented I grant indeed that some of these disallow the certaintie of faith in this case and admit a man onely to hope but this is but contention about words and they had as good haue said Faith confidence or trust as hope but for the preiudice of their stomacks For q Stapl. l. 9. c. 11 de iustif Dom. Ban. 22. q 18. art 4. they confesse the certaintie of hope is not any doubtfulnesse wauering one while to this side another while to that as a man thinketh himselfe sometime accepted of God and sometime not but it is a certaintie in the will of him that hopeth both firme and assured excluding all doubtfulnesse touching remission of sinnes The which in effect is as much as we say and full opposite to the Iesuites assertion Againe seeing r Medin p. 627. themselues grant that all conclusions are the conclusions of faith which arise from one proposition contained in the Scripture and another by good consequence added vnto it why should they denie this to be a conclusion of faith My sinnes are forgiuen me For the first proposition is expresse Scripture He that repenteth is pardoned The next assumed to it is euidently knowne in the conscience But I repent The conclusion therefore is of faith Therefore I am forgiuen or such like For no man knoweth he hath faith or any grace but by such and the same discourse that this is The euidence of which reasons haue driuen some Papists to allow vs the name also as wel as the thing For I shewed euen now that Catharinus at the Councell of Trent defended our very assertion that the child of God by the certaintie of faith knoweth himselfe to be in the state of grace The like is written by the ſ Enchirid. Christian instit in Concil Colon pag. 139. Diuines of Colen It is true and required for a mans iustification that he certainly beleeue not onely in generall that such as are truly penitent shal obtaine forgiuenes by Christ but also that the man himselfe which beleeueth shall be forgiuen through faith in Christ And againe This is true that no mans sins are forgiuen him vnlesse he beleeue that he hath obtained forgiuenes through Christ And a Frier in the time of the Councell of Trent u Refert Innocent Gentill exam Concil Trident. preached thus before the Councell Let man saith he abhorring the vaine confidence of his own worthines depend wholly on Gods mercy Let him make account that God as a most louing father is present with him frō whom let him alway expect things ioyfull and happie and let him neuer suffer that perswasion to be striken out of his minde though the difficulties be infinite which the world the flesh and the diuell procure thereby to leade vs from the confidence of God and his most religious seruice Wherefore they do not wander in the maze of doubtfulnesse which through Christ haue obtained righteousnesse but in the securitie of their minde and peace of their conscience and ioy of their heart being taught by the Spirit which testifieth with them that they are the sonnes of God they crie Abba Father 11 Why striue they then so bitterly against vs in this title and why do they racke torment the consciences of men by telling them that without miracle it cannot be known who standeth in grace when vanquisht by the truth they are forced in the end to eare their owne words and confesse it may be knowne by the testimonie of Gods Spirit within vs You shall see the peeuishnesse that is among them I will x Bart. Medina vbi supra pag. 630. saith one of them allow euery faithfull man to hope certenly that he shall obtaine eternall life but to be confident therein with the Lutheran confidence I vtterly forbid him Marke the vanitie and stomacke of our aduersaries they will allow vs to be certaine and confident and we require no more but not with the Lutheran confidence they will communicate with the doctrine vpon a little parly but they wil first giue it a new name to make it Roman-Catholike Luther belike did them some shrewd turne that they would endure his termes no longer in their church They seeme to be in the same taking with him u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the man in y Suidas was toward his Cat for eating vp his Partridge he loued his bird well as the Pope did his crowne and therefore the Cat that deuoured it must looke to dwell no longer in his house but be packing § 42. But hitherto it was neuer heard that almightie God did by miracle or any such certaine way giue testimonie that either Luther or Caluin or anie of their fellowes had this true holinesse or that they were Saints Whereas it hath pleased him to giue testimonie by miracles of the holinesse of diuerse that professed the Romane faith as of S. Benedict S. Anthonie S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Bernard S. Francis diuers others who all professed the Romane faith and diuerse of them were religious men and founders of religious orders which Protestants reiect and seeke by all means to disgrace The Answer 1 The first part of this is answered before sect 39. num 1. where I haue shewed how and in what maner God giueth testimonie that we are his Saints and our workes holy whither I referre the Reader The
forma iuramenti professionis fidei Bull which calleth it THE PVBLICKE PROFESSION OF THE ORTHODOXAL FAITH TO BE VNIFORMLY OBSERVED AND PROFESSED z THE NEW CREED OF THE CHVRCH OF ROME I. N. do with firme faith beleeue and professe all and singular things contained in the Creed which the Romane Church vseth namely I beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God borne of his Father before all worlds God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being consubstantiall with the Father by whom all things were made who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man crucified also for vs vnder Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his Father and shall come againe with glory to iudge the quicke and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end and in the holy Ghost the Lord and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I beleeue one Holy Catholick and Apostolicke Church J beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes and I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen The Apostolick and Ecclesiasticall TRADITIONS and other obseruances and constitutions of that Church do I firmly admit and embrace Also the sacred Scripture according to THAT SENCE WHICH OVR MOTHER THE CHVRCH HATH HOLDEN AND DOTH HOLD whose right it is to iudge of the true sence and interpretation of holy Scriptures do I admit Neither will I euer receiue and expound it but according to the vniforme consent of the Fathers I do also confesse that there be truly and properly SEVEN SACRAMENTS of the new law instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ and necessary to the saluation of mankind though all be not for euery man that is to say Baptisme Confirmation the Eucharist Penance extreme Vnction Order and Mariage and that they confer grace and that among these Baptisme Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without sacriledge Also the receiued and approued rites of the Catholicke Church vsed in the solemne administration of all the aforesaid Sacraments I receiue and admit All and euery the things which concerning ORIGINALL SIN and IVSTIFICATION were defined and declared in the holy Councell of Trent I embrace and receiue Also I confesse that in the MASSE is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and that in the holy EVCHARIST is truly really and substantially the body and blood with the soule and Diuinitie of our Lord Iesu Christ and that there is made a conuersion of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his bloud which conuersion the Catholick Church calleth TRANSVBSTANTIATION I confesse also that vnder ONE KIND ONLY all whole Christ and the true Sacrament is receiued I do constantly hold there is a PVRGATORY and the soules detained there are holpe by the suffrages of the faithful And likewise that the SAINTS raigning with Christ are to be worshipped and prayed vnto And that they offer their prayers to God for vs and that their RELICKS are to be worshipped And most firmly I auouch that the IMAGES of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to be had and retained and that to them due honor and veneration is to be giuen Also that the power of INDVLGENCES was left by Christ in the Church and I affirme the vse thereof to be most wholsome to Christs people That the Holy Catholicke and Apostolicke ROMANE CHVRCH is the mother and mistris of all Churches I acknowledge and I vow and sweare true obedience to the Bishop of Rome the successor of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the Vicar of Iesus Christ And AL OTHER things likewise do I vndoubtingly receiue and confesse which are deliuered defined and declared by the sacred canons and generall Councels and especially the holy Councel of Trident and withal I condemne reiect and accurse all things that are contrary hereunto and all heresies whatsoeuer condemned reiected and accursed by the Church and that I will be carefull this true Catholicke faith out of the which no man can be saued which at this time I willingly professe and truly hold be constantly with Gods helpe retained and confessed whole and inuiolate to the last gaspe and by those that are vnder me or such as I shall haue charge ouer in my calling holden taught and preached to the vttermost of my power I the said N. promise vow sweare so God me help and his holy Gospels The Schoolmen Lawyers were long ago in hand with this question whether the Pope had authoritie to make a new Creed And because they were long tempering with it and the affirmatiue seemed a strange position we maruelled what they would make of it But now we see they meant in good earnest indeed and this belike was the Creed whereof the Pope was with child and all his Church must receiue it This is a strange presumption that taking vpon them to bring new matter of faith into the Church and to make that necessary to be beleeued for saluatiō which before was not so yet their people should be so blind as not obserue it Suarez the Iesuit a Tom. 2. p. 30. The matter may come to that passe that without any new explicate reuelation the Church may haue sufficient motiues for the defining of this or that veritie by the infolded and still reuelation of God for this manner of defining whereby that which was not before is now made an article of faith it is sufficient that any supernaturall veritie be infoldedly contained in tradition or Scripture that the common consent of the Church by which the holy Ghost often explicates traditions and declares Scripture increasing the Church at the length may bring in her determination which hath the force of a certaine diuine reuelation in respect of vs. This consent of the Church may so increase that at the length she may simply and absolutely define it This sheweth plainly that they thinke the Pope hath power to make a new Creed and hereby the world may see that vnder pretence of things lying hidden in the Church and the common consent of the Church increasing the Pope may multiply the matters of faith and so fit in the conscience as he pleaseth 16 It is no small griefe to all that are well minded to see this more then Egyptian bondage whererein so many people liue but yet if any man looke attentiuely vpon it the matter will not seeme
repugnance although that which he saith seeme absurd to our sence and thought This I proue For vnlesse there were such an infallible rule prouided it were impossible for anie man especially for anie vnlearned man in all points infallibly to learne and hold the true faith and since it is impossible it is no way to be thought but that almighty God who is so desirous that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth consequently to saluation did prouide that infallible rule or meanes sufficient to instruct euery one in all points by which it might be possible for thē to attaine to the true knowledge of infallible faith by that to saluation The Answer 1 This fourth conclusion conteineth two members First that God hath left in the world some certen rule and meanes wherby we may infallibly be instructed what is to be holden for true faith this you may freely grant him with that which he inferreth thereupon that the onely cause why a man misseth the truth is either because he doth not find this rule or hauing found it he will not obey it The second is that this rule is left to all men indifferently so that euery man without exception of what estate or faculty soeuer may haue accesse vnto it be instructed This mēber includes 2. sences First that the rule is of that nature that it is able to direct any man be he neuer so simple yea the most vnlearned aliue may conceiue vnderstand it sufficiently for his saluation This you shall also yeeld him as an vndoubted truth Next that all men at all times may haue accesse vnto it as being a thing concealed from none but visible and reuealed to all places ages and persons And this to be a part of the Iesuits meaning I gather by the words of his eighteenth section where he concludeth the Church to be the rule alway visible Because otherwise men sometimes viz. when it were inuisible should want a rule to instruct them contrary to that of Paul that God would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of his truth this he could not haue said if his meaning in this place the ground of his speech there were not that the rule of faith is euermore and in all places visible and manifested to all men indifferently a point meerely false and smelling of Pelagianisme 2 For before Christ it was reuealed only to the Iewes and not to the Gentiles except some particular persons as appeareth plainly both by obseruation g Psal 76.1 103.7 147.19 Mat. 10.5 Act. 14 16. 16.6 Rom. 3.2 the text And experience sheweth how at this day the Lord hath concealed the meanes of saluation from the Turke and infinite other barbarous gentiles of whom it cannot be said that he hath left vnto them this entire rule but that in his iudgement many times secret but alway iust he hath denied it them seeing as h Rom. 1.16 the Apostle speaketh the Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation both to Iew and Gentile i 1. Cor. 1.21 and when the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue thē that beleeue And k Epist 107. ad Vital circa med Austin saith It is a most manifest truth that many cannot be saued not because themselues will not but because God will not and the contrary he confuteth as Pelagianisme But if I mistake the Iesuite and he meane the words in the first sence it is well and we both agree To the place of Timothy concerning Gods willing all men to be saued l Deus vult omnes homines saluos fieri id est omnes homines qui saluātur saluos sieri nullus enim nisi eo volente saluatur Vel sit distributio non pro singulis generum sed pro generibus singulorū quia de quolibet genere statu hominum vult aliquos saluos fieri Greg. Arimin pag. 165. l. 1. I shall answer in the 18. section nu 6. § 4. Fiftly this infallible rule prouided by almightie God as sufficient to instruct euery one aswell learned as vnlearned in all points of faith must haue three properties or conditions First it must be infallible most vndoubted sure For otherwise faith grounded and built vpon it cannot be infallible certaine and sure Secondly it must be such as may be easily and plainly knowne to all sorts learned and vnlearned For otherwise be it neuer so certaine and sure in it selfe yet if it be vnknowne or vncertainely knowne vnto them it cannot be to them a rule or infallible meane whereby they may attaine to the infallible knowledge of the true faith Thirdly it must be most vniuersall that it may not onely make vs know certainly what is the true faith in some one or two or more points but absolutely in all points of faith For otherwise it is not a sufficient rule whereby we may attaine to an entire faith which integritie of faith is necessarie to saluation as hath bene proued The Answer 1 To these three properties of the rule of faith we must adde two more if we will shew all the nature thereof First that it be not partiall addicted more to one side then another Secondly that it be of power and authority able to conuince the conscience of such as vse it and from the which there can be no appeale For neither can it be a rule of the truth which it selfe is crooked with affection neither may we safely rely vpon it if either it dismisse our consciēce wauering or admit a superior rule whereto we may appeale And the reason is because our faith and knowledge must be m Col. 2.2 Basil Reg. contract qu. 95. with full assurance and perswasion the which we cannot obtaine vnlesse the rule giue it vs and nothing can giue it but that which hath a coactiue power to bind the conscience and to stay it at his owne tribunal 2 Next the second property must be expoūnded that the rule be easie and plaine to all sorts of men learned and vnlearned to wit which vse the means and are diligent in attending it be enlightned by the spirit of God To all such it is plaine be they neuer so vnlearned to the rest it is not neither is it a necessary condition of the rule so to be Not because it selfe is obscure at any time but for that sometimes men haue not eyes to see into it For all meanes and rules are vaine vnlesse God giue eyes to see as n Gen. 21.19 he opened Hagars eyes to see the well of water according to that of Dauid o Psal 119.18 open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law and p Esa 29.10 Pro. 14 6. Luc. 8.10 Ioh. 8.43.47 1. Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.14 4.3 the Scripture teacheth the point manifestly So saith q In. Ioh. lib. 1.
to enlighten the people so blind and ignorant are their minds But that which Andrew said There is a boy here which hath fiue loaues two fishes must be vnderstood of the rank of Saint Peters successors that which is added make the people sit down signifieth that saluation must be offered them by teaching them the seuen sacraments 16 And whereas the Iesuite vrgeth so diligently that somethings are hard to be vnderstood yet this proueth not that the truth therefore cannot be tryed by onely Scripture because one place thereof expoundeth another which if the Iesuite will deny he must be disputed with as he that holdeth the fire hath no heate in it for against such an absurd assertion we vse no reasons but onely bid the man that holdeth it put his finger into the fire and he shall presently see whether his opinion be true or no. So let triall be made and the Iesuite shall soone see whether the Scripture be so obscure that one place thereof cannot interpret another m De Doctrin Christian lib. 2. c. 6. Austin saith There is almost nothing amoÌ„g these obscurities but in other places one may find it most plainly deliuered n Hom. 9. in 2. Cor. Chrysostom saith The Scripture euery where when it speaketh any thing obscurely interpreteth it selfe againe in another place o Comment in Esa c. 19. Hierome saith It is the manner of the Scripture after things obscure to set down things manifest that which they haue first spoken in parables to deliuer afterwards in plaine terms p Regul contract qu. 267. Basil saith The things which are doubtfull and in some places of Scripture seeme to be spoken obscurely are made plaine by those things which are euident in other places And finally q In Gen. ca. 2. Steuchius a Popish Bishop confesseth God was neuer so inhumane as to suffer the world in all ages to be tormented with the ignorance of this matter the sence of the Scripture seeing he hath not suffered one place to be in al the Scripture but if we consider it well we may interpret it For as Theodoret saith the Scripture vseth when it teacheth vs any such high matter to expound it selfe and not suffer vs to run into error Digression 11. Prouing that the Scripture it selfe hath that outward authoritie whereupon our faith is built and not the Church 17 The Canon law r Dist 37. c Relatum saith expresly The diuine Scriptures containe the whole and firme rule of the truth and out of themselues the meaning thereof must be taken So that wel may the Church by her ministery commend the rule to vs and instruct vs how to secure our consciences out of the Scripture but by it authoritie it cannot assure vs. Our faith must resolue it selfe into the authoritie of the Scripture For the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs dependeth on the authoritie of the Scriptures and is examined thereby The Church by her authoritie cannot perswade all men which heare it but the spirit of God in the Scriptures alwayes doth The Scriptures alwaies had their authoritie euen before the Churches came to them the words of the Scripture are Å¿ Luc. 8.11 1. Pet. 1.23 an immortall seed t 1. Cor. 2.4 the demonstration of the spirit and power u Heb. 4.12 that which is liuely and powerfull x Luc. 24.32 making our hearts to burne within vs y Ioh. 5.36.39 it giueth greater testimony to Christ then Iohn Baptist could z 2. Pet. 1.18 19 a voice from heauen is not so sure as it a 1. Ioh. 5.6 it is the spirit that beareth witnesse to the truth thereof b 1. Ioh. 5 9. and if we receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Finally our Sauiour c Ioh. 5.47 saith They which beleeue not Moses writings will not beleeue him and is the Churches authoritie greater then Christs d Ioh. 5.39 The Scriptures testifie of Christ e Ioh. 20.31 being written that we might beleeue in him f 1. Ioh. 5.10 and he that beleeueth in him hath a witnesse in himselfe g 2. Cor. 1.22 The earnest of the spirit is in his owne heart wherwith God hath sealed him h Ephes 2.20 We are all built vpoÌ„ the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whom all the building is coupled together by the spirit i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in psa 1â—5 In all humane arts there be certaine principles which are knowne of themselues and beleeued for themselues without any further demonstration The Scripture containeth the principles of our faith and shall not we beleeue them or cannot we know them infallibly of themselues without we let in the authoritie of the Church 18 Where then is the Iesuites credamus Deo in the captiuating of our iudgement in obsequium Christi Yea the very k Magist 3. dist 23. Scot. 3. dist 23. q vnica Ockâ—â— 3. q. 8. art 3. Gabr 3. d. 23. q 2. lit g. h. schoolemen say that faith is either Acquisita suasa gotten by discourse of reason and testimonie of the Church or Infusa inspirata immediatly put into our hearts by the holy Ghost inforcing the mind without further testimonie to yeeld obedience Now l Deut. 29 4. Mat. 16 17. the faith we haue of the points in Scripture is of the latter kind and so consequently not relying on the testimonie of the Church whose authority is but a created thing distinct from the first veritie m Princip fid doctrin lib. 8. cap. 20. saith D. Stapleton Alexander Hales n Part. 1. q. 1. memb 1. fides suasa inspirata saith Faith perswaded ariseth from the probabilitie of reason and faith inspired beleeueth the first truth for it selfe and this faith is aboue all knowledge * Et ad hanc disponit acceptâ—o doctrinae sacrae and the acceptation of the holy doctrine disposeth vs to it So that our conscience stayeth it selfe o Sed vt verè plenè credat necesse habet soli veritati primae purae nudae penitus inhaerere nullaÌ„ certitudinem extrinsecam requirendo Altisiod Sum. li. 2. pag 71. quem vide latiùs l. 1. praef onely vpon this diuine authoritie being of greater efficacie to perswade and hold vs then either the Church p Gal. 1.8 or an Angell from heauen 19 Let God himselfe q Lib. 5. ep 31. saith Ambrose teach me the mystery of heauen which made it not man who knoweth not himselfe whom may I beleue in the things of God better then God himselfe So also saith Saluianus r De prouid l. 3. All that men say needs reasons and witnesses but Gods word is witnesse to it selfe because it followeth necessarily that whatsoeuer the incorrupt truth speaketh must needs be an incorrupt witnes of it self Finally let these words of Å¿ Confess
the Church and those latter also are certaine to vs else could they not make the other so and why is the Churches authority so absolutely vrged here by the Iesuit when yet in so many cases it may be spared That is not the sole thing that must assure vs without which we may otherwise be secured Digression 13. Shewing against the Iesuits assumption that all substantiall points of our faith are sufficiently determined in the Scripture and the reason why the Papists call for the Churches authoritie 9 Whereas the Iesuite obiecteth against the Scripture that many substantiall points of faith are not expresly contained in the Scriptures this is true of his Popish faith which is in them neither expresly nor by analogie saue that they haue an answer ready t Hosius de express Dei verb. pag. 38. That which pleaseth the Church of Rome is Gods expresse word But of the true faith of Christ u De doctrin Christ l. 2. c. 42. Austin saith Whatsoeuer a man learneth from without the Bible if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it be profitable there it is found all things which may be learned elsewhere are found there more abundantly x Regul contract q. 95. Basil saith It is necessary and consonant to reason that euery man learne that which is needfull out of the holy Scripture both for the fulnesse of godlinesse and lest they inure themselues to humane traditions which words saith y Non videtur author harum quaestionum admittere traditiones non scriptas Bellar. de amiss grat lib. 1. c. 13 a Iesuite seeme to debarre traditions and the Church of Rome authorizeth the scripture but by traditioÌ„ z In Mat. hom 41. Chrysostome saith Whatsoeuer is required to saluation is all accomplished in the Scripture neither is there any thing wanting there that is needfull for mans saluation Isidorus Pelusiota his scholler a Lib. 1. epi. 369. biddeth we should refuse whatsoeuer is taught vnlesse it be contained in the volume of the Bible b Lib. 12. in Ioh. in illud â—â—ec auteÌ„ scripta sunt vt credatis Cyril Such things as the Apostles saw sufficient for our faith and manners are written that shining in true faith and good manners we might come to heauen by Christ c Comment in Hagg. c. 2. Hierome Whatsoeuer things man find and faine without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scripture as if they were from Apostolicall tradition are smitten by the sword of God d Lib. 3. c. 1. Irenaeus We haue not knowne the order of our saluation by meanes of any but those through whom the Gospell is come to vs the which Gospell they then preached and afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scripture to be the foundation and pillar of our faith These places of the Fathers e Bellarm. de verb. Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. Gregor de Valent. anal fid by the confession of the Iesuits themselues shew that all things are written which be necessary for the saluation of all men And so you see the Iesuites rashnesse For if many substantiall points of faith be not set downe then some things necessary are wanting for euery substantiall point is necessary for all men 10 But yeeld the Iesuite that the Church shall be the rule we speake of to assure our conscience and then aske him who shall be this Church whereto he wil answer none but the Pope and his crew of Cardinals nay none but the Pope himself as I haue shewed alreadie and shall declare hereafter who if he leade thousands of people by troupes to hell eternally to be damned with himselfe there yet no man might presume to reproue him because he is iudged of no man f Dist 40. c. Si Papa saith the Canon law which the Iesuit will kindly take too if ye put him to it 11 And how will this Church expound the Scripture when you haue yeelded your self vnto her for no doubt she will discharge the office faithfully which she laboureth for so eagerly Let Cusanus the Cardinall tell you how for I hope he neuer recanted this point as g Stapl. counterbl l. 3. c. 36. pag. 358. they say he did another of greater truth thus he writeth h Epist 2 pag. 833. The Scripture is fitted to the time and variably vnderstood so that at one time it is expounded according to the fashion of the Church and when that fashioÌ„ is changed the sence of the Scripture is also changed i Epist 3 pag. 838. Againe when the Church changeth her iudgement God also changeth his k Epist 7. pag. 857. And no maruell seeing the letter of the Scripture is not of the essence of the Church if the practise of the Church at one time interprete the Scripture of this fashion and another time on that And let the Popes lawyers tell you that say l De translat episcopi c. Quanto in Gloss § Puâ—i The Pope hath a heauenly iudgement and maketh that to be the meaning which is none because in those things that he pleaseth to haue go forward his will is a law neither may any man say why do you so for he may dispense aboue all law So that this is the plaine English wherinto all the Iesuites doctrine concerning the authoritie of the Church is resolued and whatsoeuer any of them say yet their halting in the end cometh all to it and good reason for the Pope is a fast friend to the Romane Church c. § 10. Fourthly this rule of faith which we seeke for must be such that whosoeuer do find it and hauing found it will diligently attend vnto it obediently in all that it teacheth yeeld assent vnto it shall sufficiently in all points be instructed as touching matters of faith in such sort that none that yeeldeth this obedient assent in all points to the teaching thereof can fall into errour of faith But there be many that hauing found the Scripture do with an obedient mind diligently reade it and yeeld assent to euery sentence and word written in it acknowledging whatsoeuer it saith to be the word of God and yet are not sufficiently instructed but may and do sometimes grosly and obstinately erre in matters of faith as it is most euident since men of contrarie minds in religion do in maner aforesaid reade the Scriptures acknowledging them to be the word of God and yet continue opposite in opinion and so one of them in errour Therefore the Scripture alone is not that rule sufficient of it selfe to instruct euerie one in all points of faith The Answer 1 This is the Iesuites third argument against the scriptures and it is thus framed That which doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and preserue them from error is not the rule But the Scripture doth not instruct such as find it and obey it in all points of faith and
death for vs which obedience both merited the remission of our sins and effectually wrought the righteousnes of the law For the deriuing whereof vnto vs two things must be done one on Gods behalfe another on our owne That which God doth is called imputation of Christs obedience to vs for the pardon of our sins and the making of our persons acceptable as if our selues had neuer sinned That which we do is beleeuing in Christ and so receiuing that which God offereth both which actions when they meet Gods offering Christ and our receiuing him the iustification of a sinner is then formally accomplished 39 The next terme is faith whereby we do not meane either a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour standing onely in imagination nor yet as our aduersaries define it onely an assent vnto all those things which God hath reuealed beleeuing them to be true but we hold it to be ouer and besides this * Nec fides excludit omnem dubitationem sed dubitationeÌ„ vincentem trahentem in oppositum credibilis Scot. 3. d. 23. an infallible knowledge and apprehension of Gods good will towards vs in particular whereby we apply the speciall promises of the Gospell to our owne selues the which knowledge we hold is obtained two wayes one is by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing with our spirit that God doth now accept vs for his sons in Christ the other leading hereunto is by the reuelation of the Gospell promising iustification to all that do the things required therein whereto when we by the grace of God and a liuing faith performe them our conscience enlightened with the truth answereth We haue done them By this meanes we say a man may be able to beleeue Christ to be his Sauiour and so beleeuing he apprehendeth the promise and is iustified by his faith as by an instrument that is to say this his consent and obedient yeelding himselfe to beleeue Christ Iesus his Sauiour and his speciall promises is as it were the hand whereby a sinner must receiue Christs obedience for his iustification And if it be obicted that no man can thus beleeue because he knoweth not the wil of God or if he do beleeue thus he may deceiue himselfe I answer that it is in no mans power to attain to this knowledge of himself but as God reuealeth it and worketh it in vs by his word and Spirit infusing it secretly into our consciences by the preaching of the Gospell and our faith and obedience thereunto as a man heareth his friend telling him a secret in his eare wherein if one be diligent and faithfull it will worke three effects in him First it will humble him and shew him his misery and so driue him to Christ for helpe Secondly it will conuert his life and of a profane person make him a godly man Thirdly it will infuse and drop into him by degrees the feeling of Gods good will toward him and so inspire him with comfort from all which he may as infallibly by faith conclude his redemption as if his name were written in the Bible Which I declare by a similitude of a King who sending a pardon to fortie thousand rebels setteth not downe their names in particular but putteth in a condition that all they shall be pardoned that wil lay by their weapons and come to him the which he sendeth a herald to proclaime and the people hearing it do accordingly and thereby know infallibly they are pardoned and if any man would molest them because their name is not expresly written in the pardon they might contemne him and securely conclude their deliuerance from the condition that is expressed In the same maner do we apprehend our iustification by faith For all men being sinners against God he hath sent out the pardon of his Gospell not writing any mans name therein particularly but putting in a condition that so many as will be saued by Christ repent beleeue and obey him the which being published by preaching as soone as the elect heare they receiue and so know infallibly they are pardoned And if any man would molest them as the Papists for example do because their name is not expresly written in the Creed they might despise them and both against theirs and the diuels accusations securely conclude their saluation from the condition expressed thus He that repenteth and forsaketh his sinnes and beleeueth and obeyeth the Gospell vnfainedly shall be saued But I repent and forsake my sinnes I beleeue and obey vnfainedly Therefore I shal be saued The first proposition is expresly contained in the Scripture the second is the perpetuall and constant testimonie of the conscience in such as are called * The Schoolmen confesse they are conclusions of faith which arise from two premises the one wherof is immediatly reuealed in the Scripture the other deduâ—ed by good consequeÌ„ce or naturally knowne and added to that which is reuealed Greg. de Val. tom 3. pa 34. A. B. Medin in 1. 2. q 112. art 5. pag 627. The conclusion therefore must needs be true and cannot deceiue because it is extracted out of the word of God and perfected by the worke of his owne spirit in the conscience where all the generall propositions of the law and Gospel are applied If the second proposition be false as it is in all that abide in their wicked life and impenitencie and infidelitie there is no way but to amend and vse the meanes of reformation vntill the conscience may without error assume it This conclusion thus grounded is that faith that we meane when we say we are iustified by faith and it is so farre from giuing libertie to sinne and excluding a good life that you see a good life and the promise made thereunto are the premises that beget it yea of absolute necessitie they must reform themselues afore they haue it and perseuere in all good workes if they will maintaine it 40 The third terme is Onely whereby the meaning is not to debarre repentance and good workes but to exclude them from being either the righteousnesse that maketh vs accepted to eternall life or the meanes whereby that righteousnesse is applied to vs though they haue their vse and absolute necessitie otherwise repentance in preparing and making vs fit to be iustified by faith and afterward the same with good workes in the life of man For the elect are brought to glorie not by iustification alone but by vocation and sanctification also In the former we say our workes haue no roome at all in as much as it standeth in the clearing of a sinner from the law and the making of him perfectly iust in the sight of Gods iudgement which no mans works can do but only the obedience of Christ communicated to vs by faith In the two other they are required because it is the ordinance of God that if any man come and be in Christ he should repent and be a new creature walking not according to the flesh but