that thou didst neuer see him nor know him yea I nothing doubt but that thou wast scarcely borne wheÌ„ he died And how dost thou know yâ— he was subiect to such filthy sinne where was hee euer accused or conuicted of such a matter In that Cittie adulteries be punished by death and would Sodomie haue bin winked at in the Preacher And if it were not knowne there how doest thou know it But I will not insist any longer in coÌ„futing this shamelesse slaunder For most true it is which Tully saith Nonne vt ignis in aquam coniectus continuo restinguitur Cicero pâ—o Rosâ—â—o Com. refrigeratur sic referuens falsum crimen in purissimam castissimamque vitam collatum statim concidit extinguitur As fire being cast into water is straight waies quenched so a feruent false crime and slaunder being cast into a most pure and chast life such as Caluines was forth with falleth downe and is extinguished And euen so let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. slanderer Bolsec the Apostata and all other raile and slaunder what they can yet Caluines memorie with God and all good men wil be blessed for euer And this raiser herein sheweth himselfe like not onely to the Arians but also to that ancient enemie to Christianitiâ— Porphyrius who as Eusebius saith going about to reprehend find fault with the Scriptures and Preachers of the Word not being able to reproue their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—useh Eccles Histor lib. 6. cap. 19. wanting reasons he fell a railing and slaundering the Preachers But to returne to my matter let the reader also with indifferencie consider who bee like to the Donatists Pelalagians Nestorians Eutychians we or the Papâ—sts The Donatists affirmed the Church to haue perished from the rest of the world and to haue remained onely with them in Africa doe not the Papists in like manner affirme only them to be the Church of God which in a part of Europe be vnder the obedience of the Bishop of Rome vnlesse now they will adde the West Indians of whome as the Spaniards haue murthered many millions so peraduenture a few be either perswaded or coacted to professe Poperie and submit themselues to the Pope of Rome But the Christian Churches in Grecia Aethiopia Armenia Muscouia and other countries they acknowledge not for the Church of God because they doe not subiect themselues vnto the Church of Rome we acknowledge al them to be of the Church of God which in all the world hold the truth in the chiefe and sundamentall points of Christian religion The Pelagians held first that the grace of God whereby we be deliuered is giuen according to our merits Secondly that the law of God may be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that wee haue free-will the Papists herein be so like to them that as they maintaine in effect the same matters so for the defence of them that alleadge the same places of Scriptures now as the Pelagians of old time did as appeareth by the writings of S. Augustine and S. Hierome Theodo lib. 4. Haeret. â—abul against them Nestorius did as Theodoretus writeth of him trouble and intangle the simple and plaine doctrine of Christian faith with Greekish Sophistications How the Papists haue herein ioyned with him and by their curious questions and vaine Sophistications haue troubled and peruerted the pure simple and plaine faith of Christ by their Schoolemen it doth euidently appeare Eutyches confounded the two natures in Christ and the properties peculiar to them So doe the Papists in making the body of Iesus Christ to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth which is only proper to the Deity This shall suffice to shew that the Papists bee liker to these olde heretikes then wee are whose doctrine we abhorre and be farre further from it then they be Yea I may not onely truly say but can also plainly proue Poperâ—e to be an hotchpotch of old heresies long ago condemned in the Church of God The which as I did once in publike place shew so I may if it be the will At Paules Crosse Anno 1590. of God heareafter more plainly and plentifully proue Now this worthy writer or rather lewd libeller will proue and that by a Syllogisme out of the principles of our religion that S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie This subtile Syllogisme is thus framed Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo. S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie As the assumption or second proposition of this sillogisme as it now standeth is false so by a small alteration both it and all the rest may be very true that is by putting out the name of S. Paul and putting Papists in place thereof in this sort Whosoeuer exhoâ—teth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhort vs to infidelity The Papists exhort or at least-wise teach us to doubt of our saluation Ergo the Papist exhort vs to infidelity The first proposition of this sillogisme is affirmed by Sess 6. pag. 29. this writer to be plaine The second is the doctrine of the Papists concluded determined in that Tridentine Conuenticle where it is said that they which be truly iustified cannot without all doubt account them-selâ—es to be iustified And againe that no man can know by certainty of faith which is not subiect to error and falsehood that he hath obtained the grace of God And againe Sâ— quis dixerit omni homini c. If any shall say that it is necessary for euery man to the obtaining â—â—id can 73. of remission of sinnes to beleeue certainly and without doubt of their one infirmity and indisposition that their sins be forgiuen them be he accursed But more plainly and pregnantly doe the Doctors of Louaine lay downe this doctrine of doubting Fides qua quis firmiter In articul aduers Luther artic 9. credit certò statuit per Christum sibi remissa esse peccata seque possessurum vitam aeternam nullum habet in Scripuris testimonium imo eisdem aduersatur The faith whereby a man doth firmely beleeue is certainly assured that his sinnes by Christ bee forgiuen him and that hee shall possesse eternall life hath no testimony in the Scripture yea is contrary vnto them Here-vpon I conclude by this writers owne reason that the Papists in mainteining this doctrine of doubting teach infidelity But whereas these Louainian Doctors say that this doctrine of the certainty of forgiuenes of our sinnes by Christ and of our possession of eternall life is not testified in the Scriptures but contrary to them how false this is I referre it to bee tried by these places here following They that trust in the LORD shall bee as mount Sâ—on
and wherein the true worship and seruice of God according to his will reuealed in his holy word is contained your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superstition we flee and forsake Finally we haue that Christ which came Christ 1. Tim. 1. 15. Iohn 1. 29. into this world to saue sinners and which is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world whom we acknowledge more soundly to be our onely high prophet Matth. 17. 5. to instruct vs in the will of his father whose onely voyce wee must heare our onely high priest with the sacrifice of his body and bloud once offered to redeeme vs and reconcile vs vnto GOD our onely mediator and intercessor to sitte for euer at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and our onely high King to deliuer vs out of the hands of our enemies to giue lawes vnto our consciences and to rule vs with the scepter of his holy word then the Pope and all his adherents doe This our true confession where-vnto God and our consciences bee witnesses we oppose to your false and slaunderous obtrectation and accusation saying with Saint Paul Wee passe very 1. Cor. 4. 3. little to bee iudged of you or of mans iudgement and with him also exhort you not to iudge before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God Further I doe exhort you that take vpon you so seuerely to censure and iudge others carefully to take heede to your selues that you haue not a false faith grounded not vpon Gods promises Faith contained in his word but vpon mans deuises and traditions which as Epiphanius saith is worse then no faith Epipha in Anâ—â—rat◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that you bee not voyde of true hope by teaching the doctrine of doubting whereof Hope I shall speake hereafter and by fearing to be after death throwne into the firie torments of purgatorie and that you want not true charitie in iudging so falsely and maliciously Charity and persecuting vs so cruelly as you vse to doe when time and powre serueth you and that you haue no true repentance nor remorse of conscience for sinne in Repentance persisting so obstinately in damnable doctrine and abominable idolatrie and that by leaning to your owne righteousnesse and the merites of other men which were sinners themselues you loose not that true iustification Iustification which is the righteousnesse of GOD by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue which is onely Rom. 3. 22. able to stand and discharge vs before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ and is the onely strong staffe to leane vpon to leap ouer the ditch of damnation and beware I say that you leaning vpon the weake reede of your owne merites and others fall not into the middest thereof from which there is no rising take heede you be not of the malignant Church which heareth not the voice of Christ Church 2. Thessalo 2. and wherein that man of sinne and sonne of perdition sitteth and raigneth and that you haue not such Idolatrous altars as Iereboam had against which the man of God cried and vpon which the like iudgement of God fell Altars 1. King 13. 2 as hath done vpon yours now And that you haue not a false forged sacrifice which appeaseth not but dailie prouoketh Sacrifice Gods wrath against you and that you bee not without Priests to teach the law of God truely but haue Priest Ierem. 2. 8. Malach. 2. 8. swarmes of such Priests as say not where is the Lord and know not GOD but prophesie in Baal which haue gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the law c. Beware that you bee not without Religion remembring Religion Lactant. de origi erroris lib. 2 cap 19. Christ August de ciuitate dei lib. 18. cap. 2. the saying of Lactantius Quare non est dubium quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est Wherefore there is no doubt but that there is no Religion wheresoeuer an Image is Finally I say againe and againe beware that you forsake not the true Christ and worship Antichrist sitting in the westerne Babylon built vpon seauen hilles which in the daies of Saint Iohn raigned ouer the Apoc. 17. 9. 18 Kings of the earth wherefore bee not so rash in iudging so hardly and vncharitably of others but examine and iudge your selues that you bee not iudged of the Lord. But I now come to your pithie probation of this your vncharitable 1. Cor. 11. 31. 1 and shamelesse assertion The reason you say is For if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeares as they themselues must needes confesse videl all the time their Church was eclipsed and for 1500. as wee will prooue by the testimonie of all recordes of antiquitie c. Wherevnto I answere that if wee take the world in that sense which the scripture sometimes doth for the multitude and societie of them Whereof the diuell Ioh. 14 30. 2. Cor. 4. 4 Iob. 15. 18. 19 1. Joh. 5. 19 Ioâ— 17 9 Ioh. 14. 22 is prince which hateth Christ and his true disciples which is set vpon wickednesse for the which our Sauiour Christ refused to pray saying I pray not for the world and whereof Iudas not Iscariot did say what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not vnto the world In this sense I may grant that the world hath not had these gifts of Gods grace these thousand yeares and put another thousand and more vnto them But if we take the world more generally for this great Globe and all the inhabitants thereof then prooue by the testimonie of all antiquitie that the doctrine which wee teach and professe hath not beene these 1500. yeares in the world and wee will yeeld and you shall winne the victorie But it is vsuall with you and your fellowes to make great and braue bragges to amaze the simple and ignorant and to bring small and poore proofes as you doe here none at all to perswade the wise and learned great braggers are no great doers In deede wee confesse that the Church is well compared by Saint Augustine to the Moone For as the August in Psa 10 Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the true Church receiue her light from Iesus Christ the sonne Malach. â— 2 of righteousnesse And as the Moone is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnesse and sometimes is in the waine and sometimes is eclipsed and doth little appeare euen so the Church is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and glory as in the Apostles times and diuers hundreth yeares after it did sometimes it is in the waine and eclipsed as for many
terris ipse meruit Idem in confut assert Luther articulo 17. innumeri tamen sunt qui longè grauiores aerumnas pertulerunt quà m ad suorum suffecissent delictorum expiationem Secondly wee make this supposition that although there is none to whome God doth not giue a greater reward in Heauen then hee hath merited and deserued yet there bee many which haue suffered farre more grieuous griefes and punishments then would haue sufficed to the expiation and purging away their sinnes This is their doctrine and is this to beleeue the forgiuenesse 2. Pet. 2. of sinnes or is it not rather to denie the Lord Iesus that hath bought vs For I may say with Saint Paul that Galat. 2. if righteousnesse come by the law or by our satisfaction then Christ died in vaine And with what face can these men accuse vs of denying this article the forgiuenesse of sinnes themselues teaching such blasphemous doctrine so manifestly opposite and contrarie vnto it Againe they denie the forgiuenesse of the punishments due for sinne saying that Christ hath deliuered vs à culpa from the fault or offence but not à poena from the punishment or at leastwise hee hath deliuered vs from eternall punishment but not from temporall which must bee sustained in Pugatorie whereby our sinnes or soules must bee purged and Gods iustice satisfied And yet the Popes pardons masses and dirges may discharge and deliuer from it Wherein first what doe they but extenuate and greatly diminish the vertue and powre of Christs death For if our Sauiour Christ haue not deliuered vs from the punishment due to our sinnes what great good hath hee done vs And if hee haue discharged vs from eternall punishment in hell but not from the temporall in Purgatory then is hee not a full and perfect Sauiour but an halfe Sauiour Haue you the testimonie of all Antiquitie for this doctrine Tertullian saith Exempto scilicet reatu eximiâ—ur poena The guiltinesse of sinne beeing taken away the punishment Tertull. lib. de baptismo is also taken away And Chrysostome saith vbi enim gratia ibi venia vbi verò venia illic nulla erit poena Where grace is there is forgiuenesse and where forgiuenesse Chrysost ad Rom. Homil. 8. is there shall bee no punishment Saint Augustine saith Ablato ergo peccato auferetur poena pecati The sin beeing taken away the punishment of sinne shall also bee taken away By this let it be discerned who they bee that August de vera relig cap. 13 denie that article of the forgiuenesse of sinne Moreouer let the Christian reader consider how they attribute first that to their Purgatory which is proper to the bloud of Christ which as S. Iohn saith clenseth vs from all sinne and secondly more to their Dirges Masses Pardons and such 1. Ioh. 1. paltries then they doe to the death and passion of Iesus Christ For they may deliuer from the paines of Purgatory but Christs death doth not O coelum non sudas ô terra non tremis But now let vs come to your proofe of this your accusation of our denying of this article Your first reason is that wee acknowledge no such effect in the Sacrament of Baptisme c. Wee acknowledge that baptisme is a Sacrament of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the death and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ whereby our faith is confirmed and we assured that as water washeth away the filth of the bodie so all the filth guiltinesse of our sinnes is so purged in the bloud of Christ that wee bee accepted for iust and righteous before God But we do not acknowledge that Baptisme or any other Sacrament doe conferre grace of themselues or haue grace included in them as in a vessell but wee affiame that they bee seales of Gods promises and instruments whereby God worketh in his elect and chosen people those graces which hee hath in his word promised and Iesus Christ hath purchased for them But all that bee outwardly baptized bee not inwardlie clensed as Simon Magus who beeing baptized was yet Act. 8. 23. still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie For the spirit of God worketh by them in whom when and how much it pleaseth him Neither doe wee beleeue that Baptisme serueth onely for the remission of sinnes committed before it as you say here but that the vse and benefit of it pertaineth to our whole life continually to asâ—ure vs and confirme our faith in the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes by Iesus Christ And whereas you say that this our doctrine is contrarie to the expresse word of GOD which calleth this Sacrament the lauer of regeneration for that in it the soule dead by sinne is newly regenerate by grace I answere that Baptisme is so farre from beeing in this place of Saint Paul expressed that it is not mentioned neither necessarily to bee vnderstanded Saint Pauls sweete words bee these When the hountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour towards man appeared not by the workes of T it 3. 4. righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost which hee shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Where is baptisme here mentioned or expressed to the lauer of regeneration Saint Paule doth here attribute this washing whereby wee bee regenerate and renewed to the holie Ghost alluding as it were to the words of God by the Prophet Ezechiel Then will I powre â—xech 36. 25. cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will â— clense you By this cleane water is vnderstood the spirit of God as it is expounded in the two next verses following I confesse that Baptisme is a Sacrament and pledge vnto vs of this washing and clensing of the holie Ghost to whom this washing is to be attributed and not to baptisme as though it were included in it or affixed to it for as I said many be outwardly baptized which be not inwardly clensed but onely the faithfull children of God in whom Gods spirit inwardly worketh that which by the word of God is promised and in baptisme sealed and confirmed And therefore this lauer is the spirit of God by whom we be regenerated and renewed Saint Augustine saith well Ea demum miserabilis August lib. 2 â—le doct Câ—rist cap. 5. est seruitus signa pro rebus accipere supra creaturam corpoream oculum mentis ad hauriendum aeternum lumen leuare non posse This is miserable seruitude to take the signes for the things signified and not to bee able to lift vp the eye of the minde aboue the corporeall creature to receiue eternall light Your second proofe is that we allow not the sacrament of Penance wherein all actuall sinnes committed after Baptisme are cancelled Your Popish penance
43. Math. 27. 46. â—2 death but Christ our Sauiour was in such an Agonie that his sweate was like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground so that an Angell appeared from heauen comforting him He cryed and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whereby it doth euidently appeare that hee suffred not onely an outward death of the body but did in his soule wrastle with the paines of Hell and beare the burden of GODS wrath due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the same and to purchase the loue and mercy of God vnto vs. And when the prophet saith of him He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Isa 53. 4. 5. 6. he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was laid vpoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed Alwe like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the inâ—quity of vs all Did not our Sauiour Christ heere in suffer the punishment which was due to our sinnes Saint Paul saith that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs for Galath 3. 13. it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yet Iesus Christ was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God aind to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who other-wayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person Augustin psal 21 c. and that which hee suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had don hee might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or GOD had hated him c. Where-unto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of GODS iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our hearts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwaies the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whome he was alwayes well pleased But hee hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercy to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde nor for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for out sinnes which hee bare in his body and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemy to God but enemy to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might bee imputed vnto vs To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell the which as Christ by his Deitie ouercame and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no disperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O 1. Cor. 15. 35. hell where is thy victory The Pamphlet The Protestantes haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnity of beleefe nor to dâ—termine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore hee not onely fore-warned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Ethnicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should bee carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the general Councells cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practiâ—ed and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuel by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue bene freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuat spririt singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error wind themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inueagled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betwixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they wil neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And albeit they goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnitie and conformity in matters of faith and in the substance of religion and that their disagreement onely consisteth in points of ceremonies and trifles of small importance yet in very deed they differ in sundry essentiall pointes of religion and although this shift will perhaps serue to cast a mist ouer the confused conceits of silly fooles yet no wise man will euer bleeue them I pray you tell me is not the Kinges supremacy a matter of faith and a cheefe point of religion and doe not all sound Puritanes in the world denie it and defie it Aske Caluin the Puritanicall Patriarke what he thought of King Henry the
good end which God intended and yet haue solde denied and crucified Christ conforming their intentions to his they being instruments and he the first meouer Againe it cannot be said but that God indirectly and most effectually intended their sinnes for he that intendeth any effect wherewith another effect is necessarily conioyned consequently intendeth it as for example He that intendeth to burne a ship in the midst of the sea intendeth consequently the death of all the men which be in her In like manner if God intended that Iudas should sell Christ vnto which action sinne was necessarily adioyned consequently God intended the sinne as well as the selling The Minor is too too euident For the Protestants deride Gods permission they say that all his actions are energeticall or effectuall they desperately auerre that Pauls conuersion and Dauids aduoutrie were in like manner the workes of God And as he elected some to glorie before the preuision of workes so he reiected some from glorie before the preuision of sins Here hence I infer that according to the Protestants principles God is most properly the author of sinne because he impelleth most effectually thereunto Next that he is the only author of sinne for that he inforceth men vpon necessitie to sinne and they as instruments follow the motion of their first cause Againe that man sinneth not for where there is necessitie of sinning there is no sinne for sinne is free or no sinne besides how can man sinne in conforming his will with Gods will Finally God is worse then the diuell for that the wickednes of the diuell principally consisteth in moouing perswading and iuducing of men to sinne the which by the Protestants confession God perfâ—rmeth more effectually then the diuell because the motions of God are more forcible and lâ—sse resistable then the illusions or suggestions of the diuell Many sinnes moreouer are acted without the temptations of the diuell some of ignorance some of passion but none without the motions of God so that God is worse then the diuell both in causing a greater multitude of sinnes then â—â— diuell and in the forcible manner of causing sinnes which the diuell cannot attaine vnto The which doctrine is as good a ground for Atheisme as euer hell could deuise for were it not much more reasonable to say there were no God at all then to beleeue there were such a God as commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth men to sinne and yet for the same sinnes will torment them with the inexplicable paines of hell Answere THis man sheweth himselfe to be like to the vnrighteous Luk. 18. 2. Apocal. 12. 10. Iohn 8. 4â— Iudge who neither feared God nor reuerenced man or rather like him that is a slanderer of Gods Saints and a lyar and the father of liâ—s For the Minor or assumption of this syllogisme that all Protestants say that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth and impelleth men to sinne is as true as that is that Catholikes in England be wrapped in Beares skinnes and cast vnto dogges to be deuoured which was published in Rome by a printed booke and set out in tables confirmed with Pope Gregorie In a booke intituled Eccles Anglicane Trâ—phea printed in Rome 1584. the 13. priuiledge The which as all men know to be a false malitious slander to discredit our gracious Queenes mercifull and good gouernment so is this also to defame the teachers of Gods truth For if this man or any of his partners can proue that either all Protestants or any learned Protestant doth say that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth and impelleth to sinne then will I yeeld vnto him not onely in this but in all other matters of religion If this cannot be shewed as most certainely it cannot what a shamelesse man is this to vtter such a grosse and palpable lye as euen a blind man may as it were feele it with his fingers and in what miserable estate be those simple ignorant soules which credit such lying spirits But this is the iust iudgement of God against them that receiue not the loue of the truth that 2 Thes 2. 10. they might be saued to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies As touching the matter wee beleeue with our hearts and confesse with our mouthes that God tempteth no man to euill and sinne but euery man is tempted Iames 1. 13. when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is intised and that euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from â—boue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning Whereby Saint Iames meaneth that God is in such sort good and so the giuer and author of good things that there is no change or alteration with him and therefore is the giuer of all good gifts and graces and neuer of any euill And we say with the Prophet Dauid Thou art not a God that loueth or willeth wickednes neither shall euill dwell with Psalm 5. 8. thee And with Saint Iohn God is light and in him is no 1. Iohn 1. 5. darknes And as there is no darknes that is to say ignorance wickednes in God so is he not the author thereof neither doth hee commaund perswade vrge or impell vnto it Fulgentius saith Inâ—quitas igitur quia in Deo Lib. 1. ad Monimum non est vâ—ique ex Deo non est Because iniquitie is not in God therefore it is not of God These blasphemies wee denie and defie neither doe Caluine or Beza in the places Beza Aphoris 1. by him quoâ—ed or any where else affirme them What is it then that they say They â—ay that there is nothing done by any neither vniuersally nor particularly but by the ordinance of God no not those things excepted which be euill and to be detested not in as much as they be ordained of God who is alwaies good and iust but in as much as they be done by the diuell and other wicked instruments So that wee say that the power and 2. Cor. 4. 6. prouidence of God who maketh the light to shine out of darknesse doth so cooperate and worke with the euill actions of wicked men and doth so direct them to the execution of his holy ordinance and iust iudgements that the same as they be done and directed by God be pure and holy and as they be committed of man be wicked and abominable Iosephs brethren did wickedly and of malice sell him into Aegypt for a slaue yet Ioseph saith God sent me before you to preserue your posteritie in this land Gon. 45. 7. and to saue you by a great deliuerance Now then you sent not me hither but God who hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh And againe When ye thought euill against me God disposed it Chap. 50. 20. to goâ—d Here God did neither commaund perswade nor impell Iosephs brethren to sell and send him into Aegypt yet his omnipotent hand was in that action to
turne it vnto good So when the Chaldeans and Sabeans tooke away Iobs Oxen and Camels and slew his Seruants they were vrged and impelled thereunto by the diuell yet Iob saith God hath giuen and God hath taken blessed be the name of God To this spoiling of Iobs goods God did Iob. 1. 21. not commaund perswade vrge or impell the Chaldeans and Sabeans yet the same was not done without his prouidence and ordinance who turned the same to his glory in prouing and purging Iob in the furnace of affliction in making him a paterne of patience to all posteritie and in teaching men thereby not to iudge of men by outward afflictions and aduersities whereunto both the faithfull and wicked be subiect So in the examples here set downe the diuell put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ and impelled the Iewes to crucifie him yet hee Acts 2. 23 4. 28. was deliuered to them by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God to doe whatsoeuer the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done Thus these thinges which were done against the will of God were not done as Saint Augustine saith beside or without the Enehir ad Lauâ— cap. 100. will of God that is they were done against the commandement and will of God reuealed in his word yet not without the eternall purpose counsell and decree of God And the same being most wickedly committed by man God turned directed them to the endlesse praise of his mercie and the eternall saluation of his elect So Saint Augustine saith Cum ergo pater tradiderit filium August epist 48. ad Vincent pag. 109. suum ipse Christus Corpus suum Iudas Dominum suum cur in hac traditione Deus est pius homo reus nisi in re vna quam fecerunt causa non vna est ob quam fecerunt Whereas both the Father gaue his sonne and Christ gaue his owne bodie and Iudas gaue or betrayed Christ why in this giuing is God holy and man guiltie but that in one thing which they did there was not one and the same cause wherefore they did it This is not to doe euill that good may come of it for all actions as they are of God are good and righteous For if a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite as our Sauiour Math. 7. 18. Christ saith how much lesse can God who is the author of all goodnes and euen goodnes it selfe bring forth euill actions Neither doth God directly or effectually intend the sins of men nor their damnation but his owne glory which shineth not onely in the manifestation of his mercy towards the faithfull and godly but also in the declaration of his iustice against the wicked and reprobate The similitude of intending the burning of a ship and consequently the death of them that be in it will not here hold For God as I haue said before doth intend neither the sinne nor perdition of man but his owne glorie and the execution of his iust iudgements Your owne Angelicall Doctor Thomas Aquinas to the like similitude of drowning a ship answereth thus Ad tertium dicendum Thom. Aquin. part 1. summae quaest 49. quòd subuersio nauis attribuitur nautae vt causae ex eo quòd non agit quod requiritur adsalutem nauis sed Deus non deficit ab agendo quod est necessarium ad salutem inde non est simile i. To the third we say that the drowning of a ship is attributed to the Mariner as the cause thereof because hee doth not that which is requisite for the safetie of the ship but God faileth not from doing that which is necessarie vnto saluation whereupon this is not like So in burning a ship malice in man is the cause thereof but there is no malice in God Ezech. 18. 32. neither doth he desire the death of him that dieth but the execution of his iustice Yet it is true which Augustine saith Deus operatur in cordibus hominum ad inclinandas voluntates August de graâ—ia lib. arbitr cap. 21. eorum quocunque vult siue ad bona pro sua misericordia siue ad mala pro ipsorum meritis iudicio vtique aliquando aperto aliquando occulto semper autem iusto i. God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wils to whatsoeuer he will either to good things by his mercie or to euist for their deserts by his iudgement which sometime is open and sometime secret but alwaies iust And which Fulgentias saith Deus licèt auctor Fulgentius ad Monimum lib. 1. non sit malarum cogitationum ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum de malo opere câ—iuslibet mali non desinit ipse bonum operari i. Although God be not the author of euill cogitations yet is hee the orderer of euill wils and of the euill worke of euery euill man he ceaseth not to worke a good worke Therefore these wonderfull works of God whose iudgements Rom. 11. 33. are vnsearchable waies past finding out are not curiously to be discussed but reuerently to be adored For O man what art thou that pleadest against God In the Rom. 9. 20. probation of his Minor he first vntruly according to his custome saith that wee deride Gods permission the which is false for wee neither deride nor deme Gods permission God said to Abimeleth I kept thee also that Genes 20. 6. thou shouldâ—st not sinne against me Non permisi te vt tangeres eam Therefore I haue not permitted thee to touch her Againe God permitted him not to hurt me But we say first that Ibid. cap. 31. 7. God permitteth not sinne inuitus against his will but of his will for else he were not omnipotent Secondly that he doth not onely permit sinnes but also by his infinite wisedome and almightie power draweth good out of them and directeth them to his glory So S. Augustine saith Hoc quippe ipso quod contra Dei voluntatem fecerunt August â—d Lament cap. 103. de ipsis facta est voluntas eius c. In that thing which they haue done against the will of God the will of God is done in them Therefore the works of the Lord are great and are to be Psal 111. 2. sought out of them that loue them So that by a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that is not done without his will which is done against his will because it could not be done vnlesse he did permit it nec vtique nolâ—ns siâ—it sed volens neither doth hee permit it against his will but with his will Neither would hee being good permit euill to be done vnlesse he being omnipotent could also of euill doe good S. Hierome saith Dicam quicquam Hieron in Habac cap 1. sine te fieri ô Domine Deus te nolente tantuâ—â— posse impium Hoâ— sentire blasphemum est Quum itaque â—â—sis
then grace vvere no grace Thus Saint Augustine sheweth that Gods election is not his prescience and foreseeing of workes to come but his owne grace good pleasure and purpose Now I come to your illations which vpon these false assertions you falsly inferre To the first I answere that God impelleth no man to sinne and therefore God is not the author of sinne Secondly God inforceth not men vpon necessitie to sinne but they sinne willingly and by the instigation of the diuell who worketh in the children of disobedience therefore God is not the author of sinne In your third inference where you say that sinne is free or no sinne belike you hold with Pighius some other Papists that originall sinne is no sinne for it is not free for vs to be without it And whereas you aske how man can sinne in conforming his will with Gods will I answere that they that sinne doe not conforme their will to Gods will but doe disobey it and oppose themselues vnto it This is the will of â—od saith Saint Paul your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication 1. Thes 4. 3. Finally for as much as you can neuer shew that it is the Protestants confession that God moueth perswadeth and induceth men to sinne therfore you make a false and blasphemous collection for the which the Lord rebuke thee Satan Lastly whereas you thus charge vs to hold that God is the author of sinne I would desire you to shew where we do write more hardly of this matter then Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester hath written heereof whose words be these Neutrum sane potest sine Deo nec ad Iohn Roffens asserti Luther confuta artic 36. pag. 339. bonum se pararâ— neque malum opus facere Neque enim adulter absque generali fluxu Dei potest adulterandâ— facinus committere sed neque postquam ipsum admisit sine speciali auxilio Dei conari valebit vt resurgat i. Man can doe neither vvithout God neither prepare himselfe to good nor doe that vvhich is euill For the adulterer can neither commit adulterie vvithout the generall influence of God nor after hee hath committed it can he endeuour to rise vvithout the speciall helpe of God And againe Nam quantum ad substantiam actus etiam operibus malis cooperatur Deus Neque tamen recte Idem ibidem pag. 340. quisquam Deo peccatum imputabit quia tametsi cooperetur Deus adsubstantiam actus non tamen ipsam deficientiam operatur sed hoc agit sola voluntas i. As touching the substance of the act euen GOD doth cooperate or vvorke vvith euill vvorkes yet may not any man rightly impute sinne vnto God for although God doth cooperate to the substance of the deede yet he doth not vvorke the defect of the deede but onely mans vvill doth that Either shew where we haue written more hardly hereof or else condemne this Bishop and Martyr for the Popes cause with vs. I trust you will not say that hee taught Atheisme which is so rife in Rome as I haue before shewed c. The Pamphlet That faith once had may be lost 6. Article VVHosoeuer leeseth his charitie leeseth his faith But Dauid when he killed Vrias lost his charity Ergo Dauid when he killed Vrias lost his faith The Maior is a principle vndoubted of in the schooles of Protestants for they peremptorily affirme that true faith such as was in Dauid one of Gods elected can nâ— more be seuered from charitie then heate from fire or light from the sunne and therefore if Dauid killing Vrias lost his charitie no doubt but therewithall he lost his faith The Minor I prooue for whosoeuer remaineth in death is without charitie but Dauid when hee killed Vrias remained in death Ergo Dauid when he killed Vrias was without charitie If hee was without that which once he had no doubt but then he lost it for he was depriued thereof for his sinne The Maior proposition of this last Syllogisme thus I proue for charitie is the life of the soule and it is as impossible for a man to haue charitie and remaine in death as it is impossible to be dead in bodie and yet indued with a reasonable soule The Minor cannot be denied to wit that Dauid by killing Vrias remained in death for it is the expresse vvord of God Qui non diligit manet in morte He that loueth not 1. Ioh. 3. ver 14. his neighbour remaineth in death but certaine it is that Dauid loued not Vrias when he killed him Ergo likewise certaine it is that Dauid remained in death The same position might easily be prooued out of the eighteenth chapter of Ezech. verse twentie foure Si autem auerterit se iustus à iustitia sua c. Answere IDenie the Minor or second proposition that Dauid in procuring Vrias to be killed lost his charitie For although in this combat betweene the spirit and the flesh in Dauid the spirit retired and the flesh preuailed the new man was foyled and the olde man ouercame yet was not the spirit vtterly extinguished nor the new man cleane killed Indeede Dauids faith fainted his charity was cooled and his other gifts and graces couered yet not cleane quenched but there remained sparks of Gods spirit which afterwards being stirred vp and blowne by Nathans bellowes kindled flamed to Gods glory and Dauids eternall comfort and saluation Shall we thinke that Dauid had lost all loue of God of his law of man was he cleane depriued of Gods spirit it appeareth by his owne words that hee was not Who vpon Nathans preaching and reprouing of his sinne prayed and said Take not thy holy spirit from me Whereupon I reason thus Psal 51. 11. He that was not cleane depriued of Gods spirit had not wholly lost faith and charity But Dauid was not cleane depriued of Gods spirit therefore he had not wholly lost faith and charitie The first proposition is euident by the words of Dauid the second is manifest For it is absurd to say that the spirit of God should continue in him that hath lost all graces and gifts of the spirit It is with Gods elect and chosen children as it is with fire which in the night is so hid and couered that none appeareth and yet in the morning is stirred vp and is made to brune and to flame and as with a tree which in the Winter hath neither fruite nor leafe vpon it yet it hath a sap fallen into the root which in the spring springeth bringeth forth both leafe and fruite So is it with Gods holy Saints they be sometimes so ouertaken and ouercome with temptations that they seeme to be as trees without fruite withered and perished yet there remaineth a sap of Gods spirit and grace in them which afterward riseth and buddeth forth good fruit And therefore to the second proposition of your second Syllogisme I say that although Dauid by those foule
fearefull offences deserued eternall death yet he did not remaine in death and although God hated those sinnes yet hee neuer hated Dauid For whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and calling â—ohn 13 1. Rom. 11. 29. of God are without repentance If we loue a man and yet hate some sinne that he committeth might not God who is loue it selfe hate Dauids sinne and yet loue him and keepe some sparkes of his spirit and grace in him and so preserue as the externall life of the body so the internall life of the soule in him So that neither Dauid remained in death neither was his loue no not to Vrias altogether extinguished in him No doubt but he did loue him as his true and faithfull subiect and might loue him as the seruant of GOD yet in that temptation his owne selfe-loue and desire to couer his owne sin and shame did preuaile against his loue to Vrias and did draw him to do an act which was no fruit nor effect of loue and charitie and yet did not wholly quench loue in him The Maior of your latter Syllogisme which needeth no proofe you seeke to proue by a false assertion in barely saying according to your manner but not by any place of Scripture prouing that charitie is the life of the soule I say that faith is the life of the soule the which I proue by these two sayings of the Scripture The Prophet Habacuck saith The iust shall liue by his faith Saint Paul saith In that Hâ—bâ—c 1. 24. Rom â— 17. Gal 2. 20. I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Let this man shew two such plaine places of Scripture to proue charitie to be the life of the soule Properly Christ is the life of our soules Saint Paul in the place before alledged saith Christ liued in me And when Christ which is our life shall appeare And our Sauiour himselfe saith I am the way the Col â— 4. Ioh. â—4 6. truth and the life For when wee were dead in sinnes hee hath quickned vs and as he hath restored life vnto vs so he doth continually nourish and preserue life in vs. But this is attributed to faith because by it Christ dwelleth in vs and wee by it be put into the possession of Christ and of all the benefites of his passion Concerning the place of Ezechiel because you doe not vrge it I will not stand vpon it We doubt not but men may and doe fall from God and iust actions vnto wicked and vngodly deeds and may haue a temporall faith and fall away from the grace of God But this we say that true faith in Gods elect which are sealed with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. and to whose spirit Gods spirit doth beare witnesse that they are the sonnes of God is neuer wholly lost in them and the same spirit worketh by charity which in them may be cooled but neuer cleane quenched But of the losing of faith and of the coniunction thereof with charitie I haue before intreated Now to returne this argument in some sort vpon you Whereas the Papists auerre that the Popes faith cannot faile I reason thus He that loseth his charitie may lose his faith the Pope may lose his charitie Ergo the Pope may lose his faith The first proposition I haue proued alreadie and haue shewed that true faith is not separated from charitie but worketh by it And most manifest it is by Saint Iames that the faith which is without charitie Iam. 2. 26. and good works is dead So that if the Pope be without charitie then he hath but a dead faith And a dead faith is as much faith as a dead man is a man That the Pope may be without charitie I thinke they will not denie and if they doe it may be prooued by many examples a Platina in Ioan. 13. Blond epito decad 2. lib. 2 pag. 200. Supplem chronicorum in Iohan. 12. Pope Iohn the twelfth or as Platina reckoneth the thirteenth tooke two of his Cardinals and cut off the nose of the one and the hand of the other as witnesse Platina Blondus and many others b Platina in Stephan 6. Supple chron in Stephan 6. Stephanus the sixt did take the body of Formosus his predecessor out of the graue after he was dead put him out of his pontificall habite and put on him a lay mans atâ—ire cut off the two fingers of his right hand wherewith he did consecrate and threw them into Tiber. c Platina in Serg. 3. Supplement chron in Serg. 3. Pope Sergius the third tooke vp againe the body of the same Forâ—osus did cut off his head as if hee had beene aliue and threw the body into Tiber as vnworthy of buriall d Platina in Bonisac 7. Suppl Chron. Boniface the seuenth tooke Iohn a Cardinall and put out his eyes e Pâ—atina in Vrban 6. Boâ—fintus Decad 3. libr. 1. pag. 354. Supplem Chron. fol. 221. Vrban the sixt of seuen of his Cardinals which he apprehended at Nuceria took fiue of them put them in sackes and cast them into the Sea f Platina in Inno. 7. Supplementum Chronico lib. 13. fol. 226. Innocentius the seuenth caused by Lewes his nephew certaine citizens of Rome which sought the restitution of their ancient liberties and the reformation of the common-wealth decayed by his euill gouernment to be throwne out of windowes and so killed Alexander the sixt caused both the right hand and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus to be cut out because he had written an eloquent oration against his wicked and filthy life Many such other prankes of Popes might be alledged which were no more fruites of charity then was Dauids procuring of Vrias death by the sword of the Ammonites But notwithstanding these and such other tragicall tyrannicall acts these Popes faith neuer failed For they neuer had any but a false and dead faith such a faith as the Diuell hath The Pamphlet The Protestants shall neuer haue life euerlasting because they will haue no merits for which euerlasting life is giuen 7. Article VVHatsoeuer is giuen ac wages is giuen for works But the kingdome of Heauen is giuen as wages Ergo the kingdome of Heauen is giuen for workes The Maior or first proposition may be declared after this manner for example her maiestie may bestow 1000. pounds by yeare vpon some suiter either gratis of meere liberalitie and so it is called a gift donum a grace or fauour or vpon condition if hee be haue himselfe manfully in the warres of Ireland and in this case the reuenue is called merces wages Remuneratio stipendium a reward or paiment and although her mâ—â—estie did shew him a grace and fauour to promise such a reward for performing such a worke the which hee was bound vpon his allegeance otherwise to performe yet once hauing promised
and the worke being performed her maiestie is bound vpon her fidelitie and iustice to pay that she promised In like manner God may giue vs the kingdome of Heauen without any respect or regard of workes as he giueth it to little children which are baptised and so it is a meere gift and a pure grace Or hee may giue it with some respect vnto our workes and so he giueth it to all them who hauing vse of discretion keepe his commaundements and for this cause it is called wages merces areward Ad Rom. 4. v 5. and thus the Maior must be vnderstoode to wit that whatsoeuer God giueth as wages is giuen for workes and such wages are called merits Wages then and merits haue a mutuall relation for what are wages but a reward of merits and what are merits but a desert of wages The Minor is most plaine and inculcated in Scriptures Voca operarios redde illis mercedem Call the workemen Matth. 208. and pay them their wages Ecce venio merces mea mecum est reddere vnicuique secundum opera sua Loe Apoc. 22. 12. I come and my wages with me to giue to euery one according to his works Vnusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundùm suum laborem Euery one shall receiue proper wages 1. Ad Cor. 3. 8. Matth. 5. 12. cap. 6. ver 1. â— ad Tim. 5. 18. according to his labour The like we haue in twentie other places of Scripture all which infallibly prooue that the kingdome of heauen is giuen as wages for merits and consequently that Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits And for sâ—ch men vvee may vvell say that heauen was neuer made no more then learning for him that vvill neuer studie nor vertue for him vvho despiseth the exercise thereof Answere AS euerlasting life is not in your bestowing so wee want not merites to obtaine it to wit Gods mercies and Christs sufferings for vs with the which wee content our selues and nothing doubt but they be sufficient to discharge vs of damnation and to bring vs to saluation Of these merits sweetly saith Bernard Meum proinde meritum miseratio Domini c. My merit is Gods Bernard in Cantic serm 61. mercie I am not cleane voide of merit as long as hee is not voide of mercies And if the mercies of the Lord be much I am much in merits What though I be guiltie to my selfe of manie sinnes Surely vvhere sinne hath abounded grace also hath superabounded And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting to euerlasting I will also from euerlasting sing the mercies of the Lord. Shall I sing my owne iustice O Lord I vvill remember thy iustice onely for that is mine also in that thou August in Psal 139. art of God made iustice to me So Augustine saith Meritis suis nihil tribuunt sancti totum non nisi misericordiae tuae tribuunt ô Deus i. The Saints attribute nothing to their owne merits they attribute all O God onely to thy mercie Hierome Hieron lib. 1. aduers Pelag. fâ— 120. saith Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misericordia i. Then are vvee iust vvhen vvee acknowledge our selues to be sinners and our iustice or righteousnesse consisteth not in our merits but in Gods mercie S. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. EteÌ„rnal rest or life is propounded Basil in Psalm 114 Homil. 16. pag. 224. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that striue lawfully in this life not rendred according to the merit or desert of vvorkes but according to the grace of the * magnificent God bestowed vpon them that trust in him But these counterfeit Catholicks not content therewith nor thinking the same sufficient will put vnto them the merits of Saints departed and of men liuing and their owne workes and satisfactions thereby fully to effect that which Gods mercies and Christs merits are not able perfectly to performe This their doctrine appeareth both by their prayers in their Masse-bookes and Porteises and also by the forme of a Monkes absolution in these words Meritum passionis Domini nostri Iâ—sâ—s Luther in 2. cap. ad Gaâ—at Tileman de Hesusius de 600. erroriâ—â—s Papista loc 9. de â—oenitent fol. 67. Christi beatae Mariae semper Virginis omnium sanctorum Meritum ordinis grauamen religionis c. i. The merit of the pasâ—ion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Mary alwaies a Virgine and of all Saints The merit of thy order the heauinesse of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy heart the good vvorkes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes to the increase of merit and grace and to the reward of eternall life Thus these men by their doctrine make Iesus Christ not a full perfect and sufficient Sauiour and so infringe the saying of Saint Peter There is not saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen vvhereby we Act. 4. 12. must be saued What is this but to denie the Lord that hath bought vs as Peter also saith Whether this doctrine 2. Pet. 1. 1. be agreeable to the word of God let the Christian reader by these places discerne and iudge Christ came Math. 20. 28. Ioh. 1. 29. to giue his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for many Hee is that lambe of God vvhich taketh away the sinne of the vvorld In him vvee Coloss 1. 14. 20. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 18. haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes He hath made peace by the bloud of his crosse and hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death We are not redeemed vvith corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but vvith the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spot Hee himselfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on Ibid. cap. 2. 24. the tree that vve being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnes by vvhose stripes vve are healed The bloud of Iesus Christ his 1. Ioâ— 1. 7. sonne clenseth vs from all sinne He hath loued vâ— and vvashed Apocal. 1. 5. vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father As these places attribute our iustification and saluation onely to Iesus Christ and his merits so others doe detract and take the same from our workes and deseruings To him that vvorketh not but beleeueth Rom. 4. 5. in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else
Rom. 11. 6. were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more Ephes 2. 8. grace or else were worke no more worke By grace â—e are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of 2 Timoth. 1. 9. God not of workes lest any man should glorie Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace c. Not by the Tit. 3. 5. works of righteousnes which vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Although this which I haue said may seeme sufficient to answere this article yet I will say somthing to this syllogisme To the Maior or first proposition I answere that with men wages is giuen for workes but with God vvhose Isai 55. 8. thoughts are not as our thoughts nor waies as our waies it is other waies Man may do labour seruice to man which may merit and deserue by equitie and iustice wages and reward For that there may be a proportion betweene the seruice and reward and also a benefit and commoditie commeth to him to whom the seruice is done As in this example here alledged the Lord Deputie or some other may doe some such singular seruice in Ireland that if her Maiestie should bestow vpon him 1000. pound a yeere he might in some proportion deserue it and her Maiestie may receiue double benefit by it But can wee doe any workes that can either merit and deserue the kingdome of God or bring any benefit vnto God Dauid saith My Psal 16. 2 Rom. 8. 18. weldoing extendeth not to thee And as S. Paul saith that all the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs so may I say that all our imperfect and stained workes are not worthie of the kingdome of God which wee haue not deserued but Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath purchased for vs. Can a bond-seruant by any seruices looke to deserue an earthly kingdome and can we which are bond-seruants to God in respect both of creation and of redemption looke to deserue the kingdome of God Christ our Sauiour saith Doth he thanke that seruant because hee did that which Luk. 17. 9. was commanded vnto him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe If he that hath done all things which were commanded must confesse himselfe to be an vnprofitable seruant how much more must wee confesse our selues to be vnprofitable seruants who haue both omitted many things commanded and committed many great and grieuous sinnes prohibited So saith Hierome Sâ—inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum Hieron ad Câ—esiphont aduers Pelagian est qui explere non potuit i. If hee be vnprofitable that hath done all vvhat is to be said of him that could not fulfill all Therefore wee are not to trust in our owne merits but in Gods mercie which importeth our miserie and not worthinesse But for the proofe of your Minor you alledge the saying of our Sauiour Christ Call the labourers and giue them Math. 20. 8. their wages I grant that God doth giue to them that labour in his vineyard a reward which is called wages because it followeth pietie and good workes as outward wages followeth labour But that this heauenly wages is not deserued by our workes as that other is by our labour it euidently appeareth by that parable where they that had wrought but one houre receiued as much as they did which had borne the burden and heate of the day Which sheweth that this reward came of grace and not of merit and so S. Ambrose doth expound it Non labori Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. praemium soluens sed diuitias boâ—tatis suae in eos quos sine operibus eligit effundens vt etiam 〈◊〉 qui in multo labore sudarunâ— nec amplius quà m nouissimi acceperunt intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem i. Not paying a reward vnto our labour but powring foorth the riches of his goodnesse vpon them vvhom he hath chosen without works that they also vvhich in great labour haue â—oysed and haue receiued no more then the last may know that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not a vvages of vvorkes To your other places Apocal. 20. 12. and 1. Cor. 3. 8. I say with S. Paul that God will reward euery man according to his workes but not for the merite and desert of their workes To them that continuing in vvell doing seeke Râ—â—t 2. 6. 7. glorie honour and immortalitie hee vvill giue euerlasting life and vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and vvrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill But you will say Why is not euerlasting life the wages of good works as euerlasting death is of euill works sins I answere that our euill workes be simply euill and being transgressions of Gods righteous law offend his infinite maiestie prouoke his infinite wrath and deserue infinite paine and punishment But our workes are not simply and perfectly good but be imperfect and are stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature as I haue before declared and therefore cannot satisfie Gods infinite iustice nor pacifie his infinite anger nor deserue his infinite glory but rather require Gods great mercie as hath beene shewed And therefore Saint Paul in the sixt to the Romanes hauing said that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. doth not say which had beene most meete to haue beene said if this pharisaicall doctrine were true the wages of good workes is eternall life but he saith the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord as also Oecumenius doth well obserue You confidently affirme that the Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of Heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits Where first I would aduise you to take heed that you be not brethren to those olde heretikes called Hieraclitae to whom Saint Augustine doth ascribe this as an heresie that they denied infants to appertaine to the kingdome of Heauen because they had no merits His words be these Hieraclitae ad regnum coelorum non pertinere paruulos dicunt August in catal Hâ—res Heres 47. quia non sunt eis vlla merita certaminis quo vitia superentur i. The Hieraclites say that infants belong not to the kingdome of Heauen because they haue no merits of strife vvhereby to ouercome vices How neere you iumpe with these olde Heretikes as you doe in many matters with many others let the Christian reader indifferently iudge Secondly I say that we are enemies neither to those
and his Apostles and it derogateth from the purging and cleansing of our sinnes which wee haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ whereof I wil only set downe a few places with one offering hath he made perfect them which are Hâ—â— 10. 14. 1. 3. Heb 9. 14. 1 Iohn 1. 7. sanctified hauing by himselfe purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand on the Maiestie on high how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sin If we confesse our sins God is faithful and righteous to forgiue our sins and to cleanse vs Apoc. 1. 5. 7. 14. from all our iniquities Christ hath loued washed vs from our sins in his owne bloud and makes vs Kings and Priestes vnto God c. The Saints wash their long Robes make Ioh. 1. 29. Psal 51. 7. Isa 2. 18. Rom 5. 10. them white in the blood of the Lamb that is Christ Iesus who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Purge me with Isope I shall be cleane wash me I shal be whiter then snow Though your sins were as Crimson they shall be made as white as snow If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconsiled we shall be saued by his life How these and such like places of Scripture will agree with the Popish Purgatory in the which they imagine sinnes to bee punished soules to be purged and Gods iustice to bee satisfied let the Christian Reader consider and so marke what the word of God sheweth to be our true Purgatory euen the bloud of Iesus Christ Saint Paul saith that wee bâ—ing Rom. 5. 1. Apoc. 14. 13. iustified by faith haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ And Saint Iohn saith Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord. Euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labors and their workes follow them How the faithfull haue peace with God and rest from their labours and yet be tormented in the terrible paines of Purgatory I would saine vnderstand But of this popish purgatory and praier for the dead which depend on it I will write no more at this present expecting that this Catholike Gentlewoman which can propound such profound and vnanswerable questions will profoundly and pithily proue them by the Scriptures which when shee doth she shal by the grace of God heare further from me As concerning praier to Saints departed out of this life I say and here-vppon doe stand that in all the holy Scriptures there is not one commandement of God that wee should pray vnto them nor one promise made to such prayer nor one example of any Patriarke Prophet Apostle or godly man that euer prayed vnto them And although this may sufficiently satisfie a Christian conscience which ought to bee grounded vppon the word of GGD and thereby directed and may moue it to hate and abhorre this false doctrine which hath no warrant in Gods word yet the more to perswade this Gentlewoman and others of her crew to the truth I will sette downe a few arguments grounded vpon the Scriptures to confute this their doctrine of praying vnto Saints My first reason shal be vpon these words of the Apostle Rom 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued Where-vpon I make this argument we are to pray only to him in whome we beleeue but wee beleeue onely in God therefore we are to pray onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints The first proposition is the word of Apostle the second if they deny I wil hereafter proue it My second Argument shall bee this They are not to be praied vnto yâ— heare not our praiers but the Saints departed heare not our praiers therefore we are not to pray vnto them The first proposition is euident If they shal deny the second I wil hereafter proue it in the meane time lette them consider these places of Scripture Isa 63 16. 2. Reg. 22. 20 Psal 27. 10. My third Argument is this They are not to bee praied vnto which know not our hearts and know not whether our praiers proceed from our hearts or not but the Saints know not our hearts Ergo we ought not to pray vnto them My last argument shall be this wee are to offer sacrifizes Hosea 14. 2. Hâ—b 13 15. Psal 50. 23. to none but onely God Exod. 22. 20. but our praiers bee sacrifices therefore we are to offer them onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints When this Gentlewoman and her friends shall directly and plainely answer these reasons and set downe as many or mo grounded vpon the Scriptures to proue their assertion then they heare more from me As touching Images if they can proue them by the Scriptures and by the testimonies of all writers since Christ and his Apostles they shall worke wonders the which vntill they doe I will set downe a few places out of the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers which I would wish them well and deepely to consider and either to answer them or to yeeld vnto the truth of them I will begin with the commandement of GOD. Thou shalt Isa 20 4 Deut. 5. â— make thee no grauen Image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thow shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I am the Lord thy GOD c. Take good heed vnto your selues for Deut. 4. 15 you saw no Image in the day that the LORD spake vnto you in the Mount Horeb out of the middest of the fire that you corrupt not your selues make you agrauen Image or representation of aâ—y figure whether it be male or female c. Cursed be the man that shall make any caruen or molten 27. 15. Image which is an abhominatioÌ„ vnto the Lord the worke of the handes of the crafts man and putteth it in a secret place al the people shal answer say Amen To whom theÌ„ Isa 40. 18. wil you likeÌ„ God or what similitude wil you set vp to him the workeman melteth an Image or the Goldsmith beateth it out in gold c. Al they that make an Image are vanity their 44. 9. delectable things shall nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know not therefore they shal be Hab. 2. 18. confounded who haue made a God or molten Image that is profitable for nothing Read the rest that doth there follow Habacuke saith what profiteth the Image for the maker therof hath made it an Image a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when hee maketh dumbe Idols