them into his true and proper flesh that the body of life may be in vs as a certaine quickening seed Eusebius Emissenus The inuisible Euseb Emiss ser de cor Domi. Cyp. de coens Dom. Priest Christ Iesus turneth by his word with a secret power the visible creatures into the substance of his body and bloud saying Take and eate for this is my body S. Cyprian who liued before any of these This bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples not in outward apparence but in nature changed by the omnipotency of the word is made flesh The like he hath in other places In so much as a famous * Vrsin in commonef cuiusdam Theol. de sacra Coen Aug. ser citato à Bedain c. 10. â— Cor. Humfrey Iesu pâ— 2â— ca. 5. pag. 626. Matth. 4. v. â— ProtestaÌ„t confesseth That in Cyprian are many sayings which seeme to conforme TraÌ„substantiation S. Augustine and sundry others euidently also graunt our Reall mutation or Transubstantiation of the elements Which doctrine Gregory the Great and Augustin our Apostle brought into England as D. Humphrey teacheth and the Diuell himselfe acknowledged to be possible when he sayd vnto Christ Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant Commande that these stones be made bread 18. Secondly if we respect the conueniency it was meet we should really eate and really drinke of the reall victime truly slaine and offered for vs. It was meet that he who became our companion in the manger our teacher in the Temple our Priest at the Altar our price sacrifice and ransome on the Crosse should likewise be our food and sustenance at the table It was most meet that he who imparted his owne diuine person and all the riches of his Godhead by Hypostaticall vnion to the flesh and bloud of a pure and vnspotted man should also coÌ„municate the same flesh and bloud and all the treasures of his diuine and human nature to the soules and bodyes of As our first Parents were not infected by a Metaphoricall but by a true eating of the accursed Tree so we cannot be healed by a Metaphoricall but by a tru eating of the Tree of life NisseÌ„ orat catech ca. 37. Ignatius Ep. ad Ephes Athan. de huâ—â—atur suscep Cyril in Io. â—p ad Calosy â—re 1. 4. c. â—4 l. 5. c. 2 alibi Cyr. Alex. 1. 10. in â—o c. 13. Spaâ—kes in his answer to M. Iohn d'Albins pag. no. 257. his faithfull seruants The wisedome of God requireth that as our Forefathers and we were first impoisoned not by the desire but by the true and real eating of the forbidden apple so we should be cured by the true and substanciall feeding of this blessed fruit For S. Gregory Nissen proueth After the manner of the poyson so likewise the medicine must enter into our bowells the vertue therof be traÌ„sfused into all partes of the body 19. Againe the poyson which Adam receaued was a venemous fountaine of a double contagion ioyntly infecting both body and soule two wounds it inflicted it defiled our soule with sinne our body it enthralled to death and corruption What could be more behoofull for our Redeemer then to prepare a medicine against both these wounds A medicine to wash our soules from sin and rayse our body from dust to beautify the one with grace and cloath the other with incorruptioÌ„ And what could sooner worke this admirable cure then the glorious flesh of this holy Sacrament Which is not only the Ocean of Grace but the medicine of immortality the preseruatiue as S. Ignatius calleth it against death The first fruites of glory as Athanasius writeth The liuely and reuiuing seed of our bodyes as S. Cyrill sayth The pledge the earnest the hope or expectation of Immortall life as Irenaeus affirmeth According to that of Christ He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him at the later day The body then must eate his flesh and drinke his bloud that it may partake the benefit of Resurrection our soule by fayth might enioy the dowryes of blisse But this terrestriall nature of our body cannot as S. Cyrill of Alexandria teacheth be aduanced to immortality except the body of naturall life be conioyned vnto it 20. Yet D. Sparkes maugre S. Cyril or whosoeuer els obstinatly persisteth that the body of Christ cannot be really conioyned with ours Because Christ is ascended into heauen sitting at the right hand of his Father and the heauens must Bils 4. par pag. 788. 789. c. Ioan. 20. Read S. Aug. ep 3. ad Volus Amb. l. 10. in cap. 24. Luc. Hila. l. 3 de Tri. Iustin q. 117. Cyril l. 12. in Io. c. 53. Bede Theoph. Euthym. Ruper boc loco whoproue Christs entrance the dores being shut containe him vntill the restitution of all thinges As though good Syr he could not be at the same tyme in diuers places to wit in heauen sitting on the right hand of his Father and heere vpon earth in euery consecrated hoast not naturally as the Fathers copiously quoted by M. Bilson constantly teach but supernaturally by the power of him vnto whome nothing is impossible For so he hath wrought many wonderfull workes aboue the course of nature He came forth of the Virgins wombe preseruing her virginity rose out of the sepulcher not remouing the stone entred into his Disciples the dore being shut ascended to his Father not deuiding the heauens when he penetrated them But as in these examples diuers bodyes were supernaturally in one place so by the same supernaturall power one body may likewise be at the same tyme in diuers places for it is a common Axiome approued by Philosophers that Contrariorum eadem est ratio Amongst contraryes the same reason holdeth on both sides Moreouer we are instructed by fayth that the single person of Christ is vnited to most distinct diuers natures to the nature of God and to the nature of man that the sole essence of God is in three persons really distinct that one and the selfe same moment of eternity is answerable correspondent to most different and contrary tymes to tyme past tyme present and tyme to come But as one person sustaineth diuers natures one nature is communicated to diuers persons one moment coexisteth to diuers Amb. orat in Auxen Aeges l. 3. de exid vrbis Hieros cap. 2. â—o Dams orat de B. Virgine tymes why cannot one body be resident in diuers places 21. Els how could our Sauiour after his Ascension haue met S. Peter flying the persecution of Rome as S. Ambrose and Aegesippus record How could he haue descended to honour the funeralls of our B. Lady as S. Iohn Damascen and Nicephorus witnesse How could he appeare to S. Paul as in the 9. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles in the 22. and 23. For in none of these apparitions could he Calu. in c. 9. act l. 4. Instit c. 17. §.
who are charged to make a sensible memory of our Blessed Redeemer should be as our Protestants are farre short of the Iewes it is needfull by some publike rite we set forth his Passion in a more excellent sort then they As indeed we Aug. l. 26. cont Faust cap. 18. do in this most holy and mysticall Oblation where not only the action done but the substance of the thing as I shall hereafter declare and manner of doing more neerly and liuely represent the death of our Sauiour then all the Iudaicall or figuratiue Hosts In so much as S. Augustine might wel say That Christians now celebrate the memory of the accomplished Sacrifice with a most holy Oblation and Act. 133. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriake participle Meâ—b chaschipin signifieth as Soderiê° in Lexico Syri A Sacrificing â—ction Mart. Ep. ad Burdeg cap. 3. Hesyeb l. 1. cap. 4. Cyp. l. 2. Epist. 3. Amb. c. 10 Ep. ad Heb. Primasius in idem c. Anselm in comment c. 11. 1. Cor. Paul ad heb c. 13 1. Cor. c. 10. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 476. Aug. l. 10. de Ciu. Dei c 20 q 57. in Leut. l. 9. conf c. 12. Greg. Nazi orat 3. 4. in Iulia. Cyr. Alex. in Con. Ephes aâ—not 11. Ifido d. 3 ep 75. participation of the Body of Christ With that holy Oblation which Christ enacted promulgated and commanded when he sayd Do this for a commemoration of me 10. Which the Apostles practised when in the Actes they sacrificed to our Lord as the Greeke and Syriak or exercised some publike ministery vnto him as the Latin text importeth Which their scholer S. Martial taught followed We offer his Body and Bloud to obtaine euerlasting life c. That which the Iewes through malice immolated we for our saluation exhibite vpon the hallowed Altar for this our Lord charged vs to do for a comemoration of him Hesichius saith Christ preuenting his death offered himselfe vp in Sacrifice in the Supper of the Apostles S. Cyprian likewise Iesus Christ our Lord and God he is the High-Priest of God the Father and he first offered himselfe a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance S. Ambrose Primasius S. Anselme I I omit because I hasten to other proofes 11. S. Paul sayth We haue an Altar and an Altar to Sacrifice on both the Greeke and Hebrew word implieth as M. Reynolds accordeth with vs whereof they haue no power to eate which serue the tabernacle And in another place You cannot drinke the Chalice of our Lord and Chalice of Diuells Where he discourseth of the Sacrifices of Iewes Gentills Idolatours and in all outward and reall points matcheth ours with theirs our Hosts with theirs our Chalice with theirs our immolation with theirs the participation which we make of our victime with the participation which they make of theirs Wherby it ensueth that as theirs were true Sacrifices true Hosts true Victimes true Altars so likewise ours or els the comparisons were to no purpose Hereupon S. Augustine tearmeth the holy Eucharist A most true Sacrifice by which true remission of sinnes is purchased The Sacrifice of our price or ransome S. Gregory Nazianzen An vnbloudy Sacrifice S. Cyril of Alexandria A quikening holy Sacrifice Isidorus The Sacrifice of an vnbloudy victime S. Cyril of Ierusalem An holy and dreafull Sacrifice Cyr. Hier. â—ate 5. Tert. l. de velo Virgin c. 7. 9. Concil Nice Câ—â— 14. Chrys hom 17. in 9. ad Heb. Amb. exhor ad virg Cyr. Hier. cate 5. Leo. ser 8. de Psal Iran l. 4. â—a 32. Ieron in Com. cap. â— ad Tit. Aug. l. 9. Conf. c. 13. Optat. l. â— â—on Par. Gre. Naziâ—n orat 2. in Iulian. Aug. ser de San. 19. S. Gre. Niss oratbap Euseb l. 1. Demonst c. 6. 9. Nys de Virg. c. vlâ— Orig. bo 23 in l. Num. Amb. l. 2. of â—â—c c. vlt. Chrys bo 2. de pa. Iob. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 472. profiting the soules of the departed Tertullian A Sacrifice which no woman can be permitted to offer no nor Deacons according to the Councel of Nice We haue not then a spirituall sacrifice only which women and Deacons may offer but a true Sacrifice in the Church of God A true Host which cannot be coÌ„sumed as S. Chrysostome sayth Which offered on the Altar as S. Ambrose teacheth abolisheth the sinne of the word Which is a Propitinion as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem calleth it for all that need help A true oblation which being only one fullfilleth according to S. Leo the variety of al carnall sacrifices Being new yet receaued from the Apostles is offered vnto God according to Ireneaeus in the vniuersall world A true victime vndefyled which the Bishop dayly offering for his own the peoples sins ought to abstaine as S Hierome writeth from the company of his wife An holy victime which dispensed from the Altar as S. Augustine confesseth cancelleth the hand-writing which was contrary vnto vs. True Chalices which containe the Bloud of Christ which to breake or prophane is hainous sacriledge Optatus against Parmenian True Altars such as take their name of the most pure vnbloudy sacrifice S. Gregory Nazianzen Such as are consecrated with the character of the Crosse S. Augustine Such as by nature being common stones by blessing are made holy immaculate no longer to be handled by all sorts of people but only of Priests S. Gregory Nissen Such as Moyses inhibited to be made in any Land but in Iury only and that in one Citty thereof Eusebius Which cannot be vnderstood of the Spirituall Altars of our harts as our Aduersaryes would shift of the matter True Priests annointed to this end S. Gregory Nissen Wedded to perpetuall continency because it only belongeth to them to offer this sacrifice Origen Whose immaculate ministery cannot be violated with carnall mariage S. Ambrose Who ought to shine with all kind of Chastity S. Chrysostome Rare priuiledges not appertaining to any Protestant much lesse to all Christians whome M. Reynolds installeth in Priestly dignity least of all to the Ministers of his Ghospel to whome he attributeth not the true name of a Sacrifycing Priest which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke Sacerdos in Latin but improperly only yet S. Augustine the most Aug. l. 20. deciu. Dei c. 10. Caluin l. 3. Insti c. 3. §. 10. ad Heb. 5. v. 1. Reâ— p 477 Psal 109. 4 ad Heb. 7. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Sparks locis citatis Cyp. l 3. ep 2. Prima in com c. 5. ad Heb. Gen. 14. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Clem. Alex l. 4. strom Amb. l. 5. de Sacram. cap. 1. Cypr. l. 2. epist 3. Aug. ep 95. ad Innocen â—fido l. de voc Gen. cap. 26. Iero. ep ad Marcel ad Euag. faythfull witnes of all antiquity as Caluin reporteth him purposely sayth The Priests and Bishops of our Church are not
for euer He that belieueth and is baptized shall be saued Euery one that shall inuocate the name of the Lord shal be saued to wit if he inuocate and call vpon him in fayth and charity as he ought if he belieue aright and doth not finally loose his fayth nor the grace of Baptisme and water of the holy Ghost once receaued as I shall proue heereafter he may Therefore this argument of theirs maketh no more against the corporal then spirituall feeding for as euerlasting life is promised to the faythfull and pious belieuer so to the reall and worthy Receauer and as the one may fall from his worthy dignity so the other make shipwracke of his liuely fayth and eternally perish Perchance you will obiect that this answere suteth not with the prerogatiue which our Sauiour giueth to the holy Eucharist aboue Manna That Ioan. 6. v. 49. 50. the Fathers did eate Manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descendeth froÌ„ heauen that if any man eat of it he dye not For whosoeuer did worthily feed on that dainty Manna and continued in the same state neuer tasted the bitternes of spirituall death therefore according to this construction it is not inferiour to the blessed Sacrament I answere first that such as then liued for euer enioyed not the priuiledges of life by the vertue and force of Manna but by their loue of God and fayth in Christ their true Messias and yet they that worthily receaue the Eucharist truely liue by the vertue power and efficacy of Christs reall presence the spring of life and fountaine of grace therein contained 9. Secondly I reply that Christ doth not only compare the Eucharist with Manna in respect of the life and death of the soule but of the body also after this sort Manna could not affoard to your Fathers life of body much lesse of soule during their short passage through the desert This bread affoardeth life to the soule much more to the body during the length of all eternity They that eate Manna dyed in body a temporall death they that eate this bread shall not dye the eternall death neither of the body nor soule And heerein consisteth as Maldonate commenteth vpon this text the singular grace elegancy of our Sauiours comparison in passing from Maldonatâ— in hunc loeum Matt. 8. v. 22. Ioan. 4. v. 13. one kind of life and death to another which plesant digression he often vseth as the same Author discourseth in other places In S. Matthew Let the dead bury the dead The first he calleth dead in soule the next in body In S. Iohn Euery one that drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but he that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer First he speaketh of the corporall Matt. 26. v. 29. water and thirst of the body then of the spirituall water and thirst of the soule Likewise I wil not drinke from hence forth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it with you new in the kingdome of my Father Heere he first mentioneth the naturall wine of the grape then the metaphoricall wine of celestiall ioyes So now he first speaketh of the corporall then of the spirituall and euerlasting life which our Blessed Sacrament of his owne nature yeildeth to all such as daily receaue it although Manna yielded not as much as the corporall if they doe not after by sinne willfully destroy the quickening grace and liuely seed it imparteth vnto them And thus the wordes are of more emphasy the comparison more pithy and the preheminence of the Eucharist aboue Manna more remarkable then if our Sauiour had spoken in both places only of the spirituall Lastly if our Sectaryes expound S. Iohn of the eating by fayth how vncongruously will they make S. Paul to speake writing of the same matter and saying He that eatech vnworthily which 1. Cor. 11. v. 27. cannot be properly attributed to the belieuer because he that belieueth not as he ought doth either falsly or fainedly belieue we cannot with any congruity of speach say that he belieueth vnworthily therefore as S. Paul so likewise S. Iohn ought to be vnderstood not of the spirituall but of the corporall eating of Christs sacred flesh 10. That which M. Bilson alleadgeth out of Gelasius S. Leo condemning the Communion vnder one kind Bils 4. par pag. 684. 685. Gelas can Comperiâ—ê° dist 2. Leo. ser 4. de quadra is of no force at all For they condemne the dry Communion not of the Catholiks but of the Manichees who teaching that Christ brought into this world and walked vpon earth with a meere empty and phantasticall body deuoyd of true and natural bloud they in testimony of this errour abstained from the bloud with great sacriledge as Gelâ—sius writeth deuided one and the selfe same mistery which all Catholikes had iust cause to reprehend in them no Protestant any cause to obiect against vs who neither deuide the mistery nor abstaine from the bloud but constantly teach that by fequele concomitance we receaue it wholy and entirely contained in the body we inioy the full participation of Christ Fulke loco â—itato Bils 4. par pag. 682. as M. Fulke requireth 11. At last both he and D. Bilson ioyntly oppose the Practise of the vniuersall Church which for many ages togeather ministred the Sacrament vnder both kinds euen to the Laity I grant that the Church vsed it as a thing lawfull not as a Aug. epist 23. ad Bonif Tolet. Con. cap. 11. Tho. 3. p. q. 80. art 9. ad 3. Cypr. serm de lapsis thing prescribed or decreed by God or vniuersally without exception in all times and places practised Which manner of receauing the Church might after change when her Communicaâ—ts were so many as wine sufficient could not be fitly consecrated nor without eminent perill of shedding or danger of abusing be conueniently ministred It was an vsuall custome both in the Greeke and Latine Church for many ages to communicate with the Chalice young sucking babes of which S. Augustine the x j. Toletan Councell and S. Thomas make mention And S. Cyprian writeth of the consecrated Bloud powred into the mouth of an Infant But as the Church vpon iust cause abrogated that custome leauing the children the benefit of neither kind without any wrong vnto them and Protestants allow hereof why write they so bitterly against debarring the people vpon as many important reasons from the vse of the Chalice where notwithstanding the whole fruit and benefit thereof to their comfort remayneth 12. Besides in many things you your selues who count it in vs a crime so damnable stray from that which Christ practised in the institution of the Sacramenâ— for example Christ communicated only men you women also he in a priuate house you in a publike Temple he at night you in the morning he with * For
all kind of sinne another guilty of mortall the third only spotted with some veniall fault The first whither goeth he To Heauen immediatly The second whither goeth lie To Hell no doubt The third whither goeth he Not to Hell because he is departed in the grace and fauour of God Not to heauen immediatly Apoc. 21. v. vlt. because Nothing defiled can enter that kingdome Therfore to some purging place where his soule may be cleansed froÌ„ the staines of infection 22. No such place is necessary sayth M. Field for Field in appen 1. p. fo 65. 66. by the dolours of death at the moment of dissolution all impurity of sinne is purged forth But how can this be so Death is the punishment of Originall and not any remedy against actuall sinne It is the state and condition of our corruptible nature inflicted on the Reprobate as well as on the Elect. And so neither by it selfe nor by the ordinance of God hath force and vertue to scoure out of our souls all the rust of sinne a prerogatiue denyed by you to the holy Sacraments of God And such a prerogatiue as is proper indeed to the excellency of Martyrdome and not common to the departure of euery faythful sinner whose panges are often more short and farre lesse painefull then the grieuous dolours of the cleane and vnspotted 23. Besides to procure this abolishment of sinne Field ibid. fol. 60. M. Field requireth Charity and sorrow in such perfection as may worke our perfect reconciliation to God And may not thousands or some at least with the spot of veniall or remainder of mortall crime be taken out of this world either in their sleep or vnawares before they arriue to that depth of sorrow It being so hard a thing in perfect health much harder in the agony of death impossible in tyme of sleep to attaine vnto it Or if you pretend the prouidence of God to be so carefull of his elect as they cannot be surprised vpon a sudden to what effect I pray are those exhortations of Christ so often repeated in Scripture Matt. 24. Matt. 25. That we pray and be watchfull least death preuent vs before we are aware To what effect the Parable of the foolish Virgins the Parable of Death stealing vpon vs like a thiefe To what effect are the labours and works of Pennance many zealous followers of Christ vndertake to expiate the faults of their former life when euery faythfull belieuer let him be neuer so slouthfull in this behalfe shal be sure in the last houre to haue grace inough to redeeme the debt and cancell the obligation of his sinnes This is a doctrine I graunt sutable to Protestant professioÌ„ it tendeth to the restraint of vertue it tendeth to all vitious and Epicurean liberty it ministreth occasion of slouth to Christian people and maketh God tooto indulgent to their idle sluggishnes But they that make him authour of the horrible iniquityes of the Reprobate what meruaile though they would haue him a fauourer of the smal imperfections and negligences of his Elect And rather then they will iniury as they fondly surmise the bloud of Christ they iniuriously blaspheme and truly wrong heerin the Iustice of God 24. To be briefe Caluin and Plessy Mornay affirme The hereditary naughtines and corruption of Originall sinne drowneth Calu. lib. 2. Iâ—st cap. 1. §. 8. 9. l. 3. inst cap. 15. §. â— Plessy l. 3. de Eucbar cap. 2â— as it were with a deluge the whole nature of man so that no part remayneth free from this filthy contagion Secondly they auouch No worke proceedeth from man be he neuer so perfect but is defiled with the staines of sinne Graunt these assertions true which commonly all Protestants defend how can there be either charity or sorrow in such perfection as is able to purge out all impurity of sinne When the most perfect Charity it selfe is impure and stayned how shall these staynes be taken forth By some other act of charity or worke of repentance But this worke also issuing from the inward rottenes of mans corrupted nature shall still be putrifyed with Originall infection 25. For this cause D. Field is so vnconstant in resoluing Field in append 1. part p. 66. p. 65. ibid. in appeâ— 1. par p. 4. p. â—4 65. how or when the whole vncleanes of sinne is washed from the soule as he wauereth and reeleth vp and downe not knowing where to take hold One while he sayth It is purged out by Charity and sorrow of sinning otherwhile by the dolours of death then by the very separation of soule and body wrought by death but when he dareth not auouch and therefore stammeringly vttereth It is in or immediatly vpon the dissolution of soule and body in the first entraÌ„ce of the soule into the state of the other world What giddines is heere If by the dolours of death al sinnefullnes be expelled how in the moment of dissolution If in that moment how immediatly vpon it How in the first entrance into the next life Or if in that entrance how doth Charity then worke or sorrow procure it Read his wordes Field in append 1. part p. 4. 26. The vtter deletion and full remission of their sinnes the perfect purging out of sinne being in or immediatly vpon the dissolution in the last instant of this life and first of the next and not while the body and soule remaine conioyned Pitty it is great pitty to see vnto what distresse a man of wit and learning may be driuen by the weaknesse of his cause For heere M. Field in these few wordes maketh either two instances immediatly togeather the last of this life and first of the next and so composeth diuisible tymes of indiuisible moments against the principles of Philosophy or he supposeth the instant in which sinne is remitted to be intrinsecall to this life and extrinsecall to the next and so crosseth himselfe in his owne speach affirming this full remission of sinne both to be and not to be while the body and soule remaine conioyned Or he taketh the instant of Purgation to be extrinsecall to this life and intrinsecall to the next And contrary to the whole stream of Sectaryes he alloweth with vs a remission or Purgation of sinne and Purgatory-place after this life at least for a moment For that which is done must be done in some place or els it is not done at all To which of these inconueniences he will yield I know not to one he is constrained And if I may gesse at the meaning of his variable and vnconstant speaches seeing he will not haue the perfect purging out of sinne c. while the body and soule remaine conioyned he alloweth it after the dissolution and so admitteth a remission and purgation of sinne in the next life which his fellowes renounce he himselfe would seeme to impugne 27. But when I pray is this perfect purging out of of sinne
powred into our harts men are iust whosoeuer are iust Moreouer conferring the law written in tables of stone with the law of Grace engrauen in our harts he auoucheth That was written out of man that it might terrify him this in man himselfe that it might intrinsecally iustify him Further This iustice of ours is the grace of Christ regenerating vs De spirit lit c. 17. by the holy Ghost In fine explicating these wordes of the the Apostle The iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ which the Caluinists glose to be that which is resident in Christ De peccat reâ—is c. 25. S. Augustine expoundeth thus The Iustice of God by fayth of Iesus Christ that is by fayth wherewith we belieue in Christ for as that fayth is called Christs not by which Christ belieues so that Rom. 3. v. 22. Aug. de spirit lit c. 9. cap. 11. iâ— psal 30. Conc. 1. tract 26. in Ioan. Iustice is called Gods not whereby God is iust both of them fayth and iustice be ours but therefore they are tearmed Gods Christs because through their liberalâ—â—y they are giuen to vs. 6. The third and chiefest point whereby the former two are more strongly confirmed that our inherent iustice doth truly iustify vs in the sight of God the Apostle himselfe manifestly teacheth saying As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made iust For the fall of Adam made vs truly sinners by inward infection before the face of God Rom. 5. v. 19. therefore the merits of christ did make vs truly iust by internal iustice in the sight of God This place so vexeth all Sectaryes as they know not how to rid themselues of Calu. l. 3. instit c. 11. sect 2. it Caluin answereth that we are iust because we are declared and pronounced iust by the iudgment of God but to be constituted or made iust as the Apostle writeth importeth more then to be declared such Againe this authenticall true iudgment of God presupposeth iustice in vs before it can be Caâ—â— ibid. rightly pronounced as not to depart from Caluins owne example If an Innocent be brought to be arraigned before the Fulk in c 5. ad Rom. sect 3. Abbot in his defence of the reformed Cathol c. 4. sect 6. 8. Abbot loc citato Fulke vbi supra VVhitak l. 8. aduer Dureum fol. 602. Aug. l. 1. de peccat merit remis cap. 9. 15. Chrys ho. 10. in c. 15. ad Rom. Theoph. in hunc loc seate of a righteous iudge when iudgment is giuen according to his innocency he is sayd to be iustifyed quoth he before the Iudge Well I say so too but as innocency there so iustice heere precedeth iudgment in the party adiudged or declared iust euen in the sight of the Almighty who pronounceth his sentence according to truth Doctour Fulke and Doctour Abbot help out their Maister and graunt that imputatiue Iustice by which he is constituted and made iust indeed goeth before the sentence yet not inherent Iustice But S. Paul teacheth that as we are made sinners by the offence of Adam so iust by the grace of Christ therfore as besids the imputation of Adams default there is a true and proper sin of nature which infecteth vs all and maketh vs truly properly sinners in the eyes of God as both they and all English ProtestaÌ„ts hold with vs against the Pelagians so besides the imputation of Christs iustice which cannot make vs formally iust there ought to be a true and inhabitant iustice which beautifyeth our soules before the throne of heauen or els we could not be truly made iust by Christ as we are made sinners by Adam and therein consisteth the force of the Antithesis S. Paul vseth betweene them which M. Abbot and Fulke like cunning Pylots who warily shunne the most perilous rocks silently passe ouer but M. Whitaker perceiueth it well rather ventureth to dash himselfe against it by denying the comparison then not to take notice therof Though sayth he we be iust in Christ as we are sinners in Adam yet not after the same manner No I appeale againe to the sacred Text to S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Origen Theophilact and all Interpreters Heretikes only excepted whether the opposition doth not wholy accord in this that as true sinne hatefull to God was distilled from Adam so true iustice acceptable in his sight is communicated vnto vs by Christ for S. Paul doth not only teach That as Adam was the authour of sinne so Christ of righteousnes wherein VVhitak loco citato Origen l. 5. in c. 5. ad Rom M. Whitaker only placeth the summe of his discourse he addeth moreouer That as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one man many shal be made iust where he maketh sayth Origen a comparison of sin and death diffused into all men from Adam of iustification and Theoph. in hunc loc life from Christ. A little before he explaineth how they are both alike in the diffusion or communication from one to many and differ in the thing they communicate because from the one sin from the other iustification is imparted Rom. 3. v. 15. Ibid. v. 17. And Theophilact As by the default of one sinne crept in vnto condeÌ„nation of death so by the iustice of one saluatioÌ„ entred to iustification of life Besides the Apostle in the same place amplifyeth this point and affirmeth that the grace instilled by Christ hath more power to iustify then sinne to destroy saying If by the offence of one many dyed much more the grace of God and the guift in the grace of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vpon many Likewise If in the offence of one death raigned by one much more they that receaue the aboundance of grace and of donation and of iustice shall raigne in life by one Iesus Christ. Out of which wordes we collect fiue infallible verityes against the erroneous doctrine of Protestants First that grace communicated by Christ is not weake and imperfect but copious and abundant Secondly it is not only imputed vnto vs but receaued of vs. Thirdly it is not the meerâ— grace of sanctification but of Iustice Fourthly it raigneth and preuaileth in vs to produce workes of iustification to life as sinne raigned to bring forth workes of iniquity to death Fifthly it is much more powerfull to iustify and make vs acceptable to God then sinne was to condemne and make vs odious vnto him Therfore he concludeth Where sinne abounded grace did more abound that as sinne raygned to death so also grace may raigne by iustice to life euerlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord. Ibid. v. 10. 22. 7. Let vs match these Texts of holy Writ with others and make all modest men ashamed to spurne against a truth warranted by the collation of sundry
with iustice which they cannot haue without ordinary fayth yet he testifyeth of theÌ„ that they could not know whether they should perseuere and go forward in the way of iustice without reuelation therefore he must needs be vnderstood maugre M. Abbots out facing the contrary not of the ordinary reuelation of fayth which they had but of some speciall and extraordinary which they had not It were too long to lay before you the agreement heerein of S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Gregory S. Bernard Prosper Chrys hom 5. in c. 1. ad Tim. l. 1. de compun cordis Hier. ep 127. ad Pabiol l. x. comm in c. 7. Matth. Greg. l. 6. in 1. Reg. Bernar. ep 107. Prosp l. 2. de vocat gent. Luth. de capt Babil c. de Bapt. Abbot c. 3. sect 10 fol 321. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 9. Psal 37. v. 24. Sect. 9. f. 318. Fulke in c. 13. 1. ad Cor. sect 5. Fulk in c. 3 ep Ioan. sect 5. 1. Ioanâ— 3. v. 14. 15. and others 8. Therefore to conclude Luther some few yeares since stayned his breath with this contagious speach That the faythfull man cannot perish if he would how wickedly soeuer he liue vnles he cease to beleeue which the whole Christian world then abhorred as the furnace of licentiousnes as the mouth of hell But his disciples more pernicious then he dare now auerre that he cannot only not perish vnles he forsake his fayth but that he cannot at all forsake his fayth that he cannot by any deboyshnes by any lasciuious and wanton demeanour be finally abandoned and cast off from God For thogh the iustifyed by occasion fall yet they neuer so fall but that his seed remayneth in them And his hand is vnder to lift them vp againe In the Section before he openeth his meaning in this sort When we say that the regenerate man is neuer wholy cut off from Christ we meane as touching inward spirituall grace Another of that crew Though all sinne be against fayth and Charity yet we do not hold that either fayth or charity in them that are iustifyed is vtterly lost by deadly sin Likewise He which is borne of God cannot be voyd of loue towards his neighbour though he sinne particulerly against the rule of Charity If Beelzebub should send his preachers abroad could he desire a fitter Ghospeller a more zealous promoter of his kingdome then this A more ready to further iniquity to smother the truth of Christ and splendour of his Ghospel Which quite oppositely preacheth He that loueth not abideth in death whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murderer And you know that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in himselfe What is this life euerlasting but the inward and spirituall grace The inherent charity the seed of God springing vp to eternall life Which the holy Euangelist S. Iohn denyeth to abide in him that sinneth against the rule of Charity contrary to the auouchement of this new Euangelist Of him I say and some other his confederates for all are not attainted with so mischieuous a corruption D. Feild interpreting Fiel l 3. c. 22. fol. 118. the recited words of Luther A man cannot perish though he would and how wickedly soeuer he liue vnles he cease to beleeue Luther quoth he constantly teacheth that iustifying fayth cannot remaine in that man that sinneth with full consent nor be found in that soule wherein are peccata vastantia conscientiam as Melancthon speaketh following Augustine that is sins raging ruling preuayling laying wast and destroying the integrity of conscience which should resist against euill and condemne it This is all then that Luther sayth that no wickednes which with fayth may stand can hurt vs as long as fayth continueth but if sinne once become regnant and so exclude fayth we are in the state of damnation Heer you see that fayth may be lost that the iustifyed may fall into the state of damnation and vtterly perish 9. More plainely D. Ouerall then Deane of Paules in the publique conference at Hampton Court setteth downe his iudgment namely that whosoeuer though before iustifyed In the summe of the Confer before the Kings Maiesty 41. 42. fol. 42. fol. 30. did commit any grieuous sinne as adultery murder treason or the like did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath guilty of damnation whose opinion his Maiesty with his Princely censure most iudiciously approued and taxed the contrary as a desperate presumption with whome the greatest and learnedest part of that Assembly in all likelihood consented therefore I might haue spared this my labour if by the retchlesnesse of inferiour officers that execrable doctrine had not beene printed anew nor permitted to be sould and spread abroad in former writinges which because the secret fauourits of dissolute security are willing to dissemble Ioan. 4. v. 15. 14. Ioan 6. v. 37. Ioan. 15. v. 2. Philip. 1. v. 6. Rom. 11. v. 29. I must be as carefull to destroy the rest of their bold affiance which are these Texts of Scripture He that shall drink of the water that I wil giue him shal not thirst for euer Al that the Father giueth me shall come to me him that commeth to me I will not cast forth Euery branch that beareth fruit the Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit He that hath beguÌ„ a good worke in you will perfect it Without repentance are the guifts and vocation of God Therefore whome he once iustifyeth whoÌ„ he once inocculateth in the stocke of life he pruneth cultiuateth and neuer suffereth to perish or decay 10. To all these passages I answere as Maldonate doth Maldon in â—â—loca to the first and second out of Rupertus and others that they only declare the condition of God the benignity of Christ and nature of his grace that it is not like our corruptible water which is disgested consumed dryed vp in tyme tormenting them againe with thirst who drinke thereof but the spiritual water of the holy Ghost neuer perisheth is neuer consumed is of that incorruptible property of it owne nature that it maketh vs neuer to thirst any more it is a liuely spring which of it selfe spouteth vp to the mountaine of eternall blisse So Christ of his owne benigne and soueraigne clemency casteth off none but imbraceth all that repaire vnto him God the Father is ready to cut off all superfluityes from the mysticall boughes which grow in his Sonne he is ready to bring to perfection the worke he hath begun neuer willing to reuoke his gift vnles we by sinning make our selues vnworthy vnles we destroy his building breake 1. Ioan. 3. v. 9. Matth. 7. v. 38. Ierem. 32. v. 40. Abbot fol. 268. VVhitak l. 8. f. 626. ourselues off from that heauenly vine flye from vnder his wings vomit out his graces infused into vs then the fault is not his nor any defect in his grace but the whole blame lighteth vpon
was an hungred and you gaue me to drinke c. Get you away froÌ„ me you cursed c. I was an hungred and you gaue me not to eate I was a thirst and you gaue me not to drinke For this cause the Apostle Matth. 25. v. 34. v. 41. 1. Cor. 4. v. 17. Tertult l. de râ—sur carnis c. 40 in Scorp cap. 13. Aug. ep 105. Chrysost hom 3. de Lazaro auerreth the sufferances of his life to win or cause faluation Our Tribulation which presently is momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs where for worketh our Protestants corruptly translated heretofore prepareth albeit they haue since corrected it because it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is potently or forcibly worketh In liew whereof Tertullian readeth perficiet in nobis shall perfect and accoÌ„plish in vs an eternall weight of glory yet not physically as the efficient but morally as the meritorious cause which winneth and purchaseth the laurell of be atitude as sinnes procure the bane of endles misery Whereupon S. Augustine Euen as death is rendred for astipend to the merit of sinne so is euerlasting life as a stipend to the merit of iustice And S. Chrysostome By good workes we deserue heauen as by euill hell THE SECOND CHAPTER IN WHICH The same is strengthned by other reasons authorities and the Obiections satisfied THE third Argument to support the merit of workes is drawne from those places of Scripture which testify the singular valew prerogatiue of Almes-deeds Tob. 1â— v. 9. and Eccles 3. v. 33. Prou. 25. v. 27. Pro. 16. v. 6. Dan. 4. v. 24. that it deliuereth from death purgeth sinnes maketh vs find merit and life euerlasting Giue almes and behold all things are cleane vnto you By mercy and faith sinnes are purged By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed Redeeme thou thy sinnes with almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore which place by the Protestants former and by their later translation set forth by commaundement of his Maiesty is thus adulterated Breake of thy sinnes by righteousnes For although the Hebrew or rather Chaldeack word Peruk of Perak the roote signifieth sometime to breake in pieces to deuide to rend in sunder and also to redeeme yet neuer properly to breake off or cease to do couering by righteousnes as our sectaries wrest it not extinguishing by almes deeds as the Verbe inforceth the remaynes of sinne But albeit the Chaldeake word had beene ambiguous as in no indifferent mans iudgement it is in that place yet the Latine word Redime redeeme at least the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no other natiue signification then ransome or redeeme thy sinnes should haue taken all doubt and ambiguity away had those Protestant translations syncerely followed the originall fountaines as they pretend 2. The fourth and last reason is insinuated in holy writ in these very textes which commend some vertuous and heroicall actes as better in themselues more gratefull vnto God then others although both the faith be equall inhabitant grace by which they are wrought 1. Cor. 7. v. 38. â—bidem v. 39. 40. Matt. 19â— v. â—1 For so S. Paul sayth He that ioyneth his virgin in matrimony doth well and he that ioyneth not doth better Likewise speaking of the widdow Let her marry to whom she will only in our Lord but more blessed shall she be if she so remaine In like manner to distribute all our goodes to the poore and follow Christ is of it selfe more perfect then to enioy the riches of the world and bestow them in his seruice Yf thou wilâ— be perfect go and sell the thinges that thou hast and giue IoaÌ„ 15. v. 13 to the poore c. To sacrifice our liues in testimony of our faith is more precious in the eies of God then to releeue the poore with a cup of cold water Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends In so much as there is some valew some worthines in the act of Martyrdome which is not in almesdeeds some dignity in voluntary pouerty which is not in rich liberality some excellency of merit in virginity beyond the degree or holines of wedlocke wherein least our aduersaries should wrangle that they are more excellent and worthy only as they are signes of greater faith both our Sauiour and the Apostle speake absolutely without any condition of greater or lesser prerogatiue of faith Therefore the thinges considered in themselues are better more grâ—tefull and meritorious all other circumstances being equally weighed For as conditionall assertions cannot be absolutely In conc Mediolan Ambros Epist 81. Ambr. ibid. ep 8 c. Aug serm 143. de teÌ„p Diuersa specits claritatis quia diuersa suÌ„t merita charitatis Centur. 5. c. 4. col 518. Aug. l. 3. de peccat meritis Contur c. 4 4. col 301. Amb. l. 2. ad Marcel Cent. 3. 4. col 86. Orig l. 10. ep ad Rom. Cent. 4. c. 4. Col. 192. Cbrom in concion de Beat. Cent. 4. c. 10 col 1250. Ierom aduer Iou. Cent. 3. c. 4. col 86. Tertul l. de Ieiunio Cent. 2. c. 4 col 64. vnderstood no more can absolute and irrestreyned be expounded conditionally vnles we peruert the ten our of Gods sacred lawes and shake the whole fabrike of diuine oracles in peeces Whereupon very religiously S. Ambrose Bassian and other Bishops without any condition of more feruent faith absolutely auouch Mariage is good by which the posterity of Irumane succession is propagated but Virginity is better whereby the inheritance is gotten of our celestiall Kingdome and the succession is found out of heauenly merits Also the same S. Ambrose with Bassian and the rest a little before It is a wild and rusticall howling to awaite or looke for no fauour of virginity no prefermeÌ„t of chastity to be willing promiscuously to confound all thinges to abrogate the degrees of diuers merits and bring in a certeine pouerty of celestiall remunerations S. Augustine You see that clarity is promised to the bodies of Saintes and a various lustre of clarity for the various merits of charity But of him S. Ambrose Origen Chromatius S. Hierome Tertullian and S. Ignatius the Apostles Scholler I alleadge no other then the words of the Centuristes It is apparant say they that Augustine was of this mind that Virgins deuoted to sanctimony haue more merit with God then the faithfull married folkes For because Iouinian thought the contrary that they haue no more merite this he reprehended in him Ambrose to insolently pronounceth of the merit of virgins Origen maketh virginity a worke of perfection Chromatius extolleth voluntary Pouerty and sayth that by the merite thereof the riches of the heauenly Kingdome are obteyned Hierome de striuing too much for Virginity is somewhat vniust or aduerse to marriage Tertullian attributeth merit to Fasting It appeareth out of the Epistles of
the Iewes had no other then vnleaâ—ened bread at that tyme. Exod. 12. Ther shall not be found leanened in your houses Luc. 24. Aug. l. 3. de consen Euang. c. 25. Chry. hom 17. oper imperfect in Matth. Theoph. in eumlocum Beda in iâ— loc Luc. Act. 2. v. 42. 20. v. 7. vnleauened you with leauened bread his Communicants receaued sitting yours kneeling his after yours before meat may you in these points vary from Christ and may not we by the ineriable warrant of his Church alter that which he hath left indifferent vnto her Especially seeing she followeth herein the president of Christ who ministred the Sacrament vnder one kind only to the two Disciples at Emaus as S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Theophilact and Venerable Bede auouch the example of the Apostles who did often the like the practise of S. Paul who at Troiâ—s before he fell into danger of Ship-wracke as S. Chrysostome teacheth performed the same the prescription of Chry. hom 17. oper imperf Tertul. l. 2. â—â—vâ—or Cypr. serm de lapsis Amb. or â—â— de obitu Satyâ—i Basil ep ad Casar Euse lib. 6. bist c. 36. Pauliâ—us in vita Ambros Amphilo in vi Basil Fulke in c. 6. 10 sect 11. Conc. Tol. 2. cap. 11. August serm 252. detemp Conc. Anâ—ifiod cap. 3â— 38. Ambr. in orat de obitu Satyrifratris sui Basil ep ad Caesar am Patric Alâ—uinus l. de Offi. Eccles c. de Parasâ—eue Inno. â— ep 1. cap. 4. Euseb loc citato Fulke vbi suprâ— the ancient Church which ministred to Children only the bloud reserued most commonly the body alone both in priuate houses and in Wildernesses for the Ermites as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose and S. Basil testifie housled the sicke often vnder one kind after which manner Serapion S. Ambrose S. Basill receiued their Viaticum lying on their death beds witnesse Eusebius Paulinus and Amphilochius 13. M. Fulke laboureth to auoid the authorities of these Fathers by two Sophisticall shifts First by the figure of Synecdoche which taketh the part for the whole secondly by disgracing the practise S. Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Basil S. Chrysostome Eusebius and others record with the note of a superstitious custome Where on the one side he ouerthroweth himselfe he contradicteth on the other those learned writers He ouerthroweth himselfe calling it a superstitious custome which must consequently sauour of some point of Popery conformable to our ancient prescription and wholy disagreable to his new inuented doctrine He contradicteth those learned Fathers who expresly speake of the sole infusioÌ„ of the bloud into the mouthes of yong sucking babes or into the mouths of the sicke who could not for drinesse receaue the body as it was decreed in the second Toletan Councell Of fine Linnen clothes called Dominicaâ—â—a prouided by deuout women to in wrap the body vnfit to infold the bloud Of a sole particle of the body which S. Ambrose his brother inclosed in a Pix and hanged for safegard about his necke Of keeping the body so long in Alexandriâ— Aegypt those hoat Countries where the wine without corruption could not be reserued nor carried with safty nor kept with decency Of the Custome of the Roman Church whose Priest vpon Good-friday many yeares agoe communicated only vnder one kind as Alcuinus and Innocentius the first â—elate Of the moysture which was vsed for the better swallowing downe of the Host mentioned by Eusebius altogeather needlesse if the Cup had beene exhibited Where I desire the Reader to register the folly of M. Fulke who affirmeth the moistned Sacrament whereof Eusebius speaketh To be the Cup dropped into the mouth of â—erapion whereas it was the body dipped in some prophane liquor the easier to swallow downe that diuine food But any Common liquor faithfully receaued is wholy as good as the wine of their Table therefore he may wel entitle it the Cup of his Communion 14. Not the Fathers only our Sectaries also Vrbanus Vrbanus Regius in li. de locis com 69. Luther ep ad Bohemoâ— christus inquit hac in re nihil tâ—quaÌ„ necessarium praecepit Melanct. in Centu. ep thâ—o pag. 252. Bucer in Colloq Raâ—isbon Iewel in his Reply p. 110. 106. Regius a Lutheran Doctour confesseth the Sacramont in one kind to haue beene ordained in the first Councell at Ephesus about a thousand yeares before the Synode of Basill or Constance for extinguishing Nestorious heresie who held the Body without the Bloud in the one the Bloud without the Body in the other kind comprised Yea M. Luther the Protestants first Progenitour and chiefest Patriarch affirmeth That Christ commanded nothing as necessary touching Communion vnder one or both kinds And Melancthon his scholler and Bucer with him accounteth it as a matter of indifferency as many other Protestants doe whom M. Iewell in his Reply neither reproueth or gaine-sayth And it is strange the Sacramentaries should begin to plead for the necessity of both who beleeue their bread and wine to be nothing els but outward tokens to stirre vp their faith memory and deuotion which may be farre better excited by the sight and view of the seuerall Hosts which our Priests doe offer then by the participation of the signes their Ministers exhibit Or if they will needs tast of the Cup we allow our faithfull Communicants whatsoeuer they for their Sect-mates prouide and the same for which they contend We minister to our Laity the wine of the Grape the dayntiest Nectar of their Communion Table we affoard them besides the precious food of Christs Body and Bloud a Celestiall banquet infinitely surpassing their poore prophane and hungry feast 15. Goe then M. Bilson goe M. Fulke goe you Sectaries reuile and vpbraid vs as transgressors of Christs commandement goe you their fauoruits declaime in your Oratories and crie out in the Pulpits that we defraud the people of the Cup of their saluation of the Communion of Christs Bloud Whereas you are they who rob them indeed of the sacred Bloud and Body also bereaue them of their spirituall life and of all the heauenly delights and treasures of their soule yeelding bare signes vaine figures in lieu of the diuine verities and reall substances our Blessed Sauiour bequeathed vnto them And we fensed by Christ by his Apostles by the Church the neuer-erring Spouse of our Lord refreshing all with the maine fountaine of life performe it in that manner as is most behoofull for time for place for Priests and People THE SIXTH CONTROVERSY CONVINCETH The Necessity of Confession against D. Sparkes and D. Fulke CHAP. 1. I May fitly compare the Sectaries of our tyme as S. Gregory NazianzeÌ„ doth that enemy of God Iulian the Apostata Nazian orat 1. in Iulianum Sparkes in his answer to M. Iohn de Albins pag. 3. 6. 337. Eu. ke in cap. 20. 10. sect 5. Kemnitius in Censu ad c. 5. Conâ—ilâ— Trident. to the Camclion For as he changeth himselfe into all variety
by which they hoped demanded and often obtayned the fruits of their requests Listen to S. Hierome listen to S. Gregory Nazianzen both which you produce to bewray their doubtfulnes S. Hieromes words are these Farewell O Paula and support with the help of thy prayers the feeble old age of thy worshiper These S. Gregory Nazianzens calling vpon S. Basil O Diuine and sacred head behold vs from aboue and the instigation of my flesh giuen me as an instruction from God eyther aswage with thy prayers or moue me to beare coragiously Did these men doubt Or S. Bernard who often assureth vs of Bern. serm 3. in vigil Nat. ser de B. Virg. quae incipit Signum magnum Bafil in 40. Mart. Cyp. lib. de habit Virg. Ruffin l. â— hist c. 33. the help of our B. Lady Or S. Basil exhorting vs to inuok the 40. Martyrs Whosoeuer is oppressed with any misery let him repayre to these and who soeuer reioyceth let him pray tothese the one that he may be freed from euill the other that he may perseuere in his prosperous courses Or S. Cyprian who requested the Virgins or Nuns of his time in whose coÌ„mendation he wrote to remember him after their departure when their Virginity should begin to be honoured Or Theodosius the Emperour who as Ruffinus witnesseth clad in sacke-cloath lay prostrate at the Tombes of the holy Apostles and Martyrs and craued help by the assured intercession of Saints Or any of those whome I recited before whose speaches cannot be eluded by any doubtfull florish or figure of Rethorike much lesse the suites they make vnto the Saints in heauen a PrudeÌ„ in hym 4. 8. 10. Casar-August August quaest 108. ser 18. de Sanct. to obtaine pardon for their sinnes b Noz or at in Athâ—n To be directed in the warfare and combate of this life c Bern. in vigil Petr. Paul To incline the hart of our Iudge in their behalfe d Prud. hym 2. in D. Lauren. To be sooner released the bonds of our mortality e Amb. or at â— in morte fratris Nazi ora in Basil To be receaued by them into the Tabernacles of blisse f August lib. medit cap. 24. Nazian in S. Cypri Ambros exhor ad virg Paul Nola. in Car ad Cytherium August lib. 22. de Ciuit. Dei cap. â— To bewafted by their prayers and merits to the hauen of perpetuall peace Such and many such like requestes they made which were no. wholy frustrate as the miracles wrought in accomplishing their desires giue testimony vnto vs. 7. S. Gregory Nazianzen writeth of a Virgin bewitched with diuelish charmes to be deflowred by her Louer who prayed to our Blessed Lady and was deliuered from his wicked inchantements S. Ambrose of S. Iulian who obtayned a sonne by the intercession of S. Laurence Paulinus of Martinian who escaped imminent danger of death by the help of Saint Felix Saint Augustine of Palladia who praying to S. Stephen was healed of a grieuous disease Of a blind woman who receiued her sight Of the daughter of one Bassus a Syrian restord to life And sundry other miracles wrought by the Reliques memory and inuocation of selfe-same happy and glorious Protomartyr 8. Which argueth M. Field of more then vnshamfastnes Field l. 3. c. 20. fol. 109. 110. Kemnitius exam p. 3. p. 211. of insolent malepartnes in slandering S. Augustine That he dareth not pronounce but inclineth to that opinion that the Saints doe not particulerly see know and intermeddle with humane thinges If Saint Augustines owne words here quoted cannot free him from so vile a reproach let Kemnitius M. Fieldes fellow Protestant be heard he alleadgeth S. Field loco citato Augustine inuocating S. Cyprian and blusheth not to adde These thinges Augustine without the warrant of Scripture yielding to tymes and custome Yet D. Field once downe the banke Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright of modesty slideth to the bottome of audacious impudency and immediatly writeth The Church of God neuer desined otherwise how soeuer Hierome in his passion agaynst Vigilantius seeme to say the contrary Not Hierome M. Field in his passion but your owne Sect-mates in their sober writinges shall conuince you of falshood and testify the same vvith him D. Couel in his exam pag. 120. Fulk in his Reioynder p. 5. 6. agaynst the Rhem. Test in 2. Petr. c. 1. sect 3. Kemn in exam p. 3. pag. 200. Sparkes p. 33. Cent. Cen. 3. Col. 83. c. 9. M. Whitgift late Archbishop of Canterbury Almost all the Bishops sayth he and writers of the Greeke Church and Latin also for the most part were spotted with Doctrines of Free-will of merit of inuocation of Saints and such like The same is auouched by D. Couell M. Fulke sayth I confesse that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held Inuocation of Saintes to be lawfull And in another place In Nazianzen Basill and Chrysostom is mention of Inuocation of Saints Kemnitius the Lutheran before named Inuocation of Saintes quoth he at length about the yeare of our Lord 370. by Basil Nissen and Nazianzen began to be brought into the publike asseÌ„blyes of the Church D. Sparkes chargeth Origen or some other vnder his name With a grosse Popish prayer to Iob. The Centurists doe the like acknowledging moreouer this vniforme doctrine in many other who liued about the 300. yeares after Christ saying There are manifest steps of Inuocation of Saints in the Doctours of that auncient age And in the Centuries following they accuse Athanasius Basil Nazianzen Ambrose Prudentius Cent. Cen. 4. c. 4. Col. 296. 297. VVhitaker in his ans to the 4. reason of Comp. Ibid. in his ans to the 5. reason Epiphanius and Ephrem of the same errour Finally when blessed Campian vrged this approued custome of the ancient Fathers Whitaker answered The old and inueterate practise of inuocating Saints in prayers we little regard although this were an ancient custom yet it flowed from humane superstition not from Diuine authority And a little after speaking of Prudentius who florished within the 400. yeare after Christ he sayth Prudentius I graunt as a poet sometymes called vpon the Martyrs whose Acts he describeth in verse and the superstitious custome of praying to Saints had now taken deepe roote in the Church which as a Tyrant haled sometymes the holy Fathers into the same error 10. What thinke you now M. Field was S. Augustine was S. Ambrose were all these learned Fathers here cited and the whole Church which they guided of this beliefe or no that the Saints in heauen see and intermeddle with humane affayres Or were all these mirrours of wit learning and sanctity not only superstitiously as your Ghospellers tax them but foolishly sottish also as you would make them to call vpon such as they thought had no sense or feeling of their necessities Dare you auouch That Inuocation of Saints preuayled not in
10. c. 30. Euseb l. 7. hist cap. 14. Calu. lib. 1. Inst c. 11. the picture of the glorious Virgin Mary sent by Eudoxia from Hierusalem to Pulcheria the Empresse placed by her in the Temple she built at Constantinople Of thousands mentioned by Tertullian S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostome S. Augustin S. Basil Sozomenus Nicephorus Eusebius who for many profitable causes haue euer allowed the Images of Saints to be painted in Churches hanged on Altars carued in Chalices or embrodered in vestments to the open shame and rebuke of Caluin who resolutly writeth That in the first 500. yeares after Christ there were neuer any Images in Christian Churches 11. The first vtility and profit is an easy and compendious manner of instruction For that which is slowly Greg. l. 7. Ep. ep 9. l. 9. ep 9. Niss orat in Theod. instilled by other senses that which by many discourses is deliuered in wordes and with laborious study gathered out of books is all in an instant with curious delight presented to the eye by the message of the eye conueyed to the soule where through the quicknesse and viuacity Chrys orat quod vet non Test vnus fit mediator 7. Syn. act 2. 4. Greg. l. 7. Ep. 53. of that noble messenger whatsoeuer is brought the soule more liuely apprehendeth and more surely entrusteth to the store-house of the mind Which S. Gregory the great knew right well when he tearmed pictures The bookes of the vnlearned And S. Gregory Nissen when he sayd The silent picture speaketh in the wall and profiteth very muth 12. The second is to increase the loue of God and his Saints to enkindle in our harts the coales of deuotion which S. Chrysostome felt when thus he wrote I loued a picture of melted waxfull of piety S. Gregory Nissen felt the like who as it is rehearsed in the 7. Synod Was often wont to Basi orat in S. Barlaam Paulinus Ep. ad Seu. Salust orat quae incipit Falso quaeritur de natu lâ—utarch Arnol. Ferro in â—ita Caroli 8. weep looking on the Image of Abraham sacrificing his Sonne Isaac And S. Gregory our Apostle sought to stir vp the same in Secundine the Abbot to whome he sent the picture of Christ and sayd I know thou longest for our Sauiours Image that gazing on it thou mayest burne the more with the loue of thy Lord God 13. Thirdly they execute moue and with secret eloquence vehemently perswade to the imitation of their vertues whose noble acts we see depainted Which commodity not only S. Basil S. Paulinus c. but Plutarch Salust and other Heathens obserued Admirable is the history of Charles the eight King of France who ouercomming a towne in Italy was ouercome himselfe with the beauty of a yong betrothed bride And vvhen he determined to let goe the reynes to the slauish appetite of his vntamed lust in a chamber vvhere the Image of the Blessed and euer-vnspoted Virgin hanged the modest Damsell earnestly entreated him for the chastity of that pure and immaculate Mother of God which the Table represented she might reserue to her spouse her honour vnstained and bed vndefiled the King casting his eyes in an happy houre vpon that chast picture and vpon this humble suppliant was presently inspired with the heauenly guift of such vnexpected continency as leauing her vntouched yet enriched with a Princely dowry restored her her husband her parents and allies to their former liberty 14. Great was the force of this sacred Image which so luckily enfranchised so many captiues in such diuers manner captiued one in the thraldome of his owne vnbridled passion others in the bondage of a warlike coÌ„querour For a conquerour indeed he was rather then a captiue farre more renowned for the victory ouer himselfe then for the conquest of others But as chast picturs Teren. in Eunucho breed chast desires so immodest vnciuill monuments cause many vnchast and wanton motions Contrary aspects haue contrary influences which moued Aristotle Arist l. 7. Pol. 17. Xenop in Cyrâ— Damas l. 4. Orth. fi c. 17. Zenophon two memorable Philosophers to prohibite vnto children al obscene tables naked Images of their Gods 15. Fourthly they renew the daily memory of Christ and his Saints It often chanceth sayth S. Iohn Damascen when we thinke not at all of our Sauiours death by the sight of his crucifyed Image the memory of his holsome Passion is reuiued in vs. Whereof we haue a very profitable example fresh in memory In the booke written of her life c. 9. p. 57. and fit for my purpose in the life of the vertuous and holy Woman Saint Teresa of Iesus which she relateth in this manner One day going to my Oratory I saw a picture which was brought thither to be kept hauing beene borrowed against the solemnizing of a certaine feast it was of our Sauiour full of wounds and so deuout that so soone as I looked vpon it I Marke what modâ—ns the â—ight of a Picture stirred vp was exceedingly troubled to see him in that case for it represented very well what he suffered for vs I was so much grieued to thinke how vnthankefull I had beene for those woundes that me thought my hart was pierced through and I cast my selfe downe by it with great aboundance of teares beseeching him that he would once giue me strength neuer to offend him any more Thus she prayed recommended her selfe eftsoones with great deuotion to S. Mary Magdalen one while intreating her to obtaine pardon for her otherwhile crying out to Christ saying in her hart That she would neuer rise from thence vntill he graunted her request O what effects did this prayer work What darknesse did it expell What light did it infuse How cleane did it wash and purify her soule and all by the outward meanes and help of a picture Whereupon she testifyeth I verily belieue it did me good for I profited much Pag. 57. Pag. 59. Cyr. Alex l. 6. con Iulianum Salutare lignuÌ„ c. ad recordationem omnis virtutis inducis from that day forward c. and for this cause was I such a friend of pictures Miserable are they who through their owne faul depriue themselues of this benefit it appeareth very well that they loue not our Lord for if they did loue him they would be glad to behold his Image Glad to behold the holesome wood which as S. Cyrill of Alexandria sayth putteth vs in mind of all vertue 16. The fifth and last profit I will now recite is to honour them whose Images we keep For the reuerence giuen to Pictures redounds to the Originall as S. Basil affirmeth and the deuotion of our vertuous and religious King â—anatus confirmeth who tooke the Diademe he vsed to were on his head and crowned therewith an Image of Christ crucifyed which in his dayes was deuoutly reserued Henry Hun. hist Angl. l. 6. in the Church of
are not imputed but pardoned in Christ all Mortall in the Reprobate M. Fulke conformably deliuereth Allsinnes are pardonable to the Penitent and faythfull and without fayth and repentance euen the least and ligh est sinne are damnable and deadly Against whom I reason thus 2. If there be any sinnes which euen then wheÌ„ they are voluntarily committed without repentance can stand with grace and Iustice the life of our soules they are of their owne nature neyther damnable nor deadly but there are some suchsinnes Therefore there are some sinnes which neyther of their owne nature Prou. 24. v. 16. cause the spirituall death of our soules in this life nor damnation in the next That there are some such sinnes I proue out of Scripture out of the Prouerbes Seauen tymes doth the Iust man fall and rise againe If he be Iust how falleth he into sinne If a sinner how is he called Iust vnlesse some sinne may consist with Iustice Out of Ecclesiast There is not a Iust man vpon earth who doth good and doth not sinne Out of S. Iohn If we shall say we haue no sinne we seduce Eccles 7. v. 21. 1. Iohn 1. Aug. l. dâ— natu gra c. 36. Haeb. 5. our selues and the truth is not in vs. Where S. Augustine expoundeth S. Iohn of the sinnes of the Iust and speaking of our Blessed Lady absolutly pronounceth This Virgin excepted if all holy Persons whilest heere they liued were assembled togeather with how great sanctity soeuer they shined c. they would all crie out If we say we haue no sinne we seduceour selues Out of S. Paul Euery Bishop ought as for the people so also for himselfe to offer for sinnes Whence S. Hierome collecteth He Hier. apud Panigarol part 2. lect 12. Iaco. 3. v. 2. lacob 1. v. 14 Hier. in CoÌ„menta c. 5. Mat. Psal 31. Math. 5. 1. Cor. 3. Orig. bo 5. In Leuit. Amb. in Psalm 118. Naz. or at 2. Iulia. in Cbrys bo 24. in Mat. Hier. l. 2. con Pelag. Aug. l. de natura gra ca. 38. in Enchir c. 22. 71. ser 41. de Sanct. Fulke in c. 1. Iaco. sect 6. Ezech. 18. 4. Rom. 6. 23. Iacob 2. 10. Aug. Ep 29. Cbrys bo 35. in Mat. should neuer be commanded to offer for others vnlesse he were Iust nor for himselfe if he wanted sinnes Out of S. Iames In many things we all offend And in his first Chapter Euery one is tempted of his owne concupiscence abstracted and allured afterward concupiscence when it hath conceaued bringeth forth sin but sinne when it is consummate engendreth death Behold three things in man Concupiscence the ground or entisement to sinne Conception the first and imperfect motion which yeeldeth therunto ConsuÌ„mation the absolute deliberate consent Concupiscence is no sinne Conception is a sinne but not damnable not deadly ConsuÌ„mation or full consent is only that which engendreth death S. Hierom agreable heereunto maketh a great difference betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Desire with Consent and withous Consent Many other places I omit cited out of King Dauid S. Mathew and S. Paul I omit the Fathers who acknowledge this diuersity of Veniall and Mortall sinnes Origen S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Augustine c. 3. M. Fulke obiecteth by Ezechiel and S. Paul Of all sinnes in generall it is sayd The soule which sinneth shal die And The wages of sinne is death I answere They speake of haynous sinnes not of euery small offence For God were too seuere his leagne of friendship intollerable if for the least idle word or sleight default he would depriue his Friends of grace and persecute them to death S. Iames also writeth of grieuous sinne the breach of Gods Commandment in the place you commonly alleadg against vs He that offeudeth in one is made guilty of all For S. Augustine teacheth that he is made guilty of all because he breaketh the band of Charity which is the totall summe and perfection of the law Or can no lesse escape the sentence of death and damnation who transgresseth one commandement then if he were guilty of all as the Authour vpon the imperfect worke vpon S. Matthew singularly well expoundeth S. Basil and S. Augustine I grant make great account of Veniall sinnes in that they diminish the feruour of Charity are somewhat contrary to the Easil in quaest q. 4. q. 293. Aug. Con. 3. super Ps 118. tract 12. in Ioan. law and now and then dispose to the transgreslion of it in that they truly offend the infinite maiesty of God yet in a matter so light and with such imperfect apprehension as it diminisheth the indignity and wholy altereth the quality of the fault For if the want of all knowledge and all consent in children and mad men vtterly taketh away the guilt of sinne then imperfect knowledge imperfect consent must needs cause imperfect sinnes Not such as absolutly violate the law of God or throughly incurre his high displeasure but such as are to be shunned notwithstanding as dangerous infirmities and diseases of our soule Which is all that S. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers intend when they exaggerate the enormity of small offences Thus much in confutation of our Aduersaries second ground Concerning the third 4. We stand not vpon the name but vphold the thing that is a certaine penall estate or cleansing of some soules after this life which cleansing we call as Suarez Tom. 4. in 3. par disp 45. sect 1. Esay 4. Malach. 3. Suarez well noteth Purgation and the place where it is made Purgatory which the ancient Fathers themselues haue constantly gathered out of sundry texts of holy Write In the old Testament S. Augustine teacheth it from the mouth of Isay Our Lord shall purge the dregs of the daughters of Syon and shall wash the bloud of Hierusalem out of the middest therof in the Spirit of iudgment and in the Spirit of Aug. l. 20. de â—iuit Dei c. 25. Hiero. in hunc locuÌ„ Amb. in Psalm 36. Orig. ho. 6. in Exod. combustion or as the English Protestant translation readeth By the spirit of burning He teacheth it likewise from the mouth of Malachy Our Lord is like a purging fire and like fullers sope he shall sit downe to trye and fine the siluer he shall euen fine the Sonnes of Leui and purify them as gold and siluer Where S. Augustine addeth That these wordes cannot signify a separation only of the polluted from the pure in the last penall iudgment c. but must intimate a purgation of the good who haue need thereof With whome S. Hierome S. Ambrose Origen consent in the interpretation of that place The same S. Augustine and Venerable Bede deduce out of that passage of Aug. in Ps 7. Beda in Psal 37. Psalm 65. Amb. in Psal 36. ser in Psal 118. Orig. hom 25. in Numer the
fire Aug. l. 21. de Ciu. Dei cap. 24. 13. But when D. Fulke can find nothing in S. Augustine contrary to his assertion of Purgatory he and D. Field mightily labour to craze his credit as variable and irresolued in this point M. Field feareth not to write Aug. l. 2. de Gen. coÌ„â— Mani haeos cap. 20. Et post hanc vitaÌ„ habebit vel ignem purgationis vel poenaâ— aeternam Augustine to auoyd a worse did doubtingly runne into the errour of Purgatory M. Fulke as insolent as he The opinion of Purgatory in S. Augustines dayes began to be harkened vnto he doubteth of it Notwithstanding S. Augustine is so farre from doubting as he professeth of them that depart with the remainders of sin not wholy cleansed Tales constat c. It is manifest that those purged before the day of IudgmeÌ„ by temporal pains which their soules suffer are not deliuered to the punishments of eternall fire Again He who hath not happily tilled his field but hath suffered it to be ouergrowen with thornes hath in this life the malediction and curse of the earth in all his works and after this life Field in appen part 1. fol. 18. Lodouicus Viâ—es in cum locum he shall haue eyther the fire of Purgatory or euerlasting payne 14. To the first authority out of his booke of the Citty of God M. Field answereth That the words as Viues noteth are not found in some auncient manuscripts nor in that printed at Friburge But Viues annexeth which you most guilfully suppresse Neuertheles the stile is not dissonant from Augustines phrase peraduenture they are either wanting in some bookes or else are interlaced heere out of some other worke of S. Augustines So that if Viues censure may take place it should haue preuailed rather to haue made you reuerence that as S. Augustines saying then insolently reiect it as none of Field ibid. his To the second place he replieth as many cauilling Sophisters are wont to do to the texts of Aristotle they cannot otherwise auoyd that he speaketh not according to his owne mind but according to the opinion then preuailing of deliuerance out of Hell which S. Augustine in that place would not stand to discusse but else where refuteth it at large What Doth he approue and disproue the selfe same thing And doth he approue it heere by absolute asseueration and not by way of obiection Was he so peeuish as to countenance an errour himselfe taught repugnant to Scripture Or so farre ouerseene as to giue such aduantage to his prying enemies the Manichees whom he impugned and you the first to espie his fault which he one of the wisest and humblest that euer was eyther wanted grace to see or modesty to recall in his booke of Retractations There might be found perchaunce a man so senslesse as would giue eare vnto you if the same doctrine were not inuincibly confirmed by S. Augustine in sundry other places 15. In his booke of the Citty of God writing of the Infant regenerated by Baptisme He not only is not adiudged Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 16. to eternall torments but neyther doth he suffer after death any Purgatory paynes Likewise in the 13. Chapter of the same booke As for temporall paine some endure it heere some heereafter and some both heere and there c. Some shall be pardoned in the world to come that are not pardoned in this In his treatise Aug. 50. boâ— ho. 16. Ezech. 24. of 50. Hom lies he verifieth of the sinfull soule after this life that saying of Ezechiel Lay it naked vpon the coales vntill her brasse be heated and all her tinne be fried out There the idle words and wicked or impure cogitatious there the multitude of lesser sinnes which haue infected the purity of the noble nature shal seeth forth there the tynne or lead which haue obscured the diuine Image shall be consumed All which might heere by almeesdeeds and teares after a more short and compendious manner haue beene purged from the soule Wherby you may see how absolutly Field in append par fol 19 Field ibid. fol. 17. Fulke in c. 3. 1. ad Cor. sect 6. and against Purgat p. 121. 122. Aug. in Enchir. c. 69. Aug. l. 5. Hypogn Fulke in c. 12. Mat. sect 6. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 26â— S. Augustine is resolued in this point and how voyd of sincerity that protestation of M. Fields is I dissent not from Augustine in anything he constantly deliuereth But the places which are gathered out of him partly by M. Field partly by M. Fulke and others coueting to discrie some vnconstancy and variablenesse of his opinion are these First out of his Enchiridion to Laurence It is not incredible that some such thing also is done after this life and whether it be or not it may be found out or it may be hid Secondly out of his booke of Hypognost where he sayth The third place we are vtterly ignorant of Lastly out of his booke of the Citty of God If any one say the Spirits of the dead all that while suffer such fire c. I contradict him not perhaps he may hold the truth Where S. Augustine nothing doubteth of the assertion of Purgatory paines after this life but only of the manner and quality of them For in the first place hauing expounded the fire S. Paul mentioneth of the fire of tribulation in this life that is of the griefe anguish that tormenteth them that loose their temporall goods which they ouer greedily affected he only doubteth whether there be any such griefe and sorrow in the next life or Aug. ad Duâ—cit quest 1. no for the losse of wordly commodities Which doubt he maketh also in his treatise to Dulcitius 16. In the second place he argueth against the Pelagians who graunted to the Baptized Infants a speciall place Aug. lib. 5. hypognos of eternall ioy and as he proueth no place of euerlasting death but hell so he denyeth any place of continuall coÌ„fort and ioy but heauen alone saying Assigne me besides this another place where there may be perpetuall repose of life A third place of perpetuall abode he was ignorant of and so are we In the last passage S. Augustine disputeth and leaueth it as it were in suspense whether the fire of Purgatory be the same in substance with the fire of Hell yet neuer maketh question but that there is some purging fire after this life And it is nothing but desperate boldnes in our Aduersaryes to auouch the contrary as the zeale of his honour iust defence of so great a pillar of the Church hath made me declare more amply then my purposed breuity would otherwise permit 17. I need not repeate the consent of other Fathers of the Latin Church whose authorityes I haue already alleadged and at whome our enemyes and theirs carpe not so much as they do at S. Augustine I passe
cut his garments with the rest of his company which he likewise did for Abner 4. Yea this praier for the Dead hath beene a thing so generally receaued so inuiolaby practised amongst the Iewes euen then when they were Gods chosen people as when Iudas Machabaeus appointed publique Sacrifices 1. Reg. 3. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Machab. cap. 12. Ioseph de Bello Iudaic c. 19. Baruch c. 3. vers 5. Vrbanus Regius baec verba Baruch to be offered for them not one was found amongst the huge number of souldiers not one amongst the Priests and Leuits of Hierusalem not one amongst the Patriarches and Prophets of God most vigilant alwaies in checking Superstuion who euer reprehended that charitable deed But Iosephus the Historiographer plainly alloweth it And Baruch the Prophet as Vrbanus Regius a Protestant of no small account beareth witnesse made supplication himselfe for his Predecessours soules saying O Lord omnipotent remember not the iniquities of our forefathers And now at this present time the Iewes aboue all other Nations peculiarly wedded to the Traditions of their ancestours obserue by prescription a solemne praier for the Dead called * Paulus Fagius in c. 14. Deut. Genebrard in fine Chronol VVbitak cont Duraeum p. 85. See Caluino-turcis l. 4. c. 8. and Hilalar deca 4. feria 5. post dominicam 4. Quadrag Luc. 16. Haskaba pronounced by their Hazan or publike Minister of which M. Wnitaker auerreth I know the Iewes haue Rituall books which they read in their Synagogues and I am not ignorant that euen now they are wont to vse certaine praiers for the Dead 5. Neither was it any Ceremoniall Rite proper to the Iewes but a generall law or print of nature stamped in the hearts of all both sauage ciuill Nations In Grecians Indians Moscouites Aethiopians Turkes Persians Mores Arabians c. Who with a dissonant and disagreeing manner yet with one and the same hope of relieuing the departed offered their Praiers and Sacrifices vnto God To leaue Iewes and Gentiles and come to Christians 6. Our blessed Sauiour seemeth to exhort hereuÌ„to saying Make your selues friends of the Mammon of iniquity that when you faile they may receiue you into the eternall tabernacles Where by friendes S. Augustine and S. Gregory vnderstand the Saints in heauen whose necessities we once succoured heer vpon earth and who when we faile that is depart this life not so pure from the reliques of sinne as we may by our good deeds presently enter the kindgdome of heauen then they supplying our wants as we once relieued theirs receaue vs by their praiers and merits into the Mansions of euerlasting rest By their merit saith S. Austen charitable men obtaine mercy and pardon and Aug. ser 35. de verb. Domini l. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 27. Greg. l. 21. moral c. 14. 1. Cor. 15 S. Gregory If by their friendship we gaine eternall Tabernacles we ought to consider when we bestow vpon them that we rather offer presents to Patrons then giue almes to the Poore 7. Secondly S. Paul sayth What shall they do that are Baptized for the dead if the Dead rise not againe at all Heere the Apostle argueth not from the erroneous practise which long after his tyme was broached by the Montanists Marcionists and Cerinthians who ministred true Baptisme to the liuing as profiting the departed for whose sake it was receaued but he taketh Baptisme heere Metaphorically for punishment and affliction as Christ vseth Luc. 12. Marc. 10. the word I haue a Baptisme to be baptized withall And Can you drinke the Chalice which I drinke or be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith I am baptized After which manner S. Nazian orat in SS lumina Cypr. ser de Coena Domini Gregory Nazianzen acknowledgeth a Baptisme of teares and Pennance And S. Cyprian sayth He baptizeth himselfe in tears Therefore the force of S. Pauls argument is to this effect What doth it auaile the faythfull people to punnish fast pray and afflict themselues for the soules departed if the Dead rise not againe and receaue the fruit and benefite of their prayers 8. Thirdly S. Iohn writeth There is a sinne to death 1. Ioan. 5. for that I say not that any man aske This sinne to death is not euery mortall sinne which killeth the soule but that Aug. v infra Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei cap. 24. 1. Ioan. c. 5. v. 16. only as S. Augustine teacheth In which a man dyeth without repentance because the Apostle dehorteth not to pray for remission of any mans sin during life And the customâ— of the Church is to pray for Heretikes Schismatikes Apostataes or whosoeuer while they liue But If there be any sayth S. Augustine that persist till death in impenitency of hart doth the Church now pray for them that is for the soules of them that are so departed For these the Apostle exhorteth vs not to pray but if we know our Brother to sinne a sinne not to death that is in which he dyeth not with finall impenitence for him he perswadeth and willeth vs after his departure To aske with confidence to obtaine pardon saying And life shall be giuen him sinning not to death Which Burchar l. 19. de poenit decret Vas c. 2. 4. Carth. vide Burchard Cabilon cap. 39. Florâ—â— in initio Dionys Areo. de Eccl. hier cap. 7. Cypr. l. 1. epist 9. Tertul. l. de Corona militis Greg. Nazian orat in CaesariuÌ„ reliq Field in append x. part p. 13 Ibid. p. 4. Chrys hom 69. ad Populâ—um Fulke against Purg. pag. 303. Fulke in c. 21. â— ad Cor sect 22. is a most forcible argument and a great encouragement vnto vs to pray for such as depart not this life in state of deadly sinne Agreeable heereunto it was defined in the Councell of Brachara as the learned Bishop Burchardus who liued about 600. yeares ago recordeth that for such as should cast violent hands vpon themselues no mention should be made in the oblation for them yet for others oblations and prayers were offered as the Councel of Vase of Carthage of Cabilo of Florence and many more haue decreed 9. All our forefathers with vniforme consent absolutly teach and confirme this doctrine their wordes I need not rehearse because the Protestants freely graunt they taught defended and commonly vsed Prayer for the dead Only D. Field to file their sayings to his purpose affirmeth first That the ancients commemorated the departed by rehearsing their names Secondly They offered the Sacrifice of the Eucharist that is of prayse and thankesgiuing for them Thirdly They prayed for men in their passage hence entrance into the other world Fourthly They prayed for the ResurrectioÌ„ publike acquitall in the day of Iudgment and perfect consumation of the departed All which customes obseruations I allow sayth M. Field and approue But he vtterly denyeth That the ancient Catholike Church did generally intend in her prayers and
who dyed in the peace of the Church few Field in the places cited aboue Casaubon in the page fornamed are ignorant c. This custome although the Church of England condemneth not in the first ages yet she thinketh not good to retaine it now c. Marke this opposition betwixt the Prince and his subiects writing M. Field denyeth that The Church generally intended to relieue soules c. King Iames auoucheth The Church did desire of God rest for the departed M. Field with his Sinagogue imbraceth all the common and lawful kinds of commemorating the dead the Ancients obserued excepting only two priuate and particuler errours K. Iames with his English Congregation Retaineth not an ancient custome the Church vsed in her publike prayers a custome which spronge from a vehement affect of Charity c. whereby she gaue testimony of the Resurrection to come a custome which he reserreth to the head of thinges profitable or lawfull c. So cleerely is M. Field condemned by the sentence of his Soueraigne who Bucer in his Script a Auglican pag. 450. Vrba Regius in par 1. operum in formula cauâ—â— loquendi f. 8. Ibidem in loc commu c. 8. de Purgat Idem part 1. de missae negotio f. 71. Idem in 1. par oper in loc commun c. 19. vbi supra Aug. ep 1â— Field in ap pend 1. p. pag. 2. was cast before by the iudgment of his Peeres 25. Next after K. Iames I must needes giue praise to some other of his sect who flatly coÌ„fesse with vs the same manner of Prayer for the dead which we require As Bucer once a Cambrigian Professour and Vrbanus Regius Luthers scholler who affirmeth the like of his Maister and proueth it by the testimony of al the most learned Fathers of credit and authority in the Church of God whose names I rehearsed aboue Who appointed also in his reformed Churches of Sueuia a prescript Prayer for the departed brother To the end that God of his mercy would pardon the faults and infirmity of his flesh Who concludeth at length To be sollicitous and carefull for the dead is both a worke of Charity fruit of fayth testifying our beliefe of the glorious Resurrection which no man contemneth but Epicureans and Sadduceans They because they deny the immortality of the soule these because they belieue not the resurrection of the flesh Wherefore if our English Protestants had any regard I will not say to the plaine texts of Scripture whose squire they preteÌ„d in all thinges to follow nor to the prescription of the Church whose vniuersall practise S. Augustine counteth Most insolent madnesse to call in question nor to the ancient Fathers whose generall doctrine M. Field iudgeth no lesse theÌ„ Barbarisme to attach of errour but if they had respect to their owne illuminated Ghospellers to the Scriptures they interprete to the reasons they alleadge they would neuer reiect as superstitious trumpery that which Bucer A man by the censure of the * See this in the letter of the Vniuersity extant in Bucers scipt Ang. p. 944. Fox in his Act. c. pag. 416. English Apolog par 4. c. 4. 2. Cor. 2. Fulke vpoÌ„ that chap. sect 1. 1. Cor. 3. Gal. 6. Rom. â— Apoc. 14. Fulke in enÌ„ loc ser 5 Eccl. 9. 5. 6 Eccl. c. 9. 10 Hier. in c. 6 ad Galat. Fulke obiecteth this place against prayer for the Dead in his confut of Parg. and prayer for soules departed pag 44â— Vniuersity of Cambridge most holy and plainly diuine which Luther Their Elias sent from God to lighten the world which Vrbanus Regius his faythfull and royall scholler constantly maintaine for Euangelical doctrine Nay which King Iames their supreme head and chiefest gouernour in causes Ecclesiasticall placeth in the ranke of thinges lawfull and profitable 26. Now let vs see what coulour they haue to contradict so cleare and manifest a truth M. Fulke and his confederates assemble many sentences out of Scripture which seeme to carry against it som shew of repugnance Out of S. Paul We must all be conuented before the tribunall seat of Christ that euery one may receaue the proper thinges of his body according as he hath done good or euill Then Euery one of vs shall giue an account for himselfe to God The thinges which euery one hath sowed those shall he reape Thou restorest to euery one according to his workes And not according to the works of others Againe Their workes follow them And not the workes of their friends who remaine behind Therefore they cannot be relieued by them Which is confirmed by King Salomon The dead know no more nor haue any further reward they haue no part in this world nor in the worke that is achieued vnder the heauens For which cause he counselleth vs heere Diligently to performe whatsoeuer our hand can worke Likewise by the authority of S. Hierome saying In this present world we know we may help one another either by our prayers or counsells but when we shall come before the tribunall of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noë can make suite for any but euery one must beare his owne burden These be the skarcrowes which terrify our Reformers from exercising their charity towardes the dead which notwithstanding we easily auoid three seuerall wayes 27. First I say most of the former places may be expounded of the Iudgment in which no help can be expected either from the workes or suffrages of others of this S. Hierome expresly meaneth But King Salomon in the first place seemeth to speake only of the temporall goods left behind them in this world of the benefits of this life in which the Dead haue no society with vs and not of the spirituall workes of Charity of Prayer Almes-deeds c. whereby their soules are benefitted Secondly they may be all interpreted as S. Augustine doth the first testimony cited out of the Apostle which he obiecteth 2. Cor. 5. vers 10. to himselfe That euery one may receaue according to his deserts in the body c. that is according as he merited heere he shall truly enioy in the next life both comfort to himselfe and profit by the charity of others For as S. Augustin profouÌ„dly Aug. in Enchir. c. 110. answereth heerunto In this life and before death he deserued this that these workes after his death might be profitable vnto him Thus his workes are sayd to follow him Or the workes of the liuing may be tearmed his that is dead because he deserued in this life the benefite of them and because they are applyed vnto him eyther by the intention of the worker or by the mercifull dispensation of the Treasurer of Gods Church Thirdly all these places may be vnderstood of the workes of merit not of satisfaction that is euery one shall giue an account for himselfe in the way of merit not in the way of satisfaction The works of one cannot auaile another in the way
day of generall resurrection after which tyme no Purgatory remayneth but all the elect shall presently raigne in peace Thirdly that saying is specially directed to those rare and constant persons that shall endure the brunt and withstand the fury of Antichrists persecutions who though they be not all crowned with Martyrdome yet they departe this life as Ribera like himselfe iudiciously noteth with most singular and eminent sanctity consequently with freedom immunity from all the mulcts and penaltyes of sinne Or if any sinnefull drosse remaine from which they must be purged after death they are sayd notwithstanding to cease from their labours and rest in peace because they are discharged from the troubles calamityes and persecutions of this life are ranged amongst the number of them who shall partake of eternall rest are secure from the danger of sinne and feare of damnation and are infallibly certain of the fauour of God and their future felicity which affoardeth vnspeakable ioy peace and comfort to their mindes The words of S. Cyprian obiected by M. Fulke Fulke against Purgat pag. 140. Cyp. trct 1. cont a Demetr ianum Ambros l. debono mortis e. 2 Chrys bo 2. de Lazaro Fulke in his confut of Purg. in c. 2. 2. ad Cor. sect 1. After our departure hence there is no place of Pennance no effect of Satisfaction The wordes of S. Ambrose No remission of sinnes can there be made which hath not beene heere procured The like of S. Chrysostome are all vnderstood of no remission or satisfaction to be made in the next life of mortall deadly sinnes of which we haue not had in this detestation and sorrow 33. The iniury to Christ the euacuation of his Passion which M. Fulke often inculcateth to ensue of Purgatory is largely refuted in the Treatise of Satisfaction to which I referre the Reader for his full satisfaction heer conclude in a word That as the prayers we make vnto God do not lessen or extenuate the feruent prayers of Christ once offered earnest intercessioÌ„ he now maketh in our behalfe so neither the dolorous griefes which in this life we suffer or Purgatory-paines we indure in the next do anyway euacuate but rather enrich the treasure of his manifold sufferings sith they depend and borrow their whole fruit vertue and efficacy from the inexhausted Mine of his incomparable merits Sith they are enhaunced by his Passion and dipped in the liquour of his pretious bloud in which I humbly beseech the diuine piety to soake these my labours and steep the paines of all such as peruse them that it may so fully auaile to wash away the lees and cleanse forth the staines of our soules as we may neuer need heerafter either the scouring soape or raging fire of Purgatory flames The end of the third Booke An aduertisement GENTIL Reader wheras M. D. Bilson hath printed his booke Of Christian Subiection both in quarto and in octauo these are to aduertise thee that most commonly I doe cite that in quarto as also the other of M. Whitaker de Scriptura Ecclesia as they were printed before they were last compiled togeather in one volume for that the quotations of page leafe do otherwise disagree FINIS Faultes escaped in the printing to be corrected In the first Part. IN the Epist to the Reader pag. 3. line 3. ferrret euery one out reade ferret them out of euery c. Ibid. Epist pag. 4. l. 14. occosion reade occasion Pag. 7. l. 24. on reade of pag 34. l. 5. Canon the Canon pag. 40 l. 29. one another to one another pag. 49. l. 25. which with pag. 50 l. 17. out the. reade out of the. pag. 51. l. 13. their other Ibid. l. 28. is it pag. 74. l 6. depth the depth pag 80. l. 1. waiteth writeth pag. 82. l. 30. in the. pag. 84. l. 6. same substance same in substance pag. 91. l. 9. corruption incorruption pag. 95 l. 11. euen euer pag. 104. l. penult glorifieth glorieth pag. 110. l. 18 purchased purchase pag. 11o l. 18. cruell a â—â—â—ell pag 15. l. 15. of to Ibid. line 28 clamous clamorous pag 136. l. 1. refragable irrefragable pag. 115. 11. glorifieth glorify pag. 188. l. 5. Not. Nor. pag. 190. l. 1. out these out of these pag. 201. l. 25. others other pag 207. l. 19. Carninall Cardinall pag. 221. l. 14. But. By. pag. 227. 9. Leo. of Leo. pag. 229. l. 5. makes markes Ibid. l. 29. Paul not bad Paul had not had pag. 233. l. 9. stying styrring Ibid. l. vlt. Crinthus Cerinthus pag. 237. l. 29. sinne signe pag. 238. l. 1. partes are partes pag. 239. l. 3. far and far pag. 240 l. 15. worships worship Ibid. l. 24. Abias Abdias pag. 241. l 15. lawfull awfull pag. 242. l. 4. as curteous as a courteous Ibid. l. 20. nuture nurture pag. 245. l. 16. sonne sonnes Ibid l 29. no. not pag 246. l. 27 honour I honour pag 252. Image Christ Image of Christ pag. 263. l. 20. expect from expect it from pag. 277. l. 3. and. of pag. 278. l. 19. a as as a. pag. 275. l. 15. deleatur the. pag. 285. l. 8. some solemne pag. 331 l. 3. of the Iudgement of the day of Iudgement pag. 333. l. 26. prayers prayers pag. 335. l. 21. deleatur of Other lesse faultes by reason of the obsoure Copy in many places absence of the Authour the Reader himselfe will easily obserue and courleously correct as he readeth AN ANTIDOTE OR TREATISE OF THIRTY CONTROVERSIES VVith a large Discourse of the Church IN WHICH The soueraigne truth of Catholike doctrine is faythfully deliuered against the pestiferous writinges of all English Sectaryes AND In particuler against D. WHITAKER D. FVLKE D. REYNOLDS D. BILSON D. ROBERT ABBOT D. SPARKES and D. FIELD the chiefe vpholders some of Protestancy some of Puritanisme some of both Deuided into three Partes By S. N. Doctour of Diuinity THE SECOND PART Deut. 32. vers 30. How should one be able to pursue a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Is it not therefore because their God hath sold them and our Lord hath inclosed and made them thrall Permissu Superiorum M. DC XXII THE principall maintainers of Protestancy of whome I spake in the former page are D. BILSON and D. FIELD THE pillars of Puritanisme are D. REYNOLDS and D. SPARKE who where chosen Proctours for the Precisian Faction in the Conference before his Maiesty at Hampton-Court THE Abbettours of both are D. WHITAKER D. FVLKE and D. ROBERT ABBOT who sometimes defend the articles of the one sometimes of the other THE TABLE Shevving all the Controuersies discussed and maintayned in this Second Part. THE FOVRTH BOOKE The Sixteenth Controuersy MAintayneth Originall sinne to be abolished by Baptisme and Concupiscence remaining to be no â—nne against D. Whitaker D. Field D. Abbot pag. 1. The second Chapter of this Controuersy IN which Concupiscence is more particularly proued to be no sinne Other
the diseases of the body famine sicknes and death it selfe 5. And although Original sinne be now the cause of all these euils yet it doth not properly consist in them all but in the priuation of that prime grace by which the soule of Adam was enriched adorned and conuerted vnto God For as Originall righteousnes included these three prerogatiues or triple rectitude to speake in S. Thomas language first the vnion of the mind with soueraigne goodnes secondly the subiection of the inferiour powers of the soule to reason thirdly the like subordination of all the members of the body to the soule yet it did truely and principally reside in the former and contayned S. Thom. 1. p. q 95. â—â—t 1. the later two as accessaryes or dependants thereof So Originall sinne which is only knowne by his contrary habit is truly formally nothing els then the voluntary priuation of the same Originall iustice which ought to be in vs as it maketh the soule deformed blemished Feild in his 3. booke c. 26. and auerted from God Wherefore seing this want and priuation is taken away by Baptisme and the whole grace as it cloathed beautifyed and adorned the soule entierly restored the whole guilt of sinne is forgiuen the formall cause or true essence of Originall iustice recouered againe by the passion of Christ and the other deordinations the remaynder of concupiscence are only the effects or punishments of the precedent fault and not any true and proper fault For if man had beene created in the state of pure nature as the Philosophers thought he was and many Deuines against M. Feild teach he might be because it inuolueth no contradiction neither in respect of the creature nor Creatour Then I say he should haue beene pestered with the same inordinate concupiscence and rebellion of the inferiour parts as now he is but then it had been a meere infirmity langour or fayntnes of nature growing out of the matter whereof man is compounded and not any wound or punishment also of sinne as in our case it is The reason appeareth for as man in the state of pure nature must haue been coÌ„pacted of two diuers and repugnant natures of soule body flesh and spirit and consequently of a corporall and reasonable of asensuall and spirituall appetite which could not chuse but maintaine a perpetuall warre of contrary and repugnant desires it being naturall to euery thing according to Philosophy to couet that which is conuenient and sutable to it selfe so the sense euen then would hunt after sensible pleasant delight-some obiects and the spirit would seeke for spirituall the spirit would often checke restrayne and bridle the pursuit of Aug. de pec merit remis l. 2. cap 4 de nuptijs concup l. 1. c. 27. l. 13. de Triâ— c. 10. contra Iul. Pelag. l. â— 1. retract c. 15. sense and sense would likewise hinder weaken and repine at the heroicall workes and endeauours of the spirit Thus the winds of diuers opposite passions the fluds of contrary inclinations would naturally striue and resist one the other yet as in that case this contrariety had beene no sinne but a sequele a disease a feeblenes of nature so now the same abiding in the regenerate from whome the dregs of all impurity are cleansed it is only according to S. Augustine left as an exercise of vertue to wrastle against or as a punishment of sinne and not as any true or proper sinne Which by two irrefragable arguments I conuince in this manner Ezech. 36. v. 25. Mich. 7. v. 19. â—01 lasâ— v. 12. Ioan. 1. v. 29. Psal 50 v. 6. Whatsoeuer filth or vncleanes our soules contracted by the sinne of Adam is wholy washed away in Baptisme by the grace of Christ But the filth or guilt of concupiscence descended from Adam therefore it is clean abolished by the vertue of Christ The Maior or first proposition is euery where testifyed in holy Writ by the Prophets and Apostles who often witnes that there shal be left no sinne in vs after we are once new borne in Christ for he shall cleanse vs from all our iniquityes he shall drowne our sinnes in the bottome of the sea he shall discoast them from vs as far as he East is distant from the West he taketh away sinnes blotteth them out wipeth them away dissolueth them like a clowd he shall forgiue the iniquity to the house of Iacob and this is all the fruit that the sinne thereof be taken away But none Isa 44. v. 22. Isa 27. v. 9. Ad Rom. 8. v. 1. Hier. in Com. in hunc locuÌ„ Ad Rom. 5. v. 19. of these Prophesyes not one of these assertions were true if the guilt of concupiscence still lurked in the soule of the regenerate It were not true which S. Paul teacheth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus to wit Nihil damnatione dignum nothing worthy damnation as S. Hierome commenteth vpon that place if any damnable sinne remayned in them Not true which the same Apostle auoucheth As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made iust if we be not as truely iustifyed and purged from the drosse of sinne Psal 50. v. 9. Ad Ephes 1. v. 4. ad Collos 1. v. 22. ad Ephes 4. v. 22. 24. ad Colos 3. v. 9. ad Rom. 6. ad Ephes 5. 2. ad Corinth 6. Chrys ho. 40. in 15. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the merits of Christ as by the fall of Adam we were infected therewith 7. Secondly King Dauid speaking of the purity of the soule cleansed by grace sayd Thou shalt wash me and I shall be made more white then snow S. Paul writeth that the iustifyed are holy and immaculate that they cast off the old man and put on the new that they liue in Christ are light in our Lord temples of the liuing God Therefore free from the darknes free from the impurity death and idolatry of sinne for what participation hath iustice with iniquity what society is there betweene light and darknes what part hath Christ with Beliall what agreement hath the temple of God with Idolls Only God sayth S. Chrysostome can deliuer from sinne which in this lauer of regeneration he effecteth he toucheth the soule it selfe with grace and plucketh from thence the rooted sinne he who by the fauour of the King is pardoned his cryme hath his soule still defiled whome Baptisme washeth not so but he hath his mind more pure then the beames of the Sunne and such as it was when it was first created Which testimony of his so euidently discouereth the spot of Originall guilt to be quite abolished as the Magdeburgian Protestants censuring this place doubt not to say Chrysostome speaketh of the efficacy of Baptisme very dangerously And yet he speaketh no otherwise then the word of God and generall voyce of
Creatour there is in it disobedience from the dominion of the mind as Feild presseth out of S. Augustine It is a transgression from the rule of reason a defection sayth Abobt from rightetousnes a swaruing from the law of God but whatsoeuer swarueth or declineth from the prescript of his law is sinne Therefore concupiscence is not only a languor wound or fayntnes but the true sin of Nature Our answere is ready It is a sinne either materially or formally formally if it be a free and voluntary transgression materially if it want deliberation or consent of will as in fooles children and mad men it doth But as in them the actuall lusts or desires of concupiscence are materiall disorders or swaruings from the will of the highest but not properly sinnes so neither in the regenerate if as S. Augustine often auoweth they yield not vnto them For which cause we deny that whatsoeuer declyneth from the law of God is sinne euery vniust law euery hereticall interpretation euery booke which Protestants set forth in defence of their errours is a declyning and swaruing from his law and albeit they damnably sinne in disgorging such poyson yet the books themselues are not properly sinnes but so far forth sin is committed as they are any way diuulged imbraced or allowed no more are the sinnefull motions of concupiscence vnles by voluntary consent they be yielded vnto especially such as are seated in the flesh which is not capable of sinne 8. Secondly they presse the authority of the Apostle and testimony of the Fathers as that S. Paul tearmeth Rom. 6. v. â— ad Rom. 7. v. 24. concupiscence sin the body of sinne the body of death S. Augustine iniquity vice a great euill Methodius death and destruction it selfe S. Ambrose the defilement of nature the seed root or seminary of sinne S. Cyprian a domesticall euill Origen sinne which is the cause of death I answere it is named sinne death destruction c. for many reasons which S. Augustine himselfe assigneth First for that it is the effect Aug la. de â—uptijs concup c. 23. of sin as our speach is called our tongue or hand writing our hand because our tongue or hand frameth it The second for which it is so intitled he noteth to be because it inclineth prouoketh and if it ouercome is the cause of sin death defilement c. So cold is sayd to be sluggish and heauy for that it maketh men heauy wyne merry by reason it stirreth vp to mirth And so concupiscence for as much as it continually suggesteth allureth often induceth to all kind of wickednes S. Cyprian besides the S. Cypr. de ratio circumcis S. Bernard de sex triâ—ul precedent names calleth it a raging beast of stincking breath S. Bernard A contagion a pestilent poyson a manifold pestilence the cherishment of all naughtinesse a furnace strongly burning with the affections of ambition auarice enuy willfullnes lewdnes and all vices 9. Thirdly it is tearmed a great euill because it is indeed an vntoward and euill propension a hindrance from good a want of due subiection in the inferiour powers therefore truly called a sicknes or euill quality though not a sinne for harken what the same S. Augustine writeth to Iulian the Pelagian Thou think est that if concupiscence Aug. l. 6. cont Iul. c. 5. prope finem Rom. 7. v. 15. 19. were euill the baptized should want it thou art much deceaued for he wanteth all euil In this sort S. Paul calleth it the euill which he hateth and the euill which I will not that I doe Fourthly it doth beare the name of sinne because it was the materiall part of sinne or that which the formall guilt of our capitall infection materially included after which maÌ„ner it may be improperly sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity the name for which Iohn Caluin and his Ghospellers so eagerly striue yet if you take the word iniquity in August tract 41. in Ioan. his proper signification it is wholy cancelled in S. Augustines iudgment saying because all iniquity is blotted out hath no infirmity remayned 10. Lastly it doth sometyme truly vndergo that name because in the irregenerate the auersion from God Aug. l. 5. contra Iul. c. 3. which is the forme and essence of Originall sinne is annexed vnto it This is the meaning of S. Augustine when in his fift booke against Iulian he first calleth it sinne then the cause also and punishment of sinne for so it is properly sinne not in it selfe alone but as it is combined with the aforesayd auersion to make one complete and vitious habite So there is in it disobedience against the dominioÌ„ of the mind because it is in them vnbridled and vntamed VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum fol. 576. lust so it is that sinnefull concupiscence against which the good spirit according to S. Augustine doth striue and couet Howbeit by these words Whitaker taketh occasion to cauill that he speaketh of concupiscence in the regenerate because in them only is the good spirit which warreth against it But he is much deceaued for S. Augustine meaneth not by the good spirit the spirit of righteousnes but the naturall propension to good the right Synderesis or light of Gods countenance which he hath stamped in the hartes of the wicked this often fighteth and biddeth war to that concupiscence which is true sinne by reason of the formall guilt conioyned vnto it notwithstanding if that formall guilt be once forgiuen the materiall part that is concupiscence of it selfe inhabiting in vs against which we wrastle is no more sinne then a dead carcasse bereft of life is a true and proper man 11. One scruple yet may trouble my Reader why Vlpid tit de edilitio edict lege prima Tul. ep Papirio Paeto ep â— in fine S. Augustine should call this concupiscence vicious or a vice for heereon we may vndoubtedly argue that it is likewise sinnefull or a sinne I answere that the word Vitium vice if we sift the natiue signification and property thereof may be taken for any thing that is diseased or defectiue either in nature or art as Vlpianus in the ciuill law vseth the word and Pliny stileth the falling sicknes by the name of Vice Tully likewise giueth the name of vice to whatsoeuer is broken or out of reparation in the roote or walles of a house Thus S. Augustine taketh the word vice for that which is maymed and diseased and not for that which is sinnefull when he speaketh of the woundes of sinne abyding in the regenerate wherein I appeale to no other sentence then his owne which I heere insert as a seale and obligation of his beliefe concerning this matter Iam Aug. l. 2. contra Iul. prope init ne discernis iam ne perspicis c. Dost thou now discerne dost thou now perceane dost thou now behould the remission of all sins to be made in Baptisme and as
when he tearmeth it The state of dissimilitude with God And the Councel of TreÌ„t calling it the death of our soules which is only caused by the defect and absence of grace the true life of them If you aske with Pelagius how this death seizeth on the harts of infants by what chinke it passeth into their soule I answere with S. Augustin What dost thou seeke for a hidden â—hinke whereas thou hast a wyde open gate By one man sayth the Apostle sinne hath entred into the world Behold a wyde gate Adam transgressed and in him we all fell into the curse malediction of sinne for he receauing from God the mantle of Originall righteousnes with this expresse pact and condition that if he perseuered loyal we should all be cloathed therewith if he reuolted we should be disrobed of the same hence it was that in respect of this we were all vnited in him all one and the same in him as in the head of mankind or first origen from whom not only our nature but togeather with it the fruit of his obedience or fault of his treachery was to ensue therefore he willingly sinning we all offended he disobeying we all violated the Commandment of God After which manner the Apostle as S. Augustine witnesseth declared the Aug. l. 3. de peccat merit c. 7. propagation of original infection when he auouched by one man sinne hath entred into the world c. in whom all haue sinned All sayth S. Augustine sinned in him because in that first planted nature which could engender all adhuc omnes vnus Aug. ibid. l. 3. cap. 7. ille homo fuerunt all were as yet that one man But if all the posterity of Adam were in him and if all as S. Paul testifyeth Ambr. in c. 15. Luc. Ansel l. de concep vir gin c. 27. Vasq in 1. 2. disp 131. â— 2. sinned in him in him also were the children of the faythfull in him they likewise sinned To which purpose S. Ambrose writeth Adam was in him we are all Adam perished and in him haue perished all Which default of ours S. Ansâ—lme and a great Deuine seemeth to describe by the example of a subiect and his wife aduanced to great preferment by the meere fauour of their Prâ—nce and being after depriued of their dignity and brought into slauery for some treacherous conspiracy complotted against him their children partake of the same misery they are thrall to the subiection and seruitude of their parents The ancient Rabbins amongst the Iewes vvere vvont to expresse it as Galatinus reporteth by this pretty similitude There Galat. de c. fidei Cath. l. 6. c. 10. vvas a vvoman great vvith child cast into prison vvho there in captiuity fell in labour and brought forth a Son vvhome there she nursed there she vveaned there she cherished and there leauing it she dyed a fevv dayes after the King passed by the gates of the prison vvhome the Sonne of this vvoman seeing began to call out and expostulate vvith him in this manner My Lord and Soueraigne loe heere I haue beene borne heere I haue beene nursed and I knovv not for vvhose offence I am heer desained To vvhome the King maketh ansvvere for the â—espasse of thy Mother she vvas iustly committed to this iayle where she was deliuered of thee a prisoner borne and a prisoner after bred by her Some men are all born in the house of captiuity all conceaued in the thraldom of sinne 14. But you may reply that this example â—itteth not my purpose because faythfull parents are redeemed Manâ— soule is created pure by God his flesh not the subiect of sin by what chinkes then en treth Originall infection by Christ from that captiuity of their birth-sinne therfore their children cannot be enthralled in that miserable bondage Or to display the forces of this argument presse it to the vttermost two parts there be in man his soule and his body his soule he immediatly receaueth from God no way stayned by the benefite of creation his body or flesh which is deriued from Adam is not properly capable of any sinne By what conduits then by what secret conueyances is that hatefull bane transfused from him to his ofspring so farre distant and through the channels also of such as are regenerate and pure themselues from originall guilt I answere and must often repeate that similitudes neuer consort in all points but only in some one for which they are alleadged Secondly I say that Christians baptized in respect of their owne priuate persons are cleansed and purifyed yet the common nature which is conueyed vnto others is stil contaminated with vitious corruption that remayneth still captiued in the iayle of sinne from which all A particular and full answere to euery part of the former demaund men descending must needs be borne in vnhappy seruitude Lastly I answere more clearely and in particuler to euery branch of the former argument the soule I grant is created most pure by the hands of the highest the flesh is not properly taynted with the guilt of sinne yet by the vnion of the soule and body the child becommeth the Sonne of Adam a member of mankind a branch of that vyne which dyed in the stocke yea he becommeth one of them who in their roote and origen trespassed and Augu. â— 1. retract c. 13. infringed the law of the Almighty and so is iustly depriued of the ornament of Grace and is borne in disfauour of him when he by the will of another as S. Augustine writeth voluÌ„tarily offeÌ„ded before he was borne Wherfore although the Parents be free froÌ„ the staine of sinneful contagion yet making their children by generation the Sonnes of Adam they necessarily inwrap them in the bondes of his captiuity 15. Notwithstanding if any wrangling Caluinist should further contend and say that as infants draw poyson from Adam from whome they deriue the succession of their pedigree so they should sucke the dew of grace from their baptized parents because they more immediately issue and spring from them You may well deny his illation and assigne this difference because the couenant of transfusing either sinne or righteousnes God made with Adam and not with other parents the will of all mankind was only included in him and not in other progenitours therfore as we partake not the dregs of any of their proper faults so neither the dowryes of their heauenly grace And yet how the guiltines of Adams Aug. l. 3. de peccat merit remis cap. 8. 9. fall is distilled vnto vs how regenerated parents breed vnregenerated children S. Augustine maketh manifest by these similituds by the example of the circumcised Iew who begetteth infants vncircumcised of the grayne of wheate purged from chaffe and so sowed in the ground yet growing vp againe with reed chaffe and eares likewise of Christian parents who bring forth vnchristned babes of consecrated or annoynted persons who glory
out remitted taken away separated from vs. How do they then abide Orabiding not how do they destaine the brightnes of succeeding grace Can the banished darknes ouercome the conquering and preuailing light The oldnes cast off defile the newnesse brought in by Christ The destroyed guilt Ezech. 30. v. 25. Rom 6. v. 6. Act. 3. v. 19. â— Luc. 7. v. 48. Ioan. 1. v 29. Psal 102. v. 12. or death of sinne infect the beauty of restored life Let S. Paul be iudge who speeking of some sanctifyed persons who before had beene fornicatours drunkards idolatours affirmeth These thinges some of you were but you are awashed you are sanctifyed you are iustifyed 3. Now if these faythfull Corinthians were not such as they had beene before if the spots of their fornication drunkenesse idolatry and all other sinnes were cleansed and washed away by the guift of sanctification or true iustification created in theÌ„ how durst you giue the checke 1. Cor. 6. v. â—â— to so great an Apostle and say their sanctification is tainted with the loath some touch of their abyding puddles Salomon auerreth Wisedome will not enter into the malicious soule nor dwell in a body subiect to sinne much lesse will ioyn league and be corrupted with the filthines of sinne Christ Sap. 1 v. 4. cannot accord with Belial nor the Arke of our Lord with the Idoll Dagon no more can sanctifying grace stand togeather 2. Cor. 6. v. 15. with mortall sinne for what participation hath Iustice with iniquity What society is there betweene light and darknesse Marry M. Abbot will contract a society between them at least 1. Reg. 5. in some low degree to which purpose he sayth Doth not Philosophy teach that contraryes are incompatible only in their 2. Cor. 6. v. 14. extremes But hath he quite forgotten or did he not rightly vnderstand of what contraryes that was meant The Philosophers speake of some positiue not of priuatiue coÌ„traryes Abbot in his defence c. 2. f. 171. whereof the one is the habit the other the priuation of these no Logicke or Philosophy euer taught they could reside togeather in the same subiect in any remisse degree as one cannot be both dead and aliue bereft of sight and enioy it also at the same instant such contraryes are infused grace and mortall sinne therefore they cannot comply in any measure the one with the other for a deadly crime howsoeuer it be resisted and curbed of his raigne which is al you pretend to linke it with grace yet so long as it formally dwelleth soiourneth in man it must needes denominate and make him a sinner for euery forme giueth the formal effect to the subiect it informeth If a sinner a slaue to sinne starcke dead to God wholy bereft of his fauour truly hated and abhorred of him throughly vncleane and deseruedly guilty of eternal damnation therefore he cannot possibly at the same tyme by any sparke of grace be aliue to God enioy his fauour be accepted and beloued of him be truely cleane and Medina iâ— 1. 2. q. 113. art 2. Caiet ibid Vasq in 1. 2. disp 10. 4. c. 4. 51 worthy of his kingdome The soule which by sinne is the aduoutresse of the Diuell and thrall of Sathan cannot be also the spouse of Christ and the adopted child of God vnles it be by such vnequall shares as that which is the Diuells by true possession of inherent sinne you will account to be Gods by outward clayme of imputatioÌ„ only and make the Prince of darcknes too strong an armed man to be presently cast forth by the King of heauen 4. The Fathers likewise so much abhorre this diabolicall Luc. 11. v. 21. Phrensy that the Diuell should haue any part in vs who are renewed in Christ or that the tainture of our contagion should staine the sanctification wrought by Chrys ho. 40. in â—5 â— ad Cor. S. Basil in psal 23. August tract 9. in ep Ioan Hier. l. 3. cont Pela Euseb de corp sang Dei Niss l. de perfec homin forma Macar l. de lib. arbit VVhitaker in his answere to Campians 8. reason Fulk in c. 4 ad Ephes sect 2. Abbot in â—is 4. c. sect 10. VVhitaâ— vbi supra Aug. l. 6. 〈◊〉 Iul. â— â— him as they contrarywise teach that our inward renouation euer expelleth the dregs of mortall and sometyms also venial default which I inuincibly proued in the precedent Controuersy and maketh our soules as S. Chrysostome sayth more pure then the beames of the Sunne so amyable to God as he sitteth according to S. Basil in the shining soule making it as it were his throne for which cause S. Augustine calleth that internall sanctification the beauty of our soule S. Hierome The purity of our soule Eusebius Hidden purity Macarius A certaine hidden or mysticall garment of heauenly beauty But Protestants do answere how beautifull soeuer that grace may seeme it only declareth quoth Whitaker the good will clemency of God towards vs it is the effect not the cause of our Iustification This renouation sayth Fulke is only begun in this life and not perfected These beames quoth M. Abbot are too dimme and darke to iustify vs in the sight of God for that righteousnes that iustifying grace they place with Whitaker in the free mercy and fauour of God who reconciled vs to himselfe in Christ that according to them is in God only and not in vs vnles it be by meere imputation but I will manifestly proue first that our inward renouation is perfect and pure from the staine of sinne though not from the defects and infirmityes which haue sprong vp from sinne secondly that grace by which we are iustifyed is inherent in vs and not in Christ thirdly that that inherent grace or inward iustice doth truly instify vs before the face of God 5. The first is testifyed by S. Augustine saying Grace doth now perfectly renew man so far forth as it appertayneth to the dâ—â—â—â—erance wholy from all sinnes not so farre as it belongeth to the freedome from all euills Againe In Christian baptisme perfect newnes and perfect health is attayned from those euills by which we were guilty not from these with which we must yet combate least Ibid. c. 7. Augu. de nat gra c. 42. Augu. de gra Christ l. â— c. 30. De sprit literae cap. 32. Lib. de nat grat cap. 63. we become guilty speaking of charity by which this renouation is made he sayth Charity it selfe is most true most plenteous most perfect iustice The second is also warranted by the same S. Augustine who expresly affirmeth The grace by which we are iustifyed not to be Gods gracious and extrinsecall fauour but his charity diffused into our harts by the Holy Ghost who is giuen vs and this charity not to be that by which he loueth vs but that by which he maketh vs louers of him Likewise by this only charity
places The same S. Paul writing to the Corinthians sayth As we haue 1. Cor. 15. v. 49. borne the image of the earthly let vs also beare the image of the heauenly but the Image of earthly Adam we haue truly borne by the deadly impression of internall and hatefull sinne Cent. 3. c. 4. Column 48. therefore we must truly beare the figure of Christ by the beautifull stampe of internall and acceptable grace as Origen cyted by the Centurists doth plainely insinuate and the Apostle likewise confirmeth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynes of Ephes 4. v. 24. truth behold we haue not the new man imputed vnto vs but we put him on vs formed and created not in signe and sanctification but in iustice and holynes of truth and that according to God Besides it is sayd We are buryed with him by ad Rom. 6. Baptisme to the end that as Christ did rise from death so we may walke in newnes of life Vpon which wordes S. Augustine auerreth Aug. in Enchir. cap. 52. That as in Christ there was a true resurrection so in vs there is a true iustification Whosoeuer then detracteth from the truth of our infused iustice detracteth from the verity of Christs resurrection and whosoeuer impayreth the perfection of this darkneth also the glory of that S. Chrysostome commenting vpon that passage of S. Paul aboue cyted You are washed you are sanctifyed you are â— ad Cor. 6. v. 11. iustifyed sayth He sheweth that you are not only made cleane but holy and iust Illuminated and made perfect sayth S. Clement of Alexandria Of old made new of humane diuine sayth S. Gregory Nazianzen Which are most euident testimonyes Clem. l. 1. Pedago cap. 6. Nazian ora in san bap for my purpose yet to leaue no place of tergiuersation to wrangling Sophisters I will further corroborate this chiefe and fundamentall article with other most cleare and irrefragable arguments 8. That grace and renouation is perfect entire and not the effect but the true cause of our iustification by the VVhitak l. 8. aduers Dutaeum very consent of our Aduersaryes which absolueth vs from sinne endueth vs with purity and holynes in the eyes of our Creatour engrafteth vs into Christ vniteth vs vnto God and giueth vs life in him maketh vs his adopted children entitleth vs to the right and purchaseth the inheritance of our eternall kingdome All this is wrought not by any other precedent cause but by that inherent Rom. â— v. 4. iustice or infused charity which God deriueth into our soules therefore that maketh vs truly righteous and iust before the Tribunall of his highnes First it cleanseth vs Ibid. v. 7. from our sins as S. Paul to the Romans defineth saying We are buryed togeather with Christ by Baptisme into death Rom. 8. v. 2. Tertul. l. de resur carn c. 46. Basil de spir san c. 15. Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 22. Lib. de lib. arbit c. 14. 15. 16. de sprit liter 8. 17. What death but the death of sinne of which it immediatly followeth he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne to wit is released and absolued from sinne by the newnes of life wherin he resembleth the resurrection of Christ Againe The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from the law of sinne where Tertullian insteed of deliuered vseth the word manu misit hath set free like a bound man enfranchized and set at liberty by the benignity of his Maister S. Basil explicating the former place sayth The spirit infuseth liuely and reuiuing force recouering our soules from the death of sinne into a new life And S. Augustine the later writeth thus The law of the spirit of life in Christ hath dissolued the guilt of concupiscence procuring remission of all sinnes who doth also often testify that the law of the spirit of life is the grace of the new Testament written in our harts Secondly it doth not only expell the mists of sinne but garnisheth also our soules with the lustre of vertue as I haue already conuinced in my first encounter against M. Abbot which cannot be interpreted Ephes 1. v. 4. of signes of beauty grateful to men who pierce not into the closet of our soule nor behould the light and brightnes therof mentioned aboue Therefore it must Ioan. 15. 1. Cor. c. 12. v 26. needs be expounded of the purity splendour and holynes it displayeth before the face of God according to that of S. Paul He chosevs that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight in charity that is by meanes of his habituall charity harboured in our brests 9. Thirdly this inward renouation doth truely incorporate vs in the mysticall body of our Lord Sauiour Coloss 3. v. 13. Gal. 3. v. 17 Rom. 8. v. 11. Aug. de spir lit c. 29. Rom. 13. v. 13. 14. it engrafteth vs like liuely branches into him our true vine it maketh vs the body of Christ and members of member Doinge on sayth S. Paul to the Collossians the new man him that is renewed vnto knowledge according to the image of him that created him To the Galathians as many of you as are baptized in Christ haue put on Christ. And how haue yee put him on but as the same Apostle testifyeth By his spirit dwelling in you Wherof S. Augustine sayth By the spirit of Christ incorporated made a member of Christ euery one may inwardly affoarding increase accoÌ„plish works of iustice Besids that very word to put on Christ often vsed in holy Write doe on the armour of light doe yee on our Lord Iesus Christ according to the Hebrew * Indui haebraicâ— laâ—aâ— Isa 61. Chrys in 1. c. ad Gal. in c. 3. ad Rom. Cyril l. 9. in Genes Hieron ad Pamach Rom. 6. v. 10. 1. Cor. 6. v. 17. Ioan. 14. v. 23. 1 Cor. 3. v. 16. 17. 1. ep Ioan. c. 3 v. 24. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 16. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 17. Rom. 6. v. 11. Augu. de verbis Apostol ser 18. 28. l. de ciuit Dei c. 24. phrase and allusion to the long gownes of the Iewes signifyeth great plenty and aboundance of grace sanctity and iustice with which they that put on Christ are inwardly clad as it were with a rich and gorgeous robe which doth not only couer the nakednes but wholy adorneth the temple of our soules with heauenly rayes of incomparable vertues Therefore Isay calleth it The vestment of saluation the garment of iustice or coate of ioy as the 70. Interpreters or vestment Iesus as other translate it wherof read S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Hierome 10. Fourthly by this inhabiting grace a true vnion is made a league is contracted betweene God and vs We liue to him Are one spirit with him
fountaine of life The feare of our Lord is the beginning of wisedome So of Hope it is recorded By hope we are saued Our Lord will saue them because they hoped in him And Euery one that hath this hope in him sanctifyeth himselfe to wit by his free will working togeather with Gods grace as S. Augustine 1. Ioan. 3 v. 3. August in eum locum 1. Ioan. 3. v. 14. Luc. 7. v. 47. Eccles 2. v. 10. Marc. l. v. 15. Act. 1. v. 38. Act. 8. v. 12. Fulk locot citato Ezech. 18. v. 27. Ibid. v. 31. 2. Tim. 2. v. 21. sayth vpon this Text. So of Loue and Charity we read We are translated from death to life because we loue our brethren many sinnes are remitted vnto her because she loued much And yee that feare our Lord loue him and your harts shal be illuminated 2. Or Sorrow and Repentance our Sauiour sayth Be penitent and belieue the Ghospell S. Peter do pennance and be euery one of you baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for remissioÌ„ of your sinnes Againe exhorting Symon Magus do pennance from this thy wickednes and pray to God if perhaps this cogitation of thy hart may be remitted Where he requireth pennance in which contrition or sorrow is included and also prayer not as sequells which follow according to M. Fulks pelting Sophistry but as necessary preparations which go before remission of his sinne The Prophet Ezechiel when the wicked shall turne away himselfe from his impiety he shall viuificate his soule And cast away from you all your preuarications wherein yee haue preuaricated and make to your selues a new hart and a new spirit S. Paul If any man shall clense himselfe from these he shal be a vessel vnto honour What more cleare A sinner may begin to cast off his preuarications to cleanse and make himselfe a new hart a new spirit he may by Sorrow griefe and pennance viuificate or giue life to his soule therefore he may being quickned and stirred vp by God freely concurre to his owne iustification as shall yet more euidently appeare by this description gathered out of the sacred Councell of Trent and many most learned Deuines 3. Iustification is a motion or change of our freewill made Concil Trid. sesâ— 6. by God in detestation of sinne with infusion of grace to the remissioÌ„ thereof and gayning of eternall blisse It is called a motion or change because it is a passage or departure from the state of sinne to the state of grace from vice to vertue from darknes to light from being wicked vniust hatefull in enmity with God to be pious iust deare and lincked vnto him in the band of friendship in so much as to iustify the wicked to reconcile the enemy to rayse the lapsed and to sanctify the sinner is one and the selfe same thing although explayned in diuers manners It is said to be of freewill for that the will of man is not forced or violently drawn but voluntarily freely concurreth to this blessed change It is added made by God because freewill worketh not of it selfe but inspired quickned and ayded by him He first calleth on vs auerted from him he knocketh at the gate of our harts he awaketh vs being a sleep in our sinnefull letargy he stirreth vs vp eggeth vs forward helpeth vs labouring refresheth vs fainting and strengthneth vs accomplishing that which he inspireth he likewise remitteth the wrong we did vnto him he pardoneth the fault cancelleth our depts we willingly as I say endeauouring cooperating with him For as a lame cripple holpen by his friend to remoue from this roome to that doth freely go yet supported by another so man by the ayde of Gods preuenting corroborating and helping grace doth freely consent and obey his motions willingly passeth from the prison of vice to the court of his fauour yet succoured by the help of his diuine asistance It is auerred to be in detestation of sin for as much as that preuenting grace layeth before the God stirreth vs vp to the detestation of sinne before he infuse his habituall grace eyes of our vnderstanding the turpitude of vice and vgly shape of our soules the beatitude and happynes we lost the miseryes the seuere punishments the indignation we haue incurred and striketh vs with the feare and terrour of them discouereth the meanes by which we may escape them meanes to recouer our felicity againe Then it inflameth the affections of our will to loue and imbrace these happy meanes by detesting our forepassed and vndertaking a new course of life Moreouer it is inserted with infusion of grace to the remission of sinne because at the same instant iustifying grace is infused and sinne expelled the temple of our soules It is lastly concluded to the gayning of eternall blisse to signify that that is the finall end of our iustification the saluation of oursoules and purchase of euerlasting life 4. Thus man through the great mercy and sweet motions of God is prepared by an act of Fayth Feare Tertul. l. 4. cont Marcion c. 18. Orig. hom 3 in Leuit. Cypr ser 5. de lapsis Basil in psal 33. August tract 9. In ep Ioan. l. de Catechiz rudibus c. 4. 5 l. de natu gratia Clement Alexan. l 2. Strom. â— ante med Imbr. l. â— de poeâ—it Hieron lâ— 2. aduers Pelag. in commeÌ„ad â— c. 〈◊〉 Greg. hâ—m 13. in â—uaÌ„gelium Aug. ep 105. Augustep 106. August tract 44. In Ioan. Cent. 3. c. 4. Colum. 80. Tertul l. de poenit lib. 4. contra Marcion Orig. tract 32. in Matth. hom 24. in Iosue 26. in â—undem Hope Charity and Repentance to returne vnto his fauour and to receaue the stole of his heauenly Iustice for he cannot possibly be excited and recalled from wickednes without grace from aboue he cannot belieue the way of saluation without fayth nor dread the iudgmentes of God without feare nor expect and desire his friendship without hope nor loue his goodnes without Charity nor truly detest offences past without Sorrow Repentance Therfore they all ioyntly make way to this supernaturall iustifying of our soules whereby two thinges are manifest 1. That our freewill before we be iustifyed doth not as Protestants fancy passiuely concurre but as we say actiuely to the callings of God 2. That not Fayth alone but Feare Hope Charity Repentence and other vertues cooperate also to the worke of our iustification as the whole Senate of Fathers agree with vs Tertullian Origen S. Cyprian S. Basil S. Augustine S. Clement of Alexandria S. Hierome S. Gregory and the rest some affirming one of the former vertues to prepare the way to iustification some another And S. Augustine els where writing of Fayth in particuler often teacheth that it meriteth by way of congruity or impetration the remission of our sinnes and true iustification therefore it goeth before the life of grace and cannot possibly be that vertue in which
Authours both of the Greek Latin Church if all these famous Writers of the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ agree with vs in the partiall eye of sworne Catholiks freed froÌ„ leuity or disaffectioÌ„ to their Prince for cleauing to the ancient Fathers enemyes that fayth alone cannot purchase saluation or iustify vs before God I hope my soueraigne Liege King Iames who vouchâ—afeth to submit his royall wisedome princely iudgment to the censure and tryal of that perfect age will not deeme it any lâ—uity in Catholikes or disloyalty to his person to whome we owe and are ready to performe all the dutifull seruice which euer any subiects haue yielded to their Prince but feare of God zeale of his honour loue of Religion care of our soules and meere respect of conscience which maketh vs afrayd to wander out of this straite and trodden path of so many our holy and learned predecessours and afraid to follow crooked turnings and by-wayes of Heretikes which winde into the labyrinth of eternall perdition THE TWENTITH CONTROVERSY IN WHICH It is concluded that our Iustification consisteth in the habit of Charity against D. Abbot D. Whitaker and D. Fulke CHAP. I. ALTHOVGH we make not any separation or diuorce between those diuine and louing sisters Fayth Hope and Charity but that they all three concurre to the spirituall marriage of our Vide Scot. in 4. dist 27. q. 1. Vega l. 7. super Conci Concil Trid. c. â—5 Gab. Vas in 1. 2. disâ— 198. c. 3. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 1. Luc. 7. v. 47. Ioan. 13. v. 35. 1. Ioan. 4. v. 7. Rom 13. v. 10. Coloss 3. v. 14. VVhitak l. 8. aduns Durâ—um in his aÌ„swere to 8. reason Abbot in his defence cap. 4. Rom. 1. v. 17. 1. Ioan. 3. v. 14. Act. 13. v. 39. Ioan. 14. v. 21. Col. 1. v. 23. Ephes 3. v. 17. Hebr. 11. v. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 1â— v. â— 1. Ioan. 5. v. 1. â—1 Ioan. 4. v. 7. 1. Cor. 13. v. 13. soules with God yet we assigne to euery one her part or function which she performeth heerein To Fayth the entrance to Hope the progresse to Charity which I suppose as most probable to be all one with grace the complement and consummation of this happy Wedlocke As the holy Scriptures declare when they tearme it the band of our vnion and coniunction with God He that abydeth in Charity abydeth in God and God in him When they attribute vnto it the right of our adoption and title of diuine filiation See what manner of Charity the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be â—he sonnes of God The remission of our sinnes Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much When they make it the badge and cognizance of Christs faythful seruants In this all men shall know that you are my disciples if you haue loue to one another When thereby we are sayd to be borne a new and regenerated in Christ Euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God When they call it the accomplishment of the Law and summe of all perfection Loue therfore is the fullnes of the Law And Aboue all these things haue Charity which is the band of perfection All these places inuincibly proue that Charity is the vertue which espouseth and marryeth vs vnto God which adopteth reneweth and truly iustifyeth vs in his sight 1. The same I also euince by the like testimonyes by which our Aduersaryes would seeme to challeng it to Fayth alon Of fayth say they it is written The iust liueth by Fayth Of Charity we read the like We know that me are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 〈◊〉 that loueth not abideth in death Of Fayth Euery one that belieueth is iustifyed Of Charity He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him Of Fayth If yee continue in the fayth grounded stable Of Charity Rooted and founded in Charity Of Fayth Without Fayth it is impossible to please God Of Charity If I haue not Charity I am nothing Of Fayth Whosoeuer belieueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God Of Charity Euery one that loueth is borne of God Wherefore if Fayth by reason of these testimonyes is not the fruit or sequell in our Secâ—â—â—yes iudgment but the true cause of iustification why should not Charity haue the same priâ—iledge which is ouery way warranted with the same authority and with more ample also for S. Paâ—â— expreâ—â—y preferreth Charity before Fayth saying Now 〈…〉 Fayth Hope and Charity these three but the greatâ—â—â— of these is Charity Before he insinuâ—â—â—th that Charity is such as it shall neuer fayle Fayth imperfect and shal be made voyd when we see God face to face Therefore Fayth cannot be heere that garment of Iustice which shall there Ibid. v. 2. remayne and adorne vs for euer but Charity which shall still abyde and continue with vs. Likewise the Apostle VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Fulk in c. 13. 1. Cor Abbot c. 4. Origen tract in Matth. 4. Hier. Bedâ— Strabo in cum lo Aug. l. 15 de Trin. c. 18. Abbot in his defence c. 4. sect 22 p. 479. auoucheth in the beginning of that Chapter If I should haue all fayth so that I could remoue mountains and haue not Charity I am nothing He doth not say as Whitaker Fulke Abbot misconstrue him If I had the gift of Fayth to do miracles but if I should haue all fayth all historicall and dogmaticall all fayth of miracles all whatsoeuer yea quoth Origen S. Hierome Venerable Bede and Strabo If I had that excellent that solide entiere and most perfect fayth of all others which is able to remoue mountaines without Charity it doth no good Whereupon S. Augustine sayth Nothing but Charity maketh fayth it selfe auailable for Fath may be without Charity but it profiteth not without Charity Abbot answereth He speaketh of fayth after the vulgar vnderstanding aâ— S. Iames did not of true fayth No then neither he nor S. Iames nor the Apostle spake anything at all to the purpose for of what Fayth could there be any questioÌ„ but of that Fayth which is a Theologicall vertue hath her proper and intrinsecall forme distinct from Charity of that which vvith Charity auayleth to iustification for of a false and counterfeit fayth no doubt could be made neither was there euer any heretike so mad or bereft of his wits as to imagine a false fayth to be sufficient to iustification what needed then S. Augustine what needed S. Iames what needed the Apostle with such vehemency so often so seriously to inculcate that a fayned beliefe VVhitak l. 1. aduers-Durâ—um a diabolicall fayth as Whitaker calleth it which no man dreamed to be sufficient auayleth nothing in the sight of God For ioyne to such a fayth ioyne to your meere historicall fayth to your gift of fayth for the working of miracles as much Charity as may
quite contrary also to the Apostle who acknowledgeth Charity only to be the fountaine nurse or mother of vertues saying Charity is patient is benigne c. Charity 1. Cor. 13. v. 4. v. â— suffereth all things beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges beareth all things But how is it patieÌ„t How benigne c. not formally for that were to make it a monstrous vertue compounded of diuers speciall formes Causally then because it is the Mother that begetteth the nurse that cherisheth the soule that giueth life of grace vigour of iustice preheminence of merit to the whole army of vertues 4. How inexcusable now are our seduced Protestants how wretchedly inchaunted with their Ministers charms who engrosse all to fayth which the Secretaryes of the Holy Ghost ascribe to Charity How entitle they fayth alone to the possession of life which S. Iames affirmeth to be dead without the workes of Charity How enthrone they fayth in the highest chaire of eminent dignity when S. Paul defineth Charity to be greater then it Marry a veile they haue to maske themselues vnder For Fulk in c. 13. 1. Cor. sect 3. Abbot cap. 4. sect 22. fol. 478. Ephes 3. v. 17. Charity sayth M. Fulke and M. Abbot with him is the greater in regard of continuance because fayth is but for a time Charity abydeth for euer Then it is the greatest also quoth M. Abbot if we respect latitude of vse for Charity is extended euery way to God to Angells to Men c. But if we consider man priuatly in himselfe and for his owne vse Fayth is more excellent then Charity as wherein our communion and fellowship with God by which Christ dwelleth in our harts into which as a hand God putteth all the riches of his grace for our saluation and by which whatsoeuer els Abbot fol. 479. in vs is commended vnto God Therefore he concludeth that to saue and iustify fayth is the greater So he It is true that Charity continueth when Fayth is euacuated but one truth ought not to impeach another that cannot derogat from the excellency of Charity in many other pointes wherein both Scriptures and Fathers giue her the preheminence But as for latitude of vse as you there take it Bern. serm â— in vigil nat Christ Fides veluti quoddaÌ„ aeternitatis exemplar praeterita simul praesentia ac futura â—iâ—u suo vastissimo coÌ„prehendit for the materiall obiects which they respect very false it is that Charity extendeth to more thinges then Fayth because fayth mounteth to God to Angells to men c. it descendeth to hell to the Diuels to their perpetuall torments it stretcheth it selfe to the fall of Adam to the deluge past to the future iudgment and many other obiects which Charity imbraceth not it reacheth besides to all tymes which either are haue beene or shall be heerafter Therefore S. Bernard calleth it The image or paterne of eternity which in her wide and vast bosome comprehendeth all thinges both past present and to come 5. Howbeit let this goe on the score of other the Authors rash and inconsiderate speaches The marke I shoot at is that Charity is preferred before fayth euen in the worke of iustificatioÌ„ and saluation of our soules in all these particulers in which M. Abbot giueth the first Abbot vbi supra 1. Cor. 13. Ioan. 1. c. 4. v. 12. Rom. 5. Ephes 3. 17. Aug. de spir lit cap. 17. Charitas lex est fidei spiritus viuificans dilectorem August tract 9. in ep Ioan. Chrys de incoÌ„p Dei nat hom 1. Leo ser 8. de Epipha Basil in proem de vera pia fide Prosp l. 3. de vita coÌ„temp c. 13. Ambr. in c. 13. Cor. Berna ser 24. super Cant. Idem serm 2. de resur chiefest place to fayth for when the Apostle defineth we are nothing without Charity he meaneth surely that we are nothing in the fauour of God nothing in the way of grace in the way of iustice and saluation S. Iames and S. Augustine meane the like whome I cyted aboue Moreouer haue I not already shewed that Charity adopteth vs to be the children of God that by Charity we are regenerated and new borne in Christ that by Charity the Holy Ghost by Charity God himselfe is harboured in our soules If we loue one another God abydeth in vs and his Charity in vs is perfected Also The Charity of God is powred forth into our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs And if M. Abbot had not vsed his dexterity leauing out the wordes which maketh against him he might haue read in that very place which he quoteth for his purpose that not in Fayth but in Charity originally standeth our communion and fellowship with God for after these wordes By fayth Christ dwelleth in our hartes it immediatly followeth rooted and grounded in Charity Therefore Charity is the roote the origen or first beginning of Christs viuificall presence for as the tree draweth from the roote the sap of life so fayth from charity the liuely inhabitatioÌ„ of God in our harts For which cause S. Augustine sayth Charity it selfe diffused in the hart of the beleeuers is the law of Fayth and the spirit that giueth life to the loâ—er He calleth it otherwhere The health the beauty of the soule S. Chrysostome The chiefe good and head of all good thinges S. Leo The mother of all vertues S. Basil The proper budge or ensigne of a Christian man S. Prosper A Summary and abridgment of all good doings of the which euery good worke taketh his life S. Ambrose The head of Religion is Charity and he that had not the head hath not life c. Immediatly after Charity is the foundation of Religion S. Bernard sayth The separation of Charity is the death of fayth and he that deuideth them is tearmed by him Fideicida The murtherer of Fayth then he testifyeth with S. Augustine That Fayth taketh her life or soule from Charity Aug. l. de cognit verae vitae c. 37. 6. Further they affirme of Charity that it vniteth a Aug. de subst l. diâ—ect amoris and knitteth vs to God Marryeth b Bern. serm 83. in Cant. our soule to the word Marketh c Amb. l. 2. ep ep 7. man a friend to God Imparteth d Chrys in psal 132. heauen and vnspeakable good thinges to vs. He e Basil in institut Monach. that hath Charity hath God And f Idem in constit Monast c. 35. he that is depriued of Charity wanteth diuin grace By g Aug. l. de mor. Eccles cap. 13. Charity only it is wrought that we be not auerted from God and that we conforme our selues rather to him then to this world Moreouer say they Charity h Hilar. comment in Matth. ca. 4. couereth the multitude of sinnes By i Orig. hom 3. in c. 3. Leuit the aboundance of Charity remission of sinnes is made The
vertues it nourisheth humility exciteth care procureth watchfullnes restrayneth vs within our bounds whetteth vs forward Hier. in c. 3. lonae Aug. l. de correp grat c. 13. Chrys ho. 8. in c. 2. ad Philip. Greg. ep 186. quae est l. 6. ad Greg. Cubiâ—ul Aug. lib. 9. mora c. 17. Andr. Vegal 9. cap. 17. in Concil Trident. Abbot c. 3. sect 7. Greg. epist 286. quae est ad Gre. Cubicul Aug. in our duety maketh vs more narrowly sift and examine our actions more deeply repent and do pennance for our sinnes more diligently worke to the attayning of vertue and more feruently cry and call vpon God to succor and assist vs in our dayly conflicts and combates against vice These fruits of our vncertainty and the former euills of Protestants security are set downe by S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostome S. Gregory the Great and diligently proposed by Andreas Vega in his defence of the holy Councell of Trent 7. Now when Protestants account these feares tentations when they compare them to sinne against which they fight and seeke wholy to abandone they bewray the Anuil on which their deuises are hammered quite opposite to the touch-stone of holy Scripture which commendeth timidity as behoofull Blessed is the man who is alwayes timerous worke your saluation with feare and trembling Are these counsailes suggestions Is this happynes to be abandoned Renounce you as dangerous assaults which the holy Ghost proposeth as wholesome remedyes and stayes of our soules And which S. Gregory writing to the Lady Gregoria notably pursueth telling her That she ought not to haue security but alwayes iealous alwayes fearefull dread her sinnes and wash them away with incessant teares A verity so often repeated in holy Write and celebrated by the rest of the Fathers as Caluin is coÌ„strained to coÌ„desceÌ„d vnto it at least in shew of words For Calu. in c. 6. ad Heb. v. 4. he affirmeth That God sprinckleth the reprobate with some tast or smacke of his grace shiâ—eth on their minds with some sparks of his light affoardeth them some feeling of his goodnes and engraueth in a sort his word in their souls Otherwise where is that fayth for a time of which S. Marke maketh mention There is therefore Mar. 4. v. 17. in the reprobate a certaine knowledge of God which after vanisheth away either because it tooke not so deep root as it ought or because being choaked it degenerateth Hitherto Caluin Which discourse Cal. ibid. of his because it driueth the silly Protestant into a thousand perplexityes still casting doubts and questioning with himselfe whether his fayth hath taken sufficient roote may not heereafter be choaked may not degenerate Whether the motions he feeleth be proper to the elect or the common sparkes of light tastes of grace feelings and impressions which are communicated to the reprobate Caluin quieteth his conscience with this finall Conclusion And by this bridle our Lord keepeth vs in feare and humility And truly we see how slippery and prone humane nature is otherwise to security foolish confidence Whose wordes be these The wordes of a Protestant or of a Catholike They are the wordes of a Protestant of the ring-leader of Protestants taking heerein the face of a Catholike and condemning the infallible certainty vayne security and foolish confidence of his Sectaryes 8. The obiections heere heaped togeather by our late Reformers are of diuers sorts some insinuate an assurance of saluation by reason of Gods spirit dwelling in vs others seeme to challenge it to the condition of faith others to Gods protection safeguard and preseruation Abbot c. 3. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum of such as he hath once called to the participation of his grace The principall of the first kind are these In this we know that we abyde in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit the spirit himselfe giueth testimony to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes heires also We haue receaued not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is in Fulk in c. 8. ad Rom. 2. 1. ad Cor. Kâ—mnitius in examin Con. Trid. Calu. l. 3. iustit c. 11. 1. Ioan. 4. v. â—3 Rom. 8. v. 1â— 1. Cor. 2. v. 12. 1. Ioan. 5. v. 19. â— Ioan. 3. v. 2. Rom. 8. v. 38. Hier. ep ad Algas quaest 9. Ambr. in eum loc Vatablus Beza and Erasmus in eum locuÌ„ â— Cor. 2. v. 12. God that we may know the thinges that are giuen vnto vs of God We know that we are of God and the whole is in wickednes We know that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is I answere that this knowledg which the Apostles mention is not the certayne and infallible assurance of fayth but a probable knowledge a morall certainty such as begetteth a ioyful confidence and assured hope as S. Paul had when he sayd I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angells c. shal be able to separate vs from the Charity of God Where the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth only a propable perswasion and so S. Hierome S. Ambrose the Syrian interpreter Vatablus Bedae also and Erasmus read it or the Apostles may speake in some of those places of themselues in particuler by speciall reuelation if they had any such imparted vnto them concerning their perseuerance in grace as some thinke they had or they are to be vnderstood of the predestinate in generall and benefits of grace glory and euerlasting life reuealed for them in Scripture and by the instinct of fayth and spirit of God infallibly beleeued of which S. Paul namely writeth in the second Chapter of the first to the Corinthians But Protestants vrge against my former answere That the testimony of the spirit is the testimony of the Holy Ghost the testimony of the Holy Ghost is sure and infallible therfore the testimony of the spirit which witnesses to our spirit or with our spirit as the Greeke importeth is not only probable and coniecturall but infallibly certaine I answere it is so I confesse in it selfe as it is witnessed by the Holy Ghost but as it is intimated vnto vs by the inward loue of God zeale of soules hatred of sinne peace sweetnes ioy comfort dilatation of our hart such like which are the pledges testimonyes and certificates the holy Ghost affoardeth it is fallible and subiect to deceit For as the truth of holy Writ is of irrefâ—agable authority in it selfe yet proposed by men who may be deceaued is also deceaueable so that which the Holy Ghost witnesseth by himselfe immediatly or such expositors as cannot erre is infallible that which he testifyeth by probable and coniecturall signes is only probable vnto vs and obnoxious vnto errour Howbeit it passeth the boundes of truth and modesty That with a wonderfull tormenting of conscience we mistrust Reynolds
in his 5. conclusion fol. 656. still and stand in doubt of saluation wherwith M. Reynoldes slaundereth vs. For the probability or morall certainty which we acknowledge ought not to trouble the peace of our Consciences nor anxiously distract much lesse torment the quietnes of our mindes It is a probability intermixed with feare and nourished with such comfortable VVhitak l. 8. aduer Duraeum and stedfast hope with such filial loue as banisheth all combersome anxiety all wauering doubtfullnes all seruile base and troublesome solicitude That which Whitaker so eagerly presseth against Duraeus Try your owneselues if you be in the fayth proue your selues know you 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. Cornelius Cornelij à Lapide in eum locuÌ„ not that Christ Iesus is in you vnles perhaps you be reprobates is interpreted as Cornelius declareth out of Theophilact of Christs aboad not in euery particuler person by iustifying grace but in the Church of the Corinthians by power miracles conuersions and other externall gifts wrought by S. Paul and to the tryall of this his presence he exhorteth them by the remembrance and consideration of the workes acheiued among them and not to try their iustifying fayth vnles it be by some probable tokens 9. The obiections of the second kind which ascribe Ioan. 3. v. 36. â— Ioan. 5. v. 13. Rom. 10. v. 9. Rom. 9. v. 33. Ioan. 3. v. 15. 16. Ioan. 6. v. 35. the certainty of saluation to fayth are these He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life euerlasting They that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt be safe He that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer be confounded nor perish but haue euerlasting life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer To which I answere that these generall promises which assure life and saluation to the beleeuer are vnderstood conditionally if he beleeue as he ought with a true fayth working by charity and he is sayd to haue euerlasting life because by Cyril in Ioan. 3. fayth he hath entred the gate and way which leadeth thereunto or hath receaued the seed thereof the pledge right and title vnto it by the spirit of adoption or diuine filiation imparted vnto him He is promised also to be saued conditionally if he perseuere in that state to the end after which many other vniuersall sentences of Scripture Ioel. 2. v. 3â— Rom. 10. v. 13. Prou. 1. v. 28. Matth. 7. vers 8. Iac. 4. v. 3. are to be expounded It is written Whosoeuer shall inuocate the name of our Lord shall be saued and contrarywise Then shall they inuocate me and I will not heare them Christ sayth Whosoeuer doth aske shall receaue Contrarywise you aske and receaue not the reason he subioyneth because you aske amisse that you may consume it in your concupiscences Therefore these generall sentences whosoeuer inuocateth or beleeueth shall be saued are to be construed also with this promise If he inuocate and beleeue with true fayth sincere affection and purity of life as it behooueth him to do 10. Secondly whereas many causes concurre to the Hebr. 5. v. 9. Rom. 8. v. 24. Eccles 1. v. 27. Tob. 12. v. â— workes of Iustification or saluation the holy Scripture sometyme attributeth it to one sometyme to another To obedience He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation To Hope By hope we are saued To Feare The feare of our Lord expelleth sinne To Almesdeeds Almes-deeds deliuereth from death because ech of them if nothing els be wanting is sufficient to saue vs and so fayth acheiueth our saluation if we be not defectiue in other things required thereunto or rather because it is the first supernaturall habit origen or roote of life which springeth and bringeth forth the liuely motions of all other vertues and for this cause our iustification is more often assigned to fayth then to any other vertue neuertheles if it fayle dye or be lost as in the next Controuersy I shall proue it may be it procureth not the health of our soules to which it was ordeyned 11. The last troupe of their misapplyed sentences which retyre vnder the standard of Gods care and protection Ioan. 10. v. 27. 28. VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum Abbot c 3. Ioan. 17. v. â—0 21. Matt. 24. v. 24. Rom. 8. v. 30. 1. Cor. 1. v. 8. for security of saluation are My sheep heare my voice c. and they shall not periâ—h for euer no man shall plucke them out of my hands Christ prayed for the faythfull that they might be all one with him and no doubt obtayned it affirmeth it impossible for the elect to be induced into errour Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustifyed and glorifyed He confirmeth and strengthneth them vnto the end I answere heere is a new throng of witnesses but no euidence brought in our Protestants behalfe For they are all veryfied of the elect in generall that they shall not perish but be preserued and glorifyed in the end into their harts he striketh his feare with them he maketh his euerlasting couenant but heer is no word or syllable that this or that man in particuler is one of them he may be in the number of such as are outwardly Matt. 20. v. 16. Aug. ser 16. de verb. Apostol called For many are called but few elect He may be also inwardly iustifyed for a tyme which yet S. Augustine auoweth to be vnknown to him but that he is one of the happy band of those who are called according to the purpose and eternall election of God is an inscrutable mystery fit and expedient sayth the same S. Augustine to be Aug. tom 7. de corr gra c. 13. hidden in this place where elation and pride is so much to be decaded c. That all euen those who runne may feare whilest it is concealed who shall ariue to the goale 12. In like manner to answere the authorityes of the Fathers foure obseruations are carefully to be noted Nazian in orat conso in grand Ambros serm 5. Bernar. ser â— de annuÌ„ August tract 22. in Ioan. First that they auouch vs certaine of Gods grace as S. Gregory Nazianzen doth Certaine of saluation S. Ambrose Of remission of saluation S. Bernard Of finall perseuerance S. Augustine to wit conditionally if we keep the commandements if we striue manfully against vice euen to the end c. Secondly they speake sometyme of the certainty of hope and confidence not of the certainty of fayth or of the certainty only of humane fayth by probable coniectures not of diuine and supernaturall Thus S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Leo and S. Gregory in the places heere quoted Thirdly they say that we are infallibly
and restored Note that by Grace he and all Protestants vnderstand Iustifying Grace without which euery action euery thought that proceedeth from the vnfaythfull is as they misdeeme a damnable and deadly crime and so imputed 3. Touching the third estate of vprising or entrance into Grace all in like sort agree that man albeit he be excited and called vpon by God yet doth not worke or as much as consent to his conuersion vntill he be truly iustifyed by Faith in Christ which I shall disproue in the Chapter following 4. In the fourth and last estate they allow also to man with vniforme consent the Liberty as they call it of Grace which Caluin and others interpret to be A Liberty from Constraint only and not from Necessity and so depriue man in this case as well as in the former of his free Arbitrement Against whom I am now to proue two points of chiefe importance 5. First the Liberty of Mans Freewill since his fall not only to Ciuill actions but also by the speciall ayd and assistance of Gods Grace to the conquest of any new sinne and performance at least of some Morall good Secondly that this Liberty is from Necessity and not from Coaction onely Yet remember I take not Grace before mentioned for Iustifying Grace as ProtestaÌ„ts doe not for habituall Grace or Inherent Iustice dwelling in our soules but for Actuall Grace that is for any heauenly Motion illustration or other extraordinary succoursent from aboue for our Sauiour Christs sake by help whereof he that is prostitute to some kind of â—ices may well subdue and ouermaster other He that transgresseth the Saboath may dutifully honour and reuerence his Parents he that walloweth in fleshly lust may of compassion relieue the necessity of his Neighbour and He that sitteth in the Chaire of Pestilence may rise and walke the way of Gods Commandements if he diligently Psalm 1. giue eare and correspondently worke according to his Diuine Inspirations All which our Sectaries obstinatly impiously blasphemously deny Not knowing the Scripturs Matth. 22. 2. Petr. 3. v. 16. or willfully deprauing them to their owne perdition 6. For to comprise the proofes of the former two points both togeather is there any thing in Scripture more seriously recorded or promulgated more solemnely then Deut. 30 â— vers 19. that which Moyses denounced to the Iewes saying I call this day Heauen and Earth to witnesse that I haue set before you Life and Death Benediction and Malediction therfore choose Life c. He speaketh of the Morall obseruation or breach of the Law biddeth them choose Life by obseruing not Death by transgressing Wheron it followeth most euidently that they were not Thrall to transgression or in the Bondage of Sinne but might if they would haue imbraced life and were not by necessity determined either to life or death For which cause the wise and ancient Philo notably Philo in libro quod deus fit immutabilis Iosu 24. concludeth Man hath Free-will c. To which purpose is extant the Oracle of God in Deuteronomie I haue placed before thee life and death good and euill choose life In like manner Iosue proposing the worshiping of God or Idols to the people said Choose this day that which pleaseth you whom you Dan. 23. 22. ought especially to serue 7. Susanna in danger of incurring either the offence of God or disgrace of the world after she had reasoned Amos 5. v. â—4 with herselfe on both sides what she might doe made choise not to sinne in the sight of God The Prophet Amos exhorteth the Iewes Seeke the good and not the euill that yee may liue Almighty God propounding three seuerall 2. Reg. 24. v. 12 13. 3. Reg. 3. v. 5. chastisments to Dauid biddeth him take his choice which he would haue To King Salomon likewise he saied Aske what thou wilt who demanded the Morall vertue of Wisedome and not riches or the death of his enemies as they Arist l. 3. Eth. c. 4. 5. Orig. l. 3. de Prin. c. 1. Nissen l. 7. de phi c. 1. Nazian in Apolog. Ambros l. 2. c. 3. very Text declareth he might haue done 8. Therefore both he and the rest had perfect freedome some to Ciuill some to Morall actions some from the Captiuity of sinne and all enioyed the freedome of Choice the freedome of Election in which the true liberty not only from Constraint but also from Necessity consisteth as both Aristotle the Philosopher and Origen Saint Gregory Nissen Saint Gregory Nazianzen Saint Ambrose those great Deuines affirme which no man of sense or iudgment can deny For when it is in our free power to take this or that one thing or another as in all the Eccles 15. v. 17. former examples it was we are not restrained or necessarily inclined by ineuitable influence to yield to either 9. Moreouer in Ecclesiasticus the wiseman saith God Vhitaker in his answer to the first reasoÌ„ of M. Campian hath set before thee water and fire to which thou wilt stretch forth thy hand Before man is life and death good and euill that which pleaseth him shall be giuen vnto him Which words because M. Whitaker could not otherwise auoid he discardeth the worke and reiecteth the Author in this lewd arrogate manner That place of Ecclesiasticus I nothing esteeme neither 1. Cor. 7. v. 37. will I beleeue the liberty of Freewill although he affirme it a thousand times But if others affirme it against whom he can take no exception will he giue credit to them If S. Paul Act. 5. 4. if S. Peter if Christ if God himselfe affirme it will he giue credit to them S. Paul He that hath determined in his heart Aug. ser 10. de Diuers being setled not hauing necessity but hauing power of his owne will and hath iudged this in his heart to keepe his Virgin doth well S. Peter speaking to Ananias about the price of his Mat. 12. v. 33. Land Remayning did it not remain to thee And being sold was it not in thy power Whereupon S. Augustine teacheth that before we vow it is in our power to vow or not to vow but after we haue vowed we ought to performe the same Aug l. 2 de Act. cum Feliâ—e Manich c. 4. Gen. c. 4. ver 7. vnder paine not of corporall death but of euerlasting fire Christ saith Either make the Tree good and his fruit good or make the Tree euill and his fruit euill Which place the forenamed S. Augustine vrgeth against Felix the Manichee and proueth it to be In the Free will of man either to choose good things and become a good Tree or euill become a bad Tree And God himselfe in his owne person fore warning Cain If thou Amb. l. 2 l de Cain c. 7. Bernâ—ser 5. de quadrages Ruper l 4. Comment in Gen. c. 3. See their English Bible printed Anno 1594. the Annotat. in cap.
Caluinian God Because our true and soueraigne God who is essentially good yea goodnes it selfe if it were possible for him vpon any proiect neuer so holy to purpose or desire euill yet that intended euill he could not do being essentially opposite repugnant to his nature The good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite nor the tree of life the blossomes of death No contrary sayth S. Basil can be engendred by his contrary For neither Matt. 7. is life wont to breed death nor darcknes affoard beginning to light nor doth sicknes cause health And S. Gregory Nissen The good Basil hom 2. in hexa Gregor Niâ—â—eÌ„ hom 2. in Eccl. man out of the aboundance of his hart vttereth not euill thinges but such as are agreable and conuenient to his nature how much more doth the fountaine of goodnes dispense from his naturall bosome nothing that is euill It is impossible from the well-spring of purity any mudde of vncleanes from the splendour of the sun any moâ—e of darcknes from the center of rectitude any line of obliquity from the only rule and square of all actions any detorted worke oraction should be drawne to how good a purpose or holy an end soeuer it be directed yet this proceedeth not from any imbecility or weaknes but from the power it selfe and omnipotency Ambr. l. c. Ep. ep 37. of God in so much as we may auouch with S. Ambrose This impossible thing is no signe of infirmity but of vertue power Maiesty Likewise S. Augustine God is omnipotent c. Aug. li. â— de symb ad catechu c. â— how many thinges can he not do yet he is omnipotent and therefore he is omnipotent because he cannot accomplish these thinges For if he could die he were not omnipotent if he could lye if be deceaued if dâ— vniustly he were not omnipotent because if this were in him he were not worthy to be omnipotent Which reason conuinceth also that he cannot as a righteous Iudge or for any good purpose lye deceaue do euill or work any sinne For if his purpose and intent be good why doth he not contriue and execute it by some good vertuous honest meanes Is it becaause he will not cannot or thinketh not of it choose which you will For one of them must needes be the cause Wil he not It is waÌ„t of goodnes Can he not It is want of power and omnipotency Thinketh he not of it It argueth ignoraÌ„ce and inconsideration Plato l. 2. derepub To which effect it is recorded in Plato That man may haue some profitable inducement to lye because he cannot otherwise compasse his designed plots but nothing can moue God thereunto For nothing can he approue which he cannot effectuate by the best meanes he listeth Fy then on these pernicious and hellish dotages that God is the causer of heresies the contriuer of sinne Fy on them that thinke God yoke-mate with the diuell in the accomplishment of sinne to atchieue his holy designes 5. The second herefie by part interlaâ—ded in the former partly expressed in other passages is that euen as the diuine pietie of his own accord predestinateth some to glorie so he reprobateth others from all eternitie purposly intending their damnation Fulk Gods election and Fulk in c. 9. ad Rom. sect 21. ibid. sect 5. reprobation is most free of his owne will not vpon the fore-sight of the merits of eyther of them Then Pharao was a vessell of wrath ordeined to destructioÌ„ his reprobation was for the glorie of God and antecedently inteÌ„ded and appointed to that end Caluin Caluin l. 3. cap. 12. §. 5. ibid cap. 23 §. 4. 7. 8 9. Decretum quideÌ„ horribile faâ—eor To some eternall life and to some eternall damnation is fore-appoynted He likewise affirmeth that Adam and his posteritie fell by by Gods decree which he confesseth to be an horrible decree yet ordeyned by God Gods election I let passe because it tendeth to good it requireth not the preuision of workes but for reprobation which is the deputation of man the only image and similitude of God vpon earth to eternall punishment for this to be done without any fore-sight absolute or conditionall of his demerits and being done that man hath not power to escape or free will to auoide the sinnes which lead him head-longe to destruction is more then Barbarian more then NeroniaÌ„ cruelty because euery punishment iustly taxed presupposeth an offence but both men and Angells in that priority considered are free from all offence free from ill desert therfore to preordain those harmles and noble creatures to euerlastinge torments which of necessitie they must incurre before the preuision of any misdeed is such wild sauage and outragious Caluinisme as I know not whether it hath euer sound liking in the thoughts of any but some hereticall and Fulkish Caluinists Certayne it is that the Predestinats were longe since coÌ„demned for the like assertions and one Godescalcus a monke of Rhemes at a Synode of Magunce a cittie in Germanie See Frâ—doard lib. 3. c. 13. Serraen l. 1. rerum Mogunt c. 33. Baron an Domini 400. 818. Conc. Araufic c. 25. Ezech. 18. v. 32. c. 33. v. 11. osee 13. v. 9. Sap. 1. v. 13. 2. Pet. 3. v. 9. Aug. lib. 6. Hypogno Chrysos hom 3. in Genes hom de interdict arboris ad AdaÌ„ quae habetur post hom in Genes Eulgent li. ad Monim Prosper in lib. respons ad Gaâ—loruÌ„ capitula sub 〈…〉 in â—â—nt super cap. 7. Yea the Arausican Councel anathematizeth both them our aduersaries in these words We doe not only beleeue any to be predestinate to euill by diuine power but if there be any who will beleeue so great an euill with all detestation we pronounce them accursed 6. The Prophets and Apostles cry out I will not the death of him that dieth sayd our Lord god I will not the death of the impious but that he conuert from his way and liue Perdition is thine o Israell only in me is thy help God made not death neyther doth he reioyce in the perdition of the liuinge Our Lord is not willing that any perish By which sentences of holie writ it is most euident that the reprobation and destruction of no creature is absolutely and antecedently intended by God but only consequently coÌ„ditionally presupposing their obstinacie in sinne and finall impenitence which he from all eternity foreseeing deputeth them accordingly to their deserued punishment God sayth S. Augustin punisheth the reprobate because he foreknew what they wold doe but created them not to be punished S. Chrysostome For this end he framed euery creature and fashioned vs not that we perish nor to torment vs with punishments but to saue vs. And els-where It is manifest that God wold not haue Adam sinne who before his fall did fense and arme him Adam could haue obeyed which he wold not because he chose rather to yield to the diuill