in our writings auoyding all curious questions and intricate and needlesse distinctions we appeale to the consciences of al that reade and heare vs. As touching your method concerning errours in doctrine and inordinate affections in manners if you can proue that our wits be inueigled with them and our liues stained with these more then wee can prooue euen your holy Fathers the Popes forsooth Peters successors and Christes vicars haue beene you shall winne the victorie You seeme to attribute too much to our very naturall faculties to the iudging and discerning of truth proposed not considering the corruption of our naturall faculties by sinne how both the minde is blinded and the will peruerted Our Sauiour Christ saith The light shineth in darkenesse and the darkenesse Iohn 1. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 14. comprehendeth it not Saitn Paul saith that animalis homo the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of GOD for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned But of this I forbeare to speake any more and also will leaue the other wast words in your letter and doe come vnto your articles of faith The Pamphlet The first article concerning knowledge and faith The Protestants haue no faith nor Religion THe Protestants haue no faith no hope no charitie no repentance no iustification no Church no alter no sacrifice no Priest no Religion no Christ the reason is for if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeeres as they themselues must needes confesse videlicet all the time their Church was eclipsed and 1500. as we will prooue by all records of antiquitie as Histories Councels monuments of ancient Fathers Whereby it plainely appeareth that the synagogue of the Iewes was more constant in continuance more ample for place then the Church of Christ For the haue had their sinagogue visible in diuers countries euer since Christs death and passion euen vntill this day which is the very path to lead men into Atheisme as though Christ were not as yet come into the world a Isa 60. 11. whose admirable promises are not accomplished b Math 16 18. whose assistance hath failed in preseruing his Church vnto the worlds end whose presence was absent many hundred yeeres before â— cap 28 20. the finall consumation and consequenetly they open the gap to all Machiuillians who say that our Sauiour was one of the deceiuers of the world promising so much concerning his Church and performing so little Answer LOoking in this first article to haue found a syllogisme which this worthy writer vseth in some articles following but heere for want of a good medium as it may seeme to frame one by hath omitted I found a false assertion and a foolish probation The assertion that we haue no faith Haue we no faith The Deuils haue some faith Saint Iames saith The Deuills beleeue tremble and haue wee no faith wee are much beholden Iaâ— 2 19. vnto you for your charitable opinion of vs. You are by the doctrine of Saint Paule not to thinke so euill but to 1 Cor. 13. 7. hope the best of them that professe Iesus Christ and his holy Gospell But to this your false and slaunderous assertion I will oppose a true affirmation and confession Wee beleeue all that God hath deliuered to vs by Moses the Faith Prophets and Apostles in the old and new Testament yea we beleeue the contents of the Creeds of the Apostles Nicene Athanasius and yet haue we no faith Wee hope Hope to passe hereafter from death vnto life and to bee partakers of that kingdome of glory which God hath promised and Iesus Christ hath purchased for all those that truly beleeue in him We trust that we haue Charitie loue both towards God and man although wee confesse not in such Charitâ—e full and perfect measure as wee ought to haue Wee with Saint Iohn say Hee that loueth not his brother abideth in 1. Iohn 3 14. death Wee acknowledge repentance to bee one of those Repentance chiefe heads wherein the summe of Christianity is comprised Saint Marke setting forth the summe and substance of Christes doctrine comprehendeth it in these two Repent Marke 1 16. Acts 20 21. and beleeue the Gospell so did saint Paule witnes sing both to the Iewes and to the Grecians the repentance towards GGD and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ We beleeue to be iustified not by our owne works of righteousnes which wee vnprofitable seruants and prodigall Iustification Luke 17. 10. 15. 21. children haue done nor by the merits of any Saints in heauen or in earth but by the mercies of God purchased vnto vs by the blessed and bloudy merits of Iesus Christ and applied vnto our soules by the band of faith by the John 3. 36. Rom. 3. 25. 4. 5. Ephes 2. 8. Ephes 3. 17. Church which Christ doth dwell in our hearts and is made ours We beleeue that wee are true members of that holy Catholike Church which is Christes misticall body and whereof hee is the head which is the spouse and hee the bridegroome which is his flocke and he the shepeard which is the heauenly Hierusalem the Mother of vs all Galath 4. 26 finally which is the number of Gods elect and chosen people that shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Math. 8. 11 Kingdome of Heauen And wee know that wee haue perticular and visible Churches wherein Gods word is more truly preached the Sacraments seales of the word are more purely ministred and Gods name more faithfully inuocated and called vpon then in any or all the Romish Synagogues Indeed wee haue no Idolatrous Alters to offer either carnall or externall sacrifices vpon as though Altars Christs sweet smelling sacrifice were not yet offered but wee haue Mensam Domini the Lords Table where-vpon we minister the Supper of Christ which is a holy Sacrament 1. Cor. 10. 21. of Christs body and bloud giuen for vs a memoriall of his death and passion and a pledge of our redemption and saluation purchased thereby Wee haue that sweete smelling and sufficient Sacrifice which Iesus Christ by his eternall spirit offered without fault vnto GOD to purge Sacrifice Hebre. 9. 14. our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD. As for the sacrifice of the Masse as being iniurious to the said sacrifice of Iesus Christ which he once for all and for euer offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse wee deny and defie We haue no shauen nor greased Priests to offer the Priests said false and forged sacrifice of the Masse but wee haue priests pastours or ministers how-so-euer wee terme them according to the ordinance of Christ to preach his holy Gospell and to administer his sacraments to his Church We haue and vse that religion which hath the testimonie of Religion Rom. 3. the law and prophets
their workes for such as IESVS CHRIST is And therefore wee say that although our best workes are done in weakenesse and bee stayned with the sinne which dwelleth in vs yet as long as wee yeeld not to our corruptions but striue and pray for the mortification of them our workes doe please and glorifie GOD and bee testimonies to our consciences of our eternall election and waies to walke in vnto saluation and therefore are not to bee auoyded but dilligently in the feare of God to bee vsed But the Doctrine of this man and of the Church wherevnto hee adhaereth is that they can doe good workes so purely and perfectly void of staine and corruption that they may by them merite and deserue his eternall glory hereafter The which hee that holdeth is a proud Pharisiee and blinde hypocrite knowing effectually neither the corruption of his owne heart nor the perfect puritie and holynesse which GOD who is most pure and holy in his law requireth For whereas there is euen in them that bee regenerate both the new man and the old The spirite and the flesh Galat. 5. 17. and the flesh lusteth against the spirite and these be contrary one to the other that what thinges they would they Rom. 7. 14. doe not And seeing that they bee carnall sold vnder sinne so that they allow not what they doe For that which they would they doe not but that they hate they doe so that they doe it not but sinne that dwelleth Rom. 15. 27. 20. 22. 23. 24. in them And that although they consent to the law of GOD according to the inner man yet they see an other law in their members fighting against the law of their minde and leading them captiues to the law of sinne which is in their members so that they cry out and say O wretched men who shall deliuer vs from this body of death whether the regenerate and best men beeing in this estate wherein Saint Paul after mercy and grace receiued confesseth himselfe to haue beene can doe good workes purely and perfectly voyd of staine and corruption let any whome the God of this world hath not blinded iudge But to come to the cases which this man full wisely putteth to the first say that if hee who maketh the sinnes of those that truly turne to him though they Isai 1. were as redde as bloud as white as snow bee not able to wring out of this menstruous cloath the staines of it and to make it cleane in the bloud of his Sonne 1 Iohu 1. then is this menstruous cloath to bee abhorred And if you cannot giue almes but you must steale then is almes giuen to bee auoyded For wee must not doe Rom. 3. euill that good may come of it For they that say and doe so theire damnation is iust And if mallice so abound in your heart that you cannot see your enemy but you must fall a quarrelling with him then his company is to bee shunned And if you cannot eate flesh but you must scandalize and giue occasion of offending GOD to the beholder then you ought not to eate flesh And if you cannot releeue the poore but for vaine glory then haue you your reward and such reliefe is to bee spared Sed quorsum haec What of all this So saith he in like manner of the corruption of nature if the pâ—ison of concupisceÌ„ce so stâ—in my best actions that whatsoeuer I do or think I cannot possibly effećt them without these infections and corruptions then certainly I am bound in concsience to auoid these crimes and offences the which cannot possibly be performed without these vitious circumstances For answer here-vnto I desire the reader to obserue the manner of this mans reasoning that whereas by our doctrine euen good and faithfull men cannot doe good workes without some infection of sinne remayning in them this man intreateth of wicked men and of their workes vtterly defiled by sinne raigning ouer them For he that stealeth to giue almes and in whose heart mallice so aboundeth that he cannot see his enemie but he must quarrell with him c. is a wicked man and sinne raigneth in him And such men giuing their hearts to wickednesse as God will not heare their prayers so will hee not accept either them or any of their workes Moreouer whereas the question is whether good workes for corruptions and Psal 66. 18. infections in them are to be auoyded he concludeth that crimes and offences are to be auoyded To the which I say Amen And where 's he saith that a good thing consisteth of all Integritie but an euill worke is caused by euery defect and proueth the same by health and sickenesse and by a potfull of pottage which one ill hearbe will spotle I answer that as euill humors may be in mans body not ouermuch abounding and dominering in the same it may liue do good actions profitable to him-selfe and others So though euill humors of sinne bee in vs as long as they abound not and rule not ouer vs wee may liue vnto God and do workes acceptable to him in Iesus Christ by whose righteousnes they be perfumed and made sweete and sauory before his Maiestie And as in a potte of pottage one venemous and poysonable hearbe may spoile the whole so one great and poysonable sinne raigning in man may bring destruction and damnation to the whole man both in body and soule Yet as there may be euill hearbes in pottage which bring not death to the eaters thereof so their may bee imperfections and corruptions in mens workes and not be deadly to them that be in Iesus Christ For as there may be an Antidotum and counterpoyson against very perrillous poysons to expell them and preserue life so Iesus Christ who dwelleth in the heartes of Eâ—hes 3. his elect and chosen people by faith is a most sure and safe Antidotum and counterpoyson against not onely imperfections but also great and dangerous sinnes and offences to those that truly repent vnfainedly beleeue in him and by his spirite do indeauour to mortifie the euill afections of the flesh and more and more to grow in newnes and holynes of life As for that all Integritie wherein this man saith good thinges consist it is in this corrupt estate of ours sinne dwelling in vs rather to bee wished then attained For when wee haue done the best wee can wee must confesse our selues to bee improfitable seruants True Contr. Pelagi lib. 1. is this saying of Saint Hierom. Haec est hominis vera sapientia imperfectum se esse nosse atque vt ita loquar cunctorum in carne iustorum imperfecta perfectio est This is mans true wisdome to acknowledge himselfe to bee vnperfect and that I may so say the perfection of all that liue in flesh is imperfect And againe Haec hominibus sola perfectio Ad Ctesiphont aduers Pelagi Sâ— imperfectos se esse nouerint This is the
which cannot bee moued but remaineth for euer Being iustified by faith wee haue Psal 125. 1. Rom. 5. 1. 2. peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom al so through faith we haue had this accesse vnto his grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receaued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom 8. 15. The same spirit beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Ibid. vers 33. Gods chosâ—â— it is Christ that iustifieth Who shall condemne c. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation vers 35. or anguish or persecutioÌ„ or famine or nakednes or perill or sword c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Vers 38. Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is God which stablisheth vs with you 2. Cor. 1. 21. in Christ and hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts In whome also ye haue trusted after that he heard the word of truth euen the Ephes 1. 13. Gospel of your saluation wherein also after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance c. Let vs therefore goe with confidence or boldnes Heb. 4. 16. vnto the throne of grace that wee may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede So God willing more abundantly Chap. 6. 17. to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsel bound himself by an oth that by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs which hope we haue as an ancre of the soul both sure and stedâ—ast and it entreth into that which is within the vaile c. Let vs draw neere with a true hart in assuraÌ„ce of faith our hearts being pure from an euil conscience and washed Chap. 10 22. in our bodies with pure water let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Therfore by faith that by grace the promise might be sure to all the seed And he not weâ—ke in the faith considered not his owne Rom. 4. 16. Vers 19. body which was now dead being almost an hundred yeares old neither the deadnes of Saraâ—s wombe neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that hee which had promised was able to doe it and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes Herevnto I will adde to the confuting of this doctrine of doubting two or three sayings of the Fathers Chrysostome Chrisost ad Rom. Homi. 9. saith Spes humana subinde intercidit sperantem pudore afficit Nostra verò eiusmodi non est sed firma immobilis perdurat c. The hope that is had in man sundrie times falleth away and shameth him that hopeth but our hope is not such but abideth firme and vnmoueable August praefat in Psal 123. Augustine saith Gaudium ergo nostrum fratres nondum est in re sed iam in spe Spes autem nostra tam certa est quasi iam res perfecta sit i Our ioy O brethren is not as yet in possession but in hope And our hope is so certaine as though Bernard lib. 5. de considera the thing were already done Bernard saith Ergo vt dixi fides ambiguum non habet aut si habet fides non est sed opinio Faith hath no doubting or if it haue it is not faith but an opinion Againe Non est enim fides aestimatio sed certitudo Epist 190. Anton. hist part 2. Tit. 17. cap 1 Sec. 5. fol. 217. faith is not an opinion but a certainty And Antoninus out of the same Bernard alleageth these words Clamat Apostolus Scio cui credidi et certus sum Et tu mihi sub sibilas fides est â—stimatio Tu mihi ambiguum garris quo nihil est certius c. The Apostle crieth out saying I know whom I haue beleeued and am certaine and doest thou whisper to me that faith is an opinion Poest thou bable and tell me that that is doubtful then the which there is nothing more certaine c. Hereby the indifferent reader may see both how false this desperate doctrine of doubting is against the which Ambrosius Catherinus an Archbishop a great doer in the councel of Trent did earnestly writ also that the Papists by this principle of their doctrine teach infidelity And withal let him consider whether is a more true godly comfortable doctrine to beleeue by faith our saluatioÌ„ or to be vncertaine to doubt therof as they teach But now let vs see how S. Paul exhorteth vs as this man saith to doubt of our saluation He saith Cum timore â—remore salutem vestram operamini which is thus translated With feare and trembling worke your saluation This text was alleedged by hearesay and not by sight For this worthy writer who so highly thinketh of himselfe and so greatly disdaineth others quoteth in the margent 1. Cor. 2 whereas it is not in that chapter nor in all that Epistle but it is Philip. 2. 12. But the fault hereof will be laid vpon the Printer Yet that the Printer should so much erre and set 1. Cor. 2. for Phillip 2. it is not likely And that this error is not of the Printer but of this mans fine memorie it may hereby appeare yâ— it is not in the vulgar editioÌ„ which they both do and are bound to follow cum timore but cum metu Hereby the reader may see with what care these men alleage the Scriptures not looking vpon the words nor considering the simple sense and meaning but snatching at the words and wresting them contrary to the purpose and meaning of the Apostle Whose intent is not to teach Rom 3. 28. 4 2. 5. Gal. 2. 16. Ephe. 2. 8. 9. 2. Tim. 1 9. Tit. 3. 4. the Phillippians that they be saued by their workes which is contrary to his doctrine in many other places but to disswade them from carelesse security and to exhort them to walke in good workes and to run on the race of their life in the feare of God vntil they come to attaine that saluation which God hath promised and Iesus Christ for vs hath purchased Saint Paul to the Ephesians doth as it were to the explication of
then grace vvere no grace Thus Saint Augustine sheweth that Gods election is not his prescience and foreseeing of workes to come but his owne grace good pleasure and purpose Now I come to your illations which vpon these false assertions you falsly inferre To the first I answere that God impelleth no man to sinne and therefore God is not the author of sinne Secondly God inforceth not men vpon necessitie to sinne but they sinne willingly and by the instigation of the diuell who worketh in the children of disobedience therefore God is not the author of sinne In your third inference where you say that sinne is free or no sinne belike you hold with Pighius some other Papists that originall sinne is no sinne for it is not free for vs to be without it And whereas you aske how man can sinne in conforming his will with Gods will I answere that they that sinne doe not conforme their will to Gods will but doe disobey it and oppose themselues vnto it This is the will of â—od saith Saint Paul your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication 1. Thes 4. 3. Finally for as much as you can neuer shew that it is the Protestants confession that God moueth perswadeth and induceth men to sinne therfore you make a false and blasphemous collection for the which the Lord rebuke thee Satan Lastly whereas you thus charge vs to hold that God is the author of sinne I would desire you to shew where we do write more hardly of this matter then Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester hath written heereof whose words be these Neutrum sane potest sine Deo nec ad Iohn Roffens asserti Luther confuta artic 36. pag. 339. bonum se pararâ— neque malum opus facere Neque enim adulter absque generali fluxu Dei potest adulterandâ— facinus committere sed neque postquam ipsum admisit sine speciali auxilio Dei conari valebit vt resurgat i. Man can doe neither vvithout God neither prepare himselfe to good nor doe that vvhich is euill For the adulterer can neither commit adulterie vvithout the generall influence of God nor after hee hath committed it can he endeuour to rise vvithout the speciall helpe of God And againe Nam quantum ad substantiam actus etiam operibus malis cooperatur Deus Neque tamen recte Idem ibidem pag. 340. quisquam Deo peccatum imputabit quia tametsi cooperetur Deus adsubstantiam actus non tamen ipsam deficientiam operatur sed hoc agit sola voluntas i. As touching the substance of the act euen GOD doth cooperate or vvorke vvith euill vvorkes yet may not any man rightly impute sinne vnto God for although God doth cooperate to the substance of the deede yet he doth not vvorke the defect of the deede but onely mans vvill doth that Either shew where we haue written more hardly hereof or else condemne this Bishop and Martyr for the Popes cause with vs. I trust you will not say that hee taught Atheisme which is so rife in Rome as I haue before shewed c. The Pamphlet That faith once had may be lost 6. Article VVHosoeuer leeseth his charitie leeseth his faith But Dauid when he killed Vrias lost his charity Ergo Dauid when he killed Vrias lost his faith The Maior is a principle vndoubted of in the schooles of Protestants for they peremptorily affirme that true faith such as was in Dauid one of Gods elected can nâ— more be seuered from charitie then heate from fire or light from the sunne and therefore if Dauid killing Vrias lost his charitie no doubt but therewithall he lost his faith The Minor I prooue for whosoeuer remaineth in death is without charitie but Dauid when hee killed Vrias remained in death Ergo Dauid when he killed Vrias was without charitie If hee was without that which once he had no doubt but then he lost it for he was depriued thereof for his sinne The Maior proposition of this last Syllogisme thus I proue for charitie is the life of the soule and it is as impossible for a man to haue charitie and remaine in death as it is impossible to be dead in bodie and yet indued with a reasonable soule The Minor cannot be denied to wit that Dauid by killing Vrias remained in death for it is the expresse vvord of God Qui non diligit manet in morte He that loueth not 1. Ioh. 3. ver 14. his neighbour remaineth in death but certaine it is that Dauid loued not Vrias when he killed him Ergo likewise certaine it is that Dauid remained in death The same position might easily be prooued out of the eighteenth chapter of Ezech. verse twentie foure Si autem auerterit se iustus à iustitia sua c. Answere IDenie the Minor or second proposition that Dauid in procuring Vrias to be killed lost his charitie For although in this combat betweene the spirit and the flesh in Dauid the spirit retired and the flesh preuailed the new man was foyled and the olde man ouercame yet was not the spirit vtterly extinguished nor the new man cleane killed Indeede Dauids faith fainted his charity was cooled and his other gifts and graces couered yet not cleane quenched but there remained sparks of Gods spirit which afterwards being stirred vp and blowne by Nathans bellowes kindled flamed to Gods glory and Dauids eternall comfort and saluation Shall we thinke that Dauid had lost all loue of God of his law of man was he cleane depriued of Gods spirit it appeareth by his owne words that hee was not Who vpon Nathans preaching and reprouing of his sinne prayed and said Take not thy holy spirit from me Whereupon I reason thus Psal 51. 11. He that was not cleane depriued of Gods spirit had not wholly lost faith and charity But Dauid was not cleane depriued of Gods spirit therefore he had not wholly lost faith and charitie The first proposition is euident by the words of Dauid the second is manifest For it is absurd to say that the spirit of God should continue in him that hath lost all graces and gifts of the spirit It is with Gods elect and chosen children as it is with fire which in the night is so hid and couered that none appeareth and yet in the morning is stirred vp and is made to brune and to flame and as with a tree which in the Winter hath neither fruite nor leafe vpon it yet it hath a sap fallen into the root which in the spring springeth bringeth forth both leafe and fruite So is it with Gods holy Saints they be sometimes so ouertaken and ouercome with temptations that they seeme to be as trees without fruite withered and perished yet there remaineth a sap of Gods spirit and grace in them which afterward riseth and buddeth forth good fruit And therefore to the second proposition of your second Syllogisme I say that although Dauid by those foule
fearefull offences deserued eternall death yet he did not remaine in death and although God hated those sinnes yet hee neuer hated Dauid For whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and calling â—ohn 13 1. Rom. 11. 29. of God are without repentance If we loue a man and yet hate some sinne that he committeth might not God who is loue it selfe hate Dauids sinne and yet loue him and keepe some sparkes of his spirit and grace in him and so preserue as the externall life of the body so the internall life of the soule in him So that neither Dauid remained in death neither was his loue no not to Vrias altogether extinguished in him No doubt but he did loue him as his true and faithfull subiect and might loue him as the seruant of GOD yet in that temptation his owne selfe-loue and desire to couer his owne sin and shame did preuaile against his loue to Vrias and did draw him to do an act which was no fruit nor effect of loue and charitie and yet did not wholly quench loue in him The Maior of your latter Syllogisme which needeth no proofe you seeke to proue by a false assertion in barely saying according to your manner but not by any place of Scripture prouing that charitie is the life of the soule I say that faith is the life of the soule the which I proue by these two sayings of the Scripture The Prophet Habacuck saith The iust shall liue by his faith Saint Paul saith In that Hâ—bâ—c 1. 24. Rom â— 17. Gal 2. 20. I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Let this man shew two such plaine places of Scripture to proue charitie to be the life of the soule Properly Christ is the life of our soules Saint Paul in the place before alledged saith Christ liued in me And when Christ which is our life shall appeare And our Sauiour himselfe saith I am the way the Col â— 4. Ioh. â—4 6. truth and the life For when wee were dead in sinnes hee hath quickned vs and as he hath restored life vnto vs so he doth continually nourish and preserue life in vs. But this is attributed to faith because by it Christ dwelleth in vs and wee by it be put into the possession of Christ and of all the benefites of his passion Concerning the place of Ezechiel because you doe not vrge it I will not stand vpon it We doubt not but men may and doe fall from God and iust actions vnto wicked and vngodly deeds and may haue a temporall faith and fall away from the grace of God But this we say that true faith in Gods elect which are sealed with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. and to whose spirit Gods spirit doth beare witnesse that they are the sonnes of God is neuer wholly lost in them and the same spirit worketh by charity which in them may be cooled but neuer cleane quenched But of the losing of faith and of the coniunction thereof with charitie I haue before intreated Now to returne this argument in some sort vpon you Whereas the Papists auerre that the Popes faith cannot faile I reason thus He that loseth his charitie may lose his faith the Pope may lose his charitie Ergo the Pope may lose his faith The first proposition I haue proued alreadie and haue shewed that true faith is not separated from charitie but worketh by it And most manifest it is by Saint Iames that the faith which is without charitie Iam. 2. 26. and good works is dead So that if the Pope be without charitie then he hath but a dead faith And a dead faith is as much faith as a dead man is a man That the Pope may be without charitie I thinke they will not denie and if they doe it may be prooued by many examples a Platina in Ioan. 13. Blond epito decad 2. lib. 2 pag. 200. Supplem chronicorum in Iohan. 12. Pope Iohn the twelfth or as Platina reckoneth the thirteenth tooke two of his Cardinals and cut off the nose of the one and the hand of the other as witnesse Platina Blondus and many others b Platina in Stephan 6. Supple chron in Stephan 6. Stephanus the sixt did take the body of Formosus his predecessor out of the graue after he was dead put him out of his pontificall habite and put on him a lay mans atâ—ire cut off the two fingers of his right hand wherewith he did consecrate and threw them into Tiber. c Platina in Serg. 3. Supplement chron in Serg. 3. Pope Sergius the third tooke vp againe the body of the same Forâ—osus did cut off his head as if hee had beene aliue and threw the body into Tiber as vnworthy of buriall d Platina in Bonisac 7. Suppl Chron. Boniface the seuenth tooke Iohn a Cardinall and put out his eyes e Pâ—atina in Vrban 6. Boâ—fintus Decad 3. libr. 1. pag. 354. Supplem Chron. fol. 221. Vrban the sixt of seuen of his Cardinals which he apprehended at Nuceria took fiue of them put them in sackes and cast them into the Sea f Platina in Inno. 7. Supplementum Chronico lib. 13. fol. 226. Innocentius the seuenth caused by Lewes his nephew certaine citizens of Rome which sought the restitution of their ancient liberties and the reformation of the common-wealth decayed by his euill gouernment to be throwne out of windowes and so killed Alexander the sixt caused both the right hand and tongue of Antonius Mancinellus to be cut out because he had written an eloquent oration against his wicked and filthy life Many such other prankes of Popes might be alledged which were no more fruites of charity then was Dauids procuring of Vrias death by the sword of the Ammonites But notwithstanding these and such other tragicall tyrannicall acts these Popes faith neuer failed For they neuer had any but a false and dead faith such a faith as the Diuell hath The Pamphlet The Protestants shall neuer haue life euerlasting because they will haue no merits for which euerlasting life is giuen 7. Article VVHatsoeuer is giuen ac wages is giuen for works But the kingdome of Heauen is giuen as wages Ergo the kingdome of Heauen is giuen for workes The Maior or first proposition may be declared after this manner for example her maiestie may bestow 1000. pounds by yeare vpon some suiter either gratis of meere liberalitie and so it is called a gift donum a grace or fauour or vpon condition if hee be haue himselfe manfully in the warres of Ireland and in this case the reuenue is called merces wages Remuneratio stipendium a reward or paiment and although her mâ—â—estie did shew him a grace and fauour to promise such a reward for performing such a worke the which hee was bound vpon his allegeance otherwise to performe yet once hauing promised
Rom. 11. 6. were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more Ephes 2. 8. grace or else were worke no more worke By grace â—e are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of 2 Timoth. 1. 9. God not of workes lest any man should glorie Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace c. Not by the Tit. 3. 5. works of righteousnes which vve had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Although this which I haue said may seeme sufficient to answere this article yet I will say somthing to this syllogisme To the Maior or first proposition I answere that with men wages is giuen for workes but with God vvhose Isai 55. 8. thoughts are not as our thoughts nor waies as our waies it is other waies Man may do labour seruice to man which may merit and deserue by equitie and iustice wages and reward For that there may be a proportion betweene the seruice and reward and also a benefit and commoditie commeth to him to whom the seruice is done As in this example here alledged the Lord Deputie or some other may doe some such singular seruice in Ireland that if her Maiestie should bestow vpon him 1000. pound a yeere he might in some proportion deserue it and her Maiestie may receiue double benefit by it But can wee doe any workes that can either merit and deserue the kingdome of God or bring any benefit vnto God Dauid saith My Psal 16. 2 Rom. 8. 18. weldoing extendeth not to thee And as S. Paul saith that all the afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs so may I say that all our imperfect and stained workes are not worthie of the kingdome of God which wee haue not deserued but Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath purchased for vs. Can a bond-seruant by any seruices looke to deserue an earthly kingdome and can we which are bond-seruants to God in respect both of creation and of redemption looke to deserue the kingdome of God Christ our Sauiour saith Doth he thanke that seruant because hee did that which Luk. 17. 9. was commanded vnto him I trow not So likewise ye when ye haue done all things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe If he that hath done all things which were commanded must confesse himselfe to be an vnprofitable seruant how much more must wee confesse our selues to be vnprofitable seruants who haue both omitted many things commanded and committed many great and grieuous sinnes prohibited So saith Hierome Sâ—inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum Hieron ad Câ—esiphont aduers Pelagian est qui explere non potuit i. If hee be vnprofitable that hath done all vvhat is to be said of him that could not fulfill all Therefore wee are not to trust in our owne merits but in Gods mercie which importeth our miserie and not worthinesse But for the proofe of your Minor you alledge the saying of our Sauiour Christ Call the labourers and giue them Math. 20. 8. their wages I grant that God doth giue to them that labour in his vineyard a reward which is called wages because it followeth pietie and good workes as outward wages followeth labour But that this heauenly wages is not deserued by our workes as that other is by our labour it euidently appeareth by that parable where they that had wrought but one houre receiued as much as they did which had borne the burden and heate of the day Which sheweth that this reward came of grace and not of merit and so S. Ambrose doth expound it Non labori Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. praemium soluens sed diuitias boâ—tatis suae in eos quos sine operibus eligit effundens vt etiam 〈◊〉 qui in multo labore sudarunâ— nec amplius quà m nouissimi acceperunt intelligant donum se gratiae non operum accepisse mercedem i. Not paying a reward vnto our labour but powring foorth the riches of his goodnesse vpon them vvhom he hath chosen without works that they also vvhich in great labour haue â—oysed and haue receiued no more then the last may know that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not a vvages of vvorkes To your other places Apocal. 20. 12. and 1. Cor. 3. 8. I say with S. Paul that God will reward euery man according to his workes but not for the merite and desert of their workes To them that continuing in vvell doing seeke Râ—â—t 2. 6. 7. glorie honour and immortalitie hee vvill giue euerlasting life and vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and vvrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill But you will say Why is not euerlasting life the wages of good works as euerlasting death is of euill works sins I answere that our euill workes be simply euill and being transgressions of Gods righteous law offend his infinite maiestie prouoke his infinite wrath and deserue infinite paine and punishment But our workes are not simply and perfectly good but be imperfect and are stained with the corruption of our sinfull nature as I haue before declared and therefore cannot satisfie Gods infinite iustice nor pacifie his infinite anger nor deserue his infinite glory but rather require Gods great mercie as hath beene shewed And therefore Saint Paul in the sixt to the Romanes hauing said that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. doth not say which had beene most meete to haue beene said if this pharisaicall doctrine were true the wages of good workes is eternall life but he saith the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord as also Oecumenius doth well obserue You confidently affirme that the Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of Heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits Where first I would aduise you to take heed that you be not brethren to those olde heretikes called Hieraclitae to whom Saint Augustine doth ascribe this as an heresie that they denied infants to appertaine to the kingdome of Heauen because they had no merits His words be these Hieraclitae ad regnum coelorum non pertinere paruulos dicunt August in catal Hâ—res Heres 47. quia non sunt eis vlla merita certaminis quo vitia superentur i. The Hieraclites say that infants belong not to the kingdome of Heauen because they haue no merits of strife vvhereby to ouercome vices How neere you iumpe with these olde Heretikes as you doe in many matters with many others let the Christian reader indifferently iudge Secondly I say that we are enemies neither to those
If you mislike any thing in this confession confute it if you know any of vs that maintaine any diuers doctrine dissenting from this name them produce their sayings and quote the places But you say that these whom you tearme puritanes peremptorily affirme that Christ is God of himselfe and not God of God So that he receiueth not his diuinity from his father I answere that if wee consider of Christ absolutely in respect of the essence he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself to whom all things do agree which are spoken of the diuine essence by it selfe but if we consider of him in respect of his person he is not of himselfe but sonne of the father yet coëternall and coëssentiall So saith Saint Augustine Christ us ad se deus August hom de tempor 38. dicitur ad patrem filâ—us dicitur Christ in respect of himselfe is called GOD and in respect of the Father is called sonne S. Basil saith that it was an vndoubted principle of diuinity in al ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God-head to bee begotten neither of it him-selfe nor of Lib. contra Eunomium any other but to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnbegotten And that Christ is God of him selfe I proue it thus Hee that is Iehoua is God himselfe Christ is Iehoua ergo Christ is God of himselfe The first proposition cannot be denyed for God is called Iehoua because he hath his being of him-selfe and all others haue their being of him And that Christ is Iehoua I thinke you will not deny and if you doe it may easily be proued For he that appeared to Esaias the Prophet cap. 6. and is there called Iehoua verse 3. is said of Saint Iohn Job 12. 41. to be Christ in these words These things said Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of him That which Esaias cap. 18. 13. 14. speaketh of Iehoua Saint Paul Rom. 9. 33. expoundeath of Christ The Angell that appeared to Moses in the Exod. 3. 27. bush is called Iehoua but Christ who is called the Angell of the couenant and the Angel of the great councell was that Angell ergo Christ is Iohoua And so consequently is God of himselfe And therefore Epiphanius whome I trust you will not terme a Puritan calleth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD Epipha haeres 69. of him-selfe The Fathers of the Nicene councell in calling Christ God of God did thereby signifie that he is coëssentiall and of the same substance with the Father and not as you falsely affirme that hee receiued his diuinitie of his Father which is in effect to make Christ no God For it is proper to God to be of himselfe The deitie is the diuine essence which is one and singular and the same wholy in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost And so we acknowledge a Trinity of persons and a vnitie of essence that is one onely God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil c. it is Lib. 2. contra Eunomium manifest that the names of Father and Sonne doe not signifie the essence but the proprieties of the persons So Damascene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The De orthodox fide lib. 3. cap. 11. dietie signifieth the nature or essence the word Father the person And the essence is wholy in the Father wholy in the Sonne and wholy in the holy Ghost as euen your great Master of the sentences Peter â—umbard confesseth so that Peter Lumb lib. 1. dist 5. cap. â— the Father is God of himselfe the Sonne God of himselfe the holy Ghost God of himselfe and not three Gods but one true and immortall God And therefore with Athanasius wee worshippe a vnitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie Here in your margent you say that D. Bucley contendeth to prooue it in his answere to this article albeit hee vnderstand not the reason heere aleaged for if hee did hee were too absurd to denie it What D. Bucley hath prooued let the Godlie Reader consider and iudge manifest it is that you haue not here disprooued any thing by him alleaged your bare assertion is not to bee accepted You are not yet to bee taken for Pythagoras of whome his schollers sayd ipse dixit hee hath said it absurd be they that haue such conceite of you to beleeue your bare assertions without any demonstrations The fift article which you say those whom you disdainfully call Puritaines doe deny is the descension of Christ into Hell Can you shew and name any such puritanes which omit this article either in rehearsing it or in expounding it as you haue done the second commaundement of God I am sure you cannot Why doe you then say that they deny it forsooth because they receiue not your exposition of it to wit that Christ descended in soule to hell and was there as long as his body was in the graue and there harrowed Hell and deliuered thence Catechis Trideat pag. 69. In Act. 2. the patriarkes and all iust men there houlden in bondage vnto his death as your Rhemists write And doe all that teceiue not this exposition deny this article Then did your owne Doctor Durand deny this article who held Durand in 3. A. 27. 4. 3. 10. Pâ—cus Apol. quaest â—â—â— Thâ— Aqâ—â— 3. quaest 52. and published in writing that Christs soule did not in respect of the substance and essence thereof but by effect efficacy and operation descende into Hell Then did Iohn Picus that learned Earle of Mirandula and Cardinall Caiâ—tane whom the Pope sent into Germany to suppresse Luther deny this article who concurre and agree with Durand yea I might say that then either Saint Cyâ—rian or Ruffâ—n denied this article who expoundeth it of Christs buriall But you say that these nameles Puritans defend that Christ suffered the paines of Hell vpon the crosse whereby they blâ—spâ—eme most horribly that sacred humanitie as if Christ had dâ—spaired of his saluation as if GOD had hated him and hee had hated GOD c. I answere that this doctrine of Christs suffering the paines of Hell vpon the crosse is not so desperate as your collections thereof are false and blasphemous What desperatnes or absurditie is this that Christ our Sauiour not in respect of himselfe but in that hee became our suretie and tooke vpon him our debts and bare our sinnes in his body vpon the wood as Saint Peter saith did beare and indure in his humanity 1. Pe. 2. the wrath of GOD and the paines and torments which our sins had deserued to deliuer vs from the wrath of GOD which wee by our sinnes had prouoked and from the said paines and torments which wee had merited We are not to thinke that Christ did suffer onely an externall and corporall death for then he had shewed greater weakenes then many meere naturall men haue done who with great courage and cheerefulnesse haue gone vnto Luke 22. 44. â—ers
onely perfection of men to acknowledge themselues to be vnperfect Wherefore lette vs not glory of all integritie but lette vs vnfainedly confesse our owne iniquitie and euen in the best workes we do flee vnto Gods mercy in Christ IESVS who hath loued vs and washed away our sinnes in his owne bloud to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one onely God bee all praise laud and glory now and euermore Amen The Pamphlet The Protestants haue either no faith at all or lye most damnably in denying that a man assisted by GODS grace can keepe the Commaundements 3. Article VVHosoeuer knoweth God keepeth his commandements But all true Protestants know God Ergo all true Protestants keepe his commandements The Maior is expresse Scripture qui dicit se nosse deum mandata eius non custodit mendax est in eo veritas non est Hee that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and truth is not in him The Minor no Protestant doubteth of for this knowledge of God is nothing else but a liuely faith wherewith all zealous Protestants as they say are indewed Hence from manifestly it followeth that either most zealous Protestants lacke a liuely faith and so are Infidels or if they haue a liuely faith and deny that they keep or can keepe Gods commandements they are damnable lyars of they chuse the first they are Pagans Heretikes or Iewes if they take the second they are damnable seducers impostors in religion consequently their faith is false Answere THis Syllogisme according to Saint Iohns meaning is wholy true The Apostles purpose is to shew that the knowledge of GOD in the faithfull ought not to bee idle but effectuall and fruitfull in godlinesse and holy obedience working a care and conscience in them to keepe Gods holy commaundements by dilligent endeuouring both to auoid all wickednesse which he forbiddeth and to yeelde that holy obedience which hee requireth The which they that do not but liue prophanely wallowing in wickednesse and committing vngodlinesse with greedinesse and yet make a profession of the knowledge of God as too many do their profession and knowledge is in vaine For as Saint Iames saith if any seeme religious â—am 1. 16. and refraineth not hâ—s â—ongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans reliâ—ion is in vaine So if any seeme to haue the knowledge of God and liueth loosely and wickedly hauing no care to frame his life to the obedience of Gods commandements his religion profession and knowledge is in vaine For not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord Math. 7. 21. shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen But your meaning is that by keeking of Gods commandements is vnderstood an absolute and perfect fulfilling of them in yeelding without any transgression at all that ful and perfect rightecusnes which God commandeth The which neuer did any man 1. Peter 2. yeeâ—d but onely the man Iesuc Christ who neuer did sinne and in whose mouth was neuer guile This your doctrine of the perfect fulfilling of Gods law in this life is false and you in maintaining of it shew your selues to be blind and proud Pharisies not knowing either the perfect righteousnes of God nor the corruption of our nature against the which I reason thus Whosoeuer sinneth transgresseth and breaketh Gods lawes and commaundements but all men doe sinne Therefore all men transgresse and breake Gods lawes and commaundements The first proposition is manifest for S. Iohn saith sinne is the transgression of 1. Iohn 3. 4. the law The second proposition cannot with any face bee denied Salomon saith there is no man that sinneth not Saint 1. King 8 46. Rom 3. 23. Iames â— 2. 1. Iohn 4. 8. Paul saith all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Saint Iames saith in many things we sinne all Saint Iohn saith â—f we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs. Moreouer S. Paul saith as many as are Galat. 3. 10. of the workes of the law are vnder the cursse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in al things which are written in the booke of the law to do them Where Saint Paul doth reason after this sort Whosoeuer doth not continue to doe all that is written in the booke of the law are vnder the cursse but there is none that continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law Ergo there is none but is vnder the curse The first proposition Saint Paul proueth by a place of the law Deut. 27. The second Saint Paul taketh as a thing graunted and not to bee denyed that there is no man which continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law to do it the which if it be not graunted Saint Paules argument is nothing worth for it might be said that some doe fulfill the law of God and therefore are not vnder the curse So that which seemed to Saint Paul absurd to be denied is now denied by these absurd and blind Pharisies Furthermore Saint Paul saith That which was impossible to the law in as much as it was Rom. 8 3. made weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinful flesh and for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flâ—sh Doth not S. Paul here shew that whereas wee could not be saued by the law God hath sent his sonne in the flesh to saue vs And he declareth why we could not be saued by the lawe because the weakenes of our sinfull flesh is not able to yeeld that perfect righteousnes which the law of God requireth the which if we could doe we should liue therby For God saith which if a man doe he shall Ezech. 20. â—1 liue in them And that euen they that are regenerate with Gods spirit doe not perfectly fulfill the law and keepe Gods commaundements it is most euident by Saint Pauls confession of himselfe I am carnal sold vnder sinne I allow Rom. 7. 14. not that which I doe for that I would I doe not but what I hate that I doe It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me But I find no meanes to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not that dâ—eâ— I finde that wheÌ„ I would doe good euil is present with me I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death If S. Paul that elect vessell of God which was taken Act. 9. 15. 2. Cor
the righteousnes of Christ which onely is able to hide and discharge all our vnrighteousnesse This doctrine which this disdainfull man so much disdaineth is acknowledged of the Greeke Fathers Basil saith This is perfect and sound glorying in God when a man doth not boast himselfe for his owne righteousnes Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. â—â—â— but knoweth himselfe to bee voyd of true righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And is iustified by onely faith in Christ Chrysostome saith Nobis pro cunctis sola Chrysost in Math Hom. 12. Idem de prodâ—tione Iudae fides sufficiat Onely faith is sufficient to vs for all other thinges Againe Illud vnum asseueraueâ—im quód sola fides per se salvum fecerit This I may affirme that only faith by it selfe saueth Againe Rursus illi dicebant qui sola fide nititur execrabilis est hic contrà demonstrat qui sola Idem in Galat. cap. 3 fide nititur eum benedictum esse They said hee that leaneth onely to faith is accursed but Paul on the contrarie part sheweth that hee that leaneth to faith onely is blessed Many such other places out of the Latine and Greeke Fathers I might produce but I omit them I hope hee will not say that these Fathers which deliuered this doctrine of solifidian faith as he disdainfully termeth it did ouerthrow repentance mortification and all other vertues Nay this true faith which neither falsely nor fantistically but truly and effectually apprehendeth Christs death and passion and applieth the same as a most soueraigne salue to cure all the sores of our soules is that which giueth life to repentance mortification and all other verâ—â—es For as faith without workes is dead as S. Iames saith so workes Iames 2. 26 Cyril in exposit Symbol Nâ—â—â—n tom 1. Concil pag. 543 Chry in 1 ad Timot Hom. 5. without faith are dead as Cyril and Chrysostome say And we truly auerre that this true faith in Gods merifull promises by the which Christ doth dwel in our hearts cannot be seuered from charitie vertues and good workes as hee falsely affirmeth but faintly and foolishly prooueth that it may His first reason is taken from experience because few or none of vs haue faith for that few or none of vs haue these workes How many or few of vs haue faith and good workes you are no competent iudge for to determine And therefore wee appeale from your affectionate and erronious iudgement to the true and iust iudgement of God I doubt not but before I haue ended this article to proue that we be not so void of good workes and so ful of abhominable wickednesse as your Popes and spitefull spiritualty hath beene Your second proofe you will draw out of the Scripture that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath 1. Cor. 13. force to remoue mountaines may be without charitie I answere that Saint Paul speaketh not there of the faith of Tit. â—â—1 Math. 7. Gods elect but of that which is a gift to worke miracles which may bee in wicked reprobates such as Iudas was and so doth Oecumenius the Greeke Scholiast expound it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in 1. Cor. 13 He speaketh not of the common and Catholike faith of the faithfull but of a certaine gift of faith â—or there was a certaine kinde of gift which by an equiuocation was called faith So that S. Paul as hee had before compared charity with the gift of tongues and with the gift of prophesying so here he compareth it with the gift of doing miracles And as those gifts may be in the wicked seuered from charity so also may this Some writers also in the former chapter where S. Paul saith To another is giuen â— Cor. 12. 9. faith by the same spirit do expound it of the particular faith of doing miracles As Theophilactus Non fides dâ—gmatum Theophilact in 1. Cor. 12 sed miraculorum quae montes transfert He speaketh not of faith of doctrine but of miracles which mooueth mountaines And therefore S. Paul meaneth that if the whole faith which is in doers of miracles were in him separated from charitie as it may bee hee were nothing But that faith by which Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his elect neither is nor can be separated from charitie but Gâ—lath 5. 6. worketh by it And therefore S. Paul in his gratulations in the beginning of his Epistles doth alwaies ioyne them togither as being such graces of Gods spirit which be neuer separated asunder Hearing of the faith which ye haue in Ephes 1. 15. Coloss 14. 1. Thess 1 3 2. Thess 1 3 Philem. 1 5. â—ebr 12 the Lord Iesus and loue towards all the Saints To conclude this point that this doctrine doth not tend to loosenes of life we teach that they which doe not follow peace and holinesse shall neuer see God and that good workes are the waies wherein wee must walke to the kingdome of God and eternall life to the which they that doe not walke in them shall neuer come For without the holy Citie shall bee dogs and enchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers Apocal. 22. 15 idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies And although good fruites make not the tree good yet they be necessarie effects of a good tree so euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be out downe and cast into the fire Mâ—th 3 10. The third doctrine of ours which you vntruely charge to tend to loosenes of life is That faith once had can neuer be lost the which vaine securitie you say openeth the gap to all libertine sensualitie and hereat you make great exclamations Here I will first cleere the doctrine and afterward answere your vaine cauillations and needlesse exclamations Faith is diuers waies taken in the holie Scriptures First it is taken for the doctrine of faith or the Gospell which we beleeue as By whom wee haue receâ—ued Rom. 1 5 grace and Apostleship to the obedience of faith aâ—ong al Gentiles that is that all nations might obey the Gospell Also to the Galathians This onely would I know oâ— you Receiued Galat. 3 2. ye the spirit by the workes of the law or by the hearing of fâ—â—th that is by hearing the Gospell preached So wee call the Christian faith and the Apostolicall faith In this sense faith being taken for the doctrine of the Gospell we confesse that many may know it make profession of it and historically beleeue it and yet afterwards may fall from it as Iudas and many in Asia did Secondly it is taken for 2. Tim. 1. 15. that promise which wee make in Baptisme whereby wee binde our selues to professe true religion to beleeue in God in whose name we be baptized Hereof S. Paul speaketh Refuse the yonger widowes for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ they will â—arrie hauing â—amnation 1.
Tim. 5 11. because they haue broken the first faith The which is to be vnderstood of the first profession of faith in Baptisme not of the latter vow of single life as the Papists falsely and foolishly expound it From this faith all they doe fall which turne either on the right hand to false doctrine or on the left hand to wicked life Many other waies faith is taken but this question is of that true liuely and iustifying faith which is the faith of Gods elect whereby Christ Tit. 1. Ephes 3. dwelleth in their hearts and they receiue nourishment and life from him This faith may be couered by temptations and falles as fire in the night with ashes but neuer vtterly extinguished For they in whome this true faith is are like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will Psal 1 3 bring forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade And they that trâ—st in the Lord shall bee as mount Psal 125. â— Sion which cannot bee mooued but remaineth for euer They thâ—t by thâ—â— faith are built vpon the rocke Iesus Christ Math. 16. 18 hell gates shall neuer ouercome them Christ saith He that beleeueth iâ— the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life Hee that hearetâ— my word beleeueth in him that sent mâ— hath euerlasting Ioâ— 3. 36. chap â— 2â— life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed roÌ„ death to life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Chap. 6. 35. Ephes 1. 13 Saint Paul saith Wherein after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of that libertie purchased vnto the praise of his glory These places sufficiently shew that that faith which is common to all Gods elect and proper only to the elect can neuer perish nor bee vtterly lost in them And this true comfortable doctrine bringeth no vaine securitie nor openeth the gap to any libertine sensualitie For they that by this faith haue tasted how sweete the Lord is cannot but loue and feare God and greatly delight in his commandements And that faith which swimmeth Psal 112 1 in meÌ„s lips but is not printed in their hearts nor shineth by Godlines and good workes in their liues is a dead faith and is no more that true faith whereby we liue vnto God then a dead man is a man To conclude this matter although we distinguish betweene iustification and sanctification yet wee acknowledge that they be inseparable and the one doth necessarily follow the other For whosoeuer are iustified by Gods grace and mercy through faith in Christ Iesus be also sanctified with Gods holy spirit to abhorre that which is euill and to cleaâ—e to that which is good to serue God in truâ— holinesse and righteousnes all the daies Rom. 12. 9. Luk 1 75 of their life And therefore we teach that they which without repentance persist in sinnne wallow in wickednesse and commit vngodlinesse with greedinesse haue no faith nor haue any assurance of the remission of their sinnes but may be assured that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and â—f they doe not truely repent and bring forth fruites worthy amendement of life will fearefully fall vpon them So that you might haue spared your vaine and foolish exclamations concerning Epicures Heliogabalus Bacchus and Venus which are more honoured in Rome as hereafter I will shew then allowed of vs. For of whome did Mantuan the Italian Carmelite Frier an 100. yeares past De calamitat tempor lib. 2 write this but of your Popes and his fauourers Neglecto superum cultâ— spretoque tonantis im erio Baccho indulgent Venerique ministrant Neglecting the worship of God they serue Bacchus and Venus Concerning the fourth point of doctrine of keeping Gods commandements I haue spoken sufficiently before Onely now I say that our doctrine tendeth hereunto to shew vs our misery by transgressing of them that wee may thereby bee mooued to hunger for Gods mercie in Christ and although we cannot perfectly fulfill them for in many thingâ— we sinne all yet we ought according to the Iamet 3. 2 measure of Gods grace giuen to vs haue a care and conscience to walke in them and to frame our liues to the obedience of them Whereas fiftly you charge vs that wee deny the Sacrament of Penance thereby to make men careles how they liue I answer that although we deny your penance to be a Sacrament because it hath no outward visible signe and reiect your clancular confession your absurd absolution and your surperstitious or rather blasphemous satisfaction thereby to answere Gods iustice and discharge your sins yet we truly teach the doctrine of repentance as it is deliuered vnto vs in the word of God We teach men to come to the knowledge of their sins by the law of God which is the Rom 3. glasse to shew vs our spots the first step to repentance then to lament their sinnes whereby they haue offended their gracious God and mercifull father to confesse their sinnes with remorse of conscience both to God and men whom they haue offended and especially wee call vpon men for amendement of life in bringing forth fruits worthie of repentance without the which there is no repentance One part of which amendement is satisfaction to our brethren for iniuries committed and restitution of goods vnlawfully and vngoldly gotten As touching our iniuries against God wee plead not our owne satisfaction but craue Gods mercie in Christ Iesus who is our onely satisfaction and by whom only we seeke to haue remission of them Whereas you say that your confession rubbeth the sores of sinne and causeth remembrance of them I say that this more truely and effectually is wrought by the preaching of Gods word whereby sinne is more shewed and the wrath and iudgements of God against sinne are more threatned and thereby the conscience more pricked 2. Sam. 12. 7 and wounded then by your confession So Dauid was brought to repentance for his foule sinnes of adultery and murther by Nathans preaching and thundring Gods iudgements against him and not by his secret confessing So the people hauing heard Peter preach the worde of Act. 2. 37 De poeâ—itent dist 5. cap. in poeâ—itent iâ— gâ—ossa Concil tom 1 part 1. P. 155. Socrat. lib. â— cap. â—9 Sâ—zomen lib. 7 cap. 16 God were pricked in their hearts said vnto Peter the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe This is Gods holy ordinance the other a plant which God hath neuer planted but an inuention of man as euen your own Canonists against your Schoolemen doe confesse And what wickednes hath come of it the ecclesiasticall historie partly sheweth and God who seeth all secrets knoweth Your owne Aluarus Pelagius Bishop of Sylueus in Portugale in his booke de planctu ecclesiae writeth thus of your confession and confessioners Saepè cum parochâ—anis
nor more griefe to all good men than that blot of the filthines of Priests Wherefore peraduenture it were expedient both for the Christian common wealth and the estate of that order of Priesthood that at the last the right of publike marriage were restored to Priests which they might holyly vse without infamie rather then most filthily defile themselues with such a natural vice Such a loosenes and filthines of life this doctrine of vowing chastitie and forsaking matrimony hath brought forth whereof much more might be alleaged but this shall suffice Yet herevunto I wil adde not only their practise but also their doctrine of hauing Lupanaria stewes where whoredome is publikely permitted for the restoring of which Fryer Perine preached at Paules Crosse in Queene Maries daies CoÌ„sut Apolog. and D. Harding calleth them necessary euills And if it were not the doctrine of the Church of Rome to allow them neither would they haue so long permitted them nor Sixtus the fourth would haue built Nobile Lupanar a noble brothell house in Rome as before I alleaged out of Cornelius Agrippa In these places what filthinesse and incest and what murders were committed God knowweth and auncient men may somewhat remember God saith There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel nor Deut. 23. 17. whorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel Another doctrine of theirs tending to loosenesse and wickednesse of life is their doctrine of Popes pardons whereby they falsely faine that the Pope hauing the merites of Martyrs which they cal the treasure of the Church to dispense and bestowe at his pleasure hee can pardon whatsoeuer sinne men haue committed and acquit and discharge them both à poena culpa that is from the sin and punishment which is more by their doctrine then the death passioÌ„ of Christ can do What miserable mischiefe hath flowed from these pelting pardons of Popes from which the ruine of their kingdome hath iustly proceeded By Luthers dealing against them I will declare out of the words of the Princes and estates of Germany in their 100. grieuances exhibited to the Popes Legat at Norenberg anno 1522. printed at Colen anno In fasciculo â—erum expeteÌ„â—arum fol. â—77 Grauamen 3. 1533. In the third grieuance be these words Illud importabile iam olim increbuit Romanarum indulgentiarum onus c That importable burdenâ— of Romish pardons hath now a long time increased when vnder the pretence of pietie either for building of Churches in Rome or that the Bishoppes of Rome promised a voyage against the Turke they sucked all the marrow of money from the simple and euer credulous Germaines And that which is much more to be regarded by these deceits the publishers and Preachers of them the true godlines of Christians is abolished whilest they to broach the sale of these their buls and pardons giue praise vnto their wares that by these bought pardons greate and strange offences both which be past and that are to come not onely of the liuing but also of the dead being in the fire of Purgatorie as these publishers of pardons call it bee pardoned so that money bee paid and that it tiâ—gle in their right hand by the sale and merchandise of this ware both Germany of money is spoyled Christian godlines is extinguished when euery one according to the quantitie which hee bestoweth vppon this ware doth take vnto himselfe libertie and impunitie to sinne Hence whoredome incest adulterieâ—s periurie murther theft robberies vsury and an whole heape of mischiefes haue proceeded and taken their beginning For what mischiefes will men bee affraid to committe when they bee once perswaded that they obtaine by money of these brokers and pardoning pedlers licence and impunitie to sinne not onely in this life but also after their death c by these words it doth euidently appeare to what loosenesse of life and manifold mischiefes this doctrine did tend a Alphons de cast lib 8. Duran in lib. 4 dist â—0 quaest 3 Antoni 1. parte summae titul 10 capâ— 3. some Papistes themselues confesse to haue no warrant of the Scriptures b Iohn Maior in 4. sent dist 20. quaest 2. Onus â—â—â—les cap. 15. fol. 26. and other some affirme such pardons as be graunted for twenty thousand yeeres to be superstitious and foolish I might speake much of this matter but at this time I will conclude it with two sayings the one contained in a booke printed at Colen anno 1531. Intituled Onus Ecclesiae wherein after great complaint of these pardons and of the wickednesse that proceeded of them be these words Illi autem indulgentiarum buccinatores omnimoÌ„dam promittunt securitatem quae parit negligentiam negligentia offensam Dei These publishers of pardons doe promise all manner of securitie which breedeth negligence and negligence the offence of God The other is in the treatise I named before in the second Tome of the Councels called Opusâ—ul Tripart â—om â— Concil â—art 3. Pag. â—00 2 Opusculum Tripartitum in these words Item habent breuia quae relâ—qunt in singulis parochijs in quibus continentur indulgentiae quod mirantur boni viri Si vnquam de conscientia papae vell etiam alicuius boni viri potuerunt illa procedere They haue also briefes which they leaue in euery parish in which such pardons be graunted that good men doe maruell that euer they could proceede from the conscience of the Pope or any good man The doctrine of the Popes dispensations to what loosenes and wickednes of life did it tend First hereby inâ—est was committed as before I shewed how Pope Martin Phil Comines de belâ—o nâ—opo lib. 5. P. 626. Sleydaâ—â— lib. 25. 5. gauea dispensation to one to marry his owne Sister Ferdinandus a King of Naples married his Aunt Emanuell King of Portingale married two Sisters So did also Sigismundus King of Polonia Anno Domini 1553. Sigismundus also now King of Polonia this last yeare married Sleda lib. 25. Gotardi Arthâ—s Mer. Galobell Anno. 1606. pag 95. his former wiues Sister King Henry the eight maried Catheriâ—ne his brothers widdow and lately Maximilian the Emperors daughter was married to King Philip of Spaine her Vncle of whome he begat this present King Thâ—se and many such other were not done without the Popes dispensation So Bonifâ—cius a Bishop of Germany in one Epistle to Pope Zachary sheweth how a great man by the Popes dispensation marryed his Vncles widdow Tâ—m 2. concil pag. â— 47. Fabi. 7. parte in Charles 5. pag 189. Vide Rob. Giguinum lib 8 fol 133. Fabian our English Chronicler who liued somewhat before Luther writeth that Charles the fift the French King did by the dispensation of Pope Iohn 22. put away Blanch his wife because her mother was his Godmother and afterward was by the same Pope dispensed with to marry his Cosin Germaine Many Kings by meanes of such dispensation bought of the Pope for
and the worke being performed her maiestie is bound vpon her fidelitie and iustice to pay that she promised In like manner God may giue vs the kingdome of Heauen without any respect or regard of workes as he giueth it to little children which are baptised and so it is a meere gift and a pure grace Or hee may giue it with some respect vnto our workes and so he giueth it to all them who hauing vse of discretion keepe his commaundements and for this cause it is called wages merces areward Ad Rom. 4. v 5. and thus the Maior must be vnderstoode to wit that whatsoeuer God giueth as wages is giuen for workes and such wages are called merits Wages then and merits haue a mutuall relation for what are wages but a reward of merits and what are merits but a desert of wages The Minor is most plaine and inculcated in Scriptures Voca operarios redde illis mercedem Call the workemen Matth. 208. and pay them their wages Ecce venio merces mea mecum est reddere vnicuique secundum opera sua Loe Apoc. 22. 12. I come and my wages with me to giue to euery one according to his works Vnusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundùm suum laborem Euery one shall receiue proper wages 1. Ad Cor. 3. 8. Matth. 5. 12. cap. 6. ver 1. â— ad Tim. 5. 18. according to his labour The like we haue in twentie other places of Scripture all which infallibly prooue that the kingdome of heauen is giuen as wages for merits and consequently that Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits And for sâ—ch men vvee may vvell say that heauen was neuer made no more then learning for him that vvill neuer studie nor vertue for him vvho despiseth the exercise thereof Answere AS euerlasting life is not in your bestowing so wee want not merites to obtaine it to wit Gods mercies and Christs sufferings for vs with the which wee content our selues and nothing doubt but they be sufficient to discharge vs of damnation and to bring vs to saluation Of these merits sweetly saith Bernard Meum proinde meritum miseratio Domini c. My merit is Gods Bernard in Cantic serm 61. mercie I am not cleane voide of merit as long as hee is not voide of mercies And if the mercies of the Lord be much I am much in merits What though I be guiltie to my selfe of manie sinnes Surely vvhere sinne hath abounded grace also hath superabounded And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting to euerlasting I will also from euerlasting sing the mercies of the Lord. Shall I sing my owne iustice O Lord I vvill remember thy iustice onely for that is mine also in that thou August in Psal 139. art of God made iustice to me So Augustine saith Meritis suis nihil tribuunt sancti totum non nisi misericordiae tuae tribuunt ô Deus i. The Saints attribute nothing to their owne merits they attribute all O God onely to thy mercie Hierome Hieron lib. 1. aduers Pelag. fâ— 120. saith Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misericordia i. Then are vvee iust vvhen vvee acknowledge our selues to be sinners and our iustice or righteousnesse consisteth not in our merits but in Gods mercie S. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. EteÌ„rnal rest or life is propounded Basil in Psalm 114 Homil. 16. pag. 224. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that striue lawfully in this life not rendred according to the merit or desert of vvorkes but according to the grace of the * magnificent God bestowed vpon them that trust in him But these counterfeit Catholicks not content therewith nor thinking the same sufficient will put vnto them the merits of Saints departed and of men liuing and their owne workes and satisfactions thereby fully to effect that which Gods mercies and Christs merits are not able perfectly to performe This their doctrine appeareth both by their prayers in their Masse-bookes and Porteises and also by the forme of a Monkes absolution in these words Meritum passionis Domini nostri Iâ—sâ—s Luther in 2. cap. ad Gaâ—at Tileman de Hesusius de 600. erroriâ—â—s Papista loc 9. de â—oenitent fol. 67. Christi beatae Mariae semper Virginis omnium sanctorum Meritum ordinis grauamen religionis c. i. The merit of the pasâ—ion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Mary alwaies a Virgine and of all Saints The merit of thy order the heauinesse of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy heart the good vvorkes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes to the increase of merit and grace and to the reward of eternall life Thus these men by their doctrine make Iesus Christ not a full perfect and sufficient Sauiour and so infringe the saying of Saint Peter There is not saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen vvhereby we Act. 4. 12. must be saued What is this but to denie the Lord that hath bought vs as Peter also saith Whether this doctrine 2. Pet. 1. 1. be agreeable to the word of God let the Christian reader by these places discerne and iudge Christ came Math. 20. 28. Ioh. 1. 29. to giue his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for many Hee is that lambe of God vvhich taketh away the sinne of the vvorld In him vvee Coloss 1. 14. 20. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 18. haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes He hath made peace by the bloud of his crosse and hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death We are not redeemed vvith corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but vvith the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spot Hee himselfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on Ibid. cap. 2. 24. the tree that vve being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnes by vvhose stripes vve are healed The bloud of Iesus Christ his 1. Ioâ— 1. 7. sonne clenseth vs from all sinne He hath loued vâ— and vvashed Apocal. 1. 5. vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father As these places attribute our iustification and saluation onely to Iesus Christ and his merits so others doe detract and take the same from our workes and deseruings To him that vvorketh not but beleeueth Rom. 4. 5. in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else
and his Apostles and it derogateth from the purging and cleansing of our sinnes which wee haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ whereof I wil only set downe a few places with one offering hath he made perfect them which are Hâ—â— 10. 14. 1. 3. Heb 9. 14. 1 Iohn 1. 7. sanctified hauing by himselfe purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand on the Maiestie on high how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sin If we confesse our sins God is faithful and righteous to forgiue our sins and to cleanse vs Apoc. 1. 5. 7. 14. from all our iniquities Christ hath loued washed vs from our sins in his owne bloud and makes vs Kings and Priestes vnto God c. The Saints wash their long Robes make Ioh. 1. 29. Psal 51. 7. Isa 2. 18. Rom 5. 10. them white in the blood of the Lamb that is Christ Iesus who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Purge me with Isope I shall be cleane wash me I shal be whiter then snow Though your sins were as Crimson they shall be made as white as snow If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconsiled we shall be saued by his life How these and such like places of Scripture will agree with the Popish Purgatory in the which they imagine sinnes to bee punished soules to be purged and Gods iustice to bee satisfied let the Christian Reader consider and so marke what the word of God sheweth to be our true Purgatory euen the bloud of Iesus Christ Saint Paul saith that wee bâ—ing Rom. 5. 1. Apoc. 14. 13. iustified by faith haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ And Saint Iohn saith Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord. Euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labors and their workes follow them How the faithfull haue peace with God and rest from their labours and yet be tormented in the terrible paines of Purgatory I would saine vnderstand But of this popish purgatory and praier for the dead which depend on it I will write no more at this present expecting that this Catholike Gentlewoman which can propound such profound and vnanswerable questions will profoundly and pithily proue them by the Scriptures which when shee doth she shal by the grace of God heare further from me As concerning praier to Saints departed out of this life I say and here-vppon doe stand that in all the holy Scriptures there is not one commandement of God that wee should pray vnto them nor one promise made to such prayer nor one example of any Patriarke Prophet Apostle or godly man that euer prayed vnto them And although this may sufficiently satisfie a Christian conscience which ought to bee grounded vppon the word of GGD and thereby directed and may moue it to hate and abhorre this false doctrine which hath no warrant in Gods word yet the more to perswade this Gentlewoman and others of her crew to the truth I will sette downe a few arguments grounded vpon the Scriptures to confute this their doctrine of praying vnto Saints My first reason shal be vpon these words of the Apostle Rom 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued Where-vpon I make this argument we are to pray only to him in whome we beleeue but wee beleeue onely in God therefore we are to pray onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints The first proposition is the word of Apostle the second if they deny I wil hereafter proue it My second Argument shall bee this They are not to be praied vnto yâ— heare not our praiers but the Saints departed heare not our praiers therefore we are not to pray vnto them The first proposition is euident If they shal deny the second I wil hereafter proue it in the meane time lette them consider these places of Scripture Isa 63 16. 2. Reg. 22. 20 Psal 27. 10. My third Argument is this They are not to bee praied vnto which know not our hearts and know not whether our praiers proceed from our hearts or not but the Saints know not our hearts Ergo we ought not to pray vnto them My last argument shall be this wee are to offer sacrifizes Hosea 14. 2. Hâ—b 13 15. Psal 50. 23. to none but onely God Exod. 22. 20. but our praiers bee sacrifices therefore we are to offer them onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints When this Gentlewoman and her friends shall directly and plainely answer these reasons and set downe as many or mo grounded vpon the Scriptures to proue their assertion then they heare more from me As touching Images if they can proue them by the Scriptures and by the testimonies of all writers since Christ and his Apostles they shall worke wonders the which vntill they doe I will set downe a few places out of the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers which I would wish them well and deepely to consider and either to answer them or to yeeld vnto the truth of them I will begin with the commandement of GOD. Thou shalt Isa 20 4 Deut. 5. â— make thee no grauen Image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thow shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I am the Lord thy GOD c. Take good heed vnto your selues for Deut. 4. 15 you saw no Image in the day that the LORD spake vnto you in the Mount Horeb out of the middest of the fire that you corrupt not your selues make you agrauen Image or representation of aâ—y figure whether it be male or female c. Cursed be the man that shall make any caruen or molten 27. 15. Image which is an abhominatioÌ„ vnto the Lord the worke of the handes of the crafts man and putteth it in a secret place al the people shal answer say Amen To whom theÌ„ Isa 40. 18. wil you likeÌ„ God or what similitude wil you set vp to him the workeman melteth an Image or the Goldsmith beateth it out in gold c. Al they that make an Image are vanity their 44. 9. delectable things shall nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know not therefore they shal be Hab. 2. 18. confounded who haue made a God or molten Image that is profitable for nothing Read the rest that doth there follow Habacuke saith what profiteth the Image for the maker therof hath made it an Image a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when hee maketh dumbe Idols
Iohn Slechta who was no fauourer but a misliker of them Centur. 4. pag. 334. truly translated Maister Bale in the life of Clement the fifth writeth thus of them Beghardos ac Beguinas quia panem Eucharisticum honorare nolebant imprâ—bat i. Clement the fifth misliked the Beghardi Beguins because they would not honour the bread of the Eucharist And that these men 〈◊〉 tempor fol. â—â— maintained the doctrines of the Waldenses Werâ—â—rus the Charthusian Monke of Colen in plaine wordes affirmeth Beghardi multi combuste sunt Parysiis propter heresim pauperum de Lugduno c. many Begwardi were burnt at Paris for the heresie of the poore men of Lyons that is to say the Waldenses Thus as I deny and defie the filthy and false opinions imputed I know not how truly to the Adamites and Albanenses so I doe confesse that I doe accoumpt these that were called Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi or Picardy to haue beene faithfull men and witnesses of Gods holy truth whome although the world hated reiected and persecuted as it did Christ yet were they elect and pretious and beloued of God And I feare not to affirme that they haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for ashes the oylâ— of ioy for mourning c. and are more worthy to bee reputed for holy Martirs and confessors then either Thomas Beckâ—t or Dominicus that bloody Fryar or Catherâ—nâ— his minion or Francis that superstitious hypocrite or Clara his companion or many others whome the Popes haue canonized for Saints For not he that him-selfe or any other man commendeth but whome God commendeth is approued and a Saint in his sight â— Cor. 16. 1â— And lette this man and all such others barke as much as they will or can against that true doctrine which the Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi heretofore professed and is now through GODS great mercy in this land and many other Christian countries by publike authoritie maintayned they shall doe but as madde dogges doe that barke against the Moone and shall but kiâ—ke against the pricke and rush against that rocke that will not yeelde but bruse them to powder Great is the truth and it will preuaile Well saith Epiphanâ—us Contra Apâ—l lian Herâ—s 4◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. c. Neither shall darkenesse preuaile when the light shineth Now the light of GODS worde shineth now is that man of sinne reuealed now are his errours and abhominations disclosed and confuted and all his sworne soldiers they Iebusites are not able either to couer and hide him or defend them If this man thinke that they are why doe they so long suffer the bookes of D. Abbot D. Downam and maister Powell in the which they haue plainely proued the Pope to bee Antichrist soundly confuted Bellarmines weake defence and simple shifts to stand so long vnanswered and that their grand maister from whome they receiue life and vppon whome they wholy depend to bee vndefended This is a matter of no small moment which cannot without the losse of all bee neglected If the Pope be Antichrist then is their doctrine Antichristian and they are the slaues of Antichrist This sort wherein their whole safety consisteth ought with all might and maine be defended and this breach with all speed bee repaired And it hath by the canons of the men before named these foure yeares past beene battered and yet is the defense and repaire thereof vtterly neglected They write many pelting Pamphlets and such slender scroules as this is but to answere these books with raize the foundation of their religion or rather superstition and ouerthrow there great Goliaâ— of Rome they be very slacke Wherein appeareth to any that willingly will not shut his eies the weakenesse and desperate estate of there forlorne cause c. And thus much I thought good to answere to the contentes of the sayd scrowle which may seeme more then it deserueth being a foolish bable voide of learning and truth Eusebius history Eccles lib. 7. cap. 24 fol. 79. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Truth is a friend and before all things to be honored and we ought without enuy to commend and approue that which is well spoken and to examine and correct or confute whatsoeuer is not soundly written S. R. IN his answere to Maister Thomas Bels chalenge named the downfall oâ— Popery nippâ—th at me in these Pag. 126. words Bel termeth him Berengarius a silly Deacon though his brother Buckley call him an excellent and holy man Here first I do obserue that whereas this writer in this his answere which carieth a greater shew of learning then substance of truth doth in three places make mention of this my answeare viz. in the page here noted also pag. 144. and lastly pag. 208. it may seeme that he neuer reade it for that in all these places hee quoteth my answere to 8. reasons whereas it is vnto 12. Neither can he excuse this by saying that by the figure 8. hee meaneth the eight reason for the two first places are in my answeare to the forth reason and the third place is to the seauenth This doth also the more appeare in that he doth not truly alleadge my words but addeth to them For whereas I called Berengarius an excellent man hee saith that I called him an excellent and holy man Hereby it may seeme that this man receiued these places by hand from others and not by the reading of his owne â—ies As touching Berengarius I do willingly confesse that I haue a most reuerent opinion of him and doe thinke that notwithstanding his weakenesse in recanting once the truth hee was an excellent yea and holy man both for his singular learning and vertuous life And to conceiue this reuerent opinion of him I am mooued by the testimony of some Papists who fauored not the true doctrine which he maintained but especially by the great commendations which that learned father and notable poet Hildebartus bishop of Maine in France doth giue him Atoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth of him Histor part 2. Tit. â—â— cap. 1 â— 20. fol. 175. Fiuit autem alias Berengarius iste vir bonus plenus elemosynis et humilitate magnarum possâ—ssionum quae omnia in vsus pauperuÌ„ dispersit praeterea nuillam foemâ—nam in conspectu suo patiebatur admitti This Berengarius was otherwise a good man full of almes deedes and of humilitie and dispersed great possessions to the vse of the poore and would suffer no woman to come in his sight Robert Gaguin in his French history hath these words of him Henrici tempore c. In the time of this Henry Berengarius Deacon or rather Archdeacon of Tours raised an error concerning the sacrament of the Eucharist wherein hee sayd Lib. 6. in Henrico was not the true body of Christ but a certaine example of his body from which he afterward repenting changed his minde and
liued very liberall to the poore and fleeing the company of women in so much as after his death he was honored for his great holinesse The same and more doth the continuer of Beda his story write of him in these words Porro liâ—et Berengarius primum c. Although Berengarius did discredit the first heate of his youth by De gestis Anglerum continuat lib. 3. cap. 27. defending some heresies yet in his riper age hee so repented that without retraction he was of some men countted for a Saint beeing approued by innumerable good workes and especially by humility and almes deedes He was a Lord of great possessions by dispersing them and not a seruant of them by hiding and adoring them Hee was so sparing of womans beauty that hee would suffer none to come in his sight least hee should tast the same with his eye which he did not couet in his heart He despised not the poore nor flattered the rich Hee liued agreeable to nature hauing food apparrell as the Apostle saith being content with the same where-vpon Hildebartus the Bishop of Mayne an excellent Poet doth commend him c. Whose verses as the said author thought meete to insert into his history so I haue thought good to alleadge them here both because they be most worthy to read and doe plainely shew what an excellent and holy man he was QVem mâ—do miratur semper mirabitur orbis Ille Berrengarius non obiturus obit Quem sacra fidei fastigia summa tenentem Iam quinta dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies et perfida mundo Qua dolor et rerum summa ruina fuit Qua status ecclesia qua spes et gloria clers Qua cultor iuris iure ruente ruit Quicquid Philosophi quicquid cecinere Poetae Ingenio cescit eloquioque suo Sanctior et maior sapientia maius adorta Impleuit sacrum pectus et ora deo Pectus eam voluit vox protulit actio promisit Singula factori sic studuere suo Vir sacer et sapiens cui nomen erescit in horas Quo minor est quisquis maximus est hominum Cui fensus peperit paros seruauit honores Cui pauper potior diuite iusque lucro Cui nec desidiam nec luxum res dedit ampla Nec tumidum fecit multus et a tus honor Qui nec ad argentum nec ad aurum lumina flexit Sed doluit quoties cui daret hoc aberat Qui non cessauit in opum fulcire ruinas Donec inops dando pauper et ipse fuit Cuius cura sequi naturam legibus vti Et mentem vitijs or a negare dolis Virtutes opibus rarum praeponere falso Nil vacuum sensu dicere nec facere Laedere nec quemquam cunct is prodesse fauorem Et populare lucrum pellere mente manu Cui vestis textura rudis cui non fuit vnquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famen Quem pudor Hospitium statuit sibi quamque libido Incestos superat tam superauit eam Quem natura parens cum mundo contulit inquit Degenerant alij nascitur iste mihi Quoque vagabatur et pene reliquerat orbem Inclusit sacro pectore iustitiam Vir sacer a puero qui quantum praeminet orbi Fama tam famae praminet ipse suae Fama minor meritis cum totum peruolet orbem Cum semper crescat non erit aequa tamen Vir pius atque grauis vir fic in vtroque modestus Vt liuor neutro rodere posset eum Liuor eum deflet quem carpserat ante nec tam carpsit et odit eum qua modo laudat amat Quam prius ex vita tam nunc ex morte gemiscit et quaeritur celeres huius abisse dies Vir vere sapiens et parte beatus ab omni Qui caelos anima corpore ditat humum Post obitum viuam secum socum requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte sua Verses of Hildebert Bishop of Mons vpon Berengarius tran slated English THe wonder of the Timesthat was of late And shall continue euerlasting date That Berengarius who gaue place to none For holy Faiths profession now is gone A wofull day vnto the world wherein Creat losse and sorrow threatens to beginne Whereby the Church the Cleargy and the Law The hopes of their successe to ruine draw All parts of wisdomes-loue and Poets vaine Within his wit and tongue he did retaine But greater and more holy wisdome brought Those gifts to more deuine-inspired thought Which working in his heart his mouth did preach And by example of his life did teach So all things did concur vnto his praise To giue him name that should suruiue his daies A wise and holie man who did regard Poore more then ritch and right aboue reward Whose plenty neither sloath nor riot bred Nor honour to proud humour him mis-led Who in delight of Lucre did not liue But all his grife was he did want to giue Who from the needy neuer shut his doore Vntill by giuing he himselfe was poore Who sought to follow Nature yeeld to law His minde from vice his words from guile to draw To truth and vertue he gaue chiefe defence He neuer sayd nor did things voide of sence He hurt no man but sought to pleasure all No popular respects could him enthral Plaine were his cloathes nor meate did hee desire Nor drinck till thirst and hungar did require Him honest shame did chuse her cheifest ghest While lust which conquers others he supprest And nature at his birth in ioy said she Let others goe this man is borne to me And Iustice whom the world did cleane forsake He to the Harbour of his heart did take Bred holy from a child who now doth more Excell himselfe in fame then all before All fame too little for his great desarts To equall by report his worthy parts A Godly sober man so wise and graue That enuies-selfe could not his praise depraue Nay Enuy which at him in life did raile Now after death doth loue him and bewaile A man most happy and most perfect-wise Whose soule now raignes in th' euerlasting skies O let my soule partake his blessed rest No better place of safety I request OF these verses both Antoninus in the place aboue cited Tritem de scriptor Eccle. in Heâ— lebertâ— fol. 68. and Tritemius the Abbat do make mention of the number of them 52. as these are by the which I haue alleaged the christian reader not moued with malice as it seemeth S. R. is but led by Godly reason may iudge whether I had not good cause to call Berengarius an excellent man The like I may say of Doctor Reynoldes of blessed memory whom I called an excellent Ornament pag. 144. which S. R. in like manner in his malice misliketh But the Godly I doubt not will acknowledge that his great learning and vpright and innocent