other to our sight And to the same purpose he addeth soone after i Jâ—â—d Cum filij Dei dicunt Non erant x nobis c. quod aliud dicum nisi non erant filij etiam quaendo erant in professt 〈◊〉 nomine siliorum They were not of vs what meaneth it but they were not children of God when they went vnder the profession and name of children Now if they were neuer children of God then were they neuer truly regenerate for by being borne of God they must needs haue bene the children of God Neither euer had they true faith for k Iohn 1.12 to so many as beleeued in him he gaue a dignitie or prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God Therefore when he saith of such that they were in goodnesse they were in the faith it must be vnderstood as touching outward profession and to the iudgement of the Church and by assent and approbation of iudgement and vnderstanding but neuer by integritie soundnesse of affection or true regeneration of the heart Which may appeare by the exposition that he maketh thereof vpon that epistle of S. Iohn where speaking of those apostataes he saith l Augâ—â—â— in 1. 〈◊〉 3. Sic sunt in corpore Christs quomodo hunores mal qu in lo 〈◊〉 corpus So are they in the body of Christ as euill humors in our body No members then no parts of the body but as euill humors in the body of which some are more kind lesse offensiue other altogether vnkind and hurtfull euen as of these temporizers in the Church some come neerer to the true faithfull other some are wholy wicked and dissembling hypocrites but of them all it is true m Ibid. Tentatio probat quia non sunt ex nobis Quando illius tentatio venerit velut occasione venti volant foras quia grana non erant Temptation proueth that they are not of vs. When temptation befalleth them euen as it were by occasion of a wind they flie out because they were not corne They might seeme to be corne but indeed they were but chaffe they had a semblance but they had not the realitie of the state of children M. Bishops exposition therfore auaileth nothing but that it still standeth true which we affirme that true faith as it assureth of present state so doth assure also of future perseuerance to the end that God may performe to euery beleeuer that which he hath promised that he shall not perish but haue euerlasting life But because he cannot preuaile by answering he wil make further trial what he can do by arguing taking for ground the words of S. Paul first to the Romanes n Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith be not high minded but feare secondly to the Philippians o Phil. 2.12 Worke your Saluation with feare and trembling And to make the better shew he saith that there are aboue a hundred such texts in holy writ wherin the holy Ghost exhorteth vs to stand in feare of our Saluation But if they be such texts as these which he hath here alledged they are admonitions against carnall presumption and no discouragements to true faith to stand assured of Saluation The Scripture speaketh diuersly of feare and he doth but dally vpon that equiuocation There is a doubting and distracting feare which God forbiddeth as being the enemy of all spirituall comfort and assurance of faith and there is an awfull and regarding feare which God commendeth as the vndiuided companion of true faith As we vnderstand feare to he opposit to faith we heare God appointing his ministers to call his people from it p Esa 35.4 Say vnto the fearefull Be you strong feare not behold your God commeth with vengeance he wil come saue you q Cap. 41.10 Feare not for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice And againe r Cap. 43.1 Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee that they do not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Å¿ Cap. 54.4 Feare not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be confounded t Vers 14. In righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from feare for it shall not come neere thee u Vers 17. This is the heritage of the Lords seruants whose righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord. These gracious and comfortable speeches the Lord vseth to the faithfull that vnder him they may rest in full assurance of safetie without all feare or doubt because he promiseth to preuent all those occasions whence any feare or doubt should rise Whereupon it is that Zacharie saith that x Luk. 1.74 he hath deliuered vs out of the hands of our enemies to serue him without feare and Christ is sayd to haue died y Heb. 2.15 that he might deliuer them who for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage and the Apostle S. Paul accordingly saith z Rom. 8.15 that we haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more but the a 2. Tim. 1.7 spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father that God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind There is no greater bondage then feare of death which representeth to a man nothing but ghastlinesse and horrour when he is vncertaine therein what shall become of him Therefore Christ hath deliuered his from this bondage of feare and that they may rest stablished in the assurance of Saluation saith vnto them b Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome The Church of Rome biddeth Christs flocke to stand in feare of their owne Saluation but Christ the maister of the flocke saith Feare not little flocke it is the Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome Thus when he saith to his disciples c Mat. 8.26 Why are ye fearefull O ye of little faith and to Peter d Cap. 14.32 O thou of little faith wherefore diddest thou doubt he sheweth that faiâ—h importeth an assured beleefe of a mans owne safetie and forbiddeth feare and doubt as contrarie thereunto Now therefore when the Scripture commendeth feare it importeth not any such feare as should in the faithfull shake the assurance of Saluation nay the faithfull man because he findeth in himselfe that feare doth thereby gather the greater assurance to himselfe It is with euerie faithfull man as it was with Iob e Iob. 31.23 the punishment of God is fearefull vnto him he dreadeth the iudgements and threatnings which God hath denounced against pride and vnthankfulnesse against rebellion and contempt of God knowing assuredly that the same
there is no Certaintie Whereas he saith that M. Perkins confesseth that they professe certaintie of hope he speaketh to that purpose somewhat but so as that he confesseth that certaintie to be as they affirme it onely probable and coniecturall and not that which is here spoken of which is without doubting These words therefore are directly contrarie to that which they say because here it is sayd that we must without doubt hope for the kingdome of heauen whereas they say we must neuer so hope for it but that we must feare and stand in doubt Whereas he maketh a difference betwixt certaintie of hope and certaintie of faith it is nothing to this place For when Hilarie for reason of that he saith that we must hope without doubting bringeth in that faith if it be doubtfull doth not iustifie he plainely sheweth that he confoundeth faith and hope and taketh them here both for the same and importeth that we are to beleeue to be made partakers of the kingdome of heauen which is the same as to beleeue our owne Saluation But saith M. Bishop Hilarie there speaketh of the faith of the resurrection of the dead Verie lewdly and vnhonestly for there is not a word there spoken of the resurrection of the dead but onely to shew how Christ confirmeth his to the vndoubted c Confirmare nos in spem honorum aeternorum fiduciam futurorum laborat confidence and hope of those good things which are to come and shall continue for euer And that he may yet further vnderstand that Hilarie by hope meaneth otherwise then they doe he saith in another place d In Psal 2. in fine Non trepidam spem neque ambiguam perfectio beatitudinis exigit Confidentia ad id opus est firmae opinionis scilicet indemutabili voluntate quia plùs sit confidere quam sperare ConfideÌ„dum ergo est ne nos à via iusta exardescens breui ira Dei deperdat Fidelis enim est qui ait Qui credit in me c. that the accomplishing of our blisse requireth a hope that is without feare or doubt We haue thereto neede of the confidence of a firme and constant opinion and an vnchangeable minde because to be confident is more then to hope We are therefore to be confident therein least the wrath of God waxing hot do suddenly destroy vs from the right way For he is faithfull who saith He that beleeueth in me shall not be iudged but shall passe from death to life By which words it appeareth manifestly that the true hope is not as M. Bishop taketh it a probable and likely conceit ioyned with vncertaintie and feare but a confident hope a setled and constant hope beleeuing stedfastly without feare or doubt to receiue that life and blisse that Christ hath promised At the next place of Bernard he againe verie wilfully shutteth his eyes and refuseth to see that which he cannot chuse but see What can be more directly spoken to the matter in hand then e Bernard epist 107. Reuelante spiritu per fidem homini aeternum Dei propesitum super salute sua futurae that the spirit by faith reuealeth to a man the eternall purpose of God concerning his owne Saluation to come Why doth he denie to a man to beleeue his owne Saluation when the spirit by faith reuealeth to him the purpose of God that he shall be saued Here is no ambiguitie of words here is an expresse affirming of the point in question that the spirit by faith reuealeth to a man the euerlasting purpose of God concerning his owne Saluation What haue we now for answer hereof Note saith he that he saith the reuelation of the spirit to be nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace But what is that to the purpose what this reuelation is Why doth he not answer to the point that the spirit of God by faith reuealeth vnto a man the purpose of God concerning his own Saluation Let that reuelation be howsoeuer it is sufficient for vs that God by his spirit reuealeth to a man that whence he hath to beleeue his owne Saluation Now Bernard indeed declareth this f Quae sanè reuelatio no est aliud quà m infusio gratiae spiritualis per quaÌ„ dum facta carnis mortificantur homo ad regnum praeparatur quod caro sanguis non possident simul accipiens in vno spiritu vnde se praesumat amatum vnde redamet ne gratis amatus sit reuelation to be nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by which whilest the deeds of the flesh are mortified a man is prepared to the kingdome which flesh and bloud inherite not receiuing together in one spirit both whereby he may presume that he is loued and doth also loue againe But this impeacheth nothing that we say nay it serueth wholy to strengthen our assertion For how doth faith by the infusion of spirituall grace apprehend the purpose of God concerning our Saluation but in that it beleeueth by the word of God that they to whom such and such graces are giuen are the children of God and shall be saued that they who are called and iustified shall also be glorified And thus S. Bernard at large declareth in that epistle that g Sic adortuÌ„ solis iustitiae sacramentum absconditum a seculis de praedestinatis beatificandis emergere quodammodo incipit ex abysso aternitatis dum quisque vocatus per timorem iustificatus per amorem praesumit se quoque esse de numero beatorum sâ—iens nimirum quia quos iustificauit illos magnificauit at the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse in our iustification the secret that was hidden from the beginning concerning them that are predestinate and shall be blessed beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternitie whilest a man called by the feare of God and made iust by loue presumeth that he is one of the number of the blessed knowing that whom he hath iustified them he hath also glorified that h Habes homo huius arcani indicem spiritum iustificantem ecque ipso testificantem spiritui tuo quòd filius Dei ipse sis Agnosce censilium Dei in iustificatione tui a man is to take for the declarer of that secret the spirit iustifying him and thereby testifying to his spirit that he is the child of God that i Id quisque accipit iniustificatione sui vt incipiat ipse cognoscere sicut cognitus est cùm videlicet datur ipsi praesentire aliquid de sua ipsius futura beatitudine quemadmodum ab aeterno latuit in praedestinante plenius appariturum in beatificante in his iustification he is to take knowledge of the counsell of God and that therein he beginneth to know euen as he is knowne there being giuen to him to perceiue somewhat before hand of his future blisse accordingly as hath lien hid from euerlasting in God by whom he
6. 11. plainly professeth that he cannot tell whether he loue God or God loue him who saith that hope and charity are seated in the darke corners of the will and a man hath but onely coniectures and a probable opinion of the being thereof in himselfe What shall he then make bold of in name of friendship with Christ who knoweth not whether he be a friend to Christ or Christ to him As for the saying of Austine why he alledgeth it I know not vnlesse it be that he were onely desirous to say somewhat out of Austine S. Austine noteth that inherent iustice consisteth in charity which is the summe of the law which is the rule of iustice According therefore to the measure of our charity greater or lesse so is the measure of our righteousnesse We say the same but what is this to shew that charity is the fittest instrument to apply vnto vs the merit of Christ But that he may not dreame of iustification before God by any perfection of charity here let him remember what Saint Austine hath said thereof that f August epist 29. Supra cap. 2. sect 8. perfect charity is in no man so long as he liueth here that the lesnesse thereof to that that it ought to be is by reason of a default or corruption in vs by reason whereof no man liuing shall be iustified in the sight of God 30 W. BISHOP M. Perkins fourth Reason is taken from the iudgement of the auncient Church They are blessed Ambros in Rom. 4. to whom without any labour or worke done iniquities are remitted So no workes or repentance is required of them but onely that they beleeue To these and such like words I answer First that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Saint Ambroses Secondly that that Author excludeth not repentance but onely the workes of Moses law which the Iewes held to be necessary as circumcision and such like see the place and conferre with it that which he hath written in the same worke vpon the fourth to the Hebrewes where he hath these words Faith is a great thing and without it it is not possible to be saued but faith alone doth not suffice but it is necessary that faith worke by charity and conuerse worthy of God De verb. Ap. ser 40. M. Perkins next authority is gathered out of S. Augustine There is one propitiation for all sinners to beleeue in Christ True but where is it that we neede nothing else but to beleeue Leuit. li. 1. ca. 2. 3. Hesichius saith Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone and not of works that is we do not merit by our works done before grace any thing at Gods hand but of his mercy receiue both faith and iustification Sup. Cāt. ser 22. 4. Bernard hath Whosoeuer thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee that being iustified by faith alone he may haue peace with God Answer By faith alone he excludeth all other meanes that either Iew or Gentile required but not charity which his very words include for how can we abhorre sinne and thirst after iustice without charity and in the same worke he declareth plainly Serm. 24. that he comprehendeth alwaies charity when he speakes of a iustifying faith saying A right faith doth not make a man righteous if it worke not by charity And againe Neither works without faith nor faith without works is sufficient to make the soule righteous Gal. 3. 5. Chrysostome they said he who rested on faith alone was accursed but Paul sheweth that he is blessed who rested on faith alone Answer He speakes of the Iewes who held Christians accursed because resting on the faith in Christ would not obserue withall Moses law Gal. 5. the Apostle contrariwise denounceth them accursed who would ioyne the ceremonies of Moses law with Christian religion and so faith alone there excludeth onely the old law not the workes of charity so he mangleth pittifully a sentence of S. Basils saying De Humil. Let man acknowledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified onlie by faith in Christ If a man know himselfe iustified by faith in Christ how can he acknowledge that he wants true iustice His words truly repeated are these Let man acknowledge that he is vnworthie of true iustice and that his iustification comes not of his desert but of the meere mercy of God through Christ So that by faith alone Saint Basil treating of humility excludes all merit of our owne but no necessarie good disposition as you may see in his Sermon de Fide where he proues by many texts of holy Scripture that charitie is as necessarie as faith M. Perkins last testimonie is out of Origen Rom. 3. Who proues as M. Perkins said that onely beleeuing without workes iustifieth by the example of the Theefe on the Crosse of whose good workes there is no mention Answer Origen excludeth no good disposition in vs to iustification but saith that a man may be saued without doing outwardly any good workes if he want time and place as the Theefe did who presently vpon his conuersion was put to death which is good Catholike doctrine but that you may perceiue how necessary the good dispositions before mentioned be to iustification you shall finde if you consider well all circumstances not one of them to haue bene wanting in that good Theefes conuersion First that he stood in feare of Gods iust iudgement appeares by these his words to his fellow Doest thou not feare God c. He had hope to be saued by Christ out of which he said O Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome By both which speeches is shewed also his faith both in God that he is the gouernour and iust iudge of the world and in Christ that he was the Redeemer of mankind His repentance and confession of his fault is laid downe in this And we truly suffer worthily His charity towards God and his neigbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemie in defending Christs innocencie and in the middest of his greatest disgraces and raging enemies to confesse him to be King of the world to come out of all which we may gather also that he had a full purpose to amend his life and to haue taken such order for his recouery as it should please Christ his Sauiour to appoint So that he lacked not any one of those dispositions which the Catholike Church requires to iustification Now that that great Doctor Origen meant not to exclude any of these good qualities out of the companie of faith is apparant by that which he hath written on the next Chapter where he saith That faith cannot be imputed to iustice Rom. 4. to such as beleeue in Christ vnlesse they do withall put off the old man and a little before more plainly saying I thinke that faith is the first beginning of saluation hope is proceeding in the building but the
may wrest or draw from vs the duties of seruice which we owe. All is but this that God of his mercy by promises of reward draweth vs on to the performance of our duty towards him I doubt not but the Reader will wonder what should moue M. Bishop here to alledge this place to that purpose that he doth and yet he needeth not wonder that seeth still his manner of idle and impertinent allegations Very common sence teacheth that I am not bound to a man for the doing of that which he standeth bound to do for me There is no merit in the doing of it but trespasse if he do it not Yet he telleth vs that in S. Austines words there is a comparison couched that will put this matter out of doubt Which indeed is so closely couched as that in S. Austines words we can see no token of it and full ilfauouredly doth he deale with S. Austine therein to serue his owne turne For whereas the godly Father vseth the words to set forth Gods mercy that he vouchsafeth to promise reward for workes of due seruice this cosening impostour chargeth God hereby with duty of iustice bound to paiment of wages for merit and desert of workes But in the comparison by him laid downe there are many differences to be obserued which do lay open vnto vs the absurdity of it First of the infinite disproportion betwixt God and man it ariseth that no man by bondage or villanage can be bound in that high degree to another man as euery man is bound to God and therefore though one man being by cōmunity of nature the same that another is may deserue at the hands of another man yet it followeth not therefore that a man may deserue or merit at Gods hands Secondly manumission and freedome with men extinguisheth bondage and seruice but liberty and adoption to Godward are a bettering of the condition of our seruice but no discharge at all of the duty of it nay we are freed by liberty from sinne from death and from the diuell but we continue still bond seruants vnto God So doth the Apostle tel vs that therby we are made b Rom. 6 18.22 seruants vnto righteousnesse seruants vnto God Therefore doth he write himselfe c Phil 1 1 the seruant or bondman of Christ and S. Peter teacheth vs to acknowledge our selues d 1. Pet. 2.16 the seruants or bondmen of God Yea and S. Austine in the place cited calleth our workes e Obsequia debita seruitutis duties of seruice or bondage that are owing vnto God which being the last part of the sentence M. Bishop very guilefully left out because it wholy ouerthroweth that which he saith of the changing of our former state Thirdly the Prince is in some sort tied to the subiect as well as the subiect to the Prince For as the subiect hath neede of the Prince so hath the Prince also of the subiect as the subiect standeth by the Prince so doth the Prince by the subiect and therefore by necessity is tied to reward the seruice of the subiect for the securing of his owne estate But it is not so with God we do nothing to benefit him he needeth vs not and therefore it is his meere mercy to vouchsafe any countenance to our seruice Fourthly there is some proportion betwixt temporall seruice temporall reward and yet such is the magnificence of Princes as that for small seruice they giue great reward farre beyond the woorth of the worke which they reward but there is no proportion as shall be shewed betwixt out temporall seruice to God and his eternall rewards to vs and much more roiall and magnificent is he to reward farre beyond all possibility of desert Last of all adde concerning M. Bishops free man that that was said before concerning his farmer that in the seruice of his Prince he is able to do nothing but by the helpe of his Prince so that what is done is indeede his Princes doing for him and not his owne for himselfe yea and that in his Princes seruice he commit so many defaults as that if he be questioned he be not able for a thousand to answer one and we shall leaue the free man the farmer both alike both disclaiming merit and pleading mercy content to take that of free gift which M. Bishops pride will not take but by desert Now therfore briefly to touch his application all that we can do saith he is due debt vnto God True but not onely by state of our creation but also in that liberty wherewith he hath set vs free in Christ because by our liberty we are free from sinne and death but still continue bond to God In this liberty he saith that God hath made vs capable of heauenly riches if we endeuour to deserue them but no where hath God set them forth with that condition and after all our endeuour we are very farre from deseruing God he saith doth not binde vs to do all that we can do A lewd man who cannot but know that we cannot by many degrees do that that we are bound vnto and seeing he bindeth vs to giue him f Mar. 11.30 all the heart all the soule all the minde all the strength how can he say that God doth not binde vs to all that we can do Againe by the same spirit he termeth the commaundements of God that little that he commaundeth A foolish and sencelesse man a meere Pharisee not knowing the power of Gods law otherwise if he had grace and spirit to conceiue it he would by the law as the Apostle did finde himselfe g Rom. 7.10 dead in himselfe and acknowledge that which now seemeth to him but little to be a burden beyond his strength At length he telleth vs that God by promise hath bound himselfe to repay vs a large recompence But if by promise then of mercie on his owne part not of merit on our part By promise he bindeth himselfe but by merit we binde him to vs. It is in his owne power to promise and without promise he should be tied to nothing but whether there be promise or not he is tied in iustice to render for merit and desert Now because Maister Bishop in the issue of his comparison can finde nothing but promise the end of his comparison must be that merit and desert is altogether to be excluded But by that that he hath said he telleth vs that we may well vnderstand those words of our Sauiour h Luk. 17.20 When ye haue done all those things which are commaunded you say We are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our dutie to doe And how then are we to vnderstand them Marry by our natiue condition we were bound to performe all the commaundements of God and this we must confesse to preserue true humility in vs yet God hath bettered our estate in Christ and made vs thereby in case to deserue of him But what
one of vs. Where my portion raigneth I beleeue that I also raigne where my bloud ruleth I beleeue that I also haue dominion where my flesh is glorified I know that I also am glorious Albeit I be a sinner yet I doubt not of this fellowship of grace Albeit my sinnes hold backe yet my substance namely being now of his flesh and his bones requireth it Albeit mine owne defaults doe exclude me yet fellowship of nature putteth mee not away I might despaire because of my exceeding great sinnes and corruptions my defaults and infinite negligences which I haue committed and dayly without ceasing doe commit in thought and word and worke and euery way that humane frailtie can sinne but that thy Word O my God became flesh and dwelt amongst vs. But now I dare not despaire because he being obedient vnto thee vnto death euen the death of the crosse hath taken away the hand-writing of our sinnes and fastening it to the crosse hath crucified sinne and death Now securely I take breath and heart againe in him who sitteth at thy right hand and maketh intercession for vs. By these words and many other that might be alledged out of that booke the Reader may iudge of the construction that M. Bishop maketh of the words cited by M. Perkins We see nothing here but confession of sinnes in himselfe no other hope but onely forgiuenes of sins in Christ Surely these are not the speeches of a man dreaming of an ablenesse giuen vnto him to deserue eternall life No no it was neuer heard of in the world that the meaning of these words My hope is wholly in the death and merite of Christ should be that we hope to be able by Christ to merite and deserue saluation vntill these brazen faced hypocrites were hired and set to worke by Antichrist for the confusion of soules by making them to leane vpon the broken staffe of their owne merites in steed of the onely sauing merite of the bloud of Christ The faithful haue alwayes in their end betaken themselues to this hold and many returning vnto God euen at the last gaspe hauing nothing in themselues to comfort themselues haue securely reposed their hope in the merit and death of Christ and with ioy and comfort haue gone to God who if they had vnderstood hope in Christ according to M. Bishops exposition thereof of being to be made able by Christ to merite heauen would haue bene rent and torne in peeces with perplexitie and feare neither could haue conceiued any comfort thereof at all But let him alone he shall one day vnderstand the vntruth of his answer when he shall be glad to make vse of those words which we haue spoken of or the like without that good sence as hee calleth it which now his senslesse and dead heart imagineth of them The place of Basil is as cleare as the light yet he laboureth to cast a mist before it also but cannot so doe it but that hee is forced in part to acknowledge the truth on our behalfe k Basil in Psal 114. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is layd vp eternall rest saith he for them that striue lawfully in this life not to be rendered according to debt for workes but prouided according to the grace of the bountifull God for them that trust in him Where apparently Basill alludeth to the words of the Apostle l Rom. 44. To him that worketh that is to him that hath the righteousnes of workes the reward is not imputed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by fauour but by debt and therefore the phrases being borowed from the Apostle must with him haue the same meaning as with the Apostle they haue His meaning then is plaine that that eternall rest is not rendered by way of debt but by way of fauour and grace and neuer hath any ecclesiasticall writer vnderstood those phrases otherwise Onely M. Bishop telleth vs that Basils meaning is that it is not rendered according to the debt of workes that is according to the iust rate of workes but in a fuller measure and aboue our merites But his masters of Rhemes reiect this commentary of his and doe tell him that our workes are m Rhem. Testam Annot. 2. Tim. 4. fully worthy of euerlasting life God then doth not exceed the rate of our workes as they say but giueth onely what we are fully worthy of what we fully and iustly merite and deserue thereby Yea and they saw well that to teach otherwise as M. Bishop doth is to ouerthrow merite For if God do giue vs aboue our merits then we do not merite that which God giueth or if we do merite it then it cannot be sayd to be aboue our merites But it is aboue our merites sayth M. Bishop therefore it followeth necessarily that we doe not merite or deserue it Yea wee haue seene before out of Fulgentius and Bernard that Gods reward doth so incomparably exceede all the merite and worke of man as that eternall life is not due thereunto by right neither should God doe any wrong if hee did not giue it and therefore the sentence of Basill is true according to the Apostles intendment of those termes which he vseth that eternall life is not rendered by way of debt for workes but by grace that is freely bestowed to them that trust in him M. Bishop telleth vs that hee maketh eternall life to be the prize of the combat but what of that seeing hee giueth vs to vnderstand that this prize is with fauour and mercie proposed and with the same mercie and fauour rendered to them that fight the combat Therefore hee sayth in another place n Basil de humilit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing left thee O man to glorie of whose glorying and hope consisteth in this that thou mortifie all that is thine and seeke in Christ the life to come whereof hauing the first fruites we are now therein liuing wholly by the grace and gift of God There is then with Basil no merit no debt in any sort because we liue wholy by the grace and gift of God so that M. Bishops exposition is but a meere falsification of Basils words M. Perkins further alledgeth a saying of Austin He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits M. Bishop answereth that S. Austin was too wise to let any such foolish sentence passe his pen. He questioneth the matter What congruitie is it to say thus He directeth a better forme of speech It had bene better sayd thus Now if the sentence be S. Austins what will men but take M. Bishop for a foole that wold so vnaduisedly befoole S. Austin and take vpon him to correct his words when he had no cause The place indeed is misquoted either by M. Perkins mistaking or by the ouersight of the Printer for in steed of Psal 102. he hath quoted Psal 120. by misplacing of the figure a very small and easie ouersight But S.
loue of that righteousnes for which we fight in fighting against it So death of it selfe the wages of sin becometh to the faithful as a poison broken into a medicine and as a serpent that hath lost his sting a Bern. in Cant. Ser. 26. Iam non stimulus sed iubilus I am cantando moritur homo moriendo cantat Vsurparis ad laetitiam mater moeroris vsurparis ad gloriam gloriae inimica vsurparis ad introitum regni porta inferi fouea perditionis ad inuentionem salutis There is no sting but song saith S. Bernard man now dieth singing and singeth dying O thou mother of mourning saith he thou art turned to ioy thou enemy of glory doest now serue to giue glory thou gate of hell art vsed for an entry to the kingdome of heauen and thou pit of destruction for the finding of saluation S. Austin saith thereof that b Aug. de pec mer. remis li. 2. cap. 34. MorteÌ„ cerporis propter peccatum homini Deus inflixit post peccatorum remissionem propter exercendam iustitiam non ademit Et paulò priùs eam fidelibus euenire vt eius timore vinceÌ„do exerceretur fortitudo iustitiae God inflicted death for the punishment of sin and after forgiuenes of sins he still left it for the exercising of righteousnesse that saith he the fortitude of righteousnesse might be exercised in ouercoming the feare thereof The like hath bene noted out of him c Sect. 2. before concerning other iudgements laid vpon mankind in the beginning by reason of sinne Now as of these so of all other afflictions after forgiuenesse of sinnes we resolue that they forgo their former condition and propertie and cease to be reuengements and punishments for sinne but haue other respects and vses for which they are continued The examples so strongly vrged by Master Bishop make nothing against this First the Israelites murmure God to Moses threateneth wholly to destroy theÌ„ promising to make of him a mighty people Moses prayeth vnto God to withhold that wrath from his people to forgiue the trespasse God saith d Num. 14.20 I haue forgiueÌ„ it according to thy request but he addeth Notwithstanding as I liue all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord for all those men which haue seen my glory my miracles which I did in Egypt in the wildernes and haue tempted me these ten times and haue not obeyed my voice certainly they shall not see the land wherof I sware vnto their fathers Here is the forgiuenes of a sin saith M. Bishop and yet a punishment ensuing after But we answer him that this example altereth the question cometh not within the compasse of that wherof we speake For it is one thing to speake of the forgiuenesse of a sinne to the whole body of a people and another thing to speake of forgiuenesse to one particular man Forgiuenesse of a sinne to a whole people is not absolute but onely in a respect it is not simply the taking away of a sinne but the taking of it away in some sort and therefore though it be the excluding of one punishment yet nothing hindreth but that it may leaue place for another yea and though in common there be a forgiuenesse yet in particular there may stil remaine an imputation of the sinne euen as amongst this people were many reprobates and cast-awayes who though they were forgiuen and freed in respect of the destruction then threatened yet being void of repentance and true faith found otherwise spiritually no benefite at al of this forgiuenesse God saith not here simply I haue forgiuen it but I haue forgiuen it according to thy request Moses request was according to Gods threatening Gods threatening was wholly to destroy that nation In this respect God said I haue forgiuen it namely so as not at once to destroy this people according to my wrath and indignation conceiued against them And this Lyra very well obserued e Lyra in Num. ca. 14. Benè dicit iuxta quòd non totaliter dimisit sed quantum ad hoc quòd non deleret totum populum simul He saith well saith he according to thy request because he did not wholy pardon it but onely as touching the not destroying of the whole people at once Now albeit in this respect he did forgiue it because he did not wholy forgiue it therefore he voweth to glorifie himselfe throughout all the earth by making them an example of his iudgement vpon vnthankfull men with whom no sights nor sayings can preuaile to make them obedient to the voyce of God Therefore he would forbeare to destroy them in that sort and to their seed he wold make good the promise of the land of Canaan but as for them he would weare out the whole multitude of them that not one of them shold haue the enioying or sight thereof This he laid as a iudgement in common vpon that generation of men which had so infinitly from time to time prouoked him as that they made him f Psal 95.12 to sweare that they should not enter into his rest But yet in the bosome of that multitude we cannot doubt but many there were who truly repented and obtained forgiuenes both of this of all their other sins yet together with the rest were depriued of entrance into that holy land For God doth not except particular men from generall and common plagues and when he striketh a nation with famine sword pestilence or other calamity both one and other good and bad are subiect vnto it g Cyprian contra Demetr Intrae vnam domum boni mali interim coÌ„tinemur quicquid intrae domum euenerit pari sorte perpetimur donec c. We are shut vp together in one house saith Cyprian and whatsoeuer befalleth within the house we suffer it all alike Onely he so ordereth that what is to a nation in common for reuenge punishment becommeth in particular to the repentant and faithful a helpe and furtherance of saluation And so was it with the beleeuing Israelites who though by a common iudgement they were excluded corporally from the Sacrament and signe yet were thereby spiritually edified and learned with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob so much the more to meditate to desire long for the spirituall and euerlasting rest Albeit in respect of the faithfull also it is to be vnderstood that Gods chastisements oftentimes lye vpon them after forgiuenesse of sinnes though not for punishments to theÌ„selues yet for exemplary admonitions to others h Tho. Aquin. 12. q. 87. art 6. ad 3. Vt edificeÌ„tur in poena qui scaÌ„dâ—lizati sunt in culpa that as Thomas Aquinas speaketh they may be edified by the punishment that were scandalized by the sinne And thus S. Austin rightly saith that i Aug in Joan. tr 124. Productior est poenae quà m culpa ne parua putaretur culpa si cum
of both difficult and doubtfull texts of Scripture traditions are most necessary M. Perkins his answer is that there is no such need of them but in doubtfull places the Scripture it self is the best glosse if there be obserued first the analogie of faith which is the summe of religion gathered out of the clearest places secondly the circumstance of the place and the nature and signification of the words thirdly the conference of place with place and concludeth that the Scripture is falsly termed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the abuse of man Reply To begin with his latter words because I must stand vpon the former Is the Scripture falsly termed matter of strife because it is not so of his own nature why then is Christ truly called the stone of offence or no to them that beleeue not S. Peter sayth Yes No sayth M. Perkins 1 Pet. â— because that cometh not of Christ but of themselues But good Sir Christ is truly termed a stone of offence and the Scripture matter of strife albeit there be no cause in them of those faults but because it so falleth out by the malice of men The question is not wherefore it is so called but whether it be so called or no truly that which truly is may be so called truly But the Scripture truly is matter of great contention euery obstinate heretike vnderstanding them according to his owne fantasie and therefore may truly be so termed although it be not the cause of contention in it selfe but written to take away all contention But to the capitall matter these three rules gathered out of Saint Augustine be good directions whereby sober and sound wits may much profit in study of Diuinitie if they neglect not other ordinary helpes of good instructions and learned commentaries but to affirme that euery Christian may by these meanes be enabled to iudge which is the true sence of any doubtfull or hard text is extreme rashnesse and meere folly S. Augustine himselfe wel conuersant in those rules endued with a most happie wit and yet much bettered with the excellent knowledge of all the liberall Sciences yet he hauing most diligently studied the holy Scriptures for more than thirtie yeares with the helpe also of the best commentaries he could get and counsell of the most exquisite yet he ingeniously confesseth That there were more places of Scripture that after all his study he vnderstood not then which he did vnderstand * Epist 119. cap. 21. And shall euery simple man furnished onely with M. Perkins his three rules of not twise three lines be able to dissolue any difficultie in them whatsoeuer Why do the Lutherans to omit all former heretikes vnderstand in one sort the Caluinists after another the Anabaptists a third way and so of other sects And in our owne country how commeth it to passe that the Protestants find one thing in the holy Scriptures the Puritans almost the cleane contrary Why I say is there so great bitter and endlesse contention among brothers of the same spirit about the meaning of Gods word If euery one might by the ayd of those triuial notes readily disclose all difficulties and assuredly boult out the certaine truth of them It cannot be but most euident to men of any iudgement that the Scripture it selfe can neuer end any doubtfull controuersie without there be admitted some certain Iudge to declare what is the true meaning of it And it cannot but redound to the dishonor of our blessed Sauior to say that he hath left a matter of such importance at randon and hath not prouided for his seruants an assured meane to attaine to the true vnderstanding of it If in matters of temporall iustice it should be permitted to euery contentious smatterer in the Law to expound and conster the grounds of the law and statutes as it should seeme fittest in his wisedome and not be bound to stand to the sentence and declaration of the Iudge what iniquitie should not be law or when should there be any end of any hard mater one Lawyer defending one part another the other one counseller assuring on his certaine knowledge one party to haue the right another as certainly auerring not that but the contrary to be law both alledging for their warrant some texts of Law What end and pacification of the parties could be deuised vnlesse the decision of the controuersie be committed vnto the definitiue sentence of some who should declare whether counsellor had argued iustly and according to the true meaning of the Law none at all but bloudy debate perpetuall conflict each pursuing to get or keepe by force of armes that which his learned counsell auouched to be his owne To auoid then such garboiles and intestine contention there was neuer yet any Law-maker so simple but appointed some gouernour and Iudge who should see the due obseruation of his Lawes determine all doubts that might arise about the letter and exposition of the Law who is therefore called the quicke and liuely law and shall we Christians thinke that our diuine Law-maker who in wisedome care and prouidence surmounted all others more than the heauens do the earth hath left his golden lawes at randon to be interpreted as it should seeme best vnto euery one pretending some hidden knowledge from we know not what spirit no no it cannot be once imagined without too too great derogation vnto the soueraigne prudence of the Sonne of God In the old Testament which was but a state of bondage as it were an introduction to the new yet was there one appointed vnto whom they were commanded to repaire for the resolution of all doubtfull cases concerning the Law yea and bound were they vnder paine of death to stand to his determination and shall we be so simple as to suffer our selues to be perswaded that in the glorious state of the Gospell plotted and framed by the wisedom of God himselfe worse order should be taken for this high point of the true vnderstanding of the holy Gospel it selfe being the life and soule of all the rest R. ABBOT It is truly said by Thomas Aquinas that a Thom. Aquin. sum p. 1. q. 39. art 4. c. In proprietatibus locutionum non tantum attendenda est res significata sed etiam modus significandi in propriety of speeches we are not only to regard the thing signified but also the manner of signification A speech may be true yet true only in some manner of signification which therefore in propriety of speech is not true because the thing properly of it selfe is not that that the speech importeth it to be Christ saith M. Bishop is truly called the rocke of offence Be it so yet it is true only in some manner of signification in which it is that the Scripture so calleth him in proprietie of speech it is not true because Christ of himselfe and properly is not so He becommeth so