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
hos duos testes duos vn oâ— esse ante aduentum Christi coelum in nubibus ascendisse Quomodo autem potuerunt habitantes terram de duorum nece gaudere â—um in vna ciuitate marerentur munera inuiceÌ„ mittere si tres dies sunt quo antequaÌ„ gaudeant de nece contristentur de resurrectione their conceipt is wholy excluded who thinke that those two witnesses shall be two certaine men and that they bee ascended to heauen in the clouds before the comming of Christ For how saith he should the inhabitants of the earth reioyce of the death of two when as they should dye in one citie and how should they send gifts one to another if there be but three dayes that before they can reioyce of their death they shall haue sorow againe of their resurrection He gathereth out of the very text it selfe that the place cannot be meant of two particular men because the inhabitants through the world can haue no such reioycing of two men put to death in one place who within three dayes must rise againe and therefore necessarily we must admit another construction thereof That is briefly this as more at large might be shewed if occasion so required that the seruants of God for the word of their testimonie the doctrine of Iesus Christ witnessed by the old and new testament should be murthered and slaine in the streets and cities of the Romane Empire and their bodies dishonorably cast forth and left to the foules and beasts whom yet notwithstanding God after a time certainly determined would chalenge from that despite and reproach and make their name glorious so that they should seeme euen to rise from death to life and as it were from hell to be raised vp to heauen which came afterwards to passe when God by Constantine freed his Church from the persecution of that time W. BISHOP Now let vs come to the ancient and learned men whom you cite in fauour of your exposition The first is S. Bernard who saith that they are the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist Of whom speaketh that good religious Father forsooth of some officers of the court of Rome Good who were as he saith the ministers of Christ because they were lawfully called by the Pope to their places but serued Antichrist for that they behaued themselues corruptly in their callings And so this maketh more against you then for you approuing the lawfull officers of Rome to be Christs ministers The second place is alledged out of him yet more impertinently your selfe confessing presently that those words were not spoken of the Pope but of his enemie The reason yet there set downe pleaseth you exceedingly which you vouch so clearely that it seemeth to beare flat against you for you inferre that that Pope and all others since that time be vsurpers out of this reason of S. Bernard Because forsooth that the Antipope called Innocentius was chosen by the King of Almaine Fraunce England c. and their whole cleargie and people For if Innocentius were an Antichrist and vsurper because he was elected by so many Kings and people then belike he that had no such election but is chosen by the Cardinals of Rome onely is true Pope This your words declare but your meaning as I take it is quite contrarie But of this matter and manner of election shall be treated hereafter if need require It sufficeth for this present that you find no reliefe at all in S. Bernard touching the maine point that either the Pope or Church of Rome is Antichrist And all the world might maruell if out of so sweet a Doctor and so obedient vnto the Pope any such poyson might be sucked specially weighing well what he hath written vnto one of them Lib. 2. de Cons ad Eugen. to whom he speaketh thus Go to let vs yet enquire more diligently who thou art and what person thou bearest in the Church of God during the time Who art thou A great Priest the highest Bishop thou art the Prince of Bishops the heire of the Apostles and in dignitie Aaron in authoritie Moses in Power Peter thou art he to whom the Keyes were deliuered to whom the sheepe were committed There are indeed also other Porters of Heauen and Pastors of flockes but thou art so much the more glorious as thou hast inherited a more excellent name aboue them they haue their flockes allotted to them to each man one but to thee all were committed as one flocke to one man thou art not onely Pastor of the sheepe but of all other Pastors thou alone art the Pastor And much more to this purpose which being his cleare opinion of the Pope how absurd is it out of certaine blind places and broken sentences of his to gather that he thought the Pope of Rome to be neither sheepe nor Pastor of Christs Church but verie Antichrist himselfe There is a grosse fault also in the Canon of Pope Nicholas as he citeth it that the Pope was to bee created by the Cardinals Bishops of Rome As though there were some thirtie or fortie Bishops of Rome at once but of the matter of election else where R. ABBOT I confesse the places of S. Bernard do not serue directly to that purpose to which they are brought In naming Antichrist he did not intend thereby that we should vnderstand the Pope yet M. Bishop without cause taketh aduantage of his first words because the Pope being Antichrist indeed nothing hindreth but that they who by office and calling and dutie are the ministers and seruants of Christ may in action and practise perfidiously and trecherously yeeld their seruice to the Pope Antichrist shall a 2. Thes 2.4 sit in the temple of God and therefore the officers of the temple of God shall be subiect vnto him That which by institution is the house of God shall by his occupation become a den of theeues they who by dutie are subiects shall in following him be rebels and traitors pastors shall become beasts watchmen shall be blind men and they who haue places for one vse shall turne them to another Thus S. Bernard saith of the Cleargie of Rome b Bernard in Cant. ser 32. Ministri Christi sunt seruiunt Antichristo They are the ministers of Christ and they serue Antichrist the true vse of their places is the seruice of Christ but they abuse the same to the helping forward of the kingdome of Antichrist He describeth at large in that place the horrible corruption of the Church of Rome c Ibid serpit hodie putidatabes per omne corpus ecclesiae et quo la tâ—uâ— eo desperatitâ— coque perititiosius quo interâ—tis A filthie contagion saith he is creeping through the whole bodie of the Church by how much the more generally so much the more desperatly and so much the more dangerously by how much the more inwardly He sheweth how the Pastours of Churches Deanes Archdeacons Bishops
acknowledge the same with him but he would hereby prooue a Free will to good whereto he saith Cain had the assistance of Gods grace which yet did not infallibly draw him to good but left him to his free choise whether he would follow it or not For proofe whereof there is no shew of any syllable either in the text or in the other testimonies which he hath alledged For as touching grace we find here none but that which the Pelagians spake of to counsell and aduise him whereas the true grace inwardly worketh whatsoeuer outwardly is counselled or aduised And whereas he saith that grace doth not infallibly draw to good it is true indeed of his Pelagian grace which consisteth onely in the commandement but the true grace of God doth infallibly draw to good q Iohn 6 44. No man saith our Sauior Christ can come vnto me r August cont duas epist Pelag. lib 1. cap. 19. Venire ad me intelligitur credere in me that is to say beleeue in me except my Father which hath sent me draw him therby importing that all that are drawne of the Father do come vnto him that is do beleeue in him because Å¿ De praedest sanct cap. 8. Nihil est aliud quaÌ„ donum accipere a patre quo credat in Christum to be drawne of the Father vnto Christ is to receiue a gift of the Father wherby to beleeue in Christ so that t Prosper de vocat gent. lib. 2. cap 9. Qui non credant nec trahuntur omniâ—ò they which beleeue not are not drawne at all Therefore our Sauiour addeth in the next words Euery one that heareth and learneth of the Father that is euerie one that the father draweth commeth vnto me Now M. Bishops drawing leaueth a man at his free choise whether he will follow or not He saith as the Pelagians did u August epist 107. Libertate naturali si vult facit si nonuult non facit Verse 45. If he will he doth so if he will not he doth not or as the Donatists x Idem de vnit eccles cap. 9. Cum arbitrio libero homo creatus est si vult credit in Christum si non vult non credit if he will he beleeueth if he list not he beleeueth not if he will he perseuereth if he will not he perseuereth not These were the progenitors and predecessors of his faith But the true drawing grace finding a man y Hieron a. li. Pelag. lib. 3 Qui trahitur non spote currit sed aâ—t retrectans tardus aut inuitus adiucitur resisting drawing backe vnwilling persecuting the faith as Paul did z August cont duas epist Pelag lib. 1. ca. 19 Quis trahitur si tam volebat Et tamen neâ—io venit nisi velit Trabitur ergo mires modis vt velit ab illo qui nouit tâ—tus in ipsis hominum cordibus operari non vt homines quod fieri non petest nolentes credant sed vt volemes ex nolentibus fiant Et lib. 4 cap. 9. Ex repugnantibus consentientes ex oppugnantâ—bus amantes conuerteth his will to the faith of vnwilling it maketh him willing of resisting it maketh him consenting of an oppugner of the faith it maketh him a louer thereof Let M. Bishop acknowledge this grace if he will speake of grace as the Scripture speaketh this is the onely true grace and this grace Cain was neuer partaker of and therefore being left to his owne will he did not what he might haue done in giuing eare to the warning and aduice that was giuen him of God 11. W. BISHOP The second is taken out of this text of Deut. Cap. 30.19 I call this day saith Moses heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue set before you life and death benediction and malediction therefore chuse life that thou mayst liue and thy seed Which words were spoken in vaine if it had not beene in their power by the grace of God to haue made choise of life or if that grace would haue made them do it infallibly without their consent R. ABBOT Moses saith a Deut. 30.19 I haue set before you life and death c. Therefore chuse life that thou mayst liue These words saith M. Bishop were spoken in vaine if it had not bene in their power by the grace of God to haue made choise of life Where he still goeth on with his Pelagian deuice yeelding no more to grace but onely adiuuare possibilitatem to helpe the power of man that whereas the power of man is not sufficient it may by grace be made able to make choise of life but yet so as that still it resteth in the will whether to make vse of this power or not But by the true grace of God man not onely hath power to chuse but indeed doth chuse the way of life And although man haue no power in himselfe whereof he can make vse to make this choise yet the words of God are not therfore spoken in vaine because the word the preaching thereof is the instrument wherby God worketh in man to chuse life whilest through the spirit it taketh effect b 2. Tim. 1.9 according to the purpose and grace of God He saith by the ministerie of the word Chuse life and by his grace c Act. 16.14 openeth the heart to attend to that which he saith and in the meane while d 2. Tim. 2.25 giueth repentance e Phil. 1 29. giueth faith f Ephe. 1.17 giueth the spirit of wisedome and reuelation g Mat. 13.11 giueth to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen h Ezech. 36.26 giueth a new heart i Ierem 32.40 giueth the feare of God and all things wherein consisteth the choise of life He saith Chuse life but so as that he telleth vs also k Iohn 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you as if he should say that it is not by our Free will but by his chusing of vs that we make choise of him l Prosper de vocâ—t gent. lib. 1. ca. 9. Ex Deo est vt homo 〈◊〉 Dei eligat surgat à lapsâ—s c. Et post Contra omnem electionem de â—â—ero arbitriâ— vementens inuictissimâ— illa renitum sententia dir◠〈◊〉 Apostoli Quis te discernit c. It is of God saith Prosper that man maketh choise of the way of God and ariseth from his fall and against all election or choise proceeding of Free will inuincibly resisteth the sentence of the Apostle saying Who separateth thee what hast thou that thou hast not receiued M. Bishop saith My Free will my choise hath made difference betwixt me and another man because when God made offer of life to vs both alike I by Free will made choise thereof and he refused But the Apostle telleth him no. If he haue made choise of life it is no worke of Free will
deliuered from the body of death For i De nat et grat ca. 55. De corpore mors corporis separat sed contracta exillo vitia cohaeâ—ent quibus iusta poena debetur the death of the body separateth the wicked from the body when yet the vices and sins thereby gathered do sticke fast to which iust punishment remaineth due Therfore when he praieth to be deliuered from this body of death k Ibid. De vitijs corporis dicit he meaneth it of the vitious affections of the body l De Temp. ser 45. Per concupiscentiam dictuÌ„ est hoc nostrum mortis corpus By concupiscence is it that this our body of death is so called So Oecumenius saith that the Apostle desireth to be deliuered from m Oecumen in Ro. ca. 7. Ex corporalibus actio nibus spiritualem mortem inducentibus à concupiscentijs quae in corpore sunt quaeque mors nobis sunt the concupiscences which are in the body and which are death vnto vs and do cause a spirituall death n Origen ibid. Corpus mortis appellatur in quo habitat peccatuÌ„ quod mortis est causa It is a body of death saith Origen wherein sinne dwelleth which is the cause of death Ambrose saith that the Apostle calleth his body a body of death o Ambros apud Aug. cont IuliaÌ„ lib. 2. Omnes homines sub peccato nascimur quorum ipse ortus in vitio est c. Ideò Pauli caero corpus mortis erat c. because we all are borne vnder sinne and our very beginning is in trespasse acknowledging as touching the corruption of sin that what it was in the beginning the same in part it continueth still Epiphanius or rather Methodius saith that the Apostle here meaneth p Method apud Epiphan haer 64. Non corpus hoc mortem sed peccatum inhabitans per concupiscentiam in corpore dicit c. sinne dwelling by concupiscence in the body from the bad imaginations thoughts whereof he wished to be deliuered accounting the same death and destruction it selfe Bernard saith that it was q Bernard in Cant. ser 56. Jpsa est carnis concupiscentia c. Hoc sanè vnointeriecto pariete non longè peregrinabatur à Domino Vnde optabas clamans Quis me liberabit c. the law of sinne euen concupiscence standing as a wall betwixt God and him that made him crie out who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In concupiscence then standeth this body of death and because by this body of death it is that the Apostle calleth himselfe miserable it is concupiscence that maketh him miserable which therfore S. Austin calleth r August de Tempore ser 45. miseram legem the miserable law of sin not as being it self capable of misery but per metonymiam because it maketh vs miserable or because we are miserable by it Thus therfore the Apostle acknowledgeth himselfe miserable in himself not as holding himselfe to be in disgrace with God but as finding in himself that for which he deserueth so to be and should be but that God in Christ is mercifull vnto him not to impute the same And what is it but a miserie to haue as it were a filthy carion tied fast to him still breathing out noysome stinke to be continually troubled with an importunat enemy giuing him no rest wearying his soule from day to day nay to cary about with him Å¿ Idem cont Iulian Pelag. lib. 2. Exercitum queÌ„dam variarum cupiditatum intra semetipsum debellabat euen an army of diuerse and sundry lusts drawing one this way and another that way fighting against him on the right hand and on the left bereauing him of his ioy whilest in most earnest meditations they cary him away whether he will or not from that wherin his delight is If outward crosses do make a man miserable much more this inward destraction affliction which galleth the strings of the hart vexeth the very spirit and soule more then the bitternesse of death it selfe If M. Bishop knew this affliction he would thinke there were cause enough therein to make him crie out Miserable man that I am c. But his benummed heart feeleth it not and therefore he speaketh of these matters but as a Philosopher in the schooles without any conscience or sence of that he saith and to a formall argument as he calleth it giueth these mis-shapen and deformed answers 5. W. BISHOP Now to the second Infants Baptized die the bodily death before they come to the yeares of discretion but there is not in them any other cause of death besides Originall sinne for they haue no actuall sinne and death is the wages of sinne as the Apostle saith Rom 5. Rom. 5. death entred into the world by sinne Ans The cause of the death of such Innocents is either the distemperature of their bodies or externall violence and God who freely bestowed their liues vpon them may when it pleaseth him as freely take their liues from them especially when he meanes to recompence them with the happie exchange of life euerlasting True it is that if our first parents had not sinned no man should haue died but haue bene both long preserued in Paradise by the fruit of the wood of life and finally translated without death into the Kingdome of heauen and therefore is it sayd most truly of S. Paul Rom. 5. Rom. 6. Death entred into the world by sinne But the other place The wages of sinne is death is fouly abused for the Apostle there by death vnderstandeth eternall damnation as appeareth by the opposition of it to life euerlasting and by sinne there meaneth not Originall but actuall sinne such as the Romans committed in their infidely the wages whereof if they had not repented them had bene hell fire now to inferre that Innocents are punished with corporall death for Original sinne remaining in them because that eternall death is the due hire of actuall sinne is either to shew great want of iudgement or else very strangely to peruert the words of holy Scripture Let this also not be forgotten that he himselfe acknowledged in our Consent that the punishment of Originall sinne was taken away in Baptisme from the regenerate how then doth he here say that he doth die the death for it R. ABBOT The example of infants dying after Baptisme before they come to yeares of discretion is rightly alledged to proue that sinne remaineth after Baptisme because where there is no sin there can be no death To this M. Bishop sendeth vs a most pitifull and miserable answer that the cause of the death of infants is not sin but either the distemperature of their bodies or externall violence Thus he would maintain a priuiledge to infants against the words of S. Iohn a 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues that they may say we say we haue
no sinne and we do not therein deceiue our selues and though we die yet it is not by reason of sin that we die but either by the disteÌ„perature of our bodies or externall violence But if M. Perkins had sayd as he might haue sayd Infants after Baptisme are subiect to distemperature of body and externall violence and death following all which are the proper effects of sinne therefore they are not without sinne in what a wofull case had M. Bishop bene and how had he bene put to his shifts to deuise an answer Surely S. Austin saith that b Auâ—ust in Psal 37. Non aliquid patimur in ista vita n si ex illa morte quaÌ„ mâ—ruimus primo peccato we suffer not any thing in this life but by reason of that death which we deserued by the first sinne And so saith Origen verie rightly that c Origen in Leuit hom 3. Nobis hominiâ—us vel mors velreliqua omnis fragilitas in carne ex piccati conditione superducta est death and all other frailtie in the flesh was brought vpon vs by the condition or state of sin Therfore distemperature and weaknesse and sicknes and suffering of externall violence are no lesse arguments of sinne then death it selfe and how then doth he make these the causes of death without sinne when they are no otherwise the causes of death but by reason of sinne But he addeth further that God who freely bestowed their liues on them may when it pleaseth him as freely take their liues from them But yet if there be no sin and if it be as the Trent Councell saith that there is nothing in them that God hateth nothing that hindereth them from entring into heauen why then doth God without cause take away their life and not rather without death receiue them vnto himselfe why doth he not immediatly d 2. Cor. 5 4. cloth them vpon that mortality may be swallowed vp of life This is a mysterie to M. Bishop he cannot tel what to say therof But the dying of baptized infants sheweth that there is still in theÌ„ a corruption of flesh and bloud by which the sentence of the Apostle taketh hold of them e 1. Cor. 15.50 flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of God neither shall corruption inherite incorruption The cause of their death is the putting off of this corruptioÌ„ the dissolution full mortification of the body of sin that this slough being cast off and mortalitie changed into immortalitie corruption into incorruption they may be fit for the inheritance of the kingdome of God Thus Epiphanius bringeth in Methodius disputing against Proclus the Origenist that f Epiphan haer 64. ex Methodiâ— In auxiliaris medicamenti moduÌ„ ab auxiliatore nostro verè medico Deo ad eradicationem peccati ac deletionem assumptae est mors c. Instar medicamentariae purgationis mortem Deus benè inuenit quo sic omnino inculpabiles innoxij inueniamur c. videtur velut siquis summus opifex statuam pulchram ex auro aut alia materia à se constructam rursus conflet mutilatam repentè conspicatus à pessimo quodam homine c. God as the true Physition hath appointed death for a medicinable purgation for the vtter rooting out and putting away of sinne that we may be made faultlesse and innocent and that as a goodly golden image sightly and seemely in all parts if it be broken and defaced by any meanes must be new cast and framed againe for the taking away of the blemishes and disgraces of it euen so man the image of God being maimed and disgraced by sinne for the putting away of those disgraces and the repairing of his ruines and decayes must by death be dissolued into the earth thence to be raised vp againe perfect and without default Now if M. Bishop will not learne it of vs yet let him learne it of these ancient Fathers that sin is the cause of death euen in them to whom notwithstanding it is forgiuen pardoned for Christs sake But he goeth further True it is that if our first parents had not sinned no man should haue died but both haue bene long preserued in Paradise by the fruit of the wood of life and finally translated without death into the kingdome of heauen But since they haue sinned what Marry it is most truly said by S. Paul Death entred into the world by sinne Well then if it entred by sin into the world doth it continue in the world by any other thing then by which it first entred Nay as it entred by sinne so sinne is the onely cause of the continuing of it and without sinne there is no death in the failing of the cause must needs be a surceasing of the effect Now to shew that death is the proper effect of sin M. Perkins alledgeth the words of the Apostle The wages of sinne is death But M. Bishop saith that this place is foully abused by him And why so Forsooth the Apostle here by death meaneth eternall damnation And what then Doth he therfore not meane bodily death also Surely the Apostle alludeth to that that God sayd to our father Adam in the beginning g Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou shalt eate of that forbidden tree thou shalt die the death thereby threatning vnto him both the first and second death And in that meaning hath the Apostle spoken of death in the chapter going before that by sinne came death c. Therefore M. Bishops great maister Thomas Aquinas telleth him that when the Apostle immediatly before saith the end of those things is death he meaneth by death h Tho Aquin. in Rom. cap 6. Peccata â—e se nata sunt inâ—iucere mâ—â—tem teÌ„poralem eternaâ—â— Et â—o â—arg finis peccati mori tam temporalis quà m aeterna both temporall and eternall death Another exception is that sinne is here taken onely for Actuall sinne which is a fiction meerly absurd and vaine For it is a proposition vniuersall concerning all sinne and so vsed vniuersally by all writers and if it be true of Actuall sinne that the wages of sinne is death much more is it true of Originall sinne which is the filthie and corrupt fountaine whence all actuall sins do spring And that we may know that M. Bishop himselfe is of no other mind he himselfe hath vsed it in the section next saue one before this concerning Originall sinne arguing that if Originall sinne were properly sinne in the regenerate then it should cause death vnto them because the wages of sinne is death Whereby it appeareth that he speaketh but at all aduenture and to serue the present turne without any conscience or regard of that he speaketh whether it be true or false He hath bene brought vp in Bellarmines schoole and of him hath learned to care no further but onely to say somewhat though it be starke naught Now for conclusion of this
To which purpose he addeth further that albeit other defects and infirmities doe remaine in vs for our greater humiliation and probation yet all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules by the pure grace of God powred abundantly into it in Baptisme Which now how farre it is from truth it appeareth by that that hath beene alreadie sayd I will here adde only the words of Hilary who saith t Hilar. in Psal 118. Gimel Habemus etiaÌ„ nunc admixtam nobit materiam quae morus legi atque peccat bonoxia est in huius caducae carius infirmaeque domicilio corruptionis labeÌ„ ex eius consortio mutuaâ—ur ac nisi glorificato in naturam spiritus corpore vitae verae in nobis non potest esse naturae c. Scit hanc mundi istius sedeÌ„ regionem no esse viuentium scit nos adhuc secundum praefiguraetionem legis emundandos esse Nunc enim admiscemur morticinae in lege quisquis mortuis contrectas immundus est c. We haue as now a matter mingled with vs which is subiect to the law of sinne and death and that in the house of this mortall and weake flesh we gather a blot of corruption by the societie thereof and vntill the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit there cannot be in vs the nature of true life that this world is not the land of the liuing but that we are here still to be cleansed by reason of being blended with the carion of concupiscence and that this was the thing figured in the law where a man was vncleane for touching any dead body Surely if in this life we remaine still in case to be cleansed if there be still a blot of corruption by reason of concupiscence still cleaning fast vnto vs and it can be no otherwise till the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit then it is vtterly false as indeed it is to say that in Baptisme all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules But whereas all men find by experience both in themselues and others that there is a wonderfull prauity and corruption of nature still continuing whereby we are all forward to that that is euill and altogether backward and vntoward to goodnesse to preuent the obiection hereof M. Bishop acknowledgeth a remainder of somewhat but he qualifieth the opinion thereof with fauourable and gentle termes He saith that defects and infirmities remaine in vs marry in no case must we thinke them to be sinnes But these defects and infirmities are such as for which it is true of vs which Saint Austin saith u August in Psal 37. Resumus adhuc filij irae spe non sumus By reall state and being we are still the children of wrath it is in hope as touching which we are not so How are we yet the children of wrath but by hauing in vs the matter of x In Psal 101. Jâ—â— cum qua omnes â—ati sumâ—â— â—ra de propagine â—aqudaetu â—e massa â—eccati that wrath wherewith we were all borne which what is it but onely sinne These defects then and infirmities what are they properly and in truth but onely sinne But M. Bishop in vsing these termes alludeth to S. Austin who oftentimes so calleth concupiscence and the lusts and motions thereof which if he did in the same meaning as S. Austin doth there should be no matter of great question betwixt him vs. For S. Austin calleth concupiscence vitium a defect not as vnderstanding thereby as the English word importeth a meer priuation and want of somewhat that should be but a positiue euil quality that ought not to be a vicious corrupt condition of man such a defect if we wil so cal it let vs call it y De lib arbit lib 2 cap 1. 〈…〉 â—eâ—tmi â—ites esse corruptio a corruption as he himself expoundeth it as z Fâ—â—st to â—ispra Sect. 8. by reason wherof the same S. Austin saith that no man liuing shall be found righteous in the sight of God as we haue seene before It is vitium such a defect as whereby a De ciuit Dei lib. 12. cap. 3. the nature of man is vitiated and corrupted and so farre as it is corrupted is euill and there is nothing that maketh an euill man but onely sinne It is b Cont. Iul. li. 2. defectus à iustitia a defection or swaruing from righteousnesse hindering that c De perfect iust Rat. 17. sup sec 4 we loue not God with all our soule d Cont. Iul. l. 4 c. 2. InquantuÌ„ inest nocet etsi non ad perdenauÌ„ de sorte sanctorum tameÌ„ ad motuendam spiritualeÌ„ delectationeÌ„ sanctaruÌ„ mentium illaÌ„ de qua dicit Apostolus CoÌ„delector legi c. diminishing that spirituall delight that we ought to haue in the law of God and e De perfect iust Rat. 15. Supra Sect. 2. it is sinne when there is not that loue in vs that ought to be or the same is lesse then it ought to be But it is not onely after Baptisme that S. Austin giueth to concupiscence this name of vitium a defect or rather a vice or vicious qualitie he calleth it from the beginning f De nupt concup l. 1. c. 23. vitium quo vitiata est natura humana a vice or vicious qualitie wherewith the nature of man is vitiated and defiled Now before Baptisme there is no doubt but S. Austin by vice importeth sinne because for it he saith g Ibid. Propter quod damnatur propter hoc damnabili diabolo subrugatur the nature of man is condemned and is vnder the power of the diuell and the thing being still the same how should it after Baptisme be no sinne Albeit after Baptisme he calleth it h Cont. Iul lib. 2. Quia mortuum est in eo reatu quo nos tenebat vitium mortuum a vice or vicious qualitie that is now dead because saith he it is dead as touching the guilt wherewith it held vs but otherwise it liueth still He calleth the lusts thereof i Ibid. vitia à quorum reatu absoluti sumus vices from the guilt whereof we are released importing still that saue the guilt they are still the same that they were before Therefore albeit he forbeare the name of sinne after Baptisme in respect that they haue not the effect of sinne to make guiltie before God because they are alreadie pardoned yet he cannot be supposed otherwise to exclude them from the nature and name of sinne They did make guiltie before and should make guiltie still but that they are pardoned which cannot agree but to sinne onely And this did Pighius a friend of M. Bishops see very well k Pigh de peccats Org. cont 1. Vt vna eade nque manente aequitatis iustitiae regula iâ—leÌ„ aliquid in se manens nuÌ„c propriè primò verèque
occulitur quasi abeūtis absentia indicitur the presence of God coming to a man is when he becōeth known to him his hiding of himself is termed the absence of him as going away in neither of which we are able sufficiētly to cōceiue or cōprehend him Wherby we may see with how great discretiō this place was brought to proue that gods work in mās repētāce is not certainly known to him Now therfore the word of God is warrant to a faithful man to assure himself of his Saluatiō For it biddeth him to d Mar. 1 15. beleeue the Gospell the Gospell is that e Ioh. 3.15.16 whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall haue euerlasting life He is therefore to beleeue that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall haue euerlasting life He is therfore to beleeue of himself that because he beleeueth in Christ he shall haue euerlasting life Or if he do not beleeue of himselfe beleeuing in Christ that he shall haue euerlasting life he beleeueth not the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall haue euerlasting life And thus the strength of M. Bishops argument is very feeble neither is it onely vaine in it selfe but he hath dealt as absurdly in the handling of it 3. W. BISHOP The second is It is no article of the Creed that a man must beleeue his owne Saluation and therefore no man is bound there unto M. Perkins answereth That euerie article of the Creed containes this particular faith of our owne Saluation namely three First saith he to beleeue in God is to beleeue that God is our God and to put our trust in him for our Saluation Answer I admit all this and adde more that M. Perkins be no longer ignorant of the Catholike knowledge of the Creed that we must also loue him with all our heart and strength thus we vnderstand it more fully then he Yet find not out that thirteenth article Thou must beleeue thine owne particular Saluation For albeit I beleeue and trust in God yet not being sure of my loue towards him I am not assured of Saluation for as S. Iohn testifieth He that loueth not 1. Iohn 3. abideth in death So I answer to the second article named by M. Perkins that is I beleeue that God of his infinite mercie through the merits of Christs passion doth pardon all those who being heartily sorie for their sinnes do humbly confesse them and fully purpose to leade a new life that I my selfe am such a one I do verily hope because I haue as farre forth as I could to my knowledge performed those things which God requires of me but because I am but a fraile creature and may perhaps not haue done all that so well as I ought or am not so well assured of that which by Gods helpe I haue done I cannot beleeue it for in matter of faith as you shall heare shortly there can be no feare or doubt The like answer is giuen to the article of life euerlasting Mat. 19. I beleeue that I shall haue life euerlasting if I fulfill that which our Sauior taught the young man demaunding what he must do to haue life euerlasting to wit if I keepe all Gods commandements but because I am not assured that I shall do so yea the Protestants though falsly assure vs that no man by any helpe of Gods grace can so do I remaine in feare But saith M. Perkins the diuell may so beleeue the articles of the Creed vnlesse we do apply those articles to our selues First I say the diuell knowes to be true all that we do beleeue and therefore are said by S. Iames to beleeue but they want a necessarie condition of faith that is a godly and deuout submission of their vnderstanding vnto the obedience of faith and so haue no faith to speake properly Againe they trust not in God for Saluation nor indeuour not any maner of way to obtaine Saluation as Christians do and so there is great difference betweene their beleefe in the articles of the Creed and ours R. ABBOT To this argument M. Perkins iustly saith that the pillars of the Church of Rome do not vnderstand the Creed who hauing corrupted all points of Christian faith must needs frame the articles of the Creed to the same corruption Whether they were the Apostles or other after them that layed together this briefe of faith they intended not therein a narration of common historie but a profession of priuate hope And that may appeare by the phrase wherein they haue expressed this beleefe I BELEEVE IN GOD THE FATHER I BELEEVE IN IESVS CHRIST I BELEEVE IN THE HOLIE GHOST For well doth M. Perkins note that to say I beleeue in God is all one as to say I beleeue that God is my God and I haue an assured confidence and trust in him to be saued by his mercie M. Bishop mentioneth the answer in superficiall and generall termes that to beleeue in God is to beleeue that God is our God and to put our trust in him for our Saluation and in this sort admitteth it but to that purpose as M. Perkins spake it he will by no meanes admit it because so to admit it should be to graunt the point in question He can be content that we in common beleeue God to be our God by right of soueraigntie and authoritie but he will not endure that any man shall say as M. Perkins intended I beleeue that God is my God by affection of loue He will like well enough that we put our trust in him for our Saluation so as to looke to be saued by him if we be saued and haply to cary some probable opinion that we shall be saued but in no case will suffer vs to conceiue so of our selues as to say with the Apostle a 1. Thess 5.9 God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine Saluation by the meanes of Iesus as M. Perkins meant To beleeue that God is our God is to beleeue that he is our life our peace our strength our deliuerance and Saluation not only that he is these things in himselfe but that he is indeed the same to vs assuredly perswading our selues that because God is ours therefore whatsoeuer is his is ours that is for vs and for our vse his mercie his power his prouidence to watch ouer vs and to preserue and keepe vs to himselfe both in life and death This did God import when by his new couenant he bound himselfe to his heires of promise saying b Ierem. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people whereupon they shall be emboldened to say c Esa 25.9 Lo this is our God we haue waited for him and he will saue vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his Saluation And thus doth S. Austin teach vs to make d August in Psal 32. conc 2. An temerè dicimus faciendo nobu Deum possessionem c. Dicat anima secura dicat Deus
knowne of the partie that hath it but true repentance cannot But how must we conceiue of faith when it is rightly taken Forsooth he telleth vs that it is a light of vnderstanding and so being like a lampe may be easily scene But true faith is not onely a matter of vnderstanding but a mixt action of the vnderstanding and will and consisteth not onely in knowing but in seeking and desiring and embracing the thing that we vnderstand Therefore Oecumenius obserueth that the faith recommended by S. Paul beside stedfast assent importeth a Oâ—cumen in epist Iac. cap. 2. Consecutionem ex affectu procedentem cum firmo assensu no mine fidei vocamus a further matter prooceeding out of the affection So we saw before that Bernard maketh it to be such as whereby a man beleeueth that his sinnes are forgiuen him Which M. Bishop might haue learned also of Ferus one of their owne Prophets though a more faithfull Prophet then commonly theirs are who faith that b Ferus in Mat. cap 27. Credere est confidere DeuÌ„ per Chrâ—stum peccata non imputaturum to beleeue is to trust that God for Christs sake wil not impute our sinnes But that we may see the spirit of giddinesse wherewith this man is caried vp and downe he himselfe but a little before hath told vs that godly and deuout submission of the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith is a necessarie condition of faith properly so called Faith then is not only a light of vnderstanding but implieth godlinesse deuotion and submitting of the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith which because it cannot be without repentance hope and charitie it necessarily followeth that if a man knoweth that he hath faith he knoweth also that he hath godlinesse deuotion obedience repentance hope charitie and so M. Bishops replie euen by himselfe is vtterly ouerthrowne And to this purpose S. Austin telleth vs that c August de verb. Dom ser 61 Qui fidem habet sine spe dileâ—â—ane Christum essâ— credâ— non in Christum credit a man cannot beleeue in Christ without hope and loue and S. Bernard that d Berâ—ard in Cant serm 24. Mors fiâ—es separatio esi charitatis the separation of charitie is the death of faith and Origen that e Oriâ—enan Ro. ca 4 Scieâ—s fidei speâ— insenâ— ibiater conarere hope cleaueth inseparably vnto faith Then if a man know that he hath faith he cannot be ignorant that he hath also hope and charitie without which there is no true faith It is therefore a meere fiction of M. Bishop that a man may know that he hath faith but he cannot know that he hath true repentance because repentance requireth hope and charitie which forsooth are seated in the darke corners of the will and cannot certainly be discerned What a fond toy is this that a man hopeth and knoweth not that he hopeth that he repenteth and knoweth not that he repenteth that he loueth and knoweth not that he loueth Surely where these things are they are knowne and if they be not known it is because they are not For f 2. Cor 2.11 the spirit of man knoweth the things that are in man he discerneth what is in himselfe though not alwayes the measure and quantitie thereof Otherwise how doth S. Iohn say q 1 Ioh. 3.14 By this we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren How shall we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren if we cannot know that we loue the brethren h August iâ— Ioan. epist tract 5. Attendat in cor vidcat si habeat charitatem tunc dicat natus sum ex Deo Let a man looke into his heart and see if he haue charitie and then let him say I am borne of God saith S. Austin but to what end if a man cannot see and know whether he haue charitie or not The same S. Austin saith i De ver Apost ser 6. Si quis spiritum Christi non habet non se fellat hic non est eius Ecce adiuuâ—nâ—e ipsius misericordia spirâ—tum Christi habemus ex ipsa dilectione iustitiae integra fide catholica fide spiritum Dei nobis inesse cognoscimus If a man haue not the spirit of Christ let him not deceiue himselfe he is none of Christs Behold saith he by the helpe of Gods mercie we haue the spirit of Christ By the loue of righteousnesse and true faith the Catholike faith we know that there is in vs the spirit of God How shall we know by the loue of righteousnesse that the spirit of God is in vs if we cannot know that there is in vs the loue of righteousnes But to infringe that idle deuice M. Perkins alledgeth the words of S. Paul k 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether you are in the faith For to what end is this spoken if we cannot know whether we are in the faith or not But M. Bishop saith that they accord that it may be tried whether a man haue faith or not importing therefore that the place is nothing against them But he may not so auoide for the being in the faith whereof the Apostle speaketh signifieth more then he intendeth thereby Which appeareth plainely by the words which the Apostle addeth Knovv ye not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates thereby shewing that to proue a mans selfe vvhether he be in the faith is to proue whether Christ be in him because the faith of which he speaketh is that l Bernard in ocâ—aua Pasch ser 1 Eacommendatur fides per quaÌ„ Christus in cordibus nostris habitat liuely faith vvhereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts And m Rom. 8.10 if Christ be in you saith the same Apostle the bodie is dead as touching sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake which cannot be without repentance hope charitie and such other vertues wherewith the spirit of Christ endueth them in whom Christ doth dwell He therefore that knoweth himselfe to be in the faith as the Apostle meaneth it knoweth Christ to be in himselfe he knoweth himselfe to be dead to sinne and aliue to righteousnesse and that he is not without repentance hope charitie and other vertues wrought in him by the spirit of Christ As for that other meaning of the place which M. Bishop speaketh of if he had set it downe I doubt not but we should haue taken him tardie therein as well as we do in all the rest To the other place of the same Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 that we haue receiued not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is in God that we may know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God he answereth that the Apostle meaneth it of those things whereof he there speaketh The things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. God hath
therefore presume not of thine owne doing but of the grace of Christ It is no arrogancie but faith to acknowledge what thou hast receiued it is not pride but deuotion What word is here of Certaintie of Saluation but that it belongeth to a faithfull man to confesse himselfe much bound to God for calling of him to be his Which euery Christian must do hoping himselfe so to be and being most certaine that if he be not in state of grace it is long of himselfe and no want on Gods part The second place hath not so much as any shew of words for him thus he speaketh Let no man aske another man Tract 5. in Epis Ioan. but returne to his owne heart and if he find Charity there he hath securitie for his passage from like to death What need was there to seeke charity in his heart for securitie of his Saluation if his faith assured him thereof therefore this text maketh flat against him R. ABBOT The words of Austine or rather of Ambrose for he indeed is the author of them are these a August de verb. Dom. ser 28. ex Ambros de sacram lib 5. cap. 4. O homo nō audebas oculos tuos ad coelum attollere oculos tuos ad terram dirigebas subitò accepisti gratiam Christi Omnia tibi peccata dimissa sūt Ex malo seruo factus es bonus filius Ideo praesume non de operatione tua sed de Christi gratià Gratia enim saluati estis Apostolus ait Non ergo hìc arrogantia est sed fides praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotio O man thou didst not dare to lift thine eies to heauen thou didst cast them to the earth and vpon the sodaine thou receiuedst the grace of Christ all thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Of an euill seruant thou art made a good sonne Presume therefore not of thine owne working but of the grace of Christ For by grace ye are saued saith the Apostle Here therefore is no arrogancie but faith to speake of that which thou hast receiued is not pride but deuotion To which words Maister Bishop answereth What word is here of Certaintie of Saluation when as expresly against his assertion it is affirmed that the faithfull regenerate in Christ doth presume that his sinnes are forgiuen him that he hath receiued the grace of Christ that he is made the child of God and that this is no arrogancie no pride no vnlawfull presumption but a matter of faith a matter of deuotion and a good presumption as he calleth it afterwards Now all these things he comprehendeth vnder the name of Saluation citing to that purpose the words of the Apostle By grace ye are saued For how doth the Apostle say By grace ye are saued as of a thing done already but for that we are made partakers of the forgiuenesse of sinnes haue receiued the grace of Christ and are become the children of God Therefore in presuming of these things as Ambrose willeth the faithfull to do we consequently presume and stand assured of our owne Saluation because in these things our Saluation is begun as appeareth by the words of Christ concerning Zacheus b Luk. 19.9 This day Saluation is come to this house because this man is become the sonne of Abraham And whereas M. Bishop saith we may not presume hereof because we know not our owne works or righteousnesse S. Ambrose telleth vs that this is not to be presumed of our owne works but of the grace of Christ the true calling whereof is such as maketh vs that whereunto we are called because we are thereby called not at the eare onely but inwardly and in the heart Therefore them that are thus truly called S. Ambrose willeth not coldly to hope according to the manner of M. Bishops hope where feare is as strong as hope but faithfully and deuoutly to presume that they are in the state of grace not with doubting to thinke that if they be not so it is long of themselues but to resolue that without themselues they are so indeed onely by the grace of God We may well thinke that it was a frostie morning that made M. Bishop to make so cold construction of so effectuall and plaine words But in the next place cited out of Austine he goeth beyond himselfe Let vs take the whole words as he hath them vpon these words of S. Iohn c 1. Iohn 3.14 By this we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Hereupon saith he d August in Ioan. tract 5. Quid nos scimus Quia transiuimus de morte ad vitam Vnde scimus Quia diligimus fratres Nemo interroget hominem redeat vnus quisque ad cor suum Si ibi inuenerit charitatem fraternam se uros sit quia transcit de morte ad vitam Iam in dextera est Non attendat quia mo lo gloria eius occulia est cum venerit Dominus tunc apparebit gloria eius Viget enim sed adhuc in hyeme viget radix sed qu est aridi sunt raini Intus est medulli quae vigis tintus sunt solit arborum 〈◊〉 fructus sed aestatem expectant Ergo nos 〈◊〉 c. What do we know That we are translated from death to life Whereby do we know it Because we loue the brethren Let no man aske of another man let him returne to his owne heart if he find there loue to the brethren let him be without doubt that he is passed from death to life He is now on the right hand Let him not regard that his glory is now hid when the Lord shall come then his glory shall appeare For he is aliue but yet as in the winter the root is aliue but the branches are in a manner dry Within is the pith that liueth within are the leaues within are the fruits but they looke for a sommer Therefore we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Where we see both by the text it selfe and by the exposition of this auncient Father that by loue towards them that are our brethren in the faith of Iesus Christ we are to take knowledge and assurance of our being translated from death to life that is of our owne Saluation and that so as to be without doubt thereof and yet this wrangler doubteth not to say This place hath not so much as any shew of words for him The point in question is affirmed not in ambiguous and doubtfull words but euidently and apparantly and yet he goeth away with This place hath not so much as any shew of words for him nay this text maketh flat against him But why so I pray you What need was there saith he to seeke charitie in his heart for securitie of his Saluation if his faith assured him thereof But why doth he not answer to the point Doth not S. Austine teach the
faithfull an assurance of Saluation be it by faith be it by charitie let not that here be the question Is there to the faithfull by S. Austines iudgement any assurance of Saluation He could not tell how directly to denie it and yet with a Romish and impudent face passeth it ouer as if there were no such thing The onely shift that he insinuateth is this that this assurance spoken of by S. Austine is by charity and not by faith But what then is there assurance by charitie No such matter for he hath told vs before that charitie is seated in the e Sect. 6. darke corners of the will and we cannot tell whether we haue it or not And so whereas the Apostle and by him S. Austine say that we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he contrariwise saith We cannot know that we are translated from death to life because we cannot know that we loue the brethren in both points absolutely contradicting both the one and the other But to his foolish question I answer him that the affirming of the assurance of faith is no deniall of the meanes and helps from which it gathereth and increaseth this assurance Faith giueth assurance of Saluation by the word of God not onely by apprehending the promises of life Saluation but also by obseruing such marks and tokens as the word of God setteth down to describe thē to whom this Saluation doth appertaine which whē a man findeth in himselfe his faith thereby giueth him the cōfort of Saluation because it beleeueth that which the word of God hath deliuered concerning them in whom those signes marks are found Therfore it doth not only looke to that which Christ saith that f Iohn 3.16 whosoeuer beleeueth shal haue euerlasting life but because Christ also saith g Iohn 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word therfore the faithfull man delighting in the word of God beleeueth concerning himselfe that he is of God Because the Apostle saith h Rom. 10.13 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued therfore the faithfull man vnfainedly calling vpon the name of the Lord beleeueth of himself that he shal be saued And so whereas S. Iohn saith that we know that we are translated frō death to life because we loue the brethren it is our faith whereby we take this knowledge that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for how should we know it but that our faith beleeueth that which the word of God hath taught vs in that behalfe How idlely then doth he argue that we need not seeke for charity for assurance of Saluation if we be assured thereof by faith when charity it selfe is appointed for a helpe of that assurance which we haue by faith when from charity it is in some part that faith by the word of God conceiueth a reason of that assurance But by his answers to these places the Reader may esteeme of his wilfulnesse in all the rest How miserable is the case of those men who being so fast bound with the bonds of truth as that they know not which way to stirre yet haue no heart nor conscience to giue assent to that which they are no way able to resist 15. W. BISHOP Sup. 5. cap. Mat. The next Author he citeth is S. Hylarie in these words The Kingdome of heauen which our Lord professed to be in himselfe his wil is that it be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse of vncertaine will at all is an addition otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe be made doubtfull First he faith but as we say that the Kingdome of heauen is to be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse for we professe Certaintie of hope and denie onely Certaintie of faith as M. Perkins confesseth before And as for faith we say with him also it is not doubtfull but very certaine What maketh this to the purpose that a man must beleeue his owne Saluation when S. Hilary speaketh there of faith of the resurrection of the dead His last Author is S. Bernard Who is the iust man Epist 107. but he that being loued of God loues him againe which comes not to passe but by the spirit reuealing by faith the eternall promise of God of his Saluation to come which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by which the deeds of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing in one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loues againe Note that he saith the reuelation of the spirit to be nothing else but the infusion of spirituall graces and comfort whereby a man hath some feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him by which he saith he may presume but not beleeue certainly that he is loued of God But let S. Bernard in the same place interpret himselfe there he speaketh thus as I cited once before It is giuen to men to tast before hand somewhat of the blisse to come c. Of the which knowledge of our selues now in part perceiued a man doth in the meane season glory in hope but not yet in securitie His opinion then is expresly that for all the reuelations of the spirit made by faith vnto vs we are not assured for Certaintie of our Saluation but feele great ioy through the hope we haue hereafter to receiue it R. ABBOT The words of Hilarie are very plaine that a Hilar. in Mat. cap. 5. Regnum coelorum vult Dominus sine aliquae incertae voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioqum iustificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa sit ambigua without doubting we are to hope for the kingdome of heauen and that it is the will of Christ that we do so Whereof he addeth a reason Otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe become doubtfull which if we will accommodate to that that goeth before it must import thus much that we cannot by our faith be iustified to the obtaining of the kingdome of heauen if we do not vndoubtedly beleeue to obtaine the same M. Bishop answereth first that Hilarie saith but as they say No doth Why do they say that without doubting we must hope for the kingdome of heauen He saith yea but forgetting the prouerb that a liar must beare a braine For in the leafe b Sect. 10. before he hath set it downe for a principle confirmed as he saith by aboue an hundred texts of holy writ that the faithfull must stand in feare of their owne Saluation There cannot be certaine and vndoubted hope where there is a necessitie of feare If a man must stand in feare then can he not hope without doubt Thus he knoweth not what he saith nor what to say We must feare and we must not feare we must doubt and we must not doubt there is Certaintie and
signifieth that much conflict remaineth for the attainment of that which notwithstanding certainly vndoubtedly he hopeth for He denieth him so to reioice as if there were no further dangers to be feared no further opposition to be expected no further temptations to be endured no further enemies to be resisted and importeth that there is much fighting and wrastling much care and sorow many perplexities and troubles yet to be forecast and looked for We may not then be secure as if there were nothing any more to trouble vs but we may be secure and without doubt of an happy issue and deliuerance from all troubles and this is the hope that we reioice in Therefore S. Austine saith as before was cited r August in Psal 37. Spe securus est Ioy that thou art redeemed but yet not in reall effect as touching hope be secure be without feare So againe s Idem in epist Ioan tract 3. supra sect 14. If a man haue in his heart loue towards the brethren let him be secure let him be without doubt that he is passed from death to life And thus doth Cyprian describe the condition of faithfull Christians t Cyprian cont Demetr Viget apud nos spes robur firmitas fidei inter ipsa seculi libentis ruinas erecta mens immobilis virtus nunquā nisi laesa patientia de Deo suo semper anima secura There is with vs strength of hope and stedfastnesse of faith and amidst the ruines of the decaying world a couragious mind and constant vertue and patience alwaies ioyfull and a soule alwaies secure or without doubt of God to be our God To be short how farre Saint Bernard was from denying the securitie of particular faith and hope appeareth by that that before hath bene said in the twelfth section whereby it is plaine that it was not his purpose here to require that necessity that M. Bishop doth of doubt feare 16. W. BISHOP This passage of testimonies being dispatched let vs now come vnto the fiue other reasons which M. Perkins produceth in defence of their opinion The first reason is That in faith there are two things the one is an infallible assurance of those things which we beleeue This we graunt and therehence proue as you heard before that there can be no faith of our particular Saluation because we be not so fully assured of that Apoc. 3. but that we must stand in feare of losing of it according to that Hold that which thou hast lest perhaps another receiue thy crown But the second point of faith puts all out of question For saith M. Perkins it doth assure vs of remission of our sinnes and of life euerlasting in particular Proue that Sir and we need no more It is proued out of S. Iohn As many as receiued him Iohn 1. he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God namely to them that beleeue in his name This text commeth much too short he gaue them power to be the sonnes that is gaue them such grace that they were able and might if they would be sonnes of God but did not assure them of that neither much lesse that they should so continue vnto their liues end I omit his vnsauorie discourse of eating and beleeuing Christ and applying vnto vs his benefits which he might be ashamed to make vnto vs that admit no part of it to be true I confesse that therein faith hath his part if it be ioyned with charitie and frequentation of the Sacraments This is it which S. Paul teacheth That not by the works of Moses law Gal. 3. but by faith in Christ Iesus we receiue the promises of the spirit shall haue hereafter the performance if we obserue those things which Christ hath commanded vs. But what is this to Certaintie of Saluation But saith he it is the property of faith to apply Christ vnto vs and proues it out of S. Augustine Beleeue and thou hast eaten Againe Send vp thy faith Tract 25. in Ioh. and thou maist hold Christ in heauen c. To which and such like authothorities I answer that we find Christ we hold Christ we see Christ by faith beleeuing him to be the sonne of God and redeemer of the world and Iudge of the quick and the dead and we vnderstand and disgest all the mysteries of this holy word But where is it once said in any of these sentences that we are assured of our Saluation we beleeue all these points and many more but we shal be neuer the nearer our Saluation vnlesse we obserue Gods commandements The seruant which knowes his Maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. Ioh. 15. Then you are my friends saith our Sauiour when you shall do the things which I command you which we being vncertaine to performe assure not our selues of his friendship but when to our knowledge we go as neare it as we can and demand pardon of our wants we liue in good hope of it R. ABBOT M. Perkins affirmeth that the nature of true faith standeth not only in an vnfallible but also in a particular assurance of remission of sins life euerlasting Vnfallible assurance M. Bishop acknowledgeth but thence wil conclude against particular assurance of our owne Saluation because saith he we be not so fully assured of that but that we must stand in feare of loosing it This he saith he hath proued before but his proofe thereof is already disproued onely here for supply he bringeth the words of Christ to the Church of Philadelphia a Reuel 3 11. Hold that which thou hast least another receiue thy crowne Which supply of his is euen according to the manner or his former proofe he nameth a place and so leaueth it be it right or wrong what is that to him If ye aske him how he inferreth that that he would proue thereby you must pardon him he cannot tel It is very doubtfull what may here be imported by the crowne whether the Angel that is the Bishop of the Church of Philadelphia be particularly warned to take heed of forgoing or loosing any of them whom he should account as S. Paul speaketh b Phil. 4.1 1. Thess 2.19 his ioy and crowne of reioycing at the comming of Iesus Christ or whether the same Church be generally admonished to take heed of loosing the crowne of the publike calling and grace of God For so God to signifie the establishing of his kingdome of grace amongst the Iewes amongst other words saith c Ezech. 16.12 I set a beautifull crowne vpon thy head To which honour done vnto them when they yeelded not correspondence of dutifull obedience and thankfulnesse to God our Sauiour Christ foretold them that d Mat. 22.43 the kingdome of God which was their crowne should be taken from them and giuen to a nation that should bring forth the fruit thereof The like we take
we are to be iustified is the obedience of Christ for n Rom. 5.15 by the obedience of one saith the Apostle shall many be made righteous and what is the obedience of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ The righteousnes of Christ then is the thing to be apprehended and receiued for our iustification And how should we be o 2. Cor. 5.21 made the righteousnesse of God in him but by apprehending and receiuing a righteousnesse which is in him He is called the p Ierem. 23.6 Lord our righteousnes not who maketh vs righteous only but who himselfe is our righteousnes and how should he be our righteousnes but by his righteousnesse Therefore in apprehending and receiuing Christ by faith we apprehend receiue the righteousnes of Christ to be our iustification before God But I need not stand vpon this for seeing through this whole Chapter we shall proue that we receiue no gift of inherent righteousnesse whereby we can be iustified in the sight of God it followeth as is also proued that the righteousnesse which we receiue by faith for iustification is the merite and obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs. Now M. Bishop telleth vs that he can gather a disproofe of all this out of M. Perkins owne explication For saith he if faith created in our hearts be the onely sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend the couenant of grace then there needes no Sacraments for that purpose But such disproofes will make men thinke that he is runne not out of his learning onely but also out of his wits If he will apply that answer to M. Perkins it must be thus If faith be the onely instrument whereby we apprehend Christ what neede we anie Sacraments to offer him vnto vs And why did he not as well say what neede there anie word of God to that purpose for his disproofe standeth as good in the one as in the other But M. Perkins setteth both downe as meanes on Gods part to offer Christ vnto vs not as instruments or meanes on our part to apprehend and lay hold of Christ and notably obserueth how the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicants in the Lords Supper is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and bloud with all his merites to euery of them by faith in him Yea saith M. Bishop but how then are infants iustified who cannot haue any such act of faith I answer him that infants dying are iustified and saued meerely by vertue of the couenant and promise of God to which they are entitled by the calling and faith of their parents and in right whereof they are baptized and entred into the bodie of the Church God hauing sayd q Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed For where the offer of the couenant hath no place there the meanes of acceptance cannot be required but by meere and absolute gift righteousnesse and life are giuen and in the Sacrament sealed vnto them who according to the purpose of the grace of God are by inward regeneration made the seed of the faithfull according to the intendment and meaning of the couenant Yet nothing hindereth but that we may conceiue that God calling infants frō hence doth in their passage by the power of his Spirit giue them light of vnderstanding and knowledge and faith of Christ as an entrance to that light and life which after by Christ and with him they enioy for euer Who when he will maketh babes and sucklings to praise him and euen in young children sometimes in our sight sheweth the admirable fruit of his grace in their death far beyond that their yeares are capable of As for infants baptized and continuing to elder yeares they are not alwayes iustified in being baptized but God calleth them some sooner some later some at one houre some at another according to his good will and pleasure and then the medicine long before applied beginneth to worke the effect that doth appertaine vnto it 20. W. BISHOP But to returne vnto the sound doctrine of our Catholike faith M. Perkins finds fault with it one that we teach faith to go before iustification whereas by the word of God saith he at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then both iustified and sanctified What word of God so teacheth Ioh. 6.54 Marrie this He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and bloud of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life I answer that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his bodie in the blessed Sacrament which who so receiueth worthily obtaineth thereby life euerlasting as Christ saith expresly in that place And so this proofe is vaine Now will I proue out of the holy Scriptures that faith goeth before iustification Rom. 10. first by that of S. Paul Whosoeuer calleth on the name of our Lord shall be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whom they do not beleeue how shall they beleeue without a preacher c. Where there is this order set downe to arriue vnto iustification First to heare the preacher then to beleeue afterward to call vpon God for mercie and finally mercie is graunted and giuen in iustification so that prayer goeth betweene faith and iustification This Saint Augustine obserued De praedest sanc cap. 7. De spirit lit cap. 30. when he said Faith is giuen first by which we obtaine the rest And againe By the Law is knowledge of sinne by faith we obtaine grace and by grace our soule is cured If we list to see the practise of this recorded in holy writ reade the second of the Acts and there you shall find how that the people hauing heard S. Peters Sermon were striken to the hearts and beleeued yet were they not straight way iustified but asked of the Apostles what they must do who willed them to do penance and to be baptized in the name of Iesus in remission of their sinnes and then lo they were iustified so that penance and baptisme went betweene their faith and their iustification In like maner Queene Candaces Eunuch hauing heard S. Philip announcing vnto him Christ beleeued that IESVS CHRIST was the Sonne of God no talke in those dayes of applying vnto himselfe Christs righteousnesse yet was he not iustified Act. 8. before descending out of his chariot he was baptized And three dayes passed betwene S. Pauls conuersion and his iustification Act. 9. as doth euidently appeare by the historie of his conuersion The second fault he findeth with our faith is that we take it to be nothing else but an illumination of the mind stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the heart many good spirituall motions But this saies M. Perkins is as much to say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their resurrection Not so good Sir but that men spiritually dead being quickned
by Gods spirit may haue many good motions for as our spirit giueth life vnto our bodies so the spirit of God by his grace animateth and giueth life vnto our soules But of this it hath bene once before spoken at large in the question of Free will R. ABBOT We are so to affirme the effect of iustifying faith as may make good what the Scripture hath deliuered concerning it Which because the Church of Rome doth not in making faith precedent in time to iustification and grace M. Perkins iustly findeth fault therewith Our Sauiour saith a Ioh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed froÌ„ death to life Our passing from death to life is our iustification If euery one that beleeueth be passed from death to life then euery one that beleeueth is iustified or if there be any that beleeueth and yet is not iustified theÌ„ it is not true of euery one that beleeueth that he is passed from death to life To this place M. Perkins alluded though he quoted it not but M. Bishop thought it safest for him to say nothing of it To the other place his answer is a simple shift He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and bloud of Christ I answer saith M. Bishop that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his bodie in the blessed Sacrament But we answer him againe that if Christ speake of eating in the sacrament then it must follow that whosoeuer is not partaker of the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ is excluded from life because our Sauiour expresly saith b Ioh. 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you But so to say is absurd and false as in the example of the crucified theefe and many other is apparant and plaine Againe the Sacrament was not instituted long after and will M. Bishop exclude any faithfull that after this time died before that institution from that eating of the flesh of Christ and drinking of his bloud which Christ here recommendeth for the hauing of eternall life S. Austin saith that c Bedâ— in 1. Cor. 10. ex August ser ad infantes in baptisme we are made partakers of the bodie and bloud of Christ so that though one die before he come to the Sacrament of the Bread and the Cup yet is he not depriued of the participation and benefit of that Sacrament seeing he hath found that alreadie which that Sacrament signifieth The Apostle testifieth that the fathers of the old Testament did d 1. Cor. 10.3.4 all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke not the same one with another as the e Rhem. Annot. 1. Cor. 10. Rhemistes for a shift expound it but f Aug. in Joan. tract 26. spiritualem eandem quem nos the same that we do For g Idem de vtilit penitent c. 1. Eundem non inuento quomodo intelligam nisi eundem quem manducamus nos I find not saith S. Austin how I should vnderstand The same but the same that we eate Therefore they also did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud But their eating and drinking was not the participation of the Sacrament Therefore Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud doth not import any thing tied to the participation of the Sacrament Yea the whole course of that text giueth vs plainely to vnderstand that Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud meaneth the same as by beleeuing in him Therefore doth S. Austin by the one expound the other h Aug. in Ioan. tract 25. Crede manducasti Ibid. tract 26. Hortans vt credamus in eum Credere enim in eum hoâ— est manducare pâ—nem viuum Qui credit manducat Beleeue and thou hast eaten he exhorteth vs to beleeue in him for to beleeue in him that is to eate the bread of life he that beleeueth eateth And so saith he of the fathers eating and drinking that this i Idem de vtilit poenit Fide capiebatur non corpore hauriebatur spirituall meate and drinke was receiued by faith and not by the bodie Now if beleefe in Christ be imported by eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of Christ then M. Perkins proofe was not vaine but M. Bishop hath shewed himselfe a vaine man to giue so vaine an answer without any proofe thereof at all Without doubt k Ioh. 6.54 whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life But no man hath eternall life but he that is iustified and sanctified Whosoeuer therfore eateth and drinketh the flesh bloud of Christ is iustified sanctified But our beleeuing in Christ is our eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud So soone therfore as we beleeue in Christ we are iustified sanctified that it may be true which the Apostle saith that l Rom. 3.22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is to all and vpon all that do beleeue which cannot be sayd if any beleeue vpon whom there yet is not the Righteousnesse of God to iustifie him before God The proofes that he alledgeth to the contrarie are verie simple and slender First he alledgeth the words of S. Paul m Rom. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued c. Where of iustification we heare not a word nor is any thing purposely meant thereof For the words which the Apostle citeth out of the Prophet Ioel touch not the order of iustification but import a promise to them that are iustified by faith in Christ and accordingly do call vpon the name of the Lord that in the calamities and confusion of the world God will preserue them to be partakers of euerlasting saluation Now we graunt that by order of nature there is a precedence of faith to iustification but we denie all prioritie in respect of time And whereas M. Bishop auoucheth that prayer goeth betwixt faith and iustification beside that it is not proued by the Apostles words it is verie vntrue and false For there can be no true prayer without n Zach. 12.10 Vulgat the spirit of grace and of prayer without o Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit of adoption and grace is the spirit of sanctification It followeth then that we pray not but by being first sanctified and because sanctification is consequent to iustification it must follow also that iustification goeth before prayer so that in praying for the forgiuenesse of sinnes it commeth to passe with vs which the Prophet saith p Esa 6â— 24 Before they call I will answer them Let M. Bishop order the matter how
he will yet this must alwayes stand good that faith in the first instant of the being of it gaspeth vnto God by prayer as the thirstie land and together therewith receiueth blessing of God God tieth not himselfe to M. Bishops order but where he giueth faith in the gift thereof he beginneth with it the whole effect and fruit of faith As there is no flame without light but in the beginning of the flame there is ioyntly a beginning of light and yet in nature the flame is before the light so is there no faith without iustification and sanctification and in the first act of faith ioyntly we are iustified and sanctified albeit in order of nature faith is precedent to them both Thus are the speeches vnderstood that he alledgeth out of Austin and thus they are true and make nothing at all to serue for the purpose to which he alledgeth them No more do those other examples that he bringeth of the baptisme of the people conuerted by Peters sermon of the Eunuch and the Apostle Paul He proueth thereby that there was some time betwixt their beleeuing and their being baptized but proueth not that there was any time betwixt their beleeuing and their being iustified For he must vnderstand that we do not tye the iustification of a man to the act or instant of his baptisme and of all these do affirme that they receiued the sacrament of baptisme as Abraham did the sacrament of circumcision After iustification q Rom. 5.11 he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Euen so did these receiue the signe of baptisme as the seale of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the righteousnesse of faith which they had embraced and receiued before they were baptized We reade of Cornelius and his companie that r Act. 10.44.47 the holy Ghost came on them they receiued the holy Ghost when they were yet vnbaptized and doth M. Bishop doubt but that they were iustified Constantine the Emperour was not baptized Å¿ Euseb de vita Constant lib. 4. till neere his death and shall we say that till then he was neuer iustified Valentinian was t Ambros de â—bitu Valentia not baptized at all and yet Ambrose doubted not of his iustification Verie idlely therefore and impertinently doth M. Bishop bring these examples and gaineth nothing thereby to his cause I omit his penance in steed of repentance only as a toy that he is in loue withall It is the plaine doctrine of their schooles u Tho. Aqu. p. 3. q. 68. ar 3. in corp Et qui baptizatur pro quibuscunque peccatis noÌ„ est aliqua satisfactio iniungenda hoc enim esset iniuriam facere passioni morti Christi quasi ipsa non esset suffiâ—iens ad plenariam satisfactionem pro peccatis baptizatorum that no penance is to be inioyned vnto men in baptisme or that are to be baptized for any sinnes whatsoeuer because that should be a wrong to the passion and death of Christ as if it were not sufficient for full satisfaction for the sinnes of the baptized Seeing therefore S. Peter in the place alledged expresly directeth his speech to them that were to be baptized M. Bishop and his fellowes would forbeare there to translate doing of penance but that poore men they are afraid they shall be all vndone vnlesse they make the Scripture say somewhat by right or by wrong for doing of penance Whether in those dayes there were talke of applying Christs righteousnesse appeareth I hope sufficiently in this discourse The other fault which M. Perkins here findeth with the Romish doctrine is that they make faith nothing else but an illumination of the mind stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the heart manie good spirituall motions M. Bishop putteth in by grace onely to delude the Reader because he vnderstandeth hereby no other grace but the same that Pelagius did as before hath bene said But hereof M. Perkins rightly said that it is as much as if they should say that a dead man onely helped can prepare himselfe to his resurrection Not so good Sir saith M. Bishop but that men spiritually dead being quickened by Gods spirit may haue many good motions I answer you say true good Sir when a man is quickened by Gods spirit but can a man be quickened before he be quickned We suppose that the iustifying of a man is the quickening of him and not we onely but you also in the fiue and twentieth section following do hold that our iustification is the translating of vs from death to life Before iustification then we are not quickened nor receiue any infused or inhabitant grace of the spirit of life wherein spirituall life consisteth Therefore to auouch many good spirituall motions before iustification is to auouch grace without grace life without life the spirit without the spirit and a quickening of vs before we are quickened Which because it cannot be it is true that M. Perkins saith that by your doctrine you make a dead man prepare himselfe to his resurrection What you haue said in the question of Free will I hope hath his answer sufficiently in that place 21 W. BISHOP The third difference saith M. Perkins concerning faith is this Page 84. The Papists say that man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as the feare of God hope loue c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment Well let vs heare some of them that the indifdifferent Reader may iudge whether they be of any moment or no. FIRST REASON MAny sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much Luke 7 47. whence they gather that the womaÌ„ there spokeÌ„ of had pardoÌ„ of her sinnes was iustified by loue Answer In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a signe to shew that God had already pardoned them Reply Obserue first that Catholikes do not teach that she was pardoned for loue alone for they vse not as Protestants do when they find one cause of iustification to exclude all or any of the rest But considering that in sundry places of holy writ iustification is ascribed vnto manie seuerall vertues affirme that not faith alone but diuers other diuine qualities concurre vnto iustification and as mention here made of loue excludeth not faith hope repentance and such like so in other places where faith is onely spoken of there hope charity and the rest must not also be excluded This sinner had assured beliefe in Christes power to remit sinnes and great hope in his mercy that he would forgiue them great sorrow and detestation of her sinne also she had that in such an assembly did so humbly prostrate her selfe at Christes feete to wash them with her teares and to wipe them with the haires
plaine to the words which he alledgeth for God shall render to the faithfull h Math. 16.27 according to their workes because good workes are the proper markes whereby God will take knowledge of them that are iustified and saued onely by faith in Christ For whom God hath iustified and saued vpon them he setteth the seale and marke of his Spirit working in them another nature and i Ephes 2.10 creating them in Christ Iesus vnto good works whereby he will thenceforth know them to belong to him and thereby at that day will put difference betwixt them and other men So that to speake of saluation in that sort as we commonly vnderstand it for the finall blisse and saluation that we expect in heauen faith alone in it selfe is not sufficient to saluation because though we be interested to it onely by faith yet somewhat else is required to prepare vs and fit vs to be partakers thereof And to speake of saluation in grosse faith alone excludeth not sanctification and good workes but includeth them as a part of that saluation whereof we are made partakers by faith alone so that rightly are we said to be saued by faith alone because nothing else doth giue vs anie title and it selfe alone doth giue vnto vs all other things that are necessarie to saluation 25. W. BISHOP 5. Reason There be many other vertues vnto which iustification and saluation are ascribed in Gods word therefore faith alone sufficeth not Ecclesiast 1. Rom. 8. Luk. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. The Antecedent is proued first of feare it is said He that is without feare cannot be iustified We are saued by hope Vnlesse you do penance you shall all in like sort perish We are translated from death to life that is iustified because we loue the brethren Againe of Baptisme Vnlesse you be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Lastly we must haue a resolute purpose to amend our euill liues Rom. 6. For we are buried together with Christ by baptisme into death that as Christ is risen from the dead c. so we may also walke in newnesse of life To all these many such like places of holy Scripture it pleased M. Perkins to make answer in that one Rom. 8. You are saued by hope to wit that Paules meaning is onely that we haue not as yet saluation in possession but must wait patiently for it vntill the time of our full deliuerance this is all Now whether that patient expectation which is not hope but issueth out of hope of eternall saluation or hope it selfe be any cause of saluation he saith neither yea nor nay and leaues you to thinke as it seemeth best vnto your selfe S. Paul then affirming it to be a cause of saluation it is best to beleeue him and so neither to exclude hope or charitie or any of the foresaid vertues from the worke of iustification hauing so good warrant as the word of God for the confirmation of it R. ABBOT Iustification before God is no where in all the Scripture ascribed to any other vertue saue onely faith the promise of saluation is sometimes adioyned to other vertues as fruits and marks of them whom God hath saued but neuer as causes thereof as in the question of merits shall appeare We may well thinke that M. Bishop was here shrewdly put to his shifts that in all the Scripture could find no plainer proofes to serue his turne M. Perkins propounded but one place for them he thought himselfe to lay on loade and yet cannot bring vs any thing whereby it is said that we are iustified but onely faith His first place is taken out of an Apocryphall Scripture and yet such as it is it saith nothing for him First his translation is false for the words as their owne Arias Montanus translateth them are these a Eccles 1.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non poterit â—racundus vir iustificari A man giuen to much anger cannot be iustified that is cannot be acquitted of doing amisse cannot be cleared of committing offence because as S. Iames saith b Iam. 1 20. the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God euen in like sort as the same Ecclesiasticus after saith c Eccles 23.11 he that sweareth vainely shall not be iustified and againe d Cap. 26.30 a victualler shall not be iustified of sinne For so is the Scripture wont continually to vse the word of iustifying for acquitting clearing discharging holding or pronouncing guiltlesse and innocent approuing allowing acknowledging for iust and such like as where it is said e Esa 5.23 which iustifie the wicked for reward f Mich. 6.11 shall I iustifie the false ballance g Luk. 10.29 he willing to iustifie himselfe c. Secondly therefore if the words be taken as he translateth them he that is without feare cannot be iustified he is as farre off from his purpose For the words import to the same effect that he that is without feare shall not be found innocent he shall not be found free from great sinne because the want of feare maketh a man bold to runne into all sinne but a verie senslesse man is he that would go about hereby to proue that a man is iustified by feare Againe he bringeth the words of Christ h Luk. 13.3 Vnlesse ye repent do penance saith he according to their foolerie ye shall all likewise perish And what of this Ergo forsooth a man must bee iustified by doing of penance Yea and is doing of penance a matter of iustification now But Ambrose sayeth that the Apostle calleth them l the blessed of whom God hath decreed i Ambros in Ro cap. 4. Beatos dicit de quibus hoc sanxit Deus vt sine labore aliqua obseruatione sola fide iustificentur apud Deum Et paulò post Nulla ab his requisita poenitentiae opera nisi tantum vt credant that without labour or any obseruâ—tion they are iustified with God onely by faith there being required of them no labour of penance but onely to beleeue Why then doth Maister Bishop tell vs that we are iustified by doing of penance Our Sauiour spake nothing there in their behalfe and verie absurdly doe they applie that that was meant of inward conuersion and repentance to outward and ceremoniall obseruation of doing penance As for repentance it setteth foorth the subiect capable of iustification by faith but is it selfe onely an acknowledgement of sinne no healing of our wound The feeling of paine and sicknesse causeth a man to seeke for remedie but it is no remedie it selfe Hunger and thirst make a man to desire and seeke for foode but a man is not fed by being hungrie By repentance we know our selues we feele our sicknesse we hunger and thirst after grace but the hand which we stretch foorth to receiue it is faith onely without which repentance is nothing but
darknesse and despaire As for vs we hold it a verie mad conclusion to say Except ye repent ye shall perish therefore we are iustified by repentance We rather see by repentance that we haue nothing in our selues whereby to be iustified and therefore learne to relye wholly vpon Christ that we may be iustified by faith in him The next place that he alledgeth is a most notable falsification We are translated saith he from death to life because we loue the brethren whereas the words of S. Iohn are k 1. Ioh. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren making our loue of the brethren a signe whereby we know that we are translated from death to life not the cause for which we are translated froÌ„ death to life And in this sort doth S. Austin expouÌ„d it l Aug. in epist 1 Ioan. tract 5. Nos scimus Quid nos scimus Quia traÌ„siuimus de moâ—te ad vitam Vnde scimus Quiae dâ—ligimus fratres We know What do we know That we haue passed from death to life Whereby do we know it Because we loue the brethren Which is verie plaine also by comparing the teÌ„ses in which the Apostle expresseth the one the other For he nameth our translating from death to life in the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. preterperfect tense as a thing before done but our loue towardes the brethren in the n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 present tense as a thing which now we do We know that we haue passed or God hath translated vs from death to life because we loue the brethren But our louing the brethren now cannot be the cause of that that God hath done before It is therfore a token onely whereby we are to know what God hath done and to take it as M. Bishop doth is the doctrine of Pelagius that the grace of God is giuen vnto vs according to our merits as before is shewed The next place is of Baptisme as he saith o Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God But we can hardly yeeld that this place is precisely to be vnderstood of baptisme because it is not true that except a man be baptized he shall not enter into the kingdome of God but it is infallibly true which Christ saith that except a man be borne againe of water and of the holy Ghost he shal not enter into the kingdom of God Verie wel is it obserued by Bernard that our Sauiour saith p Bernard epist 77. Vide ne fortè ob hoc saluator cùm diceret Qui crediâ—erit baptizâ—tus fuerit saluâ—s erit cautè vigâ—â—antèr noÌ„ repetâ—erit Qui verò baptizâ—tus non fuerit sed tantum qui verò inquit non crediderit câ—ndemnabitur He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but doth not say he that is not baptized but onely he that beleeueth not shall be damned The thiefe was not baptized vpon the crosse but yet Christ saith q Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Valentinian the Emperour was not baptized and yet Ambrose saith r Ambr. de â—bit Valentin Certè quia poposâ—it accepit because he desired it he receiued it S. Austin acknowledgeth as touching them that are of elder yeares and do beleeue Å¿ Aug. de bapt cont Donat. lib 4 cap. 22. Tunc impletur inuisibilitèr cùm mysteriuÌ„ baptismi non contemptus religionis sed articuluâ— necessitatis excludit that baptisme is inuisibly fulfilled in them when not any contempt of religion but a point of necessitie excludeth the mysterie of it Which dispensation we cannot coÌ„ceiue what warrant he had to giue to elder yeares that should not make the same good to infants also when the faith of the parents by which they are interested to baptisme craueth the same for them and only by preuention inuincible they are depriued of their desire it being deemed a thing t Bernard epist. 77. Dignum est et ad Dei spectat benignitatem vt quibus fideÌ„ aeâ—as denegat propriaÌ„ gratia prodesse concedat alienaÌ„ belonging to the mercifulnes of God that grace should yeeld that the faith of others should be auailable for them to whom years yet do not yeeld to beleeue themselues But hereby it appeareth that that speech of Christ is not simply to be vnderstood of baptisme because then baptisme should be simply necessarie to saluation both in old and yong Yet admitting it to be meant of baptisme we say his argument is verie vaine and to say baptisme is necessarie to saluation therefore we are not iustified by faith alone is all one as if he should say It is necessarie to saluation to be iustified by faith alone therefore we are not iustified by faith alone For baptisme as I said before is u Rom. 4 11. the seale of the righteousnesse of faith wherein God setteth before vs and by which he giueth and sealeth and assureth vnto vs the washing away of our sinnes and the accepting of vs for iust and righteous by the merit and bloudshedding of Iesus Christ onely by faith in him It is not then x 1. Pet. 3.21 the washing away of the filth of the flesh that is the outward ceremonie for which baptisme is necessarie to saluation but the spirituall grace which is iustification by faith alone This God offereth in baptisme and we by faith receiue the same but we shall do amisse to put baptisme it selfe in place of that that is offered thereby We eate the meate out of the dishes and vessels wherein it is set before vs but it is absurd thereupon to say that we are fed by the dishes also and not onely by the meate It is Christ onely who in the word and Sacraments is set forth vnto vs to be our righteousnesse and by faith only we therein receiue him to be our righteousnesse and euerlasting life but absurd it is hereupon to say that the Sacraments theÌ„selues are things wherein our righteousnesse doth consist Now therefore except a man in baptisme be borne againe becoming a member of Christ and the child of God through forgiuenesse of sinnes onely by faith in him by vertue therof receiuing the spirit of adoption and being thereby quickened to newnesse of life to walke therein he cannot as Christ saith enter into the kingdome of God And hereby it appeareth that his other place as touching walking in newnesse of life is impertinently alledged the words importing no more then what we teach that newnesse of life is alwayes and necessarily a consequent fruite of iustification though neuer any precedent cause thereof But the place of greatest moment for their part was that that M. Perkins propounded for his obiectioÌ„ We are saued by hope As touching this place M. Bishop saith that M. Perkins saith neither yea nor nay but
perfection of a man whereof if anie be wanting it is an imperfection so that a Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 11. ca. 22 Si vnum radatur supercilium quà m propemo duâ— nihil corpori quà m multuÌ„ detrahitur pulchritudini if but one ey-brow be shauen as S. Austine saith though in a maner nothing be taken from the bodie yet it causeth a great blemish vnto it Euen so is it in the iustified man faith onely is the seat and fountaine of spirituall life because as the quickening facultie power of the liuing soule dwelleth in the heart so Christ who is our life dwelleth in our faith or in our hearts by faith but yet we consist not spiritually of faith onely but many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the perfection of a Christian man to which as to the other members from the heart so from faith life is imparted and communicated that in them we may be aliue to God Thus then Ignatius saith not purposely of iustification but by occasion of commending faith and loue that b Ignat. epist ad Ephes for which M. Bishop following his maister Bellarmine misquoteth Ep. ad Philippâ—nses faith is the beginning of life c. Which maketh for vs altogether against him For if faith be the beginning of life then by faith we first liue By faith therfore we are iustified for to be iustified as M. Bishop confessed in the former section is to be translated from death Now as naturall birth draweth not only guilt but also corruption as hath bene before shewed so faith wherein is our new birth giueth not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes to iustification but also sanctification to holinesse and newnesse of life the summe whereof is charitie because charitie is the epitome and briefe of the whole law and herein further is accomplished our perfection towards God so as that faith and loue vnited and ioyned together do make perfect the man of God The place of Clemens Alexandrinus is the same and needeth no further answer With Chrysostome we say that faith alone sufficeth not absolutely though faith alone suffice to iustification Charitie and good workes are necessarie to the perfection of a iustified man but he is not by them made a iustified man Therfore the same Chrysostome saith of Abraham c Chrys ad Rom. hom 8. Fide saluarieum qui opera non habet nihil fortasse fue rit insolentiae eâ— verò qui rectè factis se conspicuum secerit non ex ipsis sed ex fide iustum fieri hoc scilicet admirabile est quod maximè fidei potentiam manifestat That a man that is without workes should he saued by faith it should be no strange matter but that he that hath made himselfe renowmed by his good works should yet not be iustified thereby but by faith this is wonderfull and doth greatly set forth the power of faith S. Austin in the place by him alledged if it were S. Austin auoucheth good workes to iustifie theÌ„ that are iustified that is to approue them iust but condemneth the auouching of any workes whereby to obtaine iustification and purposely in that place disputeth against it d August Hypognost lib. 3. Ex operibus noÌ„ iustificabitur omnis caro coram illoc quia iustitia Dei praeuentu misericordiae per fidem Iesu apparuit super omnes qui crediderunt Ideò subiungens inquit Iustificatè gratu per gratiaÌ„ Dei. Noli â—i praeponere opera propria neâ— exâ—â—â—eÌ„ gloriari quâ— ex operibus non c. By workes no flesh shall be iustified in the sight of God because the righteousnesse of God by his preuenting mercy through the faith of Iesus Christ is apparent vpon all that do beleeue Therefore the Apostle saith we are iustified freely by the grace of God Put not thine owne workes before it nor glorie thereof because by workes no flesh shall be iustified before him If no workes go before iustification then M. Bishops cause as too weake must go to the wals because then we cannot be said to be iustified by workes for being iustified before we cannot be sayd properly to be iustified by workes that follow after and if neither by works before nor after then not at all It followeth therefore that when S. Austine saith in that place that men of God are iustified by good workes he must needes meane as Thomas Aquinas saith S. Iames doth e Thom. Aquin. in Gal. cap. 3. lect 4. quantum ad manifestationem iustitiae by way of manifesting and declaring that a man is iustified so as that contrarie to M. Bishops assertion they are only signes and tokens of a iustified man not any causes of iustification Therefore S. Austin saith againe anon after f Aug. vt supr Iustificatio per fideÌ„ Iesu Christi data est datur dabitur crâ—dentâ—bus Iustification hath bene giuen is giuen and shall be giuen to them that beleeue by the faith of Iesus Christ Now that which he saith in the words cited by M. Bishop he saith it not as to the Protestant but to the Pelagian heretike the brother of the Papist for affirming good works of mans free wil before the iustifying grace of God for which the iustifying grace of God is bestowed vpon him Which opinion S. Austin hauing confuted bringeth in the heretike obiecting thus g Ibid. Ergò inquies damnas opera liberi arbitrij bona quia dicis iustitiam ex operibus non deberi c. Thou wilt say Doest thou then condemne the good workes of free will in that thou sayest that righteousnesse is not due by workes If so why then doth the Apostle command vs to abound in good workes To which he answereth h Audi haeretice stulte inimice fidei veritatis Operae liberi arbitrij bona quae vt fiant praeparaÌ„tur per gratiae praeâ—entum nullo lib. arbitrij merito et ipso faciente gubernante perficiente vt abundent in libero arbitrio non damna mâ—â— quia ex his homines Dei iustificati sunt iustificantur iustifiâ—abuntur in Christo Damnamus verò authoritate diuina opera liberi arbitrij quae gratiae praeponuntur ex his tanquâ—m meritis in Christo iustificari extolluntur Hearken thou foolish heretike and enemy of the true faith We condemne not the good works of free will which that they may be done are prepared by the preuenting of grace vpon no merite of free will and the same preuenting grace causing directing and effecting that they do abound in free wil because by such men of God haue bin are and shal be iustified in Christ But by diuine authoritie we condemne the workes of free will which are put before grace and are extolled for vs by these as it were merits to be iustified in Christ Where verie plainly by the name of the workes of free will he excludeth all workes before the grace of iustification from
Yet we haue heard how Bellarmine maketh them u De iustificat lib. 2. cap. 17. quodam modo in some sort meritorious also and that their Schooles haue commonly receiued them so to be so that in this respect also they do but dally with the Apostle But tell vs M. Bishop are those vertuous dispositions of yours the workes of grace or onely of free will If they be of grace as you commonly foist in the name of grace in speaking of them what hindereth them from being meritorious seeing it is grace you say that addeth merit vnto workes If they be of free will then all workes of our owne forces be not excluded from iustification which before you say the Apostle intendeth If he say that free will is helped by grace let him tell vs what he meaneth therein by grace and we shall finde him a meere Pelagian heretike as before is said He goeth on further and saith that as the excluding of workes and boasting excludeth not faith no more doth it exclude the rest How so Marry faith is as well our worke and a worke of the law as any of the rest But that is false as we haue already seene and againe faith with vs doth not iustifie as a worke as both faith hope and charity do with them but onely as the instrument of our iustification to be apprehended and applied thereby All the rest saith he are of grace as well as faith But being before iustification how should they be of grace seeing before iustification there is no infused grace and why are they not meritorious as hath bene said Againe he saith that the rest are as farre from boasting of as faith But therein he flatly contradicteth the Apostle who affirmeth that x Rom. 3.27 boasting is not excluded by the law of workes but by the law of faith And the thing is plaine for he hath somewhat to boast of who doth any thing for which the grace of God is bestowed vpon him but in faith there is nothing to boast of because the act of faith is to beleeue that God doth all through Christ onely for his mercies sake it is it selfe wholy the gift of God and attributeth nothing to it selfe or to vs but all wholy vnto God But M. Bishop cannot be said to exclude boasting in as much as he must confesse as hath bene before said that his workes of preparation are intrinsecally the works onely of free will and doth make the free will of man in all the worke of iustification concurrent with the grace of God yea so farre as that man hath to glory that by his free will the grace of God taketh his due effect it being in his power either to accept or to refuse the same Whereas he excepteth against the place of S. Luke y Luk. 8.50 onely beleeue as nothing to the purpose he sheweth that he hath not learned rightly to conceiue thereof Let S. Austine teach him that z Aug. de verb. Dom. ser 18. Nouerimus omnia miracula quae corporalitèr fecit valere ad admonitionem nostram vt percipiamus ab eo quod noÌ„ est transituruÌ„ neque in fine abituruÌ„ post Per ista teÌ„poralia quae videbantur aedificauit fidem ad illa quae non videbantur all the miracles which Christ did corporally do serue for our instruction that we may receiue of him that that shall not passe away nor go from vs in the end that by these temporall things which were seene he edified and builded faith to the things which were not seene Christ therfore yeelding here to faith onely a miracle for the recouery of bodily life doth instruct vs that to faith onely he also yeeldeth the work of his power for the raising of vs vp to the spirituall life of grace The man indeede was bid as M. Bishop saith to beleeue the raising of his daughter to life but therein he was bid also to beleeue that it is Christ by whom we are spiritually raised vp from death to life in being reconciled vnto God by the not imputing of our sinnes through the righteousnesse and merit of the same Iesus Christ imputed vnto vs. He saith that faith might be sufficient to obtaine a miracle but I answer him that that miracle was a benefit importing a further benefit and all the benefits of Christ are obtained in like sort so that our Sauiour Christ still referring them that seeke vnto him to faith for the obtaining of bodily health doth also referre vs to faith for the obtaining of soules health Now how his interpretation here deliuered agreeth with the text of Scripture the Reader I hope can well consider by that that hath bene said As for the places of Austin if his sight had not failed him I suppose he would not haue alledged them the one of them being nothing at all against vs and the other directly against himselfe We say a August de grat lib. â—â—bit cap. 3. God forbid that the Apostle should thinke that faith sufficeth a man although he liue euill and haue no good workes Nay we say further God forbid that he should thinke that there is any true faith in them that liue euill and haue no good workes We haue often enough said that a true iustifying faith is neuer separated from godly life and that faith that is without good workes is onelie called faith with men but indeede and with God it is not so In the other place Saint Austine bringeth in the Apostle saying b De praedest sanct cap. 7. that a man is iustified by faith and not of workes But how accordeth this with that that Maister Bishop saith that a man is iustified by his workes as well as by his faith By faith and not by works saith Saint Austine out of the Apostle both by faith and works saith M. Bishop out of his owne braines S. Austine giueth the reason c Ibid. Quia ipsa prima datur ex qua impetreÌ„tur caetera qua propriè opera nuÌ„ cupantur in quibus iustè viuitur Because faith is first giuen by which the rest are obtained which are properly called works in which a man liueth righteously Wherby he importeth that faith is first giuen that thereby we may be iustified and thence follow good works in which we liue well according to his rules before deliuered d De fide et operib cap. 14. Sequntur iustificatum non praecâ—dunt iustificandum They follow a man being iustified they go not before to iustification e Epist 120. cap. 30. Ex hoc incipiunt bona opera ex quo iustifica mur noÌ„ quia praecesserunt iustificamur then they begin when we are iustified we are not iustified for them going before Then plainly it appeareth by S. Austines iudgement that iustification is the beginning of good works and if iustification be the beginning of good workes then by no meanes can it be said that good workes are any cause of
our good workes directly contrary to that which the Apostle defineth in the example of Iacob a Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not by works but by him that calleth it was said the elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau b August Ench. cap. 98. Qua in re si futura opera vel bona huius vel mala illius quae Deus vtique praesciebat vellet intelligi nequaquam diceret non ex operibus sed diâ—â—ret ex futuris operibus eoque modo istam solueret quastionem c. Where saith S. Austine if the Apostle would that either the good workes of the one or the euill workes of the other that were to come should be vnderstood he would not haue said Not of works but would haue said for the workes that were to come and so would haue put the matter out of question c IdeÌ„ epist 105. Ideo inquiunt Pelagiani nondum natorum alium oderat alium diligebat quia futura eorum opera praetudebat Quit istum aâ—utissimum sensum Apostolo defuisse non miretur The Pelagians said as he obserueth that of them being not yet borne God therefore hated the one and loued the other because he did foresee their workes to come Who would not wonder saith he that this wittie conceipt should be wanting to the Apostle But his resolution euery where is that Gods election is the cause of our good workes not the foresight of our good workes the cause why God elected vs. To that purpose he alledgeth the words of the Apostle d Ephe. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him through loue e De praedest sanct ca. 8. Non quia futuri eramuâ— sed vt essemus Et cap. 19. Non quia futures tales nos esse praesciuit sed vt essemus tales per ipsam electionem gratiae c. not saith he because we would be but that we should be not because he foreknew that we would be so but that we might be so by his election of grace The like he obserueth of the same Apostles words concerning himselfe f 1. Cor. 7.25 Aug. epist 105. I haue obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull not for that the Lord did foresee that he would be faithfull but by his mercy made him so to be It were too long to alledge all that might be alledged out of Austine as touching this point but Maister Bishop hauing very nicely touched it deferreth the rest to the question of merits where he saith nothing directly to it It seemeth he was ielous of the matter and therefore was loth to wade too farre least it should too plainly appeare that Pelagius and he are both fallen into one pit 35. W. BISHOP The fourth argument A man must be fully iustified before he can do a good worke and therefore good workes cannot go before iustification True not before the first iustification of a sinner But good Sir you hauing made in the beginning of this last Article a distinction betweene the first and second iustification and hauing before discussed the first and the second now remaining and expecting you why did you not say one word of it the matter being ample and well worthie the handling Albeit you will not willingly confesse any second iustification as you say yet had it bene your part at least to haue disprooued such arguments as we bring to proue a second iustification Yee acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification but these degrees must be made downward of euill worser and worst for if all our sanctification and best workes be like vnto defiled cloutes and no better then deadly sinnes as you hold Pag. 76. else-where let any wise man iudge what degrees of goodnesse can be lodged in it Againe how absurd is that position that there is but one iustification whereby they take fast hold on Christs righteousnesse which can neuer after be either loosed or increased Why then do you with your brother Iouinian maintaine that all men are equally righteous If it so be let him that desireth to see you well coursed read S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregory Lib. 2. con Iouin Epist 81. Epist 57. Hom. 15. in Ezech. At least we must needes vphold that a man is as iust and righteous at his first conuersion as at his death how godly a life soeuer he lead against which I will put downe these reasons following R. ABBOT If there can be no good workes before the first iustification of a sinner what shall we thinke of M. Bishops vertuous dispositions and works of preparation What are they vertuous and yet are they not good Nay he hath called them a Sect. 30. 32. before good qualities good dispositions good preparations and what were they good then and now are they not good Tell vs M. Bishop your mind are your works of preparation good workes or are they not good If they be not good then you haue spoken vntruly before in calling them good If they be good then it is vntruth that you say here that no good workes go before the first iustification of a sinner Either in the one or in the other you must needes confesse that you haue said amisse Now here he quarelleth with Maister Perkins as if he had said nothing to the matter in hand which is as he saith of the second iustification whereas Maister Perkins though noting their distinction of first and second iustification yet hath in hand wholy to exclude workes from iustification whence it must follow that they haue no place in any second iustification And the argument here propounded directly ouerthroweth his second iustificatioÌ„ though he would not see so much For if a man can do no perfect good works till he be fully iustified theÌ„ can he do no perfect good works till the second iustification be fulfilled For a man is not fully and perfectly iustified till he haue attained to full and perfect iustice Iustice is not full and perfect so long as any thing remaineth to be added vnto it There is still something to be added in their second iustification till it come to his full terme Therefore till then a man is not fully iustified Now the iustice that is not perfect if it be respected in it selfe cannot be pleasing vnto God It can therefore bring forth no good workes to merit at Gods hands There can therefore be no good workes whereby a man should merit their second iustification M. Bishop after his manner briefly reciteth the argument and hauing so done very scholerlike answereth to the conclusion graunting it in one sort when the premisses inferre it in another and yet braueth and faceth as if the matter were wholly cleare for him
turne Because he had no great skill to answer he thought it wisedom to take heed what he did obiect But yet out of that sentence truly alledged we may take somewhat to this point The words are p Gal. 3.11 The iust shall liue by faith According to these words true faith is said alwayes to imply and containe eternall life Our Sauior Christ speaketh as of a thing presently had q Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeueth hath eternall life r Cap. 5.24 he is passed from death to life But without charitie there can be no state of eternall life because Å¿ 1. Ioh. 3 14. he that loueth not abideth in death If then wheresoeuer there be true faith there be eternall life and without charitie there can be no eternall life it must necessarily follow that wheresoeuer there is true faith there is also charitie and loue bringing forth the fruites of good workes and seeking to winne others by example of iust and holy life M. Bishops answer we see giueth checke to the holy Ghost The holy Ghost saith The iust shall liue by faith Not so saith M. Bishop he liueth by faith hope and charitie and not by faith alone Further I trouble not my selfe with his idle words which containe nothing but a begging of the matter in question and are applied onely to an argument of his owne deuice CHAPTER 5. OF MERITS 1. W. BISHOP OBserue that three things are necessary to make a worke meritorious First that the worker be the adopted sonne of God and in the state of grace Secondly that the work proceed from grace and be referred to the honour of God The third is the promise of God through Christ to reward the work And because our aduersaries either ignorantly or of malice do slaunder this our doctrine in saying vntruly that we trust not in Christs merits nor need not Gods mercy for our saluation but wil purchase it by our owne works I wil here set downe what the Councell of Trent doth teach concerning Merits Sess 6. cap. vlt. Life euerlasting is to be proposed to them that work wel and hope wel to the end both as grace of mercie promised to the sonnes of God through Christ Iesus and as a reward by the promise of the same God to be faithfully rendred vnto their workes and merits So that we hold eternall life to be both a grace as well in respect of Gods free promise through Christ as also for that the first grace out of which they issue was freely bestowed vpon vs. And that also it is a reward in iustice due partly by the promise of God and in part for the dignitie of good workes vnto the worker if he perseruere and hold on vnto the end of his life or by true repentance rise to the same estate againe In infants baptized there is a kind of merit or rather dignitie of the adopted sonnes of God by his grace powred into their soules in baptisme wherby they are made heires of the kingdom of heauen but all that arriue to the yeares of discretion must by the good vse of the same grace either merit life or for want of such fruite of it fall into the miserable state of death R. ABBOT M. Bishop setteth downe three things which he saith are necessary to make a work meritorious but giueth vs no ground at all whereby we may rest perswaded that where those three things do concurre a man may be said to merit or deserue at Gods hands He leaueth vs still to wonder that a sinfull wretch offending and prouoking God from day to day should dare to talke of merite and desert with God but that we know that heresie and ignorance make men bold to frame the maiestie of God to their owne brainsicke and senslesse conceits The conditions and circumstances by him mentioned we alwayes teach and require in our doctrine of good workes but farre are we from finding merit in any of them For first the adopted sonne of God standeth bound by dutie to do all things to the honor of his Father and there can be no merit in doing that which a man by dutie is bound to do Secondly if the worke proceed from the grace of God the work is Gods and not mans and therfore man can therby merit nothing Thirdly if the reward depend vpon promise then it ariseth not of the merit or worth of workes especially there being by the frailtie of the worker and the bountie of the promiser that disproportion betwixt the worke and the reward as that it is meerly absurd to imagine that the one should be merited and deserued by the other These things God willing shall further appeare in the processe of this question In the meane time M. Bishop here challengeth vs for slaundering their doctrine with some matters of truth as that they trust not in Christs merits that they need not Gods mercy for their saluation but will purchase it by their owne workes Now we wote well that they vse speech of Christes merits and Gods mercie and of trusting therein because they know that if they abandoned the mention hereof they would soone grow odious and hatefull to all men For the cuppe of poison of the whore of Babylon they must vse a couer of such good words least they make men loth to drinke thereof But let it be examined how they teach these things and their falshood will soone appeare By trust in Christs merits men conceiue the placing of the confidence of saluation immediatly therein as the proper cause for which God accepteth vs to eternall life who our selues are miserable sinners and altogether vnworthy thereof But their trust in Christs merits is that he hath purchased for vs grace if we list by free will to merite heauen for ourselues thereby to be iust before God in our selues and worthy of the kingdome of heauen as M. Bishop in the former question of a Sect. 2. Iustification hath declared So then the effect of Christs merits is tied onely to this life and thenceforth we are to depend vpon that which here we do for our selues by wel vsing that grace which the merits of Christ first purchased for vs. Therefore one Richard Hopkins translating into English a booke of Granatensis as touching prayer and meditation giueth it one where for a marginall note that our Sauiour Christ is our Aduocate for the time of this life but after our departure out of this life he is no more our Aduocate but our Iudge for the time is past saith he of dealing with God by an Aduocate c. and we shall haue our definitiue sentence according to our workes Whereby it appeareth what reckoning they make of the mercie of God which they also pen vp within the compasse of this life and denie it that place which the Apostle giueth it b 2. Tim. 1.18 at that day Yea so little vse is there with them of Gods mercie as that M. Bishop doubteth not to demaund
c Cap. 4. Sect. 4. What need any iustified man greatly feare the rigorous sentence of a iust Iudge Hence are those most insolent speeches of theirs that good workes are d Rhem. Annot. 2. Tim. 4.8 truly and properly meritorious and fully worthy of euerlasting life that heauen is the due and iust stipend which God by his iustice oweth to the persons working by his grace that we haue a right to heauen and deserue it worthily that it is our owne right bargained for and wrought for and accordingly payed vnto vs as our hire e Ibid. Heb. 6.10 that good workes be so farre meritorious as that God should be vniust if he rendered not heauen for the same Thereupon Tapper sticketh not to say f Ruard Tapper in explic art Louan tom 2 art 9. Absit vt iusti vi tam aeternam expectent sicut pau per eleemosynam Multò namque gloriâ—sius est ipsoâ— quasi victores triumphatores eam possidere tanquam palmaÌ„ suit sudoribus debitam God forbid that the iust should expect eternall life as the poore man doth an almes for it is much more glorious that they should haue it as conquerers and triumphers as the prize due vnto their labours Thus you your selues haue written M. Bishop and do we slaunder you in reporting truly what you haue written No no your speeches are impudent and shamelesse in this behalfe and such as we wonder that your foreheads serue you to auouch Why doth it not suffice you to preach good workes simply as Christ and his Apostles did with commendation of Gods mercy in rewarding the same What need this vaine foolery of merite so improbable so absurd so impossible whereby you do not magnifie God but set vp the righteousnesse of man against the grace of God As for the definition of the Councell of Trent we esteeme it not knowing the same for the most part to haue bene but a conuenticle of base Italianate Machiauels who by equiuocations and sophistications haue deluded the world and by casting the chaffe of some phrases of the Fathers vpon the meeres and puddles of the schoolemen haue laboured to couer and hide the filth and mire thereof and indeed haue left them still to serue by false confidence and trust for gulfes and whirlpools to swallow vp and deuoure the soules of men Although the words of the Councell may beare some good construction according to the auncient fathers meaning of the name of merites yet by them they are deceitfully set downe to leaue open a gappe to the absurd and intollerable presumption of men in aduancing and lifting vp the desert of mens workes as if God were thereby greatly bound and beholding vnto them How farre their meaning extendeth will appeare by M. Bishop who will not haue vs thinke that he will speake any thing but by the authoritie of that Councell And first he telleth vs that they hold that eternall life is a grace which indeed they dare not denie because the Scripture expresly so affirmeth g Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the grace or gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. But he addeth to grace a supply of workes quite contrary to the Scriptures for it is expresly sayd h Chap. 11.6 If it be of grace it is not of works otherwise grace is no grace i August contra Pelag. Celest lib. 2. ca 24. Non enim gratia Dei gratia erit vllo modo nisi fuerit gratuita omni modo Grace saith Saint Austin is not grace in any sort if it be not free in euery sort It is of grace saith M. Bishop and yet it is of workes also But still to make a shew of vpholding grace he telleth vs that though eternall life be by workes yet the first grace out of which those workes do issue is freely bestowed vpon vs. Which he saith only as ashamed to deny grace altogether and not of any conscience that hee maketh faithfully to auouch the same For if the grace whence those workes do issue which is the grace of iustification be freely bestowed vpon vs why doth he before labour to approue that we are iustified by workes Or if we obtaine the grace of iustification by workes how doth he say that the same is freely bestowed vpon vs The plaine truth is that by their works of preparation they make a man at least in some sort as we haue heard before out of Bellarmine to merit and deserue euen the first grace if by the first grace we vnderstand the grace of their first iustification as M. Bishop vsually doth But beside grace it is also a reward due in iustice saith he And how so Marry partly by the promise of God Now if he rested here we would not contend with him For promise is indeed grace and iustice in respect of promise is nothing but truth in the performance thereof neither is here any impeachment of the free gift of God But not contented herewith he addeth that it is due in part also for the dignitie of good workes And thus he confoundeth those things which the Scripture still very precisely distinguisheth aduertising vs that k Rom. 4.14 if they which are of the law that is of workes be heires then is faith made voide and the promise is made of none effect and againe l Gal. 3.18 if the inheritance be of the law that is of workes it is no longer by promise To be inheritors by workes and to be inheritors by promise are things so opposite as that the one wholly excludeth the other neither can they possibly stand together As for that which he saith of infants merite and dignitie it is also the schoolemens fiction and deuice Remission of sinnes is their saluation as it is ours and in them it standeth good which the Apostle saith m Rom. 5 2â— As sinne hath raigned ouer them vnto death so grace also raigneth by righteousnesse that is by imputation of righteousnesse vnto eternall life not by any dignitie in them but through Iesus Christ our Lord. But as touching them that arriue to yeares of discretion he telleth vs that either they must by good vse of grace merite life or for want of such fruite fall into the miserable state of death A very hard sentence for himselfe for if he neuer haue life till he merite and deserue it we can well assure him that he shall go without it And I wonder that his heart did not tremble at the writing hereof but that he hath hardened the same against the truth and writeth but only for maintenance of that occupation and trade that must yeeld maintenance backe againe to him What will he say in the end when he shall lie wrastling with death and readie to resigne his soule into the hands of God Will he then craue for mercie who writeth now so earnestly for merite Let him take heede that God do not then answer him n Luk. 19.22 Out of thine
owne mouth will I iudge thee thou euill seruant Thou hast despised my mercie Thou hast defined that euery one that doth not merite life must fall into the state of death Thy sentence shall stand good against thy selfe thou art farre off from meriting life and therefore thy iust portion shall be euerlasting death Let him learne in time to feare this doome and leaue off by this wilfull oppugning of the faith and doctrine of Christ to rebell against God 2. W. BISHOP With this Catholike doctrine M. Perkins would be thought to agree in two points First That merits are necessary to saluation Secondly That Christ is the roote and fountaine of all merit But soone after like vnto a shrewd cow ouerthrowes with his heele the good milke he had giuen before renouncing all merits in euery man sauing onely in the person of Christ whose prerogatiue saith he it is to be the person alone in whom God is wel pleased Then he addeth that they good Protestants by Christs merits really imputed to them do merite life euerlasting Euen as by his righteousnesse imputed vnto them they are iustified and made righteous To which I answer that we most willingly confesse our blessed Sauiours merits to be infinite and of such diuine efficacie that he hath not onely merited at his Fathers hands both pardon for all faults and grace to do all good workes but also that his true seruants workes should be meritorious of life euerlasting As for the reall imputation of his merit to vs we esteeme as a fained imagination composed of contrarieties For if it be really in vs why do they call it imputed and if it be ours only by Gods imputation then is it not in vs really Further to say that he onely is the person in whom God is well pleased is to giue the lye vnto many plaine texts of holy Scriptures Iac 2. Eccles 45. Act. 13. Ioh. 16. Rom. 1. Abraham was called the friend of God therefore God was well pleased in him Moyses was his beloued Dauid was a man according vnto his owne heart God loued Christs Disciples because they loued him Briefly all the Christians at Rome were truly called of S. Paule the beloued of God And therefore although God be best pleased in our Sauiour and for his sake is pleased in all others yet is he not onely pleased in him but in all his faithfull seruants Now to that which he saith that they haue no other merit then Christs imputed to them as they haue no other righteousnesse but by imputation I take it to be true and therefore they do very ingeniously and iustly renounce all kind of merits in their stained and defiled workes But let them tremble at that which thereupon necessarily followeth It is that as they haue no righteousnesse or merit of heauen but onely by a supposed imputation so they must looke for no heauen but by imputation for God as a most vpright iudge will in the end repay euery man according to his woorth wherefore not finding any reall worthinesse in Protestants but onely in conceipt his reward shall be giuen them answerably in conceipt onely which is euidently gathered out of S. Augustine Lib. 1. de mori Eccles cap. 25. where he saith That the reward cannot go before the merit nor be giuen to a man before he be worthy of it for saith he what were more iniust then that and what is more iust then God Where he concludeth that we must not be so hardie as once to demaund much lesse so impudent as to assure our selues of that crowne before we haue deserued it Seeing then that the Protestants by this their proctor renounce al such merit and desert they must needes also renounce their part of heauen and not presume so much as once to demaund it according vnto S. Augustines sentence vntill they haue first renounced their erronious opinions R. ABBOT M. Perkins hath indeed giuen good milke as M. Bishop saith euen a 1. Pet. 2.2 the syncere milke of the word which he had drawne from b August in Ioan. Epist trac 3. Est mater Ecclesia vbera eius du◠Testamenta Scripturari 〈◊〉 narū the brests of the Church the old and the new Testament the writings of the Apostles and Prophets which are c Ephes 2.20 the foundations whereupon the house of God is built He plaid not the shrewd cow to ouerthrow it when he had giuen it but what he gaue M. Bishop seeketh to corrupt by blending and mingling with it not the leauen onely but the very poison of humane traditions He renounceth and so do we all merit but what is in the person of Iesus Christ for vs and thereby onely do we lay hold of eternall life acknowledging that not for any thing that we do but onely d Mat. 3.17 in him the Father is well pleased towards vs and accepteth vs to be his children and heires of his kingdome Whereas in his pleasance he tearmeth vs good Protestants I must tell him as before that if the Protestants do not exceede the goodnesse of them who will be taken to be the very best amongst the Papistes without question they are very bad and I doubt not but he himselfe will acquit the Protestants from being so bad as he and his fellowes haue told vs that their good maisters the Iesuites be But for answer he saith that Christ did merit for his not onely pardon of all faults and grace to do all good workes but also that their workes should be meritorious of life euerlasting A strange speech and such as the Apostles and Primitiue Church were not acquainted with Forsooth Christ did not merit eternall life for vs but he merited for vs grace that so we might merit eternall life for our selues Now M. Bishop hath taught vs before that grace is nothing but as Free will adioyneth it selfe vnto it and so the conclusion is that the grace of God doth not saue man but man by the helpe of grace doth saue himselfe Thus the matter resteth vpon vs Christ offereth vs grace we may receiue it if we will and when we haue it we may if we will thereby deserue eternal life otherwise we go without it But the Scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise that e 1. Ioh. 5.10.11 the record that God hath witnessed of his Sonne is this that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Here is no record that God hath giuen vs grace to deserue eternall life but that he hath giuen vs eternall life nor that this life is in our merits but that this life is in his Sonne so as that f Ioh 3.36 he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and g 1. Ioh. 5.13 they that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God are to know that they haue eternall life God by the beginning giuing them certificate and assurance of the end The reall imputation of Christs merits to vs is
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
onely reasonably but fully worthy of euerlasting life that they haue a right to heauen and deserue it worthily and that God by his iustice oweth it vnto them These are downe-right lads that sticke not to vtter their mindes but M. Bishop he commeth in paltring with his Geometricall proportion and reasonable correspondence and like a young nouice is abashed to say all and by that meanes if good heede be not taken is likely to marre the market of merit to the harme of himselfe and the rest of them Hitherto then it appeareth that M. Perkins did rightly assigne those foure conditions or circumstances to be required in a meritorious work which standing good as they do there can be no merit because all the good that we do is Gods because in all we do but our duty because that that we do doth not fully satisfie our duty nor hath any due proportion or correspondence to the reward of heauen 7. W. BISHOP Exod. 20. His second testimonie is God will shew mercy vpon thousands in them that loue him and keepe his commandements Hence he reasoneth thus Where reward is giuen vpon mercy there is no merit but reward is giuen vpon mercy as the text proueth ergo Answere That in that text is nothing touching the reward of heauen which is now in question God doth for his louing seruants sake shew mercy vnto their children or friends either in temporall things or in calling them to repentance and such like but doth neuer for one mans sake bestow the kingdome vpon another vnlesse the party himselfe be first made worthy of it That confirmation of his that Adam by his continuall and perfect obedience could not haue procured a further increase of Gods fauour is both besides the purpose and most false for as well he as euery good man sithence by good vse of Gods gifts might day by day increase them And that no man thinke that in Paradise it should haue bene otherwise S. Augustine saith expresly That in the felicity of Paradise Jn Eâ—chir cap. 25. righteousnes preserued should haue ascended into better And Adam finally and all his posterity if he had not fallen should haue bene from Paradise translated aliue into the Kingdome of heauen this by the way R. ABBOT What when God promiseth mercy to thousands in them that loue him and keepe his commandements doth he meane his mercy to their children only and not to themselues and is the mercy that is promised only for earth and not for heauen Here M. Bishop as it appeareth was hardly bested when he could find no way to get out but by such a sencelesse and absurd shift But to take away that corrupt glose of his the Prophet Dauid expresly referreth all reward to Gods mercy a Psal 62.12 Thou O Lord art mercifull or mercy O Lord is to be ascribed vnto thee for thou rewardest euery man according to his work Which words are generall of euery man not signifying that which God doth to some for others sake but that which euery man receiueth for his owne worke and import not onely reward of temporall things because they are the words which the Scripture euery where vseth to signifie the reward that shall be giuen at that day Now then there is no merit either in things temporall or eternall because it is of mercy that God rewardeth euery man according to his workes And thus of Gods eternall mercy the same Prophet alluding to the words of the commaundement saith in another place b Psal 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse towards their childrens children euen such as keepe his couenant and thinke vpon his commandements to do them It is Gods mercy then whereby to them that feare him and keepe his commaundements he giueth reward for euer and euer shewing himselfe iust also in performance of the same promise of his mercy to their childrens children But could not the blind man here see how by his owne answer he doth circumuent himselfe The place he saith must be vnderstood of temporall graces and benefits not of the reward of heauen So then by mercy God bestoweth the reward of temporall benefits but by merit he bestoweth the Kingdome of heauen Now how strange a thing is it and improbable that merits should extend to the purchase of the Kingdome of heauen and yet should not serue to purchase temporall benefits here vpon the earth c Hieron Si tanti vitruÌ„ quanti pretiosissimum margaritum If glasse be of so great price how much more woorth is a most pretious iewell If earth be so much woorth as that mercy onely can yeeld it shall we thinke that we haue merit to deserue heauen But we will leaue the man to his folly it may be when he hath better considered of the matter we shall haue of him some wiser answer In the meane time we acknowledge that God doth not for one mans sake bestow the Kingdome of heauen vpon another but yet of mercy he bestoweth it both vpon the one and vpon the other both vpon the fathers and vpon the children euen all that feare him and keepe his commaundements And fith of mercy he bestoweth it certaine it is that they haue no merit to deserue and chalenge it whosoeuer they be that loue him and keepe his commaundements That which he saith of Adam he saith it without booke and hath no warrant for that he saith As for the place of Austine though it containe nothing but what is probable yet we answer to it by a rule which the same S. Austine hath prescribed otherwhere that d Aug de peccat mer remiss lib. 2. ca. 36. Vbi de re obscurissima disputatur noÌ„ adiuuantibus diuinarum scripturarum certis clarisque documentu cohibere se debet humâ—â—a praesumptis nihil faciins in alteram parteÌ„ declinando where there is controuersie of a very obscure matter there being no certaine cleare instructions of holy Scriptures to helpe vs therein humane presumption is to stay it selfe doing nothing by inclining either way 8 W. BISHOP Now to the third Argument Rom. 6. Scripture condemneth merit of works The wages of sinne is death True But we speake of good workes and not of bad which the Apostle calleth sinne where were the mans wits but it followeth there That eternall life is the grace or gift of God This is to purpose but answered 1200. yeares past by that famous Father Saint Augustine in diuers places of his most learned Workes I will note one or two of them First thus here ariseth no small doubt De grat lib. arb cap. 8. which by Gods helpe I will now discusse For if eternall life be rendred vnto good workes as the holy Scripture doth most clearly teach note how then can it be called grace when grace is giuen freely and not repayed for workes and so pursuing the points of difficultie at large in
the end resolueth that eternall life is most truly rendred vnto good workes as the due reward of them but because those good workes could not haue bene done vnlesse God had before freely through Christ bestowed his grace vpon vs therefore the same eternall life is also truly called grace because the first roote of it was Gods free gift The very same answer doth he giue where he hath these words Epist 106. Eternall life is called grace not because it is not rendred vnto merits but for that those merits to which it is rendred were giuen in which place he crosseth M. Perkins proportion most directly affirming that S. Paule might haue said truly eternall life is the pay or wages of good workes but to hold vs in humilitie partly and partly to put a difference betweene our saluation and damnation chose rather to say that the gift of God was life eternall because of our damnation we are the whole and onely cause but not of our saluation but principally the grace of God the onely fountaine of merit and all good workes R. ABBOT M. Perkins alledged the whole words of the Apostle not to argue onely from the assertion expressed in the latter part that a Rom. 6.23 eternall life is the gift of God but also from the connexion of the whole sentence that whereas it being said that the wages of sinne is death the sequele of the speech if there were any merit in our workes should haue bene The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life he saith not so but the gift of God is eternall life and so both by that which he doth not say and also by that which he doth say sheweth that there is no place to be giuen to the merit and desert of man Now Maister Bishop taketh the first part of the sentence by it selfe The wages of sinne is death as if Master Perkins had thence argued against merit and asketh Where were the mans wits Surely his owne wits were not so farre from home but that he well knew wherein the proofe stood but we see he is disposed sometimes to shew his apish trickes that we may see how he can skippe and leape about the chaine howsoeuer he aduantage himselfe nothing at all thereby But at his pleasure he produceth the words which M. Perkins properly intended Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He telleth vs that the place is answered 1200. yeares past by S. Austine in diuers places of his works Now indeed it is true that S. Austine in diuers places of his works hath handled those words but the spite is that in none of all those places he hath said any thing to serue M. Bishop for an answer This may appeare by that that he saith in the very same booke and very next Chapter to that that M. Bishop citeth b August de grâ—◠〈◊〉 arbit cap. 9. Câ—â—â— posseâ— dicere rectè dicere Stiâ—â—endâ—m iustitiae vita etâ—rnâ— maluâ—â—â—â—eÌ„ dicere Gratia Dei c. vt intelligantus non pro meritâ— nostru Deum nos ad vitam aeternaÌ„ seâ— pro miseratione sua perducere de quo c. Whereas the Apostle might say and rightly say The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life yet he chose rather to say The grace of God is eternall life that we may vnderstand that not for our merits but for his owne mercies sake he bringeth vs to eternall life whereof it is said in the Psalme He crowneth thee in mercie and compassion Hereby it may seeme that S. Austine meant to yeeld M. Bishop small helpe by his expounding of this place to the maintenance of their merits But in the Chapter cited by M. Bishop she propoundeth the question c Ibid. cap. 8. Si vita aeterna bonus operibus redditur sicut apertissiâ—â—è dicit Scriptura Quoniam Deus redâ—es c quomodo gratia est vita aeterna cum gratia non operibus reddatur sed gratis detur c. how eternal life should be called the grace of God seeing that it is elsewhere said that God will render vnto euery man according to his workes The difficultie he sheweth to arise of this that that is called grace which is not rendred vnto workes but is freely giuen Whereof he citeth the words of the Apostle If it be of grace it is not of workes otherwise grace is no grace Then he solueth the question thus that d Intelligamus ipsa bona opera nostra quibus aeterna redditur vita ad Dei gratiam pertinere we must vnderstand that our good workes to which eternall life is rendred do belong also to the grace of God signifying that God of his mercie intending to giue vs eternall life doth by the same mercie giue vs those good workes to which he will giue it For conclusion of that Chapter he saith consequently that e Vita nostra bona nihil aliud est quâ—m Dei gratia sine dubio vita aeterna quae bonae vitae redditur Dei gratia est ipsa enim gratis â—ata est quia gratis data est illa cui datur sed illa cui datur tantum modo gratia est haec autem quae illi datur quomaÌ„ praemiuÌ„ eius est gratia est pro gratia tanquam merces pro iustitia vt verum sit c. because our good life is nothing else but the grace of God therefore vndoubtedly eternall life which is rendred vnto good life is the grace of God for that is freely giuen because that is freely giuen to which it is giuen But good life to which eternall life is giuen is onely grace eternall life which is giuen to good life because it is the reward thereof is grace for grace as it were a reward for righteousnesse that it may be true as it is true that God will render to euery man according to his workes In all which discourse plainely he sheweth that good life is the grace and gift of God and when God rendreth thereto eternall life he doth but adde one grace to another grace which although it be as it were a reward for righteousnesse yet is indeed but grace for grace Which fully accordeth with that that was cited out of him before that f Supra Sect. 2. August in Psal 109. Whatsoeuer God promised he promised to men vnworthy that it might not be promised as a reward to works but being grace might according to the name be freely giuen because to liue iustly so farre as a man can liue iustly is not a matter of mans merit but of the gift of God So that although eternall life be as it were a reward of righteousnesse in consequence and order yet absolutely to speake it is not so because both the one and the other are only the grace and gift of God Now if God by his free gift intending to vs eternall life do giue vs his grace to leade a iust and holy life that thereto
chargeth vs with false translation and misconstruction He telleth vs that we should not say worthy of the glory but equall to the glory The Greeke word as Gramarians note doth by his originall signifie those things which being put into the ballance are of equall waight and poise one to the other and from thence is it taken to signifie worth or worthinesse because there is a full correspondence of value betwixt that that is said to be worthy and the thing that it is worthy of And according to this vsuall signification of the word do we translate not worthy of the glory c. and though we should translate not equal yet must we perforce vnderstand it as touching equalitie in worth And herein their own vulgar translation doth iustifie vs Non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam c. that is as the Rhemists translate it The passions of this time are not condigne to the glorie to come c. for what is condigne but equall or comparable in worth whence they take their meritum condigni or ex condigno to be that which in value and worth is fully equiualent to the reward Therefore Arias Montanus ad verbum readeth it thus Non dignae passiones nunc temporis ad futuram gloriam c. The sufferings of this time are not worthy to the glorie to come which what is it but the same as to say they are not comparable in worth to the glory to come Now then why doth he go about to impeach our translation when it is thus approued by their owne But that it may plainly appeare that we haue no way falsified or misconstrued this text let vs see in what sort the auncient Fathers haue cited and applied the same Saint Austin readeth the words thus b August lib. 83. quaest 67. Jndignae sunt passiones huius temporis c. The sufferings of this time are vnworthy to the glorie to come and saying in another place that c Idem de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 18. Nullo mods superbiant sancts Martyres tanquam dignum aliquid pro illius patriae participatione fecerint vbiaterna est vera foelicitas Et sub finem superbia ne extollamur Quoniam sicut dicit Apostolus Indigna c. the holy Martyrs are not to be proud as if they did any worthy matter for the participation of that countrey where is eternall and true happinesse alledgeth afterwards for reason hereof these words Because as the Apostle saith the sufferings of this time are vnworthy c. In the very same sort doth d Ambros de Iacob lib. 1. cap. 6. de Interpellat Job lib. 1. cap. 1. in Psal 118. ser 19. Ambrose cite the same words in sundry places and although in the text inserted in his commentarie vpon the Epistle to the Romanes he reade as the vulgar Latine doth yet in expounding the next verse he expresseth the effect thereof thus e Idem in Rom. 8. Praesentu temporis passiones indignas dixit ad futuram gloriam The Apostle hath said that the sufferings of this time are vnworthy to the glorie to come Therefore elsewhere alluding to those words hee sayth that the Saints f Idem de bono mortis cap. 2. Gloriosam mercedem laboris exigui incipientes recipere cognoscent indignas esse passiones huius temporis quibus remunerationis aeternae gloria tanta refertur when they shal begin to receiue the glorious reward of their smal paines shall know that the sufferings of this time are vnworthy to haue so great glorie of eternall reward yeelded vnto them And againe in another place g Idem de interpellat Dauid ca. 2. Indigna sunt quae in hoc corpore sustinemus remuneratione futurae gloriae The things which we suffer in this bodie are vnworthy of the reward of the glory to come Hierome vpon that place sayth that h Hieronim in Rom. 8. Reuereà nihil posset homo condignum pati gloriae coelesti etiamsi talis esset ilia qualis modo est vita c. a man could do nothing comparable in worth to the heauenly glorie albeit it were but euen such as this life is For whatsoeuer a man shall suffer before death it is no more then he deserued before by his sinnes But now both his sinnes be forgiuen him and then eternall life shall be giuen the company of Angels the brightnesse of the Sunne c. Oecumenius expoundeth it that i Oecumen in Rom. 8. Non possumus quiequam futura retributione condignum aut pati aut ad illam conferre we cannot suffer any thing worthy of the reward to come or helpe any whit thereto Fulgentius hauing sayd that k Fulgent ad Momin lib. 1. supra sect 6. the gift of Gods reward doth incomparably and vnspeakeably exceed all the merit of the good will and worke of man bringeth for proofe hereof these words of the Apostle The sufferings of this time c. Bernard likewise affirming that l Bernard in Annunciat ser 1. supra sect 3. the merits of men are not such as that eternal life may be due vnto them of right asking what are all merits to so great glorie for confirmation citeth also the same words and addeth m Nec si vni◠omnes sustineat No not if one man did endure them all By all which it may appeare how truly M. Bishop and his fellowes make construction of this place that the sufferings of this time are not equall in length and greatnesse to the glorie to come but yet for value and worth they be equall to it and the one doth merite the other expresly contrary to their owne text and translation But to proue this he alledgeth further that the Apostle saith that n 2. Cor. 4.17 this momentany and light tribulation worketh vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight of glorie Yet we find not here the thing that he would proue that this short and light tribulation doth merite and deserue that most excellent and eternall waight of glorie nay who doth not see that it is plainly excluded by the words For if our sufferings and good workes be but according to the scant and small measure of our fraile and weake condition short in time and light in burden and on the other side the glorie to come be exceedingly or beyond measure excellent surely then apparent it is that the littlenesse and lightnesse of the one can neuer in worth attaine to the vnmeasurable excellencie of the other But he will say the one worketh the other the affliction worketh vnto vs the glorie True and what then Doth the one therefore merit and deserue the other Surely as it is sayd of affliction so it may be sayd of them that afflict vs that they worke vnto vs an excellent and an eternall weight of glorie and yet it cannot be said that they deserue the same for vs. Affliction worketh
Be it so and yet by all our expence and labors and trauels we merite nothing we looke for nothing by desert but craue it of the blessing and free gift of God Let M. Bishop say Is there any man who by his labour and paines can challenge at Gods hands a morsell of bread as of merite and desert If he cannot but is still bound to crie amidst all his trauels Giue vs this day our dayly bread why doth he put man in opinion of meriting at Gods hands eternall life who cannot by all his workes bind God vnto him for his dayly bread We labour therefore to lay hold of eternall life by such meanes as God hath ordained and by the exercise of good workes which God hath prepared for vs to walke in but after all our labour we still beg eternall life at Gods hands as of his meere blessing and gift that it may be true both in the beginning and in the end that a Rom. 6.23 eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Yet he telleth vs that God hath appointed good workes for vs to walke in to deserue eternall life But where hath he so appointed We find that God b 1. Ioh. 5.11 in his Sonne hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and that he hath c Ephes 2.10 prepared for vs good workes to walke in as the Apostle speaketh namely to that eternall life which he hath giuen vs but that he hath appointed vs good workes to deserue eternall life M. Bishop cannot tell vs where to find Now because the spirit of God hath not any where taught vs so to conceiue what is it but Satanicall insolencie thus to teach against the doctrine of the spirit And whereas he saith that Saint Austine and the best spirit of men since Christs time haue taught that heauen may be merited we first tell him that all that is nothing vnlesse Christ himselfe haue so taught and secondly that he falsly fathereth vpon the Fathers this misbegotten bastard of merite which in that meaning as he and his fellowes teach it was neuer imagined by the Fathers as partly hath appeared alreadie and shall God willing appeare further 13. W. BISHOP But let vs heare his last argument which is as he speaketh the consent of the ancient Church and then beginneth with S. Bernard who liued a thousand yeares after Christ he in I know not what place the quotation is so doubtfull saith Those things which we call merits are the way to the kingdome but not the cause of raigning I answer that merits be not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed on vs out of which our merits proceed Ser. 68. in Cantie which is Bernards owne doctrine Manuâ—l cap. 22. Secondly he citeth S. Augustine All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit True in a good sence that is by vertue of his death and passion my sins are pardoned and grace is bestowed on me to do good workes and so to merit In Psal 114. Thirdly Basil Eternall life is reserued for them that haue striuen lawfully not for the merite of their doing but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God These words are vntruly translated for first he maketh with the Apostle eternall life to be the prize of that combat and then addeth that it is not giuen according vnto the debt and iust rate of the workes but in a fuller measure according vnto the bountie of so liberall a Lord where hence is gathered that common and most true sentence That God punisheth men vnder their deserts but rewardeth them aboue their merits Psal 120. 4. M. Perkins turnes backe to Augustine vpon the Psal 120. where he saith as M. Perkins reporteth He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits Answ S. Augustine was too wise to let any such foolish sentence passe his pen. What congruitie is in this He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits It had bene better said He crowneth thee not c. But he mistooke belike this sentence of S. Augustins When God crowneth thee he crowneth his gifts not thy merites De grat lib. arb cap. 6. Which is true being taken in that sence which he himselfe declareth To such a man so thinking that is that he hath merits of himselfe without the grace of God it may be most truly said God doth crowne his owne gifts not thy merits if thy merits be of thy selfe and not from him but if we acknowledge our merits to proceed from grace working with vs then we may as truly say that eternall life is the crowne and reward of merits His other place on the Psalme is not to this purpose Psal 142. but appertaines to the first iustification of a sinner as the first word quicken and reuiue me sheweth plainly now we confesse that a sinner is called to repentance and reuiued not for any desert of his owne but of Gods meere mercie R. ABBOT The place of Bernard is in the very end of his booke De gratia libero arbitrio where hauing before deuided a Bernar. de grat et lib arbit Dona sua Deus in merita diuisit proemia the gifts of God into merits and rewards he sheweth that merites are wholly to be ascribed vnto God because b Non equidem quòd consensus ip se in quo merituÌ„ omne consistit ab ipso libero arbitrio sit c. Deus facit volenteÌ„ hoc est voluntati suae consentientem to consent to God which is the thing wherein merite wholly consisteth is not of our free will but of God himselfe So that although God in the worke of mans saluation do vse the will of man himselfe yet there is nothing in the will of man to that purpose but what is c Totum ex illa wholly of the grace of God Now hauing disputed and shewed these things at large in the end of the booke he shutteth vp all with this conclusion d Si propriè appellentur ea quae dicimus nostra merita spei quaedam sunt seminaria charitatis inceÌ„tiua occuliae praedâ—stinationis iudiciâ— futurae foelicitatis praesagia via regni noÌ„ causa regnandi If properly we will terme those which we call our merites they are the seedgrounds of our hope incitements of our loue tokens of our secret predestination foretokens of our future happinesse the way to the kingdome not the cause of our raigning or of our hauing the kingdome Where plainely he giueth to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is spoken of our merites is but vnproperly spoken that God hauing purposed vnto vs eternall life bestoweth his grace vpon vs to leade a godly life as a foretoken thereof and therefore that our good workes are but the way wherein God leadeth vs to his kingdome which hee of his owne mercie hath intended and
giuen vnto vs and not the cause for which hee is moued to bestow the same vpon vs euen as Saint Augustine speaketh e August in Psalm 109. Via qua nos perducturus est ad finem illum queÌ„ promisit the way by which hee will bring vs to that end which hee hath promised Now what sayth M. Bishop to this place of Bernard no question but he hath an answer readie though by his owne confession he neuer saw the place so notable a facultie haue these men to tell an Authors meaning before euer they looke into him forsooth Bernards meaning is that merits are not the whole cause but the promise of God through Christ and the grace of God freely bestowed vpon vs out of which our merits proceed Thus he answereth Bernard by a plaine contradiction to Bernards words Bernard saith they are not the cause Yes saith M. Bishop they are the cause though they be not the whole cause But see how scholerlike he dealeth therein for it is as much as if he should say The tree is not the whole cause of the fruite that it bringeth foorth but the roote whence it proceedeth and the boughes whereupon it groweth whereas the roote and the boughes are parts of the tree without which it is not a tree and therefore the exception maketh nothing against it but that the tree is called the whole cause of the fruite So saith he Merits are not the whole cause of saluation but the grace and promise of God distinguishing merits as one part of the cause from the grace and promise of God as another part of the cause whereas merite by his owne rule in the beginning of this question doth alwayes necessarily include the promise and grace of God and can be no merite but as it proceedeth from grace and hath of God a promise of reward By this exception therefore he saith nothing to hinder but that merits are the whole cause of saluation fully and directly contrary to that that Saint Bernard saith that merites which he intendeth no otherwise but implying the grace and promise of God are the way to the kingdome but not the cause of our obtaining the kingdome Yet of that which he saith he telleth vs that it is Saint Bernards owne doctrine not alledging any words of Bernard to that purpose but onely quoting a sermon of his where there is nothing for his purpose as afterwards shall appeare in answering his testimonies of the Fathers In the meane time whereas he excepteth that Bernard liued a thousand yeares after Christ I must aunswer him that his testimonie is so much the more effectuall in that God in the middest of so great corruption and darknesse did still by him and others continue the light and acknowledgement of this truth The next place cited by M. Perkins is vnder S. Austins name though that booke indeed be none of his f August Manuâ—l ca. 22. Tota spes mea est in morte Domini meis mors eius meritum meum refugium meum salus vita resurrectio mea All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merite M. Bishop hereto saith that it is true in a good sence Where we see him to be an apt scholler and well to haue learned the lesson of the Index Expurgatorius g Jndex Expur in castigat Bertram We set some good sence vpon the errors of the Fathers when they are opposed against vs in contentions with our aduersaries But what is that good sence Marry by the vertue of his death and passion grace is bestowed on me to merite But surely hee doth not thinke that euer the author of those words intended that sence If he will make that sence of the one part of the sentence he must necessarily make the like of the rest The death of the Lord is my merite my refuge my saluation my life and resurrection If his meaning be the death of the Lord is my merite that is hath purchased for me that I should merite for my selfe then in the rest also shall be likewise said the death of the Lord is my refuge that is hath purchased for me that I should be a refuge for my selfe the death of the Lord is my saluation life and resurrection that is hath purchased for me to be saluation life and resurrection to my selfe So likewise where he addeth h Meritum â—â—eâ—â— miseratio Domini noÌ„sum meriti inops quamdiis miserationum Dominus non de fuerit My merite is the mercie of the Lord so long as the Lord of mercie shall not faile I shall not want merite the meaning shall likewise be the mercie of the Lord giueth mee ablenesse to merite for my selfe and so song as his mercie faileth not so long shall not I faile of good workes to merite and deserue heauen Now these constructions are lewd and absurd and indeed farre from the conscience of the writer of those words who findeth nothing in his owne workes to comfort himselfe withall and therefore flieth vnto the death and merite of Christ and the mercie of God as his onely succour and the onely stay that hee hath to rest vpon Which that the Reader may throughly vnderstand I hold it not amisse to set downe what the same author hath written in another place of the same booke euen out of the same spirit i Ibid. cap. 13. Sileat sibi ipsae anima et traÌ„seat se noÌ„ cogitaÌ„do se sed te Deus meus quoniam tu es reuera tota spes fiducia mâ—a Est enim inte Deo meo Domino nostro Iesu Christo vniuscuiusque nostrum portio et sangâ— câ—ro Vbi ergo portio mea regnat ibi regnare me credo Vbi sanguis meus dominatur ibi dominaeri me confido Vbi caro mea glorificatur ibi gloriosum me esse cognosco Quamuis peccator sim tamen de hac communione gratiae non diffido Etsi peccata mea prohibent substantia mea requirit Etsi delicta propriae mea excludunt naturae communio non repellit c. Desperare vtique potuissem propter nimia peccata mea vitiae culpas infinitas negligentias meas quas egi quotidi è indesinenter ago corde ere opere omnibus modis quibus humana fragilitas peccare potest nisi verbum tuum Deus meus caro fieret habitaret in nobis Sed desperare iam non audeo quoniam subditui ille tibi vsque ad mortem mortem autem crucis tulit chyrographum peccaetorum nostrorum affigens illud cruci peccatum crucifixit mortem In ipso autem securus respiro c. Let my soule saith he be silent to it selfe and passe ouer it selfe not thinking of it selfe but of thee O my God because thou art indeed my whole hope and trust There is in thee my God and our Lord Iesus Christ the portion and flesh and bloud of euery
for the reforming of our sins for the exercise and triall of our righteousnesse for the setting forth of the misery of this life that that life where shal be true and euerlasting blisse may both more feruently be desired and more instantly sought for These reasons he giueth why the punishments of sinne as touching the matter of them continue still in this life after the forgiuenesse therof but of satisfaction not a word Yea being occasioned to speake directly to the point by the Pelagians obiecting to him that ſ Aug de peccat merit remiss lib. 2. ca. 33. Qui dicunt si peccat◠mors accidisset non vtique post remissione peccatorūmoreremur non intelligunt quomodo res quarū reatū ne post hanc vitam obsint Deus soluit tamen eat ad certamen fidei sinit manere vt per illas erudiamur exerceamur proficientes in agone iustitiae if death had come by sin then after forgiuenes of sinnes we should not die he answereth thus They vnderstand not that God suffereth the things the guilt whereof he releaseth that they may not hurt after this life yet to remaine in this life for the fight of faith that thereby we may be instructed and exercised profiting and growing in the fight of righteousnesse The guilt of death then and of all other temporall calamities is taken away but yet these things continue not as matters of satisfaction but as meanes of instruction for the framing of vs vnto God He goeth on and saith that it may be as well said if for sinne it were said to man In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy bread and the earth shall bring forth vnto thee briars and thornes why after forgiuenesse of sinnes doth this labour remaine and why doth the ground of the faithfull bring forth briars and thornes Againe if for sinne it were said to the woman In paine and sorow thou shalt bring foorth how is it that after forgiuenesse of sinnes faithfull women still bring foorth with the same paines All these cases and the like he cleareth in this sort t Ibid. cap. 34. Respondemus dicentes ante remissionem esse supplicia peccatorū post remissionem autem certamina exercitationesque iustorum Wee answere that before forgiuenesse they are the punishments of sinnes but after forgiuenesse they are the fights and exercises of the iust VVhere wee see that being drawne to answer precisely to this matter he denieth them after forgiuenesse to be punishments of sinne howsoeuer both he and we are woont in common speech to terme them so because originally and naturally they are so Therefore is there commonly that difference made betwixt the afflictions of the faithfull and the vnfaithfull that u Origen in Genes hom 16. Quod iustu exercitiū virtutis est hoc iniustis pena peccati that which is to the iust the exercise of vertue as Origen saith is to the vniust the punishment of sinne that x Tertull. Apologet ca. 41. Omnes seculiplage nobis fortè in admonitionē vobis in castigationē à Deo obueniunt the plagues of the world as Tertullian saith are to the one for punishment to the other for admonition and aduertisement So can Thomas Aquinas say when occasion serueth that y Thom. Aquin. 12. q. 114 art 10. ad 3. Temporalia mala infliguntur impijs in paenam inquantum per ea non adiuuantur ad consecutionē vitae aeternae iustis autem qui per huiusmodi mala iuuātur nē sunt paenae sed magis medicinae temporall euils are inflicted vpon the wicked for punishment for that they are not thereby helped for the obtaining of eternall life but to the iust who are thereby helped they are not punishments but rather medicines So then they are not punishments they are no satisfactions where sinnes are forgiuen but they are referred to other end If they be satisfactions the proper and onely vse of them in that nature is ex parte ante in respect of time past to giue recompence for offence formerly committed and whatsoeuer else is alledged is meerely accidentall but the proper and onely vse of afflictions where sinnes are forgiuen is ex parte post in respect of time to come to keepe vs from sinne and to helpe forward our sanctification towards God But M. Bishop hudleth and confoundeth all together and by termes of the true vses of afflictions deliuered in the Scripture deceiptfully coloureth his matter of satisfactions deuised beside and against the Scripture Let him speake distinctly as the Scripture doth and then he must say that that which concerneth the guilt of sinne and belongeth to satisfaction is laid wholy vpon Christ that it may be true which the Prophet saith z Esa 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was laid vpon him and by his stripes we were healed but that which is laid vpon vs after forgiuenesse by Christ is onely de futuro to weaken and weare away the power of sinne and in death which is the last of these afflictions vtterly to destroy it Now therefore whereas he saith that we must be conformable vnto Christ as members to our head he notably abuseth the pretence thereof to the singular dishonour of Iesus Christ He hath told vs before that we must be a Of Merits Sect. 16. like vnto Christ in meriting and here he telleth vs that we must be like vnto Christ in satisfying but what must we be like vnto Christ in those things wherein consisteth his being Christ wherein standeth his being our Redeemer our Sauiour our high Priest and Mediatour vnto God By meriting and satisfying for vs it is that Christ is our Christ our Iesus and Sauiour If therefore we be like vnto him in meriting and satisfying what hindereth but that as he is in common Iesus and a Sauiour for all so we also should be said euery man to be a Iesus and Sauiour for himselfe Which because it is impious to affirme and cannot be auoided if it be true which he saith let him learne to know that we are to be like vnto Christ in his image not in his office in act of conuersation not in effect of satisfaction and redemption in that that he is simply according to himselfe not in that that he is by dispensation for vs. We must suffer as he hath suffered but not suffer for our selues or one for another as he hath suffered for vs. We must walke in obedience to God as he hath walked but not to merit by our obedience for our selues as he by his obedience hath merited for vs. These are lewd and Antichristian deuices seruing to iustle Christ out of his place by a pretence of conformitie betwixt him and vs. M. Bishops conclusion therefore is without any ground that Christ hauing satisfied the eternall punishment of sinne hath left a temporall satisfaction thereof to be performed by vs. As for the words of the Apostle which he citeth for some proofe thereof
eased of the same burden The voice of Christ to the sicke of the palsie b Mat. 9.2 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee doth it not giue him present release from the bond thereof Dauid saith c Psal 32.3 Whilest I held my tongue from acknowledging and confessing my sinnes my bones were consumed in my mourning all day for thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night and my moisture was turned into the drouth of Summer I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and did not hide mine iniquitie I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne By which wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that the forgiuenesse of his sinnes vpon his repentance and confession thereof was the taking away of the grieuous malady wherwith he was so sore afflicted and vpon experience hereof vttereth those words in the beginning of the Psalme d Ver. 1. Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne as to note that one part of that blessing is to be released from the temporall punishments that are due to sinne Yea and to that purpose he addeth also after e Ver. 6. Aug. Pro hac Pro qua hac pro ipsa venia peccatoruÌ„ For this that is saith S. Austin for forgiuenesse of sinnes shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found surely in the ouerflowing of many waters they shall not come neere him Where by many waters he vnderstandeth the manifold crosses and afflictions of this life wherwith we are tossed to and fro by reason of our sinnes and signifieth that the godly man by obtaining forgiuenesse of sinnes obtaineth deliuerance and freedome from the punishment thereof Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is not vnderstood with reseruation of temporal satisfaction neither doth any thing remaine in the nature of punishment to him that by repentance and faith becometh partaker of that mercie As for his distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes applyed to the petition of forgiuenesse of sinnes we know no such neither is any such to be approued as f Of Iustification Sect. 41. before hath bene shewed By Gods hearkening to our prayer all sinnes become veniall if God heare not our prayer for forgiuenesse of sinnes all sinnes continue mortall Our Sauiour Christ knew no such difference as M. Bishop maketh that God when he heareth vs crying vnto him Forgiue vs our trespasses doth forgiue vs some sinnes wholy and othersome but in part or that our prayer should be a speciall meane in some sinnes to obtaine pardon of the fault and release of punishment and in othersome not so No neither did S. Austine euer dreame that God did forgiue sinnes with a reseruation of the punishment thereof he knew well that forgiuenesse altereth the case and nature of afflictions as hath bene before shewed Master Bishop citeth him saying that g Aug. Enchir. cap. 71. De quotidianis breuibus leuibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium satisfacit c. Delet omnino haec oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibus vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poeniten â—â—in melius mutata discedit si quemadmodum veraciter dicitur Dimitte nobis c. ita veracitèr dicatur sicut nos c. id est si siat quod dicitur For the daily short and light offences without which this life is not led the daily prayer of the faithfull satisfieth But as he saith so of these daily and light offences so he saith of other also in the next words It blotteth out also those from which the life of the faithfull wickedly led but by repentance changed to better is departed if as it is truly said Forgiue vs our trespasses so it be truly said As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs that is if it be done which is said So then as it satisfieth for the one so it satisfieth for the other also as for the lesser so for the greater and for both obtaineth pardon at Gods hands But Master Bishop here doth meerely abuse his Reader by an equiuocation of the name of satisfaction For Satisfaction with Saint Austine as with all the auncient Ecclesiasticall Writers importeth the meanes whereby we are to intreate and obtaine of God pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes but with Master Bishop and his fellowes it importeth a punishment still remaining for sinnes past and already pardoned to be endured either in this life or after death in Purgatorie as he hath before expressed in the beginning of this Chapter Saint Austines meaning then is that the daily prayer of the faithfull sufficeth to obtaine pardon at Gods hands for our daily and common trespasses yea and for greater offences also when by repentance and amendement of life we forsake them but no meaning hath he either that the saying of the Lords prayer should be a recompence to God for our trespasse or that our trespasse being pardoned there should still remaine a satisfaction to be performed for it Now here Master Bishop further denyeth that in the Lords prayer we vse onely plea of pardon for saith he we are taught also to pardon others euen as we will looke to be pardoned And what then what because we are taught freely to pardon others shall we hereupon conceiue that God is hired by our pardoning others to giue pardon vnto vs Our Sauior Christ noteth therby the affection of them to whom it belongeth to vse the plea of pardon he saith not any thing to be construed to the impeachment and derogation of the freenesse of the pardon Meekenesse and readinesse to forgiue is h Gal. 5.22.23 a fruite of the spirit i Rom. 8.15 of adoption by which we cry Abba Father in the voyce of which spirit onely it is that God hearkeneth vnto vs. k Aug. Enchir. cap. 71. EoruÌ„ est dicere Pater noster c. qui iam tali patri regene rati sunt exaqua Spiritu sancto It is for them to say Our Father which art in heauen saith Saint Austine who now are regenerate and borne againe to such a Father of water and of the holy Ghost If we speake not by this spirit our voice is as the voice of strangers and God giueth no regard vnto it Therefore our forgiuenesse of others is not alledged as the cause for which God is moued to forgiue vs but we present it to him as the mark of his spirit which he hath set vpon vs as the token that we are his childreÌ„ to whoÌ„ he hath assigned it for a portioÌ„ to be made partakers of the forgiuenes of sins to whoÌ„ Christ hath ministred coÌ„fort boldnes so to pray His 2. exception is very vaine also for although the Lords prayer contain not all things necessary to saluatioÌ„
to the end of thy life and do not presume that of mans day any pardon can be graunted thee for he deceiueth thee that will promise that vnto thee For thou which hast sinned properly against the Lord must of him alone expect remedie at the day of iudgement A hard censure and vnworthy of Ambrose and so contrary to that which otherwhere he hath written as that we may well question whether it be his or not but it being plainly denied her to haue forgiuenesse how deceitfully is this example brought to proue satisfaction after forgiuenesse With as great fraud he alledgeth Gregory Nazianzen who in that place inueigheth against the Nouatian heretikes denying repentance to them that fell after baptisme according to the censure now mentioned vnder the name of Ambrose Against that rigor he saith that u Greg. Nazian ora 39. in sancta lumina In eodeÌ„ vitio sunt taÌ„ effraenata et omni animaduersionis meus soluta licentia quaÌ„ saeua nec vlla clemeÌ„tia temperata condemnatio illa omnes habenas vitijs laxans haec vehementiori astrictione praefocans in like sort are to be blamed both vnbridled licence freed froÌ„ all feare of punishment and cruel condemning not mingled or tempered with clemency and mercy the one loosing the bridle to all vices the other stifling men with ouermuch straightnesse Nicetas in his coÌ„mentary thus expresseth it x Nicet ibid. in comment Parem â—â—ea sententiae reprehensionem poenaÌ„que mereâ—â—ur qui vâ—l pâ—ccâ—â—s nulla pâ—â—â—ciuÌ„t 〈◊〉 â—mnes habâ—â—â—mit 〈…〉 qui eos 〈…〉 â—nant v◠〈…〉 consequ◠〈…〉 â—iae spâ—â—â—â—u relinqâ—â—â—â— They alike deserue to be reproued and punished who either punish not offenders at all but giue them wholly the bridle or do so condemne them as that they leaue them no hope to obtaine pardon He speaketh of the external gouernment and discipline of the Church wherin he blameth that men should be left at liberty to offend without feare of punishment and again blameth such extremity and rigor that offenders when they repent should be excluded from hope of pardon and what is this to proue that men being pardoned by God must notwithstanding yet make him a satisfactioÌ„ for their sinnes pardoned No man I suppose is so blind but that he seeth the falshood of this citation The other out of the same Father is of the same condition He speaketh of mercy and compassion as meanes y Oraâ— 27. de amore pauperum Miseratione purgemur animique labes et inquinamenta egregia illa herba detergamus c. to purge sins to scoure out the spots and filth of our soules but he saith nothing of satisfactioÌ„ to be made after that those spots and filth are purged and scoured Of the saying of Solomon which he alledgeth I haue spoken in the former section only it may be added that whereas he for mercy and truth readeth z Misericordia fide peccata purgantur By mercy and faith sins are purged or iniquitie is forgiuen which the Hebrew text beareth very well we may vnderstand it of Gods mercy in giuing and our faith in receiuing the forgiuenes of sins the promise thereof being made to them that beleeue in him Againe he bringeth vs Ambrose speaking of a Ambr. de Heliae ieiun cap. 20. Habemus plura subsidia quibus peccatâ— nostra redimamus Habes pecuniam redime peccatum tuum c. Et ep 82. Quae nobis salus esse potest nisi teiunio eluerimus peccata nostra redeeming our sins with our mony washing away sins with fasting but we heare nothing of satisfaction or redemption after the forgiuenesse of our sins Yea when he saith that the Lord is not to be bought and sold he giueth vs to vnderstand that he meaneth not that by our mony we purchase or merit at Gods hands and therfore can not be said therby to make him satisfaction for our sins That which he saith of redeeming he wil haue it vnderstood of freeing our selues from the cords or bonds of our sins that we may not be holden by the custome of them whilest by well doing we resist and crosse the practise and lusts thereof that they may not continue to bring vs vnto death b Ibid. Non venalis est Dominus sed tu ipse venalis es Peccatis tuis venundatus es Redime te operibus tuis redime te pecunia tua c. Venenum veneno excluditur Veneno mors repellitur vita seruatur The Lord saith he is not to be bought and sold but thou art so Thou art sold to thy sins Redeeme thy selfe by thy workes redeeme thy selfe by thy mony By one poison another poison is excluded by the poison of the Mammon of iniquitie death is repulsed life is preserued Here is a redemption for the excluding of sinne not to pay a satisfaction for it to set vs free from the bondage of committing sinne not to purchase the forgiuenesse of it Nay of that he hath said immediatly before c Ibid. Confugiamus ad mediciaÌ„ qui vulnera superiora curauit et siquid superest acerbitatis medela non decrit Etsi quid iniuriae fecimus memor noÌ„ erit qui semel donauit Etsi graeuia deliquimus magnuÌ„ medicuÌ„ inuenimus magnam medicinam gratiae eius accepimus Magna enim medicina tollit peccata magna Let vs flie to the Physition who hath cured our former wounds and if any bitternes be remaining there shal not want a medicine And if we haue done wrong he will forget it who hath once pardoned Albeit we haue greatly offended we haue a great Physition we haue receiued the great medicine of his grace for a strong or great medicine taketh away great sinnes That which is next alledged out of Hierome concerning Paula signifieth her lamentation of her former life and setteth out her repentance of her sinnes d Hieron epitap Paulae Jtaleuâ—a peccata plaÌ„gebat vt eam graussimorum criminuÌ„ crederes ream which being but small as Hierome saith she so bewailed as that a man would haue thought her guiltie of grieuous offences but that proueth not that she meant to make satisfaction hereby for pardoned sinnes neither doth he say any thing to that effect No more doth he as touching himselfe in the other epistle to Eustochium where he sheweth what hardnesse he endured at the first in the wildernesse to subdue the heate and lust of youth hauing as he saith e Hieron ad Eustoch Ob gehennae metum tali mecarcere ipse damnaueram for the feare of hell condemned himselfe to that prison but not so much as any word that he did any thing there for penance or satisfaction for his sinnes This is so wisely applied as that we may well thinke M. Bishop put it in of his owne head there being nothing either in words or in matter likely to serue the turne As little helpe hath he in the next citation which is out of
S. Austine who telleth Macedonius the Lieutenant concerning them who being condemned to death had their liues and pardon begged by the Bishops that f August ep 54. Quosdam quâ—râ—â— manifesta sunt crimina à vestra seueritate liberatos à societate remouemus altaris vt poenitendo placare possiut quem peccando contempserant séque ipsos puniendo they kept many of them whose crimes were manifest from the participation of the sacrament that by repentance and punishing themselues they might appease him whom in their sinnes they had despised Hereupon he inferreth g NaÌ„ nihil aliud agit quem veraciter poenitet nisi vt id quod mali fecerit impunituÌ„ esse non sinat â—o quippe modo sibi non parcenti ille parcit cuius altuÌ„ iustumque iudiciuÌ„ nullus coÌ„temptâ—â— euadit For he which truly repenteth laboureth nothing else but not to suffer that euill which he hath done to be vnpunished for by that meanes when he spareth not himselfe he is spared of him whose secret and iust iudgement no despiser shall escape Which words being plainly deliuered of that repentance whereby God is appeased that he may not punish what do they make to the proofe of a punishment which they say God inflicteth when he is appeased Concerning this punishing of our selues I refer thee to that which before hath bin said by occasion of another sentence of S. Austine in the tenth section The other place is manifestly spoken of publike penitency S. Austin exhorting euery man in the guilt of those sins of which the Scripture teacheth that h Gal. 5.21 they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God i August hom 50. Cùm in se protulerit seuerissimae medicinae sententiaÌ„ veniat ad Antistites per quos illi in ecclesia claues ministrantur acciptat satisfactionis suae moduÌ„ vt in offerendo sacrificio cordis contribulati denotus supplex id tamen agat quod non solum illi prosit ad recipiendam saluteÌ„ sed caeteris ad exemplum vt si peccatum eius non solum in graui eius malo sed etiam in scandalo est aliorum atque hoc expedire viâ—litati ecclesiae videtur antistiti in notitia multorum veletiam totius plebis agere poenitentiaem non recuset to pronounce sentence against himself of a sharp medicine to come to the Priests by whom the keyes of the church are ministred vnto him and of them to receiue the maner or measure of his satisfaction that being deuout and humble in offering the sacrifice of a troubled or contrite hart he may yet do that which may not onely do him good for the receiuing of saluation but others also by example that if his sin be not only to the grieuous hurt of himself but also to the scandal of others and it so seem to the Priest or Bishop expedient for the profit of the Church he refuse not to do penance in the knowledge of many or of the whole church This is again a repentance for the receiuing of the forgiuenes of sins saluation but no other satisfaction required not onely for the good of the offender but also for the good of other men and of the whole church whereas M. Bishops satisfaction concerneth only the man himselfe to be deliuered from Purgatory paines To the same effect is that which he citeth further out of the same Homily k Ibid. Non sufficit mores in melius commutare à factis malis recedere nisi etiaÌ„ de his qua factae sunt satisfiat Deo per poenitentiae dolorem It sufficeth not to amend our manners and to depart from euill doings vnlesse for those things which we haue done we satisfie God by sorrow of repentance To what end that satisfaction is vsed he sheweth presently after l Non enim dictuÌ„ est tantùm vt abstineatis à peccatis sed de praeteritis inquit Dominum deprecare vt tibi dimittantur For it is not said only that we should abstaine from sins but pray to God also saith he namely Ecclesiasticus for the things that are past that they may be forgiuen thee Here is all still for forgiuenes of sins but nothing of satisfaction when sin is forgiuen So when Gregory saith that m Greg in 1. Reg lib. 6. Non solum confitenda sunt pecâ—ata sed etiam poenitentiae austeritate delenda sins are not only to be confessed but also to be blotted out by austeritie of penance or repentance he speaketh of a penance for the blotting out of sin not of penance wheÌ„ the sin is already blotted out So doth Beda expresly apply his speech to the purging the blotting out the pardoning of sin n Beda in Psal 1. Delectatio seu voluntas peccandi quando ad satisfactionem venitur leuitèr eleemosynis alijs talibus purgatur consensuâ— verò non nisi graut poenitentia deletur consuetudo autem nonnisi recta ponderosa satisfactione absoluitur Delight or desire to sin when we come to satisfaction is lightly purged with almsdeeds such like but consent is not blotted out by great repeÌ„tance but custome of sin is not pardoned but by iust and waightie satisfaction Thus gentle Reader of all that M. Bishop hath cited yea and of all that Bellarmine hath cited there is not one that speaketh to the point in question as touching satisfaction after forgiuenesse of sins No it is a late deuice of the Schoolmen which when they had set it abroch they desired to colour and to giue it tast by citing sentences of the Fathers as touching satisfaction when as the Fathers speake of satisfaction in one meaning and they apply them in another But I suppose I haue not yet giuen thee full satisfaction vnlesse I further adde somewhat as touching the auncient Fathers vsing of this terme of satisfaction It is therefore to be vnderstood that the same was first applyed to that publike penance whereby open and notorious offenders did satisfie the Church that is giue sufficient and approued testimonie and assurance of their true and vnfained repentance for their sinnes When any in the time of persecution had fallen by renouncing the name and faith of Christ or had otherwise committed any great and scandalous trespasse to the grieuance of his brethren to the obloquie of religion and slaunder of the Church but especially to the offence of almighty God and prouoking of his wrath both against himselfe and them also with whom he liued he was by the publike censure of the Church secluded from the Communion and cut off from the societie of the faithfull and godly as vnworthy to be reckoned a member of Christ or partaker of the hope that is by him But yet there was alwaies hope of restitution remaining to them who vpon conuenient triall were found penitent and grieued for the euill which they had done To this purpose therefore they were enioyned
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