reputed with men who account no sinne at all but either in the performance of the act or in the resolution and purpose of the will We fall not into sinne that is into any morall or actuall sinne into any outward sinne euen in the like sort as S. Iames saith that o Iam. 1.15 concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth foorth sin when yet he did not meane but that concupiscence also it selfe is sinne as shall afterwards appeare 3. W. BISHOP Now to the second O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Here is no mention of sinne how this may be drawne to his purpose shall be examined in his argument where he repeateth it so that there is not one poore circumstance of the text which he can find to proue S. Paule to take sinne there properly Now I will proue by diuers that he speakes of sinne improperly First by the former part of the same sentence It is not I that do it all sinne is done and committed properly by the person in whom it is but this was not done by S. Paul ergo Secondly out of those words I know there is not in me that is in my flesh any good And after I see another law in my members resisting the law of my mind Thus sinne properly taken is seated in the soule but that was seated in the flesh ergo it was no sinne properly The third and last is taken out of the first words of the next Chapter There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walke not according to the flesh c. Whence I thus argue there is no condemnation to them that haue that sinne dwelling in them if they walke not according vnto the fleshly desires of it therefore it is no sinne properly For the wages of sin is death that is eternall damnation R. ABBOT Now to the second saith he and when he hath done saith nothing of it but putteth it ouer to the handling of the argument and therfore there will we also examine his examination But though he shift off the one circumstance with ignorance and the other with saying nothing yet as if he had very effectually done what he pretendeth he inferreth that not one poore circumstance of the text could be found to proue that S. Paule tooke sinne there properly marry he will bring vs diuers to proue that he taketh sin improperly Wel then let vs see what these diuers proofes be we doubt they are like his answers the one very bad and the other starke naught First he will proue it by the former part of the sentence It is not I that do it All sinne saith he is committed properly by the person in whom it is but this was not done by S. Paule ergo But we deny his minor proposition and it is altogether absurd and senslesse How should concupiscence do any thing in S. Paule which is not done by S. Paule Can the accident of the person be an efficient cause of any thing by it self without the person The accident is but the instrument of the person and what the accident doth the person doth it by the accident And therefore accordingly S. Paule saith a Rom. 7.14.23 I am carnall sold vnder sinne I do that I would not the law of my members leadeth me captiue to the law of sinne I in my flesh serue the law of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen I my self in my mind serue the law of God and in my flesh the law of sinne This S. Austine well obserued b August de verb. Apost Ser. 5. Adhuc concupisco vtique etiam in ipsa parte ego sum Non enim ego alius in mente alius in carne Sed quid igitur ipse ego Quia ego in mente ego in carne ex v troque vnus homo Igitur ipse ego ego ipse mēte seruio c. Euen in that part that lusteth it is I also for here is not one I in the mind and another in the flesh Why doth he say I my selfe but because it is I in the mind and I in the flesh euen one man of both these Therefore I my selfe euen I my selfe in mind serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne But yet though being but one and the same person he diuideth himselfe as it were into two parts being in part renewed and in part yet continuing old And hereupon he saith It is not I that do it that is not I according to that that is renewed in me and yet I according to that whereby I am still carnall and sold vnder sin not I according to the inner man wherein I delight in the law of God and yet I according to the flesh whereby I am still captiue to the law of sinne of which flesh I say not I because I account my selfe that that I ioy to be and which I shall euer be not that which though it be my selfe yet is that I would not be and which I labour not to be and therefore striue to destroy and put off as being without it to liue for euer c Ibid Mens regit caro regitur magis sum ego in eo quo rego quà m in eò in quoregor I may rather say I in that wherein I rule then in that wherein I am ouerruled therefore I say it is not I that do it and yet it is I in both M. Bishop therefore by his first circumstance proueth iust nothing and euen as little proueth he by the second Which he taketh out of those words d Ver. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and after I see another law in my members resisting the law of my mind Hereof he argueth thus Sinne properly taken is seated in the soule but that was seated in the flesh ergo it was not sinne properly Which is the same as if a man would argue thus that the true Pope hath his consistorie chaire in Rome but the Pope that now is hath his consistorie in the Laterane Church therefore he that now is is not the true Pope For what is flesh as the Apostle speaketh thereof but a part of the soule the soule it selfe so farre as yet in part it is not regenerate What is M. Bishop so absurd as to thinke concupiscence to be seated in the flesh as the flesh is diuided against the soule Nay the soule it selfe hauing cast off the yoke of obedience to God and betrayed it selfe to the temptations of the diuell for the gratifying and pleasing of the flesh is become a seruant to that that should haue bene a seruant vnto it and being abiected to sensuall and carnall and earthly desires is wholy called by the name of flesh to whose seruice it doth addict it selfe Thus saith Origen that e Origen de princip lib. 3. cap. 4. Anima cùm crassioris sensus fuerit
effecta ex eo quòd corporis passionibus se subdit c. caro dicitur effecta inde nomen trahit in quo plut studij vel propositi gerit the soule being become of more grosse disposition by yeelding it selfe to the passions of the bodie is said to be become flesh and taketh the name of that on which it bestoweth it most desire And againe f Jdem in Psal 38. hom 2. Animas nostras incarnauimus We haue turned our soules into flesh So saith Austine that g August de ciuit Dei lib. 14. cap. 2. Saepe ipsum hominem id est naturam hominis carnem nuncupat Et post In operibus carnis inuenimus illa quibus animi vitia significantur à voluptate carnis aliena the Scripture calleth man himselfe that is the nature of man by the name of flesh and calleth those the workes of the flesh which yet are the proper vices of the mind and belong not to that which we properly call the flesh And so doth God himselfe say of man wholy that h Genes 6.3 he is flesh and our Sauiour in the Gospell opposing flesh to the spirit i Ioh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the spirit is spirit giueth to vnderstand that all goeth vnder the name of flesh that is not borne againe and renewed by the spirit Now therefore as touching concupiscence Saint Austine telleth vs that k Aug. de perf Iustit Rat. 17 contr Julian lib. 5. cap. 5. Quia carnaliter anima concupiscit it is said that the flesh lusteth because that the soule lusteth according to the flesh Yea Cyprian doubted not to say l Cyprian in Prolog de cardinal Christi operibus Quód caro aduers spiritum spiritus aduersus carnem contendere dicitur repugnare impropriè dictum arbitror quia solius animae lis ista est qua secum rixatur c Et paulo prius Corpore sic vtitur anima sicut Faber malleo vel incude in qua format omnium turpitudinum idola fabricatur quaelibet quarumcunque voluptatum simulachra Non est caro dictatrix peccati nec inuentrix malitiae nec cogitatus format nec disponit agenda sed officina est spiritus qui mea per eam quaecunque affectauerit peragit consummat that he held it to be vnproperly said that the flesh lusteth against the spirit because it is the soule onely that is at strife with it selfe For the flesh is no directer of sinne no deuiser of wickednesse it frameth not the thought nor disposeth what shal be done but is as the shop or workhouse of the soule which in it and by it performeth whatsoeuer it desireth vsing the body as the Smith doth his hammer or anuile framing therupon the idols of vncleanesse and pleasure Seeing therefore as here it is plaine concupiscence is seated in the soule which for the corruption thereof is called by the name of flesh so that the Apostle by flesh in himself meaneth nothing but the soule according to the remainder of original infection which still did sticke fast vnto him M. Bishop by his second circumstance proueth nothing but that concupiscence is truly properly affirmed to be sin Which had bene very readily to haue bene perceiued by any man if he had framed his argument as he shold haue done Sinne properly taken is seated in the soule but concupiscence is not seated in the soule for this euery man would haue presently seene to be absurd But he to blind his Reader chose rather to say Concupiscence is seated in the flesh wheras notwithstanding the flesh as it is the seate of concupiscence cannot haue any reasonable vnderstanding but of the soule But now the third circuÌ„stance I trow will do the deed That he taketh out of the first verse of the eight Chapter Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walke not after the flesh Whence saith he I argue thus There is no condeÌ„nation to them that haue sinne dwelling in them if they walk not according to the fleshly desires of it therefore it is no sinne properly for the wages of sinne is death that is eternall damnation As if he should say God for Christs sake doth not impute this sinne therefore it is no sinne God to them that are in Christ doth pardon this sinne ergo it is not properly sinne And so he might likewise argue of Dauids adulterie Peters denying abiuring of his maister Pauls persecuting of the Church that none of these were properly sins because to theÌ„ being in Christ there is no condematioÌ„ for any of these things Such drunken sophistrie are we troubled with and drawne by the importunity of ignorant buzzards to spend time in the refuting of such arguments as rather deserue to be chastened with a whip then to be graced with an answer The matter is plaine to theÌ„ that are willing to vnderstand There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus it is true and yet who is there of them that are in Christ Iesus but confesseth vnto God that there is that in him for which he might iustly be condemned To them that are in Christ for Christs sake it is forgiuen and pardoned it is not imputed vnto them but it is still such as if it were imputed it should be sufficient to condemne them to euerlasting death Therfore the Apostle saith of concupiscence not for his consenting to it which he disclaimeth but for the hauing of it dwelling in him that m Rom 7.11 it slue him that n Vers 13. by the commaundement it wrought death in him that by it he had o Vers 24. a body of death How so but that knowing that the wages of sinne is death he knew himselfe thereby in case of death if God should deale with him for it as in extremitie and yet in iustice he might do Therefore doth S. Austin say that euen in the regenerate p August cont Iulian. lib 6 cap. 5 Tale ac tam magnum malum tantum quia inest quomodo non teneret in morte pertraheret in vltimam morteÌ„ nisi vinculum eius in ea quae est in Baptismo peccatorum omnium remissione soluâ—retur concupiscence is such and so great an euill as that onely because it is in them it should hold them in death and draw them to euerlasting death but that the bond of the guilt thereof is loosed in Baptisme by the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes It is therefore such in it selfe to which death is due but yet to them that are in Christ it proueth not vnto death because it is forgiuen vnto them for Christs sake Thus we haue seene an end of M. Bishops circumstances and nothing yet to proue but that concupiscence by the Apostle is properly called sinne And to proue that it is so because he saith there is not
whose meanes we are not reconciled vnto God to beleeue in the Sauiour which came to seeke and to saue that which is lost to beleeue in him that saith without me ye can do nothing This is the faith whereby we are saued and whereby all the faithfull haue bene saued from the beginning of the world To which purpose S. Austin againe saith h August de nat grat cap. 44 â—a fides iustes sanauit antiquos quae sanat et nos id est mediatoris Dei hominum hominis Iesu Câ—risti fides sanguinis eius fides crucis eius fides mortis resurrectionis â—ius The same faith saued the righteous of old that now saueth vs that is the faith of the man Iesus Christ the Mediator betwixt God and men the faith of his bloud the faith of his crosse the faith of his death and resurrection Thus by faith Abel in his lambe beheld i 1. Ioh. 1.29 the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world and thereby his sacrifice was accepted and in that respect is Christ called k Apoc. 13.8 the lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world But here M. Bishop vndertaketh to tell vs and therefore let vs heare of him according to the depth of his diuinitie what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith And first he beginneth with Noe of whom it is sayd that l Heb. 11.7 he was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith But what faith was that He beleeued saith he that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commanded him And what in the drowning of the world and making of an arke to saue himselfe did Noe consider nothing but the drowning of the world and the making of an arke to saue himselfe S. Austin calleth the Arke m Aug. cont Faust Manich. lib. 19 cap. 12. Sacramentum arcae in qua Noe domus à diluuio liberata est the sacrament of the Arke and in a sacrament or mysterie did the faith of Noe see no more but onely what his eyes did see n Chrysost in 1. Cor. hom 7. Mysterium appellatur quoniam non id quod credimus inituemur sed quòd alia videmus alia credimus In sacraments as Chrysostome saith we do not see that which we beleeue but we see one thing and beleeue another Noe then in the Arke did beleeue that which he did not see which what it was S. Peter giueth vs to vnderstand when he maketh our baptisme the thing that o 1. Pet. 3.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth the type and figure of the Arke which saith he saueth vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ The Arke then was to him a figure and seale of the same whereof Baptisme is a figure and seale to vs p Rom. 4.11 a seale of the righteousnesse of faith of q Cap. 3.22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ to all and vpon all that do beleeue His deliuerance temporally was a figure of that spirituall saluation which both he and we haue by the washing away and forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud and death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and in the beleefe hereof was it that he was made heire of the righteousnesse of faith In the second place Abraham is brought forth whose faith M. Bishop construeth to be no more but this that he beleeued that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe Where if he had looked into the Apostles words with the eyes of a doctor of diuinitie he would haue found the seed there spoken of to be r Gal. 3.16 Christ as the same Apostle elsewhere expoundeth it Christ in person as the head and all the faithfull gathered as members into one bodie with him Å¿ August in Psal 58. Totus Christus caput corpus post Christus est toâ—um corpus Christi the head and the bodie making one whole Christ as S. Austin speaketh God promised vnto Abraham a seed wherein t Genes 15.2 all the nations of the earth should be blessed Herein God would make him u Rom. 4.13 the heire of the world and x Vers 16.17 a father of many nations not to that seed onely which is of the law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham that we may know that a spirituall seed is here to be vnderstood which should become the children of Abraham by y Vers 12. walking in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham and so should be made partakers of the blessing with him The performance of all this promise of blessing to Abraham and all the nations of the earth stood vpon his hauing of a sonne which God had promised vnto him The barrennes of Sara the old age both of Abraham and her might seeme to denie all hope of hauing a sonne But yet Abraham rested secure in the affiance of the power of God not doubting but that God was able and would giue him a sonne of whom Christ should come to be vnto him that blessing that God had promised This was the thing that Abrahams faith respected and to which the Apostle referreth it speaking of a promise that was to be sure not to Abraham only z Vers 16. but to all the seed both of beleeuing Iewes and Gentiles who are also called a Heb. 6.17 heires of the promise to the performance whereof to shew vnto them the stablenesse of his counsell God bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie his promise and his oath we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs. Of what that old and barren persons may haue children if God say the word O base and abiect conceipt of so diuine and heauenly a matter Nay but of the blessing which as the Apostle noteth before God did sweare vnto Abraham and vnto that seed which he would multiplie vnto him by faith to be blessed together with him Thirdly he alledgeth the faith of the Centurion of which our Sauiour testifieth that b Mat. 8.10 he had not found so great faith in Israel And what was that faith Marrie saith he that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed But did he only beleeue that by saying the word Christ could cure his seruant Surely he beleeued somewhat else that made him to beleeue that he beleeued somewhat else that made him to say Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe c August de verb. Dom ser 6. Neque hoâ—â—ret â—um 〈…〉 He would
being any causes thereof and onely in men of God who are first iustified that they may be meÌ„ of God affirmeth a iustification by works in that sence as S. Iames speaketh thereof which as I haue said is nothing else but a declaration and testimonie of their being formerly iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ In what sence he speaketh of free will it hath bene shewed before in the question of that matter and that he acknowledgeth no free will to righteousnesse but onely that that we do which is made free by the grace of God To the last place of S. Austin we willingly subscribe condemning them i De fide oper cap. 14. Si ad eam salutem obtinen dam sufficere solam fidem putanerint benè auteÌ„ viuere bonis operibus vâ—aÌ„ Dei tenere neglexerint who thinke that onely faith is sufficient to obtaine saluation and do neglect to liue well and by good workes to keepe the way of God which last words seruing plainely to open S. Austins meaning M. Bishop verie honestly hath left out We teach no such faith as S. Austin there speaketh of We teach onely such a faith as iustifieth it selfe alone but is neuer found alone in the iustified man neuer but accompanied with holinesse and care of godly life and therefore condemne those as spirits of Satan which teach a faith sufficient to obtaine saluation without any regard of liuing well The summe of our doctrine S. Austin himselfe setteth downe in the very same Chapter that good workes k Ibid. Sequâ—tur iustificatum non praecedunt iustâ—fâ—candum follow a man being iustified but are not precedent to iustification Now therfore in all these speeches there is hitherto nothing to crosse that which M. Perkins hath affirmed that nothing that man can do either by nature or grace concurreth to the act of iustification as any cause but faith alone Of works of nature there is lesse question but of works of grace of workes of beleeuers the Apostle specially determineth the questioÌ„ that we are not iustified therby as shal appeare M. Perkins further saith that faith is but the instrumentall cause of iustification as whereby we apprehend Christ to be our righteousnesse and neuer doth any of vs make faith the onely and whole cause of iustification in anie other sence We make not the verie act of faith any part of our righteousnesse but onely the merit and obedience of Christ apprehended and receiued by faith But by this meanes M. Bishop saith that faith is become no true cause at all but a bare condition without which we cannot be iustified But that is but his shallow and idle conceipt for the necessarie instrument especially the liuely instrument is amongst the number of true causes not being causa sine qua non a cause without which the thing is not done but a cause whereby it is done Causa sine qua non is termed causa stolida otiosa a foolish and idle cause because it is onely present in the action and doth nothing therein It is not so with faith but as the eye is an actiue instrument for seeing and the eare for hearing c. so is faith also for iustifying and M. Bishops head was scant wise to make a principall instrument a foolish and idle cause But he asketh then whose instrument faith is and maketh his diuision that either it must be charitie or the soule of man without any helpe of grace We answer him that it is the instrument of the soule wrought therein by grace being l Ephes 2.8 the gift of God and m August de praedest sanct cap. 7. the first gift as before we haue heard out of Austin whereby we obtaine the rest and therefore whereby we obtaine charitie also so that his diuision goeth lame and neither is faith the instrument of charitie nor yet of the soule without grace but of the soule therein and therby endued with the grace of God R. ABBOT But to come to his reasons The first is taken out of these words As Moses lift vp the serpent in the desart so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting True if he liue accordingly and as his faith teacheth him but what is this to iustification by onely faith Marrie M. Perkins drawes it in after this fashion As nothing was required of them who were stong by serpents but that they should looke vpon the brazen serpent so nothing is required of a sinner to deliuer him from sinne but that he cast his eyes of faith vpon Christs righteousnesse and apply that to himselfe in particular But this application of the similitude is onely mans foolish inuention without any ground in the text Similitudes be not in all points alike neither must be stretched beyond the verie poynt wherein the similitude lieth which in this matter is that like as the Israelites in the wildernesse stong with serpents were cured by looking vpon the brazen serpent so men infected with sin haue no other remedy then to embrace the faith of Christ Iesus All this we confesse but to say that nothing else is necessary that is quite besides the text as easily reiected by vs as it is by him obtruded without any authoritie or probabilitie R. ABBOT Similitudes M. Bishop saith must not be stretched beyond the verie point wherein the similitude lieth but Christ himselfe here directeth vs to conceiue wherein the similitude lyeth Christ himselfe expresseth that in their looking vpon the Serpent was figured our beleeuing in him What shall we then conceiue but as they onely by looking were cured of the sting so we onely by beleeuing are cured of sinne So S. Austin saith a Aug. in Joan. tract 12. Quomodo qui intuebantur serpeÌ„tem illum sanabantur à moâ—sibus serpeÌ„tum siâ— qui intueÌ„tur fide morteÌ„ Christi sanatur à morsibus peccato rum Attenditur serpeâ—s vt nihil vâ—leat serpens attenditur mors vt nihil valcat mors As they that beheld that Serpent were healed of the stinging of the Serpents so they who by faith behold the death of Christ are healed of the sting of sinne And againe A Serpent is looked vnto that a Serpent may not preuaile and a death is looked vnto that death may not preuaile In like sort doth Chrysostome expresse the similitude b Chrys in Ioan. hom 26. Illiâ— corporeis oculis suscipientes corporis sâ—lutem hic incorporeis peccatorum omnium remissionem consecuti sunt There by bodily eyes men receiued the health of the body here by spirituall eyes they obtaine forgiuenesse of all their sinnes So saith Cyril c Cyril id Ioan. lib. 2. cap. 20. Respicientibus in euÌ„ fide sincera aeternae salutis largitor ostenditur He is shewed hereby to be the giuer of eternall saluation to them that by true faith do looke vnto him d Theophyl in Joan.
cap. 3. Multo magis ad crucifixum respicientes credentes animae morteÌ„ effugituros He teacheth sayth Theophylact that sith the Iewes beholding the image of the brazen Serpent did escape death much more we looking vnto him crucified and beleeuing shall escape the death of the soule Thus they simply tooke the words of Christ and made the cure to consist as on the one side in looking so on the other side in beleeuing M. Bishop saith that the meaning is that men infected with sinne haue no other remedy then to imbrace the faith of Christ Iesus Well then if no other remedy then that is the onely remedy If that be the onely remedy then for remedy there is nothing necessary but onely that And if any thing else be necessary then the cure is not performed by that not to be ascribed vnto it for a cure cannot be said to be done by one thing when that doth not cure without another But as theâ—e to looking so here the cure is ascribed to beleeuing It is therefore to be ascribed to nothing but faith onely As for that which he further requireth by his corrections exceptions it is but a part of the cure which is performed by faith onely For whatsoeuer is necessary in vs to eternall life followeth of true and liuely faith and is ministred vnto vs in Christ Iesus when by faith we haue imbraced him e Acts. 15.9 Our hearts are purified by faith f Gal. 3.14 by faith we receiue the promise of the spirit and g Rom. 8.2 the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus deliuereth vs from the law of sinne and of death that it may neither preuaile against vs to condemnation nor any further reigne ouer vs in conuersation which being the gift of God is not to be alledged to impeach the free bestowing of the grace of God 28. W. BISHOP His 2. reason is collected of exclusiue speeches as he speaketh vsed in Scriptures As we are iustified freely not of the law not by the law Gal. 2.16 Luk. 8.50 not of works not of our selues not of the works of the law but by faith all boasting excluded onely beleeue These distinctions whereby works and the law are excluded in the worke of iustification include thus much that faith alone doth iustifie It doth not so for these exclusiue speeches do not exclude feare hope and charity more then they exclude faith it selfe Which may be called a worke of the law as well as any other vertue being as much required by the law as any other But S. Pauls meaning in those places is to exclude all such workes as either Iew or Gentile did or could bragge of as done of themselues and so thought that by them they deserued to be made Christians For he truly saith that all were concluded in sinne and needed the grace of God which they were to receiue of his free mercy through the merits of Christ and not of any desart of their owne And that to obtaine this grace through Christ it was not needfull nay rather hurtfull to obserue the ceremonies of Moyses law as Circumcision the obseruation of any of their feasts or fasts nor any such like worke of the law which the Iewes reputed so necessary Againe that all morall works of the Gentiles could not deserue this grace which workes not proceeding from charity were nothing worth in Gods sight And so all workes both of Iew and Gentile are excluded from being any meritorious cause of iustification and consequently all their boasting of their owne forces their first iustification being freely bestowed vpon them Yet all this notwithstanding a certaine vertuous disposition is required in the Iew and Gentile whereby his soule is prepared to receiue that great grace of iustification that say we is faith feare hope loue and repentance that say the Protestants is faith onely Wherefore say we as the excluding of works and boasting exclude not faith no more do they exclude the rest faith being as well our worke and a worke of the law as any of the rest and all the rest being of grace as well as faith and as farre from boasting of as faith it selfe Now that out of S. Luke beleeue onely is nothing to the purpose For he was bid beleeue the raising of his daughter to life and not that Christs righteousnesse was his and faith alone may be a sufficient disposition to obtaine a myracle but not to obtaine iustification of which the question onely is Consider now good Reader whether of our interpretations agree better with the circumstance of the text and the iudgement of the auncient Fathers The texts see thou in the Testament Take for a tast of the Fathers iudgement S. Augustines exposition of those places of S. Paul of one of the chiefest of which De gra lib. arb cap. 7. thus he speaketh Men not vnderstanding that which the Apostle saith We esteeme a man to be iustified without the law thought him to say that faith sufficed a man although he liued euill and had no good works which God forbid that the vessell of election should thinke And againe De praedest sanct cap. 7. Therefore the Apostle saith that a man is iustified by faith and not of works because faith is first giuen and by it the rest which are properly called workes and in which we liue iustly are by petition obtained By which it is manifest that S. Paul excluding the workes of the law and the workes done by our owne onely forces doth not meane to exclude good works which proceede from the helpe of Gods grace R. ABBOT If iustification be affirmed of faith denied to all other things it should seeme likely that the meaning of the Scripture is that by faith onely we are iustified M. Bishop answereth that those exclusiue speeches of the law and works of the law do no more exclude feare hope charity then they exclude faith it selfe because it is a worke of the law as well as any other vertue But yet the Apostle teacheth vs that the promise is a Rom. 4.16 therefore of faith that it may be of grace and b Cap. 11.6 if it be of grace it is not of works and therefore expresly seuereth faith from workes as elsewhere he maketh a distinction betwixt c Cap. 3.27 the law of workes and the law of faith so that M. Bishop in confounding faith with the works of the law speaketh flatly contrary to the Apostle For the faith of Christ though it be accidentally reduced to the law yet is not originally intended in the law because Christ who is the obiect of our faith is in order of nature consequent to the law For life is first propounded in the law which when it cannot be obtained there Christ is consequently giuen and offered vnto vs that we may haue life in him But we further tell him as before that we attribute not our iustification to faith
loue of that righteousnes for which we fight in fighting against it So death of it selfe the wages of sin becometh to the faithful as a poison broken into a medicine and as a serpent that hath lost his sting a Bern. in Cant. Ser. 26. Iam non stimulus sed iubilus I am cantando moritur homo moriendo cantat Vsurparis ad laetitiam mater moeroris vsurparis ad gloriam gloriae inimica vsurparis ad introitum regni porta inferi fouea perditionis ad inuentionem salutis There is no sting but song saith S. Bernard man now dieth singing and singeth dying O thou mother of mourning saith he thou art turned to ioy thou enemy of glory doest now serue to giue glory thou gate of hell art vsed for an entry to the kingdome of heauen and thou pit of destruction for the finding of saluation S. Austin saith thereof that b Aug. de pec mer. remis li. 2. cap. 34. MorteÌ„ cerporis propter peccatum homini Deus inflixit post peccatorum remissionem propter exercendam iustitiam non ademit Et paulò priùs eam fidelibus euenire vt eius timore vinceÌ„do exerceretur fortitudo iustitiae God inflicted death for the punishment of sin and after forgiuenes of sins he still left it for the exercising of righteousnesse that saith he the fortitude of righteousnesse might be exercised in ouercoming the feare thereof The like hath bene noted out of him c Sect. 2. before concerning other iudgements laid vpon mankind in the beginning by reason of sinne Now as of these so of all other afflictions after forgiuenesse of sinnes we resolue that they forgo their former condition and propertie and cease to be reuengements and punishments for sinne but haue other respects and vses for which they are continued The examples so strongly vrged by Master Bishop make nothing against this First the Israelites murmure God to Moses threateneth wholly to destroy theÌ„ promising to make of him a mighty people Moses prayeth vnto God to withhold that wrath from his people to forgiue the trespasse God saith d Num. 14.20 I haue forgiueÌ„ it according to thy request but he addeth Notwithstanding as I liue all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord for all those men which haue seen my glory my miracles which I did in Egypt in the wildernes and haue tempted me these ten times and haue not obeyed my voice certainly they shall not see the land wherof I sware vnto their fathers Here is the forgiuenes of a sin saith M. Bishop and yet a punishment ensuing after But we answer him that this example altereth the question cometh not within the compasse of that wherof we speake For it is one thing to speake of the forgiuenesse of a sinne to the whole body of a people and another thing to speake of forgiuenesse to one particular man Forgiuenesse of a sinne to a whole people is not absolute but onely in a respect it is not simply the taking away of a sinne but the taking of it away in some sort and therefore though it be the excluding of one punishment yet nothing hindreth but that it may leaue place for another yea and though in common there be a forgiuenesse yet in particular there may stil remaine an imputation of the sinne euen as amongst this people were many reprobates and cast-awayes who though they were forgiuen and freed in respect of the destruction then threatened yet being void of repentance and true faith found otherwise spiritually no benefite at al of this forgiuenesse God saith not here simply I haue forgiuen it but I haue forgiuen it according to thy request Moses request was according to Gods threatening Gods threatening was wholly to destroy that nation In this respect God said I haue forgiuen it namely so as not at once to destroy this people according to my wrath and indignation conceiued against them And this Lyra very well obserued e Lyra in Num. ca. 14. Benè dicit iuxta quòd non totaliter dimisit sed quantum ad hoc quòd non deleret totum populum simul He saith well saith he according to thy request because he did not wholy pardon it but onely as touching the not destroying of the whole people at once Now albeit in this respect he did forgiue it because he did not wholy forgiue it therefore he voweth to glorifie himselfe throughout all the earth by making them an example of his iudgement vpon vnthankfull men with whom no sights nor sayings can preuaile to make them obedient to the voyce of God Therefore he would forbeare to destroy them in that sort and to their seed he wold make good the promise of the land of Canaan but as for them he would weare out the whole multitude of them that not one of them shold haue the enioying or sight thereof This he laid as a iudgement in common vpon that generation of men which had so infinitly from time to time prouoked him as that they made him f Psal 95.12 to sweare that they should not enter into his rest But yet in the bosome of that multitude we cannot doubt but many there were who truly repented and obtained forgiuenes both of this of all their other sins yet together with the rest were depriued of entrance into that holy land For God doth not except particular men from generall and common plagues and when he striketh a nation with famine sword pestilence or other calamity both one and other good and bad are subiect vnto it g Cyprian contra Demetr Intrae vnam domum boni mali interim coÌ„tinemur quicquid intrae domum euenerit pari sorte perpetimur donec c. We are shut vp together in one house saith Cyprian and whatsoeuer befalleth within the house we suffer it all alike Onely he so ordereth that what is to a nation in common for reuenge punishment becommeth in particular to the repentant and faithful a helpe and furtherance of saluation And so was it with the beleeuing Israelites who though by a common iudgement they were excluded corporally from the Sacrament and signe yet were thereby spiritually edified and learned with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob so much the more to meditate to desire long for the spirituall and euerlasting rest Albeit in respect of the faithfull also it is to be vnderstood that Gods chastisements oftentimes lye vpon them after forgiuenesse of sinnes though not for punishments to theÌ„selues yet for exemplary admonitions to others h Tho. Aquin. 12. q. 87. art 6. ad 3. Vt edificeÌ„tur in poena qui scaÌ„dâ—lizati sunt in culpa that as Thomas Aquinas speaketh they may be edified by the punishment that were scandalized by the sinne And thus S. Austin rightly saith that i Aug in Joan. tr 124. Productior est poenae quà m culpa ne parua putaretur culpa si cum
because we account not Cyprians writings as canonicall but consider them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what therein agreeth to the authoritie of holy Scripture we receiue it with his praise but what agreeth not by his leaue we refuse it Albeit because we find Cyprian elsewhere acknowledging in the name of all the faithfull that p Cyprian de orat Dom. Ipsum habemus apud PatreÌ„ AduocatuÌ„ pro peccatis nostris we haue Christ with the Father to be the Aduocate for our sinnes thereby confessing the effect of Christs redemption to be extended to the whole course of our life we dare not conceiue howsoeuer his words be very harsh that his meaning was so bad as thereby it may seeme to be And to iustifie himself to conceiue no otherwise but that the washing and cleansing of vs from our sinnes amidst all our almes and deuotions consisteth not in that which we do but in the bloud of Christ he saith in another place c Idem ser de ablut pedum Clementissime magister quoties ego doctrinae tuae transgressus sum regulas quoties edicta tua Domine sancte contempsi cùm diceres mihi Reuertere non sum reuersus cùm minareris non timâ—â— cùm bonus esses lenis exasperans fui Vltra septuagies septies in coelum coram te peccaui Quis tot sordes abluet quiâ— abradet stercora coÌ„globata Quicquid dicat Petrus necesse est vt ipse nos abluas neque enim lauare nos possumus sed in omnibus quae agimus indulgentiae tuae lauacro indigemus c. Apud te fons vitae est et miserationum quae à seculo sunâ— profunditas infinita abluisti nos baptismo lauasti sanguine tuo semper lauas quotidiana peccata donando O mercifull Lord how often haue I transgressed the rules of thy doctrine how often O holy Lord haue I despised thy commaundements and when thou saidst vnto me Returne I haue not returned when thou threatnedst I feared not when thou wast good and gentle I haue prouoked thee beyond seuentie times seuen times I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Who shall wash away so much filth who shall take away the mucke that is thus growne together Let Peter say what he will in refusing to be washed we haue need that thou wash vs for we cannot wash our selues but in all things that we do we stand in need of the washing of thy pardon and mercie With thee is the well of life and the infinit depth of mercies which haue bene from euerlasting thou hast washed vs in baptisme thou hast washed vs in thy bloud thou alwayes washest vs by forgiuing our daily sinnes By these words he giueth plainly to vnderstand that he did not think the washing and cleansing of vs to consist in the merit of our almes but in the forgiuenesse of our sins He confesseth that in all that we do we stand in need of pardon and therefore cannot be imagined to thinke that any thing that we do is a satisfaction for our sinnes In the other words therefore we must conceiue his purpose to be onely to note and set forth the acts and affections of them who truly and faithfully seeke remission of their sins by the mercie of God in the bloud of Iesus Christ albeit being instant and earnest as men are wont to be to presse that that he had in hand he runneth into inconuenient phrases and speeches which otherwise stand not with the rule of Christian saith Those workes of mercie and compassion towards our brethren are the true fruites and effects the consequents and companions of that contrite and broken heart that repentance and faith to which God hath made the promise of his mercy and therfore because in the doing thereof we find mercy he so speaketh thereof as if by the works themselues we obtained that mercie when yet it is not for the workes sake that God accepteth vs but for Christs sake whom by our workes we shew that we vnfainedly seeke and do truly beleeue in him And as for the place of Scripture which he alledgeth though by error of the scribe perhaps it be that there is noted in the margent the fourth of Tobie yet these words not being found in Tobie and the words that are in Tobie being cited afterwards he therein alludeth vndoubtedly to a saying of Solomon in the Prouerbes but forcing the text and putting in almes and faith in steed of mercy and truth Which words of Solomon if a whining aduersary by instance and importunitie will vrge vpon vs to expound of the mercie and truth of man it must be read and construed according to the same meaning which is already expressed d Prou. 16.6 In mercie and truth iniquitie shall be forgiuen that is where mercy and truth are there is forgiuenesse of sinnes as to note the conditions of the persons whose sins are forgiuen not the thing by vertue whereof they are forgiuen But we haue no warrant of any other Scripture in any other meaning to tie it to our mercie and truth and therefore must vnderstand it of the mercie and truth of God of which the Prophet Dauid speaketh when hauing signified the forgiuenesse of the sinnes of Gods people and the nearnesse of his saluation to them that feare him he addeth for the cause thereof e Psal 85.10 Mercie and truth are met together Of which also the Euangelist S. Iohn saith f Iohn 1.17 Grace and truth that is mercie and truth come by Iesus Christ Thus then by mercie and truth iniquitie is forgiuen not by any merite or worke of ours not by any satisfaction that we can make but by the mercie of God truly performing the promise that he hath made of the remission of sinnes by the bloud of Iesus Christ As for the booke of Tobie noted as I said in the margent and from whence Cyprian afterwards alledgeth other words of almes deliuering from death and purging all sinne it is not of sufficient authoritie to proue vnto vs any matter of faith the auncient Church testifying of it and the rest of the same sort as Hierome and Ruffinus haue recorded that g Hieron prolog galeat Igitur sapientia Solomonis Jesu filij Sirach liber Iudith Tobias non sunt in Canone Sic Ruffin in expos Symb. they are not canonicall and S. Austine affirming that h August deciuit Dei lib. 17. ca. 20. Aduersus contradictâ—resnoÌ„ tanta firmitate proferuntur qua scripta non sunt in Canoâ—e Iudaeâ—rum the writings which are not in the Canon of the Iewes as none are but what they had written in their owne tongue are not with so great authoritie alledged in matters of question and contradiction Albeit we will not disauow those words in that meaning as I haue before expressed that almesdeeds deliuer from death and purge vs from sinne as arguments for proofe that we are deliuered from death and
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
How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice Heb. 11.7 which is by faith What faith had he That by Christs Righteousnesse he was assured of Saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of iustice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans What faith he was iustified by let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith Rom. cap. 4. hath these words He contrarie to hope beleeueth in hope that he might be made the father of manie Nations according to that which was sayd vnto him So shall thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne bodie now quite dead whereas he was almost an hundreth yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthened in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to do therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Lo because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was iustified The Centurions faith was verie pleasing vnto our Sauiour who sayd in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israel What faith was that Marrie that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed S. Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highly rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Math. 16. Then that our Sauiour was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great Secretarie of the holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell These things Iohn 20. saith he are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth verie well Rom. 10. saying This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from death 1. Cor. 15 thou shalt be saued And in another place I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vaine What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the Creed is that iustifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in Saint Paul nor any other place of holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we apply Christs Righteousnesse to our selues and assure our selues of our saluation is either a iustifying or any Christian mans faith but the verie naturall act of that vgly Monster presumption which being layd as the verie corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humilitie and deuotion can they build vpon it R. ABBOT What the reason was why M. Perkins here propounded no obiections of the Papists M. Bishop might haue conceiued because he had a Chap. 3. Of the Certaintie of Saluation before noted and confuted the best that are alledged by them If he had not so done yet it should not be likely that he had therefore omitted them because he knew not how to answer them because this which M. Bishop bringeth for their principall reason is but a verie weake and simple reason The thing that he would proue thereby is that iustifying faith is that Catholike faith as he calleth it whereby we beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed He abuseth the name of Catholike faith whereby hath bene wont to be imported the true and sound doctrine of the Catholike Church comprised in bookes taught in Pulpits and schooles professed by the mouth which a man may preach to others and himselfe be voide of iustifying faith Thus Vigilius saith hauing discoursed of some points of doctrine b Vigil cont Eutych lib. 1. Haec est fides professio Catholica quam Apostoli tradiderunt Martyres roborauerunt fideles hucusque custodiunt This is the Catholike faith and profession which the Apostles deliuered the Martyrs haue confirmed and the faithfull keepe vntill this day Iustifying faith is the priuate act of the heart and conscience of the man that is iustified which though it be grounded and built vpon it yet cannot but absurdly be termed the Catholike faith But M. Bishop perhaps by Catholike faith meaneth that iustifying faith whereby he and his fellow Catholikes must hope to be iustified By which meanes he hath matched the diuel with himselfe and his Catholikes and hath made him a Catholike For if it be the only faith of a Catholike to beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed what hindereth the diuell to be a Catholike seeing he beleeueth and to his griefe well knoweth that all is true that is reuealed by God This is that which we rightly call historicall faith the obiect whereof is the word of God in generall and it is no more but credere Deo to beleeue God in that which he speaketh which is incident to diuels and damned men This historicall faith is presupposed and included in iustifying faith but the proper obiect of iustifying saith is c 2. Cor. 5.19 God in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe or the promise of Gods mercie to vs in Christ Iesus whereby we do not onely beleeue the promise in generall to be true but do trust in God and expect good at his hands according to that promise for Christs sake This faith therefore is called d Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 the faith of Christ that is whereby we beleeue in Christ and is further expressed to be e Act. 3.16 faith in his name f Rom. 3.25 faith in his bloud Of which S. Austin saith g August in Ioan. tract 35. Fides Christi est credere in eum qui iustificat impium credere in mediatorem sine quo interposito non reconciliamur Deâ— credere in saluatorem qui venit quod perterat quaerâ—re atque saluare c. The faith of Christ is to beleeue in him that iustifieth the vngodly to beleeue in the Mediator without
though any do by occasion name charitie for the wedding garment as men by diuers occasions speake diuersly thereof yet no man was euer so absurd as expresly to exclude true faith from being one part of it as M. Bishop doth And if any do speake sometimes of a faith without charitie and fruites of good workes they speake thereof as we do as being onely a bastard faith a false and fained faith an idle outward receiuing and professing of the faith or doctrine of faith not that true faith which the Apostle speaketh of to which he assigneth our iustification in the sight of God The like foolish argument he maketh from the i Mat. 25.1 foolish virgins he may well call it the like because indeed they are all naught They had faith saith he true but they had not true faith they had not that faith which the Apostle speaketh of wherein our iustification is affirmed to consist For of that faith the Protestants say truly that it cannot be lost because God hath made vnto it the promise of eternall life and therefore Christ prayeth for it that it may neuer faile They had a forme or shew of faith as they had k 2. Tim. 3.5 a forme or shew of godlinesse but neuer knew the power thereof His tale of perfection is an idle dreame as we shall see hereafter if God will As for them that apply this text to the profession of virginitie they do apparent wrong therein the very text it selfe giuing to vnderstand that therby is described the kingdome of heauen by which in these parables euery where is vnderstood the whole state of the outward and militant Church professing to seeke the kingdome of heauen To take it otherwise is to offer violence to a very plaine and manifest text Vnder the name of Virgins all are comprehended who by profession and promise of faith and baptism haue vndertaken to be l 2. Cor. 11.2 virgins that is entire and faithfull vnto Christ By the lampe is imported that outward profession to men the oyle signifieth true faith and a good conscience inwardly to God Howsoeuer the lampes of foolish virgins of idle and emptie professors giue them credit with men so as that they are not barred from the companie and conuersation of the wise yet in the sleepe of death they shall go out and shall not serue to light them to go to God then shall they too late seeke and wish for that the oportunitie whereof before they carelesly omitted Then shall they cry Lord Lord as the other did before but it shall not boot them to cry when the doores shall be shut against them Thus doth Christ giue the same to vnderstand of hypocrites in generall which before he had done of hypocriticall and false teachers and what he saith here he expresseth more fully by the other Euangelist that when they shall cry m Luk. 13.25 Lord Lord open to vs and Christ shall answer vnto them I know you not whence you are then they shall begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Where we see them pleading that they haue heard Christ preach and they haue bene partakers of his Sacraments but they cannot plead for themselues that they haue beleeued in him therfore he shall answer theÌ„ again I tell you I know ye not whence ye are depart from me ye workers of iniquitie His fourth argument is of n Ioh. 12.42 many amongst the chiefe rulers of the Iewes who beleeued in Christ but yet confessed him not because of the Pharisees lest they should be cast out of the synagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the prayse of God Here we see faith indeed as he saith but we see no necessitie that faith should be vnderstood here to be without charitie Here is weake faith and weake loue too much yet entangled and tyed in the nets of carnall and earthly respects but he hath no ground to affirme that there is no loue Yes saith he for charity prefers the glory and seruice of God before al things in the world whereas these men were afraid to confesse Christ Indeed o 1. Ioh. 4 18. perfect charitie casteth out all feare and perfect faith breedeth perfect charity but there is a beginning of true faith and loue which being yet little and weake and hauing not yet ouermastered all worldly regards is for a time timorous and fearefull to confesse Christ yet groweth to strength by litle and little till it resolue to cleaue vnto him with losse of all other things Such was the faith of Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea who were two of these chiefe rulers the one p Ioh. 3.2 coming to Iesus by night the other a disciple also q Cap. 19.38 but secretly for feare of the Iewes who yet afterwards being stirred vp with those things which they beheld saw in the death of Christ more boldly shewed themselues in his behalfe and in the end forsooke all for the following of his seruice In the meane time they shewed loue also to Christ though weakly r Cap. 7.50.51 the one in speaking in his behalfe Å¿ Luk. 23.51 the other in withholding his consent from the counsell and deed that was acted against Christ both in yeelding themselues to be his disciples and to be instructed by him Such was the faith and loue of the Apostles themselues who were euery while affrighted and in his greatest distresse t Mat. 26.56 all forsooke him and fled But he that u Cap. 12.20 breaketh not the brused reed nor quencheth the smoaking flaxe till he bring foorth iudgement into victorie wheresoeuer he seeth true faith and vnfained loue though yet weake and feeble watereth and cherisheth and vndersetteth the same that it may grow to strength x Aug. in Ioan. tract 53. Videte quemadmodum Euangelista notauerit improbauerit quâ—sdam ques tamen in eum credidisse dixit qui in hoc ingressu fidei si proficerent amorem quoque humanae gloriae proficiendo superarent The Euangelist saith S. Austin noteth and reproueth some of whom notwithstanding he saith that they did beleeue in Christ who if they did grow forward in this beginning of faith wold by growing forward ouercome the loue of humane glory which the Apostle had ouercome who saith God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ This growth there is wheresoeuer there is true and vnfained faith and because it cannot grow without loue it groweth to the ouercoming of all contrarie loue til it cleaue wholy vnto God Thus the Gospel expresly teacheth concerning some of these chief rulers and we cannot doubt but that the like befell in the rest of them that did truly beleeue in Christ They beleeued but their faith was weake and their loue was according to their faith til increase of faith brought further strength of loue and they learned by faith
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
vnderstood or expounded to that meaning whereto he applieth it k Col. 1.24 Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you and do fulfill or accomplish those things that want saith M. Bishop but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remainder those things that are yet behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church M. Bishop by translating those things that want of the passions of Christ and applying the place to their satisfactions giueth vs to vnderstand that blasphemy of theirs which he will seeme otherwise to denie that for satisfaction somewhat is wanting to the passion of Christ so that the passion of Christ is not taken with them to be a full and perfect satisfaction and redemption He will say the old interpreter so translateth but because the old interpreter made not that vse of these passions in the words following as M. Bishop doth therefore to our meaning onely and not to his he translateth in that sort The afflictions and sufferings of the faithfull are very often in the Scripture termed l 2. Cor. 4.10 Phil. 3.10 1. Pet. 4.13 the afflictions and sufferings of Christ Christ is the head we are the body m Aug. in Psa Caput corpâ—â— vnus est Christus The head and the body saith S. Austine make one Christ He hath made vs one with himselfe and therefore vnder one name of n Gal. 3.16 Christ he comprehendeth both himselfe and vs. Whatsoeuer then is done either to the head or to the body the same is done to Christ Christ the head hath sâ—ffered in himselfe whatsoeuer was needfull for the redemption and purchase of that body whereof he was to be the head He therefore suffered and died for sinne as a Redeemer we as redeemed are by suffering to be conformed vnto him that in suffering we may be still dying and in death it selfe may fully and for euer be o Râ—â— 62.11 deâ—d to sinne Now because the afflictions of the body and members of Christ are reckoned to be the afflictions of Christ therfore so long as there is any part of the body still remaining to be afflicted so long there is somewhat wanting or yet behind of the afflictions of Christ Thus S. Austine saith p Aug. in Psal 61. Si in memoris Christi es quicquid pateris ab eu qui n n sunt in â—â—eÌ„oru Christi deerat passionibus Christi If thou be a member of Christ whatsoeuer thou sufferest of them who are not the members of Christ it was wanting to the passions of Christ And thus S. Paul as a member of Christ professeth that for his part he fulfilled the remnant or that that was yet to be sustained of the afflictions sufferings of Christ But he addeth for his bodies sake which is the Church and vpon these words specially the question dependeth In what meaning is it that he saith he suffereth for the Churches sake M. Bishop will haue vs thinke that it was to adde somewhat for his part to the common treasury of satisfactions whence reliefe succour might be yeelded to men by the Popes indulgences to supply the want of their owne satisfactions We must thinke that somewhat was wanting to the sufferings of Christ to set vs free from temporal punishments and towards that S. Paul paied his shot and hauing suffered enough for his owne discharge would adde somwhat to serue in common to ease the burdens of other men But against this wicked and blasphemous fancie the Apostle himselfe instructeth vs when he saith q 1. Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you If we beleeue M. Bishop Paul also was crucified for vs but Paul himselfe denieth himselfe to haue bene crucified for vs. Therfore he teacheth vs to say r Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ not in the crosse of Paul not in the crosse of Peter but only in the crosse of Iesus Christ If M. Bishop say true we haue to reioyce in the crosse of Peter and in the crosse of Paul and in the crosses of the rest of the Saints as hauing redeemed vs froÌ„ Purgatory froÌ„ temporall painâ— but we are taught to reioyce in nothing but in the crosse of Iesus Christ that it may be true which he hath said Å¿ Esa 63.3 I haue troden the wine-presse alone of all people there was none with me Therfore Ambrose saith t Ambros in 1. Cor. cap. â— St Christus pro nobis mortuus est quomodo graâ—aÌ„ lexeficiuÌ„ etia hominibus imputamus ad eâ—us iniuriam If Christ haue died for vs why do we impute his grace and benefit to other men to his wrong Very fitly to this purpose saith Leo Bishop of Rome u Leo epist. 81. QuaÌ„tris multorum sanâ—torum pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors fuerit nullâ—â—s tamentâ—sontis oâ—â—â—sio muâ—di fuit propitiatio Accepere iusti non dederaâ—t coronas de fortitudine fideliuÌ„ nata sunt exempta patientiae noÌ„ dona iustitiae Singulares quippâ— in singulis mortes fuere nec alterius quisquaÌ„ debitum suo fine persoltus quum inter filios homiâ—â—m vnus Dominus noster Iesus Christus extiterit in quo omnes crucifixi omnes mertuâ— omnes sepulti omnes sunt etiam suscitati Albeit the death of many Saints hath bene precious in the Lords sight yet the killing of no Saint hath bene the propitiation of the world The iust receiued crownes but gaue none and of the fortitude of the faithfull haue growne examples of patience no gifts of righteousnesse Their deaths were seuerall in euery of them neither hath any man by his death paied the debt of another man seeing amongst the sonnes of men it was onely our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified dead buried and raised againe This was the auncient doctrine of the Bishops of Rome but now Maister Bishop telleth vs out of their Romish learning that one man is the propitiation and attonement for another that some men doe pay debts and make satisfactions for others because Paul saith that he suffereth for the Churches sake But S. Austine telleth him againe x Aug. in Ioan. tract 84. Etsi fratres pro fratribus morâ—amur tamen in fraterneruÌ„ peccatorum remissioneÌ„ nullius sanguis martyâ—is funditur quod fecit ille Christus pronebâ— nec in hoc quid imitaremur sed quid gratularemur coÌ„tulit nobis c. Quò isi quisquaÌ„ se poteÌ„tia Christi coÌ„parabit alie uÌ„sc putaÌ„do sanare peccatuÌ„ muliuÌ„ est ad illuÌ„ non capit tantuÌ„ c. Diues est qui nec haereditario nec proprio vnquaÌ„ debâ—to obnoxius ipse iustus est alios iustificat Christus Noli coÌ„tra euÌ„ te extendere intantum pauper vt remisâ—ionis pâ—ccatorum appateâ—â— quoâ—idianus in oratione meâ—dicus Albeit we as brethren die for our brethren yet no martyrs bloud